From the Black Death to the measles, rapidly spreading diseases have taken a toll on humanity for centuries. Here's a look at the biggest and deadliest pandemics ever.
A collaboration between GOOD and Column Five Media.
Researchers in Brazil have uncovered a remarkable discovery that spans across millennia—dinosaur footprints found alongside ancient rock art dating back over 9,000 years. This significant find took place in Serrote do Letreiro, located in the Sousa Basin, and the research has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The study, led by Leonardo P. Troiano, Heloísa B. dos Santos, Tito Aureliano, and Aline M. Ghilardi, suggests that prehistoric hunter-gatherers in Brazil created mysterious rock art designs—known as petroglyphs—next to dinosaur footprints. These findings offer valuable insights into the intersection of paleontology and archaeology, particularly at the Serrote site.
The paper notes that while researchers first identified the petroglyphs in 1975, they only recently discovered these carvings close to massive dinosaur footprints. This discovery was facilitated by the innovative use of drones. The tracks, they said, belong to dinosaurs from the Cretaceous Period, which ended around 66 million years ago.
Researchers believe ancient humans deliberately placed these carvings next to the dinosaur prints, noting that some petroglyphs are only 2 to 4 inches away and may depict the footprints themselves.
This suggests that people of that era were deeply curious about the footprints and interacted with them. "The individuals who crafted the petroglyphs were acutely aware of the footprints, likely selecting the location precisely because of them," Leonardo Troiano, the study’s lead author and an archaeologist from Brazil's National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage, told Live Science "It would have been impossible to overlook their presence."
Troiano said these ancient humans were highly interested in the footprints and considered them meaningful in some way. This also goes parallel to the location of Serrote. Serrote do Letreiro, which translates to "Signpost Hill" in Portuguese, is close to the Valley of the Dinosaurs, a conservation area renowned for its hundreds of fossilized dinosaur footprints.
Troiano and his fellow researchers carried out the research with a group of middle-school students who surveyed the site in 2023. In addition to learning about the convergence of paleontology and archaeology, the students helped photograph the specimens. The team noted that the tracks belong to various types of dinosaurs, such as meat-eating theropods, long-necked sauropods, and two-legged ornithopods, including iguanodontian dinosaurs.
The petroglyphs uncovered were mainly carvings of circles filled with lines and other geometric strokes. These artworks are attributed to humans who lived in the region anywhere between 9,400 and 2,620 years ago. "They were small seminomadic groups of hunters and gatherers who lived in society and used objects made from stones," Troiano said. These ancient humans made these rock carvings with two techniques; perforation and scraping, the team said.
"Perforation involves using a kind of stone hammer to create depressions on the surface, resembling stippling, while scraping entails rubbing a stone against the surface until it forms the desired engraving," Troiano explained. The petroglyphs offer crucial evidence about the historical population and shed light on the rituals and practices of that time. “I think rock art creation was embedded in some sort of ritual context: people gathering and creating something, perhaps utilizing some psychotropics,” said Troiano, adding that these people were interested in “what the footprints represent.”
Affirming Troiano’s hypothesis, Jan Simek, a distinguished professor of anthropology at the University of Tennessee, told CNN, “The paper provides an interesting new example of how ancient people observed and incorporated fossils on the landscape into their religious experiences and interpretations.”
He said this case is another archaeological example of the “human tendency to tie the spiritual world created in the imagination to unexplained things in the world around us.”
This article originally appeared last year,
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An animal rescue in Georgia has gone the extra mile to help pet owners battling homelessness.
During periods of severe cold, many cities offer warming centers: temporary shelters for those in need, often operated out of churches and non-profit facilities. But if animals aren’t allowed inside, this creates a conundrum for pet owners who are homeless. Now Bogey’s Buddies, an animal rescue based out of Bartow County, Georgia, is confronting this challenge in an innovative and admirably selfless way.
When needed, the staff park outside a local warming center in their bus and stay through the night with pets who can’t accompany their owners indoors. In a recent Facebook livestream, you can see a couple pups playing with toys and munching on treats in the spacious vehicle, which is decked out with plenty of crates and blankets.
You can find more information about the Bogey’s—officially known as Bartow Rescue & Resources—at their website. "At Bogey’s Buddies, our mission goes beyond just rescuing pets; we are dedicated to keeping families united," reads their "About Us" section. "This is why we engage in community outreach to support pet owners and prevent unnecessary separations. We provide resources and guidance while organizing educational events to strengthen the bond between humans and their cherished pets."
To help support their ongoing efforts, you can donate to their Givebutter campaign, helping cover the cost of both owner-surrendered pets and those who arrive as strays. In addition, Bogey’s recently announced a three-hour live fundraiser with the national animal advocacy organization Jordan’s Way, set for March 9th.
The timing is critical. "The country is in crisis mode. Healthy dogs and cats are being euthanized. Animals are getting sick and dying from preventable diseases that are being spread from overcrowding," they write on the Givebutter site.
Jo’El Lapp, director and founding member of Bogey’s, spoke to GOOD about the origins of their organization, launched in April 2024 with co-director Becca Gosnell, whom she knew casually through rescue efforts.
"I knew from online she was a cat person, and I reached out because I had a foster dog that needed to be tested with cats," she says. "We got along very well. Samantha [Able] is another co-founder, and her dog passed away the year before. As I went around town with my foster dogs, people would tell me that I needed to meet Sam because her dog Bogey just died and she might be looking for another pet. With these two ladies, the first glimmer of a rescue started."
They named their organization after that dog because of his powerful path to rehabilitation. "[Bogey] was on the euthanasia list, severely emaciated, heartworm-positive, and terrified," Able wrote on their website. "The only reason we were able to adopt him was thanks to an incredible woman who chose to foster him! It’s fitting that Bogey became the namesake of our rescue organization, as his story embodies the spirit of hope and second chances that we strive to provide for other animals in need."
The all-woman crew expanded to include board member/Bogey’s Boutique supervisor Elizabeth "June" Boardman, board member Kelsey Strawn, non-board members Macie Rae and Madie Rose, and a crew of volunteers and fosters. And despite the heavy hours they clock, this has never been a financial endeavor.
"Becca and I are self-employed, and Sam is a manager at a brewery in Cartersville. All but one of the ladies on the board have full-time jobs or are business owners. One is a retired school teacher," Lapp says. "Yes, volunteering the amount we do is a challenge. Our goal is to have a facility and start getting some form of compensation for the 60-plus hours we put in a week. Not to mention that we desperately need a place to put at-risk pets that do not have a foster home waiting, like soon-to-whelp moms and abandoned pets."
Photo courtesy of Jo'El Lapp (Bogey’s Buddies)
The Bogey’s team is clearly putting in an exceptional amount of effort—and that’s before even mentioning their Internet-viral bus, the P.A.W. (Pet Adoption Wagon).
"We were having an adoption event in the summer, and the temps got into the 90’s," Lapp says, detailing that project’s early days. "It was miserable. Even with fans blowing, it felt like we were in a convention oven. So I started thinking about a mobile adoption center. I had the idea of an air-conditioned and heated vehicle that we could use at events. A place for pets and humans to be comfortable.
"Becca also needed a meeting area for cats, so the meet and greets did not need to keep happening at her home," she continues. "We looked at buses and RVs and finally fell on a semi-converted skoolie for a fair price. As we started the planning, we brainstormed on possible uses and something that always bothered me was that people had to choose between warmth in the bitter cold and their pets. It was an easy path to where we are."
The bus was originally was parked on Lapp’s lawn—a temporary measure. ("It resulted in an 85-pound German Shepherd getting tied to my neighbor's porch and two other dogs that were found on my street being brought to my house. I like not having a 45-foot sign on my lawn. Not sure where the bus will stay once the weather gets warmer.") But for now it will be parked at the Compassion Center, a nonprofit in Cartersville, Georgia, through the winter. And, crucially, they have a plan in place, helping them prepare for those bus sleepovers.
"Once we receive a call from the Compassion Center with the expected dates that the warming shelter will be open, we let them know if we can staff the bus," she says. "They then spread the word that we will be there. We get there about an hour before sunset, and then we start taking in the dogs. We had a cat this past week. The pet's human is asked to walk the pet before 11 p.m. when lights are out and to get the pet by 8 a.m. The shelter allows pets during the day use."
Given the success they’ve already seen, I wondered if Lapp has any advice for places like warming centers—suggestions that could help them welcome pets into facilities in the future.
"The bus is dual-purpose and not necessary if this is what they are trying to achieve," she says. "The community is very supportive of helping the pets of the unsheltered. My suggestion is to get with the local humane society or a rescue group and fundraise for a heated shed with kennels. Just the type that are in Home Depot or Lowe’s parking lot. They may even be able to get one donated if the company can get some bragging rights. Maybe a local builder? Does not need to be fancy, only functional.
"People need to think out of the box. We are not in a normal situation with the current pet crises, so the usual solutions are not going to work. Be creative and make the big asks. People want to help if you give them the opportunity."
Despite the noble efforts of the Bogey’s crew, there are still "many" people going unserved in similar situations. "It is a trust issue that we are still working through," Lapp notes. "Municipalities are not kind to the unsheltered. I understand that there are challenges, but a little humanity goes a long way."
A key theme, she adds, is that "we sometimes overlook those who cannot help themselves."
"We are trying to bridge that gap," Lapp says. "We have taken two of the pups to get fixed after our last cold spell. Another got all of his shots. We try to educate on how dangerous it can be for a dog to have puppies and how easy it is for the puppies to die in those conditions. We are hoping to be able to track and manage these dogs so that they live healthy, happy, and safe lives and continue to be the support that their human needs."
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Unknown Artist, "The Days' Doings," New York, August 12, 1876
Living in Memphis, Tennessee and surviving the 1866 Memphis Massacre, Frances Thompson summoned the bravery, courage, and resolve that ultimately made her an important figure of trans history and American history.
According to MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, Thompson was “born into slavery around 1840,” and experienced mobile disability. When the family that owned her was killed in the Civil War fighting for the South, she became free. Working for herself, she took in laundry, worked as a seamstress, and occasionally worked as a servant.
Tennessee ratified their state amendment ending slavery in February 1865, almost a month after the federal government. Rampant racism far outlived the amendment’s ratification, however, and upon the ratification of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Memphis was one of many cities where it turned even more dangerous.
Illustration of an attack on Black Memphians from Harper's Weekly, May 26, 1866.commons.wikimedia.org
What became known as the Memphis Massacre, “the first large-scale racial massacre to erupt in the post-Civil War South,” according to the University of Memphis, occurred on May 1, 1866 and targeted Black communities like “Hell’s Half-Acre,” where Thompson lived on Gayoso Street, as MLK50 reported. The riot lasted three days as white men, including police, violently attacked, murdered, and burned Union Army soldiers, Black residents, and their homes. Sadly, Frances Thompson and her housemate Lucy Smith were among them, raped, beaten, and robbed by police. They couldn’t believe they survived.
Frances was brought in to testify before Congress, and she has since become acknowledged as the first transgender woman to do so. Part of her testimony can be read here courtesy of the organization Speaking While Female, which chronicles speeches given by great women leaders. Hearing her terrifying accounts of the evening, along with that of Smith and the other women who came forth, it moved listeners to make change. It wouldn’t have been easy to give such a testimony anywhere, especially not here, because their audience was “‘congressional leaders who were not necessarily sympathetic,’” as CNN quoted historian Hannah Rosen. But the testimonies from Thompson and her fellow witnesses ultimately helped push forward the 1866 passage and 1868 ratification of the 14th Amendment.
Unknown Artist, "The Days' Doings," New York, August 12, 1876es.m.wikipedia.org
Thompson’s life didn’t get easier, unfortunately. Further federal amendments would not end the mistreatment of Black people in the South, Memphis included. Thompson’s life wound up entangled with the law as she was taken by police for “cross-dressing,” subjected to a doctor’s examination by force, and exposed as transgender. She was eventually sentenced to a male chain gang–“paraded through the city and humiliated,” CNN reported–and ultimately prison, where the negative attention continued. Some newspapers even tried to discredit her Congressional testimony, which had helped pass the 14th Amendment. Almost everything was taken from her home while she was imprisoned. Shortly after completing her sentence she passed away at approximately 36 years old.
Frances Thompson was remembered recently not just on CNN; but on the TransLash podcast, which includes a discussion with filmmaker Mickaela Bradford, who recently developed a short film about Thompson’s work entitled Under False Colors; a viral video on TikTok, where Kezia Williams, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Business Coach of business development initiative The Black upStart, discussed her history and honored her; and Harper’s Bazaar Italy, among others.
We’re living in a time where the federal government is attempting to erase transgender history from America’s present on an almost daily basis, which is not only vile, but has no basis in reality. Transgender people have always been part of America and American history–as Frances Thompson shows us. They built, fought, and died for this country, too, and far too often at its hands.
At 10 o’clock in the morning last month, Chef Daniel Garwood’s phone started ringing. Congratulations came through the other end of the line: he had just been named a James Beard Award Semifinalist for Emerging Chef for his work at ACRU in New York’s West Village, where he is Executive Chef. At just 30, Garwood moved to the U.S. under three years ago, having worked in high-end, award-winning kitchens around the world. ACRU’s inventive menu features Garwood’s influences from his native Australia as well as Korea, Scandinavia, Europe, and the U.S., all with a bent toward sustainability–it is, for example, one of the few places in the U.S. to use dairy cow meat, and a majority of menu ingredients are locally sourced.
Dishes at ACRULucia Bell-Epstein
Accolades like the Semifinalist designation from the James Beard Awards, among the most distinguished awards in the U.S. for culinary arts and media, are important to so many chefs. For Garwood it’s also important because of his dedication to mental health advocacy in the hospitality industry. “I thought if I move to the U.S. and I keep working hard, do get accolades and a bit of prestige, that maybe that could add to how I talk about mental health,” he said. “If you are respected and you do have prestige, I think it's quite easier to talk about these things, to hit a wider audience.”
As discussions about mental health expand across culture, the hospitality industry has become no exception, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s an industry known for its long, sometimes uncertain hours, physically taxing work, and constant pressure. Garwood knows it all well. “A lot of the jobs I've worked at, especially early in my career, were about 110 hours a week, or something like, 16-18 hour days, and you're just tired,” he says. Leaving a job like that, even for a short while, can sometimes prove just as difficult. Working those hours and then stopping makes some people feel unbalanced. “When you're in such a high, intense environment, and then you come off, a lot of these guys end up turning to alcohol, drugs, or anything, just to calm them down or stop them or keep going,” he says. He’s witnessed it first hand, having lost friends in the industry to suicide.
One of the ways Garwood sought to bring awareness to mental health with food was through his pop-up dinner series Oralis. First created in Seoul, South Korea in February 2021, it also became the bookOralis: A Conversation on Food and Mental Health later that year, both created with his wife Sooky An. Having seen suicides double in Seoul while working there, Garwood created the series in partnership with suicide prevention service and crisis support network LifeLine Korea.
ACRU Executive Chef Daniel GarwoodLucia Bell-Epstein
Each course of the meal was prepared to reflect a different aspect of mental health. For example, a Camouflage Tart snack (“Crisps made from incredible Korean herbs and spices: dangui, nuruk powder, leek ash, and anise hyssop (Korean mint) hiding away in the moss encasing an emulsion from fermented pea paste, pickles from last season, and mackerel from Jeju,” as chronicled in Oralis) opened the dinner, to discuss presenting a persona that’s the opposite of one’s true feelings and thereby causing oneself pain. A dish called “Enter the Void,” followed. Served in a vertical dish, it featured squid, hot sauce, clams, and scallop custard and represented the need to engage with people on a deeper level.
The pop-up was received, by Garwood’s own description, as controversial and intense, but it didn’t stop him from wanting to blend food and mental health in the future. The accolades, he says, may help. Now, at ACRU, he does it on a person-to-person level with his staff and hopes to re-engage with it on a menu in the future. With ACRU General Manager Ambrose Chiang, who is also Australian, Garwood hopes to bring what he calls an Australian-inspired family culture to the restaurant. “Even if you've got your neighbor, he's your mate; if something's gonna happen, you’re gonna take care of him, you’re gonna help him out because he's your mate,” he says. “We're all essentially mates here. I think that builds a really strong culture, because then you always want to help each other work together. There's no difference between front of house and back of house because they're your mate.”
Place setting at ACRULucia Bell-Epstein
It’s important to Garwood to check in regularly with his staff, have conversations about goals and happiness. “I always ask them, pull them aside. Are you okay? Are you happy? It's totally fine not to be if someone says they're not. I’m gonna ask why. Just talk me through it. [I] try and keep it as casual as possible and not this really intense thing. As long as we keep doing that, that's something,” he says. He remembers the feeling of working in Denmark, where there’s a dedication to the concept of hygge, of feeling cozy and comfortable–it’s something he wants for his staff as well. “I think that's an important thing to translate here and into other workplaces…as long as people keep talking, I can get the information to see if they're okay, at least make sure they're all right.”
It’s also important to Garwood that the staff at ACRU have not just family meal together, but a communal experience. “A lot of restaurants will just set a buffet or set something like that. We kind of force a situation where we'll pull all the tables and everything together, and then we pull a lot of effort into making really nice meals, [nice] plates, and everything,” he says. They use the same dishes and cutlery the restaurant’s guests use. “Essentially, this is your home, this is our culture here. You want this to feel like you're at a mate’s place, or you have mates over at your place. I think it's really important to sit there, share and discuss and really relax.”
Garwood wants to show there’s another way hospitality can work and hopes other restaurants catch on. “I also pretty firmly believe in, just lead by example,” he says. “We'll just keep doing our thing here.”
ACRU General Manager Ambrose Chiang and Executive Chef Daniel GarwoodLucia Bell-Epstein
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Sometimes you need a movie to just chill and relax along with you.
Photo credit: A24/Studio Ghibli/Warner Bros. Pictures/Buena Vista Pictures/UGC Fox Distribution
There are days in which you need to just chill out after an aggravating day at work, hearing some stressful news, or just after a high-strung situation. You may want to just put on a movie to help take your mind off things, but something too high-octane, suspenseful, mysterious, or manic can be a little bit too much for your fried brain to handle. It may be time for a movie that can grab your attention but also lower your blood pressure. Maybe even relax you enough to get a welcomed nap afterward.
Here are some of the best movies to watch when you’re in the mood to just chill and enjoy or let wash over you.
Amélie
This 2001 French rom-com focuses on the main character creating very intricate schemes to bring more positivity and love to the people around her, ultimately ending in a happy ending for Amélie herself. It’s a great film to watch for the plot but also the striking yet not harsh color palette. Film critic Roger Ebert said that the film “takes so much confidence to dance on the tightrope of whimsy. Amélie takes those chances, and gets away with them.”
This Hayao Miyazaki anime classic is a great example of a chill hangout of a film. The plot focuses on two little girls adjusting to living in an old house by the forest, befriending the spirits around them, including the titular Totoro. While highly imaginative, the movie is a slow burn, not afraid to let the audience take in the ambience of the outdoors and enjoy the laughter of the child characters. The Guardian praises the film’s “simple hand-drawn design whose innocence only becomes more beguiling with repeated viewings, along with its bright, expansive, Gershwin-esque musical score.”
The first part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the space opera isn’t without moments of tension and strife, however it is dominated by a soft faded color palette, slow hypnotic dialogue, and an enchanting score that brings quiet in your ears and body within the movie’s slow pace. The movie is 83% FRESH on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics and viewers alike praising its production design and score.
Did you know David Lynch made a G-rated Disney movie? The Straight Story follows an old man named Alan Straight who finds out that his estranged brother suffered a stroke. Since he cannot legally drive to visit his brother, Alan decides to make the 240-mile trek to his brother’s home on his riding lawnmower. The movie is meditative and quiet, a peaceful road trip that stops along the way for Alan to interact with the various strangers on his journey and enjoy the stars at night. The New York Times praised the film’s “wholesome radiance and soothing natural beauty.”
A 2021 stop-motion mockumentary, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a cute day-in-the-life of a googly-eyed seashell living in a house with his grandmother and a recently divorced filmmaker that moved in. The movie is quiet and cute, with good laughs and touching emotion as Marcel’s internet popularity grows to a point that he can hopefully find the rest of his family.
People online have shared recommendations for songs that helped them ease anxiety.
Main photo (Photo credit: Canva), Steve Roach album cover (Fortuna Records/Timeroom Editions via Amazon), Enigma album cover (Virgin/Charisma via Amazon), The Cure album cover (Fiction/Capitol via Amazon), Radiohead album cover (TBD/XL via Amazon), Marconi Union (Just Music via Amazon)
If you experience anxiety, you know it doesn't always strike in convenient places—especially if you plan to soothe your symptoms through music. You might not have access to a slick pair of headphones or your perfectly curated vinyl collection. But some argue that, if you’re able to utilize sound therapeutically, the right track could help.
Strangers on the Internet have shared some of their favorite songs to help soften a panic attack. And though these are the opinions of regular people, not medical professionals—and should be approached with that disclaimer in mind—they're interesting nonetheless.
Enigma - "Return to Innocence"
There are various Reddit threads about this subject, with some tailored to specific genres and others wide open stylistically. One OP sought suggestions to help with their "constant panic attacks," as they find it helpful to "sync [their] breathing" to the music. (They were aiming to avoid songs that are "too upbeat," as those would worsen their attack.) The top response was a vote for Enigma’s 1993 new-age hit "Return to Innocence," which weaves R&B-pop hooks with airy synth pads, booming drums, and Amis chants.
"Enigma has a few good tunes for feeling calm," one user wrote. "'Return to Innocence' is one." Someone replied, "Yess!! Enigma is a great anxiety relief tool."
In a different thread, The Cure earned a nod for their 2024 epic "Alone"—that is, "if you want to reach into the depths." This atmospheric epic has a slow tempo and patient build, stretching out across seven minutes of icy, dream-sequence keyboards and mutilated bass.
Similarly slow but perhaps even more soothing, there’s Radiohead’s "Give Up the Ghost," a flurry of fragile guitars and looped vocal harmonies. It’s a highlight from the band’s 2011 LP, The King of Limbs, and, I’d argue, one of the most beautiful moments in their discography. (I'm a Radiohead fan, so I don't make that claim lightly.)
Another compelling choice is "Structures From Silence," a meditative 29-minute piece by English ambience architect Steve Roach. One user took that recommendation and responded with gratitude: "This night has been really difficult, I can’t sleep and am feeling restless, panicky, etc.," they wrote. "This song is making me feel so at peace, thank you. Makes me feel so little and insignificant in the best way possible, that my judgements don’t matter and nothing does. I feel so peaceful. Thank you."
One song that pops up repeatedly on these threads—and with good reason—is "Weightless," the drowsy 2011 instrumental by English ambient group Marconi Union. Commissioned by Radox Spa and created "under guidance of professional sound practitioner Lyz Cooper," the song was created specifically to relax listeners and lower their heart rates.
Turns out they were very, very effective: Market research firm Mindlab International conducted a study where participants completed difficult puzzles while having their brain activity monitored. Music was played during the experiment, and "Weightless" resulted in a 65% stress reduction. (It’s now widely described as "the world’s most relaxing song.")
Again, it’s crucial to remember that Reddit is not a doctor’s office. It’s worth consulting WebMD’s article about "Ways to Stop a Panic Attack," which includes suggestions like getting your breathing under control, keeping your mind in the present, and practicing "progressive relaxation."
A dad on Reddit shared an experience he had in a thread on r/daddit. What happened to him is something that has become a growing trend in recent years. He was showing a picture of his seven-month-old son to a person. She asked the question that many older fathers dread: “Are you his grandpa?”
Fellow older dads empathized with the father, as many of them were also asked that question at one point or another in their life in fatherhood. One would think that fatherhood itself would cause enough stress to induce a few premature gray hairs and wrinkles, but not enough to jump past a whole generation. Many of the older dads offered their takes on how to respond to the “Are you their grandpa?” query.
Many first-time fathers are much older than in previous generations.Photo credit: Canva
“A couple options here, get upset or relish embarrassing the person. I prefer the embarrassment route, say something like ‘I didn't think I looked that old today,’ or ‘Kids really aged me.’”
“Did you ask her to speak up? Maybe whip out the old ear horn.”
“Shoulda said ‘great grandson.’”
The original poster was 41 years old, which does seem to be older to have an infant child compared to usual norms. However, many men have become first-time fathers much later in life compared to previous generations. According to a Bowling Green State University study published in 2023, 11.8% of births in the United States involved at least one parent who was aged 40 or older. Why is that?
Well, it’s a multi-faceted issue. First, many Millennials went through two recessions throughout typical child-bearing years and couldn’t afford to purchase homes big enough for families or progress in their careers to do so either. According to The Guardian, many still cannot afford to have children either due to housing costs or working multiple jobs in which they don’t have the time to parent. A 2024 survey also found that more than 1 in 5 parents of children under 18 said they wouldn’t or couldn’t have another child due to the cost of raising one. A 2024 report from Bloomberg found that child care costs have surpassed the cost of rent for the average American family, too.
People are choosing to have no kids or fewer kids because they simply cannot afford them. The cost of childcare has gone up exponentially over the last 10 to 20 years. On average in the state of Massachusetts it’s about $20,000 a year per child. These rates are unsustainable for most families, which is why more and more people choosing not to have children. Affordable childcare would not only benefit families and children, but it would benefit our economy and society as a whole ##childcare##daycare##daycarelife##childcarecrisis##millennialmom##momsoftiktok##newparents##workingmom
Another reason why there are so many older first-time dads is because there is a growing number of older first-time moms. In 2022, an NBC News report found that the median age of the American mother was 30. This is because many women spent their 20s getting further in their education and careers, hoping to be in a better financial position before pursuing motherhood. Those goals along with a fluctuation in the economy that makes child-rearing more expensive than ever have forced them to put off motherhood until later in life, made accessible through fertility methods like IVF treatment.
So if you’re an older dad, you’re definitely part of a growing trend. However, some older dads might be wondering how to “keep up” with their kids since they’re not in their spry 20s and 30s anymore. While there may be limitations, there is no reason why you can’t experience and have a quality relationship with your child as they grow and you age.
In terms of general bonding, this is where age is just a number. Whether you are 20, 40, or 70, you can still bond with your child through reading to them, bathing them, feeding them, and just being there for general care. Take them on walks, watch television shows you both enjoy, and introduce them to your hobbies that are easier on the knees. As they grow older, you can still play catch and do other physical activities with them, but if it becomes too taxing still encourage them as their “cheerleader” from the sidelines at games rather than a “coach” at home.
Staying active now could help stay active as you and your child age.Photo credit: Canva
As a general rule many older parents agree that it’s important that they stay healthy in order to stay as energetic as they can and to live to see their kids grow old enough to give them grandchildren. This means being mindful of your diet, exercising regularly, and following your physician’s recommendations to the best of your ability. This way you can still keep up with your kids for a few extra years on the basketball court while also teaching them how to live a healthy lifestyle through your example. You can also chat with other older parents online or in person for advice on how to parent effectively at an older age.
So if you have some gray in your hair while boiling a bottle, don’t stress. You’re definitely not alone.
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Archivo:Jackie-shane.jpg - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but that talk don’t bother me,” Jackie Shane sang on her 1963 cover single “Sticks and Stones.” In some ways, the words would define aspects of Shane’s life as she became an early transgender R&B icon. By the time she had over a decade of music industry prowess under her belt, however, she mysteriously disappeared from the public eye in 1971.
Almost 50 years after that, in 2017, she reappeared with an anthology of her work named after another 1963 hit, Any Other Way–it was then nominated for a Grammy for Best Historical Album, an award that’s not given to an artist but to an album’s production team. At that point, she gave one of her first interviews in decades to the Associated Press, which in part explained her absence but also cemented her as an influential musical pioneer.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1940, Shane knew she was trans as a young child, and grew up with a supportive mother and community. Most of the ire she did experience came from growing up in the Jim Crow South, and she sought to skip town as soon as she could. This led her north eventually, but not before she got involved in Nashville’s mighty music scene as a session and touring drummer for the likes of R&B great Jackie Wilson. Not only that, AP reported, she had known the venerable Little Richard since childhood and met Jimi Hendrix while he was playing music in the city.
After Nashville, Shane eventually made her way to Toronto where she’d become a star and contribute to what became known as the “Toronto Sound,” which developed in the city’s fresh R&B scene. She had, according to NBC News, a successful career as a singer that reached one of many peaks with the success of the single “Any Other Way,” which rose to the second spot on Canada’s Pop charts. She also appeared on Nashville’s live music program “Night Train” in 1965. “Her enigmatic presentation, her undeniable talent, and the support of the music community allowed her to flourish in Toronto,” wrote AllMusic.com’s Timothy Monger. “No one in 1960s Canada had seen or heard anything like Shane.”
Wherever she went, Shane also appeared as herself–eyes darkened with liner into cat eyes, sequins, chic suits, and claimed to have brought some 20 trunks with her when she traveled. Many thought she was a lesbian, she said. As is often noted, this was a time when many people wouldn’t have known what “transgender” meant, as AP writes, and being a gender nonconforming person in the public eye was practically unheard of. Jackie was resolutely herself anyway.
Shortly after “Night Train,” The Ed Sullivan Show came calling, but to appear they said she’d have to dress as a man. “‘I said: ‘Please stuff it,’” she said, as The Guardian reported in 2019. “Ed Sullivan looks like something Dr Frankenstein had a hand in. He’s going to tell me what to do?”
And while Shane recorded at least enough music to eventually produce that 2017 anthology, she said recording was mostly not her biggest interest–she turned down offers from acclaimed studios like Motown and Atlantic, and even an offer to record with George Clinton–and many of her songs were recorded in front of a live audience, The Guardian shared. You can still listen to them on YouTube and Spotify.
By 1971, however, the pressure of making music started to get to Shane and felt her mother needed her. She left her beloved Toronto for Nashville, almost without a trace. Some even thought she had been murdered. She was found again, at least as far as the public eye was concerned, in 2014. Numero Group, known for their archival releases, sought Shane out, asking to re-release her work, and she eventually consented. The rest of the world would follow. Unfortunately, Shane wasn’t able to perform live again after the album’s release, the Guardian shared. She passed away in 2019, but her legacy lives on.
Not only does Shane regularly appear as the subject of numerous podcasts, articles, and short documentaries, she was also the subject of a 2024 documentary feature named after her most famous song, Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, which was co-produced by Elliot Page. It was an official selection for the Toronto International Film Festival and DOC NYC, and a winner of the Best Documentary at the OUTShine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, among other accolades. As of 2024, there’s also a historical marker in Nashville, designating the location of Shane’s musical beginnings. This is in addition to a preexisting plaque in Toronto as of 2023 at the site of Shane’s live album recording.
Jackie Shane was powerfully and unapologetically herself as a transgender woman in a time when doing so was rare and could even be dangerous. It’s because of people like her that we have an understanding of the longstanding role of transgender Americans throughout the country’s history and Canada’s history, a history that can’t and won’t be erased.
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Photo courtesy of Jo'El Lapp (Bogey’s Buddies)
Illustration of an attack on Black Memphians from Harper's Weekly, May 26, 1866.
Unknown Artist, "The Days' Doings," New York, August 12, 1876
Dishes at ACRULucia Bell-Epstein
ACRU Executive Chef Daniel GarwoodLucia Bell-Epstein
Place setting at ACRULucia Bell-Epstein
ACRU General Manager Ambrose Chiang and Executive Chef Daniel GarwoodLucia Bell-Epstein
