As the coronavirus pandemic continues sweeping its way through the world, public health officials everywhere are scrambling to figure out the most effective ways of mitigating it. One of the measures that’s proving to be helpful is universal mask-wearing. Though wearing a cloth mask doesn’t offer much protection from getting the virus, it does prevent you from spreading the virus—which you may be carrying and not know it—by catching droplets as soon as they leave your mouth. That means we can significantly slow the spread of the virus in public places, but only if everyone wears a mask.

Though the idea is simple, it would be wrong to say that wearing a mask is easy for everyone. As a commenter on one of our recent posts about mask policy protester pointed out, masks can be extra challenging for people with autism or other sensory issues—but that doesn’t change the public health reality of the pandemic.

“My son has autism and lots of sensory issues,” wrote Joan Dukovic. “He’s having a real hard time wearing a mask. I could probably get a medical exclusion from his doctor, but I wouldn’t dare!! He will have to learn to deal with it. I’ve raised him to be a responsible citizen, which sometimes requires sacrifices.”

“Today we were buying some plants at an outdoor vendor,” she continued. “He let me put his mask on him and wore it as we shopped for about 15 minutes. Then he wanted to take it off. We were nowhere near anyone else, but I gave him the choice of wearing it or going to wait in the car. He chose the car. Which is where this woman belongs, in my opinion. We’re all in this together. If you can’t wear a mask to help keep others safe, stay home! Order delivery. Kindness matters, especially when it might keep people from getting sick or dying!!!”

Upworthy/Facebook

Upworthy reached out to Dukovic to learn more about her and her son’s unique perspective and experiences. She is a single mom to her 30-year-old son, Chris, who has severe classic autism and is functionally non-verbal. Dukovic mentioned that her son is prone to meltdowns, which can include yelling and physical aggression. She claims it’s been difficult getting him to wear a mask in public. But she knows it’s important to teach him to do it anyway.

“When I first realized that he would need to wear a mask, I knew I would need to help him develop the skills and tolerance he’d need,” Dukovic says. “That’s basically what we’ve been doing for his whole life whenever a new challenge presents itself.”

She consulted with her network of friends—her “village” she calls it—and got some great ideas. Some were using visors for their adult children, but Dukovic knew that would also be a challenge for Chris because of his sensory difficulties.

“But I totally believe in him, and he believes in himself,” says Dukovic. “So, we’re doing it incrementally. I started by wearing a mask in his presence but not asking him to try. Then we had a graduation drive-by parade where I knew his peers would be wearing masks. Before we left the house, I told him everyone would need to wear their masks if they got out of their cars. And we tried it out, but he wouldn’t put one on. But when we got to the meeting place and he saw friends wearing them, he agreed and let me put one in him. Peer pressure at its best!”

Joan Dukovic

Dukovic says that she believes Chris will build up a tolerance to mask-wearing over time. “I’m not sure how much he understands about the virus,” she says, “But he knows germs can make us sick. And he knows it’s important to be kind and respectful to others.”

“I believe in the Golden Rule,” says Dukovic.”I believe we all have a responsibility to look out for each other. This virus is highly contagious, and a lot of transmission involves pre- or non-symptomatic folks. People are suffering and dying from it. If my son and I can do something as simple as wearing a mask, I believe it’s our civic duty. And, well, it’s really not simple for my son. Not at all, but he’s still a member of society with the same responsibilities as all citizens.”

The same responsibilities as all citizens. That truly sums it up. This is an act of collective solidarity we’re being asked to participate in to protect our fellow Americans. What could possibly be more patriotic than making a sacrifice for the greater good of your country?

For the folks who resist wearing a mask even though they are perfectly capable of doing so, Dukovic has some advice:

“I guess my message to anyone thinking about not wearing a mask is to think hard about your decision. Think about the essential workers and all the nurses and doctors and people on the front lines. Think about the vulnerable older population in nursing homes who would most likely die if one of their caregivers brought the virus into their facility. Think about them gasping for breath, alone and scared. Ask yourself, is it more important to be ‘right’ or “‘free’ or ‘comfortable,’ or is more important to be kind and considerate in order to prevent the suffering of others and possibly save someone’s life? If my son can do it, anyone can do it. And should.”

Well said, madam. And well done raising a responsible citizen who can serve as an example to others.

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Before Carly Rae Jepsen’s latest album, 2019’s Dedicated, came her third album, 2015’s Emotion. The year after that album, she chased it with Emotion: Side B, a collection of songs that didn’t find their way onto the album that preceded it. Following Dedicated, there were surely CRJ fans who hopes a similar sort of companion release would come after Dedicated. Well, it hasn’t technically been officially confirmed yet, but Jepsen has shared a new video that forcefully suggests a Dedicated B-sides release is on the way.

Jepsen shared an animated video this afternoon, which features a phone with a pixel art-filled screen. It goes on to show tweets from fans asking for Dedicated B-sides, and the video ends with “Dedicated” written in cursive before the shot zooms into the dot on the “i” to reveal the text is made up of a bunch of tiny “B’s.”

One tweet in the video reads, “Carly Rae Jepsen. Don’t get me wrong, I Really Like You is a flop but her B sides slap.” Another says, “When Carly Rae Jepsen releases the Dedicated B sides and the sound waves instantly destroy COVID and life returns to normal….. yup.” Then there’s a tweet that may be a reveal of what the release will be titled: “If Dedicated has a side B she should call it Rededicated :).”

If a Dedicated B-sides collection is forthcoming, it would certainly brighten up quarantine, so here’s hoping.

When Petey’s new EP High Life From The Bottle On The Beach came across our collective desks here at Indie Mixtape HQ, we found ourselves blown away. Opening with two renditions of the same track that sound feature completely different compositions, the EP is the latest in a string of releases from the California songwriter, which incorporate elements of emo and electronic music to complement the more “traditional” acoustic guitar-focused songs. Batting third on the four-song effort, “More To Life Than Baseball” is one of those tracks that causes you to perk up while passively listening, with auto-tuned vocals and a perfect earworm medley.

To celebrate the new EP, the man himself sat down to talk Backstreet Boys, Titanic, and a specific sportfishing sweatshirt in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

It’s like watching Midsommar.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Hey this is still pretty good, after all this time

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

Los Angeles!

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

All my buddies because they are the most important thing to me.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

At a restaurant called MY TACO. Tacos are the most special food to me. My favorite tacos are at MY TACO.

What album do you know every word to?

Is A Real Boy — Say Anything

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Every Joyce Manor show with the fellas

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

22nd street sportfishing hoodie my friend Jonathan gave me. I honor him by wearing it every show. He is alive. It’s got a big bass on the back. It’s very comfortable.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

@joshehlkedrums on insta – he posts epic drum covers

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

I always put on “Back In The New York Groove” by Ace Frehley right before we cross over any state line

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Elijah Wood age

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Backstreet Boys Millenium

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Champaign, Illinois – I was touring with a band I used to play in and we played a show at the University of Illinois and stayed with this group of college men. They were passing around a g bong and I took a big hit and got too high. Then, the dude we were staying with realized music was playing from his iphone in his pocket. He stood up and started repeating “I feel like a human boombox, I feel like a human jukebox” over and over and started doing the robot right in front of us. It felt like some sort of ritual. Tears started streaming down my face. The whole night was so weird.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I got a tattoo on my forearm of a 2006 Honda Civic. The reason I got it is because that’s the car I drive. I share it with my sister.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Kanye West, Drake, Rihanna, Maroon 5, 21 Pilots, Demi Lovato, The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, YG, Harry Styles, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Lady Gaga, DaBaby, Halsey, The Chainsmokers

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

My friend Jonathan gave me his 22nd street sportfishing hoodie.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Let time do it’s thing. Don’t be scared. Get scuba certification. Be nice. Talking shit is a projection of your own insecurity. Take advice with a grain of salt. Stop trying to read, just listen and look at stuff for a really long time. Trust yourself. Stop trying to focus. Keep spacing out. Don’t buy new clothes. Don’t be embarrassed. Try to make choices out of love not fear. Increase physical strength.

What’s the last show you went to?

Motion City Soundtrack at the Novo.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Titanic

What would you cook if Kanye were coming to your house for dinner?

I’d order pizza from a place that only serves the best cheese and pepperoni pizza and that’s it. I’d let him choose what we order. Sprite or Pepsi or Coca Cola too.

High Life From The Bottle On The Beach is out now. Listen here.

Weed Twitter was set ablaze (sorry) this morning as the term “Obama Runtz” began to trend — hilariously, with the subtitle “Politics” — after a video shared by Twitter user @MooLifeMB started to make the rounds amongst giggly stoners. The video shows a young kid who claims he ran into someone wearing a Lil Baby’s 4 Pockets Full chain who tried to sell him “Obama Runtz” on the streets of Atlanta and has now been retweeted over 12 thousand times since last night.

In the video, the kid exclaims “I ain’t even know Obama condone sh*it like that” — which is fair, considering the man is an ex-president, but don’t sleep on the classic Obama “roof hits” from his college days!

Unfortunately — for both Twitter and smokers — there is no weed strain known as Obama Runtz (yet). The name is likely a reference to the massively popular high THC strain known as “Runtz” by Pacific Reserve, which itself is a cross between the popular strains Zkittlez and Gelato which, according to Leafly, is highly sought after due to its fruity profile smooth creamy smoke and strong euphoric high. Obama’s name does grace another strain though, the indica-dominant Obama Kush. What likely happened here is that our mystery 4PF-clad street salesman was trying to pass off the moderately strong Obama Kush by sweetening the pot (again, sorry) by attaching the popular Runtz name.

While you can’t smoke any Obama Runtz this weekend, we highly (ugh, that one was unintentional) suggest you pick up one of the various iterations of Runtz that actually do exist — Pink Runtz or Banana Runtz through Weedmaps and see if the strain is truly worth all the hype. For now, let’s dive in to some of the best Twitter reactions from the activity this morning on Weed Twitter.

Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the Game of Thrones series finale. Today, we learned that the “Snyder Cut” of Justice League is coming to HBO Max in 2021. What do these two pop culture events have in common? To answer that, it helps to know why #ReleaseTheSnyderCut became a thing in the first place, for better or worse (worse).

Basically, Zack Snyder stepped away from Justice League, the follow-up to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, due to a family tragedy. Joss Whedon, a co-writer, stepped in as director to finish the film. But many DC bros, like the ones depicted on Harley Quinn, believe the version of Justice League that hit theaters isn’t the real Justice League, which is supposedly darker, 214 minutes long, and as Jason Momoa so eloquently put it, “ssssiiicccckkkkkk.” Well, after years of rumors, mob justice has prevailed and we’ll see if the “real” Justice League is better than the “box office disaster” Justice League that led to glowing reviews like, “I guess it’s better than Suicide Squad.”

But what does that have to do with Game of Thrones?

The “success” of #ReleaseTheSnyderCut has inspired jokes about other cuts that HBO Max (or Quibi — they could use the publicity) should release next. With years of targeted online harassment and annoying hashtags, your dream cut could come true!

Give the people what they want (cat buttholes).

Polo G is soaking in the hype of his album The Goat, which the rapper released just a few days ago. While the quarantine has not made it easy for artists to keep up with a traditional release schedule surrounding an album, Polo G is still making sure his fans stay entertained with new videos. Celebrating his record’s release, the 21-year-old rapper offers a glimpse into life in his Chicago neighborhood with the “Wishing For A Hero” video.

Directed by DrewFilmedIt, the video follows a handful of characters as they navigate their daily lives in the city. “Well respected in this hip-hop, lil’ Polo be spittin’ facts / A lot of rappers doin’ way more stuntin’ than givin’ back / You ain’t my color, then you don’t know the struggle of livin’ black / Cops kill us and we protest, what type of sh*t is that?” he raps.

The “Wishing For A Hero” video follows a handful of visuals recorded in quarantine. In his latest video accompanying The Goat track “33,” Polo G illustrates the eerily empty streets of the usually-bustling Chicago metropolitan area. Ahead of that, the rapper filmed his quarantine routine for the moody “DND” video.

Watch Polo G’s “Wishing For A Hero” above.

The Goat is out now via Columbia. Get it here.

In a slightly cryptic bit of news, director S.J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones, Banshee, Succession) has signed on to direct a female-centric movie for the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters. And, yes, that’s the new official name for Sony’s cinematic universe, but feel free to call it SPUMC, for short.

While details are under wraps, insiders tell Variety that there is a “strong possibility” that the secret Marvel movie is the Madame Web project that was reported in 2019. If that’s the case, it sounds like the project is starting from scratch as there’s no writer attached, and the studio is more concerned with landing an A-list actor first and then developing the film around them.

However, there will be some hurdles given Madame Web is a challenging character to put on screen. She’s an elderly woman strapped to a chair, but that hasn’t stopped Sony from swinging for the fences in trying to entice some pretty big names to the role:

In the comics, Madame Web is depicted as an elderly woman with myasthenia gravis and thus was connected to a life support system that looked like a spider web. Due to her age and medical condition, Madame Web never actively fought any villains. For that reason, sources have stressed it’s possible the project could turn into something else. The studio has a list of possible stars, such as Charlize Theron and Amy Adams, but stress that nobody has committed or even met to for the part yet.

Ever since hashing out a deal with Marvel to continue sharing Tom Holland’s Spider-Man with the MCU, Sony has made aggressive moves to develop its bench of Spider-man related characters that it still holds the rights to. It already made a big splash with Venom and is hoping to build out its cinematic universe with the Jared Leto-starring Morbius followed by a Madame Web movie, which could lay the groundwork for everything from a Sinister Six movie to a live-action Spider-Verse, if not both.

(Via Variety)

As the country begins to slowly—and hopefully carefully—reopen after the initial pandemic lockdown, many businesses are requiring customers to wear masks. Studies have shown that universal mask-wearing is an effective way to drastically slow the spread of the virus and businesses are well within their rights to protect the public with mandatory mask policies.

Some Americans have a hard time with this development, for whatever reason. We’re seeing armed protests and public meltdowns over the idea. Folks are trying to use the bodily autonomy arguments that reproductive rights advocates use, as if they are remotely comparable. People are filming themselves arguing with store employees and managers, seeing themselves as freedom fighters against the tyranny of supermarkets and warehouse stores.

There are several ways to effectively handle a disgruntled customer who refuses to comply with company policy. We shared a video of a delightful Gelson’s employee in Dana Point and his incredibly accommodating manager who did everything they could to help a mask-averse flat earther who filmed herself looking like a fool. Now another hero has been placed in the spotlight—a Costco employee named Tison who took the no nonsense, matter-of-fact approach to a guy who tried to pull the “free country” card.

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The man with the camera told Tison that he was going to share his video with his 3,000 followers on Instagram. Tison, with zero hesitation, spoke directly to the camera.

“Hi everyone. I work for Costco and I’m asking this member to put on a mask because that is our company policy. So either wear the mask or…”

At this point, the man turned the camera to himself—showing him not wearing a mask but inexplicably wearing sunglasses indoors—and said, “And I’m not doing it because I woke up in a free country.”

Tison was having none of it. No argument. No debate. He just took the cart the man was using to shop and said, “Sir, have a great day. You are no longer welcome here in our warehouse. You need to leave. Thank you very much.”

Whatever the man thought he was doing by filming himself flaunting his refusal to abide by store policy, it backfired spectacularly. Overwhelmingly, people’s responses to the video have celebrated Tison’s handling of the situation. Private businesses have the right to set store policies. In the age of a pandemic, requiring masks is a perfectly reasonable requirement. It’s no different than “No shoes, no shirt, no service.” You have a right to go barefoot in public. You do not have a right to go barefoot in a store that requires shoes.

The unmasked man made another video in which he oh-so-predictably called everyone in the store and everyone wearing masks “sheep.” He also erroneously said that since everyone in the store was wearing a mask, they were protected from him and he was protected from them. (That’s exactly not how the protective effect of universal mask-wearing works. It’s not like herd immunity. The one person not wearing a mask puts everyone else at risk.) He said it’s not about masks “it’s about control.” Yeah. Controlling a novel virus outbreak. This really doesn’t need to be this hard.

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No store employee should be forced to put up with anyone’s b.s., especially in a time when most of us want to keep people alive while also trying to keep businesses afloat. Thanks, Tison—you deserve a round of applause for being calm, cool and clear. Don’t want to wear a mask? Go shop someplace else. It’s that simple.

Most minority owned small businesses were not able to take advantage of the short-term loans being offered by the federal government during the onset of the coronavirus. Thankfully, basketball legend Magic Johnson is here to help.

Many people may not know this, but Johnson has become an incredibly successful businessman since retiring from the NBA. In an era when professional athletes are increasingly focused on building their “personal brands,” Johnson was a true pioneer. Rather than simply squeezing every last dollar out of traditional corporate endorsements, he has integrated personal principles into his business ventures. For example, in the early 1990’s the Johnson Development Group launched Magic Johnson Theaters, a chain of cutting-edge movie theaters in urban centers that were often ignored by the national theater chains. Johnson eventually sold his stake in the chain to AMC but they’ve left a lasting imprint in black and other minority communities.

Now, Johnson is using his sizable clout as a celebrity investor to help out minority owned businesses that have struggled to acquire small business loans during the coronavirus.

According to CNBC, Johnson has partnered with MBE Capital Partners to source $100 million in loans to minority and women-owned small businesses. The loans will be distributed through the same federal government program that is currently issuing small business loans but will be earmarked to target businesses in need.

“This will allow them to keep their employees and keep their doors open,” Johnson said in an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

“We have to remember that these businesses have been in urban communities for a long time,” Johnson told CNBC. “They’ve been doing great things, and they probably didn’t have a relationship with the banks when the stimulus package went out. So now, we’re able to say, ‘Hey, you can have a relationship with us.'”

A representative for MBE said the loans could help as many as 100,000 small businesses over the coming months, with an application process that is meant to simplify and expedite a process that has often been criticized as overly complicated and slow.

Even better, MBE CEO Rafael Martinez said the program could be expanded to upwards of $1 billion.

“There is a ton of money left,” he said.

As Johnson himself noted, getting money to minority and women owned small businesses isn’t just important for the economy. As numerous reports have shown, minority communities are the hardest hit by the coronavirus. That’s likely due to a number of reasons including lack of access to health care, lack of health nutrition and equal educational opportunities that facilitate healthier lifestyles. Simply put, financial resources are directly tethered to a community’s health. Keeping people employed and building economic resources aren’t just the right thing to do, they are imperative to offset the incredible damage done to these communities by the coronavirus and to help build a foundation to buffer them against the next crisis.