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Equality

Tyler Perry's inspirational BET Awards speech is getting a standing ovation.

Tyler Perry's inspirational BET Awards speech is getting a standing ovation.




Tyler Perry says instead of fighting for a seat at the table, build your own

There's a lot to be said for paving your own path, and Tyler Perry said it all when he accepted the Ultimate Icon Award at the BET Awards. Perry received his award for making movies that were, Perry feels, subconsciously about "wanting her [his mother] to know that she was worthy—wanting black women to know you're worthy, you're special, you're powerful, you're amazing." Perry's inspirational acceptance speech has enough motivation to get you going for years. He spoke to the power of helping others while simultaneously carving out your own destiny.

Perry revealed that when he built his studio in Atlanta, he placed it in one of the city's poorer neighborhoods as a deliberate move to show black children that they, too, can succeed. Not only that, "The studio was once a Confederate Army base," he said. "And, I want you to hear this, which meant that there was Confederate soldiers on that base, plotting and planning on how to keep 3.9 million negroes enslaved. Now that land is owned by one negro."

Perry said that movements like #OscarsSoWhite help POC get hired, but he prefers to take a different, more proactive route. "While everybody was fighting for a seat at the table talking about #OscarsSoWhite, #OscarsSoWhite, I said, 'Y'all go ahead and do that,'" he said. "But while you're fighting for a seat at the table, I'll be down in Atlanta building my own."

But by carving his own table, Perry has made a seat for other black talent. "When I started hiring Taraji, Viola Davis and Idris Elba, they couldn't get jobs in this town but God blessed me to be in a position to be able to hire them. I was trying to help somebody cross," said Perry during his speech. Taraji P. Henson, who presented Perry with the award, recalled Perry paying her a fair wage for her work. "In a time where my counterparts were making way more than I was ... Tyler Perry was the first to pay me my worth," said Henson. "A black man did that and that means the world to me."

Perry concluded with words of wisdom for every artist who has dared to dream. "Every dreamer in this room: there are people whose lives are tied into your dream. Own your stuff, own your business, own your way," Perry said. This is seriously moving.

The crowd gave Perry a standing ovation, and we totally get it. We're giving Perry a standing ovation right now, and we're not even at the auditorium. You can always extend a helping hand to somebody else while building your own future.

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Pop Culture

Mom leaves a 'heartbreaking' gift to flight passengers sitting next to her baby

"That's a mom trying so hard."

@callmebelly/TikTok

An excellent reminder to show kindness and patience.

Listening to a baby cry during a flight might be aggravating, but it’s nothing compared to the moans, groans, and eyerolls that the baby's parents must endure from other passengers when it happens. No matter what tips and tricks are used to try to soothe a little one’s temperament while 30,000 miles in the air, crying is almost inevitable. So, while having to ease their own child’s anxiety, moms and dads also must suffer being the pariah of the trip. What a nightmare.

Recently, one mom was apparently trying so hard to avoid upsetting her fellow flight members that she went above and beyond to essentially apologize ahead of time if her baby began to cry on its first flight. It was a gesture that, while thoughtful, had folks really feeling for how stressed that poor mom must be.

In a clip posted to his TikTok, one of the passengers—Elliot—explained that the mom handed out small care packages to those nearby.

“She’s already so busy and took the time to make these bags for everyone,” Elliot said, before panning the camera to reveal a Ziplock bag full of candy, along with a note that made him “want to cry.”

The note read: “It’s my first flight. I made a deal to be on my best behaviour—but I can’t make any guarantees. I might cry if I get scared or if my ears start to hurt. Here are some treats to make your flight enjoyable. Thank you for being patient with us. Have a great flight.”

@callmebelly♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Billie Eilish

Like Elliot, those who watched the video felt some ambivalence at the well intentioned act. Many felt remorse that she would feel the need to appease people in this way.

“This is so sweet but also … kind of breaks my heart that we live in a world in which parents feel the need to do that.”

“Because jerk people have shamed parents into believing that they need to apologize for their kids' absolutely normal behavior. What a gem of a mom.”

“You know that sweet mom worried about this trip so much.”

“That poor mom probably spent nights awake … nervous about that flight, thinking of ways to keep strangers happy.”

"That's a mom trying so hard."

Many rallied behind the mom, arguing that making others feel more comfortable with her child being on board was in no way her responsibility.

“No mom should be apologizing. Adults can control their emotions … babies not …. Hugging this mom from a distance.”

“Dear new parents: no you don’t have to do this. Your babies have the right to exist. We all know babies cry. We know you try your best.”

Luckily, there are just as many stories of fellow passengers being completely compassionate towards parents with small children—from simply choosing to throw on their headphones during a tantrum (instead of throwing one themselves) to going out of their way to comfort a baby (and taking the load of a parent in the process). These little acts of kindness make more of an impact than we probably realize. Perhaps if we incorporated more of this “it takes a village” mindset, flying could be a little bit more pleasant for everyone involved.

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Parenting

Yet another school district shifts to 4-day week and parents are sounding off

So... when are we getting the matching 4-day work week?

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When talking with other parents I know, it's hard not to sound like a grumpy old man when we get around to discussing school schedules. "Am I the only one who feels like kids have so many days off? I never got that many days off when I was a kid! And I had to go work in the coal mine after, too!" I know what I sound like, but I just can't help it.

In Georgia, where I live, we have a shorter summer break than some other parts of the country. But my kids have the entire week of Thanksgiving off, a week in September, two whole weeks at Christmas, a whole week off in February, and a weeklong spring break. They have asynchronous days (during which they complete assignments at home, which usually takes about 30 minutes) about once a month, and they have two or three half-day weeks throughout the year. Quite honestly, it feels like they're never in school for very long before they get another break, which makes it tough to get in a rhythm with work and career goals. Plus, we're constantly arranging day camps and other childcare options for all the time off. Actually, I just looked it up and I'm not losing my mind: American kids have fewer school days than most other major countries.

So it caught my attention in a major way when I read that Whitney Independent School District in Texas recently decided to enact a 4-day week heading into the 2025 school year. That makes it one of dozens of school districts in Texas to make the change and over 900 nationally.


Giphy

The thought of having the kids home from school EVERY Friday or Monday makes me want to break out in stress hives. But this 4-day school week movement isn't designed to give parents a headache. It's meant to lure teachers back to work.

Yes, teachers are leaving the profession in droves and young graduates don't seem eager to replace them. Why? The pay is bad, for starters, but that's just the beginning. Teachers are burnt out, undermined and criticized relentlessly, held hostage by standardized testing, and more. It can be a grueling, demoralizing, and thankless job. The love and passion they have for shaping the youth of tomorrow can only take you so far when you feel like you're constantly getting the short end of the stick.

School districts want to pay their teachers more, in theory, but their hands are often tied. So they're getting creative to recruit the next generation of teachers into their schools — starting with an extra day off for planning, catch-up, or family time every week.

Teachers in 4-day districts often love the new schedule. Kids love it (obviously). It's the parents who, as a whole, aren't super thrilled.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

So far, the data shows that the truncated schedule perk is working. In these districts, job applications for teachers are up, retirements are down, and teachers are reporting better mental well-being. That's great news!

But these positive developments may be coming at the price of the working parents in the communities. Most early adopters of the 4-day week have been rural communities with a high prevalence of stay-at-home parents. As the idea starts to take hold in other parts of the country, it's getting more pushback. Discussions on Reddit, Facebook, and other social media are overrun with debate on how this is all going to shake up. Some parents, to be fair, like the idea! If they stay-at-home or have a lot of flexibility, they see it as an opportunity for more family time. But many are feeling anxious. Here's what's got those parents worried:

The effect on students' achievement is still unclear.

The execution of the 4-day week varies from district to district. Some schools extend the length of each of the four days, making the total instructional time the same. That makes for a really long day, and some teachers say the students are tired and more unruly by the late afternoon. Some districts are just going with less instruction time overall, which has parents concerned that their kids might fall behind.

4-day school weeks put parents in a childcare bind.

Having two working parents is becoming more common and necessary with the high cost of living. I know, I know — "school isn't daycare!" But it is the safe, reliable, and educational place we send our kids while we need to work.

Families with money and resources may be able to enroll their kids in more academics, extracurriculars, sports, or childcare, but a lot of normal families won't be able to afford that cost. Some schools running a 4-day week offer a paid childcare option for the day off, but that's an added expense and for families with multiple kids in the school system, it's just not possible.

This will inevitably end with some kids getting way more screentime.

With most parents still working 5-day weeks, and the cost of extra activities or childcare too high, a lot of kids are going to end up sitting around on the couch with their iPad on those days off. I'm no expert, and I'm certainly not against screentime, but adding another several hours of it to a child's week seems less than ideal.

Of course there are other options other than paid childcare and iPads. There are play dates, there's getting help from family and friends. All of these options are an enormous amount of work to arrange for parents who are already at capacity.

Working 4 days is definitely a win for teachers that makes the job more appealing. But it doesn't address the systemic issues that are driving them to quit, retire early, or give up their dreams of teaching all together.

Giphy

A Commissioner of Education from Missouri calls truncated schedules a "band-aid solution with diminishing returns." Having an extra planning day won't stop teachers from getting scapegoated by politicians or held to impossible curriculum standards, it won't keep them from having to buy their own supplies or deal with ever-worsening student behavior.

Some teachers and other experts have suggested having a modified 5-day school week, where one of the days gets set aside as a teacher planning day while students are still on-site participating in clubs, music, art — you know, all the stuff that's been getting cut in recent years. Something like that could work in some places.

As a dad, I don't mind the idea of my busy kids having an extra day off to unwind, pursue hobbies, see friends, catch up on projects, or spend time as a family. And I'm also very much in favor of anything that takes pressure off of overworked teachers. But until we adopt a 4-day work week as the standard, the 4-day school week is always going to feel a little out of place.


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Science

Innovative farm in Virginia can grow 4 million pounds of strawberries on less than one acre

This method uses 97 percent less land and up to 90 percent less water than conventional farming.

Photo credit: Canva

A new way to grow strawberries with less land, less water, and more berries.

Strawberry farm harvests aren't something most of us calculate on a regular basis (or ever at all), but the numbers from a strawberry farm in Richmond, Virginia, are staggering enough to make it worth an old-school word problem. If the average American eats 8 pounds of strawberries a year, and an average strawberry farm yields approximately 20,000 pounds of berries per acre, how many people could a 200-acre strawberry field feed?

I won't make you do the math. The answer is 500,000 people. But what if a crop that size, providing enough strawberries for half a million people, could be grown on just one acre instead of 200? It's possible. You just have to go—or rather grow—up, up, up.

Indoor vertical farm company Plenty Unlimited knows a lot about growing up. In fact, it's their entire business model. Instead of the sprawling fields that traditional farming methods require, vertical farms have a much smaller land footprint, utilizing proprietary towers for growing. Plenty has used vertical farming methods to grow greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach and more for years, but now it boasts a vertical berry farm that can yield a whopping 4 million pounds of strawberries on a little less than an acre.

Growing indoors means not being at the mercy of weather or climate inpredictability (barring a storm taking out your building), which is wise in the era of climate change. Unlike a traditional greenhouse which still uses the sun for light, Plenty's indoor vertical farms make use of the latest technology and research on light, pinpointing the wavelengths plants need from the sun to thrive and recreating them with LED lights. Plenty farms also don't use soil, as what plants really need is water and nutrients, which can be provided without soil (and with a lot less water than soil requires). Being able to carefully control water and nutrients means you can more easily control the size, taste and uniformity of the berries you’re growing.

If that sounds like a lot of control, it is. And that idea might freak people out. But when a highly controlled environment means not having to use pesticides and using up to 90% less water than traditional farming, it starts to sound like a solid, sustainable farming innovation.

Plenty even uses AI in its strawberry farm, according to its website:

“Every element of the Plenty Richmond Farm–including temperature, light and humidity–is precisely controlled through proprietary software to create the perfect environment for the strawberry plants to thrive. The farm uses AI to analyze more than 10 million data points each day across its 12 grow rooms, adapting each grow room’s environment to the evolving needs of the plants – creating the perfect environment for Driscoll’s proprietary plants to thrive and optimizing the strawberries’ flavor, texture and size.”

Plenty even has its own patent-pending method of pollinating the strawberry flowers that doesn’t require bees. Even just the fact that this enormous crop of strawberries will be coming from Virginia is notable, since the vast majority of strawberries in the U.S. are grown in California.

strawberry fieldTraditional strawberry farming takes up a lot of land.Photo credit: Canva

Plenty's Richmond farm is currently growing strawberries exclusively for Driscoll’s.

“Partnering with Plenty for the launch of the Richmond Farm allows us to bring our premium strawberries closer to consumers in the Northeast, the largest berry consumption region in the U.S.,” Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn said in a press release. “By combining our 100 years of farming expertise and proprietary varieties along with Plenty’s cutting-edge technology, we can deliver the same consistent flavor and quality our customers love — now grown locally. This new innovative farm is a powerful step forward in continuing to drive category growth in new ways for our customers and consumers.”

Is Plenty’s model the farm of the future? Perhaps it’s one option, at least. The more we grapple with the impact of climate change and outdated, unsustainable farming practices, the more innovative ideas we’ll need to feed the masses. If they can get 4 million pounds of strawberries out of an acre of land, what else is possible?

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Pop Culture

Comedy rock band use 38 songs to prove how 'every pop song' uses the same four chords

The Beatles, U2, and Maroon 5 are all guilty of the same crime.

random804/YouTube

Australian comedy group Axis Of Awesome.

Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran was found not liable on April 4, 2023 in a lawsuit where he was accused of stealing elements of the Marvin Gaye classic "Let's Get It On" for his 2014 hit, “Thinking Out Loud."

The case called attention to the fact that there are motifs and musical structures common in pop music that no one owns, and all are free to use. When it comes to chord progressions, the 12-bar blues and basic I, IV, V, I progressions you hear in country and folk have been used and reused since people first picked up the guitar.

In the wrong hands, the progressions can result in music that is boring and formulaic, but in the right hands, they can be a springboard for fresh ideas.

In 2009, Australian comedy group Axis Of Awesome did a funny sketch showing how one four-chord progression, famous for being the basis of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” has been used countless times by musicians to great effect.

They played a medley of 38 major hits using the same progression to prove their point. For musicians, it’s known as the I–V–vi–IV progression, and when played in the key of C it would be C, G, Am, F.

Warning: Video contains strong language.

Here’s a list of all of the songs in the medley.

Journey - “Don't Stop Believing”

James Blunt - “You're Beautiful”

Alphaville - “Forever Young”

Jason Mraz - “I'm Yours”

Mika - “Happy Ending”

Alex Lloyd - “Amazing”

The Calling - “Wherever You Will Go”

Elton John - “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”

Maroon 5 - “She Will Be Loved”

The Last Goodnight - “Pictures Of You”

U2 - “With Or Without You”

Crowded House - “Fall At Your Feet”

Kasey Chambers - “Not Pretty Enough”

The Beatles - “Let It Be”

Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Under the Bridge”

Daryl Braithwaite - “The Horses”

Bob Marley - “No Woman No Cry”

Marcy Playground - “Sex and Candy”

Men at Work - “Land Down Under”

Banjo Patterson - “Waltzing Matilda”

A-ha - “Take On Me”

Green Day - “When I Come Around”

Eagle Eye Cherry - “Save Tonight”

Toto - “Africa”

Beyonce - “If I Were A Boy”

The Offspring - “Self Esteem”

The Offspring - “You're Gonna Go Far Kid”

Pink - “U + Ur Hand”

Lady Gaga - “Poker Face”

Aqua - “Barbie Girl”

The Fray - “You Found Me”

30h!3 - “Don't Trust Me”

MGMT - “Kids”

Tim Minchin - “Canvas Bags”

Natalie Imbruglia - “Torn”

Five For Fighting - “Superman”

Axis Of Awesome - “Birdplane”

Missy Higgins - “Scar”


While all these songs may use the same four chords, you've got to admit they're all bangers, so we're not mad at it.


This article originally appeared two years ago.

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Democracy

People are defending and praising park rangers as National Parks jobs get slashed

The underappreciated heroes of our public lands.

Photo credit: Canva

Park rangers protect our public lands.

If there's one thing that practically every American can agree on, it's the beauty and magnificence of our National Parks. From Acadia to Zion, National Parks have been called our nation's "crown jewels," a testament not only to the geographic diversity of the American landscape but to our commitment to preserving lands belonging to "we the people."

Since before their official establishment in 1916, our National Parks have been serviced and protected by park rangers who enforce laws and park rules, educate visitors about the environment, maintain park infrastructure and make sure everyone who visits the parks is able to do so safely. Park rangers are known for being helpful and informative caretakers, and we have them to thank for preserving and protecting our pristine natural treasures.

However, some are now finding themselves on the chopping block. In February of 2025, President Trump's slashing of federal funding led to the National Park Service terminating about 1,000 newly hired employees (about 5% of its workforce, which was already understaffed) and the U.S. Forest Service, a close cousin to the National Parks, firing around 3,400 (about 10% of its workforce).

According to the National Parks Service Association (NPCA), the National Parks Service only makes up 3/15 of one percent of the federal budget and every $1 invested by taxpayers creates $15 in economic activity. "Staffing cuts of this magnitude will have devastating consequences for parks and communities,” said NPCA president Theresa Pierno in a statement.

One of the National Parks Service employees who was let go was Education Park Ranger Brian Gibbs. In a heartfelt Facebook post, he shared his sudden termination on Valentine's Day. He wrote:

"I am absolutely heartbroken and completely devastated to have lost my dream job of an Education Park Ranger with the National Park Service this Valentine’s Day.

Access to my government email was denied mid-afternoon and my position was ripped out from out under my feet after my shift was over at 3:45pm on a cold snowy Friday. Additionally, before I could fully print off my government records, I was also locked out of my electronic personal file that contained my secure professional records.

Please know and share this truth widely:

I am a father, a loving husband, and dedicated civil servant.

I am an oath of office to defend and protect the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic.

I am a work evaluation that reads 'exceeds expectations.'

I am the 'fat on the bone.'

I am being trimmed as a consequence of the popular vote.

I am a United States flag raiser and folder.

I am my son's 'Junior Ranger' idol.

I am of the place where I first told my spouse I loved her.

I am a college kid’s dream job.

I am the smiling face that greets you at the front door.

I am your family vacation plannerI am a voice for 19 American Indian cultures.

I am the protector of 2500 year old American Indian burial and ceremonial mounds.

I am the defender of your public lands and waters.

I am the motivation to make it up the hill.

I am a generational cycle breaker.

I am the toilet scrubber and soap dispenser.

I am the open trail hiked by people from all walks of life.

I am the highlight of your child’s school day.

I am the band aid for a skinned knee.

I am the lesson that showed your children that we live in a world of gifts- not commodities, that gratitude and reciprocity are the doorway to true abundance, not power, money, or fear.

I am the one who taught your kid the thrush’s song and the hawk’s cry.

I am the wildflower that brought your student joy.

I am the one who told your child that they belong on this planet. That their unique gifts and existence matters.

I am an invocation for peace.

I am gone from the office.

I am the resistance.

But mostly I'm just tired.I am tired from weeks of being bullied and censored by billionaires.

I am tired of waking up every morning at 2am wondering how I am going to provide for my family if I lose my job.

I am tired of wiping away my wife’s tears and reassuring her that things will be ok for us and our growing little family that she's carrying.

Things are not ok. I am not ok. (This is the second time in under five years a dream job I worked has been eliminated. Now I may need to uproot my FAMILY again.)

Stay present, don't avert your gaze.

Until our paths cross down the trail,

Fare thee well.

Ranger Brian"

Gibbs' post has been shared nearly 230,000 times, with people both moved and incensed by it. Even people who are supportive of budget cuts don't want to see the National Parks system affected, and people are taking to social media to share their support and appreciation for park rangers.

"A park ranger in Mt. Rainier one time saw me walking around with my camera & stopped me & was like “okay so if you want my favorite picture in the park go to [this place] at [this time] & you’ll see what I think is the most scenic place”Park rangers are just the best & most helpful/passionate people & having less of them will have so many negative effects." – amanda_wanders

"Asked a park ranger in Olympic last summer how early to get to the Hoh Rainforest area the next morning to avoid lines and he told us 7am, several hours before we had planned to arrive. That advice saved hours of waiting. Very grateful for all our park rangers." – jweiss

"All this. They really love their area, love talking about it, and want you to appreciate it like they do. Rangers can give you accurate estimations of time and difficulty of treks, advise you of any current wildlife concerns, and provide superb 'locals' info." –walton.cate

"They are! I'm especially fond of Yellowstone NPS rangers who are often with me when I'm photographing grizzlies and black bears. They are the nicest people!" – nwyetiphotography

"We went to Yellowstone in October, I wanted a good geology book to understand what I was looking at. The ranger at the store told us to get out now, go down the path and watch the geyser (Steamboat, the biggest geyser imaginable!), then come back and he’d sell me any book I wanted - but first go see this and enjoy! What a cool guy, and it was totally amazing! The whole park was splendid- wildlife, beautiful views, cool rock formations, perfect." – crumples

"So many wonderful encounters. We hiked into and out of King's Canyon from a remote entrance/exit but planned a small part of our trip on the busy JMT. When the ranger heard our route he said, 'Let me tell you where my wife and I camp,' at Evolution Lake. Absolutely prime spot with an amazing view away from the crowds." – sonjmarie

"I'm about 5000 hours in volunteering for NPS / BLM / FS, and let me tell you a LOT of the people who come to the parks would be lost without advice from Rangers - which is totally fair, it can be a lot to take in, better to ask a local and we live in the park." – rangerdanger_2012

Park rangers are the underappreciated heroes of our public lands. Their jobs are vital and their contributions deserve to be recognized and honored. If you agree, contact your representatives in Congress and make your voice heard.

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