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Lionsgate has acquired the film "Silk Road," a crime thriller based on the true story of Austin native and criminal Ross Ubricht in his endeavors to create the Internet's first anonymous, unregulated marketplace.
Lionsgate is planning to release the film in theaters, on digital and video-on-demand on Feb. 19, with a DVD and Blu-ray release on Feb. 23.
The film, based on the Rolling Stone article "Dead End on Silk Road" by David Kushner and directed by Tiller Russell, chronicles Westlake High School graduate and young entrepreneur Ulbricht, played by Nick Robinson, as he builds the Silk Road, which became the fastest-growing black market for drugs in the world.
The website catches the attention of disgraced DEA agent Rick Bowden, played by Jason Clarke, whose affinity for substance abuse arms him for an elaborate game of hide-and-seek against Ulbricht, with high-stakes consequences and constant paranoia looming overhead.
"Silk Road is a thrilling story with the kind of stranger-than-fiction details that can only come from a true story," Lionsgate VP of acquisitions Lauren Bixby said in a statement. "This movie will keep audiences riveted by its cat-and-mouse game of a criminal mastermind being tracked by a hot-headed narc."
Ulbricht grew up in Austin and earned a bachelor's degree in physics at the University of Texas at Dallas followed by a master's in materials science and engineering at Pennsylvania State University. He returned to his home city after graduating and, following an unsatisfying attempt at regular employment, turned toward entrepreneurship.
After a few failed business attempts, Ulbricht ran the Silk Road from 2011 to 2013, under the pseudonym "Dread Pirate Roberts," after the character in the novel and film "The Princess Bride." He was arrested in 2013 and charged with a double life sentence plus 40 years without possibility of parole after being convicted of money laundering, conspiracy to commit computer hacking, and conspiracy to traffic narcotics.
At the time of seizure, Ulbricht had amassed $28.5 million.
Today is my 2,500th day in prison. If you believe I deserve to be freed and returned home, I ask that you please… https://t.co/391nG5q6Px— Ross Ulbricht (@Ross Ulbricht) 1596549219.0
The Silk Road has continued to make headlines, even years after the investigation into its operations was concluded. The site was shut down in 2013, though still housed $1 million in bitcoin until recently—signaling that the darkest parts of the web may yet to be uncovered.
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For years Austin has been one of the top 5 places to live in the U.S., according to an annual ranking from U.S. News and World Report. But this year, Austin dropped out of the top 10.
The publication ranked Austin at No. 13, down from No. 5 last year, No. 3 in 2020 and No. 1 in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Cities ranking in the top this year were No. 1 Huntsville, Alabama, No. 2 Colorado Springs and No. 3 Green Bay, Wisconsin.
So why did it rank lower this year?
The hot housing market is part of the reason. The report states "Austin offers a lower value than similarly sized metro areas when you compare housing costs to median household income."
Still, Austin was the highest-ranked Texas city on the list. Adding to its desirability are its live music capital roots and the growing tech scene. The next Texas area on the list was Dallas-Fort Worth coming in at No. 32.
U.S. News says it analyzed 150 metro areas in the U.S. to make the list based on the quality of life, the job market, the value of living there and people's desire to live there.
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(Pexels)
Austin parents and grocery store shelves are feeling the effects of a nationwide baby formula shortage.
Caused mostly by a February recall due to contamination issues, followed by the Abbott Nutrition factory closure in Michigan, the shortage has left Austin shelves barren. However, earlier this week, U.S. officials announced a plan with the facility to restart production.
In the meantime, local parents in crisis have turned toward the Mother’s Milk Bank to keep their babies fed.
HEB on East 7th has been picked clean of formula and is limiting purchases. (Laura Figi/Austonia)
The milk bank—which takes donations from lactating mothers and dispenses milk to babies in the NICU—has been helping feed upwards of 30 families in need as the formula supply tightens.
According to the bank’s executive director Kim Updegrove, Mother’s Milk Bank has seen an uptick in calls from parents with healthy babies in need of help since the shortage began.
“We aren't used to hearing from families with healthy infants,” Updegrove said. “They're typically very upset, angry, frustrated, sobbing—it's scary to not be able to feed your infants. So in the past few weeks, those calls have been significantly increasing.”
Mothers are only able to donate if they are within a year postpartum, so Updegrove said they are constantly bringing on and retiring donors. While donors had been on a 30% decline leftover from 2021 when the shortage began, Updegrove said the shortage has led to mass community interest and more than 90 prospective donors in just the past few days.
“We and other milk banks are experiencing significant interest from the community—becoming milk donors and helping to turn around this crisis,” Updegrove said. “Every infant needs to be fed, every one of us can relate to that need, and we need to make sure as a community that it happens.”
Whole Foods downtown was also cleaned out of typical formula. (Laura Figi/Austonia)
While you may still be able to find formula at places like Whole Foods—which currently has goat milk, soy and plant-based formula in stock—Updegrove said it might not be what a baby needs.
Updegrove said it is best to buy types that say “infant formula,” as they are FDA approved and will provide the nutrients, vitamins and minerals a baby needs. Plant-based, homemade, non-cow's milk or diluting formula may not provide the same nutritional value.
As the community navigates the shortage, Updegrove said the most important way to help out is to not panic buy or stockpile.
“This is a crisis for families,” Updegrove said. “This is the time for the community to gather together and figure out what everyone can do to help families with young infants.”