By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 hour ago

As a society, we’ve been able to agree on only a handful of things over the years. One of them is that summer blockbusters are going to have plot holes and other weird inconsistencies. That’s just the price of the game, really: when a movie’s main selling point is cool explosions and cheesy one-liners, we can forgive it for having some dodging plotting. That doesn’t keep us from joking about the bad writing, of course. Case in point? Independence Day fans have spent decades dunking on the plot point about Jeff Goldblum’s tech geek hacking advanced alien technology using a mid-90s Apple PowerBook.  

The idea is wonderfully absurd on the face of it. Like, the aliens have technology advanced enough to help them conquer the stars and travel faster-than-light across the galaxy. How the heck were they beaten by an IT nerd whose people had only recently invented the internet? As it turns out, though, this plot point isn’t as stupid as everyone thought. That’s because one of the deleted scenes in Independence Day revealed something crucial: namely, that all of Earth’s modern technology was derived from an alien spaceship that was captured back in the ‘90s! 

WelcomeToEarth.exe

In Independence Day, all the superpowers of the world are attacked by alien invaders who don’t hesitate to blow up power centers like the White House. In the film’s climactic final battle, America helps lead a two-pronged counterattack against these extraterrestrial enemies. Jeff Goldblum’s brilliant tech whips up a virus on his trusty Apple PowerBook. Once Will Smith’s hotshot pilot gets them close enough, they upload the virus into the alien mothership’s operating system. This lowers the shields on the ships attacking the Earth, allowing humanity to fight back and ultimately recapture their world from these nasty space invaders.

Even in the ‘90s, the idea of whipping up an anti-alien computer virus seemed laughable. The technology of the two races should be much different, and the aliens’ tech is presumably much more advanced than our own. However, a deleted scene on the 20th Anniversary DVD of Independence Day revealed that all of Earth’s modern computer technology was derived from the alien ship that crash-landed at Roswell and had been studied at Area 51. In this universe, that’s where we got our silicone-based microchips and binary programming language. Therefore, Goldblum whipping up a computer virus is much more believable because he’s using (more or less) the same technology and programming as the aliens.

Hack The World(s)

Obviously, this plot point is still a little iffy. Having similar technology is one thing, but the aliens should still be too advanced to make this possible. Like, this is the programming equivalent of taking down the most advanced computer security systems in the world using only your Atari 2600. However, the deleted scene still adds some welcome context, and it’s like I was saying at the beginning: blockbusters aren’t always going to make a lot of sense. Plus, “the internet came from aliens” is still more believable than Transformers: The Dark Side Of The Moon, which claimed that Buzz Aldrin secretly went to the moon to check out a robot’s UFO.

At any rate, you’ve now got some Independence Day trivia as bright and shiny as any firework. Next time you show the family this movie and your kid points out how dumb the virus plotline is, you can just tell them about the deleted scene. Will this impress your child? Of course not: he’s just going to roll his eyes and look down at his phone, but there’s nothing we can really do about that yet. PowerBooks might be able to hack alien motherships, but no force on Earth or in space can help you hack into the mind of a surly teenager!

You’ve stopped buying mass-market cookware. You read labels at the grocery store, and you’ve thinned out the under-sink collection of cleaners that don’t earn their place. The thing you’re still using twice a day, often without a second glance, is your toothpaste.

ARU toothpaste makes the case that a category most people don’t think about deserves the same attention you’ve already given to everything else in the bathroom.

After all, conventional tubes list 15 to 20+ ingredients with names that don’t disclose what they’re doing. Some are doing real work. Many are doing the work of marketing — foam, color, sweetness. The contrast against products built around shorter, transparent formulations has gotten harder to ignore.

Is ARU Toothpaste an SLS-Free Toothpaste?

SLS, also known as sodium lauryl sulfate, is the foaming agent in most conventional toothpastes. It’s the reason your brush feels like it’s doing something. It’s also a detergent originally developed for industrial cleaning, and at the concentrations used in toothpaste, it’s regulated as safe.

SLS has a well-documented tendency to irritate soft tissue in the mouth and contribute to canker sores. A 2019 systematic review published in the Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine found that SLS-free toothpaste reduced the number of ulcers, ulcer duration, number of episodes and ulcer pain.

“Minor changes in a toothpaste can really make a difference in a patient’s quality of life,” Diana Messadi, a professor and the chair of oral medicine, oral pathology and orofacial pain at the UCLA School of Dentistry, told The Washington Post.

All four ARU formulas are SLS-free. Instead, they use cocamidopropyl betaine, a coconut-derived surfactant that creates gentle foam and lifts away plaque and debris without irritating gum tissue.

What’s Actually in ARU Toothpaste

The line comes in four formulas. None contain SLS. All are free from microbeads, dyes, parabens, phthalates, triclosan, artificial flavors and animal testing.

Each formula shares eight base ingredients, including cocamidopropyl betaine. Sorbitol sweetens and prevents drying. Cellulose gum keeps the paste smooth and stable. Silica adds texture and scrubs surface stains. A blend of eucalyptus, spearmint and peppermint oils handles flavor and fresh breath. Potassium sorbate prevents mold and bacterial growth in the tube. Stevia rebaudiana leaf extract rounds out the flavor without contributing to decay. Water binds it all together.

From there, each formula adds one or more targeted actives.

4 ARU Toothpaste formulas, Chosen With Purpose

The fluoride-free whitening toothpaste adds sodium bicarbonate to polish surface stains, calcium carbonate as a gentle abrasive and calcium peroxide to break down deeper stains through slow oxidation. For anyone evaluating the best whitening toothpaste options without bleach trays or strips, it’s a quiet, daily-use alternative.

The fluoride-free toothpaste for sensitive teeth uses hydroxyapatite, the same mineral that makes up natural tooth enamel. Hydroxyapatite toothpaste works by remineralizing teeth and filling the micro-fissures that cause hot, cold and sweet sensitivity. It’s the formula to reach for if you’ve quietly been avoiding ice water for years.

The gum health formula adds stannous fluoride, which strengthens enamel while reducing the bacterial overgrowth and nerve stimulation that lead to bleeding and inflamed gums. The cavity protection formula uses sodium fluoride, the standard cavity-fighting active, which remineralizes enamel and increases its resistance to acid erosion.

Fluoride vs. Fluoride-Free Toothpaste

To fluoride or not to fluoride is one of the bigger debates in oral care right now.

The scientific consensus is clear. Fluoride is safe at the concentrations used in commercial toothpaste, and the American Dental Association still recommends fluoride toothpaste for daily use.

“The fluoride will help reduce the demineralization process, which is the first stage of tooth decay,” says Dr. David Okano, a periodontist and assistant professor at the University of Utah School of Dentistry. “Also, if you have the demineralization but not yet a full-blown cavity in the tooth, the fluoride can be taken up into that demineralized area to help it remineralize.”

A growing number of consumers still choose to skip it. The most established concern is dental fluorosis, a cosmetic condition that develops when young children ingest too much fluoride while their permanent teeth are forming, which is a frequent factor in choosing a kids toothpaste.

Some adults report sensitivity or irritation from fluoride toothpaste. Others simply prefer shorter, cleaner ingredient lists. ARU’s fluoride-free whitening and sensitive formulas are designed for that audience, while the gum health and cavity protection formulas keep fluoride for those who want it.

Which ARU Toothpaste Is Right for You?

Four formulas, four straightforward decisions.

If you want whiter teeth, go with the whitening toothpaste. Do your gums bleed when you brush or floss? The gum health formula is the one. If you want standard daily protection, the cavity protection formula covers it. Do hot and cold make you flinch? The remineralizing toothpaste with hydroxyapatite is built for that.

Both fluoride-free options double as an SLS-free toothpaste for anyone prone to canker sores or sensitive oral tissue.

The line is built around a simple idea worth paying for. You should know what’s in your toothpaste, and what’s in it should serve a purpose. All four formulas are available at Walmart and on Walmart.com.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 10 seconds ago

Star Wars is a franchise full of quotable lines, ranging from the downright conversational (“I’ve got a bad feeling about this!”) to the mystically profound (“Do, or do not. There is no try”). Over the years (especially during the dark times between Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace), these lines functioned as a coded language among fans. For example, if someone peppered a quote from Han Solo or Luke Skywalker into the conversation, they were testing to see if you were a fellow nerd. Then, the prequels came, and Star Wars re-entered the mainstream, bigger and better than ever before.

After that, a Star Wars phrase never uttered in the movies became insanely popular: “May the 4th be with you.” As the wording implies, this phrase denotes May 4th, which eventually became the de facto Star Wars Day all around the world. Because of this, most fans assume the phrase was always designed to draw attention to the fourth day of the fifth month. However, that’s not actually the case. What all but the older Star Wars fans have forgotten (or simply never learned in the first place) is that “May the 4th be with you” began as a way of mocking the Fourth of July!

From Galactic Civil War To Independence Day

For younger fans, the most surprising part of this story is that the phrase “May the 4th be with you” is nearly as old as Star Wars itself. The phrase may not have really gone mainstream until the prequels came out, but it was first used back in 1978. Believe it or not, the phrase was invented by newspaper reporters who were looking for clever ways to talk about the Fourth of July. How could they find a new way to talk about something as relatively ancient as America’s birthday? Collectively, these reporters found the answer by embracing the biggest blockbuster of the late ‘70s: Star Wars.

One year after the first film in the franchise came out, the phrase “May the Force be with you” had become a beloved part of pop culture. Many newspaper reporters around the country decided to reference this phrase as a cheeky way of discussing Independence Day. “May the 4th be with you,” they wrote. While they were using the iconic Star Wars line to make a joke, the original usage of this phrase wasn’t explicitly designed to promote Star Wars. Instead, it was just a funny way of referring to the Fourth of July.

Somehow, Margaret Thatcher Returned

When did “May the 4th be with you” become a way of mentioning, well, the fourth of May instead of the fourth of July? The first recorded case of this happened in 1979; when Margaret Thatcher assumed the role of UK Prime Minister on May 4, the London Evening News ran a headline that read, “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations!” And in 1982, Randy Thorn (currently Skywalker Sound’s director of sound design) was working on Return of the Jedi on May 4th, and he started joking “May the 4th be with you” to others on set. Notably, he included this phrase in company correspondence for many years.

After that, the phrase disappeared for decades, and in 2005 (the same year Revenge of the Sith came out), it was again used by cheeky reporters in reference to Independence Day. However, the prequels had successfully created a new generation of fans; as they got older, these fans embraced May 4th as an unofficial holiday, which was mostly an excuse to dress up and watch all things Star Wars. Eventually, Disney embraced this idea, making this an official day to celebrate the franchise. Call it the will of the Force, though, as none of this would have happened if a few forgotten reporters hadn’t decided to mock America’s birthday in the funniest possible way!

With the theatrical release of Backrooms came the trailer for Adam Wingard‘s upcoming film, Onslaught (which the internet graciously received several days later). More exciting than Wingard having a new non-franchise film in the works is the news that he’s once again paired with screenwriter Simon Barrett. The partnership, which previously enriched genre fans with some off-kilter (and really excellent) movieslike You’re Next and, more importantly, the underseen 2014 genre-clashing thriller-action-horror film The Guest. It’s a film that’s great on its own because it’s the funniest movie that isn’t a comedy and has some great action scenes without being an action movie, but it also seemingly could have connective tissue to make Onslaught be a potential spiritual sequel, if not a direct follow-up.

The film follows the Peterson family, specifically siblings Luke (Brendan Meyer) and Anna (Maika Monroe), as they cope with the grief of the death of their brother Caleb, who died in battle overseas, and their parents (Sheila Kelley and LeLand Orser) as they try to pick up the pieces. Their lives seem to take a turn for the better when Caleb’s mysterious but affable soldier friend, named David (Dan Stevens) arrives with the intent of helping the family in any way he can…occasionally with the help of guns and knives.

Dan Stevens Steals the Show in ‘The Guest’

The Guest was Wingard and Barrett’s follow-up to You’re Next and is the second in their unofficial trilogy of movies with two-word titles (the third entry being Blair Witch). It didn’t do well financially, because…apparently people weren’t interested in seeing Matthew Crowley from Downton Abbey kill people with grenades? That feels highly unlikely, but any tangible reason why it didn’t do well got lost in the wind somewhere, so we’re stuck making assumptions.

Dan Stevens is worth mentioning because anyone who’s seen the film is quick to bring up how his performance makes the movie. Steven plays a psychopathic killer who’s just so likable that it’s easy for the viewer to be on his side for the majority of the movie. He’s not putting up a serial killer-esque front to disarm potential victims; he really is just innately charming and cool with a Kentucky accent for good measure. Sure, he kills people, but he also calls strangers “sir” and “ma’am” and even takes a hit off a joint when offered at a party after politely bringing in two kegs just to be helpful. So, there are pros and cons of having him around.

‘The Guest’ is a Stylistic Crossroads for Adam Wingard

Image via Picturehouse

The movie’s an interesting middle ground in Wingard’s filmography, acting somewhere between the horror genre, which he was known for at the time, and the action genre, which would later get mainstream attention by directing the Godzilla vs. Kong movies. It’s sort of a genre fusion of horror and action, with the selling point frequently highlighted in Amazon and Letterboxd reviews being that David is like a cross between Michael Myers and The Terminator. That being said, the movie goes more for tension rather than horror, which seems, by design, with Wingard and Barrett trying their hands at something other than horror. Wingard confirmed as much in an interview at the time of its release.

Despite his charismatic personality, there are a few moments where David is legitimately intimidating, with one moment in particular of him waiting for Anna to say, “Okay,” being a standout threatening moment. When it comes to David being a killing machine, he’s played more as a quick and efficient hitman doing what he’s good at, rather than a relentless killer who finds pleasure in the pain of others. There’s one set piece in particular that’s played more like a scene out of John Wick, rather than a slasher film.

Connections Between ‘Onslaught’ and ‘The Guest’

Onslaught will be Stevens’ third collaboration with Wingard and Barrett in a currently undisclosed role that’s at least significant enough to warrant a voice-over and major billing in the trailer. While not a direct sequel, speaking with MovieWeb, Stevens talked about the film being a spiritual successor: “It’s not a sequel to The Guest, but it is very much, if you liked The Guest, you’re probably going to like Onslaught. And it’s very much in the same universe of super soldiers gone bad and that kind of thing, which we love.” Based on details from the trailer, Onslaught does appear to carry similar DNA to The Guest, with its western setting aesthetic (thanks to both movies being filmed in New Mexico), the potential underlying B-movie tone, and the monsters being unstoppable killing machines in the form of advanced soldiers. And, similar to The Guest, it might even take place around Halloween since the lead actress, Adria Arjona is even shown using jack-o’-lanterns for target practice, hinting the story may also unfold around Halloween.

The Guest belongs to that rare category of movies that few people talk about, but those who do absolutely love. It’s a fun, tongue-in-cheek action-thriller that shows the best of Adam Wingard’s stylistic direction (and talent for filming action scenes) and Simon Barrett’s writing that’s grounded, but with an undercurrent of humor and goofiness, without ever winking at the camera. The impending release of Onslaught will hopefully shine a new spotlight on one of Wingard and Barrett’s best collaborations, while expanding on many of the ideas first explored in The Guest.

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Release Date

September 5, 2014

Runtime

100 minutes

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Adam Wingard

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Beyoncé is back! Almost a year after wrapping her record-breaking “Cowboy Carter” tour, the singer and mother of three has released a surprise single, “MORNING DEW (DONK),” just for her fans. According to a new press release, the superstar singer is celebrating the 60-day countdown to her next birthday and the 20th anniversary of her second studio album, “B’Day.”

Beyoncé is giving her fans something big to celebrate this Fourth of July—a brand-new single! The track “MORNING DEW (DONK)” is a four-minute, feel-good R&B single about spending time with that special someone.

The surprise track is accompanied by a lyric video on YouTube featuring archival footage of the singer on the beach, shot by Cliff Watts, who directed the singer’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoot nearly 20 years ago.

“And he said girl, you s-xy in the mornin’, you know you turn me on, babe / You know the sun rise for you, give me that mornin’ dew / You know that I wanted you, want your mornin’ / You know the sun rise for you, give me that mornin’ dew / Donk-ey, donk-ey, donk-ey, donk-ey, donk’ / Donk-ey, donk-ey, donk-ey, donk-ey, donk,” she sings over the beat.

More About Queen Bey’s New Song

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The new single was written by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, The-Dream, and Darius Dixon. It was produced by Beyoncé and Williams.

It’s the singer’s first new song in two years, and it’s said to be a “direct nod to her loyal BeyHive to commemorate the upcoming epic celebration of B’DAY.”

The song will be included on the 20th Anniversary edition of “B’Day,” the singer’s second studio album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the hits “Upgrade U,” “Deja Vú,” “Check On It,” and more.

Fans Are Losing Their Mind Over Beyoncé’s Latest Release

Since Beyoncé’s new track is meant to honor the BeyHive, it only makes sense that they’d be freaking out over the release online.

“Motherrrr, I’m streaming all day,” someone wrote on X, while another said, “Some artists celebrate anniversaries. Beyoncé drops new music. Different league.”

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“We have been blessed on this Saturday morning,” a third wrote, followed by a fourth, who posted, “THANK YOU, BEY!”

On Instagram, the reaction was much of the same, with one person writing, “She’s the most random and unpredictable person ever.”

Someone else posted, “GAG!”

Queen Bey’s New Song Comes As Fans Anxiously Await Her Next Studio Album

“MORNING DEW (DONK)” comes two years after the release of “Cowboy Carter,” and two months after Beyoncé’s first Met Gala appearance in 10 years.

Fans believed the singer would use the fashion event to usher in her next era, “ACT III,” widely rumored to feature rock tracks. However, a source said that the final act in the trilogy wasn’t coming any time soon.

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Prior to her appearance, Beyoncé stirred up further speculation by celebrating the 10th anniversary of “Lemonade.” In her post, she held three lemons, a move fans took as a subtle nod to the next album.

‘ACT III’ Will Follow ‘RENAISSANCE’ And ‘COWBOY CARTER’

Don’t forget, Beyoncé released “RENAISSANCE,” the first part of her three-part project, in 2022. It featured the chart-topping single “BREAK MY SOUL” and the viral hits “CUFF IT” and “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM.”

She revealed that she created the album during the COVID-19 pandemic to inspire people to embrace their authentic selves.

“It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving,” she wrote. “My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

“COWBOY CARTER” came two years later and included the chart-topping track “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM.” According to Bey, the album was born following the cold reception she received when she performed “Daddy Lessons” at the 2016 Country Music Awards.

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“This album took over five years,” Beyoncé said. “It’s been really great to have the time and the grace to be able to take my time with it. I was initially going to put Cowboy Carter out first, but with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world. We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance. But I had to trust God’s timing.”

Dungeon Crawler Carl has taken the world by storm. Matt Dinniman‘s science fiction novel, in addition to topping best-seller charts and spawning a fleet of sequels, is also set to get its own television adaptation on Peacock with Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, The Orville) producing and Christopher Yost (X-Men: Evolution, Thor: Ragnarok) as showrunner. A graphic novel adaptation of Dungeon Crawler Carl is also taking off, with the preview edition quickly flying off shelves during this year’s Free Comic Book Day. In short, Dungeon Crawler Carl is one of those rare novels that has become a pop culture phenomenon, rivaling other books like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones.

What exactly makes Dungeon Crawler Carl such a must-read book? Part of it lies in the premise, which is equal parts ridiculous and amazing: Carl, a former member of the United States Coast Guard, and his ex-girlfriend’s cat Princess Donut are forced to participate in an intergalactic reality show called Dungeon Crawler World, which terraforms the Earth into a massive dungeon similar to those found in video games or tabletop role-playing games. This makes it one of the more successful forms of “litRPG”, or novels that adopt role-playing game mechanics into their narrative. Another element that draws readers is Matt Dinniman’s mix of absurd humor and sharp political observations, which makes Dungeon Crawler Carl a unique read. However, there are five science fiction novels that feature similar themes and are definitely worth reading if you love the Dungeon Crawler Carl saga.

‘Redshirts’ by John Scalzi

Image via Tor Books

Anyone who’s watched a Star Trek show can tell you that the color red is a death sentence in Starfleet, as most of the “red shirts” in the security division usually die horrible deaths. John Scalzi decided to put his own satirical spin on this concept with Redshirts, which centers on the starship Intrepid and its missions for the Universal Union. One of the Intrepid‘s crew members, Andrew Dahl, begins to notice that most of his fellow officers suffer gruesome fates whenever they go on missions with senior officers; he eventually stumbles upon a conspiracy that breaches the walls of reality.

While Redshirts isn’t the first piece of media to parody Star Trek, it stands out for its clever use of metafiction and its razor sharp humor​​​​​. Nothing is off limits when it comes to spoofing Trek, whether it’s the seemingly endless parade of alien horrors the Intrepid encounters or how the redshirts’s deaths are meant to ramp up drama in the narrative. If you love the humor that fuels Dungeon Crawler Carl, or want a similar story in the vein of The Orville or Galaxy Quest, this book should be on your radar.

‘Armada’ by Ernest Cline

Image via Crown Publishing Group

Dungeon Crawler Carl is one of the few “litRPG” books that actually uses roleplaying mechanics to fuel the plot, rather than turning Carl into a thinly veiled power fantasy for reader and author alike. If fans want another novel that utilizes video game tropes in a unique way, they should check out Ernest Cline’s Armada. Teenager Zack Lightman has become extremely skilled at playing the video game Armada, but when he sees one of the game’s ships floating outside his high school, he eventually learns that the game’s events are real — and that the alien invaders he’s been fighting are hellbent on subjugating Earth!

When Armada released in 2015, it was met with mixed reviews as most people felt it paled in comparison to Cline’s debut novel, Ready Player One. The pop culture references that fueled Ready Player One’s plot made some reviewers wish they were checking out those works instead, but Armada is actually a solid read. Its story is essentially a modern-day update of The Last Starfighter, and the emotional core of Zack discovering the mystery behind his father’s supposed death will keep readers hooked, as will another major revelation surrounding the invasion.

‘The Girl Who Could Move S*** With Her Mind’ by Jackson Ford

Image via Orbit Books

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Another novel that features the same irreverent humor and high-concept science fiction that make Dungeon Crawler Carl such a hit is The Girl Who Could Move S*** With Her Mind. If the title wasn’t enough of an indication, the story focuses on goverment operative Teagan Frost, who uses her telekinetic abilities to pull off black ops missions. One of these missions goes horribly wrong when someone frames Teagan for murder, forcing her to go on the run. With its realistic look on superpowers and a flawed, yet entertaining protagonist, The Girl Who Could Move S*** With Her Mind reads like a realistic approach to the world of the X-Men.

Like Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Girl Who Could Move S*** With Her Mind also became popular enough to launch an ongoing series. Author Jackson Ford has written four books in the “Frost Files” to date, each of them carrying an equally raunchy title like Random S*** Flying Through the Air, Eye of the S*** Storm, and A S***load of Crazy Powers. Whether you’re looking for a unique twist on the idea of superpowers, a book with plenty of well-crafted if inappropriate humor, or just a good sci-fi read, then the Frost Files are more than worth cracking open.

‘Operation Bounce House’ by Matt Dinniman

Image via Ace Books

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With two more books left in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, fans have been wondering what Matt Dinniman’s next move will be. Those fans got a glimpse of his next potential sci-fi saga with Operation Bounce House, which debuted in May. Operation Bounce House is set in the far future, where most of mankind has left Earth to inhabit interstellar colonies. One of these colonists is Oliver Lewis, who’s been taking care of his grandparents’ farm using a swarm of robotic honeybees. His life is upended when a group of Earth inhabitants, piloting giant mech suits, invade his colony as part of a warped reality show, prompting Oliver to take inventive measures to defend his farm.

From the jump, Operation Bounce House has many of the elements that made Dungeon Crawler Carl such a hit. From its unique premise to its biting commentary on the insatiable nature of capitalism and the corrupting effects of fame, Dinniman proves that he still has the skills to write a compelling science fiction story. And while Operation Bounce House is a standalone story, its reception shows that readers will still be following Dinniman’s work long after the Dungeon Crawler Carl series concludes.

‘Gearbreakers’ by Zoe Hana Mikuta

Image via Macmillan Publishers

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When Gearbreakers hit shelves five years ago, it immediately captured attention for all the right reasons. Zoe Hana Mikuta‘s debut novel is set in a future where the nation of Godolia rules with a literal iron fist thanks to the massive mecha known as “Windups” that enforces its will. In the “Badlands”, Eris Shindanai and her fellow rebels become known as “Gearbreakers” due to their ability to take down the Windups. Things get complicated when Eris encounters Sona Steelcrest, a Windup pilot who secretly infiltrated Godolia to take it down from the inside. As Eris and Sona work toward their seperate goals, they end up falling for each other.

While Gearbreakers could be described as “The Hunger Games meets Pacific Rim,” it really stands out thanks to the worldbuilding and character development Mikuta brings to the table. Both Eris and Sona feel like well-rounded characters, as their reasons for fighting against Godolia are gradually revealed while their romantic connection flourishes. There’s also plenty of intense mecha battles, which Mikuta managed to top with the sequel Godslayers. Dungeon Crawler Carl might be on top of the world, but Gearbreakers is a novel that deserves just as much attention.

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Peacock

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Chris Yost

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Happy Independence Day to Beyoncé fans, who were surprised with a new music release to commemorate the patriotic holiday.

Beyoncé, 44, dropped “Morning Dew (Donk)” in the early hours of Saturday, July 4.

“Beyoncé marks the 4th of July Holiday with a special gift to her fans with the release of ‘Morning Dew (Donk),’” a press release reads. “[This is] a new song that also starts a 60-day countdown to her next birthday, and the re-issue of B’Day, her ground-breaking second album that was released two decades ago on September 4, 2006.”

Beyoncé cowrote the track, her first new release in two years, alongside Pharrell Williams, The Dream and Darius Dixon. Beyoncé and Williams, 53, also produced the single.

Related: Beyonce’s Most Bootylicious Looks

From her days as the front woman of Destiny’s Child to her “Drunk in Love” Grammys moment, superstar Beyonce has always been known for her booty — check out her most bootylicious moments

According to the press release, “Morning Dew” is “a direct nod to her loyal BeyHive” ahead of B’Day’s 20th anniversary milestone.

“The song, which will be included on the 20th Anniversary edition of B’Day, arrives accompanied by a lyric video that repurposes old footage, directed by frequent collaborator Cliff Watts,” the statement notes. “It was Cliff Watts who shot Beyoncé’s iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover around her 25th birthday.”

Beyoncé graced the SI cover in 2007, marking the first time a non-athlete or non-model appeared underneath the masthead.

“It’s amazing to me and I never thought it would happen. It’s great for us [and] our clothing line, House of Deréon. I’m wearing all of our swimsuits. My mother was able to design them,” the music icon gushed, referring to mom Tina Knowles and their now-defunct fashion label. “It’s a great launch for us, and I’ve never done a swimsuit spread.”

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Related: Beyonce Celebrates 10 Years Since the Release of Her Self-Titled Album

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Beyoncé is looking back on her groundbreaking self-titled album 10 years after its release. The singer, 42, took to Instagram on Wednesday, December 13, to share a video honoring the 10th anniversary of her fifth studio album, Beyoncé. The album was released in December 2013 with no prior promotion and included stunning visuals to accompany […]

Beyoncé continued at the time, “What better place to do that [than] a magazine that’s so classy and so elegant, still very sexy, but in a very, very upscale way. It is a music issue. Music and fashion, they go hand in hand. When these beautiful models are posing for their shoots, they’re listening to music. We’re all inspired by music and I think it’s so great that they’re acknowledging us musicians.”

Beyoncé had released B’Day, her second solo album, the year before and seven more in the years that followed. The R&B superstar last released Cowboy Carter, her foray into country music, in 2024. The record won both Best Country Album and Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys, which was Beyoncé’s first time taking home the latter honor.

“I just feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years, and I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all of the hard work,” Beyoncé said in her acceptance speech. “I want to dedicate this to Ms. [Linda] Martell, and I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors. God bless y’all.”