A federal judge will let expire a temporary restraining order against the Biden administration’s sweeping new student loan forgiveness plan, which could deliver relief to tens of millions of Americans. The plan could benefit as many as three in every four federal student loan holders, when combined with the administration’s previous efforts, according to an estimate by the Center for American Progress. U.S. District Judge Randal Hall in Georgia, appointed by former Republican...

For the past 10 years, I’ve watched in dismay as institution after institution abandoned what I had believed were bedrock commitments to free speech, to open inquiry and to institutional neutrality. Under pressure from mostly left-wing activists — many of them working inside the institutions — universities disinvited speakers and punished professors for wrongthink. Publishers refused to print books whose subjects or authors were deemed offensive. The publisher of the...

Melania Trump writes in her upcoming memoir that a woman has the right to an abortion, The Guardian newspaper reported on Wednesday, while her husband, Donald Trump, backs the ability for U.S. states to restrict the procedure. "Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body?" Melania Trump writes in her memoir that is due to be published four weeks before the Nov. 5 election, in which her husband faces Democrat U.S. Vice-President...

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk has accused the Biden-Harris administration of expeditiously bringing non-U.S. citizens into the United States with the intent of allowing them to vote for Democrats at the polls. Musk, an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump, claimed in a viral post that has received 100 million views since Sunday that the White House was covertly importing migrants to sway elections in favor of Democratic presidential...

A new paper, "Differences in misinformation sharing can lead to politically asymmetric sanctions," published today in Nature suggests that the higher quantity of social media policy enforcement (such as account suspensions) for conservative users could be explained by the higher quantity of misinformation shared by those conservative users—and so does not constitute evidence of inherent biases in the policies from social media companies or in the definition of what constitutes...

In 2016, My husband and I started renting our basement apartment out as a short-term rental on Airbnb. We live in a college town and figured we'd get some guests during football game weekends and graduations. We didn't realize how many people come to our town to visit their college kids or check out the school, so we were pleasantly surprised by how regularly we were booked.In 2019, we bought the house next door and now rent out both floors of the old house as separate units. We love being Airbnb hosts and have had a very successful run of it, with hundreds of 5-star reviews, Superhost status and lots of repeat guests. We also don't charge a cleaning fee or make guests do check-out chores. In fact, we find both things rather loathsome.What makes us good hosts is that we've been Airbnb guests for years. As a family of five that travels a lot, we've found far more value in Airbnbs than in hotels over the years. We love having a kitchen, living room and bedrooms and feeling like we have a "home" while traveling. We even spent a nomadic year staying at short-term rentals for a month at a time. When you've experienced dozens of Airbnbs as a guest, you learn what guests appreciate and what they don't. You see what's annoying and unnecessary and what's to be expected in comparison to a hotel. We started taking mental notes long before we started our own rental about what we would want to do and not do if we ever had one and have implemented those things now that we do. As guests, we know the pain of the cleaning fee, so we don't charge one. via GIPHYIt helps that my husband has a flexible schedule and grew up helping with his parents' janitorial service, so most of the time he cleans the apartments himself. We could charge a cleaning fee for his time and labor, but even if we were paying for outside cleaners, we still wouldn't put a separate fee onto guest bookings. It makes far more sense to us to just wrap the cleaning fee into the per-night price.From a host's perspective, the one-night stay is where the cleaning fee question hits the hardest. Whether someone stays one night or 10 nights, the cleaning cost is the same. But spreading the cost over 10 nights is a very different beast than adding it to one night, especially from a guest's perspective. On the host side, if we had to pay cleaners without passing that fee onto guests, we've barely make anything on one-night stays. But on the guest side, a $100 a night stay suddenly jumping to $150 because a cleaning fee was added is painful, and often a dealbreaker. You can see the conundrum. $200 cleaning fee Airbnb — (@) The way we see it, and as other Airbnb hosts have found, wrapping cleaning costs into the base price comes out in the wash over time, as long as you have some longer-term stays mixed in with the one-nighters. And it's a much better experience for the guest not to get hit with sticker shock on the "final cost" screen, which is already eye-popping when service fees and taxes are added on.(I will say, this may only ring true for smaller units. If you're renting a huge home, cleaning costs are going to be higher just because it takes longer to clean. But I still don't think the full cost should be passed onto guests as a separate fee.) If you charge a cleaning fee, you should not be allowed to include CHORES in your AirBnB rules — (@) As for check-out chores—asking guests to do things like start laundry, sweep the floor, take out the trash, etc.—those have never made sense to us. Hosts should have enough switch-out linens that laundry doesn't have to be started prior to checking out, and none of those chores save enough time for the cleaning people to make it worth asking guests to do it. I can see taking out trash if there wasn't going to be another guest for a while, but usually you'd want to clean right away after a stay anyway just in case it does get booked last minute. The only thing we ask guests to do is to start the dishwasher if they have dirty dishes (as a guest, I've never found that an unreasonable request), lock the door and have a safe trip home. Don't need to pull the sheets. Don't need to take out any garbage or recycling. Those things don't take that long, but that's just as much a reason not to ask guests to do it. Annoying your guests by asking them to do something extra isn't worth the tiny bit of time it might save the cleaning people. And you know what? This approach works really well. Approximately 95% of guests leave the apartments clean and tidy anyway. In seven years, I can count on one hand how many problems we've had with guests leaving a mess. That's been a pleasant surprise, but I think part of the reason is that guest are simply reciprocating the respect and consideration we show them by not making them pay extra fees or do chores on their way out. To be fair, it probably also helps that we aren't some big real estate tycoon buying up a bunch of apartments and turning them into short-term rentals run by impersonal management companies. People's complaints about how short-term rentals impact local housing economies are legitimate. We're more aligned with the original "sharing economy" model, renting out our home to guests who come through town. And in a small college town with a large university, there often aren't enough hotel rooms during busy weekends anyway, so it's been a bit of a win-win. I think being right next door, having personal communication with our guests (but also leaving them their privacy), and not charging or asking anything extra of them makes them want to be respectful guests. From our perspective, both as guests and hosts, cleaning fees and check-out chores simply aren't worth it. This article originally appeared on 4.4.24

Since 2019, Kodi Lee has wowed “America’s Got Talent” audiences with his next-level musical skills. That goes for whether he’s performing touching original works or putting his own personal touch on well-known songs.For “America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League,” the music savant was guided by his mentor Howie Mandel to cover “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.It’s hard to imagine a version of this fan-favorite tune you haven’t already heard before, since the song has been covered quite a few times. But once again Lee delivered something epic and completely unique.Even though judges Mel B and Heidi Klum still prefer Lee’s original songs, all applauded his haunting and emotional piano rendition of the rock-n-roll anthem.Simon Cowell even said “You use these words ‘Star Quality’ a lot, but you genuinely, Kodi, over the years we’ve got to know you, you’ve just got better as an artist. You’ve never given up, and the Finals just wouldn’t be the same without you in it this year.”Other viewers applauded Lee for one-of-a-kind performance, agreeing that he did freddie Mercury proud. One wrote, “‘You can do whatever you want to do in my music, just don't make it boring’ -Freddie. What a magical performance.” Another added, “Kodi has an amazingly rare talent to be able to sing across different musical genres. He owns them all!!!”Last but not least, I think this comment sums up the general consensus pretty well: "This version is unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. It’s truly a masterpiece. Kodi is an amazing gift to our world. He continues to change the world just by being himself." Watch below. And enjoy. This article originally appeared on 2.13.24

A new video by TikTok user Shiraah Benarde is a fun way of exposing a serious problem that countless people face when going to bars, nightclubs, or even a friend’s party. It’s a lot easier than most people think to have their drink spiked, especially when you’re not taking any precautions. Benarde is the CEO of NightCap, which makes products that prevent people from having their drinks spiked. In the video, Benarde has several gummy candies and Pixy Sticks at a house party. Throughout the video, she drops them into people’s drinks when they aren’t paying attention without getting caught. “Pregames and private parties are a false sense of security. You don’t expect anything to happen, but it does,” she captioned the video. @shiraah With everything going on with #diddy right now, this is do important to remember. Do not let your guard down even at a private party. #diddyparty #drinkspikingprevention #spiked Benrade’s experiment is even more eye-opening because it happens at a friend’s house, a place where most people wouldn’t assume they’d have their drink spiked. However, it often occurs in places where people feel like no one would ever tamper with their drink. In this type of situation, the person who spiked the drink could fall victim to someone they trust to take of them in a drugged state. There are many reasons why people spike drinks, the most common being to render the victim defenseless against sexual assault or robbery. Drink-spiking has also been tied to abuse or dangerous pranks. It can be tough to know the difference between the effects of alcohol and a doctored drink, but here are some warning signs, according to NBC News. You may feel drowsy and nauseatedYour cheeks may feel flushedYou may feel like your body temperature has gone upYou may feel sexually arousedYou may feel like you've had many more drinks than you've consumedYou may start staggering and have an unsteady gaitGiven that many people don’t tell the authorities that they’ve had their drink spiked it’s hard to know how often it happens. A 2016 study of 6,000 students at 3 American universities found that nearly 8% thought they had been slipped something in a drink at one point in their lives. Another 1% admitted that they had spiked someone’s drink. Benarde says that she made the TikTok video to remind everyone of the dangers of having their drink spiked at a time when sexual assault is making headlines. “With everything going on with #diddy right now, this is so important to remember. Do not let your guard down even at a private party,” she writes in the video’s caption. Sean Combs, a.k.a P. Diddy, was recently accused by over 120 people of sexual assault, some of whom claim they were drugged. Many of the 200,000-plus people who’ve seen the video thought it was a great way to show how easy it is to have your drink spiked and to encourage people to be more cautious. “This is a good video. You really don’t think it’s this easy! Especially when you trust someone. I got roofied by someone close to me who I trusted,” one commenter wrote. “Honestly, this is a fun way to teach your friends to pay attention to their drinks,” another added.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, known for being one of the most entertaining photography contests, has just wrapped up, and this year’s top prize goes to Jason Moore for his hilarious and brilliantly captured photo of a kangaroo, cheekily named “Air Guitar Roo.” Not only did this fantastic shot win the overall competition, but it also rocked the Creatures of the Land category, too.Jason's photo stood out among a whopping 5,300 entries submitted by 1,842 photographers from 85 countries. Moore’s photo of the female western grey kangaroo was taken in the outer suburbs of Perth, Australia when Jason visited a field of wildflowers to snap some pics of the many adult kangaroos and joeys playing there. “The shoot turned out to be a great session, and I am quite fond of several images that I captured,” Moore said in a statement. “Not many people know that kangaroos are normally fairly docile and even a bit boring most of the time if I’m honest. However, when I saw this roo striking the air guitar pose, it immediately brought a smile to my face, and I knew that I had captured something really special."The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards was started in 2015 by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to create a competition focused on the lighter, humorous side of wildlife photography while assuming an essential role in promoting wildlife conservation.Here are 14 of the big winners. 1. Overall Winner: "Air-Guitar Roo" (grey kangaroo) by Jason Moore, Australia"On this day, I had been out with my camera photographing some waterfowl at a nearby lake. I had been up at sunrise to take advantage of the 'golden hour' light, but it turned out to be a disappointing morning on the water. After leaving the lake, somewhat dejected, I decided to swing past an area of open bushland, because there are often a 'mob' of Kangaroos feeding and sunning themselves in a field close to the road. ... The morning light was still favorable so I grabbed my camera and headed off to a spot where I could get down to eye level with my subjects. I ended up shooting about 40 or 50 frames of the kangaroos with various content including mum’s, joeys and also some action shots of them bouncing along through the yellow field. The shoot turned out to be a great session, and I am quite fond of several images that I captured. However, when I saw this animal strike this pose it immediately brought a smile to my face and I knew that I had captured something special." — Jason Moore2. Creatures of the Air Award: "Unexpected Plunge" (heron) Vittorio Ricci, South Africa"An unusual end of a perfect moment." — Vittorio Ricci3. Creatures Under the Water Award: "Otter Ballerina" (smooth-coated otter), Otter Kwek, Singapore"The otter was leaping while attempting to grasp the overhanging leaves, and during an unusual landing, it ended up in the Arabesque pose. I showed this photo to a ballet teacher, and she commented that the otter is a natural but just needs to tuck in its tummy a bit — precisely what a ballet teacher would advise." — Otter Kwek4. People's Choice Award: "Dispute" (greenfinch), Jacek Stankiewicz, Poland"I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. My friends interpret this scene in two ways. One, a young naughty kid is arguing with a parent. Two, a kid is reporting to the parent that their brother did something wrong: 'Look he broke a window!'" — Jacek StankiewiczHighly Commended Winners5. "The Happy Turtle" (swamp turtle), Tzahi Finkelstein, Antarctica"The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose." — Tzahi Finkelstein 6. "The Monday Blahs" (great grey owl) John Blumenkamp, USA"While photographing the great gray owl shown in my image, I had been busy working to capture that majestic-looking pose. As the owl preened and then sat still for a short while, it stretched once more and for a quick moment gave the pose shown. As it did, I grinned and thought… now that’s funny!" — John Blumenkamp7. "One for the Family Album" (gannets) Zoe Ashdown, UK"At RSPB Bempton Cliffs, each year between March and October, around half a million seabirds use the chalk cliffs towering above the North Sea to nest and raise a family. Gannets mate for life and they return to the same nest year after year to raise their young. Lying safely at the top of the cliff face, I was able to observe the affection shown between the gannets each time one returned to the nest. They have a greeting ritual, they rub beaks and entwine their necks; it’s how they strengthen their bond. But it’s also a brilliant opportunity to catch them in various poses. I didn’t realize I’d taken this image until I got home, but as soon as I saw it I laughed out loud! They look like proud parents, posing with their baby." — Zoe Ashdown8. "Don't Look Down" (Atlantic puffin), Brian Matthews, UK"A puffin does an inverted snoopy impression while watching jelly fish." — Brian Matthews. 9. "Boing" (grey kangaroo) Lara Mathews, Australia"Taken at Westerfolds Park, a beautiful and surprisingly wild pocket of land in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, famous for its kangaroo population. The mob was enjoying some morning sunshine when this joey decided to get silly and try his hand at boxing." — Lara Mathews10. "The Rainforest Dandy" (monkey) Delphine Casimir, Bali"This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali, a crazy place where monkeys are king! This forest is special even magical and sacred to the Balinese people. Maybe our dandy is the reincarnation of a divinity?" — Delphine Casimir11. "Look Right, Bro" (macaque, deer) Pratick Mondal, India12. "That Wasn't Here Yesterday" (white-winged dove) Wendy Kaveney, USA"A white-winged dove appearing to fly head-on into a cholla cactus skeleton." — Whitney Kaveney13. "Snowball" (white grouse) Jaques Poulard, Norway"The white grouse is coming towards me and looks like a snowball with eyes." — Jaques Poulard14. "Excuse Me Sir But I Think You're a Bit Too Young to Be Smoking" (grey fox) Dakota Vaccaro, USA"While I was working deep in the Virginian woods, a family of grey foxes took up residence under the deck of the abandoned cottage next to my work housing. One day, while practicing their hunting skills on bits of moss and branches, one of the kits lunged at a small chunk of wood and started rolling around with his prize. Tired after his hunt, the kit lounged on his belly still holding the wood in his mouth which gave the strong resemblance of a cigar." — Dakota VaccaroThis article originally appeared on 11.27.23

There are a million and one ways to find a baby name. Some parents might glean their own family line, scour through beloved books or pop culture references, or even hire a professional to conjure up some creative ideas. But as we dive into the spooky season, you could opt for the more macabre route. That is what Haley Hodge did for her fourth child. In a video that quickly went viral on TikTok back in May, Hodge filmed herself in a flowy pink dress traipsing around the Smithville Burying Ground in Southport, North Carolina, on a quest to find her soon-to-be-daughter’s name. As she does, her onscreen text offers this fun fact “did you know families usd to come to cemeteries to have a picnic with their loved ones?” (sounds like a very Victorian pastime). Hodge’s other kids lend a helping hand in the name hunt, her son getting particularly excited to find a gravestone with the name Salem. Bunny, Winnie, Vienna, and Olympus were some other good ones. @hodgehouse Fun fact: My sister came from someones gravestone ? #babynames #southport #love #fyp #viral #weird #graveyard ♬ Beautiful Memories - Lux-Inspira In an interview with TODAY, Hodge shared that she came by this idea rather honestly, as her mom was a history buff who loved to go epitaphing—i.e., visit cemeteries—and would often bring her and her sister along. In fact, her sister’s name came from someone’s grave. "My mom found that we were more interested in spooky stories and ghost stories rather than the historical tours," she shared with USA Today. "I've always been fond of walking through the cemeteries and looking at how they're decorated or their stories behind some of the people." Though she said some might find it “creepy,” Hodge argues that “You can learn so much about cultural aspects of the past." And many in the comments seemed to agree. “I love this! and it’s absolutely no different than looking at a book of names or getting a name from a movie/show. and it’s a great way to bring back the older generation's names!” one person wrote. “How beautiful must it be for some of these souls to hear their name spoken again after so many years. I hope you have an incredible pregnancy and a healthy baby,” added another. One fellow “gravestone baby” even shared that “whenever people compliment my name I love to tell them and see their shocked faces when I say, ‘thanks my mom got it from a gravestone.’" Still, other more superstitious viewers did share concern about visiting cemeteries while pregnant, as they feared it could attract uninvited spirits or energies. Either way, Hodge has found a really cool way of both honoring some family traditions while bringing something fresh and unique. "I know there's baby books, but I feel like I see a lot of repeated names over and over again. And it's fun to have a story behind finding a name,” she told USA Today. And in case you were wondering, it looks like Salem was the winner. See on Instagram Look, graveyards might be a place for somber remembrance, but they can also be a source of joy. Previously, Upworthy covered a librarian who got delicious recipes from tombstones. Even earlier this mount a cemetery went viral for filming a nesting bluebird couple. Bottom line: Cemeteries remind us of the inevitably of death, but they are also opportunities to celebrate life as well.