Category: Trending

Elon Musk‘s day went from bad to worse in a matter of hours on Monday. After already fending off a damning BBC report that highlighted continued the Twitter CEO’s management flubs and more (he reportedly takes bodyguards with him to the restroom), the social media platform went haywire around noon EST as tweets stopped loading and images were broken across the entire site. A frustrated Musk fired off a tweet lamenting the state of Twitter’s code stack.

“A small API change had massive ramifications,” Musk wrote amongst the chaos. “The code stack is extremely brittle for no good reason. Will ultimately need a complete rewrite.”

But that wasn’t the whole story. In a corroboration of the earlier BBC report that massive layoffs and resignations had left Twitter severely undermanned, a new report claims that just one employee was overseeing the move to a new paid API system. The consequences were readily apparent. Via Platformer:

The change had cascading consequences inside the company, bringing down much of Twitter’s internal tools along with the public-facing APIs. On Slack, engineers responded with variations of “crap” and “Twitter is down – the entire thing” as they scrambled to fix the problem.

Elon Musk was furious, we’re told.

However, employees did confirm that Musk is partially right. Twitter’s infrastructure is in bad shape, which is why you need a team of engineers to carefully implement any changes.

“There’s so much tech debt from Twitter 1.0 that if you make a change right now, everything breaks,” an employee told Platformer. Instead of grappling with that reality, Musk has continued with layoffs.

(Via Platformer)

For nearly a year, Chris Rock held his tongue on the infamous Will Smith Oscars slap (which followed his “G.I. Jane” joke about Jada and an eye-roll response from her) that rolled out (in many people’s eyes) like a “snap” on Will’s behalf. During that duration, it hasn’t been hard to imagine that whatever Will was actually responding to, marching onstage and whooping Rock’s face, simply for that joke, didn’t add up. Rock more than suggested as much during this past weekend’s Selective Outrage special on Netflix, for which Rock took the gloves off and let loose upon Will.

Granted, Will (along with Jada) was certainly not the only target during Rock’s set, but it was the one everyone was waiting for and clearly the one that people noticed. And Rock duly delivered his dose of drama by suggesting that Smith took a swing at him out of frustration for being publicly dragged as a “bitch” after not only being cuckolded by Jada but being “interviewed by the person who cheated on [him] on television.” There’s a lot going on there, but the reported responses from Will and Jada’s camp kind-of blow past all that. Sources began talking to PEOPLE and mentioned that Smith unsuccessfully aimed for Rock’s forgiveness, and now a Jada “source” has rolled out.

Surprised, surprise, it sounds like Jada is not pleased. The source accuses Rock of being “obsessed” with her for nearly three decades. This accusation even includes a shot at his choice of venue (Baltimore’s Hippodrome theater) for the Netflix special, which is wild:

“Jada has had no part in all of this other than being heckled,” the source says. “Chris is obsessed with her and that’s been going on for almost 30 years.”

“Look where he chose to film his Netflix special. Her hometown [of Baltimore]. Obsessed.

“Back in 2016 she helped start a movement with the Academy Awards by questioning why there are so few Black members, and Chris took it to this?” the source adds.

Clearly, Jada wouldn’t be pleased about him making light of her 2016 Oscars boycott, which he responded to as host by joking, “Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s going to boycott the Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”

However, three decades of “obsession” would be the accusation, which is something to say, alright. Jada’s source doesn’t clarify there, so the gossip rounds will surely continue on that note. Oh hey, way back in the aughts, Rock and Jada did star together in those Madagascar movies. Actually, they did voice work and likely never ended up in the same room together while he voiced a zebra and she voiced a hippo. I’m only mentioning this because it’s worth beefing about the “Circus Afro” song (as recited by Rock) that got stuck in people’s heads after one of those movies. Until I hear another reason, I will totally speculate about that song being the source of all of this drama.

(Via PEOPLE)

Chance The Rapper dropped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Not only did he give a funny interview, but he also took the studio stage to perform his recent song, “Yah Know.”

It starts off with Chance surrounded by red lighting, giving off the impression that he’s in a box just before he starts to rap. However, once things kick off, the stage setup perfectly matches the song’s beat, introducing a medley of colors as it picks up.

His performance slows down the pacing of the original and has stunning choral background vocals, even though he’s the only one on stage. Given that the uploaded video of “Yah Know” also has the lyrics written across the screen, it further emphasizes what he’s saying.

“Hold my hand if you scared, hold my hand if you cried / Hold my hand and I’ll drive, close your eyes and I’ll steer / I’m not woke, I’m just tired / I’m not floatin’, I’m flyin’ / I’m not broken, I’m fine / I’m outspoken, I stay on code when I’m out in the open online,” he raps on the first verse.

Recently, he also dropped a second visual for the song, as a historical context version of the lyrics he’s performing for Black History Month.

Check out his “Yah Know” performance above.

Three of the four highest-grossing movies of all-time are directed by James Cameron. Soon, you’ll be able to watch all of them at home.

Avatar: The Way of Water is coming to digital platforms, like Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu, on March 28th. There will be three hours of never-before-seen extras, including “Building the World of Pandora,” “The Challenges of Pandora’s Waters,” and the hilariously named “Spider’s Web.” See if you can watch the entire thing while holding your breath, Kate Winslet-style.

Here are just some of the extras:

Building the World of Pandora – James Cameron and a team of talented artists combine years of research with their design skills to build the world of Pandora with new characters, creatures, indigenous clans, underwater environments and the take-no-prisoners hard-tech world of the RDA.

Capturing Pandora – James Cameron’s approach to performance capture has the cast performing in a volume rigged with infrared cameras to capture their movement, and head rig cameras to capture emotion on their faces with only the boundaries of imagination to limit them.

The Undersea World of Pandora – Co-production designer Dylan Cole and his team conceive of the marine creatures required for Avatar: The Way of Water while James Cameron and his stunt team devise extraordinary means to bring those creatures to life in a performance capture tank.

The Challenges of Pandora’s Waters – James Cameron tackles the “non-trivial challenge” of performance capture above and below the water’s surface, utilizing a wave machine and current generator to reproduce ocean conditions, and underwater vehicles to replicate creature movement.

Pandora’s Returning Characters – James Cameron reunites with his returning cast – Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang. Together they discuss the amazing evolution of their characters in Avatar: The Way of Water.

Pandora’s Next Generation – Meet the talented young newcomers who have been cast as the next generation of Na’vi and follow them through the adventure of making Avatar: The Way of Water.

Spider’s Web – James Cameron introduced the human character of Spider into the fabric of Pandora – thus creating a host of technological challenges on set…and an incredible journey for the young actor, Jack Champion.

Becoming Na’vi – The Avatar cast is immersed in the culture of the indigenous Na’vi, living off the land in the Hawaiian rainforest and training in a multitude of disciplines in preparation for their roles.

The Reef People of Pandora – In true James Cameron-style, the Metkayina reef clan has been developed with great attention to detail, bearing unique evolutionary traits and a culture – with new dwellings, new clothes and different way of life – all a result of living off the ocean.

Bringing Pandora to Life – Once James Cameron completes his virtual production process, every sequence is turned over to Wētā FX to bring Pandora to life – with unprecedented advancements in facial performance, environments and making CG water look real.

The RDA Returns to Pandora – Co-production designer Ben Procter and his team present an armada of new vehicles and human technologies that the RDA brings to Pandora – in concept design and with practical builds.

The New Characters of Pandora – Meet the important new characters of the Avatar saga played by Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell and Jemaine Clement.

The Sounds of Pandora – Hear how James Cameron worked with composer Simon Franglen to create the distinctive music of The Way of Water while building on James Horner’s brilliant score for Avatar, and learn how Chris Boyes created the immersive sounds of Pandora.

New Zealand – Pandora’s Home – The production of the Avatar sequels is so thoroughly ensconced in New Zealand that James Cameron considers The Way of Water a “New Zealand film.” Hear reflections from the cast and crew, including the remarkable New Zealand crew, on making the film.

Avatar: The Way of Water does not have a Disney+ streaming date yet.

Yes, Miley Cyrus can proudly buy herself flowers and write her name in the sand, but there’s also a slew of other amazing things she can do for herself, including taking creative control of her music. As the singer’s single “Flowers” continues to burn up the charts and streaming platforms, Cyrus is teasing what other sonic treats fans should expect from her forthcoming album, Endless Summer Vacation.

In a video clip teaser from her Disney+ Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions), uploaded to the musician’s Instagram page, Cyrus details the creative process behind the way in which the project’s layout.

“When it comes to the sequencing of ‘Endless Summer Vacation,’ I divided it by two parts, ‘AM’ and ‘PM,’ to kind of represent almost an act,” she calmly revealed. As Cyrus continued, she explained the reasoning for the decision, stating, “The ‘AM’ to me is representing the morning time, where there’s a buzz and an energy, and there’s a potential of new possibilities. It’s a new day.”

In contrast, as for what the ‘PM’ portion of the album represents, Cyrus said, “At nighttime, it feels like there’s a slinky, seediness, and kind of a grime but a glamour at the same time. In the evening, it’s a great time for rest, it’s a time to recover. Or it’s a time to go out and experience the wild side.”

The album is set to drop this Friday and will feature guest vocal appearances by Brandi Carlile and Sia.

Chance The Rapper finally explained a mysterious tweet of his. Last night (March 6) on an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the “Yah Know” rapper took a break from his busy schedule filming The Voice for an interview and a live performance.

During the interview, Fallon asked Chance about a tweet he posted last month, in which he said he was “trying to get @Target and @pizzahut to SQUASH THE BEEF.”

Fallon asked Chance what exactly he meant by this, to which he replied reminiscing on a time when Target shoppers could purchase a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut while they shopped, and reeled over the fact that Target stores no longer have Pizza Huts in store.

“I can’t be the only person that’s noticing this,” said Chance. “Do you guys not remember a time when you used to go to Target, and you would have a cart in one hand and a personal pep pizza in the other? What’s going on, Target? I just feel like… I don’t know, there’s like a silent beef going on.”

Though he misses those iconic personal-sized pizzas, Chance admitted that Target is still one of his favorite places to shop.

“Target’s amazing,” said Chance. “They’ve got everything — they’ve got household appliances, they’ve got produce.”

Could Chance be the one to convince Target and Pizza Hut to reinstate their partnership? It’s not unlikely. After all, he was able to convince Wendy’s to bring back their spicy chicken nuggets to their menu back in 2019.

You can check out the interview above.

Sidney Prescott and Ghostface are the Laurie Strode and Michael Myers of the Scream-verse. One’s the protagonist; the other’s the slashing villain who’s constantly threatening her life. But just as Jamie Lee Curtis isn’t in every Halloween, Scream VI is the first film in the franchise without Neve Campbell.

2022’s Scream and Scream VI star Jenna Ortega discussed Campbell’s absence in an interview with Elle. “It was really unfortunate,” the Wednesday actress said, “especially because Neve is the coolest, sweetest, most talented lady. The franchise wouldn’t be what it is without her.”

Campbell made the tough choice to not return for Scream VI over a salary dispute. “The offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise. It’s been a very difficult decision to move on,” she told Variety. Campbell continued that “if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man.”

She added, “In my soul, I just couldn’t do that.”

Scream VI, which doesn’t have Campbell but does star Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox, and Samara Weaving, opens on March 10.

(Via Elle)

Australia’s Sydney WorldPride 2023 festival just wrapped up over the weekend, and helping to close things out was a set from Kim Petras. Her setlist was full of sex-charged songs like “Slut Pop,” “Treat Me Like A Slut,” and “They Wanna F*ck,” but perhaps the highlight was “Throat Goat.” It’s a banger, sure, but it was the on-stage sign language interpreter who ended up the star of this song.

For those unaware, the phrase “throat goat” has an NSFW meaning, but Urban Dictionary has the definition. The interpreter conveyed this meaning well with their signing, doing a lot of suggestive gesturing with their hands near their mouth.

Some Twitter users noted the interpreter pulled through during other parts of Petras’ performance, too, like during “Coconuts” and “Superpower B*tch.”

As for the meaning of Petras’ “Throat Goat,” it’s pretty clear what’s going on here with lyrics like, “I can take it all, love it big or small / Make it hit the wall, I’m the throat goat / I just sucked my ex, no gag reflex / I just had to flex, I’m the throat goat,” and, “These b*tches can’t suck like me / Walk in, I’m the sucking queen / Look around, all eyes on me / Jack it off, I’ma suck it clean.”

2023 has already been huge for Rihanna thanks to her kicking the year off by performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Some folks thought the performance was obscene enough to file complaints with the FCC, with at least one viewer likening it to pornography. Residents at Arcadia Senior Living Bowling Green in Kentucky were apparently cool with it, though, so much so that they re-created the performance themselves (and earned the attention of Jay-Z in the process).

A TikTok video shared back in February starts with two rows of white-clad seniors lined up, parting to reveal the Rihanna of the video, wearing all red and enthusiastically mouthing along to Rihanna’s “Rude Boy.” The clip was a viral hit and has since been viewed over 30 million times.

Jay-Z was apparently tickled by the video, as he sent a bouquet of roses to the Arcadia Senior Living memers. Arcadia resident Sue Evans told Bowling Green’s WNKY, “There’s 100 of them. And they’re from Jay-Z. My granddaughter was worried and she told her mother, ‘I hope she knows who Jay-Z is!’”

Fellow Arcadia resident Dora Martin also said, “My grandchildren and I watched and there were flips and flops and I was standing there thinking, ‘Wow, I wish I could do that,’ and then I did do that.” She added, “I went to the doctor the other day and the nurses, as soon as I walked in there, knew who I was.”

Martin also said of Jay-Z’s gesture, “I thought that was wonderful, very nice of him!”

Anytime you look at the news, it’s about death, destruction, abductions, natural disasters…

That kind of thing can mess us up. It makes the world look scarier than it is. It’s like wearing the opposite of rose-colored glasses.

Feel like you’ve fallen into the Matrix yet?

It’s time to stop giving awfulness the power to bend our lens. Here’s how.

Shawn Achor studied happiness at Harvard.

When he tells people this, they say: “Shawn, why do you waste your time studying happiness at Harvard? Seriously, what does a Harvard student possibly have to be unhappy about?”

But the crazy truth is, Harvard kids are as unhappy as anyone else. What’s going on in your life — from health, to money, to relationships, to prestige — predicts only about 10% of your happiness.

So … if I had a million dollars … I wouldn’t be any happier?

Shawn’s work flips our understanding of happiness inside out.

You don’t get happy by achieving success. You achieve success by getting happy.

Dopamine, which your brain makes when you’re happy, has one important side effect: It makes you smarter. A positive brain is 31% more productive. It’s better at sales, faster and more accurate at diagnosing problems.

So how can you up your dopamine?

Take two minutes every day and do one of these things:

1. Write down three new things that you’re grateful for.
2. Journal about one positive experience you’ve had in the last 24 hours.
3. Try meditation, to teach your brain to focus.
4. Use the first email you write every day to praise or thank someone you know. Spread the happy.

And it wouldn’t hurt to disrupt the endless barrage of bad news by sharing this with your friends, right? Everyone needs a little more happiness.

Remember…

Watch Shawn Achors’ Ted Talk in the video below:

This article originally appeared on 04.10.15