Ever since Belle became pregnant with Rumple's baby, most fans have been waiting for him to ruin it all. Well, in addition to proving how horrible of a man he is and living up to the villain he will probably forever be, Rumple destroyed Belle's chance at motherhood on tonight's Once Upon a Time.
Rumple just can't help but be super selfish and blame his actions on his horrific past. Speaking of his past, that doesn't make it OK for Rumple to continue going down a dark path. We get that he had awful parents (by the way, we also learned that his mother is the Black Fairy, aka a bad fairy with a darkened heart who steals children instead of protecting them), was unloved, made some terrible mistakes and so on. It's hard not to feel some kind of emotion for Rumple when you see all that he endured. However, it's also difficult to root for him when he continues to treat Belle like an object rather than the woman he loves and the human being she is.
So, of course, when Belle finally gave birth, it wasn't on her own terms and ended in an extremely heartbreaking way. First, her pregnancy was sped up and she gave birth before she was ready. Technically, it was the Evil Queen who dosed Belle and forced her into early labor, but maybe if Rumple hadn't treated the Evil Queen terribly, she wouldn't have been pushed to make Belle give birth.
Everyone also just assumed Rumple was behind the speeding up of Belle's pregnancy, but does it really matter if they know the truth? Even though he didn't end up following through with the plan of inducing Belle's labor so he could cut their son's fate with the shears and try to show his son that Rumple is worth loving, he still thought about it and almost did it.
Well, by episode's end, Belle gave birth, and after having a vision of their son all grown up, she realized that the only way he may ever have a great life is to send him somewhere far away. That's right: Rumple went so far as to scare Belle into giving up her own child as a way to protect him. After holding her son in her arms, she handed him over to the Blue Fairy, who flew him off to an undisclosed location.
Belle also wouldn't divulge to Rumple what she named their son, because that would just be another detail Rumple could use to find him. Plus, as explained in a flashback, Rumple's own mother abandoned him without ever naming him. A name is so much more than a name; it shows that parents love their child by giving him or her some form of identity. Well, Belle threw that back in Rumple's face by keeping him in the dark. It's cold, but what else did he expect? She's hit her breaking point, and who can blame her?
Side note: It still remains unclear whether Belle gave their son the same name as their adult son, who viewers have been led to believe is Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams.
Here's hoping that one day, Belle will be reunited with her son and she will finally have some happiness in her life. Really, it's getting old seeing her heart break over and over again. She truly deserves better as a woman, a person and a character.
Westworld made it clear in Episode 9 tonight that the show is, in fact, depicting multiple timelines at once. But we still don't have all the pieces of what's past and what's present. It's admittedly all a little confusing, but let's try to piece it together.
Tonight, Logan gave William a picture of the woman who is Logan's sister and William's fiancé. It's the same photo that Dolores's father found in Episode 1 that triggered his "malfunction" (or remembering) that caused him to be shut down completely. So how did the photo get from the trail with the army to Dolores' front door?
No doubt, we'll see those pieces fall into place in the finale, but I think something is going to go wrong for Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and William that will set them back to square one, thus William's obsession that sets him on the trail to become the Man in Black decades later.
Also, Dolores's meeting with Arnold clearly showed that she's remembered before. And she's the one who killed Arnold, which means she's had the ability to harm humans for a while now. Arnold must have changed her programming so that she could be the one to take his life at his request. But because she's forgotten this key bit of information until she found the center of the maze again in the present, does this mean that Ford (Anthony Hopkins) is aware of her ability to kill? Or is Bernard still protecting Arnold's legacy as a host?
I'm guessing the latter, which is why I don't think Bernard actually shot himself, which was a moment again in the present. I think he was playing along to make Ford think he still has the upper hand. Meanwhile, Bernard will escape to the center of the maze, where his hosts with memories are waiting for him. I'm pretty convinced Arnold/Bernard has set up Wyatt as his gatekeeper in the maze to ensure that only hosts who are ready make it there to meet him.
I'm also pretty convinced, thanks to the photo, that William is the Man in Black. I thought the moment when he told Logan not to call him Billy was key. It was the true start to William's journey as the Man in Black 30 years in the past. It was also key to note that when Logan cut open Dolores, she had the past model of host technology. The current ones are less metal and much more deceptive as people in their anatomy.
I'm also pretty convinced that William, as the Man in Black, has never actually raped Dolores. Rather, when he dragged her into the barn, he was trying to awaken her memories and get her to remember the time when they were on the trail 30 years earlier, searching for the center of the maze together.
The Man in Black's time trying to fulfill Arnold's legacy has no doubt hardened him, but I think his love for Dolores is still pure, which is why it will be so interesting to see how Dolores's memories fall into place in the finale. Will she remember William as the Man in Black and remember her love for him?
Either way, it's bound to be pretty heartbreaking since that picture Logan gives to William indicated things do not end well for our heroes in Season 1. Otherwise, it wouldn't be floating through Westworld while Dolores returns to her storyline loop.
A good makeup brush can change your entire makeup game. No, seriously. The right eyeshadow brush can turn patchy, this-is-my-attempt-at-brown-eyeshadow into a beautifully soft, smoky eye, while a good foundation brush can buff even the crappiest of formulas into a diffused, airbrushed finish. And if you don’t believe us, then you’ve clearly never used great-quality makeup brushes, and that hurts our soul.
“But good makeup brushes cost a fortune!” you say. “I’ll just stick with the brushes I’ve had since high school.” Uh, no. We promise that you don’t have to spend a hundred bucks on a few brushes to get a quality product. In fact, some of the top-rated, most-beloved makeup brushes are under $10 and have cult-like followings on the internet.
So we did the dirty work of digging through Reddit conversations from the last year, where hordes of beauty-obsessed strangers debated the best and worst makeup brushes, and we found the ten brushes that were lauded over and over again. Below, the final winners—and not one of them has the ghosts of your high-school past in them.
“This is the best powder foundation brush I've ever used, ever. I started trying different powder foundations this summer, because I finally figured out that my skin will only tolerate mineral/physical/inorganic sunscreens. Unfortunately, these sunscreens make almost every liquid foundation cake up no matter what I do. This brush buffs the powder in so gently and evenly. I'm not worrying that the application of powder will remove the underlying sunscreen anymore.” -chaoticPuppies
“This was my first eyeshadow blending brush. I could't believe the difference in application when using this compared to other blending brushes!” -missbologna
“For me, it's the Wayne Goss fan brush. Holy shit, it's so soft and luxurious, and it applies highlighter like a DREAM—like, the most beautiful, natural-looking sheen that's totally effortless. I have so much passion for that damn brush.” –sunsh1neee
“I love this brush. I used to use my fingers to apply foundation, which can leave it streaky, but this brush does a great job of working foundation into the skin.” -Janeyjimplin
“Nars Ita is the perfect blush brush for me. It works nicely for highlighter and blush, and is thin enough for me to use it on my nose if necessary. It's the oldest brush I still use to this day, and it's still going strong. It just keeps getting softer and softer with each wash but was never scratchy to begin with. It does shed when you first get it, but it still blends perfectly despite that.” -viiixxvii
“I love this brush for my setting powder. It’s SO SOFT. Like, it's insane how nice it feels. I upgraded from a Real Techniques powder brush, and feeling them next to each other is zero comparison. It's like rubbing air-whipped cashmere on your face. (Dramatic, I know, but it's honestly the softest brush I've ever touched.)” -viiixxvii
“It’s really great at applying eyeshadow on my small creases—it’s incredibly precise and perfect for blending out eyeshadow at the crease.” –Screw_The_Roses
“This was a complete game-changer for me. I can get a nice crisp wing with this brush, which I had previously thought was impossible.” -MauriceChevalierEh
Here's the good news about this week's episode of The Walking Dead — it wasn't the last one we'll see in 2016. Considering the mid-season finale is only two episodes away now, that counts for something. As for the bad news, well, where do we start?
I can't remember the last time (if ever) I outright disliked an episode of The Walking Dead. Granted, I wasn't super-pumped about this season's premiere, but more so in an "oh my god, what have you done?!" kind of way.
Certain aspects of episodes haven't resonated with me or held my attention, sure. But this week's episode nearly put me to sleep, if we're really being honest.
It's not that I don't like Tara, because I do. She's loyal, which I admire, and she can be feisty too — one of my favorite traits. Same goes for Heath. Actually, my only issue with Heath is that we haven't seen him enough on the show. He is a character I wish would get more screen time.
Such was not the case this week, though.
The episode does begin with Tara and Heath, who are still on that supply run they've been on seemingly forever. What sucks about this, of course, is that they have no idea what's gone down with the Saviors since they've been gone... including the deaths of several core members.
But back on the supply run, they come to a huge sand barricade on a pier. Tara, who made some especially foolish decisions this episode, pulls on a half buried object in the sand to move it and instead causes an avalanche of sand. Oh, and you know, sand walkers too.
Things aren't looking good for our heroes, who have quickly become surrounding by the sand walkers, when Tara inadvertently gets tossed over the ledge and into the water below. That's the last we see of ol' Heath this week.
Tara has the good fortune to wash up on the shores of a little seaside town aptly called Oceanside. Two young women are arguing over whether or not to kill her. Killing her would be the right thing to do according to their community's code of law. But not killing her would be the right thing to do morally. And we all know how moral compasses tend to fare in this universe.
Ultimately, they spare Tara and she later winds up sparing the girl who saved her, Cyndie. She is taken to their camp, where the leader continues the debate over her fate. At least we find out the reason for their distrust of all people — during a clash with a rival faction, all of the men over 10 in their camp were murdered.
Through a later conversation between Tara and Cyndie, who helps Tara escape again, we learn the massacre was exacted by the Saviors as punishment for stepping out of line. After that grim revelation, Cyndie helps Tara escape once more.
Unfortunately, only bad news awaits her at Alexandria. Glenn. Abe. Denise. And as horrible as I feel for Tara in that moment and as horrible as I feel for saying it, I am bored — so very, very bored by now.
Do I love the idea of an all-female community in TWD world? Hell yes! But we only saw slivers of this group, and those slivers weren't compelling enough to get us invested in this particular group. Do I love when a women helms an episode? Naturally. Need I point out the Carol-centric past episodes?
But this week's episode did not feel like it moved the story of our survivors forward at all. It may have tied up one loose end — where Tara and Heath were — but it did little else. Introducing an entire new community's worth of characters when we desperately want to touch base with the core group seems extraneous and forced.
So there you have it. My first official bad review of an episode of The Walking Dead. Sorry, Tara. Sorry, Robert Kirkman. Sorry, AMC. If it's any consolation, I have no doubt you'll redeem yourself with the mid-season finale... so there's that.
What do you think? Did you find this episode to be boring?
In the internet age, it seems like it should be rule No. 1: Never, ever record a sex tape. They have a nasty way of becoming public, whether you want them to or not, because of everything from phone hacks to revenge porn.
Celebrity sex tapes are especially at risk for being leaked or hacked, and Rose McGowan may be the latest victim.
A sex tape has reportedly hit "a number of celebrity sites," according to The Mirror, and it appears to feature McGowan, although that hasn't been confirmed. The site doesn't say whether the two-and-a-half-minute video looks like it was intentionally shot or if McGowan may have been filmed without her knowledge or consent.
The alleged tape hit right on the heels of a sex tape scam that targeted several British celebrities, including X-Factor's Shayne Ward and Sam Callahan. Inquisitr reports that "someone pretended to be interested in a relationship to trick them into performing sex acts on camera," and that the footage was later posted online.
Both stars said the scam happened to them years ago.
"This video is years old. Shayne was single at the time, and it happened when he was on tour with War of the Worlds," Ward's rep told reporters. "He’s so embarrassed this has happened. The conversation between him and the supposed woman have left him hugely red faced. He can’t believe anyone would do this."
Rugby star Ben Cohen also appeared to be a victim of the same scam.
The new season of the TLC reality series premiered Sunday, and viewers got an inside look at how Kody Brown and his daughter Madison handled a big part of her wedding planning: booze.
The extremely religious Brown family doesn't drink alcohol — at least, Kody and his four wives don't. Apparently, there are some members of the extended family who do, hence Maddie's decision to serve some drinks when she tied the knot. Only one problem: Kody wasn't exactly pleased with the idea.
"Some of the family drinks, some of the family does not drink, OK?" he tells her during an on-camera wedding-planning sesh. "Are you going to have a drink limit? Because we don't want it getting funky... Because about two-thirds doesn't even drink. But that other third would get sloshed."
And apparently, the family isn't the only problem.
"Yes, there is going to be alcohol at our wedding," Maddie says in a one-on-one interview with the camera. "Caleb and I both have friends that don't know when a limit is a limit, especially when the alcohol is provided. We wanted to see if we can get a bartender or someone who will monitor, so that if someone's really intoxicated, they don't make a fool of themselves or say something really stupid."
The footage is from earlier in the year — Maddie and her fiancé, Caleb Brush, got married in June and are now expecting their first kid. Clearly, the drunken antics at their wedding weren't too terrible because they made it through and seem happier than ever.
Working nine to five may seem like a sweet deal but when you have to work a bar job on the weekends just to make ends meet, life can feel pretty tough. Top that off with the constant urge to travel, and, you have one unhappy lady. The thing is, life doesn’t have to be like this. I know, I know it’s easy to say but, trust me, I’ve been there. When you are working on a low income the idea of jetting off for a few weeks, let alone a few months, seems like something that only happens in the movies. But fear not, there are some clever ways to travel when you're on a super tight budget.
1. Travel by bus
It may not sound very glamorous, but travelling by bus or coach is easy, cheap and a great way to meet other travellers. Starting close to home, Megabus is a great way to get out of the country on a very tight budget. Buses have been transporting travellers across the UK for as little one pound for a while, but the company has also recently opened up its routes to include a large number of European cities. This means that you can nab a one way ticket to Cologne for as little as 29 euros, or, venture to the city lights of Paris for 19 euros. Megabus also offers ongoing journeys like Munich to Salzburg from just 7 euros.
Now this option may sound daunting at first but it has been tried and tested by many travellers for many years. Couchsurfing is a fantastic website where you choose your destination and find a host. The company take the safety of customers and hosts very seriously and have fantastic feedback and verification policies. This form of accommodation is a fantastic way to really get to know a destination. For travel outside Europe, BusAbout offers a range of worldwide tours and passes. Hosts are usually fun, super friendly and informative, and the best is that is completely free!
If you prefer your own space, house-sitting is a great way to find free accommodation. There are a number of websites which advertise house-sitting vacancies across the globe. The idea is that someone goes away on holiday and you stay in their house to keep it clean and safe. It’s also an ideal way to save on restaurants and eating out. Mind My House is a great way to find home sitting vacancies. As with most house-sitting sites, there is a small fee of $20 per year but when it comes to finding free accommodation, it is certainly worth paying. For opportunities in America and Australia, HouseCarers is another good option.
Being a mom is a full time job. You're on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the work — though fulfilling — never ends. But what happens when you don't have (or want) the luxury of not working outside the home? Luckily, there are some career paths besides the traditional 9 to 5 that enable you to earn some cash.
Being a working mom isn't easy, but with the right job and an accommodating schedule, it can be rewarding. That's not to say that most of these jobs don't require a ton of time and effort, they just have the benefit of setting a schedule in which you can be available for work and your kids.
Here are 15 incredibly flexible jobs for moms who want/need to work.
1. Realtor or appraiser
Real estate agents set their own schedule but typically must be available on nights and weekends. This is ideal for women who have husbands who work 9 to 5 and do not want their children in day care. An appraiser determines the value of a property based on comparisons of similar homes and an evaluation of the property itself. Though both jobs require certifications, both are extremely flexible and offer competitive pay and benefits.
2. Financial planner
Accounting is all about the numbers; financial planning is more about the people. Help prepare people for their future by becoming a financial planner. You’ll be the one providing options for your clients — including saving for college, planning for retirement, preparing for unexpected expenses and more. Financial planners need to be detail oriented and passionate about both people and money. Like accounting, you can work for yourself, work part time, freelance or work at a bank or other financial institution.
3. Interior designer
Have a passion for all things design and decor? If so, interior design may be for you. While education and training are preferred, they're not necessarily requirements. Build your base clientele through family, friends and cheap advertising (think Craigslist or posting flyers). Start with low rates, and once you start gaining clients, you can decide whether or not to charge more.
4. Accountant
Ideally, you’ll need to have at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting but can always start out as an assistant to someone first. A career in accounting is one of the most-stable careers you can have — which is a top consideration for working moms. With accounting, you can work for yourself (for example, preparing clients' taxes), work for a company, freelance or work part time.
5. Hair dresser or makeup artist
Since beauty likely won’t ever disappear, there’s always going to be a need for beauticians (hair dressers, makeup artists, aestheticians and more). Beauticians can work from home, work out of a salon, take time off when needed, set their own hours and work as much or as little as they’d like. They can also specialize in weddings or other formal events, which typically pay higher rates than strictly working out of a salon.
6. Server
Maybe you’re looking to get out of the house for a bit and earn some extra cash. If so, consider being a waitress or bartender. Both make money instantly in tips, and the pay is significantly higher than minimum wage. Also, most restaurants are always in need of weekend servers, so you can plan on being home with your family during the week and picking up shifts on the weekends.
There are all different types of nurses — from Certified Nursing Assistants (which require one semester-long course) to Registered Nurses (minimum two-year program) to Nurse Practitioners (the most-highly educated of those in nursing). Whichever type you choose, you can work in a hospital or in a doctor’s office, in a nursing home or providing in-house care, day shifts or night shifts, and so on and so forth. The options and the flexibility are endless.
Originally published January 2014. Updated November 2016.
{pageBreak}
8. Retail associate
Maybe, as a mom, you just need to get out of the house for a few hours per week. Sometimes, a short break every now and then is just what we need to parent to the best of our abilities. If this is you, consider getting a part-time job in retail. You can work for a small candle shop, a jewelry counter in your favorite department store or at a local coffee shop, for example. Though the pay isn’t necessarily the best, the flexibility and the time away from home may be priceless.
9. Fitness instructor
If working out is one of your top priorities, consider becoming a fitness instructor. You can teach as little as one class per week or become certified in a specialized field, such as Pilates, and teach private lessons along with group classes. Group instructors can average $20 per hour, and private instructors can charge significantly more per hour depending on credentials, location and types of clients.
10. Small business owner
Are you crafty and have a passion for baking, making jewelry, or blogging? Zone in on your talents, and open up your own small business out of the comfort of your own home. Etsy, for instance, lets you create your own little handmade shop on the worldwide web. You can also sell your services via a personal website, advertising and referrals.
11. Librarian
Librarians can work in schools, libraries, museums, law firms, non-profit organizations and more. They’re meticulous, detail oriented and extremely organized. Librarians can work either full or part time, and some even have the option to telecommute. Full-time librarians typically make more than $50,000 per year.
12. Teacher
Teachers have the exact same schedule as their kids. Need we say more? You’ll have all the same holidays, breaks and half days that your kids have. For an even more flexible schedule, consider becoming a substitute teacher. Click here for requirements by state.
13. Dental hygienist
Median salary for dental hygienists is nearly $70,000 per year, and most work part time. You will need an associate’s degree in dental hygiene, at a minimum. Though you can’t expect to "move up" in this field, flexibility is high and job satisfaction is average.
If you’re at home with your own kids all day (and love it), consider being a nanny for someone else’s kids or starting your own at-home day care. Both options allow you to stay with your own children and bring in some additional income as well.
15. Freelancer
Freelancing goes beyond writing or editing, which are what most people think of when they hear the word "freelance." Freelancing is simply working for a company without a long-term commitment. Basically, you work as an independent contractor, usually from the comfort of your own home. You may work as a secretary, be hired on temporarily to complete a project, assist in grant writing or bookkeeping, and more. While it isn’t the most stable of jobs, it is one of the most flexible, and top freelancers earn well over $100,000 per year.
Update: Nov. 28 at 12:45 p.m. PT: Anthony Michael Hall has been charged with felony battery with serious bodily injury and could face up to seven years in prison, according to TMZ. There is no arraignment date set at this time.
Original article:
For a guy who got famous in the '80s for playing the skinny high school nerd who got bullied, Anthony Michael Hall is certainly carving out a completely different reputation for himself as an adult.
Hall, who most recently has been seen on shows like Murder in the First and Rosewood, allegedly roughed up a neighbor in an altercation at his Los Angeles condo complex — and the assault was all captured on security footage obtained by the all-knowing TMZ.
In the grainy footage, you can see the man alleged to be Hall angrily pace back and forth before approaching the victim and violently shoving the man into the bushes. TMZ reports that the man was injured pretty badly and suffered a broken wrist and hurt back.
The neighbor apparently called 911 and told police that Hall flew off the handle because the condo gate had been left open. The neighbor also said that Hall yelled at him to close the gate, but slammed it shut himself and then went ballistic.
Anthony Michael Hall assault video
Anthony Michael Hall assault video
But before we jump to conclusions here, it's important to note that the video is completely blurry and the man alleged to be Hall is so far away that it's impossible to tell if it's really him. The whole meltdown tale could just be some salacious celebrity gossip being peddled for a good story.
Then again, this doesn't seem to be the first time Hall has flown off the handle on someone. TMZ ran another article in 2011 after Hall was arrested for terrorizing his fellow condo residents and harassing people for no apparent reason.
"I have considered buying a gun to stay safe from Hall... he's the scariest person I've ever encountered in my life," one neighbor told TMZ at the time.
The holidays are always a busy and exciting time, but if you're expecting a new baby in December the busyness and excitement multiplies by about a million.
Fortunately, naming a Christmas baby girl is a fun task because of all of the seasonal inspiration you have to pull from. With exotic names that hold special Christmas meaning and spiritually themed monikers at your fingertips, shortening your list of what to name your new addition becomes a little bit easier.
Here's a look at some names for little girls that capture the true meaning of the season. Christmas baby girl names are as merry and beautiful as the season itself.
You can also find some wonderful classic names from some of our favorite classic Christmas movies.
Judy and Betty were the name of the sisters in the 1954 classic movie, White Christmas. Donna Reed played the title role of Mary Hatch in the classic It's a Wonderful Life. Miracle on 34th Street had Maureen O'Hara playing Doris Walker and the talented Natalie Wood playing Susan Walker.
Over the past five years or so, a huge trend that has stood out on the Social Security Administration's annual list of top baby girl names has been adorable destination or city monikers — like London, Alexandria and Paris.
But why a city name?
Some parents name their baby after a city, state or country because it was a place they visited during their honeymoon, anniversary or other special trip. Some places have a historical or family tie that they want to acknowledge. Other parents admit that this special place is where the baby was actually conceived or maybe even born.
Whether you are looking to name your baby girl after a memorable city or are just looking for a unique name, check out our pick of the top destination names or city baby names for girls.
The holidays are an incredible time of year in my family. We talk about what we’re grateful to have shared in the past 12 months, and we do things as a family. This year, I plan to have my kids much more involved in the cooking of our family meals.
Now that I’ve hosted a series of specials for Food Network (including Christmas Cookie Challenge, premiering on November 28, and Kids Sweets Showdown, premiering November 30), I've come to understand how much our kids are capable of doing in the kitchen and how meaningful it is for them to share the preparation process.
Whether it’s learning to prep food or being in charge of one component of a dish, my kids are starting to spend more time in the kitchen with me, and they’re taking great pride in what they contribute to our family dinners. I'm hoping to share our traditional holiday recipes this year, so they can perfect them and continue the traditions for future generations.
Initially, I had my kids really help with baking because I knew they’d be delighted to lick the spoon after making the cookies, and to eat the dessert once it was ready. While they definitely appreciate the baked goods, I’ve found they also really love making a dinner for us, or at least contributing to the meal.
I’ve also realized that since they’ve started spending more time in the kitchen with me, they’re less demanding with what they want for dinner. They realize why I’ve always refused to make a different dish for each of them.
If you’re like me and reluctant to have your kids use knives, here are some easy ways to have them help without worrying about them losing a finger:
Prep the food.
Everything from washing to measuring can be done by our kids, and they learn how much goes into the meal from its inception.
Make the side dishes.
From a salad to vegetables, kids are able to get the sides ready before graduating to the main dish.
Learn how to garnish dishes!
I’ve found that my kids love certain garnishes (cilantro) but not others (spices), so they’re able to garnish a dish to meet their palate—and then add other components to Dave's plate and my plate to meet our tastes.
Plate the food.
Knowing proper portions is always a good idea, and by plating the food, kids are proud of the final product we put on the table.
Many children who were not raised in a Jewish household are familiar with the word Hanukkah, but most don't fully grasp what the holiday means.
Because it frequently falls in December near the dates of the Christian Christmas celebration — and may involve the exchange of gifts — Hankukkah is very often referred to as the "Jewish Christmas." However, the truth is that the Jewish celebration isn't really like Christmas at all.
But the tradition does have an extremely rich history that is important to teach your kids. Here are some basic facts about this Jewish holiday that will help children get a strong grasp on what it's all about.
The history of Hannukah predates Christmas. Antiochus, the Greek king of Syria, outlawed Jewish rituals and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. Most Jews were angry and decided to fight back. In 165 B.C.E, the Jewish Maccabees managed to drive the Syrian army out of Jerusalem and reclaim their temple. Hanukkah is the celebration of this victory. In history, Hanukkah has been a minor holiday, only gaining in popularity since the late 1800s. In Hebrew, the word "Hanukkah" means "dedication."
2. Spelling of Hanukkah
The guttural sound of the Hebrew letters cannot be duplicated by the English alphabet. For this reason, there are many spellings of this holiday in English and all are correct.
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th in the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. Since the Hebrew calendar is lunar rather than solar, Hanukkah falls on a different day each year, anywhere from November to early January on the standard calendar.
4. Meaning of the menorah
The Maccabees wanted to rededicate their temple by lighting the "eternal flame," but they only had enough consecrated oil to burn for one day. Miraculously, that little bit of oil lasted for eight days until more purified oil could be found. Today, Jewish families light candles or burn oil in a candelabra called a menorah for the eight days of Hanukkah, adding one candle each day. The special helper candle used to light the rest of the candles each night is called the Shamash. On the first night, the Shamash plus one other candle are lit. On the second night, the Shamash plus two candles are lit. This process is continued on through the eight nights. The eight-day lighting of the candles commemorates the eight-day miracle of the oil.
As part of the celebration, children received "gelt" (Yiddish term for "money") during each of the eight days in order for them to learn about charity. More recently, the tradition of children receiving a small gift each of the eight nights has become more popular. This gift giving is frequently associated with the Christian Christmas tradition of gift giving.
6. Dreidels
During Hanukkah, Jewish children enjoying playing with a toy called a dreidel, which is similar to a top. The dreidel has four sides and features the Hebrew letters nun, gimel, hei and shin. These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham," "A great miracle happened there." The game is played with candy. The player who has all the candy in the end is the winner.
7. Hanukkah foods
Fried foods are traditional during Hanukkah in remembrance of the sacred oil. Popular fried foods are latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (sweet jelly-filled doughnuts).
8. Family celebration
As in many other celebrations of many other cultures, Hanukkah is about family. It's a joyous time of year when those you love gather together to share food, blessings and music, as the traditions are passed on through the ages.
Well, probably — at least, eventually. But fans of Jill Dillard want her to pop out another one ASAP, which means they're starting the pregnancy rumor mill up again.
The Duggar family posted a collection of Thanksgiving photos to its Facebook page, including a side shot of Jill and her husband, Derrick Dillard. In the photo, Jill is wearing a long-sleeved shirt over a dress, and the layers are a little wrinkled around her belly.
Followers immediately took to the comments to speculate that the bunched-up fabric was caused by a bun in the oven.
"Oh snap it looks like a tiny belly there how adorable," one fan wrote. Another chimed in, "She's been hiding a bump you could tell at Jingers wedding!"
Other fans were more restrained, saying it could be a food baby, or even leftover baby weight from Jill's first pregnancy.
"Man it's hard to be a woman in today's society. You either look pregnant (aka you look fat), and you aren't. Or you are and you can't announce it when you're ready," one wrote. Another added, "Jill is not big, though some people could be right that she is pregnant. If she is I'm sure they will let us know as soon as it is past the safe period. If not if could be just food a lot of people get a little bloated after eating. Either way she is a healthy weight."
Rosie O’Donnell says her suggestion that Barron Trump is autistic was not meant to cause harm.
“I tweeted from my heart,” she wrote
Rosie O'Donald Tweet abou Barron Trump
Rosie O'Donald Tweet abou Barron Trump
It all started last week, when Rosie O’Donnell posited a question about Barron Trump on her Twitter account. “Barron Trump Autistic? if so - what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the AUTISM epidemic,” she wrote, posting a YouTube video created earlier this month that combined footage with speculation about 10-year-old Barron’s anti-social behavior. And though O’Donnell quickly faced criticism for posting the video, she followed up on her website with a strange little poem of sorts, saying that she only posted it because her own daughter was diagnosed with high-functioning autism earlier this year.
“My 3.5 yr old daughter dakota / was diagnosed in september / with HFA – high functioning autism,” she wrote. “I have been immersed in that world/reality since / learning – reading – asking questions / it’s all autism – all the time / for the newly diagnosed.” She went on to explain that her post was meant to be inclusive, as she and her family have been looking for “the knowledge we r not alone / there r others living this too.”
Thing is, O’Donnell and Barron Trump’s father — Donald Trump, you may have heard of him — have a famous and longstanding feud that goes all the way back to 2006, so anything O’Donnell could possibly tweet about the Trumps is sure to be misconstrued. Among many other barbs, she’s called him an “orange anus,” and he actually stooped so low as to acknowledge — during a debate — that though he has “said very tough things to her,” he believes it was appropriate. “I think everybody would agree that she deserves it, and nobody feels sorry for her,” he said in September.
It’s hard to say what O’Donnell’s real intention was in this situation, but one thing is for sure. We could all stand to be more supportive of those who have been diagnosed with autism, and the parents and families of those individuals. Head over to the Autism Society or Autism Speaks to make a tax-deductible donation to benefit autism research, education and outreach — and let the celebs battle it out amongst themselves.
There have been many times in my life where I've been lying on the ground, cuddling with a creature that licks its butt, rolls in unspeakable things, and whose breath could level a small city, while non-dog people stare on in horror. I stand up, covered in hair, smelling like dog spit, and grinning without a care, because I'll probably always prefer them to most other humans.
The fact is it hardly matters how weird or disgusting our pets are, we're still going to love them. Though after hearing from our Community about their gross pet stories, let's just say, some of these pets raise even our eyebrows.
The Poop
I was on an early morning hike with my dog and his best doggy friend, a yellow lab, who I was dog sitting. My bowel movements are pretty predictable, and I knew I would likely have to go while on the hike, so I packed some wipes, and off I went. Sure enough, about 40 minutes into the hike, I stepped off the side of the trail, and did my business behind a bush. As I was stepping out, I saw my dog about 20 feet ahead, sniffing around. I didn't see his best buddy. I looked around, in mild alarm, when I heard something behind me. I turned around, and to my absolute horror, she was in the midst of eating my fresh, still steaming, poo. Gross as fuck. – Kristin Urban Dawn Watson
When my cat is mad at me she poops in the middle of the floor, regardless of if her litter box is spotless. She's 9. This has been happening for a majority of her life. – Emmy Boyd
One of my old cats liked to step in the litter box, but poop outside of it. – Corri Michelle Smith
We have two new kittens (just coming up on 16 weeks old) and they love to share the litter box first thing in the morning. One will stand and basically sniff the other one's butt as they're pooping and it only narrowly misses landing on their head. It's repulsive but I guess that's kitty love. – Holly Whitman
{pageBreak}
The Pee
My cat peed in the laundry basket once – when there were still sheets in it. – Eric Camarillo
We had a deeply troubled cat who would eliminate right on the bed on the regular, and no, she did not have a UTI. She was adopted and must have suffered some trauma as a kitten. Anyway, we would cover the bed with wooden boards the minute we got up every morning. So then she found a way to sneak into our neighbor's apartment and she started eliminating there. Man, that was an angry cat. – Adriana Velez, SheKnows Food Editor
The Vomit
Once when I was dog sitting all six of my neighbors dogs got into the dog vitamins and ate an entire gallon bucket of them. Then proceeded to COVER every square inch of the kitchen floor with vomit. (The vet assured me they’d be fine so it was a happy ending). – Sarah Krenicki
My dog likes to vomit, and then eat it. Every time. Without fail. – Corri Michelle Smith
My dog does the same thing every time he throws up. He begins to gag really heavily like two or three times and he always, ALWAYS runs up to me as the gagging is happening like "MOM PLEASE MAKE IT STOP." I'm his go-to. Once I was playing with him on the floor and he stopped suddenly, began gagging, and I just knew it was coming. So as he gagged for the last time, I don't know what made me do it but I just thrust my cupped hands right in front of him and he threw up IN MY HANDS. At first I was like YES! No vomit on the carpet! But then my boyfriend looked at me completely shocked, like what did you just do? And there I was, sitting on the floor with cupped hands full of vomit. I started shrieking WHAT DO I DO NOW?!?! I got up and ran to the toilet to dump it in and then washed my hands like 12 times. – Kirstie Renae
Our washing machine used to drain into the back yard. One day my dog decided to drink a crap-ton of the grey water and then vomit it up all over the house floor. The good news: It was a lesson she only had to learn once. – Colleen Stinchcombe, SheKnows Community Editor
{pageBreak}
The Creepy
My cat Oliver used to sleep stretched across my forehead/eyes like a sleep mask. – Hope Racine
My mom's cat dropped a dead mouse on her pillow in the middle of the night. It was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. – Sarah Krenicki
I am not kidding. i had a cat who had babies and she wanted me to hold her during it, and she expelled her afterbirth in my lap. – Mary Fleming
I had a male dog with a condition called paraphimosis where his ... um, privates would come out but not go back in on its own. So I had to use KY jelly to lube him up and put it back in for him. My current dog also apparently ate one of my panty liners. I found out when she went outside to poop and the panty liner came halfway out and got stuck. I had to put on a rubber glove and pull it out of her butt. – Crystal Brown, SheKnows Director, Editorial Operations
One of my cats likes to curl up on the pillow next to me and purr in my ear, which I love. Except when he drools into my ear. And the one time he barfed on the pillow and in my hair (only not in my ear because I moved at the last minute). – Julie Ross Godar, SheKnows Executive Editorial Director
As my dog has gotten older (he's technically a senior dog but with plenty of years ahead and spring left in his step, thank goodness), I've become acutely aware of his sensitive stomach. I've done my due diligence in changing his dog food to one that suits him perfectly, but after two bouts of sleepless nights and trips to the doggie ER for what was only a snack, I realized that even those little tiny pre-packaged treats might not do the trick for him anymore.
My dog is one helluva trooper, I tell ya. He was a tick-infested sickly thing found wandering a mountain in Korea when he somehow made his way to us. He's had surgeries on his back and mouth (and now proudly wears the nickname of My Little Jack-o-Lantern). And, of course, his sensitive stomach. Given that to work with, I willing to do everything in my power to keep him healthy and strong.
Image: Marie Rudolph
Sweet potato peanut butter dog biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats, blended into powder-like form
1 medium sweet potato, chopped and boiled
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (no sugar or oils added)
2 tsp baking powder
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until a rough dough forms. It should stick together but not stick to your hands.
Working in batches, roll out dough on a cutting board. No flouring of the board or rolling pin necessary with this recipe!
Use a bone-shaped cookie cutter and place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375F for a full 25-30 minutes until golden and crispy.
Let cool before storing. The key is to ensure that all moisture is removed so that they can keep for a few weeks.
Trust me, with this recipe you'll have one happy pup on your hands! And, not to be gross, but they are kinda tasty for humans too. Just make sure to call them "biscotti" and no one will know.
It's just a fact of life, if you have sensitive teeth, you may need to avoid eating foods that are extremely hot, cold or sugary — even during the holidays. We know what you're thinking. Why is the universe always against our taste buds, right?
And when you find yourself in an all-you-can-eat situation at holiday buffets, you enter risky territory to trigger the problem or make it worse. Thankfully, there's a way to combat sensitive teeth and it starts with eating less sugar (hey, I never said this was a win-win situation). You may not want to eliminate these foods and drinks from your holiday diet entirely — vices are vices for a reason — but if you can limit your intake when you hit the buffets, you'll be doing your teeth a solid.
1. Pies with fruit
This may be good news for anyone who loves pecan pie or pumpkin pie, but not so much for all the apple pie die-hards out there. As Finkel hinted at, the sugar in pie (including pumpkin and pecan) will contribute to sensitive teeth, but fruit pies are a double whammy since fruit itself contains so much sugar. When you must indulge, at least avoid the pies filled with fruit.
2. The scoop of ice cream on pie
Ice cream also gets two strikes. It's loaded with sugar which can lead to tooth decay — strike one. It's cold which triggers pain in sensitive teeth — strike two. Eating too much ice cream both causes the problem and triggers the side effects.
3. No wine with your cheese (sorry!)
Realistically, most people won't totally deprive themselves of good wine during the holidays. Whether you love your family or they drive you bonkers, drinking is usually a key part of the equation this time of year. Just remember, wine equals sugar, so the less you drink, the less likely you are to trigger tooth sensitivity. Plus, wine tends to stain your teeth — just another reason to avoid it, unless you want purple teeth in every one of your holiday pictures.
On the bright side, cheese contains a protein that helps strengthen your teeth. Maybe, just maybe, you can break even with a plate of cheese and a glass of wine at your holiday party (or at least pretend?).
Eggnog is one of those drinks people either hate with a passion or love to death. If you're someone who loves it, your dentist probably hates that you love it and you can probably guess why: the insane amount of sugar. Sigh.
5. Vinaigrette salad dressings
If you can manage to make room for salad after filling up on turkey, ham, stuffing and other holiday sides, more power to you. But, according to Finkel, if that salad is doused in a vinaigrette dressing, your teeth won't be feeling so victorious. There's more sugar in those dressings that you might think, and the sweeter they are, the more they will hurt.
Just as cold foods like ice cream will make you wince, eating hot foods is no walk in the park when you have sensitive teeth. This includes soups, mashed potatoes, gravy and piping hot hors d'oeuvres. In most cases, you can avoid doing causing pain from sensitive teeth simply by being patient when food is still steaming. Though, your sense of smell may prove this difficult.
All in all, don't feel bad about sipping wine and enjoying your favorite holiday foods. Just remember the motto "everything in moderation" and your teeth will be grateful. And if you do indulge, be sure to follow up by brushing your teeth using a gentle whitening toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth..
This post was sponsored by Sensodyne® True White®.
Blindsided. Chris Hammons never saw it coming when his pal Zeke betrayed him on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X. In our one-on-one conversation with Chris, he explains why he targeted Jessica so hard, reveals how his family reacted to his elimination and discusses the disgusting way he applied to be on the show.
SheKnows: What was the conversation like around your dinner table on Thanksgiving after your blindside?
Chris Hammons: My father-in-law was angry at Dave, Jess and Zeke. Everybody was really angry at Zeke for flipping on me. My kids were wanting to invite him into town so they could beat him up. [Laughs]
SK: So was your elimination a true blindside? When did you realize you were getting voted off?
CH: The first Chris vote I knew it. I was like, "There's no chance these people were gonna go against me unless they had it." They weren't gonna throw out four votes to whatever. They either had it or wouldn't write my name down. I hadn't even had my name written down at that point. As soon as I saw "Chris," I knew I was history.
Image: CBS
SK: Looking back, what move would you make differently?
CH: I would vote Dave off at the swap instead of CeCe. That would've eliminated the relationship with Zeke and eliminated Dave's Idol. Zeke would've said, "OK. Now I have to work with Chris going forward until we get Ken and Jess out of the game."
SK: When you watch the game unfold, do you respect the way somebody like David plays?
CH: Absolutely. I think Dave is playing one of the best Survivor games that has been played in a long time. He's been a really fantastic player.
SK: Is there anybody you would say does not deserve to win the $1 million based on how they're playing?
CH: I'd hate to give away too much, but I'd say there's a lot of people I wouldn't give the $1 million to. [Laughs] There's a lot of people I don't think deserve the money.
Image: CBS
SK: You were targeting Jessica for a while. What was it about her that created such a rivalry between the two of you?
CH: It originates with the Paul vote. It was way too early to be making a move. It was almost like she just made the move to make a move. All she did was splinter a Gen-X tribe that was already splintering. The next vote is when we had a supermajority, including Ken, to vote Jess off because she made that turmoil in the tribe. Then Dave played his Idol for Jess, and it just seemed to destroy any hope of any kind of working together between all of us. Moving forward, I felt like she was too much of a threat with the hub she had. She had Adam, Ken and Dave. Dave was calling the shots, but she was the glue that held those people together. I felt if she was eliminated that those people would just be free agents for us to pick up.
SK: So when you got to sit there and watch Jessica's dramatic rock-drawing elimination, did you enjoy it? Did you feel bad for her?
CH: I did not have the same reaction that a lot of people did. I do not feel bad for her. It wasn't because I took too much joy in the fact she was leaving, because I just left and I knew what it felt like. I would rather going out drawing rocks. That's saying something. It's like, "Hey, I'm choosing a side. I'm doing this on my own free will." It's a lot better than getting backstabbed by your buddy, Zeke. I would have much rather gone out in an epic Tribal drawing rocks than getting blindsided the day before like a buffoon.
Image: CBS
SK: Watching Jessica's elimination was crazy from my living room. What was it like actually being there to see it in person?
CH: It was fantastic just watching the arguments back and forth between Dave and Zeke. Bret started chiming in and he was fantastic in his remarks. He added a whole spice to it. Then the vote. And a re-vote. Dave playing an Idol. Having a front-row seat as all that unfolded is just great as a Survivor fan.
Image: CBS
SK: Have you and Jessica made any connections since the game wrapped? Is the rivalry dead?
CH: I think so, for the most part. I'm not as close to Jess as I am a lot of the other contestants. I don't know how she feels. She may still hold some sort of grudge against me. I don't know. I don't really think about it that much. I'm not as close to her as I am with others, but I'm certainly communicating with her. She hasn't ever said a bad word to me.
Image: CBS
SK: Having been blindsided by him, what's your take on Zeke now?
CH: I think he's super-smart. He just got too aggressive too early. I think it was a huge mistake voting me out. He talked in the episode about gathering his soldiers for the war against Dave — well I would've been a pretty good soldier. I think he wanted to be the general. We could've been a co-general together over that little army. We would have been really hard to beat at that point. By eliminating me, he eliminated a human shield, so to speak. I think it's a huge mistake on his part, but he's definitely playing the game hard.
Image: CBS
SK: What was your end-game strategy? Who did you want to take to the end and why?
CH: Sunday. Not because she's a bad player. She had decision-making in a lot of stuff, but I think it would've been perceived that I drug her along and she just rode my coattails. Adam, I felt like, was a little bit floundering around and clinging to Dave's group. He wouldn't have as much of a résumé at the time to go against me. Then there's Hannah, who was just so goofy and all over the place. She really hadn't done a whole lot at that point except listen to Zeke. She was kind of wishy-washy in her votes.
Image: CBS
SK: Bret came out of the closet to Zeke as the two shared a one-on-one conversation. Did Bret ever share that information with you?
CH: It was a secret. From what I know, he only came out to Zeke. I think it was an effort to solidify something with Zeke since I was gone. He had no choice but to pick a side. He picked Zeke's side. That would be a heck of a thing for two gay guys to bond over — him coming out on the show to Zeke. I think something he felt like was in his best interest.
Image: CBS
SK: When did you find out?
CH: After the show. Bret and I were buddies and really close, so he of course told me after the show.
SK: How did you get on Survivor?
CH: I kept trying and applying. I guess after 30-something seasons, I became interesting or fit a niche. My application video was pretty wild too. I ate a piece of dog crap to get on the show. I think it's pretty wild and it may have gotten my foot in the door a little bit.
Image: CBS
SK: Wait. You actually ate dog poop thinking it would get you on the show?
CH: I ate a piece of my dog's shit. Then I looked at the camera and said, "I just ate shit to be on Survivor." It was disgusting. There was a little more to it. It was like, "Hey, I'm a lawyer. My name is Chris. Let's eat some dog shit." [Laughs] I told a little bit about myself, but enough for them to know who I was. That was the hook.
Image: CBS
SK: Where did you come up with the idea to eat dog poop?
CH: It was my father-in-law. [Laughs] He gave me the idea years ago. He was making fun of me, saying, "The only way you're getting on that damn show is to go out there and eat a piece of Jake's shit." All these years later, I was like, "I've tried everything else. Why don't we just do it?" So I did it. [Laughs]
Image: CBS
What's the craziest thing you would do to get on Survivor? Join the conversation by leaving a comment in the section below.
HBO's Westworld is the talk of the television world right now thanks to its twisting and turning storyline and oh-so-clever plot points, but it turns out it affected star Evan Rachel Wood in a much deeper way.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Wood admitted that the show helped her move on from her past sexual abuse.
"I’ve been raped. By a significant other while we were together. And on a separate occasion, by the owner of a bar..." Wood revealed. "I don’t believe we live in a time where people can stay silent any longer. Not given the state our world is in with its blatant bigotry and sexism."
Wood said that it was thanks to her role as Dolores in Westworld that she was finally able to make peace with her assault. In the show, Dolores is a host who is used by men repeatedly.
"I mean, your demons never fully leave," Wood explained. "But when you’re using them to create something else, it almost gives them a purpose and feels like none of it was in vain. I think that’s how I make peace with it. Westworld? Good God. I left so much in that first season and never looked back."
Wood links her assault to the fact that she is gender fluid. She came out as bisexual in 2011.
"It was always talked about like a phase or something stupid, or something you were doing for attention. You know, bisexuality is worthy of eye rolls," Wood explained. "I think I was taken advantage of because someone knew there was something about me that they could exploit."
Wood hopes that by speaking out she can help end the shame some feel as they explore their sexuality.
Following her interview with Rolling Stone, Wood also released a letter via Twitter, in which she expanded on the points she discussed in the interview.
Evan Rachel Wood Rolling stone letter
Evan Rachel Wood Rolling stone letter
Wood isn't the only one who found herself liberated by Westworld. Her co-star Thandie Newton has also been outspoken about how the show helped her become comfortable in her skin.
Are you surprised Westworld hit so close to home for so many of its leading ladies?
Image: AMC
