Always Sunny S17: “Crop Circles” Greet Olson on First Day of Filming

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Posted in: FX, Hulu, TV | Tagged: always sunny, It’s Always Sunny In PhiladelphiaIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olson shared a look at “crop circles” (?) outside of her trailer on Day #1 of Season 17 filming.Published Tue, 15 Oct 2024 19:37:08 -0500 by Ray Flook | [embedded content]First, we heard from Glenn Howerton. Following that, we heard from Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney. Now, we’re hearing from Kaitlin Olson (we know you’re here in spirit, Danny DeVito). What was all of the posting about? Only that filming on the 17th season of FXX’s Kaitlin Olson, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton & Danny DeVito– starring It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was now officially underway. After hearing from Howerton, Day, and McElhenney, Olson checked in with a brief video of the outside of her “Sweet Dee” trailer – and the very interesting… ummm… “crop circles” that were waiting outside of her trailer.
Image: Instagram Stories Screencap; FX Networks
Here’s a look at Olson’s post from earlier today, followed by an interesting look behind the scenes from McElhenney about how the script approval process works:

Always Sunny Season 17: Dennis Gets an S&P “Caution”
With the caption “‘Sunny’ Standards & Practices are something else,” McElhenney shared a screencap of a note they received on a script earlier this month: “Page 26: Caution on a scene where Dennis,” and then neatly two lines of texts crudely redacted. Now, here’s the “interesting” part: “Any graphic bestiality simulation must be avoided for cuts airing on both FX linear channel & the Hulu platform” (yup, bolded). From there, it’s noted that “given the nature of the scenes,” they should “shoot alternate angles and positioning” should they be needed in post-production. The note ends with, “Please keep the,” before more crude redacting. Here’s a look at a screencap of McElhenney’s Instagram Stories post – we will leave it up to your redaction-breaking skills…
Image: Instagram Stories Screencap
IASIP: Kaitlin Olson on Emmy Snub
At the Emmy Awards ceremony in January, The Gang got the band back together to present the award for Outstanding Talk Series (Trevor Noah & The Daily Show would take top honors) – and to take a moment to address their topic of the show being ignored by Emmy voters. “Have you guys been doing this every year without us?” Day asked toward the opening of their segment. “I feel like we’re getting the full Marvel treatment here.”
To make matters even a little more insulting, this year also marked the first time that The Gang was invited to attend the biggest awards ceremony in television. DeVito really drove the point home when he reminded them that he had already won an Emmy for his work on Taxi – which would run for five seasons, picking up 34 nominations and 18 wins. “34 nominations in five years vs. zero nominations in 16 years? That math is bad!” Olson observed – before DeVito added, “Rhea [Perlman] won four for ‘Cheers.'”
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As fun as that was to watch, the point can’t be ignored. How can a show that’s run for 16 seasons (and counting) be as ignored as “Always Sunny” has been over the course of its run? “We talk about that a lot,” Olson shared during an interview with Vanity Fair. “I think there are some shows where it’s just decided, ‘Oh, this is the hit show of the season,’ and people will give it a shot. And then there are just some shows that are just like, ‘No, this isn’t an Emmy show.’ And if you jumped in and saw a clip of our show and didn’t quite understand it, you’d think this show is raunchy and gross—not appropriate and not classy and lowbrow. And the truth is, that’s true. And if you really watch a full episode, it’s so smart. We’re making lots of statements. We are making fun of extremists. It’s a lot more intelligent than people think.”
Olson added, “It just became a thing where it was like, ‘Oh, that show again.’ People are looking at new shows. The truth is we are getting a lot of validation every single day. We have fans that will cry and shake if they take a picture [with us]. We’re doing what we want to do, making a show that we’re proud of and making people happy. I really am truly good. But will I take an Emmy? Yeah, I’ll take an Emmy.”
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The Caatinga Biome was highlighted on the third day of the 21st National Science and Technology Week, in Quixabeira

Science and Health

On Tuesday (15), the municipality of Quixabeira, located in the Jacuípe Basin Identity Area (NTE 15), is hosting a series of activities that are part of the 21st National Week of Science and Technology (SNCT). The local programme, which takes place at the Escola Familiar Agrícola de Jabuticaba, marks the third day of the event, which takes place throughout the state, until Friday (18), under the slogan “Biological areas of Bahia: diversity, knowledge and social”. Technologies”, in line with the national proposal.
The Caatinga region, an exclusively Brazilian biome, is the main focus of the event in Quixabira. The activities aim to highlight the region’s biodiversity and promote discussions on social technologies that can contribute to local sustainable development. For Pollyana Reis, director of education for traditional peoples and communities at the Bahia State Ministry of Education, this approach is essential. “This week is of great importance for science and technology, as well as for the population as a whole, but it brings a special meaning for traditional peoples and communities. As the theme already says, the action aims to appreciate the biomes of Bahia. Therefore, we are here in the Caatinga evaluation process and the Escola Familia school has been chosen Agricola di Jaboticaba, because it is a reference in the work of preserving this biome, we are very happy to be here, to witness this moment of great importance.”

Photos: Ferlan Carmo
The event in Quixabira is part of a broader effort across Bahia, with more than 80 activities planned in school units in different areas of the state, from the Quilombo de Caung, in Cachoeira, to indigenous villages in the Prado. The activities, in which public schools and public universities participate, seek to bring knowledge and innovation to different communities, and promote the importance of science and technology as tools for regional development.
With a diverse programme, the event includes lectures, guided tours of the school and exhibitions, bringing together students, teachers and guests and creating a space for dialogue. Marcius Gomes, Chief of Staff of the Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (Secti), also highlighted the importance of the meeting. This partnership, involving the SEC and Secti, as recommended by our Governor, strengthens scientific education in Bahia. Choosing Escola Família Agrícola de Jabuticaba is important because we can recognize and encourage the production of knowledge and what rural boys and girls have produced in relation to the requirements present in their daily lives.
Photos: Ferlan Carmo
One of the highlights of this event is the promotion of integration between science and traditional knowledge in the region. The Jabuticaba Family Agricultural School plays an essential role in this knowledge exchange. According to Iracema Lima, the school director, Escola Família Agrícola works with the sons and daughters of young farmers. “Specifically, we are working on developing and promoting social technologies for coexistence with the semi-arid region. The school unit acts as a laboratory, and being the scene of this event says a lot about the importance of this place and this exchange of knowledge. This has to happen so that we forget the idea that science is something that is done in Laboratory In order to survive, the people of Caatinga need a lot of science, discoveries and reinvention of many paths and paths to stay afloat.
Source: ASCOM/SEC

Gender gap in physical science persists, Herald poll finds

Science and Health

A Herald poll found that female students are less likely to study the physical sciences compared to their male counterparts at Brown. 45% of female students study the physical sciences compared to 59% of men — a 14 percentage point gap.
The Herald spoke with experts in education and women who are underrepresented in STEM to understand what drives these trends.

Katherine Rieser, the director of teacher education at Brown, attributed these differences to “structurally racist or gender biased policies” in education, which she says have catalyzed discrepancies between gender and race.

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Texas Science and Natural History Museum increases attendance, adds new exhibits

Science and Health

The on-campus Texas Science and Natural History Museum announced on Sept. 30 that attendance has almost doubled since the museum reopened its doors last fall. 
Carolyn Connerat, managing director of the museum, said attendance grew from 38,000 in 2019 to 75,000 in 2024. The renovations and new exhibits helped draw students of all ages to the museum, Connerat said. Over 300 schools ranging from pre-K to high school have visited for field trips since the reopening. 
“We are thrilled at the number of University students who get free admission who have started to come back to the museum,” Connerat said. “We really want to encourage them to realize this is a place for them to enjoy coming to when they just need to get out of the heat, but also to wander around and see everything.” Visitor services assistant Audrey Donovan said the museum highlights Austin history because many of its artifacts come from local areas. 
“There’s a lot of good references to things that locals would know about, so that is really great,” Donovan said. “It’s a good way for local Austinites and local Texans to better understand the history of their home.” 
The museum now showcases fossils from local archaeological sites directly in its entrance. 
“The great hall floor, which we call Texas Titans, includes Quetzalcoatlus, which is the largest flying animal ever … and our new Texas Tyrannosaur,” Connerat said. “Both of these were found in Big Bend National Park, so they’re both from Texas.”
Mario Nawar, a Plan II and government freshman, said the museum provides opportunities for UT students to supplement their classes.
“I was looking at museums for an assignment from history class, but looking at the options on campus, I was attracted to this the most because of the different historic animals,” Nawar said. “Especially when I saw the big T-Rex in the main hall, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m coming to this one.’”
The museum plans to open more exhibits in the spring, including an area featuring UT research and a Discovery Center with interactive, hands-on learning, Connerat said.
“We’re continuing to do the work to make this the premier museum of science and natural history for all of Central Texas,” Connerat said. “Because this is really a museum for our students, faculty and staff in the area and for the greater Austin community to bring their families.” 

York County Libraries won’t buy new books for minors. Here’s why.

Arts & Culture, Books

The 4-3 vote is up for debate again at a special meeting on Wednesday night.

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — York County Library Board of Trustees has decided to halt purchasing any books for minors in response to new mandates from the South Carolina state legislature.

The Board announced in a statement that they will halt new purchases until “further clarification and guidance is received from the state regarding Proviso 27.1 and until the Attorney General makes a ruling providing libraries with guidance for collection development.”

“It’s an absolutely heartbreaking decision to make, but it’s understandable why they made the one that they did,” said Rayne Rickrode. 

Rickrode works at The Liberty Book Company, a new and used bookstore in Rock Hill—right down the road from one of the many libraries impacted by this decision.

The new proviso says that in order to receive their funding, public libraries need to “certify to the State Library that their county libraries do not offer any books or materials that appeal to the prurient interest of children under the age of thirteen in children’s book sections of libraries and are only made available with explicit parental consent.”

The proviso does not define what “prurient interest” means.

“The problem with something calling something salacious is that that is going to be a line that is entirely different person to person,” Rickrode said. “Which parent? How often? And is it a book-by-book? Are they going to have to have a parent sign off on every single book that they bring in?”

Rickrode walked WCNC Charlotte through many of the repeatedly challenged books her store carries. Many of them are from popular authors, like John Green, or are focused on LGBTQ+ themes. 

“I want to believe that the people who helped pass this measure do have the best of intentions at heart,” Rickrode said. “To see all of these books with previous awards, previous recognitions, then suddenly be put on the chopping block, just really makes me question what it is they think they’re protecting.”

As a local teacher, Tiffany Evans is also concerned. As a grandparent, she’s disappointed to know her 5th-grade granddaughter won’t have access to as many books.

“As parents, grandparents, teachers, then we can monitor what our own children are doing,” Evans said. “I don’t think the library is going to purposely put anything in here to change the opinion of kids and give them things that aren’t appropriate for them, so I think it’s kind of sad that they’re not doing that now.”

The Board of Trustees has called a special meeting to address this. It will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the York Public Library on East Liberty Street).

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

A canal boat through French wine country is the ultimate in slow travel

Travel

Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeWith a maximum speed of six kilometres an hour, it’s all about “slow travel” aboard European Waterways’ luxury canal barge, Finesse. We’re floating along a section of the 112-kilometre Canal du Centre between St-Julien-sur-Dheune and Chalon-sur-Saone in Burgundy. Over five days, we’ll descend 27 of the canal’s 61 locks. Canopies of oak and plane trees hang overhead and stone cottages slide past while the chirps of golden orioles and red-backed shrikes provide a splendid soundtrack.The height of slow travel … luxury canal barge the Finesse.It’s easy to tell when we hit wine country. Long lines of vines head off into the horizon, like soldiers costumed comically for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The bright-green spring vines pop and I’m excited to be reacquainted with this spectacle.More than 30 years ago, I picked grapes in this very region. I’d been backpacking around Europe, when my newly retired father decided to join me. We wobbled off on clunky three-geared bicycles to explore wine country. Cycle gears were unfamiliar to him; he refused stubbornly to change down. The undulating hills were tough; he became tired and irritable, and I was frustrated by his unwillingness to offload a bottle of duty-free liquor that weighed down his handlebar basket.We were rescued by Australian wine writer Jeremy Oliver who recommended Domaine Chevrot, a local winery in the tiny village of Cheilly-les-Maranges. Vignerons Cathy and Fernand Chevrot welcomed us warmly to their stone house, trimmed with blue shutters. It also had a magnificent cellar – a series of interconnecting rooms lined with oak barrels that reeked of damp earth and fermenting grapes. Our moods were restored.By the end of the visit (and enjoyable tasting), my name had been chalked on a blackboard as one of 25 grape pickers. I returned to Domaine Chevrot two months later for the year’s harvest.Fruits of the vine … Burgundy vineyards.Credit: iStockFor 10 days the team picked thousands of bunches of grapes, consumed many multi-course meals in the communal marquee, and laughed at language translations. Bed was in a shared dormitory but by day’s end, exhausted from the hard work, we didn’t care. The bonne ambiance even lured me back for another two harvests. It’s a far cry from Finesse.The barge’s onboard suite is as spacious as a premium wine cellar with a gleaming bathroom. A sunny “saloon” – a lounge-cum dining area – is where we enjoy all our meals. A staff of five, headed by Captain Mathias, ensures smooth sailing.Our days follow a pattern. A generous breakfast followed by leisure time: birdwatching, cycling along the canal or simply gazing at the gardens and vines as they slip by. Next up is an activity at a winery – including Domaine Chanzy – or a local site, including the 15th-century Hotel Dieu Hospice in Beaune and the Roman sites of Autun. But it’s always lovely to return to the boat.AdvertisementThe 15th-century Hotel Dieu Hospice in Beaune.Credit: iStockThe guests dine together; our chef prepares dishes in the open kitchen and runs through the multi-course menu (no spoilers here: dishes are French, paired with European Waterways’ own top-quality wine selection, and dietary requirements are catered to). Diana and Luna, the boat’s personable hosts, present two or three wines at each meal, along with the cheeses – from gooey Camembert to the aromatic Epoisses de Bourgogne.For the themed “Burgundy evening”, Chef Arnie whips up Oeufs en meurette, a local specialty comprising poached eggs served in a sauce of carrots, mushrooms and red wine, followed by poulet au Dijon, chicken smothered in a creamy, mustard sauce.Luna, meanwhile, presents the accompanying wines with the panache of Nigella Lawson; she could convince us to enjoy a damp sports-sock flavour, such is her delectable French-accented delivery. The Chanzy Mercurey Les Caraby 2018, she tells us, is a chardonnay that’s “floral and fruity to the nose, dry and perfect with the poulet.”With each glass, I acknowledge the dukes of Burgundy, who ruled the expansive Duchy of Burgundy in the Middle Ages. Although the original vines were planted during Roman times, it was the dukes (along with monks) who cultivated them.The Dukes are brought to life on our first day of cruising when we visit Chateau de Germolles, a 14th-century castle that was home to Philip the Bold. Such buildings “showed power and money” says the current owner, Monsieur Matthieu Pinette, as he guides us through the maze of rooms. Some feature wood panelling, others original, hand-painted, Byzantine wallpaper.Roman theatre in Autun.Credit: iStockAnother high point comes two days later when we venture through Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune (together, known as Cote-d’Or), the most historically important of Burgundy’s five wine areas. Strips of vines extend in different directions. Considered “noble” varieties (the result of a Middle Ages marketing ploy), these still comprise mostly chardonnay and pinot noir. So special and historic are these Burgundian climats, the specialised regional term for terroirs, they were inscribed as a UNESCO heritage site in 2015.In Beaune we visit Maison Champy, Burgundy’s oldest winemaker. Here, along with a tasting and lunch that’s served in a giant, historic wine vat, we receive a comprehensive lesson in Burgundian wine growing and the region’s classifications: Regional; Village; Premier Cru, Grand Cru (considered the pinnacle). We leave elated.The next morning, we alight at a lock and start cycling. With oncoming vessels and lock schedules, it’s slow going, so we pedal ahead along the former towpath. Reflecting on the difficult cycling three decades ago, I have an “if only…” moment; opened to tourists and cyclists since I first visited, this trail is a flat and easy way to explore the region. And it’s idyllic. An otter slips off into the water, a heron sits on a branch overhead, and a fisherman is trying to hook bream and perch.The Saloon aboard the Finesse.On our last day, we wander through Chateau du Clos De Vougeot, a 12-century walled vineyard, now headquarters of the Chevaliers du Tastevin, an exclusive wine society. We return via Romanee-Conti, the famous vineyard in Nuits St Georges where, Captain Mathias informs us, a bottle averages around $38,000.The final morning sees our descent into the most dramatic lock – it’s 9.76 metres deep. It brings on a foreboding that we’re almost done. Deckhand Will, an Australian, it transpires, signals the all-clear to the captain as a Cyclopean-sized chain hauls up a massive iron gate. We exit the lock and emerge slowly into sunshine. But there’s one more surprise to come.We’re nearby, so I make a pilgrimage to my picking “alma mater”, Domaine Chevrot et Fils (the sons now run the show). It’s a joyful reunion. Cathy, Fernand and I reminisce over several glasses of their own Santenay Blanc “Comme Dessus”, a chardonnay. We enter the very cellar that had delighted my father (who has since died). Fernand reaches into a pile of bottles that are stacked haphazardly in a pigeon hole and covered in a blanket of black dust. He pulls out a ’91 vintage, the very one I sweated over. I squeal with excitement.On uncorking the bottle, he tries to curb my enthusiasm. He’s right to do so. Slightly vinegary, it’s way past its use by date. But, as I discover when I squat to pose for a photo (cue knee crack), so am I. To pick grapes, that is.But it doesn’t matter. For, thanks to European Waterways, there’s a luxurious way to enjoy Burgundy. As Luna, the French Nigella, might purr of this superlative experience: “it exudes dominant notes of hospitality and full-bodied service”. It’s the Grand Cru of cruising.That said, it lacks various undertones.Those of my grumpy old man.THE DETAILSFLYQantas flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Paris (then take the TGV to Dijon). See Qantas.comCRUISEEuropean Waterways’ six-night sailing along the Canal du Centre departing Dijon on Finesse (one of two barges in the ultra-deluxe category) starts from $US8550 ($12,950) a person twin share. See europeanwaterways.comHow we travelSign up for the Traveller Deals newsletterGet exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox.

Native flora never before known to science discovered on Kauaʻi with flying tech

Science and Health

The secret is out. For months, scientists have been trying to contain their joy because they suspected they had discovered a new plant species high up on the ridges of Kauaʻi’s mountaintops. A drone system named Mamba is partially to thank for the discovery. Mamba has a robotic arm equipped with a pair of shears to collect material from rare plants found in inaccessible places — like Kauaʻi cliffsides. It also sports a mechanical pouch that stores seeds and cuttings and opens on command once the drone lands.
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Ben Nyberg is a geographic information systems and drone program coordinator with the Hawaiʻi-based National Tropical Botanical Garden. He and his colleagues just published an article about how their drones have been able to identify a native flora never before known to science. “There’s so much cliff area and it really feels a little overwhelming sometimes when I start out in an area and I look up at thousand-foot cliffs surrounding me. But with some time and training, I’ve learned to identify these kind of indicator species that occur on the cliff, so I can pick out the spots and kind of whittle down the areas that are really the most important,” he said. Nyberg and his team first spotted the new species during a drone survey in Waiahulu Valley at Waimea Canyon in December 2021. They then used Mamba in March 2022 to collect a sample.
“Since then we’ve been doing a lot of studies on it and looking more closely at the populations around the canyon and then working on the species description,” he said. He said they knew pretty quickly that it was a new species but wanted to “double-check, triple-check.””We had some seeds that we shared with people that are experts at growing this genus, Schiedea. So they grew them in a nursery, and then we studied the plants, made measurements of each of the floral parts and the leaves, and noted all those fine details, because we couldn’t get to the plants on the ground,” Nyberg said.

Flower of the new species collected by the drone.

The new species is called Schiedea waiahuluensis — a reference to the valley where it was discovered. The genus, Schiedea, is endemic to Hawaiʻi and now includes 36 species.”The whole thing is pretty small, as big as your hand. It kind of drapes off of a cliff, so it has roots that are just right in the cracks in the rocks, and the plant kind of hangs down. But the the place where the actual leaves grow is only about as big as your hand, and the hairs are pretty minute, maybe a half a centimeter or something that grow all over the surface of the front and the back of the leaf and the buds. So it’s kind of a unique look for this genus,” he said. Nyberg said that flying the drone can be complicated, and it takes time to learn how to fly it properly. They’re more complicated than the average consumer drone.”It’s actually two different drones, one is carrying, and one is the Mamba that actually does the collecting, swings in like a pendulum onto the cliff surface. You have to practice flying both pieces of the drone, and then once you get good, you can fly both the drones at the same time,” he said.

Ben Nyberg

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NTBG Mamba working in Honopū Valley on Kauaʻi

Nyberg said that Mamba has expanded their ability to learn about different plant and animal species in hard-to-access cliff environments. “The conservation impact has just been great with this new machine,” Nyberg said.While collecting Schiedea waiahuluensis, Nyberg and his team may have found a new bug species as well. “In our first picture of the specimen we got, there was a bug on it. Since March ’22, we’ve made a few more collections of the plant and we’ve noticed that same insect on each of the collections that we’ve made. So we collected one of the insects and sent it over to Dan Polhemus at Bishop Museum. And so it looks like that may be a new species as well. So with one collection of the Mamba, we may have documented two new species,” he said.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Oct. 15, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. Tori DeJournett adapted this story for the web.