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Australia is sending a strong message to domestic abusers worldwide: You’re not welcome here.

Australia has recently broadened a migration law to bar any person who has been convicted of domestic violence anywhere in the world from getting a visa to enter the country. American R&B singer Chris Brown and boxing star Floyd Mayweather had been banned from the country in the past, following their domestic violence convictions. Now the ban applies to all foreign visitors or residents who have been found guilty of violence against women or children.

Even convicted domestic abusers who already have visas and are living in Australia can be kicked out under the new rule. The government is using the rule, which took effect on February 28, 2019 to send a message to domestic violence perpetrators.

“Australia has no tolerance for perpetrators of violence against women and children,” Federal Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said in a public statement. “The message is clear: if you’ve been convicted of a violent crime against women or children, you are not welcome in this country, wherever the offence occurred, whatever the sentence.”

The ban is supposed to make Australia safer, but not everyone is happy about it.

“By cancelling the visas of criminals we have made Australia a safer place,” Coleman said. “These crimes inflict long lasting trauma on the victims and their friends and family, and foreign criminals who commit them are not welcome in our country.”

However, Australia’s neighboring country of New Zealand has long taken issue with Australia’s policy of exporting convicts, and this new policy highlights why. Under the new rule, New Zealanders who have already served their sentences for domestic violence and lived in Australia most of their lives could be kicked out and sent to live in New Zealand. Such circumstances raise questions about when justice has been served and the role of rehabilitation in domestic violence convictions.

Australia, like many other countries, is trying to come to terms with its domestic violence problem.

Barring domestic violence perpetrators from other countries sends a strong message, but it’s only meaningful if the country also tackles the problem among its own citizens. According to a Personal Safety Study conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, about 17% of Australian women and 6% of Australian men have experienced partner violence since the age of 15. And the numbers have remained relatively stable since 2005.

That may seem to indicate that little progress has been made; however, as Australian law professor Heather Douglass points out, the numbers only tell part of the story. Since most people in abusive relationships don’t report the abuse until after they’ve left, it could simply be that more are leaving, which is a good thing. There has also been a marked increase in people seeking domestic violence services in some areas, which, again, is a good thing. For far too long, domestic violence was swept under the rug while victims were often too afraid or embarrassed to seek help. More calls for help could mean that the stigma associated with domestic violence is starting to fade.

This story originally appeared on 04.01.19

After a week without any ranked matchups on the schedule, Week 4 brings a half dozen ranked showdowns in college football in what appears to be one of the best Saturdays of the season. Whether it lives up to the billing remains to be seen, but each window throughout the day features some tasty matchups and we should learn an awful lot about many of the teams in or around the top-25.

Florida State (-2.5) at Clemson, 12:00 p.m. ET (ABC)

The Noles almost got caught sleepwalking on the road against Boston College, and it’s fair to wonder if they had an eye already on this trip to Clemson. It’s the first time the Tigers have been home dogs since 2016 — the legendary Lamar Jackson-Deshaun Watson showdown — and you’d be hard pressed to find two teams that had more different vibes around them after the first week of the season. That said, last week took a little shine off of FSU, while Clemson’s taken care of business and seems to be finding a bit of footing. As such, this should be a fascinating game no matter what the outcome, whether it’s close throughout or a blowout, and will likely command main screen attention from most in the noon slate.

Auburn (+8.5) at Texas A&M, 12:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Texas A&M desperately needs this win after what happened down in Coral Gables to open the season, but Auburn’s offense has been humming under Hugh Freeze. Given how leaky the Aggies looked against Miami, we’ll see if they’ve shored things up as they play their first big home game of the season against the Tigers, who will challenge them in a big way on the ground. The good news is, A&M’s offense has looked pretty good throwing the ball and this is a game that could see some real fireworks in College Station.

Oklahoma (-14) at Cincinnati, 12:00 p.m. ET (FOX)

Few teams have looked as dominant to start the season as the Sooners, but now they’ll take it on the road for the first time against a Cincinnati team that seems to have taken a step back. In theory, this shouldn’t be stressful for Oklahoma, but it also feels like the right type of game for folks to be wondering what the hell’s going on at Nippert Stadium in the second half when they scan the scoreboard and see the Sooners locked in a tight one. On the other hand, if Oklahoma can go on the road and take care of business in a big way, that will be very telling of how competitive this squad could be.

Colorado (+21) at Oregon, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

It’s not often the game everyone wants to see features a three-touchdown spread, but Colorado’s biggest test of the season arrives in Eugene this weekend as Coach Prime once again takes his show on the road. Travis Hunter’s absence takes away from this one a bit and is part of why this line has stayed up at 21, as not having their most dynamic player on both sides of the ball makes this a very difficult task for the Buffs. Still, Shedeur Sanders has looked great through three weeks and showed last week how resilient he is, and the Ducks will have a real test on the defensive side of the ball. Where Oregon figures to have the big advantage is when their offense is on the field, as they should simply out-athlete the Buffs and Bo Nix should have a huge game to vault himself back up into the Heisman mix. The biggest concern for Oregon offensively is Nix’s occasional willingness to get loose with the football, as the one thing Colorado has been good at defensively to start this season has been capitalizing on turnover opportunities. If Nix provides those for the Buffs, this could get fun. If he plays smart, one would think the Ducks cruise.

UCLA (+3.5) at Utah, 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

The other big Pac-12 showdown in the midday window is in Salt Lake, and while it won’t draw as much attention, it should be the more competitive game. Dante Moore looks legit under center for UCLA, but playing on the road against this Utah defense is about as tough as it gets. The Utes are expected to get starting QB Cam Rising back for this game, which is a big boost given how bad their QB situation looked at Baylor two weeks ago when they escaped with a win — although the change to Nate Johnson has seemingly made them more dynamic. This could be a fun one, provided Moore is up to the task on the road, and I’d expect the outcome to be in the balance late in the fourth.

Ole Miss (+7) at Alabama, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

Jalen Milroe is back under center for Alabama after their tryout last week for the backups against USF resulted in one of the saddest performances of the Nick Saban era. With the Tide looking as vulnerable as ever, in comes old friend Lane Kiffin and an Ole Miss squad that has been all over the place in its first few games, providing some of the early bad beats of the year for gamblers with their slow starts followed by aggressive scoring in the fourth quarter. We’ll see what Lane has cooked up for a very solid Tide defense, and whether some stability for Milroe means the Alabama offense finally settles in.

BYU (+9.5) at Kansas, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

I’d keep an eye on the score in Lawrence, where the Jayhawks are hosting BYU. The Cougars are fresh off a win at Arkansas and will be looking to pull back-to-back road upsets in the midwest. Given the way Kansas plays and how last week went for BYU, this game could feature some wild swings and big plays on both sides, so if some of the marquee matchups fall flat, this could be a nice fallback.

Louisiana Tech (+20.5) at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)

Just keep an eye on the scoreboard here. Nebraska’s a catastrophe and they lost to Georgia Southern in this exact spot a year ago. Maybe they can get a much needed, easy win here, but it would be very funny (for non-Huskers) if this was a tight one late.

Oklahoma State (+3.5) at Iowa State, 4:00 p.m. ET (FS1)

I know this is a watch guide, but this game is listed as a PSA to not turn it on. You might be tempted, thinking this could be a fun matchup if you haven’t tuned in to a game featuring these teams this year, but this is for real sick puppies only (like me) who want to see the worst possible offensive performance and some hilarious mistakes made by both teams.

Oregon State (-3) at Washington State, 7:00 p.m. ET (FOX)

The first ever ranked matchup between Oregon State and Wazzu, and it’s coming in the last year of the Pac-12’s existence. I’m sure there will be a lot of borderline obnoxious talk on the broadcast about how awful the situation is for the two programs (when FOX and ESPN hold much of the blame for the Pac-12’s demise), but the football should be really good. Oregon State’s defense has looked quite good to start the season, but they’ll get a stern test from a Wazzu offense that can move it up and down the field (and has proven it can do so against a team like Wisconsin). How D.J. Uiagalelei performs on the road will likely determine how this game goes, but I also expect things to get just a little weird between these two.

Appalachian State (+3) at Wyoming, 7:00 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)

Each week I try to highlight my favorite non Power-Five matchup, and this week we are headed out to Laramie where the wind will be howling and a couple of teams that like to impose their will physically will get after each other. This has the chance to be a real slobberknocker, and while it shouldn’t be a shootout, I also think it could just be a really good watch (with some great aesthetics as these two teams have great uniforms).

Ohio State (-3.5) at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

The biggest game of the day, based on rankings, will be in South Bend where Ohio State rolls into town with a young QB making his first road start as a favorite. That is going to be fascinating to watch because, up until last week, the Buckeyes offense had not looked like the dominant unit we’ve come to expect from that program. However, with Kyle McCord being handed the keys officially, they dusted Western Kentucky and maybe got back on the tracks. Now they have to go into hostile territory against a good Notre Dame team with the best quarterback the Irish have had in over a decade in Sam Hartman and prove last week wasn’t a mirage. On the other side, the Irish have looked very solid this year and showed their road chops at NC State, but the Buckeyes are an entirely different test. We’ll see if they can keep up with Ohio State’s athletes and if Hartman can keep cooking against a stout defense that will shrink those passing windows.

Iowa (+14.5) at Penn State, 7:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

The other big ranked matchup in the night slate is another Big Ten showdown, this time seeing Iowa head on the road to Penn State. The Nittany Lions came into the season with high expectations and have played very solidly to start the season with Drew Allar under center, but also maybe haven’t been as dominant as you’d like a team with legit Big Ten title aspirations. Iowa coming into town presents an interesting test and an opportunity. We know the Hawkeyes are a great defensive team with a, let’s just say, subpar offense. If Penn State can avoid turnovers, which Iowa is great at forcing, they could make a statement in the Big Ten. But if Allar struggles in potentially inclement weather against the Iowa defense and this thing becomes a grind it out slugfest, that falls into Iowa’s preferences — and will be to the detriment of my colleague Bill DiFilippo’s mental and physical health. (ed. note: This is Bill, and Drew is going for 450 and 5 TDs. Go State.)

North Carolina (-7.5) at Pitt, 8:00 p.m. ET (ACC Network)

Pitt looked awful last week in the Backyard Brawl. UNC looked good against Minnesota at home. As such, I expect shenanigans in the big ketchup bottle.

UCF (+4.5) at Kansas State, 8:00 p.m. ET (FS1)

K-State couldn’t get out of Mizzou’s (or its own) way last week and Will Howard is banged up, so I’m interested to see if they can bounce back here against a good UCF team that’s without its quarterback, as John Rhys Plumlee is out for a bit with his own injuries.

Cal (+20.5) at Washington, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

You can pick your Heisman contender QB to watch in the late night window, but I just can’t advise anyone watch Arizona State play football right now. They’re missing a ton of guys, including their QB, and got absolutely smoked by Fresno last week, so I fear what Caleb Williams will do to them. As such, I’ll check in on Michael Penix Jr. and Washington to see if he can continue being a buzzsaw against a Cal team that popped in Week 1, only to look really mediocre since. Maybe they can find some form again with star running back Jaydn Ott back in the lineup, but if not this might be a nice “watch one half and go to bed” Saturday night.

Joe Budden is setting the record straight about his rumored feud with Cardi B, and retracted his past comments about her song “Bongos,” during a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast.

“I don’t click on things when they can hurt me emotionally,” he said. “Cardi is my girl, so when the headlines is, ‘Cardi B Tears Into Joe Budden’ — come on, man. That hurts. That hurts my heart.”

“And I wouldn’t have been saying that directly to Cardi because I f*ck with Cardi,” Budden added. “I was talking to a few of you other people, but now I have to address the Cardi sh*t.”

A few weeks ago, Budden had upset the Bronx rapper by saying her collab with Megan Thee Stallion sounded like a “science project,” according to HipHopDX.

“I hate the song,” he shared. “It’s not better than any of the songs like it. ‘WAP,’ ‘Up,’ it’s not better than Cardi B feature. This is Cardi getting ready to follow-up her debut album… They not gonna spend the money to keep this rolling into the fourth and first quarter.”

Cardi eventually heard about Budden’s thoughts and shared some of her own during an Instagram live. “I just feel like he has an issue with me,” Cardi said. “And it was beyond the critique of ‘Bongos’ — it’s just you inviting b*tches who said the rudest, nastiest sh*t… when Mal and Rory say f*ck sh*t about you, you get so defensive and you want to clear it up.”

Still, it’s good that the two were able to clear things up.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Stephen A. Smith and the First Take crew talk about the Dallas Cowboys a whole lot, and usually, Smith is of the belief that bad things are destined to happen to the team on the football field. Of course, Smith uses that in the context of their pursuit of the Super Bowl and doesn’t cross any sorts of lines with things like injuries, but on Friday’s edition of the show, one panelist used it in a way that Smith, Ryan Clark, and a few NFL players all disliked.

On Thursday, starting cornerback Trevon Diggs was ruled out for the season after tearing his ACL in practice. It was a gigantic loss for a Dallas defense that looked dominant to start the year, and while breaking things down on First Take, ESPN analyst Bart Scott went a little too far for the rest of the panel.

After Scott dove into the Xs and Os behind why Diggs’ injury hurts the Cowboys, he decided to lean into the First Take schtick of cracking jokes about the Cowboys.

“This is a major, major blow for Dallas, and like Stephen A. always says: just wait, something bad always happens,” Scott said.

Clark made it a point to tell Scott “don’t start that,” while Smith likewise wasn’t having this.

“I wouldn’t do that right now, in all seriousness, RC,” Smith said. “This is a season-ending injury, so I’m certainly not gonna joke about that with Trevon Diggs, my brother, I got a lot of love for him.”

Unsurprisingly, a few folks weren’t fans of how Scott talked about the injury. Diggs’ teammate, Micah Parsons, called Scott out on Twitter, while his older brother, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, said Scott accomplished nothing other than coming off like a clown.

Scott did go on to Twitter and try to defend himself, claiming that Parsons took his statement out of context.

Kevin Bacon knows how to do creepy, quirky, and gross, but there is one thing he won’t mess with: ghosts. The actor recently went on Rob Lowe’s podcast where he told a story about how he bought some potentially haunted farmland in Connecticut in the ’80s. To be fair, if you are buying land in Connecticut, the odds are pretty good there is some weird energy there.

Bacon said that the owner told him, “I can’t sell it to you because it’s haunted and I’m afraid that you’ll get possessed and, you know, do some serious damage.” Eventually, Bacon was able to make an agreement with the landowner that he could buy the land on the condition that he had to destroy the home within a month. Sounds a bit like the first half of an Ari Aster movie.

While Bacon has not had any supernatural occurrences on the property, he confirmed that his wife would not even take anything from the house before it was demolished. “[We] went up there and there were some beautiful old pine boards and a banister and I said to Kyra [Sedgwick], ‘We’ve gotta take those out.’ And she’s like, ‘No you’re not. You’re not putting those f***ing things in our house.’” You know nothing good happens when you mess with potentially possessed objects.

As for the history of the home, Bacon said, “It was a long story that had to do with a Native American who, in the 1700s, had been murdered by a colonial soldier,” he recounted. “[The owner] had had ghostbusters there. It was a whole long thing.” It seems that Bacon has learned how to leave ghost-infested properties. Finally!!!!

(Via EW)

In June 2015 The Supreme Court of the United States declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

The legalization of gay marriage granted over 1100 statutory provisions to same-sex couples, many of them granting rights and privileges previously only afforded to heterosexual couples.

After the decision, President Barack Obama said the ruling will “strengthen all of our communities” by offering dignity and equal status to all same-sex couples and their families.

He called it a “victory for America.”

However, the law didn’t just benefit same-sex couples who want to get married, it also had a dramatic affect on LGBT youth. Two years after the legalization of gay marriage, the suicide attempt rate among LGBT youth declined significantly according to the Associated Press.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for U.S. teens. LGBT teens are five times more likely to make an attempt than their straight peers.

The study was conducted with over 26,000 LGBT youth participants in the 32 states where gay marriage was legalized up through the 2015 Supreme Court decision. The study found that suicide attempt rates dropped 7% among all students and 14% among gay kids after same-sex marriage was legalized in each state.

Part of the drop in suicide attempts by kids who didn’t publicly identify that they were gay could be because they were closeted or questioning.

There was no change in states where same-sex marriage wasn’t legalized.

While the change in suicide attempts doesn’t prove there’s a direct connection, researchers believe that the law made LGBT kids feel “more hopeful for the future.” They also believe the measures increased tolerance among their straight peers while reducing the stigmatization felt by gay kids.

A study out of Denmark and Sweden published in 2019 found similar results among married gay couples.

Same-sex marriage was made legal in 2009 in Sweden and 2012 in Denmark.

The study found that couples in same-sex unions saw a 46% decline in suicide suicide, compared to 28% of those in heterosexual unions.

“Although suicide rates in the general populations of Denmark and Sweden have been decreasing in recent decades, the rate for those living in same-sex marriage declined at a steeper pace, which has not been noted previously,” researchers noted.

These studies show the power that societal recognition can have on stigmatized minority groups. When one is protected by the “law of the land” it means a lot more than what happens in a courtroom or at city hall.

It shows that you are accepted by the community and protected by those in power. For to love flourish — whether it’s loving oneself or sharing it with a partner — first it must first be protected.

This article originally appeared on 01.24.20

If you’ve never seen a Maori haka performed, you’re missing out.

The Maori are the indigenous peoples of New Zealand, and their language and customs are an integral part of the island nation. One of the most recognizable Maori traditions outside of New Zealand is the haka, a ceremonial dance or challenge usually performed in a group. The haka represents the pride, strength, and unity of a tribe and is characterized by foot-stamping, body slapping, tongue protrusions, and rhythmic chanting.

Haka is performed at weddings as a sign of reverence and respect for the bride and groom and are also frequently seen before sports competitions, such as rugby matches.

The intensity of the haka is the point. It is meant to be a show of strength and elicit a strong response—which makes seeing a tiny toddler learning to do it all the more adorable.

Here’s an example of a rugby haka:

Danny Heke, who goes by @focuswithdan on TikTok, shared a video of a baby learning haka and omigosh it is seriously the most adorable thing. When you see most haka, the dancers aren’t smiling—their faces are fierce—so this wee one starting off with an infectious grin is just too much. You can see that he’s already getting the moves down, facial expressions and all, though.

@focuswithdan When you grow up learning haka! #haka #teachthemyoung #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou #kapahaka ♬ original sound – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

As cute as this video is, it’s part of a larger effort by Heke to use his TikTok channel to share and promote Maori culture. His videos cover everything from the Te Reo Maori language to traditional practices to issues of prejudice Maori people face.

Here he briefly goes over the different body parts that make up haka:

@focuswithdan

♬ Ngati – Just2maori

This video explains the purerehua, or bullroarer, which is a Maori instrument that is sometimes used to call rains during a drought.

@focuswithdan Reply to @illumi.is.naughty Some tribes used this to call the rains during drought 🌧 ⛈ #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp ♬ Pūrerehua – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

This one shares a demonstration and explanation of the taiaha, a traditional Maori weapon.

@focuswithdan Reply to @shauncalvert Taiaha, one of the most formidable of the Māori Weaponry #taiaha #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

For another taste of haka, check out this video from a school graduation:

@focuswithdan When your little cuzzy graduates and her school honours her with a haka #maori #māori #haka #focuswithdan #fyp #graduation @its_keshamarley ♬ Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Ruanui – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

Heke even has some fun with the trolls and racists in the comments who try to tell him his culture is dead (what?).

@focuswithdan Credit to you all my AMAZING FOLLOWERS! #focuswithdan #maori #māori #followers #fyp #trolls ♬ original sound – sounds for slomo_bro!

Unfortunately, it’s not just ignorant commenters who spew racist bile. A radio interview clip that aired recently called Maori people “genetically predisposed to crime, alcohol, and underperformance,” among other terrible things. (The host, a former mayor of Auckland, has been let go for going along with and contributing to the caller’s racist narrative.)

@focuswithdan #newzealand radio in 2021 delivering racist commentaries 🤦🏽‍♂️ #māori #maori #focuswithdan #racism DC: @call.me.lettie2.0 ♬ original sound – luna the unicow

That clip highlights why what Heke is sharing is so important. The whole world is enriched when Indigenous people like the Maori have their voices heard and their culture celebrated. The more we learn from each other and our diverse ways of life, the more enjoyable life on Earth will be and the better we’ll get at collaborating to confront the challenges we all share.

This article originally appeared on 01.28.21

A retired merchant navy engineer in England has found a treasure that would have made his country’s most popular folk hero proud. Graham Harrison, a 64-year-old metal detector enthusiast, discovered a gold signet ring that once belonged to the Sheriff of Nottingham.

The discovery was made on a farm in Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, 26.9 miles from Sherwood Forest. The forest is known worldwide for being the mythological home of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. A central road that traversed the forest was notorious in Medieval times for being an easy place for bandits to rob travelers going to and from London.

Today, the forest is a designated National Nature Reserve. It contains ancient oaks that date back thousands of years, making it an important conservation area.

“It was the first big dig after lockdown on a glorious day. We were searching two fields. Other detectorists kept finding hammered coins but I’d found nothing,” Harrison said according to the Daily Mail. “Then I suddenly got a signal. I dug up a clod of earth but couldn’t see anything. I kept breaking up the clod and, on the last break, a gold ring was shining at me. I broke out into a gold dance.”

Gold Ring that Belonged to Real Sheriff of Nottingham.nnRead more: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/sheriff-nottingham-0016568u00a0u2026pic.twitter.com/K7rhf2E62O

— Ancient Origins (@Ancient Origins)
1648812786

Harrison sent the ring to the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme to have it authenticated. After doing some research they found that it was once owned by Sir Matthew Jenison, who was the Sheriff of Nottingham between 1683 and 1684.

The first accounts of Robin Hood, then known as Robyn Hode, first appear in the 12th century, a few hundred years before Sir Matthew served as sheriff.

But there’s no doubt that the archer and leader of Merry Men would have been delighted to know that an everyday guy came into possession of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s ring.

Sir Matthew was knighted in 1683 and acted as a commissioner to examine decaying trees in Sherwood Forest. He was later elected to Parliament in 1701. However, a series of lawsuits over shady land dealings would eventually be his ruin and he’d die in prison in 1734.

The gold signet ring bears the coat of arms of the Jenison family, who were known for getting rich off a treasure trove of valuables left for safekeeping during the English Civil War. The valuables were never claimed, so the Jenisons took them for themselves.

Harrison decided that he would sell the ring to someone who appreciates its importance.

“There can’t be many people who’ve found anything like that. I’m only selling it because it’s been stuck in a drawer,” Harrison said. “I hope it will go to someone who will appreciate its historical value.” It was sold at auction by Hansons Auctions for £8,500 ($11,115).

March Historica & Coin Auction. 24 March u2014 25 March. The Sheriff of Nottinghamu2019s gold signet ring #Historica #Auction @HansonHistoricannCheck out HansonsAuctions’s video! #TikTok https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLmGN476/u00a0pic.twitter.com/cbdwbWrqdH

— Hansons (@Hansons)
1648055052

WOW! The final moments as the Sheriff of#Nottingham ring goes under the hammer… @HansonHistorica @HansonsAuctionsn@[email protected]/NLssFdaksL

— Hansons (@Hansons)
1648124323

Let’s hope that the man who sold the ring does what Robin Hood would have done with a piece of jewelry that adorned the hand of a nobleman whose family came into money by taking other people’s loot. Surely, he’d take the proceeds from the auction and give them to the poor.

This article originally appeared on 04.06.22

Imagine your 12-year-old son is helping take part in his school’s Valentine’s Day fundraiser. You’d probably be proud and encouraged at the way he’s getting involved and doing something good, right?

Now imagine, as part of that effort, he decided to email the CEO of Costco, one of the most beloved big box retailers in the world. Well, that’s cute, right? But what if he told you the CEO not only wrote back but went out of his way to donate exactly what your son asked for?

It may sound too good to be true, but that’s exactly what happened when Grant Cerwin sent an email to Costco CEO Craig Jelinek. The sixth grader emailed Jelinek asking if he would donate one of Costco’s famous 93-inch teddy bears to his middle school’s fundraiser in Los Angeles:

“Hi Mr. Jelinek,

My name is Grant Cerwin and I am 12 years old. I go to [removed] Middle School and am the 6th grade class rep. We want to raffle one of your giant bears as a Valentine’s Day fundraiser for our school. We are part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Is there any chance Costco might donate one? My dad has a truck and we could come get it at the store. I would make sure everyone knew you gave it to us in our school newsletter, on social media and with a big sign by the bear. I know it is a long shot but I thought it couldn’t hurt to ask. We are also seeing how we might get enough money to buy one. Thanks for considering. Your friend, Grant.”

Well, it turns out the long shot was perfectly timed.

Jelinek not only saw the email but jumped into action, asking his colleague “Can we find him a teddy?” Then his lieutenant emailed their colleagues to quickly find a bear for Cerwin’s school, writing: “Do whatever it takes to find a Big Bear and set up pick up for Lesley. Keep me posted.”

Grant then received the following message from Costco:

“Good morning Grant. I am the Toy Supervisor at our Costco’s LA Regional office. I have good news, Costco will be donating a 93” Plush Bear to your school to use in your Valentine’s Day fundraiser! We could have it delivered to the school directly so your parents don’t have to worry about transporting it.”

With time to spare, the Big Bear was delivered to Grant and his school was able to include it in their fundraiser. And while moments like this don’t happen every day, they are a great reminder that even the biggest companies are run by real people and those people often have big hearts. Big, as in 93” plush bear big.

And let’s be honest, we’re not entirely shocked that this happened at Costco, a company that has built a well-earned reputation for treating both its customers and its employees with dignity and respect.

“It speaks volumes about the leadership at Costco that Grant got the response he did,” Grant’s mother Lesley Cerwin told Upworthy. “He is a boundlessly optimistic child and as a parent you worry the world will chip away at that positivity. I’m grateful that the team at Costco reaffirmed my son’s belief that the world is full of good people.”

“I couldn’t believe that they responded so fast and that so many people helped,” Grant told Upworthy. “They didn’t want anything, just to help our school.”

Something as seemingly simple as a donated teddy bear might not sound like much, but it’s examples like this that show the power of bridge-building between companies and communities.

An act of kindness in itself can go a long way. And when that is coupled with the impact it had not only on Grant and his mom, but on Grant’s classmates, you can start to see a real impact that all started with a single email.

“My teachers and friends at school are excited,” Grant said. “We all can’t believe how big it is. It takes a bunch of us to move it around. Our ASB class is working on a thank you card.”

Plus, let’s be honest, a personal touch from someone as high-profile as Craig Jelinek and his team isn’t a bad way to build customer loyalty either. As Lesley told us, “I’ve always liked Costco. Will I be even happier to shop there now? You bet. It is a great store and now I am acutely aware that it is run by amazing people.”

This article originally appeared on 2.16.23

While IPAs, lagers, and even wheat beers seem to get all the press. There’s another darker, maltier beer just waiting in the wings, hoping for some shine. A beer that will always be there for you on those unseasonably cool summer nights, chilly fall afternoons, or even in the dead of winter. We’re talking, of course, about the brown ale.

While there are different types of brown ales (including American, English style, and beyond), in general, the beer style is known for its dark brown appearance, caramel, chocolate, or even toasted malt flavor with a minimal hop flavor. It’s a beer for all seasons and a favorite of bartenders, beer experts, and drinkers alike.

To find some of these warming, malty gems, we went to craft beer professionals for help. We asked a handful of brewers and beer experts to tell us about their favorite brown ales of all time. Keep scrolling to see all of their selections. Stock up now for the chilly days ahead.

Founders Underground Mountain Brown

Glenn Allen, head brewer at Pilot Project Brewing in Milwaukee

ABV: 11.9%

Average Price: $16 for a four-pack

The Beer:

Some of my favorite brown ales are the ones that are complimented with coffee. Underground Mountain Brown from Founders Brewing is their take on a barrel-aged Imperial Brown Ale infused with coffee.

Tasting Notes:

At 11.9% ABV it’s big and bold but has a great balance of dark chocolate, caramel, coffee, and moderate sweetness. These flavors make it a perfect beer to watch the leaves change colors.

Russian River Janet’s Brown Ale

Nico Freccia, co-founder at COO at 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco

ABV: 7.6%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Janet’s Brown Ale is about the best brown I’ve ever had. Originally brewed by the late great award-winning homebrewer Mike ‘Tasty’ McDole, the beer was brought out commercially by Russian River Brewing at the Great American Beer Festival’s Pro-Am competition in 2009. It’s now an occasional limited release from Russian River that you can find in 16oz cans if you’re lucky.

Tasting Notes:

It’s simply a delicious, perfectly balanced big brown ale with notes of chocolate, toffee, caramel, and just the right amount of hoppy bitterness.

Corsendonk Abbey Brown Ale

Duncan Kral, innovation brewer at Half Acre Beer in Chicago

ABV: 7.5%

Average Price: $17 for a four-pack

The Beer:

My pick is the Corsendonk Abbey Brown Ale. Fall weather has me craving Belgian-style ales for their complex yeast aromatics and warming high ABV. Corsendonk Brown is an underrated gem that fits the bill perfectly.

Tasting Notes:

Notes of raisins and plums combine with the spicy esters from Abbey ale yeast to make a perfect pairing for a chilly fall night.

Greenbush Doomslayer

Anthony Kisscorni, USBG bartender at Stella’s Lounge in Grand Rapids, Michigan

ABV: 8.5%

Average Price: $14 for a six-pack

The Beer:

I am forever a fan of Newcastle. It was one of the first beers that I enjoyed that didn’t come in rack form. However, in Michigan, there are a ton of good options, and you cannot go wrong with Greenbush’s Doomslayer. It’s 8.5% and filled with maple goodness.

Tasting Notes:

Made with maple sap instead of water, this unique brown ale is loaded with maple candy, caramel, and toasted malt sweetness.

Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale

Adam Lukey, head brewer at Eventide Brewing in Atlanta

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Brown ales don’t get as much love as they used to but finding a prime example of one is a true joy. My favorite brown ale is Ellie’s Brown Ale by Avery Brewing Co. out of Boulder, Colorado.

Tasting Notes:

The beer is a beautiful, deep russet color dominated by chocolate and brown sugar maltiness with hints of vanilla and hazelnut.

Heist My Mind Is On The Coconut

Chad Henderson, head brewer and co-owner at NoDa Brewing Company in Charlotte

ABV: 5.4%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

My Mind is On the Coconut from Heist Brewery is a nice and hardy brown ale. It gets its roasted, sweet flavor from being conditioned on in-house toasted coconut.

Tasting Notes:

Featuring distinct biscuit and caramel notes. It strikes a perfect balance, avoiding excessive roastiness, while its coconut character and creamy texture elevate it into an awesome sweeter brown ale that doesn’t come across as overly heavy.

Sierra Nevada Tumbler

Chris Baum, head brewer and owner at Varietal Beer Company in Sunnyside, Washington

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Tumbler from Sierra Nevada is an outstanding brown ale. It’s clean, crisp, nutty, and very drinkable. It’s a beer that was made to imbibe while you watch the seasons change from summer to fall. Buy some if you can find it.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a ton of caramel malt flavor up front, followed by chocolate, roasted malts, candied nuts, and gentle, floral hops at the finish.

Brooklyn Brown Ale

George Hummel, grain master at My Local Brew Works in Philadelphia

ABV: 5.6%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

The Beer:

There’s no better pint of American Brown Ale than the one brewed by Brooklyn Brewing Co. Brooklyn Brown and Pete’s Wicked Ale were the two craft brewers that transitioned the homebrewed Texas brown style into an American classic.

Tasting Notes:

It’s malty but not cloying. Crisp in the middle with a great flavor and nose of Cascade hops. It’s a true classic when it comes to American brown ales.

Wild Fields Pine Mountain Monolith

Bradley Miles, head of production at Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, Arizona

ABV: 5.4%

Average Price: $6.50 for a 16-ounce can

The Beer:

Pine Mountain Monolith from Wild Fields Brewhouse. It’s nutty, malty, and has a hint of hop flavor. It’s light-bodied which makes it a great session beer. It’s bold and warming but light enough for warm fall days.

Tasting Notes:

Freshly baked bread, toffee, candied nights, tasted malts, and dried fruits start everything off nicely. The finish is sweet, crisp, and highly memorable.

Black Hog Granola Brown

Suzanne Schalow, CEO of Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont, Massachusetts

ABV: 5.7%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Black Hog Granola Brown is my pick. With a massive amount of malted barley, wheat, rye, and oats, this ‘chewy’ brown ale earns its name honestly.

Tasting Notes:

Toasty brown bread with a full, creamy, silky mouthfeel, this brown ale is darned near perfection with its sweet malt center, yet dry finish.