No matter how often we encounter them, people often overlook the "people in our neighborhood," as Mister Rogers would call them. Their presence is so common that we don't always notice them until they're gone for a day or two. These are people like school bus drivers, sanitation workers, delivery drivers, and postal workers. Of course, people know they exist and that they do a job, but because their presence is in the background of daily life, we may not give their jobs much thought. There's the thought that "someone has to do it" when it comes to the service they provide, but sometimes that "someone" is you. Or at least it could be you, especially after hearing how much one of those jobs pays. It's a common misconception that work like sanitation or postal service is menial and low-paying, but the truth is that this essential work can be quite lucrative in the right circumstances. ## A U.S.P.S. mailman shared his paycheck on social media to help recruit more mail carriers. The post office continues to have a shortage of mail carriers in certain areas, especially in rural settings. This shortage causes delays in receiving mail and longer hours for current mail carriers. While the post office has been working to fill gaps by increasing hiring, it still isn't enough, given the large number of USPS workers nearing retirement. It seems to be a constant struggle to keep an adequate number of mail carriers throughout the areas that need them most. The pay is good and you get to drive this sweet truck around!Photo by Joel Moysuh on Unsplash One barrier to people applying to the Postal Service may be that they don't realize the Postal Service is hiring, since some people may see mail carriers as background characters. **Another concern may be whether people can earn a livable wage working for the post office, butLukas' video can help fill in the blanks.** In response to viewers who don't believe he actually makes six figures, the Missouri mailman and TikTok creator shares a screenshot of his paycheck showing he brings home $4,423.09 every other week, which averages out to just over $100K a year. Being fully transparent, Lukas shares that his paycheck includes 23 hours of overtime because he has to work extra hours due to being short-staffed. ## How much do U.S. postal workers make? "On one of my previous videos, somebody said, 'prove it' on one of my checks, so here's one of my last checks. As you can see, the overtime hours, plus my normal pay all equals up to $4,423...so, and that's for two weeks of work. I'm working too much, but if you were to multiply that by 26 weeks, that's over $100,000. We need help, and the post office pays well," he says. Lukas repeatedly states in his video that the post office is hiring and needs help desperately, but comments were mixed on whether working at the post office was a good move. > @lukasthegiant > > We're Hiring and Yes, We Pay Well. In some cases, over 100k!#greenscreen #werehiring #paidwell #tallestmailman #needhelp #getpaid #100k #usps #apply "I mean he’s technically making 25.00 hourly and $38 for each hour of OT. You’re forgetting the minimum wage in majority of states is 7.25," one person writes. "Post office is recession-proof. Been there 30 years," another commenter shares. Someone else chimes in, "been working at the post office for 5 years just made regular. it is not easy when you start but once you know how to do it it's a BREEZE." Three USPS boxes. via Canva/Photos A former postal worker reveals, "I worked there 6 years and had no life. Worked 12 + hrs for 7 days a week. I wasted most of my 20s working. NO THANK YOU!!!!, before adding. "When I started years ago it was $15 an hr when I left it was $25." To be fair, while Lukas is doing well for himself (and working quite hard for the money), many mail carrier shortages are partly due to wages that don't cover the cost of living in certain areas. So there's definitely room for improvement, and the American Postal Workers Union is fighting for higher pay and better hours all the time. ## What's the average USPS mail carrier salary? According to Glassdoor, the median pay for a USPS mail carrier is $66,000 a year, with an average range of $55,000 to $81,000, and that's before overtime. In addition, they receive generous benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; long-term care insurance; a retirement package; up to 15 days of leave; and 11 Postal Service holidays. The post office seems to be much like any other job. Some people have a great experience working there, while others do not, but if someone is looking for a chance at a new career with retirement benefits, USPS could be a place to land. _This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated._

One of the toughest things about being a parent has to be helping your child discover and nurture their talents. You seek to encourage them to try new things without overwhelming them. You want them busy with lots of enriching activities but not so busy they don't have time to just be a kid. And when you do stumble on something they have a knack for, you tread lightly, wanting to give them every opportunity to pursue it without pushing too hard. It's a really tricky balance to get right. Maybe that's why we're so fascinated with child prodigies, or even just talented kids whose parents have done a bang-up job of giving them the space and encouragement to explore their creativity. Joseph, a dad from Dublin, Ireland says he started drawing and painting in the evenings about a year ago to help him unwind from work. It's a great idea, because adult coloring has been shown to have a ton of positive mental health effects. Plus, it's fun! But one unintended and adorable side effect of Joseph's coloring was that his young son, Philip, decided he wanted to emulate him. Philip had always loved coloring but, Joseph says, "I had to get him some pastels, and he started trying on the same drawings as I did," Joseph says. "I found it absolutely adorable when he was seriously repeating the same movements as me: cleaning the tips of the pastels, blend the edges of colors, etc." One thing quickly became apparent: Philip was much, much better than his old man. **Last year, he made a painting that was so good he couldn't resist sharing it onReddit. Within two days, it generated over 100,000 views and 3000 likes."** The overwhelming response? _"Uh, 5-year-olds can't do that."_ Have a look and see for yourself. Not bad, eh? Philip painted this blue mountain lake piece with help from a YouTube tutorial. bruncvik/reddit The first piece Philip shared is wildly impressive. Some commenters couldn't believe that a 5-year-old could have made it, but I think you can see it pretty clearly. It has just enough childlike crudeness, but the stylistic flair is just off the charts, from the whispy sky to the slightly foreboding trees. Redditors agreed that it was incredible. "Thats better than I can do now at 25," one Reddit user wrote. Others questioned whether the boy might be related to Bob Ross. "I told [Philip] about it, and I guess that was his first big dopamine hit," Joseph says of going viral. "Since then, he is asking to draw more often, and there's often an intrinsic reward for him. One painting got submitted to a charity auction at his school ... I don't pressure him to draw; he's coming to me to ask whether he can use my pastels" One critical part of the story is that Philip often follows along with YouTube videos that his dad finds for him. Lest you think this should diminish how impressive the painting is, quite the contrary. As someone with an almost-5-year-old of my own, I've seen the kind of stuff kids this age are capable of drawing — and it's not this! No matter how much instruction they have. The structured YouTube videos were able to unlock Philip's natural talent and guide him in a way that his dad never could. **Here's the finished painting he was following along with. Honestly? I like Philip's better! It has a lot more personality.** ** ** Here's what the painting was "supposed" to look like. She'z ART/YouTube ## The response to Philip's first painting was so positive that his dad decided to post another piece. You gotta give the people what they want! ********I love this one, too. The youngster's talent is on display again, with an excellent color palette and aggressive strokes giving it life. Remember — the kid is five years old! Five! Usually they can barely muster a convincing stick figure.**** **** **** I love this haunting purple and orange piece Philip painted! bruncvik/reddit **And again, here's the model painting from YouTube. Joseph said his own versions of these paint-alongs come out looking a lot like the example, but that his son has an incredible way of making them his own.** As you might expect from a 5-year-old, the brush strokes are a little more crude and dramatic — but they're purposeful, as well! Philip's renditions have a lot of energy and seem to leap off the page. But what do I know? I'm no art critic. However, the huge social media response definitely shows that Philip is onto something here. A YouTube tutorial of a sunset river helped Philip learn to paint the scene. She'z ART/YouTube **Philip's dad gives a lot of thought to the right way to nurture his son's talent without pushing too hard and snuffing it out.** "He attended an afterschool art club, where they experimented with different media, but he found it too restrictive. He is still bringing home new art at least twice per week, but it's something he does on his own," dad says, not sure if pushing his son into formal art instruction is the right thing to do. **Experts say that pushing too hard when your kid shows a flair for something, especially regarding longterm goals (like going to art school or becoming a professional artist one day), canbackfire big time and make them feel overwhelmed and resentful.** Believe it or not, the process of nurturing and teaching starts super early. Art teachers and experts agree that how you react to something as simple as your toddler's nonsensical scribbles can have a big impact on their self-esteem and enjoyment of making art. > @susanstrikeryoungatart > > Scribbles provide an important opportunity to talk to your toddler, provide vocabulary, and promote literacy! #reading #readiness #scribbles #Vocabulary #todddler #art #kidsart #childrensart #childrenspainting #goodartprojects #teachingontiktok #criticalthinking #fypシ #fypage #teachingart #artlessons **Heidi Hass Gable, a former gifted child, says in a TedX talk that prodigies and brilliantly talented children can be extremely sensitive.** They often have to suppress their talents in a desire to fit in with all the other kids. That makes raising them and nurturing that talent a delicate high-wire act. Experts recommend making sure gifted kids get lots of downtime and to not place too much emphasis on achievements like grades, awards, contest wins, etc. Praise the hard work and the process but try to help them avoid attaching their self-worth to external validation. - YouTube www.youtube.com Joseph finds lots of subtle ways to encourage his son's interest. "One thing I do with him, though, is to talk about painting when we are out and about. Last weekend, we went to watch the sunset, and I asked him what colors he'd use for the clouds. ... Philip is just as obsessed with different shades (his current favorite word is 'vermilion' and his favorite color is 'turquoise'), and how they mix." Being the parent of a talented or gifted kid is no easy job. There are a lot of pitfalls and plenty of ways to bungle your attempts to nurture that talent. As impressive as Philip's artwork is, especially for his age, the thoughtful parenting on display in this story is just as awesome. _This article originally appeared in January. It has been updated._

Question: If the average American eats 8 pounds of strawberries a year, and an average strawberry farm yields approximately 20,000 pounds of berries per acre, how many people could a 200-acre strawberry field yielding 4 million pounds of strawberries feed? Don't worry, you don't have to do the math. The answer is 500,000 people. But what if that same 4-million-pound crop, providing enough strawberries for _half a million_ people, could be grown on just _one_ acre instead of 200? It's possible. You just have to go—or rather grow—up, up, up. Indoor vertical farm company Plenty Unlimited knows a lot about growing up. In fact, it's their entire business model. Instead of the sprawling fields that traditional farming methods require, "vertical farms" have a much smaller land footprint, utilizing proprietary towers for growing. Plenty has used vertical farming methods to grow greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach and more for years, but now it boasts a vertical berry farm that can yield a whopping 4 million pounds of strawberries on a little less than an acre. > See on Instagram Growing indoors means not being at the mercy of weather or climate unpredictability (barring a storm taking out your building), which is wise in the era of climate change. Unlike a traditional greenhouse, which still uses the sun for light, Plenty's indoor vertical farms make use of the latest technology and research on light, pinpointing the wavelengths plants need from the sun to thrive and recreating them with LED lights. Plenty farms also don't use soil, as what plants really need are water and nutrients, which can be provided without soil (and with a lot less water than soil requires). Being able to carefully control water and nutrients means you can more easily control the size, taste and uniformity of the berries you’re growing. If that sounds like a lot of control, it is, and that idea might freak people out. But when a highly controlled environment means not having to use pesticides and using up to 90% less water than traditional farming, it starts to sound like a solid, sustainable farming innovation. > See on Instagram Plenty even uses AI in its strawberry farm, according to its website: “Every element of the Plenty Richmond Farm–including temperature, light and humidity–is precisely controlled through proprietary software to create the perfect environment for the strawberry plants to thrive. The farm uses AI to analyze more than 10 million data points each day across its 12 grow rooms, adapting each grow room’s environment to the evolving needs of the plants – creating the perfect environment for Driscoll’s proprietary plants to thrive and optimizing the strawberries’ flavor, texture and size.” Plenty even has its own patent-pending method of pollinating the strawberry flowers that doesn’t require bees. Just the fact that this enormous crop of strawberries will be coming from Virginia is notable, since the vast majority of strawberries in the U.S. are grown in California. Traditional strawberry farming takes up a lot of land.Photo credit: Canva Is Plenty’s model the farm of the future? Perhaps it’s one option, at least — though there are major questions about whether the vertical farming method is truly economically sustainable in the long run. Though Plenty had been growing diverse crops, the company completed a chapter 11 reorganization in the spring of 2025, narrowing the focus of its vertical farming model to strawberries. “This emergence is the start of a new, focused era for Plenty,” said Dan Malech, Plenty’s Interim CEO. “Our technology has the power to make fresh food accessible to everyone. To accelerate our impact, we are laser focused on strawberries. We’re expanding the growing capacity in the Plenty Richmond farm and pursuing opportunities to bring Plenty’s vertical strawberry farming technology to new locations through farm sales – something Plenty is uniquely positioned to offer based on its proprietary technology.” Strawberries are a wildly popular fruit. Giphy Plenty is not the only vertical farm company out there, which is great. The more we grapple with the impact of climate change and outdated, unsustainable farming practices, the more innovative ideas we’ll need to feed the masses. If they can get four million pounds of strawberries out of an acre of land, what else is possible? _This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated._ _ _

One of the fun things about traveling to different countries is that you not only get to learn about other cultures, but you also learn some things about your own. Americans who travel abroad often learn that people around the world appreciate them for being open, friendly, and good at spreading hope and optimism. On the other hand, people in other countries can often tell when an American is coming from a mile away because they speak loudly, whether indoors or outdoors. Americans also have a very peculiar body language and are known to lean on things when they have to stand for an extended period. A Reddit user posed a question in the AskReddit subforum to learn more about how Americans stand out abroad: What's an "obvious" sign that someone is American? The post received more than 35,000 responses, with an overwhelming number of commenters noting that Americans are all smiles and love to make small talk, something most people appreciate. ## According to Redditors, here are 15 "obvious" signs that someone is American: ## 1. They have a unique confidence _"An Italian told me that Americans walk confidently in the wrong direction."_ _"Been taught to walk fast, and look worried.. People think you know what you're doing."_ ## 2. They're friendly _"I worked as a cashier in a tourist place in Paris, I always recognised Americans because they were kinda friendly to me and they always left tips."_ _"I guess there are worse things than friendly and generous."_ ## 3. Time = distance _"If someone asks how far away something is, an American will tell how you long it takes to get there as opposed to a physical distance."_ _"It actually pisses off some Americans to give a distance in miles, unless they're calculating gas mileage. In some places, you have to give with and without traffic options. I think it's more valuable info in time than in distance."_ ## 4. Grinning at strangers _"The gentle grins you give to strangers if you make eye contact with them as you pass by, at least in the Midwest. was not well received in Germany."_ _"I dated a European man here in the US. When we walked together, every time I made eye contact with someone on our path I would smile at them, and they would always smile back. Boyfriend was so confused at all these strangers smiling at me. Kept asking if I knew all these people. It was hilarious."_ ## 5. They like personal space _"How much personal space they give themselves. Americans like at LEAST an arm's length."_ _"We're conditioned to fill spaces evenly. I noticed when i worked delivery, spending lots of quality time on elevators that for every new person that enters, everybody shuffles to even things out. Similar thing plays out in social gatherings and bars. Not sure if that's universal or not, but I find it interesting. I think the size of our personal bubbles is because our spaces are generally much larger because we've got the space (heh) to build bigger buildings, sidewalks, roads etc. Might also explain why we're louder. Used to filling larger spaces with volume."_ Body language expert Joe Navarro says that among Americans, the social zone for acquaintances and casual interactions is four to 12 feet, while family and close friends stand 1.5 to four feet apart. The intimate zone, for those closest to us, ranges from the skin to about 18 inches. ## 6. They lean _"According to the CIA, when training to be a spy, you have to unlearn how to lean. Americans tend to lean on things when standing still."_ All of this is true, according to Jonna Mendez, the former chief of disguise at the CIA, who has shared some of her tips and tricks for making Americans seem more European. "So we would de-Americanize you," Mendez told NPR. "They think that we are slouchy, a little sloppy. And they think that they can almost see that in our demeanor on the street because they stand up straight. They don't lean on things." ## 7. They don't have an indoor voice _"I've lived in America for 25 years, and it still irritates me that instead of lowering their voices in restaurants so everyone can hear, Americans just scream over each other and make their restaurants as loud as clubs."_ _"For some reason, my otherwise smart and wonderful American friends will speak in the same volume, diction, and speed regardless of any outside factor unless specifically asked."_ ## 8. Dessert for breakfast _"In my homestay in London, I was told that I was 'so American' for enjoying a piece of cake for breakfast (not frosted cake, but like a nuts and dried fruit spiced coffeecake kind of thing). Apparently, that's exclusively for like a 4 pm snack, and breakfast is more of a savory meal."_ _"A lot of American breakfast items in my mind are desserts (pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc.). It doesn't mean I won't eat them, but it's kinda weird to do so."_ ## 9. They wear their clothes differently _"A British man once told me he knew I was American because I was wearing a baseball cap backwards."_ _"An Italian told me they could tell I was American because I wore my sunglasses on the top of my head when I wasn't using them."_ ## 10. Exposed soles _"While visiting Turkey, I was told that I looked American because I was sitting with one leg across the other, and the bottom of my shoe was exposed. Apparently, it's rude idk."_ _"In a lot of places outside of the US, showing the bottom of your shoe is rude."_ ## 11. Tactical gear _"Tactical sunglasses."_ _"I'm in the US, and virtually anything marketed towards men has the word 'tactical' in front of it."_ ## 12. They love small talk _"I'm from California (though a smallish town), and we wave to neighbors on our road, even if we haven't met, and start conversations in the grocery line with people if the opportunity presents itself. Also, smiling and saying hello to someone you happen to walk by and make eye contact with is quite normal. We are a social species, it would be so weird not to be friendly, even to strangers, for me, and I'm not even that social of a person."_ _"What really gets me to it is not that Americans do small talk constantly, but the fact that they are so good and fast at it. I mean, I say 'yeah, it's hot,' and they reply with some interesting fact or make a connection to their hometown. I feel less of myself after this. They must have some small talk class in school or some sh*t."_ ## 13. They like to point _"I've always observed my US friends like to point at stuff while walking and say what it is…. We were out walking around Amsterdam recently and they were like 'hey look it's a smoke shop'…. 'Oh look a sex shop'…. 'Oh hey, it's a prostitute' …. 'Look at the canal'…. 'Wow it's another prostitute'….. 'another canal' etc etc. It was like watching Netflix with Audio Descriptions turned on."_ _"You know that little voice inside your head, your internal monologue? Americans seem to monologue their thoughts."_ ## 14. Optimism and enthusiasm _"Dunno in all context, but Americans in Europe stand out with their ceaseless optimism and enthusiasm."_ _"I'm reminded a lot of Ted Lasso. Everyone I know (all Americans) loves the show. I wonder what kind of European fan base it has." _ _"Americans are so positive and have such a thirst for life. It sickens me."_ ## 15. They eat while walking _"When I lived in Europe, people said only Americans eat while walking. I'd be eating a bagel or something on the way to work or class, and multiple people asked if I was American lol."_ __"Jay Leno said on_ Top Gear,_I think it was, that Americans are also the only people who eat while driving._ I don't do this, but I constantly see people who do, haha, especially in LA, where people spend a lot of time in their cars."_

"What's for dinner?" has been asked by kids for millennia, probably, and the most common answers depend on both where and at what time in history it was asked. In ancient times, people were limited to what they could hunt or gather. Medieval recipes look different than what people ate in the 19th century. And what our grandparents ate when they were children was different from what our kids eat today. Obviously, people couldn't DoorDash Chipotle in the '70s, but when someone on Reddit asked people born before 1970 what they ate for dinner most weeks, there were some standard meals a lot of Americans clearly ate regularly growing up. Lots of meatloaf and beef stroganoff. Pork chops and chop suey. Convenient assistance from Shake n' Bake, Hamburger Helper and TV dinners. Canned fruits and veggies. So much Jell-O. > from AskOldPeople Here are some of the most popular responses: "Overcooked pork chop, minute rice, canned green beans, canned fruit cocktail Spaghetti with ground beef and sauce made from a packet (Durkee?) Pot roast (whatever cut of meat was on sale) cooked with Lipton onion soup mix. Frozen peas. Canned peaches. Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and canned green beans. Canned pears Shake n bake chicken and scalloped potatoes from a box. Canned fruit of some kind. On awesome days Chef Boyardee pizza mix from a box. I liked LaChoy chop suey. Always with a jug of milk on the table." Meatloaf was a staple dinner.Photo credit: Canva "So I think many of our moms went to the same home ec classes. Our house also had on rotation: Goulash: It wasn’t what I have come to understand is Hungarian Goulash, but ground beef/spices/tomatoes. Chicken Diane: Way overcooked chicken with rosemary, thyme and other seasonings. Meatloaf: Yes, ketchup on top. And the ever-present rice. Dad bought an aluminum rice cooker from his time in Japan and we had rice (he added soy sauce on top) 3x per week. The other side was baked potatoes. The big treat!!!??? Chef Boy Ar Dee pizza from a tube on Friday once per month. Mom had a round aluminum baking pan and make dough, spread the included sauce on the dough, add the Parmesan Cheese (in the included packet). That was the biggest treat - and in all honesty I would go back to that day cause I miss my mom. Best pizza ever." - YouTube www.youtube.com "Hamburger patty or braised round steak, green salad, canned vegetable (peas, beans, corn, beets). Occasionally a baked potato. Sometimes my mom would toss chicken in a flour/seasoning mix and bake it and we'd have oven fried chicken--maybe once every couple of weeks. We got beef from a cousin so it was cheap, and chicken was expensive. Mom also made spaghetti with ground beef, and beef stew with the tougher cuts of the cow. Oh--and liver--God how I hated liver night. We always had cheap grocery store 'ice milk' in the freezer for dessert." Spaghetti is still a classic.Photo credit: Canva "Sunday - Spaghetti/macaroni and homemade spaghetti sauce and a salad. Monday - Roast chicken, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg. Tuesday - Pork chops, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg. Wednesday - Spaghetti/macaroni and homemade spaghetti sauce and a salad. Thursday - Rump or sirloin steak, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg. Friday - breaded and fried fish (ugh--haddock, halibut, or cod if the latter was on sale), a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg. Saturday - Rump or sirloin steak, a side (potatoes, Rice-a-Roni), and a veg. Dessert would be supermarket ice cream (carton, usually Neopolitan), Jello chocolate pudding, Table Talk pie (usually apple)." Why were pork chops so popular?Photo credit: Canva "Typical meals: stroganoff made with ground beef and egg noodles. Pot roast. Swiss steak. Chicken cacciatore. Fried chicken. This was in California, but my parents were from the Midwest so pretty meat-and-potatoes. There was always a side vegetable and a starch. Rarely bread or rolls. Occasionally salad but not always until the 1980s. No formal/planned dessert except for special occasions like birthdays and holidays, but sometimes there was ice cream in the freezer or there were cookies (store bought; my mom wasn't a baker). In the late 70s my mom loved Julia Child and started to be more adventurous with cooking; later she took Asian cooking classes too." "Beef stroganoff, fried bologna, weiners wrapped in bacon and then broiled, baked beans, (from scratch) liver. Jello 1-2-3 (so space age!) Bundt cake, canned fruit salad, canned pears, canned peaches." - YouTube www.youtube.com "When we had some money (early in the pay period): Spaghetti with sausages and homemade sauce Liver and onions Chop suey Spare ribs and sauerkraut Pork chops with mashed potatoes and gravy Beef stew Boeuf bourguignon Beef stroganoff When we were short on money: Spam & scrambled eggs Homemade macaroni & cheese Cold cereal That’s all I can think of right now. We very rarely ever had dessert and almost never ate out. We never had fast food, the only fast food chain in town was Burger King, and McDonald’s was a town away and only open about six months of the year." Here's to all the meals that nourished us in every era of our lives.

Watch any sitcom involving a family, and you'll see some stereotype of a seemingly clueless man with his exasperated wife. In reality, there are plenty of men who are perfectly capable of handling their own affairs and being equal partners. But there are some guys still bopping around like the lovable oaf sitcom archetype, and Dr. Brady Smith has had enough of his fellow men. Smith is a dentist who shares content on social media. In one of his most recent videos, he expresses frustration with the men who come into his office. In the tongue-in-cheek video, the dentist is in his office explaining that sometimes when men come to their dental appointments, they have no idea why they're there. Smith jokingly decides that the men who arrive confused will be forced to play a dental procedure game. Dental checkup for a healthy smile.Photo credit: Canva "Men will come to their dental visits sometimes without knowing why they're there, and as a dentist, that's odd to come face-to-face with when I walk into the room. When I say, 'looks like you're here for a check-up and a cleaning,' and they say, 'I don't know, I didn't schedule the appointment.' That does not happen with women," Smith says before eventually revealing his solution. Smith says that he's been a dentist for 16 years and has never experienced a woman walking into his office without knowing what services she's there to receive. He explains that the frequency with which men come into his office confused about why they're there is very often, but they don't seem to be embarrassed about it. The dentist then encourages the men to ask their wives what the appointment is for when they inform them that they've scheduled them a dental appointment. Dentist at work ensuring a bright, healthy smile.Photo credit: Canva "If one more guy says, 'I don't know what I'm doing here, and my wife scheduled the appointment,' I'm gonna create a wheel of services, and I'm just gonna spin the wheel. It's gonna have root canal, full dentures, sinus lift, teeth whitening, night guard, F around with a laser, whatever. And we're gonna spin that wheel, and whatever it lands on, that's what you're getting, and I'll call your wife, and I'll say, 'Listen, Kevin didn't know why he was here, so we spun the wheel, and it landed on full dentures. So get an ice pack and pick up his meds at the pharmacy, please," Smith says while staring directly into the camera. It seems that Smith is not the only medical professional experiencing this phenomenon. There may be a "spin-the-wheel to find out what kind of services you're having" game installed in offices across America, as one doctor shares, "Can confirm this phenomenon happens at the dermatologist as well." > View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr Brady Smith (@drbradysmith) > Another physician writes in part, "As a physician, I’d say about 85% of my male patients don’t know how to answer their own medical history and medication list. As soon as I ask my first question, 'Do you have any allergies?' They look over to their wife, completely clueless, and she proceeds to answer the rest of the questions in detail," before revealing that she's often shocked when male patients know all of their own information. But don't worry; it's not all men. Quite a few wives share that they don't experience these issues because their husbands schedule their own appointments. Others added random suggestions to put on the wheel, like a full set of braces and a colonoscopy. But tucked between the jokes and fellow doctors sharing their own experience with this issue are people calling out the behavior as weaponized incompetence. They explained that it is behaviors like this that cause women to feel like they're doing the heavy lifting in their relationship, resulting in burnout. "Excuse me while I scream. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGH," one woman writes.

Nostalgia for the simpler times of the 1990s is having a renaissance lately. It was a unique decade defined by many a cultural phenomenon: parachutes in gym class, analog devices and technology, snack foods like Push Pops and Dunkaroos, and epic mall hangouts. And who can forget the iconic teal and purple color combo that popped up everywhere? Of course, it's easy to look back at the '90s with rose-colored glasses, which is why Gen Xers and Boomers who lived through the '90s shared some of the seemingly "worst" things about life back then on Reddit. These are 17 humorous things that they thought were downers about the decade. - YouTube www.youtube.com "Getting locked out of your house after school and having no way to contact your parents to tell them to come home. So you just sat on your porch for 4 hours until they got off work." - Dsteeleman "Calling someone you wanted to ask on a date, but their parents pick up the phone..." - Bionic_Push "Late fees at Blockbuster so you had to wait till your parents got paid or had to got to a different video shop that was not as good." - deeljay77 "If you stayed at school late and didn’t have a ride home (or were out) you better pray that someone was home or at work so they could come get you." - Ph886 "We didn't have GPS, so you'd get lost or feel uncertain every time you drove to a new location." - silverlakekaren "Dial-up internet connection. Eeeee errrrrrr krrrshhhhhhhhh wee a wooo ping pingping ping errrrrkkkkkk." - 1osq1, Pickle_ninja Dial Up The Struggle GIF Giphy "$1300 486 computer. $400 17” television...17 inch television that weighed 100 pounds. 😆" - three-sense, TotalEgg143 "The movie or game you wanted to rent being unavailable at the video store." - RODjij "I think for where I grew up (not the middle of nowhere, but also not NYC or LA) it was probably lack of global exposure and cultural exchange that really spread everywhere by the 2000s. Sushi was still considered exotic." - CyberpunkSunrise "The insincerity of it all. Everything was ironic. Even joy. We really dunked on 'nerds' who 'liked things.'" - tmorg5 "If you have an interest now, you google it, find videos, shopping supplies, sub reddits and groups, etc. In the 90s that wasn't a thing for most of the world. Like if you found an interest, you went to the library or bookstore and got a book about it. Hopefully a good book, but you weren't always that lucky. Then you asked around if anyone else did said interest, often no one did. You found a store that would possibly carry supplies for it, they might have something, but could probably order what you wanted, just give it 3-5 weeks. Video instruction was sometimes available, hopefully on tape, so you could go at your own speed. The one big save-all was magazines and catalogs. Almost every hobby had at least two magazines about it, and often people were divided on which was better. And catalogs allowed you to order niche things by mail, it usually took a month or two, but you eventually got it." - weedtrek "All the singers that died! Kurt Cobain, Bradley Nowell, Tupac, Biggie, and I think Stevie Ray Vaughn, oh and Freddie Mercury." - colbydrex kurt cobain nirvana GIF Giphy "Rewinding VHS tapes." - Remote_Newspaper554 "CD Players skipping when going over bumps in cars or while walking." - SlimWorthy "Cigarette butts were E V E R Y W H E R E." - WasteOfBerries "Frosted tips." - LordSnarfington "So if you were going to meet up with your friends at the movie theater or whatever you’d show up and just wait for them. But if someone was really late everybody just had to kind of wait around and there was definitely this dilemma about whether you should just leave them to it and go into the movie or just keep waiting it out. Someone might try to find a pay phone and call their house but 99% of the time it’s just their parent and none of our parents ever knew where we were. With no cell phones this could go on for quite a while before you gave up on someone and it was a big fat waste of everybody’s time. And some people were especially known for being flaky like this and it was really annoying. Much worse than being ghosted in text messages nowadays because you couldn’t really leave the meeting point. You were stuck there till you gave up." - MasterGrok

The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't won a playoff game in three years, and have just a handful of postseason victories in their short history. They have never been to a Super Bowl, making them just one of four teams in the NFL never to do so. That's why, after fielding one of the franchise's best teams in years, their latest quick playoff exit was a hard one for fans and the team itself to swallow. It was heartbreaking and gut-wrenching for nearly everyone in the Jacksonville area. After suffering a narrow defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills this past weekend, head coach of the Jaguars Liam Coen took the podium to answer questions and accept accountability for the loss. Business as usual, despite how demoralized he was feeling. **One of the questions, however, was far from the usual fare. A Jacksonville Free Press associate editor named Lynn Jones-Turpin raised her hand and chose to use her time to give the coach words of encouragement instead of a hardball question.** "I’m going to tell you, congratulations on your success, young man," she said. "You hold your head up. You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job out there today. You just hold your head up, OK? Ladies and gentlemen, Duval. You keep it going. We got another season. Much continued success to you and the entire team." The warm, rousing words had a visible effect on Coen, who began beaming while nodding gracefully. "Thank you, ma'am," he said with genuine appreciation. Talk about a legendary pep talk. You can watch the roughly 30-second moment here: - YouTube www.youtube.com **The brief interaction was picked up by national sports reporters and celebrated as a wholesome moment of compassion between two professionals.** Adam Schefter of ESPN called it an "awesome" moment. His post highlighting the interview got nearly 20 million views on X. Commenters found the compassionate exchange extremely refreshing coming from the usually cutthroat world of sports, where reporters and coaches spar and trade passive-aggressive barbs. They're often pitted against each other as enemies, with reporters seeking transparency and accountability and coaches just wanting to be left alone to coach. Coen and Jones-Turpin broke the mold—for one afternoon at least. "Whoever she works for needs to give her a raise. We need more people like this in the world!" one wrote. "This really is wonderful. It’s fun watching his facial gyrations while she talks to him like an aunty. You can see the kid in the man. Wonderful." "Epically classy from that reporter. Not the finish they wanted, but this squad showed heart all year." "This healed me and I’m not even a Jags fan" someone added. **While not strictly professional, the moment between Coen and Jones-Turpin was a rare thing of beauty. But that didn't stop the curmudgeons from questioning the reporter's professionalism and journalistic integrity.** Many fans (notably, of non-Jaguars teams) and members of legacy media were quick to point out that a reporter consoling a coach after a loss is not a good display of journalism ethics. Hosts on Fox News Sports Radio said, "This is a No-No. She sounds like a fan." Jemele Hill, a writer for _The Atlantic_ , wrote on X, " It’s literally the first lesson you learn — you aren’t a fan. You can love sports. You can be a fan of competition and games. But you are absolutely not a fan," while expressing distaste at how Jones-Turpin handled the interaction. AP reporter Mark Long, in a now deleted post, called the question "embarrassing" and questioned Jones-Turpin' credentials, calling her "fake news." The back and forth between supporters appreciative of her words and people looking for journalists to hold a hard line in the sand became quite a kerfuffle in social media, racking up millions and millions of interactions. **Lynn Jones-Turpin was finally given a chance to respond in an interview on local Jacksonville news, and she defended herself beautifully: By not feeling the need to defend herself at all.** "It was just an overwhelming day. I can tell you that this entire city, this town, our team, our city, and our coach, we were overwhelmed. ... Coach came out, and he was just... emotions. He was totally immersed in his feelings. He had tears, he bit his lip." She then had a chance to address her critics head on. "I don't take no offense to it. Listen, I've been in this business more than 25 years. I've interviewed from Barack Obama to Terry Bradshaw to Tiger Woods. He can say whatever he wants about fake news. I am a member of the Black Press," she said, adding that Black-run newspapers like hers have been around for longer than most modern media outlets. "Support the Black Press. You can call me fake all you want to, honey. I’ve been doing this a long time.” Adding more context, journalist Phil Lewis writes, "The Black Press never agreed to conform to the mainstream media’s ideal of 'objectivity.' In fact, the first Black newspaper aimed to distinguish itself from other newspapers of its time. This is not to say the pursuit of truth isn’t important, but realizing that 'objectivity' has always reinforced white worldviews." Jones-Turpin then joked that she was the new "grandma" or "auntie" of the team. > — (@) **Especially after her earnest appearance and non-apologetic attitude for her approach, the support for Jones-Turpin has been far louder than the criticism.** > — (@) In a way, coaches and the reporters who cover their teams are coworkers. They interact on a near daily basis, and while they butt heads frequently, they both do what they do out of a shared love for the sport and even for the city they work for. The game is ultimately just a game, but the emotions and real-life stakes are very real. When emotions are high, who's to say they're not allowed a brief moment of humanity and compassion for one another? There are far worse things happening in the world—that much is for certain.

Novelty bumper stickers come in many varieties: proud displays of solidarity, cultural and political co-signs, and even unhinged silliness. But if you ask someone to name a famous example, there's a good chance they'll choose one that starts with the phrase "Honk if you…" What exactly are these stickers trying to express, though? If one reads "Honk if you love dogs," does honking simply mean you _also_ love dogs? Apparently there are two very different schools of thought, and dozens of people went online to debate how we should be interpreting these seemingly simple messages. - YouTube www.youtube.com ## Fandom or snark? "So what I've heard is that those 'honk if you like ice cream🍦' license plates can be read two different ways," one user wrote on Reddit. "1. The idea is that this person is broadcasting that they like this particular thing a lot. 2. It's kind of a joke that they're going to ignore you honking at them, because you must just be responding to the bumper sticker, not saying they're a bad driver. It's meant to be kinda snarky." The responses seem roughly split 50/50, with tons of people expressing their shock in both directions. Here are some of the top comments: _"Not sure if it's bulls--- or not but I have never until this moment considered option 2"_ _"I am almost 80 and have never heard the second interpretation. That is ridiculous."_ _"I always thought of it the first way, it was recently explained to me to be the second—I forget which show I was watching, maybe_ Gilmore Girls _, and she was doing an experiment to honk at people who have 'honk if you like _____' stickers and the drivers would get mad at her for honking. So she was theorizing that people who have those types of bumper stickers don't actually want you to honk at them. Which I guess makes it option two in reality and that's the joke."_ Someone honks a car horn. Photo credit: Canva, rattanakun _"Yeah I always took it the first way. 'I like ice cream and I want to get excited about it with other people who also like ice cream!' And I always thought it was stupid. Never even considered it the other way, which is also stupid."_ _"I've never considered it to be anything other than a person broadcasting their fandom."_ _"I always thought it was just a poll type thing until recently lol I learned of the #2 option. So bizarre"_ _"That's correct. It's meant to be interpreted the second way. It's a joke that if they are honking at you for driving poorly, you will ignore and assume they like pizza or whatever the sticker says."_ _"I think this is historical revisionism. I never heard definition #2 until a couple years ago. I've always taken it as definition #1."_ _"Hi. I have always seen the 2nd interpretation, because the first one makes no sense. Honking is not like making small talk in line at the grocery. Nobody wants every car to honk at each other to communicate their likes and dislikes."_ _"I've only seen the second explanation on social media in the last few months, which leads me to believe it's another TikTok originating thing along the lines of trying to redefine what '9 to 5' means."_ > @ellaellaw > > Replying to @WILL (hozier’s version) ## "It took me a really long time to grasp" As for the TikTok mention, that user could be referring to a viral post from content creator Ella, who explained the second interpretation. "It took me a really long time to grasp," they said. "It's more like a 'ha, the joke's on you' from the car that you're honking at with that sticker on." Thousands of other users weighed in with their reactions, including many instances of the popular response "WHAT?" On a related note, lots of people have recently experienced a "today years old" learning moment related to a specific "honk" bumper sticker. In a Reddit thread, one user admitted, "I just realized the phrase 'honk if you're horny' is a pun about horns," and they weren't the only one making that realization. "I even hear this phrase a lot," someone added, "but never made the connection."

Everyone has that person in their life who casts everything in a negative light. You go out for a great meal, only to hear them complain about the service. They never highlight anyone's positive qualities, just their faults, and the only joy they seem to get comes from putting down the things you love. It's like they are programmed to be antagonistic about absolutely everything. The problem is that, whether they're friends, family members, or co-workers, we're stuck dealing with people who drain our energy and have a knack for ruining a good time. Fortunately for us, communication expert _Jefferson Fisher_ recently shared a three-step reset method on YouTube for dealing with these impossible people. Fisher, who has become massively popular on social media, offers tips "to help people argue less and talk more." ## How to deal with negative people Here is Fisher's three-step reset method for dealing with negative energy: ## 1. Don't absorb the negativity "Don't absorb what they said," Fisher says. "Instead, we're going to call it out. You're going to say it out loud. That means when you claim it, you control it. Meaning, you control your own reactions to it. That's the takeaway there." Examples include: "This feels tense." "This feels heated." "I'm sensing some negativity." > @dsqm2 ## 2. Call out the truth, not the tone "When that happens to the negative energy, you're going to send it right back by having them repeat it," he says. "How? It's very similar to how I recommend handling insults. See, they can't repackage it in the same way again when you ask them to repeat it the same way. They can't say it the same way. Then they just look terrible." > @arnaldo.sifre > > Master Negative Energy_ React to Truth, Not Tone Discover the simple but powerful technique Jefferson Fisher uses to stop negative energy without arguing or escalating. Instead of reacting to someone’s tone, you focus on the truth behind their words. The method? ➡️ Ask them to repeat what they said. Most passive-aggressive people cannot package their negativity the same way twice. When they repeat it, the tone weakens and the truth comes out. If it’s still negative, calmly ask again: “I need you to say that again—better.” This forces clarity, removes hostility, and shifts the power back to you. Stop reacting to tone. Start uncovering truth. Transform every interaction starting today. #fyp #CommunicationSkills #JeffersonFisher #ConfidenceTips #EmotionalIntelligence #StopNegativity #PassiveAggressive #BetterConversations #MindsetMatters #HealthyBoundaries #LifeSkills #SpeakUp #PersonalGrowth #RelationshipSkills #foryourpage ## 3. Protect your presence "You cannot control another person's mood," he adds. "You cannot make somebody happier. That is their choice. … Big takeaway: you are making sure that your mind acknowledges the negative energy, but it neither matches it nor tries to attach to it. That's the difference. That's how you handle the negative energy." Here's the whole video: - YouTube youtu.be ## Why are some people so negative? A primary reason some people are overwhelmingly negative is that they are extremely fearful and hyperfocus on the negative aspects of life. "In brief, almost all negativity has its roots in one of three deep-seated fears: the fear of being disrespected by others, the fear of not being loved by others, and the fear that 'bad things' are going to happen," Raj Raghunathan, PhD, writes in ___Psychology Today___. Humans also have a _negativity bias_, which means we're more primed to respond to negative than positive stimuli. That's why we remember insults far more often than praise and are more likely to recall negative moments than positive ones. Why all the negativity? It's a survival technique. People who can detect danger and harmful situations are much more likely to survive than those who focus on the positive. Unfortunately, we sometimes have to make a conscious effort to see the good in the world. Even though negative people can be a burden to be around, taking Fisher's advice and refusing to let them affect our presence can turn them into a reminder to reset and refocus on the positive in life.

It's no secret that grocery prices today are astronomical. As people look for more ways to save on their grocery bills, it can spark nostalgia for days when groceries didn't cost an arm and a leg, like back in the 1990s. One mom recently unearthed a long-lost grocery receipt from June 20, 1997 that proves how much grocery prices have skyrocketed. TikToker Zoe Dippel (@zoeydippel) shared an H-E-B grocery store receipt that had been tucked into a baby book from her mother-in-law. It showed a massive shopping trip with a seemingly minuscule total compared with today's grocery prices. The 122 items cost just $155. "POV: her mom saved a grocery receipt from 1997," the video caption reads. > @zoedippel > > I WISH!!!! #heb #viral #groceryshopping #fyp @Courtney The women were stunned as they went item by item through the receipt, sharing what certain products cost back in 1997. A few examples include: * Little Debbie brownies ($1.09) * Gerber baby food jars ($0.55) * Loaf of bread ($1.26) * Large container of yogurt ($0.50) * Bag of ground coffee ($2.47) "We were immediately shocked," Dippel told _TODAY.com_. "As we started reading off the prices, our jaws dropped … It wasn't until that moment that I truly realized how much the world has changed in nearly 30 years." Viewers had lots to say in the comments about how expensive groceries have become: "That is WILD 😭😭😭." "I used to fill UPPPPP a whole shopping cart at H‑E‑B for like $150 😭 I miss those days." "It makes me sick to my stomach to see how expensive groceries have become. It's validating tbh, to see your mom's receipt." > @zoedippel > > $155 to $500 is CRAZY!!!!! WHAT?!? No wonder we are all struggling to survive out here. 🤣 Our parents had it so good!!!! #fyp #viral #heb #groceryshopping @H-E-B Many viewers also asked Dippel to do a price comparison by buying the exact same items today to see the full difference, and she followed through. In a follow-up video post, she shared that she input all of the items into H-E-B's online curbside pickup shopping feature to get an estimated price for today's cost, and the total was astounding. As she starts to add up the items, Dippel says, "This is going to be bad." For example, she shares that Little Debbie brownies now cost $5.75 and a bag of coffee is $9.43. After looking up the price of each item, the total comes out to $504.11—a more than 200% increase. "$155 to $500 is CRAZY!!!!! WHAT?!? No wonder we are all struggling to survive out here. 🤣 Our parents had it so good!!!!" Dippel captioned the second video. Once again, viewers had plenty to say in the comments: "We aren't mad enough about this. THANK YOU for doing this" "Now THIS is journalism." "And boomers will tell us 'work harder', 'y'all are lazy' 😂." Dippel's posts highlight the challenges many Americans are feeling. "It's honestly wild to see how dramatically grocery prices have changed due to inflation," Dippel told _TODAY.com_. "It's impossible to ignore how broken the system feels."

Whether it's an apartment or a mansion, the majority of us are looking for better ways to clean our homes. Even the most thorough cleaners have trouble getting dirt and dust from the back of bookcases, under the couch, or behind the fridge. However, several homeowners and renters alike swear by an unusual power tool to help: a leaf blower. It may seem counterintuitive at first, since it could spread dust and debris, but many people use a leaf blower as a first sweep to loosen hidden dirt and push it out into the open for their vacuums to finish off. Plenty of videos on social media praise and promote this little cleaning hack. > View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bree Sunshine Smith (@breesmithwx) > Many people on Reddit vouch for this technique: __“I thought I did a great job cleaning, but I was disgusted by how much I didn't get! SO much dust, enough dog and cat hair to make a kitten, a missing charging cable, a few tissues, AND a gift card for $50 that I lost over a year ago!”__ __“It got dust out of my speakers and from inside machines! It caused me to dust and vacuum things that sometimes get neglected. (door frames, curtains, doorstops) I know there is still dust in places I don't see, but now there is so much LESS of it!”__ __“I use a leaf blower for all my Lego stuff—it's a game changer. Definitely recommend.”__ __“I did this a few months ago to get to the coils on my fridge…Yikes! So much dust came out it was all over the kitchen. I will say that it didn't get everything but it got way more than any other method I've tried.”__ __“My house is open concept. I'm thinking of opening the back door and just starting from the front and blowing it out the back!”__ > View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kara Leigh (@karaa_leigh) > Several others shared ideas inspired by using leaf blowers to clean indoors: __“I use my leaf blower for clearing light snow off my car. Saves me from scratching the paint with a snow brush.”__ __“I was thinking about running my air purifier on max while doing this. To catch as much air borne dust as possible before it settles again.”__ __“It works great for the interior of your car, too. Open all the doors and blow from one side to the other. Then blow the other side just like you did the first time. It's great for getting stuff out from under your car seats and places you can't really reach with a vacuum.”__ __ __ > @joey.foo > > The trash cans were critcal#cleantok#cleaning#clean#carclean#carcleaning#cardetailing#leafblower#leafblowing#leafblowingcar __“We also use a leaf blower to clean our box fans we use every night. They get so gross.”__ __“I saw a hair salon using a hairdryer to dust the products on the shelves.”__ __“Pro tip: most shop vacs have a 'blow' feature. So if you don't have a leaf blower or just have a gas one, borrow a shop vac. Just make sure the shop vac can is EMPTY first. And maybe just remove the filter, if it's dirty.”__ If you want to give this a try, many people who clean with leaf blowers offer the same basic guidance. First, make sure you use an electric leaf blower, since gasoline-powered versions can stink up the house and release fumes that are dangerous to inhale. Second, depending on the power setting, you'll want to turn on a fan and open a door to help move any lingering dust particles out of your home. Lastly, depending on where you blow the dust, you may need to wipe it off your walls, especially if a neglected area releases a lot of debris. Have fun cleaning!

Americans have such an interesting reputation internationally, but one that seems to give our nationality away in Germany is our habit of smiling. That's not to say that Germans don't smile because of course they do! But they don't smile while passing strangers on the street or use it as a social nicety. Some may consider the constant smiling that many Americans do as fake or disingenuous because it's not part of their cultural norms. Dominik, a German man who runs the YouTube channel _Get Germanized_ , explains that Americans may be taken aback by the lack of smiling by German citizens in public settings. In America, it's considered polite to smile when greeting people or even when entering a place of business while passing another customer. It's a social norm that signals to the other person that you're acknowledging them. Sometimes this can be followed by a good morning or a thank you if the person in question held the door. There are places in the country where this is not as prevalent, but even in large cities where everyone seems to be in a rush, smiling still seems to be an understood custom. Smiling girl chatting outdoors with a friend.Photo credit: Canva Cultures vary from state to state, so it's no surprise that German social niceties are different than those in the U.S., Dominik explains, "Smiling is social lubricant everywhere else. [In] Many cultures, especially English-speaking ones, smiling is a social default. You smile at strangers. You smile to soften social interactions. You smile even when you don't mean it. It's a universal, friendly, 'I'm harmless' gesture. In Germany, that's suspicious. People will think, 'Why is this person smiling at me?'" He goes on to share that the German smile is rare because it is only used when they're familiar with the person and are genuinely happy or amused. According to Dominik, a German offering up smiles to random people could "feel fake, intrusive, or overly familiar." It can also be seen as nervousness, insecurity, or manipulation. Germans don't smile to soothe the discomfort of themselves or others. Instead, their faces remain neutral until they experience an emotion that would elicit change. "German communication is built on honesty. Not just in words, their body language too. If they're tired, you'll see it. If they're annoyed, you'll feel it. If they're happy, they'll show it, but only when they actually are. No forced cheerfulness. No plastic service smile. No, 'How are you? Fine,' dance. It's refreshing once you get used to it. Like taking off a mask you didn't know was there," Dominik says. The no-smiling cultural norm extends to the service industry in Germany. Customer service employees are there to solve the customer's problems, not to be entertaining. Dominik explains that Germans trust professionals who look focused while working. Even on public transportation, no smiling is going on between commuters; people mind their own business. They're not unfriendly, they're respecting your space." Dominik shares. Smiling warmly in a cozy sweater, feeling relaxed and happy.Photo credit: Canva The German culture enthusiast assures viewers that Germans smile a lot, but it's reserved for friends, families, and cute puppies. They also smile at people they like, so it's not that Germans think Americans are strange for smiling; their cultural norms are just different.

Sometimes, people just want to sing. They imagine themselves belting out their favorite tunes to whomever will listen. But for many, anxiety overtakes their fantasy. The thought of messing up or sounding bad is just too terrifying, and they end up keeping their songs to themselves. Luckily for a 79-year-old man named Colin in Barnsley in the UK, the opportunity to turn this fantasy into a reality presented itself. Singer/songwriter Ruth Lisgo had begun recording karaoke on the street, occasionally handing out a microphone to those who wanted to join in on harmonizing or singing a verse or two. Colin first went viral after singing "Words" by the Bee Gees. Lisgo states on an Instagram post that "over one million have now viewed that video." > @ruthlisgomusic > > Replying to @Sir Nick the Naughty I absolutely agree Nick. So often when I’m busking I come across people who have so many stories to tell and often in life it just takes a few minutes to really make a difference with someone by listening ❤️ 🙏 Colin has many stories I’m sure #words #beegees #busking #takethetime Well, Colin has returned a few times, most recently to belt out "Mandy" by Barry Manilow. An added bonus is that he dedicated his rendition to none other than his dental hygienist. In a chyron over the clip, Lisgo explains, "This man asked if he could sing on my mic. He told me he only sang karaoke at home when he was younger, but always loved singing and music. But he was afraid of forgetting words and being on a stage. He came back today to sing this for his dental hygienist who had seen the video of him singing 'Words' by the Bee Gees, and she requested him to sing this ahead of her going to a Barry Manilow concert in 2026." > See on Instagram Clad in a warm coat and beanie, Colin grasps the microphone. His hands seem to shiver in the cold, but what comes out of his voice is pure warmth and perfection. He begins, "I'm standing on the edge of time. I've walked away when love was mine." For a moment, he blanks on the following lyric, "Caught up in a world of uphill climbing, the tears are in my mind and nothing is rhyming." But Lisgo steps in to help him find his way. Now for the chorus and a key change: "Oh Mandy! Well, you came and you gave without taking, but I sent you away. Oh Mandy! Well, you kissed me and stopped me from shaking. And I need you today. Oh Mandy!" The clip jump cuts to both Colin and Lisgo caught up in the moment. You can clearly feel the pride, smiles, and applause as Lisgo flips the camera to reveal a small crowd has formed. Lisgo asks commenters under her Instagram post to please share where they live so Colin can feel love from all over the world. Over 5,500 people (and counting) did just that. Chiming in from Canada to Turkey to Finland to Sweden, compliments poured in by the hour. "Wonderful moment for him and for us," one Instagrammer writes. Another addresses their comment directly to Lisgo, praising her for bringing so much joy. "I don't know you, but I actually watched your reaction to him singing and it was beautiful. I could see the heart and kindness in your face." Lisgo replies sharing how moved she was, writing, "I was brought to tears and I was feeling so much in this moment. It really was special and magic - thank you!" Another commenter shares what so many of us believe: "Barry Manilow will be proud." Colin sings full-version of "Mandy" by Barry Manilow. www.youtube.com, Ruth Lisgo

It's not always easy to maintain close friendships as an adult. Everyone's busy and to some degree exhausted, and free time is scarce. So how do we maximize our friend time? And how do we reach out without looking too pushy? A regular person offered a suggestion: asking one thoughtful post-hangout question that's made their friendships "so much stronger." It's pretty simple: "When's the next time I'll see you?" Here's their logic: "You're showing enthusiasm for seeing your friend again, reassuring them you had a good time, and planning the next time you'll see each other all in one go," they wrote on Reddit. "Obviously this requires the friend to reciprocate, but it's such a simple and effective way to show love that has had consistent, lasting effects on my friendships. I don't typically say this to new friends; it's for people that I'm confident I want consistently in my life." - YouTube www.youtube.com Their trending post earned hundreds of replies, as people weighed in with their perspectives. One person appeared to echo the OP's sentiment, talking about the importance of having a "chooser" in friendships—someone who will take on the role of making plans. "'Be a chooser' is the best advice I ever received," they wrote. "People want to hang out, but very few want to make the decision to hang out and organize it. Be the chooser…people will follow." In reply, someone added, "I'm the planner and the calendar friend. For a long time, I took it so personal that no one else really planned things. But actually, people appreciate this. If they didn't, they'd make excuses to not hang out or would just say no instead of enthusiastically agree." Here are more interesting comments, including some with a different perspective: ## "This works because it removes guesswork" _"I have a group of girlfriends from college that get together every month for brunch, and most of them are also in a book club with me. At the end of each hang, whether it's brunch or book club, we get our calendars out and plan the next one. Occasionally we skip a month if there's a ton of conflicts, and not every person makes every single hang, but they happen very regularly and have been happening regularly for about 2 1/2 years now. We're all late 30s-mid 40s with careers and (in their cases,) spouses and families. 10/10 everyone should do this!"_ _"It rules that this works for you! I have to say, if someone asks me this, unless we're super duper bestest friends I'm just gonna say, 'hopefully soon- let's talk!" and not much will change. Seeing friends is more of a time issue than a desire issue IMO. Even if we want to plan things, we're busy a lot."_ Two friends hugging. Photo credit: Canva, mododeolhar from Pexels _"I see the usefulness of this, but also I think this would low-key give me a panic attack if I just got done hanging out with someone and they wanted to plan the next one. I'm fully prepared to believe this is a 'me' thing"_ _"Agree with you in spirit but phrasing it that way puts a lot of pressure on them to figure out a date in advance, and some people don't like to plan far in advance."_ _"Instead I usually go with something like 'what's our next thing?' Easier for another person to figure out what something is than when on the spot"_ _"I love this because it shows intention without being clingy. So many friendships fade just because no one makes the next step explicit. This feels simple, warm, and very human."_ _"If this isn't your speed, you can also text them the next day. This works well for anxious people because it also sends them an affirmation/aftercare if they are worried about the hangout."_ ___"This works because it removes guesswork. Clear interest plus a next step keeps friendships from fading by accident."_ - YouTube www.youtube.com ## "Focus on the reception" While some people felt the question could come off as pushy, the OP clarified their stance with a few key points: they don't ask it every time they see someone, particularly people they see often, and they always make sure to read the room. They continued, "You do NOT do this after an exhausting event, or with people who do not like planning. Sometimes it's a conversation opener; others it's a time to pull out the calendar. This works well for busy people who also like consistent quality time. If that is not you, that's okay." While every friend dynamic is unique, it's natural to feel like you're constantly initiating hangout plans. Friendship coach Danielle Jackson explored this idea in a 2021 YouTube video, explaining that there are three key things you can do if you feel like the "giver" in a relationship: give the other person the "opportunity to initiate," reframe how you view their contributions, and "focus on the reception" rather than the initiative. "At the end of the day," Jackson says, "it's less about who's asking and more about who's saying yes." - YouTube www.youtube.com

Many people have noticed an uptick in feeling like something is just on the tip of their tongue, but their brain is unable to grasp it. Brain fog and an increased difficulty to concentrating long enough to problem solve are also anecdotally on the rise. If you've ever felt like this, you're not alone. According to a neurologist, Dr. Arif Khan, people around the globe are experiencing more difficulty thinking than they did in the past, and he knows why. We're constantly thinking throughout our days, but more complex thought seems to be taking a toll in more recent years. Sometimes, asking your brain to think critically feels the same as asking it to turn you into a car—just impossible. But, thankfully, Khan knows why. Deep in thought, trying to find the right answer.Photo credit: Canva The neurologist starts his video by asking about the last time you had to think without using Google or AI to help with the answer. "Something subtle is happening to your brain, and most of us do not realize it until it has already changed how we think," he says. "You started a sentence, and auto-complete finished it. You had a question, and the answer appeared instantly. You needed to decide, and a tool did it for you instantly, and you probably did not even notice this. But here's a thing most people do not realize: that tiny pause, that moment where your brain used to think, is slowly disappearing." This pause when your brain buffers to flip through the archive of information stored deep within it, is no longer being utilized. It may not occur to people that they're training their brains not to think. Khan explains that when people quickly move beyond the pause to pick up their phone to have the answer provided, the brain adapts. This adaptation is creating a reflex to bypass the thinking process, staying in line with the brain's goal of efficiency. Khan says, "If a task gets handled for you, your brain does not resist. It relaxes. Sounds helpful, right? But here's what most people miss: the brain strengthens when it's used, and it weakens when it is not. That is not philosophy, that is neuroscience. When you struggle to remember something, memory circuits fire. When you solve something, your prefrontal cortex activates. When you sit with uncertainty, your brain builds resilience. But when answers arrive instantly, when decisions are made for you, your brain quietly steps back." Khan goes on to say that the process isn't abrupt, so many do not feel like they're having trouble thinking—but there are signs. With the increased use of AI and search engines for quick answers, Khan shares that people may notice they become easily frustrated with not getting the answer quickly. He also explains that people start becoming increasingly uncomfortable with thinking things through, causing them to reach for information tools much faster than in previous years. Pensive moments during study time.Photo credit: Canva Search engines that bring information to the fingertips of millions in seconds has made the pastime of wondering obsolete. If someone becomes curious about something, they simply ask Alexa or Siri without even having to stop the task at hand. This action has become reflexive for most people, which decreases trust in one's ability and lowers confidence, according to Khan. He advises that people should instead practice becoming comfortable with the discomfort that comes with not knowing. Sitting in that pause and thinking things through before using an information tool can help rebuild the deep thinking part of the brain. Khan encourages people to use AI as a collaborator, not a replacement for thinking, by allowing 10 seconds to think first. This simple pause can make the difference in maintaining the brain's capacity to confidently think without the input of a search engine.

Ever been told that you mumble? Or that your way of speaking is quiet or lacking confidence? It could be affecting you in a range of situations, from asking someone out to giving a presentation at work or interviewing for a job. Well, a behavior researcher has a solution for you: put a pen in your mouth. Behavior expert and speaker _Dr. Shadé Zahrai_ shared a technique in a social media video that could help people who mumble, rush through speeches, or generally struggle to enunciate when speaking aloud. She recommends taking a clean pen and placing it horizontally in your mouth, like a horse biting a bridle. Then take out a book and read it aloud to yourself for one minute, even overpronouncing some words if you need to. After a minute has passed, take the pen out of your mouth and continue reading the rest of the page. Doing this "Pen Drill" once a day should help you speak more clearly and effectively overall. > @shadezahrai > > I promise you - so this for 60 seconds and you’ll enunciate better. This may sound silly, but there's solid reasoning behind it. Because you're trying to hear yourself clearly while speaking with a pen in your mouth, you naturally slow down as your mouth opens wider than usual. This makes your speech and enunciation clearer by forcing you to slow down and articulate each word. A side benefit is that speaking slowly and enunciating clearly makes you appear more calm, confident, and authoritative. > @joseczuniga > > Try this pen trick to enunciate better and get a deeper more confident voice #josezuniga There are additional benefits beyond clearer speech. Content creator _Jose Zuniga_ claims the technique can help men deepen their voices. Zuniga says that when men speak from their chest rather than their throat during the "Pen Drill," the wider mouth opening allows them to speak at a lower pitch than usual. Singers and vocal coaches also recommend putting a pen in your mouth in order to reduce vocal strain. > @sophiesaidcoaching > > A tip guarenteed to help with vocal strain!! Just grab a pen or a chopstick #vocalcoach #singing #singer Speaking clearly is incredibly beneficial, not only because it helps you be understood and get what you want, but also because it makes you appear more _eloquent_ and intelligent. Speaking in a clear, calm way makes you sound confident, which helps people believe your words and arguments more than if they were delivered meekly, filled with "ums" and "uhs." Combined with strong body language, it can mean the difference between being believable and being believed. "Clear speech signals calm authority, and calm authority is magnetic," explains Zahrai in her video. "You don't sound rushed, you don't sound unsure, you sound like someone who expects to be listened to." > @gentlemens_collective > > To be become a better speaker FAST… slow down. If you want to improve your speech, whether to reduce mumbling, slow a rushed, worried pace, or sound more confident, put a pen in your mouth and swallow your pride (but not the pen!). With time and practice, it could change your speech patterns into ones people clearly understand and feel compelled to listen to.

We've all experienced this, even as adults: You know that nightmare where you show up to the final day of class and there's a huge test and you panic as you realize you've missed the whole semester and haven't studied at all? Or how about the one where you have to give a big presentation at work and you show up totally unprepared—no notes, no visuals, no speech—and you have to wing it? For musicians, the equivalent is showing up on stage to perform without preparation or rehearsal, which is exactly what happened to Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires when she was on stage in front of an audience of 2,000 people in Amsterdam in 1999. As the orchestra started to play, she quickly realized she was in trouble—she had prepared the wrong concerto. As the musicians played the two-and-a-half-minute intro to Mozart's Piano Concerto No.20, Pires sat at the piano in terror. She had not practiced that piece and she didn't even have the sheet music for it. She had, however, played that concerto before, and in an inspiring feat of musicality, muscle memory, and sheer human will—along with some encouraging words from conductor Riccardo Chailly—Pires got herself centered and locked in, playing the correct concerto in its entirety, miraculously without missing a note. > From horror show to triumph! This is the moment when pianist Maria Joao Pires realises - as the orchestra starts to play - that she has learned the wrong piece for a concert. With no sheet music to fall back on, she has to keep calm and carry on. She is AMAZING. As is conductor… pic.twitter.com/BR9TJqhLMs > — Joanna Gosling (@joannagtweets) February 25, 2024 The full story actually feels even more daunting for those of us who can't sit down and pound out a piano concerto at will. It turned out that Pires wasn't even the original pianist who was slated to play at this concert. She was asked _the day before_ to be a replacement for the pianist who couldn't perform, so she didn't have a lot of time to prepare anyway. However, she'd misheard the number of the Mozart piece over the phone and thought it was a piece she had played only a couple of weeks before. If that had been the case, she would have been fine, even with the short notice. But having the wrong concerto in mind and then not even having the sheet music for the correct one was an extra pile-on from an already high-pressure situation. The fact that it was a general rehearsal and not the official performance wasn't much consolation, since it was an open rehearsal with a full audience. A rehearsal audience is likely more forgiving than an audience that paid top dollar for a concert, but it's still mortifying to have thousands of people expecting you to perform something you have not prepared for. Thankfully, Pires had performed the concerto multiple times, most recently about 10 or 11 months prior, so she wasn't clueless. But perfectly recalling something you did nearly a year ago at that level and under that amount of pressure is absolutely incredible. - YouTube www.youtube.com The conductor who encouraged her later talked about how impressive it was. "The miracle is that she has such a memory that she could, within a minute, switch to a new concerto without making one mistake," said Chailly. However, Pires insists that her memory is not exceptional at all and that she is "very, very average" among musicians. But it wasn't the only time this happened to Pires. "I must say, this happened to me another two times in my life. In total, three times," she told _ClassicFM_ 's Joanna Gosling. "I hope it never happens again." Pires already gets nervous about performing, despite being a world-famous concert pianist. "I normally feel very stressed on stage," Pires said. "It's not the stage, it's not the public, it's the responsibility. I feel insecure. And that's why I'm not a stage person somehow. There is one side of me that feels okay—I feel okay with the people. But being on stage and being responsible for something can give me some panic." > @deutschegrammophon @Maria João Pires performs Schubert’s late Piano Sonata D.960, one of his most personal mature works as part of her Schubertiades held at the @Philharmonie de Paris #piano #pianist #classicalmusic ♬ original sound - Deutsche Grammophon - DG As Gosling points out, if you were just listening to the performance, you'd never know there'd been an issue. But the camera on her face tells an entire story during the orchestral opening as we see her grappling with the crisis she'd found herself in. Watching the moment she decided she had no choice but to just go for it, whatever happened, is remarkable. A true testament to the power of repetition and the resilience of the human spirit, and a reminder that musicians truly are magicians in so many ways. In November 2025, Pires announced that she was retiring from performing while accepting the prestigious Helena Vaz da Silva European Prize for being "one of Europe’s most influential pianists, a visionary educator and a cultural thinker." Though she might not be returning to the stage, her work will no doubt continue to awaken and inspire. - YouTube www.youtube.com _This article originally appeared last year._

Those whose lives have been affected by Alzheimer's know the pain of slowly losing a loved one long before they're actually gone. Dementia is a cruel diagnosis, and it's hard to overstate how difficult it is to endure someone you know well forgetting who you are. So when a family gets a glimpse of clarity, a moment of lucidity when their loved one remembers and is present with them, it's a gift beyond compare. That's why a viral video of a woman and her granddaughter on graduation day, when her Alzheimer's seemingly "disappeared" for five minutes, has left everyone a teary mess. > @paige.lake > > a moment I won’t ever forget 🩶 #alzheimersawareness #alzheimersdisease #grandparents #fyp #graduation TikTok user @paige.lake shared that it was a moment she'd never forget, as her grandmother saw her in graduation regalia and knew exactly who she was. With Paige in tears, her grandmother tells her she likes her jewelry and says she looks "fantastic." As she hugs Paige, she says, "Don't get so upset!" People requested the video without the music so they could hear her more clearly, and Paige obliged. > @paige.lake > > Replying to @Tabitha Redding I can’t quite believe all the love and support we received from the first video!! She would be over the moon to see all the lovely comments❤️ No sound as requested 🥺 #alzheimersawareness #fyp #grandparents #graduation #alzheimer Some people said they should have stuck with the version with music, because _phew_. "Crying even HARDER now hearing her words clearly 😭 bless you both. 🤍" "I cried when I couldn't hear what she said and now I can't stop crying.. my mom had dementia and I know those moments she remember was the most precious moments so I understand how you feel. God bless 🥺" "I literally have no tears left in my body right now, my grandma has suffered from Alzheimer for almost 10 years now, so this video got me extremely emotional. I am so so happy for you. 🥹" "Me balling my eyes out because I also got those five minutes with my nana who passed of the same 🥹 God bless you guys. ❤️" "Stop it 🥺🥺🥺🥺 she's never ever forgotten how much she loves you ❤" The love of a grandparent is a gift.Photo credit: Canva People with experience caring for dementia patients shared their own stories, as well as insights into what was happening in Paige's video, making the moment all the more meaningful. "Dementia worker here! That's 'cause this isn't just her short term memory. She's been dreaming about your future for a long time love. This is a moment she's been waiting to see. She'd never forget that.💗" "You know that's moment she always wanted to be there for. Her brain gave her a reprieve." "It's because she has dreamt about this moment for SO LONG. Alzheimers affects short term memory. Shes seen you in that gown since you were a little girl. You fulfilled 2 people's dreams that day 🥺" "Mine did that on my wedding day. She walked over and said, 'When did you grow up and become a beautiful bride, Kandi?'" "I just remembered when my grandpa also broke through Alzheimer's for 5 mins and said I looked beautiful on my hs graduation. 😭" Scientists are trying to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease.Photo credit: Canva ## What's the latest in Alzheimer's research? According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are approximately 7.2 million Americans with Alzheimer's disease, which means many more millions of people are affected by it. The University of California reports that Alzheimer's affects 10 percent of people over age 65 and kills more people annually than breast and prostate cancer combined. However, after decades of research into treatment and prevention, researchers are beginning to see promising results that offer hope for the future. "We've had thousands of failed clinical trials and made very little progress against this devastating disease for decades," said Martin Kampmann, professor of biochemistry and biophysics who studies the molecular aspects of dementia at UC San Francisco. "But just over the last five or so years, we've hit an inflection point. We're starting to get traction." There are two FDA-approved drugs that target the underlying causes of Alzheimer's disease and can delay cognitive impairment by up to seven months. But those drugs don't reverse or cure the disease, and significant side effects may give some families pause. However, the discovery of a compound that increases gamma oscillations, brain signals that regulate connectivity between different brain regions and affect cognitive processes like working memory, offers the potential not just for treatment but for the reversal of cognitive decline. In a 2024 study led by Istvan Mody, a professor of neurology and physiology at UCLA Health, the compound was given to mice with Alzheimer's disease. Prior to treatment, the mice couldn't remember how to navigate a maze. Afterward, they were nearly as good at getting through it as mice without Alzheimer's. "We've shown that this works in mice," said Mody. "If we can develop a therapy that's safe and effective for people, we may be able to restore cognitive function. That's the ultimate hope." > — (@) Additionally, a 2025 study from Case Western University tested a pharmaceutical intervention in mice with advanced Alzheimer's. The research showed that the brain’s failure to maintain normal levels of NAD+, a central cellular energy molecule, is a major driver of Alzheimer's disease. The study used a pharmacological agent to maintain proper NAD+ balance, resulting in a recovery of cognitive function in the mice. It's another glimpse of hope, especially if those results carry over to human clinical trials. Many scientists are working on dementia-related diseases and making progress. In the meantime, families like Paige's will take whatever moments they can get with loved ones who have Alzheimer's.

When we think of someone likable, we often imagine a person with a big personality who's the life of the party. We conjure up images of social butterflies and people who keep everyone at the dinner party glued to their every word when they tell a story. The funny thing is, according to research, that's not really the case. Studies show that the easiest way to make someone like you is to show interest by asking questions during the conversation and making it clear that you _like them_. People also really love those who come off _as genuine_. Michael Gendler, a co-founder of _Ultraspeaking_, a platform that helps people master the art of public speaking, recently shared three "magic" phrases that make you more likable, all of which align with what science tells us. > View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael & Tristan (@ultraspeaking) > ## Three phrases that make you more likable ## Phrase 1: "Here's what really scares me..." This phrase resonates with people because it shows you're genuine by admitting your vulnerability. "Man, talk about your feats, real fears, not like 'Oh, I'm scared I'm going to be too successful.' Tell us about something that actually scares you. Don't be guarded. Be open, and other people will appreciate that," Gendler says. ## Phrase 2: "You know what I really like about you?" This phrase makes people like you because it counters a psychological phenomenon known as _signal amplification_ bias, which suggests we tend to overestimate how clearly we express our feelings to others. This means that, many times, when we think others know we like them, they may not be so sure. So a little assurance goes a long way toward showing them the feeling is mutual. "People love being complimented as long as it is genuine," Gendler says. ## Phrase 3: "Tell me more" As Dale Carnegie wrote in __How to Make Friends and Influence People__ , the key to interacting with others is focusing on being interested in them rather than trying to impress them by being interesting. "Be interested, not interesting," _Carnegie writes._ A _Harvard study_ supports this, showing that when you first start speaking with someone, you should follow your first question with _two more_. People who do this are rated as much more likable than those who, after one question, shift the conversation to themselves. "People love feeling like what they're saying is interesting. So invite them to speak more," Gendler continues. ## Don't forget to be genuine Ultraspeaking's post is a breath of fresh air for those who aren't comfortable trying to impress others at parties, on dates, or in the office. The video shows that if you make people feel important, they're much more likely to like you in return. The key is that it has to come from the heart. "Remember, don't just use these phrases and expect them to work," Gendler says. "They have to be genuine and open. That's what makes people likable."

There are certain words, expressions, and references that, when used, can absolutely give away a person's generation. If someone hears "Leave a message on my machine," they might assume they're dealing with a Boomer. On the other end of the spectrum, if someone says, "Hit me up on Snapchat," one could place bets that it's not a Boomer or even a Gen X-er talking. So when @Bittenhand19 took to Threads to state, "If I hear a person say 'VHS player' I know for a fact that person was born after 1995," it got quite a lot of people weighing in. But let's rewind for a quick technological history lesson. A brief history of the VCR. www.youtube.com, 21st Century Entertainment Way back in the 1950s (1956, to be exact), the first VCR, or Video Cassette Recorder, was released to the public. According to Christian Roemer's article on the history of the VCR, "The first widely available VCR-like device was mainly intended for television networks, and it was incredibly expensive. Its 1956 price tag was $55,000, which converts to about half a million dollars in 2022. That's right: the first VCR analogue was more expensive than a house!" Over the decades, the price tag dropped, and by the early 1970s, the first VCRs were hitting store shelves for consumers. But here's where the confusion might come in for some. "The problem was that VCRs didn't all use the same tapes at that point," Roemer wrote. "Sony had Betamax, JVC had VHS, and a couple other stragglers bounced around too. Sort of like different video game systems, the different home video formats vied for market share and duked it out for a while. By the late 1970s, the public had spoken with their wallets, and VHS won the day. VCRs would eventually be in practically every home worldwide." A VHS tape is pulled out of a VCR. Giphy Video VHS GIF Interestingly, a post titled "The Rise and Fall of the VCR: A Comprehensive History" on the DiJiFi website further explains: "Despite incorporating state-of-the-art sound and audio quality at the time, Betamax and VHS were at war. JVC developed and released the VHS in Japan in 1976, then released the product in the U.S. market a year later. While Sony's Betamax machine was the first form of videotape hardware to host home videos, it was no match for JVC for several reasons. The VHS has a lighter build, resulting in cheaper manufacturing. The rectangular box could hold twice the amount of film tape, allowing it to play longer features that Betamax could not. While Sony's Betamax had superior picture quality, the VHS took first place in terms of cost-effectiveness and convenience, making it the preferred home videotaping format." Which brings us back to the Threads post. With nearly 2,000 likes and more than 300 comments, people most definitely had their own takes. Some jumped in to say the correct term was "tape player," with one person specifically writing, "tape player, if you're nasty." A Betamax sits on the floor. commons.wikimedia.org, File:Sony Betamax SL-C7E.jpg - Wikimedia Commons Many seem to know that the correct term is VCR, since VHS was merely a brand name (not unlike the way "tissues" and "Kleenex" are often used interchangeably). Another commenter went into greater detail, while also pointing out that someone born in 1995 understands the distinction: "1995 here. Wrong. All VCRs played VHS tapes, but not all VHS players were VCRs. There were dedicated VHS players that could only play tapes, but couldn't record onto those tapes." This commenter goes deep into the weeds: "You do not know this for a fact. They could possibly be someone who thought Betamax was a superior format for video cassette recorders. Or differentiating from their regular VHS VCR and one that did S-VHS, Video8, VHS-C, Hi8, PXL-2000, etc. etc. etc. Sometimes people have to make a distinction." Some went the humorous route: "VHS player? That's a VCR. Stands for…video…crambobulating…robot." Perhaps even more interestingly, some claim it's not a generational thing at all, but a geographical one: "Funny, if I hear a person say 'VCR,' I know they're American."

Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) is defined by many things: a love of the color yellow, "work minimalism," and the Gen Z stare. Recently, Gen Z has started to gain a reputation for behaving like Baby Boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964) in form and function. Gen Z and Boomers have become peas in a pod, sharing many similarities. According to research from youth-focused creative agency Adolescent Content, Gen Z reports having values and outlooks similar to Boomers when it comes to marriage, family, homeownership, and more. > @four.nine > > Are Gen-Z the new Boomers? #generation #generations #genz #boomers #millenials #millenial #genzvsmillenial In a Reddit discussion, Gen Zers shared their most Boomer opinions. From technology to tipping, here are 21 takes they fully stand by: "Sometimes the music is TOO LOUD." - User Unknown "You don't need an Apple watch!" - DawnofMidnight7 "Cars have too many screens and too few buttons and knobs." - User Unknown "The loss of ownership. Everything's moving to a subscription, lease, or rental model. I fear someday we'll own nothing and you'll subscribe/sign a lease/rent everything." - User Unknown "You don't need a phone in grade school." - DEA187MDKjr "I can't stand QR menus." - Prestigious-Ear5001 "Stop giving your kids iPads so young. My mom gave me a ds & a leap pad. DS can still have an addictive quality, but it's not the same level of 'bad' that an iPad has. I got my iPad at 13 after saving for a whole summer as well as birthday/Christmas money from that past year & I still saw things I probably didn't need to see at 13. I truly can see a difference in the emotional regulation of iPad kids vs other kids." - TheNarwhalMom - YouTube www.youtube.com "'Dumb' TVs need to be made for those who don't want ads and Internet connection, I just want to watch TV 😭." - yerboiboba "Internet should be on my phone and my computer only. I barely allow my tv to have it. My fridge, my toaster oven, my washer and dryer DO NOT NEED INTERNET CONNECTION." - king-of-new_york "Not everything needs to be a smart device. Let the fridge be a damn fridge it shouldn't need software updates." - ceejay267 "Disney was better back in our day." - User Unknown "We really need to let kids be kids. Additionally: work is good, actually. There has never been a point in human history where work has not only not been a necessity of survival but something that human beings have actively sought out as enrichment. When people complain about work, they are more often than not describing issues with work culture under capitalism rather than the concept of work itself. You don't actually hate work. You just want to be treated humanely as a worker." - OhLookItsGeorg3 "It's much more convenient to write stuff down on paper instead of a note app." - Essen_lover "This generation is way too comfortable putting off things they need to do because they're 'uncomfortable.' Sometimes we have to suck it up and just do what we need to do, even if we don't necessarily want to." - mssleepyhead73 A Gen Zer takes notes in a notebook.Photo credit: Canva "If the burger is $10+ it comes with fries and a soda fountain cup." - SecretWasianMan "No I'm not tipping if I see a service charge on the receipt, especially if you didn't tell me up front. I'm especially not tipping more than 10% if you just get a can out of the fridge or throw a bagel in the microwave." - SecretWasianMan "In store shopping is better than Amazon if management actually gives a sh*t about product knowledge and customer experience." - SecretWasianMan "Yes, you should get your drivers license even if you don't plan on driving right now. No one has a crystal ball and I haven't met a 25 year old that has their sh*t together but can't take 10 minutes to fill out an online application with the DMV." - SecretWasianMan "People are way too obsessed with social media." - TheRealLaura789 "I miss the AUX port on my phone :( I don't like AirPods or Bluetooth earbuds, I want the wired ones!" - doguillo77 "I hate when teenagers are being teenagers in public." - Puzzleheaded-Plum192

Cruises are fertile ground for community and wholesome, silly fun. People aboard ships, free from work, news from the outside world, and other adult responsibilities, get into all kinds of joyful mischief. They hide rubber ducks around the ship for others to find, decorate their cabin doors, and leave notes of appreciation when someone's room is especially well decorated. Groups also wear matching shirts and other ridiculous outfits. One such group tradition has made cruise ships around the world a little more colorful: people, in droves, have been dressing up as the iconic _Three's Company_ character Mrs. Roper. Played by Audra Lindley, Helen Roper was famous for her quick wit, sassy demeanor, and extraordinarily loud outfits. Notably, in the long-running sitcom she was usually seen wearing a caftan—a long, flowy robe or tunic—along with wide, boldly shaped glasses, chunky beaded necklaces, dangly earrings, and, of course, her signature short, curly hair. Though the character had a popular run in the late '70s and early '80s, Mrs. Roper experienced a renaissance in the 2010s, when she became an icon in the LGBTQ community. Dressing as Mrs. Roper at Pride celebrations and other events became popular around 2013. People embraced the character's open-minded, progressive personality, as well as the way she challenged societal norms for older women on television in her era. It's also, let's face it, just plain fun to dress up in such a wild and unencumbered outfit. More recently, hordes of Mrs. Ropers have been spotted aboard cruise ships, with the best and brightest of these meetups known as "Mrs. Roper Romps." _Parade_ magazine reports that nearly every Royal Caribbean sailing has featured a sizable romp over the past few years. > @kynsleesmom > > #mrsroper #carnivalliberty #cruise ****In social media groups and cruise forums, Ropers-in-waiting meet up to plan their romps. They might organize a bar crawl, a deck walk, or a dance party. Of course, no romp is complete without plenty of photo ops.**** The dress-up meetups have been popular on land for years now, but being at sea allows fans to take the gag to a whole new level. Being on vacation, in international waters where "anything goes," and buoyed by a hint of onboard anonymity allows people to truly let loose once they don the signature muumuu. But what is it about Mrs. Roper that inspires so much flirtatious sass? _The New York Times_ writes: "By 2023 standards, the show might be considered retrograde in its attitudes toward feminism and homosexuality. But when it aired, its randy suggestiveness pushed broadcast boundaries. Mrs. Roper was its progressive Pole Star: Freethinking and voluptuary, she pooh-poohed her husband’s anti-gay slights and illustrated for Janet and Chrissy how an older woman could have sexual agency. ... That attitude has made the character into something of a cult figure today, particularly among gay men and straight women, who make up most of the Mrs. Roper Romp crowds." Planning romps with strangers allows passengers to connect with like-minded new friends and make their vacations even more memorable. - YouTube www.youtube.com ****Not everyone, however, is a fan of cruise-based "Mrs. Roper Romps." When you're on a cruise ship, it's hard to escape the crowds and constant hustle if you're not participating. That's why the romps have received some pushback from passengers annoyed by gaggles of Ropers taking over the pool deck day after day. In fact, the "controversy" has drawn so much attention that key cruise line figures have been forced to weigh in. > See on Instagram ****Carnival's longtime brand ambassador, John Heald, recently took to social media with a simple plea.**** "I'm sorry, but this Cruise phenomenon of dressing as Mrs. Roper is getting out of control and needs to be stopped now.!!!" he wrote in an Instagram post. Of course, in the very same post, he posed in a bright orange muumuu, a curly wig, and a humongous beaded necklace. > See on Instagram ****Love it or hate it, the atmosphere on a cruise ship is special and hard to recreate anywhere else.**** They're like massive, floating resorts, but being on the open ocean adds an extra nautical twist to the typical vacation experience. The rooms are small, so passengers spend all day and most of the evening out and about. And while cruise ships are big, they can't compete with the size of an open beach. The relatively close quarters have a way of fostering even more community. You run into the same people over and over and frequent the same spots on the ship. And all the while, most passengers have little to no access to their cell phones or the internet (unless they've paid a hefty fee for spotty service). With distractions and responsibilities removed, carefree fun thrives. In divisive times, a cruise is almost the perfect escape. In fact, in 2024, one cruise line announced plans to offer a four-year "skip ahead" voyage for anyone who wanted to more or less check out of the news cycle for the foreseeable future. "Mrs. Roper Romps" may not be everyone's cup of tea, and getting caught in one while trying to grab a drink at the pool bar can be a hassle, but the loud, proud celebration of joy and self-confidence is something everyone can get on board with.

New slang can sometimes sound like an entirely new language. In that case, having a translator can be helpful. Content creator Blue Franklin has bravely stepped up to provide this service, "translating" common words and phrases so that virtually any generation can understand what's being said. In the video below, you'll see what we mean. Franklin takes a Gen Z word (such as "Ohio") and then provides the Millennial and Gen X equivalents: "weird" and "bogus," respectively. It's surprisingly satisfying to have mind-boggling terms suddenly make sense (so _that's_ what "skibidi" means) and to realize when you actually prefer the slang of other generations (legend > GOAT, sorry not sorry). > See on Instagram Here are the translations Franklin came up with: **Gen Z**| **Millennial**| **Gen X** ---|---|--- Touch grass| Go outside| Get a grip Ohio| Weird| Bogus Skibidi| Random| Off the wall Rizz| Swag| Game Rizzler| Player| Mac Daddy No cap| No lie| For real Sus| Shady| Sketchy Gyatt| Dumptruck| Booty Caught in 4K| Exposed| Busted Meatriding| Simping| Brown-nosing Pressed| Butt-hurt| Bent out of shape IYKYK| You had to be there| Inside joke Core| Aesthetic| Style Bussin'| Bomb| Dope Bet| Aight| Word Yeet!| FTW!| Booyah! Looksmaxxing| Glow-up| Makeover Bruh| Bro| Dude GOAT| Icon| Legend Big yikes| Awkward| Ouch Sure, there were some remarks about the accuracy of these, but it's important to remember that cultural shifts happen faster than an entire generation. That's why different eras within each generation may gravitate toward different words. It's also very possible for a slang word to originate in one era but become more commonly associated with a different one, like "bet," which was recycled from Gen X. Regardless, the video was clearly for lighthearted entertainment purposes. And yet, one person nevertheless commented, "You're working hard to bring real peace among the generations." Franklin has even more translations where that came from, and he often includes more generations than just Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X. In the video below, he really spans timelines, going all the way from the Founding Fathers' era to Gen Alpha. Leaving no stone unturned, Franklin has even decoded how each generation uses emojis. > See on Instagram Okay, this one has nothing to do with generational comparisons, but it's honestly the most informative one of the whole bunch. I can't believe I've lived all these years and never thought to use "😎🤏 😳🕶️🤏" for "excuse me?!" before. I most certainly will be remedying that immediately. > See on Instagram In case you were wondering, Franklin has already gotten a head start by translating Gen Beta slang, aka baby speak. > See on Instagram Whether or not you are 100% onboard with the accuracy, this is still a super fun way to see how, despite our differences in delivery, we're all really just saying the same thing. And that's pretty rad… or lit… or bussin' — whatever floats your boat.

Given today's shaky economy, things are tough for young job-seekers. The unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 24 climbed to 10.5% at the _end of 2025_, the highest it's been in four years. There are many reasons getting a gig is tough for younger people right now: AI is _eating up_ many junior-level jobs, _tariffs have slowed_ U.S. manufacturing, and people are _clinging_ to their current roles, creating fewer opportunities. Although there's no surefire tactic for landing a job in today's tough economy, a recent _LinkedIn post_ from __Diary of a CEO__ podcast host Steven Bartlett sheds light on what employers are looking for in young workers. He recently hired a woman with zero experience because of the exceptional people skills she demonstrated in a job interview. Bartlett is a Dragon on the UK’s _Dragon's Den_ (similar to _Shark Tank_ in the U.S.) and the founder of Flightstory, a media, marketing, and investment company. "I hired someone whose CV was two lines. Their experience was zero... this taught me a critical hiring lesson," Bartlett wrote. "Much of the reason why I gave her the job was because: She thanked the security guard by name on the way into the building." ## She turned her weakness into a strength In addition to showing exceptional conscientiousness by thanking the security guard, she leveraged her inexperience to highlight other aspects of her skill set. "When she didn't know something, in the interview she said, 'I don't know that yet, but here's how I'd figure it out.' After the interview, she went and self-taught herself the answer she didn't know, and emailed it to me within hours," Bartlett continued. "She sent a thank-you note. To everyone after the interview." Six months later, Bartlett says she's one of the best hires he's ever made. "This is the lesson... HIRE THE HARD THING. By this I mean hire the thing that's hardest to teach," he wrote. "You can show someone how to do marketing in a few weeks, you can't teach them real EQ [emotional intelligence] in a few weeks." A young woman on a job interview.via Canva Bartlett's post illustrates how, in today's world, companies place greater value on emotional intelligence, recognizing it as the special sauce that keeps an organization running smoothly. Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions and those of others. ## The importance of emotional intelligence "The importance of emotional competence comes from the observation in the business world, in academia, the military, and every human enterprise, that there are people who are highly competent in technical and analytical skills, but when they interact with others, projects stall," Ron Siegel, assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, told ___The Harvard Gazette___. "I suspect that business leaders have realized that it's relatively easy to get technical expertise in almost anything, but to get people who can understand and get along with one another, that is a challenge. In many projects, there is a growing awareness that this skill is going to be the one that carries the day." A young woman on a job interview.via Canva The post should offer some solace to young job hunters who lack experience but have strong emotional intelligence. A thin resume can be padded out by showing that you can be an incredible asset to the company culture. "15 years of hiring has taught me that culture fit and character is MUCH harder to hire than experience, skills, or education," Bartlett wrote. "You can teach someone Excel in a weekend. You can't teach them to really give a sh*t about the work in a week."