If you’ve never heard of the Cat Distribution System, then you probably don’t own a cat, or you do, but you acquired your cat in a normal, non-weird way. You know, like at an animal shelter or from some nice lady on social media who had a box of kittens. Some people do get cats that way, and it’s one thousand percent a valid way to attain cat parent status.
But some lucky folks get cats through the Cat Distribution System (or CDS for short). Is this system real? The only people who know this are cats. They’re also the ones that run the system, so the rules and the way in which you attain your purr machine may be a bit wonky. You may wake up with an unknown cat in your bed even though all of your windows are closed, or you just may be like this delivery driver.
The driver was out picking up orders when a cat came out of the CDS and jumped on the man’s leg as he attempted to get back to his car. Thanks to his dash cam, you get to see CDS at work, and so did his mom. The video currently has over 2.8 million views on TikTok.
When the driver asked his mom if he could keep the cat, at first she said no. Then she saw the footage of the cat aggressively and desperately choosing her son to be its new cat dad—and that’s how you get a cat through the CDS. Once the cat realized she made the right choice, she snuggled up on her dad’s lap as he drove her home.
“We are not cat people,” reads the text overlay. “My youngest son was out making deliveries last night. A cat kept following him. Then jumped on his leg and would not let go.”
I have news for you, Mom, you’re cat people now. It’s how the Cat Distribution System works. They train their recruits to turn non-cat people into cat people, one unsuspecting human at a time. If you don’t make it to the end of the video, yes, they kept the cat and her name is Venus. That’s how the system is designed.
#catrescue #catrescueroftiktok I am not a #catperson but maybe now I will be after today. I #Love my #son has a #huge #compassionate #heart #momsoftiktok #rescate #gato
No matter how long you’ve skied or snowboarded or how much of an expert you are, there’s one nemesis on the mountain that poses an underappreciated threat—the tree well.
People may think the main danger of skiing through trees is the risk of running into one. But falling into a tree well is a less obvious, but still potentially deadly risk due to the possibility of snow immersion suffocation (SIS). Essentially, the area around the base of a tree creates snow conditions that are quite different than those out in the open. Air pockets in the snow combined with water vapor rising from the tree base turns the snow into a quicksand-like texture that is nearly impossible to escape from—the more you struggle, the deeper in you fall. Skiers and snowboarders die every year from SIS due to falling into tree wells and not being found in time.
That could easily have been snowboarder Ian Steger’s fate in March 2023 if not for the eagle eye and quick thinking of backcountry skier Francis Zuber.
Zuber had just begun a backcountry ski run with a buddy on Mount Baker in Washington State when a flash of red caught the corner of his eye. Zuber’s GoPro footage shows him stopping and turning to see a colorful snowboard upside-down next to a tree.
“I knew there was somebody attached to it, and obviously they were still alive,” Zuber told Vancouver’s City News. “I shout out to the guy…he can’t hear me, he’s five and a half to six feet into the snow at that point.” Zuber knew he had to work fast.
As the video shows him struggling to make his way back toward the tree through the deep snow, we can hear him muttering expletives to himself and calling out to the snowboarder. At first, we can’t see how Steger is positioned, but as Zuber gets closer and starts digging, it becomes clear that the snowboarder is completely upside-down, with his face buried deep in the snow.
Watch the harrowing GoPro footage Zuber shared on YouTube:
[Warning: This video contains strong language.]
Zuber told the CBC that they estimated Steger had been buried between five and seven minutes, “probably at either a third or just the halfway point of his possible survival time in there,” when he found him. Zuber said Steger hadn’t been snowboarding alone—he was with a group of three other riders who were carrying safety equipment including shovels, beacons and two-way radios—but as we could see in Zuber’s GoPro, getting back up a mountain when you realize someone in your group isn’t behind you anymore is no small or quick task.
Steger and Zuber have since become friends since the March 3 rescue and have even gone skiing together on Mount Baker.
Steger told the CBC he just wants to “enjoy being alive.” Indeed, after a close-call experience like that, every moment you have would feel like a gift.
As we know, baby name trends are constantly changing. One generation’s Barbara is another generation’s Bethany. But it doesn’t make it any less odd when you suddenly realize that your very own name has suddenly made it into the “old and unhip” pile. And for many of us 80s babies…that time is now.
In a now-viral TikTok post, baby name consultant Colleen Slagen went through the top 100 girl names from 1986 to find which ones “did not age well” and were no longer ranked top 1,000 today. Such a descent from popularity would mark them as what she calls “timestamp names.”
Spoiler alert: what might be even more surprising than the names now considered old school are the names that are still going strong.
The first name that Slagen says is “officially out” is Heather. That’s right, not even cult movie fame could help it keep its ranking.
Other extinct names include Erica, Courtney, Lindsay, Tara, Crystal, Shannon, Brandy and Dana. Tiffany, Brittany and Casey are also heading very much in that direction.
“My name is Brandy. The Gen Z hostess at Olive Garden told me that she’d never heard my name before and it was so unique,” one viewer wrote.
However, Andrea ranks “surprisingly high,” and Jessica, Ashley and Stephanie have survived…so far.
Gobsmacked, one person asked “How is Stephanie still in there? I don’t think I’ve met a Stephanie younger than myself at 34.”
But the biggest holdout still belongs to Jennifer. “She was a top 100 name all the way up until 2008. Round of applause for Jennifer,” Slagen says in the clip.
If your name has found its way into relic of a bygone era status, fret not. Slagen, whose name also ranks out of the top 1000, assures it just means “we are creatures of the 80’s.”
Of course, while we still have baby names that become incredibly common for extended periods of time (looking at you, little Liam and Olivia), the real contemporary trend is going for uniqueness. As an article in The Atlantic notes, for most of American history families tended to name their children after a previous family member, with the goal of blending in, rather than standing out. But now, things have changed.
Laura Wattenberg, the founder of Namerology, told the outlet that “Parents are thinking about naming kids more like how companies think about naming products, which is a kind of competitive marketplace where you need to be able to get attention to succeed.”
But again, even with a keen eye on individualism, patterns pop up. “The same thing we see in fashion trend cycles, we see in names,” Jessie Paquette, another professional baby namer, told Vox. “We’re seeing Eleanor, Maude, Edith—cool-girl grandma names.”
So who knows…give it time (or maybe just a pop song) and one of these 80s names could make a comeback.
When Rocky Kanaka first met Katie, a scruffy beige Australian Shepherd mix, he thought she was a senior dog. As it turned out, the shelter pup was only about a year old. She had just been found by a good samaritan as a stray, her fur and skin in terrible shape, her paws swollen and her spirit muted. She didn’t even want to look at Kanaka when he first entered the kennel to sit with her.
That all changed as he took the time to sit with her and earn her trust. Kanaka has gained a huge following on YouTube with his videos sitting with shelter dogs, and his way with them is truly inspiring. He brings his own home-baked treats and a huge amount of patience and compassion, helping abandoned animals learn that humans can be kind and caring companions.
Katie is one of many dogs Kanaka has visited, and her behavior in the kennel showed him that she hadn’t had much of a chance in her short life to learn how to be a dog.
For instance, when Kanaka offered her a stuffed unicorn to play with, she didn’t know what to do with it. He tried a squeaky toy, which she also didn’t know what to do with and found overwhelming after a few squeaks. She took Kanaka’s treats, but not immediately and not in the way a dog who understands the concept of treats would.
But throughout the video, the stray pup responded to Kanaka’s affection and love by melting right into it. She even wanted to sit in his lap toward the end, but didn’t seem to know how. Kanaka scooped her up, despite the foul smell her skin condition created, and it’s clear that this pupper just loves being loved.
Watch:
It’s hard for animals with obvious health issues, especially something as visible as a skin condition that makes them look and smell bad, to attract people looking to adopt. But by taking half an hour to get to know her, Kanaka helped us all look past all that and see Katie’s sweet spirit shine through.
So many people fell in head over heels for Katie through this video:
“OMG, The person who gets her will have the best dog as she is so obviously starved for affection and so willing to give it back ten fold.”
“That dog doesn’t have an aggressive bone in her body. she was instantly ready for you to pet her.”
“Her little tail wag broke my heart for what’s she’s been through but also lifted my spirits that she has a strength to survive and become a loved family member.”
“It’s shocking how neglected she looks but her desire to be loved is so strong. She’s going to bring such joy to her forever home.”
“I consider myself somewhat of a tough guy…. I’m from the streets, had a crazy hard life, i did 9 yrs in prison, seen it all, done it all and ain’t scared of nothing… I’m telling you that because in spite all that, when i see videos like this, i start crying like a 5 yr old girl…Goes to show you that what life has done to them, we can relate, and we see it in animals that have been hurt by others and part if me wants to knock out someone that would hurt a dog or kitty like that. Animals bring out the love and compassion we’ve forgotten because we know they’re teaching us what we definitely need to learn. What is truly considered, unconditional love….”
Rocky Kanaka’s work with dogs is both inspiring and informative, and he’s succeeded in helping so many dogs find forever homes instead of languishing in shelters because they don’t make the best first impression. Not long after this video aired, Katie was rescued and will hopefully continue to get the tender care and kindness she deserves.
Follow Katie’s journey on Kanaka’s website here. You can also follow Rocky Kanaka’s channels on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
Anthony Edwards has endeared himself to basketball fans over the years for one main reason: The dude is perpetually confident in his ability to do anything. Through hell or high water, whenever Edwards is asked about his ability on the basketball court or in any other sport, he backs himself to rise to the occasion. (The one exception to this is when he gets compared to Michael Jordan.)
Anyway, we got a wonderful example of this while Team USA was on its boat for the Olympic Opening Ceremony on Friday. Edwards was simply minding his own business when Steph Curry decided to instigate, saying “they say they’d smack you, 21-0.” The catch is that this had nothing to do with basketball, and instead, Curry was talking about the American table tennis team, who he then introduced to Edwards.
“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it,” Edwards told the Olympic athletes about how they would do in their sport against him. “I don’t believe it. I’m not having it, I’m not having it. 11-0? I’m scoring one point. One point, I’m scoring.”
Upon being told that there is only one way to find out if this is true, Edwards made clear that he would like to play against them to get an answer. With great respect to Ant, I am not confident that this would end well for him, but kudos to him for believing in himself — and, of course, kudos to Curry for understanding that he can get his USA Basketball teammate going whenever he wants.
There are some people that are more directionally aware than others and that’s fine. Others of us, not so much. North, south, east and west—what are those words outside of the names of one of Kim Kardashian’s kids and an airline? They certainly aren’t directions for people in the 21st century.
Taryn Delanie Smith took to Instagram to ask people to stop with the madness. Smith is not lost in the woods looking for what side of the tree moss is growing on to hopefully lead her to the nearest stream. The woman needs landmarks, and she’s letting everyone know that they need to get with the directionally challenged program.
“If I’m trying to meet up with you, do not tell me that you are north, south, east or west of something. Respectfully, I don’t know what that is and I’m tired of being ashamed that I don’t have…I have spent no time in a crow’s nest of a pirate ship,” Smith jokes.
It may be hard to believe, but there is a portion of the population that has no idea what those words mean while standing on a sidewalk trying to meet a friend for lunch. Are you north of the interstate or south? Is this some sort of grown up quiz everyone is supposed to pass because it seems to have skipped a few folks.
In the caption of the video, Smith reiterated that she is not aware of these directional words, “I do not own a compass. Before y’all say ‘use the compass app on your phone!’ Literally why would I do that, I refuse.”
Maybe a public service announcement of television would reach a wider audience, because other commenters were in agreement with her rant.
“I’ve never felt so seen,” one person says.
“LOL!!!!!! AND DONT TALK TO ME IN ARMY TIME EITHER LOL TALKIN BOUT ILL BE THERE IN 1800 hours,” another writes.
“Ma’am I’ve never related to something as much as I have this,” a commenter reveals.
“I missed that lesson in grade 5 and to this day I believe North is directly in front of me no matter what,” someone else shares.
Smith is clearly not alone in her aimless wandering as she looks for a flag with skull and crossbones to locate friends. Not everyone can be a pirate. It probably takes some sort of special training that involves parrot talk and making a compass out of sea water and a leaf. Be kind to the directionally challenged folks in your life and just include landmarks that are hard to miss.
There are some people that are more directionally aware than others and that’s fine. Others of us, not so much. North, south, east and west—what are those words outside of the names of one of Kim Kardashian’s kids and an airline? They certainly aren’t directions for people in the 21st century.
Taryn Delanie Smith took to Instagram to ask people to stop with the madness. Smith is not lost in the woods looking for what side of the tree moss is growing on to hopefully lead her to the nearest stream. The woman needs landmarks, and she’s letting everyone know that they need to get with the directionally challenged program.
“If I’m trying to meet up with you, do not tell me that you are north, south, east or west of something. Respectfully, I don’t know what that is and I’m tired of being ashamed that I don’t have…I have spent no time in a crow’s nest of a pirate ship,” Smith jokes.
It may be hard to believe, but there is a portion of the population that has no idea what those words mean while standing on a sidewalk trying to meet a friend for lunch. Are you north of the interstate or south? Is this some sort of grown up quiz everyone is supposed to pass because it seems to have skipped a few folks.
In the caption of the video, Smith reiterated that she is not aware of these directional words, “I do not own a compass. Before y’all say ‘use the compass app on your phone!’ Literally why would I do that, I refuse.”
Maybe a public service announcement of television would reach a wider audience, because other commenters were in agreement with her rant.
“I’ve never felt so seen,” one person says.
“LOL!!!!!! AND DONT TALK TO ME IN ARMY TIME EITHER LOL TALKIN BOUT ILL BE THERE IN 1800 hours,” another writes.
“Ma’am I’ve never related to something as much as I have this,” a commenter reveals.
“I missed that lesson in grade 5 and to this day I believe North is directly in front of me no matter what,” someone else shares.
Smith is clearly not alone in her aimless wandering as she looks for a flag with skull and crossbones to locate friends. Not everyone can be a pirate. It probably takes some sort of special training that involves parrot talk and making a compass out of sea water and a leaf. Be kind to the directionally challenged folks in your life and just include landmarks that are hard to miss.
A jam-packed week of new hip-hop releases included not only the returns of a number of our faves, but also the promise of even more new music. Latto shared the trailer for her new albumSugar Honey Iced Tea (I NEED that “24’s” remake, yesterday), while many of the following artists dropped new songs.
Cordae kicked things off with “Saturday Mornings,” his latest collaboration with Lil Wayne.
Then, the Culture Jam crew returned, recruiting Flau’jae, BIA, and Lakeyah for “Can’t Get Enough.”
Will Smith started his return to the world of hip-hop, assisted by Russ and Jaden, with “Work Of Art.”
Lil Yachty doubled down on his support of buzzing newcomer Ian on “Hate Me.”
And DJ Premier called on Big Sean, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross to put on a rappity rap showcase with “Ya Don’t Stop.”
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending Friday, June 26.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Ice Spice — Y2K!
Ice Spice
The Bronx native has proven her ability to make hits thanks to a string of catchy smashes assisted by everyone from Nicki Minaj and PinkPantheress to Taylor Swift. Y2K! is her first chance to prove that she can make an album that’s just as successful — although whether she can or can’t, she remains a huge star, as shown by upcoming Funko Pop figurine.
Mustard — Faith Of A Mustard Seed
Mustard
Apart from being his official rap debut, the Los Angeles producer’s latest is a star-studded showcase of his prodigious beatmaking prowess. Although you might be expecting more deconstructed G-funk bangers like “Not Like Us,” instead, Mustard offers a broad-ranging survey of hip-hop’s regional sounds through the prism of his unique West Coast perspective. Guests include fellow Angelenos Blxst, Schoolboy Q, Ty Dolla Sign, and Vince Staples, as well as reps from every genre from drill and trap to gospel and soul.
Rakim — G.O.Ds Network — Reb7rth
Rakim
Unlike its oddly complicated title, the rap pioneer’s first album in 15 years is a short and simple showcase of his production skills in addition to his still-sharp rhyme gifts. He does rap on every track, but each track is also heavily supported with features from a truly stunning collection of hip-hop who’s-whos, ranging from lates superstars DMX and Nipsey Hussle to underground vets like Canibus, Chino XL, and Skyzoo.
Singles/Videos
Babyface Ray — “Rubberband Man”
Detroit native Babyface Ray makes his return for 2024 with his first single of the year, suggesting a new project could be right around the corner. He treads familiar territory here with his signature, laid-back flow. The video is filled with cameos of fellow Detroit scam-rap mainstays like Boldy James and Peezy.
Connie Diiamond — “Jodeci” Feat. Vontee The Singer
The “sexy drill” trend has turned out to be a godsend for the subgenre, expanding it outside its relatively tiny fanbase of New York gangsters and allowing its popularity to flourish. That can only benefit artists like Connie Diiamond, who has taken up the torch wholeheartedly, spending the duration of this track talking love rather than war.
Larry June — “Like a Mack”
The Bay Area baller has been releasing new singles fairly consistently this year, which means he might just have a new album coming. His latest, “Like A Mack,” features his usual laconic flow, pairing it with a beat straight from the early ’90s — all bassline and saw wave synth lead. Perfect for the summer.
Luh Tyler — “2 Slippery” Feat. Bossman Dlow
Bossman Dlow is the breakout rapper of the year, so it makes perfect sense for him to team up with Luh Tyler, one of 2023’s big favorites. They show off a flashy, yin-yang chemistry here, with Dlow’s high-energy delivery offset by Tyler’s sleepier delivery, tied together with a shared love of off-kilter punchlines.
Navy Blue — “Low Threshold”
Bars, bars, bars. The skater-turned-rapper, who released his last album, Ways Of Knowing, under Def Jam last year, is back independent and comes back exactly how you’d expect, embracing a backpackerish flow over a chill, nearly drumless piano loop to spit some heady, introspective, and technically complex rhymes.
Ray Vaughn — “Supposed To Die”
Interpolating a 50 Cent classic, the TDE standout from Long Beach recounts his rough-and-tumble upbringing. His gift for storytelling shines here, and his use of the sample is eerie and engaging.
Young Nudy — “John Wayne” Feat. Metro Boomin
I’m beginning to wonder if there are two Metro Boomins. Like, have you ever seen The Prestige? That’s just about the only way I can think of for him to somehow be keeping up this insane release schedule. Nudy offers a fun balance of flows here, sounding alternately like a caffeinated Lil Baby or an emotional Young Thug, and it remains a wonder that he hasn’t yet reached the heights seen by his Atlanta compatriots.
Every couple that has ever considered being child-free has had to deal with people who have children telling them they will regret their decision. They’re often told that they’ll be lonely when they get older and never understand the joy and fulfillment of having a child.
Even though there is so much pressure for couples to have kids, more and more people are deciding to live child-free lives. A recent study found that 47% of adults under 50 without kids say they’re unlikely to have them — up 10 percentage points from 2018.
There are many different reasons why people don’t want to have kids, whether it’s affordability, the state of the world and the environment, or they just don’t feel like it. The child-free movement gets even stronger as people get younger.
Sixty-seven percent of young women and 50% of young men say they just don’t want children. So, are all of these people setting themselves up for a lifetime of regret because they choose not to have kids? A recent study out of Michigan says no, they probably won’t.
The Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University studied 1,000 Michiganders, asking whether they have or want children. The study separated those who wish to be child-free from those who want children but can’t have them.
The study found that by the time people reach the age of 70, people who have children and those who decided not to are just as satisfied with their lives.
“Childfree people, especially women, are often told they’ll be dissatisfied with life or regret their decision later,” Jennifer Watling Neal, one of the study’s authors, told PsyPost. “In this study, we compared how much adults age 70 and older said they’d want to change something about their life — in other words, whether they had any regrets about how their life had gone. We didn’t see any difference between child-free people and parents. This suggests that child-free people are similar to others in terms of life satisfaction and often don’t regret their decision later.”
The researchers found that child-free people may be happier than those with kids.“In fact, older parents were slightly more likely to want to change something about their life,” Neal said in a statement.
The study was conducted on 1,000 people; times change and everyone’s experience is different, so there’s no telling who will or will not have regrets about their decision to have children. But the study should bring some peace of mind to those who are tired of hearing that they may regret their choice to be child-free, whether from friends, family or the little voice in their heads.
The discussion also raises a deeper question: How do we create a society where people are excited about having children? What changes could be made to make it affordable for people to have families? How can we create a brighter future so that parents can feel confident that the children born today will be able to thrive as adults?
Being a woman comes with certain expectations, no matter where in the world you live. Becoming a mother adds another layer to those expectations, with traditional society often not considering the impact on the woman experiencing that shift. For instance, many women work outside of the home and are still expected to be the one who figures out which childcare center would be best.
Women are also often expected to put their careers on hold to stay at home if it’s decided that outside childcare isn’t feasible. Sure, some dads may do the heavy lifting in this area, but that’s not a societally expected thing. Because these things are typically expected of women, men don’t generally have to consider many of the logistics of children if they’re partnered with a woman.
Paige Connell sparked a conversation when she shared on social media that she doesn’t take advice from men, even if it’s their job. On the surface that sounds harsh, even though she clarifies that she considers the advice but takes it with a big grain of salt, and her reasoning involves the invisible labor aspect.
“I do not tend to take a lot of advice from men, even the most successful men. And I mean advice in the form of self-help books, podcasts from successful men or just men in general. I tend to take their advice with a grain of salt because I do not think it is applicable to women and mothers in particular,” Connell share before revealing her reasoning.
In the video she shares that she was recently listening to “The Diary of a CEO” podcast where the man talked about all the risks he took, including moving from Connecticut where his young child and ex-girlfriend live to New York. Connell pointed out through the entire episode detailing his risks and upward mobility, he never mentioned his child, which caused her to surmise that it was because childcare concerns weren’t a part of his journey.
She continued explaining how the burden of childcare tends to fall on women, working and nonworking, allowing the male parent to be free to corporate climb uninhibited by the worry. Connell shares that she prefers to listen to professionally successful moms because they share the help needed with childcare and how they navigated these spaces being the default parent. Others agreed to much of what she was saying.
“I came to a similar conclusion…I have read quite a few books of men going on their ‘hero’s journey’ where they did all these extravagant endeavors and eventually found success or enlightenment. But nothing about how a mother deep in the trenches of child raising is the [true] hero’s journey. Motherhood can chew you up and spit you out. A mother dies a million deaths and finds strength to continue to show up for her child day and night. Motherhood changes and refines us. No mother goes unchanged after motherhood. It is late nights and isolation. The flames of motherhood, the true hero’s journey,” one person revealed, describing her own experience of realization.
“I love that you talk about it. Also all the so called geniuses, poets, writers, great personalities were able to accomplish all they did because their wives babysat their 8 kids at that time,” someone else sighed in frustration.
“Couldn’t agree more. It’s the equivalent of men being able to work late, work weekends, put in the face time, to get ahead – whilst someone else is looking after their children,” another wrote.
“I remember reading one comment in the daily routine of a successful writer. He had four kids and yet he could write for 6 hours daily during the day. Never once mentions his household manager, cook, cleaner, nanny—his wife,” a commenter pointed out.
What do you think? Should more women be talking about this reality when it comes to the success of their male partners?
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