News

One Direction Were The Internet’s First Boy Band, And Liam Payne Its Grounding Force

Published

1 month ago

2024-10-17

Liam Payne’s voice is first heard in One Direction’s debut single: “What Makes You Beautiful” which begins with a bouncing guitar riff, a cheeky and borderline excessive cowbell, and then Payne.

“You’re insecure, don’t know what for / You’re turning heads when you walk through the door,” he sings, in a few words telling a cross-section of generations that he has your back, lady, and you should like yourself a little more.

Payne, who died Wednesday at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was also the last solo voice on the band’s final hit, “History,” which essentially opened and closed one of the most successful boy bands of all time.

While the exact circumstances of his death are unknown — Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room,” but they did not provide details on how they determined that or whether it was intentional — in life, Payne was a key member of the internet’s first boy band, which cemented an indelible place in the hearts of millennial and Gen Z fans.

One Direction Were The Internet’s First Boy Band, And Liam Payne Its Grounding Force

Before forming One Direction, its members auditioned independently for “The X Factor” in the United Kingdom. The judges decided to divide five prospective but not yet exceptional guys into groups. Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Payne placed third in the 2010 competition.

“They were kind of assigned to be together.” You don’t expect long-term results from the situation. “Honestly, you don’t expect a single good pop record to come out of that situation,” he says. Nonetheless, not only did it work, but One Direction effectively built “a new template for pop stardom, really.”

The show allowed Day 1 followers to track their career before their official 2011 release of “What Makes You Beautiful.” New fans might use emerging social media sites such as Twitter and Tumblr to build a community, draw notice to the group, and, in the early days, communicate directly with the members.

“I honestly made a Twitter so that I could keep up with One Direction, and that’s how I made so many different friends,” says Gabrielle Kopera, 28, a California-based fan who recalls the band holding livestreams and chats. “Sometimes they would respond, which was great fun. I feel like that fan interaction is no longer happening.

According to Maura Johnston, a freelance music writer and adjunct instructor at Boston College, the group’s personality and relationship with fans were strengthened by this sense of accessibility.

“The fact that they came up on this British TV show and they became this worldwide sensation, I don’t think that would have happened as vividly and as swiftly and as immersive without social media, without Twitter or without people being able to organize around the globe,” she explains.”

One Direction and its fans
Millennial and Generation Z audiences almost grew up with One Direction, but the band was truly everywhere. According to Johnston, this is due in part to the fact that he arrived in a completely different media environment than now.

“It was a lot more focused,” she adds about the early 2010s. “Algorithmic sorting of material hadn’t really taken off. So there was a broader, mass approach. They were one of the last gasps of that enormous phenomenon, and everybody of any age, fan or not, had to pay attention.”

However, cultivating a loyal fanbase requires more than omnipresence. And there were other reasons why fans were drawn to One Direction.

“They were five very different musical personalities, along with five very different personalities,” according to Sheffield.

They also defied standard boy band conventions by co-writing many of their tracks. “They didn’t do corny, choreographed steps on stage,” he explained.

After hearing about Payne’s death, Kopera says she “got so many messages from people I haven’t talked to in years reaching out because I think everyone kind of realized that it does feel like we just lost a family member.”

That emotion was echoed by the large crowds that gathered Wednesday outside Buenos Aires’ Casa Sur Hotel, feeding a growing makeshift monument of flowers, candles, and letters while police stood watch.

“I’ve always loved One Direction since I was little,” said Juana Relh, 18, outside Payne’s hotel. “To see that he died and that there will never be another reunion of the boys is unbelievable, it kills me.”

Liam Payne’s role in the band, and its legacy
Johnston describes Payne as a “brooding” older brother-type in One Direction. He also co-wrote numerous songs, particularly in their later period, including the Fleetwood Mac-inspired “What A Feeling” and “Fireproof.”

“He was this grounding force in the band,” Johnston recalls.

One Direction Were The Internet’s First Boy Band, And Liam Payne Its Grounding Force

“Looking at what happened to Liam, it just makes you feel even more terrible, that it just feels like he needed help,” Kopera explains.” “And it’s so scary to think about how the entertainment industry can just, like, eat up artists.”

After One Direction split in 2016, Payne’s solo career — a single R&B-pop album in 2019, “LP1,” and a few songs here and there — never took off as much as some of his colleagues. He was “the least successful,” according to Sheffield. “It’s safe to say that on the terms that he was going for, he didn’t really find what he wanted to do.”

“It’s hard, transitioning from being a boy bander to be a pop star,” Johnston confides.

At Payne’s solo shows, Sheffield adds, “He would play a small montage of One Direction performing, which is not something you do when you’re starting out as a solo artist. But fans accepted it in the way it was intended, which is a very kind statement in which he says, ‘Yep, you’re here because of this history that we share, and I’m here because of that same history.'”

Despite Payne’s troubles and the sadness of his death, Kopera believes “his legacy will always point back to One Direction.”

For fans, the same is true.

“When I look back at One Direction, I think, ‘That was my girlhood. “One Direction was my soundtrack to growing up, and I’m so grateful for it,” she says. “They really were just a group of normal boys.”

SOURCE | AP

News

Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

Published

8 hours ago

2024-11-24

Geoff Brown

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 protestors run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest.

The Prime Minister dances.

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. pic.twitter.com/PVJvR6gtmf

— Don Stewart (@donstewartmp) November 23, 2024

“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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News

Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

Published

8 hours ago

2024-11-24

Geoff Brown

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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News

Canada’s Lotto Max jackpot Climbs to $80M

Published

9 hours ago

2024-11-24

Geoff Brown

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:

Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
Numbers cannot be repeated
Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
Each play buys 3 lines
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!)