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Even though inflation levels have slowed in the U.S. over the past few months, fast food is one industry where prices keep going up. It seems like there’s nowhere to turn when the places where we used to go to for a deal keep getting pricier and pricier.

According to CBS News, prices at “limited service” restaurants were up 6.2% last year, with America’s most popular fast-food joint, McDonald’s, up 10%.

“Our average pricing level in the U.S. business for the full year will be just over 10%,” Ian Borden, the company’s CFO, stated in an October 2023 earnings call.

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If you’re still hoping to find a deal on fast food, Business Insider created a video that shows all the “sneaky” tricks fast-food chains use to get you to spend more than you intended.

Sneaky Ways Fast Food Restaurants Get You To Spend Money

One way they get you to spend more money is by having menus that are a “noisy mess of options and categories” that only highlight a portion of what’s available. Looking for the value menu? That will be pushed to the corner of the menu so your focus stays on the pricier items on its left side.

You’ll also notice that the photos of the items are large, but the price next to them is comparatively small.

“Food pictures, they light up the brain. Particularly when you’re hungry. Large food pictures, for a food company, are key,” Hans Taparia, a professor of business and society at NYU, told Business Insider.

The video also reveals that if you do the math, value meals really aren’t a significant savings.

“If you buy multiple items on the value menu, it won’t necessarily be cheaper than a Happy Meal,” Taparia adds. In the example provided in the video, a McDonald’s Double-Quarter Pounder value meal is only 9 cents cheaper than if you purchased the items separately.

News of the Grammys might be circulating all over the web right now, but that’s not where you’ll hear about this truly inspiring music story.

Thirty-one year old musician and mom Cat Janice had one wish after being diagnosed with cancer: to leave behind a song for her 7-year-old son Loren, so that he could collect the proceeds.

The D.C.-based singer songwriter first noticed a lump in her neck in November of 2021, as she explained on TikTok. Over the next year the lump grew larger, prompting her to visit a doctor who confirmed it was sarcoma.

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Janice continued singing and writing songs throughout her chemo treatments and surgery, posting her creations—and her healing progress—on social media.

Despite being declared cancer-free on July 22, 2022, the cancer returned almost a year later. And in January 2024, she posted that her “tumors basically tripled overnight,” leaving her virtually unable to speak, let alone sing, and living in hospice.

@cat.janice #greenscreensticker cannot even believe this happened but I have to keep my head up. I want to leave behind every penny I have for him. Will you please pre save it and stream when it comes out? Hospice has been easier and more time with kiddo but swelling has not stopped 🙁 ❤️❤️ prayers please #cancer #songwriter ♬ Dance You Outta My Head – Cat Janice

Knowing she didn’t have much time left, Jancie teased out one last song, a happy pop tune titled “Dance You Outta My Head,” kindly asking folks to stream it. That way, she could leave her baby boy something when she was gone.

Janice got her wish. “Dance You Outta My Head” blew up on TikTok. People not shared videos of them dancing along to the words, but also offered words of support and empathy.

@kylei.ann I am cryingggg at our spins @Cat Janice ♬ Dance You Outta My Head – Cat Janice

“I was once a 7-year-old who lost their mom to cancer,” someone wrote. “Dancing to spread this song.”

What’s clear is that folks weren’t just spreading the song out of charity. Janice created a bona fide banger—infused with joy and that special something that make you wanna move

@stephfozzy This message is for you @Cat Janice. I’ll never dance you outta my head.🥹 Thank you. Love you. I’m gonna miss you.🪩💛✨ #catjanice #musiclivesonforever #musicismagic #womensupportingwomen #cancersucks #danceyououttamyhead ♬ Dance You Outta My Head – Cat Janice

The song didn’t just go viral online. In a subsequent video, Janice shared that she had woken up in the middle of the night to find out “Dance You Outta My Head” had charted #5 in the world on iTunes.

In the video’s caption, Janice shared her gratitude, writing, “all of this is because of you guys .I am so lucky to even be alive. Let alone with such a strong family of music lovers by my side. My son and I will forever be grateful. I feel like I can rest in God’s peace from all your love. Just so wild.”

And thank you, Janice, for reminding us all that even during our darkest moments, that beauty can be created. That is what art is all about.

You can catch the full version of “Dance You Outta My Head” below, or you can stream it on Spotify/iTunes. And if you’d like to further support Janice and her family, you can find a GoFundMe page, where the donations are geared both towards saving her life and Loren’s education, counseling and music lessons, here.

No matter how long you’ve skied or snowboarded or how much of an expert you are, there’s one nemesis on the mountain that poses an underappreciated threat—the tree well.

People may think the main danger of skiing through trees is the risk of running into one. But falling into a tree well is a less obvious, but still potentially deadly risk due to the possibility of snow immersion suffocation (SIS). Essentially, the area around the base of a tree creates snow conditions that are quite different than those out in the open. Air pockets in the snow combined with water vapor rising from the tree base turns the snow into a quicksand-like texture that is nearly impossible to escape from—the more you struggle, the deeper in you fall. Skiers and snowboarders die every year from SIS due to falling into tree wells and not being found in time.

That could easily have been snowboarder Ian Steger’s fate in March 2023 if not for the eagle eye and quick thinking of backcountry skier Francis Zuber.

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Zuber had just begun a backcountry ski run with a buddy on Mount Baker in Washington State when a flash of red caught the corner of his eye. Zuber’s GoPro footage shows him stopping and turning to see a colorful snowboard upside-down next to a tree.

“I knew there was somebody attached to it, and obviously they were still alive,” Zuber told Vancouver’s City News. “I shout out to the guy…he can’t hear me, he’s five and a half to six feet into the snow at that point.” Zuber knew he had to work fast.

As the video shows him struggling to make his way back toward the tree through the deep snow, we can hear him muttering expletives to himself and calling out to the snowboarder. At first, we can’t see how Steger is positioned, but as Zuber gets closer and starts digging, it becomes clear that the snowboarder is completely upside-down, with his face buried deep in the snow.

Watch the harrowing GoPro footage Zuber shared on YouTube:

[Warning: This video contains strong language.]

Zuber told the CBC that they estimated Steger had been buried between five and seven minutes, “probably at either a third or just the halfway point of his possible survival time in there,” when he found him. Zuber said Steger hadn’t been snowboarding alone—he was with a group of three other riders who were carrying safety equipment including shovels, beacons and two-way radios—but as we could see in Zuber’s GoPro, getting back up a mountain when you realize someone in your group isn’t behind you anymore is no small or quick task.

Steger and Zuber have since become friends since the March 3 rescue and have even gone skiing together on Mount Baker.

Steger told the CBC he just wants to “enjoy being alive.” Indeed, after a close-call experience like that, every moment you have would feel like a gift.

This article originally appeared on 4.6.23

Having your first baby is a scary experience. Everything is new—you’ve quite literally never done this before—not to mention an entire human is going to be removed from your body one way or another. Childbirth, no matter how your baby leaves your body, is not for the weak. But imagine giving birth alone to not just one baby, but three, all at the same time. Then imagine doing that feat at the age of 14.

Shariya Small experienced that scenario in a hospital in Indiana, and her nurse Katrina Mullen took note. Small’s babies were premature, born at just 26 weeks, when the average gestation for triplets is 33 weeks, according to ReproductiveFacts.org. Due to their early birth, the babies, Serenitee, Samari and Sarayah, had to stay in the NICU at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis for more than five months, according to Today.com.

During their time in the NICU, Mullen noticed the young mom visited her babies alone, not appearing to have much of a support system. “She’d be there alone for days at a time sitting at her babies’ bedside,” Mullen told Today.com.

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The pair got to know each other over the months that the babies were in the hospital, but Small continued to be reluctant to open up about her family life. That changed after she found out that Mullen had her first child at 16 and had given it up for adoption. Their experiences bonded the two moms, and Mullen began helping to care for the babies and Small by giving her advice and showing her how to properly care for the infants.

Eventually, Mullen gave Small her phone number before the babies were discharged from the hospital. It quickly became apparent that Small did not have a support system, as she called Mullen often asking for advice. Out of concern, the nurse went to visit Small an hour away, where she was living with a family member.

The condition of the home was concerning enough, but Mullen became even more worried when she saw how thin Small’s son Samari was. It turns out he had to be admitted to the hospital, which prompted a visit from Child Protective Services, who determined that Small and her three infants would need to enter foster care. She gave the social worker Mullen’s information and things began to fall into place.

Listen to Small and Mullen explain their unique story below:

This article originally appeared on 4.10.23

Indie darling Mitski is currently on tour in support of her album, The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We. Her seventh album boast her breakthrough hit, “My Love Mine All Mine,” but make no mistake — Mitski’s catalog is stacked with fan favorites. At her tour stops, Mitski has been keeping her merch stand stocked with several items, which serve as mementos for this particular era. Longtime fans can add some of the new merch to their collection of Mitski memorabilia, and new fans can have something to remember their first Mitski show by.

According to fans, who have shared photos of some of the Mitski merch to Reddit and other social media platforms, ticketholders can purchase a variety of shirts, bags, sweaters, and more.

One of the sweaters is a black hoodie, with a pink imprint of Mitski, and a lettered frame, reading “I’ll be the only heartbreaker.” This particular design goes for $60.

Another item is a pink shirt, reading “Mitski” in large block lettering, with photos of Mitski filling in the spaces. This one costs $35.

Tote bags, posters, and vinyl records are also available for purchase at Mitski’s shows. Longtime fans can also purchase merch related to her 2016 album, Puberty 2.

André 3000 has long been known as an unconventional artist who makes some pretty unconventional moves. For instance, his first-ever solo album New Blue Sun features no beats and no rhymes, but is instead filled with improvised woodwind tunes and super-long song titles.

Now, he’s on tour for the new album, but as it turns out, there is one way he’s been very conventional: In his tour merch offerings. Per a social media post from someone who apparently attended one of the shows, the options are a fairly basic collection of tees, hoodies, and beanies. The T-shirts and hoodies all feature the tour stops on the back, while one (my favorite) reads “Listen To Sade” on the front. The tees are $80, the hoodies are $120 and the beanies — which look just like the ones André himself has been wearing lately, on some Jacques Cousteau tip — are $45. Check out a photo below.

André 3000’s New Blue Sun Live tour dates

01/29 — Brooklyn, NY @ Crown Hill Theatre
01/31 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (8 p.m. show)
01/31 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (10:30 p.m. show)
02/01 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (8 p.m. show)
02/01 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (10:30 p.m. show)
02/02 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (8 p.m. show)
02/02 — New York, NY @ Blue Note Jazz Club (10:30 p.m. show)
02/05 — Brooklyn, NY @ St. Ann & The Holy Trinity Church
02/06 — Brooklyn, NY @ St. Ann & The Holy Trinity Church
02/08 — Detroit, MI @ Cliff Bell’s
02/09 —Detroit, MI @ The Chapel at Masonic Temple (7 p.m. show)
02/09 — Detroit, MI @ The Chapel at Masonic Temple (10 p.m. show)
02/12 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
02/13 — Chicago, IL @ 1357 N Elston
02/15 — Chicago, IL @ Garfield Park Conservatory (7 p.m. show)
02/15 — Chicago, IL @ Garfield Park Conservatory (9 p.m. show)
02/20 — San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club
02/22 — San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club
02/24 — San Francisco, CA @ The Independent (7 p.m. show)
02/24 — San Francisco, CA @ The Independent (9 p.m. show)
02/27 — Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
02/28 — Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
02/29 — Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
03/02 — Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage Theater
03/05 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
03/06 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
03/07 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
03/08 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
03/09 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever

Basketball fans are in for a treat, as Machine Gun Kelly and Shaquille O’Neal (also known for his musical side as DJ Diesel) will be helping to kick off the NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 with some performances. They will take the stage on Thursday, February 15 at The Indiana Convention Center as part of the celebrations. As someone who got to see Shaq do a DJ set a few years ago, the crowd is really in for a wild time.

Those who are interested in getting tickets and have an American Express will be able to participate in the presale, which is currently open and will close tomorrow, February 8 at 12:59 p.m. ET. Only a maximum of four free tickets can be reserved, but Ticketmaster appears to be limiting the quantity and access — so it’s unclear if they’ve sold out of the presale at the moment.

If you did manage to secure tickets to the NBA on TNT American Express Road Show event, AmEx cardholders will receive access to a priority lane for faster entry into the venue. As part of the Road Show experience, there will also be photo opportunities and fan competitions with Shaq, Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith, according to a press release.

For those at home, it will start playing at 7 p.m. on TNT.

Meanwhile, the NBA also announced the rosters for the All-Star Celebrity Game today, and it includes 50 Cent and Lil Wayne as coaches, as well as Anuel AA, Walker Hayes, SiR, Jennifer Hudson, and AJ McLean playing.

More information about the NBA on TNT American Express Road Show featuring MGK and O’Neal can be found here.

Following her recent appearance on Hot Ones, Madame Web star Sydney Sweeney answered a question about her time as a Universal Studios tour guide while she and her family were struggling to make ends meet in the early days of her acting career. Sweeney had previously revealed her Universal stint during a cover interview for Women’s Health in November 2023, but for some reason, her Hot Ones appearance brought out the knives on TikTok.

TikTok creator Tyler Hancock, who reportedly has an extensive background working as a Universal tour guide, accused Sweeney of lying about her employment. Specifically, Hancock accused Sweeney of being especially cagey during her Hot Ones appearance, which he claimed is further proof that she never worked as a tour guide.

“No hate to her, I don’t know why she’s choosing to fib about this. But seeing Sydney Sweeney dance around this and never give a straight answer is kinda crazy considering she’s the one that volunteered that information, that verifiably false information,” Hancock said. He also claimed that becoming a tour guide is “notoriously difficult” and “not just a summer job that any teenager can get.”

Surprise! It was a summer job that a teenage Sydney Sweeney got.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sweeney was hired as a Universal Studios tour guide, but her tenure was short-lived thanks to her acting career taking off:

Sweeney was hired by Universal Studios Hollywood on June 12, 2016, after which she attended an orientation shift followed by a training shift. However, she exited the job on July 18, 2016, when she booked an acting job. Her resume backs it up as Sweeney has 11 credits on her resume from 2016-2017, including Cassidy Way, Angels in Stardust, The Horde, Manic, Pretty Little Liars, and In the Vault, among others.

What’s the lesson here? Don’t believe everything you see on TikTok.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

End Of The Road festival is making a return this summer. Taking place over three days (August 29 – September 1) at Larmer Tree Gardens in England, End Of The Road’s 2024 line-up boasts an incredible array of indie and international acts.

Headlining the festival are Idles, Slowdive, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. Also on the line-up are Fever Ray, Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, Baxter Dury, and more.

Tickets are available for purchase here, however, fans may want to grab them quickly. At the time of writing, early bird, tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 tickets are already sold out.

End Of The Road 2024 will also mark Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s only festival appearance this year. The festival’s co-founder Simon Taffe has been writing letters to Billy since the festival’s inception in 2006. Nearly two decades later, Taffe has made this a reality.

“This year’s line up is very special to me,” said Taffe in a statement. It includes a lot of artists who released personal favorite albums of 2023: Lankum, Nation of Language, Slowdive, Casisdead, Yo la Tengo, The Lemon Twigs, Joanna Sternberg, Mark Lewis Hamilton, Fever Ray, and many more. I’m also super excited that Bonnie “Prince Billy” is performing a very rare festival appearance – Will Oldham is one of the all-time greats. We have been inviting him to End of the Road since 2006, so we can’t wait!”

You can see the full End Of The Road 2024 line-up below.

Martin Scorsese has only recently started embracing the internet, and you can’t blame the man for being so behind, he’s been busy. For a long time, Scorsese was frequently attacked online for his controversial comments about superhero movies, but it seems like we’ve all finally moved past that (after all, he was sort of right). Now, he just embraces his newfound TikTok stardom with the help of his daughter.

Scorsese’s latest project is directing a new ad for Squarespace that highlights just how awful and distracting the internet can be. The ad shows various hardworking individuals who are too invested in their phones to see the ongoing alien invasion. In order to get attention from the boring earth inhabitants, the extraterrestrials start their own website. The ad closes with a Scorsese cameo where he is watching a movie on an iPad. The way movies are supposed to be seen!

Not only is Scorsese embracing commercial directing, he’s also acquired a dedicated TikTok following, thanks to daughter Francesca. She told PEOPLE that his fans are excited to see a different side of the renowned director on TikTok and social media. “People love seeing him doing these things and the more normal side of him. People see this big, big star, incredibly talented person, which he is, but also then kind of like the dad,” Francesca explained.

The budding filmmaker has frequently been accompanied by her dad in a series of viral TikToks, and Francesca claims that her father loves making silly little videos now, like the one of him directing the family dog.“I’m a total daddy’s girl. We’re best friends. And I saw people doing this with their dads, and I was like, ‘I want to do it.’ So I did it, and I realized that people not only loved him, but they loved our relationship, which I love, because I love our relationship, and we’re very goofy with each other. He always says that I make him silly. He’s like a big kid. I say he’s like a 15-year-old in an 81-year-old man’s body.”

Francesca also worked as creative director for the Squarespace ad, and while she hasn’t made a TikTok about it yet, we can settle for some behind-the-scenes footage:

(Via People)