Friday, 7 April 2023

The signs of DVT, the 'silent killer' that struck NBC's David Bloom 20 years ago.

April 7, 2023 | VIEW IN BROWSER

This is TODAY

Tennessee Republicans expel two Black Democratic lawmakers from the state House for participating in anti-gun violence protests, while voting not to expel a white Democratic lawmaker who joined them. Plus, a mom is speaking out about social media "challenges" after she was allegedly assaulted in a Target and sent to the hospital by a group of teens filming one.

The Latest

The Tennessee GOP expelled two Democratic lawmakers from the state House for anti-gun violence protests.

Republican legislators in Tennessee voted yesterday to expel two Black Democrats from the state House over their protests on the chamber floor against gun violence last week, while a vote to expel a third, white Democratic representative fell short. It's the first time in state history that Tennessee House members have been expelled for alleged chamber rules violations. Republicans expelled Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, while a vote to kick out Rep. Gloria Johnson failed. "We called for you all to ban assault weapons, and you respond with an assault on democracy," Jones said in a speech. Johnson was asked at a press conference why she was spared. "It might have to do with the color of our skin," she said. Tennessee Republicans denied that claim. Here's the latest.

20 years ago, the death of NBC's David Bloom was caused by a 'silent killer.' Here's what to know about DVT.

Yesterday marked 20 years since the death of beloved NBC News correspondent David Bloom while he was reporting on the war in Iraq. Bloom, 39, died from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after a blood clot in his legs, likely brought on in part by spending long days inside cramped armored vehicles, traveled to his lungs, causing a fatal pulmonary embolism. Here's what to know about DVT, including the biggest risk factors (sitting all day is one, as is having increased estrogen), symptoms and ways to prevent it. Also, Bloom's widow and three daughters looked back on their last days with him and shared his poignant final words.

A mom who was hospitalized after a social media prank at a Target store urges parents to talk to their kids about so-called 'challenges.'

Lana Clay-Monaghan, 35, was enjoying a rare moment to herself in the aisle at a Target near her California home last month when the mother of 8-month-old twins said she "felt this thing come over me." Four male juveniles had jammed a bucket on her head and likely filmed it for a social media "prank challenge," police said. "Instantly it was dark," she told TODAY.com. "I started screaming, but it was really close to my face so I couldn't really catch my breath." Clay-Monaghan, who has epilepsy, fainted and smacked her head on the floor, resulting in a trip to the hospital. Police are investigating but have not made arrests. Clay-Monaghan is speaking out to inspire parents to talk to their children about the dangers of social media pranks. "The amount of families who've messaged me and said: 'I'm so sorry about what happened to you, but I want to let you know I sat down at the dinner table tonight to talk to my kids,'" Clay-Monaghan said.

🚿 Here's how often cleaning pros say you should scrub your shower.

It's a task you can forget about until the grime starts to appear and you realize you're a little behind on keeping the shower clean. A trio of cleaning experts gave us tips on what you should be cleaning in the shower every day; what you should scrub a few times a week; and how to properly clean the shower floor, walls, doors and shower head. They also recommended the best cleaning sprays, gloves, cloths and glass cleaners among 10 top cleaning products you can shop right now.

Live Better TODAY

Achieve your life goals with easy tips.

You've ordered your meal at a restaurant, but it's missing one of your favorite condiments. According to a viral Reddit post, one woman facing that dilemma took matters into her own hands and ran out mid-meal to buy a bottle of ranch dressing when the restaurant didn't have it. But is that OK? Thomas P. Farley, aka Mr. Manners, weighed in for us on whether it's rude to bring your condiment of choice when you go out to eat, or even duck out to buy some if the restaurant doesn't offer it. His answer is a resounding yes, as he calls the move "unorthodox and disrespectful." Instead, he says, try these 3 tips if you're craving something the kitchen might not have.

What's for dinner?

Allow us to do the meal-planning for you.

The famous meatballs from Carbone's restaurants in New York City and Miami can now be right on your own dinner table with this recipe from chef Mario Carbone. The delectable meatballs are made from a combination of ground beef, ground veal and sweet Italian sausage. Mario also uses soaked croutons softened in whole milk as the breading instead of store-bought breadcrumbs, which keeps the meatballs nice and tender. Get the recipe.

Daily Delight

A little pick-me-up before you go.

We have a Shaq-tastic update to a previous Daily Delight, thanks to NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. The 7-foot-2 Hall of Famer reached out to help Eric Kilburn Jr., a 14-year-old who is 6-10 and has size 23 feet. The Michigan teen struggled to find shoes that fit, resulting in excruciating foot pain, before his family's story provoked an outpouring of help. That included O'Neal, who has size 22 feet and experienced many of the same issues growing up. "I got you big man," O'Neal commented on TODAY's Instagram after the initial story about Eric came out. He followed up by having five pairs of size 23 Reeboks sent to Eric and putting him in contact with a designer who makes shoes up to size 26. O'Neal also made a special phone call to the boy. "I was flabbergasted," Kilburn told Hometown Life. "My soul left my body for a moment, I was so shocked."