Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
jeudi 17 août 2017
18 People Who Are in Line For the Presidency If Trump Is Impeached
If you're suddenly curious as to who becomes president in case President Donald Trump resigns, dies, or is impeached, take a look at the 18 people in line for succession. Called the Presidential Succession Act, the law has a long history of changes, with the last one taking place in 2006.
The first iteration of the Presidential Succession Act in 1792 stated the Senate president pro tempore would be next in line after the vice president. On July 18, 1947, President Harry Truman signed the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. This act changed the line of succession in two ways; first it reinstated the Senate president pro tempore and speaker of the House to the succession plan. Secondly, it also placed the speaker of the House right after the vice president instead of the Senate president pro tempore. The last change to the act came in 2006, when the USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 added the secretary of Homeland Security to the list.
In Trump's administration, here's the full line of succession.
- Vice President Mike Pence
- Speaker of the House Paul Ryan
- Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin Hatch
- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
- Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin
- Secretary of Defense James Mattis
- Attorney General Jeff Sessions
- Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke
- Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue
- Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross
- Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta
- Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson
- Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao
- Secretary of Energy Rick Perry
- Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin
- Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly
The only caveat here is that Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao isn't eligible since she was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and is therefore not a US-born citizen. While it's still uncertain whether or not we'll need to refer to this list in the future, at least we know who we can expect.
17 Greyhound Bus Driver Employee Secrets to Read Before Riding
Do Greyhound drivers really see a "black dog" run across the road when they're tired? What are the prettiest routes in North America to take by bus? And what strange things do they see on the job? A former Greyhound bus employee did an IamA on Reddit, and they did not hold back on spilling all the secrets about what it was like to work as a driver. Read on to find out some behind-the-scenes juice about the job.
1. Tell me about this "black dog." Is it some urban tale?
"There's a movie with Patrick Swayze, Meat Loaf, Randy Travis, and Gabriel Casseus where Patrick Swayze is a truck driver. He talks about the black dog you see after you've been on the road for too long and start getting too tired. It'll come out of nowhere in the middle of the night and dart out at you, and you'll think it's real and try to avoid it. I thought it was just some made up movie plot till the first time I saw it when I was really tired on an overnight. Not necessarily a dog, but any hallucination of something darting out in front of the bus. Happened quite a few times, very scary."
2. What's that one story you always tell?
"Pick your poison. There's my last night of training driving blind through a blizzard (16 inches of snow, zero visibility) all night long on an interstate that was shut down at 25 mph for 10 hours. Had an inch of ice frozen onto some parts of the windshield . . .
There was another time at Greyhound where I was doing NYC to Springfield, MA the day the tornadoes hit there. Passenger asked me as we left New Britain, CT, what do we do if one hits. I said, park the bus under a bridge and hope for the best. Then as I got ready to leave Hartford, after clearing with central dispatcher in Dallas that it was OK to proceed, the passengers all freaked out that it had just hit downtown Springfield. I called Springfield directly, and they said stay put. Finally 30 minutes later, I got the all clear. Downtown was a mess, but we thought it was over. I offload and go into the drivers room and hear over the TV 'we now have a confirmed touchdown on the Massachusetts Turnpike.' I walked up to the dispatch booth and said, load me up I'm getting the fuck outta here now!"
3. Why do you think Greyhound kind of has a bad reputation?
"The clientele. Even in training they tell us we'll be driving the nations bail jumpers, fleeing felons, ex cons, pimps, and prostitutes. In my experience though, most of my passengers were pleasant and just wanted to get from A to B. A lot of the stations are a hub of homelessness, beggars, and especially in NYC, the mentally ill. The ones Greyhound owns though largely employ some sort of security that keeps it restricted to ticketed passengers and those waiting for them (Philly for example) . . . between riding and driving, I've never had an issue that was truly concerning.
The bad rep also comes from the way they operate. Just because you have a ticket with a specific time and specific date, it doesn't mean you're guaranteed a seat on that bus. They just keep selling tickets regardless of how many seats are available . . . If there aren't enough seats, you gotta wait for the next one, which can be several hours.
You also hear of drivers getting lost a lot. That's because they give us these paper directions that are often wrong or haven't been updated since god knows when . . . Even when they are right, we're trying to drive the bus, read the directions, and watch for the street sign signs . . . It's honestly a miracle getting lost doesn't happen more often."
4. Are you not allowed to bring a smartphone?
"The problem is that the mapping software on them will often send you ways that buses aren't allowed to go (look up any video of an 18-wheeler on the Northern State Parkway on Long Island and see what happens) and also that Greyhound has their own in-house company-prescribed routing they want you to take. If you get into an accident off-route, it's instant termination. They also follow you on GPS and sometimes by car and will call you if you're off-route (even though we aren't supposed to talk on the phone while driving)."
5. What's the nastiest thing that's happened in your bus?
"Toward the end of my training, probably the fifth week or so, I was doing a schedule from NYC to Harrisburg, PA. Before we even got to Easton, PA, some guy threw up the entire big gulp of Kool-Aid he was drinking when he boarded all over the second row."
6. What made you want to become a Greyhound driver, convenience or you wanted to travel?
"I had always been fascinated with the road and big trucks. All throughout college, I knew I was gonna at least try out some sort of job where I could just have the road and my music, a sort of place of peace for me. After I graduated, a financial situation came up that was ultimately what pushed me into filling out the application. I got the job and fell in love with the daily adventure and how soothing the combination of the highway and my music really was for me."
7. Why are buses kept so unreasonably cold? Low heat in Winter and very high air-conditioning in the Summer.
"For me, it was to stay awake on the overnight runs. Also, the windshield reflects the sun like crazy, so I always gotta crank the AC to compensate during the day."
8. Ever fall asleep while driving?
"It's something that most of us would never admit, but yes, unfortunately, and I'm sorry for all the lives I put in danger when it happened. I'd say legit eyes closed asleep happened twice, maybe three times. But that eyes-wide-open sleep, where you're there but not there, is what happens most. It took me seven overnight runs to Montreal to be able to really handle the long night driving. Now I'm good, and I know when I can push on, when I know it's time to call it quits."
9. When broken down in an area with no cell reception, do you usually have some sort of radio coverage or a book with local frequencies or are you stuck using CB?
"No CBs on Greyhound buses, no radios either. No cell service means walk to the nearest highway emergency phone. I was getting ready to walk it once on I-87 in the Adirondacks but the northbound bus showed up and pulled over and we shouted across the highway at each other troubleshooting ideas."
10. What are some of the prettiest routes you've taken?
"Daytime NYC to Montreal during Spring thaw, no debate. It's the run that made me fall in love with driving."
11. When you get to your destination, do you get to just hang out in that city for a while or do you get right back on the bus and go on your next drive?
"It all depends; no two days are ever the same unless you have enough seniority to bid a regular run. Sometimes it's load up right away to either go back or to somewhere else; some days you have to wait around for a few hours to find out what you're doing next; some days you know what you're doing next and have some free time to kill and can walk around cuz you don't need to be at the yard or terminal for them to tell you what you're doing next; some days they put you to bed and you can kinda enjoy an hour or two out waking around; and sometimes they leave you up there for days and kinda forget you exist.
It also depends on the city. Philly, Harrisburg, Montreal, you're right there in the heart of town, so it's easy to go walking around . . . If they put us to bed in Atlantic City, it was a mile to the nearest bar (and believe me, we'd walk it!) . . . Montreal was the place I consistently got the most free time to really enjoy the area."
12. What do you mean by put you to bed?
"Going to bed means going to either the hotel or the dorm to get a minimum of nine hours off duty before they call you back in. Sometimes they call you exactly nine hours from when you pulled in, sometimes you'll be sitting there for days.
That's when it really sucks because you'll go to sleep, wake up and stay up all day, then finally when you're nice and tired and ready to go back to sleep, they're like, hey come in and do this eight-hour overnight run. You can look at the board for that city online and try to guess when they're going to call you, but oftentimes something comes up that messes up what time you think they're gonna call you. Oftentimes I'd keep myself cooped up in the hotel room trying to match my sleep to what I was reading on the board so I'd be ready to work a 15-hour day, but you can only force yourself to sleep so much. That's when the job starts getting depressing and messing with your head."
13. So they only require you to be off duty for nine hours between shifts? They don't require that you get some sleep in that time? Doesn't sound very safe.
"Yup. When in the hotel or dorm, it's nine hours + one hour to report . . . they can only mandate you be off duty, they can't mandate that you sleep during that time off. They urge you to sleep, but we've all got things that need to get done, sometimes during our time off. And then, yeah, the varying schedule means your body's internal clock is all f*cked up . . . There's a reason most of Greyhounds' severe accidents are fatigue-related. You can of course always call out sick or fatigued, and they'll book you off for another 12 hours or so, but you can only do it so much before it starts causing problems with management."
14. Any fun/good tips you would give to travelers that might not be thought of right away?
"Just keep your eyes on your stuff at all time. The Austin terminal is one of the sketchier ones I've been to. If you see the guy with one hand about twice the size of the other who will offer to do a one-handed handstand for some vodka, walk away, fast. Also, it's way different from flying. A bit more lax, but with a more sketch vibe."
15. How was the pay?
"When I started it was 16 and change an hour for driving with passengers, and by the time I left seven months later, I was at $18.64/hr. But they pay you less for other things, like deadheading (driving an empty bus to another city), cushioning (riding a bus to another city where they need drivers), and sitting on protection (sitting around at a terminal, waiting to be told what to do). There's also layover and meals, which kicked in after I think 16 hours laying over at a foreign city and then again I think at 24 hours. The problem was oftentimes they liked to "forget" to put those things in your check, and so in your limited time off, you gotta spend time filing pay claims. In total, I'd say they owe me about $3,000 in unpaid stuff that added up in seven months. The hourly pay was also part of why I left."
16. As a city bus driver, I warn people that this job sucks your social life to a minimum. Did you have to deal with family issues while at GH?
"I went to Greyhound the month after graduating college, so I was single with no kids, but they tell you in the interview that the job destroys families. I don't know how people do it unless they just flat out hate their family."
17. What's the strangest thing you've ever seen on your travels?
"Aside from the multiple times I thought I saw something dart out in front of the bus . . . I watched what looked like an 18-wheeler approaching in my mirror very fast. It was a blizzard, dead of the night, up in the Adirondacks. I kept watching him because I thought he was gonna rear end me. The headlights got closer and closer and all of a sudden they were gone. There had been no exit ramp or anything. I don't know if he went into the ditch or what. I never found out."
This Moving Harry Potter Theory Will Make You Love Neville Longbottom Even More
Neville Longbottom could have been The Chosen One, but he wasn't. Instead, Harry took on the weight of the wizarding world, and his acts of bravery proved countless times that he was a true Gryffindor at heart. While Harry's bravery was brash, bold, and apparent to everyone around him, Neville's went more or less unnoticed throughout their years at Hogwarts. But his quiet courage was something else entirely. I've seen this fan theory throughout the years, and I can't help but agree that while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were undeniably brave, Neville Longbottom's particular type of bravery was perhaps the most remarkable of all. Here's the theory.
Basically, Neville stood before his greatest fear and faced it daily. What's more, he stood up not to his enemies, but to his friends in The Sorcerer's Stone - because he believed it was right. "And then led a resistance against a Snape-led Hogwarts in year seven. He led a group of children (and friends) in a mini-war against his biggest fear," added Redditor TheKyleBaxter.
Then, in what is arguably one of the bravest deeds in the entire Harry Potter series, Neville stood up to Voldemort himself. "This is the moment when Voldemort appears to have won. Harry appears to be dead. There's almost no hope left to win the war for them. And still, Neville continues to defy Voldemort, despite Voldemort's offer to let him join the Death Eaters," SchroedingersKneazle pointed out in a Reddit thread on the subject. It may not be the same kind of bravery Harry had when he knowingly walked into the Forbidden Forest to face Voldemort and to his inevitable death. And it's not the same as the bravery it took Harry to come back to the warring wizarding world and finish it all when he could have gone on to be with those he'd loved and lost.
But Neville's is a different kind of courage that perseveres. Harry's bravery resulted from facing a responsibility that was thrust upon him at birth; Neville's bravery was something he chose to have daily, even if wasn't something that came as naturally to him. Some fans have even said Neville's experience facing Snape is a metaphor for dealing with anxiety and fear of failure, and even more understandably, dealing with fears of facing bullies at school - which many Muggle children deal with everyday as well.
Either way, there's no doubt that the Sorting Hat made the right decision when he sorted Neville Longbottom. The hat placed him in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve, and chivalry truly setting them apart.
20 Fun Things to Do Alone in Cold Weather
Cold weather usually equates to cuddle weather, but it's also a great time to enjoy yourself. Take it as an opportunity to catch up on things you've been putting off or have been wanting to do. Every now and then, it's always nice to be able to have some time to yourself to recharge and relax, so try these 20 things ahead alone. You don't need company to have a good time!
- Hygge it up: Embrace the Scandinavian lifestyle of hygge that celebrates coziness and warmth, especially during colder months. Do so by setting up pillows, blankets, and candles and sipping on a hot beverage.
- Bake seasonal goods: Fill your home up with delicious scents and challenge yourself with a fun recipe.
- Take yourself to a movie: Even though it might feel uncomfortable at first, you may find yourself really appreciating the experience. Embrace it and enjoy it.
- Decorate your place: Whether it's for Fall or Winter, celebrate the season with DIY crafts or festive store-bought decorations. You'll totally feel the holiday spirit.
- Cozy up with a good book: Create the ideal reading area in your room with string lights and candles and get lost in a new read or old favorite.
- Enjoy the cold air: Bundle up and go for a run or a walk outdoors. The fresh air will feel invigorating.
- Take a solo trip: Embark on an adventure to see beautiful foliage or snowy landscapes. DIY a travel journal to document the fun!
- Begin a project: This could range from a bucket list to a personal blog. Think about what's still unchecked on your to-do list and set aside some time to finally tackle it.
- Volunteer: Pay it forward in a small or big way by helping out at a soup kitchen or making holiday cards for veterans. You never know how your efforts could benefit someone.
- Journal: Start our journaling challenge or choose to free write. Getting your thoughts down on paper is great for self-reflection and for releasing any stress.
- Take yourself out to dinner: Think warm foods and cozy atmospheres. Enjoying a meal alone will allow you to fully indulge without any distractions. Feel free to bring a book along, but try to minimize screen time.
- Binge on a show: Cold weather is the perfect excuse to stay inside and catch up on your favorite series.
- Soak in a hot bath: Nothing feels better than relaxing in a tub. Turn on some soothing tunes and allow your mind to slow down.
- Make seasonal gifts for friends and family: Get crafty with Halloween goodies, Thanksgiving cards, or DIY Christmas presents. Your loved ones will appreciate the personal touch.
- Go shopping: Treat yourself or get a head start on your holiday shopping. You'll be able to take your time and not worry about rushing for others.
- Enjoy a lazy day in your pajamas: Take naps, watch movies, order takeout, or do whatever you feel like doing. Allow yourself to have a guilt-free day that's all about you.
- Try a new workout: Get of your active comfort zone and brave a workout you've never tried before. You never know if it'll become your new favorite exercise.
- Listen to holiday music: Crank up a Halloween mix or Christmas playlist to really get yourself ready for the season.
- Cook yourself a gourmet dinner: Bust out the candles and wine and play chef for the evening. Find a fancy recipe for some of your favorite foods and test your skills in the kitchen.
- Pamper yourself: Relax with a face or hair mask, paint your nails with festive colors, or get a massage. This is the time to catch up on any beauty treatments you've been putting off.
All the Times Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello Looked Almost Too Adorable Together
We can barely remember a time when Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello were not together, but in reality, it's been just over two years since the couple had their first date after Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson served as matchmaker.
In that short period of time, Sofia and Joe, who just celebrated their first wedding anniversary in November 2015, have shown their love with lots of PDA and longing looks into each other's eyes on as many red carpets as possible. Keep reading to see all the times their love shone through, then check out Sofia's best moments with her son, Manolo.
9 Things You Never Knew About Whole Foods, Straight From an Insider Employee
I spoke to Whole Foods food editor Molly Siegler, who's based at the company's headquarters in Austin, TX, and learned a variety of interesting facts that made me an even bigger fan of the store. What's the return policy? Who makes all the food in the hot bar? Can you really try something before you buy it? If you've always wanted to know this - plus more - about one of the highest-quality grocery stores, read on for all the insider secrets.
1. You can taste anything before you buy it.
Seriously - anything! "The company has a Try Before You Buy policy," Molly said, and you can use it for packaged foods (like snacks), fresh produce, and even cheese. "If there's a new apple that comes out, you can ask someone in the produce section to cut you a slice."
2. You can return anything.
The return policy "is very Nordstrom-like - bring it back; we want you to be happy." Depending on your location's policy, you'll either get your money back or get store credit - you don't even need your receipt. "It's nice if you have it, but not really [necessary]." You can even return Whole Foods beauty and body-care products, but make sure you have the receipt for those.
3. The best day to shop for sales is Wednesday.
"Wednesday is the day that our sale cycle turns over, so it actually ends up being a day where there are twice as many sales, so that's sort of a fun, magic day to come in. In addition to those in-store sales, we have mobile coupons that are part of our app. These coupons are updated regularly, and you just have the cashier scan the barcode that's exclusive to you."
4. Everything in the hot bar, salad bar, and bakery area is created by culinary experts.
"There's a new team that's been formed around culinary and hospitality: the company brought in a top chef, Tien Ho, who's been working in the restaurant world for years. He is leading the charge for elevating our prepared foods - he's going to focus a lot more on that hot bar experience and salad bar experience. There's a team of trained culinary pros behind every dish.
5. The butchers can debone, season, and/or steam any cut of fish for you.
At no extra charge. "A lot of people do that in our offices for lunch, or it's a really easy thing to do right before you head home for dinner. And it's not just salt and pepper - there's interesting rubs and spice mixes."
6. Employees get a really good discount.
Is your local Whole Foods hiring? Every employee gets a 20 percent discount to start out with, and there's a health-focused incentive that leads to a higher discount. The company does an optional annual screening that records factors like BMI and blood pressure that employees can use as a regular health check-in, in addition to getting an increased discount.
7. The best-selling seafood item is the responsibly farmed salmon.
Look for this in the seafood section - it's the number-one selling seafood item companywide. The salmon is free of antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides, and GMOs.
8. Each Whole Foods location donates leftover food to local organizations.
Ever wonder what happens to all that leftover hot food at the end of the night? The exact policy varies by location, but all food is donated. "All of our stores have partnerships with local food banks and other local organizations that they can help donate the food to at the end of the day."
9. The company really does take ingredients seriously.
"Whole Foods Market has really high quality standards, but it's not an arbitrary thing. We have a whole team that's dedicated to using science and really heavy research to figure out what can and can't be in our stores. At a minimum, we have no artificial colors, no artificial preservatives, no artificial sweeteners, and no hydrogenated fats. Every single thing in our stores meets those standards, and often poeple don't realize that."
All of Shay Mitchell's Sexiest Swimsuits Have One Thing in Common
It's no secret that Shay Mitchell is fond of traveling. The Pretty Little Liars star is constantly uploading photos of her envy-inducing vacations and dishing on her adventures in her YouTube series, Shaycation, which has over one million subscribers.
So when it comes to gearing up for a fun Summer getaway, she makes sure to pack her go-to - and very sexy! - swimsuit style, which may not come as a total surprise after scrolling through her feed. "I'm a huge fan of one-pieces . . . I love them," she told us. "I love bright colors, and there are so many amazing options to choose from as far as swim is concerned."
Keep scrolling to look back at some of her best swimwear moments, then shop the looks.
- Additional reporting by Samantha Sutton
You'll Want to Shop Selena Gomez's Sexy Swimsuits
You might think of celebrities on perma-vacations like Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima when you're looking for swimsuit inspiration, but we're telling you right now that Selena Gomez's beach style is the most versatile of them all.
The singer, who, after a short hiatus, made an emotional return to the spotlight at the end of 2016 with her acceptance speech at the American Music Awards, chooses both sexy bikinis and practical one-pieces that flatter her curves and still manage to be comfortable. So if you want to stock up, look ahead for lots of inspiration from Selena.
3 Reasons Kids Should Never Open Up Gifts During Their Birthday Party
Growing up, there was always one thing that made my birthday parties different from my friends'. Not the perfectly executed birthday cakes or the elaborate goodie bags (even though these details were always spot on!), but it was part of the party that was always missing: I never opened gifts during the celebration.
Although as a child I didn't understand why was this was my mom's biggest birthday rule, and as I got older it became a part of our party norm so I didn't give it much thought, as an adult I appreciate my mom's present-opening ban. Along with the other meaningful traditions from my childhood that I plan to pass on to my kids, I will also take a note out of my mom's birthday party playbook and won't be letting my children open their gifts at their parties.
Some people skip this part of the event for the sake of convenience (it can be time consuming and messy), but my mom had different reasoning for her stance on gift opening, and this meaningful position taught my siblings and I an important lesson. These are the three reasons kids should wait until after the party to start digging into the pile of gifts.
- It can make other kids feel bad. Birthday parties are supposed to be fun for everyone, not just the birthday kid, and opening gifts in front of everyone creates an opportunity for some guests to feel uncomfortable. There are countless reasons the gift situation could be tricky for other kiddos: whether their parents forgot their gift, couldn't afford to give one, gave less than someone else, opted out for cultural reasons, gave the same thing as someone else, gave something the child already has, or gave exactly what another child wanted, skipping this part of the party can help keep jealousy and discomfort away from the bash.
- It puts the focus on presents. A birthday party should be centered around spending time with friends and not just what you get out of it. Keeping the focus on making memories with guests and not on what they brought reinforces what your little one should prioritize. This will help keep them from zeroing in on what a guest brought from the time they walk in and comparing packages from different friends. Plus, once they start unwrapping things, it's hard to switch the focus back to the party and away from their new loot.
- It puts pressure on the kids. Although it's important for a child to learn how to graciously accept gifts, there are other ways to teach this without putting them on the spot in front of potentially dozens of people. Even if a child is perfectly polite, it's hard to hide the difference between genuine excitement and just good manners. This can make the kid with a "mediocre" gift feel bad while also putting pressure on your child to consistently have an even response and reining in pure joy over a major surprise. Also, if your child happened to be upset about a particular gift (hey, it happens), at least that reaction isn't seen by the other kiddos.
The Evolution of Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander's Love
There's no denying it: Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands are not only the happiest royal couple out there but also the chillest. It's been that way since they first announced their engagement to the public in 2001, after meeting in 1999 at the Seville Spring Fair in Spain. Even their wedding was a laid-back affair in comparison to other royal weddings, with Argentina-born Máxima in a simple but still stunning Valentino gown and smiling wide for the cameras.
From that moment on, the cuteness has only increased. There are endless photos of the royal couple happily walking arm in arm, laughing so hard it's contagious, and enjoying sweet and silly moments with their three daughters, Princesses Catharina-Amalia, Alexia, and Ariane. Scroll ahead to see Máxima and Willem-Alexander's love grow deeper and more fun as the years go by.
A Comprehensive Account of Robert Pattinson and FKA Twigs's Extremely Private Romance
Image Source: Getty / Jon Kopaloff
Robert Pattinson and FKA Twigs have been going strong for three years now, but as of late, the couple have been plagued by split rumors. It all began in July when Howard Stern asked Rob if he and Twigs are still engaged, and he replied, "Yeah, kind of." Shortly after, Rob was spotted having dinner with pal Katy Perry and Twigs was photographed hanging out with French model Brieuc Breitenstein in Spain. While neither Rob nor Twigs has publicly addressed any of the reports, it's also worth noting that the last time these two hit a red carpet together was in February at The Lost City of Z's premiere in London. However, a source recently told People that Rob and Twigs are "definitely still together." We're not entirely sure what is going on here, so we'll let you be the judge.
Image Source: Getty / Alo Ceballos
- August 2014: The pair were first spotted together in NYC. While Rob and Twigs steered clear of any PDA, it didn't take long for Us Weekly to report that the two were indeed dating.
- September 2014: Rob and Twigs appeared to confirm their romance when they were photographed holding hands while taking a stroll though Venice Beach, CA.
- November 2014: In an interview with USA Today, Twigs addressed the racist messages she received following her new romance with Rob, saying, "I really enjoy the fun of putting something out and people liking it or hating it or talking about it, but vacuous attention, it feels disgusting. It's like a hangover . . . The positivity that I get from [my relationship] makes the more challenging aspects . . . very worth it."
- April 2015: Rob and Twigs got engaged. In an interview with Vulture, rapper T-Pain talked about working with Twigs on his upcoming album and also revealed that Rob had popped the question. "I don't know if she wanted anybody to know that," he said. The rapper later shared an Instagram photo claiming that the comment was an April Fools' Day prank, writing, "Added a little #AprilFools to my interview with Vulture Magazine today. Check it out!!!!" However, Twigs was spotted wearing a thin gold band on her ring finger at an Alexander McQueen exhibit just a month before.
Image Source: Getty / Mike Coppola
- May 2015: Rob and Twigs made their first-ever red carpet appearance together at the Met Gala in NYC.
- October 2016: After keeping a low profile for a little over a year, breakup rumors started to swirl. Those reports were quickly laid to rest when Rob and Twigs resurfaced together at LAX.
- July 2017: Rob reignited those split rumors nearly a year later when he was questioned about his relationship on The Howard Stern Show. When asked if he was engaged to Twigs, Rob responded, "Yeah, kind of."
Image Source: Getty / Jamie McCarthy
- August 2017: Rob then added more fuel to those rumors when he stepped out for dinner with pal Katy Perry in LA. While a source told People that Rob and Katy are "just friends" and "super cuddly always," Twigs was later spotted hanging out with French model Brieuc Breitenstein while vacationing in Ibiza, Spain. According to People, Rob and Twigs are "definitely still together."
How Betsy DeVos Literally Bought Her Position as Education Secretary
Betsy DeVos, billionaire Republican donor, pretty much just bought a position in the highest tiers of American government. Following a shockingly poor Senate education committee hearing performance, DeVos's confirmation was vehemently opposed by Democrats and two Republicans. An effort to sway another Republican during an all-night session in which the Democrats commandeered the floor was unsuccessful, and DeVos was confirmed in February by Vice President Mike Pence, who had to break a tie vote.
While Republicans rarely break rank and vote against their party, Democrats had an especially difficult time convincing their Republican counterparts to vote against her, likely for one simple reason: the DeVos family has donated thousands of dollars to sitting Republican senators.
Here's how much they received from DeVos: #DeVosVote #NoOnDeVos #DumpDeVos http://pic.twitter.com/Fhm6R9awbf
- CAP Education (@EdProgress) February 7, 2017
The Federal Election Commission requires the full disclosure of campaign donations, and, as is apparent from this list, DeVos donated to at least 23 senators' reelection campaigns - including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. It prompts the question: had DeVos not consistently distributed her wealth to Republican officials, would she have been confirmed?
DeVos has never worked in a public school, never sent a child to public school, and never attended public school herself - and now she'll impact the system on a national level. DeVos has also long championed charter schools as an alternative to public schools, suggesting the entire system might change dramatically under her direction. After her disastrous committee hearing, she allegedly copied written answers from an Obama administration website that she submitted to defend her qualifications. If that's not unqualified, what would it take for Republican senators to consider her an "incompetent" cabinet appointment?
Design Pros Reveal the Exact 12 Shades of Gray to Paint Your Home
If there's one wall color designers universally love, it's gray. A coat of this hue creates a sleek and sophisticated palette in every area of the home - but with so many different shades of gray to chose from, picking the right one can become daunting. We decided to tap our favorite interior designers for advice on exactly which shades of gray we should be painting with. Read on to discover the 12 grays these pros turn to again and again.
Mom "Photobombs" Her Son's First-Day-of-School Photo For the Best Reason
On Edric Tucker's first day of school, he posed for a photo, like so many other kids, with a chalkboard that read "First Day of Pre-K." However, Edric's photo is different than most children's in that his mom, Katie, is photobombing him - but for good reason. The photo, which was posted to Instagram by Edric's dad, Scott, also highlights the fact that it's Katie's first day of school - dental school, that is - or more specifically, 22nd grade. The dad also shared the photo on Reddit with the sweet caption: "Wife starts dental school today, son is glad to have a school buddy."
You Don't Need to Be a Country Fan to Appreciate Faith Hill's Bond With Her Daughters
Faith Hill is a country music superstar, an actress, and wife to Tim McGraw, but above all else, she's a doting mother to three beautiful daughters: Audrey, 15, Maggie, 19, and Gracie, 20. Faith often gives us a glimpse into her family life on Instagram, and we can't get over how grown-up her kids are. I mean, let's face it, Faith could easily pass as their sister. Keep reading to see what we're talking about.
You'll Reconsider Tough-Loving Your Baby After Reading the Story Behind This Mother's Photo
This was from several weeks back, yes, I climbed in the crib in hopes to soothe my screaming, teething, blushed faced,...
Posted by Dayna Mager on Thursday, March 31, 2016
When cries from the baby monitor wake you in the middle of the night, do you run to your baby's room or let your little one cry it out? Parents who feel strongly about tough love may rethink their methods after learning the story behind this beautiful photo of a mother sleeping in her daughter's crib. Michigan-based photographer Dayna Mager posted the picture on her Facebook wall, which has gone viral for good reason.
Her husband Matt snapped the shot of Dayna and their 5-month-old daughter, Luella, when he found them sleeping in her crib after coming home from work. In her caption, Dayna wrote that she remembered the promise she made to Luella after being so deeply moved by a missionary's story at a worship concert she and Matt once attended. "Yes, I climbed in the crib in hopes to soothe my screaming, teething, blushed faced, and tear soaked little girl."
The missionary spoke about visiting a nursery in a Ugandan orphanage, where he saw more than 100 cribs with babies. Astounded by the complete silence, he asked why he didn't hear a single cry, in which the host replied, "After about a week of them being here, and crying out for countless hours, they eventually stop when they realize no one is coming for them . . ."
That was the moment that changed Dayna entirely. "I broke. I literally could have picked up pieces of my heart scattered about the auditorium floor. But instead, it stirred in me a longing, a hunger." She wrote:
"We came home, and that night as Luella rested her tiny little 10lb body against mine and we rocked, I made a promise to her. A promise that I would always come to her . . . We will show her through our tears and frustrations at times, that it is okay to cry, and it's OK to feel. That we will always be a safe place, and we will always come to her."
Dayna shared on HuffPost Parents how the missionary's life-changing story has made her "cherish even the sleepless nights and scream tantrums." And with 62,000 reactions and almost 23,000 shares, Dayna's photo and words have clearly struck a chord with other parents.
Help Your Kids to See Veggies in a Whole New Light With These 18 Spiralized Recipes
If you're a parent, we're going to go ahead and assume that you experience frequent issues with getting your kids to eat veggies (if you don't, you're going to need to teach us all how it's done right now). In an attempt to get our picky kiddos to so much as look at a vegetable without a "yuck" ready to escape their little lips - and to add some seriously needed color to our meals - we're exploring the world of spiralized veggies in 2016.
Read through for 18 delicious-looking veggie-based recipes to add to your healthy-eating repertoire this year.
20 Photos That Prove Above-the-Elbow Tattoos Are Secretly Sexy
When it comes to deciding to get a tattoo, where you place it is just as important as what you're getting inked. If you're looking for a fresh idea, consider this subtle spot getting more and more popular: above the elbow. There's something a little secretive and sexy about the area - you can't directly see it yourself, nor can others see it when they're facing you. It's the ideal canvas for first-timers (especially if you're thinking of getting a tiny tattoo) and a pleasantly unexpected new spot for those who've tattooed everywhere else.
Bella Hadid jumped on the trend, recently going to celeb favorite Jon Boy for a delicate rosebud tattoo atop her left elbow. For even more inspiration, keep reading. You're going to want to pin these.
8 Toxic Ingredients You Should Never Use in Your Skin Care Routine
Last month, I had the opportunity to visit Tata Harper's farm in Vermont, and it blew my mind. It should not have been so shocking. I've been a fan of her natural-ingredient, eco-friendly skin care and makeup line for years. It's ideal for my sensitive skin, and everything smells deliciously botanical with milky, silky textures. But actually seeing the farm-to-vanity process of these products made me realize: they are the real deal.
These are not products that claim to have organic ingredients but are still packed with "processed" stuff. In fact, most Tata Harper formulas have the shelf life of just a few months. She pointed out: why would you want to put something on your face with enough preservatives to make it last for years? Gross. (I immediately went home after the trip and threw away a ton of expired formulas.)
"I started Tata Harper Skincare after my stepfather was diagnosed with cancer," she told me via email. "Through all of the doctor's appointments I learned so much about lifestyle and how little decisions affect health and wellbeing. That's when I started really researching ingredients, and discovered that a lot of the ingredients with the most potential health risks aren't even there to give results; they're just fillers like preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and thickeners designed to keep the formula stable and give the product its texture. I only use natural ingredients because I believe that no woman should have to compromise her health for her beauty, especially if those ingredients aren't even making her beautiful!"
The more I learned about natural ingredients, the more I only wanted to use them. Every time I wash my face with Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, I envision the apricot seed powder exfoliating my skin and the French pink clay detoxifying it. Or when I nourish my face with the Rejuvenating Serum, I know rosehip seed oil is rejuvenating my under-eye area, while Spanish lavender extract is relaxing fine lines.
If you are eager to get informed about the harmful ingredients in your skin care products, as well as natural ones to look for instead, keep reading. Tata Harper herself breaks down what to ditch, what to use, and why.
5 Rules For Following Up After the Interview
You've made it through the last round, and now all you have to do is play the waiting game. It's a nerve-wracking time, and you may jump every time the phone rings, but keep your cool and make sure you're not breaking any of these interview follow-up rules:
- Thank them within two days. Thank whoever interviewed you on the day of or, at the very least, the day after your interview. Thank every person who interviewed you. It's best to send them individual thank-you emails or notes. Only send a thank-you note if you can drop it off in person, because if you snail mail it, it might arrive late.
- Follow up within two weeks. Follow up after your thank-you note anywhere from a week after the interview to no later than two weeks. Don't bombard them with emails and if you haven't heard from them after the thank-you note and the first follow-up, wait another week to two weeks before doing one final follow-up. If you don't hear back from them, it's probably time to move on.
- Choose the right person. Don't follow up with everyone you met up with. Pick a person who's in charge of following up with you. At the end of the interview, you can ask what the next steps are to clarify who should be reaching out to you. Most likely, you should follow up with either the hiring manager or the HR contact.
- Use the same medium. If your interviewer seems to prefer a certain medium, like the phone or email, try to stick to that when reaching out to them. If she reaches out to you via email, respond with an email. If she calls you and leaves a voicemail, get back to her by phone.
- Be careful with language. Choose your words wisely and be wary of sounding impatient or even putting pressure on the person you're speaking to. Hiring managers need time to make a decision, and they may still be interviewing other people, so be patient. Meanwhile, keep looking for other job opportunities while you're waiting, so you're not pinning all your hopes on one position.
44 Disney Cruise Hacks You Need to Know Before Sailing
We've all got it wrong, because the happiest place on earth is not a Disney park, but a Disney cruise. Yep, I said it. I love Disneyland and Disney World as much as the next Disney devotee, but there are some drawbacks to the parks (like hordes of people, inescapable heat, and long lines) that you just don't deal with while sailing blissfully on blue seas. I recently took the Disney Fantasy's Western Caribbean trip for seven nights, and while I went in a little hesitant about the whole affair, my skepticism about being on board a ship with thousands of people - many of whom barely reached my waist - was checked at the entrance of the ship and buried deeper as the days went by.
Disney fans, book your cruise ASAP. Non-Disney fans, book your Disney cruise ASAP, because you can embrace Disney entirely aboard the ship or avoid it, and still have a VIP experience either way. Star Wars buffs, book your cruise on the Fantasy and have a special day at sea that biggest fans can only dream of.
Getting Robbed at Gun Point Was Apparently a Walk in the Park For This Jimmy John's Employee
Sometimes, life hands you a bad day and you need to just let it ride out. That's how one Jimmy John's employee seemingly approached a robbery at gunpoint as he stoically handed the gunman money from the register.
The robbery took place at a Jimmy John's in Kansas City, MO, on April 26 at 9:15 p.m. In a video uploaded to YouTube by the Kansas City Police Department, the suspect, wearing a blue hoodie, enters the store and orders an item. As the cashier tells him his total, the suspect pulls out a gun. The Jimmy John's employee then takes off his gloves, hands him all the money, and even tries to give him the drawer with all the change. You can watch the encounter ahead.
The video quickly went viral on the internet, with some people on Twitter noting that the gun looks like it was jammed and that's why the cashier was so chill. According to the Kansas City Police YouTube page, police have the suspect in custody and they wrote, "Investigation is continuing." We hope the cashier and anyone else working during the robbery are home safe and sincerely OK.
The Royal Rule That Keeps Prince Philip From Being a King
Prince Philip became a member of the British royal family when he married then-Princess Elizabeth in November 1947. Born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, he gave up his titles on their wedding day and was instead named Duke of Edinburgh. When Elizabeth became queen after the death of her father in 1952, Philip did not become a king - and there's a longstanding rule that explains why.
In the UK, the husband of a reigning queen is called a prince consort, no matter what. Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, wanted to make her husband, Albert, king consort, but the British government wouldn't allow it because he was technically a foreigner. Instead, he was given the title of prince consort. Technically, there is no automatic right to any title when marrying a monarch; it wasn't until five years after her succession to the throne that Elizabeth II made Philip a prince of the United Kingdom, and he has never formally been designated a prince or king consort title, which is purely symbolic anyway.
On the flip side, the wife of a king normally gets the title of queen, but it too is only ceremonial; Queen Elizabeth I became queen consort when George VI became king, and the same rule goes for Kate Middleton, who will also earn the title when Prince William becomes king. An exception to this will be made when Prince Charles takes the throne, as Clarence House announced after their wedding that his wife, Camilla, will be known as princess consort, saying, "It is intended that Mrs. Parker Bowles should use the title HRH The Princess Consort when The Prince of Wales accedes to The Throne." However, when the time comes, Charles will have the power to upgrade her title to queen consort if he so chooses. And here's another plot twist: should Prince Philip outlive his wife and see his son Charles become king, he would be able to retain the style "his majesty" and could also be given the title king father, like that of Queen Elizabeth I when Elizabeth II took the throne.
This Is What 7 Miss Universe Contestants Look Like Without Makeup
Going makeup free is 2017 is hardly taboo. Celebrities including Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, and Chrissy Teigen have all shared bare-face selfies or bravely walked the red carpet without a lick of makeup. Still, sharing your foundation- and concealer-free mug with the world is beautiful to look at.
Seven of the most gorgeous women on the planet took on this challenge. Contestants in the upcoming Miss Universe Competition participated in makeup-free photo shoot in the Philippines. The diverse group picked are from different ethnicities and regions that span from Germany to South Africa. They all each also shared a quote about feeling comfortable in their own skin (which you can read ahead!).
In honor of National No Makeup Day, keep clicking to see these beauties without a drop of foundation or swipe of mascara. Interested in seeing them with makeup? Check out some shots from the competition here.
This Luxurious Serum Makes Your Skin So Perfect, You'll Proudly Skip Foundation
I'm usually first in line to try a trend. I am addicted to at-home peels, have made contouring a permanent step in my makeup routine, and even own more than one blue lipstick. But despite all the praise heaped on them, I couldn't get behind beauty oils.
Coconut oil made my fine hair too greasy, and I splurged on luxurious treatments only to break out the next day. So when I came upon Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum ($185), I was more than hesitant - I was flat-out skeptical. So I reached out to the product's creator, April Gargiulo, to find out what makes it special.
"I don't have a beauty background," Gargiulo admitted to me immediately. "I'm a winemaker." She had not only struggled to treat her fine lines, breakouts, and inflammation but also couldn't find a formula that she believed was safe enough to put on her skin. Because of this void in the market, Gargiulo decided to create her own product.
"I applied the same philosophy - no shortcuts! - to skin care that I would to fine winemaking," she explained. She spent two years developing her treatment with scientists, and the result was a golden serum absolutely packed with nutrients.
A brief look at the ingredient list surprised me. All 22 items are extremely recognizable: they're plants! Each one is naturally loaded with vitamins. For example, alfalfa leaves contain vitamin D, and carrot seed oil features vitamin A, the original source of retinol. "It's everything your body needs to thrive . . . and the same ingredients are intensely skin beautifying," Gargiulo told me.
Hearing Gargiulo's passion for her serum made me eager to try it, despite my initial reservations. She advised me to cleanse, tone, and then use the Active Botanical Serum.
In the carton for the formula, there's a small insert counseling users on the "push/press" technique, which was developed just for this product. I followed along closely: after dispensing a few drops, I rubbed my palms together, which is supposed to activate the botanical ingredients. (It also allows the lovely rose aroma of the serum to permeate the room!) Then, I carefully pressed my serum-coated palms onto my face, neck, and décolleté for 30 seconds.
I immediately observed a dewy radiance, but it was later that week that I fell in love with the formula. I'd been using it nightly and noticed that my typically sallow complexion looked bright and healthy each morning. In fact, one day, I went through my entire makeup routine but skipped my foundation, because I thought I had already put it on. Daily application of the Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum had made my skin tone that even.
I had never been disappointed by my skin before using Gargiulo's product, but now I was proud of it. I finally understand what Beyoncé is saying in "***Flawless" when she declares that she "woke up like this."
You Need to See These Photos If Your Child Sits in a Car Seat
An awful car crash in Tacoma, WA, could have ended in serious tragedy last week, but due to proper car seat installation, two children - and their mom - are doing so much better than the photos suggest.
Kylee Barrett was taking her 5-year-old son, Kolton, to school one morning with her 2-year-old, Hunter, also in tow when the car hit a patch of black ice. As the car slid, Barrett swerved to avoid hitting another car head-on, which forced them into a tree that crushed Hunter's side of the car. The impact caused the seat to bend but absorb the force, which kept Hunter safe even though the car flipped upside down.
Had Hunter's rear-facing Safety 1st seat not been properly installed, this family could be dealing with much more than a totaled car, Hunter's broken left femur, and a few bruises and scrapes. Facebook user Heather Viers is using the photo of Hunter's crushed seat to spread the word about proper car seat use: "This specific seat retails for $100. It's NOT a 'nice' seat, but it further illustrates the point that you don't have to spend a fortune to keep your child safe. Get your car seats checked by a CPST. Use it properly every.single.time. The life of your child relies on it."
Barrett has started a GoFundMe page to help with some of the costs that insurance isn't covering but is mostly focused on sharing her story to inform other parents. She says even though she's sore and bruised, her kids are still here to drive her crazy, and she "couldn't be happier."
If you own a car and a car seat, you need to read through and see these photos for yourself.
This post was originally published on Jan. 19, 2016.
20 Years of Jennifer Lopez's Never-Changing Looks in 20 Photos
If you think about it, Jennifer Lopez really hasn't changed at all in the past 20 years. She's still wearing revealing and body-hugging looks, experimenting with (read: making) the trends before anyone else, posing expertly on the red carpet, dancing her heart out on stage, and showing off her acting chops on TV and in movies. Not even her perfect, smooth, poreless skin has changed a single bit - seriously. While J Lo might not step out now in some of the iconic pieces she wore in the past, she would totally (and actually has) rocked others. Scroll ahead to see how little Jennifer has changed through the years.
What a 25-Year Veteran Teacher Wants Parents to Realize About Kindergarten
For the baby boomers and early Gen Xers, kindergarten was less about academically challenging children and more of a way for kids to socialize. The theory for a long time was that kindergarten was a way to get kids prepared to learn the "real stuff" later.
Now, kindergarten is more like first grade. "With a lot of children going to preschool, the pressure is on for schools to provide advanced standards while at the same time acknowledging that a lot of students are not getting the same," Suzanne Hess, a 25-year veteran teacher who taught predominantly in kindergarten classrooms, tells POPSUGAR.
Certainly this is a special time in a child's life where a lot of fundamental developments are happening. Since parents put a lot of pressure on what children can accomplish during kindergarten, there are some things Hess wants parents to consider.
1. Think about ways to get your child ready.
Regardless of whether or not a child has gone to some form of preschool or was homeschooled, Hess insists that there are some basic skills that will help when starting school. "It would be nice if a child can write their name, can recognize colors, enjoys story time, recognizes some letters, and has some experience with scissors," she began.
However, it's not all about academics when talking about whether or not a child is ready for kindergarten. "Along with academic readiness, parents should also look to see behavior readiness. Things like being able wait for turns, sharing, tolerating disappointment, and being comfortable in a new setting are also important when determining school readiness," Hess maintains.
2. Despite readiness goals, teachers expect a range of skills.
"Parents should understand that the class will have students from all socioeconomic and language-speaking families," she started. "Some children may have none of the experiences to display readiness, to no fault of their own." Socioeconomic disparities aren't the only reason children will have marked differences in their abilities; age also plays a factor.
"Children will be as much as 364 days apart in age, so they will fall into their age and size grouping anywhere from oldest and biggest in the class to youngest and smallest. Little boys tend to have less developed fine motor skills than girls and less control of their bodies at the same age," Hess states.
3. Make it easy on the teacher when considering clothing.
While those adorable Mary Jane buckle shoes really complement her pretty pinafore, Hess urges parents to reconsider. "Please select clothing that your child can put on by himself," she urges. "If your child cannot tie his own shoes, then get shoes that fasten with Velcro. Winter clothing should be easy to put on, and please put names in jackets for easy finding when left on the playground."
4. As hard as it can be, try to not compare one child to another.
Making comparisons to other children, while useful for understanding averages and basic skills, can be troublesome when thinking about kindergarten. Hess explains, "Children develop skills at different rates, and there are a lot of factors that can shift abilities." However, if parents are really concerned about a child's learning progress, she urges them to seek help. "If you have questions or worries, schedule a time to talk to your teacher about them. Your teacher is an expert and will quickly recognize children who are 'out of the norm,' and can refer specialists."
5. Depending on the school, necessary information might take a while to get to the teacher.
Considering that a lot of public schools are strapped for counselors and clerks, it's not unreasonable to think that your child's papers of accommodations and important information might not get to the teacher right away.
"It would be nice if parents informed teachers of allergies or peculiar habits and fears a child may have before school start," she says. "I've had a few who needed their stuffed animal or still sucked a thumb. I had a super shy kid who would wet his pants because he was too shy to ask to use the bathroom. If I had known these things from the beginning, it may have made for an easier transition."
6. Please remember that your child's teacher has other students.
It would be wonderful if all students received all the attention and individually designed curriculum. However, considering that class size can be as many as 30 children, some of the teacher's time is going to be split among other students.
"Your teacher has to provide a curriculum that meets standards while at the same time takes each child from where she is on day one," Hess persists. This means that some things may come easy to your child, but be careful to not assume that they're too easy for the grade level, because "some other child is benefiting and it's an opportunity for the more advanced child to help and get practice."
Get to Know the Soon-to-Be Princess With a Royal Wardrobe Better Than Kate's
Get pumped because a new Latina royal is here to stun you with her amazing style. Alessandra de Osma, known as Sassa and born in Lima, Peru, is the 25-year-old lucky fiancé to Prince Christian of Hanover. From the moment the couple, who met while Christian visited Peru as a teen, announced their engagement and 2018 wedding, we've been taking a deep dive into Alessandra's incredible fashion choices, and we must say, we're impressed.
The lawyer and model has been attending royal events, like the Monaco Rose Ball - Christian's father, Prince Ernst August, is married to Princess Caroline of Monaco - and fronting ads and magazine spreads for fashion designers for years. It comes as no surprise then than her closet is full of high-end pieces she wears expertly. Look ahead to see why she should be your new favorite royal.
This Lebanese Bride's Custom Wedding Dress Was So Magical, It Got Its Own Hashtag
Dana Wolley is a fashion influencer located in the Middle East, and she's got quite the eclectic taste. You can imagine, then, that her wedding dress was not typical. In fact, Dana didn't just have one gown, but three special pieces that she wore for various ceremonies when she married Samer Zayat. The couple's nuptials took place this past Summer, but Dana just 'grammed a throwback photo that reminded us how magical her Esposa Prive silhouette was. It wasn't white, but a champagne shade that was covered in ornate beading and complemented by Mouawad jewels.
Dana danced the night away in Nicholas Kirkwood platforms that she called "the most comfortable bridal shoe ever." Needless to say, we'd sacrifice a little comfort for a heel complete with a genuine hand-picked pearl too. As unique as all the little details might be, we were struck most by the process of designing a dress from start to finish, which Dana documented on Instagram. Read on to see how she finally arrived at her majestic look, and check out the other outfits she slipped into before the reception even began.
These Illustrations of Disney Princesses Going to the Doctor Without Obamacare Are Too Real
Belle, Ariel, and Elena of Avalor are all dealing with the effects of a world without Obamacare in these illustrations created by a duo of creative Latinas, illustrator Maritza Lugo and writer Danielle Sepulveres.
With the fate of the Affordable Care Act (popularly known as Obamacare) still up in the air, Maritza and Danielle decided to use everyone's favorite princesses to show off the devastating implications that the repeal will have for millions of Americans - specifically women.
"At the end of 2015, I contacted Maritza and asked if she'd be interested in drawing re-imagined Disney princesses to bring awareness for cervical cancer awareness month," Danielle told us via email. "This year, we decided to revamp that project and brainstormed how we could be most effective in showing the consequences of the repeal of ACA, looming ominously over essential healthcare for women." The results: Pocahontas being denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, Belle having to pay for a new birth control prescription, and Elena facing protestors outside of Planned Parenthood. Scroll ahead to see the poignant illustrations and read what Maritza said about each of them on Instagram.
See Why This Sister's Breastfeeding Photo Sparked a Major Debate About Wet Nursing
A breastfeeding photo is once again the center of an internet debate, but this time, people have some strong opinions about a mom breastfeeding her sister's baby. The photo was shared on the popular Breastfeeding Mama Talk Facebook page and it really has people fired up.
"In some weird chain of events today I ended up breast feeding my sisters son while she was away, because he would not take the bottle his momma pumped him. In return because my son won't latch and is strictly fed bottles I pump, my sister was able to feed my son her perfectly good pumped milk. Which made for two very happy and content babies. #bonding #familyiseverything #breastmilkforthewin."
And just like that, two babies were fed! Most moms can agree that it's incredibly frustrating when your child won't latch or take a bottle, but this mom solved those two major problems at once. But as expected, some Facebook users were not pleased that she nursed her nephew. Others, however, have praised her for stepping up and helping her sister's baby, stating that nothing is stronger than the bond of family. What do you think?
Check out some of the positive reactions to this mom's photo:
Mom's Viral Post About Not Requiring Her Child to Share Will Make You Think
If Alanya Kolberg's child doesn't want to share his toy, he doesn't have to, and his mom isn't going to discipline him for turning another child down. This Missouri mom is firm on her position that her kid shouldn't always be required to share and didn't hesitate to explain the reasoning behind her controversial position after a recent encounter at the park.
For anyone who finds her stance confusing, Alanya wrote very clearly on Facebook, "My child is not required to share with yours." She explained that when she and Carson walked to the park, at least six boys came over all demanding that he share his Transformer, Minecraft figure, and truck. "He was visibly overwhelmed and clutched them to his chest as the boys reached for them," she wrote. "He looked at me. 'You can tell them no, Carson,' I said."
Alanya reassured her child that he didn't need to feel pressured to say anything else. When the other kids ran off to tattle on him to their parents, Alanya told them that he answered their question and that if he wants to share, he will. Although that response resulted in other parents giving her dirty looks, Alanya is fine with that and has a message for these parents - and any others who don't agree with her parenting.
"Would any well-mannered adult, a stranger, reach out to help themselves to my sandwich, and get huffy if I pulled it away? No again.
So really, while you're giving me dirty looks, presumably thinking my son and I are rude, whose manners are lacking here? The person reluctant to give his three toys away to six strangers, or the six strangers demanding to be given something that doesn't belong to them, even when the owner is obviously uncomfortable?
The goal is to teach our children how to function as adults. While I do know some adults who clearly never learned how to share as children, I know far more who don't know how to say no to people, or how to set boundaries, or how to practice self-care. Myself included. . . .
The next time your snowflake runs to you, upset that another child isn't sharing, please remember that we don't live in a world where it's conducive to give up everything you have to anyone just because they said so, and I'm not going to teach my kid that that's the way it works."
Mom's Reaction to Delivering an 11-Pound Baby Boy at Home Is Perfect
Natalie had a feeling her third child was going to be on the bigger side, but after delivering the 11-pound, 2-ounce baby naturally and at home, she understandably responded with a shocked reaction. Luckily for us, her birth photographer, Laura Fifield, caught that reaction - and so many more stunning moments from this beautiful, family-centered home birth - on camera.
With her two older children awake and present for the birth and her husband by her side, Natalie spent most of her labor in the birth pool, pushing just a few times before giving birth to her gorgeous baby boy, Simon. The gender was a surprise, and Laura told POPSUGAR Moms that the reaction of Natalie's she caught in the photo above was a mixture of "Wow, I did it" and the baby's gender being revealed.
After some skin-to-skin time and Simon's first nursing session, Natalie's midwives took the little guy to be weighed. "Imagine the surprise when her midwife announced, 'He's 11 pounds, two ounces, Natalie!' Oh my goodness, we were all shocked!" Laura wrote on her blog.
Look through to see more photos from Natalie's home birth.
No, White Friend - You Weren't "Embarrassed" by Barack Obama
The following story, "No, White Friend - You Weren't 'Embarrassed' by Barack Obama," was originally published on JohnPavlovitz.com.
I remember the day after the Election, a friend of mine who happens to be white, remarked on social media that he "finally wasn't embarrassed of America and our President."
I sprained my eyes rolling them and they have never fully recovered.
Since then I've heard this sentiment echoed by more white folks than I can count, especially in recent months; supposed relief at once again having a leader who instills pride.
Since I don't have the time to ask each of the individually, I'll ask here:
So, you were embarrassed for the past 8 years, huh?
Really?
What exactly were you embarrassed by?
Were you embarrassed by his lone and enduring twenty-five year marriage to a strong woman he's never ceased to publicly praise, respect, or cherish?
Were you embarrassed by the way he lovingly and sweetly parented and protected his daughters?
Were you embarrassed by his Columbia University degree in Political Science or his graduating magna cum laude from Harvard Law School?
Maybe you were embarrassed by his white American and Black Kenyan parents, or the diversity he was raised in as normal?
Were you embarrassed by his eloquence, his quick wit, his easy humor, his seeming comfort meeting with both world leaders and street cleaners; by his bright smile or his sense of empathy or his steadiness - perhaps by his lack of personal scandals or verbal gaffes or impulsive tirades?
No. Of course you weren't.
Honestly, I don't believe you were ever embarrassed. That word implies an association that brings ridicule, one that makes you ashamed by association, and if that's something you claim to have experienced over the past eight years by having Barack Obama representing you in the world - I'm going to suggest you rethink your word choice.
You weren't "embarrassed" by Barack Obama.
You were threatened by him.
You were offended by him.
You were challenged by him.
You were enraged by him.
But I don't believe it had anything to do with his resume or his experience or his character or his conduct in office - because you seem fully proud right now to be associated with a three-time married, serial adulterer and confessed predator; a man whose election and business dealings and relationships are riddled with controversy and malfeasance. You're perfectly fine being represented by a bullying, obnoxious, genitalia-grabbing, Tweet-ranting, Prime Minister-shoving charlatan who's managed to offend all our allies in a few short months. And you're okay with him putting on religious faith like a rented, dusty, ill-fitting tuxedo and immediately tossing it in the garbage when he's finished with it.
None of that you're embarrassed of? I wonder how that works.
Actually, I'm afraid I have an idea. I hope I'm wrong.
Listen, you're perfectly within your rights to have disagreed with Barack Obama's policies or to have taken issue with his tactics. No one's claiming he was a flawless politician or a perfect human being. But somehow I don't think that's what we're talking about here. I think the thing President Obama did that really upset you, white friend - was having a complexion that was far darker than you were ever comfortable with. I think the President we have now feels much better.
Because objectively speaking, if what's happening in our country right now doesn't cause you great shame and doesn't induce the continual meeting of your palm to your face - I don't believe embarrassment is ever something you struggle with.
No, if you claimed to be "embarrassed" by Barack Obama but you're not embarrassed by Donald Trump - I'm going to strongly suggest it was largely a pigmentation issue.
And as an American and a Christian committed to diversity and equality and to the liberty at the heart of this nation - that, embarrasses me.
A Stylist Spent 13 Hours on a Depressed Teen's Hair - and the Result Is Gorgeous
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Benjamin Stone
While the thought of back-to-school prep daunts most Summer-loving high schoolers, one teen in particular was really not looking forward to class picture day. In fact, when the anonymous girl from Waterloo, IA, walked in to the salon where Kayley Olsson worked, the stylist knew she was about the face the "hardest experience" of her career. That's because the young woman was suffering from depression that was so severe she had stopped brushing her hair.
As Olsson wrote in a now-viral Facebook post, "She got to the point where she felt so down and so worthless . . . she told me she only got up to use the restroom." The teen told Olsson to just cut everything off, but the stylist wasn't having any of it. "It honestly broke my heart and we tried everything we could to keep this child's hair for her!" she wrote in the impassioned post.
Luckily, over the course of two sessions (which lasted for eight and five hours respectively), Olsson worked with a team to give the girl an adorable new lob. According to Olsson, the best part of it all was seeing her client smile for the first time. Before leaving the salon, the teen told her hairdresser, "I will actually smile for my school pictures today, you made me feel like me again."
While Olsson's proud of her work, she wants her post, which has been shared over 60,000 times, to teach a lesson. She wrote, "PARENTS, take [mental health] serious[ly]. Don't just push your kids off and tell them to get over something they legitimately can't. A CHILD should NEVER feel so worthless to not even want to brush their hair."
A Minute Staring at This Bride's Wedding Gown, and You'll Swear You Stepped Into a Fairy Tale
As part of the sister duo behind luxury retailer Avenue 32, it probably comes as no surprise that Maya Benteler's wedding was every fashion girl's dream come to life. The British beauty's nuptials began with a civil cermony, then a breathtaking church wedding and reception, with the requisite outfits to accompany each.
Maya kicked things off in a chic white sheath for her courthouse nuptials but gave the look a statement-making twist with a leopard coat and ankle-wrap heels. The wedding gown itself was far more traditional, a long-sleeved tulle and lace creation that looks entirely fit for a princess, while husband Christian Staubach was a dead ringer for Prince Charming in his polished three-piece suit.
And because any stylish bride knows the importance of beautiful bridesmaid dresses, Maya's wedding party was decked out in lovely matching floral-print gowns and flower crowns that made the wedding feel that much more like a fairy tale. The gorgeous Austrian landscape didn't hurt, either. Read on to see the stunning looks in full.
Related:
My Dad Was an Undocumented Immigrant - and My Biggest Inspiration
My father's story proves timing is everything. At least, that's how the saying goes, right? Whether it's falling in love, or just looking for a parking space on the busy streets of Los Angeles, timing can be the one ingredient that can alter a situation for better or worse. But what if I told you that timing can truly change lives? And that it can also destroy them?
My dad was only 14 years old when he crossed the Mexican border, or as Latinos like to joke, when the "border crossed him." Coming into the country with almost nothing, my father juggled multiple jobs as a busboy before attending night school to learn English at 18. A sharp student by nature, he learned English fairly quickly. By the time he was 20, he could converse with his American-born co-workers fluently, with little-to-no accent.
My father worked two jobs while I was in elementary school, one in construction, and a weekend job delivering pizzas. He worked many hours, all of the money going towards a private school my younger brother and I attended. I remember the most popular girl in my grade coming up to me to tell me that my father had delivered a pizza to her house over the weekend. I knew she did this to embarrass me. It didn't work.
It wasn't until I was in middle school that my father started reevaluating his life and what he wanted to do - not just as a father and husband, but as an individual. We had many conversations about his passions and interests during my childhood. While he always insisted that I pursue a college education, I couldn't help but wonder what my dad would have wanted to be if his home country had granted him the same opportunities mine did. Once, I asked him. "A doctor," he told me.
Two weeks shy of my 12th birthday, my father took the second biggest risk of his life and bought a Mexican restaurant. It was his first career move, and it was quite a big one.
What followed was a collection of many wins, losses, and, in 2008, one of the worst business years the restaurant would ever see during the economic rut. But even after all of the good days, slow days, and slower days, my dad still managed to successfully run a business for 13 years, bringing culture to the city he immigrated to and creating jobs - and damn good mole - for his community.
Yet, it still never really occurred to me just how successful my dad was, not by means of money, really, but by means of hard work.
I once dated a Caucasian guy whose father had been a rocket scientist. We were talking about college one day, and he proudly told me all about his father's alma mater, asking me where my father attended college. I told him he didn't. In fact, my father had only a sixth-grade education. My boyfriend's jaw dropped.
My dad is actually the epitome of the American dream.
I realized then and there that my dad was actually the epitome of the American dream. He not only created a home, became a businessman and sent his daughter to college, but he also became a beloved member of his community.
But as much as my father's success is credited to his sacrifices and hard work, my father was only really able to fulfill his dream because of one very critical element: the government.
In 1986, my father - along with 2.7 million undocumented immigrants - was granted a green card. This was thanks to the Reagan administration's Immigration Reform and Control Act, which made any immigrant who'd entered the country before 1982 eligible for amnesty. It was one of the largest immigration reform sweeps in this country's history, and it was great news for my father, who had entered the country in 1981.
My dad was allowed to apply for citizenship six years later; something that would help him greatly during his business loan application process years later.
It was hard work, sacrifice, and ultimately this country's immigration policy in the '80s that helped my father achieve the American dream.
It was hard work, sacrifice, and ultimately this country's immigration policy in the '80s that helped my father achieve the American dream. It was timing. Yet, if President Donald Trump's deportation efforts and his threat of an executive order to block federal funding to sanctuary cities are proof of anything, not every immigrant who enters the US with the goal to work will be granted the same aid my father received. Not every undocumented immigrant who comes here to work long hours, doing the jobs nobody wants to do, will be given a break by the country they gave their labor and life to.
In fact, some will actually be deported even after spending decades here, like Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos. The mother of two US-born children, who was living in Arizona for 20 years, was sent back to Nogales, Mexico days after Trump issued an executive order changing deportation priorities.
Yes, my father came into this country illegally. Yes, he lived in the US undocumented for several years; but he also cleaned your dishes, delivered your food, and helped build your buildings. He got to live out his American dream thanks to a reform that, though it was slightly flawed, helped situate many immigrants. He came into this country at arguably the right time. I wish I could say the same for everyone else.
'A broken system': Why workers are fighting mandatory mail-order drug plans
Denying workers a choice in where they can buy their prescription drugs can save companies money, but many workers say the choice is simply too important.
Articles
