Donald Trump winning the 2016 Presidential election came as shock to many that November. Clinton supporters were sure the man who mocked a disabled reporter and called Mexican’s rapists would lose in a sweeping defeat to the former Secretary of State and news anchors nationwide stood stone-faced on live television as the numbers came. But, according to a new book (already making headlines with comments from former Trump Chief Strategist Steve Bannon), the person who was most shocked by Trump’s victory, may have been Donald Trump and his team. 

In Michael Wolff’s new book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," he claims that Donald Trump never thought he would win and never wanted to.

“His ultimate goal, after all, had never been to win. 'I can be the most famous man in the world,' he had told his aide Sam Nunberg at the outset of the race. His longtime friend Roger Ailes, the former head of Fox News, liked to say that if you want a career in television, first run for president. Now Trump, encouraged by Ailes, was floating rumors about a Trump network. It was a great future. He would come out of this campaign, Trump assured Ailes, with a far more powerful brand and untold opportunities. 'This is bigger than I ever dreamed of,' he told Ailes a week before the election. 'I don’t think about losing, because it isn’t losing. We’ve totally won.'"

Wolff, a well known media critic and columnist, was granted unprecedented access to President Donald Trump’s White House and conducted over 200 interviews with Trump’s staff, colleagues and the Commander-in-Chief himself. In what Wolff describes as, “true Trump fashion,” many of the interviews were off the record and then some information was causally allowed back on — but many parameters regarding what was confidential and what was not, were never discussed. This ultimately allowed Wolff the ability to uncover new and surprising information. 

In a recent story published byNew York Magazine, Michael Wolff adapted his book to paint a broad and condensed version of his tell-all book. He notes that Kellyanne Conway spent the morning of Election Day calling her friends and allies to blame the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, for what she was sure would be a major loss for Donald Trump. She would refuse to take any of the blame, even though she was hours away from holding the title of the first woman to successfully run a US Presidential campaign. 

Wolff goes on to write, “Shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Night, when the unexpected trend — Trump might actually win — seemed confirmed, Don Jr. told a friend that his father, or DJT, as he calls him, looked as if he had seen a ghost. Melania was in tears—and not of joy.”

The loss came as a shock to the entire Trump administration, according to Wolff, and the confusion and anger from inside the new President-elect’s team seeped into Inauguration Day. Wolff reports that Donald Trump was not happy that morning: "He was angry that A-level stars had snubbed the event, disgruntled with the accommodations at Blair House, and visibly fighting with his wife, who seemed on the verge of tears. Throughout the day, he wore what some around him had taken to calling his golf face: angry and pissed off, shoulders hunched, arms swinging, brow furled, lips pursed.” 

In Wolff’s new book, which will be released later next week, he goes on to describe the unique relationship between Donald Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, the myriad of reporters and dignitaries that President Donald Trump was forced to interact with during his first 100 days in office and the surprising and often times unimaginable remarks he made. 

It's clear that President Donald Trump made a name for himself by being brash and straight-talking, but something tells us this is not the kind of straight-talking he was hoping for. 

It looks like Netflix doesn't care what anyone thinks. The streaming service just announced they are filming a sequel to the original movie "Bright" featuring Will Smith. The first movie didn't do so well, as it received multiple reviews calling it the "worst movie of the year" for 2017.

According to Variety, the second movie will have its same leading men, Will Smith and Joel Edgerton. David Ayer will still write and direct the new movie, with Eric Newman and Bryan Unkeless as producers. The first installment was centered around two LA cops in a universe with both humans and creatures of fantasy. Will Smith was a human and his partner, played by Edgerton, was an "orc," one of the fantasy creatures in the film. It looks like the plot won't change much after looking at Netflix's tweet, which told followers that casting for the creatures is over as of Wednesday morning.

Twitter users are left totally confused by Netflix and its choice to create a sequel when "Bright" received such poor reviews.

Love it or hate it, the movie did well on the streaming service. "Netflix touted 'Bright' as the highest-viewed original film ever on the service in its launch week and one of the biggest originals it has ever debuted," according to Variety. "They also added that “Bright” is the No. 1 movie on Netflix in every country, with more international than domestic viewers." That's a big accomplishment for the "worst movie of the year."

It sounds like people did a lot of hate-watching when it came out, but hey, sometimes, you have to see for yourself. Let's hope the sequel is better than the original. Even if you won't admit it, you'll probably watch it to see if Netflix put a good use to their $90 million filming budget. I know I probably will.

So, the words "bomb" and "cyclone" are pretty unsettling words to begin with. But when paired together in the same phrase, a "bomb cyclone" sounds pretty freaking scary, right? Well, as it turns out, the East Coast is currently facing a bomb cyclone, conjuring "blinding" snow and up to 60 mph wind gusts, CNN reports. And when Florida, a state who hasn't seen snow in 28 years received a little dusting, you can tell that this bomb cyclone is a serious issue. 

So, what in the hell is a bomb cyclone? According to CNN, a bomb cyclone forms "when a cyclone has a significant and rapid drop in atmospheric pressure over a short period of time," which means white-out blizzard conditions, freezing cold temperatures and intense winds for the Northeast.

The New York Times provides an even more thorough breakdown on how a bomb cyclone, or "bombogenesis" works, stating that "deep drops in barometric pressure occur when a region of warm air meets one of cold air. The air starts to move, and the rotation of the Earth creates a cyclonic effect. The direction is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere (when viewed from above), leading to winds that come out of the northeast."

Latest developments report power outages, school closures, dangerous driving conditions, canceled flights, in areas such as New York and Boston. Grocery store shelves are quickly losing stock, and even deaths related to the cold temps have unfortunately been reported, with six in Wisconsin, four in Texas, one in North Dakota and one in Missouri. 

Some states are taking extra precaution, with Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declaring a state of emergency, as Virginians could face up to a foot of snow in the eastern region. 

"The bitter cold that continues to plague the Commonwealth will be joined by a potentially significant winter storm which will blast Hampton Roads, the Northern Neck, Eastern Shore and other areas of Eastern Virginia with snowfall and blizzard-like conditions in some communities," McAuliffe said Wednesday, according to CNN.

CNN also reports that states such as New York and Philadelphia are expected to drop down to three degrees this weekend, and along with a foot of snow, Boston could face as low as minus seven-degree temperature.

So why on Earth does a bomb cyclone bring such bitter cold? CNN says that bomb cyclones, which frequently occur in North America when cold air collides with warm air, can draw colder air from the north and then blast out ice-cold temperatures.

The New York Times reports that scientists are studying the influence of climate change and its connection to the cold spell in North America and the bomb cyclone terrorizing the East Coast. The importance of the relationship is not entirely clear yet, but NY Times states, "The Arctic is not as cold as it used to be—the region is warming faster than any other—and studies suggest that this warming is weakening the jet stream, which ordinarily acts like a giant lasso, corralling cold air around the pole." 

It's no question that it's absolutely cold AF out here. And as far as the conditions in the East Coast go, climate change may very well be the culprit. To those affected, stay warm and stay safe!

Over 300 amazing and talented women have come forward to create Time's Up, a powerful anti-harassment movement on the behalf of women in the entertainment industry to support working-class women, The New York Times reports. The movement features a Letter of Solidarity, pledging their support, as well as a Time's Up Legal Defense Fund to empower underprivileged women who are victims of sexual harassment.

Tina Tchen, who served as Michelle Obama's chief of staff, joins the ranks of women such as Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, Eva Longoria and more to support women everywhere according to NY Times, and Mrs. Obama gave her the sweetest shout-out on Twitter Wednesday afternoon. 

"So proud of my friend and former chief of staff @TinaTchen and the other strong women banding together to fight sexual harassment, and protect the women who are courageously coming forward. #timesup," Obama writes in her tweet.

The New York Times reports that Tchen is "spearheading" the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which is backed by $13 million in donations from donors including Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, and talent agencies such as ICM Partners. The fund is administered by the National Women’s Law Center’s Legal Network for Gender Equity and is designed to connect female victims with lawyers and protect less privileged women from fallout.

"Thanks my forever Boss! And those seeking help or wanting to volunteer can submit information at National Women’s Law Center site, http://nwlc.org. #TimesUp," Tchen tweets.

I, for one, cannot think of a more badass group of women creating such a powerful and supportive movement for female victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. Let's learn from 2017 and create a ripple effect of support for women in 2018.

It seems like every makeup brand has been hopping aboard the warm-toned train lately, and Too Faced Cosmetic's peachy twist on the trend just keeps getting better and better. This time around, Jerrod Blandino whipped up a whole new batch of peachy goodies for his Peaches & Cream Collection, which officially launched yesterday. 

Teased by Blandino back in early August 2017, the eight piece collection is now available exclusively at Sephora. Departing from the satin and shimmer finishes of other palettes, the Peaches and Cream Collection is 100 percent velvet matte, making it perfect for creating classic wintertime looks with a warm-toned spin. 

The star of the collection is by far the Just Peachy Velvet Matte Eyeshadow Palette, which boasts 12 ultra-pigmented and silky shades varying from soft ivories to a deep wine. Also featured in the collection are a range of 20 Peach Kiss Moisture Matte Long Wear Lipsticks ,which all rock a matte finish and mirror several of the shades from the eyeshadow palette. Rounding out the collection are several face products, including a primer and foundation, a set of blushing, bronzing and highlighting "Melting Powders", setting powder, and a matte finish setting spray. 

Sounds like I better head to Sephora! 

Your beauty run is about to become a lot quicker, because MAC Cosmetics and Beautyblender are kicking off the new year with a collaboration for the books. Starting today, you'll be able to buy your favorite pink egg at MAC stores and online! 

Along with the original pink and black blenders that retail for $20, you can stock up on the beauty blusher, micro minis and blender cleanser as well. In a press release, MAC explained what they called this "match made in heaven". Nicholas Gavrelis, Senior VP of Global Product Development at MAC stated, "From a business point of view, MAC, being the top-ranked NPD Brush brand and beauty blender being the top-ranked NPD Sponge/Applicator brand, this inspired us to look at ways of partnering, rather than competing."

We're hoping this shocking collab is just the start to a great year in beauty! 

We're only days into 2018, and we're still not over these A-lister's truly iconic NYE looks. From sequins to slits, these celebs sure knew how to celebrate the last night of 2017, and totally gave us major inspo for the New Year. 

Kendall Jenner

Kendall welcomed 2018 wearing what the new it girl uniform: slouchy blazer, matching pants and a simple white crop top. Fellow friend and model Bella Hadid also posed in front of a set of Rolls Royces, wearing an all black, slinky ensemble. Goals.

Camila Cabello

Halsey

With some inspiration from Marilyn, Halsey rocked a new blonde cut for the New Year in perhaps the most extra video ever (also that KIRA KIRA though, YES halsey!). See below for possibly the cutest picture of Halsey and G-Eazy.

Vanessa Hudgens

Vanessa opted for a sparkly vintage patterned dress this New Year, true to her eclectic style. Love!

Hailey Baldwin

Hailey Baldwin rang in the New Year with a fresh dye, in pink that is. Her pastel hair paired surprisingly well with her simple LBD, creepers and a signature forest green/orange bomber jacket!

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss brought in the New Year in Peru with her fellow "glamazons," and opted for a classic gold and black mini-dress complete with matching thigh slits.

Kim Kardashian West

Sporting a new do looks like the new trend for NYE, especially if Kim's on it. Back to her dark roots, Kim opted for a simple mini and a major (hopefully faux) fur coat, plus matching taupe heels. 

Emily Ratajkowski

In yet another bold ensemble, Em Rata rocked NYE in NYC wearing a deep cut bodysuit in black lace and chose to forego accessories to keep her look simple. 

Negin Mirsalehi

In one of the most on trend pieces of this year (blazers!), fashion blogger and model Negin celebrated her last night of 2017 wearing a deconstructed and totally glam version of a tux and accessorized in a variety of gold necklaces.

Alexa Chung

Queen of minimal yet funky fashion, Alexa rang in the new year with a retro esque metallic dress in green-gold and paired it perfectly with her signature red lip. 

In a brief portion in Michael Wolff’s soon to be published book,"Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," Wolff reveals that President Donald Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump might want to eventually be the first woman president—and we’re not sure how we feel about this.

The excerpt from Wolff’s book, which entails hundreds of interviews with President Donald Trump and members of his staff, was published in the New York Magazine.

After an interview with Ivanka, Wolff reveals in his book that, “If sometime in the future the opportunity arose, she’d be the one to run for president. The first woman president, Ivanka entertained, would not be Hillary Clinton; it would be Ivanka Trump.” Maybe Ivanka was inspired to run for office because of her father, or maybe she genuinely wants to make a positive change in the U.S. (hopefully that’s it).

Still, Glamour notes that Wolff’s book, although based on series of interviews, might not be accurate. Katy Tur, a journalist at NBC News, writes in a section of her tweet:

“Wolff is likely to face some serious questions and criticisms regarding his use of quotes. It does appear from the reading that he is in the room for many of the conversations he ends up quoting in the book but from the Author’s Note it sounds like they are recreations. How can he be sure the characters said what they said? Were the conversations recorded and played back to him? Did he cross confirm quotes with both parties or with others in the room? It is not clear from this Author Note. He also notes that the stories he is told often compete or conflict with one another. Despite that, Wolff says in some cases he’s let the source tell his/her version. The reader can decide if it’s true or false. That is concerning unless he makes it clear which stories are conflicting or are stories he can’t confirm.”

While the veracity of Wolff’s text might be questionable, Ivanka could be advancing toward those presidential aspirations. As the Elite Daily explains, Ivanka’s current White House involvement could be foreshadowing to her impending campaign trail. Does this mean her contribution to the Trump Administration could be considered a form of job shadowing?

The New Year is upon us, and while you could sashay into 2018 wearing the same nude Morphe pallet dupe you’ve had for years, why would you want to? (Unless of course you really like it, in which case keep on using that pigment.)

While New Year's resolutions never seem to last—especially for those of us who can’t even commit to listening to a whole song—you might want to consider pursuing a few of these beauty resolutions. After all, you should live every day like the unofficial beauty guru you were destined to be.

1. Schedule an appointment with a dermatologist

Not only can your dermatologist help you find a skincare regime that actually works specifically for your skin, they can make sure your skin stays healthy in every sense of the word. After all, skin cancer is rather prevalent and your dermatologist can detect any early signs.

Though your skin might look like it was inspired by an Instagram filter, you should still visit your dermatologist regularly, because dermatologists can make sure your skin maintains its healthy glow. Ultimately, you should make it your New Year’s goal to find a trustworthy dermatologist who can answer all of your aching and mildly annoying questions––also, because you should never rely on the internet to answer any of your medical questions.

2. Schedule a makeup cleanse day

Makeup can be addicting and for good reason. Not only can you use your beauty blender to catfish everyone in your life, makeup is an art form. However, even art has its downside. Wearing makeup regularly can cause your skin to prematurely age, but taking a break from your makeup products once a week can help prevent your skin from aging too quickly. Granted, if you stay adequately hydrated (from drinking water and keeping your skin quenched with moisturizer), then you might be able to continue snatching your face every day of the week. 

However if you're fine with getting some fine lines and wrinkles earlier in life, then wear your makeup whenever and for whatever length of time you want. Just take it off before bed, for obvious reasons. 

3. Adopt a cruelty-free beauty routine

There’s no reason to still subsist entirely off makeup or beauty brands that test on animals or use animal products. While you might think cruelty-free beauty products are more expensive, they really aren’t.

Who knows, if enough people make the permanent switch to cruelty-free brands like e.l.f. and The Honest Co., then maybe more companies will follow suit. Because making the makeup industry a more ethical environment is always a good reason to give into peer pressure. 

4. And don’t skimp on your ideal skincare routine

We’re all obsessed with magically having a poreless clear face, but we typically forget about the rest of our skin. Yet we should put the same amount of time and care into the skincare on the rest of our body.

Lexi Hill, a senior at the University of South Carolina, reveals that her beauty goals for 2018 include focusing more on her skincare. "My main goals are to apply eye cream and night cream every night," Lexi says. While our face obviously needs routine moisture and serum to help it thrive, the rest of our skin could use some regular maintenance and pampering too. 

We all have pore literally all over our skin, hands, back and legs included. Therefore, if your face needs to be cleansed, toned and moisturized daily, then the rest of your skin might benefit from the same treatment. 

5. Be more adventurous with your makeup

Whether you want to finally decipher how beauty gurus craft a successful cut-crease or learn how to carve your brows so they’re finally sharp enough to cut the f*ckboys out of your life, use the New Year to figure out how to experiment with your makeup. If you make a mistake, don't fret. Mistakes help you learn, and mastering your makeup skills is no easy feat. 

In case you want to be a fierce makeup fiend in 2018 but you have no idea where to start, you can always invest in a beauty box subscription for the New Year, which will help give you some inspiration for new products and looks. As a beauty addict, my personal favorites are Glossybox and TestTube.

6. Dabble in some protective styling

Let's get real: your hair needs a break from your regular blowdrying, straightening and curling. While we all like to change up our hairstyles from time to time, frequently heating or coloring your hair can damage it. If you still want to have healthy hair and keep up with the latest trends, wearing wigs can help protect your natural hair and allow you style your faux-hair however you want. 

Regardless, wearing synthetic wigs is the best option to shop for ethical wig options and secure your locks. As someone who's worn synthetic wigs for the last couple of years, due to hormonal hair loss, you can make nearly any synthetic wig look like real hair––plus synthetic wigs are typically more budget-friendly! 

7. Forget the haters

It’s 2018, and there shouldn’t be any room in your life for makeup-shamers. If you want to use your lilac eyeliner to sketch flower petals around your pimples (not that I've ever done that) or partake in the full face of highlighter challenge 24/7, then do it.  

Makeup is for everyone, so choosing whether you want to wear makeup (and how much of it you want to put on) is solely your decision. After all, you wear makeup for you and not for anyone else. If anyone is going to judge you for putting on makeup, wearing a wig or how you wear makeup, then your next New Years resolution should be to cut that toxic person out of your life. 

8. Get that tattoo you’ve always wanted

If you’ve been fantasizing about getting your first tattoo (or your twelfth), 2018 is the year to add some ink to your canvass. Even if you’re a high key commitmen-tphobe, that shouldn’t deter you from enhancing your skin. While finding the perfect tattoo artist will make you more confident in your decision, fine-tuning your tattoo design will help you finally commit.

Granted, ultimately deciding on your tattoos design and placement requires a special kind of sorcery. If you have doubts about the final draft of your tattoo, you can always make your own temporary tattoo to see how it would look on your skin. 

9. Protect your skin

Even if you’re just running a few errands, you need sunscreen. Lexi explains that another one her beauty-related New Years resolution is to "apply sunscreen in the morning on my face, neck and hands. I know hands sound so random, but I’ve read that premature sun/aging spots can show because of sun damage while driving." After all, you're still exposed to the sun even if you're just commuting to work or class. 

While some of us have the luxury of picking any white sunscreen or moisturizer with SPF, sunscreen isn’t a one-size fits all (nor is anything in the beauty realm)—because apparently most sunscreens still leave a gross white cast on your face, especially for POC. Thankfully there are still several moisturizers with SPF that don’t leave that won’t haunt your face with a weird white residue. Beyond wearing sunscreen to help protect your skin from premature aging and cancer, there are other ways you can protect your skin.

If you have acne-prone skin, wearing makeup might be a bit counterproductive. Although wearing your makeup only for a limited time every day can help reduce the chances of irritating your skin (thus preventing your pores from spawning even more face demons), the full coverage matte foundation that you’re obsessed with could be the reason your breakouts tend to linger. You could beg your Fenty foundation not to irritate your already painfully inflamed skin, but the best way to ensure your foundation is flawless and your pimples don’t multiple (or get infected) is to create a barrier between your pimples and your face makeup. To get that flawless coverage and protect your delicate skin, simply use a barrier gel or a patch to cover specific spots on your face, rather than lathering your whole face in it. 

Between pimple patches and peel-off gels, there are plenty of options to make sure your foundation and concealer don’t sink into your pore and cause more damage to your gorgeous face.

10. Stop using your expired makeup

Seriously using expired makeup—no matter how expensive or elusive the product—is never worth the risk of developing a serious bacterial infection (like staph).Though your makeup does have an expiration date, you don’t have to waste these products just yet.

Before you toss your half used eyeliners in the bin, you could always use them to illustrate a gorgeous portrait. Or you could use your expired lipsticks in place of crayons in those iconic melted crayon DIY projects—just because your makeup is expired doesn’t mean it’s necessarily unusable. It just gives you an excuse to be even more creative, so you can savor your makeup faves beyond a selfie. 

Ah, love—what a delightful, difficult thing you are. You pick us up when we’re down, wrap your arms around us when we need it most and know exactly how to make us feel cared for and beyond beautiful. Unfortunately, though, talking about you can be as tricky as trying to discuss trigonometry when we haven’t touched a math textbook since high school. 

Lucky for us, many gestures embody the passion that’s not always expressed easily through words. Even if your SO has yet to break conversational ground with the first “I love you,” it’s a safe bet to believe that this intention exists if he or she…

1. Surprises you with meaningful gifts

2. Gazes into your eyes

3. Pulls you in for intense make out sessions…

4. …and ends each of them with a smile

5. Holds your hand in public

6. Supports you through sad situations

7. Wants your opinions

8. Listens to—and remembers—what you say

Related: 5 Signs He's Interested That You're Not Noticing

9. Calls or texts to say “good morning” and “good night” 

10. Always asks about your day

11. Makes an effort to befriend your family

12. Knows how you take your coffee...

13. …and brews it for you

14. Steps in when you need a massage

15. Starts doing things you like to do

16. Wants to cook with you

17. Talks about a future that includes you

Start keeping an eye out! Sometimes, love shows itself in more situations than we think. 

Matt Lauer may have been fired from the "TODAY Show," but that doesn't seem to stop him from offering his unsolicited input to the show.

Page Sixwas told that Lauer, former co-host of the “TODAY Show,” has been sending feedback to producers of the show. Lauer was fired from the news show in November for sexual assault allegations following detailed complaints from some of his former colleagues. He allegedly gave a coworker a sex toy as a gift, and it was also reported that he had a “button under is desk that allowed him to lock his door from the inside without getting up.”

“Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching, and I’m committed to beginning that effort,” Lauer said. “It is now my fulltime job.”

But the Hampton estate and golf-playing “retiree” decided an email would be helpful. Lauer, as sources told the Daily Beast, sent a producer an email stating how he believed the choice in music to start a segment was wrong.

His notes haven’t been “warmly received,” Page Six reported.

And this isn’t the first time Lauer has left his silence of saving his 20-year marriage to Annette Roque. Hoda Kotb, another co-host of the “TODAY Show,” told E! News that Lauer was one of the first to congratulate her on her official take-over—even if her new salary is about a third less than Lauer’s was.

Apparently, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is planning to abolish a policy that allowed legalized marijuana to thrive in individual states, according to the Associated Press.

The Obama-era policy, known as the Cole Memo, primarily protects states that have chosen to legalize marijuana from federal intervention. As CNN explains, repealing this policy would give U.S. lawmakers the power to enforce these federal laws—even if marijuana is legal in that state.

Sen. Cory Gardner explains that Sessions is essentially going behind Congress’ back to pull the plug on this Obama-era policy: “This reported action directly contradicts what Attorney General Sessions told me prior to his confirmation. With no prior notice to Congress, the Justice Department has trampled on the will of the voters in CO and other states,” Gardner tweeted.

Through he reassured his followers by stating, “I am prepared to take all steps necessary, including holding DOJ nominees, until the Attorney General lives up to the commitment he made to me prior to his confirmation.” And we’re glad that Gardner is ready to fight Sessions’ decision.

After all, dissolving the Cole Memo will likely create an unhealthy amount of a grey area around an already controversial political issue (i.e., marijuana). Yes, marijuana is a political issue, seeing as marijuana accounts for approximately 88 percent drug arrests. Plus, marijuana-related arrests incriminate more people of color than any other demographic—by nearly four times.

A spokesperson from Obama’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, Kevin Sabet, told The Hill, “It’s pretty clear that the federal policy is going to be that U.S. attorneys will have the discretion and the industry can no longer hide behind the Cole memo and say that they're protected.” Sabet continued, saying that “we don’t know how this is going to be implemented.”

While certain aspects of Sessions’ decision may be ambiguous, it’s clear that the repeal of this policy will have lasting impacts on the marijuana industry. Though this might not seem detrimental to some people, especially those of us who don’t live in a state that legalizes marijuana, the marijuana industry helps stimulate the economy.

If Gardner isn’t able to stop Sessions’ decision, then this seemingly harmless grey area could hurt the new job prospects that President Donald Trump seems to boast about—not to mention it could make it easier for authorities to incriminate people of color in states that have legalized marijuana.

The future of the Cole Memo is still shaky, but it’s clear that Sessions, who’s been urged to step down from his current political position, might not have made the best decision about rescinding this policy.

These days I seem to be especially wary of the internet, because you honestly never know which shit-storm is going to break next. Thankfully though, 2018 seems to be starting off on the right foot.

Last night a video went viral of a person dressed in one of those blow up T-rex costumes conducting an orchestra playing the “Jurassic Park” theme song and it’s the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.

Whenever anyone wears one of those T-Rex costumes it makes whatever they’re doing significantly more hilarious. And this conductor is no exception. The swaying! The little jumps! He’s clearly doing a great job.

Twitter user Ailyn Marie posted the original video but did not leave any context, but thankfully someone on Twitter knew a little bit more. User Cavis tweeted a video of the same production from a different angle, revealing that it is the Colorado Symphony performing an ode to Comic Con. This explains the T-Rex costume, as well as the man in the Cat in the Hat hat on the left of the original video and the woman in front of him who appears to be wearing some kind of gold headpiece.   

I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that this is one of the most beautiful and pure things I’ve ever seen, and the rest of twitter seems to agree:

Here’s to hoping the rest of 2018 is filled with more things like this. Thank you, Colorado Symphony, for the pure joy this brought. 

“Black Mirror” may be a Sci-Fi drama, but its depiction of the morning after pill is being called “dangerously wrong.”

Though season four has a female lead in all six episodes and has been celebrated for that fact, it apparently didn’t stop the inaccuracies. Particularly some details in episode two, “Arkangel,” is already being called into question.

Directed by Jodie Foster, the episode is centered around Marie (played by Rosemarie DeWitt), who has a sort of tracker, called the titular-Arkangel, inserted into her daughter Sara (played by Brenna Harding). But later in the episode, when Sara isn’t where she’s supposed to be and turns out to be having sex, Marie slips an emergency contraception pill that she ground up into her daughter’s morning smoothie, effectively ending the pregnancy.

But this is not realistic.

The morning after pill, like “Black Mirror” tried to portray, comes in two forms: Ella and the generic version. Ella needs a prescription. The over-the-counter version, as the show seemed to render, is available at most pharmacies. However, the pill Marie gave her daughter wouldn’t work if Sara was already pregnant. And the symptoms represented on screen conflate morning after pills with medical abortion pills (Mifepristone and Misoprostol) which you cannot obtain over-the-counter. 

According to the Planned Parenthood video, there are two different methods for an emergency contraception: an IUD or the morning after pill.

“Getting an IUD,” the video says, “is the most effective type of emergency contraception.”

“Pregnancy doesn’t happen right after you have sex,” Elizabeth Clark, Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Director of Health Media, told The Daily Beast. “Sperm can actually live inside somebody’s body for up to six days after sex, waiting for an egg to show up to be fertilized. The morning-after pill works by temporarily stopping ovulation so the ovary doesn’t release an egg.”

And Twitter users also seemed to take issue with this:

But “Black Mirror” isn’t the first show to get this wrong. “The Walking Dead” had a very similar plot line and failed in an almost identical way, The Daily Beast notes.

“We exercised our artistic creative license to explore a storyline with one of our characters, not to make any pro-life or pro-choice political statement,” said Glenn Mazzara, creator of “The Walking Dead.” This becomes a problem though when access to contraception and rampant misinformation are major issues in the world. 

“Film and television have a unique opportunity to portray sexual and reproductive health care in medically accurate and nonjudgmental ways for millions of viewers,” Clark said. “With access to health care and sex education under constant attack, it’s more important than ever for us to see accurate storylines when it comes to contraception, abortion, and other health issues—as well as a whole range of people’s authentic experiences.”

It's definitely important for everyone to understand how different contraceptives work and it only makes sense to want our media (even the freaky, sci-fi horror) to ground those things in reality. 

Header Image: Netflix

Back in the summer, President Donald Trump claimed that millions of voters fraudulently voted against him in the 2016 election and established a commission to track down these allegedly fraudulent voters. Today, the White House announced that that commission has been shut down, following much criticism that the claims were unwarranted and baseless. 

The commission, called the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, was headed by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. It asked states to send in voter information via unencrypted email, which would include partial Social Security numbers and past voting history. Kobach asked other secretaries of state to send this information, but state officials from forty-five states and the District of Columbia refused to participate.

With the announcement of the commission came a flood of backlash. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) sued in an effort to protect basic cybersecurity for voters and to block the data collection. EPIC’s lawsuit ultimately failed, but the commission is shutting down because the lack of participation from the states.

“Despite substantial evidence of voter fraud, many states have refused to provide the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity with basic information relevant to its inquiry,” the White House said in a statement to Politico. “Rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, today I signed an executive order to dissolve the Commission, and have asked the Department of Homeland Security to review these issues and determine next courses of action.”

Back in November, Matt Dunlap, Maine Secretary of State and commission member, filed a lawsuit arguing that Kobach and other Republican members has not revealed the whole truth about the commission’s activities, withholding key information.

“It’s no coincidence that the president dissolved the commission once it became clear it wouldn’t be permitted to operate in the shadows,” said Austin Evers, executive director of American Oversight, a non-partisan watchdog group that represented Dunlap alongside the law firm Patterson Belknap. “We intend to continue to fight for [Dunlap’s] right to access the commission’s secret communications. President Trump can dissolve the commission, but the law doesn’t allow him or the commission to slink away from view and avoid accountability.”

The commission was meant to mimic the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program (Crosscheck), launched by the Kansas Secretary of State’s office and administered by Kobach since 2011, on a federal level. In the past, investigations have revealed a staggering number of security flaws and false data surrounding Crosscheck. Kansas officials reportedly stated they would circulate updated guidelines to states that still participate in Crosscheck that outline how the changes to the system keep voter data secure, though many states have already abandoned the program due to this poor security. 

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

After Matt Lauer's breakup with NBC because of his alleged sexual misconduct (and being the next supervillain that nobody needed or wanted), NBC had been desperately looking for a replacement co-anchor for TODAY. Thankfully, NBC promoted Hoda Kotb, a journalist with decades of experience, to save TODAY; however, it seems that Kotb is getting paid a lot less than Lauer—in fact, she’s reportedly earning $18 million less than Lauer.

Kotb explained to People that she wouldn’t be getting the same salary as the former co-anchor, and apparently, neither will Savannah Guthrie.

“I think the whole money thing for me, I’ve always been sort of — I know it sounds ridiculous that I’m going to say this, but I really have done jobs I liked for the job I liked because I never wanted to be happy every other Friday on payday," Kotb told People.Like, I didn’t want that to be the happy day. I wanted to feel good throughout. So no, I’m not making Matt Lauer money. Not even close."

Although Kotb doesn’t seem fazed by the money, this issue isn’t really about the money. NBC has been under close watch after the sexual crimes Lauer allegedly committed while employed by the company. Though NBC has appropriately retaliated by terminating Lauer and fortifying its sexual harassment policies, the company is still under public watch because of Lauer’s misconduct.

It’s evident that Kotb’s new position is an outstanding breakthrough for equality, yet her paycheck still doesn’t compare to Lauer’s. While NBC’s decision to hire Kotb to create a revolutionary women-led show, that decision is muted by the fact these skilled journalists aren’t getting noble salaries.

So why exactly does Kotb a more worthy salary? There are several reasons:

1. She’s working double-time

As Kotb transitions into her position on TODAY to fix the mess that Lauer made, she will still be co-hosting her 4th show. The Metro reports that Kotb will continue to work on the 10 a.m. show with her co-anchor Kathie Lee Gifford, which means she’ll only have an hour between shows (seeing as the work day for her new gig ends at 9 a.m.).

This might not seem like an issue to those of us who work eight or more hours a day, but anchoring one show—let alone two—requires an exceptional amount of education, skill, and determination.

It’s stressful enough to emotionally and physically prepare to go live and talk about the news. And it’s nearly impossible to dissect stories then simultaneously transition to giving full-fledged makeovers and talking about rejection (among many other daily duties Kotb accomplishes on TODAY).

We still struggle to type an email before 6 a.m.; meanwhile, Kotb has already anchored two shows before our lunch break. Clearly, Kotb is a boss, and she should get paid like one.

2. She’s worked at NBC for the last 20 years

It’s obvious that Kotb is not only a dedicated journalist, she’s also a devoted NBC employee. After all, she’s been working at the company since 1998 and on TODAY since 2008, AdWeekreveals.

AdWeek also explains that since Matt Lauer’s dismissal, ratings have been steadily increasing. While you could claim that the rising scores could be a result of Lauer terminations, it’s clear that Kotb’s presence increased the viewership.  

3. She doesn’t have a button that traps victims in their offices

Seriously, Kotb and Guthrie don’t have any sexual assault or harassment allegations against them. While that shouldn’t be something that anyone puts on their resume, NBC was just scrutinized for Lauer’s alleged sexual harassment (because employees’ actions still affect the organization’s brand).

Therefore, it’s important to note that Kotb isn’t controversial—she and Guthrie are exceptional professionals who don’t put the company, or the show, at risk. (Unless of course they suddenly do something illegal or immoral, which hopefully they won’t.) Albeit this list references Kotb’s qualifications for a Lauer-era paycheck, Guthrie is just as deserving of a raise. Variety elaborates that, though journalists don’t typically start with the same wages as their predecessor, Kotb could eventually make the same amount of income.

Since accepting her co-anchor position in 2012, Guthrie still isn’t earning Lauer’s income either. Although Guthrie has only sat on TODAY for the last six years, it’s important to note that Lauer was renewed from his grossly inflated salary back in 2016, during another controversy of his. 

Regardless, Kotb and Guthrie have still made a historical TODAY milestone by being the first women-led show, according toThe Hollywood Reporter. Nevertheless, it seems a bit controversial that NBC wouldn’t offer Kotb a competitive salary, given she’s 10 years at TODAY alone.

While we’re ecstatic to hear that Kotb will be co-anchoring TODAY  alongside Guthrie, it’s disheartening that NBC won’t be giving these skilled journalists a worthy salary. Maybe they should take a play out of Iceland’s playbook and give these outstanding journalists pay that’s equal to their controversial ex-coworker.

When you decided to go to college far from home, one of your biggest concerns was that you would face a personal emergency and have to leave school to be with your family. Well, what happens when you’re actually in that case? Don’t worry—you’re not alone. We’ve compiled a list of things to do so that you can get through this sticky situation as smoothly as possible.

1. Talk to the people in charge ASAP

Professors are people, too, but they aren’t going to be too understanding if they straight-up have no idea what’s going on! Meghan, a sophomore at the College of the Holy Cross, says, “It's super important to talk to your professors as soon as possible. Don't wait until you're stuck at home and can't finish an assignment or panicking over a deadline. Talk to them in person and explain the situation and what you will need from them, and try to offer up a solution for any missed work or absences.”

Depending on the size of your university, professors might be relatively unreachable. So, make sure that you get ahold of whomever oversees housekeeping for your classes, whether that’s a TA, class dean, advisor, or course coordinator. If you have the contact information for allthe people in charge, it doesn’t hurt to email them all so that they’re in the loop. Meghan says, “At my school we have class deans that are also meant to help deal with this, so if your school has a class dean or someone in a similar position reach out to them as well. They can help deal with professors, and it's nice to have someone to go to who is filled in on the situation if something goes wrong. I was able to get a parking pass (something freshmen can't have at my school) after talking to the class dean so that I was able to drive to home when I needed to.”

2. Be aware of policies/resources

As if your professor hasn’t said this a million times, it’s on the syllabus! Before reaching out to your professor, make sure you read through the syllabus one more time so that you know what you need to ask for. If you just need to miss one class period, then check your syllabus to see if there’s a policy that allows you to miss class in the case of a personal emergency. Many syllabi have mental health stipulations as well. Even if you are going to have to miss way more class than your syllabus says you’re allowed to, it’s good to at least understand what policies have to be bent for you.

Similarly, make use of any resources that might be available to keep you on top of your game academically. For example, many sororities have compiled study guides for various classes. If you’re not in Greek life, reach out to somebody who is to see if you can get access to these study guides. Don’t be afraid to ask someone in lecture to take notes for you, either! And, if you’re able, now is a good time to make use of office hours and study groups. Your professors won’t be mad that you have so many questions in office hours—as long as you’ve communicated with them about your situation, they’ll be impressed by your desire to maintain a solid understanding of course material.

3. Reach out to on-campus counseling

Ebony Joseph, who graduated from University of Florida in 2015, says, “I truly believe reaching out to student counseling services saved my life. I was uninsured and they referred me to a counselor who saw me free of charge. That was a huge blessing because finding access to mental health care is difficult enough without the burden of figuring out how to afford it.”

Despite thestigma around mental health, it is impossible to exaggerate the importance ofgetting help when you need it. Many universities have on-campus counseling, and will be willing to work with you to figure out financial aid if you need it. It doesn’t hurt to reach out and ask! Additionally, there are several student organizations that center around mental health. For example, University of Michigan hasWolverine Support Network, which provides weekly peer-facilitated support groups where you can vent and listen to the people around you. If you don’t think you need formal counseling, a group like this can provide you with the opportunity to focus on your mental health and get some stuff off your chest.

4. Keep a solid support system around you

The transition from living at home to living at school is difficult for everyone, and going through a personal emergency just makes it that much harder. That’s why it’s important to keep friends around you who feel like family. “It's also super important to have a support system of friends at school, because there are going to be times when you're stuck at school and freaking out,” Meghan says. “When you can't be with family, having a supportive group of friends is almost just as good, and they can keep you from losing it.”

When you’re going through difficult times, it can be tempting to withdraw and spend less time with your friends, because they can’t understand what you’re going through. However, during these times, it’s more important than ever to step out of your comfort zone and continue to build solid friendships. Let’s face it; making friends is always difficult and almost never fun, but once you’ve gotten past the “awkward phase” (which seems to last forever), it’s so worth it. A roommate is a natural friend because you literally live with her, but if you don’t get along with your roommate, don’t give up! There are plenty of other ways to make friends. Don’t be afraid to open up to your friends; chances are, they can offer some solid advice or at least a listening ear! Even if you don’t want to have deep conversations just yet, nothing sucks more than being lonely, so challenge yourself to reach out to someone to study together or grab coffee or ice cream.

5. Understand that you’re going to be okay

Think about it. What’s the worst that can happen? Not graduating on time? Would that really be that bad? No matter what happens, you’re going to get through this and you’re going to be okay. Even after Ebony had to withdraw for a semester, she says, “I ended up graduating as planned and still use everything I learned from my student counselor to cope with stressful times in my life today.”

Throughout difficult times in life, it’s so, so important to keep things in perspective. School is important, but it isn’t everything. A couple of bad grades or even a couple failed classes won’t matter in five years. So, take some deep breaths, calm down, and focus on your mental health before anything else.

Going through a personal emergency is never fun, and going through it when you’re away from home is an absolute nightmare. However, there are so many resources on campus that exist to make it as easy as possible. You can do it!

Sophie Turner unofficially revealed this a short time ago, but now it's legit: HBO has confirmed in a press release that the last six episodes of Game of Thrones won't air until 2019. Cosmopolitan reports that the author of the original book series, George R.R. Martin, will not return to direct any Season 8 episodes, which hopefully indicates that those books will finally get finished. What with the TV series so close to its end, I'll need a new book about this world to cope. 

Apart from Turner's surprise hint, we had plenty of other clues that GoT wasn't returning in 2018. According to Entertainment Weekly, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss revealed last year that they were spending a year and half intricately planning out the series's last episodes. The timing of the eighth season also benefits HBO's other blockbuster series Westworld, which returns for a second season later this year. 

This final season is due to deliver quite an epic storyline, especially given the fact that episodes are expected to air over the course of eight months. The Hollywood Reporter says that production on new episodes began this past October and that the series reportedly won't even wrap up filming until this August. There's also a rumor that some of the episodes will be longer than usual, providing fans with even more thrilling content that is separate from the later books' events. 

While we don't know when in 2019 GoT will hit the airwaves, it's safe to say that this long wait will totally be worth it. 

Am I the only one who turns to old Saturday Night Live footage of "Weekend Update" when I'm nostalgic? Among the epic anchor pairings in the sketch show's famous feature are Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler, and the two continue to be close today. In preparation for hosting the 75th Golden Globes ceremony this Sunday, Meyers has even revealed that Poehler and her two-time Globes co-host Tina Fey may play a crucial part in his impending role.

"I'm constantly talking to them," Meyers said to PEOPLE at a Golden Globes preview event on Thursday. "I'm going to see Amy today and going to run through stuff with her. She's long been my spirit animal and continues to be to this day."

I mean, I think we all see Amy Poehler as our spirit animal. 

Meyers and Poehler co-anchored "Weekend Update" together from 2006 to 2008, when Poehler left SNL and Meyers took over by himself until 2013. The two have reunited before on Late Night with Seth Meyers a few times, and it looks like Poehler may even make a guest appearance on Sunday night. 

Poehler is also just as supportive of Meyers as he is of her. In an interview with the New York Times, Poehler discussed how Meyers was a natural fit for addressing Hollywood's recent outburt of sexual misconduct accusations. "You can just sense [a sensitivity] with Seth," she said. "He has strong relationships with women and a very clear sense of himself. You don't just get to decide you have that before the Globes. He's been depositing that in the bank for a long time, and there's a security in that for him."

Meyers definitely has a major responsibility of addressing so many women coming forward with their experiences of sexual abuse. Speaking to PEOPLE, he said, "We're very aware that as soon as I walk onstage people will be expecting [me to say] something. We'll try to get through that on the early side of things and then move on to what the night is originally planned, which is 'hey, let's celebrate good work.' So we'll see if we manage the tone right...I would say about 90 percent of our conversations are about that."

He also emphasized to the Times that he doesn't want nominees to feel overshadowed by the heavy conversation. "Let's not let these people who have done terrible things, or a culture that's allowed these terrible things, to cloud the fact that people have also done excellant work and that's what the night's for," he said.

We'll wait and see how well Meyers' opening monologue settles with viewers, but I definitely have confidence in him doing well. The Golden Globes air on Sunday, Jan. 7, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. 

After making controversial comments about President Donald Trump in an upcoming book about an inside look into the 2016 presidential election, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has found himself losing some of his most valuable supporters. The New York Times reports that Bannon's remarks in the soon-to-be-published Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House have led to the family of wealthy businessman Robert Mercer, prominent supporters and his major financial source, cutting ties with him.

In a statement released on Thursday, Mercer's daughter Rebekah Mercer said, "My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. I have a minority interest in Breitbart News and I remain committed in my support for them."

The Mercers are known to have funded millions of dollars into businesses involved with Bannon's political platform. They have a share invested in alt-right news site Breitbart, of which Bannon is chairman, and also have financial ties to other groups Bannon has been involved with. Since his comments in the book went public, Bannon's ability to keep his chairman job has been questioned. The Mercer family has reportedly distanced themselves from him since the controversy surrounding him grew in the past few months. 

President Trump has threatened legal action against the book and its author Michael Wolff, citing its use of false statements as reason for libel charges. Despite a message from Trump demanding a "cease and desist from any further publication," publishing company Henry Holt and Co. moved up the book's publication date to this Friday. Trump was likely angered by Bannon's negative comments about the president and his family's role in the government, saying in a statement, "Steve pretends to be at war with the media...yet he spent his time at the White House leaking false information to the media to make himself seem far more important than he was."