Bloomberg Philanthropies has identified a funding shortfall in the implementation of many countries’ ocean protection plans, and has attempted to fill it with a quarter-billion dollar donation. The aim writ small is to translate the paper gains for ocean conservation and management secured with the passage of the UN’s new High Seas Treaty into real […] The post Bloomberg Donates $260 Million to Ensure New High Seas Treaty Translates to Lasting Ocean Protections appeared first on Good News Network.

If you find yourself in France and the name Brian pops up, there’s a good chance it’ll be met with the question, “Where is Brian?” There is only one correct answer to this question: “Brian is in the kitchen.” But…why is this the correct answer? And how is this a joke? To get to the bottom of this quandary, you’ll have to go back in time to the 1970s, or to a video posted on Instagram by travel content creator Roya Fox. As Fox explains in the clip, “Where is Brian?” is one of France’s most famous jokes, which references a widely popular vintage English-speaking textbook for 6th graders, titled méthode Speak English Classe de 6e. View this post on Instagram One of the exercises in this textbook had students listen to an audio that asked various questions, then prompted them to use the images in the book to answer the questions. One of the prompts was “Where is Brian?” And, judging by the image in the book, students are supposed to answer, “Brian is in the kitchen.” The famous: “where’s Brian ?” … Famous at least for French pupils in the late 80’s pic.twitter.com/oeVI3kEpRX— Arnaud (@arferrand) March 21, 2020 How one comedian made it famous But what really made this a joke was comedian Gad Elmaleh, who, in the early 2000s, created a mega-popular standup bit featuring that “existential” Brian question, which he said “traumatized” him. Because of Elmaleh, Fox says this joke became “universally known.” So now, a French person is very likely to ask this question when they meet an English speaker, and saying “he is in the kitchen” is nearly a surefire way for that English speaker to become “best friends” with that French person. This wouldn’t be the only time Elmaleh has made funny observations about the “absurdities” of the English language, either. In an interview with Conan O’Brien back in 2018, he poked fun at how English speakers love to use extremely vague words like “bunch of stuff,” and “toddler,” which seemingly has no distinct age group. Brian isn’t the only name in trouble And if you think Brian is the only boy name to be the butt of a French joke, guess again! In a subsequent clip, Fox shared how the name Kevin is so hated there that it lowered someone’s chances of being hired for a job. Interestingly, Kevin was once the “single most popular name” in the country, said Fox. But, thanks to its solid placement in American pop culture (think Home Alone and Kevin Bacon), in addition to it not being passed down from the bourgeoisie like most French names, Kevin eventually became associated with someone “uneducated or unsophisticated.” In other words, it went the way of Chad or Karen. View this post on Instagram More quirky French phrases to know French, of course, is not without its own fun, slightly absurd language quirks that have nothing to do with names. French speakers often use strange terms for loved ones, like mon chou (my cabbage), ma puce (my flea), or use expressions that translate to nonsensical English, such as avoir le cafard (to have the cockroach) for feeling depressed, or poser un lapin (to put down a rabbit) for standing someone up. It goes to show that even the languages considered more romantic allow room for fun. Point being, it’s one thing to know the words and phrases of another culture, but it’s another thing entirely to be fluent in the humor as well. Bookmark this for your next trip to France. Or, ya know, consider this your sign to start planning one. This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated. The post How to answer France’s most popular inside joke played on English speaking tourists appeared first on Upworthy.

For years, home renovation and home makeover content has entertained the masses, giving people aspirational ideas and serving as fodder for people’s “dream home” desires. But amidst all the quartz countertops, trendy paint colors, and affiliate decor links, a huge swath of people have felt unseen in their own homes. The reality is that nearly a third of Americans live in low-income households, where the idea of replacing floors or furniture or even repainting a room is way beyond the budget. A lot of homes don’t even look like the “before,” much less the “after,” of home redo content, which is why a video from Midwest Magic Cleaning showing an affordable glow-up of a real-life, worn-down home has been viewed nearly five million times. As one commenter wrote, “This may be the only home-related video I’ve ever seen that actually acknowledges poor people exist.” Using mostly what the family already had, we get to see a transformation from a depressing, cluttered space to a welcoming, tidy home, and the before and after is every bit as satisfying as anything on HGTV.  The real reason these homes look this way The gentleman from Midwest Magic Cleaning perfectly diagnosed the issue with this home right out the gate, saying: “I grew up in places that look a lot like what I’m showing you here. We didn’t have much money, the place was kind of falling apart, and we didn’t have the money or the time to fix it. They had bad paint jobs, broken molding, broken trim, terrible carpets, terrible floors, terrible lighting. You get close to the holidays, and you’re just not sure what to do. You’re embarrassed to have people over, and you know that fixing the place and painting it would do wonders, but if you had the money and time to fix it and to paint it, you wouldn’t have this problem in the first place.” How the makeover actually happened He started with a “move out, move in” cleaning, where he got rid of all the trash and then took everything but the basic furniture out of the room. Large furniture got moved out of the way to clean underneath it. He then rearranged the room in a way that made it look bigger and “fancier” by putting the sofa in the center instead of along the wall. Lighting, he said, can make all the difference in a depressing room, so the first things he bought were a floor lamp and two end table lamps for the living room. When the mood of a room is depressing because of bad lighting, it inhibits motivation, which just contributes to a cycle of depression. He put up curtains as well to filter light and hide the fact that the windows had no trim. Curtains can help make a space feel homey and hide bad windows and trim. Photo credit: Canva For the kitchen, he broke the process down into three steps: 1) Get rid of all the trash. 2) While you’re getting rid of trash, put away anything you can put away. And 3) Clean surfaces. He used curtains to hide open cabinets and purchased a pantry shelf for $25. All in all, he spent about $300 on curtains, curtain rods, and a few pieces of furniture, but he said he could have done the whole makeover for free by getting donated, hand-me-down curtains and other items. The end result isn’t “fancy,” but it’s tidy, homey, and organized. And perhaps most importantly, it’s doable. Why this video hit home for so many People in the comments raved about the video: “My momma used to say…’We may be broke but we will be clean.’ Clean and organized goes a long way.” Clean and tidy sets a mood. Photo credit: Canva “I like the way you kept their home looking like their home. The change was subtle, yet not so drastic that they wouldn’t feel like they were not in the same home.” “Thank you for addressing the sad dark room = depression = no motivation = room gets dirty = depression cycle because I am going through that right now and it just feels nice to be seen and for once, to not feel like I’m just a horrible goblin.” “Dude. I’m sitting here with a negative bank account and feeling like I’m being worked to the bone at my job. My home is messy and depressing and it’s difficult for me to relax even when I have time. This is so inspiring and I can’t wait to go home and clean.” “I love this real approach. I grew up in poverty, and know all too well the depressing loop that these types of environments create. This is real motivation for people — not the typical shiny, expensive, unobtainable ‘improve your home!’ fluff that social media is filled with.” “The lights did SOOOOO much. As a trailer park kid, who at one point in my life had bare plywood covering a hole separating inside from outside, this was so refreshing. Poor people deserve to have nice homes too. I’m VERY blessed to not be there anymore but I will always remember what that it’s like. Thank you for your wisdom, video, and work.” “I was raised as a ‘lace curtain Irish’ where you put up lace curtains even if you’re dirt poor. It lifts your spirits and makes your home look inviting. This video is so respectful of this family and makes the home look great.” “This is how my mom used to ‘fancy up’ our poor when I was growing up. She saved small amounts of money each pay to buy things at yard sales or discount bins. Its amazing how a little here and there raises the spirits. I never knew how poor we actually were. I just thought she really loved beans and potatoes.” What actually makes a house feel like home While it’s fun to daydream with home improvement shows and content, seeing a real makeover of a lower-income home is truly inspiring. At the end of the day, this video wasn’t really about curtains or a $25 pantry shelf. It was about dignity. For years, home content has quietly told people that if their space isn’t Pinterest-perfect, it doesn’t count, and that’s simply not true for a huge share of Americans. This video proved that a home can feel loved and lived-in without a single dollar spent on granite or a full gut renovation. Sometimes all it takes is someone willing to show up, put in the work, and remind people that their home was always worth caring for in the first place. This article originally appeared in January. It has been updated. The post Cleaner shows how to affordably ‘fancy up’ a worn-down home, and so many people finally feel seen appeared first on Upworthy.

Some names take a few tries to get right. People who grew up with slightly more complicated names often envied those who could find their name on keychains at amusement parks. Gabourey Sidibe is personally familiar with the struggle of living with a unique name. The Oscar-nominated actress is known for her breakout role in the 2009 film Precious. Since stepping onto the scene, the pronunciation of her name seems to vary depending on who says it. But recently, in an interview, the actress revealed that no one has pronounced her name the way her parents intended. Nischelle Turner caught up with the actress on Entertainment Tonight as she promotes her directorial debut for Mary J. Blige Presents: Be Happy, premiering on Lifetime. After reminiscing on Sidibe’s first interview with the network, the pair shifted gears, eventually landing on the actress’s name pronunciation. Turner appeared shocked when the mom of twins revealed the proper pronunciation. The pronunciation nobody had right It starts with Turner asking if her last name is pronounced “si-da-bay ” or “si-di-bay.” Neither pronunciation was correct. The actress smiles and says, “It’s actually si-DEE-beh. It’s Senegalese, so it’s got accents that I don’t use, but I usually say Sidi-bay because Americans need things to rhyme, so I say it’s Sidi-bay like city by the bay. For the record, my name also is not Gab-ou-ray,” she laughs. “If that matters.” Gabourey Sidibe. Photo credit: John Matthew Smith/Wikimedia Commons Turner’s face says what plenty of viewers were probably thinking. Has the world been pronouncing her entire name incorrectly since she became famous? Yes, yes, it has. “It is actually, Ga-BOU-rey,” Sidibe shares while Turner repeats her pronunciation. “You’re from America,” she giggles nearly uncontrollably. The Entertainment Tonight host demands that the actress make people say her name correctly, but she has no plans to correct people. Why she settled on going by Gabby Turns out, Sidibe began embracing her Americanized pronunciation when she was still in school. Like many with unique names, she was used to people mispronouncing her name, and she used to correct them. Eventually, she decided that Gabby worked because people didn’t have difficulty saying that name. Some people who struggle with others pronouncing their name correctly can go in the opposite direction. They may start not being confident enough to correct others, but as they age, they begin to find themselves demanding that people put in the effort to learn their actual name. As for Sidibe, she says, “I would rather be some name I decide is good enough rather than it being completely butchered.” Fans have some thoughts of their own People who viewed the clip are happy to learn the pronunciation of her name, with one person sharing, “I’m actually very happy she is telling us how to properly pronounce her name!!” This person says they have regrets about shortening their name, writing, “I shortened my name when I was younger because I got tired of people butchering it. As I got older, I realized that’s their problem, not mine. SAY MY NAME! SAY YOUR NAME!” Gabourey Sidibe. Photo credit: Siebbi/Wikimedia Commons Another shares that they love how the actress’s name is pronounced, “I LOVE how she actually pronounces it! Beautiful name!” “Make us learn your name. I love it and it’s who you are. But I get it, folks call me Mya and correcting my whole life is exhausting.. but if I want you to know who I am, ima correct you – it’s ME’YA Miya,” someone else chimes in. Everyone handles it differently Names are important, but everyone has their own approach to how they deal with incorrect pronunciations. Some prefer nicknames that they choose, like Sidibe, while others prefer people pronounce their full names correctly. While others may not correct anyone and answer to whatever name is called, asking someone how they pronounce their name may help stop mispronunciations and help the person feel seen. This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated. The post Actress Gabourey Sidibe shocks fans by revealing everyone’s been pronouncing her name wrong appeared first on Upworthy.

There is a particular kind of frustration that comes with being told how to mow your own lawn. Not whether the grass is too long, not whether the edges need trimming, but the specific direction your lawnmower needs to travel. For the man behind the TikTok account @rootedlawnco, that was apparently the line. His HOA had instructed him to mow only in straight lines. So he did. Sort of. In a video that has been bouncing around TikTok with the caption “Take that HOA,” he methodically mows his lawn in long, flowing, perfectly symmetrical waves. The result is gorgeous: a sea of alternating light and dark grass bands that roll across the yard like something off a golf course or a baseball field. He even varies the cut depth on alternating passes to give it a color shift, which makes the whole thing pop even more from a distance. The text overlay on the video reads, “When HOA tells you only straight lines.” His face, for what it’s worth, is extremely unbothered. In a follow-up video, he shared an aerial shot of the lawn covered in sand: “POV: You can’t go to the beach, so you bring the waves to you.” @rootedlawnco Surfs up What do you think of the wavey stripes? Pretty sure @Chase has these trade marked by now. #stripes #waves #lawnstripes #beforeandafter #reelmower #allettmowers #greengrass #dronevideo ♬ original sound – RootedLawnCo – The internet had jokes, obviously The comments landed exactly where you’d expect. “Tell them you have astigmatism and this is straight,” wrote @nowherenothin. @spiderlover74 added, “No way they’re trying to control the direction you mow your lawn.” One commenter, @caffeinatedpossum, offered a legal-ish read on the situation: “HOAs have legal rights to control the aesthetic of your grass, but there’s no legal standard for them to control cutting patterns as the cutting pattern is semantic.” (That’s one interpretation, though HOA rules vary widely by state and governing documents, so your mileage may vary on that one.) This frustration isn’t unique to him The broader frustration behind the video is real and well documented. A survey conducted by Rocket Mortgage found that 57% of HOA homeowners dislike having one, and more than 3 in 10 feel their HOA has too much power. A separate YouGov poll found that most Americans actually oppose HOA rules specifically around landscaping, with more people against those restrictions than in favor of them. And yet, 38% of HOA residents think their HOA is too restrictive, with rules about yard signs, fences, and landscaping among the most contested. It’s worth saying that HOAs were not invented to tell people which direction to push their lawnmower. The idea was originally to maintain shared spaces and protect property values. But there’s a gap between that intention and the reality of a board with the authority to regulate the pattern of someone’s grass, and that gap is where videos like this one get millions of views. He didn’t stop at just the grass In yet another video, he openly disregards the HOA’s rules against using sand to level his yard: “POV: When the HOA says no sand, but you did it anyway…” @rootedlawnco Yep, the HOA will be all over me for this one! Got a bumpy lawn? Check out my 4 part mini series on You Tube and learn all you need to know in under 10 minutes. Mowing is super enjoyable but mowing a smooth lawn is literally the best thing! I need to do this to my back lawn pretty badly. Maybe this Fall I will. #level #leveling #bumpy #Lawn #diy #lawntips #compost #sand #topsoil #smooth #HOA ♬ Mr. Sandman – The Chordettes There is something deeply satisfying about a response that is simultaneously fully compliant and completely defiant. He did not fight the rule. He did not post an angry letter or file a complaint. He just made something beautiful out of the constraint, posted it to TikTok, and let the rest of us enjoy it. The lawn looks incredible, for the record. You can follow @rootedlawnco on TikTok for more content on home decor and lifestyle. This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated. The post HOA told a guy exactly how to mow his own lawn. He found an epic loophole they didn’t see coming. appeared first on Upworthy.