Posts tagged with "New York Post"

Above, a videographer described an encounter with Bigfoot—captured in this viral clip—as the 'scariest moment of my life.' (Photo source: Tiktok_@e_man580)

Bigfoot captured in wild viral video by terrified hiker: ‘Scariest moment of my life’

October 10, 2024

It was only a matter of time before Bigfoot became a TikTok star. A content creator allegedlyhas captured the furry beast on video in what could be the clearest footage of the much-debated, mythical beast to date, reports the New York Post.

The video boasts more than 1.2 million views on TikTok.

“I really think I caught a f–king Bigfoot on camera,” exclaimed Emmanuel Alfaro (@E_ManAlfaro) in the caption to the brief clip, which was shot in the Parallel Forest in Lawton, Oklahoma.

While no one thought Sasquatch finally had been found, it turns out the sighting was all part of an ad campaign for the Bigfoot Head Shop in Lawton.

However, the videographer wrote that he’d been “doing some sightseeing and enjoying the day” when he “saw something in the distance.” That’s when the hiker allegedly stumbled upon the podiatrically-endowed primate—which he described as the “scariest moment of my life.”

The ten-second footage shows the tufty orange creature chilling against a tree and sniffing some flowers like the start of a Jack Link’s beef jerky commercial.

Unlike in the ads, however, the videographer doesn’t start “messing with Sasquatch.” In fact, at the end of the footage, the ginger shaggamuffin looks up, causing his gawker to exclaim, “Oh, s–t!”

Among the TikTok commenters who had a hard time believing that the videographer had clapped eyes on Bigfoot were the following:

“It’s nice to see real footage of a real Bigfoot,” wrote one troll in jest. “I completely believe this is real. Thank you for sharing this.”

“Where can I purchase one of these costumes?” scoffed another.

“I don’t believe it’s a costume,” replied the original TikTok poster, standing his ground.

Meanwhile, one jokester quipped, “It can’t be him, the REAL Bigfoot is blurry, haven’t yall seen the pics,” to which the videographer responded, “That’s why I had to capture him myself when I saw him, but you can see I was terrified getting this footage.”

Research contact: @nypost

Above, Pesto the penguin chick with other penguins in the Sea Life Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo source: Sea Life, Melbourne/AFP)

Meet Pesto, the 49-pound baby penguin going viral online

September 26, 2024

There’s a big baby taking the Internet by storm, and he’s of the avian variety, reports the New York Post.

Meet Pesto, the nine-month-old king penguin chick stealing hearts and bumping up attendance at the Sea Life Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia.

Pesto weighs more than both his proud parents combined, at a staggering 49 pounds. His parents, Hudson and Tango, weigh about 24 pounds each. Indeed, according to a statement from the aquarium, Pesto is the heaviest chick the facility has ever had.

His gender was announced to the world earlier this month when his keeper, Michaela Smale, “shovel[ed] away a mountain of fresh snow to unleash an avalanche of blue.”

According to the aquarium, Pesto has a “hearty appetite of 25 fish a day”—contributing to his massive size.

But Pesto’s weight isn’t the only thing that’s growing in size–his online following on social media site TikTok has blown up too. According to an aquarium statement, the chick has amassed nearly 2 billion views worldwide.

Claire Burrell, general manager of Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, says of Pesto, “he has brought immense joy to everyone here at Sea Life Melbourne and to penguin fans around the world. We look forward to sharing his future adventure – which will include fledging and then swimming lessons.”

The chick already has begun molting its brown feathers, which will then be replaced by the black and white ones typical of king penguins.

Keepers at the aquarium anticipate Pesto to drop his baby weight as he matures to around 33 pounds.

“He’s going to start losing that really adorable baby fluff. It might take him one to two months to really get rid of it. Then he’ll be nice and sleek and streamlined,” one keeper recently told to the Associated Press.

Pesto hatched into the world on January 31. For the rest of the portly penguin’s time as a chick, the aquarium says “Pesto has been a true crowd-pleaser.”

According to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, king penguins weigh between 21 pounds and 40 pounds as adults.

Research contact: @nypost

Above, Princess Kate (with Prince William) has finished her chemo treatment and is 'cancer free.' (Photo source: The Prince and Princess of Wales/X)

Kate Middleton announces she is ‘cancer-free’

September 9, 2024

Kate Middleton announced on Monday, September 9, that she is now “cancer-free,” reports the New York Post.

“I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” the Princess of Wales announced in a statement on X.

“Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”

The 42-year-old royal has been in hiding for most of the year after revealing in March that she was being treated for an undisclosed type of cancer.

The mother-of-three said she was now “looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.”

Kate went on to thank those who have supported her in her months-long battle with the disease: “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown,” she said.

“The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before and, with that, a new perspective on everything.”

“Despite all that has gone before I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life,” the royal added.

Prince William’s wife, who has previously acknowledged that she’s had good days and bad days while undergoing treatment, last appeared in public for the men’s final at Wimbledon back in July.

Research contact: @nypost

Above, influencer Gabby LaCorte posted a TikTok, exposing a salon that demanded a 75% tip for an eyebrow wax. (Photo source: Gabby LaCorte)

‘Gilt’ tipping: Woman horrified after nail salon asks for minimum 75% tip

August 16, 2024

As if U.S. gratuity culture hadn’t already reached “a tipping point,” a woman was horrified after a nail salon asked her for a minimum 75% extra for an eyebrow wax. She detailed the gratuitous gratuity in a TikTok video with over 230,000 views, reports the New York Post.

“Tipping culture in the United States has gotten out of control,” lamented content creator Gaby LaCorte while describing the apparent highway robbery request.

According to the video, the mother-of-two had gone to the unnamed cosmetologist for an eyebrow wax, which reportedly cost her $21. However, things took a turn when she went to leave a tip on the iPad and saw that the tip amounts ranged from 75% to 100%. This meant that she’d be forking over a minimum of $36.75 in total, unless she selected the “custom” tip option.

The influencer said the tip screen rubbed her the “wrong way” as she feels like many people likely clicked on the 75% option out of habit because it usually says 15%.

“That really bothered me, I’m not going back to her,” declared LaCorte.

The gratuity choices also raised eyebrows in the comment section with one incredulous viewer exclaiming, “I wouldn’t know what to say, my jaw would be on the floor.”

“$21 just for eyebrows waxing/threading is another robbery too,” spluttered another.

Others shared their own tales of getting propositioned for ridiculous tips at unlikely places, from concert merchandise stands to a yogurt shop where they selected their own yogurt.

This incident is part of the ongoing “guilt tipping” trend, in which patrons are pressured to leave extra money at pizzerias, coffee shops, fast-food joints, and other places with minimal customer service.

Some even get asked to tip at self-service kiosks.

Research contact: @nypost

Above, a new study suggests that washing fruit is not enough to remove toxic chemicals and pesticide residue. (Photo source: New York Post)

You’re eating apples wrong: Washing fruit does not remove pesticides

August 12, 2024

An apple a day … could be filling your body with pesticides. A new study suggests that washing fruit—a precautionary measure taken by many consumers—is not enough to remove toxic chemicals and pesticide residue, reports the New York Post.

Published on August 7 in the American Chemical Society’s journal, Nano Letters, the study adds fresh intel to the debate over the health risks of pesticides and what, if any, is the threshold for consuming contaminated produce.

The study’s purpose was to share a technique researchers hope will enhance the detection of pesticides in food products, but it also proved that washing isn’t cutting it when it comes to chemical removal.

As the study states, “cleaning operations cannot wholly remove pesticides.”

The researchers noted that the pesticides went far further than skin deep—penetrating the peel and making their way into the pulp layer. However, when the apple peel and a top layer of pulp were removed, contamination decreased significantly.

Dongdong Ye, a professor at China’s School of Materials and Chemistry at Anhui Agricultural University and the paper’s author, hopes that people will reach for the peeler instead of panicking.

“Rather than fostering undue apprehension, the research posits that peeling can effectively eliminate nearly all pesticide residues, contrasted with the frequently recommended practice of washing.”

But, there’s a catch: while losing the skin may help prevent chemical exposure, it also reduces nutritional value.

As Healthline notes, a raw apple with skin contains up to 332% more vitamin K, 142% more vitamin A, 115% more vitamin C, 20% more calcium, and up to 19% more potassium than a peeled apple.

In March, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit advocating for a cleaner food supply, released its infamous “Dirty Dozen” list of the most pesticide-prone produce:

Strawberries;
Spinach;
Kale, collard, and mustard greens;
Grapes;
Peaches;
Pears;
Nectarines;
Apples;
Bell and hot peppers;
Cherries;
Blueberries; and
Green beans.

The group found that a whopping 75% of conventional fresh fruit and vegetables sampled contained residue of potentially harmful chemicals and placed apples at number 8 on their list of pesticide-packing produce.

In May, Consumer Reports found concerning levels of pesticides that posed “significant risks” to consumers in 20% of the fruits and vegetables it tested. The nonprofit organization called on the Environmental Protection Agency to ban organophosphate and carbamate pesticides and lower the legal limits of contamination.

In a conflicting report, the USDA maintained that 99% of the produce they tested contained pesticide residues within the legal limits of contamination and which did not “pose a risk to consumers’ health and are safe.”

They also claim that more than 25% of the produce tested had “no detectable residue at all.”

The EWG takes care to note that the health benefits of a fresh-forward diet “outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure.”

However, those who want to limit exposure should opt for peeling off the pesticides and eating organic, where only natural pesticides can be used, whenever possible.

Research contact: @nypost

Above, the well-heeled will be able to work out and kick back at the swanky Continuum club. (Photo source: Continuum)

Sweat equity: $10,000-per-month Continuum wellness club opens in Greenwich Village

June 20, 2024

Want to make gains with the one percent? Add your name to the waiting list for Continuum, the exclusive new $10,000-a-month wellness social club in Greenwich Village, reports the New York Post.

Located in the landmarked Archive building at 676 Greenwich St., the flagship is at once a haute health retreat, luxury lounge, and top-of-the-line gym powered by proprietary artificial intelligence. Membership is capped at just 250 VIPs.

“It’s very different from anything that exists,” says Jeff Halevy, the former fitness tech entrepreneur and Today Show health correspondent who serves as Continuum’s CEO and president.

He adds, “Our unique value proposition to remember is the integration of all these modalities at a very high level. We’re doing the homework for everybody—not just in developing the programming, but in curating the actual experts that are going to work with them.”

Continuum is the latest entrant in the premium bespoke fitness sector. In May, for instance, Equinox introduced a $40,000-a-year “EQX Optimize” program in partnership with lab-testing platform Function Health.

Here’s how Continuum works. After joining (and paying the $10,000 initiation fee), members undergo a comprehensive data-driven “onboarding assessment” involving VO2 Max oxygen consumption testing, body composition scans, blood panels, and sleep analysis. The baseline “knowledge set” is entered into AI, and a specialist designs a personalized wellness plan. Wearables and a companion app continuously track the member’s progress, and the AI algorithm updates training and service recommendations in real time.

“Exercise is just one lever in this preventive health and wellness sphere,” says Halevy, pointing to Continuum’s focus on sleep, nutrition, and recovery. “There’s a geometric return when it’s more than just exercise.”

Indeed, the process is holistic and geared toward optimal health and longevity.

“We’re in the business of preventative care,” says Tom Wingert, chief revenue officer and vice president, a Lululemon alum. “It’s a bit more of a scientific approach, which normally would be done in a clinical setting.”

Members work out in the gym with personal trainers (called “human performance specialists”) on Keiser Strength equipment and Woodway treadmill s.

“All of our [trainers and physical therapists] have master’s [degrees]or doctorates in their respective fields and at least five years of relevant experience as well,” says Halevy. “When you’re a consumer, it’s very difficult to ascertain whether a trainer is qualified or not. Just because someone is certified, doesn’t mean they’re qualified,” he notes.

Recovery options include physical therapy and medi-spa treatments such as hyperbaric chambers, cold plunges, floats, Himalayan salt sauna, red-light therapies, massage, and IV vitamin drips.

Members can also relax in the downstairs lounge, an art- and plant-filled floor with work spaces, nap pods and a fresco-backed marble bar serving light fare and beverages. Between the plush sofas and glamour lighting, it resembles the high design lobby of a five-star hotel.

New York is just the first step in the brand’s expansion. Halevy is planning to add locations in Miami and Los Angeles as soon as next year. Joining this club is the ultimate flex.

Research contact: @nypost

Above, it's no small job to pack for summer camp. (Photo source: Cary Prince Organizing)

Parents are spending hundreds to have other people prep and pack their kids for summer camp

June 7, 2024

The cost of sleep-away camp— like nearly everything else these days— is on the up and up, reports Business Insider.

But the staggering $15,000 price tag on some elite summer camps doesn’t account for the hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars, parents are now paying to prep and pack their kids beforehand, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

Some families are opting to outsource the pre-camp headache of checking off their children’s packing list and the post-camp slog of sorting through laundry, the Journal reported this week.

Camp costs these days start racking up long before the little ones hit the canoes. Many camps send out detailed packing lists, some of which include more than 100 items that parents are encouraged to procure for their campers, the outlet reported.

Last year, a mother of two wrote for Business Insider about the massive summer camp packing list that ran her nearly $5,000 after she secured the recommended 15 pairs of shorts, 15 shirts, 16 pairs of socks and underwear, multiple pairs of shoes, several towels and swimsuits, various jacket options, and two sheet-sets per kid.

Some camps go even further—suggesting kids come with brand-name camp chairs, decorative pillows, and outfits in multiple color options for end-of-camp “Color Wars,” according to the Journal.

Oh, and everything a child brings to camp in 2024 should be labeled or monogrammed. Duh.

For many families with disposable income, outsourcing is now the solution

Beth Leffel, a Boca Raton mother, turned to Denny’s, a children’s boutique with stores in New York, New Jersey, and Florida, the first summer she sent her daughter to camp, she told the Journal.

The boutique boasts personal shoppers who work one-on-one with families, going item by item on each packing list to supply the necessary goods. Spencer Klein, whose family owns the business, told the outlet that the average first-time camper spends anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 at Denny’s.

After dropping about $2,000 at Denny’s and $250 at Party City the first year, Lefell told the outlet she now searches for deals and dupes of more expensive items.

Natalie Liberman, another Boca Raton-based mom, told the New York Post last year that she spent nearly $5,000 making sure her seven-year-old daughter was set with rainbow merch and monogrammed clothing items ahead of summer camp.

Personalized camp wares are the new status symbols, and influencers and online retailers have wasted no time capitalizing on the new trend, the outlet reported in June 2023.

Jody Geller, a Florida mother of two, started an online store in 2018 where she customizes camp gear, including $86 pillows and $38 water bottles. Geller told the Post that she often has orders that exceed $1,000.

The services don’t stop there

Once the required items have been procured, some parents call in professional organizers to finish the packing ordeal.

Dara Grandis, a mother of three in Manhattan, hired Meryl Bash, a professional organizer, to get her kids’ luggage ready for seven weeks away at summer camp, she told the Journal.

Bash offers an array of camp-related services, including making sure everything on the packing list is included, weeding out last year’s clothes that no longer fit, and supplying packing tape, storage cubes, and bags, according to the newspaper. Bash charges $125 per hour for packing days, plus $100 per hour for an extra packer.

Once the summer is over and young campers make their way back home, some families opt to outsource the post-camp laundry haul, as well, turning to businesses like First Class Laundry Services in West Palm Beach, Florida.

For $225 per trunk, the laundry company will pick up a camper’s luggage, wash and fold everything inside, and return the clean goods to parents’ front door.

Research contact: @BusinessInsider

Above, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has consolidated control over the company since his brief ouster last fall. (Photo source: Agence France-Presse)

Sam Altman tightens grip over OpenAI as he strikes deal with Apple

May 31, 2024

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has consolidated his grip on power at the tech firm that briefly ousted him last fall by striking a deal with Apple to incorporate artificial intelligence into its products, reports the New York Post.

The 39-year-old tech mogul has pushed out his rivals from the company’s board and is moving full steam ahead with plans to overhaul its nonprofit structure.

With the Apple deal, Altman is now hoping bring the company closer to its goal of one day replacing Google as the iPhone maker’s search partner for its Safari web browser, according to The Information.

What’s more, Altman’s ambitions extend beyond OpenAI. He is working on building several factories that will make AI chips. Altman is also partnering with former Apple designer Jony Ive on a personal device that would be powered by AI.

But Altman’s plans face potential roadblocks. Microsoft, which has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI, is reportedly concerned about how the deal with Apple could affect its own AI ambitions. Altman recently held a meeting with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to discuss Microsoft’s concerns.

Altman also has been at loggerheads with some of his employees, who have publicly questioned his commitment to install safeguards and mitigate risks associated with AI-powered technology.

Altman received some bad publicity recently after actress Scarlett Johansson blasted OpenAI for using a voice that sounded similar to hers for a new ChatGPT feature—this after she refused the firm’s overtures to use her voice.

OpenAI was founded by Altman, Elon Musk, and other tech luminaries in December 2015.

Research contact: @nypost

Above, onlookers were astonished when Ding Dong turned and threw the sandle back to its owner. (Photo source: Newsflare)

Giving as good as he gets: Chimpanzee throws dropped sandal back to zoo visitor

May 21, 2024

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes might not be far off: A chimpanzee at a China zoo has proven that we’re, indeed, quite alike by tossing a lost shoe that had fallen into his enclosure back to its human owner, reports the New York Post.

A guest had dropped the sandal in the primate’s paddock at the Shendiao Mountain Wildlife Park in Weihai City, Shandong Province, Newsflare first reported.

Upon noticing the misplaced footwear, a 14-year-old chimp named Dong Dong began to play with it. Distressed, the shoe’s owner implored one of the park’s staff for help.

That’s when the unthinkable happened: In a video clip, Dong Dong can be seen clutching the white footwear, which resembled a Croc, in his mouth like a chew toy as guests chuckled and marveled at the silly spectacle.

All of a sudden, the gruff voice of the keeper could be heard commanding the primate to return the shoe “quickly.” Quick as a flash, the simian samaritan tossed the sandal up with his hand, prompting onlookers to cry out in astonishment.

According to the keeper, Dong Dong is super intelligent and has returned lost items to visitors in the past.

This isn’t the first time that a chimp—our closest living relative alongside the promiscuous bonobo—has tossed something back at a zoo-goer.

In a less amicable incident last year, a man tossed a water bottle at a chimp at a Chinese zoo, only to have the animal hurl the item back into the crowd, nailing a girl in the face.

Research contact: @nypost

Above, a Canadian researcher believes that ' ... sadism and psychopathy [predict] who wants to modify their mufflers.' (Photo source: stock-adobe.come)

Study: Do you love your really loud car? Chances are you’re a psychopath!

May 3, 2024

Ever get cut off by a boisterously souped-up car and call the driver a psycho? You may have been right, new research claims, reports the New York Post.

Miffed by a seemingly-growing number of modified mufflers and beefed-up engines wreaking aural havoc on the road, one put-upon psychology professor couldn’t help but wonder: “Who really wants to make this kind of noise?”

“Every day we come across these loud cars and pickup trucks and motorcycles that are backfiring and I get startled,” Julie Aitken Schermer of Western University in London, Ontario told the Canadian Broadcasting Company, adding, “My dog [gets] startled. I see the animals run away that are in the trees and squirrels on the ground.”

What Schermer found can be acutely summarized in the title of her pioneering 2023 report: “A desire for a loud car with a modified muffler is predicted by being a man and higher scores on psychopathy and sadism.”

She interviewed and administered personality tests to 529 young people—a majority of them men—about noisy cars, muffler mods, and if driving one made them feel “cool.”

The findings were like an after-market chrome tailpipe to the face: “We found that it was sadism and psychopathy predicting who wants to modify their mufflers, who feels more connected to their vehicle, and they think loud cars are really cool,” she said.

“It seems to be this callous disregard for other people’s feelings and their reactions. That’s the psychopathy coming out and it’s also they probably get a kick out of enjoying watching people get startled,” she explained.

In New York City, these vehicles make so much of a public and quality of life disturbance, that an exhausted-from-exhaust local government is launching specialized noise cameras to crack down on inconsiderate drivers.

Schermer admitted that not all loud car lovers share traits with a very dangerous sect of criminals. Plenty do, however.

“The personality profile I found with loud mufflers are also the same personality profile of people who illegally commit arson,” she said.

Research contact: @nypost