A Wall Street Journal article published on Tuesday revealed that for the past three years Facebook has conducted research on the ways in which Instagram (owned by Facebook since 2012) impacts the mental health of its users. The results are grim, especially for one of Instagram’s top demographics: teenage girls. In a March 2020 company presentation obtained by the Journal, Facebook’s researchers stated that, “Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse.”  A similar research presentation...

Our columnist, Sarah Potter, provides this season's tarot readings for the signs.    Virgo: Wheel of Fortune Reversed (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) I see you, Virgo. You’ve been moving and grooving along on  your path to success and then, bam—a roadblock appeared. Instead of getting frustrated or giving up, use this as an excuse to come up with a creative solution that will lead you to a place you never would have gone otherwise! Success will be even sweeter because you made it through this momentary...

On Tuesday, April 13 the CDC and FDA recommended US distributors “pause” inoculations using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six women developed blood clots. Within two weeks of being given the vaccine, these women developed cerebral venous sinus thrombosis blood clots combined with low levels of blood platelets. This combination requires more specialized treatment than what is typically administered, and the typical medication prescribed for blood clots is actually dangerous for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis blood clot cases. All of the women who have...

People who have periods will keep tampons hidden meticulously: being stranded without period products means uncomfortably, embarrassment, and ruined clothes. For people in Mexico City who use tampons with plastic applicators, however, they no longer have the option to hide them. They don’t even have the option to buy and use them. Mexico’s population of 126 million produces 6,000 tons of plastic waste yearly. To minimize their impact on the planet, Mexico City passed legislation banning single-use plastic in 2019. As of Jan. 1, the commercialization,...

Months after Vanessa Guillén's remains were found on June 30, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy announced that 14 leaders at Fort Hood are to be dismissed from the Army for her murder, reported CBS News. The 20 year-old Army soldier went missing on April 20, and was declared murdered on April 22 in Fort Hood, Texas following the discovery of her remains a week later along the Leon River. Before her disappearance, Guillén told her family that she and other women in the Army were being sexually...

Looking for gifts for everyone on your list, from foodies to crafters to fashionistas to stoners—and more? Want to support small businesses with your holiday shopping dollars? Then look no further than this handy guide to the best buys of the season. RIKRACKrikrack.comRikrack Embroidery’s new Holiday design for 2020 is Mr. and Mrs. Claus. This super fun, beginner-level embroidery kit makes a great gift for your crafty friend or even just for yourself! Each kit makes two 3" hoops. This festive power couple would even make great...

Democratic Representative of New Mexico, Deb Haaland, is now a leading candidate for President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet position as interior secretary, according to The Hill. If appointed, Haaland would make history as the first-ever Native Cabinet member. Haaland, who was recently reappointed to New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District, has made large strides to preserve land and protect Indigenous communities. Her 30-by-30 resolution hopes to conserve 30% of U.S lands and oceans by 2030, and her initiatives surrounding the COVID-19 crisis largely focus on the disproportionate affects...

Lucille Bridges, the mother of one of the most recognizable and influential civil rights leaders, passed away yesterday. Because human life is fleeting, we tend to think of great injustices in this country, especially slavery and state-mandated apartheid, as a long time ago — but to have lost the mother of Ruby Bridges in 2020 says a lot about our collective memory and how the past is closer to us than we think. Lucille was 86 and died at her home in Louisiana. On November 14, 1960,...

After downplaying COVID-19 for his own political gain and consistently and xenophobically calling it the “China Virus,” Donald Trump and Melania Trump have both tested positive for the Coronavirus. CNN reports that many White House officials knew that Hope Hicks, a senior counselor to the (impeached) president, had tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday morning but encouraged Trump to attend a New Jersey golf club fundraiser with an attendance of over 100 people.  At this fundraiser Trump reportedly seemed “lethargic” but still repeated his message that “the...

If you’re like any other anxious American voter who was curious about how the first Presidential debate went but too scared or too tired to watch, just turn on MTV and put on any reality show and you’ll get the gist. There was screaming, verbal taunts, mocking of dead children, and, of course, copious amounts of half-truths and straight up lies. To help figure out what was true and what was fake from all of Trump’s interesting claims last night, we compiled fact-checking on some...