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Pop Culture

One couple has already won Halloween by perfectly recreating iconic 'Stranger Things' scene

No one can figure out how they did it.

stranger things vecna, stranger things tiktok

Excuse us while we pick our jaws up off the floor.

Yep, we already have a winner for “Coolest Halloween Decor” this year, and this one’s a doozy.

Dave and Aubrey, a “horror prop making family” in Chicago, have left horror fans stunned with their hyperrealistic recreation of arguably THE most iconic scene from season 4 of Netflix’s “Stranger Things.”

If you haven’t seen it (um, where have you been?), the season’s main monster antagonist, Vecna, traps Max and other characters in the alternate dimension of the Upside Down, and just before they meet their doom, these characters begin to float midair in the human world.

Luckily (spoiler alert) our heroes are able to figure out how to save Max before it’s too late, by playing “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush—her favorite song.

Dave and Aubrey somehow managed to make their own life-size replica of Sadie Sink’s character that, no joke, looks like it’s levitating using nothing but some kind of dark magic.


@horrorprops

♬ Stranger Things - Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein

More than 14 million people have been mesmerized on TikTok, including Jimmy Fallon, who called the trick “amazing.”

Dave and Aubrey mentioned in the comments that nothing in the video was edited, which left folks baffled as to how the heck this image was made possible … especially without a tree or a telephone wire to attach a wire to.

“There’s clearly a string connected to a satellite in outer space. How don’t y’all know this?! 🙄🙄,” one person joked.

Though he wouldn’t disclose his secret, Dave did tell WRAL News that it’s “not drones, helium or balloons.” He also shared that he and his wife “go big” every year for Halloween. This year, in an attempt to outdo themselves, they began their project on Aug 1.

Unsurprisingly, a floating Max isn’t the only thing that Dave and Aubrey have up their sleeves this year. It’s actually part of a massive, all encompassing “Stranger Things” display, which includes:

A glowing, smoking Upside Down spire…

@horrorprops Upsidedown spire... it's looking strange here #halloweendiydecor #vecnascurse #strangerthings #strangerthings4 #upsidedown #halloween2022 #diyhalloween #horrorprops #transworldhauntshow #CHB #horrortok #spookytok ♬ Bfg Division - Mick Gordon

“Excuse me, I thought my house was gonna be the spooky one on the block this year w/ my dollar tree props, maybe I’ll just be the Christmas one. Jk lol,” one person quipped.

Vecna’s other victims…

@horrorprops We took Spirits Miserable Marie and tossed her right into Vecnas Layer. #horrorprops #vecna #strangerthings #daveandaubrey #fyp #fypシ #halloween2022 #halloweenprops #horrortok #diyproject#vecnascurse ♬ Chrissy Wake Up (gregorybrothers & Schmoyoho Remix) - Chrissy

Unfortunately, Chrissy (played by Grace Van Dien) wasn’t as lucky as Max. But it makes for a rad haunted house!

Sprawling house vines…

And a creepy cuckoo clock…

@horrorprops Times Up Max. #vecnascurse #diyproject #horrortok #fyp #trending #strangerthings #strangerthings4 #upsidedown #timesup #halloween #transworld2022 #venca #saddiesink ♬ Stranger Things - Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein

Yet another well-known image from season 4.

"There's so many people out there who are fanatics like we are, so we wanted to make something that was the most iconic scene from the show; something maybe no one else could try and do," Dave told WRAL News. Mission successful, Dave. Well done.

For folks in the Chicagoland area, this amazing “Stranger Things” display will be part of a haunted tour for Chicago Haunt Builders. For everyone else: Have no fear, TikTok provides.

Inspired to create your own haunted masterpiece? We’ve rounded up some easy, unique decor ideas to make your house effortlessly spooky this year.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


Health

Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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Humans have debated things large and small over the millennia, from the democracy to breastfeeding in public to how often people ought to wash their sheets.

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The "over or under" question has plagued marriages and casual acquaintances alike for over 100 years, with both sides convinced they have the soundest reasoning for putting their toilet paper loose end out or loose end under. Some people feel so strongly about right vs. wrong TP hanging that they will even flip the roll over when they go to the bathroom in the homes of strangers.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not merely an inconsequential preference. There is actually a "correct" way to hang toilet paper, according to health experts as well as the man who invented the toilet paper roll in the first place.

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Photo via iStock.

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The son is badly injured. Paramedics rush him to the hospital.

Photo via iStock.

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