Last week, we introduced you to the sweet-and-salty snack of your dreams — bacon-fried Oreos. Today, I present you with another glorious bacon-wrapped treat, but this time it's all savory. They're mashed potato bacon bombs, and they're stuffed with cheese, and they're deep-fried, and I want them. Right. Now.

Image: Giphy

I am sorry to say that I have been missing out on these heavenly bites since last May, when they were originally posted on Savory Style. A whole year I could have been stuffing my face with these babies. But thanks to the wonders of the internet, I found them when they were recently posted on Imgur and blew up, as they should. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to user spogoooter for bringing these into my life.

Image: Amy Erickson

It should come as no surprise that the mastermind behind the mashed potato bacon bombs is Amy from Oh, Bite It! Aside from the bacon-fried Oreos, she's also given us tequila shot doughnut holes, pizza tacos and deep-fried Cadbury Eggs.

In other words, she's pretty awesome.

Image: Amy Erickson

OK, I've kept you long enough... You have bacon bombs to make. Go!

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More: Chrissy Teigen gets real about her stretch marks, and it's so refreshing (PHOTO)

Taking to Twitter, Teigen revealed her awful experience, which took place on Santa Monica boulevard in West Hollywood.

"I dropped my sunglasses this AM on Santa Monica blvd and this seemingly normal looking dude screamed "f***ing chinks always dropping shit," she tweeted.

Teigen then went on to elaborate on her encounter, calling the man a "bad racist."

More: Amber Rose and Chrissy Teigen face off for Fashion Police hosting gig

But to make things even worse, when Teigen acknowledged the hater's comments, instead of an apology he decided to make another insensitive slur.

We're pretty sure Teigen's 709,000 Twitter fans are going to be keeping an eye out for this man in the "brown suit jacket and jeans" now, because he deserves an earful.

More: Chrissy Teigen's Golden Globes cry face inspires the best meme ever (PHOTOS)

You may remember Dowling from when he re-created that salacious photo of Adam Levine when he was on the cover of Cosmopolitan UK in 2011 for FTM magazine. He got a tremendous amount of attention from the cover photo, many commenting that he looked hotter than Levine.

While Dowling was flattered by all the positive encouragement, he was ultimately trying to raise trans awareness and combat body issues. He told Buzzfeed, "Some areas of my body used to remind me of everything I'm not. Now they represent everything I am." That's body positivity if I ever heard it.

More: Transgender 13-year-old comes out in this amazingly heartfelt speech (VIDEO)

Aside from being a trans advocate, Dowling is also a huge fitness enthusiast. He runs Point 5cc, a "stealth transgender" clothing company out of Eugene, Oregon. He also manages a YouTube channel (apart from his own, which has almost 16,000 subscribers) called Beefheads Fitness, which aims to help transgenders stay healthy and get in better shape. Sounds like he's the perfect candidate for the cover of a fitness magazine, right?

Dowling's subscribers started suggesting he submit himself for Men's Health's Ultimate Guy Search back in 2014, but he didn't feel confident he could actually make it until his FTM cover photo went viral. And even after he put his name into the hat, he never imagined he'd get as much support as he has.

Here's what Men's Health says it's looking for in its "Ultimate Guy":

"The Ultimate Guy Search is a nationwide search for the guy who possesses all of the qualities that make up today's well rounded, active, health conscious and thoughtful guy. Our judges are looking for a guy who is fit and fearless; a doer who gives back and leads by example." I don't know about you, but to me, Dowling fits that description to a T.

This past Monday night, Dowling was in the top 300 of men competing to be the Ultimate Guy. By the very next night, he was in first place, according to The Daily Beast. A good deal of his support comes from trans community members who are super active on social media. He actually racked up over 100,000 votes from one Tumblr post by Tristan, a fellow trans supporter.

More: 4 Heartrending documentaries that'll open your eyes about diversity

Dowling told The Daily Beast, "It's been crazy and amazing. I definitely was not expecting all the support, but I'm so happy and proud of the community for using its loud voice and realizing that we really could do it. We're banding together and this is us. We exist and we should be represented in some way in mainstream."

Even though Dowling definitely has the popular vote right now, that doesn't mean the prize is in the bag. There are judges that could sway the competition a different way if they see fit. It would be difficult to just ignore a front-runner with 33,894, though, especially when he's 25,009 votes ahead of the guy in second place. Men's Health has often been noted in the past for its heteronormativity, but Dowling is not the only trans guy competing, so let's hope the magazine realizes that our "original gender" does not have to define us.

In the face of all that, Dowling remains optimistic. He tells The Daily Beast, "It would be so affirming to just know that the man that I set out to be is somebody that people think is a good man. To break those stereotypes, but still be a man. Feel pride in masculinity, but not putting down femininity. That would be so important to me." It's something that should also be important to all of us.

The competition doesn't end until June, so if you want Dowling to stay in the lead, vote here. If you want to see just how far he's come, check out his video-documented, five-year transformation from woman to man, and prepare to be amazed.

More: ModCloth names first transgender model

Because they're actually the cutest.

Felted Totoro is cute

Image: xxNostalgic

Felted panda is cute too

Image: xxNostalgic

Felted fluffy sheep is the cutest

Image: xxNostalgic

Actually, felted turtle is the cutest

Image: xxNostalgic

But then there's felted electric mouse too...

Image: xxNostalgic

See? I told you. You're welcome.

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Many mistakes, from which our children will undoubtedly learn invaluable lessons, will be made during play time. It is a time for them to explore and experiment as they learn about the world around them in a comfortable, safe environment. It can, of course, take children a little while to figure things out. It won't be immediately obvious that a square block isn't going to fit into a circular hole, or that not sharing toys will upset others and possibly lead to a tantrum. But should we be showing them how to perfectly match up the shapes? And how do we know when it's the right time to step in during play time?

A recent study by Elizabeth Bonawitz, et al. demonstrates that independent learning is more beneficial for children than structured, instruction-led learning (or us parents just showing them what to do). As part of the study, a group of children were given a new toy. Those who were left to figure out how to use the toy on their own were far more engaged than those who had been shown what to do. The children who were left alone after receiving the new toy also played with it for longer, tried a wider variety of actions and even discovered alternative ways to play with it.

While showing our children how to do things may seem helpful and nurturing, it can actually have the opposite effect. By spoon feeding them the answers, we risk limiting their capacity for independent and creative thought. Encouraging children to engage in pretend play, try new things and experiment with their toys is an excellent way to foster independence from an early age. I'm not suggesting that you should never help your children, just be careful not to helicopter them.

Parents and teachers form an essential scaffold for a child's learning, but we must let them climb on their own. This can be as simple as providing plenty of opportunities for your children to engage in unstructured and independent play, and ensuring that they're not over-stimulated by too many toys. Allow your children, as soon as they're able, to do things for themselves, even if this does mean that they go out wearing mismatched clothes or make sandwiches with strange fillings. Let them try for themselves, let them fail and then let them try all over again.

Raising an independent child is a challenge for every parent because it means letting go. Children need room for growth, so we must resist the urge to wrap them up in cotton wool, providing instead a strong platform from which they can make their own way in the world. Besides, when you see your children doing things for themselves, you'll be glowing with pride.

Sam Flatman is a dad of two, living in Bristol. He believes that outdoor learning is an essential part of child development, and is currently an Educational Consultant for Pentagon Sport.

You’re doing the talking but her voice is coming out. This happens to all moms at some point. The first time is a bit of a jolt: When you tell your kids to scrub their ears so potatoes don’t grow from the dirt in there or to wear clean undies in case of an accident. Maybe hearing your mom in your voice makes you smile. Maybe it depresses you or freaks you out a little. However it makes you feel, it probably brings all mom’s one-liners to the forefront of your mind.

I like old sayings such as "what comes around goes around" and "mother knows best," but here are a few parenting one-liners we need to think about ditching.

1. Eat your dinner, there are children starving in Africa…

 … or China, or… wherever. In reality, there are children who don’t have enough food, material possessions or love living in your town. Your town. There’s a time and place to introduce global problems like hunger and poverty to your kids. Have honest, timely discussions when they’re old enough to grasp big-picture issues. Find opportunities for those teaching moments, but touting starving kids in faraway lands as a “clean your plate” tactic might not be the best way to get your kids to eat or boost their social awareness.

2. Children should be seen and not heard…

It’s a challenge to teach our children to be appropriately mindful of the wisdom of their elders without squelching their desire to share their young voices. Kids can to learn to balance expression with effective listening. Communication skills are important when we’re talking about raising up the next plugged-in generation. Let them talk… and really listen. What you hear may surprise you.

4. When I was your age…

We’ve all heard the line about our grandparents walking two miles in the snow uphill (both ways) to get to school. While it’s often tempting to tell kids how easy they have it, that usually doesn’t have much impact on their thoughts and actions in the present. Most tweens can’t relate to the idea of a three-foot cord tethering their phone to the wall. The words “when I was your age” send your child’s brain into shut-down mode where the only thing that computes is “Mom’s talking about the olden days again." By the way, the olden days are known as anything before 1978.

4. Wait 'till your father gets home…

If you live in a two-parent home, your kids probably know exactly who’s the heavy and who’s the softie. Maybe some form of good cop/bad cop is unavoidable, but automatically punting the responsibility for action to other parent might not send the right message. Yes, maybe the poop will hit the fan when Dad gets home — but using this as an empty threat sends the message that Mom’s opinion doesn’t pack as much of a punch.

5. Because I said so…

Why do I have to wash behind my ears? Why can’t I wear my pajamas to church or have ice cream instead of broccoli?

Answering "because I said so" might be a time-saving alternative to explaining the importance of good hygiene and nutrition to a small human who will “"but why" you to death when you try to have these little teaching moments. Yes, sometimes kids' questions are exasperating. Sometimes "because I said so" is the fastest way to get everyone out the door. But, just maybe, we should exercise a little more thought before we automatically spit out that answer.

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The celeb was arrested at the Beverly Hills Hotel after going on a rampage at the famed Polo Club. She refused to leave after making a huge, drunken scene, and when police arrived, things went from bad to worse.

Richards, who reportedly reeked of alcohol, had to be dragged out of the bathroom by cops and when they finally got her to jail, she kicked an officer. She has been charged with public intoxication, trespassing, resisting an officer and battery on a police officer.

More: Brandi Glanville accuses Kim Richards of using crystal meth

The star has struggled with her sobriety many times in the past, a battle that has occasionally been the subject of Real Housewives conflict. She had an epic blowout with her sister Kyle on the Season 1 finale, culminating in Kyle screaming, "You are an alcoholic! Yeah, that's right. I've said it now and everybody knows."

Richards went to rehab in 2011 and claimed to have maintained her sobriety ever since, but that was called into question this season when she took a pain pill from her ex-husband and started exhibiting erratic behavior again.

More: Kyle Richards explains rift with sister

The latest incident is sure to drive the wedge further between the sisters, who were already feuding over a dog bite suffered by Kyle's daughter at the hands — or rather teeth — of Kim's dog.

Richards was booked and released, and is due in Los Angeles Superior Court on June 10 to answer the charges.

I wanted to know this mother and all the mothers she knows.

And so I committed to directing/producing/performing in the 2013 LTYM Show in Providence, and in doing so I committed to so much more than one show; I joined a movement that is now alive in 39 cities, and 1500 strong and growing. A sisterhood and brotherhood that has grown out of the online world and social media has changed the very experience of motherhood for an entire generation.

With Mother's Day around the corner, this year the LTYM family has even more to celebrate: the "birth" this month of the Listen To Your Mother book, a collection of 56 candid, funny, poignant, unexpected and soul-bearing essays. Like the stage show, the writing is funny and heartbreaking and personal. It is through this collective voice that we can all relate. The labels and differences disappear and what remains is the deeply human, raw and real experience of raising children and owning the names Mother, Mom, Mommy.

Many famous writers have appeared in the show since it began in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2010 but so have many first-time writers and performers, myself included. As Listen To Your Mother proves, motherhood means we stand together side by side, word by word, moment by moment telling our stories, supporting each other and listening.

Here are five reasons you should listen to Ann (and your own mother!):

1. She is funny! She knows how to laugh at herself and at the messy motherhood journey.

2. Like motherhood itself, the LTYM movement is open to everyone; you can start a show in your town or city, or participate in one that already exists or read the book.

3. Ann has modernized motherhood by moving the online experience of bloggers and social media users to real life. We all need a community and we all need support, and Ann gives us a place to be a tribe.

4. Like the LTYM Show and book, Ann gives today's mothers a definition of motherhood that is not "one size fits all" but rather a new way of looking at mothering.

5. Ann has given so many of us a chance to speak and be heard on the stage, and the ability to fulfill a lifelong dream for so many!

We've seen millions of recipes for hummus, but what else can you make with chickpeas? So many more delicious dishes. Get ready for an avalanche of tasty chickpea recipes.

1. Tabasco-braised chicken with chickpeas and kale recipe

Image: Foodie Crush

Tabasco-braised chicken with chickpeas and kale sounds like the perfect meal to kick off the spring season. It's still a bit chilly in parts of the north, so this is the ideal amount of heat.

2. Chickpea, avocado and feta salad recipe

Image: Two Peas & Their Pod

Creamy avocado and flavorful feta make this chickpea, avocado and feta salad a great addition to your spring table. Plus, it works perfectly for lunch leftovers.

3. Chickpeas, pepper and chorizo side dish recipe

Adding chorizo to any dish always makes it more interesting, and we're loving this recipe for a chickpea, pepper and chorizo side dish that would go so well with grilled fish or chicken.

4. Slow cooker Moroccan chickpea and turkey stew recipe

Image: Skinnytaste

This slow cooker Moroccan chickpea and turkey stew is the ideal meal to prep in the morning and have it smell amazing by the end of the day.

5. Portuguese stew recipe

Portuguese stew, a scrumptious way to cook from other cultures and learn a little about other countries through food.

6. Chickpea fajitas recipe

Image: Eats Well with Others

These chickpea fajitas are a great vegetarian option for dinner. Just add meat if you're a carnivore.

7. Kung pao chickpeas recipe

Kung pao chickpeas are the most delicious way to get your kung pao fix if you're not eating meat.

8. Chickpea and chorizo soup recipe

Image: Always Order Dessert

Oh, we're loving how luscious and sexy this chickpea and chorizo soup looks, and as the writer suggests, topping it with pieces of creamy avocado would take it over the top.

9. Chickpea tikka masala recipe

Image: Foodie with Family

Looking for a budget-friendly yet amazing meal to serve your family? Try this chickpea tikka masala over rice or noodles.

10. Herb and chickpea chopped salad with goat cheese recipe

Image: Half Baked Harvest

We can't wait for the warm summer days when this herb and chickpea chopped salad with goat cheese will be the perfect lunch.

11. Chickpea, arugula and onion salad recipe

A simple yet flavorful salad, we're loving this recipe for chickpea, arugula and onion salad. So healthy!

12. Salmon and crispy chickpea spinach salad recipe

Image: Foxes Love Lemons

Try adding crispy chickpeas to your salad for a delicious replacement for the traditional croutons in this salmon and crispy chickpea spinach salad.

13. Creamy skillet Swiss chard and chickpeas recipe

Oh, how amazing does this creamy skillet Swiss chard and chickpeas look? We're grabbing our cast-iron ASAP and making this tonight.

14. Greek chickpea pancake fritters recipe

Image: Half Baked Harvest

Greek chickpea pancake fritters, when topped with poached eggs, make the perfect meal.

15. Slow cooker chicken curry chickpeas recipe

Image: Katie's Cucina

This recipe for slow cooker chicken curry chickpeas is making us drool all over our keyboards.

16. Buffalo chickpea sliders recipe

Image: Coffee & Quinoa

Balance out the spice from this Buffalo chickpea burger with some blue cheese dressing — lots of it.

17. Crispy roasted Parmesan chickpeas recipe

Image: Averie Cooks

These crispy Parmesan chickpeas are the perfect snack food or appetizer.

18. Chickpea and apricot cake recipe

Image: Donuts, Dresses and Dirt

Yes, chickpeas can be used in baking, and this chickpea and apricot cake proves it's just as delicious.

19. Chickpea pot pie recipe

Image: Eats Well with Others

You might find yourself eating more than one of these chickpea pot pies for dinner. They're just that good.

20. One-dish chickpea beef skillet recipe

This chickpea beef skillet is the perfect meal for the entire family to enjoy, including the toddlers.

21. Chickpea cookie dough recipe

Image: Natural Noshing

This cookie dough is made out of chickpeas, but it's just as delicious if not better.

22. One-pot spaghetti alla puttanesca recipe

Image: Yup It's Vegan

Add chickpeas to this one-pot spaghetti alla puttanesca dish for the perfect vegetarian meal.

23. Sweet potato and chickpea burger recipe

Image: Produce on Parade

This sweet potato-chickpea burger is the perfect veggie burger, filled with all the nutrition you need.

24. Dark chocolate chickpea brownies recipe

Image: The Roasted Root

These dark chocolate chickpea brownies show just how versatile chickpeas can be.

25. Soy-free, vegan Benedict recipe

Image: Keepin' It Kind

Brunch just got better with this soy-free, vegan Benedict. A chickpea patty rests on shiitake bacon and is topped with asparagus spears and a vegan hollandaise sauce.

26. Baked broccoli burger recipe

Image: The Tolerant Vegan

This baked broccoli burger is the perfect way to get your vegetable serving for the day and satisfy that burger craving.

27. Chickpeas and dumplings recipe

Image: Oh My Veggies

Use chickpeas instead of chicken in this chickpea and dumplings recipe. We promise it won't disappoint.

28. Roasted chickpea fajitas recipe

Image: Two Peas & Their Pod

If you love roasted chickpeas, then this healthy roasted chickpea fajita recipe is for you.

More chickpea recipes

Vegetarian chickpea salad
Easy chickpea salad spread
Healthier chickpea chocolate chip cookies

Additional reporting by Alexi Velasquez

The festival organisers have faced criticism for years for not choosing more films by women. In fact, the last time they opened with a film by a woman was in 1987, with Un homme amoureux, directed by Diane Kurys. The last decade of Cannes has been particularly poor when it comes to representing female-directed films: according to Indiewire blog Women in Hollywood, no more than four films by women have been selected in any one year, with some years featuring none at all.

This year, French director Emmanuelle Bercot's film La Tete Haute will open the festival, telling the story of an adolescent who is saved from a life of crime by a judge, played by veteran actress Catherine Deneuve.

Two more female filmmakers (also both French) have been selected for competition: Valerie Donzelli with Marguerite and Julien and Maiwenn with Mon Roi.

According to the BBC, the festival selected an opening film that is more in line with the values of its global audience: "It is a clear reflection of our desire to see the Festival start with a different piece, which is both bold and moving. Emmanuelle Bercot’s film makes important statements about contemporary society, in keeping with modern cinema. It focuses on universal social issues, making it a perfect fit for the global audience at Cannes."

More: Cannes director urges celebrities to stop taking "grotesque" red carpet selfies

Also competing for the Palme d'Or are 1950s drama Carol by Todd Haynes, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara; Gus Van Sant's Sea of Trees, starring Matthew McConaughey and Naomi Watts; Denis Villeneuve's thriller Sicario with Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin and Emily Blunt; and Italian Paolo Sorrentino's second foray into English-language filmmaking, Youth, starring Rachel Weisz and Michael Caine.

The fourth feature film by a female French director appears in the Un Certain Regard section: Maryland, by Anna Winocour. Natalie Portman's feature-film directorial debut A Tale of Love and Darkness, which is based on Israeli writer Amos Oz's memoir, is also in this year's line-up, but not competing for a prize.

Cannes is well known for celebrating the beauty and glamour of the film industry's female stars on its magnificent red carpet. Now it's time to celebrate the women behind the scenes — those creating incredible feature films that deserve to be recognised alongside the work of male directors.

And perhaps things are changing. Cannes organisers recently announced a new "Women in Motion" initiative in association with corporate partner Kering, consisting of a series of events taking place at this year's festival, including talks on the representation of women in film and the future for women in the film industry, and prizes to be given to female filmmakers from 2016 onwards.

Cannes Film Festival 2015 runs from May 13 to May 24.

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Dan Price is the CEO of Gravity Payments, a private credit card payment processing company in Seattle with about 120 employees — the average salary of each is about $48,000 a year — and on Monday afternoon, he called a meeting to announce something wonderful: that he's raising the minimum wage of every single employee's salary to $70,000 a year.

Here's the happy Gravity Payments team:

Image: Gravity Payments

Can you imagine your boss announcing you just got a $22,000-a-year raise? That's a total game changer.

"Is anyone else freaking out right now?" he asked after his stunned staff had a chance to let the news sink in. "I'm kind of freaking out."

How does he plan to find the money to pay for the raises? Get this: Price is cutting his own $1 million salary to $70,000 a year.

Is it getting warm in here? Can this guy be for real?

Image: Dan Price via LinkedIn

As if Dan — I think he would want me to call him Dan — isn't already a dreamboat of Robin Hood proportions, he appears to lack any pretense. He drives a 12-year-old Audi that he reportedly got in trade for doing work for the dealer, and he told The New York Times his only real splurges are bar bills and snowboarding.

Price says he recently read an article on what it takes for people to be happy, and it said research shows that employees who earn at least $70,000 are much happier than those who earn below. Then he started talking to his friends about how tough it is to make ends meet on less.

Image: GeekWire

"They were walking me through the math of making 40 grand a year," he said. It's not easy, and that's without anything extra for emergencies. "I hear that every single week. That just eats at me inside."

And so, I present to you the real sexiest man alive — one who has brains, beauty and a big, beautiful conscience to go with it. Here's hoping other CEOs are taking notes.

Also, does anyone know anything about Dan Price? We can't find his age, his relationship status or anything. We're not stalking him — it's for journalism. Share!

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Like most mothers, you are probably a frumpy idiot in mom jeans who copes with being frightened by your teenager's use of internet slang by making popovers and folding something — anything — to take your mind off of it. But what if you aren't? That's the question Hefty seeks to answer with three new videos that turns moms into something less lame by teaching them words like "fleek" and "basic."

Amazingly, the videos are trying to sell durable red cups, as in those things you lob ping-pong balls into during your moron stage in college. I'm sure they're used for other things, but I can't personally vouch for that. I've literally only used them to chug Natty Ice out of. So it seems like the campaign would be better aimed at college students, but whatever. Moms are big dumb pleat-front fun suckers, and they're easy to tease, so let's do that instead.

1. #Blessed

Video: Hefty Brands/Youtube

We start out strong, with a commercial that takes everything that anyone over the age of 12 finds grating about the internet and mashes it all into 40 seconds of what feels like someone dragging a cheese grater across your brain. Immediately the most irritating component of this campaign becomes apparent; the slang is dated and sucky and annoying. It's every douchey commuter you've had the misfortune of sitting next to on the train speaking aloud in hashtags, plus the added squick of hearing a grown-ass woman deriding "salty side chicks." I guess they figured there was no way they could get away with thot on TV.

2. Turnt

Video: Hefty Brands/Youtube

"Turnt" has the dubious honor of being the worst of all three, and that's like having to pick which you would enjoy less: licking the bottom of your trashcan or licking the caulk around your toilet. I chose this one because in this spot, a woman puts away groceries and says things like "cray" and "bae" and "sorry, not sorry," which just happen to be my three rage triggers. This one is supposed to be funny because look at this frumpy oldster saying youngster words. It's absurd! Actually, that's the reason they're all supposed to be funny. Moms are so clueless!

3. Worth it

Video: Hefty Brands/Youtube

This is the one I find the most bearable, only because the woman in it seems to be self-aware as opposed to the disconcerting mix of clueless and idiotic, like the first two. I could see an adult woman doing this. I myself have woken up with mac and cheese in strange places in my own home. But please don't take that as a testimony to greatness. Or even goodness. It still sucks. Hard.

The thing is, I don't have a problem with poking fun at moms. I love it. I do it, and I am a mom. The only thing I ask is that it's funny, and these don't even come close. There's no excuse for being unfunny. What makes this campaign even worse is that it goes a step further than unfunny; it's lazily unfunny, like the marketing team opened Urban Dictionary up in a bunch of tabs and had a competition to see who could come up with the worst 40-second spot imaginable.

Make no mistake, the Hefty commercials don't offend me. I'm not offended, I'm bored. Moms who think they're people? The attempt to capitalize on internet memes that were not funny to begin with? White folk co-opting AAVE to get some har-hars?

Seen it. Next, please.

Sorry, Hefty, but your red cups will always just be a poor man's Solo.

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The Real Housewives star posted yet another photo on Instagram showing off her ridiculous hip/waist ratio in a little black dress.

Every time she posts an image like this, she gets more and more negative comments, and this time they ranged from Photoshop accusations and disgust at the inherent fakery of corsets in general to rage that Zolciak would fall under the stereotype that a woman's body should look a certain way, no matter what the physical cost.

More: Kim Zolciak is shutting down her haters with this one pic (PHOTO)

The only complaint that really seemed to get under Zolciak's skin was the Photoshop accusation, because that is the one she responded to personally — and harshly.

Tell us: Is Kim Zolciak going too far with her waist training?

When I was little, my dad would awe and amaze me with his snowman pancakes. I couldn't imagine how he could magically turn ordinary pancake batter into a snowman, complete with a face, and I thought they tasted so much better than the regular ol' round ones. But most of all, it just made me feel special every time he made me those fancy pancakes.

Well, apparently pancake art has come a long way since those snowmen, but the idea behind it is still the same. Mark and Kim of @pancakefunday have started a tradition within their family, making and decorating incredible pancakes every Sunday.

According to their blog, "It started one day when our oldest said, 'Daddy, I want a pancake shaped like a dolphin.'" So he made one, and an awesome tradition was born. I'm willing to bet their daughter will never forget those mornings.

Check out some of their amazing pancake art.

1. Pizza for breakfast

Not everyone likes pizza for breakfast, but I'm pretty sure this slice would be a hit no matter what.

2. Edible bugs

These are the kind of bugs I can get behind eating.

3. Fly me to the moon

Or fly that pancake straight into my mouth.

4. When yard work is fun

Those fluffy whipped cream clouds are calling my name.

5. Arrr, matey!

How unbelievably stoked would you be (kid or adult) with this pancake in front of you?

6. Fruitful bird

They even keep it food dye free by using fruit for coloring. Genius.

7. You've got mail

I'll admit I'm partial to this one because I harbor a slightly unhealthy adoration for You've Got Mail. C'mon... it's classic Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

8. Who wouldn't want to eat this?

See what I did there? Who? Hoo... Never mind.

9. Tree art

This scene looks more like it should be framed than eaten. Incredible.

10. Adorable lizard

This guy is almost too cute to eat. I said almost. I'd totally eat him.

More amazing pancakes

Birthday cake pancakes are a special-occasion breakfast
Dreamy, creamy blueberry and lemon pancake roll-ups
Savory bacon and cheese pancakes are the breakfast we've been waiting for

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The actress accepted the challenge from chef, Mario Batali, to live on just $29 for a week with her family in order to better understand what impoverished households go through on a day-to-day, month-to-month basis.

Paltrow announced on her website, Goop, that she didn't even last the full week. Instead, she made it about four days. "I personally broke and had some chicken and fresh vegetables (and in full transparency, half a bag of black licorice)," she revealed. "My perspective has been forever altered by how difficult it was to eat wholesome, nutritious food on that budget even for just a few days — a challenge that 47 million Americans face every day, week, and year."

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But a lot of people took issue with the food choices Paltrow made with her $29, which she shared on Twitter.

People were quick to say they weren't surprised Paltrow failed, given her purchases, which included cilantro, limes and avocado, which aren't necessarily smart decisions when on such a limited budget.

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Of course, her attempt wasn't necessarily about succeeding. It was about raising awareness of the difficulty to live on that low an amount of money, and Paltrow has definitely succeeded at that.

Do you think Paltrow deserves the hate for attempting the food stamp challenge?

Kim shared the news with fans on her Instagram and Twitter feeds, and the reaction was, well, pretty predictable. The famous duo, known more for their generous egos than generous spirits, pretty much caused Twitter to turn into one big WTF.

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Wow, Twitter, tell us how you really feel.

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While there's no denying that the couple's inclusion is controversial, it's important to remember that personal fandom has little to do with it. Kim and Kanye are household names all over the world and their significance to pop culture cannot be downplayed.

Tell us: What do you think of Kim and Kanye's inclusion in the #Time100?

The Orange Is the New Black star says that there are plenty of straight men who date trans women, but they hide the relationship out of fear of stigmatization.

"Most men who are attracted to and date transgender women are probably stigmatized more than trans women are," she observed in an interview on SiriusXM Progress. "I think a man who is dating trans women, who is a celebrity, or famous or is an athlete or something, needs to come forward — or a musician — and needs to say, 'I love transgender women and [they] deserve to be loved and I'm going to declare that publicly.' I think those men need some sort of inspiration and hope, so they can live more authentically."

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"Gender is policed in such a way that it does not just affect transgender people," she said. "It affects gay-identified men, straight-identified men. And straight-identified men [who are] deeply policed. As I date a lot of straight-identified men, I've seen them so deeply internalize these ideas very rigidly about what it means to be a man -– to be a straight man."

Cox also said that while she has not set out to be a role model, she realizes she is one — albeit for different things to different people.

"[The] good thing is that, through the character I play on Orange Is the New Black and through my work outside the show, people have been able to project all sorts of things onto me. And I've come to understand that the Laverne Cox media presence means different things to different people for different reasons. And I'm really grateful that we've been able to touch such diverse audiences with the different aspects of what we do."

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Last week, 11-year-old Lucas Vertullo was attacked by a shark in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Earlier this week, two kids lost limbs (limbs!) in a North Carolina shark attack. Just yesterday, a 10-year-old boy was bitten by a shark in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida. Thankfully he wasn't seriously hurt, but still!

These beach days turned into bloody nightmares plus the flesh-eating bacteria in Florida's oceans have me really rethinking my affection for the ocean. The long, lazy days I look forward to are now filled with fear of what lurks below those lovely waves.

When we moved to Florida eight years ago, the proximity to beaches was a huge plus. Having grown up in landlocked Nebraska, I was in awe that we could be at so many beaches so quickly. My children have grown up with their toes in the sand, and it saddens me to think about avoiding the ocean. But it's getting pretty freaking scary out there.

Yes, there are things you can do to reduce your chances of becoming shark bait, and experts say shark attacks aren't increasing but rather better reporting and more water activity make it seem that way. Still, the fact is that if you're in their home, you're fair game for their dinner. The risk may not be high, but it's a risk nonetheless.

And that's the thing, I guess. There are risks out there no matter where we go, and we have to decide how much we're willing to sacrifice to try to mitigate them and keep our kids safe. Will we avoid the beach all summer because of what-ifs? I don't know yet. At some point my yearning for the salt air and the moan of bored children will probably get us there. Because while yes, there are risks, there is also the risk of too much TV time, car crashes and cancer-causing everything everywhere.

So while I'd feel safer banning the beach this summer, I'll probably summon up my courage at some point, take our chances and hope for the best… while compulsively watching the water for signs of fins the whole time.

If not, I guess there's always the pool. But then this… 

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Lauren Wasser, a 27-year-old California model, contracted Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) from a tampon when she was only 24. While TSS is rare — today it only affects one out of every 100,000 people — it can be a deadly bacterial infection. In Lauren's case, TSS caused her to suffer a massive heart attack, and eventually led to gangrene in her leg which then needed to be amputated.

While Lauren was still in the hospital, her mother began hitting the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the manufacturer of the Kotex tampon she used, and the store chain from which she purchased it with a huge lawsuit. According to Vice, the lawsuit states that the two companies are "negligently, wantonly, recklessly, tortuously and unlawfully responsible in some manner" for what happened to her. It also claims that the warnings on the side of the tampon box aren't clear. The disclaimer on the box simply states, "change your tampon every four to eight hours, including overnight." The family plans to argue that the "including overnight" suggests it's OK to leave the tampon in for longer than eight hours, which is what Lauren did.

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The incident that led to this lawsuit happened back in October of 2012. Lauren felt like she might have the flu, but did not consider that could have anything to do with her period. She picked up tampons from her local Ralph's grocery store, and got ready to go out for the night. She claims she had been changing her tampon every three to four hours that day. She started to feel really sick when she was out at a party, and decided to drive home to sleep.

A few hours later, she woke up to her dog barking and police banging on her door — her mom had called in a welfare check, because she hadn't heard from her daughter. However, the police officer didn't seem to think anything was wrong, so he left, and Lauren went back to sleep. The next day, her mom sent a friend and another police officer over, and they found her face down on the floor with 107 degree fever.

Lauren was rushed to the hospital, where they say she was 10 minutes from death. She had suffered a massive heart attack, and her organs were shutting down. At first, the doctors didn't know what to make of it, so they called a disease specialist in who immediately thought a latent tampon was the culprit. Needless to say he was right, and the tests on it came back positive for TSS.

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TSS caused a number of deaths back in the 1980s due to the absorbent, synthetic materials found particularly in Proctor & Gamble's Rely tampon. A study conducted at Yale stated, "the gelled carboxymethylcellulose" in Rely tampons "acted like agar in a petri dish, providing a viscous medium on which the bacteria could grow."

Lauren's lawyer, Hunter J. Shkolnik, told Vice that tampons today are no different than they were back then. "The tampon has not been changed since the day of the original TSS epidemic. All they did was put on the label, 'Oh, you can get toxic shock.' The material has gone unchanged for decades." He says tampon companies get around the FDA by slapping these vague warnings on their boxes.

Lauren was put into a medically induced coma after the heart attack, but when she woke up, another problem presented itself — the TSS had led to gangrene in her leg. She said she felt an indescribably painful burning sensation in hands and feet. The doctors put her in a hyperbaric chamber to try to stop the infection, but it had already spread. She'd have to lose her leg.

Today, Lauren is missing her right leg below the knee, and her left toes. Her life has been completely altered by this ordeal. She told Vice, "You live your whole life and think, 'I'm an athlete' or 'I'm a pretty girl' but this was something physical that I had no control over. "It took me a while to figure out if I was still worthy, if I was still pretty."

Lauren is slowly recovering emotionally and physically, but it's a never-ending road filled with pain, surgery, and disability. This fall, she plans to stand before Congress with New York Representative Carolyn Maloney, who is trying to pass the Robin Danielson Act, named after a woman who died of TSS in 1998. The act would "establish a program of research regarding the risks posed by the presence of dioxin, synthetic fibers, chemical fragrances and other components of feminine hygiene products."

Lauren says if she had known the risks of TSS, she never would've used synthetic tampons.

She's still in (relatively) good health, but the truth is that it's luck that's kept her there.

A new study published in the latest issue of JAMA Internal Medicine found that of the 345,962 cancer deaths in the United States in 2011, 48.5 percent (167,805) were attributed to smoking.

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"Cigarette smoking continues to cause numerous deaths from multiple cancers despite half a century of decreasing prevalence," Rebecca Siegel from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta and her co-authors wrote in the study.

Most of the smoking deaths in people ages 35 and older predictably came from lung, bronchus and trachea cancers (125,799 of 156,855 deaths) and larynx cancer (2,856 of 3,728 deaths), though deaths from cancers of the bladder, esophagus, mouth, colon and cervix, among others, were also attributed to smoking.

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But quitting something as addictive as smoking isn't as simple as just using willpower. Many people need consistent intervention to help them along the path to quitting, but a study by Elyse Park from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that doctor-monitored smoking cessation programs don't work because there's no follow-up.

So alternatives like e-cigarettes and vaping are the way to go, right? Not necessarily: These methods haven't been around long enough to know what, if any, long-term health complications result from their consistent use. Many of the chemical ingredients in the "juices" are used in foods but are approved for eating, not inhaling.

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"Regulations are needed," researchers from Portland State University wrote in a recent study of vaping and e-cigarettes. "These should include compulsory ingredient listing, limiting the levels of certain flavorings, and limiting total permissible levels of flavorings, particularly as there is some concern that flavored products might make e-cigarettes more attractive to young people."

In short, purposely inhaling chemicals into your lungs isn't a good idea, no matter if it's through cigarettes or a metal tube.