Month: November 2022

The Phoenix Suns may be without their newest starter for a spell. Cam Johnson, who got elevated from his role on the bench at the start of this season, left Friday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers after five minutes with an apparent leg injury. It was unclear exactly what happened, but Johnson looked like he got hurt after planting his foot the wrong way.

It’s always a concern when this happens to someone, and apparently, the Suns believe something serious happened. Shams Charania of The Athletic brings word that the team is worried that Johnson suffered a torn meniscus, although they are going to continue to evaluate his knee.

Johnson, who the team took 11th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, has turned into a tough wing defender and dead-eye shooter whose ability to space the floor is of major importance for Phoenix’s offense. His ascension into the starting lineup has come in the place of veteran forward Jae Crowder, who has stayed home this season while the team has looked to trade him. Further complicating matters for Johnson is that he is slated to become a restricted free agent next summer. Johnson has averaged 13 pints per game so far this season.

The death of former child star and pop singer Aaron Carter has taken the world by surprise. Following the announcement of his passing, fans and fellow musicians have taken to social media to express their sadness and share fond memories of Carter.
New Kids On The Block wrote on their Twitter account to share condolences, saying, “We are shocked and saddened about the sudden passing of Aaron Carter. Sending prayers to the Carter family. Rest in peace, Aaron.”

Songwriter Diane Warren expressed her sorrows and lamented over the long-term trauma of childhood fame.

“Fame at a young age is often more a curse than a blessing and Surviving it is not easy,” said Warren. “RIP Aaron Carter.”

Singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist Tyler Hilton recalled pleasant memories of Carter. On Twitter, Hilton said, “No…. This @aaroncarter news is heartbreaking… this kid had such a spark. Known him for years and always really liked him, he was warm and really funny. Loved putting on a show and he was good at it.”

Parson James, known for his song “Stole The Show,” said he was “bummed to hear the news about Aaron,” said James. “The few interactions I had with him were extremely sweet but most definitely sad. media and our culture can be so vicious.”

Even Stevens actress Christy Carlson Romano sent love to those close her fellow child star, saying, “Incredibly sad about the passing of Aaron Carter. My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.”

Aaron Carter was 34 at the time of his death, and was reportedly found unconscious in his bathtub.

The Sacramento Kings and the Orlando Magic kicked off Saturday’s NBA slate with one of the best games of the season. The two teams needed overtime to determine a winner, and thanks to a buzzer-beater from halfcourt by De’Aaron Fox, the Kings were able to pick up a thrilling 126-123 road victory.

It looked like the two teams would need a second overtime to determine a winner. Orlando trapped Malik Monk in the corner and forced him to throw a terrible pass, which landed in the hands of Chuma Okeke. The crowd in Orlando exploded as Okeke threw it in, but the Kings were not deterred. Fox got the ball and pushed it up the court, but instead of putting his head down and using his game-changing speed to attack the rim with only five seconds left, Fox was a little more careful.

This ended up being a good decision, as Jalen Suggs looked like he was expecting Fox to blow by him and gave him space. As a result, Fox was able to get a pretty clean look from midcourt, so he pulled up, let it fly, and got to play the hero in a game he dominated.

Fox had 37 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 40 minutes of work. With the win, Sacramento moves to 3-5 on the season.

Major League Soccer crowned a champion on Saturday afternoon, and they needed a whole heck of a lot of time to determine who would wear the crown. Los Angeles Football Club played host to the Philadelphia Union in a battle of 1-seeds, and by the time the dust settled, Los Angeles could call themselves champions via a penalty shootout in the greatest game that MLS has ever seen.

The two sides were level after 90 minutes, with Kellyn Acosta and Jesús Merillo finding the back of the net for Los Angeles and Dániel Gazdag and Jack Elliott scoring for the Union. Somehow, someway, things got even crazier than you could ever expect after that. A red card was given to LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau in the 116th minute with the game still level, but because of how late in the game it occurred, it was going to take something unforeseen for a winner to be decided in regulation.

Elliott seemed like he did that exact thing. In the fourth minutes of an added nine in injury time, the Union leaned on the tried and true method of pumping the ball into the box over and over with the hopes that something good would happen. And after a lengthy spell of chaos, Elliott made that special thing happen.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man, and LAFC has one hell of a man to call on in these moments. Legendary Welsh forward Gareth Bale went up and got his head to a ball played in by Diego Palacios, which managed to sneak just past the outstretched arm of Andre Blake.

Blake, the captain for Philadelphia, was able to respond on the first penalty, stonewalling a poor effort by Cristian Tello. But the Union were unable to capitalize, as Gazdag’s foot slipped and he skied his attempt.

LAFC’s Denis Bouanga stepped up and converted his, and then, John McCarthy came up big, stopping an effort by José Martínez. Ryan Hollingshead converted his effort, putting the heat on Philly. McCarthy stopped yet another penalty, this time from Kai Wagner, to put Ilie Sánchez in a position to win the Cup for Los Angeles. Blake guessed right, but Sánchez was able to just tuck the ball into the corner for the winner.

The victory marks the first time in LAFC’s brief history that they can call themselves MLS Cup winners.

The queen of Christmas has lots of treats up her sleeve this season. This past Friday, Mariah Carey paid a visit to The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon to spill some tea on her upcoming holiday projects. On top of the annual resurgence of her 28-year-old holiday classic single, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” Carey has a loft of gifts for the Lamb-ily this holiday season, including a series of shows in Toronto and New York City, as well as a new children’s book called The Christmas Princess.

Elusive as she is, Carey also teased an upcoming collaboration with Stranger Things actress, Millie Bobby Brown.

Brown first teased a collaboration with Mimi back in October on The Tonight Show, where she revealed that she and Carey “have sung together… like in her studio sung together.”

Fallon asked Carey about the potential collaboration, to which she responded, “Maybe it’s not just musical. I don’t know. I can’t say what it is.”

Perhaps Brown may appear in a yet-to-be-announced Christmas special, as Carey has hosted on Apple TV+ the past two years?

Find out more in the interview above.

You cam also stream Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” here. You know you want to.

This article originally appeared on 03.03.20

Actor Mark Wahlberg recently attended a daddy-daughter dance with his 10-year-old, Grace. Sadly, Grace had no interest in seeing her father strutting his stuff on the dance floor.

“I didn’t get one dance,” Wahlberg told Ellen DeGeneres. “And I told her we were going to do the whole big circle and I was going to go off. And she said, ‘Dad, if you embarrass me, I will never talk to you again.’ But what she did do is she hung out with me.”

No matter who your dad is, especially if you’re a 10-year-old-girl, you have zero desire to see him dance in front of your friends.

But the parents at the dance probably would have had a blast seeing Wahlberg bust out some of his old-school ’90s Marky Mark moves.

However, Wahlberg couldn’t help but leave his mark on the music being played at the dance.

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Let’s not forget, he didn’t get famous for his acting but for showing off his abs in the “Good Vibrations” video.

Being that Wahlberg’s time as a pop star was three decades ago, he couldn’t believe it when he heard the music being played at the dance.

“[Grace] sat there on the edge of the stage, by the DJ. And then I’m sitting there with one other dad and I’m like, ‘This is not an edited version of this song. There are explicit lyrics being played at a school dance for girls and I’m like no good,'” he said.

“I told the DJ and he’s like, ‘Oh, I thought it was.’ I said, ‘What are you doing?’ I’m hearing F-bombs and this and that’s not okay,” Wahlberg said.

He’s right. There’s no place for music with explicit lyrics at a dance for 10-year-old children.

Wahlberg says the DJ didn’t know he wasn’t playing the edited version, but it’s probably more likely that he didn’t even realize the song was a problem. Pop music these days is filled with a numbing amount of violent and misogynistic lyrics.

A recent study from the University of Missouri found that nearly one-third of pop songs contain lyrics that degrade or demean women by portraying them as submissive or sexually objectified.

Currently, three of the top five songs on the Billboard Top 40 contain the word “bitch.” One of them is sung in Korean.

It’s odd that Americans have become more sensitive to misogyny in pop culture in films, television, and comedy, but still have a huge cultural blind-spot when it comes to music.

That’s not a good thing, especially when pop music is marketed to teenagers.

“We know that music has a strong impact on young people and how they view their role in society,” said Cynthia Frisby, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism.

“Unlike rap or hip-hop, pop music tends to have a bubbly, uplifting sound that is meant to draw listeners in,” Frisby continued. “But that can be problematic if the lyrics beneath the sound are promoting violence and misogynistic behavior.”

Let’s face it, pop stars are role models. Their examples show young people what to wear and how to behave. That’s not to say that kids will blindly follow someone just because they like their music. But it has an undeniable effect.

Wahlberg, and any parent who monitors what their kids are listening to, deserve credit for protecting the minds and hearts of their kids.

Frisby has some great advice for parents concerned about negative imagery in pop music.

“Ask your daughters and sons what songs they like to listen to and have conversations about how the songs might impact their identity,” Frisby said.

“For example, many songs might make young girls feel like they have to look and act provocative in order to get a boy to like them, when that isn’t necessarily the case. If children and teens understand that what they are hearing isn’t healthy behavior, then they might be more likely to challenge what they hear on the radio.”

He’s right. There’s no place for music with explicit lyrics at a dance for 10-year-old children.

Wahlberg says the DJ didn’t know he wasn’t playing the edited version, but it’s probably more likely that he didn’t even realize the song was a problem. Pop music these days is filled with a numbing amount of violent and misogynistic lyrics.

A recent study from the University of Missouri found that nearly one-third of pop songs contain lyrics that degrade or demean women by portraying them as submissive or sexually objectified.

Currently, three of the top five songs on the Billboard Top 40 contain the word “bitch.” One of them is sung in Korean.

It’s odd that Americans have become more sensitive to misogyny in pop culture in films, television, and comedy, but still have a huge cultural blind-spot when it comes to music.

That’s not a good thing, especially when pop music is marketed to teenagers.

“We know that music has a strong impact on young people and how they view their role in society,” said Cynthia Frisby, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism.

“Unlike rap or hip-hop, pop music tends to have a bubbly, uplifting sound that is meant to draw listeners in,” Frisby continued. “But that can be problematic if the lyrics beneath the sound are promoting violence and misogynistic behavior.”

Let’s face it, pop stars are role models. Their examples show young people what to wear and how to behave. That’s not to say that kids will blindly follow someone just because they like their music. But it has an undeniable effect.

Wahlberg, and any parent who monitors what their kids are listening to, deserve credit for protecting the minds and hearts of their kids.

Frisby has some great advice for parents concerned about negative imagery in pop music.

“Ask your daughters and sons what songs they like to listen to and have conversations about how the songs might impact their identity,” Frisby said.

“For example, many songs might make young girls feel like they have to look and act provocative in order to get a boy to like them, when that isn’t necessarily the case. If children and teens understand that what they are hearing isn’t healthy behavior, then they might be more likely to challenge what they hear on the radio.”

This article originally appeared on 03.02.20

Though we’re all part of the same species living on the same planet, our experience as humans walking through this world can differ widely. Children see things through a different lens than adults. Women and men have different perspectives on certain issues. And because racism has long been an active element in our society, people with varying amounts of melanin in their skin face specific challenges that others don’t.

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As a white American, I don’t instinctively know what it’s like to walk in a black person’s shoes. I can tell you about the legacy of white supremacy laced throughout our country’s history. I can explain the far-reaching effects of slavery, lynch mobs, Jim Crow laws, redlining, mass incarceration, and more. I can intellectually break down the psychological and sociological impact of centuries of race-based oppression.

But I can’t tell you what it feels like to walk through this world, right now, as a black person—which is why it’s so important to listen to the voices of people who can.

David Summers shared a story on Facebook that reflects the experience of many black Americans—one that can help us non-black folks see through a lens we simply do not and cannot have. Perhaps that’s why it’s been shared more than 20,000 times. From the fear that any object he carries might be mistaken as a gun to figuring out how to smile at a stranger just right so he won’t be considered a threat, the “black thoughts” Summers describes during his walk through a beautiful, white neighborhood—presumably a neighborhood most of us would consider “safe”—are heartbreaking.

He wrote:

“I took a black walk this morning. I took a black walk through a white neighborhood. When I take black walks, I think black thoughts. I am conscious of where I’ve placed my gun, my gun, and my gun. I mean, my phone, my wallet, and my keys. Because Peace Officers have a hard time telling the difference. I rehearse what I’ll say if a concerned resident, or a law enforcement employee has questions about why my black body is walking through their white space. And I remind myself to make sure the law enforcement employee has his body camera recording. Sometimes it helps if there is video evidence to accompany the hashtag.

There is no way to be stealthy when you take a black walk. White neighborhoods are blanketed by a sophisticated security system comprised of nosy neighbors, Ring doorbell cameras, and white women walking their dogs. So, I’ve learned to notice the white world through my periphery. To be aware of the dangers without acknowledging them. There is an art to making white people feel safe. To say ‘Good Morning’ and flash a smile that shows confidence and deference at the same time. To being polite because your life depends on it.

I felt the squad car behind me before I saw it.

It moved deliberately. Not like the other cars mindlessly whizzing past. Its tires inched. Crept. Stalked their way toward me.

I kept walking.

“Don’t take your hands out of your pockets,” I thought. Or wait, maybe I should? Maybe it’s better if my hands are clearly empty. But it’s cold outside…maybe it’s nothing. Keep walking.

The car rolled past me and made a slow right turn. I glanced quickly but didn’t stare. The air is still. My ears tuned out everything but the slight scuff of my sneakers on the sidewalk and the fading sound of those stalking tires.

Almost there.

Suddenly the squad car re-emerged. It was a block ahead of me. It made a quick right turn, continued to the end of the street, and then waited. No more stalking. This was a show of force. This was a roar. This was a reminder that I was trespassing.

I kept walking.

“Don’t take your hands out of your pockets,” I thought. Or wait, maybe I should? Maybe it’s better if my hands are clearly empty. But it’s cold outside…maybe it’s nothing. Keep walking.

The car rolled past me and made a slow right turn. I glanced quickly but didn’t stare. The air is still. My ears tuned out everything but the slight scuff of my sneakers on the sidewalk and the fading sound of those stalking tires.

Almost there.

Suddenly the squad car re-emerged. It was a block ahead of me. It made a quick right turn, continued to the end of the street, and then waited. No more stalking. This was a show of force. This was a roar. This was a reminder that I was trespassing.

I kept walking.

As I approached the corner, the front window began to roll down. The occupant didn’t speak. Didn’t smile. Just stared. I was being warned.

I crossed the street and the lion trotted off. He had effectively marked his territory. The brave protector had done his job.

I however, couldn’t help but wonder what I’d missed during my black walk. It’s hard to hear the birds chirping, or to smile at the squirrels playfully darting along the branches when you’re on a black walk. It’s easy to miss the promise of a light blue sky, or appreciate the audacity of the red, yellow, and purple daisies declaring their independence from the green grass when your mind is preoccupied with black thoughts.

I took a walk through a beautiful neighborhood this morning. But I missed the whole thing.”

Thank you, Mr. Summers, for sharing your “black walk” experience. Hopefully, it will prompt us all to ask ourselves whether our words and actions serve to reinforce or remedy what you’ve described.​

This article originally appeared on 08.03.17

For a lot of parents, the word ‘no’ is almost a gut reaction.

“Can we get ice cream?” “No.”

“Can I stay up a little later? “No.”

“Can we put on the ‘Moana’ soundtrack for the 40th time today?” “NO!”

It makes total sense. Kids and teenagers are constantly pushing boundaries, testing limits, and asking for things (some reasonable and some not).

Usually, as a parent, you have to shut it down.

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One mom recently shared a powerful story about why — though it comes easy to us — we shouldn’t always say no without thinking things through.

Rachel Ann Carpenter posted on Facebook sharing the story of her then-9-year-old daughter Nevaeh … who wanted to dye her hair pink.

“I initially said no because I know how judgmental people can be when it comes to children with colored hair,” Carpenter writes in a Facebook message. “I also figured since she was only 9 she had her whole life to change her hair if she wanted!”

So she said it. ‘No.’

But then, Nevaeh had a terrible accident.

“A few days later at a camp they were doing a demonstration involving fire and something went wrong and it caught her on fire. She had horrible burns over 70% of her body. This time last year we were in the hospital with her not knowing if she was going to live or not.”

Life is way to short to say NO all of the time. This time last year she asked me if she could have pink hair and I said…
Posted by Rachel Ann Carpenter on Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Nevaeh was lucky to survive the fire. And a year later, she asked again if she could dye her hair.

This time, her mom gave an emphatic “Yes!”

“Just because someone is young does not mean they are promised time,” Carpenter says. “I was so glad she was still here to ask me. It is just hair, hair color will fade. Something so easy as colored hair made her extremely happy.”

The story highlights a tough question for parents: Are you drawing real, important boundaries with your kids? Or just saying “no” out of fear or habit?

It’s our job to protect our children from danger or grave mistakes that may severely impact their life, but we can’t protect them against every scraped knee from running too fast on the playground — nor should we.

Most experts agree that taking risks, exploring, experimenting with identity, and making mistakes are all important parts of growing up. Psychologist Randy Cale tells “Psychologies” parents should aim to only step in when safety is a serious concern or when the consequences of a behavior won’t be immediately apparent to them (like eating ice cream for dinner every single night).

And beyond all the child psychology, sometimes it’s just more fun to say “yes.”

“It is so important to let your children live a little,” Carpenter says. “As adults it’s easy to forget what it’s like to be a child and how easy it is to make them happy.”

This article originally appeared on 10.13.17

Imagine you’re getting ready to drop some bad news on someone. Say, breaking off a months-long relationship.

“I’m not sure how to say this,” you start. “This has been really great. Dating you has been a lot of fun. You’re really wonderful. And—” You roll out a string of platitudes and compliments, dreading and delaying the part that comes next, when you finally say “It’s over.”

You think you’re being nice. Protecting their feelings. You don’t want to be coldhearted, right?

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Science, however, says there might be a better way.

A new study finds that, in most cases, a much smaller “buffer” before the bad news is actually preferable. According to the people who matter most.

Alan Manning, a professor of linguistics at Brigham Young University, and Nicole Amare, his research partner, were interested in what he calls the “information design” of giving bad news. Quite literally, how much stuff should you say or write before just getting on with it?

The procedure was simple: 145 volunteers were shown two similar but differently worded versions of the same message, side by side, and asked to choose which they found the least objectionable. (Stuff in the vein of, “Your car is being recalled” all the way to “Let’s break up” or “You’re fired.”)

Manning says, in most cases, there was a clear preference for the more concise message.

Participants also mostly responded that clarity and directness were more important than how considerate the message was.

The findings contradict a lot of the previous research, Manning says, which stressed buffers and positivity and silver linings. He says when you just talk to people, you get a different story: “When you ask people if they want the bad news straight-up, they almost always say yes.”

If bad-news recipients just want it straight, why do we tend to draw it out?

Manning says it’s because we’re looking out for ourselves. It’s easier and makes us feel better to beat around the bush a little bit.

Turns out, the whole thing is a practical exercise in empathy.

“One of the great challenges of growing up and being a fully functioning adult is being fully aware of other people’s needs around you and not just your own,” he says.

He hopes the study will help people become better deliverers of bad news, and, ultimately, take better care of each other. He urges us to think critically about how sensitive the message we’re delivering is and to respond appropriately. Don’t be callous, he says, and blurt out “I’m breaking up with you,” before even saying “Hi.” But a smaller buffer is almost always appreciated by the recipient.

It’s hard to break old habits. It’s even harder to be direct. But getting and giving bad news is part of our daily lives. It’ll be worth the effort to do it right.

Last week, Netflix unveiled something they long vowed they’d never do: an ad-supported version of their service. Subscribers were fleeing; money, which had been spent on blockbuster-sized budgets, was drying up. It had to be done, evidently. But it’s been a chaotic roll-out, and the way they’ve implemented their new tactic already has its critics, including certain high-profile “content creators.”

As per CNBC, multiple sources say Shonda Rhimes — whose Netflix shows include Bridgerton and Inventing Anna — is among those who’ve complained about the ads. They say they interrupt their storytelling, their flow. After all, these shows (and movies) were not made with commercial breaks in mind.

Among others who’ve complained are Intrepid Pictures, who’ve put such shows and films as The Haunting of Hill House, directed by Mike Flanagan (who is also reportedly nonplussed). One episode of that show is comprised of five long takes over 50 minutes. They’re now rudely interrupted by ads, killing not only the tension but the filmmaking. One reason Intrepid signed up with Netflix was because of their lack of ads.

Netflix executives have tried to cushion the blow of the ads, saying they try to find places where breaks make sense, or as much as they possibly can. Some who’ve worked with Netflix have not complained about the ads, including Ryan Murphy and The Queen’s Gambit’s Scott Frank.

That said, there’s one thing Netflix won’t be doing with those who make shows and movies for them: sharing the revenue from those ads with them. Indeed, the only thing they can do about the ads is complain about them — or complain if their shows or movies aren’t even a part of the ad-supported version.

(Via CNBC)