Bridgerton sets new Netflix record with 82 million viewers

NEW YORK - Bridgerton has become Netflix's most popular new series, with more than 82 million households tuning in to watch the period drama, the streaming service has announced.

The show reached number 1 in 83 countries including the United States, Britain, Brazil, France, India and South Africa, Netflix said in a statement Wednesday.

"I'm so proud of the incredible team behind this show! And thank you guys for loving it," 25-year-old actor, Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, wrote on Instagram.

Netflix said a record 82 million households watched the show in its first 28 days online, describing it as its "biggest series ever."

The previous record was 76 million views over a 4-week period for "The Witcher."

The figures are not subject to third party verification, unlike audience measurements for broadcast television.

Bridgerton has made the top 10 in every country except Japan, the company added.

The drama, set in early 1800s London, centers on the well-to-do Bridgerton family as it tries to navigate Regency-era high society in England. 

The show, with its outlandish costumes and racy sex scenes, has been lauded for casting Black actors in period drama roles that are traditionally played by white actors.

"It's designed to be more lavish, sexier and funnier than the standard period drama -- and that's what so surprised and delighted our members," said Netflix vice president of original series, Jinny Howe.

Bridgerton is produced by acclaimed American producer Shonda Rhimes and is based on a series of romance novels by Julia Quinn.

It has been commissioned for a second series.

Agence France-Presse

Turn your house 'green' with these easy energy-saving tips

Having an energy-efficient house without compromising comfort is all achievable with a "green home."

A green home does not just mean cutting cost on electricity bill; it is actually practicing earth-friendly habits to consume less energy.

Transforming your abode into an energy-efficient house doesn't have to be about a big-time structural overhaul. As Architect Berns Reyes pointed out, there are many ways where you can start before considering a renovation for a greener home.

As it may sound like your common energy-saving reminders, well, these practices also function as good steps in making that less expensive household living.

Starting from the lights, Reyes recommended working first on replacing the use of CFL or incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs.

Although each costs up to P500, LED bulbs consume less electricity and last longer, with some brands offering long-term warranty.

Next on the list is the option of purchasing a single solar panel to power up a high-consuming appliance such as air conditioner or refrigerator.

A 250-watt panel, though costs around P20,000, can be viewed as a long-term investment as it would bring in more savings in the long-run.

Other green trade practices just take a habit development, such as unplugging appliances not in use, ironing all clothes at the same time, and keeping a good ventilation within your home through windows.

You may also want to be wary of devices that claim to be energy-savers. Meralco recently tested such devices and concluded that they don't lessen power consumption.

Reyes said it is best to note that a green home is a product of one's desire to adhere to environment-friendly practices while addressing personal home preferences.

"You can do modifications, actually, to your house. You just have to see how it looks and then from there we can actually assess small steps to make it more energy-efficient," he said.

"But bottom line is you're trying to cool the place, your trying to create a space that is not warm, a space that is actually comfortable to living," Reyes added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Clinton pledges to be America's renewable energy president

WASHINGTON, United States - Hillary Clinton laid out ambitious plans Monday to invest in solar and other renewable energy if elected US president, drawing a contrast with her fossil fuel-loving Republican rivals.

"We will make America the world's clean energy superpower," she declared at a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa, unveiling highlights of a concept she said could ultimately impact every American household.

But she declined to weigh in on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline that would send Canadian crude oil to US refineries, a project criticized by environmentalists and many Democratic lawmakers that is awaiting a final State Department review.

"I refuse to turn my back on what is one of the greatest threats and greatest opportunities America faces," the Democratic 2016 frontrunner said about greenhouse gas emissions and their climate impact.

"I refuse to let those who are deniers, who disagree with what we need to do, to rip away all the progress we've made and leave our country exposed to the most severe consequences of climate change," she added.

"America needs to lead this fight, not go MIA."

Clinton laid out a two-pronged renewables agenda.

"We need to have more than half a billion solar panels installed across the country by the end of my first term," she said.

"Second, we'll set a 10-year goal of generating enough renewable energy to power every single home in America."

According to her campaign, those goals translate into an installed solar energy capacity of 140 gigawatts by 2020, or a 700 percent increase over the number of solar panels installed today.

Her plan calls for using renewable energy to generate a third of all electric power in 2020, along with investments that her campaign says will put America's economy on the road toward "deep decarbonization by 2050."

Climate change is a hyper-partisan issue in the United States, with many Republicans, including some 2016 presidential candidates, questioning whether human activity contributes to global warming.

In Congress, the Republican majority has fought anti-pollution standards established by President Barack Obama, notably for coal-fueled power plants.

Clinton signaled the need for a compassionate approach to Americans in the coal industry.

"We cannot close our eyes to the challenges facing hard-working families in Coal Country, who kept our lights on and our factories running for more than a century," she said.

In 2014, about 67 percent of US electricity came from fossil fuels, principally coal, according to the Energy Information Administration.

About 13 percent comes from renewables, including just 0.4 percent from solar. The rest, almost 20 percent, is generated by nuclear power plants.

Keystone is a quandary for Clinton, whose silence on the matter -- she was the top US diplomat when the State Department began its pipeline review -- has earned her rebukes from liberals seeking the Democratic nomination.

"I will refrain from commenting because I had a leading role in getting that process started and we have to let it run its course," she said.

Clinton proposes giving states and localities financial incentives to fight climate change, either by placing tighter emissions curbs than the law requires or through stepped-up investments in renewables.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

One in five households burdened by student debt, a record

The share of American households affected by student debt has more than doubled in the last two decades, soaring from 9% in 1989 to a record of nearly one in five in 2010.

The 19% of households weighed down by school loans is higher even than 2007, when 15% owed money for their education, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data.

Young people are especially hard hit, as are poorer Americans. Among households headed by someone younger than age 35, four in 10 have student debt on the books.

For the those with incomes in the lowest fifth nationwide, school loans are equal to nearly a quarter of income. The same group holds 13% of all student debt in the country, up from 11% in 2007.

But such debt is increasing for nearly every demographic in every economic category. Americans in 2007 owed an average of $23,349 — now they have to pay back $26,682.

Student loans now make up 5% of all debts, up from 3% five years ago.

All this as overall household incomes continue their decade-long slide, according to the government. The median annual income slipped 1.5% last year from 2010 to $50,054. That’s 8.1% below 2007 and 8.9% less than 1999.

Nearly 12% of people in their 40s have fallen behind on their student loan payments, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That percentage goes down to 9.1% for people in their 30s, 9.4% for those in their 50s and 9.5% for those older than 60.

source: latimes.com