Month: June 2024

The wait for more 9-1-1: Lone Star looked to be longer than desired for fans following the Hollywood strikes. The Fox spin off series is currently filming its fifth season with a speculative air date sometime this fall. Yet that season might turn out to be the last one they wrote, if a now-deleted social media post is to be believed.

Actually, Deadline has reportedly confirmed that Sierra McClain (who portrays Grace Ryder) has “quietly” left the series amid already existing speculation that the Rob Lowe-starring spin off would soon end. Additionally, Deadline relays that Robin Lively (who portrays Marlene Harris) referred (on social media) to the series as filming its “final season” before Lively nixed the post:

“So excited to be a part of @911lonestar’s final season!! What a ride it’s been!,” Robyn Lively, who has recurred on the show as Marlene Harrism the mother of Judd’s (Jim Parrack) son, wrote on social media earlier this week before deleting the post.

In other words, there’s no definitive answer, but it’s not looking good for those who would like the show to continue. Now if the show really is cancelled, that would follow a near-miss for Law & Order: Organized Crime fans and a blow recently felt by NCIS: Hawai’i viewers after the show suddenly ended with a cliffhanger. That last situation was an unusually disappointing development.

Whatever the case, it sounds like the 9-1-1 spin off wouldn’t end without warning, which is at least semi-positive news. Unresolved cliffhangers are brutal, man.

(Via Deadline)

There’s a popular trend where parents often share they are creating “core memories” for their children on social media posts, whether it’s planning an elaborate vacation or creating an extra-special holiday moment.

While it’s important for parents to want their kids to have happy childhoods, sometimes it feels presumptuous when they believe they can manufacture a core memory. Especially when a child’s inner world is so much different than an adult’s.

Carol Kim, a mother of 3 and licensed Marriage and family Therapist, known as ParentingResilience on Instagram, recently shared the “5 Things Kids Will Remember from Their Childhood” on her page. The fascinating insight is that none of the entries had to do with extravagant vacations, over-the-top birthday parties, or Christmas gifts that kids could only dream about.

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According to Kim, the five things that kids will remember all revolve around their parents’ presence and support. “Notice how creating good memories doesn’t require expensive toys or lavish family trips. Your presence is the most valuable present you can give to your child,” Kim wrote in the post’s description.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carol Kim (@parenting.resilience)

1. Quality time together

“Taking some time to focus only on your child is very special. Playing games, reading books, or just talking can create strong, happy memories. These moments show your child that you are present with them.”

2. Words of encouragement

“Encouraging words can greatly impact your child during both good times and tough times. Kids often seek approval from their parents and your positive words can be a strong motivator and source of comfort…. It can help kids believe in themselves, giving them the confidence to take on new challenges and keep going when things get tough.”

3. Family traditions

“It creates a feeling of stability and togetherness … Family traditions make children feel like they belong and are part of a larger story, deepening their sense of security and understanding of family identity and values.”

4. Acts of kindness

“Seeing and doing kind things leaves a strong impression on children. It shows them the importance of being kind and caring. They remember how good it feels to help others and to see their parents helping too.”

5. Comfort during tough times

“Knowing they can rely on you during tough times makes them feel secure and build trust. … Comforting them when they’re struggling shows them they are loved no matter what, helping them feel emotionally secure and strong.”

Kim’s strategies are all beautiful ways to be present in our children’s lives and to communicate our support. However, these seemingly simple behaviors can be challenging for some parents who are dealing with issues stemming from their pasts.

“If you find barriers to providing these things, it’s important to reflect on why,” Kim writes in the post. “There could be several reasons, such as parenting in isolation (we’re not meant to parent alone), feeling overstimulated, dealing with past trauma, or struggling with mental health. Recognizing these challenges is the first step to addressing them and finding support.”

It goes without saying that water is a basic human right that should never be denied to anyone. So when a homeless woman named Polly in Cardiff, Wales, was refused a drink at her local McDonald’s recently, a good Samaritan wouldn’t stand for it.

Jonathon Pengelly couldn’t believe his eyes when the cashier told the woman no. “I don’t know what was going through their minds but a lady, clearly homeless was asking for a basic human right; and for a multi-billion pound company, for them to say no is disgusting!” Pengelly wrote on Facebook.

Pengelly was behind the woman in line, so he offered to buy her and her friend something to eat and was shocked at Polly’s response.

“She asked for a single cheeseburger and that was it,” Pengelly said. “We bought as much as we could carry so I knew she wasn’t going to be hungry.” He then sat and ate with them and was blown away by their positive attitudes. So he brought them back to his house, where they showered and brushed their teeth. While they cleaned up, Pengelly prepared some food to tide the women over for a few days.

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Pengelly posted about the evening’s events on Facebook to raise awareness about the problem of homelessness in the U.K. “I’m no saint, but this small act of kindness cost me about £20,” he wrote. “I know 90% of people reading this will earn about 10 times that a day. … If you see someone on the streets, don’t look down on them like they’re nothing. You don’t know what they’ve been though! Spare a little thought!”

Pengelly’s experience didn’t just open up his eyes to a real problem, he made a friend as well. “Me and Polly have chatted on the phone and I’ve promised her that she will never go hungry or cold again!” he said.

Here’s Pengelly’s full post:

“Well, my night took an unexpected turn! So I finished my night out, ended up in the dreaded McDonald’s queue. I couldn’t help but notice the lady in front me, all she asked for was a cup of hot water.

The member of staff told her no. I don’t know what was going through their mind but a lady, clearly homeless was asking for a basic human right; and for a multi billion pound company, for them to say no is disgusting!

My heart was shattered! So I spoke to her and told her to order what she wanted, expecting her to order everything. I was so shocked. She asked for a single cheese burger and that was it. We bought as much as we could carry so I knew she wasn’t going to be hungry.

I couldn’t just leave this lady go, she was so warming and so lovely. So I sat with her, on the cold hard floor, in the middle of winter and you know what I did? I cried my eyes out.

You know if people of Cardiff walked passed them and didn’t do anything because, financially, they weren’t in the position, I would understand. But people walked passed and laughed at them. I don’t care who you are, If this was you; and you’re reading this I hate you!

When I got to speak to them I was genuinely shocked at their story and how educated they were! So full of life and enthusiasm and they literally have nothing!

I invited polly and her mate back to my house and we all cooked enough food to feed them and their friends for the next few nights. We boxed them up and packed them in their bags.

Polly and her mate have had showers, brushed their teeth and they both said they have ever felt so appreciated in their life.
I’m no saint, but this small act of kindness cost me about £20. I know 90% of people reading this will earn about 10 times that a day.

It costs nothing to be kind, and I genuinely hope people share this to raise awareness of homelessness throughout the UK!
Me and polly have chatted on the phone and I’ve promised her that she will never go hungry or cold again! I’ve given her blankets, pillows and a backpack full of food.

If you see someone on the streets, don’t look down on them like they’re nothing. You don’t know what they’ve been though! spare a little thought!

I don’t care if I look like shit cause I’m crying!

Polly, you’ve changed me!”

This article originally appeared on 08.10.18

British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya released her last album, Painless, in 2022. In the two years since, she toured and came to grips with public acclaim she garnered as a result, beginning the recording process for its follow-up in 2023. The result will be My Method Actor, her third album, which she wrote alongside Wilma Archer, who contributed heavily to her last two albums as well.

Yanya announced the album with the release of its lead single, the evocative “Method Actor.” The song was inspired by the singer’s research into the acting style. “The reason why some people find method acting traumatic and maybe not safe mentally, is because you’re always going back to that moment,” she noted in a press release. “It can be good or bad but you’re always feeding off the energy, something that’s defined you – and that’s what helps you become the character. It’s a bit like being a musician. When you’re performing, you’re still trying to invoke the energy and emotion of when you first wrote it, in that moment. It definitely feels like you’re having to recreate or step into that headspace.”

Watch the “Method Actor” visualizer above.

My Method Actor will be out on 9/13 via Ninja Tune. You can find more info, including tracklist and tour dates, below, and pre-save here.

Tracklist

1. “Keep On Dancing”
2. “Like I Say (I runaway)”
3. “Method Actor”
4. “Binding”
5. “Mutations”
6. “Ready for Sun (touch)”
7. “Call It Love”
8. “Faith’s Late”
9. “Made Out Of Memory”
10. “Just A Western”

US Tour Dates

9/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
9/30 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
10/1 – New York, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
10/2 – Boston, MA @ Royale
10/4 – Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
10/5 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
10/6 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
10/7 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
10/9 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
10/10 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
10/13 – Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck
10/15 – Denver, CO @ Meow Wolf
10/18 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre
10/19 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
10/22 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
10/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre

Have you been charmed by Glen Powell lately? Dont’ be embarassed — you’re not alone. The man is everywhere, flashing his shiny white teeth and stealing the screen in more than one blockbuster film this year. But in his latest film Hit Man, an even more experienced and equally charming hit man makes a brief appearance: Barry Berkman.

In the film, a montage of famous cinematic hitmen is shown around the 18-minute mark, and Bill Hader appears in a brief clip from Barry, the acclaimed dark comedy in which Hader portrays a killer/actor. The series ran for four seasons until 2023.

In Hit Man, Powell plays a non-threatening philosophy professor who takes on various aliases in order to help the police track down people who are looking to hire contracted killers. During the flick, Powell’s character Gary Johnson acknowledges the long line of TV and film hit men, so yes, technically, Bill Hader is in Hit Man. By the same logic, Colin Farrell also appeared in Hit Man as his In Bruges character. Who would win in a fight?

Hit Man, which Powell co-wrote with Richard Linklater is now streaming on Netflix after a brief theatrical release. The movie also stars Adria Arjona, Retta, Austin Amelio.

I recently spent some time with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. He’s known not only for breaking down stereotypes about what kinds of people go into science, but he has actively stood up and spoken against those who would close its doors, especially to young women.

So when Neil was asked this question by a little girl during a public speech, he gave one of the best answers I’ve ever heard. It may drive some parents crazy, but it also might just help change the world.

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This article originally appeared on 01.14.15

Van Gogh never got to enjoy his own historic success as an artist (even though we’ve been able to imagine what that moment might have looked like). But it turns out that those of us who have appreciated his work have been missing out on some critical details for more than 100 years.

I’m not easily impressed, OK?

I know Van Gogh was a genius. If the point of this were “Van Gogh was a mad genius,” I would not be sharing this with you.

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But I found this and I thought, “Oh, what a vaguely interesting thing.” And then I got to the part about the Hubble Space Telescope, and, let me tell you: Mind. Blown.

We’ve got the set up here, but you have to watch the video for the full effect. It’s all the way at the bottom.

Get this: Van Gogh was a pretty cool artist (duh), but as it turns out…

…he was also A SCIENTIST!*

*Pretty much.

Here’s the story.

While Van Gogh was in an asylum in France, after he mutilated his ear during a psychotic episode*…

(*Or, and I’d like to thank the entire Internet for pointing this out, there’s a theory that his friend Paul Gauguin actually cut off his ear, in a drunken sword fight, in the dark. The more you know!)

…he was able to capture one of science’s most elusive concepts:

~~~TURBULENCE~~~

Although it’s hard to understand with math (like, REALLY HARD), it turns out that art makes it easy to depict how it LOOKS.

So what is turbulence?

Turbulence, or turbulent flow, is a concept of fluid dynamics where fluid movements are “self-similar” when there’s an energy cascade — so basically, big eddies make smaller eddies, and those make even smaller ones … and so on and so forth.

It looks like this:

See? It’s easier to look at pictures to understand it.

Thing is, scientists are pretty much *just* starting to figure this stuff out.

Then you’ve got Van Gogh, 100 years earlier, in his asylum, with a mutilated ear, who totally nailed it!

The folks who noticed Van Gogh’s ability to capture turbulence checked to see whether other artists did the same. Most impressionists achieved ” luminance” with their art (which is the sort-of *pulsing* you see when you look at their paintings that really shows what light looks like).

But did other artists depict turbulence the way Van Gogh did?

NOPE.

Not even “The Scream” could hold a candle to Van Gogh!

Even in his darkest time, Van Gogh was able to capture — eerily accurately — one of nature’s most complex and confusing concepts … 100 years before scientists had the technology to observe actual star turbulence and realize its similarity to fluid turbulence mathematics as well as Van Gogh’s swirling sky. Cool, huh?

Watch the video below to learn even more:

This article originally appeared on 11.14.24

Australia is sending a strong message to domestic abusers worldwide: You’re not welcome here.

Australia has recently broadened a migration law to bar any person who has been convicted of domestic violence anywhere in the world from getting a visa to enter the country. American R&B singer Chris Brown and boxing star Floyd Mayweather had been banned from the country in the past, following their domestic violence convictions. Now the ban applies to all foreign visitors or residents who have been found guilty of violence against women or children.

Even convicted domestic abusers who already have visas and are living in Australia can be kicked out under the new rule. The government is using the rule, which took effect on February 28, 2019 to send a message to domestic violence perpetrators.

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“Australia has no tolerance for perpetrators of violence against women and children,” Federal Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said in a public statement. “The message is clear: if you’ve been convicted of a violent crime against women or children, you are not welcome in this country, wherever the offence occurred, whatever the sentence.”

The ban is supposed to make Australia safer, but not everyone is happy about it.

“By cancelling the visas of criminals we have made Australia a safer place,” Coleman said. “These crimes inflict long lasting trauma on the victims and their friends and family, and foreign criminals who commit them are not welcome in our country.”

However, Australia’s neighboring country of New Zealand has long taken issue with Australia’s policy of exporting convicts, and this new policy highlights why. Under the new rule, New Zealanders who have already served their sentences for domestic violence and lived in Australia most of their lives could be kicked out and sent to live in New Zealand. Such circumstances raise questions about when justice has been served and the role of rehabilitation in domestic violence convictions.

Australia, like many other countries, is trying to come to terms with its domestic violence problem.

Barring domestic violence perpetrators from other countries sends a strong message, but it’s only meaningful if the country also tackles the problem among its own citizens. According to a Personal Safety Study conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, about 17% of Australian women and 6% of Australian men have experienced partner violence since the age of 15. And the numbers have remained relatively stable since 2005.

That may seem to indicate that little progress has been made; however, as Australian law professor Heather Douglass points out, the numbers only tell part of the story. Since most people in abusive relationships don’t report the abuse until after they’ve left, it could simply be that more are leaving, which is a good thing. There has also been a marked increase in people seeking domestic violence services in some areas, which, again, is a good thing. For far too long, domestic violence was swept under the rug while victims were often too afraid or embarrassed to seek help. More calls for help could mean that the stigma associated with domestic violence is starting to fade.

This story originally appeared on 04.01.19

After working six years as a labor and delivery nurse Holly, 30, has heard a lot of inappropriate remarks made by men while their partners are in labor. “Sometimes the moms think it’s funny—and if they think it’s funny, then I’ll laugh with them,” Holly told TODAY Parents. “But if they get upset, I’ll try to be the buffer. I’ll change the subject.”

Some of the comments are so wrong that she did something creative with them by turning them into “inspirational” quotes and setting them to “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton on TikTok.

“Some partners are hard to live up to!” she jokingly captioned the video.

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The first video featured the following facepalm-inducing quotes:

“I think you should just get a C-section. This is taking too long.”

“How long is this gonna take? I have plans this weekend.”

“Are you sure you want an epidural? My mom didn’t have one. Before you make a decision, we should talk about it.”

“Sew an extra stitch down there for me, doc. We want everything just the way it was before all of this.”

@hollyd_rn

Part 1: Some partners are hard to live up to! Get you a good one #laboranddelivery #labor

It’s unbelievable that anyone would make such selfish comments while their partner is in the throes of giving birth. Anyone who would ask, “How long is this gonna take?” definitely isn’t prepared to raise a child.

Some TikTok users thought that these women should have left their partners right there in the delivery room.

“LOL immediate divorce, I’m not joking,” Rig wrote. Little_n_often agreed saying, “I’d be getting the divorce papers ready.”

“I would sign the divorce papers while in labor and pushing,” another commenter wrote.

The video was a massive hit on TikTok, receiving over 10 million views. So, the nurse followed it up with a sequel where she shared more “inspirational” delivery room quotes from men.

@hollyd_rn

Part 2: some partners are hard to live up to! Get you a good one! #laboranddelivery #babydaddy #labor

“Wake me up when the baby gets here I’m tired.” (Rolls over, puts cover over head and slept thru the birth of his baby.)

“Can you move to the birthing ball so I can sleep in the bed?”

(As the patient is pushing) “Do you guys do DNA tests here? My mom wants me to get one before we leave.”

“Call me when you’re about to have the baby. I’m gonna go with [name redacted] to the bar and watch the game.”

Holly also told TODAY Parents that men should also keep their thoughts on pain medication to themselves and to stop looking at the contraction monitor and making comments.

“She can feel it!” Holly said. “You don’t need to ask her if she felt it. Trust me, she did.”

Holly’s public airing of men’s bad behavior had to be therapeutic, because, as a nurse, she can’t tell them off in the delivery room. But it’s also a warning to men out there on how not to behave when their partners are giving birth. If there was ever a time in the world to stop thinking about yourself, it’s while your partner is giving birth.

Remember guys, think before you say anything in the delivery room, the nurses are listening.

This article first appeared on 09.23.22

The early 2000s was certainly a time to be alive. At that point in time most Millennials successfully survived Y2K, watched 9/11 unfold in real time and discovered the real Slim Shady. But by the time many were in middle or high school they saw the landscape of how bodies are “supposed” to look change.

It seemed like overnight Christina Aguilera and Paris Hilton’s naturally thin youthful frames were now the ideal, while Nicole Richie and Raven Symone were considered “plus sized.” Millennial women are looking back on these photos from the late 90s and early 2000s wondering what society was thinking. Nothing about a teenage Raven Symone was plus size, yet somehow an entire generation was convinced if they were built like the then teen, they were fat.

Briana Reyes shared a collection of images of these 2000s “fat” celebrities to Facebook with the caption, “Celebrities that were considered “fat” or “plus sized” in the 90s-early 00s. This is obviously why so many women struggle with body image.”

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The post has since gone viral with over 12,000 reactions and 9.3K shares on the social media platform. Over the years there has been a movement towards body positivity and body neutrality. While both movements mean slightly different things, the main focus is on learning to accept the body that you’re in and treating it well.

The way in which we view our bodies whether positively or negatively can affect the way we speak to ourselves about our bodies. This is something that many moms of young daughters have become acutely aware of as their own children pick up the negative self body talk they hear from their caregivers. But the media consumed also plays a significant role on what bodies are considered “normal,” “desirable,” or “sexy,” which means it also sets the standard for what is the opposite of those things.

In the 2000s, being extremely thin was the standard being set and the fashion was designed to cater to those with thin bodies. Jeans that used to ride well below the hip bones paired with crop tops that stopped mid-ribcage were common staples on thin celebrities. But the actors or singers with curves were outfitted in layers of varying lengths or larger tops to camoflauge the woman had a larger chest.

Some examples in Reyes’ post of “plus size” celebrities shows exactly how off base the media was with labeling people as “fat,” “plus-size,” and “obese.” In the post are pictures of Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears who were performing after having recently given birth, yet the focus was on how “large” they were. Looking at the photos from today’s lens it’s easy to see the unrealistic body standard placed on these celebrities who’s bodies simply were no designed to be extremely thin.

Demi Lovato who rose to fame in 2008 after staring in “Camp Rock” admitted to struggling with an eating disorder due to the pressures to be thinner. Commenters under Reyes’ post pointed out how the unrealistic standards contributed to their own body issues.

“I used to be smaller than I am now, but I was always bigger than other girls. I look at pictures of myself back then thinking I was so huge and I wasn’t. But I was made fun of because I wasn’t as skinny as the other girls and now all I see is a disgusting person when I look at myself in the mirror. I’ve always been considered plus size (I really am now) but I would love to go back to being the size I was way back when….,” one person reveals.

“I look back to pictures in the late 90s of myself when I thought I was so fat and I just think about how I probably couldn’t be any thinner. I imagine many people have this experience,” another says.

“Look at all those healthy beautiful, individual bodies. It’s sad how I and thousands of girls grew up and never appreciated our normal healthy bodies – because the rhetoric that circled around about how healthy and normal wasn’t the desired body type,” someone else writes.

While people focus on how the standards of beauty affected them, many of the celebrities people were picking apart were children and young adults. Demi Lovato was just 15 as Raven Symone when the two stars were being told they needed to lose weight. The criticism led to Symone getting a breast reduction twice and liposuction before she turned 18.

One woman sums up the struggle of Millennial women still healing and trying to do better by their own children. “This post sums up my adolescence – the reasons for my unhealthy relationship with the reflection I see in the mirror/the number I see on the scale. It’s so sad because I know better but I can’t unlearn it even after all these years. I just try to teach my daughters the right thing instead – to grow up as healthy women who take great care of their bodies and to truly take the time to get to know and love themselves for who they are and how they treat others.”