Categories
Health

Most-Searched Halloween Costume Ideas 2019, According to Google | Glamour


There are just over three weeks until October 31. Do you know where your Halloween costume is? If you’re still not sure what you want to dress up as (or you’re waiting until the very last minute to put your look together), perhaps other people’s Google searches will give you some Halloween costume ideas.

Google crunched the numbers based on search volume in the U.S. during the month of September to compile the top Halloween costume ideas for 2019. On top of suggesting looks you might want to check out for the spooky party season, its report also found some interesting (and hilarious) trends—like how White Claw didn’t crack the top 10 costumes but is still surging (“White Claw Halloween costume” searches are up 1450%, Google says); or how, if you live in one of 15 states that had It as its most searched-for disguise… well, just brace yourself for a Pennywise run-in.

Below, you’ll find the top 10 halloween costume ideas for individuals and and the top 10 for couples, to guide your wardrobe planning.

Most searched Halloween costumes

1. IT

©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

There are few things as terrifying as Pennywise. Period.

2. Witch

HOCUS POCUS from left Kathy Najimy Bette Midler Sarah Jessica Parker 1993  Buena Vistacourtesy Everett Collection
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

You can’t go wrong with a classic.



Source link

Categories
Health

The Google Assistant Has a Sense of Humor Thanks to Elena Skopetos, the Device's "Funny Bone"


While she’s not in a traditional writers’ room—no, it doesn’t look like a scene out of 30 Rock, with writers feasting on pizza and at war over concepts—much of her time is spent coming up with timely jokes. She’s worked on special material for Mother’s Day, and is already gearing up for for New Year’s. Her favorite joke she’s ever written for the Assistant, was pegged to football. “Why did the center freak out during the play? I don’t know, he just snapped.”

According to Skopetos, writing jokes for the Google Assistant isn’t all that different from how you’d develop a regular on a sitcom or craft a standup persona. “We have a basic model for the Assistant of being a smart, humble, polite, person, but it’s always growing and evolving.” Still, there are certain nuances she employs when writing jokes for her own comedy, that you won’t find in one of the Assistant’s zingers. “With my comedy, I can go down a really niche rabbit hole. Like right now I’m working on a character that’s a Grey’s Anatomy surgeon. It’s kind of a niche thing where everyone might not get it, though I think it’s funny. But when I’m working on the Assistant, I have to really try to work in universals, and things that will appeal to everyone,” Skopetos says.

But the pursuit of universal appeal isn’t without its own pitfalls. A recent report from UNESCO found that devices like Amazon’s Alex and Apple’s Siri—all of which use a woman’s voice as the default—perpetuate gender stereotypes. They also encourage the belief that “women are obliging, docile, and eager-to-please helpers, available at the touch of a button or with a blunt voice command,” the report stated. Skopetos, who liaises across teams to make sure that the personality of the Assistant stays consistent, says those concerns are “certainly something we think about a lot.“

“The first thing I’ll say is we think of the Assistant as genderless,“ she says. “We never use the pronouns ’he’ or ’she’ when we’re referring to it. And we have a large selection of different voices from different backgrounds that you can choose from.”

Plus, having an acute awareness of how women are depicted and treated as we move about the world is one of the main themes of Skopetos’ own sets. In one of her sketches called, ”What Every Woman You’ve Ever Met Is Thinking”,” she cuts back and forth between the polite conversation a woman is having with a male colleague and her honest inner dialogue, which sounds like the heroine of an action movie plotting the different ways she could take him down in case he tried to make a move. “It’s funny, but it comes from a real place of, yeah, it can be really scary for a woman to be alone in a room with a guy you don’t know,” Skopetos says. “I’m thinking a lot about how I can take my experience as a woman and use comedy to amplify that voice.”

And while Skopetos is just as focused on her personal comedy career as ever—she performs at improv clubs all over New York—it can be tough to balance it all. Though Google is supportive of her second life (her managers will even come to her gigs), it can be straight up exhausting. ”Balancing two careers is a doozy. Just when you think you have it right, something blows up and you have to figure it out all over again,” Skopetos says. But she wouldn’t trade the experience, or what it’s done for her comedic development, for the world. ”It’s given me a broader perspective of how many different experiences and types of people are out there, and how to get into the mindset of putting myself in someone else’s shoes who might be radically different from me, and also write in a way that’s going to be empathetic and passionate to that.”

Samantha Leach is an assistant editor at Glamour. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @_sleach.





Source link

Categories
Health

Google Home Hub Review: Makeup Tutorial Assistance and More


I recently fell in love with the Google Home Hub, which if you know me is strange for a multitude of reasons. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a technologically savvy person. Everything I touch somehow seems to break. People purposefully keep their electronics away from me, and I’m convinced my old iPhones intentionally jumped out of my jacket pockets, preferring to risk a cracked life instead of being subject to my not-so midas touch any longer.

Eventually I got better, and I’ve managed to keep both my phone and laptop alive for the past few of years. But right before I got too comfortable, a whole new breed of electronics rose in popularity with names like Alexa. Not only was I worried about all the new damage I could impart on them, but I was also skeptical. Does anyone really need a robot to tell them what the weather is when you can just look at the weather app on your phone? What value do they quantifiably bringing into your life? Also, lord knows I definitely have conversations I don’t want anyone overhearing—blue-glowing robot or otherwise.

Of course, I ended up caving. My boyfriend and I got two large Google Home Maxes, which we use primarily as speakers to play music and as an alarm to wake us up in the morning. And that’s pretty much the extent of my smart home technology. (So basically they’re fancy speakers that I can talk to.) I really didn’t want anything else until Sephora (yes, Sephora) somehow convinced me I could maybe use one more smart product: The Google Home Hub.

Buy It: Google Home Hub, $149, sephora.com

You’re probably as confused as I was that a makeup store would sell a purely tech gadget. Understandable. The Google Home Hub is currently the only product of its kind sold at Sephora, and it’s not like a screen can wash your face for you when you’re too lazy to get out of bed. (I will, however, unfailingly buy one if someone can figure that tech out. Jeff Bezos, you on it?)

So let me explain.

Just like all of the other products of its’ kind, the Google Home Hub is voice-controlled, will tell you all about the weather, help remind you of appointments, and play music if you ask. I’m sure it also has some sassy answers to silly questions as well. But unlike other home assistants, the Home Hub has a screen, which means you can ask it to play videos—like, say, makeup tutorials on YouTube. (Seeing the Sephora connection now?)

Maybe my technology troubles all started in middle school when I tried to balance my laptop on my toilet or sink to watch demonstrations of how to draw the perfect cat eye. Alas none of them actually helped me get it because mid eyeliner I’d have to lean over, pause, and then lean over and play again, sometimes knocking my laptop to the ground in the process. I eventually gave up on trying to teach myself how to do my own makeup or more elaborate beauty looks because the whole process was too clunky.

The Google Home Hub completely transformed my makeup routine by eliminating the need to juggle everything at once. It sits on a shelf in the corner of my bathroom, where I apply my makeup. In the morning I’ll ask it to play some getting-ready music, and if I want to try something new, I’ll just ask it to play makeup tutorials on YouTube for that specific look I’m going for. It’s also surprisingly polite and will pause, rewind, fast forward and do anything I ask, which helps me execute the look at my own pace.

Typically I wear the same makeup everyday so I don’t use the Home Hub every morning for makeup tutorials, but it’s endlessly helpful on the weekends when I want to switch it up to go out or for a bigger event. And if I’m feeling crazy one Monday morning I know all I have to do is speak up.

Google Home Hub, $149, sephora.com

Related Stories:
The Best Skin Care and Facial Tools and Devices
The Best Skin Care Devices and Tools Under $50
The Biggest Beauty Innovations of 2018



Source link

Categories
Health

These Are the Most Searched Halloween Costumes for 2018, According to Google


For many, Halloween preparations are well underway. And if you wanted a temperature-check on what costumes are going to be all over your social feeds come October 31, Google has your back, releasing a list of the most searched Halloween costumes for 2018 (i.e. the ones you shouldn’t be surprised to see everywhere.)

Surprisingly, Google Trends’ findings revealed some fresh, surprising costume ideas that differed from those featured in reports from other platforms, such as Lyst and Pinterest. Still, plenty of longtime favorites managed to break the top 10 (like witch and rabbit), alongside more timely ideas (a princess reference to a recent wedding, perhaps?) You can find and play around with the full Frightgeist list online, with more information on where the costume is trending and how its popularity has changed over time.

Ahead, check out the top 10 most searched Halloween costumes for 2018, according to Google Trends. And for the procrastinators who haven’t yet started planning what they’re going to dress up as this year… There’s always Instagram.

10. Princess

PHOTO: WPA Pool

Royal fever is at an all-time high, it seems. And with two fairytale weddings this year alone, it might not come as a surprise that princesses are top of mind when it comes to Halloween dress-up.

9. Rabbit

MEAN GIRLS, Jonathan Bennett, Rachel McAdams, 2004. (c) Paramount Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collec

PHOTO: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Regina George was onto something!

8. Pirate

PHOTO: ABC

Yo-ho, yo-ho…

7. Superhero

WONDER WOMAN, Gal Gadot, 2017. ph: Clay Enos/©Warner Bros. Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

PHOTO: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

Whether you’re a warrior of Wakanda or Princess Diana of Themyscira, what better occasion than Halloween to channel your favorite superhero?

6. Harley Quinn

SUICIDE SQUAD, US character poster, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, 2016. © Warner Bros. / courtesy

PHOTO: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

… or, go the darker route, and embody Harley Quinn, who’s consistently listed among the most popular Halloween costumes.

5. Witch

PHOTO: Walt Disney Pictures

This is a classic Halloween costume, but one that feels particularly timely this year: Hocus Pocus turns 25! So go ahead and party like a Sanderson sister.

4. Dinosaur

PHOTO: Universal Pictures

If you’re going to be a dinosaur for Halloween, you have to commit.

3. Unicorn

PHOTO: Instagram/@jennadewan

Luckily, there’s more than enough beauty inspiration out there for this concept.

2. Spider-Man

PHOTO: Marvel Studios

It appears that spidey senses are tingling across the country.

1. Fortnite

PHOTO: Fortnite

Fortnite ranked among the most searched-for costumes in 43 states, according to Google. As the Frightgeist report put it: “There’s a frighteningly high chance you will see a Fortnite costume on Halloween this year.”

Related Stories:

7 Easy Halloween Costumes That Are Very 2018

How to Make Your Own Riverdale-Inspired Halloween Costume

Here Are the Top Halloween Costumes for 2018, According to the Internet



Source link

Categories
Health

Asia Argento Just Tweeted a Google Doc of Over 100 Harvey Weinstein Accusers


Following yet another bombshell Harvey Weinstein report published in The New Yorker—this one chronicling the producer’s alleged “army of spies” meant to silence sexual misconduct allegations—actress Asia Argento tweeted a Google document of over 100 women who have accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault on Tuesday afternoon.

The list spans more than three decades, with the first alleged incident dating back to 1980. A former employee named Paula Wachonak said she was harassed by Weinstein, who once “answered the door wearing nothing but a hand towel.” Among the 100+ stories, over a dozen alleged instances of rape are highlighted. The document makes note of women who reached settlements with the producer and notes, in some instances, how their experiences with Weinstein cost them their careers.

In an investigation published last month, Argento told The New Yorker about an alleged incident that occurred with Weinstein when she was 21. She had been invited to a hotel party on the French Riviera and attended, thinking it’d be a studio-wide celebration. When she arrived, she was greeted by only by Weinstein. The producer asked for a massage and after she hesitantly agreed, Weinstein then “pulled her skirt up, forced her legs apart, and performed oral sex on her as she repeatedly told him to stop.”

According to the latest report from The New Yorker, as Weinstein hired private investigators to track the women who planned to bring forward sexual harassment allegations, he contacted the actress to give testimony on his behalf. Argento ultimately refused to do so, and in a Tweet posted Tuesday she referenced being tracked by ex-Mossad agents.

Argento’s story is just one of numerous sexual misconduct allegations against Weinstein—a growing list that has now reached triple-digits. Sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood is nothing new , but the recently-released list further reinforces how pervasive this type of predatory behavior is—and how women will no longer stay silent to this deplorable conduct.





Source link

Categories
Health

3 Women Who Quit Their Jobs at Google Share Stories of Workplace Racism and Sexism


Google has had a lot going on lately, and some of its most high-profile news doesn’t look great for women—especially those of color. There’s the fallout of a former engineer’s 10-page anti-diversity manifesto, the threat of a class-action lawsuit by 60 women alleging workplace sexism, and a Department of Labor investigation alleging “extreme” pay discrimination based on gender. Now, a Guardian report has detailed the day-to-day experiences of three women who quit their jobs at Google due to racial and gender discrimination.

In the Guardian article, which was published on Friday, former technical specialist Qichen Zhang; a black female former specialist who spoke out under anonymity; and former engineer Lashmi Parthasarthy shared their harrowing accounts of racial and gender discrimination at the tech giant. All three were in the minority at Google: the company is predominantly white and male, at 56 percent and 69 percent respectively, according to its website.

“I didn’t see a lot of women, especially Asian women, black women or other women of color in the executive ranks,” Zhang told the Guardian.

One pivotal moment Zhang recalled during her one year at Google was a conversation with a white male colleague. “He said, ‘It must’ve been really easy for you to get your job because you’re an Asian woman, and people assume you’re good at math,'” Zhang, a Harvard graduate, said. “It was absolutely stunning. I remember me just emotionally shutting down.”

Zhang ultimately chose to left in 2014 after more incidents that left her feeling isolated—and like there was no future for her at the company. “It’s just these little daily aggressions that really add up over time,” she said. “Having a lack of people who look like you in general is demoralizing.”

“People had this broad concept of ‘racism doesn’t exist at Google and sexism doesn’t exist at Google,'” she added*. “Just because your officemates aren’t saying racial slurs out loud doesn’t mean they’re not racist.”

The former specialist, who is black and asked to remain anonymous, experienced similar moments of discrimination. She told the Guardian that she was frequently asked for her ID on campus when coworkers weren’t; that she overheard racist jokes; and that she was negatively judged for trying to be an advocate for people of color, despite Google’s official interest in the positive PR that diversity initiatives bring to the company.

“They didn’t like the way you’re prioritizing diversity, because that’s not your role,” she said about the company. Like Zhang, she left the company for the sake of her mental health, adding that “there were times I cried at my desk.”

Zhang and the anonymous specialist quit due to their experiences with racism at work—but gender-based discrimination was a factor in another woman leaving her job. Parthasarthy, a former solutions engineer, left was because she lacked a supportive female mentor and manager. Comparing Google to a boys club, she said “it’s difficult for women to see paths for themselves at Google in tech.”

Responding in the Guardian article to these women’s experiences, Google’s director of global diversity and inclusion, Yolanda Mangolini, told the newspaper that she’s “always disappointed” hearing these stories. “We know that it’s not just about recruiting a diverse workforce. It’s about creating an environment where they want to stay.” She added: “Change takes time.”

Of course, racism and sexism are hardly limited to Google, and these experiences—as indicative of a larger problem as they might be—belong to these individual women. But when Google regularly tops the lists of best places to work, and when complimentary articles are devoted to recreating its “great” workplace culture, hearing stories like should prompt Google and other tech companies to do some deep soul-searching—and take swift, effective action.

Related Stories:
Dozens of Women Are Considering Suing Google Over Workplace Sexism
Google Fires Engineer Who Wrote Antidiversity Memo, Internet Rejoices
This Viral Antidiversity Memo by a Google Employee Just Got Shut Down



Source link