Despite reports to the contrary, world renowned actor and philanthropist Leonardo Dicaprio did not get raped by a bear in his new film The Revenant.
Drudge Report had exclusively reported that the actor’s character was raped twice by a bear in the survivor film set in the 1820s.
“The bear flips Leo over and thrusts and thrusts during the explicit mauling.
‘He is raped — twice!'”
The film centers around the life of Hugh Glass, a real life explorer who was brutally mauled by a bear and left for dead. Glass survived the attack after a harrowing 200 mile journey to the nearest American outpost.
WATCH: Trailer for The Revenant.
Cover Photo Credit: Youtube (Fox)/ Screengrab
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Cecil The Lion’s Grandcubs Are On The Way
Five months after Cecil the lion was killed by an American hunter in Zimbabwe, the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit said it has observed the lion’s son, nicknamed Xanda, mating with lionesses. Pregnancy in lions lasts about 110 days, so scientists expect to see the grand offspring of Cecil born in March. Cecil was a major tourist… Read More
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Could Abi Ann Be The Next Breakout Country Music Star?
Across America, a new song about female empowerment is starting to gain traction in the most peculiar of places- on Radio Disney.
“Slide over, I’m driving, I ain’t just another cliché riding,” Abi Ann’s song “Truck Candy” commands.
A catchy tune poking fun at some of the more ridiculous tropes in country music, “Truck Candy” is enjoying a run on the kids centric radio network and on iTunes Radio where it is featured.
Rise News recently spoke to the 18-year-old rising star via phone from her apartment in Nashville, TN about her upbringing, her music and what she hopes to accomplish in the changing country landscape.
“I think that history repeats itself,” Ann said when asked about changes in the genre. “I see country music becoming more open to seeing more unique changes. A good twenty years ago that may not have happened.”
Abi Ann was born in Texas but raised in Los Angeles.
“I was an extremely ADD kid, my parents threw me into a whole lot of different activities. Music was the only thing that really stuck,” Ann said. “I grew up with very strong country roots.”
She attended Campbell Hall School where she said that she was encouraged to try to strike it big.
“I grew up in LA and my friends called me Hannah Montana growing up,” Ann said. “I went to a very understanding school and they were very helpful with everything.”
One of her first big breaks came when she was able to join Kelly Clarkson on tour, performing before the superstar in 36 cities in the US and Canada. She said that she learned a great deal from the experience.
“It was my first major tour. Kelly really runs a very loose camp and there is like no tension on the tour. It was just really eye-opening and I learned about my craft,” Ann said of Clarkson. “She really plays with her sound. I have so much more respect for her because of how versatile she is.”
Abi Ann, an 18 year old rising star in the country music world.
After graduating from high school, Ann enrolled in Belmont University in Nashville where she is studying entrepreneurship, not exactly a major for those who wish to skirt through school.
She has a strong business sense, learning from her small business owning father the importance of being self-reliant.
“I’ve always been very much a believer in a separation of church and state in my life. I really like school and music,” Ann said. “I’m going to school for business because I want to be self-sufficient. I’ve just always had a knack for business. And I’ve always loved academics as much as music.”
The Clarkson tour wrapped up on September 20, which cut into the start of the fall semester. As a result, Ann is taking classes online but she hopes to take on campus classes in the future.
In terms of her sound, Ann said that she is very willing to mix different influences into her music from current pop and country music to some older legends that helped define the genre.
“My main influences were Johnny Cash and Shania Twain. That’s a weird combination for sure,” Ann said. “Shania, I look up to as a very strong woman figure.”
And that brings us back to her hit “Truck Candy”, a song that could easily be seen as a modern-day feminist ballad.
“It’s not that intense,” Ann said. But I’m very supportive of female empowerment.”
Saying that she views music as a form of therapy, Ann indicated that the song was more a direct response to the default masculinity that exists in much of country today.
“I wrote it with Walker Hayes. This was before Maddie and Tae and we were concerned about the gender imbalance in country music,” Ann said. “I definitely think it is an acquired taste. Country is not something that everybody loves.”
Ann made it clear that she deeply loves country music and sees it as one of the most vibrant music scenes going today.
Having only turned 18 a few months ago, Ann is still very young.
“I’ve had instances where I couldn’t go and do the typical teenage thing but I keep a pretty tight circle,” Ann said of some of the challenging aspects of fame. “But I have the best friends. My roommate is with me now and she’s smiling [listening to the interview].”
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Photo Credits: Submitted
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So What Exactly Does The Libertarian Party Stand For Anyway?
Let’s face it. Donald Trump is a very unpopular guy.
As of last week, 55% of Americans have a negative view of him. 40% of Republicans say they will not vote for him, and 19% would vote for Hillary Clinton.
However, what about the remaining 21% of Republicans who would not vote for Trump or Clinton? Would they vote at all? Some, if not many, will not.
Others, however, are contemplating third party options.
The same logic applies to the 31% of Bernie Sanders supporters who may or will not cote for Clinton, and the 20% who would vote for Trump.
Perhaps the most frequently discussed of those options is that of voting for the Libertarian Party, whose online search results have reportedly surged since Ted Cruz dropped out of the Republican primary on May 3.
On Sunday, the Libertarian Party nominated former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson for President, and former Governor of Massachusetts William Weld as his running mate.
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In an era where it seems that the Republican and Democratic parties are the only political parties around, and where dissatisfaction with them is near historical highs, it seems only fitting that additional options be shown to and discussed with the general public. Therefore, this article will be dedicated to doing so with the Libertarian Party.
Former Gov. Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Party nominee for President. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Like all political parties, the Libertarian party determines its platform at its national convention. The result of this convention (aside from the nominees) are as follows:
-The Libertarian Party places emphasis over individual sovereignty over all else. It criticizes both the Democratic and Republican parties as being too regulating and authoritarian. It demands that the government not deny the right life, liberty, and property for the sake of itself or others.
-Under this philosophy, the following policy positions are advocated:
1. Individuals should be able do whatever they want to their bodies (appeals to liberals).
2. The government should not control the internet of mass media (appeals to elements of both sides).
3. The government should not spy on everybody (appeals to elements of both sides).
4. The government should not classify anybody by sexual preference (appeals to liberals).
5. The government should not regulate abortion (appeals to liberals).
6. Criminal laws should be limited to those involving person-to-person interaction (appeals to liberals).
7. The government should not regulate guns (appeals to conservatives).
8. The government should not interfere in property ownership (appeals to conservatives).
9. The government should not interfere in pollution regulation, for it is less trustworthy and effective than innovative civilians who seek to do the same (appeals to conservatives).
10. The government should not interfere with the energy market (appeals to conservatives).11. The government should not rely on income taxes to produce a balanced budget, which should be mandatory (appeals to conservatives).
12. The government should not interfere in non-fraudulent banking practices (appeals to conservatives).
13. The government should not interfere in the free market (appeals to conservatives).
14. The government should not interfere in worker-employer relations (appeals to conservatives).
15. The government should not interfere in education, which should be determined by parents (appeals to conservatives).
16. The health care market should serve as any other market that operates across state lines, and not be subjected to government intervention (appeals to conservatives).
17. Social Security should be replaced with private retirement planning (appeals to conservatives).
18. Military service should be limited to voluntary defense of the country’s territory (appeals to elements of both sides)
19. Internal security should not trump individual liberty (appeals to elements of both sides).
20. All foreign aid should be ended (appeals to elements of both sides, but mostly to paleoconservatives).
21. Trade and immigration should not be restricted unless there is a threat to national security (appeals to elements of both sides, but mostly to liberals).
22. The government should not interfere in private practices of discrimination (appeals to conservatives).
23. The government should not try to rig electoral systems to create a party system with a limited number of parties (appeals to elements of both sides).
24. The people have the inherent right to self-determination (appeals to conservatives).
At the end of the day, this party is very socially liberal but very fiscally conservative.
This unique platform has the potential to either attract or repulse people on both sides of the political spectrum.
If the party wants a chance of growing to substantial polling numbers, it may have to target single issue voters.
Given that single-issue voters appear to be significant in numbers, as indicated by Gallup polls on the level of priority voters have on issues such as abortion and gun control, perhaps that may be all it needs to do, especially if it succeeds in attracting protest votes from disillusioned Republicans and Democrats.
Do you wish this party good luck in its quest? Feel free to comment and share your opinion below!
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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