Earlier this month, a new creature joined orcas in protecting the oceans from pesky humans. That creature? A rogue sea otter with an adorable habit for stealing surfboards right out from underneath people. The otter has been spotted off the coast of California, and apparently, she’s not easy to capture.
Since making her viral debut, marine experts from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Monterey Bay Aquarium have been doing their damndest to catch “Otter 841.” While her antics are so hysterical that she’s already built up a dedicated fanbase, Otter 841 reportedly poses a public safety risk due to her “highly unusual” and “aggressive behavior.”
That said, good luck catching her. Via New York Post:
The team of experts have been trying to use Otter 481’s love of surfboards against her. A swimmer has been towing a baited surfboard in their attempts to capture her. The otter has hopped on the board multiple times in the past few days, but as soon as a wildlife official tries to get near her, she dives off, Woodward told the Associated Press.
“They can’t throw a net over her in the water. They can’t tranquilize her because of fear of her drowning. So they really need to get hands on her,” he said.
Despite the warnings from marine experts, fans continue to flock to the Santa Cruz beach hoping for a chance to spot Otter 841.
“Just leave ‘em alone,” a local resident said about the capture efforts. “Just let ’em have fun. Hasn’t bitten anybody. Roughs up the board. It’s like a dog with a chew, you know?”
Donald Trump woke up in a helpful mood on Friday morning, which saw the former president lay out a plan for Fox News to recover from an alleged dip in ratings. Citing a Breitbart report that claimed Fox has suffered a 58% drop in ratings, Trump proposed that the network stop focusing on Ron DeSantis and turn its attention back to, you guessed it, Donald Trump.
“Fox is down 58%, at least, all because they don’t treat ‘TRUMP’ and ‘MAGA’ well,” the former president raged on Truth Social in a two-part post. “They are focused on someone who can’t win, Ron DeSanctimonious, who will never be able to bring it home.”
From there, Trump’s rant alternated between complaining that DeSantis owes him and blasting Fox News for turning its back on the MAGA world even though Trump is still a constant presence on the network:
The only reason DeSanctus won in Florida is because I Endorsed him, and Campaigned for him—He would have lost by 40 points. The sadder part is, he TOTALLY forgot! He also forgot he wanted to close down Social Security, Ethanol, and obliterate Medicare… Fox is gone, just like in 2016, and the only way they come back is if they go “ALL TRUMP ALL THE TIME.” Our people have had it!
“We want and deserve support like the Radical Left Democrat Fascists get from so many sources, including the Fake News Media and Law Enforcement,” Trump wrote in conclusion. “Bring back Fox, before it’s too late!”
Earlier this year, Tinashe appeared on the deluxe edition of Shygirl’s Nymph on the track “Heaven.” She was also brought out during Kaytranada’s Coachella set, along with Anderson .Paak, HER, and more.
She’s kicking off her next era with this her new single “Talk To Me Nice.” Her forthcoming project is reportedly called BB/ANG3L, following 2021’s 333. It’s a sultry song, with lyrics narrating temptation: “You got options, I got options / Want you, but don’t need you / Tease you, but I please you,” she sings.
In our 2020 interview with Tinashe, she discussed her persistence when it comes to making art. “It’s interesting because I’ve never really looked at my career as an option or thought I would ever possibly, potentially do anything else,” she said. “So even in the lowest of low, I’ve been discouraged, but I’ve never been hopeless. I’ve always just used that down period as some type of motivation to create better music and create better art and be a better creative. I really thrive sometimes when my back is against the wall. I feel like I step up to the plate in adversity. I would say a lot of times the lows have been good things and motivation for me to keep moving forward and I just wouldn’t ever stop anyways. It’s all part of the journey.”
Chris Stapleton’s intoxicating vocals may be as smooth as Tennesee whiskey, but some things are just too bitter to swallow. The country music star doesn’t much care for the title “woke,” instead opting for truth-teller. In his new single, “White Horse,” the entertainer does just that.
On the record, produced by Stapleton, Dave Cobb, and his wife Morgane Stapleton (also a recording artist), Chris gets honest with himself and his imaginary partner about what he is and isn’t capable of when it comes to love. While it is easy to romanticize a future with the burly guitarist, he wants to set the record start as he sings, “If you want a cowboy on a white horse / Ridin’ off into the sunset / If that’s the kinda love you wanna wait for / Hold on tight, girl, I ain’t there yet.”
As much as it pains him to admit, Stapleton knows it’s best for all parties involved to remove their rose-colored glasses to lay out their potential future together realistically. “White Horse” is the first taste of Chris Stapleton’s upcoming album, Higher, which is due out this fall.
Listen to the song above and find the Higher cover art and tracklist below.
Sound Records
1. “What Am I Gonna Do”
2. “South Dakota”
3. “Trust”
4. “It Takes A Woman”
5. “The Fire”
6. “Think I’m In Love With You”
7. “Loving You On My Mind”
8. “White Horse”
9. “Higher”
10. “The Bottom”
11. “The Day I Die”
12. “Crosswind”
13. “Weight Of Your World”
14. “Mountains Of My Mind”
Higher is out 11/10 via Sound Records/Mercury Nashville. Find more information here.
On July 19, Isbell tweeted, “Dare Aldean to write his next single himself. That’s what we try in my small town.” He later added in subsequent tweets, “Ok here ya go @Jason_Aldean I’m challenging you to write a song yourself. All alone. If you’re a recording artist, make some art. I want to hear it,” and, “Seriously how do you defend the content of a song you weren’t even in the room for? You just got it from your producer. If you’d been there when it was written, you’d be listed as a writer. We all know how this works.”
Dare Aldean to write his next single himself. That’s what we try in my small town
Seriously how do you defend the content of a song you weren’t even in the room for? You just got it from your producer. If you’d been there when it was written, you’d be listed as a writer. We all know how this works. https://t.co/4trCw0S98k
Indeed, it does not appear that Aldean had a hand in writing “Try That In A Small Town”: listed as writers of the song in the Spotify credits are Kelley Lovelace, Kurt Allison, Neil Thrasher, and Tully Kennedy, none of whom are Jason Aldean.
Aldean recently said of the song’s meaning, “Try That In A Small Town, for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences. My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to- that’s what this song is about.”
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone poured at least $40 million into revamping Casa Bonita in Lakewood, Colorado. They did so with loving attention to detail, and during the project’s extensive renovations, the new owners made headlines for the special perks that they gave to existing employees. That included continuing to keep those workers on the payroll and asking them to volunteer some of that time to places like Habitat for Humanity. Employees were also treated to bilingual language classes, which is rad.
However, a bit of a controversy has been brewing, and that has to do with the restaurant’s soft-opening rollout. Their revamped “eatertainment” venue is currently only open for select dates and by invitation only. That coincides with a new policy to eliminate tipping for servers and bartenders while paying all workers at least $30 per hour. This meant to level the playing field between front-and-back-of-house staffers and also provide a more predictable income for workers, so they aren’t reliant upon “tipping culture” to know whether they can pay bills and the like.
When this policy came to light, Axios reported that a few workers weren’t thrilled, and now, the Denver Post reveals that around 50 workers are asking management to reverse the no-tipping policy and be more upfront about hours that the joint will be open. The workers further argue that they cannot pursue health benefits with the current scheduling plan. The Denver Post reveals details on an letter from staffers:
The employee letter is asking the owners to revert to [the pay structure that] was originally promised by ownership when they were hired months ago, and to clarify hours of operation, since there is no “clear pathway” to being open seven days a week, they said. They are also asking for access to health benefits; for transparency and two-way communication with ownership.
The group sounds generally frustrated with the limited business involved with the slow rollout:
“There was a promise of lucrative business which would bring an incredible opportunity monetarily,” said employee Gayle Durr in the statement. “We have yet to see any of this lucrative business – despite people nationwide waiting patiently to finally see the inside of this Colorado landmark. We want to see Casa Bonita thrive, and if ownership/management cannot bring that about, then we will.”
The people want their sopapillas, too, but man, this was a huge undertaking by Parker and Stone, so perhaps a slow rollout is for the best in an overall sense. They want to get this right, but the process has apparently turned out to be a bit more controversial for workers than planned. Hopefully, business hours will fully open up soon, and the cliff diving can commence for real.
The hype for the Barbie movie has had everyone on the edge of their seats for months, and it’s finally out today, along with the soundtrack. A bunch of long-awaited songs are available to listen to now, like Lizzo’s “Pink,” Sam Smith’s “Man I Am,” and Brandi Carlile’s Indigo Girls cover.
Carlile took on the 1989 hit “Closer To Fine” with her wife Catherine. It was first previewed in the main trailer for the movie, the country-pop anthem blasting while Barbie drives from her world to the real world. She sings along enthusiastically at the wheel.
In 2021, Carlile penned a piece for Rolling Stone about her admiration of Indigo Girls. “The Indigo Girls were so deeply influential in my life — not just musically, but also as an activist and as an out queer person. The representation and the visibility that they managed to scrape together at that time, despite all odds and all the obstacles against them, were really important for me in my life. I needed them,” she wrote.
She continued, “We’re very close with each other — we have a family relationship now. They know all about my origins as a little baby lesbian who was obsessed with the Indigo Girls. Those women are so different, and they’re so spectacular, but they have this unspoken agreement that their souls have made to cast their lots together. But to maintain their [own selves] is something that everyone in a band could learn from, and everyone in general could learn from. How do you truly connect to another person on a soul level, but maintain yourself?”
The strawberry margarita is a fantastic drink… that has been horribly bastardized over the decades. But even with the cutting of corners via overly sweet, neon red “strawberry margarita mix,” this tequila drink remains one of the most popular cocktails in the world. Here’s the crazy part — this drink is so easy to make with fresh and real ingredients that using a pre-mix is absolutely pointless and, worse, takes away from the beautiful profile of the original drink.
So… Let’s make a real strawberry marg!
Below, I’m breaking down the beauty of making both a frozen and on the rocks strawberry margarita at home. I’m using real lime and real strawberries. Please trust me that you just don’t need to resort to bullshit pre-mixes with way too many sketchy additives and sugars — because I will personally guarantee that if you even kind of like strawberry margaritas, you’re going to fall in love with this real version. It’s about a bazillion times better than the premix crap that dominates the market these days.
And, one last time, these are super easy to make. It takes about a minute, maybe two, to whip up either of these drinks. Read the recipes below and then throw out that garbage strawberry margarita mix. You’ll never need it again.
Also Read: The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of the Last Six Months
You have to start any great margarita with a great tequila. I’ve been using Tres Generaciones Plata lately. It has this wonderful roasted agave profile with a hint of spice and funk that shines through in a margarita nicely.
I also like to use a decent triple sec to marry with a great tequila. So I’m using Cointreau.
A frozen strawberry margarita does need a touch of sweetness. Most of that is going to be derived from the strawberries and triple sec. But to really layer the sweetness, you need to add a touch of agave syrup. Don’t add too much though. You want it to accent, not overwhelm.
The rest is pretty straightforward. As you can see from the image below, I’m using medium-sized strawberries. If you have those huge California berries, maybe only use two or three.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Rocks glass or margarita glass
Blender
Jigger
Pairing knife
Hand juicer
Zach Johnston
Method:
Add the tequila, triple sec, lime, agave, strawberries, salt, and a large handful of ice to a blender.
Blend until smooth and thick — add more ice if needed to thicken.
Pour into a waiting glass, garnish with a strawberry slice, and serve.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
This might not come as a shock, but this is delicious. The fresh strawberry and lime really pop on the palate with a hint of earthy depth thanks to the tequila. There’s still a real sense of a classic and really good margarita that’s accented by fresh strawberries. The best part is that you can taste all the elements without them being completely washed out by sugar. There’s nuance and depth to this drink that’s incredibly fresh and delicious.
This is so good — and so much better than the premix margs — that it’s almost baffling that the other option is so ubiquitous.
Strawberry Margarita On The Rocks
Zach Johnston
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. blanco tequila
1 oz. triple sec
1 oz. fresh lime juice
4 medium strawberries (halved)
A drop of Blue Weber agave syrup
Pinch of kosher salt
Ice
Strawberry for garnish
Again, you have to start with great tequila to make a great margarita. For that, I’m going with Tres Generaciones Plata. It just makes too good of a marg not to use in both applications.
The rest is pretty easy to get. Cointreau is the play for the triple sec element. Then, make sure to get nice fresh strawberries with a mild sweetness. Always taste the strawberries before you use them. If they’re a little tart, then add a drop or two more of the agave syrup. If they’re already sweet AF, draw back on the agave.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Rocks glass or margarita glass
Cocktail shaker
Cocktail strainer
Fine mesh strainer
Muddler
Jigger
Pairing knife
Hand juicer
Zach Johnston
Method:
Prechill the glass in the freezer.
Add the lime and strawberries to the cocktail shaker and muddle the strawberries gently into the lime (you don’t have to smash them, just mush them a bit).
Add the tequila, triple sec, agave, salt, and a large handful of ice to the shaker. Affix the lid and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds (or until the shaker is very ice-cold to touch).
Retrieve the glass from the freezer, fill it with fresh ice, and double-strain the cocktail into the glass — the cocktail strainer will hold the ice back while the fine mesh strainer catches all the strawberry bits.
Garnish with a fresh strawberry slice and serve.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
Like I said up above, once you start making these for real, you’ll never go back to the fake premix margs.
This is refreshing, deep, and full of strawberry goodness. The best part is that this feels like a really solid classic margarita that’s accented with fresh strawberries. There’s no sugar bomb element and these feel almost healthy (it’s booze, folks, that’s obviously not true).
Overall, both of these cocktails took all of three or four minutes to make. It’s really that easy and you get amazingly refreshing cocktails without all the additives and corn syrup. That’s a win-win, folks!
After previously teaming up with Lil Wayne on “Ain’t Gonna Answer” and flourishing St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red on “Slut Me Out,” NLE Choppa teams up with fellow Memphian Duke Deuce for his latest video for “Stomp Em Out.”
A hyperactive song sitting in the middle of the spectrum of raucous Memphis rap tradition, “Stomp Em Out” is an exuberant fight song that positions Choppa and Deuce as a pair of neighborhood tough guys ready to rumble with whoever. However, in the video, they show off a different kind of footwork, taking over Beale street with a crew of dancers to to jitterbug and two-step all over the pavement with the kind of energy that lets you know this shoot was a fun one.
The song appears on the deluxe version of Choppa’s new album Cottonwood 2, which is out now via Warner Records. Unfortunately, the touring future for Choppa is up in the air; while he was originally billed as an opener on Lil Durk’s Sorry For The Drought Tour, Durk’s recent health setback canceled all but a handful of the tour dates. We’ll see how NLE Choppa bounces back, but for now, you can check out his video for “Stomp Em Out” above.
NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It is very easy to see that the whole thing was a joke, in large part because it was pretty obvious and also because Reaves’ brother, Spencer, who would be an extremely good source for the truth with this sort of thing, said it wasn’t real. But despite that, it gained just enough traction that Austin got asked about it while appearing on the “All the Smoke” podcast. Unsurprisingly, he found it all very silly.
“We heard a rumor, and we don’t like to start troubles here, but we heard something about Taylor Swift meeting you somewhere,” Matt Barnes asked at the 37:07 mark of the above video.
Reaves and Stephen Jackson both got some jokes off about it, while Reaves seemed to find the whole thing very funny, presumably because the whole thing is very funny. But when he finally got the chance to give his side of … whatever we wanna call this, Reaves admitted that none of it is true.
“I have never met her, never talked to her … all bullsh*t, I ain’t never talked to her,” Reaves said. When Jackson asked if he would be interested in dating Swift, Reaves said his plan is to “stay out the media.” This might be difficult for him to do, as he just signed a 4-year, $54 million deal to remain with the Lakers, but who knows?
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