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Heroes

A Republican governor just defied his own party to stand up for clean energy.

Breaking with his party, Republican Governor John Kasich in Ohio took a small, but significant step toward fighting climate change.

John Kasich. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

In 2008, the Ohio legislature passed a bill requiring that 12.5% of energy supplied to customers in the state come from renewable sources. In 2014, midway through his first term, Kasich signed a bill freezing those standards.


The governor — whose term ends in 2020 — has now reversed course, breaking with his party and vetoing House Bill 554, which would have made the standards voluntary for utility companies, allowing them to resume in 2017 as originally laid out in 2008.

Kasich described the veto as necessary to maintain Ohio's competitive business climate, but the decision was immediately hailed by environmental groups.

"Today Governor Kasich put economic growth over politics, and stood up for a cleaner, healthier energy future for Ohio," Dick Munson, director of Midwest Clean Energy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said in a statement. "With the state’s renewable and efficiency standards back in place, Ohio can reclaim its spot as a clean energy leader, clearing the way for well-paying jobs, millions in investment, and healthier air for all."

With a climate-skeptical presidential administration incoming, efforts to roll back environmental damage over the next four years will likely fall to states — and many are already taking up the challenge.

California Governor Jerry Brown. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

In response to Trump's election and avowed climate change skepticism, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo touted the state's fracking ban and strict renewable energy standards. And California governor Jerry Brown struck a defiant posture, vowing to counter any federal attempt to stymie climate change research.

"If Trump turns off the satellites, California will launch our own damn satellites," Brown told an audience of geophysicists in San Francisco.  

While both Brown and Cuomo are Democrats, Kasich's example proves that climate change doesn't have to be — and shouldn't be — partisan football.

A wind farm in California. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images

Tightening clean energy standards and investing in new technology isn't just good for the health of the planet. Crucially, as Kasich noted in his veto message, it can be good for business and help homeowners reduce energy costs.

We all live on — and have a responsibility to protect — the same Earth. That's something reasonable Republicans and reasonable Democrats can agree on.

With any luck, perhaps this means they're starting to.

Family

Mom calls out teacher who gave her son a 'zero' grade for not providing class with supplies

Her viral video sparked a debate as to whether or not providing school supplies should be mandatory for parents.

@shanittanicole/TikTok

A zero grade for not providing school supplies?

The debate as to whether or not parents should supply classroom supplies is not new. But as prices continue to rise, parents are growing more baffled as to how they can be expected by teachers to provide all the various glue sticks, colored pencils, rulers and other various items the incoming students might need.

What’s even more perplexing, however, is penalizing the children of parents who won’t (or can’t) provide them.

This was the case for Shanitta Nicole, who discovered her son received a zero grade in his new school for not bringing school supplies for the entire classroom.
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Photo by Kats Weil on Unsplash

Ready for a refreshingly wholesome story?

The stereotypical image we get of bachelor parties is a booze-filled evening of depravity and bad choices. Followed of course by a massive hangover…and some regrets.

And granted, there are plenty of viral videos to show that this is sometimes the case. But there are also plenty of grooms who don’t see it as their “last night as a free man.” On the contrary, they see it as an opportunity to simply celebrate the next chapter with close friends.

Case and point: a husband-to-be named Luke, who apparently couldn’t stop “gushing” about his bride, Sam. This, according to a woman also named Sam, who happened to be at the bar Luke was having his bachelor party at.
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Golden Retrievers are the ultimate good doggos.


If there's any dog breed that encapsulates "good doggo" energy, it's the Golden Retriever. Friendly, gentle, good-natured and oh-so-affectionate, Goldens have come by their reputation honestly. Even "I'm not a dog person" people tend to find themselves taken by Golden Retrievers, and a post on TikTok demonstrates why.

The video shared by @hugoandursula is captioned "my dog getting cuddles from strangers on the train," and that's exactly what it shows in the most adorable montage ever.

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A woman looking at her phone while sitting on the toilet.

One of the most popular health trends over the last few years has been staying as hydrated as possible, evidenced by the massive popularity of 40-oz Stanely Quencher cups. The theory among those who obsess over hydration is that, when you pee clear, you’ve removed all the waste in your body and are enjoying the incredible benefits of being 100% hydrated. Congratulations.

However, according to Dr. Sermed Mezher, an NHS doctor in the UK, peeing clear isn’t always a sign of being healthy.

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Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio and Andres Ayrton via Canva

Man's response to a child being told to kill himself is so wholesome

Editor's Note: This story discusses suicide. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.


Being a teenager is hard enough on its own but when you couple it with the rise of social media and sites like Omegle, it becomes even harder. Omegle is a real-time video platform that's sort of like pulling the lever on a slot machine. You never know who will appear in the little box in front of you, nor do you know what they'll say or do.

Cyber experts have warned parents of the dangers of websites like Omegle but as long as the site exists, teens will find a way to use it. A recorded video of an Omegle interaction recently went viral when posted on the Instagram page Soul Seeds for All. A young teen named Jesse, who looks uncannily like a young Corey Feldman, appears on the screen of a guy that appears to be early to mid-20s.

As soon as the Omegle video appears, Jesse informs the man, "the last person I talked to immediately told me to kill myself and then left."

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Identity

Neo-Nazis slowly realize this small town totally punked them

Local residents came together to fight Nazis a hilariously perfect way.

Image from YouTube video.

Neo-Nazis parade.

In preparation for an upcoming neo-Nazi march in the small Bavarian town of Wunsiedel, local residents decided to fight back in a hilariously perfect way: by sponsoring each of the 250 fascist participants.

According to Heeb Magazine, "For every metre they walked, €10 went to a programme called EXIT Deutschland, which helps people escape extremist groups."

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