President Biden’s approval ratings are in the toilet and polls show him losing to likely GOP opponent‚ former President Donald Trump‚ as young voters turn their backs on the incumbent Democrat. Mr. Biden’s campaign is eyeing mega-pop star Taylor Swift for help. They want Ms. Swift to endorse him‚ as she did in 2020. Ms. Swift’s Eras Tour has drawn as many as 71‚000 fans to a single show and is the highest-grossing music tour of all time. His campaign could send him to visit during her...

At some point‚ Taylor Swift transcended into one of those celebrities who isn’t just famous‚ but scarily famous; she’s not a brand‚ she’s an industry. Swift’s extraordinary level of fame‚ success and influence has provoked the suspicions of reactionary influencers and conspiracy theorists. In conspiratorial online spaces‚ nothing ever just happens — big things are planned‚ and Swift’s boyfriend is going to the Super Bowl. Swift is currently dating football star Travis Kelce‚ the Kansas...

Taylor Swift is a “Pentagon asset”‚ an “election interference psyop” who‚ with unnamed left-leaning forces‚ has conspired to “rig” the Super Bowl and then endorse Joe Biden in the presidential election. That’s according to a raft of influential rightwing figures‚ who have begun to spread a conspiracy theory that Swift‚ a pop star‚ is part of a nefarious plot ahead of November’s presidential election. Swift has found herself at the center of the rightwing commentariat’s attention in recent...

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday but signaled that rates could fall in the coming months if inflation continues to cool. Policy makers have kept their benchmark interest rate between 5.25% to 5.5% — the highest in over two decades — since July. In its post-meeting policy statement‚ the Fed's rate-setting committee replaced a reference to possible future rate hikes with a more neutral reference to "adjustments" in interest rates. Still‚ policymakers added...

House Republicans on Tuesday evening mulled a compromise that would pair state and local tax relief with a conservative policy priority as a possible solution for an impasse between tax writers‚ blue-state Republicans and the House Freedom Caucus.  One idea under consideration would be to move a second tax bill in parallel with the $78 billion family and business tax cut deal negotiated by Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith‚ R-Mo.‚ and Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden‚ D-Ore....

President Biden’s younger brother James has agreed to testify next month in the House impeachment inquiry into alleged corruption by Joe Biden during his vice presidency. James‚ 74‚ and first son Hunter Biden‚ 53‚ involved their powerful relative in various foreign business relationships — drawing Republican allegations of influence-peddling. “James Biden will appear for a transcribed interview on February 21‚ 2024. We look forward to his testimony‚” the House Oversight...

The chief executives of the nation's top social media companies were grilled on Wednesday on Capitol Hill over child safety‚ with the tech leaders seeking to defend their companies from accusations that they've failed to protect kids from exploitation and abuse. "Mr. Zuckerberg‚ you and the companies before us -- I know you don't mean it to be so‚ but you have blood on your hands‚" Sen. Lindsey Graham‚ R-S.C.‚ said as the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing kicked off. The comment prompted...

Gyms are communal spaces where people can come to improve their health‚ fitness and/or overall well-being. However‚ it’s no secret that many gyms have also become a production studio of sorts where influencers can set up a tripod to demonstrate the most cutting-edge squatting technique or where the average Joe can take that obligatory gym selfie to prove that the workout did‚ in fact‚ happen. There’s nothing inherently wrong with either of these activities. However‚ they have sparked a new kind of behavior in gymgoers where they feign extreme frustration if folks walk from one machine to the next or grab a piece of equipment and‚ heaven forbid‚ enter the frame. Take for instance a video shared to Reddit by u/ASTATINE_628‚ where we first see several cuts of a young woman at the gym‚ seemingly perturbed that people are continuously walking through her frame in her video.The clip then cuts to a guy who breaks down what’s wrong with this scenario in a very clear and concise way.“This sense of entitlement has gotten out of hand‚” he said‚ noting that “for you to get upset because there’s people simply in your video going about their workout‚ not bothering you‚ minding their own business‚ is ridiculous.” To act like she owns the gym. by u/ASTATINE_628 in therewasanattempt He certainly has a point. Of course‚ when personal space is actually being infringed upon‚ like when someone is facing harassment‚ that’s a different story. But in this case‚ as the man stated‚ there is no wrongdoing by simply existing. The man then summed it all up with a short and sweet reminder about common decency. Or maybe not-so-common‚ since we’re needing reminders.“Unless your name is on that gym‚ your filming is never a priority over other people. They pay the same gym membership that you do. If you can’t film responsibly‚ if you can’t respect other people in a shared space‚ you don’t belong filming at all‚” he said.Really‚ this behavior stems from something larger than modern-day gym culture. We film ourselves a lot these days‚ and often in public. This has undoubtedly caused a shift in how we view personal boundaries in the outside world‚ with both positive and negative effects.On the one hand‚ it can be fun and self-esteem-boosting to treat your life as one big video diary. On the other hand‚ we bring strangers unwillingly into our orbit‚ treating them as punching bags‚ entertainment‚ or‚ in the case of the miffed gymgoers‚ nuisances. We vainly stop treating other people like fellow humans sharing life on this crazy blue planet. No video seems worth forgetting that. Even for those who have never set foot into a gym‚ and never will‚ this is a poignant reminder to not lose our humanity as our relationship with social media grows. It’s perfectly fine to tap into “main character energy.” Let's just keep in mind that really‚ we’re all part of the same story. This article originally appeared on 3.28.23

It feels safe to say that many‚ if not most people hail Drew Barrymore as the “Queen of Candid.” She can seemingly talk to absolutely anyone about anything in a way that’s consistently warm and authentic. That even goes for when she experiences her first hot flash in front of a live television audience‚ apparently. While speaking with guests Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler on her talk show‚ Barrymore abruptly appears flustered‚ fanning herself and removing her jacket.Without missing a beat‚ she says‚ “I am so hot‚ I think I'm having my first perimenopause hot flashes.”“Oh‚ I feel so honored!” Jennifer Aniston quips as she fixes Barrymore’s mic‚ which is a sweet moment in and of itself.“I’m so sorry!” Barrymore continues‚ laughing through it all. “Do you feel this?!” she says‚ placing Aniston’s hand just below her neck. “Or maybe I’m just excited!” @drewbarrymore I either had my first perimenopause hot flash or got really exciting! Maybe both? @thedrewbarrymoreshow ♬ original sound - Drew Barrymore Sandler‚ then reaching for Barrymore’s palm‚ assures her‚ “Yeah you got a hot hand.”“Well‚ I’m so glad I have this moment documented!” Barrymore exclaims. One viewer on TikTok gushed‚ “I don’t know that I have ever heard a celebrity talk about a hot flash in the moment. Thank you for being so real.”Another echoed‚ “Drew‚ we have a whole generation (X) entering the change. Let’s normalize it. Just wait until you’re soaked with sweat‚ then cold lol.”One person commented on the exchange between Aniston and Barrymore‚ noting how refreshing it was to see two “beautiful‚ authentic‚ powerful women my own age to look up to.”Only a week prior‚ Barrymore had again been an unofficial spokeswoman for perimenopause when she sat down with Gayle King of “CBS Mornings” to share more of her personal experiences‚ including having a period “every two weeks.”"One doctor also just told me this could last‚ in the worst-case scenario‚ 10 years. And I was like‚ ‘I will never make it 10 years like this!’" she told King. @cbsmornings How did Drew Barrymore know she was in perimenopause? She tells Gayle King and Nikki Battiste one of the main symptoms she experienced. Watch their full conversation tomorrow on #CBSMornings. #drewbarrymore #gayleking #menopause #perimenopause #fertility #health ♬ original sound - CBS Mornings Considering that every woman who lives past their 40s will probably go through at least some version of this—even earlier‚ for some—one would think that there should be more conversations about this pivotal life chapter. Maybe then it wouldn’t be so daunting. Or at the very least‚ there might be less stigma around it. As Barrymore eloquently put it in her interview‚ “The way menopause has been branded is‚ 'You're old‚ you're done.' That's not it." Instead‚ she feels that in reality‚ "more women in their 40s‚ 50s‚ and 60s are looking so attractive‚ feeling so vibrant‚ living their best lives.”Imagine that—life getting better as you grow older. What a radical thought. This article originally appeared on 3.30.23

"I love what he wants to do. I just think he's gone about it the wrong way." The post The classic songwriter Keith Richards called “too contrived” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.