Lifestyle
Squirrels gone wild in your L.A. yard? Here’s how to get your revenge
![Squirrels gone wild in your L.A. yard? Here’s how to get your revenge](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6ab7b3f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x945+0+128/resize/1200x630!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F54%2F01%2Fe3d981124f6592c0a107b28096dc%2Fwk-squirrel-cam-triptych-at.jpg)
This is the part where I admit two things — neither of which I’m proud of. First, it was only then, several months in, I realized I’d made a colossal blunder when trying to hang my precious high-tech feeder out of squirrels’ reach. I’d measured the recommended five feet off the ground sure enough, but failed to account for the elevation afforded by a nearby tree stump that cut that distance in half. Within 10 minutes of realizing my error, I moved the feeder to a non-stump-adjacent location. Voila! My immediate problem was solved. As of this writing, it’s been 40 days without a squirrel breach.
Second, even though I’d won the battle by accomplishing exactly what I’d set out to do, I refused to give up. I’d waged this war too long and invested too much. How could I sit back when my friend’s guava tree continued to be routinely ransacked and my co-worker’s avocados savaged and tossed to the ground with grubby-pawed abandon?
Peppermint essential oil, first sprayed and later put in jars with cloth wicks around the yard (a suggested hack found online), worked — but only for a short period of time.
(Adam Tschorn / Los Angeles Times)
And worse yet, what if they decided to come for the single — and so far unscathed — orange tree just now starting to show pea-sized fruits in my backyard? No, I needed closure. But before I started investing in owl-shaped, light-up motion sensors (these exist) or blasting C-SPAN across my yard at all hours, I needed someone to tell me if protecting L.A. backyard fruit trees (humanely, remember?) was even possible.
And that’s how I ended up on the phone explaining my situation to Roger Baldwin, a UC Davis Cooperative Extension specialist who focuses on human-wildlife conflict resolution.
“You’ll find various chemical repellents that are marketed and sold [to combat them],” Baldwin told me. “But there’s nothing that’s ever been proven effective against tree squirrels. So I wouldn’t anticipate there being anything that you could spray to really keep them away. [And] there’s no kind of sound devices or ultrasonic devices or lights or strobes — or anything like that — that’s really been proven effective.” (He did note that some repellents might work on a short-term basis until the wily critters adapt.)
“No,” Baldwin said, “there’s nothing that’s guaranteed to work when you’ve got fruit trees, which are an abundant food source, and tree squirrels. … But, like with your bird feeder, if you had an isolated tree — meaning nothing else around for a good 10 feet and nothing overhanging it — and its lowest branches were a good five or six feet off the ground, you could put a metal ring around the trunk to keep them from being able to climb it. But basically this is almost never going to happen.”
He added that even trapping, which might be an option for those willing to consider the squirrel death penalty (in California, the eastern fox squirrel can be trapped and euthanized humanely — but not released elsewhere), would likely be only a temporary solution. “Invariably there’s someone — probably more than one person — on your block feeding squirrels,” he said. “And other squirrels will likely move in. And there’s not much you can do about that. There are too many access points.”
Sensing where things were headed, I cut to the chase. Based on Baldwin’s 16 years of experience, did I have any viable options beyond accepting that my backyard would forever be shared with whatever eastern gray fox squirrels wished to have their run of it?
“There’s probably not a lot that can be done to keep the squirrels from the fruit and the trees given the different limitations that you’ve discussed,” he said. “Yes, it’s more about realistically just learning to live with the squirrels.”
Perhaps sensing my dismay, Baldwin offered a tiny glimmer of hope.
“Sometimes, if you’ve got a very aggressive dog in your backyard — one that can chase squirrels effectively — that can sometimes help reduce problems,” he said.
We’re a dogless household, and the notion of getting a dog just to vanquish a squirrel (or three) felt wrong. (I’m sure our two cats would agree.) So I’m accepting defeat on that front and keeping my focus on the no-longer-under-attack bird feeder.
But so help me, the minute one of those hairy little heathens helps itself to the fruit of my orange tree, the phrase “dogs of war” is going to take on a whole new meaning on my backyard battlefield.
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Lifestyle
A member of the 'T-Shirt Swim Club' chronicles life as 'the funny fat kid'
![A member of the 'T-Shirt Swim Club' chronicles life as 'the funny fat kid'](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4213x2369+2243+164/resize/1400/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F93%2F40%2F1b6ae93c4b4aa9322f623ff9933e%2Fian-karmel-photo-credit-kenny-mcmillan.jpg)
“The first place I learned to be funny was on the schoolyard trying to defuse this weird tension around my body, says Ian Karmel. He won an Emmy Award in 2019 for his work on James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” special with Paul McCartney.
Kenny McMillan/Penguin Random House
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Kenny McMillan/Penguin Random House
Comedy writer Ian Karmel spent most of his life making fun of his weight, starting at a very young age.
“Being a kid is terrifying — and if you can be the funny fat kid, at least that’s a role,” Karmel says. “To me, that was better than being the fat kid who wasn’t funny, who’s being sad over in the corner, even if that was how I was actually feeling a lot of the time.”
For Karmel, the jokes and insults didn’t stop with adolescence. He says the humiliation he experienced as a kid navigating gym classes, and the relentless barrage of fat jokes from friends and strangers, fueled his comedy.
For years, much of his stand-up comedy centered around his body; he was determined to make fun of himself first — before anyone else could do it. “At least if we’re destroying me, I will be participating in my own self-destruction so I can at least find a role for myself,” he says.
![Diet culture can hurt kids. This author advises parents to reclaim the word 'fat'](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/04/25/gettyimages-71554754_sq-4098d7677bac1e82d0a3fa34a14ad0d11c239f21.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
Karmel went on to write for The Late Late Show with James Corden. He has since lost more than 200 pounds, but he feels like he’ll have a lifelong relationship with fatness. He wrote his new memoir, T-Shirt Swim Club: Stories from Being Fat in a World of Thin People, along with his sister Alisa, who channeled her experience into a profession in nutrition counseling.
“Once we lost a bunch of weight … we realized we’d never had these conversations about it with each other,” Karmel says. “If this book affects even the way one person thinks about fat people, even if that fat person happens to be themselves, that would be this book succeeding in every way that I would hope for.”
Interview highlights
On using the word “fat”
There’s all these different terms. And, you know, early on when I was talking to Alisa about writing this book, we were like: “Are we going to say fat? I think we shouldn’t say fat.” And we had a conversation about it. We landed on the determination that it’s not the word’s fault that people treat fat people like garbage. And we tend to do this thing where we will bring in a new word, we will load that word up with all of the sin of our behavior, toss that word out, pull a new one in, and then all of a sudden, we let that word soak up all the sin, and we never really change the way we actually treat people. …
I’ve been called fat, overweight or obese, husky, big guy, chunky, any number of words, all of those words just loaded up with venom. … We decided we were going to say “fat” because that’s what we are. That’s what I think of myself as. And I’m going to take it back to basics.
On the title of his memoir, T-Shirt Swim Club
![T-Shirt Swim Club: Stories from Being Fat in a World of Thin People](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1686x2548+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F89%2F16%2Fd4a6d8ef4ec5b75def0a194a8bb0%2F9780593580929-1.jpg)
T-Shirt Swim Club
Penguin Random House
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Penguin Random House
Thank God for learning about the damage that the sun does to our bodies, because now all sorts of people are wearing T-shirts in the pool. But when we were growing up, I don’t think that was happening. It’s absurd. We wear this T-shirt because we … want to protect ourselves from prying eyes — but I think what it really is is this internalized body shame where I’m like, “Hey, I know my body’s disgusting. I know I’m going to gross you out while you’re just trying to have a good time at the pool, so let me put this T-shirt on.” And it’s all the more ridiculous because it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t actually cover you up, it hugs every curve!
On how bullying made him paranoid
You think like, if four or five people are saying this to my face, then there must be vast whisper campaigns. That must be what they’re huddled over. … Anytime somebody giggles in the corner and you are in that same room, you become paranoid. There’s a part of you that thinks like, they must be laughing at me.
On how fat people are portrayed in pop culture
![Why Brendan Fraser's Hollywood comeback story is both warming hearts and raising ire](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/09/05/gettyimages-1242951332_sq-9cde7e0c6b1344c485a405a789a287a2f2d92ac7.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
Fat people, I think, are still one of the groups that it’s definitely OK to make fun of. That’s absolutely true. … I’m part of this industry too, and I’ve done it to myself. … Maybe it’s less on the punch line 1719964293 and more on the pity. You know, you have Brendan Fraser playing the big fat guy in The Whale. And at least that’s somebody who is fat and who has dealt with those issues. Maybe not to the extent of like a 500- and 600-pound man, but still to some extent. And good for him. I mean, an amazing performance, but still one where it’s like, here’s this big, fat, pathetic person.
On judgment about weight loss drugs and surgery
![Wegovy works. But here's what happens if you can't afford to keep taking the drug](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/01/27/wegovy_sq-c2d2453d211ae6d1be819f2d061ffc95308a5b0b.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
It’s this ridiculous moral purity. What it comes down to for me is you [have] your loved ones, you have your friends. And whatever you can do to spend more time on earth with those people, that’s golden to me. That’s beautiful, because that is what life is truly all about. And the more you get to do that, the healthier and happier you are. So those people out there who are shaming Ozempic or Wegovy or any of that stuff, or bariatric surgery, those people can pound sand. And it’s so hard in a world that is built for people who are regular size, and in a world that is also simultaneously built to make you as fat as possible with the way we treat food. It’s like, yo, do the best you can!
Therese Madden and Joel Wolfram produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the web.
![In 'Shrill,' Lindy West Made The Body Positive Show That She Never Had](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2019/03/14/lindy-west-headshot_sq-47489731067e6a93294b75499d5b41fe9fa4d8e6.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
![Aidy Bryant On 'Shrill,' 'SNL' Thrills, And Not Feeling Bad About Her Body](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2019/03/14/shr_101_ar_20180802_0014rt_f_sq-4072614d6efaf42df9ef4b198847306494324d23.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
Lifestyle
Christopher Reeve's Son Will Reeve to Cameo in James Gunn's 'Superman'
![Christopher Reeve's Son Will Reeve to Cameo in James Gunn's 'Superman'](https://imagez.tmz.com/image/da/16by9/2024/07/02/da89c539a8c443fa84938b3dd9ab74da_xl.jpg)
A full-circle moment is unfolding on James Gunn‘s ‘Superman’ set — Will Reeve, son of the iconic Christopher Reeve, is flying into the DC Universe with a cameo in Gunn’s film.
As you know, Christopher donned the red cape for the 70s and 80s ‘Superman’ movies … and, undoubtedly, he would’ve been thrilled to see these heartwarming pics on X of his youngest son hugging Gunn on set in Cleveland, Ohio, carrying on his legacy.
Christopher Reeve’s son Will and James Gunn.
What an incredible moment for DC. pic.twitter.com/oMP9OOPEOL
— The Moonlight Warrior 🌙 (@BlackMajikMan90) July 2, 2024
@BlackMajikMan90
Unclear what Will’s role is exactly, but as you can see, he’s dressed to the nines in a slick Clark Kent-style suit while dapping up Gunn, and then giving him a hug — all while others on set clap, so looks like he had just wrapped filming his scenes.
One thing’s for sure — he’s not playing the titular role, as that’s been filled by David Corenswet, who’s been rocking the classic blue and red suit around Cleveland.
Nonetheless, Will won’t need to do much homework on the film given his dad’s basically synonymous with the character — he dove into the role in 1978’s “Superman: The Movie” and continued flying the ‘S’ on his chest for 3 sequels until 1987.
20 years after Christopher’s death, at the age of 52, Gunn’s clearly hard at work on his new vision for the DC Cinematic Universe, set for release in July ’25.
Lifestyle
Dining out with a big group? Learn the social etiquette of splitting the check
![Dining out with a big group? Learn the social etiquette of splitting the check](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5571x3134+0+290/resize/1400/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F50%2F39%2Fe6226f6f414795020b196b0b2eb4%2Fsplit-check-2.jpg)
Let’s say you’re at a restaurant with a group of friends. You ordered appetizers, maybe got a bottle of wine for the table, went all in for dessert … then the bill arrives.
No one is offering to cover the whole tab. So how do you handle the check? Do you split it evenly among everyone at the table? What if you only got a salad while your buddy got the surf and turf special?
Splitting the bill is a fine art. Whether you’re eating family-style at a Korean barbecue joint or having a three-course meal at a fancy restaurant, there should be “a sense of equality in how the check is divvied up” when the meal ends, says Kiki Aranita, a food editor at New York Magazine and the former co-chef and owner of Poi Dog, a Hawaiian restaurant in Philadelphia.
She goes over common scenarios you may encounter while dining out with a large group — and how to dial down the awkwardness by keeping things fair and square.
Scenario 1: I arrived to dinner late. Everyone at the table already ordered drinks and appetizers and are about to order their entrees. What should I do?
When you’re ready to order, tell your server you want your food and drinks on a separate check, says Aranita. “It’s easier to deal with than having to split a check in complicated percentages at the end of the night.”
If you do choose separate checks, tell your server that at the start of the meal, not the end. That way they can make note of everyone’s individual orders. Not every establishment offers this option, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
![What is the new etiquette for tipping?](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/03/25/lifekit_tipping_reinat_sq-45a3cbe9231c09dafe79552c0106a996bda7aa87.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
Scenario 2: Everyone ordered alcohol except me — and now they want to split the tab fair and square!
Speak up, says Aranita. “Just be like, ‘Hey guys — I didn’t drink.’ Usually, that’s enough for everyone to reconfigure the bill to make it fairer. The problems only arise when you don’t speak up.”
If you are ordering round after round of $20 cocktail drinks, be conscious of the people in your party who didn’t order as much as you. When the bill arrives, “maybe pick up a larger portion of the tip” to make up for your drinks, says Aranita.
Scenario 3: We’re a party of six. Is it OK to ask the server to split the check six ways?
Many restaurants now have updated point-of-sale systems that make it easier for servers to split the check in myriad ways, says Aranita. But it doesn’t always mean you should ask them to do so.
Aranita, who has also been a bartender and server, recommends a maximum of two to four credit cards. Servers “have enough to deal with” when working with a large party, especially on a busy night. And running several cards with different tip percentages isn’t ideal.
“If you’re a party of six, just put down two credit cards” and Venmo each other what you owe, she says. This approach also works out great for that person in your group who’s obsessed with racking up credit card points.
![The social etiquette of lending money](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/05/06/lk_lending_harlan_iou_sq-43c4fc2c3338648ebd6ea6f0bfead25823117c82.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
Scenario 4: It’s my birthday. My friends should pay for my meal, right?
In American culture, it’s assumed that if your friends take you out to dinner for your birthday, they will cover your meal. But that’s not always the case, says Aranita.
If you set up your own birthday dinner, don’t expect to people to pay for you, she says. You picked the restaurant and invited your friends on your terms. So in this scenario, put down your card at the end of the meal. Your dining mates may pick up your tab, but if they don’t, “that’s perfectly fine. You’re saying: ‘I can celebrate me and also pay for me.’ ”
Scenario 5: It’s my friends’ first time at my favorite restaurant. I’m going to order an appetizer that I think everyone at the table will love. We’re all splitting the cost of that, right?
It can be easy to get swept away by the menu at a favorite restaurant, but don’t assume your dining partners share the same enthusiasm for the twice-fried onion rings. “You have to get their consent at the beginning of the meal. Say, ‘hey, is it cool if I order appetizers for the table?’ ” says Aranita. If you forgot to ask this question, assume that you will pay for the order.
This episode was produced by Sylvie Douglis. The digital story was edited by Meghan Keane. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We’d love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.
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