She had a flare for the dramatics, and I’m here for it. Of course, legendary country duo Brooks & Dunn  burst onto the scene with their hit debut song “Brand New Man” topped the charts in 1991, after they had been working together writing songs because songwriter and industry executive Tim DuBois wanted them to work as a duo. Both Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks moved to Nashville as solo artists and were pursuing solo careers, but were put together in an arranged musical marriage of sorts, and they famously split in August of 2009 after 20 years as a duo, but it was only for several years, as they reunited in 2015 for a Las Vegas residency with Reba McEntire called “Reba, Brooks & Dunn: Together in Vegas.” They’ve seen a huge resurgence in their commercial career with great project like the two Reboot albums they’ve put out over the last several years with some of country’s current big stars, and in 1992, they won their first ACM awards for both Top New Duo and Duo of the Year, beating out The Judds, who had consistently won those awards and had been at the top of their career in the years leading up to the early 90’s During a recent interview, they opened up about their early years and how the burst onto the scene in the early 90’s with their aforementioned hit and debut album, which happened as The Judds were breaking up: “I think The Judds were breaking up at that point for whatever reason. They were kind of the ruling duo.” Ronnie explained that he didn’t think it was the catalyst for them to step in, it was just the timing of it all, and Kix recalled a great story from the 1992 ACM Awards, when they were excited to be there and have such a big night. They were getting on the bus to go to some show that weekend once it ended, and a worker walked up to Kix and said Naomi wanted to talk to him. He followed the guy to this set of bleachers, where Naomi was standing underneath them in her evening gown ready, telling him they were ready to officially “pass the torch” to Brooks & Dunn that night. He was taken aback by what she said, explaining that they were really in no position for that yet and were still very, very early into anything like that in terms of surpassing The Judds at that particular time: “This is the truth, though. I remember the first Duo of the Year that we won at the ACMs, we were leaving, had our families there and we were excited and whatever. And walking out the door, one of the concierge came up said ‘Would you mind coming with me? Naomi Judd would like to have a word with you. And I went, ‘Okay.’ I had met Naomi, we didn’t really know each other. It’s when it was at Universal, and she was down underneath the stands. There was like you know grandstand you would have like a temporary kind of stand set up at Universal the way it was. Went in there, she stood under in her beautiful evening gown, it was like this thing out of a movie, and I said, ‘Hey, Naomi.’ She said, ‘I just wanted you to come down. I just wanna let you know that we’re passing the torch to you guys tonight.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, I don’t know if we’re really torch passing or anything, but thank you.’ She was a pretty dramatic personality. I didn’t really have a good response for her other than, ‘I appreciate you feeling that way, but there’s a lot of great duos out there.'” Ronnie laughed, saying it might’ve been a bit of a “power play” considering The Judds had been so dominant for many years: “It might’ve been a power play. I remember you came walking up on the bus, we were headed for somewhere like all award shows. You do what you gotta do, then you take off and end up in Fresno tomorrow. But he goes, ‘You won’t believe what happened.’ And he told the story.” Kix admitted that he hasn’t told that story much, but it was a “very surreal moment'” in his career and it has clearly stuck with him so many decades later: “I haven’t told that story a lot, but it was a very surreal moment… and we’re only a couple of year in, this isn’t like we’re really comfortable in our skis here.” It’s a great story about some country legends, and regardless what her intentions were telling him that, it’s clear she was right about how Brooks & Dunn would go onto be a huge part of the resurgence of country in the ’90s in terms of the commercial success, and they’re still doing it now. “Brand New Man” The post Kix Brooks Recalls “Surreal” Moment With Naomi Judd After 1992 ACM Awards: “She Was A Pretty Dramatic Personality” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Is ‘The Bear’ a comedy? If you’re asking the Television Academy, the clear answer is, “Yes, Chef!”

U.S. President Donald Trump challenged Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to try impeaching him, and said the democratic socialist should be more focused on keeping hold of her seat instead.

President Donald Trump let it fly in a wild rant about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Tuesday that also targeted “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).

President Trump unloaded on his congressional rivals in a scathing social media post Tuesday morning, daring them to initiate impeachment proceedings against him for a third time.

Death remains one of the greatest mysteries of life. It’s impossible to know what happens as a person passes and whether there’s anything afterward because no one has ever been able to report what happens from beyond the grave. Of course, if you ask those with a keen interest in the supernatural, they may say otherwise.However, in 2021, researcher Dr. Raul Vicente and his colleagues at the University of Tartu, Estonia, became the first people ever to record the brainwaves of someone in the process of dying, and what they’ve come to realize should be very comforting to everyone. “We measured 900 seconds of brain activity around the time of death and set a specific focus to investigate what happened in the 30 seconds before and after the heart stopped beating,” Dr. Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon at the University of Louisville, US, who organized the study, told Frontiers. Giphy The patient who died while having his brain waves measured was 87 years old and had epilepsy. While researchers were studying his brain to learn more about the condition, the man had a heart attack and passed away. “Just before and after the heart stopped working, we saw changes in a specific band of neural oscillations, so-called gamma oscillations, but also in others such as delta, theta, alpha, and beta oscillations,” Zemmar said.The different types of brain oscillations that occurred in the patient before and after the heart attack were associated with high cognitive functions, including dreaming, concentrating, memory retrieval, and memory flashbacks. Therefore, it’s possible that as the patient was dying, they had their life flash before their eyes. What an amazing and comforting experience right before leaving this mortal coil. A woman in a black void confronts a great light.Canva Photos“Through generating oscillations involved in memory retrieval, the brain may be playing a last recall of important life events just before we die, similar to the ones reported in near-death experiences,” Zemmar speculated. “These findings challenge our understanding of when exactly life ends and generate important subsequent questions, such as those related to the timing of organ donation.”How long are people conscious after they are technically dead?Science has found that people can remain conscious up to 20 seconds after they are declared dead. Even after the heart and breathing have stopped, the cerebral cortex can hang on for a little while without oxygen. So, some people may experience the moment when they hear themselves declared dead, but they aren’t able to move or react to the news. In cases where someone performs CPR on the deceased person, the blood pumped by the compressions can temporarily keep the brain alive as well.Although the experience of death will probably always remain a mystery, we should take solace in the idea that, in many cases, it may not necessarily be a miserable experience but an ecstatic final burst of consciousness that welcomes us into the great beyond. “Something we may learn from this research is: although our loved ones have their eyes closed and are ready to leave us to rest, their brains may be replaying some of the nicest moments they experienced in their lives,” Zemmar concludes. A man peacefully passes away. Canva PhotosThis article originally appeared in February.

The evolution of candles from lighting necessity to scented ambience creator is kind of funny. For thousands of years, people relied on candles and oil lamps for light, but with the invention of the light bulb in 1879, fire was no longer needed for light. At that time, people were probably relieved to not have to set something on fire every time they wanted to see in the dark, and now here we are spending tons of money to do it just for funsies.We love lighting candles for coziness and romance, relishing their warm, soft light as we shrink from the fluorescent bulb craze of the early 2000s. Many people use candles for adding scent to a room, and there are entire candle companies just for this purpose (Yankee Candles, anyone?). As of 2022, candles were an $11 billion business. Michael Scott once said they're the number one fastest growing product in the scent aroma market. Bonfire, James Bonfire! Giphy With their widespread use, you'd think we'd know a thing or two about candles, but as it turns out, a whole bunch of us have been burning candles wrong our entire lives without knowing it.A recent post on Twitter X started the education session: "Just learned that my fiancé, who buys candles all the time and we literally always have candles burning, did not actually know how they work and blew out a medium first burn candle 30 minutes after I lit it when I wasn’t paying attention and ruined it," the user wrote.Many people had no idea what she was talking about. In fact, the original since-deleted post went viral with hundreds of people asking: Huh? So the OP explained."If a candle is not burned for long enough on first burn to melt edge to edge it will create a 'memory ring.' Once a candle has a memory ring, it will continue to tunnel and never burn all the way across."Now THAT'S something almost everyone has experienced. Candles are pretty expensive, so it's frustrating when all that delicious-smelling wax gets left behind. Apparently, a short first burn (in this case, just 30 minutes) is one of the main culprits of a ruined candle.Tunneling is the name of the phenomenon where a narrow tube-shaped area of candle continues to burn deeper and deeper, leaving lots of "waste" wax around its edges. Experts agree that the first burn should last 2-4 hours at least to avoid an uneven or narrow memory ring. (But don't burn a candle for over 10 hours at a time or you risk too much carbon buildup on your wicks.)"If a candle is not burned for long enough on first burn to melt edge to edge it will create a 'memory ring.' Once a candle has a memory ring, it will continue to tunnel and never burn all the way across." Witches must have really known the ins and outs of candle burning. Giphy "This is why you should not light a large candle at night, which is unlikely to burn all the way across before you need to blow out to go to bed. Allow at least one hour per inch of candle width," she went on.So that's why candles always end up with a hole in the middle, making us think the candle companies are just running a scam to make us go through candles faster. Nope. It's user error, and many people were flabbergasted by this realization."This is the most useful information I’ve been given my entire adult life," wrote one person."This skill should be taught in schools," shared another. "The amount I’ve wasted on half burnt candles is outrageous, the amount of times I’ve used Algebra since leaving school = 0.""When I worked at Pier 1 in the 90s I got to go to some candle workshop that taught us the correct way to use (and therefore sell) candles and that is probably some of the most useful knowledge I've carried in my head this long life," shared another.Well, never say 'never,' because here's the good news: a tunneled candle can be fixed!Probably the easiest way is to avoid tunneling your candles in the first place by burning them long enough upon first burn to liquify the entire top layer of wax. Again, that's usually 2-4 hours.It also helps to care for the wicks regularly! Good wicks allow for a clean, even burn. Trim the burnt ends before lighting the candle and, if possible, use a snuffer instead of blowing out the flames with your mouth. Using a candle warmer is another way to get an even melt; with the added perk of making the scented wax last much, much longer. But even if you do accidentally "ruin" a candle, it can be recovered. Placing a ring of foil around the candle with just a small opening at the top for the flame will help trap heat and help the edges of the wax melt on the next burn. Once the memory ring evens out, you can burn the candle like normal again.(In fact, you can even use a candle warmer to melt the wax back to even and then resume burning. Some clever candlers even put candles on the hot pad of their coffee makers as a DIY hack.) - YouTube www.youtube.com The candle posts also prompted a separate discussion about candles and indoor air quality and the volatile organic compounds that are released when they are burned. Some people equated burning candles with having a small engine running in your living room, though according to the Cleveland Clinic, there's scant evidence that the amount of toxins released by burning candles is actually hazardous to your health, especially if you use high quality candles in a well-ventilated area. Don't worry, a tunneled candle can be recovered again. Photo by Rebecca Peterson-Hall on Unsplash How do you know if a candle is "high quality"? First, check the wick for metal. Lead in wicks is not nearly as common as it used to be, but best not to risk it if you find metal in the wick. Second, choose soy, beeswax, palm or coconut wax candles instead of paraffin, which is petroleum-based product and more likely to put off soot and smoke particles. Everyone reacts differently to different amounts of particulates in the air, so if you find yourself getting headaches or respiratory symptoms when using candles, it's probably best to avoid them. But if you tolerate them, feel free to enjoy as recommended,—just make sure that first burn melts the wax all the way to the edges to avoid the dreaded tunneling.This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

Five-year-old Michael Butler is a hero. Early in the morning on October 2, 2024, the family’s trailer in rural Jonesville, Louisiana, had caught on fire, quickly engulfing it in flames. Michael woke from a deep sleep after hearing a message from God. “Michael told us he received a message from God that said he needed to go wake his mama and daddy up,” Chaya Butler, Michael’s mother tells Upworthy. His dad, Trenten, adds, “We were woken up by him screaming.”Michael had run from the far end of the trailer through fire to reach his parents bedroom, suffering burns on his back from melting nails in the roof and to his face after falling into a melted plastic laundry basket on his parent’s bedroom floor. The hand he used to open the bedroom door was scalded, but none of it stopped him. Trenten and Chaya Butler pose with their children.GoFundMe“After he woke us up, we struggled to get out of the bedroom. We couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so thick and we went to the wrong door 3 times thinking it was our bedroom door [and way out],” Chaya says.“It was terrifying. The only thing on my mind was getting my family out,” says Trenten.Chaya and Trenten were able to get Michael's little sister out of the home, as well as two other family members who were staying with them. However, two other family members did not survive, as well as four family pets.The devastating night could have resulted in an even more catastrophic outcome and the family credits Michael’s faith with saving their lives. “We had been going to church every Sunday. Never missed a service,” says Trenten. “We had gotten baptized, and we were heavy with the Holy Ghost. Michael was praising the Lord, praying and going to the altar. He would pray before eating and going to bed.” Michael escaped with severe burns that required him to undergo four different surgeries, including skin grafts, at The Manning Family Children's Burn Center in New Orleans. (His family also suffered burns that have left scars.) However, Michael’s feet were spared–something his family calls miraculous. Michael Butler poses at the The Manning Family Children's Burn Center.The Manning Family Children's Burn Center “Michael was barefoot. There is no way he walked through the house without burns on his feet without God. God’s protection was over him the whole way,” says Trenten.During his recovery, Michael continued to persevere. “He had a cast on for a while, but he was resilient; he didn't let it slow him down or stop him,” adds Trenten.The family has slowly been rebuilding their life and coping with lasting nightmares from October 2, 2024. (The family has started GoFundMe.)“It has definitely been a journey. There are a lot of questions that haven’t been answered. Why us?” says Trenten. “God gives his toughest battles to His strongest warriors. We will never be back to ‘normal’ but we are making our own normal. We’re slowly getting there. Rock bottom isn't always the bottom–you can always come back up. We definitely hit that. But having your life is just as beautiful. ”However, they hope others will be inspired by their story and their son Michael’s strong spiritual connection. “Even if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, God is always with you,” says Chaya.

Americans often dismiss how difficult the process of immigration can be, often scoffing as if becoming a citizen is as slightly annoying as going to the DMV. You stand in a long line, bring your paperwork, and give the rude person behind the desk the appropriate amount of money to walk out with your shiny new American citizenship. But the process is actually extremely difficult, can take years of waiting and thousands of dollars. When the process is over, it's truly like a dream come true. Marisol Velez shares the moment her husband's dream was realized.While Roberto Velez hasn't had the chance to hold an American passport of his very own (yet), he just got the next best thing. Velez entered the country as a teen in 2001 but was unable to receive DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) until 2013, which left him vulnerable for deportation though he was married to Marisol, an American citizen, in 2007. But on Father's Day 2025, his wife put together elaborate decorations to surprise Velez with his green card that came earlier that day. The celebration set off a visceral release of emotions, as can be seen in the video the family posted online. Close-up of a U.S. Permanent Resident Card.Photo credit: CanvaVelez is seen in the video checking the mailbox. His wife films him from a distance before following him into the house where balloons and a gift awaited him. Both of the couple's children sang happy father's day to the tune of "Happy Birthday." Velez appeared confused but appreciative of the sweet gesture, and it was evident he expected the gift wrapped on the table would contain his green card. Velez tried to hide his disappointment when the only thing inside was a small travel bag, but the disappointment quickly faded into tears after he opened the bag and saw the official envelope inside. His children were unsure of the significance of the envelope until Velez opened it. His son reads, "Welcome to the United States." Both parents are in tears at this point but the daughter, who appears to be around eight or nine, still doesn't understand. Once Velez explains, "It's my green card," the girl bursts into tears. Evidently, so did the viewers of the private family moment as someone commented, "I am now ugly crying. thank goodness for all of you!" @marisolvelez87 Happy Father’s Day! Welcome to the United States of America @Roberto Vélez #daca #dreamers #permanentresidency #illegalimmigrants #greencard #advanceparole #ice #immigrants #mexico #rgv956 ♬ original sound - Marisol Velez?? "Shows you how much it affects the kids what's going on right now. She doesn't have to worry anymore that her dad won't be taken away," one person writes."Congratulations on your new status. I’m happy for you and your family. Over here crying with you guys. Your baby girl… oh boy. Her cry was like a sign of relief. God bless you all." someone cries."Much respect. Being born here, I take it for granted what your husband and you fought for and earned. Welcome, my brother." another says. Sad Doctor Who GIF Giphy "I just put my makeup on! I need a warning before I watch these videos" someone else writes.While DACA status kept him mostly safe from deportation, there is always the risk of the program being ended, revoking a protective status from hundreds of thousands of people. In recent months, DACA recipients have been getting caught up in immigration detainments under the Trump Administration, which puts Velez and other "Dreamers" at risk of deportation even with their protected status. This made Velez's decades long quest to gain legal status even more urgent.DACA recipients also have very limited paths to citizenship, with the only real viable option being marriage to a U.S. citizen or becoming a green card holder. Though a slightly less viable option, some DACA recipients may be granted a green card if an employer provides them with a work visa. No matter which path is taken, though, "Advance Parole" is a requirement. Velez was granted advance parole in 2024, which allowed him to leave the country and return on a visa to qualify for an application for his green card. Father Love GIF by Golden Globes Giphy Several people were shocked by the reality of the long process it takes to become a legal, permanent resident of the U.S. with one person writing, "25 years to get a green card in the USA. For those who don’t know that is what takes getting a green card and been a resident in this country to many others it takes longer, very sad… congratulations on your new status!!"Another comments, "It should not take that long to get a green card. It takes less than six months to get a US passport. That’s how long it should take to get a green card.""This made me sob so happy for your family! I watched a video of a man who paid all the fees did everything right and they didn’t get his green card until 1 week after he passed away. Took 17 years ! Blessing to your family!" someone shares."I know exactly how it feels!!! I waited for my green card for 11 years and I became citizen after 24 years living in America with huge efforts and pushing the system towards my dream" one viewer writes.