Think about the most outrageous film that could be adapted to the stage. Now, imagine the cast of that theatrical production is entirely children, ranging in age from 7 to 10. Now, film it and let the world react.
That’s what director Marc Klasfeld had in mind when he held auditions with professional child actors for a shocking video, meant to look like an elementary school production of the cult film-favorite Scarface. In a now 15-year-old interview with Entertainment Weekly, when asked why he thought this was a good idea, Klasfeld admits, "I thought this would be a nice fit into the kind of YouTube arena of viral videos. And I was right."
The result? Kids yelling “mother-fudger,” piles of popcorn meant to look like cocaine, and outrageous, lengthy scenes of children pointing Super Soakers at one another.
Scarface school play ……. #viral #fyp #foryoupage #duet #viralvideos #trending #comedy #scarface #tonymontana #school #play #iran
Marc, mostly known as an accomplished commercial and music video director, later adds, "I enjoy making provocative art. I like stirring debate and causing conversation. You're going to get two sides of the coin no matter what you do. People are going to love and hate everything. People loved and hated Avatar. People loved and hated the Jennifer Aniston movie. And people love and hate this. I guess that's a part of having something that's successful out there. There’s got to be certain people that hate it for people to love it."
Once they got their perfect cast, it didn’t take long to put together. He shares, "It was a one-take, so it was pretty much just choosing the right take. About a month altogether."
People sure did react, as it acquired millions of views and comments from all over the Internet. Some were horrified, some were outraged, and many thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen. But Marc emphasizes that the kids in the video were not scandalized. "They’ve heard the f-word. They’ve seen more violence in their everyday lives for as long as they can remember. So for this, they’ve seen worse things than this all the time. So this wasn’t that big of a deal for them."
Enter TikTok. The clip (which just popped up again recently on Facebook) was reposted a few years back, and, once again, the comments continue to run the gamut from indignation to full praise. One TikTok user exclaimed, "Bro, I can’t even remember my grocery list, how the fudge did these kids memorize this whole scene lol?"
Others expressed confusion: "I'm not sure whether to be angry or amazed." Some chose anger: "Just imagine, you know these kids watched the movie to get the characters right. And the parents cheering? Yeah, yeah."
Many commenters believed it was a real school play and commended the production for "keepin' it real": "That school keeps it real. Nowadays, kids know so much about guns and drugs, might as well teach them that bad choices don’t end well."
Yet another enjoyed it but was concerned that the parents of the children would not. "Love the tray full of popcorn. But my God, I would hate to see the hell these parents probably raised."
For the most part, the reviews were glowing. Many complimented the acting, and one claimed they definitely would have "preferred this play over their own school production of Macbeth."
Tony Montana / Scarface / Al Pacino | Consultas y pedidos a:… | Flickrwww.flickr.com
And perhaps the biggest compliment? "Al Pacino will be proud."
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Airbnb has agreed to stop promoting and selling tickets for tours and experiences involving controversial camel and horse rides at the Giza pyramid complex.
Vacation rental company Airbnb has agreed to stop promoting and selling tickets for tours and experiences involving controversial camel and horse rides at the Giza pyramid complex, according to a statement from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
Five other North American travel companies—Black Tomato, Shore Excursions Group, ToursByLocals, Under30Experiences, and World Travel Holdings—have taken the same stance against such rides, described by PETA as "exploitative," at the historic Egyptian spot. In response, the animal rights nonprofit organization is "sending the companies delicious vegan chocolates."
PETA and Airbnb have worked closely in the past. In 2019, the rental giant announced policy guidelines governing Animal Experiences, which included banning those with "intentional direct contact with wild animals in the wild including, but not limited to, petting, feeding, or riding animals, except for certain Social Impact Experiences in which the validated non-profit is conducting conservation research."
The current guidelines on Airbnb also cite requirements for rescues and sanctuaries, domesticated and farm animals, zoos and aquariums, and dog sledding, while prohibiting specific activities related to "elephant interactions," "big cat interactions," "wild animals in restaurants, cafés, and entertainment venues," "marine mammals in captivity," "wildlife products," and "sporting events." Airbnb also reportedly donated $100,000 to PETA’s campaigns aiming to end "exploitative wildlife tourism."
"Airbnb is committed to promoting responsible animal tourism, and this support is provided in recognition of PETA’s ongoing work to protect animal welfare and all of PETA’s innovative and effective programs to advance empathy and end animal suffering," said Airbnb Experiences Policy Director Natalia Merluzzi.
The company’s decision regarding camel and horse rides follows a PETA Asia investigation into treatment of animals at the destination. The organization reported that they "documented handlers violently beating exhausted horses and camels, who are used to haul tourists in the blistering sun." They continued, "Injured and malnourished horses were seen eating from garbage dumps, and the bodies of dead horses were found discarded every day at trash sites outside the Giza pyramids. Camels considered too old, sick, or injured to be useful were often hauled to a slaughterhouse, where their throats were slit while they were still conscious. One camel continued to kick for four agonizing minutes after a worker slit the animal’s throat."
In a new statement, PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman condemned those actions and praised the travel companies for a taking their stance.
“More and more travel operators are rejecting the horror of it all and encouraging tourists to enjoy the Great Pyramids’ stunning views without supporting cruelty to horses and camels,” she said. “PETA applauds Airbnb and other travel companies for shunning these shameful rides and urges Egyptian authorities to show it cares one iota and act to defend the animals.”
The Giza necropolis features three main pyramids, built circa 2600 to 2500 B.C.: the pyramid of Khafre, the pyramid of Menkaure, and, most famously, the Great Pyramid—the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It’s also home to the Great Sphinx and various pyramid complexes.
While camel and horse rides are commonplace at the site, it’s possible to travel around the complex without them. For an entrance fee, you can walk around inside any of the pyramids, and there are many areas around the Giza Plateau for views and photo opps, including the Panoramic Point.
"Once on the Giza Plateau, you can walk to almost everything," write travel bloggers the Earth Trekkers. "The only place on the Giza Plateau that is off-limits for walking is the desert and dunes around the pyramids. It’s not exactly forbidden, but it is strongly discouraged that people walk here."
One of the many things that unite us in life is that grief, at some point, is inescapable. Whether we lose a loved one to death, experience a breakup, or simply lose touch with a very good friend, it's a spectrum of loss, and, put simply, it's inevitable.
Over the years, many therapists have supported the idea that grief is something that shouldn't be endured in solitude. And while it's true that a sense of community can be important in hard times, there are some people who just need to process much of their grief alone.
Now, there's research to suggest that it's absolutely healthy for those to do so, if that's what they desire. In the article "Grieving Alone: How Grief & Solitude Can Help When Coping With Loss," editor-in-chief of The Roots of Loneliness Project Allison Huff writes, "It isn’t necessarily 'bad' to go through grief alone, and in fact, it can be a healthy way to process a loss if it’s what a grieving person needs to do for themselves and their emotional health—especially after the funeral is over."
She notes that it's actually not uncommon for people to just need a break. "Being alone can feel like a welcome respite as you begin the grief-processing journey—even if you weren’t involved with making the funeral arrangements at all—and it’s a path many people choose for themselves, with good reason."
Huff carefully relays that a person who chooses to grieve alone should take note if their natural grief becomes long-term depression. The two emotions, though different from one another, are instinctively intertwined, and the sadness can feel ever-changing. But she stresses how important it is to remember that "people live on in memory." She cites writer Ernest Hemingway's famous quote, "'Every man has two deaths: when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name.'"
Even if you choose alone time during grief, she also suggests spending time outdoors and/or writing a letter to the person you lost. And of equal importance, she implores that one should not be afraid "to open up to others when you need to" and to understand that you shouldn't "set a time limit for your grief."
The grief journey is to be taken in solitude and community depending on your needs.www.flickr.com
She reiterates, "It is absolutely okay to process your grief alone in solitude if it is what you feel you need to do to heal through a loss." She mentions a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology entitled "Rituals Alleviate Grieving for Loved Ones, Lovers, and Lotteries" that supports how natural it is for people to engage in private rituals when they are mourning.
Many people on Reddit agree and feel heard. In the thread "Does anyone else prefer to grieve quietly/alone?" (in the subreddit group "Grief/Support"), many discuss the struggle they have with wanting to be alone, but also remaining polite.
One commenter said, "I’m definitely a private griever, because grief is so personal. The closer the person was to me, the more I want to be alone. Like when my dad died, I didn’t want to see anyone. I was angry that other people existed. Just wanted to be left alone. So that’s a totally valid and natural way to grieve. Do whatever you gotta do, friend."
Another agrees and shares that grieving with others adds a whole other layer of responsibility for the person's feelings. "Yep. I can't grieve with others. I end up comforting them and not giving any time to take care of my own grief. I was basically chief mourner at my dad's funeral. My parents are divorced, and I was a lot closer to him than my other siblings. Everyone sought me out to offer their condolences, but I felt more like I was their shoulder to cry on rather than the other way around."
But, even though they felt encumbered by others, they added this lovely spin: "It was nice in a way, feeling how much my dad was loved."
"It isn’t necessarily 'bad' to go through grief alone...it can be a healthy way to process a loss if it’s what a grieving person needs to do... —especially after the funeral is over."
Photo by Mayron Oliveira on Unsplash
This Redditor reminds people just how personal loss is: "My own experience is that people grieve at different moments, and it's difficult to want to listen when you've tucked things away for a while… Grieving is personal and really complex, in my opinion. Just do whatever you feel you need to do."
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Legislation has been introduced in all 50 states that would allow you to freely fix your electronics.
On February 20, 2025, Wisconsin became the last state to have introduced a right-to-repair law in the United States. The new bill would require manufacturers to make repair documentation, data, parts, and tools available to owners and independent mechanics at a fair price. This law is specifically targeted towards manufacturers of agricultural equipment such as tractors, to allow farmers to either repair their equipment themselves or hire the mechanic of their choice rather than being forced to depend on the manufacturer for repairs.
As mentioned, this bill isn’t the only one. Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, Colorado, California, and Oregon have already passed right to repair laws in their state, with 20 other states considering and introducing right-to-repair bills. The remaining states have had bills introduced that were turned down. As with most legislation, it could take years for a bill to be formed into law through the proper channels.
Right to repair laws don’t just impact farmers or folks in rural areas, but city folks as well. While Wisconsin’s bill is focused on farmers, the grassroots movement has become a popular groundswell for people on the left and the right side of the political spectrum. Right to repair laws not only allow farmers to fix their own tractors, but allow consumers to have the ability to fix all sorts of products by requiring companies sell repair parts to the public, provide repair manuals, and ban software locks that restrict repair to only authorized repair technicians. This means a farmer can fix their John Deere tractor without needing to hire a company-certified technician, an electric car owner could take their ride to a third-party mechanic rather than a dealership, and iPhone users can change their own phone battery without going to an Apple Genius Bar.
— (@)
Companies, especially those in big tech, have benefited from the lack of right-to-repair laws because once a consumer purchases their product they are still reliant on the company if their purchase needs to be repaired. This means the company can profit from not only the purchase but the repairs of it, too, at a price point they themselves set up without competition. This also encourages companies to create a less sturdy product to either profit from fixes or to upsell a newer model to a customer once their current product is broken.
This not only hurts consumers, but the environment as well. Since people are more likely to throw an item away instead of fixing it themselves, or are encouraged to throw it away when it is broken and purchase a new model, it has created mountains of e-waste and garbage in our landfills.
Right-to-repair laws could cut down on e-waste in our landfills.Photo credit: Canva
As this movement both saves money for regular consumers and improves the environment as a side benefit by endorsing sustainability, right to repair is seen as one of the few purely bipartisan causes in the current political climate. The previous federal administration supported the movement along with the previous Federal Trade Commission, which had gotten major companies such as Apple, Google, and John Deere to adjust their policies slightly.
If you are interested in this movement and are in a state that doesn’t have a right to repair law, you can search for a local group in your area or online at websites such as Repair.org to see where you can lend your support.
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Brewing tea can remove harmful metals from the water.
Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered another benefit for tea drinkers. A recent study revealed that brewing tea actually removes harmful and toxic metals such as cadmium and lead from the water. They have found that the heavy metal ions stick to the tea leaves and are trapped on them upon brewing. This means that the tea is safer to drink than the water used to make it!
The study published in ACS Food Science and Technology showed that the tea leaves acted as an absorbing filter for those heavy metals in the brewed water, with varying success depending on the type of tea, tea bag, and steeping time. The scientists found that the most effective combination of removing toxic metals through brewing would be to brew finely powdered black tea through a paper tea bag with a long steeping time.
The types of tea, tea bags, and seeping time impact how much metal can be removed from water.Photo credit: Canva
These toxic metals can appear within drinking water throughout the world, but primarily in developing nations where heavy industrial waste runoff contaminates nearby streams, rivers, and other bodies of water. It’s also not uncommon for lead and cadmium among other heavy metals to travel through traffic pollution, land on soil, and that soil runoff into drinking water sources. This can include private wells and water pumps. Exposure to these metals has been associated with health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, kidney disease, and many other issues. This is why water filtration is consistently advocated as a global initiative.
“We’re not suggesting that everyone starts using tea leaves as a water filter,” said Dr. Vinayak P. Dravid, the study’s senior author. “For this study, our goal was to measure tea’s ability to absorb heavy metals. By quantifying this effect, our work highlights the unrecognized potential for tea consumption to passively contribute to reduced heavy metal exposure in populations worldwide.”
Water filtration is still a need throughout the world.Photo credit: Canva
Dr. Dravid makes a valid point. According to Statisa, tea is the second most consumed beverage on the planet, just falling behind water. Its popularity as a drink is further cemented by having 6.7 million tonnes produced worldwide in 2022 alone and a projected market size of $134 billion by the end of 2025. While it’s not a replacement for water filtration, tea drinking would definitely limit additional exposure and consumption of harmful metals.
By those numbers, one can see that tea drinking is a worldwide human trait without borders and is steeped in history among numerous nations. While China is the largest producer of tea, England remains one of the largest consumers of it, with afternoon tea being a countrywide tradition. A traditional Japanese tea ceremony dates all the way back to the 9th century, with its roots in both Buddhist and Shinto religions.
Tea drinking is a staple in many different cultures throughout the world.Photo credit: Canva
Tea is also a staple in the United States. Per the Census, 159 million Americans are drinking tea on any given day. It is a part of American history as one of the first strikes towards independence from British colonial rule came in the form of the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
While it is not as effective as genuine water filtration as Dr. Dravid stated, it is still good to know that the most common beverage on the planet is one that can lessen exposure to harmful metals throughout the world, too.
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Michelle Phillips famously ate a banana during The Mamas & the Papas' lip-synced spot on 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' Decades later, she explained why.
Lip-syncing is probably bizarre for most musicians. The audience can tell you’re not really producing sound—often because your microphone isn’t plugged in—and the whole thing can feel a little pointless and silly. But there are actual technical reasons why some of your favorite artists were miming on national television, and it was a pretty standard practice decades ago.
Which brings us to The Mamas & the Papas, the folk-pop quartet known for their string of sunshiny hits. In 1967, they "played" a three-song medley on The Ed Sullivan Show, including a clearly lip-synced version of "California Dreamin’"—and that resurfaced footage recently went viral due to the hilarious choices of singer Michelle Phillips, who's seen peeling and eating a banana on stage. In retrospect, many media outlets and casual fans interpreted this gesture as a fruit-fueled "protest," a moment of rebellion against the studio big wigs and their lip-sync preferences. But that doesn’t seem to be quite accurate.
Before we get into that, though, let’s revisit the actual footage. "California Dreamin’" was the last song of three, and the banana move makes a bit more sense with that context in mind. During opener "Monday Monday," we see a bit more of the psychedelic stage setup, filled with swirling colors and unusual props—including a bathtub, a possible nod to the cover of their debut album, 1966’s If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears. At one point, Phillips reclines in the kaleidoscopic tub (located next to a bright-red fire hydrant) and munches on some green grapes.
The food bit is woven throughout the entire six-minute production: Phillips eats more grapes and officially peels a banana during "I Call Your Name," so she's already in full fruit mode when they segue into "California Dreamin’." She just leans into it even further, often taking bites during the vocal harmony parts and seemingly playing to the camera. The whole vibe feels playful and loose—and according to Phillips herself, nothing was too coordinated. She ate the banana basically because she wanted something to do.
AsSnopes notes, she talked about the goofy Ed Sullivan moment in a video posted on the YouTube channel of Chynna Phillips, a member of vocal trio Wilson Phillips and the daughter of Michelle and bandmate John Phillips. "It was so random, as you put it," she said of the performance, which Chynna called "iconic."
"You know, we were just lip-syncing to the song," she added. "And then I looked over and there was this plate of fruit, and there was this banana there, and so I just reached over and started peeling it, and I ate it!" Calling the decision "very spontaneous," she continued: "I looked over, and I was trying to do something with my hands, to do anything because I felt a little awkward."
So, there you have it. While the "banana take" is undoubtedly hilarious—and has become iconic in its own way—it feels a bit presumptuous to call it a "protest." After all, The Mamas & the Papas appear to have utilized backing tracks during other TV spots, including one for "California Dreamin’" in late 1966. It’s not like lip-syncing was an unusual request at the time. (That said, not every TV performance was lip-synched, even on The Ed Sullivan Show. You might remember, for example, that time The Beatles changed music history. That one was very much live.)
Also, that practice never went away. One of music’s funniest and most famous TV-miming moments dates back to the 1994 AMC Awards. During Alan Jackson's "Gone Country," drummer Bruce Rutherford simply flailed his arms around, not even bothering to hold drum sticks.
Why do artists lip-sync anyway? A lot of reasons, like illness, technical challenges, and lack of prep time. Ariel Chobaz, a prolific mix engineer, talked about this subject with ABC News’ 2020: "I've been involved in some very big broadcast shows, like the Grammys and the American Music Awards, and the time schedule is so precise. It's physically not possible to mic an entire band for every segment that comes up."
Nestled in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is one of the world’s biggest collections of LGBTQ+ historical material. It resides in Stonewall National Museum, Archives and Library, or SNMAL, which has called Fort Lauderdale home since 1972, some 53 years. In that time, it has been dedicated to, as they share, “inspir[ing] and promot[ing] understanding through collecting, preserving, and sharing the proud culture of LGBTQIA+ people of all stories, and their significant role in American society.”
At SNMAL, there’s not just a lending library filled with books chronicling the queer experience–one of the U.S.’s largest with over 30,000 titles of books and media–but archives filled with objects that illustrate the depth of the queer community’s impact on American culture and history. There are newsletters from the 1950s from the Daughters of Bilitis, the country’s first lesbian civil rights organization; garments from RuPaul and John Waters; fine art prints from lauded photographers like George Platt Lynes and Herb Ritts; and so much more--like the below boot from the original Broadway production of Kinky Boots, autographed by its star Billy Porter. The space also holds regular historical exhibitions that detail facets of LGBTQ+ life, like their current exhibition on trailblazing lesbian activist Edie Windsor and forthcoming exhibitions on Bayard Rustin, queer baseball, and queer life in Broward County, where the museum is located.
There are also digital archives for people to peruse featuring “over 6 million pages of materials documenting LGBTQ+ political, cultural and social history.” SNMAL functions as a community space as well, inviting in the vibrant South Florida queer community for conversation, films, and book talks. While Florida might seem like an anomaly for such vibrant queer life, especially at our current cultural moment, Wilton Manors, a city adjacent to the museum, was once named the “second gayest city in America” behind Palm Springs.
It’s from the book talks that I best know SNMAL, which welcomed me in January 2024 as I presented my book about drag history. Being there was special as both a historian and a native of Broward County. In preparation for the evening, SNMAL put out some fabulous drag archival material it had collected through the years: 1950s-era programs from the legendary Jewel Box Revue drag troupe; a costume from the lauded drag performer Lady Bunny; greeting cards and magazines featuring 1990s drag stars, and more. It was such an honor and a pleasure to see items like this in person, not just because I had studied materials like these as I was writing my book, but because they’re so rare and it’s so powerful to have a piece of a history like this in front of your very eyes. I was touched by their thoughtfulness and entranced by the breadth of their collection. SNMAL is a gem and it was moving to be surrounded by such archival material. The same opportunity to experience it is given to anyone who visits SNMAL for exhibitions or to use the library–the archive requires an appointment. When a community can experience its own history, its members know they're never alone.
I’ve learned recently that, despite being a part of Broward County’s thriving queer community, SNMAL has had funding cut by the federal government. In a recent segment with South Florida’s WPLG Local 10 News, Executive Director Robert Kesten shared that while there are states that fund LGBTQ+ archives, Florida is not one of them. The archive also faced state budget cuts under Governor Ron DeSantis last year.
But even with this in mind, along with the state’s attacks on the LGBTQ+ community in the last few years, SNMAL doesn’t want to move. “It’s so important to have a presence in a place that doesn’t want you,” Kesten told WPLG. “You have to go where the fight is.” SNMAL has received other national grants, however, and they are mobilizing to stay open with their own fundraising. Their gala, for example, is coming up this weekend, and people can always donate online.
Archival material and literature from LGBTQ+ history is compelling and important, and places that preserve it like SNMAL remind us that queer culture has always been a part of American history, and that it can’t just be erased.
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A new study suggests that if you appear less attractive, you actually appear more innocent in court.
Do you think pretty people have it easier than others? While "pretty privilege" is a thing, it won't take you very far in court according to new research. A study published in Psychiatry, Psychology, and Law is showing that defendants that were considered conventionally unattractive tended to get more sympathy and leniency from jurors compared to their more attractive counterparts. If you're feeling surprised by this information, you're not alone.
Previous work and conventional wisdom would conclude that attractiveness would impact jurors to vote “not guilty” compared to their less good-looking counterparts. After all, there have been psychological studies in the past that have indicated that beautiful people were seen as more trustworthy than average or "ugly" folks. However, Professor Antonio Olivera-La Rosa of Luis Amigó Catholic University and his team found opposite results.
The accused's physical appearance might impact them in court, attractive or not.Photo credit: Canva
“I was really interested in exploring the consequences of facial biases in the legal field,” said Olivera-La Rosa. “I feel that, among all the areas susceptible to experiencing the consequences of facial biases, the legal field is one that requires the most attention. It is not difficult to understand why. Personally, I think it’s important to integrate our knowledge of human cognition to human practices and institutions.”
Olivera-La Rosa’s study involved 128 participants that were assigned to one of two groups, one group that was required to make their judgments as quickly as possible and the other being given as much time as they wanted to make a decision. These participants were asked to imagine themselves as judges in a blind date swindle case and assess the guilt or innocence of nine male faces. These faces were each categorized as attractive, unattractive, and neutral, with all of them collected from the Chicago Face Database. The participants were flat-out asked if each face looked guilty, then rated how sure they were about their judgment on a seven-point scale.
The results found that the “ugly leniency effect” was at play, with the majority of the participants seeing the less attractive faces as innocent compared to attractive or neutral ones. The results remained consistent between both the quick-judgements and ones in which the participants could take their time to think.
“Our results provide valuable insights by demonstrating that, under specific conditions, unattractive faces can reduce guilt perception,” Olivera-La Rosa told PsyPost. “This evidence could enhance awareness of how implicit bias influences legal decisions, potentially reducing the skepticism many judges express towards such extralegal factors. While the legal system is traditionally grounded in rationality, it is not immune to the influence of facial biases.”
There still needs to be more thorough studies, such as comparing unattractive/attractive/neutral male faces versus female ones, but there is an argument that facial bias exists on both sides of the beauty coin in court. But what about other aspects of life?
Attractive people tend to get a leg-up on life compared to others.Photo credit: Canva
There is an abundant amount of evidence, both anecdotally and in hard data, that suggest that pretty privilege is real for both women and men. Being considered physically attractive isn’t just a buff in life in general, but also boosts a person’s confidence and encourages them to speak louder, both considered attractive traits as well. This leads not only to success in relationships but in career goals as well.
There are societal pressures to look attractive to succeed, especially towards women.Photo credit: Canva
So while “pretty privilege” exists, it doesn’t mean that you cannot appear attractive or become successful without beauty. As mentioned, confidence is hugely attractive both in terms of obtaining romantic relationships or business ones. Most people’s physical attractiveness wanes over time and age, along with other people’s perception of it, too.
At least when it comes to criminal justice, the facial bias scales don’t appear to lean heavily against less attractive people compared to conventionally pretty people.
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The grief journey is to be taken in solitude and community depending on your needs.
"It isn’t necessarily 'bad' to go through grief alone...it can be a healthy way to process a loss if it’s what a grieving person needs to do... —especially after the funeral is over."
Photo by 
Right-to-repair laws could cut down on e-waste in our landfills.Photo credit: Canva
The types of tea, tea bags, and seeping time impact how much metal can be removed from water.Photo credit: Canva
Water filtration is still a need throughout the world.Photo credit: Canva
Tea drinking is a staple in many different cultures throughout the world.Photo credit: Canva
The accused's physical appearance might impact them in court, attractive or not.Photo credit: Canva
Attractive people tend to get a leg-up on life compared to others.Photo credit: Canva
There are societal pressures to look attractive to succeed, especially towards women.Photo credit: Canva
Say hello to my little friend...literally.
TikTok shocked by 15-year-old unhinged viral clip of kids performing Scarface in school play
Think about the most outrageous film that could be adapted to the stage. Now, imagine the cast of that theatrical production is entirely children, ranging in age from 7 to 10. Now, film it and let the world react.
That’s what director Marc Klasfeld had in mind when he held auditions with professional child actors for a shocking video, meant to look like an elementary school production of the cult film-favorite Scarface. In a now 15-year-old interview with Entertainment Weekly, when asked why he thought this was a good idea, Klasfeld admits, "I thought this would be a nice fit into the kind of YouTube arena of viral videos. And I was right."
The result? Kids yelling “mother-fudger,” piles of popcorn meant to look like cocaine, and outrageous, lengthy scenes of children pointing Super Soakers at one another.
Marc, mostly known as an accomplished commercial and music video director, later adds, "I enjoy making provocative art. I like stirring debate and causing conversation. You're going to get two sides of the coin no matter what you do. People are going to love and hate everything. People loved and hated Avatar. People loved and hated the Jennifer Aniston movie. And people love and hate this. I guess that's a part of having something that's successful out there. There’s got to be certain people that hate it for people to love it."
Once they got their perfect cast, it didn’t take long to put together. He shares, "It was a one-take, so it was pretty much just choosing the right take. About a month altogether."
People sure did react, as it acquired millions of views and comments from all over the Internet. Some were horrified, some were outraged, and many thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen. But Marc emphasizes that the kids in the video were not scandalized. "They’ve heard the f-word. They’ve seen more violence in their everyday lives for as long as they can remember. So for this, they’ve seen worse things than this all the time. So this wasn’t that big of a deal for them."
Enter TikTok. The clip (which just popped up again recently on Facebook) was reposted a few years back, and, once again, the comments continue to run the gamut from indignation to full praise. One TikTok user exclaimed, "Bro, I can’t even remember my grocery list, how the fudge did these kids memorize this whole scene lol?"
Others expressed confusion: "I'm not sure whether to be angry or amazed." Some chose anger: "Just imagine, you know these kids watched the movie to get the characters right. And the parents cheering? Yeah, yeah."
Many commenters believed it was a real school play and commended the production for "keepin' it real": "That school keeps it real. Nowadays, kids know so much about guns and drugs, might as well teach them that bad choices don’t end well."
Yet another enjoyed it but was concerned that the parents of the children would not. "Love the tray full of popcorn. But my God, I would hate to see the hell these parents probably raised."
For the most part, the reviews were glowing. Many complimented the acting, and one claimed they definitely would have "preferred this play over their own school production of Macbeth."
And perhaps the biggest compliment? "Al Pacino will be proud."