Pope Says Transgender People Can Be Baptised In Catholic Church

Nov 9 2023

The Vatican announced on Wednesday that transgender individuals are eligible to receive baptism in the Catholic church.

According to a document published on the Vatican’s website, a transgender person, even if they have undergone hormone therapy and sex-reassignment surgery, can undergo baptism under the same conditions as other faithful, “as long as there is no risk of causing public scandal or confusion among the faithful.”

This statement was in response to inquiries from Bishop Jose Negri of Santo Amaro in Brazil, addressing the involvement of LGBTQ individuals in routine Catholic practices. The document, approved by Pope Francis on October 31, was released by the Vatican’s Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith.

Additionally, the Vatican clarified that transgender individuals are eligible to serve as godparents and witnesses at religious weddings. It also stated that individuals in same-sex relationships can serve as witnesses in Catholic weddings.

However, the document implied that children adopted by same-sex couples or conceived through surrogacy may face restrictions on baptism. It also suggested that individuals in same-sex relationships should not be godparents to baptized children.

This gesture marks the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to be more inclusive and welcoming to the LGBTQ community within the church.

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Malta Has 3rd Worst Public Toilet Hygiene

Nov 9 2023

In light of the bedbug crisis in Europe and heightened hygiene concerns due to the pandemic, Showers to You conducted a comprehensive study to identify the cities in Europe with the cleanest and dirtiest public toilets.

And lo and behold, Malta’s toilets were ranked third in terms of the worst levels of cleanliness, with a score of 4.47 out of 10.

11.32% of respondents said that Malta’s public toilets were dirty.

The methodology involved gathering data from Google Maps, including over 1,000 public toilets and 8,000 text reviews for each major European city. The search term “[city] public toilets” was used to generate results.

According to the findings, Riga in Latvia had the lowest cleanliness score of 3.44, with nearly one in five reviews mentioning cleanliness issues. Malta was topped by Madrid, Spain in second place and followed by Stockholm, Sweden.

Warsaw, Poland, had the lowest average toilet rating at 3.08 out of 5. Conversely, Bucharest in Romania emerged as the city with the cleanest public restrooms, boasting an impressive cleanliness score of 8.70 out of 10.

Showers to You, established in 2008, is a reputable provider of a wide range of shower and bathroom products.

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Shrek 5 Reportedly Gets A 2025 Release Date

Nov 9 2023

The possibility of a fifth instalment in the Shrek franchise is gaining traction. An NBCUniversal employee reportedly posted on their LinkedIn page that “Shrek 5” is set for release in 2025, but swiftly removed the information.

This development follows Illumination founder Chris Meledandri’s revelation in April that talks were underway with the original cast, including Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy, to reprise their roles.

Since acquiring DreamWorks Animation in 2016, NBCUniversal has been eager to revitalise existing franchises, including Shrek. Meledandri, known for successful franchises like Despicable Me and Secret Life of Pets, emphasised the enthusiasm of the actors to return to their beloved characters.

He explained his approach, emphasising the importance of retaining core elements while introducing new storylines and characters.

With the successful spinoff of Puss in Boots, Meledandri hinted at the potential for a Donkey-centered spinoff, particularly after Eddie Murphy expressed interest. Murphy believed Donkey’s comedic potential surpassed that of Puss in Boots.

The original Shrek film, based on William Steig’s book, earned nearly $500 million globally in 2001. Shrek 2, released in 2004, became one of the highest-grossing animated films at the time, with a worldwide earnings of $935 million.

Subsequent sequels, Shrek the Third (2007) and Shrek Forever After (2010), garnered $807 million and $756 million respectively, solidifying the franchise’s enduring popularity.

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Did You Know Nike Had A Mascot In The 90’s?

Nov 9 2023

No that’s not the flash or a variant of him. But yes, Nike had a mascot back in the 1996. In fact, Swoosh Man’s suit took around $125,000 to make.

It was designed by Jose Fernandez, who was the designer behind the 1995 Batman Forever Bat Suit.

Swoosh Man/Nike Man/Swoosh Hero had a futuristic design with a silver finish and a bold red Nike Swoosh on his chest. Two other small swooshes featured on his helmet, ‘similar to that of the original Air Max 97 Silver Bullet released in 1997.

The Nike mascot made his debut at the Hoop Heroes event in Tokyo, and originated with track-and-field star Ian Campbell who was managing director of Nike Sports Entertainment.

The subdivision was created with the intention of promoting the brand further and featured the mascot golfing with Tiger Woods, playing basketball with Michael Jordan, and more.

The man inside the suit was Jon Kudo, the former mascot for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he was required to perform outlandish stunts. Unfortunately, due to an economic downturn led to a decrease in sneaker sales and saw Swoosh being shelved along with Nike Sports Entertainment.

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