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A distracted driving PSA that hits hard: It's more than just not texting behind the wheel.

It really can wait.

We hear it over and over: Our phones are a deadly distraction in the car.

It's easy to dismiss the message because it's pretty much on repeat.

But here's the thing: A phone is a deadly distraction. And even those of us who have made a commitment never to text while driving might still be putting ourselves, our loved ones, and strangers at risk.

You probably know what's coming in this video, but I encourage you to watch it anyway.

I held my breath for a little too long, and even though I knew how it was going to end, it still hit me pretty hard.

What stood out most is that the woman in the video wasn't even texting. It truly doesn't take much to change the course of our lives forever.

We talk a lot about teens and their dangerous driving habits — so many viral videos about texting and driving feature teens — but the truth is that we adults aren't doing the best job leaving our phones alone either.

Keep this bit of info from AT&T in mind:

Here's the jaw dropper: A recent AT& T survey shows that it's adults, not teens (as might be suspected), that lead the trend on texting and driving. Almost half of all adults admit to texting while driving compared with 43% of teenagers. Of those polled, more than 98% of adults — almost all of them — admit they know it's wrong. That survey revealed that 41% of teens say they've seen their parents text and drive too.

There are a few ways to ensure we stay as distraction-free as possible when driving.

You can put your phone out of reach, like Glennon of Momastery and her husband agreed to do after watching this video.

And, if you're really committed, there's an app for that.

You can download an app, like DriveMode, that prevents you from sending or receiving calls and texts when you're driving. While it won't prevent you from scrolling or checking social media, it's a start.

Whatever it takes, the point is that we all need to find a way to leave our phones alone while we're driving.

An Instagram selfie or a Facebook status update just isn't worth it.

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Land O'Lakes
Land O'Lakes® products are made from milk sourced directly from member-owned farms, including butters, cheeses, spreads and other dairy staples loved by consumers for cooking, baking and snacking
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Land O’Lakes and Clove are filling the nation’s food banks with much-needed butter and shoes

Land O’Lakes and Clove are teaming up to bring comfort to communities in need.

True

Food banks are a community staple for millions of Americans. Not only do they provide nutritional assistance to low-income families, they’re also often one of the few places where people can get non-food essentials like diapers, toiletries, paper towels, clothing and more. For the 44 million people in the United States facing food insecurity, pantries can literally be a lifeline.

But that lifeline is at risk. Food pantries rely on donations, both from individuals and government programs, to stay stocked. Rising poverty levels and budget cuts mean that food pantries sometimes can’t meet the demands of their communities—and as a result, families go without.

No person should struggle for basic needs—which is why Land O’Lakes is teaming up with Clove in the name of comfort ahead of the 2025 holiday season.

Comfort, meet comfort.

A partnership between a farmer-owned cooperative and a modern footwear brand might seem like an unusual pairing. But the reality is that both organizations provide things that are enjoyable and much needed for American families.

You might be surprised to learn, for example, that dairy is one of the most requested but least-donated items at food banks around the nation. From a nutritional lens, dairy is a source of high-quality protein that provides 3 of 4 nutrients—calcium, potassium and vitamin D—that low-income households are at risk of missing from their diets.

But on a larger scale, dairy provides comfort. Items like butter, milk and cream are in high demand, particularly around the end of the year since so many families use these items for baking holiday treats. And while shoes can be stylish gifts, they’re also a basic necessity for hardworking frontline workers who provide care for others and spend hours on their feet. In fact, 96 million people in the U.S. spend their work shift standing.

"We are so excited to collaborate with Clove Shoes and take a moment to celebrate the color of the moment, but also our everyday favorite, butter yellow," said Heather Anfang, president of Land O'Lakes Dairy Foods. "As a company who shares our values of community, hard work and comfort, we are thrilled for the launch of their shoe but also for our shared donation to those in need in an important area for our two brands in Philadelphia."

Meaningful giving when people need it most

Together, the organizations have donated dozens of sneakers and more than 3,750 pounds of butter to Philabundance, one of the largest food banks in Philadelphia and part of Feeding America’s nationwide network of food banks, pantries, and meal programs. As they team up to donate needed supplies, they’re also helping families feel nourished—inside and out—ahead of the cold winter months.

"As a Philadelphia-based brand, we’re proud to give back to the community we call home—nourishing our city and supporting those who care every day," shares Jordyn Amoroso, Co-founder and CBO. Clove has also gifted 88 shoes to the students enrolled at Philabundance Community Kitchen: a free, life-changing workforce development program run by Philabundance.

At a time when so many are stretched thin and families are moving into the holiday season facing food insecurity, collaborations like these can provide an unexpected value—a chance to revitalize local communities, to nourish families, and show how comfort can take many different forms.

Learn more about this unexpected partnership here.

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Learning

27 English words people have a hard time enunciating properly, even native speakers

"The word I notice people struggle with is 'vulnerable'. Something about that N following an L is tricky."

Image via Canva/Povozniuk

English words that are difficult to enunciate.

The English language is hard to master, even for native speakers. With over an estimated one million words in the language, not only are English words hard to memorize—they can be hard to properly pronounce and enunciate. Getting tripped up with pronunciation can make your communication unclear, or worse—make you sound uneducated.

As American English teacher Vanessa explains, many mispronounced words are common and used in daily conversation due to tricky consonants and vowels in English words. But by knowing the proper pronunciation, it can help you become a more confident speaker, which is why she shared 33 words that are hard for English language learners to pronounce, such as "probably," "drawer," and "sixth."

On the subreddit r/words, a person posed the question: "What's a word you've noticed many native English speakers have difficulty enunciating even though the word is used fairly often?"

Turns out, there are a menagerie of words people notoriously stumble over. These are 27 English words that people say are the hardest to enunciate.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Tricky 'R' words

"The word I notice people struggle with is 'vulnerable'. Something about that N following an L is tricky." - common_grounder

"Rural." - Silent-Database5613

“'Nucular' for nuclear." - throwawayinthe818

"Remuneration v renumeration (first one is correct)." - RonanH69

"February. It sounds like you're pronouncing it like it's spelled Febuary. But it's spelled February." - SDF5-0, ShadedSpaces

"Mirror. Some people pronounce it 'meer'." - weinthenolababy, diversalarums

"Anthropomorphize is a word I have to use semi-frequently with limited success each attempt." - ohn_the_quain

"I can’t say the phrase 'rear wheel' without considerable effort." - ohn_the_quain

"Eraser (erasure, but they're talking about the pink rubber thing)." - evlmgs

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Multiple syllables

"Exacerbated vs exasperated." - SNAFU-lophagus

"'Asterisk'. A lot of people wind up inadvertently name-checking Asterix. I think it's best for those who struggle to use the alternative name for that punctuation mark, the 'Nathan Hale', after the American patriot who famously declared, 'I can only regret that I have but one asterisk for my country!'" - John_EightThirtyTwo

"I realized recently I have always mispronounced mischievous. It's mis-chiv-us, not mis-chee-vee-us. I don't know if I've ever heard anyone pronounce that correctly." - callmebigley"

'Supposebly' [supposedly]. Drives me up the wall." - BlushBrat

"Library. My coworker knows I hate it, so he’ll say Liberry every time." - Jillypenny"ET cetera, not 'ect' cetera. I think people are used to seeing the abbreviation etc and since there is no diphthong tc in English their mind bends it into ect." - AdFrequent4623

"The amount of people who say Pacific when they're trying to stay specific is pretty alarming. I'm not even sure if they know it's a different word sometimes." - Global-Discussion-41

"Then there was my old boss who would confidently and consistently use the word tenant when he meant tenet." - jaelith"

"Probably." - Rachel_Silver

"Contemplate. It's one of those word I hear people stumble over more than anything, often it comes out as Comtemplate, Contempate or a combination of both." - megthebat49

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Foods

"Turmeric. People drop the first R. It drives me nuts!" - Jillypenny

"Oh, and it’s espresso, no X [ex-presso]." - Jillypenny

"Also cardamom with an N." - nemmalur

"Pumpkin (punkin)." - evlmgs

espresso, espresso gif, sipping espresso, espresso drink, drinking espresso sipping modern family GIF Giphy

Awkward vowels

"Crayon 👑. My ex pronounced it 'cran'. Drove me up a wall." - rickulele, premeditatedlasagna

'Mute' for moot. A good friend of mine, who's extremely intelligent and articulate otherwise, says that. Unfortunately, it's a word she likes to use. I haven't had the heart to tell her she's pronouncing it incorrectly, and it's been three decades." NewsSad5006, common_grounder

"Jewelry." - weinthenolababy

"I hear grown adults calling wolves woofs and they're not doing it to be funny." - asexualrhino

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Dad explains genius thinking behind making kids order food for the whole family at restaurants

What a great idea.

Images courtesy of Instagram/@imscottdonnell (used with permission)

Parenting coach and father of four Scott Donnell explains why his kids order for the family while eating at restaurants.

Going out to eat as a family at a restaurant is a special time together. As you sit around the table, you get to spend quality time together and indulge in delicious meals. For Scott Donnell, a parenting coach and dad of four, he also uses the opportunity to help his kids build useful life skills.

He shared his parenting philosophy with fellow parents. "We have a family rule that when we go to a restaurant, one of the kids has to order for the whole table," he explained. "This is about public speaking, this is about communication. It's about memory."

Donnell tells Upworthy that challenging his kids to do this has taught them even more. "When kids order for the whole table, they take responsibility and learn assertiveness," he says. "They learn strong communication, presentation skills and initiative. And it’s fun!"

He continues to explain how having one of his kids order the family's meals at restaurants builds them up. "We tell [our daughter Reagan] what we want on the menu. We tell her the different things not to put on the food or in the food, what size to order. She is in charge of telling the waiter or waitress," he shares.

He adds that each kid [in this case, Reagan], must know the waiter or waitress's name, and address them by it while looking them in the eye. "She goes, 'Hello Bob, my name is Reagan. And I'd like to order this. My sister would like to order this. My brother would like to order this. My other brother would like to order this. My Dad would like to have this, and my Mother would like to have this.'"

Donnell notes that this also teaches his kids to be respectful of the waiter or waitress, and also bonds the family. "Get them engaged. Get them talking. Build relationships. Dinner is where your kids become friends," he says.

Many parents love Donnell's parenting strategy. "What a great idea❤️❤️❤️❤️," one commented.

Another added, "This is awesome. My four year granddaughter has been doing this for [us] for over a year. She has dairy allergies and knows how to navigate that for herself and how to be respectful and kind if the restaurant makes a mistake. Kids are amazing. Way to show your children that they are a responsible and caring part of your family. Little opportunities to learn can be a game changer! 👏👏👏👏"

One grandparent shared, "Yes yes yes!!! I always did this with my son and are encouraging our grandchildren to do the same!"

How to make the most out of family meals at restaurants

Donnell also adds that while spending time at the table when eating out with your family, it's important for kids to be tech-free.

"Going out to eat can sometimes be stressful for parents with younger kids," Donnell tells Upworthy. "Instead of handing them an phone or iPad to pacify them, use it as a learning experience. Train them in how they should behave in public, how they represent your family values, and ask great questions. Make meals more interesting than tech."

For parents looking to encourage their kids to try ordering at the table, he recommends also doing the 'special plate' strategy once orders have been placed and meals are served.

"Another great tip is the 'special plate' strategy," says Donnell. "The child who orders gets the special plate everyone gets to say one thing they love about them. Rotate each dinner, including parents."

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Man uses the shoe aisle to perfectly explain why middle-class Americans are hurting

The "garbage shoes" helped him demonstrate his point brilliantly.

Photo credit: Canva

Remember things being built to last?

Unfortunately, most Americans are well aware of shrinkflation, where food companies reduce the sizes of their products while the price remains the same at the grocery store. You see this in fast food restaurants when you pick up a burger and feel like your hand has grown a few inches, and at the supermarket when you buy a box of cookies, it weighs less than it did a few weeks ago. Companies use this strategy when they think you’ll be less likely to notice a dip in quantity than a hike in the price.

We see something similar in the world of retail, particularly fast fashion. Fast fashion offers cheaper garments made from low-quality materials that last about as long as the trend does, so people can throw them away and buy the next hot thing. This can be a real problem because fast fashion harms the environment and leads to exploitative labor practices. And the tough part is—even for the most conscious of consumer, it's hard to escape from.

Here's a prime example of what this looks like in the real world. A few months ago, a TikTokker named Tom (@SideMoneyTom), popular for making videos about consumer products, went viral for a video where he called out shoe manufacturers for dropping their quality while keeping prices high. “So many of you guys want to shoot the messenger, but look, it's not my fault shoes are made out of Styrofoam and oil now,” Tom says in a TikTok with over 528,000 views. “It's literally every shoe you look at now. It's not even just the cheap ones. I can find hundred dollar plus pairs of shoes all day long with glue squeezing out of their Styrofoam cracks.”

@sidemoneytom

Replying to @Oscar Magaña shoes are done #fyp #shoes #foryou

Tom notes that recently, shoes have been made with foam soles instead of rubber. Both have pros and cons. Foam is a little more comfortable, but rubber lasts a lot longer. Rubber shoes keep shape and support over time and are much more durable. Conversely, foam shoes compress over time, losing their support and comfort. When companies sell cheaper shoes that wear out more quickly, they make much more money because you must keep replacing them.

In the video, Tom adds that many companies that used to have shoes made with rubber heels, such as Carhartt and Timberland, have switched to foam. This is an interesting choice for brands that pride themselves on selling durable products.

Cora Harrington, a writer and lingerie expert, says that companies aren't entirely to blame. Americans don’t want to pay higher prices. “People don’t exactly want to pay more for all that stuff,” Harrington told Vox. "So what has to happen if everything is more expensive and the customers still want to pay the same price, something has to be cut and that’s often going to be the quality of the garment.”

“There is an entire generation of consumers at this point that doesn’t actually know what high-quality clothing feels like and looks like,” Harrington continues. “It gets easier, I think, for consumers to just not know any better.”

@sidemoneytom

Replying to @donkles #shoes #fyp #sketchers #nike

Many commenters have noticed the decline in shoe quality and praised Tom for pointing it out. "I am so happy I’m not the only one who is baffled by shoes being made of styrofoam and then being upcharged for them," one commenter wrote. "When shoes started being named some version of 'Air Light Cloud float,' my thought was it was because they went from quality rubber to cheap foam and less materials,” another commenter added.

Tom believes the decline in shoe quality is an example of a more significant trend affecting American consumers' products: quality is decreasing while prices remain the same. “The quality of everything is going to hell, and the prices are going up," Tom concludes his video. "The problem is, so many of us have just become used to it that we keep buying it, and we basically allow them to dumb down the quality of everything. Everything in our lives. These shoes are just the tip of the iceberg. Start thinking about it in your life. What are you gonna allow to be garbage quality?"

This article originally appeared in March. It has been updated.

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16 obscure words with common meanings that you can sprinkle into convos to sound smart

The average American only has around 42,000 words in their vocabulary.

Photo credit: Canva

These obscure words will make you sound smart during conversations.

The pursuit of expanding one's vocabulary has made games like Wordle more popular than ever. And while there are an estimated one million words in the English language, the average American only has about 42,000 words in their vocabulary.

With that in mind, most Americans have plenty of work to do to learn some more interesting words. Having the background knowledge to properly use them is like icing on the cake to sounding smart. Peppering your conversations with obscure words is a fun way to enhance conversations, too.

Drop these 16 obscure words during your next chat:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Cacography

Cacography means "bad spelling or handwriting."

Indubitably

Indubitably means "too evident to be doubted; unquestionable."

According to Merriam Webster, indubitably has Latin roots that "arrived in Middle English in the 15th century from Latin indubitabilis, itself a combination of 'in-' ('not') and 'dubitabilis' ('open to doubt or question'). 'Dubitabilis' is from the verb dubitare, meaning 'to doubt,' which also gave us our 'doubt.'"

Abate

Abate means "to decrease in force or intensity."

Reciprocity

Reciprocity means "the quality or state of being reciprocal; mutual dependence, action, or influence."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Ameliorate

Ameliorate means "to make better or more tolerable; to grow better."

According to Merriam Webster, ameliorate "traces back to melior, a Latin adjective meaning 'better,' and is a rather formal synonym of the verbs better and improve."

Incongruous

Incongruous means "lacking congruity; not harmonious; incompatible; not conforming; disagreeing; inconsistent within itself; lacking propriety."

Mellifluous

Mellifluous means "having a smooth rich flow; filled with something (such as honey) that sweetens."

According to Merriam Webster, mellifluous "comes from two Latin roots: the noun mel, meaning 'honey,' and the verb fluere, meaning 'to flow.' These linguistic components flowed smoothly together into the Late Latin word mellifluus, then continued on into the Middle English word mellyfluous, before crystallizing into the adjective we employ today."

Apoplectic

Apoplectic means "of a kind to cause or apparently cause stroke; extremely enraged."

Sanguine

Sanguine means "marked by eager hopefulness; confidently optimistic."

According to Merriam Webster, "Sanguine traces back to the Latin noun sanguis, meaning 'blood,' and over the centuries the word has had meanings ranging from 'bloodthirsty' to 'bloodred,' among other things in that (ahem) vein, so how did it also come to mean 'hopeful'? During the Middle Ages, health and temperament were believed to be governed by the balance of different liquids, or humors, in one’s body: phlegm, black bile, yellow bile, and blood. Those lucky people who were governed by blood were strong, confident, and even had a healthy reddish glow (all that blood, you know)—they were, in a word, sanguine."

@etoilemarley

12th May - word-grubber: someone who uses obscure words in everyday language ✍️❤️ the cabinet of linguistic curiosities 📘 #wordoftheday #wordlovers #etoilemarley #lostwords #logophiles

Terse

Terse means "using few words; devoid of superfluity; short, brusque."

Ephemeral

Ephemeral means " lasting a very short time."

Compunction

Compunction means "anxiety arising from awareness of guilt; distress of mind over an anticipated action or result; a twinge of misgiving; scruple."

According to Merriam Webster, "An old proverb says 'a guilty conscience needs no accuser,' and it's true that the sting of a guilty conscience—or a conscience that is provoked by the contemplation of doing something wrong—can prick very hard indeed. The sudden guilty 'prickings' of compunction are reflected in the word's etymological history. Compunction comes (via Anglo-French compunction and Middle English compunccioun) from Latin compungere, which means 'to prick hard' or 'to sting.'"

Paroxysm

Paroxysm means "a fit, attack, or sudden increase or recurrence of symptoms (as of a disease); convulsion; a sudden violent emotion or action; outburst."

Loquacious

Loquacious means "full of excessive talk; wordy."

Copacetic

Copacetic means "very satisfactory."

Renascent

Renascent means "rising again into being or vigor."

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Robert Irwin’s emotional 'DWTS' dance tribute to his mom brings entire ballroom to tears

"The world needs the Irwin family."

Dancing with the Stars/Youtube

This dance was for everyone on a grief journey.

The late, great Steve Irwin, aka the Crocodile Hunter, left behind a legacy of enthusiasm and compassion for every living thing on this planet. Nearly two decades after his dad’s passing, Robert Irwin keeps that legacy of father’s spirit alive. Not just in his work with animals, but in the way he feels for others.

On the Oct 14 episode of Dancing with the Stars, the 21-year-old conservationist performed one of the most moving routines of the season: an emotional contemporary dance dedicated to his “absolute hero” mother, Terri Irwin, set to Phil Collins’ famously tearjerking ballad, “You’ll Be in My Heart.”

Before stepping onto the stage, Robert opened up about his choice. “I’ve never been able to capture the feeling of gratitude I feel for her,” he said, breaking down into tears. “At every milestone, when I just wished my dad was there, she was there. And that was enough.” (People)

@shopeatexplore Robert Irwin danced to “You’ll Be in My Heart by Phil Collins. The performance was dedicated to his mom, Terri Irwin. • • • #robertirwin #dwts #robertirwindwts #dedicationnightdwts #dancingwiththestars ♬ original sound - Shop Eat Explore

"I struggle a lot with losing dad a lot," he added during his confessional. "She always made sure my dad was present in our lives. I wanted to know how proud my dad would be of her."

As the music swelled and Robert and his dance partner Witney Carson moved across the floor, it was clear the performance was about much more than choreography. It was about love that survives loss, and about the quiet heroism of a parent who keeps a family whole when everything else falls apart.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

When the number ended, Terri appeared at the edge of the stage, tears in her eyes. Robert’s sister, Bindi, also rushed to embrace him as the audience rose in applause.

Needless to say, audiences were moved.

Holding back tears, Judge Bruno Tonioli said what everyone was feeling: “[Your father is] looking at you, kid, and he's smiling…All I can say is this was the true expression of everlasting love."”

Carrie Ann Inaba added softly, "I've never had kids, but Terri, I have to say, if I could have had kids, I would like him to be like Robert."

And Derek Hough, who once danced alongside Bindi when she competed on the same show, couldn’t hide his emotion. "The love I have for your family. I just have so much love for you guys. I'm so proud of you.…the world needs the Irwin family."

In a follow-up TikTok, Robert shared that in addition to this week’s rehearsal stirring up old emotions, there was the additional pain of recently learning his beloved dog, Stella, had been diagnosed with cancer.

@robertirwin Tough week. Emotional week. Beautiful week. Tuesday night is going to be a special moment.
♬ original sound - Robert Irwin


“It’s been a tough week,” he admitted, “but also really beautiful. This dance has just been this culmination of so much emotion, and I just want this to be a point of vulnerability. I want this to be a dance not only for my mom, but for all of the moms out there that don't get the recognition that they deserve. I want this to be a dance for anyone who's lost someone.”

He concluded, "I'm excited for you to see this. I hope this dance can help people because it's certainly helped me.”

Judging by not only the crowd reactions, but the comments as well, it sure seems like Robert was successful.

“What was on display was a son's love for his mother, and it's so pure. Robert has really embraced dance as a form of expression here, and it's so beautiful.”

“That was magical.”

“You don't dance with your feet, you dance with your heart. I lost my mom. I felt every word. Stay amazing, your dad would no doubt be so proud.”

As for Terri, she shared during the episode: “After we lost Steve, it was difficult to smile again for quite a while. But because of my kids, I could get up every morning. Every day I'm proud mama.”

Every family knows what it means to hold each other through loss, to keep showing up, and to find solace in the love that remains. It’s part of what makes the Irwin family so relatable and so inspiring.

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