Los Angeles, California, [June 2, 2026] - Think pink! This summer, fans of classic animation and timeless comedy are invited to a special one-night-only celebration of The Pink Panther on Saturday, July 18, presented by Saturday Morning Cartoons UnitedTM at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.The evening will honor the enduring legacy of The Pink Panther with a playful, nostalgia-filled program featuring a selection of animated shorts, special guests, and a lively panel discussion celebrating the character’s impact on animation, design, and comedy.Doors open at 7:00 PM, and the program begins at 7:30 PM with animated shorts by Mike Hollingsworth and Matt Partridge, followed by a presentation celebrating The Pink Panther and a panel discussion featuring Larry Mirisch (The Pink Panther, producer), Emmy-winning art director and producer Alex Kirwan, and animation director Eddie Trigueros, moderated by animation historian Jerry Beck.Adding to the whimsical atmosphere, the evening will also feature a special appearance by the Bob Baker Marionettes, blending classic animation sensibility with live theatrical puppetry in a uniquely Los Angeles experience.The event celebrates the legacy, elegance, and mischievous charm of The Pink Panther, while supporting Saturday Morning Cartoons United, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving animation history and uplifting the creative arts community. Saturday Morning Cartoons United recently partnered with the Silverlake Shorts program to provide grants to emerging young filmmakers, with a portion of all proceeds supporting these ongoing initiatives.The celebration will take place at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, located at 4949 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042, and will run until approximately 9:00 PM. Tickets are available through the Bob Baker Marionette Theater website at bobbakermarionettetheater.com.To stay updated, visit cartoonsunited.com or follow @cartoonsunited on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.About The Pink Panther:The Pink Panther is an iconic animated character first introduced in the opening credits of the 1963 film The Pink Panther, later becoming the star of a long-running series of animated shorts. Known for his sleek style, silent physical comedy, and playful sophistication, the character became a global symbol of cool, minimalist humor.Produced originally by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises in association with United Artists, the Pink Panther is now part of the Amazon MGM Studios library. The character is defined by visual storytelling, expressive animation, and the legendary Henry Mancini theme music. Over time, he has remained a lasting pop culture figure, celebrated for his elegance, mischief, and timeless appeal across generations.About Saturday Morning Cartoons United:Saturday Morning Cartoons UnitedTM is a 501(c)(3) non-profit screening series dedicated to celebrating legacy animation and iconic characters. Each event features curated screenings, exclusive pop-up shops, and engaging Q&A panels with directors, voice actors, and influential tastemakers. Launching in 2025, the initiative brings together studios and creators for unforgettable experiences that honor animation’s past while fostering its future — putting the “United” in Saturday Morning Cartoons UnitedTM and championing the power of collaboration. A portion of proceeds supports local community initiatives providing aid to animation industry members affected by recent wildfires and ongoing industry challenges. Each screening also highlights a short film by an independent creator, offering a platform for emerging voices in the animation community. For more information visitcartoonsunited.com.About Bob Baker Marionette Theater:Bob Baker Marionette Theater is the country’s most iconic nonprofit puppet theater and a Los Angeles Cultural-Historical Monument that has served its community with creativity, joy, and imagination since 1963. Their mission is to preserve, educate, and innovate at the intersection of puppetry and the allied arts. The Theater serves an intergenerational audience of over 145,000 people annually through its cultural and educational programs and impactful, immersive performances. For more information, visit www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com.About Jerry Beck:Jerry Beck is a writer, animation producer, college professor and author of more than 15 books on animation history. He is a former studio executive with Nickelodeon Movies and Disney and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He has curated cartoons for DVD and Blu-ray compilations and has lent his expertise to dozens of bonus documentaries and audio commentaries on such. Beck is currently on the faculty of CalArts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood – teaching animation history. For more information, visit cartoonresearch.com.About Sweet Streets:Sweet Streets is a female-led creative firm that helps brands shine with purpose. Specializing in creative marketing, licensing consultation, and brand management, the firm combines strategic insight with innovative design to amplify each client’s unique voice. With a focus on collaboration, inclusivity, and thoughtful strategy, Sweet Streets guides brands in building meaningful connections, expanding their reach, and achieving measurable growth. By blending creativity with strategy, the firm empowers brands to stand out, thrive sustainably, and make a lasting impact in a competitive marketplace. For more information, visit SweetStreetsLA.com.

(Photo Courtesy: Fleischer Studios, Inc)Los Angeles, California, [June 8, 2026] – Boop-oop-a-doop! The world's most iconic flapper is celebrating another year in style, and fans of all ages are invited to join the party. On Saturday, August 8, Saturday Morning Cartoons UnitedTM is hosting a special one-night-only charity event at the Alex Theatre, celebrating Betty Boop’s timeless charm — all for a good cause.Supported by Fleischer Studios, with cartoons provided by their licensee Fabulous Fleischer Cartoons Restored, the evening promises a playful mix of Saturday-morning nostalgia and live entertainment, featuring a pop-up shop, puppet performances, interactive experiences, special guests, and live music.Kicking off at 5:00 PM, Bob Baker Marionette Theatre will bring their flair to the theatre forecourt, setting the tone for an unforgettable birthday celebration. Guests will be able to shop a special pop-up store featuring Betty Boop collections by Fleischer Studios' licensees Whatever! Makes You Happy, Overlord Caps and Glamlite Cosmetics, along with a series of limited-edition event posters created exclusively for the celebration.Hosted by actress, comedian, and musician Kate Micucci (The Big Bang Theory, Scooby-Doo!), the program begins at 6:30 PM with a screening block of curated animated shorts by independent talents from the animation community. Following the screening, the celebration continues with a special live performance by the Bob Baker Marionettes and a concert by Denver indie-pop favorites Dressy Bessy, beloved for their infectious melodies and retro-inspired sound. Additional surprise guests will be announced in the coming weeks.The festive event supports The Birthday Party Project, whose mission is to bring joy to children experiencing homelessness through the magic of birthday celebrations. Proceeds from tickets and merchandise sales will also benefit Saturday Morning Cartoons UnitedTM, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating legacy cartoons, and strengthening local communities through shared cultural experiences.The celebration will take place at the Alex Theatre, located at 216 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203, and will run from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Doors will open at 5:00 PM and the show starts at 6:30 PM. Tickets are available through the Alex Theatre website at www.thealex.com.Ticket holders are also invited to RSVP for a complimentary Betty Boop! Birthday Party Pack, allowing young fans to take a piece of the celebration home with them. To reserve a pack, email info@cartoonsunited.com. Quantities are limited while supplies last.To stay updated, visit cartoonsunited.com or follow @cartoonsunited on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.

This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you. *** As the GLP-1 train keeps on rolling, the 30 million adults taking weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro face a serious struggle to maintain lean muscle mass as they drop the pounds. And to fill in the gaps, supplemental protein is suddenly popping up everywhere, in pasta, cereal, chips — and your morning coffee.  “When you lose 20 or 30% of your body weight, you lose muscle mass,” University of Texas professor Dr. Ralph DeFronzo told “The Peter Attia Drive” podcast, referencing GLP-1s. Research shows that nearly half of the weight dropped with these drugs can come from vanishing muscle. So how do you hang onto those guns? By upping your exercise and getting more protein.  Here’s where “proffee” enters as the internet’s buzziest protein bump. Just as delicious as other portmanteaus like brunch, cronuts, and pizzadillas, it involves adding a full serving of protein to your morning cup of joe. (We’re not waking up for less than 25 grams of anything.)  “Adding protein powder to your coffee can be a convenient way to supplement your diet, especially if you’re someone that skips breakfast,” registered dietitian Dawn Menning says. “Depending on your nutrition needs, preferences, and goals, this may be an easy way to increase protein intake.” If you’ve been hanging out on planet Earth for a minute, you may remember the ’90s low-fat era, the healthy-fat trend of the 2010s, and conflicting low-carb and high-carb schools of thought. Now we’ve entered the protein jungle as we shed our formerly thicc skins for mid-2020s “body-positive” skinniness. It’s all kinds of boneless skinless chicken-breasty up in here. I’m not currently taking GLP-1s, but I definitely didn’t understand how much protein I was missing in my diet until I entered a nutrition challenge at my CrossFit gym a few years ago. (I know, protein plus CrossFit is like the “Inception” of wellness cults.) But balancing my daily macros throughout the day (carbs, fats, and protein — especially the last one) showed me I could sustain energy while preserving lean muscle mass and snatching extra fat. When I entered a bodybuilding competition, slightly adjusting those numbers completely transformed my body. (Also props to the insanely dark spray tan.) Truth be told, building and maintaining lean muscle should be a priority for everyone, not just the workout crew. Don’t tell Gwyneth or Demi, but lean muscle is one of the greatest things your body has going for it. The more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate, which means your body easily burns calories to maintain a healthy weight.  Muscle is also key for strength and mobility, increasing insulin sensitivity, lowering blood pressure, improving cognitive ability, and extending life span. Studies show it’s your muscle mass, not your BMI, that more accurately predicts how long you’ll live. Turns out six-pack abs and buns of steel are actually good for something other than thirst-trap selfies in the locker room.  Okay, so let’s agree we need protein to, y’know, survive. How much do we actually need every day? Are you getting enough? Too much? Does Khloe Kardashian’s Khloud Protein Popcorn count as food? Literally everyone has an opinion on the ideal amount.  Gym bros are over there doing tricep curls on 300 grams per day of the stuff, while your yoga-loving bestie’s going full Savasana on nothing more than a few raspberries. Officially, the Food and Drug Administration recommends 50 grams of protein daily for adults. That’s the rough equivalent of a five-ounce salmon filet and a cup of cooked lentils.  “If we look at the recommended daily allowance right now, we see it’s around 0.8 kilograms of body weight,” physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims notes. “That, I want people to understand, is the bare minimum you need to consume to prevent malnutrition.” Active and aging adults need more. “As we get older, our bodies, both men and women, become more resistant to the growth effects of protein, and growth effects of exercise,” Dr. Sims explains. “We need to look at dosing more of both.”  For women, healthy macros can clock in at one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Active men might need two grams. Maybe you need more, or less. But this isn’t just about getting shredded at the gym. It’s about leveraging the amino acids in protein to preserve brain, bone, and muscle health. “We’re going to have a stronger skeletal system, a stronger musculoskeletal system, and better brain health if we start looking at increasing our protein intake from that 0.8 grams per pound, trying to eek our way up to at least one gram per pound,” Dr. Sims says. GLP-1 users need to be extra vigilant about getting enough nutrients since they may be eating less than half the amount of food they consumed before starting the weight loss medications. I admit I’ve tried adding protein powder to coffee with limited success. That is, if you prefer coffee that’s not full of powdery clumps you have to chew. There’s boba, and then there’s whatever monster I created.  Luckily, I’ve been following Dr. Sims as my protein guru. Not only is she an expert in balancing nutrition and exercise during all stages of life (pregnancy, peri-, and menopause), but she also offers a recipe for protein coffee that actually tastes good. Her strategy for letting it chill overnight eliminates unappealing textures. I especially love this method for fueling early morning workouts when I don’t have time to digest a meal. Plus, it legitimately tastes like a milkshake. You might even skip snoozing your alarm.  Dr. Stacy Sims Protein Coffee 30 grams (two tablespoons) chocolate protein powder 4 ounces cold milk of choice 2 shots coffee or espresso (decaf works too!) Optional plant-based sweetener like Stevia Mix the protein powder with the milk, then add the coffee and optional sweetener. Stir or shake to combine, and chill in the fridge overnight. You can also drink it on the spot.  “Caffeine, good fat, carbohydrates, and 30 grams of protein? And you can put it in a cup to go?” Mel Robbins remarked after tasting the protein coffee on her podcast. “Dr. Stacy Sims, you’re a genius.”  Don’t feel restricted to “proffee” if you’re not one of those “offee” types. Try the combo using matcha or chai instead of coffee, pairing these bold teas with vanilla or unflavored protein powder and your favorite milk. You can even pop a few shots of espresso into a pre-made protein shake to satisfy the assignment.   With many of us trying our best to work a little more protein into the day (without having to tote around a zip-top bag full of grilled chicken breast — I can’t be that girl!), adopting the trendy protein coffee habit might be just the ritual your body has been craving. The best part of waking up is “proffee” in your cup. 

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Two lawyers filed a court case. Thousands signed a petition. Pakistan just agreed to scrap its sales tax on period products. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced the move this month, calling sanitary products “daily necessities that are indispensable for women’s health, dignity and full participation in social activities.” The decision follows a legal challenge filed last year by Mahnoor Omer, 25, and Ahsan Jehangir Khan, 29, who argued the charges were a discriminatory “pink tax” on women. Their petition gathered thousands of signatures and turned into a real public conversation online. What the taxes cost in practice Pakistan levies an 18 percent sales tax on locally made period products. Imported items face an additional 25 percent customs charge on top of that. Those rates have pushed commercial menstrual products out of reach for most women in the country. According to UNICEF research, only a minority use them. Most rely on cloth or homemade alternatives, which carry higher infection risks. The real win may be cultural Removing the sales tax won’t immediately change much of that. A price drop won’t reach women priced out by income, geography, or simply not having a nearby store. But there’s a different argument for why this matters. Bushra Mahnoor, executive director of Mahwari Justice, a Pakistani period rights organization, told CNN the most valuable effect of the tax change may be what it says out loud: that menstruation is a health matter, not a private embarrassment. “Menstrual justice also means access to clean water, sanitation facilities, accurate menstrual education and a society free from period stigma,” she said. “This moment is significant, but our work is far from over.” UN Women called menstrual health a question of “health, dignity and equality, not a luxury,” and said the change would help women stay employed and girls stay in school. What comes next Omer welcomed the announcement and made clear the campaign would keep pushing on the remaining charges, including customs duties on imported products. The sales tax is one piece; she and her co-counsel are already working on the rest. The government also announced it will scrap the 18 percent sales tax on contraceptives. Aurangzeb linked the move to population growth, calling family planning “a top priority” and noting Pakistan ranks fifth globally by population size. The tax change is on the books. Getting it to translate into actual access for the women who need it most is the work that’s still ahead.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post Period tax scrapped in Pakistan: what the ruling means for women first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM You’ve probably spent more time than you’d like to admit wondering if something is off with your gut. Not dramatically wrong, just persistently uncomfortable. Bloated after meals for no clear reason. Sluggish in the morning. The kind of thing you chalk up to stress, or age, or just how you are. Trisha Pasricha, MD, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel in Boston and author of You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong, sees this pattern all the time. And her first move isn’t to order tests. She gives patients a 30-day reset instead: five small daily changes, nothing drastic, held consistently for a month. For some people, that’s all it takes. Symptoms begin to ease and habits stick. For others, the reset clarifies what’s going on and makes any follow-up testing more useful. Either way, you leave with more information than you started with. Here’s what the reset involves. Fix your bathroom posture first This one doesn’t take 30 days. It takes about 30 seconds. Modern toilets are designed so you sit with your knees at hip level, same as a regular chair. That position puts a slight kink in your colon. There’s a muscle near the end of the intestinal tract that tightens when your knees are level. Raise your knees above your waist and it lets go, the colon straightens out, and things get considerably easier. Researchers tested this in healthy people who thought they had no issues, and found a real difference. Pasricha says the reaction from patients is almost universal: they had no idea how much better it could feel. It also reduces the straining that contributes to hemorrhoids over time. You don’t need anything fancy. A stool, a trash can, whatever gets your feet off the floor. The Squatty Potty was designed for exactly this if you want something purpose-built. Eat more fiber, and eat it earlier Pasricha is more focused on fiber than most gastroenterologists, and she has good reason to be. It’s her top recommendation for healthy digestion, and most people aren’t eating nearly enough. Her advice: don’t save it all for dinner. A high-fiber, high-protein breakfast sets your digestion up for the whole day. Build from there with snacks like raw vegetables, lentils, or a handful of almonds, rather than trying to catch up at night. On days she doesn’t hit her fiber goals through food alone, she uses psyllium husk, a well-studied soluble fiber. It shifts gut bacteria toward the kind that produce short-chain fatty acids. That’s useful for more than just regularity. When you start eating more fiber, your stools will likely get softer and more frequent. Patients come back worried. Pasricha says it’s not diarrhea. It’s what healthy digestion looks like. A lot of people genuinely don’t realize they’ve been constipated for years until they’re no longer in that cycle. Cut the three main gut disruptors For 30 days, Pasricha asks patients to cut back on ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and NSAIDs. Ultra-processed foods are linked to gut lining damage and polyp development, with emerging research connecting early-life exposure to rising rates of early-onset colorectal cancer. Alcohol irritates the gut and disrupts the microbiome. NSAIDs, including ibuprofen, naproxen, and Excedrin, damage the lining with regular use. “Any gastroenterologist has seen too many people come in with ulcers from NSAIDs,” Pasricha said. If a doctor has prescribed them for a specific condition, keep taking them. But reaching for ibuprofen daily for general aches is worth reconsidering. Most people find these cuts easier than expected, and a good number keep going well past the 30 days. Move every day, especially in the morning Exercise stimulates contractions throughout the digestive tract, which is why doctors ask post-surgery patients to get up and walk as soon as possible. Movement is one of the fastest ways to get things going again. You don’t need a long routine. A daily walk, particularly in the morning when your colon is naturally more active, is enough to make a real difference over a month. Regular moderate exercise also reduces colorectal cancer risk long-term. One thing worth knowing: extreme endurance training can backfire on gut health, so more isn’t always better. Take stress seriously as a gut issue The gut-brain connection is well established. Stress disrupts gut bacteria and affects motility in ways that are easy to attribute to something else, which is why most people never connect a rough stretch emotionally to what starts happening in their digestion. Pasricha includes it as one of her five pillars for exactly that reason. What stress reduction looks like is personal. Sleep tends to be the highest-return thing you can protect. A morning walk covers both the movement and some of the stress reduction at the same time. The reset doesn’t prescribe a method, but it does ask you to treat stress as a real digestive factor rather than background noise you’ve learned to live with. What to expect after 30 days This reset isn’t a cleanse or a perfection project. It’s a calibration. Some changes will feel good enough to keep. Others will surface what needs more attention. Thirty days of small, consistent shifts give you a much clearer read on your gut than you had before.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post How to reset your gut in 30 days, according to a gastroenterologist first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

The mutiny is exposed

On a recent episode of the "Can't Be Censored" podcast hosted by former Canadian journalists Travis Dhanraj and Karman Wong, longtime conservative commentator Tucker Carlson dropped a major announcement: He’s withdrawing his support for the GOP.“There’s no chance I would support the Republican Party. Not going to support the Democratic Party. I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he stated bluntly, citing his frustration with what he believes is the party putting a foreign country’s interests above America’s.“I’m out, and if I’m out, then I think a lot of other people are out,” he added. When he heard Carlson’s announcement, Glenn Beck issued a warning to both Washington Republicans and conservative voters. Addressing Republican politicians, Glenn scolds, “I told you this would happen. For years, I have said this. I said the day would come when your own people would stop defending you, when their loyalty would run out, when ‘the other side is worse’ doesn't work anymore.”Widespread disaffection “is here,” he warns.MAGA, Glenn argues, isn’t just about Trump. It’s about commonsense policies and national strength.“[Trump] was just the first major candidate that said, ‘You know, we're not done as a nation, and I'm not going to manage the decline.’ That's what people want,” he exclaims. “A healthy and commonsense-driven country that doesn't destroy their faith and their family and their freedoms.”Glenn then turns his focus to conservative voters.“When somebody like Tucker walks, when the next one walks (and there will be a next one), people are going to come and say, ‘Circle the wagons. You've got to defend the party.’ No ... don't rush to defend the GOP,” he entreats.“Every time you defend them for free, they teach you that betrayal is survivable, that they can ignore you and keep you,” he continues. “The only language a comfortable incumbent understands is the sound of the door closing behind a voter who's done.”This doesn’t mean we stop fighting the “authoritarian and crazy left.” We just have to “find the Republicans or whatever that stand for something,” he pleads.Glenn pivots to Washington again: “You're not going to survive this. And I don't mean a tough cycle coming your way. I mean, you are building with your own hands a movement aimed directly at you, and you deserve it.”No amount of spending or messaging will slow or divert the train that’s coming, he warns.There is only one good way to stop the GOP exodus, says Glenn: “Simply remove the reason it exists.”“And the only way to do that is to start listening to the people who sent you there and then actually do the thing they sent you to do. That's it. That's the secret in the sauce.”To hear more, watch the video above.Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.