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How 2 lesbians changed a stubborn old man's mind forever
One man has to choose to either accept his daughter for who she is or maintain a bigoted perspective and risk losing her from his life. I think he made the right call.
10.09.12
The audience went wild.
Brendan Fraser dressed as Rick O'Connell.
Brendan Fraser might be making the greatest career comeback ever, racking up accolades and award nominations for his dramatic, transformative role in “The Whale." But the OG Fraser fans (the ones who watch “Doom Patrol” solely to hear his voice and proudly pronounce his last name as Fray-zure, for this is the proper pronunciation) have known of his remarkable talent since the 90s, when he embodied the ultimate charming, dashing—and slightly goofball—Hollywood action lead.
Let us not forget his arguably most well known and beloved 90s character—Rick O’Connell from the “Mummy” franchise. Between his quippy one-liners, Indiana Jones-like adventuring skills and fabulous hair, what’s not to like?
During a double feature of “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns” in London, moviegoers got the ultimate surprise when who should walk in but Brendan Fraser himself, completely decked out in Rick O’Connell attire. The brown leather jacket. The scarf. Everything.
"I am proud to stand before you tonight," he told the audience. "This is a film that was made in Britain. You should know that! Even the second one, too. Be proud. Thank you for being here."
He continued, "We didn’t know if it was a drama or a comedy or a straight-ahead action or romance, a horror picture, more action, all of the above. No idea until it tested in front of British audiences. Thank you for that.”
Fraser then asked the crowd if anyone hadn’t actually seen the movie yet, before shouting, “Outstanding!” when somebody raised their hand. He then quickly made a polite plug encouraging people to go see “The Whale” before whisking himself away, saying, “I won’t take up any more of your time.”
Uh, yeah…I don’t think any time spent with Brendan Fraser is a waste. Do you?
Watch the adorable clip below:
As to whether or not "Mummy" fans will ever see a new Rick O'Connell story up on the big screen—only time will tell. In the meantime, we'll keep watching this video on repeat.
Merlin will tap buttons that say “eat,” “outside” and “ice cream.”
A woman treats her pig like a toddler and the internet can't get enough.
Pigs are cute. Well, piglets are cute, but they usually don't stay those tiny little snorting things very long. That is unless you get a mini pig and name it something majestic like Merlin. (I would've gone with Hamlet McBacon, but no one asked me.)
Mina Alali, a TikTok user from California, has been going viral on the internet for her relationship with Merlin, her miniature pig. Of course, there are plenty of folks out there with pigs—mini pigs, medium pigs, pigs that weigh hundreds of pounds and live in a barn with a spider named Charlotte. But not everyone carries their pig around on adventures like it's their child.
Alali's videos of her sweet interactions with her little pig have gotten a lot of people wanting their own piggy, but training Merlin wasn't always easy. According to Yahoo Finance, the 25-year-old told SWNS that she has wanted a pig her whole life and finding Merlin was a "dream come true," but she wasn't expecting how challenging it would be to train him. If you've never been around pigs, then you may not know that they squeal—a lot—and unless you're living on an actual farm, that could be a problem.
Alali told SWNS that she had to teach Merlin how to be calm when he was being picked up or else he would scream. Thankfully, since then the little piggy has taken to people and enjoys being handled. "It’s definitely an obstacle sometimes…You have to dedicate as much time and love and affection to [the pig], as you would a toddler," she explained to SWNS. The internet is rejoicing that she didn't give up on Merlin because her videos are so stinking cute.
@mina.alali Replying to @alysa.evans Cried making this🥲 #merlinthepig #mina #adoption #pigsoftiktok #pig #piggy #fyp #xyzbca
And while this particular pig won't become huge since he's a mini Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, he will still get up to about 80 pounds once he's fully grown. But Merlin is ahead of the crowd when it comes to smarts because he can actually communicate with his mom using electronic buttons.
@mina.alali Finally feel appreciated around this place 🥹 #mydogtalks #merlinthepig #mina #pigsoftiktok #manners #thankyou #piggy #pig #fyp #xyzbca
Seriously, Merlin is making me want a pig, because how is he smarter than my dog, who would probably just eat the buttons instead of pressing them? But the adventures don't stop there. Alali also takes her furry little child to grab morning coffee.
@mina.alali still waiting on free Starbucks 😒 #merlinthepig #mina #pigsoftiktok #pig #piggy #FastTwitchContest #fyp #xyzbca
I mean, who doesn't want to see a miniature pot-bellied pig grabbing Starbucks with his mom? The baristas certainly seemed entertained and can you blame them? By the end of this Merlin is going to be a celebrity selling his own skin care line to the masses because he is beyond cute and has demonstrated that he even has manners.
While Merlin is certainly adorable and has amassed more than 1.8 million followers on TikTok with his mom, you probably still shouldn't run out and get a pig. Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs can weigh anywhere between 70 to 175 pounds and live up to 20 years, so owning your own version of Merlin is a commitment.
In the meantime, you can head on over to Alali and Merlin's TikTok page and soak up all the pig content you want.
"Do you have an aisle specifically where single men are?"
Women are looking for love at Home Depot.
Even though people have endless options to find love these days, whether in real life or online, finding the perfect person still isn’t easy. In fact, according to Pew Research, 55% of women believe dating is harder today than it was 10 years ago. So it’s understandable that some are considering ditching the apps to meet people in real life.
Studies show that for people looking for a serious relationship, real life may be the better option.
According to Newsweek, a study by Illinois State University sociology professor Susan Sprecher found that young people who first met face to face were 25% more likely to report feelings of closeness than those who initially met online. Aditi Paul, a communications professor at Pace University in New York, found that people who first met in real life lasted four times longer than those who met online.
Single women who’ve been let down by the men they’ve met online have started a funny TikTok trend where they are going to Home Depot to find a husband. Why not? If you’re looking for a hard-working man, that’s probably where to find one.
It appears as though the trend first started on TikTok in 2021. "Ladies, no joke, Home Depot is where you go if you want to meet a man," TikTok user @meganlouise217 said.
@meganlouise217 Home Depot is made out of husband material. #datingadvice #husband #single #fyp #fyi
Holly Allen is a taken woman but she swears that the men are "everywhere" at Depot at 8:30 am on a Wednesday. "For all of you ladies who are trying to find the perfect soul mate. I've found them,” she said.
@hollyallen95 For all my single ladies! #homedepot #singleladies #fyp #overthirty #foundthem
TikTok user @joleene_d took the trend to heart and went to the source, Home Depot employees, and asked them where to find the single men. "Do you have an aisle specifically where single men are?" she asked.
@joleene_d Reply to @jenhealer I tried! @Home Depot. It didn't work. (two and a half weeks into my 4-week online dating experience.) #homedepot #onlinedating #single
It's not just the women who are looking to find a man at Home Depot.
@grindr now it’s all about finding love in the lumber aisle ✋😔 @tannertan36
However, finding love is hard no matter where you look for it. Some women complained that they visited their local Home Depot and came up empty-handed.
"Meh. Maybe A diff location,” @latinkitty wrote.
@latinkittty Meh. Maybe A diff location?😅🤣 #homedepot #fyp #MakeASplash #viral #single #fy #foryou #men #eyecandy #workingmen
"Where is the husband aisle?" @rileyontok asked.
@rileyontok Out of stock 🤷♀️ #homedepotchallenge #gossipgirlhere #fypシ #singlemom #trending #creator #greenscreenvideo #foryou #fyp #homedepot
Megan Louise has some words for those who say there are no single men to be found at Home Depot. She says they're going at the wrong time.
"A good man, he works, he works during the day,” Megan said. “You have to go when they open at five. Because they're going there before work they're getting whatever they forgot, lost, or broke the day before. Now, they're in a hurry, late and probably haven't had coffee yet. So you need to be ready, have your number on paper, hand it to them and hope you believe in love at first sight because that's how it's going to happen."
She also says it's best to avoid Saturdays because that’s when married men shop at Home Depot. She says Friday nights are great because all the taken men are out with their significant others.
@meganlouise217 Reply to @tinabear313 how to get a man at Home Depot pt 2 kinda... like for a pt3 #homedepot #datingadvice #single #homeimprovement #fyp #fyi
Even though picking up people at big-box retail locations may not be the best way to create a long-term relationship, the Home Depot challenge is an important reminder to get off our phones and meet people in real life for a change. You may be missing out on someone really special because you may find chemistry with someone in person who didn't stand out online.
Everyone agrees mass shootings need to end. But what can really be done?
A makeshift memorial after the 2019 El Paso mass shooting.
As of January 24, 2023, at least 69 people have been killed in 39 mass shootings across the United States . The deadliest shooting happened on January 21 in Monterey Park, California, when a 72-year-old man shot 20 people, killing 11. On January 23, a 66-year-old man killed 7 people and injured another in a shooting in Half Moon Bay, California.
It’s hard to see these stories in the news every few weeks—or days—and not get desensitized, especially when lawmakers have made it clear that they will not do anything substantive to curb the availability of assault weapons in the U.S.
After the assault weapons ban, which had been in effect for 10 years, lapsed in 2004, the number of mass shootings tripled.
To find a glimmer of hope in such a dire situation, Reddit user Themissrebecca103 asked the online forum, “What could be done to prevent mass shootings?” and received nearly 16,000 responses. Many of the solutions looked past the intractable gun debate to the root causes that drive people to act out violently.
Here are seven of the most thought-provoking potential solutions to the mass shooting problem.
"There's no quick answer, in part because 'mass shootings' combine many different underlying issues.
If we are talking about high-profile mass shootings, our problem in the USA relates to several overlapping issues:
It is relatively easy to acquire firearms. The legal mechanisms to deny a high risk person firearms are very limited. Every country produces a small percentage of deeply problematic people; ours is unique in arming them.
American culture around firearms is deeply problematic. Other heavily armed wealthy nations, like the commonly compared Switzerland, make the use of firearms a responsibility of being a good citizen. American culture all too often celebrates firearms as an extra-legal tool for imposing your will.
The modern world is a lonely world. People spend much more time alone now. This gets far beyond the scope of this reply, but many of our traditional social organizations have failed to adapt to the modern world. Young people are increasingly left without a community or direction. This amplifies the above issues.
Combined, these speak to mass shootings as a consequence of low social cohesion on a legal, cultural, and institutional level. Addressing that is multi-generational work." — CxEnsign
"Make therapy more easily accessible for people who are middle or lower class. And actually take mental health and bullying seriously, instead of falsely advocating for it and brushing it off when people need serious mental help." — AshtheArtist
The makeshift memorial outside Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park on January 23rd 2023.
"People need to have real honest conversations with their loved ones and friends when the red flags go flying. Many of these shootings are not random and the warning signs were present. Help that woman escape her abuser, tell your brother to grow the fuck up and stop being abusive, take your son’s firearms when you know they are an abusive alcoholic, etc… Most of these people don’t live in isolation and people turn a blind eye because they feel it’s not their problem or place to insert themselves. Be brave and speak up. It could save someone’s life." — SometimesILieToo
Shut down the news stations and pundits which are drumming up mentally ill people into thinking they're in a fight-for-your-life scenario which justifies mass murder to them?" — ConnieHormoneMonster
"Usually in these mass acts of violence, there are signs that people see beforehand. Posts made online, behavior at work or school or at home, basically a known history of struggle. By the time the incidents occur, there's always a person that knew them before, that saw it coming a mile away.
There aren't really resources or protocols for people like this, and removing the weapons from their hands feels like a band aid solution to a much bigger problem.
Happy, healthy people don't go on mass killing sprees, and our current environment isn't exactly producing healthy, happy people. I mean, just look at how many of us are on prescription drugs because we can't cope with the way society is set up. We're on drugs for depression and anxiety and emotional regulation and hormonal regulation because everything is imbalanced. Almost all of us are poor, just a couple of missed paychecks away from being homeless. We're constantly seeking mental stimulation because if we have to think beyond the surface for a minute we start falling apart. We're battling malnutrition without even realizing it because most of us are battling obesity. In other countries the raw fruits and veggies taste better and are more filling, people will travel and lose weight despite eating many of the same kinds of foods, the only difference is the lack of chemicals and preservatives inside.
This society isn't producing happy, healthy people. And some of us can cope with it better than others.
Here, there are three options. You can work 40+ hours a week from the ages of 18 to the day you die and barely make ends meet, you can try an alternative path and end up homeless or close to it, or you can basically win a lottery that either lets you comfortably work less than 40 hours a week, allows you to retire early, or lets you pursue a lucrative passion that doesn't feel like work. Most of us choose the first option.
You can disarm them, but then you've still got creatives that will use their cars or craft an explosive.
Treatment is probably the second best option we have. Ideally, we would know someone that sets off alarm bells, and we could call a doctor for them. They'd spend a few months getting help, and come back better.
But that isn't how it's set up. There aren't resources for this. You can't force people to get therapy. You can't just call the cops on people that haven't committed a crime, because you think one day they might commit a crime.
And it sucks, because we all know the signs. Sometimes we try to call someone for help, and there just isn't a department for that.
The best option would be to create a better environment for everyone, encourage community and friendships and strengthen the bond between people to promote love and harmony, fix the food situation, fix the income situation, promote better and more diverse ways of living. Because if you don't feel depressed and angry and alone, you won't be at risk of falling into the mindset of someone who does these sorts of things.
America's gun violence is a symptom of a much larger problem, and the ones who want to fix that problem don't have the means to do so. The ones who have the means to fix it either don't know why it's happening, or don't care why it's happening.
Until we stop offering bandaid solutions that would be ineffective or minimally effective, we will continue to see this kind of behavior." — SourBlue1992
President Barack Obama delivers a statement in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House regarding the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Dec. 14, 2012.
"As a teacher, it starts with kids needing love and care at home, which leads to people having their basic Maslow needs met so they aren’t constantly struggling. And mental health needs to become a priority instead of something we mostly ignore in the US. Kids (and adults) seek power and a sense of control through a gun because it’s missing in the rest of their life." — Amherst 2023
I'm British. I don't know what's best for Americans as well as they do. But here's some thoughts:
I don't think you can copy-paste UK policy to the US. it's like changing someone's intrinsic identity. Take Iran for example. One of the lowest alcohol mortality rates. Imagine an Iranian saying to a British person 'why don't you just ban alcohol! It causes so much death. We banned it and our rate of mortality due to alcohol is one of the lowest in the world.'
You'd say something like "why should I give up something I enjoy and is part of my culture because a few bad apples take it too far?"
From talking to them, Americans view guns the same way. 'Why does someone else doing wrong with guns have any bearing on me who's just using it for fun/protection?'
I'd say a mix is gun regulations and mental health support and not making martyrs of shooters has the best chance." — allthetaimpdetime
Some responses have been edited for length.
The parody awards show has now enforced an age limit rule to its nominations.
Ryan Kiera Armstrong in the 2022 film 'Firestarter'
Since the early 80s, the Golden Raspberry Awards, aka the "Razzies," has offered a lighthearted alternative to the Oscars, which, though prestigious, can sometimes dip into the pretentious. During the parody ceremony, trophies are awarded to the year’s worst films and performances as a way to "own your bad," so the motto goes.
However, this year people found the Razzies a little more than harmless fun when 12-year-old actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong was nominated for "Worst Actress" for her performance in the 2022 film "Firestarter." She was 11 when the movie was filmed.
Sadly, this is not the first time a child has received a Razzie nom. Armstrong joins the ranks of Jake Lloyd, who played young Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace," as well as Macaulay Culkin, who was nominated three times.
Armstrong's nomination resulted in a flood of comments from both industry professionals and fans who felt the action was cruel and wanted to show their support for the young actress.
“The Razzies have sunk to a new low by nominating an eleven-year-old girl — whose performance I actually dug,” tweeted filmmaker Joe Russo of the Russo Brothers. “If you’re gonna continue denigrating people’s hard work — which you shouldn’t — at least target adults.”
‘Firestarter’: Blumhouse Reboot Of Stephen King Classic Finds Their ‘Charlie’ In Ryan Kiera Armstrong – First Look https://t.co/UpB3E2zYrF
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) June 2, 2021
Julian Hilliard, a fellow child actor known for "The Haunting of Hill House," added, "The razzies are already mean-spirited & classless, but to nominate a kid is just repulsive & wrong. Why put a kid at risk of increased bullying or worse? Be better."
Due to the backlash, the Razzies eventually retracted Armstrong’s nomination and set a new age rule that no one under the age of 18 could receive a nomination moving forward.
In a statement, Razzie Award founder John Wilson wrote, "Sometimes, you do things without thinking, Then you are called out for it. Then you get it. It’s why the Razzies were created in the first place."— The Razzie® Awards (@RazzieAwards) January 25, 2023
He continued, "The recent valid criticism of the choice of 11-year-old Armstrong as a nominee for one of our awards brought our attention to how insensitive we’ve been in this instance. As a result, we have removed Armstrong’s name from the Final Ballot that our members will cast next month. We also believe a public apology is owed Ms. Armstrong, and wish to say we regret any hurt she experienced as a result of our choices."
The statement concluded, "We all make mistakes, very much us included. Since our motto is 'Own Your Bad,' we realize that we ourselves must also live up to it."
Only last year, the Razzies were again the subject of criticism after featuring a special "Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie" category. The joke was quickly rescinded after Willis’ aphasia diagnosis became public and his family announced that he would be stepping away from acting due to his neurological disorder.
While part of "owning your bad" is certainly acknowledging a mistake, another important step is taking action that prevents further harm from happening. Luckily it seems that the Razzies are at least attempting to deliver that with their latest rule adjustments.
Happy tails all around.
Surrendered mama dog reunited with puppies after she refused to leave the corner.
People surrender animals to Humane Societies for all kinds of reasons, but many do it because they don't feel like they can properly care for their animals anymore. It could be that they have to move to a home that doesn't allow pets or they lost a job, making caring for an animal difficult.
Two small dogs were surrendered to Marin Humane Society in Novato, California and the female had recently given birth to puppies. It's not clear if the previous owners felt like they couldn't care for both the older dogs and the puppies so they just kept the puppies, or if something else prompted the drop-off.
Either way, this mama dog was in distress after being left at the shelter without her babies. She refused to leave the corner of the large kennel and just looked so sad. The employees felt for the sweet mama dog and decided to do some detective work to see if they could figure out where the puppies were located.
After some careful sleuthing, Marin Humane Society workers located the puppies and convinced the owner to surrender them. According to the animal shelter's YouTube caption, the puppies were not yet old enough to be separated from their mother and were not in a safe situation. There are no details about the condition of the home or reasons the dogs were surrendered in the first place, but boy are those chubby little babies cute.
With mama still hiding in her corner, one of the shelter employees started taking puppies out of a crate and showing them to the sad dog. It took her a minute, but once she realized that these just may be her babies, she perked up and came to have a sniff. Within seconds her tail started spinning like a helicopter propeller and shortly after her puppies' tails started wagging right along with hers.
Even though the video is from 2016, it's so sweet that it's making the rounds again. Watch the heartwarming reunion below: