Latest news with #Utopia
Spectator
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Thomas More's courage is an inspiration for all time
Three years ago, when memories of the final series of HBO's Game of Thrones were still fresh, Joanne Paul published The House of Dudley, a gripping account of three generations of the Dudley family, whose efforts to seize the crown from the Tudors, as I noted in these pages, made the machinations of the Lannisters and the Starks look tame. Now, hard on the heels of the final instalment of the BBC's adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy – and with a revival of Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons opening in the West End in August – Paul has published another book equally attuned to the zeitgeist. Thomas More is a biography of the man known to posterity as both St Thomas More and Sir Thomas More, an enigmatic figure variously worshipped as a saintly martyr and vilified as a dogmatic zealot. The author of Utopia (1516), arguably the most influential work of literature by an Englishman between Chaucer and Shakespeare, More was a friend to the Dutch humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam and a patron of the German-born Hans Holbein the Younger, whose 1527 portrait of More wearing his golden chain of esses (a signifier of loyalty to the crown) is one of the most instantly recognisable images of the early 16th century. More was one of the greatest legal minds of his generation in England. Appointed Cardinal Wolsey's successor as Lord Chancellor in 1529, he – unlike Wolsey, who had favoured a conciliatory approach to the widening confessional divide – used the powers of his office to root out Lutherans and others he deemed guilty of heresy.
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Shoppers rush to 'buy more' of Amazon bed set that has over 50,000 ratings and 39 colours available
'To be honest I wasn't expecting a very high quality duvet set for the money paid, but I was very pleasantly surprised.' Amazon is currently holding their latest shopping event, which sees shoppers' everyday essentials get reductions in price or must-have buys getting impressive bundle deals. From multipacks of coffee and washing up pods to coffee machines and mattresses, there is something for everyone in this sale. For those wanting to revamp their bedrooms with some simple bedding, Amazon has a cracking deal on one bed set that has over 50,900 ratings. The Utopia Bedding Set normally retails for £14.99 for a double, but shoppers can now snap it up for only £10.99 in a limited time deal. While there are 39 colours and designs available in this best selling duvet and pillowcase set, it should be noted that not all colours are receiving the same discount and shoppers should take extra time to make sure the size they need is available in their favourite design. Each of the duvets and pillowcases available come with a zipper closure for added convenience and they are crafted with a brushed microfiber polyester fabric which is said to make it soft, easy to iron and fade resistant. The fabric is also said to help protect against any shrinkage after washing. The Utopia bedding set is also designed to be durable as it features a high tensile strength to ensure that it is less likely to rip or tear while being used. Additionally, the set is said to have a perfectly stitched closure to keep the duvet in place while users move around during the night. When it comes to washing the sets, Amazon recommends cleaning the cover and pillowcases on a cold and gentle cycle. Additionally, if placed in the tumble dryer, it should be on a low heat - with the same setting for when the fabric is ironed. Utopia Bedding Set Double Product Description Another popular duvet set on Amazon is the Pamposh Duvet Set. On a limited time deal, prices range from £12.49 (RRP £14.99) for a single to £14.87 (RRP £17.49) for a super king. The set is made with a high quality brushed microfiber, making it perfect for every season. Alternatively, a new bed set to join the Dunelm range is the Catherine Lansfield So Soft Mono Panel Duvet Cover & Pillowcase Set. With prices ranging from £16 to £34 depending on the required size, this set features a bold monochromatic design and is crafted with a soft-touch fabric. While already boasting over 50,900 ratings, which has resulted in an impressive 4.5 rating, Amazon has labelled the Utopia Bed Set as a best seller on the website. Many shoppers have praised the set for its "soft feel" and "excellent quality", with some even going back to "buy more". One delighted shopper said: "I'm amazed at the quality of this bedwear, given it's so reasonably priced. Ordered super king; fits perfectly, feels so soft and looks great. Washes well and dries in no time at all. I've also purchased the extra deep fitted sheets, I can not fault them. "Once again excellent quality, superb fit, soft and they stay perfectly place. Definitely ten out of ten. Definitely my go to from now on." While another customer wrote: "These are the best bedding I have bought in years, I was looking for a nice fresh colour with navy in it, I was very concerned as the price was so cheap, I took a risk and bought 2 pairs and I'm so glad I did. "The material is so soft and the colour is just what you want, the zip closing is great, I showed my friend these and she bought one even though the price went up £2 still worth it, if your looking at these I'd definitely recommend you buy you won't regret, just a thought, the quilt and cover stay in place overnight." However, some shoppers left mixed reviews for the bedding. One three-star reviewer wrote: "Pillow case zips are absolutely garbage. Far too small and easy to get stuck, already broken one unfortunately." With another chiming in: "It was for a guest bedroom and I thought the colour would be more of a charcoal grey but its very different than photos and it will not go with the rooms theme. Unfortunately will be returning it." Despite these issues, the vast majority of shoppers were impressed by the bedding, as one happy shopper said: "To be honest I wasn't expecting a very high quality duvet set for the money paid, but I was very pleasantly surprised. "As mentioned by other reviewers the material is very soft with a brushed cotton feel to it. It washes well and dries quickly, with no real need to iron it before using. Overall I'm am very happy with my purchase and will be buying more from this company." A further five-star reviewer added: "The second bed set I've purchased from same seller & love the beige colour on bed, liking the zips better than buttons, also purchased the navy/blue set." For those in need of a new bed set, click HERE to buy the Utopia Bedding Set. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
AU Financial Review
19-05-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
The James Hardie and Azek merger makes no strategic sense
In what universe does the James Hardie and its merger with Azek make any strategic sense? The reasons given are spurious at best and read like something out of comedian Rob Sitch's television show Utopia. Every cliché has been rolled from cultural alignment to revenue synergies. The best companies – the good to great ones – almost always focus on one industry, or one niche product group within an industry, and are relentless in developing and protecting their competitive advantage. They focus on one space and own it. From the Coca-Cola Company to Cochlear it is sticking to your knitting and staying within your core area of competence that is the hallmark of most great and enduring companies, the companies that deliver excellent long-term compounding returns for shareholders.
The Courier
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
3am licence for town nightclub during Montrose Music Festival
One of Montrose's busiest bars will stay open until 3am throughout the town music festival next weekend. Thousands are expected to head to Angus for the packed three-day programme at 15 venues on May 23-25. In 2024, Montrose Music Festival saw more than 50 acts perform. And this year's event is set to be an even bigger hit with a whopping 97 bands and artists booked to play. On Thursday, Angus licensing board gave the event a vote of confidence with a 3am licence for Utopia nightclub in George Street. The committee unanimously backed the venue's extended hours application. The 3am opening will cover the festival's official opening night party on Thursday May 22, as well as Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It will also be allowed to open all day on Saturday from noon. The club's supporting statement said: 'Montrose Music Festival has been boosting the local economy for over 15 years, not only benefiting licensed premises but shops, hotels, guesthouses, food and drink producers, retail units, hairdressers and more. 'The festival this year is more important than ever given the recent decline in the hospitality industry.' Utopia's manager is part of the volunteer music festival committee and directly involved in the event's wider organisation. 'It makes a massive difference to us,' said a club representative. 'Last year the police were very happy, we've a very good working relationship with the police.' Montrose councillor Kenny Braes said: 'I do consider it an event of certainly local significance. 'But it also attracts people from way beyond Angus. 'I'm very comfortable with this application given that it all went off smoothly last time.' Fellow town councillor Tommy Stewart added: 'Montrose Music Festival is a fantastic event. 'It did shut down for a wee while and it's come back in the last few years. The money generated in the town over the weekend is not just for the pubs, it's good for hotels, restaurants, caravan sites and shops. 'Everybody benefits from it.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix sets premiere date for Lena Dunham's new series, Michelle Yeoh to star in action thriller ‘The Surgeon,' and more of today's top news stories
Gold Derby's for May 12, 2025. Golden Globe-winning Girls creator and star Lena Dunham is returning to TV with Too Much, the first series she's created since 2018's Camping. The semi-autobiographical romantic comedy series premieres July 10 on Netflix. Dunham writes and directs the series, which she cocreated with her husband, Luis Felber. Megan Stalter (Hacks) stars as Jessica, "a New York workaholic in her mid-thirties, reeling from a broken relationship that she thought would last forever and slowly isolating everyone she knows. When every block in New York tells a story of her own bad behaviour, the only solution is to take a job in London, where she plans to live a life of solitude like a Bronte sister. But when she meets Felix (Will Sharpe) — a walking series of red flags — she finds that their unusual connection is impossible to ignore, even as it creates more problems than it solves. Now they have to ask themselves: do Americans and Brits actually speak the same language? From the creator of Girls and the producers of Love Actually, Too Much is an ex-pat rom-com for the disillusioned who wonder if true love is still possible, but sincerely hope that it is." The cast also includes Michael Zegan, Janicza Bravo, Richard E. Grant, Rita Wilson, Naomi Watts, Andrew Rannells, Rhea Perlman, Emily Ratajkowski, and Adwoa Aboah. More from GoldDerby 'New York audiences like weird': 'Dead Outlaw' cast and creatives on their 'freight train' of a musical Jonathan Groff would be the first person to win Best Actor in a Musical consecutively 'One of the best creative teams in the business': NBC orders Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe comedy from '30 Rock' producers Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh is set to star in The Surgeon, an action film from producers Patrick Wachsberger, Basil Iwankyk, and Erica Lee, all of whom have worked on the John Wick franchise. The Surgeon is written and directed by Roshan Sethi, who is also a practicing doctor. Yeoh will play a retired surgeon who is kidnapped and forced to operate on a mysterious patient, and she fights back against her captors using her 35 years of surgical experience. Megadoc, director Mike Figgis' documentary about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, will be distributed by Utopia, which was co-founded by Coppola's nephew Robert Schwartzman. Megadoc is something of a spiritual sequel to Hearts of Darkness, Eleanor Coppola's classic documentary on the making of Apocalypse Now!, and presents a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Coppola's idiosyncratic epic, which premiered at Cannes last year. 'The great filmmaker Mike Figgis shot the making of Megalopolis as he saw it,' Coppola said in a statement. 'Interestingly, there are many interpretations of what really happened and it's all in the documentary although the documentary doesn't always say which is what ... it is for the viewer to behold and interpret.' Utopia plans to release the film theatrically this fall. Jason Segel is teaming up with director and fellow Shrinking executive producer on psychological thriller Sponsor, which is up for sale at Cannes. Segel and Ponsoldt wrote the script, which is about Peter (Segel), a drunk driver whose court-ordered treatment introduces him to Jerry (still being cast), an "enigmatic 12-step guru" who takes over his life. 'We set out to explore what happens when support becomes control — when the person you turn to for salvation slowly becomes your worst nightmare,' Segel and Ponsoldt said in joint statement. "After collaborating on Shrinking, we were excited to channel that same emotional intimacy into a psychological thriller, where the stakes are darker, more dangerous, and deeply personal." Emmy-winning Killing Eve star Sandra Oh is set to star in Canadian psychological thriller Child's Play from director Wang Xiaoshuai and writer Hannah Moscovitch. Here's the official description: "Marlene Lee (Oh), the daughter of Chinese immigrant parents and who in 1983 attends an all-white summer camp for girls. In order to fit in and impress her new friend Charlene, Marlene crosses a line that will forever change her life. Some 41 years later in 2024 and have devoted herself to a successful political career, adult Marlene strives to make meaningful societal change. But as she stands on the brink of a pivotal electoral victory, dark shadows from her past resurface when she and Charlene are forced to reconnect." The film will shoot this fall. George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck has recouped its initial $9.5 million production cost after just seven weeks on Broadway. The show set a record for highest-grossing week in Broadway history when it became the first show to gross over $4 million in one week. The play is based on Clooney's 2005 film of the same name. He stars as broadcaster Edward R. Murrow as he speaks out against Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare. Netflix revealed the premiere date for Untamed, a mystery thriller set at Yosemite National Park. Eric Bana stars as Kyle Turner, a special agent for the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) investigating a brutal death in the park that uncovers secrets in the park's past — and his own. The series hails from creators Mark L. Smith (American Primeval) and Elle Smith (The Marsh King's Daughter) and also stars Sam Neill, Lily Santiago, Rosemary DeWitt, and Wilson Bethel. All six episodes premiere July 17. Netflix has begun production on a fourth season of Lupin, the heist thriller starring Omar Sy as gentleman thief Assane Diop. The series is the one of the streaming service's most-watched non-English-language shows. The most recent season debuted in 2023. The series was created by George Kay, with Sy and Louis Leterrier serving as showrunners. Kevin Spacey, the two-time Academy Award winner who is once again booking film roles after his 2023 acquittal on sexual assault charges, has joined the cast of The Awakening, a conspiracy thriller that will be up for sale at Cannes. The film stars and was cowritten — and financed — by Justin Tinto, and directed by Matt Routledge. It follows "Jason (Tinto) and Rebecca (Alice Eve) as they uncover a conspiracy to control the world. Their investigation leads them into a maze of secrets, making their quest to expose the truth in a thrilling race against time." The cast also includes Peter Stormare, Steve Berkoff, Julian Glover, Matt Hookings, and former World's Strongest Man Eddie Hall. The 2025 Anime Awards, the fan-voted award show honoring the best in anime, announced its musical performer and celebrity presenter lineup ahead of the May 25 ceremony. Japanese singer-songwriter Lisa, hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts, and rock band Flow will perform, and reggaeton singer J Balvin, country star Kacey Musgraves, and Ready Player One screenwriter Zak Penn will present awards. The ninth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards will take place at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo on May 25, with hosts Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira. The show will stream live at 6 p.m. JST on Crunchyroll's Twitch and YouTube channels as well as Sony Pictures Core and the Sony Group Corp Global YouTube Channel. Best of GoldDerby 'I didn't think he was a jerk': Paul Giamatti on finding the humanity in his standout 'Black Mirror' episode 'Grotesquerie' star Niecy Nash-Betts on that shocking coma twist, and Travis Kelce's 'greedy' appetite TV Cinematography panel: 'Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire,' 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,' 'Étoile' Click here to read the full article.
