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Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. We wouldn’t go as far as saying this week’s roundup is weaker than the last few, but Nike’s absence is definitely felt. For whatever reason Nike is saving all of its best releases until next week and without the brand’s presence our list is looking pretty light.

It’s not that much of a problem. If anything, it incentives people to pick up what the other brands are dropping, which is actually pretty dope. Maybe Nike peeked at the other brands’ launch calendars and decided to sit this one out!

Highlights from this week include a new silhouette debut from New Balance as well as a collaboration with Danish brand GANNI, a Homer Simpson adorned Stan Smith from Adidas, and a new Pollex Clog colorway from Salehe Bembury and Crocs. Let’s dive into the best sneaker drops of the week!

New Balance WRPD Runner

Price: $149.99

It’s not every week that New Balance drops a brand new silhouette so the release of the WRPD Runner deserves celebration, especially because it looks pretty damn awesome — giving big Yeezy meets dad shoe energy.

The design features highly sculpted and sleek contours that suggest motion with a mixed upper of knit, synthetic, and wool over a full-length FuelCell midsole and a large-style embroidered ’N’ logo. The colorway matches the minimal design ethos of the sneaker with a simple mix of sea salt, sandstone, and black.

Welcome to the NB family WRPD!

The New Balance WRPD Runner is out now for a retail price of $149.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance.

GANNI x New Balance 1906R

Price: $169.99

Danish womenswear brand GANNI has teamed up with New Balance for a second time for a new take on the 1906R. Featuring an all-mesh upper for ultimate breathability, this 1906R features synthetic overlays, a speckled outsole, ACTEVA LITE cushioning, and co-branded details.

The sneaker drops in two colorways, a bright yellow and black model, and an off-white edition with yellow and black accents.

The GANNI x New Balance 1906R is set to drop on August 18th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $169.99. Pick up a pair via New Balance.

Adidas Harden Vol. 7

Price: $160

The latest James Harden signature sneaker from Adidas bathes the design in a beautiful all-over Flash Aqua colorway that looks made for the summer season. Featuring a textile upper with Lightstrike cushioning and a BOOST midsole, the Harden 7 comes across as looking like a very luxurious puffer jacket, which was apparently the inspiration behind the design.

Ridiculous source of inspiration aside, we like this sneaker, it’s easily the best puffer jacket-inspired sneaker ever. The only puffer jacket-inspired sneaker, sure, but still, the best!

The Adidas Harden Vol 7 is set to drop on August 17th at 12AM PDT for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Adidas webstore.

Adidas Stan Smith Homer Simpson

Price: $120

Here we are at our pick of the week, the Homer Simpson-adorned Stan Smith. It’s easy to love this sneaker, it takes one of Adidas’ most beloved silhouettes and combines it with one of the world’s most beloved cartoon characters, making reference to a scene that has become one of the most prominent memes — Homer receding into some bushes.

It’s a home(r) run design! The sneaker features a leather upper, leather lining, Homer branding at the tongue (in place of the Stan Smith portrait), and a fuzzy green heel tab with a fully-colored Homer graphic.

The Adidas Stan Smith Homer Simpson is set to drop on August 18th at 8:00 AM PDT for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair via the Adidas webstore.

Reebok Question Mid Core Black/Vector Blue

Price: $170

It’s been a minute since we’ve shown some love for Reebok, but the brand is back in our rotation this week with the latest Question Mid colorway. Featuring a colorway that recalls the Blue Toe Question, this take on the iconic shoe features a full grain tumbled leather upper in sleek Core Black with a suede Vector Blue toe piece, blue accents on the heel, and an EVA midsole.

It’s sleek, flashy, and oozes luxury.

The Reebok Question Md Core Black/Vector Blue is set to drop on Thursday, August 17th at 9:00 PM PDT. Pick up a pair at Reebok.

Crocs X Salehe Bembury Pollex Clog Como

Price: $85

Salehe Bembury has steadily been rolling out new Pollex Clog colorways this summer which makes sense, this sneaker (if you want to call it that) is the ultimate summer footwear. It’s waterproof, airy, light, and comfortable, seriously if you haven’t owned or worn a pair of Pollex Clogs yet and you like the whole foam footwear trend, get yourself a pair of these, they’re incredibly comfortable.

The latest colorway, dubbed “Como” takes Italy’s Lake Como as a source of inspiration, offering a dark aqueous navy blue color.

The Salehe Bembury Pollex Clog Como is set to drop on August 17th at the Beapunge webstore.

Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. We wouldn’t go as far as saying this week’s roundup is weaker than the last few, but Nike’s absence is definitely felt. For whatever reason Nike is saving all of its best releases until next week and without the brand’s presence our list is looking pretty light.

It’s not that much of a problem. If anything, it incentives people to pick up what the other brands are dropping, which is actually pretty dope. Maybe Nike peeked at the other brands’ launch calendars and decided to sit this one out!

Highlights from this week include a new silhouette debut from New Balance as well as a collaboration with Danish brand GANNI, a Homer Simpson adorned Stan Smith from Adidas, and a new Pollex Clog colorway from Salehe Bembury and Crocs. Let’s dive into the best sneaker drops of the week!

New Balance WRPD Runner

Price: $149.99

It’s not every week that New Balance drops a brand new silhouette so the release of the WRPD Runner deserves celebration, especially because it looks pretty damn awesome — giving big Yeezy meets dad shoe energy.

The design features highly sculpted and sleek contours that suggest motion with a mixed upper of knit, synthetic, and wool over a full-length FuelCell midsole and a large-style embroidered ’N’ logo. The colorway matches the minimal design ethos of the sneaker with a simple mix of sea salt, sandstone, and black.

Welcome to the NB family WRPD!

The New Balance WRPD Runner is out now for a retail price of $149.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance.

GANNI x New Balance 1906R

Price: $169.99

Danish womenswear brand GANNI has teamed up with New Balance for a second time for a new take on the 1906R. Featuring an all-mesh upper for ultimate breathability, this 1906R features synthetic overlays, a speckled outsole, ACTEVA LITE cushioning, and co-branded details.

The sneaker drops in two colorways, a bright yellow and black model, and an off-white edition with yellow and black accents.

The GANNI x New Balance 1906R is set to drop on August 18th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $169.99. Pick up a pair via New Balance.

Adidas Harden Vol. 7

Price: $160

The latest James Harden signature sneaker from Adidas bathes the design in a beautiful all-over Flash Aqua colorway that looks made for the summer season. Featuring a textile upper with Lightstrike cushioning and a BOOST midsole, the Harden 7 comes across as looking like a very luxurious puffer jacket, which was apparently the inspiration behind the design.

Ridiculous source of inspiration aside, we like this sneaker, it’s easily the best puffer jacket-inspired sneaker ever. The only puffer jacket-inspired sneaker, sure, but still, the best!

The Adidas Harden Vol 7 is set to drop on August 17th at 12AM PDT for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Adidas webstore.

Adidas Stan Smith Homer Simpson

Price: $120

Here we are at our pick of the week, the Homer Simpson-adorned Stan Smith. It’s easy to love this sneaker, it takes one of Adidas’ most beloved silhouettes and combines it with one of the world’s most beloved cartoon characters, making reference to a scene that has become one of the most prominent memes — Homer receding into some bushes.

It’s a home(r) run design! The sneaker features a leather upper, leather lining, Homer branding at the tongue (in place of the Stan Smith portrait), and a fuzzy green heel tab with a fully-colored Homer graphic.

The Adidas Stan Smith Homer Simpson is set to drop on August 18th at 8:00 AM PDT for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair via the Adidas webstore.

Reebok Question Mid Core Black/Vector Blue

Price: $170

It’s been a minute since we’ve shown some love for Reebok, but the brand is back in our rotation this week with the latest Question Mid colorway. Featuring a colorway that recalls the Blue Toe Question, this take on the iconic shoe features a full grain tumbled leather upper in sleek Core Black with a suede Vector Blue toe piece, blue accents on the heel, and an EVA midsole.

It’s sleek, flashy, and oozes luxury.

The Reebok Question Md Core Black/Vector Blue is set to drop on Thursday, August 17th at 9:00 PM PDT. Pick up a pair at Reebok.

Crocs X Salehe Bembury Pollex Clog Como

Price: $85

Salehe Bembury has steadily been rolling out new Pollex Clog colorways this summer which makes sense, this sneaker (if you want to call it that) is the ultimate summer footwear. It’s waterproof, airy, light, and comfortable, seriously if you haven’t owned or worn a pair of Pollex Clogs yet and you like the whole foam footwear trend, get yourself a pair of these, they’re incredibly comfortable.

The latest colorway, dubbed “Como” takes Italy’s Lake Como as a source of inspiration, offering a dark aqueous navy blue color.

The Salehe Bembury Pollex Clog Como is set to drop on August 17th at the Beapunge webstore.

There’s a common misconception with white rum that the popular sugarcane-based spirit is un-aged and goes from the still directly into the bottle. While this is sometimes true, it’s not a guarantee. Many white rums are matured between one and two years with a few matured even longer.

Regardless of its age, there are countless bargain white rums on the market. While some lower quality rums more resemble rubbing alcohol than drinkable alcohol, there are a surprising number of mixable and (sometimes) sippable, value rums on the market. A well-made white rum might have flavors like coconut, tropical fruits, vanilla, banana, gentle spices, and even sugarcane itself. All with a gentle, warm, dry finish.

The best part? There are many white rums that fit this criterion for less than $25.

To prove it, I once again turned to the tried and true blind taste test. I picked eight bargain-priced white rums and nosed, tasted, and ranked each based on the total flavor profile, balance, and drinkability. Keep scrolling to see how everything turned out.

Today’s Rums:

• Havana Club Anejo Blanco
• Captain Morgan White Rum
• The Real McCoy Three Year
• Bayou White Rum
• George Ocean White Rum
• Don Q Cristal Rum
• Wray & Nephew White
• Bacardi Superior

Part 1: White Rums Under $25 Blind Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla, dried fruits, toffee, and light spices are notable on the nose. The palate has a lot of vanilla, banana, and some fruits. It has a decent palate and a good amount of warming heat at the finish.

Not the most exciting rum, but not the least either.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

The nose has some vanilla and fruit, but not much else. The palate has a little more tropical fruit, but it’s very muted. Overall, there aren’t many discernable flavors as it has a lot of mineral flavors and almost harsh heat.

Definitely not a rum I’d prefer to drink neat ever again.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Complex aromas of vanilla beans, pineapple, butterscotch, and floral notes make for an inviting nose. On the palate, you’ll find hints of toffee, vanilla, caramelized pineapple, and light spices.

The finish is dry, warming, and leaves you wanting more.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

The nose is very sweet with a ton of vanilla and tropical fruit scents. Sipping it reveals that it’s a bit of a one (or two) trick pony. There’s more Vanilla, pineapple, and not much else. Fairly one-dimensional and unexciting. The ending is also fairly harsh with the burn.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

This rum smells more like vodka than rum. There are light aromas of coconut and vanilla. Otherwise, the nose is pretty boring and unexciting. The palate continues this trend. There are some light spices, more vanilla, and tropical fruit. Overall, any notable flavors are squashed by the uncomfortable heat at the finish.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

The nose is filled with vanilla, light spices, grass, and floral aromas. Drinking it reveals notes of toasted vanilla beans, light smoke, pepper, caramel, chocolate, and Cinnamon. The finish is warming, dry, and gently spicy.

Overall, a surprisingly complex white rum.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

There’s a lot of booze on the nose. But there are still notes of molasses cookies, banana, coconut, and vanilla. The palate is very hot, but still has flavors like pineapple, coconut, vanilla, bananas, molasses, and spices. It ends even more warming. This is a complex rum that’s a great choice for the base of your favorite mixed drink. The only downfall is the massive, burning heat throughout.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

A lot is going on with this rum’s nose. There are a ton of tropical fruit, vanilla, and floral notes. The palate continues this trend with notes of ripe berries, vanilla, pineapple, banana, and gentle spices. The finish is long, sweet, and warm. It’s definitely a rum that will bring your mixed drinks to new dimensions.

Part 2: The Rankings

8) Bacardi Superior (Taste 2)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $14

The Rum:

There are very few names in the rum world more famous than Bacardi. Its Bacardi Superior is one of the best bargains. First released in 1862 by Don Facundo Bacardí Massó introduced, this favorite of bartenders is known for its fruity, mixable flavor profile.

Bottom Line:

Bacardi Superior is a rum made for mixing. I strongly suggest that’s the only thing you use it for. Sipping it neat isn’t a great idea.

7) Captain Morgan White Rum (Taste 5)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $12

The Rum:

We all know Captain Morgan, the rum is adorned with an elegantly-dressed pirate with his one leg resting on a treasure chest. Its white rum is known for its crisp, clean flavor profile. It’s not meant to be a full-flavored sipping rum. It’s supposed to be mixed with.

Bottom Line:

Not surprisingly, Captain Morgan White Rum doesn’t rate well plain. It’s not the kind of bottle you’d see in a store and want to pick up to sip so… why would you? Buy it for mixing or don’t buy it at all.

6) George Ocean White Rum (Taste 4)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $15

The Rum:

This white rum from the West Indies is a great value rum. It’s known for its clean, crisp, mellow, sweet flavor profile. It’s not overly complex, but it’s balanced and perfect for mixing.

Bottom Line:

This is the kind of very cheap white rum that you buy exclusively for mixing. It’s not an abrasively harsh rum, just not one you’d want to taste on its own.

5) Wray & Nephew White (Taste 7)

ABV: 63%

Average Price: $21

The Rum:

While many of the rums selected for this blind taste test are 80 proof, Wray & Nephew clocks in at a ridiculous 126 proof. This high-proof rum is known for its complex palate that stands up well in the most flavorful cocktails. It’s definitely not known as a sipping rum though.

Bottom Line:

For such a high-proof rum, it was surprising to find so many aromas and flavors. Still, this rum should be mixed exclusively because of its high alcohol content. It’s pretty harsh.

4) Bayou White Rum (Taste 1)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $21

The Rum:

You might not think of the US when you think of rum, but Bayou Rum was made in Louisiana. Made with locally grown and sourced sugarcane, this pot still distilled rum rested for as long as forty days. This creates a clean, smooth, very mixable spirit.

Bottom Line:

This white rum from Bayou Rum is surprisingly complex and flavorful. It’s not the most exciting rum in the world, but one that hits the mark for less than $25.

3) The Real McCoy Three Year (Taste 8)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $20

The Rum:

Produced at Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, The Real McCoy Three Year is named for prohibition-era rum runner Bill McCoy. It’s matured for three years and then filtered through charcoal to remove the color. It doesn’t remove any of the flavor imparted by the wood though.

Bottom Line:

As white rums go, The Real McCoy Three Year is not only a great mixing rum, but also a great sipper as well. It’s complex and balanced enough to enjoy on the rocks on a cool evening.

2) Don Q Cristal Rum (Taste 6)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $11

The Rum:

This clean, clear, flavorful rum was matured between one and a half and five years in American oak barrels. It’s then filtered through charcoal to remove the color. This doesn’t remove any of the smooth, easy-drinking flavor though. It’s sweet, fruity, and memorable.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a bargain rum to always have on hand for mixing, you can do much worse than Don Q Cristal Rum. It was cheaper than it has any right to be.

1) Havana Club Anejo Blanco (Taste 3)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $20

The Rum:

It might be confusing since there are two different Havana Club rum brands. This version is made in Puerto Rico and “aged in exile” using the original recipe from 1934. It’s double-aged to create a mellow, sippable, mixable white rum. First for one year in oak before it’s blended and filtered and then aged for two more months.

Bottom Line:

While this isn’t an ideal sipping rum. That’s not the point of this exercise. It has the flavors that make it a decent sipper and it shines as a mixing rum.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

It’s clear from this blind taste test that, when it comes to sipping white rum mellow is key. While I enjoyed rums with complex, balanced flavor profiles, the rums that fared poorly were harsh and had too much heat. Rums that were smooth, warming, but not too aggressively hot won the day.

There’s a common misconception with white rum that the popular sugarcane-based spirit is un-aged and goes from the still directly into the bottle. While this is sometimes true, it’s not a guarantee. Many white rums are matured between one and two years with a few matured even longer.

Regardless of its age, there are countless bargain white rums on the market. While some lower quality rums more resemble rubbing alcohol than drinkable alcohol, there are a surprising number of mixable and (sometimes) sippable, value rums on the market. A well-made white rum might have flavors like coconut, tropical fruits, vanilla, banana, gentle spices, and even sugarcane itself. All with a gentle, warm, dry finish.

The best part? There are many white rums that fit this criterion for less than $25.

To prove it, I once again turned to the tried and true blind taste test. I picked eight bargain-priced white rums and nosed, tasted, and ranked each based on the total flavor profile, balance, and drinkability. Keep scrolling to see how everything turned out.

Today’s Rums:

• Havana Club Anejo Blanco
• Captain Morgan White Rum
• The Real McCoy Three Year
• Bayou White Rum
• George Ocean White Rum
• Don Q Cristal Rum
• Wray & Nephew White
• Bacardi Superior

Part 1: White Rums Under $25 Blind Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla, dried fruits, toffee, and light spices are notable on the nose. The palate has a lot of vanilla, banana, and some fruits. It has a decent palate and a good amount of warming heat at the finish.

Not the most exciting rum, but not the least either.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

The nose has some vanilla and fruit, but not much else. The palate has a little more tropical fruit, but it’s very muted. Overall, there aren’t many discernable flavors as it has a lot of mineral flavors and almost harsh heat.

Definitely not a rum I’d prefer to drink neat ever again.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Complex aromas of vanilla beans, pineapple, butterscotch, and floral notes make for an inviting nose. On the palate, you’ll find hints of toffee, vanilla, caramelized pineapple, and light spices.

The finish is dry, warming, and leaves you wanting more.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

The nose is very sweet with a ton of vanilla and tropical fruit scents. Sipping it reveals that it’s a bit of a one (or two) trick pony. There’s more Vanilla, pineapple, and not much else. Fairly one-dimensional and unexciting. The ending is also fairly harsh with the burn.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

This rum smells more like vodka than rum. There are light aromas of coconut and vanilla. Otherwise, the nose is pretty boring and unexciting. The palate continues this trend. There are some light spices, more vanilla, and tropical fruit. Overall, any notable flavors are squashed by the uncomfortable heat at the finish.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

The nose is filled with vanilla, light spices, grass, and floral aromas. Drinking it reveals notes of toasted vanilla beans, light smoke, pepper, caramel, chocolate, and Cinnamon. The finish is warming, dry, and gently spicy.

Overall, a surprisingly complex white rum.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

There’s a lot of booze on the nose. But there are still notes of molasses cookies, banana, coconut, and vanilla. The palate is very hot, but still has flavors like pineapple, coconut, vanilla, bananas, molasses, and spices. It ends even more warming. This is a complex rum that’s a great choice for the base of your favorite mixed drink. The only downfall is the massive, burning heat throughout.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

A lot is going on with this rum’s nose. There are a ton of tropical fruit, vanilla, and floral notes. The palate continues this trend with notes of ripe berries, vanilla, pineapple, banana, and gentle spices. The finish is long, sweet, and warm. It’s definitely a rum that will bring your mixed drinks to new dimensions.

Part 2: The Rankings

8) Bacardi Superior (Taste 2)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $14

The Rum:

There are very few names in the rum world more famous than Bacardi. Its Bacardi Superior is one of the best bargains. First released in 1862 by Don Facundo Bacardí Massó introduced, this favorite of bartenders is known for its fruity, mixable flavor profile.

Bottom Line:

Bacardi Superior is a rum made for mixing. I strongly suggest that’s the only thing you use it for. Sipping it neat isn’t a great idea.

7) Captain Morgan White Rum (Taste 5)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $12

The Rum:

We all know Captain Morgan, the rum is adorned with an elegantly-dressed pirate with his one leg resting on a treasure chest. Its white rum is known for its crisp, clean flavor profile. It’s not meant to be a full-flavored sipping rum. It’s supposed to be mixed with.

Bottom Line:

Not surprisingly, Captain Morgan White Rum doesn’t rate well plain. It’s not the kind of bottle you’d see in a store and want to pick up to sip so… why would you? Buy it for mixing or don’t buy it at all.

6) George Ocean White Rum (Taste 4)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $15

The Rum:

This white rum from the West Indies is a great value rum. It’s known for its clean, crisp, mellow, sweet flavor profile. It’s not overly complex, but it’s balanced and perfect for mixing.

Bottom Line:

This is the kind of very cheap white rum that you buy exclusively for mixing. It’s not an abrasively harsh rum, just not one you’d want to taste on its own.

5) Wray & Nephew White (Taste 7)

ABV: 63%

Average Price: $21

The Rum:

While many of the rums selected for this blind taste test are 80 proof, Wray & Nephew clocks in at a ridiculous 126 proof. This high-proof rum is known for its complex palate that stands up well in the most flavorful cocktails. It’s definitely not known as a sipping rum though.

Bottom Line:

For such a high-proof rum, it was surprising to find so many aromas and flavors. Still, this rum should be mixed exclusively because of its high alcohol content. It’s pretty harsh.

4) Bayou White Rum (Taste 1)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $21

The Rum:

You might not think of the US when you think of rum, but Bayou Rum was made in Louisiana. Made with locally grown and sourced sugarcane, this pot still distilled rum rested for as long as forty days. This creates a clean, smooth, very mixable spirit.

Bottom Line:

This white rum from Bayou Rum is surprisingly complex and flavorful. It’s not the most exciting rum in the world, but one that hits the mark for less than $25.

3) The Real McCoy Three Year (Taste 8)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $20

The Rum:

Produced at Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, The Real McCoy Three Year is named for prohibition-era rum runner Bill McCoy. It’s matured for three years and then filtered through charcoal to remove the color. It doesn’t remove any of the flavor imparted by the wood though.

Bottom Line:

As white rums go, The Real McCoy Three Year is not only a great mixing rum, but also a great sipper as well. It’s complex and balanced enough to enjoy on the rocks on a cool evening.

2) Don Q Cristal Rum (Taste 6)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $11

The Rum:

This clean, clear, flavorful rum was matured between one and a half and five years in American oak barrels. It’s then filtered through charcoal to remove the color. This doesn’t remove any of the smooth, easy-drinking flavor though. It’s sweet, fruity, and memorable.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a bargain rum to always have on hand for mixing, you can do much worse than Don Q Cristal Rum. It was cheaper than it has any right to be.

1) Havana Club Anejo Blanco (Taste 3)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $20

The Rum:

It might be confusing since there are two different Havana Club rum brands. This version is made in Puerto Rico and “aged in exile” using the original recipe from 1934. It’s double-aged to create a mellow, sippable, mixable white rum. First for one year in oak before it’s blended and filtered and then aged for two more months.

Bottom Line:

While this isn’t an ideal sipping rum. That’s not the point of this exercise. It has the flavors that make it a decent sipper and it shines as a mixing rum.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

It’s clear from this blind taste test that, when it comes to sipping white rum mellow is key. While I enjoyed rums with complex, balanced flavor profiles, the rums that fared poorly were harsh and had too much heat. Rums that were smooth, warming, but not too aggressively hot won the day.

Fast X zoomed into theaters in May, and since then, we’ve all been initiated into the Toretto family. No driver’s license required! Even though we thought it was over (how naive) it turns out that there will be more Fast movies for several years/decades to come, or at least until Vin Diesel decides he wants to go back to his given name, Mark Sinclair. Nobody would see an action movie starring a dude named Mark Sinclair, probably.

But before we get ahead of ourselves and start plotting out Fast plotlines, it’s almost time to rewatch Jason Momoa blow stuff up. If you need a refresher, Fast X brought back Diesel and the gang, including Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, John Cena, Brie Larson, and Helen Mirren, for a whole new round of action-packed car shenanigans that brought them all the way to Rome and Brazil and London. Who knew cars could travel internationally so easily?

The movie will land on Peacock beginning September 15th, but that’s not all: several other Fast titles are dropping on the streamer, including Fast and Furious 6, Fate of the Furious and Hobbs & Shaw, all on the same day. Two weeks later, on October 1st, Furious 7 will also hit the streamer.

As for the rest of the series, you’ll have to fish around the internet, but, really, it’s the one with Jason Momoa that we are all focused on, right?

Fast X zoomed into theaters in May, and since then, we’ve all been initiated into the Toretto family. No driver’s license required! Even though we thought it was over (how naive) it turns out that there will be more Fast movies for several years/decades to come, or at least until Vin Diesel decides he wants to go back to his given name, Mark Sinclair. Nobody would see an action movie starring a dude named Mark Sinclair, probably.

But before we get ahead of ourselves and start plotting out Fast plotlines, it’s almost time to rewatch Jason Momoa blow stuff up. If you need a refresher, Fast X brought back Diesel and the gang, including Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, John Cena, Brie Larson, and Helen Mirren, for a whole new round of action-packed car shenanigans that brought them all the way to Rome and Brazil and London. Who knew cars could travel internationally so easily?

The movie will land on Peacock beginning September 15th, but that’s not all: several other Fast titles are dropping on the streamer, including Fast and Furious 6, Fate of the Furious and Hobbs & Shaw, all on the same day. Two weeks later, on October 1st, Furious 7 will also hit the streamer.

As for the rest of the series, you’ll have to fish around the internet, but, really, it’s the one with Jason Momoa that we are all focused on, right?

Ron DeSantis has not been shy about touting his “anti-woke” crusade that has wreaked havoc on Florida’s education system due to schools being forced to ban Shakespeare or teach students that slavery was actually beneficial because it taught the slaves a trade. However, one particular institution is really feeling the brunt of DeSantis’ meddling.

Earlier this year, the Florida governor overhauled a small liberal arts college, and the effects have been disastrous. The school in question, New College of Florida, has now reportedly seen a mass exodus of more than 40 faculty members after DeSantis appointed six conservative trustees to the board, stripped away the DEI office, and started denying tenure.

Without enough faculty to teach courses, the already thin catalog has become so sparse that students can’t even take classes for their majors or “areas of concentration” as the school calls them. Instead, they’re being told to “choose something else.” Needless to say, the parents of those students are not happy.

Via Inside Higher Ed:

“These are young adults who are not looking to fill up a semester with high school electives. It’s not like, ‘Oh, chorus is closed, let me just go take that art class,’” [one mother] said. “There are classes [students] need to take to continue to propel [their] studies forward … that was just an absolute stunning thing to have a college tell us, just pick something else. No.”

On top of the faculty exodus, New College is reportedly having a housing crisis as well. Students are being forced to stay in off-campus hotels where there’s not enough room on shuttle busses to bring them to campus for the few classes they can actually take.

Great job, Ron.

(Via Inside Higher Ed)

Ron DeSantis has not been shy about touting his “anti-woke” crusade that has wreaked havoc on Florida’s education system due to schools being forced to ban Shakespeare or teach students that slavery was actually beneficial because it taught the slaves a trade. However, one particular institution is really feeling the brunt of DeSantis’ meddling.

Earlier this year, the Florida governor overhauled a small liberal arts college, and the effects have been disastrous. The school in question, New College of Florida, has now reportedly seen a mass exodus of more than 40 faculty members after DeSantis appointed six conservative trustees to the board, stripped away the DEI office, and started denying tenure.

Without enough faculty to teach courses, the already thin catalog has become so sparse that students can’t even take classes for their majors or “areas of concentration” as the school calls them. Instead, they’re being told to “choose something else.” Needless to say, the parents of those students are not happy.

Via Inside Higher Ed:

“These are young adults who are not looking to fill up a semester with high school electives. It’s not like, ‘Oh, chorus is closed, let me just go take that art class,’” [one mother] said. “There are classes [students] need to take to continue to propel [their] studies forward … that was just an absolute stunning thing to have a college tell us, just pick something else. No.”

On top of the faculty exodus, New College is reportedly having a housing crisis as well. Students are being forced to stay in off-campus hotels where there’s not enough room on shuttle busses to bring them to campus for the few classes they can actually take.

Great job, Ron.

(Via Inside Higher Ed)

Britney Spears and her husband Sam Asghari have reportedly separated over cheating allegations, according to TMZ. TMZ’s sources say that Sam moved out of the couple’s home after accusing Spears of cheating on him and that “it’s only a matter of time before Sam files for divorce.” The couple’s relationship was reportedly close to being on the rocks for months, despite Asghari’s public defense of Spears for behavior some observers have called erratic.

The couple began dating in 2016 after meeting on the set of Spears’ music video for “Slumber Party.” Asghari is a personal trainer who was very vocal about supporting her through her conservatorship and the responding #FreeBritney movement. He proposed to her in September 2021, and in April of 2022, they announced her pregnancy with her third child and his first, which ended in a miscarriage. The couple was married in June of 2022 in a home ceremony that her ex, Jason Alexander, tried to crash, leading to his arrest.

Throughout the past year, Asghari has stood by Spears as she was caught up in an incident at a trendy Los Angeles restaurant and as fans speculated about her mental health due to her social media activity. “My wife is in full control of her life and will continue to make all decisions involving her care regardless of circumstances,” he said. “Speculation on her health is inappropriate and should end immediately.”

Spears recently dipped her toe back into the music biz with the will.i.am collaboration “Mind Your Business,” and has been writing a memoir after what she calls “a lot of therapy.”

Sure, there are inherent problems that come from assigning children with the label “gifted,” among them being the constant pressure to succeed, equating good grades with self-worth, being alienated from peers, and last but not least, having to deal with the psychological whiplash of learning that being “special” doesn’t protect you from real-world problems once school is over.

With that said, are parents doing their high-achieving kids a disservice by calling them “gifted?”

One dad seems to think so…although he may be regretting sharing that perspective.

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On Reddit’s Am I The A**hole forum, the dad explained that he and his wife both hold degrees in electrical engineering and have two children—a son, 17, and a daughter, 15.

Their daughter finished high school early and is heading to college at the same time as their son. She’s already chosen to study physics and computer science, while their son hasn’t picked a major yet.

After commending his daughter for her achievements and saying that she had been in the gifted program at her school, the dad goes on to share a dinner conversation that quickly went south.

“My wife mentioned how proud she was of our daughter and how lucky we were to have gifted children going to good university programs and how not many people can do what our daughter did.”

Aw. What a nice mom. Here’s how the dad responded.

via GIPHY

“I was also very happy but I said that while (daughter) is really hardworking and smart, I would not say that she is actually gifted and others can’t do it if they put in the same amount of work,” he said. “Her school does a lot to try to admit girls into her program, and my wife helped teach her advanced college level math and physics from an earlier age, she didn’t naturally pick it up on her own. If anything being a younger applicant with the same credentials probably helped her stand out more for the admissions committee.”

While the dad attests that he was merely trying to avoid the term “gifted” because he had seen how it has “ruined” other people’s lives, his intentions didn’t exactly pan out.

“Both my wife and daughter are upset at me now, my wife thinks I was trying to put her down which is not true and says she is gifted, while my daughter actually agrees with me but says I should not have said it as she already knows,” he wrote.

And therein lies the OP’s question: was he the jerk in this situation? Did he unrightfully downplay his daughter’s abilities?

According to the folks on Reddit, the answer is unequivocally yes. Not only was the action unnecessary and toxic but it was also deemed as pretty illogical.

via GIPHY

“Putting your daughter down served no positive purpose. Discouraging a young teen like that can have serious detrimental effects. Even if she isn’t actually gifted, you were the asshole,” the top comment read. “That being said, she is gifted. Not every 15-year-old can go to a university to study physics. Not only is she gifted academically, she is gifted with drive and determination. Not everyone has that. And you tried to put her down.”

“The very fact that she was able to pick up calculus at an early age is evidence she is gifted. I’m assuming she was doing calculus at age 12-13 if she’s already going to college for physics. Anyone doing calculus before high school is gifted, she’s several standard deviations higher than the average student,” wrote another.

Posts from the amitheasshole
community on Reddit

Several women who worked in STEM also chimed in to point out how the dad’s rhetoric reflected sexism.

One person wrote: “I spent my career as a woman in the sciences and I’ve been around countless guys like you who are quick to praise their little female ‘worker bees’ as long as they know their place, but who are incapable of acknowledging when a woman is genuinely exceptional. It’s especially heartbreaking that you have managed to erode her awareness of her own gifts to the point where she ‘actually agrees’ with you that she is ‘just’ a hard worker and not really gifted.”

And perhaps the comment to drive it all home:

“The horrible part here is that this message is coming from the girl’s own father. He should be her biggest fan, not her harshest critic.”

Parents want to do what’s best for their kids—setting them up for the highest success while protecting them from potential danger. But sometimes that objective gets warped by a parent’s own limited viewpoint. Hopefully, other parents can take this story as a reminder that when their kids are excelling, knocking them down a peg doesn’t really do them any favors.