Edward Blum with Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) are suing the elite university for its race-conscious admission policies. The group says that the use of affirmative action policies in college admission systematically discriminates and limits the acceptance of Asian-American students.
The Justice Department said in a court filing that the school fails to demonstrate that it does not discriminate on the basis of race. The DOJ also said that the school uses its admission policy to “racially balance” its student body, which is argued to be unconstitutional.
Breaking News: Students suing Harvard over affirmative action policies they say discriminate against Asian-Americans have a new ally: the Justice Department https://t.co/WPP9NAJ3IU
“The evidence, moreover, shows that Harvard provides no meaningful criteria to cabin its use of race; uses a vague ‘personal rating’ that harms Asian-American applicants’ chances for admission and may be infected with racial bias; engages in unlawful racial balancing; and has never seriously considered race-neutral alternatives in its more than 45 years of using race to make admissions decisions.” The DOJ also finds that the university does not explain enough how race plays in their admissions decisions.
The Supreme Court allows colleges and universities to consider race in admissions, but they have to meet certain standards. According to the New York Times, they must create their own “diversity-related goals and show that they cannot meet those goals without using race as a factor in admissions decisions.”
The DOJ’s filing is a major step for the Trump administrations entry into the affirmative action dialogue. The lawsuit could potentially have implications on the diversity policies of other colleges and universities in the future. According to the New York Times, the Department of Education and Justice Department got rid of the Obama-era policies asking colleges to diversify their campuses by factoring in race.
Affirmative action was meant to address the ongoing systemic bias in college admissions that denied (and even still deny) many students of color from acceptances into schools across the nation. It’s a tool to help colleges and universities to build a more diverse and more inclusive student body.
The Justice Department has recommended that the court deny Harvard’s request for a case dismissal. The case is planned to go on trial in Boston in October.
If you’re somehow sending emails without using Gmail as your host address, then Gmail’s latest updates might sway you to convert from to the electronic mail platform. We’ve been oogling at Gmail’s revisions since Google’s been hyping up its redesign earlier this year. Whether you’re still figuring out the perfect email etiquette or you’ve mastered the professional email since your high school years, Gmail’s newest updates are meta email hacks in themselves and here’s everything you need to know to refine your updated Gmail experience.
If you’re technological inept and still trying to get a handle on Instagram’s ever-evolving features and camera effects or you’re still coping with learning Insta’s latest algorithm shift, don’t worry: Gmail has streamlined its security and email process. Regardless, there are some key components to this update.
1. Boosted security
According to The Verge, Gmail has armored its two-factor authentication process with a new feature that allows you to see an expiration date for specific messages. So, if you have an important embargoed contract or a time-sensitive email to send, you can secure you content even after you hit send.
If you have a secretive message to send someone, just click the locked timer symbol at the bottom of your in-progress email. A pop-up screen titled "Confidential mode" will appear, where you can select the expiration date of your email to protect your content and attachments. Plus, you can set up an SMS passcode to ensure that only the recipient can view your email with an automated Google-syndicated code.
After all, who doesn’t want to better secure their Gmail account from potential hackers who could grab hold of your precious Avenger-related conspiracy theories G-chat messages?
Beyond this supplementary defense, Gmail has improved its phishing alerts, so you don’t have to waste time clicking a scam-induced email when you’re still scrolling through your notifications in the morning. Now, phishing scams are automatically identified with bright red boxes, so it’s their plows are even more obvious.
2. Retconning your typos
Sure, Grammarly helps prevent us from misplacing commas and virtually yells at us when we mistakenly confuse “coma” with “comma.” Regardless, typos and hasty emails slip through. Thankfully, these latest updates allow us to literally undo our emails.
While the undo feature has been available on the desktop version earlier this year, the Android 8.2 update brings the power to undo your email missteps on your phone or tablet. Granted, the undo feature is still a time-sensitive update—giving you approximately seven seconds to nullify your cringy messages.
The next time you accidently send your professor your thirst traps instead of your finished lab assignment, you can hit the email equivalent of a failsafe and Gmail will undo your almost-disaster and place the original body of your email in a draft. So, you can forever remember your could-have-been mistakes.
3. A new format
Let’s take a moment to reminisce on those days our 25-strong tabs because Gmail included Tasks and Calendar into its amended design. Now, we only have to worry about 23 or 24 tabs on our perpetually opened internet browser (because tabs of adorable puppers are the only thing we can commit to atm).
If you click the right side of the screen on your Gmail—where the gear symbol is, you can enable plugins for Calendar, Keep or Tasks so you don’t have to finagle with too many tabs at any given time, Business Insiderreports.
Once the shock and indignation wear off, you may find that Gmail’s redesign is… actually kind of nice. Here's how to take advantage of all the new tricks and features. https://t.co/5J5uKGGroJ
Do you need to respond to email by struggle with making words make sense? Because same. And Gmail has heard our struggles because the desktop version now has AI-suggested Smart Replay options. So you don’t have to actively type out, “thank you” or “Monday works for me” whenever you get an email notification.
Granted, these AI-induced are limited, so you still run the risk of sounding like a synthetic human from the Alien franchise. (Don’t worry: You probably won’t create a new intergalactic invasive species if you use these options.)
But how the f*ck do you update your email?
If you didn’t get the update notification when you were mid-email or you’ve been continually decline those recurring reminders, you can still update your Gmail manually. Plug down the gear symbol, and if your Gmail isn’t up-to-date, tap the option that says “try the new Gmail.”
And what if you (for whatever reason) don’t want these updates?
Conformity isn’t for everyone. If you aren’t ready to commit to the new Gmail design or you just like the old interface better, you can easily hit the undo button on these Gmail updates.
Similar to updating your Gmail, just hit the same gear icon and select the “go back to classic Gmail” option. After all, Gmail is all about customization so you don’t need to feel pressured into the redesign if you liked its predecessor better.
Nevertheless, the new format still gives users a variety of customizable options. Instead of the hackneyed “default” setting, you can change your Gmail mode to “comfortable” or “compact,” which allows you to cater your format to your personal needs.
Back-to-school season is on its way, and while the thought of homework, exams, and long campus days may seem overwhelming, this seasonal transition is actually a great time to refocus! We at HC love to treat the new school year almost like the start of a new year entirely, right down to refreshing our mindset (along with pretty much all our possessions as we back-to-school shop our hearts out). The biggest change we’re making this year: being mindful of our eco-footprint with our beauty routine.
Join the beauty responsibly movement
When we think about “going green” the first practices that come to mind are recycling, saving energy, or general conservation efforts. TBH, it may feel as though there’s a limited amount of change you can make on campus as a student, but adjusting even something seemingly as minor as your beauty routine has huge impact on the environment. Back-to-school is the best time to make behavior changes that stick, so why not cut the bad habits and contribute to a cleaner future? After all, the planet is gorgeous. Let’s keep it that way by being beauty responsibly.
The basics of sustainable beauty
As consumers, let’s decrease our eco-footprint to further push for sustainability. There’s a whole ~planet~ and ~society~ to consider each time we make a purchase, which means you should be shopping considerate retailers whenever possible.
Some best practices that go a long way:
Shop eco-conscious packaging
Look for naturally-derived ingredients
Use paraben-free products and formulas
Once you’ve got your medicine cabinet overhauled with sustainably sourced products, the next step is to recycle recycle recycle. According to TerraCycle, beauty and personal care products account for 1/3 of the landfill. It’s unreal. Shampoo and conditioner bottles, hairspray cans, face wash, deodorant, nail polish, shaving cream – all the bottles from these personal care products and more can be recycled, and part of updating your beauty routine includes being mindful for waste production and disposal.
Ready to make a change this year and commit to helping environment? Below, you’ll find our best beauty product recs from Garnier, so you can go back to school with armfuls of skincare and haircare goodies you’ll love – and that the planet will
Ultimate back-to-school beauty shopping list
Micellar Cleansing Water
If you aren’t riding the micellar water train, now’s the time to hop on. This Garnier micellar water removes makeup, cleanses, and soothes all in one. It’s basically the ultimate multi-tasker. Sure, it may look like normal water, but it’s actually packed with these itty-bitty things called micelles which capture and lift away dirt, oil and makeup. It’s so gentle on the skin (and also v fancy, if we’re being honest).
Rose Water Facial Mist
Rose water mist should be a staple a.m. through p.m., especially after a long day on campus bouncing from class to the gym to dinner with friends. It can be used as a moisturizer to hydrate, before makeup as a primer, after makeup to set it, and anytime throughout the day to refresh skin. Just consider this your anytime-BFF for whenever skin needs a boost!
The other exciting thing about this mist: It’s made with 99 percent naturally-derived ingredients, which is just a fancy way to say that there’s no parabens, silicones or dyes, and that the formula is as close to its natural state as possible.
Fructis Sleek and Shine Shampoo & Conditioner
This pair does wonders for promoting healthier hair, and it’s basically shower #goals incarnate. The formula is infused with Argan Oil from Morocco that soaks into even the frizziest hair and smooths each strand. No bad days when you’ve got this set at the ready!
Fructis Style Smooth Blow Dry Anti-Frizz Cream
Say hello to smooth, beautiful blowouts from your dorm! Yep, no salon needed when you have this cream to calm frizz and make styling a success. This is a staple for frizz-sufferers who feel plagued by humidity and post-heat hair craziness – just apply a quarter-sized amount before blow drying, and things will get sleek from there.
The ultimate honey goodness just became a shower-time treat, and newsflash: it’s packed with ingredients that support the environment. Honey is known for its nourishing properties, and this blend is made specifically for repairing your hair. AKA, you need this if you’re the type of person who styles with heat every day or has year of built up coloring damage.
Nutrisse Hair Color
Curious about coloring your hair, but want something mindful of the plant? Introducing your new fave, a Garnier nourishing color creme in 63 shades with easy application to do in your dorm or apartment! We love the medium gold brown (#53) because it looks so shiny and soft. Plus, this formula promotes healthy looking hair, so no worries that this transformation will wreck your ‘do!
Fructis Treats
You had us at one-minute hair mask, obviously. This line of nourishing hair masks are each heavily restorative, so you can treat yourself before class, a sorority event, date night, or anything else that may come up in a pinch! Plus, these are 98 percent naturally derived and biodegradable, so you can feel good about your beauty choices the whole year long!
If you love what you see, explore even more sustainable beauty ideas at GarnierUSA.com! We can’t wait to see all the ways your change the world, one beauty product at a time.
Garnier wants to help you beauty responsibly this year—sign up to win $500 in Garnier goodies and go back to school sustainably!
Name: Samantha Wasser Job Title and Description: Co-founder of by CHLOE. Website:by CHLOE. Twitter Handle:@eatbychloe Instagram Handle: @eatbychloe
It's no secret that being plant-based, vegetarian or vegan can feel extremely expensive, especially with a minimal college budget. Thankfully, Samantha Wasser has co-founded a vegan fast-casual restaurant called by CHLOE. that we can all enjoy and afford. With several locations of her new hot vegan spot in New York, California, Boston, and London, we're totally loving the affordability and convenience of this vegan stop.
If you don't have the luxury of having a by CHLOE. in your area, then you might want to plan your Spring Break ventures around these hub locations. Wasser's company is on its way to becoming the McDonald's of vegan food, and her restaurants now have Mediterranean cuisine on the menu. Beyond offering more environmentally friendly food options, by CHLOE. fosters a family-mentality, both within its restaurants and it the local communities they serve.
Aside from sharing how she got scammed by a fake cup company and channeled that monetary lose into professional growth (that's going on the inspo mood board), Samantha Wasser talks about her career, how she started by CHLOE., and how humbling and surreal it is to know that people genuinely want to spend their money at her plant-based restaurants.
THERE'S A NEW PUSH-POP IN TOWN! Try RED VELVET w/ VANILLA FROSTING You won't regret it. Available at all USA locations! pic.twitter.com/GcHOfqT389
Her Campus: You have this kind of duel-faceted job where you're the co-founder and creative director of this plant-based restaurant. I was just wondering what your current job entails. And if there's a typical day, how you would describe it?
Samantha Wasser: I wish there was a typical day; that would make my life easier. I guess a typical day could include — sometimes I'm in my office, our corporate office, doing work for future locations on my computer, catching up on and going over designs for future restaurants, packaging, creating products or promotional materials that we’re working on, as well as putting together any new apps and marketing campaigns. Or, I'm running between all of the locations doing site quality tests, to make sure that the food is up to date and the restaurant is organized the way that it should, that the pastry cases look the way that they should. Or I'm just, you know, meeting people throughout the city that I've connected with either through events or working together for different collaboration. Or sometimes I just pick other CEOs’ brains about what kind of works for them. And, you know, where I might need some guidance as well. So, I guess typical day kind of changes, sometimes it's just back-to-back meetings. Other times, I'm able to really immerse myself in everything on my computer and actually catch-up and get some stuff done. So, I guess it just depends on the day
HC: Absolutely. And that's kind of fun, that you have these different angles that you work from. You don't get, you know, get set in stone or caught-up in the mundane routine.
SW: Yeah, and it is exciting. And that way now, with phones, I'm always connected, especially in the restaurant business. I kinda never sleep, which is really true. I get all of our customer emails on my phone, so I can always know if there are any problems in the restaurants. I'm always connected.
So, I think that really allows me to be able to work from wherever I am. Sometimes it's great to be in the office because I'm able to work with my peers and brainstorm our new ideas. But yesterday, I had a meeting at 10:30 in the morning downtown and my corporate office was uptown, so it didn't necessarily make sense for me to, like, stop by the office beforehand. So, I was able to just go to a coffee shop by my house and work for a good hour and a half, then head over to that meeting. To have that flexibility is super helpful.
HC: Absolutely. And then what was the first entry-level job and your field and how did you get it?
SW: It wasn't really in my field out of college. My first job was in celebrity endorsements, celebrity procurement when I was a company called Platinum Rye. We worked to negotiate on celebrity spokespeople. So, I worked for Pepsi and Procter & Gamble on some really amazing, glamorous accounts, such as Crest and Prilosec and Pepto Bismal. It was really, you know, interesting for me and totally different than what I'm doing now. And I think that kind of helped me figure out that I wanted to do something more creative, whatever that meant. Because we were kind of working for the brands, and the brands had a creative agency as well, they would kind of come to us and say, ‘Here's what the agency came up with. Here’s what the commercial is going to look like. This is the idea. Who do you think fits within our budget, and what would work for this campaign?’
And we put together an amazing list of people, and sometimes, we’d push for people, but ultimately, it was up to the decision of the brand. And sometimes it's kind of like, ‘Oh, my gosh, like, why didn't they pick this person? She's amazing. She's about to blow up, they're not going to be able to afford her when her big movie comes out.’ And so, I think I was always kind of hitting a wall, creatively, because I would envision something so different than what would actually happen. I think that’s just the nature of what happens when you work at big companies, There's so much red tape, and there are so many people who make the final decision. And so, I kind of knew that I wanted to be making that final decision. So, that kind of lead me into restaurants, which is what I grew up around and always had an interest in. But I didn’t want to just come work with my dad and work in steakhouses and just carry out someone else's vision. I really wanted to create things from scratch and do it my way. And create places that I wanted to hang out in — that I could see my friends hanging out at, so that was really important to me.
And then you asked, how did I get that job? When I graduated college, it was really a difficult time to get any job. The job market, no one was hiring. So, I just knocked down a million doors. And I knew someone who worked there, had a connection there, and it was one of the many places I went to interview at. They were the only place that was like, ‘Okay, you can come work here, but as an intern. We can't pay you anything.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, sold! Like, I'll take that.’ With the potential to get paid in a few months. So I was like, ‘Okay, at least that gives me something to do.’ So, I feel like I was at a much different time at that point, and I really had no idea what I wanted to do. So, I was like, this work at least it gets me out of my house and just gets me out in the work environment, which I think is super important right out of school.
HC: Absolutely. And then you can kind of use that experience with something that wasn't really what you were extremely passionate about, and then used what you learned there and retrofitted it to your career, which is amazing, I think.
SW: Yeah. And, the company, although it wasn't exactly what I wanted to do in my life, I learned so much. My boss was all about processes, and she was so organized. I think that in any field, no matter where you work, there's so many things that can carry over to the next thing, even if it's a completely different job. Like, she was very specific about the way emails were crafted or about follow-ups for meetings. And I feel like that kind of instilled in me my work ethic, which you can bring to any job. And I think that was really, really helpful. Also, the office had a lot of young people — it was a young company. And so, there are so many people that have also left and gone and started their own companies that I was able to call upon them when I was starting by CHLOE. My friend, David who worked there, went and started a matcha company, and they were the only matcha we carried, until a few months ago when they sold their company. So, it was amazing to meet so many connections because you never know where those people are going to end up, or if you're going to be able to work with them. And I was all about supporting anyone I knew. So, I put their companies on our menu boards so that people knew who they were. It was really great in that sense to be able to make so many connections because you just don't know when your paths are going cross again.
HC: Absolutely. And then do you have any words of wisdom or any anecdotes that you've gotten from a former boss, mentor, or co-worker that you implement in your current professional life?
SW: One thing that I've kind of had to learn myself, or something that I kind of have to accept because I’m constantly being pulled in so many different directions. When you first start out, you want to do everything with everyone, and you kind of have to realize that that’s just not possible. So, what I always tell myself or the people that work for me is the day is only so long and you can only do so much. You can’t be so hard on yourself when you don’t get to do everything because it’s just not possible. There’s so much going on all the time that I’m like, ‘You know, you tried your hardest. If there’s something that was an emergency, I’m sure you took care of it.’ But at the end of the day, you have to look at what you’ve actually accomplished. And not at what you didn’t because there are always things you didn't accomplish. You can only push yourself so far before you break down, and I feel like I've had to teach myself that lesson. Because I'll push myself to a breaking point and it's not helpful for anyone.
HC: Absolutely. And then what's one mistake that you made along the way and you've learned from or grown from?
SW: There’s so many. Honestly, mistake-wise, there are so many little things that like you just do wrong along the way that maybe just don’t make sense. When I was constantly trying to source products for all the packaging, I tried to do it as cheap as possible. And, I found this company online to do our cups with that was a little bit less expensive than a big distributor that I probably should have gone with, but you so stuck in this I have to save money [mindset]. Then, it ended up being a scheme and I lost like $10,000 and never saw those cups or heard from the company again.
I think with by CHLOE., when we first opened, we had no idea how to run fast-casual, so we just kind of have to roll with the punches. We came from a full-service background, so we had no idea how to staff for fast-casual restaurant. We thought we knew, for the demand that we thought we were going to have. But, we didn't realize you know that you needed someone to — like, ‘How is the food getting from like the kitchen to the customers?’ At a full-service venue, you have running, but at fast-casual, we didn’t account for that person to actually be bagging or putting the tickets together, so that ended up being me and one of our corporate directors that came in a suit every day in the middle of summer--just bagging burgers and we’re all like, ‘Why is he here in a suit when it’s like a million degrees and we’re standing here bagging burgers?’ It was not ideal, but I think any mistakes you kind of have to learn from them and just roll with the punches and see what happens. If you stay stuck on them or let them kind of distract you, then everything’s a mess.
I’m trying to think of big, big mistakes that have happened. People always ask me this question, and I feel like I never know what example to give them because I feel like I constantly make mistakes all the time.
HC: Hey, but mistakes are how you learn, so there’s nothing wrong with that.
SW: Exactly. And I feel like sometimes when people who work for me make a mistake, that’s when they learn the most. If they’re doing every single thing a million times and a million things right, they’re so stuck in a routine and they’re just operating and shooting things out. So when they make mistakes, they’re so hard on themselves and I’m like, ‘Like you made a mistake, but I guarantee you’ll never do that again.’ Whereas now, they’re more conscious of everything they’re doing, so I know of think something that mistakes have to happen, partly for you to kind of snap out of everything just being so routine.
HC: Definitely, definitely. Then, what's one the most surreal moments of your career so far of running a restaurant?
SW: For surreal moments, probably the first day by CHLOE. opened. I was literally bribing all of my friends with food, which, at the time, none of my friends cared about vegan food, so that was like a really hard sell. And I was like, ‘Please, please. No one's going to show up on opening day. Please, you need to come. I don't care; like leave your job. Just come, please, and stand in line in the beginning so we can get the photo for Instagram —10 people care about us. I think it was like so surreal when I like walked outside like 10 minutes before we opened, and there was a line of strangers — like people I didn't know. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, they like us. They’re here. Now, we have to open the door and now we have to serve them. Oh my gosh, are they going to like this food? What are they going to say about it?’ So, I think the surreal moment was like when paying people came into the store to try the food, Because we have friends and family in the city and people we know we’re inviting, so of course they’re showing up because it’s free food.
The most surreal was the first day of by CHLOE., but I still get that moment, like a ‘pinch me’ moment, every time we open any new location. Because this person, who is clearly paying for their lunch, can go to a million places, can order from Postmates, Door Dash, and all these different places, but yet, they’re choosing to walk through our door and pay their hard-earned money for an item on our menu. That, to me, is so crazy. And sometimes I have to step back because we created something that people actually want. People actually like it. So, that is super exciting. And I think that when you're working so hard on something, it's so easy to lose sight of the basic goal. So sometimes, I just have to remind myself that, if I do make mistakes or even if I don't get everything I need to do to get done that day, nobody's noticing that. You know, people are actually enjoying the things we’re creating. And I think we sometimes have to allow ourselves to have that joy and to be happy and not just dwell on the things that you did wrong or that you didn’t accomplish.
HC: And letting yourself be confident instead of like, you know, succumbing to imposter syndrome. And then what do you look for when you are considering hiring someone new or one of your locations?
SW: I can teach anyone how to take people's orders, how to use our POS, how to bag a burger, how to sweep the floor, but I can’t teach someone to have a good personality or how to smile. And I think that's the most important thing-- is personality and being engaging more so than anything else. Because you're going to have so much experience working in a kitchen or the front of house, it doesn't serve anyone any good, unless, like you're making the customer happy. And I always say before an opening day, like when I'm talking to the staff at a new location, remember to smile. If there is a line and people are waiting 10 minutes on a line, they're looking at their phone, already annoyed by the time they get to the counter. If you have a huge smile on your face, that person just completely forgot every single thing like the last 10 minutes of their life and that they were standing online. But if you're just kind of like, ‘Hey, what can I get you?’ And you're just kind of lackadaisical about it, that affects their overall experience of the store, even if the food’s amazing. It doesn't start off on the right foot. Even if you mess up, even if you don't know the answer to their questions, if you do it with a smile, and you say, ‘Let me look into that. Let me check with our manager,’ and if you do it with a smile and you're just kind to the guests, it goes such a long way. It goes so far. I know whenever I walk into a place, and the people behind the counter are like, ‘Hey! How's your day going?’ I'm like, ‘Oh, are you talking to me?’ It's great. So I think that one of the best qualities and one of the most important qualities, especially for people that have worked in the stores, for people that are working in the corporate office, or working for me.
Obviously, personality too. But I think, organization and a work ethic are super important. You know, I want someone to buy into what we're doing and buy into the growth of the company and feel inspired and want to grow with the company -- not just someone that wants to come in at nine and leave at five and just punch in and punch out. I want people to feel good about what we're doing and be so excited and talk to their friends about it. Just because they're genuinely having a good time. It’s a little different for the things that I look for in a corporate level verses store level.
HC: Absolutely. And that just shows, how powerful a good attitude and passion can be. Because if you're not passionate in what you do, then people are going to notice.
SW: Of course. You know, I feel like by CHLOE. Tries to be as authentic as possible and give people a really amazing experience, not just from inside our four wall but from our blog and just being as transparent and authentic as possible. So, if people that work in the store don't fit that bill it might not show exactly what we're trying to achieve. And I think it's so important to make our customers comfortable. You know, they're stepping out on their lunch break, even if they're waiting for their food, you want that to be a peaceful, fun experience and not something that might annoy them when they walked out of the door.
HC: And then do you have any advice that you give to a college-age person who might be going through similar aspirations and wants to start their own business or their own restaurant, even.
SW: If it’s a restaurant, I’d say good luck, and maybe don’t do it. [laughs] But in terms of a company, I think for me what was most helpful is to try and meet with as many people as possible, especially through social media. You can slide into anyone’s DMs, as cheesy as that is. Just try and get as much knowledge as possible. You know, when I was starting out, I was really trying to meet with people in all different industries. Because so many of the lessons are so similar. I remember meeting with the SoulCycle founders right when I started. I was talking to them about merchandising and the shelves in the stores because that's similar. And I was like, ‘At what point do you stop caring about what this shelf look like?’ Because I was driving myself crazy that everything wasn't lined up properly. And I was like, ‘Why was the manager not paying attention to that?’ And I only had one store at that time. And I was like, ‘Oh, crap, like, now that I can loosen the reins a little bit, when do you stop focusing on that and focus on the big picture items?’ And they were like, ‘You never do. You're always going to be focusing on the little details.’ And that was good for me to hear in a way because I was like, ‘Okay, I'm not crazy.’
I just think when it is your baby, you care so much more. I think that I had to kind of learn how to train people to think like me. Because at the beginning, I was so naive, and I was getting so frustrated when people weren't seeing things the way that I was seeing it. And I realized it was because I wasn't explaining to them why I do things the way I do. I was yelling at them because the shirt was turned in the wrong direction. And they're like, ‘Okay, you’re freaking out about that.’ And I kind of had to take a step back and be like, ‘No, we like it to be turned this way, so that people can see the logo.’ I had to just explain to them why, then they were like, ‘Oh, that makes total sense. Like, I'll totally do that every day.’
So, I think that when you're starting companies really try to understand that not everyone is going to do things the exact same way that you're going to do it. Just, be patient, and try and explain things as much as possible and give people more information because sometimes it's helpful for people to then go on to tell others how to do things. And I think that was kind of a lesson I had to learn — know how best to communicate without getting frustrated if something's done wrong. Just learning how I can motivate you to do it right, without getting upset when you do it wrong.
HC: Absolutely. And finding that balance, I feel like, is a constant struggle regardless of industry or where you are in your career.
HC: Then what's the one thing that really stood out to you most in a resume?
SW: I’m such an aesthetic maniac. When I go to any restaurant or any place, I see things that no one else notices. My husband yells at me every time we go to dinner. And I'm like, ‘Why is that light bulb out?’ He's like, ‘You don't own this restaurant. You shouldn’t care what that light bulb is out.’ So for me, it’s such a silly answer, but I like everything to be formatted correctly and the fonts are the way that they should be, and the bullet points are done right. I was looking at a resume yesterday for something, and they didn't enter one of the bullet points, so it was on the same line as another bullet point. So for me, it’s about making sure everything’s formatted properly.
I also really love when people give their random hobbies. I always thought that was kind of weird. When I was putting together my own resume to list that I like yoga and things like sewing or flower arranging, but I realized, as a business owner, when you see so many resumes all day long, all you want to see is personality — because everyone's resume starts to look alike. And I sometimes think adding a little bit about yourself can make it seem more personable. As a business owner, when you're looking at it, you're kind of like, ‘Oh, they like to go to the movies on a Friday. Like, that's so funny.’ Or, you know, sometimes when you're in the meeting when you're in an interview with them, you may have something in common. You're like, ‘Oh, you like to do yoga too. How often do you do it?’ It’s like an icebreaker sometimes, and it's a good way to get to know someone's personality when you do meet with them. Rather than like, ‘What did you do for this company? And what did you learn? And what are your thoughts of blah blah blah.’ So sometimes, I like to just engage with people a little bit more.
HC: Alright, this is the last question: What's your favorite part of your job?
SW: I would say, my favorite part of the job is seeing people creating memories in the spaces that I created. So, whenever I walk into the store, and I to see someone on a date, or I see two girls like coming in after their workout, it always kind of makes me step back and think, ‘Oh gosh. Like, I created this moment. They could be having the most amazing afternoon, and this is the highlight of their day, right?’ I love when I see people in this space, and they're having such a great time. That makes it worth it. But you know, it also pushes me further. Every day I go on our social media, and I go through every geotag of all our stores and every tag photos, so I can see what people are posting. And I love when people are like, ‘I traveled to New York for the first time, and I went to by CHLOE. three times because I’m obsessed.’ So to me, seeing feedback is always great and it’s amazing to see, and it’s all so surreal.
And then from like an aesthetic perspective, I love making it seem like home. And I’ve had the opportunity to take up these spaces that were kind of forgotten corners and give them new life. And that always takes my breath away, especially in the West Village, our Flagship location. That space had been vacant for years. There was a fire, and it was abandoned. I remember when I was opening, I was telling people where we are, and they’re like, ‘I live there. I have no idea what you’re even talking about.’ Because it’s just one of those corners you always walk by and never knew what was actually there. Now, whenever I go by there, there’s just energy in the space and people hanging out outside, and the building now looks like 100 years younger than it did before we opened. It’s so exciting because it feels like, not only are we making an impact in someone’s life, we’re making an impact and putting our stamp in a city — a place that we love. And that’s so exciting for me.
Whether you’re a college student going to school full-time or a busy working lady, we can all relate to being a girl on the go. I’ve picked up a few tricks and essentials for those jam-packed days where you just can't deal. I always keep a makeup bag full of my essentials in my purse (or in my car if it doesn’t fit). Here’s what’s inside.
Hair ties and bobby pins
I can’t survive without them! I usually throw my hair in a messy bun or braid mid-day when it starts to get in my way.
Hair oils
I love the Nexxus Oil Infinite Hair Oil, especially when I am in the humidity or my hair is feeling dry. It’s my favorite quick fix for taming the waves and reducing the frizz when I want to wear my hair down. It's also perfect for when I want to embrace the messy look with a bun (with a little more control). This smooths those loose flyaways and adds moisture to my hair without making it feel greasy. I use this stuff daily, whether it's on my damp or dry hair.
Quick Tip: For dry hair, use conservatively — a little goes a long way. For wet hair, I use about 2-3 pumps prior to blow-drying my hair.
Lipstick
Lipstick always makes you feel a little more put together. In the summer, I love hot pink shades. This Marc Jacobs lipstick is a favorite, along with MAC's Candy Yum Yum.
Blush and bronzer
Aside from lipstick and concealer, blush and bronzer are really the only makeup pieces I keep with me all the time. Whether you just got out of the pool or are feeling a little rundown, a touch of bronzer or blush on the cheeks gives some color to your face for that fresh sun-kissed look.
Concealer
My friend introduced me to this concealer a few months ago and I swear by it. It’s a little pricey, but totally worth it.
Sunglasses
Honestly, I rarely do my eye makeup — I just don’t have time for it. Sunglasses are a girl's best friend for hiding those dark circles. See some of my favorite glasses I’m loving right now here and here.
@academicallyanxious: Hello, usually don’t open up but since this is anonymous why not. Ever since I was young, I always knew I wanted to go Ivy League for college or go to the best Universities/Colleges available. I’ve always had confidence that I’d be going to these schools, but recently I have decided to do a different method of learning for Senior year and I’m afraid it won’t be good enough to get me into Columbia University or Boston University.
I only need one .5 credit left to graduate high school but, wanting to graduate with the rest of my class, I’ve decided to enroll into virtual school to complete the half credit as well as repeat a semester of Chemistry to bring it up from a D. During this time I’d be traveling, possibly being part of internships and/or taking classes at the local college. Is this good enough or is this a stupid idea that colleges will think I’m being lazy and deny me? I'm extremely anxious to know other opinions.
@helpmehc: First of all, congrats on making it to senior year and having your eyes set on some super inspiring, thoughtful goals and some rigorous academics. That in itself — getting to the point where you know, at least a little bit, the kind of environment you want to be in and starting to think critically about how to get there— is a pretty big deal when you’re young.
The thing about applying to colleges, particularly those aggro prestigious ones with gigantic pools of applicants and loud AF brand recognition, is that it’s always difficult to be sure how exactly your application will be received and how you may or may not fit into what admissions counselors see as what’s gonna fit in to the campus community, class they’re building out. Sometimes it really is a crap shoot depending on who else is in the applicant pool and what they bring to the table that is similar/different than you.
But, that is definitely not to say that your decisions (like traveling, doing some higher level academic work, getting internship experience) won’t make you more desirable. Admissions folks always say that they are looking for someone dynamic and thoughtful and who will get the most out of the experience on whatever campus they’d want to be on. It’s about being a good fit with high odds of being successful in that kind of environment.
So doing what you’re doing? Making moves that feel purposeful and thoughtful and like they are adding to and enriching your experience as a human while looking back critically at a mistake (like a D in a class) and trying to be better before heading to college? That doesn’t sound at all like it’s a stupid idea or something colleges will dismiss out of hand. The key to all of this is being purposeful and sharp as you can be about the decisions you’re making and make sure the colleges you’re applying to know that you have reasons for making those moves. If you can sit across from any interviewer/alumni/admissions counselor and eloquently explain how your senior year journey makes you the kind of student who is going to kill it come fall, you’ll be prepping yourself for the best possible outcomes.
Going off the beaten path is scary as hell, no doubt. But, if you do your research and do the things that make you feel like you’re a step closer to becoming the person you’re meant to be, you’re going to go far.
Just when we thought that Noah Centineo, also known as To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before heartthrob Peter Kavinsky, couldn’t be any cuter and more perfect, we were totally proven wrong. In a Twitter post that has since gone viral (and even retweeted by Noah himself!), Noah and his BFF and fellow actor, Jack Griffo, dance to Justin Bieber’s Boyfriend, and your heart will literally skip a beat from all of this adorableness.
On August 29th, a Twitter user, by the name of Chloe, tweeted the video of Noah and Jack dancing to Boyfriend, while wearing superhero capes.
The Twitter user captioned the video: “me: *trying to fix sleep schedule* my two brain cells: @noahcent @JackGriffo.”
I would totally be down for Noah and Jack to become a part of the Justice League. Just saying.
The full-length video of Noah and Jack’s dance to Boyfriend is on Jack’s Youtube channel, and it’s the best video you’ll ever see.
Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to be playing this video on repeat all weekend, but not before I go watch To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before for the 50th time.
This is not a drill, beauty lovers. Kylie Cosmetics is officially coming to Ulta Beauty stores very soon, so, according to Hello Giggles, you’ll be able to shop Kylie Jenner’s beauty products in real life. According to the new mom, Kylie Cosmetics will be hitting Ulta’s shelves this holiday season, so it’s time to start saving up our money now.
Not many details have been confirmed yet, such as which products will actually be sold in stores, when they’ll officially arrive in store or if there will be some Ulta-exclusives, but we definitely know that the partnership is happening.
On August 30th, Kylie shared the news with her Twitter followers, writing, “I’m so excited to let you guys know that @KylieCosmetics will be coming to all @ultabeauty stores around the country this holiday!... More to come…”
I’m so excited to let you guys know that @KylieCosmetics will be coming to all @ultabeauty stores around the country this holiday!... More to come...
As Popsugarnotes, considering that Kylie’s line has never been available at a major retailer, and has pretty much only been available online, with the exception of a few popup Kylie Cosmetics stores, this is a big deal.
So it’s no surprise that fans went into a frenzy when they heard the news.
“There goes all my holiday money,” one Twitter user wrote. “That really speaks volumes for how big her products are and how smart @ultabeauty is! I’m excited!” another Twitter user said.
One Twitter user, @ourjacub, wrote, “i slipped on the wood floors as i ran to my mom to tell her that kylie cosmetics was coming to ulta. im excited.” Honestly, same girl.
i slipped on the wood floors as i ran to my mom to tell her that kylie cosmetics was coming to ulta. im excited.
In the meantime, we’ll be keeping our eyes on Kylie’s and Ulta’s social media accounts for more updates. And it’s time to start saving up, because there goes all of my holiday money.
Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, along with several others, paid tribute to Sen. John McCain at his memorial service in Washington D.C. on Saturday, noting McCain’s dedication to serving his country and juxtaposing his value of bipartisanship to today’s current political landscape.
“So much of our politics, our public life, our public discourse can seem small and mean and petty, trafficking in bombast and insult and phony controversies and manufactured outrage,” Obama said. “It’s a politics that pretends to be brave and tough but in fact is born of fear. John called on us to be bigger than that. He called on us to be better than that.”
Obama, a Democrat who defeated McCain in the 2008 presidential election, said that throughout his presidency, he and McCain would often meet at the White House, according to ABC News. Despite the facts that their “disagreements didn't go away,” Obama said the two men simply “enjoyed the time [they] shared away from the bright lights.”
“And we never doubted the other man's sincerity or the other man's patriotism. Or that when all was said and done, we were on the same team,” Obama added.
Former President George W. Bush “and I are among the fortunate few who competed against John at the highest levels of politics,” Obama said. “He made us better presidents, just as he made the Senate better, just as he made this country better.”
Bush, who won the 2000 GOP presidential nomination over McCain, also spoke at the memorial service, calling McCain “honest, no matter whom it offended. Presidents were not spared.”
“Back in the day, he could frustrate me,” Bush said. “And I know he'd say the same thing about me. But he also made me better.”
“He respected the dignity inherent in every life, a dignity that does not stop at borders and cannot be erased by dictators,” Bush said. “Perhaps above all, John detested the abuse of power. He could not abide bigots and swaggering despots. There was something deep inside him that made him stand up for the little guy — to speak for forgotten people in forgotten places.”
Other notable figures who paid tribute to McCain, noting McCain’s ability to unite the country, even in death.
“His death seems to have reminded the American people that these values are what makes us a great nation, not the tribal partisanship and personal attack politics that have recently characterized our life,” former Sen. Joe Lieberman, a close friend of McCain’s, said. “This week’s celebration of the life and values and patriotism of this hero, I think, have taken our country above all that. In a way it’s the last great gift that John McCain gave America.”
McCain, who often reached across party lines and was known for his bipartisanship, had considered Lieberman, a registered Democrat, to serve as his vice presidential nominee in 2008, NBC News reports. Lieberman added that McCain “regularly reached across party lines because he knew that was the only way to solve problems and seize opportunities for the people of our country and his state.”
Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger also acknowledged McCain’s ability to unite his fellow Americans, and spoke of how the two men’s paths crossed during the Vietnam War.
“None of us will ever forget how even in his parting John has bestowed on us a much-needed moment of unity and a renewed faith in the possibilities of America,” Kissinger said. “Henceforth America’s honor is ours to sustain.”
McCain’s daughter, Meghan McCain, also paid a touching tribute to her father. Overcome with emotion, she said that her father was “defined by love.”
“John McCain was not defined by prison, by the Navy, by the Senate, by the Republican Party, or by any single one of the deeds in his absolutely extraordinary life,” she said, referring to her father’s service in the military and imprisonment during the Vietnam War. “John McCain was defined by love.”
While not mentioning the president by name, McCain’s daughter did appear to criticize President Donald Trump, who had often shared bitter words with McCain, including disparaging McCain’s service in the military.
“We gather here to mourn the passing of American greatness. The real thing, not cheap rhetoric from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly, nor the opportunistic appropriation of those who lived lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served,” she said. “He was a great fire who burned bright.”
In another critique of the president, she said, “The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great.” Her comment was met with thunderous applause.
Later in her eulogy to her father, she defined the America of McCain as “generous, welcoming and bold.”
Trump was absent from the memorial service on Saturday, after he was asked to stay away from all events in McCain’s five-day, cross-country procession, NBC News reports. Trump’s daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, who is also an adviser to the president, were in attendance.
A handful of Trump administration officials were in attendance as well, including White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, National Security Adviser John Bolton, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.
McCain died on August 25, following a battle with brain cancer. He was 81.
The bishop who officiated Aretha Franklin’s funeral apologized Friday for how he grabbed Ariana Grande on the stage after her performance and for a joke he made about her name.
Bishop Charles H. Ellis III, who led the queen of soul’s funeral service, awkwardly greeted Grande after she performed Franklin’s hit“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Ellis held Grande well above her waist, with pictures showing his fingers pressed into the side of her chest.
The preacher apologized for his actions during an interview with The Associated Press on Friday at the cemetery where Franklin was laid to rest, The Huffington Postreports.
“It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast. ... I don’t know I guess I put my arm around her,” Ellis said. “Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar but again, I apologize.”
Ellis added that he hugged all of the performers during the eight-hour funeral service on Friday.
“I hug all the female artists and the male artists,” Ellis said. “Everybody that was up, I shook their hands and hugged them. That’s what we are all about in the church. We are all about love.”
“The last thing I want to do is to be a distraction to this day. This is all about Aretha Franklin,” Ellis added.
According to ABC News, fans took to Twitter, posting close-up pictures of the preacher grabbing Grande and tagging it #RespectAriana.
Ellis also apologized to Grande, her fans and the Hispanic community for making a joke about seeing Grande’s name on the service program and thinking it was a new menu item at Taco Bell.
“I personally and sincerely apologize to Ariana and to her fans and to the whole Hispanic community,” Ellis said. “When you’re doing a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there.”
According to HuffPost, Ellis’ actions overshadowed some criticism of Grande’s outfit for the funeral service, saying the pop singer’s black dress was too short for church.
If you’ve watched Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” there’s probably a good chance that you’ve fallen in love with Noah Centineo and Lana Condor, the actors who play the handsome Peter Kavinsky and the adorable Lara Jean Covey. The two actors’ onscreen chemistry is undeniable, and some fans have even speculated that the two are dating IRL (but sadly it looks like Condor is already taken). But while Centineo and Condor gush over each other in interviews, it turns out it always wasn’t that way — Centineo says that Condor straight up rejected him the first time they met.
Earlier this month, Condor revealed to The Cut that she was so nervous about her audition that when Centineo (who she calls “this beautiful, tall, stupidly charming boy”) approached her to run lines with him, she rejected his request.
“I sat down, I was focused, and then this beautiful, tall, stupidly charming boy walks through the door into the waiting room. I was like, No, Lana. Not today!” Condor said. He sits down next to me and asks, ‘Do you want to read lines with me?’ I’m like, No, I’m sorry but I really need to focus. Later, we were chemistry reading with potential Peter. At the very bottom was Noah’s name. I thought he was going to hate me!”
On Thursday, August 30th, Centineo stopped by E! Daily Pop where he told his side of the rejection tale.
“When we first met in the audition room before any of us had booked it, we were sitting waiting in like the lobby and I saw her and I was like, ‘Hey do you want to run lines?’” Noah told E!. “And she was like, ‘No.’ I was like, ‘Oh, that's cool, fine, I'll just die here.’”
Poor Noah!
“I didn't even remember asking her that. She had actually told that story months later in the press,” Centineo continued. “Then we just read together and it was...[perfect].”
When asked whether he think that Condor thought he was trying to hit on her, Centineo said “maybe,” according to Hello Giggles. Centineo also went on to explain why he asked Condor to run lines with him.
“I ask people to read lines in the audition room if they look nervous!” he said. “It’s always easier if you're running with a stranger before do it with the casting director. It helps you get the nerves out. And if someone else looks nervous, then it totally is gonna help them too. If you can do it with some random person you just met, you can easily go into a room and do it again.”
How sweet of him!
Watch his interview with E! Daily Pop below and prepare to fall in love with Centineo even more (if that’s even possible).
President Donald Trump warned Canada Saturday that it “will be out” of the new North American trade deal unless it’s “fair” to the United States, and threatened Congress to not “interfere” with the negotiations or he would otherwise scrap the current deal.
Trump formally informed Congress on Friday that he intends to enter a new trade deal with Mexico, adding that administration hopes to include Canada in the pact later, The Washington Post reports. U.S. and Canadian negotiators worked throughout the week to come to an agreement and include Canada in the new pact, but negotiations failed to produce an agreement by Trump’s Friday deadline.
On Saturday, however, Trump took to Twitter to issue a warning that he would leave Canada behind on the new North American Free Trade Agreement and would dismiss the U.S. from the trade agreement if Congress “interfered.”
“There is no political necessity to keep Canada in the new NAFTA deal. If we don’t make a fair deal for the U.S. after decades of abuse, Canada will be out. Congress should not interfere w/ these negotiations or I will simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off…” Trump wrote.
There is no political necessity to keep Canada in the new NAFTA deal. If we don’t make a fair deal for the U.S. after decades of abuse, Canada will be out. Congress should not interfere w/ these negotiations or I will simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off...
“We make new deal or go back to pre-NAFTA!” Trump wrote in a subsequent tweet.
....Remember, NAFTA was one of the WORST Trade Deals ever made. The U.S. lost thousands of businesses and millions of jobs. We were far better off before NAFTA - should never have been signed. Even the Vat Tax was not accounted for. We make new deal or go back to pre-NAFTA!
According to ABC News, it is unclear if the Trump administration has the authority to strike a deal only with Mexico and exclude Canada from the agreement. Congress also has to approve any new trade deal, and it appears it might refuse to endorse an agreement without Canada, a longtime ally of the U.S.
A U.S.-Mexico deal sealed on Monday did not include Canada. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland then went to Washington D.C. to engage in talks to keep Canada in the regional trade agreement.
Freeland, however, could not break an impasse in four days of negotiations with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. American and Canadian negotiators are set to meet on Wednesday to break the deadlock on issues such as Canada’s dairy market, patent protections for U.S. pharmaceuticals and disagreements over the process for resolving trade disputes, The Post reports.
Canadian officials had accused the U.S. of refusing to offer concessions. On Friday, The Toronto Star appeared to validate these claims when it published comments that Trump had made in which he told Bloomberg News journalists that negotiations to rework the trade agreement had to take place on his terms.
A few weeks ago, Trump entered into negotiations with Mexico, leaving out Canada. Current Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has said that he wants to sign a deal before he leaves office on Dec. 1, ABC News reports. Nieto's successor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has had representatives at the negotiations, but if the deal is not signed prior to Nieto leaving office, it could complicate the deal.
This timeline was the catalyst for Trump’s letter to Congress Friday, initiating the 90-day required notice period for Congress before the president can legally sign a new deal, and giving Nieto the time to sign the new pact before leaving office.
Under U.S. trade rules, however, the text of the new trade agreement doesn’t need to be made public for another 30 additional days, giving the U.S. team more time to attempt to reach a deal with the Canadians.
Good morning, Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
FBI Tells 2018 Political Campaigns to Up Their “Cyber Hygiene”
With the 2018 midterm election quickly approaching, the FBI has released a series of instructional videos aimed at political campaigns, urging them all to do one thing: amp up their cybersecurity game.
The series, titled Protected Voices, is part of a larger effort by the FBI to educate campaigns, as well as the public, about cyberattacks and the dangers of foreign influence on the U.S. democratic system.
“One key to addressing this threat is for a campaign to enhance its own cyber hygiene, the technological equivalent of locking your doors and windows,” says the Protected Voices site, which launched on Friday. According to ABC News, the Protected Voices website features a dozen videos, with FBI special agents and technical specialists discussing topics such as best Wi-Fi practices to securing campaign communications.
Top U.S. officials have warned about the potential for hacking and influence campaigns targeting the midterm election similar in fashion, and possibly scale, to the interference allegedly committed by the Russian government in the 2016 presidential election. According to U.S. intelligence community assessments and recent court documents, the attack on the 2016 election included the hacking of political organizations and a propaganda campaign to cause divisiveness among U.S. voters.
“Foreign influence operations – which include covert actions by foreign governments to influence U.S. political sentiment or public discourse – are not a new problem,” the FBI says on its Combating Foreign Influence website. “But the interconnectedness of the modern world, combined with the anonymity of the Internet, have changed the nature of the threat and how the FBI and its partners must address it.”
Social media companies Facebook and Twitter have been fighting foreign influence operations, and Microsoft recently identified what appears to be a spear-phishing plots against conservative groups and the U.S. Senate.
Former National Security Agency official Oren Falkowitz told ABC News that campaigns are at the center of elections and cybersecurity, and will likely be the “primary focus” of any malicious actors ahead of an election.
However, Falkowitz says that it will be up to the campaigns to take the necessary steps to protect themselves from such attacks.
“‘Education and awareness’ is the ‘thoughts and prayers’ of cybersecurity,” Falkowitz said.
Judge Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing Is On Track For Tuesday Despite Democrats’ Opposition
Despite the efforts by Senate Democrats to postpone Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to make his case that he belongs on the Supreme Court.
Senate minority members have argued that Kavanaugh’s record as a top White House staffer during the Bush administration has not been properly vetted, and have raised concerns that President Donald Trump chose to nominate Kavanaugh due to his views on executive power, specifically how he believes that sitting presidents should not be subject to criminal investigations or prosecutor’s questions, ABC News reports.
Democrats have also pushed for postponing the confirmation hearing altogether due to the legal issues surrounding Trump. Most recently, Senate Democrats began calling for a postponement in the nomination proceedings in light of Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, alleging that Trump instructed him to make payments to whom Trump supposedly had affairs with, in order to silence them, ABC News reports.
Several Senate Democrats, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal, have canceled their meetings with Kavanaugh following the Cohen revelations.
“He's been nominated by a president who's been implicated in a criminal conspiracy,” said Blumenthal, shortly after the Cohen allegations came to light. “There is no way that his nomination will be untainted. The court itself will be stained.”
Republicans have disregarded the Democrats’ arguments, saying that they are merely politically-driven.
“This is just another obvious and opportunistic attempt to push the confirmation past the midterm elections,” Grassley said Tuesday, dismissing the Senators’ cancelled meetings as political posturing.
“I look forward, along with the rest of the Senate, in performing our constitutional duties beginning next week, providing advice and consent on this important nomination,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday.
Kavanaugh appears to be moving full steam ahead, with a senior White House official saying that Kavanaugh has been in at least two full-day mock hearings, and is confident in his upcoming performance.
Kavanaugh is virtually assured of the Senate support he needs to be confirmed, and is expected to have the votes of all 50 Republicans in the chamber. If Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who is required by law to appoint a Republican to fill the seat of the late Sen. John McCain, has a replacement in by the time of Kavanaugh’s confirmation comes before the full Senate, Kavanaugh will have his 51 votes. In the event that that is not the case, and no Democrats vote in favor of Kavanaugh, Vice President Mike Pence could cast the tie-breaking vote in Kavanaugh’s favor.
California Lawmakers Have Passed the Strongest Net Neutrality Rules in the Country
The bill, which was approved by the state Senate in a 27–12 vote Friday, is now on its way to California Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk, and would prohibit internet providers from slowing down websites, charging customers more for higher-quality streaming and demanding payments from internet companies to reach subscribers.
According to Buzzfeed News, the bill, which was coauthored by San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener, would also prohibit zero-rating data. This just means that internet providers can’t exempt certain websites or services from counting towards a customer’s data. Zero-rating entire categories of apps and services, such as music streaming apps, would still be allowed, however.
“This is about a level playing field and an internet where we as individuals get to decide where we go on the internet, instead of being told by internet service providers or being manipulated by internet service providers into going where they want us to go,” Wiener said during a press conference after the bill’s passage.
Washington and Oregon have adopted laws to restore protections, but neither law fully reinstated all of the rules, Buzzfeed news reports.
Furthermore, Washington and Oregon’s law do not explicitly prohibit internet providers from charging websites and internet services access fees to reach the internet company’s subscribers.
Governors in other states, including New York and Montana, have signed executive orders that prevent internet providers with state contracts from slowing down or blocking websites.
“This is a huge victory,” said state Sen. Kevin de León. “It's our hope that other states in the country will be able to replicate what we’ve done here.”
What to look out for...
Happy Labor Day, everyone! Enjoy your extra day off from school and work!
The start of fall is here, and there's no better time to give your wardrobe a little facelift. Stores are currently full of back to school styles and sales, but what if you want to establish a look that’s a little more unique?
Developing your own personal style can be overwhelming, especially when there are so many different fashion trends out there. With so much to choose from, sometimes we tend to ignore it all and just stick with the basics. But we shouldn’t block it all out. This season, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and take some inspiration from these international trends from across the globe!
1. Mixing bright patterns
Many of the current trends in Africa revolve around beautiful brightly colored fabrics. Ankara, Leso, and Kitenge are three different types of African textile patterns that have been a staple in the fashion trends of African countries for many years. These beautiful textiles are known for their striking patterns and bright colors, and are truly unlike anything found here in the US.
Today, they remain a staple of African fashion, and designers are finding new ways to put their own spin on the traditional styles. The mixing and matching of these bright fabrics were one of the major trends at South African Fashion Week, creating a bold and daring trend to try out in your everyday wardrobe.
Incorporating Ankara, Leso, and Kitenge into your style will leave you with some really special and unique looks, and shopping on Etsy is a great way to find some quality and authentic fabrics. But if those specific prints aren’t your thing, use them as inspiration and try mixing some of your own favorite patterns and colors in a new way.
2. Daring denim
Denim will always be in style, so at first glance it might not seem like a trend. But straying away from the classic skinny jean is something that both American and French bloggers are embracing lately. Right now, the French are focusing on a specific kind of denim for the everyday: a cropped, high-waisted flare jean with a wide leg and shorter hem—like these ones from American Eagle.
This style might seem intimidating if you’re not a fashion blogger (like most of us) and may not be for everyone, but daring to try these will instantly upgrade your outfit to the coveted level of French girl chic.
Another trend that has crept its way into the US is a current favorite in South America: platform shoes. “I went to Argentina in May and platform shoes were literally everywhere,” says Kayla Dungee, a senior at Georgia State University. “Platform converse, sandals, boots, pumps—if it were any type of shoes, a platform was added. They’re super easy to walk in and dress up any outfit!”
Kayla is right, platforms really do come in any style. They’re perfect if you just want to give yourself a couple extra inches everyday, like with these H&M sandals.
They're also a great alternative to heels if you want a more comfortable formal shoe, like these Steve Madden wedges.
In an ideal world, it would be acceptable to wear leggings all the time. Thankfully, China seems to be catching onto that dream, because everyday sportswear is becoming increasingly trendy there. Athleisure is already pretty popular here in the US, but now you can feel even trendier and more fabulous (if that's possible) when you throw on your most trusted leggings and tank.
These days there are so many different styles to try out, so shop around and find what makes you comfortable, because that's what's most important. Keep things fun with come colorful statement pieces, like these gorgeous mesh leggings from American Eagle, or keep things breezy and cool with this cut-out tank top from Free People.
5. Gold jewelry
Big, chunky gold jewelry was seen all over the runway at Bogotá Fashion Week this past spring. Jewelry like this is great because you have the option of either buying lots of cheaper, trendy pieces or investing in some more expensive classic ones. No outfit is complete without accessories, and gold instantly makes a statement and will instantly elevate any look. Dress up a more casual, everyday look with this gorgeous chunky gold chain necklace from Bauble Bar, or spice up your classic work attire with some bold pieces like these statement earrings from Charlotte Russe.
Style inspiration can come from anywhere and anything, so keep your mind open when looking for new pieces to wear. If you feel like your wardrobe has been lacking in originality, browse the websites of stores you’ve never shopped at and check out some style blogs. There are style hundreds of bloggers from every part of the world, each with their own unique take on current trends. So step outside your comfort zone and see where inspiration takes you!
Just three days before the start of the NFL season, Nike unveiled its 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign on Monday, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, the sportswear company has announced that it has chosen Colin Kaepernick to be the new face of the campaign.
The new ad, which features a close-up, black-and-white photograph of Kaepernick’s face, puts Kaepernick’s convictions up front and center, with the quote: “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt.”
Kaepernick, who is currently a free agent, has not played in the football league since 2016, when he began to silently protest police brutality and racial injustice by taking a knee during the national anthem, sparking other NFL players to follow suit, The Huffington Post reports.
The protests he inspired created a great deal of controversy and polarized sports fans across the country. President Donald Trump urged NFL owners to suspend or fire players who protested during the anthem, telling the crowd at a rally in Alabama in 2017 that he’d love to see an NFL owner say “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now.”
Two weeks after Trump’s remarks, Vice President Mike Pence attended a football game but left before the game began when players took a knee during the anthem, later tweeting that he left the game early because he “will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.”
In May, the NFL changed its policy so it no longer required all players to be on the field during the national anthem, but said that players who demonstrated during the anthem could be penalized.
According to Buzzfeed News, Nike reportedly signed Kaepernick to its endorsement roster in 2011, and has kept him on the roster despite not currently being on an NFL team.
BREAKING: Nike had been paying Colin Kaepernick all along, waiting for the right moment. That moment is now, as he becomes the face of the company’s 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign. pic.twitter.com/uccpDStbq5
The announcement of the campaign comes on the heels of an arbitrator’s decision to allow Kaepernick to take his grievance with the NFL to trial. Kaepernick alleges that the NFL “...colluded to deprive Mr. Kaepernick of employment rights in retaliation for Mr. Kaepernick's leadership and advocacy for equality and social justice and his bringing awareness to peculiar institutions still undermining racial equality in the United States.”
At the end of a long Labor Day weekend, we all need a little pick me up, and Busy Phillips has us covered. On Saturday, September 1st, Phillips posted a video of herself attempting to “get down” like Lindsay Lohan in Mykonos, and it is literally the best video you will ever see.
If you’re wondering what it means to “get down” like Lohan in Mykonos, here are the deets. Phillips re-posted a video of Lohan dancing in Mykonos in a shimmery grey jumpsuit. Lohan, who is starring in an upcoming MTV show called “Lohan Beach Club” on the Greek island, let her hair down and got her groove on.
“It’s labor day weekend! Get down like Lindsay in Mykonos!” Philipps wrote.
The “Cougar Town” alum took her own advice as she, along with friend Kelly Oxford, spent their night trying to re-create the “Mean Girls” star’s moves, according to People.
In their video, Phillips, in a floral dress, and Oxford, rocking a blue crop top, whipped their hair and twirled with sass as they attempted their best Lohan impressions.
Philipps wrote, “@kellyoxford and I are trying our best to give you full Mykonos Lohan this Friday night- Honestly, it’s weirdly harder to nail than it seemed. Respect.”
Phillips’ followers were quick to applaud her and Oxford’s efforts, and the two pals even gained a few celebrity admirers, according to Hello Giggles.
Chrissy Teigen commented, “For the love of god can I come over,” while Rumer Willis wrote, “I am dead.” Selma Blair praised the pair, saying, “I tumbled while trying,” while Sophia Bush wrote, “I am v here for this.”
I’m pretty sure we are all here for this. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go “get down” like Lohan in Mykonos.
Whether you're a sophomore in high school or you're a fifth-year college senior, everyone struggles with this whole adulting thing. Thankfully Stacia Pierce has made a lifelong career from coaching others in business, success and life itself. Beyond being a best-selling author for her expertise, Pierce has adopted a 'no excuses' business and policy and she has a plethora of advice on how to make your morning routine more efficient, as well as a ton of vocational advice (because we all know that we can never have too many career tips).
Her Campus: What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
Stacia Pierce: My typical day starts with my morning routine of early morning meditation, journaling, showering while listening to inspirational podcasts or books on my Nook. I say my daily affirmations while I dress. From there I start with an agenda. I focus on 3 top goals that have to do that day. A lot of my day consists of writing. Writing a book, writing a speech for a presentation or working on my marketing emails. Then I have meetings with my team or my clients. After that, I create coaching lessons for my business school. In the evenings, I usually partake of some kind of cultural or creative event to keep things fun and interesting. This includes walks with my husband, new eclectic restaurants, a scenic drive and visits to the bookstore. When I retire to my room, I sip my tea and write my gratitude list in my journal, reflect on my day and plan the next day's event.
HC: What is the best part of your job?
SP: The best part of my job is that I get to help people. I get to do work that is fulfilling because I help people to change their bottom line and achieve their own goals. I also love that I have the freedom to be creative in my work.
HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
SP: As a business owner, my first job was running my own ice cream shop/arcade when I was 13 years old. My father bought me a business to teach me how to be an entrepreneur. It was very exciting at first, then I realized that I had to stay in the shop and work all summer. So, I hired my friends so that I could have help and get to see my friends more.
HC: What words of wisdom (well-known quotes, an anecdote from your boss) do you find most valuable?
SP: My father told me that information is the key to promotion. If you are going to keep being promoted in your field or work, you’ll have to keep learning new information. Don’t ever feel like you know it all. Stay in a constant state of learning. He also told me, everything may not be easy but it is 'figureoutable.'
When dealing with people in transactions, trust your gut. Go with what you feel inside more than what you see outside since people can say one thing and do another. Don’t only trust relationships by sight. Be productive and excellent at whatever work you do, even if it’s not your dream job. There is something to learn in every position. Always ask yourself, Why am I here? What do I have to learn?
HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
SP: As a manager, one of my biggest mistakes is assuming that people will do exactly what you want and that they have to the same intensity about projects as I did. I learned that you have to inspect what you expect.
HC: What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?
SP: The most surreal moment would have been holding my first book or product in my hand. I’ve written 20 books and created several products and every time they come, holding them for the first time give me butterflies. I get excited knowing that I’ve created something that will impact the lives of others in a positive way. That feeling never gets old.
HC: What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
SP: Integrity is high on my list. Secondly, I look for someone is a self-starter, productive and can think on their feet. I look for people who don’t have to be micromanaged to get the job done. Attitude is important as well. We have a positive and happy environment so potential works must also be positive and happy in order to thrive with us.
HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
SP: Write your goals down, review them often. Keep a journal of ideas and take action on them quickly. Usually when you wait you lose momentum
HC: What's the one thing that's stood out to you the most in a resume?
SP: A relevant objective statement that gives some clarity of who the applicant is and what they want to do.
Good morning, Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
President Trump Blasts AG Sessions Over Indictments of Two Republican Congressmen
President Donald Trump blast Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a fresh round of sharp criticism, accusing Sessions of hurting the Republicans’ chances in the upcoming midterm elections by obtaining indictments against two GOP lawmakers that are currently up for re-election.
“Two long running, Obama era, investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department,” Trump tweeted Monday, appeared to be referring to Reps. Duncan Hunter Chris Collins. Both Congressmen were recently indicted by federal juries in corruption cases.
“Two easy wins now in doubt because there is not enough time. Good job Jeff,” Trump wrote.
Two long running, Obama era, investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department. Two easy wins now in doubt because there is not enough time. Good job Jeff......
Hunter, along with his wife, were indicted by the Justice Department last month on charges of improperly using campaign funds for personal use. According to ABC News, Collins was indicted early this summer on insider trading charges. He later ceased his bid for re-election and announced that he would resign from Congress at the end of his term. The two congressmen have denied the allegations against them.
Hunter and Collins were the first congressmen to endorse Trump in the 2016 presidential election, ABC News reports.
It’s not clear if the president feels that the charges are misguided, or the timing of them, or both.
“The Democrats, none of whom voted for Jeff Sessions, must love him now,” Trump continued in his series of tweets. “Same thing with Lyin’ James Comey. The Dems all hated him, wanted him out, thought he was disgusting - UNTIL I FIRED HIM! Immediately he became a wonderful man, a saint like figure in fact. Really sick!”
....The Democrats, none of whom voted for Jeff Sessions, must love him now. Same thing with Lyin’ James Comey. The Dems all hated him, wanted him out, thought he was disgusting - UNTIL I FIRED HIM! Immediately he became a wonderful man, a saint like figure in fact. Really sick!
For months, Trump has launched attacks on Sessions, accusing him of disloyalty, and blaming him for not doing enough as far as investigating the alleged crimes of Democrats and Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election and for recusing himself from the Russia investigation.
In a recent interview, Trump accused Sessions of not having “control” of the Justice Department. In a rare rebuke, Sessions said, “I took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in. While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.”
During an interview with Bloomberg News, Trump gave an indication that he might be looking to shake things up in the Justice Department, refusing to say whether Sessions job was safe through midterm elections on November 6. Numerous GOP lawmakers have urged Trump to not make any major changes to the Justice Department until after the Russia investigation is complete, or until, at the very least, the midterm elections.
The New Yorker Disinvites Steve Bannon From Festival
The New Yorker has cancelled an appearance by Steve Bannon at its October festival, which is known for giving a platform to prominent figures across the political, literary and art worlds after becoming bombarded with criticism.
In an interview with The New York Times on Monday, David Remnick, the magazine’s editor, defended the decision to include the former chief White House strategist at The New Yorker Festival. The Times reported that Bannon would not only make an appearance, but would be headlining the festival.
The New Yorker’s readers and writers accused Remnick of giving Bannon’s white nationalist agenda a platform after the Times article. While Bannon was not the only political event on the festival’s schedule, critics argued that his politics were hateful and harmful.
Kathyrn Schulz, a Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist with The New Yorker, said she was “beyond appalled” by her The New Yorker’s decision on Twitter.
Other notable speakers, such as John Mulaney and Judd Apatow, threatened to pull out of the festival if Bannon was headlining it, The Huffington Post reports.
“I don’t want well-meaning readers and staff members to think I’ve ignored their concerns,” Remnick said in a statement Monday evening. “I’ve thought this through and talked to colleagues — and I’ve re-considered. I’ve changed my mind.”
A statement from David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, explaining his decision to no longer include Steve Bannon in the 2018 New Yorker Festival. pic.twitter.com/opayiw5GQ2
Bannon condemned Remnick’s decision on Monday night.
“After being contacted several months ago and with seven weeks of continual requests for this event, I accepted The New Yorker’s invitation with no thought of an honorarium,” Bannon told CNBC in a statement. “The reason for my acceptance was simple: I would be facing one of the most fearless journalists of his generation. In what I would call a defining moment, David Remnick showed he was gutless when confronted by the howling online mob.”
Remnick had previously told the Times he had “every intention of asking [Bannon] difficult questions and engaging in a serious and even combative conversation.” Remnick reaffirmed in his statement that the decision to include Bannon in the festival was to “put pressure on the views being questioned.”
“It’s obvious no matter how tough the questioning, Bannon is not going to burst into tears and change his view on the world,” Remnick said in his statement. “He believes he is right and his opponents are mere ‘snowflakes.’ The question is whether an interview has value in terms of fact, argument, or even exposure, whether it has value to a reader or an audience.”
Remnick said he would still interview Bannon for an article, which would be done without payment, unlike the festival where the magazine would have paid Bannon an honorarium, as well as for lodging and travel.
David Hogg Helps Fund Billboard Displaying Anti-Ted Cruz Tweets From Trump
David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland, Florida shooting, along with other activists, have reached their fundraising goal to create a mobile billboard that will take aim at President Donald Trump’s support of Sen. Ted Cruz’s re-election campaign.
The billboard, according to USA Today, will feature tweets from the 2016 presidential campaign in which Trump was critical of Cruz. Cruz, at the time, was considered Trump’s political rival, but now the two appear to be allies with Trump planning to campaign in Texas for Cruz.
The tweets are from when Trump dubbed Cruz “Lyin' Ted,” and organizers hope to feature multiple tweets from Trump on the billboard, which will be driven around a yet-to-be-determined route in Texas, The Washington Post reports.
One tweet that was featured in a mockup billboard read: “Why would the people of Texas support Ted Cruz when he has accomplished absolutely nothing for them. He is another all talk, no action pol!”
Antonio Arellano, a Houston activist, organized the crowd-funding campaign for the billboard, and had to cut it off after it had collected more than $10,000, well above its $6,000 goal, The Post reports.
“We are planning to display the presidents own words about Cruz from 2016 on a mobile billboard, to remind Texans of the truth,” the fundraising page says.
Hogg, who is listed as a co-organizer, thanked the campaign’s donors on Twitter on Saturday.
Cruz is currently facing a competitive race for his seat against Democrat Beto O'Rourke.
What to look out for…
Donald Glover, AKA Childish Gambino, dropped an animated music video on Saturday, September 2nd, for his single “Feels Like Summer,” and it’s full of iconic cartoon cameos.
I stan all things ooey gooey, so you can pretty regularly catch me stopping by Cinnabon at my mall for a shopping treat or taking home a CinnaPack to munch on during Sunday brunch with my friends. I 100 percent support escaping into your cravings, and dare I say that eating a warm, sweet Cinnabon is almost... uplifting?
For all of you out there who’re also in the Cinnabon fan club, I’m super excited to share the latest addition to my order: cold brew iced coffee! Yep, your favorite sweet treat stop is now serving cold brew in cinnamon roll and vanilla flavors, so you can fuel your day with a delicious brew.
If you didn’t already know, cold brew coffee is milder and less acidic than regular pour-over. The tasty flavors Cinnabon offers take cold brew to the next level, making it a perfect pick-me-up before class! I like to pair it with BonBites or the Center of the Roll, but that’s just me, because there’s nothing better in the week than being blissed on cold brew and bons.
Everything I love – Cinnabon and cold brew iced coffee – together at last. The Cinnamon roll flavor tastes exactly like its iconic name, and the vanilla is truly a little sip of heaven in a cup. So, grab your squad, head to your nearest Cinnabon bakery, and celebrate the things that make life sweeter by giving their cold brew a taste!
After all, who doesn’t want to better secure their Gmail account from potential hackers who could grab hold of your precious Avenger-related conspiracy theories G-chat messages?
They're also a great alternative to heels if you want a more comfortable formal shoe, like these 
Style inspiration can come from anywhere and anything, so keep your mind open when looking for new pieces to wear. If you feel like your wardrobe has been lacking in originality, browse the websites of stores you’ve never shopped at and check out some style blogs. There are style hundreds of bloggers from every part of the world, each with their own unique take on current trends. So step outside your comfort zone and see where inspiration takes you!
