The cat distribution system always works. Even for celebrities. Just ask Matt Damon.
While appearing on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the “Jason Bourne” actor shared the wildest story about a stray cat he had adopted 10 years ago during a month-long stay at an Airbnb in Costa Rica.
After hearing him describe this next level kitty, you’ll understand why he describes him as “the coolest cat you’ve ever seen.”
“He was living by himself in the jungle…He was hunting. He had two giant holes in his side. He was fighting for his life every night,” Damon began.
Damon and his family fed this tough jungle kitty every night, and by the time came for them to head home, they decided to take their new furry friend with them.
“We decided we gotta take the cat, he’s gonna die, now he’s relying on us,” Daman joked with Colbert.
Once Damon got the cat home, he figured it would prefer staying out in their backyard. Nope.
“He never went outside, ever again.”
Now, this is where the story takes a slightly darker turn. Eventually the cat developed a brain tumor. However, Damon became determined to not “let a brain tumor take this cat out.” After all, this is the toughest jungle cat!
Eventually the Damon family and Jungle Cat moved to New York City. And by this time, the cat had lost a lot of weight and was only walking around in circles (a common symptom of cat brain tumors).
Hoping to find a cure, Damon took his feline friend to a cat neurologist named Chad (which cracks Damon up to share), and Dr. Chad at first tells him to prepare his children and teach them that part of a pet owner’s responsibility is giving them the “dignity” of a humane death when quality of life is too far compromised.
But just when things seem at their worst, this story does a 180 into hilarity.
“Chad said, ‘I could load him up on steroids. And I go, ‘What do you mean?’ He goes, ‘I mean, I could give him like a BUNCH of steroids.’”
At this point, Damon, Colbert and the audience are all laughing.
Damon apparently asked “are there long term issues?” to juicing his cat, which got an emphatic “YEAH! Massive long term issues with that but we can just see what happens,” from Dr. Chad.
This was apparently two-and-a-half years ago. And not only is Jungle Cat still around, but “jacked like Arnold Schwarzenegger,” Damon joked.
Down in the comments, viewers were begging to see photos of Jacked Jungle Cat.
“MATT WE GOTTA SEE THE CAT!!!” one person demanded.
“WHERE CAN I DEMAND A PICTURE OF ARNOLD SWAGGERCAT?” echoed another.
Others were just enamored by Damon’s storytelling skills.
“Matt Damon always delivers the funniest stories,” one person wrote, while another said that he “needed a podcast.”
And perhaps the best comment goes to the person who said, “At no point in this story did I have any idea what would happen next.”
While Dr. Chad might have seemed a little out there in his methods, it’s fairly common for pet oncologists to try incorporating steroids like Prednisolone to treat the inflammation associated with brain tumors. However, that’s normally low doses, not using a bunch and seeing what happens. But hey, it seemed to work! And Damon got a really great story out of it. Not to mention more time with a pretty awesome jungle cat.
A TikTok video by the mother of a gender non-conforming son is a masterclass in refusing to be baited into a confrontation, no matter how tempting it may be. It all started when TikTokkerJolene Dolo’s 8-year-old son, Sam, sent out invitations to his Taylor Swift-themed birthday party.
Jolene told Upworthy that Sam doesn’t have a favorite Swift song, but his favorite album is “Lovers.”
“My 8-year-old Sam is having a Taylor Swift birthday party, and yesterday I received a text message from a parent of a child who was invited letting us know that their child will not be attending because it is against their beliefs,” Jolene began.
“I’m not exactly sure what belief system you have, like what religion is out here saying, ‘Thou shalt not listen to Taylor Swift?’” she continued.
Even though Taylor Swift is probably the closest thing to being America’s Sweetheart, a quick search on the internet reveals she is a threat to some with extreme religious and political views.
Top 5 Taylor Swift conspiracy theories:
1. She’s secretly a queer woman in love with model Karlie Kloss.
Even if the parents aren’t conspiracy theorists, they may think that an 8-year-old boy having a Taylor Swift party is wrong because young boys shouldn’t be into “girly” things.
They are allowed to have their beliefs and i’m allowed to have feelsing about their beliefs. I didnt try to change their mind, i just wanted to talk about it on MY page. Tha ks for listening ❤️ #taylorswift #gendercreativeparenting #taylorswiftparty
After reading the cryptic text, Jolene and her husband could easily have let curiosity get the best of them and asked the parents why a Taylor Swift-themed birthday party was against their beliefs. But they were strong and didn’t take the bait.
“Me and my husband talked about it and we decided that their text message seemed a little confrontational because they could have just said ‘No, thank you, we will not be attending.’ It seemed like they probably wanted a response from us and we didn’t want to give them what they wanted,” Jolene said.
Further, the declined invitation was better for everyone involved. Who wants someone at a Taylor Swift party who doesn’t like her or what she may or may not stand for? “We do not want anybody coming to our party who is going to be feeling uncomfortable or making us feel uncomfortable so you know it’s a good thing,” Jolene continued.
On a deeper level, the story touches on an important topic. Why is it okay for young girls to look up to men, but young men can’t look up to women? No one would bat an eye if a young girl had a Jonas Brothers-themed birthday party, but many people are shocked by a young boy loving Taylor Swift.
“Are little girls not allowed to listen to male artists, or is it just like certain male artists who give off like, masculine vibes? Because I’ve always found it kind of weird that we don’t want boys liking women like that or looking up to women. What’s the problem in boys liking women?” Jolene asked.
The TikTokker believes the double standard is rooted in misogyny. “Society tends to see women as weaker or less than men, so a boy looking up to a woman is essentially below him in their eyes,” Jolene told Upworthy. “That’s why most people wouldn’t bat an eye at a girl who likes Spider-Man or had a Harry Styles-themed birthday. Meanwhile, boys are shamed for even participating in women-dominated hobbies and interests.”
The good news is that, in the end, the party went off without a hitch and the decorations were fabulous.
Humanity is amazing, truly. The way we’re continually advancing in nearly every arena of learning, the scientific discoveries we’ve made, the technologies we’ve created, the innovative improvements that are constantly being made—it’s all quite remarkable.
But in all of this forward movement, we haven’t alway struck a healthy balance. Technological and scientific advancements are only a net positive when they are tempered with wisdom, thoughtfulness and conscientiousness of the greater good, and there are notable times when those virtues have been lacking.j
Reddit user /leo_78 asked, “If you could dis-invent something, what would it be?” and people’s responses highlight how vital it is to think about the consequences of innovations and inventions before they get put out into the world. (In fact, as we’ll see, some of the people who came up with these inventions even regretted it later.)
In no particular order, here are some of the top answers:
1. Pop-up ads
“The creator of them even apologized creating them.” – ChefExcellent13
“I remember when they went away for a bit and then made a resurgence with mobile. Trying going to any website now that sells something and give it 2-3 secs and you have a “Want 15% off?!” Pop up. Infuriating.” – drhiggs
“Any intrusive ads really. Usually when I’m watching Twitch, there will be ads randomly playing right in the middle of the actions/fun parts.” – Claudia-Roelands
2. Household appliances tied to subscription services
“Yo, wait, wtf? When did this happen? You telling me I have to pay $9.95 a month or something so that my dishwasher works? I’m so confused.” – Parada484
“A friend of mine had a CPAP that would stop working if you stopped paying. She’s dead now. Those two things are not directly related but her health issues that led to her death were certainly not helped by her sleep apnea.” – PixelOrange
“Yo, what? I’m hacking anything that comes into my house so that it’s dumb as rocks, I don’t need super intelligent robots, I want dumb hammers hammering away at dumb nails.” – TheUnkindledLives
3. Coffee pods
“Coffee Pods — they are disgustingly wasteful.” – Anim8nFool
“The k-cup inventor regrets how much extra trash they cause.” – LittleOrangeBoi (It’s true, he does.)
“I won a Keurig through a work raffle. I already hated the idea of it and did some research. The guy sold all his shares in the company before it took off. He tried making reusable ones but Keurig got all legal on his ass before there was enough pressure for them to make their own, but most people just use the disposable ones anyway.
In 2015, enough k-cups were made (and dumped into landfills) to wrap around the planet over 10 fucking times. What an environmental disaster.
I donated the machine to a non-profit my wife works with and they are adamant about using reusable k-cups and not the single use pods. Also I don’t drink coffee so it was wasted on me anyway.” – vonkeswick
4. Landmines
“Landmines. Seriously. They f**k up people long after wars are finished.” – NaughtyDaisyDelight
“There’s an estimated 800,000 TONS of unexploded ordnance still in Vietnam, that would take hundreds of years to clear out. For context, the bomb dropped in Hiroshima had a yield of about 15,000 tons of TNT.” – Redshift_1
“There is also the so called red zone or zone rouge in France – from Word War 1…
The zone rouge was defined just after the war as “Completely devastated. Damage to properties: 100%. Damage to Agriculture: 100%. Impossible to clean. Human life impossible” (Wikipedia) – Drumbelgalf
“I think it’s the most nefarious war machine ever invented. Infrastructure can be rebuilt, land can heal, people can forget and move on. But landmines are forever until some poor child or civilian steps on them and is maimed or killed. You can argue that nukes are worse, but at least we don’t really use them.” – WeatherfordCast
5. Impossible-to-open plastic packaging
“The packages they put scissors in… that you need scissor to open. Wtf?” – AnxiousTelephone2997
“Out of everything you could’ve chosen you chose this one and I 100% get it..” – waveradium
“i get so many papercuts trying to open that sharp strong plastic sealed packaging.” – i4mknight
“I would expand that to all single-use plastic packaging.” – boondoggie42
6. On-screen tipping prompts…or just tipping in general
“The tipping option when I check out on those computers at the checkout counter.” – PotatoshavePockets
“Maybe tips in general. Just pay people for the work they do.” – Euphoric_Wolf7227
“This is getting so bad in Canada the default options are starting at 18% and go as high as 25%. I have to hit “other” to enter the long time cultural standard of 15% nevermind that I’m being prompted this on take out and fast food.” – ReeG
“It’s so refreshing travelling outside of NA to countries that don’t do tipping. You go to a restaurant or to just do stuff and the price is what it actually costs you.” – 0neek
With most of the things people shared, it seems like someone could have or should have foreseen the problems they would create, which highlights how care and compassion for humanity must be at the forefront of innovation and an integral part of the decision-making process of what gets produced and what doesn’t.
One dad is delighting readers on X with an epic tale of nearly missing his daughter’s birth after fainting. His story of rushing to make it in time feels like something straight out of a movie—complete with a happy ending.
Luke Epplin’s wife had gone into labor on a Friday. Most of that night, and all of Saturday, Epplin stayed awake, waiting. Finally, on Sunday, he began to doze off. That’s when he got word that his wife had gone into active labor.
And this is where our hilarious saga begins.
“I got on my feet, threw on my clothes, and then was thrust in the middle of the action. Whether because of exhaustion, lack of food, or having just gotten up, I don’t remember anything else. I fainted,” he wrote.
I was awoken at four in the morning today (Sunday) to active labor. I got on my feet, threw on my clothes, and then was thrust in the middle of the action. Whether because of exhaustion, lack of food, or having just gotten up, I don’t remember anything else. I fainted.
When he finally woke up, blood was “oozing” from his head and he was whisked away to the emergency room. EMT’s told him he might need a CT scan, “which would make me miss the birth of my daughter.”
Thankfully, all that Epplin ended up needing was staples. Which meant it was all smooth sailing from here on out, right? Guess again.
There was still a “massive” hospital to navigate, the nurse guiding him through the multiple hallways was called away on an emergency. Leaving him to make it through the labyrinth to the opposite side, with nothing but some verbal directions the nurse had given him. Which somehow got him to the bone marrow center.
“Granted, I’m in the clothes I slept in, with a massive white bandage wrapped around my head, like something you’d see in a World War I movie,” he wrote. As he frantically tried to tell another nurse that his was was in labor, she said, “I think you need to see security.”
I told him the same thing: “My wife is in labor!” Again, he looked at me, bandage and all, patient tag on my wrist, and said, “Sir, I’m gonna need to see some discharge papers.” I had no ID, no visitor’s badge, no cellphone, nothing. Suddenly, it dawned on me: I’m in trouble.
Cut to Epplin saying the same thing to a security guard, who asks to see some discharge papers. That’s when Epplin realizes he has nothing on him. No papers, no ID, no visitors badge. Not even a cellphone.
Pulling a Hail Mary, Epplin told the guard the truth: that he had fainted while his wife was in labor, cut a gash into his head, got that treated, and then got himself lost. That must have done the trick, because the guard let him out.
Epplin had to sprint down two blocks (in slippers, mind you) and get past a parking valet and yet another security guard before making it up to the 10th floor of the correct building and into the maternity ward. By this time, he had somehow become famous.
“The attendant looked at me, and said, ‘Oh, you’re the guy everyone’s talking about,” he recalled.
Epplin’s determination ultimately paid off. He had made it before his daughter Ava had been born. Below is their first photo together, head bandages and all.
I dashed into the maternity ward, the attendant looked at me, and said, “Oh, you’re the guy everyone’s talking about.” I came back to my daughter not yet born. My wife asked how it went. I said, “I’ll tell you later.” An hour later, this photo was taken. pic.twitter.com/cke7bbmlmS
“Every picture of me during Ava’s first day on Earth looks like this. I hope that she has a good sense of humor about it some day.”
It’s not completely uncommon for soon-to-be dads to faint in the delivery room. Often, as it seemed to be in Epplin’s case, the cause is low blood sugar. So it might be wise to pack snacks, drinks and meals in a cooler, according to Father Resource. Of course, packing snacks might be the last thing that’s on a father’s mind when the time comes.
But the point is: the situation is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it can make for a great birth story. Just ask Epplin!
A Lawton, Oklahoma, student who goes by the Facebook user name Rose Lynn had the last laugh after being sent home from school for wearing an outfit deemed “distracting.” Rose Lynn believes her outfit attracted the attention of school officials because of her figure.
She proved it by posting a photo on Facebook of her modest outfit, which consisted of black leggings, a t-shirt, long cardigan, and boots. In her post, she wrote that she was sent home “because I’m developed farther than the average girl my age,” and because she’s a “CURVY woman.” Rose Lynn also thinks the appropriate response shouldn’t have been to tell her to cover up, but to teach boys to “to respect the boundaries of young ladies.”
Her father, Lance Miles, agrees with her. “If she was built like a board or as round as a ball she wouldn’t have been sent home but [since] she has a figure she was told she had to change,” he said in the comments of her Facebook post.
“This is 100 percent on [Lawton Public Schools] because they have left the rule up to interpretation. She has been taught that if you believe in something, do what you must and be prepared for the consequences. She has done that,” he continued.
Rose Lynn’s post:
“So today I was sent home from class, after being in school for two hours, for my outfit. Because I’m developed farther than the average girl my age, I am required to go home and change… Because I look like a CURVY woman and may distract young boys, I have to miss class and change my outfit.
So once again, society has failed to advocate young ladies, by confining them in a box, where they are stripped from their sense of self respect and self expression, rather than teaching young men to respect the boundaries of young ladies. My response: #Feminism #YoullDistractTheBoys #SocietyIsFailing”
On the day Rose Lynn was sent home, she was due to take a 20-minute algebra exam. She asked school officials if she could take the test before changing her outfit, but her request was denied. So the next day, she got her revenge.
Rose Lynn returned to school wearing an oversize t-shirt. On the front she scribbled a quote from school officials in black Sharpie, “It doesn’t cover your crotch”; on the back, “You’ll distract the boys.” That day, Rose Lynn was called to the office and sent home again. This time it wasn’t for her outfit but for not wearing her student I.D., which she had left in the classroom after being called to the office.
The New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers really do not like one another, as the two teams have one of the NHL’s most hotly-contested rivalry. On Wednesday night, we got our latest reminder of this, as the puck dropped for their game at Madison Square Garden and a brawl involving every player on the ice broke out.
The backstory: Each of the last two games, Rangers forward Matt Rempe has hurt a different Devils player with a hit that ended up getting penalized. After the first one, Devils enforcer Kurtis MacDermid tried to bait him into a fight, which Rempe did not take. But on Wednesday, Rempe and MacDermid were both on the starting lines, and after the puck dropped, they got into it. The catch, though, was that the other eight players on the ice decided to join in, and a gigantic brawl broke out.
In the aftermath of the fight, eight players got kicked out of the game, including MacDermid and Rempe. The two who got to stick around, Jimmy Vesey and Curtis Lazar, got to remain in the game after lengthy stints in the penalty box because the referees determined that they dropped the gloves first.
Lazar + Vesey ruled as the first fight. Eight other players just got ejected for secondary altercation.
In mid-March, Varietyreported Lopez’s mysterious cancelation of seven This Is Me…Now The Tourdates and noted, “While the tour is still scheduled for a robust 30 shows, large numbers of tickets at most of the tour’s dates remain unsold.” On Wednesday, April 3, Lopez casually revealed an updated tour title, This Is Me…Live The Greatest Hits, with an Instagram Reel. Varietypointed out that this repackaging is likely a play to “apparently broaden its scope” after the reported low ticket sales after her original tour announcement in February.
However, to be fair, Peoplereported that the cancelations were due to “a logistical issue through the tour’s promoter.” Lopez did not acknowledge ticket sales whatsoever in her new announcement. Instead, she leaned heavily on nostalgia, which is always smart if you’re Jennifer Lopez.
This Is Me…Now debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 after its February 16 release.
See Lopez’s post and transcribed narration below, and find more This Is Me…Live The Greatest Hits information here.
“Look at this girl. Fly, little bright-eyed Puerto Rican girl dancing her heart out. If she only knew then, she’d be going on the most unforgettable tour of a lifetime. I remember early on witnessing greatness, moments just like this one, and seeing the joy she had. Who knew that this girl right here — singing for my family, performing around my city, and following my passion would take me places I could never have imagined?
But nothing really prepares you for what it means to travel down that road. The looks, the whispers, the pictures that define you for decades. Hello, Versace dress! But no matter what, I’m just the girl I’ve always been with love that drives me to share my story on stage like I always have.
I am a woman. I am Jenny From The Block. And this is me…now. And putting this show together, bringing all of my love to all of you, that is my greatest joy. I love seeing your faces in the audience, and I love connecting with my fans. Come move, come sing, and come feel the energy live with me because this tour is a celebration for all of us. I can’t wait to see you at the show.”
Going on a safari is at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists — and for good reason. Getting the chance to see wildlife in their natural habitat up-close-and-personal is phenomenal and for many travelers, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Obviously, safaris are often unpredictable and are dictated by weather and the whereabouts of the wildlife — which is part of what makes them fun but has also led less ethical companies down a path of controlling variables by manipulating natural conditions.
Truly ethical safaris don’t interfere with the animals’ habitat or cause animals any direct harm. In short, they don’t impede wildlife at all. Many of the animals that folks want to see while on safaris in African countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Africa are endangered species, meaning they aren’t hanging out all over the place. But their endangered status only serves to underscore the need to treat them with respect.
Safaris that support conservation can be a force for good and help contribute to the preservation of these at-risk animals. Here’s what makes a safari “animal-friendly” and how you can ensure yours is.
An animal-friendly safari bases its operations around the natural behavior of the animals — allowing guests to observe wildlife in their natural habitat from a respectful distance without causing them distress. Ethical safaris support conservation efforts by funding donations, educating participants about conservation in the areas they visit, and research partnerships. For instance, South African National Parks use funds from safaris to improve animal habitats and discourage poaching.
Animal-friendly safaris also adhere to strict interaction guidelines that respect the wildlife in its natural habitat by limiting how many vehicles can surround a group of animals, minimizing noise to avoid disturbing animals, limiting time in a location, and completely banning chasing, feeding, touching, or any other sort of interaction. If a safari tour operator allows any of these things that’s a major red flag, as this is all done to prevent causing the animal human-imposed stress which can alter behavior and impact the animals’ chances of survival.
“Safari jeep drivers should be respectful of when to drive and how close to get to animals. A safari jeep can interfere with a life cycle event by spooking a cheetah stalking a herd of Thompson’s Gazelles,” wildlife veterinarian Dr. Gabby Wild says.
HOW YOU CAN ENSURE YOUR SAFARI IS ANIMAL-FRIENDLY
Lola Méndez
Dr. Wild recommends looking for safari operators who donate to conservation organizations or who may even partner with them to assist in research, aiding injured wildlife, and management of threatened populations. “A giveback component to the land is a huge sign that the company cares for what they do,” she says.
Other signposts to look for are safari operators that only use UV-filtered spotlights on night drives to ensure wildlife won’t be harmed or startled by white light. To avoid overcrowding, travel with safari operators that visit game reserves and National Parks where limited permits are available daily.
“Some actions protect wildlife beyond the obvious measures. Certain animals are highly targeted by poachers, so we don’t disclose the exact locations of such wildlife in our photos or on social media. Poachers could use this information to track and hunt these highly targeted animals under the cover of night,” Sherwin Banda, President of African Travel Inc, says.
Lola Méndez
To make sure your safari is animal-friendly choose safari operators that don’t allow hands-on encounters such as walks with lions. The whole point of going on a safari is to be mesmerized by immersing yourself in the destination and having the opportunity to observe wildlife in its natural habitat — not forced interactions with exploited animals.
Prioritize going on safaris in lesser-visited parks. Rwanda’s Akagera National Park was once depleted and after over a decade of efforts now boasts a major increase in wildlife. It’s Central Africa’s largest protected wetland and has thriving populations of the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo — as well as zebra, giraffe, antelope, and hundreds of bird species.
“Tourism contributes significantly to animal welfare as it brings financial investments to the destinations. By visiting these destinations, we not only protect wildlife but also provide economic benefits to local communities, particularly those working in rural areas, which can help support the sustainable protection of animal habitats,” Banda says.
TRY A GROUP-BASED ETHICAL SAFARI TOUR
Lola Méndez
It can be overwhelming trying to ensure the safari you’re booking is animal-friendly. Fortunately, many travel companies offer group safaris and have already done the grunt work to make certain safaris are prioritizing the conservation of wildlife.
Intrepid Group, the largest travel B Corp in the world, centers responsible travel and avoiding animal exploitation in all of its itineraries — especially African safaris. Intrepid’s Animal Welfare Policy was developed with World Animal Protection (WAP). Intrepid Group was the first major travel company to ban the sale of elephant rides. Three of its South African tours (starting at $1,055) stay overnight at the Black Mambas’ headquarters in South Africa outside of Kruger National Park. Guests join the all-female anti-poaching unit on a bushwalk to help search for snares. The Intrepid Foundation also donates to the organization.
G Adventures has a collection of 17 wildlife tours around the globe endorsed by ethologist Dr. Jane Goodall that are rooted in the company’s Animal Welfare Policy. African safaris in the collection include group trips to Tanzania, Madagascar, Rwanda, Botswana, and South Africa. G Adventures’ new luxury category, The Geluxe Collection, includes a South Africa trip ($6,299)where guests learn about wildlife tracking at the Pridelands Conservancy.
LOOK INTO PETA-CERTIFIED ANIMAL-FRIENDLY SAFARIS
Lola Méndez
PETA, the world’s largest animal rights organization, recognizes companies for their efforts to create animal-friendly safaris on protected reserves or in National Parks. PETA considers animal-friendly safaris to be small group tours that maintain a respectful distance from wild animals. All of the PETA-approved safari companies offer exclusively vegan menus, toiletries that weren’t tested on animals, linens that contain no animal ingredients, and no exposure to illicit trophy hunting.
On the PETA-approved list is Alluring Africa which partners with Vegans, Baby CEO and founder Diana Edelman on luxury vegan safaris ($7,650) focused on conservation. The company’s safari camp on the 320,000-acre Selinda Reserve in Botswana was a former hunting reserve and is now a hotspot for wildlife including large prides of lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs.
Kings Camp ($850 a night for all-inclusive stays) in South Africa is recognized by PETA for its luxury safari in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. The camp faces an open savanna plain with an active waterhole frequently visited by wildlife. In Botswana, Vegan Safari Africa guests stay at the Deception Valley Lodge which used to be a massive cattle farm before it was rewilded to create corridors for migration, and waterholes.
SEEK OUT SAFARI OUTFITTERS THAT RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOSYSTEMS
Lola Méndez
In addition to PETA’s recommendations, there are several other do-good safari outfitters. Travelers interested in a safari experience that prioritizes the well-being of wildlife have many options.
My favorite safari outfitter that I’ve traveled with to date is Saruni Basecamp, a sustainable tourism company with solar-powered safari lodges. All-inclusive safaris start at $2,360. The 50,000-acre Naboisho Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya was the best game drive I’ve been on as it’s less visited, has an abundance of wildlife, and the Maasai guide was intimately acquainted with the land. I watched lions mate and a wildebeest be born. Basecamp established the Naboisho Wildlife Conservancy in 2010 through a long-term partnership with the Maasai people. Basecamp has also launched a local guiding school and exclusively employs local Maasai people at its lodges. The Basecamp Explorer Foundation projects include the reforestation of the Masai Mara, the Enjoolata education center, local waste collection in Talek, a women’s fair trade craft project, and more.
In Tanzania, Sababu Safaris makes bespoke itineraries with custom pricing and prioritizes responsible engagement with wildlife with a focus on social sustainability while visiting Kilimanjaro, Tarangire National Park, Southern Serengeti National Park, Lake Eyasi, and more. “Extensive research demonstrates responsible wildlife tourism sustains National Parks and wildlife conservancies and also bolsters the welfare of local communities,” Denise Brown, co-founder of Sababu says. Guests on Sababu Safaris help distribute water filters and solar lights to tribespeople.
Natural Habitat Adventures is the official travel partner of the World Wildlife Fund and is dedicated to all wildlife viewing experiences on their itineraries being ethical and nonthreatening to the animals. The flagship safari Secluded Botswana Safari ($16,495) takes travelers to see elephants, lions, buffalo, zebra, antelope, and more in the Okavango Delta, all from an ultra-quiet electric safari vehicle.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
Jhené Aiko announced The Magic Hour Tour with Kiana Ledé, Umi, Coi Leray, and Tink, while Bryson Tiller revealed the tracklist for his upcoming Bryson Tiller album. PartyNextDoor signed on as a headliner for Afro Nation Detroit 2024 and SZA revealed plans for the SOS leaks and her upcoming project Lana. Elsewhere, Maxwell announced the Serenade tour with Jazmine Sullivan and October London and Normani announced the lead single from her upcoming album Dopamine.
Here are more releases from the past week to check out:
Blxst & Feid — “Rewind”
Summer is right around the corner, making now a perfect time for a collab between Blxst and Feid. The respective West Coast and Latin artist join forces for their new single “Rewind.” It’s a perfectly concocted blend of their styles for a track that’s all about dancing the night away and taking a shot to the good life you can enjoy.
Sinead Harnett — “Burn”
With her upcoming album Boundaries, Sinead Harnett returns with the project’s fourth single “Burn.” The somber single rages with the fear and pain of continuing life’s journey without a companion, though Harnett accepts that it’s better that way. “This one was a bit of an emotional journey,” she wrote Instagram. “You already know a Sinead album is gonna have at least one of them…lol. From heart to sleeve & nothing else in between.”
Ryan Trey — Streets Say You Still Miss Me
Nearly six months after dropping his third project Streets Say You Still Miss Me, St. Louis’ own Ryan Trey returns with an updated version. He delivers Streets Say You Still Miss Me with three new songs — “Ridin 4 U,” “Reset,” and “Pourin Out My Heart” — bringing the project’s length to 16 songs ahead of his gig as an opening act for Mariah The Scientist’s To Be Eaten Alive Tour.
Charlotte Day Wilson — “Canopy”
Toronto singer Charlotte Day Wilson is a little over a month away from the release of her second album Cyan Blue. Out on May 1, Wilson already has two singles out from the album — “Forever” with Snoh Aalegra and “I Don’t Love You.” — and today she makes it three with “Canopy.” The funky single is one Wilson uses to create some distance between her and another individual due to the self-inflicted damage they bring upon themselves.
Lokre — “Body”
Over a year has gone by since Toronto singer Lokre impressively stepped onto the scene with her debut project Elizabeth. Now she’s back to begin her latest era with her new single “Body.” The flavorful single undoubtedly opens a new chapter for Lokre as the record is sort of a free moment for her. Additionally, it will be perfect for the laid-back summer days that are right around the corner.
Felix Ames — “Mr. Weatherman”
With a deluxe edition of Jena on the way, Milwaukee singer Felix Ames kicks off the rollout with “Mr. Weatherman.” The chill and breezy captures Ames in a state of uncertainty, unsure of what lies ahead for him. He calls out to the weatherman for some sort of forecast, in hopes of finding the guiding light he seeks.
Reggie Bection — Sadboy, Vol.2
The Sadboy era continues for PG County singer Reggie Becton. He returns with Sadboy, Vol. 2 less than a year after kicking off the series. The second installment delivers seven songs with contributions from FELIX!, Mayila, and Shah Infinite who all help Becton paint a clear picture of the rollercoaster he’s been on in the realm of love, life, and loss.
Avenoir — “Superficial”
Edmonton singer Avenoir gracefully enters 2024 with his new single “Superficial,” which arrives just months after his debut project Noire. “Superficial” documents the difference between Avenoir and his partner and how those differences come alive.
Olivia Nelson — Wings
British singer Olivia Nelson unveiled her new project Wings complete with nine captivating songs that make a listen-through absolutely worthwhile. Wings is the strong follow-up to her 2019 EP Back To You, as her vocals soar while she recounts the highs and lows of her love life and the personal growth she’s experienced.
Byron Juane & Kenyon Dixon — “Timeless”
For their first collaboration, Byron Juane and Kenyon Dixon want to create memories that will last a lifetime for their significant other. With “Timeless,” the two promise to create a timeless experience for the special women in their lives. Whether in the bedroom or at the dinner table, Juane and Dixon have a plan to be the best romantics they can be.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
A Business Insider column noted that two-thirds of the bottled water sold in the United States is in individual 16.9-ounce bottles, which comes out to roughly $7.50 per gallon. That’s about 2,000 times higher than the cost of a gallon of tap water.
And in an article in 20 Something Finance, G.E. Miller investigated the cost of bottled versus tap water for himself. He found that he could fill 4,787 20-ounce bottles with tap water for only $2.10! So if he paid $1 for a bottled water, he’d be paying 2,279 times the cost of tap.
2. Bottled water could potentially be of lower quality than tap water.
Fiji Water ran an ad campaign that was pretty disparaging about the city of Cleveland. Not a wise move. The city ordered a test of the snooty brand’s water and found that Fiji Water contained levels of arsenic that weren’t seen in the city’s water supply.
” Bottled water manufacturers are not required to disclose as much information as municipal water utilities because of gaps in federal oversight authority. Bottom line: The Food and Drug Administration oversees bottled water, and U.S. EPA is in charge of tap water. FDA lacks the regulatory authority of EPA.”
3. The amount of bottled water we buy every week in the U.S. alone could circle the globe five times!
That sounded like it just had to be impossible, so we looked into it. Here’s what our fact-checkers found:
“According to the video, ‘ People in the U.S. buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week.’ National Geographic says for 2011, bottled water sales hit 9.1 billion gallons (roughly 34 billion liters).
A ‘typical’ water bottle is a half-liter, so that’s about 68 billion bottles per year. Divided by 52 weeks would be a little over 1 billion bottles of water sold per week in the U.S. Because that’s based on a smaller ‘typical’ bottle size, it seems reasonable that a half billion bottles a week could be accurate.
The Earth is about 131.5 million feet around, so yep, half a billion bottles of varying sizes strung end-to-end could circle the Earth five times.”
4. Paying for bottled water makes us chumps.
Beverage companies have turned bottled water into a multibillion-dollar industry through a concept known as manufactured demand. Bottled water advertisements used a combination of scare tactics (Tap water bad!) and seduction (From the purest mountain streams EVER!) to reel us in.
Well, we now know their claims about the superior quality of bottled water are mostly bogus. And research shows that anywhere from a quarter to 45% of all bottled water comes from the exact same place as your tap water (which, to reiterate, is so cheap it’s almost free).
5. Bottled water is FILTHY.
It takes oil — lots of it — to make plastic bottles. According to the video, the energy in the amount of oil it takes to make the plastic water bottles sold in the U.S. in one year could fuel a million cars. That’s not even counting the oil it takes to ship bottled water around the world.
On top of all that, the process of manufacturing plastic bottles is polluting public water supplies, which makes it easier for bottled water companies to sell us their expensive product.
6. There are 750 million people around the world who don’t have access to clean water.
A child dies every minute from a waterborne disease. And for me, that’s the core of what makes bottled water so evil.
The video wraps by comparing buying bottled water to smoking while pregnant. That may sound extreme, but after learning everything I just did about the bottled water industry, I can’t disagree.
If you’re properly disgusted, here are a few ways you can help destroy the bottled water industry:
Don’t buy bottled water. Get a reusable water bottle. The savings will add up.
Rally your schools, workplaces, and communities to ban bottled water.
Demand that your city, state, and federal governments invest in better water infrastructure.
This article originally appeared on 5.7.15
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