Tooth Tunes Musical ToothbrushHygieneHasbro’s new toothbrush plays a song clip for two minutes, the amount of time dentists recommend you spend brushing your teeth. The song vibrates from the brush, through your teeth, and into your ears, with surprising sonic clarity. You can choose tunes by a wide range of artists, from Kiss to Kelly Clarkson. Dental hygiene has never sounded so good.$10, hasbro.com/toothtunes/LibrariesBookshelfCandida Höfer’s book is a collection of images of grand libraries across the world. From France’s Bibliothèque Nationale to the Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura in Brazil-and everywhere in between-Höfer captures splendidly designed libraries with such a loving eye that it makes you feel a little dirty for enjoying it so much.$85, thameshudson.co.ukT-Post T-shirtsFashionSwedish T-shirt-design company T-Post has found an easy way for you to draw public attention to important current events. Subscribe to their new service and every six weeks you’ll receive a new American Apparel T-shirt upon which the latest news has been graphically depicted (don’t worry, explanatory text is on the inside). As countless curious passersby ask what your shirt means, you’ll be raising awareness every time you leave your house. The price is steep, but consider the alternative: newspaper clothing would be neither practical nor comfortable.$32/t-shirt, t-post.seHeifer InternationalLivestockThe standby of charitable-minded gift-giving grandmothers everywhere, Heifer International gives you the opportunity to provide poor families around the world with helpful livestock, from a cow to honeybees. The animals help families with their agriculture needs and may eventually become a meal. Warning: children expecting a toy may not be immediately receptive to the idea that their gift is actually a cow for a family far away.From $10, heifer.orgMagnamagic magnetic chalkboard paintHardwareThis special paint turns any wall into a chalkboard, all in a few strokes. Apply with standard brushes and rollers for a chalk-ready wall that is easily erasable. Better yet, invisible ironparticles in the paint make it magnet friendly. Sticking report cards on the fridge is solast week.$25/quart, magnamagic.comSling and Stones jeansFashionMade from organic free-trade materials, these jeans leave no ethical or ecological stone unturned; they’re even washed using a special environmentally friendly process. To add a bit of high-end class, all the hardware is plated with 24-karat gold. Even the thread is gold. Buying these jeans also aligns you with an almost absurd panoply of world wide causes: preventing Japanese suicide, caring for Indian orphans, supplying hydroelectric power and immunization in Peru, and training young adults in humanitarian relief. Give yourself a gold star.$350, slingandstones.comreiter8 bagsPortageThese tote bags emblazoned with bold numbers and symbols are made from reclaimed canvas sails. If the canvas can power a boat, it’s sturdy enough to hold your stuff.$65, reiter8.com

  • Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
    Dogs have impressive observational powers.Photo credit: Canva

    Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.

    “A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”

    His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.

    pregnancy signs, dogs and pregnancy, pitbull behavior, pet intuition, dog overprotection, Reddit stories, viral Reddit, dog instincts, canine emotions, dog owner tips
    Otis knew before they did. Canva

    Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.

    So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”

    The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.

    Any chance your wife is pregnant?

    ZZBC | Reddit

    The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!

    “The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”

    Redditors responded with similar experiences.

    Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.

    realityisworse | Reddit

    So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?

    Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”

    The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.

    This article originally appeared last year.

  • Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.

  • ,

    Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories

    Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.

    While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.

    When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.

    Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.


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