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Rescue dog owner brought to tears after giving her ‘super mutt’ a DNA test

All she wanted to know was the breed.

via WileeFam/TikTok (used with permission)

Cathy gets a "pupdate" from Embark.

A dog owner in New York City named Cathy had a touching reaction after learning that her rescue dog, Wilee, has a brother who looks just like him. Four years ago, she got Wilee's DNA tested through Embark because he’s a unique-looking rescue and wanted to know his specific mix.

“He is a mix of chow chow, Pomeranian, American Staffordshire terrier and many more,” Cathy told Upworthy. “He is a super mutt!”

A few months later, Embark began sending her profiles of dogs they found to be Wilee’s family members. Since then, Cathy has learned that he has two sisters and a brother, Nic. What’s incredible about the siblings is that the girls are solid-colored, but Nic is the spitting image of Wilee.

When Cathy learned about Wilee’s sisters, she hoped that she might find a brother who was similar to him. “I have a theory that all of the girls in his family are solid colors, and they don’t look like Wilee. So, I was really hoping a boy would match. I was like, maybe the boy will look like Wilee.”

What do i do with all my emotions now? What do i do with this info 😭 i need like 55 more pics of nic…

@wileefam

What do i do with all my emotions now? What do i do with this info 😭 i need like 55 more pics of nic… #newyorkcity #dogmama #dogsoftiktok #embark #mutt #rescuedog #heartwarming

The similarities between the 2 dogs are astonishing. "This is the cutest thing I’ve seen all day. His brother looks just like himmmm!" one commenter wrote on the video.

"This is Nick. Look at this young man. Is this not Wilee? Is this not my dog?” Cathy explained in the video. “I need like 55 more pics of Nic.” Cathy told Upworthy that she’s been in touch with Nic’s owner and he is “very energetic just like Wilee.”


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Science

We need more trains. Video shows why it's so expensive to build them in America.

We're the sixth most expensive place to build rail transit in the world.

via Nic Y-C/Unsplash

The A Train in New York City

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, heavy rail transit such as subways and metros produce 76% fewer greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile than an average single-occupancy vehicle. That makes them one of the most essential tools for fighting climate change.

However, according to a new report from CNBC, the United States is the sixth most expensive country worldwide for building rail transit.

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure law that included the country's most significant investment in public transportation. According to CNBC, the U.S. is expected to spend between $91 billion and $108 billion on local public transit through 2026. With all that money at stake, using it effectively will be key.

“I believe that with the money coming in from infrastructure, it’s going to help us rebuild American transit,” Carmen Bianco, former President of MTA New York City Transit, told CNBC.

However, building infrastructure in the U.S., especially subways, is very expensive. This CNBC report shows that building subways in the U.S. is more expensive than in most countries because of high labor costs, overbuilt tracks and stations, and onerous regulations.

Fortunately, the video doesn’t just point out the problems with building infrastructure; it also provides solutions. Prices can be cut if Americans move away from building infrastructure with flashy designs, work with quieter equipment that allows them to build during a greater range of hours and cut down the red tape by using more state workers rather than contractors.

At a time when building trains is more important than ever, the smarter we work, the greener our future will be.

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public transit
Identity

New Yorkers rallied around nervous autistic man left alone in the subway until he got home safely

He was waiting for a cousin who never showed up.

via Susan Sermoneta/Flickr

A subway station at 59th street in New York City.

New Yorkers may seem like a brash, uncaring bunch to the uninitiated. But when you get to know the people and the city, you’ll probably realize that they are “kind, but not nice,” as opposed to how many describe people on the West Coast as “nice, but not kind.”

A great example of New Yorkers looking out for one another happened on Reddit’s AskNYC subforum earlier this month. AskNYC is where New Yorkers consult one another on various topics, such as where to get cheap rent, subway shortcuts, and places to volunteer.

It all started when a Redditor named Andy, 21, who is autistic, reached out for help in a post titled, “Please help, where do I wait.” On the forum he goes by the name GalacticBambi. Andy is a native New Yorker who moved away at a young age. His father passed away two years ago, so he came back to the Big Apple to see his cousin and learn more about his father.

“My cousin told me to wait for him,” Andy wrote. “I’m autistic, and I feel weird standing in place on the street, I went to the subway. Is it ok to wait in the subway station? My cousin hasn’t responded back for 20 minutes, so I’m not sure what to do right now.”


"I went to the Library and restaurants and when it got dark, my cousin told me to wait for him on a street, but I wasn’t sure where to wait, and I got nervous," he later told Upworthy. "I was afraid to ask people walking around so I asked the Reddit AskNYC."

The request brought together a group of New Yorkers to help Andy feel safe and comfortable while waiting for his cousin. Reddit user Comprehensive_Ad4689, who also has autism, suggested he wait at the subway station.

“I’m autistic, and I feel the same way! It’s totally okay to wait in the train station. I do it all the time for my friend. I sit with my favorite music and do a sudoku puzzle or two or read a book,” Comprehensive_Ad4689 wrote. “When it’s nicer, I like to sit in the plazas to wait. There are two right near First Ave.”

Andy did have one slight problem—his phone was losing battery and he was afraid he’d miss a call from his cousin to meet up. The Redditors suggested he go to a nearby restaurant to charge his phone, and Andy thought it was a great idea.

“I went into a Chinese restaurant and bought tea. It’s OK 'cause I was thirsty anyways,” he wrote. “I had water in my backpack, but tea is my favorite, and I’m glad I can charge up my things now.”

The other New Yorkers checked in to ensure he was doing OK in the restaurant.

“I’m almost done charging at this restaurant, and the music is really boppy,” Andy wrote. “Plus, the owner is really nice, so I’m doing well! I’m gonna head back to the bench in the subway in a bit :)”

As Andy headed back down to the subway station, the Redditors shared some ideas that would help him feel safe, such as waiting by a token booth so he’s close to an MTA official or hanging out near a police officer.

Andy pulled out a “Sandman” comic book and read to stay calm in the subway station while waiting for his cousin. The New Yorkers asked him about the comic to keep him company. “Is it a good comic?” BankshotMcG asked.

“It’s my favorite comic book!!! It’s called ‘Sandman.’ My second favorite comic is Saga," Andy replied. “They are both really good! Sandman has an audiobook that’s really good and a Netflix show too!”

The group also gave him some encouragement, New York style. “You are kicking ass right now on so many levels. You’ve got this!” aitchmalone wrote. “Thanks, aitchmalone!” Andy replied. “New York is definitely a whole new beast for me, but the people are so endearing and kindhearted!”

Eventually, he shared that his cousin wouldn’t return in time, so the commenters suggested that Andy to go home on the subway. "When I got on a train I got lost and I got the courage to ask a couple and they were super nice in telling me I was going the wrong direction and told me which train I should take," he told Upworthy. "And when I got lost again and went off of a train and to a booth the person told me which train I should take and let me go through the gate to wait for the right train."

People from the group reached out to make sure that Andy made it home ok.

“I just got home! I’m super sleepy,” he told the group. “Thanks, everyone for making me less stressed. I’m not used to New York still, but everyone’s really kind and gives really nice advice!! Thanks again!"

Andy loved his time in New York, but now he's home and studying game design in college.

"It was super scary when I was by myself in the city but a lot of people helped me when I was lost so it was super nice," he told Upworthy. "I got to learn about my family and see a lot of cool things like a museum and the Brooklyn Bridge. Even though I was lost a lot, people gave me great advice!"

The game designer looks forward to going back to New York soon.

"I’m taking driving classes so I can take road trips back to New York," he added. "I think it’s my favorite state and I’m glad I got to meet kind people."

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Democracy

NYC mayor's comments on protecting non-remote workers prompt people to defend 'low-skill' jobs

@AchmatX/Twitter

Mayor Eric Adams' remarks about "low-skill" workers set off a firestorm of responses.

Sometimes it's surprising how quickly politicians can step in it, even when they're trying to say something legitimately important or helpful.

In trying to convince the public that people who can't work remotely need the support of other New Yorkers during the current wave of COVID-19 infections, New York City Mayor Eric Adams artlessly referred to cooks, messengers, shoe shiners and Dunkin' Donuts employees as "low-skill workers" who "don't have the academic skills to sit in a corner office."

To be fair, he was trying express support for the workers he seems to insult, but it came across all wrong. His remarks set off a firestorm of responses from people who have worked as service workers and who took issue with the idea of those jobs being "low-skill."

"There’s no such thing as a 'low-skilled' worker."

Naturally, different jobs require different skills, and "academic skills" could mean a lot of different things. But "low-skill" has an insulting ring to it

Adams tried to clarify his meaning in an interview on CBS This Morning, saying, “The goal is we need to open the city so low-wage employees are able to survive."

If he meant "low-wage," he probably should have said so. And that correction doesn't really address the "lacking-the-academic-skills-for-a-corner-office" thing.

Some people pointed out that "low-skill" or "unskilled" jobs are an actual category of work, meaning that they don't require any specialized education or long-term training. However, that wording minimizes the skills that are required to succeed in many of those jobs, so perhaps we should reconsider that wording altogether.

What Mayor Adams really meant was that people who work in jobs that can't be done remotely still need to be paid during the pandemic. Is encouraging office workers to go into the office in the middle of a raging pandemic so they can help keep those people employed the way to go? Questionable, but everything is questionable right now.

What's clear is that while his intentions may have been good, his delivery definitely needed some polishing. Don't insult a large swath of your constituents by saying they don't have the brains for a corner office. Not a good message, not a good look.

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