Category: News

There seems to be a fairly broad consensus that the world is a bit of a dumpster fire at the moment, but that perspective doesn’t account for the countless examples of beauty, goodness, and hope we see all around us when we look for them.

If you’re looking for reasons to smile, here are ten from this week that’ll give you a dose of joy and boost your faith in humanity.

1. A phlebotomist taking a moment to create breathtaking beauty on his work break.

Healthcare workers have had it rough over the past year and a half as the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet, through it all, we’ve seen extraordinary resilience and fortitude to carry on through the challenges. Teva Martinson, a phlebotomist at University of Utah Hospital, creates a moment of artistic beauty during a work break with the help of the lobby pianist, and it’s everything.

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Read the full story here.

A moment of pure joy at University of Utah Hospital❤️

#uofuhealth #universityofutahhealth https://t.co/kiuBPs6cbA

— University of Utah Health (@UofUHealth)
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2. Singer Shawn Louisiana nailing a Sam Cooke song at the barbershop.

Sometimes a voice shoots like an arrow straight into your soul, and Shawn Louisiana singing “A Change is Gonna Come” for the clientele at a barbershop is one of those times. So gorgeous. Smooth like butter. Definitely worth a listen.

Read the full story here.

The older guy didn’t think I could pull off a Sam Cooke song #achangegonnacome

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3. A grandpa giving a young woman notes of their time together when she was little.

Aw dang, this is too sweet. This grandpa gave a woman three notebooks filled with stories of each time he hung out with her from ages two to five for her birthday. What a precious, forward-thinking gift.

4. Can we please have all meteorologists get a doggo sidekick?

The pandemic has turned live broadcasts into a family affair and if we keep anything from this era, pet interruptions should be it. A weather report without a dog looking for treats just isn’t a weather report anymore. (The dog’s name is Storm because of course it is.)

5. This baby loves her mama. And her mama’s cheeks, and lips, and eyes, and cheeks, and forehead, and chin, and cheeks….

Hold onto your ovaries if you have them, folks, because this baby gushing with love for her mama and all her mama’s body parts is just too precious. “I wuv all of ’em, Mommy.”

6. These before and after photos of kids on their first day of school are hilariously real.

These photos say it all, don’t they? We totally feel you, kiddos. Sometimes we look like this at the end of a long day, too. Read the full story and see more photos here.

7. Watch this guy surprise drive-up window food workers with big tips.

Food service workers have had a rough go of it during the pandemic, too, so seeing them get a larger-than-expected tip is super sweet. They’re all so grateful and humble about it, too. People can be so good.

Watch this video and try not to smile — it’s impossible 😁

Everyone needs to be more like these people. If you can… https://t.co/pPN2YHPaOk

— Brad Beauregard Jr 🇺🇸 (@BradBeauregardJ)
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8. This woman collects food that stores were going to throw away and gives it to people who need it.

It seems like such a simple concept, but someone has to actually make it happen. Fourteen years ago, Claudia Wheeler started to rescue food that was going to go to waste and now runs a foundation that helps that rescued food to get to people experiencing food insecurity. Wonderful, dedicated, inspiring woman.

9. This adorable dalmatian and kitten video because these kinds of videos never, ever get old.

Seriously, even when everything seems like it sucks, a sweet dog-and-cat video can always bring a smile to your face. It’s the law or something. How could anyone not smile at this?

Stop it! 😅 https://t.co/ibRgAVzXHE

— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_)
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10. When all else fails, watch a dog do somersaults with his best friend on a trampoline.

Pretty sure this is the definition of pure joy.

The world is hot trash at the moment so watch this and enjoy your day. https://t.co/FnVtLvLF3j

— Fenrir (@semibogan)
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Hope that list lightened your load, friends. Keep on joy-scrolling!

William Shatner only hosted SNL once (with musical guest Lone Justice), but it was a memorable episode for what long-time writer Robert Smigel called “maybe the most resonant sketch I ever wrote there.”

In the 1986 sketch, referred to as “16th Annual Star Trek Convention” on the invaluable website SNL Archive, Shatner tells die-hard Star Trek fans at a convention to “get a life” and that “it’s just a TV show. I mean, look at you. Look at the way you’re dressed. You’ve turned an enjoyable little job I did as a lark for a few years into a colossal waste of time.” Shatner turned “get a life” into a book and a documentary and the sketch is a classic (Alan Siegel’s article for The Ringer is a great read), but even 35 years later, the son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry does not find it funny.

“I never really appreciated that skit because I think it was demeaning to the fans,” Rod Roddenberry told the Hollywood Reporter. “I think it was disrespectful, especially for a character who was an open-minded, intelligent leader.”

Although now in vogue with enormous mainstream popularity, comic and sci-fi cons were once an easy target to bash nerds (a term now worn as a badge of honor). So Shatner using SNL to poke fun and perhaps further ostracize the group was disheartening, Roddenberry says, adding, “But I don’t condemn it in any way. It’s Saturday Night Live, and it’s all fun.”

Maybe the Futurama parody is more his speed. #JusticeForWelshy

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

Skepta shows off his life of luxury in the lavish video for “Eyes On Me,” the latest single from his recently released EP, All In. As in his video for “Nirvana” with J Balvin, Skepta dresses up to the nines in “Eyes On Me,” although the narrative plays out more favorably for him.

First, he wakes up in an opulent mansion and gets picked up with a caravan of Rolls-Royces while still wearing his durag (causing some consternation for a nosy neighbor). Then, it’s off to a photoshoot where he chooses eye-popping looks from an array of colorful Bottega Venetta pieces. Afterward, he and his crew visit a cigar shop, where they unwind with glasses of cognac and a smoke. The group handles some business deals, sealing their agreements with more drinks, and finally, they relax after the long day in a casino, shooting billiards and playing cards as they toast to the good life.

All In sees Skepta dipping his toes back into the limelight after taking much of 2020 off in the wake of his collaborative project Insomnia, which he released alongside Chip and Young Adz just before the coronavirus spread into an all-out pandemic. He worked with Gorillaz on “How Far” from Song Machine and Kid Cudi on “Show Out” from Man On The Moon III, but otherwise remained off the radar — aside from popping up dating rumors with British singer Adele. As he slowly emerges from hibernation, he seems to have a new outlook, expanding his musical range with his J Balvin collaboration, and seems inspired by his quarantine hobby of playing poker.

Watch the “Eyes On Me” video above.

Lil Nas X is gearing up for the release of his debut album Montero, which he unveiled the most Lil Nas X way possible. Rather than simply post about the LP on social media, Lil Nas X instead shared an entire faux pregnancy shoot, calling his album his “little bundle of joy.” Taking the joke one step further, Lil Nas X wanted to spread the love to some of his pregnant social media followers, prompting some hilarious replies.

The “Industry Baby” musician took to Twitter to repay his listeners for showing him some love. Lil Nas X asked his pregnant Twitter followers to reply with their Cash App name so he can send them some funds.

Lil Nas X did end up sending some fund to his followers, but, of course, trolls quickly caught wind of his request and impersonated celebrities.

Oakland rapper Guapdad 4000 also tried to put his name out there, joking that he was a new father in order to get some fast cash. “Wow thanks @LilNasX i actually just had my baby !!! His name is lil Guap,” he wrote. “I’m a struggling brother trying to make ends meet . I have to walk 6 miles to get him his Cartier :((((”

Montero is out 10/17 via Columbia. Pre-order it here.

Guapdad 4000 is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Despite initially planning to allow Mike Richards to stay on as an executive producer after he mired the Jeopardy! host selection process in weeks of controversy by kind of choosing — or at least not not choosing — himself as Alex Trebek’s successor, Sony Pictures Television fired the embattled TV exec earlier this week. Not only was Richards ousted as an EP for Jeopardy! but also Wheel of Fortune, and now, it appears he’s gearing up for a courtroom battle that will undoubtedly last longer than his hosting gig. Via Fox News:

Mike Richards hired an attorney in what appears to be an upcoming legal battle against Sony following his ousting as executive producer of “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune,” Fox News can confirm.

Los Angeles-based attorney Bryan J. Freedman of Freedman + Taitelman, LLP confirmed to Fox News on Friday he’s now representing Richards.

As for what kind of fight Richards is preparing for, well, that remains to be seen, but his public reputation couldn’t be in worse shape thanks to the Jeopardy! debacle. By inserting himself into the hosting mix, Richards went from a little-known producer to a headline-making villain who allegedly was terrible to work for during his time on The Price Is Right. His extremely questionable remarks on women’s bodies and bigoted statements about Jews were also unearthed by The Ringer, which ultimately led to Richards losing the Jeopardy! hosting job after taping just one episode.

In short, Mike Richards flew too close to the sun, and now, he’s got nothing left to do but probably get paid a ton of money to go away. Tough… break?

(Via Fox News)

This article originally appeared on 09.06.17

There’s a distinct accent that American actors and broadcasters used in the early days of radio and in pre-World War II movies. It’s most obvious in old newsreel footage where the announcer speaks in a high-pitched tone, omits his “Rs” at the end of words, and sounds like a New Yorker who just returned from a summer holiday with the British royal family.

This speaking style is also heard in the speeches of Franklin D. Roosevelt and just about any performance by Orson Welles. But today, this accent is all but nonexistent, prompting the question: Did Americans speak differently before the advent of television?

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The video below, “Why Do People in Old Movies Talk Weird?,” reveals the secret of this distinct inflection known as the Mid-Atlantic accent and why it was so prominent in early 20th-century American media.

Why Do People In Old Movies Talk Weird?

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This article originally appeared on 10.26.17

It’s super easy for most people to get hung up on the number on their scales and not how they actually look or, most importantly, feel. People often go on diets in hopes of reaching an ideal weight they had when they graduated high school or got married, but they’re often disappointed when they can’t attain it. But a set of photos by fitness blogger Kelsey Wells is a great reminder for everyone to put their scales back in storage.

Welles is best known as the voice and body behind My Sweat Life, a blog she started after gaining weight during pregnancy. To lose the weight, she started the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) training program and after 84 weeks she shared three photos on her Instagram account that prove the scale doesn’t matter. The photos showed her at her start weight (144 pounds), the weight she hit two months after giving birth (122 pounds), and current weight (140 pounds). Now she weighs exactly what she did when she started the program but her body is entirely different.

Here’s an excerpt from Wells’ Instagram post:

SCREW THE SCALE || I figured it was time for a friendly, yet firm reminder. YOU GUYS. PLEASEEEEEE STOP GETTING HUNG UP ON THE NUMBER ON THE STUPID SCALE! PLEASE STOP THINKING YOUR WEIGHT EQUALS YOUR PROGRESS AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING PLEASE STOP LETTING YOR WEIGHT HAVE ANY AFFECT WHATSOEVER ON YOUR SELF ESTEEM, like I used to.
To any of you who are where I once was, please listen to me. I am 5′ 7″ and weigh 140 lbs. When I first started #bbg I was 8 weeks post partum and 145 lbs. I weighed 130 before getting pregnant, so based on nothing besides my own warped perception, I decided my “goal weight” should be 122 and to fit into my skinniest jeans. Well after a few months of BBG and breastfeeding, I HIT IT and I fit into those size 0 jeans. Well guess what? I HAVE GAINED 18 POUNDS SINCE THEN. EIGHT FREAKING TEEN. Also, I have gone up two pant sizes and as a matter of fact I ripped those skinny jeans wide open just the other week trying to pull them up over my knees.?? My point?? According to my old self and flawed standards, I would be failing miserably.

This article originally appeared on 10.30.17

For those of us who grew up in the United States eating lunch in a cafeteria, the idea of looking at a bunch of trays of school food may be less than compelling. But what’s surprisingly interesting, however, is what children from the rest of the world are eating instead. Check out these common lunch dishes from around the globe and let us know they seem accurate.

The photos were part of a project entitled “School Lunches Around the World” by Sweetgreen In Schools, a program “that educates kids about healthy eating, fitness, and sustainability through fun, hands-on activities.”

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This article originally appeared on 11.03.16

Stressed? Of course you are. Luckily for you, and the entire U.S. population, scientists believe they may have identified the most relaxing song in the world.

Music has forever been associated with bringing about relaxation, happiness, and serenity — whether it’s a Gregorian chant or some Enya accompanied by a glass of merlot.

Neuroscientists in the United Kingdom think they have found the one song that relieves stress and soothes our souls more than any other.

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Mindlab International, a market research firm, conducted a study a few years ago in which participants completed difficult (and possibly stressful) puzzles while their brain activity was monitored. To study its effect, music was played while they completed the puzzles.

One song stood out above the rest. “Weightless” by Marconi Union (listen below), an English ambient music band, induced a 65% reduction in stress among participants, according to Inc. And DailyMail.com reported that the song was 11% more effective than most other songs — by such musicians as Adele and Coldplay — in reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing speed.

The 2011 song was created by the band, along with the British Academy of Sound Therapy, to do just that — relax listeners.

If you prefer something with lyrics, try Enya’s “Watermark” or “Pure Shores” by All Saints, which were also proven to be relaxing,

Music therapy is considered to be a natural therapy important in alleviating stress. Because stress is an important cause of other deadly illness, fighting it is key to maintaining good health. Numerous studies have shown how damaging stress can be to our bodies and our brain. So don’t let it get out of control. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the music.

Marconi Union – Weightless (Official Video)

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The first gummy bears were created in the 1920s by Hans Riegel, owner of the Haribo candy company in Bonn, Germany. Since, gummy candies have become popular worldwide and evolved to take the shapes of fish, sour patch kids, frogs, worms, and just about anything a clever candy maker can imagine.

But unlike the popular Disney ’80s “Gummi Bears” cartoon, these sweet little guys don’t come from a hollow tree in the forest. Sadly, their creation is a bit more terrifying.

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In the video below, Belgian filmmaker Alina Kneepkens shows how the colorful snacks you bought at the movie theater actually began as pigskin. Yes, an NFL football and a gummy bear have the same humble beginnings. But if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, there’s no need to worry; there are candy manufacturers that make gummy bears out of agar and pectin so you can enjoy these fruity delights minus the swine skin.

Now, you know you want to sing along to this tune.

Disney’s Adventures Of The Gummi Bears Intro, Widescreen, Soundtrack Remastered DOWNLOAD LINK

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