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The First 1 Minute And 20 Seconds Are So Hard To Watch, But The End Is Just Too Important
We need to make sure the chemicals we put in and on our bodies are safe, but we don't need to make them suffer in order to do it.
10.06.14
A FIRST mentor encourages a student.
There’s no shortage of companies, governments and organizations around the world searching for talented workers with a deep knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The demand is providing a clear pathway to rewarding, world-changing and well-paying STEM careers for many young people.
However, some students are missing these incredible opportunities because they haven’t envisioned themselves in STEM or encountered any mentors to show them a pathway for success.
FIRST is a global nonprofit that provides robotics-based programs and mentorship from adult volunteers such as educators and STEM professionals to students ages 4 to 18. FIRST is a mission-based robotics community that aims to get kids excited about STEM and allows them to build these talents, along with critical life skills such as communication and leadership, through team-based robotics competitions.
FIRST has a proven impact in guiding young people into STEM careers, all while having fun and making useful connections.
FIRST Championshipvia FIRST
Nearly 700,000 students and 320,000 adult mentors, coaches, judges and volunteers participate in the nonprofit community year over year, and the transformational power of FIRST programs was featured in the 2022 Disney+ documentary “More Than Robots.” Students develop problem-solving skills and learn confidence, cooperation, empathy and resilience—skills that will serve them well in their future careers.
Fazlul “Fuzz” Zubair, systems engineering department manager at Raytheon Technologies, an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate, mentors FIRST Team 4201, The Vitruvian Bots, in Los Angeles.
Zubair has hired 15 Raytheon Technologies employees from his FIRST team, creating a FIRST-to-work pipeline. Better yet, many of the new employees then give back to FIRST by mentoring their own teams. Zubair’s dedication to mentorship has created a cycle of positivity that continues to grow.
“Here, at FIRST, it’s a sport where everyone can go pro. They can come out of this program, and they can get a good-paying job and contribute positively to society and solve the tough problems that we have,” Zubair told Upworthy.
“Raytheon Technologies understands this, so it supports students in the program and its employees who mentor. Through FIRST, we’ve created a pipeline of people who already know how to collaborate with engineers and when they come into our companies, they have a head start,” Zubair continued.
Wireless communications innovator Qualcomm Incorporated is another multinational company that supports FIRST. It has been hiring FIRST students because of their advanced skill sets since 2006.
“They’re working on robots and learning things like coding and critical thinking, but they also have 21st-century skills like teamwork and the ability to collaborate with students that come from diverse backgrounds. Those are all things that are important in the workplace,” Natalie Dusi, corporate social responsibility manager at Qualcomm Incorporated, told Upworthy.
As employees, FIRST students join the workforce with experience and vital collaboration skills. “They roll up their sleeves and start innovating right away. When FIRST students come into Qualcomm Incorporated, they are confident,” she added.
Zubair says that FIRST students are valuable, in part because they understand that failure is part of learning and innovation.
“Learning through failure is something that’s really hard to teach,” he said. “You must go through that process. I like to tell my students all the time, ‘I’d rather you fail on this robot than a billion-dollar satellite. Learn now, fail often, fail early.’”
For FIRST CEO Chris Moore, the opportunity to gain confidence in STEM is an important and deeply personal issue. When he was in middle school, a teacher dissuaded him from pursuing a career in technology and he believes it had lasting, negative effects on his career. “Even now, as someone with decades of experience leading youth-serving organizations, this STEM inferiority complex has stuck with me, and at times I still doubt my own STEM competency,” he told Upworthy. “The reality is, STEM is achievable and rewarding for everyone, no matter their gender, age, race, economic standing orientation nor any other factor.”
Statistics point to a high demand for STEM workers and a short supply, especially in the United States and especially among women, underserved, and underrepresented groups. FIRST provides young people from any background with the skills they need to succeed in their STEM studies and future careers. Notably, FIRST reached more than 20,300 youth in underserved communities during its 2019 season.
FIRST students are twice as likely to express interest in a STEM career than their peers.
FIRST understands the value of inspiring all students and does so by providing innovation grants to teams from underserved communities and developing strategic alliances with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers and Girls, Inc., and other like-minded organizations.
One of the lasting impacts FIRST has on students is an understanding that no matter who they are or where they come from, they can solve the world’s most pressing issues.
The theme for the 2022 – 2023 season is energy. Students will explore the essential role that energy plays in keeping the world moving forward, the possibilities that different energy sources unlock, and how we can all realize a brighter future through innovative ideas in energy generation, efficiency, and use.
Cooperation, empathy, and resilience are skills that last a lifetime and it’s never too early for a child to enjoy their benefits. Learn more about FIRST programs in your area and how you can become involved!
Go to firstinspires.org to learn more.
When life is one big dad joke.
Dad knows lots of things … just not who this Taylor Swift guy is.
There are many traditional staples of fatherhood—love, support, protection, security, providing an example—but there is, of course, that other not-so-warm-and-fuzzy feeling that dads can provoke in their kids at any given moment … sheer, utter embarrassment.
Usually in a father’s humiliation tool belt is the infamous dad joke. These corny puns have been around since 2003, and let’s face it, they’ll never leave. Of course, no dad needs one to make your eyes roll. They can do that most of the time simply by being themselves.
For his well-known #Hashtags segment, Jimmy Fallon asked his “Tonight Show” audience to share “funny, weird, or embarrassing” stories about their dads. Fallon, a father himself, is no stranger to the cringeworthy power of a dad joke. In a 2020 interview with TODAY, Fallon admitted, “I’m starting to get the eye rolls now where Daddy’s not the funniest person in the world.”
Don’t worry Fallon! Clearly you’re not alone, because people replied with some truly hilarious comments. Dads might be silly, but we’ll gladly put up with it for the love they give us.
Enjoy 20 of the very best #DadStories:
As usual, Fallon went first:
"Instead of buying a smoker my dad just grills in the garage with the door closed." – @jimmyfallon
"At my aunt’s wedding reception, my dad ran out from the bathroom when he heard You Should Be Dancing by the Bee Gees play, and proceeded to do John Travolta’s routine from Saturday Night Fever." – @MJ_Rose88
"My Dad will call me sometimes when he wants me to bring him food. He refers to me as 'GrubDash.'" – @FalPalAMF828
"My dad likes to play a very morbid game called 'guess who died', which consists of him gossiping about someone I probably haven't seen in 20+ years and can't remember at all, who died recently. Bonus points for guessing the cause of death." – @jon_jonz
"My dad used to drink his morning coffee with his dentures in his hand while reading the newspaper. When we asked him why, he said his teeth also wanted to read the newspaper." – @FallonHolic_
"When my dad took my sister to her first Jr. HS dance, she asked to be dropped off a block before the school. My dad proceeded to take her all the way up to the main entrance, got out of the car and loudly announced her arrival!" – @77BroncosFan
"Asked my dad if he knew who Taylor Swift was...he said, I don't care who he is!" – @JessyKrupa
"My dad whistles really loud. He sticks his head out the window and whistles back to birds. But when the lady next door heard him, she called 911. The cops told her, 'Lady, he didn’t whistle at you. He only flirts with birds.'" – @tostianascripts
"When my dad would leave a message on my answering machine, he would end the message saying, 'This is dad signing off.'" – @RealRobFindor
"We were on vacation and the gift shops selling fudge called plain fudge 'chocolate no nuts.' A guy walked up to my dad with some samples and offered him some saying 'chocolate no nuts?' And my dad said 'what did you just call me?'" – @lauraceciliaOT
"My Dad laid a new floor in my brother's house. It was all finished so we couldn't understand why he was taking up the boards again. Turns out he had seen a spider run underneath and was worried it would be trapped." – @Sohnzie
"Whenever my dad would try to talk us into trying something new to eat he'd state, 'It's so good it'll put hair on your chest.' He had 3 daughters." – @Bookelew
"My mom once bought a 6 ft Santa statue at a yard sale without telling dad. When he got home and parked, we heard banging, crashing and swearing. We went to look and the Santa was laying face down on the curb. Dad thought someone was trying to jump him." – @dknessfalls
"My dad couldn’t decide if he wanted to be called 'grandpa' or 'papa' so he just told all of us to call him 'Coach.' He’s not a coach." – @iPopEditor
"My father went to the McDonalds drive thru and asked for a whopper. When they said 'they didn’t have whoppers', He just drove off without placing an order." – @Marisa_Rosie22
"One day we went out to eat at Pizza Hut and sat in front of an empty table with some pizza left on it. My dad, being the penny pincher he is, grabbed some and started eating it. A few minutes later the couple comes back from the bathroom asking 'where’s our pizza?'" – @Alex_Erickson3
"My dad let a bee land on his hand and watched it closely as it stung him because he 'wanted to see the process up close.'" – @TrippyPsycholo1
"My dad once tried to tell a lady she had a Big Bug on her, but accidentally told her she had a Really Big Butt. She was not amused." – @Sallyjo25
"My dad thinks it's funny to introduce my mom as his 'first wife'....my parents have been married for 58 years and are in their late 80's." – @annMcD87
"My dad entered Canada by swimming across the Niagara from the US under the cover of night." – @albertduic
This summer, what better way to enjoy the season than soaking in the sun, having fun with family and friends, and treating yourself and/or your loved ones to some beautiful crafts from our store? At Upworthy Market, you can feel good about shopping because every dollar you spend directly supports local artisans who handcraft their own products. We have curated a list of some summer favorites from our store just for you, from jewelry and bags to hammocks and utensils for your summer BBQ.
Hand-Woven Maya Hammock in Chocolate and Coffee Brown
Delicious shades of brown tempt the senses and are destined to be enjoyed in a comfortable hammock during lazy summer days. Skilled Maya Artists of the Yucatan hand-weave this nylon hammock in rich coffee and chocolate brown.
Long before the Spanish arrived on the coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula, the Maya preferred to sleep and rest in hammocks. They considered the hammock to be like the loving embrace of a mother, due to the way the body is held and swung within its cradle. Maya Artists of the Yucatan seek to preserve time-honored customs while also offering stylized versions of the original Maya hammock. For them, the hammock is a work of art. Their hammocks are incredibly comfortable, easy to maintain and can be stored just about anywhere.
Tropical Print Women's Blue and Ivory Rayon Robe
Ivory flowers and foliage flourish in a blue tropical jungle. By Hari and Arthur of Bali, this short rayon robe showcases an exuberant print. The graceful design with wide three-quarter length sleeves wraps in front and ties with a self belt. One size fits most.
Pink Garden Umbrella Crafted From Cotton and Bamboo
Thai artisan Nikom presents this cheerful garden umbrella, just right for providing relief from the summer sun or adding festive cheer to your outdoor party. The decorative umbrella is crafted from hand-painted cotton and natural bamboo. The umbrella comes with a handy cotton storage pouch; the pole disassembles for convenience.
Intricate floral motifs alongside borders depicting elephants and deer in bubblegum pink, cerise and black surround a large circular motif in this elegant rayon sarong by Indonesia's Prayascita Dewi. The artisan employs the batik method to decorate each piece, a process where a wax resist is applied to the fabric before submerging it in vats of dye.
This double strand bracelet features cylindrical blue-green beads accented with brass. Handcrafted by Tiraphan Hasub of Thailand, this bracelet provides a lovely pop of color.
Extravagant prints in dazzling colors portray and celebrate nature. By Hari and Arthur, three rayon print face masks are contoured for a comfortable fit. One features a floral motif on cardinal red, while the other two feature abstract motifs. All are double-layered, washable and reusable, with elastic to loop over the ears.
Sterling Silver Dream Catcher Earrings
Two circular dream catchers are crafted of sterling silver, featuring elegant wire work and feathers with a combination finish hanging just below. Petite blue stones of resin rest within the webs. These dangle earrings from Thailand are crafted by Pichaya.
Blue Fijian Print Canvas Tote Bag
Who doesn't love beautiful, fun and practical totes? This cotton canvas tote bag is handcrafted and printed in Fiji with a mandala motif on vibrant blue. The large tote is fully lined in natural cotton canvas. It's perfect for market trips, picnics, weekends away or home storage.
Indonesian Rainbow Glass and Driftwood Windchime
Working near Singaraja, in the mountainous northern region of Bali, artisans collect naturally fallen branches and glean wood from the local coffee plantations to fashion these delicate, colorful wind chimes. Once the reclaimed wood—teak and coffee—is gathered, each piece is sorted by size and color before being hand-shaped and strung with pieces of cut glass. Dazzling in the sunlight, the resulting rainbow chime is a gorgeous example of nature-inspired design. Each piece will vary slightly, due to the natural variations of the wood.
Handcrafted Eggshell Cotton Cushion Cover from Bali
Featuring geometric diamond patterns at the center, this Balinese cushion cover is hand-knotted from eggshell cotton yarns. Elis Mufarroha creates this cushion cover, which is accented at the top and bottom by long fringes. On the back is a slit for inserting a cushion.
Teak Wood Serving Utensils (Pair)
These teak wood serving utensils will make a beautiful accent at your dinner table. Perfect for tossing and serving salad or any dish, the pair includes a fork and spoon, crafted by Rian Kusuma of Bali to showcase the natural grain of the wood.
Six Artisan Crafted Blue-Green Blown Glass Highball Glasses
Aquamarine dissolves into a vibrant lime hue in the refreshing design of these highball glasses. Designed by Javier and Efren, each glass is crafted with Mexican blown glass techniques, in which artisans blow through a metal pipe while twirling it with one hand. They simultaneously shape the molten glass at the other end, expertly achieving this color effect.
Quart-Sized Serving Bowl in Natural Wood, Handmade in Thailand
Thailand's Noppadol Laesanklang creates a fabulous effect with the design of this conical bowl. Certain to delight the eco-conscious, the bowl is crafted by hand of naturally seasoned raintree wood expertly showcasing the wood's natural grain.
Artisan Crafted Colorful Mexican Hand Blown Pitcher (87 oz)
This pitcher features colorful accents in bright confetti colors. It's handcrafted by Javier and Efren, using glass-blowing techniques perfected over more than 30 years.
Coconut Shell Planter With Floral Motif
Give your growing plants a new home in Sindhu Nata's lovely hanging planter. Using coconut shell, the Balinese artisan carefully carves a lotus motif onto the pot's side before hollowing the shell for plants. The delicate palm fiber cords make it ready to hang.
Handcrafted Bamboo Wind Chimes From Bali
Ringing out with delightful tones, these wind chimes dangle from an attractive piece of bamboo. Balinese artisan Trisna Dewi designs the chimes, elaborating the bamboo with subtle motifs that resemble the petals of flowers. It's completed with 15 chimes of aluminum that gently sway in the wind.
Cotton Silk Blend Indigo BlackShoulder Bag From Thailand
Indigo embroidery wraps its way around the surface of this black shoulder tote bag, which is made from lightweight cotton and silk blend fibers. Indonesia's Jiap Rojjana designs it with polyester cords and wood beads that dangle from the strap. The bag opens with a coconut shell button to reveal a black cotton lining and an interior zipper pocket.
Round Woven Bamboo and Ate Grass Shoulder Bag
Javanese artisan Nell crafts a shoulder bag that's just right for spring and summer. The round bag is hand-woven of bamboo stalks and ate grass in a warm brown shade. The strap and clasp are made of brown faux leather makes up and the bag is fully lined with cotton.
A cool drink, a good book and a comfortable hammock is the perfect combination for a lazy summer day. Skilled Maya Artists of the Yucatan hand-weave this hammock in the rich blues and greens of Caribbean surf.Here kitty, kitty! Oh wait, there are 12 more of you?
It's kitten season!
Who can resist a sweet little kitten trying to cross the road? Even if you’re not a fan of cats, you’d likely stop for a baby animal in the street. That’s what happened to Robert Brantley of Louisiana. Brantley was on his way to work and spotted a tiny white and gray kitten trying to get across the street. Being a kind human, he stopped his car to bring the kitten to safety. But he got more than he bargained for, because as he was scooping up the little thing, several more kitty cat siblings came running out of the nearby grass.
In all, Brantley counted 13 kittens. Twelve more than he planned on caring for, but by the looks of his Instagram page, his family has taken their role of cat rescuers seriously. With kitten season being in full effect in these warmer months and pet surrenders remaining high since the return to work from the pandemic, Brantley taking on fostering 13 kittens is much needed. Humane societies across the country are reportedly full or even over capacity. My own local humane society currently has nearly 150 animals over its limit and is begging for foster families and adopters to help clear the shelter.
It’s not only humane societies that have reached or exceeded capacity. Animal rescues across the board are in dire need of people to take animals to make room for the inevitable drop off of puppies and kittens from the current litter season. Mating season, which subsequently turns into puppy and kitten season, starts in early spring and lasts throughout the summer. This inundates local shelters and rescues.
Some shelters, like my local humane society, are asking people who find litters of puppies or kittens to do exactly what Brantley is doing. Foster them and attempt to adopt them out on their own. It looks like Brantley's wife decided to get these now cleaned up kitties in their Sunday best to have a photoshoot in her makeshift studio. One kitten sported a bow tie while the others climbed around the enclosure patiently awaiting their turn. It also seems Brantley himself is having fun with the situation—in one video he talks about what he packs to go on a marksmanship match and includes 13 kittens along with his tripod and toolkit.
In one of Brantley’s most recent updates, he says that two of the kittens, Michael Scott and Nala, have been adopted by a family in Alexandria, Louisiana. In the same update he informs his followers that one of the kittens still left to be adopted is currently on daily medication and the family is keeping up with check-ups for the rest of the furry crew.
Here’s hoping that all of these little guys get adopted out soon. And may more people take Brantley’s lead to foster the kittens or puppies they find if they have the means. This can also serve as a reminder to spay and neuter your pets and any strays you may be caring for outside of your home.