Why do we collect things? I thought about this question as I was writing an article explaining why people are so attracted to those rainbow-hued stainless steel Stanley cups that are everywhere these days. No one's immune to this behavior: I myself have a whole cabinet of so-called "emotional support cups" that are a key part of any productive day. (And let's face it, if you say you don't have a half-dozen mugs lying unused somewhere in your house, you're lying.) When I talked to a marketing expert about this, he said people in general like novelty. We like the thrill of something new, especially if it's a limited edition or hard-to-find or fits our desires just so. He also said something even more interesting: The things we use a lot, that we make a part of our everyday habits, become more valuable to us over time. This is called the "endowment effect," and it brings an unexpected twist to the issue: We love new things, yes, but we also love the familiar — the trusty go-to items that are part of our routines. A new mug is cool, but that old mug you got 20 years ago that's survived two moves, eight jobs and countless gallons of tea is even cooler.
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Our favorites this week
Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
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What an honor
Behold, the World's Ugliest Lawn! Yes, that's a compliment. Kathleen Murray from Tasmania, Australia won the global competition, which was started by organizers in Gotland, Sweden's largest island. Organizers praised the "deep, dry divots" in Murray's lawn and noted that "not one dust-covered decimeter is wasted on watering.” The point of the competition was to draw attention to the culture of perfectly manicured lawns and the environmental damage such upkeep produces. Yards that require large amounts of water to maintain are coming under increasing scrutiny as climate change makes periods of drought more frequent and more intense. Competition organizers want to show there's beauty in sustainable behavior — even if it's a little dry.
Read the whole story here.
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Wild shots
Many Black residents living near Kruger National Park in northeast South Africa have gone their entire lives without seeing some of the country’s most famous wildlife, which seems to always be a luxury reserved for others. However, an award-winning, Black-run program called Wild Shots Outreach (WSO) has spent the last eight years changing that. Connecting with local schools, the organization is introducing young Black South Africans to photography and conservation through workshops and game drives — taking students through Kruger National Park and surrounding areas to encounter wildlife. Not only is it enriching for residents, but it also helps people get involved in conservation efforts right in their backyards. “How can you love something that you’ve never seen?” says Vusi Mathe, one of over 1,300 residents who have participated in the program. “Getting local people involved has a significant impact.”
Read the whole story here.
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The power of music
Ralph Yarl was only 16 when he was shot in the head last April after approaching the wrong house in Kansas City to pick up his siblings. Though he survived, his story has been a heartbreaking chapter in the ongoing scourge of gun violence in the US. Maybe that's why it's so exhilarating to see how far Yarl has come since the tragedy. The high school senior, who is known for his musicianship, was recently named second chair bass clarinet in the 2024 Missouri All-State Orchestra. Anyone in the music community knows that's a huge honor, and any music lover knows what it must mean and how much courage and talent it must take to keep creating art after such suffering.
Read the whole story here.
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It's time again for our favorite game, "Guess What in the World is Happening in this Photo!" This was one of the winning images of the Close-up Photographer of the Year 2023 competition. The contest, in its fifth year, celebrates micro and macro photography, striving to show the hidden wonders of the natural world, from microscopic fungi to majestic animals. (Micro is the term used for taking photos of tiny subjects that require magnification, while macro involves capturing close-up images of larger subjects.) Photographer René Krekels won the Insect category with this image of wood ants defending their territory by spraying acid. Seems effective!
Read the whole story here.
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This is for every little rez kid, every little urban kid, every little native kid out there who has a dream who is seeing themselves represented in our stories told by ourselves in our own words with tremendous allies and tremendous trust with and from each other.
- Actress Lily Gladstone, who made history by becoming the first female actor who identifies as indigenous to win a Golden Globe. Gladstone has received high acclaim for her role in "Killers of the Flower Moon." During her acceptance speech, she spoke a bit in the language of the Blackfeet Nation, the tribe in which she was raised.
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I assure you, you will never guess the top trending food-related name people are giving their dogs. It's BEER. Beer! Rover, an online pet care marketplace, has just released its 2023 roundup of millions of user-submitted pet names and they're unhinged. Not only is the popularity of the name "Beer" up 330 percent, but the name "White Claw" — a hard seltzer brand — jumped 289 percent this year. As for actual food names, Green Bean took the highest trending spot with a 217 percent increase. (Objectively, a great dog name.) Other higher-than-average trends in the category Rover highlighted included Cheerios, S’more, Quince and Tiramisu. New name showings for the year included Grapefruit, Breadcrumb, Cornichon, Pop Tart and Everything Bagel. Incredible work.
Read the whole story here.
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Rec of the week
Brought to you by CNN Underscored
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Actress Keke Palmer shares her 8 parenting and wellness essentials
From parenting lifesavers to the energy elixir that keeps her projects buzzing, Keke Palmer is revealing her must-haves. Shop her entire arsenal, from sleek glasses to leakproof water bottles and her favorite leggings.
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Shameless animal video
There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.
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These polar bear twins at the Toledo Zoo perform feats of diving skills, much to the delight of their young fans. (Click here to view) |
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