Donald Trump outdid himself last week with claims that he quickly backtracked on. ‘Sarcasm’ was his excuse of the week, even in his three tweets (that were quickly deleted) where he spoke of the Noble Prize. Of course, people quickly pointed out the misspelling for Nobel Prize, but Donald just said he was being ‘sarcastic’ as with the disinfectant and UV light claims from Thursday.
What was most frustrating for the president was that FOX News wouldn’t even defend his Thursday claims or as he likes to call them ‘suggestions.’ Not having his state television back him sent the president off even more than newspapers around the world ridiculing him.
“Not having FOX News back him drives the president more crazy than anything,” a White House source said. “He needs to know that someone always has his back no matter what he says.”
Until he realizes how much he misses the cameras, expect more outbursts of tweets blaming everyone for the Coronavirus as his poll numbers continue dipping.
Lessons Learned That Shouldn’t Have To Be Learned
Lysol is for toilet bowls and countertops, not human consumption. The company that manufacturers it felt compelled to emphasize the danger of ingesting it after President Donald Trump’s musings about heat, light and disinfectant in the time of coronavirus.
Trump’s thinking-out-loud theories took a turn toward hazmat territory this past week when he said it would be interesting to see whether people’s innards could get “almost a cleaning” from disinfectants. Doctors tweeted their alarm, worried that people will take Trump’s comment as a cue and swallow chemicals that will harm or kill them.
Trump also gave weight through his bully pulpit to an unproved theory that heat and humidity might hasten the destruction of the coronavirus, suggesting people could be safer around each other in the outdoors.
Research pointing to that possibility is preliminary, other research has found otherwise, and this pandemic has spread in the tropics and Southeast Asia as well as through the northern hemisphere.
Trump followed up Saturday with a baseless boast about testing.
Meantime, Trump’s veterans affairs secretary went even farther than the president in talking up potential benefits of a malaria drug against COVID-19. It’s an area of speculation that his own agency says “displays a dangerous lack of expertise” by amateurs.
DISINFECTANT
TRUMP, on the virus: “I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So, it would be interesting to check that … you’re going to have to use medical doctors … but it sounds — it sounds interesting to me.” — briefing Thursday.
THE FACTS:
No.
The fact Trump would even flirt with the idea prompted a statement from Reckitt Benckiser, parent company of the maker of Lysol and Dettol, that “under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route).”
Clorox echoed that bleach and other disinfectants “are not suitable for consumption or injection under any circumstances.”
The U.S. surgeon general’s office moved to discourage people from thinking they can self-medicate from something in the house: “PLEASE always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/medication to yourself or a loved one.”
As the blowback unfolded, Trump said Friday he was being sarcastic the day before.
SUNLIGHT & HEAT On Covid-19
TRUMP, on an unproved theory that sunlight, heat and humidity can destroy the virus faster than inside the house: “I hope people enjoy the sun. And if it has an impact, that’s great. … And if heat is good, and if sunlight is good, that’s a great thing as far as I’m concerned.”
THE FACTS:
Sunlight may be a disinfectant for the spirit and outdoor exercise is recommended in today’s social isolation, but there’s no proof it will make the pandemic go away. Without declaring that it would, Trump is again giving traction to a theory that could prompt people to let down their guard around others outside.
Wlliam Bryan, who leads the Homeland Security Department’s science and technology directorate, told the briefing about incomplete, “emerging results” from research that suggest solar light, heat and humidity might be effective at neutralizing the virus. Past studies have not found good evidence of that.
Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief, said in March that “it’s a false hope to say yes, it will just disappear in the summertime like influenza.” Trump said early in the outbreak he expected it to end with the warmer weather of April.
TESTING For Covid-19
TRUMP: “We have now Tested more than 5 Million People. That is more than any other country in the World, and even more than all major countries combined!” — tweet Saturday.
THE FACTS:
Actually, the U.S. has tested far fewer people than “major countries combined” and lags dozens of countries in testing its population proportionally.
Together, just three major countries — Russia, Germany and Italy — have tested about 6.5 million people, compared with over 5 million in the U.S. And the United States is easily outdistanced when testing in other Group of Seven countries is added to the mix, as well as powers such as India. Moreover, the count does not include China, which has more than four times the population of the U.S. but has not published national testing numbers.
More than 30 other countries have tested a larger share of the population than has been done in the U.S., which was slow to make COVID-19 diagnoses available and still can’t offer it to everyone who might be infected.
ROUND 2 – Coronavirus Returns In Fall
TRUMP, on the chances of the virus returning in the fall: “If it does come back — it’s not going to come back — and I’ve spoken to 10 different people, it’s not going to be like it was. … If we have embers of corona coupled with the flu, that’s not going to be pleasant, but it’s not going to be what we’ve gone through in any way, shape, or form. … You may not even have corona coming back, just so you understand.” — briefing Wednesday.
THE FACTS:
His public health officials refuted his statement on the spot that the coronavirus won’t be coming back. As for his statement that it won’t be as bad in a second round, that’s more complicated.
“There will be coronavirus in the fall,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said at the briefing. “I am convinced of that because of the degree of transmissibility that it has, the global nature.”
“Next fall and winter, we’re going to have two viruses circulating, and we’re going to have to distinguish between which is flu and which is the coronavirus,” said Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How bad that will be will be determined by a range of factors that can’t be predicted with precision. Redfield said the situation may be more difficult than now because the coronavirus and the flu will be circulating at the same time, unlike during the bulk of the current pandemic. Or it may be less difficult if preparations and containment are better than now.
MALARIA DRUG
VA SECRETARY ROBERT WILKIE, asked whether it’s safe to encourage people to take hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment: “Oh, I think so.” — interview Wednesday on MSNBC.
THE FACTS:
That’s not what the government’s top health experts have said for weeks, nor what his own agency has suggested. A new alert Friday from the Food and Drug Administration further underscored why the drug cannot be considered generally safe in this pandemic and why it has not been approved by the FDA for treatment of COVID-19.
Last month, the FDA authorized the narrow emergency use of the malaria drugs for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who aren’t enrolled in ongoing clinical trials. But regulators said they are investigating life-threatening side effects reported to poison control centers and other health authorities.
In one such report, doctors at a New York hospital said that heart rhythm abnormalities developed in most of the 84 coronavirus patients treated with hydroxychloroquine and the antibiotic azithromycin, a combination Trump has promoted as part of his persistent and inaccurate portrayal of the malaria drug as a game-changer.
The drug has long been used to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. A few, very small preliminary studies suggested it might help prevent the coronavirus from entering cells and possibly help patients clear the virus sooner.
Inaccurate and Irresponsible
Wilkie, as VA secretary, leads the nation’s largest health system. His agency’s own health care arm has criticized premature assessments on the effectiveness of the drug for the coronavirus. In an unsigned response to an audit report last month examining whether the VA had adequate stocks of the drug, top VA health officials called it “inaccurate and irresponsible” to assume hydroxychloroquine would benefit veterans for COVID-19.
“There are active investigations into these drugs and many others, as discussed by Dr. Anthony Fauci,” according to the unsigned VA response to the agency’s inspector general. “Yet no conclusions have been made on their effectiveness. To insist that a 14 days’ supply of these drugs is appropriate or not appropriate displays this dangerous lack of expertise on COVID-19 and Pandemic response.”
Malaria Drug Study
WILKIE, on a nationwide study finding that a malaria drug had no benefit for treating COVID-19 among veterans: “That’s an observational study. It’s not a clinical study. It was done on a small number of veterans. Sadly, those of whom were in the last stages of life. And the drug was given to them. And I have to also say that the drug — we know the drug has been working on middle-age and younger veterans … working in stopping the progression of the disease.” — interview Wednesday on MSNBC.
Wilkie rejected a study that relies on his department’s own hospital data and finds no benefit from hydroxychloroquine. His claim that it helps younger or middle-aged veterans with COVID-19 is also unsubstantiated.
It’s true that the study, done by independent researchers at two universities with VA approval, was not a rigorous experiment. Yet with 368 patients, it’s the largest look so far at hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19, based on VA hospital data.
Researchers analyzed medical records of male veterans hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infection at Veterans Health Administration medical centers who died or were discharged by April 11.
About 28% who were given hydroxychloroquine plus usual care died, versus 11% of those getting routine care alone.
Even though people given the drug tended to be sicker than the comparison group, researchers statistically adjusted for that and still saw no benefit from the drug.
Safety In Doubt
There is no other published evidence that the drug is safe or effective for younger veterans with COVID-19.
Warner Bros. is delaying a batch of theatrical releases including “The Batman” and “The Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark.”
The studio says Monday that “The Sopranos” film will be pushed from September 2020 to a March 2021 release, while “The Batman” starring Robert Pattinson will be delayed four months to October 2021.
Matt Reeves’ film brings in a younger Batman and is intended to be noir in tone. Reeves wants to really hone in on the detective aspect of the character that hasn’t yet been fully explored in film. Robert Pattinson will be donning the cape and cowl, beating out other contenders like Armie Hammer, Nicholas Hoult, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Rounding out the ensemble is Zoe Kravitzas Catwoman, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Paul Dano as The Riddler, Andy Serkis as Alfred, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Jeffrey Wrightas James Gordon, and Peter Sarsgaard as a mystery character who may or may not be Two-Face.
Many studios have shuffled release dates due to both shuttered productions and the closure of movie theaters to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
King Richard Delayed
This year also lost the Will Smith drama “King Richard,” which has been moved back a year to November 2021, and a biographical drama about Black Panthers activist Fred Hampton set for August which now has no release date. “King Richard, “focuses on the role tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams father, Richard Williams, played in the sporting successes of his daughters, has been moved from November 25, 2020 to November 19, 2021.
The studio has not abandoned summer 2020 entirely, however. Warner Bros. still has Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” dated for July 17 and “Wonder Woman 1984,” which was pushed back from June, for an Aug. 14 theatrical release.
And one film even moved up on the calendar: The DC superhero film “The Flash” is now expected in June 2022 instead of July. “Shazam 2” now has a release date set for November 4, 2022 after being pushed from its original April 1, 2022 date.
NFL Virtual Draft A Success
Not surprising that when being shut in at home, NFL fans would be desperate to see anything football related. This, in part, is why the NFL’s virtual draft turned out to be a success even if many felt it was dry and dull.
Seth Markman was just as nervous as NFL coaches and general managers about the unknown factors involved with a virtual draft. But the ESPN executive producer said he was overwhelmed with how everything came together over the three days.
It also ended up being must-see TV as the first significant live sporting event since the coronavirus pandemic ground everything to a halt. The draft averaged a record 8.4 million viewers over all three days, according to the NFL and Nielsen. The previous high was 6.2 million last year.
“I thought a coach or general manager might put a towel on the camera or point it another direction, but there were zero issues,” Markman said. “There were a couple times that we lost a feed or two, but it quickly came back.”
Early Concerns
After early concerns about how the NFL could conduct a virtual draft, everyone appeared to end up having fun with it. Coaches and general managers embraced their children or spouses being on camera and draft picks got to watch from home comfortably instead of waiting in a green room.
Even normally stodgy New England coach Bill Belichick got into the spirit of things by giving his dog, an Alaskan Klee Kai named Nike, some television time.
“I thought coaches and general managers were going to lock themselves in a room and it was the opposite. Every time I looked up there was more family around,” Markman said. “I think it speaks to the coaches that when this is done, they can remember it is OK not to be in the office at all times.”
Miami coach Brian Flores, who was shown celebrating picks with sons Miles and Maxwell in his office, said it was important for fans to see another side of him.
“When I think about being a coach, you want to help players become good players but good people, good husbands, good fathers, good sons; and I think we, as coaches, need to be good examples of that,” said Flores, whose young daughter, Liliana, at times sat on his lap. “I think that was evident. It was nice to see everyone’s families.”
Each day attracted record audiences. Thursday’s first round averaged 15.6 million, Friday’s second and third rounds 8.2 million and Saturday’s final four rounds 4.2 million. ESPN and NFL Network had a combined production all three days while ABC had separate telecasts Thursday and Friday before simulcasting the ESPN/NFL Network feed Saturday. ESPN Deportes also had a separate broadcast.
Below are the highlights of NFL Draft:
TOO UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL?
The biggest criticism of ESPN/NFL Network’s coverage was that discussions too often were focused on the personal tragedies in each prospect’s life, which ended up dominating the telecast at times. The storytelling and off-the-field stories are a huge part of ABC’s coverage the first two nights while many expected ESPN to stick more to the X’s and O’s.
Social Media Feedback
Markman said they have seen feedback on social media and that it is something they will evaluate in the future in order to strike the right balance.
“Our intention is in some cases talk about and celebrate the obstacles these kids overcame in an amazing moment. If that’s not coming across as well that is something we need to look at,” he said. “Our company puts a huge emphasis on storytelling. We don’t go as in-depth on the human stories on the ESPN coverage, but we do need to self-scout a little more. If three straight kids are picked who have overcome huge obstacles, we have to be disciplined in our approach so that it doesn’t take too much of a turn.”
When Tee Higgins was selected in the second round by the Cincinnati Bengals, the ABC broadcast discussed his mother’s battle with drug addiction and how she was an inspiration to the Clemson wide receiver. Her addiction was listed on an ESPN graphic without any additional context on that broadcast. Markman said that shouldn’t have happened and that ESPN apologized to Higgins.
Higgins said on Twitter he had “no problem with them showing the world that my mom is a true fighter.”
McSHAY’S ABSENCE
Analyst Todd McShay was to participate on television before he announced Thursday that he wouldn’t take part because he was recovering from the new coronavirus. McShay was supposed to be part of ABC’s telecast the first two days before moving to ESPN for the final four rounds.
“He has been focusing on his recovery. His mind should be on that and not on last-minute draft preparations,” Markman said. “Our top priority is the health and safety of all of our employees.”
PRETTY SMOOTH SAILING
Despite being spread out throughout the country, there were very few instances of analysts talking over one another, which Markman credited to his directors keeping everyone informed of what was happening.
Due to the quick-moving nature of Thursday’s first round, there weren’t many interviews with players. Markman said by the time players were done celebrating with their families and got into position to be interviewed, they already had the next selection. Interviews still took place but were distributed on ESPN and NFL digital channels, as well as some airing on ABC.
More Interesting Moments:
Announcing next year’s draft would go to Las Vegas … when he really meant 2022
Tipping the Dolphins’ second pick of the night
Accidentally leaving his NFL-partnered Microsoft Surface Pro, available now on Microsoft dot come and Best Buy, on the table next to him right before he went on national television. Damn. Every time
The waves. Oh, so many waves
Turning the idea of booing the commissioner into an ad campaign and framing it as a “draft day tradition” rather than it being an indictment of his job performance
Hyping up the fans on a series of screens, who, of course, could not hear him
A quick costume change around pick 16: from what-do-you-think-you-could-offer-this-company Goodell, to let’s-get-this-barbeque-started-shall-we Rog
Facebook easily made us not think about online privacy until it was too late. Users suddenly realized how they had turned Mark Zuckerberg into a titan of social media. Naturally, they claimed that collecting all your personal data made it easier to provide you with even better services. In actuality, it was to help them understand their users better as advertising targets.
GDPR Still Not Keeping You Private
This results in you winding up with dozens of tracking cookies downloaded to your browser which follow you everywhere you go. Even outside of where you originally started without asking for your permission. The GDPR was launched by the European Union to help stop that, but online privacy is still an issue.
You get that little popup asking you if you will accept a websites cookies or now, but most don’t really give you the option of opting out from any and all tracking. Even if you just hit the ‘X’ button, the site will assume you are fine with their cookies.
Peter Thiel
With the Coronavirus pandemic, Paypal founder Peter Thiel’s company Palantir is now playing a key role in collecting your data. Yes, it’s the same Peter Thiel who forced the website Gawker into shutting down. Palantir is one of the most powerful and not so well known collectors of user data. Now that they are getting government contracts, they will have free reign to track your every movement whether you are aware of it or not.
Best Free Privacy Focused Tools for 2020
Your browser may have settings and plugins to help better control your privacy, but you need something better if you want to have some privacy online. We’ve got some suggestions for the best free privacy web tools for 2020 that are truly focused on your security and privacy.
Brave (alternative privacy web browser)
Brave is one browser that give you back your privacy power while giving you a very speedy experience along with blocking trackers for your privacy and security. You can even earn rewards by opting into their ‘privacy-respecting’ ads which allows publishers to get some money for all their hard work.
This is optional, but as Brave blocks those intrusive data snatching ads and trackers, it’s not a bad payoff with the rewards. Since it blocks those clunky ads, Brave is able to load major news sites up to six times faster than Chrome, Firefox and Safari on both desktop and mobile.
You can use Tor in a tab which hides your history while also masking you location from the sites you visit by routing your browser through several servers. This is much like a VPN, and the connections are encrypted for better anonymity.
Petey Vid (for video search)
Petey Vid searches videos from over seventy platforms to give you a wide array of results. Remember back in the day, there were a lot of video search engines, but once Google bought YouTube, they all pretty much disappeared.
This one is amazing since they are the first video search engine that doesn’t save or sell your information. Now you can look for those ‘special’ videos without worrying about your privacy getting invaded!
Duck Duck Go (for web search)
Duck Duck Go has been around for a long time, and it’s super simple. You just install it to Chrome and you’re good to go. It blocks every hidden tracker out there while also encrypting your connections giving you full privacy. Unlike Google and other search engines, this one won’t track you even while you’re in private browsing mode aka incognito. They never track you, and we’ve tested it out to make sure of that.
You won’t find any ads on any of their searches, and that’s the way they like it.
Make 2020 your year for holding on to your online privacy and security with these three tools that all work great together.
It doesn’t matter if a pandemic hits like Covid-19, entrepreneurs will figure out a way to cash in on it. With staying at home a must now, video chats have suddenly got many businesses excited.
Tech companies are swearing they won’t get any of your personal information, but when companies show this much interest in your online conversations, you know they are smelling major money.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, this has become an era of Zoom birthdays, virtual happy hours, FaceTime story times and Google yoga classes. Our friends, coworkers, teachers — and doctors, if we’re lucky — now largely exist as faces in rectangles on our phones and computer screens.
With people’s social lives moved indefinitely online, a bevy of big and small tech companies want to unseat fast-rising Zoom from its perch atop the heap, given security concerns and other issues with the video-calling service. There were already several smaller contenders for the throne, and now there’s a big one as well: Facebook.
How Zoom Lucked Out
Zoom, which boasts 300 million users, had the luck to be in the right place at the right time just as millions of employees around the world suddenly found themselves ordered to work from home. But the service has always been focused on business users, and it shows. Inviting people to video chats is cumbersome — for instance, Zoom generates an invitation more than 20 lines long that offers a bewildering number of ways to connect (H.323/SIP protocol, anyone?). Its text-chat system is rudimentary and it gives people exactly two emojis for reacting to others in video — a wave and a thumbs-up.
Smaller services like Houseparty, which launched in 2016, think this gives them an opening. The app, owned by Fortnite maker Epic Games, lets up to eight people videochat together in virtual rooms, send video messages called “Facemail” and play games. Houseparty said in late April that it had 50 million new sign-ups in the past month — a figure that’s around 70 times above normal in some areas.
Facebook’s WhatsApp, Apple’s FaceTime and similar Google apps offer group video chat as well, although FaceTime is limited to iPhones and other Apple devices. So do a variety of more business-focused companies: Cisco with WebEx, Microsoft with Skype and Teams, and the smaller company 8×8 with its open-source service Jitsi.
Now Facebook aims to make a bigger splash in the field, although it will have to contend with privacy concerns and the question of whether it will ultimately show ads alongside video chat.
Messenger Rooms
Called Messenger Rooms, the Facebook service announced Friday uses virtual rooms similar to those that exist for text chat within Messenger. These let you open the door so your friends can swing by unannounced, or schedule a dinner party for 8 p.m. on a Friday. People without without Facebook accounts can be included, and the company says they won’t have to create accounts
The tool will live on Facebook’s main app and on Messenger; it will eventually spread to WhatsApp, Instagram Direct and the company’s Portal video calling device as well.
“It’s really nice because during this period when we are all home, a lot of people you probably won’t call directly,” said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, speaking to media outlets via a Messenger video call from his home in Palo Alto, California. “There is not really another piece of software out today that would create that kind of spontaneous serendipity.”
Zuckerberg said Facebook had been working on the service before the pandemic forced people around the world to confine themselves in their homes. And he thinks the trend toward video communication will stay after it’s over, even if it is at an “unnatural peak” right now. The company is also expanding the number of people who can join WhatsApp video calls from four to eight and adding a “virtual” option to its dating service.
“Certainly having everyone at home has shifted how we think about this,” Zuckerberg said.
While Facebook has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in usage amid the pandemic, it is not yet clear if that will stick if and when people return to normal. “Even though Zoom has had a hilarious assortment of security issues, Facebook strikes us as even less trustworthy,” said Carole Elaine Furr, an accountant in Richmond, Vermont, who is a frequent Zoom user.
Zoom Growing Pains
Zoom’s meteoric rise has come with some growing pains. Hackers have invaded meeting rooms to make threats, interject racist, anti-gay or anti-Semitic messages, or show pornographic images, although the company has taken steps to prevent that. It also faced privacy concerns, such as an “attention tracking” feature that Zoom eventually removed earlier this month. Zoom was also sued in California for sharing user data with Facebook — another practice it now says it has stopped.
The COVID-19 pandemic has “rewritten the rules for interpersonal communication,” said Ian Greenblatt, managing director and head of the J.D. Power technology, media and telecom intelligence business. For some companies, he said, this could mean a rare chance to build awareness and consumer loyalty. For others, the sudden influx of users — and new ways of using their tools — means new challenges.
Facebook says it will not listen into video calls or record what people show or tell. For this reason, should a virtual date veer X-rated, the company is unlikely to step in unless someone complains. Facebook says it has no plans right now to show ads on video calls or use information from them to target users with ads. Of course, that could change.
Tearing yourself away from the Casino can be tough, especially if you’re on a hot streak, but you’d do well to enjoy some leisure time every now and then to recharge the batteries. And there’s no better way to spend your quality time than watching gambling movies about your favorite real money games. Watching a gambling film is a great way to learn a bit about your favorite casino game, whether it’s craps, baccarat, free slot games, roulette, or poker. To help you make the right choice, here are 5 most rated gambling films by IMDB. So, bring out the popcorn, round up your friends, and let the show begin!
“Bad Times At The El Royale”
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
“Bad Times at the El Royale” was released to rapturous applause in October 2018. The film stars Hollywood heavyweights Chris Hemsworth, Jeff Bridges, John Hamm, and Dakota Johnson in what is an utterly absorbing crime, mystery drama. The gambling element resonates at a low level, but there are constant reminders that we are in a casino straddling the Nevada/California state line. The film is utterly absorbing, with stereotypical characters and fantastical plot twists. It’s about greed and lots of money. Plus, while it’s got plenty of laughs, suspense and action, there is a lot of heart in it too. Not what you would expect form this, but it’s a very welcome surprise.
“Casino”
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
“Casino” was released in 1995. It stars some of the most talented Hollywood heavyweights of all time, including Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, Don Rickles, and James Woods. Written by Nicholas Pileggi and directed by the hugely talented Martin Scorsese, “Casino” shattered records and remains one of the top 50 movies of all time. It scooped up 4 wins and 10 nominations.
“Ocean’s Eleven”
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Every once in a while, a great gambling movie is made. The film producers certainly weren’t gambling when they invested $85 million in “Ocean’s Eleven.” This box office success grossed an incredible $450.7 million worldwide, and it was released in 2001, barely a year after Casino. What makes “Ocean’s Eleven” a huge hit is its incredible storyline. The film is expertly crafted to deliver the ultimate heist. It stars titans of the big screen including Andy Garcia, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and Bernie Mac.
“Double Down”
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
What happens when you get four friends who are compulsive gamblers in the same room? As you can imagine, it leads to chaos and craziness! The four best friends who cannot say no to a wager get together in “Double Down” to come up with a scheme to pay off their debts to a mad hitman. Starring Jason Priestly of “Beverly Hills 90210” fame, this 1990s classic takes a look at whether money can win out over loyalty or love in an amusing way.
“Casino Royale”
IMDB Rating: 8/10
“Casino Royale” takes its title from the location where Bond has to defeat villain-of-the-day Le Chiffre in a multi-million dollar poker game. The film was a reboot of sorts, with Daniel Craig taking on the mantle of a rookie James Bond in a much grittier and more realistic portrayal of the character.
Whether you like them or hate them, mobile apps are a necessity of our times. Companies have identified unique gaps in the smartphone user’s requirements.
Many reports and surveys predict a highly positive outlook for the mobile development market. As a result, the mobile developer population is bigger than before and the number of new mobile apps released is only increasing year-on-year. Even the revenue generated by the mobile app industry has scaled new heights.
This has led to several new revenue models like in-app purchases, in-app ads etc. An increasing number of studies also show that in-app advertising is going to be the key factor for mobile growth in the coming years.
As a business if you are planning to dip into this pool of mobile application development, then these are some of the most popular categories for app development:
1.On-demand apps
Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know what’s an on-demand app. On-demand apps are nothing but the connecting link between consumers and businesses.
Right from ride services like Uber and Lyft to grocery apps, beauty services, laundry, food delivery, and personal health, on-demand apps are everywhere. This presents a highly lucrative opportunity for app developers to tap into the vast business market and create on-demand apps for services that are not yet available online.
2. Utility-based apps
These are the most commonly used apps that we tend to take for granted. Some of these are even pre-installed in our devices and serve a specific, single purpose.
Some examples of utility mobile apps include reminder, calculator, flashlight, weather, maps, etc. Utility apps are always going to be in demand, but the market is quite saturated so it is important to select the correct niche.
3. Gaming/entertainment apps
Gaming and entertainment is a highly popular category and therefore very competitive. The user engagement and growth potential is high in gaming apps and there is a great scope for in-app advertising and other means of monetization.
The other cool thing about gaming apps is that they bring back the users multiple times in a week with little or no effort on part of the developers.
Some of the most successful games are highly addictive. To make them so, developers offer incentives to the users who return every day or for a certain number of days in a row.
Some examples include:
Angry Birds
Clash of Clans
Subway Surfer
Temple Run
4. Gambling/online casino
Online gambling and casinos have really taken off and gamblers love to play for real money online. The sheer amount of choice available on the free casino apps is mind-blowing. You can offer a wide range of supercasino games such as poker, slots, blackjack, or even sports betting.
Mobile app development companies are investing a great deal of time, money and research into new tech and platforms to keep the mobile gaming community on its toes. Choose the right platform that provides the best performance and immersive experience and be innovative. Don’t clone the countless other gaming or casino apps in the market.
5.News and information apps
News and information apps are another category that’s always in demand especially as they deliver live or minute-by-minute updates. News apps provide users with the information they are looking for in an easy to understand format.
Some popular media apps include Google News, Apple News, Flipboard, Feedly, Buzzfeed, Pocket etc. Again, the key here is not to clone the existing apps but to create content that is original, informative and mobile-friendly.
If you are creating a news app, find an innovative way to deliver the content and build a connection with your users.
6. More Popular Categories
Other popular categories include finance apps, mobile wallets, lifestyle apps such as dating and health, etc. Be sure to research your target market and technology stack well before you attempt to build your own mobile app.
Whenever there is confusion and panic as with the Coronavirus pandemic, there will be those trying to profit from it. Sadly, the division in America has only be emphasized by COVID-19, so it has been easier for fraudsters to exploit all the confusion out there.
It’s no wonder why there’s even more anxiety and frustration than ever in the United States. Read our guide to help feeling overwhelmed during this pandemic.
CLAIM: Relief checks being sent to U.S. taxpayers by the government under the coronavirus economic recovery bill will have to be paid back.
THE FACTS: Videos and online reports claiming that millions of Americans will have to repay the relief checks they receive from the federal government under the $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic recovery bill are not true. The government began issuing the one-time payments this week. Most adults who earned up to $75,000 will see a $1,200 payout, while married couples who made up to $150,000 can expect to get $2,400. Parents will get payments of $500 per child. The checks will be directly deposited into bank accounts or mailed to households, depending on how you’ve filed your tax returns in the past. In recent days, social media posts have falsely claimed there’s one catch to this money — that you’ll eventually have to pay it back.
“Next year, you’re automatically going to owe $1,200 come tax season,” one of the videos, viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube, falsely claims. The video was shared widely on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. The U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service, which are working to deliver the money to people, confirmed to media outlets that households will not have to pay back the money in next year’s tax filing. “This is not an advance and there is absolutely no obligation to pay it back,” Treasury spokeswoman Patricia McLaughlin said in an email.
The federal government uses information from 2018 or 2019 tax returns — whichever was filed most recently — to determine eligibility for the payouts. The confusion on social media appears to have stemmed from language in the economic rescue bill that refers to the checks as an “advance refund” because the money is being given out in the 2020 tax year, before Americans have even filed their tax returns for the year. The 2020 tax form has not been printed but the relief checks will not have any bearing on your income deductions next year, said Eric Smith, a spokesman for the IRS.
Relief Check Status Update
CLAIM: You can call a 1-800 number and enter your social security number to check on the status of the relief check the federal government is sending as part of the economic recovery bill.
THE FACTS: Social media users are posting hoax 1-800 numbers, urging people to call and check the status of their checks. The Internal Revenue Service isn’t currently accepting phone calls because of the coronavirus. False posts containing 800 numbers vary slightly; one text post, for example, says all you need to do is call the number and check using “the last 4 of your SS.” Another says to enter the last four digits of a social security number along with a zip code. In reality, people who typically do not file a tax return, such as Social Security recipients, can visit a new tool on the IRS site to fill out a form that will allow the government to directly deposit the checks into your bank account.
And on Wednesday, the IRS announced it was launching a “Get My Payment” site, where people can check the status of their relief check by entering basic, personal information including their social security number. The IRS has warned Americans of scam artists who might try to swindle you out of your relief check through fraudulent emails, text messages, websites or social media posts that request your banking or personal information. Such scams might describe the checks as “stimulus check” or “stimulus payment”; the official term the government is using to describe the money is “economic impact payment.”
Hydroxychoroquine Ban
CLAIM: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer banned hydroxychloroquine for use against COVID-19.
THE FACTS: Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs released a memo in March asking for physicians and pharmacists not to stockpile hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. A false post circulating on Facebook claims that Gov. Whitmer banned the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine after President Donald Trump began pushing for its use against the coronavirus. “She banned a drug because President Trump said it was helping treat the Wuhan virus. Now, she’s begging the federal government to send her as much of that same drug as they can spare,” a post being shared on Facebook post falsely claimed.
David Harns, communications interim director at the Michigan licensing department — known as LARA — told media outlets that the drug is not banned in Michigan. “LARA recognizes the ability of prescribers to make proper clinical decisions regarding these drugs, including the need to follow responsible prescribing practices to combat drug hoarding and to prevent unnecessary shortages.” President Donald Trump has been pushing for chloroquine and a newer similar drug called hydroxychloroquine to be used against the coronavirus after some small tests suggested the drugs might prevent the virus or help patients recover sooner. The drugs have long been known to have potentially serious side effects, like altering the heartbeat, which could lead to sudden death, according to reporting.
Hydroxychloroquine is officially approved for treating malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, but not COVID-19. On March 24, Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs released a memo saying hydroxychloroquine was being prescribed without a legitimate medical purpose. The memo stated that Michigan physicians should not be filling the prescription if there is no medical purpose. A few days later, the office released another memo clarifying their statement, warning against stockpiling the drug. “The purpose of the communication was to remind both prescribers and dispensers of their continued obligation to adhere to the standards of practice and exercise the professional judgment applicable to their professions,” the statement read.
The statement goes on to warn against stockpiling the drugs for use in treating COVID-19 because it could create a shortage for patients with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other ailments for which the drugs are proven treatments. Henry Ford Health System in Michigan treated 800 COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine in March.
China Buys Smithfield Foods
CLAIM: Smithfield Foods was sold recently to China. The hogs will still be raised in the U.S., but slaughtered and packaged for sale in China before being sent back here.
THE FACTS: Smithfield Foods does not import any products from China to the U.S. Social media users began resharing the false claim following the closure of a Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota on Sunday due to hundreds of employees testing positive for the coronavirus. The false claim has been circulating online since 2014. Smithfield Foods was sold to Chinese pork giant WH Group in 2013.
Jenna Wollin, a spokeswoman for Smithfield Foods, told media outlets that the claims circulating online were false. “No Smithfield products come from animals raised, processed, or packaged in China,” she said. “All our U.S. products are made in one of our nearly 50 facilities across America. These products are produced in compliance with the strict standards and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other federal and state authorities.” Posts with the false claim, which were shared hundreds of times, told social media users to “read this before buying meat.”
5G iPhone Fires
CLAIM: Video shows an incoming call to a 5G iPhone setting steel wool on fire.
THE FACTS: The flames captured in the video were added through a digital effect. In addition, Apple has not yet launched 5G capable phones yet. A video surfaced on social media with claims that electromagnetic waves from a 5G iPhone can set steel wool on fire. In the video, an iPhone is surrounded by steel wool.
When the phone receives an incoming call, the wool appears to catch fire. The video has been manipulated. When viewed frame by frame, a quick transition can be seen just before the steel wool begins to sparkle with what appears to be flames. The video showed up in January on social media, and it reemerged recently as conspiracy theories began circulating around 5G wireless service and the coronavirus pandemic. While Apple has not launched 5G capable phones, experts say a ringing cellphone would not set steel wool — which is highly flammable — on fire.
“The phone itself doesn’t emanate some massive power,” Muriel Médard, professor of electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told the media outlets in a telephone interview. “It couldn’t even if it wanted to.” She also emphasized that 5G wireless is relying on fairly conventional systems. People have been using these wireless frequencies already. In recent weeks, there has been a surge in conspiracy theories linking COVID-19 to the expansion of 5G wireless. There’s no evidence to support any link between the two, as has been reported.
Water Cannon Blasts NYC Jewish Funeral
CLAIM: Video shows New York City police blasting an Orthodox Jewish funeral with a water cannon.
THE FACTS: The video was filmed in Jerusalem in November 2017, when a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews were protesting compulsory military service. A Twitter user shared a video of a group of people in a street being blasted with a powerful water cannon, claiming the incident occurred in New York City during the coronavirus pandemic. “In Brooklyn, NY there was a Jewish funeral and the police went to stop them so they started to protest.
NYPD brought in a Firetruck,” the user falsely claimed. The video, captured on November 26, 2017, during protests in Jerusalem, can be found in media archives. According to media reports, Israeli police doused a crowd of protesters with “skunk” spray — water mixed with a foul-smelling chemical — to clear a road they were blocking. Due to the pandemic, limits have been placed on social gatherings, including religious observances. Several weeks ago, fire department officials in New York gained public attention when they broke up a large Hasidic wedding. Orthodox Jewish leaders, however, said at the time that their communities are discouraging group gatherings.
While the Coronavirus pandemic has forced many people to isolate themselves at home, this isn’t stopping film buffs from coming together to watch plenty of movies….together. It might not be physically together, but in today’s world, ‘together’ takes on a whole different meaning.
There are 44 people in the Social Distance Movie Club’s Slack channel, where co-workers at Crooked Media have had discussions about everything from a Dwayne Johnson earthquake film to Faye Dunaway’s turn as Joan Crawford in “Mommie Dearest.”
It doesn’t have anything to do with the work that’s done at the Los Angeles company, which produces podcasts like Pod Save America (it’s also helped raise over $1 million for coronavirus relief ). But for the past few weeks of working from home, it’s become a way for the staff to pause the news and escape into the world of film together.
With theaters closed and most of the country staying home, virtual viewing parties are surging in popularity. They simulate the experience of going out to the movies, and you don’t even have to pass the popcorn.
Michael Martinez, Crooked Media’s executive producer for news and politics, got the Social Distance Movie Club going with The Rock in “San Andreas.” Since then, they’ve viewed “National Treasure” and “Road House.”
“It started as a funny thing to do,” Martinez said. “But it’s preserved part of the experience of being at the office when you talk to someone in the kitchen about, say, the Keanu Reeves movie you watched the weekend before.”
It’s not just friends and co-workers, either. Movie studios, actors and even some publications are bringing people together online around the shared viewing of a film through Twitter hashtags, long a staple of appointment television.
MGM Tries Legally Blonde
MGM Studios two weeks ago held a “Legally Blonde” watch party, streaming the beloved Reese Witherspoon comedy for free on Facebook on a Friday morning.
Stephen Bruno, the chief marketing officer at MGM, said they were looking for ways to entertain and decided to mine their library for joyous titles. “Legally Blonde” was an obvious choice.
When they reached out to Witherspoon to see if she’d be on board, Bruno paraphrased the star: “She said something to the effect of, ’Everybody could use a little Elle Woods positivity right now.” Witherspoon and her co-star Victor Garber helped views spike with social media mentions.
And people turned out, with as many as 1.1 million tuning in over the course of the film, with a peak of 22,300 simultaneous views.
“We were impressed with the numbers,” said Bruno. “The hope is we can do more.”
Focus Features
Focus Features tried it out with “Emma,” enlisting Turner Classic Movies host Alicia Malone to lead a discussion on Twitter at a designated time. But viewers had to rent that title for $19.99 if they wanted to follow along. The studio is also starting Movie Mondays, a free series, on Facebook, with links to donate to the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Movies include “Moonrise Kingdom,” on April 13 at 8PM EST.
Not everyone is putting pressure on watching together, though. The American Film Institute started the AFI Movie Club that is curating daily selections with high-profile introductions, from Steven Spielberg to Brad Pitt.
Availability of movies online can be an issue. It’s one thing for a group of people to agree on a film. It’s another to find one that’s also streaming on a site where everyone is signed up with an account.
That’s a problem that film writer Tomris Laffly encountered with her group of friends. Instead of Slack, they watch together through the application “Netflix Party,” a Google Chrome extension that lets multiple computers stream the same film simultaneously with a chat window on the side of the screen. The only catch is that it has to be on Netflix for it to work.
“It looks like there’s a lot to watch on the Netflix library, but there actually isn’t when you boil it down to movies that everybody wants to see,” Laffly said.
So far they’ve watched “Magnolia,” “Tootsie” and “Kingpin.”
Time Zone Trouble
Time zones can also prove challenging. Her group of eight people are all in New York. It’s been more difficult scheduling something with her sister, who lives in California and has a 3-year-old.
Billy Donnelly, a film fan in North Carolina, curated his own coronavirus-themed film festival for friends and family from movies available on Amazon Prime and Netflix that they could then come back and discuss together on Facebook or Instagram.
“They could do it on their own time, at their own pace,” he said. “We need human contact right now and this is close.”
The films included “Groundhog Day,” “Miracle Mile,” “Space Jam,” “The Interview” and “Snowpiercer.”
The virtual viewing parties have provided a welcome distraction for many in these homebound times. But it’s not necessarily a permanent substitute for the alternative.
“Everybody is just really excited to have something to do,” Laffly said. “Afterwards hopefully we can continue, but in person.”
As the Coronavirus is wreaking havoc around the world, and knocking the wind out of Hollywood, Disney is making adjustments. While closing down everything Disney related, they are keeping a positive outlook giving “Mulan” a pushed back summer release date. As many experts have predicted the Covid-19 pandemic may extend into the summer, don’t be surprised if “Mulan” gets pushed into the fall or just a streaming release.
Friday saw the Walt Disney Company overhauling its release schedule by moving the dates of half a dozen Marvel movies, announcing a new one for the live-action adaption of “Mulan” and pushing one movie, “Artemis Fowl,” to Disney Plus, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Black Widow
“Black Widow,” the Marvel entry starring Scarlett Johansson, had been set to kick off the summer movie season. Instead, Disney said it will now open Nov. 6. Such delays have unique ramifications for Marvel movies because of their interconnection. With “Black Widow” on the move, that meant a domino effect, pushing most all upcoming Marvel releases back at least three months.
“Black Widow” took the release date of “The Eternals,” which now moves to February 21 next year. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” departs that February date for May 7, 2021. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” shifts from next May to Nov. 5, 2021. And “Thor: Love and Thunder” is pushed three months, to Feb. 18, 2022.
Captain Marvel 2
“Captain Marvel 2” is set to hit theaters July 8, 2022 replacing another untitled Marvel movie that was supposed to be released on July 29, 2022.
Directors of the original “Captain Marvel,” aren’t expected to return as Megan McDonnell has been reported to be writing the script. Marvel is still on the hunt for a new director.
“Captain Marvel,” set in the 1990s, was a prequel that explored the origin story starring Brie Larson. The sequel is said to be set in present day, and fans are very curious as to how the character will fit into the present Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Captain Marvel is the most powerful being in the entire universe, which came in rather handy for “Avengers: Endgame” when it came to take out Thanos. We have heard that the film may cover her travels around the universe defeating other enemies. Theories have abounded that Marvel is working up the storyline of Kree vs Skrull war in the next franchise series of films, so “Captain Marvel 2” could provide a great key in that puzzle.
Sam Raimi for Captain Marvel 2 director
As we were writing this, I’ve had three good sources that Sam Raimi is who Marvel really wants for the sequel.
Mulan
Disney isn’t abandoning the summer completely. “Mulan,” which been scheduled for March and already had its red carpet premiere, will now open July 24. The company also didn’t move the Pixar release “Soul” from its June 19 release date. Those plans, of course, are subject to movie theaters being reopened by then and the pandemic subsiding.
Artemis Fowl
While Disney shifted nearly all of its big-budget movies, it’s going to send one to its streaming service. The Kenneth Branagh-directed science fiction adventure adaptation “Artemis Fowl” will go to Disney Plus instead of opening in theaters. The movie had originally been slate for release last August but had been rescheduled for May of this year. With the exception of Universal’s “Trolls World Tour,” the major studios have chosen to delay their top releases rather than push them to digital release and sacrifice box-office revenue.
Jungle Cruise
“Jungle Cruise,” with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, is being pushed back a full year to July 30, 2021. The release of the fifth “Indiana Jones” movie, which Steven Spielberg last month departed as director with James Mangold replacing him, is also being delayed a full year, to July 2022. Harrison Ford will be 80 years old by then.
Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” is also postponed from July to Oct. 16.
Shutting yourself in at home or self-isolating during the Coronavirus pandemic causes enough worry and anxiety, but for those suffering from toxic worrying, it can be too much to handle. For those who haven’t heard of toxic worrying, this article explains everything in detail and how to help manage it during these very stressful times.
You might be surprised to find that you might be affected by this or someone you care about.
What is Toxic Worrying?
Worry is a natural emotion and, in some situations, it can help us be more productive. However, if you find yourself excessively worrying over everything in your life, it can have a significant negative impact on your health and wellbeing.
Toxic worrying can really take over your day to day life. If left untreated, it can also cause you to become sick. So, what exactly is toxic worrying and how can it impact your life? Below, you’ll discover everything you need to know.
What is it?
Toxic worrying is where your worries take over your life. You’ll worry excessively, which in turn leads to a number of health and wellbeing issues.
With normal worries, you’ll be aware of them, but you’ll still manage to control the situation. With toxic worries, it’s like they replay over and over in a cycle.
They are continuous and they actually prevent you from taking action to solve the problem.
So, toxic worrying is a type of worry that you can’t control, and it often takes over your life.
Why does it happen?
There are a lot of things that can contribute to toxic worrying. The most common include:
Feeling vulnerable and insecure
Lack of control
Negativity breeds negativity
Anxiety disorders
Stress
These are just some of the main causes of toxic worry. Feeling insecure and vulnerable is one of the most common. The more vulnerable you feel, the more you’ll worry about the things around you. Similarly, if you feel like you don’t have control over a situation, it can lead to a lot of distress, frustration, and worry.
Of course, there is also the fact that negativity breeds negativity. So, the more you worry, the bigger those worries will become. Toxic worrying often starts out as healthy worry. Then, the more you focus and concentrate on your worries, the bigger they start to become until they eventually take over.
Toxic worrying can also be a sign of a more severe anxiety disorder. Worry is a common symptom of anxiety and if left untreated, it can quickly take over your life.
Finally, stress can play a major role in worry. The more stressed you become, the worse your worries will be.
How can it impact your life?
The trouble with toxic worrying, is that it can have a drastic impact on your health and wellbeing. The longer the worry continues, the worse the side effects will be.
You’ll start to notice your physical health is slowly deteriorating. Toxic worrying leads to issues with headaches, nausea, dizziness and stomach aches. Many people are unaware that high levels of worry and stress can have a drastic impact on their physical health. It reduces the effectiveness of the immune system, leading to a lot more minor illnesses.
As well as the physical symptoms, you’ll commonly have trouble sleeping. You may struggle to fall asleep, or you may have trouble staying asleep. The minute you wake up you’ll also find your mind goes straight to worry.
Fatigue is another common symptom. When you spend so much time worrying, it starts to wear you out mentally.
This can leave you feeling constantly tired, particularly if you’re also having trouble sleeping.
In extreme cases, toxic worrying can cause you to avoid things. You could start to avoid going out for example, or you avoid certain situations to reduce the worry. When it starts to interfere with your daily life, that’s when you need to look into managing it.
These are just some of the ways toxic worrying can impact your life. The longer it is left untreated, the worse it will become. Therefore, identifying the signs of toxic worry and taking steps to combat the issue is crucial for your health and wellbeing.
Understanding the Different Types of Toxic Worrying
Did you know that there are different types of worriers? If you’re looking to control your toxic worry, it helps to understand which type you’re suffering with.
There are a lot of different types of toxic worry. Below, we’ll look at some of the main types you may be experiencing.
Generalized toxic worry
With generalized toxic worry, there is no one cause. You’ll worry about everything from finances to relationships. The worry is continuous, and it really impacts your day to day life.
This is actually the most common type of worry. You’ll find it hard to get a break from the worry and anxiety, and there may be no particular trigger.
Social worry
how you come across in social situations. You’ll feel uncomfortable around people and fear being judged by those around you.
There are different levels of severity with social worry. It may simply make you feel uncomfortable and anxious while you’re out. Or, in severe cases it could make you avoid social situations completely.
Perfection worry
None of us are perfect. However, those suffering with perfection worry tend to feel like they should be. You’ll scrutinize everything you do, berating yourself for not doing better.
It could be perfectionism at work, at home or within your social circle. While a little perfectionism can actually be healthy, too much quickly becomes toxic.
With this type of worry, it causes extreme distress if you don’t do things as well as you feel you should. It can impact productivity and prevent you from taking on opportunities as you’ll start to believe you won’t be good enough
Fear of making mistakes
Fear is a common emotion, but it can easily take over your life. This is especially true when you’re scared of making mistakes.
The truth is, we all make mistakes and it is how we learn from them that makes us better ourselves. When you have toxic worry relating to the fear of making a mistake, you’ll start to avoid taking on opportunities.
If you do suffer a failure, you’ll take it personally. You’ll struggle to move on, and you’ll spend most of your time worrying about what you did wrong.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
In some cases, toxic worry can be related to post-traumatic stress disorder. While this is the least common type of toxic worrying, it can still be a potential cause.
With this type of toxic worrying, it occurs after a stressful and traumatic experience. It could be an accident you’ve suffered, or a death of a loved one for example. In order to avoid going through the experience again, your mind starts to worry more, and you’ll be triggered by a variety of things that remind you of the incident.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a serious condition which requires professional treatment.
Why recognizing your toxic worry is important
So, why is recognizing the type of toxic worry you’re experiencing important?
The different types of toxic worry have a slightly different impact on your health and wellbeing. They also require a different form of management. Some will require professional help, while others can be managed successfully by yourself.
It is only after you have identified the type of toxic worry you’re experiencing, that you can work out how to get past it.
Toxic worrying can have a debilitating impact on your life. The above are some of the main types of toxic worry you may recognize in yourself. No matter what type of worry you’re dealing with, it’s important to find a way to treat it before it worsens.
Signs You’re a Toxic Worrier
Now you know what toxic worrying is, the question is how can you determine if you’re a toxic worrier?
There are lots of signs and symptoms you can watch out for. Identifying toxic worry early on gives you the best chance of getting it under control quickly.
Here, you’ll discover some of the most common signs you’re a toxic worrier.
Physical symptoms to watch out for
While worry is largely associated with mental and emotional symptoms, it can cause a lot of physical issues too. Just some of them include:
Headaches
Frequent stomach aches
Weight gain or weight loss
Dry and spotty skin
Racing heartbeat
The stress caused by toxic worrying is what largely triggers the physical symptoms. Did you know for example, that the digestive system has the same amount of nerves as your brain? So, when something is off, you’ll be prone to issues like stomach aches.
When you’re worried, it can either make you go off your food, or overindulge in it. If you’ve gone off your food, you’re going to start losing weight as you won’t be consuming enough calories. If you overindulge, you’ll gain weight quite quickly.
The more you worry, the faster your heart will beat. A racing heartbeat can cause nausea and dizziness, as well as heightened anxiety. These are the main physical symptoms of toxic worrying you’ll want to watch out for.
You avoid situations
Often, when you worry so much about something, you’ll start to avoid it. Social worry is a good example of this.
Those who struggle with social related worry, start to avoid going out or being in social situations which make them uneasy. Those who worry consistently about money may start to avoid looking at bills and ignoring the problem.
Whatever it is you are worried about, your mind will come up with creative ways to avoid the situation. Unfortunately, this can have a detrimental effect on your mental health.
You tend to over plan
A common symptom of toxic worry is over-planning. This means you’ll follow a strict routine, planning ahead for any eventuality.
If you fail to plan, it sends you into a panic. You won’t deal with the unexpected very well and change won’t be something you’re excited about.
Constant worry over the future
Do you constantly find yourself worrying over the future? If so, this could be a symptom of toxic worry.
There is nothing wrong with worrying a little over uncertainty. It’s natural to feel anxious and nervous over the future. However, if your worries are constant and you worry about every little thing that could happen, it’s a sign that it isn’t normal.
Sleep troubles
One of the tell-tale signs of toxic worrying is sleep troubles. When you have a lot on your mind, it’s extremely difficult to switch it off. This can mean you’ll find it really difficult to get off to sleep.
Or, you could find it difficult to stay asleep. Those who suffer from toxic worry tend to wake up frequently throughout the night. As soon as they awake, they begin worrying which in turn makes it hard to get back to sleep.
It is a vicious circle that can be really difficult to get out of. As you experience sleep troubles, it can also start to affect your health and wellbeing.
As you can see, there are a lot of symptoms of toxic worrying. The above are some of the most common you might recognize within yourself. If you do suspect you’re suffering with toxic worry, it’s important to take steps to start controlling it. The good news is, regardless of how bad the worries have become, there is help available to manage and eliminate it.
How to Manage Toxic Worrying
Identifying toxic worry is one thing but learning to manage it is entirely another. When you’re gripped by worry, it can be really difficult to switch it off. This is especially true if you’ve been dealing with toxic worrying for a long time.
So, how can you manage toxic worrying? Here, you’ll discover some of the best strategies you can follow.
Talk to someone you can trust
One of the best pieces of advice you can follow when you’re dealing with toxic worry, is to talk to someone. Bottling up your worries and keeping them to yourself is only going to make them worse.
Ideally, you’ll want to talk to a friend or family member. Often, when we express our worries and concerns, it takes some of the power away from them. The more you talk things through, the easier you’ll start finding it to manage your worries.
Plus, talking to someone else gives you the opportunity to identify solutions you might not have thought of. Even if it doesn’t, simply offloading your worries can make the world of difference.
If you don’t have a friend or family member you feel comfortable talking to, don’t be afraid to go to a professional. A therapist can help you identify the worry and help with the best ways to manage it.
Exercise regularly
One of the most common pieces of advice you’ll find when trying to deal with toxic worry, is to exercise regularly.
Have you ever noticed how great you feel after a good workout? When you exercise, the brain produced feel-good hormones. It helps to combat stress, worry and it boosts self-confidence.
If you’re low on confidence, this can actually be a cause of toxic worry. So, anything you can do to improve it, will also reduce how much you worry.
Other great benefits of exercising regularly for toxic worry include improved sleep, enhanced mood and better weight management.
Bring structure into your life
In order to combat worry, it can really help to have some level of structure in your life. This means, having a daily routine you can follow. There are some great books that can help you find that structure.
As a lot of worry centers around uncertainty, having a structure in place can prove invaluable. So, if you don’t currently have a routine, now is the time to start one.
Begin by creating a set morning and evening routine. Start small and introduce new healthier habits slowly. The more you work on your routine, the more in control you’ll feel of your life.
Ensure you get plenty of sleep
We’ve talked about the effects a lack of sleep can have on toxic worry. So, if you’re looking to eliminate the problem, you’re going to want to focus on getting plenty of sleep.
The question is, if toxic worry cases sleep disturbances, how can you get more of it? Well, it starts by creating the perfect sleep environment. Avoid technology for at least an hour prior to bed, make sure your bedroom is the right temperature and the room is clean and tidy. Sometimes even having the right scents around you can aid in falling asleep.
You can also write a worry list either early in the morning or just before bed. This allows you to write down your worries, getting them out of your head.
Analyze your worries
Finally, another way to manage toxic worrying is to analyze your worries. That is, writing them down and identifying whether they are genuine worries.
You can look at what you are worrying about and why. Then, challenge how you think about that particular worry. Is there another way to look at the situation? If you keep imaging the worst-case scenario, switch it up and start focusing on the best-case scenario. This will train the mind to start focusing more on the positives.
Managing toxic worrying isn’t always easy. However, the tips above can really help. Remember, it’s going to take some practice to start managing the things you’re worried about, particularly if you’re a natural worrier. However, if you focus and persist on the above, you’ll soon start to see a reduction in how much you worry.
Taking Control of Your Worries
While it may not seem like it, it is possible to take control of your worries. With a little patience, practice, and persistence, you can become calmer and learn how to take control over your worry as soon as it starts to occur.
If you’re looking to take back control over your worries, below you’ll discover some of the best ways to do it.
Arm yourself with facts
You’ll often find that toxic worry stems from either a lack of information or the wrong information. You could be worrying about something that you don’t fully understand for example.
So, if you want to take control, you’re going to want to arm yourself with facts. Learn everything you can about the thing you’re worrying about.
The more knowledgeable you are about the thing you’re worried about, the less you’ll actually worry.
Create a plan
Having a plan in place to combat toxic worry is also a good idea. For this, you’ll need to write down all of the things you’re worried about.
Once you have your worry list, you can start to think of ways to reduce them. Create an action plan for each one of your worries. How can you eliminate the worry and what steps will you need to take? Creating a little to-do list of things you can do to reduce the worry can also really help. As you tick off the tasks, you’ll start to feel more in control of the situation.
Allow yourself small worry windows
Of course, not worrying at all would the best possible outcome. However, you need to recognize that it’s healthy to worry sometimes.
Rather than trying to ignore your worries, it can really help to make time to acknowledge them. Setting aside small windows of time each day which allow you to worry can help to control the situation.
You basically train your mind to worry only during these designated periods. Then, once the time is up, you aim to forget about your worries for the rest of the day. This creates a much healthier balance, ensuring you aren’t burying your head in the sand, but you also aren’t letting your worries take over either.
Challenge your thoughts
When you start to notice those negative worrying thoughts, it’s time to challenge them. It’s common to make your worries appear worse than they actually are. You’ll find yourself jumping to the worst conclusion, expecting things to turn out really badly.
The trouble is most of the time these thoughts aren’t factual. You’re literally worrying yourself sick and not leaving yourself open to the possibility that things won’t be as bad as you think.
By challenging your thoughts, you’ll get to see whether your worries are genuine concerns. It also gives you the opportunity to identify healthier, more positive ways to look at the situation.
Look at what the probability of the worst-case scenario happening is. Also look at whether the worry is helping or hindering the situation. If it isn’t helping, why are you giving it the power to control you?
However, stopping toxic worrying just because you know it isn’t helping isn’t exactly easy. That’s why you’ll need to work on challenging your negative thoughts and worries every single day.
Interrupt the cycle
A great way to take control of your worries is to interrupt the cycle. When you catch yourself worrying over something, turn your focus to something else. Even those sensory fidget toys can be a wonderful distraction.
Exercise is one of the best distraction techniques. As soon as you start to feel that worry building, get up and start moving. The exercise will both interrupt the worry cycle and help you to eliminate built up stress and anxiety. Meditation, deep breathing and reading are also great distractions you can try.
Overall, toxic worry can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing. However, there are ways to tackle and control it. The above are some of the best things you can try to take control over toxic worry and start living a happier, healthier life.
Since the
Coronavirus hit, one of the top
streaming movies has been “Contagion” from 2011 starring Matt Damon, Kate
Winslet, Laurence Fishburne and Jennifer Ehle. While it’s a Hollywood version,
it feels very real with all that is
happening today.
If nothing
else, the film will show you how important washing your hands and keeping away
from others during this novel pandemic virus.
The frustration of a government leader not doing enough while states and people are crying enough. Even Donald Trump declaring yesterday that governors better show him appreciation or he won’t take their call for help makes it feel like we are living in a movie with this pandemic waiting for that magical event where everything becomes better again hoping that lessons are learned.
The stars of
the virus thriller “Contagion” — a prescient film these days — have reunited
for a series of public service announcements to warn about COVID-19.
Damon, Fishburne, Winslet,
and Ehle have all teamed up with scientists from Columbia University’s Mailman
School of Public Health to offer four individual homemade videos.
“Wash your hands like your
life depends on it,” Winslet says in her PSA. “Because right now, in
particular, it just might.”
Ehle stresses that the
coronavirus is novel, meaning no one is immune. “Every single one of us,
regardless of age or ethnicity, is at risk of getting it,” she says.
“Contagion,” directed by
Steven Soderbergh, explores a scenario in which a lethal and fast-moving
influenza is spreading around the world.
Damon, who in the film
played a character who was immune to the hypothetical virus, also stresses
listening to experts and staying 6 feet apart. “That was a movie. This is real
life,” he says. “I have no reason to believe that I’m immune to COVID-19. And
neither do you.”
Fishburne appeals to
helping medical staff on the front line. “If we can slow this thing down, it
will give our doctors and our nurses in our hospitals a fighting chance to help
us all get through this thing together,” he says.
For most people, the new
coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that
clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people
with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including
pneumonia and death.
For the PSA,
the actors worked with the same experts who were consultants on the film.
There are more than 640,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases around the globe with more than 112,000 confirmed cases in the United States, a staggering jump from Thursday’s total of closer to 500,000. More than 29,000 people have died, including over 1,800 in the United States. At least 137,000 have recovered, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
I honestly did not think it was possible to be even MORE emotional and off-balance while watching the last episodes of “Supernatural” – but for this week’s episode, that turned out not to be true. Not only are we in the midst of a global pandemic and in the last eight episodes of the series, we learned shortly before the new episode aired that it would be the last one to air for an indeterminate amount of time.
Showrunner Andrew Dabb broke the news, saying that while they
had filmed through episode 18 of 20, the post-production was only finished
through this week’s episode, 15.13. So Monday’s episode, Destiny’s Child, will
be the last episode of “Supernatural” to air in its regular planned manner. The
last one perhaps to air in this season, with no clue when it will be safe to
finish the ones that are filmed or to film the ones that are not. Dabb, along
with producer Jim Michaels and Misha Collins by video yesterday, did reassure
the stunned fandom that they would, at some point, return to “finish what we
started.”
A fandom that was already dealing with a lot is now dealing
with a lot more! All those things made watching this week’s episode a different
experience than it usually is for me. I was incredibly grateful to HAVE a new
episode to watch, to pull me out of that always lurking anxiety that keeps
threatening to overwhelm me, and to give me a healthy and welcomed escape for
an hour. “Supernatural” has been both an inspiration and a healthy escape for
me for going on fifteen years, and once again, I was acutely aware that I need
it more than ever. There was a little bit of panic at the thought of not having
it anymore as we go through this very difficult time in isolation, I’m not
gonna lie. New episodes are all encompassing for me in a way that rewatching
old episodes is not, though rewatches are definitely going to be part of my
plan going forward!
Destiny’s Child was a mixed bag, as pretty much of all Season
15 has been, but there were quite a few parts that I thoroughly enjoyed –
enough to pull me out of the present reality and make me forget for some
precious minutes that we’re living in a real life apocalypse! I’m so grateful
for that.
So, let’s wade in. The THEN included both Rachel Miner as Meg
and Gen Padalecki as Ruby. The entire fandom knew that Gen and Danneel would be
in this episode thanks to tons of promotion, but huh, why was Meg in there? I
was not spoiled for that return at the start of the episode, so I just filed it
away as maybe. I adore Rachel Miner and have wanted her to be back for a while.
Also there was a whole helluva lot of pizza in the THEN, which made me kinda
hungry. (That’s a good sign that you don’t have COVID19, so yay)
As the episode begins, Sam and Dean are startled out of doing
research by a weird noise, so they run down the hall to see what’s going on. As
they open the door to the Armory, a bright flash of light appears, and then a
lovely little Fiat. And Savage Garden’s “I Want You” starts to play!
This is an idiosyncratic detour, but I LOVE that song and it
is, for me, a “Supernatural” song. That’s because it was the music to one of
the very first “Supernatural” fan vids that I discovered when I first fell down
the rabbit hole of loving the show way back circa 2006. I had a youtube
playlist of maybe 20 videos that I used to watch over and over and over, and
that was one of them. (As I recall, it was pretty much still photos of Jensen
Ackles that someone had collected and put to music. As you do.)
I sat there grinning happily at just the music cue, and then
it got better. Close shot of one sockless ankle in a snazzy shoe stepping out
of the Fiat; close shot of yet another snazzy shoe stepping out of the other
side. Pull back to AU Sam and Dean from another universe (which we were all
also spoiled for but I didn’t even care because I was just GIMME!)
AUSam to AUDean: Bro, we did it!
The two fist bump – which made me grin even more because that’s what Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles do after every joint convention panel they do in real life, so it seemed like a little meta nod.
Actual Sam: Dean?
AUDean: Sam?
Actual Dean: Sam?
AUSam: Dean?
It was a Rocky Horror Picture Show moment, so I expected a
“Rocky?” “Uh” but honestly, it was just a wonderful little moment thanks to the
comedic talents of both these actors.
Actual Winchesters: What the hell?
AU Winchesters simultaneously: What the heck?
Then poof, they’re gone.
Me: Noooooooooooooooooo bring them back!
I
have a conflicted relationship with the writers of this episode (Eugenie
Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner), who have written some things that make me
furious but who also have written some solid episodes – or parts of episodes.
This scene and its dialogue were A+, so credit where it’s due. (That won’t be
the case for all of the episode, alas). But I’m all for what some of my
timeline was calling the “Fancychesters”.
Sam and Dean run off to tell Castiel, who responds with a
very understandable response: I’m not understanding you.
One of the things I loved about this episode was that it gave
the cast the opportunity to really show off their considerable gifts for subtle
humor. Misha Collins, in just that one line, made me laugh out loud. They are
all SO good at it, with their facial expressions and delivery. And credit too
for the writing that gives them the chance.
In pops Death to explain it. Sort of. The AU versions of Sam
and Dean were trying to escape their dying world as Chuck made good his threat
to wipe the slate clean and leave only this one standing. (I mean, it figures
the Winchesters would be the ones to escape, if anyone would!)
Billie: I have the next step. For Jack.
I
cringed a bit at that, because while I enjoy the character of Jack, I don’t
want him to be the one to save the day at the end of it all. He can help, but
if it’s Jack-saves-us-all I will not be a happy camper.
Jack walks in at that moment, munching on a sandwich.
Jack: I’m ready.
Billie seems skeptical, saying that he needs to find
something called the Occultum. Which she doesn’t explain and says she has no
idea where it is.
Dean: (deadpans) Okay thanks. Big help.
Honestly, she isn’t. I’m not sure really what game Death is
playing or whether she really is on their side at all. I guess we’ll see…
In the next scene, Dean and Sam sit at the table of research,
Sam on his laptop, Dean playing with a rubber band and being
uncharacteristically quiet. Honestly,
I’m not that hard to please, Show. Give me lots of Sam and Dean being Sam and
Dean and I’m a pretty happy camper. Especially if we get to listen in on some
actual substantive conversation. So this scene made me happy.
Sam tries to get his brother’s attention, and Dean finally
turns to Sam, saying he’s been thinking.
Me: Oooh. Yes, please.
Dean puts words to what most of us were saying last week –
why is no one worrying about this whole “kill God” plan knocking the universe
out of balance re Amara? We’ve been told over and over again that the balance
needs to be maintained. Finally Dean puts that out in the open, suggesting that
maybe Jack needs to kill her too.
Sam: Who takes over? Jack?
Jack strolls in having just learned how to blow a bubble with
his gum.
Dean: (deadpan) Probably not.
Score
another hit for the humor and the acting in this episode.
Castiel joins the discussion as he hangs up the phone with
Sergei, who it sometimes seems like he chats with more often than anyone else
nowadays. He tries to tell Sam and Dean the history of what happened to the
Occultum, but Dean keeps interrupting.
Cas: Then it was…
Dean (interrupting excitedly): Plundered by
pirates?
Cas: No.
Dean: Dug up by tomb raiders?
Cas: NO.
OMG I was laughing out loud. Misha and Jensen were both
perfect in conveying Dean’s little boyish almost-glee and Castiel’s growing
impatience with said little boyish almost glee.
Add to that Jared making Sam’s perfect bitch face and the whole scene
was perfection.
Turns
out it’s Sister Jo who had the Occultum – so we get to see Danneel Ackles once
again.
I wrote last week about understanding how important it
probably is for the cast and crew to have the people they’re close to in real
life on the show one more time before it ends, so I get it. I still sort of
wish we had gotten a final season that was just tightly focused on wrapping up
the actual story instead of multiple guest stars in every episode, but it is
what it is. Danneel did a great job as always, and there was a cute little wink
wink nudge nudge exchange with Sam and Dean.
Sister Jo: You want me to be on your side?
Against God?
Dean: Well, we are better looking…
Sister Jo: No.
I laughed out loud again, Danneel’s delivery as comedically
excellent as everyone else’s. I sort of felt like defending the adorable Rob
Benedict though!
Sister Jo tells the Winchesters that the demon Ruby has the
Occultum, and we see a flashback of the two of them back in the early seasons
timeline for Ruby – which makes very little sense. Anael was in Heaven doing
some clerk level job until the fall, so how was she also co-conspirators with
early seasons Ruby?
Anael to Ruby: Suits you better than the blonde.
So, she and Ruby were ‘buds’ even before Ruby was in this
meatsuit?
It doesn’t mesh well with canon either in that Ruby was
terrified at just the rumor of an angel being on Earth back in the early
seasons. They also talk about Lucifer and Michael in a flashback at some point,
and someone on my timeline pointed out that Ruby bragged about being so awesome
because no one knew about her working with Lucifer except Lilith. And now, I
guess, her buddy Anael?
I’ll have to handwave because there’s nothing else to do, but
it made it seem like Gen and Danneel were sort of shoehorned in. Which, again,
I get the appeal of that, but it’s tough for me to have to try to forget the
show’s actual canon to appreciate it.
That said, Gen and Danneel were good together, crackling with
that mix of insults and mutual appreciation that always makes for the best
fanfic. If there’s not some out there already, I’m surprised.
Sister Jo tells Sam and Dean that Ruby stashed the Occultum
in hell, and for some reason I can’t fathom, they believe her and decide to go
to hell to retrieve it. Yes. Just like that.
Meanwhile, Jack and Castiel have a nice chat while Jack chows
down on all the food in the bunker (pizza again!) and makes me even MORE
hungry. It was helpful to hear Jack’s state of mind now that he’s back about
being soulless, which we haven’t gotten that much insight into recently.
Jack: I can’t feel things the way I used
to…
Alex
Calvert did a great job of portraying Jack as soulless but still striving to do
the right thing and make sense of it all.
Jack: I understand joy and sadness, but
those things are not in me. I understand
why Sam and Dean are sad about what happened to Mary…
Cas: What you did to Mary.
Jack says yes, but it’s clear he has only an intellectual
understanding of what happened and why things are so different with the
Winchesters. As Jack says, especially with Dean.
Castiel tries to explain.
Cas: Dean, he feels things more acutely
than any human I’ve ever known.
[Honestly,
I think Sam and Dean BOTH feel things very acutely, they just react to them
differently behaviorally]
Also meanwhile, Cas discovers that the AU Winchesters are
trapped between worlds, amusing themselves or trying to make decisions with
Rock, Paper, Scissors just like their counterparts – except AU Sam throws
scissors and wins!
Very cool special effects as we see the images of AU Sam and
Dean stuck in between worlds. At least they’re together!
Castiel weighs in on what Sister Jo said about Ruby.
Cas to Sam: Ruby? The demon you were sexually
intimate with?
Dean: Sexually intimate??
Sam (flustered): Yes.
That’s a totally weird thing for Castiel to say, because
everyone in the conversation most certainly knows exactly who Ruby is. Even
more weirdly, Dean seems to be hearing this information for the first time –
except we all know Sam told him this many seasons ago. Lolcanon.
Maybe
he’s just still upset about it. Reluctant hand wave.
Castiel is doubtful about their plan (wisely) but Dean and
Sam are determined to go to hell.
Sam: We have Rowena’s notes for the
spell…
Dean: (teasing) Okay let’s do this,
Samwitch!
sasquatchandleatherjacket)
I loved that we got a tiny moment of brotherly teasing in the
midst of everything.
Off to hell they go – it’s now easy as pie. But then again,
going just about anywhere is easy as pie in Season 15, when it was all kinds of
complicated and nearly impossible and abjectly terrifying in earlier seasons.
They are predictably jumped by three demons. At least they came armed though,
so there’s a nicely choreographed fight scene and the Winchesters prevail.
Dean: That bitch set us up!
Shocking.
Castiel, waiting for them to return and keeping the spell
going so they can get back, confides to Jack that there are too many holes in
Jo’s story. (Ya think?)
PS – it bothers me that another angel would call her “Jo.”
Castiel knows her as Anael, surely. Why does everyone call her Jo? Is Anael
just too hard to say or what?
Cas comes up with an impromptu plan, instructing Jack to
“almost” kill him so he can put one foot in the Empty and try to find Ruby.
Jack is skeptical, saying he might not have a soul but he knows killing Cas is
wrong, and furthermore Castiel is not a favorite of the Empty, but Cas insists.
Cas: I’m far from happy, so I should be
fine.
Jack: Are you sure?
Cas: Not at all.
Once again, nice delivery, boys.
Cas wanders around the Empty calling for Ruby, and then
suddenly we hear a familiar voice purring “Hello, Clarence.”
[I
had checked twitter during a commercial break and gotten spoiled for this
literally a minute before it happened. GRRRRR. Why did I do that?]
Sadly it’s not, it’s The Empty – but it was still wonderful
to see Rachel Miner back, sitting on a throne as befits her. I also watched
Rachel do an amazing guest spot on another television show last week, and I am
beyond thrilled that she’s back to acting – and kicking ass at it!
I don’t quite understand why The Empty is using all Meg’s
endearments for Cas – maybe just to torture him? – but she’s snarky and kinda
scary, so good job, Rachel.
Empty: Go get her, pizza man!
Cas confronts Ruby about what really happened between her and
“the angel Jo” – and I got thrown out all over again. Why would he call her
that?? It makes no sense!
Anyway, Ruby tells a very different story, with Jo being the
one to contact her and enlisting her in a plan to ride out the apocalypse
together in “the safest place that exists”.
She also smiles when Sam and Dean are mentioned.
Ruby: Aww Sam, how is the big lug? I liked
him…until he killed me.
I’m not at all sure she ever liked him – that certainly
wasn’t what their ‘relationship’ was about – but she offers to tell Cas where
the Occultum is in return for him trying to get her out of the Empty and that
does sound like Ruby. He agrees and she whispers it to him (for some reason).
And then poof, she’s gone again.
Cas, however, is still stuck there, and The Empty takes the
opportunity to torture him just for fun, still calling him by Meg’s pet name
for him, “Feathers”. She points out that, while she’s working with Death, Death
didn’t say anything about needing Castiel. Nice job being scary, Rachel Miner!
Dean and Sam return from hell and find Cas “almost dead”,
much to their understandable upset.
Dean: What the hell?
Jack: He’s dead….kinda…for now… hopefully…
but not for long… hopefully…
Sam: That’s way too many hopefullys!
Jack attempts to give Cas back his grace, while Sam and Dean
look on anxiously.
Dean: Come on, wake up, pal!
Cas starts to wake up, disappearing from the Empty.
The Empty (ominously): See ya soon…
Cas is okay, but he clearly spooked Sam and Dean.
Dean: You’re an idiot, by the way.
Cas: And I got the location. Am I still
an idiot?
More
priceless dialogue delivery by Misha and Jensen.
They decide to head out to find the Occultum, but Jack makes
the good point that if Chuck checks on them, he’ll know something is up if
they’re not there.
Dean: I’ve got a dumb idea…
It’s actually a brilliant idea – open up a rift and let the
AU Winchesters out of where they’re stuck so they can stand in for Sam and
Dean! This, like everything in this season, is way too easy, but I like the
results so whatever. A little of Castiel’s grace, and out they pop.
And
then we get introduced to two characters who made me LOVE this part of the
episode.
AU Sam and Dean are still Sam and Dean, but their lives have
been very very different. Their dad, for example, who they got separated from
in the escape, “spoils us”.
AU Sam and Dean: To Dad!
They’ve inherited a sweet hunting set up from John, including
planes to fight monsters all over the world.
Dean: You guys have your own plane?
AU Sam: You don’t? Oh,dear.
AU Dean: Two…
They also get paid for hunting as part of Hunter Corp. which
apparently “does very well.”
Our Sam and Dean are pretty dumbfounded, but also a bit
defensive about their own life and how well they do despite having no planes.
They describe their plan to their counterparts, who are dumbfounded as well –
mostly by the fact that our Sam and Dean actually know God. They agree to the
plan, since our Sam and Dean saved them from the rift. But how will they pull
it off?
Sam: Well, first off, you need to lose
the man bun.
AUSam: (horrified) I will not!
By this time I was laughing out loud. I want AU Sam and Dean
to stay forever! Fancychesters spinoff?
Jared and Jensen were amazing in making the other version of
Sam and Dean absolutely distinct from our Sam and Dean, and yet bringing out the
similarities that made them Winchesters anyway. Also? I adore Jared with a man
bun and Jensen with that hair, so let’s just say I was very happy to just stare
at the Fancychesters for as long as they were on my screen. Mmm.
It was also amusing that the AU versions were a little more
like Jared and Jensen with the manbun and scarf and the sweater and bracelets
and different hair. Somehow that made it even more enjoyable.
While the Fancychesters change into plaid flannel, Team Free
Will Plus climb into the Impala and head to the church where Ruby says she
stashed the Occultum – which looks like one of those churches in the middle of
nowhere that “Supernatural” is famous for, so I had a pang of sadness knowing
we won’t be seeing those amazing sets for much longer.
As they approach, Jack is once again the voice of reason.
Jack: Guys, I know I haven’t been doing
this as long as you have, but doesn’t this seem a little too easy?
Me: YES
And then they hear them.
Jack: Is that a…. bear?
HELLHOUNDS.
I rarely get truly scared by “Supernatural” anymore – which
I’m sad about – but the way they portray hellhounds still scares the crap out
of me. We don’t see them so much as hear them and sense them, so we don’t know
exactly where they are, and I am still traumatized after all these years by
original Jo being torn up by them and Dean being shredded to death by them.
Knowing Dean’s terror of them just increases my terror. Dean
frantically starts picking the lock and thankfully all that stupid is-it-luck-or-Winchester-skill
stuff has been decided, because he manages to get in just in time. My heart was
in my throat – and I’ve missed that! Kudos to director Amyn Kaderali for making
sure that tension came through loud and clear.
We then get a really weird scene, because Sam wraps a chain
around the doors and holds them closed. Dean asks “you got it?” and Sam says
“yeah” and then for the next five minutes no one helps him AT ALL. They just
leave Sam to barely hold the door closed while the other three have all kinds
of conversation. When I first watched it, I was like, what the hell? Why is no
one helping Sam? I only realized later, when someone smarter than me pointed it
out online, that clearly they filmed the scenes with Jared at a different time
– so they weren’t in the same room and thus nobody could help poor Sam hold the
door. It threw me out of the moment, though.
Cas, Dean and Jack move ridiculously slowly to find the
Occultum and then stand around trying to decide what to do with it, making it
even more silly that Sam is holding the door alone. Castiel reads the
inscription, which says “In order to be in the Occultum, the Occultum must be
in you.”
For some unknown reason they give it to Jack, who turns
around for a second.
Dean: Where’s the thing?
Jack: I ate it.
Dean: WHAT? Spit it out!
I laughed again at that, maybe inappropriately, but it was so
Jack-is-a-toddler-like. Jack soon collapses and disappears, and then he’s in
the Garden. Like Eden. A young girl appears and tells Jack that God banished
humanity and hid the Garden away – and that it would only help Jack if he was
the one who was meant to find it. (Cryptic much?) A serpent appears and speaks to Jack – which
sounds like parseltongue and makes most viewers wonder how much Harry Potter
the writers had just been watching when they wrote this – and Jack falls to the
ground, looking anguished.
Also,
was that the snake from Yellow Fever?
Back to the church and hapless Sam, still single-handedly
holding the door, when BOOM, the hellhounds blast through the door, sending Sam
flying. Nobody helps poor Sam even then, and as the hellhounds bound in,
suddenly Jack is back – and the hellhounds are gone.
Phew.
Meanwhile, back at the bunker, AU Sam and Dean do some
exploring – now wearing Winchester flannel – and discover first cat videos and
then Busty Asian Beauties porn on Dean’s (presumably) laptop.
AUDean to Sam: They said, lose the manbun, Samuel.
Sam draws the line at that though, adding “my hair is
sacred.”
I laughed out loud – and it was made even better by knowing
that apparently Jared ad libbed that line. Honestly, every scene with AU Sam
and Dean was gold. Sam drinking his beer with his pinky out, Dean starting to
develop a liking for beer, joyous about finding all the porn…
Sam: Can you imagine if Dad caught us
with this? Goodbye trust funds.
But, both of them are seeing the appeal of it all, clearly.
Sam: They’ve got this place of their own…
Dean: No investor calls…just hunting monsters….watching
porn…
Sam: Yeah, they’ve got it made.
I
love that Winchesters, wherever they are, just wanna do their own thing.
Alas, when our Dean and Sam come back, Dean is eager to kick
their doppelgangers out.
Dean: All right, fellas, time to go.
AUDean suggests they could all live there together.
AUSam: Yeah, like a club…
AUDean: What he said!
Me: Sounds like a plan!
But Dean insists it would be too weird, and encourages them
to go to Brazil. This I would pay money to see also, btw. New show, CW? As they
climb the stairs, they have another bit of information for Dean, though.
AUDean: We saw it. The car.
Dean: You didn’t touch it…
AUSam: Oh, we drove in it.
Dean looks adorably furious, which sends AUDean hurriedly up
the stairs.
AUDean: Annnnnd we’re leaving…
AUSam: Ouch, my arm, you’re hurting me,
Dean!
I kept laughing even after the scene ended, it was just so
much FUN.
(Never mind that I have no clue how the AU Winchesters were
driving around in Baby when the real Winchesters and Cas and Jack drove it to
the church….}
The last scene was not fun at all. Jack, who has his soul
back, now realizes fully how much he hurt Sam and Dean when he killed Mary, and
he’s agonized over it. Alex Calvert does a wonderful job conveying Jack’s guilt
and sadness, as he tearfully asks for forgiveness.
Jack: I’m so sorry. Why didn’t I get it?
My mother died too…. It was my fault. Please, please forgive me.
Caps by @kayb625
The last close up is on Dean, but I hope we get some
exploration eventually of Sam’s feelings in this too. He was soulless and knows
exactly the remorse of having done some things he regretted when he got his
soul back; he could so relate to Jack. Though I do think sometimes it’s the
person who we’re most at odds with that we most want to make it right with –
and for Jack, that would be Dean. Sam has been the more forgiving of the two,
though Mary’s death hurt them both tremendously.
And
THAT is where we ended. Who knows when we’ll get another episode, and that was
the last scene we got.
I
kinda wish we’d ended with the AU Sam and Dean going up the stairs and me still
giggling.
So now we wait. It’s incredibly weird not knowing when the
show will be able to resume or how – it feels like another piece of uncertainty
in the midst of a world that is full of uncertainty anyway.
The “Supernatural” cast has been generously sharing videos and photos and messages from their own self-isolation, so that helps. And you can preorder the new book written by the actors and fans of “Supernatural” (There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done) that will be released in May and will hopefully be another way of getting through the wait – and celebrating “Supernatural” while we do!
