Riley Green has been on a steady rise to superstardom While he might not have enjoyed the same overnight success as some of his peers he has managed to amass one of the most loyal fanbases in country music features 18 tracks that tackle a wide span of topics With production led by Dann Huff and executive production by Scott Borchetta and Jimmy Harnen the album features a less traditional sound than we have heard from Green in the past we saw Green giving a defiant grin on stage while he sang “I wish country music still got played on country radio” during the second verse of “I Wish Grandpas Never Died.” In 2024 we see him experimenting with more modern sounds on tracks like “Change My Mind.” The album feels like a mid-2000s country record drawing as much inspiration from John Mayer as it does Chris Knight or Brad Paisley.  It draws attention to the songwriter Riley Green In a world where the number of writers per song continues to creep higher and higher most of the songs from Don’t Mind If I Do were penned by two or three writers The record also boasts an impressive four solo writes “Jesus Saves,” “Good Morning From Mexico,” “Don’t Mind If I Do,” and “Worst Way” were all penned by Green alone There are some great lyrical moments on the record it seems that Green and his team took a quantity-over-quality approach There is an outstanding ten to twelve-song album buried in these eighteen tracks the good in “Jesus Saves” outweighs the bad in “Alcohall Of Fame.” Don’t Mind If I Do comes at the height of Riley Green’s commercial success Some songs will stop you dead in your tracks; others will make you roll your eyes in embarrassment Green’s third album ventures beyond his usual territory While its breadth reflects Green’s personal growth the record’s ambitious 18-track list ultimately feels overextended as several songs could have been left off to craft a more cohesive body of work.  The tracks written solely by Green highlight his strengths as a solo songwriter providing a refreshing contrast in a genre often packed with co-writers the album suffers from a quality-control issue with some tracks standing out for their depth and authenticity while others feel less impactful and somewhat filler Don’t Mind If I Do shines brightest when Green leans into personal storytelling proving that his enduring appeal lies in his ability to continue to build and connect with his fan base.  and I hope that's exactly what you said,” Vance quipped upon hearing Meloni had praised the previous day’s talks to journalists she could have called me a jerk and I wouldn't know but it would be in the most beautiful language imaginable The vice president will be traveling over the coming week with Second Lady Usha Vance—first in Italy where they’ll be until April 24 corresponding with Easter holiday celebrations and then to India The spring tour set off with Vance jetting to Rome to meet with Meloni in a continuation of the trade discussions that took place at the White House on Thursday "This is a place that was built by people that love humans and love God." but particularly today where my official duties have brought me to Rome on Good Friday but particularly those back home in the US The India leg of the tour—which will be the vice president’s first time in the country—will include stops in New Delhi and Agra and meetings set with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to continue discussions around trade relations between the nations Met Gala 2025 Live Updates: A-listers Prepare for Fashion’s Biggest Night Hawk Tuah Opens Up About Her Crypto Scandal Alan Alda on Life With Parkinson’s How Miriam Adelson Went From Big MAGA Winner to Casino Loser in Trump’s First 100 Days The UK Has Found Another Reason to Be Mad at Meghan Markle Why Are Americans So Obsessed With Protein How Sebastian Stan Became Hollywood’s Most Daring Shape-Shifter Every Quentin Tarantino Movie Meet Elon Musk’s 14 Children and Their Mothers (Whom We Know of) From the Archive: Sinatra and the Mob Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. Andrew joined Newsweek in 2021 from The Boston Globe. He is a graduate of Emerson College. You can get in touch with Andrew by emailing a.stanton@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Only a "fraudster" would care if they miss a Social Security check Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a new interview this week Newsweek reached out to the Department of Commerce via email for comment More than 71 million Americans rely on Social Security benefits but the program has faced questions about whether it could become insolvent by the 2030s without significant reform The benefits are a key piece of income for retirees Upon returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump said he does not plan to end programs like Social Security and Medicare, but concerns that the program could be shut down or significantly altered persist Lutnick discussed how he believes Americans would respond to going a month without a Social Security check during an interview on the podcast All-In with Chamath would not complain about not receiving their checks for a month but that someone who was hacking the system would do so "Let's say Social Security didn't send out their checks this months She would think something got messed up and she'd get it next month," he said "A fraudster always makes the loudest noise Lutnick said the "easiest way to find a fraudster is to stop payments and listen" for "whoever screams." Most recipients trust the government and would understand if they didn't receive the check so the people who are getting that free money But real America is going to be rewarded," he said The Trump administration is closing several Social Security offices as part of its efforts to reduce the federal government's size At least 7,000 Social Security Administration (SSA) employees were terminated in February Market Watch Columnist Brett Arends, in an opinion article published Friday: "The comments, coming just as Musk and his DOGE team slash the number of people working at Social Security and close branch offices, are unlikely to win friends and influence people even among Republicans on X (formerly Twitter): "Secretary Lutnick: You are a billionaire Maybe your mother-in-law wouldn't complain if she didn't get her Social Security check but tens of millions of seniors struggling to survive would How out of touch are you not to realize that?" Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York on X: "Don't call and complain when you don't get your Social Security check you're a 'fraudster?' This is the administration's message to seniors who spent a lifetime earning these benefits He may not give a damn if you miss your check On Thursday, the SSA said it will immediately resume debt collection activities through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all Reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Doina Chiacu Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved While Elon Musk has been taking over the government the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals quietly overturned a 60-year-old law that prevented federally-licensed firearms dealers from selling guns to anyone aged 18 to 20 Jess and Imani get into the weeds of Reese v a Second Amendment case out of the Fifth Circuit that Transcript Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that episodes like this one are only made possible with the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating here And sign up for The Fallout a weekly newsletter written by Jess that’s exclusively dedicated to covering every aspect of this unprecedented moment newsRiley Green Slates New Album, 'Don't Mind If I Do,' for OctoberBy Lydia Farthing After peppering out teasers and snippets for the better part of the last year, country star Riley Green has finally announced that his next album is making landfall on October 18 which also happens to be his 36th birthday Titled Don't Mind If I Do, the record will mark the Alabama native's third studio collection and will arrive just over a year after his lauded 2023 project, Ain't My Last Rodeo Don't Mind If I Do will also see Green joining forces with country stalwart Luke Bryan on a song cheekily titled 'Reel Problems.' The surprise album announcement came as Green was opening the doors to his brand new Nashville bar which is located in the heart of Nashville’s Midtown is attached to the famous Losers Bar & Grill and pays homage to southern culture and sports will be out October 18,” Green shared during the bar's grand opening on September 3 “It feels fitting that it’s coming out on my birthday because this project feels very true to who I am where I come from and what I’ve learned along the way Riley Green's hit song "Don't Mind If I Do" came together by chance The country music sensation recently released his latest album - also titled "Don't Mind If I Do" - and one of the biggest tracks on the album features Ella Langley The two previously teamed for "you look like you love me" and "Don't Mind If I Do" turned into their second mega-hit together Was there a lot of planning that went into creating the popular duet song It was the right-place-at-the-right-time situation Riley said the following during an Apple Music interview when explaining how the hit song came together with Langley: "I don’t know if I’ve told you this but I didn’t plan on her being on that song but I had her come by the studio to put a female vocal on it just to hear it so I could potentially pitch it around and I think we grew up listening to the same kind of music maybe that’s why our voices go so well together and we’ve got the same kind of twang even having those two duets wasn’t a planned thing; it just kind of happened and it’s fun having her on the road to do those two songs and have those two hits with her." You can watch his full comments in the video below starting around 1:40 and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com Sometimes it's better to be lucky than it is to be good but needed a little luck to create one of the biggest songs of the year The fact Riley just needed her as a stand in to get some female vocals on the track to see how it'd sound and that turned into arguably the biggest song of her career is wild It's also a great example of why you shouldn't turn down new opportunities Langley could have passed for any reason she could have thought of Riley Green explains how Ella Langley teamed up with him for his hit song "Don't Mind If I Do." (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) If you haven't checked out Riley Green's new album I suggest you do if you're a country music fan It's a lot of fun and features 18 rock solid tracks Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com You are agreeing to OutKick's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting. Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER Riley Green took to his social media to announce that his next studio album, Don’t Mind If I Do, will be released on October 18th. Most recently, Green dropped his latest track, “Rather Be,” on July 26th. Don’t Mind If I Do will come almost a year to the date from his last album, Ain’t My Last Rodeo, which came out on October 13th, 2023. Green also released an EP called Way Out Here in April of this year. The EP’s opening track is “Jesus Saves,” a solo composition that was one of the best releases of 2024. Green has yet to reveal a tracklist for the upcoming album, but it can be assumed that “Rather Be” and even a song or two off the EP will be on the album as his latest single, “Damn Good Day To Leave,” is included on both Ain’t My Last Rodeoand Way Out Here.  Riley Green was also part of “You Look Like You Love Me” with Ella Langley, which is currently being considered one of the best songs of the year. Green brought Langley on his 2024 “Ain’t My Last Rodeo” tour, where they began to work together. Since the release of the song, they both have found themselves with more popularity than they have had in their careers. Notably, the pair will also be collaborating Don’t Mind If I Do will be available everywhere on October 18th. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Riley Green (@rileyduckman) By Alli Patton is a lot like fishing - it requires a great deal of patience and a real desire to wade through its 18 tracks Listening to Riley Green’s latest album Not because of the angling tunes it contains – and there are a handful – but more so because the collection requires a great deal of patience and a real desire to wade through its 18 tracks it’s the outlook that determines the outcome Opening with the shuddering bass of ‘That's A Mistake’, rippling through the stark tune like a lure shattering sunrise waters, the record begins at a leisurely pace. It isn’t until the chorus of the following ‘Change My Mind’ that listeners are awoken washed in sultry steel and dress-shedding sensuality Don't Mind If I Do continues to ebb and flow in this way trading lulling ballads for explosive anthems over the course of an hour it’s a release that could come off as a little scattered Especially with offerings like the goofy Luke Bryan-backed ‘Reel Problems’ the sluggish ‘Too Early to Drink’ and the predictable ‘Turnin’ Dirt,’ the album’ can too easily be chalked up as a collection of just-because songs the song made an appearance on his last two releases – it feels like a lot of effort for an album we’ve no doubt heard before Some may think Don't Mind If I Do is an absolute catch a brilliant showcase of where Green is at this point in his career is available everywhere now via Nashville Harbor news‘Don't Mind If I Do’ by Riley Green and Ella Langley - Lyrics & MeaningBy Maxim Mower Ella Langley and Riley Green's wonderfully old-timey, romantic duet, ‘You Look Like You Love Me’ is quickly establishing itself as one of the biggest - and certainly one of the most viral - songs in country music this year So when Riley revealed that he has another collaboration with Ella up his sleeve Serving as the title-track for the ‘I Wish Grandpas Never Died’ hitmaker's 2024 studio album ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ arrived on Friday September 6th as the project's lead single It's joined on the project by previously released fan-favourites such as ’Worst Way’ ‘Pick A Place’ and ‘Good Morning From Mexico’ First teased back in June via his socials, ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ was originally thought to be a solo track. As Riley Green and Ella Langley explained to Holler during a 2024 interview Ella's vocals were only meant to be a reference for whichever artist they ended up getting on the track that Riley and his team - thankfully - decided to stick with this winning combination ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ is a classic Riley Green ballad with the Alabama singer-songwriter delivering his rugged we get the evocative introduction of a gentle drum pattern and the faint Ella Langley provides an ethereal set of harmonies throughout Riley's second verse and chorus before putting her own spin on the final hook As is the case on ‘You Look Like You Love Me’ accentuating the passion and longing laced into each lyric I end up in that place and I'm just one whiskey away” Riley Green begins by underlining that he's been doing his best to get over his ex Although he's been finding this a little easier of late it isn't long before he finds himself falling down the same old rabbit hole and desperately wishing they could rekindle the flame Riley has been doing all he can to ‘numb the pain’ hinting he's been leaning a little harder on his beloved whiskey but he can't shake the feeling that he should still be with his ex Drink up the nerve to show up at your house It's killing me not holding you right now Despite suggesting he's been trying to stop thinking about his ex he doesn't actually mind it when he starts picturing them together again He candidly admits that he secretly wants to pluck up the courage to drive over to her house so he can ask her if she wants to start up the relationship again Riley Green emphasises that this isn't just lust or a fleeting emotion - he tentatively reveals that he “might still love” her before endearingly flipping the titular lyric and expressing his hope that his ex doesn't mind if he does still have feelings for her Sometimes I give in because not having you But when I give into that vice and pour another over ice I know that's when I start missing you again” Riley Green starts by underlining that his attempts to get over his ex have been somewhat successful before he again inevitably succumbs to temptation while whiskey was intended to be a soothing balm for his heart it just caused him to drop his guard and let all the feelings start flooding back in Ella Langley's subtle backing vocals create the sense that she's echoing Riley Green's sentiments as she implies that she too has been missing him You're the only thing to get me through” Riley and Ella tenderly outline to one another how they hope there won't be any complaints if they need to fall back into the relief of their loving embrace They craft a visceral image of being caked in the dirt kicked up by the departing lover's truck before their old flame stops in their tracks and comes back to dust them off Drink a little too much and show up at my house Is it killing you not holding me right now Is the only thing you think is going to get you through Ella Langley takes the lead for the first time here as she switches the perspective of the hook to that of the ex Riley Green has spent most of the song serenading Ella stresses to Riley that she just wants him to tell him how he truly feels if she's the one person he needs the most then she doesn't mind if he does all the things he says he craves in his iterations of the chorus Riley Green delved into how ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ became a collaboration that's very organically how a lot of things happen and we ended up getting him on ‘Different ‘Round Here’ I just asked Ella to come by the studio and sing it I was still deciding who I was going to get to do it we just didn't think anybody could sing it better than she did” Ella Langley underlined to Holler that chemistry is vital when choosing a duet partner “I've done a few duets at this point and some feature stuff That's the whole joy of living where we live we are surrounded by people who love to do the same thing” Ella expanded on why she loves working with Riley we grew up with a lot of the same musical influences Our hometowns are two hours apart from each other and he just asked for me to come in the green room and see how a female sounded on it Then I think they loved it the way we did it - so they kept it on there!” I end up in that place and I'm just one whiskey away I know that's when I start missing you again You're the only thing to get me through newsExclusive: Riley Green and Ella Langley Discuss New Collaboration, ‘Don't Mind If I Do’By Maxim Mower Although they say lightning never strikes in the same place twice, Riley Green and Ella Langley have bottled up the electricity of their infectious first duet, the viral ‘You Look Like You Love Me’ The introspective song serves as the title-track for Riley Green's highly anticipated new album to coincide with the ‘Jesus Saves’ crooner's birthday ‘Don't Mind If I Do’ is a departure from the playful, flirty ambience of ‘You Look Like You Love Me’, which was recently given a blockbuster, Wild West-inspired set of visuals. By contrast, Riley Green and Ella Langley's new collaboration finds the duo looking wistfully back at a previous romance, and yearning to rekindle the flame. While in the UK earlier in the summer for their 2024 BST Hyde Park performances in support of Morgan Wallen in London, Riley Green and Ella Langley sat down with Holler to delve into their ‘You Look Like You Love Me’ follow-up, ‘Don't Mind If I Do’. First teased by Riley in mid-June via an acoustic video shared across socials, the intricate offering was immediately lapped up by fans, and was originally thought to be a solo track. Riley Green explained that the duet arose while he was on the road with Ella Langley in the US, “Obviously, Ella being on tour with us, that's very organically how a lot of things happen. I was out with Luke Combs, and we ended up getting him on ‘Different ‘Round Here’. So I wrote [‘Don't Mind If I Do’], and I had it written as a duet. I just asked Ella to come by the studio and sing it, to get a female's vocal on it”. Interestingly, Riley wasn't initially planning on keeping Ella on the song, and was instead using her part as a reference track. When she recorded her vocals, though, he was left with no choice, “I was still deciding who I was going to get to do it, but she did such a great job, we just didn't think anybody could sing it better than she did”. Ella Langley underlined that, when recording a duet - such as ‘Strangers’ with Kameron Marlowe and ‘That's Why We Fight’ with Koe Wetzel - the bond between artists is key. The Alabama singer-songwriter reflected on how easy it is to work with Riley Green, “I've done a few duets at this point and some feature stuff, and really, for me, it's the relationship, the connection. It's somebody I want to create with, you know? It's fun. That's the whole joy of living where we live, and getting to do what we get to do, we are surrounded by people who love to do the same thing”. Ella Langley went on to underline, “So definitely, Riley being from Alabama, we grew up with a lot of the same musical influences. Our hometowns are two hours apart from each other. On ‘Don't Mind If I Do’, he wrote that one by himself, and he just asked for me to come in the green room and see how a female sounded on it, just for fun. Then I think they loved it the way we did it - so they kept it on there!” It's safe to say we're glad they did, and given the passion and vulnerability that Riley Green and Ella Langley lace into ‘Don't Mind If I Do’, the song is already shaping up to be one of the stand-outs from Riley's forthcoming studio album of the same name. Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Gregory Reid / Gallery Stock.July 15, 2024 ShareSave Listen-1.0x+0:0011:23Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (Noa) using AI narration placing money and career above relationships and family But the real story of how parents’ attitudes toward these subjects have changed is more complicated than workism run amok Americans haven’t devalued family in favor of work so much as they’ve come to think of each in categorically different terms Work—by which we really mean employment—remains something most of us will have to do regardless of what we want; marriage and child-rearing are something we do only if we want Parents are recognizing that their grown kids don’t have to start families and that they don’t get much say in the matter anyway it wasn’t just parents who meddled in their children’s marriages; all sorts of people felt entitled to a say in who paired up with whom That’s why weddings weren’t private affairs big raucous celebrations,” at the end of which the guests would escort the married couple to bed “to make sure that they consummate the darn thing.” But it would be wrong to interpret such enthusiasm for marriage as a triumph of family over finances And the centrality of family to economic and political life meant that parents and others had an enormous stake in whether and whom someone married Read: Why does romance now feel like work? marriage was a means of building out networks of cooperative relations and circulating resources it became the primary means by which wealth and land exchanged hands And before the relatively recent rise of the male-breadwinner family getting married was fundamental to how a young man or a young woman established themselves marriage was “the most important ‘career’ decision they would ever make,” Coontz wrote in Marriage working their parents’ land and caring for them in old age most people before the Industrial Revolution—the need for children was sometimes so urgent that barren wives “often had to be put aside,” Coontz wrote “regardless of how much affection might have developed within the couple.” marriage’s utility as a bargaining chip for forging political alliances and amassing property created pressure to marry someone who would add to the family’s fortune and status where exchange was local and survival required collaboration the pressure was to find a trustworthy spouse who would contribute to the community when marriage was still a woman’s best shot at financial independence many parents were quite concerned that their daughters marry a man who could support her such that they wouldn’t have to modern parents’ preoccupation with financial stability is nothing new What’s changed is the means of attaining it but it’s not the only way for men or women to comfortably survive And having kids certainly won’t do your wallet any favors the best economic case for marriage in America is that it mitigates the steep cost of raising kids—if you decide to have them “They will have to very likely work … And I really hope that they can find something they feel fulfilled doing day in and day out.” Read: The happiness trinity This pragmatic resignation to the necessity of employment contrasted starkly with the way parents spoke about marriage and child-rearing which most viewed not as bad or even trivial Several parents told me they didn’t consider it important that their kids marry but the parents were hardly apathetic about their kids’ relationships It was the legal union—the “piece of paper”—that most regarded as dispensable “If they found a relationship and were content with never getting married I would be happy with that,” Kelly Schneiderloch a nurse based near Pittsburgh who has four children in their 20s It also seemed crucial to parents that the decision to pair up with someone be made free from economic pressure That’s one reason Chapin hopes her children will be financially independent: She doesn’t want them to feel like they need to stay in an unhappy relationship for monetary reasons better to be stuck in a bad job than a bad marriage Chapin’s logic points to a slightly different interpretation of the research on parents’ aspirations for their children. Coontz noted that the Pew survey from last year pitted a desire for one’s kids to be “financially independent” and “have jobs or careers they enjoy” against the hope that they would “get married” and “have children”—not exactly a fair comparison Just as it’s possible to have an underpaid or unfulfilling job it’s possible to have an unhappy marriage or raise children under intensely difficult circumstances Coontz suspects that Pew’s results would have come out differently had it asked parents whether it was important to them that their kids have “a satisfying most parents would have agreed it was important for their kids to marry without reassurance of relationship quality an indication that we’ve devalued marriage but that our benchmark for what constitutes a good marriage has risen a lawn- and garden-equipment mechanic who lives in Holmes County said that he would love for his kids to find spouses because marriage has been such a positive experience for him But he added that he and his wife “agreed that it’s more important for them to have fulfilling lives and good relationships with friends Many parents I spoke with were similarly hesitant to say that having children should be a priority for their kids. Some cited the expense and challenge of parenting; others had more personal reasons. Jo-Ann Finkelstein, a clinical psychologist and the author of the forthcoming book Sexism & Sensibility: Raising Empowered, Resilient Girls in the Modern World told me that she was shocked by the way having kids transformed what for her “had been a pretty equal relationship with a feminist-identifying man.” Their partnership “just became sort of this traditional cliché of me thinking of everything and worrying about everything,” she said which has affected how she thinks about her own children and the families they might start She does hope that her kids will want children of their own but “I don’t want my daughter in the position I found myself in.” parents seemed to be weighing their hopes for grandchildren against a reluctance to goad their kids into bearing them “You can’t just tell people to have children,” Kerry a lawyer from Maryland with two kids in elementary school “It’s such an enormous decision.” Kerry had beautiful things to say about how parenting unlocked a new dimension of the human experience for her and she considered it “very important” that her children have that experience one day But she asked to be identified by only her first name to avoid putting undue pressure on her kids should they ever read this article Her plan is to model a joyful family life such that raising children seems like an attractive option “The best way to get people to want to do something,” she said Discomfort with pushing kids to follow a particular life plan was a common thread in all of my conversations with parents. Many spoke about their role as being not to tell their kids how to lead a good life, but to help them figure out what sort of life they want and how to achieve it. This evolution of what it means to be a parent is generations in the making and they tried a lot harder than their grandparents did to let people live their own lives,” Coontz said This retreat from parental authority isn’t wishy-washy indifference but a clear-eyed embrace of reality the same economic shifts that have made it easier for people to leave a marriage have made it easier for adult children to ignore their parents’ wishes or to build a life without their parents in it people’s qualms about pestering their kids to expand their families may simply reflect parents’ desire to hang on to the family they’ve already got ​​When you buy a book using a link on this page Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker LISTEN HERE NOW 100,000+ Tickets to Green’s Damn Country Music Tour Sold In Less Than Eight Hours  Tune In October 22 to NBC’s TODAY for a special performance of the CMA Award-nominated “you look like you love me” with Ella Langley NASHVILLE, TN – (October 18, 2024) – Multi-PLATINUM singer-songwriter Riley Green elevates his already skyrocketing career with today’s release of his highly anticipated third studio album, Don’t Mind If I Do This album marks a thrilling continuation of Green’s hot streak solidifying his status as one of the genre’s most exciting stars garnering millions of streams and a dedicated following which arrived today (on Green’s birthday no less) via Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment a pitch perfect balance between heartfelt and humorous lyrics and a blend of relatable storytelling with infectious melodies “It feels fitting that this album is out on my birthday because this project feels very true to who I am where I come from and what I’ve learned along the way,” shared Green “I learned to play guitar to my granddaddy’s favorite Country songs from back in the day and this new album is a throwback to the era when I first became a fan.” with whom he shares the viral hit track that has quickly amassed nearly 200 million global streams and is currently climbing at Country radio Tune in to NBC’s TODAY Show on October 22 to catch the pair perform the hit live Additional dates to be announced in the coming months “Reel Problems (featuring Luke Bryan)” – Riley Green “Good Morning From Mexico” – Riley Green14 “Don’t Mind If I Do (featuring Ella Langley)” – Riley Green18 LA – Lake Charles Event CenterMay 10 OH – Youngstown Foundation AmphitheatreMay 30 OH – The Andrew J Brady Music CenterMay 31 MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom HillJune 12 NC – Coastal Credit Union Music ParkJune 19 WV – Marshall Health Network ArenaJuly 24 MA – MGM Music Hall at FenwayJuly 26 MT – KettleHouse AmphitheaterAugust 22 ID – Mountain America CenterAugust 23 new video loaded: Nate Bargatze Doesn’t Mind if You Think He’s an Idiot transcriptBackbars0:00/37:02-37:02transcript “I have a lot of grandmothers come to my shows I don’t think there’s much being made that they could go to.” “Certainly not stand-up comedy.” “No They’re saying the things others don’t have the nerve to say about subjects others don’t want to talk about I’m thinking of stars like Richard Pryor — “You know because you live around white people in the country you know what I mean?” — Amy Schumer — “I can’t believe I have the honor of being the final host before the midterm abortions — elections.” — and Dave Chappelle “I respect everybody’s beliefs except Amish people.” Nate Bargatze has risen to superstar status by doing something completely different why would you not want to be for everybody?” He’s low-key and clean And his comedy traffics in highly relatable stories about the foibles of family life his confusion with modern living and his own lack of smarts I thought that’s what it was.” It’s an approach that’s working He had the highest-grossing comedy tour of 2024 He’s also found a new audience by hosting ‘Saturday Night Live.’ “Look I’m as shocked as you are that I’m here.” And now he’s branching out to a new area with his upcoming book titled ‘Big Dumb Eyes: Stories From a Simpler Mind.’ That kind of self-deprecation is a trademark of his And it took them three class periods to figure out I had a concussion That’s how much I was bringing to the table.” But as I learned it’s actually masking some surprisingly bold ambition And here’s my interview with Nate Bargatze and it’s interesting reading articles about you over the last couple years And the writers of those articles always try and explain why you’ve gotten so big But what’s your hunch about why you have gotten to the place you’ve gotten to over the last couple years There’s lots of good comedians.” “I always wonder I think you’re just talking about relatable things But you’re in a world now where entertainment is — I think there is no authenticity But there’s not a regular person on a screen anymore And where the movies used to kind of be like that Trains and Automobiles’ and ‘Home Alone,’ and some of these aspects where you would have someone be like That’s a regular guy in this movie that you enjoy watching And you don’t always want to be thought provoked And that’s something that I’ve always tried to stay clear of because I realize I need people to be able to trust that if they come listen to what I’m going to say So I need you to be able to come and trust that you’re going to get the entertainment that I am showing you that I’m selling you.” “You said ‘I’m selling something,’ which is an interesting thing to hear because obviously that’s true that’s true for just about everyone in the entertainment business Why do you think there is hesitation on the part of some entertainers to say because I think there’s got this weird — I mean I think kind of life in general’s got this self-importance that it’s — I have a platform so I need to say something on this platform I don’t need to use this platform to tell you what to do If I want to give you my opinion and tell you what I think and all this And so it’s not about my self-importance or any of that stuff You don’t need me to do that.” “Help me understand the distinction you’re making when you say ‘I don’t want it to be all about me,’ because your material I just got a message today about a lady that’s like and you’ve helped me fly because I don’t know It’s the way you watch a show that’s comforting So anytime I think I want to go do something else I always say you can laugh with me or at me I’m here to entertain you.” “And when you were starting out did you feel any sort of peer pressure from other comedians to perform differently or tell different kinds of jokes Your stuff isn’t really political in nature at all which I could imagine if you’re a 28-year-old guy working comedy clubs in New York City there’s maybe not a ton of your peers are doing that kind of material.” “Yeah the idea of it — I would do a lot of shows that would be on — when you’re starting out It’d be a show called ‘Uncensored Comedy.’ And I mean most of the comics I’m around were the complete opposite of everything that I did I had to learn how to do what I was doing in those rooms But I didn’t want you to notice that I was clean So I think that is something that helped me into the fact that if I can go up and make you laugh and make this crowd laugh — I’m 28 years old in New York City how can I do this material that’s not doing sexual jokes or whatever everybody else was kind of doing I was reliable for late night sets because I was clean And so it was an easy one to go do and rely on because you know I’m not going to say — I’m not having to change my act for television.” “Your family is the source of a lot of your material —” “Yes.” “— and your wife in particular does she have to vet the jokes that you tell about her if you’re coming up with a joke based on something she’s done that annoys you there’s been a couple times I’ll go try it first to make sure I even want to then maybe there is no reason for me to bring it up to her.” “But then if it works you’re even in more of a bind.” “But if it works if they don’t know you and if you don’t show love I haven’t talked to her about her a ton outside when she was a baby I want her to be able to trust that she can come to me as her father and say stuff to me and not think anything she says I want to be very protective of that for my wife to know that I’m not just using all of them to gather material.” “Your dad was a comedian and a clown when you were growing up Do you and he have any competitive feelings about comedy?” “So he was a clown at the beginning So I can talk to him about comedy and all this And he’s done 100 and some shows with me in arenas and all this He could have moved to Vegas when we were younger and I think grew up with a very normal — I mean as normal as you can with your dad being a magician he cries when he brings me on stage.” “I ask just because I don’t think it’s uncommon for when fathers and sons go into the same or related lines of work for that to sometimes be emotionally complicated.” “Yeah I’m sure there is some competitiveness to us And then there’s times where you’re like — I always joke to be like it’s every little boy’s dream to travel with your dad when you’re 45 years old Really living it up.” “Your dad grew up in pretty different circumstances than you grew up in And then your daughter is then growing up in different circumstances than you grew up in Do you think about how your daughter understands how or why her life and her childhood are so different than yours or her grandfather’s?” “I don’t know if she gets it to the extent of that crazy neighborhood where it’s just everybody’s famous or wealthy or whatever The amount of stuff I wasn’t allowed to have versus what she has And they just kind of looked like Jordan shoes I’d be wearing all that stuff.” “A lot of Buffalo Bills gear?” “Yeah the Bills have won four in a row.” “You have been doing this a long time six or seven years where you sort of changed I think maybe you lost some weight.” “Yeah.” “Did the impetus to do that come from you we might want to think about making some changes?” “Yeah It’s a mix of — and no one told me to do anything And so I eat a lot of fast food and a lot of chain food and on the road I stopped drinking in 2018 because I knew if I wanted to get where I wanted to get as a comic I have to go put in the effort for me to be able to handle all this kind of touring and the mentality it takes to stay focused.” “Which is interesting to hear you say that because the image that pops into the mind when one thinks of a comedian is not a super-fit guy.” “I always say I’m looking forward to the day you can’t see my nipples through my shirt we’re going to get there.” “And I know you’re working on a new hour of material Can you share maybe a joke or a section of it that you’re feeling good about?” “The thing about nothing to do Because you know that there’s nothing to do Because if you and your wife and your family is like you can go see a movie and you get to bowling a lot quicker than you probably should be I feel like bowling is a caveman sport that should have faded out that it’s still hanging around.” “We’re obviously talking ahead of the publication of your book ‘Big Dumb Eyes.’ And you joke in the book about not being much of a reader you threw in some blank pages in your own book to help — I think the way you put it is keep their head above water.” “But now that —” “To get your head above water.” “Get your head above water are you feeling any differently about books?” “I thought of it last night as I was watching something like on TV I think this is when you should be reading That’s why there’s reading lamps and reading lights and all that kind of stuff But I was thinking about getting just a fun book and then just get into a habit.” “Do you have a sense of what that book would be?” “I looked up so that should count as I said it correctly in my head.” “Wait I thought that’s what it was.” “I’m sorry.” “Yeah I can decide if it was dumb or not.” “And even just the title ‘Big Dumb Eyes,’ but you already made some self-deprecating allusions to your own level of intelligence Comedians can act stupid or tell stupid jokes It involves observational insights and editing the material Are there aspects of comedic intelligence that do transfer over to day-to-day life?” “It’s awareness being aware of your surroundings and what’s going on You’re looking for things that happen to make a joke about or tell a story about it’s exhausting because it just doesn’t feel like it turns off And you analyze every interaction you have I don’t know if this person knows what he’s talking about and I realize that neither one of them really know what they’re saying to each other That’s very fun to watch.” “Is there an example recently that comes to mind of something out in the world that you observed and thought maybe there’s material in here for me?” “I mean and he just kind of won’t be paying attention So I watched them one time have a conversation in a hot tub And my aunt was not doing well at the time So they won’t just acknowledge that neither one of them know what’s going on dried off and threw his towel away in a trash can because he thought it was the towel bin You can tell no one’s really invested in what each other is saying.” “Just on the subject of larger ambitions something that I’ve seen you say in other interviews I think you mentioned — I don’t know if you were being totally serious but wanting to build something to replace the old Opryland amusement park with Nateland.” “Yes.” “What’s missing in the amusement park space that you think you could help fill?” “Well just talk about the state of Tennessee and Nashville alone There’s not a lot to do with your family there But there’s not a lot of stuff that you can do with your family What I like about when people come to my shows is that it’s children to grandparents are at these shows They’re able to go do something as a family I think a lot of entertainment now is not made for the whole family Even television or movies can be very much separating in the fact that I’m watching ‘Narcos,’ and my wife watches ‘Housewives.’ And there’s not a show that we’re necessarily watching together I would like to be able to build something in that aspect I just want to make stuff that people have somewhere to go to with their whole family and it’s easy to watch and it’s fun.” “Maybe this is related I don’t plan on touring forever and doing stand-up forever or you’re going to change or you’re going to go — I mean or you’re that or you’re going to — the audience is very much in my mind with everything that I will make And I will make stuff hopefully for them and with them And so I want them to be able to trust that keep coming and see that I’m trying to do something I think that’s a little against the grain right now something being broad is — like when I started comedy why would you not want to be for everybody And so I want to be for everybody.” After the break And he tells me about his desire to serve a sorely neglected comedy audience Thanks for taking the time to talk with me again.” “Oh yeah.” “I saw a thing Marc Maron wrote earlier this year just on his website where he was writing about the importance And the way he put it was that challenging people in real time with provocative material is where the real feels happen And I’m just curious to know your response to something like that But is it just that a guy like him and a guy like you are almost working in two separate fields?” “Yeah A lot that I do on stage is stuff that I learned from him how close can I be to me offstage to onstage I always joke that I’m a comic’s parent’s comic It’s like he’s not doing anything challenging I kind of disagree with that because it’s hard to — mainstream is not something that’s easy to attain That’s why there’s not 40 Sandlers.” “I remember you on ‘The Tonight Show,’ 2016 And you did a couple jokes about how you like Donald Trump because you’re so stupid that you believe all the insane promises that he made the joke wound up being because you were essentially too stupid to figure out how to go vote But would you do material even on that level now?” “I would now if I felt it So the reason I wrote that joke was because everybody was saying they didn’t like Trump — every comedian how can I make a joke that say I do like him and be able to do it on ‘The Tonight Show,’ where I ride a line where no one’s going to get mad I don’t want the people voting for Trump to get mad I don’t want the people that are not voting for Trump to get mad I wanted to say the opposite of what everybody else was saying I do like that challenge.” “Are there other topics like that that come to mind where you feel an instinct to go against the herd in that way?” “Yeah who are these adults addicted to these peanuts this bad And so that was one that there’s a lot of people that would make fun of the peanut allergy aspect and just defending the kids that have the peanut allergies it’s much easier to ride the line.” “All right help me understand this aspect of you because I was thinking about it low-key guy who is happy living on a cul-de-sac and doesn’t want to go Hollywood But then you also alluded to ambitions to build Nateland into — and this is your comparison — a Disney-level production more aggressive side to you when it comes to business Help me reconcile the two seemingly disparate sides of Nate Bargatze.” “You know My mind just thinks because I don’t understand most business stuff why not?” “I’m not buying the whole yokel shtick And then you’re good at putting people around you that do know all that kind of stuff so I don’t know any of that stuff.” “What’s the last idea you had where you then said to someone you work with ‘Can we make that happen?’” “So on the arena tour they should be bigger because I want the experience for the audience to be as great as it can be But I just want to know it went through the whole system when I say I want to do a theme park — and I’ve had it with friends — where I say You basically get told you can’t do anything because it doesn’t make sense for how I’ve lived to think that I want to go do all this other stuff.” “What would be in the Nateland theme park?” “Just rides.” “Rides.” “No I would want it to be a Universal Studios kind of thing where we can be shooting movies on one part And then you have the theme park on the other I just want to build a world where people can be discovered I think a lot of people would not get out of the way for the next They’re in comedy clubs when you’re coming up And you can’t get spots at that club because the guys that have been there for 15 years are not moving or going somewhere else And so I want to have places for new artists to be able to come do something.” “I don’t want to be another one of those naysayers I think you’d need like $1 billion to do that.” “Yeah we’ve got some stuff we’ve got to get through I was going to ask you how much money you have And money gets used in a lot of different ways and stuff like that This is not something that is going to be tomorrow we’re going to give it a go.” “I want to go back to the book you mentioned that you were raised Baptist And you write very movingly about how your dad You call it his moment of testimony.” “Yes.” “Have you had a moment of testimony?” “Yeah I think that’s where the drive and all this stuff is coming from to make sure that you can bring your child to my stand-up show And I think about those moments I have with my daughter all these little dumb moments of you going to the movies with your family because it’s fun to watch your kid try to talk you into buying candy and popcorn and all these little silly kind of moments that you think back on I think it’s constantly having to work on it constantly just reminding myself to be out of it and make sure that this life is not about me it’s constant going on.” “So I think I follow what you’re saying And the idea is that there’s almost a deeper motivation or a spiritual impetus between trying to create these moments for families it’s attempted service to — it’s a big belief to be I am second So it’s very much a calling in that aspect it’s trying to ride that balance of where I don’t want anybody that’s not this or that or whatever everybody is is not really — that doesn’t matter I just want to make something that all of them can be in the room together And I feel it’s driven on a bigger purpose for me But it’s like everybody has their own things.” “I sense a little hesitation on your part in wanting to say there’s a spiritual motivation behind it.” “Well you are nervous because you get worried about being labeled You don’t want to be this kind of thing because stuff gets faith-based but it’s like the moments when you’re with your kids and your wife or your partner I remember our daughter’s first movie was ‘Moana.’ And so going to sit and watch it in the back — we sat in the very back And that’s a dumb day in the grand scheme of things but those are the ones that you tend to go back to and remember I’ll have a lot of grandmothers come to my shows And I always love that because I don’t think there’s much being made that they could go to or that they want to go to.” “Certainly not stand-up comedy.” “No you had mentioned that you don’t plan on touring forever or doing stand-up forever Do you actually know currently when you’ll stop?” “I do I could see — the next specials will be on Netflix I could see maybe one more special after that And so I do think there’s a point I need to get out of the way I need to step aside and let the next wave of comedians come up And I don’t want to be just hovering always in the spotlight And then do that and then start running Nateland.” “Wow that Nate Bargatze knows he’s going to stop in a couple of years.” “Yeah When ABC announcers actually took a break from their breathless praise of Deion Sanders Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders during the Alamo Bowl television broadcast on Saturday they referred to something Cougar center Conner Pay said after an interview on Friday Dave Pasch and Rusty Dvoracek gave Colorado so many flowers Saturday night you would have thought it was prom night in San Antonio even Pasch and Dvoracek couldn’t ignore what BYU did to the Sanderses a dominating effort from start to finish in a 36-14 victory BYU’s offense had some nice moments but also made a lot of mistakes in an uneven performance A cleaner bit of work by the Cougars with the ball would have resulted in an even wider margin of victory But it didn’t matter because the defense and special teams were excellent and consistently overwhelmed Colorado Cougar fans expecting a letdown after getting the lead BYU beat the best team Utah played this year (as voiced by Utes coach Kyle Whittingham) handily and never seemed to be in any danger The moments following Ralphie the Buffalo running onto the field before the game almost all belonged to the Cougars Now it’s time for Perfectly Rational Overreactions (PROs) have fun with it.” Then there’s my thought: The goal is to win the game Playing fast and loose with your play calling when it isn’t really necessary (BYU was dominating the line of scrimmage) seems reckless to me and the opposite of good strategy trick plays (or “specials”) are great when they work and terrible when they don’t The option pass thrown by Parker Kingston should have been a touchdown but was dropped The double quarterback pass was open but not thrown well by Gerry Bohanon The shovel pass that Colorado intercepted should have been caught by BYU So I guess you kind of roll the dice and live with the results I just didn’t see any reason to empty the bag with specials in the first half Ferrin is putting together a spectacular career and I could see him getting a chance to do the same thing in the NFL He is extremely accurate and has a powerful leg Ferrin is 72 of 73 on extra points and 33 of 37 on field goals When you think about great Cougar kickers of the past you bring up Lee Johnson and the Payne brothers If you were wondering why Hill was smiling so much during Friday’s news conference (Dvoracek described BYU’s defensive coordinator as “giddy” on the broadcast) it was because he had three weeks to prepare for Colorado’s pass-heavy offense Ponder this: Colorado had five pass plays of 15 or more yards (three came on a meaningless drive late in the fourth quarter) and one rushing play of more than 10 yards for 194 yards Hunter broke loose a couple of times but Shedeur Sanders was harassed I never really felt like the Cougars were ever in danger of losing control of this game Your defense was “prime.” (It’s a play on words on Coach Prime I felt like I needed to explain because someone online read it and didn’t get the joke) Bowl games are what they are: A glorified exhibition Maybe that’s why the ABC announcers spent so much time talking about Colorado the result of the Alamo Bowl isn’t going to affect Hunter being selected No or Shedeur Sanders going in the first five picks or Coach Prime dominating the college football news cycle every time he breathes BYU still didn’t get an invite to the College Football Playoffs even if they appear now to deserve it even more While BYU’s convincing win in the Alamo Bowl puts a nice exclamation point on the 2024 season I think the Cougars built even more momentum throughout the year Winning nine straight games and putting themselves in a position to win the Big 12 was a huge step for a program that failed to make a bowl game in Year 1 in the league BYU got the ball to sophomore running back L.J Martin 19 times and he produced: 17 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns even with a few guys in different positions Martin got to show off in his home state (he’s from El Paso) I feel like I should highlight somebody from the defense I saw Isaiah Glasker play a few times at Bingham High and was immediately struck by the fact that he was easily the best athlete on the field He was a safety and wide receiver for the Miners but has found a real home at linebacker for the Cougars He’s a terrific playmaker and is a star in the making I also thought seniors Tyler Batty and Jakob Robinson were excellent in their final game in a BYU uniform I enjoyed the lovefest this week between Coach Prime and Kalani Sitake They may differ in their approach and public persona but they are both a great fit for their respective schools Another BYU coach that earned his salary this year was Kelly Poppinga with special teams The Cougars had five returns for touchdowns: Two each by Keelan Marion and Kingston The discussion about “complementary football” always involves special teams and Poppinga brought it in 2024 but for this: BYU rings in the new year with an 11-2 record after playing the most difficult schedule in program history which puts this team in the Top 5 of the best Cougar teams ever The blueprint for another season just like it (or better) in 2025 is clear: Keep developing young players to step into new roles and reach into the portal for key positions and depth BYU will miss the outgoing seniors but returns plenty of talent next season There are some spots that the portal will need to provide (defensive line Another important memo: BYU was picked to finish 13th in the preseason Big 12 poll and tied for first Arizona State was picked dead last (16th) and won the darn thing Take nothing for granted just because you are returning good players The hard work begins the first week of January with conditioning LLC | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd ABBA‘s Björn Ulvaeus will turn 80 this month, which raises the question of the future of the AI-created avatar show, ABBA Voyage what do you do with an avatar show when the people who it’s been modeled after have shuffled off this mortal coil “That’s a very good question. That remains to be seen,” Björn tells the Times. “We are allowed to stay in our current venue till 2029, but ticket sales might drop, you never know. But is it right to continue when someone is dead? That’s a big ethical question.” However, Björn says he personally wouldn’t be bothered at all if the show is still playing 100 years from now. “When you’re gone, you’re gone but… my kids might appreciate it,” he says. Björn also says he wishes he could talk to his avatar and tell him that “the things he worried about were not worth worrying about.” He explains, “I was so insecure — what a waste of time! Relationships with other humans are the only thing that really matter.” Asked what he thinks his avatar would say to him, he laughs. “‘Hey, old man! How come you get to sit at home while I have to do all the work?’” he says. Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Need help accessing the FCC Public File due to a disability? Please contact Justin Jerve at publicfilemn@hubbardradio.com or (218) 828-1244. This web site is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. © 2025 HBI Radio Brainerd/Wadena, LLC according to The RealReal's new Luxury Resale Report the world’s largest online marketplace for authenticated resale luxury goods shows that we’re not just experiencing a designer vintage boom The RealReal's 2023 Luxury Resale Report found that items in “fair condition” are being embraced at record levels with demand for the category up +265% year over year says that the definition of an item in “fair” condition means the item contains heavier wear than “good” to “moderate” wear items but that wear doesn’t impact the function of the garment “It could be a ripped seam or a missing button but if it’s a zipper that’s broken and doesn’t go up that would be something that we would reject,” she explains Sciacca says the increased interest in designer clothing in fair condition ties back to the price point “Knowing that fair condition items are approximately 20% less as far as list price than good condition that’s democratizing luxury for a lot of people,” she notes “People that maybe couldn’t access brands like Chanel or Gucci before are able to tap into those brands now.” Sciacca also says that young generations are embracing realness but now young people have debunked that a little bit.” That being said Sciacca says that handbags are currently the site’s most popular in the fair condition market in comparison to shoes (which can wear more visibly) Alongside the findings around the fair condition boom The RealReal's 2023 Luxury Resale Report also tracked the rise of investment shopping amidst economic uncertainty (by making fewer yet more expensive purchases) and the shift of top ten brands thanks to “stealth wealth,” or the quiet luxury trend The report shows that Gucci was the most searched brand of 2023 and that both Celine and Bottega Veneta are on the rise if you happen to have any Gucci Argyle Sweaters now is the time to list them on The RealReal — even if they have some wear and tear This article was originally published on Aug Japan is the land of the rising sun and I have to tell you as a foreign edition comic book enthusiast I am especially delighted to source and research Japanese material I add these editions with pride to my collection Unlicensed Star Wars comics existed in Japan before the book I am about to share was published this is the first officially licensed Star Wars comic book material to be published on the Japanese islands Hunting and researching Japanese Star Wars material has been a labor of love for me over the years You can imagine my excitement when I learned that Star Wars #1 had indeed been published in Japan Shōnen is a long running manga that has a publication history dating from 1959 it is rumored to have sold over 4.55 billion copies To say this manga anthology series is popular in Japan is an understatement wanting to get Star Wars panels in as many eyeballs as it could in Japan Weekly Shōnen Magazine #18 is the holy grail of Japanese Star Wars comics The release was perfectly timed to draw folks into the Star Wars drama two months before the Japanese movie premiere in June of 1978 the really wondrous element about this book is the format Traditional Japanese manga reads from right to left instead of left to right as we English readers are used to the word bubbles and sound effects are all written in a top to bottom This really cool format is called tategaki (縦書き?) And this format is what Shōnen Magazine traditionally uses This means the holy grail of Japanese Star Wars comics has its spine on the right Something that is “foreign” for English readers As I flip through this book (from right to left) I notice a very interesting factoid about this Star Wars material inside the Japanese reader is given some context to the story through character bios When getting to the Chaykin drawn movie adaptation however you actually have to do something very different Japanese readers have to drop their usual way of reading and flip through towards the middle of the book because it is in the middle where the classic Chaykin cover artwork dictated the beginning of the story They then would have to read the remaining pages in not tategaki style reading the pages from left to right back towards the front and what would be their cover This is for all essential purposes completely backwards for Japanese manga readers My best guess is the publisher Kondasha had a conundrum with how to format the traditional western comic pages and just stuck it in there without reversing everything Shōnen Magazine #18 contains the first Star Wars issue from the Marvel movie adaption in 1977 contain the rest of the 6-part Marvel Comics movie adaption make due with an orange spot color for effect This color can change from issue to issue and can be blue I have a theory that I would like to share The cover of this book is art taken from the Adventures of Luke Skywalker HC (1976 Novel) Book Club Edition This is classic painted art created by the famous Ralph McQuarrie (conceptual artist for the Star Wars franchise) some of the interior painted art is rumored to be created by Noriyoshi Ohrai that means this Ohrai work would pre-date the famous Star Wars movie poster art he did for George Lucus I do know Ohrai worked on Star Wars paintings for some Japanese magazines that predated these famous posters So it makes sense to me that he would create painted art for a manga anthology If anyone can confirm or deny my theory please post in the comments below One final thing I will say about this book is that Weekly Shōnen Magazine #18 is an extremely cool and novel piece of Star Wars history The foreign edition collecting bug is serious business This style of collecting has become an absolute obsession to some collectors out there I suspect these Shōnens might become more and more difficult to find Shōnen actually has a publication history dating from 1946 It was originally Kobunsha Shōnen and changed from Weekly Shōnen in 1959 The spot color and language font really make this an exotic version of a monumental Star Wars classic You must be logged in to post a comment This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. had about $24,000 in his checking account when he died at the age of 89 next of kin can obtain such funds by submitting a death certificate and a few other forms discovered that no mater how many times he and other family members turned in the same documents no matter how many times they called and were subjected to epic waits on hold they just couldn’t get the bank to make good on its pledge “They kept saying that all the paperwork was in order and that they’d quickly release the money,” the Pasadena resident told me “But then they’d turn around and say again that documents were incomplete or missing.” Carter said he gradually came to believe that BofA, which reported its third-quarter profit rose by 58% to $7.7 billion was determined to hang on to the money for as long as possible “We kept calling the bank every few weeks and they kept giving us the run-around,” he said And let’s be clear about situations like this: There’s absolutely no excuse for a bank or any other business to not step up when contacted by a bereaved family These are precisely the moments when high-minded corporate declarations of caring and sensitivity are put to the test Carter’s problems with BofA reminded me of a column I wrote in June about a Fresno woman who died at the age of 91. A California solar company called Sunrun refused to cancel her contract and refused to remove its solar panels from the roof of the house. The company seemed determined to make the dead woman’s family pay off her contract, even though family members had no legal obligation to do so. It wasn’t until I contacted Sunrun that the company suddenly realized it was behaving in a miserable fashion. Again, it should never come to this. No business should ever place self-interest ahead of showing compassion to a grieving family. And it shouldn’t take the threat of bad publicity to make a company do the right thing. Carter and his family jumped through every bureaucratic hoop Bank of America put in their path. They submitted their father’s death certificate and other notarized forms. They gave affadavits to the bank’s Estate Services department. Then they submitted the same documents again when BofA said it couldn’t find them or needed extra information. Then they called over and over to ask when the funds would be released. “If they weren’t saying documents were missing, they said we were in the queue and the check would arrive shortly,” Carter recalled. “Then we’d call again and they’d say something else.” He and his family became so frustrated, they finally reached out to me for help. “I feel like there is something very wrong here,” Carter said. “I wonder if they are keeping the money of all their dead customers in an effort to make money somehow.” That’s doubtful. I couldn’t find any indication that such practices are widespread in the banking industry. But it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Banks routinely use customers’ funds to balance their books and demonstrate sufficient reserves to financial authorities. A bank also may use excess reserves in making loans — lending money deposited by one customer (for low interest) to another customer in need of cash (for high interest). Carter shared with me a series of letters sent by BofA quibbling with this or that document. He also forwarded emails he and his brother sent to the bank after being assured repeatedly that all the paperwork was in order. He said he visited a BofA branch and confronted the manager. “He said this happens all the time and assured us we’d have the check within 10 business days,” Carter told me. “Twenty business days later we had to call again, and were again told we were in the queue for checks. “They never, ever reached out to us during all this,” he said. “We always had to call them and wait forever on hold to get through to a human.” I contacted the bank and asked, in effect, what the hell? That same day, Carter said, he received a call from “a very nice and apologetic woman” at BofA who confirmed that the family’s documents were in order (as the family had been saying for months). A day later, his late father’s funds were transferred to Carter’s account. “Our objective is to assist families who have lost a loved one through the estate process and properly disburse assets in a timely manner,” Betty Riess, a BofA spokesperson, told me. “During such a difficult time for the family, we regret any inconvenience that may be caused through the collection and review of required documentation to disburse the assets.” That’s nice, but it doesn’t address the mixed messages and needless hassles inflicted on Carter and his family during that difficult time. Nor does it explain how I was able to resolve in a single day what BofA made customers deal with for months — almost as if none of the bank’s excuses held up to scrutiny. Carter said the experience left a bad taste in his mouth. “I wonder how many hundreds or thousands of other families are dealing with something like this,” he said. “It’s just bad form.” David Lazarus is a former business columnist for the Los Angeles Times who focused on consumer affairs. He appears daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5. His award-winning work has appeared in newspapers across the country and resulted in a variety of laws protecting consumers. Hollywood Inc. Business Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map The founder of the Video Game History Foundation and the devs of Slay The Princess on the place piracy has today “There's no way to access them without either pirating them or buying antiques from vendors RPS famously gave up console gaming in late 1872 shortly before the release of the first PC but as console-focused as these sea changes are they still point towards a worrying trend of dwindling consumer choice Moreso in the wake of consolidation already reaping disastrous consequences “The video game industry started essentially mimicking Hollywood,” says Cifaldi “There's basically five companies that own everything now Talk of preservation inevitably leads to the ever-taboo topic of piracy “Reading the temperature of how people are feeling about how they consume media right now,” says Cifaldi “we might be coming full circle back to piracy being something that we need to be literate in in order to be able to access the things that we love Digital streaming scooped everything up and we all got content with it We're already seeing things wiped from existence before our eyes.” “Since a lot of new folks are discovering Slay The Princess: The game is at its best if your first experience is playing it yourself instead of watching someone else's play-through pirate it and buy a copy later when you have money if you liked it!)” I’d like to make clear here that this article isn’t intended to place either Cifaldi or Black Tabby as spokespeople for a larger cause They’re each speaking for themselves and many developers and industry folk have expressed similar sentiments before I do feel that Black Tabby’s tweet is significant due to the success of their game they’re in the position to decide how their audience interacts with their work The impetus for me reaching out to everyone featured was simply that I think this is a conversation worth having pretty much constantly “We both think that the best way for people to experience it is to play our game first hand,” Tony Howard-Arias of Black Tabby tells me “We don't want money to necessarily be the game ender so there's a degree of empathy for just like the frustration of arts and entertainment being financially inaccessible.” And piracy “is just going to happen no matter what So it's just a thing where we're just telling people they don't have to feel bad if that's how they experience the game.” “I think at the end of the day,” says Howard-Arias I think that when folks have a meaningful experience with art they want to support the artists who make those experiences Neither of us here need to be that protectionist about it.” Howard describes Slay The Princess as about “Perception, and how that can actively shape the people around you, and the world that you’re in.” Howard-Arias says “if you like the Stanley Parable and you like Disco Elysium you'll probably like this.” Both feel that their approach to narrative design means that they’d rather folk pirate it than have a second-hand experience Black Tabby tell me they didn’t intend for the tweet to necessarily be an advocation of piracy in general but I still found it refreshing and powerful in the sense that even if they’re just speaking for themselves developers openly acknowledging that piracy isn’t the evil it’s often portrayed as lessens the taboo Cifaldi tells me he believes that “piracy literacy,” is dwindling especially among young people that might not know how a torrent works (whatever that is) Tweets like Black Tabby’s might well spur on some research Xitter agreed: Black Tabby were officially based with many suggesting they were far more likely to buy the game now anyway but Howard-Arias felt there’d been an uptick in sales and also tells me that none of the conversations they’ve had about potential physical editions were hurt by their public stance “Something that has been challenging as this sort of tweet has spiraled out of our control is that a lot of people tend to view this stuff through like a single perspective lens,” says Howard-Arias “but multiple things can be true at the same time.” Some wrongly assumed Black Tabby were upset at streamers Howard-Arias describes their position as a “strange intersection” they’d also want a sustainable business “We want people experiencing it in the way it's intended to be played And we also really like when streamers play the game and get it out in the world and share their experiences So it's like it's a situation where all of these things are true at the same time.” Do Black Tabby feel there’s any potential risk of normalising piracy in a harmful sense? Not really. There are, says Howard-Arias, much riskier trends in indie dev, like undercutting prices to unsustainably low levels. He loved Vampire Survivors and its -likes “A lot of people were interested in exploring that space But it meant that if you’re going to be competitive you also have to charge like $3,” he says That’s before Steam’s 30% and card fees which aren’t insignificant at such a low price meaning developers have to shift huge numbers just to survive in that genre space “I don't blame any developers for doing that but I think the tendency for indies to undervalue and underprice their work is a much more real risk to sustainability than not being mad at people for pirating your game.” Pirated copies aren’t ones they would have sold anyway “These are numbers aren't just cutting into your bottom line so much as they are bonus numbers Black Tabby's approach to their player base feels fitting; Slay The Princess felt to me like a story born of a deeply empathetic design ethos A certain scene sees you trying desperately illuminate your situation by asking a limited amount of questions from a huge dialogue tree It’s the kind of thoughtful and exhaustive list that could only be written by asking repeatedly: how would players feel here Its that sheer breadth of individual experience that can make a first playthrough feel almost magical in its fluidity Its no wonder Black Tabby want people to experience a first run first-hand The Pristine Cut is a free update slated for sometime this year aiming to add several new chapters to the game Much of it is ideas and elaborations on the story inspired by seeing the game in the wild “It's one thing to construct something like this and then another to see people experience it,” says Howard I don’t want to put revolutionary slogans in Black Tabby’s mouths continuing to work on their game after release just out of a vision for how much better it could be and then refusing to be protectionist over their work their stance definitely felt like a torch at the end of a rough year for the industry a candle illuminating a twisted staircase leading to a horrible basement containing a chained princess a few reasons to be hopeful about the future of preservation “One of the hurdles toward a game staying in print which is the question of of legal ownership and what company owns the code I think that's starting to be solved,” he says “And the idea of remastering a game for the next hardware refresh has become normal.” “I don’t believe that we’ve found a commercial solution for your video game staying alive forever No one is against the idea of video game preservation but companies and their shareholders are against the idea of not making a profit,” he adds “It's a technical black hole; It costs a lot of money to port a video game then there's not a business rationale to keep things alive.” if anyone knows what a ‘torrent’ is No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission Rock Paper Shotgun is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited Green's discography boasts two top 15 albums: ‘Different ‘Round Here' and 2023's ‘Ain't My Last Rodeo.' These albums have produced two top 5 singles earning him a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim ‘Way Out Here,' full of authentic sounds and heartfelt lyrics that resonate with country music enthusiasts and a number one hit with Thomas Rhett on ‘Half of Me' and you have a Country artist with the world at their feet That momentum has only gathered over 2024 after his zeitgeist-grabbing viral hit with Ella Langley on ‘You Look Like You Love Me' and now his ‘Way Out Here' EP has been expanded into his third album ‘Don't Mind if I Do,' cements his status as one of country music's rising stars blending classic country and southern rock with 90s influences with a mix of emotions and moods ranging from wild romance to reflective moments His knack for storytelling and ability to channel old-school country vibes shine through The songs on ‘Don't Mind If I Do' can largely be grouped together in three distinct themes The first theme I'd call ‘Songs about sexy times & good lovin.' Here Green takes listeners on a journey of love and passion starting with ‘Waitin’ All Day.' This acoustic-driven track captures the anticipation of a night of romance with sultry electric guitar and Green's smooth vocals creating a seductive atmosphere ‘Worst Way' stands out as the sexiest track moody voice conveys the anticipation of a passionate night making it a sure hit for romantic playlists ‘Pick a Place' and ‘Lookin' Back on This' continue the theme balancing tender acoustic melodies with southern rock energy offering a raw yet relatable portrait of love and lust tender and intense song built around a repeating acoustic guitar melody Here we find Green pledging to take his love wherever it is she wants to go whilst ‘Lookin' Back on This' finds Green’s painting a picture of a man excited to spend some time with his girl expansive chorus as he sings ‘It’s looking like we’re about to make a memory that we won’t forget.’ Whoever his date is in this song better keep her head down because she will be the envy of women the whole world over Green also shines in the second group of songs which I'd title ‘Absent women drinking and fun.' Tracks like ‘Damn Good Day to Leave' and ‘Good Morning from Mexico' showcase Green's southern rock influences offers listeners a chance to escape to a sunny getaway after a toxic relationship I threw my passport in the pool,' Green sings unrepentantly having a great time down south across the border ‘Too Early to Drink' taps into retro-country with a honky-tonk vibe reminiscent of Willie Nelson while ‘Reel Problems,' a fun collaboration with Luke Bryan Here we find both singers ironically complaining about about all the problems they are facing: like having cold beers to crack and having a ten pound bass on a 7 pound line There's a sense of irony and a boozy vibe throughout this song – the girl even leaves in verse two which is Luke Bryan’s verse humorous song with some classic 90s country vibes and a sense of fun throughout Stand-out track in this second group of songs is easily ‘Alcohall of Fame,' a Brad Paisley-esque anthem celebrating a man's legendary status in his local bar Green paints a picture of a simple man living a simple life and there’s also a cracking time change when the chorus arrives which puts a great big smile on your face Think ‘Friends in Low Places’ meets Brad Paisley’s ‘Alcohol’ as an influence here on this superb song These tracks emphasise Green’s ability to craft good-time drinking songs that are both fun and relatable the heart and rural life,' Green returns to his roots delivering heartfelt odes to the south and the human heart ‘Way Out Here' is a powerful southern anthem self-sufficient mentality of rural America while ‘Turnin’ Dirt' echoes Jordan Davis' ‘Buy Dirt,' focusing on hard work with twangy guitars and a catchy melody that gives it a barroom feel But it's ‘Jesus Saves' that serves as the emotional centre-piece of the album telling the poignant story of a down-on-his-luck man whose only solace is his faith The tender acoustic guitars and Green's heartfelt vocals make this song a standout built on nothing more than a plaintive fiddle Green's rich vocals and evocative storytelling ‘Don’t Mind If I Do,' featuring Ella Langley is one of the few heartbreak songs on the record Green’s rich vocals paired with Langley’s haunting harmonies create an emotional duet about regret and second chances ‘That's a Mistake,' also explores heartbreak on a song filled with lessons learned and regret These moments of vulnerability add depth to the album more carefree tracks but this isn't really an album about heartbreak it's an album about the heart filled with southern soul and some fantastic storytelling In ‘Don't Mind if I Do' Riley Green successfully channels the spirit of Waylon Jennings while adding his own southern charm and modern sensibility This album proves that Green is more than just a rising star; he’s a true inheritor of classic country music skilfully blending nostalgic influences with contemporary sound ‘Don't Mind if I Do' is a testament to real country music played by a real southern gentleman making it a must-listen for country fans everywhere Purchases through this link may result in us earning a commission Choose which of our mailing lists you want to subscribe to You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter Choose which of our mailing lists you'd like to subscribe to © 2024 Entertainment Focus | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy The partisan divide is reaching a fever pitch in the United States and making some voters consider political alliances that would previously be inconceivable. A poll conducted by Yahoo Finance/SurveyMonkey found that nearly 40 percent of the Republicans asked would be fine with Russia interfering in the elections to help their party keep control of Congress Of the 2,509 Americans surveyed over July 25 – 27 11 percent of people identifying or leaning Republican said it’s “appropriate” for Russia to interfere if it would aid Republicans in the upcoming elections An additional 29 percent said it’s “not appropriate but wouldn’t be a big deal” for the Russians to help out in that way So a total of 40 percent of Republicans either approved of Russian interference or saw nothing terribly wrong with it About 55 percent were completely against it Of course, in the hyper-partisan political atmosphere in the U.S., exacerbated constantly by Donald Trump himself, one can regard the results of this survey as bearing out unquestioning support for Trump by his base. He has consistently downplayed Russian involvement in the 2016 elections and is now contending that collusion So it’s not wholly unexpected to see more Republicans reflecting such positions Emily Ekins, director of polling for the libertarian Cato Institute, which conducted an analysis of Trump voters thinks that while there’s a “shockingly high number” of Republicans supporting Russian interference they just reflect their deep connection to the President “I think these results are driven by partisan loyalties,” said Ekins. “While it’s a shockingly high number of Republicans who say it’s not a big deal they’re defending the candidate they voted for – Donald Trump.” While loyalty to their side may be skewing what people are thinking, what do such statistics mean for the sense of civic pride in the country? For one, under federal election law it is illegal for other governments and foreign nationals to make political contributions to candidates or offer anything of value to anyone linked to the U.S Russia’s interference should be a big deal In another sense, it is hard not to see an eroded understanding of the principle of self-determination in such polls. The right to self-determination is basically the right of a people to determine their own destiny without outside interference, choosing their own political status as well as the form of economic, cultural and social development, as explains UNPO. This organization helped a number of countries like Armenia Estonia and Georgia that have gained full independence and joined the U.N By supporting the interference of another country in American affairs such citizens are essentially giving up on their own right towards self-determination for the benefit of a fleeting partisan gain Upholding their beliefs versus those of their fellow countrymen becomes more important than the welfare and sovereignty of the nation as a whole It’s hard not to feel the dangers of this kind of slippery slope morality for the future of the United States Multi-PLATINUM singer-songwriter Riley Green is to release his brand-new album, “Don’t Mind If I Do”, on 18th October.   “Don’t Mind If I Do” delivers more of the signature Riley Green sound that fans can’t get enough of Continuing down the path he set forth on with “Ain’t My Last Rodeo”, Green leans even further into pulling inspiration from his small-town life in rural Alabama to deliver an honest relatable and at times humorous 18-track project. Currently on an incredible hot streak, Green’s well-earned confidence in his work shines through with five of the tracks being solely written including standouts “Jesus Saves,” “Worst Way” and the title track—which finds Green reuniting with his “you look like you love me” duet partner Ella Langley with whom he shares the hit track that has quickly seen more than 120 million global streams and is continually climbing toward the top of several viral charts Dann Huff produced the project along with Executive Producers Scott Borchetta and Jimmy Harnen Speaking about the single, Riley said: “I wrote this song based off the line ‘I’m one memory away from falling all the way apart,’ trying to capture that moment when you think you’re almost over someone but one thought can pull you back into how much you miss that relationship and I didn’t really have Ella in mind for this song but I had her originally cut vocals on it for a demo I couldn’t imagine having someone else on the song after hearing her sing it.” Riley made his first ever trip to the UK earlier this year where he celebrated Independence Day on July 4th playing to 50,000 fans at BST Hyde Park Whilst in London, Riley also performed at a listening party for selected industry invitees and completed a round of media interviews Please note this competition is only open to UK residents The full terms and conditions are available at the bottom of the entry widget To celebrate the album release we've got 1 signed vinyl to give away I ain't walkin' round like I'm splurging with a mill nowFeel like the kid working at the mill nowUsed to just chill and smoke joints up at Bill's houseNow I got a schedule, things I gotta do near death after losing 10 members to the Big Ten The Pac-12 once took the Mountain West's outstretched hand (in the form of a football scheduling agreement this year) when it was on its knees Now, with that scheduling agreement expiring after just one year the Pac-12 decided to stab the Mountain West in the back by poaching four of its premier schools to join Oregon State and Washington State permanently On Sept. 12, the Pac-12 announced Boise State Fresno State and San Diego State would become official members in 2026 However, that only left the conference with six teams, two short of the NCAA's required eight-team minimum to be considered FBS-eligible. That led to speculation across sports media about who the Pac-12 might target next to fill the final two slots The Action Network's Brett McMurphy reported Saturday that the Pac-12 is aiming for two more Mountain West schools to reach the NCAA eight-team minimum UNLV and Utah State are considered "top targets" per McMurphy keeping the regional vibe of the conference intact he also noted that any combination of Memphis Tulane and UTSA from the American Athletic Conference is still under consideration The Pac-12's ties are already strong in Las Vegas with the conference's football championship game and basketball tournament being hosted there in years past considered the little brother to Utah — a member of the Pac-12 from 2011-2024 seems like a natural successor to the Utes with the Pac-12 then presumably claiming five of the Mountain West's top six markets it could spell doom for the former if it doesn't scramble to add teams of its own That could trigger another seismic shift in realignment further disturbing the college football - and by extension other sports like basketball - worlds The Pac-12 is currently in the middle of a two-year grace period offered by the NCAA after it lost 10 of its original 12 members © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Now, with that scheduling agreement expiring after just one year On Sept. 12, the Pac-12 announced Boise State However, that only left the conference with six teams, two short of the NCAA's required eight-team minimum to be considered FBS-eligible. That led to speculation across sports media about who the Pac-12 might target next to fill the final two slots The Action Network's Brett McMurphy reported Saturday that the Pac-12 is aiming for two more Mountain West schools to reach the NCAA eight-team minimum The reported choices would make perfect sense for the Pac-12's revival efforts but likely spell doom for the conference it once called an ally there is a stroke of a genius kind of idea that put the wheels in motion they’ll tell you that a great business idea without a tangible growth plan is worth as much as a car with an empty gas tank you won’t get further than your own garage So to really kick their business into higher gear and avoid being checkmated by their opponents or unfavorable market conditions startups must go through a rapid trial and error phase to uncover the strategies that pump life (and money) into their idea Let’s be clear, though — navigating the choppy waters of growth hacking is a demanding task and not all unorthodox experiments lead to discovering the recipe of startup success. Unable to achieve sustainable growth, as many as nine out 10 startups fail European tech superstars: Hear from Datasnipper investors and innovation champions at TNW Conference on June 19 & 20 This time I set out to collect the most effective growth strategies from startups of all types and sizes and I’m returning with a whole bunch of ideas that worked for ambitious startups Gil Allouche, founder of data-driven marketing engine Metadata says the company’s most effective growth strategy is all about key stakeholders partners and customers: If you treated your former managers colleagues and customers right – chances are one of these group can be your first initial customer Rich (my former boss) and Concurrent (my former partner) were my first clients They already knew my quality of work and trusted my brand Current client’s referral: If you concentrate on doing good by your first few clients chances are they’ll send you more clients just like them we got two to three referrals from every customer and ended up making many of them our clients Focus on ICP (ideal customer persona): We simply analyzed our first 10 clients – what locations they are (Boston job titles of buyers (Director Demand Generation the places they found us and created a new list of 500 companies who look just like them Content: Good content makes for good marketing We publish our daily blog about data driven and account based marketing and get an average of 60 to 70 shares per post it pulls readers in and some convert into prospects Ads: We advertise to people who visited us and expressed interest but didn’t take the plunge to sign up and retarget them with content until they convert Outbound sales: We have a target list of accounts and our sales team relentlessly goes after them with email+phone — offering high quality content (e.g blog post) or a case study if they show interest Sean Kim, the CEO of language learning platform Rype says his most effective growth strategy is all about remembering where you came from  “For us, documenting our own startup journey has been incredibly powerful. We have a dedicated column on our digital magazine where we share all our lessons Even though it has nothing to do with language learning it has helped us build a loyal audience of creatives and digital nomads that eventually become our customers I think it differentiates us from our competitors because we’ve built an emotional connection with our readers I’d encourage more entrepreneurs to share their journey with their customers because this transparency is what will turn customers into fans.” CMO at Webydo and a co-founder and CMO at Zest.is says his growth strategy as entrepreneur comes from the basics of the marketing performance methodology – funnels He creates a funnel for everything he does lets understand what a Marketing Funnel actually is A model describing the various stages of a prospect’s journey from the first interaction with your brand to the ultimate goal: conversion Conversion rate optimization is about moving people through your marketing funnel How do I use this model to grow my startup I believe that this model is good not just for acquiring and converting traffic to users and then to paying clients I use it for anything that we do and that requires an optimization process You will see that eventually you will create an “Investors’ Acquisition Funnel” that works like a machine It is a guaranteed method to increase your “investors conversion rate” and save your pitch energies to only the most relevant investors with the highest chances of being converted and who will invest money in your startup I use the same model for everything I do: from HR and hiring processes through content marketing and bloggers collaborations to vendors I work with and tools I use in my startup Markus Villig, CEO of Taxify understands the value of recommendations “Over 70 percent of our customers come to us from a friend’s recommendation so most of our effort goes into making the service as great as possible and giving people a reason to talk about us That means being active in local communities and supporting events Our biggest difference with other platforms is that we’re treating drivers better which allows us to offer better quality to passengers.” CEO and co-founder of one-stop video entertainment hub Stremio “We are lucky enough to offer a product that organically attracts fans and brand ambassadors We see the huge potential of influencer/word-of-mouth marketing and nurture our relationships with such users functionality or product related to Stremio we make sure to give our hardcore fans sneak previews and let them see it before it’s rolled out officially Our brand ambassadors appreciate the trust we have in them and pay us back in loyalty and brand promotion we do our best to keep an open line of communication between us and our fans and users It is our community that often tells us what they want to see and quite a few of our features are based on user feedback Making people feel (and be) heard fosters brand loyalty and enhance growth We also have a clearly defined and segmented user acquisition funnel one of the most important factors for quick and sustainable growth we develop long-term partnerships with other companies within the entertainment video industry These collaborations help us grow in a number of ways with them we leverage credibility (after all we amplify our reach and manage to approach a much larger audience of potential users; we optimize our processes and products by sharing each other’s technologies and know-how we believe that in this particular industry like-minded partners leads to win-win-win situations that are beneficial for the partnering parties our users want to get quality video content and with strong partnerships we are able to deliver more such content with higher quality.” Founder and CEO of an ecommerce platform Sellfy “Virality is the most powerful channel that has helped us grow We are in the business of helping creators and artists earn a living from digital products they make their peers immediately see that the store is powered by us and they also check us out coupled with the fact that it’s so easy to set up a store and start selling is another reason why this has been such an effective channel for us While we only see about two percent of traffic convert to active sellers from this channel when converted to absolute numbers – it’s our one sales source Our two source of sales is organic traffic when we survey customers coming from search engines turns out a lot of them saw some stores powered by Sellfy and decided to check us out when they needed to open a store.” Christopher Gimmer is the co-founder of graphic design tool Snappa.com. What’s his growth strategy “The most effective growth strategy we’ve used was building out a side project that compliments our main product nicely. The side project we built is StockSnap.io which is a free stock photo site Since many people use stock photos to create online graphics This strategy fueled the vast majority of our signups in the early days of our startup and still accounts for a significant portion of our growth.” Ivan Dimitrov, Digital Marketing Manager at pCloud.com says that creating value at the first touch point is the key to success “One of our most effective growth strategies was to create an additional product that is connected to our main one and drive more traffic and users by itself access and collaborate with their files anywhere they go We know that a problem many people have is to send large files via their email Most of them are limited to 15 MB and most of the time files are larger than that limit That’s why we created a separate product that helps users send files up to 5GB to 10 users Why is creating a separate product that is absolutely free good for our main business people that want to share and collaborate with files and use this product are exactly our target users So with us giving them this option for free for our first touch point is a great idea That’s because any time we try to market them our main product they know us and they have used a service that provided them value (helped them to do what they needed in that moment) and are a lot more likely to convert to users with our main product We found a way to integrate the marketing of our main product in  without disturbing the users and the results are amazing We constantly get high amounts of traffic and registrations that become paid users without doing very much.” Florin Cornianu is CEO and co-founder of 123ContactForm says the companies most effective growth strategy is customer service “We try to understand the customer’s need and build a personal relationship with them we make sure that at the end of the day he is happy because he reached his goal we don’t outsource this activity because we want to benefit from having it close to our developers Our vision is that customer support is much more than working through tickets It means to make sure that users have a pleasant experience with our SaaS solution which leads to a better product and customer loyalty.” Naren Shaam, founder of unified booking platform GoEuro Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week Mark Wahlberg is one of Boston sports’ biggest celebrity fans but the Hollywood acting star admitted this week that he would not be devastated if the New England Patriots suffered a shock defeat in Super Bowl LII Wahlberg is a diehard Pats supporter, yet in an interview with Not Just Sports, a podcast hosted by NFL Network anchor Rich Eisen and his wife, former ABC and Turner Sports on-air reporter Suzy Shuster on PodcastOne claimed his close film connection with Philadelphia had left him with a soft spot for the Eagles the former Eagles special teams star who earned an NFL contract at age 30 despite having played no college football I think the Patriots win by 17,” Wahlberg told Shuster and Eisen also host of the Rich Eisen Show on Audience Network “But if the Eagles win I am telling you I would be fine If it was anybody else I would be devastated.” Blount: Eagles' RB in "straight enemy mode" with ex-Patriots teammates Rank 'em: Was last year's Super Bowl the best of all time? More: The 51 greatest Super Bowl moments of all time Wahlberg added: “How excited I am that the Eagles are in the Super Bowl been welcomed by the Philadelphia fans as one of their own I have made five movies in Philadelphia and I predicted the Eagles would make it to the Super Bowl It is my Patriots and Eagles and I couldn’t be happier Wahlberg is currently in Colombia filming a movie with director Peter Berg and is scheduled to work on Super Bowl Sunday he is hoping to convince Berg to create a gap in filming so that he can fly his family to Minneapolis “I am working on Peter right now,” he said “It is supposed to be shooting on weekends but I am working on him to make sure we can actually go My wife (Rhea Durham) is upset because she wants to go and our sons want to go My wife would never normally go on a cold vacation…but now she wants to go to Minnesota for the game that’s how much she loves the Patriots.” You can follow Martin Rogers on Twitter @RogersJourno Gallery: One great photo from every Super Bowl Jonathan Fisher has previously received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council He also held an Honorary Research Fellowship in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Africa Directorate between 2013-2014 University of Birmingham provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK View all partners Former coalition defence minister Gerald Howarth has expressed concern that “the UK is effectively subsidising the defence budgets” of its aid recipients Drawing on research undertaken by the House of Commons Library Howarth highlighted that as Britain has increased the aid sent to a range of recipients including Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the same countries’ defence budgets have swollen But Howarth’s “discovery” is rather less revelatory than it seems As any student of international development knows it frees up cash for that state’s government to spend elsewhere An international non-governmental organisation that builds a school or hospital in a remote province might well believe it’s to be far removed from the grubby business of funding corrupt or authoritarian regimes mean that these regimes have one less school or hospital to build themselves as few regimes can survive without providing any services to their populations That releases space in the budget for other items such as paying soldiers’ wages or purchasing helicopters The UK has also directly funded foreign militaries in a range of African states for some time. In recent years, it’s made major contributions to United Nations-sanctioned operations in Somalia, DRC, South Sudan, Mali and elsewhere logistical support and sometimes considerably more It has also long provided training to many African militaries police and security services – a strategy Whitehall views (perhaps somewhat optimistically) as a pragmatic attempt to foster professionalism and stability in some of the continent’s most conflict-ridden and violent regions there are no guarantees in such a complex and risky arena Given he served as a minister for international security strategy in a department that funds many of these operations Howarth’s outrage at the indirect “subsidising” of militaries by other UK ministries was perhaps somewhat disingenuous What is perhaps most interesting about this particular controversy was the response provided to Howarth’s critique by the UK’s development arm The Department for International Development’s spokesperson argued that UK international development investment “helps create more stable secure and prosperous countries” and that more economically prosperous countries tend to spend more on their militaries secure and prosperous” states are not necessarily democratic and economically prosperous countries also trend towards authoritarianism Many of these states are also major recipients of UK assistance for both developmental and defence Ethiopia (since 1991) and Mozambique (since 1975) Whether this is coincidental or not is an open question, but plenty of scholars (including me) have argued that it isn’t. Over several decades, a range of semi-authoritarian African states have successfully managed their relationships with Western governments and bureaucracies to their advantage over several decades That has won them the support and resources they needed to construct the decidedly illiberal structures of rule they now preside over The difficult question here is not so much whether Whitehall is aware of its role in all this – it is – but whether it cares this is only fair; it is after all a government’s job to protect its citizens from harm as far as possible But doing so at the expense of political freedoms abroad conflicts with some of the fundamental values of British political culture – and authoritarian states make unreliable and unpredictable allies Arts Features When Theatre Replacement's James Long answers the phone to talk about the company's latest project, Do you mind if I sit here?, he's just taking a break from rehearsals for the PuSh Festival show With the Omicron variant spreading wildly worldwide he searches out a quiet corner in the Russian Hall in which he can remove his mask and safely explain that rehearsals are going smoothly "'cause we're just waiting for somebody to say I got a sore throat.' But for the moment everybody's healthy We're about two-thirds through the first rehearsal draft Long is a highly respected figure on the Vancouver theatre scene He and Yamamoto actually won the coveted Simonovitch Award for Directing in 2019 So it seems rather surprising that hear him say that he wasn't drawn to theatre at a young age and that he's seen "maybe three musicals" in his entire life "It was never about the spectacle," he says "it became about the act of performance and the technical study of performance that hooked me into theatre in university and that slowly migrated into a love of making and directing work." Long didn't get serious about the art form until he took a theatre class at SFU taught by Gina Stockdale who is actually one of the performers—along with Kayvon Khoshkam and Conor Wylie—in Do you mind if I sit here A former Carleton University journalism student Long also earned a master's in Urban Studies from SFU a couple of years ago "I'd been making theatre for close to 20 years," he explains so I decided to look at theatre through a different lens There's just so much context involved in making theatre and you can't really make theatre in a bubble like you used to I've always been much more interested in reflecting on what's happening directly in the world around me with my work and that includes working with non-actors and using interview material "So the interweaving of theatre and direct studies of the urban environment made a lot of sense to me," he adds "It makes a lot of sense for Theatre Replacement's work as well which is studying a building in the middle of Strathcona." The core inspiration for Do you mind if I sit here was found in a stash of 16mm films that director-cowriter Long and dramaturg-cowriter Marcus Youssef discovered several years back "sniffing around" during a break from their Theatre Replacement play Winners and Losers and found several film canisters in a nearby closet "We were really curious about them," he says "so we got a projector and ran them through and they are industrial films from the USSR sent to Canada between the '50s and the '80s to essentially try to call the diaspora home It's working.' And so they sent them to places like the Russian Hall to get folks to say "And that aesthetic of the found material is used in the show—we have enormous projection screens so we actually get to see some of this archival material It also had a deeper conceptual resonance in that this building housed a community of people for close to 80 years "as the artists like myself move in and have the audacity to go sniff around in closets when they're bored That act of gentrification is also critical to this place and what you do with buildings when the power shifts is described as a "multimedia allegory" on the Push Festival website Long isn't quite sure if that's the best term to describe it because we're not exactly sure of the exact definition We don't really know what we're making yet We'll know hopefully by closing what it is we made exactly and fiction isn't something I normally work inside of—I usually do more docu-type theatre "And so we're flirting with the idea of fiction as three planners come into this building 30 years in the future that they have to deal with before they can truly repurpose it for the community that now wants to use it." You might have to see the show to find out "I think I'm gonna keep it a secret," says Long It's a very human problem that they have to deal with A problem I think that we're dealing with all the time in the city and we're dealing with all the time within the pandemic." Before donning his protective mask and stepping back into the fray Long is asked what he hopes people will take away from his latest work that was nice to sit in a space with people and not feel alarmed or scared about it.' And who knows what's gonna be going on—or even if we do get to open There could be new rules; people could get ill But I think the more narrative-based answer would be: I hope people look at buildings differently but when they drive by another building in town that looks derelict or abandoned or underused to recognize there's history in those bones Do you mind if I sit here? has its world premiere at the Russian Hall from January 26 to 29 as part of the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Steve Newton started working at the Georgia Straight in the spring of 1982 Having previously worked as a stringer for his hometown paper he was originally hired as a freelancer to interview touring rock bands Your hair was short-cropped and dyed orange We deliver! Get curated industry news straight to your inbox. Subscribe to Adweek newsletters one of the few truly robust Scotches that's also widely available knows that it sparks passionate responses ranging from delight to disgust Now the distiller is parsing out those perspectives in all their oddly specific glory with a new campaign called "Opinions Welcome." we see real first impressions from tasters who aren't sure what's being poured out of the unlabeled green bottle I can attest that every reaction is 100% accurate "I think they let the cows in that one," and those who appreciate the Scotch will also recognize the accuracy of more positive references like smoky bacon flavor" and even "damp dog and tree bark." Subscribe now for unlimited access to exclusive insider reporting I want to receive emails from Adweek about products services and events that they feel may be of interest to me I want to receive emails from Adweek on behalf of carefully-selected third party partners about products By submitting your information you agree to Adweek's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and you will begin receiving our newsletters I understand by creating an account, I agree to Adweek’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and that I may review and update my marketing preferences at any time A code has been sent to your email address By subscribing you agree to Adweek’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Automatic Renewal and Cancellation By subscribing, you agree to the terms of sale, including the  Cancellation and Refund Policy You authorize Adweek.com to charge your credit/debit card at the annual subscription price at the amount noted above now and in time to  automatically renew your Adweek.com subscription every year before the start of each new 12-month term unless you tell us to stop.  Renewal rates are subject to change at any time with or without notice your service will continue without interruption The cancellation goes into effect at the start of the following billing cycle contact customer service at 844.674.8161 (U.S.) or 845.267.3007 (Outside U.S.) David Griner is former international editor at Adweek technology and marketing innovation for more than a decade Adweek is the leading source of news and insight serving the brand marketing ecosystem Cream Liqueur was seen as a dusty drink of years gone by Nowhere was this clearer than in Baileys sales which had been declining across the world for nearly a decade And it wasn’t that people were just drinking beer and wine; from the resurgence of gin and the birth of Aperol Spritz Baileys faced a conundrum; research consistently showed that people had genuinely positive feelings towards the brand regularly topping the list of spirits people loved There was a huge amount of latent love and nostalgia for the brand; people just weren’t buying or drinking it We wanted to increase the versatility of the Baileys liquid and to turn latent love for the brand into consumption (without sales other lifts would be meaningless.) We focused on 3 radical reframes for Baileys: From cream liqueur to world of ‘real treats’ From one-off festive blockbuster to millions of triggers to treat The reason 100m European drinkers claim to love Baileys is not because of its philosophies on emancipated pleasure seeking – it’s because it’s part cake part booze; pure indulgent liquid pleasure So we did away with lofty assertions and refocused on the product itself Embracing the indulgent truth at the heart of Baileys gave us a launchpad out of the dormant liqueurs category In an age where food and drink had become a source of entertainment moving into the treating space gave us the opportunity to place our brand and product at the centre of a cultural phenomenon framing Baileys within a whole new exciting category and context We created a new visual world and tone of voice that modernised the brand and placed it firmly in this online world of adult treating we could leverage our product truth and trigger consumption within wider food and drink culture and trends; playfully reminding people why they loved Baileys and giving them more reasons to drink it We banned the 60” blockbuster of old and developed a media strategy that focused on short moments of ‘lick the screen deliciousness’ all delivered under a new global platform ‘Don’t Mind if I Baileys’ to media partnerships and a social-first ecosystem of prompts and triggers we served people treating content at the moments they would most enjoy it and importantly wouldn’t be able to resist it Every bite-sized element now drove indulgent associations by demonstrating the range of delicious ways and moments to enjoy Baileys From cakes and brownies to ice cream and coffee there was no treating moment that couldn’t be made even more delicious with Baileys And it wasn’t enough to just show people how delicious Baileys could be We wanted to get it in their hands; from partnerships with the London Coffee Festival to influencers like treating trendsetter ‘Molly Bakes’ and coffee connoisseurs like ‘The Grind’; we focused on bringing the versatility and deliciousness of Baileys into people’s lives Our immersive Baileys ‘Treat Bar’ was born Beginning in Dublin and then spreading to London’s Covent Garden the ‘Treat Bar’ gave consumers the opportunity to engage with Baileys as a truly new playful and modern brand through experiencing new serves and creating their own Instagrammable creations Baileys has dramatically boosted its consumption occasions and increased global sales by 32% in 5 years exceeding 2008 levels when the decline began The Baileys turnaround story has won Silver in the IPA Effectiveness Awards in both 2018 and 2020 the number of ways people consume Baileys has doubled over this period The Baileys turnaround is a reminder that brands needn’t be beholden to their first consumption rituals and categories It shows that no brand is ever beyond saving with growth ambitions that would have been unthinkable just four years ago How a set of radical reframes reversed Baileys’ decade of decline and drove double digit growth across the globe By House 337 By LOLA MullenLowe By Uncovered By The Union By Mr.President By AMV BBDO Sign up to access unlimited content and platform tools Looks like you need to create a Creativebrief account to perform this action Michael Ashley receives funding from the Australian Research Council and other government bodies for his research in astronomy UNSW Sydney provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU Last night the ABC premiered the fascinating documentary “I can change your mind about climate”, in which Nick Minchin, the recently retired Liberal senator, and Anna Rose the co-founder of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition attempted to change each other’s minds about the reality of human-induced climate change Minchin is sceptical of any human impact on the climate He demands a high standard of proof before embarking on any radical changes that might require government intervention is convinced that we have enough information to act and we must do so urgently to avoid a global catastrophe Climate scientists - I’m talking about the 97% or so that agree that humans have a considerable influence on the climate - are very uneasy with the false balance that a program such as this engenders From the moment a climate scientist steps onto the stage with a climate denier the audience’s default assumption will be that there is a 50:50 contest going on It is going to be difficult or impossible for the scientist to win the argument at the 97:3 level that characterises the debate amongst experts let alone the greater-than 99.9:0.1 level as it exists Anna Rose was very aware of this issue and, as she writes in her book Madlands thought long and hard before agreeing to participate in the documentary But with the producers going to proceed with Rose or with someone else The documentary performed an intriguing experiment by plucking Minchin and Rose out of their comfort zones and thrusting them together for a month of filming on the road the most surprising part of the documentary was Minchin’s choice of experts: they were all duds who would only influence the gullible or those blinded by ideology there aren’t any non-dud experts on his side to choose from For example, blogger David Evans from Perth showed Rose an aerial photo of a meteorological station near an airport declaring that half of the world’s “official” thermometers were like this and that they were measuring warming from jet aircraft engines more than anything else Rose’s response was “surely you don’t think climate scientists are that stupid?” Climate scientists aren’t stupid - global warming is clearly measured when only the highest quality rural meteorological stations are used Minchin’s other “experts” included blogger Joanne Codling (aka Jo Nova), who blew all credibility when she stated that CO₂ has an immeasurably small impact on temperature, and contrarian Professor Richard Lindzen who has spent over 20 years trying to find any errors in the theory of human-induced climate change Lindzen only appears briefly in the documentary and you will have to read Rose’s book for the full story of their encounter A more interesting choice from Minchin was Danish author Bjorn Lomborg Over the years he has gone from denying that global warming exists to saying it exists but it is much better to spend money on combating malaria to saying that it exists and it is a critical problem His solution now is to spend $100 billion a year in research and development for a magic technological fix This is like saying “let’s jump out of this airplane without a parachute and we will research and develop ways of landing safely on the way down” $100 billion or even $100 trillion isn’t going to turn the sea water back into ice It is interesting that the one constant in Lomborg’s changing position over the years has been “let’s keep burning fossil fuels” but by the time you have researched this and are ready to respond which is the only appropriate course of action five of Minchin’s seven experts appeared in the documentary I think that Minchin’s experts did more harm to his cause than good That said, I was concerned to read Minchin being quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday as saying that the documentary was a “terrific opportunity to convey to an ABC audience that there remains a significant debate” If Minchin had any insight he would realise that the documentary simply exposes his gullibility.