On the morning of Sept. 3, the first day the Pentagon said they could, Alicia Butler and her spouse, Judith Chedville, who is a Texas Army National Guard officer, went to Austin’s Camp Mabry so Ms. Butler could get a military spouse identification card and register for the same federal marriage benefits provided to wives and husbands of heterosexual service members.
Read the whole story at The New York Times
From Edward Snowden retired curtain in cyberspying of the national security agency, there has been an improvement in "cryptoparties", where experts offer guidance on keeping private online communications.
Josh Zepps of HuffPost Live spoken with some technology specialists to get the scoop of what exactly happens at these parties. According to Brian Penny, a blogger at Brnetten, is an opportunity for inexperienced Web users learn easy ways to protect themselves with techniques such as encrypt e-mail messages.
"It is for people to know that when you're sending a normal email, it is the equivalent of sending a postcard by mail - no one can see what is there", said. "But when you use a... encryption, it's like putting the postcard in an envelope and sealing it so no one can see it except you and the recipient".
Cryptoparties typically also advocates measures like using online chat applications unofficially and leveraging networks such as Tor, which lets users browse the Internet anonymously.
"Applications in the real world which is what brings the digital technology and bridge the gap", said Penny.
Check out a look and the entire segment on how to evade the NSA in HuffPost living here.
Also in HuffPost:
Sherri Shepherd got very animated on Monday's "The View" while impersonating two women "trash talking" each other.
The roundtable was discussing Serena Williams' back-and-forth with Maria Sharapova over their love lives. Williams said that she apologized to Sharapova for comments that were reported in a Rolling Stone profile of her.
On Monday, the ladies of "The View" debated whether people view public spats between men differently than between women. Shepherd interjected with what she described as an especially fiery exchange she witnessed between two women at a comedy club.
Shepherd threw her hands up in the air and impersonated one woman calling the other a "b-tch" and the other woman telling her to meet her outside.
"We're all grown," Shepherd said, expressing her dismay at the altercation. Her impression even had co-host Whoopi Goldberg getting into the act.
Related on HuffPost: Get AlertsYou're in love, you're getting engaged, and if you haven't yet named the day, you soon will. You want your wedding to be an unforgettable affirmation of your love and of your long-term commitment.
But how can you make sure that in the years to come you will live up to the promises you made on your wedding day?
Looking back on my own 50 years of happy and fulfilled married life, I find that the marriages of family members and friends have had a big influence -- both positive and negative.
First, let's get the negatives out of the way:
• Maybe your own parents, grandparents or siblings are not the greatest ad for marriage. Maybe you grew up hearing constant bickering or worse. Perhaps their marriages ended in divorce. Don't be put off -- you can learn from their mistakes. When your other half is grouchy, he or she is not necessarily angry at you. A hard day at work, indigestion, or even a hangover may be the cause. So make allowances, try to see your partner's point of view and make light of your differences. Next day it may be you that's the bad-tempered one. When that happens, try not to take it out on your spouse.
• You know those uncomfortable occasions when someone mocks their spouse, belittling them or making jokes at their expense? It might raise a laugh but it's hurtful and it's embarrassing for their friends. So if a cruel but witty quip comes to mind, resist the temptation to voice it.
• I've noticed that sometimes when friends split up and they are single again, they seem to have some really good times. Frankly, I've been known to envy them their freedom -- the grass can look so much greener on the other side of the marital fence. Don't be deceived. Just count your blessings, think of all the things you value about your own relationship, and keep them fresh.
And the positives?
• While I was writing Happily Ever After, I interviewed numerous couples, both friends and strangers, about their relationships. A friend half my age commented on my own marriage. She said, "What I love about you and Rob is how polite you are to each other." Of course you can never know what exactly goes on behind closed doors, and I confess to letting the politeness slip a little now and then. But yes, it makes a difference. I've noticed that other couples, clearly very contented, are unfailingly courteous to each other.
• Small tokens of affection are evidence of a happy marriage. A touch on the shoulder, a brief hand-clasp, a secret smile: such gestures are worth frequently making to affirm the relationship.
• All too often couples in restaurants seem to be ignoring each other, sitting in silence, not making eye contact. By contrast, the happiest couples clearly enjoy each other's company. They look at one another, talk and laugh, and definitely do not take each other for granted.
Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall is a garden designer, writer, and winner of two Chelsea Flower Show gold medals. Her book Happily Ever After: A Lighthearted Guide to Wedded Bliss (Atria Books / Marble Arch Press), was published in May 2013. For more information about Jane, visit her website at http://janefearnley-whittingstall.co.uk/.
