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People Are Ridiculing Fan Who Spent $26,000 To Look Like David Beckham, But It Actually Kind Of Worked

‘Obviously I know I don’t look like him, I’m not that stupid’

 Eric Pfeiffer
09.30.16

David Beckham is a global icon - an all-time soccer great, fodder for celebrity gossip and now, an inspiration for one really expensive makeover.

Jack Johnson is not a global icon. But after a $26,000 investment, the 19-year-old says he feels better about himself having undergone a major physical overhaul to look more like his Beckham, his idol. The series of what he says are still ongoing procedures include having his cheeks filled and getting “tan injections.”

Plenty of people are mocking Johnson while others are saying he obviously suffers from serious body image issues and that this is no laughing matter. After all, Johnson freely admitted he’s gone into financial debt pursuing his dream and says he wants to spend thousands more before he’s done. But he also claims he’s not living in denial, responding to one snarky British TV host who pointed out the obvious differences in their physical appearance and athletic tone:

“Obviously I know I don’t look like him, I’m not that stupid,” Johnson said. “But I have a long way to go to get to my goal of looking like him. Easily another 30 grand. It will cost money and operations to look like him. Obviously I’m not slim, like him or have the six pack but I do want a gastric band.”

What do you think? Is this a sad tale of someone’s body perception being warped by unrealistic expectations created through celebrity-driven media? Or, does Johnson have a right to pursue whatever image he likes?

As to that gastric band, Johnson said he’s been exercising and dieting but feels he needs the surgical help to make a significant change to his body, “And when I have that done I have to still exercise and eat healthy,” he said, adding that he feels “amazing about myself” and is in “the best place ever” since launching his transformation.

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A Kenyan inventor's niece was born deaf so he made a glove that turns sign language into speech

via Honor Africans / Twitter

The problem with American Sign Language (ASL) is that over 500,000 people in the U.S. use it, but the country has over 330 million people.

So for those with hearing loss, the chances of coming into contact with someone who uses the language are rare. Especially outside of the deaf community.

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Bill Gates explaining the internet to a smug David Letterman in 1995 is hilarious in hindsight

Looking back, the year 1995 seems like such an innocent time. America was in the midst of its longest streak of peace and prosperity. September 11, 2001 was six years away, and the internet didn't seem like much more than a passing fad.

Twenty-four years ago, 18 million U.S. homes had modem-equipped computers, 7 million more than the year before. Most logged in through America Online where they got their email or communicated with random strangers in chat rooms.

According to a Pew Research study that year, only 32% of those who go online say they would miss it "a lot" if no longer available.

Imagine what those poll numbers would look like if the question was asked today.

RELATED: Bill and Melinda Gates had a surprising answer when asked about a 70 percent tax on the wealthiest Americans

"Few see online activities as essential to them, and no single online feature, with the exception of E-Mail, is used with any regularity," the Pew article said. "Consumers have yet to begin purchasing goods and services online, and there is little indication that online news features are changing traditional news consumption patterns."

"Late Night" host David Letterman had Microsoft founder and, at that time the richest man in the world, on his show for an interview in '95 to discuss the "the big new thing."

During the interview Letterman chided Gates about the usefulness of the new technology, comparing it to radio and tape recorders.

Gates seems excited by the internet because it will soon allow people to listen to a baseball game on their computer. To which Letterman smugly replies, "Does radio ring a bell?" to laughter from the crowd.

But Gates presses Letterman saying that the new technology allows you to listen to the game "whenever you want," to which Letterman responds, "Do tape recorders ring a bell?"

Gates then tells Letterman he can keep up with the latest in his favorite hobbies such as cigar smoking or race cars through the internet. Letterman shuts him down saying that he reads about his interests in magazines.

RELATED: Bill Gates has five books he thinks you should read this summer.

The discussion ends with the two laughing over meeting like-minded people in "troubled loner chat room on the internet."

The clip brings to mind a 1994 segment on "The Today Show" where host Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric have a similar discussion.

"What is internet anyway?" an exasperated Gumball asks. "What do you write to it like mail?"

"It's a computer billboard but it's nationwide and it's several universities all joined together and it's getting bigger and bigger all the time," a producer explains from off-stage.





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Culture

We're finally starting to take climate change seriously, survey finds

Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash

The future generations will have to live on this Earth for years to come, and, not surprisingly, they're very concerned about the fate of our planet. We've seen a rise in youth activists, such as Greta Thunberg, who are raising awareness for climate change. A recent survey indicates that those efforts are working, as more and more Americans (especially young Americans) feel concerned about climate change.

A new CBS News poll found that 70% of Americans between 18 and 29 feel climate change is a crisis or a serious problem, while 58% of Americans over the age of 65 share those beliefs. Additionally, younger generations are more likely to feel like it's their personal responsibility to address climate change, as well as think that transitioning to 100% renewable energy is viable. Overall, 25% of Americans feel that climate change is a "crisis," and 35% feel it is a "serious problem." 10% of Americans said they think climate change is a minor problem, and 16% of Americans feel it is not a problem that worries them.

The poll found that concern for the environment isn't a partisan issue – or at least when it comes to younger generations. Two-thirds of Republicans under the age of 45 feel that addressing climate change is their duty, sentiments shared by only 38% of Republicans over the age of 45.

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