List of All Articles with Tag 'viral'

A woman has found herself receiving widespread attention online and has been dubbed the "Home Depot girl." Ariana Josephine has gone viral after posting selfies on Twitter of herself in her Home Depot uniform (hence the nickname) as everyone has been complementing her appearance across social media including TikTok. It all began when the 21-year-old shared bathroom selfies of herself as she sported her workwear from the American DIY store which includes an orange apron. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “The one job I work at that I get reminded I’m too pretty to work at," Ariana wrote as the post caption, and she was clearly reminded online too after the post received 35.8m views and 107,000 likes. In a follow-up post, two days later she shared another bathroom selfie in her uniform, this time with her hair down instead of tied back and Ariana wrote: "Home Depot Girl Taking Over 2.0" Similarly, this too also did numbers with it receiving 7.8m views and 77,000 likes. People have been paying Ariana endless compliments about her beauty in response to her selfies. One person said: "All the baddies are working at Home Depot." "Omggggg drop the skincare routine please," another person wrote. Someone else joked: "I suddenly find the urge to paint me and my neighbour's house." "What Home Depot is this??!!! I would be there shopping for a Lawnmower with no lawn," a fourth person commented. Since going viral, Ariana now has over 76,000 Twitter followers and 191,000 Instagram followers at the time of writing. In her Instagram bio, she describes herself as a video creator on topics such as Faith, Fashion, Lifestyle, and Beauty. However, the recent attention hasn't all been welcoming because Ariana recently took to Instagram to criticise people online who illegally doxxed her location and as a result announced that there will be no more Home Depot posts. "Last post about Home Depot since the world is illegally doxxing my location and job," she wrote. "Y’all turned something innocent into something crazy and ruined my way of making money by seriously taking the internet TOO far. She added: "Thanks for all the nice people I’ve spoken to and inspired and thanks to the hate because it’s helped me grow closer to God and be more tough skinned." It has also been reported that none other than basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal D'Med her a supportive message. “Don’t let them peopl [sic] bother u,” O’Neal told Ariana, according to the Twitter account Legion Hoops which shared a screenshot of the interaction. “Don’t read the comments stuff like that will drive you crazy.” After Ariana thanked Shaq, he then quipped in response: "Have a great day tell all your boyfriends I said hello.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The world record for the fastest time to complete a Rubik’s cube has been absolutely smashed and there is footage of the incredible feat. 21-year-old Max Park from California shattered the long-standing existing record, shaving an incredible 0.34 seconds off the old time. In front of a crowd, Park solved the Rubik’s cube in a mind-boggling 3.13 seconds, making him the fastest speedcuber in the world. The crowd observing the feat went absolutely wild when the timer stopped and the internet was sent into a similar frenzy after viewing the clip. Park shared the clip on Twitter, captioning it: “Rubik's Cube 3x3 World Record (3.13) breaking 4.5 year old record of (3.47).” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It has been viewed over a million times, with people in awe of his skill and accomplishment. One viewer wrote: “This is the best thing I’ve seen all week. The look on his face when he sees the solve, the referee protecting the cube and the kid’s reactions all = chef’s kiss.” Another said: “Most exhilarating 3.134 sec of my day.” “I love the purity of everyone else’s reactions. It’s a competition but they’re still thrilled for the guy,” someone else said. The sheer skill and knowledge of his craft had some questioning their own abilities, as someone suggested: “I couldn't solve a Rubik’s in 3.13 hours.” According to the Guinness World Records, Park was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. The Korean-American’s passion for speedcubing was supported by his parents from a young age and his unique ability is certainly paying off. His parents said: “Cubing has proved to be a good therapy for Max to socialize and strengthen his skills.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF is back after their Big Red Boots took social media by storm. This time, they've launched a minuscule handbag – the size of a sand grain. The bag is just 657 by 222 by 700 micrometres and is modelled off the famous Louis Vuitton OnTheGo handbag. Impressively, they were even able to sketch out the LV logo on their tiny creation. The "bag" was specifically designed for an upcoming auction for Pharrell's Joopiter auction house. MSCHF told the New York Times that they actually haven't approached Louis Vuitton for permission to use their design. "We are big in the ‘ask forgiveness, not permission’ school," Kevin Wiesner, the chief creative officer of MSCHF told the publication. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The images soon spread across social media, where people took no time in chiming in with their takes. "Jesus f***ing christ where did we go wrong as a society," one harsh critic wrote, while another hilariously joked: "He made this for the roach at the Met Gala." "I can’t even fit my phone in this," a third humoured, while one Twitter user added: "My dreams about an apocalypse hitting the earth are making more sense now." The creation comes just after the creative brand restocked its Big Red Boots. Retailing at $350 (£280) a pair, the shoes caught the attention of the internet earlier this year for their unique appearance. The brand described them as: "CARTOON BOOTS FOR A COOL 3D WORLD. CARTOONISHNESS IS AN ABSTRACTION THAT FREES US FROM THE CONSTRAINTS OF REALITY. IF YOU KICK SOMEONE IN THESE BOOTS THEY GO BOING!" They've since become a big hit among celebrities with the likes of WWE wrestler Seth Rollins, rapper Lil Wayne and Diplo sporting the bizarre boots. Indy100 reached out to Louis Vuitton for comment. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Social media users have discovered a carving of an astronaut on a Spanish church from the 12th century. The Cathedral of Salamanca is two churches joined together. One dates back to the 12th century and the other is from the 16th century. Over the years, tourists have turned their attention to one unique carving, posing the question of how someone already knew about modern-day astronauts. Some believed it to be evidence that time travel existed, with one writing: "Astronaut at Salamanca Cathedral: This statue is affirmed as absolute proof of time travel." Another now-deleted Facebook post read: "Experts have been unable to explain this statue, which was found in a church that was built in the 1600s, the statue appears to be showing a man wearing a modern astronaut suit, including air tubes and a helmet." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While conspiracy theories were rife, it soon came to light that the astronaut was incorporated into the Ramos Gate during work on the cathedral in 1992 ahead of an exhibition for the religious foundation "Edades de Hombre" in 1993, according to Reuters Fact Check. The carving was carried out by Miguel Romero. It comes after people believe they spotted an iPhone in a 350-year-old painting. In one of Pieter de Hooch's paintings, a woman is sitting with a dog on her lap while a man is standing and holding what very much resembles an iPhone. The painting even left Apple’s CEO Tim Cook to question everything he thought he knew. At a 2016 press conference, he joked: "There was an iPhone in one of the paintings. It's tough to see but I swear it's there." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

An avid jet setter has shared a useful tip on how to secure two plane seats for the price of one – and it's incredibly simple. Content creator @kirstyleannetravels has become a TikTok sensation for her sharing her viral travel hacks as a plus-sized person. In one recent clip, Kirsty explained how she gets an empty seat on "almost every flight she takes". The UK blogger acknowledged how airlines make it "so difficult to book an extra seat" and how her newfound tip has saved her "hours of uncomfortable flights." All you need to do is ask. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The TikTok clip cuts to Kirsty asking a flight attendant: "Do you know if there are any two seats next to each other free?" The staff member responds by saying she will look once boarded. Subsequently, Kirsty secured an extra free seat for asking the question. "The sooner you board and ask, the better," Kirsty wrote as the caption. "Flight attendants work on a first come first serve basis and if you’re last to board, all the free empty seats might be allocated." @kirstyleannetravels A few other things to bear in mind are: ✨ The sooner you board and ask, the better. FAs work on a first come first serve basis and if you’re last to board, all the free empty seats might be allocated. ✨ Don’t ask the first FA you see. Get to the ‘section’ your seat is in and ask the person who is then standing closest to you. If you’re at the back of the plane, it’s unlikely someone at the front will be able to help you. ✨ Don’t just move. It’s always better to ask so that FAs are aware you want more space. They also may tell you to wait until after takeoff to move and will save the space for you. ✨ I also ask at check-in as often, they can change your ticket to be in an empty row. A lot of the time, however, I’m told it’s a full flight even if it’s not. If you get this answer, don’t be disheartened - people don’t show up or miss their flight, leaving extra seats. #plussizetraveltoo #plussizetraveltips #travellingwhilefat #fattravel #plussize #flyingwhilefat #plussizequeen #flightghack #travelhack #fatandhappy #plussizetraveller It comes after US influencer Jae-lynn Chaney called out "discriminatory" airline policies asking plus-sized passenger to pay "double twice for the same experience". Chaney, whose Change.org petition garnered attention earlier this year to "protect plus-sized customers", has since doubled down on her experience being discriminated against because of her body. "People with smaller bodies get to pay one fare to get to their destination," Chaney told CNN Travel. "We have to pay two fares, even though we’re getting the same experience. If anything, our experiences are a little bit more challenging." She went on to tell Fox that the "mistreatment and discrimination of plus-size travellers" is clear, "unacceptable and must be addressed." She added: "Implementing policies to accommodate plus-size passengers may come with associated costs, but these costs must be weighed against the benefits of creating a more welcoming and inclusive travel experience." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A jet-setter has been hailed a "genius" after sharing a hack to avoid paying extra baggage fees. In a viral TikTok circulating across the platform, Julie Waters (@dance.likenooneswatching) sported a fishing vest as part of her airport outfit filled with extra items to see whether she could successfully board the flight. The savvy traveller claimed to have packed a week's worth of clothes in the vest while flying with Spirit Airlines. "No one batted an eye, but a friend did make a comment that someone could have thought you were some kind of crazy Unabomber-type person so that would be the biggest downside," she told the Wall Street Journal. "What I really want to try is the pillowcase one, where instead of a pillow it’s full of clothes." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter @dance.likenooneswatching Will this packing hack work? Extra bag fees?💰🚫 No thanks! 🧳 #travelhacks #airplanetiktok #airplanehack #traveltips #savemoney #fishingvest #airportoutfit #airportfit #losangeles #lax #spiritairlines #frugal #travel #packing #flight #packinghacks This fishing vest is a great packing hack! Don’t pay extra baggage fees for your flight. This fishing vest held a week’s worth of clothes. I got it from Dick’s Sporting Goods. 🙌🏼😂 Go get your’s! Follow me for more great life hacks! 🥰🤣 The concept was also explored by fellow TikToker, @cheapholidayexpert, who also took to the platform with her packing hack. She managed to pack everything from a bikini, a deck of cards to a portable speaker, a laptop and deodorant. “After stuffing my pants in a neck pillow and using a duty-free bag, it was only time before I reached the heady heights of leisurewear,” Cheap Holiday Expert jokes in the video’s caption. The clip racked up almost two million views and hundreds more comments. @cheapholidayexpert Packing hack #3 - A FISHING VEST 🎣 After stuffing my pants in a neck pillow and using a duty free bag, it was only time before I reached the heady heights of leisurewear 🦺 Not only is it super stylish (😬) but it has about twelve million pockets for stuffing your bits in. Honestly - this one is daft but also… COMPLETELY LEGIT???!! It’s a winner for me 😂 WOULD YOU GIVE THIS A GO? And let me know if there’s any hacks you want me to test out for you - I AM WILLING TO GIVE ANYTHING A GO 💪 Just call it #inv#investigativejournalism♀️ 💾 Don’t forget to save this hack or tag someone you think will like this!! #t#travelhacktravelhacks #pac#packinghacke#cheaptraveld#budgettravels#easyjeta#ryanairzzair "This and cargo pants?? life changing," one fellow TikToker commented, while another added: "I spent so long looking for a travel jacket with tonnes of pockets I don’t know why I never thought of this!" A third person asked what happens when she went through security, to which she replied: "You always take your jacket off at security! And they’re not checking allowance, just liquids and illegal items." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A professional swimmer has defended herself against fitness influencer Joey Swoll after he publicly called her out over a video she filmed at the gym. Nika Godun, 26, a Russian record-holder, refuted Swoll’s claim that she’d been “making fun of a young kid” in a clip she posted to social media. The video, shot from Godun’s point of view, shows an adolescent boy raising a dumbbell with one knee on a bench, while her voice is heard laughing in the background. Swoll made a stitch of the scene, in which he urged the female athlete to “do better”. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Beginning his commentary, he lambasted the 26-year-old for her “arrogant laugh,” insisting that a person like her would have had “two options” in that situation. “You can politely approach him and ask him if he'd like some help, then teach the young man – show him what good form is – or you can mind your own business,” the popular TikTok star said. “Filming him to make fun of him to post on social media is never an option, and you are a professional athlete, you should know better.” He went on to identify Godun by flashing a screen grab of her Instagram page, then admitted that he’d sent her a direct message to ask “if you think that you're better than people and you can do as you please because you're a professional athlete”. Her response, according to a screen grab of their conversation, was to tell him to “lighten up”. Professional Athlete Makes Fun Young Kid at the Gym Who's Trying his Best | DO BETTER! youtu.be However, Godun clearly had more to say about the matter, and she did so via a lengthy statement. Writing on Instagram, she offered some context around the encounter, saying: “I know the kid and he’s the funniest guy ever, not giving a f*** when his coach is not looking. “He didn’t need any of my help because he’s in the swimming group with other kids and a coach and he knows how to do the exercise properly. “He’s not disabled or sick, he’s just a KID!!” She continued: “I posted a video with [the] caption ‘me on a Monday morning’ saying that I’m like this kid because I adore his ‘I’m tired and I don’t give a f***’ energy and even in the video itself I’m saying ‘I love him’.” She went on to condemn the backlash she’d received over Swoll’s coverage of her video, accusing the influencer of “threatening” her to delete it before posting it himself. “If he truly had good intentions and thought I did something wrong he would’ve excluded the video so no one [would] see it,” she added. Wrapping up her message, she went on: “I don’t [owe] an apology to anyone because I didn’t do anything wrong [...] the kid is happy, I’m happy, if you’re not happy write a comment, but I don’t think anyone cares.” She continued: “People over-exceed the importance of social media in their [lives], it doesn’t matter that much.” Then, reiterating the point she made to Swoll, she concluded: “LIGHTEN UP! Because life is about being happy and not taking yourself too seriously.” His fans were clearly not impressed by her justification, however, with one writing: “[The] saddest part is you won’t even acknowledge your mistake.” Another added: “Your responses have only made it worse and show how arrogant of a person you are. “Who knows if you really do know the kid on a personal level or if anything you’re saying in regards to him is true, but you STILL are missing the point! He is a CHILD. A child you posted on [social media] to get likes and laughs out of. “I wouldn’t be thrilled if a ‘professional athlete’ used a video of my child’s incorrect form for laughs.” It’s not the first time one of Swoll’s videos has seen a woman subjected to torrents of criticism and abuse. The hatred one TikToker received after he criticised a video she'd shared left her fearing for her family’s safety, while others have had to issue public apologies or delete their social media accounts to avoid further harassment. We agree with Swoll that it’s never right to bully others, and certainly not to humiliate children. But is it right to throw people to the sharks over videos you’ve taken totally out of context? There, the jury is clearly still out. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A couple, who spent almost £1,800 on a Benidorm holiday, were left fuming when they were turned away from check-in – despite having an in-date passport. Penny Priestly, 59, and her husband Dug from Nottingham were stunned when TUI refused to board them because their passports were 10 years old. "We just turned up and were waiting an hour in the queue, I think we were about fourth from last and the girl on the checkout said to the other girl, can you check those dates?" Penny told NottinghamshireLive. "She checked and said 'no they can't fly'. Then a bloke came over, a supervisor or something, and he said our only alternative is to go to Jet2 and ask them if we can fly." Vouching they will never fly with the airline again, they claimed TUI staff said if it was a few days earlier, they would have been fine to fly. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "They said if we had gone on Saturday we would have been alright," they told the publication. This date would have marked the 10-year point from when their passports had been issued. The pair were still able to go forward with the holiday with a different airline – but at a price. They managed to secure flights with Jet2 for £860 but were unable to be refunded on the TUI flights due to it being a package deal. A spokesperson for TUI said: "We're sorry that Mr Priestly was unable to fly with TUI as planned as his passport did not meet the required government passport guidelines. "Government rules state that for customers travelling to certain EU countries, passports must be issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country and must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. We strongly advise that our customers check their passports are up to date before booking any flights. "Details of passport validity guidelines can be found here." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

People think they have spotted an “Apple iPhone” in a painting that’s 350 years old and they are absolutely baffled. In the 1600s, people’s wildest imaginations probably couldn’t have dreamt up the technology we have now in the 21st century, from mobile phones to artificial intelligence. But now, people believe that they have seen an iPhone mysteriously appear in a 1670 painting by Pieter de Hooch. Hooch is an artist from the Dutch Golden Age and is renowned for his works depicting domestic scenes from the time. In one of his paintings, a woman is sitting with a dog on her lap while a man is standing and holding what very much resembles an iPhone. The painting even left Apple’s CEO Tim Cook to question everything he thought he knew. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter At a press conference in 2016, Cook joked he was “not so sure” about who invented the phone after seeing the Hooch painting at the Rijksmuseum art gallery during a trip to Amsterdam. Cook argued: “There was an iPhone in one of the paintings. It's tough to see but I swear it's there.” While for some it has added fuel to the fire of the time-travel conspiracy, the painting’s name may actually point toward a different conclusion. Hooch’s image is called, 'Young Woman with a Letter and a Messenger' in an Interior, suggesting that the object in the man’s hand may in fact be a bog standard paper envelope. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A woman has claimed she is the victim of “hot phobia” and says men are scared to approach her because she is too attractive. Sabine Roll-Cohen, 40, from North London has claimed that she is ignored at the school gates when collecting her son because other parents can’t handle her beauty. The personal shopper and model said she wears outfits such as crop tops and short shorts to collect her son, resulting in other parents giving her the cold shoulder and victimising her. Roll-Cohen told The Sun: “I like to wear small shorts, or a low dress, or a tiny crop top, I like to feel sexy.” She continued: “Every woman should look after themselves. I don’t go out much anymore, so the school run is my reason to get dressed, so why not wear a nice outfit? “The other mums don’t talk to me when I look nice, they just turn their noses up. But when I am dressed in my jogging bottoms, they decide to speak to me, it’s strange.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter But, she said, it’s not just the school gates where she’s found herself snubbed by other parents and claimed that it also happened at a child’s birthday party when she arrived wearing a crop top and skinny jeans. Roll-Cohen does not believe she dresses inappropriately and claims she is simply the victim of “hot phobia”. She argued: “I was at this party with my six-year-old son, but I only knew one other mum there.” Roll-Cohen went on: “I was wearing a little floral crop top and some skinny jeans which showed off my perky bum and I thought I looked great. “But every single mum at the party, apart from my friend, ignored me. I asked my friend why no one was talking to me and she said ‘Maybe you wear the wrong outfits.’ “I think they must be jealous as I do have a good body. I’m size eight, 5ft 7, I don’t go to the gym and I don’t have to watch what I eat. “A lot of these ladies are bigger and less sexy after having children and I think it annoys them that I look so good. If jealousy is an illness, I hope they all get better soon.” But, Roll-Cohen said that one person who appreciates her beauty is her husband of six years, Beto. She said: “He thinks I’m gorgeous and like to look nice for him. He wouldn’t change me for the world, so I’m not going to worry what anyone else thinks of me.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

An Ecuadorian woman was found alive at her very own funeral in a disturbing turn of events. Last week, Bella Montoya was pronounced dead at the age of 76 due to a stroke, reported BBC News. Hours into the wake while family members were preparing Montoya for burial, they discovered that she was breathing. Bella's son, Gilbert Balberán, told local news outlet El Universo: "My mother started to move the left hand, open her eyes, the mouth. She was making an effort to breathe." "The doctor at noon told me that my mother was dead and was not at the facility," he continued. "Another one saw me and he gave her oxygen, they intubated her and took her to an (ICU) room where she is under observation." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Footage of the startling event has since circulated on social media. The clip shows the woman gasping for air in her coffin with several people surrounding her calling for an ambulance. Medics are then seen arriving and then moving her onto a stretcher. Many Twitter users were confused as to how such a thing could happen. "Maybe the doctors should do a better job," one person hit back to the recording, while another freaked-out user added: "Okay, zombies are real I’m out." Montoya has since been taken back to the hospital where she's in intensive care. Ecuador's health ministry now has a committee investigating the bizarre incident. Her son was quoted as saying to the to AFP News Agency: "Little by little I am grasping what has happened. Now I only pray for my mother's health to improve. I want her alive and by my side." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A right-wing commentator has complained that the main female character in a new video game is “unattractive” and blamed it on “woke” feminists. Fable is a series of action role-playing video games and a trailer for its newest release premiered on Monday (June 12). The trailer featured The IT Crowd actor Richard Ayoade starring as a veggie-growing giant named Dave, who looks set to play a starring role. But for right-winger Ian Miles Cheong it was the unnamed female main character that caught his eye for being “weirdly unattractive”. In a tweet, Cheong claimed there’s a current trend in video games where the female characters are intentionally made to be ugly and suggested it’s all down to “woke intersectional feminists”. Sharing a screenshot of the Fable character, he wrote: “This is the main character of the new Fable game from Microsoft. “Continuing the trend of weirdly unattractive female main characters in video games, because beauty is objectifying. This is what happens when you consult with woke intersectional feminists.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It didn’t take long for other people to completely ridicule and mock Cheong’s comments. One person joked: “(Seeing a video game character I don’t want to have hot steamy sex with) Western civilization has fallen.” Another pointed out: “Hi Ian, pro tip: you are not required to be sexually attracted to video game characters for the game to be fun. Hope this helps!” It’s not the first time Cheong has drawn criticism for his comments as he was previously absolutely annihilated by a history expert after claiming that the Nazis were “socialist”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.