+
upworthy
More

In his farewell address, President Obama shared one last powerful message of hope.

Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, we're in this together.

On Tuesday night, Barack Obama delivered his final public speech as the 44th president of the United States.

Speaking from his adopted hometown of Chicago, President Obama delivered a powerful, emotional address to a crowd of thousands and a TV audience of millions. The speech itself centered on the progress we've made as a country over the course of the past eight years — and how much further we have to go.

"Tonight, it’s my turn to say thanks," said Obama.


Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

As a candidate, Obama campaigned on a message of hope. As he leaves the White House, his core message remains largely unchanged.

At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, then-Illinois state Senator Obama delivered a powerhouse speech pushing back against the cynicism and divisiveness that so often finds its way into politics. "The pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue States: red states for Republicans, blue states for Democrats," he said. "But I've got news for them too. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states."

If his speech then was the vision of an optimistic — if slightly naïve — man first dipping his toes into the national political arena, his farewell speech on Tuesday was the perfect bookend to a storied, improbable presidential career. If there's something to take away from his farewell, it's that through all the opposition and obstruction and challenges he's faced in his time in the Senate and White House, he still sees this country as the hopeful land he spoke of 12 years ago.

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

Whether Democrat, Republican, or Independent, Obama's speech was a reminder that we all have a role to play in a thriving America.

A 240-year-old work in progress, the U.S. remains a relatively young, imperfect country. In his farewell speech, Obama took time to acknowledge the struggles that exist, cautioning against believing that things like discrimination on the basis of race or gender or religion or country of origin are things of the past. The fact is, they're not. That sort of utopian thinking is, in his words, a "threat to our democracy."

"After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America," Obama said. "And such a vision, however well intended, was never realistic. Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. I've lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were 10 or 20 or 30 years ago — no matter what some folks say. You can see it, now just in statistics, you see it in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum. But we're not where we need to be."

It's up to us to continue to work toward a more perfect union — starting with the belief that if all men (and women) are created equal, they should be treated as equals.

"We all have to try harder. We all have to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do."

Photo by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images.

In just a few short days, Obama will leave office. His legacy of change, progress, and hope doesn't have to leave with him.

The 2016 presidential election was hard-fought, to say the least. It's easy for those whose candidate won to shut out those who disagree. It's easy for those whose candidate lost to feel a sense of hopelessness. It doesn't have to be that way.

The power of our democracy lies not in the politicians who represent us, but in the individuals who compose it. We the people are the ones who matter — all of us. It's that message that Obama shared in his final public words as president.

"I do have one final ask of you as your president," Obama said during his closing remarks. "The same thing I asked we took a chance ... eight years ago. I am asking you to believe not in my ability to bring about change — but in yours."

Whether or not you agree with him or his policies, we should all be able to agree that working together to create a more just society that cares for each of its members is far more productive than walling each other off.

Thanks, Obama.

Photo by Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images.

A pitbull stares at the window, looking for the mailman.


Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joy

5-star Scottish resort offers whimsical afternoon tea experience with 'naughty sheep'

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes tea in the garden with adorably rude guests.

Cameron House/Naughty Sheep

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes a unique sheep encounter.

Remember when "goat yoga" was all the rage? And then "cow cuddling" and "turkey cuddling" made everyone's bucket lists?

Now we can add "nuzzling with naughty sheep" to the mix, but with a fancy Scottish twist.

Less than an hour from Glasgow, Scotland, the Cameron House resort sits on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, looking as if it were plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Sprawling green grounds, gorgeous lake views and a four-story castled mansion greet guests as their "home away from home" (only better), and a perusal of the reviews show guests raving about the 5-star resort's elegance, beauty and exceptional service.

I mean, just look at this place:

drone view of cameron house grounds and lakeCameron House sit on Lake Lochmond in Scotland.Cameron House


Keep ReadingShow less
Innovation

A student accidentally created a rechargeable battery that could last 400 years

"This thing has been cycling 10,000 cycles and it’s still going." ⚡️⚡️

There's an old saying that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.

There's no better example of that than a 2016 discovery at the University of California, Irvine, by doctoral student Mya Le Thai. After playing around in the lab, she made a discovery that could lead to a rechargeable battery that could last up to 400 years. That means longer-lasting laptops and smartphones and fewer lithium ion batteries piling up in landfills.

Keep ReadingShow less
@caitlin.the.realtor/TikTok, used with permission

Wait, so 90's fashion is in, but 90's hair is out?

Every era has its own version of what’s attractive. And very rarely does that aesthetic hold power with the following generation. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of cool.

Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

How exactly would these guys measure up with the Gen Z kids today?

Keep ReadingShow less

A Eurasian crow.

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow's relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. "When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family's home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto's return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo


Learning

Why you shouldn't throw your dishwasher pod into the bottom of your dishwasher

Dishwashers actually use the dirty water to know how to wash your dishes.

Photos by cottonbro studio and PhotoMIX Ltd. via Canva

Why your detergent shouldn't go in the bottom of the dishwasher

There always seem to be something going on with the pods and powders you're supposed to use in the dishwasher to clean your dishes. Either the pods don't dissolve completely or the powder gets all goopy and hard, never really fully dispensing into the dishwasher.

The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn't doing what you think it's doing.

Pateras actually breaks down exactly how dishwashers work to clean your dishes while explaining why putting the detergent on the bottom is ineffective.

Keep ReadingShow less