Month: February 2024

There are few more fulfilling hobbies than having a love of books.

Reading isn’t just a great way to have a good time. Reading increases brain connectivity, makes people more empathetic, reduces depression symptoms, improves vocabulary, and may even cause you to live longer.

It’s a huge benefit for a child’s development as well. According to Parent.com, reading “stimulates the side of the brain that helps with mental imagery, understanding, and language processing, and that brain activity.”

Sure beats wasting time playing video games.

Thirteen-year-old Callum Manning wanted to share his love of reading with the world, so he created an Instagram account where he posted photos of the books he’s read. It started with a post about Stephen King’s “The Shining.”

“So I guess I’m going to start this account off with one of my favourite books, Callum wrote. “This book was the first book I read in 1 day. And I was like 10. So yeah it scared me.”

See on Instagram

He would go on to fill his pages with books such as “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, “1984” by George Orwell, and current classics such as “A Game of Thrones” by George R.R. Martin and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” by J.K. Rowling

Kids Callum’s age can be exceptionally cruel. A group of them created a group chat where they bullied him for his love of books and then invited him to join. After subjecting him to emotional abuse, they kicked him out of the chat.

“I don’t tend to cry that often but I think that was the first time in a while I’ve actually cried,” Callum told PA Media.

His older sister, Ellis Landreth, was understandably upset about the cruelty, so she tweeted about the group chat, hoping about “20 or 30 of my friends [would] like a few of his posts or follow him or give him some words of encouragement.”

Her tweet would go viral, receiving over 180,000 likes.

Canu2019t believe how awful kids are. My little brothers made an Instagram reviewing and talking about books and kids in his new school have seen it and have created a group chat calling him a creep slagging him off about it and added him to it so he could see pic.twitter.com/wuuj2XlO34

— Ellis (@Ellis)
1582972178

She was bombarded by responses from people who wanted to support her brother.

I think the love from all around the world has probably let him know he isn’t alone. But all the interesting people I know were once considered weird kids with books. Including me.

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 2, 2020

I’ve followed him and dropped him a little message but I’d love to buy him a book or send him over an amazon gift card – I’m sure he has a lot of books on the way but please DM me if there’s any book he doesn’t have 😊

— beffy (@beffybadbelly) March 1, 2020

Just a few hours after the tweet, Callum received thousands of followers on his page. In just three days, he’s up to nearly 400,000 followers. He’s also received countless messages of support through the page.

English novelist Matt Haig sent Callum a collection of books, adding: “Hey let’s all follow Cals Book Account on Instagram and show him some support.” A book store near Manning’s home in northeast England promised him a book on the house.

Callum’s story was shared on Instagram by authors Caroline Kepnes and Malorie Blackman.

The teenager received over 15,000 messages in his DMs. “He’s absolutely overwhelmed,” Landreth told CNN. “He can’t even get through all his DMs.”

Callum’s mother is over the moon about the response. “She’s so happy people are spreading positive messages about these issues,” Landreth said. “No matter how small some things seem, they can stick with kids forever.”

This article originally appeared on 03.04.20

Amazon delivery drivers don’t have the easiest job in the world. Sitting through traffic, working in extreme temperatures, hauling boxes … not exactly a fun time. So when a driver goes out of their way to be extra considerate—people notice.

One delivery driver has gone viral for the way she delivered a little bit of safety education, along with some lighthearted advice. The TikTok video of the encounter, which now has more than 4 million views, was shared by Jessica Huseman, who had only recently moved into her new house.

The clip shows the doorbell cam recording of the driver approaching the house. As the delivery driver makes it to the front door, she sings, ”Hello … I hope your Monday’s going well. You have no markers on your house that says what number you are.”

From there, the driver’s song quickly changes tune, going from funny jest to helpful PSA.

“And that is hard to find your house my dude, and it’s unsafe, honestly,” the driver continues, adding, “what if you needed medical assistance and the paramedics didn’t know your town well? Come on.”

@_jesshopehuse We just moved in and this happened today…she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers. #amazondelivery ♬ original sound – Jessica Huseman

“Have a great day!” she says happily before walking off.

Huseman added the caption: “We just moved in and this happened today… she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers.”

The driver’s observation was clearly on point. Several medical pros commented to back her up.

“As someone who works in EMS I can verify house numbers are necessary! BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THEY ARE EASILY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AT NIGHT,” wrote one person.

Another replied, ”yes! Medic here, we’ve had to call dispatch and ask for them to get [the] caller back on the phone and get [the] description of [the] house because there [are] no numbers.”

Besides her information being vital, people were mostly in love with the driver’s friendly attitude. Here are just a few of the compliments:

“Honestly, give them a raise. That’s awesome vibes right there.”

“She’s a whole friken mood, I love her she gives me pink vibes.”

“I need to meet this Amazon driver!!!! I love her!!”

The delivery driver (named Kelsey) eventually saw her viral video and decided to do a follow-up, where she added other unsafe things she’s seen on the job—primarily unclear entrances and exits—along with an additional sweet message:

@queenofconsent #stitch with @_jesshopehuse ♬ original sound – The Queen K

“Crisis management and prevention education is essential and literally a part of my soul. So anytime I do go out and deliver packages … if I see something, I say something. Cause that’s how bystander intervention works. But keeping in mind that it’s more than that. It is about reminding each other that we are enough, and being there for one another.”

Whether it’s packages or something to smile about, Kelsey is a master of delivery.

This article first appeared on 6.15.22.

There’s a wide variety of summer camps out there with activities ranging from classics like bonfires and water balloon fights to the uber niche, ala putting on musicals or prepping for space adventures.

Still, even with the plentiful themes in existence, people are calling one mom’s unique but oh-so-practical camp idea pure genius.

Kaitlyn Rowe, mom of four and content creator in Utah, gave her kiddos a list of super basic, but very important life skills to learn at home throughout summer, in what she calls “How To Be A Person” camp.

The difficulty level of each task would be age dependent. Rowe’s 3-year-old son learned things like making the bed, safely using scissors and glue, introducing himself to a new friend and organizing his toys. Whereas Rowe’s eldest daughter, age 6, would learn slightly more complex things like scrambling an egg on the stove, blow-drying her hair and packing an overnight bag. There was also a list of skills the siblings would learn together, like putting away groceries, pool safety and talking on the phone.

See on Instagram

As Rowe shared in an interview with Good Morning America, she actually got the idea from fellow mom Emily Ley, who created this alternative camp during the peak days of COVID-19.

Overwhelmed with homeschooling, Ley thought if she could teach her kids “some age-appropriate independence,” it would take the load off of her as well. Rowe borrowed the idea and the “How To Be A Person” camp title as she compiled her own list of activities in lieu of sending her kids to an actual camp. So far, her kids have loved it. And with her post currently having over 54,000 views on Instagram, it seems other parents are in love with the idea as well.

It’s no secret that many of us reach adulthood having learned obscure academic subjects and somehow skimming over the things we would actually incorporate into everyday life. Nothing against algebra and trigonometry, but it sure would have been nice to have learned about doing taxes instead, you know what I’m saying?

Plus, it’s well documented that kids genuinely enjoy mimicking adults, so having them engage in grown-up duties is not only a rewarding activity in the moment, it potentially creates a positive relationship with household chores that they can hold onto throughout their life.

Another cool thing about the “How To Be A Person” camp idea is that it’s fully customizable. It can be a list that parents create, or it can be child-led. It can be 100% practical or silly. A healthy mix is probably the best of both worlds.

Per some suggestions in the comments, it seems that Rowe will be changing the name to “How To Do The Important Stuff” camp to be more inclusive towards those with special needs. Point being: this camp can be for every kid. And honestly, probably should be.

To see Rowe’s complete “How To Be A Person” camp list, go to Instagram.

This article originally appeared on 6.15.23

Many great comedians have sat at the helm of the “Weekend Update” desk on “Saturday Night Live” over the show’s 48 seasons. Chevy Chase was known for his cool deadpan. Dennis Miller was the hip intellectual. Norm Macdonald will go down in history for his endless OJ jokes that eventually got him removed from the desk. Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon were a great double act that was a fun mix of high-brow and low-brow humor.

The current anchors, Michael Che and Colin Jost, will probably best be known for making fun of each other. Over the years, one of the duo’s signature bits has been writing jokes for each other and reading them live for the first time. It seems like every time they do that bit, Che finds a new way to embarrass Jost.

On Saturday, April 1, Che was at it again, this time with a brutal April Fool’s prank where he secretly asked the audience not to laugh at any of Jost’s jokes.

Che and Jost opened their segment with jokes about the indictment of former president Donald Trump, but the audience laughed much harder at Che than at Jost. A few minutes into the bit, Jost made a joke at his own expense and it received only a smattering of laughter.

“At this point, it feels like even pro-Trump people have moved on,” Jost said, referring to the trial before a superimposed image of him wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat and a sign that read, “LET OUR BOY GO!” appeared on the screen.

The gag was met with an audience member screaming, “You stink!” The heckle was the last straw for Jost, who hung his head in his hand in shame. At that point, Che gave up the gag.

“I told them not to laugh at you for April Fools,'” Che told Jost, and the two couldn’t keep it together. “That’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done to me. I’m covered in sweat,” Jost told Che through fits of laughter.

“I was truly like, ‘Am I not mic’d?’ And then I was like, ‘Oh, I just suck,” Jost joked.

The crowd broke out in applause for Jost, but he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of acknowledging them after they refused to laugh at his jokes. “No, no! Don’t even dare! Don’t you even dare try now.”

When it was Jost’s turn to tell his next joke, a bit about Florida Ron DeSantis, Che said, “They’ll probably laugh at this next one.” And the audience did.

The episode was hosted by Abbot Elementary’s Quinta Brunson, who shined in “Traffic Altercation,” a sketch where she and Mikey Day played motorists screaming at each other in traffic. The crux of the bit was that they couldn’t hear what each other was saying, so they had to argue using hand signals.

This article originally appeared on 4.3.23

There’s a chance Donald Trump could score a dubious record: becoming the first convicted felon to represent a major political party at a national election. Congrats? He apparently knows it, too, which is why he’s planning on ramping up one of his more recent tricks: Acting like a petulant child in courtrooms then strolling outside to rant and rave to waiting reporters.

Per Axios, Trump isn’t so optimistic about his upcoming Jan. 6 case, in which he’s on trial for his actions leading up to and including the Capitol riot. That said, even if found guilty, he thinks he could still win the White House. Every time he’s been indicted — and remember, it happened four times last year — instead of his polling going down it’s gone up. As such, he figures if he continues to paint himself as a victim of political persecution, namely by being even more of a nuisance in court, he’ll be able to conquer Joe Biden.

Or will he? There’s a chance this could backfire. For one thing, he could wind up in prison — though that, some of his cronies have argued, doesn’t mean he can’t still run for president, or even do the job from the clink.

For another, that could alienate swing voters, who he might need in a tight race. A recent poll found that more than half of registered voters would be unwilling to vote for Trump if he was convicted and/or jailed.

The Jan. 6 trial was originally scheduled to start on March 4, but it was recently dropped from the public court calendar. It might be rescheduled for spring or summer, though the closer it gets to Election Day, the less likely it is to happen at all. But when/if it does, expect lots of him grumbling or getting snippy like a little brat.

(Via Axios)

Don’t make Donald Trump mad because he might throw things. Among the many shocking claims made by Cassidy Hutchinson were that the former president got ketchup everywhere as the Jan. 6 riot was unfolding. You know what else makes him get throwy? Breaking for a free lunch at the resort in which he now lives.

Per Mediaite, E. Jean Carroll attorney Roberta “Robbie” Kaplan went on the podcast George Conway Explains It All, where she spilled some tea about having to deal with the magnets understander. One story involved going down to Mar-a-Lago, where he got “increasingly irked” during a deposition. At one point Kaplan expressed interest in breaking for lunch. And that’s when he lost it:

And he looked at me and he said, “Why do we have to break for lunch? Let’s just go straight through. This is a waste of my time.”

And I said, well, I’m sorry, I wouldn’t do that. But we have a court reporter, we have biographer. They’re entitled to a lunch break. We have to break for lunch.

And then you could kind of see the the wheels spinning in his brain. You could really almost see it.

And he said, “Well, you’re here at Mar-A-Lago. What do you think you’re gonna do for lunch? Where are you going to get lunch?”.

And so I said to him, well, you know, I raised this question with your attorneys yesterday, sir, and they graciously offered to provide us with lunch.

At which point there was a huge pile of documents, exhibits sitting in front of him. And he took the pile and he just threw it across the table.

It wasn’t the idea of lunch that really set him off. It was the idea, Kaplan said, of his legal team offering her a free lunch at Mar-a-Lago. He didn’t just take his rage out at documents. He also “scolded” his attorney Alina Habba.

“He was so mad at Alina,” Kaplan recalled.

Thing is, after lunch Trump had one of his unpredictable changes of heart. Now, Kaplan said, he was “charming.”

He came back in and he said, well, how’d you like the lunch? And I said, well, sir, I had a banana. You know, I never really eat when I’m taking testimony. And he said, well, I told you, he’s kind of charming. He said, “I told you, I told them to make you really bad sandwiches, but they can’t help themselves here. We have the best sandwiches.”

So the guy with the melting brain who tried to overturn democracy can be charming…after he’s acted like a petulant child. Good to know.

(Via Mediaite)

Drake’s time as a tripod bro has ended, but for good reason. Yesterday (February 2), the “You Broke My Heart” rapper’s It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What? with J. Cole officially kicked off in Tampa, Florida. The two previously shared the stage in Montreal over the summer when Cole temporarily filled in for 21 Savage on the It’s All A Blur Tour’s first installment.

But now, on this run, Cole is a permanent fixture (or at least during selected dates). With over a dozen stops running, fans are itching to know which of the rap titans’ songs found a spot on their official setlist. Now, we have a clue, thanks to veteran journalist Elliott Wilson.

Continue below to view their full setlist, the remaining tour stops, and more.

Drake & J. Cole’s ‘It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What?’ setlist

Drake Only

1. “Trophies” (Band only)
2. “Virginia Beach”
3. “Marvins Room”
4. “Teenage Fever”
5. “Feel No Ways”
6. “Jungle”
7. “Over”
8. “Headlines”
9. “The Motto”
10. “HYFR (Hell Ya F*cking Right)”
11. “Started From the Bottom”
12. “Energy”
13. “Know Yourself”
14. “Nonstop”
15. “Daylight”
16. “Meltdown” (Travis Scott cover)
17. “Sicko Mode” (Travis Scott cover)
18. “Laugh Now Cry Later”
19. “God’s Plan”
20. “Pound Cake”
21. “Childs Play”
22. “In My Feelings”
23. “Nice for What”
24. “Calling for You”
25. “Cameras”
26. “Rich Baby Daddy”
27. “Search & Rescue”
28. “Controlla”
29. “Too Good”
30. “Hold On, We’re Going Home”
31. “Find Your Love”
32. “Passionfruit”
33. “Work”
34. “Gently?

J. Cole Only

1. “Middle Child”
2. “Wet Dreamz”
3. “A Tale of 2 Citiez”
4. “G.O.M.D.”
5. “Power Trip”
6. “The London” (Young Thug cover)
7. “A Lot” (21 Savage cover)
8. “Love Yourz”
9. “The Secret Recipe”
10. “No Role Modelz”

Drake & J. Cole

1. “In the Morning”
2. “First Person Shooter”

Drake only

1. “P*ssy & Millions”
2. “Knife Talk”
3. “Rich Flex”
4. “IDGAF”
5. “You Broke My Heart”
6. “Amen”
7. “Slime You Out”
8. “Trophies” (Band only)

Drake & J. Cole’s ‘It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What?’ dates

2/4 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
2/7 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
2/8 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
2/12 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Arena
2/13 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
2/16 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
2/17 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
2/20 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
2/21 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
2/24 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
2/25 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
2/27 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
2/28 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
3/2 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
3/3 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
3/5 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum
3/6 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
3/7 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
3/10 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
3/14 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
3/15 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
3/18 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
3/19 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
3/23 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena ~
3/24 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena ~
3/27 – Birmingham, AL @ Legacy Arena at The BJCC ~
4/4 – Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena ~
4/5 – Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena ~
4/8 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum ~
4/15 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
4/16 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena

~ Dates without J. Cole

Drake & J. Cole’s ‘It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What?’ poster

Apparently frogs are mortal enemies of squirrels. Well, at least for a squirrel named Thumbelina that’s true. The squirrel is a rescue that cannot be released into the wild due to her medical conditions so she’s a house squirrel. A house squirrel that has big beef with a teeny tiny frog outside…far away from where Thumbelina sits.

Distance doesn’t seem to matter to the bushy tailed girl, she knows he exists and that is simply unacceptable to her so she tells her mom. Or mom has super squirrel mind reading powers because Thumbelina was nearly too shocked to speak…squeak. She stood there frozen on her human’s bed staring straight ahead like she was in some sort of trance.

It was when her mom got close to her that she tried to communicate the unthinkable–she spotted a frog. Her arch nemesis from the other day was back to torment her with his presence near her house where she’s supposed to be safe.

“Honey, you saw the frog again? I know but what did we talk about, how the frog doesn’t eat squirrels” the woman reassures Thumbelina. “No, he doesn’t eat squirrels, he’s a tiny frog.”

It didn’t seem to matter what her mom said, Thumbelina was having none of it. She wanted that monster gone and never to be seen from again. The nervous squirrel continued her pitiful sounding squeaks as if she was telling her mom that she wasn’t listening. Again, the woman tries to convince Thumbelina that the frog is the size of a blueberry and cannot get into their house to eat her. There was no use, she was sure she knew the plans of the itty bitty frog.

Watch the adorable video below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Thumbelina (@little_thumbelina_girl)

It appears Lizzo’s plans to release new music could be delayed. According to Billboard, the “Bad Day” singer’s free time might be spent fighting to clear her name. Back in August 2023, Lizzo’s former dancers filed an explosive lawsuit against the singer, alleging that while on the road with her, they endured a hostile work environment and experienced sexual harassment.

Since then, Lizzo and the three ex-employees have pleaded their cases with the judge overseeing the case. By October, Lizzo’s legal team requested that the case be dismissed, citing the anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statute. Based on reports from Billboard, the judge has denied Lizzo’s request for a dismissal. This means the case could go to trial.

After Lizzo’s initial request to dismiss the case, her team reportedly also filed to have the case sealed. It’s unclear if the judge has issued a final decision regarding that request.

Lizzo maintains her innocence on all accounts, denying the claims iIn a statement. “Usually, I choose not to respond to false allegations, but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed,” she wrote. “These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

It seemed impossible: How could there be more Big Little Lies when everyone in that dream cast is so busy? Would people simply have to subsist on two seasons, one boasting Meryl Streep? Maybe not! Recently Nicole Kidman has claimed that she and the team are trying to move heaven and earth to make Season 3 happen. Now there’s more assuring — if vague — news.

Entertainment Weekly caught up with Laura Dern as she was doing press for Palm Royale, her new Apple TV+ show. The legendary Oscar-winner basically said they’re trying, trying real hard.

“I can tell you that all of us who are involved in it would never imagine a better time,” Dern said. “We love each other so much and would have the time of our life being back together, and we love our characters so much.”

That said, there’s no major update. “I truly know what you know,” she confessed. “But I know that it is something that they are working diligently at dreaming up, and I sure hope it comes to fruition.”

Still, there’s a chance they could pull off the impossible. Kidman recently said that the wheels are turning mostly thanks to her 15-year-old daughter, who got so hooked on the show that she demanded her mom get off her butt and make more.

When it premiered back in 2017, the Monterey murder comedy was only supposed to be a one-off. It was so popular that they brought it back for a second round. Hopefully the third will materialize, provided they can get back not only Kidman and Dern but also Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz, all of whom tend to be busy these days.

(Via EW)