This week’s column features some fluffy cat ears, a jumping cat, a tiny bunny, some hugging otters and an adorable pug.
There’s no better pick-me-up than the one you get when you see a clip of an animal acting silly, which is why we’ve compiled this weekly column. These short videos feature all sorts of animals, providing you with that much needed mid-week rush of endorphins.
This week’s column features some fluffy cat ears, a jumping cat, a tiny bunny, some hugging otters and an adorable pug.
This super athletic cat manages to jump over a fence and land perfectly without changing its facial expression. From the angle of the video it’s hard to tell how large the fence is; it’s still super impressive.
Fluffy cat ears
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1tcc7gH-K6/
Who doesn’t love to bite on cat’s ears? Especially when they get so angry because of it.
A tiny bunny
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1tdB_ZoIfD/
This video is short but has everything you could possibly want from an internet video. You can watch it whenever and you’ll feel better.
New studies say that crying dogs are more distressing than meowing cats and that they can even match the distress produced by a crying baby.
Listening to a dog cry is pretty heartbreaking, especially if you care for one. A new study says that for a large majority of pet owners, a crying dog is just as sad and distressing as a human baby.
Published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the study analyzed the responses of 500 young adults who were perversely made to listen to recordings of crying babies, whining dogs and meowing cats. These participants later documented their feelings and impressions of each sound.
The study reports that most cat and dog parents found the whining of dogs to be more alarming than meowing cats, probably due to the fact that cats are more self-sufficient and that they sometimes meow just because they want to. Dog owners were the most impacted by the sounds of dog whining, saying that these sounds were just as alarming as crying babies.
“The result suggests that dogs, more effectively than cats, communicate distress to humans and that pet ownership is linked to greater emotional sensitivity to these sounds. For sounds that we need to respond to, like a dog that is utterly dependent on its human host for food and care, it makes sense that we find these sounds emotionally compelling,” said Christine Parsons, associate professor at Aarhus University in Denmark and also one of the authors of the study.
The sound of babies crying is one of the most distressing and hard to ignore sounds ever, triggering primitive parts of our brains and our flight or fight responses. The fact that dogs can trigger the same kind of response is surprising and proves how much we value their companionship.
During Monday’s episode of “Bachelor in Paradise”, a good chunk of the gang was sitting around and drinking by a campfire. So naturally, everyone started gossiping. Derek Peth started off the conversation by questioning Caitlin Clemmens and Sydney Lotuaco about their worst kissing experience. And their answers were…not good, to say the least. They both said that Colton was their worst. Which, ouch!
“I would have said the same thing,” Caitlin said after after Sydney admitted she wasn’t too keen on Colton’s lip-locking technique. Then, Tayshia Adams came walking in totally unaware of what was going on, so Derek happily filled her in. “We’re talking about the worst kiss ever, and two people have said that the worst kisser is Colton,” he said. Tayshia also thinks that Colton sucks at kissing, but put it very nicely. “Yeah, not gonna lie,” she said. “But he got better by the end of the season…I think I’m a good teacher.” Er…awkward!
Taylor Swift owned the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards with a flashy opening medley of “You Need to Calm Down” and “Lover,” which featured some of the very drag queens that appeared in the former’s video. However, the pop titan went to extra lengths to make sure that her co-stars were honored for their work, more specifically awarded the silver Moon Person for every honor she earned throughout the night.
One of the queens, Trinity K Bone’t, who played Cardi B in the Video of the Year, took to Instagram after the show to share her admiration for Swift. “I just want y’all to know that Taylor Swift made sure that each and every one of us gets two Moonmen for the awards she won tonight,” she said during her Story. “[Taylor said] that she would not perform unless we got awards, too. So I’m going to have two Moonmen in my house with my name on it for Video of the Year at the f**king VMAs!”
Swift also let the video’s director, Todrick Hall, have the spotlight, while they were all up at the podium and the message of inclusive was all too apparent. “If you are a young child out there watching this show who’s different — who feels misunderstood — we have never needed you more than now to share your art, share your story, share your truth with the world,” he told the crowd.
Robert Downey Jr. joins Andrew Garfield as Marvel superheroes who love getting high at Disneyland.
Robert Downey Jr. has reinvented himself as a family-friendly, franchise-behemoth superstar over the past decade, thanks to playing the role of Iron Man in various Marvel movies. To commemorate this success, Disney bestowed Downey the honor of becoming a “Disney Legend” at the company’s D23 convention.
How did Downey celebrate that honor? Of course by telling a story about that time he got busted smoking weed at Disneyland.
“Here’s a bit of trivia for you, the very first time I went to Disneyland I was transported to another place… within moments of being arrested,” Downey said during his acceptance speech. “I was brought to a surprisingly friendly processing center. Given a stern warning and returned, if memory servers, to one very disappointed group chaperone. I would like to make amends for whoever had to contain me for smoking pot in the gondola without a license.”
Robert Downey Jr. said he was once busted at Disneyland for smoking weed on the gondola 😂 pic.twitter.com/Am5q1JbVpC
“I’m sorry, I don’t want to further confuse the issue by insinuating that pot smoking licenses for the gondola are in any way attainable, or for any of the other park attractions…” he continued “Maybe the Imagineers but that’s their own business. That’s a load off.”
Photo by Flickr user Barry Mulling
To be fair, Downey is not the only Marvel-associated actor to get high at a Disney theme park. Andrew Garfield, who played Spider-Man in two forgettable films, told W Magazine a few years back about the time he and then-girlfriend Emma Stone ate weed brownies at Disneyland. He described the adventure as “literally heaven,” except for that moment he got super paranoid on It’s A Small World.
“I freaked out on It’s a Small World,” he said. “I was like, ‘it is—it is a fucking small world—it’s a fucking—it’s a really fucking small world guys, is anyone else seeing how small it is?’”
There’s a lot of information floating around the interwebs on how weed affects your erection. What’s the truth?
Have you ever wondered, somewhere in the back of your mind (minimized to a tiny voice so as to not freak yourself out) whether the weed you smoke affects your erection?
Yeah, we all have. At least those who are equipped to get erections.
And it’s no wonder. The internet is full of anecdotal descriptions of marijuana-triggered erections, something Urban Dictionary contributors call “stoner boner.” To quote the entry, this is “an erection obtained for no reason other than the fact that the obtainee was too damn high.” (Let’s face it. That’s way better than whisky dick.)
And there is maybe even more content out there about how marijuana impedes the boner. So, what’s real?
We’re having less sex than we used to. Toa Heftiba
As far as we can tell, you can rest easy, brother. The facts about weed use and erections are uncertain at best, with one investigation suggesting that frequent cannabis use caused the men in their study to reach orgasm too quickly, too slowly, or not at all.
And then there’s this other study, which suggests that cannabis could be used to treat erectile difficulties in men with high cholesterol.
In short? The jury is still out. If you’re concerned about how marijuana affects your bedroom presence, try out some different strains and consumption methods. It’s certainly more fun that way, and you can see how each one affects your desire and ability to perform. Bring on the boner!
Rob Gronkowski discovered CBD while recovering from various injuries as a Super Bowl-winning tight end with the New England Patriots.
Super Bowl-winning tight end Rob Gronkowski is among the latest of football players to end their careers early, then turn around and endorse cannabis-based medicine. At 30 years old, Gronkowski, more commonly known by his nickname “Gronk,” the former New England Patriot will now become an advocate for players to use CBD as a pain management tool and anti-inflammatory.
While he said “physically, I could play right now,” Gronk added that he isn’t there mentally or emotionally to suit up again. Gronk said using CBD following his retirement from professional football in March has allowed him to be pain free for the first time in years.
“I’m advocating for CBD to be acceptable for all players for recovery,” he said. “You can just call me Mr. Recovery. You know you like that name. Mr. Recovery, baby.”
At a @cbdmedic_pharma press conference in NYC, ex-#Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski comes out as a CBD advocate: “I’m here to appeal to the sports governing bodies to update their positions on CBD (so it can be) used by all players. … For the first time in a decade, I’m pain-free.” pic.twitter.com/DClum5mbe2
Gronkowski’s comment came at a formal press conference to announce his investment and partnership with Abacus Health, which sells a line of “all-natural, fitness-oriented recovery products.” On its website, the company promotes various CBD-infused products, including a pain stick, massage oils, and ointments. CBD, and cannabis as a whole, is said to assist in football players recovery, reducing inflammation and pain. In addition, there is also growing evidence that CBD can assist the healing process of suffering traumatic brain.
However, Gronkowski is not alone in his investment in cannabis-based medicine for athletes. Joe Montana, Calvin Johnson, Ricky Williams, and Tiki Barber have all entered the cannabis space in ways, big and small. The NFL announced earlier this year it will study cannabis-based medicine as a pain management toll for athletes, and will consider changing its polices based on the research’s results.
More from Rob Gronkowski on potential NFL return: "Physically, I can do it. Mentally, desire-wise, I can't." Reiterates if that changes, he'll go back. "That'll be the time. It may be never. But you know me …" Starts laughing.
Gronk’s announcement also highlights a growing trend of athletes retiring before their playing days ended from a physical perspective. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck stunned the sports world earlier this week, when he announced he was prematurely retiring from the NFL. Gronk explained why he was not returning to the NFL during his press conference.
“I want to be clear to my fans. I needed to recover. I was not in a good place. Football was bringing me down, and I didn’t like it. I was losing that joy in life,” he said.
Tinder and Bumble have been sponsoring frat parties and events in order to gain notoriety and new app users.
In an unprecedented and kind of genius marketing move, Tinder and Bumble have been partnering up with different frat houses in colleges with prominent Greek life, sponsoring events and parties while ensuring that party goers have their apps installed on their phones.
This phenomenon of blending online dating and college life has only started occurring recently, with students reporting that, no matter if they’re in a relationship or have never downloaded the app, frat events require guests to show their Tinder University profile in order to gain entry.
The Houston Chronicle spoke with several students, parents and Tinder representatives, discussing how the partnerships work and what both parties get out of these deals. “The dating apps provide money to cover production costs for parties, branded signage and swag. The frats provide access to thousands of potential new users,” explains the article.
Although Tinder and Bumble have declined to specify the amount of colleges they’re currently involved with, they confirm that they have these sort of partnerships with universities across the country.
Dating apps are a big deal for most people but have a particularly strong presence within the 18-24 demographic, which makes up over half of Tinder’s userbase. Even though there’s something sketchy about partnerships between students and multi billion dollar corporations that force people to download an app, Tinder claims that it’s not all about parties and increasing their visibility.
“In addition to our Tinder U product experience, which connects users with other students first, we operate a student marketing internship program that focuses on on-campus partnerships, creative marketing activations and social media management. Through the program, we sometimes sponsor events with different social organizations on campus, which helps introduce — or reintroduce — our brand to new groups of people,” says a Tinder spokesperson.
It’s too early to make assumptions or to judge the positive or negative effects of these partnerships, but it’s safe to assume that there will be an even larger and more dominant presence of online dating in our day to day lives.
Smoke from the Amazon fires have made their way to Brazil’s main cities and have affected animals, plants and people living in the area.
The Amazon rain forest is one of the world’s most prominent “lungs,” absorbing millions of carbon emissions and producing around 20% of the oxygen in the planet’s atmosphere. The approximate 9,000 wildfires that have plagued the area since the beginning of the year have submerged cities in Brazil into darkness due to the smoke that’s managed to travel thousands of miles. What caused the Amazon rainforest fires?
Although the heat of summer is a contributing factor, CNN reports that man-made deforestation is responsible for most of these fires. Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, and his pro-business stance has given license to cattle owners, ranchers and farmers to light fires in order to clear the lands and produce more beef and business. The New York Times says that more than 1,330 square miles of forest cover has been cleared since the beginning of the year.
Wildfires of this magnitude, aside from harming the Amazon and the amount of oxygen it produces for the planet, are also responsible for harming endangered flora and fauna and impacting the lives of hundreds of people who live near the area. Here are a few things you can do to help.
Donate money
There are several organizations you can make donations to like Amazon Watch, World Wide Fund for Nature, Rainforest Trust and Rainforest Action Network’s Protect-an-Acre program. These funds will help indigenous people and those who protect these areas, save acres of the Amazonian forest and protect affected animals and plants.
Switch up your diet
Consuming a more plant-based diet and reducing your beef intake could also help since the production of it is the reason why this problem started in the first place. Studies have linked beef products and cattle farming with deforestation.
You can also check with Rainforest Alliance to make sure that the products you’re purchasing are Rainforest safe. If you don’t know where to find these products or what they are, their site has all sorts of relevant information and also sells all sorts of certified products that won’t harm the environment.
Harry Styles tells Rolling Stone that he bit off the top of his tongue once while doing psychedelics; Kim Kardashian admits she used to be obsessed with becoming famous.
Harry Styles is prepping his yet-to-be-titled second full-length studio album — the followup to his self-titled debut in 2017 — and he shared many details of what fans can expect in his new Rolling Stone cover story.
The 25-year-old explained that his forthcoming project is “all about having sex and feeling sad,” and later on revealed a little behind his creative process, which includes indulging in some “magic mushrooms.” Styles explains to interviewer Rob Sheffield as they walked into the Shangri-La studios in Malibu, where he recorded much of his album, “Ah, yes. Did a lot of mushrooms in here.” He added, “We’d do mushrooms, lie down on the grass, and listen to Paul McCartney’s Ram in the sunshine. We’d just turn the speakers into the yard.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1XIL1ulKQx/
Harry also recalled biting off the tip of his tongue while using the psychedelic. He said, pointing to a corner at the studio, “This is where I was standing when we were doing mushrooms and I bit off the tip of my tongue. So I was trying to sing with all this blood gushing out of my mouth. So many fond memories, this place.”
After more than a decade in the spotlight, Kim Kardashian West has become one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. But long before the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, 38, had hundreds of millions of fans following her every move on Instagram, television and Twitter, she admits she was “obsessed” with becoming famous.
During a candid interview with husband Kanye West, 42, for the September cover of Vogue Arabia, Kardashian West opened up about her feelings on fame.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1n-n2aBabj/
“Money was always the goal but I was obsessed with fame, like, embarrassingly obsessed,” Kardashian West said. “I do agree that fame can be addictive. But now, my focus has shifted.”
With 16 seasons of KUWTK under her belt (and the premiere of its seventeenth season less than two weeks away), Kardashian West has shared marriages, babies, breakups and a messy divorce with the public — and doesn’t regret any of it.
Weed is a time-old hangover treatment, taking the sharp pains and dulling them somewhat, but you can use it to dig yourself out of the hole even further if you do it right.
Usually when you have a hangover, you can shake your fist at the person, place, or Pinot Noir that “did this to you,” but we all know who has two thumbs and really did the damage. Hangovers, any way you suffer them, are unpleasant, but they scale from a mild inconvenience to life-shattering pain.
If you land somewhere on that scale, you may be familiar with some of the symptoms complained about by the compromised. Headaches, nausea, shitty shit problems, and general aches and pains are just among the most common. Nobody wants to live like that. Until you drink less, you’re going to have to do something about that.
Weed is a time-old hangover treatment, taking the sharp pains and dulling them somewhat, but you can use it to dig yourself out of the hole even further if you do it right.
Illustration by Danielle Guercio
1.Eat An Edible With At Least 10mg Of THC
A dose like 10mg will not only get you out of the painful headspace, it will begin to work on your inflammation as you get a body high. Use something non-aggressive like tincture (glycerin), a hard candy, or a beverage. Anything baked or food-like may just be overwhelming taste wise.
2. Mint Your Entire Existence
Mint and mentholated oils, salves, and even eye drops can help you calm the searing pain that can roll up on you faster than you can roll a joint. First use a Peppermint oil to massage into your temples and ears. Then smear Vicks VapoRub under your nose to help banish any smells that could spike your nausea.
This tip is essential if you have pets or children to care for. Eyes sounds like a weird angle, but trust me here. Old school smokers used to use Rohto Ice Drops to instantly whiten eyes and to ‘shock’ yourself out of being overly high. When you have a Hangover, your eyes can throb right along with your head. Rohto drops are like rinsing out your eyes and it’s refreshing in addition to smashing through that initial pain wave.
Illustration by Danielle Guercio
3. Balm For Your Soul
Tension and body aches are another hangover problem that can really ruin the day after. Rubbing a CBD/THC balm into your tense shoulders and neck will instantly release a bit of that unintentional clenching.
4. Anti-Inflammatory Protocol
Once you have started to hydrate, you can hit your body with the supplements that can work with cannabis to soften the rest of the day. Staying away from acetaminophen products while imbibing is quite important, so try to go for aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to punch your headache. Get some turmeric into you via pills or golden milk, and take more every 4 hours. Magnesium and essential electrolytes will also be your friend, paired with some extra omega-3 flax oil, you should be right in a few short hours instead of a whole evening.
Last night’s Lambrusco will be a distant memory now that you have started the healing process. Now would be a good time to keep the THC and CBD at a steady dose by occasionally vaping or hitting a joint throughout the day. Don’t go too crazy on the edibles, you’ll want to take a second dose if the hangover is still there 6-8 hours later. Too much at once might leave you feeling like a different kind of crappy–paranoid, so keep it slow and steady for best results.
Avoiding hangovers starts with keeping alcohol in a moderate position in your life, but sometimes we know that shots happen. Be safe no matter what substances you are consuming.
