We called a licensed Virgin Galactic travel agent to answer our burning questions about the company's pioneering space-tourism trips.
GOOD:Let's say I wanted to go into space-there are some things I'd want to know. For starters, how high will I go?VIRGIN: The plane elevates 60,000 feet into space. Then the rocket sort of launches into space for 60 to 70 miles, at which point you're floating out of your seat for a little while.G: How long will the flight last?V: The entire thing is about two to three hours. And the part where you are out in space floating lasts about six minutes.G: So it costs $200,000 right?V: The fee is $200,000, and the deposit minimum is $20,000, but the more your deposit is, the sooner you go.G:Can I pay by credit card, like a regular flight?V: No. You need to buy it outright, and money can be wire-transferred to the U.K. offices.G:What should I bring?V: You don't need to bring anything. You'll have time to prepare in advance and you get a suit in the plane, but you don't want to bring anything with you. I've done a weightless experience before, and it was the most amazing thing I have ever done. I tried it with a camera in my hand, and then again without, and trust me, you don't want to be carrying anything with you. Virgin Galactic takes care of all of that.G:Can I bring my dog?V: Um, I doubt it.G:Another possibly stupid question: Are there bathrooms?V: No, there's no time for that. Trust me, you won't be looking for that when you're 6,000 feet up.G:How soon can I go?V: The first-tier founder flight is sold out. There were 100 seats that basically were invitation only. Beyond that, it depends on how much you put down. I'm not 100 percent sure, but if you put down, say, $125,000 now you might be 250th on the list.G:Will I get jet lag?V: Based on what astronauts have shared, after the weightless experience, being up in space, seeing layers of air and the curvature of the earth, you definitely feel different. You won't have jet lag, but you will definitely feel different.G:Do I need a passport?V: Funny you should bring this up. You would fly out of New Mexico, so you might not. But Virgin Galactic might make something kind of like this for space.G:So there's paperwork involved?V: Yes.
Between the bras, makeup, periods, catcalling, sexism, impossible-to-attain beauty standards, and heels, most men wouldn't survive being a woman for a day without having a complete mental breakdown. So here's a slideshow of some of the funniest Tumblr posts about the everyday struggles that women face that men would never understand.
In some states, women are put through humiliating and dangerous pre-abortion medical consultations and waiting periods before being allowed to undergo the procedure. In four states, women are even forced to bury or cremate the fetal remains after the procedure.
These government-mandated roadblocks and punitive shaming serve no purpose but to make it more difficult, emotionally damaging, and expensive for women to have an abortion.
There are two types of people in this world – those who panic and fill up their cars with gas when the needle hits 25% or so, and people like me who wait until the gas light comes on, then check the odometer so you can drive the entire 30 miles to absolute empty before coasting into a gas station on fumes.
If you ask people what they think the “perfect" body looks like, you're sure to get a range of answers, depending on where the person is from. Last year, Superdrug Online Doctor created a project, “Perceptions of Perfection" that showed what people in 18 countries think the “perfect" woman looks like. The project was a viral hit.
This time, they asked graphic designers—11 women and eight men—in 19 countries to photoshop the same image to highlight the male beauty standards for their country.
It's not revolutionary news that smoking wreaks havoc on your body in different ways. More often than not, however, the focus of anti-smoking campaigns is on your internal health, citing emphysema, heart disease, and lung cancer, to name just a few consequences.
While the superficial effects may not be as lethal, appealing to people's sense of vanity can have a powerful effect as this clever gallery below shows. Twins, only one of whom smokes, sit side by side, showing the profound damage smoking can cause to your face, hair, and teeth.
Body autonomy means a person has the right to whatever they want with their own body.
We live in a world where people are constantly telling women what they can or can't do with their bodies. Women get it form all sides — Washington, their churches, family members, and even doctors.