Latest news with #Vice
Telegraph
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The BBC is spouting gender nonsense again with its new trans drama. When will it learn?
An adult man does not know what it feels like to be a girl. But that didn't stop transgender writer Paris Lees telling us in his 2021 memoir. Of course, with What It Feels Like for a Girl, Lees is entitled to choose whatever book title he likes, particularly if he wants to also riff off a Madonna song. But now that the memoir has been made into a BBC television series of the same name, what it feels like for licence fee payers is another matter. Because, for a very long time, the BBC has run roughshod over the feelings of those not enamoured with the trans cult. Lees was promoted by the BBC early on, via appearances on Question Time. He also wrote columns for Vice and even Vogue. (Lees uses the pronouns she/her, but, for the purposes of this column, I'm using he/him.) You can see why he appealed: he'd had extensive facial feminisation surgery, was witty, and was, as was the fashion, 'feisty'. I objected to some of the things he said he now enjoyed, as a woman – such as being taken shopping and being cat-called. We exchanged friendly emails at one point, and then I forgot about him. Until this week, that is – on the eve of his new TV series. Lees is commonly referred to as a 'Doll'. This is an old slang term for biological men who 'pass' as women (dim celebrities wear 'Protect the Dolls' t-shirts in support of them). Trans people who don't 'pass' as women are called 'bricks'. It's not very kind, but there you are. In propelling Lees back into the spotlight, the BBC is pushing the notion of trans identity as fun and 'culturally significant'. It's also subtly sanctioning the darker side of Lees's history. On his 14th birthday, Lees went into a public toilet with a man. Even now, Lees describes himself at that time as a rent boy (though acknowledges he was also a victim of abuse). At the age of 18, he was convicted of robbery with violence for an attack on an elderly man and sent to prison. The man was severely beaten. It was there that he began to identify as a trans woman Yet none of this violent history seems to have bothered the BBC. Instead, it's tying itself in knots over what pronouns it should use to describe Lees. In the episode guide, it uses they/them to describe him when he was a biological boy (and known by his former first name, Byron). Then Byron becomes she/her when he self-IDs as a woman. This storyline of What It Feels Like for a Girl is also one of gay conversion, which is in itself questionable when conflated with trans conversion. An adult man can certainly know what it feels like to be a boy who is bullied for being gay and effeminate. But as Maya Forstater, of the campaign group Sex Matters, says: 'Presenting the idea of an effeminate boy 'becoming a girl' as an edgy coming-of-age story is presenting delusion as self-discovery. This series will promote a regressive, dangerous, impossible and fundamentally homophobic dream to another generation of gay young men.' The homophobia within the trans cult is why so many principled gay men have become allies of women like me. We want to say to boys that they can be effeminate, and girls can be butch, and none of them needs to alter their bodies. (In the new series, Lees himself is played by a male, not a trans, actor, which has of course upset some.) The Supreme Court ruling that said biological sex is real should have been a wake-up call to the BBC. Instead, it has left the BBC and many other cultural institutions reeling, because to question gender ideology in the arts world is to be ostracised and often fired. Far from being dissidents, the arts have bent the knee to trans orthodoxy to a sickening degree. Since the ruling, we have seen programmes like Radio 4's Woman's Hour struggle to get on board with reality. They have pandered to men who have transitioned, but are hostile and incredulous when faced with the likes of Helen Joyce, the incredibly articulate gender-critical activist who has been snubbed by our national broadcaster. We constantly have to read on BBC websites about 'women' who have committed rape. Male sports cheats are referred to as women. We have had a decade of this. I cannot call it brainwashing, because anyone with a brain can see it doesn't wash at all. On every salient point, from puberty blockers to single-sex spaces, the pushback has been real and righteous. The culture has to catch up. Even if Lee's TV series was commissioned some time ago, there has to be an acknowledgement that times have changed. For example, who would now make the ITV series Butterfly, broadcast in 2018, about an 11-year-old boy who believes he is in the wrong body and then gets puberty blockers? The consultant on that series was Susie Green. She was then head of the controversial trans youth charity Mermaids, but is mostly known for taking her son to Thailand for 'sex reassignment surgery' on his 16th birthday. Lees is hardly new to this game, nor a media outcast. Cath Leng, a former BBC journalist, wrote recently about a meeting in 2013 between Steve Herrmann, who was in charge of BBC Online and the BBC News style guide at the time, and two trans activists. One of them was Paris Lees. They told Hermann that the BBC should use trans people's 'preferred pronouns'… and thus self-ID was installed at the heart of our national broadcaster. Were the public ever consulted? What it feels like for a girl? What it feels like for this woman is that the BBC takes our money but ignores our views. What it feels like is being bullied for knowing that womanhood cannot be purchased, however many fairy tales you tell.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mitch Albom: Adulting 101? Did we use to take that course at home?
I took a lot of classes at college, but never one in how to become an adult. That I had to learn on my own. Apparently, I was born at the wrong time. Several universities, including Michigan State, are responding to an apparent lack of basic life skills by offering programs to undergrads in how to be a grown-up. No joke. According to Vice: 'They can edit videos in their sleep and build TikTok empires — but ask some Gen Z college students to roast a chicken or figure out a lease, and they're turning to 'Adulting 101' crash courses to fill in the blanks.' Adulting 101? That would have been a punch line 40 years ago. Today, according to the schools that offer them, such classes are amongst their most popular. Topics include cleaning, budgeting, healthy eating, maintaining your living space, even 'how to ask for help.' What? You mean Siri doesn't take care of that? Now the easy thing would be to criticize today's parents for not providing these skills. To criticize today's kids for being too spoiled to learn them. To criticize today's high schools for dropping home economics, shop, bookkeeping. To criticize today's society for creating too many distractions in the name of money, ratings and social media clicks. That would be the easy thing. Also, the correct thing. So I'm going to do it. It's ridiculous that a university has to offer classes in how to sew, make a chicken or balance a basic checkbook. Yes, high schools once taught such things. But the truth is, if you can learn to post a selfie, you can learn to change a tire. If you can discern when to use a dozen different emojis, you can figure out which column means 'deposit' and which means 'withdrawal.' Our kids' inability to master basic adulting skills isn't a lack of intelligence or maturity. It's a lack of examples. Or desire. Let's start with the examples. That means mother and father. Sorry to have to whip out the old 'when I was a kid' card, but there's no better way to explain it. When I turned 11, my father said it was time for me to pull my own weight. Allowance stopped. I was told to get a summer job, which I did, selling programs at a baseball stadium. When I came home with money, I put it in my bank account, which, like so many kids in our neighborhood, my parents had helped me open. Before I had a hair on my chin, I knew how to write down the few dollars I was putting in from birthday gifts, and what I was taking out. Checking the oil in a car? Not hard. All you need is Dad or Mom to show you where the dipstick is, and maybe remind you to always have the car engine off. How to sew? How to scramble eggs? How to apply for a job? These are things that used to be standard knowledge in a family, taught by parents, grandparents, visiting relatives. If they are not being taught now, it can only be because the parents don't insist on it, or are too preoccupied themselves, or are split up and not prioritizing their kids' development, or are worn out from trying to get their children to look up from their phones. Which brings us to the other reason. Lack of desire. Until they reach college, I'm not sure how many kids today even want to grow up. Life is better when Mom, Dad or Siri take care of everything. Back when we turned 16 or 17, we were salivating to drive. Today, you hear about kids who don't want to bother, because they don't want the responsibility. More: Mitch Albom: Don't forget the many who cross the border for all the right reasons When we were young, you couldn't buy anything unless you had cash in your pocket. Today, teenagers can order fast food on DoorDash and actually pay for it on a layaway plan. And back then, the idea of living at home after you graduated high school was embarrassing. Today, a recent 'Jeopardy' winner, a 27-year-old unemployed man with a master's degree in political science, asked to be introduced as 'a stay-at-home son.' A stay-at-home son? What's ironic is that many of these kids who seem miles from adulthood have probably crisscrossed the country playing travel ball or had computers since they were 10 or can overlay music onto a TikTok video of themselves dancing. But they can't work a mop. What's the difference between those things? Simple. Some you want to do. The others you don't. That's not a good enough excuse. As any adult will tell you. I also hear a lot about how this is due to COVID-19, kids staying inside, doing virtual schooling. Yeah. No. Sorry. COVID was awful. But so was the Depression. So was World War II. People who lived through those things came out more mature, not less. Don't tell me that having to do your history class online somehow prevented you from learning how put air in a tire. Mitch Albom: Don't forget the many who cross the border for all the right reasons The truth is, universities are offering Adulting 101 because growing up has become an elective. Yet that hasn't stopped college kids from telling the world how it should behave. So maybe, just as there are proficiency exams for language, math and other disciplines, so, too, should there be a minimum level of adulthood before college admission is granted. For example, no one gets admitted if he or she can't fill a car with gas. Or know what temperature water you use with whites versus colors. Or write a check. Or construct a letter. Or get insurance. Or tie a tie. Or understand minimum wage. Or utilize everything in a first-aid kit. It may not sound like fun, but trust us, kids, this is for your own good. The only person who never had to grow up was Peter Pan. And do you really want to wear green tights for the rest of your life? Contact Mitch Albom: malbom@ Check out the latest updates with his charities, books and events at Follow him @mitchalbom. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mitch Albom: Adulting 101? Did we use to take that course at home?
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Check your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order ASAP, as some retailers are reportedly cancelling them
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Some US retailers have reportedly cancelled Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders This allegedly includes Walmart, Target, and GameStop Consider double checking the status of your pre-order if you have placed one If you managed to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order recently, then you might want to check your email inbox as it seems as though some retailers have started cancelling them. As reported by Vice, would-be Nintendo Switch 2 owners have been flooding the r/switch subreddit to complain that their pre-orders of the upcoming Nintendo console have been inexplicably cancelled. The majority of those reporting cancellations seem to have shopped at Walmart. "We're sorry, we had to cancel these items," reads a message in the Walmart app on one posted screenshot. In these instances there seems to be no real explanation as to why the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order was cancelled, though I suspect that it may be due to stock issues. Some retailers likely banked on having access to much more stock than they do, leading to the need to cancel certain pre-orders. In the comments to these posts, others are reporting cancellations from Target and GameStop. Bear in mind that these cancellations are currently unverified, though it definitely wouldn't hurt to double check your order just in case. If you're unlucky enough to be affected, visit our how to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 guide for recommendations on how to get your hands on one. The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch on June 5 and demand is likely to be high. According to industry analysts, it could sell 100 million units by the end of 2029 and become the "fast-selling console ever". It costs $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a bundle that includes a digital copy of Mario Kart World. It seems Hellblade 2 is finally getting a physical release to coincide with the PS5 launch this summer if this listing is correct The Nintendo Switch 2 has been spotted at retailers ahead of its June release - but the reported stock numbers aren't huge Yes, you can use a USB mouse on Nintendo Switch 2, as demonstrated by a Koei Tecmo producer
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Slugger joins FIU baseball team's 20-homer club in record time
Kishon Frett wasn't just hitting balls over the fence. His shots in batting practice were sailing to the tops of the tall trees that sit at least 50-to-80 feet beyond the left-field wall. 'It was majestic,' FIU Panthers hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Brian Jeroloman said when asked about the first time he saw Frett in action. 'I took out my phone to videotape his BP. On the video, you can hear me say, 'Wow!'' After the game, here's what Jeroloman told Frett, a right-handed hitter who was at Seminole State College of Florida at the time: 'I'm going to make you a Panther. You are going to be wearing navy and gold. 'We will kick your butt (during workouts and practice), but we will get you ready. We will develop you. 'Your future is so bright. You are going to be a monster for us.' Jeroloman was right. Frett has been Godzilla for the Panthers this year, hitting .291 with eight doubles, three triples, 20 homers and a 1.076 OPS. He has also scored 57 runs in 54 games. In addition, Frett leads Conference USA in homers, and his 20 dingers rank fourth in FIU single-season history, trailing Brad Eldred (29 in 2002); Tyler Townsend (24 in 2009); and Luis Fernandez (21 in 1998). 'It's a great achievement,' Frett said of reaching the 20-homer club. 'But I'm not satisfied. I want 25-to-30.' When a Panthers player homers this season, his teammates place an FIU 'Vice' football helmet on his head and then shower him with water. Frett, a corner outfielder, has had a lot of those Vice baths this year, and he has a chance to add to his totals this week at the Conference USA postseason tournament in Lynchburg, Virginia. Sixth-seeded FIU (30-25), which has already secured the most wins by a Panthers team since 2017, will play its first game on Wednesday at 9 a.m. against third-seeded Kennesaw State (29-25). The double-elimination tournament concludes on Sunday, and the Panthers need to win it to secure their first NCAA regional berth since 2015. It helps that the Panthers have Frett. Jeroloman remembers the first time Frett – who at that time was 6-3 and 215 pounds – went to an FIU game. This was in the spring of 2023. Frett had just committed to the Panthers, and he was there to watch his future team. 'Kish was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt,' Jeroloman recalled. 'Mario Fernandez, who pitched for us at that time, looked at Kish and said, 'Is he committed to us?'' Translation: How did FIU get a stud like this? The answer is that Frett – an Ocala native who played his high school ball at Broward County's Calvary Christian – wrecked his knee twice, both times playing basketball. 'I've hung up my hooping shoes since then,' Frett said. Frett's first ACL injury happened during his sophomore year of high school. He had committed to Florida, but – after the injury – the Gators withdrew his scholarship money. A catcher at the time, Frett ended up at the first of his two junior colleges -- Wabash Valley, located in Mount Carmel, Illinois. But Frett's second ACL injury ended his Wabash career before he played a single game, and he transferred to Seminole State, which is located less than an hour away from his hometown of Ocala. Frett slugged eight homers as a Seminole State freshman, but he blew up as a sophomore in 2023, hitting .345 while leading the national junior-college ranks with 20 dingers. That's when Jeroloman – during his normal recruiting checks – talked to Mike Nicholson, Seminole State's coach. '(Nicholson) told me, 'Brian, this kid is going off. He looks the part.'' Jeroloman said 'looking the part' is something scouts look for as it can be a predictor of future success. Given that, Jeroloman was blown away the first time he saw Frett. This was before he took batting practice. 'I said, 'Holy Christmas – that's him!'' said Jeroloman, sounding a bit like someone seeing a great white shark. 'You could see his quads from half a football field away.' Jeroloman said the 'body comparison' for Frett is former Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton, who is a physical specimen at 6-6 and 245 pounds. Frett, who turned 23 in January, said he is now up to 225 pounds with an incredibly low body-fat percentage of 4.6. That's down from 13.6 percent just a couple of years ago. Panthers head coach Rich Witten was impressed when he saw Frett's first batting practice on FIU's field. Asked Witten: 'What's the catch?' There wasn't any. Frett has been good on and off the field, including the fact that he graduated two weeks ago with a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. After he is done playing baseball, Frett would like to be a teacher, a coach or a journalist. 'I did commentating at two FIU basketball games this year,' Frett said, 'and it was exciting.' On the field, though, is where Frett has truly shined, slugging 36 homers in two years at FIU. Only three players have more career homers at FIU: Eldred (44); Townsend (43); and Mike Martinez 37). However, Eldred and Martinez posted those numbers in four years at FIU; Townsend did it in three; and Frett in just two. Jeroloman, a former New York Yankees scout, said he will know about two weeks before the MLB Draft in July what Frett's prospects are in terms of getting selected. 'They'd be signing the bat,' Jeroloman said of Frett's power. 'When you can hit like he can, scouts don't worry too much about defense. 'Having said that, Kish is an amazing runner for a guy his size. 'You can't even call him a below-average defender anymore. He has worked so hard to improve. His routes to the ball are so much better. He has good range, and his arm is better than you'd think.' Indeed, Frett has four outfield assists this season and just one error. 'I wouldn't be shocked if he gets drafted in rounds eight through 15,' Jeroloman said. 'I also wouldn't be shocked if it doesn't go as well as he would like due to his age and injury history. But whatever organization gets him will be very happy.' No matter what happens, though, Frett is not a person Jeroloman will forget. 'He's one of those kids you fall in love with,' Jeroloman said. 'If he were to call me 10 years from now needing something, I would do anything to help him.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Time mirrors' are actually a real thing, experts say: ‘Like pressing undo on the universe'
It's not just in your head — time can actually flip. Physicists in New York have pulled off what sounds like a page ripped from a sci-fi script: They've confirmed that 'time mirrors,' a trippy phenomenon where waves literally reverse in time — are real. The mind-bending experiment, led by Dr. Hussein Moussa at the Advanced Science Research Center at CUNY, involved tinkering with a futuristic 'metamaterial' — a strip of metal embedded with electronic components. When juiced with a precise burst of energy, the setup caused an electromagnetic wave to do the impossible: to flip the direction of time, as reported by — or, as one TikTokker put it, 'Like pressing undo on the universe.' 'This is experimental physics catching up to what mystics, mushrooms and mad geniuses have been saying for decades,' said TikTok creator @psychonautics in a recent video. 'Time is not a line. It's a wave. And baby, we're just learning to surf it.' The wave reversal doesn't just bounce a signal back in space like your average mirror — it scrambles the whole timeline. The wave's frequency shifts — and suddenly — it's like rewinding reality. Scientists say this discovery, published in 'Nature Physics,' could one day revolutionize data transmission and computing. But for now, it's mostly blowing minds online. More experiments will most likely follow this discovery. And while physicists are bending time in the lab, neuroscientists say the human brain may already be doing it naturally. Back in 2021, scientists from France and the Netherlands discovered that our brains possess 'an internal or inherent flow of time, that was not driven by something going on in the external world,' according to neuroscientist Leila Reddy, who sat down with Vice for an interview. Her team studied epilepsy patients with electrodes implanted in their brains and found 'time cells' firing — even in the absence of external cues. 'These patients have severe, drug-resistant epilepsy and are awaiting surgery,' Reddy told Vice. 'Once the electrodes are inserted into the brain, we ask the patients if they are willing to participate in short experiments for us.' The brain's inner clock, Reddy explained, could be the key to 'mental time travel' — the way we encode not just what happened, but when and where. 'Time cells could provide the scaffolding for representing the 'when,'' she added. In other words, while physicists are flipping waves, your neurons might be flipping through your past like a mental VHS tape. Between time-bending materials and our own memory machinery, the past isn't as fixed as we thought — and the future just got a lot weirder.
