California just passed 3 major gun laws. It’s time for the rest of America to catch up.
Don't say change can't happen because it just did.
The California state legislature continues to lead the nation on common sense gun laws.
The bills are primarily aimed at limiting access to people convicted of domestic abuse.
These aren’t rules meant to undo the Second Amendment or take guns away from law-abiding people.
They are simple, common-sense changes that are aimed to restrict access to deadly weapons by people convicted of violent crimes or who have a repeated track record of severe mental illness.
“We must do more to ensure the safety of our survivors of domestic violence,” Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio said.
If signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown (D), the three bills would make the following changes:
- A lifetime ban on those convicted of domestic violence.
- A similar ban on those involuntarily placed in a court ordered psychiatric hold twice in one year.
- New standards for those seeking concealed carry permits.
This isn't complicated. But it is necessary.
Even the proposed concealed weapon permit regulations are minor. To qualify, applicants would simply have to take 8 hours of gun safety training and pass a basic firearms safety test -- two areas where the National Rifle Association offers multiple training and safety courses.
The law comes just days after a deadly shooting in Florida and only a few weeks after gun rights advocates failed in their court challenge to some of California’s other gun control measures.
Nine other states have similar laws and it's been a banner year for states passing gun control measures. But there is still a lot of work to be done across the nation.
We can both protect gun rights and reduce gun violence.
The debate over gun safety laws has always been political. The right to keep and bear arms is as old as our nation itself.
But as times change so must our interpretation of how to best protect those rights and the rights of those affected by gun violence.
We’re learning more about mental health every day. And technology is making it easier both to perpetuate violence but also to find innovative ways to reduce access for those who would manipulate our nation’s freedoms -- including the right to own firearms.
California is leading the way on sensible gun laws and showing there’s a way to make everyone safer while still respecting our basic freedoms. After all, there’s no greater liberty than life itself.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids… 
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie? 
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."