Thumbs up to…Kendrick Lamar and his performance at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. Lamar is now the first solo rapper to headline the event. Joined with SZA and DJ Mustard, Lamar performed a great number of some of his greatest hits, starting the performance off with “GNX,” which led to “Squabble Up,” which finally transitioned into “HUMBLE.” After a while he performed the song the whole crowd was waiting for, “Not Like Us,” his diss track to Drake which also won him his recent Grammy award. https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/kendrick-lamar-super-bowl-halftime-show
Thumbs up to…Google and all Apple and Play stores making TikTok available again to download in the U.S. on February 13. With TikTok returning, it marks the end of a standoff between large tech companies. TikTok is under the control of ByteDance, which is a Beijing tech company, and they have made it where the app can no longer be supported by other businesses, even though Apple and Google received a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi who informed these supporting companies that the Trump administration will not prosecute them for supporting TikTok.https://www.npr.org/2025/02/13/nx-s1-5273651/tiktok-is-back-apple-google-app-stores#:
Thumbs up to…To DreamWorks’ animated movie “The Wild Robot” for having three Oscar nominations in best original score, best sound and best animated feature. This film was based off of a children's book written by Peter Brown. Also, the movie was the only movie out of 11 films to pass the Climate Reality Check, which is designed to measure climate change in films. Founder and CEO Anna Jane Joyer even said, “The Wild Robot is an enchanting depiction of life in the age of climate change–a poignant exploration of resilience, overcoming fears and differences, and the power of community in an uncertain world.” https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-wild-robot-only-oscar-nominee-
Thumbs down to…To school districts in New York to Los Angeles, Chicago and Denver for the newly allowed ICE raids that have caused many students’ absences. The school districts have reported that many of their students are frequently absent because parents are too afraid to send their children to school due to the new Trump administration policy. This policy has given ICE agents more freedom to target students at their bus stops, schools or education facilities. Because of this fear, more classrooms are empty with only two-thirds of students attending school. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/24/trump-ice-raids-scare-students-c
Thumbs down to… To the ceiling falling in at Wenatchee Cinema in Wenatchee, Washington, while a couple was visiting to see “Captain America: Brave New World” on Feb. 25. The cause for the ceiling falling is still unknown and the authorities are still investigating. The Wenatchee Fire Department arrived at the scene at around 8 p.m. The couple had the whole movie theater to themselves when they heard noises coming from the ceiling. Luckily no one was harmed, and Sun Basin Theaters, which owns the movie theater, told NBC News that the collapse was “unexpected.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/movie-theater-ceiling-collapses-screening-captain-america-brave-new-wo-rcna194021
Thumbs down to…To a school bus engulfing in flames in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on Feb. 27. The bus was on its way to Monticello Middle School early that morning. The cause of the fire is still unknown because officials either refuse to give the reason or do not know the reason behind the fire. But luckily none of the students were injured, thanks to the bus driver who quickly took action to evacuate the bus. The students were safely picked up by another district vehicle that transported them to school. https://www.wqad.com/article/news/school-bus-fire-engulfed-flames-cleveland-heights-monticello-middle-school