Month: January 2024

Basketball coaching legend John Wooden once famously said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching,” and he has a great point. It’s one thing to do what’s right when you are afraid you’ll be punished for doing the wrong thing by an authority figure. It’s another to do the right thing because your peers will applaud you.

But the highest moral good is doing what’s right when no one is watching because that’s doing good for its own sake.

A story out of Gothenburg, Sweden, shows that in that community, the patrons of its library know a little something about doing good just because it’s the right thing to do.

On November 4, the Gothenburg City Library was closed for All Saints Day. The day is a holiday dedicated to remembering loved ones who passed by lighting a candle on their graves, or spending time with family and having a festive meal.

The City Library was scheduled to be closed for the holiday, but one of the employees forgot to lock the building door. So, being that it was a Saturday, hundreds of people flocked to the library to check out books, read magazines, surf the internet, or play video games.

Library employee Anna Carin Elf was in the neighborhood and was shocked to see people walking in and out of the library when it was supposed to be closed. Even though it wasn’t supposed to be open, the people in the library just went about their business as if it was a typical day.

“They were surprised. They thought it was a bit empty,” Elf said, according to ZME Science. “The people in the library behaved as usual. Many were sitting reading newspapers, some families were in the children’s section and others were searching for books on the computer.”

Elf contacted her boss and another colleague and told everyone in the library that the building was closed. The patrons closed up their books and went home. But some left with books for some weekend reading.

The librarians later did a tally and found that 446 people visited the library on All Saints Day and 246 books were borrowed. Surprisingly, all of the books were returned within 5 days. “Nothing was destroyed. It’s amazing that Gothenburgers enter an empty library and treat it so lovingly,” Elf told The Local.

Such a heartwarming story u2764ufe0fnThis Saturday, the city library in Gothenburg was closed. But someone forgot to lock the doors. nNo worries! Hundreds of visitors just did what you do at the library: they borrowed books, read the papers, treated their beloved library with respect.

— (@)

Through that act, the people of Gothenburg showed us what community spirit is all about. Their collective honesty is a beautiful indicator of their love for their library, its resources and their fellow citizens. Because when you rob a library, you’re stealing from your community.

The story is a powerful reminder to people all over the world of how we should view our public libraries. They aren’t just buildings but a crucial part of our community, a hub of learning and a symbol of our trust in each other.

It also proves the old Iraqi proverb: “The reader does not steal, and the thief does not read.”

This article originally appeared on 11.9.23

The Milwaukee Bucks are 30-13 this season, good for second in the Eastern Conference, but despite a strong record there are some concerns about their ability to compete for a title given how poorly they’ve played on the defensive end.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has called the team out previously for their effort and the coaching staff for not having a coherent scheme. Early in the season they tried having Brook Lopez play at the level rather than playing drop to disastrous results, only to revert to his comfortable coverage after players asked for the change. All of that serves as the backdrop for a sudden coaching change in mid-January for the Bucks, as Adrian Griffin is out as head coach in Milwaukee after just 43 games on the job, per Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania.

Griffin was a top assistant in Toronto and this firing suggests that the issues go beyond just a poor defensive scheme/buy-in from the Bucks. You don’t fire a coach midway through his first season unless there’s something more going on behind the scenes — and you also don’t do this without the blessing of your stars. Even before the season began there was a hint at things not being as they should with the new staff in Milwaukee, when Terry Stotts abruptly left the team after they traded for Damian Lillard, who enjoyed most of his success in Portland playing for Stotts.

As for who will replace Griffin, Shams and Woj immediately pointed to Doc Rivers, who has been part of ESPN’s top broadcast team this season after being let go by Philly, as a leading candidate for the job.

We’ll see if Rivers does indeed become the Bucks new head coach or if Milwaukee goes in a different direction, but it’s a huge shakeup on the bench for one of the East’s top contenders.

Kendrick Lamar and his company, pgLang, recently helped score a short promotional video for Chanel’s Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture Show. The video was written and directed by Dave Free, and stars Margaret Qualley, Anna Mouglalis, and Naomi Campbell.

Interestingly enough, it also caught fans’ attention for appearing to have an unreleased song from Lamar. Backed by a fast-paced instrumental that matches the stress that Qualley portrays while trying to get a train ticket, Lamar can be heard around the 0:40 mark.

“I’m up and down,” he sings over the beat. “To see there’s an exit is impossible.”

“At the invitation of Virginie Viard, Kendrick Lamar, and Dave Free meet the world of Chanel Haute Couture for the first time, bringing to life a story about time and transmission,” a statement read, which Free posted to Instagram. He had teased the release with footage from the video, and Lamar’s song.

“Actress and House ambassador Margaret Qualley plunges us into the tale “The Button” alongside actress and House ambassador Anna Mouglalis, as well as friend of the House Naomi Campbell,” Free’s caption added.

The full Haute Couture Show took place earlier today where fans got to hear the longer Lamar song, which plays around the 16:00 mark.

Check out the video for “The Button” and Chanel’s fashion show above.

On top of locking down an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, Barbie also saw America Ferrera score a nomination for Best Supporting Actress alongside Ryan Gosling who was also nominated for his work as Ken in the blockbuster film. However, Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig did not receive nominations for Best Actress or Best Director, which cast a bittersweet pall over Barbie‘s Oscars presence.

While talking to Variety, Ferrera first reacted to her own nomination, which she had every reason to celebrate. Not only was it her first Oscar nom, but her kids couldn’t believe what was happening.

“I still haven’t really been able to get in my feelings because I’m still on like the top layer of ‘I can’t even believe that this is real,’” Ferrera said. She didn’t believe the whole thing was real until her publicist called her. “He was screaming and emotional. And I just heard my kids in the back, like so confused. ‘What are you screaming about?’”

As for Robbie and Gerwig’s snubs, Ferrera called the whole thing “incredibly disappointing” before praising the work of the two women:

“Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve it,” Ferrera explains. “Creating this world, and taking something that didn’t have inherent value to most people and making it a global phenomenon. It feels disappointing to not see her on that list.”

As for Robbie — who earned a best picture nomination for producing “Barbie,” but was snubbed for what would’ve been her third acting nod — Ferrera has nothing but praise for her complex performance.

“What Margot achieved as an actress is truly unbelievable,” Ferrera says.

Ferrera also had kind words for her competitors in the Best Supporting Actress category.

“We should be getting to enjoy the work and performances of all different kinds of artists,” Ferrera said. “Opportunities were created for these artists to do their work. It’s exciting to see that those opportunities did exist in this in this year of film for women of color to get to shine and be a part of the of the best filmmaking of the year.”

(Via Variety)

There is only one show on Netflix that answers the ever-burning question: Is It Cake? And we want it back! We are of course talking about the cooking-competition-game-show-living-meme Is It Cake? and its follow-up season Is It Cake, Too? If you’re unfamiliar with the show or the meme that birthed it, the concept is simple: contestants bake cakes that replicate everyday objects in an effort to trick celebrity judges for a chance to win money, and subsequently, more money if they themselves can identify real cash from cash that is… made from cake.

It’s bizarre, it’s very internet-y, and it’s addictive as hell. Meta has gone meta to a meta factor of meta. So when is season 3 coming? We’re here to tell you everything we know.

When Will Season 3 Of Is It Cake Air?

We have good news and bad news. The bad news is that Is It Cake? Season 3 does not yet have an official release date as of January 23, 2024, and Netflix hasn’t officially announced a renewal.

The good news is that the show’s Netflix casting page lists the status of the series as “Ongoing,” and they’re taking one-minute submissions from prospective bakers. The submission pitch reads:

“Can you bake cakes that are so hyper-realistic that they will fool our judges? … Tell us why you think you can win this competition and describe your baking experience.”

Considering the show is still recruiting, we’re willing to bet that Season 3 is indeed coming. There is no word on whether host and SNL alum Mikey Day will return for a third time, but Day seems genuinely into hosting the show (it’s all over his Instagram) and in an interview with TVLine promoting the second season, Day expressed that he’d love to see a judges panel that consists of kids, and he hopes one day to step into a some sort of cake vehicle.

“It’s been my goal for a while,” Day tells TVLine, “Even if it’s a little moped. Being transported via cake would be ridiculous but just so much fun.”

This isn’t the first time Day has mentioned riding around in a cake vehicle, he expressed the same desire in an older interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Dude wants a cake car the way 2Chainz wants a Bentley truck. So until we see Day riding around in a vehicle made of cake or presiding over a judge’s panel of brutally honest children, we’re going to assume his tenure as host isn’t done.

We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as there is a definitive answer on Is It Cake? Season 3. For now, we’ll just have to imagine what a third season might be called. Is It Cake… As Well? Is It Cake… Again? Is it Cake… Three? We can play this game all day.

Despite what you might think, Argylle is a real upcoming film and not just a Dua Lipa music video. And contrary to popular belief, the name of the movie is Argylle, not “argyle” so if you were expecting a fun little sweater design, you would be sorely mistaken. But it should still be fun!

The highly-anticipated movie comes from Matthew Vaughn, the mind behind Kick-Ass, Kingsman, and the best X-men movie, Days of Future Past. The movie has been shrouded in mystery over the past few months, and even some eagle-eyed (obsessed) fans conjured up a theory that Taylor Swift was somehow involved. She’s not (…yet) but here is everything else you need to know about the upcoming blockbuster.

Plot

It might seem like just another action movie, and it probably is, but the plot of Argylle is a little bit more than what meets the eye, and it includes a book tie-in.

Bryce Dallas Howard stars as Elly Conway, a best-selling author whose fictional stories start to mirror real-life crimes. Soon, Conway becomes targeted by actual spies, and Conway must team up with a real spy named Aiden (Sam Rockwell) to ensure her own safety. Of course, nothing is easy, because Aiden is allergic to cats, which is the scariest part of all. Even though Conway is a fake author, she does have a “real” Instagram account that has been counting down to the big release.

Here is the official plot description:

From the twisted mind of Matthew Vaughn comes Argylle, a razor-witted, reality-bending, globe-encircling spy thriller.

Bryce Dallas Howard is Elly Conway, the reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie. But when the plots of Elly’s fictional books—which center on secret agent Argylle and his mission to unravel a global spy syndicate—begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past.

Accompanied by Aiden, a cat-allergic spy, Elly races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Elly’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur.

Cast

The film features a stacked cast, including the acting debut from pop star Dua Lipa and her Barbie counterpart John Cena. The rest of the cast includes non-Superman Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, Sofia Boutella, Rob Delaney and Jing Lusi. Most importantly, the cat is played by Chip.

Release Date

The movie hits theaters on February 1st.

Trailer

Check out the trailer below:

If Paul Giamatti wins an Oscar, he’ll celebrate by going to In-N-Out Burger (with his Billions actress girlfriend). If Giamatti doesn’t win an Oscar, you’ll know he’s taking it hard if he goes to Subway instead.

Earlier this month, the Academy Award-nominated The Holdovers star was spotted enjoying a burger at the California fast food institution after winning Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. Giamatti was surprised at all the attention paid to the viral photo. “It was a funny experience. I’m glad people enjoyed it,” he told Deadline. “I’m fascinated by the whole idea of what goes viral and what doesn’t, and I’m sort of puzzled as to why that did. But I’m happy that people enjoyed it, and you know, I love In-N-Out Burger, so it’s always a good plus to plug In-N-Out Burger.”

What’s Giamatti’s go-to order? “It’s very basic. I do the double-double with raw onions — nothing fancy. No animal style. I know it’s boring, but I like it to be simple,” he revealed to Variety. Solid order. You know what goes good with a double-double? Jim Beam.

Giamatti is up for Best Actor alongside frontrunner Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer), Bradley Cooper (Maestro), Colman Domingo (Rustin), and Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction). The 2024 Oscars air on March 10th.

(Via Deadline and Variety)

February 11 is a day both sports and music fans have marked on their calendars, as that’s when Super Bowl LVIII is set to go down. There are still a couple NFL playoff match-ups left to determine who will make it to the big game, but what we do know right now is what musical artists are involved in the proceedings.

Aside from the Halftime Show, there are also a handful of pre-game performances, so let’s take a look at who’s doing what.

Who Is Performing The 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show?

This is the question with probably the most obvious answer, as we’ve known for months now that Usher will have the honor of doing the Halftime Show at this year’s Super Bowl. As many probably expected, it appears Usher’s performance will be one that looks back at his storied career, as he indicated in a recent teaser video.

Who Is Performing The 2024 Super Bowl National Anthem?

Before the players take the field, there will be three pre-game performances, it was announced on January 18. As for “The Star-Spangled Banner,” that’ll be sung by Reba McEntire.

Who Is Performing “America The Beautiful” At The 2024 Super Bowl?

Post Malone has been tapped to deliver a rendition of “America The Beautiful.”

Who Is Performing “Lift Every Voice And Sing” At The 2024 Super Bowl?

Actor/singer Andra Day will have the honor of singing “Lift Every Voice And Sing” at this year’s Super Bowl.

It’s so hard for Ozzy Osbourne to say goodbye to life on the road. Due to growing medical concerns in 2o23, the “War Pigs” musician was forced to pull out of his headlining slot at Power Trip 2023. Following the news, fans began to think Osbourne would be reluctantly retiring from performing.

During a sit-down with Rolling Stone UK, Osbourne shared how difficult it was to learn (through medical advisement) that he might never make good on his 2018 promise of a formal farewell tour. However, according to his wife Sharon, Ozzy will soon have the chance to say goodbye to fans on stage.

According to Consequence, on January 21, while in London on her Cut The Cut Tour, Sharon declared that Ozzy would play two live shows in England to “say goodbye” to his supporters on his terms. When discussing the details of the forthcoming shows, Sharon did not reveal much. But she did hint at where exactly in England the shows will held.

“We will do it in Aston Villa, where Ozzy is from,” she said. “His voice is still absolutely perfect. And all the time he has been off, he still does his singing lessons, so his voice is perfect.”

Although it has been scaled down, Ozzy could get his wish after all. Currently, though, no concerts have been officially announced.

Seth Meyers might have been premature in calling Ron DeSantis weirder than Donald Trump. This week alone, the former president made a bunch of weird noises at a rally, pledged to build “the greatest dome ever” (Under the Dome would like a word), and shared AI art where he has six fingers.

Anything to distract from his tiny (bloody?) hands.

Mediaite reports that “in the hours leading up to the all-important New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, Trump managed to outdo his usual bonkers output. For example, many social media users took note when Trump re-posted a reply from a supporter that included an apparent AI-generated image of Trump praying in a church pew.” You might not notice it at first, but in the image, Trump has a half-dozen fingers.

The post appears to have been deleted, but that’s what screenshots are for.

Weird!

But why does Trump need an extra finger? To hit the caps lock key, of course. “I GET MUCH BETTER POLE NUMBERS AGAINST BIDEN THAN NIKKI HALEY, NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!” he wrote/shouted on Truth Social on Tuesday. I hope he meant “poll” numbers, because the idea of Trump working the pole is too frightening to think about.

(Via Mediaite)