Category: Trending

Kayla Berridge had been walking her normal 9-mile delivery route in Newmarket, a small town in New Hampshire, when she noticed something unusual.

The mail she had been delivering continued to pile up over a matter of days at one resident’s home. The resident was an elderly woman in her 80s, and would occasionally share a chat with Berridge, according to CNN.

Berridge told CNN that after noticing the unattended mail pile, she got “a little concerned.”

“I just had this gut feeling and wanted to make sure,” Berridge told WMUR 9 News, explaining that “most people put a hold in if they’re not there, so when people pick up their mail every day, you start to notice their habits.” Not to mention, the woman’s car was still in the driveway.

Berridge followed her instincts and called the local police department for a wellness check, and in the process saved the elderly woman’s life.

CNN reported that officers found the woman trapped on her bedroom floor under heavy artwork and frames. The theory is she tried to use her bed for support, and in the process these items on the bed fell onto her, pinning her down for three full days. Though she was suffering from hypothermia and dehydration, Police Lt. Wayne Stevens confirmed she was stable and recovering.

I can only imagine the agony and fear this poor woman was in, lying in the cold and not knowing if help would come. Luckily, help was on the way, and this story has a happy ending.

In this instance, the familiarity that comes from living in a small town really paid off. “Everyone has each other’s backs,” Berridge told CNN.

But Officer Stevens wanted to give credit where credit was due. He agreed that Berridge’s quick thinking was “part of being a letter carrier in a small town,” he added that her actions were “taking your job to the next level.”

While wellness or welfare checks have historically been associated with the elderly, they are seen as an equally “critical tool” for the safety of many young people as well, especially with the “rise of suicide rates among adolescents and young adults.”

An example of this is when “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson received a wellness check back in 2018. The comedian posted an alarming message to Instagram, saying “I really don’t want to be on this Earth anymore. I actually don’t know how much longer I can last.” This was after breaking off his engagement with Ariana Grande.

Though it certainly didn’t happen in a small town, the interconnectedness of social media helped raise some red flags and prompted authorities to make a visit.

If there’s anything to make you question someone’s well-being, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

This article originally appeared on 02.02.22

A viral TikTok video highlights an extreme version of inequality that many wives and mothers in heterosexual relationships face. However, the mom in this story hit her limit and won’t deal with it anymore.

Lynalice Bandy, who goes by @5kids5catssomedogstoo on TikTok, posted a video that showed her home looking like a disaster after she worked six 10-hour days straight while her husband did nothing to help.

Her time-lapse video shows every room in the house completely trashed, with toys, food and laundry scattered everywhere. “Shampoo on the carpets in the girls’ room, nail polish all over Nugget covers, hair, and carpet. Scissors were used to cut hair, the down comforter, the mattress cover, and two Nugget covers,” wrote the mom.

“I’ve worked six, ten-hour days in a row with only one day off being a sick day,” she captioned the video. “I’d like to pretend I’m not the only person who cleans here, but as you can see…These rooms don’t get much attention when I’m not here.”

@5kids5catssomedogstoo

#divorce #parentingfail #messyhouse #whenwomen #depressionanxiety #clean #satifying

She says her husband’s excuse was that he was focused on doing his schoolwork and couldn’t pay attention to the kids. “Now, that school is out for a break, he doesn’t have that excuse anymore,” Bandy says, noting that all of his attention has been focused on “the four vehicles in our driveway that he wants to work on continuously.”

In a follow-up video, Bandy announced that she left her husband after the debacle. The original video received over 17,000 comments, many of which were from supportive women.

“You deserve much better, and he deserves to be alone. Much love to you from someone that left that life behind almost 20 yrs ago. You’ll get here, too,” Angela LaRoche wrote.

“Ma’am, you are nothing short of amazing! Hang in there!” Japanese with Jenny wrote.

“That home is beautiful because of YOU,” Hillary added. “You put in so much work, and it is not unseen by me and so many others. But, you DO deserve better. Proud of you.”

@5kids5catssomedogstoo

Sounds about right…

Even though Bandy’s experience with her husband is an extreme case of a couple whose domestic duties are way out of balance, it points to a problem that plagues many households. Even though it’s 2023 and families are becoming more equal, women still do significantly more housework than men.

A study utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey found that women 15 years and older spend 5.7 hours daily doing housework and looking after kids and elders. Men in the same age group do an average of 3.6 hours of daily domestic work.

That’s a 37% difference in time spent on household responsibilities.

Further, women who work an average of 35 hours a week spend 4.9 hours a day on household chores and child care, while men who work the same amount spend an average of 3.8 hours.

The comments show that there are a lot of women out there who are frustrated with their husbands for not doing their fair share. Hopefully, this video will encourage more people to speak out about domestic inequality and for more men to step up and do their part.

This article originally appeared on 4.25.23

It’s no secret that even the most seemingly safe of public places can instantly turn dangerous for a woman. Is it fair? No. But is it common? Absolutely, to the point where more and more women are documenting moments of being stalked or harassed as a grim reminder to be aware of one’s surroundings.

Lacie (@lacie_kraatz) is one of those women. On April 11th, she was out on a run when she noticed a man in front of her displaying suspicious behavior. Things got especially dicey when the man somehow got behind her. That’s when she pulled out her phone and started filming—partially to prove that it wasn’t just her imagination, and also out of fear for her safety.

“Hello. I’m just making this video so that women are a little more aware of them,” she begins in the video. “See this gentleman behind me? Yeah, this is what this video’s about.”

According to Lacie, the two were initially running in opposite directions. But at some point after seeing her, the man stopped in the middle of the trail and waited for her to pass so that he could follow her path from behind.

“Now, I know what you’re thinking—‘Why are you suspecting that he’s following you?’” Lacie continues. “Well, let me tell you. I was just walking like this, and I look up, and he’s in front of me, and he just keeps doing a ‘peek’ like this behind him, over and over again.”

Lacie added that at one point, she even made an illegal crossing when “do not walk” sign was still up in an attempt to put some distance between herself and the man. After looking over her shoulder, she noticed that the man was visibly “speeding” to keep up.

In case there is still any doubt, Lacie then begins to run to see if the man will follow suit. Sure enough, he does.

Luckily the man eventually seems to give up, though he still seems to be watching her from a distance. Lacie ends up safe back home, but she didn’t even accomplish what she set out to do that afternoon.

“I couldn’t even finish my run,” she concludes. “I only ran like a mile and a half. I wanted to do 3 miles, but no—creepy men just had to be creepy f****** men today.”

Watch:

@lacie_kraatz #foryou #ladies #awareness ♬ original sound – Lacie

Countless women empathized with Lacie in the comments section. Clearly, this was not a unique circumstance.

“What I do when I’m being followed is act feral,” yet another person shared. “Like I’ll bark and growl really loud and flail my arms around. If you look crazy, you’re doin’ it right.”

Another added, “Man, nothing pisses me off more than men who make me feel uncomfortable doing things that I NEED to do for my health and well-being.”

Others tried to give their own tips for handling the situation, from finding nearby police or fire stations to using a variety of running trails to simply notifying the first visible passerby of what’s happening and asking to stand with them.

And of course, the resounding advice was to use the public space, and modern-day technology, to one’s advantage.

As one person wrote, “Girls we have got to normalize turning around and yelling at people following us. Let them know you know, take pictures of them, scream, make a scene.”

It’d be nice if these kinds of unsettling interactions didn’t exist. But here we are. At the very least, it’s good that women are speaking up more so that these situations are easier to spot early on and women can know how to navigate them in the safest way possible.

This article originally appeared on 4.4.23

Nicki Minaj is moving full steam ahead on her forthcoming album, Pink Friday 2, to ensure it drops on its November 11 release date. After teasing several unreleased song snippets on TikTok, Minaj took to Instagram on Friday, August 25, to announce her next single, “Last Time I Saw You,” with new promotional images and a video.

The materials were enough to break down the defenses of a notorious online hater of all things, Azealia Banks. In a screenshot captured by Pop Crave, Banks took to her Instagram stories to praise Minaj’s beauty in a lengthy note underlined with shade.

“Like I would never even think you’d like something like this,” wrote Banks. “This is the best look I have ever seen you in. Ever, okay? It’s soft, it’s delicate, it’s kinda North African vibes, it’s bohemian, your facial expression is so relaxed and radiant, and this body?! Nicki, I’ve never seen you look this comfortable in your own skin! Yes. This is sensuality, honey, okay.”

She continued, “Nicki, if you get some cute little Russian twists cuts going, it’s over. Like so, so over. Nah, after this, I never wanna see you choked up in a waist trainer ever again. I’ve always thought you were pretty, but this is radiant beauty and glamour right here. I just shed a tear. She’s giving ribcage. F*k it up, yas. Nah, for real, sis. I’m not even trying to shade you, but you have never ever looked this chic, stylish, sexy, or at ease.”

Banks has said some disgusting things online, including her insensitive remarks about the late social media influencer Jacky Oh. Could this be the dawning of a new era for her?

Nicki Minaj has not shared any further updates regarding her upcoming single “Last Time I Saw You.”

Sting and Darby Allin defeated Christian Cage and Swerve Strickland in a coffin match at AEW All In: London in front of the largest paid attendance in pro wrestling history.

While Strickland got a live entrance, Cage had a Big Ben-themed video and Sting revealed himself as Joker Sting.

When the match started, Cage and Sting knocked Allin and Strickland out of the ring early ahead of a TNA chant. Sting and Allin put on matching jackets before hitting stereo Stinger splashes. In the ring, Cage tied Allin’s hands behind his back while Strickland beat Sting up outside the ring. After Allin knocked both men down, Sting untied his hands and they went to work on Strickland.

Cage tossed Sting into the stairs, then attempted a conchairto on Allin, but he moved. Sting crashed Strickland through a table on the outside before Allin dropkicked Cage from the top rope onto a chair. Sting and Allin then tried to stuff Cage into the coffin, but Luchasaurus came to his rescue. Luchasaurus then tossed Allin head-first into the coffin. Nick Wayne ran down to the ring and hit him with a skateboard, but Luchasaurus turned around and chokeslammed him onto the skateboard.

Sting then set Strickland up on the coffin for a Coffin Drop from Allin, but Strickland moved. Strickland and Cage tried to double team Sting, but he fought both of them off and hit Stinger Splashes. Sting locked in the Scorpion Deathlock on Cage before Strickland hit him with a chair to no effect. Cage hit Sting with a low blow, then a bat to the chest. Strickland hit a double stomp to Sting from the top rope before they dragged the coffin into the ring.

On the outside, Cage tossed Allin into the guardrail and Strickland tossed Sting into the casket, but he stopped the coffin from closing with his bat. Strickland tried to hit a 450 splash onto Sting, who was laying on the coffin, but he moved. Sting then hit the Scorpion Deathdrop on Strickland onto the coffin.

Sting tried to shut Strickland in the coffin, but he stuck his hands out. With his body sticking out of the coffin, Allin hit the Coffin Drop on the coffin, shoving him back in and ending the match.

Strickland and Cage set up their showdown with Sting and Allin after Nick Wayne was attacked at the Buddy Wayne Academy in Seattle by Strickland and A.R. Fox. Fox turned on Allin and Wayne, before Strickland kicked him out of the Mogul Embassy after a loss to Wayne and Allin last week.

There are few things Donald Trump loves more than sowing chaos, but another of his passions is more mundane (and moneyed): The man loves to golf. Over the weekend the former president was so stoked to win a tournament at one of his clubs that he bragged about it — while swearing that he didn’t cheat. But not all is sunny when it comes to Trump’s favorite sport.

As caught by Raw Story, Trump took to his rinky dink Twitter clone to announce that he can’t attend another tournament overseas because he has to stay in America and fend off his many legal woes.

“I have the Staysure Senior PGA Championship in Aberdeen, Scotland, on my great course, and I can’t go. I have to stay around and fight off the Crazed Radical Left Lunatics, Communists, Marxists, and Fascists,” Trump wrote. Those weren’t the only mean names Trump hurled at his enemies. “I wouldn’t want to be in Europe and watch this COUNTRY DESTROYING Scum work their disgusting and illegal ‘magic’ on unsuspecting Republican ‘leaders’ who just don’t think it is appropriate to Fight Fire With Fire. BUT WE WILL WIN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The post comes mere days after Trump became the first American president to score a mugshot, after being arraigned a fourth time — another POTUS first. He’s also out on bail, having been charged with various counts of election interference in Georgia, to say nothing of his three other indictments. Perhaps he can take some solace in all the millions he’s nabbed in the last few days from his sometimes cash-strapped supporters.

(Via Raw Story)

Based on the lyrics of her new single, “Money Come,” financial gain is a clear motivating factor for rapper Iggy Azalea. Unfortunately, fans of Iggy weren’t able to get their money’s worth after she was reportedly forced to end her recent show early. On Friday, August 25, during Iggy’s scheduled concert at the Gamers8 event in Saudi Arabia, she suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.

Although Iggy has discussed her love for her body, her skin-tight onstage attire just couldn’t handle all the curves. In the clip captured by concertgoers, Iggy, dressed in what appears to be a latex catsuit, moves along to the choreography. But the garment quickly began to slip from her left leg, nearly exposing her intimate area.

As she places her hand to cover her private area, just in case the split rose any further, she looks to the side of the stage for guidance. Typically, a wardrobe malfunction can be brushed off, but because of the country’s strict dress code and other modesty laws, she ended the show.

In a now-deleted series of posts on social media, Iggy issued an apology to fans. On Instagram, she wrote, “Saudi Arabia… Wasssssss…. probably the worst possible place to have my pants split & unfortunately, I wasn’t permitted to end the show. . BUT silver lining, the promoters were amazingly kind to me & the PEOPLE who came were the absolute most supportive.”

In a screenshot captured by Page Six, Iggy also took to Twitter to write, “I love you guys. This was not what I intended for the show, but it’s a memory I’ll have forever & ultimately showed me how kind, loving & supportive people can be while you’re having such an embarrassing moment .”

In the song, YG makes it clear that he was not in favor of Trump’s presidential ambitions, rapping, “I’m ’bout to turn Black Panther / Don’t let Donald Trump win, that n**** cancer / He too rich, he ain’t got the answers / He can’t make decisions for this country, he gon’ crash us / No, we can’t be a slave for him / He got me appreciating Obama way more / Hey Donald, and everyone that follows / You gave us your reason to be President, but we hate yours / F*ck Donald Trump.”

During some of YG’s live performances, he’s continued to voice his disdain for Trump. At one point, he even invited Stormy Daniels to join him on stage.

YG’s official FDT t-shirt is on sale now. Find more information here.

Arleen Sorkin, actress and performer, has died, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 67. Sorkin was one of those talents with a broad and diverse body of work. She began in cabaret, did comedies and soap opera, co-hosted comedy shows, and did voice work. Perhaps her most famous work? Being not only the original voice of the Batman villain Harley Quinn but also the person who inspired her creation.

Unlike most Caped Crusader characters, Harley Quinn didn’t originate on the page. She made her debut in a 1992 episode of Batman: The Animated Series. The chaotic Joker gal pal was supposed to be a one-off, but she was such a hit that she returned eight more times, and then went on to become a DC staple.

The character was co-created by Paul Dini, a college pal of Sorkin’s who, during a sick day, caught her on an episode of Days of Our Lives, in which she appeared from 1984 through 2010. In the episode, she played a harlequin in a dream sequence. And that’s how you get one of the DC’s most popular and enduring characters.

News of Sorkin’s passing was mourned by many, including Mark Hamill, who voiced Joker during her Harley Quinn tenure.

“Devastated to learn we’ve lost the brilliant Arleen Sorkin,” Hamill tweeted. “Not just a wonderful talent, but a truly wonderful person. I’m grateful not only to have worked with her, but to have been her friend. Sending my heartfelt condolences to her family & loved ones.”

James Gunn, who directed Margot Robbie’s iteration of Quinn in the second Suicide Squad, also paid tribute, writing, “Rest in Peace, Arleen Sorkin, the incredibly talented original voice of Harley Quinn, who helped to create the character so many of us love. Love to her family and friends.”

Many others honored Sorkin for her gonzo work as Harley Quinn.

Some noted that Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman on The Animated Series, himself passed away three years back.

Some shared some of Sorkin’s other work.

And others paid tribute as well.

(Via THR)

In 1933, Adolf Hitler handed the power of Jewish cultural life in Nazi Germany to his chief propagandist, Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels established a team of of regulators that would oversee the works of Jewish artists in film, theater, music, fine arts, literature, broadcasting, and the press.

Goebbels’ new regulations essentially eliminated Jewish people from participating in mainstream German cultural activities by requiring them to have a license to do so.

This attempt by the Nazis to purge Germany of any culture that wasn’t Aryan in origin led to the questioning of artists from outside the country.

Nazi book burning via Wikimedia Commons

In 1938, English author J. R. R. Tolkien and his British publisher, Stanley Unwin, opened talks with Rütten & Loening, a Berlin-based publishing house, about a German translation of his recently-published hit novel, “The Hobbit.”

Privately, according to “1937 The Hobbit or There and Back Again,” Tolkien told Unwin he hated Nazi “race-doctrine” as “wholly pernicious and unscientific.” He added he had many Jewish friends and was considering abandoning the idea of a German translation altogether.

The Berlin-based publishing house sent Tolkien a letter asking for proof of his Aryan descent. Tolkien was incensed by the request and gave his publisher two responses, one in which he sidestepped the question, another in which he clapped back ’30s-style with pure class.

His publisher sent the classy clap-back.

In the letter sent to Rütten & Loening, Tolkien notes that Aryans are of Indo-Iranian “extraction,” correcting the incorrect Nazi aumption that Aryans come from northern Europe. He cuts to the chase by saying that he is not Jewish but holds them in high regard. “I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people,” Tolkien wrote.

Tolkien also takes a shot at the race policies of Nazi Germany by saying he’s beginning to regret his German surname. “The time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride,” he writes.

Here’s the letter sent to Rütten & Loening:

25 July 1938 20 Northmoor Road, Oxford
Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your letter. I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people.

My great-great-grandfather came to England in the eighteenth century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject — which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.

Your enquiry is doubtless made in order to comply with the laws of your own country, but that this should be held to apply to the subjects of another state would be improper, even if it had (as it has not) any bearing whatsoever on the merits of my work or its sustainability for publication, of which you appear to have satisfied yourselves without reference to my Abstammung.
I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, and
remain yours faithfully,

J. R. R. Tolkien

This article originally appeared on 2.15.22