Category: Trending

No matter how old we get, there’s a part of us that revels in the magical wonder of childhood. One toy designer-turned-acorn artist has tapped straight into that wonder with the worlds he creates for his “Becorns” and the creatures who stumble upon them.

Becorns are David Bird’s name for the tiny characters he creates out of acorns and sticks. He has made over 100 of them, all with different personalities and names (such as Bing, Cooper, Big Boone and Vildegarde), and they are absolutely precious.

Meet Dink, for instance:

Dink may be having a solo moment of awe here, but Becorns aren’t usually on their own when Bird captures them in photos. After setting up a scene and waiting patiently, Bird might catch one of his Becorn friends examining an insect, bathing with a bird or sparring with a squirrel.

And the end result is something straight out of a fairy tale.

“Kind of the essence of Becorns is this wonder about the natural world and sort of experiencing nature and the wonder of nature in kind of a pure way,” Bird told PBS. “And a lot of people have said, ‘I haven’t felt that since I was a kid.'”

“There’s a wide variety of personalities in the Becorn world,” he shared. “They tend to be gentle, they’re almost always curious and up to something. There are warriors that are defending against squirrels. They definitely are nurturers—they feed the wildlife and care for them.”

The idea for creating Becorns came to Bird when he was sweeping debris off his mom’s driveway and saw the acorns and sticks scattered on the ground. Bird had worked as a toy designer at LEGO in Denmark for almost five years and his work on Bionicles served as the foundation for piecing together his Becorn friends.

“I kind of realized,—Oh my God, everything I did at LEGO I can do with these sticks and acorns and kind of create a whole world with them,” he told PBS.

And that’s exactly what he’s done.

Bird sells prints of his photographs on his website and gallery shows and he shares them on social media as well. He recently shared a video montage of his favorite Becorn scenes from 2022.

“People love Becorns because on the one hand, it’s all so familiar, like we all know acorns and sticks and chipmunks in our backyard, and we see it all the time,” Bird told CBS. “But on the other hand, it seems like this whole other world.”

Watch Bird share his process for creating a Becorn scene with CBS Sunday Morning:

Find more Becorn delights on Bird’s website here, and follow him on Facebook or Instagram.

Few delicacies are as controversial as the rich, buttery, cream-like spread made from fattened goose or duck liver, better known as foie gras.

The process of making foie gras is considered extremely cruel, requiring the liver to become abnormally enlarged from a disease called hepatic steatosis. This is caused by gavaging, a process in which the bird is force-fed exorbitant amounts of food through a long metal tube being shoved down its throat, pumping in so much food that the liver swells up to ten times its normal size. Hence why the food item is so expensive, priced at $40-$80 per pound, and banned in both New York and California as well as a handful of countries.

However, one farmer in Spain makes foie gras using no gavaging and no force-feeding. He doesn’t even use cages. His foie gras costs twice as much at a little over $200 for a 180-gram jar. But here’s why it’s worth every penny.

Eduardo Sousa, aka the “Goose Whisperer,” uses a simple system that’s been in his family since the early 1800s and dates all the way back to ancient Egypt.

It works like this: Tamed wild geese roam as they please. The farm is located on a natural migration path, so in the cold winter months, wild geese join the tamed geese on the farm where they feast on grass, acorns, olives, figs and different seeds, which naturally fattens up their liver. Geese particularly love acorns, which Sousa says makes the livers tastier and have a more yellow color.

Even the slaughter is done humanely, using a traditional technique that “hypnotizes” the geese. During the coldest part of winter on a moonless night, Sousa uses a high-powered LED light to stun the geese, which makes catching them easier so they don’t suffer. He says he makes sure they have “a sweet death.”

The livers are then put into a jar and cooked in a wood oven. And voila—delicious, colorful, creamy foie gras with zero cruelty. Plus, Sousa makes sure to also use every other part of the goose to eliminate waste.

This entire process only takes place once a year, and yields no more than 2,000 batches, which (despite their hefty price tag) always sell out. And it’s not just because the foie gras is made ethically. Its flavor is the stuff of legend, winning the highly prestigious Coup de Couer in France. It received its own Ted Talk, for crying out loud.

Despite his foie gras fame, Sousa doesn’t make much of a profit. Instead, it goes back to maintaining the land for the geese. But this is all part of his passion. He hopes to teach others this humane method and to encourage a way of enjoying luxury in a way that is respectful to nature.

“We always say that foie gras is something that should be consumed once in a lifetime. We do not want it to be abused. No matter how much money a person has, they should not abuse consumption. It is something you have to try, enjoy it on a very, very, very special occasion,” he said.

What a beautiful philosophy.

Who’s a good dog? That’s a question dog owners ask often just because their dogs merely exist. Of course, the answer will always and forever be, “You are!” to whatever dog you’re speaking to. But some dogs take their status of good girl or good boy to a whole new dimension, elevating them from just a good dog to the goodest dog.

Yes, I know goodest isn’t a word, but dogs don’t know that. Dogs don’t speak our language and certainly don’t understand the rules of grammar, but that doesn’t stop them from being the best full-body-wagging companions there are, and it doesn’t stop them from claiming their “goodest dog” title.

Today that title goes to Caipirinha, the rescue dog who saved her blind sister after she fell into the pool.

Luna is a 14-year-old blind dog who recently started to become disoriented according to her owner, Dustin. While the family was inside the house, Luna lost her orientation and fell into the pool. If you’ve never had a blind dog, it may be surprising to know that they can get around pretty well so long as you don’t change the layout of your home or backyard set up often.

When my senior dog went blind, I was shocked to see him still able to get around just fine without bumping into things, but just like Luna, as he got older he started to become disoriented and often needed to be led around by my other dog. (Sort of like a seeing-eye dog for a dog.) Thankfully, Luna also had a four-legged sister looking out for her when she lost her bearings and took an unexpected swim.

Caipirinha immediately knew her big sister was in trouble and worked tirelessly to get her to the steps of the pool so she could get out.

“And then when Luna gets close to the edge, Caipirinha nudges her towards the stairs, knowing that that’s going to be the only way she could get out,” Dustin is heard saying in the video shared by Sassy on Facebook. Caipirinha goes as far as to pull on Luna’s collar once she’s on the steps to help her the rest of the way out of the pool.

After the terrifying incident, Luna and Caipirinha’s dad installed a barrier to prevent the elderly dog from falling into the pool again. But it should be officially stated that Caipirinha wins the goodest dog award. What a good girl.

The entire rescue was caught on surveillance. Watch it below:

Dogs really are man’s best friend and a police officer in Deer Park, Texas went through a literal tornado to prove it. Recently a tornado tore through the Texas town destroying buildings and whipping debris around making the outdoors a hostile environment. But when officer Joel Nitchman realized the tornado was barreling down while his K-9 partner was still in the car, he jumped into action.

Nitchman told KHOU that the two had just came back from training when the wind began picking up and he knew he needed to get to his dog, “the thought of debris or the car flipping over. I couldn’t do that to him. I couldn’t have him out there during that.” The officer’s K-9, Roni has been in several situations where he put himself in danger to help Nitchman according to the officer, this time his human returned the favor.

The entire thing was caught on surveillance cameras and it’s quite the sight. At one point in the video you can’t even see the police car because the wind and rain is so strong. In fact, the winds are so intense that Roni refused to come out of the car.

“I could barely open the door. When I did…he’s a smart dog. He saw what was going on outside and he’s like, ‘I’m not coming out,'” Nitchman told KHOU. But there wasn’t time for negotiations with a scared pup. The partners had to get inside to safety before the tornado picked up and the two became the next Dorothy and Toto.

Luckily for Roni, his human partner was able to coax him out of the car and the duo fought the intense winds to get inside the building.

Watch the amazing video below:

Some of basketball’s biggest stars aren’t just making moves on the basketball court. Some of them are doing it on the runway as well.

Fashion has been an integral part of professional basketball from the very beginning, but just like the game itself, fashion trends move fast, which is why it’s vital to keep an eye on the trendsetters who always seem to be at the forefront.

In this episode of Dime Breakdowns, we’re going to do exactly that with a look at some of basketball culture’s boldest style stars. From Kelly Oubre with his Dope$oul brand to the NBA’s Style Player of the Year (and newly minted Kevin Durant running mate) Devin Booker, to on and off-court icon Russell Westbrook with his Honor the Gift clothing line, Kyle Kuzma and his amazing combo outfits, and Jordan Clarkson with his love for vintage looks., this lineup is unstoppable when it comes to tunnel style and making a grand entrance.

We only wish we had a time machine to include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Astro Boy shoes. See? Fashion moves faster than you think.

Check out the latest Dime Breakdowns and then let the style inspo guide you as you look to keep your wardrobe in a constant state of freshness.

I don’t know if you’ve heard but Rihanna is doing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Seems like kind of a big deal, but I’m not sure. Anyway, today, Apple Music held a pre-game interview with the long-absent star, where journalist Nadeska Alexis asked her all about the upcoming performance, doing her best to get Rihanna to give away some spoilers.

And while there weren’t many — Rihanna did say the show is jam-packed and was also exhausting — Rihanna did reveal some interesting details about the preparations for the show. For instance, she says that she and her time have changed the setlist 39 times, which, considering her extensive catalog and all the hits she has to choose from and cram into a 13-minute set, is understandable.

So, here’s the thing: I was joking earlier when I said “it seems like kind of a big deal.” It really, really is. Here’s why: Rihanna hasn’t performed live since the tour for her 2016 album Anti. So, that’s about six years between performances. Needless to say, people are really excited about her music return after she took several years off to start a beauty company, start a lingerie line (that recently expanded into sportswear), and have a baby with ASAP Rocky.

But more than that, her return could presage a full run of new Rihanna content, including an album and a tour. And although Rihanna herself denies that either is in the works just because she’s performing at the Super Bowl, that isn’t stopping fans from holding out hope that 2023 becomes the year of Rihanna.

You can watch the Rihanna Super Bowl interview from YouTube above.

Pete Davidson’s BDE is a boon to his ever-evolving romantic entanglements, and apparently good for business, too. As CNN Business reports, Taco Bell’s attempt to make breakfast a thing for the brand has been a huge success — thanks largely to the former SNL star.

In October, the quasi-Mexican fast-food chain hired Davidson to promote the fact that, yes, Taco Bell serves breakfast, too. And it’s just the kind of greasy, cheese-filled slop that a stoner comedian can really sell the masses on. During a Wednesday earnings call for Yum Brands, Taco Bell’s parent company, it was announced that breakfast sales jumped an impressive nine percent in the fourth quarter of 2022 — clearly a direct response to Davidson’s spots. This helped the brand’s sales grow 14 percent last year.

Davidson’s role in the campaign was to “apologize” to Taco Bell customers for the chain’s tendency to overthink its early-morning offerings, which is a message that came directly from the company.

“We honestly over-innovated in breakfast,” Taco Bell’s chief brand officer, Sean Tresvant, told CNN in 2022. “When you look at today’s consumer and the [fast-food] breakfast business, it’s about familiarity and it’s about comfort.”

Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs seems excited about sticking with this simple breakfast menu and message for Taco Bell, and says that they’re making “encouraging progress” with this segment of the business. Whereas previously breakfast made up only six percent of Taco Bell’s total sales, the morning meal is responsible for 25 percent of McDonald’s earnings in a given year.

Now if only Taco Bell could make a commercial explaining Davidson’s appeal to women.

(Via CNN Business)

Matisse Thybulle’s name has popped up in trade rumors in the lead-up to Thursday’s trade deadline. With a little more than two hours to go before 3 p.m., we finally learned that the former University of Washington standout is returning to the Pacific Northwest, as the Philadelphia 76ers agreed to a deal to send him to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Charlotte Hornets will reportedly be pulled into the deal, as Philly will acquire the services of Jalen McDaniels. Svi Mykhailiuk, meanwhile, is on his way with North Carolina.

There are also picks on the move in the trade.

Thybulle’s abilities on the defensive end of the floor have led to him getting playing time during his career in the NBA, but he’s been limited on offense, which has restricted the amount of run he’s gotten. This year, Thybulle has averaged a career-low 2.7 points in 12.1 minutes per game while hitting 33.3 percent of his threes. He’s the second move the Blazers have made at the deadline, as the team acquired Cam Reddish and a pick from the New York Knicks for Josh Hart on Wednesday.

McDaniels has taken a step forward as a scorer during his fourth year in the league, all of which have come as a member of the Hornets. McDaniels has started 21 of the 56 games in which he’s appeared, averaging 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 26.7 minutes a night.

Chelsea Handler likes a man who knows what he wants. Especially if what he wants is to tell shady congressman/possible con man George Santos that he’s an “ass.” Which is why she is publicly declaring her sexual attraction to Mitt Romney.

On Wednesday night, The Daily Show guest host shared some of her favorite moments from Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, which has turned out to be this week’s version of must-see TV. Of course, the comedian had a LOT to say about Marjorie Taylor Greene’s tacky white fur coat, which — like its unfortunate owner — refused to be ignored. But for Handler, the real surprise of the night came before Biden had even uttered a word. When, in the moments before the speech began, Mormon Mitt brought what Handler described as a “bit of a UFC/junior high cafeteria vibe” to the proceedings by approaching the freshman congressman/serial fabulist and allegedly telling him that “You ought to be embarrassed, son” and “You’re an ass.” Handler couldn’t help but think it was kind of hot:

I would like to go on the record tonight and say that I’m sexually attracted to Mitt Romney. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last time. I don’t even care that he’s a Republican or a Mormon. In fact, since he’s a Mormon, he’ll be open to another wife. And if not, he’s a Republican, so he’ll be open to having an affair. Problem solved.

While Handler allowed that Romney’s rebuke was rather PG-rated, she correctly equivalated that “You ought to be embarrassed, son” is “the Mormon equivalent of ‘Suck my f***ing dick, you p***y a** b*tch.’”

You can watch the full segment above, beginning around the 1:40 mark.

Ben Affleck’s Grumpy Grammy Face was the biggest non-music-related moment of the evening. He looked truly “miserable,” as people observed, and this reminded everyone of his expressions as captured by the paparazzi. This is likely due to his resting face, no doubt (it happens to the best and worst of us), and Affleck has made clear that he’s aware of those Sad Batman memes and people chuckling at his sad faces while he fetches the Dunkin’ coffee bounty that actually makes him happy.

In response to Ben’s apparent sadness in front of the Grammy’s audience, lip readers speculated aplenty while claiming that JLo — in regard to an apparent exchange of tense words on camera — was telling Ben to perk up. A source also claimed that Ben was simply exhausted and out of his element as a homebody who doesn’t really dig events. However, a more telling account has gone down, courtesy of a Grammys Seat Filler, who (via Buzzfeed News & The Daily Beast) took to TikTok with her story.

Using her @AlmostAnna handle, the TikToker reported that JLo actually showed Ben the live memes of his pained expression, which did not help the situation. “J.Lo showed Ben Affleck the phone and was like ‘Oh my god honey look at this meme circulating about you,’” Anna revealed. “[Ben] was like, ‘Oh god this again.’”

If Anna’s claims are true, then Ben’s live response to the memes only made him look grumpier, which amplified the memes, and this is Peak Internet stuff. Oh boy. I won’t tell Ben to cheer up, but I’m glad that he’s got a sense of humor about everything.

(Via Buzzfeed News & The Daily Beast)