Month: November 2023

Have you ever seen anyone put an avocado pit in water to grow an avocado tree? I’ve seen lots of people try, but only a few succeed. My mom has a tiny avocado tree growing in her living room that she managed to grow from the pit of a Hass avocado she ate. It’s small but thriving, and I’ve often wondered if it will ever grow actual avocados.

As it turns out, it could—but they won’t be Hass avocados.

Wait, huh?

In a wow-that’s-an-interesting-factoid-I-never-knew-before video, an avocado tree grower explains in this YouTube video why a Hass avocado seed doesn’t grow into a Hass avocado tree. Avocados, apparently, are not “true to seed” plants, meaning if you plant the seed, you’ll end up with a different variety of the fruit the seed came from. Apples are the same—if you plant a Fuji apple seed, you will not get a Fuji apple tree. In fact, chances are really, really high that you’ll get an avocado or an apple that tastes terrible if you try to grow it from a seed of an existing fruit.

The guy from Sleepy Lizard Avocado Farm explains how it all works using an analogy with candy flavors. This is the genetics lesson we all needed in school when we were trying to figure out Punnett squares, and he explains it all so clearly.

Incredible how nature works, and so amazing what human beings have been able to figure out over millennia of agricultural advancements.

So how do you get a Hass avocado tree if you can’t plant a Hass avocado seed to grow it? As he explains in the video, you can plant the pit and start to grow the tree, but if you want Hass avocados you have to graft a branch of a Hass avocado tree onto the stem of the tree you’re growing.

Or, you can just buy a baby Hass avocado tree that’s already been grafted, which is probably a heck of a lot easier than figuring out how to graft one yourself.

So go ahead and sprout that seed in water and grow yourself a pretty avocado plant if you’d like. Just don’t expect any yummy avocados from it, since your chances are about 1 in 10,000 that it’ll happen.

Thanks for the fascinating lesson, avocado guy!

This article originally appeared on 07.06.21

We’ve all been there at some point or another, nervously waiting for a big job interview hoping you don’t sweat through your good shirt. Interviews are stressful but there’s likely no job interview more stressful than the one Guy Goma went on in 2006 for the BBC, when he was mistaken for an expert for a news segment. The person they were supposed to interview for the news segment was Guy Kewney, an actual music industry expert. But with cameras rolling and questions being asked, Goma took a deep breath and answered the newscaster.

In the clip you can see Goma likely thinking through how he could gracefully exit the situation after the realization that he had been placed on live television with no idea what he was about to be asked. It didn’t stop him though, once he committed to going along with the expert interview he did pretty well. While he tried desperately to control his breathing, he was able to inform the interviewer that he was predicting more people would begin downloading music online and it would become a faster process. I mean, he was right, even if he had no idea at the time.

Surprisingly, after the on-air snafu and subsequent save by Goma, he didn’t get the job he applied for, which is weird because he was clearly perfect for whatever position he wanted. I’m pretty sure they dropped the ball there, but it sure would be nice to know what happened to the quick-thinking faux expert.

Unfortunately there are no recent updates about the whereabouts of Guy Goma after his brief and random moment in the spotlight, but he’ll always hold a place in television history. Watch Goma’s WTF reaction when he realizes what’s going on below.

This article originally appeared on 10.20.22

We’ve all been there at some point or another, nervously waiting for a big job interview hoping you don’t sweat through your good shirt. Interviews are stressful but there’s likely no job interview more stressful than the one Guy Goma went on in 2006 for the BBC, when he was mistaken for an expert for a news segment. The person they were supposed to interview for the news segment was Guy Kewney, an actual music industry expert. But with cameras rolling and questions being asked, Goma took a deep breath and answered the newscaster.

In the clip you can see Goma likely thinking through how he could gracefully exit the situation after the realization that he had been placed on live television with no idea what he was about to be asked. It didn’t stop him though, once he committed to going along with the expert interview he did pretty well. While he tried desperately to control his breathing, he was able to inform the interviewer that he was predicting more people would begin downloading music online and it would become a faster process. I mean, he was right, even if he had no idea at the time.

Surprisingly, after the on-air snafu and subsequent save by Goma, he didn’t get the job he applied for, which is weird because he was clearly perfect for whatever position he wanted. I’m pretty sure they dropped the ball there, but it sure would be nice to know what happened to the quick-thinking faux expert.

Unfortunately there are no recent updates about the whereabouts of Guy Goma after his brief and random moment in the spotlight, but he’ll always hold a place in television history. Watch Goma’s WTF reaction when he realizes what’s going on below.

This article originally appeared on 10.20.22

Lena Headey has plenty going on these days. She will soon appear in Kurt Sutter’s The Abandons (for Netflix) as a powerful matriarch who satisfies her motherly tendencies in an atypical way. Currently, however, she is promoting her directorial feature debut, The Trap, and sat down with The Hollywood Reporter, where she (of course) fielded some Game of Thrones questions.

The woman who embodied Cersei has previously gone on record to say that she wasn’t thrilled with how her Lannister went out. It’s easy to see why the actress was underwhelmed by her character being done away with in the crumbles of the Red Keep while in an incestuous embrace with Jamie. More to the point now, however, is House of the Dragon, a bona fide hit for HBO, but something that doesn’t seem to interest Headey at all. Here’s how that line of questioning went:

I naturally wanted to ask a couple Thrones-related questions. First, I’m curious: Have you watched House of the Dragon?

Nah.

Would that be too weird for you to watch?

Too weird. Yeah.

Headey then elaborated about how cool it would have been if Cersei and Arya had a showdown, and how pretty much every GoT actor had a tendency to “start trying to write the story yourself.” Fortunately, that final GoT season didn’t leave as much of a bad taste in viewers’ mouths because House of the Dragon (which will be back soon but never soon enough) has been going strong since its premiere. Whew.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

Olivia Rodrigo will be performing at the 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, which is being held this Friday, November 3 at NYC’s Barclays Center. In the announcement, it is noted that she will be joining “one of her heroes” on the stage.

While it was intended to remain as a mystery artist, John Sykes, a chairman of the Rock And Roll HOF Foundation, revealed Rodrigo’s plan during an interview with The New York Times.

“Olivia Rodrigo is coming in this year,” Sykes said. “Last year, she got up and sang ‘You’re So Vain’ by Carly Simon. She’s going to play with Sheryl Crow this year. It’s this mutual admiration that connects the past with the present.”

A few weeks ago, Rodrigo also gave fans a little preview of her and Crow’s performance, as they played together at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. The two sang Crow’s classic hit, “If It Makes You Happy.”

“pinch me!” Rodrigo captioned a clip of their duet on Instagram at the time. “sang one of my favorite songs of all time with the greatest of all time @sherylcrow !!!! what an honor!!!”

For more information on the 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, visit their website.

We are just days away from Kevin Abstract’s new album, Blanket. Ahead of the album, Abstract has shared some new tracks, on which he dives more into a rock- and pop-inspired soundscape, including “Blanket” and “What Should I Do?”

Today (November 1), Abstract dropped “Madonna,” a smooth, guitar-driven track, which features Abstract telling the story of a woman coping with heartache by way of hedonism and escapism.

“She’s better off in the club dancin’ how she wanna / Do her thing, what she feel, smokin’ marijuana /Spend her bands how she needs, she thinks she Madonna / She thinks she Madonna, maybe she Madonna,” Abstract sings on the song’s chorus.

“Madonna” is accompanied by a short film called OTTERPOP. In OTTERPOP, a young boy runs through a field to a popsicle stand, and is handed an assortment of popsicles by a friendly purple monster. The boy then dances as “Madonna” plays in the background. The boy then, naturally, pukes out a rainbow.

The upcoming album, Blanket, marks Abstract’s first solo album in six years, and the first since the disbandment of his band, Brockhampton.

You can listen to “Madonna” and watch the OTTERPOP short film above.

Blanket is out 11/3 via RCA/Video Store. Find more information here.

Every year, Gwyneth Paltrow reaches down from her perfectly curated perch to bestow upon us, the people, the Goop Holiday Gift Guide. However, this time around, Paltrow has a wave of publicity at her back thanks to her wildly entertaining ski trial and its plethora of cozy looks and dramatic courtroom glasses.

With all eyes on Goop this holiday season, the gift guide does not fail to deliver an assortment of wildly over-priced trinkets that you would have to be out of your damn mind to purchase. Seriously, who is this thing for? Royalty? Oil barons? The women helping Elon Musk repopulate the earth? We honestly have no idea, but that’s not going to stop us from highlighting some of the more choice suggestions that rich weirdos might put under the tree this year, ranked for your enjoyment:

7. Everything In The Under-$100 Gift Guide

Just to show that Goop understands some of its readers might not have the budget for, say, $1,500 ice cubes (this one is coming up), they also provided a handy section filled with lower-priced items for what we can only assume are people you hate? Check out this description: “Special little (and not-so-little) somethings for your mother-in-law, your dog walker, your kid’s favorite teacher, your book club crew, and everyone in between.”

Because Goop apparently thinks the Average Joe is out here draining their 401k to buy gifts for people they barely know, these are just some of the items they recommend:

— A $55 Italian glass ornament. Not a pack of ornaments, just one. One singular ornament.

— An $80 jumprope. How? Why?

— A $75 box of nine tea bags. Because 10 would be garish.

— $25 mouth tape. Tape to put over your mouth. You read that right.

6. Monogram Forge Heated Ice Press ($1,500)

Have you been serving ice cubes from a tray, or God forbid, some sort of bag like a hobo? Knock it off. With this $1,500 ice press, you can carve the perfect, singular ice sphere that will leave everyone raving at your next party while it takes you 45 minutes just to make one drink. Absolutely no one will get mad and push over your TV.

5. Antique Escargot Picks ($567)

We’ve all been here, right? You’re serving escargot, the ultimate snack, but what are people going to pick it up with? Their fingers? Fortunately, this handy set of escargot picks solves that problem and pays for itself after the fourteenth snail. We did the math.

4. Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, Aged 24 Months ($396)

We’ll cut to the chase: If cheese doesn’t cost $400, throw it in the garbage.

3. A 7-Day Airship Cruise to the North Pole (A sack of blood diamonds, probably)

This item doesn’t even come with a price. You have to request it, so that’s definitely not a red flag. Anyway, if you’re a regular Goop Holiday Gift Guide shopper, you’re eventually going to hit a wall because there are only so many gilded sex toys and $400 cheese slivers you can buy. Fortunately, the next logical step is to just start handing out week-long airship journeys to the ends of the Earth like some sort of steampunk supervillain. That’s really what the holidays are all about, isn’t it?

2. Planar Studio Gong and Stand ($2,000)

For the person in your life who’s always saying, “Gee, you know what would be great? The terrifying sound of crashing metal,” Goop has just the gift. For $2,000 you can purchase them a giant gong and watch as your loved one is never again plagued by the quiet stillness of life or caught with their pants down during a ninja attack. It’s a masterpiece of both form and function.

1. Inez 24K Gold G-Spot Vibrator ($15,000)

This item is exactly as advertised. It is literally a vibrator made of gold at the bargain basement price of just $15,000. But be sure to order early because it takes 30 days for this puppy to ship, and God knows you could never show your face at the country club if it arrived on New Year’s. What would the neighbors think?

Happy shopping, everyone!

(Via Goop)

Olivia Rodrigo fans are currently eating (and not just leftover Halloween candy), as the pop star released her second album, Guts, less than two months ago. Still, though, there are theories out there that Rodrigo has a new song coming soon, and the evidence appears compelling.

Is Olivia Rodrigo on the next ‘Hunger Games’ soundtrack?

In recent days, it has been rumored that Rodrigo will have a song included in The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes, the latest film in the Hunger Games franchise that’s set for theatrical release on November 17.

As for why people might think this, one piece of evidence is that Rodrigo just teased an instrumental snippet of new music on her phone hotline.

There’s also the fact that according to reports, Rachel Zegler, who’s starring in the upcoming Hunger Games movie, liked Rodrigo’s tweet sharing her hotline phone number.

Furthermore, today (November 1), there are reports that Rodrigo shared a video on TikTok in which she duets the film’s trailer. That video is not on Rodrigo’s page as of now, but fans on Twitter have captured and re-shared the clip.

At the moment, of course, nothing has been publicly confirmed, and there’s no indication about what the supposed song might be called. Whatever the case, the movie comes out on November 17, so if Rodrigo really does have a song on the soundtrack, expect it to be out in the world by then.

The nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards will be unveiled in just a few days, on November 10. In the meantime, fans wait in excitement to see if their favorite artists, songs, and albums will receive an acknowledgment from the Recording Academy. Beyond that, the winners will be revealed when the ceremony airs on February 4, 2024.

However, worth considering before all that is the window of time that a piece of work must have been released between that would make it acceptable for consideration. The current nomination window looks at everything from October 1, 2022 to September 15, 2023. (As an example, this means that while Taylor Swift’s Midnights would be in the running, her 1989 (Taylor’s Version) would be included as a possibility for 2025, as it missed the 2024 cut-off.)

Another thing to note is that, according to the Recording Academy’s official website, the recordings had to be “commercially released” in the United States to be considered. Once the nominations are out, voters of the Academy will then cast their ballots for the final round of voting. For more about the selection process, visit their official website here.

The Recording Academy will be livestreaming the nomination announcement both on its official website and on YouTube. More information on how to watch the 2024 Grammy nomination ceremony can be found here.

Arguments start to take off when one partner begins to get defensive. So, therapist Lauren Consul shared her relationship-saving tip to “stop an argument in its tracks” when one partner goes into self-preservation mode.

Lauren Consul is a couples and sex therapist who’s developed a following of nearly 160,000 people on TikTok and has received over 5.4 million likes. She is an infidelity expert and hosts retreats to help people “survive and thrive” after one partner has strayed.

“The next time you and your partner are talking, and your partner becomes defensive, I want you to do this: Pause, and say, ‘I want to understand what happened there. What did you hear me say?'” Consul says in her TikTok video with over 42,000 views.

“This question is key because it does one of two things,” she continued. “First, it can allow for clarification. A lot of times when we’ve become defensive, we’ve interpreted something our partner has said incorrectly. We’ve run it through a filter, we’ve told ourselves a story about it, it’s triggered something… So we’re not actually hearing what our partner says, and it allows for clarification.”

@laurenconsul

#communicationtools #communicationtools #defensiveness #couplesargument #learnontiktok #cyclebreaker #couplestherapist #relationshiptherapist #marriagecounseling #mytherapistsays #therapytol #tiktoktherapist

“The second thing: If your partner did interpret what you said correctly, it gives you an opportunity to slow things down and understand what is happening for them and address the underlying issue, rather than get caught in a spiral of defensiveness,” she continued.

Consul’s advice for stopping arguments before they explode is helpful because it clears up any potential misunderstandings. The key is to remember the tactic in the heat of the moment to prevent things from getting out of hand.

This article originally appeared on 3.16.23