Men's Journal's Blog, page 96

Southwest Airlines Cuts Flights in Atlanta

Southwest Airlines has made a number of unpopular moves over the past several months and weeks, highlighted by the airline's decision to end its longstanding "bags fly free" policy. Now, the airline has made yet another unpopular decision.

As detailed by a piece from Emma Hurt of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week, Southwest Airlines has cut more than a third of its schedule at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, the busiest airport in the world.

While Delta Air Lines dominates the airport, accounting for about 80 percent of the flight capacity at Hartsfield-Jackson, Southwest has long been the second-largest carrier in Atlanta. But with these recent cuts, it seems like only a matter of time before it no longer holds that status.

The move has been unpopular amongst customers, with the AJC highlighting one longtime Southwest customer who has now abandoned his loyalties to Southwest.

“Southwest never gave me a reason to shop around,” Atlanta-based filmmaker Adelin Gasana told the AJC. “It was just my go-to … but this is the first time I’ve been shopping around for domestic flights.”

Southwest flight attendants aren't necessarily happy, either.

Alison Head, an Atlanta-based flight attendant for Southwest who represents the base on the Transport Workers Union’s executive board, expressed concern about the cuts.

“Morale is very uneasy as we’ve watched other carriers come into Atlanta,” she wrote.

She went on to criticize the airline for presumably valuing profits and stock market perofmance over the people and service.

“We feel like we’re up against Wall Street,” Head said. “Southwest has always been known for the ‘LUV,’ (its stock market ticker symbol) and we feel like they’re not willing to protect the ‘LUV’ like they once were.”

Clearly, this is yet another unpopular move from the airline.

Experts Sound Alarm on Common Drugs That Could Make Viral Infections Worse

A new study has sounded the alarm on a class of anti-inflammatory drugs commonly used to treat conditions like arthritis, eczema, alopecia, and certain cancers. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have found that Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, medications designed to reduce inflammation and pain, may also weaken the body’s defenses against viral infections—including flu and Covid-19.

JAK inhibitors, first approved by the FDA in 2011, work by blocking immune system proteins that trigger inflammation. According to the Daily Mail, millions of people worldwide rely on these drugs, which are typically taken as pills, for chronic conditions. However, the NTNU study found that by suppressing key immune signaling pathways, these drugs may inadvertently leave patients more susceptible to severe viral infections.

“These genes play a crucial role in the body’s response to viral infections,” said Aleksandr Ianevski, co-author of the study. By slowing down the body’s antiviral genes, JAK inhibitors effectively remove the immune system’s “antiviral shield,” making it easier for viruses to infiltrate and spread.

Related: A Popular Allergy Pill Is Linked to Higher Dementia Risk

The researchers examined how JAK inhibitors impacted organs and virus behavior by analyzing cells from the lungs, eyes, and brain, as well as lab-created mini-organs. Their findings suggest that during viral outbreaks, healthcare providers should exercise caution when prescribing these medications.

“Although JAK inhibitors are effective in treating inflammation, this shows that they can pose a hidden risk for patients with latent or active viral infections,” said Erlend Ravlo, a PhD fellow at NTNU.

JAK inhibitors such as baricitinib (Olumiant), used for alopecia and rheumatoid arthritis, come with a list of common side effects including headaches, nausea, and fatigue. However, the study’s findings raise concerns about more serious complications like severe infections and changes in blood cell counts.

As healthcare providers weigh the benefits and risks of JAK inhibitors, this study highlights a crucial point: patients on these medications should be monitored closely, especially during times of heightened viral threats.

Wienerschnitzel Is Coming to Walmart—Here’s What to Expect

Walmart is shaking up its in-store dining game by partnering with Wienerschnitzel, the world’s largest hot dog chain, to bring iconic chili cheese dogs, fries, and frozen treats to select stores, according to The Street. This move is part of Walmart’s broader push to modernize its shopping experience, integrating fresh dining options that could change the way customers shop and eat.

“Wienerschnitzel has spent decades building a strong reputation, especially on the West Coast, and this expansion into Walmart stores signifies a new era of growth for the brand,” said Shak Turner, Wienerschnitzel’s Director of Franchise Expansion. The initial rollout includes six new franchise-operated restaurants opening by fall 2025 in Alamogordo, NM; Bakersfield, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; Puyallup, WA; Reno, NV; and Tempe, AZ.

“We’re always looking for ways to create a better shopping experience,” a Soy Carmin reported a Walmart spokesperson said. “By partnering with a brand our customers already love, we’re making it easier for them to enjoy a great meal without an extra stop.”

The partnership is part of a broader shift for Walmart. While it has long housed fast-food brands like McDonald’s and Subway, the move toward Wienerschnitzel reflects a desire to offer more curated, consumer-preferred dining options. 

Related: Shopping at Sam’s Club Is About to Change Forever

Industry insiders suggest Walmart’s partnership with Wienerschnitzel could signal the start of a larger strategy to boost in-store traffic and offer customers a more seamless experience. The new in-store restaurants will feature Wienerschnitzel’s full menu and Tastee Freez desserts, along with modern ordering options like mobile ordering through Walmart’s app and takeout.

As inflation continues to pressure consumers, combining affordable shopping with quick, satisfying dining could give Walmart a competitive edge. If the pilot proves successful, more stores nationwide could see similar upgrades, blending retail and dining in a way that keeps shoppers coming back.

Kaitlyn Dever’s 4-Word Warning About ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3

Kaitlyn Dever can’t say much about Season 3 of The Last of Us, in part because she herself is in the dark about a lot of it. But what she does know will have fans counting down the days until we see Dever’s Abby Anderson again.

On Sunday night’s second season finale, we finally saw Ellie (Bella Ramsey) come face-to-face with Abby (Dever) for the second time—though it didn’t exactly happen in the way viewers were expecting. While the audience have some idea about exactly what happened in the final minutes of the HBO series’ Season 2 finale, its cliffhanger ending will have us all waiting until the next season in order to see if our predictions are right.

While a lot of ink was given to the fact that Dever was joining the cast in Season 2, we didn’t see a whole lot of her in the latest season. But that was all just a warm-up.

Related: Kaitlyn Dever Shares a Heartbreaking Detail About THAT ‘The Last of Us’ Scene

In a new interview with British GQ, Dever shared that her association with The Last of Us goes back a long time. In addition to her dad being a huge fan of the game when it was first released in the summer of 2013, Dever actually met with the game’s co-creator Neil Druckmann about playing the role of Ellie (yep, Bella Ramsey’s part) in a feature film version of the movie that never materialized. So when she got the call about playing Abby, Dever says “It just felt like this thing was always meant to be in my life.”

And, as many viewers have surmised, we’ll be seeing a lot more of Abby in Season 3.

Related: ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 Release Date Is Later Than You Think

When asked about what to expect from the upcoming season, Dever simply shared “I think I’ll be in it a lot.” She could not answer any questions about when Season 3 will start production, but did say that the rumors about shooting this summer are indeed false. “I think [co-creator/showrunner] Craig [Mazin] is still trying to write the season,” Admitted Dever. “I have no idea what their plans are.”

She did drop one huge bombshell, however, which came directly from Mazin. Dever says that Mazin told her, that Season 2 will be “even more intense than season two.”

Aziz Ansari Made Keanu Reeves Indian Food to Break the Ice Before 'Good Fortune'

Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut in the upcoming film Good Fortune featured a few unique aspects. One of these stems from the fact that a first-time director typically isn't calling the shots for a name as big as Keanu Reeves, while also starring in the film alongside him.

However, as Ansari explained during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, it took a bit for him to not be "freaked out" around Reeves after the John Wick star agreed to join the film.

"Keanu's one of these guys who's in pretty rarefied air,” Ansari explained. “You don't see him around. He's still pretty mysterious. He's one of the few guys who still has this real movie star aura.”

First teaser for ‘GOOD FORTUNE’, starring Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, and Keke Palmer.

The film follows Keanu Reeves as an inept angel who meddles in the lives of a gig worker and a wealthy man.

In theaters on October 17.pic.twitter.com/aLJdqZYL1B

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 28, 2025

After Ansari was initially skeptical that the two would be able to mesh on-screen, he admitted that the first time they met, he immediately knew Reeves was perfect for the part. But before filming, Ansari had to find a way to get comfortable with his new Good Fortune co-star.

So, he did just that, inviting Reeves to his house to make him Indian food.

“I was like, ‘Hey man, we got to hang out a few times, so I'm not freaked out being around you. You know what I mean?’ So he was like, ‘I get what you mean.’" Ansari explained.

"So, we hung out, and he came over to my house. I made him Indian food, and we hung out for a while, and he told me all these stories. And then we went to dinner a couple of times, and I tried to really spend time with him to get to know him a little bit so I could become comfortable around him.”

As Ansari explained to Entertainment Weekly, the icebreaker worked, and the duo highly praised one another. Ansari said they "had a great time," while Reeves told EW via email he had "such a fantastic experience working with [Ansari]."

Good Fortune follows an angel named Gabriel (Reeves) who attempts to help a struggling gig worker, Arj (Ansari), by showing him that money can't buy happiness, as EW detailed. However, after Gabriel body-swaps Arj with his wealthy employer, played by Seth Rogen, Arj winds up enjoying the luxurious lifestyle much more than his own.

Related: Tom Hardy Draws the Line: The 1 Thing He Won’t Do for Fans

Costco Is Rolling Out a Scan & Go System—Finally

Costco is shaking things up, and it’s looking to rival Sam’s Club for inspiration. During the company’s third-quarter earnings call, CEO Ron Vachris teased new technology aimed at making checkout faster and more convenient for members.

“We found that digital really enhances the speed of checkout, and so we are really working hard on the digital membership card usage,” Vachris said, according to Business Insider. But what really caught attention was his comment that Costco has “engaged in some scan-and-go, done by Costco,” a phrase strikingly similar to Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go system.

While details remain scarce, Costco’s Same-Day website offers a glimpse into what’s ahead. A feature called “Scan & Pay,” available at select locations through its partnership with Instacart, allows shoppers to scan items with their phones as they shop. The app then generates a QR code, which is scanned at the exit to confirm purchases—no cashier required.

Sam’s Club has already gone all-in on this type of technology, removing traditional checkout lanes at locations like its Grapevine, Texas store. The streamlined shopping experience has earned the Walmart-owned chain high marks for customer satisfaction, even surpassing Costco in recent rankings.

Related: Shopping at Sam’s Club Is About to Change Forever

Costco, long known for its no-frills approach and loyal member base, appears to be listening to the increasing demand for faster, more tech-friendly shopping. Social media has been buzzing with calls for Costco to adopt similar technology, and Scan & Pay could be the company’s first step toward a more modern shopping experience.

Related: Costco’s Gas Stations Are Changing—Here’s What You Should Know

While it’s not yet clear how widely Costco will implement these changes, it's clear that the warehouse shopping game is evolving, and Costco is getting ready to play catch-up.

Related: Beloved Brand’s New Costco Offering Fixes a Longstanding Customer Complaint

Ben Stiller Teases Major ‘Severance’ Expansion With ‘Two Specific’ Spin-off Ideas

Following two seasons of must-see television, we can say with certainty that executive producer and director Ben Stiller has a full-blown hit on his hands. 

The Apple TV+ series Severance premiered on Feb. 18, 2022, and earned a tremendous amount of praise. This came with 14 nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, and a highly anticipated Season 2 that didn’t disappoint, premiering in January 2025.

Severance earned high marks from critics, with Season 1 receiving a head-turning 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Season 2 not far behind, checking in at 95%.

As fans anxiously await a timeline for Season 3 of the popular series, there have been some positive updates. Stiller previously told Travis and Jason Kelce on the New Heights podcast that there's unlikely to be another three-year gap between seasons—but that's not all.

Executive producer and director Ben Stiller (L) and actor Adam Scott attend PaleyFest LA screening of the season finale of "Severance" at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.

LISA O'CONNOR/Getty Images

During a recent interview with Variety, Stiller revealed that there are two potential Severance spin-off ideas on the table.

“There are two specific ideas — that I won’t tell you — that we’ve talked about internally as possible spinoff ideas," Stiller said.

He called them "nascent," with what Variety described as a "coy smile."

While Stiller wouldn't go into detail on the potential spin-off ideas, he also admitted that he thinks it'd "be great" to see a Severance video game. The show's star, Adam Scott, agreed with that statement, saying he thinks "it lends itself to one."

Time will tell what comes next for Severance, but the excitement remains heavily focused on what Season 3 will bring to the table.

Related: Tom Hardy Draws the Line: The 1 Thing He Won’t Do for Fans

Sam’s Club Phases Out Traditional Checkout—What It Means for You

Sam’s Club is rolling out a major shift that will reshape the way customers shop at its 600 U.S. locations. The retail giant is eliminating traditional checkout lanes and going all-in on its Scan & Go system, which lets customers scan items with the Sam’s Club app and pay as they shop. It’s a bold move that promises convenience but also comes with some significant changes to the shopping experience and your wallet.

For shoppers tired of waiting in long lines, this shift is a welcome upgrade. Scan & Go means you can breeze through the store, scanning as you go and paying via the app, bypassing the need for cashiers or self-checkout stations. New QR codes will make it easy to purchase larger items and arrange delivery on the spot. But financial experts caution that convenience can come at a cost. “The more convenient an experience, the more people spend,” Melanie Musson, a finance expert at Clearsurance, told GoBankingRates.

That said, savvy shoppers might find Scan & Go to be a useful budgeting tool. By scanning each item, you can track your spending in real-time and adjust your purchases if you approach your limit. It’s a practical way to keep impulse buys in check.

Beyond groceries, the Scan & Go system extends to the Sam’s Club Cafe and fuel stations, where QR codes allow for quick orders and payments. This creates a seamless shopping and fueling experience, speeding up your trips.

Related: Costco Hints at Checkout Shake-Up—Borrowing from Sam’s Club’s Playbook

But there’s a potential downside: job losses. With AI scanners now verifying purchases at the exit, traditional cashier roles could be at risk. Sam’s Club hasn’t specified how many employees might be affected, but some locations, like Grapevine, Texas, have already introduced member specialists to help customers navigate the new technology.

Whether you see it as a tech-savvy upgrade or a move away from human interaction, one thing is clear. Sam’s Club is ushering in a new era of shopping.

What Investigators Found Inside Titan Submersible Wreckage After Explosion

It has been nearly two years since OceanGate Expeditions’ Titan tourist submersible imploded, and new details about the tragedy continue to emerge.

On June 18, 2023, a submersible trekking toward the bottom of the ocean to view the wreckage of the Titanic imploded approximately 90 minutes into the trip. All five people onboard—including OceanGate’s CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British businessman/adventurer Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman/philanthropist Shahzada Dawood, and Dawood’s 19-year-old son Suleman—died in the accident.

Now, as E! News shared on Thursday, we’re getting even more information about the tragedy via a new Discovery documentary, Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster, which premiered earlier this week.

One of the many fascinating details revealed include what items actually survived the implosion intact—including Rush’s clothing. 

“It was actually caked inside of sand,” U.S. Coast Guard investigator Lt. Kelly Steele says in the documentary. “It was the piece of his sleeve that had survived. No, not the whole suit. And inside of the sleeve of it was [an] ink pen, business cards and stickers for the Titanic.”

Sadly, those were the only items investigators found. “There was nothing else but that,” said Kelly, though he seemed to marvel at the fact that “Each one of those pieces, even the pen, was still intact. It hadn’t been broken. All of this debris, all of these things shattered, but his pen was still intact.”

Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster, directed by Pamela Gordon, is a recounting of the doomed journey, its aftermath, and the details investigators and others are still learning. The 90-minute documentary is streaming now on Discovery+ and HBO Max.

Bernie Kerik's Cause of Death Unclear, But Cardiac Issues Cited

Bernie Kerik, the former City of New York police commissioner who rose to fame during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, has died at age 69.

The FBI director, Kash Patel, confirmed Kerik's death on X on May 29, but he did not release a cause of death. Instead, Patel wrote that Bernard Kerik died after a "private battle with illness."

However, Kerik's health issues were heart-related.

Although the official cause of death was not released, The New York Post reported that Kerik died "after he was hospitalized with cardiac disease." He died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, The Post reported.

"Today, we mourn the loss of Bernard B. Kerik, a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known. Bernie passed away tragically on May 29, 2025, after a private battle with illness," Patel wrote. 

"With over 40 years of service in law enforcement and national security, he dedicated his life to protecting the American people. As the 40th Police Commissioner of New York City, Bernie led with strength and resolve in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, guiding the NYPD through one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history. He was decorated more than 100 times for bravery, valor, and service, having rescued victims from burning buildings, survived assassination attempts, and brought some of the world’s most dangerous criminals to justice," he added. 

"His legacy is not just in the medals or the titles, but in the lives he saved, the city he helped rebuild, and the country he served with honor. Rest easy, Commissioner. Your watch has ended, but your impact will never fade. End of Watch – May 29, 2025."

However, Kerik ran into legal issues after his 2001 fame. According to Fox News, Kerik "pleaded guilty in 2009 to eight felonies, including tax fraud and lying to the White House while being vetted for the role of Homeland Security chief in 2004." He spent three years in prison before being pardoned, Fox News reported.

The Post noted that Kerik was "was grilled by Congress during hearings stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol."

Related: Katie Miller Has New Job That's Grabbing Attention, Reports Say