Sonia Purnell’s just released biography of Pamela Harriman, Kingmaker, attempts to be fairer to its subject than previous biographies. As the subtitle implies, Harriman led a “Life of Power, Seduction,…

Israel is working to confirm if it killed the new presumed leader of the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah after a series of strikes at Beirut. The strikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut,…

Yesterday the Sun released a huge solar flare, and it’s heading toward Earth! It’s nothing to worry about since it’s nowhere near as large as the Carrington Event of 1859, but it is large enough to give us some amazing aurora. Large solar flares happen periodically. Quite literally, because the Sun goes through an 11-year cycle of lower and higher activity. Right now the Sun is near the maximum of a cycle, so we see lots of sunspots and flares. When astronomers first studied the cycle they could only measure the number of sunspots at a given time. Solar flares were largely invisible to early telescopes. But now with orbiting observatories such as the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we can capture images of solar flares in real time. Astronomers now categorize the strength of solar flares by the intensity of x-rays they emit, known as their x-class. The categories are numbered by power level, with each category double the previous one. So, for example, an X2 flare is twice as powerful as an X1 and half as strong as an X3. This latest flare is rated as X9, which is much stronger than most solar flares. But stronger events have reached Earth before. In 1989 an X15 event triggered a regional blackout event in Quebec. In November of 2003 the Sun released an X28 solar flare, but most of it missed Earth. The 1859 Carrington Event occurred before astronomers developed the x-class rating, but it’s estimated to have been around X45. So this flare is huge, but it won’t put our electrical infrastructure at serious risk. What it will provide, however, is an auroral light show. As the charged particles released by the flare reach Earth’s magnetosphere, many of them will be caught by our magnetic field and spiral along the field lines to strike Earth’s atmosphere in the polar regions. The impact will trigger the subtle and beautiful light shows known as aurora. If you happen to live far enough from the equator you might be able to see them in the next few days. To find out your chances, you can check out the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center. The post The Sun Unleashes its Strongest Flare This Cycle appeared first on Universe Today.

Guitarist also reveals a hobby that his insurers aren’t happy about in case he injures his hands. Continue reading…

Joy Reid Claims Donald Trump Wants To “Do Violence” On Black Voters

CNN ‘Poll Of Polls’ Spells Big Trouble For Kamala Just Weeks From The Election [WATCH]

?? Eva Vlaardingerbroek speaks about former PM Mark Rutte, the man who ruined The Netherlands over the past 10+ years with mass immigration and destroying the economy has just got appointed as Secretary General of NATO. UTL COMMENT:- Isn't it funny how this type of inept far-left PM / President has been out into nearly every single Western Country over the last 20 years? It's as if it's all in 'lockstep'? PS - I am still Absolutely in love ? with Ela!!

Meat labeled in U.S. grocery stores as “made in USA” does not have to have come from animals in the United States, but that will change with a new federal rule. AllSides highlights content from Gigafact, a network of newsrooms that respond to online claims. View the full fact brief on Wisconsin Watch.

Exposure therapy helps us face our fears head on, so that we might eventually become less and and less triggered by them. That goes for phobias surrounding animals, public speaking…and Disney villains, it seems. When Kyle Philippi found out that his friend Kara Carneal had an “irrational fear” of Jafar (yes, from Aladdin) he sought out to do a little DIY exposure therapy of his own. As you can imagine, hilarity ensued. Back in November of 2023, Philippi burst into Carneal’s apartment in a full blown Jafar getup reciting some of his iconic lines and leaving his friend in tears—both from terror and from laughter. @kylephilippi I didnt even need the eyeliner… #fypシ #jafar #scare #scarevideos #prank #aladdin #princessjasmine #disneytok #90sdisney #disneyworld #disneyparks #funny #scaredstraight #irrationalfear #friendshipgoals ♬ original sound - Kyle Philippi But he didn’t stop there. In fact, this exposure therapy prank has been a year-long project, with each Jafar visit going more and more over the top.In an epic follow-up video we see that Philippi even went onto Cameo, a site where you can purchase personalized videos from celebrities, and had the original Jafar voice actor, Jonathan Freeman, record a special message that Philippi lip synced to. After all, Freeman is, as Philippi put it, “the one and only Jafar.” @kylephilippi The original voice of Jafar saying her name is what sent her over the edge.. #disney #disneyadults #disneytiktok #disneyparks #90skids #millennial #scareprank #jafar #weirdfears #prankwars #jafar #weirdfears #irrationalfear #90sdisney #alladin #alladinonbroadway #lifeontiktok #fypシ ♬ original sound - Kyle Philippi Topping himself once again, Philippi created an elaborate theater production dedicated towards helping Carneal overcome this phobia. As Carnela sat center stage, she was greeted not only by Jafar (again with the help of Freeman’s voice) but a giant puppet snake and a singing Ursula from The Little Mermaid, cause why have one Disney villain when you can have two? She was also given a small lamp as a token for her bravery. @kylephilippi Here’s a summary of how her last Exposure Therapy went. Guys, we did it! Shes free! #fypシ #jafar #exposuretherapy #scare #scarevideos #prank #aladdin #disney #disneytok #90sdisney #millennial #disneyparks #disneyadults #funny #disneyonbroadway ♬ original sound - Kyle Philippi As for the origins of this Jafar phobia, Carnela shared in an interview with Today.com that watching the movie once (and only once) on VHS and seeing the snake cane wielding sorcerer was her “ first time ever experiencing fear.”Luckily, Carnela has “extra” friends like Kyle, who “does everything to the millionth degree,” and quite literally forces her to laugh through her deepest insecurities. So how could she be mad?Laugh if you must, but it seems that Philippi’s method, however extreme, has been effective. Because earlier this year, he and Carnela were able to go see Aladdin on Broadway, and Carnela was even able to give Jafar a hug. Consider her healed! @kylephilippi It’s a new season of life WITH Jafar! #fypシ #aladdin #aladdinonbroadway #disney #disneytok #jafar #exposuretherapy #disneyadult #90skid #millennial #broadwayshow #disneyonbroadway ♬ Metaverse - Can2 “New friend goals: conquer each other’s irrational fears,” one viewer wrote.Meanwhile, others praised Philippi’s commitment to the bit. ”This is the epitome of chaotic good,” wrote one person.Another said, “I’m obsessed with how far this was taken.”But perhaps the best comment goes to the person who wrote this:“New genre of therapy unlocked: clinical theatre ?”As for whether or not Carnela’s exposure therapy has concluded, Philippi tells Upworthy that “ like with all therapy, sometimes we need to go back for a wellness check and we may be due for another round.”Keep up-to-date with those exposure therapy treatments by giving Philippi a follow on TikTok.

Body image is a strange thing. Babies aren't born with any opinions about their bodies one way or another, but as we age, we start forming judgments. We might be teased about one or more of our features or we might just absorb messages about beauty standards from the world we live in, but whatever causes them, a huge number people end up dissatisfied with parts of our body by the time we're adults. But it doesn't have to be that way. "If you could change one thing about your body, what would it be?"In a video from Jubilee, 50 people were asked, "If you could change one thing about your body, what would it be?" and the difference between how the adults answered and the kids answered is striking—and telling. The adults listed off the specific features they didn't like and wanted to change—a smaller forehead, smaller ears, bigger eyes, a less puffy face, etc. The kinds of answers most of us would mostly likely give.But the kids? They heard the question totally differently and answered it in the best way possible. Watch: - YouTube www.youtube.com Of course you would choose to have a mermaid tail or legs like a cheetah if you could change one thing about your body! Of course you'd want wings so you could fly and a shark mouth so you could eat all the things. Teleportation? Put it in me! Extra pointy ears? Heck yes, little elfling.Or even just…nothing. "I wouldn't change anything. I like my body." That might just be the most revolutionary statement of the 21st century. Kids aren't immune to being dissatisfied with their bodies, of course. Studies show that body image concerns can begin as early as age 3 and tend to increase year after year, peaking in adolescence. Keeping a child from slipping down the slope of body negativity is something for all parents to watch for. Thankfully, there are some things we can do to help protect kids' acceptance and celebration of their bodies just as they are. How to develop and maintain a healthy body imageOne way is to be careful about how we talk about bodies in general, including our own."What we say about our own bodies and other people’s bodies carries significant weight, especially in the presence of our children," pediatrician Mona Amin, M.D., writes on Instagram. "Our words shape their perceptions of self-worth and body image. When we talk about how we don’t want to get in a swimsuit because we haven’t 'lost the baby weight yet' or congratulate someone on looking skinny, we teach our children that there is a 'right' way to look. This subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, can make children start to scrutinize how they look, and can trigger insecurity and low self-esteem." See on Instagram Another is to speak positively about the things our bodies—all bodies—can do rather than just how they look. Dr. Amin writes that children are borth with a natural sense of acceptance, but a keen observers they will often start to internalize the beliefs and attitudes of the adults in their lives. We can help them develop and maintain a healthy relationship with body image by promoting body neutrality and celebrating diversity in the way people look. What does that look like in practice? Dr. Amin gives five specific examples:1. Speaking positively about ourselves and our bodies both alone, with friends, and in front of our children2. Positive affirmations about our body and what it DOES not how it looks: rewire the brain by feeding positivity where you need it3. Celebrate qualities about people and kids and not how they look4. Limit access to social media accounts and media that don’t promote body positivity5. Not discussing weight in a negative way at doctor’s visits or ever.via GIPHYMore compliments that aren't oriented around appearance, pleaseIt's shocking how many compliments people get have to do with the way they look, and even positive comments can lead to an unhealthy emphasis on appearance. We can all try giving kids compliments like "That was such a smart observation!" or "I love the way you think!" or "Wow, that took hard work—way to go!" rather than focusing on how they look.Parents on Dr. Amin's Instagram page shared how their kids responded to the question of what they'd change about their body if they could, and they reflect the responses in the video."Just asked my son this question and he said he'd change his feet into robot feet and would have robot arms and a robot belly??""I asked my 5 year old daughter this question, and without any hesitation she said "I wouldn't change anything". By far, one of my most proudest moment as a parent.""Just asked my three kids: Eldest said “I’d change nothing.” Youngest said “I don’t think I can anything but if I could, I would change everything to always be happiness.” Middle said “I would change madness… so that my body would never be mad anymore.” ??? Insecurities are taught. This really touched & convicted me ? Thank you for sharing this!""My kid said he would turn his body into Godzilla.""?❤️ 6 year old said he would make a clone so they can go to school. ??"Let's all try to bring back that childhood wonder when we think about our bodies and celebrate the awesome powers they have—or even the imaginary ones they could have.