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Capitalism isn't working the way it should. Thankfully, we have options.

They say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well, it's broke.

Money.

Sucks when you don't have enough, right?


Well, what if we could make it so more people could worry less about money?

I know I'd be all...

And, more importantly, what if we could do it without putting the health of the planet at greater risk?

We can.

They're calling it The Next System Project.

And they've assembled a phenomenal group of people to rally you along.

They say change doesn't happen overnight.

The truth is it's already happening. Maybe not in the places you'd hope — like Capitol Hill. (Side note: If you ask me, that's where too many good ideas go to die.)


OK, moving on...

Change could be happening right in your neighborhood.

In the video above, Angela Glover Blackwell refers to it as "the kernels of a systemic way to move forward."

She's talking about real-life, already-in-action ideas like...

A land trust is a non-profit that members of a community can establish to buy and develop land. These trusts can be used for commercial and retail purposes or, more commonly, for housing:

Ultimately, by separating the ownership of land and housing, this innovative approach prevents market factors from causing prices to rise significantly and, hence, guarantees that housing will remain affordable for future generations.

We all know fossil fuels won't last. And we should all know that burning them is making the world a less livable place. So why not invest more in renewable sources?

The main argument against it is money — oil and gas are "cheaper," which shouldn't actually matter. And at the end of the day, isn't money kinda pointless on an uninhabitable planet?


Farming isn't just for country folk. More people are coming around to urban agriculture as an alternative to the industrial food chain. Urban farmer and writer Rohit Kumar calls urban farming "the most important movement of our time" because of all the ways it benefits us beyond just the food:

  1. It boosts local economies.
  2. It reduces packaging waste, air pollution, and the use of chemical preservatives.
  3. It gets people more involved in local politics.
  4. It improves our attention on health and nutrition.
  5. It spurs interaction in communities.

Why should we give our hard-earned money to giant vampiric corporations? And why shouldn't more workers earn living wages and have a real stake in the businesses they're helping to run?

Cooperatively-owned businesses can make that possible while also generating billions of dollars in revenue, sparing the environment the punishment of conventional industry and pushing us to actually live our democratic ideals.

Those are just a few of the ideas we can elevate in the "next system." The whole idea is to expand on models that allow everyone to win. So what's not to like?

Let's not wait for the ship to sink, folks. We still have time to build a new one.

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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.

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Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Van Gogh’s Starry Night.



Van Gough never got to enjoy his own historic success as an artist (even though we've been able to imagine what that moment might have looked like). But it turns out that those of us who have appreciated his work have been missing out on some critical details for more than 100 years.

I'm not easily impressed, OK?

I know Van Gogh was a genius. If the point of this were "Van Gogh was a mad genius," I would not be sharing this with you.
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Is it always best to be honest with friends?

A big parenting trend over the past few decades is people giving their children names that help them stand out instead of fit in. Social scientists say that a big reason for the change in America is the rise of individualism.

“As American culture has become more individualistic, parents have favored giving children names that help them stand out—and that means more unique names and fewer common names,” Jean Twenge, a San Diego State University psychology professor, told the BBC.

However, being an individualist comes with some risks. One can be an iconoclastic trendsetter or seen as desperate, inauthentic and cringeworthy.

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Christine Kesteloo has one big problem living on a cruise ship.

A lot of folks would love to trade lives with Christine Kesteloo. Her husband is the Chief Engineer on a cruise ship, so she gets to live on the boat pretty much for free as the “wife on board.” For Christine, life is a lot like living on a permanent vacation.

“I live on a cruise ship for half the year with my husband, and it's often as glamorous as it sounds,” she told Insider. “After all, I don't cook, clean, make my bed, do laundry or pay for food.“

Living an all-inclusive lifestyle seems like paradise, but it has some drawbacks. Having access to all-you-can-eat food all day long can really have an effect on one’s waistline. Kesteloo admits that living on a cruise ship takes a lot of self-discipline because the temptation is always right under her nose.

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Pop Culture

Macaulay Culkin finally got his Hollywood star, and it was full of heartfelt nostalgia

The moment included a heartfelt reunion with beloved "Home Alone" star Catherine O'Hara.

photo by Alan Light, Wikipedia/Canva

A photo of young Macaulay Culkin and the Hollywood Walk of Fame

With Christmas just around the corner, it feels beyond appropriate that holiday icon Macaulay Culkin would be getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this past weekend on Friday, Dec 1st.

It was an adorable moment filled with sweet reunions, emotional speeches and plenty of heartfelt nostalgia as the “Home Alone” actor accepted his long awaited award. Not to mention it left several fans proud to see how much the child star had grown up into a healthy adult.
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Dad walks in on couple in hilariously compromising scene

Look, sometimes we walk in on things that we just shouldn't see. Those situations can be embarrassing for everyone involved and there's never a clear way to address it depending on what exactly was seen. Sure, some situations are easier to explain than others while others may be completely innocent but no amount of explaining will make the unsuspecting party believe it.

One Italian couple was recording a video for a TikTok trend when the woman's father walked in on them. Music is blasting when the dad slowly opens the door to take a peek at what's going on. It appears he was not ready to see what he saw because he stood in the doorway looking confused and flabbergasted at the sight.

Matilde Morra and Daniele were having a good time dancing for the trend while she was wearing her partner's baggy clothes and he was wearing...her leopard print dress.

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Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Anyone who's ever been on Tinder knows having a cute animal in the photo is usually a big hit.

But what if Tinder profile photos only featured that cute animal? And what if, instead of a millennial would-be hooker-upper, it was the adorable dog or cat itself looking for true love?

That's an idea some animal shelters are toying with.

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