Jewel of the crown

Disney+ surpassed 10 million subscribers in its first day, the company announced today. Disney’s announcement comes after Apptopia reported that the Disney+ app has been downloaded more than 3.2 million times. That’s despite tech problems that affected the service throughout the day. The Mandalorian, the live-action Star Wars show easily considered the crown jewel of Disney’s streaming service, saw north of 2 million streams over the first day, according to people familiar with the matter. That number has more than likely grown due to overnight and second day viewing. By the end of the day, Disney+ was also the top app in the App Store, according to Apptopia. Launching with a bundle — ESPN+ and ad-supported Hulu — also helped bump up both apps in app stores, according to Apptopia’s report. Sources familiar with the matter told The Verge that the bundle also saw a notable increase in sign-ups following the launch of Disney+. To put everything into … [Read more...] about Disney+ surpasses 10 million subscribers on first day

Advertisement Finally, the rumours are confirmed: two new larger iPhones and a smart timepiece known simply as the Apple Watch are on the way. The Cuptertino-based company made the announcement at a special event held on Tuesday in what is arguably one of the more exciting Apple events of recent years.Also announced was a brand new method of wireless payment and the release date for Apple’s upcoming iOS 8 software update. We’ll have full reviews and giveaways of all the new goodies as soon as we get our hands on them, but for now here’s what we know.Two New iPhonesSeptember’s event is traditionally used to unveil a new iPhone, and this year’s announcement marks the biggest shake-up for the iPhone’s design since the original was introduced in 2007. Two new iPhones were announced sporting two differently sized screens: the 4.7 inch iPhone 6 and 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus.The new “ion-strengthened” screens pack brand … [Read more...] about Apple’s Big Event: iPhone 6, Watch & New Wireless Payment System

Thursday, April 6, 2017, marks 100 years since the United States entered World War I. World War I does not occupy the same space in America's cultural memory as the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War II or the Vietnam War.The men and women who fought "the Great War" would likely be shocked at this relegation. For them, "the war to end all wars" was the most consequential war ever fought: a struggle between good and evil.As an author of two books, "Faith in the Fight" and "G.I. Messiahs," I have spent a good part of the last 15 years thinking about the place of religion in America's experience of the Great War.From the beginning of American involvement in the war to the construction of cemeteries in Europe for America's war dead, Christian imagery framed and simplified a complex, violent world and encouraged soldiers and their loved ones to think of the war as a sacred endeavor. America as a Christian nationWritings by and for American soldiers used religious imagery and … [Read more...] about How Christianity Shaped World War I

An ancient stone carving on the walls of an Egyptian temple depicts the Roman emperor Claudius dressed as an Egyptian pharaoh, wearing an elaborate crown, a team of researchers has discovered.In the carving, Emperor Claudius, who reigned from A.D. 41 to 54, is shown erecting a giant pole with a lunar crescent at the top. Eight men, each wearing two feathers, are shown climbing the supporting poles, with their legs dangling in midair.Egyptian hieroglyphs in the carving call Claudius the "Son of Ra, Lord of the Crowns," and say he is "King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands." The hieroglyphs say he is raising the pole of the tent (or cult chapel) of Min (an ancient Egyptian god of fertility and power) and notes a date indicating a ritual like this took place around the summertime researchers say. It would have taken place even though Claudius never visited Egypt. A cult chapel is a place of worship and a tent could also be used for this purpose. [See Photos of the Egyptian … [Read more...] about Roman Emperor Dressed As Egyptian Pharaoh in Newfound Carving

Newly Discovered CarvingA newfound stone carving reveals Roman Emperor Claudius dressed as an Egyptian pharaoh while wearing an elaborate crown. The hieroglyphs say Claudius is raising the pole of the cult chapel of Egyptian fertility god Min and suggests a ritual like this took place around the summertime.Lettuce SceneA team of researchers have discovered and recorded this relief which was carved in stone on the western exterior wall of the Temple of Isis at Shanhur. To the right the Roman Emperor Claudius is shown as an Egyptian pharaoh while wearing an elaborate crown. He faces the Egyptian god Min, on the left, who is wearing a crown of his own and has an erect penis. In between them a giant pole is being raised by Claudius with a lunar crescent at the top. Eight men, each wearing two feathers, are shown climbing the supporting poles in an unrealistic way, their legs dangling in mid-air.Shanhur Temple western exterior wallThe western exterior wall at the Temple of Isis at Shanhur … [Read more...] about In Photos: Ancient Carving Reveals Roman Emperor