Environment
January 6, 2023

Tobacco Companies Must Pay For Cigarette Butt Pollution Clean-Up In Spain

Cigarette butts are everywhere—scattered among shells on the beach, stamped into sidewalk grates, and floating in ocean waters. An estimated 5 billion butts alone clog our planet's oceans. This common litter takes about 10 years to decompose, releasing toxins as it deteriorates. The filters in particular are a problem. Spain has a solution: as part of a large environmental package recently passed, tobacco companies must foot the bill of cleaning up butts around the country.

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Good News
January 6, 2023

Dolly Parton Is Giving Free Books to Children Under 5 in California in 2023

When describing a modern-day superhero, Dolly Parton fits the bill. From paying for students' band or choir uniforms to offering free college tuition for all Dollywood employees, the iconic musician stays busy with her numerous philanthropic efforts. Now, one of her most well-known projects, the Imagination Libary—which she started in 1995 to increase literacy in Sevier County—is coming to California in mid-2023.

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Entertainment
January 5, 2023

Actor Edward Norton Discovers That Pocahontas Is His 12th Great Grandmother

Our genealogy can give us many answers about our roots and culture, highlighting aspects of our ancestry that were previously a mystery. In the case of American actor Edward Norton, new insights into his lineage have made old “family lore” a reality. On an episode of the PBS program, Finding Your Roots, the host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed that Norton is a descendant of Powhatan woman Pocahontas.

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Furniture
January 5, 2023

This Elegant Wall Hanging Cleverly Doubles as a Stylish Wood Desk

In this day and age, as homes seem to be becoming smaller and smaller due to the rise in real estate prices, any idea that maximizes the available spaces is more than welcome. Designer Robert van Embricqs has created a piece that might as well become a landmark of functional design—one that is also in touch with the times as dozens of fields have moved to a work-from-home format.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.