If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Since its release in late November, “Gladiator II” became a modest box office performer taking in more than $416 million at the worldwide box office, while its was nominated for two Golden Globes this year — including best supporting actor for Denzel Washington. And in case you missed it in theaters, the highly-anticipated sequel is now streamable at home. “Gladiator II” is available to watch in 4K Ultra HD on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms. You can rent the film for $19.99, or buy it digitally for $24.99. In addition, the physical media release of “Gladiator II” drops on DVD and 4K Ultra HD Steelbook on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The DVD is on sale for $18.89 (reg. $25.99), while the 4K Steelbook is discounted down to $44.92 (reg. $50.99) at Walmart.
As for the film itself, Variety’s film critic Owen Gleiberman called “Gladiator II,” a “solid piece of neoclassical popcorn, with Denzel Washington taking command as the villain” in his review. Directed by Ridley Scott, “Gladiator II” follows Hanno (Paul Mescal), a soldier forced into slavery after Rome captured and destroyed his home. He’s then made a gladiator for the entertainment of the Roman elite, while he tries to find the “strength and honor” to start a revolution against tyrannical emperors, Emperor Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Emperor Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and his slave master, Macrinus (Denzel Washington). The film also stars Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi and others. Meanwhile, if you want to watch “Gladiator”, which was released in the year 2000, the original film is streaming on Paramount+ for subscribers only. Not a subscriber? Sign up for a 7-day free trial to watch “Gladiator” for free. The film is also available on DVD for $5 (reg. $14), Blu-ray for $20.26 and 4K Ultra HD Steelbook for $39.62 at Walmart. Stream “Gladiator II” in 4K Ultra HD. You can rent it for $19.99, or buy it digitally for $19.99 on Prime Video and Apple TV. In the meantime, watch the trailer for the sequel below. The Business of Entertainment
🤔 Way-too-early 2025 Heisman contenders 👀 Auburn new No. 1 in men's basketball power rankings 🏀 Ohio State enters women's power rankings The College Football Playoff bracket is here. The 12-team bracket was announced on Sunday, Dec. 8. The official 12-team College Football Playoff field and final top 25 rankings were announced Dec. 8. The quarterfinals begin Tuesday, Dec. 31. Oregon is the No. 1 seed, with Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State also getting byes. Below is the bracket, final seeding and complete playoff schedule. This bracket uses the committee’s final top 25 rankings on Sunday, Dec. 8. It’s important to note that the top 25 ranking does not always match the seed in the playoff, as the four highest-ranked conference champions receive the top four seeds and byes, no matter where those four teams rank in the top 25. The fifth-highest-ranked conference champion is also in automatically, though that team will not get a bye. All times Eastern Tuesday, Dec. 31 Wednesday, Jan. 1 Thursday, Jan. 9 Friday, Jan. 10 Monday, Jan. 20 Friday, Dec. 20 Saturday, Dec. 21 You can see how these numbers — the seed and the CFP ranking — differ below. The four teams with byes are in bold. Here are the final CFP top 25 rankings, with teams in the CFP also getting their seeds included at the end. Boise State, which won the Mountain West Conference championship and has lost to only top-ranked Oregon, is the third-highest-ranked conference champion and thus received a bye into the quarterfinals despite ranking No. 9. Though Arizona State is ranked only No. 12, the Sun Devils are the fourth-highest ranked conference champion — over ACC champ Clemson (No. 16) — and earned the No. 4 seed and the final first-round bye. There is no re-seeding once the official bracket is revealed on Sunday, Dec. 8. The four quarterfinal games are not played at the campus sites. Instead, these four games — scheduled on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 — will be played at the Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be assigned one of these bowls in consideration of historic bowl relationships as well as seeding. The four quarterfinal winners will then meet in the semifinals at either the Orange Bowl or the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 9 and Jan. 10. If the seeds hold, that means (1) would meet (4) and (2) would play (3). The two semifinal winners will then play on Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the national championship.
LONDON — Eating fruits and vegetables, exercise and going to church. What do all these things have in common? They are all good for your health. That’s according to a recent report by the U.K.-based National Churches Trust. In fact, the report said that church attendance — and the many services these houses of worship provide — saves the National Health Service approximately £8.4 billion ($1.1 billion) each year due to their provision of food banks, drug/alcohol addiction support, mental-health counseling and youth support. Running through Dec. 31, NewsMatch and The Media Project will match your donations up to $1,000. Your generosity will help keep Religion Unplugged going in 2025. You can donate here. According to “The House of Good: Health” report, U.K. churches act as “wellbeing workhorses” that are “multiplying health and happiness” across Britain and “enriching lives and preventing illness and suffering before it has a chance to take root.” While church attendance is down across Britain, it goes on to state that churches are “the U.K.’s most underappreciated preventative care providers” — giving people access to services for “the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in society.” Throughout the U.K., churches are providing valuable extra services in aid of the National Health Service, Britain’s government-funded program. These houses of worship promote positive physical and mental health, encouraging people to thrive, thus preventing medical conditions that might otherwise result in the need for medical treatment, as well as providing a location for people to seek help. Over the past four years, The National Churches Trust has been actively researching exactly what role church buildings play within society. As research progressed, the group said, it became evident that the role of churches was wider than expected due to its effect on well being, community and youth groups. Churches frequently now act as bases for food banks because the locations are easily accessible and central to local communities in need. Eddie Tulasiewicz, head of Policy and Public Affairs at the National Churches Trust, said of the findings: “In deprived communities, churches are crucial because people struggle to keep them open. They have less money but need the help churches can provide.” Unsplash photo Recognizing this, the National Churches Trust commissioned a group of economists to quantify financially the exact nature of the churches’ impact on society. To do this, they drew on a number of government and university surveys. They also used the National Churches Trust survey of 2020 indicating that 29% of church buildings were either providing or hosting mental-health counseling, 10.4% were involved in drug or alcohol support services, 42% organizing youth groups or similar activities and 58% hosting food banks. The resultant calculations were based on the same methodology used by the U.K. Treasury and Office of National Statistics. These are known as “WELLBYs” — or “Wellbeing-adjusted Life Year — and are based on observable changes in people’s responses. Each WELLBY represents a one-point improvement on the scale for a period of a single year. Focusing on the four key areas of mental health, drug/alcohol support, youth and community services, food banks, the researchers converted WELLBYs (four million every year by churches) to the standard Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) metric used in health economics. The results were staggering. The Treasury and Office of National Statistics recommended a value of £13,000 ($16,300) per increased state aid for “workhouses” that relieve pressure on the NHS, while the Department of Health estimates it costs the service £15,000 ($19,000) to deliver one QALY. The conversion puts the total cost relief achieved by churches at £8.7 billion (rounded down to £8.4 billion given the closure of some churches since 2021). This is the equivalent of 3.7% of the £225 billion ($283 billion) spent on U.K. health care during 2022 — a conservative valuation given that churches provide such a wide range of other support, including warm spaces & lunch clubs alleviating loneliness and cultural activities. Unsplash photo Tulasiewicz said this “can be described as ‘The God Sector,’” “It is worth billions not in terms of donations, but in terms of the impact religious buildings can provide not just Christian churches but other faiths too. Our research provides a footprint which can be followed elsewhere,” he added. Tulasiewicz said the reaction to the research “has been very positive” and that lawmakers “refer to our figures … in parliamentary proceedings.” Without churches, the NHS would undoubtedly be facing much higher costs. Simply taking into account the cost of the essential support services that would be required to fund the activities provided by churches would require an additional 4% of UK health spending — the same cost of employing 230,000 nurses. “It is not a matter of evangelism, but a matter of helping others,” Tulasiewicz said. “It reflects the way in which churches are present everywhere and are an essential part of communities and should be valued for that presence. This should be taken into account when helping churches re funding since the U.K. church buildings are dangerously underfunded with many falling into disrepair and facing closure. Without urgent support, we risk losing this vital shock absorber for the NHS, and a vital safety net for the most vulnerable people in society.” Angela Youngman is a freelance journalist who has written for a wide range of national and international publications. 5965 Village Way, Ste 105 255 San Diego, CA 92130 info@themediaproject.org Religion Unplugged is part of The Media Project and a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News. EIN: 83-0461425 Site design by Peter Freeby
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do not remove Mainly sunny. High 58F. Winds light and variable.. Clear. Low 31F. Winds light and variable. Updated: December 23, 2024 @ 11:58 pm Woodland Church is located on North McDonough Road in Griffin. They are requesting a special exception to build a religious campground on the 132 acres they own.
LSTANFORD@GRIFFINDAILYNEWS.COM Woodland Church is located on North McDonough Road in Griffin. They are requesting a special exception to build a religious campground on the 132 acres they own. GRIFFIN — The Spalding County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a special exception to develop a religious campground but tabled adding campground amendments to the county Code of Ordinances until 2025. The actions came at the commission’s meeting on Dec. 5. The commission heard an application from Woodland Church, located on North McDonough Road, for a special exception to develop a religious campground. Stuart Boice, pastor of the church, said they have 132 acres of land and want to create a religious campground for religious events for adults, youth, and children. There will be cabins, a splash pad, ropes course, and other activities for the campers, and the camps will be staffed by certified workers. Community Development Director David Allen asked the planned maximum number of cabins. Boice stated he was asking for a total of 20 cabins, with a mixture of single bedroom cabins for adults and longhouse bunk halls for youth and children. Commissioner Frank Harris asked if each cabin would have its own bathroom facilities, or if there would be a bathroom facility separate from the cabins. Boice said the bathroom facility would be separate from the cabins. He said they would put in a septic system, and Allen noted that due to the clustered nature of the cabins and only one bathroom facility, that only one large septic system would be needed. They will also have access to public water. Commissioner Bruce Ballard asked Boice if there would be a problem with only have 10 cabins rather than 20. Boice said the future plan is to have 20 cabins, but that they could start with 10 cabins and have an option to come back to the commission for permission to add the other 10 cabins at a later date. The commission specified that each of the cabins will have a concrete slab foundation. Harris asked for clarification about who owns the property. Boice explained that he and his wife have been the pastors of Parkway Baptist Church in Forest Park since 1996. He said the church purchased the 132 acres of property on North McDonough Road in 2009 and after moving changed the name to Harvest Worship Center, which is still listed as the owner of the property. He said in 2015 they changed the name of the organization to Woodland Church to clarify its identity as a non-denominational church. A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval the special exception with conditions to develop a religious campground. It was approved by a 4-0 vote. Commission member Marylouise Upshaw was absent. Campground Amendments Proposed text amendments to add resort campground ordinances and standards to the Spalding County Code of Ordinances were tabled until next year. Commissioners decided to table the three agenda items in order to give citizens time to comment on all three items. Allen requested an opportunity to speak to commissioners concerning the three agenda items related to campground ordinances and standards. The amendments came up following a nearly 90-minute long citizens comments period on the North Towaliga Village Node project. Each of the amendments would require citizen comments, and the Planning Commission discussed combining the comments portion. But citizens waiting to speak on the amendments protested, stating they could not adequately make their remarks on all three items in the three-minute period given to comments. The citizens suggested tabling the amendments until a time when they would be allow to speak on each one separately. The issue came up after an application for a campground resort had been received, Allen said, but noted that the applicant has since withdrawn the request. Chair John Youmans decide to allow Allen to finish his statements about the amendments before the board decided on tabling the comments on the items. Director Allen discussed some of the definitions covered by the standards, identifying high liability issues such as the resorts having swimming pools, and areas of possible difficulty such as the length of maximum stays, noting the need not have campers taking up residence and staying year-round at campground resorts. He added other considerations are the amount of acreage needed for campgrounds, road standards, utilities, and waste collection facilities. Youmans stated that there is no mention of event insurance in the standards. Director Allen agreed that event insurance should also be considered. The director noted that placement of campground will require significant deliberation in reference to zonings. Campgrounds are currently allowed as special exception under AR-1, and Allen suggested they could also be considered under the Agricultural-Tourism zoning. Youmans requested Director Allen investigate surrounding counties to find out how they handle campground zoning. Commissioner Nick Allen asked why a campground would not be classified under commercial zoning. Director Allen stated that was a possibility if the campground was located near a major highway. Zoning Attorney Newton Galloway added that rezoning rural lands not near highways to commercial for campgrounds could create unwanted spot commercial zoning. But he noted that farming is also a commercial enterprise that is allowed in AR-1 zoning. Ballard stated that based on his research, other counties are having trouble enforcing the maximum length of stay at campgrounds, and proposed the amendments restrict the maximum number of camping spots as well as the minimum percentage of open land available for a campground. Following the discussion with Director Allen, motions were made and approved to table the three amendments. They were all approved by 4-0 votes. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Have the latest local news delivered every morning so you don’t miss out on updates. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. griffindailynews.com 128 N. Hill St. Griffin, GA 30223 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks. We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
The Early Line WATCH LISTEN NFL CFB NBA WNBA MLB NHL All Sports Picks Casino More For many of us, the NFL Christmas games are a highlight of the festive season and the sporting calendar. Come December 25th, The Chiefs will take on the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens will face off against the Houston Texans. If you want to join in on the action by making a social bet, you’re in luck because we’ve put together a full list of five all-round excellent social sportsbooks covering the NFL Christmas games. From Sportzino to Legendz, I’ve put together key information on each site so you can take your pick. Here’s a look at the full schedule for the NFL Christmas Day games: These top five social sportsbooks are a mix of new and more established sites that all have lots to offer. They all give members an easy sign up, ongoing promotions and the chance to redeem real money prizes. Check out my reviews to find the best one for you this Christmas. If you’re looking for a social sportsbook to back your Christmas Day winners then Sportzino is an excellent choice. As you’ll know if you read my Sportzino review, football is one of the most popular markets on the site, with many different social betting options. You can opt for a straightforward moneyline bet or explore more complex social wagers such as totals, spreads and player and team props. The simple to use site has an easy sign up, which can be completed using your social media account. This opens the door to 20, 000 Gold Coins and 1 Sweeps Coin for free as soon as you join, with a further 30, 000 free GC and another 1 SC available once you’ve verified your account. You’ll receive more free Coins if you log in to Sportzino every day and refer your friends. As well as the social sportsbook, Sportzino has a casino section which features more than 1000 games made by Pragmatic, Playson, 3 Oaks and more. This is a great complement to social sports betting and there are even a few exclusive titles that you won’t find elsewhere.
SportsMillions is a social sports betting site with a twist. The Blitz’em contests are free to play and operate on a sweepstakes model, as does the casino portion of the site, but the Pick’em section involves real money gaming and isn’t available to players in all regions. Blitz’em contests use a DFS model that allows you to make a lineup across a range of sports, including the NFL. Once you have your lineup, you’ll spin a wheel to determine your potential prize amounts of Gold Coins or Sweepstakes Coins. It’s important to note that you can’t pick the players in your lineup but you can choose a flexible style of play that means you can win if just a portion of your dream team scores. Getting started at SportsMillions is very quick and easy. You can download the iOS app or use the excellent mobile site to create an account. Either way, you’ll get 1000 Gold Coins and 3 Sweepstakes Coins to make your Christmas Day picks. You can also activate a first purchase bonus if you choose to buy a Gold Coin bundle.
Legendz is another top choice of social sportsbook for NFL games this Christmas. It’s open to players in 43 states and offers a wide choice of betting markets and types, from moneylines and spreads to totals and props. Alongside their social sportsbook, Legendz is also a top choice among new social casinos. You can spin slots and check out a range of live dealer and classic casino games using Gold Coins for fun play or Sweeps Coins for the chance to build up to real prizes. As soon as you join Legendz you’ll receive 500 GC, 3 SC and access to 10% off your first purchase bonus of Gold Coins, but this is completely voluntary. There are lots of ongoing promotions including a daily bonus and social media freebies.
Whether you’re backing the Steelers or the Chiefs, you’ll find a home at Thrillz, one of the best social sportsbooks and a super base for the NFL Christmas games. You can’t make social bets on the desktop Thrillz site but it does have a lot of good information and pointers to the app. Download the Thrillz app for your system and sign up to receive 3000 Gold Coins and 3 Sweepstakes Coins as a welcome deal. You can grab more free Sweeps Coins by logging in every day and by taking part in special offers. Thrillz has an emphasis on the social part of social sportsbooks and encourages players to share their picks with friends and celebrate together when you win using the ‘Squads’ feature. This is ideal if you’re spending Christmas Day watching the games with pals.
Like Thrillzz, Fliff is a mobile only social sportsbook whose desktop site is purely for information. Download the app though and you’ll discover a massive choice of social betting markets. Like many of the top social sportsbooks here, the NFL is a popular option and you’ll find that there are a wide range of picks available for both Christmas Day games. When you join Fliff you’ll receive free Coins every two hours while you’re logged in. You can also check out frequent social media giveaways for more free SC Coins. Fliff also has regular promotions including boosted odds on the NFL Christmas games. These odds could mean your potential win is increased.
HARARE. Zimbabwe — Mountains form part of the breathtaking scenery and wildlife sanctuaries of Zimbabwe. They are also historically connected to the lives in nearby communities that call this place home. Pre-independence, most locals used hills and mountains to worship ancestors, believing that the spirit of the departed lives in the cool places of the mountains. A change in religion and use of places has increased over the past four decades. In fact, mountains have been used by different religions to connect with God. Located 30 kilometers (18 miles) outside Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, is a peri-urban sprawling area known as Domboshava. The settlement is known because of its rocky mountains, a range of granite rocks. Mawanga Mountain in the area is the most popular spot, with its large cave. It serves as a sacred site for worship and pilgrimage, emphasizing the historical and spiritual significance of mountains in various religious practices. Running through Dec. 31, NewsMatch and The Media Project will match your donations up to $1,000. Your generosity will help keep Religion Unplugged going in 2025. You can donate here. With mountains in Zimbabwe associated with traditional African beliefs and the Apostolic Christian sects who form the majority. Apostolic sects — Christian denominations that originated from Pentecostalism in the early 19th century — have roots in the African tradition, at least the majority of them. In search of spiritual connection with God, Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian churches are scaling these mountains, too. A local theology scholar, Charles Pembe, said some independent African churches are no longer denouncing the use of heritage sites for religious beliefs and practices. “Instead, several Christians now come either individually or in small groups to perform their prayers at the mountains,” he said. “We have heard a lot of pilgrims saying they have met God on a personal level in these mountains compared to church buildings where they congregate every Sunday and other weekdays. It is subjective though.” Churches across Zimbabwe of various denominations climb mountains to seek God and find spiritual uplifting. Most pilgrims frequently pray for the mountains all night long, or they climb early in the morning and remain until the evening. The Domboshava Mountains see a flurry of activity, mostly from Friday through Sunday. Religious communities travel to these mountains from throughout the African country. “Domboshava’s vast rocky mountains have enough room to hold hundreds of pilgrims. Of late each church has informally selected their pace, making it possible for churches to pray separately,” Pembe added. Various pilgrims use the mountains for prayers and for conducting healing sessions. This reflects a broader trend of associating mountains with miracles and spiritual encounters across many cultures and faiths. Zimbabwe today is shared by a diverse populace exposed to different religions and religious ways during their upbringings such as African Traditional Religion, Christianity and Islam, among several others. Conflicts between Christian religious groups and African traditionalists who claim total authority over the site are not always visible, but they do exist. “In Zimbabwean society, the two most common religions are Christianity and African traditional religion. It’s interesting to see that the management of many Zimbabwean cultural sites has prioritized the resources’ monumentality over their spiritual significance,” said Ratidzo Matarure, a local traditional leader. Domboshava is a heritage site that both locals and tourists can visit. Those sites are controlled by the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe. Despite that, the organization does not easily grant permission for prayers and other religious activities. In Domboshava, for example, Christians have been left to oversee and organize vigils and other activities. Conservative and traditional churches, like the United Methodist Church, have a rich history of mountain prayer dating back decades. Although mountain climbing is a demanding and painful experience, pilgrims claim that it produces fruitful results. One of the pilgrims who has visited the mountains several times said the visits were not in vain and that her life has been changed since she started the praying in the mountains. “I come here to pray for different issues,” Tanaka Chiendambuya said. “The visits have greatly changed my life and impacted my faith in God. I have seen a change in my family and obtained many blessings.” As thousands climb these mountains each year, those with resources have always been known to travel to Egypt, climbing Mount Sinai in Israel and various sites from the Bible located in Turkey. “Most churches base the idea of connecting with God in mountains on the Bible, where Jesus looked for a place to serve and connect with God,” Pembe said. “From that vantage point, many people pray on mountains.” Calvin Manika is an award-winning international journalist based in Zimbabwe. 5965 Village Way, Ste 105 255 San Diego, CA 92130 info@themediaproject.org Religion Unplugged is part of The Media Project and a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News. EIN: 83-0461425 Site design by Peter Freeby
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