After a 1-4 start, no one around the Pitt football program is happy. So what better way for players to anonymously air their grievances than carefully placing them inside of a lovely Pitt-blue vase?
This vase has been at the entrance of the #Pitt football facility all week. Players are supposed to put their negative thoughts in it. pic.twitter.com/41yMtyaM2Y
Stephen Thompson, who works for FanNation covering both Pitt and the Steelers, tweeted a picture of the vase that stood atop a Pitt-themed pedestal in front of a roaring panther head statue.
“This vase has been at the entrance of the #Pitt football facility all week,” Thompson tweeted. “Players are supposed to put their negative thoughts in it.”
It was unclear whether this Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s idea or someone else’s. It was also unclear whether this was meant as a suggestion box or simply a way for players to vent their frustrations, of which there are undoubtedly many.
There are so many unanswered questions. How many players have left notes in the vase? What do the notes say? Is Narduzzi (or anyone) actually reading the notes? Or are they meant to be simply complaints aired out and then metaphorically set ablaze, aired and now forgotten? Does anyone know that the ashes are supposed to go into the urn-esque vase after they are burned rather than before? Was it supposed to look like an urn at all? Did anyone realize before this happened that it looks like a suggestion box of sorts? Have fans been able to sneak into the facility and leave notes of their own?
Either way, Pitt is off to its worst start since 2005 and has already lost as many games as it did all of last season. Pitt has lost four in a row to FBS opponents and is 0-2 to start ACC play for the first time since 2017, which was also its only ACC season that it missed a bowl game. With No. 14 Louisville, No. 21 Notre Dame, No. 4 Florida State and No. 17 Duke all left on the schedule, it’s looking bleak for Pitt’s postseason chances.
Defense has always been the calling card under Narduzzi, but since Kenny Pickett left for the NFL, the offense has struggled. This year has been particularly bad as Pitt is 128th nationally in yards per game and Boston College transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec has been benched. There was even talk of turning him into a tight end that was quickly squelched.
The only thing more Pitt football than the existence of this bizarre suggestion box would be if Pitt were able to knock off a top-25 Louisville team on Saturday.
After a 1-4 start, no one around the Pitt football program is happy. So what better way for players to anonymously air their grievances than carefully placing them inside of a lovely Pitt-blue vase?
This vase has been at the entrance of the #Pitt football facility all week. Players are supposed to put their negative thoughts in it. pic.twitter.com/41yMtyaM2Y
Stephen Thompson, who works for FanNation covering both Pitt and the Steelers, tweeted a picture of the vase that stood atop a Pitt-themed pedestal in front of a roaring panther head statue.
“This vase has been at the entrance of the #Pitt football facility all week,” Thompson tweeted. “Players are supposed to put their negative thoughts in it.”
It was unclear whether this Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s idea or someone else’s. It was also unclear whether this was meant as a suggestion box or simply a way for players to vent their frustrations, of which there are undoubtedly many.
There are so many unanswered questions. How many players have left notes in the vase? What do the notes say? Is Narduzzi (or anyone) actually reading the notes? Or are they meant to be simply complaints aired out and then metaphorically set ablaze, aired and now forgotten? Does anyone know that the ashes are supposed to go into the urn-esque vase after they are burned rather than before? Was it supposed to look like an urn at all? Did anyone realize before this happened that it looks like a suggestion box of sorts? Have fans been able to sneak into the facility and leave notes of their own?
Either way, Pitt is off to its worst start since 2005 and has already lost as many games as it did all of last season. Pitt has lost four in a row to FBS opponents and is 0-2 to start ACC play for the first time since 2017, which was also its only ACC season that it missed a bowl game. With No. 14 Louisville, No. 21 Notre Dame, No. 4 Florida State and No. 17 Duke all left on the schedule, it’s looking bleak for Pitt’s postseason chances.
Defense has always been the calling card under Narduzzi, but since Kenny Pickett left for the NFL, the offense has struggled. This year has been particularly bad as Pitt is 128th nationally in yards per game and Boston College transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec has been benched. There was even talk of turning him into a tight end that was quickly squelched.
The only thing more Pitt football than the existence of this bizarre suggestion box would be if Pitt were able to knock off a top-25 Louisville team on Saturday.
Earlier this year, Kali Uchis teased that she had two albums in the works — one in English, and one in Spanish. She dropped her English-language third studio album Red Moon In Venus this past February. This coming January, she will release her fourth studio album, the Spanish-language Orquídeas.
Uchis revealed the album’s title and cover art today, after previously releasing the single “Muñekita” featuring El Alfa and JT of City Girls back in August. As of now, this is the only song she has released from the album. However, she has been teasing new music via social media over the course of the past few days.
When making the album, Uchis was inspired by her Colombian roots and upbringing.
“The orchid is the national flower of Colombia, and we have more species of orchid than anywhere on earth,” Uchis said in a statement. “I always felt distinctly intrigued and magnetized by the flower. This album is inspired by the timeless, eerie, mystic, striking, graceful and sensual allure of the orchid. With this vast scope of fresh energy, I wish to re-define the way we look at Latinas in music.”
You can see the Orquídeas artwork below.
COUGHS
Orquídeas is out 1/12/2024 via Geffen. Find more information here.
Earlier this year, Kali Uchis teased that she had two albums in the works — one in English, and one in Spanish. She dropped her English-language third studio album Red Moon In Venus this past February. This coming January, she will release her fourth studio album, the Spanish-language Orquídeas.
Uchis revealed the album’s title and cover art today, after previously releasing the single “Muñekita” featuring El Alfa and JT of City Girls back in August. As of now, this is the only song she has released from the album. However, she has been teasing new music via social media over the course of the past few days.
When making the album, Uchis was inspired by her Colombian roots and upbringing.
“The orchid is the national flower of Colombia, and we have more species of orchid than anywhere on earth,” Uchis said in a statement. “I always felt distinctly intrigued and magnetized by the flower. This album is inspired by the timeless, eerie, mystic, striking, graceful and sensual allure of the orchid. With this vast scope of fresh energy, I wish to re-define the way we look at Latinas in music.”
You can see the Orquídeas artwork below.
COUGHS
Orquídeas is out 1/12/2024 via Geffen. Find more information here.
Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon impressively crashed HBO Max to such a degree that the audience turnout was obvious, even before data arrived. Season 2 of the Doomed-Targaryen series received a swift greenlight, and the first season dealt with all the necessary time jumps and cast switcheroos to set up the rest of the series. That likely adds up to at least four seasons, but if the viewership holds up, this show could surely move beyond the George R.R. Martin-penned source material like its predecessor. Do we want that to happen, given the final season of Game of Thrones?
Perhaps that’s a question we should ask later. For now, it’s time to start thinking about what we’ll see the next time Rhaenyra and Daemon return for Team Black, and Alicent and her fam are doing the Team Green thing. When the show last visited with its audience, both Rhaenyra and Aegon II had been crowned monarchs on their respective sides, and Daemon seemed to behaving himself. That last detail may or may not last, but let’s talk about what we can actually expect for House of the Dragon‘s next season.
Plot
The second season will continue the setup of the first outing by following George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. The series last left off with Rhaenyra learning of Luke’s death due to a major screw-up by Aemond, who had only wanted to scare his cousin, but when dragons are in the air, and an unskilled rider is aboard, sh*t happens. And that will drive Rhaenyra’s inner fire, especially through the premiere episode, which is titled “A Son For A Son.”
Watch out, Aemond. Actually, if she decided to target Aegon instead, I don’t think that anyone would protest, and that would still be a “fair” exchange, right? Let’s not get too speculative, although Aemond is so entertaining that he would be missed, and no one truly likes Aegon (not even Aegon, although he’s warming up to himself).
Get ready for some numb butts, too. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the jam-packed events of the season has led to lengthy episodes, some possibly running longer than an hour. There’s a lot to cover, obviously — this series began 200 years before Game of Thrones‘ events, and the Targaryen house eventually fell, but at least we can enjoy the journey.
The show will officially embark upon the Targaryen Civil War in Season 2. Expect more airborne dragon fights, although no one knows how poor Arrax will fare without his rider, and let’s see some justice for Ceraxes, please.
To briefly preview how the decks are stacked, we will note that Team Black is united with House Velaryon and will have increased naval powers as a result. They also have their fair share of dragons, but Team Green includes Aemond and the enormous but loose-cannon dragon, Vhagar. That creature, of course, ended up making a tasty meal out of Luke, which will count as the first death in a devastating war.
HBO
Cast
Paddy Considine no longer has to suffer anymore as the King of Bad Decisions (RIP Viserys). Returning cast members include Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen), Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen), Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower), Ewan Mitchell (Aemond Targaryen), Tom Glynn-Carney (Aegon Targaryen), Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen), Steve Toussaint (Corlys “Sea Snake” Valaryon), Fabien Frankel (Ser Criston Cole the terrible), Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria/that White Worm), and Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower).
Release Date
The show has been undergoing production in Europe and has, as such, been mostly insulated from the WGA (due to already locked scripts) and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Currently, the show is set for a Summer 2024 return, which is pretty damn efficient for such a large and complex production.
Trailer
No trailers exist as of yet, but you had better believe that when one drops, we will be all over it here.
Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon impressively crashed HBO Max to such a degree that the audience turnout was obvious, even before data arrived. Season 2 of the Doomed-Targaryen series received a swift greenlight, and the first season dealt with all the necessary time jumps and cast switcheroos to set up the rest of the series. That likely adds up to at least four seasons, but if the viewership holds up, this show could surely move beyond the George R.R. Martin-penned source material like its predecessor. Do we want that to happen, given the final season of Game of Thrones?
Perhaps that’s a question we should ask later. For now, it’s time to start thinking about what we’ll see the next time Rhaenyra and Daemon return for Team Black, and Alicent and her fam are doing the Team Green thing. When the show last visited with its audience, both Rhaenyra and Aegon II had been crowned monarchs on their respective sides, and Daemon seemed to behaving himself. That last detail may or may not last, but let’s talk about what we can actually expect for House of the Dragon‘s next season.
Plot
The second season will continue the setup of the first outing by following George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. The series last left off with Rhaenyra learning of Luke’s death due to a major screw-up by Aemond, who had only wanted to scare his cousin, but when dragons are in the air, and an unskilled rider is aboard, sh*t happens. And that will drive Rhaenyra’s inner fire, especially through the premiere episode, which is titled “A Son For A Son.”
Watch out, Aemond. Actually, if she decided to target Aegon instead, I don’t think that anyone would protest, and that would still be a “fair” exchange, right? Let’s not get too speculative, although Aemond is so entertaining that he would be missed, and no one truly likes Aegon (not even Aegon, although he’s warming up to himself).
Get ready for some numb butts, too. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the jam-packed events of the season has led to lengthy episodes, some possibly running longer than an hour. There’s a lot to cover, obviously — this series began 200 years before Game of Thrones‘ events, and the Targaryen house eventually fell, but at least we can enjoy the journey.
The show will officially embark upon the Targaryen Civil War in Season 2. Expect more airborne dragon fights, although no one knows how poor Arrax will fare without his rider, and let’s see some justice for Ceraxes, please.
To briefly preview how the decks are stacked, we will note that Team Black is united with House Velaryon and will have increased naval powers as a result. They also have their fair share of dragons, but Team Green includes Aemond and the enormous but loose-cannon dragon, Vhagar. That creature, of course, ended up making a tasty meal out of Luke, which will count as the first death in a devastating war.
HBO
Cast
Paddy Considine no longer has to suffer anymore as the King of Bad Decisions (RIP Viserys). Returning cast members include Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen), Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen), Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower), Ewan Mitchell (Aemond Targaryen), Tom Glynn-Carney (Aegon Targaryen), Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen), Steve Toussaint (Corlys “Sea Snake” Valaryon), Fabien Frankel (Ser Criston Cole the terrible), Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria/that White Worm), and Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower).
Release Date
The show has been undergoing production in Europe and has, as such, been mostly insulated from the WGA (due to already locked scripts) and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Currently, the show is set for a Summer 2024 return, which is pretty damn efficient for such a large and complex production.
Trailer
No trailers exist as of yet, but you had better believe that when one drops, we will be all over it here.
John Carpenter has directed some of the greatest horror films of all-time. Halloween. The Thing. They Live — all classics! But he doesn’t go to the movie theater that much these days. Carpenter did, however, see Barbie at home.
“I watched Barbie. I can’t believe I watched Barbie,” Carpenter told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s just not my generation. I had nothing to do with Barbie dolls. I didn’t know who Allan was.” He then laid out his main issue with Barbie. “I mean, I can sum it up. She says, ‘I don’t have a vagina,’ and then at the end, ‘I’m going to go to a gynecologist!’ That’s the movie to me,” he said. “I mean, there’s a patriarchy business in there, but I missed that whole thing. Right over my head. But I think she’s fabulous, Margot Robbie.”
From John Carpenter, that’s basically a five-star review.
It’s been 13 years since Carpenter has directed a movie, and he spends most of his free time watching basketball, making music, and playing video games (the perfect life, honestly). But if he wants to come out of semi-retirement and make a movie with Margot Robbie, I will personally finance it. Or at least supply the chips for catering.
John Carpenter has directed some of the greatest horror films of all-time. Halloween. The Thing. They Live — all classics! But he doesn’t go to the movie theater that much these days. Carpenter did, however, see Barbie at home.
“I watched Barbie. I can’t believe I watched Barbie,” Carpenter told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s just not my generation. I had nothing to do with Barbie dolls. I didn’t know who Allan was.” He then laid out his main issue with Barbie. “I mean, I can sum it up. She says, ‘I don’t have a vagina,’ and then at the end, ‘I’m going to go to a gynecologist!’ That’s the movie to me,” he said. “I mean, there’s a patriarchy business in there, but I missed that whole thing. Right over my head. But I think she’s fabulous, Margot Robbie.”
From John Carpenter, that’s basically a five-star review.
It’s been 13 years since Carpenter has directed a movie, and he spends most of his free time watching basketball, making music, and playing video games (the perfect life, honestly). But if he wants to come out of semi-retirement and make a movie with Margot Robbie, I will personally finance it. Or at least supply the chips for catering.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
Beyoncé announced plans to bring her extremely successful and record-breaking Renaissance World Tour to theaters with a new concert film while SZA hinted at an “intimate mini tour” for her SOS deluxe album Lana. Mariah Carey kicked off her holiday season run with news of her Merry Christmas One And All Tour and Lauryn Hill extended her The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour with new dates in the US. Tems returned with “Me & U,” her first new song in two years and Janelle Monáe fired off a remix of “Champagne Sh*t” with Quavo and Latto. Elsewhere, 6lack kicked off his Since I Have A Lover Tour, Majid Jordan announced their Good People Live tour with dates in North America and Europe, and Mahalia announced her In Real Life Tour across North America in 2024.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Arin Ray — “Wait So Long”
We’re a little over a year removed from Arin Ray’s second album Hello Poison and he’s already revealed plans to return with a new project. The Cincinnati-born singer will release Phases 3 later this month, and to kick off the EP’s rollout, he checks in with “Wait So Long.” Produced by the legendary Tricky Stewart, Ray’s new record taps into the frustration over a lover’s hesitation to declare their love.
Majid Jordan — “Hands Tied”
Majid Jordan confirmed that their fourth album would be titled Good People with the release of their latest single, “Hands Tied.” The track follows “Waiting For You” with Naomi Sharon as both tracks help to detail the origin story that lives on Good People, as the album is a reminder of who the duo is, where they came from, and how far they’ve gone.
Vedo — 7
After dropping Mood Swings at the top of the year, Vedo is concluding his 2023 year with another album, this one titled 7. The project is nearly a feature-less effort from the Michigan singer as he calls on Lecare for an appearance on “I Need You.” “7 represents completion,” Vedo said of the album. “It represents those who seek to understand the deeper meaning of life. It’s a lucky number and represents many other things as well. Although I’m far from being done, after creating 7 The Album I now have a sense of fullness.”
Bnxn — Sincerely, Benson
Just a year after releasing Bad Since ’97, Nigerian afrobeats star Bnxn returns with what feels like his proper debut with Sincerely, Benson. Fifteen songs and features from Headie One, Seyi Vibez, Kizz Daniel, Taves, 2Baba, and Popcaan make up the project which he said is a letter to his fans and the close people in his life who deserve to learn about the true person that is Bnxn. You can also check out our interview with Bnxn here.
Odumodublvck — Ezeiokwu
Staying in the afrobeats world, we shift our attentio Odumodublvck resides to highlight his debut project Ezeiokwu which translates to The Truth. Through 14 songs, Odumodublvck recruits help from BlaqBonez, Wale, Fireboy DML, Bloody Civilian, Bella Shmura, and more for a project that’s honest, raw, and filled with records that he’s labeled as “okporoko rhythms.”
Mr Eazi — “Fefe Ne Fefe”
With his official debut album The Evil Genius set to drop at the end of the month, Mr Eazi offers another single from the project with “Fefe Ne Fefe.” The new track, whose title translates to “beauty is beautiful,” sports a highlife rhythm, smooth saxophone, and pal-wine guitar sound that perfectly encapsulates the beachside life of West Africa.
RealestK — “It’s You” Feat. BIA
Toronto singer RealestK has been hard at work for quite a while now, and his efforts are about to be seen once again with the release of his upcoming mixtape Real World. Following his “Better” and “Stranger” singles, RealestK checks back in with “It’s You” alongside BIA who provides are strong verse to pair with RealestK’s smooth vocals over the minimalistic production.
Raiche — “Late Show”
It appears that Massachsetts-born singer Raiche may have a new project on the horizon. She returns with “Late Show,” her second single of the year following “Big Daddy.” Raiche’s newest release flaunts a booming bass as she dismisses an old lover who fumbled their opportunity with her and is now back with hopes of receiving a second chance.
Titose — “Infinity” Feat. Moliy
Next month, Botswana singer Titose will release her second project All Things Considered. It holds eight songs and one feature from singer Moliy which you can now hear through their new single “Infinity.” The track joins “I’ll Never” as singles from the project which follows 2021’s Was It Something I Said?.
Carrtoons — Saturday Night
New York multi-instrumentalist and producer Carrtoons arrives with his latest body of work, Saturday Night. It’s his first project since 2022’s Homegrown and it’s a delicate and tasteful release that supplies collaborations with the likes of Topaz Jones, Jay Prince, Joanna Teters, Reuben James, and more.
Russell! — “Just Like Candy”
With an album set to arrive at the beginning of 2024, Russell! (fka as D-Pryde) returns with “Just Like Candy.” The new single captures the desire one has towards that special someone in their life who you’ve had your eye on for quite some time. “I really wanted to aim for a song you can groove and dance to, but also makes you feel sexy within times of admiration and loneliness,” Russell! said about the record.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
From above, the Cantalloc Aqueducts look like an artistic installation of some sort, strings of aesthetically pleasing spirals lined up in perfect rows. But these pre-Inca-era creations have a perfectly practical purpose.
The Cantalloc Aqueducts are the best known part of the aqueduct system built by the Nasca (also spelled Nazca) people some 1,700 years ago in the desert of southern Peru. Due to the scarcity of water in this region—droughts here can last for years—the Nasca relied on getting water from the underground water table. But they didn’t just create traditional wells to access the aquifer. They constructed an elaborate—yet brilliantly simple—system to channel water from the aquifer wherever they wanted it to go.
The spiral structures, called ojos (“eyes” in Spanish), are made of stone and wood up to 45 feet (15 meters) deep, and they connect to a series of underground aqueducts and surface channels (known collectively as puquios) that irrigate the arid landscape for farming and provide water for domestic use. Up until 2016, it was assumed the ojos were used as wells and access points for maintenance of the aqueducts. But Rosa Lasaponara and others from the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis in Italy discovered another reason for their shape.
Using satellite imagery to get a clear picture of the entire puquios and how the water was irrigated, Lasaponara and her team found that the spiral-shaped holes actually funnel wind down into the underground channels, helping push the water through the aqueducts like a pump.
Lasaponara’s study also provided insight into the age of the system, which many had believed had been built by the Spanish. Because the structures are made from the materials from the local terrain, they can’t be carbon dated. There is no written record from the Nasca in that time period, but the settlements the channels ran to provide strong evidence for Nasca origin.
It’s a feat of hydraulic engineering that required an advanced understanding of how land, water and air work together, and the fact that most of these ojos are still in use today is a testament to the skills of the ancient people in this area of Peru.
The Nasca Aqueducts were submitted to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019 and are currently on the organization’s “tentative” list. As the submission on the UNESCO website states:
“This system was built in the middle of one of the driest and most arid desert territories of the world, where there is no surface water during most of the year. In this context, the water obtained by means of ingenious aqueducts serves not only for human consumption but also to irrigate the crop fields, with which fertile oases were created in the middle of the immense desert.
The Nasca Aqueducts were made based on advanced knowledge of geology and hydrology and since its construction, almost two thousand years ago, it has been used permanently by the societies that succeeded its builders and is still in operation until today.”
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