Nine men were charged with criminal mischief or attempted criminal mischief and other offenses after New York officials ordered an unauthorized tunnel built adjacent to a Brooklyn synagogue be stabilized. Viral posts made baseless claims that the tunnel was related to child sex trafficking. But the tunnel apparently resulted from a dispute between two sects over synagogue expansion. A long-brewing dispute within a Hasidic Jewish group in Brooklyn boiled over when an unauthorized...

The chaos surrounding the Michigan Republican Party and its chairperson‚ Kristina Karamo‚ continues to persist long after factions voted to remove her from her position. In a January 6 vote‚ 40 members of the party's state committee backed a motion to remove Karamo‚ a Donald Trump-supporting election denier‚ as chair over concerns over her ability to move the party forward and failing to improve its reported $500‚000 debt. Karamo did not attend the vote‚ nor did she recognize the results...

A European Commission (EC) official asserted that government “disinformation” censorship is essential to ensure individuals receive factual information at the World Economic Forum’s Davos conference on Thursday. EC Vice-President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourová made the remarks during a discussion on “Defending Truth” with fellow panelists from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The European Union (EU) has a regulatory agenda that cracks down on “...

Is society soon to receive an influx of top-tier‚ compassionate grandmothers? A TikToker named Madison Barbosa made a video that resonated deeply with viewers. In it‚ the stay-at-home mom of two-under-two extolled the virtues of millennial moms and the kinds of grandmothers she predicts they’ll be.“I think the best era of grandmas is yet to come‚” she begins in the video‚ viewed close to half a million times.“I feel like millennial grandmoms are going to be elite‚" Madison continues. "We know what not to do based on the majority of boomers. And that’s not to say I don’t love my grandmoms. My grandmoms are great. But the judgyness and the unnecessary‚ unwarranted comments—we know not to do that."“And then our moms‚ our baby’s grandparents‚ they’re getting there but I just feel like we’re gonna be better‚” she added.Barbosa’s generation—millennials— are defined as the generation born between 1981 and 1996. Their parents are usually Boomers (1946-1964) or older Gen X (1965-1980) while their children are typically the generation dubbed Generation Alpha (2010-2025).Honestly so proud to be a millennial mom and I’m certain we are gonna be incredible grandparents one day @madison_barbosa Honestly so proud to be a millennial mom and I’m certain we are gonna be incredible grandparents one day 🙌🏻💯 #momminmads #millennialmom #momsoftiktok #relatablemom #momhumor While it’s tempting to think Barbosa’s video is about how millennials-as-grandparents will behave toward their grandchildren‚ Barbosa’s video and its popularity seem to have more to do with the relationship between grandparents and their children. As a millennial navigating the frustrations of dealing with older generations‚ Barbosa says she and her cohort will understand how to best support their adult children in raising kids.“We’re gonna anticipate what our kids need‚ we’re gonna be pushing them to get a break…pushing them to get out of the house‚ to go for a date night‚ say ‘We got the kids tonight‚ we got the kids.’ I just have this strong premonition that millennial grandmas are gonna be the best to come‚” says Barbosa near the end of the video.Commenters were quick to agree.“I absolutely can’t wait to be the village we so desperately need!” said a user named Noneya.“Oh absolutely! I can’t wait to take care of my grandkids and truly help my children through parenthood—following their rules and boundaries‚” wrote Jane D.“My husband and I talk about this all the time! Our generation is going to ROCK this grandparent thing‚” said It’s Me‚ Hannah.The comments were quite vulnerable as well.“Last night at 3am throw [sic] pure exhaustion tears I told my 4 month old daughter she’d never have to do this the hard way I’ll always be there if wanted‚” wrote Baylee Vandegrift.“Yes‚ like I can’t look at my daughter without wanting to do everything in my power for her. And it makes me sad about how I was raised‚” said Christina.​If millennials are frustrated by the way their parents grandparent—there’s actually a 2021 study that explains the differences in the way grandparents treat their children versus their grandchildren.A group of grandmothers were shown pictures of their grandchildren and then pictures of the grandchild’s same-sex parent (often the grandparent's own child). Imaging showed their brains lit up differently when showing their grandchildren versus their children. When shown their grandchildren‚ their emotional empathy centers were activated versus their cognitive empathy centers—which were activated when shown their adult children.But just because there seems to be a bit of a biological limitation here doesn’t mean we are beholden to it. Isn’t that what growing and learning is about? If these millennials have their way‚ they will be leading the charge.

We love our fur babies. Even after we transition from purely pet parents to full blown baby parents (for those of us that do‚ anyway) we still see our cats and dogs as pure and precious creatures in need of our attention and care. Cause they are. Duh. In some cases that means sharing the same activities‚ wearing matching outfits…heck‚ it wouldn’t be out of this world to see a baby sharing a stroller with a dog from time to time. But sometimes‚ love and trust are two different things. And when it comes to our pets being around children‚ some experts recommend not placing your faith in the paws of your beloved pets. Pediatrician Dr. Sami‚ of the popular Pedi Pals on TikTok‚ recently warned parents that “you can never be too careful around dogs” when they’re with small children‚ “no matter how much you love them‚ no matter how gentle they've been.”In the clip‚ she explains that when her kids were very young‚ they were always kept separate from the dogs until they were old enough to interact safely with them—to know to not come between them and their food‚ to know when they’re irritated‚ etc.‚ etc.And while Dr. Sami admitted that her dogs have never shown aggression‚ it doesn't mean that their instincts wouldn’t kick in at an inopportune moment. Hence why she always used a partition for her kids or when her kid’s friends came over‚ and why she encourages parents to ask other parents to keep pets separated during visits. “I know that you love your pets and that you trust your pets‚ but never trust your pet‚” she says‚ all while cuddling with an adorable puppy named Daisy. @thepedipals The worst cosmetically damaging dog bite I saw was actually done by a chihuaha. Of course larger dogs can even unalive people. So if you love your dog and kids‚ stop playing into the fairy tales of the internet- and be cautious‚ vigilant and smart. Im sure someone will say they didn't like me whispering and for that‚ I pre-emptively apologize. ♬ original sound - The PediPals (Pediatric Pals) Dr. Sami also points out that those all-too-common videos on social media showing dogs and babies cuddling in harmony is not a reality. “Anytime I see these like videos on TikTok of people that have like their baby sleeping with their husky‚ I'm like‚ ‘Dear God‚ this animal can't talk‚ okay?’” she says‚ adding‚ “you just don't know what's going on in their brain and they might be okay with everything 99.9% of the time‚ but then the one time they're not‚ their instinct is to bite and their instinct is to go for the face. They rarely ever bite extremities. It's always the face.” “And if I had a nickel for every single one of my patients that has been bitten by a dog and required stitches‚ I'd be rich. It's way‚ way‚ way too common in the pediatric world. Just be careful‚” she concludes. Judging by the comments to her video‚ D.r Smai is not the only person with this viewpoint. Several parents and even fellow doctors chimed in to agree. One parent wrote‚ “My son is two and I JUST started allowing them to walk around each other under VERY careful supervision bcuz my son started to understand my dog’s boundaries. But I never trust ANY dog or ANY toddler 🤣” Another added‚ “People always wonder why I’m so cautious with my sweet dog‚ it’s because she’s still a DOG and toddlers are crazy!!!” Meanwhile‚ a doctor shared‚ Most of the dog attacks we see in the pediatric ER are from the family dog that they thought would ‘never do that.’ 🥺.”Dr. Sami’s opinion is also shared by The American Academy of Pediatrics’‚ which states that parents should “never leave dogs and children alone together.” And as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reiterates on its website‚ “any dog can bite: big or small‚ male or female‚ young or old. Even the cuddliest‚ fuzziest‚ sweetest pet can bite if provoked. Remember‚ it is not a dog's breed that determines whether it will bite‚ but rather the dog's individual history and behavior.” Furthermore‚ the AVMA states that children are the most common victims of dog bites and are far more likely to be severely injured. In addition‚ most dog bites affecting young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs. When it comes to dog bite prevention‚ the AMVA has a few basic guidelines‚ including but not limited to: Teach kids how to respect animals: that it’s not okay to pull their ears or tails‚ tease them‚ how to approach dogs calmly‚ just as a few examples Break your house into zones: one for the kids‚ the other for the furry kids. Note that there’s a difference between zoning‚ like using a partition‚ and imprisoning your pet. Always‚ always‚ always supervise interactions between pets and young children. Avoid the assumption that because a stranger’s dog has been friendly in the past‚ that it will be in the future. This‚ of course‚ goes for the family dog as well.

Everywhere you turn these days‚ someone is celebrating the simple joys and freedoms of childhood in the 70s and 80s. Indeed‚ in some ways‚ Gen X childhood was glorious compared to how kids grow up today. We went outside and rode our bikes without helmets. We went to the park‚ climbed trees and risked our lives on questionable play equipment. We knocked on our friends’ doors without calling first and spent endless hours in play and adventure without supervision. We had television and video games‚ but what we could do with them was limited by the technology itself. We didn’t have social media or cyberbullying or sextortion to worry about. We didn’t have doom and gloom news blasted in our faces 24/7. No cell phones‚ no GPS tracking‚ no Life 360. Our parents only had a vague idea of where we were and what we were doing most of the time. And despite staring into the faces of missing children on milk cartons at the breakfast table every morning‚ we just accepted that benign neglect was a normal aspect of childhood.But did we‚ really? As much as Gen Xers love to reminisce about simplicity of our 80s childhoods‚ evidence suggests it wasn't quite the free-roaming utopia many make it out to be. After all‚ a lot of Gen Xers turned into “helicopter parents”—the polar opposite of the way they were raised. There's a reason for that.Maybe it’s time to ditch the rose-colored glasses and acknowledge that the “carefree” childhood Gen X enjoyed actually included a lot of unspoken and unresolved trauma.Anyone who has read “Lord of the Flies” knows what can happen when kids are left to their own devices‚ so let’s start with some of the unsavory things that happened during all those hours Gen X kids spent unsupervised. If you were lucky enough to have a peer group with decent heads on their shoulders‚ you may have fared okay‚ even with some ill-advised youthful shenanigans under your belt. But not every Gen X kid was so lucky.A lot of people came away from those 80s childhoods with experiences no one should have. Bullying was a huge problem‚ but awareness about bullying was lacking‚ and if you weren't the type to fight back‚ you basically just put up with regular abuse. Sexual harassment and assault were common when we were growing up as well‚ but they weren't talked about in a way that led to support or empowerment of victims. Gen X didn’t have a “Me too” movement before or during their formative years like young people today have. Our generation was left on its own to figure out how to handle those things. @JayWamsted On a Gen X post‚ someone casual mentioned they were almost kidnapped as a child‚ and tons of people piped up w their own accounts‚ myself included. It was chilling. Plenty of times I wish I were more treasured as a child. — (@) We were left on our own to figure out how to handle a lot of things. That’s likely what made us the resilient‚ independent adults we are‚ but that doesn’t mean our generation acquired those traits in a healthy way. Some of us did‚ but for some of us‚ independence and resilience were a trauma response.How about the fact that Gen X grew up during the peak in divorce rates? Or the less talked about reality that millions of Gen Xers were raised by Vietnam vets‚ some of whom lived with untreated PTSD and who themselves were children of traumatized WWII vets? Or the fact that two-parent working households were new and no one had figured out how to do that without the kids feeling neglected in some way?As a 2004 study concluded‚ "Generation X went through its all-important formative years as one of the least parented‚ least nurtured generations in U.S. history."That's…not great. @SvenTystnad I kinda hated it. Walking home from sixth grade and being asked if I wanted a quaalude..weird older dudes offering a ride\xe2\x80\xa6I feel so lucky to have survived — (@) I know I’m painting Gen Xers with a broad brush here. Not everything here applies to everyone‚ me included‚ but these are all things I've witnessed in my peers. The reality is a lot of Gen Xers grew up feeling unsafe and devoid of parental guidance a lot of the time‚ which is probably what prompted so many of us to lean so far into safety and connection with our own kids. On the one hand‚ yes‚ the pendulum may have swung too far the other way into overparenting instead of underparenting. On the other hand‚ Gen X's own kids have grown up in the safest era for kids America has ever seen. That's not bad. It also appears that Gen X‚ at least anecdotally‚ has a closer relationship with their kids than they had with their parents. That's also not bad. We have a lot more research about what helps and harms kids when it comes to parenting‚ so despite raising our own children in the uncharted territory of the age‚ we at least have some psychosocial tools in our tool belts that previous generations of parents didn't have. It's not a bad thing to want to give our kids some of the outdoor play and simple‚ non-screen-oriented joys we experienced as kids. But in advocating for such things‚ let's not pretend that our 70s and 80s childhoods were ideal when‚ in many was‚ they were anything but.

Almost every long term relationship suffers from a rut eventually. That goes especially for married partners who become parents and have the added responsibility of raising kids. Maintaining a connection is hard enough in this busy‚ fast paced world. Top it off with making sure kids are awake‚ dressed‚ entertained‚ well fed‚ oh yeah‚ and alive…and you best believe all you have energy for at the end of the day is sitting on the couch barely making it through one episode on Netflix. And yet‚ we know how important it is to maintain a connection with our spouses. Many of us just don’t know how to make that happen while juggling a million other things. According to one mom‚ a “three-hour night” could be just the thing to tick off multiple boxes on the to-do list while rekindling romance at the same time. Talk about the ultimate marriage hack. The three-hour night was something that Rachel Higgins and her husband began incorporating into their lives at the beginning of this year. And so far‚ “it's been so fun and such like a game changer for how our evenings go‚” she says in a clip posted to TikTok. Before using the three-hour night‚ the evening would look a bit like this: their daughter would go to bed‚ they would lounge on the couch‚ scroll through social media‚ then fall asleep. Sound familiar?But with a three hour night‚ Higgins and her husband divvy up the time before bed into three section‚ each for a different focus. In the first hour‚ starting around 7 p.m.‚ is what Higgins calls “productive time‚” during which the couple sees to any household chores that might need to be done. “So start with like a quick cleanup of the kitchen or just like things that accumulated throughout the day‚ and then we try to do something that either ... has been being put off or cleaning the bathroom or like organizing the pantry or hall closet or something like‚ super random like sharpening the knives. Anything that's productive for the household‚” she explains. @rachelleehiggins if you’re stuck in a rut with your evenings try this! i saw someone do something similar to this a while ago but can’t remember who! #marriage #1sttimeparents #newyearsgoals ♬ original sound - Rachel Higgins Next‚ the second hour is geared towards re-establishing a physical or emotional connection in their marriage. The phones go away‚ and they focus only on enjoying one another. “So‚ that could be things like showering together or ‘having fun’ together‚ playing a game together‚ or just like anything that's gonna get you guys talking and connecting or like debriefing from the day or just like talking about what you're doing and like the plans for tomorrow or like how works going or whatever. So‚ anything that's gonna connect and strengthen and build your marriage‚” Higgins says. Lastly‚ the final hour of the night is dedicated towards anything Higgins and her husband individually want to do‚ any sort of personal recharge activity. Since this is a judgment free time‚ Higgins states that “If you just want to lay on the couch and scroll your phone and watch TikToks or whatever like watch YouTube videos‚” it’s totally acceptable. Higgins’ novel approach definitely interested viewers‚ who chimed in with their own questions. One major concern was how the heck this could be done every night. But even Higgins admits that she and her husband don’t succeed at having a three-hour night every night—they usually try for about 3-4 times a week. And honestly even once a week could still probably be beneficial in building intimacy. Others wondered how to have a three-hour night when things randomly popped up in their schedule‚ like when kids won’t magically go to sleep promptly at 7pm. Higgins shares that in these cases‚ they tend to just shorten each phase. The point being: these can and probably should be customizable‚ even fun‚ rather than yet another rigid chore. Plus‚ a three hour night (or whatever your version of a three-hour night may be) is a great way to remind yourself just how high of a priority your relationship has in your life…no matter what else is going on at the time. Odds are you'll probably find you do have more time for it than you previously thought when you set aside time for it.

Comedian‚ actor and sound effects master Michael Winslow was ubiquitous in the ‘80s‚ appearing in all 7 “Police Academy” movies as Officer Larvell Jones. He also starred in hits such as “Spaceballs” and “Cheech and Chong's Next Movie” and performed the voices of various mischievous creatures in “Gremlins.”Winslow’s incredible ability to create sound effects and beatbox with his voice earned him the title‚ “The Man of 10‚000 Sound Effects.”After the death of his wife in 1993‚ Winslow had to put his career on the backburner to take care of his children. In 2021‚ he made an emotional comeback on “America’s Got Talent‚” where he made it to the semi-finals.In 2011‚ Winslow made an incredible appearance on the Norwegian TV talk show “Senkveld - med Thomas og Harald‚” where he gave an astonishing performance of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love‚” playing nearly every instrument with his voice.“Whole Lotta Love” is the opening track on Led Zeppelin’s second album‚ Led Zeppelin II‚ and was released as a single in 1969. In 2004‚ the song was ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.Folk-pop musician Odd Nordstoga joined Winslow on acoustic guitar for the performance.Throughout the performance‚ the show’s host and the guitar player can’t believe what they’re seeing as Winslow switches from mimicking drummer John Bonham’s iconic stomp to Jimmy Page’s blues-on-steroids guitar playing. He’s even able to impersonate singer Robert Plant’s soulful‚ raspy voice. Throughout the performance‚ Winslow appears to be turning on and off a distortion pedal to give his voice some extra oomph.Winslow ends the performance with a sea of Jimmi Hendrix-stye feedback.

Many dogs like children have favorite toys. You can usually tell it's their favorite because it's the one toy that somehow never loses the stuffing and they always know where it's located. They often play with it in a much gentler way‚ gnawing on it instead of biting and tucking it away in a safe place so no one else gets it. Dogs really are invested in their favorite toys so what dog wouldn't love a life sized version to play with?Charlie a happy-go-lucky golden retriever is living every dog's dream with a life-sized animated stuffy of his favorite dog toy. His humans bought a costume that looks just like his favorite toy‚ a stuffed duck by the name of Mr. Quackers. The family went viral March 2022 when they revealed their dog's reaction to giant Mr. Quackers but they've since uploaded a new video showing all the things the giant duck and Charlie do together.It's almost as if with the right theme music the pair could make the perfect sitcom all about a life-sized duck who has a goofy pooch as a pet. In a video uploaded recently‚ Mr. Quackers is being the perfect responsible owner. The duck takes Charlie on a walk‚ gives him a bath and of course plays with the excited dog. Of course‚ Charlie surely smells his mom or dad in the costume which probably makes the experience even better but commenters can't seem to get enough of their shenanigans. "Had a bad day but now I can go to sleep happy and with a smile on my face. Keep spreading the love big smiles from Germany‚" someone writes."I love this. It’s totally bonkers but look how happy your dog is. It’s made me smile‚" another commenter says."You are the kindest‚ most loving dog people ever! And your dog is certainly the happiest in Dogland! I love this so much‚" someone else comments.Everybody loves Charlie and Mr. Quackers! Hopefully there will be more adventures uploaded to their official Instagram page so their fans can continue to follow their odd couple love fest. In the meantime‚ you can check out the video of Mr. Quackers doing all of the things for his favorite golden retriever. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Charlie The Golden (@charlie_the_golden18)

Human personalities range from super laid back to extremely picky and everything in between. But even the chillest among us have something we're particular about—that "thing" we can't stand or that has to be a certain way whether we have a logical reason for it or not.Some of us have multiple "things‚" but precious few people have none.We asked our audience what they were weirdly finicky about and the answers ranged from food to bed sheets to grammar. But what was fascinating was to see how many people's "things" overlapped. Check out some of the most popular answers and see if any of these resonate with you:Removing the egg chalazaeDon't know what a chalazae is? You probably do but didn't know you know. It's that stringy thing that we often mistake for an umbilical cord that connects the egg yolk to the white in a raw egg. (Don't worry‚ I didn't known it was called a chalazae until I looked it up. Perfect spelling bee word‚ though.) Anyway‚ many people shared that they have to remove the chalazae before they can use an egg for any purpose. "I have to take the 'umbilical cord' off of the egg before I use it - for anything." – Sande H.'We call them squigllys and‚ yes‚ they must be removed." – Jan J."Me too!!! I call them goobers. There are two per egg. Ugh." – Jess M.Food = no touchyA whole lot of people do not want different foods to touch on their plate. "Mine is that certain foods can't touch‚ no matter how many people tell me that it all goes to the same place." – Janice C."I like a plate with dividers because I don’t like for my food to touch one another." – Pat. W."I love pickled beetroot and I love mashed tatties. Can’t have them on same plate - nooo pink tatties!" – Sheila D. Line up those $ billsSome people need their Abes and their Benjamins all facing the same direction‚ preferably in ascending order‚ in their wallet. "My money has to all go in the same direction in my wallet. When a cashier gives me change I have to put the bills all the same way before putting them away." – Michelle M."I don't carry cash much these days‚ but I can't stand if it's not all facing the same way and organized smallest bill to largest." – Josh C."Paper money that comes out of the 'Hole-in-the-wall' has to be sorted so the notes are all the same way and then kept like that until they are spent. I can't bear them to be upside-down and back-to-front with each other." – DA O.Where the table is in a restaurantThis one was interesting. Several people commented that they can't sit in the middle of a restaurant."I have to sit next to a window or wall in a restaurant. Hate sitting in middle of the room." – Reed K."I dislike being seated where people pass behind me while I eat. I also prefer an end seat while rehearsing or watching a show. I like to move around." – Judy J.Improper spelling and punctuationThere were a lot of grammar police in the comments. Some complaints betray a lack of understanding about different English dialects‚ but some things are universal no-nos. "I have a physical reaction to apostrophes being used for pluralizing words." – Sarah R."Must have correct spelling and punctuation." – Annette L.This one was just hilariously specific:"Being able to spell the breed of the dog you own." – Amy P.So much bed finickiness"Climbing into a bed that has wrinkles and isn't tucked in with hospital corners." – Yvonne M."My pillowcase open end has to face the outside edge of the bed." – Karen M."Having my sheets straight when I go to sleep. I hate having one side long and the other side just barely covering the other foot." – Laura H.The 'right' way to load a dishwasherBelieve it or not‚ there is a right way to load a dishwasher. But some folks make it their mission to have it done right."Dishwasher loading: Can you PLEASE wash the pots by hand‚ put the glass and heavy things on the bottom‚ and fragile‚ or noteworthy (heirloom/souvenir) items on the TOP RACK. Gee... help a sister out." – Charlotte T."How I load the flatware into the dishwasher‚ handles up. Safe because when unloading you only touch the handles‚ not the business end that goes in the mouth." – Kim D."Stacking the dishwasher‚ I re-stack it if it’s untidy." – Joanne O.Flatware and cutlery having to feel just rightI get this one‚ personally. I have a thing with the size of spoons (can't stand the big ones). Apparently‚ I'm not alone. "My husband's pickiness about silverware and its length‚ weight‚ and balance. He's not really OCD either. It's weird." – Diana M."Matching cutlery. I can't stand a mismatching knife and fork." – Tracey M."Forks ‚ they have to be long and lite weight." – Leona S.That wasn't all. Lots of people also commented on washing hands before handling food‚ keeping countertops spotless‚ closing cupboard doors‚ putting things back where they belong and other cleanliness/organization dos and don'ts. Some people joked about having the list of things that they aren't finicky about being shorter. But the main takeaway is that whatever you're particularly finicky about‚ you always can find others who understand because somebody‚ somewhere shares the same "things."