More than 400 Washington Post staffers sent a letter to owner Jeff Bezos, blasting the paper’s direction and urging him to sit down for a meeting.  "We are deeply alarmed by recent leadership decisions that have led readers to question the integrity of this institution, broken with a tradition of transparency, and prompted some of our most distinguished colleagues to leave, with more departures imminent," the letter states. 

The Washington Post is rolling out a new mission statement ahead of President-elect Trump’s second term in the White House. The Post unveiled “Riveting Storytelling for All of America,” as its new mission statement to catch the essence of its journalism and business, The New York Times first reported Thursday.

President-elect Donald Trump has named and shamed 11 people who are on the White House blacklist to serve in his administration. The list includes some of Trump’s well known “enemies” who served in his first administration and have since spoken out about the dangers of a second Trump term, including John Bolton and Mike Pence.

President-elect Donald Trump spent the past two years on the campaign trail making more than a dozen promises about what he would enact on his first day in office. Trump’s day-one plans are wide-reaching, calling for the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, sweeping tariffs that economists have warned could have drastic and harmful effects on the U.S. economy and pardons of defendants charged in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Modern movies and TV shows are louder than ever. There was a time when a big explosion or a thunderous moment of dialogue truly captured our collective attention. Things have gotten so bad, entire generations of people young and old are turning to subtitles just to understand what people are saying. Those productions are meant to capture our attention span even if they don't always connect on a deeper level.There's something truly special about the silent films of Hollywood's past. Watching filmmakers and actors discover and perfect their art form years before they even had sound effects led to some truly astounding feats that still impress today. But modern filmmakers have also occasionally turned to the silent, or mostly silent, format to great success in recent years. Yeah, it can be an adjustment. But sometimes a change of pace is just what we need. Here are five modern (mostly) silent films for when you need a break from all the explosions and subtitles! Robot Dreams (2023)Robot Dreams/Wild BunchROBOT DREAMSIn 2007, writer/illustrator Sara Varon graced the world with a graphic novel called "Robot Dreams." As an artist, she is known to mostly invent characters who are "non-human" because she claims to be bad at drawing them. What luck for us! She also likes to craft the most unique friendships, with "Dog" and "Robot" being one of those unions. Cut to 2023 when writer/director Pablo Berger's film adaptation premiered at Cannes. The plot? A lonely cartoon dog, who lives in Manhattan in the mid-80s, orders a robot after seeing it on a TV commercial. The two become fast friends, but trouble ensues when Robot gets lost. A gentle music score, including the song "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire playing on repeat, helps even the most dramatic scenes feel calming and even kind of groovy. Themes of the film include friendship, love, loss and memories worth saving. A promotional still for The ArtistThe Artist (Warner Brothers)THE ARTISTFrench filmmaker, Michel Hazanavicius, swung for the fences when he brought us the (mostly) non-dialogue driven, black-and-white movie The Artist in 2011. Who would have thought a film like this could win five Oscars, including Best Picture? And so well deserved! It also took home Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Score and Best Costume Design. An ode to the 1920s silent film stars, and their heartbreaking, and sometimes even comical journeys into a technological world that has moved on without them. (I know I can relate, I still have a satellite dish!) Silent film star Douglas Fairbanks is said to have been one of the inspirations for the film's leading character. It stars an international cast of brilliant actors including Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller and last but far from least, Uggie the dog as Jack! In fact, it's Jack who steals the show, with a fabulously choreographed dance number coming in at a close second. A promotional still for the movie FlowFlow (Baltic Content Media)FLOWLet's move over to Latvia, where writer/director Gints Zilbalodis gorgeously directed and co-wrote the animated film Flow (alongside writer Matīss Kaža.) This wowed Cannes-goers in 2024 and has already garnered Best Animation awards, including a Golden Globe. (It has my vote for the upcoming Critics Choice Awards.)What makes this film such a wonderful antidote to current stress-like conditions, is its simplicity and utter beauty. It's simply this: a black cat facing what is assumed to be a natural disaster (a flood) wanders around, attempting to survive. In its journey, it meets a slew of other animals (a yellow Labrador Retriever and a lemur to name a couple) and even though they're all on their own course to survival, they find that their paths continue to cross. There is no real commentary here. It's essentially a Zen-like reflection of life, death and all the beauty in-between. - YouTube www.youtube.com What's most magnificent is the movie was actually created using Blender, a free and open-source computer graphics software program. Despite this bare-boned animation team, the film glows with light and originality. Zilbalodis, alongside Rihards Zaļupe, reportedly composed seven hours of music for the movie, of which nearly an hour was used. (The soundtrack can be streamed online.) Promotional still for the film All Is LostAll Is Lost (Lionsgate)ALL IS LOSTWith the exception of some brief voiceover work from Robert Redford, there is not only no dialogue in this film, there is only one actor. Written and directed by J.C. Chandor, All is Lost stars Redford as a man who is lost at sea. We follow his trials and tribulations, all the while begging the question - what would we do in a similar situation? Would we have the chops to survive? (Not sure I would. I can barely open a Snapple, let alone build a water distillation device.) - YouTube www.youtube.com The music, as is so common for these type of films, is lovely. In this case, Alex Ebert (lead singer for the band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes) scored the soundtrack of which he claimed "wind, water, rain, sun, are the story's other characters.No spoilers, but there are ambiguous moments (or at least one big one) where the audience can choose its meaning. Depending on the lens with which it's viewed, or perhaps the mood one is in when they see it, it can carry different meanings for different people. Such a deep and meaningful expression of what it means to maintain or lose hope and courage. A promotional still for the film A Ghost StoryA Ghost Story (A24)A GHOST STORYThis lesser-known film written/directed by David Lowery stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. While it does have some talking, it's mostly a fever dream and a silent poem about death. I'll be honest, when I saw Lowery's decision for Affleck to wear the traditional "ghost uniform "of a white sheet with holes poked out, I was concerned. It turned out to be one the most haunting films I've ever seen and it has stuck with me to this day. The characters are merely given initials, because what even ARE names when we're talking about million year soul-attachments? A Ghost Story became a darling at Sundance in 2017, with A24 distributing later that year.It's not a movie meant to frighten people, but rather to inspire them to meditate on death and love. Both Affleck and Mara give subtle, yet heart-wrenching performances in the silent spaces between time. (That might appear to be a word-salad, but it will probably make sense once you've seen the film!)

Putting yourself out there and flirting with an attractive person can be scary. What if you make a fool of yourself? What if they reject you? What if they come to the bar with their significant other? What if you start talking and run out of things to say? For those who are shy or introverted, these situations are even worse. To complicate matters, people have difficulty determining if someone is flirting with them. A study found that people are good at telling when someone is flirtatious but terrible at realizing they are being flirted with. While people are 80% accurate at determining that someone isn’t flirting with them, only 36% of men and 18% of women can correctly yell if someone is being flirtatious. To add to the awkwardness, in a world where a lot of communication is done online, people are finding it harder to flirt with a stranger in public.So, what can we do? The good thing is that people who say they are experts in flirting have been kind enough to share their advice for shy people. Here are 15 of the best pieces of advice we culled from an AskReddit forum question: “Experienced flirts of Reddit, what advice can you give for shy people on how to flirt?” The big takeaway is to have fun, eliminate expectations, and make the other person laugh. Sounds easy, right?1. Don't be afraid to fail"People don’t care that much if you say something embarrassing or weird, so you shouldn’t care either. From what I’ve learned, most girls actually like it when you’re just talking about whatever you feel like, even if it’s kinda goofy or weird because it brings up a genuinely good conversation that isn’t the boring stuff they always talk about with guys trying to flirt with them."2. Make eye contact"Eye contact says more than you will ever know. Subtle of course."But what if you have a problem making eye contact?"Look at the spot between their eyes. Break away every few seconds if it gets overwhelming but only horizontally and only for around a second. If you’re trying to flirt you can use the breakaway to look at their lips briefly. Don’t do that every single time lol."3. Pretend you're disinterested"Decide you are not actually interested in them and are just trying to be nice to them before beginning your attempt to flirt."4. Fake it 'til you make it"Literally, and I can not stress this enough, if you lack confidence just fake it. It's the #1 thing when it comes to flirting and is very attractive. Emotionally I'm not confident at all, but I act like I am and sometimes even a little arrogance will get you were you want to be."5. Don't flirt, talk"If you're shy, you're shy. That is a trait you can work on, but if you're in a moment where you have not done the work but still need to make that talk happen because otherwise she/he is gone forever, you gotta push through. To push through, do not flirt. I know it seems counterintuitive, but hear me out. Flirting implies a potential romantic and (more short-term) sexual relationship. What you wanna go for is just talking. A conversation. Can be about whatever. What counts is that you talk. Listen to them! Focus on what they are saying and talk accordingly! Ask them follow-up questions. People like being listened to. Being a good listener is one of the most alluring qualities you can have. Once you feel comfortable - maybe a few beers helped as well - you can ask if they would like to continue talking another time and get in contact.""Don’t flirt. Just talk to them like you would any other person you’re not interested in. Nature will take its course from there."6. Think only of them"I'm female and flirted for a living (was a stripper for years). Do not think of anything except them. When you look at them, focus on how much you like them. When you talk to them, same thing.You can talk about something as mundane as the weather but as long as you're simultaneously thinking about how you're enjoying looking at them you're going to give off signals, you're going to smile and laugh more easily and be more attractive yourself in general. Psychologically speaking - people fucking LOVE to feel like you like them - so make sure you do and focus on that. Works like a charm, trust me.""I'll be honest, this is actually what flirting is all about. Any conversation or topic that shows your desire and interest towards that person is the best way of flirting without feeling forced."7. Make them laugh"By no means an expert but this seems to work: give your name and make her laugh before you try to get her number, I think the theory behind it is that laughing releases the bonding hormone and knowing each other's name creates a sense of connection/ knowing each other, so it's basically being a complete stranger VS being somewhat of an acquaintance, definitely an advantage.""I think the theory behind it is that most laughing is social. It is to be likeable and ease tension instead of laughing because something is funny. Laughing because something is genuinely funny is relatively rare, and if a person laughs in a group, their eyes subconsciously turn towards the person in the room they like the most. So if you make her laugh, it can mean that she is trying to be likable and slightly submissive and, therefore, likely to be interested in you.""Make them laugh and make them feel like the only person in the room."8. Always be flirting"The trick is to practice. Always be flirting. You'll learn how to read people, read the room, and, importantly, read the time/physical constraints of the situation. I learned from my "super-connector" wife that you just need to try to connect with everyone you can as a habit. Nowadays, I never miss an opportunity to (non-sexually) 'flirt' with the checkout person, the sales associate, the waiter/waitress. It's about being present, and proactively, unexpectedly nice when interacting with people. Flattery is cheap, but when you ask them what they think the best item to buy is, you show deference to their opinion and get that connection going. I don't flirt to get something, I flirt to practice for that time when I DO need help, so it doesn't come across as needy or manipulative. I taught my son and daughter to 'Always be flirting' and it pays off regularly and immediately. Better seats, better tips/recommendations, and just better interactions with every person I talk to. And if that is suddenly sounding suspicious, I'm an unattractive 50-year-old male who had NO GAME in my youth and still struggle with eye contact."9. Give them the ball"Give them the ball. 'Hey, I'm nervous, but I was hoping to get to know you, though.' Give them respect with pure honesty. That's really all the icebreaker you need.""Openly admit your awkwardness, he/she might either see it as cute or even brave."10. H.O.T.A.P.E."I didn’t see this here yet, but there’s a ted talk about the science of flirting. I’m married, so my opportunities to rest it out are limited, but this completely breaks it down and makes it understandable. The system is called 'hot ape', and each letter stands for one element. (Humour, Open body language, Touch, Attention, Proximity, Eye contact). Whether you are shy or not, if you understand the six elements, flirting Becomes immediately understandable." - YouTube www.youtube.com 11. Practice"Choose the attractive cashier and flirt with them on the way through the line. Keep it light and short. Complement their hair or item of clothing and leave it at that. Don't look for compliments in return. Get your joy from making someone else feel good about themselves. Don't overdo it. One compliment and done unless it sparks a conversation. Then roll with the convo. This means very little to you. You just bought your thing, talked to an attractive person, smiled and moved on. It was easy and left both of you feeling good. Once you are comfortable, try it with a stranger in line then move on to someone you actually like. Have fun."12. Have zero expectations"Go into any interaction (no matter the person) with no expectations, ideas, goals, ETC. People can sense desperation and they can sense when you are only talking to them when because you want something. So simply starting a conversation and seeing if you even have chemistry with a person is always the first step."13. Open with a compliment"Compliment something they’re wearing, especially if it’s a unique item. Something like: 'That color looks great on you,' 'Nice shoes, those are super cool,' 'That’s a really unique necklace you pull it off pretty well.' It’s a good intro and then you can just talk about the thing and have a casual conversation. Mention the weather next or anything you might have in common - classes, the location you are, etc... the goal is to just carry a conversion for a few minutes or so and see how it is."14. Don't tell them they are cute"Never say 'you're cute,' It just cements in your mind that she's cute and way out of your league."15. What's the worst that can happen?"For me it helped a great amount to notice that nothing bad will happen if I do flirt. Sure, people who aren't interested will shut you down, but only with their tone or choice of words. Nobody will call you out and say, 'Stop flirting.' The next thing was to be confident in myself and realize that people could actually be interested in me. Last but not least, practice. You don't learn to flirt in one day. Also, the fear you have to overcome to start it or say something flirty becomes less and less the more often you do it."

Kid’s birthdays are both lovely moments of celebration, and potential sources of stress for any parent, for various reasons. For dad Kyle Philippi (whom we’ve previously covered for dressing up as Jafar to cure his friend of an irrational phobia), his daughter’s 10th birthday was particularly full of anguish—since he didn’t tell her it actually was her birthday. In a video posted to his TikTok that amassed close to 3 million views, the concerned dad shared his unique plight that brought him to this unusual decision: his daughter’s birthday falls on Jan 2, over winter break, meaning most kids wouldn’t be able to attend her birthday party. Two years prior, the Philippi found this out the hard way, when they tried to throw a party on the day, and no one showed. “She was devastated,” Philippi let out through a sigh. @kylephilippi We’re about 60/40 on whether this was a good idea… #birthday #parenting #parentingtips #autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #auditoryprocessingdisorder #surprisebirthday #birthdayparty ♬ original sound - Kyle Philippi Then last year, they tried a different approach. Instead of a big social gathering on Jan 2, they had a more intimate environment of just the family and one close friend, followed by a proper party once winter break was finished. At this point Philippi explained that his daughter is on the spectrum and had auditory processing disorder—so even though she had fun at both events, she still couldn’t understand why her friend couldn’t show up on her actual birthday, and was still disappointed. That’s never what any parent wants for their kid.To make matters more sensitive, Philippi shared that his daughter was beginning to not be invited to other classmates' parties, and suspected that part of why she yearns to have a party with all her friends there was because “she knows she’s not getting to go to everyone else’s birthday.”Hence why Philippi and his wife decided to try something new by simply not acknowledging the birthday until they can do a party with his daughter’s school friends. Understandably, though the choice was made with the best of intentions, when Jan 2 came, there were tons of conflicting feelings. Photo credit: Canva“I don’t know if we made the right decision. But here we are,” Philippi shared. “Today’s her birthday, and we’re pretending like it’s just another day…and it’s killing us.” Down in the comments people—especially those with special needs kids, or were autistics themselves—were quick to reassure Philippi that he made a tough, but right call. “As an autistic person who struggles with birthdays, you’re doing the right thing. it’s a little unconventional, but so are kids like us!! keep it up,” one person wrote. Another added, “these ‘decisions’ are so hard but you are doing great by taking it all into consideration and trying to do what will help her feel great on her birthday.”It seems the real thing worth noting here is that Philippi and his wife are trying to make their kid’s birthday the best it can be for her, and that’s truly admirable. Odds are nearly every parent can relate to this on some level. And for parents with neurodivergent kiddos, that can often mean navigating uncharted territory. Maybe they’ll try a different approach next year. Maybe not. What matters is they’re trying. And from the looks of it, the actual birthday wasn’t a total wash. In a follow up video, we see that Philippi’s daughter got her favorite chicken wings for dinner, and got to plan her upcoming birthday…which will apparently be Raggedy Ann themed. @kylephilippi Replying to @mamamcsorley1 She ate her favorite meal today and we continued to plan out her ultimate birthday party in 9 days ? #birthday #parenting #parentingtips #autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #auditoryprocessingdisorder #surprisebirthday #birthdayparty ♬ original sound - Kyle Philippi Naturally, Philippi will be going as Raggedy Andy, per his daughter's request.

Saving the life of one small animal among the billions upon billions of living things on Earth may not seem significant in the big picture, but when that one's life is in your hands, it means the world.In 2022, Yassin Elmahgoub was a medical student from Egypt who shared the journey of a tiny baby parrot he rescued. The parrot, who he named Mumble, was born with birth defects and wasn't able to stand or walk. With the help of a parrot behavior consultant, Elmahgoub hand-fed Mumble, nursed him to good health, and helped him develop mobility. In a TikTok video that's been viewed more than 8 million times, Elmahgoub shared Mumble's journey from his earliest days until he was finally able to walk on his own."I bottle fed him and started his treatment," Elmahgoub wrote. "It took days and hours of support and physiotherapy but our team could do it."And they did. But even better than seeing Mumble take his first steps is seeing Elmahgoub's reaction to it. Watch: @yassinelmahgoub This is the best thing that happened to me in a while. All it takes is one person to save a life. @Sara Haytham couldn’t do it without u #fyp #hope #rescue #bird #positivity #medicine #medicalstudent #arabs #egypt #cairo #viral The persistence and gentle patience of nursing Mumble paid off, and Elmahgoub's celebration is joy personified. People absolutely loved it. "I love animals..but the pure joy on that guy's face is simply beautiful," wrote one commenter. "This is one of the best and heartwarming things I’ve seen in a while, thank you so much for this," wrote another."Oh I was not prepared for those tears!" wrote another "What joy this sweet bird has brought him, SO sweet!"Elmahgoub has shared updates on Mumble's progress since sharing the viral video. Check out this follow-up video culminating with Mumble at Day 60 in all of his beautiful blue glory. @yassinelmahgoub Growth takes time. For those asking about how mumble is doing now here you go. #fyp #foryou #positive #positivity #rescue #bird #rescuebird #medicine #medicalstudent #medical #arabs #egypt #cairo #viral Mumble has not only learned to stand and walk, but he has learned to fly as well. Just amazing. @yassinelmahgoub And it was all yellow #fyp #foryou #postive #postivity #postiveenergy #rescue #rescuebird #medicine #medicalstudent #medical #arabs #egypt #cairo #viral Congrats to Mumble and kudos to Yassin Elmahgoub for caring so much and sharing this happy journey to mobility with us. Imagine what a beautiful world we could create if we all took such good care of living things, including one another.You can follow Elmahgoub and Mumble's ongoing story on TikTok and Instagram. And for a sweet update, congratulations are in order! Elmahgoub recently finished school and is now the first doctor in his family! See on Instagram This article originally appeared three years ago.

The unintended supergroup song. The post The song Paul McCartney thought was made for Pete Townshend: “I always imagined him doing it” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

"Girls want to be reassured." The post “You are what you settle for”: Janis Joplin’s defiant battle against insecurity first appeared on Far Out Magazine.