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During WWII, he helped free a French town. His reaction to seeing it almost 70 years later was beautiful.

virtual reality, veterans, WWII, France

Images pulled from YouTube video.

Frank Mouqué uses virtual reality to explore a town he liberated in 1944.

From a chair in his nursing home, 91-year-old veteran Frank Mouqué virtually stood in the town square of Armentières, France — the town he helped liberate during WWII.

"We were bombed, shelled, sniped, fired at constantly," Mouque recalled of his time in the war. "There were quite a number of casualties. I lost a lot of my friends."

With a virtual reality headset strapped to his head, Mouqué was transported to the site of his most vivid memories: seeing in rich detail the town he first stepped foot in back in 1944 and hearing the voices of people who are free, in part, because of him.

It was weeks after D-Day and the allied troops were marching their way through France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany, freeing every city they could from Nazi occupation. One of those cities was Armentières, a tiny village in Northern France, just below the Belgian border.

After a hard fight, allied troops successfully liberated Armentières. What Mouqué remembers more than anything is the warm reception he and his company received from the people there. The families that took him in and the people who came out to thank him and his fellow soldiers are memories that have stayed with Mouqué for over 70 years.

In honor of Remembrance Day 2016, Twine, a U.K.-based network of innovators and creatives, decided to honor Mouqué with a one-of-a-kind virtual reality experience.

They, along with Mutiny Media travelled to modern day Armentières and made a video for Mouqué in which members of the town personally thanked him for his service.

Watch Frank's virtual experience here:

The film was shot using 360-degree video technology, so when Mouqué viewed it through a virtual reality visor, it was like he was really there — walking through the streets, hearing a chorus of children sing to him, and even receiving a medal from the mayor. Mouqué was also given the medal in real life, which he said he was honored to receive on behalf of everyone who was there.

technology, science, multi media, war veterans

A virtual reality video of the mayor presenting Frank with a medal.

Image pulled from YouTube video.

"We saw the potential of virtual reality, but had not yet come across anyone using it for the benefit of veterans," Stuart Logan, CEO and co-founder of Twine explained via email.

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Frank watches the video of his medal presentation wearing a VR headset.

Image pulled from YouTube video.

Virtual reality is relatively new, meaning the boundaries of its ability to truly affect people are still being explored.

"I think this project shows just how powerful VR can be as a tool to transport people — physically and emotionally," Logan explained. "From the response of the people of Armentières when we first explained our idea — they immediately understood how poignant and important project this was going to be — all the way through to Frank’s incredible reaction to the experience, it’s been very moving."

soldiers, elderly, technology, inovation

Frank shares about his VR experience.

Image pulled from YouTube video.

"My grandfather fought in the war, so it’s personally a very significant project for me," Logan said. "It was incredibly important to recognize [veterans] and how their actions created the world we enjoy today," Logan said.

Frank Mouqué probably thought he'd never see Armentières in person again.

With a little creativity, ingenuity, and technology, he was not only able to see it, but feel like he was really there. That's a gift that is more than just a novelty. It's the heartwarming conclusion to a story that began decades ago and will echo through years to come.

Watch Frank's reaction to the virtual reality experience here:

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Teen girls have increased mental health concerns due to violence and sadness, CDC says

"Our teenage girls are suffering through an overwhelming wave of violence and trauma, and it’s affecting their mental health."

Photo by Dev Asangbam on Unsplash

Teen girls have increased mental health concerns, CDC says.

Editor's Note: If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

The mental health of teens has been widely discussed over the past few years. Lockdowns early in the pandemic put a much greater emphasis on teens and their social-emotional development and highlighted how isolation contributes to mental health concerns. But as things returned to normal, or as normal as they can be, the teen mental health crisis didn't seem to let up.

Now, the CDC is saying the crisis is actually getting worse, specifically for teen girls. In the fall of 2021, the CDC conducted its Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the results are in: A startling 57% of teen girls—nearly 3 in 5—reported feeling "persistently sad or hopeless," while 30% said they had seriously considered dying by suicide, an increase of 60% since 2011. These numbers are the highest they've been in the last decade, according to the CDC.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey has been conducted every other year for the past 30 years and includes the responses of 17,232 high school students living in the United States, so the new data is concerning.

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Emmy-winning director's obituary for his wife of 25 years has become a viral love story

"For those who never knew her, I'm sorry for your loss."

Canva, @BobWeide/Twitter

Bob Weide's obituary for his wife Linda is a beautiful tribute to a beautiful love story.

Everyone appreciates a story of true love that stands the test of time, even when it ends in loss. Emmy-winning screenwriter, director and producer Robert Weide has captured people's hearts with a love story for the ages—one that just happens to be his own.

Weide is best known for directing and producing the first five seasons of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," but he is currently in the spotlight for a more personal reason. His beloved wife, Linda, passed away in December 2022, and the obituary he wrote for her has gone viral for its pure love and charm.

Weide published the obituary in the Los Angeles Times, but also shared it on Twitter after other people started sharing it.

From the first line, we start to get a picture of the woman Weide was married to for 25 years.

"Linda Weide, my remarkable wife, believed everybody's age was nobody's business. Let's just say she was ageless and timeless. She had a kind of elegance from another era," he wrote.

Weide shared that she had been diagnosed with a rare, fatal neurological disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in 2018. She died at home on Christmas Day, peacefully, in Weide's arms.

"If you must die, try to do it in the arms of someone who loves you," he wrote. "It helps."

\u201cIt is with profound sadness that I report my dear, sweet wife, Linda Weide, of blessed memory, passed away on Christmas Day. My tribute to her in the L.A. Times only scratches the surface. If you click on the attached, please read to the end. You would have loved her.\u201d
— Robert B. Weide (@Robert B. Weide) 1676137767

He described how they met on September 30, 1994. "I walked into Café Aroma in Studio City, and there she was," he wrote. "She had it all—beauty, style, grace, intelligence, wit, a great laugh, a blinding smile and (can I say this in 2023?) legs that demanded to be shown off, and were."

He said he wrote in his journal that night, "I think I may be in big trouble." Thus began their 28-year-long relationship that included a 25-year marriage.

"She was remarkably low maintenance," he continued. "We both appreciated the occasional meal in a fine restaurant and traveling abroad, but some years I'd ask what she wanted for her birthday and she would answer, 'a grilled cheese sandwich.' Typical. She was generous to a fault, always putting others' needs before her own."

Weide shared that his wife had a particular "soft spot" for animals in need. "Our own animals were all rescues, and friends would tell her, 'If I can come back in another life, I want to be one of your animals.'" he wrote.

Linda was an actress and Weide shared some of her most memorable roles, but it's clear her role as the leading lady in his life meant the most to him.

"What a team we made," Weide wrote. "She was Gracie to my George. After we purchased side-by-side cemetery plots years ago, I asked her what she wanted her marker to say. She answered, 'I'm with Stupid.' (That request will not be honored.) Oh dear—what am I ever supposed to do without her?"

It can't be easy to wrap up a tribute to the love of your life after they pass, but Weide did it beautifully.

"They say, 'Nothing lasts forever,' but they didn't know about my love for her," he wrote. "28 years wasn't nearly long enough. Still, I may just be the luckiest SOB who ever lived. Rest well, Bunnie. I hope we'll be together again."

And finally, the perfect last line:

"For those who never knew her, I'm sorry for your loss."

Weide has been "surprised and a bit overwhelmed" by how people have responded to the obituary, but he's thrilled that so many people are getting a glimpse of

\u201cI'll admit, I'm surprised and a bit overwhelmed by the response to my tribute to my late wife, Linda. It was just a simple obit in the L.A. Times, and I only posted it on Twitter when others started to. I'm trying to read and \u2764\ufe0f every comment, but I'm falling behind...\u201d
— Robert B. Weide (@Robert B. Weide) 1676158578

"I love that total strangers are confessing to tears and saying they can tell what a beautiful person Linda was. The fact that so many are getting a small taste of what I blessed with for 28 years is so moving," he wrote on Twitter. "Many of the comments have made me cry, some make me laugh...Others make me shout, 'Yes, yes!'"

"Anyway, my deepest appreciation to everyone who's taken the time to read or ❤️ or comment on the tribute," he continued. "You have made this new widower feel a little less lonely. And I know Linda sends her love, too.”

\u201c...Others make me shout, "Yes, yes!" Anyway, my deepest appreciation to everyone who's taken the time to read or \u2764\ufe0f or comment on the tribute. You have made this new widower feel a little less lonely. And I know Linda sends her love, too. I'll post more photos when I can.\u201d
— Robert B. Weide (@Robert B. Weide) 1676158578

Thank you, Bob Weide, for sharing your love story with the world. It seems you were right—we all would have loved Linda.

Read Weide's obituary in full here. And if this story compels you to do something to honor Linda's life, Weide suggests making a donation to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, her favorite animal shelter.

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Boyz II Men updated 'I'll Make Love to You’ for married couples and it's both funny and true

"I'll make love to you, or we can just watch YouTube.”

via The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube

Boyz II Men sing an updated version of "I'll Make Love to You."

Boyz II Men’s classic 1994 love song “I’ll Make Love to You” was one of the most popular make-out songs of the ‘90s. But now, the Gen Xers who got down to it back then are a bit older and have probably settled down.

Life in your 40s and 50s has more to do with handling household chores and parenting responsibilities than making love “all through the night,” as Boyz II Men originally sang nearly 30 years ago. Studies show that the average married couple in their 40s and 50s has sex around once a week, whereas those in their 20s and 30s have it twice as often.

The threesome had some fun with the passing of time on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Valentine’s Day when they debuted an updated version of “I’ll Make Love to You” that reframes the song for couples who’ve been married for the past 15 years. “I’ll Make Love to You (But We Don’t Have To)” features three members of the Philadelphia group’s classic lineup, Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, Wanyá Morris and a cameo from Colbert himself.

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1990s nostalgia

A female scientist’s discovery may lead to the first 'on-demand' male birth control pill

“Men need an option so that the burden of contraception is not on females anymore,” says Dr. Melanie Balbach.

via Free Images

Close up of a man taking a pill.

Even though men have condoms and vasectomies, throughout history, the burden of contraception has ultimately been felt by women because they bear the ultimate responsibility if they become pregnant. To maintain their reproductive freedom, women must take hormone-altering pills, wear patches or insert hormone-filled rings into their vaginas.

They also deal with copper IUDs, shots and spermicide-soaked sponges.

Women also have to manage the cost and hassle of doctors' visits to get their contraception and are at the mercy of the state if they have an unwanted pregnancy. Isn’t it time more men stepped up and took responsibility for contraception?

The good news is that new medical development may provide hope for the countless women who are tired of the pills, IUDs and headaches that come with female contraceptives. The cool thing is that a woman is behind its discovery.

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