In a podcast yesterday, the Academic Agent discussed the prospect of Jeremy Clarkson changing the face of British politics.  Should Clarkson go to war with the UK government over the latest attack […]

from The Epoch Times: With more than 7,200 public water systems affected, water and waste professionals say tackling America’s contaminated water is no easy task. Formally identified as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of manmade chemicals known as PFAS are found in everything from soil and food to common household items and water. An […]

by Brian Shilhavy, Health Impact News: Yesterday morning (Sunday 11/10/24) the Israeli publication Israel Hayom published an “Exclusive” stating that Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s Jewish son-in-law who orchestrated the move of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during Trump’s first administration, has returned as an advisor to Donald Trump, in spite of his public statements […]

Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Let us know what you think at info@reasonstobecheerful.world. This solar-powered life Joshua Spodek has been living off-grid in a Greenwich Village apartment for over a year, gleaning what power he needs from four solar panels he constantly recharges. It’s a unique lifestyle choice to make in the middle of a bustling city, as the New York Times points out in a story about Spodek that RTBC Contributing Editor Michaela Haas shared this week.  Spodek doesn’t expect that many others will make the drastic choices that he’s made, but he challenges people to make at least one change to live more sustainably. “The first thing that people do is not that important to me,” he told the Times. “It’s the mind-set shift. Is it intrinsically rewarding? Because then people will do more.” Michaela says:   I love stories about people who go all the way. Real news Being able to tell fact from fiction is a vital skill in today’s information-packed landscape — and skills can be taught. In Finland, learning to recognize hoaxes, propaganda and other kinds of disinformation is part of the school curriculum, CBS News reports in a video shared by Executive Editor Will Doig. Will says:   It’s starting to become clear how disinformation influenced the US election. In Finland public schools teach media literacy to kids as early as fourth grade to help them identify untrustworthy news. What else we’re reading EU emissions fall by 8% in steep reduction reminiscent of Covid shutdown — shared by Michaela Haas from The Guardian How a Colombian Influencer Made Recycling Cool — shared by RTBC founder David Byrne from the New York Times How Redondo Beach brought its homeless numbers to ‘functionally zero’ — shared by Michaela Haas from the Los Angeles Times In other news… We’ve been blown away by the outpouring of messages we’ve received since sharing our No Matter Who Wins reader responses and, in particular, the poem that our managing director, Rebecca Faulkner, assembled from them. If you’re looking for a post-election balm, give Rebecca’s poem a read. The post What We’re Reading: Off-Grid Living in a Manhattan Studio appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.

November 13, 2024

The results are in! People magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive is John Krasinski. The publication announced its winner on November 13th. John is the 39th man to take the title since Mel Gibson earned the inaugural crown in 1985. And while many of us saw it coming, he was absolutely shocked. When he heard the news, he had an “immediate blackout.” While chatting with People, John admitted that he had “zero thoughts” when he got the call. “Other than maybe I’m being punked,” he joked. “That’s not how I wake up, thinking, ‘Is this the day that I’ll be asked to be Sexiest Man Alive?’ And yet, it was the day you guys did it. You guys have really raised the bar for me.” John Krasinski added that he wasn’t the only one “excited” to learn that People had dubbed him the Sexiest Man Alive. His wife, actress Emily Blunt, was equally as thrilled. “There was a lot of joy involved in me telling her,” he said. Before he found out, Emily had vowed to wallpaper their home with his cover photo if he won. Now that he has, he’s not so sure his daughters, Hazel, 10, and Violet, 8, will appreciate the sentiment.  “My children will love that,” he joked. “It won’t be weird at all.” John Krasinski’s Wife Is Celebrating His Sexiest Man Alive Title John is most known for playing the dreamy prankster Jim Halpert in The Office and the title hero in Jack Ryan. He’s also the man behind and in front of the camera in A Quiet Place and If. But his most cherished successes are his marriage and family. “It’s that beautiful thing where when you’re married to someone, you’re constantly learning and changing and evolving. And I’m so lucky to go through all that with her,” he said of his relationship with Emily, whom he married in 2010. “I think it’s going to make me do more household chores,” he added with a laugh. “After this comes out, she’ll be like, ‘All right, that means you’re going to really earn it here at home.’” This story’s featured image is by Gotham/FilmMagic via Getty. The post People Names The 2024 Sexiest Man Alive appeared first on InspireMore.

For many actors, getting into character means more than just memorizing lines; it requires immersing themselves completely in the role. Some actors take this process to remarkable extremes, adopting unconventional and sometimes controversial methods to embody their characters. Whether through physical transformation, intense psychological preparation, or bizarre routines, these actors go above and beyond to […] The post 10 Unconventional Ways Famous Actors Got into Character appeared first on Listverse.

There are a million facts from history, and every year, we seem to learn more of them. With as long as civilization has existed on this planet, there is simply no way that any one human could know everything about the world. That makes it kind of fun, though, doesn’t it? If you’re a history […] The post 10 Mind-Blowing Facts from History That Don’t Seem Real appeared first on Listverse.

What’s the right mobile living situation for me? When you’re day-dreaming while looking at gorgeous images, living mobile can seem like an amazing lifestyle. Being free to travel where you want, when you want. Not having a mortgage to pay. Being able to get yourself to remote places and be self-sufficient out there with all the luxuries of a home. Bonus points in a zombie apocalypse. But once you’re really ready to put dollars behind your dream, there are A LOT of options as to what kind of vehicle or trailer to choose. Personally, I’ve lived in a car, a van, and a bus, and I’ve helped build a handful of tiny houses on trailers. I can say without hesitation that the experiences are very, very different. The Right Mobile Living Situation for You In this article, I’m going to break down some of the more common vehicle choices for mobile living/camping and dig into the pros and cons for each. There are many variables that will influence each type of mobile situation so be forewarned, this is a glass slipper situation, not a one-ring-to-rule-them-all situation. Think about what you want to do, what lifestyle you’re wanting to live, and balance the pros and cons to figure out which option is going to make that day-dream come to life for YOU. Oh, and if you’re in a rush, just read the “Round-Up” at the end. Vans Vans come in all shapes and sizes. Old conversion vans, “work vans”, mini-vans, old VW “buses”, and larger “sprinter vans”. The size of a van can offer a lot of benefits; It’s easy to park, easy to drive and navigate in a city environment, and it’s stealthy – meaning that from the outside, people might not know you’re living in it. The drawback on the size being that compared to the other options on this list, you have less living space. Think ahead to how you’ll respond when side-walk comedians yell Chris Farley’s classic line “You’re gonna be livin’ in a van! Down by the river!”. It will happen, and it doesn’t make living in a van any less cool. Be strong my friends. VW These old VW “buses” have a lot of aesthetic appeal, and that’s likely to earn you a lot of waves, high-fives, and parking-lot-lookers. There are newer models of these classics that come with tons of bells-and-whistles, and a price-tag to match. From what I gather, the old ones are notoriously low on power and can struggle with big hills and top speed. You can expect to be doing some impromptu road-side maintenance at some point if you go this route. The insides are often already built out as campers with beds and mini-kitchens. Safety ratings by today’s standards would be comparatively low. Some have the famous “pop top” that would allow airflow and standing inside, but others you may not be able to stand upright inside the van. I believe most, if not all, of these are manual transmission. Pros: Classic, nostalgic aesthetics Easy parking and maneuverability Some come “ready-to-move-in” Fuel economy ~ 15 mpg Cons Mechanical issues due to age Low power drive-train Fewer safety features Work Vans Work vans are plentiful so if you’re handy enough to build out the inside to your liking, you might be able to do this on the cheap. Again, because they’re so common, you probably won’t draw too much attention to yourself. Some models have 4-wheel drive which can be a plus for off-road situations. There are companies who convert these into bad-ass adventure campers, but keep in mind that these will come with a price-tag to match. Pros: Widely Available Relatively low cost Cons: Limited headroom Sprinter style vans Most famously made by Mercedes and also by Dodge among others are the top end of the van class for mobile living. The Mercedes Sprinter vans are regaled for their drive-train’s ability to keep-on keepin’-on well into the hundreds of miles. Another bonus is that they are available as “high-top” meaning an average sized person can stand up fully inside the van. They can also come with 4-wheel drive, and extended bodies for more interior room. You can expect safety ratings to be comparatively high. Expect a price tag to match, but as always, deals do pop up for used vans. There are also many companies that do gorgeous conversions, again with a hefty price.“Sprinter Vans” | Pros: Known for drive-train reliability Easy parking and maneuverability Some come “ready-to-move-in” Fuel economy ~ 20 mpg Higher safety rating Cruise control, A/C etc. common Headroom and interior space Cons: Tend to be more expensive School Busses School buses come in short (15-20 ft), medium (20-30 ft), and long 30+ ft). Many school districts have a program that retires the buses after a specified number of years hauling the kiddos, or a specified number of miles. As you would expect, the older the bus, the cheaper it will be. It’s not out of the question to be able to pick up a school bus for $1-2 thousand, but keep in mind that it is probably going to need some mechanical and/or body-work done. Speaking of maintenance, if you break down on the side of the road, it’s going to be harder to get a tow, and finding a mechanic that can work on the bus will be harder than finding a mechanic to work on a car or van. Some of the short buses can come with 4-wheel drive. Older models will likely be manual transmission, but newer models will be automatic. Most will be diesel. The drive-trains on many of these are stellar and can run for hundreds of thousands of miles if properly maintained and treated well. One of the huge benefits of the school bus route is that it’s probably the cheapest way to get the most square footage that you can still drive down the road. They are also built VERY robustly, with tons of massive metal beams you can fasten to while you’re building the living area. Lots of windows offer a great view out, but also a great view in. Also, the windows are awful when it comes to holding in heat or cold. Pros: Built like apocalypse tanks Often have strong drive-trains Lower cost per square foot Lots of interior space Generally lower cost Bigger might mean a bit safer Cons: Harder perking & city driving Not stealthy Fuel economy ~10 mpg or less Not for off-road Expensive maintenance Harder to insure Tiny Houses on Trailers I’ve had the opportunity to help build a handful of Tiny Houses, and I’ve visited friends in many more. They can be fantastic living spaces for short or long term, and I’m happy to see them becoming more popular. The main attractions here are a house-like feel, with a heavy dose of minimalism (usually), and the allure of not paying a mortgage. In terms of frequent movability, this is not your best option. Tiny houses are better suited for moving every couple months, or years, not every week and definitely not everyday. Pros: House/cabin aesthetics DIY = cost effective Easier to insulate Easier to modify to your liking because you're not working within an existing structure (like a van) More square footage than van Cons: Manufacturer = expensive Not stealthy Need a vehicle to tow it Nor for off-road Harder to insure Not easy to park/maneuver Traditional RV Traditional RV’s are a tricky category to cover, because there are many, many variations. Old, new, big, small, tow-behind, 5th-wheel… the list goes on. These can be a great ready-made option if you don’t want to modify/customize your living space very much. Prices will vary drastically from model to model, and from old to new. For a brand new luxury RV, the sky is the limit for how much it can cost. For an older, used, livable-condition RV, you might be able to get into it for $15,000 or less. Watch out for water damage. For some reason, it seems like traditional RV’s are a bit more susceptible to water damage from roof leaks than, say – a van or a bus. Pros: Ready for move-in (unless repairs) Cruise control, A/C common Lots of interior space Bigger might mean a bit safer Lots of options – drivable, tow behind etc. Cons: Harder parking & city driving Not stealthy Low fuel economy Not for off-road Expensive maintenance Airstream Trailer Airstream trailer have a ton of aesthetic appeal and an almost cult-like following. As with the other options on this list, you can get the used for a discount (although still I wouldn’t consider the used market of this option cheap), or new for a solid chunk of change. What’s unique about them from the other options on the list (aside from tow-behind and 5th wheel campers in the RV section) is that you tow it behind your vehicle. They are aluminum construction which makes them relatively light, so you have a wider array of vehicles that you could potentially use to tow it. The insides come “ready-to-move-in”, but in speaking with friends who have gone this route – older ones will likely need moderate to significant repairs. Water damage seems to be the main enemy in the form of leaks, mold and chassis rust. Pros: Classic, nostalgic aesthetics Light and easily towable Ready for move-in (unless repairs) Design = probably better fuel economy than tow-behind trailer Lots of interior space Once you set up, you can unhook and drive around normally Cons: Harder parking & city driving Not stealthy Higher cost than bus or van (often) Not for off-road Expensive maintenance Round-Up Van If you are moving every day or every week, and want easy parking, maneuverability, city-stealth and some potential off-road ability. You’re ok having less interior space for living and storage of items. Bus If you are moving every week or month+, and want more space, the ability to build your living area, and a more budget conscious option, but are willing to give up easy parking, city-stealth and off-road ability. Tiny House on a Trailer If you’re moving every few months to a year+ and want a house-like aesthetic, but don’t care about easy parking, city-stealth, or off-road ability. Budget conscious if you build it yourself, but a bit more spendy if you hire a builder. Traditional RV If you want an off-the-shelf solution. Price, maneuverability and interior space vary by age and size. Airstream If you want a (sometimes) ready-made solution with classic looks for a medium to high price-tag, and don’t mind limited maneuverability and off-road ability. Probably want to move it every month to year+, not every day. To paraphrase the dude, “These are just like, my opinions, man.” I know there is a lot of pride and passion around people’s choices in this department, so remember that this is from my experience and my research. Your research and experience might be different and that’s valid too. If this article helped you out, let me know in the comments. And if you think there’s things I missed, let me know in the comments as well. Happy mobile living. Up Next: Throwback Thursday | Midwifery: Caring For Mothers Then And Now Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook!