Trump Lashes Out at NYT Over Story Detailing His Diet Coke Addiction, 4-Hour-a-Day TV Habits

Donald Trump snapped back at a story in the New York Times on Monday morning, disputing some of its details in a furious tweet: “Another false story, this time in the Failing @nytimes, that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day – Wrong! Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the “dumbest man on television!” Bad Reporting.”

Another false story, this time in the Failing @nytimes, that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day – Wrong! Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the “dumbest man on television!” Bad Reporting.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2017

From the scathing NYT story:

Before taking office, Mr. Trump told top aides to think of each presidential day as an episode in a television show in which he vanquishes rivals. People close to him estimate that Mr. Trump spends at least four hours a day, and sometimes as much as twice that, in front of a television, sometimes with the volume muted, marinating in the no-holds-barred wars of cable news and eager to fire back…

…The ammunition for his Twitter war is television. No one touches the remote control except Mr. Trump and the technical support staff — at least that’s the rule. During meetings, the 60-inch screen mounted in the dining room may be muted, but Mr. Trump keeps an eye on scrolling headlines. What he misses he checks out later on what he calls his “Super TiVo,” a state-of-the-art system that records cable news.

Watching cable, he shares thoughts with anyone in the room, even the household staff he summons via a button for lunch or for one of the dozen Diet Cokes he consumes each day.

But he is leery of being seen as tube-glued — a perception that reinforces the criticism that he is not taking the job seriously.

The post Trump Lashes Out at NYT Over Story Detailing His Diet Coke Addiction, 4-Hour-a-Day TV Habits appeared first on Towleroad.

Trump Lashes Out at NYT Over Story Detailing His Diet Coke Addiction, 4-Hour-a-Day TV Habits

How To Support A Family Member With A Mental Illness

It’s well known that managing and seeking help for a mental illness can be an arduous process and it’s important that people have a good support network to help them through the tough times.

However, we often forget the pain, frustration and disappointment that families go through when supporting loved ones in accessing services and helping them on their road to recovery. Supporting a family member with a mental illness, whether that be a child, parent or partner, comes with its own set of challenges.

I’d like to thank my parents for being there and for fighting tenaciously to enable me to access the right services. My parents were and still are very supportive, and have played such a vital role in getting me to where I am today.

Alongside my personal experiences, I also work in the area of mental health and as such, have encountered many instances of families desperately working together to tackle stigma, survive waiting lists and access appropriate services (even if this means travelling miles for support).

Using such personal and professional experiences, I have constructed five top tips to supporting a family member with a mental illness:

1. Stop trying to find an immediate solution

As well as finding ourselves looking for the reason why our loved one is struggling, it is common that we will try and ‘solve the issue’ and provide a solution. There is not one obvious answer for either of these and what helped someone else may not help them. Remember; just as our minds are unique, so is our recovery. Offer support rather than solutions and try to be there for them whenever they need you.

2. Listen and be patient

As frustrating and as painful as it can be, try to be patient. It takes time so just be there to listen and support and try not to worry about saying the wrong thing, ask what you can do to help them. Silence can be very supportive. Often, we can find silences awkward and try to fill them with words but silences can really help your loved one to collect their thoughts and decide on next steps.

3. Encourage them to help themselves

It’s very difficult to help someone if they are not willing to help themselves first. Try to encourage them to take part in hobbies and get out of the house. It may be the last thing that they want to do but things like exercise, meditation and art can all help improve mental well-being. Help them find what’s right for them.

4. Give hope and be positive

Help them to feel good about themselves and offer praise. Recovery is possible and people can and do get better so let them know that.

5. Take care of yourself

Helping others can be exhausting and mentally draining so it’s important that you look after yourself too. As difficult as it may be, try to find some time for yourself to relax, unwind and focus on your own well-being.

I hope you have found those useful. For more top tips on supporting a loved one with a mental health problem, check out the video below:

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/how-to-support-a-family-member-with-a-mental-illness_uk_5a2a63bee4b022ec613b8106

New York ‘Explosion’ Prompts Evacuation Of City’s Subway

The New York Police Department is responding to reports of an “explosion of unknown origin” in midtown Manhattan at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, according to the police department’s official Twitter feed.

Some subway train lines there were being evacuated, reports Reuters.

The New York fire department said it was responding to an incident at the Port Authority bus terminal in midtown Manhattan. 

There are no reports of casualties at this time.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Check back for the fullest version. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/new-york-explosion_uk_5a2e801be4b073789f6b51cf

The Lives of Queer Dreamers Hang in the Balance

With Congress and Trump playing politics, LGBT immigrants brought here as children face terrifying futures.

www.advocate.com/commentary/2017/12/11/lives-queer-dreamers-hang-balance

Mum’s Touching Shout Out To Santa Who Made Shy Toddler’s Experience A Magical One At Christmas

A mum has written a touching tribute to the Santa in her local shopping centre who made her shy son’s grotto experience a magical one.

The mum, named Virri, shared the open letter on Imgur, alongside a photo of her son smiling down at Santa.

“Dear Mall Santa, I hope you see this,” she wrote on 11 December. “My one-year-old son was super shy and not having any of the Santa thing.

“Not quite in full tears, but I’m about 95% sure that I would have had the ‘super meltdown’ picture if we went anywhere else.”

The mum continued: “Luckily, you and your elves had nobody else in line and were super patient with him – encouraging him, engaging with him and letting him explore your workshop.

“This picture is the result of a man who clearly loves his job. Thank you so much! Virri.”

The photo was taken at Fairview park mall in Ontario, US.

“He took a few notes from ‘Miracle on 34th Street’,” one person wrote. “This is wonderful.”

Another person commented: “That man is perfect for his job.”

Heartwarming stories about Santa often pop up as we enter the festive season. Back in 2015, one Santa really did mirror the scene from ‘Miracle on 34th Street’.

The little girl was sat on Santa’s knee at the Cleveland Centre in Middlesbrough but was unable to initially understand what he was saying. Santa tapped the young girl on the arm and used sign language to talk to her.

“This guy deserves a medal. Best video I have seen in long time. He made that little girl’s year right there,” wrote one person on the YouTube video at the time.

“So sweet, wonderful of him to make a connection with her. What a great guy and what a precious girl,” commented another.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/mum-open-letter-shoutout-santa_uk_5a2e525de4b069ec48ae9c94

Jerusalem – The Lovely Gift From The Wrong Person At The Wrong Time

The reactions to President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel have been astonishingly different from what might have been expected.

For Jews in Britain, who would have greeted it joyously had it been done in 1948 when the State of Israel was declared, there has been a nervous caution. We have regarded Jerusalem as the capital ever since then, whether others accepted it or not, so the White House words did not really change anything.

In fact, the history goes back to the year 1000 BCE, when David first made it Israel’s capital. Even when it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, the dream of returning was kept alive in Jewish thinking and practice: mentioned in the daily prayers, in both the wedding and burial service, in the way every synagogue faces Jerusalem or has a light always on, resembling that once permanently lit in the temple there. The city may have been in ruins, but it remained central to Jewish hearts.

However, the mild pleasure of “at last!” was counter-weighed by apprehension, both at the disturbances that it might bring, and at the effect it might have on chances of resuscitating the catatonic peace process.

It felt like being given a lovely gift one had always wanted, but at the wrong time and in the wrong way.

There was also annoyance at a lot of unnecessary froth which accompanied the announcement: little attention was given to the fact that immediately after making his declaration, Trump signed the regular six-month waiver to delay relocating the American embassy that all previous Presidents had signed. These may well continue and the new embassy may not happen any more than the supposed wall he is building on the Mexican border.

Equally important, while it is true that Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, he did not specify which parts of the city: so his declaration did not preclude East Jerusalem still becoming the capital of an eventual Palestinian state. He may have increased tensions in the short term, but not made a huge difference in the long term.

Meanwhile it has been noticeable how relatively muted the Arab reaction has been. Protests and condemnation have been widespread, but if one measures actions rather than words, then so far it has been much less explosive than many predicted. It is terrible that Palestinians have died – at the time of writing four – but far greater numbers could have suffered.

The brutal reality is that most Arab countries are more concerned about Iran rather than Palestinians, or have their own civil wars, or conflicts with Muslim neighbours. Meanwhile the rest of the world is more bothered by Iran, Korea and Russian interference than what is happening in the Middle East.

What is also significant is that the peace process has not stalled up to this point because of arguments over Jerusalem, but because of a basic lack of trust between the two sides.

Israelis say: “Look, we withdrew from Gaza and handed it back to the Palestinians – but instead of peace, we got rockets. We won’t make the same mistake with the West Bank until you prove the same won’t happen again”.

Palestinians say: “You are continuing to build settlements on the West Bank, you are eating away at our land and it looks like you have no intention of making room for a viable Palestinian state being possible”.

Without trust, nothing will progress, and certainly not any plan imposed by outside bodies, however well-meaning. I suspect there will be no advances until there is a change of leadership on both sides. The status quo, although neither desirable nor sustainable, will remain until then.

The great irony is that the name ‘Jerusalem’ is an amalgam of two Hebrew words: ir shalom meaning ‘city of peace’. The hope is still there and the leaders have to create the mindsets and conditions that will make it possible.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jerusalem_uk_5a2d4254e4b0d7c3f26223b9

Celebs Reach Out to Bullied Tennessee Teen as Viral Video Hits More Than 18 Million Views: WATCH

Celebs are reaching out to Keaton Jones, a bullied Tennessee teen who appeared in a video posted to Facebook by his mom which went viral over the weekend, reaching more than 18 million views on Facebook.

In the video, Jones describes having milk poured on him and ham shoved down his clothing by bullies that mocked him for his looks and for scars he received in a head operation.

Asked Keaton in the video: “Just out of curiosity, why do they bully? What’s the point of it? Why do you find joy in taking innocent people and finding a way to be mean to ’em? It’s not okay. It’s not okay! People that are different don’t need to be criticized about it. It’s not their fault.”

Wrote his mother, Kimberly: “For the record, Keaton asked to do this AFTER he had he me pick him up AGAIN because he was afraid to go to lunch. My kids are by no stretch perfect, & at home, he’s as all boy as they come, but by all accounts he’s good at school. Talk to your kids. I’ve even had friends of mine tell me they’re kids were only nice to him to get him to mess with people. We all know how it feels to want to belong, but only a select few know how it really feels not to belong anywhere.”

As Deadline reports, Keaton’s plight and message have caught the attention of high-profile celebs who are expressing their solidarity:

“Stay strong, Keaton,” tweeted Chris Evans. “Don’t let them make you turn cold. I promise it gets better. While those punks at your school are deciding what kind of people they want to be in this world, how would you and your mom like to come to the Avengers premiere in LA next year?

“Little buddy,” wrote Ruffalo, “I was bullied when I was a kid. You are right #ItGetsBetter! You are my own personal super hero. Protect Yo Heart. You got a pal in the Hulk.”

Tweeted Mark Hamill, “They’re just jealous because you’re so smart & handsome.”

“Add me to your long list of friends Keaton,” tweeted Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Others reaching out include Patrick Adams (Suits), Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Kevin Jonas, Cardi B and, well, take a look for a sample of a roster that’s growing by the minute:

The post Celebs Reach Out to Bullied Tennessee Teen as Viral Video Hits More Than 18 Million Views: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Celebs Reach Out to Bullied Tennessee Teen as Viral Video Hits More Than 18 Million Views: WATCH