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This amazing dog swam miles back to shore after her owner thought she was gone forever

Imagine going fishing on your boat with your best four-legged friend but when you look for her to help you pull the net, she’s gone. That’s exactly what happened to Captain Keith “Kiwi” Soffes, a shrimp boat captain from Texas, who told his story to FOX 26 Houston. He went to look for Monster, his brown pit bull and co-captain when she didn’t come to help drag the nets and she was nowhere to be found, on or off the boat.


Being a pet parent can feel like a full-time job but that kind of companionship makes all of the mishaps and stressful moments worth it. Pets help to keep their owners entertained, though I don’t think this type of entertainment is what Monster’s dad had in mind. The shrimp boat captain said that once he realized Monster was missing he whipped the boat around to find her but had no luck. Soffes got choked up when he recalled the moment he thought he wouldn’t see his dog again.

According to Soffes, the boat was about five miles out from shore so he didn’t see how his dog—who wasn’t wearing a life vest at the time—could make it that far. He shared the story on Facebook, hoping by some miracle his sweet pooch made it to shore, but days went by without any word. This was the first time the duo had been separated for any amount of time, and Soffes was heartbroken.

Eventually, someone on social media recognized the dog and said she was at a local park. Someone else chimed in and said Monster was spotted swimming across the bay. This prompted Soffes to start going door to door looking for his best friend, who he said was afraid of the dark. Desperate to find Monster, Soffes offered a reward to anyone who could give him his dog back, and with that incentive his search finally came to a happy end.

Monster was tied to someone’s trailer and when she saw her dad, tears were shed and puppy kisses abounded. The athletic pooch now has a life vest for her next fishing trip and surely, Soffes won’t take his eyes off his co-captain. Hopefully Monster lives a long and happy life on dry land and keeps away from the edge of the boat.

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Young Thug Thanks Fans For Their Support At Hot 97 Summer Jam

Young Thug may not have been able to perform at Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam festival as planned, but he was still able to make an appearance in spirit. Just ahead of Fivio Foreign’s headlining performance, Hot 97 played a video of Thug’s peers sharing supportive messages that concluded with an audio recording of the incarcerated Atlanta artist himself. “I just want to say thank you to all of my friends and my family for coming out and supporting us,” he said. “You know, your support during this time means a lot to us.”

“This isn’t just about me or YSL,” he continued. “I always use my music as a form of artistic expression, and now I see that Black artists and rappers don’t have that freedom. Everybody please sign the ‘Protect Black Art’ petition and keep praying for us. I love you all.”

The petition was posted on Change.org by 300 Entertainment co-founder Kevin Liles and encouraged the federal adoption of legislation like the New York State Bill S7527, which would limit the use of artists’ lyrics in criminal trials. Nicknamed the “Rap Music On Trial” bill, it was passed by the State Senate in May but still has to go through the State Assembly and get ratified by the Governor.

The bill has seen greater attention in the wake of Young Thug’s case, in which he, Gunna, and 26 other members of their YSL crew were charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act; prosecutors maintain that the label is a so-called “hybrid street gang” responsible for dozens of incidents of violence in the Fulton County area. The evidence against both Thug and Gunna included instances of their lyrics in which they shout out YSL, the name of their label. Both rappers have been denied bond and a trial has been set for January 9, 2023.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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All The Best New Music From This Week That You Need To Hear

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Lizzo come through with another “song of the summer” contender and Pharrell get back to pumping out material as a lead artist. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters. Also find our Uproxx HQ Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly with the best new music, at the end of this post.

Lizzo — “Grrrls”

Lizzo already has one of the year’s biggest songs with “About Damn Time” and with her new single “Grrrls,” she continues to prove that she’s among the best at busting out endlessly catchy tunes. Another parallel between those two tunes in lines that sneak up on you before staying with you: “About Damn Time” has the whole “Balenci-ussies” bit that’s inescapable on TikTok, while “Grrrls” has, “That’s my girl, we CEOs / And dancin’ like a C-E-ho.”

Pharrell — “Cash In Cash Out” Feat. Tyler The Creator and 21 Savage

Pharrell’s a busy guy, but you wouldn’t think so if you were just looking at his output as a lead artist. When he does drop something new, though, it hits, like “Cash In Cash Out” did last week. The song is almost entirely bass, on which 21 Savage and Tyler The Creator deliver some bars.

Halsey — “So Good”

For a non-controversial song, Halsey’s “So Good” sure has been surrounded by it. It’s the tune at the center of Halsey’s beef with her label, who allegedly withheld the song’s release until Halsey had a viral moment. The irony, of course, is that Halsey’s openly taking exception to that demand went viral itself. This winding road finally led to the release of “So Good,” on which Halsey chronicles another journey in their life that had plenty of turns: love.

Saucy Santana — “Booty” Feat. Latto

Many among us like a good booty, and now we have another one to like, this time a song called “Booty.” Saucy Santana and Latto’s ode to cheeks is a party-starter, thanks in part to the sample of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” in the hook, although there’s fun throughout beyond that musical reference. Expect this one to stick around and help make Summer 2022 a thicc one.

Marshmello and Khalid — “Numb”

Marshmello and Khalid have been two of the biggest collaborators of recent years, so them coming together is a natural fit. They did so last week on “Numb,” which melds Khalid’s R&B sensibilities with a summer-ready instrumental from Marshmello, resulting in a song that’s begging to be included on warm-weather playlists.

Nardo Wick — “Riot”

Uproxx’s Armon Sadler notes that on Wick’s new single, he uses his “charmingly haunting voice” to open the tune “with a near whisper before the beat kicks in and Wick taps into his bread and butter.” The result is a tune that’s both dynamic and in-your-face menacing.

King Princess — “Too Bad”

King Princess has become a star in recent years, an upward trajectory she’ll be looking to continue with Hold On Baby, her upcoming album that’s set for a July release. She offered a new preview of the LP last week with a double-video for “Too Bad” and “Cursed,” the former track being a rock-influenced number with a killer groove, while the latter is aesthetically similar but takes more of a breather.

Kid Cudi — “Do What I Want”

Cudi has a lot going on right now, as last week saw him drop the trailer for his Entergalactic animated series and share a new song, “Do What I Want.” The single makes use of a sample from Stephen A. Smith’s famed “stay off the weed!” video and sees Cudi in his woozy wheelhouse.

Joyce Manor — “Secret Sisters”

The band’s Barry Johnson recently told Uproxx of 40 Oz. To Fresno highlight “Secret Sisters,” “We’ve never tried to make a specific sounding record, but I thought maybe it’d be cool to make a record that all sounded like that. It slams… like an emo, f*ck this slams.”

BTS — “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)”

BTS has an anthology album, Proof, on the way, but the project isn’t entirely retrospective, as there’s some new material here, too. The group shared some of it last week with “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment),” an optimistic tune on which the band promises the best moment of their career hasn’t already happened.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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John Oliver Introduces ‘Third-Rate Bond Villain’ And Far-Right Nightmare Candidate Blake Masters

With far-right violence on everyone’s mind thanks to the damning evidence revealed during the January 6 hearings, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver zeroed in on the latest nightmare rising star in MAGA-world: Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters. The venture capitalist has Donald Trump’s full endorsement, and as Oliver details, he’s checking all the nationalist and white supremacist boxes to be a darling to the far right. Oh, and also his name sounds like a “third-tier Bond villain.”

After introducing Masters, Oliver went to work highlighting the candidate’s views on gun violence, a pressing topic in light of the Uvalde school shooting. Like most right-wing candidates, Masters, says the real gun violence problem is gang violence. However, Masters took it one step further. “It’s gangs, it’s people in Chicago, St. Louis, shooting each other. Very often, you know, Black people, frankly.”

Oliver couldn’t believe it. Via The Daily Beast:

“OK. Blaming Black people for gun violence in America is outrageously uncreatively racist, but also it’s unsurprising from someone who—and this is true—was called an ‘immigration patriot’ by the white nationalist website VDARE, which praised him saying he ‘checks all the right boxes.’ He’s an immigration patriot who checks all the white-supremacist boxes just isn’t what you want to hear about a man running for office. You don’t even want to hear it in a Sex and the City voiceover.”

Things took an even weirder turn when Oliver aired a clip of Masters being asked who he thinks is a “subversive thinker who’s underrated.” His actual answer: The Unabomber.

“I’m sorry, Theodore Kaczynski? What are you? His mom while he’s in trouble?” Oliver mockingly asked. “‘Theodore John Kaczynski, have you been sending mail bombs to airlines and universities around the country from a remote cabin in the Montana wilderness? You are so grounded, mister! Naughty Theodore!’”

(Via The Daily Beast)

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​​FIRST​​ students are changing the world through STEM, one challenge at a time

Societies all over the world face an ever-growing list of complex issues that require informed solutions. Whether it’s addressing infectious diseases, the effects of climate change, supply chain issues or resource scarcity, the world has an immediate need for problem-solvers with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills.

Here in the United States, we’re experiencing a shortage of much-needed STEM workers, and forward-thinking organizations are stepping up to tap into America’s youth to fill the void. As the leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education, FIRST is an important player in this arena, and its mission is to inspire young people aged 4 to 18 to become technology leaders and innovators capable of addressing the world’s pressing needs.


Founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST is a global community that helps young people discover their passions for STEM through exciting robotics-based challenges. It develops team-based competitions and other innovation-driven programs that engender resilience, cooperation, empathy and problem-solving. The 2022 FIRST season included more than 679,000 students from 110 countries, who were supported by over 320,000 adult mentors, coaches and volunteers. The season recently concluded with the global FIRST Championship, where thousands of teams from around the world came together to celebrate what they had learned.

Students and their robots compete at the FIRST Championshipvia FIRST

“We just have so many problems that we need to solve, and I truly believe that a lot of them need technological solutions,” Fazlul “Fuzz” Zubair told Upworthy. Zubair is the systems engineering department manager at Raytheon Technologies, an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate. He mentors FIRST Team 4201: The Vitruvian Bots in Los Angeles.

“Even the problems that don’t appear to be technological in nature will require big data or to make the next big breakthrough in energy, transportation, or our ability to observe our known universe,” said Zubair.

The robotics-based programs that FIRST provides expose students to global challenges and encourages them to do their part to be problem solvers. Annual FIRST seasons are themed around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and are meant to encourage participants’ critical thinking and innovation across a breadth of worldwide issues, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. The Goals, much like the mission of FIRST, are an attempt to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

“These challenges not only help students put their STEM and life skills to the test but get them thinking about how technology can address critical community, national and global problems,” FIRST CEO Chris Moore told Upworthy. “Mentorship is the critical piece that helps students up-level their learning.”

FIRST students develop strategies for addressing complex challenges by working with enthusiastic, experienced mentors who are professionals in STEM fields.

“When STEM gets challenging, mentors are there to collaboratively help students navigate the problem, find solutions, and discover their own resiliency,” said Moore. “Many young people—especially those from underrepresented, underserved, and vulnerable populations—struggle to envision themselves in STEM fields. Mentorship can combat this self-doubt and help more students discover their path and sense of belonging in these careers.”

FIRST students develop a solution-based mentality and are armed with problem-solving skills, empowering them to make a direct impact on their communities and the world around them.

FIRST Team 316, the Lunatecs, formed in Carney’s Point, New Jersey, in 1999 as a FIRST Robotics Competition team and later established a nonprofit, the South Jersey Robotics. The SJR team designs, fabricates and donates adaptive devices to improve the lives of physically challenged individuals and the organizations that serve them.

South Jersey Robotics created adaptive gear to allow physically-challenged people to scuba dive.

“We wanted to apply the skills we’ve learned in real-life situations and creating an adaptive device program allowed us to do that,” student Seth Simpkins told Upworthy. Recently, the FIRST team created Jump Assist, an adaptive jump rope that allowed a young boy with congenital amputation to play like the rest of the kids at his school.

FIRST Team Buckets of Ravena, New York, founded the nonprofit We Give Water in partnership with U.K.-based eWaterPay to help address the global problem of clean water accessibility. The nonprofit has raised $55,000 to fund 40 sustainable systems in Gambia, West Africa, that provide clean water access to more than 20,000 people.

“While we might take accessible water for granted here, in other countries water means life. We wanted to help bring life to those in need so they could be able to worry less about where their water was coming from and more on important things, such as school and health,” FIRST Team Buckets member Elizabeth Robertson told Upworthy.

FIRST Team Buckets helped bring sustainable water systems to Gambia.

Raytheon Technologies’ Zubair is confident that the opportunities provided through FIRST are contributing to a new generation of much-needed problem-solvers.

“By creating more people that get excited, that say, ‘This is what I want to do, I want to develop technology,’ we are creating a group of people who are primed to solve our tough problems,” he told Upworthy. Zubair even used his participation in FIRST to create a pipeline of qualified STEM talent for his team: he has hired 15 FIRST alumni to work with him at Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and many of these hires give back in their free time to mentor local teams.

FIRST students supply ample proof that young people don’t have to wait until they graduate high school or get a job in a STEM industry to make a difference. They can start now by picking up the skills they need for success in STEM and life through FIRST.

“Don’t wait for anything,” Robertson said. “If you are given the opportunity to do something amazing, do it. The one thing our team said every time someone asked this question was, you are never too young to change the world. STEM skills are meant to do good.”

Simpkins agrees: “I say you don’t have to wait. In fact, waiting is the worst thing you can do. Be open to new experiences and believe in yourself.”

To learn more about FIRST and to get involved, go to firstinspires.org

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Jennifer Hudson Gets Her EGOT, Becoming The Youngest Woman And Second Black Woman To Do So

Tony night is always a cause for celebration, but last night’s (June 12) show was especially significant for a certain someone: Jennifer Hudson received a Tony for her production effort on A Strange Loop. With that win, the American Idol finalist became just the 17th person, the third youngest person, the second black woman, and the youngest woman to ever get an EGOT, since she has now won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

Notably, the Chicago native also had one of the the shortest spans of time between her first award and last award in EGOT terms. Jennifer Hudson first won an Oscar for best supporting actress in Dreamgirls back in 2006. The “Spotlight” singer went on to win a Grammy for her self-titled R&B album in 2009, the best musical theater album Grammy for her work on The Color Purple in 2017, and an Emmy in 2021 for her executive production on the VR film Baba Yaga.

Hudson now joins the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, Mel Brooks, Rita Moreno, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and 11 others in the group of EGOT recipients. This year’s Tonys, the 75th annual show, also featured the very first time a transgender individual was nominated as L Morgan Lee was up for best featured actress.

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Kooky MAGA Lawyer Lin Wood Has Some, Um, Interesting Theories About The Moon Landing And The Earth Being Flat

Rudy Giuliani isn’t the only nutty MAGA lawyer. L. Lin Wood, who Wikipedia accurately describes as “an American attorney and conspiracy theorist,” fiercely believes that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Donald Trump and that Marjorie Taylor Greene is under the “influence of the devil” (that last one actually makes sense…). His latest kooky theory involves NASA, the moon landing, and the Earth being flat.

“People lie. Scientists lie. Government agencies (including NASA) lie. God does not lie. The Holy Bible is the Word of God. Every word in the Holy Bible is true. Is the Earth flat or is it a spinning ball??? The answer is found in the Holy Bible. Do the research. Connect the dots. Draw your conclusion,” Wood wrote on far-right favorite app Telegram.

Conclusion drawn: no.

Wood then turned his attention to the moon landing.

“Ever wonder how this lunar dune buggy below got to the surface of the moon??? I don’t recall the lunar landing module having a truck in which it could fit!!! POOF!!! It was there. Like magic!!! Illusions and characters. Kinda like what Disney produces.”

Wood wasn’t done spewing his nonsense. In response to a video of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin receiving a congratulatory phone call from President Richard Nixon, he wrote, “Talk about a long, long, long distance call!!! Only a slight delay between conversations by those on the ‘telephone’ call!!! Excellent clarity, too!!! Now at age 69, I wonder if I got played at age 16. Do you think you might have also gotten played??? P.S. Nixon sure did know how to read a good script!!!” Yes, because if there’s one thing Nixon is known for, it’s being good on camera.

Never trust a lawyer — or anyone, really — who uses that many exclamation points.

(Via Raw Story)

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Fans Aren’t Pleased With Britney Spears’ Mom Commenting On Spears’ Wedding Post

When news about Britney Spears and Sam Asghari’s wedding first surfaced on Thursday, June 9 (the day of the wedding), it was reported that some key members of Spears’ family — father Jamie, mother Lynne, and sister Jamie Lynn — would not be attending the ceremony (although Spears’ brother Bryan was expected to be there). Indeed, the aforementioned family members were in none of the photos that surfaced from the ceremony and reception. That makes sense considering all the unflattering things Spears has had to say about them in recent years.

Despite that, Spears’ mother commented on one of Spears’ Instagram posts about the wedding from this weekend. She wrote, “You look radiant and so happy! Your wedding is the ‘Dream’ wedding! And having it at your home makes it so sentimental and special! I am soooo happy for you! I love you!”

Britney Spears Lynne mom wedding comment
@lynnespears_rf/Instagram

Fans were not happy about that, as Lynne’s comment got ratioed, meaning the number of responding comments greatly outweighed the amount of likes Lynne’s comment got.

One user responded, “Read the room Lynne. You abandoned this woman in her time of need. Your own g*ddamn daughter! Go pedal your pyramid scheme products and leave her alone on her happy day. How dare you, truly.” Another wrote, “You’re a snake! And so is your other daughter, the talentless one.” Somebody else chimed in, “You broke Britneys heart and you want to congratulate her maybe one day she can forgive you but she is forever traumatized of what you, your husband and evil little daughter has done to her and her children. I couldn’t forgive parents like you and Jamie two Narcassist money hungry enemy loving people. At least she can have a friendship with Bryan her big brother 1 person from her birth family. Sad.”

Back in November 2021, Spears wrote of her mother, “My dad may have started the conservatorship 13 years ago .. but what people don’t know is is that my mom is the one who gave him the idea !!!! I will never get those years back …. she secretly ruined my life.”

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Britney Spears Is Ecstatic In Her First Posts About Her Wedding: ‘The Ceremony Was A Dream’

Towards the end of last week, reports surfaced that Britney Spears and Sam Asghari were getting married. Those reports were quickly confirmed to be true when photos from the event surfaced (and when Spears’ ex-husband tried to crash the ceremony). Now, Spears herself has offered her thoughts on the big day and naturally, she’s over the moon.

She posted about the wedding and reception — both of which took place on Thursday, June 9 — on many occasions over the weekend. In the most overarching of the posts, Spears wrote:

“Wow !!! Holy holy crap !!! WE DID IT !!! WE GOT MARRIED !!! Gggggeeeeezzzzz !!! It was the most spectacular day !!! I was so nervous all morning but then at 2:00 pm it really hit me … WE’RE GETTING MARRIED !!! I had a panic attack and then got it together … the crew who created our home into literally a dream castle were fantastic !!! The ceremony was a dream and the party was even better !!! So many incredible people came to our wedding and I’m still in shock !!! [Drew Barrymore] my girl crush and [Selena Gomez] who btw is way prettier in person if that’s possible both came !!! I was speechless … I kissed [Madonna] again [winking emojis] and we danced into the night with [Paris Hilton] … Thank you [Donatella Versace] for designing my dress … I felt so beautiful … Thank you also to [Stephanie Gottlieb] [Charlotte Tilbury] and [Sofia Tilbury] for my jewelry and makeup !!! I think we all fell on the dance floor at least 2 times !!! I mean come on … we were all VOGUING !!! [Asghari] I LOVE YOU !!!”

In another post, Spears declared, “Fairytales are real.”

Find Spears’ wedding posts below. Asghari shared a couple of his own posts, too, so find those below as well.

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Amber Heard Criticized The Unfair Treatment She Received On Social Media In Her First Interview Since The Depp V. Heard Verdict

In her first sit-down interview since being found guilty of defamation against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard discussed the jury’s decision.

“I don’t blame [the jury]. I actually understand. He’s a beloved character and people feel they know him. He’s a fantastic actor,” the Aquaman actress, who was ordered to pay $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages to Depp, told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie about the verdict.

Heard also criticized the role that social media played in the six-week trial.

“I don’t care what one thinks about me or what judgments you want to make about what happened in the privacy of my own home, in my marriage, behind closed doors. I don’t presume the average person should know those things. And so I don’t take it personally. But even somebody who is sure I’m deserving of all this hate and vitriol, even if you think that I’m lying, you still couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that you think on social media there’s been a fair representation. You cannot tell me that you think that this has been fair.”

Heard testified that she received “hundreds of death threats” during the trial. “People mocking my testimony about being assaulted… I hope no one has to go through something like this. I just want Johnny to leave me alone,” she said.

Amber Heard’s interview with Guthrie (whose husband consulted for the legal team of the Pirates of the Caribbean star) will air Tuesday and Wednesday on TODAY, followed by an hour-long special on Friday on Dateline. You can watch a preview below.

(Via Variety)