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Beyoncé is going on a new world tour, and she’s helping Flint along the way.

Beyoncé joins the group of A-listers fighting for the people of Flint, Michigan.

Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show. And she had more than a few surprises up her sleeves.

As to be expected with just about anything Bey-related, the Internet exploded in euphoria.

GIF via CBS/Pepsi Super Bowl 50 halftime show.

Her killer performance didn't shy away from getting political. And it was glorious.

Bey's all-female backup dancers were dressed to impress in outfits honoring the Black Panthers (the 1960s civil rights group that also celebrates its 50th anniversary this year). The lyrics to the new single she performed, "Formation," celebrate blackness and Southern culture while touching on the deep racial inequality that still lives on in modern-day America. The song's music video, by the way, features Bey squatting on a sinking New Orleans cop car in a Hurricane Katrina-ravaged neighborhood ... so yeah, her message was anything but subtle. (Again, glorious.)

Beyond her momentous performance, Beyoncé did something else that shook Bey Land to its core: She announced a new world tour, which is named "Formation" after her latest single, that will kick off this spring.

If the Internet hadn't been exploding Bey-ness before, by then, it certainly was.

But the coolest part about Beyoncé's new tour is that it'll help the city of Flint, Michigan, heal after its recent water crisis.

The pop star's #BeyGood charity initiative is partnering with United Way and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint for the tour "to create a fund that will address long-term developmental, education, nutrition, and health needs of the children affected by the Flint Water Crisis," according to a statement from the singer.

Photo by Matt Cowan/Getty Images.

Specifics on how exactly the money will be raised from the tour have yet to be released, but fans are encouraged to follow @BeyGood on Twitter to get updates on how they can help.

Though Beyoncé's help is no doubt appreciated, Flint could use all of our support.

After Flint swapped its water source back in 2014 and failed to properly treat the water, lead started seeping into residents' supply. Folks complained the water didn't look right and that it smelled odd, but red flags were largely ignored for months.

A Flint 5-year-old gets her finger pricked during a lead screening. Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images.

The debacle has exposed thousands of Flint children to lead, which can severely affect mental and physical development. Advocates across the state and country — along with a presidential candidate — have called on Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to resign for dropping the ball at the expense of an entire city's health.

Beyoncé is the latest A-lister to shine a light on the water crisis.

Flint has had no short supply of help from Hollywood, with stars like Cher, Rosie O'Donnell, Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Fallon, and Big Sean (plus many more) pitching in to help those affected.


But we can't rely on Hollywood and bottled water to solve the problem. As Flint native and documentarian Michael Moore explained in an open letter, sending bottled water is like putting a Band-Aid on a cut that desperately needs stitches.

Yes, short-term solutions are important, but larger systemic changes — like fixing broken infrastructure and holding accountable the leaders who caused this mess — are vital in helping Flint in the decades to come (not to mention ensuring this won't happen again).

This isn't just a Flint problem, either. Communities across the country, from Albuquerque and Denver to Phoenix and San Diego, are suffering from deteriorating plumbing systems and compromised water. Just take a look at what's coming out of the tap in St. Joseph, Louisiana.

From the sounds of it, Beyoncé's focus on Flint might just spur some of the long-term solutions residents there so desperately need.

It's too soon to know how much the "Formation" tour will benefit Flint. But if anyone knows how to throw some weight behind a worthy cause, I'd put my money on the girl who runs the world.

GIF via CBS/Pepsi Super Bowl 50 halftime show.

Pop Culture

'Wheel of Fortune' fans left shocked after contestant wins $50,000 solving impossible puzzle

“How in the world did you solve that last one?” asked host Ryan Seacrest.

Wheel of Fortune/Youtube

That was quite impressive.

Listen, while we all love a hilarious Wheel of Fortune fail, watching an epic win can be just as entertaining. And that’s exactly what recently happened on The Wheel when a contestant named Traci Demus-Gamble made a winning puzzle solve so out-of-nowhere that it made host Ryan Seacrest jokingly check her for a hidden earpiece.

In a clip posted to the show’s YouTube account Friday, Jan. 17, Demus-Gamble waved to her husband who was standing on the sidelines before going up to the stage for her next challenge: guess a four-word “phrase.”

Demus-Gamble wasn’t off to a great start, as only two of her given letters (“T” and “E”) made it to the board. And the odds didn’t improve much after Demus-Gamble, admittedly “nervous,” gave the letters “M,” “C,” “D,” and “O” and only two of those letters showed up once on the board.

“Again, not too much more, but who knows, you’ve had a lot of good luck tonight,” Seacrest said. “Maybe it’ll strike you.”

Then, all in under ten seconds (more like in 1.5 seconds), Demus-Gamble correctly guessed, “They go way back” like it was nothing.

Watch the incredible moment below:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

As the audience cheered, Seacrest playfully circled Demus-Gamble, as though searching for an earpiece that must have fed her the winning guess. Down in the comments, people were equally floored.

“Now THAT was an amazing solve.”

“Wow! That was impressive!”

“I couldn't solve that one to save my life, but Demus-Gamble got it like it was nothing.”

“There's only one way to describe this to me: 😦”

At the end of the clip, Seacrest opened the envelope to reveal that Demus-Gamble’s puzzle solve won her $50,000, earning her a total win of $78,650. Certainly not chump change.

As for her winning strategy—Demus-Gamble assured no cheating was involved. “I just dug deep," she told Seacrest. We’ll say.

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High school principal visits hospital so dying mom can see her son graduate

They stood proudly by her side one day before she passed away.

KOCO 5 News/Youtube

Caleb Woodrum graduates high school by his mom Stacey's hospital bed.

Caleb Woodrum's mom, Stacey, had one dying wish: to see her son graduate from high school. Ten years prior, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Woodrum, a senior at Blanchard High School in Blanchard, Oklahoma, was set to graduate months later in May 2023 when Stacey's health took a turn for the worst.

“The hospital actually contacted me and they said, ‘Listen, things are getting bad and the only thing that she wants is to see her youngest son graduate.’ So I told them, I said, ‘What do I need to do? Let’s get this going,'” Woodrum’s sister-in-law, Cara Harris, told KFOR News.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Within 24 hours, a ceremony was put together. Southwest Medical Center's intensive care unit agreed to hold a graduation ceremony for Woodrum and his mom. Hospital staff rallied around them, providing food, balloons, personalized signs and music for the ceremony. Blanchard High School Principal, Greg Jackson, handed Woodrum his diploma and ensured Woodrum had a cap and gown.

“A lot of people were supporting me. My school, the Southwest medical staff, but especially my family. That was a moment that really made me proud. I didn’t expect the hospital to go above and beyond, but it was truly amazing what they did, and especially my principal, Mr. Jackson,” Woodrum told KFOR.

Caleb Woodrum, StaceyCaleb Woodrum embraces his mom Stacey following his graduation ceremony.GoFundMe

During the short ceremony, Woodrum and his mom held hands as Mr. Jackson presented Woodrum with his diploma. Stacey applauds as his son accepted it, and they shared an emotional embrace together. Woodrum wiped away tears following the ceremony. Unfortunately, Caleb's mother died the very next day on March 29, 2023, on her 57th birthday.

"I have a really good relationship with her. I took care of her. She was on oxygen, so I had to fill her bottles regularly and stuff like that. Made sure when she needed to go to the doctors, she had a ride to the doctors and stuff like that," said Woodrum. "It was probably one of the greatest moments I’ve actually ever had. Like, she did want to see me graduate. She did want to see me go to college. Unfortunately, she won’t have the chance to do that. But she got to see me graduate high school, which I know is one of the biggest accomplishments for me and her."

The incredible video has experienced a resurgence in popularity, garnering heartfelt responses from new and old viewers. "Very sad and beautiful at the same time," Kaneda1985 commented. VivienneVelvet2 added, "Such a heartfelt gesture shows the true spirit of community and compassion." And donmreddit wrote, "The simple gesture is going to have some positive impact on that young man’s life. Not to mention everybody at the hospital, who observed it. Stellar." Another touched viewer, CapnRaye, responded, "This goes to show you that little things really matter. At most, this man had to take time out of his day to drive to the hospital / hospice / their home, where this kid's mom is. Was it probably effort on his part to do that? Yeah, sure, but it's very easy to do. This kid will remember this for the rest of his life."

A GoFundMe was started by Cara Harris to help with Woodrum's college tuition and expenses.

Education

Unearthed BBC interview features two Victorian-era women discussing being teens in the 1800s

Frances 'Effy' Jones, one of the first women to be trained to use a typewriter and to take up cycling as a hobby, recalls life as a young working woman in London.

Canva

Two Victorian women discuss being teens in the 1800s.

There remains some mystery around what life was like in the 1800s, especially for teens. As time marches on, we're moving further and further away from the Victorian era and what life was like for the people living through it. Thankfully, though, relics have survived that are not just historical treasures, but connections our human family now since passed. In this rediscovered 1970s clip from the BBC, two elderly women reminisce about what it was like being teenagers during a time when the horse and buggy was still the fastest way to get around.

While cars were just around the corner from being the common mode of transportation toward the end of the 19th century, it's pretty wild to imagine what these women experienced. Frances "Effy" Jones explained how, at age 17, she was encouraged by her brother to check out this new machine in a storefront window. Turns out that machine was a typewriter and, after being trained on how to use it, Jones would sit in the store window typing while people outside gathered to watch. Before long, classes began popping up for women to learn how to use a typewriter, starting a new movement for women of that era.

The second woman, Berta Ruck, told the BBC that she would get into a bit of trouble at boarding school for drawing instead of completing school work. This talent took Ruck to art school in London where she rode buses around town, attempting to avoid mud getting on her long skirt. But Ruck explained that it never worked and she would spend hours brushing the mud from her skirt before wearing it out again. I'm sure you're thinking, buses? They weren't the buses we would see nowadays. These were double-decker horse-pulled carriages. It may be hard to imagine, but life was just as vibrant and bustling then as it is now. Check out the video below to learn more:


This article originally appeared three years ago.

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Study shows how reframing your life as a Hero's Journey' can change it for the better

Researchers shared 7 keys that can help you become the hero of your own life.

Photo credit: Canva

Be the hero of your own life.

When you think about your life, do you ever imagine it's a movie or a book with yourself as the main character? And not just any main character, but an actual hero? If not, you may want to start.

Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that making yourself the hero of your own story, with all the elements of a classic “hero’s journey,” can make your life feel more meaningful and significant and may even increase your resilience in the face of challenges.

How does looking at your life as a hero's journey help?

Study author and assistant professor of management and organization at Boston College, Benjamin A. Rogers, tells TIME that human brains are wired for stories and respond to them in powerful ways. "This is how we've been communicating and understanding ourselves for thousands of years,” he said. Think of how many stories we have of heroes, from Hercules to Harry Potter.

That doesn’t mean you need to go out and slay dragons or take down bad guys or rescue someone from the brink of disaster. It simply means that the story you tell yourself about your life matters, and seeing yourself as the hero in your own life story makes a difference. But how do you do that? How do you make yourself into a hero, especially if you don’t see yourself as one?

caped hero standing on a mountainYou are the protagonist in your life story. Photo credit: Canva

What makes your life a Hero's Journey?

The researchers created identified seven key Hero’s Journey elements that people can reflect on to see their lives in a new light:

Protagonist: The main character of the story—you. The protagonist is the person people are rooting for, so reflect on who you are in your life story. What is your identity? What do you stand for? What values do you hold most dear?

Shifts: New things or circumstances that push your life in different directions. What changes in your life have led you to where and who you are today?

Quests: Something you're working toward. What do you want in life? What are your goals?

Allies: People who are on your side. Who do you have in your life to support you on your journey?

Challenges: Could be situations or other people that are obstacles pursuing your quest. What or who is getting in your way?

Transformation: How you grow as you take your journey. What lessons have you learned? How have you become better, stronger, wiser, healthier, etc?

Legacy: What you leave behind for others. What will you share from what you've gained? How with the community benefit from your life's journey?

The study authors shared in Scientific American how they used these elements in the study to help people develop this hero's journey lens for their life story:

"We developed a 'restorying' intervention in which we prompted people to retell their story as a hero's journey. Participants identified each of the seven elements in their life, and then we encouraged them to weave these pieces together into a coherent narrative.

In six studies with more than 1,700 participants, we confirmed that this restorying intervention worked: it helped people see their life as a hero's journey, which in turn made that life feel more meaningful. Intervention recipients also reported greater well-being and became more resilient in the face of personal challenges; these participants saw obstacles more positively and dealt with them more creatively."

According to the researchers, it didn't matter how meaningful the participants had felt their lives were before. All participants got a boost in meaning and well-being from the exercise. However, there were two key components of the intervention that made it effective. Not only did participants identify the seven elements of the hero's journey but they wove them together into a coherent narrative—literally telling their life story as a narrative. "In other studies, we found that doing only one or the other—such as describing aspects of one's life that resembled the hero's journey without linking them together—had a much more modest effect on feelings of meaning in life than doing both," the researchers wrote.

It's definitely worth a try. As Rogers told TIME, “The way that people tell their life story shapes how meaningful their lives feel. And you don’t have to live a super heroic life or be a person of adventure—virtually anyone can rewrite their story as a Hero’s Journey.”

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Pop Culture

Bizarre optical illusion has people either seeing a car door or the beach

What do you see?

Photos combined from Pixabay.

Car door and the beach.

Ancient sage Obi-Wan Kenobi once remarked, "Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them." Well, he's right. Kinda.

Our eyes bring in information and it's our brain's job to decipher the image and determine what we're seeing. But our brains aren't always correct. In fact, sometimes they can be so wrong we wonder if we are accurately interpreting reality at all.

After all, our brains can only label things if it knows that they are. If you lived on a deserted island your whole life and a cow showed up on the beach, you'd have no idea what to label it.

The latest baffling image that's making people across the Internet doubt their senses is a picture tweeted out by X (formerly Twitter) user nayem. "If you can see a beach, ocean sky, rocks and stars then you are an artist," the comment reads.

But some people who see it also think it looks like a car door. What do you see?

optical illusion

Beach or a rusty door?

via nxyxm / Twitter

If your brain told you the picture is of a lovely evening laying on the beach then you're definitely an optimist. But, according to the person who posted it, the photo is of the bottom of a rusted out car door. Not very romantic, is it?

screenshot of a Tweet

The tweet has since gone viral, earning over 5,000 likes.

via nxym /Twitter

Here's what Twitter users thought about the illusion.

screenshot of twitter comment

Yum.

via X/Twitter.

This guy must be hungry.

screenshot of a Tweet

A clever call back.

via Twitter.

This guy is having flashbacks to 2015.

screenshot of a Tweet

Knowing the difference through skills.

via Twitter.

Your perception determines your reality.

screenshot of a Tweet

Drawing skills.

via Twitter.

This guy explains it perfectly.

screenshot of a Tweet

Boat on the beach.

via Twitter.

This guy has a great imagination.

So, what's going on?

This photo is just another optical illusion, and it can help us learn a lot about our brains. As mentioned, our eyes and other senses gather information and send it to our brains. From there, our brains create our perception of the world, but it doesn't always reflect reality. According to the American Museum of Natural History, this means is that when the brain is presented with incomplete information, it "fills in the gaps" to create an image or understanding where there wasn't one before. Even more interesting, since no two brains are totally alike, people tend to see optical illusions differently. Research suggests that cultural factors, experiences, and how we process visual information all account for why two people may look at the same illusion and have totally different takeaways.

Neat!


This article originally appeared four years ago.

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