+
upworthy
More

Even under pressure, Angela Merkel shows what it means to put people before politics.

Time magazine recently named German Chancellor Angela Merkel its 2015 Person of the Year. Meanwhile, her country hit a milestone that illustrates why she earned the honor.

This week, Germany announced that it has accepted more than 1 million refugees inside its borders in 2015.

One. MILLION.


Photo by John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Image.

For perspective, Germany has welcomed more refugees in 2015 than the United States has in the last 10 years.

Germany, a country of 80 million people, allowed in 1 million refugees this year alone. The United States, a country of 300 million, allows in roughly 70,000 refugees every year. You could say that's either rather embarrassing for the U.S., or a major statement of compassion for Germany. Perhaps it's both.

"Germany is doing what is morally and legally obliged [to do for refugees]. Not more, and not less," Merkel has said. And through her actions, she's stood by that sentiment, for sure.

Photo by Tobias Schwartz/AFP/Getty Images.

Merkel's ability to see refugees as real people in need of assistance, and not as a scary monolithic group of foreign invaders, has put Germany at the front of the refugee crisis.Some say her open-arms approach came as a change of heart after she encountered a young Palestinian refugee during a televised event back in July.

Whatever the case, it hasn't come without controversy.

Merkel's ability to see refugees as real people in need of assistance, and not as a scary monolithic group of foreign invaders, has put Germany at the front of the refugee crisis.

From fellow politicians and officials to the media to the German people, her efforts have seen an increasing amount of backlash stemming from concerns about cities that may not have the resources to handle the increased number of incoming refugees.

Merkel understands the concerns but doesn't see turning her back on refugees as the answer either. Besides, she's used to being the first to do something.

"It's no exaggeration to see this task as a historic test for Europe," she said during a Brussels summit on the crisis, adding that to "slam the door ... is an illusion in the internet age of the 21st century."

Photo by John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Image.

Adding an additional million people to a country of only 80 million in such a short amount of time isn't easy.

Perhaps the best analogy is this: It's kind of like when a small gathering of friends turns into an enormous house party. It's all a bit unexpected, but you still want everyone to get along and not break anything.

Merkel's open-door policy has stood strong despite increasing criticism, and Germany is doing its best to keep its refugee situation under control and ensure all the partygoers are happy and have enough to eat and drink and a place to crash at the end of the night. (OK, this party analogy may have gotten away from me.)

One way Germany is trying to do this is through a new plan to issue ID cards to all asylum-seekers to help store and centralize the info of who is coming in and what their asylum status is. It'll be interesting to see how the ID program turns out when it rolls out in February, but the plan is proof that Germany isn't afraid to figure out solutions to the influx of refugees as it goes — rather than pausing all incoming refugees until it can determine a solution (as some presidential candidates have suggested the United States should do).

Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images.

As people continue to flee violence in Syria and other countries every day, the need for shelter, safety, and acceptance elsewhere is desperately needed — and Merkel, who has been chancellor since 2005, has stepped up to provide it. Even through the resistance, she's calling on other countries to do the same.

Canada is the latest to step up to the challenge. Prime Minster Justin Trudeau was seen greeting refugees at the airport when they arrived to their new country this week.

Merkel being declared Time's Person of the Year is big in another way too: It's the first time in 29 years that a woman has held the title.

While Merkel has been a huge voice in the refugee crisis, she's done a lot more than just that over the past 10 years. From her leadership role in the Greek debt crisis, to negotiating cease-fire deals with Russia, to recently joining the fight against ISIS, she's undoubtedly transformed German politics.

Chancellor Merkel is putting people over politics and standing up for what's right, no matter what. That's a surprisingly rare quality in many public leaders, and her strength and compassion are commendable.

Whether you support her leadership or not, it's no wonder she's considered by many as the most powerful woman in the world.

popular

10 anti-holiday recipes that prove the season can be tasty and healthy

Balance out heavy holiday eating with some lighter—but still delicious—fare.

Albertson's

Lighten your calorie load with some delicious, nutritious food between big holiday meals.

True

The holiday season has arrived with its cozy vibe, joyous celebrations and inevitable indulgences. From Thanksgiving feasts to Christmas cookie exchanges to Aunt Eva’s irresistible jelly donuts—not to mention leftover Halloween candy still lingering—fall and winter can feel like a non-stop gorge fest.

Total resistance is fairly futile—let’s be real—so it’s helpful to arm yourself with ways to mitigate the effects of eating-all-the-things around the holidays. Serving smaller amounts of rich, celebratory foods and focusing on slowly savoring the taste is one way. Another is to counteract those holiday calorie-bomb meals with some lighter fare in between.

Contrary to popular belief, eating “light” doesn’t have to be tasteless, boring or unsatisfying. And contrary to common practice, meals don’t have to fill an entire plate—especially when we’re trying to balance out heavy holiday eating.

It is possible to enjoy the bounties of the season while maintaining a healthy balance. Whether you prefer to eat low-carb or plant-based or gluten-free or everything under the sun, we’ve got you covered with these 10 easy, low-calorie meals from across the dietary spectrum.

Each of these recipes has less than 600 calories (most a lot less) per serving and can be made in less than 30 minutes. And Albertsons has made it easy to find O Organics® ingredients you can put right in your shopping cart to make prepping these meals even simpler.

Enjoy!

eggs and green veggies in a skillet, plate of baconNot quite green eggs and ham, but closeAlbertsons

Breakfast Skillet of Greens, Eggs & Ham

273 calories | 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (5 oz) pkg baby spinach

2 eggs

1 clove garlic

4 slices prosciutto

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 medium zucchini squash

1/8 cup butter, unsalted

1 pinch crushed red pepper

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bow of cauliflower ham saladGet your cauliflower power on.Albertsons

Creamy Cauliflower Salad with Ham, Celery & Dill

345 calories | 20 minutes

1/2 medium head cauliflower

1 stick celery

1/4 small bunch fresh dill

8 oz. ham steak, boneless

1/2 shallot

1/4 tspblack pepper

1/4 tsp curry powder

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1/8 tsp paprika

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

tofu on skewers on a plate with coleslawPlant-based food fan? This combo looks yums. Albertsons

Grilled Chili Tofu Skewers with Ranch Cabbage, Apple & Cucumber Slaw

568 calories | 20 minutes

1 avocado

1/2 English cucumber

1 (12 oz.) package extra firm tofu

1 Granny Smith apple

3 Tbsp (45 ml) Ranch dressing

1/2 (14 oz bag) shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix)

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

frittata in a cast iron skilletSometimes you just gotta frittata.Albertsons

Bell Pepper, Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata with Parmesan

513 calories | 25 minutes

6 eggs

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

2 oz Parmesan cheese

1 red bell pepper

1/2 medium red onion

8 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with slices of grilled chicken and a caprese saladCaprese, if you please.Albertsons

Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Classic Caprese Salad

509 calories | 25 minutes

3/4 lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless

1/2 small pkg fresh basil

1/2 (8 oz pkg) fresh mozzarella cheese

1 clove garlic

3 tomatoes

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 3/4 pinches black pepper

1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

four stuffed mushrooms on a plateThese mushrooms look positively poppable.Albertsons

Warm Goat Cheese, Parmesan & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

187 calories | 35 minutes

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1 1/4 pinches crushed red pepper

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with open English muffin with goat cheese and sliced baby tomatoes on topMove over, avocado toast. English muffin pizzas have arrived.Albertsons

English Muffin Pizzas with Basil Pesto, Goat Cheese & Tomatoes

327 calories | 10 minutes

3 Tbsp (45 ml) basil pesto

2 English muffins

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/2 pint grape tomatoes

3/4 pinch black pepper

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

pita pocket on a plate filled with veggies, meat and cheeseThis pita pocket packs a colorful punch.Albertsons

Warm Pita Pocket with Turkey, Cheddar, Roasted Red Peppers & Parsley

313 calories | 20 minutes

1/4 (8 oz) block cheddar cheese

1/2 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

4 oz oven roasted turkey breast, sliced

1/2 (12 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers

1 whole grain pita

3/4 pinch black pepper

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp mayonnaise

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with toast smeared with avocado and topped with prosciuttoDid we say, "Move over, avocado toast?" What we meant was "Throw some prosciutto on it!" Albertsons

Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto

283 calories | 10 minutes

1 avocado

2 slices prosciutto

2 slices whole grain bread

1 5/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bowl of chili with cheese and green onions on topVegetarian chili with a fall twistAlbertsons

Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili with Cheddar

444 calories | 30 minutes

2 (15 oz can) black beans

1/2 (8 oz ) block cheddar cheese

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 green bell peppers

1 small bunch green onions (scallions)

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 7/8 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes, visit albertsons.com/recipes.

Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Van Gogh’s Starry Night.



Van Gough never got to enjoy his own historic success as an artist (even though we've been able to imagine what that moment might have looked like). But it turns out that those of us who have appreciated his work have been missing out on some critical details for more than 100 years.

I'm not easily impressed, OK?

I know Van Gogh was a genius. If the point of this were "Van Gogh was a mad genius," I would not be sharing this with you.
Keep ReadingShow less

Dog waits patiently for human after being caught in couch cover

Dogs are certainly entertaining if they're nothing else. You never know what sort of nonsense they're going to get into while you're away or even down the hall. Dogs have dug holes in couches to play in the foam, spread trash all over the floor because they smelled an empty peanut butter container. Some dogs have even found their way to their owner's roofs for no apparent reason outside of getting closer to the birds.

One dog and his dog sibling were snoozing away while their owners were out. The couch one of the dogs was sleeping on had a fitted sheet or couch cover draped over it...until the dog got startled almost rolling off the couch. While the brown pooch was attempting to correct himself so he didn't land on his back, the couch cover decided to turn the poor dog into a burrito.

He successfully got turned around in time to gently hop onto the floor but everything went black.

Keep ReadingShow less

Gen Xer shares some timeless advice for Gen Z.

Meghan Smith is the owner of Melody Note Vintage store in the eternally hip town of Palm Springs, California, and her old-school Gen X advice has really connected with younger people on TikTok.

In a video posted in December 2022, she shares the advice she wishes that “somebody told me in my twenties” and it has received more than 13 million views. Smith says that she gave the same advice to her partner's two daughters when they reached their twenties.

The video is hashtagged #GenX advice for #GenZ and late #millennials. Sorry older millennials, you’re too old to receive these pearls of wisdom.

Keep ReadingShow less
via Eltpics / Twitter

Mapping out the structure of the inner ear.

There are no two human beings who are exactly alike. One of the funny quirks of evolution is that some of us can do things with our bodies we think are routine, but are impossible for others.

Some people can wiggle their ears, others can't. Some can wiggle their nose like Samantha from "Bewitched" while others just look really silly when making an attempt.

Not everyone can lick their elbow but most wouldn't attempt to do so in public.

Keep ReadingShow less
Family

What to do when you're the child of an alcoholic

My dad was an addict, and growing up with him taught me a lot.

Photo with permission from writer Ashley Tieperman.

Ashley Tieperman and her father.



There was never just one moment in my family when we “found out" that my dad was an addict.

I think I always knew, but I never saw him actually drinking. Usually, he downed a fifth of vodka before he came home from work or hid tiny bottles in the garage and bathroom cabinets.

Keep ReadingShow less
Science

32 years separate this before and after of a beautiful Washington forest. Take a look.

Our relationship with our planet can be mutually beneficial if we commit ourselves to sustainability.

A return to green over decades.


Douglas Scott grew up on Washington's Olympic Peninsula in the dying shadow of the timber industry that had supported the region for decades.

"Nearly every home had a bright orange or yellow sign reading 'This home supported by timber dollars,'" Scott wrote on Outdoor Society.

Keep ReadingShow less