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A Black Man Approaches The Cops. The Cop Pulls Out His Gun. Then It Gets ... Funny.
There's been so much hurt when it comes to race relations lately. It's about time we all had a good chuckle.
12.15.14
Making new friends as an adult is challenging. While people crave meaningful IRL connections, it can be hard to know where to find them. But thanks to one Facebook Group, meeting your new best friends is easier than ever.
Founded in 2018, NYC Brunch Squad brings together hundreds of people who come as strangers and leave as friends through its in-person events.
“Witnessing the transformative impact our community has on the lives of our members is truly remarkable. We provide the essential support and connections needed to thrive amid the city's chaos,” shares Liza Rubin, the group’s founder.
Despite its name, the group doesn’t just do brunch. They also have book clubs, seasonal parties, and picnics, among other activities.
NYC Brunch Squad curates up to 10 monthly events tailored to the specific interests of its members. Liza handles all the details, taking into account different budgets and event sizes – all people have to do is show up.
“We have members who met at our events and became friends and went on to embark on international journeys to celebrate birthdays together. We have had members get married with bridesmaids by their sides who were women they first connected with at our events. We’ve had members decide to live together and become roommates,” Liza says.
Members also bond over their passion for giving back to their community. The group has hosted many impact-driven events, including a “Picnic with Purpose” to create self-care packages for homeless shelters and recently participated in the #SquadSpreadsJoy challenge. Each day, the 100 members participating receive random acts of kindness to complete. They can also share their stories on the group page to earn extra points. The member with the most points at the end wins a free seat at the group's Friendsgiving event.
If you want to meet the group in person, NYC Brunch Squad, along with many other locally-based New York groups, is participating in the upcoming Facebook IRL event on December 2. This pop-up experience in New York City’s West Village will provide a space to discover new hobbies, find new friends, and connect with others around the things they love.
Learn more about the event and sign up to attend here.
Not in the New York area but still want to get involved? As a result of NYC Brunch Squad’s popularity, the group is expanding across the country.
“With a robust community established in NYC, we're now excited to announce our expansion with pop-up events in the works in 15 additional cities. What's more, we're launching a travel club, extending our mission to foster connections beyond the city limits and to help people build life-changing friendships in new and exciting places,” Liza says.
If you’re ready to make new meaningful connections, join NYC Brunch Squad! You might just meet your new best friends.
They were doing trigonometry 1500 years before the Greeks.
Dr. Daniel Mansfield and his team at the University of New South Wales in Australia have just made an incredible discovery. While studying a 3,700-year-old tablet from the ancient civilization of Babylon, they found evidence that the Babylonians were doing something astounding: trigonometry!
Most historians have credited the Greeks with creating the study of triangles' sides and angles, but this tablet presents indisputable evidence that the Babylonians were using the technique 1,500 years before the Greeks ever were.
Mansfield and his team are, understandably, incredibly proud. What they discovered is that the tablet is actually an ancient trigonometry table.
Mansfield said:
"The huge mystery, until now, was its purpose – why the ancient scribes carried out the complex task of generating and sorting the numbers on the tablet. Our research reveals that Plimpton 322 describes the shapes of right-angle triangles using a novel kind of trigonometry based on ratios, not angles and circles. It is a fascinating mathematical work that demonstrates undoubted genius."
\u201cAussie mathematician cracks code of famous 3,700-year-old Babylonian clay tablet https://t.co/f7h6oIfBDr\u201d— China Xinhua News (@China Xinhua News) 1503639811
"The tablet not only contains the world's oldest trigonometric table; it is also the only completely accurate trigonometric table, because of the very different Babylonian approach to arithmetic and geometry. This means it has great relevance for our modern world. Babylonian mathematics may have been out of fashion for more than 3,000 years, but it has possible practical applications in surveying, computer graphics and education. This is a rare example of the ancient world teaching us something new."
The tablet predates Greek astronomer Hipparchus, who has long been regarded as the father of trigonometry. Mansfield's colleague, Norman Widberger, added:
"Plimpton 322 predates Hipparchus by more than 1,000 years. It opens up new possibilities not just for modern mathematics research, but also for mathematics education. With Plimpton 322 we see a simpler, more accurate trigonometry that has clear advantages over our own."
"A treasure trove of Babylonian tablets exists, but only a fraction of them have been studied yet. The mathematical world is only waking up to the fact that this ancient but very sophisticated mathematical culture has much to teach us."
People were understandably excited by the news.
\u201cA 3,700 year olf Babylonian tablet revealed as the world's first trigonometry table https://t.co/AQlpsndM92\u201d— The Conversation (@The Conversation) 1503613440
Some mathematicians actually think studying the Babylonians back then could help us improve the way we do trigonometry today.
\u201cBabylonian tablet Plimpton 322 will make studying maths easier, mathematician says https://t.co/s13ReWdD0c | @abcnews\u201d— ABC Australia (@ABC Australia) 1503644411
\u201c"With Plimpton 322 we see a simpler, more accurate trig. (with) clear advantages over our own."\n@n_wildberger: https://t.co/xoZBNxvxZ8\n#TOK\u201d— Roo Stenning (@Roo Stenning) 1503658186
Of course, there were the haters...
\u201cFind someone who loves you as much as this guy dislikes a hypothesis about Babylonian math: https://t.co/AznQgoYxFP\u201d— Miles Brundage (@Miles Brundage) 1503605001
But all in all, Twitter users were pretty impressed with the Babylonians' skills.
And they figured it out 3,700 years ahead of me...and counting.— Marty (@Marty) 1503631905
\u201c@prophiphop And we're over here trying to figure out how to do trig with our TI-83s... man I love it when the ancients show what real intelligence is.\u201d— Kenny Hayse (@Kenny Hayse) 1503633184
Congratulations to Dr. Mansfield and his team on their incredible discovery... and for making trigonometry exciting!
This article originally appeared on 07.10.21
From kids to kangaroos, this week's 10 things is full of delights.
Each year, the Comedy Wildlife Awards highlights photos that capture our animal friends in hilarious moments, made all the more delightful by the fact that not one of them is actually trying to be funny.
Perhaps that's one reason we love animal and little kid videos so much. Their hilarity is so pure. And we've got a whole passel of funny kiddos and furry friends in this week's list of things that made us smile.
If you're looking for some small joys to lift your spirit, we've got you covered! Enjoy!
@kleinkwagga1 Doen dit lyfie doen dit! @Bernice West #Dans #fun #show Die Here het my mooi gemaak🎊🥳
That's a kid that was born to dance. Learn more about 7-year-old Klein Kwagga here.
@natasha_luigui 33 Days Until Christmas! We had to take a trip to the North Pole so Kohen can tell Santa what he would like for Christmas personally 😅🥹 #santaselevator #fyp #santaselevatorexpress #santa #christmas2023
The Natick Mall has taken the mall Santa visit to a whole other level. Read the full story here.
And the doggo was still so gentle. So darn cute.
Such a thoughtful gesture. Read the full story here.
So darn sweet. Read the full story here.
Identical twins separated as newborns may not seem like a smile-worthy story, but the parallels between their lives are so remarkable, it's like the universe decided to play a hilarious joke on everyone. Not only did their adoptive parents name them both Jim, they also both had childhood dogs named Toy and a brother named Larry. They both married women named Linda, got divorced, then married women named Betty. They both named their sons James—one of them James Alan and one of them James Allan. And that's not even the end of the bizarre coincidences in their lives before they met at age 39.
Read the full, incredible-but-true story here.
Awww. It's true, that IS love.
Silly kangaroos, enchanted encounters and more make up this year's Comedy Wildlife Awards.
The 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
Animals being unintentionally entertaining is the best. Check out 14 of the funniest finalists for the Comedy Wildlife Awards here.
"Just act normal, Jim." HA.
Hope you enjoyed this week's roundup! If you'd like to get more posts like this in your inbox, sign up for the free Upworthiest newsletter here.
Your purchasing power can swing by 30% from state to state.
Map represents the value of 100 dollars.
As the cost of living in large cities continues to rise, more and more people are realizing that the value of a dollar in the United States is a very relative concept. For decades, cost of living indices have sought to address and benchmark the inconsistencies in what money will buy, but they are often so specific as to prevent a holistic picture or the ability to "browse" the data based on geographic location.
The Tax Foundation addressed many of these shortcomings using the most recent (2015) Bureau of Economic Analysis data to provide a familiar map of the United States overlaid with the relative value of what $100 is "worth" in each state. Granted, going state-by-state still introduces a fair amount of "smoothing" into the process — $100 will go farther in Los Angeles than in Fresno, for instance — but it does provide insight into where the value lies.
The map may not subvert one's intuitive assumptions, but it nonetheless quantities and presents the cost of living by geography in a brilliantly simple way. For instance, if you're looking for a beach lifestyle but don't want to pay California prices, try Florida, which is about as close to "average" — in terms of purchasing power, anyway — as any state in the Union. If you happen to find yourself in a "Brewster's Millions"-type situation, head to Hawaii, D.C., or New York. You'll burn through your money in no time.
The Relative Value of $100 in a state.
Image by Tax Foundation.
If you're quite fond of your cash and would prefer to keep it, get to Mississippi, which boasts a 16.1% premium on your cash from the national average.
The Tax Foundation notes that if you're using this map for a practical purpose, bear in mind that incomes also tend to rise in similar fashion, so one could safely assume that wages in these states are roughly inverse to the purchasing power $100 represents.
This article originally appeared on 08.17.17
The Boie Body Scrubber let's you save money while you save the world
Picture this: a body scrubber that loves the planet as much as you do. Boie's Scrubber is a dream come true for anyone who takes recycling seriously. Made from BPA and phthalate-free thermoplastic elastomer, it doesn't just clean your skin; it helps clean up your environmental act. Every Scrubber is engineered for longevity, drastically reducing waste from tossing out traditional sponges and plastic loofahs. And when it's finally time to part ways? Boie has ensured their scrubbers are 100% recyclable, completing a full circle of sustainability. You can even send your worn-out scrubber directly to Boie as part of their “Send-It-Back” program, and they’ll recycle it for you. Because choosing Boie isn't just good for you; it’s a step towards less plastic waste.
Here's a not-so-fun fact: traditional bath sponges can be breeding grounds for bacteria. But with Boie, it's a different story. Their Body Scrubber’s design features antimicrobial properties for keeping those unwanted bacteria at bay. This isn't just about staying clean; it's about staying healthy. While typical scrubbers can irritate your skin or introduce bacteria, the Boie Scrubber is a guardian for your skin's health, ensuring a cleaner, safer wash every time. It’s also hypoallergenic, which is great news for people with acne, eczema, and keratosis pilaris.
Wave goodbye to the endless cycle of buying and tossing out old plastic loofahs. The Boie Body Scrubber is here to break that loop. Engineered for endurance, this Scrubber doesn’t just survive shower after shower; it thrives. Where traditional sponges and loofahs deteriorate and become less effective over time, the Boie Scrubber stands the test of time. This isn’t just good news for your wallet, saving you from constant replacements; it's also a win for reducing waste. In the long run, Boie isn’t just a purchase – it’s an investment in sustainability and savings.
Step into a shower experience that's not just clean but comfortabe too. The Boie Body Scrubber's ergonomic design fits snugly in your palm, so using it is a breeze. This scrubber isn't just about ease, it elevates your daily ritual. Its flexible bristles glide smoothly over your skin, offering a gentle yet effective cleanse. Every curve and contour of your body is effortlessly reached, turning a simple shower into a spa-like experience. With Boie, it's not just about getting clean – it's about indulging in a moment of self care.
Let's face it: nobody enjoys the post-shower chore of cleaning a soggy, bacteria-laden sponge. Enter the Boie Body Scrubber— the low-maintenance hero of your bathroom. Thanks to its clever design, this Scrubber is a cinch to clean and dries in a snap: no more unpleasant dampness or the accompanying worries about hygiene. While traditional sponges can become a hassle to keep germ-free, the Boie Scrubber makes maintenance effortless. It's all about giving you more time to enjoy your shower and less worrying about what's lurking in your loofah.
Ready to learn more about a cleaner, greener, and comfier cleanse? Click here and embrace a better shower today with the Boie Scrubber.
Ice artisans from around the world create a spectacular holiday canvas at Gaylord Hotels
Imagine stepping into a winter fairytale where your favorite Christmas stories are not just told but spectacularly frozen in time. This is what awaits you at
the Gaylord Hotels' renowned ICE event. Each year, these iconic hotels transform into a frosty wonderland, where millions of pounds of ice are intricately carved into breathtaking scenes from beloved holiday tales.
It's not just an exhibit; it's an immersive journey through the heart of winter's magic. Whether you're a fan of the whimsical, the nostalgic, or just looking for a unique holiday experience, the ICE event at Gaylord Hotels promises a dazzling fusion of art and festivity, genuinely making it a standout holiday destination.
The magic of the
Gaylord Hotels' ICE event doesn’t just appear out of thin air. It’s the handiwork of over 40 master ice artisans hailing from Harbin, China – a city celebrated for hosting the world's largest ice and snow sculpture festival. These artists travel thousands of miles to bring the stories to life, dedicating over six weeks to sculpting over two million pounds of ice.
Each stroke, carve, and chisel is a testament to their unparalleled skill. They transform colossal 300-pound ice blocks into delicate scenes, capturing the essence of holiday classics with astonishing precision. This intricate art form is more than just sculpting; it’s a way of storytelling that these artisans have perfected, turning ice into a canvas for holiday wonder.
At
Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, the beloved holiday tale "The Polar Express™" springs to life in a frozen panorama. Imagine wandering through a world where the storybook train, the North Pole, and the enchanting characters are all intricately carved from ice. This isn't just viewing art; it's like stepping into the book.
The artisans' mastery shines in every detailed sculpture, capturing the warmth and wonder of the story in a paradoxically cool setting. Each scene, from the steam train's billowing smoke to the twinkling lights of the North Pole, is crafted to draw you deeper into the magical journey, making the Gaylord Opryland's ICE event a spellbinding experience that goes beyond mere spectacle.
Step into
Gaylord Rockies, and you're stepping into a scene straight out of "A Christmas Story™." This Colorado location turns the timeless holiday film into an icy reality. Imagine gliding down ice slides beside Ralphie's house or peeking into the frosty windows of Higbee's department store, all sculpted from ice. It's an interactive playground where the story's most cherished moments are frozen in time, offering a unique twist on the traditional Christmas narrative.
The ice tunnels, resembling the streets of a snowy Indiana town, add to the immersive experience. Each slide, tunnel, and sculpture invites you not just to see but to actively participate in a winter adventure, capturing the essence of the beloved classic in a way you've never experienced before.
At
Gaylord National in Maryland, the timeless charm of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™" is brought to life in a whimsical winter wonderland. As you wander this icy marvel, you'll meet Rudolph, Clarice, and the entire gang, all beautifully carved from ice. It's a scene that ignites childhood memories and creates new ones for families.
Picture the joy of snapping photos next to a life-size ice sculpture of Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster or standing beside the glowing red nose of Rudolph himself. This Maryland extravaganza is more than just a visual feast; it's an interactive experience where every corner offers a new opportunity for families to bond and capture memories that will last long after the ice melts.
At the heart of Texas, the
Gaylord Texan transforms into a Dr. Seuss wonderland with "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" Each sculpture in this icy expanse brings the whimsy of Whoville and its quirky inhabitants to life. Visitors are invited to wander through scenes straight from the beloved book, encountering the Grinch, his loyal dog Max, and the cheerful Who-folk, all expertly captured in ice.
It's a place where Seuss's playful rhymes meet the magic of the holiday season, offering a delightfully unique spin on festive celebrations. From the Grinch's cave to the bustling streets of Whoville, these sculptures are not just impressive in scale but in the joy they bring, creating an unforgettable holiday adventure deep in the heart of Texas.
In the sunny setting of Florida,
Gaylord Palms takes a nostalgic turn with "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Here, ice transforms into a sentimental journey back to the simpler joys of the holidays, as seen through the eyes of Charlie Brown and his friends. As you stroll through the exhibit, the beloved Peanuts characters, from Snoopy's doghouse to the iconic sparse Christmas tree, are all vividly recreated in ice.
This Florida spectacle taps into the heartfelt essence of the season, reminding us of the warmth and joy that come with holiday traditions. It's a place where each frozen scene, from Charlie Brown's quiet contemplation to the jubilant group gathering, resonates with the timeless message of holiday spirit and togetherness.
But the wonder at
Gaylord Hotels extends beyond the ice. Each resort turns into a holiday hub, brimming with activities for all ages. Think dazzling light shows, snow tubing adventures, and even encounters with Santa himself! Culinary delights await at various dining venues, offering everything from festive treats to gourmet meals. And let's not forget the captivating live shows, ranging from acrobatic performances to heartwarming musicals.
Each Gaylord Hotel becomes a comprehensive holiday destination, offering an array of experiences to make your festive season truly unforgettable.
Don't just dream of a white Christmas;
click here to learn more about the Gaylord Hotels' ICE event – your new holiday tradition awaits!
2023's pie is an homage to her favorite word to use while stuck in traffic.
You never know where a holiday tradition will come from.
Tried-and-true holiday traditions certainly have their merit, but there’s something quite special, magical even, about discovering personal rituals that commemorate one’s unique life. In my household, for instance, nothing quite rings in the Christmas spirit like sipping my partner’s delicious coquito and putting up a cardboard gingerbread house for my cats.
The beauty of creating customized holiday traditions is that they can be as festive, sentimental, or as silly as you want them to be. And you never know how one small moment can become the catalyst for a tradition that sparks joy year after year.
For Jess Lydon, that tradition is baking expletive-laden pies for Thanksgiving. (This is your profanity warning—the images below contain swear words.)
“What started as a means to get a rise out of my Grammy has snowballed into a weird family tradition. I bake one pie a year,” Lydon shared to the subreddit r/Baking.
For 2023, Lydon chose the word “D---wad,” an homage to her favorite word to hurl in a fit of road rage, topped onto a decadent rosette-filled apple pie.
A pie with with word “D---wad" placed on top
“Asshat,” apparently her second favorite word, was used in 2016.
Lydon also added a litany of pies from former years— “F---wit,” “Penis,”“B----,” “F--- Off”…you get the idea.
Gotta say, watching Lydon’s baking skills progress over the years (thanks in large part to using the correct tools, she notes) to something worthy of a Paul Hollywood handshake on “British Bake-off” makes this even more enjoyable.
Folks on Reddit seemed to enjoy it too. If for nothing else, to add their own profanity-themed jokes.
“A culinary and visual delight! This is the best thing I've seen all day,” one person wrote.
Meanwhile, another quipped, “Your growth in pastry work is quite touching, c---,” to which Lydon replied, “Thank you, t---. I’m pretty proud of the progress. And grateful to my family for putting up with The Early Years. The first few pies were rough looking.”
Others had suggestions for next year’s pies, including “prick,” “nimrod,” “bollocks,” and “bastard.” All solid choices.As Lydon explained to TODAY.com, the tradition came about from trying to get a “giggle” out of her “sweet little Japanese” grandma. After seeing that first pie, which read “F--- Off,” Lydon recalled that her grandmother gave a lighthearted “double edged compliment” by saying, “Oh my, well, I can see that you’ve tried really hard. And you put a lot of effort into it.”
Sadly, Lydon’s grandmother passed away a few years after the first pie, but the cheeky tradition lived on. And in its own quirky way, it brings Lydon’s family together.
As for her Reddit popularity, Lydon told TODAY.com that she’s thrilled others shared her love of vulgar pastry making, and is happy to see that some folks might start their own version of the tradition.
“If we can make a few more people laugh because of rude words looking pretty, then I’m all for it.”
Whether it’s curse-word pies, funny sweaters, DIY decorations, or something else altogether, maybe this is a sign to create your own unique holiday tradition, however big or small.