Connecticut will become the first state to cancel medical debt for eligible residents‚ Gov. Ned Lamont announced exclusively Friday on "Good Morning America." The state plans to erase approximately $1 billion in medical debt this year by leveraging $6.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds‚ it said. "This is not something they did because they were spending too much money‚ this is something because they got hit with a medical emergency‚" Lamont told "GMA." "They...

Many great comedians have sat at the helm of the “Weekend Update” desk on “Saturday Night Live” over the show’s 48 seasons. Chevy Chase was known for his cool deadpan. Dennis Miller was the hip intellectual. Norm Macdonald will go down in history for his endless OJ jokes that eventually got him removed from the desk. Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon were a great double act that was a fun mix of high-brow and low-brow humor.The current anchors‚ Michael Che and Colin Jost‚ will probably best be known for making fun of each other. Over the years‚ one of the duo’s signature bits has been writing jokes for each other and reading them live for the first time. It seems like every time they do that bit‚ Che finds a new way to embarrass Jost.On Saturday‚ April 1‚ Che was at it again‚ this time with a brutal April Fool’s prank where he secretly asked the audience not to laugh at any of Jost’s jokes.Che and Jost opened their segment with jokes about the indictment of former president Donald Trump‚ but the audience laughed much harder at Che than at Jost. A few minutes into the bit‚ Jost made a joke at his own expense and it received only a smattering of laughter."At this point‚ it feels like even pro-Trump people have moved on‚" Jost said‚ referring to the trial before a superimposed image of him wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and a sign that read‚ "LET OUR BOY GO!" appeared on the screen.The gag was met with an audience member screaming‚ “You stink!" The heckle was the last straw for Jost‚ who hung his head in his hand in shame. At that point‚ Che gave up the gag."I told them not to laugh at you for April Fools‚'" Che told Jost‚ and the two couldn’t keep it together. "That's the meanest thing you've ever done to me. I'm covered in sweat‚” Jost told Che through fits of laughter."I was truly like‚ 'Am I not mic'd?' And then I was like‚ 'Oh‚ I just suck‚" Jost joked.The crowd broke out in applause for Jost‚ but he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of acknowledging them after they refused to laugh at his jokes. "No‚ no! Don't even dare! Don't you even dare try now."When it was Jost’s turn to tell his next joke‚ a bit about Florida Ron DeSantis‚ Che said‚ “They’ll probably laugh at this next one.” And the audience did.The episode was hosted by Abbot Elementary’s Quinta Brunson‚ who shined in “Traffic Altercation‚” a sketch where she and Mikey Day played motorists screaming at each other in traffic. The crux of the bit was that they couldn’t hear what each other was saying‚ so they had to argue using hand signals.This article originally appeared on 4.3.23

There’s a wide variety of summer camps out there with activities ranging from classics like bonfires and water balloon fights to the uber niche‚ ala putting on musicals or prepping for space adventures. Still‚ even with the plentiful themes in existence‚ people are calling one mom’s unique but oh-so-practical camp idea pure genius.Kaitlyn Rowe‚ mom of four and content creator in Utah‚ gave her kiddos a list of super basic‚ but very important life skills to learn at home throughout summer‚ in what she calls “How To Be A Person” camp.The difficulty level of each task would be age dependent. Rowe’s 3-year-old son learned things like making the bed‚ safely using scissors and glue‚ introducing himself to a new friend and organizing his toys. Whereas Rowe’s eldest daughter‚ age 6‚ would learn slightly more complex things like scrambling an egg on the stove‚ blow-drying her hair and packing an overnight bag. There was also a list of skills the siblings would learn together‚ like putting away groceries‚ pool safety and talking on the phone. See on Instagram As Rowe shared in an interview with Good Morning America‚ she actually got the idea from fellow mom Emily Ley‚ who created this alternative camp during the peak days of COVID-19.Overwhelmed with homeschooling‚ Ley thought if she could teach her kids “some age-appropriate independence‚” it would take the load off of her as well. Rowe borrowed the idea and the “How To Be A Person” camp title as she compiled her own list of activities in lieu of sending her kids to an actual camp. So far‚ her kids have loved it. And with her post currently having over 54‚000 views on Instagram‚ it seems other parents are in love with the idea as well. It’s no secret that many of us reach adulthood having learned obscure academic subjects and somehow skimming over the things we would actually incorporate into everyday life. Nothing against algebra and trigonometry‚ but it sure would have been nice to have learned about doing taxes instead‚ you know what I’m saying? Plus‚ it’s well documented that kids genuinely enjoy mimicking adults‚ so having them engage in grown-up duties is not only a rewarding activity in the moment‚ it potentially creates a positive relationship with household chores that they can hold onto throughout their life. Another cool thing about the “How To Be A Person” camp idea is that it’s fully customizable. It can be a list that parents create‚ or it can be child-led. It can be 100% practical or silly. A healthy mix is probably the best of both worlds. Per some suggestions in the comments‚ it seems that Rowe will be changing the name to “How To Do The Important Stuff” camp to be more inclusive towards those with special needs. Point being: this camp can be for every kid. And honestly‚ probably should be.To see Rowe’s complete “How To Be A Person” camp list‚ go to Instagram.This article originally appeared on 6.15.23

Amazon delivery drivers don’t have the easiest job in the world. Sitting through traffic‚ working in extreme temperatures‚ hauling boxes … not exactly a fun time. So when a driver goes out of their way to be extra considerate—people notice.One delivery driver has gone viral for the way she delivered a little bit of safety education‚ along with some lighthearted advice. The TikTok video of the encounter‚ which now has more than 4 million views‚ was shared by Jessica Huseman‚ who had only recently moved into her new house. The clip shows the doorbell cam recording of the driver approaching the house. As the delivery driver makes it to the front door‚ she sings‚ ”Hello … I hope your Monday’s going well. You have no markers on your house that says what number you are.”From there‚ the driver’s song quickly changes tune‚ going from funny jest to helpful PSA.“And that is hard to find your house my dude‚ and it’s unsafe‚ honestly‚” the driver continues‚ adding‚ “what if you needed medical assistance and the paramedics didn’t know your town well? Come on.” @_jesshopehuse We just moved in and this happened today…she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers. #amazondelivery ♬ original sound - Jessica Huseman “Have a great day!” she says happily before walking off.Huseman added the caption: “We just moved in and this happened today... she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers.”The driver’s observation was clearly on point. Several medical pros commented to back her up.“As someone who works in EMS I can verify house numbers are necessary! BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THEY ARE EASILY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AT NIGHT‚” wrote one person. Another replied‚ ”yes! Medic here‚ we’ve had to call dispatch and ask for them to get [the] caller back on the phone and get [the] description of [the] house because there [are] no numbers.”Besides her information being vital‚ people were mostly in love with the driver’s friendly attitude. Here are just a few of the compliments:“Honestly‚ give them a raise. That’s awesome vibes right there.”“She’s a whole friken mood‚ I love her she gives me pink vibes.”“I need to meet this Amazon driver!!!! I love her!!”The delivery driver (named Kelsey) eventually saw her viral video and decided to do a follow-up‚ where she added other unsafe things she’s seen on the job—primarily unclear entrances and exits—along with an additional sweet message: @queenofconsent #stitch with @_jesshopehuse ♬ original sound - The Queen K “Crisis management and prevention education is essential and literally a part of my soul. So anytime I do go out and deliver packages … if I see something‚ I say something. Cause that’s how bystander intervention works. But keeping in mind that it’s more than that. It is about reminding each other that we are enough‚ and being there for one another.”Whether it’s packages or something to smile about‚ Kelsey is a master of delivery. This article first appeared on 6.15.22.

There are few more fulfilling hobbies than having a love of books.Reading isn't just a great way to have a good time. Reading increases brain connectivity‚ makes people more empathetic‚ reduces depression symptoms‚ improves vocabulary‚ and may even cause you to live longer.It's a huge benefit for a child's development as well. According to Parent.com‚ reading "stimulates the side of the brain that helps with mental imagery‚ understanding‚ and language processing‚ and that brain activity."Sure beats wasting time playing video games.Thirteen-year-old Callum Manning wanted to share his love of reading with the world‚ so he created an Instagram account where he posted photos of the books he's read. It started with a post about Stephen King's "The Shining.""So I guess I'm going to start this account off with one of my favourite books‚ Callum wrote. "This book was the first book I read in 1 day. And I was like 10. So yeah it scared me." See on Instagram He would go on to fill his pages with books such as "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley‚ "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen‚ "1984" by George Orwell‚ and current classics such as "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin and "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. RowlingKids Callum's age can be exceptionally cruel. A group of them created a group chat where they bullied him for his love of books and then invited him to join. After subjecting him to emotional abuse‚ they kicked him out of the chat."I don't tend to cry that often but I think that was the first time in a while I've actually cried‚" Callum told PA Media.His older sister‚ Ellis Landreth‚ was understandably upset about the cruelty‚ so she tweeted about the group chat‚ hoping about "20 or 30 of my friends [would] like a few of his posts or follow him or give him some words of encouragement."Her tweet would go viral‚ receiving over 180‚000 likes. Can\u2019t believe how awful kids are. My little brothers made an Instagram reviewing and talking about books and kids in his new school have seen it and have created a group chat calling him a creep slagging him off about it and added him to it so he could see pic.twitter.com/wuuj2XlO34 — Ellis (@Ellis) 1582972178 She was bombarded by responses from people who wanted to support her brother.I think the love from all around the world has probably let him know he isn't alone. But all the interesting people I know were once considered weird kids with books. Including me.— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 2‚ 2020 I've followed him and dropped him a little message but I'd love to buy him a book or send him over an amazon gift card - I'm sure he has a lot of books on the way but please DM me if there's any book he doesn't have 😊— beffy (@beffybadbelly) March 1‚ 2020 Just a few hours after the tweet‚ Callum received thousands of followers on his page. In just three days‚ he's up to nearly 400‚000 followers. He's also received countless messages of support through the page.English novelist Matt Haig sent Callum a collection of books‚ adding: "Hey let's all follow Cals Book Account on Instagram and show him some support." A book store near Manning's home in northeast England promised him a book on the house.Callum's story was shared on Instagram by authors Caroline Kepnes and Malorie Blackman.The teenager received over 15‚000 messages in his DMs. "He's absolutely overwhelmed‚" Landreth told CNN. "He can't even get through all his DMs."Callum's mother is over the moon about the response. "She's so happy people are spreading positive messages about these issues‚" Landreth said. "No matter how small some things seem‚ they can stick with kids forever."This article originally appeared on 03.04.20

A group of 105 homeless people gathered at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.Each of them was given a disposable camera and told to take pictures that represent "my London." The photos were entered in an annual contest run by London-based nonprofit Cafe Art‚ which gives homeless artists the chance to have their work displayed around the city and‚ for some of the photographers who participate in the yearly challenge‚ in a print calendar."Some people have had experience‚ and others have never picked up a camera before‚" said Paul Ryan‚ co-director of Cafe Art.The program‚ Ryan explained‚ includes mentorship and training from professional volunteers at the Royal Photographic Society‚ including winners of the contest from previous years‚ many of whom are ultimately inducted into the society.The goal of the challenge is to help participants gain the confidence to get back on the job market‚ search for housing‚ re-engage with their social circles‚ or even activate dormant skills."I really enjoyed it. And I started to get involved in my art again‚ which I'd left for years‚" a 2015 participant said in a video for the organization's Kickstarter campaign.These are 11 of the top vote-getters from this year's contest:1. Ella Sullivan — "Heart Bike Rack"2. Alana Del Valle — "London Bus with Sculpture"3. Beatrice — "Out of the Blue"4. Laz Ozerden — "What Now?"5. Leo Shaul — "The Coffee Roaster"6. Christopher McTavish — "St. Paul's in Reflection"7. Hugh Gary — "London Calling"8. Keith Norris — "Watching Mannequin"9. Siliana — "After the Rain"10. Saffron Saidi — "Graffiti Area"11. Jackie Cook — "Underground Exit"Ryan‚ who has been developing the program for seven years‚ said that while there's no one-size-fits-all solution for individuals who are homeless‚ for some who are too used to being "knocked back‚" the experience of seeing their work on display or in print — and of success — can be invaluable."Everyone is helped in a different way‚ to get up to the next step in whatever way they need to."This article originally appeared on 08.17.16

It's back-to-school time (yaaassss!)‚ but that means it's also the time when you have to tackle those super-long‚ super-specific school supply lists (uggghhhh!). You know what I'm talking about — the 15-plus-items-long list of things your kids need for school.As a bonus‚ they're often brand-name specific. Seriously. Because Elmer's glue is apparently just that different from generic store brand glue.Based on the venting ( "OMG‚ everyone is sold out of pre-sharpened Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencils!") and cries for help I'm seeing from my fellow parents on social media ("Where did you find three wide-ruled draw-and-write composition books?" — OK‚ I admit that was my question)‚ a lot of our public school kiddos are being given supply lists quite similar to this one:Sample school supply list created from actual lists I've collected. Some items have been switched between lists to protect the innocent.While many public schools send these lists to parents‚ in certain states they're "requests" not "requirements" (even when not clearly presented that way) because some states cannot legally require students to provide their own school supplies.Optional or required‚ however‚ these school supply lists are important.I know‚ I know — lots of us parents have many feelings about them‚ like:We didn't have to buy a specific list of supplies when we were kids (walking uphill both ways‚ two miles‚ in the snow).This is public school‚ not private school! Can't the glue sticks come out of my taxes?This list is so name-brand specific. Are Elmer's glue sticks reallllyyyy that superior to these cheaper‚ generic ones?Seriously?? So many glue sticks?! Just ... what?And we can all agree that it's not right that public school budgets are regularly slashed and aren't big enough to cover the basic necessities essential for our kids' success. (You know‚ like pencils.) And in some cases‚ budgets are misused‚ and that's not right‚ either.But as much as parents dread shopping for school supplies‚ our children's teachers probably dread having to ask.Katie Sluiter‚ a mom of three and teacher of 13 years‚ shares in parents' frustrations about supplies — just from a different perspective. "I struggle every single August with having to ask for [supply] donations. I hate it‚" she says.She'd love to stop asking parents to bring in a combined total of 800 pencils and 1‚000 glue sticks and just buy them herself. But as a teacher‚ she simply cannot afford to do it."I hate that we have two full-time salaried workers in our house. ... I have an advanced degree‚ and we are still living paycheck to paycheck. It feels shameful to have to ask every. single. year. for donations. Teachers don't want to ask for handouts. We just want to teach.""Teachers don't want to ask for handouts. We just want to teach." — Katie SluiterNicole Johansen‚ a mom of two who was a teacher for 12 years‚ echoes Sluiter's sentiments. She cites never ending budget cuts as well as the need to stretch other funds‚ like PTO-raised money‚ further and further as the reasons supply lists exist and adds‚ "It is frustrating knowing that schools should be appropriately allotted funds for supplies — this said from the parent AND teacher standpoint."So most of us are on the same page here. Class supply lists are the pits ... for everyone!The most significant thing to remember‚ though‚ is that if your budget allows‚ it's important to purchase the items on the list.If you're not purchasing the supplies‚ it's very likely your child's teacher will have to — with his or her own money.Image by Thinkstock.And we've already established that teacher salaries aren't cutting it when it comes to taking care of their families and their students.And maybe it's not so much that teachers have to spend their own paychecks on classroom supplies‚ but they want to because an overwhelming majority of teachers genuinely care about their students."I wish all parents knew how much teachers love and sacrifice for their students‚" Johansen said. "Pretty much all teachers I know will be spending for their classroom despite having to cut back the grocery bill for their family.""I wish all parents knew how much teachers love and sacrifice for their students." — Nicole Johansen"No‚ we don't have to spend all that time and money on our classrooms‚ but it makes it a quality experience when your children have things like science experiments‚ books‚ art supplies‚ and a comfortable‚ cozy classroom environment."OK‚ but seriously‚ what do they do with all of those glue sticks?!I know I'm not the only one who opened up that list when my daughter was in first grade‚ choked on my coffee‚ and exclaimed‚ "THREE DOZEN GLUE STICKS?! What‚ are the kids eating them? [Probably. Little kids eat all kinds of gross stuff.] Are the teachers selling them for profit? [I wouldn't blame them. See above about teachers' salaries]."Image by Thinkstock."We glue kids' mouths shut‚" Sluiter told me when I asked."Totally kidding. They last like 12 seconds ... [and] no matter how vigilant we are in supervising the picking up and putting away of supplies‚ each time we get the tub of glue sticks out‚ there are about three to five dead soldiers and lone caps rolling in the bottom of the bin."(I love teachers with senses of humor!)But back to the actual issue. My friend Shannon summed up the class supply list conundrum perfectly‚ if bluntly:She wants parents who can budget in school supplies without experiencing a financial burden to "quit complaining about some of the items being communal. Vote for politicians who will quit cutting money from schools. I don't remember my parents having to buy 20 glue sticks‚ but I certainly don't think any more should come out of teachers' pockets."Couldn't have said it better myself.This story originally appeared on 08.11.15.

"Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow‚ but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh."—Henry David ThoreauNo one escapes this world without a regret or two.Time and time again‚ when we hear the final regrets of the dying‚ they're not about wishing they'd made money or worked more hours.They're almost always about wishing they had the self-confidence to pursue their dreams or the time to stay in touch with loved ones.Recently‚ A Plus in partnership with Strayer University's Ideal Year Initiative‚ put up a chalkboard on a New York City street and asked passersby to write down their biggest regrets. The people who wrote on the blackboard were from different walks of life‚ but their regrets were alarmingly similar.Watch the full video below:This article first appeared on 9.16.17

Not having faith in the 'Quiet One'. The post The George Harrison album John Lennon said “must be bad” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

The annual ceremony is a breeding ground for controversy. The post The only artist to reject a Grammy Award first appeared on Far Out Magazine.