As record cold temperatures continue to impact Texas, causing power outages and water shortages across the state, a group of dedicated volunteers have taken it upon themselves to rescue thousands of endangered sea turtles from the waters of South Padre Island. The resort town in southern Texas rarely gets too cold long enough to threaten sea turtles, who need warm waters to survive. But with temps dipping down to freezing and still hovering in the 40s, something had to be done to keep the creatures warm.
So far, according to NPR, nearly 4,500 sea turtles have been brought indoors since Sunday by volunteers at organizations like Sea Turtle, Inc., a sea turtle rescue operation, and the South Padre Convention Center, where the overflow of turtles are being kept. Sea Turtle, Inc. lost power, but thanks to a commercial generator brought in by SpaceX, have been able to keep their facility warm enough for the rescued turtle patients who already resided there and the influx of new rescues before they got too full to take more.
Volunteers have been working hard to save as many sea turtles as possible, even though many of these people are struggling with losing electricity, heat, and water themselves. Using their own cars and trailers, they have been transporting the turtles to safety a dozen or two at a time.
Lara (@lara_hand) on Twitter shared a thread about how her retired mother spends winters volunteering Sea Turtle, Inc. and how they’re rescuing turtles during the cold snap. Her photo of the back of her Subaru filled with sea turtles drives home the dedication of the volunteers who are working to save these creatures.
My mom is retired, & she spends her winters volunteering at a sea turtle rescue center in south Texas. The cold sna… https://t.co/91yz3BNAY6
Sea Turtle, Inc. told the Washington Post that during a normal winter, volunteers might rescue from a few dozen to a few hundred cold-stunned turtles, so this week’s effort is truly extraordinary. When a turtle gets too cold, its heart rate lowers and its body becomes paralyzed. The hypothermic shock causes them to float above the water, where they are at risk of being struck by boats, attacked by predators, or even drowning.
However, the 3,500 turtles are not out of the woods yet. The “dry dock” conditions in the convention center are not ideal, and the issue of maintaining power is vital to keep temperatures warm enough for the turtles.
Ed Caum, executive director of the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the AP that he hesitates to call the effort a rescue because “we know we’re going to lose some.” Temperatures may not rise enough for the turtles to be returned to the water until the weekend.
“We’re trying to do the best we can to save as many turtles as possible,” he said.
The polar vortex that has swept through Texas and the southern U.S. has already claimed at nearly two dozen human lives in addition to an unknown number of animals. One animal sanctuary in North Bexar County, Texas has sadly lost more than a dozen animals including at least one chimpanzee as well as monkeys, lemurs, and tropical birds.
The combination of severe weather and an insufficient power grid cut off from the rest of the country has created a perfect storm of suffering in Texas this week. Seeing people helping people and animals weather that storm is heartening. Let’s just hope they won’t have to keep it up for much longer.
Disney+ is quickly catching up to Netflix when it comes to subscriber numbers and one look at their content library should tell you why. The streaming platform has it all, from Star Wars spinoffs to the entire Simpson’s catalog and fresh Marvel Universe adventures like WandaVision. If you can’t find a good series to watch here, we really don’t know what to tell you.
Here are the best TV shows you can stream on Disney+ right now.
Marvel had a lot riding on WandaVision, its first MCU spinoff to air on Disney+. Not only did the show need to bridge the gap after Endgame’s universe-altering Blip, but it also needed to give one of the strongest, least understood Avengers a worthy deep dive. Luckily, it’s done both, giving Elizabeth Olsen a hell of a lot to work with as she plays the grieving Scarlet Witch, who decides to create a sitcom-inspired fantasy to escape her troubles and ends up hijacking an entire town in the process. We don’t know what we love more: how imaginative and inventive the storylines are, or those retro opening credits that make nods to some of history’s best family sitcoms.
Jon Favreau helmed both seasons of this Star Wars spin-off described as a Space Western that takes place five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The Empire has fallen, the First Order has yet to be created, so the galaxy is a lawless place perfect for a bounty hunter to wreak havoc and make his own rules, which is exactly what Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian seems to be doing. Well that, and playing reluctant space dad to a dangerously adorable Baby Yoda. The pair have traversed the galaxy, gone on some rogue on-planet missions, made a few friends and a hell of a lot more enemies, and formed a genuine bond over two seasons. We’ve loved every minute of it. What we don’t like so much? That long wait for season three.
We’re still upset that ABC canceled this Marvel spin-off series after just two seasons, but the consolation prize is now, we get to rewatch Hayley Atwell as the kick-ass spy (who Steve Rogers couldn’t help but love) navigating her early years of espionage and political warfare. The show takes us back to 1946 where Peggy has been demoted — because… sexism — and must fight to clear the name of Howard Stark when he’s accused of treason. She teams up with his butler Jarvis (James D’Arcy), and they solve crimes while bickering like an old married couple for 18 episodes. It’s perfect.
Disney Channel’s Hilary Duff starring sitcom hit with many a prepubescent girl back in the day, but the series holds onto a lot of its charm (and original fanbase) if you give it a rewatch. Duff plays the titular pre-teen, a young girl with an interesting method of coping with raging hormones, helicopter parents, annoying little brothers, and mean girls at school, and she gives us internal monologues in the form of a sarcastic animated alter ego. Honestly, we’d like one of those.
One show you won’t have to wait for weekly episodes to air is The Simpsons, which is making its way to Disney’s streaming platform when the service launches on November 12th. Disney bought Fox earlier this year which means they’re the new overlords of Springfield. It also means fans have a new venue to relive all the exploits of Homer, Bart, Lisa, and the rest of the family. For now, the show’s 30 seasons will be available to stream, with newer seasons and episodes still airing on Hulu.
Gordon Ramsay has built a brand around being a snarky, cantankerous British chef, who enjoys making the kitchen hell for unfortunate wannabe cooks. That’s why his relatability and charm as host of this food/travel hybrid series is so shocking. But once you get over it, you’ll enjoy Ramsay’s no-nonsense approach to covering Indigenous culture and food in an interesting new way.
This docuseries pulls back the curtain on how some of Disney’s most beloved classics were made and how the company as a whole became the entertainment juggernaut it is today. Narrated by Angela Bassett, the limited series follows the early days of Disney’s animation engineers, how they established the company’s principles, and gave life to some of the most spectacular films, as well as how Disney itself built a franchise of theme parks, blockbusters, TV programming, and more.
This new series answers the question literally no one has asked: “What would happen if you mixed High School Musical with The Office?” Well, it looks like you’d get a watchable teen drama with a fresh take on a beloved millennial musical series. The show is set in the fictional East High where the original movie was filmed and follows the students putting on the first rendition of a musical based on High School Musical, in mockumentary form. It’s all very meta and surprisingly catchy.
The animated world of Star Wars might not be for everyone, but it’s one of the best ways Disney has been able to extend the lifespan of George Lucas’ franchise and watching it might give you some clues as to the direction this universe will take in the future. Of course, even without the Easter egg hunting, you’ll have a good time. Not only is this series gorgeously animated with some of the most realistic 3-D effects we’ve ever seen, but it also fills in the gaps between the prequel films, meaning we get a closer look at Anakin’s journey to the Dark Side and how the war between the Republic and the Separatists had far-reaching effects.
Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts this illuminating docuseries that breaks down some of the biggest scientific discoveries of our time and asks the life-encompassing philosophical questions none of us have answers to. You’ll learn about everything from the future of A.I. to the history of Sir Isaac Newton here, and Tyson’s ability to filter seemingly incomprehensible data into layman’s terms makes all of it fun and exciting.
Over the past few years, Jeff Goldblum has curated a new persona. He’s become the internet’s zany uncle, a celebrity who can cash in on the nostalgia of past work and turn that currency into more modern roles. Disney knows Goldblum’s appeal, which is why it’s trying to bottle up a bit of the actor’s charisma and likability with this docuseries whose premise is basically, “Let Jeff Goldblum be fascinated by normal sh*t.” It’s an easy, enjoyable watch that feels just quirky enough to become a hit. Or, at the least, an endless well for memes.
Four words: Reunions. Musicals. Kristen. Bell. That’s all you really need to know about this new reality series hosted by The Good Place star who organizes a reunion of theater geeks and tasks them with recreating their high school musical years after they first performed together. It’s heartwarming, full of great song-and-dance numbers, and sure, there’s some drama.
Look, if the thought of binging all 101 episodes of this classic afternoon cartoon about a globe-trotting treasure-hunting billionaire Scrooge McDuck and his nephews doesn’t fill you with warm, fuzzy nostalgia, then you probably didn’t grow up in the ’90s, and we feel sorry for you. For everyone else, see ya in Duckburg.
Yes, the sequel to this beloved coming-of-age series is also available on Disney +, but nothing beats the original. Boy Meets World followed the exploits of Cory Matthews, his siblings, and his best friends as they navigated school, relationships, and growing up while indulging Cory’s elaborate theories about life. It’s good, wholesome fun that makes us wish we had teachers as cool as George Feeny.
Another terrific animated children’s show is this late ’90s series about a group of primary school friends who are bucking authority and causing general mayhem on the playground. While adults set the rules during teaching hours, the brief respite from lessons brings its own hierarchy. Basically, there are laws to be respected when it comes to recess, and this show proves it.
John Constantine, the big city occult detective and chainsmoker of DC Comics, is so beloved he’s fueled both a movie and a TV series in the last 15 years. Now he’s coming back for a third round: According to Deadline, HBO Max is developing its own series from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company. The big difference: The character will be younger and he’ll also not be white, with the creators looking for a more diverse cast.
Keanu Reeves was the first actor to play the character, headlining Constantine, a big-budget film adaptation released in 2005, which took a character usually portrayed as British and blonde — Sting was the original inspiration for the character’s look — and making him American and brunette. (He also quit smoking, but not till the end of the film.) That movie failed to result in a franchise, but the character came back a decade later, this time as a CW show, where he was played by Welsh actor Matt Ryan. It only lasted one season, but Ryan continued to play him on Arrow-verse shows.
John Constantine made his debut in an issue of The Saga of Swamp Thing, in the middle of Alan Moore’s name-making run of the DC character. He was then given his own comic, Hellblazer, which became the longest-running comic in DC’s more adult-oriented Vertigo imprint. Constantine is an antihero — a deeply cynical and sarcastic conman and manipulator, albeit one who tends to work on the side of good, especially when supernatural forces threaten humanity. And while both the Keanu movie and the CW show have its fans, maybe the third time is the one that sticks around.
Remember when Nintendo’s big teaser trailer at the end of a Nintendo Direct in the summer of 2019 was for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2? Ever since that teaser was unveiled fans have been begging for more information about the game. So far, Nintendo has stayed quiet about Breath of the Wild 2 and went through all of 2020 without mentioning anything about it. So when Nintendo announced a new Nintendo Direct for Wednesday that would be including info on “upcoming titles” it had a lot of fans excited.
Then, Eiji Aonuma came on screen and excitement filled the air. This was it! Time to show us something new about Breath of the Wild 2, but instead he broke everyone’s hearts and said there would be no trailer. He said progress on the game was going well and they would be showing something about it soon. Nintendo also informed fans that there was a different Zelda game coming to Switch: Skyward Sword.
Skyward Sword as a game by itself is largely fine. Many people love it and it’s a Zelda game so you know at a minimum it’s okay. The problem is that many other people HATE Skyward Sword. It’s one of the most disliked games of the entire franchise and Nintendo showing a remaster of that game, while also talking about Breath of the Wild, was definitely not what the masses were hoping for.
As for Skyward Sword, they brought back the motion controls for the fans who did enjoy that, but they are trying to make it something different by giving fans the opportunity to play it with traditional button presses while trying to find a way to implement some of the unique combat. Is it Breath of the Wild 2? No. Is it a new Zelda? Sort of? It scratches the Zelda itch for many of those seeking it and if you’ve never played Skyward Sword maybe this is your chance to.
Ever since his turn as the casually amoral Todd Alquist on Breaking Bad, Jesse Plemons has been an always-welcome supporting player, enriching shows like Fargo and Black Mirror and films like Game Night, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, and Judas and the Black Messiah with his presence. Now he’s finally getting the next level break he deserves: According to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s just nabbed the lead role in Martin Scorsese’s pricey, already star-studded Killers of the Flower Moon.
The role — an FBI agent investigating a string of murders of Native Americans who’ve struck it rich by discovering oil in 1920s Oklahoma — was originally supposed to be played by frequent Scorsese collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio. Don’t worry: DiCaprio will still be around. He’ll now be playing the husband of a member of the Osage Nation played by Certain Woman actress Lily Gladstone. Robert De Niro will plays DiCaprio’s strong-willed father.
Killers of the Flower Moon, based on the book by New Yorker writer David Grann, had a bit of a spell finding a home, bouncing from studio to studio before being picked up by Apple. That’s due in part to its large budget — $200 million, even more expensive than Scorsese’s Netflix epic The Irishman. Speaking of which, that film featured Plemons as Chuckie O’Brien, close confidant of Al Pacino’s Jimmy Hoffa. Even though it’s not the actor’s first rodeo with the great director, still, mazel tov!
Joe Biden’s CNN townhall on Tuesday night was notable for a number of reasons: He gave Americans an honest assessment of when we can expect to have enough vaccinations to win the war on COVID, he said it’s time to stop obsessing over Trump and he was thoughtful about the exactly what he can and can’t do about student loans.
But the most important exchange happened when Biden took a question from a mother, who shared that her 8-year-old daughter, who was standing at her side, was fearful that she or her parents might get sick and die from the virus.
“My children, Layla 8, here, and my son Mateo, 7, at home, often ask if will they catch Covid, and if they do, will they die?” graphic designer Jessica Salas said to Biden during the townhall.
Watch the full video here
Rather than focusing on Salas, President Biden turned to address Layla directly. It was a powerful moment in which Biden simultaneously sought to reassure her while also speaking to her with a dignity and maturity so often reserved for adults.
“First of all, kids of all don’t get Covid very often, it’s unusual for that to happen,” Biden said. “The evidence is children aren’t the people most likely to get Covid. We haven’t even done tests yet on whether certain vaccines would work or not work. So, you’re the safest group of people in the whole world.”
That alone was a great response. For better or worse, we now look to our presidents as our emotional core as a nation, our collective drivers of empathy. Regardless of your personal politics, the last four years were so devoid of that personal touch that it has been really refreshing to see a president who not only talks like he gets it, but seems to genuinely feel it at his core.
“Number two, you’re not likely to be exposed to something and spread it to mommy or daddy,” Biden continued. “And it’s not likely mommy or daddy are able to spread it to you, either. So, I wouldn’t worry about it baby, I promise you.”
Biden went on to connect the disconnected feelings we are all experiencing during lockdown as something that affects kids just as much as adults, maybe even more.
“You don’t get to go to school, you don’t get to see your friends … When things change people get really worried and scared. But don’t be scared, honey. Don’t be scared. You’re gonna be fine. And we’re gonna make sure mommy is fine, too.”
Empathy is something we collectively took for granted when it came to our national leaders. We really didn’t know how important it was until we lost it. Franklin Roosevelt told Americans they had nothing to fear but fear itself. Ronald Reagan promised a “morning in America” for millions struggling with inflation and job loss. Bill Clinton felt our pain. These were all political slogans but they also reflected an empathetic understanding of the challenges and hopes all Americans feel. In many ways, it’s Politics 101. And it’s great to have that kind of sensibility back in the White House.
Despite the rise of social media as the primary method by which stars interact with fans and control their personal narratives, the past few years have also seen an increase in the number of documentaries following stars’ trials, tribulations, struggles, and successes. While many, like the newly buzzing Framing Britney Spears, come from outsiders telling stars’ traumas and others, like Taylor Swift’s documentary, put the story in stars’ hands, Dancing With The Devil, the upcoming YouTube Original documentary about Demi Lovato‘s struggle with addiction, combine the rawness of the former with the first-person perspective of the latter.
Rather than doing PR, the trailer for Dancing With The Devil promises a blood-and-guts retelling of the harrowing details of Lovato’s stints in rehab, overdoses, and fight to stay sane in an industry that so often denies stars their humanity. The biggest indicator of the doc’s no-holds-barred agenda comes toward the end of the trailer when Demi reveals the true extent of the damage her drug abuse had wrought. “I had three strokes,” she reveals. “I had a heart attack. My doctors said I had five-to-ten more minutes [to live].” Just after she shares this information, the interviewer straight-up challenges her sobriety. The kid gloves are certainly off in this documentary but with Lovato’s involvement, it’s assured that the story will still receive the sensitivity such topics demand.
Watch the trailer for Demi Lovato’s Dancing With The Devil trailer above.
Paddington 2 may be one of the most beloved films of the last few years, and its many fans kicked up a storm when it was inexplicably snubbed at the Oscars. But it’s easy to forget that it wasn’t quite a monster hit, at least in the U.S. The continuing adventures of the marmalade-loving bear who talks with the voice of acclaimed thespian and sometime Q Ben Whishaw actually only grossed about half of its predecessor. Maybe that’s why we’re getting this news over three years too late: As per Variety, the Paddington threequel is officially, belatedly in the works.
Details are few on the ground so far. For one thing, what beloved actor will play the snooty villain this time? There’s big shoes to fill, considering the first two featured no less than Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant — the future stars of the very serious HBO miniseriesThe Undoing — coming for everyone’s favorite teddy bear son. Is it time to enlist Colin Firth? What about Kate Winslet? Or sic Tom Hardy on him? Maybe think slightly outside the box and get Jason Statham? Or perhaps they should think big and try to lure Daniel Day-Lewis out of retirement.
The one big change is that writer-director Paul King, who helmed the first two, will not be returning. Why? He’s too busy with the Willy Wonka origin film. But Variety reports that he’ll “still be involved,” so hopefully that mystic blend of weird absurdism and weirdly affecting heart will remain in place.
We’ve seen Mario appear in so many spin-offs at this point that it feels like the Italian plumber can do anything he sets his mind to. Of the many spin-offs, the Mario sports titles are frequently a favorite among fans. They’re fun, wacky, and have just enough skill to keep you focused on getting better.
During the latest Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, it was unveiled that fan favorite Mario Golf is back! This time on the Switch! Mario Golf: Super Rush will be coming out this June 25, and let’s just say this one has plenty of features to be excited about.
What everyone loves about Mario Golf is it so perfectly walks the line between a serious golf game and something wacky enough that people who don’t like golf can still enjoy it. In the trailer, we saw that they’ve added tons of new features like a scan mode and motion control so you can perfectly (or, more likely, imperfectly) hit your shots. This is still a golf game and that they’re letting people be as serious as they want with it is great! Of course, this is a Mario Golf game and that means power-ups, super shots, and speed golf!
Speed golf is going to feature everyone running onto the course at once all playing their balls as quickly as possible. Think something like Golf With Friends but Mario specific. It’s the perfect amount of party chaos we want to see from a Mario game. Hopefully, we can all play it online with our friends for maximum chaos.
Texas is in crisis right now, as millions of Texans are still without power after the state’s power grid collapsed amid winter storms that caused a deep freeze. At one point, nearly 5 million Texans were without power and that number is still over 2.5 million as of Wednesday afternoon, as the Texas energy infrastructure fell apart after plants had to be shut down due to the freeze. Because Texas removed itself from the national power grid to avoid federal regulation, they were unable to borrow power.
While there have been numerous deaths due to the freezing temperatures and blackouts, what has become a humanitarian crisis has not stopped those in the energy business from capitalizing on the situation. Dallas Cowboys owner and billionaire Jerry Jones’ natural gas company, Comstock Resources Inc., has been surging prices for fuel due to the shortage as it is able to pull from wells in East Texas and northern Louisiana, selling at premium prices because of other fuel plants having to shut down — including natural gas plants in other parts of the state.
According to the Dallas Morning News, the spikes in the cost of gas from the hubs that are still working, including Jones’, have spiked at a ridiculous rate due to shortages, which Comstock’s CFO Roland Burns said was “like hitting the jackpot.”
“This week is like hitting the jackpot with some of these incredible prices,” Burns said. “Frankly, we were able to sell at super premium prices for a material amount of production.”
…
At the Henry Hub in Louisiana, the delivery benchmark for futures in New York, spot gas traded at $20 or higher on Wednesday morning, according to two traders. That compares with a settlement of $16.13 on Tuesday and just $3.73 a week ago.
Supply for next-day delivery at the Oneok Gas Transportation hub in Oklahoma traded at $1,250 per million British thermal units on Wednesday, according to David Hoy, a trader at Dynasty Power in Calgary. That’s up from $999 on Tuesday, and just $9 a week ago.
It is unsurprising that this crisis has been used as another opportunity to squeeze as much money out of the situation as possible by those in the energy business. Most of those are rather anonymous incredibly rich people to the general population, but in Jones’ case, he’s about as well-known as any billionaire in the country. As such, as the many in Texas who support his Cowboys learn that he was profiting off of their misery during blackouts, we’ll see what backlash comes his way, although he likely won’t care.
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