Latest news with #FaceOff
Metro
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Britain's most tattooed man blocked from accessing porn online
Britain's most tattooed man has complained that he is being blocked from accessing online pornography by facial age verification technology. The King of Ink, who has legally changed his name, has been barred from X-rated sites because the filter flags his heavily inked face as a mask. He has been hit by the stricter checks under Ofcom's Children's Codes, which came into force last week, when he tries to speak to webcam girls. 'Some of the websites are asking for picture verification, like selfies, and it's not recognising my face,' The King of Ink said. 'It's saying 'remove your mask' because the technology is made so you can't hold up a picture to the camera or wear a mask. 'Would this also be the case for someone who is disfigured? 'They should have thought of this from day one.' The businessman and entrepreneur, from Stechford, Birmingham, feels discriminated against on the basis of his permanent identity. 'It's as important as the name really and I changed my name legally,' he said 'Without a name you haven't got an identity, and it's the same with a face. 'It's not like you can do the old John Travolta in Face Off and change it when you want to. 'It's my skin, my permanent identity.' The 45-year-old, who changed his name from Matthew Whelan to King Of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-ite, has previously encountered difficulties using his passport. As the new rules came into effect, he found he was also prevented from using a webcam service. He told Metro he has 'dabbled' in the adult entertainment industry and has enjoyed going to awards shows. The tattoo enthusiast, who has spent more than 1,600 hours getting inked, described the sites he visits as 'no different from a lapdancing club except you're in the comfort of your own home.' 'It's also good for men's mental health, even if you've got a wife or girlfriend,' he said. 'It's not one of the things you should keep private.' The Instagrammer said he has found a way around the curbs through a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which have become the most downloaded app on Apple's UK App store since the checks came in. They mask the user's location online, allowing them to browse as if they were in another country. 'A lot of people use VPNs and I use a VPN myself now,' he said. 'It's like a cloak of invisibility really.' The codes are designed to protect young people, with sites required to have 'highly effective' age verification in place. More Trending Boxes for users to tick confirming they are over 18 are no longer adequate and have to replaced by methods such as credit card or ID checks or AI facial age estimation. The new rules are designed to prevent children from accessing porn, self-harm, suicide and eating disorder content. As the changes took effect, Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said that 'prioritising clicks and engagement over children's online safety will no longer be tolerated in the UK' and anyone breaching the code would face enforcement action. Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact MORE: Fake British passports available on dark web 'within minutes' MORE: Facebook is worst place for scams after Brits lose £214,000,000 in social media rip-offs MORE: Porn law has changed in the UK – here's everything you need to know
Bangkok Post
31-07-2025
- Bangkok Post
Woman jailed for ‘Face Off' cosmetic surgery scam
The Criminal Court sentenced Xeping Chaiyasan to four years in prison for defrauding the public through a cosmetic surgery scheme known as 'Face Off.' Xeping, 52, widely promoted as a plastic surgery specialist, was found guilty under Sections 341 and 343 of the Criminal Code for public fraud, Section 14(1) of the Computer Crime Act for inputting false data and the Consumer Protection Act for misleading advertising. The case, filed by Yupin Saenkam from Roi Et, centred on Xeping's role in promoting and arranging facial surgeries between August 2017 and August 2018. The project falsely claimed procedures were performed at world-class hospitals with minimal or no scarring and negligible swelling. These misleading claims persuaded the plaintiff and others to undergo surgery, paying hundreds of thousands of baht. Ms Yupin said she paid 368,500 baht for a facelift but was left with disfiguring scars, chronic pain, numbness, itching and a distorted face caused by broken internal threads. Her ear was reportedly deformed, resulting in a witch-like appearance. The court ruled that the offences were part of a single scheme, imposing the maximum applicable sentence. Only Xeping, the first defendant, was indicted after a preliminary case review. At the hearing, both Xeping and the plaintiff's lawyer, Phinyophat Chittawan, appeared in court. Xeping is currently applying for bail while filing an appeal. A source said this is not her first conviction. The Criminal Court has previously handed down prison sentences to Xeping and her associates in several other cases involving similar fraudulent cosmetic procedures.
South China Morning Post
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
How John Woo's Face/Off, Windtalkers and Paycheck showed his experimental side
John Woo Yu-sum's final Hollywood films before he returned to Hong Kong in the mid-2000s were excellent – with one exception. Here we look at the films made near the end of his first Hollywood adventure. 1. Face/Off (1997) Play Face/Off, which starred John Travolta and Nicolas Cage , was the first – and only – film in which he succeeded in inserting his unique approach to action in a US film. The result rivals Woo's Hong Kong classics like The Killer and Hard Boiled 'For the first time, Woo has successfully incorporated his style into an American film,' this writer wrote in the Post in 1997. 'It is a suspenseful work with a slick plot, chock-full of Woo touches. 'Woo gives his fans the best of both worlds. He makes use of the resources that American studios can offer to stage scenes, as well as investing his own visual style in the details.'
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'My dad tried to kill..': Wayne Gretzky opens up about how his father tried to stop ‘The Great One' nickname from sticking
Wayne Gretzky is a name synonymous with greatness in the , but the origin of his famous nickname, "The Great One," has a surprising twist. During a recent segment on NHL on TNT's Face Off, Gretzky shared that his father, Walter Gretzky, was not a fan of the moniker when it first appeared during his youth hockey days. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A nickname born out of early dominance on the ice Long before Wayne Gretzky shattered NHL records, he was just a ten-year-old prodigy from Brantford, Ontario, netting an unbelievable 400 goals in a single season. A reporter from the London Free Press came to profile the young phenom. At the conclusion of the article, the journalist proposed a fitting nickname: 'The Great One,' drawing inspiration from legends like 'Mr. Hockey' and 'The Golden Jet.' 'They said, 'We should just call him The Great One,'' Gretzky recalled. 'Well, my dad tried to kill that right away — it just kept coming back.' Walter Gretzky believed such a title placed unnecessary pressure on his young son. He didn't want Wayne to bear the weight of premature hype. But despite his father's objections, the nickname gained traction and became permanently linked to the budding superstar. Acceptance of a name that would define a legacy Over time, the family had no choice but to embrace the label. 'Finally, I just was like, 'Well, we're going to have to live with it,'' Gretzky admitted. And live with it he did. By the time he retired in 1999, Gretzky had not only fulfilled but exceeded the expectations that came with such a grand title. With 894 goals, 2,857 career points, and 61 NHL records, 'The Great One' wasn't just a nickname—it became his rightful legacy. Panthers Win Game 5 to Take 3-2 Lead in Stanley Cup Final | NHL on TNT Switching gears to current NHL action, Gretzky also shared his thoughts on the Edmonton Oilers' Game 5 loss to the Florida Panthers. 'Right from the get-go, Florida played a really smart, intelligent road game,' he said, noting that Edmonton looked 'cautious' and 'on their heels' early on. Also Read: From a childhood nickname to a storied NHL career, Gretzky's story remains one of humility, brilliance, and enduring greatness.
Chicago Tribune
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
One for the Books: Sometimes short and sweet is what you want when you're reading
Start the year off with a fresh, new reading challenge! The Amazing Book Challenge returns for 2025 with 12 new themes designed to take readers on an unexpected literary adventure. This year's challenge invites adult and teen readers to step outside their comfort zones and explore new topics, authors and series they may not have chosen otherwise. For each category completed, participants will earn a button or magnet. If they complete all 12 categories, they will receive a special Naperville Public Library tote bag and be entered into an end-of-year drawing. To start things off, we're highlighting the category 'Short & Sweet' — read an anthology or a collection of short stories and call it a day! Here are a few we suggest. To see a full list of recommendations and the other Challenge categories, visit 'Endless Summer: Stories from Days That Last Forever' by Elin Hilderbrand Elin Hilderbrand revisits her most treasured and iconic characters in this magical collection of stories. Collected in a single volume for the first time, 'Endless Summer' ranges from fan favorites to original, never-before-seen works. 'MatchUp' edited by Lee Child 'MatchUp' takes the bestseller pairings of its prequel 'FaceOff' and adds a delicious new twist: gender. Eleven of the world's best female thriller writers from Diana Gabaldon to Charlene Harris and 11 of the world's best male thriller writers, including John Sandford, C.J. Box and Nelson DeMille, come together for an unforgettable anthology. 'A Place in the World' by Frances Mayes Though Frances Mayes is known for her travels, she has always sought a sense of home wherever she goes. In this poetic testament to the power of place in our lives, Mayes reflects on the idea of home, from the earliest imprint of four walls to the startling discoveries of feeling the strange ease of homes abroad, friends' homes and even momentary homes that spark desires for other lives. From her travels across Italy to the American South, France and Mexico, Mayes examines the connective tissue among them through the homes she's inhabited. 'One More Thing' by B.J. Novak A boy wins a $100,000 prize in a box of Frosted Flakes — only to discover that claiming the winnings might unravel his family. We meet Sophia, the first artificially intelligent being capable of love, who falls for a man who might not be ready for it himself; a vengeance-minded hare, obsessed with scoring a rematch against the tortoise who ruined his life; and post-college friends who try to figure out how to host an intervention in the era of Facebook. Along the way, we learn why wearing a red T-shirt every day is the key to finding love, how February got its name and why the stock market is sometimes just … down. 'Florida' by Lauren Groff The stories in this collection span characters, towns, decades, even centuries, but Florida — its landscape, climate, history and state of mind — becomes its gravitational center: an energy, a mood, as much as a place of residence. Groff transports the reader, then jolts us alert with a crackle of wit, a wave of sadness, a flash of cruelty, as she writes about loneliness, rage, family and the passage of time. 'Mouthful of Birds' by Samanta Schweblin Unearthly and unexpected, the stories in 'Mouthful of Birds' burrow their way into your psyche and don't let go. Samanta Schweblin haunts and mesmerizes in this extraordinary, masterful collection. Schweblin's stories have the feel of a sleepless night, where every shadow and bump in the dark takes on huge implications, leaving your pulse racing, and the line between the real and the strange blur. 'The Way Madness Lies' by Dahlia Adler 'West Side Story.' '10 Things I Hate About You.' 'Kiss Me, Kate.' Contemporary audiences have always craved reimaginings of Shakespeare's most beloved works. Now, some of today's best teen writers take on the Bard in these 15 whip-smart and original retellings. 'Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment and Growing Up Female in America' This collection of 21 essays from major young adult authors — including award-winning and bestselling writers like Amy Reed, Ellen Hopkins, Amber Smith and more — touches on a powerful range of topics related to growing up female in today's America, and the intersection with race, religion and ethnicity. Sure to inspire hope and solidarity within anyone who reads it, 'Our Stories, Our Voices' belongs on every young woman's shelf. 'Black Love Matters' edited by Jessica P. Pryde Romantic love has been one of the most essential elements of storytelling for centuries, but for Black people in the United States, it hasn't been easy to find Black romance joyfully showcased in entertainment media. In this collection, revered authors and sparkling newcomers, librarians and academicians, and avid readers and reviewers consider the mirrors and windows into Black love as it is depicted in the novels, television shows and films that have shaped their own stories.
