The non-fungible token market has already seen a dramatic rise and fall in 2021, but though some unique tokens have failed to hold their perceived value, another one immediately identifiable in the crypto community saw a record-breaking sale this week. Doge, the dog image meme that’s the face of its own cryptocurrency currently seeing its own huge market swings, sold for about $4 million this week after a bidding war saw the price soar.

According to NBC News, an auction of the Shiba Inu image that became the infamous Doge meme took place this week and made the owner of the image behind the meme behind the coin very wealthy.

The meme was first put up for auction on Tuesday by Atsuko Sato, the owner of Kabosu, the dog from the image, and ran for roughly three days before being sold to @pleasrdao.

A bidding war for the meme broke out on Zora, where Doge was being auctioned, between users @twodollahotdoge and @pleasrdao on Friday afternoon, driving up the price until @pleasrdao prevailed with the winning bid.

The original Doge became internet famous after it was posted to its owner’s blog in 2010. Though the meme has endured, it has seen a more recent rise in popularity after the joke currency based on its meme, Dogecoin, rocketed back to prominence among crypto enthusiasts after being essentially valueless for years. And now the single image of Doge holds the record for the most expensive NFT ever sold. The winning bid, 1,696.9 units of Ethereum, is worth about $4 million. And given the meme-ness of it all, those 69s seem to hold some symbolism here as well.

Interestingly enough, the internet meme database Know Your Meme was apparently involved in verifying that this was the actual owner of the original photo, too.

“We’re so happy to be a part of this milestone in internet history. If any meme deserved to be the new meme NFT record holder, it’s Doge,” said Don Caldwell, editor-in-chief of Know Your Meme.

It just goes to show you: never stop posting photos of your pets online. You never know what they’ll be worth someday.

[via NBC News]

After releasing his second album Orca in 2020, Gus Dapperton is back with an updated version of the pop-rock record. Adding several new songs onto the original pop-rock project, he’s also shared a new video for one of the tracks, “Sober Up,” where he performs the song in an immaculately hip apartment accompanied by his shadow.

Other new songs include “Flatline” and “Steady,” along with the rest of the original tracks. And now that restrictions on touring have been lifted thanks to vaccines for COVID-19, Dapperton also shared a slew of tour dates for the rest of the year and into the fall, kicking off with Lollapalooza this July. Check out the “Sober Up” video above and two new songs below, as well as his full touring schedule. These new songs are also joined by his collaboration with Chanel Tres on a new version of the track “Palms.”

7/29/21/8/1/21 — Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
9/18/21/9/12/21 — Atlanta, GA @ Music Midtown Festival
10/17/21 — Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/19/21 — Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
10/22/21 — Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
10/23/21 — Austin, TX @ Emo’s
10/24/21 — San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
10/26/21 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
10/27/21 — San Diego, CA @ House of Blues – San Diego
10/29/21 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
11/1/21 — Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
11/2/21 — Vancouver, BC @Hollywood Theatre
11/3/21 — Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
11/5/21 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
11/6/21 — Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
11/8/21 — Minneapolis, MS @ Fine Line
11/9/21 — Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
11/12/21 — Toronto, ON @ Opera House
11/13/21 — Montreal, QB @ L’Astral
11/15/21 — South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom
11/16/21 — Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
11/18/21 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
11/19/21 — Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts

Jackbox Games has survived a world in social distancing mode, and its latest party pack appears set to put groups back in rooms together and ramp up the competition. The Chicago-based publisher is slowly revealing the games from its latest party pack, and on Friday they revealed the first true head-to-head team game in its stable.

The announcement was made on a livestream that gave context to some strangely labeled doors they’d showed off earlier in the week, with a dark animation of skull-adorned doors juxtaposed with phrases like “giant beach ball or knights in front of a sign labeled “honey mustard.”

Those doors are part of a game called Poll Mine, a survey game which will feature 2-10 players divided evenly into teams tasked with escaping a “magical mine” with a “maniacal witch” on your trails.

“In front of you stands 8 doors,” the description on the site reads. “The only way to pick the safe path is to determine which home appliance is the least trustworthy… according to people you’re playing with.”

According to the site, your team chooses from three categories from options such as “favorite ice cream topping” or “most annoying movie trope.” Then there’s some voting, as is often the case in Jackbox. And players will then need to figure out who answered what in order to pick the right door. But there’s a twist in this one. Here’s the description of gameplay from the site:

This is the peril of The Poll Mine. Jackbox Games’ very first head-to-head team game. After being divided into two groups of adventurers, you have to select your top three choices.

…

While you mark down your opinions, the other players will do the same, and the path to escape will be marked by the top three most popular answers… OR is it 2nd through 4th?… OR do you have to start at the bottom? The criteria will change based on the whims of our wickedly devious host.

You and your team will have to open doors until you find the options you’re looking for, but be careful while you debate, the other group of players is listening and may steal your insights to find the right door and leave you in the dark. FOREVER!

The game supports up to 10 players, which means a lot of yelling (or whispers) among friends. And Jackbox also touted livestreaming options and audience capabilities for up to 10,000 viewers.

It’s certainly an interesting attempt at a head-to-head team game, and Jackbox is known for trying something new with its packs of five games in an attempt to create party game magic. It will join an already-revealed title, Job Job, in Jackbox Party Pack 8. That one seem to be a game about the job interview process.

It will all make much more sense when you can actually try it for yourself. Which will be an option this fall when it’s available along with the rest of Jackbox Party Pack 8 on basically every platform imaginable.

The classic red sangria is a summertime cornerstone. Plus, it’s wickedly easy to make in batches since you really have to make it in a pitcher. It’s also refreshing while still having a vibe of drinking something substantial. This is just red wine peppered with fruit and jacked up with hard liquor, after all.

We’re going to look at a couple of different sangria recipes this summer. Before we get to those, we wanted to start with the classic version. That’s a mix of red wine (preferably from Spain), triple sec, Spanish brandy, orange juice, and sugar with a medley of fruit.

I adjust my recipe slightly to make it even easier to make while giving it a better texture. Instead of using orange juice and simple syrup, I use orange soda (I always use Jarritos Mandarin). You get the sweetness you need with a stronger orange flavor while also getting the tiniest touch of fizz. I also freeze my fruit beforehand to cool the drink down in the pitcher. And, I think, as the fruit thaws in the sangria, it releases more of its juices into the mix.

Okay, let’s get mixing!

Classic Red Sangria

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of red wine (preferably Rioja)
• 1/2 cup orange soda
• 1/2 cup Spanish brandy
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1/2 cup berry mix
• 1 apple
• 1 lemon
• 2 oranges
• Ice

I’m using a standard Rioja. Any standard dry Spanish red will do. You don’t want to break the bank but stay well above the bottom shelf too.

When it comes to the fruit you use, that’s sort of up to you. The basics are apple, lemon, and orange. I’m using those plus a mix of berries: Blackberry, red currant, and blueberry. I’m also freezing all of these beforehand. It’s not crucial but I think it adds a little something extra.

As for the brandy, I’m going old school with Osborne Veterano Solera. It’s a classic, light brandy that’s full of the Spanish sun and really works well as a mixer. You should be able to snag a bottle for about $15.

What You’ll Need:

• Large pitcher
• Red wine glasses (I’m technically using a Spanish gin and tonic glass)
• Measuring cup
• Pairing knife
• Large barspoon
• Freezer proof container

Method:

• First, slice the apple, lemon, and one orange and then place in a container with the berries and place in the freezer for two to four hours.
• Slice orange wheel garnishes from the second orange.
• After the fruit is frozen, grab your pitcher. Add the wine, triple sec, brandy, and orange soda. Stir gently until blended.
• Add in the frozen fruit. Stir while tapping the fruit against the side of the pitcher to help “muddle” the fruit.
• Add four to six ice cubes to a red wine glass.
• Pour the sangria into the wine glass, making sure some fruit goes into the glass too.
• Garnight with the orange wheel.
• Serve.

Bottom Line:

I could easily just put a big ol’ straw right in the pitcher. This is fruity, soft, full of red wine vibes, orange-forward, and a little boozy.

Served over ice, it’s eye-roll-back-in-your-head refreshing and relaxing. It’s also super easy to make. Without freezing the fruit, this took all of one, maybe two minutes to prepare. You’re just pouring booze into a pitcher, stirring, adding fruit, stirring … party time!

The one thing about this sangria is this: It’s boozy. You’re drinking wine that’s cut with liqueur and liquor with a splash of orange soda that barely brings down that ABV. These can definitely catch up with you and all that extra sugar means a killer hangover. You’ve been warned.

For John Shults and Joy Morrow-Nulton, the COVID-19 pandemic brought more than just health threats and lockdown woes. For the two 95-year-olds, it also held something remarkable—another chance at romance.

Both Shults and Morrow-Nulton had been married twice and widowed twice, but they were determined to find love again. They met in May of 2019, brought together by Morrow-Nulton’s 69-year-old son, John Morrow.

“She was cute, I’ll tell you that,” Shultz told the New York Times of their first meeting. “And she was smart and she had a delightful sense of humor. And she smiled at me.”

Shultz asked her to lunch a few more times before it became crystal clear to Morrow-Nulton that he was on a mission to date her.

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“He started bugging me for lunch every day,” she told the Times. “I knew he loved me. He would call and say, ‘What are we going to have for lunch? Where are we going to go today?'” Since she drives and he doesn’t, she took him to nearly every restaurant in Rosendale, N.Y.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, their time together took a necessary turn. To stay safe, they had to basically date in a bubble.

“When Covid came we tried to duck it,” Ms. Morrow-Nulton said. “We ate at his house a lot. His granddaughters would get our lunch and we’d sit in his dining room and eat it.”

Maintaining a relationship through the pandemic was a challenge. They resorted to long drives together and batting balloons back and forth indoors.

“She was worth it,” Shults told CBS. “It was a pain in the neck, though.”

Shults’ son Pete said the couple would call each other every day. “They’d find a way to get together,” he said. “They did whatever it took.”

95-year-olds get married after COVID courtship

www.youtube.com

By the end of February, they had both gotten vaccinated—and engaged, though neither remembers the exact date of the engagement. Shuts had been asking for his love’s hand every day for months, but Morrow-Nulton had resisted.

“I had a house to take care of, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to help take care of somebody,” she told the Times. “Plus, let’s face it, we’re not in the greatest condition as far as running around goes.”

But then winter came, limiting their time together.

“We had a snow day, and I was not going to drive to see him, and I missed him,” she said. “I finally decided, ‘You better say yes.’ We have a good time together. He’s not like anybody else I’ve met in my whole life.”

The couple got married in a small ceremony in Ulster, N.Y. on May 22.

“I hope I make it to 100 so we can have five years together,” the bride said just after their wedding. “He’s a delight to be with.”

“Nobody starts life at 95,” she remarked to the Times. “But we did.”

Congrats to the happy couple. May your years together be full of more love and delight.

A recent study found that 65% of all women have experienced some form of street harassment. Twenty-three percent were sexually touched, 20% were followed, and 9% have been forced to do something sexual by their assailant.

While we still live in a world where women have to be wary of predators, it’s important to constantly remind each other how to be safe.

Spencer Barbosa, an 18-year-old TikTokker from Canada, created a series of videos where she shares 12 important tips to help keep people safe. Even if you are well-versed in personal safety, she has a lot of clever ideas that you may not have considered.

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“It breaks my heart that I even have to make this video, but seeing as most of my followers are females I need you to be safe and I need you to know these things,” Spencer says in the opening of the first video.

1.Draw as much attention to yourself as possible

If someone tries to grab or kidnap you, go absolutely insane. Scream. Bark. Bite. Go crazy to alert others and make life a living hell for your attacker. “Get that inner demon in your mind … and go crazy,” Spencer says.

2. Don’t put your hair in a ponytail when going on a run

A ponytail makes it easy for an attacker to grab you from behind and pull you to the ground.

3. Carry bear spray, mace, or hairspray

“Spray the shit out of their eyes,” Spencer says.

4. Never be alone

Predators are always on the lookout for women by themselves.

5. Do not go in a stairwell

At night, more attacks happen on stairwells than in elevators. Use the elevator.

6. Keep your car keys on your nightstand

Stop leaving your car keys near your front door. If you keep them by your nightstand you can hit the panic button on your keyfob if there’s trouble in your house.

7. Do not overshare on social media

“I see so many girls posting their locations, saying they’re home alone … don’t!”

8. Show your face

If you are out in public and you think someone is following you, show them your face. Studies show that attackers find potential targets less appealing if they know what they look like.

9. Stay in well-lit areas

If you can’t see what is happening around you, you should not be alone.

10. Put work boots by the front door

If you are a girl who lives alone or with a group of girls who live together, put a big, dirty pair of men’s work boots outside of your front door. This could potentially scare off any attackers who think a male lives in the home.

11. Stay off your phone

If you are walking alone, you shouldn’t be on your phone. Attackers look for women who are distracted.

12.) Don’t be kind

If someone is attacking you give them full force. “Smack them very hard,” Spencer says.

Baseball will always have its weird moments, and this Major League Baseball season has been full of controversy and some real crisis of faith moments regarding batting averages and illegal substances used by pitchers. But amid all that, even St. Louis Cardinals fans have to admit there’s something great about seeing Bill Murray back at Wrigley Field serenading Cubs fans.

Friday was a gorgeous day for baseball on the north side of Chicago, with the Cubs taking on the Cardinals in a matinee they were calling Opening Day 2.0.

And by the time the middle of the seventh inning rolled around, those in attendance were treated to Murray pumping up the crowd from the press box with the help of the Wrigley Field organist.

“This is what it feels like to be one hundred percent,” Murray said, referring to the capacity limits ending at Wrigley Field. He encouraged some noise from the crowd, then got into a song he’s sung many times over the years during the seventh inning stretch.

It’s a far from perfect rendition, but that’s kind of the point. And as one of the most famous Cubs fans on the planet, Murray is basically allowed to do what he wants once he gets the mic inside that park. The fans in the park seemed to love it, and Murray trended briefly on Friday as video of his reappearance circulated online.

There’s a lot we’ve lost over the last year, and whatever “normal” qualifies as may not truly be back for many of us for some time. But there’s something great about seeing Murray back at Wrigley, and watching a full house enjoy a day game in one of America’s oldest ballparks.

Even if Murray still doesn’t quite have all the words to the song down.

The Tribeca Film Festival debuted the Tribeca Games Spotlight on Friday, an hourlong event that “celebrates the convergence of games, entertainment, and culture, highlighting the storytelling, art, and innovation of games.” During the showcase, Tribeca gave film and video game fans alike a deeper look at eight highly-anticipated independent games selected by an advisory board of “visionary leaders in both film and games.”

According to Tribeca’s website, the showcase is a part of their efforts to “champion every frontier in the art of storytelling, and video games are at the forefront of pushing narrative to even greater heights.” Here’s a look at all the games shared during the expo.

Twelve Minutes
Featuring a powerhouse ensemble of James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe, Twelve Minutes is a game about “a man’s romantic evening with his wife being interrupted by a violent home invasion.” Ultimately tragedy unfolds but as it does our main character is thrust into a time loop where he can use the knowledge of what’s to come in order to prevent the attack. Luis Antonio’s dramatic thriller has been teased for some time, and it coming late this year.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits
The beautifully animated Kena: Bridge of Spirits looks like a Pixar film brought to life. It follows Kena, a novice spirit guide, as she uncovers an abandoned village filled with wandering spirits caught between worlds. With the help of her companion Rot, Kena must guide them and face her own loss as she uncovers the “secrets of a forgotten community.”

Harold Halibut
Slow Bros. upcoming game Harold Halibut follows lab assistant Harold as he assists lead scientist Jeanne Mareaux in finding a way to lift the sunken ship they currently inhabit back into space. However, the “weird, wonderful, and diverse people of the Fedora” — the name of the city-sized ship stuck in the depths of the ocean — keeps Harold too busy to make much progress. The developer calls this game “a handmade narrative game about friendship.”

Lost in Random
Zoink Studios’ Lost in Random is a gothic fairytale-inspired action adventure where dice rolls determine the fate of the citizens of the Kingdom of Random. According to publisher EA’s website, Lost in Random follows Even and her sidekick Dicey as they “play the odds” and break the curse of Random.

Sable
Shedwork’s Sable follows a young woman named Sable on her “gliding,” a rite of passage in the game’s mysterious, desert world. With her trusty hoverbike along for the ride, you can scale colossal ruins, discover fallen spaceships, and encounter other nomads with unearthing the land’s mysteries.

NORCO
Billed as a “sci-fi Southern Gothic adventure,” Geography of Robots’ NORCO allows players to take on the role of a man searching for his brother in the sinking suburbs and industrial swamps of Louisiana’s petrochemical hinterlands. The point-and-click adventure takes you through a “world of uncertainty” as you fight, sneak, or fast-talk your way past cults and hometown bullies.

Signalis
Rose-engine’s Signalis follows lone Replika Elster as she solves puzzles and fends off creatures on a desolate world. As she does so, she explores ruins and an abandoned reeducation facility in search for some answers about herself as well as a way to escape. According to the game’s website, the survival horror game is a melancholic experience filled with dark secrets.

The Big Con
“Flex your inner teenager” in Mighty Yell’s The Big Con, a 90s-inspired adventure game where players take on the role of Ali, a teen con artist on a journey to save her family’s video game store from loan sharks. In The Big Con, players can sneak around, wear disguises, pickpocket, solve puzzles, and rip people off as they make their way across America. Oh, and naturally you can “be awkward” and “fight with your mom” as well.

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Megan Thee Stallion, Migos, Polo G, and more.

Friday saw the releases of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Thot Sh*t,” IDK’s “Peloton,” Doja Cat’s “Need To Know,” Polo G’s “No Return,” Migos’s “Modern Day,” Guapdad 4000’s “How Many (Remix),” and Gucci Mane and Pooh Shiesty’s “Like 34 & 8” along with the releases listed below.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 19, 2021.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Bobby Sessions — Manifest

Bobby’s debut album comes after the buzz-building RVLTN mixtapes, a Grammy win (for co-writing on Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” remix with Beyonce), and a number of high-profile song placements including one on the Coming 2 America soundtrack. It’s well worth the wait

Guapdad 4000 — 1176 (Deluxe Edition)

Adding six new tracks to his autobiographical, Illmind-produced album, in cluding the Rick Ross-featuring remix to “How Many,” Guapdad gets back to the lively party jams that have made him a favorite among those in the know.

Larry June — Orange Print

The title for Orange Print calls back to one of June’s breakout EPs, 2016’s Orange Season with Cookin Soul, but the rhymes are all of-and-in-the-moment luxury lifestyle raps as Larry continues his run of authentic, consistent, down-to-earth flexes.

Lil Gotit — Top Chef Gotit

Executive produced by Gunna, Lil Gotit’s newest project puts his slippery flow on full display, bringing along Atlanta favorites like Young Thug, Yak Gotti, and Gotit’s brother Lil Keed for the ride.

Kidd Kenn — Problem Child [EP]

18-year-old upstart Kidd Kenn drops his unabashed new EP just in time to make it a Pride Month anthem as the breakthrough artists continues to rack up attention and accolades, including from fellow queer icon Lil Nas X.

Migos — Culture III

The long-awaited group return is 18 tracks of vintage Migos flows sprinkled with enervating guest appearances from longtime collaborators like Cardi B and Drake.

Pi’erre Bourne — The Life Of Pi’erre 5

The producer contines his foray into solo artistry, with Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti providing support via energetic features.

Polo G — Hall Of Fame

Chicago’s latest rising star spent two albums exorcising his demons, and now he’s enjoying the fruits of his labor. Polo stretches his creative muscles over 18 tracks that range from thumping drill to melodic trap ballads.

Skyzoo — All The Brilliant Things

It is long past the time to give Brooklyn native Skyzoo his flowers as one of the most consistent, creative, and compelling rappers to ever pick up a microphone. Here’s your chance to join the bandwagon.

Singles/Videos

DreamDoll — “Tryouts”

DreamDoll has long been on the threshold of superstardom and makes a bid for the coveted club crossover here.

Fredo Bang — “Trust Issues (Remix)” Feat. NLE Choppa

Two of the South’s most promising rising stars connect on a ruminative trap anthem.

French Montana — “FWMGAB”

Interpolating another New York anthem, Peter Gunz and Lord Tariq’s “Uptown,” French Montana puts on for their shared borough with a triumphant banger.

Larry June — “Still Cookin”

So laid-back, he’s practically parallel to the earth, Larry June defines cool on this swaggering knocker.

Nana — “Running”

Not a traditional music video, per se, but Nana is a South LA artist who deserves a lot more attention after releasing his masterful album Save Yourself late last year.

Rob Stone — “I Love It” Feat. Rubi Rose

Rubi Rose provides a colorful assist to the San Diego rapper’s latest club-rocking single, along with adding some eye candy to its video.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Netflix Geeked Week has given us plenty of new shows to be excited about, but some of us have been particularly excited for Friday’s Summer Games Fest crossover. That event came and gone, and there are plenty of new titles on the way based on video game IP.

Of course, with so many new shows coming at us left and right, it was easy to miss out on a title or two. So we’ve got you covered with a list of shows Netflix is making based on video games and what to expect on the streaming service in the months ahead.

The Witcher Season 2

The Witcher came out to huge success as a Netflix TV show. Obviously the game series is beloved by fans all over the world and the TV show only made that love increase for many newcomers to the franchise. With so many fans it became a no brainer to create a second season for the show. We can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next!

Resident Evil

A live action Resident Evil is on the way as well. While that by itself is pretty cool, we’re having a hard time not being excited by the casting choice of Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker. The Wesker role is incredibly important to any kind of Resident Evil property and Reddick seems like the perfect casting choice for this role. If anyone is going to do the character justice it’s him.

Castlevania

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Castlevania show, but this is a new spin off series not related to the show that just had a finale earlier this year. They didn’t give us too much info, but we do know it’s set during the French Revolution. Guess we’ll just have to wait for more details!

Far Cry: Blood Dragon

Far Cry: Blood Dragon was one of the weirder Far Cry games. Set in a neon art style, Blood Dragon had a comedic tone to it in both writing and structure. So it was a little surprising to see that was the Far Cry game that they’re making an animated TV show about. It certainly looks interesting and has a bit of a comic book feel to it, so we’re looking forward to more details about how this one will work.

Cuphead

Cuphead was made to be a cartoon and that’s exactly what we’re getting. A Cuphead cartoon makes too much sense and it has Wayne Brady has the skeevy and smooth talking King Dice. What’s not to love here?

Splinter Cell

It’s been a long time since we heard anything from Splinter Cell, with the last game coming out in 2013, but an animated TV show for the series appears to be on the way. This is cool news for Splinter Cell fans, but it’s definitely going to fuel speculation about when we might get another game. Maybe if the TV show does well a new title is on the way as well?

Arcane (League of Legends)

For a long time there was no bigger game out there than League of Legends. While the popularity of the series may not be what it once was, the characters from the franchise are still beloved. So it’s certainly cool to see a show set in the universe, which gives us an opportunity to further explore the lore of the LoL world.

Most of what we saw on Friday was just teasers, but the sheer number of shows on the way means there’s plenty for gaming fans to get excited about in the coming months. It wasn’t long ago that even getting an animated short about a game was considered a big accomplishment, but now gaming has become a logical resource for animated TV, movies and even live-action programs in the streaming universe. Netflix seems determined to make it the go-to streaming platform for gamers, and this slew of titles certainly looks to be a strong start.