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Donald Trump’s brain hasn’t been sharp for a good while now, but of late it’s turned into scrambled eggs. He mixes up names, including who’s currently president. He can’t remember there’s already been a World War II. When he tried to explain this alarming trend, he made even less sense. His mind is so bad even Nikki Haley has discussed it. Now the former president is challenging her to one seriously weird duel.

“Well, I think I’m a lot sharper than her,” Trump told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum, per Mediaite. Then he threw down. “I would do this. I would sit down right now and take an aptitude test and it would be my result against her result and she’s not gonna win. She’s not gonna even come to close to winning.”

Trump has been awfully proud of passing a basic cognitive test, which is a good way of detecting dementia. He even brought it up to another Fox News reporter, Bret Baier, the same day. That in itself should be worrying: It’s not a difficult test, and all it really means that his mind isn’t completely going. In other words, all it means is he passed the lowest bar imaginable.

Nikki Haley, meanwhile, is about two-and-a-half decades younger than he is, and whatever you think of her, she’s shown no signs of mental decline, as Trump certainly has. On the off-chance that she does agree to a time-wasting cognitive test-off, it’s unlikely she’ll somehow do worse than the magnets understander.

(Via Mediaite)

If you’ve ever gone to the gym and followed a plan, you’re surely familiar with the concept of “rest” in exercise. Rest during a workout is required to make sure your muscles have the resources for performing their best during each set, thus getting maximum results. But for some reason when it comes to our minds, despite the fact that they are constantly working, we very rarely allow for a rest period.

The problem is that in our over-connected age, we are treating our minds more like machines than the complex bodily organs that they are. And like other organs, our brain has certain requirements to function properly. Everyone knows that it needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrition, like glucose. But research also show that rest during the day is more than just beneficial, it is required for a well-functioning brain.

Unfortunately, recent studies suggest that young Americans are getting less mental downtime than ever. Especially highly creative and high-performing people — who are more likely to over-stack their schedules socially and take on more extracurricular activities outside of work. If this sounds like you, adding regular mental breaks throughout the day will help you be more productive than you thought possible.

I personally like the 50/10 rule for work when it’s possible. This is a widely used concept for both work and study, where you “sprint” on a task for 50 minutes and then give yourself a break for 10 minutes. Because our attention spans are constantly under siege, being able to focus for short amounts of time and giving yourself a break to come back at strength is a great strategy for success.

Whether or not you go by this exact method, aiming to give yourself 10 minutes of brain rest as often as reasonably possible throughout the day will do wonders. Starting any new practice and making it stick can be difficult, even when the practice is simply taking a break. Here are a few suggestions for easy ways to give your mind some room to breathe.

PUT DOWN THE PHONE

This may seem simple, but when people have even a small amount of free time the first thing they commonly do is reach for their phones. This is a huge mistake. The point of taking this time is to give you brain rest, and when you pick up your device the opposite is happening. Sure, there may be a video game you like or a video you want to watch, but there are also texts, social media posts, and likely work emails on that same phone.

Simply putting down the phone isn’t good enough either. Leave it on silent to cancel any unexpected distractions that may come during your downtime. I personally keep my phone on silent throughout the day so that I can stay on task without pings and dings distracting during productive sessions. Of course, if you have certain numbers or apps (like Slack) that need to get through, it is easy to set that up in your ringer settings.

DO A BODY SCAN

Despite what you might assume, doing a body scan has nothing to do with technology. This is a body scan to help you reconnect with your physical self. This can be done anywhere, from at your desk to outside on a bench in the park. Fight the inclination to use your hands to feel the parts of your body that are mentioned here. Much like our brains, our hands are overworked due the need for constant typing into our phones and computers.

How To Body Scan:

• Become aware of the top of your head and any sensations that may be there. Do you feel a breeze?
• Go from the top of your head downwards, relaxing every muscle on the way down to your chest.
• Relax your ears.
• Let your eyelids fall.
• Relax your cheeks.
• Relax your jaw.
• Relax your shoulders.
• Once you get to your chest, take a deep breath.
• Keep continuing downward relaxing your body as you go.
• Relax your belly.
• Relax your thighs.
• Relax your calves.
• Relax your feet.
• Feel the bottoms of your feet on the floor.

CREATE A SANCTUARY SPACE

One of the reasons it might be difficult for you to give your mind a break is that you spend time at places where your mind is traditionally not on a break. Some people may be able to compartmentalize their experiences at the desk or on the couch. If you are used to looking at screens or turning on streams where you are sitting, this might not be the best place for you to find your zen.

If you need extra help bringing yourself down, try to build the sanctuary. There isn’t a lot of space required to make a cozy nook for you to find peace. Find a corner where you can put a nice floor pillow to sit on. I personally am a fan of the pillows from Avocado and Degrees of Comfort. Pair that with a nice candle from Keystone Inspired or splurge for a Le Labo for a true atmospheric adjustment.

COMPLETE A PURPOSEFUL TASK

Giving your mind a break doesn’t mean you have to sit around and do nothing for 10 minutes. The same peace of mind, or even better, can be accomplished if you tackle a focused task with no distractions. There is an additional benefit if you find something that is productive either for you or those you care about. Perhaps there is some work that you can do on the lawn outside? Perhaps you like to paint and want to do a portrait of someone you love?

Personally, I like to get grounds from my favorite coffee shop and prepare my pour-over coffee for the day. There is a lot of peace that comes with pouring water over the grounds and watching it slowly drip. I am engaged throughout this, and it usually takes me around 10 minutes to complete. In the process, I have done something tactile that is also useful for me throughout the week.

TAKE A WANDERING WALK

By a wandering walk, I don’t just mean a walk with no set destination. I also mean a walk where you allow your mind to wander. If you are able to get outside, there are many studies that show the benefit that fresh air and sunlight can do for your psyche. So if you are able to take this walk outside, that is going to be an extra boost for your brain.

Letting your mind wander is one of the best ways to give your brain space to recover and repair. Because we are thinking so much for our work and personal lives, with constant distractions like movies or music we don’t have the time to process information or emotions properly. Once you are outside, try picturing your problems or bothersome thoughts like balloons and once your done processing them, you can let them float up into the sky.

Once you feel the change in your mood and mind after 10 minutes of zen, it won’t be so difficult to keep up with the practice.

In 2023, Ed Sheeran pushed his limits on the road split between two simultaneous tours. “Don’t Let Me Get Me” singer Pink will do the same this year. Back in December, Pink shared she would be extending her Summer Carnival Tour with a fresh batch of 2024 dates.

As if her calendar was already filled to the brim, on January 22, Pink announced another set of performance dates. As was the case with Pink’s Summer Carnival Tour, these new concerts (Pink Live 2024 Tour) will feature guests The Script and Kid Cut Up. Unlike Sheeran’s dual tours, fans should expect the same glorious show from Pink, just with different opening acts.

The Citi and Verizon presale for the eight newly unveiled dates will begin on Tuesday, January 23, at 10 a.m. local time. The general on-sale access will start Friday, January 26, at 10 a.m. local time. Find more information here. View the Pink Live 2024 Tour schedule below.

Pink Live 2024 Tour dates

09/03 — Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome*
09/04 — Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome*
09/06 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena*
09/07 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena*
10/09 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
10/14 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
10/18 — St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
10/20 — Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
11/03 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center^
11/08 — Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center*^
11/11 — Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena^
11/14 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena^
11/20 — Columbia, SC @ Colonial Life Arena^

* previously announced date, ^ The Script will not perform

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In recent years, baby boomers have often been the target of criticism from younger generations. The most common accusations are that boomers are selfish and don’t care about leaving ample resources (whether financial or environmental) to subsequent generations.

They also come under fire for not being able to acknowledge that it was easier for people of their generation to come of age when things were more affordable and life was a lot less competitive.

However, we should also understand that many of today’s problems are not the boomers’ doing, especially when it comes to the issues that stem from entitled children and technology run amok. In hindsight, there’s something to be said about the importance that boomers placed on self-reliance, letting kids be kids and having a healthy skepticism towards technology.

In the end, each generation contributes to the tapestry of society in its unique way, whether good or bad, even baby boomers. This became evident after a Reddit user named Youssef4573 asked the AskReddit subforum: ‘What is something you can say ‘I’m with the boomers on this one’ about?” Over 4,700 people responded to the prompt, and the most prevalent problems mentioned by the younger generations were overreliance on technology, the modern world’s lack of human touch and how Gen Xers and millennials have raised their children.

Here are 17 things that younger people are “with the boomers” about.

1. Public filming

“Just because I’m in public doesn’t mean I want to be filmed. Yeah, I know legally you can, but common courtesy people.” — Jayne_of_Canton

2. Customer service

“I want to talk to a person in customer service, not a machine.” — lumpy_space_queenie

“And also a person that actually works at the company I bought the product from, not a teenager at an outsourced call center with a script to follow and who answers calls for 15 different companies on the same day.” — Loive.

3. Turn up the dialog

“For the love of all that is holy, can we fix the audio in movies so that the music and sound FX aren’t drowning out the dialogue?” — Caloso

“And the action sequences don’t burst your eardrums or the dialogue is whispers.” — Whynottry-again

4. Bring back buttons

“No, I don’t need everything in my car to be electronic. Some stuff needs buttons.” — LamborghiniHEAT

“This was the big thing for me in my last car – trying to adjust volume or change songs while driving is way more dangerous when it’s all touch screen. Thankfully my current car has physical knobs for everything.” — GeekdomCentral

5. App overload

“Every store/service does not need an app.” — BigDigger324

“I was standing at a car rental counter at an airport (boomer here) to rent a car. My daughter’s car broke down on the way to pick me up. While standing at the counter, with a customer service rep right there and not busy, I had to log in to their site, create an account, and reserve a car. It seemed ridiculous and it took a long time, filling in my license information and all that. This was last September.” — Cleanslate

6. Bring back DIY

“Learning DIY skills is crucial. I had basically zero DIY skills when I bought my house because I had lived in apartments for so long and I’ve had to learn a lot. YouTube tutorials are absolutely clutch.” — JingleJongleBongle

7. Turn off the speakerphone

“I hated this when I worked at Walmart. So many of my coworkers would talk on speaker or watch TikTok at full volume. It’s just trashy imo, nobody wants to hear your media.” — WhiteGuy1x

“I work at an emergency medical office and holy sh*t the amount of people that sit in a quiet, peaceful lobby and just have the LOUDEST conversations on their phone…. Speaker or otherwise. Not to mention the people that still watch sh*t without headphones. Like do you not see the plethora of other people around you that you’re disturbing?” — Cinderpuppins

8. Ban QR code menus

“I think menus should be tangible.” — Limp-Management9684

“QR codes kill the vibe. We’re all on our phones constantly throughout the day and then when you go to spend some quality time with someone, it’s another excuse to whip out the phone and stare at it. There’s an intimacy to a physical menu. You’re looking at what the other person is reading, you’re each pointing to parts of the menu. You’re noticing the lighting of the restaurant. QR codes feel chintzy and kill the ambiance completely.” — VapeDerp420

9. Stop subscriptions

“When I was your age, you only had to pay for a video game once to own it.” — CattonCruthby

10. Free the children

“A kid in 2024 should have the same freedom to exist unsupervised and move about their community independently as a boomer did growing up.” — PixelatedFish

“The world is safer than it’s ever been and people are more scared than ever. I blame true crime and local news.” ⲻ Unhappyhippo142

11. Kids need to touch grass

“Kids shouldn’t be on phones or iPads all the time. It makes them weird.” — Ubstantial_Part_952

“The same could be said about most adults.” — DrunkOctopus

12. Stop being so sensitive

“People in our generation are far, far too sensitive. Don’t get it twisted; empathy is, by and large, a good thing and it takes some serious doing for me to say it’s gone too far. But collectively, we’ve become people willing to throw every last bit of energy fighting against every slight and making sure our pet cause gets top billing to the point of fighting amongst each other even if we’re in almost complete agreement otherwise. Emotional energy – like any other kind of energy – is very much a finite resource. Whereas boomers could at least generally agree to disagree and get on with things (obvious cross-wielding exceptions doth apply). Culturally, we’ve lost sight of the adage of ‘winning the battle, losing the war.'” — almighty_smiley

13. Stop delivery

“Food delivery services are a complete ripoff; if you use them regularly, you’re terrible with money. Get off my lawn.” — VapeDerp420

14. Parking meters

“So rather than throwing a few coins in your meter, you have to now get your license plate #, get your meter number, go to the meter station, stand in line with everyone waiting to pay their meter, then you’re set. It’s an unnecessary amount of extra steps. I don’t carry cash much anymore, but I can hide a small amount of coin in my car to quickly pay a meter.” — Luke5119

15. Kids should know their place

“Not letting your children rule the roost. When did it become acceptable to let your kids back-talk to you, slap you, climb all over shi*t in public places? As we’ve raised ours, I’ve witnessed so many parents around us just let these behaviors slide. It’s kind of sad when I’m the one saying things like, “Did I just hear you just say that to your mom?!?!?!?! That is not ok. You go and apologize right now!!”. Then I get this stunned “deer in headlights” look back that tells me they aren’t used to someone calling them out on their behavior.” — Cobblestone-Villain

16. Pride in ownership

“Seems that a lot of boomers have pride of ownership and enjoy maintaining what they have.” — Awkward_Bench123

17. Don’t follow leaders

“My dad (a solid boomer) has been saying that ALL politicians are crooks since he became disenchanted with politics around the Nixon era. He was starry-eyed before that, trying to make social change, yada yada. He still votes, but holds his nose. Can’t say I disagree with him.” — Thin_white_duchess

If you’ve never seen a Maori haka performed, you’re missing out.

The Maori are the indigenous peoples of New Zealand, and their language and customs are an integral part of the island nation. One of the most recognizable Maori traditions outside of New Zealand is the haka, a ceremonial dance or challenge usually performed in a group. The haka represents the pride, strength, and unity of a tribe and is characterized by foot-stamping, body slapping, tongue protrusions, and rhythmic chanting.

Haka is performed at weddings as a sign of reverence and respect for the bride and groom and are also frequently seen before sports competitions, such as rugby matches.

The intensity of the haka is the point. It is meant to be a show of strength and elicit a strong response—which makes seeing a tiny toddler learning to do it all the more adorable.

Here’s an example of a rugby haka:

Danny Heke, who goes by @focuswithdan on TikTok, shared a video of a baby learning haka and omigosh it is seriously the most adorable thing. When you see most haka, the dancers aren’t smiling—their faces are fierce—so this wee one starting off with an infectious grin is just too much. You can see that he’s already getting the moves down, facial expressions and all, though.

@focuswithdan When you grow up learning haka! #haka #teachthemyoung #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou #kapahaka ♬ original sound – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

As cute as this video is, it’s part of a larger effort by Heke to use his TikTok channel to share and promote Maori culture. His videos cover everything from the Te Reo Maori language to traditional practices to issues of prejudice Maori people face.

Here he briefly goes over the different body parts that make up haka:

@focuswithdan

♬ Ngati – Just2maori

This video explains the purerehua, or bullroarer, which is a Maori instrument that is sometimes used to call rains during a drought.

@focuswithdan Reply to @illumi.is.naughty Some tribes used this to call the rains during drought 🌧 ⛈ #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp ♬ Pūrerehua – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

This one shares a demonstration and explanation of the taiaha, a traditional Maori weapon.

@focuswithdan Reply to @shauncalvert Taiaha, one of the most formidable of the Māori Weaponry #taiaha #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

For another taste of haka, check out this video from a school graduation:

@focuswithdan When your little cuzzy graduates and her school honours her with a haka #maori #māori #haka #focuswithdan #fyp #graduation @its_keshamarley ♬ Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Ruanui – 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓

Heke even has some fun with the trolls and racists in the comments who try to tell him his culture is dead (what?).

@focuswithdan Credit to you all my AMAZING FOLLOWERS! #focuswithdan #maori #māori #followers #fyp #trolls ♬ original sound – sounds for slomo_bro!

Unfortunately, it’s not just ignorant commenters who spew racist bile. A radio interview clip that aired recently called Maori people “genetically predisposed to crime, alcohol, and underperformance,” among other terrible things. (The host, a former mayor of Auckland, has been let go for going along with and contributing to the caller’s racist narrative.)

@focuswithdan #newzealand radio in 2021 delivering racist commentaries 🤦🏽‍♂️ #māori #maori #focuswithdan #racism DC: @call.me.lettie2.0 ♬ original sound – luna the unicow

That clip highlights why what Heke is sharing is so important. The whole world is enriched when Indigenous people like the Maori have their voices heard and their culture celebrated. The more we learn from each other and our diverse ways of life, the more enjoyable life on Earth will be and the better we’ll get at collaborating to confront the challenges we all share.

This article originally appeared on 01.28.21

Many of us have comfort shows that offer a soothing respite from the harsher chapters of life. That beloved cast of characters, who in some ways feel like extended family, still somehow manage to make us crack a smile even when we’ve heard their jokes a million times. In fact, it’s that very familiarity that makes the world feel a little less uncertain, if only for a moment.

For many, NBC’s workplace comedy “The Office” was that show.

It certainly was for a flight attendant named Melanie, who saw actor Rainn Wilson (otherwise known as Dwight Schrute) at the airport and felt compelled to sneak him a heartfelt note of appreciation, cleverly written on a napkin.

“I didn’t even see who dropped this on my lap at the PDX airport but I greatly appreciate the sentiment, flight attendant Melanie of Alaska Airlines,” Wilson wrote on X, formerly Twitter, along with a photo of the note.

“The Office got me through some of the darkest days of my life,” it read. “I can’t thank you enough for that.”

The actor went on to say how “humbled” he was “to be a part of a show that affected, touched, comforted and inspired” so many people, and that it continues doing so, noting how “rare” of an event that truly is.

I didn’t even see who dropped this on my lap at the PDX airport but I greatly appreciate the sentiment, flight attendant Melanie of Alaska Airlines. So humbled to be a part of a show that affected, touched, comforted and inspired. And continues to do so! It’s so fucking rare. A… pic.twitter.com/5h8gxP5j8t

— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) January 20, 2024

And while the actor joked that his reaction to the exchange was “not an open invitation to give me notes on napkins!” he still went on to thank the “whole Office family, cast, writers, crew and especially AUDIENCE!”

Funny enough, this is not the first time a fan has had a delightful run-in with Schrute. Back in April 2023, Wilson was sitting next to someone who had been watching “the Office” for five hours straight without ever recognizing him. When the actor finally did reveal himself, the two had a delightfully wholesome interaction.

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It just goes to show how big of an impact “The Office” made for so many viewers. So many have credited the workers at Dunder Mifflin for getting them through the pandemic, heartbreak, work doldrums, death…you name it.

It also goes to show that no matter how the entertainment landscape evolves, one truism remains: create a story that people can relate to on an emotional level, and that story will endure.

Aging is a weird thing. From one perspective, it’s something we should be grateful for. Few people would wish for the kind of short, uneventful life that would remove aging from the equation completely. The longer we live, the more we grow and learn and experience life, and “aging” is simply the mathematical sum of those experiences. All good, right?

On the other hand, our society does everything in its power to hide the fact that aging happens. Especially when it comes to women. According to Statista, the global anti-aging beauty market is estimated to be worth $58.8 billion. People will try all manner of creams, serums, masks, acids, lights, technologies and surgeries to try to prevent wrinkles, lines, sagginess, spots and other signs that our bodies are changing with time.

Most of us live our daily lives somewhere in the middle of these two realities, wanting to embrace our aging selves but also hoping to stave off some of the more obvious signs that we’re getting older. It’s natural to resist it in some ways, since the older we get, the closer we get to the end of our lives, which we certainly don’t want to hasten—especially if we actually love living.

It can be helpful to see people who are embracing their age, which is why it can be inspiring to see someone like former supermodel Paulina Porizkova confidently sharing photos of her 57-year-old self.

In posts on social media, Porizkova shared a photo of herself in a bikini and a screenshot of a comment made by a person who felt the need to comment on her aging body. And phew, was it something. The commenter wrote:

“You must be in so much pain to keep posting bikini pictures at your age. I’ve always thought that getting old and ugly is hardest on the pretty people. The fall from grace is so much farther when you were beautiful. Ugly people were always ugly so getting old and ugly isn’t a change. In summary, I feel your pain. I pray you can come to terms with your mortality. We all get old and ugly…you just had to fall from a greater height than the rest of us. Tears Times Infinity!”

So many things to unpack here.

Porizkova shared her thoughts on the comment on Instagram.

A thoughtful reader comment on IG need an equally thoughtful response.nThank you for feeling my pain, rickaroo777. As you can see, Iu2019m suffering indeed.pic.twitter.com/mWijP55iAS

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
1651241361

“Here’s a good follower comment- echoing a few others,” Porizkova wrote. “A woman of 57 is ‘too old’ to pose in a bikini – no matter what she looks like. Because ‘Old’ is ‘Ugly.’ I get comments like these every time I post a photo of my body. This is the ageist shaming that sets my teeth on edge. Older men are distinguished, older women are ugly.”

“People who believe prettiness equals beauty do not understand beauty,” she continued. “Pretty is easy on the eyes, partly because it’s a little bland, inoffensive. It’s easy to take in and easy to forget. Not so beauty. Beauty can be sharp. It can wound you and leave a scar. To perceive beauty you have to be able to SEE.”

“This is why I believe we get more beautiful with age,” she added. “We have earned our beauty, we understand what it is, and we can see it so much better. There is no such thing as ugly and old. Only shortsighted and ignorant.”

On Twitter, Porizkova was a bit more sarcastic, writing, “Thank you for feeling my pain, rickaroo777. As you can see, I’m suffering indeed.”

That tongue-in-cheek response prompted others to share their aging selves in photos, sharing how their “old and ugly” phase of life is going. The thread turned into a veritable celebration of middle-to-late age, with posts about how much more comfortable people feel in their bodies as they get older and the freedom that comes along with not caring what other people think.

You suffer beautifully

You suffer beautifully

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
1651291418

There are two big ironies with the original trolling comment. Most obviously, Porizkova obviously looks freaking amazing in a bikini, so the whole “ugly” and “fall from grace” line of thought is object and off base. The second is that if you look through Porizkova’s Instagram feed, she doesn’t pose in bikinis very often at all. It’s not like she’s plastering her bikini selfies all over social media trying to make herself feel better about herself, as the commenter implies. She just…sometimes wears a bikini. Whoop dee doo.

Do it anyway! Every body is valid. Every body is a bikini body.pic.twitter.com/slDLHLWQo7

— ud83cuddfaud83cuddf8Noel Gigerud83cuddfaud83cuddf8 (@ud83cuddfaud83cuddf8Noel Gigerud83cuddfaud83cuddf8)
1651248625

People don’t have to wear bikinis if they don’t want to. But to tell strangers what they can wear crosses a line. All bodies are bikini bodies, and if the person in the body wants their body to be in a bikini, more power to them.

Wow! Youu2019re suffering for sure!

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
1651287653

The “suffering” and “pain” in the posts were so funny to see.

Ah, so painful. also- frickin

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
1651288265

I’m 49 and I haven’t yet put on a bikini. Steph, thanks for showing me it’s not too late! Tho, somehow I feel like I won’t fill it as well as you & Paulina. But it’s all about attitude, right? So let’s the 3 of us hit the beach! (I’ll stay in the shade of an umbrella, tho.)

— Spark The Genius (@Spark The Genius)
1651262083

The thread brought inspiration to those who may fall prey to the idea that people shouldn’t wear certain things after a certain age or that only people with certain body sizes or shapes should wear certain things.

The hashtag #oldandugly started trending as people responded to Porizkova’s call for a celebration of aging beautifully.

“Todays thread has been my absolute favorite of all time,” Porizkova wrote on Twitter. “Thank you all you ‘old and ugly’ women (and a few men) showing the world how much we ‘suffer’ at in our old age. You’re all breathtaking!”

The love continues! 57 and proud! Keep posting your wonderful beautiful selves and tag #oldandugly so we can keep sharing the pic.twitter.com/Veg72kQOqt

— Paulina Porizkova (@Paulina Porizkova)
1651454555

May we all age beautifully and gracefully in whatever way those words are meaningful to us, and show those who think that aging means “suffering” and “pain” due to being “old and ugly” that they have no idea what they’re talking about.

(And here’s an extra shout-out to Porizkova for using her beauty and her age to make an important point—not only about celebrating getting older, but also about how propaganda works. Brava.)

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This article originally appeared on 05.03.22

You know what they say…go big or go home.

Well, the University of Minnesota Dance Team, aka The Gophers, certainly made no plans of going home during their epic dance routine at the UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships in Orlando, Florida (otherwise known as “The Dance Super Bowl”) last weekend.

The Gophers absolutely wowed audiences with a perfectly synchronized performance to Aeromsith’s “Dream On” that quickly racked up millions of views on social media, not to mention a few headlines.

Inspired by a routine to the same song made by the champions in 2004, the 24-person team executed bold, impressive turns and spins all in perfect unison. A two-minute video of their flawless choreography got overwhelmingly positive reviews online.

“This is badass,” Governor Tim Walz wrote on X while another commenter on Youtube marveled, “Not one person was off in this entire dance. Goosebumps!!”

@laurasukowatey More beauty from @uofmdanceteam Best of the Best performance, before heading to UDA Nationals ✨ #udanationals #uofmdanceteam #minnesota #minnesotadance #mndance #udanationals2024 #uofm #collegedancenationals #onelove #minnesotajazz #udacollegenationals #minnesotadanceteam ♬ original sound – Laura Sukowatey

Another viewer echoed, “I’ve never in my life seen a group this large perform such beautiful and perfectly synchronized turns. I didn’t think it was possible.”

Many were shocked to learn that the Gophers actually got 2nd place behind Ohio State in that category. They did, however, score first place for their pom routine. Plus some major viral clout for their ingenuity.

“I have honestly never been so proud of [the] team,” longtime head coach, Amanda Gaines told local station KARE11, sharing gratitude that their routine garnered more awareness and respect for the sport.

“They are doing this because they are passionate about dance and Minnesota,” Gaines said. “The more people can support these athletes, the better for everyone.”

Assistant coach Tia Tumbleson, who helped choreograph the performance, seconded Gaines’ sentiment, applauding her team for doing “this creative and innovative thing that people have never heard of.”

“Dancers and non-dancers, [know] how hard that is. The love we’ve gotten from everybody, I can hardly speak on it. It’s just been incredible,” she told local news station KSTP.

Watch below, and be amazed.

The sweet-faced, loveable Labrador Retriever is no longer America’s favorite dog breed. The breed best known for having a heart of gold has been replaced by the smaller, more urban-friendly French Bulldog.

According to the American Kennel Club, for the past 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog, but it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings are based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000.

The French Bulldog’s popularity has grown exponentially over the past decade. They were the #14 most popular breed in 2012, and since then, registrations have gone up 1,000%, bringing them to the top of the breed popularity rankings.

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The AKC says that the American Hairless Terrier, Gordon Setter, Italian Greyhound and Anatolian Shepherd Dog also grew in popularity between 2021 and 2022.

The French Bulldog was famous among America’s upper class around the turn of the 20th century but then fell out of favor. Their resurgence is partly based on several celebrities who have gone public with their Frenchie love. Leonardo DiCaprio, Megan Thee Stallion, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Reese Witherspoon and Lady Gaga all own French Bulldogs.

The breed earned a lot of attention as show dogs last year when a Frenchie named Winston took second place at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and first in the National Dog Show.

The breed made national news in early 2021 when Gaga’s dog walker was shot in the chest while walking two of her Frenchies in a dog heist. He recovered from his injuries, and the dogs were later returned.

The French Bulldog’s complicated past took them from brothels (yes) to royals.

Listen to their full history and more in the Uniquely Urban podcast episode of Down & Back: https://t.co/Jx2jPNCVMb pic.twitter.com/wBQd9fsRlt

— American Kennel Club (@akcdoglovers) March 16, 2023

They’ve also become popular because of their unique look and personalities.

“They’re comical, friendly, loving little dogs,” French Bull Dog Club of America spokesperson Patty Sosa told the AP. She said they are city-friendly with modest grooming needs and “they offer a lot in a small package.”

They are also popular with people who live in apartments. According to the AKC, Frenchies don’t bark much and do not require a lot of outdoor exercise.

The French Bulldog stands out among other breeds because it looks like a miniature bulldog but has large, expressive bat-like ears that are its trademark feature. However, their popularity isn’t without controversy. “French bulldogs can be a polarizing topic,” veterinarian Dr. Carrie Stefaniak told the AP.

French Bulldogs have been bred to have abnormally large heads, which means that large litters usually need to be delivered by C-section, an expensive procedure that can be dangerous for the mother. They are also prone to multiple health problems, including skin, ear, and eye infections. Their flat face means they often suffer from respiratory problems and heat intolerance.

Frenchies are also more prone to spine deformations and nerve pain as they age.

Here are the AKC’s top ten most popular dog breeds for 2022.

1 French Bulldogs

2 Labrador Retrievers

3 Golden Retrievers

4 German Shepherd Dogs

5 Poodles

6 Bulldogs

7 Rottweilers

8 Beagles

9 Dachshunds

10 German Shorthaired Pointers

This article originally appeared on 03.17.23

The San Antonio Spurs are in Philadelphia on Monday night, which means that for the first time, Victor Wembanyama and Joel Embiid are going to step onto a basketball court against one another. It’s a pretty exciting time, as this marks a matchup between the reigning NBA MVP and the reigning No. 1 pick who has been viewed as a future MVP for quite some time.

For how promising Wembanyama’s rookie year has been, he hasn’t faced anyone quite like Embiid, who has the ability to overpower him in addition to all the other stuff he’s capable of doing on the basketball court. Wembanyama’s coach is ready for the challenge, though, as Gregg Popovich jokingly — well, at least I think it was jokingly — said that he’s ready for his rookie big man to take it to Embiid.

“We’re gonna hammer his ass,” Popovich said to the assembled media in Philadelphia. “I told Wemby to put your butt right in his stomach, back him down under the rim, and just throw him through the rim. That’s what you can look forward to tonight. Don’t tell Wemby I said that.”

Despite this, Popovich has a pretty sober view of how things will go on the other end of the floor.

It is good to see that, even amid an 8-34 season, Popovich still has his sense of humor.