Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., on Wednesday blasted Ireland, Spain and Norway’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood, arguing the move sent a "message to terrorists" that "abhorrent tactics work."  "I’ve long advocated for Palestinian self-determination and statehood, and will continue to do so," Phillips, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote on X.   "But Spain, Norway, and Ireland’s premature recognition of a state is a gift to Hamas and a message...

Spain, Ireland and Norway recognise the state of Palestine, the three countries said on Wednesday. "Today, Ireland, Norway and Spain are announcing that we recognise the state of Palestine," Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said at a news conference. Harris added that other countries are expected to join the trio in the coming weeks. "Each of us will now undertake whatever national steps are necessary to give effect to that decision." Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez...

Ireland, Spain and Norway announced on Wednesday that they would recognise a Palestinian state on May 28, prompting an angry response from Israel which said this amounted to a "reward for terrorism" and recalled its ambassadors from the three capitals. Dublin, Madrid and Oslo painted the decision as a move aimed at accelerating efforts to secure a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. They urged other countries to follow suit although the United States, Israel's main...

Double H Canine Academy in Louisville, Kentucky is a place where dog owners can take their rambunctious pets and have them turned into respectable members of the family.However, as you can tell in this hilarious video, not all dogs are meant to follow orders.Ladies and gentleman, meet Ryker.Double H Canine Training Academy... Epic Service Dog Training FailureRyker giving it his all before flunking our of Service Dog Training SchoolAs you can see below, Ryker is living his life to the fullest. While he may never be the world's greatest service dog, he continues to provide an invaluable testament to being true to one's self.RYKER “The Purpose Driven Dog"?........This article originally appeared on 02.26.20

I was promoted a few weeks ago, which was great. I got a lot of nice notes from friends, family, customers, partners, and random strangers, which was exciting.But it wasn't long until a note came in saying, “Everyone knows you got the position because you're a girl." In spite of having a great week at a great company with great people whom I love, that still stung, because it's not the first time I've heard it.Every woman who works in tech — heck, likely every woman on Earth — hears “because you're a girl" dozens, if not thousands, of times in her life.It starts young, of course:Why can't I join that team? Because you're a girl.Why can't I study physics? Because you're a girl.Then, the comments age with you.Why can't I manage that project? Because you're a girl.Why can't I join that group? Because you're a girl.And after you've reached any level of attainment in a profession you love, the comments are used to minimize your success.Why did you get that award? Because you're a girl.Why were you chosen to participate in that class? Because you're a girl.Like so many women before me, I have shaken off the comment.I've gotten angry. I've gotten sad. I've doubted myself and my abilities. I've ignored it entirely. I've challenged it. I've recruited support from men and women I respect. Yet every time it stays there in the back of my mind, screaming for attention after every failure or setback.But today is the day I've decided to change that.I did, in fact, get the job because I'm a girl.A girl who was called "bossy" growing up.A girl who wasn't afraid to play with the boys.A girl who didn't hesitate to raise her hand if she knew the answer.A girl who stood up for other kids.A girl who was always the first one to volleyball practice and the last to leave.A girl who was told she was too assertive and aggressive to advance in her career.A girl who went to MIT anyway.A girl who asked her company to do more on diversity and inclusion and won't stop pushing until it's truly remarkable.A girl who has made big mistakes, both personal and professional.A girl who swings for the fences even when no one is watching.A girl who puts in hours when other people are asleepA girl who tells young girls how smart and strong they are.A girl who hates to lose.And a girl who won't stand silently while people still use “because you're a girl" as any limitation for girls who want to grow, challenge the status quo, and be something, anything, greater than society tells them they could or should.So yeah. I guess you could say I got my job because I'm a girl, but not for any of the reasons you might think.This story first appeared on the author's Medium and is reprinted here with permission.This article originally appeared on 04.14.17

Categories are great for some things: biology, herbs, and spices, for example.Image via But bodies? Well, putting bodies into categories just gets weird. There are around 300 million people in America, but only 12 or so standard sizes for clothing: extra-extra-small through 5x.That's why designer Mallorie Dunn is onto something with her belief — people have different bodies and sizing isn't catching up.Dunn has found that the majority of clothing sizes stop at an extra-large, yet the majority of women in America are over that. "And that just doesn't make sense," she says. All images via Smart Glamor, used with permission.Human spice rack, only, a LOT more variations of flava. ;) That's why she started a project around her clothing label, Smart Glamour, to document the bodies of models according to their sizes — and to show how one size can look very different on different bodies.In pursuit of creating a fashion environment that's kinder to all bodies, Dunn has dedicated herself to educating consumers about sizing.First, she found 60 people of 12 different sizes and took their pictures.Then, she put five women at a time in the same size of skirt and shirt to show how diversely beautiful human bodies are and to prove that everyone looks different in clothes no matter what size they have on.She hoped to show people that 12 sizes don't even come close to capturing the beauty of the human form.All these models are wearing the same size ... but do they look the same?"No matter what size you are that's not what dictates your worth or your beauty.""I had a convo with a friend of mine who was like 'Yeah, if I went from a medium to a large, I'd be fine with it, but if I went from a large to an extra-large, that wouldn't be OK' and I was like, 'Why???' And she had no rational reason behind that," Dunn said, describing a conversation we've all either had, started, or heard. "We've been taught forever that the bigger something sounds, the worse that it is."Dunn's project also shows just how arbitrary and narrow-minded clothing sizes are.Sizes really are just numbers.Unlike the images we are presented both in clothing ads and in entertainment and media, human beings aren't, as Dunn remarked, "robots who come out on a conveyor belt ... we're all shaped differently."The pressure to look one way is obnoxious. And kinda dangerous."We've been taught forever that the bigger something sounds, the worse that it is."There's so much weight — no pun intended — on being the "right" size."You put an 'extra' on top of a 'large,' and suddenly it's the end of the world," Dunn said of her experience in fashion sizing. "... And it really doesn't mean anything, it really only means that there's an extra inch of fabric."One extra inch of fabric.3 in 4 girls report feeling depressed, guilty, or shameful after just three minutes of leafing through a fashion mag.But I'd like to imagine a world where everyone can try on clothes and leave the emotional burden of worrying about fit to the clothes.Instead, let's focus on what looks good on our bodies. Let the clothes handle the emotional roller coaster of not fitting, and you just live your life in the body you've been given.Dunn, who has worked for fashion houses for her whole career, puts it bluntly: "Clothes are not made for all bodies. ... We shouldn't then think when something doesn't fit us that it's somehow our fault."Dunn's models also have a group on Facebook where they support each other, compliment each other, and generally lift each other up. Model Stephanie describes it this way: "We see the beauty in one another and help each other to recognize our own beauty at the same time." Fashion leading to body optimism and confidence? Yes, please.And Dunn herself drives a hard line when it comes to feeling good in the skin you've been given. Her philosophy is this: No matter what size you are, that's not what dictates your worth or your beauty.Self-worth not based on appearances. That's a category we can all aspire to "fit" into!This article originally appeared on 07.27.16

Proving that science and religion can, in fact, overlap, University of British Columbia researcher Evan Thompson has confirmed the Buddhist teaching of the not-self, or "anatta," is more than just a theory."Buddhists argue that nothing is constant, everything changes through time, you have a constantly changing stream of consciousness," he tells Quartz. "And from a neuroscience perspective, the brain and body is constantly in flux. There's nothing that corresponds to the sense that there's an unchanging self."This reality that nothing stays the same should be liberating, because if people believe it, they'll no longer define themselves by their thoughts or be limited by a fixed idea of who they are. Their possibilities will be endless.Buddhist Monks have known for thousands of years what science is just now learning: the mind can be changed by training it. Neuroplasticity, as it's called, endows people with the ability to grow and evolve, triumphing over bad habits and becoming more like the individuals they want to be.Discover & share this Big GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.Still, exactly how consciousness relates to the brain eludes both Buddhism and neuroscience. Buddhists suppose there's an iteration of consciousness that doesn't require a physical body; neuroscientists disagree."In neuroscience, you'll often come across people who say the self is an illusion created by the brain," Thompson says. "My view is that the brain and the body work together in the context of our physical environment to create a sense of self. And it's misguided to say that just because it's a construction, it's an illusion."This article originally appeared on 09.23.17

Perfect blend of crooning and chaos. The post Chris Cornell on the “quintessential” rock singer: “Great presence and relentless attitude” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Seeing the potential of the grunge giant. The post The Nirvana song that encouraged Krist Novoselic to join the band: “Really good” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

"A Wilson Pickett sort of vocal on top" The post The Tom Petty song Jimmy Iovine said “turned out incredible” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.