Entertainment

• Re-defining vampires
• Western expansion
• Evil West combines vampires, Westerns, and attitude
• The vampire Western stylings of Evil West

Evil West is the latest vampire Western game to hit the scene. It’s not exactly a competitive field, as while vampire games and Western games are not uncommon, a combination of the two in video games doesn’t happen that often.In terms of major releases, the only vampire Western game that comes to mind is 2005’s Darkwatch: Curse of the West. Even that game has mostly faded into obscurity. So needless to say, Evil West seemed fresh and innovative when it first debuted.What appealed most to me (and several others, I’m sure) was the way Flying Wild Hog took its two concepts and melded them together. With its own sense of style, Evil West promised to deliver an action-packed title filled with hordes of the undead roaming through the Old West. That’s exactly what we got — and though my thoughts on the game were ultimately mixed, I still fell in love with its vampire Western charm.With its appreciation for what makes its two genres so unique to the ways in which it brings new elements to the table, Evil West pays homage to classic vampire and Western stories while going off in its own direction. Today, we’re going to examine how Evil West merges vampires and Westerns together — and how it makes that blend so damn awesome.

 I keep a station set up just outside the front door in the alcove for delivery drivers with a nice variety of drinks and snacks for them to choose from.  They all seem to enjoy it and our regular drivers have come to know it will always be there. One of them saw me at the post office the other day and actually asked if there would be my ‘special Christmas goodies’ again this year. I add special goodies (banana bread, peanut butter balls, cookies) at this time of year with an even nicer variety so they really realize just how much they have become essential in this day and age.I usually do a large plate of goodies for my neighbors and regular delivery people. But, again this year with smaller gatherings still happening and everyone having been home so much and already snacking too much probably, I changed it up again to make it easier on me, more cost effective for me and more fun too.This year I’m adding my Christmas Jam and Cowboy Candy aka Candied Jalapenos. These jars are brownie mixes that can be used whenever they want instead of a plate of goodies that may go bad before they eat them all.PEANUT BUTTER* BROWNIE MIX
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 cup peanut butter chips*
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup FINELY chopped walnuts

• More AboutRita Ora
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“Your Song” singer Rita Ora, 32, looked smoking hot on the red carpet at the British Fashion Awards on Dec. 5, and turned heads in a transparent red dress. The bombshell wore a gown by the designer Nensi Dojaka, and paired the look with a red bra and matching thong. In addition, Rita completed her look with facial prosthetics that gave her a futuristic look, along with open-toe red heels and a heart-shaped bra underwire.

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The 32-year-old also made sure to turn around when she walked the red carpet to show off her bare backside, high-slit, and her many tattoos. Many of Rita’s fans took to Twitter to react on this stunning look. “In this weather as well!!! I respect the sacrifice for the fashion,” one admirer wrote, while another added, “I love bleached eyebrows.” However, there were still some members of her fanbase that were not sure how to feel about her siren-red look. “Honestly it’s camp in a bad way and a good way,” a third user penned, while another added, “i’m trying to like it i really am.”

Rita’s see-through gown comes just a few days after she appeared on Louis Theroux‘s podcast, Louis Theroux Interviews on Dec. 1. During this interview, the beauty told Louis whether or not she was “Becky” from Beyonce‘s famous Lemonade album. “I didn’t even think about it, I swear. And it wasn’t a J, it was an R. They flipped it ’round and then it looked like a J,” she said in reference to a 2016 initial necklace that was spotted in a 2016 snapchat. This necklace sparked rumors about who the woman was in the hit song “Sorry” by the 41-year-old.

• CBS release new teaser for NCIS crossover event

CBS release new teaser for NCIS crossover event

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More infoAfter CBS aired the NCIS mid-season finale on Monday evening, the show released the first look at its highly-anticipated three-way crossover. After seeing the beloved characters in one place, thrilled fans took to social media to share their enthusiasm. Recommended:

 Love Actually has become a holiday viewing tradition for many and stands as one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time, thanks to its ensemble cast, multiple interconnecting storylines, and eternally quotable dialogue. There’s one scene that lives in infamy probably more than any other, however, and that’s the one where David the Prime Minister celebrates his verbal bashing of the US president with an impromptu dance party. It turns out that Hugh Grant hated that scene — a fact that stands true as the beloved movie it set to celebrate its 20-year anniversary. The actor will, however, take credit for one “genius” addition to the number.Hugh Grant was one of several Love Actually actors who spoke with Diane Sawyer for The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later. The actor’s grumpiness was well-documented by writer and director Richard Curtis, co-star Emma Thompson, and even Grant himself, particularly when it came to that dance. Grant told Sawyer:  Hugh Grant has had 20 years to ruminate on the popular dance number to “Jump” by The Pointer Sisters, which his character broke into after publicly dismantling Billy Bob Thornton’s United States president. It’s obvious from the way Grant can immediately point out the scene’s flaws that he’s given it some thought over the past two decades.

Xbox Game Studios Game Camp was founded in 2020 on the belief that extraordinary talent resides everywhere. The goal of the program is to enable people from traditionally marginalized communities and non-traditional backgrounds to realize their potential in the gaming industry and grow thriving games communities and industries in places all over the world.

In this Q&A series, we aim to highlight the stories of Game Camp Alumni with unique game creation journeys. Today, we will be chatting with the CEO & Creative Director of LemonJuice Game Studio Austin-Taylor Caldwell, about his experience at Game Camp and his current project, Beyond the Nightlight, a 3D horror adventure game that sheds light on mental health and addiction.

Tell us about yourself (if applicable: your team and the game you’re working on)?

My name is Austin-Taylor Caldwell. Like most other individuals in the gaming industry, I grew up playing video games. However, to think about making a career in gaming was laughable to me from a young age. I was raised in the poorest county in my state where resources and connections to the tech industry were extremely far and few. Fast forward to 2020, I decided to jump into the deep end and founded LemonJuice Game Studio to make cinematic games within the horror genre. From solo development to Game Camp, LemonJuice now stands at 20 members who are working closely together on our current title, Beyond the Nightlight. It is a 3D horror adventure game that centers around mental health and addiction in hopes to shine light on the topic and potentially help those struggling with these illnesses every day.

Brokers remain mostly buy-rated on Aristocrat Leisure following first quarter results that largely met consensus expectations.
-First quarter revenue and profit for Aristocrat Leisure meet consensus forecasts 
–Americas gaming outperformed, A&NZ Gaming flat
-Macquarie expects higher costs will unwind
-Potential capital management upside?
-iGaming set for US launch in early 2023By Mark WoodruffIn the immediate aftermath of a -5% share price fall following FY22 results, Morgans suggested investors take advantage and buy Aristocrat Leisure ((ALL)) shares.
Brokers were generally unperturbed by the results as no doubt were long-term investors, who have experienced a tenfold share price increase in just over nine years.
Revenue and profit of $5.6bn and $2.4bn, respectively, were largely in line with consensus, despite cost inflation and a lower-quality result for Pixel United, the digital gaming business.
Group earnings margins rose by 160bps to 28.6% year-on-year though second half margins were materially lower than for the first half on increased supply chain costs, notes Morgan Stanley.
The company designs, develops and distributes gaming content, platforms and systems, and its land-based gaming products include slot machines, blackjack and roulette machines as well as Class II (Native American bingo-based) casino games.
More recently, Aristocrat has developed a leading presence in digital gaming, and, according to Morgans, has some of the best performing social casino, social casual and strategy/role-playing games in the world.

Bringing Alleyne Dance’s dynamism, powerhouse style to the stage, Far From Home is a hard hitting, atmospheric, abstract narrative dance production exploring the topic of immigration.

Performed by 6 professional dance artists and a supporting cast of non-professional movers recruited from the local community, the performance ensemble highlights the emotional and mental stresses of migrant families, as well as the impact on communities where migrants “settle”, as we unpick the meaning of tolerance and practice of integration.

Far From Home has been co-commissioned by The Place, Dance City Newcastle, Dance East and Dampfzentrale Bern with support from the Arts Council England National Lottery Projects Grant.

CHOREOGRAPHERS
KRISTINA ALLEYNE
SADÉ ALLEYNE

RIVERSIDE THEATRES PARRAMATTA
March 16-18, 2023 8PM
March 17, 2023 12.30PM and 7PM

TICKETS
Dance Bites Tickets: $25 – $42*
*Booking fees apply

BOOK NOW

LEARN THE REPERTOIRE SEE THE SHOW
For students years 9-12

Learn the Repertoire, See the Show offers dance students an opportunity to learn and experience the Alleyne sisters’ fast paced and dynamic movement technique inspired and developed from working with the likes of Akram Khan, Retina Dance Company and Ultima Vez. After the workshop, students will see a matinee performance and participate in a post-show Q&A with the artistic team.

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On Crosby Street in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood, shoppers have long lined up to purchase pleated corduroys and cortados at cult menswear label Aimé Leon Dore. But lately, there’s been a similarly-sized queue outside the store next door, as consumers gather to buy monochrome basics and oversized blazers at womenswear label The Frankie Shop’s newest pop-up store.

Founded in New York’s Lower East Side by ex-journalist Gaëlle Drevet in 2014, The Frankie Shop has quietly built a small empire of utilitarian women’s apparel. The brand’s hero products, which include quilted jackets, monochrome tracksuits, oversized blazers, T-shirts, and cargo pants, are frequently seen on Instagram influencers alongside the hashtag “Frankie Girl.” Even more impressive is that though the brand is an influencer favourite with a wide presence across social media — a million followers on Instagram alone — Drevet rarely does paid partnerships or collaborations.

That may be in part because of her understanding of what influencers will want to wear a season or two down the line from runways and social media trends.

“I’m on my phone a lot checking people and being influenced as well,” she said. The brand’s best-selling Eva T-shirt, for instance, is named after influencer Eva Smyrniotaki after a discussion between the two about the perfect shirt.

It’s that time of year again, and while you’ve spent hours planning what to get your family and friends for the holidays, you’re still not sure what to get for that white elephant exchange you’re invited to. But that’s okay, because to help you out we’ve put together a list of useful and hilarious gifts that are sure to be the hottest commodity at your exchange.

The white elephant exchange is a time-honored tradition where you trade and swap presents that most of the time end up sitting in the back of your closet anyway. Everyone wants to bring funny gag gifts, but if you’ve been the person who ends up going home with a whoopee cushion, you’ll know that those funny gifts lose their appeal after the drive home.

To help you find the perfect gift that strikes that balance of funny and useful, we’ve rounded up our favorite white elephant gift ideas under $25 and under $50. Need more ideas? Check out our favorite practical gifts, gift ideas for men, gift ideas for women, Amazon gifts and more gifts under $25.

This surprisingly useful and efficient egg cooker can make soft-, medium- and hard-boiled eggs in minutes, saving you time and water when you need a snack.

Someone is bound to get a kick out of these memo pads, which are printed with all-too-real sentiments like “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

If we’re going all the way to the practical side, the recipient of this gift might not be super excited at first, but trust us, once they plop it into their tub they’ll be texting you how genius a present it really is. It’s even an Underscored editor favorite.