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Australia's cap on foreign students pushes Indians to explore alternatives
In a game where every point mattered, the Beijing center's performance left much to be desired. Throughout the game, the center struggled to make an impact on the court, failing to effectively defend against his opponents and secure crucial rebounds. His lack of physicality and aggression were evident as he was outmuscled and outplayed by his counterparts.
Today, Liu Wei's ice cream business has flourished, with multiple mobile carts scattered throughout the streets of Wuhan. He and Wang Yuyan have also tied the knot, celebrating their love and resilience in the face of adversity. Liu's story serves as an inspiration to many young people who are struggling to find their place in the world, reminding them that with courage, determination, and a little bit of love, anything is possible.
Is Warriors' Draymond Green playing vs. Pacers? Latest injury updateThe young and talented singer, whose identity has been kept private at the request of her family, had been known for her powerful vocals and captivating performances on stage. However, her promising career was cut short when she decided to indulge in multiple massages within a short period of time in an attempt to relax and relieve stress.
This alarming incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by unqualified and unethical beauty clinics. The lack of regulation and oversight in the beauty industry leaves unsuspecting individuals vulnerable to exploitation and harm. It highlights the importance of thorough research, due diligence, and vigilance when considering cosmetic procedures, as well as the critical need for stringent regulations to protect consumers.Exploring the Top 100: Delving into Renji – A Storm of Discussion on Artificial Intelligence
In a world where superficial relationships often dominate, Xue Jiating and Zhao Lusi's bond was a shining example of true friendship. They supported each other unconditionally, celebrated each other's successes, and lent a listening ear during challenging times. Their connection was built on trust, respect, and a shared love for their craft.Meanwhile, in Syria, the sudden and drastic changes in the political landscape have caught the US by surprise. The rapid fall of the Assad regime and the rise of various factions vying for control have created a power vacuum that threatens to destabilize the entire region. The US, along with its allies in the region, is struggling to navigate the complex web of alliances and conflicts in Syria, and formulate a coherent response to the evolving situation.
GAODE MAP LAUNCHES "PEACE OF MIND SERVICE" PLAN, ENHANCING LOCAL LIFE SERVICESDespite the favorable schedule and the team's current form, Guangsha cannot afford to take anything for granted. In sports, upsets are not uncommon, and complacency is often the downfall of even the strongest teams. Every match must be approached with the same level of focus, determination, and commitment if they are to emerge victorious.
Situated along the picturesque coastline, Blue Ocean Bay Residence has captured the hearts of homebuyers with its stunning sea views and luxurious amenities. The project has recorded impressive sales figures, attracting both local residents and investors seeking premium waterfront properties.SUNNYVALE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2024 / TechStar Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company listed in Hong Kong, announced that it entered a Business Combination Agreement with Seyond, a solution provider of high fidelity, high-performance LiDAR and intelligent sensing systems. Upon completion of the merger, Seyond is expected to be successfully listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The agreed valuation for this De-SPAC transaction is 11.7 billion Hong Kong dollars. Additionally, Seyond has introduced three PIPE investors with a cumulative investment of approximately 553.1 million Hong Kong dollars. Previously, Seyond has garnered investments from a host of prestigious institutions, including NIO Capital, Temasek, ERVC, Gaorong Ventures, Joy Capital, BAI Capital, Shunwei Capital, and Guotai Junan Venture Capital, among others. Established in 2016, Seyond specializes in providing automotive-grade LiDAR solutions for autonomous driving and a variety of automotive and non-automotive applications. As the first company to achieve mass production of automotive-grade high-performance LiDAR, Seyond ranked first globally in sales revenue of passenger car LiDAR solutions in 2022 and 2023. Rigorously tested with proven automotive-grade reliability and lifetime, Falcon, the flagship 1550nm LiDAR sensor for high-level autonomous driving, is mass-produced, with over 400,000 units delivered globally. Additionally, Seyond achieved a design win for its 905nm wavelength LiDAR products with a leading new energy automotive OEM, becoming the only company in the LiDAR industry with mass production experience in both 1550nm and 905nm products. In addition to the automotive market, Seyond is strategically expanding into the robotic and intelligent transportation markets with combined revenue opportunities of over USD 260 billion globally by 2031, aiming to create a more substantial revenue scale. Seyond is looking forward to embarking on this exciting new journey with its investors, partners, and customers. On January 7-10, the company will exhibit its latest technology at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Attendees visiting Booth #5060 will learn how Seyond's LiDAR solutions power intelligent systems worldwide. About Seyond SeyondTM is a global leader in high fidelity LiDAR solutions, powering a safer, smarter and more mobile world across the automotive, intelligent transportation, robotics and infrastructure industries. Seyond delivers a dynamic portfolio of robust, high resolution LiDAR sensors, perception software, and the Seyond ITS Management Platform (SIMPL). Founded in Silicon Valley with a global footprint, Seyond is dedicated to the highest quality engineering and manufacturing, and unwavering commitment to our customers. About TechStar TechStar is a special purpose acquisition company incorporated for the purpose of effecting a business combination with one or more businesses, with efforts concentrated on companies in new economy sectors, including but not limited to innovative technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, culture and entertainment, consumer and e-commerce, green energy and climate actions industries. TechStar completed an offering comprising 100,100,000 TechStar Class A Shares at an offer price of HK$10.00 per TechStar Class A Share and 50,050,000 TechStar Listed Warrants on December 23, 2022. CONTACT: Name: Sally Frykman Email: sally.frykman@seyond.com SOURCE: Seyond View the original on accesswire.com
When Katja Vogt considers a Jaguar, she pictures a British-made car purring confidently along the Italian coastline — a vision of familiarity that conveys "that dreaming, longing feeling we all love." She's not sure what to think about Jaguar now after the 89-year-old company announced a radical rebranding that featured loud colors and androgynous people — but no cars. Jaguar, the company says, will now be JaGUar. It will produce only electric vehicles beginning in 2026. Bad attention is good attention, Jaguar execs would appear to believe. The car brand has prompted mockery online for posting a glitzy ad without a single car in it. Jaguar Say goodbye to British racing green, Cotswold Blue and black. Its colors are henceforth electric pink, red and yellow, according to a video that sparked backlash online. Its mission statement: "Create exuberance. Live vivid. Delete ordinary. Break moulds." "Intrigued?" @Jaguar posted on social media. "Weird and unsettled" is more like it, Vogt wrote on Instagram. "Especially now, with the world feeling so dystopian," the Cyprus-based brand designer wrote, "a heritage brand like Jaguar should be conveying feelings of safety, stability, and maybe a hint of rebellion — the kind that shakes things up in a good way, not in a way that unsettles." Jaguar was one of several iconic companies that announced significant rebrandings in recent weeks, upending a series of commercial — and cultural — landmarks by which many modern human beings sort one another, carve out identities and recognize the world around them. Campbell's, the 155-year-old American icon that artist Andy Warhol immortalized in pop culture decades ago, is ready for a new, soupless name. Comcast's corporate reorganization means there will soon be two television networks with "NBC" in their name — CNBC and MSNBC — that will no longer have any corporate connection to NBC News, a U.S. legacy news outlet. CNBC Richard Drew, Associated Press One could even argue the United States itself is rebranding with the election of former President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Unlike Trump's first election in 2016, he won the popular vote in what many called a national referendum on American identity. Are we, then, the sum total of our consumer decisions — what we buy, where we travel and whom we elect? Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Certainly, it's a question for those privileged enough to be able to afford such choices. Volumes of research in the art and science of branding — from "brandr," an old Norse word for burning symbols into the hides of livestock — say those factors do contribute to the modern sense of identity. So rebranding, especially of heritage names, can be a deeply felt affront to consumers. "It can feel like the brand is turning its back on everything that it stood for — and therefore it feels like it's turning its back on us, the people who subscribe to that idea or ideology," said Ali Marmaduke, strategy director with the Amsterdam-based Brand Potential. He said cultural tension — polarization — is surging over politics, wars in Russia and the Mideast, the environment, public health and more, creating what Marmaduke said is known as a "polycrisis": the idea that there are several massive crises converging that feel scary and complex. Campbell's soups Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press "People are understandably freaked out by that," he said. "So we are looking for something that will help us navigate this changing, threatening world that we face." Trump's "Make America Great Again" qualifies. So did President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" slogan. Campbell's soup itself — "Mmm Mmm Good" — isn't going anywhere, CEO Mark Clouse said. The company's new name, Campbell's Co., will reflect "the full breadth of our portfolio," which includes brands like Prego pasta sauce and Goldfish crackers. None of the recent activity around heritage brands sparked a backlash as ferocious as Jaguar's. The company stood as a pillar of tradition-loving British identity since World War II. The famous "leaper" cat Jaguar logo is pictured in 2019 at the Auto show in Paris, France. Christophe Ena, Associated Press Jaguar said its approach to the rebrand was rooted in the philosophy of its founder, Sir William Lyons, to "copy nothing." What it's calling "the new Jaguar" will overhaul everything from the font of its name to the positioning of it's famous "leaper" cat. "Exuberant modernism" will "define all aspects of the new Jaguar world," according to the news release. The approach is thought to be aimed at selling fewer cars at a six-figure price point to a more diverse customer base. The reaction ranged from bewilderment to hostility. Memes sprouted up likening the video to the Teletubbies, a Benetton ad and — perhaps predictably — a bow to "woke" culture as the blowback intersected with politics.This year was a busy one for investors, especially in light of the U.S. presidential election, growing excitement around artificial intelligence and the continued focus on elevated interest rates. While macro conditions are expected to improve in the new year, there are concerns about a possible U.S.-China trade war and lofty valuations could weigh on the stock market in 2025. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Nonetheless, top analysts continue to focus on stocks that can withstand near-term pressures and offer robust growth potential, backed by solid execution and fundamentals. Here are three stocks favored by the Street's top pros , according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance. This week's first pick is Salesforce ( CRM ), a customer relationship management platform. Earlier this month, the company issued solid guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 and highlighted the role of Agentforce, its suite of autonomous AI agents, in driving its transformation. On Dec. 17 , Salesforce announced the launch of Agentforce 2.0, the latest version of its flagship AI product with enhanced features. Reacting to the launch, Mizuho analyst Gregg Moskowitz reiterated a buy rating on CRM stock with a price target of $425. The analyst called Agentforce 2.0, an "impressive innovation, with a clear step-up in value." Moskowitz noted some of the features of the advanced version, including improved workflow integration with Slack, Tableau and MuleSoft offerings, better reasoning and data retrieval competence, and an enhanced library of pre-built skills. The analyst also highlighted the traction for Agentforce, with the company closing more than 1,000 paid deals, a steep climb up from the 200 plus deals by the end of fiscal Q3. Overall, Moskowitz thinks that Agentforce can be a "game-changing technology," given its ability to significantly boost productivity for clients while fueling bookings and revenue growth. Moskowitz continues to see Salesforce as a top pick and believes that it is well positioned to help its extensive clientele in process optimization and revenue management. Moskowitz ranks No. 212 among more than 9,200 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 60% of the time, delivering an average return of 13.9%. (See Salesforce Stock Charts on TipRanks) Another Mizuho analyst, James Lee , is bullish on Booking Holdings ( BKNG ), a provider of online travel and other services. Lee reaffirmed a buy rating on BKNG stock and boosted the price target to $6,000 from $5,400, reflecting higher growth-rate estimates and a favorable outlook. Lee stated that a regional analysis by Mizuho revealed encouraging room night growth for fiscal 2025. Based on estimated growth rates for Europe, Asia, the U.S. and the rest of the world, Lee expects an 8.2% room night growth (over a percentage point higher than the consensus estimate). The analyst expects BKNG's fiscal 2025 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to rise by mid-teens, marking a faster growth rate than the revenue growth estimate of nearly 11%. In fact, considering buybacks, Lee expects fiscal 2025 earnings to increase by about 20%, which makes the stock's valuation at 16 times FY26 EBITDA attractive at current levels. Overall, Lee believes that BKNG deserves a premium valuation compared with its rivals based on its "sizable advantage in digital marketing, expanding offerings in alternative accommodations and other new product verticals, and a higher share in hotel bookings." Lee ranks No. 291 among more than 9,200 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 61% of the time, delivering an average return of 13.4%. (See Booking Holdings Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks) Finally, there's sports betting company DraftKings ( DKNG ). The company has mobile sports betting operations in 25 states and Washington, D.C. Its iGaming business is live in five U.S. states. The company's Sportsbook and iGaming products are also available in Ontario, Canada. In a research note on the 2025 outlook for the Gaming and Lodging space, JPMorgan analyst Joseph Greff named DraftKings as one of the top picks. The analyst reiterated a buy rating on DKNG stock and increased the price target to $53 from $47. Greff views DraftKings "as the pure-play in the most attractive growth market in Gaming." He expects DKNG to gain from tail winds in this space, including solid same-store sales and new growth opportunities. Highlighting DraftKings' lucrative revenue growth profile, the analyst talked about the company's ability to capitalize on its scale and leading position in the U.S. online sports betting and iGaming space to deliver better margins, EBITDA and free cash flow, supported by efforts to control operating expenses. Greff expects DraftKings to deliver revenue growth of 31% in 2025 and 13% in 2026. The analyst said that Wall Street's 2026 revenue growth estimate of 17% plus seems very achievable, along with the possibility of a higher margin. Finally, Greff noted DKNG's "superior product capabilities, customer acquisition competencies, and scale that have allowed it to compete against new entrants like ESPN BET and Fanatics, much like it has successfully competed in the past with newer entrants." Greff ranks No. 987 among more than 9,200 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 51% of the time, delivering an average return of 7.6%. (See Draftkings Options Activity on TipRanks)
Looking ahead, the outlook for the A-share market remains positive, with the potential for further gains driven by supportive government policies, improving trade relations, strong corporate performance, and increasing foreign investment. However, it is essential for investors to remain cautious and vigilant, as market volatility and uncertainties continue to persist in the global economic landscape.Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Truist Financial Analyst Says
Bad News As Toronto Maple Leafs Goaltender Suffers InjuryMoreover, the evolving regulatory landscape and data privacy concerns surrounding social media platforms like TikTok pose potential risks to the future of social commerce. As governments around the world implement stricter regulations on data protection and online advertising, companies will need to navigate these challenges carefully to maintain consumer trust and compliance with regulatory requirements.In addition to the release of the film, special events, merchandise, and tributes are expected to be organized to commemorate the milestone anniversary. Fans can expect a wave of nostalgia as they revisit their favorite moments from the past films, while also eagerly anticipating the new twists and turns that "Death Is Coming 6" is sure to bring.
As a responsible and customer-centric establishment, the bathhouse management has taken swift and decisive action to address the situation. In addition to closing the female bath area and halting all operations, the management has initiated a comprehensive renovation and improvement plan to ensure the safety and well-being of all visitors.She's not sure what to think about Jaguar now after the 89-year-old company announced a radical rebranding that featured loud colors and androgynous people — but no cars. Jaguar, the company says, will now be JaGUar. It will produce only electric vehicles beginning in 2026. Say goodbye to British racing green, Cotswold Blue and black. Its colors are henceforth electric pink, red and yellow, according to a video that sparked backlash online. Its mission statement: "Create exuberance. Live vivid. Delete ordinary. Break moulds." "Intrigued?" @Jaguar posted on social media. "Weird and unsettled" is more like it, Vogt wrote on Instagram. "Especially now, with the world feeling so dystopian," the Cyprus-based brand designer wrote, "a heritage brand like Jaguar should be conveying feelings of safety, stability, and maybe a hint of rebellion — the kind that shakes things up in a good way, not in a way that unsettles." Our brands, ourselves Jaguar was one of several iconic companies that announced significant rebrandings in recent weeks, upending a series of commercial — and cultural — landmarks by which many modern human beings sort one another, carve out identities and recognize the world around them. Campbell's, the 155-year-old American icon that artist Andy Warhol immortalized in pop culture decades ago, is ready for a new, soupless name. Comcast's corporate reorganization means there will soon be two television networks with "NBC" in their name — CNBC and MSNBC — that will no longer have any corporate connection to NBC News, a U.S. legacy news outlet. One could even argue the United States itself is rebranding with the election of former President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Unlike Trump's first election in 2016, he won the popular vote in what many called a national referendum on American identity. Are we, then, the sum total of our consumer decisions — what we buy, where we travel and whom we elect? Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Certainly, it's a question for those privileged enough to be able to afford such choices. Volumes of research in the art and science of branding — from "brandr," an old Norse word for burning symbols into the hides of livestock — say those factors do contribute to the modern sense of identity. So rebranding, especially of heritage names, can be a deeply felt affront to consumers. "It can feel like the brand is turning its back on everything that it stood for — and therefore it feels like it's turning its back on us, the people who subscribe to that idea or ideology," said Ali Marmaduke, strategy director with the Amsterdam-based Brand Potential. He said cultural tension — polarization — is surging over politics, wars in Russia and the Mideast, the environment, public health and more, creating what Marmaduke said is known as a "polycrisis": the idea that there are several massive crises converging that feel scary and complex. "People are understandably freaked out by that," he said. "So we are looking for something that will help us navigate this changing, threatening world that we face." Trump's "Make America Great Again" qualifies. So did President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" slogan. Campbell's soup itself — "Mmm Mmm Good" — isn't going anywhere, CEO Mark Clouse said. The company's new name, Campbell's Co., will reflect "the full breadth of our portfolio," which includes brands like Prego pasta sauce and Goldfish crackers. What is Jaguar? None of the recent activity around heritage brands sparked a backlash as ferocious as Jaguar's. The company stood as a pillar of tradition-loving British identity since World War II. Jaguar said its approach to the rebrand was rooted in the philosophy of its founder, Sir William Lyons, to "copy nothing." What it's calling "the new Jaguar" will overhaul everything from the font of its name to the positioning of it's famous "leaper" cat. "Exuberant modernism" will "define all aspects of the new Jaguar world," according to the news release. The approach is thought to be aimed at selling fewer cars at a six-figure price point to a more diverse customer base. The reaction ranged from bewilderment to hostility. Memes sprouted up likening the video to the Teletubbies, a Benetton ad and — perhaps predictably — a bow to "woke" culture as the blowback intersected with politics.
Get ready to party like it’s the last day of 1999 in Y2K . High school juniors Eli (Jaeden Martell) and Danny (Julian Dennison) are the lovable outcasts who want to fit in with the popular kids. On New Year’s Eve, the duo crash their classmate’s house party. Eli hopes to attract the attention of his crush Laura ( Rachel Zegler ), while Danny wants to break out of his shell. Then, the clock strikes midnight, and the Y2K nightmare becomes a hellacious reality. In this alternate reality created by co-writers Kyle Mooney and Evan Winter, Y2K imagines a technological takeover, one where electronics come to life and overthrow humans to become the most powerful beings in the world. These electronics aren’t peaceful, as they embark on a murder-filled quest to eradicate humanity. To save the world, the surviving teens must put aside their differences and fight together as a team, or risk becoming slaves in this new, tech-run world. In an interview with Digital Trends, Mooney and Winter discussed how to use nostalgia to power the story, their decision to subvert the coming-of-age genre, and how they landed Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst in the film’s most crucial role. Note: This article has been edited for length and clarity. The interview includes spoilers. Digital Trends: I saw you screened the film in San Diego . It was hosted by Tony Hawk , and to a certain generation, he is the Michael Jordan of skateboarding. He’s a San Diego guy as well. I was wondering if you were skaters growing up. Did Tony Hawk have a huge impact on your teen years? Kyle Mooney: Yeah, I tried to skateboard. I’m from San Diego, and surf and skate culture is pretty ubiquitous there. It’s within the fabric of that city. My older brother skated. I skated with my boys, Dave and Joe. I never really could land like a proper ollie. Definitely not a kick-flip, but I wore all the clothes. I remember one time, my friend Dave was like, “Dude, maybe you should stick to longboarding.” Then, later in life, probably like 10 years ago, I got back into skating. I started skating with some people who are very good at it, and it sort of reinvigorated my love for it. Yeah, Tony Hawk’s a full hero. He’s, like you said, the icon of skateboarding. Evan Winter: I did not really skate myself, but I hung out with a crew that were skaters when I was a kid. But we’re talking Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 here. He’s a full-on legend, and one of the all-time coolest guys, probably in history. With this story, there’s a definitely a balancing act with nostalgia-driven stuff. How do you find the right balance of relying on nostalgia while trying to tell a story? Winter: I think that’s pretty well said. There is a balance you have to find. I think in the writing process, there were a lot of fun moments that we had, pitching things back and forth. Like, I haven’t heard about Herbal Essence girls in a long time. That’s a fun thing to pull out of the hat, with other cultural touchstones and references that are set in the period. But then, you don’t want it to overwhelm and become like a game of “remember this.” You need to fit it in a way that feels natural to how the kids from the era would talk, act, or care about. Hopefully a few times, we found the ability to fit those references in a way that they either call back later or there is some story impact, so it doesn’t feel like just empty gestures. Mooney: I think it’s just a gut check throughout the process of being like, “Are we entering cringey or corny territory?” Also, I feel like what Evan’s getting at is trying to stay true to the characters and the story. The film takes a turn at the party. Everyone starts dying in the most brutal ways possible. Did any horrific deaths get left on the cutting room floor? Mooney: Definitely in the writing process, we lost some horrific deaths. I think that pretty much everything we shot made it into the movie. Winter: Again, when we were writing, it was pretty fun to just pitch in this world that we’ve created. What are the things that could kill people, and how? We were kind of going through all the different technologies and all the different elements that could potentially be deadly. And you always try to come up with inventive ways to do it. Mooney: [To Evan] I want to say, wasn’t there a remote-control helicopter? Winter: At one point? Yeah. There was also a car that had GPS. Once it turned on, it controlled itself, like a full-size car. Mooney: We had a series of construction-site robots made up of power tools. Ultimately, you have to deal with the budget. That’s fair. I was surprised by one of the deaths. The film is definitely set up as a buddy comedy with Eli and Danny. And then Danny dies at the party. I was like, “There’s no way he’s going to die here. He’s going to come back to life,” and he does die. Take me through that process. Did you always plan to kill him [Danny] early? What went behind that decision? Mooney: Yeah, it was there from moment one. I think, speaking for myself, I was really excited by subverting that sort of classic, trope-y, best friends and high school party thing and turn it into something completely different. I also get really excited about eliciting reactions from the audience, whether it be laughter, tears, a scare, or something like that. And in the same way that our movie shifts from one movie to another, this felt like another way to shift into an entirely different thing, where now all of a sudden, this incredibly tragic thing is a catalyst for the story and the characters that evolve and everything that unfolds. So to me, that move is just incredibly exciting. This is something that you don’t know or expect, and all of a sudden, you’re like, “Oh my god. Did that just happen?” Winter: It’s a good way to keep the audience on their toes. We change the genre and the tone so drastically, but then you also make it clear that people aren’t safe. There’s not like a plot armor [for the characters]. On a story level, in the teen coming-of-age genre, it’s the idea that as you’re growing up, you’re becoming the person you’re meant to be. Other people, friends, and things that you were interested in when you were younger, like at the start of the movie, aren’t always going to be there. You can’t rely on that, so there was something that felt right to the genre and that element of growing up. ... This kid, who’s very shy and looks inward, loses the only person who really understands him, and how it forces him to change and become who he’s meant to be. I was like, “Am I getting emotional for the guy who just sang The Thong Song two minutes ago?” Mooney: That really is the hope. You want to tug at the heartstrings. Speaking of the music, it’s a huge part of this movie, especially for the time period. As soon as that Fatboy Slim song drops in the beginning, you know exactly where you are. Was there a list of songs you knew you wanted in the movie? Were there any tough cuts? Take me through working with the music supervisor to curate the soundtrack to this movie. Mooney: We had songs in the script from moment one for pretty much all the major moments in the screenplay. It [music] just always felt pretty essential to tell the story of this period. ... Music is always around and important to people, but it does feel like in that era, we were so mesmerized with TRL on MTV and seeing which music video would be No. 1 that day. I feel like we’ve talked about this a few times. I don’t know how many songs from the script actually ended up in the final film. Definitely the Limp Bizkit stuff. Winter: And Faith. Mooney: Ultimately, I feel like the stuff you end up with is sort of what you were meant to end up with. It’s kind of perfect, and I think we feel great about where we landed. Winter: Yeah, absolutely. This is maybe stating the obvious. At the beginning of the movie, our main character is making a mixed CD. That continues to follow him throughout the movie and plays a pivotal role in multiple huge moments. It feels like it was so baked into the DNA of the movie that these needle drops and songs are not just like, “Remember this era? Remember these songs from this period?” They are critical to the fabric of the film. It’s [the songs] woven into it. Mooney: Though, at the same time, if you aren’t enjoying the movie, you can be like, “Well, I kind of like that song.” Winter: Yeah, something for everyone. A cheat code. Mooney: Yeah, exactly. When you went to Fred [Durst] with Faith , was he on board right away? Winter: I mean, just in general, we wrote Fred into the movie. He was probably in the structure within the first week or two. So we knew we wanted him from day one. We always talked about who would be a backup if he wasn’t interested. And truly, nobody that we threw around as a backup came anywhere close to doing what Fred did. Faith was always in there, and he always played this role. When we got the go-ahead to make the movie, he [Fred] was the first person we went to, and very fortunately for us, he got it. He was into it and liked the idea of both poking fun at himself but then becoming this gigantic, heroic version of the guy that people remember from that period. He [Fred] was a monster back in the day. I don’t think people realize this. I was looking up first-week album sales. If you get over 100,000 now, that’s considered pretty good. I believe Significant Other did 600,000 in their first week, and then over 1 million for Chocolate Starfish . It’s insane. Mooney: Totally. Winter: He was the man. Were you always going to act in this, Kyle? Mooney: Yeah, that was always part of the plan. I mean, I wanted to be in there. Obviously, I knew I couldn’t play a teenager. I don’t know at what point in the pitching process we ended up with Garrett. The video store is like such an iconic setting of the era and a place that I think is important to both Evan and me. I love the idea of being in there just enough to score. It was really fun. With the drug rug on. It was a nice touch. Mooney: Yeah. I watched several YouTube videos of dudes going to Phish concerts in 2001 , along with the people that Evan and I knew growing up. It was a fun character to explore. With most of the cast born after this moment [Y2K], I saw you made them mixtapes and told them what songs to listen to. Did the cast come to you for advice? How in-depth were they with the research? Winter: I think it fully depended on the actor. I would say Lachlan, who played Ash, was very well-versed in the era overall. Specifically, the rap-rock scene. He had pretty strong working knowledge, and I would say got the majority of the references and the more niche stuff in the movie. Some of the other actors would ask, “How do you pronounce Abercrombie?” Mooney: I called that actor out on that [the Abercrombie line] earlier today, and he was like, “No, I didn’t. I know what that is.” Winter: Well, he didn’t know how to say it. [laughs] Mooney: We were there if they needed us. But also, the characters are sort of timeless, and so I think they could relate to them even without the whole period component. They had the chance to invest as much or as little as they wanted to. Final question. What were your screen names? Mooney: I was “TQuestForNow” because I was really into A Tribe Called Quest . I was also forward-thinking enough to be like, “Well, this is what I’m into right now. I can’t say that this is going to be forever, so I’m TQuestForNow. Winter: I feel like it’s a very mature thought process for someone at that age. Mooney: Thinking about it right now, I’m going to say TQuestForever because there hasn’t been a moment in my life where I’ve decided that I’m not into A Tribe Called Quest Winter: That is tight. I was Lantern218. Mooney: What is the significance of lantern? Winter: [laughs] I collected lanterns. I was really into vintage lanterns. No, when I was a little kid, probably like 8 or 9 years old, when I got my first screen name, I went to the comic shop every day, and Green Lantern was my favorite superhero. Mooney: Green Lantern, of course. Y2K is now in theaters.In conclusion, the arrest of former President Yoon Suk-yeol has plunged South Korea into a period of political turmoil and uncertainty. The country is facing numerous challenges both domestically and internationally, and the outcome of the upcoming presidential election remains uncertain. However, there is hope that South Korea will be able to overcome these challenges and emerge stronger than before, guided by the principles of justice, accountability, and democracy.