Category: Worldwide

116 years ago, the Pasterze glacier in the Austria’s Eastern Alps was postcard perfect:

Snowy peaks. Windswept valleys. Ruddy-cheeked mountain children in lederhosen playing “Edelweiss” on the flugelhorn.

But a lot has changed since 1900.

Much of it has changed for the better! We’ve eradicated smallpox, Hitler is dead, and the song “Billie Jean” exists now.

On the downside, the Earth has gotten a lot hotter. A lot hotter.

The 15 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998. July 2016 was the planet’s hottest month — ever.

Unsurprisingly, man-made climate change has wreaked havoc on the planet’s glaciers — including the Pasterze, which is Austria’s largest.

Just how much havoc are we talking about? Well…

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A series of stunning photos, published in August, show just how far the glacier has receded since its heyday.

First measured in 1851, the glacier lost half of its mass between that year and 2008.

A marker placed in 1985 shows where the edge of the glacier reached just 31 years ago. You can still see the ice sheet, but just barely, way off in the distance. In between is … a big, muddy lake.

The view from the glacial foot marker from 1995 — 10 years later — isn’t much more encouraging.

Even in just one year, 2015, the glacier lost an astounding amount of mass — 177 feet, by some estimates.

Ice continues to melt daily, and while the dripping makes for a good photo, it’s unfortunate news for planet Earth. Glacial melting is one of the three primary causes of sea-level rise.

According to a European Environment Agency report, the average temperature in the Alps has increased 2 degrees Celsius in the last 100 years — double the global average.

It’s not unreasonable to assume that that’s why this mountain hut has been abandoned by the flugelhorn-playing children who once probably lived in it.

Is there anything we can do to stop climate change besides look at scary glacier photos?

Climate change is, unfortunately, still a robust debate in the United States as many of our elected officials refuse to acknowledge that we humans are the ones doing the changing. As of last year, that list included a whopping 49 senators. Calling them to gently persuade them otherwise would be helpful. Not voting for them if they don’t change their minds would be even more so.

There is some tentative good news — the Paris Agreement signed in December 2015 commits 197 countries, including the U.S., to take steps to limit future global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. While it may be too late for the Pasterze glacier, if we really commit as a world, we might be able to stop ourselves from sinking whole countries and turning Miami into a swimming pool and stuff like that.

And who knows, with a little luck, and a little more not poisoning the sky, we just might recapture a little of that Alpine magic one day.

This article originally appeared on 3.11.17

Kendrick Lamar’s The Pop Out — Ken & Friends Juneteenth concert — at Kia Forum in Inglewood, California on Wednesday night, June 19 — was bookended by Lamar reasserting his deep hatred for Drake. Lamar began his set with “Euphoria,” and his instantly iconic finale involved running through “Not Like Us” five times (six, if you count the instrumental as he left the stage) — both live debuts of his Drake diss tracks.

Fans noticed something different about “Euphoria,” as explained below.

Why Did Kendrick Lamar Call Out Drake For Tupac’s Ring At The Pop Out?

While performing “Euphoria” live for the first time, Lamar added a bar: “Give me Tupac’s ring back, and I might give you a lil respect.”

Last July, Drake bought a custom ring formerly belonging to the late Tupac Shakur at an auction. USA Today reported at the time that Drake dropped more than $1 million for the ring, which Sotheby’s described in a press release as “an exceedingly rare piece of Tupac’s signature aesthetic and a slice of hip-hop history” while confirming that Drake was the purchaser “after Shakur’s grandmother and lifelong supporter, Yaasmyn Fula, put it up for auction.”

Seeing as Tupac was a cornerstone for West Coast rap — Lamar has since taken on the mantle — and Drake has absolutely no allies within Los Angeles rap, it makes sense that Drake owning anything related to Tupac doesn’t sit well with Lamar.

Tangentially related, Lamar name-checked Tupac twice (“You think the Bay gon’ let you disrespect ‘Pac, n****?” & “Yeah, it’s all eyes on me, and I’ma send it up to ‘Pac”) in “Not Like Us” after Drake used AI-generated voices of Tupac and Snoop Dogg on “Taylor Made Freestyle,” one of his Kendrick diss tracks from April. Drake took a massive L on that — deleting it from social media after Tupac’s estate threatened legal action.

Austin Butler has come so far since he and Carrie Bradshaw broke up. After jumping from a never-ending Oscar campaign right into the Dune universe, he then made his way over to join a motorcycle gang in The Bikeriders, where he seems the most at peace. As evident by his current press cycle, Butler is quickly coming for Glen Powell’s role of 2024’s Most Charming Leading Man Aged 20-35, Blonde Division. It’s a surprisingly saturated pool!

Butler stars in The Bikeriders alongside Tom Hardy and a particularly hairy Norman Reedus. But movie aside, he’s giving the best performance of the season by simply being himself. Wholesome! Especially after he spent the last three years as Elvis.

The actor might be pretty tired of answering journalist’s questions, which is why he seems to be doing the interviewing this time around. He’s chatted about bunnies, art, and why writers don’t have a social life.

This isn’t the first time Butler has gone off the rails in an endearing way. Earlier this month, he told Bravo Australia, “I don’t like talking about myself. What else can you tell me? How old are you? What are you interested in?” Hopefully she did not get in trouble for answering that she likes art.

This seems like the beginning of a romantic comedy where a big-name celebrity is desperate to be treated like a normal person. Luckily, Butler has been through this on Hannah Montana.

But what gets Butler most excited is when interviewer Simon Harkness told him that he was the closest thing we have to James Dean. It seems like Butler has been waiting his whole life to hear that.

Meanwhile, Glen Powell is out hunting tornadoes or something.

The Bikeriders hits theaters on June 21st.

Joe Mazzulla wasn’t supposed to be an NBA head coach just yet, or at least, not the head coach of a title favorite. But after getting thrust into the head coaching role for the Celtics in 2022 after Ime Udoka went on leave (that became permanent) for an inappropriate workplace relationship, Mazzulla quickly adapted to the role and, in his second season, led the Celtics to their first championship in 16 years.

Mazzulla certainly was put in a tremendous spot to succeed, but also faced plenty of doubts after how his first season went that he was capable of leading the team to a title. As just about everyone with the Celtics has said, including Jayson Tatum to DIME at All-Star weekend, Mazzulla found his footing this year as a true leader, pushing and challenging the Celtics in the ways they needed to finally get over the hump and win a championship. He got the players to buy-in and they embraced his unique style, on and off the court, and ever-serious attitude towards the pursuit of a title.

Every anecdote about Mazzulla creates more fascination with the man in charge of the Celtics, including last year’s revelation that he watches The Town, starring Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner, a lot. As such, after winning the title and joining Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post podcast, Lowe had to ask Mazzulla what his role would be on a bank robbery crew, and Mazzulla had a very earnest answer.

“I either wanna plan the whole thing, like attention to detail. Find the people who you know’s personalities and characteristics work for each positioning that you need,” Mazzulla said. “Like, it’s all about the preparation. Once you’re in that moment, you have to rely on your preparation, similar to a game. So I’d like to be the guy that plans it, hires the people and sets it in motion, or the guy that has to have steady hands, control his breathing to execute the safe.”

Mazzulla might be the first coach to compare playing basketball to robbing a bank, and I love that while he’d love to be the mastermind in charge of the whole thing, he’s also a team player and will just crack the safe if need be. I like to imagine Joe sits in his house late at night, practicing controlling his breathing and a steady touch on a safe (like Charlize Theron in The Italian Job), just in case he ever gets the call that he’s needed for one last job.

Blackpink released Born Pink, their sophomore album, in September 2022, and the sensational K-pop girl group has squeezed it for everything its worth — from a historic Coachella 2023 headlining performance to their Born Pink World Tour. The tour is over, but the Born Pink era isn’t quite over.

On Thursday, June 20, Blackpink announced Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas, a forthcoming concert film in celebration of Blackpink’s eighth anniversary.

How To Watch Blackpink’s Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas Concert Film

According to a press release, “Trafalgar Releasing and CJ 4DPlex are proud to bring the record-breaking Born Pink [World] Tour to big screens worldwide this summer. Relive the live performances that captivated 1.8 million fans and hit the global Top 10 for the year. Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas will have limited screenings starting July 31, showcasing the highest-grossing tour from an Asian act and a female group in history once again. Fans can experience even more with screenings in ScreenX, 4DX, and ULTRA 4DX special formats.”

The official website confirms that global tickets will go on sale beginning June 27 at 8 a.m. PT and 11 a.m. ET. Korean tickets will go on sale on July 17. You can sign up for updates here.

Donald Sutherland’s vast list of Hollywood credits is far too long (not to mention legendary) to name only a few while doing his career justice. That list, however, has now come to a close with news that the Ordinary People, The Italian Job, and The Dirty Dozen actor has died at age 88.

Deadline confirmed word from the CAA agency that Sutherland passed away “Thursday in Miami after a long illness.”

As already mentioned, Sutherland’s list of films and TV series is nearly unparalleled among actors — from Pride & Prejudice, Animal House, and Klute to MASH, Kelly’s Heroes, and JFK — and spans over 50 years. He’s renowned by several generations of audience members, particularly for his antiheroes and villains, of course including President Snow in the original The Hunger Games blockbuster films. Although it might seem unusual to single out this particular role, you would be hard pressed to find a cinemagoer from recent decades who didn’t have his masterful performance pop into their heads immediately after learning of Sutherland’s death.

His most recent TV credits include Lawmen: Bass Reeves, The Undoing, and Swimming With Sharks. As Variety notes, Donald also turned down an opportunity to appear in 24 as the dad of Jack Bauer, portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland. The father and son did, however, appear in A Time To Kill and Forsaken together.

Sutherland has been survived by his five children (Kiefer, Rachel, Roeg, Rossif, and Angus), four grandchildren, and his wife, Francine Racette.

Updating…

(Via Deadline & Variety)

The Chicago Bulls have considered the idea of trading Zach LaVine for some time, but what had previously been the Bulls asking high prices from other teams has become an all-out push to find the former All-Star guard a new home.

LaVine’s contract, which still has three years and $138 million left (including a $49 million player option), and the new CBA tax penalties make it increasingly difficult to move LaVine for a strong return. His long-term money makes it less likely a team outside the playoff chase would have interest in him, as he will tie up considerable cap space for the next three years, and while he’s a talented player, he’s not viewed as a guy that immediately vaults a team into contention. That means the Bulls may have to get creative to find LaVine a landing spot that doesn’t involve them bringing back a lot of long-term money themselves.

Bulls VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas seems to recognize that, and according to KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the Bulls are being very aggressive in trying to find a LaVine trade as the Draft approaches.

“Sources said Karnišovas has floated as many as 15 proposals centered on the two-time All-Star guard to various teams including the Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.”

I like the idea of Karnisovas just grinding on the trade machine, trying to figure out what might be possible and then calling Sacramento, Orlando, Philly, and others to get their thoughts on whatever he just cooked up. As Johnson goes on to note, the Bulls cap situation and desire to bring DeMar DeRozan back (and possibly Patrick Williams) means they’re exploring options beyond just moving LaVine. Alex Caruso, who they turned down numerous offers for at the deadline, will pop back up in talks, while Lonzo Ball, who hasn’t played in more than two years, has just over $21 million owed to him on the final year of his deal next season.

There were reports prior to the deadline that the Bulls have not wanted to pair Caruso and LaVine in trade talks, largely because they don’t want to have to just use Caruso to help offload the LaVine salary. However, at this point, they might have to consider all their options, and you can bet other teams will want to get Caruso back in a deal to add some defensive punch along with LaVine’s scoring abilities. We’ll wait to find out exactly how desperate the Bulls are to clear some money before free agency arrives, or if they’re able to cook up a deal that sends LaVine out without Caruso alongside, giving them another avenue to upgrade their roster after.

If you’ve been feeling a bit of a funk deficiency lately, have no fear. Ric Wilson is back on the scene with a new song, “We Aight,” bringing with him one of modern funk’s most stalwart sources, Mayer Hawthorne. Here, they team up with dance production duos Party Pupils and Brasstracks for a colorful, horn-filled nu-disco beat, perfect for Wilson to waltz over with his whimsical delivery and Hawthorne’s warm vocals. In the press release, Ric says, “Being fans of funk and wanting to make a record that feels like a Chicago or Detroit house party, me and Mayer channeled our memories from hometown house parties to make a new legendary house party record. I’m excited for folks to hear the rest of the album later this year.”

Ric is just over a year removed from his last release, the Clusterfunk EP, which was produced by family connection A-Trak and Chromeo. Since then, the Chicago native has been bouncing around, doing performances at festivals and overseas as he works on his next album. Mayer Hawthorne, meanwhile, released his tenth studio album, For All Time, last October, yielding more of a slinky, ’70s inspired collection of bedroom bops.

You can listen to Ric Wilson’s “We Aight” above.

Sabrina Carpenter got a boost from being an opener on Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Her profile has increased since then, and now it’s her turn to bring increased exposure to up-and-comers: She announced The Short N’ Sweet Tour today (June 20), so here’s what to know about who’s opening.

Who Is Opening Sabrina Carpenter’s The Short N’ Sweet Tour?

The tour will feature openers Amaarae, Griff, and Declan McKenna, according to a press release.

Check out the list of tour dates below.

Sabrina Carpenter 2024 Tour Dates: The Short N’ Sweet Tour

08/10 — San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Festival
09/23 — Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
09/25 — Toronto, Ontario @ Scotiabank Arena
09/26 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
09/29 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
10/02 — Hartford, CT @ XL Center
10/03 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
10/05 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
10/08 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
10/11 — Montreal, QC @ Centre Ball
10/13 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
10/14 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
10/16 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
10/17 — Saint Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena
10/19 — Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena
10/20 — Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones Arena
10/22 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
10/24 — Orlando, FL @ Kia Center
10/25 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
10/28 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
10/30 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
11/01 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
11/02 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
11/04 — Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum
11/06 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
11/07 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center
11/09 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
11/10 — San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena
11/13 — Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center
11/15 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena

Short N’ Sweet is out 8/23 via Island Records. Find more information here.

Nic Cage‘s upcoming horror movie Longlegs has been slowly dropping hints that it’s going to scare and scar you for a very long time. And that’s before you even get a chance to see what Cage looks like.

The movie hits theaters in July and follows a young FBI agent seemingly hunting the satanic serial killer dubbed Longlegs. Yet, all we’ve seen of Cage’s gruesome killer is one brief still from the movie’s chilling trailer. And that’s on purpose!

Director Osgood Perkins told EW that he intentionally doesn’t want fans to see Cage’s transformation ahead of the movie. “It’s driving people towards a freak show at a circus tent. We’ve got the thing behind the curtain, and when there’s enough people gathered ’round, we’re going to pull the curtain.”

When the metaphorical curtain is pulled, Cage says that it very well might be the end of the world. Who are you to say he’s wrong? “It’s the equivalent of putting a warning label on a jar of nitroglycerin,” Cage explained.

He continued, “The monster is a highly, highly dangerous substance. The way it’s moved, unveiled, deployed has to be treated very carefully. Forget about the movie theater blowing up; the whole city could blow up, nay the country, maybe even the world. He is going to change your reality. Your doors of perception are going to open, and your life is not going to be the same.” Sounds great!

Is he describing Longlegs or Flubber? There really is no way to know until you see the movie in theaters on July 12th!

(Via Entertainment Weekly)