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Documentary Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, Who Skewered Fast Food Industry, Dies At 53

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Spurlock | AP News Image

NEW YORK — Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker whose most well-known works ridiculed America’s food business and who famously ate solely McDonald’s for a month to demonstrate the perils of a fast-food diet, died. He was 53.

Spurlock died Thursday in New York from cancer complications, according to a statement released by his family on Friday.

“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Craig Spurlock, who collaborated with him on multiple projects, said in the statement. “Morgan contributed so much with his paintings, ideas, and compassion. The world has lost a great creative talent and a unique individual. I’m really proud to have worked with him.”

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Morgan Spurlock | AP News Image

Documentary Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, Who Skewered Fast Food Industry, Dies At 53

Spurlock made a big sensation 2004 with his innovative picture “Super Size Me,” which was nominated for an Academy Award. The film documented Spurlock’s negative physical and psychological repercussions after consuming exclusively McDonald’s cuisine for 30 days. He gained roughly 25 pounds, had an increase in his cholesterol, and lost his sexual drive.

“Everything’s bigger in America,” he stated in the film. “We’ve got the biggest cars, the biggest houses, the biggest companies, the biggest food, and finally: the biggest people.”

Spurlock quickly showed the kids a photo of George Washington, but none of them recognized the founding father. They did, however, recognize the Wendy’s and McDonald’s mascots immediately.

The video generated more than $22 million on a $65,000 budget and came out before Eric Schlosser’s influential “Fast Food Nation,” which accused the business of being harmful to the environment and riddled with labor difficulties.

Spurlock returned in 2017 with “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!“, a sobering look at an industry that produces 9 billion animals annually in the United States. He focused on two issues: poultry farmers trapped in an unusual financial system and fast-food restaurants’ attempts to trick customers into thinking they’re eating healthier.

“We’re at an amazing moment in history from a consumer standpoint where consumers are starting to have more and more power,” he told The Associated Press in 2019. “It is not about shareholder returns. It is about consumer return.”

spurlock

Morgan Spurlock | AP News Image

Documentary Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, Who Skewered Fast Food Industry, Dies At 53

Spurlock was a gonzo filmmaker who embraced the odd and ludicrous. His artistic additions included catchy visuals and funny music, which combined a Michael Moore-esque camera-in-your-face manner with his sense of humor and sorrow.

“I wanted to be able to lean into difficult situations. I wanted to be able to take a deep breath during happy occasions. We want to give you permission to laugh in places when it’s difficult to laugh,” he told the Associated Press.

After he exposed the fast-food and poultry industries, there was a surge in restaurants that emphasized freshness, artisanal processes, farm-to-table quality, and ethically obtained products. However, there was little difference in terms of nutrition.

“There has been a big transformation, and people ask me, ‘So, has the food gotten healthier?’ And I respond, ‘Well, the marketing sure has,'” he added.

Not all of his efforts involved food. Spurlock created documentaries about the boy band One Direction and the geeks and fanboys at Comic-Con. One of his videos examined life behind prison at Virginia’s Henrico County Jail.

With 2008’s “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?” Spurlock embarked on a global search for the al-Qaida commander, who was slain in 2011. Spurlock’s “POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” delves into product placement, marketing, and advertising.

“I believe that being aware is half the battle. “Knowing all the time when you’re being marketed to is fantastic,” Spurlock told the AP then. “Many people don’t realize it. They can’t see the forest through the trees.”

“Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” was supposed to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017, but it was pulled in the height of the #MeToo movement when Spurlock came forth to detail his history of sexual misconduct.

He admitted that he had been accused of rape in college and had resolved a sexual harassment case with a female aide. He also admits to cheating on multiple partners. “I am part of the problem,” he stated.

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Morgan Spurlock | AP News Image

Documentary Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, Who Skewered Fast Food Industry, Dies At 53

“For me, there was a moment of awareness — as a truth-teller and someone who has made it a point to try to do the right thing — that I could do better in my own life. “We should be able to admit we were wrong,” he told the Associated Press

Spurlock grew up in Beckley, West Virginia. His mother was an English teacher who, he recalls, corrected his work with a red pen. In 1993, he earned a BFA in film from New York University.

He leaves behind two children, Laken and Kallen, as well as his mother, Phyllis Spurlock, father, Ben, brothers Craig and Barry, and the mothers of his children, Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein, who were both his ex-wives.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

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The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

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Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M

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Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

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