Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott provided a new meaning for the acronym “DEI” after conservative critics linked him to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in response to the deadly Francis Scott Key bridge collapse. “I know and we know and you know very well that Black men, and young Black men in particular, have been the bogeyman for those who are racist and think that only straight, wealthy white men should have a say in anything,” said Scott on Wednesday’s edition of MSNBC’s “The ReidOut.” He continued, “We’ve been the bogeyman for them since the first day they brought us to this country and what they mean by ‘DEI’ in my opinion is duly elected incumbent.” Scott weighed in on the attacks after an X account called him “Baltimore’s DEI mayor” in response to a clip of him asking people to pray for families of those impacted by the collapse. The post has gained 25 million views, 13,000 likes and 5,900 shares. Host Joy Reid informed viewers that Scott was elected with “70% of the vote” back in 2020 by a city with a predominantly Black population. “So by right-wing logic, a ‘diversity hire,’ would have been a white man,” Reid said. Scott later told Reid that he knows what those critics “want to say.” “But they don’t have the courage to say the N-word and the fact that I don’t believe in their untruthful and wrong ideology and I am very proud of my heritage and who I am and where I come from, scares them,” Scott said. He continued, “Because me being at my position means that their way of thinking, their way of life of being comfortable while everyone else suffers is going to be at risk and they should be afraid because that’s my purpose in life.” DEI has become a frequent target for right-wing attacks in recent years including in Florida, which has banned the use of state and federal funds for DEI programs at public colleges, and Texas. Others such as Florida congressional candidate Anthony Sabatini declared “DEI did this” in response to the collapse while Utah Rep. Phil Lyman, a GOP gubernatorial candidate in the state, took aim at Maryland port commissioner Karenthia A. Barber, the first Black woman to hold the title. “This is what happens when you have Governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens,” wrote Lyman, who later posted that “DEI=DIE.” Lyman told The Salt Lake Tribune that the post was “not our best moment” and described it as a “knee-jerk reaction to some of the things others were putting out there,” adding that someone on his team made the comments without his approval. Lyman’s posts are still online as of early Thursday morning. Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has warned of the negative effect that presumptive GOP 2024 nominee Donald Trump will have on down-ballot Republican candidates. “I think we’re going to lose more seats than we otherwise would with Trump because there are just too many suburban swing voters that just don’t like him, that therefore vote against Republicans,” Ryan said in an interview with Southern Methodist University’s student-run Daily Campus on Tuesday. Former GOP hopeful Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the Republican primary race after Super Tuesday, would have been a more unifying presidential candidate, he suggested. Ryan said he didn’t subscribe to the nationalist populism of Trump, which is where “the bulk” of Republicans are right now, and also called the current GOP a cult of personality tied to Trump rather than based on a set of principles. Fmr. GOP Speaker Ryan: I think we're going to lose more seats than we otherwise would have with Trump because there are just too many swing voters that don't like him, that therefore vote against Republicans pic.twitter.com/WO0rJsnlDv — DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) March 27, 2024 Ryan was a fierce critic of Trump before his surprise 2016 election win over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. As House speaker, Ryan worked with the then-president and passed major tax cuts before announcing his retirement from Congress in 2018 and joining the board of Fox Corp. Watch the full interview here: Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Former President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the judge overseeing his criminal trial in New York ― and attacked his daughter as well ― just a day after the judge imposed a gag order barring him from speaking about the case. Trump posted messages on his Truth Social media platform that attack Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the criminal trial centered on hush money payments made to block allegations against him in the final days of the 2016 presidential election. Merchan imposed a gag order on Tuesday that bars Trump from making any public statements about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff or jurors in the trial, citing the former president’s history of tirades about the case. Merchan, an acting justice of the New York State Supreme Court in New York County, said it was “without question that the imminency of the risk of harm is now paramount.” Notably, the gag order does not apply to remarks about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg or about Merchan and his family. “Judge Juan Merchan, who is suffering from an acute case of Trump Derangement Syndrome … has now issued another illegal, un-American, unConstitutional ‘order,’ as he continues to try and take away my Rights,” Trump wrote in his post. “This Judge, by issuing a vicious ‘Gag Order,’ is wrongfully attempting to deprive me of my First Amendment Right to speak out against the Weaponization of Law Enforcement.” The former president also attacked Merchan’s daughter, claiming she had used an image of Trump behind bars as a profile picture on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter. “So, let me get this straight, the Judge’s daughter is allowed to post pictures of her ‘dream’ of putting me in jail, the Manhattan D.A. is able to say whatever lies about me he wants, the Judge can violate our Laws and Constitution at every turn, but I am not allowed to talk about the attacks against me,” Trump wrote. But a spokesperson for New York’s state court said Wednesday that the former president’s claim wasn’t true and that the X account no longer belongs to Merchan’s daughter. The New York Times reported that she deleted the handle about a year ago and that it has since been taken over by someone else. “The X, formerly Twitter, account being attributed to Judge Merchan’s daughter no longer belongs to her,” Al Baker, the spokesperson, said, according to the Times. “It is not linked to her email address, nor has she posted under that screen name since she deleted the account. Rather, it represents the reconstitution, last April, and manipulation of an account she long ago abandoned.” Merchan told The Associated Press this month that his office was working to prepare for the case, the first of Trump’s four indictments set to go to trial. “There’s no agenda here,” the judge said. “We want to follow the law. We want justice to be done.” The trial is scheduled to begin on April 15 despite Trump’s attempts to see the case delayed as his 2024 presidential election campaign continues. It involves payments made to one woman, adult film star Stormy Daniels, to silence her allegations about an extramarital affair, and payments connected to a tabloid allegedly meant to quash the stories of two other accusers. Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

President Joe Biden will join former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama on stage for a chat at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday night, in what will be the most lucrative political fundraising event in American history. In total, the event will raise more than $25 million, per the Biden-Harris campaign. For context: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump raised $20 million in all of February, per his campaign finance filings. More than 5,000 supporters will attend Biden’s sold-out fundraiser, and thousands of others are expected to watch online. The evening will feature a number of special guests before the main event, which the Biden campaign is billing as an “armchair conversation” between the three presidents, moderated by “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert. Biden-Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez will hold a virtual pre-program for grassroots supporters featuring a conversation with the three presidents. The in-person event will be hosted by actor Mindy Kaling and star musical guests Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele. First lady Jill Biden will kick off the in-person program. “This historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice President Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we’ve built,” Biden-Harris 2024 campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement. “Unlike our opponent, every dollar we’re raising is going to reach the voters who will decide this election — communicating the President’s historic record, his vision for the future and laying plain the stakes of this election,” he said. “The numbers don’t lie: today’s event is a massive show of force and a true reflection of the momentum to reelect the Biden-Harris ticket.” Biden has been out-raising Trump for months, in part because the twice-impeached former president is burning through cash on his legal bills as he faces 91 felony counts in four separate criminal indictments. In February alone, Trump’s campaign spent $6.5 million defending him in court, up from the $5.7 million he spent in court in January. Trump’s campaign currently has less than $42 million cash on hand. Biden’s campaign has about $155 million, more than three times as much. Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

A Missouri Democrat is launching a TV ad targeting Sen. Josh Hawley and Republicans over IVF access, previewing what’s likely to become a predominant election-year attack from the left, even in red states. Democrat Lucas Kunce, who hopes to take Hawley’s Senate seat in November, is launching a five-figure ad buy beginning Monday with a 30-second spot in which a Missouri mother describes having a baby after in vitro fertilization treatment and claims Hawley wouldn’t protect people’s right to the procedure. Hawley has previously denied taking that position. “I just had this beautiful baby, and I held her and I just, like, knew I was meant to be her mom,” the Missouri woman, named Jessica, says. “Now there are efforts to ban IVF, and Josh Hawley got them started. Josh Hawley has proven that he won’t protect IVF and he would let politicians make me a criminal. “I want Josh Hawley to look me in the eye and tell me that I can’t have a child that I deserve,” she says. The spot will air during shows on network and cable TV designed to appeal to women, such as “The Masked Singer,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” his campaign said. “It’s not just about access to IVF,” Kunce told HuffPost. “That’s just the current moment. Missourians want to have the ability to control their own lives. We want the resources to make our own decisions, and we want the government to get out of the way ... IVF is such a great example of the extreme he’s willing to go to control other people’s lives.” The ad cites a recent Guardian report about Hawley’s legal work for Hobby Lobby, which the Supreme Court sided with in its landmark 2014 decision that “for-profit religious corporations” shouldn’t have to provide employees with birth control under the Affordable Care Act. Hawley was part of the legal team that likened contraception to an abortifacient, a drug that terminates a pregnancy. The ad also cites Hawley’s support of a federal court nominee under former President Donald Trump who opposed IVF and surrogate birth. The Alabama Supreme Court ruling last month that declared frozen embryos the same as children under Alabama law is a political land mine for anti-abortion Republicans who’ve tried to distance themselves from the unpopular decision. Hawley said after the ruling that he’s “pro-IVF” and noted it’s protected under his state’s law and should be everywhere. In a statement to HuffPost, Hawley spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, “This is dumb. Josh is 100% pro-life and 100% pro-IVF.” Kunce’s commercial appears to be the first from a Senate hopeful on IVF, a subject that fires up more than just Democrats and will shape election-year messaging under the banner of reproductive freedom. An Axios/Ipsos poll last month found that two-thirds of respondents disagree with the idea that frozen embryos should be considered people. Kunce’s ad will begin airing on the heels of a surprise win for Democrats this week in Alabama, where Democrat Marilyn Lands flipped a deep-red state House seat campaigning on IVF access. It’s the latest victory for Democrats who’ve won challenging referendums on reproductive freedom since the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022. It also comes as Hawley’s wife, Erin Morrow Hawley, a law professor representing anti-abortion doctors and conservative groups, takes center stage in the U.S. Supreme Court battle to restrict access to the abortion pill. Democrat Lucas Kunce has mounted his second Senate campaign in Missouri. Democrat Lucas Kunce has mounted his second Senate campaign in Missouri.via Associated Press Kunce, a Marine veteran and populist Democrat who failed to secure the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate two years ago, is the presumed front-runner in the Democratic primary to take on Hawley. The 2022 Missouri Senate race for an open seat wasn’t close — Republican Eric Schmitt crushed Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine in a state Trump easily carried in 2020. But Kunce’s campaign, buoyed by a national donor base that’s eager to mobilize against Hawley, is hoping for a better outcome now. Hawley is seen as a rising GOP star, but he’s also polarizing, with his unwavering support for Christian values and manhood. “Data in Missouri is consistent and compelling that this is a state where voters place a premium on control being wrestled away from politicians’ hands and back into the hands of people,” said Kunce campaign pollster Elizabeth Sena. “Taking away IVF and Josh Hawley’s involvement is an issue that is moving voters already.” Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

One moment in particular, during Tuesday’s arguments over the availability of the abortion drug mifepristone before the Supreme Court, may have gone unnoticed ― despite its crucial importance. Justice Samuel Alito, the conservative who authored the court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, eschewed plain language in a question to Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar about the Food and Drug Administration’s choice to expand access to mifepristone in recent years. Instead, Alito used a piece of official legal code. “Shouldn’t the FDA have at least considered the application of 18 U.S.C. 1461?” he asked Prelogar. The average listener is unlikely to recognize that this stray number in the federal register comes from an 1873 anti-obscenity law known as the Comstock Act. The exact provision Alito cited forbids the use of the mail for conveying “every article or thing designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion.” “This is a prominent provision,” Alito said. “It’s not some obscure subsection of a complicated obscure law.” Alito’s seeming endorsement of the provision, along with that of Justice Clarence Thomas, was a stark moment during arguments that otherwise did not go well for the anti-abortion plaintiffs seeking to limit the distribution of mifepristone through telehealth providers. “Justices Thomas and Alito were pretty clearly trying to roll out the red carpet for future claims even if this case doesn’t succeed,” said Mary Ziegler, a legal historian of the anti-abortion movement at the University of California, Davis, School of Law. Anti-abortion activists are consolidating around the idea of resuscitating the 150-year-old law, which has not been enforced for some hundred years, as a way to ban abortion nationwide without passing new legislation. The Comstock Act’s abortion provisions have been legally dead since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion nationwide ― but the court’s decision in Dobbs has potentially reanimated them. Anti-abortion activists now want former President Donald Trump to immediately enforce the provisions to prosecute abortion drug providers if he wins the 2024 presidential election. “Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, there is now no federal prohibition on the enforcement of this statute,” the Project 2025 transition plan organized by the conservative Heritage Foundation states. “The Department of Justice in the next conservative Administration should therefore announce its intent to enforce federal law against providers and distributors of such pills.” The interpretation of the Comstock Act goes beyond abortion drugs like mifepristone to include a ban on the mailing of any medical device or equipment that could be used in an abortion setting. This would mean every company that produces devices or equipment that could be used for an abortion could face criminal prosecution if they deliver their products. “We don’t need a federal ban when we have Comstock on the books,” Jonathan Mitchell, the Texas lawyer and strategist behind that state’s anti-abortion SB 8 law, told The New York Times in February. Where Alito used the legal code to raise the Comstock Act in an indirect manner, Thomas was more explicit in questioning Jessica Ellsworth, the attorney for mifepristone manufacturer Danco Laboratories, about the law’s presumed ban on mailing anything that could be used for “producing abortion.” “How do you respond to an argument that mailing your product and advertising it would violate the Comstock Act?” Thomas asked. Thomas added that he believed that Danco Laboratories, as a private business, is open to prosecution for violating the Comstock Act, which he said was “fairly broad” and “specifically covers drugs such as [mifepristone].” The mifepristone case before the Supreme Court did not directly involve questions about the Comstock Act. However, the law was cited by both District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk and a panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in their separate prior rulings limiting mifepristone access.

ATLANTA (AP) — The charges against former President Donald Trump in the Georgia election interference case seek to criminalize political speech and advocacy conduct that the First Amendment protects, his lawyers argued in a court filing challenging the indictment. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee plans to hear arguments on that filing and on two pretrial motions filed by former Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer during a hearing set for Thursday. Lawyers for Shafer argue that he acted legally when he and other state Republicans signed a certificate asserting that Trump won the 2020 presidential election in Georgia and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. McAfee is forging ahead with the case even as Trump and other defendants have said they plan to seek a ruling from the Georgia Court of Appeals to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis. The judge earlier this month rejected defense efforts to remove Willis and her office over her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, but he did give the defendants permission to seek a review of his decision from the appeals court. Willis in August obtained an indictment against Trump and 18 others, accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to try to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, which the Republican incumbent narrowly lost to Democrat Joe Biden. All of the defendants were charged with violating Georgia’s expansive anti-racketeering law, along with other alleged crimes. Four people have pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors. Trump and the others have pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set, though Willis has asked that it begin in August. Trump’s lawyers wrote in their filing that the crimes their client is charged with fall into five separate areas: Republican elector certificates submitted by Georgia Republicans; a request to the Georgia House speaker to call a special legislative session; a filing in a lawsuit challenging the 2020 presidential election; a January 2021 phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger; and a letter sent to Raffensperger in September 2021. “The First Amendment, in affording the broadest protection to political speech and discussion regarding governmental affairs, not only embraces but encourages exactly the kind of behavior under attack in this Indictment,” Trump’s lawyers wrote. Prosecutors argued in response that the indictment “is based on criminal acts, not speech.” Wherever speech is involved, they wrote, it is “speech integral to criminal conduct, fraud, perjury, threats, criminal solicitation, or lies that threaten to deceive and harm the government.” Most of the charges against Shafer have to do with his involvement in helping to organize a group of Georgia Republicans to cast Electoral College votes for Trump even though the state’s election had been certified in favor of Biden. The charges against him include impersonating a public officer, forgery, false statements and writings, and attempting to file false documents. His lawyers wrote in a filing that prosecutors are seeking “to punish as criminal conduct by Mr. Shafer which was lawful at the time.” They argued that Shafer “was attempting to comply with the advice of legal counsel” and the requirements of the Electoral Count Act. Shafer’s lawyers also ask that three phrases be struck from the indictment: “duly elected and qualified presidential electors,” “false Electoral College votes” and “lawful electoral votes.” They argue that those phrases are used to assert that the Democratic slate of electors was valid and the Republican slate of electors in which Shafer participated was not. They argue that those are “prejudicial legal conclusions” about issues that should be decided by the judge or by the jury at trial. Prosecutors argue that Shafer is using “incorrect, extrinsic facts and legal conclusions ... to somehow suggest that he was or may have been a lawful presidential elector at the time of the charged conduct.” They agreed that the indictment includes “disputed” and “unproven” allegations but said “that is not and never has been grounds for the dismissal of an indictment.” Willis and her team experienced several setbacks in March. Although McAfee did not grant defense requests to remove her from the case, he was sharply critical of her actions and said Wade, her hand-picked lead prosecutor on the case, must step aside for Willis to continue the prosecution. Just days earlier, the judge dismissed six of the 41 counts in the indictment, including three against Trump, finding that prosecutors failed to provide enough detail about the alleged crimes. Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Everything has gotten more expensive, and our money just doesn’t go as far as it used to. This means many of us are inclined to cut back and curtail our monthly expenditures — and an easy luxury for many of us to cut back on is dry cleaning. Do you really need to take your clothes to a professional? Couldn’t you effectively (and much more economically) clean your garments at home? The answer is yes, maybe, but with a few caveats, and as long as you don’t submit your favorite silk dress or that fancy pair of pants you bought for more than half its retail price at Century 21 or Saks Off Fifth to some of the most common — and destructive — faux pas that people make when attempting to clean their own clothes. We talked to two dry cleaners about the mistakes they would never make with their beloved laundry and what they really wish the rest of us would stop doing. Never rub club soda into a stain. You know when you’re out to dinner or lunch, and you spill olive oil or some kind of red sauce on your clothes, and you ask the waiter for some club soda? And as you rub it into the spot and it disappears, you think, ‘Oh cool, I just got that out.’” Don’t do that, says Michael Jackson, franchise consultant at CD One Price Cleaners, a dry cleaning chain in the Midwest. “What people fail to realize,” he said, “is that club soda is full of sugar, so it oxidizes.” When you clean with club soda, it pulls color from the fabric because of oxidation. Then, when you take the garment to the dry cleaner, the machine removes the color from the oxidized sugar, making the stain reappear — even though it was never actually gone. “What happened is that sugar oxidized over the stain. That’s why it disappeared,” Jackson explained. Furthermore, don’t rub a stain with anything. “One universal rule is to never rub at a fresh stain,” said Matt Connelly of I Hate Ironing, an on-demand laundry and dry cleaning service in New York City. This includes all modes of rubbing, whether with a cloth, sponge or your hands. You’ll most likely end up spreading the stain further into the fabric fibers, making it harder to remove. Another thing to avoid, according to Connelly, is hot water, which can set some stains into the fabric, rendering them next to impossible to get rid of down the line. Instead, blot the stain with a cloth that’s damp with cold water. If you’re using a washing machine, spray your stain remover onto the stain, and then wash it in cold water. Do not throw it into the dryer unless it emerges from your washer stain-free. If the stain is still there after washing, repeat the process (again, avoid hot water or heat of any kind) or take it to a professional. Don’t go too long between cleanings. Number two on Jackson’s list is that many people don’t clean their clothes often enough. “They think they’re saving money,” said Jackson, “but body oils and dirt (a lot of which might be invisible to the eye) gets in between the fibers.” This causes wear and tear, so your clothes wear out much faster. Button-front shirts often suffer from this, especially in the collar and cuff areas, which will become discolored over time from sweat and general dirt, often to the point where it’s difficult to remove the soil. Jackson recommends cleaning any article of clothing that touches the skin after each wear; this goes for underwear and most shirts. Clean garments like pants or sweaters after a couple of wears. Jeans are the exception and should be washed after every six to 10 wears. Don’t use too much detergent. If you use more than the recommended amount of laundry detergent, the released dirt and oils just swirl around in the soapy water in your machine and then land back onto the very clothes you’re attempting to clean, Jackson told me. You can listen to more details in a brilliant episode of HuffPost’s podcast, “Am I Doing It Wrong?” “I think you only need about two tablespoons of detergent [for a load], so a bottle of laundry detergent might last you a year because you only need a couple of tablespoons for your clothes to come out clean,” said Patric Richardson, aka The Laundry Evangelist. Don’t ignore the care labels. Most people typically do not read care labels. “A lot of things can go wrong during the cleaning process,” said Connelly, “if you don’t follow care labels.” Washing or drying something at too high a temperature can cause it to shrink beyond repair, especially if it’s made from cotton, wool or silk. Mixing colors during your wash can also result in dye transfer, where color seeps from certain garments onto others, and you end up with pink or gray socks instead of white ones (this is one most of us are likely quite familiar with). “Most laundry accidents that come through our doors can be completely avoided by following the right cleaning instructions,” Connelly said. If you’ve removed the cleaning tag and are not sure how to wash it, you can usually still find instructions on the manufacturer’s website. “Nobody reads cleaning labels,” Jackson said. “They throw whatever it is in the washer and the dryer, and then all of a sudden, it doesn’t fit anymore, and they’re unhappy.”

Everyone has opinions about how to get a good job and keep one, and it’s hard to figure out which pointers are actually helpful to follow. What your well-meaning uncle, professor or manager says you need to do for your next job move may actually be disastrous to follow. To be savvy, you need to learn how to weed out the kernels of good career tips from the bad. To help professionals avoid these mistakes, we asked career experts to share the worst, most common pieces of job advice you’re going to hear a lot in your life. Read on to learn why these boilerplate outlooks can hold you back and what alternative advice you should follow instead. 1. Only apply for jobs that you meet all the qualifications for. This is bad advice because job descriptions are not necessarily realistic and are often written as a “wish list” from the employer’s point of view, said Cynthia Pong, founder of Embrace Change, a career coaching and consulting firm. “Many people, especially women of color, people of color, women in general and others from underrepresented backgrounds or with non-traditional career paths, may self-select out of applying because they don’t meet all the criteria listed,” she said. Just because a job listing states a desired education requirement does not mean you actually need it. For example, in 2017, Accenture, Grads of Life and Harvard Business School conducted an analysis of 26 million job postings and 600 business and HR executive surveys. They found that 67% of the job postings required at least a bachelor’s degree, yet only 16% of employees who were already in those jobs held that degree. The findings are a reminder that many jobs do not require a college degree to succeed, despite what companies advertise. Instead of taking yourself out of the running before you apply, Pong advised that it is better to “apply if you meet most key qualifications.” If you have every skill and experience listed in the description, the job opportunity is likely a lateral career move. But if the role is going to push you beyond what you already know, that’s a sign of a good stretch opportunity, and that’s what actually helps you grow in your career. One important caveat, though, is that a hiring manager is not going to automatically understand why your unique skill set makes you the best hire — you need to explain that to them. Pong said job seekers should use the cover letter or other application materials “to connect the dots for the hiring manager as to how your past experience is transferable and will enable you to excel in the particular role, even though you may not check all the boxes for them.” “As someone on the hiring side, I look at the overall qualities and growth potential that a person brings to the table more than their specific skill set, especially if the person demonstrates a strong ability to learn and teach themselves how to do new things,” she continued. Even if you do not get the job, applying for the role puts you on an employer’s radar. “If someone’s not a fit for a particular role, it’s a great opportunity to keep them in mind for another role or future work,” Pong said. 2. Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. The message behind this common feel-good platitude is that passion alone will make the drudgery of work go away. But there’s no one correct way to feel about your job. It’s perfectly normal for a job to just be a paycheck that funds your life outside of it. Even dream jobs that are fulfilling and meaningful come with hard days, difficult deadlines and the potential for burnout. Sometimes, the activity you love to do most is an unrealistic career. Don’t be guilted into monetizing your passion hobby into your next side hustle just because you enjoy it. In some cases, it’s better to keep your ceramics hobby as a relaxing extracurricular than your next career. As Gorick Ng, a career adviser at Harvard University and author of “The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right,” previously told HuffPost, “Do you love the business of doing something as much as you love doing the thing itself? Not everyone will say yes to this question and that’s OK.” It’s normal to want meaning and purpose in what you do for a living, but don’t put more pressure on your work to be more than work. Ng suggested rewriting the advice of “find a job you love” to say, “Find something that brings you joy and purpose every day, and you’ll always have something to look forward to.”

If you’re a parent, especially a millennial one who grew up in the age of ’90s diet fads, phrases like “finish your dinner if you want dessert” or “a moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips” may still haunt you. As we raise our own children now, we want to help them make healthy choices, but without giving them the same complexes we endured in our youth (which, for many of us, have followed us into adulthood). One place to start is conscientiously choosing our words when talking about food. “I think our relationship with food directly starts in the home with how food is presented and talked about in the home,” said Dr. Raquel Katangian-Ayala, director of Center of Discovery in Irvine. From labeling foods to body talk, here’s what not to say to your kids about food (and what to say instead). “That [insert food item] is so bad for you!” Passing judgment on kids’ food by labeling it “good” or “bad” should be avoided. Young kids live in a world of good versus bad, explained Dr. Erica Miller, a psychologist with Connected Minds NYC. “They really put things into boxes, and as adults, we know that nothing needs to be off-limits, or that no food is all good or bad all the time, but kids don’t know how to make sense of all that,” she added. Instead of labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” try a non-judgmental approach and focus on what value a particular item provides. For example, oft-vilified carbs provide fuel to active, growing bodies, and fats help bodies absorb certain vitamins. “Understanding nutritional value helps start to change [kids’] language,” Katangian-Avala said. “Whether it’s a carb or a fat versus a fruit or a vegetable, at the end of the day, it’s just providing us with our adequate nutrition.” If your child has a proclivity for, say, sweets, it’s also OK to just make the item unavailable to them — even if they know where you’ve hidden the candy stash. “You can just say, ‘It’s not on the menu, we’re going to have it on Tuesday,’” said dietitian Jennifer Anderson of Kids Eat In Color. “You don’t owe your child an explanation, and if you do provide an explanation, it can work against your efforts.” Once kids think of different foods (treats included) on an even playing field, the more likely they are to listen to their own hunger cues and determine what they really want to eat. “Ugh, my belly is getting big from all of those [insert treats]!” If you’re prone to speaking negatively about your body, or your child’s body, especially in relation to food, it’s important to consider the impact it’s having on your kids. At the Center of Discovery, where Katangian-Avala works with patients in recovery from eating disorders, she often talks to parents about how their own dieting affects their children. A kid that hears a parent complain about their body and restrict certain foods may feel like they need to do the same. “Because of puberty and how they’re growing, we provide that education. Their bodies will change,” she said. If other adults in your child’s world make these kinds of comments, it’s appropriate to step in and put the kibosh on it. “What you say about food is important, but that’s not the root of the issue. The root is internalized weight bias and all this drama around that. The more a child has this weight bias and this idea that thin is better, the more food becomes a drama point,” said Anderson. To address this with a loved one, kindly and clearly tell them in private that body commentary isn’t welcome around your child. When these sorts of comments are made, Anderson suggested saying something along the lines of: “All bodies come in different shapes and sizes — you’re a good person regardless of body size.” “I’ll give you a cookie after you eat that broccoli,” or “Finish everything on that plate and I’ll give you dessert.” As much as you may desperately want your kid to balance out those chicken nuggets with some broccoli, or any veggie, pressuring them to do so with the promise of a sweet reward is not the answer. Neither is using food as a bribe for anything, really (i.e., getting them to leave the park with a promise of candy at home). “Any time we are rewarding a child for eating or for doing something, what we’re saying is, ‘Guess what? The broccoli is really bad and it’s so bad that I’m willing to give you a reward,’” Anderson told HuffPost. “So it tends to decrease kids’ intrinsic desire to eat the food, and it increases their desire to eat the reward.” Similarly, you don’t want to encourage kids to eat a whole plate of food just to get dessert. “That makes the dessert even more desirable and it makes it harder for them in the future to then listen to whether they’re full or not,” Anderson said. Instead, encourage them to listen to their fullness cues and consider serving a child-sized dessert along with their meal. “You don’t have to do it if your family doesn’t do dessert, but if your family does serve dessert, and it’s causing issues, this can be one strategy that works for families,” she added. This strategy helps remove the “forbidden fruit” factor of dessert and makes it less of a reward. “You can’t have a snack right now, it’s too close to dinner.” While many adults may function well on three meals a day, it’s not realistic to expect a kid to do the same. Little kids, especially those under the age of 5, have higher metabolisms than adults and therefore burn calories quicker and need to refuel. For kids eating dinner with their families, it may be hard for them to have a meal so close to their bedtime. “For some kids, maybe having a much bigger snack might actually be much better,” said Miller. Consider giving your kid dinner earlier in the day, or, a heartier afternoon snack with the understanding that they may eat less at dinner. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for support. Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Choosing your plane seat when you book a flight can sometimes feel like a crapshoot. Of course, we’d all love to enjoy the extra legroom and amenities that come with business class or other upgraded sections, but the reality is that most travelers are trying to stick to a budget. So which of the many economy cabin seats on a plane makes for the best choice? HuffPost asked travel experts to share which seat they usually opt for when flying. Keep scrolling for their best practices. For sleep, the window is king. “I always book a window seat on flights,” said Gabby Beckford, the founder of travel site Packs Light. “No one likes the middle seat for obvious reasons, and the window allows me to entertain myself and a better opportunity to sleep.” Indeed, sitting in the window seat means that you can lean your head against the wall to rest, and you won’t be bothered by row mates getting up to use the bathroom. “I’ll opt for a window if I know the flight path will offer great views,” said travel blogger Esther Susag. Basically, if you’ll be flying over the Grand Canyon or landing in the Maldives, you might want a chance to marvel at the sights without craning your neck. If you hate turbulence, consider the wings. There are other advantages to window seats, especially if they’re over the wings. “As someone with a fear of flying, I always prefer the window seat above the wings,” said travel blogger Sean Lau. “I recently learned that this spot is usually the smoothest due to its proximity to the plane’s center of gravity. Being able to manage the window shade and having the opportunity to glance outside for reassurance comforts me.” Try to sit as close to the front as possible. “I try to sit as forward in the plane as possible so that I can find room for my carry-on in the overhead bin,” Beckford said. “I’m often carry-on-only, and don’t want to be forced to check my bag.” The closer you are to the front of the plane, the less time it takes to board and deplane as well. “Being near the front means deplaning more quickly than other passengers, which can be a lifesaver during quick connections,” noted Eric Rosen, the director of travel content at the website The Points Guy. However, there is one thing to keep in mind about opting for the front row of a plane or section. “If you are sitting in the first row behind a wall, you will have to place your bag in the overhead bin,” said Adam Duckworth, the president and founder of the travel agency Travelmation. “Some people do not like giving up their things, so don’t book this seat if that’s you.” Or at least avoid the last rows. Even if you can’t book a seat close to the front, it’s worth trying to avoid the last few rows of the plane when possible. “I avoid the last couple of rows on the plane, as it offers the roughest ride,” Lau said. “You’ll also have to deal with noise from the passengers using the lavatory. The last row on the plane may not always recline.” For stretching or moving, book an aisle seat. “For long flights, I prefer aisle seats for several reasons,” said Jessica van Dop DeJesus, the founder and editor at The Dining Traveler. “First, it’s easier to deplane without having to wait for several people. Second, it gives me easier access to the overhead bin. And third, it’s easier to get up to stretch my legs and go to the bathroom.” If you’re someone who likes to stand up and stretch, or has to use the lavatory somewhat often, the aisle seat will allow you to do that without worrying about disturbing your fellow passengers. There are ways to get out of your middle seat. If you had to book at the last minute and wind up with a middle seat, just know that there might be a way to get out of it. “Like most people, I avoid the middle seats at all costs unless it’s the only option left when booking late,” Susag said. “But even then, when I get to the gate, I will always as the desk clerk if there are any other openings besides my middle seat. You just never know unless you ask.” You might also wind up in the middle between a couple traveling together. While many might want to stick to their preferred window and aisle seats, it doesn’t hurt to offer to swap so that they can sit next to each other. Avoid the bathroom areas. “I know a ton of people who avoid sitting near a restroom for obvious reasons but also because it’s the area where people tend to gather,” Duckworth said. It’s not always just the last rows that are near bathrooms, especially on larger planes. So when you select your seat on the map, pay attention to where all of the lavatories are located. “Some planes have them in their midsections,” Rosen said. “I try to avoid locations by the lavatories at all costs so I’m not bothered by noise, foot traffic or smells.” Choose exit row seats wisely. Many travelers try to choose seats in exit rows when they fly because there’s often additional room in those areas. But this option can have a drawback as well. “If you are in the main cabin but prefer extra space, then consider getting the exit row — but remember that not all exit row seats will recline,” Duckworth said. Ultimately, every air passenger has different needs when it comes to seat choices. So the next time you fly, assess what you prefer and keep these expert tips in mind to make the best selection for you. Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia animal shelter put out an urgent plea for people to foster its dogs after a vehicle plowed into its building Wednesday, shelter officials said. The Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association said on Facebook that a rental truck struck the building as workers were cleaning. One dog’s leg was injured. A photo in the post showed the vehicle wedged into the side of the building. The truck “is the only thing holding this side of the building up — which creates a very serious safety hazard for the dogs in our kennels,” the shelter said. Police arrived at the scene to investigate. Human Association Community Engagement Manager Angie Gillenwater told the Charleston Gazette-Mail that the truck was driven by a man who came to the shelter to reclaim his pet. Power to the facility was shut off afterward as a precaution, she said. Gillenwater said the shelter was at a “state of emergency” capacity at the time. She said about 120 of the shelter’s 250 animals are available for adoption. The shelter asked people to take the dogs until permanent homes for them can be found. It also was accepting donations. The Facebook post had been shared nearly 5,000 times. Some people commented in the post that they were on their way to the shelter to foster a dog. “It quite literally boils down to the safety of our animals,” the post said. “Our shelter will be closed for visitors until further notice, but we are in desperate need of foster’s. Please help us provide safety for our animals.” Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

LONDON (AP) — It was nice while it lasted. An environmentally themed mural by elusive street artist Banksy that appeared last week on a London street has been encased in plastic and surrounded by fencing after an apparent act of vandalism. The work is on a four-story wall near a public housing project. Beside a real and severely pruned cherry tree, the artist stenciled a small figure holding a pressure hose. Swathes of green paint across the wall stand in for the tree’s absent leaves. The work quickly attracted crowds including Banksy fans from around the world. Two days later, it was splashed with white paint. The mural was then covered in transparent plastic by the building’s owner, and a sign appeared saying the area was under video surveillance. On Wednesday, workers began to erect wooden boards around the site. The local authority, Islington Council, said it was fencing off the site to protect the art and residents from the impact of visitors. “We’ve had a lot of concerns from our residents about disruption from the numbers of visitors to the artwork, which is right outside their homes,” the council said in a statement. It said the fencing would include clear plastic panels “to protect the artwork and allow clear views.” Banksy, who has never confirmed his full identity, began his career spray-painting buildings in Bristol, England, and has become one of the world’s best-known artists. His work has sold for millions of dollars at auction, and past murals on outdoor sites have often been stolen or removed by building owners soon after going up. In December, after Banksy stenciled military drones on a stop sign in south London, a man was photographed taking down the sign with bolt cutters. Police later arrested two men on suspicion of theft and criminal damage. The latest work would be harder to take down since the piece relies on the tree for its impact. Islington Council said it would monitor the site and “continue to explore future solutions with the building owner so people can enjoy the artwork.” Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

No life event compares to the experience of giving birth. To honor this powerful moment, many families hire birth photographers to document the raw emotions of labor and delivery. The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers holds an annual photo contest celebrating this intimate art form, and on March 22, the organization announced the latest winners. The 2024 Birth Photography Image Competition was open to the IAPBP’s 1,100-plus members across 55 countries and received about 500 submissions. “Our association has grown by leaps and bounds and our members continually produce excellent, emotive, and educational birth photographs for the families that hire them,” director Lacey Barratt said in a news release. “I want to thank each and every person who entered this year and, of course, the families who agreed to share their beautiful and sacred birth moments with the world.” Keep scrolling to see a selection of this year’s winners and other powerful submissions. You can visit the IAPBP website to see all the entries. (Readers should note that the following uncensored photos show people in the act of childbirth.)

Fox News host Laura Ingraham was mocked on Thursday for an attack on a rival network that may have said more about herself than she intended. Ingraham ripped NBC News for firing Ronna McDaniel after just days on the job as a paid on-air contributor. “The network where I actually started my TV career wouldn’t ever hire anyone like me now,” said Ingraham, who was on MSNBC years ago. McDaniel, she said, somehow “slipped through,” until a staff revolt caused the network to let her go. “The inmates took over the asylum,” Ingraham said, claiming that the network fired McDaniel only because she supports Donald Trump and didn’t denounce him on Jan. 6. “Believe no other explanation they provide about why they got rid of her,” she insisted. But her critics were quick to point out there’s a different reason McDaniel wasn’t welcome by staff there, and why Ingraham wouldn’t be either: They lie and spread conspiracy theories. Ingraham has also been accused of pushing white nationalist talking points on her show. In 2019, she featured white supremacist Paul Nehlen in a graphic of “prominent voices censored on social media.” A year earlier, she attacked even legal immigrants in a rant that won the approval of prominent white supremacist David Duke. Ingraham’s critics fired back: When you think you’re talking about them but you’re really talking about you. https://t.co/JwcZoesGst — David Corn (@DavidCornDC) March 27, 2024 No, they wouldn't. Nobody but Fox would. https://t.co/mEYELtS8R1 — Tom (@Haudricourt) March 28, 2024 Yay! That's why we watch them, because they don't force us to listen to bigoted liars. https://t.co/vVawdHHw7I — Khashoggi’s Ghost 🇺🇦🌻 (@UROCKlive1) March 27, 2024 Don’t be an election denier and a conspiracy theorist then, @IngrahamAngle. https://t.co/v0FjTQ4iz5 — Charlie Davis (@CharlesPDavis) March 27, 2024 No one would hire you now, Laura. You’ve proven yourself an empty, shilling mouthpiece of everything that’s wrong with the biggest persistent threat to democracy. You’re unqualified for everything except slinging propaganda like rancid coleslaw at a soon-to-be-condemned diner. — Jay Black (@jayblackisfunny) March 27, 2024 They wouldn’t hire her because she’s trash TV and often lies. Otherwise there are more than a few conservatives on MSNBC or that appear regularly. Just not insurrectionists https://t.co/q5z7VjuwWz — Jason Bell (@JBellSATX) March 27, 2024 Right. They don't hire fucking nuts. Would your network hire anyone like a real journalist? — Machine Pun Kelly 🇺🇦 (@KellyScaletta) March 28, 2024 Well, you're not wrong, @IngrahamAngle. Evidently, MSNBC has higher standards for professionalism and integrity than they did when you were there. https://t.co/EwNbfwK28L — Bob Geiger (@GeigerNews) March 28, 2024 Laura Ingraham making an astute observation for the first time in her wretched life. https://t.co/rI3ML7nS6d — 😱 Scary Larry 😱 🇺🇦✊🏻🇺🇸🗽 (@aintscarylarry) March 27, 2024 You’re damn right they wouldn’t, @IngrahamAngle, because you’ve become nothing more than a cheerleader of fascists, and they see it. https://t.co/eNdQyjXePy — Turn Tennessee Blue #STANDWITHUKRAINE 🇺🇦 (@TurnTNBlue) March 27, 2024 No one should hire anyone like you now, Lauren. They shouldn’t have hired you then either. https://t.co/92OoUTqjb8 — Jim Snowden (@SnowdenJim) March 28, 2024 With good reason, Laura. 🤦♀️ — Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) March 27, 2024 Our 2024 Coverage Needs You As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support. Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.