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6 ways Bea Arthur made the world a better place to live, even after her death.

In her life, Bea Arthur was an amazingly generous actress, activist, and human being — and she's not done giving yet.

After her death in 2009, the Ali Forney Center in New York City received a gift of $300,000 from Arthur's estate to help homeless LGBTQ youths.

Arthur in 1975. Photo by AP.

The Ali Forney Center and the Cooper Square Committee then received a $3.3 million grant from the New York City Council and the borough president to renovate a building at 222 East 13th Street to provide housing and assistance to homeless LGBTQ youths.

Named in her honor, the Bea Arthur Residence building is scheduled to be completed in February 2017.

Here are six other accomplishments from Bea Arthur's life, legacy, and career that you may not have known about:

1. One of Arthur's last public performances was a one-woman show to raise money for homeless LGBTQ youths.

As a longtime advocate for the LGBTQ community, Arthur in 2005 put on a performance of her one-woman show to raise money for the Ali Forney Center. That night, she helped raise $40,000 and gave the center some serious help at a tough time during the recession.

"These kids at the Ali Forney Center are literally dumped by their families because of the fact that they are lesbian, gay or transgender — this organization really is saving lives,"Arthur told Next Magazine at the time of the benefit show.

Arthur at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 2008 Hall of Fame ceremony. Photo by Matt Sayles/AP.

"I honestly don’t know how we would have made it through the recession without that extraordinary gift. Bea Arthur truly meant it when she said she would do anything to help our kids," Carl Siciliano, the executive director of the Ali Forney Center, wrote in a Huffington Post piece.

2. Arthur once testified in the California Senate against the sale and production of foie gras.

Arthur was an activist for PETA, working with the organization on many campaigns and narrating videos for them. But in 2004, she was moved so much by an issue that she appeared in the California Senate alongside Sen. John Burton in support of a bill to ban the production and sale of foie gras in the state.

Arthur turns to leave after testifying before a Senate committee in April 2004. Photo by Rich Pedroncelli/AP.

Foie gras is made from the livers of force-fed geese and ducks. Its production usually involves tubes being put down the birds’ throats and having food pumped into their stomachs several times a day to fatten up their livers.

"There is no room in our wonderful state for such a nightmarish industry," she told the Senate panel. The committee approved the bill in a 4-to-1 decision.

3. Arthur was known for picking up and rescuing stray animals — including a German shepherd she found on the highway on her way to a set.

Besides fighting for animal rights through legislation and activism, Arthur strove every day to help animals in need, sometimes at her own peril. Television writer Charlie Hauck told Playbill about an instance when Arthur showed up on set with a German shepherd that had been found running along a highway.

Arthur with her dog, Julie, at her home in Los Angeles in 1978. Photo by Wally Fong/AP.

"I picture in my mind," Hauck described, "this actress, upon whom the jobs of 200 people depended, who had two children, stopping her car in traffic and running around trying to catch a dog."

The dog turned out to be owned by Barbra Streisand. Because of course it did.

4. She was a champion for feminism and helped bring important issues to light in her show "Maude," which addressed topics like abortion and women's rights.

Throughout her acting career, Arthur was also able to bring women's issues to the forefront of the cultural conversation. After appearing on "All in the Family" as the outspoken Maude Findlay, the character was spun off for the show "Maude," which ran for six years.

In November 1972, "Maude" aired a groundbreaking two-part episode about abortion, just months before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on abortion in the Roe v. Wade decision.

Arthur in 1988. Photo by AP.

5. She was in the "Star Wars Holiday Special" — where she sang along to the infamous cantina song.

She was asked to be in the show by producers Ken and Mitzie Welch and agreed to it although she had no idea what it was about.

"I was asked to be in it by the composer of that song I sang — 'Goodnight, But Not Goodbye.' It was a wonderful time, but I had no idea it was even a part of the whole 'Star Wars' thing," Arthur told the Portland Mercury. "I just remember singing to bunch of people with funny heads."

GIF from "The Star Wars Holiday Special."

6. She never stopped being a trailblazer for women on TV — even as she got older.

In a time when the push on TV was for young talent, "The Golden Girls" strove to be something different and more meaningful. The show featured an all-female leading cast over the age of 40, which at the time was unheard of (and is rare still today).

"I think, in both of those shows, we really did change the perception of a woman’s role. I don’t think anybody thought that it was okay to be a feminist back when she was doing Maude," Rue McClanahan told Entertainment Weekly about working with Arthur.

"The Golden Girls" stars during a break in taping: (from left) Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Betty White. Photo by Nick Ut/AP.

Episode after episode of "The Golden Girls" tackled issues of sexuality, ageism, and feminism and used Arthur’s wit and sharp tongue to drive these issues forward.

"She really taught me and every other woman my age how to be a feminist at a time when that was a dirty word," Rosie O'Donnell told Playbill. "And without her, I think, there would not be as many funny women on television today."

Arthur was much more than everyone's favorite quick witted Golden Girl.

She was a champion for equal rights for women, the LGBTQ community, and animals. In 2017, her legacy will continue growing with the upcoming completion of the Bea Arthur Residence in NYC to house homeless LGBTQ youths and help them become independent.

Besides being an activist for animals and LGBTQ rights, she also focused on helping to raise money for HIV-AIDS research. She appeared in the 1992 Pacific Center HIV-AIDS Benefit along with her friend Angela Lansbury. She posthumously donated $25,000 to the AIDS Services Foundation Orange County. After hearing about the donation, ASF co-founder Ken Jillson said, "I can’t believe it. After all these years she’s still doing wonderful things for ASF."

Cheers to Bea Arthur and the legacy of hope and kindness that she left behind. We could all learn a little something from her.

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6th grader's science experiment answers, 'Do cat buttholes touch every surface they sit on?'

A question no one knew they needed answered.

Photo courtesy of Kerry Hyde

Do cat buttholes touch every surface they sit on? Science answers.

Cat owners sometimes have unique questions that even Google doesn't always have the answer to. This is probably the sole reason cat forums exist, but one kid who needed a 6th grade science project decided to skip the cat forums for answers and instead use the scientific method. Kaeden Henry, a sixth grader living in Florida, bravely pondered a question few (if any one) has been brave enough to ask: do cat buttholes touch every surface they sit on?

Since cats do whatever the heck they want, training them not to jump on kitchen counters is a feat even Hercules struggles to complete. These fierce felines don't care if you're cooking dinner or trying to get comfy in bed. If they want to sit somewhere, they're going to do it. The thought of cat butts on that expensive Serta pillow designed to feel like you're sleeping on a cloud can gross people out, but thanks to Kaeden, you no longer have to wonder if the butthole itself is also making contact.

Courtesy of Kerry Hyde

The curious sixth grader is homeschooled and well-versed in the scientific method thanks to her mother's PhD in animal behavior with a concentration in feline behavior. And, since they own cats, the science experiment was pretty straightforward (and directly impactful).

To complete the experiment, Henry and his mom, Kerry Hyde, bought non-toxic lipstick and applied it to each of their cat's anuses. Then, the cats were given commands.

Courtesy of Kerry Hyde

"Non-toxic lipstick was applied to their bum-bums, they were then given a series of commands (sit, wait, lie down, and jump up. Side note: Both cats have been trained since kittenhood with a variety of commands, they also know how to high-five, spin around, and speak.), they were compensated with lots of praise, pets, and their favorite treats, and the lipstick was removed with a baby wipe once we collected our data in just under 10 minutes," Hyde wrote in a Facebook post.

The results? Turns out that, no, cat buttholes do not touch every surface cats sit on. Now, let's all take a collective sigh of relief while we go over the details. Kaeden's experiment covered long-haired, short-haired, and medium-haired cats (if your cat is hairless, you better stock up on Clorox wipes just in case).

"His results and general findings: Long and medium haired cat’s buttholes made NO contact with soft or hard surfaces at all. Short haired cats made NO contact on hard surfaces. But we did see evidence of a slight smear on the soft bedding surface. Conclusion, if you have a short haired cat and they may be lying on a pile of laundry, an unmade bed, or other soft uneven surface, then their butthole MAY touch those surfaces!" Hyde shares.

Now every curious cat owner can rest easy knowing that as long as their cat has hair, their bare bottom balloon knot is not touching the majority of surfaces in their home.

Courtesy of Kerry Hyde

The amusing experiment caught the Internet's attention. People laughed and commented, with one person writing, "This is probably the most useful information I’ve learned from a science fair project."

"Good to know!...I can now eat my sandwich left on the counter with confidence!" another writes.

Courtesy of Kerry Hyde

"A+++!!! Whew!! I am very grateful for your sciencing on this subject. My fears from walking in on my cat sitting on my laptop keyboard and subsequently being grossed out and cleaning furiously in a hyper-ocd manner have been somewhat allayed and now maybe I won’t have to use QUIIITE so many wipes." someone chimes in.

"Finally.. Someone answers the important questions!!"

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Humor

Teacher earns 'school dad' label from his female students, shares funny realities of dad-duty

"When you have over 50 daughters..."

Berhanu Dallas/YouTube

Teacher Berhanu Dallas shares funny video about being a "school dad" to students.

Teachers wear many hats besides 'educator.' For high school teacher Berhanu Dallas (@_b.dallas) at Forest Park High School in Clayton County, Georgia, stepping up and into the role of "school dad" for many of his female students has been his most interesting hat so far.

Mr. Dallas, who refers to himself as "more than a teacher," shared the hilarious realities of what it takes to be a father figure to the ladies in his classes. From dealing with boyfriends, breakups, bad hair days, and more, it's a role filled with duties he never realized he would have.

"When you have over 50 daughters...," he captioned the video. It begins with one of his students bringing her new boyfriend into his classroom for him to meet, and he immediately tells her, "Try again."

@_b.dallas

When you have over 50 daughters...#trending #atlanta #fyp #highschool #teachersoftiktok #morethanateacher #drdrip #teacherlife

In the next clip, another student comes to talk with him at his desk, complaining to him that her boyfriend didn't get her anything for her birthday. Without even looking up, Mr. Dallas hands her a Stanley-esque water bottle that has a shiny red bow attached. (As a "student dad" he is always prepared with gifts when others fumble.)

The video cuts to another student grooving behind Mr. Dallas, as he holds up a sign that says 'Please Forgive Her,' with a broken heart in the lower right corner. He says to the camera, "Please take her back." (As a "student dad," he's there to help his students with their love lives.)

@_b.dallas

Who remembers these days? #morethanateacher #teacherlife #teachersoftiktok #teacherfunny #trending #highschool #fyp #claytoncounty #drdrip #relationshipgoals #breakup

In the next funny clip, the same girl who brought her boyfriend in the first scene is back with another boy for him to approve of, asking Mr. Dallas, "What about this one?" He gives a one-word response, "Nope." Then, in a quick shot, Mr. Dallas is seen handing some money to a student in need, before another student walks into his room with a tummy-bearing top. He immediately tells her, "No ma'am, put some clothes on!"

As if the bit couldn't get funnier, the same student from previous clips wrangles up another boy to bring to Mr. Dallas, asking him, "What about him?" Mr. Dallas quips, "Uh-uh." She even comes back a fourth time, and Mr. Dallas is not having it.

@_b.dallas

They really like this, and we love it! #morethanateacher #teacherlife #teachersoftiktok #teacherfunny #trending #highschool #fyp #trending #drdrip

When another students tells him that she is "having a really bad day," he's got a bouquet of roses ready to go in his desk for her. And when another begs him for help because she needs her hair done, he's prepared: he pulls out a wig from his desk drawer and hands it to her. In a final hilarious scene, a teary-eyed student shares that she was broken up with–and Mr. Dallas has a belt in his hand as he asks her, "Where is he?"

Although they can be demanding, test his patience, and bleed him dry of funds–he wouldn't have it any other way. Mr. Dallas has gained a following on social media for his funny, day-in-the-life videos that have shown his care and investment for all of his students.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Earlier this year, he appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show to share more about what his teaching experience has been like. He explained that he has been teaching for eight years, but he hated it at the beginning.

"When I first started teaching, I went in with an iron fist," he told Hudson. It was a method that didn't work, adding that many of his students come from difficult backgrounds and trauma. He felt disconnected from his students, until tragedy struck in his own life: his wife of 10 years passed away two years ago. It changed his perspective. "Now I'm in their shoes. I need someone to talk to. I need someone to understand me. So now I understood where they were," he said.

He decided to be "more than a teacher." He started sharing more about himself with his students: his kids, his hobbies, and who he was outside the classroom. On his classroom door, he shares an important message: "When you enter you are able. You are smart. You are loved. You are great. You are why I am here! Be exceptional."

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Science

Innovative farm in Virginia can grow 4 million pounds of strawberries on less than one acre

This method uses 97 percent less land and up to 90 percent less water than conventional farming.

Photo credit: Canva

A new way to grow strawberries with less land, less water, and more berries.

Strawberry farm harvests aren't something most of us calculate on a regular basis (or ever at all), but the numbers from a strawberry farm in Richmond, Virginia, are staggering enough to make it worth an old-school word problem. If the average American eats 8 pounds of strawberries a year, and an average strawberry farm yields approximately 20,000 pounds of berries per acre, how many people could a 200-acre strawberry field feed?

I won't make you do the math. The answer is 500,000 people. But what if a crop that size, providing enough strawberries for half a million people, could be grown on just one acre instead of 200? It's possible. You just have to go—or rather grow—up, up, up.

Indoor vertical farm company Plenty Unlimited knows a lot about growing up. In fact, it's their entire business model. Instead of the sprawling fields that traditional farming methods require, vertical farms have a much smaller land footprint, utilizing proprietary towers for growing. Plenty has used vertical farming methods to grow greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach and more for years, but now it boasts a vertical berry farm that can yield a whopping 4 million pounds of strawberries on a little less than an acre.

Growing indoors means not being at the mercy of weather or climate inpredictability (barring a storm taking out your building), which is wise in the era of climate change. Unlike a traditional greenhouse which still uses the sun for light, Plenty's indoor vertical farms make use of the latest technology and research on light, pinpointing the wavelengths plants need from the sun to thrive and recreating them with LED lights. Plenty farms also don't use soil, as what plants really need is water and nutrients, which can be provided without soil (and with a lot less water than soil requires). Being able to carefully control water and nutrients means you can more easily control the size, taste and uniformity of the berries you’re growing.

If that sounds like a lot of control, it is. And that idea might freak people out. But when a highly controlled environment means not having to use pesticides and using up to 90% less water than traditional farming, it starts to sound like a solid, sustainable farming innovation.

Plenty even uses AI in its strawberry farm, according to its website:

“Every element of the Plenty Richmond Farm–including temperature, light and humidity–is precisely controlled through proprietary software to create the perfect environment for the strawberry plants to thrive. The farm uses AI to analyze more than 10 million data points each day across its 12 grow rooms, adapting each grow room’s environment to the evolving needs of the plants – creating the perfect environment for Driscoll’s proprietary plants to thrive and optimizing the strawberries’ flavor, texture and size.”

Plenty even has its own patent-pending method of pollinating the strawberry flowers that doesn’t require bees. Even just the fact that this enormous crop of strawberries will be coming from Virginia is notable, since the vast majority of strawberries in the U.S. are grown in California.

strawberry fieldTraditional strawberry farming takes up a lot of land.Photo credit: Canva

Plenty's Richmond farm is currently growing strawberries exclusively for Driscoll’s.

“Partnering with Plenty for the launch of the Richmond Farm allows us to bring our premium strawberries closer to consumers in the Northeast, the largest berry consumption region in the U.S.,” Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn said in a press release. “By combining our 100 years of farming expertise and proprietary varieties along with Plenty’s cutting-edge technology, we can deliver the same consistent flavor and quality our customers love — now grown locally. This new innovative farm is a powerful step forward in continuing to drive category growth in new ways for our customers and consumers.”

Is Plenty’s model the farm of the future? Perhaps it’s one option, at least. The more we grapple with the impact of climate change and outdated, unsustainable farming practices, the more innovative ideas we’ll need to feed the masses. If they can get 4 million pounds of strawberries out of an acre of land, what else is possible?

This article originally appeared in February

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Community

Fiercely hilarious exchange finally settles the debate over how to split the check with friends

Why should I pay for your lobster?

Canva

A woman side-eyes a bill from a restaurant.

Picture this. You're at dinner with a bunch of friends. You're not super hungry and a little strapped for cash, so you order a small Caesar salad and one beer. The check comes and your friend (we'll call her Wanda) says, "Okay everyone, let's just splitsies. That's 100 dollars per person. Venmo is fine."

If I had a dime for every time this happened to me, I'd be rich enough to actually pay for other people's filet mignon. It's especially annoying when that "one person" (looking at you, Wanda) orders ten appetizers for the table and you find yourself with one forkful of roasted cauliflower but are still expected to absorb that into your portion of the bill. And apparently, I'm not alone in this quandary. The "how should the bill be split?" question has re-emerged as one of the most fierce debates online, and folks have a lot of opinions.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Over on the subreddit r/poor, an OP asks, "How to handle splitting dinner bill when others order expensive things?" They essentially elaborate that they would like advice on what to do if someone in your dinner party orders "expensive rib-eyes and wine" and then suggests evenly splitting the bill. "Any elegant ways to approach this?"

One commenter gets right to the point: "Pay for what you order. Plain and simple." But some argue it's not so plain and simple. This person claims you must get ahead of it: "Nah bro, before going to the place clarify that you're not splitting the bill, that everyone is paying for their own food. Then tell the server that you're doing separate checks."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

A lot of waitstaff have complained, however, that they don't actually like the separate check option, as it's a huge, unnecessary hassle for the restaurant. So, barring that method, some actually say if you can't split the bill, "don't go out." That judgmental belief was met with this: "I've honestly never understood the greed and gluttony of some people. They want to split the bill, conveniently enough, when they've put the most on the tab. I've always found that the people with the least to give are the first to offer to pay or treat someone else. Those with the most money like taking advantage."

That Redditor also offered this advice: "If you can only afford your own meal, bring exact change or close to what you think it will be and throw that in when the bill comes."

TikTok user Lisa Beverly (lisabeverlyy) has an entire sketch about it. Playing both roles, she acts out the super relatable conversation between the one who orders everything and wants to split the bill, and the one who orders nothing and doesn't.

@lisabeverlyy

who’s in the right #pov #friends #besties #relatable

Experts are even weighing in. On YouTube, NPR put up this nifty video plugging theirLife Kit podcast called "The Social Etiquette of Splitting the Check." In it, they describe different scenarios and ways to combat the awkwardness when these situations arise. One suggestion is to "speak up," as "it can make people a little bit more conscious of the non-drinkers in the group."

She also brings up the "separate check" option, but notes that can be a "tough ask" if the group is super large.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

If all else fails, and you find yourself unable to use these tactics, maybe YOU should be the one ordering the surf 'n' turf with a side of 60-year-old whiskey. Then, ask for a Venmo of 1,000 each, and you'll be set.

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Kindergartener tries to get out of going to school by leaving a voicemail imitating her dad

The school alerted her mom to the hilarious voicemail.

Photo credit: Canva

Kindergartener calls school impersonating dad to pull a Ferris Bueller.

Kindergarten is hard. Nowadays there's a lot less playing and many school districts have cut out naps and half-day programs in exchange for more seated, curriculum-heavy work. Sometimes the shift in workload can feel like a little too much, especially for a kindergartener named Lyric. The little girl decided to take a day to herself to reflect on the hard work she's doing in kindergarten. The only problem is she didn't her parents.

Instead, Lyric decided to call her elementary school the evening prior to her self-scheduled mini vacation and impersonate her father. She left a very clever voicemail in the attendance office informing them that she would not be attending school the following day. To disguise her voice, she spoke as deeply as possible and hoped that would do the trick. The only problem with her genius plan was that she's not in charge of taking herself to school.

gif, school, skipping school, day off, kidsEpisode 7 No School GIF by South ParkGiphy

Skipping school, or in this case, attempting to skip school is nothing new. Students have been skipping out on classes since the first school house was built because, even before iPads, playing with a ball in a cup was more exciting than classwork for most students. The 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off is all about a kid who decided to skip school, though Ferris was a wee bit older than a kindergartener.

Lyric's mom had no idea her daughter attempted to get out of going to school until she was called into the office about the voicemail. Surprisingly, though, Lyric's school wasn't upset with her. The elementary school officials found the voicemail amusing and wanted to share the unbelievable impersonation with her mom.

gif, skip school, day off, Ferris bueller, fiilm Ferris Buellers Day Off Film GIFGiphy

"I don't know what I did to deserve a daughter like mine but let me tell y'all what just happened," Tyonda, the girl's mother, starts to explain in her video uploaded to TikTok. "I go to drop her off at school, the ladies in the front office are like, 'yeah, we we received a message last night,." Tyonda already suspected the message was from her daughter. "I'm never amazed. It's like the element of surprise with her. So, they play the message back. My daughter tried to act like her daddy and call herself out of school. What in the Ferris Bueller is going on here? Baby, you're in kindergarten."

You can listen to Lyric's attempt at her dad's voice here:

@keepingupwityonda Help me!! #fypシ #viral #kidsoftiktok #kidsbelike #Capcut ♬ original sound - The only LaYonda Reann 💛

Apparently, the girl's impersonation of her father's voice is much deeper voice than his actual voice, which is pretty impressive for a six-year-old girl. People found Lyric's antics highly amusing, with some issuing warnings for the girl's teenage years, "Buckle up honey, the next 13-14 years bout to be wild."

"I’m expecting a teenager a KINDERGARTENER???!!!" one person writes.

"We need to hear daddy’s voice before we can say if it was or wasn’t him," another jokes.

gif, hide, imposter, joke, prank, funnySunglasses Hiding GIF by Soul TrainGiphy

"The thing is ..... this was practiced and planned. she had the number, the voice and a mission," someone shares.

"But wait yall have to drop her off at school where was she gonna go if that worked?" another commenter asks.

Lyric was unconvinced that she did not sound exactly like her dad. In a follow up video the little girl insists that she sounds like her father and reveals she was able to get the number to the school from Apple Maps on her iPad. It also seems that Lyric has zero regrets and plans to continue her shenanigans well into high school.

@keepingupwityonda

Replying to @itsshamitch💋

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