Maybe you’re one of those elite travelers who’s mastered packing for an entire trip using only carry-on luggage. If so, you’re likely haughty and won’t stop crowing about the convenience of hopping off the plane and jetting to your destination.
We know: The airlines lost your bag in 1986 and you vowed never again. So, now you roll three garments, one pair of shoes, a tiny bottle of 5-in-one body wash, and a Kindle into your backpack, and you’re good to go.
For the rest of us mere traveling mortals, especially those with kids, checking bags is a necessary evil—a necessary and costly one.
If it seems to you like checked bag fees have been steadily climbing, that’s because checked bag fees have been steadily climbing. According to this article, bag fees on American Airlines rose 33% just last year from $30 per bag to $40 and 5 of the 6 biggest carriers raised their fees last year.
Why is the entire industry upping their checked-bag fees? There’s a specific reason involving an arcane bit of tax code, which accounts for why the fees are tacked on separately versus rolled into the price of the ticket.
Jay L. Zagorsky, a business school professor who studies travel, says 7.5% of every domestic ticket goes to the federal government. Airlines dislike this, claiming it raises ticket prices for consumers. But as long as the bag fee is separate, it is excluded from the 7.5% transportation tax.
Estimated bag fees for 2023 topped 7 billion. By making the bag fees separate, airlines saved themselves about half a billion dollars. If that savings has been passed down to the customer, then we all got a bit of a break, too.
Perhaps you automatically dislike the separate fees because you’re Gen X and remember a time when a ticket was all-inclusive. Now, it feels like you’re paying for stuff you used to get for free.
Turns out that more and more travelers actually like the separate charges.
“One thing that our research has shown,” Henry Hartevedlt, president of travel industry analytics firm Atmosphere Research told USA Today, “is that more than two-thirds of U.S. leisure airline passengers now feel that the unbundling of the coach product and letting people buy what they want and need on an à la carte basis is actually something they like because it helps them stick to their budget.”
This is a positive way to look at something that’s undoubtedly here to stay. And now if you hear someone complain about bag fees at the airport, you’ll know why it’s done the way it’s done, which is really sweet satisfaction in itself.
Of course, there’s always this unusual workaround courtesy of Reddit user Old_Man_Withers, “I Fedex my luggage to the hotel and carry nothing on the plane but my laptop for work. It doesn’t matter if it’s 2 days or two months, I ship it. The hotel has it waiting in my room when I get there and I ship it back home from there when I’m done. No random inspections, no chances of loss without recompense, fully trackable… I see no downside that isn’t worth the 50-100 bucks it costs.”
In a small village in Pwani, a district on Tanzania’s coast, a massive dance party is coming to a close. For the past two hours, locals have paraded through the village streets, singing and beating ngombe drums; now, in a large clearing, a woman named Sheilla motions for everyone to sit facing a large projector screen. A film premiere is about to begin.
It’s an unusual way to kick off a film about gender bias, inequality, early marriage, and other barriers that prevent girls from accessing education in Tanzania. But in Pwani and beyond, local organizations supported by Malala Fund and funded by Pura are finding creative, culturally relevant ways like this one to capture people’s interest.
The film ends and Sheilla, the Communications and Partnership Lead for Media for Development and Advocacy (MEDEA), stands in front of the crowd once again, asking the audience to reflect: What did you think about the film? How did it relate to your own experience? What can we learn?
Sheilla explains that, once the community sees the film, “It brings out conversations within themselves, reflective conversations.” The resonance and immediate action create a ripple effect of change.
MEDEA Screening Audience in Tanzania. Captured by James Roh for Pura
Across Tanzania, gender-based violence often forces adolescent girls out of the classroom. This and other barriers — including child marriage, poverty, conflict, and discrimination — prevent girls from completing their education around the world.
Sheilla and her team are using film and radio programs to address the challenges girls face in their communities. MEDEA’s ultimate goal is to affirm education as a fundamental right for everyone, and to ensure that every member of a community understands how girls’ education contributes to a stronger whole and how to be an ally for their sisters, daughters, granddaughters, friends, nieces, and girlfriends.
Sheilla’s story is one of many that inspired Heart on Fire, a new fragrance from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection that blends the warm, earthy spices of Tanzania with a playful, joyful twist. Here’s how Pura is using scent as a tool to connect the world and inspire action.
A partnership focused on local impact, on a global mission
Pura, a fragrance company that recognizes education as both freedom and a human right, has partnered with Malala Fund since 2022. In order to defend every girl’s right to access and complete 12 years of education, Malala Fund partners with local organizations in countries where the educational barriers are the greatest. They invest in locally-led solutions because they know that those who are closest to the problems are best equipped to solve and build durable solutions, like MEDEA, which works with communities to challenge discrimination against girls and change beliefs about their education.
But local initiatives can thrive and scale more powerfully with global support, which is why Pura is using their own superpower, the power of scent, to connect people around the world with the women and girls in these local communities.
The Pura x Malala Fund Collection incorporates ingredients naturally found in Tanzania, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Brazil: countries where Malala Fund operates to address systemic education barriers. Eight percent of net revenue from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection will be donated to Malala Fund directly, but beyond financial support, the Collection is also a love letter to each unique community, blending notes like lemon, jasmine, cedarwood, and clove to transport people, ignite their senses, and help them draw inspiration and hope from the global movement for girls’ education. Through scent, people can connect to the courage, joy, and tenacity of girls and local leaders, all while uniting in a shared commitment to education: the belief that supporting girls’ rights in one community benefits all of us, everywhere.
You’ve already met Sheilla. Now see how Naiara and Mama Habiba are building unique solutions to ensure every girl can learn freely and dare to dream.
Naiara Leite is reimagining what’s possible in Brazil
Julia with Odara in Brazil. Captured by Luisa Dorr for Pura
In Brazil, where pear trees and coconut plantations cover the Northeastern Coast, girls like ten-year-old Julia experience a different kind of educational barrier than girls in Tanzania. Too often, racial discrimination contributes to high dropout rates among Black, quilombola and Indigenous girls in the country.
“In the logic of Brazilian society, Black people don’t need to study,” says Naiara Leite, Executive Coordinator of Odara, a women-led organization and Malala Fund partner. Bahia, the state where Odara is based, was once one of the largest slave-receiving territories in the Americas, and because of that history, deeply-ingrained, anti-Black prejudice is still widespread. “Our role and the image constructed around us is one of manual labor,” Naiara says.
But education can change that. In 2020, with assistance from a Malala Fund grant, Odara launched its first initiative for improving school completion rates among Black, quilombola, and Indigenous girls: “Ayomidê Odara”. The young girls mentored under the program, including Julia, are known as the Ayomidês. And like the Pura x Malala Fund Collection’s Brazil: Breath of Courage scent, the Ayomidês are fierce, determined, and bursting with energy.
Ayomidês with Odara in Brazil. Captured by Luisa Dorr for Pura
Ayomidês take part in weekly educational sessions where they explore subjects like education and ethnic-racial relations. The girls are encouraged to find their own voices by producing Instagram lives, social media videos, and by participating in public panels. Already, the Ayomidês are rewriting the narrative on what’s possible for Afro-Brazilian girls to achieve. One of the earliest Ayomidês, a young woman named Debora, is now a communications intern. Another former Ayomidê, Francine, works at UNICEF, helping train the next generation of adolescent leaders. And Julia has already set her sights on becoming a math teacher or a model.
“These are generations of Black women who did not have access to a school,” Naiara says. “These are generations of Black women robbed daily of their dreams. And we’re telling them that they could be the generation in their family to write a new story.”
Mama Habiba is reframing the conversation in Nigeria
Centre for Girls' Education, Nigeria. Captured by James Roh for Pura
In Mama Habiba’s home country of Nigeria, the scents of starfruit, ylang ylang and pineapple, all incorporated into the Pura x Malala Collection’s “Nigeria: Hope for Tomorrow,” can be found throughout the vibrant markets. Like these native scents, Mama Habiba says that the Nigerian girls are also bright and passionate, but too often they are forced to leave school long before their potential fully blooms.
“Some of these schools are very far, and there is an issue of quality, too,” Mama Habiba says. “Most parents find out when their children are in school, the girls are not learning. So why allow them to continue?”
When girls drop out of secondary school, marriage is often the alternative. In Nigeria, one in three girls is married before the age of 18. When this happens, girls are unable to fulfill their potential, and their families and communities lose out on the social, health and economic benefits.
Completing secondary school delays marriage, and according to UNESCO, educated girls become women who raise healthier children, lift their families out of poverty and contribute to more peaceful, resilient communities.
Centre for Girls’ Education, Nigeria. Captured by James Roh for Pura
To encourage young girls to stay in school, the Centre for Girls’ Education, a nonprofit in Nigeria founded by Mama Habiba and supported by Malala Fund and Pura, has pioneered an initiative that’s similar to the Ayomidê workshops in Brazil: safe spaces. Here, girls meet regularly to learn literacy, numeracy, and other issues like reproductive health. These safe spaces also provide an opportunity for the girls to role-play and learn to advocate for themselves, develop their self-image, and practice conversations with others about their values, education being one of them. In safe spaces, Mama Habiba says, girls start to understand “who she is, and that she is a girl who has value. She has the right to negotiate with her parents on what she really feels or wants.”
“When girls are educated, they can unlock so many opportunities,” Mama Habiba says. “It will help the economy of the country. It will boost so many opportunities for the country. If they are given the opportunity, I think the sky is not the limit. It is the starting point for every girl.”
From parades, film screenings to safe spaces and educational programs, girls and local leaders are working hard to strengthen the quality, safety and accessibility of education and overcome systemic challenges. They are encouraging courageous behavior and reminding us all that education is freedom.
Experience the Pura x Malala Fund Collection here, and connect with the stories of real girls leading change across the globe.
Fans of professional football club FC Barcelona may have noticed the team wearing a unique kit against Newcastle United during the Champions League round of 16 on March 18. The traditional blue-and-red striped jerseys were reworked with a standout typeface by Anna Vives, a fan and artist with Down syndrome.
FC Barcelona teamed up with Vives in honor of World Down Syndrome Day, which takes place on March 21. The team also secured a 7–2 victory over Newcastle United.
Before the matchup, FC Barcelona shared the news on X, including a photo of Vives’ design on player Lamine Yamal’s kit.
“A special jersey with a purpose, honoring International Down Syndrome Day and celebrating the talent of Anna Vives, an incredible artist with Down syndrome,” they shared.
Una camiseta especial con un propósito: dar visibilidad al Día Internacional del Síndrome de Down y celebrar el talento de Anna Vives, una artista increíble con síndrome de Down. ♾️ pic.twitter.com/R6Jbu183oc
In a press release, FC Barcelona noted that the collaboration with Vives was made possible through the FC Barcelona Foundation. It’s also the second time the two have teamed up.
“It is not the first time Barça have used Anna’s inclusive typeface,” the release stated. “The club previously supported the initiative during the 2013 Joan Gamper Trophy match against Santos, highlighting its commitment to raising the visibility of people who are too often overlooked.”
🚨 Barcelona are set to debut with a special kit for "World Down Syndrome Day" against Newcastle United in the Champions League this week.
The kit's typeface was been designed by Anna Vives, a talented young Catalan artist who has Down Syndrome.
On X, fans shared their praise for the collaboration with Vives:
“Precious and even more so for the cause it is, I want one.”
“I love it even more this way.”
“What a beautiful initiative, the t-shirt highlights talent and inclusion. Congratulations to Anna and the team.”
“The letters are super awesome.”
“An epic t-shirt for an epic match.”
“It’s a beautiful shirt, they have to wear it in all the Champions League matches.”
Who is Anna Vives?
In an interview with Pixartprinting, Vives’ brother Marc said her artistic journey began in 2011 after she lost her job at a local supermarket. He encouraged her to learn how to write on a computer, adding, “with no idea what she could do.” She was a fast learner and quickly became obsessed with typefaces.
This led her to create her own typeface, which combines lowercase and uppercase letters interchangeably and was first digitized in 2012.
She is currently showcasing her typeface around the world with a campaign called Visible-IN to promote visibility and social equality. Eight international soccer clubs will wear her typeface to mark World Down Syndrome Day, including four South American clubs, three European clubs, and one South African club.
World Down Syndrome Day has been part of the United Nations calendar since 2012. This year, it falls on March 21.
That it falls on the 21st is a meaningful nod to Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21. The condition occurs when a person has an extra copy of chromosome 21—three instead of two.
According to Down Syndrome International, the day “calls everyone to action with a theme to ensure the human rights of people with Down syndrome and works with members to organize worldwide activities and discussions.”
This year’s theme centers on loneliness. The organization noted that “for many people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities, loneliness is a more common and painful experience. Their families can feel lonely too, and feel cut off from support.”
The 1980s ushered in a new kind of childhood: the latchkey kid. With both parents working, these children used a latchkey to let themselves into their homes after school.
And they were hungry. By the ’80s, microwaves had entered most kitchens, making it quick and easy to prepare food—something latchkey kids treasured after long school days.
Gen Xers on Reddit shared the “latchkey kid cuisine” they made for themselves after school. Some jokingly called their concoctions a “crime,” while others still crave the classics.
Here are 14 of their most memorable creations:
Hot dogs
“Hot dogs in the microwave.” – Fabulous-Airline-473
“I ate 2 hot dogs after school every day of either 6th or 7th grade. Couldn’t eat them again for at least a year.” – Second_City_Saint
Canned pasta
“Raviolis from the can. I remember housing the family size can all the time.” – hey_suburbia
“Spaghetti O’s with a Kraft single melted into it.” – joy_to_the_world_
“Wow, look at rockafella over here. Beefaroni 4 life, my friend.” – n10w4
Eggs
“We used to have ‘eggs in a basket’ as my Mom called it all the time as kids. The best part is taking the little circle of bread and making a mini French toast with it.” – Kronos1A9
Cinnamon, sugar, and butter on toast
“Cinnamon, sugar, and creamed butter mixed together to form a sort of cinnamon icing, spread onto slices of bread, bagels, whatever, and then toasted in the broiler until the sugar caramelized and turned into a crunchy crust on top. That was my childhood go-to for breakfast or snacks.” – ilikeaffection
“Latchkey kid food was cinnamon toast.” – kathatter75
Frozen pizza varieties
“Pizza Rolls.” – RojoRugger
“Or bagel bites if I was extra good.” – Prestigious-War-1825
“Frozen pizza for me.” – JD_tubeguy
Ramen
“For us, it was Top Ramen” – blueyedwineaux
“I used to make a cup noodle/top ramen on the stove and add a sautéed hot dog. I was 10 thinking I was a chef.” – Euphoric_Management8
Quesadilla
“Sometimes a tortilla with shredded cheese microwaved for the worst quesadilla ever.” – blueyedwineaux
Frozen dinners
“Starting the Schwanns frozen dinner if you were fancy.” – Weekly_Library9883
“As a Latchkey Kid this delight from Swanson [fried chicken dinner] fed me, many a times after school, while watching reruns of The Little Rascals, waiting for my parents to come home from work.” – CharlieMcN33l
“Micro Magic (discontinued brand from the 80s) burgers and fries. These were so good. All you did was open the box and nuke it for 90 seconds. These hit hard. Good old Gen X stuff that doesn’t exist anymore.😥” – Setsuna00XN
Canned soup
“Canned beans/soup with toast for this guy!” – skinnyminnesota
“My other go-to was a family size can of Campbell’s beef vegetable soup with an entire sleeve of Town House crackers dumped into it.” – hey_suburbia
Chipped beef on toast
“This was called ‘sh*t-on-a-shingle’ in our house.” – po_ta_toes_80
Nachos
“My latchkey go-to was microwave nachos.” – billskns5th
“Saltine crackers and peanut butter, always the full sleeve because nobody was there to stop me.” – SaskatchewanKenobi
“I was a grilled cheese or Spaghettio kid.” – PlatypusFreckles
Cereal
“Yep, I put way too much sugar in a bowl of cheerios, collapsed in a sugar coma for about 25 min and skateboarded the rest of the evening.” – Combatical
Pot pie
“Frozen pot pie made in a toaster oven” – hisamsmith
Donna Whelan describes her young son, Jacob, as an “old soul,” and well over a million people on social media seem to agree. She shares many adorable clips of him online, but one recent video of Jacob choosing his own name might just take the cake.
In a clip from Donna’s Instagram page, she begins to ask Jacob a question: “Right, if you could choose a name for yourself…” She doesn’t even have a chance to finish before he confidently answers, “Roberto,” playing with a small lock of hair behind his ear. Just as quickly, he bursts into laughter and can’t seem to stop. “Didn’t even finish the sentence, and I gave ya an answer. Roberto!”
Donna asks, “Do you like that name?” It’s now time for Jacob to get serious. “Yeah. Roberto is my favorite name.” He puts his hands into a pyramid, not unlike a politician or a TED Talk speaker. “When you think of… say Roberto slowly, though. Ro-bert-to. Ro-ber-toe. Rubber toe.” The laughing fit continues, his cheeks turning pink beneath his thick glasses.
“Why does that name make you laugh so much?” Donna asks. Jacob immediately dissolves into giggles once again. “It’s just a funny name! Rubber toe!” It’s clear he’s not mocking it in any way, but simply delighted by his quick reaction and the joke.
The laugh is truly infectious. Nearly 75,000 likes and over 3,500 comments (and counting) just heap love onto this child.
One commenter says, “His little laugh gets me every time.” Another adds, “I actually laughed out loud too when he said ROBERTO😂😂 We never know what he’s going to say next.”
And of course, a few “Robertos” chime in. “My name is Roberto,” one person says. “What’s so funny about being called Roberto? 😂” Another commenter adds, “Ya gotta say it slowly, though. Then it’s funny, haha.”
Another Instagrammer shares that their son wanted to change his name when he was young: “My son wanted to change his name to Fun because he just wanted to have fun. His name is Benjamin or Ben. We call him Funjamin or Fun to this day, and he’s 29 years old!”
This isn’t uncommon. In a piece I wrote for Upworthy a few months ago, I explored a popular parenting Reddit thread where people discussed their kids choosing new names, or even wanting to reinvent themselves.
“For what it’s worth, I wanted to change my name a million times growing up,” one person confessed. “First, I wanted Dawn, then Angel, and lord knows what after that. I’m sure I went by Lilith during high school for a moment. My parents were so blasé about it. I never did change my name.”
Another joked, “My son went by Spider-Man for almost a year at age 4. He’s 23 now and happy with his given name.”
As for Jacob and his mom, who have more than 4 million followers on social media, they continue to delight the Internet with little Jacob-isms. In another popular clip, Jacob shares that he has “had about a million lives.” When Donna asks, “Would you like me to be your mum in every life?” Jacob slyly smiles, nods, and gives a resounding “Yes.”
Tiny houses are still a popular choice for people trying to downsize but tiny houses for cats are springing up in one man’s backyard.
Back in 2024, Barna thought he was doing a good deed for a stray cat that decided that he kinda liked hanging out in this human’s backyard. At first, the cat would show up but wouldn’t eat the food set out for him. That didn’t stop Barna.
The man continued to set food out for the cat. Taking note of the changing weather, Barna decided to take one of his hobbies and build the cat, now named Domino a cozy little house. Building things is a hobby for him, so he made sure to equip Domino’s tiny abode with a heating pad, light and camera.
Before too long the situation turned into a version of the famous children’s book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Another cat showed up (because of course Domino had a bestie) but it didn’t stop there.
Barna built a tiny two story condo for the two cats to hang out in while still keeping Domino’s original tiny house. The backyard looks like it was made to host furry tenants in a makeshift cat community because more cats indeed showed up. Soon the tuxedo cat had several neighbors to hang out with and thanks to Barna, none of the cats looked like they were missing any meals.
“We have about four or five cats who will go in and sleep in the houses,” Barna told The Dodo. “One night one of the biggest storms of the year hit, I saw that two kittens actually took shelter in the house. That was one of the sweetest things ever.”
A stray cat looks at the camera. Photo credit: Canva
Barna had cameras set up inside and outside of the itty bitty kitty community so he can keep an eye on his feline neighbors. The cats’ landlord expressed that he feels gratification seeing his little houses be used by furry tenants. Having a group of cats around probably isn’t too terrible for keeping pests away either, so it’s a win for all involved.
Down in the comments, people applauded Barna for taking such good care of his feline friends.
“If you build it, they will come. what a kind and thoughtful gentleman to take care of these babies during the hard weather.”
“How a man treats animals reveals who the man is. This is a good man.”
“Just imagine how good the inside of those little houses feel to a kitty after he or she has been outdoors in all kinds of weather for who knows how long. They would finally be able to relax and get a good sleep. Kudos for being so kind and handy.”
“There is most definitely a special place in heaven for the animal rescuers. I love you.”
“This world NEEDS more people like this gentleman.”
Indeed, the world could definitely use a few more Barnas. Best of luck to him and his kitty companions.
The usually respectful crowd at a “Wheel of Fortune” taping couldn’t hold back after they felt that a puzzle given to finalist Rob Dodson was too harsh. A big reason for their outrage (and why the puzzle was so tricky) was because $1 million was on the line.
Before the puzzle, Dodson chose from a selection of cards that held the prize he would win for solving it. Amongst the cards was the $1 million jackpot, so, understandably, tensions were high. Did Dodson choose the million-dollar card? Will he solve the puzzle under the “What Are You Doing Category”?
Well, things didn’t start too great.
After the usual R, S, T, L, N, and E were put up on the board, Dodson was looking at “_ _ _ _ _ L _ N _.” He quickly guessed C, H, P and A, none of which appeared on the board. He then guessed “funneling” and “finding,” but they didn’t work.
After the solution to the puzzle was revealed, the audience began to boo because they didn’t think it was fair. It had 2 Bs in the short answer, started with a Q and was a word that isn’t used often in casual conversation. The crowd’s reaction was an excellent show of support for Dodson, who encouraged the crowd to keep going by raising his hands.
Host Pat Sajak, 77, pushed back against the boos, jokingly asking the audience, “Who asked you?”
So, would Dodson have won the $1 million if he guessed quibbling? Nope. The card he chose would have earned him an Infiniti car if he had guessed correctly. But all in all, it wasn’t a bad outing for Dodson, a father of 2 from Aurora, Ohio. He managed to win $33,500 against Venetia Brown ($7,550) and Jessica Huffman ($2,000).
The tough puzzle earned a lot of boos on social media as well. X was lit up with people who thought that Dodson got cheated by being given a challenging puzzle with a word seldom used in conversation.
Sajak’s final episode as host aired on June 7, 2024. Sajak has been the host of “Wheel” since 1981. Vanna White, his co-host since 1982, will remain with the show. “I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come,” she wrote on X after Sajak announced this would be his last season. “Cheers to you.”
When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, @patsajak! https://t.co/yYmo3G0Dtb
Sajak has been a beloved host on “Wheel of Fortune,” earning 19 Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Game Show Host and winning three times. In 2019, he set a Guinness World Record for the longest career as a game show host for the same show, beating the previous record held by Bob Barker.
Sajak has been a beloved host on “Wheel of Fortune,” earning 19 Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Game Show Host and winning three times. In 2019, he set a Guinness World Record for the longest career as a game show host for the same show, beating the previous record held by Bob Barker.
“I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White,” he said after it was announced he was the new host.
So, how did he do after taking over the coveted role of host? The first week that Seacrest took over for Sajak the ratings took a giant leap, bringing in the most viewers since 2015, making it the number one syndicated show that week. Time will tell if Seacrest can replace Sajak’s magic, but he has time; reports show that he has signed on for the gig into the 2030s.
On March 10, 78-year-old Richard Pulley of eastern Tennessee gingerly walked up the stairs at Brittany Smith’s house to deliver Starbucks to her husband, who is quadriplegic.
“I open up the (Ring) camera, and I see this little old man walking up my steps with a Starbucks bag and … my heart just sank,” Smith told Today. She never had the chance to interact with him because her husband chose the “leave at door” option.
After seeing the video, Smith wanted to get in touch with the man, but all she knew was his name was Richard. So she posted the Ring video to Facebook, asking if anyone knew where he lived.
“Help me find this precious man!” she wrote on Facebook, adding a link to the donation page. “Why is he having to DoorDash his name is Richard! Help me find him.”
Smith located the man, spoke with him, and learned that after retiring at 65, he returned to work as a DoorDash driver because his wife lost her job and they couldn’t afford her healthcare, which costs thousands a year.
“My wife [Brenda] was working for an insurance company, and they ended up letting her go,” Pulley told Today, adding that their Social Security payments weren’t enough to make ends meet.
70 year old retired man, Richard Pulley, had to return to DoorDash to cover medical bills after his wife lost her job & insurance.
A customer (Brittany Smith) saw him struggling on her Ring cam delivering Starbucks, tracked him down, and started a GoFundMe.
So the Pulleys teamed up, with Brenda driving and Richard picking up and dropping off deliveries. “With just one income in the family, you have to push… Just losing that, we had to supplement it,” Richard told WSMV.
Smith stopped by the Pulley residence to give the couple $200, but she knew it wasn’t enough to ease their financial strain. She then created a GoFundMe page to raise money for Pulley so he could “rest again.” “Let’s help Richard go back into retirement!” she wrote on the campaign page.
In eight days, the GoFundMe campaign raised more than $960,000.
GoFundMe funds were life-changing for the Pulleys
The extra money has brought peace of mind to the Pulley family. “It’s taking a lot of pressure off of us. And making life livable once again,” Richard told WSMV. “We appreciate every one of them [donors].”
The campaign has helped the Pulleys gain some financial breathing room, but it has also created a new friendship. “I just love this man,” Smith said. “I want him to be my grandpa,” Smith’s daughter added.
Even though the money has made the Pulleys more comfortable, Richard has found a new sense of purpose in delivering food and doesn’t want to give it up.
“I taught myself how to be a good worker again, although the last couple of shifts have worked out hard because people stop and take pictures with me and all sorts of things,” he told Today. “I’ll get back to work in the next few days.”
New Zealander Tyler Warwick decided to take a stroll down memory lane while visiting a friend from the United States. The experience proved slightly traumatic for his American friend in a weirdly funny way.
Warwick recently uploaded an Instagram video capturing his friend’s reaction to a “traumatic” PSA that aired in New Zealand during his childhood. The video begins with a woman casually strolling through the frame, with children playing in the background.
At first, it looks like a typical commercial for a snack bar: a suburban mom with a Kiwi accent talking about the “right snacks” to keep kids going. But as soon as she shows the snack bar, she trips over a toy dump truck, falling face-first through a glass coffee table. What starts as an innocent commercial quickly turns into a mini horror movie.
The American friend lets out a loud “Oh my God!” followed by an uncomfortable laugh. As the woman lies on the floor, whimpering, a male voiceover says, “Preventing trips around your home can be as easy as tidying up toys.”
“Ok I was completely unprepared for the emotional whiplash,” a viewer writes in the comments.
Warwick shared even more comically unhinged commercials with his friend. In a second video, the Kiwi points out that the ad they’re watching aired during the Rugrats cartoon. In the clip, a man happily climbs a ladder to paint the trim on his house. Suddenly, he plummets from the ladder and lands on his back.
“…Is New Zealand okay?!” a concerned commenter asks.
In another video, Warwick shows his friend a similarly traumatic fall. The commercials have people wondering how often New Zealanders were taking extreme tumbles. Was there no gentler way to reinforce securing ladders, picking up toys, or using a bath mat when getting out of the shower? But apparently, New Zealand didn’t have a monopoly on these memory-searing ads. Some viewers report seeing similar ads as children in Canada, Australia, and Ireland.
An Aussie writes, “In Australia we had a work safe ad of a girl working in a bakery severing a finger in the bread slicer.” A Canadian shares, “Canada had the avoidable accidents ads with teenage girls falling through display cases, a guy impaled with rebar, and a woman dumping a boiling pot all over herself.”
These commercials aired during children’s cartoons as ad breaks. While the ones from New Zealand are jarring, the Canadian ads take it up a notch. In one Canadian workplace safety PSA, now on YouTube, a chef works in a busy kitchen. She studies her engagement ring, then announces there won’t be a wedding—a terrible accident is coming.
Seconds later, she’s moving a large pot of boiling water when she slips on something spilled on the floor, dumping it over her face. She screams as her skin visibly burns.
It seems these three countries may have used the same advertising agency. It’s unclear whether the ads were meant to provoke shock or simply to be seen as honest. Judging by the comments on Warwick’s videos, some people who saw these ads as children still feel a bit traumatized.
One Kiwi asks, “Why were all our ads so terrifying?”
Another writes, “It worked though. I’m still reminded as an adult today from watching this as a kid.”
Further in the comments, one New Zealander puts in a request: “NOW SHOW HIM THE 2002 FIRE AD!!!! That was trauma at its finest!!!!”
“New Zealand…I’m starting to become concerned,” an American chimes in.
Even though commercial airlines have been taking flight for 112 years, questions about etiquette still spark heated debates. Who gets the middle seat armrest? How many bags are fair to put in the overhead compartment? And one small argument continues to rage: Should the window shade be up or down, and who gets to decide?
While plenty of online discussions ping-pong the debate, the topic went viral last month after a woman documented a flight across the Arctic Ocean. Passenger Kelly Meng was flying in an economy seat from Chicago to Tokyo when, unfortunately, a fellow passenger didn’t comply with others’ wishes.
She explained in a TikTok video that the windows on this flight didn’t have “traditional shutters,” but rather dimmers that never allow them to get “100 percent opaque.” Because the flight is long (about 13 hours), many passengers wanted to sleep after dinner service, she said. But one passenger refused to dim their window beyond 75%, even after another traveler said the bright sun was blinding his eyes.
At one point, Meng said, a flight attendant gently asked the woman to dim her window, but she refused. Meng concluded, “The lack of self-awareness is insane.”
Unsurprisingly, many commenters sided with the window-seat passenger.
“Imo, whomever pays for and sits in the window seats controls the window,” wrote one commenter, who received nearly 4,000 likes.
Another person agreed: “Unpopular opinion, but bring an eye mask if it’s going to bug you. I totally see your point in this particular case, but I like to have my window open on shorter flights, especially if we’re flying over somewhere scenic.”
A few others agreed with Meng. “Idk how people are siding with the ‘window seat’ person,” one commenter noted. “It’s as if someone is playing music over speakers and telling other people to put on their own headphones if you don’t want to hear the music.”
Another commenter added, in part, that a bright window can make the cabin hot: “I don’t think people realize that having the shades open during daytime flights is not only blinding, but it also makes the cabin HOT. Especially if you’ve got the sun directly beaming on you.”
Flight attendant settles it
Upworthy spoke with a flight attendant for a major airline who preferred to go by the name Simone for this piece. She offered a definitive answer, but it’s slightly more complicated than one might think.
“The person next to the window controls the shade, and it should be down if the sun is making the cabin too bright,” Simone said. “However, most people in the window seats are nervous travelers or children. We can’t ask anyone to lower their shades during flight, we can only ‘mean mug’ them when we walk by.”
She offered this tidbit on how flight attendants sometimes get around the issue: “On the 787, the electric windows can be controlled by the flight attendants, and we aren’t supposed to set them on 5 and lock them, but we do.”
As for takeoffs and landings: “Window shades should be up for takeoff and landing so flight attendants have visibility in case of an emergency. That’s the only time we can request the position of the window shade.”
To be clear, while the airline doesn’t officially state a preference for in-flight shade position, Simone shared her own:
“For ‘blank’ sake, lower the shade and go to sleep. You can only look at the clouds for so long. One problem is the sun shines so bright in the cabin and some people can’t see their laptops while trying to do work or read on their tablets. I hate when the shades are up during the day. Nobody needs to see my large pores and runny nose while I’m serving them sodas and snacks.”
