True
As part of its promise for a brighter world, Dole is partnering with Bye Bye Plastic Bags's efforts to bring sunshine to all.
Visit www.sunshineforall.com to learn more.
Who would have thought that giving the world access to all human knowledge via the internet, the ability to follow and hear from experts on any subject via social media, and the ability to see what's happening anywhere in the world via smartphones with cameras would result in a terrifying percentage of the population believing and spouting nothing but falsehoods day in and day out?
Those of us who value facts, reason, and rational thought have found ourselves at some of our fellow citizens and thinking, "Really? THIS is how you choose to use the greatest tool humanity has ever created? To spew unfounded conspiracy theories?"
It's a marvel, truly.
Between Coronavirus/Bill Gates/5G conspiracies and QAnon/Evil Cabal/Pedophile conspiracies, I thought we were pretty much full up on kooky for 2020. But apparently not. The massive fires up and down the West Coast have ignited even more conspiracy theories, some of which local law enforcement and even the FBI have had to debunk.
<p>Can we please get off this timeline of insanity?</p><p>Thankfully, there are voices of reason out there. Pretty much any rumor you hear or see gets fact checked pretty quickly, so unless you're so far gone that you think every single fact checking website is "in on it," it's not too hard to find the truth. </p><p>And sometimes, the truth comes in brief, refreshing, not-unattractive packages.</p><p>A firefighter who goes by the TikTok handle @wildlandmike shared a quick response video to a young woman's ridiculous conspiracy-laden video about the Western fires. His delivery is perfect, and Twitter users are going gaga over it. </p><div id="6b3ac" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d5b948fb687ca6519db9831a1bef2c2e"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1306358947364839424" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Firefighters: literally fight fire
Also firefighters: fighting conspiracy theories on TikTok https://t.co/Mf97S0tNrS</div> — Cres (@Cres)<a href="https://twitter.com/cres_guez/statuses/1306358947364839424">1600295218.0</a></blockquote></div><p>It doesn't hurt that Wildland Mike fits the "hot firefighter" stereotype, and many of the responses were...well...thirsty. (As a colleague asked this morning, "Do they not let ugly people become firefighters or something?") Good-looking experts spewing facts is a double whammy of attractiveness in the disinformation age. It is what it is.</p><p>But the comments also highlighted the unfortunate fact that this girl making the conspiracy video has an actual reach. </p><div id="a1526" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ec224e18ae7279acb97b8cf6650a5590"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1306395241209982976" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@cres_guez Wait... is she trying to say she doesn’t believe there actually are fires? Like we just made them up bec… https://t.co/NXjkAdUg81</div> — Emily Kralj (@Emily Kralj)<a href="https://twitter.com/em_kat30/statuses/1306395241209982976">1600303871.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="888f3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bae7a5a408ab10d24d12967ba1afe843"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1306574826170200066" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@cres_guez She’s from my hometown 😅 she’s also posted George Floyd conspiracies. All of her followers are children.… https://t.co/faYHPddCjz</div> — Shelby (@Shelby)<a href="https://twitter.com/Shelby_Delaine/statuses/1306574826170200066">1600346688.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Just for funsies, I looked her up on TikTok. She has 2.6 million followers, SO THAT'S NEAT. Most of her content doesn't appear to be this off the wall crazy, which actually makes it worse. Kids are going to follow her to see her talk about her dog or her having lived in an amusement park and then get hit with a conspiracy theory video. It's also entirely possible that she makes conspiracy theory videos for a joke or as satire or something, but DON'T YOU KNOW SATIRE IS DEAD AND PEOPLE BELIEVE BATSH*T CRAZY THINGS IN 2020, @cierra_mistt??? </p><p>Seriously, is there some kind of humanity reset button somewhere? Has anyone looked for one in earnest? Maybe it's hidden under the edge of Flat Earth or on the belly button of Sasquatch or something. </p><p>At any rate, more firefighters fighting fiction with facts, please. It's the content we all need right now. </p>
From Your Site Articles
- If you really want to #SaveTheChildren, stop sharing QAnon ... ›
- 'Irish slaves' post that was shared nearly a million times was taken ... ›
- That 'Plandemic' conspiracy video has been thoroughly debunked ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Then, Now, Next
The UN has worked tirelessly to end wars and prevent conflicts. COVID-19 could make it harder.
09.15.20
True
In 1945, the world had just endured the bloodiest war in history. World leaders were determined to not repeat the mistakes of the past. They wanted to build a better future, one free from the "scourge of war" so they signed the UN Charter — creating a global organization of nations that could deter and repel aggressors, mediate conflicts and broker armistices, and ensure collective progress.
Over the following 75 years, the UN played an essential role in preventing, mitigating or resolving conflicts all over the world. It faced new challenges and new threats — including the spread of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, a Cold War and brutal civil wars, transnational terrorism and genocides. Today, the UN faces new tensions: shifting and more hostile geopolitics, digital weaponization, a global pandemic, and more.
This slideshow shows how the UN has worked to build peace and security around the world:
1
/
12
Malians wait in line at a free clinic run by the UN Multidimensional Integrated Mission in Mali in 2014. Over their 75 year history, UN peacekeepers have deployed around the world in military and nonmilitary roles as they work towards human security and peace. Here's a look back at their history.
Photo credit: UN Photo/Marco Dormino
popular
A 2nd grade teacher's Zoom disconnected and one Mom captured all the chaos for us to enjoy
09.10.20
I worked as a substitute teacher in my early 20s, almost exclusively in middle schools and high schools—my age of specialty. Once, I accepted a two-day subbing assignment in a first grade classroom. Only once. Halfway through the first day, as the kids ate lunch in the cafeteria, I sat at the teacher's desk in an exhausted daze. Teaching little kids was a completely different animal than teaching big kids. While adorable, they had so many needs and so little attention span. It was like herding a bunch of flies that constantly needed to go potty.
Trying to herd those flies virtually during a pandemic is too much to even fathom.
So the real-time story that mom and writer Stephanie Lucianovic shared on Twitter of what happened when her son's second grade teacher dropped from the class Zoom call was not the least bit surprising. Hilariously entertaining, but not surprising.
<div id="4e6ad" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4ef4aa0eea25cb27fac32a47921180c4"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1303797306450300928" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">There is screaming and babbling and someone is leaning really close and singing into their microphone and someone e… https://t.co/J8Wtzel5y3</div> — Stephanie Lucianovic she/her🌪️ (@Stephanie Lucianovic she/her🌪️)<a href="https://twitter.com/grubreport/statuses/1303797306450300928">1599684475.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Lucianovic wrote:</p><p><em>"The 2nd grade teacher's screen froze. The kids all told her that happened. No one could hear her. And then she disappeared and mass chaos has broken out. </em></p><p><em><span></span>There is screaming and babbling and someone is leaning really close and singing into their microphone and someone else keeps saying, "Who wants to see a diamond? Who wants to see a diamond? Who wants to see a diamond? Who wants to see a diamond?" </em></p><p><em><span></span>Someone is yelling that it's dinner time (it's not) and that they're getting pizza </em></p><p><em><span></span>(I don't think they're getting pizza) </em></p><p><em><span></span>Someone is still screaming about seeing a diamond but they have added extra incentive: "MUTE YOURSELVES IF YOU WANT TO SEE A DIAMOND!" </em></p><p><em><span></span>I really want to see what 2nd grader has a diamond, so I muted my 2nd grader. </em></p><p><em><span></span>I'm not being shown the diamond. </em></p><p><em><span></span>Another kid has announced that everyone "NEEDS TO LOOK OUTSIDE AT THE SKY RIGHT NOW!" </em></p><p><em><span></span>I'm unmuting my 2nd grader since there's clearly no diamond. </em></p><p><em><span></span>2nd grader followed the order to LOOK OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW but in order to help his fellow students also follow the order, he turned his screen around to show them the OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW<br>and knocked over his entire pencil bucket.</em></p><p> <em><span></span>Unfortunately, I didn't see it happening as it was happening and I screamed at the crash. </em></p><p><em><span></span>Dr M has run down the hall </em></p><p><em><span></span>A 2nd grader parent who also happens to be a teacher at the school is trying to get control of the situation via her kids' screen</em></p><p> <em><span></span>(she can't because she's not the host and the kid who somehow became the host when the teacher got booted off isn't giving up his hosting duties)(he might be off eating pizza) </em></p><p><em><span></span>I'm laughing so hard Dr M thinks I'm crying <span></span>I might actually be crying </em></p><p><em><span></span>what are discrete emotions </em></p><p><em><span></span>The parent of the kid in the class who is also teacher at the school is trying to tell everyone to leave the meeting and come back in 15 minutes </em></p><p><em><span></span>meanwhile her kid is dancing and leaping behind her as she tries to grab him by the shirt and also remain calm </em></p><p><em><span></span>someone has hit the record button on this session </em></p><p><em><span></span>(we got a very stringent email from the vice p today telling us NOT TO RECORD SESSIONS) </em></p><p><em><span></span>I tried to leave the meeting but my 2nd grader yelled that HE has to be the one to leave the meeting himself because it's HIS meeting </em></p><p><em><span></span>(he's getting the vacuum cleaner to clean up the pencil cup mess because the sharpener cracked open and there are shavings everywhere) </em></p><p><em><span></span>Down the hall in their bedroom my 6th grader is having PE and there are crashes and bangs and shakes and Dr M doesn't know what to do except stand here and wonder if I've finally and totally lost it </em></p><p><em><span></span>He closed the front door because there are neighbors outside in the street. </em></p><p><em><span></span>I told him why bother since everyone already knows we are the loud house </em></p><p><em><span></span>Some kid is now trying to convince the kid with hosting duties to "undisable the chat." </em></p><p><em><span></span>My 2nd grader has finally left the meeting.</em></p><p><em>There were never any diamonds. </em></p><p><em><span></span>Now 2nd grader has to go to a very loud and energetic music class and I have to go bury my head in some pillows before emailing the teacher-parent and thanking her for her efforts.</em></p><p><em>I will never forget the image of her kid behind her as she tried to deal with the Zoomchaos. </em></p><p><em><span></span>I haven't laughed so hard in so long </em></p><p><em><span></span><a href="https://threadreaderapp.com/hashtag/ZoomOftheFlies" target="_blank">#ZoomOftheFlies</a> </em></p><p><em><span></span>2nd grader is adding details I missed. </em></p><p><em><span></span>Apparently one of the kids was demanding that the student host make him co-host. </em></p><p><em><span></span>Another kid CHANGED HIS NAME</em></p><p><em>(emphasis my 2nd grader's) </em></p><p><em><span></span>"He CHANGED it to ..." </em></p><p><em><span></span>2nd grader is pausing for emphasis. </em></p><p><em><span></span>(He's taking a super long pause to look around at all of us.) </em></p><p><em><span></span>(because he has everyone's undivided attention for once and he's making the most of it) </em></p><p><em><span></span>I also think this means the name was changed to something really bad. </em></p><p><em><span></span>"He CHANGED his NAME to BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH!" </em></p><p><em><span></span>2nd grader's hands are now planted on his tiny hips. That's how offended he is by that chosen name change. </em></p><p><em><span></span>(We have gasped with appropriate drama.) </em></p><p><em><span></span>Now 2nd grader is repeating the whole story to his brother who is transcribing it.</em></p><p><em>The school day is over. <span></span>2nd grader: "The sky looks like CHEETOS!"<br>6th grader: "DON'T ruin Cheetos for me!"</em></p><p><em>And ... *now* the school day is over. <span></span>This took off. Please register to vote, think of what's happening out here on the West Coast w/ wildfires/climate change, please indulge in laughs (it's hard, I've been looking for my laugh for months now, found them today). Also, I write books: </em><a href="https://www.stephanielucianovic.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/da7094_498d27558ea74a09b74dbad486f64028~mv2_d_2207_2060_s_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_2500,h_1330,al_c/da7094_498d27558ea74a09b74dbad486f64028~mv2_d_2207_2060_s_2.jpg"></a><a href="https://www.stephanielucianovic.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Home | Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic </strong>Writing the stories children already know in their hearts.</a><small><a href="https://www.stephanielucianovic.com/" target="_blank">http://www.stephanielucianovic.com</a></small></p><p><em><small><a href="https://www.stephanielucianovic.com/" target="_blank"></a></small>You guys have seriously all made my day by how happy this made you. You reminded me why I write. </em></p><p><em><span></span>In retrospect, I'm just impressed no one got nekkid.</em></p><p><em>And I'm talking about participants in my own household in particular." </em><span></span></p><p>Bless the teachers who are doing their best to teach online, the kids who are doing their best to learn from home, the parents who are doing their best to keep it all together, and everyone who is able to keep their sanity and sense of humor through all of the chaos. </p>
From Your Site Articles
- Alabama high school principal shares hilarious 'U Can't Touch This ... ›
- Child therapist explains how schools reopenings could actually ... ›
- Mom's parody of 'simple hybrid' school plan has parents rolling (and ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Katie Neeves (L) photo by Jayne Walsh, JK Rowling (R) photo by Sjhill, CC BY-SA 3.0
Dear JK Rowling,
I am writing this letter to say a big thank you to you. You may think it strange that a gobby trans woman such as me would wish to thank you after all your recent transphobic outpourings, but let me explain…
I certainly don't thank you for your lengthy essay last month where you describe the abuse you have suffered (for which you have my sympathy) and in which you stated that you do not hate trans people, while at the same time peddling even more anti-trans mis-information. Sadly, your diatribe directly caused some trans children to self-harm and other to attempt suicide.
<p>I certainly don't thank you for your latest book in which I am told (as I have no intention of buying a copy) that a central character is a man who dresses up as a woman in order to abuse women. Apparently, at one point he talks about being "pre-op", a term that would be used for transgender people, not crossdressers.Either way, your key message in the story is that crossdressers or trans people are dangerous people, which in reality, couldn't be further from the truth!We are not a threat to anyone.We just want to live our best lives in peace.</p><p>What I do thank you for is for the inspiration that you give me, as every time I see a transphobic message from you, it spurs me on with my mission to reach out to other trans people to let them know that it's OK to be trans and also to educate as many non-trans people as I can to show them that trans people are just ordinary people who want to be safe, loved and happy – just like everyone else. </p><p>Happiness and peace can only come from within and I found both 2.5 years ago when I admitted to myself that I am a transgender woman, after living for 48 years as a man and living with gender dysphoria since the age of 3.I only hope that you may one day find the same inner peace and happiness that I have found by finally being able to live my truth and that you will no longer feel the need to cause harm to a group of people who you clearly do not understand.Even though there is a small minority of very noisy anti-trans campaigners who feel the same way as you, thankfully, the vast majority of people in the UK are hugely supportive of trans people and for that, I am extremely grateful.</p><p>Love from,</p><p>Katie x</p><p><br></p><p><em>This article originally appeared on Cool2bTrans. You can read it <a href="https://cool2btrans.co.uk/dear-jk-rowling-an-open-letter/" target="_blank">here.</a> </em><em>Katie Neeves is a writer and activist. <a href="https://cool2btrans.co.uk/about-katie/" target="_blank">You can read her full bio here.</a> You can find more from Katie via the links below:</em></p><p><em></em>Website: <a href="http://www.cool2btrans.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.cool2btrans.co.uk</a></p><p><a href="http://www.cool2btrans.co.uk/" target="_blank"></a>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-neeves-trans-ambassador-43626814/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-neeves-trans-ambassador-43626814/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-neeves-trans-ambassador-43626814/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cool2btrans" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/cool2btrans</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/cool2btrans" target="_blank">@cool2btrans</a></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/cool2btrans" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cool2btrans/" target="_blank">cool2btrans</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cool2btrans/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cool2btrans" target="_blank">@cool2btrans</a></p><p>https://www.youtube.com/c/Cool2BTrans</p>
From Your Site Articles
- J.K. Rowling Pens Anti-Trans Thread Spouting Inaccurate Beliefs ... ›
- J.K. Rowling's Anti-Trans Tweets Spark Outrage During Pride Month ›
- Is J.K. Rowling Transphobic? Her Controversial Words on Twitter ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox
By signing up you agree to Upworthy's privacy policy.
Trending Stories