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.
mardi 13 mars 2018
64 Sexy Pictures of Demi Lovato That Prove There's Nothing Wrong With Being Confident
When she's not slaying a performance in front of a crowd, Demi Lovato is busy looking gorgeous on Instagram. The "Confident" singer definitely doesn't shy away from the occasional pouty picture. It doesn't matter if she's decked in full glam, completely makeup-free, or even a little sweaty post-workout - let's face it, Demi knows how to work her angles. She simply achieves sexy perfection every time, and, on the off-chance you don't believe us, we've compiled every bit of proof. Keep scrolling to see Demi's most wow-worthy snaps.
These Pioneer Woman Products Will Breathe Life Into Your Home
Ree Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman, is a food blogger that garnered a generous following through the years. This led her to publish cookbooks, have her own Food Network show, and design a line of housewares and home goods that add a little whimsy to any room.
She launched a housewares line with Walmart in 2015, in partnership with Gibson Overseas, that has since become one of the company's best-selling brands. From cast-iron cookware to bedding and everything in between, Drummond's fans have shown up and showed out for the city-girl-turned-ranch-mama, clamoring for more goods from the brand.
Whether you're a Pioneer Woman fan or just looking to add some stunning pops of color, charming accents, or romantic designs to your home, the line has products to satisfy what you crave. Check out some of her most unique and stylish products!
Spring Forward With an Extra Hour of Daylight This Weekend
Over the weekend we moved our clocks ahead an hour and, with that, played with our children's minds a bit. While losing an hour of sleep is never fun, gaining an extra hour of light at the end of the day is a welcome change for all. If your tot's now waking up before dawn and fighting bedtime because it is still light out, we're here to help. Here are five ways to help your kids adjust to daylight saving time (and enjoy their extra hour of playtime!)
- Explain what's happening: The reason daylight saving always falls on a Sunday is to give us a day to adjust to the time change on the weekend as opposed to during the busy school/work week. Explain to them why they may feel more tired than usual, but be sure to take advantage of the extra hour at the end of the day. Invite them to join you on a tour of your home as you adjust all of your clocks. Be sure to double-check that computers and cell phones have changed automatically.
- Explain why it's happening: According to Discovery News, Benjamin Franklin was among the first to suggest the concept of daylight saving back in 1784 (he thought it would be a good way to save on candles). In more recent years, changing the clocks has proven to save on electric usage across the country, and has even led to a decrease in car crashes.
- Enjoy some extra outdoor play: Depending on where you live, it may or may not feel like Spring quite yet. Regardless, take advantage of the sunlight and encourage your kiddos to play outdoors before or after dinner (even if it means having to bundle up!)
- Take a family walk: Working parents are often especially appreciative of the extra hour of daylight, as it offers a great opportunity to spend some extra time together as a family. Enjoy a walk around your neighborhood before the sun goes down.
- Hit the books: If the time change means that your kids aren't tired at their normal bedtime, wind down the day with an extra 15-30 minutes of story time before bed.
How I Knew It Was Finally Time to Leave My Marriage
Deciding to end any relationship is difficult, but the stakes seem particularly high when you're married. I decided to end my marriage after four years, and two of those years were spent in deliberation about what to do. Ending a marriage is rarely a black-and-white decision, and anyone who has been through it knows that the process of leaving is often muddled by outside opinions, societal pressures, and an inertia that makes breaking up significantly harder than it is if you're not legally bound to each other.
But despite all of the doubts, the back and forth, and the fears that arose, I finally did arrive at a place where I knew I had to leave. And the key to making this life-changing decision was learning how to listen to myself. Here's what that means and how to do it if you're in deliberation about leaving a relationship.
I finally heard my own voice loud and clear one day in couples therapy. In our normal day-to-day lives, it's often hard to hear what our inner selves are really saying. We hear our own voice in our head every day, and a lot of the time, that voice contradicts itself. It worries about things that don't matter, and then it tells itself to stop worrying. It complains about a relationship but then convinces itself that it's being too demanding.
I realized the real problem we were facing: I didn't want to fix it anymore.
But that day in therapy, I suddenly had a moment of clarity. Instead of being in my own head, I took a step back. I allowed myself to keep talking to the therapist, but I listened in on the conversation as if I were an outside observer.
Every time our therapist offered a suggestion about how we could start to reconnect with each other, I argued against the idea. I voiced my doubts and my serious belief that his suggestion would never help us.
When my ex-husband tried to explain why he'd done the things that hurt me, I didn't respond with an open mind. As I listened to myself, I realized that no matter what he said, I always had a justification for my pain, an explanation of how he'd caused it, and a deeply held belief that neither of us would ever be able to change.
Sitting there in that therapy session, I realized the real problem we were facing: I didn't want to fix it anymore. I believe that any relationship can be salvaged if both parties want to make the relationship work. But the minute one person no longer feels like that's possible, the relationship is over.
Listening to my couples therapy session as an outside observer helped me to take an unemotional, unbiased view of the situation. I could clearly see that I was not willing to forgive and forget. I could see that what my ex-husband and I had once shared was irreparably broken and that by constantly arguing against our reconciliation while pretending I was trying to work on things, I was just delaying the inevitable, painful move that I knew had to come next: I had to leave.
Nearly three years later, I've come out on the other side, and I've never regretted my decision. I became a divorcée at 27 years old, earlier in life than many people get married. But by making that incredibly tough call, I learned an invaluable lesson: when you're not sure what you want, it takes an impartial analysis of your own thoughts and behaviors to help you determine what to do. Once you can learn to listen to yourself, and to be honest with yourself, you've taken the first step toward a new beginning - one that's more in line with what you really want.
Cheesus Crust - Disney Just Released a Pizza Mickey Mouse Bag!
Do you love pizza? Do you love Disney? Wait until you see the creation we have found - it's worthy of a freak-out. This Mickey Mouse Pizza Crossbody Bag by Cakeworthy ($60) was released on the official ShopDisney website, and we honestly can't believe our eyes. It's pure magic, if you ask us.
The purse includes a yellow satin interior, adjustable strap, and zipper closure. Little Mickey pants and shoes are disguised among the pepperonis. It's truly a cheesy dream come true for any pizza-lover. The more we look at it, the more this wonderful combination makes sense. If you love the bag as much as we do, we suggest buying it ASAP. A limited-edition piece like this will sell out faster than you can say, "In pizza we crust!"
13 Reasons Your Kid Is a Brat That Are Completely Your Fault
Parenting can feel like an uphill battle, no matter your child's age. Not only is there a lot of pressure, but it also feels like whatever you're doing is constantly being scrutinized by strangers, friends, and family.
If you're involved in your kids' lives, then you hear that you're a helicopter parent and you're raising a fragile child. If you leave your children alone and try to let them work things out on their own, then you're neglectful. It seems as though no matter what there's someone there to tell you that you're doing it wrong.
However, a lot of issues with brattiness are the parents' fault - or at least become the parents' responsibility to fix. Although children might pick up bad behavior by modeling what they see on TV or at school, parents are still to blame if they don't put an end to it or just attribute it to age.
"It's not really fair; it's just kind of the way it is," Elaine Rose Glickman, author of Your Kid's a Brat and It's All Your Fault, told POPSUGAR. "If we don't teach our kids a better way, nobody else is stepping up to do so."
The first step to breaking that bratty behavior is realizing what you're doing to contribute to it. Here, the 13 problematic things that parents of spoiled kids do.
This Teacher's Inspiring GoFundMe Helps Underprivileged Kids Experience the Joy They Deserve
Former first-grade teacher Katie Blomquist is on a mission to provide kids with the most basic right: joy. She started a fundraiser to give bikes to students in need, and it's quickly evolved into an inspiring nonprofit called Going Places. Katie set up a GoFundMe in 2016 and raised a whopping $80,000 after she realized many of her Title 1 students in North Charleston, SC, had never ridden a bike and probably wouldn't get the chance to own one. She was able to buy new bikes (plus locks and helmets) for all 650 students at her low-income, high-poverty elementary school. That campaign is over, but her fundraising is still going strong.
In fact, Katie stepped away from teaching in order to focus on being the executive director of Going Places. "A bike provides these children with a sense of freedom, escape, and a way to decompress. A bike also provides to these kids with a sense of childhood and innocence when, in many situations, that's been taken from them," Katie explains in her nonprofit's bio. In a more recent GoFundMe called Spreading Joy With a Bike, Katie and her supporters are continuing to raise funds and are working toward a $40,000 goal to provide bikes to students at a different South Carolina elementary school in May.
Watch the inspiring video above to hear about how Katie founded Going Places in her own words, and then keep reading to see heartwarming photos of the kids in action. "A bike is one of many things that represents joy" during childhood, she says. The delighted looks on the kids' faces say it all!
This Couple Had Their Wedding Photos Taken at Target, and Yes, We're Insanely Jealous!
When it came time to decide on where to have their weddings photos taken, it was a no-brainer for Isabella Sablan and her soon-to-be husband, Michael Delvalle: they would take them in their local Target store, of course. Isabella told POPSUGAR that although the idea started off as a joke, after a few months, the couple started to seriously consider the idea.
"When we first got engaged, I jokingly mentioned that we should do our engagement photos at Target since we love the store so much and go so often," she said. "Then I thought, why not do it for real?! We wanted to take our photos somewhere that had meaning to us. We also thought about doing the shoot at the park where he first asked me to be his girlfriend, but we thought Target would be more memorable and fun!"
And now, the happily married couple has photos to prove it. Scroll through to soak up Isabella and Michael's wedding bliss at their favorite store on Earth.
Dr. Harvey Karp Thinks He Knows What May Lead to Autism in Some Children
In the years since the link between autism and vaccines was proven to be based on fraudulent data, study after study has proven that vaccines are not to blame for autism spectrum disorders. But what they haven't done is explain what does cause the disorders and why the number of children diagnosed each year is skyrocketing.
At a Healthy Child Healthy World and Environmental Working Group luncheon designed to raise awareness about pollutants in our food and environment, Dr. Harvey Karp - the pediatrician probably best known for his wildly popular The Happiest Baby series of parenting guides - turned to the topic on many parents minds and addressed concerns about autism.
He said:
"Something has changed and we all know about all this discussion about immunizations and is it mercury in immunizations, all this kind of stuff. Doesn't seem so. Lots of studies [are] being done now, as much as you can know something in science, [and] we know that immunizations are really good and they're not associated with autism.
So the question is: well then what is going on? And there's two explanations currently. One is that we're just calling things autism that we didn't used to call autism - there's a shift in diagnosis. That clearly has happened; it might be attributed, maybe, to half of the cases. But, it seems that there's another half of cases that never existed before, that are new and that shouldn't be happening. And so, we have to ask ourselves why.
And one theory, is it's an exposure to a certain class of chemicals that are called endocrine disrupting chemicals . . . It turns out that there are many different types of chemicals that are endocrine disrupting chemicals that are in plasticized plastic. You've heard of BPA, that's an endocrine disrupting chemical. BPA was first created to be an estrogen. Then they found they could put it into plastics. Every single one of you have BPA in your bodies just from all the exposure you have. You have phthalates, which are plastic parts, as well which are in every new car...things like that. All of those have a hormonal effect and there are dozens of others; all different classes. The weird thing is that hormones are signalers, they tell cells 'Do this, don't do that' and what can happen is these hormonally active chemicals make it into the brains of young babies or even before birth and shift the brain's development.
The reason I think that this could be related to autism is because it's something that isn't split evenly between boys and girls. Boys get more autism, boys get 4 times more autism, they're diagnosed 9 times more with Asperger's Syndrome. So it could be that if we just pushed it a little bit further, that may be the reason that we're seeing this increase. I don't know the answer, but I do know that we have to find the answer. Scientists are looking for that now, but we need to do more research on it."
So just what is BPA and why did it seep into our kids' brains?
According to the EWG, it was invented 120 years ago and was most recently used to manufacture hard plastic water bottles, baby bottles, and epoxy linings of metal food cans. "BPA can mimic the hormone estrogen in the body and disrupt the endocrine system, a danger to developing humans and animals." In 2009, studies showing that BPA was leaching out of baby bottles and infant formula cans and into humans pressured leading bottle manufacturers to stop using the chemicals in their manufacturing processes, and over the next year, most states banned the use of BPA in children's products, but it is still used in many canned foods. But according to Dr. Karp, BPA's replacement, BPS, may be just as dangerous. A recent study shows that "in utero exposure to BPS might lead to neurodevelopmental disorders later in life" and "that male hormones might be particularly disturbed by this abnormal cell development."
So what's a parent to do?
BPS is not clearly marked on products and can actually be found in BPA-free products. According to The Soft Landing, parents will want to:
- Steer clear of any plastic containers marked with #7. These BPA-free products appear to be made with BPS.
- Eat as many fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables as possible. Cans used for canned fruits and veggies can be lined in BPA and BPS.
- Choose silicone storage products. They're BPA and BPS free.
- Sign up for EWG's alerts that will keep you up to date on all the latest studies and findings.
According to New Research, Younger Kids Teach Older Siblings Empathy - but There's a Catch
It's no secret that your younger kiddos stand to learn a whole lot about the world from their older siblings, but according to a new study, your older children can learn something from the brothers and sisters who are born after them too. New research published in the journal Child Development suggests that younger kids can actually teach their older siblings a thing or two about empathy.
The study assessed 452 Canadian sibling pairs between the ages of 18 months and 4 years old. Researchers started by measuring the older kids' baseline empathy levels on their initial visit to the siblings' home by pretending to get hurt by hitting their knee or catching their finger in a briefcase, or by breaking a valuable possession. After explaining to each older child how upset they were about what happened, the study authors videotaped each child's reaction to the news and recorded it.
They returned to each household a year and a half later and made an interesting observation: "Both younger and older siblings' observed empathetic concern uniquely predicted relative increases in the other's empathy over an 18-month period."
Marc Jambon, a study leader and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto, explained why the findings are so significant in a statement:
"Although it's assumed that older siblings and parents are the primary socializing influences on younger siblings' development (but not vice versa), we found that both younger and older siblings positively contributed to each other's empathy over time. These findings stayed the same, even after taking into consideration each child's earlier levels of empathy and factors that siblings in a family share - such as parenting practices or the family's socioeconomic status - that could explain similarities between them."
The study authors also examined whether or not gender and birth order played a role in how empathetic older children turned out to be and found that, yes, whether or not they are a boy or girl with a younger brother or sister matters. "The effects stayed the same for all children in the study with one exception: younger brothers didn't contribute to significant changes in older sisters' empathy."
Sheri Madigan, Canada Research Chair in determinants of child development and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Calgary and study coauthor, hammered home how every family member's relationship with a child is important: "Our findings emphasize the importance of considering how all members of the family, not just parents and older siblings, contribute to children's development. The influence of younger siblings has been found during adolescence, but our study indicates that this process may begin much earlier than previously thought."
We've Got News That'll Make '90s Kids Want to Wag Their Tails - Blue's Clues Is Coming Back!
Image Source: Everett Collection
"Here's the mail, it never fails, it makes me wanna wag my tail. When it comes I wanna wail, 'MAILLLLLLLLLL!'" Well, have we got some mail for you, friends: beloved children's show Blue's Clues is officially getting the reboot treatment at Nickelodeon. That means that millennial parents will be able to share the '90s classic that they loved growing up with a whole new generation of little ones, just with a fresh twist.
There's no word yet about who will fill the shoes - err, green striped shirt - of memorable former host Steve (sorry, Joe!), but Deadline reports that casting will begin for the role in mid-April. And it's not just the host that will change in the reboot, either. Viacom's Nickelodeon Group president, Cyma Zarghami, told the publication:
"The new, modern version of Blue's Clues will capture all the original's creativity and visual identity for a whole new audience ready for its fun adventures and expertly designed problem-solving curriculum."
Essentially, there will be nostalgic elements of the '90s show that return in the new series, but it will be reinterpreted for today's kids. Does that mean Blue will bid adieu to mail time and have a new method of communication that will make her want to wag her tail? We'll know soon enough!
Image Source: Nickelodeon
The Internet Is Having a Freakin' Field Day With Disney's New Trump Robot
Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents just added a new leading man to its lineup: a robot version of Donald Trump. The animatronic figure is now the center of attention at the popular attraction, delivering a speech using prerecorded audio from POTUS himself - one that surprisingly doesn't feature his overused catchphrase, "Make America Great Again."
The creators of the robotic Trump were pretty darn spot-on with mimicking the president's real-life style and mannerisms. Its tie is awkwardly long, and it makes very similar hand motions while speaking (though the hands may be a bit generous in size). However, there's one major flaw with the Trump-bot: its face is quite terrifying and bears very little resemblance to Trump, save for the combed-over blond hairdo.
The internet immediately took note of its off-putting appearance, and many people couldn't resist hilariously roasting everything about the situation. Although the robot itself is honestly robbing the theme park of its label as being "the happiest place on earth," at least we have the hysterical Twitter reactions below to keep us in good spirits, am I right?
Ellen DeGeneres Responds to Eric Trump's Conspiracy Theories: "I Don't Have That Kind of Time"
"If you know me at all, you know I don't pay any attention to politics, but unfortunately, politics pays attention to me," Ellen DeGeneres said at the start of a recent taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The comedian and host was referring to Eric Trump's latest tweet about DeGeneres belonging to the deep state because Twitter was suggesting her as a person to follow. Yes, really.
On Jan. 3, Trump shared a screenshot of his Twitter follow suggestions, which included Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and DeGeneres. Along with the screenshot, he added the hashtag #DeepState. Ideated by conspiracy theorists, the deep state is an alleged group of government officials and powerful people who are currently working to delegitimize Donald Trump's presidency.
Shocking... once again, here are the @Twitter "suggestions" of who I should follow. #DeepState pic.twitter.com/6XYUS02j34
- Eric Trump (@EricTrump) January 3, 2018
Following the tweet, DeGeneres understandably had a few questions. "First of all, which one is Eric?" she asked, noting, "It's the craziest thing I've seen all week because I saw that movie with the lady having sex with the fish and still this beats that."
To shut down "rumors" once and for all, DeGeneres said, "Eric, I am honored that you think I am powerful enough to be part of a government conspiracy. I am sorry to disappoint you. Even if someone wanted me to be involved, I don't have that kind of time. I have my gay agenda meetings on Mondays. On Wednesday, Beyoncé and I host an Illuminati brunch. Then Portia and I on the weekends are desperately trying to have a baby." Watch her hilarious and incredulous response above.
The Messages That Matter Wall at SXSW Is the Most Heartwarming Thing You'll See All Day
If we've learned anything in the last couple of years, it's that the power of positivity is the most essential form of self-care. While it's not always easy to find the bright spot in a sea of negativity, it's increasingly the kind words and actions of others that provide us with the drive needed to wake up each day and do what's necessary, and to give us motivation to change the narrative and fight for the things we believe are right. Most importantly, though, at a time when so much of what's going on around us feels so overwhelmingly out of our grasp, it's the one aspect of our modern lives that we have the full ability to control - and now, more than ever, every positive message can make a true difference in the world.
It's this knowledge that underpins the Messenger's 2017 Messages That Matter study - and what ultimately served as the inspiration for its 2018 SXSW activation, the Messages That Matter Wall. On March 12, the messaging app set up a blank wall in the SouthBites Trailer Park and asked individuals attending the annual festival to share words of "inspiration, thanks, encouragement, and love" on chat-bubble-shaped magnets. Those magnets, which would ultimately fill the tiny tent with a palpable sense of hope, were visible not just among the participants, but among social media influencers Chris Klemens, Alexa Losey, and Jordan Dowodzenka - all of whom were in attendance for the Messenger event.
POPSUGAR not only got to experience the event as it unfolded but also spent some time chatting with participants - all of whom exited the display with just a teensy bit more bounce in their step. Ahead, looks through a selection of powerful images from the day's events in Austin, TX - and be sure to direct the positive vibes you'll soon be feeling toward someone who looks like they might need it, because you never know just what effect your kindness might have on others.
The Pope Flawlessly Called Out Trump's Hypocritical Antiabortion Views
Pope Francis has never been one to shy away from expressing his thoughts, especially when it comes to President Donald Trump's administration. Back in February, he threw shade by calling out Trump for his travel ban without even mentioning his name. This time, however, the Pope felt the need to address the president on a far more personal level about his decision to rescind the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, leaving about 800,000 young immigrants subject to deportation and without a path towards citizenship.
As the pope wrapped up a press conference in Colombia on Sept. 10, he spoke about DACA - and how it doesn't match up with Trump's antiabortion views. "The President of the United States presents himself as pro-life and if he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that family is the cradle of life and its unity must be protected," he said. Though the pope admitted he wasn't too well-versed in what DACA was and how it came about, he expressed that he was hopeful that Trump might reconsider his move to rescind it, saying, "I think this law comes not from parliament but from the executive. If that is so, I am hopeful that it will be re-thought."
The Pope isn't alone in this sentiment, or in having sympathy for the DACA recipients who are also known as Dreamers. On Sept. 5, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced that the Catholic Church would always support the group. "As people of faith, we say to DACA youth - regardless of your immigration status, you are children of God and welcome in the Catholic Church," USCCB said in a statement. "The Catholic Church supports you and will advocate for you." The group also asked Congress to come up with a solution that would help the Dreamers.
As Pope Francis expressed in a TED Talk in April, "We can only build the future by standing together, including everyone." Trump would serve to learn from this statement, as well as the compassion towards Dreamers and immigrants that the Pope and frankly, many Americans, have shown.
Here's What Happens When You Ask Americans to Locate North Korea on a Map
President Donald Trump threatened to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea on Aug. 8, leaving many wondering if the ongoing war of words between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un might be taking a more serious turn. But while Twitter was biting its nails and preparing for the apocalypse, our country's late-night shows took an altogether different tack: they lambasted the hell out of the whole scenario. The real winner of the night, however, was Jimmy Kimmel.
Kimmel and his crew took to the streets of Los Angeles armed with the knowledge that, according to a new CNN poll, 50 percent of Americans believe that action needed to be taken against North Korea. His task? To figure out just how many people can identify where the country - one which 72 percent of those polled believe is capable of a strike against the US - is located on a map. And it should come as no surprise that a whole lot of people had almost no idea what the answer to that question was.
There may still be a whole lot of uncertainty about just how this whole scenario will shake out, but it's abundantly clear that as a country we really need to spend a bit more time buried in some geography textbooks - or at least not weigh in on foreign policy before we've done so.
What Will Adam Rippon Do Next? America's Gay Sweetheart Spills the Tea
Image Source: Getty / Frederick M. Brown
In just one short month, Adam Rippon has experienced an utterly explosive launch into the global spotlight. With no signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future, the Olympic figure skater and self-professed "Glamazon b*tch" really hasn't had a moment to breathe or reflect on everything that has happened to him. "I'm in a sh*t storm," Rippon told me at the Human Rights Campaign's annual gala on March 10. "Everyone around me is going to get swept up into 'Hurricane Adam.'" It's not just that Rippon proved his immense talent with a triumphant performance at the Olympics; his candor and dedication to authenticity - including his public disinterest in meeting with Mike Pence, who has espoused anti-LGBTQ+ views and positions - have undoubtedly made him the true standout.
"I haven't had a moment to sit down and let everything absorb. I'm almost afraid to."
Fresh off his time in Pyeongchang, South Korea (which was a sh*t storm all on its own), the Olympian has already attended the Oscars (where he met his celebrity crush, Shawn Mendes) and casually chilled with Reese Witherspoon. At the HRC gala, Rippon received the HRC Visibility Award for everything he's done so far in 2018. "I've been so busy. It's been such a whirlwind, and I've done everything I can to try to soak in every moment and to take in every experience," Rippon told me. "I haven't had a moment to sit down and let everything absorb. I'm almost afraid to, because I think it would be so overwhelming to think of everything that's going on. But one day I'll have to." But amid all the chaos, surely there must be moments where Rippon stops and marvels at everything that has happened.
As it turns out, my inclination was right: he didn't truly feel struck by his sudden stardom until just recently. When I asked if he had had any such moment, he shared a behind-the-scenes story from the day he met Witherspoon. "She was so beautiful and so nice but, while I was taping, she needed to run to a premiere," Rippon recalled. "Before she left, she met my friend and my brother. And I think in that moment, when I saw them, and they both looked like they had seen a ghost, I was like, 'Are you guys OK?' And they were like, 'Reese came here to meet us.' And I think in that moment I was like, 'OK, wow. This really is kind of crazy.'" The reality is that Rippon may still be in the midst of his newfound fame, but eventually, the dust will settle. And then, it will be time to figure out what's next.
"I have an open mind, and I'm walking through every open door and seeing what's out there."
In a recent New York Times interview, the Olympian insinuated that his figure skating days may be behind him. And if that's true, how does the next phase of his life look? "In the last few weeks, I've been thinking about what is the next move I'm going to make, and I think, at the core, I've always been an entertainer," Rippon said. "I've always loved making people laugh, sharing my story, and learning about other people's journeys . . . I think I might want to get a feel for what I want to do or whose footsteps I want to try to follow. I have an open mind, and I'm walking through every open door and seeing what's out there."
Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill
And what about the days when Rippon feels lost, or stuck, or discouraged? "I think on those days I try my best to turn my mind off, and I tell myself I'm like a robot," he said, "and I go through the motions, and I get what I need to get done completed. And then at the end of the day, I'm like OK, it wasn't that bad. And if I feel that much like sh*t, I can get through it. And then when I feel good, I'll feel great." Sound advice, right? If you can put your head down and power through your sh*ttiest days, you can do anything.
Just before Rippon sashayed away to the rest of his sensational night, I asked him if he could give some advice to the little kids in the smaller cities who are still struggling to figure things out. "What I would say is I was in their shoes. And the most important things are: the way you treat other people - you treat other people the way you want to be treated - your work ethic, and always being true to yourself. If you're true to yourself, the people around you will always love you for who you are. And if they love you for who you are, you'll get a lot of confidence to just be yourself." I think it's safe to say that, in this case, Rippon is leading by example.
Didn't Like Gus Kenworthy's Kiss at the Olympics? He Says "Deal With It"
Image Source: Getty / Rich Fury
When it comes to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, things didn't quite go as planned for skier Gus Kenworthy. The Olympian had a rough go of it in the days leading up to the competition. In addition to breaking his thumb, he also suffered a nasty hematoma in his hip that required medical draining. Kenworthy didn't end up medaling, but he made history in a different and exceptional way: by kissing his boyfriend, actor and personality Matthew Wilkas, on television for all the world to see.
Now that a bit more time has passed, the true impact of this moment is really starting to hit Kenworthy. On March 10, I spoke to the Olympic skier at the Human Rights Campaign's annual gala dinner. Caught up in the whirlwind and the high pressure of the Olympics, he hadn't quite had time to reflect on the moment. And that's due in large part to the fact that it all happened so fast.
"I had a hard time, because I had interviews right after my event, and I actually didn't perform that well. And they were like, 'Tell us about the kiss!' And I was like, 'I don't even know what kiss you're talking about,'" Kenworthy told me. "It was hard for me to kind of put in perspective what had just happened, because it felt so insignificant in the moment. It was just a very normal thing, like a kiss good luck. And we didn't know it was being filmed. So it was all news to me afterward."
"It's life. And it's on the screen. Deal with it or don't leave your house."
Now that the Olympics are over and he's back in the United States, Kenworthy has been able to get a bit more perspective on the incredible moment and its lasting impact. "I think it's so important . . . because we're gay and it's two guys. It's become this whole thing and people are like, 'Wait. We don't need to see this. This isn't why we're tuning into the Olympics.' And it's like, 'Yeah, well, it's life. And it's on the screen. Deal with it or don't leave your house.'" But this one kiss is about more than owning your identity, and it's clear now that Kenworthy can see the implications.
"The Olympics is an international event," he told me. "It's not the US seeing it; it's the world stage. It's broadcast on TV sets in countries where homosexuality is illegal. So I think it's incredible. It's so important to have visibility and representation, whether that's athletes competing or people being out and proud or a gay kiss on TV. I think it's all important. It's all amazing."
Image Source: Getty / Paul Archuleta
At this point, it's clear Gus and Matthew's kiss is a big deal. The subsequent media storm is enough to prove that much. "On the broadcast, they just scanned over, and they were like 'Oh, it's Gus's boyfriend.' I watched it after, and I was like, 'That's cool that they didn't make a huge fuss about it.' The internet did, which was great, but like, I think it was kind of cool that they normalized it."
With the Olympics, I asked the obvious question: what's next? Kenworthy said he was taking a small break from skiing; he won't train again until Fall, and he won't compete until next year. Based on what he told me, though, he wants to bounce back from his struggles at the Olympics. So what does he want out of the year? "Redemption. I was favored to medal in Korea, and I fell two days before my event," he recounted. "It was just not a great showing, and it's OK. It's one event, we have other ones all year round, and I actually had a good season in spite of it. I think moving forward, it would be nice to get back on the podium."
To me, it was clear that Kenworthy was still a bit bummed out by everything that had gone down in Pyeongchang. And though he already has Olympic medals and he doesn't have anything to prove, I still wondered how he bounces back after going through that kind of disappointment. "I feel lucky, because I had my family in Korea. My boyfriend, we had friends, my brothers, my mom, my dad," he said. "I think that I needed them there that day more than ever, because I didn't do well. It wasn't a celebration, and I needed them there to pick me up. I went straight to my family after the interviews, which you have to do after the contest, and I just saw my family. They gave me a big hug, and my mom was like, 'We couldn't have been more proud of you.' And I just started crying."
Sometimes, I guess the best thing to have is just a support system and a good cry. And hey, there's always 2022.
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.
10 of the Worst Countries (and 2 of the Worst States) For LGBTQ+ People Today
As the rights of LGBTQ+ persons seem to be advancing at an increasing speed, it can be easy to overlook that more than 2.7 billion people live in countries where homosexuality is illegal. Many countries around the world not only harbor homophobia and transphobia, but take active measures to persecute - and even execute - people because of their sexual and gender identities. And while America might seem like a bastion of sexual and gender freedom, certain states are particularly dangerous for LGBTQ+ persons.
To raise awareness of these problems and to confront the remaining barriers of human rights, we're taking a look at 10 of the worst countries - and two of the worst US states - for LGBTQ+ people today.
This Interview With Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Is Cringeworthy at Best
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos does not have an easy job.
The Michigan billionaire has been charged with overseeing America's education system and has set her sights on making public schools more private, offering voucher-based programs as a solution to "dead end" traditional public schools. While she has received very vocal criticism for her work, DeVos is succeeding with this agenda. Whether any of this benefits students or not is still to be determined, but for the time being, the secretary is bumbling her way through just like many of her inexperienced cabinet cohorts.
In case anyone needed a reminder of this, DeVos's March 11 appearance on CBS's 60 Minutes was cringeworthy proof that DeVos is barely treading educational water. The 13-minute segment sees correspondent Lesley Stahl going head to head with DeVos, poking holes in every canned answer DeVos presents as evidence of a job well done. When asked if Michigan schools have gotten better as a result of her plans, DeVos answers that she doesn't know. When asked if she has visited the "really bad schools" she frequently criticizes, DeVos answers that she has not. When asked if she sees disproportionate institutional racism in schools, DeVos answers that her department is "studying" the problem.
Betsy DeVos struggles to provide answers to '60 Minutes' when asked for evidence to support school choice policies. https://t.co/yG3POYJre6 pic.twitter.com/la8rsxqKYW
- Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 12, 2018
The interview also addressed the movement for gun control founded by student survivors of the Parkland, FL, shooting. DeVos responds that students "want a variety of things," that they "want solutions" instead of gun control specifically. DeVos went on to explain that arming teachers "should be an option" and that she feels a sense of urgency in the subject. Said urgency has been disputed on two fronts: Stahl, who called this "talking . . . instead of acting" during the interview, and the students DeVos visited at Parkland last week who summed up her visit as "just for publicity."
DeVos's thoughts are imperfectly timed given President Donald Trump's analysis of the guns-in-school debate: a recent Twitter tirade revealed Trump's demand that schools not be "gun-free zones" as that would invite "violence and danger." DeVos expounded during a March 12 appearance on Today, saying in reference to guns that "schools should have this tool," while noting that "we have to get much broader than talking about guns."
Solving problems like gun control and educational reform are undoubtedly difficult. Whether DeVos is capable of solving them is still to be determined - and her showing on 60 Minutes isn't exactly a vote of confidence.
13 Empowering Experiences For Female Travelers
Traveling as a female in general promotes feelings of empowerment, but some destinations just downright demand it. With Women's History Month upon us, it's the perfect time to plan some travel to do just that. Just venturing into the world independently is reason enough to feel fierce, but certain trips really push the limits and require you to harness your inner awesome. Some are solo, some are in a group of your best friends (or ones you've never met), but all are a balanced gang of ideas to fuel some serious kickass mojo. We all have our own ways of being inspired, sparking that fire that makes us feel strong and empowered. There's something in this roundup for every type of woman - every type of capable, boss, independent, incredible woman out there.
18 People Who Are in Line For the Presidency If Trump Is Removed From Office
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.
What It Means to "Dead-Name" a Transgender Person, and Why You Should Stop
Image Source: Everett Collection
In the first season of Amazon's incredible, visceral series Transparent, we meet Maura, a transgender woman who decides to come out later in her life. Maura has three kids and an ex-wife, all of whom struggle to see this new side of a person they've known for decades. During this time of struggle (and in flashbacks), we also learn what is known as Maura's "dead name" - aka the name she had prior to her transition.
In many small ways, her family shows resistance in accepting Maura's true presentation of self. It may be by using her old name or by recounting pretransition memories. Even the term "Moppa" - an amalgamation of "Momma" and "Poppa" that her kids adopt in the wake of her coming out - refuses to acknowledge that Maura wishes to be seen completely as a woman. The series shows just how crucial selecting her new name really was to Maura's transition process.
Now, in 2017, we're seeing some truly horrifying oppression against the transgender community - everything from President Trump's transgender military ban to a disturbing growing number of murders of transgender people. These are some of the more extreme examples of discrimination and mistreatment transgender people still face today, to be sure. Even so, they represent a marked ignorance about the transgender journey in general that inevitably reinforces the very behavior that breeds it. Even on the most basic level, transgender people are invalidated in ways both great and small every day. Perhaps one of the most common and easiest ways to dishonor someone's identity is to participate in what is known as "dead-naming."
"Dead-naming" is a term that involves "the practice of uttering or publishing the name that a transperson used prior to transition."
According to the Advocate, "dead-naming" is a term that involves "the practice of uttering or publishing the name that a transperson used prior to transition." Most of the time, an individual will pick a new name as soon as they begin to identify as the gender they know they are on the inside. This new name, in a way, marks the "death" of their old identity and the person they once were. With a new name, they signify a new, more truthful, and more fully realized phase of their life.
To get a better understanding of the deep significance of selecting a given name, we spoke to writer Caleb Camacho. "I think selecting a name and hearing people refer to me with that name was pretty solidifying in the transition process," Camacho, who is transgender, told POPSUGAR. "It made me feel like I was being seen as the man I was presenting myself as. When I finally got my legal documentation changed over to reflect my chosen name, it was a major deal. Yes, it's time-consuming and frustrating, but it's so worth it in the end. I no longer get strange looks when I present my ID card or license."
It's clear that choosing a new name to go with a more authentic identity is a very private and personal aspect of an individual's transition. That said, there have been several prominent and public examples of transgender people addressing how they wish to be referred to - both in pronouns and by formal names - especially in the last decade. As we already mentioned, Transparent introduces us to a transgender woman who renames herself Maura after coming out. Since Maura's dead name is Mort, her choice of name signifies a common way for an individual to self-identify after transition: to take their previous name and use a version of it that reflects their new identity.
Some transgender individuals, like Transparent producer Zackary Drucker, opt not to change their names at all. Drucker said in a 2015 interview with Dr. Drew, "[I come from] a family that always told me that I could be whomever I wanted to be, and to be proud of who I was, which is one of the reasons why I chose not to change my name." Still other individuals, like actor Colin Mochrie's daughter, Kinley, pick a new name entirely.
Image Source: Annie Leibovitz exclusively for Vanity Fair
Then there's perhaps the most high-profile transition the public has ever seen: Caitlyn Jenner's. Caitlyn came out on the cover of Vanity Fair in May 2015 and left her old identity behind. She even went so far as to explain the significance behind her choice, which is something she absolutely does not owe the public. With so many striking examples of individuals electing to go by new and powerful names, it's not difficult to understand how it's so intrinsic to their transgender identity. For Camacho, it's an important marker of honor. "For the people I've grown up with or with family members, it feels like they respect who I am when they use my preferred name," he said. "I understand that it may take some time for them to get used to it, but - to me - it's a sign of respect." On the other side of the coin, it should be easy to see how dead-naming can be harmful and even hostile.
Camacho agrees. "In my experience, dead-naming can show a lack of respect for that person's identity," he explained. "For those who have just begun their transition, especially, it can also cause pretty bad dysphoria and self-doubt and anxiety and a whole list of emotions that no one should have to deal with."
"Dead-naming can show a lack of respect for that person's identity."
Jenner's very publicized transition means she is also often dead-named, especially since she was a celebrity prior to her coming out. The common belief is that dead-naming is OK, as long as we're talking about the person in a time before their transition. The reality is, as Sam Riedel states in a crucial HuffPost article about the practice, using a transgender person's dead name at any point is an act of violence. In fact, "hearing or seeing one's old name can induce a visceral sense of terror" and, to echo Camacho's sentiment, "can be a source of profound, dysphoria-inducing anxiety."
Refusing to call someone by their new name is just the same as refusing to acknowledge their new gender identity, and it's often employed as a transphobic way to demean and deny a transgender person's true expression of self. In 2015, radio host Glenn Beck said in a rant that he would not call Caitlyn Jenner by her new name and would not call her a woman. Instead, he repeatedly used her dead name and only referred to her with masculine pronouns. It's easy to see how the two go hand in hand. The embrace of one facet of a person's identity would, logically, beget the embrace of another.
Camacho revealed that dead-naming is not so cut and dried. Oftentimes, especially at the beginning of a person's transition, it can be accidental.
"During the first couple of years of my transition, it didn't really bother me too much, especially with my family. It took a while for my family to fully accept my transition, so I was understanding of the fact that it would take time for them to get used to referring to me by my preferred name. After all, they'd spent 20-something years calling me by my dead name. Now, since I've been transitioning for [more than four] years, I get a bit annoyed if they slip up, and then I remind them that my name is Caleb. It doesn't happen too often anymore, though."
But even when dead-naming isn't intended to be malicious, it is not harmless. As Camacho notes, you can only give those around you the benefit of the doubt for so long. Furthermore, it's important to acknowledge the effect it might have in more grave situations. For instance, consider how the police often fail to use correct names and pronouns when referring to transgender murder victims, impacting the data and understanding of the violence that community faces. And in smaller moments, consider how it might deny a person the simple right and respect to live as the person they truly are. In moments like this, using a proper name and gender identity means everything.
30 Meaningful Tattoos in Spanish You'll Want Immediately
Any tattoo-lover knows the secret behind great ink is the story. Tattoos can represent your passions and loves or mark an important moment in your life - or even remind you of a pretty crazy night when you were feeling spontaneous and maybe a little tipsy. But if you're considering getting new ink, why not choose a design that embodies your cultural identity? Whether it's a quote to honor your Latin roots or a simple word that speaks to you, a permanent mark in Spanish is just the perfect amount of mysterious and meaningful. We rounded up some ideas (and included the translations) that will undoubtedly inspire you.
4 Dreamers Remember the Moment They Learned They Were Undocumented
While many recipients of DACA - who are known as Dreamers - grow up in the US fully aware they are undocumented, that's not the case for everyone. In fact, some Dreamers had little to no knowledge that they came into the country illegally until one jarring moment revealed the truth. Some lived their young lives thinking their future held the same opportunities as their classmates' and friends' - only to find out later that their paths would be uncertain.
The Development, Relief, and Education For Alien Minors Act, or Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals, has been in limbo since the Trump administration announced its plans to rescind the program in September 2017. DACA was first established as an executive order by then-President Barack Obama in 2012; it allows protections for recipients under the age of 31 who were brought into the country illegally before their 16th birthday.
While the Supreme Court did buy DACA recipients some more time with its decision to not hear arguments from Congress on the program's future - therefore allowing DACA to continue - the ongoing debate over immigration still leaves many Dreamers uncertain and fearing the worst.
POPSUGAR spoke to Dreamers who still remember clearly the surprise and dread they felt when they discovered they were undocumented. Here are their stories.
Frida Kahlo Used This Drugstore Brand to Enhance Her Famous Brows
These days, you can spot Revlon products gracing the faces of everyone from Gal Gadot to Ashley Graham, but we bet you'd never guess one of the brand's historical fans. As The Guardian reports, none other than Mexican artist Frida Kahlo used the brand's products to fill in her famous unibrow during the mid-20th century.
This news comes via an exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum that features more than 200 of Kahlo's possessions. These items were saved by the artist's husband Diego Rivera, who locked up the belongings in a room of the "Blue House" they shared together near Mexico City.
Per Rivera's wishes, Kahlo's things were left untouched until 2004. While the collection contains many items such as clothing and the back support corset Kahlo wore after a bus accident that almost killed her, beauty lovers will mostly be interested in the makeup products she wore.
Among Kahlo's collection are two Revlon products: a black brow pencil and a lipstick called "Everything's Rosy," which was supposedly her go-to. Both products are sadly discontinued, but we love the brand's current ColorStay Brow Pencil ($5), as the creamy formula helps darken and shape even the lightest of brows into a Kahlo-approved masterpiece.
A Former Employee Reveals 11 Surprising Secrets About Goodwill
Goodwill is a place to donate your own items and to find bargains on used goods from others. The American nonprofit has a network of thrift stores across the country, but what is it like to actually work there? A former Goodwill employee did an AMA on Reddit and detailed some interesting aspects of the job, including how much money people have accidentally left in used clothing, as well as some of the more questionable things people have attempted to donate.
1. Have you ever found money or valuables like jewelry that was mistakenly left in a donation, like in the pockets or in a drawer?
"This one guy had left close to $1,000 in a suit jacket pocket. Apparently that was his money stash that he hid from his wife and she donated some of his jackets. Another employee found like $240 stashed in a book. It was very common to find smaller bills and change in purses. If no one came for the money within X amount of time, it was rung up as a donation."
2. I'm assuming the husband came looking for his money? Also, how would anyone know if the money was there at all? What if someone took it and never said a word about it to anyone?
"Yeah, he got it back. Haha. There are people called sorters, who sort through entire duros of clothes. They are pretty much trained to check pockets. If they took the money? To each their own I guess, but if they someone somehow found out, they would definitely no longer have a job."
3. What's the most questionable, weird, or creepy donation you've ever received?
"There was a time where we received well over 120 donations in one day, it had been a very long day. It seemed impossible that we could ever catch a break. I was very tired, then right on cue, another car pulled to the door. They roll down the window and a little girl hands me a blank ass CD without a case."
4. Did you ever recover stolen property? Like someone donated something they stole and then the owner discovered it?
"I don't think so. There were often times people would come in and ask to speak to a manager, because something had been donated that wasn't supposed to be. Those were almost impossible to find, because our process was either like clockwork or there was so many donations that you would never find anything.
There was one instance where a guy had purchased an entertainment center that he intended to come back with a trailer to pick up, and we sold it to someone else; however, that was not by mistake. We had a 24-hour pick-up policy, and it had been a few days, so that sh*t got resold. So, when he came back with a trailer several days later, he was not impressed."
5. Have you seen stuff that you knew actually had super value?
"Oh, yeah, especially in the electronics department. I don't know why or what the circumstances were, but a lot of people donated brand-new stuff. We had an ecommerce store a lot of valuable stuff went to. For example, we sold a lot of gaming consoles on there."
6. What's the most expensive thing you ever saw donated?
"It's hard for me to remember, but it was probably furniture related. We made a killing off selling furniture sets. Like loveseats, couches, chairs, etc. One time we sold swords and knives that were all in a set. I'm not going to act like I knew what exact type of swords and knives they were, but I know it was definitely against our company rules to sell them. Whoever bought them knew what they were, because they paid a pretty ridiculous amount."
7. What about electronics, MacBooks, video games?
"Laptops and other computer stuff was recycled, unless it was really nice and immediately sellable. We did get a bunch of consoles and games. I saw a pretty sweet Nintendo 64 collection with insane amount of games. That all went to our ecommerce site. Apparently Mario Kart is a hot commodity, people were paying over 20 bucks for that sh*t. I don't doubt it, I just never really thought about it, because I have always had it with my 64. We got a bunch [of] modern and next gen-stuff from time to time. I use to cringe pretty hard, because I would have to put out PS4 controllers for a pitifully cheap price for them to sell, when I would've bought them in a heartbeat. It's worth noting we couldn't shop in our own store."
8. What's the grossest thing you've seen at the Goodwill store?
"This is tough, I've seen a lot. From the toilet overflowing to mildew-ridden clothing/furniture. One thing I used to hate was when I priced electrical items they were all previously sorted through and placed in totes for me to test/price. Coffee makers used to be frustrating, because donation attendants just threw sh*t in totes, and a lot of the coffee makers still had coffee in the filters. The totes would be drenched with water and sometimes coffee would be everywhere."
9. How involved were you with the donation bins that are all around? I always wondered what kind of vermin find their way in those and if employees have to deal with that.
"I know Goodwill industries has the drop boxes located all around. We were actually Goodwill EasterSeals, which merged together. There was like only 18-20 of those stores around. We had donation centers that would send stuff to us to process and sell. One time there was a rat in the bottom of a clothes duro. It made the entire back room smell, and we had to get rid of all the clothes."
10. When does an item become Goodwill's? Is there a gray area? Like what if someone accidentally donated something they didn't want to or wasn't theirs. Is there a time limit or is there a line that once the property crosses there are no backsies?
"There was supposed to be, but often times it depended on the manager. I've saw a total of about 5 store managers come and go (excluding assistants). My first manager was strict as hell about it. She made one lady buy back her own stuff."
11. I've heard Goodwill sells/destroys a lot of their donations. Would my clothes be put to better use if given to another local charity organization?
"Well, I can't speak for every location, I can tell you at our store they didn't let us throw anything away unless it was absolutely disgusting. However, your stuff will be sold, though. The idea is supposed to be: the money that we make off of the items that are donated then goes to the various disability services and other charities. How much of that actually goes to those charities? I don't know. Obviously not all of it, because I was getting a pay check. The only person who will benefit from your stuff immediately is some old bargain hunter named Bill who is going to be wearing your Hanes t-shirts."
You Won't Believe What Disneyland Is Planning to Do With Churros
Some Disneyland fans are Mickey Bar obsessives, others are cake pop people - and then, well, there are the rest of us. Churros are easily the best handheld snack at the happiest place on earth, and the three new versions arriving to Disneyland Resort on April 13 for Pixar Fest are shaping up to be some of the greatest.
A multicolored fruity churro with lemon sugar - nicknamed The Snipe, of course - will honor Up's bold bird Kevin, and a Lots-o' Straw-"Bear"-y Churro, sold in Tomorrowland, will feature bright pink sugar and that trademark strawberry scent of the Toy Story 3 character. The most exciting of the three, though, is Frontierland's Coco churro, which comes topped with chocolate powder, vanilla bean, and salted cinnamon sugar, served with a Mexican chocolate dipping sauce that's got a smoky chipotle kick.
While a trio of new takes on the theme park favorite seems like a big step, the funky churro phenomenon has only just begun. As it turns out, there may be even more flavors on the way, both throughout Pixar Fest (which runs at both parks until Sept. 3) and at a permanent Toy Story-themed churro stand debuting within Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure on June 23. In talking to Disney's culinary team, we learned that there's going to be an "explosion" of ever-changing churros going forward, meaning that fun new flavors are no longer a seasonal thing - it's the future.
The cinnamon-sugar treat has been likened to a kind of canvas for ongoing interpretation, and we have a strong sense that a variety of different churros always for sale across Disney's two California parks - possibly even one for each land - seems to be on the horizon. We even heard rumblings from the culinary staff of possible "hidden churros" and even a "churro challenge" - seriously! - which sounds like our kind of sporting event.
It's hard not to see a parallel between these and Disneyland's overseas counterpart, Tokyo Disneyland. The beloved Japanese resort is known for selling wild and often wacky flavors of popcorn at stands across its two theme parks that change throughout the seasons. With a rotating selection of flavors like curry, soy sauce and butter, white chocolate, black pepper, and herb and tomato, park-goers are known to try them out regularly in a way that is eerily similar to our endless churro obsession.
Despite seasonal iterations of the beloved park snack being relatively new, they've exploded in popularity, with churros flavored like peppermint, pumpkin spice, and s'mores, covered in rose gold glitter or available in Cars racing colors, proving successful in the past few months alone. (It's worth noting, too, that seasonal Mickey-shaped beignets have also become crazy-popular.)
We're not entirely sure if the Anaheim park's intention is truly to offer a constant rotation of delightful flavors or if they'll just be rolled out more often, but if it happens, we are here for it. Having new iterations of churros for sale makes grabbing an old favorite that much more exciting every time we visit Disneyland, and tasty takes on our favorite Disney movies and Pixar films are always a good excuse for an anytime indulgence. Read on to see photos of the new snacks!
lundi 12 mars 2018
23 Whole Foods Staples For Busy People
I may or may not have chosen my apartment based on its one-and-a-half-block proximity to a Whole Foods . . . What can I say? I'm a native Texan and have been a fan for life, having grown up going to the second-ever location in Houston. Admittedly, I sometimes do feel like I'm shopping at Whole Paycheck, but I know I'm investing in my health and in high-quality brands. When it comes to the staples in my life, from milk and butter to berries and yogurt, I buy them all from Whole Foods. These are the products that always end up in my basket.
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