Rejoice, parents of excited children and people who fancy riding rollercoasters for a first date: You’ll soon be able to get boozy at Disneyland.
In 2019 Disneyland will serve alcohol in the form of Star Wars cocktails, at Oga’s Cantina.
That’s a big deal, because Disneyland has never before served alcohol to the general public within the grounds, only offering booze at its private Club 33 and at the California Adventure Park.
Next year you’ll be able to get wine, beer, and cocktails at Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.
‘No self-respecting remote outpost on the edge of the galaxy would call itself a smuggler’s planet with a cantina, and Black Spire Outpost is no exception,’ says the Disney Parks Blog.
‘Today, I’m pleased to share more details for Oga’s Cantina, which will be serving pilots, bounty hunters, smugglers, locals and galactic travelers alike, when it opens in 2019.
‘Oga’s Cantina is the kind of establishment that attracts some of the most interesting and disreputable characters in the galaxy. And you never know when a stormtrooper or a familiar face will show up.
‘Patrons of the cantina come from across the galaxy to sample the famous concoctions created with exotic ingredients using “otherworldly” methods, served in unique vessels. With choices for kids and libations for adults, the cantina will make for a great stop!’
There’s no news yet on the exact cocktails on offer, but we’re imagining exciting, out-there recipes – and maybe some blue bantha milk.
Visitors won’t be able to take their drinks outside of the cantina, so you won’t be able to get boozy in the queues for the teacups. Sorry.
Alongside cocktails, The Star Wars: Galaxy Edge bit of the theme park will offer some pretty jazzy stuff.
There’ll be two dark rides as well as one that lets you fly the Millennium Falcon, visits from characters from Chewbacca to BB8, and a new world called Baatu.
Phoenix Thompson loves princess, dancing, and hanging out with her dad. She also has juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, a rare form of cancer.
That can make life difficult, but her dad is determined to give her the moments of joy she deserves no matter what’s happening with her health.
After Phoenix’s first round of chemotherapy was complete, her dad, Brett, surprised her by turning up in a tux and giving her a princess-themed dance. Phoenix was even given her own special dress to make her feel like royalty.
Phoenix was diagnosed on 2 August, and began her first of four rounds of chemotherapy on 6 August. The first round lasted ten days.
Brett wanted to celebrate Phoenix’s bravery by giving her a night fit for a princess, decorating her hospital room with toys, giving her a yellow dress, and taking her for a dance to Tim McGraw’s My Little Girl.
Phoenix’s stepmum, Christina, was there to film the emotional moment. She said: ‘At the time [of diagnosis] I was very empty.
Brett and Christina with Phoenix and the family. (Picture: ADAPTIVE MARTIAL ARTS / CATERS NEWS)
‘You don’t know how to feel, and though I’m not usually an emotional, I just cried for days.
‘Phoenix, though, has been completely inspiring.
‘She runs around laughing and playing, all the while this horrible cancer is living inside of her.
‘I’m very proud of Brett. As a husband and a father, he really is one of the best.
‘Brett just walked in suddenly – I choked on my water I was so shocked.
‘I silent cried in the corner because her face was just so careless, because she was just so happy to have her daddy in that moment. You could see it all over her face.
‘Brett has worn this outfit just to cheer me up before – it’s just the kind of person he is.’
Phoenix now has a short break before the next round of chemotherapy, and may need a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully she has her dad to keep her feeling great throughout her treatment.
If you were to treat advertising as reality, you’d believe women are perfectly toned beings with skin free of pores, blemishes, and even a hint of body hair.
That’s not the truth though, is it?
It’s entirely normal to have visible pores, spots, a sheen of sweat on your upper lip, hair that frizzes, a body that has rolls. But when we see the same restricted ideal of human bodies in advertising, our perfectly normal bodies start to feel like the weird ones.
That’s why it’s important to celebrate when a makeup brand chooses to go against the photoshopped forms of beauty we’re used to.
It’s why people are so excited about an otherwise innocuous photo MAC posted to their Instagram this week, advertising their lip pencil in Chestnut.
The image shows slightly pursed lips decorated with a creamy brown shade. So far, so standard, but cast your eye above the lip and you’ll spot something out of the ordinary in the world of adverts and Instagramming: a few tiny dark hairs sitting on the model’s face.
That’s right. A makeup brand has casually acknowledged that many of us have hair on our upper lips. It shouldn’t be revolutionary, but it feels like it.
The response has been mixed, but let’s focus on the positives.
Yes, there are a few nasty comments advising the model to wax, but the majority thank MAC for keeping things real.
‘Thank you for not PSing out imperfections,’ wrote one commenter. ‘I have PCOS and extra facial hair is a huge problem for me. Seeing a photo like this means so much. WOMEN DO HAVE FACIAL HAIR. It’s normal.’
A report claims there are dangerous chemicals in squishies toys (Picture: metro.co.uk)
To the uninitiated (meaning adults who don’t have kids), ‘squishies’ are a type of toy that are super trendy right now.
They’re foam toys that are a bit like stress balls, but in the shape of food and animals. So they’re cute and you can squeeze ’em. A simple toy concept.
But the toys may not be the innocent delights they seem.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has warned that squishies may contain chemicals that pose risks to your health.
The agency tested twelve squishies and found that all of them contained chemicals with links to cancer, as well as chemicals that can contribute to liver damage, breathing problems, infertility, and eye irritation.
That’s not fun.
Squishies have been banned in Denmark following the report
The toys have been banned in Denmark following the research. Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, the Danish minister for environment and health, said: ‘When all twelve toys contain high amounts of harmful substances, alarm bells begin to go off. This indicates that there may be an overall problem with all squishies’.
The results have been shared with other countries, but no other bans have come into play yet.
It’s tricky to put a flat ban on the toys as they’re made by multiple manufacturers and usually come from Japan. There’s no one squishies brand, but lots of different people making squishies-style toys.
Plus, the Toy Industries Europe has disputed the warning of chemicals, claiming that testing just twelve squishies doesn’t justify a ban.
The research involved analysing the chemicals given off by squishies if a child lay down to sleep with the toy one hour after it was removed from its packaging.
Analysts found that children would be exposed to ‘unacceptably high levels’ of DMF, a chemical which can be absorbed through the skin and has been linked to liver damage, constipation, and vomiting.
They also found that all twelve squishies contained high levels of triethylenediamine and cyclohexanone. Even three days after the toys were removed from their packaging, levels of these chemicals remained ‘unacceptably high’.
The report urges distributors and importers to remove all squishies from their shelves until it can be proven that the toys don’t emit chemicals that may cause harm to children.
As of now, they’re still available in stores and can be ordered from Amazon.
Theme parks are places full of joy and adventure… until people leave.
Nara Dreamland was once an amusement park packed with people queuing for rides and enjoying sweet treats. Built in Japan in 1961, it was meant to be the country’s version of Disneyland.
Unfortunately, it never quite hit the same dizzying heights of Disney resorts. As the park declined in popularity, it became less shiny and well-kept, and by 2006 it was closed down.
But the attractions remained, unloved, unused, and gathering dust, for a further ten years, until 2016 when the park was finally demolished.
Before the rides were torn down, photographer Romain Veillon paid Nara Dreamland a visit to capture haunting photos of an abandoned spectacle.
(Picture: Romain Veillon)
‘I’ve been fascinated by abandoned places since childhood,’ Romain tells Metro.co.uk.
‘I would imagine that discovering the decaying house at the end of the street is a memory we all have deep inside of us.
‘For me, it was the abandoned truck factory of my grandmother that I use to explore every summer.
‘When I encounter such a place, my goal is that everybody can travel in the past with me and make up the stories they decide want to: Why was this place abandoned? What happened to the former owners? What used to happen in this room?
‘People make their own kind of answer. It makes them go in their imaginary world and become the hero of their own adventure where they are the detective.
(Picture: Romain Veillon)
‘To me, my pictures act as a new kind of “Memento Mori”; they are here to remind us that everything has an end, and that we should enjoy it while it lasts.’
Romain headed to the park right before it was demolished, snapping photos of the scene’s pink princess castle, dried out water slides, and rollercoasters overgrown with vines.
The end result is strangely haunting, showing man-made structures taken over by nature.
You’re forgiven if you have no clue what Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder is. It’s not a well known condition, and patients who have the rare disease report having to wait decades to be diagnosed.
That’s why an awareness month is important – so doctors, patients, and the public can better understand the disorder and spot symptoms early.
So, what is Charcot-Marie-Tooth?
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (also known as CMT) is a group of inherited conditions that damage the peripheral nerves. It’s also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy.
It’s thought to affect around 23,000 people in Britain, but charity Charcot-Marie-Tooth say the disorder isn’t well-known in medical circles, causing delayed diagnosis.
CMT can cause pain, chronic fatigue, and difficulty using the hands, lower legs, and feet. This means that sufferers are at a higher risk of falls and injury, especially as the condition can cause issues with balance.
Symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth:
Muscle weakness in the feet, ankles, legs and hands
An awkward way of walking
Feet that are very highly arched or very flat
Numbness in feet, arms and hands
Clumsiness
Frequent accidents and injuries
Difficulty lifting feet from the ground
Toes dropping forward when the foot is lifted
Tremors
Feeling tired constantly
Very cold hands and feet, caused by poor circulation
Curled toes
It’s caused by mutations in the genes that cause the peripheral nerves – the nerves that link your brain and spinal cord and are responsible for the body’s senses and movements – to become damaged. There’s no single faulty gene, and it’s possible for a child to inherit CMT from just one of their parents.
Symptoms differ from person to person, so two people with CMT may have entirely different experiences, but common symptoms include muscle weakness, an awkward way of walking, feet that are either flat or very highly arched, numbness in feet, arms, and hands, clumsiness, and foot drop – toes dropping forward as someone lifts their feet.
There’s no cure for the condition, but patients can be treated with physiotherapy, pain relief, and surgery to correct significant deformities such as severely flat feet.
It’s also recommended that those with CMT stretch regularly to improve range of motion, exercise daily, use a cane or walker to improve stability, and wear comfortable shoes.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth UK has shared the story of Valerie Bradley, who was only diagnosed with CMT when she was 78, despite showing symptoms her entire life.
Valerie Bradley, 79, was only diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease last year (Picture: PA)
As a child Valerie had weak ankles and often tripped and fell, but was simply given special boots to attempt to straighten out her ankles.
‘Over the years, due to pain in my feet, ankles, knees and hips, I’ve been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, pseudo gout, scoliosis and a trapped vertebra – but never CMT, although I have always had the classic symptoms,’ says Valerie.
‘It wasn’t until the end of 2016, when I went to see my GP again as I had constant fatigue, pain and numbness in my legs, and I was finding it increasingly difficult to grip with my hands, that I was referred to a neurologist and neurosurgeon.
‘After reading my notes, testing my reflexes and giving me a full body and brain scan, it was the neurologist who eventually diagnosed me with CMT – at 78 years old.
‘When I told my GP I had CMT, he hadn’t even heard of it. Awareness must be raised among the medical professions so other people can be diagnosed quicker and get the help and support they need.’
CMT UK is raising awareness of the condition throughout September, and hopes to help people get diagnosed earlier.
CMT UK’s chief operating officer Karen Butcher said: ‘There are still too many medical professionals including GPs, physiotherapists, orthotists, surgeons – and even neurologists – that still don’t know what CMT is, therefore an integral part of this year’s campaign will be to educate them about the condition, so they can help make a diagnosis if needed.
‘It is also important for us to reach those people who think they might have the condition, but haven’t been diagnosed yet.
‘Sometimes the symptoms aren’t obvious, but due to the fact that CMT affects the hands and feet, it could be they have trouble balancing, find they regularly trip or fall over and are constantly tired.’
There are moments in life when all problems dissipate into an afternoon glass of grenache and conversation.
It took less than a sip on the lush patio of Finca Descalzos Viejos, a 15th century monastery turned winery tucked into the rocky hills beneath the Spanish town of Ronda, to figure out that this is one of those times.
Rolling hills cascaded like waves into the boisterous cliff faces that led to the town above, only breaking to allow Moorish walls to bore horizontal defensive lines through the rugged earth.
The buildings that were in view encouraged all manner of cliched Spanish descriptions, running the gamut from old farms to proud townhouse apartments and villas occupying enviable viewpoints.
Hardly Andalusia’s best kept secret, Ronda is the region’s third most visited destination, as the tourist buses will attest to. But upon closer inspection, it has lost little of its community spirit, laid-back mountainous lifestyle or working class roots.
Iglesia de Santa Maria la Mayor (Picture: Martin G Hewitt)
It’s a place where your pace naturally slows, even in the midst of an all-night rave, and prices remain wonderfully affordable and the quality of life high. It’s also packed with cultural assets and cuisine highlights by the table-load.
Leaving Malaga airport behind presents you with spectacular stuff within minutes.
There are two roads to pick from – one heading down the coast via Marbella, the other immediately inland – and the route is such that it pays dividends not to be the designated driver.
Gradually climbing to over 700 metres above sea level, you’ll pass landscapes typical of postcard perfect imagery from the region.
Perhaps even more tempting, Ronda was a key stopover on a railway line from Gibraltar built by the British (who would stay at the imposing Reina Victoria hotel, which still stands proudly in town). And while that particular route has fallen out of favour, trains continue to run daily through the Serrania de Ronda mountains and on to Malaga.
Ronda Cuenca (Picture: Martin G Hewitt)
You don’t have to be in town long before it’s clear just how special a place Ronda actually is, juxtaposing real life, tradition and tourism.
The truly impressive Plaza de Toros, AKA Spain’s largest bullring, once popular with Ernest Hemingway, sits proudly as the town’s most famous building, yet around the corner, it’s still possible to enjoy €1.50 beers with 50-year-olds clad in impossibly thick retro Adidas tracksuits.
Toma & Coe offer excellent specialist tours of both the wider region and the town’s most stunning corners, many of which are hiding in plain sight, such as the understated but impressive Iglesia de Santa Maria la Mayor church, or the Mondragon Palace and Museum (originally the home of Moorish ruler Abbel Mallek).
My friendly and informative guide, Jesus, led the way over the iconic Puente Nuevo Bridge – the most photographed place in town, spanning a huge gorge, river and waterfalls – into the old town, where narrow lanes were flanked by whitewashed townhouses.
Puente Nuevo Bridge (Picture: Martin G Hewitt)
The streets were set at varying levels, ensuring a great workout for your legs and some striking viewpoints – especially around the Arabic walls.
Ronda isn’t just blessed with incredible ambience – the food on offer isn’t bad either.
In the centre of town, those looking for tapas served as it should be could do far worse than hit Bar Casa Moreno.
You can eat outside on the cobbled alley for around 80c per dish, meaning parties of four or more could feasibly and affordably devour everything on the menu.
The altitude and rocky vistas make it easy to forget Andalusia is a coastal region, meaning seafood is par for the course, and there are few better places to sample this than Pedro Romero, a restaurant over the road from that bullring.
Inside the bullring (Picture: Martin G Hewitt)
Proudly serving local specialties, lamb, rabbit and pork sit alongside frutos del mar, with lashings of the wine helping the experience no end.
Nature has been kind on Ronda’s citizens, and even kinder to those who enjoy good grapes, or uva to the Spanish. And given we are told wine flows through people’s veins in these parts, that means pretty much everyone.
There are a number of wineries in the area, but none can match the aforementioned Finca Descalzos Viejos, the brainchild of two architects with no winemaking experience, but a shared love of new challenges and experiences.
There are tours available through the entire operation, affording guests the opportunity to gaze at original religious frescoes that were covered up for aeons, and only exposed when the site was converted to its current use.
Finca Descalzos Viejos frescos (Picture: Martin G Hewitt)
The small-scale production means you’re unlikely to find bottles by chance elsewhere in the world, and first hand experience confirms the ‘why the hell not’ attitude of the owners still guides the overall ethos.
‘Talking about wine without drinking it is like talking about jazz or sex without listening, playing or doing.’
Few would argue with Flavio Salesi’s point, one of the bosses responsible for turning holy land into Bacchus’s playground, especially when he’s opening yet another bottle.
Ronda is no stranger to the performing arts either – Ronda Guitar House is just one example. You can purchase traditional instruments and enjoy live concerts in-store from impressive players, while talented buskers are omnipresent in many parks and squares.
Don’t think this means there’s not something to satisfy people of a louder disposition, though; taking its name from the region’s favourite fruit for fermenting, Uva Festival is a weekend-long annual event that calls the Descalzos Viejos home.
At 2018’s Uva Festival (Picture: Fernando Valenti)
A mere 750 or so people make up the notably international crowd, creating an atmosphere more in tune with a debauched garden party than anything else.
Stages are set in the monastery’s grounds and, thanks to the intimate size, attendees get very familiar with each other, very quickly.
Small in scale but not reach, 2018’s line-up saw a who’s who of European house, techno, electronic and experimental artists take to the sound systems, with music running from late-afternoon to well beyond dawn, making the most of the truly spectacular location and views.
Watching the sun rise over the Andalusian hills while surrounded by friends you’ve met over the course of the night is definitely one of those pinch-yourself moments.
The offering extends beyond the gardens, too, with a warm up session on Thursday evening introducing significant Spanish and contemporary classical elements via an open-air concert, free for everyone (kids, party people, dogs), featuring local and national performers playing from a terraced outcrop in central Ronda, set against another achingly beautiful natural backdrop.
Where to stay in Ronda and how to get there:
In Ronda, stay at the Hotel Catalonia. It has a central location, rooftop bar and pool looking directly into the bullring. Doubles from £122 per night.
EasyJet has flight from London to Malaga starting from £43 return.
In addition to severe head pain, I get vertigo, hallucinations, dissociation, memory loss, brain fog, jumbled speech, and sensitivity to noise, light and weather (Picture: Ella Byworth/ Metro.co.uk)
Today marks the beginning of Migraine Awareness Week, and as one of the 8.5million Brits with the condition, I’m glad we’re discussing its impact.
The World Health Organisation deems severemigraine as debilitating as dementia, psychosis and quadriplegia. I’ve spent at least 500 days in bed because of it.
That lost time is just one reason why I’m both hopeful and frustrated about the current treatment landscape, and why I believe awareness can’t be a substitute for funding.
There’s a promisingnew treatment on the horizon, subject to approval for use in the NHS. Aimovig, also known as erenumab, represents the first significant progress in migraine medication for 20 years and is the only drug developed specifically to prevent it.
It couldhalve some sufferers’ migraine days and, because it’s not a repurposed drug, may have fewer side effects. As someone who’s been prescribed meds developed for angina, high blood pressure and seizures to control my migraines, I’m excited about this.
Meanwhile, charities such asMigraine Trust are doing invaluable work to promote research and support the one in seven of us living with it. Some sufferers also receive excellent care – I’m fortunate to now be one of them.
On the downside, migraine is the third most common disease in the world yet there’s no cure, no conclusive cause, and no definitive test to diagnose it. Add to this the paucity of public understanding, which extends into workplaces, and there’s still so much to do.
In addition to severe head pain, I get vertigo, hallucinations, dissociation, memory loss, brain fog, jumbled speech, and sensitivity to noise, light and weather. Sometimes I get an attack without head-pain.
Lydia’s self portrait depicts the feeling of having a migraine (Image: Lydia Ruffles)
I saw five GPs, three neurologists, two ENT specialists, two psychotherapists, a rheumatologist, and physiotherapists. I also had physical exams, MRIs, X-rays, electrocardiograms, blood tests, and ended up in A&E more than once. I was told I might have a brain bleed, multiple sclerosis, post-viral fatigue syndrome, or post-traumatic stress disorder. I was also misdiagnosed and took the wrong medication for a year. My experience is not unique.
When I was finally referred to the incredible team at Guy’s Hospital, I experienced first hand the transformative impact that great care can have.
New (and existing) treatments could be life-changing for more people but only if we invest in getting them the right diagnosis.
Around 200,000 people have an attack each day. Work Foundation estimates that 86million workdays are lost to migraine at a cost of £8.8billion each year in lost productivity. The direct cost to the NHS is around £1billion annually.
Research shows many organisationsfail to support employees with migraine. Even with extraordinary support from my former employer, I found work hard to navigate. It must be almost impossible without help and – for small employers in particular – challenging to manage.
I’m lucky enough to now work flexibly, mostly at home. But what about the millions working in offices, shops, schools and so on?
With so many days and jobs lost, not to mention stunted career progression, funding is needed to educate and incentivise employers. In the meantime, Migraine Trust has resources to help createworkplaces that are mindful of migraine.
Migraine affectsthree times as many women as men. Given how common it is (more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined), I can’t help wonder if it would be better understood if men were equally impacted.
Either way, the current funding approach seems a damagingly short-sighted way of managing a disease that has such devastating long-term effects on individuals, employers, productivity, the NHS and the public purse.
I’m beyond grateful to everyone advocating for and treating people with migraine but the urgent need for new treatment and diagnostic options can’t be met without adequate, sustained government funding.
Lydia Ruffles writes and speaks on mental health and creativity, and is the author of The Taste of Blue Light and Colour Me In.
Now, a study has suggested that forming new habits may be just as important as diet and exercise, if you want to shed a few pounds.
Research by Australia’s Bond University found that sustainable weight loss – wherein you keep the pounds off – is helped by three factors.
Writing in the Journal of Obesity, researchers claim eating well, being active, and building healthy daily habits are all equally important.
(Picture: Getty)
A group of 75 overweight or obese people were split into three groups; one followed a program which required breaking old habits, the second promoted new habits and the third was a wait list control group – where participants didn’t receive any instructions and acted as a benchmark against the others.
People from the second group, who were asked to break old habits, were sent daily text messages requesting them to interrupt their normal routines. Some of the tasks included driving to work via a different route or helping a charity.
Those asked to develop new hobbies had to introduce 10 healthy lifestyle features into their lives. Taking time to plan and self-monitoring was also part of the change in habit.
After the 12-week project ended, participants from the first and second group had lost an average of 3.1 kilograms each and continued to follow the new lifestyle, losing another 2.1kg within six months of completing the trial.
They also reported eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and generally having improved their well-being.
‘Habits don’t require our self-control. That’s my favourite part about this whole research, it’s that you can be eating healthy and doing exercise without the need for self-control because you’re not even thinking about it, because it’s just something that you do,’ said the study’s author Dr Gina Cleo in the report.
‘If we can work at small little habits that are healthier for somebody’s lifestyle, then over time they can do those without thinking about it and gradually lose weight.’
Dr Cleo recommends top nine habits
Keep to your meal routine; consistency is key, whether you’re eating three or five small meals a day
Choose reduced fat products
Walk off the weight – try to walk 10,000 steps a day. Go up the escalators, stand on the bus and train, or get off a stop earlier and walk
Pack a healthy snack: nuts or low-fat yoghurts are good
Learn the labels: Lower in calories, fat and sugar, and higher in fiber
Take caution with your portions. The more colourful, the better – you should have a good dose of greens on your plate
Think about your drinks. Limit alcohol, juice, fizzy drinks and energy drink consumption, as these can be high in sugar and calories
Focus on your food: eating slowly makes you feel fuller, therefore you eat less
Don’t forget your five a day. Try to spread them across your meals
As painfully uncomfortable or cringeworthy as a bad date can be, it usually makes for a pretty good story.
You might never see the person again but you’ll always remember them for whatever weird f*ckery they got you involved in.
Twitter, a goldmine of dating mishaps and generally amusing stories, has just hit us with another excellent thread.
In it people shared their worst date stories; from dudes who were more concerned with their money than their date, to really specific fashion requirements and straight up murder vibes.
User @_ItsMissBre started the thread by asking women to reveal their dating horrors and, of course, Twitter delivered.
The murder vibes
Let’s hope your date doesn’t make this face (Picture: Getty)
Twitter user @Lisarachnid said: ‘We went to a park to walk around. He pointed to a ravine and “jokingly” said that he could probably hide my body there and no one would ever find it.’
Another woman, @xoxoxMinnie tells the tale of a game of hide and seek.
‘We went out to eat and went to his house after to watch a movie.
‘I went to the bathroom and while I was gone he turned my phone off and hid it and told me to find it. He called it a game and thought it was hysterical. I thought he was going to attack / kill me.
‘It ended up being outside in his mailbox. I have never been so scared in my life and started taking extreme caution whenever I was out with someone like texting locations and license plates.’
Illegal activities
Twitter user @marla_harla wrote: ‘He and his friend picked me up in a huge truck (the friend was driving).
‘The driver asked me if I wanted to do shots with him, went 110km per hour while chain-smoking cigarettes, they stopped to steal a bike and told me about the time they did an armed robbery on a weed dispensary.
‘He then asked me to be his girlfriend, right after telling me he’s getting deported next week because he got arrested. This was our third date.
‘The second one he showed up with his face bloody from a fight.’
The woman isn’t alone in her misery, @TheVirginMaddie said: ‘My cousin set me up with her boyfriend’s friend.
‘He kept trying to spike my drinks after I told him I wasn’t drinking. Later after the date, he called me 10 times looking for the cocaine he thought he’d left in my car but forgot he’d already snorted it.’
The creep
‘Worst pre-date: asked me if I liked heels and when I said yes, asked if I would wear them to our date along with high-waisted jeans, full face of makeup and lip gloss – the way “he likes”.
‘And followed up with “are you gonna look good for me?” and “let me feel you up a little”,’ @SkyLikeSin said.
The cheapo
(Picture: Getty)
Twitter user @problkgoddess97 said: ‘He took me to lunch and told me I couldn’t order anything more than $10 (£7.72) off the menu.
‘Instead of taking a cab back, he had us walk back after lunch. He then walked ahead of me and didn’t even check to see if I made it back safe. I couldn’t believe it so I stopped talking to him.’
Meanwhile, a male Twitter user also shared his bad date story.
‘She asked to go to the beauty supply store and I obliged. She was looking at hair and when the cashier said $189 (£145.82) she looked at me to pay.
‘I calmly walked out, she then walked behind me screaming, saying a real man would show interest and I told her a real man can eat alone,’@Teezmo said.
The cheat
‘I ended up having to pay the whole tab (because he forgot his card) and drive. Then during the movie his girlfriend found my Instagram and messaged me telling me how they’ve been dating for three years and he always does things like this,’ @Taracita_ said.
Another woman, @bluntfairytale, said: ‘We drove to a restaurant and before we got out of the car his phone rang and he answered it on his car Bluetooth.
‘It was another woman saying that she was in town and wanted to meet up with him.
‘He followed up with “yeah I definitely want to bust you down” while I was in the damn car.’
The weirdo
Twitter user @OK_Adrienne: ‘Went on a date to see Mariah Carey with a dude who talked the entire time and tried to scam better seats that he didn’t pay for.
‘On the way to the car, he dumped a bunch of trash on the ground and proceeded to pee on it. Worst date of my entire life.’
The entitled
Finally, @SteviStanton shared her story and said: ‘He pretended to be too drunk to drive home. I let him stay at my apartment.
‘The next morning he came into my room to show me his morning wood. I politely declined with a classic “I’m on my period.”
‘He replied with “are you bleeding from your mouth too?”’
But now we’ve received news that you can add the equally luxurious ice cream brand Magnum to the list – hurrah.
The creamy and nutty treat is going vegan as part of two new shop openings in Sweden and Finland.
Magnum Vegan Classic and Magnum Vegan Almond bars, approved by the European Vegetarian Union, will be available at the popular pop-up stores, where you can decorate your ice cream of choice.
(Picture: Getty)
The brand, owned by major corporation Unilever, are reportedly making the new products from a pea protein base and coating them in dark chocolate.
You can buy your Magnums in a four-piece multipack to ‘share’ (yeah, right) or in singles.
The news comes after research from Innova Market Insights showed how the popularity of plant-based products has soared in recent years. This data revealed that product requests for vegan options have increased by 62% from 2013 to 2017.
‘The dairy alternatives market has been a particular beneficiary of this trend, with the growing availability and promotion of plant-based options to traditional dairy lines, specifically milk beverages and cultured products such as yoghurt, frozen desserts and ice cream,’ said Lu Ann Williams, director at Innova Market Insights.
Although Magnum, originally founded in Belgium, is launching its vegan versions in Sweden and Finland at the moment, the new ice creams could be coming to the UK soon.
Tom Stokes is a 12-year-old autistic boy who loves rollercoasters.
For the past few months, he’s been measuring his height every day to see if he meets the 4ft 6in (1.4m) height restriction on the one ride he really wants to go on.
‘Saw The Ride’, a 30-metre high attraction at Thorpe Park.
He’s spent hours watching the carriages whiz past as they ascend in preparation for the 100ft (30.5m) drop.
Despite not being tall enough to ride it, Tom visits the park with his family who live in Surrey – a mere 20 minute walk from the park – up to 100 times per year.
So, the kind folks at the theme park decided to invite Tom for his very own special, behind-the-scenes access to the ride.
(Picture: SWNS.com)
(Picture: SWNS.com)
Staff at Thorpe Park let Tom, his dad Daniel and mum Janis into the park 30 minutes before the official opening time.
Due to the safety standards in place, he still wasn’t allowed to ride the Saw, but Tom was able to watch the team test the carts and see them go for their first round of the day.
‘He absolutely loved it, he really enjoyed it,’ said Daniel.
‘Tom wants to be a rollercoaster engineer when he is older, and he was chatting to the ride operator who told him how fast they go and how tall the ride is.
‘He’s normally quite shy, but when we got home you couldn’t stop him talking about it.’
(Picture: SWNS.com)
The youngster, who was diagnosed with autism at age three, has a mark on his bedroom door at home showing how tall he has to be to go on the thrilling ride – and measures himself next to it every morning.
Daniel said: ‘When he is watching the rollercoasters as they go up and then go over the top, you can tell he is really enjoying it from the look in his eyes.
‘His autism is very sensory and when stands there watching the ride, it seems he can feel it as if he is on it.’
(Picture: SWNS.com)
‘I don’t mind going there and standing with him.
‘If my wife comes, sometimes I have to go on it for him while he watches me floating around up there, close to chundering many times.
‘He can watch it for hours, then we wander around and he asks if we can go to Saw again.’
Thorpe Park staff have promised the family that Tom will be the first rider of the day as soon as he is tall enough.
Neil Poulter, operations director at the theme park, said: ‘We’re delighted to hear what a big fan Tom is of Saw The Ride.
‘He’s not far away from being the 1.4 metres needed to experience it for himself.
‘As soon as he reaches this milestone, we’d love to have him back here at Thorpe Park Resort to be the first rider of the day, so he can finally enjoy the rollercoaster he’s admired for so long.’
You roll off your partner, get out of bed and head for the bathroom. But there’s no bin, so you just pull the condom off, chuck it into the toilet and flush – without giving much thought to the consequences.
After all, you’ve just enjoyed a nice session of sex and (hopefully) a great orgasm, so it’s understandable that you brain is on autopilot.
While we commend you on deciding to wrap up, and protecting yourself and your partner from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, that’s no excuse.
You might not realise it, but the occasional condom flush can be very damaging to the environment.
‘Our toilets eventually reach the sea, and anything other than biological organic materials cannot be broken down by nature’s recycling pathways,’ says Tom Hird, a marine biologist nicknamed the ‘Blowfish’.
‘While most condoms are commonly made from latex, a natural product from rubber trees, this doesn’t mean they will happily biodegrade in the ocean.’
Don’t flush these babies down the toilet (Picture: Getty Images/EyeEm)
Hird, who is also an ambassador for the Marine Conservation Society, knows his plastic (and how it affects the environment).
He says: ‘The chemicals added to the latex mix, which provide shelf life and stability, stop the condom from breaking down swiftly in the ocean. In fact, scientist are currently unsure how long your sexy sheath takes to break down in the ocean, but estimates put it at around 30 years.
‘In that time, the rubber johnny is free to go on a worldwide jolly of seas and beaches, and if it doesn’t get washed up on shore, then it is extremely likely to be eaten by an aquatic animal mistaking it for food.’
Polyurethane condoms on the other hand are made from plastic – but don’t recycle them with your other other plastic waste. Instead, Very Well Health recommends you wrap them in tissue and throw these away in the trash can, too.
Same goes for latex.
Hird says: ‘Latex condoms have a much better chance of degrading properly on land, so after you’ve had your fun remember to dispose of your “old mans raincoat” properly, by wrapping it in some tissue and putting it straight in the bin.’
When flushed down the toilet, items such as condoms, contact lenses, bandages, baby wipes, plastic bags and food waste can also form a ‘fatberg’ – which is an industry term for a congealed lump of waste, stuck in the sewage system.
Hird says: ‘Fish stocks are already dangerously low, and we have started to pull fish from the seas packed full of microplastics and toxic heavy metals.
‘The seas are not a cesspit, so when you next go to chuck away that condom, cotton bud or worse, just remember that when it comes to the infinite cycle of water on this blue planet – what goes around, comes around.’
Things you shouldn't flush down the toilet
Food waste
Fat, oil and grease
Plastic bags
Nappies
Sanitary towels including tampons, applicators and wrappers
‘Look, it’s really busy,’ they say. ‘Do you really wanna hold up the queue?’ (Picture: Getty)
Recently, my partner has developed a fear of flying – not because she doesn’t like travelling on aeroplanes, but because of an inevitable kind of encounter at security.
See, my partner has type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition in which the body stops producing insulin, the hormone we all need to convert food into energy. Without insulin, you effectively starve to death, no matter how much you eat.
Unlike the more common type 2 diabetes – which is linked with obesity and can often be controlled with lifestyle changes – type 1 is a chronic, incurable disease, which hits for reasons science doesn’t quite understand. Until the development of injectable insulin in the 1920s, it was always fatal.
Advances in medical technology mean type 1 diabetics can now live relatively normal lives. My partner wears an insulin pump – a device that’s permanently attached to her via a thin tube.
It’s been a lifesaver – literally. Not only does it mean she doesn’t need to inject herself before every meal, it’s also reduced the frequency of the dangerous hypoglycemic attacks that characterise type 1. Like the diabetes itself, left untreated, hypos kill.
But insulin pumps don’t get on very well with X-rays. And this presents a problem during the airport security process.
My partner can’t take her pump through airport body scanners, nor can she detach it and put it through the bag scanning machine. There’s a big red warning on her pump’s instruction manual, and she has a letter from her doctor explaining this, and the serious health risks a malfunctioning insulin pump would present.
Sadly, most airport security staff don’t care.
‘It can go through fine,’ is the most common response she hears.
Or: ‘The old ones couldn’t, but pumps these days can,’ as if the security officer knows more about my partner’s permanently attached medical device than she does.
I understand that insulin pumps aren’t common. But airport staff should be trained in how to adapt the security process for those who need it.
The worst is when staff try to guilt-trip or intimidate her, which happens more often than you might expect. ‘Look, it’s really busy,’ they say. ‘Do you really wanna hold up the queue?’ Sometimes they raise their voice. ‘Fine,’ they eventually seethe. ‘I’ll go and get my manager.’
Meanwhile, I’m on the other side of security, unable to do anything. You feel angry and helpless, watching the person you love endure this kind of treatment, all because of an illness they’re powerless to change.
Most airports have now replaced their X-ray body scanners with newer, millimeter wave technology. But the jury is out among insulin pump manufacturers over whether this is safe for their devices. Diabetes UK’s position is: don’t take the risk.
And what people might not know is that anyone – able-bodied or otherwise – can request an alternative screening process, for any reason. It could be because of the medical tech they wear, for religious or simply personal reasons, and the airport has to oblige.
There’s no detriment to safety, either. Pat-downs and metal detectors are just as effective as body scanners. They just take a little longer.
I understand that insulin pumps aren’t common. But airport staff should be trained in how to adapt the security process for those who need it.
In 2016, the Airport Operators Association issued guidelines to airports, reminding them of their legal responsibility to disabled passengers and users of medical tech.
The guidelines clearly state that insulin pump users should be taken aside for a pat-down search, the pump itself checked with an explosive-detecting wand. A reminder was sent in 2017 after complaints that these guidelines weren’t followed.
Yet the problem persists.
‘I’m tired of being challenged every time,’ my partner told me after a recent experience at a UK airport. ‘I never know whether staff will be simply dismissive, or if they’ll go straight to intimidation.
‘It’s alienating. It reminds me that I’m different.’
After we publicly complained to two airports who had treated my partner poorly, both replied stating their commitment to re-training staff. Whether this has the desired effect remains to be seen. Clearly, previous reminders haven’t worked.
The solution, though, is frustratingly simple. ‘Don’t make it a big deal,’ my partner says. ‘Ensure that staff understand the guidelines, and that they don’t try to force people through body scanners – this goes for able-bodied people too.
‘If staff are unsure, then they should believe the person with the disability. Obviously safety is paramount, but my safety is important as well.
‘Believe me, guide me gently through the steps, and treat me with respect.’
Mum Kelsey with twins Braxton and Auvianna (Picture: SWNS.com)
Twins and triplets are more common now than they were in the past, due to advanced science and the use of fertility drugs.
Women are also having children later in life, and as they age produce more estrogen, which means their ovaries are stimulated to produce more than one egg at a time.
Kelsey Husler, 24, is different from most women.
Four years ago, she had fraternal twins (when two separate eggs are fertilised) and now she’s expecting her second set of twins – which happens very rarely.
In fact, there’s a one in 700,000 chance of it happening naturally.
(Picture: SWNS.com)
The new twins will be named Gracelyn Kay and Kennadie Faith (Picture: SWNS.com)
The soon-to-be mum-of-four gave birth to her twins, son and daughter Braxton and Auvianna Hunter, four years ago.
And in February this year, Kelsey, who works as an independent distributor, learned she was expecting multiples again – this time fraternal twin girls.
She’s expected to give birth later this month, and the family is excitedly awaiting its new arrivals.
‘Everyone has the same response when they hear that I’m expecting twins again – their eyes pop out of their heads,’ said Kelsey from Minnesota, U.S.
‘They freak out. I always wanted to have two kids. Instead, I will have two pregnancies and four kids.
‘I was not expecting to have twins when I first got pregnant, so I kind of freaked out. The second time I was like, that’s awesome, this is going to be fun.
‘We don’t know anybody else in the family with twins. Not even our older relatives can recall any twins in the family. It feels great to be the first. I’m starting a legacy, it’s pretty cool.
‘I don’t think it’s hit me yet. I know it’s super rare but it won’t properly hit me just how rare it is until they’re born.’
(Picture: SWNS.com)
Kelsey said this pregnancy has been completely unlike the previous one. She is now single but maintains she has all the support she needs.
Her three-year-old son Braxton has even offered to help with changing nappies.
Obstetrician gynecologist Dr Mary Holm, who cares for Kelsey at Essential Health in Fargo, North Dakota, said this is the first time she’s seen a case like this.
Dr Holm said: ‘Twins generally are 3% of any spontaneously achieved pregnancy. To have two in a row is very rare.
‘In the past I’ve had patients who have had twins twice, but that was when they had a few kids in between. I’ve never seen a back-to-back pregnancy like this before.
‘Kelsey seemed completely unfazed by it. I guess that was the bigger surprise.’
What increases the odds of having twins?
According to the Better Health Channel, factors that increase the chances of birthing twins are:
Advancing age of the mother – women in their 30s and 40s have higher levels of the sex hormone estrogen than younger women, which means that their ovaries are stimulated to produce more than one egg at a time.
Number of previous pregnancies – the greater the number of pregnancies a woman has already had, the higher her odds of conceiving twins
Heredity – a woman is more likely to conceive fraternal twins if she is a fraternal twin, has already had fraternal twins, or has siblings who are fraternal twins
Race – black women have the highest incidence of twins, while Asian women have the lowest
Assisted reproductive techniques – many procedures rely on stimulating the ovaries with fertility drugs to produce eggs and, often, several eggs are released per ovulation
Ever fancied owning a little slice of Royal Mail? Now, you can.
Sort of.
In the village of Brenzett, Kent, you can buy a quirky home with lots of history; the detached house is a converted post office, originally built in the 1800s.
The four bedroom property also has a large swimming pool, garden and additional summer house on the property’s extensive plot of land.
Beach lovers especially will appreciate the location, as it’s a stone’s throw from the coast and yours for £620,000.
The epitome of country charm, the owners have kept many of the original features, including the tiny little sign declaring you’ve arrived at the post office.
(Picture: YOPA)
(Picture: YOPA)
(Picture: YOPA)
(Picture: YOPA)
(Picture: YOPA)
(Picture: YOPA)
There’s lots of space to entertain guests, including multiple reception areas and a dining room, with characteristics such as brick walls, wood floor panelling and wooden beams in the kitchen.
Or take the party outside, with a BBQ in your garden.
There’s also a spacious car park, as well as a small shed.
And, of course, your swimming pool – so you can live your best lilo life.
(Picture: YOPA)
(Picture: YOPA)
Currently listed with Yopa, the property is said to have ‘retained all of its character’, but with the added benefit of being a ‘stunning, open and modern family home’.
Technically, it’s two homes for the price of one – as part of the price, you’ll get your very own summer house.
(Picture: YOPA)
(Picture: YOPA)
You can relish in the rural countryside and beauty of the Romney Marsh wetlands, but the M20 is located nearby and a short drive away you’ll find regular train links from Ashford to London.
The local community also offers quaint pubs, a good range of schools and historic churches to explore.
But, best of all, you get to brag to everyone that you own a post office.
You would be forgiven for thinking that the glamorous models posing for the luxury fashion brand Balmain are all real.
But the latest additions to Balmain’s model roster just look seriously human.
The French retailer has hired a ‘virtual army’ to showcase its latest range, as envisioned by creative director Olivier Rousteing.
Among the models, who are all digitally manufactured, is Shudu – the dark-skinned model with 141,000 followers on Instagram.
She was created using 3D imaging and joined her fellow models for an uber chic photoshoot.
On the Balmain website, a statement reads: ‘Anyone and everyone is always welcome to join Balmain army’s growing ranks – they need only share our bold spirit of adventure as our new virtual icons, Margot, Shudu and Zhi who mirror the beauty, the rock style and the confident power.’
All the clothing worn by the models were designed by CLO Virtual Fashion, a software company that creates hyperrealistic 3D garments.
To make the look, a team of 3D designers tested the fabric of each dress for weight, drape, flexibility and stitching patterns.
They then input this data into the programme and, using the doll’s avatar, tailored each outfit to her measurements.
Shudu, the tall, striking model was inspired by a Barbie doll called Princess of South Africa.
‘I was learning how to create 3D imagery for graphic novels and animations, and I had the opportunity to create a model however I wanted,’ Wilson said.
After Rihanna’s cosmetic brand Fenty Beauty shared an image of the virtual doll, James’ animation business grew incredibly popular.
Though his designs have been picked up major outlets like Balmain, he has also faced public criticism for his work.
People condemned the photographer for using and profiting off black beauty, without having to pay a black woman for the work.
Cameron replied saying that the models are not used commercially as a replacement to real-life women.
Could this be the end of the fashion model industry?
There’s just no getting away from friendship politics, no matter which institution you’re at. And it turns out, parents might have more a lot to do with how well we fair in our friendships, than we thought.
A new study looking at why childhood relationships fall apart has found that parents can be a key component.
And we don’t just mean parents who meddle in their kids’ friendship circles – parents can still have some sort of effect on their offspring’s friendship longevity without really doing anything, the study has found.
The research, published in the Journal of Family Psychology also outlined that children with clinically depressed parents have a 104% increased risk of seeing a friendship dissolve within the first six years of school.
(Picture: Getty)
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland tested three factors; behavioural control such as curfews and monitoring, psychological control like shaming and guilt and finally, warmth and affection.
They collected data from 1,523 children and looked at the parenting styles of mums and dads who were asked to do self reports of depressive symptoms.
Study authors predict that parents who show positive signs towards their children, such as warmth and affection, may end up giving them the skills required to be well-rounded individuals – thus attracting more friends and being more popular or well-liked.
However, the study points out that affectionate mums and dads don’t make a particular difference to their kids’ friendship longevity.
‘Warmth and affection don’t appear to make that much of a difference. It’s the negative characteristics of parents that are key in determining if and when these childhood friendships end,’ said co-author Dr Brett Laursen.
(Picture: Getty)
There was a similar increase in the risk of best friendship dissolution for children with psychologically controlling parents.
Dr Laursen said: ‘Depressed and psychologically controlling parents create an affective climate that is detrimental to a child’s well-being, with problems that spill over into the peer social world.
‘Best friendships are one causality of this affective spillover. We believe that children with depressed and psychologically controlling parents are not learning healthy strategies for engaging with other people, which could have long-term consequences for their future relationships.’
‘Just one adult who’s available, and willing to help support the child can make a big difference in a child’s life when a parent is depressed,’ she said.
‘That person could be inside family or outside family. This type of relationship may promote resilience – or in other words, the child will be less likely to experience negative outcomes.
‘That can be as simple as maintaining a dialogue with the children, keeping the lines of communication open. It can also be showing sensitivity to the child’s needs.’
There’s a lot of potential disasters that you can plan for – having extra booze in reserve or catering for more people than you’re actually expecting. But one thing you really can’t do anything about is the weather.
I spent the run up to my wedding obsessively checking ten different weather apps and cross referencing them to work out whether I was going to spend the day in a sodden wedding dress with wet hair.
Monsoon (the clothes shop, who make lots of wedding-y type things) have created a calculator which helps take some of the guess work out of picking a wedding date. If you’re engaged and picking a date then you might want to pop yours in to see what the percentage chance of rain there is for your big day.
(Picture: Monsoon.co.uk)
The calculator will take the date and then location of your wedding and tell you how likely it is to be wet based on previous years.
So, if you were to have the same wedding date as me (1st of July) you’d be pretty unlikely to experience a downpour. Though, the 1st of July is a Monday next year so maybe not quite such a popular wedding date.
Remember, though: even if it does rain on your wedding day, it’s really not a big deal. You can rent chic umbrellas for the day (we used Brolly Bucket) and some of the best wedding photographs are of brides and grooms kissing in the rain or posing with umbrellas.
She will walk down the catwalk at Kelham Hall in Nottinghamshire next week, when the winner is decided.
After winning the Miss Huddersfield 2018 and Miss Yorkshire Popularity 2018 contests, Sara has her eyes set on the Miss England title, the woman from the UK who will go on to represent the nation in Miss World.
‘Wow, I can’t even comprehend how amazing it felt for my name to be announced as a finalist in the Miss England Finals 2018,’ she told her Instagram followers.
‘It was an incredible experience and something which I will never be able to forget. The opportunities which I have received with being a finalist in Miss England are opportunities which I would never have thought of, and will forever be grateful for.’
(Picture: Sara Iftekhar/Facebook)
The competition is raising funds for Beauty with a Purpose, a charity that has helped underprivileged children, displaced children in Vietnam and and cleft palate teams in South America, Sri Lanka and Russia, as well as people affected by natural disasters.
Sara has used her platform to show support for the charity and set up a Go Fund Me page.
On the page, she wrote: ‘I participated in Miss 2018 in order to show that beauty doesn’t have a definition.’
‘Everyone is beautiful in their own ways, regardless of their weight, race, colour or shape.’
If Sara wins the title, she’ll be going to Sanya in China to represent England at Miss World.
