Over the span of its 50-year run, Saturday Night Live has played host some of the most talented comedic performers in American TV history. Equally as impressive as SNLs roster of cast members, however, is the list of folks who tried out for the show and failed to make the cut. Why is it that so many successful comedic figures couldnt crack the rotation on SNL? It turns out that not even the people in charge of the auditions fully know why.Theres a lot of people I brought in and thought I cant believe were not hiring that person,' Marci Klein, SNL Head of Talent from 1995-2012, says in the new Peacock docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.Produced by Morgan Neville and released a month in advance of the official observance of SNLs 50th anniversary, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is a fascinating watch. Three of the docuseries four episodes dive into SNL specifics (including a behind-the-scenes peek at the writing process of a 2024 episode, an oral-history of More Cowbell, and an autopsy of what went wrong with season 11). But episode 1 Five Minutes takes a broader look at the most important five minutes of every SNL cast members journey: their audition.Footage of SNLs audition process is frequently hard to come by. Aside from an SNL 40th anniversary compilation and Will Ferrells iconic tryout, viewers dont often get to see video of successful SNL auditions, let alone the ones that ended in disappointment. SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night provides viewers with a privileged look at both. In addition to the auditions of SNL heavy-hitters like Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Kristen Wiig, and more,NOTE: While each of these entries is accompanied by a YouTube video embed to break up the textual monotony, only the Jim Carrey, Kevin Hart, and Stephen Colbert sections contain footage from their respective auditions as those have been previously released. Footage from the remaining auditions can be found around the 18:30-mark of SNL50: Beyond Saturday Nights first episode.Jim CarreyOf all the people who stopped by the Studio 8H audition stage, Jim Carrey looms large as the one that got away. Not only did the elastic performer become one of the biggest comedy stars at the box office, but he proved his sketch chops by becoming part of the cast of In Living Color. His audition, while raw, contains plenty of hints of the excitement to come like his rendition of a baby-armed post-nuclear Elvis. Jennifer CoolidgeJennifer Coolidge was so funny. But I couldnt get anybody to get it, Klein says in SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night. Jennifer Coolidge is indeed very funny but it probably takes longer than a five-minute audition to fully connect with her laidback comedic style. Thankfully, SNLs loss on this one was the worlds gain. Coolidge had a successful career in Christopher Guest mockumentaries before joining HBOs The White Lotus and winning an Emmy award. Shes also a popular impression for current SNL cast members and hosts.Kevin HartBefore he became one of the most successful stand-up comedians and movie stars of his era, Kevin Hart was just a young background actor in Judd Apatow projects trying to make his way in the world. His path led him to an SNL audition, which he kind of killed! Unfortunately his rendition of a man who had a spinal fusion didnt connect with the panel. Mindy KalingMindy Kaling has made a name for herself as both a comedic performer and writer in TV series like The Office and The Mindy Kaling Project. Based on that dual experience, one would imagine that she would be a perfect fit for SNL. Still, the audition panel didnt vibe with her audition for whatever reason. In the one bit we see in SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, the Massachusetts-native is wearing a Boston Red Sox hoodie and playing a character from New England. Perhaps the show felt it had already hit its Masshole quota in the wake of Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch Boston Teens sketches. Donald GloverNow the ultimate multi-hyphenate as writer/producer/actor/stand-up/director/Grammy-winning musical artist, Donald Glover a.k.a. Childish Gambino got his start in television comedy. Hell, he got his start in television comedy on SNLs own home turf of NBC! While a writer on 30 Rock (and just before he got his breakout role as Troy Barnes on Community), Glover attended a rare mid-season audition for SNL, which was looking for a regular Barack Obama impersonator. While his Obama impression apparently didnt pan out (the show chose Fred Armisen a white performer already in the cast ), he did uncork a killer Chris Rock impression in which he complained about an influx of vampires in New York City. Jordan PeeleAlso brought in to audition for the role of SNLs Barack Obama impersonator was then-Mad TV star Jordan Peele. Thanks to its subsequent deployment on Peele and Keegan-Michael Keys own sketch show Key & Peele, we know that said Obama impression was a good one. And SNL agreed! They reportedly were prepared to give Peele the job but Fox refused to let him out of his Mad TV contract. Oh well, Peele decided to settle for becoming a generational horror filmmaker instead by creating Get Out, Us, and Nope. In SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, we get a look at the non-Obama portion of Peeles audition. It contains a hilarious impression of a Starbucks barista from the hood who is adamant that a customer requested a caramel mint mocha latte.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Stephen ColbertThe Late Show host Stephen Colbert is the only non-SNL cast member that SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night invites on to watch footage of his own failed audition. I was hoping Id never see this, Colbert says right before the clip plays. His concern is unwarranted as the young Stephen Colberts audition is very good! He plays a waiter who is nauseated by the mere thought of food and has to hold back vomit while reading the days specials. Henry ZebrowskiHenry Zebrowski never got a chance to be a star on Saturday Night Live but he is very much the start of the first episode of SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night. There was a guy named Henry Zebrowski who did his audition, Lindsay Shookus says. Three minutes in he came out from behind the wall and he was completely naked. It was such a shock. Im not even sure what he did at that point. He was the naked guy and he didnt get hired. Not because he was naked. We then get to see Henry in all naked glory. Zebrowski did just fine without SNL, enjoying a long career as a sketch comedian and getting a supporting role in Martin Scorseses The Wolf of Wall Street. Currently he is one of the hosts of paranormal/true crime podcast Last Podcast on the Left and a co-owner of the Last Podcast Network. All four episodes of SNL: Beyond Saturday Night are available to stream on Peacock now.

As we swiftly approach a public release later this month, Apple has released iOS 18.3 beta 3 for developers. iOS 18.3 beta 3 features the build number 22D5055b. Apple hasnt yet released a new public beta, but were expecting that to change as soon as later today.Compared to the monster iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2 updates, iOS 18.3 is a relatively minor release for iPhone users. There are changes to the Calculator app, Settings app, various bug fixes and improvements, and more. Check out my colleague Jeff Benjamins full recap below: iOS 18.3 will be released to everyone later this month. After that, iOS 18.4 will enter beta testing. That update is expected to include major new Apple Intelligence features, like upgrades to Siri, priority notifications, and more. If you spot anything new in iOS 18.3 beta 2, let us know in the comments below, onTwitter @9to5MacandThreads @9to5Mac. Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at9to5Mactoday and throughout the rest of the week.My favorite iPhone accessories: Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

"We cannot find any incident that matches this description."Truth CrimeTough-on-crime crusader Elon Musk claims that there was an axe murderer on the loose in the city of San Francisco who tried to kill several of his employees, with the authorities doing nothing to catch the assailant. The key word in all of this being "claims.""About a year ago, a guy tried to kill three X employees with an axe outside the former Twitter HQ in SF. They reported it to the police, but nothing was done," Musk tweeted, responding to the account End Wokeness (a favorite of his). "He later killed someone with that axe."If this is true, the city has become so utterly lawless that the cops never got wind of the grisly murder. On Monday, local police said they could find no records supporting Musk's story, the evidence that, once again, Musk may be simply be fibbing or falling victim to preposterous rumors."Based on the information provided, we cannot find any incident that matches this description in that location in 2023 or 2024," Evan Sernoffsky, a San Francisco police spokesperson, told the Chronicle.Tall FailsYes, it would be remiss to take the authorities at their word. But Musk can't even get his own story straight here. As we'll show, he's made these claims before, changing key details literally every time he's done so.When Musk shared a similar account last April, he stated that "several" employees were threatened "by a guy with a machete" outside a Walgreens not with an axe, and not outside Twitter headquarters."They didn't report it," Musk claimed, "because that doesn't constitute an arrestable crime in California. That guy later killed 3 people." His most recent version of events, however, purports that the employees did report the crime and that the assailant only killed one person.In an interview with Tucker Carlson last October, Musk threw in another variation in body count: the hatchet man, back to menacing employees outside Twitter HQ rather than a drugstore, killed two people, according to the Chronicle.Facts vs FeelingsMusk has frequently lied and spread conspiracy theories in his railing against crime, foreigners, and anything else that can be pinned on the "woke" agenda.Last year, for example, he chimed in the conservative moral-panic-of-the-moment by accusing Haitian immigrants of being "cannibals," while spreading other unfounded claims. He's even suggested that most homeless people don't exist, andthat the word "homeless" is "usually a propaganda word for violent drug addicts."Given his conflicting reports and his history of fabulism whether as part of the culture war or to prop up his enterprises it's hard to take this axe-slash-machete murderer tale of his seriously.The real axeman of San Francisco may in fact be Musk himself: after taking over Twitter, he annihilated 80 percent of its workforce, or more than 6,000 employees.Share This Article

Jan 16, 2025Ravie LakshmananVulnerability / CybersecurityDetails have emerged about a now-patched security vulnerability that could allow a bypass of the Secure Boot mechanism in Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) systems.The vulnerability, assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2024-7344 (CVSS score: 6.7), resides in a UEFI application signed by Microsoft's "Microsoft Corporation UEFI CA 2011" third-party UEFI certificate, according to a new report from ESET shared with The Hacker News.Successful exploitation of the flaw can lead to the execution of untrusted code during system boot, thereby enabling attackers to deploy malicious UEFI bootkits on machines that have Secure Boot on, irrespective of the operating system installed.Secure Boot is a firmware security standard that prevents malware from loading when a computer starts up by ensuring that the device boots using only software that is trusted by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The feature leverages digital signatures to validate the authenticity, source, and integrity of the code that is loaded.The affected UEFI application is part of several real-time system recovery software suites developed by Howyar Technologies Inc., Greenware Technologies, Radix Technologies Ltd., SANFONG Inc., Wasay Software Technology Inc., Computer Education System Inc., and Signal Computer GmbH -Howyar SysReturn before version 10.2.023_20240919Greenware GreenGuard before version 10.2.023-20240927Radix SmartRecovery before version 11.2.023-20240927Sanfong EZ-back System before version 10.3.024-20241127WASAY eRecoveryRX before version 8.4.022-20241127CES NeoImpact before version 10.1.024-20241127SignalComputer HDD King before version 10.3.021-20241127"The vulnerability is caused by the use of a custom PE loader instead of using the standard and secure UEFI functions LoadImage and StartImage," ESET researcher Martin Smolr said. "As a result, the application allows the loading of any UEFI binary even an unsigned one from a specially crafted file named cloak.dat, during system start, regardless of the UEFI Secure Boot state."An attacker who weaponizes CVE-2024-7344 could, therefore, sidestep UEFI Secure Boot protections and execute unsigned code during the boot process in the UEFI context even before the operating system loads, granting them covert, persistent access to the host."Code executed in this early boot phase can persist on the system, potentially loading malicious kernel extensions that survive both reboots and OS reinstallation," the CERT Coordination Center (CERT/CC) said. "Additionally, it may evade detection by OS-based and endpoint detection and response (EDR) security measures."Malicious actors could further expand the scope of exploitation by bringing their own copy of the vulnerable "reloader.efi" binary to any UEFI system with the Microsoft third-party UEFI certificate enrolled. However, elevated privileges are required to deploy the vulnerable and malicious files to the EFI system partition: local administrator on Windows and root on Linux.The Slovakian cybersecurity firm said it responsibly disclosed the findings to the CERT/CC in June 2024, following which Howyar Technologies and their partners addressed the issue in the concerned products. On January 14, 2025, Microsoft revoked the old, vulnerable binaries as part of its Patch Tuesday update.Outside of applying UEFI revocations, managing access to files located on the EFI system partition, Secure Boot customization, and remote attestation with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) are some of the other ways of protecting against exploitation of unknown vulnerable signed UEFI bootloaders and deployment of UEFI bootkits."The number of UEFI vulnerabilities discovered in recent years and the failures in patching them or revoking vulnerable binaries within a reasonable time window shows that even such an essential feature as UEFI Secure Boot should not be considered an impenetrable barrier," Smolr said."However, what concerns us the most with respect to the vulnerability is not the time it took to fix and revoke the binary, which was quite good compared to similar cases, but the fact that this isn't the first time that such an obviously unsafe signed UEFI binary has been discovered. This raises questions of how common the use of such unsafe techniques is among third-party UEFI software vendors, and how many other similar obscure, but signed, bootloaders there might be out there."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

One of the most beloved voices in baseball and pop culture history has died. Bob Uecker was best known as radio play-by-play announceron Milwaukee Brewers baseball games since 1971, although that role eventually brought him to wider prominence inthe worlds of film and television.Sadly, the Brewers announced today that Uecker had passed away. He was 90 years old. A statement released by the Brewers said Uecker had been battling small cell lung cancer for the last few years.Uecker was still the radio broadcaster for the Brewersduring the 2024 season, in whichthe team wonthe National League Central division. Uecker was front and center during the celebration of the division-clinching victory.Prior to his broadcasting career, Uecker was a major leaguer himself.Mostly serving as a backup catcher, he was called up to the Brewers in 1962 and also played for the Cardinals (where he helped win the World Series in 1964), Phillies, and Braves in a six-season career.After his playingdays were over,Uecker rejoined the Brewers organization, this time as their radio broadcaster. He held that job from 1971 until his death. In the 1980s and 90s he also worked many nationally broadcast baseball games, includingseveral World Series. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.In addition to Ueckers work behind the mic for the Brewers, he became a national celebrity and a fixture on television in the 1970s and 80s. He initially garnered wider fame through dozens of appearances on talk shows likeThe Tonight Show Johnny Carson was the one whopopularized Ueckers slightlysarcastic nickname Mr. Baseball and then in a series of popular Miller Lite ads.Ueckers most famous role these daysmight be his work aswisecracking Cleveland play-by-play man Harry Doyle in the trilogy ofMajor League films. Ueckers exasperated calls of the hapless teamsblunders became famous baseball quotes like Juuuusta bit outside, duringa particularly poor pitch from Charlie Sheens Ricky Vaughn.Uecker also spent six seasons as the good-natured patriarch on the ABC sitcomMr. Belvedere. He played George, the head of a Pittsburgh family that has an English butler (played by Christopher Hewett).Ueckers affable, self-deprecating persona made him a great talk show guest and beer pitchman, but he was also a legitimately great broadcaster and storyteller. In recent years, you could listen to his calls of Brewers games on the MLB app,and they were so entertaining even if you didntcare about whether the Brewers won or lost. He will be missed, but some of his legendary calls (both in real gamesandin fictional ones) will live on forever.Get our free mobile app80s Movies That Could Never Be Made TodayFiled Under: Major League, RIPCategories: R.I.P., TV News

BotGuard is a European company established in 2019 and headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia. We operate globally, with clients and partners in more than 30 countries around the world. Our mission is to develop easy-to-implement, state-of-the-art tools to protect companies from modern-day web threats. If you are passionate about cybersecurity, fascinated by solving complex problems, and thrive in an environment where innovation and collaboration drive everything, we want to hear from you.About the RoleWe are looking for a Lead Developer to join our team, focused on building cutting-edge Networking and Web Security services. This is an opportunity for someone who is not only a highly skilled developer but also deeply interested in cybersecurity and excited about protecting websites from modern threats.Our engineers have wide responsibilities across the entire development lifecycle. You will need to be comfortable developing production-level services in C++, patching and extending open-source software like Nginx or Apache, and working with various programming languages and tools. We highly value curiosity, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to tackle big challenges such as scalability and availability.This role reports directly to the CTO.TasksWhat You Will Be DoingImplementing new functions in our detection engine written in C++.Developing integration modules for web servers like Nginx and Apache, and patching open-source libraries and tools.Designing and developing new networking and web security products.Occasionally contributing to web development projects, as our website engine is partially powered by C++.What You Wont Be DoingWasting time on fixing extensive technical debt. Were focused on building new features and minimizing technical overhead.Requirements10+ years of professional C/C++ software development experience with a proven track record of delivering long-term projects across multiple companies.Expertise in low-level and systems/network programming.Solid experience with web security and protecting websites from threats.Proficiency with SQL and knowledge of Golang.Familiarity with PHP/XML/HTML/CSS.Knowledge of diverse programming languages to handle various challenges in website protection.Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with developers at different levels.Passion for cybersecurity and a genuine interest in solving complex problems to protect websites.Time management and asynchronous communication skills suitable for a remote-first organization.What We Expect From YouA strong sense of curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and improving.High motivation to work on web security problems beyond monetary incentives.The ability to showcase your work through an active GitHub profile or other demonstrable code examples. This is a must-have requirement as we will evaluate your code instead of conducting a technical assessment.Our Tech StackC++GolangPHPRabbitMQPostgreSQLClickhouseKubernetesGitLab CI/CDBenefitsWhy Join Us?At BotGuard, youll have the opportunity to work on interesting systems and contribute to the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity. If you love problem-solving, are motivated by the impact of your work, and enjoy collaborating with a dynamic team, this is the role for you. Youll be joining a global team of professionals passionate about protecting companies from online threats.If this sounds like the right role for you, please apply with your CV and links to your GitHub profile or other relevant examples of your work. We cant wait to see what youve built!We are striving to create a diverse and inclusive environment. We encourage all applicants to apply for our roles. We value and actively seek diverse talent!

Submitted by WA ContentsThe former steelworks of a power plant are integrated with organically-shaped greenhouse pavilionsChina Architecture News - Jan 16, 2025 - 14:11 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The former steelworks of a power plant were integrated with organically-shaped greenhouse pavilions to establish the twin dualities of industry, nature, tradition, and the future.Named Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse, the 41,000-square-metre building was designed by Vienna-based architecture firm Delugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA).Entrance pathReaching at 35 meters in height, the greenhouse complex is located in the center of Pudong, a sparsely populated industrial enclave that has developed into one of Asia's most breathtaking high-rise skylines.As Delugan Meissl Associated Architects explained, the inner-city leisure area was once home to a steel mill and a coal-fired power station before being transformed into the Expo Cultural Park. After that, it was renovated to serve as Expo 2010's site.FacadeThe steel framework of a former industrial hall served as a geometric superstructure for the new Greenhouse Garden project, which was further complemented with naturally curved pavements."The zeitgeist has shifted towards recognizing nature as the essential basis of our living environment," said DMAA."And nature has also moved to the heart of architecture. In recent years, as it has repeatedly addressed the specific task of greenhouse design, we have developed extensive technical and cultural knowhow."Exterior evening"With a population of 23 million, the megacity of Shanghai is the focal point of Chinas urban and internati- onal development.""But the Shanghai Region is also directly threatened by the consequences of unlimited growth and climate change. Given biting smogs, water shortages, and rising temperatures, the countrys leaders are looking for solutions that take the form of radical largescale steps steps that should not only preserve natural habitats but also steer Chinas technological and economic efforts in a sustainable direction," said the firm.Exterior parkfrontThe decision by the municipal administration to transform such a large, centrally located plot of land into a first-rate recreational area is unmistakable proof of the general trend toward more intensive planting of Shanghai's core urban zones. Shanghai is one of the world's largest cities with a subtropical climate.The creation of a zero-energy building was one of the project's specific goals because greenhouses typically use a lot of energy. This was accomplished by using single glazing, which was chosen since simulative studies indicated that double glazing would be less energy efficient because the impact of the artificial lighting needed by the plants would more than offset the reduction in heat loss.Exterior parkviewThe studio modified the opening windows in the perforated roof to allow for the passive cooling and natural ventilation that produce the ideal climate for the particular plants. In addition to providing cooling, a pool next to the pavilions uses photovoltaic panels situated just below its surface to power the greenhouse.With its sandy and rocky terrain, the first pavilion replicates the extreme aridity of the desert and represents the home of drought-tolerant yet endangered plants on every continent. The final pavilion's vertical flower beds provide room for traveling exhibitions, while the second pavilion showcases the rainforest's tropical vegetation.Entrance pavilionAn overview of the entire park and the structures that make up the periphery of the surrounding urban fabric may be seen from the terrace above the pavilions. A sizable circular area beneath the listed steel structure and between the three pavilions and the entrance building unifies the proposal with the natural surroundings.The greenhouses' internal and external passageways provide new attributes. Visitors actively navigate this network, moving through each spatial sequence and interacting with the constructed material in a certain way.Interior desertThese visitors are revealed by glazed parapets, and their movement is accelerated or decelerated by mild gradients. The difference in water levels between desert and tropical flora is a natural phenomenon, but it also provides a global political viewpoint because of the concerns about future water supplies brought up by climate change.In this sense, the facade's naturally flowing shape serves as a leitmotif for both the internal structure and the new, flexible human-nature relationship.Interior tropical forest pathwayInterior tropical forestBirdviewBirdview top nightSketchSite planFirst level floor planSecond level floor planThird level floor planRoof floor planDelugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA) was established in 1993 by Delugan and Elke Delugan-Meissl. The office tackles today's social and environmental concerns with a passionate and relentless focus on the novel and the unusual, defying conventional answers.By working on several extremely successful greenhouse projects over the years, DMAA has gained technical and cultural know-how that is currently being used on Shanghai's Greenhouse Garden.Project factsProject name: Expo Cultural Park GreenhouseArchitects:Delugan Meissl Associated ArchitectsLocation:Shanghai Expo Cultural Park - Guo Zhan Lu Pudong Xinqu, ShanghaiCompetition: 2018 (1st Price)Start of construction:01/2020Completion year:09/2024Gross surface area: 41,000 m2Site area: 47,000 m2 (within the whole Park)Height: 35mProject manager:Diogo TeixeiraProject team:Yue Chen, Jurgis Gecys, Thomas Peter-Hindelang, Toms Kampars, Prima Mathawabhan, Sebastian Michalski, Ernesto Mulch, Maximilian Tronnier, Toni Nachev, Marillies Wedl.ConsultantsCoordination:Yiju DingExecutive Planning: SIADR Co.LtdStructural Engineering:Bollinger + Grohmann ZT GmbHEnergy Design:Transsolar Energie-technik GmbHLandscape Design:Yiju DingAll images CreatAR.All drawings Delugan Meissl Associated Architects.> via Delugan Meissl Associated Architects

Patel Taylors plans for 35-storey Isle of Dogs tower also given council backingFoster & Partners' revised plans for the 2-6 Commercial street scheme in Whitechapel1/2show captionA decision on a long-delayed office tower in Whitechapel designed by Foster & Partners has been deferred for a second time after councillors ignored the advice of planning officers to reject the proposals.In the latest twist to plans which have been on the books since 2018, six Tower Hamlets councillors said they were minded to approve the 17-storey scheme at 2-6 Commercial Street, with one abstention.A final decision will now be taken at a future committee meeting to allow planning officers to assess issues raised at the meeting and draw up planning conditions in a fresh report.The 41,000sq m proposals were on the agenda for the councils planning committee last month, also with a recommendation to refuse, but a decision was deferred to allow a site visit, which took place on 17 December.Councillors said in yesterday evenings committee meeting that the scheme would be an effective use of the site, which is currently a car park, and would reduce anti-social behaviour in the area including alleged drug dealing activity.Previous Foster & Partners proposals for the site, which were rejected in 2021They also said that despite the site not being located in a designated tall building zone, the impact of the buildings height would be lessened as it was close to several existing tall buildings.The scheme was a redesign of a previous application for the site designed by Foster & Partners for a shorter, 14-storey building that was rejected in 2021 due to concerns over its height and impact on nearby heritage assets.Although taller, the new proposals would retain the frontage of an existing building on the site while its massing would be stepped back compared to the original application.Meanwhile, councillors voted to back the officers recommendation to approve a 35-storey residential building designed by Patel Taylor at the same committee meeting.The 1 Selsdon Way scheme on the Isle of Dogs will see the demolition of an existing office building and the construction of 307 homes, 35% of which will be affordable.It will take the form of a four-storey podium topped by a slender triangular tower faced with a yellow-coloured brick cladding.Patel Taylors proposals for 1 Selsdon Way were approved yesterday evening

Bromptons proposed 100 million headquarters in Ashford, Kent, secured the backing of Ashford Borough Councils planning committee last night (15 January). Councillors voted by 10 to two in favour of the scheme, which is backed by developer Quinn Estates.If built, the proposals would deliver a new factory, 46,000m2 of office space, a museum and wetlands on a 40ha site just south of Ashford town centre and RSHPs Ashford Designer Outlet, completed in 2001.However, Bromptons accounts for the year ending March 2024 have potentially put the scheme in doubt. Companies House filings showed profits at the west London-based business collapsed by more than 99 per cent, dropping from 10.7 million to 4,602 since March 2023.AdvertisementPlanning officers in Ashford, Kent, had recommended the project for approval days after The Guardian reported that the Brompton HQ scheme had been paused. The same report said Brompton had canceled dividends to shareholders as a result of the fall in profit.Speaking at the committee, Brompton CEO Will Butler-Adams said its plans for Ashford were so the business which he admitted had fallen to zero profitability could find its real home. He added that the company had moved five times in its 50 years and that moving was not easy.Butler-Adams continued: We looked at Ashford, Manchester, Birmingham right across the UK and it was Ashford that [] stood above the rest.Ashfords councillors approved the proposal after debating the flood risk of the development, which planning officers said would provide a net gain of 400 cubic meters of compensatory storage area for floodwater. Planning officers had recommended the project.Hollaway Studios designs for the cycle manufacturer were first shown off in 2022. The scheme includes new structure on stilts floating 2.2m above rewilded greenfield land, with room for increasing Bromptons 850 staff to as many as 1,500.AdvertisementThe scheme features no car parking, but has a circular walking and cycle path, which, according to Hollaway, will provide both expansive views of the site and multisensory experiences of the factory.Hollaway added that the campus would be carbon-neutral and use natural light and air flows, as well as using wind and solar power to contribute to its energy demands.Speaking to the AJ following approval, Hollaway told the AJ: This is a real milestone for Brompton and Hollaway Studio. Weve been working closely with this innovative client for the last few years to bring this application to committee and in the process we have managed to overcome many challenges.The practice continued: The project allows for development in a flood zone 3, zero parking and is situated in a green corridor. All of these aspects required innovative design solutions and, working with a great team, weve managed to overcome. We very much look forward, in time, to continuing to work with Brompton in the next steps to realise this project.Founded in 1976, Brompton specialises in compact, foldable bikes and is now the largest bicycle manufacturer in the UK. It has said the new building will be perfectly located between London and Paris two of its biggest markets.Brompton has been contacted for comment.

See at ESPN Watch Copa Del Rey soccer in the US from $11 a month ESPN Plus See at ESPN See more details See at ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming ExpressVPN See at ExpressVPN See more details Table of Contents Real Madrid will attempt to pick themselves up following their Supercup final disaster at the weekend, as they host Celta Vigo in this round of 16 clash in the Copa Del Rey.Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti will be expecting a positive reaction from his players after they went down 5-2 to eternal rivals Barcelona in Sunday's showpiece Supercup final in Saudi Arabia.They now face Galician side Celta, who currently find themselves in 12th position in La Liga. Claudio Girldez Gonzlez's men had to battle past second-tier Racing Santander in the last round to reach this stage.Real Madrid take on Celta Vigo at the Estadio Santiago Bernabu on Thursday, Jan. 16. Kickoff is set for9:30 p.m. CET local time, making it a3:30 p.m. ET and 12:30 p.m. PT start in the US, a 8:30 p.m. GMT start in the UK and a 7:30 a.m. AEDTFriday kickoff in Australia.Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world. Despite his recent rich vein of form, Jude Bellingham was unable to prevent Real Madrid from crashing to a humbling 5-2 defeat to rivals Barcelona in last Sunday's Supercup final in Jeddah. Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images How to watch Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo in the US without cableThis match is available to stream in the US via ESPN Plus, which has live English and Spanish-language broadcast rights for Spanish Copa Del Rey fixtures in the States. ESPN Plus ESPN's standalone streaming service costs $11 a month or $110 for an annual subscription.Read our ESPN Plus review. See at ESPN How to watch Copa Del Rey from anywhere with a VPNIf you find yourself unable to view Copa Del Rey matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this. Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions. James Martin/CNET 2024 Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 25% speed loss in 2024 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN isour current best VPN pickfor people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month.Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at ExpressVPN Can I livestream Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo in the UK?While Premier Sports and ITV show La Liga matches in the UK, no UK broadcaster currently has live broadcast rights to show Spanish Copa Del Rey matches. That also means that if you're in the UK traveling for pleasure or for work, you're unlikely to be able to watch the game like you normally would at home, thanks to geo-blocking.There is one option to get around this, however. By using a VPN, as explained above, you can set your location to a country where the match is being broadcast and go from there.Can I livestream Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo in Canada?Like the UK, no Canadian broadcaster will be showing today's game.Can I livestream Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo in Australia?It's the same story Down Under, with no Austraian broadcaster set to show this cup fixture. Quick tips for streaming Spanish Copa Del Rey matches using a VPNWith four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming Spanish Copa Del Rey matches may vary.If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommendBrave.