President Biden was sloppy in holding on to classified material related to some of his most consequential policy debates as vice president‚ eager to show that history would prove him right‚ according to a special counsel investigation that yielded no criminal charges but is likely to add a new dynamic to the 2024 presidential contest. Biden willfully retained and disclosed to a ghostwriter classified materials while he was a private citizen after his vice presidency‚ including...

The Justice Department special counsel’s Thursday report declining to charge President Joe Biden for mishandling classified documents handed fresh fodder to congressional Republicans who have questioned his fitness to be reelected. The report‚ prepared by special counsel Robert Hur‚ concluded that criminal charges against Biden wouldn’t be warranted even if DOJ lacked an internal policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Hur’s investigation found evidence that Biden “willfully...

Life hacks are tiny nuggets of wisdom that can make our daily lives easier and more enjoyable. They're clever shortcuts and ingenious solutions to everyday problems that we sometimes don’t realize are unique to us until we share them with others.They can save us time‚ money and effort‚ all while adding a dash of fun and creativity to our routines. At Upworthy‚ we love sharing life hacks to make our readers' lives a bit easier. We’ve done them on tips people wish they knew in their 20s‚ “simple but effective” life hacks‚ “life advice‚” how to make your refrigerator smell better and even hacks that help you find a lost kid. One would think that we’ve heard every hack known to man. However‚ a group of Redditors have come together to share the “completely original” life hacks they came up with and there are many new ones that we’ve never heard.It all started when a Redditor with the username reddit_API_is_sh** posed an awkwardly-worded question to the AskReddit subforum: “What are some of your personal life hacks that you came up with yourself‚ not necessarily completely original?” The question received over 1‚400 responses from folks with life hacks that can help people with nearly every phase of their lives‚ whether domestic responsibilities‚ education‚ or raising kids.So here are 17 of the best “completely original” life hacks shared on Reddit.1. Teach 'em Spanish"If your child watches the same DVD over and over so many times that they know it by heart‚ switch the language and let them learn Spanish." — BulletDodger2. Cleaning motivation"When I don’t feel like cleaning‚ I put on a 'Watch Me Clean' show on YouTube‚ and somehow‚ within 10 minutes‚ I get up and start cleaning. I need to try that with exercising next." — Affectionate-Big57843. Friends are plants"You really have to invest in friendships the older you get. The analogy of them being like a plant that needs watering is so true." — Wirsteve4. Poo trick"I put a little bit of tp in the toilet before number 2 to combat splashing." — TraditionalLadder4735. Develop interests"The best way for me to deal with loneliness is actually not to pursue platonic or romantic relationships actively‚ but to keep myself busy working on and developing my interests. (Additionally‚ it's important for me to do this both in a solitary and semi-social way - taking classes‚ joining groups‚ etc. However‚ I don't use these semi-social outlets to make friends per se‚ but as a way to just be around like-minded people.) I find actively pursuing relationships when I am in a state of loneliness stress is a recipe for bad outcomes. I always meet the best people when I am more at peace with my life. Also‚ one of the big perks of having a relatively slow social life is time for personal development and working on interests." — Zazzlekdazzle6. Duvet hack"No matter what size bed you have‚ get a duvet that’s at least one size bigger." — Meganetism7. Memorization"For upcoming exams that require memorization‚ I just read through the paper once in morning‚ noon‚ afternoon and evening. Don't try to forcefully remember; just read‚ maybe out loud if you can't focus. Over several days‚ the brain naturally remembers it effortlessly. This‚ of course‚ requires doing it ahead of the exams for at least 1 week; try to break the bad habit of studying rushed the night before the exam the next morning with this. Repetition is mother of all learnings." — Reddit_API_is_sh**8. Shop satisfied"Don't go to the supermarket hungry." — Posiotive_Judgement5819. The night before"Always set up your outfit‚ lunch‚ bag‚ keys‚ etc. the night before." — H3rata10. Always show up"Just show up. Whether for your job‚ your BF/GF‚ your sports team‚ your parents‚ or whatever. Just showing up‚ even if you're empty-handed‚ even if you can't play‚ even if you're not totally prepared for the meeting‚ just show up. Bailing on stuff and not being present is the worst thing you can do. Always show up." — Gottapeenow211. Be quiet"Say less. People will over-explain and give you the advantage." — Arseblaster42012. Why worry?"I adopted a snippet of conversation from the movie‚ 'Bridge of Spies.' At three‚ separate points in the movie‚ there is this fragment between Hanks (the Lawyer) and Ryland (the Spy) (whose birthday is today‚ too):Lawyer: You don't seem to be worried about «event».Spy (after a short pause): Would it help?I like that. There's no point to getting your knickers in a twist over events you have no control over‚ cannot influence‚ etc.My life is considerably more relaxed with that attitude." — DeeDee_Zee13. Stay silent"When someone says something outrageous (racist‚ mean‚ hurtful‚ whatever)‚ do not respond at all. Go completely silent. Leave their comment hanging there like a fart. Let them marinate in what they just said." — jimstirlingssurgeon"Repeat exactly what they’ve said out loud back to them. Say nothing else after. It gets them thinking. As a Black woman who recently moved to Australia‚ I’ve had to adopt this approach instead. It’s been a wonderful strategy." — kymikeobabe14. Touch grass"If you’re feeling sluggish or down in the dumps go for a walk or get out in nature‚ even if it’s the last thing you want to do." — Cherrycola250ml15. No sugar in the AM"Don’t start your day with sugar—it helps reduce cravings throughout the rest of your day‚ and your snacking will take a back seat. I think it’s spiking your glucose early that does it. Start with something savory and packed with protein." — Emotional_Camp_768116. Clean for 10"Every morning I spend 10 minutes cleaning something before I go to work. Dishes we left to soak overnight‚ folding laundry we air dryed‚ organizing the coffee table. A little adds up to a lot." — k_lo97017. Space heater"In the winter‚ I put a small space heater in my bathroom and put it on only when I'm in the shower. When I get out‚ it is so pleasant in the room. No chills‚ no goosebumps. I can dry off and put on my lotion in comfort. It's glorious. If you want to do this‚ you have to make sure to buy a space heater that is designed for the bathroom and has one of those safety plugs." — lordmattimcauthon

Fifth-grade teacher Emily E. Smith is not your ordinary teacher. She founded The Hive Society — a classroom that's all about inspiring children to learn more about their world ... and themselves — by interacting with literature and current events. Students watch TED talks‚ read Rolling Stone‚ and analyze infographics. She even has a long-distance running club to encourage students to take care of their minds and bodies.Smith is such an awesome teacher‚ in fact‚ that she recently received the 2015 Donald H. Graves Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Writing.It had always been her dream to work with children in urban areas‚ so when Smith started teaching‚ she hit the ground running. She had her students making podcasts‚ and they had in-depth discussions about their readings on a cozy carpet.But in her acceptance speech for her award‚ she made it clear that it took a turning point in her career before she really got it:"Things changed for me the day when‚ during a classroom discussion‚ one of my kids bluntly told me I "couldn't understand because I was a white lady." I had to agree with him. I sat there and tried to speak openly about how I could never fully understand and went home and cried‚ because my children knew about white privilege before I did. The closest I could ever come was empathy."Smith knew that just acknowledging her white privilege wasn't enough.She wanted to move beyond just empathy and find a way to take some real action that would make a difference for her students.She kept the same innovative and engaging teaching methods‚ but she totally revamped her curriculum to include works by people who looked like her students. She also carved out more time to discuss issues that her students were facing‚ such as xenophobia and racism.And that effort? Absolutely worth it.As she said in her acceptance speech:"We studied the works of Sandra Cisneros‚ Pam Munoz Ryan‚ and Gary Soto‚ with the intertwined Spanish language and Latino culture — so fluent and deep in the memories of my kids that I saw light in their eyes I had never seen before."The changes Smith made in her classroom make a whole lot of sense. And they're easy enough for teachers everywhere to make:— They studied the work of historical Latino figures‚ with some of the original Spanish language included. Many children of color are growing up in bilingual households. In 2007‚ 55.4 million Americans 5 years of age and older spoke a language other than English at home.— They analyzed the vision of America that great writers of color sought to create. And her students realized that our country still isn't quite living up to its ideals. Despite progress toward racial equality with the end of laws that enforced slavery or segregation‚ we still have a long way to go. Black people still fare worse than white people when it comes to things like wealth‚ unfair arrests‚ and health.— They read excerpts from contemporary writers of color‚ like Ta-Nehisi Coates who writes about race. Her students are reading and learning from a diverse group of writers. No small thing when they live in a society that overwhelmingly gives more attention to white male writers (and where the number of employees of color in the newspaper industry stagnates at a paltry 12%).— They read about the Syrian crisis‚ and many students wrote about journeys across the border in their family history for class. The opportunity particularly struck one student; the assignment touched him so much that he cried. He never had a teacher honor the journey his family made. And he was proud of his heritage for the first time ever. "One child cried‚" Smith shared‚ "and told me he never had a teacher who honored the journey his family took to the United States. He told me he was not ashamed anymore‚ but instead proud of the sacrifice his parents made for him."Opportunities like this will only increase as the number of children from immigrant families is steadily increasing. As of 2013‚ almost 17.4 million children under 18 have at least one immigrant parent.Smith now identifies not just as an English teacher‚ but as a social justice teacher.Smith's successful shift in her teaching is an example for teachers everywhere‚ especially as our schools become increasingly ethnically and racially diverse. About 80% of American teachers are white. But as of last year‚ the majority of K-12 students in public schools are now children of color.As America's demographics change‚ we need to work on creating work that reflects the experiences that our students relate to. And a more diverse curriculum isn't just important for students of color. It's vital for everyone.As Smith put it‚ "We‚ the teachers‚ are responsible for instilling empathy and understanding in the hearts of all kids. We are responsible for the future of this country."This article originally appeared on 12.07.15

Job hunting literally can feel like you’re out in the Sahara scavenging for your next meal…all the while knowing that there are dozens of other hunters just as starving as you are‚ and that there doesn’t seem to be enough morsels to go around. It all makes one anxiety-laden psychic landmine‚ forgive the mix of metaphors. Even after you’ve used all the tips and tricks to make your resume stand out in a sea of other applications‚ using every viable SEO keyword you can scrounge up‚ and you do finally get the coveted interview‚ the stress is far from over. Certain questions feel more like traps than anything else. But just like everything in life‚ a little prep‚ along with some expert advice‚ goes a long way. But just like everything in life‚ a little prep‚ along with some expert advice‚ goes a long way. Erin McGoff‚ aka “your internet big sister‚” has all kinds of strategies for building a fulfilling career‚ not least of which being acing interviews. In her mind‚ salary expectations are one of the “trickiest” parts of the interview to navigate.While it might be tempting to try to give a direct number‚ McGoff explains how that might not be the best route to go‚ since that puts you at risk of being “low balled” by the company‚ or being written off as too expensive. In addition‚ McGoff advises against: Telling them what you currently makeSaying you “hope” or “wish” forBeing unpreparedSaying you’ll take whateverInstead‚ McGoff offers a few other polite‚ professional scripts to use that invite more “negotiation power.”When potential employers bring the subject up‚ respond with “Thank you so much for bringing that up. I would love to know the approved salary range for the position."If the response to that is something to the effect of “there isn't a set range” or “it depends on the candidate” you can say: "Got it. Well‚ my salary range is flexible but I'd like to learn more about the specifics of the role before giving out a solid number." You can also give the price range of other companies you’re applying to‚ McGoff says. And perhaps most importantly‚ she recommends reiterating that you’re “flexible on salary depending on other elements of the compensation package." This all comes with the caveat that employers “should” be listing the salary range upfront in the job description. See on Instagram This mentality is seconded by Joyel Crawford‚ a career coach and host of the podcast Career View Mirror‚ who told The Muse that giving a finite number “limits your ability to make something work with the company.” In the same interview‚ Crawford mentions that it’s also worth noting that compensation can be given in other ways‚ depending on your values. Perhaps you can be flexible in salary to a job with a high amount of paid time off‚ year end bonuses‚ childcare benefits‚ etc. Bottom line: job interviews are tough‚ but that’s why having some strategies in place to bring your best‚ even when nerves are triggered‚ is so important.

There's always advice out there for parents that promise to be the game changer everyone's been looking for but since every child is different‚ the claim rarely rings true. But this piece of advice might just do the thing it claims because it's such a simple shift and allows for both parent and child to feel validated in tough situations. Anjuli Paschall recently posted a video sharing a phrase her mom used with her as a child that changed her life. She shares that over Christmas break she was washing the family's antique china‚ five of the fragile dishes fell to the floor and shattered. At the sound of the noise‚ Paschall's mom screamed from the other room‚ "I love you more than those dishes."A simple reassuring phrase that Paschall has heard all of her life reassuring her that mistakes happen but her mom will always love her more.But her mom didn't just use it when mishaps occurred‚ she used it even when accomplishments were achieved. The purpose was to continually remind Paschall that nothing she could do or achieve would diminish her mother's love. Children can absorb so much and internalize things that may come out in perfectionist tenancies‚ so the phrase "I love you more than..." is meant to build confidence and self forgiveness. Commenters tell Paschall how helpful that phrase is and how their plans to use it. "Decorating birthday sugar cookies with my 7 year old today and the platter we loaded them on dropped and broke as she carried it… my immediate reaction‚ 'It’s fine… I love you so much more than that platter and cookies… we’ll make more.'Your post was so timely‚ friend. Thank you‚" one mom writes."As someone whose expertise is mind and nervous system development and how this influences adult life‚ this is so powerful. When they feel this as kids they don't NEED to hear it from the world‚ because it is encoded within them as embodied truth already‚" someone else shares."You know what’s the best part? This sentence is very real‚ logical‚ and gives even the parent themselves a reality check that they may need in a moment when they’re angry. Yes‚ I love those dishes. But do I love them more than I love my child? Hell no. So yeah‚ better tell them in that moment when they are in a doubt‚" another says.While this little phrase may not be for everyone‚ it is certainly one that a lot of commenters are wishing they heard as children. Watch the entire video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anjuli Paschall (@lovealways.anjuli)

So.  No criminal charges for President Biden for “willfully” holding onto classified documents in the garage of his home and at an office. The report from Biden administration–appointed “Special Counsel” Robert Hur released today says‚ among other things‚ this:   Our investigation uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen. These materials included (1) marked classified documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan‚ and (2) notebooks containing Mr. Biden’s handwritten entries about issues of national security and foreign policy implicating sensitive intelligence sources and methods. FBI agents recovered these materials from the garage‚ offices‚ and basement den in Mr. Biden’s Wilmington‚ Delaware home. It took former President Trump a decidedly short time after the Biden DOJ report let Biden off the hook to issue this statement:  THIS HAS NOW PROVEN TO BE A TWO-TIERED SYSTEM OF JUSTICE AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL SELECTIVE PROSECUTION! The Biden Documents Case is 100 times different and more severe than mine. I did nothing wrong‚ and I cooperated far more. What Biden did is outrageously criminal – He had 50 years of documents‚ 50 times more than I had‚ and “WILLFULLY RETAINED” them. I was covered by the Presidential Records Act‚ Secret Service was always around‚ and GSA delivered the documents. Deranged Jack Smith should drop this Case immediately. ELECTION INTERFERENCE. Bingo. Decades ago‚ Robert F. Kennedy — the father of his namesake son now running for president — began his career as a U.S. Senate investigator looking into the corruption of the labor movement and its various bosses‚ notably the Teamsters’ president‚ Jimmy Hoffa.  He wrote a book on what he uncovered in the way of massive corruption involving “labor leaders‚ management‚ the underworld‚ and public officials‚ sometimes in combination‚ sometimes separately.” The title of the book: The Enemy Within.  What this latest decision from the Biden Department of Justice vividly illustrates is that there is one standard of justice for former President Trump and another altogether for President Biden. Which is to say‚ to borrow from RFK‚ there is in fact today an “Enemy Within” — this time within a corrupt Biden Department of Justice and related federal bureaucracies like the FBI. On top of this corruption is the decidedly not shocking news from this report expressed as follows: We have also considered that‚ at trial‚ Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury‚ as he did during our interview of him‚ as a sympathetic‚ well-meaning‚ elderly man with a poor memory. Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him‚ he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him-by then a former president well into his eighties-of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness. Stunningly‚ at one point‚ a baffled Biden asked the investigators: “When did I stop being Vice President?” So let’s get this straight. Joe Biden’s mental state is so poor — that he should be reelected? That by itself should raise a red flag to Americans watching the unfolding 2024 election. There is much to unpack here. But the bottom line is that well aside from the corruption of a two-tiered justice system seriously biased against Donald Trump — a system that will criminally charge Trump for doing what Biden has done with no criminal charges for Biden — the man sitting in the White House right now is not only corrupt. He is also mentally completely unfit to be president. And Democrats want to nominate him for another four-year term. Not good. Not good at all. The post The Enemy Within: Corrupt DOJ Will Not Charge Biden — Only Trump appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.