You don't have to be sushi lover to like this sushi. Cucumber serves as the seaweed wrapping, and instead of fish, they're packed with delicious turkey. Yum!
Turkey sushi rollups recipe
Ingredients:
Cucumber
HORMEL® NATURAL CHOICE® Oven Roasted Deli Turkey
Sliced Muenster cheese
Tomato, chopped
Carrot, shredded
Dipping sauce of your choice (we used ginger vinaigrette)
Toothpicks
Directions:
Slice cucumber lengthwise on mandolin
Lay enough slices side-by-side and slightly overlapping to match the length of the turkey on plastic wrap.
Place 2 slices of turkey over the cucumber.
Top with one cheese slice.
Overlap the tomatoes and carrots along one side (where the ends of the cucumber are).
Jay-Z's next album, 4:44, already out, and there's been immediate speculation about his songs. What certain lines means, whether they reference infamous lines in Lemonade, what they say about the state of Jay-Z's life these days, and so forth. It's a natural reaction to a man who is as elusive as his wife about his personal life, despite the wild rumors that are said about him.
If ever there was a time to comment, even subtly and in a rap, about the harmful rumors that have gone around since Lemonade dropped, Jay-Z using 4:44 would be the time to do it. While he may be confirming the cheating rumors, he's not doing it in an outright fashion — although that hasn't made a lick of difference to fans whose minds are blown by the revelation.
Fans got their first hints about what each song means when Jay-Z took the time to give a summary of each song on the album. Each song feels deeply personal, as if he is in conflict with his inflated ego and his real self. He also appears to be rapping about his family life and the rap community as a whole. Oh, and don't even get me started on the song dedicated to the La La Land/Moonlight Oscars situations — interesting, but very unusual for Jay-Z.
Jay Z New Album Breakdown Tweet
Jay Z New Album Breakdown Tweet
The breakdowns of these songs merely open the door to deeper analysis. Refinery29 was quick to take note of those fans who were latching on with serious shock that Jay-Z was all but confirming that he cheated on Beyoncé by referencing one of her most famous Lemonade lyrics.
On Beyoncé's "Sorry," she makes a reference to "Becky with the good hair," which fans believe is the woman Jay-Z was with outside of his marriage. On Jay-Z's song "Family Feud," one line goes, "Let me alone Becky," which feels like a reference to the "Sorry" lyrics. It could be a throwaway line; then again, for Jay-Z to use that specific name in one of his own songs feels pretty damn significant.
Jay Z New Album Breakdown Tweet 2
Jay Z New Album Breakdown Tweet 2
On "Kill Jay-Z," he includes a comment about that infamous elevator fight with sister-in-law Solange Knowles on the song while reminding himself not to go "Eric Benet." He continues to rap, "You egged Solange on, knowing all along all you had to say you was wrong / You almost went Eric Benet, let the baddest girl in the world get away." The name "Eric Benet" is a reference to Halle Berry's ex-husband, Benet, who famously cheated on her (the couple was considered very much in love and a strong unit at the time the rumors surfaced, for what it's worth).
Is 4:44 a response to Lemonade? Is Jay-Z acknowledging the rumors or confirming them? Is Jay-Z perhaps apologizing for his actions, whatever they may be? Is this real life? Guys, I have so many questions.
There are certain memes that just never get old. These gems get used again and again, and the 15th time you send them is just as hilarious as the first.
These are the top 10 memes we just can't stop sharing right now.
1.Covfefe
The Donald has threatened to take away so much from this country — women's reproductive rights, LGBTQ freedoms, peace and even health care — but he has given us some glorious memes. That's something, right?
At 5 a.m. on May 31, Donald Trump posted what seemed to be a half-finished, typo-riddled, now-deleted tweet that said, in its entirety, "Despite the constant negative press covfefe"
No one knew what it meant, and it initially stayed up uncorrected for hours.
Twitter, predictably, had a field day.
Covfefe Meme
Covfefe Meme
Covfefe Meme2
Covfefe Meme2
Covfefe Meme3
Covfefe Meme3
Covfefe Meme4
Covfefe Meme4
But the best use of the covfefe meme was by our kween Hillary Clinton, who tweeted this amazing response to Trump's never-ending obsession with the election:
Covfefe Meme5
Covfefe Meme5
Uh-mazing.
2. Tiny Trump
These photo edits of a tiny Donald Trump are always too good not to share.
Tiny Trump is brilliant not only because of the absurdity of a tiny childlike figure being superimposed into intense government photo-ops, but also because Trump is so notoriously size-obsessed and thin-skinned that you just know these drive him insane.
Tiny trump meme
Tiny trump meme
Tiny trump meme2
Tiny trump meme2
Tiny trump meme3
Tiny trump meme3
3. Math lady
This meme is a favorite to pull out when responding to overcomplicated situations that you don't even want to begin pondering because you know you'll fall down a three-hour rabbit hole of overthinking.
Math lady meme
Math lady meme
Math lady meme3
Math lady meme3
The meme even went meta on itself, with one user using the math lady meme to explain the complex process of Googling random phrases to find the math lady meme. It's meme-ception!
Math lady meme2
Math lady meme2
4. Confused Nick Young
Featuring a screenshot of NBA player Nick Young taken from an episode of Through the Lens, this meme is perfect for expressing abject bewilderment.
Confused Nick Young meme3
Confused Nick Young meme3
If you've ever asked yourself, "What is even happening right now?" this is the meme to use.
Confused Nick Young meme
Confused Nick Young meme
Confused Nick Young meme4
Confused Nick Young meme4
Confused Nick Young meme2
Confused Nick Young meme2
5. Sad Kermit
So sad, so relatable. There are several iterations of this meme, but in each and every one, sad Kermit is all of us.
Each May. Every May. This never, ever gets old. Taken from his 2000 hit single "It's Gonna Be Me," with 'NSYNC, the signature line was delivered with a peculiar intonation, one that made it sound like Timberlake was saying "May" instead of "me."
Thus, a meme was born.
It's gonna be may meme
It's gonna be may meme
It is established meme tradition to share Timberlake and his bold, ramen-haired proclamation every April 30. Do it. You'll never regret it.
7. Marion Kelly
You might know her as the BBC interview kid or maybe you just recognize her by her trademark yellow cardigan and pink glasses. But the moment she strutted through the door and gloriously disrupted her father's BBC interview, Marion Kelly became #LifeGoals for all of us, not to mention a fantastic meme.
This magnificent woman personifies my reaction to every bizarre client request, every butt joke my daughter tells and every dude on Tinder who thinks it's a compliment to tell me I'm "hot... for a mom'.
That's right, all of that, summed up in one glorious picture. One perfect reaction:
Wat lady meme
Wat lady meme
It's honestly good for everything, no explanation required.
Say the words “preschool selection” to parents of young children and get ready for the war stories. Even if you don’t live in an area of competitive preschool admission, the transition into a non-parent-led environment is a big step. When I told my mother that I was writing about this, she instantly flashed back to the olden days, recounting her own struggles in finding complete information about what program would be best for me. “This was before the internet,” she told me (yes, I’m aware, Mom. Thanks.) “I had pages and pages of notes.” Then she and my dad decided to get out of New York City and she no longer needed her copious notes. Instead, she took her carefully compiled research and handed it all off to her mom group. “They were so excited!” my mom remembered happily. “All that information!”
We take a lot of that access for granted now, but the preschool-selection process can still be confusing and hard to navigate. There are passionate advocates for every early learning philosophy, so the most important thing is knowing your own child. What works beautifully for one kid may be a train wreck for another. Additionally, remember that what was a great fit for one may not work for the next. Siblings are individuals and often have entirely different sets of needs. With that in mind, here is a handy-dandy overview of some of the most popular approaches, outlining some of the differences in philosophies to help you in the decision-making process.
Bank Street/play-based
Most schools say that they apply to this philosophy — “play-based” is a common buzzword of the moment. Parents should ask for explanation of what this really means — such as use of social interaction and experiential learning — when gauging a school’s approach. Melissa Dutcher, director of Mount Vernon Weekday School in Alexandria, Virginia, says that parents are often unclear about what this kind of learning looks like; it should be process-oriented vs. product-oriented (creative vs. reproductive). “Let them make their own picture of what they see — their own princesses, their own pirates, whatever that might be,” she says.
This philosophy is as much about the parents as it is about the kids. Cooperative schools are parent-driven and typically have specific assigned responsibilities and expectations for involvement. The school depends on parents to assist within the school. Some may not depend on parents within the classroom, but instead assign responsibilities for grounds maintenance or other school-upkeep tasks. Dutcher taught in a school with this philosophy and saw some inconsistency, depending on who was in the room at any given time. She says that some parents like having a front-row view of what their child is experiencing and that some schools interview parents and children to ensure the best fit for their program.
Goddard
This is a full-day program as opposed to many others, which are part-time, and is a national franchised program (not nonprofit) accredited by individual states. This philosophy emphasizes individuality and according to the Goddard website uses a play-based approach that is student-focused and teacher-led. The website also highlights the schools’ focus on building social skills and academic growth.
Montessori
This approach is kid-driven; the true philosophy dictates completely child-led learning, so most apply the ideology with an understanding of teacher-directed balance. Therefore, most schools are more Montessori-influenced than purely applied. In the U.S., the Montessori approach is usually available only in early environments and some children may have difficulty later with the transition to a more structured environment.
Reggio Emilia
Child-focused and like Montessori in its belief that children are capable of self- direction and that curriculum should be adaptive to the students’ interests and needs, the Reggio Emilia philosophy focuses on bringing art and nature into instruction. It is centered on teaching children to understand their place in the world, particularly the natural world, which will in turn inspire them. Teachers are facilitators and mentors, but not leaders or planners — this comes from the kids. Playing and learning are entirely intertwined: no traditional “school” learning takes place.
This approach, based on Piaget’s theory of child development, depends heavily on imitation and experiential learning. Waldorf schools use a foundation of daily routine, structure and predictability. Dutcher says that many play-based programs, including hers, utilize aspects of this approach. Her experience is that parents often expect to see elements of this, such as a daily schedule.
The options are many and varied; don’t be afraid to ask questions about the different programs, of the schools themselves and of parents whose children are already enrolled. Some facilities may also allow for prospective-parent observation or even a trial “playdate” for potential students — it can’t hurt to find out. In the end, the school where you and your child are comfortable, regardless of the name or pedigree, is best.
The 63-year-old journalist broke the news herself on Thursday when she delivered a short-and-sweet but looming tweet to her more than one million Twitter followers.
Greta Out
Greta Out
According to The New York Times, Van Susteren’s agent and husband, John P. Coale, said that she was informed on Thursday that she would not be on that night’s broadcast. “They didn’t want her anymore,” said Coale in an interview. “We’re in kind of shock.” And anyone would be if they were let go from their work only hours before doing the job. Coale also said that there was “no warning” that she or her show was in trouble.
But it was. This news comes after a slew of tough ratings for Van Susteren in her new time slot. MSNBC’s 5 p.m. show, “MTP Daily,” averages up to 1.3 million viewers, but those numbers dropped during Van Susteren’s 6 p.m. hour, which is usually when most cable networks’ viewership numbers rise as they approach prime time. According to Nielsen, her show only averaged about 1 million viewers in June, which is an 18 percent drop from the previous hour. The network would regain viewership by 58 percent in the next hour during Chris Matthews’s “Hardball.”
The anchor was also let go from Fox News in April after 14 years with the conservative news outlet. It’s reported that a messenger arrived at her home and gave her two letters that said she was out effective immediately. Harsh. Though Thursday’s news is unfortunate, at least it was given to her in person by MSNBC’s president, Phil Griffin, according to Coale. Less harsh, but still harsh. She was told around lunchtime in Washington.
MSNBC wasted no time in finding a replacement. Ali Velshi, who already had a 3 p.m. slot Monday through Friday at the network, started the same day Van Susteren was let go. He tweeted this out at 4 p.m. Thursday:
Chobani basically turned yogurt into the hottest food around for a while thanks to its success at introducing thick, creamy Greek yogurt to America. At the time, it was a welcome antidote to all the thin, drippy, way-too-sweet yogurt on grocery store shelves, but in a totally puzzling new move, Chobani is now branching out into the aforementioned "classic" yogurt field.
Greek yogurt had a big boom after it first came out, and even the other major players on the yogurt scene like Yoplait and Dannon have had their own versions of the stuff. That caused sales of Greek yogurt to fall by 5 percent last year — but sales of classic yogurt have only fallen 2.8 percent. Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya thinks the discrepancy between the two exists because there have been too many copycats in the Greek yogurt field, and while people are still eating it, the numbers have leveled off.
His solution is Chobani Smooth, a low-fat line of yogurts that's much more similar in taste and texture to the kind you probably grew up eating.
One thing that might help sales of the new product is that it's going to be sold in Whole Foods. That's kind of puzzling in itself, as Whole Foods originally stopped selling Chobani in 2013, claiming it wanted something more unique... I guess a Chobani-branded regular yogurt fit the bill?
I'm not entirely sold on Chobani branching out into the boring, bland, basic yogurt market. Just like I always give the side-eye to Greek yogurt by brands that don't specialize in it, I'm also kind of leery of Chobani trying to do the opposite.
Then again, stranger things have happened. I once ate Activia, a yogurt that's claim to fame is to intentionally making you poop, so honestly, I have nothing left to lose.
Kim Kardashian’s broke the internet; Beyoncé’s known for hers; and J.Lo owns the original. We’re talking about butts that are — in Sir Mix-a-lot’s words — round and big. Curvy, perky backsides have hit an all-time high in the pop culture realm — and while trends that idealize one body shape over another should be pursued warily, if you are looking for a bigger, rounder butt fast, we’ve got just the ticket. Ahead, 11 glute-sculpting workout moves, solid nutrition advice and pro tips from industry-leading experts about healthy ways to build lean muscle and lift your derriere.
Add weight to your workout
If you want to build muscle, you need to load up on the weights at the gym, says celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser. “Glute isolations are fantastic, but they’re not going to give you a bigger butt — you definitely need to grab some weights,” she said. So, forget those bodyweight-only workouts.
Specifically, she suggests a weighted curtsy lunge as a great way to target all glute muscles. “Grab 8- to 15-pound dumbbells in each hand and really increase range of motion so that you’re bending your knees as far down as possible and straightening your legs as much as you can,” Kaiser recommends.
By now, we all know that fat doesn’t make you fat. Instead, the right kinds of fat actually deliver a host of health benefits and can help you sculpt a lean and lifted derriere. Nutritionist Lee Holmes explains: “Healthy sources of fat are essential for us to improve our weight, lower our disease risk and most importantly, get that butt nice and perky.” She suggests olive oil, nuts, nut butters and eggs. Eat up!
Balance your macronutrients
Macronutrients are the label experts give food groups like fat, protein and carbohydrates. And according to Kimberly Snyder, a nutritionist and New York Times best-selling author of the Beauty Detox series and Radical Beauty), striking a strategic balance between each is the key to a bigger butt.
Specifically, you should eat more omega-3-rich foods and cut back on anything brimming with omega-6. Look for hemp and other seeds, coconut oil and avocado — and avoid vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower and soybean oil.
“Most of us get way too many omega-6, which upsets our essential fatty acid ratio and can lead to inflammation and poor circulation, which overall can reduce oxygen and nutrients getting to the areas you want, including your glutes,” Snyder explains, adding that oxygen and nutrients can help you build a healthy and bigger butt.
Adjust your posture
Kardashian trainer Gunnar Peterson, who’s also worked with Jennifer Lopez, Ciara and Dakota Johnson, BTW) is the authority on butt-enhancing exercises, and he says that simply shifting your posture while squatting can make the movement way more effective. “Posture is important! If you pitch too far forward, you will feel your erector spinae [muscles of the lower back] more than your glutes. Foot position is something to pay attention to as well. Foot width as well as minor adjustments in the direction your toes are pointing will all contribute to getting the most glute bang for your buck,” he told us.
Focus on muscle engagement during your workout
Guilty of speeding through your squats to get it over with? Same. But according to personal trainer and Instagram sensation Anna Victoria, while that can help you burn more calories, it’s not going to get you a curvier booty.
“My biggest tip to women wanting to build a bigger, perkier butt is slow it down and focus on muscle engagement rather than speed. Doing as many squats as possible isn’t going to build your booty if you aren’t taking the time to pause, squeeze and engage your glutes,” she says.
Without focusing on engagement, you’re likely relying on leg muscles to do the work, while your glutes are inactive. Instead, Victoria suggests “slowing it down and really focus on relying on your glute muscles to bring you through the movement, pushing up through your heels and then squeezing for a full second at the peak of the movement.”
Image: StyleCaster
Get comfortable with eating a ton of nutritional yeast
Women generally try to keep yeast out of our bodies, but this deactivated strain, typically grown on cane or beet molasses under carefully controlled conditions, is great for post-workout snacking if you’re looking to build muscle.
“Nutritional yeast carries an impressive amount of protein — a whopping eight grams of protein in just 1.5 tablespoons to be exact! It is one of the richest plant sources of protein available,” Snyder says. And unlike nuts and seeds, which are mostly fat in their composition, nutritional yeast is low-fat and easily absorbed by the body after a workout. Try this Dharma’s kale salad after your next set of squats.
Do deadlifts every day
Why just deadlift when you can blend your deadlifts with a curtsy lunge and really target the muscles you need to build for a rounder booty?
“Try using 10 pounds in each hand and do a set of 20 on each side, a set of 10 on each side, and then a set of five on each side,” Kaiser suggests, adding: “You’re going to cross the right leg behind the left, and then bend both knees; hips should be facing front.”
Through this movement you should have your knees bent as low as possible, keeping the weights next to your side, one in each hand. Hinge at the waist until your back is flat. As you send your tailbone to the back of the room and keep your back flat, come back to standing. “You should keep the weight in your front heel so that you really target that supporting leg and glute,” Kaiser recommends.
Anabolic herbs are natural supplements known to increase free testosterone, and according to medicinal herbalist Daniela Turley will in theory have an anabolic effect, helping to build up muscle. “Herbs used for this include Avena Sativa [wild oat straw], which has been shown to bind to the globulin hormone, allowing more free testosterone.” It can also boost your sex drive, so look out for that pleasant side effect.
Try weighted glute bridges
Victoria’s favorite move for a bigger butt is weighted glute bridges. Why? Your lower body can handle way more weight than your upper body, so you can use a heavy barbell — she suggests at least 50 pounds — to work out your butt.
Victoria explains, “Start by placing your back on a bench with your feet supporting your body and the barbell across your hips. It’s best to use a barbell pad or even a yoga mat rolled up under the barbell during this exercise. Lower your hips and keep your head looking straight, fixated on a point on the wall in front of you. Once your hips are lowered close to the ground, push up through your heels, tilt your hips towards your belly button, and squeeze your glutes for one full second, then release and repeat the exercise.”
Don’t forget to exhale and contract your core as you push up through your heels. Do 15 reps with 50 pounds and repeat three times.
Image: StyleCaster
Do more hip thrusts
Hip thrusts, a movement that isolates, tones and builds your glutes, are Kardashian trainer Gunnar Peterson’s favorite butt exercise. He suggests starting with three sets of 10 and working your way up to four or give sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Make sure you push your heels and try to get your hips as high as possible while flexing the glutes.
Experts agree that eating a good source of protein within 45 minutes following your strength workout will help your muscles repair and grow (the key to a bigger backside). Try eggs, nuts, lean meat or a protein shake. “My favorite source right now is new Pure Protein Super Food plant-based powder because it’s delicious, non-GMO, no soy, no dairy and no artificial sweeteners. You get 20 grams of protein and less than 5 grams of sugar, and it’s as easy as mixing it with water or coconut water because it tastes amazing,” Kaiser suggests.
Nutritionist Kimberly Snyder adds that this only applies to more rigorous workouts. “We’re talking about workouts that are of medium to high intensity and last 30 to 45 minutes. Shorter or less vigorous workouts don’t require special post-workout nutrition emphasis,” she explains.
Happy anni-divorce-ary! Can you believe it’s already been five years since Katie Holmes divorced Tom Cruise? It deserves celebration, and who better to celebrate with than Jamie Foxx?
Holmes was recently photographed in Los Angeles interestingly close to her rumored beau, Jamie Foxx, just days before her 5-year anniversary of freedom. The actress was spotted heading into a parking garage at the Century City Mall while Foxx was seen outside the Century Plaza Hotel, which is located less than a mile away. Maybe they’re meeting in parking garages all over LA, Deep Throat-style? I’m into that possibility.
Holmes and Foxx have reportedly been seeing each other since 2013, when rumors first started flying around that the two were together. Those rumors haven’t quite stopped, but they have never been confirmed either. Only a few close sources have been able to verify some time the two A-listers have spent together, but everything is as tightly under wraps as possible.
Just last month, the two were reportedly on a Parisian getaway. “Jamie wrapped filming on Robin Hood and Katie flew in to Paris to meet him for a few days,” a source told E! News. “Tom Cruise was filming Mission Impossible 6 only a few blocks away, but Katie and Jamie stayed inside their hotel… And didn’t leave.” These steamy details are the reason I love this possible couple. The source continued by saying, “Jamie has a big smile on his face as they returned to their hotel and snuck in through a private entrance. They were very discrete and made sure to always enter and exit the hotel and the car separately.”
Didn’t anyone ever tell you guys? Secrets, secrets are no fun, unless you tell everyone!!!!!!
But in the meantime, congratulations are in order for Holmes’s five years of divorce from a confirmed freak. She’s onto bigger and better things in the form of actor-rapper-singer Jamie Foxx, and we couldn’t be happier for her.
When dealing with mental illness — either your own, or a loved one’s — you can feel pretty powerless. So many things are beyond your control. Even what most of society perceives as simple activities — like showering or socializing — can be a struggle.
Speaking up about your own mental health, as well as listening to others, is one way of reclaiming your own narrative and taking some control over your situation.
As someone who has discussed her mental health issues from a young age, actor and singer Demi Lovato knows this well. One of her most recent projects has been executive producing a documentary called Beyond Silence, in conjunction with Be Vocal — a partnership between leading mental health advocacy organizations and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals.
Available to stream for free on the Be Vocal website, Beyond Silence tells the story of three individuals — Lloyd, Lauren and Jeff — who each live with mental illness and how it affects their everyday lives. Using the power of storytelling and visuals, the documentary offers audiences a glimpse into what it means to live with mental illness, get the help you need and thrive.
Following a screening of the film at #BlogHer17, all three subjects of the documentary participated in a panel discussion on their involvement with the project and what they’re up to since production wrapped.
As someone living with schizophrenia, Lloyd shared his story as a father, certified peer specialist and the founder of RIDE 4 SPMI (serious and persistent mental illness). He told the audience that so often, when we talk about mental illness, we only focus on the drama, but “it’s so much bigger than that.”
Being a peer specialist allows Lloyd to use his experience to help others in his position. In order to qualify for the professional position in the state of South Carolina, a person must complete 52 hours of training and have a diagnosis of a mental health condition or a substance use condition and be living in recovery.
Lauren, who wasn’t diagnosed with bipolar II disorder until after she got her law degree and co-founded a nonprofit organization, wants audiences to know that “no matter what obstacles you have, you can overcome them.”
She said that she tries to be “vulnerageous” — vulnerable and courageous at the same time. “It’s really important for all of us that we make things more attainable for others. I think we do that by sharing the hard parts of ourselves also. The truth is we’re all struggling and celebrating something,” she added.
Now, Lauren is traveling around the country in a van giving free legal advice to immigrants and is in the process of starting an organization called The Possible Lab, which supports local entrepreneurs and people who want to start nonprofits.
In addition to the human panelists, Jeff brought his service dog Earl, whom he uses to cope with sometimes debilitating anxiety and depression. Inspired by how much Earl has helped him in his own recovery, Jeff founded an organization called Go Fetch Wellness, which pairs humans living with mental health issues with animals to assist them in their wellness journey.
For many people, getting a service dog is cost-prohibitive, he noted, so instead, Go Fetch Wellness helps pair people with the “right pet at the right time for the right reason” and eventually hopes to have dog wellness teams.
“We really want to spread this and be part of mainstream mental health treatment,” Jeff said. “Just like a specific medicine isn’t for everyone, neither is a dog.”
Each of the Beyond Silence subjects explained the importance of talking about mental illness to help yourself and others.
“Knowing there’s others out there and people who can support you is saving lives,” Jeff said. “I believe it’s one of the points of the film — to end stigma, not just reduce it.”
As flying gets less and less glamorous (and more and more stressful), we’ve learned to stop being surprised at how bad flight conditions have become. But it turns out that we hadn't hit rock bottom yet — that is, until this news: Budget airline VivaColombia is considering removing all seats from its planes, forcing passengers to stand.
Sure, you may have to stand on the subway or bus from time to time, which isn't exactly the safest situation, but at least it's usually fleeting and only happens when the vehicle's packed and all the seats are taken. But standing on purpose for the length of an entire flight without even the option to sit? Who the hell would be on board with that?
“There are people out there right now researching whether you can fly standing up — we’re very interested in anything that makes travel less expensive,” VivaColombia’s founder and CEO William Shaw told the Miami Herald. Oh, but he's not done. “Who cares if you don’t have an in-flight entertainment system for a one-hour flight? Who cares that there aren’t marble floors... or that you don’t get free peanuts?”
Er — did he really just compare not having HBO on demand with not having a place to sit?! But hey, if you're no longer getting an actual seat on a flight, you shouldn’t be shocked by a lack of entertainment or snacks, guys. Don't be unreasonable here.
Unbelievably, this isn't the first time an airline has considered the seatless route. Ryanair proposed a “standing area” back in 2010, saying that if anything went wrong, it’s not like a seatbelt would actually help you. Comforting!
If you've seen Big Little Lies then you know Nicole Kidman's storyline as Celeste steals the show. Her performance as a woman living through an abusive relationship is brilliant and deep, which didn't come without its own set of real-life struggles for Kidman.
In a new interview, she told W Magazine, "I felt very exposed and vulnerable and deeply humiliated at times. I mean, I remember lying on the floor in the bathroom at the very end when we were doing the scenes in episode 7, and I was lying on the floor and I just wouldn’t get up in between takes. I was just lying there, sort of broken and crying."
Those feelings even translated to Kidman's home life.
"When I would go home, I would feel ashamed, and that’s the same emotions and the same feelings that Celeste was having, so we were very much parallel in the feelings, but I was willing to do that for the role because that’s what I felt was important for the role," Kidman explained. "I’m here to tell the story and be true to the art, not to bring my own problems in terms of what I feel comfortable with, not comfortable with. I’ve got to work that stuff out so that I can come as a pure vessel to the work."
No one can argue that her efforts weren't a success, but just in case you had any shred of doubt, Kidman also spoke about the feedback she's received from the role.
"I’m glad that [the show] created the conversation, I’m glad that it sort of pulled the veil off. I’ve received the most amazing e-mails form people saying I now understand why women stay or why people stay with an abuser, and if that changes one person’s life, that’s amazing for me."
It's no secret that Jay-Z adores his mom, who raised his family all on her own. She helped foster his love of music and has encouraged him every step of the way. Who wouldn't love such a committed, supportive mother?!
The depth of Jay-Z's adoration is more evident than ever on his new album, which features a new track all about one of his favorite gals. The song is called "Smile" and it boasts vocals from Stevie Wonder, plus a spoken word section from none other than Gloria Carter herself. Perhaps most notable, however, is the new information revealed in the track: that Mama Carter is a lesbian.
Jay-Z shared the big news within the following lyrics: "Mama had four kids, but she's a lesbian / Had to pretend so long that she's a thespian / Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate / Society shame and the pain was too much to take."
He also admitted that he "cried tears of joy" when his mom fell in love, and that he doesn't care whether her beau is a guy or gal — he just wants his mom to be happy.
In Gloria's outro verse, she shares a few insights into what life was like as a single mom. She mentions that she felt as if she was living two lives. Now, however, she's free, and so much happier for it.
Gloria's brave verse has already received kudos from millions of fans, but the love doesn't end there. In a statement to E! News, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis explained, "By sharing her truth with the world, Gloria Carter is increasing visibility of lesbian women of color at a critical time and sending a powerful message of empowerment to the entire LGBTQ community that is perfectly timed with the end of Pride Month."
Jay Z Smile song lyrics
Jay Z Smile song lyrics
Kudos to Carter and her son for spreading a much-needed message of love and acceptance. It's wonderful to see these talented family members uniting under their shared desire to make the world a freer and more accepting place. Here's to a bright future for mom and son, and many additional musical collaborations!
You may have noticed that I have a few years unaccounted for on my résumé. After receiving my degree and spending several years successfully navigating a professional career, I found that it was more cost-effective to leave my previous position than take unpaid FMLA and chose to leave the workplace to become a mother. Now, my infant is starting day care, and I have found that I am more passionate than ever about returning to my career. Please note, I have taken care to include the following skills on my résumé:
Edit: After finding it difficult to return to work so soon after becoming a mother, I chose to become a stay-at-home mom. While this was simultaneously very difficult and personally rewarding, my children have started grade school, and now I find that I am more passionate than ever about returning to my career. In addition to the skills that I have gained in caring for an infant, please note these additional skills:
Tact and Decisiveness
Quickly and purposefully made decisions to maximize problem-solving potential and avoid conflict
Skilled in rapid determination of appropriateness of learning-based activities for toddler
Example project: Should toddler eat bath bubbles?
Example project: Should screaming child receive extra graham cracker for dessert?
Master Negotiator
Expert in compromise and trade negotiations
Particularly adept in the use of diversion and distraction to gain an advantage and minimize ongoing arbitration
I am excited by the work being done at your company and believe that these skills would make for an important asset to your active projects. Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to speaking with you further.
This article may be a satire, but the situation is not. For the millions of American moms who return to work after becoming a mother, there are gaps in their résumés due to the time spent caring for a child. “Unemployed” is a word that carries a negative connotation when applying for a new job, but these women (and many men!) weren’t just unemployed — they were taking the much-needed time to develop the parent-child bond and learning the skills necessary to be successful parents.
By expanding federal parental leave, encouraging men to take the necessary time off and extending leave to individuals caring for ailing or elderly family members, the effect of “the pregnancy pause” can be minimized and increased social acceptance can be provided to new parents who choose to leave the workplace and do what they feel is best for their families.
She has the voice of an angel, but from the sound of it, Mariah Carey's no picnic to work with behind the scenes. Or, at least, that's what Will Ferrell seems to think. He recently dropped some major bombshells about his time on the set of his new movie, The House, with the ultimate diva. Let's just say, he's relieved to be finished with this particular collaboration.
The drama began when Carey decided to show up a whopping four hours late for her cameo in The House, as Ferrell recalled it while chatting with Bravo's Andy Cohen. She was evidently unapologetic; instead of attempting to make amends, she immediately launched into her issues with the scene she was supposed to shoot. Ferrell told Cohen, "One of her script notes was like, 'I don't want to do this scene.'"
Somehow, this disaster in the making went from bad to worse. Carey was supposed to perform one of her songs (Ferrell couldn't remember which), but she suddenly decided that she'd rather sing a completely different tune. He admitted that this was all "hard with clearance, and became quite the kerfuffle."
"Kerfuffle" was evidently too mild a word to really capture the chaos on set. Ferrell strengthened his language, telling Cohen that the drama with Carey was, in reality, a "shitstorm."
The drama doesn't end there! Carey was dissatisfied with pretty much everything about the intended cameo. For example, while her character was supposed to be killed off, she preferred to deflect bullets, a la Wonder Woman.
Now, we can totally get behind one of Carey's off-screen quirks. She evidently wanted her trailer filled with stuffed lambs, "for her lambies," which is the nickname for her fans. Gotta keep the fans happy should the swarm outside your trailer, right?
Ferrell's certainly not the only person annoyed by Carey's out-of-control behavior. Fellow actor Cedric Yarbrough also called her out in a Facebook post that has since been deleted. Clearly angry, he referred to Carey as "borderline abusive."
Mariah Carey Will Ferrell
Mariah Carey Will Ferrell
If what Ferrell and Yarbrough have to say is true, Carey is not one to cross on set. Her cameo may have been scrapped, but it was definitely filmed. We hope it's eventually released — we're itching to see the product of all that drama!
My '90s heart can barely take the news that the Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls might go on tour together because yes, those rumors are real. If they actually come to fruition, it might create one epic meltdown for Millennials everywhere.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Carter revealed an epic reunion tour between the Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls has been discussed and could be coming to a city near you soon. If our prayers are answered, that is.
"We've had conversations; I've had conversations with Scary Spice and Emma [Bunton], and we've talked about it," Carter teased. "We're always open to doing a tour with them. I think it would be an epic tour."
BSB Spice Girls Tweet
BSB Spice Girls Tweet
If Carter's words aren't enough to convince you that these ladies and gents are still close, consider this: Carter and Baby Spice, Emma Bunton, are working side by side for the new show Boy Band, in which they serve as architects to find the next great sensation. Sounds like plenty of time to sneak in some tour date discussions.
As if we had any questions about a tour like this being a success, the Backstreet Boys' current Vegas residency proves they can still pull in the heavy numbers when it comes to selling concert tickets.
The only thing that concerns me about this tour actually comes from the Spice Girls side of things. When the ladies reunited, it was as a trio, sans Victoria Beckham and Melanie Chisholm, as oppose to the original quintet. What are the Spice Girls without Posh Spice and Sporty Spice? Can they convince these ladies to get in on the tour?
Mel B recently said she's totally on board to make a tour happen, "It's just a case of getting everybody else on the same page... Trying to get everyone's schedule on the same kind of situation is near impossible. I have set aside a lot of time this year to dedicate to a Spice Girls tour, so I'm hoping we can all have our schedules collide and actually make it happen, because last year was actually our 20th anniversary, so now it is going to be our 21st anniversary this year. I just hope that we can make it work!"
As they say, history repeats itself, and there is no doubt that 90s magic would be recreated if these two powerhouse performing groups decided to team up. It would be a grab your girlfriends and buy tickets as fast as you can kind of announcement.
Admit it. You didn't think the marriage between Posh Spice and David Beckham would last. It's OK; I didn't either! A pop star and a soccer player? When does a relationship with such combined star power ever work out?
Yet these two have lasted. They've surprised everyone by sticking together through thick and thin. 2017 will mark 20 years together as a couple, and the pair will celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary on July 4.
A young Victoria Adams and David Beckham met at a charity soccer match, where it was love at first sight — at least for Beckham.
He later requested a meeting with her, and while she says, "I didn't really know who he was. I was never into [soccer]", she agreed. The pair began dating and announced their engagement just a year later in 1998.
Although neither Victoria nor David has ever admitted it, David allegedly has had at least one affair during their marriage.
Rebecca Loos, who worked in sports PR in Spain while Beckham was living there and playing for Real Madrid, is the most publicly known affair partner. Back in 2004, Loos went on record about the affair, saying, "We developed a bond as I got to know him. I began to find different aspects about him attractive; he is physically attractive. We couldn't keep our hands off each other."
Regardless of the allegations, the Beckhams appear to have worked through the difficulties (if the rumors are true) and come out stronger for it.
Though many initially mocked Victoria's eponymous fashion line, she's worked hard to make it one of the most respected brands in the business. Her Victoria Beckham clothing line was awarded the U.K.'s Designer Brand of the Year in 2011, and it's the major moneymaker in their marriage.
Just as Victoria supported David during his soccer matches, David — alongside four children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper — are often regulars in the front row at Victoria's fashion shows.
Living with chronic medical conditions can be challenging, for the person suffering from the condition but for their spouse too. Despite these challenges, the Beckhams have supported each other through their health ups and downs. David Beckham has obsessive-compulsive disorder, which makes him incredibly particular about the need to control, organize and arrange things in a specific way. Victoria has struggled with acne, polycystic ovary disease and an eating disorder.
In a recent interview, David had some inspiring things to say about his then-18-year marriage. “Of course you make mistakes over the years; we all know marriage is difficult at times, and it’s about working through it," he said. "Whenever we’ve come up against tough times, we know each other better than anybody knows us, so we talk."
He also addressed those who think their marriage is manufactured, saying, “Do we stay together because it’s a brand? Of course not. We stay together because we love each other. We stay together because we have four amazing children. Of course we go through tough times. When we go through tough times, we work through it as a unit, as a family."
Update, June 30, 4:00 p.m. PT: Guess what, y'alllllllllll! Someone at People dug through a shit ton of paperwork and discovered that Beyoncé and Jay-Z's company filed papers to trademark two names! Which, if we read between the lines — and we do — are most likely the names of their baby twins. The names submitted for trademarks to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Monday are Rumi and Sir Carter. Sir Carter, everyone! I mean, sure, maybe these are names of future products they want to create — toothbrushes, luggage bags, private jets — but we're going to go with the rumor that these are the twins' official names.
Of course, no confirmation yet, but we'll keep you updated. BTW, Jay-Z totally tried to throw us off the scent with his 4:44 album, but pshh. We're too smart for that.
Original story:
Is it possible that Beyoncé has done something... lackluster? Could she and husband Jay-Z have made a decision so offbeat and unexpected that it sours people's opinions of them? Probably not, but the reported names of the littlest Carter additions, Beyoncé and Jay-Z's twins, are really dividing the Beyhive right now.
Reports came out on Thursday that Beyoncé and Jay-Z might have named their twins Shawn (which is Jay's real first name) and Bea (pronounced "Bee," and presumably after Beyoncé). While the power couple has yet to release an official statement about the names of the twins or even confirm the sex of the twins (they'll do it when they're good and ready, people), those multiple sources seem convinced that the names are Shawn and Bea.
The possibility that Bey and Jay have named their twins after themselves has inspired some strong and mixed feelings among their fans. Some think that this move is inspired and a show of their own greatness. Why not give your children the names of already iconic humans, right? There are others, however, who feel that it's not exactly the kind of creativity they were hoping for from the Carters; their oldest daughter is named Blue Ivy, so the bar was set high.
Fans have taken to Twitter to air their feelings about the names of the twins. I have to admit, these reactions are pretty great and, as it happens, they match my own mixed feelings about the twins' names.
Some were pretty stoked about the names Shawn and Bea, even going so far as to defend Beyoncé and Jay-Z about the possible name choices.
If you’re a genetically blessed human with low-maintenance, no-fuss skin, then you’re probably super-duper stoked for summer — and honestly, you have the right to be, ’cause finding that perfect sunscreen that doesn’t mess with your skin will be a walk in the park. But if you’re one of the, well, less-genetically blessed with skin that gets so incredibly shiny that you’d rather hide in a dark room than slather on a pore-clogging, greasy sunscreen, we’ll go ahead and guess that you aren’t welcoming summer with open arms. And sorry to be the bearer of obvious news, but you absolutely need to wear sunscreen, not just because of skin cancer (which kills one person every 54 minutes), but because SPF is also an antiaging, skin-saving miracle-worker that makes your face look like heaven.
We know, we know — the last sunscreen you used left your skin in an even greasier state with a white, ghost-like cast. But trust us when we say that top-notch oil-free formulas that won’t leave your skin with a shiny, greasy residue really do exist, and they’ll make your strained relationship with SPF a faint memory. And to help jump-start the forgetting process, we found seven oily skin-friendly sunscreens that you’ll love so damn much, you’ll forget all about your warm-weather woes. Check out the seven lightweight, mattifying formulas, below.
Clinique Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen Oil-Free Face Cream
Yeast infections are incredibly irritating — especially when they keep coming back. They’re messy, they can get in the way of your sex life, and they can even compel you to scratch your crotch in public at inopportune times.
This past year, I found myself struggling with yeast infection after yeast infection. I took oral yeast infection medications, like over-the-counter Azo (for the relief of symptoms such as itching and burning) and doctor-prescribed Diflucan (an antifungal medication). My problem was that while these meds would help ease symptoms, they’d always come crawling back to me.
When talking to my friends and family with vaginas, at least half of them told me they go through the same thing. Curious, I decided to chat with a doctor about another, perhaps more natural or holistic, way we can approach our vaginal health to properly address yeast infections.
The first step in addressing any potential yeast infections is confirming that you even have one. Dr. Heather Jeffcoat, owner of LA-based Femina Physical Therapy and expert on pelvic pain disorders such as vaginismus, warns against self-diagnosing and using products like Monistat without first consulting a doctor.
“There was a study done in 2015 that reported only 35-40 percent of women with the classic yeast infection symptom of itching truly had a yeast infection,” she says in an email. “Always getting medically cleared is your first stop.”
This is especially important since jumping to conclusions and using over-the-counter treatments without chatting with a doctor can be dangerous. For instance, Jeffcoat has had many patients who have had allergic reactions when using Monistat.
“These allergic reactions have set up a cycle of pain, inflammation and muscle guarding, which in turn creates more pain and is often accompanied by further itching and burning (even in the absence of an ongoing infection),” she says.
After being medically cleared and figuring out whether or not you’re going to try something like Diflucan, there are also a number of more natural routes you can consider.
The trick when it comes to recurrent yeast infections is assessing your full-body health. As Jeffcoat tells me, gastrointestinal problems and yeast in the belly are two of the biggest culprits for many yeast infection symptoms.
“There was a review article in 2016 that reported 100 percent of women that had four vaginal yeast infections in a year also had yeast in their gut,” Jeffcoat tells me. “There is an important point to make here, in that women are often treated for recurrent yeast infections, just because they have some of the classic symptoms of a yeast infection.”
While vaginal itching and burning are yeast infection symptoms, they can also be present with vaginismus, for instance. The overlapping of symptoms underscores the importance of a confirmed medical diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, Jeffcoat recommends tackling your gut health with probiotics.
Supporting your gut health with probiotics is a must for the health of your belly and your vagina. Jeffcoat recommends trying Femdophilus.
“The gut microbiome can cross over with the vaginal microbiome due to their close proximity,” Jeffcoat explains. “Gut health is very important to maintain for this reason.” Probiotics like Align, which contains bifidobacterium, can also be helpful.
Besides adding probiotics to your daily vitamin list, Jeffcoat suggests taking action through your diet. Adding fermented foods like kimchi, kefir and fermented milk may also help in easing up yeast infection symptoms.
In my personal experience, I’ve fared much better using natural or dietary methods rather than antifungal medications. If you experience recurrent yeast infections, consider taking action with your diet and vitamins. And be sure to chat with a doctor before you use any over-the-counter drugs.
I never thought I was allowed to have kids. I’m a lesbian, and I came out during a time when gay people didn’t have kids. We had cats, maybe a dog, and if we were lucky, a summer home on Fire Island. But marriage and kids were worlds we were shut out of, reserved for straight people with grown-up jobs and mortgages and extended families.
Then everything changed. Federal marriage equality made tying the knot possible, and I suddenly found myself vying for a future that entailed more than beachy summers with rotating girlfriends and overpriced cocktails.
I met a woman who rocked my world. Just days before the Supreme Court ruling recognized same-sex marriage, I put a ring on it in front of our nearest and dearest.
The prospect of having a perfectly normal life and getting to do the things that everyone else does, including have kids, suddenly seemed possible with the social shift. Baby strollers were clogging the sidewalks in the lesbian-centric neighborhood of Park Slope in Brooklyn. Online queer mom groups were cropping up like Starbucks in a gentrifying neighborhood; my Facebook feed was filled with images of my lesbian friends trading in Coors Light bottles for ones filled with formula; happy hour invites were replaced with baby shower ones.
My wife was older and always wanted kids, but thought her window had closed because of her age. I was a bit younger but still no spring chicken and was nearing the dreaded threshold for what health insurance deemed old uteri. But nature takes no prisoners. My biological clock suddenly kicked into high gear, its ticktock deafening until I had a singular focus: Make a baby.
So we decided to go for it, to try to have a baby. There was only one problem. We were missing one big part — something only a man could provide.
As a feminist lesbian, every fiber in my being was opposed to relying on a man to expand our family. I’m by no means a man-hater; I just tend to prefer females. I don’t have a man in my bed, my home or my life (other than family and co-workers and acquaintances), and I certainly didn’t want one in the picture when embarking on the most intense and emotional experience of my life. Clearly, that posed a challenge (since, if you’re not aware, you need something that only a male produces to make a baby).
That’s when I realized it was 2017 and one actually could procreate without a male in sight. I made the conscious decision to employ an army of just women to make our baby. I found a female doctor at a fertility clinic, a female acupuncturist, a female doula and a female obstetrician. Who better to know how a woman’s body works than another woman? I actively refused men between my legs in my social life; why invite them in for this most important venture?
The wonderful team of women who helped me become pregnant, stay pregnant and deliver our baby served as an empowering alternative to the male-dominated medical profession. They were stoic in their care, caring in their stoicism, and were much gentler with my most sensitive parts.
As for the tricky male part of the equation, we decided to use an anonymous donor, so we essentially Amazon-style online-ordered sperm. It was like picking out a shirt for a work party — I looked for the qualities that would make the sperm a good fit in writing on a website and considered the whole purchase more a commodity than a person. Not unlike shopping for a new article of clothing, I thought about where the sperm came from and how it was made and of course the cuteness factor. A few clicks later, our product was in the mail and on its way.
I felt both traditional and trailblazing in this new world order, where two women could make a baby without a man. As I was stepping into the oldest role in the book as a pregnant woman and impending mother, I was simultaneously helping to pave the way for a new paradigm, one where male fathers and male doctors didn’t play a significant role in the creation of a family story.
While I was able to control having all those wonderful, badass professional females to help us conceive, as irony and fate would have it, I was surprised (and blessed) weeks ago with a little boy.
You'd better bet the little guy will be a feminist.
