Posts tagged with "MSN"

Above, Ted Cruz and his family on a flight to Cancun. (Photo sourc:e: Twitter)

Every man (and his family) for himself: Ted Cruz flies to Cancun amid major power crisis in Texas

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February 19, 2021

Some 400,000 North Texans remained without power for the third consecutive day on February 18—and both food and water were scarce as the population dealt with an energy crisis in the middle of a blizzard.

But for Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), it was every man for himself, as he and his family boarded a plane for Cancun amid the major crisis, Fox News reports.

Photographs of Cruz at an airport began circulating on social media late Wednesday, with people alleging that the senator had left the state for the tropical holiday spot in southeast Mexico.

A Republican source told Fox News that the allegations Cruz was traveling to the Mexican city are true. “The photos speak for themselves,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the Lone Star State were calling on Cruz to resign. Indeed, MSN reported, Texas Democratic Party chairm an Gilberto Hinojosa called Cruz’s actions “disturbing and disappointing.”

He ripped Cruz for challenging the Electoral College vote ahead of the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, and said Cruz should now resign for “jetting off to Mexico while Texans remain dying in the cold.”

“The Texas Democratic Party calls on Ted Cruz to resign or be expelled from office,” Hinojosa said. “Barring that, we will put all of the resources we have into defeating him and every Texas Republican who abandoned us in this disaster, including Governor Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Patrick, in 2022 and 2024. We are in a battle for the soul of our state. We must restore ethics, competence, and a government that works for the people.”

As temperatures have plunged dangerous record lows across the state, at least 36 people have died.

Cruz acknowledged how serious the crisis is in a tweet on Tuesday, saying, “A blizzard strikes Texas & our state shuts down. Not good.”

His office did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Thursday morning.

Research contact: @FoxNews

Above, Vice President Mike Pence confirms the Electoral College results. (Photo source: sports.yahoo)

Schumer urges Pence to invoke 25th Amendment to oust Trump from office

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January 8, 2021

After Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill on January 6 in an insurrection that was openly incited by the president in hopes of overturning the November 3 election results, federal legislators began calling for his immediate removal, MSN reports.

“This president must not hold office one day longer,” tweeted presumptive Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York), adding, “The quickest and most effective way—it can be done today—to remove this president from office would be for the Vice President to immediately invoke the 25th amendment. If the Vice President and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress must reconvene to impeach President Trump.”

Indeed, the events Wednesday “stunned the nation and the world,” MSN said, noting, “People watched in disbelief as a swarm of Trump supporters overran police, breached the Capitol building. and ransacked it.” Four people died during the assault, which followed a speech by Trump at a DC-based rally.

During the rally, Trump repeated his false claims that the presidential election—which he lost to Joe Biden by 7 million votes—was “stolen” from him. He spoke to the crowd, encouraging them to march to the building and saying, “You’ll never take back our country with weakness; you have to show strength and you have to be strong.”

But can he be removed from office immediately? Under a provision of the 25th Amendment, the vice president can, with the support of the majority of the president’s cabinet, invoke the the measure and declare Trump unfit for office, which could lead to his early removal.

Under such a scenario, NBC News reports, the vice president would immediately take over as acting president.

Earlier Thursday, Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois), called for Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office, becoming the first Republican to do so.

In an interview with MSNBC, Kinzinger, slammed Trump as “unmoored, not just from his duty, or even his oath, but from reality itself” and said Pence, and the rest of Trump’s cabinet, needed to invoke the measure “to end this nightmare.”

“The president is unfit and the president is unwell. And the president must now relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntary,” he said.

Meanwhile, Democratic Representatives David Cicilline, of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu, of California and Jamie Raskin, of Maryland, circulated articles of impeachment against Trump on Thursday.

The legislation accuses Trump of “willfully inciting violence against the government of the United States” and having “gravely endangered the security of the United States,” which they added, “demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security, democracy and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office.”

Research contact: @MSN

Above. a photo tweeted by Ivanka Trump of her father's head added to the frieze at Mt. Rushmore. (Photo source: @IvankaTrump/AP-AlexBrandon)

Daddy dearest: Ivanka Trump shares photo of father on Mount Rushmore

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December 8, 2020

On December 7, devoted “first daughter” Ivanka Trump tweeted out a photo of President Donald Trump that showed him smiling alongside the past commanders-in-chief—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln—whose heads are chiseled on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota..

According to a report by MSN, The snapshot appeared similar to one the president had tweeted in August, when he denied a report by The New York Times that the White House had reached out to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) about adding his face to Mount Rushmore.

Trump , himself, tweeted at the time it was “never suggested,” although “based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years, perhaps more than any other Presidency, sounds like a good idea to me!”

When asked by The Hill last year if his head should be carved among the giant granite landmark, Trump replied, “If I answer that question, ‘Yes,’ I will end up with such bad publicity.”

At a 2017 rally, Trump quipped to the crowd, “I’d ask whether or not you think I will someday be on Mount Rushmore.”

Research contact: @MSN

Photo source: Astrofame

Clutch call: What it means when you see the letter ‘M’ in the palm of your hand

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March 13, 2020

Now that we are no longer shaking hands as frequently (instead, opting for the fist bump, the elbow thump, or some other form of physical greeting)—but instead have taken to washing our hands like Lady Macbeth (“Out damned spot”)—maybe we all have a moment or two to look at our palms.

If we take a close look, we will see a variety of lines, shapes, and textures on our palms, fingers, and thumbs—all used by those who practice palmistry to reveal individual personality and character traits.

According to Psychic Library, for those of us who are right-handed, the lines and shapes that appear on the left hand indicate the character traits, personality, and destiny we are born with. For left-handed individuals, the opposite applies.

And according to the Astrofame website, the presence of the letter, M, in the palm of your hand is very important. Indeed, in an article picked up by MSN, the site claims that people who see an obvious M on their hand are very intuitive. With a sixth sense that is sharper than average, they probably know when someone is telling them a tall tale, even before he or she finishes the first sentence.

And if you have that M, you also are believed to be endowed with a determined character and to easily attract success. Your other traits are described as follows:

You aren’t afraid to take the initiative, which makes you the protagonist of your life.
You have mastered the qualities of patience and perseverance.
You always have been smart. Even as a young child, the genius within you was easily recognizable. And you always were resourceful in achieving your goals.This M is proof that you’re smarter and more knowledgeable than the average person.
You are brave. You are capable of facing challenges and have a natural daring streak.

For more information on palmistry, check out the Palmistry Room online.

Research contact: @MSN

Photo source: Russo family

Nine-year-old creates portrait of John Cena using 750 Rubik’s Cubes—and his ‘superpower,’ dyslexia

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January 28, 2020

A new video involving WWE superstar and actor John Cena is going viral—but it isn’t of the popular wrestler body-slamming one of his opponents. Rather, it documents how nine-year-old Benjamin Russo built a huge portrait of Cena using 750 Rubik’s Cubes, MSN reports.

The video starts with Benjamin holding up a series of cards, on which he explains that he has the learning disorder, dyslexia, and struggles with reading and writing. “I mix up my words. I get very frustrated and upset, too, sometimes,” he admits, but he also says, “Having dyslexia also means I can do something amazing! Like this…”

Then, Benjamin is shown configuring hundreds of Rubik’s Cubes into specific patterns. After he has arranged all 750 cubes, the patterns come together to reveal an enormous portrait of Cena, himself.

Then, Benjamin lifts up two more cards. They read: “Dyslexia is not my disability. Dyslexia is my superpower.”

The process took five hours, Benjamin’s dad, Louis, told CNN. “My wife and I looked at each other and said, ‘Just how does he do it?’ It’s just incredible to watch,” the proud father said.

Benjamin’s amazing talent even caught the attention of Benjamin’s Rubik’s muse.

“This is the embodiment of #NeverGiveUp,” Cena tweeted. “Benjamin demonstrates courage, perseverance, vulnerability, tremendous strength… and he’s an ARTIST!”

Benjamin’s parents hope his story will shift how people perceive dyslexia.”The general public sees dyslexia basically as flipping words around, flipping letters around, and that’s where it ends,” Louis said. “We never talk about the advantages and the special gifts that many dyslexics have, and Benjamin is not alone. So I think that’s what we’re trying to do is get the positive out there and not so much the negatives.”

Research contact: @MSN

Photo source: Shine365.Marshfield Clinic

Hiccupping actually helps babies to develop

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November 14, 2019

Most of us don’t know why we get the hiccups. They arrive as unexpected and annoying interludes in our otherwise orderly days—and we use a variety of questionable (and even silly) methods to get rid of them.

However, now scientists at University College London have discovered that hiccups might play a crucial role in our early development—by helping babies to regulate their breathing, MSN reports.

In a study led by Lorenzo Fabrizi, a specialist in Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology at the university, researchers who monitored 13 newborn babies found that hiccupping triggered a large wave of brain signals that could aid in their development.

Indeed, Fabrizi said in a statement, this brain activity might help babies “to learn how to monitor the breathing muscles,” eventually leading to an ability to control breathing voluntarily.

He added: “When we are born, the circuits which process body sensations are not fully developed, so the establishment of such networks is a crucial developmental milestone for newborns.”

Since the babies involved in the study were pre-term and full-term, ranging from 30 to 42 weeks gestational age, the scientists believe this development could be typical of the final trimester of pregnancy.

According to the researchers, fetuses and newborn infants often hiccup, MSN reported.

The phenomenon is seen as early as nine weeks into pregnancy, and pre-term infants—those born at least three weeks premature—spend approximately 15 minutes hiccupping every day.

The pre-term and full-term newborns involved in the study had electrodes placed on their scalps and sensors on their torsos to monitor for hiccups.

The researchers found that contractions in the babies’ diaphragms produced three brainwaves, and believe that through the third brainwave babies may be able to link the ‘hic’ sound of the hiccup to the physical contraction they feel.

Kimberley Whitehead, the study’s lead author, told CNN: “The muscle contraction of a hiccup is quite big

However, now scientists at University College London have discovered that hiccups might play a crucial role in our early development—by helping babies to regulate their breathing, MSN reports.

Indeed, Fabrizi said in a statement, this brain activity might help babies “to learn how to monitor the breathing muscles,” eventually leading to an ability to control breathing voluntarily.

He added: “When we are born, the circuits which process body sensations are not fully developed, so the establishment of such networks is a crucial developmental milestone for newborns.”

According to the researchers, fetuses and newborn infants often hiccup, MSN reported.

The phenomenon is seen as early as nine weeks into pregnancy, and pre-term infants—those born at least three weeks premature—spend approximately 15 minutes hiccupping every day.

The pre-term and full-term newborns involved in the study had electrodes placed on their scalps and sensors on their torsos to monitor for hiccups.

Kimberley Whitehead, the study’s lead author, told CNN: “The muscle contraction of a hiccup is quite big —it’s good for the developing brain because it suddenly gives a big boost of input, which helps the brain cells to all link together for representing that particular body part.”

She added that hiccups have no known advantage for adults, and suggested they could be an example of “a hangover from early periods of our life that persists into later life.”

The same researchers have previously theorized that a baby’s kicks in the womb may help it to create a mental map of its own body.

Their new findings may show the same process occurring internally.

Research contact: @MSN i

Photo source: Bored Panda

On October 26, buy your ‘best friend’ a trendy brew

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October 23, 2019

Autumn in America now means the return of the much-loved pumpkin spiced latte at coffeehouses nationwide—and why should man’s best friend miss out? To complement their seasonal special hot drink, the Belgian-founded bakery, Le Pain Quotidien, will offer a PAWmpkin spiced latte for pooches for free on October 26, which just happens to be National Pumpkin Day.

The chain says this PSL for pups is “a new ‘off-menu’ item served in a pup-sized cup and made of Certified Organic pumpkin puree (the same used in your PSL from Le Pain Quotidien).”

The bad news is that the drink for dogs will only be available at two of the chain’s more than 200 global locations—and both are in New York City: Le Pain Quotidien Mineral Springs at 67th Street & Central Park West and Le Pain Quotidien Sailboat Pond at 74th Street & Fifth Avenue.

Still, according to a report by MSN, despite the limited release, the PAWmpkin Spiced Latte is a bit of a breakthrough: It appears that no chain, at least, has offered a PSL for dogs in the past.

So why did Le Pain Quotidien introduce this doggy delight? The move is intended to highlight that their Pumpkin Spiced Latte uses organic pumpkin and has half the sugar of Starbucks’ trailblazing PSL—implying that the ingredients Le Pain Quotidien uses are so good you can feel comfortable serving them to your pet.

Plus you dress your dog up in a stupid costume every Halloween anyway; he should be able to partake in the rest of the seasonal fun.

Research contact: @MSN

Photo source: myLearningSolutions

‘Kindhearted’ folks are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease or anxiety

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September 26, 2019

Do nice guys actually finish first? A new interdisciplinary research institute at UCLA is poised to explore whether mindfulness and kindness to others actually may make us healthier—reducing our own depression, as well as the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

According to a report by MSN, research by UCLA scientists already has shown that mindfulness and kindness actually alter the behavior of genes, turning down those that promote inflammation, which can lead to heart disease or certain cancers, and turning up the activity of genes that protect against infections.

But the ultimate goal of the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute is to spread kindness and promote a more humane world. The plans to develop training tools to help practice kindness and spread them through online programs, public lectures, media outreach and a free app called UCLA Mindful, which already is available

A $20 million gift from the Bedari Foundation, established by philanthropists Jennifer and Matthew C. Harris, will provide seed funding for the institute’s research projects.

“Our vision is that we will all live in a world where humanity discovers and practices the kindness that exists in all of us,” said Matthew Harris, the foundation’s co-founder and a 1984 UCLA graduate. “Much research is needed to understand why kindness can be so scarce in the modern world. As we seek at Bedari to bridge the divide between science and spirituality, through the establishment of the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute we hope to educate and empower more and more people in the practice of kindness.”

“In the midst of current world politics, violence and strife, the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute seeks to be an antidote,” said Darnell Hunt, dean of the UCLA division of social sciences, which will house the venture.

Researchers agreed on an academic definition for kindness: an act that enhances the welfare of others as an end in itself, MSN reports.. When it comes to kindness, the intention, rather than the outcome, is key. In other words, it’s the thought that counts, as the adage goes.

Kindness is complimenting someone to make them feel good, not to get what you want. It’s sending a donation to a charity even if the check gets lost in the mail. It’s contemplating a legitimate reason why a driver who cuts you off might be in a hurry.

Already, a range of researchers at UCLA are studying the types of questions that will be the basis of the institute’s work. For example, UCLA anthropologists are examining how kindness spreads from person to person and group to group. UCLA sociologists are analyzing how people who regularly act unkind might be encouraged to engage in kind acts instead, and UCLA psychologists are researching how kindness can improve people’s moods and reduce symptoms of depression.

UCLA researchers also have shown that kindness can significantly ease depression and anxiety. Michelle Craske, a professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences, has demonstrated that patients who received compassion training to cultivate joy, gratitude, loving-kindness and generosity, and engaged in kind acts — offering to help coworkers on projects, for instance — significantly reduced their depression. The improved mental health lasted throughout the six months researchers followed the patients, she said.

Craske plans to start a similar research project with high school students at risk of depression in the Imperial Valley and is expanding efforts to help UCLA students. Sharing the techniques of mindfulness training, she hopes, will help combat what many experts say is a national rise in mental health problems among students. Craske also is developing virtual reality tools to simulate positive environments that can help boost people’s sense of well-being.

Michael Irwin, a psychiatrist and neuroimmunologist, and his colleagues, have published several studies that found mindfulness and kindness actually change the brain and behavior of genes. One ongoing study of caregivers to people with Alzheimer’s disease has found mindfulness training — methods to focus on the present, aided by slow and deep breathing — reduced problems with sleep and depression. The free app developed by his UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center at the Semel Institute offers several meditations that cultivate mindfulness and kindness.

“My end goal is to have a broad platform to promote empathy and help people think about kindness,” Harris said. “It is, in terms of the perpetuation of our species and the ability to live with each other and nature, critically important.”

Research contact: @MSN

Photo source: Naturology

Mirror, mirror: Going to bed with your makeup on will age your face much faster

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July 12, 2019

Face it: We’re not getting any younger. But there are some things we can do that will put “much less mileage on” our features and complexions as the years go by.

On Instagram this week, dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla, MD, who practices in Stony Brook, New York, cautioned patients and followers, alike, “Did you know that going to bed with makeup on can age skin up to 7x faster?”

It’s true, MSN reports, following an interview with the good doctor.

If you “sometimes” skip your before-bed rinse, it might be time to sound the alarm. Sure, you can get breakouts if you leave the war paint on, but even those with poreless, perfect complexions can suffer by ignoring basic hygiene.

To help us understand why, Dr. Mariwalla explained to MSN that night is a time for skin renewal; however, when makeup lays over pores— trapping dead epidermis and bacteria—it stops the cells from shedding normally.

In addition, she warns, skin-destroying free radicals can cling to makeup. “We know that these cause photoaging and can lead to the formation of wrinkles,” she explains. “By not allowing your skin to recover from oxidative stress that occurs during the day, you can wind up with prematurely aged skin.” Free radicals, she adds, also lead to collagen degradation.

While Dr. Mariwalla concedes that thick foundations and oil-based makeup are worse for the skin than lighter formulations, she says makeup, in general, occludes the pores, which is the first step to trouble. “And remember that even if you wear no makeup, washing your face before bed is important just to rinse off the accumulation of oil and dirt that occurs naturally during the day,” she says.

A half-wash doesn’t count, by the way. Even if you don’t have full makeup on, Dr. Mariwalla says that mascara and eyeliner left on the lashes and lids can still lead to skin irritation. And while makeup wipes aren’t ideal, she told MSN that they are better than nothing. “Try to do two passes instead of one,” she advises.

Research contact: @MSN

Is this image stationary or moving? (Photo source: India Today)

If this optical illusion seems to be moving, you are stressed out

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June 20, 2019

Many of us remember mood rings, which peaked in popularity in the 1970s. When worn, the rings purportedly revealed your state of mind by turning colors—from violet for happy and romantic, to blue for calm and relaxed, to yellow/amber for tense and excited, to brown/gray for nervous and anxious.

Now, an optical illusion that is trending on social media supposedly serves the same purpose.

Some say that the image was created by a Japanese neurologist; others claim that Ukranian artist Yurii Perepadia revealed the secret optical illusion and posted it on Instagram.

Whomever the progenitor may be, India Today made the image famous, and it also has appeared on MSN, as well as on the sites of thousands of obsessed social media fans.

If the image remains firmly fixed in place, you are calm; if it moves slightly, you are stressed—and it it moves like a carousel, you are very stressed.

Research contact: @yurrii_p