This week although with still some rainfall, the reserve has had a chance to dry out a bit and the game viewing has been great. With all the moisture around animals don’t have to go too far in search of a drink, the vegetation and in particular the grasses are thriving, blanketing the landscape in a dense lush hue of green. Animals in all shapes and sizes have come out of the woodwork and are humming with activity.
Starting with the larger of this week’s highlights, elephants are in their abundance and a few intimate greeting are always amazing to witness. Giraffes, who have a free choice of which bush, shrub or tree in which to feed, are making the most and likely picking out tall the new shoots bursting through, having their fill in the company of a fling of Oxpeckers. Yes, I believe that a ‘fling’ is the collective noun for a group of Oxpeckers.
An impressive kudu bull stands proud in a clearing with his physique rippling through contours and crevices in musculature, adorned with an impressive set of spiralled horns. Zebra, impala and waterbuck also find their way into a magnificent collection.
Now switching our attention across to the predators, the Ntomi Male is featured in a striking image draped over a marula branch with a fixated gaze towards the camera. The Ntsevu Sub-adult Males weather out the storm together in a close huddle, using each other for warmth and comfort. As well as we get another stunning view of the newest little additions to the Ntsevu Pride.
Let us know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
A gentle greeting between two members of an elephant herd. Body language and displays of affection like this are integral to elephant communication and bonding.
Briefly lifting his head from a guarrie bush that he had been feeding on, this large and very healthy-looking male giraffe had a number of Red-billed Oxpeckers helping ensure his coat was emasculate, combing through it in search of any dead skin or ectoparasites such as fleas and ticks.
The Ntomi Male keeps a beady eye on a small herd of impalas that were passing by. The prominent freckle on his eye can be seen quite clearly here.
A single cub of the Ximungwe Female’s second litter. Initially rather skittish but is very relaxed now. Birth mark in his left eye.
With so many lions cubs around, the hyena den may have taken a back seat! The reflection in the eyes and look of sheer innocence certainly make it difficult not to love every minute spent with these cubs!
A small portion of the Ntsevu Pride’s latest litter takes a moment to rest in an open sandy patch of ground.
Few antelope are quite as impressive as Kudu. This magnificent male stood attentive listening to some unknown sound before continuing his early morning feeding in the open plains of the southwest.
The lush greenery of a tamboti grove provided the perfect backdrop to this image as a Ntsevu Female sharpens and cleans her claws, ready for the night ahead.
After spending some time with this herd of elephants the female on the right approached and both adults proceeded to perform this greeting ceremony of placing their trunks in each other’s mouths. All the while the small young elephant was fiddling with a piece of grass with its trunk.
Impala are intensely alert animals and at the slightest sound or movement they perk their ears up to gather as much information as possible about what is going on around them.
A large male Waterbuck rests up on a grassy termite mound. After all the rain we’ve had over the past month, the lush greenery adds such an interesting element to our images.
We are incredibly lucky to be spending hours with the latest additions to the Nsevu pride. The cubs are providing endless entertainment as they explore the world around them. This one, in particular, paused for a second, stopping to stare in our direction.
A lone giraffe bull ambles his way across the Londolozi airstrip.
Powerful, defiant, captivating—what can be said of the new song that hasn’t already been said of its prolific producers? Delivering on many months of feverish hype, “Baby again..” is a hard-nosed house heater with the grit and grace to galvanize the sweatiest of dancefloors.
It’s been a long and tortuous road to today’s release. The roots of “Baby again..” can be traced back to an impromptu studio session in the remote countryside of Pangbourne, where Skrillex, Fred again.. and Four Tet produced the first demo.
From there, the unreleased song quickly became one of the electronic music scene’s most coveted. Then the hype bubbled over after its larger-than-life moment under the legendary lights of the Garden.
Check out a clip below stream “Baby again..” here.
Clarke Schmidt bounced back from two rough Grapefruit League appearances by throwing five perfect innings in Thursday’s start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. His outing was wasted as the Yankees lost the matchup, 9-6, but Schmidt cruised through his third start of the spring.
The right-hander pounded the strike zone, getting 36 strikes out of 50 total pitches thrown. He struck out seven and recorded seven groundball outs.
Clarke Schmidt looked sharp on Thursday. (Frank Franklin II/AP)
Schmidt entered camp competing with right-hander Domingo German for a rotation spot. German may have been viewed as the frontrunner for the Yankees’ fifth and final rotation spot due to him having more experience and a better start in the first two Grapefruit League appearances — allowing just one run in 5.1 innings. Schmidt’s most recent outing was clearly better than German’s last start — allowing three hits and two earned runs in 2.1 innings — but the two may both start the season in the rotation due to their teammates dealing with injuries.
“In a perfect world [Rodon returns] sometime in April,” Cashman said. “I’m glad our trainers jumped on it, I’m glad our trainers said something. The finding was something but not significant or serious …
“If this was in season, pennant race, late in the game he’d probably still be up and running. He had this last May with the Giants and he didn’t miss any time with it.”
Outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez was re-assigned to minor league camp following Thursday’s game. Dominguez impressed the organization this spring after arriving as a non-roster invitee.
The top prospect slashed .455/.520./.1.045 with four homers and nine RBI. The 20-year-old is the No. 2 ranked prospect in the Yankees’ organization, behind Anthony Volpe.
“Jasson’s had a great spring,” manager Aaron Boone said during last Saturday’s game on the YES Network. “It’s our first time getting to be around him for a little bit of an extended period. I think it’s been great for him being around our core guys and guys like Aaron Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton. To be around them on a daily basis has been I think a really valuable tool.
“We love where he’s at. Is he in that mix early on? That would be tough. But, you never know what could happen over the next few weeks.”
Meet Zebra! This beautiful kitty was born in August 2022 and came to the SPCA of the Triad from a local shelter. She is the perfect mixture of sweet and playful! Zebra is a talkative girl and wants to tell you everything that is on her mind. She is active and loves to play with all toys, especially feather toys. Zebra is very fond of people and does very well with other cats. When she is not chasing feathers, she likes to snuggle. Her adoption fee is $125. For information, visit www.triadspca.org.
The second season of Shadow and Bone is now on Netflix, and while anyone could get sucked into the stunning visuals and high-stakes storyline, few of us—or at least those who didn’t read the books—understand what’s going on without a little explanation. The world of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse novels is a complicated one, full of its own rich lore, “magic,” and various groups of powerful beings at each other’s throats. Here’s a basic breakdown that will allow you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the romantic entanglements instead of wondering who wears what cloak and why.
First of all, what is Shadow and Bone about?
The show follows a plethora of characters from Bardugo’s books, including the fan-favorite Crows, but its main protagonist is Alina Starkov. Alina is introduced in season 1 as an orphan in a fictional country called Ravka, were she serves in the First Army. In Alina’s world, some people called Grisha have the power to manipulate matter and energy, which are cultivated by the government—but Alina disguised her ability at a young age so she could stay by the side of her bestie, Malyen Oretsev.
But fate will not be denied.
In Alina and Mal’s world, a great darkness has spread across the land called the Shadow Fold. It was created by a villain called the Black Heretic and is full of monsters called volcra, who are attracted to light and sound and love yummy human flesh as a treat. The Fold is very difficult to traverse and requires a dark and silent ship that slinks along the sand. While attempting to cross, Alina’s ship is attacked by volcra and her hidden power reveals itself as she protects Mal. Light shoots from her palms and she’s revealed to be a very special Grisha indeed: the Sun Summoner.
What are Grisha, their powers, and their hierarchy?
Let’s dig into this special class of people with unique abilities.
Grisha: First of all, the word is pronounced gree-shuh, because Bardugo loves phonetics. The Grisha’s gifts are genetic. In the books, they’re not really considered magical but are instead known as the ability to master “Small Science.” The logic is that Grisha are pulling and manipulating elements from the natural world around them rather than creating new entities. Once someone is identified as a Grisha, they become soldiers of the Second Army. (But more on that later.) Unfortunately, if you’re not Grisha, then you are just a person (sorry!), which is kind of a bummer, but things don’t seem to be too easy for a Master of the Small Science either.
Netflix
There’s a hierarchy among the Grisha that goes from Corporalki to Etherealki to Materialki, listed from highest to lowest rank. There are even more layers and identities within those three, but we’ll lay out the basic ones here.
Corporalki (a.k.a. “The Order of the Living and the Dead”): These guys include people with powerful skills like the ability to speed or slow heart beats (Heartrenders), heal wounds (Healers), and change people’s appearances (Tailors).
Etherealki (a.k.a. Summoners): These are people who can control the elements, like wind (Squallers), fire (Inferni), or water (Tidemakers). Alina Starkov and the Darkling, her crush who turns out to be the Black Heretic in disguise, are both technically Etherealki. They control light and darkness; they’re just way more powerful than most folks in their category.
Materialki (a.k.a. “Fabrikators”): These people have a lot of the gritty, material-based jobs, like creating buildings and weapons (Durasts), or bombs and chemical compounds (Alkemi).
There are a few other useful terms to know relating to the Grisha and their gifts.
Amplifiers: Usually coming from animal remains, an amplifier makes a Grisha’s power stronger if they hunt and kill the animal holding that power themselves. (Think of the stag Alina seeks in season 1, and the Sea Whip and Firebird she looks for in season 2.) Once the amplifier is bound to them, no one else can use it.
Attila Szvacsek/Netflix
The Cut: This is a lethal Grisha attack that can, literally, cut a person in two. Unsurprisingly, General Kirigan, a.k.a. The Darkling, is a fan.
Merzost: The Merzost is a “corruption” of Small Science because it’s a form of magic that creates something out of nothing, instead of using matter or energy that already exists. It’s considered chaotic, unpredictable, and kinda twisted. The Darkling uses Merzost in season 1, and it seems to do something pretty sinister to him. It’s also, thankfully, rare.
What is Ravka? And what countries and peoples exist in the Grishaverse?
Bardugo’s world is an expansive one that consists of different countries, cultures, and people. (Check out a map here.) But given the conflicts between these nations, there’s also a lot of racism and prejudice between them.
Ravka: This country in the Grishaverse has a lot of parallels to Czarist Russia: it’s ruled by a monarchy and the king resides in his Grand Palace, conscripting citizens into his army. But Ravka is the only place Grisha are not persecuted, so despite the Shadow Fold cutting it in half, it’s relatively safe!
The Fold: The Shadow Fold splits the Ravka in half, making it very difficult to get materials and people across the country. Given the warfare between Ravka and its neighbors, going through The Fold is usually the best way to get to the ocean (The True Sea) to access trade.
Little Palace: The members of the Second Army reside here, close to their king, to train and develop their Grisha powers.
Fjerda: This country borders Ravka in the north and is based on Scandinavian culture. The Fjerdans specifically hate the Grisha. They see their powers as an unnaturally evil and often kidnap, torture, and kill these folks. Their drüskelle solders (like Matthias) are known for hunting Grisha.
Shu Han: Based on East Asian cultures, especially ancient China and Mongolia, Shu Han borders Ravka to the south. The Shu don’t have powers either, but they have a more scientific approach to the Grisha. They abduct and experiment on them to build their own power. They have used fabrikators to create a warrior line called the khergud, biologically augmented soldiers who are tasked with kidnapping more Grisha. It’s worth noting that Alina is of Shu (and Ravkan) descent, which adds an important layer to her story.
Netflix
Ketterdam: This is the capital city of the island nation of Kerch, a trading giant, and it’s pretty hopping. A busy place with a lot of culture, it’s also home to criminal organizations, gambling houses, and all types of crime. Much of the Six of Crows duology takes place here.
Hellgate: This is a dreadful prison located on the small Kersch island of Terrenjel, somewhere off Ketterdam’s coast. The Hellshow held weekly at the jail features prisoners fighting each other for audience entertainment.
Novyi Zem: Located on the other side of the True Sea next to the Wandering Isle, Novyi Zem is pretty much out of the way of other countries. In this farming nation, Grisha are called “zowa.”
There are people of different ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds across Ravka and the whole Grishaverse. Here are a few others to know in addition to the Fjerdans and the Shu.
The Kerch: Hailing from the island of, well, Kerch, this group is based on people from the Netherlands and Germany, Bardugo has said.
The Suli: This population is nomadic and hails from northwestern Ravka, though they’re historically correlated to Jewish, Romani, and South Asian cultures. Inej is of Suli heritage.
TheZemeni: Coming from Novyi Zem, the Zemeni are described as having dark skin and live separately from international conflict, thanks to the True Sea preserving their peace. Jesper is part Zemeni.
Netflix
The Kaelish: This group hails from the Wandering Isle, which is inspired by Ireland and Scotland. Gang boss Pekka Rollins is Kaelish.
Why are there armies?
As you can see, Ravka utilizes military power to protect itself from a few enemies—in addition to the flesh-eating volcra in the Fold.
The First Army: Ravkan humans serve in the First Army, under the Ravkan King, Alexander III.
The Second Army: If you’re a Grisha, you head over to the Second Army. They’re also sworn to serve the king, though they follow General Kirigan/the Darkling’s leadership. But given his malicious tendencies, we will have to see where their loyalties really lie.
Netflix
Watch this space as the onscreen Grishaverse, like The Fold, continues to grow.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.
Meet Zebra! This beautiful kitty was born in August 2022 and came to the SPCA of the Triad from a local shelter. She is the perfect mixture of sweet and playful! Zebra is a talkative girl and wants to tell you everything that is on her mind. She is active and loves to play with all toys, especially feather toys. Zebra is very fond of people and does very well with other cats. When she is not chasing feathers, she likes to snuggle. Her adoption fee is $125. For information, visit www.triadspca.org.
President Joe Biden plans to designate Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada as a national monument next week, according to a person familiar with the plans.
At nearly half-a-million acres, it would mark the largest area Biden has placed under national conservation since taking office.
The White House announced earlier this week that Biden planned to attend a conservation summit held by the Department of Interior on Tuesday.
Biden previously announced his commitment to protecting the area, which is a sacred site for the Fort Mojave and other Native American tribal nations, at the White House Tribal Nations Summit in November.
“When it comes to Spirit Mountain and the surrounding canyons and regions in southern Nevada, I’m committed to protecting this sacred place that is essential to the creation story of so many tribes that are here today,” Biden said in November.
Among those advocating for creation of the national monument were native organizations and environmental groups. Creating the national monument could expand habitat areas for a number of species including bighorn sheep, deer and several types of birds.
Biden has previously used his presidential authority to designate national monuments in Colorado and to restore areas whose monument status had been removed or shrunk by President Donald Trump.
I have seen firsthand how hurt and resentment can tear apart relationships, leaving lasting scars and pain. But I have also witnessed the healing and restoration that forgiveness can bring to relationships and families.
To have a successful relationship, forgiveness is necessary. One of the most important aspects of a happy marriage and a lifetime of love is the ability to ask for and give forgiveness. By forgiving one another, couples can free themselves from the damaging hurt and guilt that prevent them from feeling close to one another.
People frequently confuse forgiveness with weakness and hold the view that by forgiving someone who has hurt you, you are endorsing or justifying their actions. But in a marriage, being able to forgive your spouse demonstrates that you are capable of having goodwill toward them.
Giving yourself and your spouse the type of future you both deserve, free from pain and resentment, is what forgiveness is all about. It involves making the decision to live a life free from the influence of others and without being controlled by unresolved hatred and animosity.
You may go from feeling like a victim to being more empowered by practicing forgiveness, and this is essential for a happy and successful marriage. Your general health suffers when you harbor grudges and hatred. It overflows into every aspect of your existence. It affects how you view relationships.
No one is perfect; it’s a fact. We all make mistakes. Sometimes, we make mistakes more often than our partner.
If you want to learn how to improve your relationships through the power of forgiveness, regardless of whether you are currently dealing with hurt in your marriage or family, this is for you.
So let’s get started and see how forgiveness may strengthen and repair our families and marriages.
The Effects of Bitterness on Relationships and Families
-Marriages and families can suffer from being unforgiving. We block intimacy and trust in our relationships when we are resentful and refuse to forgive.
-Poor communication, distance, and even relationship dissolution can result from the hurt and hostility we harbor toward our partner.
–Our health can be negatively impacted by resentment in both physical and emotional ways, which can result in stress, anxiety, and melancholy. Even our ability to eat, sleep, or carry out our regular activities may be impacted.
–Families can become toxic when members can’t forgive one another, creating a feeling of abandonment, hatred, and estrangement.
–Resentment may make family members feel separated and alone, which would be detrimental to their emotional and psychological wellness. Grudges are ultimately harmful to the health and happiness of people, families, and society.
Thus, we must acknowledge the consequences of being unforgiving and try to promote healing and forgiveness in our interpersonal relationships.
We are all aware of the joy and happiness that marriage and family life may bring.
However, resentment can lead to pain and make it challenging to move on after being wronged by our spouse or family members.
-It might be hard to let go of the pain and move on when we have been hurt by someone we love. We believe that the other party mistreated us and that they ought to be held accountable for it.
–We might even believe that harboring our resentment and rage is okay. However, when we do so, it can cause a split in our relationships that can be challenging to mend.
–We may be dishonest and closed off with our spouse or family members when we resent them. This could result in a breakdown in trust and communication, which would be detrimental to our relationships.
–We are more inclined to lash out at our partner or family members over trivial or unimportant issues when we cannot forgive. And this will only result in more hurt and animosity, which makes it even harder to forgive.
The Transforming Power of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a powerful tool that can change our lives and relationships for the better. When we forgive, we release the hurt and resentment we’ve been holding onto and give ourselves permission to get better and go on.
Some of the ways that forgiveness can improve our lives and relationships are as follows:
It releases us from the weight of resentment and bitterness.
When we harbor resentments, we bear a heavy load that can drain our energy and dominate our thoughts. But forgiveness frees us from this senseless weight and makes us feel lighter and free.
It encourages mending and peacemaking in our marriage.
Forgiveness allows for healing and reconciliation. It enables us to work together to improve our relationship and address the problems that contributed to the hurt.
It improves our capacity for empathy and compassion.
Forgiveness allows us to show compassion and empathy to others, especially those who have hurt us. Because to forgive, we must place ourselves in the position of the one who has wronged us and show them mercy and understanding.
Forgiveness promotes intimacy and connection.
When we forgive and are forgiven, we develop a greater sense of intimacy in our relationships. We also grow a stronger sense of trust by being transparent and vulnerable with one another.
It fosters development and evolution on a personal level.
Forgiveness helps us develop and evolve positively on a personal level. As Christians, practicing forgiveness teaches us to own our mistakes and endeavor to become better people. As we work to improve as individuals and as relationship partners, it can foster personal growth and development.
The Connection Between Forgiveness and Love
Forgiveness and love are closely connected in our relationships. Love is the foundation of forgiveness, and forgiveness is an expression of love.
Here are some ways in which forgiveness and love are connected:
Love is the motivation for forgiveness.
We are called to forgive others out of love, just as God forgives us out of His love for us. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Forgiveness is a manifestation of love.
It is a tangible expression of love, as it involves releasing the hurt and pain caused by others and extending grace and compassion towards them. “Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
Love enables forgiveness to occur.
Without love, it can be difficult to extend forgiveness to those who have hurt us. Love enables us to see the good in others and to extend mercy and grace toward them. Matthew 5:44 reminds us: “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Forgiveness is necessary for love to flourish.
Resentment can create a barrier in our relationships and hinder the growth of love, while forgiveness allows us to let go of the past and move forward in love and compassion towards others. 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Overcoming Resentment and Re-Establishing Trust
Our lives would not be the same without the love, support, and sense of belonging that marriage and family ties provide. But when conflicts and disagreements occur, anger can fester and eventually erode the trust that formerly existed between partners or family members.
When trust is betrayed, it can be challenging to mend the connection and return to how it was.
To maintain positive and rewarding relationships in this situation, it is essential to create effective resentment management and trust-building tactics.
Here are a few doable tactics that will assist you in overcoming anger and re-establishing trust in your marital and family ties:
Acknowledge the hurt.
If you are the one who caused the hurt brought on by the resentment, it is crucial to accept responsibility. This can be accomplished by expressing regret and offering an apology for the harm caused.
Be open and honest in your communication.
Restoring trust in a marriage or family requires open and honest communication. This entails being open to discussing the problems that have given rise to the resentment and hearing one another out.
Exercise forgiveness.
Overcoming animosity and rebuilding trust require forgiveness. It’s critical to be willing to let go of resentment and forgive the other person for their transgressions.
Spend quality time together.
Restoring trust in a marriage or family requires quality time spent together. This can involve doing things like going on dates, going for walks together, or just sitting down to talk and listen to each other.
Seek professional assistance.
If the anger and lack of trust are too ingrained to be handled on your own, it might be helpful to seek assistance from a professional. A therapist, counselor, or church pastor can assist families and couples in resolving their problems and improving communication.
The Benefits of Forgiveness
Any successful marriage or family relationship requires forgiveness. It is an incredible instrument that can mend relationships, reestablish trust, and heal scars. Families and couples can move ahead in their relationships with a renewed sense of optimism and understanding when they forgive one another.
Forgiveness can lessen stress and worry. When families and couples forgive one another, they can put painful remarks and deeds behind them and concentrate on the good parts of their relationship. This may contribute to the development of a tranquil and harmonious environment.
Forgiveness can improve the ties that bind families and couples together. When families and couples forgive one another, they can put the past hurt and resentment behind them and concentrate on the love and respect they share.
It can facilitate better communication within a marriage or family. Family members and couples can communicate openly and honestly about their feelings and worries when they forgive one another.
This may contribute to fostering a more welcoming atmosphere, which will promote improved communication and understanding.
Forgiveness can foster a happier attitude toward life. When families and couples forgive one another, they can put the hurt and resentment behind them and concentrate on the positive aspects of their relationship. This will bring a more optimistic attitude toward life and increase happiness and fulfillment.
Any successful marital or family relationship requires forgiveness. It can lessen worry and tension, bolster the ties between partners and families, enhance communication, and cultivate a happier attitude toward life.
Emmanuel Abimbola is a creative freelance writer, blogger, and web designer. He is a devout Christian with an uncompromising faith who hails from Ondo State in Nigeria, West Africa. As a lover of kids, Emmanuel runs a small elementary school in Arigidi, Nigeria.
DENVER – (Satire News) – Word coming out of the Rocky Mountain State, is that the square-looking state is now importing marijuana from Baja California.
A spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis, stated that due to last year’s summer drought, and the subsequent fucking fires, the state’s top weed, Durango Bango did not thrive as well as it was expected.
The cannabis shops that did manage to get some DB, priced it at three times what it was selling for last year, and as a result lots of it was simply stolen.
One shop owner said that the grass that is coming in from BC is Baja Beauty, which is 62% more powerful than your normal run-of-the-mill marijuana.
Baja Beauty has been known to cause its smokers to raise their IQ by as much as 27 points, as well as suddenly become experts in astrophysics and quantum mechanics.
According to some female users it can also cause an augmentation in the breasts, as well as cause the nipples to turn shocking pink and stand up like No. 2 pencil erasers.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.
Executive Branch Exclusive
Vice President Kamala Harris visited with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show” on Wednesday. It was her first live appearance on the program since the 2020 election.
“So, as vice president, I have now met with over 100 world leaders. Presidents, prime ministers, chancellors and kings. And when you’ve had the experience of meeting and understanding the significance, again, of international rules and norms, and the importance of the United States of America standing firm and clear about the significance of sovereignty and territorial integrity, the significance of standing firm against any nation that would try to take by force another nation, if you really understand the issues, you probably would not make statements like that.” — VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS
Harris also weighed in on former Vice President Mike Pence’s assertion that he should not have to answer a federal grand jury subpoena to testify about Jan. 6. Pence has argued that the vice president’s role as president of the Senate means he is protected by the Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause, which shields members of Congress from law enforcement scrutiny over their legislative duties.
She quickly answered Colbert’s question over whether the vice president is in the executive or legislative branch of government. “I am in the executive branch,” Harris said, laughing.
“After a U.S. drone was forced down yesterday by a Russian fighter jet, Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. denied that the two aircraft collided, and Putin is claiming the drone just fell out a window.” — SETH MEYERS
“We haven’t seen this kind of hazing on a hunk of metal since the Cuban missile wedgie.” — STEPHEN COLBERT
The Bits Worth Watching
Dave Letterman sat down with “Dave Jr.,” Jimmy Kimmel, on Wednesday.
What We’re Excited About on Thursday Night
Keanu Reeves will talk about the latest chapter of his John Wick franchise on Thursday’s “Tonight Show.”
Former University of Georgia football standout Jalen Carter was sentenced to probation on Thursday for his role in the January crash that killed his teammate and a team staffer.
The crash happened hours after the Bulldogs’ national championship victory parade.
Carter entered pleas of no contest Thursday to charges of racing and reckless driving, according to his attorney, Kim Stephens.
Carter was then sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine and 50 hours of community service and completion of a state-approved defensive driving course, the attorney said.
“Mr. Carter is happy and relieved to get this matter behind him, so now he can do what he needs to do for the NFL draft,” the lawyer said.
“He continues to grieve for the loss of his friends,” Stephens added.
Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General Will Fleenor confirmed the sentence and said Carter’s privilege to drive in Georgia has been suspended for 120 days.
Fleenor, in a statement, acknowledged questions about the severity of the charges and “whether more serious offenses occurred.” He said law enforcement officers evaluated the appropriateness of more serious charges.
“However, after consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, the Solicitor’s Office, and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council, based on the evidence and applicable laws in this case, it was determined that the appropriate charges were the two traffic offenses that were resolved in court this morning,” the statement said.
Carter has been projected as a top pick in the NFL draft next month.
CNN has reached out to Athens Solicitor’s Office for comment.
Carter’s teammate Devin Willock and football team staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in the January 15 crash, which happened hours after the team participated in a parade through campus to celebrate its second consecutive national title.
Carter turned himself in at the Athens-Clarke County Jail earlier this month on charges of reckless driving and racing.
LeCroy was driving a Ford SUV near the campus with Willock and two other members of the football program also in the vehicle, police said. The SUV was traveling “about 104 miles per hour” before it veered off the road and slammed into two power poles and several trees, Athens-Clarke County police said.
Authorities said Carter was driving a separate vehicle and he and LeCroy appeared to be racing.
Police said “both vehicles switched between lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes of travel, overtook other motorists, and drove at high rates of speed, in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other.”
Toxicology results show LeCroy, who was driving a university vehicle not authorized for use at the time of the crash, had a blood alcohol concentration of .197 – more than twice the legal limit in Georgia, police said.
Willock was ejected and died at the scene and LeCroy died at a local hospital. The two other passengers in the vehicle were injured, officials said.
Carter was a key part of Georgia’s vaunted defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (77.1) in 2022 and was named to several All-America teams.
More than four months before the fatal crash, Carter had been issued three traffic citations – including one for speeding at nearly twice the legal limit, according to documents and body camera video obtained by CNN from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.
On September 22, Carter was stopped for speeding. An officer is heard on body camera footage telling him that he was “reckless,” and issued three traffic tickets
One ticket showed Carter was driving at 89 mph in a 45 mph zone. A second ticket cited him for having “material affixed” to his car which “obstructs vision.” A third citation was for an illegal windshield tint.
Bodycam video from the stop showed Carter in the driver’s seat of a Black Jeep. The officer held up a radar gun showing a speed of 89 mph, according to the video.
Carter is seen on video, expressionless, as the officer named two other UGA athletes who he said he had recently stopped.
“Y’all need to slow down dude,” the officer is heard telling Carter, who didn’t respond.
“Look I don’t know if y’all need to send out a text or something to other teammates, but slow down,” the officer said, adding, “That was reckless.”
“When you’re around your teammates, tell them to slow down,” the officer said.
The officer then tested the tint on Carter’s vehicle – which he said is illegal in the state of Georgia. “The front windshield can’t have nothing on it. No material on it whatsoever, OK?”
“Your break is you’re not going to jail. That’s your break. Because that would make all kinds of news, alright?” the officer is heard telling Carter in the footage.
The player smiled nervously. “You’re getting a ticket for speeding,” the officer said.
The officer added, “Slow down OK. That’s all I ask.”
Tucker Carlson has the top rated cable news show in the country right now, and there’s a good reason for that. He is genuine and honest.
Tucker is doing something that almost no one else in media does. He invites people who are ignored by the rest of the media onto his show and actually listens to them.
He recently appeared on a podcast and was asked what his greatest regret is, in terms of working in media. His answer may surprise you.
CARLSON: I’ve spent my whole life in the media, my dad was in the media. That is a big part of the revelation that’s changed my life is that the media are part of the control appartus.
(crosstalk)
Yeah, I know, cause your younger and smarter, and you’re like “yeah.”
But what if you’re me and you spent your whole life in that world, and to look around and all the sudden you’re like “oh wow,” not only are they part of the problem, but I spent most of my life being part of the problem. Defending the Iraq War, like I actually did that. Can you imagine if you did that?
CARLSON: For too long, I participated in the culture where I was like, “anyone who thinks outside these pre-prescribed lanes is crazy, is a conspiracy theorist.” And I just really regret that, I’m ashamed that I did that.
Watch the video below:
After watching this video, you do realize Tucker could be fired for saying this😳. Given how he really feels, I’d say HE’S GONE from Fox within a year🤔. Seriously, if his heart is saying this, how can he stay in legacy media🤷🏼♂️ pic.twitter.com/0ArAZhJjpA
Has a single member of the liberal media ever apologized for pushing the Russia collusion lie? Of course not. Some of them even seem to still believe it.
This is one of the things that sets Tucker apart. He is willing to be candid and admit his mistakes. It’s an admirable quality for someone working in media.
One of my favorite aspects of being part of an active church is the fellowship that we experience when we get together. And, if I am honest, during those times that we are together for small groups or other events, one of my main enjoyments is eating good food!
Of course, it is not just about the food itself; it is what eating together brings. Eating meals gives a group of people something physical to do (which is unifying in and of itself).
It gives us something to enjoy together, which helps us build positive feelings and even memories, it disarms us so we can bring our guard down, and it works as an ice breaker to facilitate casual conversation.
Most importantly, eating a meal with other Christians turns us more into the kind of family that God designed us to be for a few moments as we enjoy food that will hopefully lead to greater fellowship in the future.
Because if you know what it is like to be in a healthy church or if you are familiar with the model of church that the New Testament gives us, you will know that the Church really is like a family.
I was reminded of this reality recently when I was talking with a missionary friend of mine. As he described his church on the mission field in South America, he happily described a group of people that cared for each other, were affectionate toward one another, and that really wanted to be together.
That is not only how Jesus wanted the church to be, but that is exactly how he started it — like a family!
1. Remember That Jesus Valued Family
He was born into a family with parents and siblings, and he lived with and participated with that family for most of his life. Then in the end, he loved his family so much that with one of his last breaths, as he hung on the cross, he made sure that his mom would be cared for (John 19:26-27).
Jesus taught about the importance of family and marriage (the foundation of the family) as well. One of his most popular teachings can be found in Mark 10:6-9 when Jesus declared that:
“…from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ‘So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
But Jesus did not just teach about the importance of family and marriage; he actively endorsed it to the point that his very first public appearance (after his somewhat-public baptism, of course) was at a wedding that he attended with his mother and disciples and where he performed his first miracle.
And Jesus was not just a bystander at this wedding — he even got involved with “serving refreshments” (John 2).
But then, in that same passage where Jesus gave his disciple John the responsibility of caring for his mother, we get a hint about the kind of family relationship that Jesus also had with his disciple because the writer uses the phrase “the disciple whom he loved”(John 19).
This is because Jesus did not just focus on caring for his physical family, but he essentially welcomed all of his followers in and treated them like family, too.
Mark tells the story that one time when Jesus was ministering to a crowd, and some people told him that his mother and brothers were outside, he responded with,
“Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:31-35).
2. Treat the Church Like Jesus Treated His Disciples and Ministry
As we read through the gospels, we find that at different times Jesus walked with them on trips, he road with them in boats, he reclined with them in homes, he attended feasts and celebrations together with them, he taught them lessons like a father teaches his children, he rescued them when they were in trouble, he allowed them to make mistakes and then used those experiences to teach them even more, and, my favorite part, he ate with them!
God himself, in the flesh, took the time to sit down and share a meal with his disciples — and like we already mentioned — that is such a keyway that he treated them like family.
One particular time when he did this is what we call the “Last Supper.” One important detail in Matthew 26:20-29 is that Jesus served the bread and wine to Judas Iscariot, who he knew was against him and that would soon betray him.
This is a perfect illustration of how families even care for members who they do not get along with or that they are even more like enemies with. Another important detail is that Jesus said he would do this again… one day. We will come back to that in a minute.
This family dynamic of Jesus’ ministry did not end with him.
3. Resemble the First Church Who Treated Each Other Like Family
Very soon after Jesus’ ascension back to heaven in Acts 2, the apostles gave the gospel to people from all over the world and invited them into the family of God — something that only the Jews thought they had claims to at the time.
Then, as a result, the picture that we get of the First Church is nothing short of the kind of “utopian” society that other cults have tried to mimic.
They loved to each other, meeting together regularly, and sharing resources in a way that makes even the tightest-nit family seem like sworn enemies! This is because the Gospel of Jesus brings people together like never before.
Then later, the Apostle Paul taught about this family mentality by teaching the churches he started that we must not allow our differences to define us or divide us but seek unity and agreement (1 Corinthians 1).
He taught in the “love chapter” that while faith and hope are important facets of our Christian faith, our love for one another is most important (1 Corinthians 13).
Paul also used the analogy of the human body with its many, unique members — that each has different functions but all serve one another to describe how the church is to view itself and treat one another.
This is important for us to study because the example of the First Church and Paul’s instructions to the churches he pastored “from a distance” gives us the standard for us today. One article that I recently read said that
I“f we are intent on trusting Christ to work in us as we gather and open to being Christlike as we gather, then — whether it’s for a meal or a church service or a golf game or a playdate for the kids — we share in that beautiful fellowship. We were designed for this kind of fellowship, this kind of connection in Jesus, and we cannot find it anywhere but the body of Christ. This is what finding true belonging in the church looks like.”
Lastly, the church “family” does not end here on earth.
Heaven Will Be Like a Family
Another important detail of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples in Matthew 26 that we mentioned earlier is that Jesus promised that in the end, after this current earth and heaven were said and done, he would again sit down with his followers and have a meal.
But this time, there will be no doubt and betrayal mixed in! John prophesied in the Book of Revelation: “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7).
We get the impression from Luke that when Jesus returns for his “servants” (the Church) that “he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them” (Luke 12:37).
What a beautiful thought that Jesus will once again serve us who have been serving him. But this will not be because he “owes” us anything, but because we will have nothing to offer Jesus, who has everything.
Then that same Jesus will welcome his children into a New Heaven and New Earth that he has “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (again — the family and marriage picture)(Revelation 21:1-4).
One writer summed all of this up by saying that the end goal of “God’s work and mission has been and continues to be a reconciled, intimate relationship with a people, his children, and the Church.“
The church is a family, not by blood, but by the Spirit.
If more people saw the church as a family with her fellowship and flaws, then fewer would be leaving it. If more pastors and church leaders saw their church as a family, fewer would treat her like a job or abuse her.
If more church members saw the church as a family, fewer would outsource the caring of each other to their pastor or deacons or the serving of one another to a paid employee.
Christian — let us go the extra mile and not just expect our church to act like a family, but to do everything we can.
Robert Hampshire is a pastor, teacher, writer, and leader. He has been married to Rebecca since 2008 and has three children, Brooklyn, Bryson, and Abram. Robert attended North Greenville University in South Carolina for his undergraduate and Liberty University in Virginia for his Masters. He has served in a variety of roles as a worship pastor, youth pastor, family pastor, church planter, and now Pastor of Worship and Discipleship at Cheraw First Baptist Church in South Carolina. He furthers his ministry through his blog site, Faithful Thinking, and his YouTube channel. His life goal is to serve God and His Church by reaching the lost with the gospel, making devoted disciples, equipping and empowering others to go further in their faith and calling, and leading a culture of multiplication for the glory of God. Find out more about him here.
Giving her full support! Lukas Gage’s mom knows about her son’s famous sex scene on season 1 of The White Lotus — and she couldn’t be more proud.
“That’s a great ass. Get that money,” Gage, 27, recalled to Variety in a Thursday, March 16, interview of his mother’s reaction. “‘Get that bag and be committed.’ My mom’s cool. She’s like a cool little hippie lady. With nudity, I think we both share sort of a European vibe.”
The Euphoria actor, who starred on season 1 of the HBO series as staffer Dillion, made headlines in July 2021 when an episode featured him receiving a golden shower from costar Murray Bartlett, who portrayed hotel manager Armond.
Gage then revisited the intimate act for his role on the fourth season of You — which premiered in February — when his character, Adam, cheats on his girlfriend Lady Phoebe (Tilly Keeper) after struggling to come forward about his innermost desires.
Gage told Variety on Thursday that he’s received plenty of support from fans after his appearance on both hit shows — but others aren’t quite as enthusiastic.
“We have a couple people from the golden shower community that are very grateful that it’s being shown on screen, and they have some haters who are yucking some people’s yum,” he explained. “Everyone should feel heard and feel seen. I never wanted to make anyone feel scrutinized or like the butt of the joke. I just believe that everyone should embrace all their kinks and everything that they love about themselves and not feel ashamed.”
The California native added that the “goal” of his work onscreen is to help people feel “connected” and “seen” by the characters he plays.
“At the end of the day, you hope that the stories do more than just entertain. Maybe it’s just being entertaining for the sake of being entertaining, or maybe it’s an escape from whatever hard time they’re having in their life, but to be seen in these characters, to feel like you can connect and like somebody else gets it —‘I’m not alone out there’ — that at the end of the day is the greatest gift that I can have in this job,” he said. “ It’s the greatest compliment that I can get on anything that I’m playing.”
When it comes to his sexuality, Gage has often been candid. When a social media troll posted a critique about Hollywood’s pattern of casting heterosexual actors for queer roles in June 2022, the Moonshot actor quickly fired back.
“If Hollywood can stop hiring non LGBTQIA+ actors like @lukasgage to play LGBTQIA+ characters, that would be great,” the Twitter user wrote at the time. “He has played 4 so far. 1 was enough.”
Gage, meanwhile, responded, “U don’t know my alphabet.” When the original poster encouraged the Queer as Folkalum to “enlighten the whole world” of his sexual identity, he replied, “No,” with a red heart emoji.
TheSupergirlactor has never publicly specified his sexual identity, but he has played several LGBTQIA+ characters over the years. Earlier this month, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton confirmed that he and the Love, Victor alum were dating.
“Listen, I’m very happy [and] very much in love,” Appleton, 39, gushed during a Wednesday, March 15, appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “I feel very grateful to be able to share my time with someone very special. Love is a really special thing and, I think, meeting someone that you connect with is very special.”
After a photo of the pair flashed on screen, the Color Wow director added: “That’s Lukas [when we were] in Mexico.”
The Youstar and Appleton first sparked romance speculation when they posted pictures while on vacation together at the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort in Mexico. They later walked the red carpet together at Vanity Fair and TikTok’s A Night For Young Hollywood party in Los Angeles on March 8.
However, when discussing his relationship status with the New York Times in an interview published earlier that week, Gage opened up about his desire to keep the details of his love life private.
“If they want to think that, they can,” he told the outlet. “I’m a pretty open book about most things in my life, but I have a problem with the culture of everyone needing to know everybody’s business and nothing can be sacred. It’s a weird line that I’m still trying to figure out.”
Three Virginia hospital workers are facing second-degree attempted murder charges in connection with the in-custody death of Irvo Otieno last week. This comes after seven Henrico County Sheriff’s deputies were also charged with second-degree attempted murder in the case on Tuesday. Jeff Pegues reports.
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A powerful storm descended on Texas on Thursday, knocking out power to several thousand customers and prompting tornado warnings in several areas.
The National Weather Service forecasted that “strong and severe” thunderstorms would hit both the north and central part of the state, extending from Lamar County, located northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, all the way south to the Bell County area north of Austin.
The storm forced the Federal Aviation Administration to issue two ground stops at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Thursday evening, according to CBS Texas, but those have since been lifted. According to FlightAware, 136 flights out of DFW were canceled Thursday, and another 372 were delayed.
Video captured lightning over downtown Dallas as tornado sirens sounded across the city. Tornado warnings were issued for several counties east of the metroplex, according to CBS Texas.
Cell phone video captured vehicles contending with a mix of rain and snow on a highway near the northwest Texas city of Amarillo.
In Austin, the Moody Amphitheatre was evacuated due to lightning. Several musicians had been slated to perform Thursday night, including rapper Yil Yachty, as part of the South by Southwest festival. However, all the evening’s shows were canceled.
It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries or significant damage from the storm.
About 25,000 customers were without power in Texas as of Thursday evening, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us.
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After several days filled with complaints about excessive fees on the $20 tickets to see The Cure – including complaints from its frontman Robert Smith – a report indicates Ticketmaster will give back some of its fees.
Rolling Stone reports this evening that Ticketmaster is giving a discount on its fees that more than doubled the price of a ticket to see The Cure.
“After further conversation, Ticketmaster have agreed with us that many of the fees being charged are unduly high, and as a gesture of goodwill have offered a $10 per ticket refund to all verified fan accounts for lowest ticket price transactions,” Smith tweeted.
“And a $5 per ticket refund to all verified fan accounts for all other ticket price transactions, for all Cure shows at all venues,” he added. “If you already bought a ticket you will get an automatic refund; all tickets on sale tomorrow will incur lower fees.”
In one screenshot by a fan that circulated widely on the internet, a purchase of four tickets at $20 had a service fee of $11.65 to each ticket, an added facility charge of $10 per ticket, then an order processing fee of $5.50. That led to a total of $172.10 on four $20 tickets sold for $80.
The Cure has been proactive in trying to reduce costs for its fans. It has eschewed the so-called “dynamic pricing” plan that escalates ticket pricing based on demand.
Ticketmaster has been embroiled in controversy for decades over what many fans believe are excessive fees.
The Cure could control the price of its tickets, but not the excess fees. Their “Shows of a Lost World” tour has a three-night stay at the Hollywood Bowl on May 23-25.
1 OF 2: AFTER FURTHER CONVERSATION, TICKETMASTER HAVE AGREED WITH US THAT MANY OF THE FEES BEING CHARGED ARE UNDULY HIGH, AND AS A GESTURE OF GOODWILL HAVE OFFERED A $10 PER TICKET REFUND TO ALL VERIFIED FAN ACCOUNTS FOR LOWEST TICKET PRICE (‘LTP’) TRANSACTIONS…
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