Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Tuesday to launch an incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah‚ where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering from the almost 7-month-long war‚ just as cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas appear to be gaining steam. Netanyahu’s comments came hours before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was to arrive in Israel to advance the truce talks — which appear to be one of the most serious rounds of...

Getting married and having a child is a huge life change and so when a group of friends goes through the same experience together‚ it’s a great way to bond. Unfortunately‚ for some people‚ these changes on the domestic front can take over their lives and become their entire personality. People who are single and aren’t looking to have kids any time soon can have a hard time relating to their friends who are married with children because they have less in common. Further‚ when you don’t have children‚ it can be a little tedious to hear people talk all day about lactation‚ sleep schedules and spitting up. These topics can be boring to people who have children‚ too.A Redditor who goes by Remarkable_Lake410‚ who we’ll call RL for brevity’s sake‚ recently ran into this problem with her friends. Instead of feigning interest in married mom life‚ she decided to be honest with them about why she didn’t want to join them on a trip.“I (27F) have a group of female friends (8 of us). We have been friends for over a decade‚ since school. Now‚ we don’t live in the same place‚ but we meet up a couple of times a year for a weekend on an Airbnb. This used to be a weekend of good food‚ drinks‚ hot tub‚ etc.” she wrote on the AITH forum.“Around five of my friends are either married or in very long-term relationships. Of these five‚ two either have a baby or are pregnant. I will be seeing all of my friends this year for various wedding‚ friend and baby events. I have been invited to this year's girls' trip‚ but I have said I can’t come. I didn’t originally provide a reason‚” she continued.But a friend pushed her to find out why she didn’t want to go on the trip and she was honest: She didn’t want to be stuck constantly hearing about babies‚ marriage and weddings on a trip that was going to cost a significant amount of money.“[Last time]‚ I listened to one of my friends talk about her breastfeeding plans‚ with vengeance‚ for over an hour. She is not pregnant or trying. Truthfully‚ it’s boring‚ and it feels dismissive‚” RL wrote. It’s also a really expensive way to feel bad about myself.”When her friend heard her reason‚ she was “really hurt‚” and it felt like RL didn’t care about her and her other friends. So‚ RL asked the Reddit forum if she was in the wrong for being honest and skipping a trip that would be all about marriage and babies.The post received over 4‚000 responses that were overwhelmingly supportive for RL.&;quot;On the surface‚ this seems like it’s just about engagements‚ weddings and babies. You go out of your way to be constantly supportive of them. However they don’t reciprocate that for you. They can’t relate to anything or want to relate to anything outside of their lives. It would sort of be like if you just won an award‚ but all they talked about was the pie they just ate that morning‚&;quot; Dependant_praline_93 wrote in the most popular comment.&;quot;We all change as we get older. You naturally drift apart from some friends‚ especially if their lifestyle changes dramatically (think married with children‚ in particular). I wouldn't want to spend a lot of money to spend 3 days with a group that had such dis-similar interests. And I don't think it was wrong to be truthful when your friend asked you why you wouldn't go‚&;quot; Smokin_HOT_Ice added.One commenter with kids has a close friend who is a child-free and she has made an effort to ask her about her life and interests of just talking about parenting.“I was 38 when I had my first child and I read an article in Working Mother magazine when I was pregnant‚ and it said not to be the jerk who always talks about your pregnancy and your baby to your friends‚ especially the ones without babies‚” JellyBear135 wrote. “When I see her‚ I always ask about her work‚ her activities outside of work and recently‚ her new baby dog. She lives alone and doesn’t have a lot of people who always ask about her life so I make sure I always do. I check in via text every couple of weeks to ask her about her life.”After receiving a huge response from her post‚ RL wrote an update revealing that another friend who’s in the same boat decided not to go on the trip as well. “I have spoken to one of my other friends invited on the trip (who is also not at the baby stage of life); she is also not going on the trip and said she is not attending for the same reason‚” RL wrote.It seems the big takeaway from RL’s dilemma isn’t just that stage-of-life changes such as marriage and having babies can create chasms in friendships. But we need to make sure that we’re not just talking about ourselves to our friends but listening to them as well. Because a one-way friendship isn’t a friendship at all.

There are a lot of nail salons out there and without word of mouth it can be impossible to know which salon to visit. This is why many businesses have social media pages to advertise services without having to spend a lot of money on television ad space. Advertising pictures and videos of amazing work can help keep a steady flow of customers‚ but one Canadian nail salon is going with a different approach. Henry Pro Nails in Toronto‚ Canada is leaving the internet in stitches after creating a viral ad for his nail salon. The video takes several viral video clips but instead of the expected ending‚ Henry pops in completing the viral moment in hilarious different ways. It opens with a familiar viral video of a man on a stretcher being pulled by EMS when the stretcher overturns flopping the man onto the ground. But instead of it ending with the injured man on the ground‚ Henry lays out on the floor of his salon and delivers his first line‚ &;quot;come to my nail salon‚ your nails will look beautiful.&;quot; The video doesn't stop there and has certainly having the desired effect.In another clip‚ a man holds his leg straight up and somehow flips himself into a split. When the camera cuts back to Henry‚ he's in the splits on the floor of his nail salon promoting loyalty discounts. The ad is insanely creative and people in the comments can't get enough‚ some are even planning a trip to Toronto just to get their nails done by the now internet famous‚ Henry.&;quot;I will fly to Canada to get my nails done here just because of this hilarious video. You win this trend for sure‚&;quot; one woman says.&;quot;Get yourself a passport and make a roadtrip&;#33; My bf and I are legit getting ours and its only a 4 hr drive from where we are in Pennsylvania. Their prices are a lot better than other places I've been too‚&;quot; another person says while convincing a fellow American citizen to make the trip. &;quot;Omg‚ where are you located&;#63; I would fly to get my nails done by you‚&;quot; one person writes.&;quot;The pedicure I had at Henry’s was the best I have ever had. Unfortunately made all other places disappointing and I don’t live close enough for Henry’s to be my regular spot‚&;quot; someone else shares. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 💅🏻 𝙏𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 💅🏻 (@henrypronails_salon) It just goes to show that creative advertising can get people to go just about anywhere‚ but the service gets them to come back. This isn't Henry's first rodeo at making creative ads‚ though this one seems to be the one that takes the cake. If you're ever in Toronto and find yourself needing an emergency manicure‚ Henry's Pro Nails is apparently the place to be.

Katie Ring‚ known on social media as The.Self.Defense.Girl‚ recently shared a success story on TikTok after a woman followed her “Ted Bundy Rule.” The big takeaway from the story is that even when people appear harmless‚ it could all be a clever rouse to put you in extreme danger. Ring is a self-defense instructor‚ martial artist and former D1 athlete who started her TikTok and Instagram profiles (@the.self.defense.girl) after a man assaulted twenty women in San Francisco and had still not been arrested. &;quot;One self-defense rule I want every woman and child to remember is what I call the Ted Bundy rule‚” Ring shared on TikTok. “That is‚ if a grown man needs help‚ he's typically going to ask another man and not a woman or a child. So‚ if a grown man asks you for help‚ I want you to question why he's asking for your help in particular.&;quot;One of RIng’s followers heard her share the rule in the past and put it to good use after someone sketchy asked her for help at 10 p.m. in a grocery store. At the self-check-out‚ a man on crutches asked her to help him carry his groceries to his truck. She said no to the man because she thought it was &;quot;weird&;quot; he asked her instead of a male employee. @the.self.defense.girl One of the most important self-defense rules if you are a woman or a child‚ is if a grown man is asking for your help‚ always question why. Obviously not everyone has bad intentions‚ but your safety is more important than someone elses feelings&;#33; . #selfdefense #safety #safetytips #womensselfdefense #tiptok #tedbundy #fyp #foryou #viral #greenscreen “Exactly like she said‚ the guy could have had no bad intentions‚ but as women and children‚ we just can't take that risk‚&;quot; Ring said. &;quot;This is the exact tactic that Ted Bundy used to lure his victims. He would have a cast or crutches and ask women to help him to his car‚ where he would proceed to knock them out‚ kidnap them and unalive them.&;quot;Ted Bundy was a serial killer in the mid-’70s who was known for hiding behind his good looks‚ intelligence and clean-cut image to murder at least 30 women. One of the tactics he used to lure women was to feign injury by using crutches‚ wearing casts or arm slings and asking women for help taking things to his car.On one such occasion‚ after dropping books in front of Georgeann Hawkins at the University of Washington‚ Bundy convinced her to return them to his car. As she bent over to place the books in his seat‚ he hit her in the head with a crowbar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katie Ring (@the.self.defense.girl) The video was a great reminder for women everywhere to be cautious when a strange man asks them for help‚ especially when other men are around. Some people may feel uncomfortable saying no to someone asking for help. But the commenters shared why that should be the last of their worries. &;quot;The thing is‚ if he had no bad intentions and is a nice guy‚ he won't mind you saying no. If he gets angry‚ he wasn't a good guy‚&;quot; one commenter wrote.Another commenter suggested if a woman finds herself in that position at a grocery store‚ they grab an employee to help the person bring the groceries to their car. “Smart move&;#33; Ima say‚ ‘sure thing&;#33; Let me grab an employee for ya&;#33;’” a commenter wrote.Ultimately‚ being safe means being assertive and telling people no. But that’s a lot easier than following their wishes and winding up in extreme danger.&;quot;So remember‚ your safety is more important than anyone else's feelings‚” Ring concluded the video.

Tony Trapani and his wife were married for 50 years despite the heartache of being unable to have children. &;quot;She wanted children‚” Trapani told Fox 17. &;quot;She couldn't have any. She tried and tried.&;quot; Even though they endured the pain of infertility‚ Tony's love for his wife never wavered and he cherished every moment they spent together.After his wife passed away when Tony was 81 years old‚ he undertook the heartbreaking task of sorting out all of her belongings. That’s when he stumbled upon a carefully concealed letter in a filing cabinet hidden for over half a century. The letter was addressed to Tony and dated March 1959‚ but this was the first time he had seen it. His wife must have opened it‚ read it and hid it from him. The letter came from Shirley Childress‚ a woman Tony had once been close with before his marriage. She reached out‚ reminiscing about their past and revealing a secret that would change Tony's world forever.&;quot;Dear Tony‚ I bet you are surprised to hear from me after so many years. I was just thinking about you tonight like so many other nights. But I thought I would write you and find out how you are‚&;quot; the letter reads. &;quot;Tony‚ please don't be angry or surprised to hear this. I have a little boy. He is five-years- old now - grey eyes and beautiful black hair. What I am trying to say Tony is he is your son.&;quot;&;quot;Please‚ Tony if you can find it in your heart to forgive me‚ please come and see him‚&;quot; Shirley wrote in the letter. &;quot;Every day he asks me where is his daddy and believe me Tony I can't even answer him anymore. If would be forever grateful to you if you would just see him. ... I'll close now hoping and praying you will answer. P.S. His name is Samuel Duane.&;quot;Now‚ Tony faced the fact that he had a son that would be around 60 years old and he set out to find him. For over a year‚ Trapani’s sister tried to track down the mysterious Samuel Duane Childress‚ until she finally contacted his wife‚ Donna.Tony and Samuel met in January 2015 and he felt like a new dad. After meeting his father‚ Samuel said his mother told him she sent the letter‚ but Tony never responded. &;quot;Why my wife didn't tell me‚&;quot; said Trapani. &;quot;I don't know. She wanted children. She couldn't have any. She tried and tried.&;quot;&;quot;I always asked my mom‚ I said‚ 'Well what does he look like&;#63;'' Samuel said. &;quot;She said‚ 'Well‚ go look in the mirror.&;quot; Tony Trapani‚ 81‚ meets his son for the first time after finding a hidden letter from 1959. https://t.co/iNSKVMjnjv — (@) The two met and caught up on a lifetime of memories with the understanding that they could never change the past. &;quot;Just to know him now is so important to me. It's going to fill that void‚&;quot; Samuel said. But just to be sure‚ Tony took a paternity test to ensure they were father and son.The test came back negative‚ revealing that Tony was not the father. The news upset Tony and Samuel‚ but they still had a unique bond. They shared a relationship with Samuel’s mother and both have been on an incredibly wild ride after Tony found the mysterious letter.“They're keeping that bond‚” Donna said. “That paper doesn't mean anything to him. That bond has been made—and we're going to move on from here.”This article originally appeared on 2.23.24

Already getting pushed to the side. The post The Beatles classic that upset George Harrison: “He seemed annoyed” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Daring to challenge rock's longest-lasting band. The post How Howard Stern pulled off a hoax Rolling Stones song: “We stole it” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Words of wisdom from the Godfather of Grunge. The post The advice Neil Young gave to Sonic Youth: “The same thing all the time” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

&;quot;Fixing records was a way of life...&;quot; The post When Steely Dan accused The Beatles of using studio musicians first appeared on Far Out Magazine.