smell

“Chipocalypse Now.” When the slogan rolled out Saturday, it sounded like a campaign for Chipotle’s latest rebrand of the humble burrito. The reality was less savory. It was a declaration of war, on an American city, by a sitting president, under the guise of a harmless meme.

Referencing the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now,” President Trump’s Truth Social account posted an AI-generated image of the 79-year-old as the much younger Lt. Col. William Kilgore (Robert Duvall’s character in the film). It was captioned, “‘I love the smell of deportations in the morning…’ Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” a parody of a famous quote from Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece. (The original line: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”)

The image, meant to look like a movie poster, was emblazoned with the words “Chipocalypse Now” and showed Trump’s image in front of the Chicago skyline, replete with helicopters, flames and a plume of smoke. As for the “Department of War” reference, Trump signed an executive order Friday to rename the Department of Defense, alleging that its old moniker is “woke.” Your tax dollars at work …

Trump’s post generated all manner of concern and outrage, as it should when the White House threatens a military operation on American soil. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blasted Trump’s meme via X. “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal,” he wrote. “Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who spoke to reporters while attending Mexican Independence Day celebrations in Chicago over the weekend, called Trump’s post “disgusting.”

It’s no mistake that “Chipocalypse” sounds as innocuous as a bag of Flamin’ Hot Doritos, but subterfuge is the point. The “I’m kidding but not really” tactic has been referred to as memetic warfare, where everything in a manufactured ecosystem like Trump’s appears to be a harmless joke. MAGA has mastered the art, deploying pop culture-inspired memes that feature an AI-generated Trump as Superman, a Jedi or Sydney Sweeney posing seductively for a denim ad. How can such a playful fellow have dictatorial aspirations?!

If you get upset like Sen. Durbin, MAGA insists it’s because you are “humorless and can’t take a joke.” Funnily enough, when California Gov. Gavin Newsom used the same approach to troll Republicans, they weren’t laughing.

Trump wasn’t jokey or fun Sunday when NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor asked him about the meme on the South Lawn of the White House. He was condescending when he called her “darling” and referred to her question as “fake news.” When Alcindor attempted to respond, Trump snapped back.

“Be quiet, listen! You don’t listen! You never listen,” he said. “That’s why you’re second-rate. We’re not going to war. We’re gonna clean up our cities. We’re gonna clean them up, so they don’t kill five people every weekend. That’s not war, that’s common sense.”

If sense of reason were part of his crime-fighting quotient, his troops would be invading the metro areas with the highest number of murders per capita — New Orleans first, then Memphis, Tenn., and St. Louis. Yet he has left those red-state cities off his list in favor of places run by Democrats.

Trump has talked for weeks about sending ICE, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other enforcement agencies to Chicago. The president claims it’s to combat out-of-control crime rates and to execute mass deportations. He’s already targeted Los Angeles and Washington. D.C., which like Chicago are under Democratic control.

“The president’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution, we must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote on social media.

Trump’s Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it was launching a surge of immigration law enforcement in Chicago. They came up with another slogan: “Operation Midway Blitz.”

If only that was a stupid meme too.

A recent visitor to a hotel dubbed the UK’s worst said their room was dirty, had stained walls and smelt of sewage with no ventilation – although remarkably they found one aspect of the premises ‘magnificent’

It was always going to be a bit of a risk staying at what has in recent years been labelled the worst hotel in the UK by other appalled guests. However one plucky visitor decided to see if the reviews really were justified at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough.

Sadly they claim their stay there pretty much lived up to expectations with a dusty room, dirty toilet and foul smell coming from the bathroom, which they didn’t want to get undressed in.

The restaurant was also a let down with ‘stale’ food, ‘dirty cutlery’ and staff struggling to clear up the mess left behind by other diners. However there was one part of the large Victorian building that surprised them with its beauty.

Posting under the name Angiebarbara, the appalled traveller shared their thoughts on Tripadvisor in a critique entitled ‘The not so grand!’. They had visited the beach front hotel, which overlooks Scarborough’s harbour and South bay in August this year and had clearly read the large volume of poor reviews previously written. “Unfortunately the many not so great reviews are true and I had to see it first hand to believe it,” they wrote before going into great detail about what they discovered.

“The rooms are dirty with dust, holes and spills up the walls, creaky floors and filthy windows that don’t open and have no air con or ventilation and are tiny and constricted. When you first walk in the smell really hits you and especially as you open the bathroom door. All I can describe the smell of is raw sewage and the stuffiness of the room makes it overbearing,” they said, adding that the beds were “small with sunken matresses and hard pillows”.

They were so disgusted by the “tiny” bathroom itself that they didn’t want to undress in there, preferring to keep their footwear on instead. They said it: “Had ground dirt in the walls and flooring, rusty taps and mouldy shower and brown stains on the ceiling. The toilet was stained. The shower was missing a glass panel, not that I’d have attempted to undress in there, it was bad enough walking in with my shoes on,” they fumed.

Elsewhere in the hotel, they found ‘unclean’ cutlery and glasses in the dining room at breakfast with staff unable to keep up with the clearing required, so the reviewer, “had to brush the seats before sitting down and dodge the debris on the floor”. The food itself didn’t fare any better with, “dry, stale bread and puddings” and “discoloured vegetables”.

Although the imposing building is Grade II listed, the front of the premises has little “kerb appeal”, according to the guest, who said it was littered with dustbins and “overflowing rubbish and bird excrement covering them and the paths”. The ‘unwelcoming’ seating area was also covered in bird mess too they said.

However they did flag that it was a “shame” the entrance to the building let down the south side because the views there were surprisingly “magnificent”. They concluded their scathing review by advising the management to spend a whole lot of cash to improve visitor experience. “If you’re looking for basic standard accommodation do not stay here at the not so grand hotel,” they wrote. “In my opinion this hotel needs several million pounds spent on it to restore its reputation and quality. Shame on whoever has let such a beautiful piece of Baroque style architecture turn to rubble!”

The property is owned by Britannia Hotels, which bought it in 2004. It did actually invest a whopping £7million refurbishing it and in 2017 it was named by Historic Britain as one of the top ten places, buildings and historical sites that tell the story of England and its impact on the world. When it was opened in 1867 it was the largest hotel and brick structure in Europe and was designed in a V shape to honour Queen Victoria. It was during this period that the hotel was a favourite among the elite in society.

These days though, business doesn’t seem to be quite as positive, with a poor 2.4 Tripadvisor rating and 4,325 people rating it terrible. Others that have recently stayed there have also shared their thoughts. One raged: “Avoid this vile hotel! We got put into room 1010 which is in the basement. The hotel had a vile smell, it was dirty, in need of renovation, and downright vile. The windows were full of dirt and bird muck and you couldn’t see out of them, the wardrobe had coat hangers slung on the floor with an old ironing board slung in there, there were cobwebs hanging down from the ceiling. I would not put my dog in that basement never mind human beings.”

Another advised to “avoid” it all costs: “The whole place is filthy, ignorant receptionists and terrible food,” they wrote. “Do not go here, clearly needs some new management. Credit to the lads on the bar, they were actually polite and showed some professionalism.”

However there is the occasional happy camper, with one being “pleasantly surprised” after hearing of its reputation: “After reading the reviews I wasn’t expecting much but everything was good,” they posted. “My room was spacious and clean. The bathroom looked newly fitted. I also had a sea view. The ground floor was beautifully decorated, where the reception, ballroom, bar etc are situated. The food was good. Breakfast and evening meals are self service. A spectacular building.”

Other positive reviews point to the hotel’s location near to the centre and the seafront. Some love the nostalgic charm of the building itself, while others find that aspect means it looks shabby and needs refurbishment.

The General Manager often replies to the reviews, which presumably takes up a large portion of his day. He posted a “genuinely sorry” message to Angiebarbara apologising for all the issues they encountered during their stay. “Cleanliness, comfort, and service are areas we take seriously, and it’s clear from your comments that we fell short in several respects,” they wrote addressing the complaints, adding: “Your observations regarding the condition of the room, the food quality, and the upkeep of the property have been noted and will be reviewed with our management and operational teams.”

Mirror Online has contacted Britannia Hotels for comment.

For five years, I dodged every bullet.

I don’t know how I managed to beat COVID-19 for so long, even as family, friends and colleagues got hit with the coronavirus. Although I took precautions from the beginning, with masking and vaccinations, I was also out in public a lot for work and travel.

But my luck has finally run out, and it must have been the air travel that did me in. I returned from a cross-country trip with a razor blade sore throat and a stubborn headache, followed by aches and pains.

The first test was positive.

I figured it had to be wrong, given my super-immunity track record.

The second test was even more positive.

So I’ve been quarantined in a corner of the house, reaching alternately for Tylenol and the thermometer. Everything is a little fuzzy, making it hard to distinguish between the real and the imagined.

For instance, how can it be true that just as I get COVID for the first time, the news is suddenly dominated by COVID-related stories?

It has to be a fever-induced hallucination. There’s no other way to explain why, as COVID surges yet again with another bugger of a strain, the best tool against the virus — vaccine — is under full assault by the leaders of the nation.

They are making it harder, rather than easier, to get medicine recommended by the overwhelming majority of the legitimate, non-crackpot wing of the medical community.

Under the new vaccine policies, prices are up. Permission from doctors is needed. Depending on your age or your home state, you could be out of luck.

Meanwhile, President Trump fired Susan Monarez, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, essentially for putting her own professional integrity and commitment to public service above crackpot directives from a cabal of vaccine skeptics.

And following Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s cancellation of $500 million in mRNA vaccine research, Trump is demanding that pharmaceutical companies show proof that vaccines work.

My eyes are red and burning, but can COVID be entirely to blame?

I got a booster before my travels, even though I knew it might not stand up to the new strain of COVID. It’s possible I have a milder case than I might have had without the vaccine. But on that question and many others, as new waves keep coming our way, wouldn’t the smart move be more research rather than less?

Trump downplayed the virus when it first surfaced in 2019 and 2020. Then he blamed it on China. He resisted masking, and lemmings by the thousands got sick and died. Then he got COVID himself. At one point, he recommended that people get the vaccine.

Now he’s putting on the brakes?

My headache is coming back, my eyes are still burning, and unless my Tylenol is laced with LSD, I think I just saw a clip in which Kennedy and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups in 10 minutes.

I appreciate the health and fitness plug, and because Kennedy and I are the same age — 71 — it’s impressive to see him in the gym.

But there’s something that has to be said about the Kennedy-Hegseth workout tape:

They’re cheating.

Take a look for yourself, and don’t be fooled by the tight T-shirts worn by these two homecoming kings.

Those were not full chin-ups or push-ups.

Not even close.

Cutting corners is the wrong message to send to the nation’s children, or to any age group. And how is anyone going to make it to the gym if they come down with COVID because they couldn’t get vaccinated?

Honestly, the whole thing has to be a fever dream I’m having, because in the middle of the workout, Kennedy said, and I quote, “It was President Trump who inspired us to do this.”

He is many things, President Trump. Fitness role model is not one of them, no matter how many times he blasts out of sand traps on company time.

Getting back to cutting corners, Kennedy said in slashing mRNA research that “we have studied the science,” with a news release link to a 181-page document purportedly supporting his claim that the vaccines “fail to protect effectively.”

That document was roundly eviscerated by hordes of scientists who were aghast at the distortions and misinterpretations by Kennedy.

“It’s either staggering incompetence or willful misrepresentation,” said Jake Scott, an infectious-disease physician and Stanford University professor, writing for the media company STAT. “Kennedy is using evidence that refutes his own position to justify dismantling tools we’ll desperately need when the next pandemic arrives.”

I lost my sense of smell a few days ago, but even I can tell you that stinks.

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My 8-year-old daughter hates sand in her shoes, but loves to play in the sand. She doesn’t like very loud environments, but enjoys thrill rides at amusement parks. She gets uncomfortable when the playground is too full, but loves to make friends. She wants to explore new places, but often needs to take breaks. And she needs to feel safe expressing and processing her emotions — whether that means crying or crying out — without being stared at or feeling judged.

As you can see, my daughter has particular sensory needs that some may call a “sensory diet.” When she was 3, I realized she is a Highly Sensitive Child. HSC is not a diagnosis or a disorder— rather, it’s a personality trait defined by psychologist Elaine Aron in her 1996 book “The Highly Sensitive Person.” Most people think “sensitive” means emotional, but that’s not the case here. “Sensitive” refers to our senses. In their book “Raising a Sensory Smart Child,” Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske explain that when it comes to our understanding of sensory experiences, there are seven: the five we’re all familiar with — taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing — along with proprioception (knowing how one’s body moves) and vestibular (how one feels their body in space).

HSCs and neurodivergent kids with autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, ADHD or other neurodivergent conditions have something in common: differing sensory needs.

An occupational therapist can prescribe a sensory diet as treatment for kids who need help calming down or being alert — in other words, to help them self-regulate. Finding or creating the right atmosphere also takes some trial and error from parents and caregivers.

I, too, am Highly Sensitive and have been mining L.A. County for play environments that are well suited for my daughter and perhaps other kids with similar sensory needs. I’ve learned the hard way that the usual loud, crowded bouncy house birthday party isn’t fun for everyone, and that’s OK. Luckily, Los Angeles has plenty of play spaces that are intentional about being inclusive to all kids.

In my experience, the best play places include a quiet room or an area for kids and their parents to be alone or separate if they need an escape. Some provide sensory bags from KultureCity, a nonprofit focused on sensory inclusion. These bags include noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys and a nose plug to help the experience. Many places offer a social narrative or story online — with pictures of what happens and where they will be — so kids know what to expect. Some have specific “sensory hours” when the lights are dimmed and the number of guests is limited. All of these inclusive spots invite kids to use their senses — to touch, feel, see, hear, sense, taste, smell or move.

Here are 10 great play places around L.A. for highly sensitive and neurodivergent kids. For each place, I’ve noted whether it’s suited well for neurodivergent kids or highly sensitive kids, or both.

Of course, the best play space isn’t some magical destination, and you don’t need a ticket for it. It’s a space where kids don’t feel judged because of their actions or reactions. It’s a space that gives them the comfort of being accepted, no matter what. You can provide your child with that space wherever you go.

The infamous ‘Poop Cruise’ – where passengers were left stranded without any power and had to poo in bags – made global headlines back in 2013 as the chaos unfolded

Netflix documentary series Trainwreck explores some of the most bizarre, jaw-dropping, and at times downright revolting events in recent history. One particularly unforgettable episode focuses on a maritime disaster that made global headlines: the infamous “Poop Cruise”.

In February 2013, the Carnival Triumph cruise ship set sail from Galveston, Texas, with more than 4,000 passengers and crew onboard, bound for a leisurely four-day Caribbean getaway. But the holiday quickly unravelled into chaos.

On the third day, a fire erupted in the aft engine room. Though the blaze was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported, it critically damaged the ship’s main power systems. The Triumph was left drifting in the Gulf of Mexico without propulsion, or basic functioning utilities.

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With the power out, vital systems failed, including air conditioning, refrigeration, and most importantly, the sewage and sanitation infrastructure. What followed was a nightmare.

Toilets stopped working. Raw sewage began leaking into hallways and cabins, filling the ship with a stench described by passengers as unbearable. Many were forced to relieve themselves in plastic bags and red biohazard bags, as bathrooms became unusable.

With the air conditioning offline, temperatures inside soared, making the interior suffocatingly hot and humid. Dozens of passengers chose to sleep on open decks just to escape the heat and foul odours.

Food quickly became scarce. Without refrigeration, the crew did what they could, serving cold sandwiches and sparse meals often consisting of little more than bread and vegetables. Water was rationed, and tensions steadily rose.

Although communication with the outside world was limited, word of the ship’s grim conditions quickly spread. Images of the stranded vessel and its desperate passengers went viral, drawing international media attention.

After five gruelling days, the Carnival Triumph was finally towed to port in Mobile, Alabama, bringing an end to the ordeal, but not to the controversy.

In the aftermath, investigations uncovered troubling details. CNN obtained documents showing only four of the ship’s six generators were functioning before departure, and that Carnival had prior knowledge of both fire hazards and fuel line issues. Records revealed nine separate fuel line incidents in just two years, raising serious questions about the company’s maintenance practices and safety protocols.

As lawsuits mounted and scrutiny of the cruise industry intensified, Carnival found itself in damage control.

Then-President and CEO Gerry Cahill issued a public apology, saying: “I want to again apologise to our guests and their friends and families. The situation on board was difficult and we are very sorry for what has happened. We pride ourselves on providing our guests with a great vacation experience and clearly we failed in this case.”

Kimberly Townsend, a 54-year-old mother of two and grandmother of three, was among 31 passengers who sued Carnival, holding the company accountable for what they describe as a disastrous voyage.

In her testimony, Townsend gave a vivid and emotional account of the harrowing days spent aboard the disabled ship stranded in the Gulf of Mexico. She described terrified passengers crowding the decks, worried for their safety, while foul-smelling toilets overflowed into hallways. There was no power, near-total darkness, long waits for limited water, and a severe lack of food.

Townsend recalled finally managing to reach her mother by phone once the crippled ship was towed into Mobile, Alabama – arriving days late from what was meant to be a dream vacation. She told the court she had begged her mother to come get her right away. As she recounted the moment, her voice faltered, she looked down, and began to sob in the witness chair.

She was one of several passengers from the Carnival Triumph who took the stand, some breaking down in tears, as they spoke about the ordeal and the emotional toll that still lingers a year later.

“I did not get physically injured. I got mentally injured,” testified Jean Cripps, a 74-year-old grandmother who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. She went on the cruise with her husband, Alton, who has diabetes and a hurt leg that forced him to retire disabled. The elderly couple was on the cruise as a present from their son, David, and grandson, Easton, who went with them.

“It never ends, the whole experience never ends,” testified Cripps. “It’s over and over again. We had two good days,” she said, referring to the first days of the cruise.

“But that’s not what I think about. I think about the smell, the stench and the bad things. All the memories come flooding back, and I can’t stop them.”

Among the worst memories, Cripps testified, was the fear that the ship, which listed severely after the fire, would actually turn over and sink.

“It was a horrible experience,” testified Michelle Key, 48, who went on the cruise with her mother, Fleda Key, 68. “I walked through water and faeces and urine, no telling what else,” she testified. “We would slip and slide through greasy, gross, slippery muck,” she said, adding “it was very difficult” for her mother.

Fleda Key described having terrible diarrhoea on numerous occasions and having difficulty finding any toilets that were not overflowing.

“There was lots of urine and faeces all the way up to the rim of every one,” she said, explaining she “choked away the smell”. Like many of the witnesses, she testified that she lived for days in total fear that they might not finish the voyage alive. “I was fearful, downright afraid and scared,” said Fleda.

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