Author: Matt Gilligan

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There Could Be a Cure for Peanut Allergies as Soon as 2020

Allergies to peanuts are very common among children, so much so that many schools have simply banned peanuts altogether. Peanut allergies are life-threatening for many sufferers. Simply being in the same room as peanut dust can trigger a deadly reaction, which is an incredibly scary way to live life for young kids and their parents. There is no cure for peanut allergies…

Yet. Scientists are currently working on a treatment that would make it possible for allergic children to eat peanuts.

Today reports that there are at least 17 new therapies currently under study for treating peanut allergies, and some are mere months away from FDA approval. Dr. Kari Nadeau, director of Stanford University’s Sean Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, says that these therapies could potentially serve as a cure for some patients.

Photo Credit: iStock

“There’s going to be some groups that might need to have therapy every day for the rest of their lives,” Dr. Nadeau told Today. “But there might people that can stop therapy and do fine.”

One treatment is a “peanut pill,” a pill filled with a precise dose of pharmaceutical-grade peanut powder. The dose would gradually increase over time, building patients’ tolerance until they can tolerate eating whole peanuts. The pill was successful in up to 80 percent of patients in a clinical trial.

There’s also a “peanut patch,” which is a similar concept, but the dose is administered through the skin instead of orally. Additionally, there’s a vaccine that could treat patients without introducing them to the allergen at all.

Photo Credit: iStock

One young patient, Violet, successfully went through a trial for the peanut pill. Two years later, she can be in the same room as peanuts and eat cross-contaminated foods without a reaction. The treatment has allowed her to go places and do things she never could before, and she only has to eat a couple of peanut M&Ms each night to maintain her tolerance — not a bad prescription!

The peanut pill is for children ages 4 to 17 and could be available as soon as early 2020.

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15 Interesting Finds from Google Earth

I can spend endless hours on Google Earth.

An Imgur user who also happens to be a geologist with the username “geologistsmakethebedrock” spent a lot of time on the site and posted some of his most interesting finds.

Take a look, these are fascinating!

1. “A fort in Lille, France.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

2. “This is a private island on the coast of Maine.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

3. “It looks like an abstract painting. My first thought was a huge archeological excavation site. Turns out that was wrong. These pits are used in a very old fashioned salt extraction operation.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

4. “A very sinuous river. This is a good illustration of how oxbow lakes form. In the middle of the image you can see where a meander loop is being actively cut off.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

5. “A real live oasis!. Not all of these tracks are from cars. The smaller ones must be animal.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

6. “Here is a perfect meteor crater. It has a very nice raised rim. I bet if you mapped out the lake bed you would see a central peak too.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

7. “I couldn’t find anything about this strange place. It’s a huge, planned settlement near Namibe, Angola.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

8. “The circular reflections of these waves are cool.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

9. “This is Assamakka, Niger, a community that appears to be fighting a losing battle with the sands.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

10. “I wanted to see if I could find a ship wreck. I figured a desert coast would preserve metal wrecks well. It didn’t take to long to find this one in NW South Africa. It looks like a modern ship, and sure enough it wasn’t there in 2003 (the oldest picture available).”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

11.”A river cutting a hole in the ice.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

12. “This is the Lakeview neighborhood. One day after Hurricane Katrina.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

13.”This is some sort of reservoir in Belgium. I’ve never seen an octagonal pond before. I wonder why they made it that way.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

14.”A lake somewhere on the Tibetan Plateau in summer and winter.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

15. “A volcano poking up out of the South Pacific. I’m not sure if this one is growing or eroding away.”

Photo Credit: Google Earth

Now I’m in the mood to see the world!

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Photographer Takes Pictures to Try to Dispel the “Crazy Cat Lady” Stereotype

That “crazy cat lady” stereotype has been around for years. You know the deal: women who own a lot of cats are single, weird, reclusive, and reliant on their feline friends for companionship.

I mean, this goes all the way back to the days when people thought reclusive ladies were witches and cats their familiars.

Well, photographer BriAnne Wills takes snapshots of women with their cats to try to put that age-old stereotype to rest.

And the results are pretty great. Take a look at these ladies with their rescued and adopted kitties.

1. Meatball and friends

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"We also had no idea what an incredible foster cat dad Meatball would turn out to be. We’ve fostered four litters since we adopted him and he becomes a surrogate parent to all of them. The kittens make a beeline for him every time we let them out of the bedroom (we only allow supervised visits with the grown cats) and he'll groom, snuggle and play with them all day. We’ve nicknamed him Mama Meatball because he provides so much love and comfort to these orphaned babies in ways that we humans can’t.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Fostering has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences of my life. Not only does it allow me to snuggle kittens all day long but I also get to see our fosters blossom from being fearful and under-socialized to trusting and affectionate. It’s also given us Kit and Meatball, who have brought out the best in each other, even if they forget it sometimes. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ It’s not always easy. As my husband likes to say, fostering is 70% sunshine and roses, 20% emotional labor and 10% poop (probably more poop, actually). But it’s one of the best ways to help animals, who might not otherwise have a chance, find loving homes and it helps our hardworking shelters out. I did some math and if just 5% of US households fostered one animal once per year, we could clear the shelters. And who knows, you might also meet the cats of your dreams." @gabioc⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Gabi O’Connor is a software engineer at Etsy and foster kitten mom with @bfas_ny. Aside from cats, her interests include horror movies, surreal comedy and celebrity gossip. She lives in Brooklyn with her writer husband and two cats. You can follow Mama Meatball and his kittens at @mama.meatball.the.cat⁠⠀

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2. Sage

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"Before Sage, I had never owned a pet of any sort but loved cats and had always wanted one. I had just started graduate school and gotten out of an abusive relationship. It was the start of a new chapter in my life and I felt like I was ready. I spent a lot of time reading GATC posts too! All the pictures and beautiful stories were really inspiring. I was planning to officially begin my search in the spring of 2018 and could not shut up about it⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ A close friend of mine was an adoption counselor at @AnimalHaven in Manhattan and I had talked with her endlessly about what I was looking for and what I felt like I could handle. I was originally going to start looking for a bonded pair of senior cats. Then, one day in December 2017, I got a phone call in the middle of the work day from my friend. She told me she thought the perfect cat had come in, that I would absolutely love her and that she was so sure, she had placed the cat on a soft hold already.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I was hesitant. It was early, before I had officially planned to start looking. She was a young cat, only three years old at the time. But as soon as the first picture of her floofy coat and big blue eyes popped up in my messages, I had a feeling my friend was right. I went over to Animal Haven after work and ended up spending two hours lying on the floor in front of her crate, talking to her and petting her. It was really love at first sight and I took her home with me to Bushwick a few days later. In the beginning, I was insanely anxious. I was so worried I had bitten off more than I could chew; I was responsible for another living creature besides myself for the first time in my life. But once we started settling in together, it just felt right and I became a “pet person” faster than I ever expected.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Sage is truly the most loving, trusting, sweetest cat I have ever met, despite her frequently pretty grumpy looking, squished face. Having never owned a cat before, I didn't know how much love and joy she would bring into my life. Before I adopted her, I remember being worried about hair everywhere and thinking that I would never let a pet sleep in my bed with me. I’m a changed person." @olivvine⁠⠀

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3. High five

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These photos are from my shoot with @kittenxlady for Girls and Their Cats book. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Did you know Hannah's cats are trained to give high fives? When I learned this, I knew I had to get a shot of it in the book. But I also knew it might be challenging to get the cats to "perform" if they didn't feel comfortable around me. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Lucky for me, Coco and Eloise warmed up to me immediately, and it didn't take too many attempts to get the perfect shot. Swipe to see the cute outtakes!⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Preorder Girls and Their Cats to see more photos from Hannah's shoot and to read her heartwarming story about Coco & Eloise. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Preorder links in bio.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ @chroniclebooks⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ #CatLadyRedefined ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

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4. A little family

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"We’re a little family facing the big city together. They bring our lives so much joy and humor. Knowing that I get to come home to two cuddly, loving cats makes life easier. I was diagnosed with chronic depression and anxiety a few years ago. My cats force me to get out of bed and give me something to care for. In return, I have a soothing, purring cat curled up next to me. Ansel sometimes lays on my chest and it’s like medicine when I’m not feeling like myself. His physical weight, warmth, and energy comfort me. Taking them for walks in the stroller is an admittedly ridiculous thing and it makes me belly laugh the entire time. Both Ansel and Hunter have an intuition and soul in their eyes that makes it seem that they truly have empathy."⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Karly Anderson is a Brooklyn based artist who primarily works in linoleum block print. She spends her free time outdoors, visiting galleries and museums, and enjoying vegan food.

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5. Coming out of the woodwork

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"Another joy of cat ownership is seeing currently petless friends come out of the woodwork as cat lovers. As it turns out, a lot of our friends as kids had house cats of their own, took care of a neighbor’s cat or befriended wandering outdoor kitties. They make special trips to our apartment to visit Maxine, bring her toys and treats, and hoist her up into their arms with enviable cat-confidence.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ And two recent additions to the cat lover community? Our moms. Both have visited since Maxine’s arrival and find her a total cutie pie. My mom even stayed with us for a weekend, and now proudly describes herself as a cat Yia Yia – Greek for “grandmother.” @emmydavirro⁠ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Emmy DaVirro works in creative advertising and enjoys collecting vintage furniture and trying out as many local ice creameries as possible. A native North Carolinian, she lives in the East Village with her husband, cat Maxine, and their growing plant collection.⁠⠀ ⁠

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6. Cute

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⁠"Last year, I decided Tom (and Amelia) deserved their own gallery wall, seeing as how I enjoy curating my own collection of second-hand and new art. Hung at cat-level are, so far, two works of art lovingly gifted by friend and fellow cat lady, Rose @catsinthewalls.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ On Fridays, I work from home and he can be found during “office hours” cuddled up on my left arm, with his paws flopping onto the keyboard. My productivity level dramatically decreases, but he. is. worth. it.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ He’s a heartbreaker. Tom has a little white patch on his black chest, giving him the look of wearing a little tuxedo. So handsome! He’s charmed so many of my friends.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ A few years ago, Tom had a dental checkup only to learn he needed seven (!!) teeth pulled. One of which was his front fang. So now, when he yawns, instead of being ferocious he gives this adorable lop-sided look.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Tom is a talker. If you’re sitting in the living room and haven’t seen him for a while, you’ll hear a confused yowl. Yell “we’re in here, Tom!” and without fail he’ll trot in and rejoin the group.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ He’s kind of a scaredy cat. Most surprisingly, he is terrified of string or ribbon or a feather on a stick. Try and he’ll just immediately go wide-eyed and run off.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ He’s a fiend for catnip. Drop a bit on the rug and watch as he rolls and licks and loses his mind.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ He’s a word-class relaxer. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ We have always had very specific nighttime sleeping arrangements in our house. First, it was Amelia up top near the pillow and Tom at your feet. Now that it’s Tom alone, he’s found a new favorite spot to curl up at night: the little nook created by my arm and my right hip. But he doesn’t just lay down, no: he places his two front paws up on my stomach and sits perched, eventually putting his head down and then melting into the bed." @crisapena⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Cristiana Peña is a lover of architecture and history. Originally from South Dakota, she has been in New York City for 12 years and juggles a handful of projects, from community relations to digital media strategy and management on behalf of clients like @circahouses @nyclgbtsites @makinggayhistory @historicgreenwood and @bkbookfest.⁠⠀

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7. Evie

8. I’m a big fan of this group

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"After bringing Queso home, there was an adjustment period, but Salsa has mellowed out so much. She used to strike fear into the hearts of some friends when they would visit, but now she immediately jumps into people’s laps purring. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Salsa is the queen bee, she rules the house. She’s not a huge fan of crazy playful kittens, but you can always find her nearby keeping a watchful eye over them, making sure they don’t cause too much trouble. Sometimes I think she likes them more than she lets on.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Queso is the best uncle to all of the foster kittens. He’s a large intimidating cat, weighing in at 15 pounds, but he’s a gentle giant. He cleans, cuddles, and wrangles every litter of kittens for me. I feel totally comfortable leaving for work every day knowing that he will be there to take care of them for me while I’m gone. He’s such a kind cat, even the aloof Salsa likes him." @meowdevin⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Devin Caskie is a foster mom with @catcafebk and a Senior Product Designer at CNN. Her interests include spending time with her cats and pet bugs, drumming, collecting antiques, being crafty, and all things spooky.⠀⠀

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9. Rescued

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"I have absolutely adored cats for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure where the infatuation started, but I definitely had an imaginary band when I was a kid called “The Egyptian Kitty Cat Sundaes.” My dream was to become a famous rock star and build a mansion filled with homeless cats. I’d welcome all my friends whose family wouldn’t allow cats to visit and pet them. This is still the dream though, but perhaps I missed the boat on becoming a famous rock star…⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Years ago, I was battling terrible depression. PTSD from past trauma was taking a toll on me to a point where I lost all desire to live. In an effort to take back control of my life, I started fostering as therapy. I knew that when I was depressed, my cat Princess was the reason for living. She loved me and needed me. Fostering gave me a purpose I desperately needed, helping animals and my community. I knew that if I wasn’t there for them then no one would be there to feed them, give them their medicine, or take care of them, and I could never abandon a cat in need. After seeing how much rescuing animals helped me, I figured that for every cat I saved, another sad little girl like me would adopt one of my former fosters, who would give her a reason to live too. It sounds cheesy but I love the slogan “Who rescued who?” because I don’t believe I’ve rescued a single cat, they have all rescued me.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ My absolute favorite part of fostering is getting to meet such a variety of personalities and watching the progress they make. I worked with a lot of young neonatal kittens that needed round-the-clock care, and feral kittens that required a lot of special one-on-one socializing. It’s incredibly exhausting work, repeatedly putting yourself out there to a scared cat who probably thinks you're trying to kill and eat them lashing back with a fury of howls and scratches. It takes a lot of persistence to keep working with them until they understand you're there to love and help them. I cannot think of a single thing more rewarding than cuddling with a happy, healthy cat who six weeks ago was on their death bed or in constant fear for their life." @babysarahrulz @catcafebk⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ #fosteringsaveslives #kittens

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10. Yam

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"I'm now four months into life with my cat, Yam, AKA my "orange live-in boyfriend" (thanks, Dad). ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Where do I begin? I am obsessed with Yammy, Yamyam, Yammers, Yamburger, Yambaby. He has silky, ginger fur with soft, hieroglyphic-like patterns. His most distinctive feature is his tongue, which permanently sticks out. The animal shelter told me that this is because of an injury he suffered to his jaw, most likely the result of a car accident. Luckily, he’s in no pain, just requires a diet of wet food.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ My new roommate is slightly cross-eyed, smaller and scrappier than he looks in photos. The shelter said he was 3 years old, but I suspect he's younger because of his big appetite and the way he springs onto every surface. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ He is in turns loving and manipulative, sleepy and demanding, wobbly and gazelle-like. Every morning at 6, he head-butts me and runs his slobbery mouth against my chin, crying for breakfast, until I kick him out or give in. He’s the most effective alarm clock I’ve ever owned.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Yam spends his day finding new spaces to explore throughout the apartment. He stretches on top of the covered radiator by the window, crouches on top of my subwoofer, and climbs into the sink. Sometimes he sleeps inside a cardboard tent, in my laundry basket, or in a patch of sun, mouth wide open, kicking in his sleep. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ A piece of spinach is easily Yam’s favorite toy over a laser pointer. He often jumps for the couch, misses, and keeps running. After he poops, he rockets across the apartment from end to end, yowling like a small spooked horse, then quiets down, curls up on my lap, purring, so I can give him a nose kiss and a belly rub while watching Netflix." @maliagriggs @doitfortheyam ⠀⠀

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11. Raymond

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"In 2003, shortly after I moved from Germany to Oregon to go to college, my roommates and I decided to get a cat together. We looked in the classifieds and saw that a cat lady had to give all of her cats away because her family was moving her into assisted living. When we got there, the cat lady’s son told us that he was going to drown any cats that would not be picked up. My three roommates and I were beside ourselves and yelled at him that he better take them to a no-kill shelter. We even offered to take the cats there ourselves. He was pretty shaken up and mumbled something about us not being able to take a joke. Clearly he was a garbage person. But, the good thing that happened was as soon as I set foot in that house, a tiny orange tabby kitten walked right up to me, meowed, and wanted to be pet. He was a tiny, tiny, tiny baby cat — his tail was as big as my little finger. I fell in love with him at first sight and also knew that we had to name him Raymond. My roommates loved Ray but it quickly became obvious that Ray had picked me as his person.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ I’ve been told that orange tabby cats are the sweetest type of cat and Ray is living up to the myth. Raymond is the most people-loving and friendly cat I know—even dog-people love him, which I think says a lot. When new folks come into our house, he walks right up to them, says hi, gets some pets and then hangs out. He is a real friend and family member. We have gone through all of life’s ups and downs together and have moved more times than I can count, including cross-country from Oregon to New York. Ray has thyroid disease but he’s a trouper and thanks to good vets and meds we’ve been managing it for over 6 years." @theubc⁣ @subwaybookreview

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12. Animal lover

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"All my life I have been a huge animal lover. I grew up riding horses, having bunnies hop around my bedroom, parakeets singing in my living room, and dogs running around in my backyard. However, the one thing my family never had was a cat since my brother was highly allergic. I was always really bummed that we couldn’t adopt one because I was super intrigued with pictures of artists with their cats like Georgia O’Keefe, Frida Khalo, and Patti Smith. Their cats seemed to be their muse, inspiration, and best friend, and I so badly wanted one as my own. When I moved out to NYC for college and to pursue my artistic endeavors, I met my boyfriend who is also a huge animal lover. However, he grew up with only cats, so he really pushed me to adopt one and helped me find Buster.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ Buster was an abused street cat that was picked up by someone and taken to the ACC and it was thought he wouldn’t be adopted because he was “too shy and scared.” Anjellicle Cats organization rescued him from the ACC and that is where I was first introduced to Buster. When I went to the shelter to meet him, it really felt like everything was so meant to be. When we were petting him, he wouldn’t stop purring and rubbing his head on us. The minute I took my hand away, he actually reached his paw out and placed it on my arm. I always heard that cats chose their owners, but I didn’t believe it till I saw it. I knew that we were meant to be no matter what. When Buster got to my house, he was very nervous and extremely scared, and immediately ran under the bed. I knew that it was going to take a lot of patience and time for him to feel safe and to come out of his shell." @claudiadockery⁣⠀ ⁣

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13. Allergic but in love

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"I’m allergic to cats but love how sassy and snuggly they are, kind of like me. Because of my allergies, I was woefully resigned to never having a kitten baby of my own, doomed to live the life of a cat auntie, and never a cat mom.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ Then, a couple of years ago when I was living with my sister and another roommate in the same apartment I’m in now, we got rats. Not just casual rats in the walls—which the apartment still has today—but big ol’ subway-style rats that left droppings in the living room and chewed through oatmeal packets. Yeah, we called an exterminator, but the reality is the best way to scare rats away is to solicit the services of a guard-kitten. Within days of the rats’ appearance, my sister adopted two spotted calico sisters we named Oprah and Queen Latifah @queenandoprahthecats. They not only held down the fort, but also won our hearts with their relaxed but assertive demeanors, and sisterly bond.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ My sister moved out about a year later and took Oprah and Queenie with her. (She didn’t move out because of any conflict between us. Actually, we wanted to try to have “boundaries,” which is pretty ironic considering how often she’s at my place.)⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ With the three sisters gone, I was faced with a pretty easy choice: Do I want uninvited pet rats, or do I want to add another cat to the family? A few days after Oprah and Queenie moved out, my new roommate and I were on the Brooklyn Animal Action site. We instantly fell in love with a tiny black cat with big eyes and a spunky personality who was found on her then foster family’s porch in a cardboard box. My roommate rushed to Brooklyn to adopt her. I wanted to name her Meowcus Garvey because she’s a feisty little black panther, but my roommate was justifiably opposed to naming black cats after Black people. (If you’re in the mood to feel unnerved, go on any cat adoption website and notice the number of black cats that white people name after Black people.) So, we agreed on Lumpy Space Princess after the Adventure Time character that has the same cute, cuddly, lumpy, powerful presence she does." @loveaprilkae

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14. OMG

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"As a child growing up, I never had the responsibility or companionship of pets (aside from fish, who I had to learn not to get emotionally attached to, due their short lifespan). So, providing much needed homes to these furry nuggets has been such a game changer. Not only have I learned to love more unconditionally and work on my patience – seriously though, how many plants can one cat knock down – but it’s also given me and my husband a way to strengthen our relationship by caring for Bubba and Jeff Goldblum together.”⠀@jennifhsieh ⠀ Jen Hsieh is a production manager who currently resides in Astoria, Queens with her two derpy fluff balls and her equally derpy husband.

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15. The trio

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"A friend that flew in to NY brought Bobby with her and when I returned to PR in November to move out of my former flat I took Richie with me. All the stress and change wreaked urinary havoc on Richie, and Bobby had to pay a visit to the hospital in December. But now they are happy go lucky cats with a few glitches. ⠀ ⠀ Since Millo just turned 16 (he´s a Leo) I prefer that he stay home instead of traveling so he can enjoy the kitty pleasures of having a routine. My favorite routine is bedtime. I had to train them to sleep with me at night because I could not have them run around at night with Airbnb guests over. Therefore, they learned that after dinnertime and playtime comes bedtime. I prop my legs against the wall to read and they settle down around me, then I usher them into their beds." @ileanylan⠀ ⠀ Ilean is a writer and project manager deluxe from Puerto Rico that calls Brooklyn home. She is working on a magazine called Tres Gatos and beginning a T/N/R program for community cats in Santurce, Puerto Rico. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #puertorico #hurricanemaria #catlady #girlsandtheircats⠀

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Be sure to follow the Instagram page as well!

The post Photographer Takes Pictures to Try to Dispel the “Crazy Cat Lady” Stereotype appeared first on UberFacts.

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15 Things About America That Other People Around the World Think Are Really Weird

We feel like we live in such an interconnected world and walls and barriers have been broken down across cultures, but we still have a lot of differences with our fellow humans around the world.

Bottom line: a lot of people think some of the things we Americans do are downright weird. And they’re not shy about letting us know, apparently.

1. Rockmelon? What?

2. That’s weird

3. You better believe it

4. We’re…okay

5. For now…

6. Don’t mess with our Cheetos

7. Uncomfortable

8. Pregaming!

9. The only way to go!

10. Some do

11. Confusion

12. Uh oh

13. USA! USA! USA!

14. Oh, it’s true!

15. Have you tried it, friend?

Okay, maybe we are kind of weird…

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This Twitter Account Hilariously Mocks the Absurdity of Modern Technology

I’m all for modern technology, but sometimes it feels like it’s kind of out of hand.

We all think we’re so enlightened and our lives are so advanced, but maybe we’re getting dumber? And maybe we don’t really need all of this stuff after all?

Check out some hilarious (and accurate) examples from the “Internet of Sh*t” Twitter account.

1. Oops

2. Patronizing

3. Close the door!

4. Thanks a lot, Roomba

5. In distress

6. What a time to be alive

7. WRONG

8. It’s in your best interest

9. Hacked

10. Love it!

11. Very helpful

12. Time to start yelling

13. No way

14. What year is it, again?

15. That’s enough

Can we go back to the Stone Age yet?

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People in Asia Are Sick of “Begpackers” Asking for Money to Fund Their World Travels

This is infuriating. The nerve of some people is enough to make your blood boil.

For some reason, there’s a trend in Asian countries of Western backpackers asking the locals for money to help finance their travels. There’s nothing like asking someone who has to go to work every day to give you some cash so YOU don’t have to work, right?

Jeeeez…

Obviously, the locals in these places are not fans of these folks, and I don’t blame them one bit. Let’s take a look, shall we?

1. Especially insulting in a working-class neighborhood

2. F*ck off

3. Begging

Beg packers – tourists who travel with the intent to beg for money from the locals to fund further travel. Peep the sign, too from ChoosingBeggars

4. Shameless

5. Great! They brought kids!

6. Please support me

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Just heard about this and I don't get it. Westerners are traveling around Asia on a shoe string budget and begging for money to fund their trip.? A fellow Malaysian pointed this out and I'm really baffled why this is even happening. Is this really happening or some sort of prank??? So, you're from a developed country traveling to a 3rd world country begging for money? ? Why not get a job and save up for your doggone trip like everyone else? Don't give the rest of us in the developed country this image.? Am I wrong to think this entitlement issue is getting way out of hand??? What do you think?? . . #Entitlement #Millenial #travelling #freeloader #begpackers #norespect #respect #backpacking #digitalnomad #nomad #travel #travelasia #bethechange

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7. Uggghhh

8. D-bags

9. Hugs!

10. So disrespectful

11. Traveling is a choice

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Yesterday I saw these blindfolded travellers asking for money in one of the most transited areas of the shopping district of Kuala Lumpur, and I have strong feelings about it. Travelling is a choice, and not only a choice but a luxurious one. When you choose to travel, to leave your confort zone and explore the world you might feel yourself as an adventurer, and you might be one, you are one among your group of privileged people. If you can actively decide to leave everything behind, take a backpack and wonder the world, it is because you have a social structure that allows you to do it. You do it because most likely your family does not need your work force to be sustained, you do it because even after months or years of travel, you can go back to a safe place were your "struggles" as a backpacker will only be a nice memory of the times when you decided to get out of your confort zone and "live". I have no troubles with the people that decide to travel and perform an art, entertain people, and from that keep travelling, or finding a part time job in different places to keep going, as long as it is legal. When I was living in Oxford I had a licence to perform in the streets and I was registered as a legal busker as a side activity. I have also performed in bars and hostels in exchange of a beer or an extra free night. I have done hardcore backpacking myself, and if it wasn't for the dozens of people that have let me stayed with them or that have helped me in other ways, I wouldn't have been able to live as many experiences. But I have never pretended that people should give me free money to keep travelling, to keep doing what the majority of the people in this planet will never be able to do, not because they don't want to but because they can't. I have always had enough to sustain myself, I plan and save for years for my travels. Continue reading on the next post. —> #begpacker #backpacker #travelling #qleveryday #BukitBintang #KualaLumpur #Malaysia #Asia

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12. Nope

Begpacker near Hồ Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi from VietNam

13. Beggars

Begpackers spotted in Hoi An from VietNam

14. They look pretty happy to me

15. Privilege

Uggghhhh…some people…

The post People in Asia Are Sick of “Begpackers” Asking for Money to Fund Their World Travels appeared first on UberFacts.

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These Photos Show How Polluted America Was Before the EPA Cleaned It up

It’s difficult to imagine that there was a time when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) didn’t exist in the United States, but it actually wasn’t until 1970 that President Richard Nixon signed the order to create the agency.

From 1971 until 1977, the EPA hired freelance photographers to document just how bad the environmental problem was in the U.S. at the time.

These old photographs show just how polluted America’s air and waterways were before the EPA stepped in and cleaned them up. You can view more from the series here on Flickr.

1. “The Atlas Chemical Company Belches Smoke across Pasture Land in Foreground”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

2. “Smog Hangs Over Louisville And Ohio River, September 1972”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

3. “Burning Barge On The Ohio River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

4. “Detroit Lake the Dam”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

5. “Paddlewheel Steamboats Seen From Banks Of Ohio River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

6. “Litter Left In The Ohio River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

7. “Broken Glass From “No-Deposit, Non-Returnable” Bottles Along the Washington Shore of the Columbia River in a Public Picnic Area”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

8. “The Job Of Clearing Drift From The Potomac And Anacostia Rivers Is Done By The Army Corps Of Engineers”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

9. “Warning of Polluted Water at Staten Island Beach Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Background”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

10. “Abandoned Car in Jamaica Bay”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

11. “Sand Covers Abandoned Car on Beach at Breezy Point South of Jamaica Bay”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

12. “Outflow Pipe 6 of the Oxford Paper Company Will at Rumford on the Androscoggin River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

13. “Mary Workman Holds A Jar of Undrinkable Water That Comes from Her Well, and Has Filed A Damage Suit Against the Hanna Coal Company”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

14. “International Paper Company Mill at Jay on the Androscoggin River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

15. “Cleaning Up the Roadside in Onset”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

Powerful photos, that’s for sure.

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13 Things Even Major Fans Might Have Missed in the Harry Potter Movies

Even if you claim one of the houses of Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw or Helga Hufflepuff, and you say you have nary a trace of Muggle in your family because you truly are pure-blood, you may find you’ve missed a few of these tiny details.

Let’s see, shall we?

1. In The Sorcerer’s Stone, there’s a scene showing Aunt Petunia at the stove dying Dudley’s clothes gray for Harry to wear.

This is talked about in the book, but no one says anything about it in the movie.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

2. The Sorcerer’s Stone scene showing Harry getting his Hogwarts letter is eerily close to Hitchcock’s The Birds.

But instead of letters coming through the fireplace, Hitchcock had killer birds fluttering down the flue.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

3. In The Sorcerer’s Stone, Neville Longbottom receives a Remembrall to remind him what he’s forgotten. He’s also the only one not wearing his cloak…

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

4. Julianne Hough is one of the unnamed students in The Sorcerer’s Stone.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

5. Voldemort appears in The Sorcerer’s Stone cast list as He Who Must Not be Named.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

6. Mrs. Weasley’s clock for showing where her children are in The Chamber of Secrets includes an option for prison.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

7. In The Chamber of Secrets, there’s a display of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books in the windows of a store in Knockturn Alley.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

8. Ron’s robes are dingier than everyone else’s in The Chamber of Secrets.

Of course, his are second-hand.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

9. Harry warns Dobby in The Chamber of Secrets to never save his life again, and when Dobby does in Deathly Hallows, Part. 1, he dies.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

10. There’s a portrait of Voldemort visible by the Grand Staircase in The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

11. In The Prisoner of Azkaban, the students enjoy bowls of Cheeri-Owls for breakfast.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

12. Nagini is reflected slithering in the Warner Brothers logo before the start of The Goblet of Fire.

A slithering Nagini also opens the first scene of the movie.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

13. Professor Slughorn can be seen swallowing a little Liquid Luck before casting the defense shield in The Deathly Hallows, Part 2.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

It’s always fun to go back through a beloved series and see what other little details have gone unnoticed. You’ll need the weekend.

h/t Reddit, Buzzfeed

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Parents in Britain Are Trying to “Cure” Their Kids’ Autism by Forcing Them to Drink Bleach

Yes, the world is getting dumber by the minute.

Autism is a disorder that affects up to 1 in 100 children, and there currently is no cure.

A fact that is not, sadly, stopping U.K. parents from forcing their autistic children to drink (or take an enema of) a dangerous chemical cocktail that is mostly made of bleach.

The Mirror reports that 6 different police forces have questioned parents after their children were reduced to vomiting or experiencing severe diarrhea after ingesting bleach in some form – it’s even being marketed as a “Master Mineral Solution,” and sold for $37 online.

Bleach. For kids. To drink.

This “Master Mineral Solution” is sodium chlorite mixed with citric acid powder – very literally industrial strength bleach – and not only does it not cure a damn thing, doctors say it will eventually kill one of these unsuspecting children. ABC did an investigate report on the MMS, in which they confronted the bishop of the ‘church’ that hawks the product as a literal miracle cure.

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Sounds like #zerbos #weirdos #drinkingbleach

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Everything from older mothers to pollution to, of course, vaccines has been blamed for the rise in autism diagnoses, but there are currently no definitive answers from the medical community. There are several different treatment regimens available, depending on where your child falls on the spectrum of autism, which include different kinds of therapies to improve speech and behavior, and maybe medications if there are related medical conditions.

Which is a good thing to remember the next time you wonder whether poisoning your child is better than working with your doctor to improve his or her quality of life.

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Spending Too Much Time on Your Devices Could Spell Trouble for Your Kids

More people are addicted to their tablets and smartphones than ever before, and while we’ve acknowledged that letting our kids have unlimited access to screens can be detrimental to their emotional and mental health…what about letting them see us have unfettered access to screens?

It’s not so good, either.

A recent study suggests that, in households where family time is interrupted by parents picking up their phone or tablet, children are more likely to exhibit behavior problems like oversensitivity, hot tempers, hyperactivity, and whining.

Brandon McDaniel, the study’s co-author, believes his findings should be seen as a piece in a bigger puzzle of how technology is affecting parent-child relationships.

“In our study, we controlled for a variety of factors, such as parent stress, depression, coparenting quality, and child screen use. This seems to suggest that there is something meaningful here, even though the data is cross-sectional.”

This study joins others that have shown that children of technology-consumed parents are more likely to display attention-seeking behavior, and one animal study that found distracted rat parents permanently impaired their children’s ability to experience pleasure.

This recent study, which was published in Child Development, gathered data from 170 two-parent families. More than half of them reported three or more technology interruptions per day, while only 11% reported no technological interruptions at all.

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I'm sure our kids are fine. #distractedparents #guilty

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So watch yourselves, and take personal inventory. You might be interrupting time with your children more often than you think – and it might be costing your family as a whole.

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