A man was recently visiting a distillery in Longmont, Colorado — called Abbott & Wallace — when he had to use the bathroom. What he saw in there left him with "no words."He posted a photo of the bathroom, where users lost their minds over the presence of an actual, honest-to-God changing table.It took me a minute to figure out what was so special about this picture. Looks like a bar bathroom to me!But if you look closely, and if you've changed enough diapers on pee-soaked floors, you'll see it pretty quickly. thefactorygrows/RedditYes, the dads of Reddit were absolutely stunned to see a proper changing table with a pad and some basic supplies (like wipes) provided for hands-on dads.It doesn't seem like a big deal, and it shouldn't be! But it absolutely is.A lack of changing tables in men's restrooms has been a problem for as long as there have been bathrooms.Some dads have even had to learn how to change babies on surfaces like sinks or even their own lap.In recent years, there's been a push to get more changing tables in men's rooms. Legally, it's left to individual states or cities — changing tables in men's restrooms aren't required in most states, although that's starting to change. States like New York and California have requirements on the books, as do places like Baltimore and Dallas.Usually, the changing tables installed are the generic plastic fold down kind. Better than nothing!To see a more thoughtful, comfortable, and thorough set up like the one at Abbott & Wallace is truly amazing.Not only is the pad more comfortable, there's actually a spot for dads to set down a diaper bag or their own supplies without putting it directly onto the floor. There's ample room to maneuver. It's just a fantastic set up."Clearly owned by a dad who enjoys being a dad. Good job, dad!" said one Redditor."[I] will make a point to go there soon because of this!" said another."Why are there urinals in the woman’s bathroom?!" joked u/Bishops-Guest.And EatonMetsGuy probably said it best:"This right here is worth a 5 star review on like google or Facebook or app of your choice."These are the places that make the world better"A lack of proper changing surfaces is not only frustrating for dads, it puts a greater burden on moms, who then have to become the "default" diaper changers when families go out.The last thing moms need is the inability to ever take a break. They're already shouldering so much of the parenting load, it's ridiculous to force every single diaper change on them when families are out in public.And, perhaps shockingly, a lot of dads like changing diapers! It's a core part of the parenting experience, and we want to participate in the act of taking care of our own kids.Accommodating all different kinds of families and parents helps everyone who visits your bar or restaurant have more fun.If they have more fun, they keep coming back again and again.Changing tables in the men's room are just good business. More than that, it's just the right thing to do.

It's official: Snoop Dogg truly is on track to become the most surprisingly beloved celebrity by every single generation at once. In addition to dozens of album releases, the 53-year-old West Coast hip hop star has become BFFs with Martha Stewart, narrated nature clips on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," commentated on the Olympics, founded a youth football league for at-risk youth, put out a cookbook and is currently serving as a judge on "The Voice." And according to fellow judge Michael Bublé, he's also big among the kindergarten set. In an interview with Seth Meyers, Bublé shared that when his 6-year-old daughter found out he was going to be on "The Voice," she asked if he was going to work with Snoop Dogg. "Yeah, honey. How do you know Snoop Dogg?" he asked, obviously surprised that his 6-year-old would know the infamous gansta rapper. She responded in the most 2024 way possible: "Alexa, play Snoop Dogg 'Affirmations.'" As it turns out, her kindergarten teacher plays Snoop Dogg's "Affirmations Song" every day to start the school day, repeating phrases like, "Today's gonna be an amazing day" and "My family loves me so much." So Bublé's daughter made a video for Snoop, which Bublé shared with him the first time they met. "He was so cute. It really moved him," Bublé shared. "He's such a beautiful soul." Watch Bublé tell the story: @latenightseth @Michael Bublé got to introduce his daughter to her hero, fellow @NBC's The Voice coach @Snoop Dogg. "You're telling me in Vancouver that those kindergarteners listen to Uncle Snoop every day?" Snoop said, according to Bublé, who lives near Vancouver, Canada. "You know, I made that for my grandkids, and it was so important to reach them in a positive way." Now he calls Bublé's house as "Uncle Snoop" to say hi to the kids. What a wild time to be alive. Snoop Dogg himself shared his own incredulity about where he is now on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." He said that he feels like he and Michael Bublé are old friends, even though they just met recently. And he said Bublé's daughter's fangirling him over his affirmations song almost made him cry. "I made those albums for my grandkids and for the kids around the world to have a piece of me that was rated G," he said. "Michael Buble came to set and he was like, 'Man, my daughter loves your music.And they listen to it every day.' I'm like, 'You lying.' And we actually, we sung it together and it just touched me.It was so adorable that this music that I'm making is really reaching the kids for the right reasons." He said he never imagined this would have been in his future. Watch: - YouTube www.youtube.com Snoop's "Affirmations Song" includes lines that are meant to be repeated by kids, such as:My feelings matter.I get better every single day.I care about others.I learn from my mistakes.The song is for kids, but many adults say they listen to it themselves as a little self-worth pick-me-up. A video for the song on Snoop's "Doggyland" channel for kids includes colorful animated characters, but a sneak peak of the song from Lil VanVan offers an adorable sample: - YouTube www.youtube.com Snoop has truly become a fan favorite among people of all ages, which is not something anyone who remembers him in the 90s would ever have predicted. Just check out these comments:"Who knew way back when, that this would be Snoop Dogg in 2024?""How did Snoop become one of the most wholesome figures in the world?""Snoop is peaking in his grandpa years and I love it.""Love how Snoop is a hard rapper and took a chance on the voice. Since becoming a grandfather, he softened so much. I love this for him.""It's Snoop's world, we just live in it.""Perfect example of how becoming a grandparent makes you a completely different person in all the best ways even a hard core OG like Mr Snoop Dogg. Just another reason to love and respect this man and his art.""I am 62 and I love Snoop. He has grown and changed like adults should. I love him because of who his is right now. His past is past. Movin' on."While it's risky to put any celebrity on too much of a pedestal, it's quite clear that Snoop Dogg has grown and evolved since his early rapper days and people love him for it. He's also genuinely seems to enjoy trying new things and meeting new people and his chill vibe allows him to fit in everywhere while being himself. No wonder practically everyone loves Snoop these days

Over the past few years, there has been much talk about people having “no contact” or “low contact” with family members. A large study out of Cornell University found that 27% of adults over 18 have no contact with some family members. Another study found that 11% of mothers between the ages of 65 and 75 are estranged from at least one adult child. Clinical psychologist Joshua Coleman attributes the rise in estrangement to the "changing notions of what constitutes harmful, abusive, traumatizing or neglectful behavior," adding that the “bar for qualifying as a trauma today is much lower.” However, Whitney Goodman, LMFT, has a much simpler explanation for why more people are vocal about going “no contact” with relatives. In a world where people have so many ways of contacting one another, one must set much stricter boundaries than before social media. Goodman is a marriage and family therapist and the author of “Toxic Positivity,” a guide to helping people own their emotions. @whitneygoodmanlmft #estrangement #familyestrangement #nocontact #family “Decades ago, it was pretty easy to become estranged from a family member,” Goodman says in a video with over 75,000 views. “We didn’t even have to put all these labels on it. People didn’t have to say they were no contact, low-contact, estranged because they could just move to the other side of the country, maybe only talk to that family member once a year or see them on a holiday, and that was easy to maintain.” Goodman adds that these days, people have so many avenues to contact estranged relatives or keep tabs on their everyday lives that it’s nearly impossible to separate from family members who want to stay in touch. Back in the ‘70s, you could move a few miles away, change your phone number, get a new job and easily slip into anonymity. But in 2024, you can’t be passive about avoiding family members. You have to make an obvious point of going “no contact” by blocking people on social media and refusing to respond to their attempts to make contact. “And I think this is why we see estrangement today being something that is so clearly verbalized and dictated and we have a lot of older people saying, ‘Well, we didn’t do that back then. Everyone stayed in touch,’ when, really, you probably had some family members that were actively choosing distance and estrangement, but they weren’t really calling it that because they didn’t have to,” Goodman concludes her video. The big takeaway is that people probably had no contact with family members back in the day without being fully aware of what was happening. It’d be easy to go extremely low contact and see relatives every few years without anyone thinking anything was wrong. “My uncle lives less than 100 miles from our hometown. Everyone acted like he wasn't estranged, but my mom had to beg him to come to my grandma's deathbed. Over a decade later, I understand him,” Kayla C. wrote in the comments. “I think the biggest difference is in the past when someone moved away, the other party could blame it on them or put a spin on it like, “Oh, she moved for her career, and she’s SO busy!” Kitty added. TheAlgorithmbroughtmetou added a quote that sums up many people’s families: "That uncle/aunt who kept their distance from the rest of the family will start making more sense to you as you get older." These days, people are talking more openly about estrangement, though families have always dealt with it. Today’s technology means people have to be more blunt about their feelings, but in some ways, that can be a better way of handling problems than spending years being passive-aggressive.

The oldest published version of the melody to the “Alphabet Song” was in 1761. However, because it’s the same melody as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” it's hard to trace it to its original composer.The “Alphabet Song” is so deeply entrenched in American culture that it almost seems sacrilegious to change a piece of music that’s one of the first most of us ever learned. But after all these years, some educators are altering the classic melody so that there is a variation when the letters L-M-N-O-P are sung.This change shocked popular TikTokker Jessica Skube, who documents life raising 7 children with her 2.6 million followers. Nearly 10 million people have watched her video revealing the significant change, and it’s received over 56,000 comments since first being published in late 2020."You guys, I have huge, huge, huge, huge, huge news,” Skube told her followers. "I have a fifth grader, a fifth grader, a fourth grader, a third grader, a third grader, a first grader, and a preschooler and I just got news that the ‘Alphabet Song’ is changing."She then sang the updated version of the song. @jesssfamofficial Just to add to your 2020 ?? because distance learning wasn’t enough!!! @ms_frazzled #abcsong #lmno #wtf #momsoftiktok The big reason for the change is that people learning English, whether young kids or those who speak it as a second language, often get confused because L-M-N-O-P can sound like one letter, “elemenopee." So, the new version breaks up that part of the alphabet, making the letters easier to understand. There has been a "surge" in the number of students learning English as a second language over the past decade, so it only makes sense to alter the song to help them learn the fundamentals of the language. It’s believed that this new version of the song was first created by a website called Dream English in 2012. This article originally appeared on 9.27.23

Teresa Kaye Newman, a teacher about to have a son, knows a lot about how to deal with children. So she created a list of 11 things she agrees with Boomers on when it comes to raising kids.Newman believes she has credibility on the issue because she has 13 years of experience dealing with “hundreds and hundreds” of other people’s kids and has seen what happens when her so-called “Boomer” parenting principles aren’t implemented.Of course, Newman is using some broad stereotypes in calling for a return to Boomer parenting ideas when many Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z parents share the same values. But, as someone who deals with children every day, she has the right to point out that today’s kids are entitled and spend too much time staring at screens. Here are the 11 things that Newman agrees with Boomers on when it comes to raising kids.11 Things I agree with boomer parents on raising children @teresakayenewman 11 Things I agree with boomer parents on raising children, as a #teacher and soon to be mom. 1. No iPads“All I’m going to say is my kid has a whole world to explore and none of that has to do with being stuck in front of a tablet.”2. No smartphone until high school“Kids that are younger than that age do not know internet safety to a point where I feel comfortable letting them have free reign of the internet.”3. Teaching the value of education“What I’m going to teach them is [education] has nothing to do with how much money you’re making or how successful you’ll be professionally. But you will still value it, nonetheless. You will go with it as far as you possibly can, and then once you’re done with it, you can do whatever you want.”4. Respect your teachers and treat them well“This may be biased because I am a teacher, but everyone who has gone through a professional degree program and has put in the time and is there, giving you the quality education, deserves some type of attention and deserves to be treated well.”5. Be kind to elderly folks“If they’re on public transportation and they’re sitting down and there’s an old lady standing next to them and there are no other seats available, my child will know to stand up and give that lady his seat.”6. Yes ma’amNewman will teach her kid to use the terms sir and ma’am when speaking to adults. “It does not matter your age or status in society, as long as they are respecting their pronouns, that’s how we’re gonna be talking to other people.”7. Greetings and gratitude“Simple greetings and simple terms of gratitude are just not being taught like they used to. I think it’s really sad.”8. Consequences for poor behavior“If they’re neglecting their schoolwork and not doing what they’re supposed to do, they get their technology taken away. … Simple things like this are pretty common sense and I’m not sure why they’re not being done anymore.”9. Respect adult conversations and spaces“They don’t get to interrupt 2 adults speaking to each other. They don’t get to come and butt in at an inappropriate time when 2 people are talking to each other."10. Clean your mess“My child is going to put as much work in the house as we are regardless of whether he’s paying rent out of his own pocket or not. That’s because when my son becomes an adult, I want him to be a partner or a spouse or a roommate that someone is proud to have around.”11. Bedtime“I don’t care how old my kid is as long as he is living under my roof as a minor; he’s gonna have some sort of bedtime. But this staying up until 3 or 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning or pulling all-nighters like kids are used to … is absolutely not normal. And I’m not going to have a kid that’s staying up that late and then not waking up the next day.”This article originally appeared on 12.20.23

I grew up black in a very white neighborhood in a very white city in a very white state.As such, I am a lot of people's only black friend.Being the only black friend is a gift and a curse. I am black and I love having friends. But I am also, at any given moment, expected to be a translator, an ambassador, a history teacher, and/or a walking, talking invitation into "I am not racist" territory. It's a lot to handle. See what I mean about that curse?So when I saw the animated short-film "Your Black Friend," I felt so seen. Clearly, I am not alone.The film, which was written, designed, and narrated by Ben Passmore and is based on his mini-comic of the same name, is a brilliant, refreshing way to examine whiteness and racism. The comic and animated short are an open-letter from "your black friend" to you, their well-meaning white friend, about bias, alienation, and what it means to be a good ally and friend.It's funny, honest, and heartbreaking in equal measure. And speaking from personal experience, it captures the experience of being a black friend to white people pretty much perfectly.So if you're a "woke" friend and ally, here are some things your black friend wants you to know.1. You're going to have to get uncomfortable.It could be something as obvious and upsetting as a racist joke. Or something as "benign" as your aunt suggesting you cross the street when she sees a group of black kids walking by. But either way, if you want to be a good friend and a real ally, you're going to have to speak up. You're going to have to have those tough conversations with people you care about.It's not easy to confront strangers or people you love, but if you don't do it, you are part of the problem. Sitting out isn't an option. No one said being an ally is easy.2. "Your black friend would like to say something to the racist lady, but doesn't want to appear to be that 'angry black man.'""He knows this type of person expects that from him, and he will lose before he begins," Passmore says.Black people can't always react or respond the way we want to. When I am followed in a department store, pulled over for no reason, or stared at while picking up dinner at the fancy grocery store, I can't stop what I'm doing and yell, "YES, I AM BLACK. NO, I AM NOT A CRIMINAL YOU SMALL-MINDED, BIASED ASSHOLES." Trust me, I want to. But especially when police are involved, I have to be calm, respectful, and obedient.That's where you come in. You, white friend, need to speak up and say something when I can't. If you are not at risk, nor considered a threat, you have a certain amount of privilege in these situations. Use it to demand answers, speak to supervisors, or if things really get dicey, pull out your phone and hit record.3. We are constantly monitoring our surroundings and adjusting our clothes, hair, speed, and speech to maintain white comfort.We don't like it, but one small choice — like deciding whether or not to wear a hood, or the speed at which we reach into our glove box — can be the difference between life and death.When I am in a parking garage and walking behind a white woman, I intentionally cough or walk a little louder so she turns and notices me.Why? Because when I don't, that same white woman will often clutch her purse and occasionally let out an audible gasp as I pass her. This is something my white friends likely don't realize I have to do. Some of them may even be the pearl-clutchers in the parking lot.But to maintain white comfort and to avoid having the cops called on us, we often have to tamp down clothes, modify our speech and volume, even do our hair differently. We have to have "the talk" with our kids about how the world sees them, and how act in order to make sure they come home alive.No, it's not fair. No, we don't like it. But so long as this country and its institutions are built on a solid foundation of white supremacy, it's a grim reality. You need to know that, and take it up with your fellow white people about how to dismantle it.4. "Your black friend wishes you'd play more than Beyoncé. There are more black performers than Beyoncé.""Lemonade" was awesome. There is no denying it. And yes, I love seeing her iconic looks on Instagram too. But there is more to black music and black art than Beyoncé. Dip a toe outside your comfort zone and try new new artists and genres you may not be familiar with. Go listen, see it, and experience it for yourself.And while we're here, you can't say the n-word when you sing along. Nope. You just can't.5. Speaking of which, performative blackness is really uncomfortable.When you wear that braided wig on Halloween, or use your "blaccent" when you're around me or other black people, it hurts. It's not cute or charming, and it definitely doesn't make you seem cool.Our culture and heritage are not costumes you can slide on and off at your convenience. We don't get to be black only when it suits us. Neither do you.6. "Your black friend feels like a man without a country."Having white friends and seeming to "fit in" with the majority can feel really alienating. You can feel too "white" for black people, and too "black" for white people when all you want to do is find people to eat pizza with. As Passmore wrote, "He is lost in this contradiction, and held responsible for it."7. We would love it if we could stop talking about our anxiety and frustrations regarding racism. But right now, that's impossible.Our concerns are urgent and real. We're getting subpar health care. We're disenfranchised. We're over-policed. We're thrown in jail. We're killed by people sworn to protect us. It's exhausting, but we have to keep talking about it. So do you.We can't be expected to dismantle white supremacy on our own.Our white friends and allies need to step up and gather their people. Have the tough conversations. Speak up when you see racism, discrimination, and microaggressions. The time to talk about it is done. Be about it, or find yourself a new black friend.Watch "Your Black Friend" in full and check out Passmore's book, "Your Black Friend And Other Strangers." This article was written by Erin Canty and originally published on January 30, 2018.

Marcos Alberti's "3 Glasses" project began with a joke and a few drinks with his friends.The photo project originally depicted Alberti's friends drinking, first immediately after work and then after one, two, and three glasses of wine.But after Imgur user minabear circulated the story, "3 Glasses" became more than just a joke. In fact, it went viral, garnering more than 1 million views and nearly 1,800 comments in its first week. So Alberti started taking more pictures and not just of his friends."The first picture was taken right away when our guests (had) just arrived at the studio in order to capture the stress and the fatigue after a full day after working all day long and from also facing rush hour traffic to get here," Alberti explained on his website. "Only then fun time and my project could begin. At the end of every glass of wine, a snapshot, nothing fancy, a face and a wall, 3 times."Why was the series so popular? Anyone who has ever had a long day at work and needed to "wine" down will quickly see why.Take a look:This article originally appeared on 11.19.16

A pioneering invention. The post What was the first electrical instrument? first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

A rock and roll riff. The post The Beatles song inspired by Roy Orbison and Little Richard first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Singer and entertainment personality Cathy Rankin has released her debut single “Now You’ve Gone.” featuring David Ellefson (formerly of Megadeth and Ken Mary (formerly of Alice Cooper). The song is a power ballad that morphs into a guitar tour de force. Rankin wrote the track as a tribute to the late legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart, whose music and lyrics were a huge influence on Rankin and her nephew, Christian, “a light in this world for the 18 years he was here.” “The song is my way of expressing the void I felt when they were gone and connecting with others who have experienced similar feelings of loss,” offered Rankin. “Ken (Mary) co-wrote and produced the track,” added Rankin “David (Ellefson) jumped on board, and everything just clicked.” ### The post Cathy Rankin Releases “Now You’ve Gone” appeared first on RockinTown.