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.
vendredi 2 juin 2017
Can You Spot the Kid Drowning in This Public Pool Before the Lifeguard Does?
A day at the pool isn't all fun and games - and no one knows that better than the lifeguard.
Drowning can happen in the blink of an eye and even when people are within arm's reach of the victim. As much as we think we might notice someone struggling in the water, drowning is often a silent killer.
Thankfully, in this real-life video taken at a public wave pool, a boy is spotted drowning within seconds by a resourceful lifeguard - likely well before anyone watching this footage, even knowing what to search for, could spot him.
The lifeguard sounds her whistle, swims out to the boy who lost hold of his floating ring, and carries him to safety.
One important factor to note is that this video includes sound, but you never hear the boy's cries for help. That's because when someone is drowning, contrary to what many assume, they can't call out - there isn't time to inhale or exhale. Often, they aren't able to wave their arms, which was a lucky ability for the child at this particular pool.
So can you find him?
How to Apologize to Your Kid When You Screw Up
There's power in a sincere apology. Our friends at Fatherly break down why it's important to teach your kids this skill and how it starts with you.
Love means always having to say you're sorry. Couples get this. They understand apologies are necessary in order to ensure they keep doing stuff like having sex and not sleeping on the couch. Parents, however, no matter how often they say sorry to each other, are often loathe to extend the courtesy of an apology to their kids. Apologies, after all, can erode authority, and making amends via gifts produces more consistent results. But there's a practical reason for showing remorse: Unapologetic parents raise unapologetic kids.
"What we're doing as parents is teaching kids how to be good human beings," says Dr. Laura Markham, author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids. "It doesn't happen through lectures, but what they actually experience."
Markham explains that when a kid has a parent that never apologizes, they're likely to conclude that apologies are unimportant. And that learning sticks, even if a parent consistently insists that their child apologizes to siblings or a friend. A sorry-less parent shows by example that apologizing causes a person to lose status or prestige. Kids, in turn, learn that sorries are a bad thing.
"By modeling an apology we're saying one of the most meaningful things in life is your connection with other humans with whom you share a bond of love," says Markham.
But parents screw up all the time. If they're not stumble-bumming around and breaking toys, they're forgetting to read a story, or leaving the juice in the kitchen, or forgetting to buy more goldfish crackers. Apologizing for all of those things would be pretty exhausting. It's not necessary, but Markham suggests that it might actually be the easiest approach.
"In fact, I would advocate for apologizing for small things so it feels less loaded," she explains. Still, she notes that apologies don't have to be some heartfelt, eye-to-eye concession full of weight and portent. In fact, it only has to be three words: "Oops, I'm sorry."
This approach is effective because it acknowledges that kids and adults perceive social interactions in very different ways because of their very different brains. As a kid grows, the small slights, like a change of plan or a forgotten promise, are regarded as full-on betrayal. There's a reason for this: Children lack the executive functions to regulate emotions because their prefrontal cortex is still under construction. Some children overreact and it's important to put the brakes on that, but an upset kid is probably not showing signs of being "spoiled," just symptoms of neurological development.
"At that point, you do have to acknowledge the kid's feelings with the apology," says Markham. "You're not just doing it to make them feel better. You're helping them express themselves and solve the problem."
Suddenly the apology becomes a normalized courtesy. It becomes an acknowledgment that something was missed and that's totally okay because people aren't perfect. In that environment, imperfection and graciousness are not at odds. Neither are conflict and love.
Parents can start this trend as early as toddlerhood. For the twos and threes, communication barriers present natural instances for conflict. As a kid struggles to show a parent they want, it's easy for an adult to get frustrated as they try to address a kid's desires (You want the red one? The blue one? The cookie? What!?). But once the toy or snack is retrieved, Markham notes that there's a fine opportunity for parents to acknowledge the difficulty of the situation, with a simple "I'm sorry, I couldn't understand." She notes that this isn't some major issue. So no need to invest in guilt. The point is making the "sorry" part of life.
Markham also suggests that parents fight the urge to buy their kids off. As tempting as it might be to throw candy or cheap toys at the problem, it's not really teaching them right values.
"Buying people off is not a message we want to give kids," says Markham. "You want to make an emotional repair."
Because the important part of apologizing to a kid has nothing to do with redress. It's about repairing the perceived rupture in the relationship while teaching them empathy and grace. It's an act of love.
We Can't Get Enough of Steph Curry's High Kick During Game 1 of the NBA Finals
During Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors made it clear that they're seeking revenge after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers last year. While Kevin Durant was getting attention from Rihanna and the Warriors did beat the Cavs, Steph Curry is the one who really deserves an applause. After the point guard drilled a three-point shot, he celebrated in one of the most epic ways imaginable: with a set of high kicks.
Check out the celebration below.
Steph Curry with the long 3 and the high step http://pic.twitter.com/UazxKT5BXB
- CJ Fogler (@cjzero) June 2, 2017
Curry may be one of the best shooters the league has ever seen, but honestly, if the team loses the series, he's got a high kick that could land him a new career. We're thinking either a Rockette, a cheerleader, or even a punter for the NFL. The Warriors still remain undefeated in the playoffs this season, but we'll see if any of the Cavaliers players can beat Curry's high kick.
Keep reading to see some of the hilarious reactions to Curry's celebratory high kicks.
When you turn on the lights in your room and see a spider http://pic.twitter.com/inEYKdb6jR
- Eric Fawcett (@Efawcett7) June 2, 2017
When you gotta make sure you're not wearing these. http://pic.twitter.com/VxF8OhMs9W
- Karen Howell (@karenehowell) June 2, 2017
If the league doesn't work out for curry, he's got this to fall back on😅 http://pic.twitter.com/TD1fzAZbaB
- Jamie (@jmefaith16) June 2, 2017
When you see that roach that owes you rent crawling around on the kitchen floor #warrios #NBAFinals http://pic.twitter.com/2PbrN5O9oH
- Emmie Ay (@BUTTERFLY0187) June 2, 2017
I Got Fired For Writing Like a Girl
"We're letting you go. Today will be your last day." It doesn't get more transparent than that.
My supervisor broke the news after asking, "Can we chat for a moment?" and escorting me into a conference room. I was clueless as to how stereotypically ominous that scenario was. I had close to zero work experience, and I had started interning with the company only six months prior. In fact, I was certain that she was going to promote me to the full-time Junior Copywriter position, thus making me a real New York City ad woman. But that didn't happen. Instead, my ambition was rewarded with my getting fired.
I remember blinking away tears while appreciating the honesty. After all, millennials like myself crave transparency in the workplace. Give it to us straight. Tell us what's going on. Be honest with us. That's exactly what my supervisor did. In that stark conference room, I was told that I wasn't good enough. It hurt, but it was honest so I had no problem accepting it. Little did I know, there was more honesty to be divulged.
My supervisor struggled as she explained that I was getting fired even though she approved me for the full-time position. As her eyes welled up, she explained that Dave, the cofounder of the company, felt that I was a slow learner and not the right fit. His decision simply trumped hers.
I liked Dave. When I interviewed with him, we talked about Korean Airlines and how terrible its advertising was. Nothing but whitewashed flight attendants with smiles plastered across their faces. Their contrived teal blue accents were more synonymous with Tiffany jewelry boxes than Asian airplanes. As we laughed about it, I felt like he would be more than a boss - he would be a creative mentor who I could look up to.
Being part of his 50-person advertising agency felt like some sort of honor. He was an advertising hot shot who had more than 25 years of experience under his belt, including the ABSOLUT campaign. He knew how to think big. He knew what he was talking about. He knew talent when he saw it. And here he was, taking a chance on a girl with minimal writing experience and a portfolio full of nothing. He gave me my lucky break. I felt forever in his debt.
That was six months ago. On the day I was fired, he didn't say one word to me. No goodbye. No explanation. No handshake. The only thing I heard him say was from the other side of the office. He said it to my supervisor when she confirmed that the deed was done; she fired me. He responded with confidence. His words traveled from his desk, across the office floor, to my cubicle as if he wanted me to hear it.
"Good job," he told her.
If there was such a thing as too much transparency, that would be it. His response was honest to the point of insult, and when I heard it, I quietly began to pack my things. I left without so much as a goodbye to my friends in the office. I was too ashamed to even look at them. Then as I walked out the door, what started as acceptance and teary eyes turned into devastation and ugly crying. I felt myself unravel.
Was I really that bad at my job? How could I not know how terrible I was? What else did I suck at? Why did he say that I'm a slow learner? F*ck, why couldn't I just learn faster? How am I going to tell my parents that I got fired? What am I going to do for money? Do I belong in this industry? Do I even deserve to be a writer? Why is this happening?
That year, about 15.4 percent of employed Americans were laid off or discharged according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's 20.5 million people. So, on the worst day of my career, I was in good company at the very least. All of us fell neatly into their "Layoffs and Discharges" category. It's an interesting naming convention. Specifically, "discharges." First of all, gross. Secondly, can't they just call it what it is? People who got fired. Discharge still sounds unpleasant - both in the bodily and professional sense - so let's just say what it really means.
I thought that was the saving grace of this whole situation. The transparency of it all. Dave's brutal honesty. But a few months later, I found out that I didn't even have that. I went to a former co-worker's birthday party where I hung out with my old colleagues. It was a good excuse for me to say a proper farewell. There, my ex-supervisor was honest with me. She explained the real reason why I got fired.
"Dave thought we had too many female writers," she said. "I'm so sorry."
There were three writers in the agency. One male writer who was hired a few months after me and two female writers (me and my supervisor). Among us, we evenly divided the work, which included brands that appealed to both men and women. Apparently, Dave took notice of his female-skewed copywriting department, and it didn't sit well with him. Having more than one female writer was one too many.
I never experienced sexism in the workplace, so it came as a shock. So much so that I denied its existence. There was no way this was true. Dave was an open-minded, creative type, and half of his staff was female. He was so progressive. New York City was so liberal. The world was so accepting. My generation didn't have to worry about small-minded discriminations of the past. But there I had it: the honest reason why I was let go. The transparency that I so desperately wanted. The horrible truth that I could barely fathom.
One female designer was told not to speak and to let her male counterpart do the talking.My former co-workers were not as surprised. One woman told me that when she moved on from the company, Dave told her how difficult it would be for a woman like her to find a job. Another said that he bragged about hiring women of color as if they were trophies. One female designer was told not to speak and to let her male counterpart do the talking. I think one woman described it best when she said that Dave was like a bird collector. He wanted to have an assortment of women at his company, all of them doing as told while silently on display.
In a USA Today piece on workplace discrimination, Jillian Berman wrote, "Women face a variety of unconscious stereotypes in the workplace that hold them back." One of those unconscious stereotypes being that women can't do "men's work." While Dave didn't openly discriminate, his actions were clearly motivated by some unspoken belief that undervalued a woman's ability to perform. I suppose he considered copywriting to be "men's work" too.
As I consulted my former colleagues, I felt resentment building while the truth settled in. There was nothing I could do. I lacked the confidence to confront Dave. I had no tangible proof of discrimination. I didn't have the funds for some my-word-against-his lawsuit. My only move was to learn from the situation and to commiserate with my female colleagues, who held me together with their empathy and resilience.
Perhaps the only silver lining was what coincidentally occurred after I was fired. The day after I unraveled outside of the company doors, I had an interview. I happened to schedule it in case I didn't get the full-time position at Dave's company.
She was an executive creative director at a larger advertising agency. She exuded confidence through red hair and an understated outfit comprised of a flowing blouse and khakis. I, on the other hand, was overdressed. An uncomfortable pencil skirt and blazer combo to make up for the professional experience that I so clearly lacked. But I needed to fake it. I needed to make her believe in me.
"So why did you leave your last job?" she eventually asked.
I told her something about needing to learn more and exploring new opportunities. A blend of truth and fiction. As I fumbled with my words, she silently nodded along while squinting her eyes and furrowing her brow. It was the same look of understanding that my female colleagues would later give as we exchanged stories about Dave. Somehow, this female leader knew that there was more to my haphazard explanation. As if she knew what the aftermath of rejection - and perhaps even sexism - looked like.
"How about this," she propositioned. "You start work next Monday."
And just like that, I was deemed worthy again. I was given a seat at the table by a fellow female. I was now a real New York City ad woman. I let out a sigh of relief as I shook her hand and accepted the offer. As I got ready to leave, she got my attention before I walked out the door.
"And don't worry about that guy," she told me.
"Who?" I asked.
"The guy who ran your last agency," she smirked. "I'll write him a love letter for giving you up."
It was disarming, and I thanked her for it. She saw right through me. And her words had something far more valuable than transparency - they had compassion. I don't know what I said for the jig to be up, but that day, my female boss seemed to know exactly what I went through. Even before I knew myself. I still wonder what I said for her to be so sure, but perhaps some messages don't need to be transparent for them to be clear.
The Unexpected Truth I Had to Confront After Counting Calories For a Month
One of the first thoughts I had after I got engaged was, "Ugh, does this mean I have to get fit?" I'm not consciously unhealthy, but as a naturally slim person, I like to trick myself into thinking I'm healthier than I am. That's why when my fiancé recommended we start using a calorie-counting app to track our diet leading up to the big day, I readily agreed. I love organization, and as someone who does eat a veggie-heavy salad five out of seven days of the week, I figured this wouldn't significantly impact my life. It did - but not in the way I anticipated.
This is where I should note that calorie-counting apps aren't for everyone. Calories aren't all that you should take into account when considering a diet plan, and in fact, I have some friends who would consider them to be a trigger for disordered eating habits. I've always had a healthy relationship with food, so if anything, I figured the experiment might provide some insights into the way that I eat - especially because the app I selected, Lose It!, gives you a breakdown of your nutrients.
What I discovered wasn't necessarily related to the types of foods I ate or how often I ate them. I found that I could easily stay within my suggested calorie limit by not going back for seconds or skipping a scoop of ice cream. Like I said, I eat a lot of salads. The horrible but undeniable truth I had to face? I need to get my ass out and exercise.
It's not that I don't have time to exercise or that I haven't found the right way to do it. I just hate it. I don't like running, I don't want to go to your spinning class, boot camp sounds like hell, and the only time I consistently went to the gym was in college - because it was free, and I wanted to have a hot bod. (Whatever, leave me alone.) I joined a gym as an adult, went to two personal training sessions, and never went back. Not liking exercise is a part of my personality. It's something that my friends and coworkers know about me. It's a small but seemingly important sliver of my identity.
In my official "wedding prep" stage, I pushed back plans to finally go back to hot yoga for months and bought gym shoes that I just wore to run errands. But now, this calorie-counting app was staring me in the face, telling me that I would be allotted more calories if I went for a jog. I don't want to go for a damn jog. I want to eat my chicken and vegetables and watch Law & Order: SVU for five hours until my muscles are gelatinous.
I consulted our resident fitness editor, who confirmed that yes, exercise is as important as nutrition. (Blerg.) She also told me that lack of exercise tends to lead to some weird side effects as you age, like your back starts hurting. I'm not going to say my back already hurts, but I'm not not going to say it.
The challenge was to find an exercise that I don't hate. Hot yoga suits my interests because everything is slow and calculated. There's no rigorous movement, and the heat is so overwhelming that you're practically forced to think about how your body feels. I actually love it, but it's also time-consuming. A class is 90 minutes, and that's not including transportation to and from the studio and the shower you ultimately have to take after. I wanted a quicker option.
On a whim, I signed up for another app: a dog-walking one. I love animals, and my fiancé had suggested I sign up as a joke. I did it, and after a surprisingly rigorous application process, I became a certified Wag walker. Owners put in requests for 30- or 60-minute walks, I get a text message, and I hop off the couch and go walk a dog. I choose when I want to walk, where, and which dogs. I'll walk after work and on weekends. I meet all kinds of dogs, and I've seen more of my neighborhood in two months than I have in the two years that I've lived there. And I get paid cash money. (I swear this isn't an advertisement, it's just the best exercise loophole ever.)
I don't care about having sculpted arms for my strapless wedding dress, I just don't want to atrophy. I'm starting to feel healthier (mentally as well as physically), and my world is expanding. I don't need permission to eat an extra scoop of ice cream, but sometimes it feels good to pick up a walk after a big meal. It's also kind of nice to feel the muscles working in my calves again. I knew they were still there.
The Unexpected Truth I Had to Confront After Counting Calories For a Month
One of the first thoughts I had after I got engaged was, "Ugh, does this mean I have to get fit?" I'm not consciously unhealthy, but as a naturally slim person, I like to trick myself into thinking I'm healthier than I am. That's why when my fiancé recommended we start using a calorie-counting app to track our diet leading up to the big day, I readily agreed. I love organization, and as someone who does eat a veggie-heavy salad five out of seven days of the week, I figured this wouldn't significantly impact my life. It did - but not in the way I anticipated.
This is where I should note that calorie-counting apps aren't for everyone. Calories aren't all that you should take into account when considering a diet plan, and in fact, I have some friends who would consider them to be a trigger for disordered eating habits. I've always had a healthy relationship with food, so if anything, I figured the experiment might provide some insights into the way that I eat - especially because the app I selected, Lose It!, gives you a breakdown of your nutrients.
What I discovered wasn't necessarily related to the types of foods I ate or how often I ate them. I found that I could easily stay within my suggested calorie limit by not going back for seconds or skipping a scoop of ice cream. Like I said, I eat a lot of salads. The horrible but undeniable truth I had to face? I need to get my ass out and exercise.
It's not that I don't have time to exercise or that I haven't found the right way to do it. I just hate it. I don't like running, I don't want to go to your spinning class, boot camp sounds like hell, and the only time I consistently went to the gym was in college - because it was free, and I wanted to have a hot bod. (Whatever, leave me alone.) I joined a gym as an adult, went to two personal training sessions, and never went back. Not liking exercise is a part of my personality. It's something that my friends and coworkers know about me. It's a small but seemingly important sliver of my identity.
In my official "wedding prep" stage, I pushed back plans to finally go back to hot yoga for months and bought gym shoes that I just wore to run errands. But now, this calorie-counting app was staring me in the face, telling me that I would be allotted more calories if I went for a jog. I don't want to go for a damn jog. I want to eat my chicken and vegetables and watch Law & Order: SVU for five hours until my muscles are gelatinous.
I consulted our resident fitness editor, who confirmed that yes, exercise is as important as nutrition. (Blerg.) She also told me that lack of exercise tends to lead to some weird side effects as you age, like your back starts hurting. I'm not going to say my back already hurts, but I'm not not going to say it.
The challenge was to find an exercise that I don't hate. Hot yoga suits my interests because everything is slow and calculated. There's no rigorous movement, and the heat is so overwhelming that you're practically forced to think about how your body feels. I actually love it, but it's also time-consuming. A class is 90 minutes, and that's not including transportation to and from the studio and the shower you ultimately have to take after. I wanted a quicker option.
On a whim, I signed up for another app: a dog-walking one. I love animals, and my fiancé had suggested I sign up as a joke. I did it, and after a surprisingly rigorous application process, I became a certified Wag walker. Owners put in requests for 30- or 60-minute walks, I get a text message, and I hop off the couch and go walk a dog. I choose when I want to walk, where, and which dogs. I'll walk after work and on weekends. I meet all kinds of dogs, and I've seen more of my neighborhood in two months than I have in the two years that I've lived there. And I get paid cash money. (I swear this isn't an advertisement, it's just the best exercise loophole ever.)
I don't care about having sculpted arms for my strapless wedding dress, I just don't want to atrophy. I'm starting to feel healthier (mentally as well as physically), and my world is expanding. I don't need permission to eat an extra scoop of ice cream, but sometimes it feels good to pick up a walk after a big meal. It's also kind of nice to feel the muscles working in my calves again. I knew they were still there.
We Can't Get Enough of Steph Curry's High Kick During Game 1 of the NBA Finals
During Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors made it clear that they're seeking revenge after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers last year. While Kevin Durant was getting attention from Rihanna and the Warriors did beat the Cavs, Steph Curry is the one who really deserves an applause. After the point guard drilled a three-point shot, he celebrated in one of the most epic ways imaginable: with a set of high kicks.
Check out the celebration below.
Steph Curry with the long 3 and the high step http://pic.twitter.com/UazxKT5BXB
- CJ Fogler (@cjzero) June 2, 2017
Curry may be one of the best shooters the league has ever seen, but honestly, if the team loses the series, he's got a high kick that could land him a new career. We're thinking either a Rockette, a cheerleader, or even a punter for the NFL. The Warriors still remain undefeated in the playoffs this season, but we'll see if any of the Cavaliers players can beat Curry's high kick.
Keep reading to see some of the hilarious reactions to Curry's celebratory high kicks.
When you turn on the lights in your room and see a spider http://pic.twitter.com/inEYKdb6jR
- Eric Fawcett (@Efawcett7) June 2, 2017
When you gotta make sure you're not wearing these. http://pic.twitter.com/VxF8OhMs9W
- Karen Howell (@karenehowell) June 2, 2017
If the league doesn't work out for curry, he's got this to fall back on😅 http://pic.twitter.com/TD1fzAZbaB
- Jamie (@jmefaith16) June 2, 2017
When you see that roach that owes you rent crawling around on the kitchen floor #warrios #NBAFinals http://pic.twitter.com/2PbrN5O9oH
- Emmie Ay (@BUTTERFLY0187) June 2, 2017
This Incredible "Humble" Dance Routine Will Have You Bouncing In Your Seat
In the YouTube comments of this dance routine video to Kendrick Lamar's "Humble," one fan put it perfectly: "Songs sound so much better when Kinjaz dance to 'em." And after seeing the dance crew's meticulously synchronized routine, we couldn't agree more! There's a reason why The Kinjaz, who appears on NBC's World of Dance, has gone fully viral on Facebook - this specific routine already has over 2M views!
Words don't do the dance justice, so press play and see for yourself. Don't be surprised when you start bouncing in your seat . . . their passion for dance is contagious.
9 Things I Learned From a Previously Unreleased Trump Documentary
In September 1989, New York Magazine published an article titled "Trump vs. Stern: The Unmaking of a Documentary." The piece described an ongoing battle between then-celebrity businessman Donald Trump and Leonard Stern, a fellow real estate tycoon who owned multiple media outlets - including The Village Voice. In 1988, Stern financially backed a documentary about Trump. Trump was not happy about it. Trump and Stern had already exchanged public insults in the past and were considered rivals, but Stern maintained that he did not influence the media companies he owned or the content they created - and that the same went for this project.
"In all the years that Donald has been in the spotlight, he is the same person. He has not changed. He still lies."
The documentary was meant to be the pilot episode in a series about celebrity businessmen in the 1980s, but it never made it to air. Trump allegedly started to make up rumors that Stern's wife was calling Trump to beg him for a date and threatened to sue major TV networks if they agreed to carry the documentary. "As we dug into Donald, we learned that he was perhaps the most litigious man in America," Libby Handros, who coproduced the documentary, told me in a recent email. "There was no cable, let alone the internet, so there were only three networks and some independent channels that ran syndicated programming. Given the limited number of outlets, it was sadly very easy for Donald to block the broadcast. All he had to do was threaten to sue anyone who would broadcast the film. Even if his charges had no merits, when someone receives legal papers they have to be answered." In other words: why take on the headache? The documentary languished.
As Trump started getting more involved with politics (and specifically after Trump attacked John McCain in July 2015), Handros decided it was time for the American public to finally see the documentary. She released it on Aug. 1, 2015. "Our tagline, old Trump, new Trump, same Trump I think says it all," she said. "In all the years that Donald has been in the spotlight, he is the same person. He has not changed. He still lies, he still cheats small contractors out of money by claiming they did not do a good job, for example."
According to Handros, Trump: What's the Deal - which is now available on iTunes for $8 - is a film that "proves that, far from being an outsider, Donald is the consummate insider. His father, Fred, was politically connected, and those connections propelled Donald forward, and he continued to use them."
The eye-opening documentary outlines some of the unsavory business decisions and tactics Trump used in New York City during the 1980s and serves as an explanation for his unpopularity in the city. Read on for some of its most shocking revelations.
1. Trump paid his wife Ivana $1 in salary for running a hotel.
In 1988, Trump bought the Plaza Hotel for $407.5 million. He made his then-wife, Ivana, the president of the hotel. Trump told the press her salary was "$1 a year and all the dresses she could buy." Later on, he could not afford to pay back the amount of debt the Plaza had acquired, and Citibank agreed to obtain a 49 percent stake in the hotel in exchange for forgiveness of $250 million in debt.
2. Trump lied to the press when Gorbachev visited New York.
When Mikhail Gorbachev, former leader of the Soviet Union, visited the US in 1988, Trump blabbed to TV stations and newspapers that Gorbachev planned to visit Trump Tower. In the film, Newsweek reporter Jonathan Alter commented: "It was almost a textbook example of a publicity stunt, which worked and has worked on many occasions for him." Not only was this never on the leader's list of stops, but the visit also did not happen.
3. Trump once sued an architecture critic for a bad review.
After Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Paul Gapp criticized Trump's plan to build the tallest building in the world in New York, Trump sued for $500 million. Gapp spent a good amount of his article speculating about what the building might look like, since there were no rendering yet for him to judge. Most of his criticism came from the impracticality of the size and shape of the building. He explained that tall, slender buildings are economically inefficient. Eventually, the case was dismissed in Federal District Court in 1985.
4. Trump let people believe he was restoring the Central Park ice skating rink for free.
In 1986, Trump restored the ice skating rink in Central Park. Many New Yorkers were under the impression he did this as a great public service to the city, but in reality, he was paid in full - and his workers weren't. He told contractors that they were going to work "pro bono," and understandably, many of them did not understand that this meant working without pay or were unaware that Trump would be paid while they worked for free.
5. Trump landed his first big deal through a series of outsize political favors.
Trump's first major deal in Manhattan was renovating the rundown Commodore Hotel, which is now known as the Grand Hyatt New York. It was owned by bankrupt Penn Central Railroad, and the owners were desperate to get rid of it. According to the documentary, Hyatt still did not have a New York branch and Trump planned to buy the hotel and get Hyatt to manage it. Trump did not yet have the capital required for the project and had his father, Fred Trump, guarantee part of the construction loan. Through his father's extensive political ties, he got an enormous, 40-year tax abatement in 1976, which is still the longest ever granted by New York City. The project was approved on the last day of Mayor Beame's administration.
6. Trump demolished museum-worthy, historic architecture to build Trump Tower.
When Trump built his mecca, he had to tear down a historical New York building, the Bonwit Teller. The building contained priceless architecture, which he promised to gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When he was told how much it would cost to remove the facades from the building in order to preserve them, they were mysteriously demolished.
The Trump Tower is also "missing" 10 floors to give the impression that the building is taller than it actually is. He later used this tactic again with his Trump International Hotel and Tower in Columbus Circle; he thought it was more impressive.
It's also well documented that Trump hired undocumented Polish workers to construct the tower. They slept at the work site and were not given protective gear; many of them were not paid in full either.
7. Trump bought a building in 1981 and then tried to kick out all of the tenants.
In 1981, Trump bought an apartment building located at 100 Central Park South in Manhattan. He reportedly walked in and told everyone in the rent-controlled apartments that they were being evicted and had to leave. According to the tenants interviewed in the documentary, Trump hired people to threaten them into leaving and claimed to be investigating (or lied about) their drinking habits, personal lives, and sexual orientation. He brought eviction lawsuits and lawsuits against the lawyer representing the tenants. Eventually, Trump settled with the tenants' association in 1986.
8. He destroyed an entire football league.
In 1983, Trump bought the New Jersey Generals, a failing team in the United States Football League (USFL). The USFL had been created as an indirect competitor to the NFL, but the teams played in the Spring instead of the Fall. While the USFL was never as successful as the NFL and infrequently received better ratings than Major League Baseball (aired during the Spring), many saw the league's potential.
Initially, Trump generated a lot of publicity for the league and helped gain attention and viewership to the USFL. However, Trump wanted to compete directly with the NFL and urged his fellow USFL team owners to move the league to the Fall. According to court transcripts, the goal of this was to either "have a league that's going to be just as valuable as the NFL, or we're going to have a merger."
The NFL already had contracts with the three major TV networks, so the USFL filed an antitrust lawsuit for $1.69 billion. Trump provided the lawyers (including his buddy Roy Cohn).
When the jury finally reached a decision, they sided with the USFL. However, instead of awarding them the fortune they had asked for, they were only awarded $3.75. At this point, the USFL could not hope for a merger and knew they could not compete directly with the NFL. The owners decided to end the USFL in 1986.
9. He's thought about running for president for a very long time.
The documentary includes footage of an interview with Trump from 1989 on the show 11th Hour. In the clip, the reporter asked Trump if he would ever consider running for president. His response was, "I would much prefer that someone else do it; I just don't know if somebody else is there. I don't know if we have the type of advocate that we need. We need major surgery. This country needs major surgery."
The documentary ends with a somewhat eerie prediction from then-Spy magazine writer Graydon Carter, now the editor of the Trump-maligned Vanity Fair: "The only end to this road is ultimate madness, living alone in an apartment in Panama . . . or taking over the world. One or the other. It's either the most public life in the world or the most private at the end of this. There's no in between . . . either the greatest Bond villain of all time or Howard Hughes."
This Incredible "Humble" Dance Routine Will Have You Bouncing In Your Seat
In the YouTube comments of this dance routine video to Kendrick Lamar's "Humble," one fan put it perfectly: "Songs sound so much better when Kinjaz dance to 'em." And after seeing the dance crew's meticulously synchronized routine, we couldn't agree more! There's a reason why The Kinjaz, who appears on NBC's World of Dance, has gone fully viral on Facebook - this specific routine already has over 2M views!
Words don't do the dance justice, so press play and see for yourself. Don't be surprised when you start bouncing in your seat . . . their passion for dance is contagious.
1 Girl Just Solved Our Most Common Makeup Problem With a Simple Yet Hilarious Hack
It's a pretty common dilemma we all face at one point or another: It's Friday evening and you rush home after work to freshen up before happy hour. You take one look in the mirror and realize dry shampoo just won't do the trick and that you desperately need to wash your greasy hair. But that means you run the risk of totally botching your makeup in the shower, and you don't possibly have enough time to perfect your cat eye again before dashing off for your discounted margarita. So what's a gal to do?
One genius girl has the perfect solution: wear goggles in the shower! Lauren, a 22-year-old student who lives in Texas, made the internet simultaneously LOL and say "why didn't I think of that sooner?" when she shared her no-brainer makeup hack online. In her first picture, she donned a pair of swimming goggles and captioned it "when u have to wash your hair but ur makeup is fly af," while the second snapshot captured her post-shower with her flawless makeup perfectly intact sans smudges and smears. Genius!
When she posted her hack on Tumblr, it went totally viral, amassing more than 90,000 notes to date, which means nearly 100,000 people either liked or reblogged her images. She told Buzzfeed News how she got mixed reviews from other Tumblr users (some praised her creativity while others said she should've just used dry shampoo in the first place). Regardless, we give Lauren an A+ for innovation, and we'll definitely be trying this trick in the near future.
50 Signs You're a Young Millennial
If you were born in the '90s, you fall within the category of "young" millennials, aka the later half of Generation Y. Social media has been an influential part of most of your life, Disney Channel rocked your world, and Starbucks stops during carpools weren't unusual. We may not have the best rap, but we fully embrace what we are (whether that's "entitled" or not) and wouldn't trade Instagram for anything. If you feel like you identify more strongly with "old" millennials, check this post out to find out. But if you still remember the moves to High School Musical, please proceed to these 50 signs.
9 Things I Learned From a Previously Unreleased Trump Documentary
In September 1989, New York Magazine published an article titled "Trump vs. Stern: The Unmaking of a Documentary." The piece described an ongoing battle between then-celebrity businessman Donald Trump and Leonard Stern, a fellow real estate tycoon who owned multiple media outlets - including The Village Voice. In 1988, Stern financially backed a documentary about Trump. Trump was not happy about it. Trump and Stern had already exchanged public insults in the past and were considered rivals, but Stern maintained that he did not influence the media companies he owned or the content they created - and that the same went for this project.
"In all the years that Donald has been in the spotlight, he is the same person. He has not changed. He still lies."
The documentary was meant to be the pilot episode in a series about celebrity businessmen in the 1980s, but it never made it to air. Trump allegedly started to make up rumors that Stern's wife was calling Trump to beg him for a date and threatened to sue major TV networks if they agreed to carry the documentary. "As we dug into Donald, we learned that he was perhaps the most litigious man in America," Libby Handros, who coproduced the documentary, told me in a recent email. "There was no cable, let alone the internet, so there were only three networks and some independent channels that ran syndicated programming. Given the limited number of outlets, it was sadly very easy for Donald to block the broadcast. All he had to do was threaten to sue anyone who would broadcast the film. Even if his charges had no merits, when someone receives legal papers they have to be answered." In other words: why take on the headache? The documentary languished.
As Trump started getting more involved with politics (and specifically after Trump attacked John McCain in July 2015), Handros decided it was time for the American public to finally see the documentary. She released it on Aug. 1, 2015. "Our tagline, old Trump, new Trump, same Trump I think says it all," she said. "In all the years that Donald has been in the spotlight, he is the same person. He has not changed. He still lies, he still cheats small contractors out of money by claiming they did not do a good job, for example."
According to Handros, Trump: What's the Deal - which is now available on iTunes for $8 - is a film that "proves that, far from being an outsider, Donald is the consummate insider. His father, Fred, was politically connected, and those connections propelled Donald forward, and he continued to use them."
The eye-opening documentary outlines some of the unsavory business decisions and tactics Trump used in New York City during the 1980s and serves as an explanation for his unpopularity in the city. Read on for some of its most shocking revelations.
1. Trump paid his wife Ivana $1 in salary for running a hotel.
In 1988, Trump bought the Plaza Hotel for $407.5 million. He made his then-wife, Ivana, the president of the hotel. Trump told the press her salary was "$1 a year and all the dresses she could buy." Later on, he could not afford to pay back the amount of debt the Plaza had acquired, and Citibank agreed to obtain a 49 percent stake in the hotel in exchange for forgiveness of $250 million in debt.
2. Trump lied to the press when Gorbachev visited New York.
When Mikhail Gorbachev, former leader of the Soviet Union, visited the US in 1988, Trump blabbed to TV stations and newspapers that Gorbachev planned to visit Trump Tower. In the film, Newsweek reporter Jonathan Alter commented: "It was almost a textbook example of a publicity stunt, which worked and has worked on many occasions for him." Not only was this never on the leader's list of stops, but the visit also did not happen.
3. Trump once sued an architecture critic for a bad review.
After Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Paul Gapp criticized Trump's plan to build the tallest building in the world in New York, Trump sued for $500 million. Gapp spent a good amount of his article speculating about what the building might look like, since there were no rendering yet for him to judge. Most of his criticism came from the impracticality of the size and shape of the building. He explained that tall, slender buildings are economically inefficient. Eventually, the case was dismissed in Federal District Court in 1985.
4. Trump let people believe he was restoring the Central Park ice skating rink for free.
In 1986, Trump restored the ice skating rink in Central Park. Many New Yorkers were under the impression he did this as a great public service to the city, but in reality, he was paid in full - and his workers weren't. He told contractors that they were going to work "pro bono," and understandably, many of them did not understand that this meant working without pay or were unaware that Trump would be paid while they worked for free.
5. Trump landed his first big deal through a series of outsize political favors.
Trump's first major deal in Manhattan was renovating the rundown Commodore Hotel, which is now known as the Grand Hyatt New York. It was owned by bankrupt Penn Central Railroad, and the owners were desperate to get rid of it. According to the documentary, Hyatt still did not have a New York branch and Trump planned to buy the hotel and get Hyatt to manage it. Trump did not yet have the capital required for the project and had his father, Fred Trump, guarantee part of the construction loan. Through his father's extensive political ties, he got an enormous, 40-year tax abatement in 1976, which is still the longest ever granted by New York City. The project was approved on the last day of Mayor Beame's administration.
6. Trump demolished museum-worthy, historic architecture to build Trump Tower.
When Trump built his mecca, he had to tear down a historical New York building, the Bonwit Teller. The building contained priceless architecture, which he promised to gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When he was told how much it would cost to remove the facades from the building in order to preserve them, they were mysteriously demolished.
The Trump Tower is also "missing" 10 floors to give the impression that the building is taller than it actually is. He later used this tactic again with his Trump International Hotel and Tower in Columbus Circle; he thought it was more impressive.
It's also well documented that Trump hired undocumented Polish workers to construct the tower. They slept at the work site and were not given protective gear; many of them were not paid in full either.
7. Trump bought a building in 1981 and then tried to kick out all of the tenants.
In 1981, Trump bought an apartment building located at 100 Central Park South in Manhattan. He reportedly walked in and told everyone in the rent-controlled apartments that they were being evicted and had to leave. According to the tenants interviewed in the documentary, Trump hired people to threaten them into leaving and claimed to be investigating (or lied about) their drinking habits, personal lives, and sexual orientation. He brought eviction lawsuits and lawsuits against the lawyer representing the tenants. Eventually, Trump settled with the tenants' association in 1986.
8. He destroyed an entire football league.
In 1983, Trump bought the New Jersey Generals, a failing team in the United States Football League (USFL). The USFL had been created as an indirect competitor to the NFL, but the teams played in the Spring instead of the Fall. While the USFL was never as successful as the NFL and infrequently received better ratings than Major League Baseball (aired during the Spring), many saw the league's potential.
Initially, Trump generated a lot of publicity for the league and helped gain attention and viewership to the USFL. However, Trump wanted to compete directly with the NFL and urged his fellow USFL team owners to move the league to the Fall. According to court transcripts, the goal of this was to either "have a league that's going to be just as valuable as the NFL, or we're going to have a merger."
The NFL already had contracts with the three major TV networks, so the USFL filed an antitrust lawsuit for $1.69 billion. Trump provided the lawyers (including his buddy Roy Cohn).
When the jury finally reached a decision, they sided with the USFL. However, instead of awarding them the fortune they had asked for, they were only awarded $3.75. At this point, the USFL could not hope for a merger and knew they could not compete directly with the NFL. The owners decided to end the USFL in 1986.
9. He's thought about running for president for a very long time.
The documentary includes footage of an interview with Trump from 1989 on the show 11th Hour. In the clip, the reporter asked Trump if he would ever consider running for president. His response was, "I would much prefer that someone else do it; I just don't know if somebody else is there. I don't know if we have the type of advocate that we need. We need major surgery. This country needs major surgery."
The documentary ends with a somewhat eerie prediction from then-Spy magazine writer Graydon Carter, now the editor of the Trump-maligned Vanity Fair: "The only end to this road is ultimate madness, living alone in an apartment in Panama . . . or taking over the world. One or the other. It's either the most public life in the world or the most private at the end of this. There's no in between . . . either the greatest Bond villain of all time or Howard Hughes."
How a Kind Stranger Riding BART Made a Blind Little Boy's Day
Gio Garrett absolutely loves Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), so much so that his mom says he can't live without it. The little boy, who was born with Williams syndrome - a rare genetic condition resulting in mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, unique personality characteristics, distinctive facial features, and cardiovascular issues - has been obsessed with BART since complications during a brain surgery left him blind. After the operation, he fell into a six-day coma and the first thing he heard when he woke up was BART - he's been a huge fan ever since.
Now, Gio takes a weekly trip on BART with his mom, Dianne Linares, to explore all of the stops (which he has completely memorized) and learn more about this mode of transportation. On a recent weekly trip, Gio was hitting something with his cane, so he asked his mom what it was. It turned out to be the bike of a kind stranger who would go on to make Gio's entire day.
In a post to Facebook, Linares detailed the chance encounter:
Well, we were arriving at the 19th street station and Gio's cane kept slipping and hitting a bike. He asked what his cane was hitting and I told him it was a bike. He then loudly asked, "Where did you ride today?" and the gentleman replied telling us he went on a hike. He then asked how Gio's morning was and Gio replied, "Awesome! We were on Bart all morning!" The guy gave a crazy look and said "You've been on Bart ALL morning??" I explained Gio's fascination with Bart . . . After I finished the story, the gentleman looked impressed and it was apparent he didn't want to stop his conversation with Gio. It was even more apparent that Gio made a new friend.
We finally arrived at the Lafayette Bart station and started to get off; Gio shouted "Bye, have a good day!!" in his usual friendly voice. Before we could exit, the gentleman quickly asked me if he could give Gio a gift. I said yes. As the Bart doors started to shut he quickly handed us a card and the Bart train went off. I looked down and I was in shock - he gave Gio a Bart train ticket. But not just a regular old Bart train ticket, one that had enough money to ride Bart for the REST OF THE YEAR. It was a very generous amount!! We ran down stairs to the Bart ticket center and I asked the lady if there was a way to figure out who purchased the card. She said no. Please help us find this big hearted guy!!
Since posting her story about Gio's new friend, the mom has been urging others to share it in the hopes that she'll be able to reconnect with the man who was so generous to her boy. "Gio wants to say THANK YOU!! It was such a joy to be reassured that there are still good, kind, compassionate, and friendly people in the Bay," Linares wrote. "And with all of the horrible events that have been happening on Bart recently, it's comforting to know that there are Good Samaritans riding among us on the train! Please repost to help us get a chance to tell him say thank you."
How a Kind Stranger Riding BART Made a Blind Little Boy's Day
Gio Garrett absolutely loves Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), so much so that his mom says he can't live without it. The little boy, who was born with Williams syndrome - a rare genetic condition resulting in mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, unique personality characteristics, distinctive facial features, and cardiovascular issues - has been obsessed with BART since complications during a brain surgery left him blind. After the operation, he fell into a six-day coma and the first thing he heard when he woke up was BART - he's been a huge fan ever since.
Now, Gio takes a weekly trip on BART with his mom, Dianne Linares, to explore all of the stops (which he has completely memorized) and learn more about this mode of transportation. On a recent weekly trip, Gio was hitting something with his cane, so he asked his mom what it was. It turned out to be the bike of a kind stranger who would go on to make Gio's entire day.
In a post to Facebook, Linares detailed the chance encounter:
Well, we were arriving at the 19th street station and Gio's cane kept slipping and hitting a bike. He asked what his cane was hitting and I told him it was a bike. He then loudly asked, "Where did you ride today?" and the gentleman replied telling us he went on a hike. He then asked how Gio's morning was and Gio replied, "Awesome! We were on Bart all morning!" The guy gave a crazy look and said "You've been on Bart ALL morning??" I explained Gio's fascination with Bart . . . After I finished the story, the gentleman looked impressed and it was apparent he didn't want to stop his conversation with Gio. It was even more apparent that Gio made a new friend.
We finally arrived at the Lafayette Bart station and started to get off; Gio shouted "Bye, have a good day!!" in his usual friendly voice. Before we could exit, the gentleman quickly asked me if he could give Gio a gift. I said yes. As the Bart doors started to shut he quickly handed us a card and the Bart train went off. I looked down and I was in shock - he gave Gio a Bart train ticket. But not just a regular old Bart train ticket, one that had enough money to ride Bart for the REST OF THE YEAR. It was a very generous amount!! We ran down stairs to the Bart ticket center and I asked the lady if there was a way to figure out who purchased the card. She said no. Please help us find this big hearted guy!!
Since posting her story about Gio's new friend, the mom has been urging others to share it in the hopes that she'll be able to reconnect with the man who was so generous to her boy. "Gio wants to say THANK YOU!! It was such a joy to be reassured that there are still good, kind, compassionate, and friendly people in the Bay," Linares wrote. "And with all of the horrible events that have been happening on Bart recently, it's comforting to know that there are Good Samaritans riding among us on the train! Please repost to help us get a chance to tell him say thank you."
You'll Barely Recognize Khloe Kardashian - and Her Nose - in These Makeup-Free Snaps
Image Source: Snapchat user khloekardashian
Seeing celebrities without makeup is somewhat of a guilty pleasure for us, and we now know what one member of the famously contour-savvy Kardashian clan looks like when she's not all dolled up.
After documenting an intense workout with her personal trainer, Khloé Kardashian sat down for a quick post-shower Snapchat session with a fresh face and slicked-back wet hair. In her selfie videos, it looks like she wasn't wearing any makeup (besides what appears to be a bit of eyebrow product and some understated false lashes). We can't help but notice how her nose looks different than usual when she doesn't have any makeup on. The reality star looks gorgeous with or without makeup on (#SkinGoals), but these snaps are a testament to her superior contouring skills.
Here's another makeup-free Snapchat shot of Khloé.
Image Source: Snapchat user khloekardashian
And here's what she looks like all dolled up from the same angle.
Image Source: Getty / Angela Weiss / AFP
1 Girl Just Solved Our Most Common Makeup Problem With a Simple Yet Hilarious Hack
It's a pretty common dilemma we all face at one point or another: It's Friday evening and you rush home after work to freshen up before happy hour. You take one look in the mirror and realize dry shampoo just won't do the trick and that you desperately need to wash your greasy hair. But that means you run the risk of totally botching your makeup in the shower, and you don't possibly have enough time to perfect your cat eye again before dashing off for your discounted margarita. So what's a gal to do?
One genius girl has the perfect solution: wear goggles in the shower! Lauren, a 22-year-old student who lives in Texas, made the internet simultaneously LOL and say "why didn't I think of that sooner?" when she shared her no-brainer makeup hack online. In her first picture, she donned a pair of swimming goggles and captioned it "when u have to wash your hair but ur makeup is fly af," while the second snapshot captured her post-shower with her flawless makeup perfectly intact sans smudges and smears. Genius!
When she posted her hack on Tumblr, it went totally viral, amassing more than 90,000 notes to date, which means nearly 100,000 people either liked or reblogged her images. She told Buzzfeed News how she got mixed reviews from other Tumblr users (some praised her creativity while others said she should've just used dry shampoo in the first place). Regardless, we give Lauren an A+ for innovation, and we'll definitely be trying this trick in the near future.
11 Differences Fans of The Handmaid's Tale Should Expect to See in the Show
Hulu's adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale is tense, darkly terrifying, and a brilliant ode to Margaret Atwood's 1985 feminist novel of the same name. The drama tells the story of life in the dystopian Republic of Gilead, specifically the one of a handmaid named Offred (Elisabeth Moss). She desperately tries to survive life as a handmaid - a caste of fertile women forced into sexual servitude to help repopulate the world - and find the daughter who was literally ripped from her arms, all while navigating the dangerous, restrictive, and uncomfortably familiar world of Gilead. While the show sticks incredibly close to Atwood's original story, there are a few key differences fans of the book should keep an eye out for. Warning: Mild spoilers throughout.
1. The Wife and Commander who Offred serves look way different.
In the novel, The Commander and his wife are much, much older than they are in the show. He's described as a "gray-haired, neat" old man, whose habit of wearing dark suits makes him look "like a Midwestern bank president." His wife, Serena Joy, is blonde and older, uses a cane, and a is former televangelist (think Tammy Faye Messner). In the show, the roles are filled by Joseph Fiennes and Yvonne Strahovski. Both do a great job with their characters, but it's definitely jarring to see them so young (although it does help to somewhat soften the disturbing nature of Offred's relationship with them).
2. Moira is in the Red Center before Offred.
One of the more horrifying aspects of the book concerns the time Offred and Moira spend at the Rachel and Leah Re-Education Center, which is more commonly called "the Red Center" by the women living there. It's where all future handmaids are brought to be indoctrinated with Gilead's misogynistic ideology before they're assigned to a commander. Offred has already been there for a while in the book when Moira - her best friend - is captured and brought in, and her arrival is one of the few things that keeps Offred sane. Moira only stays for a short time before pulling off a daring escape, leaving Offred to wonder what becomes of her. In the show, the characters' roles are reversed; rather than Offred showing Moira the ropes, it's the other way around.
3. The handmaids wear tracking devices.
Each of the handmaids are outfitted with small red tags on their ears to presumably track their location, which aren't in the book.
4. Offred is able to speak more freely.
Part of what makes Atwood's novel so tense is the fact that everything Offred says is dangerous. Even if she's spouting the religious phrases citizens of Gilead frequently use ("praise be," "under his eye"), her tone or facial expressions can be construed as harmful and result in fatal punishment. Because of that, her conversations with basically everyone but Ofglen are extremely stilted, so readers only learn about her world through her rich internal monologue. The TV Offred inhabits a world that's a little bit less rigid, featuring plenty of scenes of her chatting (albeit quickly and quietly) with Nick (The Commander's mechanic) and other handmaids in town.
5. Cora doesn't exist.
The Commander's home that Offred lives in in the book has two marthas - infertile female citizens who don't rank high enough to be one of the Wives, so they're forced to do domestic work like cooking and cleaning - named Rita and Cora. While Rita is terse and disapproving of Offred, Cora is nicer and holds out hope that Offred will bear The Commander and Serena Joy a child. Although Cora doesn't appear in the show, Rita (played by Amanda Brugel) takes on some of her personality traits.
6. It's set in modern times.
When the book came out in 1985, things like cell phones, Tinder, and Uber obviously weren't commonplace. The show takes place in the present to very near future, so all of those things are referenced in Offred's flashbacks. In an interview with The Washington Post, Atwood also pointed out that having the show take place in modern times meant introducing "a lot more cursing," because "there's a lot more cursing in real life than there was when I wrote the book."
7. "Children of Ham" are no longer a thing.
Gilead uses bible passage Genesis 10:6 (which uses the word "Ham" to signify people of color as "burnt" or "black") as a justification for segregation and racism, calling people of color "Children of Ham" and exiling them from society. In the show, all races are forced to be Marthas or Handmaids (ex: Moira, who is a black Handmaid).
Note: the following differences contain bigger spoilers if you aren't all caught up, so stop reading now if you don't want to know!
8. Ofglen's situation is much more dire.
Ofglen, a fellow handmaid, is one of Offred's biggest confidantes. Offred is assigned to be her shopping partner, and although she thinks Ofglen is truly pious, she soon reveals herself to be a member of the underground "Mayday" resistance. Unfortunately, Gilead's secret police, The Eyes, find out Ofglen's affiliation with the group, so she hangs herself before they can get to her. The TV version of Ofglen (played by Alexis Bledel) is more fleshed out and actually gets captured by The Eyes (however, she draws their suspicion for a different reason). Let's just say that the horrors she encounters at their hands are unimaginable.
9. Offred reveals her real name.
A lot of Atwood's novel is left purposefully vague, but perhaps the greatest mystery of all is Offred's real name. The moniker of Offred literally means "of Fred", ie she's the property of her Commander, whose name is Fred (if she were to die or be replaced, The Commander's next Handmaid would also be named Offred). We see the story unfold though her eyes and hear her thoughts, but she's left anonymous (although fans of The Handmaid's Tale have long speculated that Offred's true name is June, thanks to a few clues in the book). In the final seconds of the show's first episode, there's finally a concrete confirmation of what it is.
10. We find out what happens to Luke.
As the show does with Ofglen, it also beefs up Luke's story. In the novel, we never find out what happens to him after he and Offred are separated in their escape, only that Offred heard a gun shot and assumed he died. He does get shot in the show, but he survives the wound and is picked up by members of the resistance who smuggle him across the border to Canada. While living in "Little America," he gets news that Offred is actually alive (she sends him a note through an undercover rebel, telling him to save their daughter, Hannah).
11. The nature of Offred's affair with Nick.
Offred doesn't have sex with Nick until the end of the book, shortly before she's hauled away by people who may or may not be The Eyes. The hook-up is at the behest of Serena Joy, who suspects her husband is the one who isn't fertile and wants a child at any cost. It happens the same way in the show, but much earlier. Offred sneaks into Nick's apartment above the garage pretty frequently, and forges a deeper connection with him than she has in Atwood's novel. Only time will tell if The Eyes get wind of what's happening and take her away.
Walmart Has So Many Exclusive New Groceries You'll Want This Summer
Foodies have many reasons to keep returning to Walmart beyond reasons like they stock The Pioneer Woman's kitchen collection and Patti LaBelle's desserts. I spoke to Walmart to tell us why its groceries are so cheap, what new products we have to look forward to this Summer, and more ways to pair down your grocery bill (without sacrificing too much).
Walmart's scale makes its prices so low.
With over 4,600 stores nationwide and online sales, Walmart's "size and scale" allows the company to purchase items in bulk and therefore offer lower prices to customers.
You can return any fresh items, no questions asked.
Did you know you can return fresh items like produce, meat, or bakery goods for a full refund? Walmart says it "stands behind" the items it sells, and if a customer is not happy, the company will offer a full cash back refund.
The lowest priced items are on the lowest shelves.
Walmart says if you are looking to shave money on groceries, check the "lower shelves of each aisle, as the less-expensive items are frequently placed there."
The best-selling grocery is a staple we all have.
"Bananas are consistently our number one selling item!" Walmart tells us.
Be on the lookout for tasting demos.
While Walmart doesn't have a "try before you buy" policy, the company says it often has "demos in stores where customers can try new products before they purchase them."
There's a story behind that world-famous wine.
You heard about that $8 wine that was ranked one of the best in the world? Walmart says stocking its US stores with La Moneda Reserva is just another example of its "commitment to help customers save money so they can live better." Sipping affordable, award-winning wine is definitely living better.
Skip the in-store shopping.
If Instacart isn't your thing but you want the convenience of someone else doing the shopping, Walmart has a "Online Grocery Pickup" feature which allows you to shop online, setup a pickup time, and have your groceries delivered to your car within minutes.
Walmart has some thrilling new exclusives this year.
Here are a bunch of new, exclusive products stocked at Walmart this Summer: Jelly Donut Oreos, Oreo-O's cereal, and citrus-flavored malt liquor beverage Zima. Walmart also says it will have over 30 new "Great Value ice cream flavors like Down By The Sea Salt Caramel, I ♥ PB, Hashtag Chocolate, and Ahh Fudge . . . Tracks. And to keep you on your toes, Walmart told us, "We can't spill all the beans on the rest of this year, but we think a lot of people are going to want to keep an eye on our Bakery department where we have some sweet new items in the works. We're also excited about a really fun assortment of exclusive Halloween candy that we think will be a hit with trick-or-treaters and parents alike."
The Absolute Best New Trader Joe's Foods You Need This Month
Trader Joe's has tons of new items worthy of trying this year, and this month is no different. TJ's is stepping up its game this June with all-natural fruit snacks, addictive cookies, and more unique items you'll want to add to your shopping list. Read on to hear our reviews of each new item that we'd recommend trying for yourself this month, plus the ones we wouldn't.
The Next Time Someone Asks Why You're Exhausted, Show Them This
Do you have that well-meaning friend who always seems so dumbfounded as to why you are always a) exhausted, b) late for something, or c) exhausted?
The hilarious Kristina Kuzmic has dutifully created a video to explain why parents of toddlers are the tired, frazzled excuses for human beings you see before you. From the sh*t that goes on in their bathroom when they aren't looking to the obnoxiously indecisive demands made over a shopping cart ("I want to get innnnn!" followed immediately by "I want to get ouuuuuut!"), this is proof that if adults acted like 2-year-olds, the world would undoubtedly explode.
Does that answer your question, well-meaning friend?!
You'll Barely Recognize Khloe Kardashian - and Her Nose - in These Makeup-Free Snaps
Image Source: Snapchat user khloekardashian
Seeing celebrities without makeup is somewhat of a guilty pleasure for us, and we now know what one member of the famously contour-savvy Kardashian clan looks like when she's not all dolled up.
After documenting an intense workout with her personal trainer, Khloé Kardashian sat down for a quick post-shower Snapchat session with a fresh face and slicked-back wet hair. In her selfie videos, it looks like she wasn't wearing any makeup (besides what appears to be a bit of eyebrow product and some understated false lashes). We can't help but notice how her nose looks different than usual when she doesn't have any makeup on. The reality star looks gorgeous with or without makeup on (#SkinGoals), but these snaps are a testament to her superior contouring skills.
Here's another makeup-free Snapchat shot of Khloé.
Image Source: Snapchat user khloekardashian
And here's what she looks like all dolled up from the same angle.
Image Source: Getty / Angela Weiss / AFP
If You're Bumped From a Flight Involuntarily, Here's What the Airline Must Do
Lost baggage, long security lines, and annoying fellow passengers - traveling isn't always as glamorous as we make it out to be in our heads, and unexpected inconveniences are pretty common, especially with air travel. One of the most frustrating - and trip-altering - things that can happen is getting involuntarily bumped from your flight. Didn't know that was a thing? Oh, yes, it most definitely is.
Airlines often overbook flights because no-shows are relatively common, and by overbooking, they can ensure that they're getting the most money per flight by booking full flights so that even if some people back out, they are still filling those empty seats. Because the US Department of Transportation has cracked down on what airlines are required to do in a overbooking situation, getting bumped from a flight is less common now but still possible. Ever heard an airline employee asking for volunteers who are willing to be bumped in exchange for vouchers or other compensation? It's because that bidding war will often still cost the airline less than if they didn't get enough volunteers and then have to resort to bumping passengers involuntarily.
As a customer, you are entitled to compensation - sometimes monetary - for being bumped if you didn't volunteer to be. The whole thing is pretty complicated, so buckle up and read on for what to do if your flight (departing from the US) is overbooked and you're voted off the island . . . I mean, the plane.
You must be given a written statement of your rights.
Airlines are required to give a passenger being bumped a statement of their rights. The document will also explain how the carrier decides who gets to fly on an overbooked flight and who doesn't.
You don't get any compensation AT ALL if . . .
If the airline is able to rebook you on a flight that gets you to your destination within one hour of when you would have gotten there anyway, then you will not receive any compensation.
If you want cash, ask for it!
Assuming the airline can't rebook you on a flight that gets you to your destination within an hour of the original time, you should ask for cold, hard cash if you want it. Airlines are more likely to offer vouchers or plane tickets for future flights, but you can also receive monetary compensation in certain cases.
The airline must pay you an amount equal to 200 percent of your original one-way fare if . . .
According to US Department of Transportation, if the airline is able to arrange substitute transportation that arrives at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time (between one and four hours on international flights), then "the airline must pay you an amount equal to 200 percent of your one-way fare to your final destination that day, with a $675 maximum."
The airline must pay you an amount equal to 400 percent of your original one-way fare if . . .
If the rebooked flight gets you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally) OR if they don't make any alternative arrangements for you, then you're entitled to 400 percent of your one-way fare, with a $1,350 maximum.
You can also get reimbursed for any other additional services you paid for.
If, on your original flight, you paid for any extras (such as seat upgrade or checked baggage) and you didn't receive those services on your rebooked flight - or if you had to pay for these services again in order to receive them - then the airline that bumped you must refund you that amount.
Ask for vouchers!
Airlines will sometimes offer vouchers for food, hotels, and transportation if you are going to have a long layover as a result of getting bumped. Make sure to explore your options so you can get the most out of a sh*tty situation.
You don't get ANYTHING if you missed your check-in deadline for your original flight.
If you snooze, you majorly lose. Make sure you know (and follow!) your airline's check-in rules, because if you miss your check-in time and are involuntarily bumped, "you may have lost your reservation and your right to compensation if the flight is oversold," says the US Department of Transportation.
Walmart Has So Many Exclusive New Groceries You'll Want This Summer
Foodies have many reasons to keep returning to Walmart beyond reasons like they stock The Pioneer Woman's kitchen collection and Patti LaBelle's desserts. I spoke to Walmart to tell us why its groceries are so cheap, what new products we have to look forward to this Summer, and more ways to pair down your grocery bill (without sacrificing too much).
Walmart's scale makes its prices so low.
With over 4,600 stores nationwide and online sales, Walmart's "size and scale" allows the company to purchase items in bulk and therefore offer lower prices to customers.
You can return any fresh items, no questions asked.
Did you know you can return fresh items like produce, meat, or bakery goods for a full refund? Walmart says it "stands behind" the items it sells, and if a customer is not happy, the company will offer a full cash back refund.
The lowest priced items are on the lowest shelves.
Walmart says if you are looking to shave money on groceries, check the "lower shelves of each aisle, as the less-expensive items are frequently placed there."
The best-selling grocery is a staple we all have.
"Bananas are consistently our number one selling item!" Walmart tells us.
Be on the lookout for tasting demos.
While Walmart doesn't have a "try before you buy" policy, the company says it often has "demos in stores where customers can try new products before they purchase them."
There's a story behind that world-famous wine.
You heard about that $8 wine that was ranked one of the best in the world? Walmart says stocking its US stores with La Moneda Reserva is just another example of its "commitment to help customers save money so they can live better." Sipping affordable, award-winning wine is definitely living better.
Skip the in-store shopping.
If Instacart isn't your thing but you want the convenience of someone else doing the shopping, Walmart has a "Online Grocery Pickup" feature which allows you to shop online, setup a pickup time, and have your groceries delivered to your car within minutes.
Walmart has some thrilling new exclusives this year.
Here are a bunch of new, exclusive products stocked at Walmart this Summer: Jelly Donut Oreos, Oreo-O's cereal, and citrus-flavored malt liquor beverage Zima. Walmart also says it will have over 30 new "Great Value ice cream flavors like Down By The Sea Salt Caramel, I ♥ PB, Hashtag Chocolate, and Ahh Fudge . . . Tracks. And to keep you on your toes, Walmart told us, "We can't spill all the beans on the rest of this year, but we think a lot of people are going to want to keep an eye on our Bakery department where we have some sweet new items in the works. We're also excited about a really fun assortment of exclusive Halloween candy that we think will be a hit with trick-or-treaters and parents alike."
11 Differences Fans of The Handmaid's Tale Should Expect to See in the Show
Hulu's adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale is tense, darkly terrifying, and a brilliant ode to Margaret Atwood's 1985 feminist novel of the same name. The drama tells the story of life in the dystopian Republic of Gilead, specifically the one of a handmaid named Offred (Elisabeth Moss). She desperately tries to survive life as a handmaid - a caste of fertile women forced into sexual servitude to help repopulate the world - and find the daughter who was literally ripped from her arms, all while navigating the dangerous, restrictive, and uncomfortably familiar world of Gilead. While the show sticks incredibly close to Atwood's original story, there are a few key differences fans of the book should keep an eye out for. Warning: Mild spoilers throughout.
1. The Wife and Commander who Offred serves look way different.
In the novel, The Commander and his wife are much, much older than they are in the show. He's described as a "gray-haired, neat" old man, whose habit of wearing dark suits makes him look "like a Midwestern bank president." His wife, Serena Joy, is blonde and older, uses a cane, and a is former televangelist (think Tammy Faye Messner). In the show, the roles are filled by Joseph Fiennes and Yvonne Strahovski. Both do a great job with their characters, but it's definitely jarring to see them so young (although it does help to somewhat soften the disturbing nature of Offred's relationship with them).
2. Moira is in the Red Center before Offred.
One of the more horrifying aspects of the book concerns the time Offred and Moira spend at the Rachel and Leah Re-Education Center, which is more commonly called "the Red Center" by the women living there. It's where all future handmaids are brought to be indoctrinated with Gilead's misogynistic ideology before they're assigned to a commander. Offred has already been there for a while in the book when Moira - her best friend - is captured and brought in, and her arrival is one of the few things that keeps Offred sane. Moira only stays for a short time before pulling off a daring escape, leaving Offred to wonder what becomes of her. In the show, the characters' roles are reversed; rather than Offred showing Moira the ropes, it's the other way around.
3. The handmaids wear tracking devices.
Each of the handmaids are outfitted with small red tags on their ears to presumably track their location, which aren't in the book.
4. Offred is able to speak more freely.
Part of what makes Atwood's novel so tense is the fact that everything Offred says is dangerous. Even if she's spouting the religious phrases citizens of Gilead frequently use ("praise be," "under his eye"), her tone or facial expressions can be construed as harmful and result in fatal punishment. Because of that, her conversations with basically everyone but Ofglen are extremely stilted, so readers only learn about her world through her rich internal monologue. The TV Offred inhabits a world that's a little bit less rigid, featuring plenty of scenes of her chatting (albeit quickly and quietly) with Nick (The Commander's mechanic) and other handmaids in town.
5. Cora doesn't exist.
The Commander's home that Offred lives in in the book has two marthas - infertile female citizens who don't rank high enough to be one of the Wives, so they're forced to do domestic work like cooking and cleaning - named Rita and Cora. While Rita is terse and disapproving of Offred, Cora is nicer and holds out hope that Offred will bear The Commander and Serena Joy a child. Although Cora doesn't appear in the show, Rita (played by Amanda Brugel) takes on some of her personality traits.
6. It's set in modern times.
When the book came out in 1985, things like cell phones, Tinder, and Uber obviously weren't commonplace. The show takes place in the present to very near future, so all of those things are referenced in Offred's flashbacks. In an interview with The Washington Post, Atwood also pointed out that having the show take place in modern times meant introducing "a lot more cursing," because "there's a lot more cursing in real life than there was when I wrote the book."
7. "Children of Ham" are no longer a thing.
Gilead uses bible passage Genesis 10:6 (which uses the word "Ham" to signify people of color as "burnt" or "black") as a justification for segregation and racism, calling people of color "Children of Ham" and exiling them from society. In the show, all races are forced to be Marthas or Handmaids (ex: Moira, who is a black Handmaid).
Note: the following differences contain bigger spoilers if you aren't all caught up, so stop reading now if you don't want to know!
8. Ofglen's situation is much more dire.
Ofglen, a fellow handmaid, is one of Offred's biggest confidantes. Offred is assigned to be her shopping partner, and although she thinks Ofglen is truly pious, she soon reveals herself to be a member of the underground "Mayday" resistance. Unfortunately, Gilead's secret police, The Eyes, find out Ofglen's affiliation with the group, so she hangs herself before they can get to her. The TV version of Ofglen (played by Alexis Bledel) is more fleshed out and actually gets captured by The Eyes (however, she draws their suspicion for a different reason). Let's just say that the horrors she encounters at their hands are unimaginable.
9. Offred reveals her real name.
A lot of Atwood's novel is left purposefully vague, but perhaps the greatest mystery of all is Offred's real name. The moniker of Offred literally means "of Fred", ie she's the property of her Commander, whose name is Fred (if she were to die or be replaced, The Commander's next Handmaid would also be named Offred). We see the story unfold though her eyes and hear her thoughts, but she's left anonymous (although fans of The Handmaid's Tale have long speculated that Offred's true name is June, thanks to a few clues in the book). In the final seconds of the show's first episode, there's finally a concrete confirmation of what it is.
10. We find out what happens to Luke.
As the show does with Ofglen, it also beefs up Luke's story. In the novel, we never find out what happens to him after he and Offred are separated in their escape, only that Offred heard a gun shot and assumed he died. He does get shot in the show, but he survives the wound and is picked up by members of the resistance who smuggle him across the border to Canada. While living in "Little America," he gets news that Offred is actually alive (she sends him a note through an undercover rebel, telling him to save their daughter, Hannah).
11. The nature of Offred's affair with Nick.
Offred doesn't have sex with Nick until the end of the book, shortly before she's hauled away by people who may or may not be The Eyes. The hook-up is at the behest of Serena Joy, who suspects her husband is the one who isn't fertile and wants a child at any cost. It happens the same way in the show, but much earlier. Offred sneaks into Nick's apartment above the garage pretty frequently, and forges a deeper connection with him than she has in Atwood's novel. Only time will tell if The Eyes get wind of what's happening and take her away.
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