While enjoying my daily scroll, I encountered a question, “What conspiracy theory do you secretly believe but would never admit to your family or friends?” Here are the top-voted responses. To clarify, these are not documented facts but exciting reads.
1. Smartphones Are Always Listening and Watching
“My Smartphone watches and listens to me more than just ‘How would you rate your experience at The Cheesecake Factory?’ When it was off and in my pocket the entire meal,” said one. “I secretly believe it’s always on, always listening, and with constant monitoring.”
“As a related side note, I welcome the emergent AI Overseer that will be revealed in 10 years. My conscience is clear. I also love how the word conscience is a contraction of conscience.” Finally, another joked, “My phone listens to me better than my husband!”
2. Social Engineering Is Real
“That from television to the music industry, we are constantly socially engineered by the content we consume,” one person volunteered. “It’s called social conditioning. Read Musical Truths by Mark Devlin. That exposes the musical side of it.”
3. Aliens Are Real
“Aliens are real. I’m 100 percent certain some life exists in the universe, given the unfathomable size of it all. And I’m nearly 100 percent sure intelligent life exists. Whether they are within our range and live simultaneously is questionable.”
“But I will say there’s a non-zero chance the government knows something,” one responded. Another quoted, “Arthur C. Clarke. Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
4. Keeping College Unaffordable for Military Recruitment in America
“That America keeps college unaffordable to recruit people into the military. Or if not actively keeping it high priced, doing nothing to keep the prices down.”
“For example, if college became affordable, like in a modern-day European country, the army would lose more than half its soldiers,” someone replied. “One of the primary opponents of Biden’s loan forgiveness plan WAS the U.S. military for this exact reason, right?”
5. Big Salmonella in Collusion With Big Lettuce
“They report a salmonella or E-coli outbreak in romaine lettuce every time they have an abundance of iceberg lettuce and not enough romaine to get people to buy the other kind,” someone shared. Another joked, “Big Farma.”
6. Very Wealthy People Are Psychopaths
“Those VERY wealthy people, particularly politicians, are psychopaths that do terrible things that would send chills down your spine, for fun,” one answered.
“Having gross amounts of money and power gets boring eventually. And people that relentlessly pursue obscene wealth and power already exhibit psychopathic tendencies. Power corrupts. There are some Harvey Weinstein, and Jeffrey Epstein types out worldwide.”
7. Fishy News
“I think it’s fishy beyond belief that after the Occupy Wall Street movement, there was a MASSIVE increase in reports on gender vs. gender and race vs. race issues in all vital newspapers. It’s VERY convenient for the 1% that the plebs are fighting themselves instead.”
“I don’t think there are no issues with racism or sexism. It’s good that we’re talking about it. But it appears that the most significant media outlets don’t want us to talk about it. Instead, they want us to fight each other.”
8. Mark Zuckerberg Is Playing The Long Game
One person replied, “Mark Zuckerberg knows what he is doing and is playing a very long game. I think Meta and the Metaverse seem like such a detached conceit because he isn’t catering to the older generations with this shot anymore.”
“The Metaverse is for the six-year-olds with tablets right now. Mark wants them to grow up in his universe. They are the demographic that cares about graphics right now. But they will as they age, and Meta’s goal is probably to keep up with that. Create a whole generation wholly consumed in it.”
“It is a better bet than trying to cater to the older cynical people who have grown up with internet/Facebook 1.0 and can’t ever get an engrained feel for the next-gen form of connectedness.”
9. Celebrity Kid Names
Someone volunteered, “Celebrities name their kids’ crazy things, so they don’t release their real names to the public and paparazzi.” Someone added, “God, I hope that one is true.”
10. The Car Companies Colluded
“Car companies colluded to discontinue their small and affordable cars in America. It happened *very* rapidly, within a two-to-three-year span. Except for Mitsubishi,” someone said. Another shared, “I worked for one of the big three in the ’90s and ’00s.”
“They were constantly looking for ways to make small passenger cars profitable. It was part of my job. But the company I worked for couldn’t profit from small cars. But they made bank on trucks and SUVs. But I can tell you we lost money on most small cars.”
“So we kept assuming small cars were like a gateway for larger, profitable vehicles. But eventually, that made less and less marketing sense. If you don’t believe me, this was written about extensively in the automotive press in the early 00s.”
Source: Reddit.
Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
Image Credit: Troma Entertainment
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
From the magnificent landscapes of the Sawtooth Mountains to the sparkling lakes and small-town charm, Idaho is a wonderful state to enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors. If you’re considering living somewhere in Idaho then chances are you also have a budget you’re hoping to stay under in your home or apartment search. As of July, the median home sale price in Idaho is $459,500.
If that number is out of your budget, don’t worry, we’ve got options to help you find the right place to buy a home. Redfin has compiled a list of the 5 of the most affordable places to live in Idaho. And they all have a median home sale price under $459,500. From Twin Falls to Caldwell, let’s jump in and see what cities are on the list.
#1: Twin Falls
Median home price: $354,950 Average sale price per square foot: $229 Median household income: $50,839 Nearest major metro: Boise (130 miles) Twin Falls, ID homes for sale Twin Falls, ID apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $354,950, Twin Falls takes the number one spot on our list of affordable places to live in Idaho. About 130 miles away from Boise, the nearest major metro, Twin Falls is home to roughly 51,800 people. If you’re considering moving to this area make sure to enjoy the gorgeous nature sites like Shoshone Falls Park and Twin Falls Park and hike the Snake River Canyon Rim Trail. You can also explore downtown Twin Falls and get a bird’s eye view of the Snake River from Perrine Memorial Bridge.
#2: Pocatello
Median home price: $367,450 Average sale price per square foot: $163 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $950 Median household income: $46,882 Nearest major metro: Boise (235 miles) Pocatello, ID homes for sale Pocatello, ID apartments for rent
Idaho’s second most affordable city to live in is Pocatello, located in the southeast portion of the state. When living in this city of 56,300 people, you can hike one of the many trails like Cusick Creek Trail, City Creek Loop Trail, or Upper City Creek Trail, and check out the charming downtown area.
#3: Caldwell
Median home price: $370,000 Average sale price per square foot: $225 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $850 Median household income: $55,069 Nearest major metro: Boise (30 miles) Caldwell, ID homes for sale Caldwell, ID apartments for rent
Third on our list is Caldwell, where about 59,900 people currently reside. The median home sale price is $370,000 which is about $90K less than the median home sale price in Idaho. If you find yourself moving here, check out parks like Whittenberger Park, spend the day at Lake Lowell, and visit the charming shops, local restaurants, and museums in downtown Caldwell.
#4: Idaho Falls
Median home price: $383,000 Average sale price per square foot: $196 Median household income: $46,882 Nearest major metro: Boise (235 miles) Idaho Falls, ID homes for sale Idaho Falls, ID apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Caldwell is the city of Idaho Falls. With roughly 64,800 residents in Idaho Falls, make sure to visit the Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park. You can also explore the exhibits at the Museum of Idaho, enjoy a stroll along the Idaho Falls Riverwalk, and take in the scenic beauty of Snake River Greenbelt.
#5: Nampa
Median home price: $418,000 Average sale price per square foot: $231 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,403 Median household income: $46,882 Nearest major metro: Boise (20 miles) Nampa, ID homes for sale Nampa, ID apartments for rent
The final city on our list of affordable places to live in Idaho is Nampa, just 20 miles outside of Boise. With 100,200 residents, moving to this affordable city gives you the perks of city-life without living in a major metropolitan area. In Nampa, you can visit the Warhawk Air Museum, enjoy the outdoor activities at Lake Lowell, and attend an event or concert at the Ford Idaho Center.
Methodology: All cities must have over 50,000 residents per the US Census and have a median home sale price under the average median home sale price in Idaho. Median home sale price and median sale price per square foot from the Redfin Data Center during July 2023. Average rental data from Rent.com July 2023. Population and median household income data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday published a newly-proposed rule in the Federal Register that would allow mortgage servicers to use telephonic or other electronic means to communicate with a distressed borrower, in a way that is most likely to yield a response.
“[T]his rule proposes to update HUD’s current in-person, face-to-face meeting requirements by permitting mortgagees to utilize methods of communication most likely to receive a response from the mortgagor as determined by the Secretary, including electronic and other remote communication methods, such as telephone calls or video calls, to meet with mortgagors who are in default on their mortgage payments,” the proposed rule explained.
The rule would also expand a meeting requirement to all borrowers in default, including those “who do not reside in the mortgaged property and those with a mortgaged property not within 200 miles of their mortgagee, its servicer, or a branch office of either,” the proposal said.
In the proposal’s supplementary information section, HUD explains that the rule as currently enforced is simply outdated, and does not account for modern methods of communication that would comply with the protection of the involved parties’ personal information. The currently-enforced face-to-face meeting requirement was first codified in 1976 during a very different time for the mortgage business and communication landscape.
“This requirement […] originated during a time when mortgage lending and servicing activities were conducted in person at locations in the local communities a mortgagee served,” the proposal explained. “At that time, a ‘face-to-face’ meeting was the most effective way to discuss and facilitate loss mitigation options because knowledgeable mortgagee staff were available at locations near the mortgaged property.”
Beginning in the 1990s, lenders began consolidating their origination and servicing activities in more centralized locations, which also led to the creation of major lenders’ dedicated national servicing centers. This has led to greater distances between borrowers and lenders, necessitating a more wide-ranging approach to communicating with distressed borrowers, in addition to a wide preference among borrowers to conduct their financial affairs online.
“As a result of mortgagees’ expanded outreach processes to mortgagors and mortgagors’ ability to independently research loss mitigation options, mortgagees reported very few mortgagors who agreed to participate in face-to-face meetings with their mortgagees prior to the COVID–19 pandemic,” the proposal said.
Data obtained from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) in feedback to HUD also demonstrated more limited participation from lenders, and sometimes burdensome costs for borrowers that can stem from the current face-to-face requirement.
“The evidence shows mortgagees are seeking ways to automate, simplify, and expedite mortgage origination and servicing processes through technological innovation,” the proposal said. “HUD’s proposed updates to the in-person meeting requirement […] align with such advances and better support mortgagor engagement preferences.”
As you get older, you always seem to have more things you have to take care of.
Whether it’s the mortgage on your home, the loan on your car or your kids college, these are financial burdens that you do not want to leave behind for your spouse to take care of alone.
I know my wife would find a way to kill me again if something happened to me and I didn’t take care of her and the kids!
Term life insurance is a great and affordable way to protect your loved ones in the event that you would pass away.
Term life is the cheapest types of life insurance policies available, and is only good for a certain “term”, such as 10, 20, or 30 years.
You can read more why I purchased a $2.5 million 30 Term Policy.
If you have taken the first step and started comparing life insurance policies online for you and your spouse, you will notice that life insurance for women is cheaper. “Why is this?” you may ask. Well to understand that question we first have to figure out how life insurance premiums are determined. Here are the 10 Best Life Insurance Companies- According to Good Financial Cents, to find a quote for yourself!
Life Insurance Rates of Males vs. Females
Life insurance is priced by mortality tables. These tables will show the average life expectancy for your gender and age. If you smoke, participate in dangerous activities, or have health problems will also affect you mortality rate.
Now that we know how life insurance premiums are determined, “Why the difference between men and women?” The biggest reason that life insurance cost more for men is that men have a shorter life expectancy compared to women.
In recent studies, they have shown that women outlive men by an average of five years. This is due to a big delay, or advantage that women have over men. Women develop problems with cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack or stroke, later in life than men do. Women tend to develop these problems in their 70s and 80s, where men develop them in their 50s and 60s. This longer life expectancy helps to lower women’s life insurance premiums.
Why Does Life Insurance Cost More For Men?
Over history insurance companies have developed methods that show them if charging men and women the same how will that work with their risk. The tables they use let them know that men should be charged a higher price because of things like life expectancy and how diseases and health issues arise in men faster than in women. If you smoke, participate in dangerous activities, and deal with health issues it could lower the mortality rate. It is known that men live shorter lives than women and this plays a large part in the difference in rates. Recent studies have indicated a longer life for women by about 5 years.
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Deciding on Who Gets the Most Coverage
Deciding how much life insurance you and your spouse need can also be a troubling question. Do I get more life insurance on myself since I make more money? Does my stay at home wife really need life insurance? These can all be answered by looking asking yourself a few questions.
What immediate financial expenses (e.g., debt repayment, funeral expenses) would your family face upon your death?
How much of your salary is devoted to current expenses and future needs?
How long would your dependents need support if you were to die tomorrow?
How much money would you want to leave for special situations upon your death, such as your children’s education, gifts to charity, or an inheritance for your children?
If you are a stay at home mom, do not sell yourself short when deciding on an amount for life insurance. You may think that because your family is not dependent on your income that you don’t need as much or any life insurance. In a recent survey from Salary.com, stay-at-home moms should be charging $115,000 per year for their work. This value was derived from the duties they performed in the household, such as:
Housekeeper
Cook
Laundry Machine Operator
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Computer Operator
Janitor
Psychologist
Chauffeur
Facilities Manager
Day Care Teacher
Here are a few examples of life insurance quotes for men and women:
Discovering TikTok for the first time? This platform is a worthwhile investment, regardless of your TikTok experience level.
First and foremost, you must attract more viewers to your videos, but how?
Let’s find out.
Understanding Why You’re Not Getting Views
It is sometimes said that generating views on short-form material is simple.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth. As you embark on your Tik Tok journey, here are some common mistakes to avoid if you don’t want low views on this platform.
Low Engagement
TikTok ranks your video on the “For You” tab using engagement as one of the important factors. Fewer people will find your material and watch your videos if you have low engagement.
Not Focusing on One Niche
Even if you have a profile that receives many views in one specific niche, your viewership will quickly decline if you abruptly shift that niche and start posting random content across multiple niches.
New Account
If you’re a new user, TikTok still needs to index your account. It does this to separate actual persons from fake accounts.
Inappropriate Content
Users must abide by many “norms and common code of conduct” in TikTok’s community guidelines.
The algorithm may lessen the discoverability of your postings in addition to temporarily or permanently deleting accounts of major violators. This is accomplished by diverting search results or disqualifying videos from ‘For You’ feed recommendations.
Not Using the Best Hashtags
You can go far with hashtags. It’s one of the best tools for promoting your videos to viewers and making them simple to find. Your videos can fall behind without hashtags, especially if you don’t have a huge fan base.
How Much Does TikTok Pay per 1,000 Views?
TikTok has introduced several video features to aid creators in generating income from businesses and users. Additionally, this business pays users directly through its Creator Fund and TikTok Pulse advertising program.
You can make between two and four cents through the TikTok Creator Fund for every 1,000 views. As a result, once you hit a million views, you could receive $20 to $40.
What Counts as a View on TikTok?
On many social media platforms, “views” are measured in different ways, but on TikTok, it’s quite easy to understand: as soon as your video begins to play, it counts as having been viewed.
For instance, just because a video has 100 views does not necessarily mean that 100 individual people saw it. Instead, this indicates it was viewed 100 times.
TikTok Views Hack
The Power of Understanding Your Audience
Is your target audience interested in the trendiest songs, to which most people are bopping along, or are they more interested in narrative videos?
Knowing your audience will enable you to determine the content that will pique their interest. TikTok analytics are accessible to business accounts. Overview, Content, Followers, and Live are available tabs.
For more information on your present audience, visit the Followers page, where demographic data like location and gender are displayed. You may see what fascinates them as well.
Your followers’ activity shows you the times of day they are most active. Keep track of the times your fans are online and how much engagement they display throughout the week.
Look at the most well-liked videos under the Content tab. Are some sound snippets or pieces of information more likely to get engagement than others? If so, consider the topic and format to determine if you can repeat it.
There are no set guidelines for producing material. The secret is using creativity to turn important subjects into interesting videos your audience would watch. Your material will effectively reach the intended audiences and foster greater engagement if you do this.
The Four Secrets to Engaging Your Audience
Engaging with the TikTok community is important for two reasons:
It enables you to establish connections with other users and develop a following.
You may create more of that content by learning what material is most popular on the app.
Engage With Your Followers
Respond to comments, like, and comment on other people’s videos, and follow them back to build relationships with your fans. These extra measures are quite effective!
Join TikTok Groups and Challenges
The TikTok community can be engaged with, and content can be produced through challenges well-liked on the app. Check out popular challenges and think about joining them.
Use Duets to Build Relationships with Other Users on TikTok
Duets are a fantastic way to interact with other TikTok users and share your material with them. When you duet with another user, your video appears on a split screen with their video.
Find a video you want to duet with, then touch the “Share” button on the video. Next, choose “Duet” and start recording your video.
Be Consistent
Success on TikTok is predicated on consistency. You must consistently publish new content to increase your audience and have more people watch your videos.
The Benefits of Uploading Multiple Times a Day
Take advantage of TikTok being the hub for short-form video content. TikTok advises publishing one to four times per day. Increase your chances of being viewed by your target demographic by posting more than once every day.
However, this does not imply that you should frequently publish during the day. It’s crucial to remember that producing high-quality content is preferable to posting often throughout the day.
Depending on the type of information you produce, experts generally advise posting 1-3 times daily. By doing this, you can ensure that you consistently give your followers high-quality content while avoiding giving them an information overload.
It’s crucial to produce content that will interest your target audience when developing content. Understanding your audience will help you generate material that appeals to their interests. It would help if you also used trending hashtags and the trends feature to keep up with the most recent information.
The secret is to stay true to your brand and provide only pertinent material. Spend time investigating and discovering something distinct that can set your brand apart from the competition.
Leveraging Trends on the ‘For You’ Page
A frequent topic or music from a film becomes a trend when people use it again and typically reinterpret it. Doing your take on trends is acceptable because they are enjoyable and widely adopted. It’s not considered plagiarism, as it would be on another platform.
Additionally, various app features, including noises, dances, transitions, and hashtags, can give rise to trends. Browse the ‘Discover’ tab, which will present a selection of current sounds or subjects, for one of the simplest methods to spot trends.
Curating trends isn’t something the TikTok algorithm does. Instead, it presents users with a mix of well-liked and less-liked movies in their feed that is selected based on the content they are interested in. Therefore, you can attract the correct audience by maintaining your trending video within your niche and adding your twist.
You need people to watch your videos all the way through. People will watch your video if it is based on a trend they have yet to see. Furthermore, watch time significantly impacts how well your video performs.
Maximizing Your TikTok Presence Through Collaboration
Understanding the unique feel and style of TikTok video clips is essential for achieving significant reach and resonance within the app.
For marketers, this entails doing their homework and spending time on the app. Alternatively, you can work with seasoned artists and use their platform expertise to help you enhance your messaging and appeal.
By partnering with another creator, you might get access to a completely different audience you wouldn’t have had otherwise. Working with a well-known TikTok maker is an excellent choice because they will likely have a dedicated following that trusts them and interacts with their content.
Do this for your brand too. Brand collaborations are more remembered and interesting than other content on the platform, according to the TikTok for Business post.
It’s crucial to pick the correct individual to work with on a project. By doing so, you’ll have a higher chance of expanding your target audience and forging a meaningful connection with a creator who can assist you (and vice versa). However, always keep in mind the factors to take into account before contacting out.
Although it can be alluring to see yourself collaborating with huge influencers, smaller producers are frequently a far better fit for your brand.
Add Relevant Hashtags to Your TikTok Videos
Hashtags on TikTok serve two distinct functions. Hashtags help to quickly categorize the videos while assisting the algorithm in determining which users may be interested in the material.
Having relevant hashtags is essential on TikTok, just like everything else. If you overuse hashtags, the algorithm may give up trying to classify your content.
For a video, three to four hashtags are advised. These should include both that are popular, and that accurately reflect your content.
Should you use hashtags on TikTok? Yes! The advantages of using hashtags are as follows:
Catching the attention of new users who are interested in your content.
Creating a branded hashtag for community building.
Facilitating the search for and discovery of your content.
Describing to viewers what they may anticipate from your video.
But what is the proper use of hashtags on TikTok? Let’s look at some of the best practices.
Look up popular hashtags for your video.
Look for hashtags that are specific to your competitors.
For your video, use the appropriate number of hashtags.
On TikTok, start a hashtag challenge.
Avoid using competitive hashtags.
Make Data-Driven Decisions to Gain a Competitive Edge
Every brand should take advantage of the consumer insights TikTok offers.
Currently, one billion TikTok users from 154 different countries, especially among younger digital consumers, have become this network hub for marketing companies.
This growing crowd has brought attention to the value of TikTok competition analysis. It helps brands create a benchmark of their progress against their top competitors.
How should you take advantage of this?
Identify Your Competitors
Making your brand stand out starts with knowing who your competitors are and what they offer. You’ll be able to set competitive prices and use your efforts to counter competing marketing campaigns.
Track Basic Metrics
Social media metrics are crucial since they demonstrate that you can gauge a campaign’s effectiveness, the effectiveness of your social media strategy, and ultimately if you will have an impact on your entire business.
Here are a few criteria to consider when conducting a thorough competitor study:
Top posts
Follower count
Reach
Views
Comments
Likes
Shares
Engagement rates
Examine Your Competitors’ Audience
So, if you want to know how a brand is doing, start with its internal workings. And to achieve that, you must examine the brand’s target market.
Examine the audience’s response to your competitors’ content, general interactions with its followers, and how it responds to your competition.
It would be best to appeal to the same demographic as your competitor occasionally.
To acquire followers for TikTok with precise geo-targeting and probably some gender targeting as well, you might want to make a second account for this. By doing this, you may see and think the same things as your competitor.
Spy on Different Content
Look at your competitors’ channels to find out what topics they cover and how viewers react to the videos.
When you’re looking, consider the following questions:
Are there a lot of comments?
What do the comments say?
How many likes does the video have?
How many times has it been watched?
You may use all of this information to determine whether the subject is worthwhile to discuss and how to move forward with improving your content.
Observe Competitors’ Engagement Strategy
Check out the material that gets the most traction with your competitors. Do they make use of Facebook reels? Or do your competitors host live discussions with professionals in the field?
Monitor the competitor’s post volume, tone, content types, etc. Check over their page in detail and be ready to provide detailed responses to such inquiries.
Increase Your Views and Monetize Your TikTok Account
Some TikTok users purchase views with hopes of becoming more popular. But is it possible to buy followers on TikTok? And how effective is buying TikTok views?
It depends. You can increase your rating, and your account’s visibility by purchasing TikTok likes and views. If done correctly, purchasing TikTok likes can result in more free, natural likes and views.
For $7 or less, you can get 250 TikTok followers. The most expensive bundle costs about $80 and includes 5000 TikTok followers. For less than $2, you may get additional TikTok interactions like views and likes.
You must be cautious when choosing a company to buy TikTok views from because several businesses sell views that will do nothing to improve your profile. We’d recommend that you focus on creating quality content instead. However, if you are curious about trying paid views, consider trying this with a second account to avoid penalties.
Master the Tik Tok Algorithm and Maximize Your Income
TikTok can be a terrific platform to master, regardless of whether you’re a business owner or a talented creator. It’s important to remember that for you to be successful with Tik Tok, you have to think long-term. While success isn’t guaranteed, if you take the time to learn new skills, you’ll be well on your way to earning money online.
As more and more businesses depend on content creators, learning skills with video, voice, or writing is always a good idea. Hopefully, these pointers will assist you in getting more TikTok views and expanding your audience, ultimately netting you more income.
This article originally appeared on Finance Quick Fix.
Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
Image Credit: Troma Entertainment
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
About the Author
Chris Alarcon
Chris is the founder of FWO, the blog for people looking to reach financial independence and stay inspired along the way. Go from being stressed and in debt to growing your net worth. Grab your free guide here.
From the breathtaking beauty of the Oregon coast filled with rugged cliffs and picturesque beaches, to the lush Cascade Mountains, and the royal blue water of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon is truly one of the highlights of the Pacific Northwest. If Oregon sounds like the state for you, then you may also be curious what cities fit into your budget. As of July, the median home sale price in Oregon was $508,700.
If that price doesn’t fit into your budget, don’t worry. Redfin has collected 5 of the most affordable places to live in Oregon. And the best part is that they all have a median home sale price under $508,700. From Springfield to Salem, let’s jump in and see what cities are on the list.
#1: Springfield
Median home price: $405,000 Average sale price per square foot: $308 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,395 Median household income: $49,938 Nearest major metro: Eugene (5 miles) Springfield, OR homes for sale Springfield, OR apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $405,000, Springfield comes in at number one on our list of most affordable places to live in Oregon. There are about 61,800 residents living in this mid-sized city. If you’re considering moving to this area make sure to explore the scenic Thurston Hills Natural Area and Wallace M. Ruff Jr. Memorial Park, or immerse yourself in the vibrant downtown Springfield, where you’ll find a variety of charming shops and delectable restaurants.
#2: Albany
Median home price: $420,000 Average sale price per square foot: $258 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,400 Median household income: $62,172 Nearest major metro: Salem (26 miles) Albany, OR homes for sale Albany, OR apartments for rent
Taking second place on our list of affordable cities to live in Oregon is Albany. When living in this city of 56,500 people, you can stroll along the Dave Clark Trail by the Willamette River, check out the Historic Carousel & Museum, and explore the historic downtown area where there are plenty of local shops and restaurants.
#3: Salem
Median home price: $440,000 Average sale price per square foot: $271 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,372 Median household income: $58,726 Nearest major metro: Portland (46 miles) Salem, OR homes for sale Salem, OR apartments for rent
Third on the list is Salem where there are about 175,500 residents. The median home sale price is $440,000 which is about $70K less than the median home sale price in Oregon. If you find yourself moving to Salem, make sure to visit the Oregon State Capitol and museums like Willamette Heritage Center, explore the beautiful Riverfront City Park, and check out the events at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.
#4: Eugene
Median home price: $484,000 Average sale price per square foot: $300 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,710 Median household income: $62,172 Nearest major metro: Salem (26 miles) Eugene, OR homes for sale Eugene, OR apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Salem is Eugene, the next city on our list. About 176,600 people live in Eugene, where there are plenty of unique activities to do. Be sure to spend the day at one of the many parks like Delta Ponds, Maurie Jacobs Park, or Alton Baker Park, explore the charming downtown area, or enjoy a walk or bike ride along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail.
#5: Gresham
Median home price: $487,500 Average sale price per square foot: $260 Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,553 Median household income: $62,172 Nearest major metro: Portland (17 miles) Gresham, OR homes for sale Gresham, OR apartments for rent
The last on our list of affordable places to live in Oregon is Gresham. With 114,200 residents, moving to this affordable city gives you the perks of city-life without living in a major metropolitan area. Gresham is conveniently located just 17 miles east of Portland if you’re looking to venture into the city for a meal, concert, or a day exploring the riverfront. In Gresham, you can visit Hogan Butte Nature Park, check out the expansive Oxbow Regional Park just outside of town, and stroll along the Springwater Corridor Trail.
Methodology: All cities must have over 50,000 residents per the US Census and have a median home sale price under the average median home sale price in Oregon. Median home sale price and median sale price per square foot from the Redfin Data Center during July 2023. Average rental data from Rent.com July 2023. Population and median household income data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
PennyMac Financial Services has room to grow in both the correspondent and wholesale channels, even as both of those reported higher production on a quarter-to-quarter and year-over-year basis.
However, its results were negatively impacted by a 51 cent per share reduction to its profits related to mortgage servicing rights as fair value gains were more than wiped out by hedging losses.
The company reported $58.3 million of net income for the second quarter, up from $30.4 million in the first quarter but well below the $128.2 billion earned in the second quarter of 2022.
“PennyMac Financial reported solid results in the second quarter, reflecting increased production volumes and profitability from the prior quarter as well as a continued strong contribution from our large and growing servicing business,” said Chairman and CEO David Spector in a press release. “Strong operating performance was partially offset by net valuation-related losses that resulted from the inverted yield curve and elevated hedge costs driven by multi-year highs in interest rate volatility.”
Total margins for loans originated (including correspondent loans produced for related company PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust) were higher across both the third party and consumer direct channels. The businesses are branded as Pennymac.
Its production segment pretax income of $24.4 million, compared with a pretax loss of $19.6 million in the prior quarter and pretax income of $9.7 million for the year ago period.
“Revenue per fallout adjusted lock for PFSI’s own account was 63 basis points in the second quarter, up from 49 basis points in the first quarter, driven primarily by higher overall volumes and margins,” said Dan Perotti, chief financial officer on a prerecorded call. “Additionally, segment profitability was negatively impacted by $2.9 million, caused by changes in [government-sponsored enterprise] pricing that did not come with pipeline protection as they historically have.
The correspondent channel (not including the PMT loans) had the highest margins, at 366 basis points for the most recent quarter, versus 323 basis points in the first quarter and 355 basis points a year ago.
PennyMac Financial was previously cited by industry observers as a beneficiary of Wells Fargo’s decision to close down its correspondent business.
In the quarter, it originated $21.2 billion of correspondent loans, compared with $20.2 billion in the first quarter and $21 billion one year prior. Fundings for PennyMac Mortgage Trust are included in that total; those fell to $3 billion from $6.6 billion and $10.3 billion respectively.
“First off, we moved a lot of the bulk business that we have been purchasing in PMT,” Spector said during a separate analysts call on Thursday afternoon. “PMT sold those loans to PFSI as a way for PMT to further diversify its investments between MSRs and credit-related investments.”
For the same time frame, the broker channel did $2.1 billion in volume versus $$1.5 billion and $2.0 billion.
“We are anticipating that the company will continue to take market share in the correspondent and broker direct channels, and grow its return on equity over time,” a Wedbush Securities report from Jay McCanless said.
Consumer direct volume of $1.6 billion for the second quarter was less than half of the $3.7 billion originated for the same period in 2022. In the first quarter, PennyMac Financial Services did just $1 billion.
Because of the MSR hit, servicing profitability was down to $46.5 billion from $57.4 million in the prior quarter and $167.6 million a year ago.
While PennyMac Financial realized $118.9 million in MSR fair value gains, it posted $155.1 million in hedging losses.
“Hedge losses…included $42 million in hedge costs, which were elevated due to the inverted yield curve and significant interest rate volatility,” Perotti said. “However, hedge costs were meaningfully lower in June and remain at lower levels in July.”
On the analysts call, Spector added that the company has adjusted its hedging strategy, opening up a little more exposure in a rising rate environment, and that has reduced those costs.
“We see both earnings and valuation upside connected to the evolving market landscape, where banks appear likely to continue ceding market share to non-banks in origination and servicing,” said a report from BTIG analyst Eric Hagen.
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods is modeling PennyMac Financial to have a 5.7% market share in both this year and next, up from 4.9%.
“We believe [gain on sale] margins have likely troughed, and the improved mortgage banking visibility gives us more confidence in the company’s earnings power in 2024,” said the report from Bose George, a KBW analyst.
PMT also released results after the market closed on Thursday.
The real estate investment trust earned $14.2 million in the second quarter, down from $50.3 million in the first quarter but an improvement versus the year ago loss of $81.2 million.
“While continued credit spread tightening led to fair value increases for PMT’s credit sensitive investments, the interest rate sensitive strategies were impacted by the inverted yield curve and elevated hedge costs driven by multi-year highs in interest rate volatility,” Spector, who is also chairman and CEO of this company, said in a separate release. “We continue to deploy capital towards opportunistic investments in both credit sensitive and interest rate sensitive strategies; and this quarter, we invested nearly $100 million in such investments, which we believe can generate strong, long-term risk-adjusted returns.”
It’s nothing new to have a lead man with macho bravado energy ready to beat the bad guys and protect his girl or the innocents. However, having a female with a well-written character who never backs down leaves us with a lasting impression.Do you know any movies or TV shows with a well-written, strong female character? Check out this list and see if you agree!
1. Nani from Lilo & Stitch
The 2002 animated sci-fi film Lilo & Stitch also has a wonderfully written female character who’s really strong—not necessarily about physical strength, but emotionally.One person shared, “Nani from Lilo & Stitch. A (semi) realistic portrayal of an orphaned 19 year older sister trying to make ends meet and provide the best life she can for her younger sister and herself. Trying to balance her social/romantic, work, and personal life and being forced to grow up and take responsibility fighting CPS to keep her only family left, together…all the while facing alien shenanigans that occurs.” Another person added, “Awesome that a Disney movie finally showed a woman succeeding without becoming a princess.” Finally, a third person added their agreement, “A 1000% this.”
2. Mona Lisa Vito from My Cousin Vinny
The movie is about a female lawyer defending her cousin’s accused of murder, and she did it like a pro despite her past failures and self-doubts. “Mona Lisa Vito, portrayed by Marissa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny. That movie is a masterpiece, and in no small part from her contribution,” shared one person. “Stole the show so hard she won two awards for it,” replied another. “I remember watching that movie as a kid and thinking how bad a- she is. And her scene in the court where her credentials are questioned probably played a part in my choice of becoming an engineer,” the third person expressed.
3. Dana Scully from The X Files
One person shared, “Gillian Anderson sure can play strong female characters. +1 for her portrayal of Stella Gibson on “The Fall”. There’s a scene where she gets surrounded by some goons, but manages to intimidate them. Mad respect” Another person agreed, “Agree! She was a great character. I really like the name Scully for a girl too. (Like she wasn’t Dana most of the time as she was a professional so I think of her as Scully).” Finally, a third commentor also added their thoughts, “Scully was THE strong female character of the 90s. Intelligent, educated, confident, and well-spoken. Held her own in male-dominated fields (law enforcement and medicine). Able to get herself and Mulder out of scrapes time and again. And all while wearing heels and sharp suits.”
4. Samantha Carter from Stargate SG-1
If you like watching female leads work in a male-dominated field, look no further than Stargate SG-1, a military science fiction adventure television series. One person shared, “Carter was always a fully capable scientist and warrior and she didn’t brook any crap when someone wanted to make an issue out of her gender. She was put into different situations and solved problems in realistic ways, while still being very personable and having different facets of her character to explore as the seasons went on.” Another person replied with a quote from Samantha Carter’s dialogue: “Sam Carter : I’m an Air Force officer just like you are, Colonel. And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside doesn’t mean I can’t handle whatever you can handle.”
5. Sarah Connor from The Terminator
Are you a fan of The Terminator? We all love seeing Sarah Connor knock out the bad guy and protect her son with her motherly love. “Came here to say T2 Sarah Connor. The part when she’s doing pull-ups in the mental hospital is a bad a- intro to a character. Loved that movie,” shared one person. “I really really love that her inner strength comes from something usually played as a weakness: the fact that she’s a mother. As soon as she knows Arnie is back and assumes he will be after her son, she breaks out of a high-security prison that night. Often, typically feminine traits such as caring for people are seen as a weakness rather than the inhuman protection that can come from bearing and rearing a child. It’s even more extraordinary that for Connor, saving the future kind of plays second fiddle to her protecting her son,” another person expressed, emphasizing Sarah’s role as a mother, which gives her inner strength.
6. Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs
“What makes her such a good character is that despite being highly intelligent and competent she’s desperately scared and vulnerable and mostly alone. The scene where she encounters Buffalo Bill and he’s trying to bluff her, and the camera pans back and you see his revolver on top of the cooker behind him you just think ‘Oh no, how’s she going to survive this?’ Great character and a great performance from Jodie Foster,” shared one person.“Just re-watched the movie last night. Second this. She’s a very well-written and believable strong female character,” another person replied. Finally, a third person agreed and shared their thoughts, “Second this. She isn’t a ‘female version of male character’; she is distinctly feminine and has to deal with the real world problems of being a woman in a male-dominated field, and all of it is handled in a realistic, grounded way.”
7. Ellen Ripley from the Alien series
If you’ve watched the Alien series, then you know how Ellen Ripley’s character can get people to watch the whole series. She’s ready to lead at any time while remaining grounded and thinking about those around her. One person stated, “This is it. She’s the main character who happens to be a woman, not a woman who happens to be the main character. The distinction seems small, but it makes all the difference.” The second person replied, “Great point. My understanding is that few, if any, roles were not written specifically for any gender. I wish I could watch this movie for the first time again. I think Ripley is one of the last characters you see/meet. Doesn’t get any type of top billing, so it’s unexpected the weight her final role carries.”
8. Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul
Photo Credit: AMC/Sony Pictures.
One person shared, “I like Kim because she has depth. Lots of writers don’t understand that you can write a strong character who has flaws, makes mistakes, and shows vulnerability from time to time.” Another person replied, “I would go as far as to say that a strong character has to have flaws, and make mistakes, and grow, and learn from their choices, and struggle, and regret, and be vulnerable. Regardless of gender, strong impactful characters are those that portray the human condition. Kim is a very good example of that.” Finally, a third one added, “She is probably one of the most real/relatable characters I’ve seen in a drama tv show, like every single thing that she did in the show was exactly what I expected her to, but not in a predictable kind of way, just an organic way. If that makes sense?”
9. Kim Possible from Kim Possible
Kim Possible is an American animated action-comedy series in which the main character, Kim Possible, saves the world with her best friend, Ron, from harm and supervillains. “Kim Possible, because she has so many different layers! Yes, she saves the world with her best friend on the regular, but she doesn’t use that as an excuse to complain about girly things or flat-out say that they’re stupid like most strong female characters you see. She’s really into cheerleading and incorporates it into what she does; she dates Ron despite every other girl telling her that she’s stupid for liking him and doesn’t care what they think for the most part. She also has believable flaws and has to admit that she’s wrong a number of times; maybe I just really like Kim Possible,” one person said.Another person replied, “She’s the reason I became a cheerleader. She wasn’t the stereotypical mean-girl cheerleader. She was nice, funny, smart, and caring. She was the first character I saw that showed you can be both.” Finally, a third person agreed and added, “I came here to say this! What I loved about Kim is that she was the popular, successful girl, but she was extremely down to earth and normal. She didn’t follow the typical trope of the “strong woman who hates other women”, and she actually loved her parents and siblings.”
10. Avasarala from The Expanse
The Expanse will give you a glimpse of the future hundreds of years from now. It’s a brilliant sci-fi series that will keep its viewers hooked. “Excellent! Found the Expanse tribe! Excellent characters of all types, both in the books and the shows; Avasarala is so great! Shohreh Aghdashloo just nails the role! So many laugh-out-loud moments!” one person shared. “Expanse writes women pretty well is pretty close with 50/50 representation. Bobbie, Avasarala, Drummer, Naomi are strong core characters, then there’s a multitude of key women characters on top of that,” another person expressed.
11. Chihiro from Spirited Away
“Miyazaki is amazing at writing kid characters. Totoro, Spirited Away, Laputa, Kikis Delivery Service… He just gets it,” one person expressed. Spirited Away has a great plot, so it’s not surprising that its characters leave such a strong impression on us. Another person replied, “Yes!! Chihiro is amazing. Just a normal twelve-year-old girl who gets into a frankly terrifying situation, but she grits her teeth and overcomes her fear and works so hard and grows so much, even though it’s subtle.My favourite movie of all time. Miyazaki’s female characters are generally strong and well-written. Lin, Kiki, San, Lady Eboshi, Nausicaa, Mei, and Satsuki… All beautiful and memorable characters.”Do you agree with the movies listed here?
Source: Reddit.
Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
Image Credit: Troma Entertainment
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
It’s nothing new to have a lead man with macho bravado energy ready to beat the bad guys and protect his girl or the innocents. However, having a female with a well-written character who never backs down leaves us with a lasting impression.Do you know any movies or TV shows with a well-written, strong female character? Check out this list and see if you agree!
1. Nani from Lilo & Stitch
The 2002 animated sci-fi film Lilo & Stitch also has a wonderfully written female character who’s really strong—not necessarily about physical strength, but emotionally.One person shared, “Nani from Lilo & Stitch. A (semi) realistic portrayal of an orphaned 19 year older sister trying to make ends meet and provide the best life she can for her younger sister and herself. Trying to balance her social/romantic, work, and personal life and being forced to grow up and take responsibility fighting CPS to keep her only family left, together…all the while facing alien shenanigans that occurs.” Another person added, “Awesome that a Disney movie finally showed a woman succeeding without becoming a princess.” Finally, a third person added their agreement, “A 1000% this.”
2. Mona Lisa Vito from My Cousin Vinny
The movie is about a female lawyer defending her cousin’s accused of murder, and she did it like a pro despite her past failures and self-doubts. “Mona Lisa Vito, portrayed by Marissa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny. That movie is a masterpiece, and in no small part from her contribution,” shared one person. “Stole the show so hard she won two awards for it,” replied another. “I remember watching that movie as a kid and thinking how bad a- she is. And her scene in the court where her credentials are questioned probably played a part in my choice of becoming an engineer,” the third person expressed.
3. Dana Scully from The X Files
One person shared, “Gillian Anderson sure can play strong female characters. +1 for her portrayal of Stella Gibson on “The Fall”. There’s a scene where she gets surrounded by some goons, but manages to intimidate them. Mad respect” Another person agreed, “Agree! She was a great character. I really like the name Scully for a girl too. (Like she wasn’t Dana most of the time as she was a professional so I think of her as Scully).” Finally, a third commentor also added their thoughts, “Scully was THE strong female character of the 90s. Intelligent, educated, confident, and well-spoken. Held her own in male-dominated fields (law enforcement and medicine). Able to get herself and Mulder out of scrapes time and again. And all while wearing heels and sharp suits.”
4. Samantha Carter from Stargate SG-1
If you like watching female leads work in a male-dominated field, look no further than Stargate SG-1, a military science fiction adventure television series. One person shared, “Carter was always a fully capable scientist and warrior and she didn’t brook any crap when someone wanted to make an issue out of her gender. She was put into different situations and solved problems in realistic ways, while still being very personable and having different facets of her character to explore as the seasons went on.” Another person replied with a quote from Samantha Carter’s dialogue: “Sam Carter : I’m an Air Force officer just like you are, Colonel. And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside doesn’t mean I can’t handle whatever you can handle.”
5. Sarah Connor from The Terminator
Are you a fan of The Terminator? We all love seeing Sarah Connor knock out the bad guy and protect her son with her motherly love. “Came here to say T2 Sarah Connor. The part when she’s doing pull-ups in the mental hospital is a bad a- intro to a character. Loved that movie,” shared one person. “I really really love that her inner strength comes from something usually played as a weakness: the fact that she’s a mother. As soon as she knows Arnie is back and assumes he will be after her son, she breaks out of a high-security prison that night. Often, typically feminine traits such as caring for people are seen as a weakness rather than the inhuman protection that can come from bearing and rearing a child. It’s even more extraordinary that for Connor, saving the future kind of plays second fiddle to her protecting her son,” another person expressed, emphasizing Sarah’s role as a mother, which gives her inner strength.
6. Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs
“What makes her such a good character is that despite being highly intelligent and competent she’s desperately scared and vulnerable and mostly alone. The scene where she encounters Buffalo Bill and he’s trying to bluff her, and the camera pans back and you see his revolver on top of the cooker behind him you just think ‘Oh no, how’s she going to survive this?’ Great character and a great performance from Jodie Foster,” shared one person.“Just re-watched the movie last night. Second this. She’s a very well-written and believable strong female character,” another person replied. Finally, a third person agreed and shared their thoughts, “Second this. She isn’t a ‘female version of male character’; she is distinctly feminine and has to deal with the real world problems of being a woman in a male-dominated field, and all of it is handled in a realistic, grounded way.”
7. Ellen Ripley from the Alien series
If you’ve watched the Alien series, then you know how Ellen Ripley’s character can get people to watch the whole series. She’s ready to lead at any time while remaining grounded and thinking about those around her. One person stated, “This is it. She’s the main character who happens to be a woman, not a woman who happens to be the main character. The distinction seems small, but it makes all the difference.” The second person replied, “Great point. My understanding is that few, if any, roles were not written specifically for any gender. I wish I could watch this movie for the first time again. I think Ripley is one of the last characters you see/meet. Doesn’t get any type of top billing, so it’s unexpected the weight her final role carries.”
8. Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul
Photo Credit: AMC/Sony Pictures.
One person shared, “I like Kim because she has depth. Lots of writers don’t understand that you can write a strong character who has flaws, makes mistakes, and shows vulnerability from time to time.” Another person replied, “I would go as far as to say that a strong character has to have flaws, and make mistakes, and grow, and learn from their choices, and struggle, and regret, and be vulnerable. Regardless of gender, strong impactful characters are those that portray the human condition. Kim is a very good example of that.” Finally, a third one added, “She is probably one of the most real/relatable characters I’ve seen in a drama tv show, like every single thing that she did in the show was exactly what I expected her to, but not in a predictable kind of way, just an organic way. If that makes sense?”
9. Kim Possible from Kim Possible
Kim Possible is an American animated action-comedy series in which the main character, Kim Possible, saves the world with her best friend, Ron, from harm and supervillains. “Kim Possible, because she has so many different layers! Yes, she saves the world with her best friend on the regular, but she doesn’t use that as an excuse to complain about girly things or flat-out say that they’re stupid like most strong female characters you see. She’s really into cheerleading and incorporates it into what she does; she dates Ron despite every other girl telling her that she’s stupid for liking him and doesn’t care what they think for the most part. She also has believable flaws and has to admit that she’s wrong a number of times; maybe I just really like Kim Possible,” one person said.Another person replied, “She’s the reason I became a cheerleader. She wasn’t the stereotypical mean-girl cheerleader. She was nice, funny, smart, and caring. She was the first character I saw that showed you can be both.” Finally, a third person agreed and added, “I came here to say this! What I loved about Kim is that she was the popular, successful girl, but she was extremely down to earth and normal. She didn’t follow the typical trope of the “strong woman who hates other women”, and she actually loved her parents and siblings.”
10. Avasarala from The Expanse
The Expanse will give you a glimpse of the future hundreds of years from now. It’s a brilliant sci-fi series that will keep its viewers hooked. “Excellent! Found the Expanse tribe! Excellent characters of all types, both in the books and the shows; Avasarala is so great! Shohreh Aghdashloo just nails the role! So many laugh-out-loud moments!” one person shared. “Expanse writes women pretty well is pretty close with 50/50 representation. Bobbie, Avasarala, Drummer, Naomi are strong core characters, then there’s a multitude of key women characters on top of that,” another person expressed.
11. Chihiro from Spirited Away
“Miyazaki is amazing at writing kid characters. Totoro, Spirited Away, Laputa, Kikis Delivery Service… He just gets it,” one person expressed. Spirited Away has a great plot, so it’s not surprising that its characters leave such a strong impression on us. Another person replied, “Yes!! Chihiro is amazing. Just a normal twelve-year-old girl who gets into a frankly terrifying situation, but she grits her teeth and overcomes her fear and works so hard and grows so much, even though it’s subtle.My favourite movie of all time. Miyazaki’s female characters are generally strong and well-written. Lin, Kiki, San, Lady Eboshi, Nausicaa, Mei, and Satsuki… All beautiful and memorable characters.”Do you agree with the movies listed here?
Source: Reddit.
Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
Image Credit: Troma Entertainment
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
Not every movie can be everyone else’s cup of tea for some reason—these movies might be bad due to budget constraints, plots, stories, or even marketing budgets. However, some movies are actually good but don’t get much appreciation.
If you want to shed light on some of the most underrated movies ever this weekend, check out these 11 films and let us know what you think!
1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a 2005 black comedy crime film starring Val Kilmer, Robert Downey Jr., and all the other equally brilliant actors. “Val Kilmer is incredible in that role. You can really tell he was having a ton of fun with it,” one person said. “Yup. It’s legitimately amazing. Gave me a newfound appreciation for the man,” the second person replied. “I came here to say this! Saw this movie when it opened on a Lark. Heard about on the radio that morning from Ralph Garmin on KROQ morning show. Took my girlfriend not knowing what to expect. One of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen,” the third one added.
2. Lucky Number Slevin
Photo Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Starring great actors, such as Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman, Lucy Liu, and Stanley Tucci, Lucky Number Slevin still stands as one of the most underrated movies ever. One person said, “I did not expect to see this here, and when I did, I knew this was my pick as well. It’s one of my favorites. I have a hard time placing Lucky Number Slevin into a genre. A film trying to be many things can often come off stilted and lacking in each type, but this one pulls it off wonderfully. I’ve probably seen it about ten times, and I think tonight I’ll make it one more.”
The second person replied, “That’s one I need to rewatch. Haven’t seen it since it first came out on DVD, but remember it being really good.”
3. Dark City
Photo Credit: New Line Cinema
The Dark City is a 1998 sci-fi film that was thought to be the inspiration for “The Matrix” due to many similarities—even rumored to be copied. One person said, “Rufus Sewell seems to be awesome in almost anything he’s in.” The second one replied, “Dark City > The Matrix.”
4. The Gods Must Be Crazy 1 and 2
Photo Credit: The Gods Must Be Crazy
One person said, “Almost no one under the age of 60 has seen them, but they are so good.” The films “Gods Must Be Crazy” 1 and 2 are comedies set in a remote part of South Africa where the tribe is perplexed by modern technology. With a budget of $5,000, the movie grossed $200 million.
The second person shared, “When my family got our first VCR back in the 80’s, we got all of our movie rentals from a little neighborhood gas station that had about 2 dozen titles. One Friday evening, my Dad and I were looking for a movie there and were finding nothing. The clerk handed this movie to my Dad, who asked what it was about. The clerk said that he didn’t know but that the last guy who rented it said it was hilarious. We went home and watched it; totally cold. My whole family say, perplexed for the first few minutes of the movie, wondering if we were in for a nature film. Within minutes, the entire household was reduced to uncontrolled laughter. We watched that movie 4 times that weekend.”
The third added, “Our social studies teacher made us watch it. It was adorable and hilarious. Highly underrated.”
5. Stardust (2007)
Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures
Stardust is a 2007 romantic fantasy adventure film starring Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Ricky Gervais, and more. The film was based on Neil Gaiman’s 1999 novel of the same name. One person said, “Stardust is amazing! It was one of my favorites when I was in primary :).” The second person replied, “Great movie. Aged very well.” Finally, the third one added, “Worthy contender for next generation Princess Bride…”
6. Paper Moon (1973)
Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures
“If you’re looking for a comedy that’s comfy, smart, and quaint, check out Paper Moon (1973). Even though it was directed in the 1970s, it was designed to simulate the look and feel of a movie from the 1930s. Tatum O’Neal’s acting has to be one of my very favorite performances from a child actor. It’s so full of energy and character, of the most earnest sort. That movie ended up making her the youngest person to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress…and it’s easy to see why,” one person shared.
7. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Photo Credit: Magnolia Pictures
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a unique 2010 black comedy horror film that will have you laughing. One person said, “So few people I know have even heard of it. But everyone I recommend it to ends up loving it.” The second person replied, “I watched this recently and had a doozy of a day because of it.” The third one added, “Do not watch the trailer before watching the movie though; go in cold.”
8. Best in Show
Photo Credit: Warner Bros
The film Best in Show, released in 2000, is a comedy-mockumentary piece starring Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Catherine O’Hara, and more. This is your go-to film if you like to watch a comedy you’ve never seen before. “Anyone with a sense of humor ends up howling,” one person said. “Perfect comedy. Long may Fred Willard reign, the king of improv, death has only slowed him down,” the second person replied.
The third one added, “Some of my favorite character acting in any movie ever. Also, even though the whole second half of the film is basically just a dog show, the stakes are somehow very high and you kind of find yourself on the edge of your seat, holding your breath about what questionable decisions the too-big-for-their characters will make next. An ideal comedy film. For sure.”
9. Girl, Interrupted
Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures
“Girl interrupted; for sure, first of all, there is so many actors in that movie Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie and Brittany Murphy, and more. And it’s a movie about mental illness in the 90s; like it was unheard of for the time it was a great why to kinda break the stigma of mental illness and everytime I watch it I get something new out of it. And Thirteen was a really good movie,” one person said. “Love this movie as well, but it was based in the ‘60s. It came out in 1999. It was definitely not indicative of life with mental illness in the ‘90s,” the second person replied.
10. Chicken Run
Photo Credit: DreamWorks Pictures
The 2000 animated adventure film Chicken Run is another underrated movie on the list that Redditos recommend you to watch. One person said, “It has action, humor, romance, social commentary and can really be enjoyed by anyone at any age. It’s a masterpiece, and I watch it once a year.” The second one replied, “Completely agree. The scene where they escape from the inside of the giant machine might be my favorite animated action scene ever. Also, the whole movie is basically an homage to the classic Steve McQueen film Great Escape. It’s great to see a G-rated animated movie achieving that level of smart.”
11. Hook (1991)
Photo Credit: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Steven Spielberg’s 1991 adventure film Hook is said to be an underrated movie despite how good it was (29% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52% on Metacritic). One person said, “Hook (1991) is way underrated. Low rating by critics. Steven Spielberg has distanced himself from it. But everyone who watches it loves it. I recently rewatched it some 30 years after seeing it and I was blown away by how good it still was.” The second person replied, “I quote this movie at least once a week. It’s one of my favorites.” The third one added, “How can you not love the movie? Especially with Robin Williams in it!”
Source: Reddit.
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