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When The Rock heard about a sick puppy named after him, he didn't waste time.

In September, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson had to make the heartbreaking decision to put his beloved puppy Brutus down.

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images.

"As all puppies and dogs do, he ate a mushroom while playing outside with his brother Hobbs," Johnson wrote on Instagram. "This mushroom happened to have a lethal toxicity and within hours it was rapidly destroying his liver and immune system to the point of no return. I encourage all of you out there to be mindful of mushrooms in your yards, parks, or anywhere outside your dogs play."

As tragic as Brutus' death was for Johnson, the actor continues to fight for dogs in need.

Dogs like this:

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, 3-months, is still doing good and getting a lot of love here at Saving SPOT! Anyone who hasn't heard, Dwayne was dropped off at the North Central Shelter with a metal wire wrapped around the bottom portion of his mouth. The shelter removed it gave him 17 stitches. He was also diagnose with a Grade 5 heart murmur. Saving SPOT! took Dwayne in and took him to a heart specialist. After the exam, the specialist said it can be fixed and scheduled the surgery for December 18th. We're raising money for Dwayne and his surgery. You can donate at: https://www.gofundme.com/helpdwaynethepuppy PLEASE SHARE Dwayne's story. @therock #spotrescuedogs
A photo posted by Saving SPOT! (@spotrescuedogs) on

Just this week, Saving SPOT! — a dog rescue shelter in Los Angeles — took in this 4-month-old puppy who was abandoned. According to the shelter, the dog was found abused, with "a large metal wire wrapped around his mouth," and a severe heart murmur, which would require expensive surgery to treat.

Because of the pup's resilience, the shelter decided to name him Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Actor Michelle Trachtenberg informed the original Rock on Twitter.


To which Johnson replied:


That's when, according to a Pix11 report, Johnson proceeded to give $1,500 of his own money to the campaign to pay for (puppy) The Rock's treatment. (The fundraiser ultimately met its goal, and then some.)

The shelter even put the two Rocks together in this fantastic side-by-side shot.

DWYANE UPDATE - Knowing that "the Rock" has got Dwayne the puppy's back, we are confident he will be a fighter and make it through this. Thank you all for your generous donations- thanks to you we have met our goal. Any funds that are raised and not used for Dwayne will go to the more than 60 dogs Saving SPOT! Rescue has now including 5 week old puppies, a dog with mange and breast cancer and numerous orthopedic surgeries. Please help us to continue saving lives. We are thankful for all of you this Thanksgiving! Please donate... https://www.gofundme.com/HelpDwayneThePuppy
A photo posted by Saving SPOT! (@spotrescuedogs) on


What happened with The Rocks is a reminder that there are still far too many animals in America's shelters.

According to the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 7.6 million pets enter shelters in the U.S. every year. And roughly 2.7 million of those animals — nearly 1 out of every 3 — are ultimately put down.

(Puppy) The Rock was lucky to make his way to a no-kill shelter, which raised the resources for his care, but many animals aren't.

Most no-kill shelters, almost by definition, don't accept every animal for lack of available space. The rest wind up in shelters that euthanize otherwise healthy animals because of overcrowding issues.

The solution is simple: Adopt.

(Puppy) The Rock is one of millions of great animals — puppies, kittens, adult and senior animals — currently living in shelters throughout the U.S.

I got this adorable guy from an ASPCA shelter two years ago:

Photo by Madalena Provo, used with permission.

And there's many more where that came from.

Not only does adopting mean one less homeless animal, it cuts down on the demand for puppy mill dogs, which results in fewer animals turning up in shelters in the first place.

In the meantime, both (puppy) The Rock and The (original) Rock seem to be doing great.

And why not? It's pretty hard not to love this guy.

Dwayne, 3-months, is doing good and has made a lot of new friends. We're half way to our goal for his heart surgery. Please share his story and help us reach our goal! https://www.gofundme.com/helpdwaynethepuppy @therock #spotrescuedogs
A photo posted by Saving SPOT! (@spotrescuedogs) on

With any luck, he'll make a great family very happy one day.

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FIRST
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Education

​​FIRST​​ students are changing the world through STEM, one challenge at a time

via FIRST

FIRST students compete in a robotics challenge.

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Societies all over the world face an ever-growing list of complex issues that require informed solutions. Whether it’s addressing infectious diseases, the effects of climate change, supply chain issues or resource scarcity, the world has an immediate need for problem-solvers with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills.

Here in the United States, we’re experiencing a shortage of much-needed STEM workers, and forward-thinking organizations are stepping up to tap into America’s youth to fill the void. As the leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education, FIRST is an important player in this arena, and its mission is to inspire young people aged 4 to 18 to become technology leaders and innovators capable of addressing the world’s pressing needs.

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Joy

1991 blooper clip of Robin Williams and Elmo is a wholesome nugget of comedic genius

Robin Williams is still bringing smiles to faces after all these years.

Canva via wikicommons and flicker

Robin Williams and Elmo (Kevin Clash) bloopers.

The late Robin Williams could make picking out socks funny, so pairing him with the fuzzy red monster Elmo was bound to be pure wholesome gold. Honestly, how the puppeteer, Kevin Clash, didn’t completely break character and bust out laughing is a miracle. In this short outtake clip, you get to see Williams crack a few jokes in his signature style while Elmo tries desperately to keep it together.

Williams has been a household name since what seems like the beginning of time, and before his death in 2014, he would make frequent appearances on "Sesame Street." The late actor played so many roles that if you were ask 10 different people what their favorite was, you’d likely get 10 different answers. But for the kids who spent their childhoods watching PBS, they got to see him being silly with his favorite monsters and a giant yellow canary. At least I think Big Bird is a canary.

When he stopped by "Sesame Street" for the special “Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake” in 1991, he was there to show Elmo all of the wonderful things you could do with a stick. Williams turns the stick into a hockey stick and a baton before losing his composure and walking off camera. The entire time, Elmo looks enthralled … if puppets can look enthralled. He’s definitely paying attention before slumping over at the realization that Williams goofed a line. But the actor comes back to continue the scene before Elmo slinks down inside his box after getting Williams’ name wrong, which causes his human co-star to take his stick and leave.

The little blooper reel is so cute and pure that it makes you feel good for a few minutes. For an additional boost of serotonin, check out this other (perfectly executed) clip about conflict that Williams did with the two-headed monster. He certainly had a way of engaging his audience, so it makes sense that even after all of these years, he's still greatly missed.

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Pop Culture

Marlon Brando's compassionate insights on representation in Hollywood were far ahead of their time

He shared them in an intimate 1973 interview with Dick Cavett.

via The Dick Cavett Show/YouTube

Marlon Brando on "The Dick Cavett Show" in 1973.

Marlon Brando made one of the biggest Hollywood comebacks in 1972 after playing the iconic role of Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather.” The venerable actor's career had been on a decline for years after a series of flops and increasingly unruly behavior on set.

Brando was a shoo-in for Best Actor at the 1973 Academy Awards, so the actor decided to use the opportunity to make an important point about Native American representation in Hollywood.

Instead of attending the ceremony, he sent Sacheen Littlefeather, a Yaqui and Apache actress and activist, dressed in traditional clothing, to talk about the injustices faced by Native Americans.

She explained that Brando "very regretfully cannot accept this generous award, the reasons for this being … the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee."

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Carson Daly and his wife sleep in separate beds. Here's why a 'sleep divorce' isn't so bad.

It's a problem a lot of couples face.

via Unsplash

Co-sleeping isn't for everyone.

The marital bed is a symbol of the intimacy shared between people who’ve decided to be together 'til death they do part. When couples sleep together it’s an expression of their closeness and how they care for one another when they are most vulnerable.

However, for some couples, the marital bed can be a warzone. Throughout the night couples can endure snoring, sleep apnea, the ongoing battle for sheets or circadian rhythms that never seem to sync. If one person likes to fall asleep with the TV on while the other reads a book, it can be impossible to come to an agreement on a good-night routine.

Last week on TODAY, host Carson Daly reminded viewers that he and his wife Siri, a TODAY Food contributor, had a sleep divorce while she was pregnant with their fourth child.

“I was served my sleep-divorce papers a few years ago,” he explained on TODAY. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to us. We both, admittedly, slept better apart.”

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