Latest news with #WalterWhite
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Owner of iconic 'Breaking Bad' home takes extreme measure to get fans off her Albuquerque driveway
The house where Walter White descended into criminal infamy has a new antihero - but one armed not with blue meth or a barrel of cash, but a garden hose. Joanne Quintana, the real-life owner of the iconic Breaking Bad home in Albuquerque, New Mexico has finally had enough and reached her own breaking point. Years of trespassers and photo-hungry superfans have turned her home into a zone of conflict between a private life and pop culture obsession. Now Quintana is taking matters into her own hands and striking back. In a video posted to Instagram, Quintana can be seen sitting on a lawn chair in her front yard keeping watch. When fans linger too long or come too close to her property, she jumps into action and blasts them with a powerful jet of water from her garden hose before barking commands at them to keep away. 'You can take a picture from that corner,' she can be heard telling one stunned visitor. 'Do not get close. And no tripods, no nothing. One picture, then you go!' The ranch-style house on Piermont Drive was immortalized on screen as the residence of Walter White, his wife Skylar, and their son Walt Jr. in AMC's Emmy-winning masterpiece, Breaking Bad, which ran from 2008 until 2013. For five seasons, the house stood in as the symbol of White's descent as he went from struggling teacher to ruthless drug kingpin. And while the show ended 12 years ago, the house and other filming locations around town continue to pull in crowds of fans hoping to catch a glimpse of where the show was set. White and his on-screen home because familiar to millions of fans around the world. But for Quintana, it has always been her home after her parents bought the property in the 1970s. She grew up in the house along with her siblings. She watched the show's production unfold from her front porch, and even befriended cast and crew in the early days. It all started after Quintana's mother was approached in 2006 by a film scout with hopes to shoot the pilot episode at their home. Within months the filming had begun. At the time, she told KOB-TV that it felt like 'the magic of Hollywood.' The family had the opportunity to watch behind the scenes and meet the cast and crew. Quintana's mother also always had cookies for anyone working the set. But in the years since Breaking Bad ended, Quintana has seen the house transformed into something of a pop culture pilgrimage site. The family didn't shy away at welcoming fans at first but when the doorbell rang in the early hours of the morning their attitude changed Tour buses come down her street while selfie stick-holding fans regularly appear at dawn. Fans have taken the 'reenactment' of famous scenes from the show to absurd new heights. On more than one occasion, die-hard fans have hurled entire pizzas onto her garage roof, mimicking the infamous scene where Bryan Cranston's character loses his cool and throws a pie after his character's wife, Skyler, shut the door in his face. Since then, the homeowners said it was difficult to stop fans from attempting their own pizza tosses or sneaking into the iconic backyard pool. The house was only used for gear and prep. Any interior scenes were shot on a set at the studio lot. The stunt became such a problem that Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan had to personally intervene on a 2022 episode of the Better Call Saul podcast. 'There is nothing original, or funny, or cool, about throwing a pizza on this lady's roof,' Gilligan said, exasperated. 'She is the sweetest lady in the world, and if you are getting on her nerves you are doing something seriously f***ing wrong.' Initially, Quintana was happy to take pictures with fans, but when there was a knock at the door in the early hours of the morning the family's attitude quickly changed. 'Around 4:30am the doorbell rang, my mom got up and opened the door and it was a package,' Quintana said. The package was addressed to Walter While, so they called the bomb squad. 'My brothers said "That's it, we're done, fence is going up. That's too close for comfort is the front door",' she added. She has since installed a perimeter fence to keep people back but has now taken to hosing down unwanted guests with her hose when her pleas go ignored. 'Back up, cowboy,' she told one visitor trying to inch closer for a better shot. When another gushed that he was a fan of the show, she snapped back: 'The whole world is a fan. Doesn't impress me.' The viral clip has split opinion online. Some viewers support Quintana, calling her 'a legend' defending her right to protect her property while others have mocked her behavior, suggesting she could instead have capitalized on the attention. 'She just sits there all day and tells people how stupid they are lol,' one commenter wrote. 'If she was smart, she'd start charging,' another quipped. 'The street and sidewalk are public property,' added a third, questioning her legal footing. In January, the tension seemed to boil over. Quintana quietly listed the home for $4 million, a figure that reflects not just the property, but the burden that comes with it. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home was described as one of Albuquerque's 'most famous landmarks' that is recognized globally by millions of fans. Some fans have even proposed that she rent the home out on Airbnb to cash in on its notoriety. The home's listing has approached its sale as embracing it as a relic of the show, calling it Walter White's House and offering it as a chance to own a 'piece of television history.' 'I hope they make it what the fans want. They want a BnB, they want a museum, they want access to it. Go for it,' Quintana said.
New York Post
09-05-2025
- New York Post
America's most dangerous states revealed — and this beautiful tourist destination tops the list
They're beautiful places — but are they to die for? U.S. News and World Report has ranked the 10 most dangerous states in America, with several picturesque places considered among the most violent. The site used FBI estimates to factor in the violent crime rate and property crime rate of each state to assess overall public safety, with New Mexico coming in as the most dangerous in the US. Advertisement The southwestern state is a top tourist destination known for its beautiful scenery, national parks and dry deserts. The FBI defines violent crime as assault, rape, manslaughter and murder, and property crime is typically defined as things such as arson, burglary and vehicle theft. The agency also stresses that different components go into the amount and types of crime in certain areas such as climate, economic conditions, law enforcement and population density. Many crimes also go unreported, and therefore are not included in data. All but two of the 10 most dangerous states land in the lower half of the U.S. News Best States ranking for 2025. Below, a look at the top five. Advertisement New Mexico 5 New Mexico was ranked as the most dangerous state in America. Emeric's Timelapse – New Mexico, which is ironically where the hit show 'Breaking Bad' took place, has a violent crime rate of 749 per 100,000 residents, per the report. In 'Breaking Bad,' meth dealer Walter White lived with his family in Albuquerque, the most populated city in New Mexico — which has a crime rate above the national average, according to the city police. Advertisement The police department reported that felony arrests in Albuquerque went up 12% in the first quarter of 2025. In Sante Fe, the capital of New Mexico, the crime rate increased 5% since 2024. Its property crime rate was 2,887 per 100,000, which is the exact same rate as Washington state, which ranked as the seventh most dangerous state. Colorado 5 Colorado was listed at the 11th best overall state, but came in second for most dangerous states. – Colorado, known for its mountain ranges and beautiful ski resorts, was named the second most dangerous state in America with a violent crime rate of 474 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,879 per 100,000. Advertisement Though U.S. News ranked Colorado as the 11th best overall state overall due to good public education and access to health care, a previous study from WalletHub echoed the new analysis, ranking it in 42nd place on a list of the safest states to live in. Louisiana 5 Louisiana is slightly safer this year. SeanPavonePhoto – Louisiana got a little safer this year, dropping into third place compared to last year's second place, per the report. According to U.S. News and World Report, much of the crime is happening in New Orleans. The Bayou state reportedly had a violent crime rate of 548 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,630 per 100,000. Meanwhile, Louisiana came in last place on U.S. News' 2025 list of best overall states. Tennessee 5 Tennessee is slightly more crime ridden this year compared to last year. f11photo – In fourth place was Tennessee, with a violent crime rate of 628 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,362 per 100,000. Advertisement Last year, Tennessee was listed at number six, meaning it got slightly worse in the U.S. News rankings. Arkansas 5 Arkansas is the fifth most dangerous state for 2025. Brandon Olafsson – Another southern state, Arkansas had a violent crime rate of 620 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,229 per 100,000. Advertisement However, Arkansas improved this year, having come in fourth place on the same list last year. 10 most dangerous states in the U.S. New Mexico Colorado Louisiana Tennessee Arkansas Alaska Washington California Nevada South Carolina Meanwhile, the safest states in America are also among the most picturesque, too. New Hampshire was named the safest state in America, followed by Maine in second and Idaho in third.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Sun-soaked beauty spots now rank atop list of America's most dangerous places
The most dangerous states in America have been ranked by US News and World Report. In the number one spot for the second time in two years was New Mexico, known for its beautiful desert scenery, dry climate and the White Sands National Park. The danger level of all 50 states was determined by their violent crime and property crime rates, which were based on FBI data. The FBI defines violent crime as assault, rape, manslaughter and murder. Property crime is generally things like burglary, vehicle theft and arson. New Mexico ran away with it on violent crime, with a per capita rate of 749 per 100,000 residents. Its property crime rate, 2,887 per 100,000, was the exact same as Washington state. Ironically, the state is where the critically acclaimed crime drama ' Breaking Bad ' took place. Walter White, the character who became the most notorious meth dealer in the southwestern US, lived with his family in Albuquerque, the most populous city in New Mexico. In real life, Albuquerque has a crime rate well above the national average. Police in the city of half a million people reported that felony arrests went up 12 percent in the first quarter of this year. In Santa Fe, the state capital, the crime rate increased five percent since last year, according to the city's police department. The second most dangerous place to live in was deemed to be Colorado, a state with 36 percent less violent crime than New Mexico. However, it earned the silver medal for treachery based on its absurdly high property crime rate that nearly eclipses New Mexico's. Colorado isn't typically thought of as an especially dangerous area, with most Americans associating the western state with the gorgeous Rocky Mountains and luxurious ski resorts like Aspen or Breckenridge. However, another list from WalletHub that came out last October ranking the safest states in the US put Colorado in a dismal 42nd place. Louisiana, which ranked second in last year's list from US News, got a little safer this year, now occupying the third spot. The Bayou state had a 15 percent higher violent crime rate than Colorado but eight percent fewer property crimes. Much of Louisiana's crime is centered in New Orleans, though the city recently has been seeing significant progress on lowering the number of shootings, car jackings and armed robberies. Rounding out the top five most dangerous were Tennessee and Arkansas, two southern states. Last year, they were listed at number six and number four, respectively, meaning they both improved based on the methodology used by US News. Alaska, Washington, California, Nevada and South Carolina finished out the top 10 most dangerous states. The safest state to live was New Hampshire, which had 85 percent less violent crime and 69 percent less property crime than New Mexico.
TimesLIVE
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
The Ford Mustang 5.0 GT keeps V8 brawn alive
The number of American muscle cars offered in South Africa over the past 15 years can be counted on one hand. One of them is technically not even American. Though it wore the famed golden bow tie emblem, the Chevrolet Lumina SS was an Australian Holden Commodore at heart. Nationality aside, its mix of beefy aesthetics, rumbling acoustics and V8 clout resonated strongly with a set of buyers who fancied a large four-door saloon that packed more flamboyance than what was offered by conventional alternatives. Then there was the Chrysler 300C in SRT8 guise, seemingly designed outright for swaggering gangster types or, as Breaking Bad depicted, unassuming drug peddlers named Walter White. Then in 2016 things got interesting when Ford decided to sell the sixth-generation Mustang here in right-hand drive form. It was an instant hit. Critically, it had its shortcomings. A cheap-feeling interior, on-road dynamics that were hardly up to the standards set by German coupés of the time and a convertible version that had all the structural integrity of last week's newspaper. None of that mattered. The cool factor was peerless. The 2.3 EcoBoost was an interesting option, but when passers-by made that universally understood gesture to rev it up, the limitations of the modest four-pot were instantly revealed. For full Mustang effect, the 5.0 V8 GT was non-negotiable. Years later, the seventh-generation Mustang landed on Mzansi shores and it is only available in V8 automatic, ditching the option of a manual available before. It is slightly more grown-up (in the areas that matter). Perhaps 'grown-up' is the wrong description because this is, after all, a car you can rev-up using the key fob: a feature that has no point other than to startle and woo others. Truth is, the person buying a Mustang knows what they are in for. They relish the attention of muscle car ownership and the associated theatrics. That famed 5.0 l fires into life in truculent fashion, waking the neighbours, sending small dogs into a frenzied tizz. All part of the Mustang mystique. Boot it from the exit boom of your security estate — as Mustang owners seem to do — and the V8 pony car will comply with smoky, tyre squealing antics. Rein yourself in before behaving over confidently in the knowledge that the suspension was given a once over: the flagship Ford sports car will still buck when provoked. The manufacturer claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds but at Johannesburg altitudes, that might be ambitious. When group editor Denis Droppa tested the more powerful, focused Dark Horse version, a 5.22-second sprint time was recorded. Enthusiasts will counter that the Mustang experience transcends acceleration figures. Under full send, the delicious rumble of its power source is something to be savoured. The engineers intended for it to sound as filthy as possible, goading its driver into seeking out tunnels and holding gears just a bit longer than necessary. On that point, the weakest link of the Mustang has to be that 10-speed. It never bothered me at the launch event, testing the car on the wide open plains of the Western Cape. Those Brembo anchors, the Torsen limited-slip rear differential and adaptive dampers working harmoniously as we kept good pace through the sweeps. In the real world of stop-go traffic and town driving, one wonders whether 10 ratios are necessary. It often feels like a continuously variable transmission rather than a decisive, torque converter automatic. Shifting manually worked better, but that also revealed unresponsive tendencies, with a delay between the action of tipping the upshift paddle and having the vehicle dispatch the shift. Under hard acceleration, the move between second and third seemed to have a 'rubber band' type of effect: snapping into the latter gear, upsetting the rear of the car in a way that might catch the driver off guard. As a jockey gets acquainted with a steed, the uninitiated Mustang driver will need to explore the performance competencies of the vehicle carefully at first, before unleashing all 328kW/540Nm at whim. Fuel consumption is what you would expect. On the open road, driven sensibly, it is possible to achieve about 10 l /100km. Image: Supplied The inside is probably where the car has made is most radical transition. Tactile quality is markedly improved. From the leatherette seat upholstery to the materials deployed on the fascia and door panels, it is considerably more upmarket than the predecessor. Though the Mustang has gone digital in a major way, the presence of physical switchgear, including a handbrake lever (electronically actuated), should keep the traditionalists happy. Using a 13.2" unit for the central infotainment display and a 12.4" ahead of the driver, the screen estate of the Mustang is extensive. It offers excellent clarity and the usability of the SYNC4 operating system is superb, easily up there with set-ups encountered in certain Germans. You can control some functions remotely via the FordPass smartphone app. The new Mustang has also been loaded with a raft of driver assistance features, from lane-keeping and centring aids, coupled with adaptive cruise control, facilitating a semi-autonomous experience. At a price of just more than R1.3m some might describe the latest Mustang as a relative performance bargain. And they would be right. Aside from being the only normally aspirated V8 of its ilk on sale in South Africa, nothing else at the price offers such personality or pedigree. Those who struggle to gel with the live-out-loud Mustang character can have more sober, sophisticated two-door options — with less power and smaller displacements.
Forbes
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Andor' Season 2 Review: A Masterpiece, Some Of The Best ‘Star Wars' Ever Made
Andor There has never been anything quite like Andor in the Star Wars universe. Rogue One comes closest, which makes sense given that Andor is a prequel to that film, which is itself a prequel to A New Hope. Prequels are especially challenging. If you know what happens in the end, how do you craft a story that still has stakes? How do you create tension when, for instance, you know the lead character has to survive in order to appear in Rogue One? Few prequels succeed for these very reasons. One of the most successful prequels ever made is Better Call Saul, which takes place in the years leading up to Breaking Bad, but instead of focusing on Walter White or Jesse Pinkman, tells the story of Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman. Better Call Saul works not only because it's incredibly well-written, acted and produced, but because it introduces a whole cast of new characters to the story, whose fates are uncertain. While we know what happens at the end of Breaking Bad, we don't know the fates of characters like Nacho, Kim, or Charles McGill. Andor succeeds as a prequel for similar reasons. Over the course of two seasons, we not only dig deep into the life and times of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) but a host of other characters, many of which are introduced in the series. We don't know what the fate of any of them will be. There is the ruthless spymaster Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) and his mysterious assistant Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau). Andor meets other spies like Vel (Faye Marsay) and Cinta (Varada Sethu). And he has friends like Bix (Adria Arjona) and Brasso (Joplin Sibtain). Dedra Meero On the other side of the revolutionary divide, the show introduces us to some terrific new villains. Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) is perhaps the most complex and fascinating female character ever written for Star Wars, and certainly one of its most compelling bad guys. Syril (Kyle Soller) is another newcomer, an Imperial agent whose ambitions outstrip his capabilities. Plenty of new characters were introduced and killed off in Season 1. Nemik (Alex Lawther) the idealistic revolutionary whose writing about the brittle nature of authority I still find inspiring. Andor's adoptive mother, Maarva (Fiona Shaw) posthumously gave one of the most rousing speeches in Star Wars history. Kino Loy (Andy Serkis) helped lead the prisoner revolt on Narkina 5. The fate of all of these characters is a mystery to us going in, and Andor succeeds by making us care about each and every one of them. We know what happens to Andor, and to the Death Star, and plenty of what comes in the future of Star Wars, but we don't know where all these characters end up, and this keeps us invested in each of their stories, as each one hurtles toward the inevitable, toward the Battle of Yavin and the destruction of the Death Star. Syril Karn The first season of Andor was all about Cassian's transformation from smuggler to revolutionary. The season built up slowly, taking its time. Andor was drawn into Luthen's network of spies, joining an impossible heist to rob an Imperial payroll on Aldhani to the tune of over 80 million credits. This was still not enough to revolutionize him. When he was arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and sent to a labor prison on Narkina 5, he began to see the true depth of injustice the galaxy faced under Imperial rule. But it wasn't until his return to Ferrix, where the death of Maarva spurs an all-out rebellion in the streets, that Andor finally chose to join Luthen. The events of Season 2 pick up roughly a year later, and each 'chapter' of three episodes leaps a year closer to the Battle of Yavin. Season 1 took place around BBY 5, and we march closer and closer to Luke Skywalker's victory at the Death Star every three episodes in Season 2. Structurally, there are similarities to Season 1, which was also divided into chapters, but the time-jumps make the second season feel even more like several interconnected stories. This isn't a bad thing. It was one of the best parts about Season 1, and here it's even more distinct. Cassian Andor The biggest change between seasons, however, is in its move toward all-out spycraft. This is very much a spy vs. spy story, as Imperial agents both in and out of the ISB spin their webs on the planet Ghorman, while nascent rebel groups attempt to push back against the Empire. Andor, Luthen and the other rebel spies are desperately trying to figure out what the Empire is up to, while Dedra and other Imperial spies try to uncover rebel sects, laying traps along the way. Meanwhile, we continue to follow Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) as she navigates the perilous halls of Chandrila and Coruscant, aiding the rebel cause both in the shadows and from her lofty, if precarious, perch in the Senate. Alliances are tested and fractious rebels rarely see eye-to-eye. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the strained relationship between Andor and Luthen. Like Season 1, each block of three episodes forms its own contained story, but larger narrative threads bind each chapter together. Also like the first season, the second starts off a bit slow, ramping up the action and tension as the season progresses, with little pockets of mayhem scattered throughout, usually toward the end of each chapter. It's engrossing from the start, as we learn where each character has been and what they've been up to since we last saw them in the explosive Season 1 finale. Some of this I found quite surprising, actually, though I won't spoil that here. Nor will I spoil the fates of these heroes and villains, though I will say that while you might see some of them coming, others are quite shocking. Director Krennic The performances are riveting throughout. Diego Luna is brilliant, of course. Skarsgard never has quite the moments he has in Season 1, but Luthen Rael remains one of the most complex and fascinating characters ever written for a Star Wars offering. Dedra's arc is quite brilliant from start to finish as well, and Gough is mesmerizing in every scene-stealing moment. We get more from some of the characters who were glossed over a bit in Season 1. Kleya is perhaps the character that benefits most from more screentime and fleshed out backstory. Young Wilmon Paak (Muhannad Bhaier) is also given a much larger role this season. We also revisit some characters from Season 1, like the mad rebel leader Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) as well as other Star Wars characters I can't mention without spoiling things. Don't worry, Season 2 never slides into fan-service. This is still not a show about Jedi or Skywalkers or Darth Vader, though we do get some delicious moments with Director Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). Bix also gets a larger role throughout Season 1, though for much of it she is living with the trauma of her torture in Season 1 at the hands the nefarious Doctor Gorst (on orders from Dedra Meero) who still haunts her dreams. Bix This is an even darker season than the first. It's certainly more adult than any other Star Wars show or film I've seen, with drug use and the threat of sexual assault, as well as moments of intense violence. Thematically, it doubles down on the nature of authoritarianism and the power of resistance, laying bare the Empire's use of lies and propaganda, fearmongering and oppression. This is not just a great Star Wars show, but a great political thriller regardless of its fictional universe or genre. It's also beautifully produced. The costume design is simply without parallel. I was especially impressed by the scenes taking place on Mon Mothma's home planet of Chandrila, but all throughout the season we are constantly rooted in a sense of place thanks to the brilliant costume and set design, whether we're wandering the halls of the ISB on Coruscant, hurrying through the hushed streets of Ghorman, or wandering the rainy jungles of Yavin 4. And Season 2 takes us to various other locations I won't name here. Mon Mothma If I had to quibble at all, it would be a small one. The introduction of video in a couple different scenes earlier on in the series feels very out of place in Star Wars. I'm trying to remember if videos were ever shown in previous shows or movies, but I can't think of any. Typically, in this universe you only see people watching holograms. But this is a small (if somewhat jarring) addition here that I think is easy enough to look past. My only other complaint is that this is it, that we'll get no more Andor and it's unclear if Tony Gilroy and his team will make any other Star Wars content in the future. That's a shame, simply because this is so much better than anything else we've seen in this universe. And I include the original trilogy here. While that holds powerful nostalgia over me, and while I love Luke Skywalker and Han Solo and Princess Leia and the droids and Chewbacca all so much, and find their adventures thrilling and magical, Andor just takes all of this and strips away the epic hero's journey and the magical Force and leaves us with a political thriller that is at once intense and deeply human. It's the story of ordinary, complicated people struggling for survival, willing to risk everything for a chance at freedom. The final scene of the Season 2 finale left me deeply emotional. Luthen Rael I had to go put on Rogue One immediately. Andor is a perfect Star Wars show and a masterclass in crafting a prequel. It enriches everything that follows, making not only Rogue One but the original trilogy itself more powerful and meaningful in the process. There is nothing quite like it. Andor's second season is brimming with intense action, suspenseful spy games and a tremendous cast of rich characters, all in a power struggle for the future of the galaxy that will leave you breathless, inspired, terrified and emotionally devastated by its powerful conclusion. I can't wait to watch it all over again. Scattered Thoughts I'll have weekly recap/reviews for each 3-episode chapter here on this blog so be sure to follow me here and on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky and Facebook. I'm always excited to discuss these shows with readers. Watch my video review below:
