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5 Most Unbeatable Records in Football

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The National Football League has been around for well over 100 years, and along the way there have been some legendary players, games, moments, and records set. A lot of records don’t last for very long, but there are some that withstand the test of time. There are even some records that are set, and it becomes immediately apparent that we may not see that record broken for a long time, if it even does happen.

Out of all of the records that have been set for a game, season, postseason, or career, these five stand out as the ones that are the least likely to be broken. In fact, some of these have been determined by many to be completely unbreakable.

5. Emmitt Smith’s Career Rushing Yards

Throughout the 2000s, the NFL became a quarterback-friendly league as the passing numbers exploded and running backs became an afterthought. Because of that, Emmitt Smith knew his record for career rushing yards would never be broken when he amassed 18.355 in his career with the Cowboys and Cardinals.

Even with longevity, NFL teams simply don’t give running backs enough carries to make it happen. Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson gave it their best shot, but nobody will be able to catch Emmitt.

4. Derrick Thomas’s Seven-Sack Game

On November 11, 1990, Derrick Thomas of the Kansas City Chiefs had a field day with the Seattle Seahawks offensive line as he sacked quarterback Dave Krieg seven times. The wildest part of Thomas’s game? The Chiefs still lost 17-16. Many figured that the new record could possibly be tied, but virtually guaranteed to never be topped.

There have been a handful of games in which a player has gotten six sacks, including Adrian Clayborn in 2017 and Osi Umenyiora in 2007. However, Thomas stands alone as the first and only man to sack a quarterback seven times in one afternoon.

3. Brett Favre’s Ironman Streak

There have been some challengers for the consecutive games started at quarterback streak that Brett Favre set, but nobody has really come close. Favre started 297 games in a row for the Packers, Jets, and Vikings between 1992 and 2010, including 24 games in the playoffs. The next closest was Philip Rivers, who never missed a game in his 15-year career, but still came up 57 games short.

What might be just as crazy as Favre’s streak is the fact that Tom Brady has three of the 15 longest streaks for consecutive games started as a quarterback. The first streak went from 2001 to 2008 before his injury and he started again in the 2009 season before missing the beginning fo the 2016 season due to suspension and restarting his streak.

2. Brian Mitchell’s Kick Return Yards

Brian Mitchell may be one of the most underappreciated NFL players of all-time, and set the tone for return specialists like Dante Hall and Devin Hester in the 2000s. Mitchell played the entirety of the 1990s for Washington, then finished his career with three seasons in Philadelphia and one more with the New York Giants.

The former All-Pro and Super Bowl champion returned 607 total kickoffs in his career and finished with 14,014 yards on those returns, including four touchdowns. Nobody else is even close, either, with Allen Rossum (who retired back in 2009) being more than 2,000 yards behind him. In fact, Mitchell’s career as a return specialist places him second all-time in all-purpose yardage as part of our next record.

1. Career All-Purpose & Receiving Yards

Mitchell needed thousands of return, rushing, and receiving yards to get to 23,330 total, but he was eclipsed by a man who had just six combined return yards in his career. We’re talking, of course, about Jerry Rice, the legendary wide receiver who spent the bulk of his career with the San Francisco 49ers.

Rice picked up 645 rushing yards throughout his long and illustrious career, but it was his receiving yards that set him apart, which is why we’re combining two records at the top spot. Rice finished with 22,895 of his 23,546 total all-purpose yards through the air. He has over 1,700 more all-purpose yards than anyone not named Brian Mitchell, and his receiving yardage record is essentially impossible to break in the modern NFL.

Ranking The MLB Stadiums Opened In The 1990s

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The 1990s saw tremendous growth in the game of baseball, and it also launched the era of stadiums being built exclusively for baseball instead of shared with professional football teams. As a result, there were nine full-time MLB stadiums that were opened in the 1990s. How do those nine stack up against one another? Here is our definitive ranking of the 90s ballparks:

9. Tropicana Field

If there’s any sort of list about baseball stadiums and Tropicana Field qualifies, you can be assured that it will be at the bottom. The home of the Tampa Bay Rays has been called the worst in Major League Baseball since it opened in the 1990s and converted to a baseball-first facility upon the team’s first season in 1998.

8. Chase Field

When it opened as the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998, Chase Field was seen as sort of cheeky and fun as there was an inground pool beyond the right field fence. The stadium hasn’t aged particularly well, though, and Chase Field sort of has a massive mausoleum feel as it boasts one of the quieter atmospheres despite having a retractable roof.

7. Guaranteed Rate Field

For almost 90 years, the Chicago White Sox had called Comiskey Park their home, but it was time for an upgrade when 1991 came along. That’s when their new stadium, which was also called Comiskey Park, was opened for the first time. There’s nothing really wrong with it, but the stadium now known as Guaranteed Rate Field just lacks the uniqueness of other stadiums, including crosstown Wrigley Field.

6. Turner Field

The first of the two 1990s stadiums to not make it for more than just a couple of decades, Turner Field was originally built for the 1996 Summer Olympics and then converted into a baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves. The stadium certainly served its purpose, but Turner Field was left for the George State University football team as the Braves moved to Truist Park in Cobb County.

5. Progressive Field

Still referred to lovingly by fans as “The Jake” since it originally opened in 1994 as Jacobs Field, Progressive Park has been the above-average home for the Cleveland Guardians ever since. While it shares a lot of similarities to other stadiums of its time in that there’s not much that’s unique to it, Progressive Field does offer better sightlines than stadiums like Guaranteed Rate Field.

4. The Ballpark in Arlington

Opened in 1994 to serve as the home for the Texas Rangers, The Ballpark in Arlington was a beautiful facility that was truly unique. However, there was one problem. The Ballpark was an absolutely brutal place for players and fans during the hot Texas summers. The stadium didn’t even make it 25 years before it was replaced with a new facility called Globe Life Field, and the old ballpark is now known as Choctaw Stadium.

3. Coors Field

Denver, Colorado joined the list of major cities with a Major League team when the expansion Rockies played in Coors Field for the first time in 1995. The Rockies have no plans on moving from their stadium, either, as it remains one of the fan favorites across the league. With the unique “rockpile” centerfield and long home runs due to the thin air, Coors Field is a party every time the Rockies play.

2. T-Mobile Park

Originally opened as Safeco Field in 1999, T-Mobile Park has been the home for the Seattle Mariners since they moved from the Kingdome. T-Mobile Park is referred to as one of the best in Major League Baseball, and it keeps fans covered from the Pacific Northwest rains thanks to its retractable roof. T-Mobile Park has even hosted WrestleMania, with the 19th edition being held on the field.

1. Oriole Park at Camden Yards

The Baltimore Orioles showed everyone how it’s done in 1992 when they replaced Memorial Stadium with Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and teams across Major League Baseball have been trying to replicate what they’ve done ever since. Camden Yards set the tone for stadiums like Petco Park in San Diego and PNC Park in Pittsburgh as the original contemporary baseball-first park.

5 NFL Players You Forgot Were Drafted First Overall

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They say that the NFL Draft is a crapshoot because you can scout a player for months and still not get exactly what you thought. There’s especially pressure for the team drafting first as you don’t want to mess up on selecting who should be the top player in the draft. 

There have been many Hall of Famers and many busts, but what about those that were neither? When thinking of these five players, you may have forgotten that they were first overall picks as they feel more like middle-of-the-round types.

5. Sam Bradford

When the 2010 NFL Draft came along, there was a lot of talk as to who should be the first overall pick. The St. Louis Rams were desperate for a quarterback, though, and made 2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford the top pick out of Oklahoma. Bradford showed flashes of greatness, but he couldn’t stay healthy and only lasted for five seasons with the Rams before spending his final four seasons with three teams and was out of the league after 2018.

Was it worth the pick? Sadly, no. The following six selections in the draft ended up being great players, especially Ndamukong Suh for the Detroit Lions and Trent Williams for the Washington Commanders.

4. Courtney Brown

When talking about the biggest busts in NFL history, nobody seems to bring up Courtney Brown. In fact, nobody seems to bring him up at all. Brown was the Big Ten Defensive Player and Lineman of the Year in 1999, and in the spring of 2000 he was selected by the Cleveland Browns to anchor their defense for years to come. However, Brown lasted just five seasons and only 19 sacks before ending his career in 2005 with the Denver Broncos.

Was it worth the pick? 100 percent not worth it. Washington selected a better defensive player and a perennial Pro Bowler with the next two picks while Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher was also a top 10 pick.

3. Mario Williams

When you think about defensive ends that were selected first overall by the Houston Texans, you probably think of Jadeveon Clowney. That’s because Clowney was one of the most hyped college players ever, but eight years prior to him being drafted, the Texans surprised many by taking Mario Williams first overall. He certainly didn’t disappoint as he was a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro, but unfortunately most of those accolades came when he was with the Buffalo Bills.

Was it worth the pick? Absolutely. No other player drafted in the top five was at the same level as Williams, and many of the Pro Bowlers in the 2006 NFL Draft ended up being a flash in the pan.

2. Eric Fisher

It’s hard to find an NFL Draft that received as little hype as the 2013 edition. There were some names that got floated around as to who should be the number one pick, but the Kansas City Chiefs were still able to shock some analysts by selecting left tackle Eric Fisher from Central Michigan. Fisher played for eight seasons in Kansas City and made two Pro Bowls before heading to Indianapolis for the 2021 season.

Was it worth the pick? The 2013 NFL Draft was filled with landmines and only a few players that ended up having solid and lengthy careers from the first round. Fisher was a mainstay for Chiefs and won a Super Bowl with him at tackle, so it would be hard to say they didn’t make the right choice. However, Lane Johnson was the fourth overall selection and a better player at the position.

1. Jake Long

Fisher isn’t the only somewhat forgettable left tackle from the state of Michigan as Jake Long was the first pick by the Miami Dolphins five years prior. Long played for four teams total in his career, making four Pro Bowl squads. He last played in 2016 for the Minnesota Vikings before retiring after 104 career games.

Was it worth the pick? Not really. The Dolphins had the chance to select Matt Ryan, which would have solved their quarterback troubles for years. In terms of the top five, however, Long was the second best player so it wasn’t a total miss.

5 Biggest MLB Contracts That Were Traded Away

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When it comes to the largest contracts in Major League Baseball, many of them are signed with the teams that originally drafted the player as they don’t want to let a franchise cornerstone get away in free agency. There are also massive contracts signed by players who hit unrestricted free agency as teams get into a bidding war with one another for a star player.

Then, there are rare circumstances where a player signs a massive contract with a team only to get traded away with plenty of years left on their contract. Teams have become warier in taking on major deals that players have signed with other teams, but sometimes a franchise will pull the trigger because the player is still a star, and the team trading that player away needs the salary relief. Here are the five biggest MLB contracts that were traded to other teams.

5. Yu Darvish

The Chicago Cubs were still contenders in 2018 and thought pitcher Yu Darvish could get them over the hump and grab a second World Series in the 2010s. Instead, the team turned their focus to a rebuild, but still had Darvish’s six-year, $126 million contract on the books.

The team decided to deal Darvish to the San Diego Padres after he played half of his contract in Chicago. In exchange, the Cubs received Zach Davies in four prospects.

4. Eric Hosmer

Eric Hosmer was once the third overall draft pick in 2008 and cracked into the MLB with the Kansas City Royals in May of 2011. Hosmer was an All-Star with Kansas City and won four Gold Glove Awards before hitting the free agent market after the 2017 season. Hosmer inked an eight-year deal worth $144 million with the San Diego Padres who were looking to add the final pieces of what they felt was a World Series-worthy roster.

Hosmer didn’t quite live up to his contract, and the Padres attempted to trade him to the Washington Nationals for Juan Soto. However, Hosmer evoked his no-trade clause as he didn’t want to be in Washington, so his contract was instead sent to Boston for a pair of Minor Leaguers.

3. David Price

David Price started his career with the Tampa Bay Rays and was one of the best pitchers in baseball, winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2012. Price continued to be a strong performer when he spent 2014 with the Detroit Tigers and split his 2015 season between Detroit and Toronto prior to becoming a free agent. The Boston Red Sox won the bidding war for Price, giving him $217 million over seven years for his services.

Price would only end up playing in four of those seasons for Boston, however, and was limited by injury in much of his time there. Price was then sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers alongside Mookie Betts in exchange for Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs and Connor Wong as the Red Sox looked to dump salary and acquire younger players.

2. Nolan Arenado

The Colorado Rockies drafted Nolan Arenado in 2009, and at 22 years old he made his debut with the team in 2013. Arenado proved to be worth the hype right away and quickly became one of the best infielders in baseball. He certainly didn’t struggle with Colorado as he made five All Star Games and was rewarded in 2019 with an eight-year contract worth $260 million.

The St. Louis Cardinals performed the heist of the century when they took on the disgruntled Arenado from the Rockies for five players. Not only that, the Rockies paid $51 million of the contract. Arenado immediately performed for St. Louis and in his first season was a Gold Glove winner and All-Star with 34 home runs.

1. Giancarlo Stanton

Back when he was referred to as Mike, Giancarlo Stanton came into the MLB through the Miami Marlins organization and quickly became one of the best sluggers in baseball. Stanton was a four-time All-Star with Miami and led the National League in home runs twice, and in 2015 he signed a 13-year contract to stay with the Marlins through the 2027 season.

However, the Marlins were sold in 2017 and the new ownership group wanted to unload the $325 million deal as part of the rebuilding process. With that, Stanton was traded to the New York Yankees after his MVP season in exchange for a pair of Minor League players, cash considerations, and Starlin Castro. When healthy, Stanton has proven to be worth the money.

5 Most Expensive Anime Series

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While North America and Europe have plenty of animated television shows, many of them are done digitally to save money, which can end up losing the sort of character and quality that many of us were accustomed to in the 1990s and years prior. In Japan, however, animation is still very much a big deal with detailed drawings and a lot of legwork put into each episode of anime.

As a result, there have been some very expensive anime series over the years in Japan, with some costing six figures per episode to create. Out of the many popular and expensive anime series, these are the five most expensive on a per-episode basis. We’ll show you just how much they cost while you judge whether or not the investment has paid off in the long run.

Black Clover

Black Clover began as a manga created and illustrated by Yūki Tabata. The animated series quickly grew in popularity, with a movie coming to Netflix in 2023. The series was released in early 2015 and is still going strong to this day. It takes a whopping $140,000 to create each episode of the beloved anime. The plot is an intriguing one, probably why the company is putting so much money toward the production. Black Clover follows the lives of orphans Asta and Yuno, one born with magic abilities and one born without. Asta stumbles upon a treasure that gives him an advantage. He and his friend Yuno make it their goal to become the next Wizard King, battling enemies and going through trials along the way. 

Attack On Titan

Attack on Titan is not only one of the most popular anime series in recent years, it’s also one of the more costly series. The incredible series was written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama, who has won multiple awards for his mind-blowing manga, having sold over 110 million copies as of 2022. In the series, people are forced to live surrounded by gigantic walls that keep out the ravenous and murderous titans. The making of the animated series cost around $150,000 per episode, making it one of the most expensive anime series to date. 

Dragon Ball Super 

Dragon Ball is an anime series that has stood the test of time. Extremely popular among young and old, it’s no wonder why the company behind the production spent about $160,000 an episode. One of the many Dragon Ball series, this variant has run since 2017 and continues to produce new and exciting high-quality episodes that fans love. The series follows Goku as he battles yet another foe, the God of Destruction, Beerus. Beerus seeks a battle with Goku, threatening earth’s annihilation if he loses to Goku. 

My Hero Academia 

My Hero Academia is an incredibly popular anime series among today’s youth and cosplay goers. It started off as a manga series created and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi. The still-running animated series aired in 2016 uses around $110,000 to make each episode. It follows Izuku Midoriya, a young schoolboy who, unlike most of the population, lacks a superpower, or “Quirk”. After meeting his hero, All Might, he’s gifted powers passed down from his idol and then goes on to attend an academy for those bearing powers. The children within the school are often joined together with law enforcement to aid in the capture of villains who use their powers to commit horrible crimes. 

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure 

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is an intriguing anime series, originally a popular manga created and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. There have been many animated series to come from the manga throughout the years. One of the more recent adaptations cost around $120,000 per episode and truly shows how much the fanbase has grown and continues to do so. They keep coming back for the twist and turns of the series that showcases paranormal, comedic, and sometimes outrageous storylines. 

5 Best Android Apps To Get More Out of Life

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These days, our smartphones are mostly used for texting and hopping on social media. However, many studies have shown that spending too much time on social media can be bad for your mental and physical health. That doesn’t mean that all apps are bad for you, though, as there are plenty that are helpful, enriching, and even downright calming.

The app store on Android has a lot of options to choose from if you’re looking for something in any of these categories. Whether you’re looking to beat traffic or simulate life on a quiet little farm, here are the five best Android apps to get more out of life while getting away from Facebook and Twitter.

Waze

Waze is a free and handy navigation app that everyone with an android should download. It was developed by the Israel-based company Waze Mobile. Waze relies heavily on its user base, giving regular people the ability to provide real-time traffic updates and possible obstacles that other motorists can use to plan their route or reroute their journey if needed. The fun thing about the Waze app is the function that allows users to customize the voice of the GPS. There are tons of celebrity GPS voice options available on the app and you can even record your own voice. 

Signal 

The internet can be a dangerous place if you’re not careful. Internet safety and privacy are more important than ever these days. One of Signal’s goals is to keep your data secure and out of the wrong hands. Signal is a useful app for those trying to keep their personal messages, files, pictures, videos, and calls encrypted and private. The app was developed by the Signal Foundation, a nonprofit based in California and founded by Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton. It launched in 2018 and has been downloaded over 105 million times, with over 40 million regularly active users. 

My Fitness Pal

Myfitnesspal is a helpful tool for those wanting to keep track of their nutrition and exercise goals. The app offers free and premium services, with the premium of course allowing access to more features on the app. On the app you can enter your weight loss or weight gain goals, then the app will give you daily goals to stick to so you can achieve said goals. Some fun features, like being able to scan the barcode of a package and enter the servings you consumed, the detailed nutrition map, recipe ideas, and the ability to connect to other smartphone fitness devices and apps, make it an easy and quick way to track your meals, activity, and overall progress. 

Calm

Our highly stressful, chaotic, daily lives can give way to so much tension and pent-up emotions. To combat the stress, we need an outlet to release all of that tension. One way to help you do that is the Calm app. Calm is an app developed to aid in the sleep health, meditation, and relaxation areas of your life. The app provides calming audio-book sleep stories and ambient noise recordings to listen to while you drift off to sleep. Some are even read by celebrities and ASMR content creators. There are also guided meditation sessions you can use throughout the day to keep your head straight and remain relaxed the entire day. 

Stardew Valley

Did you know Stardew Valley was available as an app? If you didn’t know, now you know  Stardew Valley is a comforting and cute farming simulator that will provide you with a relaxing escape when you have a moment to relax with your phone or tablet. In the game, you take over your deceased grandfather’s run-down farm. You can interact with the townspeople, farm, fish, cool, raise your livestock, and even create a little virtual family of your very own. 

5 Names That Only Old People Seem To Have

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There are certain names that come to mind when you think of someone that’s incredibly young, particularly in Generations Z or Alpha. Names like Aiden, Aurora, and Grayson come to mind with the younger generation, but what about the Baby Boomers and the generations before that? There are some names that were incredibly common in the early 20th century and before, but have, for the most part, gone away.

Some of these names have staged a comeback over the years, while others are associated with older people and are considered to be incredibly rare. While there are dozens of names that make you think of someone on the elderly side, there is a handful that really stands out. Here are our picks for five names that you almost immediately think of when talking about older people, and how those names came to be.

Beatrice

Do you know anyone named Béatrice? Are they old? Probably. That’s because the name Beatrice dates back hundreds of years ago, gaining popularity between the 1920s and 1930s. Beatrice is a female given name, of Latin, French, and Italian origin. It means “she who brings happiness”. It was derived from the Latin name Beatrix, which is thought to be a variation of the name Viatrix, the feminine version of the Latin name Viator, meaning voyager, or traveler. The name Béatrice has been rising in popularity since 2010.

Hershel

Hershel Is a Hebrew name, often possessed by the sturdy and hardworking generation of older men. The name simply means “deer” and has similarities to the strong Jewish names Herman and Menashe. The name Hershel can alternately be spelled “Herschel” and gained popularity between the early 1900s and 1940s. A well-known Hershel in pop culture, the Walking Dead character Hershel Greene, coincidentally an old man who lived on a farm. Another famous Herschel is everyone’s favorite Herschel Krustofski, better known as Krusty The Clown in the Simpsons television series.   

Eugene 

A name most often associated with nerds, or old men, Eugene is actually a noble name. It’s derived from the Greek name eugenēs, which means “well-born” and “noble”. It’s sometimes shortened to Gene and there are a ton of variations of the name throughout different cultures. The popular female variations are Eugenia and Eugenie. Some popular characters that share this same name include Gene Belcher from the Bob’s Burger adult animated series, Eugene Fitzherbert, or Flynn Rider from the Disney movie “Tangled”, Eugene H. Krabs from the SpongeBob cartoon, and the dorky Eugene Horowitz from the Hey Arnold cartoon. 

Eleanor 

When you think of the name Eleanor, your mind probably goes somewhere before the 1970s. Of course, there was former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as the hit song “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles. As a name, Eleanor maintained its popularity for a very long time since it was associated with royalty throughout Europe. During the turn of the 20th century, Eleanor picked up steam and became one of the most common female names in the United States. Variations such as Ella or Ellie started to take off during the 1970s, knocking Eleanor far down the list before it started to have a bit of a resurgence in recent years.

Edith 

Edith is another one of those names you can’t help but picture belonging to a cute little old lady. The name Edith gained popularity in the early 1900s. It comes from the Old English word Eadgyð. The first half, ead, means “blessed” and the second half, gyð, means “war”. The two combined create a name that stands for being prosperous in times of struggle, a very strong and stoic name indeed. Some women in history who’ve shared the name include Edith Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson, and Edith Roosevelt, second wife of Theodore Roosevelt. 

5 Emojis That Can Cause Misunderstandings Across Generations and Cultures

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You may be surprised to learn that emojis have been around since 1997 when they were first introduced on Japanese mobile phones, but it wasn’t until the early 2010s that they really started to take off in popularity. Since then, almost everyone with a mobile phone has used emojis at some point, though it seems like Generation Z is the final authority on each emoji.

As a result, each generation has its own interpretation of what emojis mean, and it has caused a lot of misunderstandings over the years. Certain emojis can be seen as lighthearted to some while passive-aggressive or downright mean to others. Let’s take a look at five emojis that are causing misunderstandings across generations and cultures around the world.

1. Thumbs Up

For some generations, the thumbs-up hand gesture is a symbol of something good or that you understand what someone said. Oftentimes, it’s used as a way of saying “got it” to someone. It’s short and sweet, and for the most part, nobody means anything negative behind it. Out of all of the emojis on smartphones, though, Generation Z has dubbed it as the most passive-aggressive of all.

What makes it so negative, though? Some of those that were polled said that they weren’t quite sure, but it seemed hostile and rude. Younger people that are entering the workforce for the first time and receiving instant messages from older bosses are saying that they have to train themselves to know that there’s no hostility behind the thumbs up.

2. Shrugging

The shrugging gesture is one of those things that certainly comes across better in person or over the phone than in an emoji. If there’s a question where you don’t know the answer, you can give a friendly “I’m not sure” or “let me check,” or even shrug your shoulders in person. That doesn’t quite translate in text, and the recipient might think you’re annoyed with them.

The emoji has been adopted as a sign of being passive-aggressive or sarcastic, especially on social media. For example, people will often use the shrugging emoji posted with a news article asking “Why aren’t people talking about this?” or “just saying.”

3. Upside-Down Smiley

On its surface, the upside-down smiling emoji is incredibly harmless. Everyone loves a cute smiley face and it looks downright silly when it’s upside-down. That’s not what it means to younger people, though. The emoji typically indicates sarcasm or frustration, with people often using it when they feel defeated.

However, older generations have their own use for the upside-down smiley. It’s typically used for someone that’s simply being goofy with their texts and means nothing negative in their message. If you receive one from an older person, you’re probably in the clear.

4. Checkmark

The checkmark emoji and the thumbs-up emoji tend to go hand in hand, with most people (especially in the working world) using it as a form of saying “understood.” The checkmark can be used in several different ways than the thumbs-up emoji, too. It can be used for personal checklists, and for the most part, it means that everything is good.

There are certain circles in which the checkmark can be seen as a form of passive aggression, though. Around 17 percent of people who were polled said the standard checkmark was passive-aggressive, while the version with the green background being the more universally accepted of the two.

5. OK Hand

The OK hand symbol is something that used to have almost no negative connotation, but has gone the way of the thumbs-up by being packed with sarcasm. Even worse, the OK symbol has been said to be used by certain ethnic groups in a less-than-savory way. With that in mind, it might be best to stay away from the OK hand if it’s someone that you don’t know.

The same can be said with any of these emojis, too. If you know the person that you’re sending them too on a personal basis, there’s really not much to worry about. When you’re using them with a stranger, though, always air on the side of caution. 

5 Highest Grossing Movies in Chinese History

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For decades, China was a bit of a niche market for cinema in the eyes of Hollywood, but things changed dramatically at the start of the 21st century. Chinese-made films were starting to earn big numbers at the box office domestically, with many even making their way into the west. The reverse has also been true, with Hollywood movies earning more in China starting in the 2000s.

Films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with the “Transformers” and “Fast and Furious” franchises, have done extremely well in China. However, it’s some of the homegrown films that have stood out as the highest-grossing in the country’s history. Here are the five highest grossing movies in Chinese history with a little bit of background on how they came to be and how much money they pulled in.

The Battle at Lake Changjin

Sitting at the top of the list of highest-grossing films in China is “The Battle at Lake Changjin”, released in 2021 and written by Lan Xiaolong and Huang Jianxin. This film follows the dramatized events of the real-life Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in the midst of the Korean War. It had a budget of $200 million and earned a whopping $913 million worldwide, the second-highest-earning film in 2021 and the highest-earning film of all time in China. 

Wolf Warrior 2 

Released in the summer of 2017, “Wolf Warrior 2” is the second-highest-earning film of all time in China. This action-packed film is directed by Wu Jing, who also co-produced, co-wrote, and stars in the movie. The movie follows the adventures of Jing’s character Leng Feng, a Chinese soldier who doesn’t play by the rules. 

In this sequel to the first “Wolf Warrior” that came out in 2015, Feng must protect himself and those around him as he makes his way through an unknown location in Africa that’s being attacked by mercenaries and Somalian pirates. The film had a budget of $30.1 million and earned an incredible $874 million. 

Hi, Mom

“Hi, Mom” is a Chinese comedy released in February of 2021. It was written and directed by Jia Ling, who also stars in the movie. The film’s budget was $59 million and it earned $850 million, making it the third-highest-earning film in China. 

The film follows Ling’s character Jia Xiaoling transported back in time to the 1980s, twenty years prior to her mother’s fatal car accident. She does her best to befriend her mother in hopes of redeeming herself, feeling she hasn’t been a good enough daughter to her mother. She attempts to alter the course of history to give her mother a better life than she has in her future. 

Ne Zha

Ne Zha, also spelled Nezha, was released in 2019 and is the fourth highest-earning Chinese film in history and the only 3D animated film on our list. The action-packed film had a budget of $20 million and earned an astounding $742.5 million. It follows the intriguing journey of Ne Zha, born with a demonic nature from the Demon Orb, having been told he is full of good and was born of the Spirit Pearl.   

The Wandering Earth

“The Wandering Earth” is a Chinese sci-fi film released in 2019, directed by Frant Gwo. The film has a $50 million budget and earned $700 million, making it the fifth highest-earning Chinese film of all time. 

The intense sci-fi film takes place in the year 2061, when a global crisis takes place. The sun is dying and ready to form a red giant that will destroy the earth and everything that inhabits it. Scientists come up with a plan to relocate Earth to another solar system in an attempt to save it. The sequel, “The Wandering Earth 2”, was subsequently announced after the first film’s success and given a 2023 release date.

5 Best Metal Album Covers

Posted on by scatty

There are certain genres of music where the album covers just mean a little more. In metal, an album cover is one of the most important aspects of the album itself. Many metal albums are epics that tell an entire story and have themes, and the covers tend to match those themes. Because of this, there have been some truly iconic metal album covers over the years, but these five really stand out as the best.

5. Leviathan by Mastodon

The newest album to be included on the list is 2004’s “Leviathan” by Mastodon, which was a concept album that was based on the famous novel “Moby Dick”. With songs such as “Iron Tusk” and “I Am Ahab”, “Leviathan” has a cover that matches the theme of the entire album.

Philadelphia native Paul Romano is the man responsible for the cover art for “Leviathan”, and much of his work has been featured on album covers throughout the years. The album itself only shows a small portion of the full picture, which can only be described as truly epic. The mix of colors and clashing themes seems like it’s straight out of a fantasy story and makes “Leviathan” really stand out.

4. Sad Wings of Destiny by Judas Priest

Judas Priest was still in the early years as a band when they released “Sad Wings of Destiny” in 1976, which was just their second album. “Sad Wings of Destiny” had a little something for all metal fans no matter the mood, and the album was propelled by memorable songs including “Deceiver” and “The Ripper”.

Patrick Woodroffe was tabbed to create the cover art for “Sad Wings of Destiny”. The official title of the painting is “Fallen Angel”, which shows the band’s symbol within the imagery. Woodroffe would also create cover art for bands including Budgie, Mike Batt, and even Tiesto. Still, it’s his “Fallen Angel” piece that fans remember the most.

3. Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? by Megadeth

Following the success of “Killing Is My Business…and Business Is Good!”, Megadeth released “Peace Sells…but Who’s Buying?” the following year in 1985. The album was commercially successful thanks to the title track and other songs including “Wake Up Dead” and “The Conjuring”.

Megadeth loved using artist Ed Repka and their mascot Vic Rattlehead, and that’s how the cover of “Peace Sells” came to be. Repka drew Vic in front of a destroyed United Nations Building and set up a sign to sell the real estate. Repka said it was a cornerstone moment for his career, and he’d go on to create art for several Megadeth albums including “Hangar 18”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “From Beyond”.

2. Master of Puppets by Metallica

There’s always a debate amongst Metallica fans as to what the best album in the band’s catalog is, with many making a case for “Master of Puppets”. Released in 1986, the album received near-perfect reviews across the board thanks to songs including “Battery”, “Welcome Home”, and “Disposable Heroes”.

The cover of “Master of Puppets” fits the theme and name of the album, showing subconscious manipulation. The white crosses mark all of those that were being controlled by higher powers, including those having their lives ended by war. “Master of Puppets” was actually designed mostly by Metallica, though they enlisted the help of Peter Mensch and painter Don Brautigam to bring their idea to life.

1. Holy Diver by Dio

“Holy Diver” was the result of Ronnie James Dio wrapping up his first stint with Black Sabbath, using many of the bandmates that he had worked with up to that point. The album produced a lot of memorable tracks, including the title track, “Stand Up and Shout”, and “Rainbow in the Dark”.

Dio used a mascot named Murray that was prominently featured in much of the band’s work, and that includes the “Holy Diver” album cover. Randy Berrett was the artist that brought Murray to life in this one, which shows him wrapping up a priest with his whip-like chain from a mountain high above the water. Naturally, this cover drew some controversy, but it was very much on-brand for Dio.