Tickets up to $20,000
Ticket prices for this weekend’s match between Argentina and Germany at Maracana Stadium in Brazil are approaching $20,000 each. Tickets being sold on Ebay are in a range of $3000-$18,000. Stub Hub sold completely out of tickets. Viagogo, and online ticket re-seller, has tickets listed from $5000 – $20,000.
Emmy nomination
President Obama and HealthCare.gov receive an Emmy nomination. Obama’s satirical interview with Zach Galifianakis on the web series Between Two Ferns received a nomination in the category of Outstanding Short-Format-Live Action Entertainment. The clip has been viewed over 22 million times, and some credit the spoof interview with boosting the enrollment in the Affordable Care Act through the HealthCare.gov website.
$349 flower bouquet
1-800-FLOWERS.com partners with Thicke and are offering two floral arrangements named after his songs, Get Her Back and Forever Love. The Get Her Back bouquet consists of 100 long-stemmed red roses and costs $349.99. The Forever Love bouquet consists of 18 long-stemmed roses and cost either $64.99 or $89.99.
Toxicology report negative
The toxicology report on Cooper Harris comes back negative, meaning there were no medications or anything out of the ordinary in the young boy’s system when he died from hyperthermia. The report and the autopsy report, which found the child’s cause of death “consistent with hyperthermia” and that investigative information “suggests the manner of death is homicide,” will not be released to the public until the investigation is complete.
Emmy nominations
Orange is The New Black is nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series and House of Cards is nominated for Outstanding Drama series. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are nominated for lead actor and actress for their work on House of Cards. Taylor Schilling is nominated in the lead comedy actress category for Orange is the New Black. Additionally, Ricky Gervais is nominated in the lead comedy actor category for Derek.
CEO rallies employees
Nadella sends a 3,000 word email to all Microsoft employees, encouraging them to be productive and stick to the core value of Microsoft, helping people get things done. He also expresses a belief that Microsoft’s software and hardware will “set the bar” for productivity in the future:
Microsoft has a unique ability to harmonize the world’s devices, apps, docs, data and social networks in digital work and life experiences so that people are at the center and are empowered to do more and achieve more with what is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity — time!
Greipel wins stage six
The stage six course spans from Arras to Reims and is 121.167 miles (195 km) long. Due Kittel’s mechanical issues, German rider Andre Greipel was put in a good position and was able to pull ahead in the final mile and win the race.
19 Emmy nominations
The 66th Emmy nominations are announced, and the fantasy saga, Game of Thrones, receives 19 Emmy nominations, including nominations for: best drama, best writing and best supporting actor and actress. These nods for GOT brings HBO’s number of total nominations to 99.
Kurds boycott Cabinet meetings
Iraq’s Kurds say they will ask politicians to stay away from Cabinet meetings. They are asking Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to step down and blame him for not stopping the Sunni militant offensive that is sweeping through the country. Deputy Prime Minister Roz Nouri Shawez, the highest level Kurdish official in the government:
Such statements are meant to hide the big security fiasco by blaming others, and we announce our boycott of Cabinet meetings.
North Korea fires missiles
North Korea fires missiles off of Korean Peninsula coast. No damage or injuries occurred from the blast that landed in the ocean. Japanese Prime Minister Abe is investigating the act of aggression and is considering an official protest to North Korean government. One Japanese official says:
The projectiles, assumed to be short-range ballistic missiles, flew more than 310 miles (almost 500 kilometers)
Requests FAA drone permission
Amazon is asking the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to use Amazon Prime Air drones to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less. The aircraft can travel over 50 miles per hour and carry loads of up to 5 pounds. The Company says, about 86 percent of Amazon’s deliveries are 5 pounds or less. The FAA allows hobbyists and model aircraft makers to fly drones, but commercial use is mostly banned. Amazon is asking for an exemption so it can test its drones only over Amazon’s private property, away from airports or areas with aviation activity —and not in densely populated areas or near military bases.
We believe customers will love it, and we are committed to making Prime Air available to customers worldwide as soon as we are permitted to do so.
Won’t sell team
Sterling denounces his wife, her lawyers and the NBA in the second day of testimony:
Make no mistake today, I will never, ever sell this team and until I die I will be suing the NBA for this terrible violation under antitrust
As his wife followed him up to the stand, he shouts:
Get away from me, you pig!
Patriots will turn over records
The New England Patriots agrees to turn over 317 pages of Hernandez’s medical and personnel records. According to the team’s lawyer, the Patriots do not want to turn over a 2010 NFL combine report on Hernandez or scouting reports from 2009 and 2010. The team’s lawyer claims the defense is engaged in a “fishing expedition.” Hernandez’s attorney, Michael Fee, describes the combined report as a “psychological assessment” and said the defense was “looking for solid evidence about our client” that could help in Hernandez’s defense. After the hearing, Hernandez is transfered to the Nashua Street Jail in Boston.
‘Paula’ weak sales
The first-week sales figures for Thicke’s latest album, Paula, are released. In the United states, 25,000 units were sold, according to Billboard. In the UK, The Guardian reports 530 copies sold. In contrast, Blurred Lines sold 177,000 units in the first week of its release in the US and 26,000 copies in the UK in the same time. When the two albums’ sales are compared for the same amount of time after release, it is an 84% decrease in sales.
New jail
Hernandez transfers from Bristol County House of Correction in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, to the Nashua Street Jail in Boston, Massachusetts. A judge recently ruled in favor of the move so Hernandez could be closer to his attorneys.
Lars Boom wins fifth stage
After defending champion, Chris Froome, crashes twice during stage five and takes himself out of the race, Boom wins. With just six kilometers remaining, Boom pulled out of the breakaway group. Fuglsang second came in second, and Vincenzo Nibali came in third. The course was difficult due to cobble stoned areas and rain.
Ferry was operating illegally
The MV Sewol was operating illegally when it capsized in April, 2014, killing 300 people. A report by state officials says the operating license was obtained by presenting fraudulent safety papers, although exactly how officials were deceived is not being disclosed. The owners and crew of the Sewol are facing charges for negligent actions that facilitated the sinking of the ferry and failed to prevent the death of most of those on the ferry. Lee Joon-seok, the captain of the Sewol, has been charged with murder for fleeing the sinking vessel.
Iranian planes delivered
Warplanes delivered recently to Baghdad appear to be from Iran. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), photo analysis shows that the planes are likely the same ones used in the first Gulf War. Video released by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense reveals serial numbers assigned to Iranian SU-25s. The video also shows that attempts were made to cover up the old markings on the plane, like the Iranian roundels on the side of the air intakes and a large proportion of the tail fin normally occupied by a full serial number, the Iranian flag and the IRGC insignia. The group of planes is said to be in much better condition than the recent delivery of planes from Russia. Used by Russia in its 1980s war in Afghanistan, the Su-25 was described at the time by a U.S. Marine report as “ideal” for war in the rugged terrain of the Middle East. Iraqi military used Su-25 jets extensively during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
New sound next album
Underwood says her next album will represent a “new version” of herself as she changes the sound of her music.
It’s just a progression, a different sound without losing myself in it. I’m not taking some crazy musical departure from what I’ve done, but it definitely feels different. … It will feel different, look different, sound different.
Underwood does not say when the news songs she is working on will be released.
Candidly Nicole announcement
Richie announces she’s returning to television with a new show called Candidly Nicole on July 17 on VH1.
The show is based off of my Twitter, and really, how I use Twitter is I use it to laugh. To make fun of myself and explore things I don’t real know anything about.
This is the most in control and empowered I have ever felt in my entire career. Doing a web series for me, was the best way to do this show. Doing it on the web was a very safe way to see if people are even interested. It turned out that people did (want to watch).