It Turns Out That Dr. Phil Isn’t Even a Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Phil McGraw’s rise to fame began when Oprah Winfrey hired him to prepare her for a high-stakes trial in 1996, when she was sued for $10 million by a group of Texas cattlemen who claimed that she had defamed the beef industry when she made comments on her show about the risks of mad cow disease. The world was first introduced to Dr. Phil when Winfrey invited him as a guest on her show, and later as a panelist who appeared weekly to talk about tough subjects. From there, McGraw was given his own weekly talk show, where he presented himself as a trustworthy, straight-talking doctor. So what’s the real truth? Dr. Phil is a doctor — he has a Ph.D. in Psychology. What he’s not is a licensed psychologist. In fact, he never refers to himself as a psychologist because he knows that to do so would bring him into conflict with California law. Unless you're working for the government or working in academia, you can't represent yourself as being a psychologist unless you hold a valid license. In Dr. Phil’s own words: "I listen and then suggest or refer them to the right professionals in whom I have confidence — the people who have the time and the focus to really get involved across time and work with them.” So, the next time you sit down to watch an episode of Dr. Phil, remember that he’s just a guy listening to other people’s problems.

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The Powerful Hwacha: An Early Korean Rocket Launcher

The hwacha — which roughly translates to "fire chariot" — may be best described as a type of early multiple rocket launcher. It was invented in the 15th century in Korea. Basically, this weapon consisted of a 2-wheeled cart, on which was mounted a board with a great number of holes. Each of these holes was filled with a singijeon — a type of arrow propelled by a tube of gunpowder attached to its shaft. The earliest hwachas were capable of firing up to 100 arrows each time they were ignited. The design of the weapon was later improved to allow up to 200 arrows to be fired in each round. Hwachas saw action most extensively against the Japanese during their invasions of Korea in the 1590s. They were primarily placed in fortresses or citadels, and used defensively. Even though the hwacha was instrumental in the Korean victory at Haengju, it eventually became obsolete in the warfare of subsequent ages. Nevertheless, this weapon is still regarded as an important innovation in Korean military history, and is often featured in popular culture.

 

 

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Florida Woman Inherits House in a 55-Plus Community — Now the HOA is Trying to Force Her Out

Following her father’s death, Bethany Michel inherited his house. Unfortunately, it happens to be in a 55-and-over community, and now the HOA is trying to force her out of the Arbor Mill retirement community in Jacksonville, Fla. Not only are they trying to boot Michel, they expect the 155 residents on fixed incomes to ante up a mandatory $1,000 assessment. Only five residents voted to approve the special assessment that will charge residents to amass a war chest for the legal fight. Residents who don’t hand over the assessment fee will be charged $100 over the next 10 months. “I have to pay them to help sue me,” said Michel. She has been living in the retirement community since moving to the Sunshine State in 2020 to care for her terminally ill father. When he died in 2023, Michel stayed in the home because her father left it to her in his will. Many of the residents aren’t happy about the 28-year-old living there, with Michel first receiving a note three months after her father’s death, telling her that she didn’t meet the community guidelines. She has since been denied access to community amenities as she faces the lawsuit. The HOA covenants require each home to have at least one occupant who is 55 or older. Michel remains optimistic and defiant against the HOA after her dad made sure she would be “grandfathered in” before his death.

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Upstate NY School District Will Deploy a Humanoid Robot Teacher This Fall

When students return to school this fall in the Salamanca City Central School District in Western New York, a new kind of teacher will be ready to greet them. The small rural district on the Seneca Nation reservation is set to be one of the first in the country to put a humanoid robot in a classroom. It won’t replace the teacher, but is programmed to provide learning support to both students and educators. The female robot, named Sally, will have a lifelike appearance, with silicone skin and long brown hair. It will be stationary in a seated position but will have a wide range of upper-body movements and facial expressions. Students will use a unique identification code when interacting with the robot during class, allowing it to access their learning data and provide personalized support based on their past communication with the avatar. The district plans to expand it to high school students in other classes if the pilot is successful.

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