Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is pushing for a delay to the start of former President Trump’s New York hush-money criminal trial. In a Thursday court filing‚ the DA’s office said it was not opposed to adjourning the start of the trial for up to 30 days. Trump’s lawyers are seeking a 90-day delay or the dismissal of charges against Trump‚ alleging violations of the "discovery process‚" whereby both sides exchange evidence. Trump’s legal team has also sought a delay to the trial until...

“Duty‚ Honor‚ Country” has been the motto of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point since 1898. That motto isn’t changing‚ but a decision to take those words out of the school’s lesser-known mission statement is still generating outrage. Officials at the 222-year-old military academy 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of New York City recently reworked the one-sentence mission statement‚ which is updated periodically‚ usually with little fanfare. The school’s “Duty‚ Honor‚ Country‚” motto...

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has updated its new mission statement‚ which now omits retired Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s famous “duty‚ honor‚ country” and caused a stir among people who disagree with the decision. In a statement released Monday‚ Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland‚ West Point’s superintendent‚ said the phrase is “foundational” to the academy’s culture and despite the change in mission statement‚ it will “always remain our motto.” “It defined who we are as an institution...

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has made the decision to remove the "Duty‚ Honor‚ Country" motto from its mission statement. Officials stressed that the phrase would remain West Point's motto‚ however‚ and that the mission statement has changed on a regular basis; this new mission statement is West Point's tenth since 1925. "Duty‚ Honor‚ Country" hadn't been included as part of the mission statement until 1998. In a letter sent to students and supporters‚ Superintendent...

Holden Minor Ringer’s family was incredulous when he first pitched the idea of walking across the United States‚ the 26-year-old recalled. He was determined‚ but even he was starting to get skeptical of his own plan. But in March 2023‚ he packed some of his belongings into a backpack and kicked off his hike from Second Beach near La Push‚ Wash. The trip was labeled “Walk2Washington‚” with a goal of walking all the way to the U.S. capital — and then up north along the East Coast. After a...

“You can have it all.” This has been a post-3rd wave feminism promise sworn to women. That you can have a big family‚ a high achieving career‚ a fulfilling relationship‚ a never-ending sense of purpose‚ no bad hair days‚ healthy lunches that make themselves‚ and so on and so on.But many‚ many women will quickly dispel that myth. There is still measurable inequality between men and women when it comes to being able to advance in their careers and have children. Even the ones who do seem to “have it all” are the exception to the rule‚ and likely have sacrificed other aspects of their identity.That goes for pop stars too‚ apparently. While appearing on an episode of the Radio Times Podcast‚ British singer Lily Allen spoke candidly about her own experience of not being able to move up in the music industry after becoming a mom. Allen shot to prominence in 2006 thanks to her hit song “Smile.” Only two years later‚ she earned a nomination for best alternative music album at the 2008 Grammy Awards for debut album‚ "Alright Still.”But instead‚ Allen followed in the footsteps of celebrities like Rick Moranis‚ and chose to focus on her children. "Some people choose their career over their children‚ and that’s their prerogative‚" she explained. "My parents were quite absent when I was a kid‚ and I feel like that really left some nasty scars that I'm not willing to repeat on mine. I’m glad that I have done that‚ because I think they’re pretty well-rounded people.” In other words: “My children ruined my career‚” she joked‚ before adding “I love them and they complete me‚ but in terms of pop stardom‚ totally ruined it.”Though Allen has no regrets‚ she brought up the story to address how unrealistic it is for most women to be able to do both‚ and being told otherwise by society is less-than-empowering."It really annoys me when people say you can have it all‚ because — quite frankly — you can’t."Between pay inequality‚ difference in work life balance‚ corporate attitudes towards pregnancy leave‚ and already being less likely to advance than their male counterparts even without the factor of children (not to mention the world not fully being set up for two working parents with zero community support) it feels safe to assume that Allen is touching on something fairly universal here. Though her pop star chapter might have reached a close‚ Allen seems to still be living a pretty cool life— from her swanky New York apartment with David Harbour to winning awards for her stage acting. So though she might not “have it all‚” she certainly has some pretty cool things going for her.

Showering is one of those things that you figure everyone has a handle on past the age of ten. It's a pretty simple process that becomes automatic before people are even old enough to need deodorant. You stand under running water‚ add soap to whatever item you're washing with and then commence to washing. Throw in shampoo‚ conditioner and maybe a razor a few times a week if you're feeling fancy and you've just completed a process that takes about five minutes.But there seems to be a question that pops up every so often when it's discovered that in some households‚ washing your legs isn't part of the showering process. People's reactions range from shock on why someone would skip washing their legs‚ to confusion on why someone would bother washing them.The argument for those that consistently skip leg day in the shower is that the soap from their upper body runs down their legs‚ therefore negating a need to clean them.While those on the other side of the debate ask why would people skip half of their bodies‚ pointing out the need to remove dead skin. But should we be washing our legs in the shower? Dermatologists attempt to clear up the confusion by weighing in on the hotly debated and entertaining topic. @joeuk TikTok · joe_co_uk The original debate on whether people should wash their legs or not in the shower started in 2019‚ maybe as entertainment during the height of the pandemic. Conor Arpwel‚ posted a since deleted poll on Twitter‚ with a simple yes or no questions‚ "do you wash your legs when you take a shower?" Clearly people had some big feelings because the poll went massively viral and has sparked these offshoot debates since. "So if you're not washing your legs in the shower and you don't have a bath‚ when the hell do you wash your legs you filthy animals‚ haha? Or where‚" one person replies.But the lack of taking a wash cloth or loofa filled with soap to your lower extremities didn't end with random people on the internet. Taylor Swift admitted that she didn't wash her legs because she considers shaving them to be enough to consider them clean. Dermatologists seem to be split on this one‚ and turns out there's good reason for it. Angela Lamb‚ M.D.‚ director of the Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Faculty Practice tells Katie Couric‚ “Sadly‚ there has not been a lot of research performed on personal hygiene‚ so many of the recommendations are anecdotal." Though she does say that you don't need to wash your legs daily‚ only if they're visibly soiled or overly sweaty.While Dr. Shari Sperling‚ founder of Sperling Dermatology shares with The Manual‚ "Yes‚ you should wash your legs. They are a part of your body that should be cleansed just like other areas of the body. While the debate discusses excessive washing‚ etc.‚ there is no need to scrub and use harsh cleansers. You want to avoid that to prevent skin irritation. However‚ gentle washing daily is okay!” @drcharlesmd1 Shower the RIGHT way! #skincare #doctor #lifehack Since there isn't much research on the topic‚ and the method of washing one's body can vary greatly from person to person‚ the jury may remain out for a while. But one dermatologist gives a pretty good reason why you should at least physically wash your legs every once in a while.“Too little washing can lead to a condition called retention hyperkeratosis where a thick layer of built-up skin cells and dust accumulates on the skin over time‚" dermatologist‚ Dr. Anne Allen reveals to The Manual.So should you wash your legs in the shower? The answer seems to be‚ you don't technically have to but it wouldn't hurt if you did.

One of the great things about most healthy families is that people can give to one another without expecting much in return. But‚ of course‚ everyone has their limits. How much is asking for too much? Regarding loans‚ money is different in all families‚ but what about time? Is spending hours babysitting for a family member without receiving anything in return okay? Kaitlyn Wilson‚ 27‚ recently answered this question on TikTok‚ and the video went viral‚ earning over 335‚000 views. “I was telling somebody the other day that I watch my nephew for my sister‚ once a week roughly or just whenever she needs‚ and they were so shocked that I did it for free‚” she said in the viral video. “Like‚ are other people’s families out here charging them to watch their kids for a few hours? That’s absolutely absurd if they are.”She then described why she babysits her nephew for free. “I get the opportunity to create a relationship with my nephew by babysitting him and being around him‚” Wilson said. “The fact that other people feel like they would need to be paid to hang out with their nieces‚ nephews‚ grandkids is so messed up.”Warning: Strong language.I was not even aware that someone would think of charging their family member for babysitting their kid(s) occasionally. @kaitlynnnwils TikTok · Kaitlyn w Wilson speculates that people who don’t want to babysit their younger family members are missing out on building a relationship with them.“And I swear‚ it will be those same adults at family parties being like‚ 'Oh my god‚ why doesn't so-and-so want to hug me or talk to me?' They don't f***ing know you‚ dude‚” she continued. “I feel like it's not that hard to show up for and support people in your family‚ especially if you live near them."The vast majority of people who commented on the post supported Wilson. However‚ some thought that realistic boundaries for how often one is expected to watch a family member’s kids should exist.“Is it really babysitting? Or is it just spending time with family? It’s just spending time for me‚" Joey wrote. "I feel if you're an adult‚ do it for free‚ but if it's a teen relative‚ give them some money my uncle used to pay me. Now I do it for free cuz I have a job now‚" Ashleyemmell added.Some believed that having to do it every day meant that it went from being a favor to becoming a job. "Yep. If it’s consistent‚ I’m not doing a full-time job without pay. If it’s a date night‚ it's free. But Monday through Friday? That’s a job‚" J wrote.For Wilson‚ watching her nephew is all about building a relationship that lasts a lifetime."It's the responsibility of adults to foster relationships with children — I'm a firm believer of that‚" she told Today.com. "When kids grow up and they are not close to older relatives‚ it's not the fault of the adult child.""You can foster [relationships] by just showing up for them‚" she added. "Going to [sporting] events ... [going] to the park‚ reading books‚ baking ... and always be the one reaching out."

We're about to wrap up year three of the COVID-19 pandemic‚ and it's been a weird ride‚ to say the least. These years have been hard‚ frustrating‚ confusing and tragic‚ and yet we keep on keeping on. Except the keeping on part isn't quite as simple as it sounds. Despite the fact that COVID-19 is still wreaking havoc‚ we've sort of collectively decided to move on‚ come what may. This year has been an experiment in normalcy‚ but one without a testable hypothesis or clear design. And it's taken a toll. So many people are feeling tired‚ exhausted‚ worn thin ("like butter scraped over too much bread‚" as Bilbo Baggins put it) these days.But why?Psychologist and speaker Naomi Holdt beautifully explained what's behind the overarching exhaustion people are feeling as we close out 2022‚ and it makes perfect sense.In a post on Facebook‚ she wrote: "A gentle reminder about why you are utterly exhausted… No one I know began this year on a full tank. Given the vicious onslaught of the previous two years (let’s just call it what it was) most of us dragged ourselves across the finish line of 2021… frazzled‚ spent‚ running on aged adrenaline fumes… We crawled into 2022 still carrying shock‚ trauma‚ grief‚ heaviness‚ disbelief… The memories of a surreal existence…And then it began… The fastest hurricane year we could ever have imagined. Whether we have consciously processed it or not‚ this has been a year of more pressure‚ more stress‚ and a race to 'catch up' in all departments… Every. Single. One. Work‚ school‚ sports‚ relationships‚ life… Though not intentionally aware‚ perhaps hopeful that the busier we are‚ the more readily we will forget… the more easily we will undo the emotional tangle… the more permanently we will wipe away the scarring wounds… We can’t. And attempts to re-create some semblance of 'normal' on steroids while disregarding that for almost two years our sympathetic nervous systems were on full alert‚ has left our collective mental health in tatters. Our children and teens are not exempt. The natural byproduct of fighting a hurricane is complete and utter exhaustion… So before you begin questioning the absolutely depleted and wrung-dry state you are in- Pause. Breathe. Remind yourself of who you are and what you have endured. And then remind yourself of what you have overcome. Despite it all‚ you’re still going. (Even on the days you stumble and find yourself face down in a pile of dirt).Understanding brings compassion… Most of the world’s citizens are in need of a little extra TLC at the moment. Most are donning invisible 'Handle with care' posters around their necks and 'Fragile' tattoos on their bodies… Instead of racing to the finish line of this year‚ tread gently. Go slowly. Amidst the chaos‚ find small pockets of silence. Find compassion. Allow the healing. And most of all… Be kind. There’s no human being on earth who couldn’t use just a little bit more of the healing salve of kindness."Putting it like that‚ of course we're exhausted. We're like a person who thinks they're feeling better at the end of an illness so they dive fully back into life‚ only to crash mid-day because their body didn't actually have as much energy as their brain thought it did. We tried to fling ourselves into life‚ desperate to feel normal and make up for lost time‚ without taking the time to fully acknowledge the impact of the past two years or to fully recover and heal from it. Of course‚ life can't just stop‚ but we do need to allow some time for our bodies‚ minds and spirits to heal from what they've been through. The uncertainty‚ the precariousness of "normal‚" the after-effects of everything that upended life as we knew it are real. The grief and trauma of those who have experienced the worst of the pandemic are real. The overwhelm of our brains and hearts as we try to process it all is real. So let's be gentle with one another and ourselves as we roll our harried selves into another new year. We could all use that little extra measure of grace as we strive to figure out what a true and healthy "normal" feels like. You can follow Naomi Holdt on Facebook.This article originally appeared on 12.23.22

Christina Hunger‚ 26‚ is a speech-language pathologist in San Diego‚ California who believes that "everyone deserves a voice." Hunger works with one- and two-year-old children‚ many of which use adaptive devices to communicate. So she wondered what would happen if she taught her two-month-old puppy‚ a Catahoula/Blue Heeler named Stella‚ to do the same. "If dogs can understand words we say to them‚ shouldn't they be able to say words to us? Can dogs use AAC to communicate with humans?" she wondered.Hunger and her fiancé Jake started simply by creating a button that said "outside" and then pressed it every time they said the word or opened the door. After a few weeks‚ every time Hunger said "outside‚" Stella looked at the button. See on Instagram Soon‚ Stella began to step on the button every time she wanted to go outside.They soon added more buttons that say "eat‚" "water‚" "play‚" "walk‚" "no‚" "come‚" "help‚" "bye‚" and "love you.""Every day I spent time using Stella's buttons to talk with her and teach her words just as I would in speech therapy sessions with children‚" she wrote on her blog."Instead of rewarding Stella with a treat for using a button‚ we responded to her communication by acknowledging her message and responding accordingly. Stella's voice and opinions matter just as our own do‚" she continued.If Stella's water bowl is empty‚ she says "water." If she wants to play tug of war‚ she says‚ "play." She even began to tell friends "bye" if they put on their jackets by the door. See on Instagram Stella soon learned to combine different words to make phrases.One afternoon‚ shortly after daylight savings‚ she began saying "eat" at 3:00 pm. When Hunger didn't respond with food‚ she said‚ "love you no" and walked out of the room.Today‚ Stella has learned over 29 words and can combine up to five at a time to make a phrase or sentence."The way she uses words to communicate and the words she's combining is really similar to a 2-year-old child‚" Hunger says of her blog.She believes her work has the potential to transform the bond between humans and dogs."I think how important dogs are to their humans‚" Hunger says. "I just imagine how much deeper the bond will be."Stella asks to play ball outside. See on Instagram Stella clearly wants some more breakfast. See on Instagram After a fun day at the beach‚ Stella wants to go back. See on Instagram Stella telling Hunger that she doesn't want her to leave to work.Login • Instagram See on Instagram Soon‚ Stella began to step on the button every time she wanted to go outside.They soon added more buttons that say "eat‚" "water‚" "play‚" "walk‚" "no‚" "come‚" "help‚" "bye‚" and "love you.""Every day I spent time using Stella's buttons to talk with her and teach her words just as I would in speech therapy sessions with children‚" she wrote on her blog."Instead of rewarding Stella with a treat for using a button‚ we responded to her communication by acknowledging her message and responding accordingly. Stella's voice and opinions matter just as our own do‚" she continued.If Stella's water bowl is empty‚ she says "water." If she wants to play tug of war‚ she says‚ "play." She even began to tell friends "bye" if they put on their jackets by the door. See on Instagram This article originally appeared on 11.08.19