Category: Viral

We’ve got some shocking news. Like more shocking than major-character-deaths-in-the-debut-season-of-a-prestige-fantasy-series, shocking. Game of Thrones is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month.

That’s right. It’s been ten years since we visited this fictitious land filled with dragons and warring houses and a Night King. It’s been ten years since the Starks left Winterfell, since a Targaryen gave birth to flying firedrakes since the battle for the Iron Throne first began. Book readers might still be waiting on George R.R. Martin to finish the damn story, but if all you know of Westeros is what happened on the HBO series, then this recap is for you.

To commemorate the show’s anniversary, we thought we’d check in on the main characters from season one to see how they’re faring after all the unpleasantness of the show’s final season — and by unpleasantness we mean genocide and zombie invasions and the true horror of knowing a kid named Bran was now in charge of your kingdom. Where are the characters from Game Of Thrones now? We’re glad you asked.

Daenerys Targaryen

Then: Way back on season one of Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke’s many-named queen was just trying to have a nice, quiet sad girl summer when her twin brother decided to sell her off to a Dothraki warlord. She’s really not responsible for any of the death and carnage that came after.

Now: The Mother of Dragons did not learn her lesson — mainly, that now Targaryen male should ever be trusted — and she met the pointy end of her nephew/lover’s sword. Did she deserve to be painted as a woman gone mad with power and the need for revenge? No, but when the writers have you barbecue an entire city, the happiest possible ending is probably a quick, painless death and one last ride off into the sunset.

Jon Snow / Aegon Targaryen

Then: When he wasn’t hacking up practice dummies and pining for a life of service in the Night’s Watch (who knew forced celibacy could be so motivating), Kit Harington’s baby-faced bastard spent most of his time sulking about his sullied heritage. He struggled to acclimate to the rigid, unforgiving regimen of life on The Wall but boy did he perfect that whole “historical-fantasy-emo-f*ckboi” vibe.

Now: After convincing his aunt/lover to sacrifice a dragon and her life’s pursuit of the Iron Throne to travel North and defeat The Night King, Jon basked in the glory of victory for a bit too long. Long enough that Daenerys would come to lose yet another dragon, a good portion of her army, and her best friend. Jon seemed shocked when she burnt King’s Landing to the ground, though his brother Bran probably saw it coming. After killing his queen, he needed a fresh start so currently, he’s on a pilgrimage North of the Wall with Tormund and a band of Wildlings. We imagine it’s like Burning Man, but with fewer drugs and more fur. At least Ghost got to go along this time.

Drogon

Then: When we met Drogon, he was a fire-breathing cinnamon roll too pure for this world. One of the first dragons to be seen in centuries, he’s the reason at least one of your exes got a full back tattoo, learned High Valryian, and started telling people he was bilingual.

Now: Drogon lost his entire family thanks to those Westerosi people, so here’s hoping he found a nice place to settle down and enjoy a burnt shepherd’s boy or two in relative peace. He’s earned it.

Sansa Stark

Then: There were exactly three things Sophie Turner’s pre-teen princess was good at when we first met her: needlework, complaining about her younger sister, and making a total mess of everything. It’s not Sansa’s fault she was taught that marriage and status were the only things a young girl should aspire to — it’s the patriarchy’s fault.

Now: Sansa survived her fair share of hardship and she’s currently thriving back in Winterfell. She became a Queen, but on her own terms, and she’ll get to live out the rest of her days knowing she really did manage to feed her abuser to a pack of rabid dogs — a story she probably recounts every time she gets a little toasted at the annual “Battle of the Bastards” celebration feast. What an icon.

Arya Stark

Then: Arya Stark could never be accused of being a “lady,” but man, did she spend an ungodly amount of time convincing people she wasn’t just some kitchen boy in the show’s first season. Most of the trouble came when she was shipped off to King’s Landing and forced to make nice with the Lannisters at the expense of her direwolf, her relationship with her sister, and eventually, her father’s life. Still, she had a good time taking those “dancing” lessons with Syrio Forel.

Now: Arya Stark lived many lives over the course of the show’s run. She was a faceless assassin, a Lady of Winterfell, Littlefinger’s executioner, and eventually, she slayed the Night King himself. She earned whatever ending she wanted so even though she never personally crossed Cersei’s name off her list, we hope she’s having a hell of a time cosplaying as a Pirate Queen somewhere far away from the nonsense of the Seven Realms.

Bran Stark

Then: Bran Stark was an odd little boy who liked ravens and scaling towers and spying on incestuous hookups between a certain set of Lannister twins and, weirdly enough, we preferred that version of the kid.

Now: Bran’s still odd, but in a more pretentious, all-knowing way, and though logically, he’s one of the better choices to sit on the Iron Throne, a rock has more personality than this guy so we’ll never fully get behind his upcoming reelection campaign. #JusticeForHodor

Cersei and Jamie Lannister

Then: Remember the good ol’ days of Game of Thrones? When Jamie Lannister still had both his hands? When Cersei just drank wine and threw shade at her useless husband? When the news that they were carrying on a romantic relationship was still fresh and rarely alluded to so as to give added shock value when Jamie pushed little boys from towers (because … love, obviously) and to keep us from throwing up in our mouths a little bit every time the pair featured onscreen?

Now: The upside to having to endure seasons’ worth of this twisted romance is that both of these characters got what they deserved in the end — even though being crushed by the falling ruins of King’s Landing felt completely anti-climactic. We’re pretty sure Jamie’s using his one good hand to serve Cersei wine in the afterlife though if you still need some closure.

Tyrion Lannister

Then: Speaking of wine, Tyrion Lannister was introduced to fans as the imp who “drank and knew things” in season one. He enjoyed a good welcome at the local brothel, being the cause of embarrassment for his sister and father, and making new friends — as long as those friends were mercenaries with no moral center named Bron. Out of all the Lannisters, he was the most likable… even if he was constantly on the wrong side of the war.

Now: We’re assuming he still drinks a lot of wine — killing your father and lover before betraying your queen and losing every other surviving member of your family in the process will drive anyone to the juice — and he knows some things, but the show’s final season wasn’t kind to Tyrion’s memory. Eventually, the pressures of running the kingdom’s finances will get to be too much and he’ll launch that line of beard care products he’s been harping on about, but it’s best to think of him fondly as the man who once — and with great gusto — slapped Joffrey into a pigpen.

Ned Stark

Then: A man of honor who lived by a noble code, loved his family, treated his subjects well, and was loyal to his friends. Really, why were any of us surprised that Ned Stark didn’t last on Game of Thrones? He made some poor political calculations, revealing his hand far too soon, and it definitely wasn’t cool of him to keep Jon Snow’s lineage a secret from his wife all those years.

Now: Ned learned a powerful lesson: when your friend tries to rope you into a bros-only vacation after the mysterious death of your shared mentor, just say “no” … unless you want your head to be the centerpiece of your enemy’s medieval remodeling plans.

Robb Stark

Then: Robb Stark was just a boy, learning to grow a man’s worth of facial hair in the first season of Game of Thrones. He had a great responsibility thrust upon him when his father went South and his mother went rogue. He’d eventually find himself crowned King in the North, but this show only cared about one throne so his survival odds took a real hit after that promotion.

Now: Where’s Robb Stark now? Why don’t you go ask that guy from Coldplay? Depending on who you talk to, Robb Stark is either a cautionary tale for white men hoping to achieve power and marry the hot nurse in medieval fantasy epics or he’s the best excuse an introvert can come up with when someone asks why they’re not attending a family member’s wedding. Either way, he deserved better.

Catelyn Stark

Then: If everyone had just listened to Catelyn Stark, a lot of bloodshed could’ve been avoided on this show. A matriarch with a strong command over her family and an instinct for political machinations, the reigning Lady of Winterfell was wiser than most — though that whole kidnapping Tyrion plot was an admitted low point for her, intellectually speaking.

Now: In the end, Catelyn paid for her son’s failures. Though she tried to warn him against angering the Freys and constantly fought to rescue Sansa and Arya, by the time the Red Wedding came around, she was just the nagging, overbearing maternal figure whose death felt more impactful than her continued presence on the show. But we’d like to think she’s still out there somewhere, haunting the doorstep of her enemies as Lady Stoneheart.

Petyr Baelish / Littlefinger

Then: A scheming worm who excelled at manipulating anyone around him who happened to be a decent human being — sorry Ned — Littlefinger had some vague plans that never seemed to come to fruition. Did he want to marry Catelyn? Rule The Vale? Control Sansa? Become King of the Seven Kingdoms? Only he knew for sure, which made him especially dangerous in earlier seasons.

Now: As smart as Petry believed himself to be, he just never really understood women and he died on his knees in the home of the first Stark he ever betrayed. Fairly fitting, immensely satisfying. And, once again, another fun, bloody anecdote Sansa trots out whenever she throws one of those mythic Winterfell ragers.

Khal Drogo

Then: A beefcake who knew the power of a smokey eye and delighted in the chaotic brutality of a good Dothraki wedding ceremony, Khal Drogo was a warlord with potential. His union with Dany grew into one of the healthier, more romantic relationships on this show, and he still serves as one of the few men who didn’t let the future Mother of Dragons down. He was truly one of the good ones.

Now: Except, you know, he still had those bad Dothraki habits of pillaging and plundering and not taking a damn break from riding his horse so he could receive medical attention because he was also a slave to toxic masculinity. We wish he could’ve had a better death, but it should cheer you to know he was cheering on his wife from beyond the grave — as evidenced by Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.

Viserys Targaryen

Then: An exiled prince whose obsession with his sister gave Jamie Lannister a run for his money in the “eww, gross” department, Viserys wanted to live that high-flying, fire-wielding life but he just couldn’t take the heat.

Now: He’s probably sitting on a Dothraki’s mantle right now, serving as an interesting conversation starter during intimate dinner parties.

“Say Kovarro, where’d you get this interesting golden bust? It looks so realistic?”

“That’s actually a funny story, you see, there was this guy who crashed a baby shower claiming to be a dragon…”

Ser Jorah Mormont

Then: Unrequited crushes aside, Ser Jorah Mormont was one of the few true friends Daenerys ever made. He helped her to acclimate to Dothraki life, protected her at the cost of his own, and served at her side even after the death of Khal Drogo. He was a true ride or die.

Now: And die he did. He’s currently enjoying his eternal rest knowing that the boy who cuckolded him ended up murdering his queen and taking an extended vacation North of The Wall. Really hope Jorah decides to haunt Jon Snow at some point.

Robert Baratheon

Then: This drunkard was a pretty useless king, though he did manage to verbally dress down Cersei Lannister a time or two. He harbored an unhealthy fixation with exterminating an entire family’s line and held a torch for a woman who really gave no f*cks about whether he lived or died.

Now: He’s regretting his choices in the afterlife we guess? How could you not when your reign was ended by an excessive amount of alcohol and a rogue swine?

Theon Greyjoy

Then: Theon Greyjoy was Ned Stark’s ward, which meant he constantly facilitated between considering Robb and the rest of the Stark children as his extended family and absolutely loathing them. He always felt he was destined for greater things and if betraying the people who raised him got him there, well, so be it.

Now: Sadly, “greater things” for Theon ended up being imprisonment, castration, and years’ worth of trauma that probably carried over. Here’s hoping the afterlife has a damn good therapist.

Joffrey Baratheon

Then: Joffrey was the by-product of an incestuous love affair that would end up igniting chaos in the fragile hierarchy that ruled Westeros. He was also a mama’s boy. So really, the only thing he could have possibly turned out as was a sh*tty psychopath whose favorite pastime was torturing brothel workers and bullying Sansa Stark.

Now: If you want to make a trip to hell to check in with the guy, we won’t stop you.

When it comes to American condiments, none is more popular, more beloved, and more controversial than ketchup. Bright, sweet, and tangy with a hint of subtle umami complexity, it’s a classic pairing for all things fast food. A natural fit on burgers and fried potatoes (or onions!) and perfectly acceptable on a quality hot dog, ketchup even has a place on the breakfast table, pairing great with eggs, breakfast burritos, and hash browns. Plus it’s a key ingredient in endless secret sauces.

The simple tomato-based condiment is clearly versatile. But as someone who reviews a lot of fast food and is often exposed to the same two brands, Heinz and Hunt’s, I began to wonder: What else is out there?

As you can see, the answer is “plenty.” The sector seems to have found rejuvenated interest from established brands and industry upstarts in recent years. But with so much sense memory playing on the palate, especially when it comes to the “Big Two,” I knew this ranking would have to be done blind. So I bought a bunch of random ketchup bottles from multiple grocery stores in my area — and took some Heinz and Hunt’s ketchup packets from my sizeable junk drawer collection — and had my girlfriend squeeze out a dollop from each onto a plate, four at a time, in random order.

Using ketchup’s greatest pairing partner, the french fry, I then tasted each dollop, jotted down a few tasting notes and impressions, and gave each one a rating from one to five. To cleanse my palate, I swigged Coke from McDonald’s, where I also got the fries.

Clearly, I’m not messing around.

With tons of reps under my belt, I went into this sure that I’d be able to pick out Heinz and Hunt’s by sight and smell. I was absolutely wrong. Honestly, I could hardly tell any of the brands apart before tasting them — they were all just subtly different shades of red and smelled generally the same.

The actual flavors of the 11 different brands were definitely unique, though. Read on to see which tasted best.

11. Traina — Gourmet Classic Sun Dried Tomato Ketchup

Price: $9.95

Tasting Notes:

Visually the worst, Traina’s Gourmet Classic Sun-Dried Tomato Ketchup featured a dark-almost-brownish color with a noticeably grainy mouthfeel. As I worked my way through this particular dollop, it started to separate on the plate. During the second go-around, I made sure to give the bottle a good shake to see if this would fix the problem. It didn’t.

I was hoping the inclusion of sun-dried tomatoes would lead to a unique experience, but all this convinced me was that maybe ketchup should never be made with sun-dried tomatoes. Though I don’t think the sun-dried tomatoes were to blame for the weird, grainy texture. That’s on the brand itself.

What To Eat It On:

Nothing. It’s actually bad. If you thought ketchup couldn’t possibly be bad, you’re wrong. This one is.

10. Hunt’s — Tomato Ketchup

Price: $2.29

Tasting Notes:

Hunt’s is the Pepsi to Heinz’s Coca-Cola. It’s the other brand you see popping up at fast-food chains and burger joints. It’s also clearly not as good (and unlike Pepsi, I don’t believe Hunt’s has a legion of loyalists), so it doesn’t surprise me to see it ranked low on this list.

This ketchup just comes off as overly sugary. It lacks the deep complexity of an actual tomato — as if the people at Hunt’s packed it with sugar to hide that they’re working with bad produce. Which… they probably are!

What To Eat It On:

It’ll do in a pinch, but it definitely leaves something to be desired. If another sauce is available, we’d suggest reaching for that instead.

9. Sprouts — Ketchup

Price: $1.99

Tasting Notes:

With the way this ketchup looked on the plate, I expected it to taste much worse. Sprout’s ketchup had a gross watery appearance (yes, the bottle was shaken), with noticeable separation and a pale red color that made it appear bland. It didn’t suffer from the overly sugary quality found in Hunt’s, but that suspected blandness was very much there.

To be frank (pun!), this ketchup lacked any noticeable flavors, providing more of a pleasing mouthfeel than anything else.

What To Eat It On:

This is ketchup you’re going to want to spice up. Sprinkle some pepper and maybe some MSG in it and you’ve got a decent dipping sauce for french fries or breakfast potatoes. Without some added spice, it’s forgettable at best.

8. Cucina Antica — Organic Tomato Ketchup

Price: $4

Tasting Notes:

Cucina Antica’s Organic Tomato Ketchup was a rich crimson color and had a bright tomato puree aroma. It featured a rich and balanced flavor with a hint of onion. Never too sweet, tart or tangy, this very natural-tasting and neutral ketchup would serve as a great base for a more complex sauce.

What To Eat It On:

Serve it up on some scrambled eggs or use it as a base for a rich and spicy sauce.

7. Heinz — Tomato Ketchup

Price: $2.99

Tasting Notes:

I was surprised to find Heinz’s basic ketchup ranked in the middle, as I was fully expecting this to be my favorite. It’s everything good ketchup should be, with a bright flavor that cuts through whatever you put it on, but it’s also more like baseline ketchup compared to some of its cohorts — leaving it in the “serviceable but unremarkable” range.

My biggest gripe was how it lingered on the palate, leaving you with a ketchup-y after taste that eventually overpowered the aftertaste of the fries themselves. In contrast to other bottles of ketchup on this list, it’s actually too powerful.

What To Eat It On:

Anything! Your Burgers, fries, breakfast burritos, and scrambled eggs will taste better with some Heinz. It’s the industry standard and doesn’t have flavors that make it better or worse for any one type of food.

6. Whataburger — Fancy Ketchup

Price: $10.99 (Three Pack)

Tasting Notes

I’ve never been to Whataburger, but people tell me I need to go there all the time. I can now say I’ve at least tried their ketchup. At first, I didn’t understand why Whataburger even had retail ketchup, but now I’m on board. It’s… slightly better than Heinz (which clearly isn’t an easy task for all brands)!

Compared to Heinz — which is a pretty easy reference point for most of us — this was a tad sweeter but considerably less bright. It doesn’t linger on the palate in an obtrusive way. It’s a much more subtle approach to ketchup, with a richer flavor that tastes just a tad better on french fries than Heinz original.

The Bottom Line:

Use it for what it’s intended for: fries and burgers!

5. Melinda’s Black Pepper Ketchup

Price: $7.49

Tasting Notes:

This one was the only entry that was easy to pick out visually, it had noticeable specks of black pepper. I didn’t remember the brand by name, but as soon as I saw it on the plate I said “oh, that’s the black pepper one!” So much for going in blind.

Melinda’s has a noticeable dark and complex quality to it, with subtle pepper notes that ease off the typical brightness of ketchup, plus an even more subtle cinnamon aftertaste. I should note that in terms of smell, Melinda’s had the worst, with a strong vinegar aroma that made me wince.

What To Eat It On:

Bring out those faint cinnamon notes by dipping some sweet potato fries in this one.

4. Noble Made By The New Primal — Tomato Ketchup

Price: $5.79

Tasting Notes:

I couldn’t figure out if this brand is called “Noble Made By The New Primal” or just “Noble Made” but, annoying branding aside, this ketchup is very interesting. It has a distinct tartness that the other ketchups on this list lack, probably thanks to the inclusion of Apple Cider Vinegar and pineapple juice, which makes it feel like it exists slightly apart from what you might consider “typical tomato ketchup.”

If you served this up to someone on a plate they’d definitely notice that this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill bottle of Heinz or Hunts. And in this case, that’s a good thing.

What To Eat It On:

We like this one as a base for a complex sauce. Mix it up with some molasses for the start of a complex BBQ sauce, or with some soy sauce as part of a stir fry mix. If you pair it with fries, people will comment — which is sure to break some conversation lulls, if nothing else.

3. Heinz Organic

Price: $4.50

Tasting Notes

It’s strange just how different Heinz Organic tastes compared the original stuff. More than the classic recipe, this has a “freshly crushed tomato” scent that isn’t overly processed. The taste begins with those classic Heinz bright notes, before settling into something more balanced, with mouthwatering hints of umami. Overall the experience is cleaner, with more focused and distinct flavors.

Heinz rules fast food at the moment. We’d all be better off if this version of their ketchup became the new standard.

What To Eat It On:

Like the OG Heinz, this ketchup is balanced enough to work on pretty much anything — from sausage links to chicken nuggets to steak. We’re just kidding about the steak.

2. Annie’s Organic — Ketchup

Price: $11.99

Tasting Notes:

When I tasted Annie’s Organic, I swore up and down it was Heinz with full confidence. After enduring my bragging, my girlfriend gleefully rubbed my mistake in my face when it was time for the big reveal. For my palate, this is what ketchup should taste like. It presents itself with an appetizing bright color and features a tangy and tart aroma and flavor with a hint of clove on the finish, which balances the loud tomato paste characteristics nicely.

This was part of the first round of testing and I had a hard time imagining ketchup could get better than this. I was wrong there, too!

What To Eat It On:

My ideal choice for hashbrowns or any variation of fried potatoes. And a must on a backyard hotdog.

1. Portland Ketchup Company — Organic Ketchup

Price: $8.55

Tasting Notes:

Portland Ketchup Company’s Organic Ketchup is something special. It has a thick consistency to it, with a rich, ripened tomato color and carries an initial kick of cayenne pepper tamed by a slight sense of sweetness, that further settles into rich umami flavors mingling with notes of clove and allspice.

It’s a journey of flavors but it’s also concise. Once you swallow, it completely leaves the palate, allowing you to prepare for your next bite.

What To Eat It On

Forget what you should eat it on — have it on anything! Once you have this ketchup it’s going to be the only bottle you ever want. This was far and above the best ketchup on this list. Things weren’t even particularly close.

Calling into a C-SPAN show has never seemed like a competitive sport, but after the mental gymnastics display put on by a guy named Steve from Pennsylvania on Wednesday, the Olympic Committee may want to consider it.

Steve was up bright and early to get on the horn with Washington Journal host John McArdle. The topic? The Derek Chauvin verdict and the state of racism in America. Despite the enormity of the conversation, Steve came ready to share his views — bad takes and all. When asked by McArdle whether he thought racism was “a real problem in this country,” Steve was honest in his response… perhaps a little too honest.

After answering that, yes, America is full of racists, Steve went on to say that “As long as we continue to look at people as Black people, white people, yellow people, orange people, whatever the case may be, then there’s gonna be racism.” Fair enough—though that’s when Steve’s argument took an unexpected detour.

After declaring that things are getting better in terms of how America deals with racism (maybe Steve didn’t get a chance to watch the news before calling in), he used his own experience to illustrate his point:

“When I was growing up in the 1960s, I was… racist and I was a victim of racism. I was literally beaten by a gang of older Black girls. I got over it. It’s not the end of the world. I never purposely hurt people in response.”

…Congratulations?!

Unfortunately for Steve, he was calling into Washington Journal, not The Dr. Frasier Crane Show. So while McArdle remained characteristically stone-faced throughout his semi-awkward chat with a self-professed “racist,” the next caller, Joe from Biddeford, Maine, was ready to let Steve know he was listening — in the most unintentionally hilarious way possible. When it was Joe’s turn to talk to McArdle, it took him a moment to recover from Steve’s therapy session comments:

“Yeah… I guess… Wow. I don’t think Steve ever got over being beaten up by them girls, I guess. Sorry, Steve.”

Sorry, Steve? How about: Thank you, Joe.

(Via @tommyxtopher on Twitter)

If someone had asked me what NFT stood for last year, I’d probably list off thousands of answers before correctly naming them “non-fungible tokens.” NFTs have become the new buzzword in recent months, and with reports of some artists making millions off them, it seems like everyone is trying to break into the cryptocurrency art market.

NFTs were originally designed as a way to allow artists profit off of their shareable digital content. Once an NFT is purchased, artists can continue to make a percentage from any further sale. If you’re looking for a in-depth description on what exactly an NFT is, revisit Uproxx’s explainer here, but Jack Harlow actually gave a fairly succinct definition of NFTs in a recent SNL sketch. In a rap with Pete Davidson, Harlow detailed how NFTs are unique, built on blockchain technology, and can be sold once they’re “minted.”

Since March, NFTs have been all over the news, with everyone from sports teams to toilet paper brands joining the craze. But the music industry in particular has been seeing an explosion of NFTs, and major artists like Grimes and Steve Aoki have made a head-turning sum of money off of them. All this begs the question: How did NFTs go from an obscure acronym to one of the biggest trends in the music industry in just the matter of a few months? Let’s take a look.

February 28, 2021 — Grimes

Grimes has always been a pioneer in music and culture, which is why it makes sense that she was one of the first big-name musicians to sell artwork as an NFT. The singer had teamed up with her brother, Mac Boucher, to release her first collection of digital artwork as NFTs. Titled WarNymph Collection Vol 1, Grimes’ art sold out in just one day and ended up raking in $6 million.

March 3, 2021 — Disclosure

UK electronic duo Disclosure were also early to the NFT party. After seeing the success fellow EDM artist 3Lau had with NFTs, Disclosure decided to produce a brand-new song live on Twitch and mint it as an NFT. Ever since, the duo have continued to sell various NFTs, including a token for the original “Disclosure face” seen in their press photos and album art.

March 4, 2021 — Tory Lanez

Despite the public scrutiny Tory Lanez has faced in the past year after allegedly shooting Megan Thee Stallion her in the foot, the rapper has continued to debut new music. Days ahead of the release of his recent album Playboy, Lanez paired two of the LP’s songs with digital art and minted them as NFTs. He also gave fans access to an unreleased song off his upcoming ’80’s-themed album, which has yet to be announced.

March 5, 2021 — Kings Of Leon

Kings Of Leon had a similar approach to Lanez when it comes to NFTs. The veteran group minted their entire LP When You See Yourself, which they referred to as NFT Yourself, as an NFT and sold it alongside a collection of other art. Those who purchased the NFT were able to snag a digital download of the album, as well as limited edition physical vinyl.

March 9, 2021 — Steve Aoki

Steve Aoki‘s addition to the NFT industry was a 11-piece collection of vibrant digital artwork titled Dream Catcher, and he was extremely successful. A part of the collection ended up being purchased by T-Mobil CEO John Legere, who bought just one piece for a whopping $888,888.88. In total, Aoki was able to earn $4.25 million in the 24 hours that the auction took place.

March 12, 2021 — MF Doom

MF Doom was one of the early adopters of NFTs. In fact, he tragically passed last October just one day after his first NFT auction of augmented reality masks closed. With the help of his wife Jasmine and his estate, more of MF Doom’s augmented reality were once again sold as NFTs in March in partnership with the crypto marketplace Illust Space.

In a statement about the second auction, a representative from Illust Space said: “Due to blockchain’s immutable and decentralized ledger technology, all of MF DOOM’s AR NFT collection will be available for future generations of fans and collectors, creating a new model for royalties and posthumous creative control legacies.”

March 15, 2021 — Elon Musk

A few weeks after Grimes made a sizeable sum from selling her artwork as an NFT, Elon Musk decided to follow suit. When he’s not working on the future of space travel or tweeting out esoteric memes, the billionaire makes EDM music in his spare time. As the self-professed “technoking of Tesla,” Musk decided to make a song about NFTs, and sell it as an NFT.

March 17, 2021 — Halsey

While Halsey is known for her music, she’s also an incredibly talented interdisciplinary artist. That’s why she was relatively early to the NFT game. The singer auctioned off a handful of hand-painted characters she created in the collection People Disappear Here. “The characters are all inspired by figures that occurred in a series of sleep paralysis nightmares I had at home during the quarantine,” Halsey said in a statement. “After seven years of bed surfing hotel rooms around the world, adjusting to my own pitch black cave in California had a little bit of a learning curve. From toddler TV programming evil dentists, a child born with massive claws who scratched her way out of the womb, to a woman who stood at the foot of my bed and demanded I watch her masturbate. They were memorable to say the least.”

March 22, 2021 — Rico Nasty

It’s been nearly half a year since Rico Nasty released her anticipated debut studio album Nightmare Vacation, and she decided to commemorate the release with an NFT. The rapper teamed up with her “OHFR?” video creator Don Allen III to sell artwork from the video as an NFT. The highest bidder not only claims ownership of the NFT, but they also received the physical hammer Rico Nasty used the video, signed by the rapper herself. One of the reasons why she decided to join the NFT fad is that it “needs more women entering the space.”

March 23, 2021 — Diplo

When Diplo decided to break into the NFT industry, he did it a little differently. His series of NFT art, titled Cloud10, was made in collaboration with the artistic duo of Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III and features several cutesy animated characters. But rather than opening up the artwork to a bidding war, Diplo and his collaborators decided to offer their first NFT for only $1 in order for “for young collectors to grow their own wealth through the ownership of art.”

March 26, 2021 — Gorillaz

When Gorillaz announced they would be hopping onto the NFT game, it didn’t go quite as smoothly. While other musicians were welcomed into the world of NFTs, Gorillaz werechastised by their fanbase. The band announced that they would be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album by teaming up with the toy company Superplastic for a series of toys, collectibles, and, of course, NFTs. Fans weren’t to happy with the news though, and were quick to point out the devastating environmental impact that the sale of a single NFT has. A petition was even created to get the Gorillaz to stop producing NFTs, and it already has over 3,000 signatures.

April 3, 2021 — The Weeknd

After The Weeknd was snubbed for a Grammy nomination in all categories this year despite the success of the album After Hours, the singer has begun to call for greater transparency in the music industry. He’s since decided to boycott the Grammys all together and made his displeasure about various aspects of the music industry abundantly clear. Seeing all the potential that NFTs have to offer, The Weeknd decided to hold a cryptocurrency auction where he would sell exclusive artwork, including an unreleased song, as an NFT.

About his decision to join the NFT market, The Weeknd laid out his vision for the future of the music industry: “Blockchain is democratizing an industry that has historically been kept shut by the gatekeepers. I’ve always been looking for ways to innovate for fans and shift this archaic music biz and seeing NFT’s allowing creators to be seen and heard more than ever before on their terms is profoundly exciting.”

April 8, 2021 — M.I.A.

M.I.A. is no stranger to taking her music to unconventional platforms. Last year, the musician launched a subscription-based Patreon page as a platform to share her new projects. Taking things one step further M.I.A announced a 24-hour NFT auction where she will be selling some of her original art for the first time in 25 years. “It’s only now that the appropriate gallery for my work finally exists,” she said in a statement.

April 15, 2021 — Mick Jagger and Dave Grohl

https://twitter.com/MickJagger/status/1382698235714748416

Mick Jagger and Dave Grohl teamed up for the surprise collaboration “Eazy Sleazy” in April, which was meant to bring “some much-needed optimism” about coming out of COVID-19 lockdown. But a few days following the track’s release, Jagger announced that Berlin-based 3D artist Extraweg had turned the track into a digital animation, which he sold as an NFT during a 24-hour auction. All proceeds from the sale were divided up and donated between music-related charities.

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

While we still aren’t sure what we will see in the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie, we have a feeling we know what we won’t: the game’s most sickening and shocking fatalities. Each one of these would make even seasoned Game of Thrones veterans cringe, and couldn’t possibly grace the silver screen without surpassing garnering an NC-17 rating (which director Simon McQouid told us was a challenge). In celebration of the movie hitting both theaters and HBO Max later this week, here’s a look at five of the most grisly finishing moves in the latest entry of the Mortal Kombat series, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate.

1. Fujin’s “Twisted Twister”

In Fujin’s “Twisted Twister,” Raiden’s younger brother proves why he is the God of the Wind and a disgustingly brutal character. After disemboweling his enemy, Fujin steps on their intestines — anchoring them down for this next bit — then levitates them upwards with a gust of wind. After their opponent is airborne, he twirls them around, wrapping them in their own entrails before slamming them down into the ground in a gory explosion. While Fujin might be a bit pretty, this fatality sure is not.

2. Geras’ “Peeling Back”

The name of this fatality tells you exactly what to expect, and if the image you conjure up has you squirming, I’d advise you to not Google this one. Geras is a new face in the Mortal Kombat series, serving alongside Kronika’s loyal servant in her evil doing. In this fatality, Geras pins his opponent to a slab of rock before grabbing their arm, ripping off the skin, and, well, peeling it back, exposing all of the character’s innards. It’s gross, gory, and a hell of a way to introduce a new character.

3. Sub-Zero’s “Frozen in Time”

While Sub-Zero’s rival, Scorpion, doesn’t make the cut this time around, the icy icon firmly solidifies himself on this list with “Frozen in Time.” In this move, Sub-Zero takes advantage of his ability to create ice clones and forms one to ram his opponent into. After impaling his enemy on his clone’s spear, Sub-Zero thrusts his hand into his opponent’s chest, grabs ahold of their spine, and tears it out until their head pops off along with it. For good measure, Sub-Zero then uses said spine as a whip, and throws the detached head onto the icy spear as well, causing a splash of gore complete with eyeball. There’s a reason Sub-Zero’s been around so long in the Mortal Kombat series, and it’s not because he’s a chill guy.

4. D’Vorah’s “Can’t Die”

Remember that “Peeling Back” fatality I mentioned a little bit ago? This one is pretty similar and debatably worse, though to be honest it’s really difficult comparing all of these. While both of D’Vorah’s fatalities are pretty rough to watch, this one involves D’Vorah pinning down her opponent with a thick, green ooze before using her ovipositors to split them in half. To add insult to (fatal) injury, green bugs then fly out of the body, which is now flapping with exposed organs. Seeing as she comes from an insectoid race, it’s no surprise D’Vorah comes with plenty of ick, but it still is a lot to take in.

5. Both of Sindel’s

I truly did not know which of Sindel’s fatalities should make this list because both were pretty revolting, which is funny considering she is one of the game’s more benevolent and graceful characters. In Sindel’s fatality “Scream Queen,” she first knocks her opponent backwards before hoisting them up with her long locks. After they’re in position, Sindel shrieks at the character until their skin literally rips off their body, followed quickly by their lower half. In “Hair Today Gone Tomorrow” — a pun that sounds straight from Bob’s Burgers, if we’re being honest — Sindel forces her hair down her enemy’s throat. It then reemerges through the victim’s stomach before gouging out their eyes and digging into various parts of their body. She then uses he hair to pull her opponent apart, reduces them to a shredded mess. Cheery, right?

Only time will tell if any of these fatalities sneak their way into theaters, but given the studio decided not to go with an NC-17 rating for the movie, (though they were extremely close!) we’re thinking there’s no possible way these gore-filled finishers will make an appearance.

Are conservatives doing okay? It doesn’t seem like it. Since a Minneapolis jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd on Tuesday, one right-wing pundit after another has suffered an embarrassing meltdown. Ben Shapiro. Tomi Lahren. Greg Gutfeld, more than once. But Tucker Carlson had the most alarming freak-out of them all. And on Wednesday, he had another, prompting worries that he might finally, at long last, be losing it.

The context: Carlson had moved on from insulting jurors who helped convict a police officer who was caught on video killing an unarmed civilian to one of his favorite subjects. That would be the racist theory known as “white replacement.” The Fox News host has talked about it a lot in the last few weeks, parroting the idea that immigrants were taking the nation away from whites. Despite calls for his firing, the network has stood by him, albeit by claiming he wasn’t saying the things he was saying on their airwaves.

On Wednesday night’s show, Carlson singled in on California representative Ted Lieu, who had tweeted to Republican colleague Scott Perry, who has also floated the same racist theory. Lieu called him out over Twitter, saying that “Native-born Americans like you are no more American, and no less American, than an immigrant like me.” He added, “And with every passing year, there will be more people like me in the US. You can’t stop it. So take your racist replacement theory and shove it.”

After reading out Lieu’s tweet in a deranged mocking voice, Carlson told his crowd, “In other words you’re being replaced and there’s nothing you can do about it! So shut up!’” He then let rip a more maniacal laugh than the one from the night before.

So is Tucker okay? Some were worried for him, sort of.

But most people had jokes.

Including ones about the Joker.

But perhaps this is what happens to someone who, when they were a bowtie-wearing collegiate, was a member of the “Dan White Society” — a club dedicated to…the politician who murdered Harvey Milk, and then blamed it on Twinkies.

For those keeping score, that’s two nights in a row where Tucker let loose a deranged laugh. What will Thursday night bring?

If there’s one thing we can always count on Trader Joe’s for, it’s offering frozen dinners that are absolutely clutch for those moments when we don’t feel like cooking but want something tasty to eat. And among the myriad options, the frozen dinners that hardcore Trader Joe’s fans love most are the many noodle-based meals. Not only are there a wide range of frozen Italian pasta dishes at Trader Joe’s, but they also excel at easy-to-prep Asian noodle entrees. A few minutes in the microwave, sautéed in a saucepan, or popped in the oven and — voila! — you’ve got Chicken Chow Mien or Fettuccini Alfredo with no unruly cleanup.

As Uproxx’s resident Trader Joe’s stan, I took a trip to my local store to check out a dozen noodle options currently available at the grocer, ranging from Beef Pho to… Pepperoni Pizza Mac ’n Cheese (it’s a thing, but it’s not great). Then I tasted and ranked them all from worst to best, because eating is my favorite pastime (after tasting wine, of course).

Hopefully, the reviews and ranking below help guide your future Trader Joe’s purchases. The best part about the whole experience? None of the items tested cost more than $7. Now stuff that napkin in ya shirt and grab your utensils. It’s noodle time!

12. Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese Bowl

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

I’m a bit perplexed by this frozen pasta dish. Mainly, I’m wondering just how high the recipe creator at TJ’s was when they came up with this one. Big rounds of pepperoni slices are front-and-center in this odd pasta meal. The meat completely covers the top of the dish, but after a few minutes in the oven or microwave, you can dig in and see the layers of macaroni, cheese, and dollops of tomato sauce.

The biggest issue here is that the flavors of pepperoni pizza and macaroni and cheese just don’t mesh well. The meat and red sauce overpower the chewy noodles that serve as the base. The cheese isn’t quite mozzarella or cheddar, but more of an incredibly salty béchamel that kind of ends up tasting like… well, nothing.

Bottom Line:

I don’t get this one and my tastebuds don’t appreciate it much either. I see where TJ’s was going with this, and it definitely has an imaginative edge that an incredibly stoned eater may appreciate. But even after facing a bong all 4/20 long, this version of pizza and macaroni and cheese just isn’t very good.

11. Fettuccini Alfredo with Grilled Chicken

Average Price: $7

Tasting Notes:

This is fettuccini alright, the flat noodles prove it! That’s about as far as the bells and whistles go for this.

It’s made with Grana Padano Parmesan, which provides the signature “Alfredo” flavor. The problem is there’s just not enough of it. The noodles are almost dry, with a light coating of cheese sauce, when they should be drenched in it. The density and size of grilled chicken pieces are pleasing to the eyes, we’ll definitely give TJ’s credit there. But the white meat chunks are also dry and don’t add much excitement in terms of texture or flavor.

This could have used a little bit more sauce, a crack from the pepper mill to bring out the nuances of the cheese, and a sprinkle more seasoning (perhaps nutmeg) to amplify the flavor of the chicken. And gosh, some flat-leaf parsley would have gone a long way for color. The whole dish is as bland in overall appeal as it is in taste.

Bottom Line:

This dish is blah. It definitely tastes like something you pulled out of the freezer, which is the opposite of why I like TJs in the first place. After a few bites, you’ll wish you just ordered takeout instead. By the time you doctor this up, you could’ve just cooked your own — it’s super easy.

10. Family Style Meat Lasagna

Average Price: $6

Tasting Notes:

There are multiple layers of flat lasagna noodles in this dish, so we’ve decided it fits our parameters (though we did scratch gnocchi from the running). That said, it tastes like the lasagna served during middle school lunch. The flavor shows up well in the sauce and the noodles are fine enough. A thick slather of ricotta cheese between layers reminds you that, yes, you are indeed eating lasagna. But the meat is weird AF.

You know it’s meat because the packaging says the lasagna is made with a mix of ground beef and pork. But if you stare at it too long, you may start to wonder, “Is it really?” The ground meat is chewy and has an oily film-like coating that causes it to disintegrate in your mouth in a way that I will call “unnerving.”

Bottom Line:

It’s not the worst lasagna ever. But the meat is undeniably strange. That makes the whole dish so much more questionable. Maybe leave this one in the freezer and grab Trader Joe’s wholly flavorful and not at all eyebrow-raising vegetarian option, the Roasted Vegetable Multi-Grain Lasagna, instead.

9. Penne Arrabbiata

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

This is supposed to be a spicy pasta dish, hence the arrabbiata sauce. It won’t set your mouth on fire, but there’s a noticeable tangy kick from the chili peppers. The penne noodles are perfectly al dente. The flavors of the onion, garlic, white pepper, and parsley are reasonably present.

Bottom line:

Overall, this frozen pasta dish isn’t Katy Perry’s “Fireworks,” but it gets the job done in regards to expectation fulfillment and reasonable satisfaction. Chop up some veggies and throw in a couple of pieces of shrimp or sausage or meatballs. That’ll help take this pasta to the next level (you don’t have to worry about this sort of tweaking with higher-ranked entries).

8. Joe’s Diner Mac ’n Cheese

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Trader Joe’s Diner mac and cheese isn’t the childish blue-boxed blues of Easy Mac. It’s better than that. But still, it’s not anything to rave about.

The mac sauce is supposedly made with a blend of cheddar, swiss, Havarti, and gouda cheeses but there’s no distinctive flavor. The macaroni noodles are… just okay. Following the heating directions down to the exact minute is a must. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a bland tray of previously frozen mush.

Bottom Line:

This pasta is inexplicably lacking in flavor — a real bummer considering the robust selection of gooey, tangy, delectable cheeses that make up the dish. Squarely middle of the road at best.

7. Fettuccini Alfredo

Average Price: $4

Tasting Notes:

It’s kinda wild how much better Trader Joe’s frozen Fettuccini Alfredo is compared to the Fettuccini Alfredo with Grilled Chicken.

It’s a light, classic pasta dish all around, but the ratio of noodles to creamy cheese sauce hits the mark perfectly. It’s not drowning in sauce, but the parm is there. You can taste the nutty, buttery, creamy cheese in every bite.

The noodles, which start out as frozen nests, maintain their consistency and texture as they cook. You’d have to cook it for much longer than the package states to really mess this one up.

Bottom Line:

When people say they’re in the mood for fettuccini but don’t want the hassle of grating Parmesan and making the pasta themselves, this is a quick and easy “next best thing.”

6. Cheese Filled Fiocchetti with Pink Sauce

Average Price: $4

Tasting Notes:

The color of this so-called pink sauce is incredibly faint. You don’t actually see any remnants of tomato paste, but you can taste it. The sauce is — and I know I’m dating myself here — the (flavor) bomb! It’s rich and garlicky with all the acidic greatness of bursting tomatoes that have been reduced to a sauce and blended with heavy cream.

Meanwhile, the fiocchetti is light and airy. And even though it’s stuffed with a blend of ricotta, taleggio, and mozzarella, it’s not so decadent that it weighs you down. Of course, that means you’re likely to eat the entire dish in one sitting, even though the package notes say it’s intended to be eaten in two servings.

Bottom Line:

Take a break from the ravioli and give this solid stuffed noodle dish a shot. You won’t regret it.

5. Linguini with Pesto & Tomatoes

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

All the flavor that was missing in so many other TJ’s frozen pastas clearly found their way in this little package because this meal is slammin’.

The linguine is light yet filling and rich with a bounty of herbs. The basil notes are the most prevalent, and the olive-oil-rich pesto coats every single noodle. It gets its creamy texture thanks to the inclusion of cashews instead of pine nuts, which are traditionally used for pesto. A spritz of acidity provided by the handful of tomatoes really brings everything all together.

Bottom Line:

If you want to make it a frozen gourmet meal, add your own protein and you’ll have a complete and balanced dinner. Otherwise, this is a winner on its own.

4. Linguine with Clam Sauce

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

Here’s another frozen linguine smash. Cook this dish on high heat for about six to eight minutes and smell the clammy aromas of the sea permeating the kitchen air. The reason why this dish ranks so high is all because of the sauce. It’s silky, briny, and chock full of flavors reminiscent of the sea — with actual clam bits dotting the sauce.

There is some noticeable salinity, but the frozen meal isn’t overbearingly salty, which is a good thing.

Bottom Line:

The noodles in this dish are pretty good. But be careful not to overcook them if you want to keep that fresh al dente feel.

3. Chicken Chow Mein

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

Stringy Chow Mein noodles get the ultimate upgrade in this frozen dinner that not only includes tender, juicy chunks of chicken breast but a great mix of veggies too. It’s got broccoli, carrots, sweet potato, soybeans, onion, chili peppers, and bell peppers. Very solid.

As if the meat and veggies didn’t already make this a monster noodle dish, the sauce definitely elevates it. It’s like a soy glaze that has a sweet, nutty, gingery undertone, complementing all the ingredients and bringing everything together.

Bottom Line:

What’s extra great about this dish — besides the flavor, which is awesome — is that there’s so much of it. With three servings, there’s almost enough here to feed the whole fam.

2. Beef Pho Soup

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

This Vietnamese-inspired beef and rice noodle soup is truly the bee’s knees. Bean sprouts, onion, green onion, cilantro, Thai basil, jalapeños, and slices of beef fill the bowl, which gets popped in the microwave for a quick six minutes.

The broth is the real star here. It’s a shining beef-based broth that is delicate and savory. It has a warming quality that seems to comfort the soul with every sip. Plus, there’s enough broth to fill up on liquid alone, though the veggies and meat certainly help get the job done.

Bottom Line:

Even though this is a previously frozen dish, it really has that takeout Pho quality. That’s huge.

1. Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

Average Price: $3

Tasting Notes:

Trader Joe’s really outdid himself with this Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe frozen pasta dish. The Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper in this thing… man, it’s truly something. Seriously, this is nearly restaurant quality (well, maybe in non-New York America, at least).

You can smell the fresh pepper and creamy cheese wafting through the air while this is sautéing on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. The cheese coating is sharp, savory, and creamy — just as a cacio e pepe should be. All the black pepper gives the dish a real kick of spice that is noticeable in every bite.

Bottom Line:

Did you go out to your favorite pasta house or to Trader Joe’s for dinner? Because this feels like it would hold up at some darling little trattoria down the road from your apartment. It’s date night quality with no hassles or required tweaks.

The Atlanta Hawks have been one of the best teams in the second half of the NBA season, climbing into the 4-seed in the East entering Wednesday’s game with the similarly hot New York Knicks. While there have been many reasons for Atlanta’s surge, from Bogdan Bogdanovic’s shooting to Clint Capela’s sensational defense, it’s a team that is still powered by their third year guard Trae Young.

Young, like many on the Hawks roster, has missed some games here and there with relatively minor injuries, including some recent time on the bench due to a calf issue. On Wednesday, Young left a tight game with the Knicks and had to be helped to the locker room after rolling his ankle pretty severely as he came down from a floater.

You can see Young immediately grasp at his left ankle, and had to be helped to the locker room by teammates, barely putting any weight on that left leg. He was quickly ruled out by the Hawks with what is officially being called a sprained left ankle, and the team and Atlanta fans will be awaiting an MRI surely to come on Thursday that will determine the severity of the sprain and a potential timetable for how long the star guard might miss.

When we think of what a Tyrannosaurus looked like, we picture a gargantuan dinosaur with a huge mouth, formidable legs and tail, and inexplicably tiny arms. When we picture how it behaved, we might imagine it stomping and roaring onto a peaceful scene, single-handedly wreaking havoc and tearing the limbs off of anything it can find with its steak-knife-like teeth like a giant killing machine.

The image is probably fairly accurate, except for one thing—there’s a good chance the T. rex wouldn’t have been hunting alone.

New research from a fossil-filled quarry in Utah shows that Tyrannosaurs may have been social creatures who utilized complex group hunting strategies, much like wolves do. The research team who conducted the fossil study and made the discovery include scientists from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Colby College of Maine, and James Cook University in Australia.

The idea of social Tyrannosaurs isn’t entirely new—Canadian paleontologist Philip Curie floated the hypothesis 20 years ago upon the discovery of a group of T. rex skeletons who appeared to have died together—but it has been widely debated in the paleontology world. Many scientists have doubted that their relatively small brains would be capable of such complex social behavior, and the idea was ridiculed by some as sensationalized paleontology PR.

However, another mass Tyrannosaurus death site found in Montana lent scientific credence to the theory, and now the Utah discovery has provided even more evidence that these massive creatures weren’t solitary predators, but social hunters.

“The new Utah site adds to the growing body of evidence showing that Tyrannosaurs were complex, large predators capable of social behaviors common in many of their living relatives, the birds,” said Joe Sertich, curator of dinosaurs at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. “This discovery should be the tipping point for reconsidering how these top carnivores behaved and hunted across the northern hemisphere during the Cretaceous.”

The Utah site, known as the Rainbows and Unicorns Quarry (yes, really), has provided paleontologists a wealth of fossils since its discovery in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in 2014. Such sites are rare, and the findings in them are often difficult to interpret.

“We realized right away this site could potentially be used to test the social Tyrannosaur idea. Unfortunately, the site’s ancient history is complicated,” said U.S. Bureau of Land Management paleontologist Dr. Alan Titus. “With bones appearing to have been exhumed and reburied by the action of a river, the original context within which they lay has been destroyed. However, all has not been lost.”

Researchers used a multi-disciplinary approach, examining the physical and chemical evidence to determine that a group of 12 Tyrannosaurs at the Utah site were likely killed during a flood that washed their remains into a lake. “None of the physical evidence conclusively suggested that these organisms came to be fossilized together, so we turned to geochemistry to see if that could help us,” said Dr. Celina Suarez of the University of Arkansas. “The similarity of rare earth element patterns is highly suggestive that these organisms died and were fossilized together.”

The Tyrannosaurus fossils are dated at 76.4 million years old. The research team has also found fossils from seven species of turtles, multiple fish and ray species, two other kinds of dinosaurs, and a nearly complete skeleton of a juvenile (12-foot-long) Deinosuchus alligator.

It’s always a fun day when we find out one of history’s most terrifying creatures is even more terrifying than we believed. One Tyrannosaurus sounds scary enough, but a group of them strategizing to hunt? That’s definitely worse, like a coordinated troupe of Godzillas. No thanks, Cretaceous Period. We’re good here.

Compared to single malt whiskies, blended Scotches don’t really get the respect they deserve. But we represent for blended scotch around here (almost) as hard as we hold it down for single malts. So much so that we decided to put eight classic expressions to the test via a blind tasting.

Why blind? If you’re not busy glaring at the label that says Johnnie Walker or Famous Grouse, you’re probably going to spend more time actually nosing, tasting, and valuing the whisky in your glass. In doing so, you’re going to have to identify what each whisky tastes like, without any preconceived notions. Which is a fun way to enjoy whisky, if nothing else.

While the eight blended Scotch whiskies we’re tasting today aren’t made by the same distillery, they’re all around the same $40 price point and are also all household names in the whisky world. Meaning they’re easy to find at your local liquor store or bottle shop. If that errand sounds like a hassle but you find yourself thirsty, click on the linked prices to order online.

Part 1: The Taste

I selected eight blended Scotch whiskies for this blind tasting. They’re definitely not bargain-basement bottles but aren’t overly expensive either. They’re all decent sipping and mixing expressions:

• Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition
• Dewar’s White Label
• Chivas Regal Extra
• Copper Dog
• Johnnie Walker Black
• The Naked Grouse
• Compass Box Great King Street Glasgow Blend
• Monkey Shoulder

Let’s get started!

Taste 1:

Tasting Notes:

Take a moment to nose this whisky before taking a sip and you’ll find notes of toasted vanilla beans, citrus rinds, nutmeg, and butterscotch. Sipping this whisky reveals a surprising amount of character, with hints of clover honey, dried cherries, buttery caramel, and sweet malts. The finish is long, warming, and ends with a nice mixture of caramel and spicy cinnamon.

Taste 2:

Tasting Notes:

Breathe in the scents of buttercream frosting, dried apricots, subtle cinnamon sugar, and sherry sweetness. On the palate, you’ll find ripe berries, buttery caramel, vanilla beans, and dried cherries. It all ends with a nice mixture of toffee and sherry.

Taste 3:

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, I knew that there’s some juice from Islay in this blend, with a hint of peat smoke up front. Following close behind were sweet, dried fruits and caramel malts. The palate swirls with dried orange peels, prunes, caramelized sugar, and subtle spices.

The finish offered a great combination of peat smoke and tropical fruit flavors.

Taste 4:

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, I got a whole lot of candied orange peels, sweet cream, cinnamon, and rich oak. The palate delivered hints of bitter chocolate, citrus zest, rich caramel candy, and subtle pepper. The finish was very warming and full of sweet caramel and subtle spice.

Taste 5:

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, I got aromas of dried fruits, vanilla beans, and subtle spice. The sip itself brought up creamy caramel candy, cinnamon, and a subtle hint of smoke. It all ended in a mellow haze of caramel and smoke.

Taste 6:

Tasting Notes:

Even for a blended whisky, the nose was pretty lackluster here. The only aromas found were those of dried wood, honey, and vanilla. Sipping this whisky offered a little more… but not tons. Flavors of buttery caramel, milk chocolate, heather surfaced while the woody notes grew pronounced.

The finish was medium, fairly warm, and ended with more honey.

Taste 7:

Tasting Notes:

The scents of caramel apples, honey, and sweet malts started the dram. All in all, the aromas were pretty light, though. The palate was equally light, with hints of almonds, candied orange peels, cinnamon, and slight vanilla. As for the finish, I got a mouthful of honey and caramel and not a ton else.

Taste 8:

Tasting Notes:

The nose gave me aromas of cooking spices, ripe cherries, orange zest, and vanilla beans. Sipping the whisky revealed hints of raisins, dark chocolate, butterscotch, and subtle sherry sweetness. The finish was long, filled with pleasing heat, and ended with a nice subtle ripe fruit sweetness.

Part 2: The Ranking

A blind taste test can really prove eye-opening and this one definitely was. From the final rankings below, it’s obvious that higher-proof whisky appeals to my palate.

8) Dewar’s White Label (Taste 6)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $33 for a liter

The Whisky:

Dewar’s White Label is one of the most well-known blended whiskies for a reason. It’s always bargain-priced, it’s been around for more than a century, and it’s masterfully blended to feature an astonishing 40 or so whiskies by Dewar’s Master Blender Stephanie Macleod.

Bottom Line:

Honestly, I expected more from one of the most well-known blended whiskies. It’s not bad by any degree. But the flavors were a little more muted than I like when sipping whisky.

7) Copper Dog (Taste 7)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $34

The Whisky:

A copper dog is another name for the “whisky thief,” the metal instrument used to sample still aging whisky through the bunghole. This blended malt whisky is an homage to the tool. It’s a blend of single malt whiskies from eight Speyside distilleries. It was created to have enough flavor and balance to be both a valuable sipper and a great mixer.

Bottom Line:

This was my first introduction to Copper Dog, and it tasted exactly as I expected it to — standard. All of these whiskies proved serviceable, but Copper Dog was a little lower in the flavor department than I hoped.

6) Johnnie Walker Black (Taste 5)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

The Whisky:

The name Johnnie Walker means quality. Even if you’re grabbing a bottle of the cheapest expression from the brand, you can be pretty sure you’re getting a good product. Johnnie Walker Black Label is a blended malt and grain whisky that is made up of around 40 different whiskies with a minimum age of 12 years.

Bottom Line:

This expression was smoky, sweet, and mellow. It’s a tremendous sipper, but the price also makes it okay to try as a mixing whisky. It fell lower on this list than expected, but it’s still a solid dram.

5) Chivas Regal Extra (Taste 8)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

The Whisky:

Like Johnnie Walker, Dewar’s, and Famous Grouse, Chivas is known for its blended whiskies. You can spend the rest of your life sampling the various blends in its full-line, or you can crack open a bottle of Chivas Regal Extra and saves some cash in the process.

This blended Scotch gets an added kick from the addition of whiskies that were aged in Oloroso sherry casks.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a fan of sherried whiskies like Aberlour A’Bunadh or GlenDronach 12, this is the budget blended whisky for you. It deserves a permanent spot on your home bar cart.

4) Compass Box Great King Street Glasgow Blend (Taste 3)

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $40

The Whisky:

Founded in 2000, Compass Box is a well-known producer and bottler of blended whiskies. It’s very well-known for its unique blends. The Great King Street Range was first introduced in 2014. One of its best is the Glasgow Blend. It’s a blend of 33 percent Lowland grain whiskies and 67 percent single malt whiskies from the Highlands, Speyside, and even Islay.

Bottom Line:

As blended whiskies go, this is a true sipper. And for around $40, you’ll want to grab a few bottles. It also makes a mean, spicy penicillin.

3) Monkey Shoulder (Taste 1)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $35

The Whisky:

This malt whisky blend was created for bartenders and people who enjoy mixed drinks. Made by William Grant & Sons, it’s a blend of single malt whiskies from three well-known (unnamed) Speyside distilleries. The result is a sweet, vanilla-filled, buttery whisky that stays true to the Speyside style on a budget.

Bottom Line:

Before this taste test, I always believed that Monkey Shoulder was nothing but a mixing whisky. But while it works perfectly well as a base for a cocktail, it actually stands up surprisingly well on its own as a bargain sipping dram.

2) The Naked Grouse (Taste 2)

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $35

The Whisky:

If you’re looking for a well-made, perfect-for-mixing blended Scotch, look no further than the flagship expression from The Famous Grouse. But if you’re looking to ramp up The Famous Grouse’s flavors, go for The Naked Grouse. Made from a blend of various single malt whiskies including those from The Macallan and Highland Park, this expression is aged in sherry casks for added flavor.

Bottom Line:

Sherry is the name of the game with this expression. It’s way cheaper than it ought to be. Just don’t tell the folks at The Famous Grouse that.

1) Cutty Sark Prohibition (Taste 4)

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $40 for a liter

The Whisky:

One of the cheapest whiskies on this list, Cutty Sark Prohibition is the second most popular expression from the brand. Named to pay tribute to Bill McCoy, a famous Cutty Sark smuggler during Prohibition, it’s a 100 proof, bold blend of single malt and grain whiskies.

Bottom Line:

This is a bold, brash, in-your-face whisky designed to pay tribute to the potent whiskies of the Prohibition era. If you like your whisky surprisingly cheap and highly potent, this is the perfect dram for you. It was certainly my favorite this go around.

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