It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Because you basically did.
FX
DreamWorks Pictures
NBC
CBS
As told by Daria and Jane Lane.
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You've had those moments where you're both tired at the same time and are comfortable with calling it a night. And it's the BEST.
MTV / Via peteneems.tumblr.com
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AKA sweatpants.
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For the first time in recorded history, San Francisco got zero rain this January, and the state drought is nearing its fourth year. Here are some simple, unexpected ways you can help save the H20.
First of all, you can use at LEAST 1/3 less water in your pasta pot than called for by the instructions on the box. But you can actually re-boil the water at least one or two more times (any more than that and it might get too starchy.) But never just pour your post-pasta H2O down the sink; use it to water your plants instead.
Before you get into the shower, start playing a song on your phone and challenge yourself to finish showering before the song ends. (No cheating by using "American Pie" or "Bohemian Rhapsody"!)
Many eco-conscious restaurants in California will only bring you water if you specifically ask for it. But how many times have you left a restaurant and left behind a full water glass? If you know you're going to mainly stick to your iced tea, Diet Coke or beer, let that fancy carafe of tap go to someone else.
Yeah, we know. But it saves so much water!
“We, as black people, have been celebrated more for when we are subservient, when we are not being leaders or kings or being in the center of our own narrative driving it forward,” said the actor, who was surprisingly not nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Danny Moloshok / Reuters
When the Academy Awards were announced in January, the biggest snub-related uproar centered on Selma, director Ava DuVernay's film about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (played by David Oyelowo) and the 1965 voting rights marches in Alabama, from Selma to Montgomery.
In the weeks since the Oscar nominations, Oyelowo has addressed the fact that the Academy didn't acknowledge him or DuVernay with a nomination, either putting a positive spin on it by discussing Selma's Best Picture nomination and another for "Glory" in the Best Original Song category, or by admitting he is "bothered" by it, largely because he wanted Dr. King to "be celebrated." But during a panel discussion with The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg on Sunday at the 2015 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Oyelowo said the snub actually speaks to a larger issue in Hollywood, specifically with the Academy voters.
"Historically — this is truly my feeling; I felt this before the situation we're talking about and I feel it now — generally speaking, we, as black people, have been celebrated more for when we are subservient, when we are not being leaders or kings or being in the center of our own narrative driving it forward," the actor said. Oyelowo went on to point out to the audience that Denzel Washington didn't win an Oscar for playing Malcolm X, and though many would have thought Sidney Poitier won an Academy Award for his performance in In the Heat of the Night, he didn't even earn a nomination. Instead, he was honored by the Academy for his portrayal of a handyman in Lilies of the Field.
"This bears out what I'm saying, which is that we've just got to come to the point whereby there isn't a self-fulfilling prophecy — a notion of who black people are — that feeds into what we are celebrated as, not just in the Academy, just in life generally," Oyelowo said. "We have been slaves, we have been domestic servants, we have been criminals, we have been all of those things. But we've been leaders, we've been kings, we've been those who changed the world."
Warner Brothers / Everett Collection
Warning: Extreme cuteness ahead.
“Disneyland is actually quite affordable!”
Nickelodeon
Flickr: squant / Via Creative Commons
Flickr: noahfans / Via Creative Commons
Sometimes you just have to take a second for a little “me time.”
Thinkstock, Candace Lowry for BuzzFeed
I recently took an intensive six-week mediation course with psychic and energy healer Kris Cahill to learn how to soothe my anxiety issues.
Throughout her Meditation 1 class, students learn how to "become centered and focused, feel more relaxed while also feeling more energized, learn about being in present time." Basically, she teaches you how to deal with anxiety and how to prevent bad thoughts from taking over your mind.
Here's what I learned:
ABC
This way you'll be able to take in ~new energy~ evenly.
Macey J Foronda for BuzzFeed
‘Tis the season. This is not a drill.
If you see a Canadian gnawing at their paper cups, stay out of the way. There is 1-in-6 chance for a free donut to be won.
The zoo was using two cattle-herding dogs to keep an eye on the African elephants while in open areas with handlers. Federal inspectors, however, determined that the dogs were causing “behavioral stress” to the herd.
The Jan. 7 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which was released Monday by PETA, documented aggressive behavior by one of the dogs, including "growling and lunging at one elephant and entering its enclosure before being called back by the manager."
In ordering the zoo to stop using the dogs, inspectors cited the interaction along with television news footage from May that showed "elephants exhibiting signs of distress when charged by one of the dogs, including ear flapping, trumpeting, and turning and running away."
Allowing the dogs to engage in "unrestrained lunging and biting" may cause undue stress to the elephants, according to the report.
In a statement, Delcianna Winders, deputy general counsel for the PETA Foundation, called on the Pittsburgh Zoo to switch to more modern elephant managing techniques.
"When elephants, dogs, and human handlers freely mix, everyone is in danger," Winders said. "PETA is calling on the Pittsburgh Zoo to switch to safe and modern elephant-management methods — or, better yet, to retire the elephants to an accredited sanctuary where they'll be free from harassment for the rest of their lives."
PETA has argued that zoos should use barriers to separate handlers and elephants and use only positive reinforcement to control the large animals.
"The introduction of the dogs has been a valuable tool as we continue to elevate the care and management of our elephant herd," Barbara Baker, president and chief executive of the Pittsburgh Zoo, said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. "The safety of our keepers and animals is a top priority and we provide an additional safety level with the use of trained cattle dogs."
The Australian cattle dogs read the behavior of the elephants and alert keepers to any disruption in the herd, preventing potential safety issues, said Baker, who called the practice a "low-stress method" of animal management.
"These methods, which have been scientifically proven and recognized by the USDA, ensure a calm and controlled interaction between an animal, the dogs, and keepers they work with," Baker said.
Since the arrival of the dogs in 2012, Baker noted that no keepers, elephants, or dogs have been injured.
The zoo has since started working with the USDA on a study regarding elephant welfare, "including a unique examination of stress," Baker said.
“If we’re meant to meet again, we’ll meet again.” OR you could just give someone your damn number and use it accordingly.
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LTIFOMU (laughing till I fall off my unicycle).
RR/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES
RR/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES
The Viner turned pop star reveals his thoughts on headlining, Hogwarts, and everything in between.
Less than a year ago, Shawn Mendes was just another talented Viner singing six-second covers in his bedroom. Last spring, however, the 16-year-old singer-songwriter parlayed his 2.7 million followers into a deal with Island Records and has been on the road to IRL stardom ever since. Case in point: The "Something Big" singer will release his debut album, Handwritten, in April after he wraps up his first stint as a headliner but before he joins Taylor Swift's massive 1989 tour as an opening act.
We caught up with the Canadian cutie before all the craziness to talk about everything from headlining to Hogwarts and, always a good sport, he even agreed to ~handwrite~ the answers.
David J. Bertozzi / BuzzFeed
Shawn Mendes: It depends. I mean, if there is a notepad and notebook I will usually go for that route because it feels more genuine when you’re writing on a piece of paper. It just feels good. Like, you feel like you’re a cooler songwriter. But if it’s very quick and spontaneous then I’ll just put it in my phone. I usually end up putting it on a pad anyways — with my bad handwriting.
David J. Bertozzi / BuzzFeed
SM: Oh, that’s a hard, hard, hard question. That’s one of the hardest questions I’ve ever been asked.
David J. Bertozzi / BuzzFeed
David J. Bertozzi / BuzzFeed
Husbands everywhere, take notes.
Rob Wiltsey / Via youtube.com
Rob Wiltsey / Via youtube.com
She still has no idea.
Rob Wiltsey / Via youtube.com
She hasn't figured it out yet!
Rob Wiltsey / Via youtube.com
We may have won the battle, but we will never win the war.
I believe the answer to that, like the answer to most questions is, f*%k you. Warning: NSFW language ahead.
Taylor Swift is known for being an amazing songwriter and singer But her covers of other people’s music are also fantastic.
She only does a small portion of each song, but they are amazing.
Taylor infuses this song with an innocence the original is lacking. Beautiful and heartfelt.
Martie Maguire, one of the original members of the Dixie Chicks, was in the audience at this show, making this performance even more special.
Via youtube.com
True, she didn't so this one on her own, and had her backing band help her out, but this cover is pretty awesome.
Via youtube.com
“When you feel accepted and happy as who you are, you want to do your best as a soldier – as a person.”
Ofer, in his uniform, his face cropped due to his active service per Israeli military policy
Sheera Frenkel for BuzzFeed News
For army officer Ofer, serving in the IDF was the first time he felt like a real man.
The 21-year-old is the Israeli army's first out transgender officer, after completing a training course last year that earned him the promotion.
"How can I explain it? For me, serving in the army and being recognized for who I really am by my fellow soldiers made me feel like a real man for the first time in my life. It made me feel like myself," said Ofer, who asked to be quoted using his preferred pseudonym to protect his identity as an active member of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).
At a time when most of the world's militaries still officially ban gay and lesbian soldiers from serving, Ofer's military service stands apart. Not only did he experience support from his unit and commanding officers, but his case prompted the Israeli military to fast-track new protocols now in place that range from tolerance training for senior officers to ensuring that the military would cover the cost of hormone treatments and sex reassignment surgery.
He is now speaking internationally, hoping his case can help transform the attitudes of militaries like the United States, which has embraced lesbian, gay, and bisexual soldiers but still will not allow trans soldiers to serve. While Ofer says he knows that Israel is accused of "pinkwashing" — or using its progressive stance toward the LGBT community to brush over human rights abuses toward Palestinians — for him and others interviewed by BuzzFeed News the positions taken by Israel's military were an indication of a functional army, rather than a political talking point.
Ofer said the health insurance he has through the army paid for his hormone therapy and preapproved him for surgery whenever he was ready for that step.
"When you feel accepted and happy as who you are, you want to do your best as a soldier – as a person," said Ofer. "I was so nervous to ask, and when I did the doctor told me he had already and asked and received approval for the surgery. Really, it was a shock to me as well that everyone was so supportive."
While the U.K. last month accepted its first out transgender officer, the U.S. and many other countries continue to ban transgender people from serving in their militaries. Even as gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans have been able to serve freely since the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" in September 2011, a medical regulatory ban still prohibits transgender military service, forcing the estimated 15,000 transgender soldiers currently serving in the armed forces to remain closeted.
"It's hard for me, hearing how it is in other countries," said Ofer. "Luckily for me, it wasn't like that. My family was supportive and then the army was supportive."
He acknowledged, however, that he grew up in a secular, progressive community, and that during his army service he did not have any interactions with the haredi, a term for ultraorthodox religious Israelis, whose units of the IDF are known as being more conservative.
"I really didn't come across anyone who was offended by me or against me," he said. "I didn't have to struggle with that."
Ofer smiles when talking about his early days in basic training in 2012. He smiles more when recalling how, after filling out his enlistment paperwork as a woman, he decided to take male rather than female fatigues.
"I thought I was inventing the wheel, the whole issue was less discussed back then. I thought someone would notice, I thought they would care. But nobody said anything," he said. While the IDF has long had out transgender soldiers, his was the first case of a transgender officer. "I had initially thought it would be easier to just serve as a woman, to not make a big deal or talk about it. But in the end I felt comfortable and safe to slowly begin to talk to those around me."
He recalled how an officer gave him extra uniforms so that he wouldn't have to do the laundry as often or change clothes in front of his fellow soldiers. Another officer arranged for him to get private shower hours. And then, one afternoon, while his unit was gathered for a briefing, he stood up and told his fellow soldiers that he was transgender.
"They were curious, they had questions, but mostly they were very happy for me," said Ofer. "Now, as an officer, I am identified as male. When I leave the army my paperwork will be stamped as a male. I think that's an amazing thing, to have those two papers to see that progression."
Ofer said that he's seen a huge change in the IDF since he enlisted, and he has since counseled young transgender soldiers who reach out to him for advice.
"Today you don't ask anyone about their sexual needs or behavior. According to Israeli law, men and women have to join the army and during their physical exams in enlistment no one asks them or probes about their private sexual habits," said Brig. Gen. Rachel Tevet-Weisel, an advisor for LGBT and women's issues in the IDF. She said the shift toward accepting the LGBT community in the IDF began in the 1980s and has evolved in the decades since. Tevet-Weisel's office only intervenes when sexuality becomes a problem for the soldiers, such as when they make requests for separate showers or changing stations.
Israeli law stipulates that nationals can only begin the sex reassignment process after the age of 18, the same age that all Israeli men and women are required to join the armed services.
"Some of them come with documents and say they are starting the process. In those cases we think how we can help them whether it's with uniforms or a special permit to have long hair," said Tevet-Weisel. "If there is a soldier who enlists as a man, but along his service wants to be addressed using female terms, then we do that."
And while Tevet-Weisel said the army focuses on educating all of its soldiers and officers on tolerance and respect, there are always cases, she said, that fall through the cracks.
Ayelet, an IDF soldier in the third and final year of service, told BuzzFeed News that fellow soldiers called her "lesbian" and "ugly" when she decided to cut her hair short. Ayelet was still unsure whether she wants to be referred to by male or female terms, and asked to be identified by only her first name as she was in active service.
"Some people were tolerant, and others were terrible," said Ayelet, who spoke to BuzzFeed News by phone from her base in southern Israel. "The officers were very good about stepping in and stopping the harassment once it started, and giving me space to figure things out for myself."
It's not easy, she said, to be in the army while also trying to figure out something as personal as sexuality.
"For some people who know who they are what they are it might be more straightforward. For those of us who are confused, it's a complicated process no matter what," she said.
Except sarcastically, obviously.
imgur.com / Flickr: paulspace / Thinkstock / Flickr: speedygroundhog
1. A Sunday Roast just isn't complete without boiled potatoes.
2. I hate when the Yorkshire pudding soaks up all the gravy.
3. I don't get the point of pies.
4. I only eat at Gregg's for the clean, healthy feeling it gives me.
5. It's the tomato that really pulls the Full English together, don't you think?
6. I don't know if I like black pudding or not.
7. It's definitely the subtle flavors that I go to Toby Carvery for, not because it's £5.99.
8. I don't think I've ever had a Nando's.
9. Have Freddos gone up in price? I hadn't noticed.
10. Waitrose Essentials truly are essential.
11. If you ever needed proof that technology is the future, supermarket self-checkouts are where to look.
12. You haven't truly heard music until it's being played from the phone of a teenager at the back of the bus.
13. I'm so glad it's cloudy today.
14. It's lucky there's only a few inches of snow, there won't be any problems with transport.
15. Rail replacement buses are just the most fun adventure you can have, aren't they?
16. Why on earth would I have a beer on a train? That's just weird.
17. Isn't a bit early to go to the pub?
18. No, just pour the Guinness in one go, stop messing about with it.
19. I honestly can't remember whose round it is.
20. No, don't worry, I'm happy to get this round as well.
21. I don't understand why you never see any Australian barmen.
22. So annoying that there's a dog in the pub.
23. I might be drunk, but I still don't want a kebab.
24. That croissant really sorted out my hangover.
25. Two weeks is pretty much the optimal duration for Fireworks night.
26. Honestly, we should probably burn more effigies of minority religions.
27. I hope this England game goes to penalties.
28. I actually had a detox over the Bank Holiday weekend.
29. Every Geordie I've ever known has been quite shy and retiring.
30. No, however you want to make my tea is fine.
31. Milk first? Sure!
32. Yes, we just jumped straight on to the property ladder. Very easy.
33. I just love Milton Keynes.
34. Actually, waiter, my meal was terrible.
35. At the end of the day, Ed Sheeran is what the MOBOs are all about.
36. The Great British Bake-Off is just a bit too real, I've had to stop watching it.
37. Cream of the crop, those Apprentice candidates.
38. Just a small glass is fine, actually.
39. I really want a "Keep Calm" poster, but I just can't find one anywhere.
40. You might not like him, but you can't say that David Cameron isn't a man of the people.
41. Math
42. Li-cess-ter
43. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
44. I find it genuinely hilarious when Americans make jokes about us having bad teeth.
45. Americans really stereotype British people accurately.
46. Selfie sticks are clear proof that Britain is headed in the right direction.
47. I'm really running out of money, I might have to move to London.
48. I mean, it's nice, but it's no 'Spoons, is it?
49. I don't understand why the national media keeps ignoring London.
50. America's changed the chocolate in Creme eggs? No worries!
51. I quite like Piers Morgan
52. I'm not sorry, but…
53. Tea has never solved anything.
