Quantcast
Channel: What's New
Viewing all 33701 articles
Browse latest View live

You don't even have to like beer to want this Shark Tank appliance

0
0

The new Fizzics appliance, which debuted tonight on Shark Tank, is like a Keurig for beer, and it's awesome.

More: Shark Tank's Sharks go overboard with health product critiques

Entrepreneurs Phil Petracca and David McDonald introduced their product to the country and the Sharks. The system is designed to give you that "fresh from the tap" pour using ultrasonic waves. For us non-science-minded people, basically it creates a microfoam to make your beer taste really yummy.

I love beer to begin with, especially those dark, malty beers, so if this system will help create that nitrogen effect, then I am so, so in.

Better yet, all you need are AAA batteries to operate the system, and you don't have to worry about dumping your beer into another container. Just stick the whole can — up to a 64-ounce growler — right into the appliance, glass and all.

More: Shark Tank's NoPhone is an insult to real entrepreneurs

I swear, I'm not getting paid or told by anyone to promote this product. I just really am that excited to give it a try.

It's probably the coolest — in my humble opinion — product that's debuted on Shark Tank in a long while. Petracca and McDonald, of course, got a deal with Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner. It looks like the Sharks (now investors) didn't waste any time making these guys rich, either. You can already find Fizzics at Best Buy, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target and more. It's not necessarily cheap, either, at $169.99 for the system, which — if you compare it to a Keurig — really isn't that bad.

As awesome as the product is, I was honestly surprised that Petracca and McDonald even went for a deal and didn't just take the free publicity and run. The two had already raised $250k from crowdfunding, after all, plus they were very "slick," as Barbara Corcoran said. They had the answers for all of the Sharks' tough questions, and they understood the challenges ahead of them. But the additional investment was clearly a smart move and allowed them to expand the business into the biggest markets in America and beyond.

More: Shark Tank is better when the Sharks offer advice, not insults

I wouldn't be surprised if these guys became one of the most successful Shark Tank stories in the show's history.

Will you buy a Fizzics system for your home?


My dogs are white and that meant there was a chance they could be deaf

0
0

When we first brought home our two furry little bundles of joy, they were the talk of our neighborhood. They're large-breed dogs. White and kind of spotted. Everyone wanted to know what breed they were, and we honestly still have no idea, but trust me, everyone had a contrasting opinion. Even the vet's office disagreed about their lineage. While my pups' heritage was up for debate, the vet and vet techs all agreed on one point: We needed to keep an eye on their hearing because they're mostly white.

More: Paraphimosis: The weird dog penis condition you need to know about

That's the first time I'd ever heard of what I now know as pigment-related deafness. There wasn't much info online except on a site run by Dr. George M. Strain, a veterinary neuroscientist and biomedical researcher… a bona fide expert in pigment-related deafness. So I hit him up for the answers I needed.

According to Strain, pigment-related deafness is caused when a puppy is born to parents who are mostly white dogs or are a patchy pattern with many colors, like some Australian shepherds. Blue eyes (one or both) are positively associated with deafness, too.

As scary as that was to hear, Strain had good news for me too. It turns out pigment-related deafness isn't a lifelong threat. Strain says the suppression of vital hearing-related cells happens early, so “the deafness should be present by 5 weeks of age." My dogs were 5 months old, so we were out of the danger zone (at least for that type of deafness).

More: My dog's seizures taught me not to take him for granted

Further, Strain says that there are plenty of white dog breeds, such as the American Eskimo, that are rarely if ever affected. Also, any dog breed can be affected by congenital deafness because there are many causes of it, it's just that breeds with white pigmentation are most heavily affected.

While this new info was a relief to me personally, the reality is, deaf dogs can be harder to place in good homes and are on the list of dogs that tend to get put down in animal shelters. Many people may not want to learn a new way of communicating with dogs. Others may have children at home, and knowing that some dogs bite when startled and that deaf dogs get startled more easily, may be unwilling to take them. Then you have dog owners who get rid of their dogs when they find out they're deaf, either because they can't work out how to communicate with them or because something does happen (like they snap at someone who startles them).

Perhaps the most disturbing thing I found in my research, however, was that human-controlled breeding is causing increased deafness in some breeds. For example, trying to breed Dalmatians with the most desirable "breed-standard" spot patterns (mostly white with spots that aren't too closely grouped) may mean breeding two dogs that are known, either through genetic testing or past experience, to carry the deafness-related gene. They know if the litter does produce any deaf pups, they may not be able to sell them, but they'll make their money's worth on the others. Strain notes, "For many breeds, the presence of hereditary deafness and its extent is known only to people within the breed, who typically keep this problem a secret for fear of it reflecting poorly on their breed."

More: Which human foods can you feed your dog?

Luckily, there's something you can do. Make sure you find responsible breeders who are aware of pigment-related or other congenital deafness and can explain what they're doing to prevent it. If you already have a deaf dog, you can check out Deaf Dogs Rock, a nonprofit that provides information on owning deaf dogs and services to place deaf animals, where you can get tips on communicating with and training your pup or even get it adopted if you can't care for it, which keeps it out of kill shelters. Better yet, adopt your own little hearing-challenged fur-ball through the site.

It turns out losing everything is the best thing that ever happened to me

0
0

After graduate school, I got a job at an infamous yoga clothing store in San Francisco. It was a means to an end while I applied for academic teaching positions and editorial positions. Part of the company culture was an emphasis on employee education, which meant reading from their library, making vision boards and pretending that everything was awesome all the time.

I dutifully toed the party line, listed my two-, five- and 10-year goals in the break room to attract the assistance of the universe in achieving them, and took advantage of the outrageously good discount on stretchy pants. When I finally landed the editing job, I took the pants and left the self-made motivational posters behind. Half of my half-assed goal list was far-fetched anyway, because the man I loved was wary of the ocean. He had an irrational fear of the Kraken.

More: 20 sun-kissed quotes about summer and all its sunny glory

Two years later, instead of checking off items on the first list of goals achieved, I’d lost everything but the yoga pants. The man I thought I would marry left for another woman, and without our partnership, nothing else made sense anymore either. The life we’d been building was ours, not mine alone, and one by one, I let go of my job, my city, my pets, my plans.

I could no longer afford our sunny one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco. In fact, I could no longer afford San Francisco. And our rural future — a log cabin in the Rocky Mountains — seemed that much further out of reach now that I didn’t have a partner. Even my editing career was tied to who we were together. Everything I’d worked so hard to achieve had suddenly come to an end or seemed irrelevant. So I left it all behind. I drove back to Connecticut, where I rented a tiny, temporary space down the street from my mom. I kayaked. A lot. I went back on the academic job market just as the tenure-track jobs disappeared and the market was flooded with adjuncts. I got a job cleaning out the homes of the recently deceased. I reconnected with old friends. I waited for something to fall into my lap. Each of those things brought me to tears.

Sometimes, when we live through what we most feared, we become temporarily fearless. We crack, and the light gets in.

At the end of the summer, I reconnected with a friend—a sea captain on Connecticut’s tall ship, the S/V Amistad. He needed deckhands, but he also needed educators to revamp the teaching materials. I had little sailing experience and I hadn’t been on the open ocean since my college semester abroad, but I loved being surrounded by horizon — and as I was reminded by Mary South, the cure for anything is salt water. Besides, I needed a steady income (however low), and I needed to get a life. I signed on for a few months before the mast.

More: Leaving a cult after 14 years complicates your relationship with God

Seven years and three ships later, I’ve gotten that life. One trip has led to another. I’ve sailed to 10 Caribbean islands and more than 20 Pacific islands and atolls. I've become a chef and mastered the ability to produce six meals a day for 40 people in 20-foot seas. I've learned how to prepare local island foods, and with some trial and lots of error, adapt them to the American palate. I've worked with university students to explore the interplay between food and culture. I'm learning French.

I was on the first non-educational ship to sail into Havana Harbor, sanctioned by both the U.S. and Cuban governments, since the 1960s. I own a home in Maine, and I’ve just put our garden seedlings in the ground. I’ve fallen in love again, with an oceanographer who makes love easy. We bought a boat, and with two years of work, we’ll be ready to bring her around to the Pacific. Sometimes, in casual conversation, I say that it’s nothing I could have imagined.

But I did.

I may have left the vision board of goals on a wall in San Francisco, but earlier this year, I stumbled across the notes I’d used to make it. By the time my west coast life crumbled, I’d long forgotten what my dreams once were — but the universe hadn’t. It turns out that nearly 10 years after writing them down, I’ve achieved or am well on my way to most. The notes read, in part: confident sailor, married, own a boat that's at least 30’, travel extensively in South Pacific, divide time between east and west, on ocean and in mountains, buy a house, grow a garden, go to Dominica and Cuba before we ruin it, achieve fluency in another language. They also read: tenured teaching job in Maine, Montana or Colorado, and two kids. At least the universe got the Maine part right.

More: My lifelong dream came crashing down, and I'm still OK

Perhaps the yoga pants are magic (they have held their shape and color all these years), and maybe vision boards work even when your conscious mind forgets they exist. Or maybe, sometimes, what seem like endings are really the beginnings of where we’re supposed to be. What I know for sure is that if I hadn’t lost so much, I wouldn’t have achieved my goals. If I hadn’t endured the pain of falling apart, I wouldn’t know the beauty or the strength I found in putting myself back together. My life didn’t go as I planned, and I’m incredibly grateful for it.

I hate my panic attacks, but I hate the medication that stops them, too

0
0

Therapists and my primary care physician have prescribed me Klonopin to ease my panic attacks. Klonopin is a brand name of the drug Clonazepam, used to treat seizures, panic disorder, and anxiety. It is a controlled substance and can cause paranoid or suicidal thoughts and impair memory, judgment, and coordination. Combining this pharmaceutical with other substances, particularly alcohol, can slow breathing and possibly lead to death. The prescription is for 30 pills with two refills available in the next six months. Instructions indicate to take it once or twice daily, “as needed,” which incidentally is the least scientific and most subjective way to specify dosage.

Klonopin is a dangerous and highly addictive drug, highly reactive with other substances and they dole it out like candy (or maybe it just seems that way to me). Each year doctors write out more than 50 million prescriptions for benzodiazepines and 15% of Americans have benzos in their medicine cabinet according to the American Psychiatric Association. Stevie Nicks has become an unofficial spokesperson on the hazards of Klonopin addiction, admitting the dependence ruined her life for eight years. She said, “Klonopin is more deadly than coke.” 

DJ AM was another example. After battling extreme substance abuse and being sober for 11 years, he survived a traumatic plane crash and was understandably prescribed Klonopin for the PTSD effects he was experiencing. Developing a dependency on this new pharmaceutical sent him into a downward depression spiral where he ultimately relapsed on crack one last time and overdosed.

I tried to initiate a conversation with my drug prescription dispenser (aka “primary care doctor”) about my panic attacks, explaining how my fight or flight reflex is extremely sensitive and it takes very little to set it off and very much to calm it down. She smiled knowingly, pulled out her prescription pad and said, “We’re in New York, everyone is stressed out here. Maybe you need the kind which can dissolve on your tongue and get in your system faster?”

The main problem with the drug is that my inner hypochondriac gets paranoid about the side effects. It’s a catch-22. In the midst of a panic attack, I engage in a pro-versus-con debate on whether the potential benefit of the pill (ending a panic attack) is worth the drawbacks (addiction, withdrawal). I tend to play a tough boxing coach, encouraging myself to try another coping method for panic attacks instead of reaching for the drugs. I try breathing techniques (which can also be counterintuitive because it makes me feel lightheaded, which freaks me out in another direction.) I try cleaning the hardwood floors. I don't like taking the pill. Not only do I worry about its addictive qualities (addiction runs in my family) I am concerned about how it will make me feel tomorrow.

This compulsive worry is completely counter intuitive to releasing me from the panic attack and also contradictory to my attempt to live in the now. I rationalize, “This might make me feel better right now but in the long term, it’s not a good solution.” The truth of the science behind the pharmaceutical is it was never designed as a long-term solution; it’s engineered to be taken short-term to help transition through a trying psychological time. However, in the current state of our healthcare, it is easier for a physician to write a prescription than to spend years unwinding the brain (potentially unsuccessfully) through psychoanalysis. I've attempted talk therapy several times in my life, with different therapists with various moderations of success. My culminating lesson is I have to be my own therapist. Only I know the honest, raw truth as it dances in a tango in my mind, and only I can confront it, understand it, and learn to live harmoniously with it.

A few weeks ago, I told my husband I had my very last panic attack. “I'm not engaging in this nonsense anymore!” I yelled, angry at myself, at my brain, at its anguishing attacks. I've said this a few other times before. I'm hoping if I say it loud enough then those small yellow pills folded inside a napkin in my wallet “just in case” will to evaporate in my mind as a solution.

Do you know what happens when you call a girl a princess?

0
0

When a nurse told my almost-3-year-old that she was a pretty princess, I cringed.

It's not that I'm anti-princess. My older daughter loved wearing a tiara. She was obsessed with all things princess. It was so bad she begged to wear a pair of long blue gloves from a Cinderella costume in her school pictures one year. I let her because I deeply believe in letting kids find and have their own interests.

And I believe in this whether or not those interests match our society's gender expectations.

This is probably because I remember not being a typical girl. My parents let me freely explore my interests, and as I result I knew that I loved climbing trees, collecting bugs, and — like many kids growing up in the late '80s — I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I often stayed outside with my friends all day riding bikes. I was what many would refer to as a tomboy.

More: Who likes short shorts? These are for all the moms of little girls who don’t

But I also liked some of the pink, pretty, so-called "girl" things. I played with dolls, played dress-up and had a killer My Little Pony collection. I might've worn a TMNT shirt, but I was also rockin' a tiara. In my childhood there were no girls' toys, or boys' toys, there were just toys. And I was free to choose any of them.

And that's how it should be. Kids are individuals, not stereotypes. Not all little girls think roughhousing is too rough or that catching bugs is yucky, and not all little boys shy away from playing with dolls or My Little Pony. Their interests don't always fit into neat little pink and blue boxes.

My 3-year-old loves construction trucks, train, cars and all other vehicles, just as much as — if not more than — she loves flowers, butterflies and playing with her dolls. Her interests aren't limited to the girls' aisle in a department store.

More: Padded bras for kindergartners are not about sex appeal

But we live in a society where her "boyish" interests will be discouraged, while all things girly will be encouraged, and I fear that the person she really is will shrink.

In my youth, there were always people reminding me that the rest of the world expected me to only like feminine things. They'd tell me that my climbing wasn't ladylike, only take out the girls' stickers after a shot or call me a princess, just like that nurse. I just wanted someone to show me all the stickers and let me pick whichever one I wanted, or to ask me if I liked princesses before assuming calling me one would be a compliment. But instead, most people assumed they knew me based on the sex typed in my chart, or the color of clothing I was wearing, or the length of my hair.

And to a kid, those assumptions are often read as prescriptions. They're trying to figure out where they fit in the world; if you keep handing them dolls, they are going to think they're supposed to like dolls. But what if they don't? Or what if they also like other things but no one ever sees that? What do you think that does to them?

More: Sheryl Sandberg thinks she finally gets single moms, but she doesn’t get me

But adults start making assumptions about what a kid will like based on their assigned gender before the child is even born. We live in a society with gender-reveal parties and gender-themed nurseries. Everything from clothing to car seats is sorted according to gender. And while I could place the blame squarely on marketing departments, the truth is, many parents tell their kids who they are going to be before they even take their first breath. That's why people freaked out when Target announced at the end of last year that it would no longer label its toy aisles according to gender.

I didn't want force my now-3-year-old into a tiara. I wanted to give her choices. So I bought her a variety of things. As an infant, she wore all the colors of the rainbow. She had skirts as well as pants. I wanted her to know from the very beginning that she could wear or play with anything.

But it didn't take long for me to notice that strangers would make completely different comments about my baby, depending on whether or not she was wearing feminine attire. If she wore pink, she was sweet. If she wore blue, she was tough. When her presentation was ambiguous, the first thing they'd do is ask "boy or girl?" It seemed like they didn't know what to say unless they thought they knew what was printed on her birth certificate.

More: This dad brought a gun to his baby's gender reveal, and people aren't happy

I realize that no matter how hard I try, I can't completely shield her from other people's gender expectations. People are going to call her a princess. It's probably going to happen a lot.

But am I wrong for wishing it wouldn't? Is it horrible to wish society would just grow up — before my daughter does — and ditch all these outdated views about sex and gender, so she can grow up and be who she really is? Which, according to her, will not be a princess, by the way. Please stop calling her one.

Pooping during childbirth was far from the worst part of my delivery

0
0

I remember my excitement when the labor-and-delivery nurse examined me and declared I was 4 centimeters dilated, the minimum amount for admittance into the military hospital where I would give birth to our second child.

“It’s happening!” I whispered to my husband. Within moments we were taken to a small, low-lit room and handed a hospital gown. The nurse wished me luck and left. It was the last I would see of her.

I climbed into the hospital bed, assisted by my husband. He had missed the birth of our first child due to deployment and was set to deploy again in a week, and he watched as monitors were hooked up around my belly and I was given an IV. Machines beeped. The TV in our room was switched on and we were left to rest and wait.

More: 15 pregnant mom freebies you need to snag ASAP

An hour passed before anyone came back to our room. Our new nurse, whose name I’ve long forgotten, informed me that it was a busy night in labor and delivery, which was confirmed by screams that could be heard from down the hallway.

Thankfully, my contractions were still mild, and hardly perceptible except for the waving lines on the screen. Within a few moments, our delivery doctor, a lieutenant commander I’d never met before, came in to introduce himself and give me an exam. As his gloved fingers were deep in my cervix, he told us that he’d need to break my amniotic sac to move my labor along.

While he prepped the long hook, the anesthesiologist entered the room and asked if I wanted an epidural.

“Yes!” I practically yelled. My first labor had been so much smoother after the spinal tap that I knew I wanted it again with my second.

“Hmm,” he said. “You don’t really seem like you’re in enough pain. You have to prove you actually need it.”

Was this asshole really asking me to perform labor?

“Um, OK,” was all I managed to reply. In that same second, the doctor inserted the long wand deep into my vagina and expertly tore my amniotic sac, causing a cascade of warm fluid to run down my butt and legs and on to the hospital floor. As so often happens, the breaking of my water abruptly changed the intensity of my labor from “manageable” to “total death grip.”

Thankfully, the anesthesiologist was still in the room to witness the sudden shift in my pain level and said an epidural order would be placed.

More: My daughter's birth wasn't planned and she's OK with that

Almost an hour later, my epidural was finally ready. I had gone from relaxing and watching television to screaming at my husband and doctor to shut up while they were talking. The pain was so much worse than it had been with my first baby and I felt as if my insides were ripping apart while being cooked with hot coal.

The anesthesiologist, we were told, was busy with another patient, and so my epidural would be given by a corpsman, a young, mousy blond woman who seemed totally nervous.

She instructed me to sit up and face the side of the bed while arching my back. The task felt impossible between the violent contractions, but with my husband’s help, I was able to get situated so sweet relief could be administered.

I felt the thick push and tear of the heavy needle into my spine, and winced in pain, only to hear the corpsman tell us she’d missed. “I just need to try again,” she said.

She proceeded to miss two more times, and each time I felt like my lower back was being sliced apart.

Finally on the fourth try, she succeeded and then said “I only have 45 minutes worth of medicine here, sorry. Hope you deliver soon!”

It took 15 minutes for the pain to subside, and sadly, 30 minutes later the painful contractions slowly returned.

The pain reached exponential levels. I screamed out for help, but the only person who came was a janitor who was concerned something was wrong. I begged my husband to shoot me, believing a bullet in my body would be an act of mercy.

The nurse returned, stuck her face in mine and yelled “You need to shut up! You’re scaring other patients.”

I was in too much pain to register what an awful bitch the nurse was. Instead I tried to muffle my screams and tears. I was told it was time to push, but not all the way... just enough to get my son’s head positioned for delivery. I pushed and felt a strange sensation. Right away I knew I had pooped.

“I just pooped,” I told my husband and the lieutenant commander.

The Navy doctor smiled and shook his head. “No you didn’t,” he said. “You just think you did, it’s normal.”

I tried to explain that I was certain I pooped, and that somewhere between my swollen, pregnant butt cheeks was a mess that needed to be cleaned, but no one believed me. I refused to keep pushing until someone checked, and finally, to humor me, the doctor slightly lifted my butt and saw I had been right all along.

The epidural had now completely worn off and it was time to push again — and also too late for me to get another dose of pain relief.

As I bore down with each delirious contraction, I felt an intense fire-like sensation near my rectum. “Something’s burning!” I screamed between deep breaths.

“You’re OK, just keep pushing,” the doctor said.

Once my son’s head had cleared the birth canal, nurse bitchy-face asked if I wanted to see him in a mirror.

“Just get him out of me!” I yelled.

I felt the final deep tug of my son’s body escaping my own and breathed a sigh of exhausted relief. He was absolutely beautiful, and fucking huge.

More: Please stop telling me my adopted kids should be my "second choice"

“Wow, you’ve got a nine-pounder!” the doctor exclaimed.

Once I delivered the placenta, the doctor explained that I accidentally tore — third-degree tears, to be precise — and would need several stitches. Bloody, aching and exhausted, I nodded OK.

“Sweetie,” my husband said, concerned. “The whites of your eyes are all bloody.”

The nurse looked at my eyes with her tiny flashlight and confirmed my husband’s findings. “You must’ve burst the blood vessels while pushing,” she explained. “It’ll clear up on its own.”

She left the room, and soon, everyone was gone. I cherished the quiet time with my husband and new baby boy.

After an hour, however, I grew concerned. I was still lying in soiled, bloody sheets and had dried blood and fluids all over my body. “Isn’t anyone going to clean me up?” I asked.

I also had to go to the bathroom. My husband walked around the hospital trying to find someone to help us. Finally, a new nurse popped her head in and assured me someone would be there soon.

My husband held our son and I maneuvered out of the bed and towards the bathroom on my own. “That’s it babe,” I said while slowly walking. “I’m done having babies.”

“I don’t blame you,” my husband replied.

And true to my word — I never had another baby. That traumatic experience was the only birth control I needed.

Let's say goodbye to work lunches as uninspiring as your cubicle

0
0

When it comes to preparing lunch for your kids, you’ve got a routine down – maybe even something similar to an assembly line at home. For those of you who head to the office, you may not have the convenience of eating last night’s leftovers, or for that matter taking a proper snack break. While the idea of preparing a salad or meal in a mason jar sounds appealing, you have come to the realization that you’d just rather admire someone else’s creativity on Pinterest or Instagram.

So instead of waiting in line at your favorite restaurant or food truck watching the minutes cut into your lunch break, or heading to the work kitchen where the same old snacks stare you in the face each day, I encourage you to get creative and check out these meal and snack ideas to make taking lunch to work exciting again!

More: The creamy, ambrosial chilled soup no one will ever believe is vegan

Dive into delicious

Image: Saffron Road

Your taste buds will thank you once you have had your first bite of this delicious Sesame Ginger Salmon with White Rice Bowl made by Saffron Road. The sesame ginger sauce is the perfect blend of sweet and savory. Made with wild-caught salmon and crunchy vegetables, these delicious rice bowls come in under 300 calories and offer 17 grams of protein which makes for a healthy and satisfying meal!

Mid-afternoon slump slack

Image: Nature's Path

If you are one to nosh, calories and portion sizes tend to be an issue. But when the ingredients are so filling and satisfying, one serving will do the trick. One serving of the The Coconut Chia Granola from Nature’s Path boasts six grams of fiber and makes for a snack that satisfies late afternoon cravings with a crunch. You can keep a small bowl at your desk to nosh on between lunch and your workout before dinner.

Dip baby dip

Image: Chobani

If you are focusing on increasing your vegetable intake, raw veggies are a great option. Not only do you get tons of anti-oxidants and fiber but they are also very low in calories. One way to make snacking on veggies more appealing is by pairing them with a delicious, healthy dip. I love the new Chobani Mezé Dips as they are made with real veggies, herbs and spices blended with creamy Greek Yogurt. With four exciting flavors (my favorite is the Chili Lime), you can feel good knowing that you are enjoying a dip made with only natural ingredients – that means no artificial flavors or preservatives – for the perfect clean eating option!

More: I reinvented the classic beans on toast into a delicious navy bean salad

Sweet snacking

Image: barkTHINS

Most of my clients tell me that they like a little something sweet in the afternoon. barkTHINS snacking chocolate is the perfect way to have some fun, and eat it too! Not only do the thin pieces of fair trade dark chocolate contain non-GMO verified ingredients like almonds, pretzels, or perfect for fall pumpkin seeds, but they come in unique pieces and sizes so you can customize the portion that’s right for you. The resealable pouch is perfect to keep in your desk.

Noodle revolution

Image: Revolution Food

Packaged noodles lost their appeal sometime between college finals and moving into an apartment with a real stove. But it doesn’t change that they were an easy option for a quick meal or snack. Long gone are the days of overly processed, sodium filled instant noodles being the only choice. In a Cup made by Revolution Foods is perfect to keep in the office fridge when you are on back-to-back calls. Made with real vegetables, each cup offers eight to 10 grams of protein per serving, and 12 to 20 percent of daily fiber values. They come in three delicious flavors which include Spaghetti Marinara, Sesame Noodles and Thai-Style Satay Rice Noodles which is also a gluten-free and peanut-free option.

Chia and then some

Image: KIND Snacks

Tropical flavors aren’t just for exotic island vacations. Pressed by KIND bars are a perfect addition to your packed lunch. Made with simple ingredients – only fruit, veggies and chia – they come in unique flavor combinations like Mango Apple Chia and Pineapple Coconut Chia. These bars are an easy way to get two full servings of fruit. They are also gluten and dairy-free and do not contain any added sugars.

Rania works with KIND Healthy Snacks to help consumers make healthy choices.

More: Make this easy key lime pie while you can still get them at the store

We scoured the globe to find these baby names from cities around the world

0
0

Location baby names are definitely all the rage. You've probably heard a few kids' names that are also place names over the years, especially ones that are more U.S. based, like Phoenix or Brooklyn. However, step beyond our shores to find some that are a little more unique and definitely less common.

MoreScottish boy names tailor-made for your little Braveheart

Some names, like Paris, are famous for those who bear the name (think Paris Hilton); others are simply gaining in popularity because the name itself is pretty kickass, such as London. London first appeared — briefly — on the Social Security Administration's popularity list in 1994, but popped back off until 1999. Since then, it's steadily climbed, topping out at 85 in 2013, but it was still going strong at 105 in 2015.

However, there are tons of other cities around the world that would work as a beautiful and unique baby name. Some of these cities are smack-dab in the middle of global metropolitan areas; others may be less well-known, but that doesn't mean they don't completely rock. We scoured the globe to find standout names from across the world, and we think they're pretty great. From cities in Greece to South Africa to New Zealand, we're sure you'll agree.

city baby names
Image: Design: Terese Condella/SheKnows; Image: Getty Images

MoreFor gorgeous baby names, get thee to the Greek

  • Adana, Turkey
  • Adelaide, Australia
  • Alexandria, Egypt
  • Altena, Germany
  • Ankara, Turkey
  • Benin, Nigeria
  • Berlin, Germany
  • Bristol, England
  • Cairo, Egypt
  • Delhi, India
  • Dublin, Ireland
  • Dunedin, New Zealand
  • Durban, South Africa
  • Ede, Netherlands
  • Geneva, Switzerland
  • Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Havana, Cuba
  • Kaduna, Nigeria
  • Kano, Nigeria
  • Kent, England
  • Kieta, Papua New Guinea
  • Kingston, Jamaica
  • London, England
  • Lourdes, France
  • Lusaka, Zambia
  • Madrid, Spain
  • Milan, Italy
  • Monterrey, Mexico
  • Montreal, Canada
  • Nairobi, Kenya
  • Odessa, Ukraine
  • Osaka, Japan
  • Paris, France
  • Rhodes, Greece
  • Rome, Italy
  • Rosario, Argentina
  • Samara, Russia
  • Santiago, Chile
  • Santos, Brazil
  • Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Suva, Fiji
  • Sydney, Australia
  • Taipei, Taiwan
  • Tehran, Iran
  • Umbria, Italy
  • Valencia, Spain
  • Verona, Italy
  • Vienna, Austria
  • Zaria, Nigeria
  • Zunyi, China

RHONJ’s Jacqueline Laurita really needs to stop being such an instigator

0
0

Jacqueline Laurita can't help but get into a heated argument on Real Housewives of New Jersey, huh? With each new episode, she manages to find herself fighting with someone. As much as I like Jacqueline and usually side with her, the fact that she doesn't know when to leave well enough alone is beyond frustrating.

More: 9 times the Real Housewives husbands were super-sexist

Yes, if someone is talking badly about me, threatening me or attacking me in any way whatsoever, I'd be speaking up, too. That's who Jacqueline is, and I admire her for that. She stands up for herself and will not back down from anyone. However, when it comes to certain situations that don't really involve her or things that don't need to be discussed, that's when I find fault with Jacqueline.

For example, while shopping at Posche (yes, Kim DePaola's store) with Siggy Flicker, Jacqueline just had to talk with Kim D. about Melissa Gorga and Teresa Giudice's newfound friendship. Like Kim, Jacqueline didn't seem convinced that Melissa and Teresa are really on the same page now. By putting that out there and briefly discussing it, Jacqueline is making waves that will probably come back to bite her. It might even end her friendships with both Teresa and Melissa.

The drama continued when she had to bring up the sit-down Teresa and Joe Gorga had with Rosie Pierri and Kathy Wakile. I get that Jacqueline is friends with Kathy and Rosie and wants the best for them, but how many more times does Teresa have to make it clear that she is done with them (for now, at least)? Whether or not you agree with Teresa "cutting the cancer out," this is what she wants, so let's all move on. Yes, I'm talking to you, Jacqueline. By contributing to the conversation on the bus ride to Vermont, she started another unnecessary argument, which led to even more tension. Jacqueline, just drop it.

More: RHONJ’s Joe Gorga and his sexism really need to go away

Jacqueline Laurita
Image: Giphy

The drama continued in Vermont thanks to Jacqueline and Teresa's friend Robyn getting into it. Robyn expressed to Jacqueline why she finds issue with her, which then led to a major fight. I mean, Robyn even threatened Jacqueline. By no means am I taking Robyn's side here, because violence is never the answer even if it's only a threat, but there was no reason for Jacqueline to call Robyn one of Teresa's "soldiers."

Sometimes it's best to keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself — especially when you know it's going to cause problems. I understand that Jacqueline felt like she needed to defend herself against Robyn's reasons for disliking her, but Jacqueline also stirred the pot a bit, too. I mean, she even literally sat on Robyn, which was totally uncalled for.

More: RHONJ's Teresa Giudice will probably drive Melissa & Jacqueline apart

Like Melissa pointed out in tonight's episode, Jacqueline gets herself so worked up over nothing. When she gets so upset, things get blown out of proportion. In a previous episode, Melissa even said that "Jacqueline is her own worst enemy," and she's not completely wrong. If she doesn't start choosing her words wisely, Jacqueline may end up alienating herself. At this point in time, it seems that Siggy and Dolores Catania have her back, but that may not always be the case.

It's time for Jacqueline to not comment on every little thing and instigate a situation that doesn't need to be instigated. Maybe after all these years, Jacqueline is sick of the crap involving Teresa, which is why she can't help but open her mouth, but it's time for her to take a step back. You know how they say it's best to think about something before saying it out loud? That's something Jacqueline might want to take to heart.

Based on the promo for next Sunday's episode, it doesn't seem like that will happen. Not only does it look like Jacqueline calls Teresa a criminal, but she gets in Melissa's face and calls her out for all of her "nose jobs." Basically, things are going to get much worse before they get better.

Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sundays at 8/7c on Bravo.

More: RHONJ's Dina & Caroline Manzo's feud started in 2010 and it's still going

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

real housewives legal trouble slideshow
Image: Joel Ginsburg/WENN.com

Greg Bennett is the element Manzo'd with Children has been missing

0
0

Manzo'd with Children has found its stride this season by focusing on the little moments. Sometimes, however, those little moments get, well, boring. Yes, it's nice to see real-life situations play out (including Caroline Manzo doting on her son and the Scalias planning their future family), but larger-than-life antics are fun as well. Thankfully, viewers got both today with a little help from the much-loved Greg Bennett.

More: I can't believe Manzo'd with Children's Lauren Manzo is so into being a mom

You may recall Bennett from The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Bravo has repeatedly referred to him as RHONJ's secret weapon, and for good reason — when things get stale, he adds something fresh to the mix. He's not just another Bravo-lebrity; he's somebody viewers would actually like to hang out with and get to know.

Greg Bennett on Manzo
Image: Bravo

Bennett has been good friends with the Manzos for a long time. His relationship with Chris and Albie made several skeptics decide to give the Manzo family a chance, even though they didn't particularly like Caroline in her early days of RHONJ. Time has clearly not changed that dynamic. During tonight's episode of Manzo'd with Children, he was just as entertaining and just as perfect a fit for the Manzo family as ever.

More: The Manzo'd with Children kids aren't just trust fund brats, people

If the Manzo guys could choose anybody to accompany them to Vegas for the party of a lifetime, it would obviously be Bennett. The three buddies weren't alone on their trip, however. Al Manzo and Vito Scalia joined them for some old-fashioned male bonding. Initially, the Manzo brothers anticipated a typical gathering with their dad and brother-in-law. They were thrilled when Bennett showed up unexpectedly and knocked on the door, making a surprise entrance that fans on Twitter couldn't help but love.

Manzo in Vegas 1

Manzo in Vegas 1

Manzo in Vegas 2

Manzo in Vegas 2

Manzo in Vegas 3

Manzo in Vegas 3

Bennett has a wonderful dynamic with the Manzo family. It was always fun to see him on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and I'm thrilled that Bravo has kept him in the loop, at least to some extent. That being said, viewers want more! On occasion, Manzo'd with Children needs a break from its real-world scenarios, and when outlandish behavior is required, Bennett should be there.

More: Lauren Manzo angers RHONJ fans by throwing Teresa Giudice under the bus

Would you like to see more of Greg Bennett on Manzo'd with Children? Comment and share your opinion below.

Rob & Chyna's introduction to Blac Chyna's mom was pretty unforgettable

0
0

Blac Chyna clearly takes after her mom, whom we met tonight on Rob & Chyna. Eccentric and full of attitude, Chyna's mom Tokyo Toni did not hold back when setting Rob Kardashian straight.

More: You can thank Kendall Jenner for getting Rob Kardashian back on Instagram

"She's known for not, like, giving two fucks," Chyna said as she prepped for dinner with Rob and her family. Hmm, sound familiar?

It wasn't long before Toni was dishing it to Rob.

"After you have your baby, you're gonna want to get married," Rob said to Chyna during Toni's Fourth of July party.

"Whoa," Toni responded quickly. "Your baby or our baby?"

"She said it was her baby," Rob said, trying to backtrack out of the trouble he immediately caught wind of.

Chyna then delved into the couple's problems: "He needs to work on a few things for me, for us. He's been burned in all his past relationships, so it's hard for him to trust me."

More: Rob & Chyna have some serious #pregnancyproblems

Cue Mama Toni's advice: "You gotta stop what you're doing, OK? Let me explain what type of person Chyna is. She's a strong woman. I didn't have anything to give her. I started from the bottom as a young girl, 16 — 16 with no help trying to figure it out with a little baby. Y'all don't have those type of problems; the problems y'all have can be solved. But you're dealing with my only child. She didn't have a father around. She don't need a baby with no father, do you understand me?"

"Yeah, I do," Rob said, like a smart man.

"You can't do what you're doing. You're gonna ruin it," Toni added.

But I don't think putting the blame entirely on Rob is fair at all. Chyna has her own set of serious issues and insecurities. She needs to get ahold of her emotions instead of flying off the handle at every little hint of change. She also needs to start acting like a mom instead of a free-flying girl.

More: It's Scott Disick for the win tonight on Rob & Chyna

I get that she's a big personality, and I respect a strong, confident woman. Yet, Chyna's flamboyance feels like a cover-up for some serious insecurity. She needs to get her act together just as much as Rob. Tokyo Toni should focus first on coaching her daughter before she turns on Rob, even though her advice about his need to change his perspective about the relationship is sound.

Do you think Tokyo Toni was right to call Rob Kardashian out at the Fourth of July party?

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Rob Kardashian slideshow
Image: FayesVision/WENN.com

I can't tell if I hate Fear the Walking Dead's Chris or understand him

0
0

After this week's episode of Fear the Walking Dead, AMC may have to borrow the name of another TV series: Everybody Hates Chris. I mean, c'mon — that series is no longer on the air, so there shouldn't be any conflict, right? Plus, it's kind of perfect.

More: If FTWD introduces one more frickin' character, I'm going to scream

If you're asking why, you clearly haven't been following the evolution of this Walking Dead spinoff. If you had, you'd know that the Chris Manawa character has been grating on everyone's last nerve for... oh, you know, the entire series.

Well, if we're being really honest, nearly all the characters have been irksome so far. However, it's Chris who seems to hold a special place in viewers' hearts, and that special place is apparently a seething wellspring of fury.

FTWD Chris 1

FTWD Chris 1

FTWD Chris 2

FTWD Chris 2

FTWD Chris 3

FTWD Chris 3

FTWD Chris 4

FTWD Chris 4

FTWD Chris 5

FTWD Chris 5

FTWD Chris 6

FTWD Chris 6

To be clear, it isn't actor Lorenzo James Henrie this ire is directed at. He's a fine actor. In fact, the thoroughness with which he has been able to get viewers to hate Chris kind of speaks to his talent as an entertainer.

Rather, the genuine reproach is reserved for the character — who, in this week's episode, was a huge asshat. He was full of asshattery. Code name: Captain Asshat.

This didn't exactly come as a huge surprise to viewers given that the kid has been a bit of a prick for weeks now. Remember last week when he killed an innocent and non-walkerized farmer? Yeah, that happened, much to Travis' chagrin.

More: Dayum, Nick, that was the hottest kiss in FTWD history

This week, though, Chris stepped quite a bit closer to the sociopath threshold when he helped subdue his father so his mini gang of frat bros could off a wounded member of their own crew. Yikes! Obviously this did not sit well with moral compass Travis, who tried to reason with Chris before he drove off into the wild unknown with his zombocalypse posse.

However, in true angsty teenage fashion, Chris chose to ignore all of his father's advice and instead place stock in the clearly unstable group of strangers who made him feel like one of the cool kids. Solid plan, bruh.

So here's the rub. In the last few moments that Travis and Chris were together and Travis was begging Chris to not go with his new friends, Chris told Travis there was nothing wrong with him — he was just "adapting."

And in that moment, I kind of agreed with him. I think. I'm still feeling very conflicted about it, as my first inclination is simply to want to see the little dillhole get eaten by a throng of zombies.

I have to say, though, he might have a point. If what Travis really wants for Chris is for him to survive, maybe it is in Chris' best interest to split up. Travis is still struggling to come to terms with this new reality, and he isn't always the quickest to make the tough calls.

Having said that, the fact that Chris has started killing humans and not walkers still makes me want to punch him in the throat. In The Walking Dead world, he would likely fail the "How many people and how many walkers have you killed?" test that Rick and his crew use to determine whether or not someone has managed to retain any shred of humanity.

More: Raise your hand if you wish that zombie on Fear the Walking Dead was Madison

So at the end of the episode, when Chris' new buddies showed up at the hotel gates and he was seemingly nowhere to be seen, I wasn't sure how to feel at first. Was I excited to be done with his asshattery? Or was I disappointed the series was losing one of the zombocalypse's early bloomers?

I guess I'll have to wait to find out how Chris' death would really make me feel, since I'm fairly certain I caught a glimpse of him standing behind his newfound friends. Although, come to think of it, the fact that I'm hoping to get that chance probably speaks volumes.

What do you think? Are you ready for Chris to get killed off?

Trudeau tried to high-five Prince George but was totally blown off

0
0

Most people would be pretty psyched to meet our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but we guess when you're the future king of Britain… meh.

More: Prince George's most squee-worthy outfits through the years

Accompanied by his parents and baby sister, Prince George arrived on a Canadian Air Force plane at Victoria International Airport on Saturday. Trudeau and his wife were waiting to greet the royal family, and our leading politician was keen to make an impression on 3-year-old George.

He knelt down and offered the young prince a high-five, but unfortunately George DGAF. All Trudeau got in return was a shake of the head, which says it all. Trudeau took it in good spirits, but alas, he'd already burned his bridges with his young visitor. Prince George couldn't even be persuaded to shake his hand.

Justin Trudeau Prince George

Justin Trudeau Prince George

More: Prince William totally knows his mom was a royal babe

Perhaps the young prince — who is third in line to the throne — was simply tired after the 10-hour flight from the U.K. to Canada. He also needed to be encouraged by Prince William to wave to the crowd of waiting media and seemed more interested in looking at the other aircraft on the military base.

We're sure Trudeau will win over Prince George in no time. The royals are in Canada for a week, so the PM will have plenty of opportunities to woo the little prince. Although he might want to ask Barack Obama for some tips — during a visit to London's Kensington Palace in April, the U.S. president did manage to shake hands with the toddler.

Prince George meets Barack Obama

Prince George meets Barack Obama

We're rooting for you, Trudeau, and there's plenty of time yet for a royal fist bump.

More: Remembering Princess Diana with 17 of her most inspirational quotes

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

kate middleton prince william slideshow
Image: Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA/Getty Images

So, did Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner really just go on a date-date?

0
0

Are they or aren't they getting back together? That has been the one constant question surrounding Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's relationship, and their recent outing is definitely making it seem like there's still hope for a reconciliation.

More: Stop worrying about a reconciliation — Jennifer Garner's happy with the way things are

Last Thursday, Sept. 22, the former couple was spotted grabbing dinner at Sam's by the Beach restaurant in Los Angeles, and an onlooker has since described their encounter to Us Weekly. They said, "Ben and Jen arrived around 8 and left just before 10. Jen came out and walked to the car. Ben was behind her, [and] he looked like he might have had a few drinks... Jen seemed content, she didn't look upset and didn't say anything."

Regardless of whether Affleck and Garner's outing was romantic — their date could have just been a meeting to discuss their parenting strategies or some other child-related topic — they have proven time and time again that exes can actually be amicable. And they've handled their relationship post-split exceptionally well, proving they have nothing but respect for each other.

But could they be thinking twice about their divorce? Maybe.

More: Seeing Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner back together just makes us giddy

Back in July, a source close to Garner reportedly told Us Weekly that the divorce proceedings looked to be taking a different direction. The source said, "Jen mentioned that the divorce was going through very soon, and then a few weeks ago, things changed. It does not seem to be moving in that direction."

Adding, "Jen seems to still be in love with Ben but doesn't allow her mind to go there. She just focuses on the kids."

So who knows what the future could hold for Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner? But right now, we're just happy to see them together.

More: Welp, there go our dreams of a Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner reunion

Do you think Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner will get back together? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

Ben Affleck cheating slideshow
Image: WENN.com

Pregnant Olivia Wilde's gender reveal made a strong political statement

0
0

Olivia Wilde has revealed the gender of her baby, and she did it to make a statement that will strike a chord with mothers across the U.S.

More: Bridget Jones's Baby gender reveal is, hands down, the best we've seen yet

Wilde, 32, is expecting a baby girl with fiancé Jason Sudeikis — a little sister for 2-year-old Otis Alexander. The actress made the gender reveal on Twitter, but this was no simple, "Hey! We're having a girl!" post. It was also an opportunity for Wilde to further endorse presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Olivia Wilde tweet baby gender

Olivia Wilde tweet baby gender

The Vinyl star is a staunch Democrat who has supported Clinton since she announced she was running for president, partly, she revealed in April 2015, because Clinton "feels the plight of women and girls as the most important issue of the 21st century."

More: We scoured the globe to find these baby names from cities around the world

The video clip posted by Clinton, captioned "When Donald Trump speaks about women, our daughters can hear him," features young girls of all races looking at themselves in the mirror or taking selfies as sound bites from Trump's interviews and comments play in the background. "I would look at her right in that fat, ugly face," Trump can be heard saying when he was referring to Rosie O'Donnell in 2006. He also remarked, "A person who is flat-chested, it's very hard to be a 10," and laughed when an interviewer asked if he treats women with respect. The video ends with a question: "Is this the president we want for our daughters?"

Gender equality is clearly hugely important to Wilde. She revealed in July that she's been raising her young son to be a feminist because she wants to "promote the idea that the definition of feminism is equality, and it's something that's not difficult to teach children, because they are born with that sensibility."

In a matter of weeks, the United States will have a new president. Wilde may be a Hollywood star with a global platform to air her views, but she's really not so different from any other mom. We all want what's best for our kids — whether or not they've already been born.

More: ANTM's Lisa Marie D'Amato let the world watch her give birth

Wilde hasn't revealed her due date, but it's possible her first daughter may arrive just in time to witness this year’s presidential election.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

star wars gifts
Image: Pottery Barn Kids

T marks the end spot of these baby boy names

0
0

Girl baby names that end in the letter T aren't super easy to find, and boy names that do the same aren't very common, either. That's what makes this baby name list so fun — these boy names are just unique enough to stand out, but they really aren't so odd they'll wind up on a "strange baby names" list sometime in the future.

MoreComic book-inspired baby names for boys that pack a serious punch

Take 2015's most popular boy names, for example. We have to travel all the way to spot No. 34 on the boys' side to find the first one that ends with the letter T — Wyatt. There isn't a ton thereafter either, with Vincent coming in at No. 109 and Everett at No. 139. We're okay with that, though, as while we were rifling through tons of baby names, we found some pretty rockin' boys' names that end with T.

As you peruse our list, you'll see a variety of different types of names, from names that probably started off their lives as last names (like Bennett and Hewitt) and names with nature origins (like Summit, Night and Forest) to names with a singular flair (like Kent and Trent), names with a country feel about them (like Colt and Flint) and monikers a little off the beaten path (such as the Arabic name Rahat or the modern name Jaret).

MoreAdorable old-fashioned baby names you won't hear on the playground

Whether you're looking for that perfect first name or you have your eyes on a super-cool middle name, you're sure to find a few ideas here.

Ben Higgins has a lot to say about his wedding plans — or lack thereof

0
0

The Bachelor's Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell have been together for a year (which already makes them more successful than some of their predecessors), but they still aren't any closer to picking a wedding date.

More: Lauren Bushnell has a trick to keep the romance alive with Ben Higgins

While this may signal trouble in paradise for some, it's just not the case with Higgins and Bushnell, who still seem to be happy and in love. They haven't given much thought to their wedding (although they do say 2017 will be the year), but that doesn't mean they aren't excited for their future. Higgins told People magazine, while at the iHeartRadio Festival at Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena, that "it's definitely something we're excited about."

Ben Higgins Instagram

Ben Higgins Instagram

As for their wedding day, according to Higgins, it will be "a big wedding-ish" celebration. "It's going to be big enough for all our friends and family to come, but there's going to be a limit," he explained. "Lauren and I don't want to be overwhelmed. We want to have fun."

More: Ben Higgins' next career move actually has a lot in common with The Bachelor

While they know they want to have fun, they're still figuring out the rest of it. And don't expect to find out what Bushnell intends to wear any time soon, either, because she hasn't even got a dress picked out.

Although she told the magazine that trying dresses on was what she was "looking forward to most." Adding, "Hopefully [Higgins'] mom will be there, my mom will be there, my sister, and we can start diving into that... I have a pretty good idea of what I want."

Is this one Bachelor wedding that you're looking forward to? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

ben higgins slideshow
Image: Rick Rowell/ABC

How to make fake blood and freak out all your friends

0
0

Halloween's the one time of year when you get to pull out the big guns. In fact, we challenge you to think of a good reason not to rock fake blood in some form or another this Halloween. Whether you're thinking classic, like a zombie or a vampire, or even trending, like a gory Harley Quinn or an undead Kardashian, this fake blood is realistic enough to work.

Hollywood-style fake blood recipe
Image: Heather Barnett/SheKnows

Making Hollywood-style fake blood is easier than you think, and it can be done with ingredients you probably already have around the house. If you've got flour, food coloring and some corn syrup, you're about 10 minutes away from homemade ghoulish fun — for Halloween or just for fun!

More: My friend's an addict, and I'm just watching her fade away

Hollywood-style fake blood recipe

Yields about 2 tablespoons

What you'll need:

  • 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
  • 1 tiny drop blue food coloring
  • 1 tiny drop green food coloring (optional)
  • 1 scant teaspoon flour, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 1 small shallow glass or plastic bowl
  • 1 toothpick
  • Cooking spray
  • Water (optional)
  • Chocolate sauce (optional)
  • Liquid laundry soap (optional) 

Directions:

  1. Add flour and red food coloring to the mixing bowl.
  2. Spritz your tablespoon with cooking spray and use it to add corn syrup to the mix.
  3. Use the toothpick to add the tiniest drop of blue food coloring. You can always add more. Add the same amount of green food coloring if you need it to be more purple. Stir with a small whisk or spoon until well blended (and not lumpy).
  4. Adjust the recipe using additional food coloring, chocolate sauce, water or laundry detergent (see below) as needed.

Ingredients for fake blood
Image: Heather Barnett/SheKnows

It's obvious why you need the syrup and red food coloring, but using those ingredients alone will produce the same fake-looking goop you buy in the Halloween aisle. To properly adjust your mix, it's important to understand the effects the other ingredients have on your fake blood so you know how to adjust the recipe to your unique needs. For the best results, try making some ahead of time so you can experiment.

Next Up: Understanding the ingredients

{pageBreak}

Fake blood mixed
Image: Heather Barnett/SheKnows

Cooking spray

The cooking spray simply acts to prevent the corn syrup from sticking to the tablespoon. The fat prevents the syrup from adhering to the plastic or metal surface. In a pinch, you could also use butter, shortening or even regular cooking oil. Just make sure it's a light coating so you don't add too much oil to the mix.

More: 14 fierce feminist Halloween costumes that will make you feel like a badass

Blue and green food coloring

The blue and green food coloring help darken the red so it doesn't have that bright, fake look. If your blood is too bright, you can add more. Start with just the blue and add green, as well, if you need a more "purple" look.

You want lighter blood for "fresh wounds" and darker blood for those that would have been there longer. Just add the blue or green food coloring, one very tiny drop at a time (a little goes a long way... it's just an accent color). Remember, arterial blood is bright red and veinous blood is dark (almost maroon).

Flour

Flour is a thickener. Don't use extra corn syrup to thicken, as it gives the blood a strange, almost sticky (syrupy) look. If you don't have flour, you can add a bit of cornstarch, as well, but use less. (You can also use chocolate sauce; see below.) 

Glass or plastic bowl

Be careful what container you use for the mix. Red food coloring stains, especially if it's left in the container for too long. Use one you don't care about. If you tend to like creepier costumes, just mark it "fake blood" and tuck it away with your Halloween decorations.

Water & chocolate sauce

Water and chocolate sauce can be used to adjust the thickness of the blood. Water will thin it, while the chocolate will thicken. Only use the chocolate if your blood can stand to be a bit darker. Otherwise, stick with flour or cornstarch.

More: 11 nostalgic goodies every respectable '90s kid took to school

Liquid laundry detergent

Adding laundry detergent to the mix is said to make it easier to get it out of clothing. But beware. It may not work on all clothes. Also, you shouldn't use it for blood that's going to be on kids or blood that goes too near your mouth or fingers, as you're likely to ingest some (and even if it's not poisonous in small amounts, it tastes revolting!). Skip this step if you need to keep it fully edible.

Final product
Image: Heather Barnett/SheKnows

Originally published Oct. 2012. Updated Sept. 2016.

The Angelina Jolie & Johnny Depp hookup rumor is so outlandish

0
0

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's divorce was not something anyone foresaw, but it has since turned incredibly nasty with rumors and allegations flying around left, right and center.

More: Angelina Jolie was more prepared to divorce Brad Pitt than we all realized

However, it's not just Pitt's relationships that have become a hot topic (there were rumors linking him to co-star Marion Cotillard; reports which she has since rubbished), but also Jolie's. According to a new report, she's been finding comfort in the form of one of Hollywood's leading men: Johnny Depp.

Depp recently went through a bitter divorce with Amber Heard himself, so yes, he and Jolie probably do have quite a lot in common, and that may provide some sort of comfort. However, according to the report from Hollywood Life, Depp's friends think that he and Jolie will definitely be romantically linked in the future. Um, what?

"All of Johnny's friends are expecting things to turn romantic between him and Angelina sooner than later," a source told the publication. "She's admitted to him that [she] had a crush on him since his 21 Jump Street days when they shot The Tourist together. He told her she [was] one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen."

More: A timeline of Brangelina's divorce: Why did Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie split?

But for now, according to the source, "Nothing physical happened, but it's been like a pressure cooker between them." In fact, the source has some pretty wild expectations for the future of Depp and Jolie and insists that their broken relationships will bond them, physically.

"Now they're both single, in dire pain and going to each other for support," the source said. "It's just a matter of time before they are in bed together. Do the math!"

Here's our issue with the report. People can definitely be friends without anything romantic or sexual coming into the equation, and because the alleged reason that Jolie decided to split from Pitt was for the good of her family (as she reportedly had issues with the way Pitt was parenting) we're pretty sure that she intends to focus solely on her six children in the upcoming months.

But what Jolie intends to do in her private life (and whatever men she may or may not end up with in the future) has nothing to do with anyone, and should certainly not be making headlines. And really, we hate the way this report seems to address Jolie's sexuality as if it were a bad thing.

But what do you think of the report about Jolie and Depp? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt marriage rumors slideshow
Image: Fayevision/WENN

The Big Brother 18 guys actually defend their disgusting, misogynistic behavior

0
0

Remember when Paulie Calafiore was actually leading the house and people thought he might actually win Big Brother? And remember when fans actively hated him so much for his behavior in the house that they created a #WeHatePaulieCalafiore hashtag party on Twitter? But let's get something straight: Calafiore wasn't the only offensive, misogynistic male houseguest. We'll touch on that in a second.

Paulie Calafiore hate 1

Paulie Calafiore hate 1

Calafiore didn’t start out as the most hated in the house; he was actually considered more of a pawn that the veteran Big Brother players could use to get their plans executed. He’d spent a lot of time in the background, and a few of his fellow contestants were being more obvious about their terrible behavior, so for a while Calafiore was just assumed to be a nice guy.

When you’ve got a house that has Frank Eudy calling women sluts and slapping girls on the ass, it’s easy to look like a nice guy. Or Paul Abrahamian, who wished actual death to Tiffany Rousso. And then there’s Corey Brooks, who had a past problem of calling people "fag." So really, the men on Season 18 could be the grossest collection of people in the history of reality TV.

Frank BB18 GIF
Image: Mic.com

Next to them, Calafiore was a quiet guy who played an honest game. And then the cracks started to show. He started a campaign to get Da’Vonne Rogers out of the house. He thought she was loud and caused a lot of drama that the house didn’t need. In plain English, that loosely translated to, he didn't want someone in the house who wouldn’t allow him to continue to be a total sexist.

More: Frank Eudy is a terrible Big Brother competitor

Paulie Calafiore hate 2

Paulie Calafiore hate 2

And then he all but berated his showmance partner, Zakiyah Everette. He picked an outrageous fight with her, accusing her of lying to him and not giving him all the information even though he'd given her multiple chances. If you thought he sounded like a terrible, abusive father, you weren't alone.

After he was done being a crazy person toward Everette, he bragged about it to the other men in the house, saying how proud he was that he'd made her cry.

More: Big Brother's Corey Brooks & Paulie Calafiore need to stop talking now

Calafiore had been giving these subtle jabs all season long, but they'd gone unnoticed next to the other, more in-your-face contestants. But once that protective barrier was gone, it exposed him as a terrible person.

Now that the show has ended — and Nicole Franzel made history as the first woman to beat out a male houseguest (Paul Abrahamian) in final two — Da'Vonne Rogers is speaking out. In an interview with BuzzFeed, Rogers said the BB house "felt like hell."

"I'm a parent, first and foremost," Rogers said. "I have morals, and I have self-respect, and I'm not about to let you do whatever you think you want to do to me. At some point, I had to tell him to back off."

But it wasn't just Rogers who spoke about the misogynistic men and their actions in the house. Natalie Negrotti told BuzzFeed: "You can only take so much when you hear comments being thrown around about women or their bodies. I was livid. That really strikes home for me. I'll always stand up for women, I'll always stand up for myself."

She continued: "I definitely thought about self-evicting numerous times just to escape all of the bashing towards me. And that was the hard part. I was so excited to be there, and I felt like people were attacking me constantly… This was the hardest and most difficult thing I've done."

And then remember when Abrahamian called Michelle "Big Meech" Meyer a “fucking cunt”? BuzzFeed confronted him about that as well, and he actually, surprisingly stood by it. "In real life, I don't take that shit from anybody, and I'm not going to change that in this game," he said. "I think Michelle was a little bit of a bully; she would poke and prod at everybody this season, and she poked the wrong person in that moment. Don't think you can walk over me because there’s money at stake. I don’t care what's at stake; nobody talks to me that way."

But can someone please tell him that that word is never OK to use? OK, thanks.

Da'Vonne BB18 GIF
Image: Mic.com

But the best part is when BuzzFeed approached Eudy about his much-talked-about behavior toward Rogers. And be warned: His response will upset you as much as Abrahamian's did.

"I never did it to be mean," he said. "I did it out of a sense of camaraderie." Wait, what?

"I think sometimes when you sit there and you're talking with the guys in the house… it's not necessarily stuff you mean, it's just the way guys talk to each other." Hey, fellas, can we change this?

He continues: "I still try to stay as PC as possible, but at the same time, sometimes you forget where you're at. You'll be sitting there, having a conversation, you get up, see a camera and think, 'Oh shit, I’m in the Big Brother house, and people heard that.'"

Sorry not sorry, but this is all inexcusable.

It makes you wonder what the producer’s responsibility is in all this. Finding people controversial enough to create an entertaining show is one thing. It’s a formula that every casting director has had to deal with since reality shows blew up. But this seems irresponsible — they shouldn’t reward this disgusting behavior, much less cast these people to be on the show. It’s the subtle hate that ruins people, and putting Calafiore, someone who is so comfortable spewing it, front and center just doesn’t seem like the right choice.

Sure, it's been a week since the winner was crowned, but after reading the guys explain away their behavior, we're pretty fuming mad. Let's do better.

More: BB18's Paulie Calafiore is the biggest jerk, and yet everyone follows his lead

Before you leave, check out our slideshow below:

Big Brother After Dark spoilers
Image: CBS

This article was originally published on Aug. 4, 2016 and updated on Sept. 26, 2016.

Viewing all 33701 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images