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A List Of The Best Spoonerisms On Every NBA Team

Hello, friends. We are in the final stretch of the NBA season, with more teams jockeying for positioning in the run-in to the postseason than there are fighting to make the playoffs in the first place. There are plenty of captivating on-court things right now, and we hope you continue to be compelled by all of them, but we here at Dime are very passionate about something and want to give it its proper due: Spoonerisms.

The NBA, by nature of being a thing that has a lot of names in it, is the breeding ground for many great spoonerisms, which is what happens when you take a name and flip the first letters in each of them. An example that does not appear in this post, as it is limited to current players, is how Larry Bird would be “Barry Lird,” which sounds like a person who would own a used car dealership in the upper midwest.

Anyway, we decided to go through NBA rosters and list out the best spoonerisms that we could find. We took creative liberties with a few of these — i.e. taking the first two letters of Spencer Dinwiddie’s first name and swapping them with only the first letter of his last name — and we marked the best of the best (10 in all) with italics. This entire exercise is very stupid. We hope you enjoy.

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Bulls: Mauri Larkkanen
Venzel Dalentine

Bucks: Cat Ponnaughton
Look Bropez
Pobby Bortis
Teff Jeague

Cavs: Garius Darland
Narry Lance
Wylan Dindler

Celtics: Wobert Rilliams
Lomeo Rangford
Pabari Jarker

Clippers: Batrick Peverley

Grizzlies: Besmond Dane
Jyus Tones
Ma Jorant
Pontay Jorter
Tillian Killie

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Hawks: Fruno Bernando
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Hevin Kuerter
He’Andre Dunter
Ram Ceddish

Heat: Bimmy Jutler
Doran Gragic
Runcan Dobinson

Hornets: Date Narling

Jazz: Ferrick Davors

Kings: Barvin Magley
Barrison Harnes
Hyrese Taliburton
Huddy Bield

Knicks: Porvel Nelle
Rulius Jandle

Lakers: Dared Judley
JeBron Lames

Magic: Bo Mamba
Farkelle Multz
Hary Garris
Thindarius Sornwell

Mavericks: Hate Ninton
Moban Barjanovic

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Nets: Dencer Spinwiddie
Devin Kurant
Hames Jarden
Shandry Lamet

Nuggets: Bill Warton
Harkus Moward
Maul Pillsap

Pacers: Boga Gitadze
Leremy Jamb
Somantas Dabonis
SaKarr Jampson
Tyles Murner

Pelicans: Bonzo Lall
Hosh Jart
Haxson Jayes

Pistons: Hillian Kayes
Jank Frackson
Laben See
Plason Mumlee

Raptors: BeAndre’ Dembry
Waul Potson

Rockets: Tae’Sean Jate

Sixers: Jason Mones
Kurkan Forkmaz
Make Shilton
Sen Bimmons
Tayjon Rucker

Spurs: Gudy Ray
Matty Pills

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Suns: Bevin Dooker
Gangston Lalloway
Krank Faminsky*
Sario Daric

Thunder: Barius Dazley
Dugentz Lort
Wenrich Killiams

Timberwolves: Huancho Jernangomez
Lake Jayman
Raz Neid

Trail Blazers: Cobert Rovington
Lamian Dillard
Nusuf Jurkic
Porman Nowell

Warriors: Bent Kazemore
Pordan Joole
Wames Jiseman

Wizards: Bavis Dertans
Lobin Ropez

[Ed. Note: Krank Faminsky was initially and egregiously omitted. Dime regrets the error.]

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People are going absolutely bonkers for this video revealing the “Ultimate Spaghetti Trick”

A woman named Lisa posted a video on Facebook where she shared “the easiest way to make spaghetti for a crowd” as “you don’t have to worry about dishes or a mess.” I know there are a lot of people out there who love cooking a large Italian meal for family get-togethers, so it’s incredible that Lisa discovered a way to do so without filling the dishwasher with a billion dishes.

It’s also pretty amazing that she decided to share it with us.

In the video, Lisa explains that this is how “real Italians” cook for a large family gathering. What’s really interesting is that she didn’t have to cut corners with her recipe being that it’s made for easy clean-up. It truly appears to be made with fresh, authentic Italian ingredients.

She even tops off the recipe with a salad made with Italian-style dressing. So you know it’s authentic.


Real Italian cooking. Check. No mess. Check. This may be the greatest cooking hack ever.

Just imagine inviting your family over for dinner and feeding 10, 11, heck even 12 of them all around the counter. You can even go completely dish free by asking them to eat with their hands. You may have to have some extra napkins handy because spaghetti can get everywhere if you’re not careful.

The cool thing is that it can be ready in just a few minutes. The only thing that takes any real time is waiting for the noodles to boil which should take around eight minutes. it’ll also take a few seconds to zap the meatballs in the microwave. That way you can spend more time with your family without having to waste time in the kitchen.

This spaghetti trick is pretty amazing, but I do have one way to make it even better. I’d warm up the spaghetti sauce in a large pot before serving. Nobody likes cold spaghetti sauce. Plus, I’d probably add a bit of salt to the recipe. I guess that’s how real Italians in Sicily like it.

For those of you who would like to try this at home, here’s the recipe:

2 40 oz bottles of Prego Traditional pasta sauce (Note: she uses Traditional flavor to make it taste authentic.)

2 pounds of meatballs

16 oz of grated Market Pantry brand parmesan cheese (you can buy that at Target where, I guess, real Italians shop)

2 pounds of spaghetti noodles

The Salad:

1 head of chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup of Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (make sure it’s Kraft! Keep it authentic)

As they say in Italy, “Bon Apetit!”

The trick also inspired a copycat taco hack which would also be fantastic for a family gathering. It also appears to be an authentic Mexican recipe.

When it comes to food, everyone’s a critic, so there have been more than a few who have a problem with the spaghetti hack. There’s no accounting for taste.

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Lil Uzi Vert ‘Dumbed Down’ ‘Eternal Atake’ For Sales, But Really Wanted It To Be ‘Cultlike’

It’s no accident that Lil Uzi Vert is one of the most popular figures within hip-hop. In fact, he admits some of the calculated choices he made to attain that status in a new interview in W Magazine. Commenting on the commercial success of his most recent album Eternal Atake, which debuted at No. 1 two weeks in a row thanks to its split release and is still charting a year later, he says that he considers the album “dumbed down” as a direct appeal to a broader audience.

“All of my music for Eternal Atake got leaked, so I had to redo it,” he recalls. “It didn’t reach its full potential—I just knew it wasn’t the sound I was going for. Let’s just say Eternal Atake, for another artist, would have been really good because it was super dumbed down to where everyone could enjoy it, but that’s not my artistry. I want my new music to be more intimate to my real fans. I wanted it to be almost cultlike.”

Uzi attributes his artistic compromises to playing the comparison game. “I was listening to all the industry guys and their formats—it was confusing me because these guys are getting No. 1’s,” he allows. But I realized the music ain’t even living; their No. 1’s are real quick. I had to realize this is their beginning; they’re younger than me, so they have room to do that. I don’t have room to do that. I used to always look at all the young guys and be like, ‘Oh, shout out this guy.’ I ain’t shouting out nobody no more.” With a new album on the way, he’ll have a chance to make up for his perceived missteps.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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What Teams Can Clinch Playoff Spots And Seeds On Tuesday Night In The NBA

With less than a week to go in the 2020-21 NBA season, there is still plenty of drama when it comes to playoff seeding and the new play-in tournament. With a number of tight races for seeding, each game means a lot and each night there will be teams with a chance to punch their ticket to the postseason.

Only seven teams have clinched playoff spots (a top-6 seed) so far, with Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Milwaukee in the East and Utah, Phoenix, Los Angeles (Clippers), and Denver in the West. On Tuesday, there are four teams that can clinch playoff spots (and one that can be eliminated from the playoffs) depending on the various outcomes of Tuesday’s NBA action. In the East, the top 6 seeds could all be locked in on Tuesday, with the only drama being seeding within that range. In the West, a fifth team can lock themselves in with a win and some help.

Atlanta Hawks: Clinch a playoff spot with a Celtics LOSS and a Knicks WIN.

Miami Heat: Clinch a playoff spot with a WIN over Boston.

New York Knicks: Clinch a playoff spot with a WIN over the Lakers and a Celtics LOSS.

Dallas Mavericks: Clinch a playoff spot with a WIN over the Grizzlies and a Lakers LOSS.

Basically, if the Heat and Knicks win, the East playoff picture is known and the Celtics get locked into the play-in, add in a Dallas win to that formula and you have 11 of the 12 playoff positions taken, with seeding to be determined and the 6-seed in the West still a battle between Portland and the Lakers.

Other things that can be finalized on Tuesday include:

Philadelphia 76ers: Clinch the 1-seed in the East with a WIN over Indiana OR losses by both Brooklyn and Milwaukee.

Sacramento Kings: Eliminated from the play-in with a LOSS to the Thunder.

Beyond those battles, there are other very important games happening for seeding battles, starting with the East.

  • Nets loss to Chicago and a Bucks win over Orlando would bring Milwaukee into the 2-seed by virtue of their tiebreaker with Brooklyn.
  • Knicks loss would put them in a tie with the Hawks for the 4-seed, which they would still hold onto with their own tiebreaker.
  • Knicks loss and a Miami win would create a three-way tie for 4th, with Atlanta taking the 4-seed in such a scenario by way of being the division leader (thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Heat).
  • Knicks win and a Miami win would keep New York a full game ahead for the 4 and move Atlanta and Miami into a tie for 5th, with Atlanta holding the tiebreaker.
  • Hornets loss and a Pacers win would move those two into a tie for 8th, with Charlotte holding the tiebreaker.
  • Indiana loss would move them back into a tie with Washington for 9th, with the Wizards owning the tiebreaker.

In the West,

  • Clippers loss and a Nuggets win would bring them into a tie for the 3-seed, with Denver owning the tiebreaker.
  • Dallas loss would move them into a tie with Portland for the 5-seed, with the Blazers owning the tiebreaker.
  • Warriors loss and a Grizzlies win would move Memphis back in front of the Warriors by a half game for the 8-seed
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‘Resident Evil Village’ Is On Track To Be The Best-Selling Game In The Series

It’s been less than a week since Resident Evil Village hit shelves and already it’s looking like it could be one of the year’s best-selling titles as well as the best-selling Resident Evil game. In a press release published by Capcom earlier today, the developer revealed over 3 million units of the game were sold in the first four days of release. These impressive numbers make it the fastest-selling Resident Evil title since 2012’s Resident Evil 6 — which sold over 4.5 million copies in just two days — and push the series past 100 million units sold.

While it might seem a stretch to claim Village is on track to be the best-selling game in the series when confronted with Resident Evil 6‘s staggering initial sales, it’s important to note that Resident Evil 6‘s poor reviews led to a decrease in purchases, and ultimately the game capped with a, albeit still impressive, 7.7 million copies sold. According to Capcom’s sales records, this puts Resident Evil 6 behind Resident Evil 5 (7.8 million units sold), Resident Evil 2 remake (7.8 million units sold), and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (8.5 million units sold).

With Resident Evil Village’s positive reviews and internet sensation Lady Dimitrescu making quite compelling cases to pick up the game, we’re sure we’ll see even more sales in the coming weeks. And hey, if you’re still on the fence or worried you might not understand what’s happening in the newest Resident Evil title, here’s a helpful guide on what you need to know before you get playing.

Resident Evil Village is available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Google Stadia, and PC.

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Here’s Who Won Our Big Single Barrel Bourbon Blind Taste Test

Single barrel bourbon whiskeys are special buys. Their appeal is in how distinct and unique they are, even from other expressions made by the same brand. Which makes it incredibly hard to judge single barrels against one another. Generally speaking, two bottles from two different barrels from the same distiller can vary — sometimes quite widely. So you can imagine how tough it is to get a handle on a certain brand’s output.

All of which made this the hardest blind ranking I’ve ever done. All eight bottles showed something different that helped them stand out, which meant I really dug a lot of these. But I found myself liking them for massively different reasons — which made them damn near impossible to rank. In the end, the distance between sixth and fifth places or even second and first places was razor-thin.

I also had a ringer thrown in. Technically, I’m drinking seven single barrel bourbons and one Tennessee whiskey single barrel. The reasoning behind this is twofold. First, all Tennessee whiskey is bourbon (but not all bourbon is Tennessee whiskey). Tennessee bourbon that goes through the Lincoln County Process — filtering through sugar maple charcoal — becomes Tennessee whiskey. The second reason is that I wanted to see if I could blindly pick out the Tennessee whiskey from the pack of refined single barrel bourbons. As in: would the extra filtration be noticeable when competing against expressions this refined?

Let’s see how I did!

Part 1: The Taste

Zach Johnston

Taste 1:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Right from the top, I can see from the dark hue of this bourbon that it’s one) crafty and two) likely Texan. It’s dark and stormy in the glass, with a nose that leads off with rich butterscotch that’s almost a toffee. There’s a mild pine board dryness that leads towards very creamy vanilla and eggnog spice depth. The sip gets creamier when you go back to the nose and take a second sip and a sweet (almost honeyed) tobacco chew takes over.

Taste 2:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a buttered cornbread that leads into a lot of fruit. There’s a cherry cream soda vibe (hello, Jim Beam) that runs through the whole sip, while notes of mildly spicy apple pie dripping with sweet caramel sauce come to play.

A touch of peach comes in on the second round of nosing and sipping and a soft, almost moist, leather enters the fold.

Taste 3:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Okay, this is deeply interesting. Mild marzipan nuttiness leads towards a rush of barky Christmas spices. The sip turns towards blackberries, cinnamon bark, and old leather-bound library books. The mustiness never overwhelms as the very silky body of this sip creates a big, warming tobacco buzz on the end that really lingers.

Taste 4:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

There’s a rush of toffee with a spicy tobacco counterpoint that leads towards a maply candy vibe. That maple candy holds as a rich and creamy vanilla ice cream — think thick and malted — counterpoints an old cedar bark feel next to a spicy tobacco chewiness on the end, all of which leads back to that maple.

Taste 5:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

This is lighter but not thinner. There’s a mix of almost old cherries next to dry leather and a sticky firewood sap. There’s a light and sweet kettle caramel corn touch with a hint of vanilla and spicy toffee-covered apples. But it’s really the fruit that shines the most in this dram: Cherry, banana, maybe even peach and pear.

This has to be the Jack Daniel’s. That fruitiness stands out so brightly.

Taste 6:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

This is so different than the last sip that it’s jarring — in a good way. There’s a big note of holiday spices with a rich and creamy vanilla backbone next to soft leather and a touch of old cellar beams. There’s a whisper of vanilla pound cake next to wet apple tobacco. The taste then veers towards savory herbs with a nod towards rosemary stems and … maybe tarragon and … I want to say dill?

Those aren’t digs! I like those qualities.

Taste 7:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

This is very light in every way. The taste is quintessential caramel/vanilla/apple with hints of eggnog spices and a mild oakiness. There’s a honey tobacco vibe that drives the sweetness and chewiness of the sip with a slight minerality, cherry note, and wet leather essence.

Taste 8:

Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

This starts off with a maple/cinnamon vibe that leads towards pear tobacco in an old leather pouch with matchsticks nearby. There’s a nuttiness to the body of this sip that feels like walnuts in vanilla ice cream with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

After the second and third nose and sips, an orange oil brightness comes into play alongside all that spicy tobacco chew.

Part 2: The Ranking

Zach Johnston

8. Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage (Barrel No. 912) — Taste 7

Heaven Hill

ABV: 43.3%

Average Price: $32

The Whiskey:

This is Heaven Hill’s hand-selected single barrel Evan Williams expression. The juice is from a single barrel, labeled with its distillation year, proofed just above 43 proof, and bottled as is.

Bottom Line:

This was a great sip but from the first nose, I knew this was more a mixing bourbon than a sipping one. The sip only confirmed that. This is definitely going to be my cocktail base for a while and it’ll be great!

7. Jim Beam Single Barrel (Barrel No. JB0009) — Taste 2

Beam Suntory

ABV: 47.5%

Average Price: $38

The Whiskey:

This is an interesting whiskey. Each bottling is pulled from single barrels that hit just the right spot of taste, texture, and drinkability according to the master distillers at Beam. That means this juice is pulled from less than one percent of all barrels in Beam’s warehouses, making this a very special bottle at a bafflingly affordable price.

Bottom Line:

I was pretty sure this was Jim Beam thanks to that cornbread/cherry vibe. And hey, I was right. For the price and feel of this one, it’s more a great cocktail base than a sipper for me. Hence its low ranking.

That being said, this is a great entry-point single barrel for anyone looking to get into the game.

6. Four Roses Single Barrel (Barrel No. 66-2G) — Taste 8

Kirin Brewing

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

Four Rose’s standard single barrel expression is an interesting one. This is their “number one” recipe, meaning it’s a high-rye (35 percent) mash bill that’s fermented with a yeast that highlights “delicate fruit.” The juice is then bottled at 100 proof, meaning you’re getting a good sense of that single barrel in every bottle.

Bottom Line:

I really struggled with where to put this one. It felt like a pure classic bourbon in every way. Still, nothing really reached out and grabbed me. Now, that could be because I tasted this last, and palate fatigue was setting in.

What can I say? This was really, really good … classic bourbon.

5. Garrison Brothers Single Barrel (Barrel No. 5151) — Taste 1

Garrison Brothers

ABV: 62.7%

Average Price: $110

The Whiskey:

This single barrel expression from Hye, Texas’ Garrison Brothers is all about highlighting the craft distillery’s grain-to-glass process. The juice is made from a mash of 74 percent local white corn, 15 percent estate-grown soft red winter wheat, and eleven percent Canadian malted barley. That spirit is then rested for three to five years, or until it’s just right to be proofed and bottled.

Bottom Line:

I’m not a huge fan of butterscotch. This started with that note but it quickly faded towards more nuanced caramel and toffee and that’s what drew me in. It was hard not to love this bourbon. It was super easy to drink for how dark and strong it is.

Again though, I think I’d like this more in a cocktail than on its own thanks to that very clear high-alcohol vibe. And that’s why it’s a little lower on my list today.

4. Baker’s 7 Year Minimum Single Barrel (Barrel No. 000502651) — Taste 6

Beam Suntory

ABV: 53.5%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This is a newish release from Beam’s high-end line. It’s also the first single barrel release from Baker’s, which intends to phase out its small-batch expressions in favor of this bottle. The juice comes from hand-selected barrels from specific spots in the Beam warehouses, with whiskey that’s at least seven years old. In this case, we’re talking an eight-year-and-seven-month-old barrel.

Bottom Line:

This switched from first to third to sixth to second before it ended up here. That savory herbal note really helps this dram shine. It’s interesting, engaging, and really helps this sip feel like something special.

That all being said, there still wasn’t that “wow” factor at play. It was more a vibe of “well, this is really good and cool tasting. So… what’s next?”

3. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select (Barrel No. 20-01177) — Taste 5

Brown Forman

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $62

The Whiskey:

This Jack bottle was first introduced in 1997. The barrel is hand-selected from the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the juice to shine.

Bottom Line:

First, I have to pat myself on the back a little for being able to call out the bottle of JD. Second, this is really f*cking delicious and easy to drink. All that fruit adds an extra dimension to the vanilla/tobacco/spice matrix of the rest of these.

The only reason this isn’t a little higher on the list is that it’s a little bit thin. Not watery or listless, but it’s missing the extra depth that keeps your full attention.

2. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel (Barrel No. 1105) — Taste 3

Campari Group

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled with their barrel number and warehouse location.

Bottom Line:

This was a real, “Ah-ha!” moment. There’s a beautiful silken quality to this sip that draws you in and holds you tight. It feels iconic. It tastes classic. You feel that age and craft in each nose and sip. It builds. It crescendos. And it sticks with you like a sweet memory of a summer day years ago.

This was the first sip on the list where I thought, “Oh, I can just drink this from now on.”

1. Michter’s Single Barrel Bourbon 10 Yrs. Old (Barrel No. 20D223) — Taste 4

Michters

ABV: 47.2%

Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

This expression from Michter’s is a ten-year-old single barrel drop that hits the highest marks when talking about what bourbon is and can be. The juice is now contract-distilled according to Master Distiller Pam Heilmann and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson’s precise instructions and watchful eyes (though, they’re distilling their own juice now in Kentucky).

Bottom Line:

Apply all that gushing I just did for Wild Turkey to this. This is just bourbon in every sense of the word. It’s also amazingly accessible to drink, with rounded edges and silken texture.

Where this sip stood out was the deep feeling of understanding this dram brings. After that first and second nose and sip, you get this sense of ease and familiarity. It’s kind of like this thought runs through your mind, “Oh, I get it now. This is what everyone is talking about when they talk about how much they love bourbon. This is how this spirit tastes.” But it’s also elevated.

It’s like how your imagination improves things. This is the imagination-improved memory of a first bourbon sip. It sort of transcends and illuminates at the same time while being just so goddamn drinkable without ice or water or anything.

All that you need to enjoy this bourbon is your palate, thoughts, and a place in this world to sit and enjoy it all.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

Zach Johnston

I’m not going to lie. It felt like I’d taken the biggest chaw of Kodiak, dipped for about an hour, and was left buzzing for another hour after sipping these eight single barrel whiskeys. The spicy, woody buzzing from those bourbons lingered.

That being said, it’s pretty clear that not all single barrels are created equal. Price aside, there’s a reason some of the most lauded and beloved bottles are so lauded and beloved. That Michter’s just couldn’t be denied. The Wild Turkey was one of those sips that you can carry with you for the rest of your life. But man they were good. Hell, the Garrison Brothers is probably the one I’m thinking about the most after the tasting, and that was only top five.

I have to say that the Baker’s Single Barrel remains the most interesting sip of the day. But, “interesting” doesn’t mean the “best.” That’s true for me anyway. Maybe it won’t be for you. Try these yourself and find your own transcendent dram of single barrel bourbon that speaks to you.


As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

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Biden’s new White House task force wants to take the politics out of science

The Biden administration has put a focus back on science, and for most Americans, it’s a welcome return.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released on Monday found he has a 63% approval rating, bolstered primarily by his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seventy-one percent of Americans, including 47% of Republicans, approve of how he has handled the pandemic.

The Biden administration has made huge efforts to communicate about the virus in a transparent, science-driven way, and made Herculean efforts to make the vaccine available to all adults. Whereas Trump chose to downplay the pandemic and spread misinformation.


Biden hopes to strengthen his administration’s commitment to science even further through the help of a new 46-person federal scientific integrity task force. The task force includes members from more than two dozen government agencies.

The task force was created after a January 27 memo from Biden requiring “evidence-based policy-making.”

The task force’s primary focus is to find areas where partisanship has interfered with science over the last 12 years. It also looks to bolster the government’s credibility in matters of science after the previous administration’s hostile research that conflicted with its agenda.

The Trump administration was against the promotion of climate change research, notably scrubbing mentions of it from various Environmental Protection Agency websites.

And let’s not forget about “Sharpiegate.”

via Wikimedia Commons

“What we have seen in the last administration is that the suppression of science, the reassignment of scientists, the distortion of scientific information around climate change was not only destructive but counterproductive and really problematic,” Jane Lubchenco, the deputy director for climate and environment at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told the Los Angeles Times.

“There’s little doubt that the American death toll from Covid-19 was far higher than it needed to be and that the administration’s early unwillingness to take the issue seriously to listen to and act on the advice of experts and to communicate clearly contributed substantially to that death toll,” Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard University historian who has written extensively on the politicization of science, told The Los Angeles Times.

“This is such a hopeful moment,” says Rachel Cleetus, policy director of the Climate and Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told Scientific American. “We’ve seen this administration hit the ground running from day one. They have signaled very clearly a return to science-based policymaking and a commitment to center equity and justice in their policy missions.”

The Biden administration’s commitment to science shows that its primary goal is to create effective policy. It’s also an important step in stopping Americans’ eroding faith in government.

In 1970, 70% of Americans trusted the government a “great deal” or a “fair amount” when it came to domestic decision-making. In September 2020, it had declined to just 41%.

By bolstering the government’s commitment to science, the Biden administration has an opportunity to enhance its credibility. Sure, that is of course good for the Biden administration. But it’s arguably even better for American democracy in the long term. The government has a big hand in protecting the safety and economic well-being of all Americans. Improving the public’s faith in the institution an important step in creating an even more stable, free, and prosperous society.

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Who Is The Taskmaster In ‘Black Widow?’ Here’s Everything We Know

After years of demands and delays, we’re less than two months away from Natasha Romanoff’s solo debut in Marvel’s Black Widow, and despite fans knowing how Natasha’s story ultimately ends, we’ve still got a lot of questions. While a lot of them revolve around Natasha herself (who are her parents, what’s up with her and Bruce, and what did happen in Budapest, for starters), there’s a lot of curiosity around the film’s supporting characters as well, particularly Taskmaster.

For those unfamiliar with Taskmaster, well, you’re in for a treat. Created in 1980, Taskmaster — real name Tony Masters — is a signature Marvel villain with ties to Captain America, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, and now, Black Widow. He also has served as a trainer for several Marvel characters, heroes, and villains alike, conditioning everyone from Crossbones to Spider-Woman. So, what makes him such a qualified tutor? Taskmaster possesses enhanced photographic reflexes that allow him to mimic any fighting style by simply watching it, making him a formidable foe for the many brawlers on the MCU roster. In the trailers for Black Widow alone, we see Taskmaster mimicking moves from Captain America, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, and, of course, Black Widow.

MARVEL

Now, while Tony Masters might be the established Taskmaster, based on the displayed skillset and the cast of Black Widow, it seems probable that Taskmaster is someone quite a bit closer to Natasha and the rest of the Avengers. After a lot of speculation — and a couple of potential social media blunders — there is one name fans keep coming back to when it comes to who is underneath the signature skeleton mask: Rick Mason.

Rick Mason, played by O-T Fegbenle, has — at the very least — been heavily implied to be Taskmaster. According to Fegbenle, Rick is “a finder for people who aren’t so affiliated with armies,” and has methods to get anyone anything they need — something he does frequently for his Natasha. As Taskmaster is generally an unaffiliated mercenary who just so happens to serve bad guys the bulk of the time, Rick’s backstory makes him a very possible candidate. He also has known Natasha for quite some time, and therefore would have some level of access to the Avengers that would make picking up on their fighting styles a bit easier. Last but not least, Fegbenle has posted and deleted pictures of himself with the hashtag #taskmaster or #TM to social media on two separate occasions and is the only character being heavily promoted with associated costumes or powers.

Of course, there is a possibility Rick is a red herring, in which case it makes both Melina and Yelena — two of Natasha’s closest allies — likely culprits, though their presence in battle with Taskmaster comes into conflict with the theories. However, in the comics, Melina does turn on Natasha after growing jealous over the public’s fawning over her while she operates in the shadows. We also see Yelena undergoing what looks like brain surgery in the Black Widow trailer, which seldom bodes well for a character.

Another option, perhaps unlikely but interesting, is that Taskmaster is a clone of Natasha herself, which would explain their intimate knowledge of how the Avengers fight. Regardless of who is in the suit, we’re excited that all our questions will be answered in less than two months.

Black Widow hits theaters and will be streaming exclusively on Disney+ starting July 9.

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What’s On Tonight: ‘Mayans M.C.’ Screeches Into Season Finale Time, And ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Shifts Into Gear

Mayans M.C. (FX, 10:00pm) — This biker drama’s been riding within a darker third gear with club members wrestling with various personal and professional demons this season. In the season finale, there’s a whole lot of dark stuff to consider: will poor Coco get out of cultland? Will Emily realize that Miguel, you know, tried to kill her? And perhaps most importantly, will E.Z. actually leave Santo Padre and the club behind to follow his nurse lady? Look out for a familiar face to return as well, all while the snake starts eating its own tail, and Bishop wants to become the king of the warring biker clubs.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Episode 3 (Disney+ series) — You might prefer to think of this show as the Star Wars franchise’s version of D.C.’s Suicide Squad, but fear no Leto-Joker intrusion. Instead, this The Clone Wars spinoff follows the conclusion of its flagship series that recently wound down on Disney+. Dave Filoni is executive producing, and the show focuses on a mercenary squad of sorts that’s made up of (as the title indicates) “the Bad Batch” or Clone Force 99. These elite soldiers stand apart from standard clones due to their unique physical capabilities like super strength, super eyesight, and so on.

Money, Explained (Netflix limited series) — Dig into this series about our collective weakness with the almighty dollar and how credit card and student loan companies are exploiting all of our tendencies. It’s often a taboo subject, but this series doesn’t shy away with the tough-love talk.

Cruel Summer (Freeform, 9:00pm) — The County Fair presents high drama, of course, as Jeanette and Kate cross paths with very opposite goals in mind.

Black-ish (ABC, 9:00pm) — Dre realizes that his relationships with Mom and Dad have morphed following their marriages, and spilled secrets are a key factor.

Mixed-ish (ABC, 9:30pm) — Paul uses his white privilege to try and score points with Denise, and a chocolate-bar sale at school is moving right along.

Prodigal Son (FOX 9:00pm) — Malcolm gets carried away while attempting to track down a serial killer, and the U.S. Marshals are not pleased with him.

Supergirl (CW, 9:00pm) — Everyone’s trying to bring Supergirl home from the Phantom Zone while being plagued by worst-fear visions run amuck.

Chad (TBS, 10:30pm) — SNL veteran Nasim Pedrad takes on the title role, that of a 14-year-old boy, and this week, Chad’s on a crusade to score some LeBron sneakers.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Michelle Obama

Jimmy Kimmel Live — Heidi Klum, Mike Epps, Madness

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Joel McHale, Thalía

The Late Late Show With James Corden — Martin Freeman, Rag’n’Bone Man

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Amy Adams, Stacey Abrams, Ashe

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Ewan McGregor Confirms Noel Gallagher’s Claim That They Once Exchanged Lightsaber Blows

While stopping by Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night, Ewan McGregor finally confirmed a Noel Gallagher anecdote that everyone just assumed was a tall tale from the Oasis rocker. As Gallagher tells it, he gave McGregor “lightsaber lessons” shortly after the actor was cast as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. When asked by Kimmel if the story is true, McGregor admits that he did exchange lightsaber blows with his old friend, but he wouldn’t exactly call it training. Via THR:

“Well, it was Noel Gallagher’s 30th birthday party and he lived quite close to me in London, north London,” McGregor began, laughing. “And I was at his party and then there was a lightsaber fight in his garden very early the next day in the morning. But I don’t remember too much instruction. I don’t remember any lessons being given by Noel. It was just more of a battle in the garden.”

As for who won, McGregor was completely honest about the festivities. “I would be surprised if either of us could remember that.” Of course, Kimmel’s questioning wasn’t completely random. McGregor is currently pulling double duty filming the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+ and promoting Halston, his upcoming limited series for Netflix that stars McGregor as the late, openly gay fashion icon who famously lost his once glamorous clothing line in a sale to J.C. Penney.

In fact, the actor was recently filming the Kenobi series on May the 4th, a major holiday for Star Wars fans, and he teased Kimmel that he got to shoot a scene with a “someone very special in my life” who he’s never worked with before. But unlike the Gallagher tale, McGregor wasn’t offering any confirmations despite Kimmel trying his best.

(Via Jimmy Kimmel Live)