what is swift playgrounds? -By Neha

 hey guys it's me Neha and today I'm gonna be telling you guys about something called swift playgrounds 

Swift Playgrounds is an educational tool and development environment for the Swift programming language developed by Apple Inc, initially announced at the WWDC 2016 conference. It was introduced as an iPad application alongside iOS 10, with a macOS version introduced in February 2020. 

In addition to publishing the Swift Playgrounds application itself, Apple also produces a series of educational lessons teaching programming and debugging skills. The application can also subscribe to lessons and other content published by third parties, including lessons allowing users to control educational toys such as Lego Mindstorms EV3 and Sphero robots. Apple publishes a curriculum guide for educators wishing to incorporate Swift Playgrounds into their teaching

Swift Playgrounds was designed to be a development environment and an education tool simultaneously.[8] The app allows users to download lessons and challenges. Once stored on the iPad, these can be copied and modified without the need for an active internet connection.

Apple's initial lessons, available for all Swift Playgrounds users to download, introduce three characters: Byte, Blu, and Hopper. In each challenge, young coders are asked to assist these characters achieving simple goals by coding simple instructions. As challenges become more difficult, more complex algorithms are required to solve them and new concepts are introduced.[9] Advanced lessons in Playgrounds introduce users to more complex features such as Apple's Bluetooth and Augmented Reality development platform (ARKit) APIs.[10]

In addition to Apple's own educational content, Swift Playgrounds can download third-party lessons through its subscriptions feature.[5][4] Some third-party lessons allow the app to control robots (such as Lego Mindstorms EV3 and Sphero educational toys) and drones (such as the Parrot).[6] Apple also offers coding classes using Swift Playgrounds at Apple Stores.[11]

Swift Playgrounds was designed to be fully accessible to users with disabilities. It supports Apple's VoiceOver screen reader technology, and at WWDC 2020 Apple introduced a series of lessons called "Swan's Quest" which use accessibility features to help students solve puzzles. 

The Swift Playgrounds application was announced on June 13, 2016, at WWDC 2016 as an iPad exclusive app to help people learning to code with Apple's Swift programming language. A beta version for Apple developers was released on the same date, followed by a public beta version in the following month. The app was presented as a teaching tool for students, introducing the core concepts of coding using an interactive environment designed for touch. The application's name is an apparent reference to Xcode's earlier Playgrounds feature, introduced in 2014.

Along with iOS 10, the app was officially released on September 13, 2016. Apple also published a curriculum guide, recommending the iPad app for middle school students and up. In January 2018, Apple introduced subscriptions to the iPad application, allowing users to subscribe to playgrounds developed by third parties.

On February 11, 2020, Apple released a macOS version of Swift Playgrounds on the Mac App Store, built using Apple's Catalyst technology. Subsequent versions of the application have supported both iPadOS and macOS, with most of Apple's curriculum available on both platforms. For WWDC 2020, Apple published a session instructing third-party developers on how to support both platforms in their subscriptions.

when I heard about this for the first time, I basically thought it was maybe merch by Taylor swift 😂😂😂

not gonna lie, but I have never heard of this software until now, I was just scrolling through my blog ideas list, (which is a list I made on my phone using the notes app)  and suddenly this appeared, 

I do not remember adding this into the list at all, and I googled it and it turned out to be pretty interesting so I thought why not write a blog about it! and that's how we're here now 

anyway, that's it for this blog, I hope you guys enjoyed it! oh and I'm going to be resuming my blog series! so stay tuned for that! 

what is ott? (over the top) media service -By Neha

 hey guys it's Neha and I know I haven't posted a blog for a few days, no reason for that, I've just been super busy with school and my novel, and I haven't even been able to post any videos, but that's happening soon, so stay tuned! 

today I'm going to be talking about ott which is over the top media service 

n over-the-top (OTT) media service is a media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet. OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms, the types of companies that traditionally act as controllers or distributors of such content.[1] It has also been used to describe no-carrier cellphones, where all communications are charged as data,[2] avoiding monopolistic competition, or apps for phones that transmit data in this manner, including both those that replace other call methods[3][4] and those that update software.[4][5]

The term is most synonymous with subscription-based video-on-demand (SVoD) services that offer access to film and television content (including existing series acquired from other producers, as well as original content produced specifically for the service).[citation needed]

OTT also encompasses a wave of "skinny" television services that offer access to live streams of linear specialty channels, similar to a traditional satellite or cable TV provider, but streamed over the public Internet, rather than a closed, private network with proprietary equipment such as set-top boxes.[citation needed]

Over-the-top services are typically accessed via websites on personal computers and via apps on mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets), digital media players (including video game consoles), or televisions with integrated Smart TV platforms.[citation needed]

In 2011, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Canada's telecom regulator, stated that it "considers that Internet access to programming independent of a facility or network dedicated to its delivery (via, for example, cable or satellite) is the defining feature of what have been termed 'over-the-top' services".[6]

In contrast to video on demand video-delivery systems offered by cable and IPTV, which are tightly managed networks where channels can be changed instantly, some OTT services such as iTunes require that the video be downloaded first and then played,[7] while other OTT players such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, offer movie downloads that start playing before the download completes (streaming).[8]

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) categorizes the OTT services into two groups: multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs); and online video distributors (OVDs).[9][10]

Virtual MVPDs include such varied services as AT&T TV, FuboTV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV.

An OVD was defined by the FCC as:[9]

any entity that provides video programming by means of the Internet or other Internet Protocol (IP)-based transmission path where the transmission path is provided by a person other than the OVD. An OVD does not include an MVPD inside its MVPD footprint or an MVPD to the extent it is offering online video programming as a component of an MVPD subscription to customers whose homes are inside its MVPD footprint.

a few examples of ott is: 

Netflix, amazon prime, Hulu, Hotstar, zee 5, sun nxt, skype, WhatsApp, signal, messages, apple tv and so much more 

Because of the pandemic all the theatres are shut, these are the very good means to watch new releases such as series and movies, where they can watch right from their living room 

And for web series, it’s even better we can binge the entire season (not that you should, but you can) 

For example. Me and my family binge watched family man season 2 and after finishing season 2, it reminded me how amazing the first season was and wanted to watch it again, and I watched the 1st season as well (not all at once, don’t worry) 

Speaking of that’s also another amazing thing about ott. We can watch any of the seasons on repeat! But when these tv series are on tv channels, we’d have to wait for another week or another day (another day doesn’t seem so bad, but If the show’s freakin’ amazing like friends, well then you definitely won’t be able to wait) although even on some ott platforms such as Hotstar and prime sometimes we’d have to wait for a week for another episode to air, like mare of east town for example, 

And can theatres co- exist after these ott platforms in the future? 

It is an interesting topic to think about 

anyway, that's it for this blog, comment down below and let me know what you guys think about it! 

a review on family man! -By Neha

 so I and my family have been watching the family man for 2 years and that's when the first season aired on 2 September 2019 and the second season was released just 2 days ago on June 4 and me and my family watched it in a day, basically 9 hours and we really like it, and its on amazon prime. both of the seasons are on amazon prime 

and the story is basically: 

Srikant Tiwari is a middle-class man who also serves as a world-class spy. Srikant tries to balance his familial responsibilities with the demands of the highly secretive special cell of the National Intelligence Agency that he is working for.

the first poster of "the family man" 

it has 19 episodes (in both of the seasons) 

The Family Man is an Indian espionage action thriller streaming television series on Amazon Prime Video created, directed, and produced by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.[1] who also co-wrote the story and screenplay with Suman Kumar, and dialogues were penned by Sumit Arora and Suman Kumar. The series features Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant Tiwari, a middle-class man secretly working as an intelligence officer for the Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC), a fictitious branch of the National Investigation Agency.[2] It also stars Priyamani, Sharad Kelkar, Neeraj Madhav, Sharib Hashmi, Dalip Tahil, Sunny Hinduja, and Shreya Dhanwanthary. Samantha Akkineni was hired for the second season of the series making her foray into the digital medium.[3]

The series was announced in June 2018, with the filming of the first season began simultaneously in Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Kashmir, Ladakh and was wrapped up within May 2019. Filming for the second season began in November 2019 and was wrapped up in September 2020.[4] The cinematography for the first season was handled by Azim Moolan and Nigam Bozman, with Cameron Eric Bryson hired for the second season. Sumeet Kotla edited the series, while Ketan Sodha composed the background score.

The Family Man: Season 1 was showcased at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour held in Los Angeles in July 2019,[5][6] and was eventually premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 20 September 2019.[1] It received positive responses from critics and audiences, praising the performance of the cast members, and writing and execution. It eventually became the most viewed web series on Amazon Prime Video. The second season was scheduled to be aired on 12 February 2021 but was delayed, and it was finally released on 4 June 2021. 

The Family Man received eleven nominations at the Filmfare OTT Awards. It eventually won five awards – Best Actor (Critics) for Manoj Bajpayee, Best Actress (Critics) for Priyamani, Best Series (Critics), Best Director (Critics), and Best Dialogues.[9] In May 2020, Raj and D. K. announced that the third season of The Family Man is to be conceptualized.[10]

The Family Man follows the story of Srikant Tiwari, who works as a senior analyst in the fictional Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC), which is a part of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India. He is a married man with two kids, and the first season follows an investigation of a potential terrorist attack, while simultaneously following his slightly unsettled family life.[11] The show is inspired by real-life newspaper articles.

that's it for this blog, I hope you guys liked it and I'll see you guys in the next one, ciao! 

a review on mare of easttown! - by Neha

so I've been watching mare of eastown for almost 2  months now, and I honestly really like it,, I heard that Kate Winslet was in it and since I'm totally obsessed with titanic, I was pretty sure id love it and I do

 

starring Kate Winslet, Evan peters, guy Pearce,  Angourie Rice

and I keep thinking how different she looks in titanic and how different she looks now in mare of east town but just as stunning as before, but titanic and mare of east town is on Hotstar, well I've seen titanic like actually a 100 times, I've kept count and this I've seen twice, all the episodes TWICE cause everyone new episode comes every week, well it used to,  but the first season is over and the 2nd one is not going  be coming because it was supposed to be a limited series  and I and my family used to watch it every week on Monday, and it's actually a really nice show 

here's a little bit of a preview: 

We can welcome Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) into this jolly roster of crime busters. Mare is a detective sergeant in Easttown, a speck of a town in Pennsylvania. Like all good investigators in fiction, Mare is dealing with multiple personal problems while solving a homicide and following up on a teenager’s disappearance a year ago.

this show comes under the genre of crime and it is released in 2021 and it has 7 episodes in the first season 

As her life crumbles around her, a small-town Pennsylvania detective Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) investigates a local murder. The series explores the dark side of a close community and provides an authentic examination of how family and past tragedies can define our present.         

Beautifully shot by Ben Richardson in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Brad Ingelsby’s Mare of Easttown is a fascinating, binge-worthy show. While director Craig Zobel has said he is open to exploring more of Mare’s story, there is a satisfying symmetry to the mini-series.

and it has a rating of 8.6/10 on IMDB 

93% on rotten tomatoes 

A popular show like Mare of Easttown would typically be renewed before the series finale. In this case, however, the show was always intended to be a limited series, per the director Craig Zobel (via Insider). Networks usually assess streaming numbers for multiple weeks after a season finale before making renewal/cancellation decisions, but that likely won't happen with Ingelby's series. According to Zobel, he's willing to direct Mare of Easttown season 2 under the right circumstances 

If Mare of Easttown season 2 does happen, it likely won't release for two to three years. Ingleby and company will theoretically take some time to consider a series continuation, and then reach out to the cast members to see if they're interested in reprising their roles. As of now, it's plausible that Mare of Easttown season 2 could premiere in April 2023, or certainly before if all parties involved want to capitalize upon the cultural momentum. But like Mare, the series will probably move at its own pace.

anyway, that's it for this week's blog and I'll you guys in the next one ciao! 

all about blogs! -by Neha

hey, guys, it's Neha, and today I'm going to be talking about blogs! 

a blog is a discussion or informational website published on the world wide web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style, text entries (posts). posts  are typically displayed in reverse chronological order so that the lastest  blog appears first, like this: 

blogs were invented in 1994 created by Justin Hall on links. net 

blogs are one of the ways that you can earn money online during this lockdown, and I actually enjoy writing blogs a lot! because I feel like I can put all of my thoughts and creativity into it and how I'm feeling about the particular topic, BUT however i do get stuck sometimes, just like any other writer, you heard me, I'm going to be a writer! i have a book coming out! i cant tell you guys when its coming of course, (well considering i don't know myself) but we're getting off topic here, I'm pretty sure you guys don't wanna hear about my book! you guys are here to understand about blogs and to know what they are, 

you guys can become a blogger too! but that blog is coming soon which is the continuation of this blog! in the next blog I'm gonna explain how you guys can become bloggers too! so stay tuned for that blog! 

justin hall created the first blog at Links.net which contained "essentially a review of HTML examples he came across from various online links," according to HubSpot. the term "BLOG" had not been coined, He preferred to it as his personal page 

there are so many types of blogs, some people even write personal stuff! i started writing blogs about 2 years ago and you guys are gonna have to tell me in the comments if you guys want my personal experience with blogs let me know and i'll try to do it! 

here are some types of blogs: 

• fashion blogs: these types of blogs are the most popular types of blogs on the internet, its a big industry with a huge global audience, fashion bloggers get invited to major events, receive special perks and merchandise and even business deals with huge fashion brands! These types of blogs are good for creative people with a keen eye for style and fashion. You can start a fashion blog and start making money online by following our guide

• food blogs: the Food blogs are another popular blog type. It attracts a lot of readers who are interested in recipes, ingredients, healthy eating, fine dining, and other food related stories. Many food bloggers just start with something as simple as their local restaurant reviews. However, as their blog grows so does their interests and target audience. They start covering other food related topics as well. 

• travel blogs: travel blogs were famous, and they still are but now that everyone has to stay safe inside, i don't think anyone would take a look at these kind of blogs anymore, I'm saying this because of my own Experience. whenever my parents book a trip, i look about the place, A LOT, I'm a researcher, if i like a topic or a person (celebrities) I'll study them, not stalk them, there's a complete difference, so i used to research about the place and i don't look up any places now, although maybe restaurants, because since the lockdown is slowly opening, restaurants might open in 2-3 months, well i researh a restaurant as well, just to see how it looks and stuff and of course i don't do this if i know the place.

• music blogs: Music blogs has a wide audience who search for critiques on the best and trending music. Music lovers enjoy songs from different languages, cultures and norms.

• lifestyle blogs: Lifestyle blogs are the most popular type of blogs you can find online. They have a variety of readers, interested in topics ranging from culture, arts, local news, and politics. This gives the blogger a wide range of topics to cover, making it easier to plan their content strategy, Lifestyle bloggers get opportunities to be an influencer, write for other publications, become a speaker, and partner with businesses who are working to make a difference in the society 

• parenting blogs: Parenting blogs have a huge, passionate, and highly engaged audience. New parents worry a lot and are always willing to improve their parenting skills, Mom blogs and dad blogs have different styles of writing. These blogs may involve activities with kids, guidance on food, techniques for early home education and more

• business blogs:Business blogs are the professional blogs related to the corporate agencies, industries and others. They offer a casual way to communicate with customers and educate them about a businesses product or service, OptinMonster’s conversion rate optimization blog is a great example of a business blog. It educates users about converting website visitors into customers using the best conversion optimization software in the world.

• persnoal blogs: Personal blogs belong to individual writers who share their experiences, adventures, and daily life with their audience. The purpose of personal blogging can be anything like making a difference through positive stories or influencing readers with own views. Personal bloggers also include photographers who share photos online to get more work, vloggers who create videos on their daily life routine, chef/cook who share recipes on the blog, and more.

• movie blogs:  Movie blogs share news and reviews of new movies and the film industry in general. They have a large audience on the internet. Bloggers are invited to watch premium shows before the public release of movies, so they can write reviews and generate buzz about an upcoming movie.

• news blogs: news blogs cover local news and are a great way for journalism students to build up their resume and sharpen their skills. they can cover a wide range of topics or limit to a particular news sections, news blogs are not just about sharing news, they also include opinion pieces to share blogger's own perspective of the news, the news blogs are updated more frequently to cover latest happenings, news can be about anything like climate changes, scientific innovations, technology, politics, religion and more, big media outlets have several bloggers to work on each of these sub-types in news blogging 

• fitness blogging:   Fitness blogs has been a hot trend since they cover important topics like health and general fitness. People all over the world rely on the internet to seek advice on how to stay fit. It’s a great opportunity for fitness instructors to start a fitness blog and get clients online.These types of bloggers/instructors write about diets, diet plans, workouts, supplements, and more. Fitness bloggers can also create video content to explain different exercises to their audience. They can monetize their website and videos using Google AdSense and affiliate marketing.

• DIY blogs:   DIY blogs are very interesting and have a huge audience. It has multiple sub-types like arts and crafts, construction, wood-work, metal-work and more,These interesting DIY activities would encourage visitors to try new stuff and share it with the trainer/blogger. DIY blogs may involve a lot of communication which is great for blogging.

• sports blogs:  Sports blogs are another interesting type of blogs online. Every country in the world has different sports and every sport has its own stars. Sports blogging may also include bloggers who are writing paid content for teams, athletes, and other organizations,,The other format in sports blogging is to write about latest events all over the world. Furthermore, bloggers share live status of multiple sports on their Twitter accounts automatically linked to the blogs.

• pet blogs:  Pet blogs have a great readership online that includes pet owners, animal lovers, animal shelters, and people looking for pets. Pet bloggers share tips on keeping pets healthy, pet grooming, pet food, and training. Animal foster homes also write about their efforts to protect and save animals. Pet bloggers can partner up with businesses selling pet care products to generate revenue

• gaming blogs:    Gaming blogs cater to a large community of gamers looking for articles about latest games, gaming hardware, events, game cheats, and more. This community has grown significantly in the recent years.  Most gaming blogs belong to gamers, reviewers, and official communities of big game developing agencies. They have international events for gamers and reward plans for the winners. It’s a popular blog type and growing everyday.

• tech blogs: and the last but definitely not the least are tech blogs, these are the type of blogs where you review Technology and maybe even where to find the best prices and the best brands and much much more, this is also the kind of blog that my dad creates, so if you're interested check out his blog as well! 

that's it for this blog!, i hope you guys enjoyed it and also comment down below some other blogs that you want me to do!, ciao1 

friends forever: it never fails to bring a smile on our faces! - By Neha

the american sitcom 'friends' has become a global pop- culture phenomenon whose relevance and unprecedented popularity has endured over two- and- a half decades 

it's been 27 years since friends has aired and its still always on top 4or5 on netflix and it's an amazing show, and now its on top 3 because of the reunion, and i never thought that the reunion would make me cry but it did, the reunion is just so emotional, and truly amazing, and i've already seen the reunion 4 times now, and even writing this blog is making me cry, it's just that, when you don't have friends or whether you're in depression friends always makes you feel happy and smile until you cry. and when you don't have friends, you feel like the 6 of them are your best friends, which is why everyone loved friends so much, including me (definitely) and everyone are rewatching friends, well i always do, after watching the reunion, it makes you want to watch the series again, and the reunion just reminds you how amazing friends is, and the theme song (i'll be there for you) is such a popular and amazing song, and reminds you of all the wonderful things in life and makes you smile all the time and smelly cat is also a very famous song sung by lisa kudrow herself, smelly cat has been streamed on spotify 1.5 million times 

its crazy how such a simple story  can be so amazing and meaningful, this cast and tv show will stay in my heart forever, and it will always be my favourite show ❤️

its about love, relationships, careers, a time in your life when everything's possible, and its about friendship because when you're alone and in the city your friends are your family

 A little more than 25 years ago, when Rachel Green, a runaway bride, barged into a Manhattan cafe named Central Perk in her wedding dress, looking for her high school friend Monica Geller, only to eventually move in with her and set off a six-pronged tale of friendship, few could have predicted that Friends would not only play out for 10 years and over 236 episodes, but also become one of the most successful sitcoms in television history. Today, more importantly, the show has become a global pop-culture phenomenon whose relevance and unprecedented popularity has endured over two-and-a-half decades. 

a story of six pals finding their way through the ups and downs of life in the 90's,  friends is a rare tv show, its so much more than a show and the 6 of them (jennifer anniston, courtney cox, david schwimmer, matthew perry, matt leblanc and lisa kudrow) they're so much much more than just a cast to us, and it attracts viewers across generations, case in point, ahead of the much anticipated friends reunion which aired on 27th may, the netflix top 10 chats in many countries, saw friends make a comeback, with fans tuning back in to journey once more with Rachel and Monica, Phoebe and Ross, Chandler and Joey 

Staying with Netflix, let’s look at some figures to illustrate how Friends continues to be a money-making marvel for global television. Along with The Office and Grey’s Anatomy, Friends has remained one of the most-watched shows on Netflix, with viewers around the world spending 54.3 million hours (the equivalent of 62,000 years) watching it in 2018. The streaming service reportedly paid $80 million to the show’s producers to keep it streaming throughout 2019. Even now, Friends reportedly earns Warner Bros $1billion in syndication revenue. The series finale, broadcast on May 6, 2004, notched up a viewership of 52.46 million viewers. The series, during its 10-season run, was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards.

The numbers, of course, are mind boggling. But the reason why Friends has endured through the ages is simple — its inherent simplicity. Friends harks back to a less complicated time, a time where we didn’t have social media and smartphones and where having friends meant having them in life, and not just as a Facebook statistic.

Originally titled ‘Insomnia Cafe’ and with the plan to set it solely in a coffee shop, creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman decided to expand its arc to make Friends into a show in which friends represented family in young peoples’ lives, a fact that resonates even today. “This was one of those things where the idea was very clear to us,” Crane told Dateline in 2004 on the occasion of the show’s 10th anniversary. “And the writers still make fun of us because it’s like, ‘Oh, when you’re in your 20s, your friends are your family’. But for us, that’s the show!”

for everyone, then and now, friends is a feel good show, representing a life which is far more carefree than it is now, it plays out mostly in an insulated world, showing the six principle characters living in a version of new york where they inhabit rent-controlled swanky apartments "look around you guys" says chandler to his newly adopted twins, as his friends and his family left the Apartment for the last time, "this was your first home, and it was a happy place, filled with love and laughter, but more importantly because of rent control, it was a freakin steal!" and have all the time to just hang out with each other. stuff that may not be a realistic dynamic in many friendship circles, but never fails to bring a smile on the faces of its audience, cutting across generations,

this was a sitcom which showed usna world where parents were largely out of the picture, through sunshine or storm, the six friends learned to rely on each other, and even if slightly clueless, they more or less found their way. 

A big reason why Friends has held on — and also built on — its popularity over the decades is that its devoted fan base of nostalgic 30 and 40-somethings not only go back to the show, or at least a few episodes or seasons now and again, they have now started introducing their children to the show, in what can be considered everything from a nostalgic full-circle moment to an obligatory rite of passage.

No other show has perhaps influenced pop culture in quite the way Friends has. From giving a boost to the culture of buddies crowding coffee shops for hours as a hangout (Friends-themed cafes, with or without that familiar orange couch, are found in all corners of the world) to inspiring the haircut that’s gone down in history as ‘The Rachel’. First debuted in 1995, the bouncy, face-framing layers of the hairstyle, sported by Aniston on the show, was one of the most trend-setting looks that was not just limited to the ’90s. ‘The Rachel’ became an overnight sensation, with Aniston herself surprised at its popularity. In 2010, ‘The Rachel’ was declared the most requested hairstyle of all time, with almost 11 million British women alone trying out the look. The haircut has now made a comeback, with actor Renee Zellweger sporting a version of it as recently as this year’s Golden Globes red carpet.

22 actors who could have starred in titanic! By Neha

hey guys it's Neha and today I'm gonna be talking about 22 actors who could have cast in titanic, since I love titanic so much I keep searching for facts about titanic and I know everything possibly known, the facts about titanic, but that is my other blog, let's get on with this blog! 

James Cameron's (1997) titanic stole and broke our hearts, quickly becoming one of the most epic and successful movies in cinematic history, yet things could have been very different, as there were a slop of top '90s actors who were considered or auditioned for the starring roles, while we can't imagine literally anyone but kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio playing bringing to life the saddest and the greatest (according to me) love story ever told, in history, you might be surprised who almost played these roles 

1. Angelina Jolie as  Rose: 

Angelina Jolie's career who as still growing when she auditioned for the part for rose, just having received her first leading role in "hankers" (1995), they may have passed on Angelina but it didn't do any harm to her career- just a few years later she won her first Oscar for her supporting role in "girl, interrupted" (1999) 

2. Resse Witherspoon as Rose: 

Reese Witherspoon was trying to make a name for herself in Hollywood, when she was considered for the part for rose, it may have not been in her cards but she would soon rise to fame with "cruel intentions", and "election", the Hollywood star also appeared on friends as Rachel green(Jennifer Anniston) 's sister. she even appeared at the friends reunion!

3. Jennifer Connelley as Rose: 

already having some big roles to her name, Jennifer Connelley auditioned to be the leading lady in the film but didn't get the part. no worries though, as in 1998 she garnered critical and acclaim for her work in "dark city" and soon after "requiem for a dream", she'd go on to win an Oscar for her role in "a beautiful mind" 

4. Macaulay Culkin as Jack 

it's hard to imagine it now but Macaulay Culkin was considered for the role of Jack at the tail end of his acting career! having an almost ten-year break  after starring in "Richie Rich" (1994), he had a few more roles before turning his attention outside of Hollywood 

5. Uma Therman as Rose 

having recently found fame thanks to her academy award-nominated part in "pulp fiction", Uma Thurman was a frontrunner for the part of Rose and even did a screentest, unfortunately for her, instead of starring in one of the greatest movies in 1997, she was a part of the worst- "Batman and the Robin", she also surprisingly looks like the friends star "lisa kudrow" 

6. Milla Jovovich as Rose 

the world-renowned model had been trying to transition into acting for some time and she had her first big break in "the fifth element" (1997) when she auditioned as Rose, we have a hard time imagining her in such a soft role, as she undeniably kicks ass in many of her sci-fi movies 

7. brad Pitt as Jack 

besides Leo, there was no denying both the talent and dreaminess of brad Pitt, who at the time  had just received critical acclaim for his roles in "seven" (1995) mad "12 monkeys" (1995), it's no wonder he was considered for the role of Jack  

8. Madonna as Rose 

the queen of pop had already transitioned into the world of film long before "titanic" was even in production. having just earned a golden globe for her role in "Evita" (1996), the multi-talented Madonna was one of the many actresses considered to play Rose 

9. Nicole Kidman as Rose 

having just proved herself in "Batman Forever", Nicole Kidman was reportedly offered the huge role of rose yet she turned it down. however, that didn't hurt her career, as she would soon earn her first academy award nomination for "Moulin Rouge!"  (2001), she also won an oscar in 2002 for "the hours" 

10. Matthew McConaughey as Jack

already known for his parts in "dazed and confused" (1993) as well as "time to kill" (1996), the studio's first pick for Jack was Matthew McConaughey, in fact, kate also did a screen test with him, but unfortunately, James Cameron did not agree 

11. Jennifer Anniston as Rose 

thanks to her role on friends Jennifer Anniston was the "it" girl in the '90s, which is probably why she was considered for the part of Rose, I just CANNOT imagine her as Rose, I mean she is BEAUTIFUL BUT I just cannot imagine her as Rose maybe it's because we always saw her as Rachel, she was also very busy with the show, with her film career not really picking up after "friends" went off the air, getting paid 1.4 million dollars the last episode probably made her feel a lot better!, friends is already so famous, if she would've starred in titanic she would have become the most successful actress, (i mean she already is)  well, guess one person can't have it all. (she did tho 😌) 

12. charlzie theron as Rose 

having just gotten her first role in "2 days in the valley (1996), charlzie was hoping to grow her career when she autidioned for the part of Rose. while it didn't work out, she starred un other films in 1997, such as "the devil's advocate", which helped her make a household name 

13. chrsitian bale as Jack 

perhaps trryin to redeem himself from "Pocahontas" (1995) Christian bale auditioned for the role of jack and apparently did well - but james cameon did not want 2 British actors playing the lead of 2 Americans 

14. rachel weisz as Rose 

looking like she could be kate winslet's sister, rachel weisz made her first Hollywood appearance in "chain reaction" (1996) when she auditioned for the role of Rose, it may not have been in the cards for her but she would rise into fame quickly in the states shortly afterwards

15. Gwyneth paltrow as Rose 

having just risen to fame for her roles in "seven" and "emma", the burgeoning gwyeth paltorw showed she could handle both action and period pieces, which is perhaps why she was offered for the role of Rose, she may have turned it down but in 1998 she won an oscar and golden globe award for her role in "shakepoeer in love" although she did star in "contagion" with kate winslet in 2011 

16. johnny depp as Jack

having risen from to fame in the 80's, johnny depp was one of the biggest stars in the 90's (and still is), he apparently read the script a, but hd considered playing jack, but it was likely too mainstream of a role for his taste at the time,  

17, drew Barrymore as Rose 

already quite an established actress, drew Barrymore was one of the first picks for Rose by James cameron, but she turned him down as she thought it was a miscast 

18. Christina appelgate as Rose

probably best known for her role as kelly bundy on "married... with children", Christina appelgate had a number of both film and television roles to her name by the time "titanic" began casting, with her fame and experience probably being a reason why she was considered for the part, but she also appeared on friends as rachel green's (jenifer anniston) other sister amy green on 2002 and 2003 

19. stephen dorff as Jack 

while not as big as a name as many of the other actors consdiered, it didnt stop himn from auditioing for Jack. he was turned down, but in 1998 lucked out with a role in 'blade" 

20. Claire Danes as Rose 

having just starred alongside leonardo dicaoprio in "romeo and juliet" (1996), claire danes once again tried to spark an onscreen historical romane when she auditioned as Rose 

21. geena davis as Rose 

with huge hits such as "beetlejuice" (1988) and "a league of their own" (1992) under her belt, geena davis was still in thje height of her acting career when she was offered for the part of Rose 

22. billy crudup as Jack

billy crudup was just starting his career when he was considered for the role of Jack, he may not have gotten it, but would soon gain fame through his memorable  roles in "almost famous" (2002) and "big fish" (2003) 

Tricks to find slots for taking COVID vaccine

 For India: 

Just sharing few places you can set up notifications for when vaccines will be available in your area. Please do register first at Cowin.gov.in and then try out the below options.

These apps work with COWIN and keep you updated either through telegram or Paytm app notifications so that you can book as soon as they are available:

1. https://getjab.in

2. https://www.vaccinateme.in/covid/ (HealthifyMe)

3. https://under45.in

4. https://t.co/WvJa7CRxxO?amp=1​ (Paytm)

5. Register here https://vasavi-vaccination.in/ which is an initiative by Tejasvi Surya to help south Bangaloreans to get vaccinated at Vasavi hospital.

6. Some Twitter handles to follow and turn on notifications 

https://twitter.com/blrvaccinewatch?s=21

https://twitter.com/blorevaccine?s=11

7. Try contacting Fortis hospital to organise a vaccination drive at your apartment premises. 

Good luck with finding your slots for the vaccine. Stay home and stay safe 

Madhukar KR

Everyone’s in tears after watching the friends reunion 🤧😢😭❤️ -By Neha

hey guys, it's me Neha, and today I'm gonna be talking about the friends reunion, the friends reunion aired on zee 5 today and it was very emotional, to be honest since friends is my favorite tv show, and the reunion is the best thing I've ever seen, in times when I felt sad I turned towards friends and it always made me feel better, and even when I was happy, I'd watch friends and it made me feel even happier because I felt like I myself had these 6 friends around me, and before I'd seen friends I always knew about it and that it was very famous, i didn't get why it was very famous, and I also thought it was very overrated (even though it definitely isn't) but then one day I started watching friends and even though I didn't exactly LOVE it, as I was watching it, I started to fall in love with the show, and I started watching it all over again, and I was watching the show and it was amazing and it still is, at this point I've seen all the 10 seasons so many times,  and when i saw the reunion i cried A LOT, and it was really amazing, even though i didn't see it 27 years ago, it still felt v ery nostaligic, and watching the cast recreating certain scenes and fashion shows and reacting to the bloopers of the show and we definitely got to see a lot, it took only 17 years after the series finale, and ive been waiting for this forever, 

who is hosting the 'friends' reunion? 

James Corden plays host to the friends cast for the reunion 

the trailer also shows David Schwimmer hosting the 'friends' cast trivia  

who are the special guests in the friends reunion?

* Christina pickles (Ross and Monica's mom Judy Geller )  Elliott Gould ( Ross and Monica's dad jack Geller) 

*James Michael Tyler (Gunther)

 *Reese Witherspoon (Rachel's younger sister Jill green)

*maggie wheeler (Janice) 

*Tom Selleck (ophthalmologist dr. Richard burke, who dated Monica)

*larry Hankin (Mr heckles, Rachel, and Monica's  downstairs neighbor)

*Thomas Lennon (Randall, joey's identical hand twin)

who are the other celebrity guests and super fans at the friends reunion? 

* David Beckham 

*lady gaga 

*Nobel prize laureate and activist Malala yousafzai 

*Justin Beiber 

*Mindy Kaling 

*Cindy Crawford 

*kit Harington

*Cara delevingne  

I really enjoyed watching friends and the reunion and it really was amazing 

David Schwimmer 

Jennifer Anniston 

Courtney Cox 

Lisa Kudrow 

Matthew Perry

Matt LeBlanc 

were there since they were the stars, and them being reunited was amazing, and I got very sad at the end of it, and i will definitely watch it and again, 

anyway, that's it for this blog, ill see you guys in the next one, ciao! 

the crash of bitcoin and cryptocurrency -by Neha

hey, guys, it's me Neha, and welcome back to another blog and this time I'm going to be talking about the crash of bitcoin and cryptocurrency

first, let's talk about bitcoin 

what is bitcoin?

bitcoin is a digital currency (created in 2009) that uses peer to peer technology to facilitate instant payments, markers called "bitcoin exchanges" allow people to buy or sell bitcoins using different currencies, and it's also a digital currency, and it isn't tied up with a bank or the government and allows users to spend money anonymously, bitcoin is one of the cryptocurrency, there are many others like bitcoin that fall in the category of cryptocurrency, like ethereum, bitcoin, dogecoin, There are many apps using which you can buy sell these coins, but the most popular digital currency is bitcoin, which is why its most known by almost everyone

who created bitcoin?

Satoshi Nakamoto created bitcoin in January 2009 

why did the crypto crash?

investors lost a whopping $830 million dollars in the crypto crash last week 

Last week was very volatile for cryptocurrencies with Bitcoins plunging to $30,000 level before recovering slightly. In the process, it lost nearly half of its total value, bankrupting many of those who invested in it.

other coins also followed suite, crashing as much as 63% in the last 7 days In essence, crypto investors lost a whopping $830 billion in the blowout last week. The total market cap of all cryptocurrencies stands at $1.49 trillion as of now.

Many exchanges across the world faced problems due to heightened volumes and sell orders. These included Binance, WazirX (owned by Binance), Voyager, and Coinbase, among others.

There were two major reasons behind the crash. The first was the vehicle maker Tesla’s sudden decision to stop car purchases using Bitcoins, a measure they announced a couple of months back.

The company cited environmental concerns over the computational ‘mining’ process behind its move. Mining basically refers to the process in which computers solve complex mathematical puzzles to enable transactions using Bitcoins and in return generate more Bitcoins. This is a high-energy-intensive process, requiring electricity often produced by burning coal.

Elon musk is very powerful, he made signal very popular and the crypto crashed because of him 

Another reason behind the sell-off has been China's crackdown on mining rigs across the country. China reiterated a warning last week that it intends to crack down on cryptocurrency mining as part of an effort to control financial risks.

musk effect:

many investors and analysts have also blamed mercurial technocrat Elon musk for the massive volatility   in crypto assets, his tweets sometimes in support and some times in criticizing the assets, seem to have an immediate bearing on price movements 

Musk has been a fervent supporter of Bitcoin and Dogecoin (which actually started as an internet meme and has no fundamental basis like Bitcoin), but have also termed the mania around cryptocurrencies a “hustle”.

Many of Musk’s followers last week blamed him for their losses. In fact, some Twitter users claimed they became homeless after Dogecoin prices crashed following Musk’s advice.

As per the latest data, Bitcoin traded at $35,665, down 27 percent in the last seven days. Ethereum was at $2,124 (down 45 per cent), Cardano $1.35 (down 43 per cent), Binance Coin at $269 (down 55 per cent), Dogecoin at $0.32 (down 40 per cent) and XRP at $0.84 (down 46 per cent).

Prices have recovered...

that's it for this blog I hope you guys enjoyed it and I'll see you guys in the next one, ciao!