Over the weekend, Blake Lively joined the pantheon of famous Hollywood women who’ve taken monumental, #MeToo-inspired motion against sexual exploitation within the entertainment industry.

The 37-year-old star not only publicly detailed her own painful experiences with sexual harassment on the set of her film It Ends With Us, but in addition in a lawsuit a viral New York Times storyShe also opened up about how she was allegedly the goal of a classy “smear campaign” on social media in the course of the film's release in August.

The purpose of this campaign, allegedly orchestrated by cunning and cowardly Hollywood publicists, was to wreck her popularity in an effort to advance the profession and private brand of her alleged harasser, co-star and director Justin Baldoni.

In an announcement to The New York Times, Lively boldly said: “I hope my legal action will help lift the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak out about wrongdoing and protect others who may be involved.” be targeted.”

Almost seven years ago Lively also expressed her support for ladies in Hollywood to take a stand against sexual predators in the course of the rise of the #MeToo movement. But unlike now, Lively's alleged advocacy for ladies speaking out against sexual misconduct was met with skepticism and even backlash.

That's because Lively had decided to publicly support one among the industry's most famous alleged predators, Woody Allen. Lively praised Allen, amongst other things, for his “very powerful” direction after she starred in his 2016 film “Cafe Society.” During press interviews for the film, she also refused to deal with the sexual assault allegations made against him by his own daughter, Dylan Farrow.

In fact, one outstanding one who spoke out against Lively in late 2017 and early 2018 was Dylan Farrow, who originally accused the filmmaker of molesting her in 1992 when she was seven years old.

While Dylan Farrow praised women within the industry for “taking a stand” to bring about change in Hollywood, she said too that Lively and other outstanding #MeToo advocates who worked together with her father were actually “complicit in the culture they are fighting.”

“The people who join this movement without taking any personal responsibility for how their own words and decisions have helped perpetuate the culture they are fighting against, that is something I find difficult to reconcile,” Dylan Farrow said in an announcement to the media on the time.

When Lively was first solid in Allen's “Cafe Society” in 2015, the previous television actor undoubtedly relished the possibility to realize serious acting credibility by working with Allen, who was then still considered one among world cinema's hottest auteurs.

A yr later, after the premiere of “Cafe Society” on the Cannes Film Festival, Lively raved about joining an elite class of actresses who might be described as Allen's “muses,” which is telling Hamptons Magazine that it was “really cool to work with a director who’s done so much.”

But in the course of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, public opinion began to show against Allen, and Lively found himself in an uproar. The change was spearheaded by Allen's own son, journalist Ronan Farrow, whose subsequent reporting on producer Harvey Weinstein's alleged sex crimes helped spur the #MeToo movement.

In a surprising editorial from May 2016 For The Hollywood Reporter, Farrow reminded movie fans – and A-listers like Lively – that his father allegedly “groomed” his sister with inappropriate touching as a young girl and sexually abused her when she was seven. The allegations against Allen first became public within the Nineties, when he had a stormy split from his long-time girlfriend Mia Farrow, the mother of Ronan and Dylan.

When Allen vehemently denied the harassment allegations against Dylan, his “PR engine kicked into high gear,” Ronan Farrow explained in his editorial. Much like Lively would say about Baldoni, Allen had smart and aggressive publicists working on his behalf to convey to the general public a narrative that was favorable to him and harmful to his alleged victim, in line with Ronan Farrow.

In Allen's case, that narrative was geared toward encouraging journalists and news outlets to discredit his own daughter's account of harassment, Ronan Farrow said. Like Baldoni, Allen's goal was also to avoid wasting his popularity and proceed his profession as a filmmaker.

Ronan Farrow described how this narrative gained traction for greater than 20 years, largely since the media didn’t want to contemplate his sister's side for fear of Allen's power within the industry. The journalist described his sister's “torment at the strong voices that brushed aside her accusations” and “the press, which was often willing to be taken along for the ride.” He said it also hurt his sister to see high-profile actors, a few of whom were personal heroes, appear as leads in his movies.

The day after Ronan Farrow published his editorial, Vulture reached out to Lively for comment about being one among the actors who probably hurt Dylan Farrow by lining as much as star in her father's movies. She disagreed and said she hadn't read the article. “I think this is dangerous,” she said. “I don’t want to talk about something I haven’t read.”

Lively too told the Los Angeles Times that she didn’t register any coverage of Allen's personal life when she made the film. “I could (only) know my experience,” she said. “And my experience with Woody shows that he empowers women.”

Lively defended Allen in one other way, attacking a Cannes official who made a joke about Dylan Farrow's allegations before the “Cafe Society” screening. Diversity reported. She said film festivals are intended to be “beautiful” events to have a good time movies and artists, and so they mustn’t be marred by someone making jokes about “something (like sexual abuse) that isn't funny.”

More than a yr later, Ronan Farrow, writing for The New Yorker, together with New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, published investigative stories that exposed Harvey Weinstein's decades-long history of alleged sexual harassment and assault on quite a few women. The Weinstein revelations quickly spurred many other women to talk out within the media about sexual misconduct by powerful men.

As the #MeToo movement gained momentum, Dylan Farrow was given a brand new platform to reassert her claims against her father within the court of public opinion. She wrote an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, by which she criticized Lively, Kate Winslet and Greta Gerwig for selecting to work together with her father but then refusing to “answer questions about it.”

Now, in 2024, Lively has develop into a #MeToo-style hero by going public together with her allegations against Baldoni. This status was supported by the incontrovertible fact that her claims were detailed in a New York Times report co-authored by Twohey, one among the reporters who originally broke the Weinstein story.

As with Lively's bombshell lawsuit filed in California, the Times story also focuses on the alleged efforts by Baldoni and his publicists to wreck Lively's popularity in an effort to forestall her claims about his sexually inappropriate behavior on set.

But over time, Lively still hasn't addressed her support for Allen or her refusal to debate Dylan Farrow's allegations. Unlike Greta Gerwig and another actors, she has also expressed no regrets about selecting to work with Allen, even after Ronan Farrow provided evidence of his father's PR efforts to get his own daughter married discredit.

But given Lively's recent, allegedly harrowing experience with Baldoni, she may finally be able to discuss whether she regrets working for Allen.

Originally published: December 27, 2024 at 2:02 pm PST

The California ground squirrel appears to be innocent. A well-known sight for hikers: the stocky rodent can often be seen happily chewing grass, seeds and berries.

But in keeping with a brand new study published Wednesday within the Journal of EthologyWildlife biologists have documented one ferocious trait of the creature: It is a dedicated carnivore, hunting and feeding on unlucky little voles.

Like a rodent version of the notoriously violent 1969 film “The Wild Bunch,” extensive video footage shot near Contra Costa County Briones Regional Park provides repeated evidence of the ferocity of squirrels.

Squirrels chase the voles, then catch them and beat them until they grow to be a bloody pulp. Like cats, the squirrels sometimes allow the mortally wounded animal to limp away. Then they pounce again. As the vole writhes and clings to life, it bites.

Ground squirrels are known to exist in California is not going to hand over an easy meat meal. Previous investigations found evidence of eaten voles in addition to quail eggs, insects and shellfish.

But the brand new study, conducted by scientists on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and UC Davis, is the primary to record widespread predatory behavior.

“That was shocking,” said the lead writer Jennifer E Smithan associate professor of biology at UW-Eau Claire who co Sonja Wild from UC Davis leads the Long-term project on the behavioral ecology of the California ground squirrel.

“Here is this behavior unprecedented in science that sheds light on the fact that there is so much more to learn about the natural history of the world around us,” she said.

With its rolling, grassy hills and secluded, shady ravines, Briones is a paradise for ground squirrels.

According to Smith, squirrels are quite a few and diverse, and are fascinating because they’ve a bigger and way more complex social structure than other squirrel species.

The behavior of two distinct gopher populations is the main target of research by faculty and students at UC Davis, Wisconsin and other institutions.

Under the name “Team Squirrel,” the researchers track specific animals 12 months after 12 months and collect extensive data concerning the social and biological history of many individual creatures over the course of their lives.

They analyze recordings of alarm calls. They study squirrel feces to learn more about gut health. You will witness exciting clashes between rattlesnakes and squirrels.

In 2024 something unusual happened. There has been an unusual explosion in vole abundance in parts of California.

Voles are defenseless bundles of fur, small and chubby, with short round ears, a round head, and restless energy. They are engineers and dig burrows that transform soil and transport seeds. They are lively day and night and are driven by an infinite appetite and a continuing must feed their offspring. Voles can produce as much as six or seven broods per 12 months.

The researchers learned that scurrying across a meadow in broad daylight was dangerous for voles.

Through videos, photos and direct observations within the regional park, they documented ground squirrels hunting, eating and competing for vole prey between June 10 and July 30. Squirrels' carnivorous summer behavior peaked in the primary two weeks of July, coinciding with an explosion in vole numbers within the park reported by citizen scientists on iNaturalist, a free app that users have used to record hundreds of thousands of observations of untamed animals and plants.

The squirrels seemed bored with hunting other small mammals.

When I watched the video, “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Wild said. “From then on we saw this behavior almost every day. Once we started looking, we saw it everywhere.”

The study changes our understanding of ground squirrels – suggesting that what was considered a grain-eating species is definitely an opportunistic omnivore, researchers say.

Many other species, including raccoons, coyotes and humans, are known to be flexible of their weight loss plan and behavior.

The recent study shows that the California ground squirrel can even reply to a rise in prey availability, in keeping with the study.

“The fact that California ground squirrels are behaviorally flexible and can respond to changes in food availability could help them survive in environments that are rapidly changing due to the presence of humans,” Wild said.

Other questions remain unanswered. For example, it just isn’t known whether hunting behavior is widespread, whether it’s passed from parent to pup, and the way it affects the general ecology of the natural landscape.

Researchers plan to return to Briones next summer to see what impact, if any, this 12 months's vole weight loss plan had on squirrel numbers.

By then, nonetheless, the squirrels could have grow to be another person's dinner. Hungry snakes, weasels, hawks and eagles rely on them for food.

Ground squirrels are predators. But like voles, also they are prey animals.

Hunting large carnivores is a controversial issue in wildlife management and conservation. In the autumn of 2024, Colorado will probably be on the ballot where voters will weigh up Initiative 91a proposed ban on the hunting and trapping of cougars, bobcats and lynx within the state.

Wildlife authorities often use regulated hunting as a way of controlling predator populations, reducing impacts on endangered wildlife, or minimizing the danger of conflict between predators and humans, domestic animals, and livestock. But Scientific studies have questioned how effectively recreational hunting achieves these goals. And public attitudes are changing as participation in hunting declines.

We run Colorado State University Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence And Centre for Animal and Human Policy. Together with our colleague Benjamin Ghasemiwe recently Colorado residents surveyed about their perceptions of mountain lion and black bear hunting within the state.

We found that support for hunting relies on the aim. Most Colorado residents oppose looking for trophies or for pleasure. Gender, age and other demographic aspects also play a job.

Meet the neighbors

Mountain lionsalso often known as pumas or cougars, live mainly within the western USA and are legally hunted in all western states except California. Black bearswhich mainly in Mountain and forest regions Deer are hunted in most states within the continental United States where they occur.

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Agency estimates that roughly 3,800 to 4,400 adult mountain lions And 17,000 to twenty,000 black bears live in Colorado. They are found mainly within the Rocky Mountains, with the eastern edges of their range near more populated areas within the Front area.

According to the state, hunters in Colorado killed 502 mountain lions through the 2022-2023 hunting season and 1,299 black bears through the 2023 season.

Both species have conflicts with humans within the state. Most commonly, bears wander into mountain towns seeking garbage or other food left by humans. Mountain lions are occasionally seen in urban areas, and in rare cases people have attacked.

Different views on hunting

Our study collected responses from Colorado residents through two public mail surveys. Samples were weighted to be representative of the state's population demographics, including age, gender, level of urbanization, geographic region, and hunting participation.

Respondents' opinions on legal and controlled hunting of mountain lions were evenly split, with 41% in favor and 41% opposed. The same was true for black bears, with 46% in favor and 46% opposed.

Large majorities disapproved of hunting each animals as trophies, for hide or pelt, or for recreation. For cougars, 78% of respondents disapproved of trophy hunting; for black bears, 86% disapproved of trophy hunting. People also generally disapproved of hunting each species for his or her meat.

Respondents were more supportive of looking for other reasons. 63% and 57%, respectively, supported hunting mountain lions and black bears to guard people. And 56% supported hunting mountain lions to cut back harm to livestock.

Large majorities disapproved of hunting mountain lions with dogs (88%) or recorded electronic calls (75%). Most mountain lions hunted in Colorado are legally killed with the assistance of dogs that chase the cats after which herd them right into a tree or corner them. The use of electronic calls to draw the cats was allowed in some parts of western Colorado until 2024, when the practice was banned. banned resulting from hunting of mountain lionsHunting other carnivores resembling bobcats and coyotes stays legal.

Women, younger people, urban residents, and folks who identified or leaned toward Democrats tended to be less supportive of hunting than men, older people, rural residents, and Republicans. A study we published in 2022 on wolf reintroduction in Colorado found an analogous political split, with individuals who identified as Democrats more supportive of wolf reintroduction than among the many Republicans.

How can one coexist with carnivores?

Although Colorado residents generally support using hunting to cut back conflict between humans, black bears and mountain lions, studies suggest it will not be probably the most effective tool.

For example current experimental study in Ontario, Canadaconcluded that increased hunting of black bears didn’t reduce conflicts – especially in years when the bear’s natural food sources, resembling nuts and berries, were limited within the wild. An extended-term Study on bears in DurangoColorado, also found that the supply of natural food within the wild and the lure of human food in town were the essential causes of bear encounters.

Conversely, one other Studying in New Jersey – which is more densely populated than Colorado, making bears more prone to encounter people – concluded that well-regulated hunting of closely monitored black bear populations could help reduce conflict.

Similar to bear policy, Colorado uses hunting as a Mountain lion management toolThere is restricted scientific evidence that hunting mountain lions can prevent conflicts with them. A recent study found that young cougars from a hunting area in Nevada tended to avoid built-up areas. In contrast, young cats from a non-hunting area in California showed no preference for or against built-up areas.

Other correlational studies in Washington, California And Canada have suggested that hunting could also be exacerbating the issue. According to those researchers, hunting may disrupt the social dynamics and age structure of cougar populations, which could lead on to young cats moving into populated areas seeking latest territory, thus increasing their probabilities of encountering humans.

Overall, we consider that more reliable scientific information is required to guide predator management and test assumptions about how effective hunting is in addressing these problems. Further give attention to proactive, non-lethal strategies for conflict prevention is important.

Ultimately, promoting coexistence between humans and carnivores is usually way more about controlling humans than controlling predators. The secret is changing human behavior.

For example, inadequate waste storage attracts bears. The same goes for filling birdhouses in spring, summer and autumn. when bears are energeticSteps to Reduce encounters with mountain lions These include walking in groups and making noise, keeping dogs on a leash in distant areas, keeping pets indoors, and avoiding plants that attract deer, the cats' essential prey.

Big cats on the ballot

Colorado's Initiative 91 would ban the hunting and trapping of cougars, bobcats and lynx within the state. It would allow the killing of problem animals to guard human life, property and livestock.

Hunting and trapping bobcats, primarily to sell their pelts within the fur trade, is currently legal in Colorado. On average, hunters and trappers have 880 bobcats annually within the last three years, most of which were caught. Hunting and trapping are currently prohibited for lynx, that are endangered in Colorado and threatened nationwidehowever the proposed ban would protect them as their populations get better.

Colorado residents have already voted previously to limit the hunting of predators. They passed a People’s initiative in 1992 to ban bait, dogs and a spring hunting season for bears, and one other in 1996 to ban using leghold traps, poison and snares.

Our research adds to the growing evidence that Public opinion about hunting and carnivores is changingA growing share of Americans consider that humans should coexist with carnivores and oppose lethal control for the good thing about humans. Studies also suggest that ballot measures resembling Initiative 91 could occur more steadily while public attitudes are changing and an increasing number of different groups are attempting to influence wildlife management.

Wildlife managers will find it difficult to adapt to those changing values. Authorities may have to think about: more participatory methods that involve different interest groups within the decision-making process, develop latest financing mechanisms which might be less depending on hunting and fishing license fees, and review how and for whom they take care of wild animals.

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks signed what they hope shall be their goalie of the long run on Friday by trading top goaltending talent Yaroslav Askarov in an enormous cope with the Nashville Predators.

The Sharks sent forward prospect David Edstrom, a 2025 first-round pick – who originally belonged to the Vegas Golden Knights – and Barracuda goaltender Magnus Chrona to the Predators in exchange for Askarov, a 2025 third-round draft pick, and minor league forward Nolan Burke.

According to the Sharks, San Jose has the choice to trade either its own first-round pick within the 2025 NHL Draft to the Predators or the Vegas pick should Vegas' pick fall in the highest 10. The third-round pick San Jose is getting from Nashville originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche.

The Sharks acquired Edstrom and the Golden Knights' 2025 first-round pick on the trade deadline in March once they sent experienced center Tomas Hertl to Vegas.

The deal is one in all the largest in Mike Grier's relatively short tenure as general manager of the Sharks as he looks to secure the goaltending position long-term, nevertheless it will not be without risk. Askarov, 22, has played just three NHL games in his profession and it’s unclear if he’s able to develop into a full-time NHL player immediately.

Grier, who’s scheduled to talk to reporters Friday afternoon, said in an announcement: “Yaroslav is a goalie who has the potential to be an NHL goalie who plays every day. His ability to position himself effectively, his vision and his athleticism have been demonstrated over the past few seasons and he is a strong, young addition to our goaltending group.”

“We are happy to have him as part of the organization.”

Askarov, 22, went 1-0-0 with a 1.47 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage in two games for Nashville last season. He has played three profession NHL games, all with the Predators, and has a 2.58 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

The 6-foot-4 Askarov was named to the AHL's Top Prospects Team last season after going 30-13-1 in 44 games for Milwaukee, Nashville's top farm team. He was second within the AHL in wins, fifth in goals-against average (2.39) and second in shutouts with six.

Askarov also helped the Admirals reach the Western Conference Finals in 2023 and 2024, posting an 8-9 record and .897 save percentage in 17 postseason games.

But Askarov gave the impression to be ruled out of a job within the NHL this season after the Predators earlier this 12 months signed veteran Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension – starting in 2025 – and signed experienced Scott Wedgewood to a two-year deal as his substitute.

According to a report from ESPN's Kevin Weekes, Askarov told the Predators last week that he was able to play within the NHL, believing he wouldn’t play in Milwaukee this season and requested a trade.

Askarov's agent, Dan Milstein, was contacted by this news organization and said his client was “very happy and excited to join the Sharks.”

With Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek, the Sharks already had two goalies on their NHL roster, but could potentially keep three at first of the season.

Vanecek got here to San Jose from New Jersey in March as a part of the trade that sent goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen to the Devils. Vanecek underwent surgery for a lower-body injury within the spring and it was initially unclear whether he can be fully available for training camp, which begins in lower than 4 weeks.

Both Blackwood and Vanecek are entering the ultimate 12 months of their respective contracts and may develop into unrestricted free agents next summer. Askarov, who was drafted eleventh overall by Nashville in 2020, is ready to develop into a restricted free agent next summer.

Grier and his team have added a handful of promising forwards and defensemen to the Sharks' roster lately, most notably Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Quentin Musty on offense and Henry Thrun, Sam Dickinson and Shakir Mukhamadullin on defense.

But if Askarov develops right into a No. 1 goalie within the NHL, because the Sharks hope, it could fill an enormous hole within the organization. In addition to Blackwood and Vanecek awaiting their UFA, Chrona and fellow Barracuda player Georgi Romanov have little experience on the NHL level, having played just 11 games combined for the Sharks.

In his first full skilled season as a rookie, Chrona played 31 games with the Barracuda, going 6-17-6 with a .894 save percentage. In nine games with the Sharks, he went 1-6-1 with a .859 save percentage.

Edstrom, 19, was chosen by Vegas in the primary round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He spent the 2023-24 season with Frölunda within the Swedish Hockey League, scoring seven goals and 12 assists in 44 games. He also planned to return to Sweden next 12 months.

Burke, 21, played primarily for the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL last season, appearing in 47 games and recording 15 points (five goals, 10 assists). He played one game for the Admirals last season.

Originally published: August 23, 2024 at 1:18 pm

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks traded their 2020 first-round draft pick, Ozzy Wiesblatt, to the Nashville Predators on Sunday in exchange for forward Egor Afanasyev.

Afanasyev, 23, led the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals in scoring last 12 months with 54 points, including 27 goals, in 56 regular-season games and nine points in 15 playoff games. He has one goal in 19 profession NHL games, most recently playing in two games with the Predators in February.

A restricted free agent, the Russian-born Afanasyev stands 6'4″ and weighs 205 pounds. He was selected by the Predators in the second round of the 2019 draft and just completed his third season of North American professional hockey. He has 113 career points in 187 regular-season games in the AHL.

Wiesblatt, 22, spent most of the last two seasons with the Barracuda, scoring just 11 points in 34 AHL games. With him potentially slipping down the team's rankings and the Barracuda having no chance of making the playoffs, Wiesblatt was loaned to Milwaukee in March to gain postseason experience.

For Milwaukee, Wiesblatt scored six points in 16 regular-season games and nine points in 15 playoff games. He has one year left on his entry-level contract and has yet to play an NHL game.

“He plays a really high-energy, high-intensity game, but he hasn't gotten quite a lot of playing time,” one NHL scout said of Wiesblatt's time with the Barracuda. ​​”He's aggressive about it.”

Wiesblatt is the fourth player the Sharks have taken in the first round and traded away by general manager Mike Grier in the last 18 months.

Most notably, Timo Meier, drafted ninth overall in 2015, was traded to the New Jersey Devils in February 2023, and Tomas Hertl, drafted 17th overall in 2012, was sent to the Vegas Golden Knights in March of this year. Both transfers created salary cap space and brought draft picks and young players to San Jose.

Defenseman Ryan Merkley, who was selected 21st overall in 2018 and was unhappy with his role, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche along with Matt Nieto in January 2023.

Wiesblatt was selected 31st overall by the Sharks in 2020, and the way San Jose drafted the forward made headlines.

In making his selection, Doug Wilson Jr., the Sharks' former director of scouting, said Wiesblatt's name and used sign language for his first name. Wiesblatt's mother, Kim White, has been deaf since birth and has always used sign language to communicate with her children – four boys and a daughter.

“This means so much to me, especially to my mother and the deaf community generally,” Wiesblatt said on the evening of October 6, 2020. “It's just a really nice gesture and my mother will always remember it.”

The Sharks acquired the first-round pick they used for Wiesblatt from the Tampa Bay Lightning in February 2020. The other way went for forward Barclay Goodrow, who won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning before being traded to the New York Rangers in July 2021.

Goodrow then signed a six-year, $21.85 million contract with the Rangers. Three years before the contract expired, the Rangers placed him on waivers last Tuesday. The Sharks signed him the next day.