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Fear of flying—aerophobia, in technical terms—is an extremely common phobia, affecting around 25 million adults in the U.S. alone. Some people grit their teeth and white-knuckle their way through their fear, while others find themselves unable to get on an airplane at all because of it.

Such a fear is understandable, really. Hurtling through the sky at 500 miles per hour, tens of thousands of feet above the Earth’s surface, isn’t exactly the way humans were designed to get from place to place. (We may have evolved with the brain power and ingenuity to make it happen, but that doesn’t mean we automatically go along for the ride without our sense of self-preservation kicking in.)

One of the triggers for people with aerophobia is turbulence—the occasional shaking and pitching of an aircraft when it hits certain conditions in the atmosphere. Even people who are comfortable flying can find turbulence disconcerting sometimes, especially when it creates a sudden dropping sensation. Turbulence is normal, but it doesn’t feel normal when you’re sitting in a chair 30,000 feet from solid ground. It feels chaotic and out of control.

Anna Paul, a popular TikTok star from Australia, has shared a helpful visual for people freaked out by turbulence in a video that has more than 19 million views.

Paul explains that a pilot shared the analogy of a plane flying through the air being like an object suspended in jello. There’s pressure on all sides, so even if the jello is shaken—and the object shaken along with it—the pressure suspends the object.

In other words, a plane is not going to suddenly drop down out of the sky due to turbulence, in the same way that an object won’t drop out of the middle of a bowl of jello.

Watch:

@anna..paull

TikTok · Anna Paul

The jello analogy is also used by aerophobia experts. Therapist Les Posen specializes in flying phobias, and he shows his clients a model airplane suspended in raspberry jello to illustrate the fact that turbulence won’t cause a plane to drop out of the sky. He even goes a step farther by having clients smell the jello, and then advises them to eat some raspberry candy or juice on the plane to remind themselves of the analogy, using their senses to calm their nerves.

At the end of her video, Paul said there’s never been a plane crash from turbulence, but that’s not quite true. In 1966, a flight (BOAC 911) coming out of Tokyo broke apart in midair due to unexpected severe turbulence. However, that was a very long time ago. Monitoring of meteorological conditions has greatly advanced since then, as have the designs of modern aircraft and the skill of pilots, so experts will tell you that turbulence is not something to worry about.

If imagining air pressure as jello doesn’t really work for you, it may be helpful to have a visual of what turbulence actually is. For that, Captain Stuart Walker, who has been flying for 30 years, explains the four main types of turbulence, what causes them and what pilots do to avoid them or reduce their impact. He also explains what passengers can do to minimize their chances of feeling turbulence on a flight, such as sitting over the wings or toward the front of the plane and flying earlier in the day when temperatures are not as likely to cause air disturbances.

Whether you prefer hospital-food-based analogies or no-nonsense, scientific explanations, the bottom line is that turbulence feels far scarier than it actually is. A shaking plane is not going to drop from the sky, modern aircraft can withstand a great deal of movement midair and pilots are highly trained to handle turbulence.

And remember: Commercial airline travel really is the safest way to get to where you’re going, statistically speaking. So next time you fly, kick back, relax and imagine you’re suspended in jello, knowing you’re in capable hands when the turbulence starts.

This article originally appeared on 06.23.22

There are a few big reasons why 70% of divorces in the United States among heterosexual couples are filed by women. Women have more economic opportunities than in decades past and are better positioned to care for themselves and their children without a husband’s income.

Another big reason is that even though the world has become much more egalitarian than in the past, women still bear the brunt of most of the emotional labor in the home. Gilza Fort-Martinez, a Florida, US-based licensed couples’ therapist, told the BBC that men are socialized to have lower emotional intelligence than women, leaving their wives to do most of the emotional labor.

Secondly, studies show that women still do most of the domestic work in the home, so many are pulling double duty for their households.

A TikTokker with two children (@thesoontobeexwife) shared why she decided to leave her husband of two decades and her story recounts a common theme: She did all the work and her husband did little but complain.

The video, entitled “Why women leave,” has received over 2 million views.

@thesoontobeexwife

Y’all I laughed when I realized he truly does treat me better now then when he was trying to be in a marriage with me. How is this better?? How did I ever think before was ok?? #toxicrelationship #divorce #mentalloadofmotherhood #divorcetok #divorceisanoption #chooseyou #mentalhealth #mentalload #fyp #mentalload #emotionallabor

“So for the men out there who watch this, which frankly I kind of hope there aren’t any, you have an idea maybe what not to do,” she starts the video. “Yesterday, I go to work all day, go pick up one kid from school, go grocery shopping, go pick up the other kid from school, come home. Kids need a snack–make the snack. Kids want to play outside – we play outside.”

Her husband then comes home after attending a volunteer program, which she didn’t want him to join, and the self-centeredness begins. “So he gets home, he eats the entire carton of blueberries I just purchased for the children’s lunch and asks me what’s for dinner. I tell him I don’t know because the kids had a late snack and they’re not hungry yet,” she says in the video.

She then explains how the last time he cooked, which was a rare event, he nearly punched a hole in the wall because he forgot an ingredient. Their previous home had multiple holes in the walls. Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist and host of the Power of Different podcast, says that when punch walls it’s a sign that they haven’t “learned to deal with anger in a reasonable way.”

“Anyway, finally one kid is hungry,” the TikTokker continues. “So I offered to make pancakes because they’re quick and easy and it’s late. He sees the pancake batter and sees that there’s wheat flour in it and starts complaining. Says he won’t eat them. Now I am a grown adult making pancakes for my children who I am trying to feed nutritionally balanced meals. So yes, there’s wheat flour in the pancake mix.”

Then her husband says he’s not doing the dishes because he didn’t eat any pancakes. “Friends, the only thing this man does around this house is dishes occasionally. If I cook, he usually does the dishes. I cook most nights. But here’s the thing. That’s all he does. I do everything else. Everything. Everything.”

She then listed all of the household duties she handles.

“I cook, I clean the bathrooms, I make the lunches, I make the breakfasts, I mow the lawn, I do kids’ bedtime. I literally do everything and he does dishes once a day, maybe,” she says.

@thesoontobeexwife

I HAVE OFFICIALLY FILED FOR DIVORCE 🎉 #divorce #divorcetok #toxicrelationship #divorceisanoption #fyp #mentalhealth #chooseyou #iamenough #iwillnotbeafraid #mentalloadofmotherhood #emotionallabor

The video received over 8700 comments and most of them were words of support for the TikTokker who would go on to file for divorce from her husband.

“The amount of women I’ve heard say that their male partners are only teaching how to be completely independent of them, theirs going to be so many lonely men out there,” Gwen wrote. “I was married to someone just like this for over 35 years. You will be so happy when you get away from him,” BeckyButters wrote.

“The way you will no longer be walking on eggshells in your own home is an amazing feeling. You got this!” Barf Simpson added.

This article originally appeared on 5.21.23

Basketball coaching legend John Wooden once famously said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching,” and he has a great point. It’s one thing to do what’s right when you are afraid you’ll be punished for doing the wrong thing by an authority figure. It’s another to do the right thing because your peers will applaud you.

But the highest moral good is doing what’s right when no one is watching because that’s doing good for its own sake.

A story out of Gothenburg, Sweden, shows that in that community, the patrons of its library know a little something about doing good just because it’s the right thing to do.

On November 4, the Gothenburg City Library was closed for All Saints Day. The day is a holiday dedicated to remembering loved ones who passed by lighting a candle on their graves, or spending time with family and having a festive meal.

The City Library was scheduled to be closed for the holiday, but one of the employees forgot to lock the building door. So, being that it was a Saturday, hundreds of people flocked to the library to check out books, read magazines, surf the internet, or play video games.

Library employee Anna Carin Elf was in the neighborhood and was shocked to see people walking in and out of the library when it was supposed to be closed. Even though it wasn’t supposed to be open, the people in the library just went about their business as if it was a typical day.

“They were surprised. They thought it was a bit empty,” Elf said, according to ZME Science. “The people in the library behaved as usual. Many were sitting reading newspapers, some families were in the children’s section and others were searching for books on the computer.”

Elf contacted her boss and another colleague and told everyone in the library that the building was closed. The patrons closed up their books and went home. But some left with books for some weekend reading.

The librarians later did a tally and found that 446 people visited the library on All Saints Day and 246 books were borrowed. Surprisingly, all of the books were returned within 5 days. “Nothing was destroyed. It’s amazing that Gothenburgers enter an empty library and treat it so lovingly,” Elf told The Local.

Such a heartwarming story u2764ufe0fnThis Saturday, the city library in Gothenburg was closed. But someone forgot to lock the doors. nNo worries! Hundreds of visitors just did what you do at the library: they borrowed books, read the papers, treated their beloved library with respect.

— (@)

Through that act, the people of Gothenburg showed us what community spirit is all about. Their collective honesty is a beautiful indicator of their love for their library, its resources and their fellow citizens. Because when you rob a library, you’re stealing from your community.

The story is a powerful reminder to people all over the world of how we should view our public libraries. They aren’t just buildings but a crucial part of our community, a hub of learning and a symbol of our trust in each other.

It also proves the old Iraqi proverb: “The reader does not steal, and the thief does not read.”

This article originally appeared on 11.9.23

Every once in a while, a story of two strangers turns into a shared connection that touches millions. This is one of them.

Sanai Graden is a 21-year-old college student living in Washington, D.C., who likes to vlog on TikTok while she does everyday things. As she was heading to the grocery store on a random day at the end of January 2024, she turned on her camera, and soon after, a man approached and asked her if she could help him get some hot tea.

Not money. Not even food. Just some simple, hot tea.

Graden told the man she was going to Trader Joe’s and he could go along with her and they could stop at Starbucks. As they walked and chatted, Graden learned the man was homeless, had no family and was suffering from prostate cancer. He has just gotten insurance, but it wouldn’t kick in for 45 days and he needed a prescription filled.

Over the next four to five hours, Graden got him some tea, helped him get his prescription filled so he could get some relief from his pain and put him up in a hotel room for the night. By the end of the day, she was calling him “Unc,” and he was calling her his “angel.”

She left him with some cash and her phone number and then posted this video:

@hustlanani

Please help me help him !

At the end, she said she wanted to start a GoFundMe for Unc (whose real name is Alonzo), and she did just that.

“I’m just a college student, there’s only so much I can do,” she shared in another TIkTok. “I did the best I could. But that man, he was literally suffering, and it broke my heart…He was so kind…I just wanted to help him.”

Her initial video started going viral—it currently has over 20 million views—and people started donated to the GoFundMe. When it reached $12,000 in a matter of hours, she called her parents to tell them about it. They told her she was exactly the right person to be helping this man because she will make sure the money is used to get him what he needs.

@hustlanani

Replying to @The JasmynYvette Thank you so much eve

Little did she know that that $12,000 would soon rise to $20,000, and then to $50,000, then $100,000 and more. As of the writing of this article, two days after the GoFundMe went up, it has jumped the $300,000 mark.

At this point, so many people are invested in Unc’s well-being. Upwards of 20,000 people have donated, and the number just keeps rising. As one commenter put it, “He’s everyone’s Unc now.”

Graden went to tell him the good news the next morning when the GoFundMe was around $150,000, but when she arrived at the hotel, he had already checked out. She searched everywhere she thought he might be, even renting a car to cover more ground more quickly, but she wasn’t able to find him.

Finally, she shared a brief voice message he left for her that started, “Hey, Niece! It’s your uncle,” and ended with “I love you!” but he neglected to tell her where he was. After she looked around some more, he called again and and told her he was at church. She told him to wait right there.

She found him in front of a church and invited him to go get something to eat. She said she wanted to talk to him in private, but he was waiting with his aunt and couldn’t leave just yet. Finally, she was able to sit with him in her car and tell him about what thousands of people were doing to help him live comfortably and more easily manage his cancer.

She had to convince him the money was his, not theirs together. He also said he hadn’t finished writing her a letter he’d started.

@hustlanani

I know you’ve all been waiting on his reaction. I just made it home. Please enjoy it. Thank you everyone for coming together. This would not have been possible without the endless support. This is just the beginning of something great. I’m enternally grateful. God did that !!!

The first thing Graden did was take Alonzo to Target to get him his own phone and some new clothes of his choosing. He even had a little laugh with Graden when she asked him if he wanted to get some floss, forgetting that he doesn’t have any teeth.

@hustlanani

This story is still developing and there are obviously a lot of complex details to work out as they get Alonzo settled with however much money the GoFundMe ultimately raises. No one wants Alonzo to lose his health benefits, and there are various financial as well as mental and emotional elements to consider as they move forward. But the power of the kindness of strangers to change someone’s circumstances, starting with just one caring soul, is certainly worth celebrating.

Follow @hustlanani on TikTok for updates on Unc.

This article originally appeared on 2.13.24

Based on Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” topping the charts, it is abundantly clear that the musical theme of 2024 is boiling hot tension.

While rappers seem to thrive during friction, the pop stars are working hard to avoid any dustups. According to users online, rising acts Omar Apollo and Troye Sivan are embedded in a steamy beef.

Continue below for more information.

Do Omar Apollo And Troye Sivan Have Beef?

Although folks believe the duo are music’s latest frenemies, Omar Apollo took to X (formerly Twitter) to deny the rumors. Yesterday (July 12), the “Less Of You” singer issued an official statement regarding the whispers.

“The fact y’all think I have beef with Troye Sivan is hilarious,” he wrote. “[Troye] met my dad, and I met his mom at the last show we played together. Very sweet woman. I get it tho, negativity is appealing, I expect nothing less on this app, LOL. He’s always been a great friend.”

Although Troye Sivan hasn’t addressed the reports, Omar’s note was enough to dead it in supporters’ eyes. With the air now cleared, fans immediately chimed in to request a joint track from the musician.

“Oh, we need ALL the collabs,” wrote one user.

“Collab,” demanded another.

There you have it, another potential messy mix up egged on by online trolls has been avoided.

Now, this is a story all about how, Will Smith is extending his return to music. Last month, the Bad Boys: Ride Or Die star made his shocking return on stage at the BET Awards with the track “You Can Make It,” which featured Kirk Franklin.

Today (July 13), Smith keep things old-school during his set at La Velada del Año IV inside of Spain’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Instead of performing his latest track, Smith treated the boxing fans to a mashup of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme song and his 2005’s single “Switch.”

Although most new fans are more familiar with the series’ reboot, Bel Air, between 1990 and 1996, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air dominated TV.

“Blessed are the ears of those who can hear Will Smith sing the intro to ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ live,” wrote one user (roughly translated to English).

“I love that he’s on stage again and just having fun. This is what legends deserve,” penned another.

Another pointed about how great of a selection Will Smith was, given the night was all about influencers hitting the ring.

“The ultimate influencer Will Smith was a good fit,” wrote one user.

Ironically, despite the record’s popularity, it wasn’t actually supposed to be released. In June 2022, during an interview WTOP, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Smith’s longtime friend, collaborator, and the song’s writer, made the confession.

“I thought we were making a filler,” he said. “I thought this would be a thing they would use until they figured out what the real theme song was. We did it, I mixed it, and that’s the same thing that plays on television today. That still trips me out. It never changed.”

Well, clearly, producers saw the same special quality listeners have clung onto for so man y decades to follow.

The song of the summer debate is ongoing. But folks online (including Rihanna) have made a strong argument for GloRilla’s catchy bop, “TGIF.”

Just when you thought the song couldn’t get any more addictive, the track made its way into a local newsroom. Yesterday (July 12), GloRilla took to Instagram to reveal a hilarious remake of the record with everyone’s favorite weatherman, Nick Kosir.

“It’s 7 pm Friday & here’s da forecast from me & my guy, Nick Kosir ,” she wrote.

In the clip, the Fox anchor put his own professional spin on GloRilla’s smash single and forecast reporting will never be the same.

“I ain’t got no sunburn / cause I got sunscreen on me / I’ma show my forecast / For the rest of the week / How are we gonna cool off / In this kind of heat / Turn on all the fans / Turn on the ac / Turn down all the blinds / Cause it’s hot and sticky / 60 percent chance that a cold front will advance / Til then its hots as Hades / Now let’s hit this dance,” he rapped.

Watch the full video below.

This isn’t Nick Kosir’s first time incorporating trendy tracks into his onscreen appears. But his spin on GloRilla’s “TGIF” is just divine alignment.

Apparently, Ice Spice and Central Cee’s plan to ride off into the lover’s sunset hasn’t been smooth sailing for everyone involved. The “Did It First” collaborators’ rumored romance is currently under fire. But it appears Ice Spice wants all the smoke.

Yesterday (July 12), Central Cee’s ex-girlfriend and media personality, Madeline Argy, slammed the pair’s coupling while alleging it is all a part of a “marketing scheme.” Argy posted a photo of herself surrounded by guns in her Instagram Stories, captioned: “Me rn.”

Today (July 13), Ice Spice took to her official X (formerly Twitter) to seeming issue a subtle response of her own. “Ain’t trippin da grip in my purse,” she captioned a photo of her and Central Cee.

Yesterday, in a series of video posted on TikTok, Madeline Argy outlined when she learned that her former boo, Central Cee and Ice Spice were supposedly an item.

According to Madeline Argy, after she learned Central Cee sent Ice Spice his personal vehicle as transport to the studio, she didn’t know where they stood. “I was with you guys knees deep in that comment section asking if we were still together,” she said. “I tried to have a conversation with him, but all he kept saying was, ‘Alright.’”

She then accused Central Cee after using their couple’s trip to further fuel his “marketing scheme” as a way to roll out his collaboration with Ice Spice.

Watch Madeline Argy videos below.

The new generation of rap fans’ go-to Houston representative is Megan Thee Stallion. But long before the H-town hottie was a household name, Bun B held it down for the cultural capital of the South. The “In My Trunk” rapper and mogul continues to serve his city.

Yesterday (July 12), Bun B and his restaurant Trill Burgers teamed up with grocery chain Kroger gave away 500 burgers to Houston residents impacted by Hurricane Beryl. Despite the wide net power outages, Bun B and dozens of volunteers were able to prepare and disturb the hot meal at Bethel’s Family Church.

Users online praised Bun B and his teams’ efforts to aid in the city’s recovery efforts.

“He puts the ‘Human’ in humanitarian!! Need more like him,” penned one user.

“The epitome of what a businessman should look like. The marketing is top tier, and he cares for the community because he views himself as part of the community… and them burgers GOOD lol ,” wrote another.

“Texans taking care of each other,” chimed another.

“Bless them. Way to go, Texas. Take care of your own citizens first,” added another.

Today (July 13), Bun B is back at it. This afternoon Trill Burgers will give out 713 burgers and 713 bottles of water at Houston Galleria, thanks to the continued support of Kroger, and new donors Levi’s and Lone Star Tents & Events.

Fleetwood Mac is now more. But, the public and former group member’s love for the band’s late keyboardist, Christine McVie, remains strong. So strong that yesterday (July 12), Stevie Nicks performed a tribute to McVie during her set at BST Hyde Park 2024.

In front of the packed London crowd, Nicks decided to have a beloved British singer join her for the honors. As a complete shock to the audience, Harry Styles took to the stage to deliver a moving duet of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” and “Landslide.”

It has been nearly two years since McVie’s shocking death. But the duo’s performance wasn’t about remembering the approaching anniversary of her passing. Instead, Stevie Nicks and Harry Styles set out to honor what would’ve been McVie’s 81st birthday (July 12).

As the show closed, Nicks delivered a touching speech in her late friend and bandmate’s memory.

“At the end of the show, since the end of last year and since Christine passed away, I would say something about her,” she said. “I asked Harry to do this with me, and it’s a lot to ask someone to sing a heavy song about a best friend that died so suddenly and so sadly.”

The crowd fearlessly cheered on Nicks to show their support as she made the touching remarks.