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☆ South Koreans mourn as country’s first celebrity panda, Fu Bao, heads to China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Fu Bao fandomBorn to parents Ai Bao and Le Bao in July 2020 as part of China’s “panda diplomacy” program, Fu Bao is South Korea’s first naturally-bred panda. Some South Koreans said Fu Bao provided them with moments of joy during the pandemic. In one video, Fu Bao clings tightly to Kang’s leg, unwilling to let go, as he spins gently around the room. The other short video shows Fu Bao clinging to Kang’s arm while relaxing on a wooden bench. Once Fu Bao departs for China, there will be four giant pandas left at Everland – Fu Bao’s mother Ai Bao, father Le Bao, and their twin babies Rui Bao and Hui Bao, who were born last July.

Persons: Fu Bao, Fu, Fu Bao’s, Ai Bao, Le Bao, ”, you’re, zookeeper, grandpa, Kang Chul, ” Kang, 판다월드, Everland, Rui Bao, Hui Bao Organizations: CNN, South Korea’s, South, YouTube, China Conservation and Research Center, Samsung, China Wildlife Conservation Association Locations: South, Yongin city, South Korea, China, Everland, Sichuan Province

☆ My husband and I ditched our smartphones 7 years ago. We're never going back, and our daughter will get a 'dumb phone,' too.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Kristen Bringe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Despite living a fairly standard American childhood, my daughter's upbringing includes one radical difference: her parents have weird phones. Both my husband and I switched from iPhones to "dumb phones" in 2017 after waking up to our phone addictions, and we never plan to go back. We got rid of our smartphones before becoming parentsMy husband and I switched to dumb phones before becoming parents. We plan to buy our daughter a "dumb phone" when she reaches phone-having age. Who knows — with "dumb phone" use on the rise, maybe she won't be the only weird phone-wielding teen on the block.

Persons: isn't, we've, She'll

☆ Squishmallow and Build-a-Bear head into legal battle over ‘knock-offs’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Build-a-Bear fired back with its own legal complaint, claiming “Skoosherz” is its own version of a popular toy style. The lawsuit claims Build-A-Bear has been trying to “trick” customers with such obvious knock-offs, stealing potential customers and sales from Squishmallows. Build-A-Bear claims it has sold pre-made stuffed animals on its site and on Amazon. It claims Skoosherz designs match its original stuffed animals, such as the Strawberry Cow and Spring Green Frog. “If each aspect of the claimed trade dress were in fact protected trade dress, it would be virtually impossible for competitors to create alternative designs,” the lawsuit claimed.

Persons: Bear, “, Jazwares, Kelly Toys, Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, Skoosherz, Kawaii, “ Squishmallows, Moez Organizations: New, New York CNN, Warren, Central, ‘, CNN Locations: New York, Squishmallow, U.S, Central District, California, Missouri, St, Louis

☆ ‘Cute’ exhibition examines the complex power of all things adorable
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Zara Khan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

How cuteness has taken over our world — and why — is a subject being explored in “Cute,” a new (and the first ever) exhibition devoted to the movement at London’s Somerset House. The Industrial Revolution and the rise of mass production allowed cuteness to be unleashed on the world — toys, books and illustrations could, increasingly, be made easily and cheaply. The exhibition — a world first — examines the enduring appeal of the cute aesthetic amongst adults and asks deeper questions about its allure. For Simon May, a professor of philosophy at King’s College London and author of “The Power of Cute,” kawaii is just part of a story which involves the country of Japan more broadly. The Edwardian artist is credited with increasing the cute appeal of our feline friends by giving them human hobbies and pastimes.

Persons: cuteness, Hattie Stewart, David Parry, ”, Somerset, Cliff Lauson, Tim Berners, Lee, Claire Catterall, Andy Holden's, Louis Wain —, Andy Holden’s, Joshua Dale, “, Isabelle Galleymore, Yumeji Takehisa, Simon May, kawaii, Louis Wain's, Kitty, Japan ”, Setsuko Tamura, Rachel Maclean’s, Maclean, ” May Organizations: CNN, London’s Somerset House, Somerset House, Somerset, Cats, King’s College London, Bethlem, panini, Somerset House Scottish, “ Locations: London’s, London, Somerset, Tokyo, Japan, ” Japan

☆ It took Taylor Swift for my daughter to get into football. I'm watching the Super Bowl with her for the first time.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Nate Jones | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But it's Taylor Swift who got her into finally watching the Super Bowl with me. But as she started to get older, unicorns and Taylor Swift dance parties started to beat out football for her. AdvertisementThat was before news broke this fall that Taylor Swift was dating Travis Kelce, who is (as my daughter discovered) an actually good football player. AdvertisementLike "Snow on the Beach," discovering we can watch football together feels fragile and magical. It took Taylor Swift to bring us "Out of the Woods."

Persons: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce's, —, it's Taylor Swift, She's, hiccuping, Nancy Drew, Travis Kelce, Loving Taylor didn't, Taylor, Travis Organizations: Service, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan, Rose, Seahawks, Chiefs Locations: Indonesia, Jakarta, Seattle

NEW YORK (AP) — The annual “Puppy Bowl” turns 20 this year, well over middle age in dog years. Cloud, Florida, who has been part of “Puppy Bowl” for a decade. “What we’ve done this year to flip the whole script is because it’s sort of a celebration of the fact that it’s the 20th year,” says “Puppy Bowl” referee Dan Schachner. "We’ve decided to go all in on puppy, making it the “most puppiest ‘Puppy Bowl’ ever.”The “Puppy Bowl” made its debut as counter-programming to the Super Bowl in 2005. The inaugural “Puppy Bowl” was watched by nearly 6 million viewers.

Persons: ”, Laurie Johnson, Dan Schachner, We’ve, Schachner, Johnson, it's, there’s, —, Shar Pei, Ruff —, “ Slick Rick ”, “ I’ll, they’re, ” ___ Mark Kennedy Organizations: Bowl, of Fame, Super, Animal Planet, Planet, Fox, TBS Locations: Florida, St, Cloud

☆ The Power of Cute: Sweet, Cuddly and Taking Over the World
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Rosa Lyster | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Try this: Ask someone you know to define “cute.” They are not allowed to simply give an example of a cute thing, so no babies or sweet little rabbits singing a song about being brave; they must try and give a definition for the adjective itself. See how long it takes before words give way to gestures (hands making clutching motions, arms squeezing tightly around invisible teddy-bear-size objects) or inarticulate noises (cries of anguished delight, high-pitched vowel sounds). See how long it takes before they are scrunching up their faces in what looks a lot like pain. Words alone don’t seem to cover it. Cuteness — its properties, its uses and its increasingly dominant position in culture — is the subject of a dazzling new exhibition in London called simply “Cute,” running at Somerset House through April 14.

Persons: It’s Organizations: Somerset House Locations: London

☆ ‘Wish’ review: Disney tries to thaw out its ‘Frozen’ magic with Ariana DeBose
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —More than 70 years after Disney had a cricket sing about wishing upon a star, “Wish” picks up that theme, in an animated movie that desperately wants to thaw out some of the studio’s “Frozen” magic. Hailing from members of that movie’s creative team, “Wish” doesn’t quite reach the stars, but it does shine intermittently while introducing another plucky teenage female heroine, gamely voiced by Ariana DeBose. The movie does however celebrate the power of wishes, and in the process, decades of Disney history. By that measure, “Wish” mostly delivers – a credible addition to Disney’s long filmography, even if it’s not exactly a dream come true. “Wish” will offer early-access screenings on November 18 and open wide in US theaters on November 22.

Persons: ”, gamely, Ariana DeBose, Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, Bruno, Asha, –, King Magnifico, Chris Pine, Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn, “ Raya, Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore, “, Alan Tudyk’s, Valentino, it’s, Indiana Jones Organizations: CNN, Disney, “ Locations: Rosas, “, Magnifico

☆ Nicholas Hitchon, Who Aged 7 Years at a Time in ‘Up’ Films, Dies at 65
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Neil Genzlinger | More About Neil Genzlinger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A posting on the university’s website announced his death, from throat cancer. In the most recent installment of the series, “63 Up,” in 2019, he described his struggles with the disease. Young Nick was only 6, but he was talkative and unintimidated by cameras, so he was signed up as one of 14 youngsters to be profiled. The idea was to get a cross-section of children from Britain’s economic classes, look at their schooling and other experiences and capture their perspectives on the adult world. He endeared himself to that original television audience with his response to an interviewer who, clearly fishing for cuteness, asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

Persons: Nicholas Hitchon, Hitchon, Young Nick, Nick Organizations: University of Wisconsin, Granada Television Locations: Madison, Wis, Littondale, Manchester

☆ Saying hello to neighbors could boost your well-being, a new survey says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The poll found adults who regularly say hello to multiple people in their neighborhood have higher well-being than those who speak to few or no neighbors. Numbers mattered: With 100 being a perfect score, well-being rose from 51.5 among people saying howdy to no neighbors to over 64 for people who regularly greeted six neighbors. “If you have very strong community well-being, that’s going to increase the chances that you’ll say hello to neighbors and saying hello to neighbors is going to improve your community well-being.”Career well-being measured a person’s sense of satisfaction, which Witters explained included whether someone was a good fit and utilizing their strengths. The chance of being considered thriving was only 38.1% for people who didn’t say hello, rising to a 60.5% chance among those who greet five neighbors, the survey found. Saying hello boosts the feeling of thriving, or loving the life you live, the survey found.

Persons: CNN —, Dancer, — doggie, Sandee LaMotte, CNN Little, —, howdy, ”, Dan Witters, “, ” Witters, you’re, Witters, “ It’s, Odilon Organizations: CNN, Gallup, Gallup National Health, “ Locations: Atlanta, United States

☆ Pooping, splooting, spitting: How wild animals beat the heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Hottest day, hottest week, hottest month, and – increasingly likely – hottest year; 2023 has garnered unwanted records as the climate crisis escalates. From peculiar methods like “splooting,” to changing physiology altogether, here are four ways different creatures are trying to beat the heat. Splooting is a popular method of thermoregulation for squirrels, especially among larger species, as they do not lose much body heat through sweating, Devitz explained. A 2021 report noted that some animals are developing larger beaks, legs and ears to better regulate their body temperatures. Spitting and snottingTwo Australian animals put their bodily fluids to good use in the battle to beat the scorching temperatures of the outback.

Persons: –, you’ve, ”, splooting, Charlotte Devitz, Splooting, Devitz, “, Celal, ” Sara Ryding, Jami Tarris, Christine Cooper, Klaus, Dietmar Gabbert Organizations: CNN, Collins, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Deakin University Locations: New York City, Washington ,, Australian, Australia

☆ The UK announces $12 entry fee for travelers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Editor’s Note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get the latest news in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments. CNN —The United States has been charging visitors for electronic travel authorization since 2009, and now the United Kingdom and the European Union are rolling out entry fees, too. Also in our latest CNN Travel roundup, we bring you a double-decker plane seat and bunk beds in the sky. UK to charge travelers for entryVisa waiver schemes have been around for a while.

Persons: it’s, Bunk, all’s, we’ve, James Beard, CNN There’s Organizations: CNN, European Union, CNN Travel, United, ETA, Edinburgh, Eiffel, Coliseum, Acropolis, –, CNN CNN Travel, Aircraft, Lufthansa, . Law, Tourists, North Carolina Zoo Locations: United States, United Kingdom, Europe, London, Kingdom, Qatar, Germany, Air, Pacific, Philadelphia, Korea

☆ We got an early look at Volkswagen's nostalgic electric minivan — see inside the ID.Buzz
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

If you're a fan of all this cuteness and you live in the US, you'll have to wait a while. Commercial and passenger ID.Buzz models go on sale in Europe later this year, but it only hits US shores in 2024. The Volkswagen ID.Buzz. Tim Levin/Insider

☆ Animals Are Running Out of Places to Live
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Catrin Einhorn | Lauren Leatherby | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

In many places, poverty, powerful interests and a lack of law enforcement make habitat loss especially hard to address. Because animals there often have smaller ranges to begin with, habitat loss hits them especially hard. “That's the ultimate challenge of forest conservation globally.”Source: Map of Life | Photo: Chien C. Lee MOZAMBIQUE Estimated habitat in 2001 MADAGASCAR Estimated habitat in 2001 MADAGASCAR Estimated habitat in 2001 MADAGASCAR Estimated habitat in 2001 MADAGASCAR Estimated habitat in 2001 MADAGASCAR Est. habitat in 2001 MADAGASCAR MOZAMBIQUE Estimated habitat in 2001 MADAGASCAR Source: Map of Life | Photo: Chien C. Lee MOZAMBIQUE Habitat loss in 2021 MADAGASCAR Habitat loss in 2021 MADAGASCAR Habitat loss in 2021 MADAGASCAR Habitat loss in 2021 MADAGASCAR Habitat loss in 2021 MADAGASCAR Habitat loss in 2021 MADAGASCAR MOZAMBIQUE Habitat loss in 2021 MADAGASCARThis is the 2001 habitat of the white-headed lemur, a primate that eats fruit and flowers. Of the many targets being negotiated, the one that has gotten the most attention seeks to address habitat loss head on.

☆ What Makes a Good Olympic Mascot? Cuteness Helps
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The first bear mascot was Misha, for Moscow 1980, and its mass branding set a trend for Games to come. Sold as stuffed toys and porcelain dolls during the Games, Misha later appeared in cartoon programs. The mascot was even sent to space in 1978. Sergei Kivrin/Reuters

☆ We got a close-up look at the Volkswagen ID.Buzz — see inside VW's nostalgic electric minivan
▼ + stars: | 2022-04-16 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Echipa #diez propune o listă de traduceri în limba engleză ale unor denumiri de localități din Moldova pentru a veni în întâmpinarea străinilor care vizitează țara noastră. Bicaz – Double CaseBotoșani – Big BootiesBrad – Christmas Trees LandBran – HardyBroșteni – The FroggiesBuftea – The Tea FellBuhuși – Boo! Căldărușani – BucketeersCiorogârla – Nigger-RiverConstanța – The SteadinessCorabia – GalleonCucuieții din Deal – Upper Town Headbumped PeopleCucuieții din Vale – Downtown Headbumped PeopleDarabani – Money GiverDomnești – You’re the King! Drăgășani – Town of CaressingEforie – Drugs AllowedFierbinți – Hot PeopleFrecăței – JerkoffvilleFundu Moldovei – Moldova’s AssGura Humorului – Humour’s MouthHuși – Shoo! Ineu – Inside MeÎnsurăței – Town of Unfortunate PeopleÎntorsura Buzăului – Too Much BotoxLupeni – Wolves ZoneMamaia – The Granny’s ResortMehedinţi – McTeethMiroși – You Smell!

Persons: învață, Echipa, diez, Acui, Shepherd Bălți –, Arabia Bezeda, –, Ceroborta, Bo Peep, Dumeni, Fundurii, Goleni, Groznița, Gura Galbenei, Jos –, Gora, Marian, Ana Moșene, Ina Onești –, Putin, Double, – You’re Stalin, Zara Unguri, Unteni, Zaparojeț –, Adâncata, Copăceni, Julie Aninoasa, Brad –, Bran – Hardy Broșteni, Domnești, Gura, Întorsura, Lupeni, Darth Vader, Pârțeștii, Guy Roșiori –, Ana, Slobozia, Jos, Dacă Organizations: Shepherd Bălți – Moldovan Venice Besarabia, Jos – Let’s Party, Let’s Party, Double Zina, Bears, Sochi Soroca, Arad, Unshaven, Unshaven Baia Mare, Downtown, Mare Locations: Moldova, localităților din Moldova, localități, Shepherd Bălți – Moldovan Venice, Arabia, Kiev, Hell, Sochi, Unshaven Baia, Deal, Vale, –, Caressing, Wetnose, Oradea, Sus, Jos, Piatra Neamț, The, Vaslui

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