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The real winner in Iowa last night wasn't Cruz, Trump, or Clinton. HINT: It was us.

As the Iowa caucus wrapped up last night, America was hard-pressed to find a real winner.

The caucus, which was the first (and weirdest) nominating event in the 2016 presidential campaign, let America know definitively ... that we don't really know anything.


Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.

Ted Cruz took home a victory on the Republican side in Iowa, but his win was preceded by interestingly victorious speeches from Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, who came in second and third, respectively.

On the Democratic side, the race remained too close to call all evening, with some media outlets calling it for Hillary Clinton on Tuesday.

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

Martin O'Malley and Mike Huckabee, who both received single-digit vote percentages, also announced that they were ending their campaigns.

It was an eventful couple of hours.

The real victory, though, went to voter turnout.

With democracy, the catch is that it only really works when people show up. Apparently the voters in Iowa understand that pretty clearly, since voter turnout was record-breaking.

Roughly 182,000 people showed up to Republican caucus events, which shattered the previous record of 122,000 back in 2012.

The Democrats threw a well-attended caucus party as well. One precinct in Des Moines had so many people that lines spilled out into the hallways, and non-participating observers were asked to leave to make space.

Caucus-goers waiting in Des Moines. Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images.

Several caucus sights even had to print more ballots so that everyone could participate:


It's not just about how many voters showed up. It's who showed up, and why.

According to data from The Washington Post, about 4 in 10 caucus-goers said they were attending a caucus for the first time.

Of those first-time caucus voters, 6 in 10 said they supported Bernie Sanders.

Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images.

This high voter turnout is reminiscent of 2008, when a surge of young voters and first-time caucus-goers showed up to Iowa and gave Barack Obama a handy victory.

Democratic Iowa voters also told the Washington Post what qualities matter most to them in a candidate: For Clinton, it was her experience and ability to beat the Republican nominee in November. For Sanders, it was his honesty and the perception that he cares more about the American people.

On the Republican side, Cruz emerged with a majority of support from men aged 45-64. He also received a lot of votes from the born-again Christian population in Iowa, thanks in part to the campaigning efforts of his father, a Texas pastor.

Ted Cruz hugging his father, Rafael Cruz. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.

The Iowa caucus is over, but the games have just begun. Now, attention is on the New Hampshire primary.

All of the remaining candidates are headed to New Hampshire, where they will participate in the nation's first primary election.

There they will all face a brand-new set of voters — more moderate and, overall, less religious than their supporters in Iowa. Fresh off his victory, Cruz will have to play catch-up in New Hampshire, as he has spent relatively little time and effort there.

Clinton and Sanders will also face their first vote without O'Malley in the mix.

Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images.

Unlike the strange Iowa caucus, the New Hampshire primary will be a one person/one vote election. The twists and turns aren't over, and we still have a long way to go. But if you want to have an impact on these races ... it's time to get involved.

The primaries are a long and arduous process. What matters most is that people make their voices heard. Candidates are supposed to be representatives of the people. So when you cast your vote, or stand up and voice your opinion, you really are the true winner.

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Making new friends as an adult is challenging. While people crave meaningful IRL connections, it can be hard to know where to find them. But thanks to one Facebook Group, meeting your new best friends is easier than ever.

Founded in 2018, NYC Brunch Squad brings together hundreds of people who come as strangers and leave as friends through its in-person events.

“Witnessing the transformative impact our community has on the lives of our members is truly remarkable. We provide the essential support and connections needed to thrive amid the city's chaos,” shares Liza Rubin, the group’s founder.

Despite its name, the group doesn’t just do brunch. They also have book clubs, seasonal parties, and picnics, among other activities.

NYC Brunch Squad curates up to 10 monthly events tailored to the specific interests of its members. Liza handles all the details, taking into account different budgets and event sizes – all people have to do is show up.

“We have members who met at our events and became friends and went on to embark on international journeys to celebrate birthdays together. We have had members get married with bridesmaids by their sides who were women they first connected with at our events. We’ve had members decide to live together and become roommates,” Liza says.

Members also bond over their passion for giving back to their community. The group has hosted many impact-driven events, including a “Picnic with Purpose” to create self-care packages for homeless shelters and recently participated in the #SquadSpreadsJoy challenge. Each day, the 100 members participating receive random acts of kindness to complete. They can also share their stories on the group page to earn extra points. The member with the most points at the end wins a free seat at the group's Friendsgiving event.

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Image from Wikimedia Commons.

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I'm not easily impressed, OK?

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Mom shows why painters tape is her 'weird' thing she'll never travel without

For parents with young kids looking to have a little less travel stress this holiday season—this one's for you.

@nicholaknox/Instagram

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Traveling can be stressful for anyone, but it’s particularly challenging for parents with really young kids. The sitting still for long periods of time, the changes in schedule, the abundance of stimuli, the unexpected stomach bugs, the suddenly running out of diaper wipes…all the things that make trips triggering for toddlers and therefore chaotic for mom and dad.

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Living an all-inclusive lifestyle seems like paradise, but it has some drawbacks. Having access to all-you-can-eat food all day long can really have an effect on one’s waistline. Kesteloo admits that living on a cruise ship takes a lot of self-discipline because the temptation is always right under her nose.

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Dog mom has the most random phone conversation that adorably captures her dog's attention

This nonsensical conversation has the puppy ready for tacos...now!

Dog mom's random conversation has dog on edge of his seat

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One dog mom decided to test her luck by holding a fake phone conversation while her dog was nearby and it was shared to social media by HrtWarming. The conversation was about as nonsensical as it could get because no one else was on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah, did you get the treats? Well, he specifically wanted peanut butter. Yeah. Peanut butter treats. Yeah because we're going to go for a ride later," She says. "I think we're going to go for a ride and go to daycare. Camp. Yeah."

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Mozart blew people away with his composing abilities at age 5. Franz Liszt played piano professionally for the aristocracy when he was 9. Yo-Yo Ma played cello for President John F. Kennedy at age 7.

Musical prodigies have fascinated people for centuries with their mastery of music at unexpected ages. Most of us have the same questions: How and at what age were their abilities discovered? Is it nature or nurture or a combination of both? Can prodigies be created on purpose, or is it something no one can predict or control?

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