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.
mercredi 6 septembre 2017
The Handmaid's Tale Shows Us Why We Can't Compromise on Reproductive Rights
Kaylie Hanson Long is the national communications director for NARAL Pro-Choice America
With the TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, people across the world will get a visceral preview of what happens when a regime defined by misogyny, cynicism, and a distaste for facts rises to power. Atwood's dystopian vision depicts a fictional world in which women are nothing more than childbearing vessels, nothing more than domestic servants, and nothing more than wives whose sole claim to power rests in the hands of their husbands. Women who think, who rebel, who choose - and also women who fail to bear children, who fail to live up to an idea of "womanhood" that has nothing to do with humanity and everything to do with biology - are declared "unwomen."
Sound familiar?
If you're a woman in 2017, you might recognize this world thanks to the rise of politicians who have felt less and less pressure to hide the misogyny driving their attempts to control the most intimate aspects of a woman's life. And this rise has been made possible by none other than President Donald Trump.
The government of The Handmaid's Tale is fueled by a misogynist agenda and systematically enacts policies that rob women of their autonomy. After the leadership's rise to power, the main character of The Handmaid's Tale stops by a convenience store to pick up a pack of cigarettes before work only to learn that her bank account has been shut down. When she arrives at work, she learns that this isn't a fluke: the government has not only frozen every woman's bank account but has also made it illegal for women to hold a job and hold property at all.
"It's only a job," the central character's husband says when she returns home that day. "You know I'll always take care of you." It is clear that he has missed the point.
In our reality, women are already treated like second-class citizens in so many ways: women of color make as little as 58 cents for every dollar their white male counterparts make. Pregnant women lose their jobs because they need an extra bathroom or water break. Republicans in Congress want to drag us back to the days of charging women more for our health care and when being a woman was considered a pre-existing condition. And the onslaught of antichoice legislation in this country has chipped away at our fundamental right to control our bodies and decide whether, when, how, and with whom to start or grow a family.
President Trump's misogynist agenda only promises to pull us backward and erase the progress we have made on the road toward gender equality. He has laid bare the real motive behind the war on reproductive rights waged by antichoice politicians and extremist groups: it has very little to do with abortion and everything to do with keeping women in our place by limiting our options and freedom.
Trump let the cat out of the bag last year when he matter-of-factly claimed "there has to be some form of punishment" for women who choose abortion. Of course the people who cheer him on are the same people who believe that birth control pills and IUDs - the most basic tools women use to control their futures - should be illegal. One even claimed that a world without these forms of contraception would be "ideal." And antichoice state legislators from Wyoming to Missouri make their real feelings about women clear when they compare us to livestock and quip that we should go to zoos to access basic health care.
The examples are endless, and it is clear that the rise of a reality where women do not have basic rights is made possible not only by politicians bent on controlling women, but also by a populace that tells itself, "That can't happen here."
"There were marches, of course," writes the unnamed narrator of The Handmaid's Tale, reflecting on the protest movements women led against the rise of this catastrophic and misogynist theocracy, "but they were smaller than you might have thought."
The good news for us is that our marches have not been small. Across the country and the world, people have made it clear that the majority does not believe in the dystopian worldview peddled by extreme antichoice groups and politicians like President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Seven in 10 Americans believe abortion should be legal and accessible, and the same number think the Supreme Court should not overturn Roe v. Wade. This majority is fueling the resistance against the dangerous antiwoman, antifamily agenda pushed by President Trump and his Republican allies from Washington to the state legislatures.
Luckily, leaders at every level of government are getting the message, and they understand that Americans will support those who stand strong behind reproductive freedom and gender equality. In states like Nevada and Washington, legislators are leading a proactive resistance by working to make birth control even more accessible. States like Massachusetts, Oregon, and Tennessee are also working on laws that would require insurance providers to cover a broad range of birth control, not just certain types or brands.
It is no surprise that America's appetite for dystopian fiction skyrocketed after President Trump's election. We must look to it not only as a warning of what could be, but also as a guide to how we can push history in the right direction. We must stand up, stand strong, and stand together in support of the fundamental idea that every woman deserves the same opportunity and freedom as men to control her body and her future.
Prince Charles Wanted These Names For William and Harry, but Diana Called Them "Too Old"
Princess Diana and Prince Charles didn't agree on a lot of things during their tumultuous 10-year marriage, and, perhaps quite relatably, baby names was one of them. Like most expectant parents, Charles and Diana had different ideas about what to name their children, but unlike most expectant parents, they were obligated to give their offspring strong, regal names that would sound good with a king or queen title in front of them. The British nobility routinely follow tradition when it comes to picking out names for royal babies, often referencing monarchs of the past - which is why you'll see a number of Georges, Philips, Henrys, Elizabeths, and Victorias in the family tree.
When Diana gave birth to her first son in June 1982, he was given the name William Arthur Philip Louis; two years later, Prince Harry was christened Henry Charles Albert David. In a recorded interview that would go on to be published in the controversial 1992 book Diana: Her Story by Andrew Morton, Diana admitted that she picked the first names for both of her newborn sons after nixing the ones Charles had in mind. When asked, "Who chose [Harry's] name?," Diana said, "I did," adding, "I chose William and Harry, but Charles did the rest." She went on: "He wanted Albert and Arthur, and I said no. Too old!" She may have been on to something, but William could always choose a different regnal name when he becomes king - even Prince Charles, who was christened Charles Philip Arthur George, is expected to be known as King George VII when he takes the throne. William also paid homage to both of his parents with the names of his two children: George Alexander Louis and Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
Diana also revealed the heartbreaking comment that Charles made shortly after Harry's birth: "His first comment was, 'Oh God, it's a boy,'" Diana said. "His second: 'And he's even got red hair.'" Charles was vocal about his desire for a daughter and reportedly told Diana's mother at Harry's christening, "We were so disappointed - we thought it would be a girl." Wonder what names they would have picked out for a little princess?
50+ Photos That Show the Outpouring of Love at Princess Diana's Public Funeral
When Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash in August 1997, it seemed as though the world was mourning just as deeply as her own family. Diana, dubbed "The People's Princess," made an indelible mark on those in the UK as well as around the globe; her funeral, which was held on Sept. 6, was watched or listened to by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide - making it one of the most watched events in history. In London, a crowd of nearly one million people gathered to trace Diana's coffin from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey to her final resting place at the Spencer family's home in Althorp.
Diana's sons, Harry and William, followed their mother's coffin alongside their father, Prince Charles, and their uncle Charles, the Earl Spencer. The visibly moved onlookers blanketed the streets with heartfelt notes, bouquets, and teddy bears, and flower petals rained down from bystanders along the procession route. People also gathered in Hyde Park, where the ceremony was being aired on a giant screen, while celebrities like Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Hillary Clinton, and Elton John attended the official ceremony inside Westminster Abbey. We're looking back on the outpouring of love from the public at Diana's funeral. Scroll through to see all the tearjerking photos.
33 Celebrities Whose Real Names You Never Knew
Did you go through that phase in life where you grew tired of your name and toyed with the idea of changing your moniker or dropping part of it to make it, well, unique? You can now rest assured that you weren't alone, and had you gone through with the change, you'd be following in the footsteps of some of today's top artists.
Regardless of the reasons behind the name changes - some dropped their last names, some go by their middle name or nickname only, some dropped an accent or two, and others just made up a brand-new persona - these swaps are surprising to sift through. Keep reading to find 33 stars whose real names might shock you.
- Additional reporting by Alessandra Foresto.
Prince Harry Celebrates the Royal Baby News by Bonding With Children in Manchester
Prince Harry is going to be an uncle again, and he couldn't be more excited about it! While visiting Manchester, England, on Monday, the royal spoke briefly about the news that his brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law Kate Middleton are expecting their third child. Harry couldn't help but grin and give a thumbs up to a reporter who asked about the news, saying, "Fantastic. Great. Very, very happy for them."
Even though Kate is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, the severe nausea and vomiting she also experienced when she was pregnant with both Prince George and Princess Charlotte, Harry added that he thinks she's doing OK. Aside from beaming over the baby news, the royal put his fun uncle skills to the test as he bonded with children during his tour of Walking With the Wounded and stopped by a training session at the Manchester City Football Club for a little game of soccer.
A Sleep Physician Reveals 20 Expert Secrets to a Better Night's Rest
Sleep has never come easy to me - and I know I'm not alone with this issue. Whether it's waking up countless times throughout the night, getting up in the morning feeling as if I didn't sleep at all, or having trouble actually nodding off at night, I'm always looking for ways to improve my rest.
Dr. Nate Watson is a sleep specialist, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), professor of neurology at the University of Washington, and codirector of the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center. So we're going to go out on a limb and say he knows what he's talking about when it comes to sleep. He recently did an IamA on Reddit to address people's questions about how to improve their sleep habits, and his answers are so enlightening. Read on to see his helpful advice.
1. I have had issues falling asleep since I was 6. My brain wont quiet down. I am constantly thinking about something. Any tips?
"I suggest that you start a worry journal in the evening, set aside 15 minutes before you go to bed - write down your negative thoughts and then close the book, allowing you to go to bed with those thoughts on the page, not in your head."
2. How can a person determine how much sleep they actually need?
"Adults need seven or more hours, but each person is unique. You may need nine hours a night to feel rested. Take three weeks to fall asleep when you are tired and wake up refreshed without an alarm. That should determine how much sleep you need personally."
3. Why are some humans more nocturnal and others more diurnal?
"Chronotype is the notion that some people are 'morning larks' while others are 'night owls.' Much of this is genetically determined."
4. Why is that when I'm home I have to be laying down and comfortable to fall asleep and sometimes it still takes a while, but at work I can fall asleep sitting up in a chair with background noise all around?
"Sleeping better outside of your typical home environment may indicate a problem with your home sleep environment. Check out this page for a lot of info that may help."
5. Why do we sleep?
"Much of that is yet to be determined. We do know that the spaces in the brain expand to allow clearing out of the day's thoughts - like a garbage man for the brain."
6. What are some exercises (if any) you can do to improve REM sleep or deep sleep in general?
"A hot bath before bed has been shown to increase deep non-REM sleep. Some medications can reduce REM sleep (anti-depressants)."
7. I have diagnosed sleep apnea but hate the machine (can never sleep comfortably with it). Any advice ?
"1) Make sure you are of optimal weight 2) Avoid sleeping on your back to keep nasal passages clear. These are conservative measures. Other options are oral appliances custom fabricated by a dentist. There are also surgical options from ear, nose, and throat specialists. We always recommend seeing a board-certified sleep specialist to sort this out for you."
8. Do you have any tips for napping? I don't know how long it will take me to get to sleep, so how do I know when to set an alarm?
"Just set your alarm for 10-15 min. from when you lay down so you don't wake from a deeper stage of sleep and be groggy."
9. Does length of sleep have more of an affect on a person than the actual quality of it? At what point does quality and length even out?
"The bottom line is that very few people are able to succeed and be healthy on less than seven hours of sleep per night. Many who claim to get little sleep are probably exaggerating - and if they're not, I suspect that they would be even more successful, and much healthier in the long term, if their brains and bodies were fully charged with sleep. We tend to be poor judges of our alertness level, and we underestimate how we are affected by insufficient sleep. In addition, there is a ton of data to support that not getting enough sleep puts you at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more."
10. Does this length of sleep needed to feel rested differ from person to person or do we all collectively need exactly eight hours as many are told from youth?
"While most adults need seven or more hours of sleep each night, a small percentage of people function well on less sleep. If you feel refreshed when you wake up and remain alert throughout the day without needing to take a nap, then you may be getting enough sleep. But the problem is that we tend to be poor judges of our alertness level, and we underestimate how we are affected by insufficient sleep. In addition, there is a ton of data to support that not getting enough sleep puts you at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more. Try sleeping seven plus hours for a week, and I think you'll notice a more energetic, productive version of yourself that you didn't know existed."
11. Why don't I dream? Or rather why don't I remember my dreams?
"You for sure are dreaming. You only remember them if you wake from the dream. Not waking from REM sleep is good and indicates you likely have healthy sleep."
12. How does one deal with insomnia?
"If you think you may have insomnia, ask yourself the following questions: 1) Does it take you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, or do you wake up during the night and have trouble returning to sleep, or do you wake up earlier than desired? 2) Do you have daytime symptoms such as fatigue, moodiness, sleepiness, or reduced energy? 3) Do you give yourself enough time in bed to get at least seven hours of sleep each night? 4) Do you go to bed in a safe, dark, and quiet environment that should allow you to sleep well? If you answered 'yes' to all of these questions, then you may have insomnia."
13. Are there any ethical restrictions against conducting studies to see how long people can go without sleep beyond a certain point, and what is the cutoff, if there is one?
"Rats die after about three weeks of total sleep deprivation. This is how we know sleep is essential to life. I have seen studies of 24-36 hours of sleep deprivation, but not much longer than that."
14. Did it ever happen to you that you were dreaming and you suddenly fall out of nowhere in your dream then wake up in panic thinking you just fell?
"That's called a 'hypnic jerk' and it is normal."
How is it that I wake up almost exactly one hour before my alarm goes off?
"You are probably thinking about this before you go to bed - this could be a self-fulfilling prophecy and I recommend not looking at the clock."
15. Is sleeping on your stomach bad for you? Is there anything such as a good sleeping position that keeps pressure of certain organs?
"Sleeping position is mostly personal preference, but if you can't sleep comfortably on your back, it may be a sign of sleep apnea."
16. I seem to sleep fine, but hell am I tired constantly; what's that all about?
"There are medical causes for fatigue that you should have checked out by your doctor. This could also be an indication of a sleep disorder. Sleep and sleep disease, such as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia, are increasingly recognized as vital to a wide variety of public health and chronic disease concerns, including obesity, hypertension, and cancer. Definitely make sure you getting at least seven hours, too."
17. Why do some people enjoy "white noise" while they sleep?
"There is some thought that white noise might replicate the sounds you heard in the womb - making it soothing for children and adults."
18. Have you studied lucid dreaming at all?
"It is something that you can teach yourself and it can be an exhilarating experience. Stephen Laberge has produced some excellent teaching materials. Check them out!"
19. How do you feel about taking melatonin before sleep? Sometimes when I take melatonin I will wake up at 5 or 6 in the morning no matter what time I go to sleep. Why is this?
"Melatonin is not a 'sleeping pill' per se and has never been FDA approved. If you take it, then take it at least three hours before your intended bedtime, if not sooner, to notice any effect."
20. Can I train my body to need less sleep?
"Sorry, no."
I Tested 10 Foundations For My Pale Problem Skin - Here Were the Results
Since I began wearing makeup around age 12, I've had endless trouble finding the perfect foundation. I'm cool-toned and pale - like, very pale - and I have a bit of problem skin. Namely, mild adult acne, some hyperpigmentation on my cheeks, an oily t-zone, and a couple of aggravating dry patches just beneath my jawbone. As you can imagine, slapping on a little cover-up is a pretty necessary part of my daily routine. But finding that perfect shade and formula? That's another (slightly frustrating) story.
I've noticed that makeup brands tend to market only light to medium shades, which means you can usually find me frantically trying to buff away an orange jawline before running out the door every morning. In fact, I almost always have to mix in NYC's Manic Panic Virgin Dreamtone Gothic Foundation with whatever cover-up I'm using just to make my face actually match my neck. So when I was given the opportunity to test 10 foundations for porcelain people, I jumped pounced at the chance. Ahead are the varied results of my experiment. And in case you were curious, yeah, I did finally find my holy grail product. Praise be!
Health Is Wealth - How Good Health Can Increase Your Net Worth
For many years, researchers have tried to draw the connection between health and wealth. It's been stated that the healthier a person is, the more wealth they can attain. In fact, according to a Florida State University psychology professor, exhibiting self-control in one area of a person's life affects others, so if you build up discipline in your eating habits and workout routines, you can gain the discipline needed to manage your money better. Sounds logical, right? But what if you're looking to go beyond just managing your money better? How can you build wealth by staying healthy? Keep reading for five ways that your health can help to increase your net worth.
1. Keeps Your Brain Sharp
Success is not a matter of chance or luck; it's based on hard work, dedication, and the ability to execute the right decisions at the right times. Whether you work a corporate job or are an entrepreneur, many of the business decisions you make will require that you have a sharp analytical mind. Feeding your body the right nutrients is vital in providing your brain with the nourishment it needs to function at its full capacity. Conversely, feeding your body the wrong things can make you sluggish and slow down your ability to make the right decisions needed to succeed, survive, and thrive in business.
2. Gives You More Energy
For the most part, building wealth and maintaining a level of success takes more than working 40 hours a week. At the end of it all, you may be feeling fatigue and want to take a power nap to recoup just to find yourself even more tired than when you began. Well, according to WebMD, a walk or light jog may be better than a nap for boosting energy and fighting fatigue. Other studies have also shown that morning workouts are best because they help your body produce more adrenaline at the beginning of the day, which helps you power through your routine to give you more energy throughout the day.
3. Keeps You Out of the Hospital
I may be stating the obvious, but there is no way you can build wealth and increase your net worth if you're sick. The foods you decide to eat and the amount of exercise you do will have a direct effect on your health. Eating right and exercising will not only keep you out of the hospital, but it will also keep you away from needing to take medications that usually have many side effects, possibly including fatigue (among other things that are counter to what you need to be on top of your game).
4. Teaches You Perseverance
As stated earlier, maintaining good habits in one area may trickle down to other areas in your life. It's no secret that on your journey to greatness many obstacles may try to stop you from achieving your goals. However, you must keep going when the going gets tough. This level of perseverance can be taught and trained. Will Smith once said that conquering the treadmill is necessary to conquering life. He explains that the same mind that tells you that you can't go on while you are running is the same voice that tries to convince you to give up in life. If you learn how to silence that voice on a daily basis, you can build the grit that you need to get through some tough days in business.
5. Relieves Stress
Have you heard of endorphins? If not, endorphins are among the brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which serve as natural pain and stress fighters. Endorphins cause what people who run refer to as a "runner's high." It's literally a body chemical that makes you feel happy and less stressed. And do you know how to activate your endorphins? You guessed it: the right food and exercise! Maintaining a good diet and workout regimen will not only keep you strong physically, but mentally as well. We all know what stress can do to our decision-making abilities, and while we continue on our journey to building wealth, we want to make sure that we stay in the right mindset. A stress-free life can literally and figuratively increase your net worth. So next time you need a reason to improve your diet or exercise routine, remember that health is wealth!
Luvleen Sidhu is the president, cofounder, and chief strategy officer at BankMobile, the largest and fastest growing digital bank in the country helping the underbanked, millennials, and middle-income Americans have an affordable, effortless, and financially empowering banking experience.
This Is How All Your Favorite Chefs Cook Bacon
If you believe that bacon is one of the world's greatest treasures, you're going to want to keep reading. While you obviously know how to make bacon (either in a skillet or in the oven), you might not realize how many other cooking methods there are that can make it even more delicious. Allow us to offer you some bacon-making inspiration from some of our favorite celebrity chefs, from brining to glazing and more. You might just find your new go-to breakfast recipe.
Ina Garten: Oven Roasted
Sometimes Ina Garten, Food Network queen, goes for simplicity over complexity, as evidenced by her oven-roasted bacon recipe. That five-star rating doesn't lie, either. If you've got store-bought applewood smoked bacon, you're just a simple technique away from perfectly crispy bacon.
Michael Symon: From Scratch
Chef Michael Symon doesn't mess around when it comes to bacon. His homemade bacon recipe starts with five pounds of skin-on pork belly, which is then coated in a spice rub and refrigerated for up to 10 days. While that seems like a lot of work, it's worth the effort if you love bacon. One commenter wrote, "This recipe rocks! It was well worth the 10 day wait. I followed it to a T and it was delicious. Better than the bacon I get from the butcher." If you've ever wanted to attempt entirely scratch-made bacon, this recipe is a keeper.
Alex Guarnaschelli: Candied
If your idea of good bacon involves sweet, salty, and sticky, you need Alex Guarnaschelli's candied bacon recipe. Thanks to a coating of finely ground black pepper and light brown sugar, the slow-roasted bacon develops a saucy coating that's finger-licking good.
Alton Brown: Brined For 3 Days
With a brine made of sugar, salt, molasses, and apple cider, Alton marinates raw pork belly for three days to achieve his Iron Chef's bacon results. Once the meat is ready, Alton's tip for baking the bacon in the oven is to line the pan with paper towels to soak up the fat and prevent smoking.
Bobby Flay: Maple-Dijon Glazed
Bobby Flay's maple-dijon- and black-pepper-glazed bacon is next level. By combining the flavors of maple syrup, dijon mustard, and smoked bacon, you'll get a sweet-salty-tangy bite that's hard to resist.
If Demi Lovato's Latest Selfie Proves Anything, It's That She Has No Bad Angles
Demi Lovato's Instagram is getting hotter by the minute. Last month, the "Sorry Not Sorry" singer, whose feed is normally filled with photos of her outfits and intense workouts, made us stop in our tracks when she shared a sexy selfie in all-white lingerie. Now, Demi has done it again, this time sharing an equally sexy snap with just a bit more clothes on.
Demi perfectly captured her body in all its glory on Tuesday with a photo on her Instagram Story that made us all but fall off our chairs. Demi looked smoking hot in a white t-shirt, black short shorts, a plaid shirt wrapped around her waist, and white Yeezys. While she's been busy promoting her new album, Tell Me You Love Me, she's also making sure the world knows that this sultry and sexy side is here to stay.
One a Day: Throw These 116 Things Away
Cleaning out clutter can be a tough task, especially if you have been letting it build up for a while. Instead of setting aside a huge block of time to take care of months' or years' worth of clutter, take baby steps by throwing away only one type of item a day. And by throwing away, I mean recycling, selling, donating, or - as the last resort - trashing. Here's a list of 116 types of items that will take you about four months to dispose of:
- The other side of a pair of lost earrings
- Scraps of wrapping paper
- Cards people have given you with no sentimental value
- Receipts you don't need
- Ticket stubs
- Socks with holes
- Old t-shirts
- Leftover change
- Dried flowers
- Magazines
- CDs
- Hair elastics that have lost stretchiness
- Hair accessories you don't use
- Shoes that don't fit or that you don't wear
- Extra photo prints
- Little knickknacks (designate a bowl and fill it)
- Kitchen things you don't use
- Cooking utensils you have two of
- Tired bras
- Scarves you never wear
- Clothes that don't fit
- Gifts you don't like
- Old towels
- Old makeup
- Old toiletries
- Old or unused hangers
- Expired or sample-sized toiletries
- Extra buttons
- Expired sauces
- Toys your pets don't play with
- Expired medication
- Dried-up nail polish
- Bills you don't need to keep
- Expired coupons
- Old paperwork
- DVDs you don't watch
- Snacks your pets don't eat
- Damaged clothing you can't mend
- Stained clothing you can't clean
- Old prom dresses
- Scratched nonstick cookware
- Old underwear or swimwear that's losing its stretch
- Outdated electronics
- Rusty jewelry
- Stockings with runs
- Pens that don't work
- Clothing you've outgrown
- Necklaces and bracelets with broken clasps
- Cables and wires you don't use
- Worn-out sheets and bedding
- Empty or near-empty bottles of cleaning products
- Old mending buttons for clothing you no longer have
- Worn-out bath mats
- Broken electronics
- Purses you never use
- Flatware, plates, and glasses that don't match the rest of your collection, plus dingy children's plates you no longer use
- Old pillows
- Worn-out shoes
- Wedding invites
- Save-the-dates
- Wedding favors you don't use
- Old wallets that you don't use
- Broken kitchen equipment
- Spare furniture parts you don't need
- Furniture manuals
- Boxes
- Unused vases
- Extra tupperware you don't need
- Old mail
- Junk mail
- Travel brochures
- Bobby pins
- Old crayons or art supplies, plus markers that have run out of ink
- Random containers and jars
- Unused stationery, stickers, and sticky notes
- Ripped denim
- Old artwork or old children's artwork
- Used and ripped envelopes
- Broken or old iPhone cases
- Old unused batteries
- Extra and unused coffee mugs
- Old spices
- Address labels for your old house
- Wrinkled ribbon and bows for gift wrap
- Cards or gifts from exes
- Frequent shopper cards you never use
- Matchbooks
- Old shopping bags
- Old calendars
- Old folders
- Magnets
- Clothes that are outdated or from college
- Broken Christmas decorations
- Christmas lights that don't work
- Frayed towels
- Expired food
- Computer cords, firewire cord, etc. that you don't use
- Old and outdated software
- CDs for old computer programs
- Old cell phones
- Hand-me-downs that you're guilt-tripped into keeping
- Freebie or promotional t-shirts you never wear
- Old fortune cookie fortunes
- Old bank statements
- Old planners
- Delete email subscriptions from sites
- Delete emails you don't need
- Delete unwanted music from your iTunes
- Extra buttons that come with newly purchased clothes
- Games that are missing pieces
- Old schoolbooks you'll never use again
- Papers you have backed up on the computer
- Books you've already read and don't want to display
- Cell phone covers you're over
- Old manuals to electronics
- Cell phone accessories you don't use anymore
Pop Culture Halloween: 42 Costume Ideas For BFFs
You know what's better than going to a Halloween party with your best friend? Dressing up with your best friend as best friends from a movie or a TV show. (Did I just blow your mind?) In preparation for the spooky holiday, we've rounded up some classic pairs from popular films and shows to inspire your pop culture Halloween. Click through and let us know who you and your BFF will be styled as come Oct. 31! If not of these strike you fancy, we have plenty of other ideas.
The Complete Timeline of Emma Roberts and Evan Peters' Turbulent Romance
Emma Roberts and Evan Peters started dating back in 2012 after meeting on the set of their movie, Adult World, and in the short four years since then, the two have shared more drama than some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. We're talking at least two breakups, one nasty domestic violence incident, makeups, deleting all social media traces of each other, sharing the screen on American Horror Story, and a broken engagement. While they appear to be back together now, we wouldn't be surprised if their long and complicated love story took another sharp turn soon.
18 of the Sexiest Shows on TV Right Now
You don't have to turn on Netflix to catch some supersexy programming - the small screen has been churning out TV shows that are just as sexy as anything that's in movies. If you're looking to add something a little steamy, maybe a little NSFW, to your DVR, then we have a directory of all the current shows that are redefining sexy. Warning: do not watch any of these on a plane or with your parents.
- Additional reporting by Becky Kirsch
Join Us: Allow These Evan Peters GIFs to Put You Under His Sexy Spell
American Horror Story fans know Evan Peters as the hottest psycho on TV, but, my dear friends, we need to talk about how he is also extremely hot (and not psycho) in real life. While the 30-year-old actor, who is once again engaged to Emma Roberts, changes his looks for every season of the FX show, he still manages to look oh so good around the clock. And looking at pictures of him is nice and all, but there's just something about watching him move that takes it a step further. From his smile to his hair, we'd run our fingers all over . . . everything.
12 Fun Facts You Didn't Know About Lush
If you have a Lush store in your town, you're likely highly aware of where it is. That's not just because you're a fan of the brand's incredible bath bombs (who isn't?), but also because the delectable aromas of the products waft out of the shop and down the street, luring passersby inside. That said, Lush is about so much more than an enjoyable cleansing experience! The 21-year-old brand does wonderful things for the environment, global economy, and human rights (as well as your skin and hair). Learn more fun facts about this cult-favorite company when you read on.
12 Good Travel Habits You Should Develop ASAP
You live and you learn - and same goes for travel. The more you do it, the more you realize mistakes you've been making and ways to make travel much easier the next time you do it. In order to save yourself money, stress, and more, develop these 12 travel habits to use for your future trips. You'll wonder how you ever traveled without practicing these routines before and during your adventures.
35 of the Funniest Sex and the City Moments
Sex and the City has been off the air for 13 years, but we remain as obsessed with Sarah Jessica Parker's portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw and the show in general as ever. The character has the best quotes and the best style, but one of the reasons we fell for her is how funny she is. She's not the only one; all the ladies of the show have some of the greatest one-liners - and some of the funniest, if NSFW, gestures. In here are some of the most hilarious moments ever on Sex and the City.
7 Times Trump Proved He Knows Nothing About History
During an interview with SiriusXM, President Donald Trump demonstrated, once again, that he lacks a basic understanding of American history by suggesting former President Andrew Jackson could've stopped the Civil War had he been the president at the time.
"I mean, had Andrew Jackson been a little later, you wouldn't have had the Civil War. He was a very tough person, but he had a big heart," Trump claimed. "And he was really angry that . . . he saw what was happening with regard to the Civil War. He said, 'There's no reason for this.'"
Trump followed with another bizarre assertion. "People don't realize, you know, the Civil War - if you think about it, why," Trump wondered. "People don't ask that question, but why was there the Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?"
There's only one problem with Trump's postulation: Jackson died a decade before the Civil War started, so he couldn't have had an opinion on the crisis. Perhaps even less shocking than Trump's erroneous contention about Jackson is Trump's constant and consistent misunderstanding of history. Prepare to shake your head at six other times Trump proved he knows very little about the country he is supposed to run, nor much about countries he is supposed to liaise with.
1. When he seemed to think Frederick Douglass was alive.
During Trump's speech honoring Black History Month on Feb. 1, he suggested that the abolitionist was still alive. Trump described Douglass as "someone who has done a terrific job that is being recognized by more and more people." His comments were ridiculed across social media.
2. When he appeared to forget that Richard Nixon resigned because he broke the law.
In an interview on April 2 with The Washington Post's Bob Woodward, who broke the Watergate story that led to Nixon's impeachment, Trump implied that Nixon failed because of his personality. Woodward asked Trump why he thought Lincoln succeeded and Nixon didn't. Trump blamed Nixon's temperament.
"Nixon failed, I think to a certain extent, because of his personality," Trump told Woodward. "It was just that personality. Very severe, very exclusive. In other words, people couldn't come in. And people didn't like him. I mean, people didn't like him."
Given that Woodward published the story which led to Nixon's resignation, Trump's error is fairly astounding - and Woodward had to remind Trump that Nixon was a criminal. "And he broke the law," Woodward added.
Trump's response is hesitant, but he acknowledged Nixon's crimes. "And he broke the law, yeah. Yeah. He broke the law. Whether that's insecurity . . ." said Trump.
3. When he didn't realize that the Republican party used to be called "The Party of Lincoln."
At a rally in Louisville, KY, on March 20, Trump apparently did not realize the Republican party is often referred to as Lincoln's party. "Great president. Most people don't even know he was a Republican," Trump said. "Does anyone know? Lot of people don't know that."
4. When he confused North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with his father, Kim Jong Il.
While being interviewed on Fox & Friends about North Korean aggression on April 18, Trump conflated current leader Kim Jong Un with his predecessor and father Kim Jong Il.
"They've been talking with this gentleman for a long time," Trump said of America's dialogue with North Korea. "You read Clinton's book, he said, 'Oh, we made such a great peace deal,' and it was a joke." Later, Trump continued to assert his misunderstanding. "Everybody has been outplayed, they've all been outplayed by this gentleman, and we'll see what happens," Trump added with reference to Obama's negotiations.
Trump was evidently unaware that Kim Jong Un has only been in power since 2011 - after the death of his father. So, both Clinton and Obama have deliberated with both leaders - not just one "gentleman" as Trump insinuates.
5. When he said that North Korea used to be a part of China.
Following Trump's meeting with the President of China Xi Jinping, Trump revealed yet another misunderstanding of global history on April 12. Describing his meeting with Xi and their discussion of North Korea, Trump asserted that North Korea was once a part of China. Not only was he wrong, Trump implied that Xi delivered this information. Koreans were outraged by Trump's comments.
6. When the administration failed to mention Jews specifically in its statement for Holocaust Memorial Day
On January 27, Holocaust Remembrance Day, the White House released a particularly tone-deaf statement. While it acknowledged "the victims, survivors, heroes" of the Holocaust, the White House's release did not specifically recognize the six million Jews who died. Many Americans took the administration's omission as an act of anti-Semitism.
Pop Culture Halloween: 42 Costume Ideas For BFFs
You know what's better than going to a Halloween party with your best friend? Dressing up with your best friend as best friends from a movie or a TV show. (Did I just blow your mind?) In preparation for the spooky holiday, we've rounded up some classic pairs from popular films and shows to inspire your pop culture Halloween. Click through and let us know who you and your BFF will be styled as come Oct. 31! If not of these strike you fancy, we have plenty of other ideas.
Purpose Is Key to Career Happiness - Here's How to Find It
At many points in our careers, we are all faced with challenges and tough decisions. At the forefront of how we handle these decisions is purpose. It is different for each of us - what drives and motivates one person may be completely different for another. As life changes and you find yourself navigating through a new season, that purpose may also change.
Years ago, I was starting out in my career in an industry that I was passionate about. When I was young and single, the vision was clear: learn the business, climb the ladder, chase promotions. My desire to learn outweighed the potential to line my bank account. I didn't need to have everything, I just wanted to have something and to create a nice life. My motivation was growth and stability. But as my own life changed, so did all of that. At some point, I realized there needed to be something more, something that would keep me coming back through the tough moments.
When I started to struggle in my career, it was passion that kept me coming back. My division was going through difficult financial struggles, the project list wasn't what we had hoped for, and day in and day out we were faced with tough decisions. At some point, I found that my purpose was getting lost in the struggle, and I knew it was time to make a change. My children deserved a mother who wasn't depleted by the end of the day with little left to give when she got home from work.
I dug deep to go back to the very thing that motivated me to pursue my career in the first place and find a way to make it work with how my life looked now. I found my "why," which eventually allowed me the freedom to make a departure from my position and create a new path, on my own terms. As I was struggling through this process, here are some of the things I considered.
Look Beyond the Dollar Signs
Money isn't enough. It can certainly make life a little more manageable at times, but if you are truly wishing to follow your passion, money becomes secondary. It is inevitable that at some point in each of our careers, things will change. If you are simply motivated by dollar signs, you are more likely to remain in a situation that may otherwise be unhealthy. Change can be scary, but allowing ourselves to become victims of our circumstances is much scarier.
On the Very Worst Day . . .
There will always be moments in our lives and careers that are more difficult than others. By allowing yourself to imagine what the very worst day may look like, you are able to see if what you are currently chasing is enough to keep you exactly where you are. If it's not, it may be time to sit with yourself and let your heart talk to your mind.
If the World Were Ending . . .
One of the questions I always ask young women when I am mentoring them through their careers is, "If the world were ending in a month, what would you be doing differently?" The question allows you to think about the changes you would make if you knew everything was coming to an end. Why wait?
Be Flexible
Plans change. We need to allow ourselves to be flexible to these changes and realize that sometimes the original plan isn't going to be what the end game looks like. If we are flexible as changes happen, we allow ourselves the fluidity to adjust accordingly.
Trust
Learning to trust the process when the future is uncertain is hard. It can be one of the most challenging things to navigate through, both in life and your career. By allowing yourself a little grace when things don't go according to plan and learning to trust, life will unfold and things will work out, just as they always do.
Had I only been driven by money and titles, I never would've had the ability to change the trajectory of my own life and career. It is my purpose and passion that create my "why," my reason for coming back and working hard - even on the worst day. It may not be easy, but it is worth it.
Dubai's Luxury Hotel Is Downright Ridiculous - Wait Until You See the Amenities
The Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai is so luxurious and over the top, we didn't know a place like this could ever exist. It's the stuff your fantasies are made of. Set on an artificial island just 920 feet from Jumeirah Beach, the building stands as the third tallest hotel in the world.
People widely refer to Burj Al Arab as the world's only seven-star hotel. You will agree after hearing about all the lavish perks that come with staying here. But enjoying this hotel comes at a cost; rooms start at around $1,100 per night. Check out all the amazing experiences you could have if you book a room at this hot spot in Dubai.
1 Life-Changing Airplane Hack From Someone Who Flies First Class Often
If you're going to take airplane travel advice from anyone, you should to take it from someone who flies first class frequently. A multimillionaire app developer recently shared his clever (and surprisingly affordable) airplane hack for securing an entire three seat row to himself:
Fly first class? No need. When I fly alone, I just book an economy class ticket in the center of a three seat row. Usually this means that in a not so full flight, nobody will want to sit next to you when they can sit somewhere else. If it's a couple, they wouldn't want to be separated. When checking in, you can try to change your seat, and you can tell from there, where the empty seats are. Now that you have the whole row to yourself, you can lift up the armrests and basically have a giant couch that is wider than what first class and business class gets.
Yup, it really is that simple. Another pro tip straight from a POPSUGAR editor: "Get the aisle and window if you're flying with someone. Middle seats are often left empty because no one wants them." So there you have it. No more stressing about sitting next to the guy or gal who snores too loud. Now go forth and book your airline tickets!
Why the Clowns May Not Be American Horror Story: Cult's True Villains
The new season of American Horror Story has arrived, and it's brought with it enough scary clowns to fill up a rusty ice cream truck. Throughout episode one of Cult, Sarah Paulson's Ally is given one garish-masked reason after another for her severe coulrophobia to leave her paralyzed by fear. But are the clowns Ally sees real or are they all just in her head? Her wife, Ivy, seems to think Ally is losing touch with reality in the aftermath of the election, but there is evidence to suggest that Ally may be one of the sanest characters of the season. However, this is AHS, so there's no such thing as simple answers. That leaves us with no choice but to use context clues to figure out which - if any - of those killer clowns are real.
The Twisty Tale
It could be telling that the episode's first glimpse of a clown looks real, but is soon revealed to be nothing more than the vivid imagination of Ally and Ivy's son, Ozzy, working overtime. While the scene of two young lovers' tryst being interrupted by the AHS: Freak Show scene-stealer appears to be all too real at first, the show pulls back to reveal Ozzy reading a comic with a flashlight under his blankets. Right away, Ozzy's ability to get lost in fantasies is established, which makes him just as unreliable of a narrator as his mother.
Speaking of Ally, the next clown sighting is so perfectly calculated, it's hard not to suspect it could all be in her head.
Supermarket Clown Palooza
Real or not, the scene featuring a posse of menacing supermarket clowns terrorizing Ally ranks among the scariest moments in AHS history . . . well, it does if you find those creepy masks as unsettling as Ally does. Scary though it is, the supermarket scene is immediately suspect. Later in the hour, Kai appears to be the ringleader of this gaggle of masked chaos seekers, but why would they specifically target Ally?
At this stage, there's no way for Kai to know who Ally is or that she suffers from a clown phobia . . . unless he's been researching her and her family for some reason. Given that he seems to send Winter to their home, that's a definite possibility. Still, the mayhem in the store is so specifically designed to trigger Ally's fears that it either has to be in her head or it had to be premeditated. That means that the "Make America Great Again" cap-wearing cashier is in on the plot as well, because by the time the cops arrive, there's no footage of the clown debauchery to be found. (Although, apparently, there's no shortage of evidence showcasing Ally's wine bottle-throwing skills.)
Having the scene come so soon after Ally discovers Ozzy reading a Twisty comic only adds to the evidence that it's in her head. Unless Kai has a very specific reason to target Ally this early in the game, this scene is most likely the stuff of waking nightmares.
#AHSCult my brain trying to decipher if the clowns are real or not http://pic.twitter.com/fOaJxFuKfG
- violet 🥀 (@violetlayne) September 6, 2017
The Restaurant Clown
Of all of the episode's clown scenes, this one is the most crucial in establishing whether this is all playing out in Ally's head or is part of a larger plot against her. Ally and Ivy appear to be the only people in the restaurant when Ally sees the clown, and its appearance only occurs after she scrolls through Donald Trump's Twitter feed. Since this season is supposed to be free of supernatural elements, the clown in question would need access to the restaurant, and they would have no choice but to risk being seen by Ivy when they switched out the dinner plates. Unless the horror show on Ally's dinner plate is a manifestation of her phobia of holes, and only the clown is real.
To Ally's credit, Kai is insinuated in her life at this point, even though she doesn't realize it yet. He throws coffee on Ally and Ivy on the street, and he already has Winter installed in the house as Ozzy's babysitter. This makes it far more plausible that he knows what triggers Ally at this point and is sending his minions to frighten her - and make her look insane in front of Ivy.
The Clowns Next Door
"There is nothing more dangerous in this world than a humiliated man," Kai tells the councilman who dismisses his pleas for the city to let fear take hold of their community. Later, that same councilman and his wife, who are friends of Ally and Ivy's, are brutally murdered in their home by a gang of clowns wearing the same masks as the ones who terrorized Ally in the store. Only this time, it's Ozzy who witnesses the violence, and not his mom.
Of course, Winter tells Ozzy's parents that she never took him next door to witness a couple of murders. And Ivy is quick to suggest the boy's night terrors could be to blame. That's a plausible enough explanation, especially since Winter had just taken the poor kid on a tour of the dark web before bedtime, but there's one flaw in the whole "Ozzy's imagination is running away with him" excuse: his mom never describes the masks she saw to him.
These clowns are not wearing generic masks; one of them has three faces with grotesquely long noses. Could the power of suggestion truly make a mother and son both conjure up the same specific masks? Or is AHS: Cult simply using the same masks to throw fans off? It's possible that Ally's and Ozzy's fears are hiding the season's true villain. But it's just as likely that Kai has chosen clowns as his agents of chaos specifically to get to Ally, and the most unsettling part is how well his tactics are working so far.
HOLD UP IF THE LIL BOY ALSO SAW THE CLOWNS, ARE THEY REAL??? #AHSCult http://pic.twitter.com/nyuLF61OR4
- antonio (@antoniodelotero) September 6, 2017
Jump-Scare Clown
The final clown of the night simply cannot be real. Much like Ozzy's Twisty fantasy, the image of Ally in bed with her worst nightmare comes far too early in the season to be anything other than a red herring. Of course, that calls into question the reliability of Ally and Ozzy all over again. If the first and last clown sightings of the episode are both in the minds of the characters, then it's only natural to wonder how much of what they see can be believed.
Clowns became a symbol of the collective fear that seemed to grip the United States in 2016, and as sightings spread, the hysteria grew. AHS creator Ryan Murphy is surely playing up the current-events angle in a season that's aim is to portray the mixture of politics and panic that is playing out in the real world. With this in mind, it's entirely possible that Ally and Ozzy are feeding off of each other's fears and the season's true villain is still waiting to show itself.
AHS: Cult is grounding its story in paranoia so far, and as long as two of our main characters can't trust their eyes, neither can we.
Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Dryer Sheets
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sheila Gim
Not only is this laundry solution seriously smart, it is also awesomely eco-friendly. For only pennies, you'll have dryer sheets that can be used over and over and over again. What makes these dryer sheets better than their store-bought counterparts is they can be personalized with your favorite scent and are free of any toxic additives. Along with leaving your clothes feeling soft and fresh, they'll smell clean and ready for wear. And once you try them, you'll wonder why you never made them from scratch in the first place.
What You'll Need:
- 1/2 cup of vinegar
- 8 drops tea tree or other essential oil
- Sealable container
- Cotton cloths
Directions:
- Start by cutting your cotton cloths into smaller sections. I used inexpensive dish towels from the dollar store, but old tee shirts or linens would work wonderfully too.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sarah Lipoff
- Mix together the vinegar and essential oil in a small bowl. Vinegar is a natural softener, and the essential oil gives your clothes a gentle, natural scent. Pour the mixture over the cloths until they are dampened but not soaked. Keep in a securely closed container.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sarah Lipoff
- To use, simply remove a sheet from the container, squeezing any excess liquid back into the jar, and toss into the dryer. To reduce static cling in clothes, reduce the heat temperature of your dryer. When clothes are dry, simply place the sheet back in the jar for use later.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sarah Lipoff
Yes, Alison Pill Is All Grown Up on American Horror Story: Cult
Image Source: FX
As each season of American Horror Story does, Cult introduces us to a handful of brand-new characters. In this case, we're witnessing them all deal with the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election in different ways. Tuesday night's premiere of the anthology series focuses mostly on AHS veteran Sarah Paulson's character, Ally, whose fear of clowns and objects with small holes only worsens after the election of Donald Trump. But, much like the loud and proud Trump supporters and scared American citizens around her, Ally isn't the only person who's having some trouble adjusting postelection. Her heightened fears also appear to have an effect on her wife, Ivy.
Ivy is a chef who co-owns a restaurant with Ally in their small town in Wisconsin, and she's played by Alison Pill, who's mostly known by anyone who came of age in the early 2000s from the time she starred alongside Lindsay Lohan as Ella in 2004's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.
Image Source: Everett Collection
Of course, Pill's résumé doesn't just stop there. The Canadian-born actress also appeared in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World back in 2010 as Kim Pine, and she played Maggie Jordan in the HBO series The Newsroom until the show came to an end in 2014 after three seasons. Ryan Murphy made the announcement that Pill was officially joining the cast of season seven in early August. This is Alison Pill's first time appearing on AHS.
Hopefully the season will explore the effects that Ally's fears have on Ivy as well as delving into the political differences between Ivy (who supported Hillary Clinton) and Ally (who voted for Jill Stein). The season is off to a wild start, and things are obviously only going to get a lot more insane from here.
16 Fun Food Facts You Didn't Know About Chip and Joanna Gaines
Chip and Joanna Gaines have a clear passion for interior design and renovations, but they also happen to be huge foodies. Whether Joanna is whipping up a homemade pie in the kitchen or Chip is getting up early to make breakfast for the family, the Gaines household not only looks beautiful but also probably smells delicious. If you're already fans of the Fixer Upper stars and Magnolia Journal authors, read ahead for 16 fun facts you might not know about the HGTV couple. But be warned, they might make you hungry.
15 Incredible Beauty Products That Have Earned Their Ulta Beauty 5-Star Ratings
One of our favorite things to do in our spare time is dig through online reviews of beauty products. They are highly opinionated, sometimes a little aggressive, and absolutely, brutally honest. And that's an amazing thing: when you're blindly shopping for hair products, makeup, or skin care without the ability to test it out, you need to know if it'll live up to your expectations.
This is exactly why we combed through the bestsellers on Ulta Beauty's website to find the very best, must-buy items. The store carries a mix of prestige and mass formulas, bringing in the perfect blend of drugstore junkies and designer-obsessed fans (who you can totally trust with an important purchase). Read on to see 15 products with flawless five-star ratings.
18 of the Sexiest Shows on TV Right Now
You don't have to turn on Netflix to catch some supersexy programming - the small screen has been churning out TV shows that are just as sexy as anything that's in movies. If you're looking to add something a little steamy, maybe a little NSFW, to your DVR, then we have a directory of all the current shows that are redefining sexy. Warning: do not watch any of these on a plane or with your parents.
- Additional reporting by Becky Kirsch
35 of the Funniest Sex and the City Moments
Sex and the City has been off the air for 13 years, but we remain as obsessed with Sarah Jessica Parker's portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw and the show in general as ever. The character has the best quotes and the best style, but one of the reasons we fell for her is how funny she is. She's not the only one; all the ladies of the show have some of the greatest one-liners - and some of the funniest, if NSFW, gestures. In here are some of the most hilarious moments ever on Sex and the City.
Why the Clowns May Not Be American Horror Story: Cult's True Villains
The new season of American Horror Story has arrived, and it's brought with it enough scary clowns to fill up a rusty ice cream truck. Throughout episode one of Cult, Sarah Paulson's Ally is given one garish-masked reason after another for her severe coulrophobia to leave her paralyzed by fear. But are the clowns Ally sees real or are they all just in her head? Her wife, Ivy, seems to think Ally is losing touch with reality in the aftermath of the election, but there is evidence to suggest that Ally may be one of the sanest characters of the season. However, this is AHS, so there's no such thing as simple answers. That leaves us with no choice but to use context clues to figure out which - if any - of those killer clowns are real.
The Twisty Tale
It could be telling that the episode's first glimpse of a clown looks real, but is soon revealed to be nothing more than the vivid imagination of Ally and Ivy's son, Ozzy, working overtime. While the scene of two young lovers' tryst being interrupted by the AHS: Freak Show scene-stealer appears to be all too real at first, the show pulls back to reveal Ozzy reading a comic with a flashlight under his blankets. Right away, Ozzy's ability to get lost in fantasies is established, which makes him just as unreliable of a narrator as his mother.
Speaking of Ally, the next clown sighting is so perfectly calculated, it's hard not to suspect it could all be in her head.
Supermarket Clown Palooza
Real or not, the scene featuring a posse of menacing supermarket clowns terrorizing Ally ranks among the scariest moments in AHS history . . . well, it does if you find those creepy masks as unsettling as Ally does. Scary though it is, the supermarket scene is immediately suspect. Later in the hour, Kai appears to be the ringleader of this gaggle of masked chaos seekers, but why would they specifically target Ally?
At this stage, there's no way for Kai to know who Ally is or that she suffers from a clown phobia . . . unless he's been researching her and her family for some reason. Given that he seems to send Winter to their home, that's a definite possibility. Still, the mayhem in the store is so specifically designed to trigger Ally's fears that it either has to be in her head or it had to be premeditated. That means that the "Make America Great Again" cap-wearing cashier is in on the plot as well, because by the time the cops arrive, there's no footage of the clown debauchery to be found. (Although, apparently, there's no shortage of evidence showcasing Ally's wine bottle-throwing skills.)
Having the scene come so soon after Ally discovers Ozzy reading a Twisty comic only adds to the evidence that it's in her head. Unless Kai has a very specific reason to target Ally this early in the game, this scene is most likely the stuff of waking nightmares.
#AHSCult my brain trying to decipher if the clowns are real or not http://pic.twitter.com/fOaJxFuKfG
- violet 🥀 (@violetlayne) September 6, 2017
The Restaurant Clown
Of all of the episode's clown scenes, this one is the most crucial in establishing whether this is all playing out in Ally's head or is part of a larger plot against her. Ally and Ivy appear to be the only people in the restaurant when Ally sees the clown, and its appearance only occurs after she scrolls through Donald Trump's Twitter feed. Since this season is supposed to be free of supernatural elements, the clown in question would need access to the restaurant, and they would have no choice but to risk being seen by Ivy when they switched out the dinner plates. Unless the horror show on Ally's dinner plate is a manifestation of her phobia of holes, and only the clown is real.
To Ally's credit, Kai is insinuated in her life at this point, even though she doesn't realize it yet. He throws coffee on Ally and Ivy on the street, and he already has Winter installed in the house as Ozzy's babysitter. This makes it far more plausible that he knows what triggers Ally at this point and is sending his minions to frighten her - and make her look insane in front of Ivy.
The Clowns Next Door
"There is nothing more dangerous in this world than a humiliated man," Kai tells the councilman who dismisses his pleas for the city to let fear take hold of their community. Later, that same councilman and his wife, who are friends of Ally and Ivy's, are brutally murdered in their home by a gang of clowns wearing the same masks as the ones who terrorized Ally in the store. Only this time, it's Ozzy who witnesses the violence, and not his mom.
Of course, Winter tells Ozzy's parents that she never took him next door to witness a couple of murders. And Ivy is quick to suggest the boy's night terrors could be to blame. That's a plausible enough explanation, especially since Winter had just taken the poor kid on a tour of the dark web before bedtime, but there's one flaw in the whole "Ozzy's imagination is running away with him" excuse: his mom never describes the masks she saw to him.
These clowns are not wearing generic masks; one of them has three faces with grotesquely long noses. Could the power of suggestion truly make a mother and son both conjure up the same specific masks? Or is AHS: Cult simply using the same masks to throw fans off? It's possible that Ally's and Ozzy's fears are hiding the season's true villain. But it's just as likely that Kai has chosen clowns as his agents of chaos specifically to get to Ally, and the most unsettling part is how well his tactics are working so far.
HOLD UP IF THE LIL BOY ALSO SAW THE CLOWNS, ARE THEY REAL??? #AHSCult http://pic.twitter.com/nyuLF61OR4
- antonio (@antoniodelotero) September 6, 2017
Jump-Scare Clown
The final clown of the night simply cannot be real. Much like Ozzy's Twisty fantasy, the image of Ally in bed with her worst nightmare comes far too early in the season to be anything other than a red herring. Of course, that calls into question the reliability of Ally and Ozzy all over again. If the first and last clown sightings of the episode are both in the minds of the characters, then it's only natural to wonder how much of what they see can be believed.
Clowns became a symbol of the collective fear that seemed to grip the United States in 2016, and as sightings spread, the hysteria grew. AHS creator Ryan Murphy is surely playing up the current-events angle in a season that's aim is to portray the mixture of politics and panic that is playing out in the real world. With this in mind, it's entirely possible that Ally and Ozzy are feeding off of each other's fears and the season's true villain is still waiting to show itself.
AHS: Cult is grounding its story in paranoia so far, and as long as two of our main characters can't trust their eyes, neither can we.
Yes, Alison Pill Is All Grown Up on American Horror Story: Cult
Image Source: FX
As each season of American Horror Story does, Cult introduces us to a handful of brand-new characters. In this case, we're witnessing them all deal with the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election in different ways. Tuesday night's premiere of the anthology series focuses mostly on AHS veteran Sarah Paulson's character, Ally, whose fear of clowns and objects with small holes only worsens after the election of Donald Trump. But, much like the loud and proud Trump supporters and scared American citizens around her, Ally isn't the only person who's having some trouble adjusting postelection. Her heightened fears also appear to have an effect on her wife, Ivy.
Ivy is a chef who co-owns a restaurant with Ally in their small town in Wisconsin, and she's played by Alison Pill, who's mostly known by anyone who came of age in the early 2000s from the time she starred alongside Lindsay Lohan as Ella in 2004's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.
Image Source: Everett Collection
Of course, Pill's résumé doesn't just stop there. The Canadian-born actress also appeared in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World back in 2010 as Kim Pine, and she played Maggie Jordan in the HBO series The Newsroom until the show came to an end in 2014 after three seasons. Ryan Murphy made the announcement that Pill was officially joining the cast of season seven in early August. This is Alison Pill's first time appearing on AHS.
Hopefully the season will explore the effects that Ally's fears have on Ivy as well as delving into the political differences between Ivy (who supported Hillary Clinton) and Ally (who voted for Jill Stein). The season is off to a wild start, and things are obviously only going to get a lot more insane from here.
The 16 Best Italian Foods You Can Get at Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's has some of the best hidden gems among its stocked aisles, including amazing Italian foods that rival products from artisanal markets. I take Italian food very seriously - garlicky pasta for life - and I swear by a handful of Trader Giotto's cheeses, pastas, and dried goods, not only for their quality but also for their price. Plenty of POPSUGAR editors agree with me, so I've crowd-sourced all of our must-have Italian foods from Trader Joe's that you'll want to pick up when you've got plans for a wine and cheese night or you need a quick pasta dinner. Whether you're more of a gnocchi kind of girl or you live for the perfect frozen pizza, we've got you covered.
Meet the 18 Survivors Competing For $1 Million on Season 35
Can you believe Survivor is on season 35?! The long-running reality TV show is returning with a new gang of cutthroat contestants on Sept. 27, and it looks like the competition is fierce. Season 35, which has the theme of Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers, is shipping everyone out to Fiji, so now's the time to start placing bets on who you think will outwit, outplay, and outlast everyone else.
Meet the 18 Survivors Competing For $1 Million on Season 35
Can you believe Survivor is on season 35?! The long-running reality TV show is returning with a new gang of cutthroat contestants on Sept. 27, and it looks like the competition is fierce. Season 35, which has the theme of Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers, is shipping everyone out to Fiji, so now's the time to start placing bets on who you think will outwit, outplay, and outlast everyone else.
I Finally Found the Perfect Towel - and I'll Never Go Back
Now that my linen closet is stacked to full capacity, it feels safe and only right to share details about the towels I no longer want to live without. Full disclosure: I was first turned onto Hotel Collection's Ultimate MicroCotton Bath Towels ($15) through a PR pitch and had meager expectations, until I actually gave the free towel samples a try. Whoa.
From the first wash cycle to the first time I used them, I immediately noticed how much softer, fluffier, and more absorbent they were than any of the other towels I owned. After six months of heavy use and wash rotation - because who wants to use the crappy towels anymore? - I noticed another thing: they're remarkably resistant to mildewy funk. As someone making due in a tiny bathroom with limited ventilation and towel-hanging real estate, this was a problem for me - even with frequent laundering and vinegar cycles. These, however, are different.
The towels come in 21 shades, ranging from easy neutrals to pretty pastels and a handful of bold jewel tones. I've stocked up on vapor - a warm, pale gray that feels as versatile as white but doesn't show my makeup residue as easily. It's the lighter of the two gray options.
While the original price is $31 for a bath towel, you can score one for $15 on sale, which is what propelled me to finally stock up. Like sheets, buying high-quality towels at a price you can afford is an investment worth making. If you're looking for an affordable upgrade to your daily shower or bath routine, I highly recommend them.
Chrissy Teigen's Reaction to John Legend Breaking Up With Her Isn't What You'd Expect
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen may seem like the perfect couple, but even they hit rough patches every now and then. During a recent interview with The Guardian, John revealed that he once tried to break up with Chrissy back when they were dating. "I was really stressed and busy," he explained. "I was just like, 'I'd just be happier single right now,' and she was like, 'No.'" They ended up calling off the split and reconciling 90 minutes later. "She pushes me to be funnier," John said. "Not because she's trying to, I think it's just being around her. And to be bolder."
Following John's interview, Chrissy reacted to the quotes on Twitter, writing, "😂 11 years later, baby." She also explained the reason behind their brief split, saying, "It wasn't a typical breakup. He was on tour and his voice hurt and he was being a whiny face about everything and so yeah, I was like 'no.'"
It wasn't a a typical breakup. He was on tour and his voice hurt and he was being a whiny face about everything and so yeah, I was like "no"
- christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) September 5, 2017
Chrissy and John tied the knot in a gorgeous ceremony in Lake Como, Italy, in September 2013, and welcomed their first child, daughter Luna, in April 2016.
22 Cozy Slow-Cooker Casseroles That Make Life Easy
It's always slow-cooker season, and these cozy casserole recipes are here to rescue dinnertime. You'll be glad you won't have to bother with the oven when you've got lasagna, enchiladas, and more casseroles cooking low and slow on your countertop. Let these 22 slow-cooker casserole recipes inspire your home-cooking plans when you don't feel like making too much of an effort in the kitchen.
If the AHS: Cult Premiere Made You Wildly Uncomfortable, You Might Have This Phobia
American Horror Story: Cult is exploring a lot of broader themes following the 2016 presidential election: the celebrations of conservative (perhaps white nationalist) voters who feel justified by Trump's win, the (sometimes overwrought) reactions from liberal Clinton supporters, and the anarchists who just want to burn it all down. But it is also narrowing down its focus to the small, daily goings-on of a couple - Ally and Ivy - whose world is turned upside down by all of these things, plus some evil clowns for good measure.
In the wake of the election outcome, Ally is spiraling out of control a bit, and that puts her phobias front and center. Her irrational fears include coulrophobia (fear of clowns), hemophobia (fear of blood), and trypophobia (fear of irregular patterns, clusters, or small holes, circles, or bumps).
You may think that last one sounds a little out there, but trust us: it's a real thing. Professor Arnold Wilkins of the University of Essex tells BuzzFeed that trypophobia actually makes a lot of sense when put into the context of evolution, because it stems from humans being afraid of things that pose a threat to them.
Wilkins says that the fear stems from humans' natural instinct to avoid clusters of small holes or bumps because they resemble the symptoms of contagious diseases, like measles or smallpox; because they appear on dangerous/poisonous organisms, like snakes or poisonous plants; or because something dangerous might be living in them.
But whatever the reason Ally is afraid of these clusters of holes, her phobia definitely connects to an overarching theme of AHS this season: hive mind, i.e. a group of people who share their knowledge or opinions with one another, regarded as producing either uncritical conformity or collective intelligence. And guess what looks like a cluster of holes? A beehive.
So far, the phobia has only manifested itself twice for Ally - once at her therapist's office when she looks at a piece of coral, and once in the restaurant she and her wife own, when she hallucinates a soufflé bleeding out of its tiny holes.
So while we have definitely seen literal depictions of Ally's phobia in the American Horror Story: Cult premiere episode, the more metaphorical depiction is surely going to come into play as well.
Cult: You've Seen This Actor on American Horror Story Before
American Horror Story's seventh season is off to an interesting start with Cult, which takes place in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. The premiere focuses on a few of America's scared citizens, proud Trump supporters, excited anarchists, and some serial killer clowns (because this is AHS, after all). The action all centers around Sarah Paulson's Ally, a woman whose phobias are being triggered again . . . but whose irrational fears may not be so irrational after all.
In her postelection life, Ally takes a seemingly innocuous trip to a local grocery store, where she is terrorized by clowns that seem like a hallucination but are probably in fact real. But before the circus arrives, she has a brief encounter with a familiar American Horror Story face: Chaz Bono.
That's right - the grocery store checkout guy and avid Trump supporter, Gary Longstreet, is played by none other than transgender actor and LGBTQ+ advocate Chaz Bono; now that's some fun irony. Did you recognize Bono under that beard and "Make America Great Again" hat?
If you're surprised to see the outspoken advocate sporting a Trump hat, don't be. He told People in a 2016 interview that he doesn't want to be typecast as one kind of character.
"I'm a character actor, and I really like to do stuff that's kind of out there and edgy, and I don't want to be seen as anything when I'm acting," says Bono of not taking transgender roles specifically. "I want to be able to morph into whatever. I don't want to get pigeonholed."
And this isn't the first time Bono has appeared on AHS. He's a part of the American Horror Story: Roanoke reenactment company, playing actor Brian Wells, who plays Lot Polk, one of the members of the inbred, cannibalistic Polk family, in the show-inside-a-show "My Roanoke Nightmare."
Bono has also previously appeared on Ellen, Degrassi: The Next Generation, and The Bold and the Beautiful, in addition to competing on season 13 of Dancing With the Stars and acting as a frequent guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race.
Bono has so far only shown up in the first episode, but Ryan Murphy and Co. do love to have seemingly tiny characters pop up again, so perhaps we'll see him later in the season as well. FX did put a gallery portrait of Bono on the press site, which indicates that he's not a one-off character. There's also the physical feature of Gary Longstreet missing his left hand. That could just be a character choice, but something tells us that Murphy and his cocreators have something specific in mind to explain that.
If the AHS: Cult Premiere Made You Wildly Uncomfortable, You Might Have This Phobia
American Horror Story: Cult is exploring a lot of broader themes following the 2016 presidential election: the celebrations of conservative (perhaps white nationalist) voters who feel justified by Trump's win, the (sometimes overwrought) reactions from liberal Clinton supporters, and the anarchists who just want to burn it all down. But it is also narrowing down its focus to the small, daily goings-on of a couple - Ally and Ivy - whose world is turned upside down by all of these things, plus some evil clowns for good measure.
In the wake of the election outcome, Ally is spiraling out of control a bit, and that puts her phobias front and center. Her irrational fears include coulrophobia (fear of clowns), hemophobia (fear of blood), and trypophobia (fear of irregular patterns, clusters, or small holes, circles, or bumps).
You may think that last one sounds a little out there, but trust us: it's a real thing. Professor Arnold Wilkins of the University of Essex tells BuzzFeed that trypophobia actually makes a lot of sense when put into the context of evolution, because it stems from humans being afraid of things that pose a threat to them.
Wilkins says that the fear stems from humans' natural instinct to avoid clusters of small holes or bumps because they resemble the symptoms of contagious diseases, like measles or smallpox; because they appear on dangerous/poisonous organisms, like snakes or poisonous plants; or because something dangerous might be living in them.
But whatever the reason Ally is afraid of these clusters of holes, her phobia definitely connects to an overarching theme of AHS this season: hive mind, i.e. a group of people who share their knowledge or opinions with one another, regarded as producing either uncritical conformity or collective intelligence. And guess what looks like a cluster of holes? A beehive.
So far, the phobia has only manifested itself twice for Ally - once at her therapist's office when she looks at a piece of coral, and once in the restaurant she and her wife own, when she hallucinates a soufflé bleeding out of its tiny holes.
So while we have definitely seen literal depictions of Ally's phobia in the American Horror Story: Cult premiere episode, the more metaphorical depiction is surely going to come into play as well.
Cult: You've Seen This Actor on American Horror Story Before
American Horror Story's seventh season is off to an interesting start with Cult, which takes place in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. The premiere focuses on a few of America's scared citizens, proud Trump supporters, excited anarchists, and some serial killer clowns (because this is AHS, after all). The action all centers around Sarah Paulson's Ally, a woman whose phobias are being triggered again . . . but whose irrational fears may not be so irrational after all.
In her postelection life, Ally takes a seemingly innocuous trip to a local grocery store, where she is terrorized by clowns that seem like a hallucination but are probably in fact real. But before the circus arrives, she has a brief encounter with a familiar American Horror Story face: Chaz Bono.
That's right - the grocery store checkout guy and avid Trump supporter, Gary Longstreet, is played by none other than transgender actor and LGBTQ+ advocate Chaz Bono; now that's some fun irony. Did you recognize Bono under that beard and "Make America Great Again" hat?
If you're surprised to see the outspoken advocate sporting a Trump hat, don't be. He told People in a 2016 interview that he doesn't want to be typecast as one kind of character.
"I'm a character actor, and I really like to do stuff that's kind of out there and edgy, and I don't want to be seen as anything when I'm acting," says Bono of not taking transgender roles specifically. "I want to be able to morph into whatever. I don't want to get pigeonholed."
And this isn't the first time Bono has appeared on AHS. He's a part of the American Horror Story: Roanoke reenactment company, playing actor Brian Wells, who plays Lot Polk, one of the members of the inbred, cannibalistic Polk family, in the show-inside-a-show "My Roanoke Nightmare."
Bono has also previously appeared on Ellen, Degrassi: The Next Generation, and The Bold and the Beautiful, in addition to competing on season 13 of Dancing With the Stars and acting as a frequent guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race.
Bono has so far only shown up in the first episode, but Ryan Murphy and Co. do love to have seemingly tiny characters pop up again, so perhaps we'll see him later in the season as well. FX did put a gallery portrait of Bono on the press site, which indicates that he's not a one-off character. There's also the physical feature of Gary Longstreet missing his left hand. That could just be a character choice, but something tells us that Murphy and his cocreators have something specific in mind to explain that.
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