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People are fighting Texas' abortion law by spamming the tip line used to target women

People are fighting Texas' abortion law by spamming the tip line used to target women
via TikTok

Texas's repressive anti-abortion law known as the Heartbeat Bill went into effect overnight Wednesday after the Supreme Court refused to act on it by a 5-4 margin.

The law bans abortions of fetuses over six weeks old. This would criminalize approximately 85% of Texas women who access abortion care because a vast majority have no idea they are pregnant after just six weeks.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a scathing dissent to the decision, accusing five of her fellow judges of burying "their heads in the sand."

"The Act is a breathtaking act of defiance — of the Constitution, of this Court's precedents, and of the rights of women seeking abortions throughout Texas," she continued. "The Court should not be so content to ignore its constitutional obligations to protect not only the rights of women, but also the sanctity of its precedents and of the rule of law."

One of the most disturbing aspects of the bill is that it puts bounties on the heads of abortion providers, those who have the procedure, anyone who helps in the process. Texans who report people they believe have violated the law are eligible for a $10,000 payment if they're convicted.

Earlier this summer, anti-abortion activist group Texas Right to Life, launched a website called ProLifeWhistleBlower.com that allows anyone to report those they believe have violated the new law.

"Texas Right to Life will ensure that these lawbreakers are held accountable for their actions," the site says.

Thousands of people on social media are fighting back against Texas Right to Life by spamming the site with so many fake tips that it would be impossible to act on any legitimate claims.

TikTokker @victoriahammett was one of the first to rally people to the cause.


Sean Black took things a step further by creating a bot that sends requests to their site every 10 to 15 seconds.


@black_madness21

#stitch with @victoriahammett I’ll see if I can add some multithreading to speed up this process


Black's IP was banned by the website so he responded by creating an iOS shortcut that allows anyone with an iPhone to replicate what he did.


@black_madness21

Reply to @black_madness21 #texas #abortion #gregabbott


To make life even worse for the people who work at the tip line, TikTiokker @williamshaughn_ spamming the site with NSFW Shrek memes.


@williamshaughn_

#abortionispoggers #prochoice #abortion #abortionisahumanright

There has been a robust discussion on Twitter about the best way to disrupt the whistleblower site. Some are bombarding the tip line with angry messages while others are making requests that appear real to misdirect those who are tasked with investigating potential violators.

It's unclear what's going to happen with women's reproductive rights going forward and there's good reason to be alarmed. However, it's great to see there countless passionate people still giving their all to fight back against those who want to pit neighbor against neighbor in service of a regressive agenda.

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History (Education)

The fascinating reason people looked much older in the past than they do today

Why did teenagers look like they were in their mid-30s?

via Vsauce/YouTube

Norm was only in his 30s?

Ever look at your parents' high school yearbooks and think people looked so much older back then? All of the teenagers look like they’re in their mid-30s and the teachers who are 50 look like they’re 80. When we watch older movies, even those from the 1980s, the teenagers appear to be a lot older as well. Why is it that they looked so much older? Was life harder? Did people act more mature? Did they spend more time outdoors and less time playing video games? Is it their sense of fashion? Were they all smokers?

Educator Michael Stevens, who runs the super-popular Vsauce YouTube channel, explains the phenomenon in a video called, “Did people used to look older?” In it, he explains that people in the past appear a lot older due to retrospective aging.

This is how it works: when we see people in the past, they are wearing outdated styles that we associate with older people; therefore, we think they have aged rapidly. For example, a teenager in the 1950s may have been in fashion while wearing thick Buddy Holly-style glasses.

anti-aging, youth, why do i look older, how to look younger, treatments for looking younger, anti-aging productsBuddy Holly was 20 years old in this photo. upload.wikimedia.org

But as people age, they tend to cling to the fashion of their youth. So many people of that generation continued to wear the Buddy Holly-style glasses into their 50s. So when younger people see those glasses they see them as old people's glasses and not a hip kid from the '50s.

So in the photo from the '50s, the teen appears to look a lot older because our perspective has been tainted by time.

anti-aging, youth, why do i look older, how to look younger, treatments for looking younger, anti-aging products30 going on 60…media3.giphy.com

But it isn’t all just an illusion. Stevens also points out that people did age faster back in the day due to differences in nutrition, lifestyle and medicine. In addition, he also does a deep dive on how a person's name can affect their appearance, referencing the Dorian Gray effect, which theorizes that cultural stereotypes linked to a name come to be written on the faces of their bearers, as well as the name matching effect, in which people whose faces "match" their names tend to be better perceived.

Basically, this 22-minute video is chalked full of fascinating tidbits. Give it a watch below.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

It might be worth noting that, in addition to healthier lifestyle options, younger generations have more access to anti-aging procedures than ever before. "Tweakments," like fillers and botox, are less expensive and more readily available than ever—not to mention every anti-aging cream, serum, and cleanser known to man. And many millennials and Gen Zers take advantage of that, whether prompted by selfie anxiety, a growing obsession with youth, or some other motivation.

Plus, millennial and Gen Z fashion often honors their inner child. Nostalgic cartoon tees, colorful prints, cutesy accessories, etc. Granted, under the retrospective aging theory, even those styles could one day look dated, but they are so youthful that it's hard to imagine that being the case. That said, can't wait to see bunch of geezers sporting those broccoli haircuts.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

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Parenting

Confused Boomer grandparents don't get 'Bluey.' 15 fans and parents set them straight.

"My mom finally is getting that Bluey is a girl even though 'she’s blue'. So that’s good."

Image via Wikipedia/Canva

Parents explain why Boomer grandparents are not Bluey fans.

Australian kids cartoon show Bluey has found a loyal audience in kids and adults alike. Although Bluey was created for kids ages five to seven, it has connected with Gen Z and Millennial parents (as well as childless adults, young adults, and teens) who claim it has helped them heal their inner child.

But the beloved animated show seems to fall short among one demographic: Boomer grandparents. In a discussion among dads in r/Daddit, one impassioned parent posed the question: "How do other grandparents feel about Bluey?"

He explains his family's dynamic, and how his kids' grandparents seem to not fully 'get it.' "I know bandit is our guiding light and that the show gives our generation everything we felt we lacked in our childhood, but was curious to find it didn’t have the same affect on my parents. One of the kids’ grandmas refuses to acknowledge emotion in the show. During emotional bits she would say things like, 'that’s a nice looking plant'," he writes. "Other grandma watched the first two episodes and thinks the show promotes bad behavior - mostly how mean they are to bandit. Granddads don’t really participate in that kind of 'play' with the kids. How does your older generation feel about the show?"

In response, 15 Bluey fans and parents expressed their funny and relatable thoughts on why the show misses the mark with grandparents.

1. "My mom finally is getting that bluey is a girl even though 'she’s blue'. So that’s good." – guitarguywh89

2. "My mum thought it was ageist because of the kids playing grannies lol." – th3whistler

3. "I often wonder how many of the people who 'don't like Bluey' are just being insecure about how they parent/have parented. I mean, there are probably some people who legit just don’t enjoy it, but I mean c‘mon its like the sweetest show ever." – nolte100

Bluey, blue and bingo, kids show, cartoon, kidsWave Hello GIF by BlueyGiphy

4. "The in-laws who all they ever wanted was grandkids don’t understand Bluey and many of the other shows. They always comment on how kids don’t behave like they used to. Then we have to remind them we would be in jail if we smacked around kids like they used to so it was easy to have kids that abide. Teaching versus being scared is much tougher. I take it, it is their insecurity that they don’t follow Bluey and Daniel Tiger, and particularly my MIL takes it as disrespecting how they did things. We just remind them the world has changed and what they wanted in the end was for their kids to be better off than they were. Isn’t that goal of everything, be it monetarily, physically, mentally, and especially in their health." – We-Going-Sizzler

5. "I love bluey and I try to emulate bandit as much as possible. My boomer parents have literally said that they don’t understand the show. They are completely out of touch. Gentle parenting is not even on their radar. It actually makes sense tho. Kinda sad." – peaceloveandapostacy

6. "Yeahhh my parents were just scratching their heads over 'Duck Cake.' Like the hyper authoritarian 'ohhh she’d be cleaning up her mess in THIS house! Hurr durr' like they did not get that the point is to make your kids understand that it is inherently good to help others (and makes us feel good too!). Nope! Not enough discipline. Explains a lot about them, actually." – Altruistic-Ratio6690

Bluey, Bandit, life lessons, parenting, kids showFathers Day Hug GIF by BlueyGiphy

7. "My parents are from the former Soviet Union. They think all children's programming is hot garbage if its not old school Russian cartoons from 80's or older. Only exception is Masha and the Bear. As others have said, they are not the demographic and luckily for our kiddos, we like the show, so that's all that matters." – St33lB3rz3rk3r

8. "My dad really struggled with the play bits. We watched the first episode with him (with the xylophone) and he just couldn’t parse that the xylophone wasnt magic and that it was all make believe. I think he just couldn’t wrap his head around a kids show that was just about kids playing and not something more fantastical. Which makes sense when compared to the 80s/90s cartoons we watched. That said if his little princesses like it he’s in lol." – DeliriousPrecarious

9. "A lot of the older generation got warped on harsh discipline and my way of the highway nonsense. The show may not translate for them, but they’re not the demographic." – AsItIs


Bluey, Blue balloon, parade, parents, kids, popular showMacys Parade Bluey GIF by The 96th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Giphy

10. "In a way, the show is actually a bit of an indictment on their way of parenting. Since, ya know, it models opposite behavior." – defnotajournalist

11. "My wife's mother feels that the show promotes 'cheekiness'? She's apparently not a fan." – Belerophon17

12. "Grandma doesn't like it because 'the kids are too sassy, do you want your daughter to sass you like that?' Yes, Mom, I do. Grandpa doesn't like it because he thinks it's 'sexist against men'. Ok boomer." – stravadarius


Bluey, blue kids, play, kids show, cartoon, parenting Scared Oh No GIF by Bluey Giphy

13. "Sounds like the grandparents are pretty much making the point. The boomers left a lot to be desired as parents, stewards of the world, and now as elder statespeople. Let's do better. I know Bandit would." – PhishGreenLantern

14. "I think it's less to do with bluey and more to do with the older generations inability to process their emotions in a healthy way." – SerentityM3ow

15. "[lurking mom] Caught my father in law teary eyed after watching an episode with my nephew. Bluey is doing great work healing multigenerational trauma!" – Dull_Title_3902


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Conservation

A juice company dumped orange peels in a national park. This is what it looks like today.

12,000 tons of food waste and 28 years later, this forest looks totally different.

Image via Dan Jansen

A before and after view of the experiment

In 1997, ecologists Daniel Janzen and Winnie Hallwachs approached an orange juice company in Costa Rica with an off-the-wall idea. In exchange for donating a portion of unspoiled, forested land to the Área de Conservación Guanacaste — a nature preserve in the country's northwest — the park would allow the company to dump its discarded orange peels and pulp, free of charge, in a heavily grazed, largely deforested area nearby.

One year later, one thousand trucks poured into the national park, offloading over 12,000 metric tons of sticky, mealy, orange compost onto the worn-out plot. The site was left untouched and largely unexamined for over a decade. A sign was placed to ensure future researchers could locate and study it.

16 years later, Janzen dispatched graduate student Timothy Treuer to look for the site where the food waste was dumped.

Treuer initially set out to locate the large placard that marked the plot — and failed.


natural wonders, nature, recycling, conservation, environment, oranges, orange peels, dumpsThe first deposit of orange peels in 1996.Photo by Dan Janzen.


"It's a huge sign, bright yellow lettering. We should have been able to see it," Treuer says. After wandering around for half an hour with no luck, he consulted Janzen, who gave him more detailed instructions on how to find the plot.

When he returned a week later and confirmed he was in the right place, Treuer was floored. Compared to the adjacent barren former pastureland, the site of the food waste deposit was "like night and day."


Environment, natural wonder, natural miracles, nature, oranges, planet, conservation The site of the orange peel deposit (L) and adjacent pastureland (R).Photo by Leland Werden.


"It was just hard to believe that the only difference between the two areas was a bunch of orange peels. They look like completely different ecosystems," he explains.

The area was so thick with vegetation he still could not find the sign.

Treuer and a team of researchers from Princeton University studied the site over the course of the following three years.

The results, published in the journal "Restoration Ecology," highlight just how completely the discarded fruit parts assisted the area's turnaround.

According to the Princeton School of International Public Affairs, the experiment resulted in a "176 percent increase in aboveground biomass — or the wood in the trees — within the 3-hectare area (7 acres) studied."

The ecologists measured various qualities of the site against an area of former pastureland immediately across the access road used to dump the orange peels two decades prior. Compared to the adjacent plot, which was dominated by a single species of tree, the site of the orange peel deposit featured two dozen species of vegetation, most thriving.


natural wonder, nature, environment, conservation, oranges, orange peelsLab technician Erik Schilling explores the newly overgrown orange peel plot.Photo by Tim Treuer.


In addition to greater biodiversity, richer soil, and a better-developed canopy, researchers discovered a tayra (a dog-sized weasel) and a giant fig tree three feet in diameter, on the plot.

"You could have had 20 people climbing in that tree at once and it would have supported the weight no problem," says Jon Choi, co-author of the paper, who conducted much of the soil analysis. "That thing was massive."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Recent evidence suggests that secondary tropical forests — those that grow after the original inhabitants are torn down — are essential to helping slow climate change.

In a 2016 study published in Nature, researchers found that such forests absorb and store atmospheric carbon at roughly 11 times the rate of old-growth forests.

Treuer believes better management of discarded produce — like orange peels — could be key to helping these forests regrow.

In many parts of the world, rates of deforestation are increasing dramatically, sapping local soil of much-needed nutrients and, with them, the ability of ecosystems to restore themselves.

Meanwhile, much of the world is awash in nutrient-rich food waste. In the United States, up to half of all produce in the United States is discarded. Most currently ends up in landfills.


natural wonder, nature, conservation, environment, planet, oranges, orange peelsThe site after a deposit of orange peels in 1998.Photo by Dan Janzen.


"We don't want companies to go out there will-nilly just dumping their waste all over the place, but if it's scientifically driven and restorationists are involved in addition to companies, this is something I think has really high potential," Treuer says.

The next step, he believes, is to examine whether other ecosystems — dry forests, cloud forests, tropical savannas — react the same way to similar deposits.

Two years after his initial survey, Treuer returned to once again try to locate the sign marking the site.

Since his first scouting mission in 2013, Treuer had visited the plot more than 15 times. Choi had visited more than 50. Neither had spotted the original sign.

In 2015, when Treuer, with the help of the paper's senior author, David Wilcove, and Princeton Professor Rob Pringle, finally found it under a thicket of vines, the scope of the area's transformation became truly clear.



natural wonder, nature, environment, environmental miracle, planet, oranges, orange peelsThe sign after clearing away the vines.Photo by Tim Treuer.


"It's a big honking sign," Choi emphasizes.

19 years of waiting with crossed fingers had buried it, thanks to two scientists, a flash of inspiration, and the rind of an unassuming fruit.

This article originally appeared eight years ago.

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Education & Information

1960s interview with factory workers proves the 'good old days' had the same problems we do

Work-life balance? What's that?

Photo Credit: That Hartford Guy from Hartford|Wikimedia

1960s interview with factory workers debunks today's nostalgia

There has been a lot of emphasis on manufacturing work, whether it's where a product is manufactured or ways to bring manufacturing back to America. It seems that the topic continues to be brought up as a means to bring more jobs to America and lower prices. However, nearly all mentions of manufacturing jobs appear to be heavily coated with the rose colored tint of nostalgia, with some seemingly longing for the days of this glorious factory work.

Except, some of those longing for the opportunities that manufacturing plants bring have never actually worked in one. When harkening back to days past, it's hard to imagine the reality if you don't have a proper frame of reference. In an interview first aired in 1964, an automobile assembly line worker, Herbert Slater, shares the reality of working in a manufacturing plant. His interview is candid, showing just how challenging factory work can be and not for the reasons some may think.

One of Slater's biggest gripes is how monotonous and boring his job is. Early in the interview he laments that there's no real thought that goes into working on the assembly line feeling. It's as if someone just flips a switch on his back so he can do his work.

assembly line, work, working, factory, manufacturing, workersassembly line vintage GIF by US National ArchivesGiphy

"Most of the men working in this plant, like myself, are forced into the job in the first place. Mainly because once a man gets in there, if he's got a family, he's stuck there. He hasn't got the education to get a better job," Slater says before further explaining that the work on the line is so busy that he has no idea who the people are around him are. "The few men I have working around me, I don't know because we don't have time to actually meet each other, can't get a chance to talk so I don't know their names and I don't know if they know mine."

At the time, it was obvious that automated machinery would be taking over the jobs done by Slater and his coworkers, much like Artificial Intelligence threatens the previously secure jobs of today. While the young father in the interview doesn't particularly care for his job and sounds quite depressed, he also fears he does not have the skill or education for anything else.

The level of dissatisfaction along with the threat of automation had managers looking for alternatives for their employees in hopes to stay ahead of what was to come. It wasn't an easy time for the supervisors or the factory workers needing to be retrained in order to maintain stable employment in the future.

"One problem we talked about is, ya know, can you help people, can you direct them, can you guide them, can you counsel them, can you befriend them, can you be concerned about their welfare and at the same time, you know, get the product out and make money for the company," one manager shares during a meeting with other managers. "And what happens when you try to guide, and educate and counsel 3,000 people?"

assembly line, factory work, manufacturing, workers, factoryPlants Growing GIF by Archives of Ontario | Archives publiques de l'OntarioGiphy

It seems while some romanticize days long gone, the reality of those well-paying factory jobs is much different than expected. The truth is that many of the jobs back then were being phased out for automation and the people working on the assembly line were much less happy than the manufacturing propaganda videos of the past let on. In this interview it appears that everyone from the workers on the line all the way up to the CEO were stressed about the happiness of the employees and stability of the job market without a clear path forward.

While the thought of manufacturing jobs coming back to America is nostalgic, the dose of reality from the past may make some reconsider.

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Joy

Her kids gave her a super embarrassing email name and she's been using it for months

She's never leaving her phone unattended again. 😂

Photo credit: Canva

Why are kids like this?!

It’s one of the most delightful joys of modern parenting—wondering what kind of havoc your kids will unleash when you leave the room for five seconds. This goes especially for when you leave devices like your phone around.

If this hasn’t happened to you, let this story serve as a cautionary tale to never, ever ever leave your devices within reach of mischievous fingers.

UK-based mom Ali George, who toggles between posting delicious recipes and “embarrassing moments” on TikTok, recently shared how she had noticed that every time her Apple watch congratulated her for completing a workout, it referred to her as "Stinky Stinky Poo Poo Farts."

We’ll hold for giggles…

Teehee Giggle GIFfrom Teehee GIFs


To her horror, George would later realize that her kids not only changed her name on her Apple watch, but her email name as well. Meaning any email she had been sending, for months, including emails sent to their school, had been signed, "Stinky Stinky Poo Poo Farts."

In an interview with Newsweek, George shared that she suspected her 10-year-old daughter to be the culprit, who did it “whilst I was in the shower and left my phone unattended." She also has an older son "who may have helped her but he's not admitted to anything."

The clip, which has been viewed upwards of 250,000 times, left people howling.

@alifoodandfunny #parents #parenting #parentingfail #fail #funny #embarrassing #relatable #mumlife ♬ original sound - Ali


“Im so, so, so sorry but this is absolutely hilarious,” one person commented.

Another echoed, “this is children's behavior GOLD. Absolutely hilarious.”

And, if it’s any consolation, George is clearly not the only victim of this type of crime.

“My kids added an image of a random weird looking bloke to my email and I didn’t realize for months.”

"My son changed my WhatsApp Status to 'I'm a big farter' and I didn't realize it for months, writing to my landlord, my boss and handymen."

"My name is Butt Cheek! I have no idea how to change it! It says 'well done Butt cheek'

“It’s ok my email was changed to Batshit Crazy.”

“My brother changed my dad’s email to papa smurf and he still doesn’t know how to change it after about 15 years."

Sometimes, it’s the very devices themselves pulling the prank.

“I told Siri I love it when you call me big poppa so it changed everything to that including my email signature.”

Curse Aukerman GIFfrom Curse GIFs

It probably goes without saying, but George has since sent an email apologizing to the school, who “said they found it funny, thank goodness.” She also changed her email name back, and now has a new password. Oh, and she “won't be leaving my phone unattended any time in the future." All is well…for now.

Follow Ali George on TikTok for even more stories to give you chuckle.

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