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The Unexpected Health Benefit of Saunas

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The fact that visiting a sauna is good for you isn't exactly news. Anyone who has taken advantage of that part of their gym post-workout (or sans workout) knows how good the warmth and sweating it out feels in those steamy wooden rooms. Now, thanks to a new study, we also know that using a sauna regularly could significantly reduce the risk of having a stroke.

Research published in the journal Neurology found that people who used a sauna four to seven times a week were 60 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those taking a sauna once a week. Not surprisingly, the study was conducted in Finland, where saunas originated (yes, the word "sauna" itself is Finish) and where most homes (even rental apartments!) come with a standard sauna.

"These results are exciting because they suggest that this activity that people use for relaxation and pleasure may also have beneficial effects on your vascular health," Dr. Setor K. Kunutsor of the University of Bristol and coauthor of the study, said in a statement. "Sauna bathing is a safe activity for most healthy people and even people with stable heart problems. More research is needed to confirm this finding and to understand the ways that saunas affect stroke risk."

More: Is Fresh Air Actually Good for Your Health?

The 15-year observational study had 1,628 participants with an average age of 63 and no history of stroke. The subjects filled out questionnaires throughout the research period, providing information on a number of health indicators, including physical activity and alcohol use; their cholesterol and blood pressure were measured at the beginning of the study.

A total of 155 people had a stroke following the study, and when their sauna-use frequency was taken into consideration, the participants who reporting taking a sauna four to seven times a week were 60 percent less likely to have a stroke. The researchers found the same results even when accounting for factors that could contribute to stroke risk, including physical activity, smoking and diabetes.

"Previous studies have shown that sauna bathing may be associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure, dementia and death from cardiovascular disease, but this is the first study on sauna use and the risk of stroke," Kunutsor said in a statement. "Saunas appear to have a blood pressure lowering effect, which may underlie the beneficial effect on stroke risk."

But like most research findings that sound too good to be true, there are a few caveats. First, Kunutsor stressed that because this is an observational study, the relationship between taking saunas and lowered stroke risk is an association and can't be assumed to be a cause-and-effect situation.

More: Hot Baths Might Benefits Your Body Like Exercise Does

Second, the findings were based on the traditional Finnish sauna and therefore can't be applied to other types of heat therapy, like infrared heat exposure, steam rooms or hot tubs. (That doesn't mean these don't have their own sets of health benefits — they just weren't included in this particular study.) Lastly, because the study was conducted in Finland, where taking a sauna is so common, there weren't enough participants who didn't use saunas at all to be able to include them in the findings.

Of course, saunas aren't a great idea for everyone; people who recently had a heart attack, elderly people with low blood pressure and anyone with chest pain or unstable angina should use caution and speak with their doctor before taking one.

But for those who can enjoy a relaxing sauna, this is one more good reason to take that time for yourself.


Khloé Kardashian Is Planning Her Return to Los Angeles — but Why?

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Khloé Kardashian is getting out of Dodge as quickly as she can. Although she's been an unofficial Cleveland resident for the majority of her relationship with Tristan Thompson and pregnancy with her daughter, True, Kardashian is reportedly ready to come home to Los Angeles. She's made trips home, per the desires of heart and requirements for shooting Keeping Up with the Kardashians, but could this reported trip home to LA herald Kardashian's official move back to her home city?

More: Khloé Kardashian Announces Her Newborn Baby Girl's Name

According to a source who spoke to Entertainment Tonight, Kardashian's trip home coincides with a special holiday.

"She’ll be with her family for Mother’s Day. This is a very special Mother’s Day in the Kardashian/Jenner family. For Khloé and Kylie, it’s their first one, and it’s Kim’s first Mother [sic] Day with Chicago." It actually does make perfect sense that Kardashian, who is extremely close to her sisters, would want to be with them during Mother's Day, especially when it's such a huge event this year.

ET also reports that Kris Jenner will be hosting a Mother's Day celebration for all the Kardashian-Jenner women and that Thompson will likely not be making an appearance because the Cleveland Cavaliers have a game scheduled that day.

More: Khloé Kardashian Fans Won't Stop Trolling Tristan Thompson

There's a chance this trip home could be the first of many more frequent trips back home to LA for Kardashian. With cheating rumors currently plaguing Kardashian and Thompson's relationship, it's not hard to wonder if Kardashian will stop living so far apart from the people she knows and loves, instead choosing to come home and get the support she needs from her family. But it hasn't been confirmed by Kardashian one way or another.

As a source told ET about Kardashian's state of mind after the scandal, "Khloe is very torn on what to do with her and Tristan. He is the father of her child, but she feels betrayed and blindsided." She may be torn now, but with reports coming in regularly that she might be more unhappy than she lets on while living so close to Thompson, we hope she makes the decision that's best for her.

More: Kim Kardashian West Confirmed All the Rumors About Tristan Thompson

Until then, we can probably look forward to a boatload of photos and videos from Kardashian and her sisters on Mother's Day; you know they won't be in short supply.

What Is Christina Aguilera Trying to Tell Us With These Cryptic Videos?

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Christina Aguilera is up to something big, we just know it. The singer has been keeping a very, very low profile for quite some time, only surfacing recently at the American Music Awards where she performed a tribute to Whitney Houston. But aside from this, 2018 has had a definitive lack of Aguilera — until now.

More: Why This New Era of Christina Aguilera Is Going to Be So Powerful

The final days of April and first days of May have seen Aguilera releasing a new cryptic video or tweet on her Twitter about once a day. There's definitely something afoot here. Something tells us this is all some kind promotion for her next song or maybe even a new album, but the contents of the new project still remain quite mysterious. Take, for example, the video she tweeted out on April 29. A bank of TV monitors shows different scenes and it feels like it could be different behind-the-scenes stills of a new music video. We say music video because in the bottom left corner, one of the monitors shows a clapperboard with the name blurred out of whatever the project is the Aguilera is work on right now. We also see scenes of her getting makeup put on and then what looks to be scenes from the actual music video.

Xtina Cryptic Video Tweet 3

Xtina Cryptic Video Tweet 3

The mystery deepens from here. The second video, posted on May 1, features Aguilera in voiceover. "You feel in life...You get to a place where you feel so comfortable and so routine, then you know you have to stop and start from scratch," she tells viewers while lying on what looks to be a bed in a child's pink bedroom.

Xtina Cryptic Video Tweet 1

Xtina Cryptic Video Tweet 1

The bedroom rings a bell from the first video because there's a TV monitor on the left side of the TV bank that shows the camera panning over a pink wall with what looks to be photos on it. Coupled with the very, very brief snippet of music we hear (a possible quick listen to her next single? We sure hope so) in the second video, we can't help but wonder if this video is the beginning of what will likely be a new music video she's releasing soon.

And then there's the third video, posted on May 2. This one isn't too exciting, with black-and-white video footage of Aguilera dancing and licking a bowl of milk rather seductively as a drum-like beat scores it.

Xtina Cryptic Video Tweet 2

Xtina Cryptic Video Tweet 2

But perhaps most interesting is that mere hours after she posted the black-and-white video, she posted a tweet that simply read, "#XXXXXX." The number of "X"s is the right amount for a date, which means Aguilera could be moving on from videos as her teaser method of choice and going straight to slowly revealing the release date on what we're fairly certain is a new song and music video, considering all of this evidence.

Fans already know the song's name and the album's name for this new Aguilera era. On Twitter, using the hashtag #XXXXXX, fans have been posting that the song, named "Accelerate" (which kinda makes sense since, in the first video where Aguilera speaks, she lights a match and could set something — and accelerant? — on fire), is coming any day now from her new album, titled Liberation.

Xtina Accelerate Tweet 1

Xtina Accelerate Tweet 1

Xtina Accelerate Tweet 2

Xtina Accelerate Tweet 2

More: Christina Aguilera Is Working on Something New With a Fellow Former Disney Star

We're excited too, if we're being totally honest. It's been a good, long while since we've had some new music from Aguilera. Whatever she's ready to deliver to us, we'll happily accept.

3 Ingredient Combos You Should Never Put on Your Skin

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Most skin care routines are composed of a cocktail of ingredients. We start with squirt of this, a scoop of that, and by the end, we’ve layered myriad products in hopes of perfecting our complexion. That “the more, the merrier” saying seems fitting for moments like this, but the layers you’ve sworn by aren’t always compatible with one another.

If you’re not using a unified collection of products (which most of us don’t), experts say it’s important to look at what active ingredients are in each product to ensure you aren’t overdoing it. If you don’t, this will likely lead to irritated or inflamed skin.

“Usually, things that are already combined together in a bottle will work well together because they are specifically mixed with proper amounts of each concentration,” shares cosmetic physician Dr. Stanley Kovak. “However, if you use two or more separate bottles, the product in each might have the wrong concentration and can give you unwanted side effects.”

Here are ingredients that should not mingle together at your next skin care soiree.

More: Skin Care Ingredients That Play Nice With Each Other

Retinol & glycolic acid

If your skin goal is to brighten and illuminate your complexion or clear pesky breakouts, you’ve probably been told that retinol and glycolic acids get the job done. While both are indeed powerhouse ingredients, using them together can actually be quite drying to the skin. “When too much of these ingredients is placed on the skin, it can cause dryness and sensitivity to sunlight,” warns Kovak. Having one product that causes dryness and tightness is annoying enough, but when you double up, skin becomes irritated and desperate for moisture.

If you don’t want to let one of these ingredients go, adjust your skin care routine to use one in the morning and one in the evening. In this case, opt for the glycolic acid in the morning and the retinol in the evening, as sunlight can deactivate retinol. This solution allows you to keep both active ingredients in your regimen without stripping the skin.

More: The Brands K-Beauty Devotees Swear By

Retinol & benzoyl peroxide

Retinol has long been regarded as a solution to many skin care concerns, from dark spots to texture and tone. But this superingredient doesn’t always play nice with the other products in your beauty arsenal. “Most retinols dry out the skin, so when combined with a further drying agent like benzoyl peroxide or high alcohol content, the retinol will irritate the skin more than normal,” shares Dr. Suneel Chilukuri, a Houston-based dermatologist.

“As a result, patients may notice worsening of acne, eczema or psoriasis when combining these ingredients.” If you’re going to mix your retinol at all, Chilukuri recommends using a moisturizer before applying it to allow for deeper penetration into the skin and protect from superficial skin irritations.

More: Quick Product-Free Tips for Treating Dry Skin

Vitamin C & H20

Vitamin C is a great pick for an overall complexion booster, with benefits from lightening dark spots to imparting an overall brighter complexion. It’s full of antioxidants, but in order to reap the benefits, the molecule has to be stable. “Vitamin C is an unstable molecule and oxidizes quickly,” shares Chilukuri.

“Most manufacturers will add vitamin E to stabilize the vitamin C molecule or keep its beauty benefits when applied, but water destabilizes it.” In other words, in order to ensure your skin is receiving the antioxidant benefits of the vitamin C, the vitamin cannot oxidize, which causes it to become unstable.

Rule of thumb: If your ingredients are foes but you don’t want to part with them, keep them separate.

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Good Girls Is Teaching Us a Lot of Life Lessons

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Never underestimate women. That's one of the many lessons NBC's Good Girls has taught us. Season 1 just wrapped on Tuesday, and if you're in need of an empowering series to binge, we recommend the drama, starring Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman and Retta.

More: Christina Hendricks Still Has a Lot of Big Dreams for Her Career

Good Girls follows three women, Beth (Hendricks), Annie (Whitman) and Ruby (Retta), who decide to take matters into their own hands when they're in desperate need of cash. They end up robbing a grocery store, and from that moment on their lives are turned upside — in both good and bad ways.

Retta, Good Girls

Their lives definitely aren't going as planned, but they soon begin to discover what they really want and need from life. Granted, stealing money and getting involved with criminals isn't the best way to go about rediscovering your wants and needs, but, hey, this is just a TV show.

Despite all the trouble they find themselves in, Beth, Annie and Ruby are relatable, not only as mothers and wives, but simply as women. Good Girls is a powerful show for any woman. It presents women in a powerful and positive light, all while putting them front and center.

If you, like Beth, Annie and Ruby, are a little lost and need to be empowered, then you should watch Good Girls. You'll learn all kinds of life lessons, like those we picked up throughout the first season.

1. There is always a way out

Mae Whitman, Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

No matter how stuck you may feel in life, in a relationship or in a career, there is always a way out. For example, after discovering her husband, Dean (Matthew Lillard) has blown all their money and has been cheating on her, Beth feels trapped. However, after sulking for a little while, Beth rises to the occasion and realizes she's not going to let Dean's hurtful decisions decide her future.

2. You are the only one in control of your life

Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

Despite many of the men thinking they control Beth, Ruby and Annie, they don't. All three women have taken control of their lives in big ways. When life turned to shit, they did what they thought was best and took back control. Remember this: No one controls you. No one tells you what to do, when to do it or how to do it. No one owns you.

3. Your happiness is key

Mae Whitman, Good Girls

If you aren't happy with yourself, you will never be happy in life or with anyone else, so take care of yourself. For a long time, Beth has put her happiness aside for her family and her garbage of a husband. Believe it or not, robbing a grocery store and working with criminal Rio (Manny Montana) is what she needed to open her eyes. She likes being somewhat in charge and taking risks in the process. It's exhilarating for her.

Beth loves being a mom and cherishes her kids, but she's bored at home. She wants more and has found happiness in laundering money. Granted, if there were something less risky that wouldn't put in her jail or get her killed, she'd probably choose a different career path. However, she doesn't have much choice right now. And the way Beth decided she wanted to take out Rio once and for all and even take over his business, well, it sure seems like Beth's found her happy place.

More: The Reason Mae Whitman Won't be in Independence Day 2 Will Disgust You

4. It's never too late to leave

Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

Beth's relationship with her estranged husband has been tough to watch. First, she found out he was cheating on her. Second, she learned they had no money. Third, Dean faked cancer in order to get back in Beth's good graces and she even let him move back in before she figured it out. Beth deserves so much better than Dean. If we've learned anything from her unfortunate relationship, it's that it's never too late to leave and that no one should ever settle. Even if you've been married for decades and have four kids, you can still get out and find a partner who will treat you right.

5. It's OK to want more

Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

Just because you might find yourself at a comfortable point in your life and others are telling you this is the best life will ever be doesn't mean you can't achieve more. Look at Beth, Ruby and Annie. They took the bull by the horns and chose to make more of their lives by robbing a grocery store and washing money for criminals. It wasn't the smartest option, but they saw an opportunity and they took it. If you're a wife and a mother, you don't have to be only that — it's OK to want more.

More:  20 of the Most Inspiring Modern Quotes on Feminism

6. Fight back, & fight back hard

Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

Women are done dealing with the bullshit, including Beth, Annie and Ruby. We are here to fight back. Men can't take whatever they want from women, nor can they treat women as objects or with zero respect. Like when Beth stopped her sister Annie's boss, Boomer (David Hornsby), from raping Annie, Beth's speech directed at the attempted rapist spoke volumes. "When a lady screams stop, it is usually because she is not having the time of her life." She said, continuing (while pointing a gun at Boomer), "Oh, do I look upset? Why would I be upset?" She answered her own question by adding, "'Cause every man in the world thinks he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants."

7. Women need to stick together

Mae Whitman, Retta, Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

This trio has had their fair share of arguments. They've been at odds more than once, which is totally normal for any family or group of friends. What's important is Ruby, Annie and Beth have always found their way back to each other. They support and uplift each other, like women should do. Too often, women are pitted against each other, especially on TV and in movies, but Good Girls has strayed away from that, and it's absolutely refreshing.

8. Women are freaking badasses

Christina Hendricks, Matthew Lillard, Good Girls

We already know this, but it just has to be said. Ruby, Annie and Beth are uh-mazing women. It's wonderful to see multidimensional women on television. When females of any age see a powerful, intelligent, talented, funny, successful, sad, happy, angry, messed-up, complicated woman, they can relate. These are real women, and they make other women feel less alone. That is why it's so important to tell women's stories by women.

More: 18 Inspiring & Empowering Movie Quotes From Kickass Female Characters

9. Women are capable of taking back their power

Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

Time's up. Women refuse to stay silent anymore. We are taking back our power. Over the course of Season 1, Good Girls showed women are here to stay and are no longer bowing down to the patriarchy. Annie, Ruby and Beth have all shown this time and again, but when Boomer tried to rape Annie, she didn't sit around waiting for power to be given to her — she took it.

Annie ended up getting a bit of revenge on Boomer by holding him for ransom and blackmailing him by taking a photo of his penis and pretending to text it to her daughter, which would make him a sex offender if Annie were to ever turn him into the police. Rather than showing a violent rape scene, like far too many TV series do, the attempted sexual assault of Annie is focused completely on her in a refreshing, cathartic and even funny manner.

10. Women can successfully carry a show

Retta, Mae Whitman, Christina Hendricks, Good Girls

Women have been fighting for a long time to be front and center of a TV series — in front of and behind the camera. Thankfully, Good Girls is proving how capable women are and that they can actually make a show successful all on their own. From Hendricks to Whitman to Retta to creator Jenna Bans, these female talents have proven exactly what they can do — and hopefully, they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

More: The Most Powerful Female Characters on TV

How much do you want to watch Good Girls right now? Yeah, that's what we thought. Keep those fingers crossed it gets renewed!

Carol Burnett Opens Up About Her Daughter's Death 16 Years Later

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We've all heard the cliché "bad things happen to good people," and sadly, it couldn't be truer. Carol Burnett is living proof. Sixteen years later, she is still mourning the death of her firstborn daughter, Carrie Hamilton.

“I think of her every day,” Burnett, who's currently promoting her new Netflix series, A Little Help With Carol Burnett, told People. “She never leaves me… I just feel her.”

More: All the Celebrities We've Lost in 2018

Hamilton died at the age of 38 just five short months after discovering she had lung cancer. The diagnosis came too late and the cancer quickly spread to her brain, leading to her untimely death on Jan. 2, 2002. But while Hamilton's young adolescence was riddled with addiction problems (she had been to three rehabs by the time she was 17 years old), she overcame her demons, found her own talents and was a unique spirit.

“She was very interested in people,” Burnett said. “She never met a stranger. I think it’s in our genes…[knowing] you can make somebody’s day by being kind... She also loved to write. One time she was in New York and it was the winter, and homeless people would come up and ask for money. She would say, ‘I’ll give you $10 if you tell me your story.’ She would collect those stories and write about them.”

Hamilton found a truly incredible way to explore the world and connect with other human beings from every walk of life in her short 38 years. But moving on from grief wasn't easy for Burnett who was only 67 years old when Hamilton died.

More: Female Actors Over 50 We Can't Get Enough Of

“You don’t get over it, but you cope,” she said. “What else can you do? When Carrie died, I didn’t want to get out of bed for a while, but I had a play to finish that we started that Hal Prince was going to direct. I owed it to Carrie, and I owed it to Hal.”

So Burnett got on a plane and said a prayer to Hamilton to help her get through it — and it seems Hamilton sent her not just one, but multiple signs she was still there, cheering her on. When Burnett arrived to her hotel room, there was a bouquet of birds of paradise flowers in the room.

“That was Carrie’s favorite flower,” she said. “She had one tattooed on her right shoulder. Then at dinner the maître d’ gave us a bottle of Champagne, and the label said ‘Louise.’ That was Carrie’s middle name. Then it rained on opening night. Carrie and I were nuts for the rain.”

While Burnett misses Hamilton everyday, she's surrounded by family, including her two other daughters — Jody Hamilton (51 years old) and Erin Hamilton (49 years old) — and grandkids — Zachary (21 years old) and Dylan (11 years old).

More: 51 Shows Premiering & Returning to TV This Spring

And she's keeping busy. After doing a few guest star roles in TV shows including All My Children, Desperate Housewives, Law & Order: SVU, Glee, and Hawaii Five-0, Burnett is starring in her own Netflix series premiering May 4, 2018, A Little Help With Carol Burnett, in which, with the help of Burnett, kids dish out advice to celebrities and everyday people in front of a live audience.

Sadly, Katie Couric’s Statement About Affairs in the Workplace Isn’t Shocking

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Katie Couric is getting depressingly honest about the realities of relationships and potential negative fallout in the workplace. The longtime journalist sat down with People magazine's editor-in-chief, Jess Cagle, on the latest episode of The Jess Cagle Interview to discuss these topics in relation to the #MeToo movement. The movement, which has maintained a place in our culture since it went mainstream in late 2017, will be the focus of one episode in Couric's upcoming TV series for National Geographic Channel, America Inside Out.

More: Katie Couric Opens Up About "Crushing" Aftermath of Matt Lauer Firing

Although she doesn't name the specific workplace, the way Couric describes her experiences sounds alarmingly familiar to workplaces across the nation. "Where I worked, I can’t tell you how many married men were having pretty, I don’t know if open, but talked-about and whispered-about, affairs with underlings," Couric told to Cagle.

She continued, "There should be a zero-tolerance of that in media organizations," she explained. "I think that sets a tone that anything kind of goes, so I think very strict guidelines and very specific protocols, transparency, accountability and an awareness that you have preconceived values and notions that need to be challenged by yourself."

More: Katie Couric Reveals Her Feelings on the Matt Lauer Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Even though she sees the benefits of the #MeToo movement, she has misgivings. "Now, has the pendulum swung too far in some instances? Maybe," she said. "Is that part of a social movement’s natural ebb and flow? Perhaps. But I think there is this very important awakening. And now, I think it’s really critical that organizations and men and women talk about this in an open way that is not full of harsh judgment and criticism, but of real learning and education and a place of wanting to make things better."

She's right that there should be protocols in place and concrete ways to address workplace relationships, be they consensual or otherwise. It's a surefire preventative measure to ensure the safety and well-being of employees. However, she also seems to be rebuking people who come forward with stories about sexual harassment in the workplace that began as consensual encounters. She implies she might be more skeptical than she lets on.

More: Ann Curry Reveals the Time She Reported Matt Lauer for Sexual Harassment Years Ago

Couric's experiences have no doubt given her a deeper insight than most about what happens when allegations of sexual harassment are made in the workplace and how it can affect everyone involved. These latest comments, as intense as they may sound to some, might just be the ones we need to hear — even if it doesn't feel that way.

Robert De Niro Is After the ‘Bullies & Liars’ in DC

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Robert De Niro attended the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s 45th annual Chaplin Award Gala in New York Monday night to honor Helen Mirren — but after a quite quick "Congratulations, Helen, on being honored with this year's Chaplin Award," he swiftly and quickly transitioned to ranting about politics — because, well, there's plenty to rant about.

"I'm going to digress for a minute,” he said before starting a three-minute takedown of the White House Correspondents' Association, the Trump administration and Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

“This is what happens when you have weak immigration laws. Would we be honoring Helen Mirren tonight if that wall had been built?"

More: Robert De Niro's 11 Best Bad Guys

First, De Niro went after the White House Correspondents' Association, which released a statement saying that comedian Michelle Wolf's monologue at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner "was not in the spirit" of this year's event.

“There was a lot of truth in Michelle Wolf’s jokes, and the bullies and the liars are still intimidated by the strength and the truth," he said, according to Huff Post. "Where we run into trouble is when we allow the bullies and liars to dictate the conversation.”

He continued: “Shame on them. Stand up, strap on your balls and deal.”

He continued with choice words for Sanders, who received the brunt of Wolf's jokes at the WHCA dinner last weekend.

“I thought, 'She’s got two or three kids. What is she going to tell her kids in 10 years about how she represented or protected Donald Trump?'" he asked. "How is that going to come through? I don’t know. How could she justify, rationalize her behavior? What does it take to just walk away from that situation?”

This isn't the first time De Niro has taken a stand and dished out harsh political criticism recently. He has said at past events that he won't stop speaking out until things change.

More: Donald Trump Made Robert De Niro a Very Angry Man

“As long as our country’s leadership is so appalling and so corrupt, I’ll be speaking out at every venue," he said at the Fulfillment Fund charity dinner in Los Angeles in March (you can watch his speech below). "To be silent in the face of such villainy is to be complicit.”

de niro on trump

de niro on trump


Céline Dion Appeared in the Weirdest, Best Music Video of 2018

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Céline Dion is truly one of the greatest singers in the world, but that doesn't mean she can't make fun of herself from time to time. That’s why she’s the perfect artist to sing what will be the theme song for the anti-superhero movie, Deadpool 2, starring fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds.

More: Ryan Reynolds Responds to Blake Lively's Aggressive Instagram Overhaul

The video for the single, “Ashes,” was released on Thursday on Good Morning America. It's glorious, a bit weird and very epic, and we are here for every single silly minute of it. Before presenting the video to the world, GMA coanchor Lara Spencer told viewers, “They told us that Deadpool himself wrote Céline a letter asking if she would like to be part of his ‘masterpiece,’ and after she heard 30 seconds of the song, she was sold."

Celine Dion Ashes video

Celine Dion Ashes video

The track shows off her signature ballad style, and Dion doesn't hold back on the schmaltz in this video. The clip opens up with Dion onstage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace singing to an empty theater. She’s in a glowing, crystal-blue gown, a necessity for any power ballad. In between scenes from the film, we get close-ups of Dion emoting hardcore in classic Dion fashion.

About a minute-and-a-half into the video, she’s joined by Deadpool. who gives his best interpretative dance while wearing his trademark bodysuit and audacious high-heel boots. While we are pretty sure this isn’t Reynolds dancing, it fits right in with the irreverent tone of his character. Deadpool gives us spins in his heels, rolls on the floor and dramatically reaches to the sky while he dances around an emotional Dion. It’s exactly the music video we didn’t know we needed — Deadpool dancing with abandon to a Céline Dion power ballad.

More: Ryan Reynolds Made a Big Business Announcement

The Canadian duo even gives us amazing banter at the end to cap off the video on a perfect note. After complimenting Dion on her performance, Deadpool asks her to do it again since it was too darn good.

“Yeah, this is Deadpool 2, not Titanic. You’re at, like, an 11. We need to get you down to a five, five-and-a-half tops. Just phone it in,” says Deadpool.

Dion then points to her vocal chords and replies, “Listen, this thing only goes to 11. So beat it, Spider-Man.”

“God, I should have asked 'NSYNC,” he retorts.

More: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Céline Dion & René Angélil's 28-year Romance

Dion and Reynolds both shared the video with their fans on Twitter. While Dion lovingly introduced the video, Reynolds simply caption his tweet with a cheeky, "Showtime, Mama." Gosh, these two!

Celine Dion tweet

Celine Dion tweet

Ryan Reynolds tweet

Ryan Reynolds tweet

There's a lot to love about this music video. From the banter to the song to the actual action that takes place, this music video only makes us even more excited for Deadpool 2's release on May 18 — and has us wondering when these two will pair up again on a project. Don't keep us waiting, you two.

These Cinco de Mayo Piñata Cookies Will Turn Your Party Into a Fiesta

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Everybody loves a piñata, and everybody loves sugar cookies — which makes the two things the perfect combo. So for your upcoming Cinco de Mayo party, why not make burro-shaped piñata cookies?

Yup, these colorful cookies are actually tiny piñatas filled with candy, and we promise they're not nearly as hard to make as they look. When you pull these baked goodies off, you'll be the talk of every Cinco de Mayo party from here to the border.

More: Cinco de Mayo Party Ideas That Are Actually Family-Friendly

piñata cookies

These multi-striped, burro piñata sugar cookies come complete with hollow centers that you can fill with a secret stash of your favorite candies. Break open or bite into these festive treats, and be greeted with a sugary surprise inside.

Video how-to: piñata cookies

How To Make Cinco de Mayo Piñata Cookies

Learn how to make these fantastic cookies for your cinco de mayo party.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • Mini M&M's candies
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for the frosting)
  • 2 teaspoons milk (for the frosting)
piñata cookies

1. Make the dough

Cream together the sugars and the butter. Beat in the eggs. Add the oil. Combine the dry ingredients, and then gradually add them to the mixture. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract.

2. Color the dough

Split the dough into five even-size balls and one smaller ball (this will be the black one). Add food coloring to each dough ball until your desired color is achieved. Gel food coloring gives you more intense colors than liquid food coloring does.

More: 19 Taco Meat Leftovers Recipes That Prove Food Can Be Delicious on Day 2

piñata cookies

3. Layer the dough

Use a container the same approximate width of your donkey/burro piñata cookie cutter, and line it with plastic food wrap. Split all your colored dough balls in half (except for the black one), and layer the dough in the container, starting with the black dough on the bottom. Alternate the colors so you end up with two layers of each color by the time you're done.

piñata cookies

4. Wait

Cover the layered dough, and freeze it for four hours or overnight. This is the perfect time to conserve your creative juices for what lies ahead.

5. Bake the cookies

Remove the dough from the container, and unwrap it from the plastic. Cut it into slices of approximately 1/4 inch wide.

More: 27 Picnic Food Recipes That'll Impress Everyone

piñata cookies

Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.

piñata cookies

6. Cut the cookies

Immediately after you take them out of the oven, use your burro piñata cookie cutter to cut the cookie shapes. Working in sets of three, being sure to cut two burro piñata cookies in one direction and one burro piñata cookie in the opposite direction. (Just flip your cookie cutter over.) That way, when you go to assemble them, the finished cookie will look "pretty" on both sides because the baked bottom sides will be hidden.

piñata cookies

7. Create the hidden pocket

For the middle cookies in each set, cut off the ears and legs, and cut out the center where the M&M'S will go. I used a small square cutter and made three cuts to get a narrow rectangle. Try to work quickly, because as the cookies cool, they are more likely to crumble or break. Let them cool on the baking sheet before you move them and remove the excess, outer cookie.

More: 6 Party-Hosting Mistakes You Don't Realize You're Making

piñata cookies

8. Assembling the piñata cookies

To assemble, take the first piñata cookie, and lay it upside down so that the baked bottom is facing up. Outline the center of the piñata body with a "frosting glue" mixture of milk and powdered sugar. (I used 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of milk. If you put it inside a Ziploc bag and cut off a tiny tip of the bag's corner, you can pipe it onto the cookie easily.)

piñata cookies

Put the middle cookie on top of the frosting glue, and add the M&M'S to the open center. Put another outline of frosting glue on the middle cookie.

piñata cookiespiñata cookies

Place the opposite-cut piñata cookie on top (so that the pretty side is facing outward). Let these sit and harden for at least 30 minutes before you stand them upright.

More: How to Make a Unicorn Cake in 13 Simple Steps

piñata cookies

9. Show off your finished piñata cookies

piñata cookies

This recipe will make six to eight piñata cookies.

piñata cookies

A version of this article was originally published in April 2012.

10 Super-Sweet Homemade Mother's Day Crafts for Kids

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The Mother Lode

A homemade gift — one that kids put time, effort and a whole lot of love into — is pretty much always a superior Mother's Day gift to a dozen long-stem roses and jewelry. Plenty of moms will tell you about how a trinket made with their kid's tiny hands makes them melt and explode all at the same time (we still haven't been able to figure out this phenomenon, but it's definitely a thing) — especially if it involves the words "I love you" and/or "Happy Mother's Day" scribbled in crayon.

Here are 10 homemade Mother's Day crafts for kids that are basically guaranteed to elicit tears (or at least awwws).

More: 12 Mother's Day Gifts That Are So Much Better Than Flowers

1. Fingerprint butterfly mug painting

Fingerprint butterfly mug painting

What an easy project: All you need are plain white mugs, some paint and a finger or two to make this adorable mug.

2. Clay handprint jewelry dish

Clay Handprint Jewelry Dish

Who wouldn't want a little one's hand-turned-clay jewelry dish? You only need three supplies for this gift — air-dry clay, a knife and a bowl — and, of course, one very tiny hand. No baking required.

Next: DIY jewelry box

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3. DIY jewelry box

DIY jewelry box

Making the jewelry box itself is easy — it's teaching the kids the monkey-fist knot that'll be the real (fun) challenge.

More: 15 Homemade Mother’s Day Gifts That Are Bound to Impress

4. Footprint butterfly flowerpot

Footprint Butterfly Flower Pot

Kids will love getting the bottoms of their feet covered in paint — and you'll love having a new personalized flowerpot.

Next: Pounded flower tote

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5. Pounded flower tote

Flower tote DIY

The name of this project says it all: You're literally pounding flowers onto a cotton tote. Obviously, you'll want to reserve this DIY for kids old enough to handle a hammer.

More: Mother's Day Gifts for Every Type of Mom

6. Homemade cards

I love you homemade cards

This is just too cute: Photograph kids to represent the I in I love you, then type out or have them write a message for Mom inside.

Next: Painted rock photo holder

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7. Painted rock photo holder

Painted rock photo holder

Pick up some rocks, paint 'em and personalize these photo holders with multicolor beads. To top it all off, slide in a photo of the kids.

More: 17 Printable Mother's Day Coloring Pages So Cute, They Totally Count as Gifts

8. Homemade gift bags

Homemade gift bags

Use butterfly, flower and heart cookie cutters, and pink, purple and white paint to make these homemade gift bags.

Next: Clay petal planter

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9. Clay petal planter

Clay petal planter

Now, this one involves a palette knife and using the oven, but other than that, this clay planter is so easy to make — and it looks adorable. Pick Mom's favorite colors, and she'll cherish it forever.

10. Handprint tulip towels

Handprint tulip towels

Kids will love getting their hands covered in paint for these handprint tulip towels.

The Voice Is Being Slammed by a Former Celebrity Judge

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Christina Aguilera is back in the public eye with promotions for the lead single, "Accelerate," off her first album in six years, Liberation. The pop star's cover story with Billboard dropped on Thursday, and it became clear during the interview that there's at least one reason why she chose to call her album Liberation — and it has to do with The Voice.

More: Now We Know What Christina Aguilera Was Teasing in Those Cryptic Videos

“It became something that I didn't feel was what I had signed up for in season one,” she told the music magazine. “You realize it’s not about music. It’s about making good TV moments and massaging a story."

Aguilera says she also found the show strict and constricting. “I didn't get into this business to be a television show host and to be given all these [rules]. Especially as a female: You can’t wear this, can’t say that. I would find myself on that show desperately trying to express myself through clothing or makeup or hair. It was my only kind of outlet.”

More: Why This New Era of Christina Aguilera Is Going to Be So Powerful

She also explained why she stayed on the show for as long as she did despite having such a negative experience. "Touring is so frightening to me, because I am a mom first,” she admits. “It’s part of why I stayed in the position I was [at The Voice]. It’s easy to get comfortable and cushy in the same place and not have to worry about uprooting your kids. I’ve been putting myself on the back burner.”

Aguilera has talked about leaving The Voice before, but never so candidly. In 2012, she told E! News the decision to go was bittersweet and that she enjoyed being a coach and bonding with the other coaches. But she also said she needed to go out and have new experiences as an artist.

More: Christina Aguilera Is Working on Something New With a Fellow Former Disney Star

At the time of publication, Aguilera's former co-judges on The Voice have yet to comment. But one thing's clear regardless: Aguilera is free from any and all things that make her unhappy, and she's not looking back.

Joanna Gaines Says Her 5th Pregnancy Makes Her ‘Feel 25’ Again

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With just months to go before welcoming another child into her polished farmhouse brood, Joanna Gaines is feeling youthful, excited and even a bit unprepared. Though the shiplap enthusiast and her husband, Chip, have four other children — Drake, Duke, Emmie, and Ella — Gaines told People magazine she in no way feels like an expert.

"I have forgotten almost everything, so it feels brand new," she said, referring to newborn responsibilities. "I tell Chip that I feel 25, and in my mind, there's something about it that gives me an extra kick in my step. Forty and pregnant... who would have ever thought that was going to happen? But, I'll take it!"

More: Chip & Joanna Gaines Just Welcomed a New Kid (Literally) Into The Family

If we've learned one thing from Joanna over the years (aside from the fact that a fresh coat of paint can transform a room), it's that she's up for any challenge no matter how messy it might be.

"We need to figure [diaper duty] out again," she said. "I don't even remember, but I do remember the blowouts, and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh!' I've gotta get my stuff together. It's coming!"

Oh, yeah, diaper blowouts put a whole different spin on the term "demo day."

Joanna Gaines 40th birthday post

Joanna Gaines 40th birthday post

More: Joanna Gaines Says She Can't Hide Her Baby Bump Anymore

A new baby isn't the only change for the Gaines family. In addition to recently celebrating Joanne's 40th (with plenty of doughnuts, of course), the couple said goodbye to their HGTV hit, Fixer Upper, and introduced fans to the short series, Fixer Upper: Behind the Design. Joanna also released a cookbook filled with mouthwatering recipes — like scalloped potatoes with Gruyère and flaky biscuits. Oh, and as if they weren't already adorable enough, they also just got a baby goat.

Am I a little jealous? Sure, but all that is overshadowed by how badly I want to see how baby No. 5's nursery turns out. (Seriously, Jo, send an update ASAP.)

Meghan Markle's Dad Will Attend the Royal Wedding Despite Rumors

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All the pieces are starting to fall into place for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's highly anticipated royal wedding. They selected a horse-drawn carriage, chose the florist and picked out their dinner menu. Now, with just weeks to go before the big day, they can focus on the other details — like making room for one more important wedding guest: Markle's father, Thomas, whom People reports will most certainly be in attendance.

More: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Guest List Includes Celebrities Too

The news may come as a shock to those who have followed every little detail (and the accompanying drama) of the royal wedding saga since Markle's half-brother, Thomas Jr., proclaimed their dad hadn't received an invite just a week ago — in a handwritten letter obtained by InTouch.

"Her own father didn't get an invite, whom should be walking her down the aisle," he lamented in the letter addressed to Prince Harry. "She easily forgets if it wasn't for my father she would be busing [sic] tables and baby sitting to pay her old debt off."

Thomas Jr. also complained that Markle invited "complete strangers" to the event instead of her flesh and blood after calling her a "jaded, shallow, conceited woman" and asserting that she would "make a joke of you and the royal family heritage."

Wow. It's hard to imagine why Markle wouldn't want this guy around... (insert eye roll).

More: Not Everyone in Meghan Markle's Family Is Excited About Her Engagement

This isn't the first time members of Markle's family have come out of the woodwork to claim some time in the spotlight. Her half-sister, Samantha Grant, tried to pick a fight with Prince Harry on Twitter last December after he commented that the royals are "the family I suppose she's never had."

"She has a large family. She always did," Grant tweeted. "Our dad is amazing and completely self sacrificing. We made it so that she had two houses. How fun it was!"

Oh, and she plugged her upcoming book, The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister. Now, I may not know enough about Markle's upbringing to comment on her childhood, but I do know that no grown human being should have to maintain relationships with toxic people just because they're family. News flash: You aren't entitled to anyone's attention, let alone an invitation to their wedding, even if you did share a bathroom with them as a preteen. But hey, if Markle's estranged siblings really want to feel included in the festivities, they can donate to one of the many charities she's designated in lieu of wedding gifts.

More: Meghan Markle's Estranged Family Talks Not Being Invited to Her Wedding

Hopefully, none of this background noise is distracting Markle from looking to the future. She's got much more fun things to think about — you know, like planning her destination honeymoon in Namibia.

Maude Is the Sleek, Gender-Inclusive Sexual Wellness Brand We've Been Waiting For

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So many of the products in the sexual health and wellness space are gendered: pink for people with vaginas and dark, manly colors for penises. And then there's Maude. Each of the four products available through the sex essentials company (two lubricants, condoms and a vibrator) come in minimalist, neutral packaging and are sold directly to consumer.

Maude's founders — Éva Goicochea, one of the first employees at Everlane, and Dina Epstein, an industrial designer who ran product at Doc Johnson — set out to make a sexual wellness brand that makes sex better (and safer) for all people, regardless of gender, identity or orientation. And they've succeeded.

More: How to Take Your Orgasms to the Next Level

While Goicochea tells SheKnows that Maude's current demographic is between 25 and 40, given the broad appeal of the product, they're trying to capture a wider audience and get everyone to feel more comfortable about sex. She explains that most people purchase the products available through Maude either at a drug store or a sex shop, "and each situation is equally uncomfortable for most people."

The four sex essentials products were very deliberately selected according to Goicochea. "Condoms were really important because if you're going to promote healthy sex, safe sex is No. 1," she says.

Two lubricants are also part of the line — one that's organic and 100 percent natural and another made with silicone. Goicochea and Epstein saw them as essential for sexual well-being. Goicochea points out that it's especially useful during different phases of life, like after giving birth or during menopause, as well as for the LGBTQ market. The vibrator is white, thin and pear-shaped, made of 100 percent soft-touch silicone and waterproof. In other words, it's not the type of sex toy you'd see at a bachelorette party.

MoreYour Definitive Guide to Lube

But what about the name? According to Goicochea, Maude was chosen for a variety of reasons. After doing some initial research, she says they found it meant "strength in battle," which seemed very much in line with the brand. And, of course, there's the iconic TV show Maude starring Bea Arthur as a staunch, second-wave feminist (who also happened to be a more mature woman who was vocal about enjoying sex).

As far as the future of the company, Goicochea says other products are in the works that haven't been made public yet. But expect to see more of Maude in the sexual wellness space.

"We’re very much a company that believes in setting the tone for sex," Goicochea adds. "We're trying to create this world of wellness that feels like you can integrate it in every day life."


30 Simple Summer Dinner Party Recipes Your Guests Will Love

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So, you're hosting a summer dinner party but not sure where to start? Here's one piece of advice to keep in mind: Keep it simple! Seriously, simple is best, especially when it comes to your summer dinner party menu.

When you're serving cocktails, apps and entrées, think light, fresh and flavorsome. With this selection of simple summer party dinner recipes, you can't go wrong.

More: 6 Summer Food & Wine Pairings That Will Make You Look Like a Pro Foodie

1. Perfect summer cocktails

Summer cocktails

What better way to kick off your summer dinner party than with a refreshing cocktail? This mint mojito is a classic.

2. Chicken & vegetable spring rolls with spicy lime dipping sauce

Spring rolls

Spring rolls are perfect as a light starter or nibbles for your summer party.

3. Shrimp & courgette salad

Grilled shrimp and roasted zucchini salad

Miso dressing is the perfect finishing touch for this tasty grilled shrimp and baby courgette salad.

4. Strawberry-raspberry-jalapeño gazpacho

Strawberry gazpacho

This delicious chilled fruit soup has a spicy kick and only takes 10 minutes to make.

5. Antipasto skewers with basil pesto dip

Antipasto skewers

Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and tortellini is summer on a stick.

6. Asparagus side dishes

Asparagus side dishes

Asparagus makes a great summer side dish, and there's more than one way to serve it.

7. Honeydew melon soup

Honeydew melon soup

Another refreshing summer soup pairs melon with honey. It could also work as a dessert.

8. Watermelon shrimp ceviche

Watermelon shrimp ceviche

This ceviche dish is dairy-free, gluten-free and fuss-free for a simple starter or side dish.

9. Fresh shredded summer slaw

Summer veggie slaw

This vegan slaw is bursting with goodness and tastes great as a side dish, starter or appetizer.

10. Blueberry salad with ricotta & pecans

Blueberry salad

Juicy blueberries, creamy cheese and crunchy pecans make this salad a winner.

More: 9 Vegetarian BBQ Recipes Even Carnivores Will Devour

Next: Nectarine salad with fresh basil dressing

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11. Nectarine salad with fresh basil dressing

peach basil salad

Another delicious fruity, cheesy salad combines nectarines, spinach, walnuts and Gouda.

12. One-pot apricot chicken

Apricot chicken one-pot

For a main course that makes the most of seasonal summer flavors, try this apricot chicken and veggie dish.

13. Grilled chicken with kiwi salsa

Grilled chicken kiwi salsa

Give your chicken a tropical twist with kiwi salsa and coconut rice.

14. Artichoke & feta tart

Artichoke and feta tart

Serve this tasty tart warm alongside a fresh green salad and a chilled glass of wine.

15. Baked Asiago summer tomatoes

Baked summer tomatoes

Top your tomatoes with fresh herbs and breadcrumbs for a quick, simple summer side dish.

16. Veggie insalata with summer cashews

Rice salad

Cashew nuts, dried currants, fresh veggies and brown rice make this the perfect accompaniment to chicken or fish.

17. Fresh Greek Islands pastry

Greek pastry

If you can't get to the Med this summer, bring a little bit of it to your dinner party with this baked pastry dish topped with black olives, tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese.

18. Chicken & mango noodle salad

Mango chicken noodle salad

Chicken and mango are the perfect combination for a summery noodle dish.

19. Surfside salmon pasta salad

Surfside pasta

Keep pasta light in the summer months — try salmon and seaweed for a real taste of beachside dining.

20. Raw courgette noodles with creamy avocado sauce

Raw zucchini noodles

A super-healthy alternative to pasta is veggie noodles. Mix courgette with creamy avocado for a totally moreish gluten-free vegan side.

Next: Gluten-free quiche

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21. Gluten-free quiche

Gluten free quiche recipe

Gluten-free quiche doesn't have to be tricky, as this recipe shows. Caramelized onion adds depth of flavor, and Gruyère cheese creates wonderful creaminess.

22. Spicy grilled shrimp pizza

Grilled shrimp pizza

Experiment with different toppings on your summer pizza, like grilled shrimp and roasted red peppers.

23. Summery fruits cobbler

Summer fruits cobbler

A fresh summer fruits cobbler is the ideal way to round out your dinner.

24. Strawberry lemonade cupcakes

Strawberry lemonade cupcakes

Strawberry lemonade cupcakes are the perfect treat for a summer party.

25. Tiramisu ice pops

Tiramisu ice pops

Ice pops aren't just for kids. Make them more sophisticated for your summer dinner party, like these tiramisu-flavored ones.

26. Summer citrus bars with fresh whipped cream

Summer citrus bars

Lemon and lime juice and homemade whipped cream make this a dessert your guests won't be able to get enough of.

27. Sweet summer fruit panzanella

Fruit panzanella

Panzanella is traditionally a dinner salad with day-old bread. Mix it up this summer using sweet bread or cake and seasonal fruits.

28. Tropical mango butter cake

Tropical mango butter cake

Mango, coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts — what's not to like about this gooey tropical dessert?

29. No-bake pumpkin brûlée

No bake pumpkin pie

Don't save pumpkin until Halloween or Thanksgiving. This no-bake pumpkin brûlée is light and fluffy enough to enjoy on a warm summer night.

30. Spicy pineapple fruit salad

Spicy pineapple fruit salad

Spice up an ordinary fruit salad for summer with a lime-infused Thai red chili pepper dressing.

A version of this article was originally published in June 2015.

No, Being Both Muslim & Catholic Is Not 'Confusing' for My Kids

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When a family friend found out my husband and I were planning to raise our children both Muslim and Catholic, they asked, “Are you sure you’re making the right decision?”  

But what else would we do? Our daughters are both and neither, part of two very different worlds; I am a Pakistani Muslim immigrant married to a Dutch-descended Canadian Catholic.

And you know what? Our daughters are doing just fine. They are brilliant, confident and bright. At ages 3 and 1, they don’t yet understand how lucky they are to be a part of two cultures — two religions. They don’t yet have an appreciation for unity or inclusivity, but they do understand love and family.

More:  My Daughter Was Bullied for Being an Atheist

This way of life may not work for religious or cultural purists, but it works for us. Both my husband and I come from families in which religious doctrine was never a focus. Instead, our lives were filled with big family gatherings at every major holiday, tables overflowing with food and couches overflowing with cousins. This is what we want for our girls — times two.

We choose to celebrate every religious holiday with gusto — because who doesn’t need a reason to celebrate? For Eid, we get dressed up in traditional Pakistani clothes with bright colors and sequins everywhere and head to my parents' house to eat lamb curry and honey-drenched pastries. For Christmas, my girls get fruit at the bottom of their stockings and a chocolate letter, keeping up with the tradition from my mother-in-law’s family. This year for Easter, my 3-year-old laid out her egg hunt haul on a brand-new prayer rug my grandmother had brought her from Pakistan.

We were at a kids indoor play center a few months ago, and I got to chatting with another mother whom I hadn't met before. She asked about what our family background was because my daughters don’t look like me. A little bit into the conversion, she put her hand on my shoulder and asked, with a very concerned look on her face, “But, aren’t they so confused?” 

More: 7 Things to Know About Inspiring Female Muslim Weightlifter Amna Al Haddad

I didn’t know how to respond to such a ridiculous question. It had literally never crossed my mind that being multicultural or multireligious would be at all confusing. Challenging, maybe. Complex, sure. But confusing? Why? I didn’t continue that conversation for long, but I thought about it over and over as I watched my girls squealing in the grimy ball pit.

Was I hurting them by exposing them to both halves of their DNA? Was I going to scar them by telling them about both Mohammad and Jesus. Allah and God? What would we do if Eid and Christmas ever fell on the same day?

Driving home from the play center, I glanced at both girls in the rear-view mirror. They were quiet for once, contently tired, snuggled into their car seats. They both had ear-to-ear smiles on their sticky faces. No, I decided there and then, confusion is not going to be a problem. My girls are smarter than that. It’s not going to be easy, but they're going to figure it all out just fine.

My goal is that when my daughters are older, they will look back on their childhood and remember how much fun they had at each occasion. They will feel blessed to know they were able to partake in traditions from opposite sides of the world — that they could gain an appreciation for customs most of their classmates know nothing about. I hope they develop an understanding of the time and place they live in — somewhere where their parents are lucky enough to be able to choose each other.

More: How to Start Family Holiday Traditions of Your Own

We raise our children to ask questions, even ones we don’t know how to answer. I’m sure there will be lots of those along the way, especially with this pluralized life we’re trying to lead. But we don't want to raise our children with only questions, either. In addition to the questions, my daughters will also have a love-filled, engaging and fulfilling life — in which they have not one but two places to belong.

This Ramadan, my girls will open their advent calendar each morning, and we’ll eat a treat together. Then, we’ll read a book about the holy month, color in some pictures of palm trees and sand dunes and maybe make cards for the grandparents. And just a few months later, at Christmas, they will help me wrap presents for their cousins and decorate the spindly tree we keep in the storage room in the basement.

They will love both of these events because their family and extended family will be there to celebrate with them, shower them with love and answer their questions. Because yes, my daughters will have questions. But they certainly won’t be confused.

17 Random Statistics That Will Actually Surprise You

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"You're more likely to die driving to work than to be eaten by a shark!" We're willing to bet you've heard this, like, a million times — right?

People throw out random statements like that all the time, preaching them as truth. And it got us wondering: How many of these statistical musings are actually true? And which statistic will actually surprise us?

So we did a little research to get the real lowdown on the odds — and we discovered some very interesting information.

Before we dive in, though, keep this in mind: A number of factors affect the real odds of something, especially your specific behavior. Someone who surfs everyday has a greater likelihood of being attacked by a shark than someone who never goes into the water, for instance.

OK, that being said, we rounded up some interesting general stats.

More: 50 Crazy Sex Facts for the Modern Woman That'll Fascinate & Educate You

1. Odds of being called to “Come on down!” on The Price Is Right — 1 in 36

One in 36? Not too shabby. Given the stats on becoming a billionaire or winning the lotto, which we cover later, this is pretty good news.

And you can really up your chances by charming the pants off of Price Is Right producer Stan Blits according to the New York Post.

2. Odds of being audited by the IRS — 1 in 160

This number seems high, but don't panic. This factors in all tax returns filed — including those filed by billionaires and huge corporations. But if you are earning a middle-class income, you don't have a whole lot to worry about.

"If you earn less than $200,000 annually and don’t attach Schedules C or E to your tax return, statistically speaking, you have a better chance of being abducted by aliens or dating Taylor Swift than being audited," says Forbes.

3. Odds of being involved in a drunk driving crash — 2 out of 3

Two out of 3 people will be involved in a drunk-driving accident in their lifetime, according to MADD. Lower your risk by always designating a driver.

4. Odds of being born with 11 fingers or toes — 1 in 500

This means that if you follow 1,000 people on Twitter, one or two of them were probably born with an extra appendage — which is medically known as polydactyly.

More: 35 Songs You Didn't Know Were (Allegedly) Plagiarized

5. Odds of winning an Oscar — 1 in 11,500

Winning an Oscar isn't as hard as we thought, actually! Keep in mind, though, your odds are zero if you don't try. However, the odds of becoming a movie star are 1 in 1,190,000 according to William Morrow's The Book of Odds. Not exactly encouraging.

6. Odds of finding a pearl in an oyster — 1 in 12,000

Given how hard it is to shuck an oyster, we hardly think it’s worth it.

7. Odds of being drafted by the NBA — 1 in 3,333 for men, 1 in 5,000 for women

Don't mean to put a damper on your dreams, but yikes.

8. Odds of going blind after laser eye surgery — 1 in 5 million

According to London Vision Clinic, if you choose a good surgeon your chances of going blind are extremely slim.

9. Odds of being injured by a toilet — 1 in 10,000

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a whole study about nonfatal bathroom injuries that's definitely worth reading over.

10. Odds of dying in an airplane crash — 1 in 205,552

Not nearly bad as compared to cars... or motorcycles, on which you have a 1 in 846 chance of dying according to the National Safety Council.

More: 23 Actors You Didn't Even Know Were British

11. Odds of getting killed by fireworks — 1 in 340,733

Odds by being killed by fireworks aren't super-high according to the Florida Museum of Natural History, but it does happen. And as you can imagine, most of those deaths occur on the Fourth of July.

12. Odds of being struck by lightning — 1 in 114,195

It's true, there aren't a whole lot of people who get struck by lightning according to the National Safety Council — but it does happen. Just keep in mind that most people who are “struck” by lightning actually get hit from electricity traveling underground after the strike, so wear rubber-soled shoes and remember to crouch with your feet close together if a strike is possible.

13. Odds of becoming a billionaire — pretty much none

Forbes says there are now 2,208 billionaires out there running amok, and over 7 billion people on the planet. You do the math.

14. Odds falling to your death — 1 in 119

That's a pretty alarming statistic from the National Safety Council, right? To fall and die?

15. Odds of getting attacked by a shark — 1 in 3,748,067

Shark attacks get all kinds of media attention, but turns out they hardly ever happen according to the International Shark Attack File. You're actually much more likely to die as a result of coming into contact with hornets, wasps or bees (1 in 54,093) than even being bitten by a shark according to the National Safety Council.

16. Odds of winning $1 million in the McDonald’s Monopoly game — 1 in 451,822,158

Um, yeah, according to research done by Canadian structural engineer Michael Ross, you're gonna have to eat a whole lotta Mickey D's to win that money.

17. Odds of winning the Powerball jackpot — 1 in 292,000,000

Lloyd Christmas gif

At least you can reach for the stars and win an Oscar, right?

A version of this article was originally published in December 2013.

Jenna Bowman on Missteps That Led to Her Shocking Survivor Elimination

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Life competing on Survivor isn't always easy — but the same can be said of life after Survivor. Jenna Bowman, one of this week's castaways, talked to SheKnows about her unexpected elimination, trolls on social media who've mercilessly targeted her and why two particular Survivor contestants are, in her opinion, bad players.

SheKnows: Going into the vote, did you know your time was up?

Jenna Bowman: I thought I was safe. After the challenge, it was three Navitis against us two [herself and Donathan.] I went to the Navitis and asked them if they were willing to flip on somebody. Can we make a move that doesn't involve voting off Malolo? They said no. They were Naviti strong. From there that's when you guys saw them say they would vote out Donathan. Here I thought we were all voting for Donathan. My job was to play it up at Tribal that I knew I was going home and had come to terms with it so Donathan didn't get nervous and play the Idol for himself. He had approached me with the option of voting for Sebastian and he would play the Idol for me. I thought I was going in with them voting for Donathan and he may play it on me. I was safe regardless, so when neither of those options worked out and it was my name I was shocked.

SK: Where did it go wrong for you?

JB: When I was pitching the case of keeping me over Donathan to them, I let them know he had an Idol. I was trying to make the point that he needs to go because he has an Idol and he's erratic by flipping to both sides. Looking back, why would they want to vote for somebody who has an Idol because one of them could be sent home? I think I became the easy vote. Donathan not playing it on me was just because our Tribal was so cryptic. They didn't show a lot of it. It was quick and short with weird, cryptic messages from the Naviti side. He and I really had no idea where anyone stood, so he ended up playing it for himself.

SK: Did you think he was going to give you his Idol?

JB: I had hoped, but I thought that was my backup plan. I thought for sure he was going home. I didn't nail that down with him prior to Tribal. I didn't make that my number one priority, which obviously I should have. I was also skeptic about it. Here's this guy offering to play an Idol for me when we really didn't have a relationship up to that point. It didn't make sense. It was almost more of a red flag than a really solid offer.

Donathan Hurley with Jenna Bowman on Survivor: Ghost Island

SK: Why target Donathan when he's somebody on the same side of the dwindling Malolo numbers?

JB: I had just been literally down on the numbers the whole game. I'm somebody that wants to play the game and wants to play it hard. The fact I had no control up to this point was so frustrating to me. Seeing we have a small Tribal Council with four people that aren't exactly big targets or really strategic players, I thought I could finally make something happen and take control of my game. To me, the person I wanted to go home was Chelsea out of that group. She was a threat winning the Immunity challenges. So when Donathan approached me to write down Sebastian I didn't agree with it. To me it was between Sebastian and Donathan, and at that point I had a bigger relationship with Sebastian from day one. I really didn't have anything with Donathan. I went with relationship versus gut and it ended up screwing me.

SK: Donathan said he was considering giving you his Idol, but then you voted against him. What has the feedback been from viewers?

JB: It's been mixed. I'm getting a lot of love from people that have been really supportive toward me. Donathan and I are good. We've been promoting that and doing damage control with anyone thinking I have any ill will toward anybody. But his fans are definitely very spirited and they like to post their comments and thoughts on my Instagram. It's whatever. They're die-hard fans of his. I had called him an idiot and then got voted out. A lot of it has been, "Karma is a bitch." There's been a few comments about me being a racist for some reason. I have no idea where that's coming from. I think some of them are just a little ridiculous, but for the most part it's nothing I can't handle.

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Jenna Bowman on Survivor: Ghost Island

SK: After your torch was snuffed you didn't even get time to process what just happened. Instead, you had to join the jury immediately. Were you able to concentrate on what was being discussed as you watched the second Tribal Council unfold?

JB: Here you are trying to figure out what just happened. You're upset. At this point, you just want to go talk it out and process things about what I could've done differently, and obviously go eat and shower. I had to go right back and face everybody that just voted me out, and sit on the bench with these beautiful looking people with the new Tribal. Then to watch my alliance get voted out was a lot to process. I think making that transition from player to juror so quickly gave me a sense of not worrying as much about being bitter. I think it made me get over the bitter part of being voted out. Then it was game on because I had a little bit of power and control in the game that I haven't been used to.

SK: Tell us about Chelsea because viewers aren't getting to see much of her game at all. Watching the show, it's easy to forget she's even there. What are we missing about Chelsea?

JB: You guys didn't see a ton of me, either, so I can't sit here and be like, blah, blah, blah. In my opinion, I definitely didn't see any type of strategy coming from her or Angela. To this day, we all have these huge connections and I lack that with those two people.

SK: Does it bother you that Angela and Chelsea are still in the game when others who are playing harder have already been voted out?

JB: Yes, it definitely does. At the same time, I'm sure a lot of people could turn around and say it looked like I wasn't playing the game. It's easy for me to say because when I feel like you have the numbers and the security of that and you're not willing to make a move, that's what I'm judging as not playing the game. If you're down in the numbers and trying to stay alive, I feel like that's slightly different because you really don't have any options. I feel like I haven't seen anything from Chelsea and Angie in terms of taking control even being in the majority. I don't think Angela was on the right side of any vote, either.

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Jenna Bowman on Survivor: Ghost Island

SK: Since your story wasn't heavily showcased this season, tell us about some of the strategy we didn't get to see.

JB: Our strategy was just discussing, "OK, what can we do to make the next vote?" There was never creative moments or exciting moments besides very early on at Malolo. Me, Michael, Brendan, Stephanie Johnson and Libby had an alliance. We called ourselves the starfish five. That was the most exciting part of the game for me because, in a sense, Stephanie Johnson and I had a lot of power. We were in charge of figuring out the Gonzalez vote and the Jacob vote. Stephanie and I were really the ones lying to Jacob and getting him to trust us and blindsiding him. Those two votes were just the most exciting because I had power. I'm good at lying. I'm good at manipulating. I just didn't have the opportunity after that to keep it going. The biggest regret is them not seeing I was scrappier than I was. I was still fighting. I fought every vote.

SK: Going into the game you admitted to struggling with having "resting bitch face". Did that ever come up in the game where players perceived your attitude wrong?

JB: It was definitely discussed once we started talking in the first couple of days with everyone getting to know each other. We all kind of talked about our first impressions, and it was definitely brought up that this girl walks in here like she owns the place. Jeff Probst actually gave me this tip back in casting. He was like, "When you get there just be open. 'Hey guys, I have this issue, but it isn't who I am. Don't let it get to you.'" That was kind of my strategy going in, and it worked because I made it through the first vote and ended up actually making really strong alliances pretty quickly off the bat.

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SK: That's fantastic that Probst gave you advice!

JB: He was amazing because that was an issue for casting. That's just how I came across, but the more I talked, people understood and saw a different side of me.

SK: Were you concerned about the first impression you'd make?

JB: In the beginning you don't know anybody. The votes are purely based off an impression of somebody. If I'm not letting my guard down and showing my vulnerable side, which I usually don't in social situations like this, I knew it was going to be held against me. I made sure that I aligned myself with Stephanie Johnson, one of the most bubbly, happy people. My first move was to make sure that people saw me with someone like that instead of writing me off as an anti-social type of person.

Jenna Bowman on Survivor: Ghost Island

SK: How did you get on the show?

JB: I was recruited. They reached out to me last December. I was voted most likely to be on a reality TV show back in high school. The night before I was sitting with family and talking about how I needed a change. I needed something exciting because I was so sick of my job. I kept saying I was going to quit my job and move to an island to live the island life. My dad was like, "You should go on the Bachelor." I kid you not, the next day at work I get a call, "Hey, this is CBS. Would you create a video?" It was an experience that I will never forget and I think the fans have been amazing. Now I'm a true fan of the show. It's amazing.

SK: How did they find you?

JB: I have no idea. They never really shared that information. It was just more along the lines of, "I was told to find you and I found you. Will you make a video?"

What do you think of Jenna's plan to take out Donathan? Join the conversation and leave a comment below.

Pauley Perrette Addresses All the Rumors About Her NCIS Exit

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Pauley Perrette, who plays Abby, is setting the record straight about her exit from NCIS. After 15 years, Perrette deserves a clean break from the show that has nurtured her and given her a platform to connect with fans. But for now, Perrette needs to combat some rumors still lingering about her exit.

More: How NCIS Might Write Abby Off (Because You Know It's Coming)

While speaking with TV Insider, Perrette went on the record to put a stop to any rumors that she was leaving the show because of bad blood with the show's execs or any other such nonsense. For Perrette, the time was just right.

"I believe in God and the universe so firmly," she explained, "and it just suddenly became blindingly apparent that now was the time [to leave]. After a lot of thought, I decided to announce it myself on Twitter because I didn’t want it to be turned into anything 'shocking.'"

Perrette made one final thing especially clear in her statement: "Abby leaving is more than a cheap TV ploy."

More: Pauley Perrette Is "Still Grieving" Her NCIS Exit

It would be difficult to imagine Abby being written off the show in a cruel or awful way, especially considering all the history Abby has on the show. But it's reassuring to hear that she is leaving the show on good terms.

Perrette announced that she was leaving in autumn 2017, and she's been fighting nasty rumors ever since. At the time, the announcement caught everyone off guard, leading many to speculate on the reason for her departure. She even had to tweet a statement in November 2017 denying she was leaving NCIS to start a skin care line.

Pauley Perrette November 2017 Leaving Tweet

Pauley Perrette November 2017 Leaving Tweet

More: Did You See Pauley Perrette's Final Goodbye to the NCIS cast?

Regardless of the terms she's leaving on, it's going to be tough to say goodbye to Abby and Perrette. Fifteen years is a long time; it's the end of an era, really. Let's keep our fingers crossed that when the time does come to officially say goodbye, it's more sweet than bitter.

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