A group of House Republicans on Wednesday tanked a procedural vote to begin debate on a bill to reauthorize the nations warrantless surveillance powers‚ leaving the chamber scrambling on how to address the important spy tool before it expires next week.Nineteen Republicans joined Democrats in voting against a rule for legislation to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)‚ blocking the measure from advancing 193-228.The move comes after former President...

As the U.S. government intercepts foreigners communications‚ conversations with or about Americans inevitably get swept up. Once again‚ Congress is battling over whether and how the FBI should be able to access this information.The House plans to consider a measure this week reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The law governing how federal agencies may collect and use data collected from overseas targets must be reauthorized‚ as it was in 2012 and...

Even though European countries and America are roughly on the same level regarding development‚ there are still some stark differences in their ways of life. Americans may look to Europe and feel a bit jealous over their free healthcare systems and more laid-back approach to their professional lives.But Europeans who visit America are also in awe of some of the everyday things that Americans take for granted‚ which seem to be luxuries. A Reddit user named Prof_XdR asked Europeans on the AskReddit subforum to share the everyday American things that they believe are luxuries‚ and the question received nearly 13‚000 responses.Clearly‚ Europeans admire many things about the American way of life.Here are 15 of the best responses to the question: Europeans of Reddit‚ what do Americans have every day that you see as a luxury?1. Disability access";Disability access everywhere. I can go to any place -- theater‚ store‚ office‚ school‚ whatever -- with confidence that I';ll be able to navigate fine in my wheelchair. They';ll have ramps and/or elevators."; 5AgainstRhoneIsland";Of all the things in this thread‚ the disability access is it IMO. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was an absolute game changer‚ and European countries and the EU as a whole should be embarrassed for not having something like it."; Jedrekk2. Climate changes";You can pretty much choose to live in any climate you like when you live in the USA and still be in the same country. You like 4 seasons: Move to the Northeast. You like the humid ocean climate - move to Seattle. You like dry warm weather - move to Los Angeles. You like deserts‚ move to Arizona. You like warm and humid weather - move to the Southeast."; DachauPrince";I work as an ecologist and the amount of biodiversity in California is insane. I';ll do biological surveys a few hundred miles apart and see so many different plants and animals at each site. I';ve even done work at sites fairly close to each other (sub 50 miles apart) and will still find stark differences between sites. It';s a magic state for wildlife biologists."; Skinsnax3. Big kitchens";Big kitchens and big refrigerators/ freezers. Even in my student apartment‚ we had a pretty good-sized kitchen. I was dating a Czech girl and her parents came to visit. When they went to my apartment for dinner‚ the mom was just amazed at the size of my fridge. They were amused when I dumped the scraps in the sink and turned on the garbage disposal. Theyd heard about it but had never seen one."; Granadafan4. Square footage";The massive houses‚ a special room just for your massive washer and dryer units‚ 2 car garage‚ basically you have tons of space."; Howiebledsoe";The size of your homes in places like Utah and Texas. There';s a dedicated room for everything. Kids playroom that isn';t the living room or the kid';s bedroom‚ walk-in pantry room‚ a laundry room."; mcnunu5. Free refills";As an American‚ it';s so easy to take this for granted. Similarly‚ getting free ice water in the US as well is something I often forget isn';t exactly a thing in many other parts of the world."; Gaveuptheghost6. National parks";Theres just human development on virtually every inch of large parts of Europe. So even when there are parks‚ theyre not always as untouched as American parks. And the population density in large parts of Europe means you see a lot more people in the parks. America has national parks that are so untouched and massive that you can really be alone if you want to be."; CactusBoyScout7. A/C";Americans pump it all summer long."; Websurfer498. Two peaceful neighbors (Mexico and Canada)";Remember‚ the world';s longest undefended border is between Canada and the United States. That says something about our relationship."; Dervishler";We Europeans both love and hate each other in ways that Americans will never understand. But basically‚ not being French should be enough."; TitanFox9810. Big schools";My high school just had a pool‚ 3 gyms‚ an agricultural barn with stalls for students to keep the animals they were raising to show at the rodeo‚ a few labs‚ a theater‚ a full-size kitchen that was used for the culinary classes to share (not the cafeteria)‚ 3 tennis courts‚ 2 soccer fields that were also used for football practice‚ and a football stadium with a Jumbotron. At the end of the year‚ the culinary classes would cook breakfast for the graduating class."; Elephantepiphany11. Free bathrooms";As an American who lived in Europe with little kids‚ this was frustrating. My wife found an app of free public restrooms in Europe."; QuotidianPain12. Mexican food";Real Mexican food. We have Mexican restaurants in my home country‚ but the owners are usually not Mexican and its just not the same. Now‚ Im living in Japan and its the same problem Mexican food is so delicious."; punpun_Osa13. Supermarkets";Enormous supermarkets with abundant choice. I always feel like I';m in Willy Wonka';s chocolate factory when I enter one. There';s so much stuff!"; Better protection14. Big showers";This stands out - I have two really great friends (an expat woman and her husband) that live in the UK‚ and when I went to stay at their first place together‚ their shower was like a 2-foot-wide plastic shield outside of the bathtub. I had to stay so close to the wall‚ so I didn';t spray water all over the bathroom."; IGNSolar715. Money";Theres a huge gap between the volume of physical/material stuff Americans count as normal and what Europeans consider normal. An American home might have three TVs versus one‚ six or seven rooms full of furniture instead of two or three‚ extra small appliances added all the time like air fryers and espresso machines‚ new PCs and phones every couple of years because of constant upgrade marketing the American perception that theres not enough money is partly down to the giant volume of things Americans regard as minimum equipment."; AnotherPint";In effect‚ when you account for wages and cost of living‚ luxuries (which usually have similar prices around the world) are proportionally cheaper for Americans. They make up less of their wage and‚ therefore‚ make less of a difference. Standard of living is completely different for a working-class American because they can afford luxuries people from working class in other countries can';t."; ltlyellowcouldThis article originally appeared on 1.24.24

There are many reasons why people are nervous about entering social situations where they have to make small talk‚ such as a work event‚ a party where they dont know many people‚ or at school.Some people dont enjoy small talk because they get frustrated talking about seemingly unimportant topics. At the same time‚ others are shy and afraid theyll say the wrong thing or run out of topics of conversation.Psychologists suggest those who are uncomfortable knowing what to say should use the FORD method. Its an acronym thats an easy way to remember four different topics of conversation that work with just about anyone.According to Nicole Arzt‚ M.S.‚ L.M.F.T at Social Self‚ FORD stands for Family‚ Occupation‚ Recreation and Dreams.FamilyJust about everyone has a family‚ so its a great way to ask someone to share some information about their personal lives without being too forward. Arzt suggests the following questions when making small talk:Do you have any siblings?How did you two meet? (if you are meeting a couple for the first time)How old is your child?How is your____ (sister‚ brother‚ mother‚ etc.) doing since ____ (event that happened?)OccupationJust like a family‚ almost everyone has a job. Or‚ if they do not‚ that can be an interesting topic as well. Here are some starter questions you can ask someone about their job.What do you do for a living?How do you like working at _____?Whats your favorite part of your job?What made you interested in becoming a _____?RecreationYou can learn a lot about a person after knowing how they spend their free time. Its also an excellent way to determine if someone is like-minded and shares the same interests. Here are some questions to get the ball rolling:What do you like to do for fun?Have you watched (or read) ______(popular show/book)?What are you up to this weekend?DreamsLearning someones hope for the future can tell you much about who they are on a deeper level. They may have just told you about their current job or how they spend their time. But‚ ultimately‚ what do they wish to do with their lives? Heres how to ask someone about their dreams.Where do you hope to be working in the next few years?Where would you like to travel?Whats something youd like to try in the future?Would you ever consider trying _____ (particular hobby or activity)?Arzt also notes that you shouldnt just be an interviewer. You have to talk about yourself‚ too. In other words‚ you need a mutual take-and-give. Pay attention to someone else';s answers and think about how you can draw from your own experience to connect‚"; she wrote.Not sure how much to say during a conversation? Follow the 43:57 rule. A numbers guy at Gong.io analyzed over 25‚000 sales calls with AI and found the perfect speaking-to-listening ratio. Sales soared when the salesperson talked 43% of the time and listened for 57%.Even though this insight is from business calls‚ it applies to everyday social interactions. It';s really about listening and making the other person feel special. After all‚ who doesn';t love feeling heard and appreciated?This article originally appeared on 10.20.23

Stephanie Walsh isn';t your average hip-hop dancer. At 75‚ ";Ms. Stephanie"; is still able to hold her own on the dance floor‚ popping and locking with people a third her age‚ and she loves it. When you see her danceand her enviable muscle toneyou might think she';d been a trained dancer all her life. But she actually didn';t take any formal dance lessons until she was almost 30. Walsh told Growing Bolder that she had wanted her daughter to dance when she was little‚ so she got her ballet lessons‚ which the daughter hated. Realizing that dancing was her dream and not her daughter';s‚ Walsh took her kiddo out of ballet and started classes herself right away. She had always loved to dance and developing her skills only led to more and more dancing.These days‚ Ms. Stephanie gets her dance moves on at Fusion Fitness‚ where she encourages people to ";dance like EVERYONE is watching."; One video of her dancing at Fusion has gone viral multiple times‚ and it';s easy to see why. Check this out: @fiercefitnesstyReposting this video of Ms.Stephanie &;amp; I since it going viral again. This video will always be a vibe. One thing Ms.Stephanie and I created was magic. We dance from our hearts. My classes are always about creating a Fierce vibe for everyone to show up and show out! . #fiercefitness #dancefit #fiercefitnessty #hiphopfitness #fyp #viral";Reposting this video of Ms.Stephanie &;amp; I since it going viral again‚"; shared @fiercefitnessty on TikTok. ";This video will always be a vibe. One thing Ms.Stephanie and I created was magic. We dance from our hearts. My classes are always about creating a Fierce vibe for everyone to show up and show out!";It';s not just the dancing. It';s the intensity. It';s the full presence in the moment in her face and in her movements. She';s there for it‚ and she brings everybody with her. ";Its the Im a badass facial expression for me! "; wrote one commenter on Facebook.";I dislocated my shoulder just watching that "; shared another.";She can throw it back like the rest of them. You go girl!"; shared another. Walsh shared that dancing has helped her get through many difficult periods in her life. Watch her share her story:Love it when people prove that age truly is just a number. The studio set up a fan page for Ms. Stephanie on Instagram‚ where you can see more of her joyful dancing here. This article originally appeared on 10.20.23

Ever look at your parents'; high school yearbooks and think people looked so much older back then? All of the teenagers look like theyre in their mid-30s and the teachers who are 50 look like theyre 80.When we watch older movies‚ even those from the 1980s‚ the teenagers appear to be a lot older as well. Why is it that they looked so much older? Was life harder? Did people act more mature? Did they spend more time outdoors and less time playing video games? Is it their sense of fashion? Were they all smokers?Educator Michael Stevens‚ who runs the super-popular Vsauce YouTube channel‚ explains the phenomenon in a new video called‚ Did people used to look older? In the video‚ he explains that people in the past appear a lot older due to a phenomenon known as retrospective aging.When we see people in the past‚ they are wearing outdated styles that we associate with older people; therefore‚ we think they have aged rapidly. For example‚ a teenager in the 1950s may have been in fashion while wearing thick Buddy Holly-style glasses.But as people age‚ they tend to cling to the fashion of their youth. So many people of that generation continued to wear the Buddy Holly-style glasses into their 50s. So when younger people see those glasses they see them as old people';s glasses and not a hip kid from the ';50s.So in the photo from the ';50s‚ the teen appears to look a lot older because our perspective has been tainted by time.But it isnt all just an illusion. Stevens also points out that people did age faster back in the day due to differences in nutrition‚ lifestyle and medicine.This article originally appeared on 07.11.22

Software developer Angie Jones'; recent girls trip revealed that America still has a long way to go when it comes to race.To most‚ that';s not surprising. But what';s unique is how the specific experience Jones and her friends went through revealed the pervasive way systemic racism still runs through our culture.Jones is the Senior Director of Developer Relations at Applitools‚ holds 26 patented inventions in the United States of America and Japan‚ and is an IBM Master Inventor.On July 27‚ she tweeted about a flight she took with nine other Black women and they all sat in first class. ";People literally could not process how it was possible‚"; she wrote. ";Staff tried to send us to regular lines. Passengers made snide remarks. One guy even yelled ';are they a higher class of people than I am?!';"; (@) Jones and her friends were the targets of racism that ranged from the seemingly unconscious people who assumed that Black people don';t sit in first class to the blatant those who were seriously bothered that Black people were being treated as having a higher status.It';s interesting that she didn';t mention anyone saying ";good for you"; for succeeding in a world that often holds people of color back. Instead‚ she was greeted with incredulity and jealous rage.There are a lot of white people who can';t stand the idea of a Black person being elevated above them. It';s disturbing that in 2021 there are still some who will admit it publicly.Jones'; tweets inspired a lot of people to share their stories about the racism they';ve experienced while flying first class. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) Jones'; tweets also angered some people to the point that they denied her story. To which she responded‚ ";To those saying I';m lying‚ you';re a huge part of the problem‚"; she wrote. ";You tell yourself a notable person is lying (for what reason‚ I cannot figure out) before you believe there are actual racists in...America."; (@) One Twitter user came up with the perfect retort to the person who asked‚ ";Are they a higher class of people than I am?!"; (@) This article originally appeared on 07.29.21

In addition to being the star of Marvel franchise ";Thor‚"; actor Chris Hemsworth is also a father-of-three? And it turns out‚ he';s pretty much the coolest dad ever.In a clip from a 2015 interview on ";The Ellen DeGeneres Show‚"; Hemsworth shared an interesting conversation he had with his 4-year-old daughter India.";My daughter';s kind of envious of my boys‚"; Hemsworth told Ellen. ";She came to me the other day‚ and she';s like ';You know‚ Papa‚ I want one of those things that Sasha and Tristan have.'; And I';m like‚ ';What do you mean?'; She said‚ ';You know the things in between their legs that you have.';";Hemsworth said he tried to explain the differences between male and female bodies‚ but his daughter wasn';t having it.";She goes‚ ';I really want one!'; Hemsworth said. ";I';m like‚ ';A penis?'; And she';s like‚ ';I want a penis!';And then‚ Hemsworth had the best possible response. He recalls:She';s four and I';m like‚ ';You know what‚ you can be whatever you want to be.'; And she goes‚ ';Thanks‚ Dad.'; Runs off into the playground and that was it.And then‚ I cannot confirm‚ but I';m pretty sure the Ellen audience did this:Major kudos to Hemsworth for taking a potentially awkward parenting situation and turning it into a lesson about love and acceptance.You can watch the full clip here:This article originally appeared on 08.27.18

I first saw a psychiatrist for my anxiety and depression as a junior in high school.During her evaluation‚ she asked about my coursework. I told her that I had a 4.0 GPA and had filled my schedule with pre-AP and AP classes. A puzzled look crossed her face. She asked about my involvement in extracurricular activities. As I rattled off the long list of groups and organizations I was a part of‚ her frown creased further.Finally‚ she set down her pen and looked at me‚ saying something along the lines of ";You seem to be pretty high-functioning‚ but your anxiety and depression seem pretty severe. Actually‚ it';s teens like you who scare me a lot.";Now I was confused. What was scary about my condition? From the outside‚ I was functioning like a perfectly ";normal"; teenager. In fact‚ I was somewhat of an overachiever.I was working through my mental illnesses and I was succeeding‚ so what was the problem?I left that appointment with a prescription for Lexapro and a question that I would continue to think about for years. The answer didn';t hit me all at once.Instead‚ it came to me every time I heard a suicide story on the news saying‚ ";By all accounts‚ they were living the perfect life.";It came to me as I crumbled under pressure over and over again‚ doing the bare minimum I could to still meet my definition of success.It came to me as I began to share my story and my illness with others‚ and I was met with reactions of ";I had no idea"; and ";I never would have known."; It';s easy to put depression into a box of symptoms.Even though we';re often told that mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes‚ I think we';re still stuck with certain ";stock images"; of mental health in our heads.When we see depression and anxiety in adolescents‚ we see teens struggling to get by in their day-to-day lives. We see grades dropping‚ and we see involvement replaced by isolation. But it doesn';t always look like this.And when we limit our idea of mental illness‚ at-risk people slip through the cracks.We don';t see the student with the 4.0 GPA or the student who';s active in choir and theater or a member of the National Honor Society or the ambitious teen who takes on leadership roles in a religious youth group.No matter how many times we are reminded that mental illness doesn';t discriminate‚ we revert back to a narrow idea of how it should manifest‚ and that is dangerous.Recognizing this danger is what helped me find the answer to my question.Watching person after person myself included slip under the radar of the ";depression detector"; made me realize where that fear comes from. My psychiatrist knew the list of symptoms‚ and she knew I didn';t necessarily fit them. She understood it was the reason that‚ though my struggles with mental illness began at age 12‚ I didn';t come to see her until I was 16.If we keep allowing our perception of what mental illness looks like to dictate how we go about recognizing and treating it‚ we will continue to overlook people who don';t fit the mold.We cannot keep forgetting that there are people out there who‚ though they may not be able to check off every symptom on the list‚ are heavily and negatively affected by their mental illness. If we forget‚ we allow their struggle to continue unnoticed‚ and that is pretty scary.This article was written by Amanda Leventhal and originally appeared on 06.03.16

";I wish I';d written it.";The post Christmas and open fires: Kate Bushs favourite Pink Floyd album first appeared on Far Out Magazine.