The Johnny/Amber Verdict Is In 🧐
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This morning was a STRUG to get up. Liv and I went to an event last night (which was v fun) but DAMN having this newsy is like having a young child - every morning I'm jolted awake by it, and it needs a LOT of attention (I wouldn't have it any other way though, it's literally my baby.)
The verdict is in on the Johnny and Amber case
Bel Chimes In: Online crushing language explained
A scarily good One Direction bot
Canada vows to ‘freeze’ handgun sales & buy back assault-style weapons
BTS visits The White House
Is it 'smack bang' or 'smack dab' in the middle?
The verdict is in
PS, I've delayed sending out this morning's newsy purely so I can give you the most up to date news on this.
Johnny Depp has won his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard, who he sued over claims of domestic abuse
"The jury has found that Heard's statements about her marriage were "false" and conveyed "a defamatory implication" to people other than Depp.
They also found she acted with "actual malice".
The jury has also awarded Depp $10m (£8m) in compensatory damages and $5m in punitive damages.
*Update via the BBC: The jury also ruled in favour of Heard in one element of her countersuit, finding she was defamed by statements made by Depp's lawyer, Adam Waldman, to the Daily Mail, calling her abuse claims a "hoax."
For this, she was awarded $2m in damages from Depp.
In case you need a refresher, here's a summary of the case by the BBC:
Depp, 58, sued his ex-wife for $50m for an article she wrote in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse
Heard, 36, has counter-sued for $100m, saying he smeared her by calling her a liar
The jury began their deliberations late last week following a high-profile six-week trial
The case garnered intense public interest as both actors lobbed accusations of abuse at each other
Don't worry, Liv and I will be doing a whole Culture Vulture episode unpacking the second half of the trial (you can listen to part one here.)
This story is obv still updating, but this is what we know so far. For live updates, visit here.
Making Sense Of Johnny Depp & Amber Heard - Culture Vulture 💓 — open.spotify.com
For this episode of Culture Vulture we discuss the trial taking the internet by storm - Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard. We give a whole lot of context, explain why this trial is being filmed and broadcast, and go into the background of each person involved, to try and help explain how we got where we got today. We talk a lot about mental health, the complexities of abuse, and why we should take this opportunity to watch and learn from this trial, without feeling the need to take a side. I highly encourage tuning in if you want a well-rounded view of what we know so far.
Bel Chimes In: Online crushing language explained
This section is written by my crush, the refreshing-as-a-house-chardonnay-on-a-steamy-day, Bel Hawkins. You should check out more of her beautiful words here.
The bullshit! The highs! The lows! This week's Chime is dedicated to my group of girl friends who helped me put together this guide to online crushing.
As we affectionately often say to one another, 'The heart is heaven, the heart is hell!'. Look after yours <3
Baiting - Posting content you know will specifically resonate with your crush. Like ‘yum pizza!’ when you had, just days earlier, been talking about your favourite pizza. Hopefully, they write you back.
Orbiting - Passively watching someone’s social content and occasionally responding to their stories with light DMs like ‘lol’ so they don’t forget you, but not much more. Often the precursor to horny behaviour.
Bumping - This one's kinda cute. Messaging someone for no reason as a soft way to remind them that a) you exist and b) are thinking of them c) you are crushing.
Ghosting - A cruel hell, meaning literally disappearing off the face of the earth and never replying. Do not do this. Under any circumstance.
Breadcrumbing - All flirtation, no commitment. This may manifest in mid-week cute DMs or sporadic hot messages but ultimately leading to nothing. Another true horror of the internet! As my friend Kirsty says, ‘Don’t settle for crumbs when you deserve the whole loaf!’
Fleabagging - In honour of the gorgeous TV show, which means to constantly be in relationships or situationships with people who are wrong for you.
Benching - Keeping you a romantic option while playing the field and wondering if someone else better comes along. Again — ergh!
Don't accept the crumbs! You deserve the whole loaf! x
Luce note: I just had to jump in here and say HOW FUCKIN RELATABLE IS THIS CHIME??? UGH, I love it when Bel Chimes In.
A scarily good One Direction bot
OMG, after I wrote yesterday about how our ‘For You’ pages get targetted to us I LITERALLY GOT THE MOST LUCE VIDEO EVER TARGETTED TO ME. It’s a dude who says he’s trained a bot to listen to 1000 hours of One Direction’s music and see if it can create a song just like they would. And it’s LITERALLY NOT EVEN BAD. LIKE, IT’S SO ON POINT. You need to go and listen, I have no other analysis for you.
wait how'd it do the 'What A Feeling' vibe?? #onedirection#directioner#music — www.tiktok.com
Canada vows to ‘freeze’ handgun sales & buy back assault-style weapons
Hey US lawmakers? Take notes! Canada has introduced new gun control legislation that - if passed - would ‘implement a “national freeze” on buying, importing, transferring and selling handguns, effectively capping the number of such weapons already in the country.’
This bill would be the most “significant action on gun violence in a generation,” and kinda shows what a country could do, if they really wanted to.
BTS went to the White House to talk about anti-asian hate
Yesterday BTS went to the White House to talk about the rise in anti-asian hate in the states. Here's the statement that the BBC made about it:
"But BTS were not there to show President Joe Biden their "dynamite" moves. Rather, it was to discuss anti-Asian hate.
Crimes targeting East Asians have risen dramatically in the US amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The boy band members - all in their 20s - vowed to help Mr Biden, 79, tackle the issue."
I actually don't have much more to report on this, but let's just hope James Corden stays quiet on this one...
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Is it 'smack bang' or 'smack dab' in the middle?
I seriously thought no one was out here saying 'smack dab' turns out:
42% say smack bang
58% say smack dab!!
A conversation with friends about Conversations With Friends (Culture Vulture)
On the precious art of knitting and why we all need to slow down (By our very own Bel, in Ensemble)
Monkeypox, & America's Latest School Shooting (The Shit Show)
SYSCA playlist (✨Supporters only✨)
Our HUGE SYSCA reading list! (✨Supporters only✨)