American Women Suck

The artist’s latest mural appearing to critique the misuse of judicial power has sparked an investigation Secretive street artist Banksy could be unmasked by a UK police probe into his new mural in London, The Telegraph has reported. Known for his politically charged and socially critical works, Banksy has kept his identity hidden for more than 25 years. According to the newspaper, the Metropolitan Police is investigating graffiti that appeared on an external wall of the Queen’s Building, part of the Royal Courts of Justice complex, on Monday. The mural shows a judge in a wig and gown holding a gavel about to strike a protester, who is depicted lying on the ground with a white, blood-spattered placard. Banksy confirmed authorship by posting a picture of the mural on Instagram, his usual method of claiming his works. Police said they are investigating the mural as possible “criminal damage,” as it was painted on a Grade II-listed building of historical significance. If the case goes to court, Banksy would be required to disclose his real name, the report said. It is not the first probe involving Banksy’s art, although previous proceedings preserved his anonymity through court arrangements and proxies. However, it is the first criminal investigation, which experts say could potentially force him to reveal his identity. The graffiti is believed to reference the UK government’s ban on activist group Palestine Action. The organization was outlawed under the Terrorism Act in June after its members allegedly broke into a military base and spray-painted two aircraft in protest against Israel’s campaign in Gaza. Since then, its supporters have held several demonstrations against the ban, including a rally in Parliament Square on Saturday, where nearly 900 people were detained. Defend Our Juries, a group behind Saturday’s protest, praised the mural, saying it “powerfully depicts the brutality unleashed” by the government ban. Banksy’s identity has fueled speculation since his first artwork appeared in 1999. He has become one of the world’s most famous artists, with his works selling for millions of dollars at auction and often targeted by thieves. Over the years, Bristol artist Robin Gunningham and Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja have been floated as possible identities, but none have been confirmed. View the full article

Peter Navarro has claimed that the members of the group have “long hated each other” White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro has claimed that the BRICS group is unlikely to last because the members have “long hated each other.” In an interview with US President Donald Trump’s former strategist, Steve Bannon, on Monday, Navarro said none of the BRICS members could survive without selling products to the US. ”India has been at war with China for decades… and I just remembered, it was China that gave Pakistan the nuclear bomb,” Navarro told Bannon. “They have ships flying around the Indian Ocean with Chinese flags. [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi, see how you kind of work that out.” He added that China is sending illegal immigrants to Russia and has claimed territory within Russia. “China claims they own Vladivostok, the Russian port, and they are already through massive illegal immigration into Siberia, basically colonizing Siberia, which is the biggest landmass of the Russian semi-empire.” ❗️India, Russia, China & Other BRICS 'Vampires' Can't Survive Without US Trade- Peter Navarro Goes Off In Yet Another Tariff Tirade 📹 Real America's Voice / Bannon War Room https://t.co/6eDlJSHH2Z pic.twitter.com/bGFCVtOfca — RT_India (@RT_India_news) September 8, 2025 China, however, does not claim any Russian territory, and the two countries signed the Complementary Agreement on the Eastern Section of the China-Russia Boundary in 2004 as a final resolution of their border dispute. ”I don’t see how [BRICS] stays together since historically they hate each other and kill each other,” the trade adviser added. Navarro claimed that BRICS countries are dependent on the US for trade. “The bottom line is none of these countries can survive if they don’t sell to the United States, and when they sell to the United States, their exports, they’re like vampires sucking our blood dry with their unfair trade practices.” X posts made by the trade adviser that are critical of India have been fact-checked and have received Community Notes, for which he has accused Indian “special interests” of “trying to interfere with domestic dialogues with lies about India buying Russian oil.” A day after he called Community Notes from India “crap,” Navarro added: “India has [the] largest population in the world and all it can do is manage [a] few hundred thousand X propagandists to jerk around a poll?” View the full article

“When you know yourself, you are empowered. When you accept yourself, you are invincible.” – Tina Lifford When I think about the times I’ve felt the most lost, it wasn’t because life was throwing something impossible at me but actually it was because I didn’t know where I ended and where the world began. Without a strong sense of self, you start dissolving into everything around you. You absorb people’s opinions like a sponge, you bend with every expectation, and suddenly you don’t know your own voice anymore. A strong sense of self is not some luxury. It’s an utmost need for survival. It’s the foundation that everything else — relationships, careers, love, even creativity—gets built on. And yet, so many of us are never really taught how to cultivate it but are actually discouraged to develop it. From the moment we’re children, people tell us who we should be, what we should want, and how we should behave. They place labels on us and call it “guidance.” In the process, we lose the most important skill: trusting ourselves. When you don’t have a clear sense of who you are, even love feels unstable. You either lose yourself in another person, becoming who they want you to be, or you constantly demand reassurance because you’re not sure you’re worthy without them. True intimacy can only exist when two whole people meet, not two halves desperately trying to complete each other. It also makes life feel paralyzing. Small decisions become heavy, because you don’t know what your values are. A strong self gives you clarity, not the kind that makes you “perfect,” but the kind that lets you stand behind your choices, even when you fail. They’re your choices, and that makes all the difference. And let’s be real: without a solid core, you’re more vulnerable to being manipulated. When you don’t know your worth, it’s easy for others to guilt-trip you, gaslight you, or make you feel like you should be grateful for crumbs. But when you know who you are, you stop settling for situations, jobs, and relationships that drain you. You stop confusing attention with love. A strong sense of self is also the key to creativity. How can you express yourself if you don’t know what your voice sounds like? When you’re disconnected from yourself, everything feels like mimicry. But when you anchor into who you are, your work carries depth. It becomes uniquely yours. Life doesn’t get easier just because you know yourself, but it does make you resilient. With a strong core, you bend, but you don’t break. You know when to say no and when to say yes. You recover faster from heartbreaks, failures, and rejections because your identity isn’t tied to one role or one outcome. You are bigger than the labels people give you. In relationships, this becomes even more powerful. When you and your partner both have a strong sense of self, you stop projecting onto each other. You stop expecting the other person to fix what only you can heal. Love becomes freer, less performative. It’s not about clinging, it’s about choosing each other, again and again, from a place of wholeness. And maybe the most important piece is that having a strong sense of self doesn’t mean being rigid. It’s not about locking yourself in one identity and refusing to grow. It’s the opposite. It gives you the freedom to evolve because your core is stable enough to handle change. You can step outside your comfort zone, take risks, fall, get up, and still know who you are. For me, this has been the biggest lesson: without knowing yourself, life feels like noise. But with it, life starts to feel intentional. You stop running after other people’s definitions of success and start building your own. You stop trying to prove yourself and start simply being yourself. A strong sense of self is not the end of the journey. It’s the anchor that lets you travel everywhere else without losing your way. — Anushka & Vishnu — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Taya Iv on Unsplash The post The Silent Killer of Confidence No One Talks About appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

A few weeks ago, I asked a couple how they met. They laughed, looked at each other, and said in unison: “Hinge.” Pause. I craved a quirky detail about spilled drinks, an awkward eye contact across a bar or being trapped in the same elevator. No. All I got was: We both swiped right. Once upon a time, couples shared stories that began in bookstores, subways, or with borrowed lighters. The randomness was the point. Now, it’s not who do you happen to bump into? It’s who fits your filters? The apps have won. But something beautiful has been lost. … Serendipity is dead. Long live the algorithm. Dating apps promised efficiency. They were supposed to make finding love easier. And they did. In the same way microwaves made cooking easier: quick, efficient, and utterly devoid of romance. But in solving the problem of access, apps erased the thrill of accident. I am talking about: The thrill of bumping into someone at a house party who happens to know your best friend’s cousin. The thrill of sitting next to a stranger on a plane and talking for six hours. The thrill of spilling coffee on someone and discovering you actually like each other. We traded “our eyes met across the room” for “we matched at 2am while both pretending not to be lonely.” Efficiency killed the accident. And with it, the thrill. … My almost love story. I once had what could’ve been a proper meet-cute. I was in a crowded café, hunting for a seat. The only open spot was at a table where a cute guy was working. That stranger with a smile made me risk asking if I could share his table. He moved his laptop, and we ended up talking for two hours swapping stories and sipping coffee that went cold while the conversation didn’t. We left with each other’s numbers. I walked home buzzing, convinced the Universe had just handed me a story. But a week later, we matched on Bumble. The app reframed it. It took a serendipitous moment and folded it into its grid, as if to say: this wasn’t fate, this was us. We never went anywhere. But I remember that café moment vividly. I don’t remember the chat on Bumble though. … Romance should be risky. Dating apps have given us abundance, but at the cost of storytelling. Why chase the spark from a random encounter when a thousand curated options are waiting in your pocket? Romance is no longer something you stumble into. You scroll through it. Meet-cutes require risk: you have to read the moment, lean into the awkwardness, maybe even face rejection in real time. Apps eliminate that. You don’t risk embarrassment when you swipe left. You don’t risk anything at all. And here is the paradox. The safety of abundance leaves us restless. We avoid the wild because it feels risky, but it’s exactly the risk that makes it thrilling. I miss that awkwardness. Instead, all we’ve got is the marketing strategy. … The meet-cute vacuum. When was the last time you heard someone tell a story that started with chance? “We were both at the wrong gate at Heathrow.” “She spilled wine on me at a friend’s birthday.” “We argued over who saw the cab first.” These stories have become endangered. Now? The most common “how we met” story is: “We matched on Hinge.” Efficient, yes. But it doesn’t exactly light up the table. And yet… I can’t shake the feeling that meet-cutes matter. That they’re not just relics of a pre-app world, but proof that life can still surprise us. I’ve had enough algorithmic “matches” to know they blur together. But the few serendipitous encounters I’ve had, bumping into someone at a bookstore, sitting next to someone at a wedding table, that café conversation, those stick. Because a meet-cute is more than romance. It’s about timing. And I adore the sense that the Universe is mischievous and maybe even rooting for you. Apps can deliver compatibility. But they can’t deliver magic. … Long live the accident. Yes, maybe the meet-cute is dying. We’ve probably sold romance to recommendation engines. Call me old-fashioned, but I still crane my neck on trains. I still strike up conversations in queues. I still secretly hope that dropping my books could spark a romance worthy of a Nora Ephron script. Because the great thing about algorithms is they optimize for probability. But the great thing about meet-cutes is they make no sense at all. Meet-cutes remind us that love is two lives colliding in exactly the wrong place at exactly the right time. And honestly? I’d rather trip into love than swipe into it. The end of the meet-cute might be here. But I don’t want to live in a world without it. Because love should feel like a story worth telling. … Let’s keep in touch! Join my Substack: MindsetMatters Your support means a great deal to me. If you would like to fuel my creativity with coffee, buy me a coffee and share your thoughts. — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Hoi An Photographer On Unsplash The post The Death of the Meet-Cute appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Most people begin their mornings in quiet defeat before they even leave their bed. The alarm goes off, and instead of rising, the battle begins. Not against the world outside but against the thoughts inside. The ones that whisper “you’re already behind,” or “you’ll never get it all done,” or worse, “why bother?” I know this battle. I lived it for years. Some mornings I still feel its pull. The heaviness, the race, the instant pressure. The mind that wants to spiral before the day has even started. And here’s the truth no one wants to admit, those first thoughts are not harmless. They set the tone. They’re seeds. They decide how the hours ahead unfold. Most people plant weeds before they even drink their first cup of coffee. That realization changed everything for me. I didn’t stumble into Meta Prayers as some lofty spiritual practice. I found them because I was tired of losing my mornings, tired of losing whole days to dread and pressure and fear. I was tired of walking around already defeated, already behind, already at war with myself. One morning, I sat at the kitchen table, coffee in hand, and instead of listing everything I had to do, I whispered: “Peace fills my mind, body, and spirit now.” It was awkward at first, like speaking into an empty room. My rational mind told me I was being ridiculous. But the words landed differently than the usual spiral. They felt steady. They felt true, even if just for a breath. And so, I whispered again the next day, and the day after that. Soon it became a habit. A rhythm. A way of re-training the first minutes of my day. Most of us are already praying. We just don’t call it prayer. When you wake up and say, “I’m so tired. Life is so hard. I’ll never catch up,” those are prayers too. They’re requests, sent out into the universe, repeated with conviction. Meta Prayers are the reverse of that. They are conscious, intentional whispers. Prayers that shape reality instead of reinforce defeat. They are short, simple, raw. Not lofty religious formulas. Not syrupy affirmations. Words you can actually believe when you’re standing there in your kitchen with messy hair, coffee cup in hand, staring down another long day. That’s what makes them powerful. I began weaving them into my coaching practice. Clients would show up overwhelmed, lost in fear, in grief, in uncertainty. They wanted big strategies, sweeping answers. But often what shifted them most was a single line they could cling to. A sentence whispered in the morning. A steadying breath at night. Like the man who was drowning in fear of failure until I handed him these words: “Every fear I face dissolves into strength.” Or the woman who carried years of shame in her body and finally began to feel free when she spoke: “I reclaim every part of myself that was lost or silenced.” I’ve watched people cry when they hear their own mouths repeat something they never thought they could believe. It isn’t magic, but it feels like it. The kind of magic that rewrites your nervous system, your energy, your direction. Because here’s the secret: words are not just words. They’re instructions to the body. They’re blueprints for the day ahead. They’re signals to the spirit. Say defeat, you live defeat. Say strength, you build strength. Say peace, you begin to feel peace. Even if only in slivers. And those slivers expand. I don’t care how strong you are, how disciplined, how spiritual. Every one of us faces the morning battle. And every one of us has the choice: to fall back into the weeds of unconscious words, or to plant something new. That choice is where the day begins. These whispers, these Meta Prayers, are what pulled me back when life should have broken me. When my son lay in a hospital bed after his accident, unconscious, machines keeping him alive, I whispered prayers not just for his healing, but for my own strength. For clarity when my fear wanted to crush me. For faith when my mind screamed despair. When I crawled out of a relationship that should have destroyed me, I whispered words that reminded me of my worth, of my power, of my freedom. And in the quiet, ordinary mornings too, when nothing dramatic is happening, they still hold me. They steady me so the weight of the world doesn’t decide my day before I even begin it. That’s why I wrote this book. Meta Prayers for Today’s Challenging Times is not a collection of pretty words. It’s a lifeline. It’s the sentences that pulled me through grief, trauma, fear, and rebuilding faith. It’s the same words I’ve handed to clients who swore nothing could change. It’s a companion for mornings when you’d rather not rise, nights when the silence feels too heavy, and all the moments in between. You don’t need long rituals. You don’t need to escape to a monastery. You just need words that work. Words that meet you in your humanity and remind you of your divinity. That’s what Meta Prayers are. They’re what I whisper to the universe each morning. And what whispers back is peace, strength, and a sense of being held, no matter what the day holds. The morning battle doesn’t stop. But now, I win it more often than I lose it. And that’s the difference between a life that crushes you and a life you rise to meet. This September (fingers crossed), this book will be in your hands. Until then, I’ll keep whispering. I hope you will too. Because every word is a seed. And what you plant each morning is what grows into your life. Ready to stop losing the morning battle? Join the waitlist now for my upcoming book, Meta Prayers for Today’s Challenging Times. These aren’t just words — they’re lifelines for the days when you need them most. DM me “Morning Battle” for the direct link or to be added. As always loving you from here, Rene Schooler — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: CRYSTALWEED cannabis On Unsplash The post The Lies You Hear Before Sunrise appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Emily Senkosky, Grist “This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.” Earlier this summer, the Banana Lake Fire erupted near Plains, Montana, engulfing over 850 acres in flames within a day. The “total suppression” response from firefighting officials included deploying at least 17 engines, two helicopters, and three bulldozers, as well as highly trained fire crews. But another newer piece of technology was also at play as firefighters worked to contain the blaze: drones. Banana Lake was one of several early-season fires in the state this year. As of this writing, there are over 20,000 acres burning across seven key wildfires in Montana, at varying levels of containment. And increasingly hot and dry conditions throughout the American West are making fire an ever more fickle foe. As a new era with the natural disaster commences, both fire practitioners and researchers across the West are bolstering their arsenal with cutting-edge tools. Drones now fly above firefighters, private satellite companies monitor fire and smoke from above, and AI machine-learning models are helping to advance fire research. While these new innovations are not panaceas, ground operations crews and scientists are optimistic about the ways modern technology can help fight fire smarter, not harder. Since 2018, drones — sometimes referred to as unmanned aerial systems, or UAS — have been flying under the radar as a new instrument for the United States Forest Service in the fight against wildfire. Thanks in large part to Dirk Giles, who launched and leads the agency’s UAS program, the number of drones deployed each year by the Forest Service has jumped from 734 flights in 2019 to over 17,000 in 2024. “The program has really hit a new stride in the past three years,” said Giles. “We are seeing UAS supplementing fire crews across all phases of response.” “This UAS program is now being recognized as prolific,” said Ry Phipps, a division supervisor in Region 1 of the Forest Service, which includes Montana. “There was a time we wouldn’t have even thought to try and order a drone for operations. They have become a fantastic tool that is changing the game.” According to Phipps, drones are increasingly seen as a force multiplier by Forest Service employees. Drones equipped with infrared sensors can help detect lingering hot spots, pinpointing areas at risk for reigniting. Previously, firefighters had to meticulously hand-check burn scars, which could take days at a time and a ton of manpower depending on the size of the area. With supervisors like Phipps reading a thermal map on a screen fed by drone data, firefighters with boots on the ground can be dispatched more safely and efficiently, only going to spots that have high heat signatures. “It saves a lot of time and risk for crews,” said Phipps. For helicopter pilots, who help control wildfires by dropping water or fire retardant to suppress flames and creating fire lines for ground crews to control blazes, drones can also assist. Preprogrammed flight trajectories in combination with infrared sensors allow UAS to fly through heavy smoke or at night. This mitigates the need for “low and slow” reconnaissance missions, which require pilots to fly close to the ground in tricky terrain and low visibility. According to Giles, these missions are some of the most dangerous for wildland fire pilots. As their name would suggest, unmanned aerial systems offer a way to do surveillance without putting pilots in danger — which means that UAS can unlock new abilities for fire crews in extreme conditions. “Basically, you can fly drones so that nobody gets hurt,” said Phipps. “You can replace a drone. You can’t replace a person.” Although Giles, Phipps, and others believe that drones show great promise — especially in shifting risk from firefighters to a machine the size of a small cooler — they’re far from being a silver bullet. The machines have limited battery life and can only complete flights of about 15 minutes on average, meaning that deployments must be carefully planned. And since drones are still being studied in various fire management applications, manpower is still needed to check the “ground truth” of information that UAS provide. Another limitation is simply availability. According to Phipps, there aren’t as many drones as there is demand for them. Ironically, there’s also an emerging risk from privately owned drones getting in the way of official operations. If hobby drones are in the airspace near a wildfire, it’s also a no-go for land management agencies to fly. During a wildfire in Montana in 2022, aerial crew operations came to a standstill as an unapproved drone buzzed right into an area with a temporary flight restriction. Officials were able to locate the drone’s owner in just about 15 minutes — but that’s precious time when a fire is raging. And just two weeks ago during a wildfire near Provo, Utah, fire operations were shut down by multiple drone incursions, impeding fire management on a high-profile fire near a densely populated community. While UAS are becoming more critical in fire operations, officials must also work on educating civilians to ensure unauthorized drones don’t prevent them from flying their own. Another area of fire management that drones have shown shown some promise in is lighting and managing controlled burns — intentional blazes set to clear dry brush and other fuels. Fire management’s history of suppression disrupted the natural fire cycles that Indigenous communities once stewarded — cycles that many ecologists now champion. As colonization spread across the West and settlers sought to control land and resources, racist assimilation programs criminalized all manner of Indigenous customs. Prescribed burning was one of them. But as the consequences of this more aggressive, reactive approach to fire management have become apparent, Western science has increasingly caught on to the effectiveness of routine controlled burning. One recent Stanford-led study revealed that prescribed burns can reduce the severity of subsequent wildfires by an average of 16 percent and net smoke pollution by 14 percent. Fire professionals have also recognized their potential, with applications growing year over year. Enter another new breed of drones: UAS that can be equipped to carry “dragon eggs,” pingpong ball-sized clusters of a flammable potassium concoction that ignite on impact. This innovation helped the Forest Service burn around 189,000 acres in 2024 to reduce built-up fuels. While the use of prescribed burns is on the rise, in Montana and elsewhere, concerns remain about public safety risks, both from air pollution and the possibility of blazes getting out of control. Technology is helping to address those kinds of questions, too. Researchers in Montana are looking to clear some of the lingering haze of safety concerns around prescribed burns through a National Science Foundation-funded project titled SMART FIRES. (The project’s title is an acronym for Sensors, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence in Real Time Fire Science.) The group, specializing in fields from atmospheric chemistry to public health, will use the grant to conduct five years of study and fieldwork aimed at unpacking the environmental and social dynamics needed to scale prescribed burns as a preventative measure for wildfire. The suite of custom gadgets that the project is utilizing includes some proprietary UAS. “Drones are just a tool,” said John Sheppard, who leads SMART FIRES’ AI computer science team. He added that his role in the project is a supportive one — to see how these technological tools can further the various research aims. Using smart sensors and high-resolution cameras fastened on drones and ground sites, the researchers are training AI models to analyze prescribed burns on the fly. The different smart sensors will efficiently process real-time data, and in combination with weather and historical fire information, they will look to model a burn’s movement on the landscape. Before conducting a prescribed burn, practitioners usually carefully examine environmental factors like wind, humidity, and temperature. These AI models will theoretically offer an enhanced version of that, also incorporating factors like ground fuels and topography to provide supervisors with the best possible data to burn accurately and safely. SMART FIRES also touts a “science lab on wheels” — a tricked-out Ford Transit van that looks right off a Ghostbusters movie set. The van collects smoke directly from active fires, which environmental chemists then analyze to determine things like the level of PM2.5 — particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns, a concern for public health — and other pollutants present in the smoke. The social science arm of the project will also engage community members, surveying rural and Indigenous communities in particular about their concerns and priorities related to prescribed burns and ensuring these considerations are put into risk assessments. The consortium ultimately hopes to provide interpretable, map-based forecasts to land managers to help them decide when, where, and how prescribed burns can be used for wildfire prevention. “The goal of the project is to refine the AI models so that they can give better recommendations to experts on the ground who know best,” said Sheppard. While drones and AI are opening up a new era for fire science and management, some of the most tenured experts on the ground have yet to gain access to these types of cutting-edge tools. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana, sometimes known by the acronym CSKT, have practiced prescribed burns as a tool for land stewardship since time immemorial. According to Ron Swaney, the fire management officer of the CSKT Division of Fire, the role of fire has long been guided by a deep cultural responsibility. “I think a lot of people underestimate the role of Indigenous burning on the landscape,” he said. “There was purpose and intent for that use of fire.” Justin Underwood, the CSKT prescribed fire and fuel specialist, has been in fire management for 19 years and was the first UAS pilot to be certified under the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Pacific Northwest region. For three years, he has been trying to get a drone for the tribes’ prescribed burn operations. But because he isn’t employed by the Department of the Interior, he has yet to cut through the red tape. The Office of Aviation Services, which lives within the U.S. Department of the Interior, is responsible for all aircraft services and facilities — including the certification card needed for flying a UAS. According to Swaney, the tribe has a helicopter, two single-engine air tankers, and an air attack platform for firefighting. But because drones are a newer implementation in fire management, nonfederal fire divisions may run up against a convoluted process to get clearance to use a UAS. “I wouldn’t be so frustrated if my qualifications didn’t mirror other pilots,” said Underwood. “I’ve done every training offered by the Department of the Interior, but I am still unsure what it will take to get officially carded for a UAS.” While the CSKT coordinates with public land agencies on prescribed burns, the tribal nation sets its own fire management plan — one part of a larger plan focused on climate change adaptation. The tribe’s approach to fire weaves together ancestral knowledge and contemporary science. But being unable to utilize the latest technological tools has hampered these efforts, Swaney said, underscoring just how important the role of technology is in present and future fire management. “It’s like living in the dark ages,” said Swaney. This article originally appeared in Grist at https://grist.org/wildfires/how-drones-and-ai-are-changing-the-way-we-fight-wildfires/. Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org — This Story Was Originally Published by Grist. *** – The world is changing fast. We help you keep up. We’ll send you 1 post, 3x per week. – Photo Credit: unsplash The post How Drones and AI Are Changing the Way We Fight Wildfires appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Kathmandu has been forced to reverse a restriction it had imposed on websites such as X, YouTube, and Facebook The Nepalese government has reversed its decision to ban social media sites, following violent protests that resulted in 19 deaths and over 400 injuries. The protests, led by people mostly in their late teens and early 20s, broke out on Monday after several major social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, were banned. These sites were among 26 that were blocked for failing to register under new regulations, which local media reports said censored free speech. Clashes intensified when demonstrators broke through barbed wire barriers and attempted to enter a restricted zone near parliament, prompting police to fire live rounds and tear gas, and deploy water cannons and batons, according to a Hindustan Times report. The authorities confirmed 17 deaths in Kathmandu alone, with around 400 people injured, including over 100 police officers. “I joined for a peaceful protest, but the government responded with violence,” AFP news agency quoted a 20-year-old as saying. ❗️Nepal Home Minister QUITS As Death Toll From Gen Z Social Media Ban Protest Rises To 19; 347 Injured https://t.co/HMgV8g440V pic.twitter.com/D2NdnJei5I — RT_India (@RT_India_news) September 8, 2025 “As a close friend and neighbor, we hope that all concerned will exercise restraint and address any issues through peaceful means and dialogue.” India’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The ministry added that it is closely monitoring the developments in Nepal and is “deeply saddened” by the “loss of many young lives.” After the protests, Nepal’s home minister resigned at a cabinet meeting on Monday evening. Protesters set fire to the private residence of the information and communication minister, according to local reports. Although the government has lifted the social media ban, demonstrations persisted on Tuesday in Kathmandu, where people rallied outside parliament calling for the government’s removal or dissolution. Some protesters told reporters that their primary concerns are unemployment and corruption. View the full article

By Lorenzo Santini, The Loop For over 50 years, the European Parliament and the US Congress have steadily practiced transatlantic parliamentary diplomacy. In a second Trump era, what space remains for gender equality? Lorenzo Santini argues that informal and symbolic diplomacy helps keep women’s rights visible on the agenda A shaky bedrock for gender equality Under Donald Trump’s second administration, the EU-US alliance faces an existential stress test amid trade disputes, weakened security guarantees and cultural antagonisms. In June 2025, lawmakers from the European Parliament (EP) and US Congress discussed these issues in Warsaw at the 90th Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue (TLD). Their joint statement reaffirmed the transatlantic relationship as a ‘bedrock of global peace, prosperity and democratic resilience’. Since 1999, the TLD has reunited EP Members (MEPs) and US lawmakers biannually to address shared policy interests. This embodies parliamentary diplomacy, reflecting parliaments’ growing role as international actors. Parliamentary diplomacy may offer regular dialogical platforms when executive relations are strained or in conflict situations. Indeed, the EP is an interparliamentary powerhouse: 48 Delegations cover nearly all countries, regions, and international organisations. While some MEPs champion gender mainstreaming as a pinnacle of European and transatlantic values, gender is increasingly contested within the European Parliament What role does the EP play in EU-US relations, and how does gender factor in? Beneath formal frameworks, informal, everyday practices determine how these structures work concretely: who gets to speak, who is excluded, and which issues reach the agenda. Masculinised norms endure in diplomacy, with gender equality eclipsed by ‘high politics’. Trump decisively backtracked on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programmes, recognising only ‘man’ and ‘woman’ as ‘biological truths‘. US diplomats refused to sign the 2025 UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) political declaration. While some MEPs champion gender mainstreaming as a pinnacle of European and transatlantic values, gender is increasingly contested within the EP. Rules without balance TLD meetings lack a formal codebook, instead relying on a patchwork of institutional rules. The EP appears more invested than Congress. In 2010, it inaugurated a Liaison Office in Washington DC to manage day-to-day relations with US lawmakers. Back in Brussels, MEPs convene monthly within the Delegation to the US (D-US), a structure the Congress lacks. With 64 members across political groups, its prominence makes it the most coveted ‘diplomatic’ assignment. Recently, the EP introduced a contested rule mandating gender balance in Delegation Bureaux and Committees. Brando Benifei (Italy), from the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), currently chairs the D-US. EP Vice-President Sophie Wilmès (Belgium, Renew) was appointed as first vice-chair, while Eva Maydell (Bulgaria) from the European People’s Party (EPP) serves as second vice-chair. Wilmès’ role in the High-Level Group on Gender Equality and Diversity could further support gender mainstreaming efforts. Since 2004, the Delegation’s leadership has been almost exclusively male. The only exception was Danuta Hübner (Poland, EPP), who briefly inherited the position late in the ninth term. Women’s presence in the EP rose from 31% in 2004 to 39% in 2024; however, the Delegation to the US remains consistently male-dominated Formal rules do not mandate gender balance in the broader composition of institutional bodies. While women’s presence in the EP rose from 31% in 2004 to 39% in 2024, D-US remains consistently male-dominated. However, balance was briefly achieved in the seventh term (2009–2014). The current legislature (2024–2029) registers the lowest female participation, with women making up just 32.8% of the Delegation. While the Parliament has adopted strong gender equality resolutions, these rarely translate into diplomatic practice. Share of MEPs in D-US, according to gender, 2004–2029 Who travels to the US? Beyond formal frameworks, Committees, political groups, and individual MEPs conduct outreach missions to the US. An internal 14-member Steering Committee coordinates the TLD. It reunites the Bureau of D-US and the Chairs of 11 Committees, including for Foreign Affairs (AFET) and International Trade (INTA). Though gender balanced, with seven women out of 14 members, its latest mission in April 2025 consisted almost exclusively of male MEPs. Similarly, in July 2025 AFET visited Washington featuring an all-male eight-member delegation, reflecting the gendered outlook of foreign affairs bodies. Political groups time their transnational missions strategically. The Patriots for Europe Group visited Washington to signal alignment with Trump’s ‘necessary fight against wokism‘. Conversely, the S&D organised a high-level delegation in June 2025. The programme included talks on equalities and LGBTQI+ rights, personally requested by S&D President Iratxe García Pérez, who previously chaired the EP Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM). Symbolic tools of resistance Symbolism is intrinsic to diplomacy, and parliaments often resemble international moral tribunes. Recent TLD statements neglect gender issues, mostly focusing on trade and security. The EP can, however, employ other tools to exert normative pressure, such as resolutions and debates. In October 2021, the EP condemned restrictions on abortion rights in Texas. The resolution was accompanied by an urgency debate on breaches of human rights, democracy, and rule of law. The EPP refused to participate: Michael Gahler (Germany) claimed that equating the US to ‘China, Russia, or Belarus’ as human rights abusers fuels ‘anti-Americanism’. Two more resolutions highlighted the global backlash against abortion following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overruling Roe v. Wade. The Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue has recently neglected gender issues; however, the EP can still exert normative pressure, such as its condemnation of restrictions on abortion rights in Texas The EP established gender focal points, MEPs who voluntarily mainstream gender in institutional bodies. Assita Kanko (Belgium) from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) holds this role in D-US. Kanko vocally criticised the ruling in a July 2022 plenary, comparing it to The Handmaid’s Tale, but avoided direct condemnation, instead instrumentalising Muslim women’s oppression. ECR tabled a countermotion challenging EU institutions for overstepping US sovereignty. In 2023, the FEMM Committee combined its annual UN CSW visit with a trip to Washington, the first to address abortion rights after Dobbs. Led by former FEMM Chair Robert Biedroń (Poland, S&D), MEPs met Nancy Pelosi, former House Speaker, and discussed the risks of backlash on women’s rights, citing parallels in Europe. Quiet, vital spaces Parliamentarians can act swiftly and flexibly, leveraging their electoral mandates to pursue normative agendas beyond formal diplomacy. But while the TLD offers a stable interparliamentary framework, gender equality remains underdeveloped. As formal rules prove insufficient, feminist actors are engaging in debates, missions, and symbolic acts to keep gender on the EU-US agenda. These are turbulent times: parliamentary diplomacy remains a quiet, vital space to defend, articulate and signal gender equality. — This article was originally published at The Loop and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: iStock.com The post How Gender Shapes EU-US Parliamentary Diplomacy appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Using a VPN? Better make sure it’s not on this list. VPNs are supposed to keep you safe. They encrypt your internet traffic and hide your location from hackers, ISPs and creepy ad trackers. But what if the app was secretly collecting browsing data, location, everything you type, anything you do, then selling it all to who knows who? You guessed it. Researchers just flagged at least 21 free VPN apps for being dangerously insecure and misleading. They look totally different on the surface, i.e., security-centric names, flashy logos and even glowing customer reviews. Spoiler: Some are linked to communist China. ⚠️ These aren’t obscure apps These VPNs racked up almost a billion downloads on the Apple App Store and Google Play. That’s huge. Here are the VPNs to delete right now: Turbo VPN, Turbo VPN Lite, VPN Monster, VPN Proxy Master, VPN Proxy Master – Lite, Snap VPN, Robot VPN, SuperNet VPN, VPNIFY, VPN Proxy OvpnSpider, WireVPN – Fast VPN & Proxy, Now VPN, Speedy Quark VPN, Best VPN Proxy AppVPN, HulaVPN, PearlVPN, Signal Secure VPN, VPN Guru, SmartVPN, iRocketVPN, and LinkVPN. 🚫 How to remove a shady VPN Simply deleting these apps isn’t enough. You need to do more. Note: I’ve checked the steps, but these may vary depending on your device’s make, model and operating system version. 📱 On iPhone and iPad: Tap and hold the app icon, then select Remove App > Delete App. Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management. If you see a VPN configuration tied to the app, tap it and hit Delete VPN. Restart your phone to clear any cached data. 📱 On Android: Before uninstalling, go to Settings > Apps > [VPN Name] > Storage > Clear cache and Clear data. Long-press the app icon, select Uninstall, or go to Settings > Apps > [VPN Name] > Uninstall. Go to Settings > Network & internet or Connections > [VPN Name], tap the gear next to the VPN, then select Forget VPN or Delete. Restart your phone for good measure. To be extra safe, check your phone’s Location or Background Activity permissions and remove anything the VPN had access to. 🔐 When it’s free, you’re the product If you want a VPN that protects you, I personally use ExpressVPN, a longtime sponsor of my national radio show. It’s fast, easy to use and has a strict no-logs policy. ExpressVPN doesn’t track what you do online. Period. It’s been independently audited (multiple times), runs its own secure servers and doesn’t cut corners or steal your data like those free, shady apps. If you travel, work remotely, shop online or just don’t want your internet provider watching everything you do, click or tap here to get 4 extra months free when you sign up. The post VPNs that spy on you appeared first on Komando.com. View the full article

— Experience and personality count, but you want to know who you’re inviting into the workplace. Whether it’s a small team or a larger company, introducing background checks will make a meaningful difference in terms of helping keep everyone feel safe and confident in your hiring decisions. This article will let you know why criminal history checks make the hiring process efficient. 1. Builds Trust Within the Whole Team When you check every candidate’s background, it shows that your business follows a fair process. Your staff can feel confident that the people they work with have been properly checked, not just based on how well they present during interviews. This becomes even more important when someone’s role involves handling sensitive tasks, like dealing with money, client information, or personal data. 2. Helps You Follow the Rules in Specific Industries There are some industries where you don’t have a choice; criminal background checks are required by law. Healthcare, finance, and schooling all have strict compliance standards in place. If your business operates in one of these spaces, doing criminal history checks is part of your legal responsibility. If you skip this step or don’t take it seriously, you could end up facing fines or legal issues. Clients, employees, and regulators all want to see that you’re doing the right thing. Keeping up with these requirements protects your business and shows that you take your responsibilities seriously. 3. Keeps Your People, Property, and Reputation Safe Doing a background check might seem like a small step, but it helps protect your company from risks. You’re not just guarding your equipment; you’re looking after the safety of your staff and reputation. If a new hire ends up being a risk to others, it can take a lot of time and effort to undo the damage. But by screening before someone joins the team, you show your clients that you take safety seriously. 4. Prevents Bigger Problems Later On Keep in mind that hiring the wrong person can cause a lot of problems later down the line. One bad hire can lead to wasted time, extra costs, internal conflict, or even legal issues. Conducting a national criminal history check takes a little time up front, but it can stop bigger problems before they start. When you have all the facts, you can make better decisions that save your team time and avoid unnecessary stress. 5. Supports Fair and Informed Hiring Some people worry that criminal checks are unfair, but when they’re done the right way, they help you stay fair. You’re not using someone’s past against them; you’re making sure they’re the right fit for your team, especially if the job involves trust or responsibility. With that information in hand, you can still focus on skills, personality, and potential while also making sure your team stays safe and supported. 6. Strengthens Your Hiring Process Overall Adding criminal history checks to your hiring system doesn’t slow you down; it helps you move forward with more confidence. You don’t have to second-guess your decisions or wonder if you’ve missed something important. You’ll know that your team-building process is solid and aligned with your values. Screening also shows others, whether that’s clients or partners, that your business takes hiring seriously. Safety Starts With Smarter Criminal History Checks A criminal history check feels like a simple step, but it gives you peace of mind, helps you follow the rules, and builds trust inside and outside your business. When you’re hiring, it’s not just about filling a role; it’s about creating a safe workplace. If you want to build a team that people can count on, screening is the best way to protect what you’ve built and make your workplace better for everyone involved. — This content is brought to you by Rana Adnan iStockPhoto The post Why Criminal History Checks Are Essential for Safer Hiring appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

If women loved their men the way they love their children, half the homes breaking apart today might still be standing. Let that settle for a second. Because a mother’s love? It’s a force. It forgives. It tries again. It waits. It understands silence. It knows tantrums don’t always mean hate, and withdrawal doesn’t always mean the absence of love. A mother doesn’t give up. She doesn’t pack her bags after a few tough nights. She doesn’t label her child “emotionally unavailable” and walk away. She stays. She figures it out. She keeps choosing love — even on the days it hurts. Now imagine if that kind of love showed up in our relationships. I’ve seen women carry the emotional weight of their entire families. I’ve seen them sacrifice, bend, stretch themselves thin, and still find a way to tuck their child into bed with a kiss. But I’ve also seen the way some of those same women treat their partners: with less patience, less grace, and far less effort. And I’m not saying this to blame. This isn’t some anti-woman rant. I love women — real love. Respectful love. I see their struggle, their strength, their pain. But this one truth keeps following me around: We ration love. And we ration it most with the people we once said we couldn’t live without. A child can fail and still be loved. A man fails once, and he’s “not good enough.” A child can scream, cry, or fall apart. A man does the same, and he’s “too much,” “too broken,” “too soft.” We’ve made motherhood a space for unconditional love and made relationships a place for constant evaluation. You can’t build forever when love has to pass a test every week. And yes, men do it too. Some men don’t love their wives the way they love their daughters. They speak gently to the little girl who holds their hand, but harshly to the woman who held them down through all their storms. That’s a wound too. So maybe we both have work to do. But today, I’m talking to the women. To the givers. To the ones who’ve been taught to nurture endlessly — but only in certain places. What if you gave your man the same kind of grace you give your child? What if you saw his silence as confusion, not rejection? What if you held space for his healing the same way you do for your child’s growth? I’m not saying stay in something that’s tearing you down. I’m saying stop confusing discomfort with destruction. Stop leaving when things aren’t instant. Stop forgetting that love takes learning — and unlearning. Love can’t survive when it’s being rationed. It needs to feel like home, not like a courtroom where every mistake is a new trial. The truth is: relationships don’t always die because love disappears. Sometimes, they die because we stopped choosing to love the way we once promised we would. Give him the love you want from him. Not a smaller version. Not a performance. Not a test. And if he’s not the one, that’s okay. But don’t let the next man meet a woman who forgot how to love deeply, just because the last one couldn’t hold it. We say love is unconditional. Let’s start proving it. Not just with your kids. But with the man you once swore you’d never stop choosing. “This isn’t about blaming women. It’s about unlearning the patterns that make love feel more like survival than sanctuary. It’s about giving your partner the same grace you give your child — the patience, the softness, the belief that broken doesn’t mean beyond repair. Because real love — the kind that lasts — doesn’t ration itself”. Life taught me to speak truth through words. Motivation | Mindset | Real-life new posts weekly, let’s grow together. — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash The post If Women Loved Their Men Like They Loved Their Kids, Forever Would Still Exist appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Alykhan Abdulla Every time a medical organization (provincial or national) changes leaders, we tell ourselves that this time will be different. This time they’ll get it. They’ll navigate politics without being consumed by them, inspire their colleagues and move the needle on our most urgent problems. And yet, the same patterns keep repeating. We’ve had leaders who treated the role like a farewell tour – delivering ceremonial speeches while urgent policy files gathered dust. We’ve had leaders so steeped in academic prestige that they mistook governance for scholarship, spending hours refining position papers while ignoring the messy business of building coalitions or fixing key core business competencies. One leader from a renowned academic institution – brilliant clinician, decorated researcher – could not run a focused meeting. Agendas sprawled, decisions drifted and strategic priorities stalled. Their organization’s prestige opened doors, but inside those rooms, nothing happened. Another leader with an arm’s length of honorary degrees filled the calendar with events and photo ops. The press releases were flawless; the outcomes flaw filled. These aren’t failures of character. They’re failures of preparation – predictable when we choose leaders for where they trained, what province they’re from or which specialty they represent rather than the competencies that the job actually demands. Instead, think of the physician who recently took on a national role after years serving on many non-profit boards, armed with true governance credentials like an ICD.D or C.Dir designation. Education and experience together. They could run a board meeting efficiently, cut through the noise and hold the organization accountable to results. Within two years, they launched a three-year strategy, secured millions in funding for innovation and published a public dashboard so members could track progress themselves. Or the community-based physician – not an academic star, but a seasoned board chair from the co-op sector – who, when crisis struck, calmly activated a plan, kept the board locked on decisions and communicated with such clarity that trust in the organization grew during the storm. Neither fit the traditional “prestige” profile. Both delivered. What we have is a competency problem, not a representational problem. The CMAJ and Canadian Family Physician remind us that system-level change requires leaders who grasp the complexity of policy, funding, workforce and care delivery. Harvard Business Review tells us the most valuable competencies are universal — strategic clarity, communication, adaptability, trust-building. When those skills are absent, we all pay the price. We’ve watched national bodies freeze in crisis because leaders couldn’t decide – or couldn’t explain a decision in a way members would follow. We’ve watched bold reforms collapse because no one could build a coalition big enough to pass them. If we want our national medical organizations to shape health care – not just react to it – we need leaders who can: Think in systems: understand the ripple effects of every policy change. Prioritize without apology: protect a few strategic goals from political drift. Communicate with influence: turn evidence into stories that move people. Build safe cultures: treat dissent as a strength, not a threat. Adapt under pressure: make decisions in uncertainty and still carry the room. A weak communicator can sink a year of advocacy in one interview. A conflict-averse leader can let destructive compromises slide into policy. A leader without governance skills can get lost in ceremony while the system burns. We’ve seen it. We’ve lived it. We can’t keep doing it. Next time we choose a leader for a high-profile medical organization, we must start with one question: What will it actually take to lead this organization where it needs to go? And we must answer with competencies, not categories – including proven governance experience, and yes, ICD.D-level or C.Dir training when possible. Governance is not ceremony. Advocacy is not just a statement. Leadership is not just holding the title – it’s delivering the change physician members expect. And the public expects. Canada’s health-care system is at a crossroads. We can’t afford another cycle of polite disappointment. It’s time to choose leaders who can see the whole system, act decisively and bring us together in service of something bigger than ourselves. A competency framework for national medical leadership Strategic Systems Leadership Purpose: Drive long-term change in a complex, multi-jurisdictional health environment. Key Behaviours: Maps system interdependencies (policy, funding, workforce, patient flow) before acting. Identifies three-five strategic priorities and protects them from drift. Anticipates unintended consequences of decisions. Past accomplishments: Led multi-stakeholder initiatives to measurable outcomes. Demonstrated ability to simplify complexity for decision-makers. People & Culture Leadership Purpose: Build trust, foster psychological safety and unify diverse voices Key Behaviours: Communicates with clarity across governments, clinicians and the public. Invites and values dissent; resolves conflict constructively. Mentors emerging leaders, builds bench strength. It is not about them. Past accomplishments: Track record of retaining high-performing teams. Examples of collaborative wins across jurisdictions or disciplines. Evidence & Improvement Leadership Purpose: Ensure decisions are grounded in data and drive measurable improvement. Key Behaviours: Comfortable and responsive with performance metrics, equity indicators and financial data. Even if data is not supportive of decisions. Turns measurement into improvement – not punishment. Champions evidence-based policy and program design. Past accomplishments: Created or used dashboards, scorecards or evaluations to improve outcomes. Sunsetted legacy programs when evidence warranted. Public Impact Leadership Purpose: Represent the profession and patients with credibility and influence. Key Behaviours: Negotiates effectively with stakeholders while preserving relationships. Articulates the “why” in a way that inspires action. Upholds ethical standards and public accountability. Past accomplishments: Policy wins or funding secured through negotiation. Public trust maintained or increased during controversy. Preferred Qualifications Proven board governance experiences in a complex organization. ICD.D designation (or equivalent) credential. Demonstrated results in environments requiring cross-sector collaboration. Selection Red Flags (Indicators the candidate may lack readiness) Emphasis on ceremonial roles or academic prestige without governance outcomes. Inability to describe past failures and learning from them. No evidence of leading through uncertainty or crisis. Bottom line: Choose leaders for what they can do, not where they come from (especially academic, research or geographic). The right competencies will carry the profession – and the health system – forward. — Previously Published on healthydebate.ca with Creative Commons License *** – The world is changing fast. We help you keep up. We’ll send you 1 post, 3x per week. Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: unsplash The post We Can No Longer Afford the Wrong Leadership for Our Medical Organizations appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— For those who travel Indiana’s winding roads with a focus on frugality and environmental stewardship, hybrid vehicles represent a rare alchemy that combines thrift and vigor. In the used-car realm, hybrids look like an unassailable bargain – vehicles that whisper about eco-friendliness while roaring with reliability. From urban commutes in Indianapolis to long drives through rural backroads, these vehicles are becoming a favorite among savvy car buyers. At many trusted Indiana auto shops, you’ll find a growing selection of top-rated hybrid models that combine reliability, economy, and surprising comfort. Why Drivers Are Turning to Hybrid Cars Indiana’s tapestry of urban grids and sprawling byways makes it a near-perfect backdrop for the hybrid experience. Here, fuel thriftiness isn’t a fleeting fad—it’s an everyday need for households and daily travelers seeking economy without compromise. Hybrids slash fuel expenses with finesse, trim your ecological impact, and glide with a quiet elegance, often wrapped in cutting-edge tech and intuitive design. As the pre-owned market blossoms with diverse hybrid offerings, accessibility is no longer a barrier. From the tree-lined avenues of Bloomington to the collegiate pulse of South Bend, and the bustling arteries of Indianapolis itself, somewhere nearby, a steadfast hybrid machine likely awaits its next voyage. Top-Rated Used Hybrids Right Now Toyota Prius Renowned for sipping fuel with restraint, engineered with enduring parts, and offering a cabin that breathes with roominess, the Prius continues to cement its legacy. Even iterations from half a decade past still deliver standout mileage and retain their worth with unwavering tenacity on the resale market. Estimated MPG: 50+ Best for: Daily commuting, small families. Honda Accord Hybrid The Honda Accord Hybrid combines excellent fuel economy with the comfort you expect from a classic midsize sedan. Known for its reliability and ease of operation, it’s a smart choice for drivers who want both power and practicality in one stylish vehicle. Estimated MPG: 47 Best for: Business professionals, long-distance drivers. Ford Fusion Hybrid American-made and always dependable, the Ford Fusion Hybrid has become a go-to hybrid vehicle for many buyers. It boasts a quiet ride, smooth handling, and impressive fuel savings. Estimated MPG: 43 Best for: Everyday errands, budget-conscious drivers. Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid The Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid offers one of the highest fuel economy ratings in its class and comes loaded with modern safety features. Sleek styling and an upscale interior make it appealing to younger buyers looking for value with flair. Estimated MPG: 55+ Best for: First-time buyers, tech lovers. Toyota Camry Hybrid If you want hybrid performance without sacrificing sportiness, this model is your answer. With sharp handling and a comfortable ride, this vehicle makes hybrid ownership feel exciting. Estimated MPG: 46 Best for: Families, highway commuters. Why Certified Pre-Owned Matters Whether you’re upgrading your daily commuter or adding a second car to your family fleet, choosing a hybrid vehicle helps you save money long-term without sacrificing performance. When looking for them, it’s wise to look for Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) options. These models go through extensive inspections and often come with extended warranties, giving you peace of mind and better long-term value. Most auto dealers offer CPO programs with flexible financing, making it easier than ever to get behind the wheel of a reliable hybrid. Always check the vehicle’s battery health, mileage, and service history to ensure you’re making a sound investment. Underrated Hybrid Vehicles Worth a Look While brands like Toyota and Honda dominate, several lesser-known hybrids punch above their weight: Kia Niro Hybrid– A compact SUV with surprising room and excellent MPG. Chevrolet Volt (Plug-In Hybrid)– Offers electric driving range with gas backup. Lexus CT 200h– A luxury compact hatchback for buyers wanting upscale features. These models are often more affordable on the used market and still provide long-term value with proper maintenance. Hybrid Maintenance The most common concern about buying a used hybrid is the battery. Fortunately, modern hybrid batteries are designed to last 8–10 years or more, and many come with transferable warranties. Regular servicing—like oil changes, brake checks, and battery diagnostics—will keep your car in peak condition. Mechanics across Indiana are increasingly hybrid-savvy, especially in metro areas like Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Always confirm that the dealership or mechanic has experience with hybrid systems. Where to Shop for Used Hybrids in Indiana When searching for the best deals, start with trusted Indiana auto dealers. These dealerships typically have broader selections, transparent pricing, and certified programs that help you avoid the risks of private sellers. Also, don’t hesitate to expand your search beyond city limits. Indiana’s used car market has plenty to offer, and hybrids are one of the smartest picks around. With gas prices going up and more people thinking about the environment, hybrids aren’t just a thing of the future—they’re a smart choice today. — This content is brought to you by Hassan Javed Photo provided by the author. The post Top Used Hybrid Cars to Buy in Indiana Today appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Mark Swartz, The 74 This story first appeared at The 74, a nonprofit news site covering education. Sign up for free newsletters from The 74 to get more like this in your inbox. When Dayonera Rivera drops off her 4-year-old daughter Keilanys at the Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield (HCS) Head Start center each morning, she doesn’t have to worry about traffic or rush back across town to make her classes. Instead, she walks a few hundred yards across the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) campus, knowing that if she needs to check on her daughter, pick up materials from the library or meet with a professor during office hours, everything is within reach. “I was ecstatic when I found out that they were literally right on campus,” said Rivera, a medical assistant working toward her nursing degree. It provided convenience, she said. “It just made it easier. … It made me come to school.” Nearly one in five undergraduate college students in the U.S. are raising children while enrolled, and about half of these student parents attend community and technical colleges, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. A lack of access to affordable child care, college costs, and challenges related to balancing work, school and raising a family, contribute to the fact that students with children are nearly twice as likely to leave college before graduating than students who aren’t parents. The Head Start center at STCC addresses this need. The center educates 25 babies and toddlers while their parents attend school, and while it’s open to all families in the community, leaders expect that it will primarily serve children of STCC students over time as more of them learn about it. The program is part of Kids on Campus, a five-year project launched in 2024 by the Association of Community College Trustees and the National Head Start Association. By increasing the number of Head Start child care programs on community college campuses, the project intends to remove child care barriers that too often derail student parents from achieving their educational goals. The project represents a strategic convergence of two urgent needs: expanding access to quality early childhood education for low-income families and supporting student parents whose educational aspirations are often constrained by child care challenges. The approach helps colleges gain capacity to support child care, which is a basic need for many students — and that boosts enrollment, persistence and completion. It offers families access to affordable high-quality, early learning opportunities for their children, and it gives future teachers at the colleges opportunities to get authentic classroom experience. Kids on Campus aims to establish at least 50 Head Start programs on community college campuses by 2030. The initiative’s first annual report shows concrete progress: Three programs are fully launched, with two more opening this fall. Furthermore, 87 community colleges and 98 Head Start programs have engaged with Kids on Campus, leading to 18 potential matches between interested partners. The initiative has also launched Kids on Campus —Texas as its first state-focused effort. While the impact report acknowledges that “big initiatives take time to grow and blossom,” results from the first year suggest the model is gaining traction. Perhaps nowhere is the promise more evident than in Springfield, Massachusetts, where HCS Head Start and STCC are providing student parents with exactly the kind of integrated support system the national initiative envisions. Making It Work in Western Massachusetts Like many Head Start programs, HCS Head Start faced acute staffing shortages in the post-COVID landscape. Nicole Blais, CEO of HCS Head Start, which operates 11 sites across the greater Springfield area and serves about 650 children from birth to age 5, was searching for solutions when she connected with STCC president John Cook. The partnership that emerged goes far beyond colocation. Students in STCC’s early childhood education program can complete observations and student teaching requirements on-site. Students in the college’s health services program practice screenings and clinical skills with Head Start children. The model creates what Blais calls a comprehensive approach to “rebuilding the early child care workforce” while providing essential services to families and the broader campus community. For HCS Head Start teacher Heidi Fogg, the campus location transforms what student parents can realistically accomplish. She sees how the opportunity plays out in daily schedules: “Some of our moms who are students at STCC aren’t full-time students,” she said, explaining that some take evening classes because they’re raising a family and working. But for those who take classes during the day, she said, “they are able to bring the kids to our center, and then they can go, whether it’s to the library, to make copies, to speak with their professor or for office hours.” “They just have that luxury of not having to drive across town, bring the child to day care to come back,” Fogg added. The convenience of on-site child care can help student parents persist and improve graduation rates. The benefits of these programs also extend to the babies and toddlers who attend them. At home, Rivera watches her daughter enthusiastically share what she’s learning. “She likes to be the teacher. She likes to teach everybody at home what she learns,” Rivera said. “She says, ‘Okay dad, we’re going to learn about the spine of the book.’ So she literally pulled out one of her favorite books and started telling [her] dad, ‘This is the front, this is the spine. Repeat after me.’” While it’s too early for comprehensive outcome data, the Springfield experience suggests the Kids on Campus model addresses several persistent challenges in higher education and early childhood development. By colocating services, the partnership reduces barriers for student parents while creating practical learning opportunities for future educators and health professionals. For Rivera, the impact is clear: quality child care on campus means she can focus on her nursing program goals rather than logistics. “I don’t have to call the school if I have questions [and] wait for somebody to call me back. I can do it all in one go.” As the Kids on Campus initiative works toward its goal of opening 50 campus-based Head Start programs, the Springfield model offers a template for how strategic partnerships can transform isolated challenges into integrated solutions. The promise lies not just in convenience, but in creating the conditions where student parents can succeed academically while their children receive quality early education. — This story was produced by The 74, a non-profit, independent news organization focused on education in America. *** Subscribe to The Good Men Project Newsletter Email Address * Subscribe If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here. Photo credit: iStock The post Bringing Head Start to College appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Shelbie Witte, University of North Dakota Each afternoon, a familiar conversation unfolds in many households. “How was school today?” “Fine.” “What did you learn?” “Nothing.” In the classroom, teachers also struggle with stonewalling students. They’ll pose a question, only to be met with blank stares. They might incorporate “wait time” to give students a moment to gather their thoughts. But even then, their students offer brief or vague responses. Students, meanwhile, often get nervous about asking for clarification or diving deeper into a topic in front of their peers. This can have consequences. Children who hesitate to ask or answer questions risk becoming adults with the same habits. Adults who avoid asking questions or avoid admitting what they don’t know can become willfully ignorant: They skirt the consequences of their lack of knowledge and the impact it can have on themselves and others. With the start of school just around the corner, it’s an important time to create opportunities for children to stretch their conversational and curiosity muscles. I’m an educator, researcher and parent who studies adolescent education and teacher preparation. Here are five strategies parents and caregivers can use with children to make them better conversationalists and cultivate curiosity. The suggestions might appear straightforward. But they outline an easy way to avoid being iced out with “yes” or “no” answers. 1. Be creative with your questions Part of the issue arises from asking questions that can be batted away with a one-word response. Children want to know whether the adults in their lives are genuinely interested in their day. Asking the same, rote questions each day says otherwise. Try shaking things up and ask more specific, open-ended questions instead: “What was the most interesting thing you did today?” “If you could turn back time and change how you handled something at school today, what would it be?” “If you were in charge of your class tomorrow, what would you teach?” 2. Engage with their curiosity As important as it is for adults to ask questions that convey genuine interest, it’s just as valuable to engage with questions kids ask. Young children ask “why” so often that adults can find themselves falling back on a classic retort: “Because I said so!” When a “why” gets shut down, a child’s curiosity and wonder are also snuffed out. Instead, try acknowledging and engaging with this curiosity: “Good question. Here’s my thinking …” or “Let’s talk about why this is important …” At the same time, you can also model other ways to ask questions: “I’ve wondered that too. Do you think it’s because …?” 3. Think out loud When adults verbalize their thinking out loud, they’re showing children how their brains work and how problems get solved. “Do you ever wonder why cats purr?” “Do you think I can mix the dry and wet ingredients for the cake at the same time?” “I noticed the flags were at half-staff today in front of your school. Could you ask someone to find out why?” Doing so encourages children to listen to their inner voice – and to trust the questions that emerge, no matter how silly they might seem. 4. Be a seeker Admitting you don’t know the answer to something can be uncomfortable, especially because children often expect their parents to know everything. But simply responding “I don’t know” to a question isn’t enough. It’s important to show children how to find answers, whether it’s through assembly manuals, recipes or a nutrition label. If you come across a confusing passage in a book, you can show kids how to use the tools contained within the book: a glossary, table of contents or index. Then there are the questions that don’t have a single, simple answer. You can explain how more than one internet search might be necessary and it’s probably not a great idea to simply accept the first answer that pops up. By showing children that it’s OK to not know all the answers, you give them the confidence to ask more questions. 5. What I heard you say was … Children can have a hard time articulating what they’re curious or confused about. For this reason, active listening is a critical behavior to model. If you’re confused about what you’re hearing, rather than saying something like, “I don’t get what you’re saying,” you could repeat what you heard, and then ask, “Is that what you’re saying?” If they give a meandering answer to your question – even if they go off topic – you can highlight what stood out to you to show that you were really listening: “What I really appreciated about your answer to my question was …” Avoid the temptation to multitask when children approach you with questions. If you put your phone away, make eye contact and ask follow-up questions, kids will be more willing to keep asking questions in the future. Children are born with a natural wonder and enthusiasm for learning. As Carl Sagan said, “The complex and subtle problems we face can only have complex and subtle solutions and we need people able to think complex and subtle thoughts. I believe a great many children have that capability if only they are encouraged.” Prodding children to tap into their own curiosity while respecting their needs, limitations and fears can have a powerful impact on their ability to ask and answer questions about the world, big and small – or, at the very least, give them the confidence to try. Shelbie Witte, Dean, College of Education and Human Development, University of North Dakota This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. — Previously Published on theconversation.com with Creative Commons License *** Does dating ever feel challenging, awkward or frustrating? Turn Your Dating Life into a WOW! with our new classes and live coaching. Click here for more info or to buy with special launch pricing! *** On Substack? Follow us there for more great dating and relationships content. Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: iStock The post Getting Beyond Answers Like ‘Fine’ and ‘Nothing’: 5 Simple Ways to Spark Real Talk With Kids appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— Your business front is your online site. It should attract users and generate results. But what if it’s not doing either? That could mean it’s time to hire a new web designer Dubai. Many businesses lose customers because their sites look outdated or load slowly. Others fail to reflect the brand or convert visitors. Knowing when to move on from your current designer is essential. A professional site boosts credibility, visibility, and user trust. This article shares clear signs that it’s time to hire someone new. Each sign covers an area where your current designer may be falling short. If even one applies to you, it’s time to consider an upgrade for your website. Your Site Lacks a Bold and Modern Appearance Design trends evolve fast. Your website should never look stuck in the past. If users visit your site and it looks old, they leave quickly. A modern layout grabs attention. It also builds trust. Many outdated sites use heavy graphics and bad fonts. A modern website focuses on clean lines and minimal design. White space matters. When your site looks cluttered or boring, you must find new eyes on it. A qualified web designer knows the latest trends and knows how to use them. They don’t just make your site look nice. They make it effective. Your design should reflect your brand identity. It should feel current and aligned with user expectations. That means strong visuals, balanced spacing, and straightforward navigation. If your website feels flat or tired, you’re losing customers. A modern site can lift your brand and boost engagement. Appearance is the first thing users notice. It Fails to Deliver a Mobile Friendly and Responsive Design The user browses using phones, tablets, and computers. Your site should be responsive to every device. When your site does not work on smaller screens, it is high time to make a switch. A responsive design ensures that a user gets a smooth experience on any device. People won’t zoom in or scroll sideways. They’ll leave. You can’t afford that. Google also ranks mobile-friendly sites higher. That means better visibility and more traffic. If your designer can’t deliver responsive layouts, they’re falling behind. A good designer tests across all devices. They make sure fonts scale correctly and buttons are easy to tap. Responsive features help improve loading times and reduce bounce rates. This creates a better overall experience. It also enhances conversion. Mobile-first design is no longer optional. It’s essential. Test your site on your phone. If anything looks off, your designer missed the mark. A new approach can fix that. Mobile usability drives real business results. Poor Navigation Hurts the User Experience Design A great website guides users. If visitors get lost or confused, they leave quickly. Bad navigation leads to low sales and high bounce rates. A website should feel natural to explore. That’s part of strong user experience design. You want users to find what they need quickly. That includes product pages, contact info, and service details. If users click too many times without seeing results, the site fails. Navigation should never feel like a puzzle. A new designer can rebuild your structure. They can improve your menus and internal links. They also reduce clutter and focus on user flow. This helps improve session time and engagement. Your users want speed and simplicity. They don’t want to search hard. A website with a bad structure turns away loyal visitors. Choose a designer who values user behaviour and clear direction. That’s how you build customer trust and better performance. You Keep Paying Extra for Minor Web Development Services Does your designer charge for every minor update? Do they avoid regular updates? That’s a red flag. A skilled designer includes basic web development services in their packages. You shouldn’t be overpaying for minor tasks. If your content updates, images, or links take days to fix, it’s time for a change. Good designers understand urgency. They fix errors fast and without drama. Waiting long for updates hurts your brand image and Google rankings. Some designers avoid backend work. Others overcharge for simple changes. That’s not right. You need a partner who maintains your site correctly. A skilled developer handles speed, functionality, and updates. They offer long-term solutions. If your designer doesn’t provide that, look elsewhere. Maintenance is part of good service. Your website should always perform at its best. Choose someone who delivers value, not someone who inflates cost without adding real results. Your Site Fails to Convert Visitors into Customers You may get traffic, but no sales. That’s a huge problem. A pretty website is not enough. It must convert. If you see low conversions, you need a new UX/UI design strategy. Your website should guide users to take action. That means strong call-to-actions, fast load times, and trust signals. If visitors bounce after landing, your design is not working. Poor layout, weak copy, and confusing forms cause drop-offs. An intelligent designer knows how to fix this. They focus on human behaviour. They study what makes users act. They test, improve, and optimize. They know how to make pages productive. If your designer only focuses on visuals, you’re missing out. A high-converting site creates real value. It turns visitors into leads and customers. It boosts your revenue and brand authority. You need a designer who builds high-performing websites that support your goals. You Receive Generic Designs Without Any Customized Features A website should reflect your unique brand. If your designer uses the same template for every client, that’s a concern. A strong online presence needs customized features tailored to your goals. Generic designs don’t connect with your audience or support your business model. Your website should include custom visuals, layouts, and functionalities. These help you stand out from competitors. A great designer studies your brand, industry, and audience. Templates are helpful, but they shouldn’t define your identity. Your business needs features that serve your customers directly. These include booking tools, custom forms, and smart integrations. A good designer delivers this with ease and confidence. You Never Work with Certified or Registered Design Specialists Credentials matter. If your designer has no proven track record, you may not get the best results. A registered, licensed, or certified designer follows industry standards. They provide quality service and professional assistance. Collaboration with experts will guarantee quality, safety, and sustainability. Such designers are also experienced. They also understand legal and data regulations. A trusted designer provides clear contracts and transparent pricing. They also give detailed timelines and support terms. You feel confident in their skills and process. That leads to better communication and project results. Conclusion Your website should drive growth, trust, and conversions. If it’s not, you must act fast. A great web designer Dubai can transform your site into a productive asset. Look for someone who offers more than looks. You need responsive layouts, clean navigation, and strong UX strategies. — This content is brought to you by Hussain Ali Photo provided by the author. The post Signs You Need a New Web Designer Dubai Today appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Depression is not always audible. It doesn’t always come with sobs or spectacular outbursts. It comes with the weight of being unable to get out of bed, quietness, and blank looks at the ceiling. However, there are tiny gaps in those quiet ways to convince oneself that there is still hope. 1. Start with the smallest victory possible. Depression makes you think that nothing matters, yet you may show it untrue with only one easy deed. Get into bed. Get yourself a drink of water. In a notebook, write one phrase. They are anchors, not little objects. Each minor triumph tells your brain, “I am still moving.” 2. Re-establish Contact with the External World Isolation is depression’s best friend. It resides on your room’s silent walls. It lives on your room’s quiet walls. Shatter that habit, even if you just step out for five minutes. Breathe the wind, hear the sounds of people, and see the sky above you. The world does not end as long as you hurt; it only waits for you. 3. Modify the Things You Feed Your Mind Swiping through your phone over and over may make the pain disappear, but it won’t. Trade that habit out for information that makes you better, like immersive podcasts, encouraging music, or even a book that challenges you. What you consume quietly affects how you feel. 4. Have Someone Else Carry the Load for a Bit This is not a battle you need to engage in alone. A deceiver who says you’re a burden is sad. You are not causing problems. 5 . Everything is temporary When you are depressed, incorporate it into your mind. Morning light ultimately emerges from even the darkest nights. Hook The goal of depression is to make you forget who you are. But every little choice you make, every walk you take, every phone contact you make, and every deep breath you take builds a bridge that leads to yourself. It’s not necessary to jump across it right away. All you have to do is take one step, followed by another. There is yet hope; it is only waiting for you to try. — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Gadiel Lazcano on Unsplash The post 5 Ways to Get Out of Depression Without Giving Up appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide financial advice. Belize is a jurisdiction that facilitates offshore company formation, opening of bank accounts, formation of shelf companies, and the creation of holding companies. When considering Belize, numerous benefits become evident. This jurisdiction offers several tax advantages and provides asset protection for your business. However, if you are planning to establish a holding company in Belize, it is essential to understand its meaning and its key features. What is a Holding Company? A holding company is a business entity that exists to own and control other companies called subsidiaries. Rather than producing goods or services itself, it manages investments and oversees the subsidiaries’ strategic direction. What are the Benefits of Opening a Holding Company in Belize? Opening a Belize holding company offers you the following advantages: a) Asset Protection Valuable assets are maintained by the parent company, thus safeguarding them from the risks associated with subsidiary operations. Moreover, holding companies protect your assets against potential lawsuits or creditors. b) Tax Efficiency Holding companies can utilize tax strategies that reduce the overall tax burden. Meanwhile, they are generally exempt from Belizean taxes on income derived from offshore sources, such as dividends, interest, and capital gains. c) Offers a Centralized Business Structure A Belize holding company provides a centralized control and governance structure, making it more straightforward to carry out strategic initiatives throughout the organization. It also serves as an effective platform for investors to contribute capital for expansion. d) Ease of Setup Forming a holding company is straightforward, involving standard incorporation. However, its complexity depends on the chosen structure, regulatory requirements, and legal and tax advice needed to ensure proper functioning and asset transfer. While registration is simple, professional guidance is essential to avoid issues and maximize benefits. e) Suitable For Succession Planning A holding company is a parent that owns other companies, making it easier to pass on the business while minimizing taxes. It attracts investors by keeping each company separate, shielding them from potential issues. Overall, it helps protect assets and ensures a smooth transition. How To Open a Holding Company in Belize? While deciding to open a holding company in Belize, you have to follow the steps mentioned below: i) Finalize a Business Structure When you are about to open a holding company, the primary step is to choose a business structure such as an International Business Company (IBC) or Limited Liability Company (LLC). ii) Select a Company Name Secondly, perform a name search and subsequently reserve your business name. Another important consideration is to verify whether the selected name is already in use. iii) Submit the Essential Paperworks Like Belize offshore company formation, when opening a holding company, you must submit the following set of documents: Application form Passport copies for directors and shareholders Proof of address for directors and shareholders A business plan outlining your company’s objectives Company’s incorporation documents iv) Appoint a Registered Agent For incorporating an offshore business, it is mandatory to have a registered agent. The respective agent in BVI will help you out with easing the process. v) Pay the Formation Fees When you form a holding company, you have to pay a formation fee. These fees are paid to government bodies to cover the costs of processing and registering the new companies and to generate revenue. Whether a Holding Company can engage in any Business Activity? No, a pure holding company does not conduct any business activities. Its sole purpose is to own assets and control other companies (subsidiaries) through stock ownership. From all the points mentioned above, it is clear that opening a holding company, especially in Belize, can provide many exciting opportunities. Therefore, using this service will definitely help you preserve your assets and pass them down to future generations. — This content is brought to you by Mala Khan Photo provided by the author. The post Holding Company in Belize appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

A Hour-by-Hour Guide to Healing The world has just tilted off its axis. The text message hangs in the air, the final words echo, and the door clicks shut for the last time. A breakup, whether you saw it coming or it blindsided you, is a seismic event. In its immediate aftermath, the emotional shock can be so profound that thinking beyond the next minute feels impossible. The first 72 hours are the emotional triage unit. This isn’t the time for grand revelations about your future or for stalking their social media. This is the time for survival. Your only job is to be gentle with your heart. Here’s how to navigate the first critical three days. The First 24 Hours: The Shock Phase Your primary mission: Breathe and Feel. Do Not Fix. Your body is in fight-or-flight mode. Adrenaline and cortisol are flooding your system. Logic is offline. Your goal is not to be okay; it’s to simply be. Grant Yourself Amnesty: Give yourself unconditional permission to feel everything. Are you sobbing? Sob. Are you numb? Sit with the numbness. Are you angry? Scream into a pillow (not at them). There is no “right” way to feel. Do not judge your emotions; they are valid signals from your nervous system. Implement the Digital Lockdown: This is non-negotiable. Do not text or call your ex. You are not in a state to have a productive conversation. Anything you send now will likely be fueled by raw emotion and could lead to regret. Mute or block them on social media. Out of sight won’t make them out of mind, but it will prevent the torture of seeing their activity. You do not need to know what they are doing right now. Delete their number if you fear you’ll break. You can always get it back later. Call in the Cavalry: You are not meant to do this alone. Text your most trusted friend or family member a simple, “Hey, things ended with [Name]. I’m not okay. Can I call you?” True friends will not ask for details; they will just show up, bring ice cream, sit in silence with you, or listen to you repeat the same thing for hours. Embrace the Cliché (Judgment-Free Zone): It’s a cliché for a reason. Put on the sad playlist. Watch the tearjerker movie. Eat the junk food. If you can sleep, sleep. If you can’t, just rest. Your body is processing a trauma. Give it what it’s asking for. Hours 24–48: The Reality Phase Your primary mission: Gentle Routine and Basic Self-Care. The initial shock is wearing off, leaving a hollow, aching quiet. The reality of the situation is beginning to set in. This is where you must be fiercely kind to yourself. The Shower and Nourish Rule: You may not have an appetite. You may not want to move. Set tiny, achievable goals. Goal 1: Take a shower. Don’t aim for a “good” one. Just get in, let the water run over you, and get out. This simple act can symbolically wash away some of the stagnation. Goal 2: Eat something. It doesn’t have to be a gourmet meal. A piece of toast, a bowl of soup, a smoothie — something to fuel your body. Grief is physically exhausting. Change Your Environment: If you’ve been cocooned in blankets on the couch for a day, move to a different room. If you can, go outside for just five minutes. Sit on a bench and feel the sun on your face. The change of scenery signals to your brain that life is still happening around you. Write, Don’t Type: Get a pen and paper and dump everything in your head onto it. Don’t craft a letter to send; this is for your eyes only. Write about the anger, the sadness, the questions, the memories. Getting it out of your head and onto paper is a powerful way to release the mental pressure valve. Avoid Major Decisions: Do not quit your job, cut all your hair off, or book a one-way ticket to Bali. Your judgment is still compromised. The most adventurous thing you should do is try a new flavor of tea. Hours 48–72: The Glimmer Phase Your primary mission: Reconnect with “You” and Look Forward, However Briefly. The intense, all-consuming pain may start to break into waves, giving you moments of respite. You might have a five-minute window where you didn’t think about them. Celebrate that. The One-Minute Future: Thinking about “forever without them” is overwhelming. Instead, just plan the next hour. “In one hour, I will make a cup of coffee.” Then, plan the next few. “This afternoon, I will walk to the park and back.” Tiny, manageable increments of future. Reclaim a Piece of Yourself: What did you love before the relationship? Or what have you always wanted to try? It can be infinitesimally small. 1.Listen to a podcast about a hobby you love. 2. Reorganize a bookshelf. 3. Cook a recipe you used to enjoy. 4. This isn’t about moving on; it’s about reminding your brain that your identity exists outside of this relationship. Practice Gratitude (Yes, Really): Force yourself to name three things that weren’t terrible today. “The coffee was hot.” “My friend sent a funny meme.” “The sun was out.” This isn’t to minimize your pain but to train your brain to see that not everything is darkness. Re-read Your “Why”: If you’re wrestling with “what ifs” and nostalgia, go back to the letter you wrote. Remember the pain and the reasons it ended. This grounds you in reality. The Golden Rules for All 72 Hours The No-Contact Rule is Sacred: It is the single most effective tool for healing. Every text you send resets the recovery clock. Be Your Own Best Friend: Talk to yourself as you would to your devastated best friend. You would not tell them to “get over it” or that they’re “being dramatic.” You would be kind, patient, and compassionate. Offer yourself that same grace. There is No Timeline: Do not measure your pain against anyone else’s. Your healing is your own. The first 72 hours are about building a life raft, not sailing to shore. You are in survival mode, and survival is enough. You will not feel this raw forever. The waves of grief will eventually become less frequent, less intense. For now, just focus on breathing through this one. And then the next. You’ve got this. — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Natasha Hall On Unsplash The post How to Survive the First 72 Hours After a Breakup appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Adam Zewe | MIT News Synthetic data are artificially generated by algorithms to mimic the statistical properties of actual data, without containing any information from real-world sources. While concrete numbers are hard to pin down, some estimates suggest that more than 60 percent of data used for AI applications in 2024 was synthetic, and this figure is expected to grow across industries. Because synthetic data don’t contain real-world information, they hold the promise of safeguarding privacy while reducing the cost and increasing the speed at which new AI models are developed. But using synthetic data requires careful evaluation, planning, and checks and balances to prevent loss of performance when AI models are deployed. To unpack some pros and cons of using synthetic data, MIT News spoke with Kalyan Veeramachaneni, a principal research scientist in the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems and co-founder of DataCebo whose open-core platform, the Synthetic Data Vault, helps users generate and test synthetic data. Q: How are synthetic data created? A: Synthetic data are algorithmically generated but do not come from a real situation. Their value lies in their statistical similarity to real data. If we’re talking about language, for instance, synthetic data look very much as if a human had written those sentences. While researchers have created synthetic data for a long time, what has changed in the past few years is our ability to build generative models out of data and use them to create realistic synthetic data. We can take a little bit of real data and build a generative model from that, which we can use to create as much synthetic data as we want. Plus, the model creates synthetic data in a way that captures all the underlying rules and infinite patterns that exist in the real data. There are essentially four different data modalities: language, video or images, audio, and tabular data. All four of them have slightly different ways of building the generative models to create synthetic data. An LLM, for instance, is nothing but a generative model from which you are sampling synthetic data when you ask it a question. A lot of language and image data are publicly available on the internet. But tabular data, which is the data collected when we interact with physical and social systems, is often locked up behind enterprise firewalls. Much of it is sensitive or private, such as customer transactions stored by a bank. For this type of data, platforms like the Synthetic Data Vault provide software that can be used to build generative models. Those models then create synthetic data that preserve customer privacy and can be shared more widely. One powerful thing about this generative modeling approach for synthesizing data is that enterprises can now build a customized, local model for their own data. Generative AI automates what used to be a manual process. Q: What are some benefits of using synthetic data, and which use-cases and applications are they particularly well-suited for? A: One fundamental application which has grown tremendously over the past decade is using synthetic data to test software applications. There is data-driven logic behind many software applications, so you need data to test that software and its functionality. In the past, people have resorted to manually generating data, but now we can use generative models to create as much data as we need. Users can also create specific data for application testing. Say I work for an e-commerce company. I can generate synthetic data that mimics real customers who live in Ohio and made transactions pertaining to one particular product in February or March. Because synthetic data aren’t drawn from real situations, they are also privacy-preserving. One of the biggest problems in software testing has been getting access to sensitive real data for testing software in non-production environments, due to privacy concerns. Another immediate benefit is in performance testing. You can create a billion transactions from a generative model and test how fast your system can process them. Another application where synthetic data hold a lot of promise is in training machine-learning models. Sometimes, we want an AI model to help us predict an event that is less frequent. A bank may want to use an AI model to predict fraudulent transactions, but there may be too few real examples to train a model that can identify fraud accurately. Synthetic data provide data augmentation — additional data examples that are similar to the real data. These can significantly improve the accuracy of AI models. Also, sometimes users don’t have time or the financial resources to collect all the data. For instance, collecting data about customer intent would require conducting many surveys. If you end up with limited data and then try to train a model, it won’t perform well. You can augment by adding synthetic data to train those models better. Q. What are some of the risks or potential pitfalls of using synthetic data, and are there steps users can take to prevent or mitigate those problems? A. One of the biggest questions people often have in their mind is, if the data are synthetically created, why should I trust them? Determining whether you can trust the data often comes down to evaluating the overall system where you are using them. There are a lot of aspects of synthetic data we have been able to evaluate for a long time. For instance, there are existing methods to measure how close synthetic data are to real data, and we can measure their quality and whether they preserve privacy. But there are other important considerations if you are using those synthetic data to train a machine-learning model for a new use case. How would you know the data are going to lead to models that still make valid conclusions? New efficacy metrics are emerging, and the emphasis is now on efficacy for a particular task. You must really dig into your workflow to ensure the synthetic data you add to the system still allow you to draw valid conclusions. That is something that must be done carefully on an application-by-application basis. Bias can also be an issue. Since it is created from a small amount of real data, the same bias that exists in the real data can carry over into the synthetic data. Just like with real data, you would need to purposefully make sure the bias is removed through different sampling techniques, which can create balanced datasets. It takes some careful planning, but you can calibrate the data generation to prevent the proliferation of bias. To help with the evaluation process, our group created the Synthetic Data Metrics Library. We worried that people would use synthetic data in their environment and it would give different conclusions in the real world. We created a metrics and evaluation library to ensure checks and balances. The machine learning community has faced a lot of challenges in ensuring models can generalize to new situations. The use of synthetic data adds a whole new dimension to that problem. I expect that the old systems of working with data, whether to build software applications, answer analytical questions, or train models, will dramatically change as we get more sophisticated at building these generative models. A lot of things we have never been able to do before will now be possible. — Reprinted with permission of MIT News *** Does dating ever feel challenging, awkward or frustrating? Turn Your Dating Life into a WOW! with our new classes and live coaching. Click here for more info or to buy with special launch pricing! *** On Substack? Follow us there for more great dating and relationships content. — Photo credit: unsplash The post 3 Questions: The Pros and Cons of Synthetic Data in AI appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

Other released documents include the sex offender’s will and his 2007 non-prosecution agreement with authorities The House Oversight Committee has published hundreds of pages of records from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, including the financier’s so-called “birthday book,” with chair James Comer (R-Ky.) accusing Democrats of selectively “cherry-picking” documents to smear President Donald Trump. The disclosure on Monday evening followed a subpoena issued to the Epstein estate in late August. Alongside the 238-page “birthday book,” the panel released Epstein’s will, his 2007 non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors in Florida, and sections of his personal address book. The professionally bound book, compiled in 2003 by Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, features contributions from dozens of acquaintances, among them former President Bill Clinton and attorney Alan Dershowitz. Some pages include lighthearted tributes, while others contain sexual jokes, staged photographs, and redacted names of women. Republicans said the release was intended to provide transparency after Democrats publicized only the alleged Trump note earlier in the day, shaping headlines around the president and overshadowing the wider trove of documents. The disputed page contained typewritten text inside the outline of a nude woman and appeared to be signed “Donald” below the waistline of the sketch. Trump has called the note a fabrication and is suing The Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch for $10 billion in a defamation case. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt repeated on Monday that the president “did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.” Democrats on the Oversight Committee highlighted the alleged Trump message and demanded further disclosure of Epstein-related files, accusing the president of concealing damaging information. Comer criticized Democrats for “cherry-picking documents and politicizing information received from the Epstein Estate,” while insisting that “President Trump is not accused of any wrongdoing.” Epstein, convicted in 2008 on state charges of soliciting prostitution, was later arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges in 2019. He died in a Manhattan jail the same year, in what authorities ruled a suicide. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 20-year sentence. Epstein’s long-standing ties to prominent political, business, and academic figures continue to spark bipartisan calls for transparency, though the Department of Justice has said there is no “client list” linked to his trafficking crimes. View the full article

Link for non-medium members We’re in the golden age of dating apps, text games, situationships, and aesthetic couple posts. Yet more people feel lonely than ever. More people are confused, anxious, avoidant, or just plain tired. And somehow, love, the thing that should feel grounding, feels like another thing we need to win at. I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately. Not from a theoretical place, but from watching people around me. Breakups. Situationships. Labels that change by the month. Loyalty that doesn’t always mean commitment. Emotional unavailability dressed up as independence. Relationships today are different. They’ve become quicker to start, easier to end, and harder to understand. We’re more connected than ever, and somehow more guarded too. We talk about vulnerability, but we rarely show it. We crave depth, but settle for chemistry. And in the middle of all this, I keep coming back to one simple belief: Your partner should be your best friend. Not because it sounds romantic. But because in a world where so much is uncertain, friendship offers something that most modern relationships lack — stability, equality, and emotional safety. Here’s why: You stop filtering your truth. When your partner is your best friend, you don’t need a script. You can say, “I’m scared,” without feeling weak. You can admit, “I messed up,” without fearing abandonment. You can be your weird, awkward, loud, quiet, chaotic self, and it’s not just tolerated, it’s welcome. There’s no need to pretend. No image to maintain. No constant pressure to impress. That kind of emotional freedom is rare. And when you have it in your relationship, everything else gets easier. … You’re not afraid of the hard conversations. Best friends fight. They disagree, they call each other out, they hit rough patches. But the bond stays not because it’s conflict-free, but because it’s honest. You stop being scared of discomfort. You can talk about the awkward stuff: money, mental health, insecurities, boundaries. And those conversations don’t feel like threats. They feel like maintenance. Like care. Because you’re not arguing to win. You’re communicating to understand. … They call you out, with love. Because they care more about who you become than what you build. They’re the ones who’ll say the hard thing when everyone else stays quiet. They won’t hype up your bad idea just to be nice. They won’t pretend you’re okay when they can see you’re falling apart. Not to tear you down but to hold you up. They’ll tell you the truth. The real truth. Even if it stings a little. Even if it means risking an argument. Because to them, protecting your growth matters more than protecting their comfort. When your partner is your best friend, you stop walking on eggshells. You get someone who’s rooting for you, fiercely, honestly, and without filters. That’s not harsh. That’s love, the kind that lasts. … You never feel like you’re “less than.” Friendship has no hierarchy. There’s no one “above” or “below.” No silent competition. No scoreboard. When your partner is your best friend, you don’t feel like you have to shrink yourself to be loved. You feel equal. And that kind of emotional parity? It’s what makes love feel like safety, not survival. When life gets hard, you have a teammate. Not just a lover. Not just someone who shows up on the good days. But someone who’s there when things are messy, uncertain, and scary. Someone who sees you and chooses to stay anyway. Someone who helps carry your load, not add to it. Modern love comes with a lot of filters. But a best friend doesn’t just show up for the highlight reel. … But here’s the thing… Relationships have changed. People date with walls up. Everyone’s scared of getting hurt. We confuse validation for love and aesthetics for depth. We think chemistry is everything. But the reality is: Chemistry fades. Friendship doesn’t. You won’t always feel butterflies. But if you’re with someone who respects you, listens to you, challenges you, and laughs with you, you’re already halfway there. And this isn’t coming from a love guru or someone with a perfect relationship track record. It’s just a simple truth that keeps showing up in real, lasting connections. That’s when love is built on friendship; everything else gets easier. You just need someone who sees you, knows you, and stands beside you. Even when you’re still figuring it all out. — This post was previously published on medium.com. Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox. Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice. Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there! Hello, Love (relationships) Change Becomes You (Advice) A Parent is Born (Parenting) Equality Includes You (Social Justice) Greener Together (Environment) Shelter Me (Wellness) Modern Identities (Gender, etc.) Co-Existence (World) *** – Photo credit: Aziz Acharki On Unsplash The post Modern Love Is Messy. This One Rule Still Works. appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

— When I rescued a 1920s wedding photo of my grandparents, it was yellowed, faded, and scratched. So, I tried some traditional tools like Photoshop and retouch pens to restore my picture. Suddenly, I discovered AI-powered old photo restoration as a solution to transform their pictures into a vibrant image. Unlike traditional editing, these tools offer precision and accessibility for beginners to use. In this article, you will explore the 7 most effective old photo restoration tools of 2025. Part 1. Manual vs. AI Old Photo Restoration — What You Should Know Traditional photo restoration techniques have been a dominant feature in the market, which has been overtaken by AI-driven alternatives. To better understand how these two differ in old photo restoration, follow the points discussed below: Manual Restoration Each photo can take hours for restoration in terms of scratches and faded areas. High fees per image are charged to professionally restore old photos. Some tools, such as Photoshop, demand advanced skills, such as retouching techniques. AI Approach It detects surface damage automatically and removes all the scratches effortlessly. Algorithms analyze black-and-white photos and faded areas to restore natural colors. An AI approach can smooth grainy textures and reduce digital noise to preserve low-resolution photos. Part 2. What Criteria Should the Best Old Photo Restoration Tool Meet? There are numerous old photo restoration online free tools in the market, so it is important to set criteria for the best restoration tool, as mentioned below: The best tool offers automatic fixes for common problems, such as color fading. Easy to navigate for beginners and offers a drag-and-drop function with preview features. Batch support is essential for users to process multiple images simultaneously. AI-powered tools ensure security for cloud-based platforms and high-end systems. Quick sharing features and high-quality export are available for the user’s convenience. A good old photo restoration tool should offer free trials and budget-friendly subscription plans. A tool that meets all the above-mentioned criteria for photo restoration is HitPaw FotorPea. This incredible tool offers various image enhancement features with an easy-to-use interface. Part 3. Top 7 Tools to Restore Old Photos in 2025 With so many tools available in the market, a narrowed-down list of the top 7 tools to restore old photos is provided next: 1. HitPaw FotorPea [One-Click AI Enhancement] Planning to post old family pictures, but dealing with scratches and poor lighting? Using HitPaw FotorPea, you can modify facial features with Face Model, remove blemishes with Scratch Model, and apparent blurring of photographs with Blur Model. Key Features The Colorize Model adds vibrant colors to your black and white images. Different Models can be chosen from the Choose Model, such as FLUX, Template, and SD. You can add a text prompt to make your results more accurate and according to your preferences.. Multiple image sizes are offered for users to choose from before old photo restoration. 2. Fotor Fotor offers a range of portrait retouching features, batch editing capabilities, and AI-driven editing techniques like background removal. It performs smoothly on most systems with minimal lag. Key Features Fotor supports multiple image formats, including JPG, PNG, and HEIC. It offers AI-powered features such as Denoising and Upscaling to enhance the overall quality. Multiple photos can be edited at once using a batch photo editor. 3. PhotoGlory This AI-powered tool features an intuitive interface that allows you to restore old photos using colorized mode and remove creases, tears, and scratches. It offers automatic as well as manual colorization. Key Features It helps to add coloration to the photos using Colorize B&W. Photos can be enhanced by retro pics using 100 built-in effects. Damaged photos can also be cropped and straightened using this tool. 4. Picsart Picsart uses AI for old photo restoration to revive damaged photos using an image resizer. It also offers a color correction feature for adjusting color tones and removing objects with Object Remover. Key Features This tool can automatically restore, refine, and enhance photos using an AI-enhanced tool. To upgrade the quality of old photos, use an Image Upscale tool. Renew photos by boosting the image quality using AI Image Enhancer. 5. VanceAI This tool supports features like face enhancement, colorization, and scratch removal. It also delivers automated results for old photo restoration, providing clarity and a natural effect. Key Features AI Photo Repair is used to remove scratches, spots, and other damage from photos. All uploaded images are deleted within 24 hours to provide a safer photo restoration environment. Face enhancement detects human faces in damaged photos and enhances them. 6. AI Ease Restore old photos with AI Ease, an old photo restoration online free tool. It enlivens your precious memories, as it removes and repairs spots and tears, enhances fine details, and improves the clarity of the images. Key Features AI Magic detects the damage automatically and improves all fixes. Free restoration is offered with AI Ease without losing its quality. B&W features black-and-white photos with colorization. 7. PicWish Restore old photos by enlarging them and adding complementary colors through PicWish. It is easy to obtain high-resolution images within seconds using Enhance Portrait and change the background with the “Remove Background” feature. Key Features A watermark remover is offered to remove watermarks from images. Photos can be refined using Product Retouch, and fine details are added. AI Face Cutout is used to get big head cutouts and change their place. Part 4. Which is the Best Tool to Restore Old Photos: An In-depth Tabular Comparison Choosing the right AI old photo restoration tool is challenging; therefore, a table is mentioned below to present a comparison based on their key features: Tools Platform Batch Support Rating Privacy Sharing HitPaw FotorPea Windows, macOS Yes 4.9/5 GDPR Standards Link, email transfer Fotor Windows, Mac, Online Yes 4.2/5 GDPR Standards, CCPA Direct Share to AI Community PhotoGlory Windows Yes 3.9/5 GDPR Standards No Direct Share Picsart Online, iOS, Android Yes 4.5/5 US Straight Privacy Right Link VanceAI Windows, Online Yes 4.8/5 GDPR Standards Not Available AI Ease Online, iOS, Android Yes 4.6/5 AI Ease Privacy Not Available PicWish Online, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android Yes 4.8/5 GDPR Standards Not Available Part 5. Old Photo Restoration Online Free vs Dedicated Desktop Photo Restoration: Which is Safer To make our discussion fruitful, old photo restoration online free tools and desktop solutions have been compared in terms of security, limitations, and depth: Security Risks: Desktop software poses minimal risk as online tools are vulnerable to breaching privacy. Limitations: Offline restoration offers no restrictions on the number of uploads, whereas old photo restorer tools have limited file sizes and depend on the internet. Depth of Restoration: These online tools offer automated fixes and light restoration, whereas desktop software offers advanced manual edits, deep restoration, and layered correction. Conclusion: Restore Memories Today To sum up this article, you can restore precious memories with the top 7 essential tools for old photo restoration. Using HitPaw FotorPea, both beginners and professionals are able to achieve the criteria of editing and photo enhancement with outstanding results. — This content is brought to you by Hussain Ali Photos provided by the author. The post 7 Essential Tools to Revive Old Photos with Ease — 2025 Guide appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article

By Stephanie Lam Along International Boulevard in Oakland, a metal fence surrounds a sealed off block. There’s the typical signs of ongoing construction: skeleton frames, workers and trucks full of supplies rolling in and out of the area. Come next year, however, the dilapidated site will transform into affordable housing units and a dental clinic. The future five-story building, named Flicker, will have 32,500 square-feet of space. The ground floor will feature a cultural community center and a dental clinic with 20 patient rooms. Above, 76 brand new apartments will be built for local families in need. The completed project is expected to bring more than 50 long-term jobs to the community. It’s an initiative spearheaded by the Native American Health Center (NAHC) in collaboration with Satellite Affordable Housing Associates, a Berkeley-based affordable housing developer. Housing advocates say Flicker’s arrival provides much-needed relief to Oaklanders as the city, and wider Bay Area, grapples with rising income inequality among residents and skyrocketing housing prices. Chirag Patel, NAHC’s director of planning and development, says many of NAHC’s members who need affordable health care also struggle to find a stable place to live. Oakland is especially in need of more affordable housing options, he says. “As an Oakland resident, you see tent cities, and all these [housing concerns] happening in the community,” he says. “I see the need out there growing and compounding year after year.” The NAHC is a nonprofit that serves the Bay Area’s Native population and other underserved communities. The region’s population of Indigenous people native to the Bay Area is currently around 18,500, and is projected to grow over the next few decades, according to U.S Census data. The center provides a mix of health, vision, behavioral and dental care for 15,000 members annually across its 17 facilities in Alameda, San Francisco and Contra Costa counties. In the past few years, the Bay Area has seen real estate prices rise due to high market demands but limited housing options. Residents say they are struggling to afford even the simplest apartments and rental spaces. In Oakland, for instance, city data reveals almost half of all rental households are rent-burdened, meaning they spent more than 30 percent of their annual income on rent. In Alameda County, which Oakland is a part of, renters need to earn $49.66 per hour — three times the city’s minimum wage — in order to afford the average monthly asking rent of $2,582. In Oakland, a family of four needs to make roughly $120,800 or less to be considered low-income, according to California’s Department of Housing and Development. The new housing project is already revealing how great the need is for affordable housing, according to Nicole Guzman, a project manager for Satellite Affordable Housing Associates. The nonprofit is overseeing Flicker’s housing applications, which opened and closed in July. For the 76 spaces available, there are more than 1,470 applicants, Guzman says. The building contains one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and rents will range from 20 to 60 percent of the area’s median income. In Alameda County, that range is between roughly $31,140 to 93,420 for a family of four. “We are aiming to start moving in by the end of the year,” Guzman says. The apartments themselves are called Flicker Bird Homes. NAHC chose the name to honor California’s Native people, who use feathers from the Northern Flicker bird in traditional regalia and headdresses. “These feathers are deeply meaningful, representing strength, continuity and spiritual connection,” according to the center. The development, which began construction in 2024, will cost about $90 million. Funding for the building comes from NAHC funds, community donations, and state and federal dollars; Patel says one of the biggest federal sources was $8 million in Community Project Funding requested by former State Sen. Nancy Skinner. Flicker is the NAHC’s largest housing and health center. The center collaborated with other affordable housing developers to open a similar model — Seven Directions Apartment, also along International Boulevard in Fruitvale — in 2008. The first and second floors of the complex are a health clinic while the upper floors have 36 housing units. “We’re seeing this model as something that’s innovative and new and exciting and clearly speaks to multiple community needs at once,” Patel says. He says the Seven Directions project has received positive feedback from community members. Many said they appreciated the convenience of having dental and medical clinics so close to their homes. In addition to housing, Flicker will welcome 20 new dental treatment rooms. These facilities will help serve 10,000 new NAHC members. The NAHC noticed that dental services especially were in high demand, according to Patel. The surrounding clinics currently don’t have the capacity to meet the community’s dental needs, with some NAHC members waiting six months to a year for an appointment. To help grow the number of Native American cultural spaces in the Bay Area, a community center will also be built at Flicker that can fit up to 300 people. The site will be a welcoming place for critical services, cultural events, community gatherings and educational workshops, Patel says. Patel says the overall sentiment for Flicker, especially for the cultural center, has been a mix of “curiosity, excitement and gratitude.” “It’s a big need in the Oakland community to have a safe space for folks to gather of that size,” he says. Lorena Rivera, executive director for the Intertribal Friendship House in Oakland, says she is excited to have these cultural and housing resources available to the city. This past year, the organization hosted a community information session with NAHC for members to learn more about the building and housing application process. Intertribal is an organization that provides different Native American tribes in the Bay Area with cultural programs and spaces. The organization has around 8,000 people participating in our programs each year, from more than 100 different tribes. “Anytime we can acquire more space for the community is a win,” Rivera says. “I’m excited for that too.” This story was co-published with Next City, a nonprofit newsroom reporting on solutions for equitable and just cities. This article first appeared on California Health Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. — Previously Published on calhealthreport.org with Creative Commons License *** – The world is changing fast. We help you keep up. We’ll send you 1 post, 3x per week. Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today. All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. A complete list of benefits is here. — Photo credit: unsplash The post A Native American Health Center Is Building Housing in the Bay Area. Here’s Why appeared first on The Good Men Project. 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— Understanding the basics of contact lenses Before diving into specific tips, it’s essential to understand what contact lenses are and how they work. Contact lenses are thin, curved lenses placed on the surface of the eye to correct vision. They can address issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Made from materials that allow oxygen to reach the eye, these lenses ensure comfort and maintain eye health. Understanding these basics is crucial for anyone considering or currently using contact lenses. Check the basics here: https://www.contactlenses4us.com/. Different types of contact lenses are available, including soft lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses, and extended wear lenses. Soft lenses, made from flexible plastics, are popular due to their comfort and ease of use. Rigid gas-permeable lenses are more durable and offer sharper vision for certain eye conditions. Extended wear lenses allow for overnight use, but they require careful monitoring to prevent complications. Knowing these options can help you choose the right lenses for your lifestyle. Proper hygiene practices Maintaining proper hygiene is vital when handling contact lenses. Clean hands are the first line of defense against infections. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your lenses. Dry your hands with a lint-free towel to avoid transferring any particles to your eyes. This simple practice can prevent various eye infections and complications. When it comes to cleaning and storing contact lenses, it’s crucial to follow the instructions provided by your eye care professional. Use the recommended cleaning solution to disinfect your lenses, and never substitute it with water or saliva. Rinsing your lenses with the correct solution removes deposits and bacteria, keeping your eyes safe. Additionally, replace your contact lens case regularly, at least every three months, to avoid contamination. This routine ensures your lenses remain clean and safe to wear. Ensuring comfortable wear Comfort is a priority for contact lens wearers. To achieve this, ensure that your lenses fit properly. Ill-fitting lenses can cause discomfort and even damage your eyes. Visit your eye care professional regularly to check the fit and prescription of your lenses. They can make necessary adjustments to improve comfort and vision. Hydration is another key factor in ensuring comfort. Dry eyes can be a common issue for contact lens users. To combat this, use lubricating eye drops designed for contact lenses. These drops help maintain moisture and reduce irritation. Also, try to blink frequently, especially when using digital devices, to keep your eyes hydrated. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can also support eye moisture, contributing to overall comfort. — This content is brought to you by contactlenses4us.com Photo provided by the author. The post Tips for Comfortable and Safe Contact Lens Wear appeared first on The Good Men Project. View the full article