Arizona House Republicans unanimously voted to ban basic income programs in the state.
They say guaranteed basic income programs are like socialism.
Arizona has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the United States.
Arizona Republican lawmakers appear to be in full agreement: A guaranteed basic income is a disastrous idea.
The Arizona House of Representatives voted Thursday in favor of a bill that would prohibit guaranteed basic income programs in the state, despite Arizona grappling with the fourth-highest rate of homelessness in the nation.
No Democrat voted in favor of the bill. But the Republican majority voted unanimously.
Basic income programs, which offer segments of society no-strings-attached payments, are gaining traction across the nation as a way to address the wealth gap and reduce poverty.
The bill's author, Republican Rep. Lupe Diaz, has compared such programs to socialism, calling the payments "unearned." Diaz did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The legislation bans "any program where persons are provided with regular, periodic cash payments that are unearned and that may be used for any purpose." It doesn't include work or training programs.
The bill still needs to pass the state Senate before it can become law. The state Senate consists of 30 members, 16 Republicans and 14 Democrats.
Guaranteed basic income programs typically support qualifying families or individuals, often those living at or near the poverty line, with regular government payments for a set period. They are a more targeted version of a universal basic income, which gives funds to entire populations regardless of their income or other considerations.
Dozens of cities and states have toyed with various styles of no-strings-attached cash assistance in recent years.
A senior director at Point Source Youth, a national youth homelessness nonprofit that helped facilitate the Oregon program, told Business Insider that participants said they used the funds to obtain housing, enroll in school, and purchase cars.
Another program in Austin that gave $1,000 monthly payments to low-income families found that participants were "substantially more housing secure" one year into the program than when they enrolled. The report found that participants, on average, said they spent more than half of the payments they received on housing.
Yet despite the apparent success of the programs, some state lawmakers — largely Republicans who say the programs discourage recipients from working — are trying to ban them.
One basic income program in Harris County, Texas — where Houston is located — is under constitutional review by the state's attorney general after a Republican state lawmaker requested a review. The Uplift Harris program is using $20.5 million of COVID-19 relief funds to support $500 monthly payments for low-income families.
Republicans in other states have also introduced bans similar to the one proposed in Arizona. In Iowa, Republican state Rep. Steve Holt introduced a bill to ban basic income programs last month, calling them "socialism on steroids."
Another basic income ban in South Dakota passed through a committee 8 to 1 along party lines on February 5 and is now headed to the state senate.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. John Wiik, said basic income programs are a "socialist idea" during a committee meeting on February 5.
"Guaranteed income programs, also known as basic income, undercut the dignity in earning a dollar, and they're a one-way ticket to government dependency," Wiik said in the hearing.
Wendy Williams will open about about her recent experiences in an upcoming documentary titled "Where Is Wendy Williams?"
Johnny Nunez/WireImage
Wendy Williams has largely stayed out of the spotlight since exiting her talk show in 2021.
Williams has been under a guardianship since 2022.
A new Lifetime documentary titled "Where Is Wendy Williams?" will explain what happened to the star.
Wendy Williams is finally ready to give fans some answers.
Williams, a fixture of daytime TV for more than a decade, stepped away from "The Wendy Williams Show" in 2021 amid health issues. Since then, Williams has kept a low profile.
On Thursday, her care team announced that the star was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and dementia. The news came ahead of the release of Lifetime's two-night documentary "Where Is Wendy Williams?"
Here's a complete timeline of Williams' health challenges and guardianship.
October 31, 2017: Williams passes out on live TV
Wendy Williams in New York City on April 17, 2017.
The daytime talk show host recovered quickly and returned after the commercial break to assure fans she was OK.
"That was not a stunt," Williams clarified. "I overheated in my costume and I did pass out, but, you know what? I'm a champ and I'm back."
February 2018: She cancels three tapings of her show due to flu-like symptoms
Wendy Williams in Atlanta on August 29, 2017.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
During the week of February 12, 2018, Williams canceled tapings of her show scheduled for Wednesday through Friday.
"It's not the flu yet, but I feel flu-ish," Williams said in a video shared on Instagram, which has since been deleted. The host also added that she hadn't taken a sick day since starting her talk show in 2008.
"Wendy is still experiencing flu-like symptoms and so she can rest up and get better, we have decided to cancel tapings the rest of the week," a representative for the show told Us Weekly that week.
Williams gave Wendy Watchers an update on February 16 in an Instagram post that has also been deleted.
"I guess when you don't take a sick day EVER in over 25 years, the ground is supposed to shake! LOL," she wrote. "I ride or die for my craft. I appreciate all the tremendous love and support from everyone — especially my incredible staff. I'm hydrating this bug out. I will be back Monday and topics will be POPPING!! Miss u all."
She returned to "The Wendy Williams Show" the following Monday, February 19.
"I must say, it's good to be back," Williams said. "I apologize to those of you who had tickets for the show Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. I was not here. I was flu-ish with complications, but no more."
February 21, 2018: Williams reveals that she has Graves' disease
Wendy Williams in Atlanta on August 16, 2018.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Two days after returning to her show, Williams announced that she was diagnosed with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disease that causes an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
The star also said she'd take three weeks off to prioritize her health. "As women, we always put everything before us," she told the audience. "Stop putting everyone first."
In March of that year, Williams told People magazine that she was diagnosed with Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism 19 years earlier.
"It came from me neglecting my six-month endocrinology appointment," she said.
"I feel a hundred percent better than I was a few months ago. I had a storm going in my body is the best way I can explain it," Williams added.
December 2018: She gets injured and fractures her shoulder
Wendy Williams in New York City on September 11, 2018.
Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald
Williams got a hairline fracture in her right shoulder on Sunday, December 16, and missed the Monday taping of her talk show. She returned that Tuesday with her arm sling concealed underneath her shirt.
Williams said she wouldn't have been able to go to work on Monday because her "shoulder was on fire." So, she focused on medical attention that day.
"I'm on the mend," she said. "I don't need an operation. They tell me I'm very healthy for a person after 50."
Williams added that she would power through the remainder of the season before resting since only a few more days of filming were left.
March 4, 2019: Williams returns to her show after taking a nearly two-month hiatus due to her health
Wendy Williams in New York City on July 23, 2019.
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for SiriusXM
During her extended absence from the show, celebrity guests filled in for Williams.
"We were only supposed to be off two weeks for Christmas vacation," Williams said when she returned. "Toward the end of the two weeks, I started to feel thyroid-ish."
Wiliams said that her medications were still being modified.
"If you don't know about thyroid disease, it's a lifelong thing and they are always adjusting stuff," she said. "It can really screw you over."
Williams said that she was also dealing with Graves' disease and her vertigo during that time.
"I have a plethora of doctors, my medical team, and I'm happy to tell you that I'm doing swell," she added, to the applause of the audience.
March 19, 2019: Williams reveals she's been living in a sober house and seeking treatment for addiction
Wendy Williams in New York City on October 28, 2019.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
"You know me for being a very open and truthful person and I've got more to the story for you," Williams said on her talk show.
"Well, for some time now, and even today and beyond, I have been living in a sober house," Williams said, explaining that she and her then-husband Kevin Hunter Sr. created The Hunter Foundation and the 888-5-HUNTER phone number to help people with addiction.
"You know I've had a struggle with cocaine in my past," she added. "I never went to a place to get the treatment. I don't know how, except God was sitting on my shoulder, and I just stopped."
The TV personality said that only Hunter Sr. and their son, Kevin Hunter Jr., knew about her situation.
"I am driven by my 24-hour sober coach back to the home that I live in here in the tristate with a bunch of smelly boys who have become my family," Williams said.
"Doors locked by 10 p.m., lights out by 10 p.m.," she continued. "So I go to my room and stare at the ceiling and fall asleep to come here and see you. So that is my truth."
July 8, 2019: Williams announces that she's been diagnosed with lymphedema
Wendy Williams in New York City on September 9, 2019.
Paul Bruinooge/Getty Images
Williams shared the diagnosis on an episode of her show, after addressing paparazzi photos in which her ankles appeared puffy and swollen.
"It's not going to kill me, but I do have a machine," she said, adding that she's "got it under control."
May 18, 2020: Williams takes a break from her talk show because of Graves' disease symptoms
Wendy Williams in New York City on December 10, 2019.
Manny Carabel/Getty Images
Williams was filming "The Wendy Williams Show" remotely from her home during the coronavirus pandemic but stepped away to get treatment for symptoms of Graves' disease, a representative for the show told AP News.
"We look forward to welcoming Wendy back soon and continuing the Wendy@Home shows," the statement said.
September 2021: Williams tests positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19 and delays the season 13 premiere of "The Wendy Williams Show."
Wendy Williams during an interview with host Seth Meyers on June 15, 2021.
Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
"While continuing her health evaluations, Wendy has tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19," read a statement posted on the talk show's official Instagram account.
"To allow Wendy time to quarantine and fully recover and to ensure that our production abides by all SAG/AFTRA and DGA Covid protocols, we expect to begin the 13th season of 'The Wendy Williams Show' on Monday, October 4th," the statement continued. "In the meantime, repeats will be scheduled."
Days prior, "The Wendy Williams Show" Instagram account announced that the host was "dealing with some ongoing health issues" and could not fulfill promotional obligations.
October 2021: Williams began a hiatus from her show amid health complications
Wendy Williams in New York City on August 6, 2019.
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
Season 13 of "The Wendy Williams Show" premiered on October 18, 2021, sans Williams. As the season progressed, other guests such as Leah Remini hosted in her place.
"Wendy continues to be under medical supervision and meets with her medical team on a daily basis," a post shared on the show's Instagram account. "She is making progress but is experiencing serious complications as a direct result of Graves' Disease and her thyroid condition. It has been determined that more time is needed before she is able to return to her live hosting duties."
February 8, 2022: People magazine reports that Williams won't return to season 13 at all
Wendy Williams during an interview with host Seth Meyers on September 12, 2019.
Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
"Wendy won't be returning to the show for the rest of this season," the source said. "Her healing is going slower than everyone had hoped. She continues to deal with a number of medical issues, including Graves' disease, and she and her team are taking it one day at a time."
The source also denied reports of a stroke, drugs, addiction, or dementia being factors in Williams' absence.
"The Wendy Williams Show" was officially canceled months later, and the final episode aired on Friday, June 17, without Williams present — despite the star previously being hopeful of a return.
Sherri Shepherd hosted the series finale and launched her own daytime talk show, "Sherri," in September of that year, replacing the time slot previously held by Williams.
February 2022: Williams becomes embroiled in a financial battle with Wells Fargo and a guardianship is subsequently put in place
Wendy Williams in Hollywood, California on October 17, 2019.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Wells Fargo froze Williams' accounts and petitioned a New York court for financial guardianship for the TV star, claiming that she was an "incapacitated person."
Williams' attorney, LaShawn Thomas, responded to this claim, telling Variety in a statement that "Wendy wants the world to know that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and well-being."
"During this hiatus from the show, Wendy has employed holistic health professionals to help her reach optimal health during her treatment of Graves' disease and thyroid concerns," Thomas said.
According to Variety, Williams said in the affidavit that her former financial advisor, Lori Schiller, called her "of unsound mind," resulting in the bank barring her access.
Williams was placed under a temporary financial guardianship in March. That month, she told "Good Morning America" that she was "absolutely" of sound mind.
On May 19, a New York judge appointed a guardian over Williams' finances until July.
"Wendy doesn't agree with a financial guardian being appointed," Thomas told The Hollywood Reporter. "If it's the court's intention to have one appointed over her affairs for the long haul, she definitely isn't going to accept that."
February 22, 2024: Williams' team reveals via a press release that she was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in 2023.
Wendy Williams in New York City on February 21, 2023.
Johnny Nunez/WireImage
News of the official diagnosis was made public two days before the release of Lifetime's two-night documentary, "Where Is Wendy Williams," which was filmed over the course of nearly two years and follows the titular star's life after the end of her talk show. The documentary will air on Saturday and Sunday.
"Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy's ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy's condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions," her care team said in a press release.
"In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia," the statement continued.
Both of these conditions can result in issues with memory and mood changes. Actor Bruce Willis was also previously diagnosed with aphasia and FTD.
The same day that this diagnosis was revealed, TMZ reported that Sabrina Morrissey, Williams' guardian, filed a lawsuit against Lifetime's parent company A&E Television Networks.
With its harsh winters and limited sunlight, it's only natural for the rest of the globe to wonder just what brings the Nordic country such persistent joy.
From free education to social benefits, there are a number of factors that may contribute to the nation's happiness — or contentedness, as locals would rather put it.
But whether it's satisfaction or true happiness Americans are chasing, it seems like Finland is onto something. Here are 11 things people do in Finland that Americans might find surprising — and some could provide valuable insight into unlocking a more comfortable life.
Some parents leave their babies outside to nap while they shop or enjoy a meal.
In Helsinki, a woman pushes a baby's stroller through the snow.
Alessandro Rampazzo/Anadolu via Getty Images
It's common for parents in Nordic countries like Finland to let their babies sleep outside.
While this may seem outrageous to parents in America for various safety reasons, Finnish society is typically far more trusting, locals told Business Insider in 2023. Additionally, parents can take precautions like using weather-appropriate clothing, designated outdoor napping areas, and video monitors to ensure their child is safe.
Many Finnish parents believe this sleeping method is preferable to bringing their babies inside, where they're more likely to be disturbed. Additionally, Katie Palmer, a sleep consultant in the UK, previously told BI that babies may sleep better and longer and be exposed to fewer germs.
The shared sense of safety in Finland also impacts children's activities as they grow, too. Some kids as young as 7 will walk to playgrounds and travel to and from school independently.
The Finnish government provides all expectant mothers and adoptive parents with the option to receive a baby box.
This gift box contains many of the same items as the Finnish government's Baby Box, like clothes, a brush, and blankets.
Netrun78/Shutterstock
Baby boxes, also known as maternity boxes, are a long-standing initiative in Finland designed to give all children an equal start in life by providing essentials for an infant's first months.
In April 2023, YouTuber Ihana Pon posted a video detailing the contents of her Finnish baby box. Included were items like a snowsuit, onesies, bedding, toiletries, and a book.
She said every mother can apply for either the box or a cash supplement after 150 days of pregnancy.
Working Finnish parents are also entitled to parental leave and continued pay after their child is born, with mothers receiving 17.5 weeks off at 74.6% of their pay, according to a December 2022 report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This equates to about 13 weeks of fully paid time off.
The US, on the other hand, has no federally mandated minimum paid maternity leave.
They go to college for free.
Helsinki University of Technology.
DEA/ARCHIVIO J. LANGE/De Agostini/Getty Images
Finland provides all residents with free education through the Ph.D. level.
BI reported that in 2021, Finland spent 24% of its gross domestic product on social protection, and in 2023, the OECD reported an 85% satisfaction rate with the country's education system. Americans, in contrast, reported a 64% satisfaction rate with education.
Despite the differences in satisfaction, the OECD reported that more Americans aged 25-64 completed tertiary education than Finns in 2022.
Many Finnish families will vacation in summer cottages without running water or electricity.
A lakeside cabin in the woods in Finland.
MDowningUK/Shutterstock
In a country as northern as Finland, summer is sacred — it's so important that following Midsummer Day in late June, "virtually the entire country 'shuts down'" for over a month, This is Finland wrote in "A Guide to Finnish Customs and Manners," produced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department for Communications.
Such a shutdown is made possible by the country's commitment to a work-life balance. By many US employers' standards, Finns get a lot of paid time off: five weeks — typically four weeks in the summer and one in the winter — and 13 national holidays, according to data shared by Vacation Tracker.
Many families use this time to vacation in rural summer cottages, known as mökki. These often don't have running water or electricity. The lack of distractions provides both a physical and mental escape from the pressures of daily life, Culture Trip reported.
Finns drink more coffee than anyone else in the world.
A cup of coffee.
That translates to roughly five to eight cups of coffee a day, compared to the average American's three cups, according to a 2020 report from National Coffee Data Trends.
The beverage is such a large part of Finnish culture that the language has adapted to contain words specifying different coffee-drinking situations. For example, there's "saunakahvi," which is sauna coffee; "mitalikahvit," coffee after winning a sporting medal; and "vaalikahvit," coffee after voting in an election.
The country even has a labor agreement that mandates two 15-minute coffee breaks per day, which is hard to imagine coming from the US, where there isn't even a federal mandate for lunch breaks.
While we can't pinpoint exactly why Finland has such an affinity for coffee, BI reported in 2020 that people may use caffeine to help power through the long winter days with minimal sunlight.
In Finland, it's normal to use a public sauna completely naked.
Tools for a hotel sauna in Helsinki.
Sergi Reboredo/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
When you think about Finland, saunas are perhaps one of the first cultural components you envision. However, there are differences between how Finns and Americans typically use them.
Aurora, a Finnish TikToker living in Los Angeles, explained in a 2023 video that she was stunned when she saw Americans use a sauna in gym clothes and shoes, and with their electronics. She had entered the sauna wearing only a towel.
In another TikTok, she described the staples of Finnish sauna culture, including being naked, using birch tree leaves to exfoliate, and being very quiet.
She added that it's common for Finnish people to use saunas in the winter, then jump into a pile of snow or go swimming in icy waters.
"I know this is like super popular right now in the wellness world to do sauna and do cold plunge that we have been doing for centuries, and it's the best," she told her followers.
She told Business Insider she hopes Americans can experience saunas the way she does back home because they're "much more relaxing."
Wife carrying is a unique sport that originated in Finland.
The 2017 Wife Carrying World Championships took place in Sonkajäervi, Finland.
Timo Hartikainen/AFP via Getty Images
Wife carrying's origins stem from the 19th-century figure Herkko Rosvo-Ronkainen, also known as "Ronkainen the Robber." Although there are different versions of the story, the idea is that Herkko and his men would kidnap women from their homes and carry them on their backs, reported Wife-Carrying.org.
The first modern competition was held in Finland in 1992, and it is now held annually in Sonkajärvi, Finland.
The contest is almost exactly as it sounds: A male must carry his "wife" (marriage isn't a real requirement) while racing through two dry obstacles and one wet obstacle. The "wife" must be at least 18 years old and weigh a minimum of 108 pounds to compete.
In addition to wife carrying, Finns are also known for their interests in other eclectic sports like air guitar playing and rubber boot throwing.
Finns buy most of their alcohol from government-owned liquor stores.
A person holds a bottle of vodka at Alko, the Finnish national liquor store, in 2007.
GAEL BRANCHEREAU/AFP via Getty Images
Unlike in the US, Finns can only purchase beverages that have an alcohol content of 5.5 percent and higher from the state-owned liquor store, Alko. The only exceptions to this rule are "microbrewery beers and Finnish farm wines," according to Alko's website.
Alko stores are closed on national holidays like Easter Monday, Midsummer Day, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Finnish people typically don't interrupt each other's conversations, and they're comfortable with silence.
People enjoy outdoor dining at a café in Turku, Finland, alongside the River Aura Aurajoki.
Sergi Reboredo/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Americans aren't exactly known for being comfortable with silence. Instead, we fill gaps in conversation and often speak over each other during exciting discussions, leading to a reputation for being talkative and loud.
In Finland, however, it's normal to accept silence in conversation, and it's considered rude to interrupt, demonstrating a cultural difference that places more of an emphasis on listening than speaking, reported This is Finland in its "A Guide to Finnish Customs and Manners."
Finland believes incarceration should be about rehabilitation.
An inmate lies in his cell in the Saramaki prison in Turku, Finland in 2008.
RONI LEHTI/Stringer/AFP via Getty Images
Like many other Nordic and Scandinavian countries, Finland has a progressive criminal justice system.
One hallmark of the system is the open prison. In 2020, Business Insider reported that inmates in open prisons live in dormitories, come and go in their own cars, and have access to education programs.
"And we have this kind of normality principle that prisoners should be treated equally, even though they are prisoners. But they should have access to same services and rights as other citizens," said Pia Puolakka, project manager for Finland's Smart Prison Project.
According to a 2022 report by the agency, among people released from prison in 2017, 58% committed another offense within the following five years (although the agency noted COVID-19 did impact court proceedings for part of that time). The recidivism rate was 37% in 2017 for prisoners with one previous sentence, down 5 percentage points from 2016, the agency reported.
In the US in 2019, Prison Legal News reported that a 2018 report by the US Department of Justice found that almost 45% of prisoners released in 2005 were arrested again within a year and 83% had been rearrested in nine years. Their findings did not denote how many sentences those with repeat arrests had received.
The experiment is called the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA).
We spoke with one of the CHAPEA leads, Suzanne Bell, to figure out just how hard it would be to get selected.
The first CHAPEA crew celebrates a birthday for Ross Brockwell, left, inside the habitat.
NASA/CHAPEA crew
NASA is looking for people who are "as astronaut-like as possible," said Bell, who also leads NASA's Behavioral Health and Performance Lab.
See if you have what it takes.
NASA's Mars simulation needs applicants with STEM or military education
The point of CHAPEA is that it helps NASA study some of the biggest challenges astronauts would face on a mission to Mars: long-term isolation and confinement, as well as a delay in communications with Earth of up to 22 minutes each way.
In almost every way, a cohort of Mars astronauts will be on their own. That's what CHAPEA is trying to replicate.
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio with tomatoes growing on the International Space Station.
Koichi Wakata/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
At the most basic level, to qualify for the program, you must be a healthy US citizen or permanent resident, aged 30 to 55, and proficient in English.
You also need relevant education and experience — like an astronaut.
NASA wants candidates with a master's degree in a STEM field from an accredited institution, plus either two years of experience working in STEM or at least 1,000 hours of jet piloting.
Two other types of experience could put you up for consideration, though:
A medical degree, completion of a test pilot program, or two years of working toward a doctoral STEM degree
Completed military officer training or a STEM bachelor's degree, plus four years of professional experience working in STEM
The CHAPEA crew must accept strict limitations
An artist's illustration shows an astronaut streaming from Mars.
NASA/Lacey Young
In the Mars simulation, for 378 days, you can't go for a walk outside. You can't call your mom. You can't order a pizza. You can't even request that NASA pick up your favorite snack from the grocery store.
"The point is that you'll be in a very small space for a long time," Bell said. "With that comes constraints."
The 1,700-square-foot CHAPEA habitat contains individual living quarters for four volunteer crew members.
NASA/Bill Stafford
You must also tolerate and work well with your three teammates, just like any professional astronaut. NASA doesn't want explosive arguments about who's doing the dishes.
"We wouldn't want to choose somebody who would have problems getting along with somebody in isolation and confinement, because that doesn't give us very good data," Bell said.
The door to the airlock room in the CHAPEA habitat.
REUTERS/Go Nakamura
Then there's limited contact with the outside world. It's not just that Mars-astronaut simulators can't spend all day surfing the web. There's also a communication delay between them and everyone else on Earth.
Because of distance, sometimes the fastest that a Mars astronaut could get a response from NASA's mission control (or from a family member or friend) is 44 minutes — 22 minutes to send the message to Earth and another 22 minutes to receive the response.
The same will apply to CHAPEA participants.
NASA's application process will assess for 4 'expeditionary skills'
Artist's concept of astronauts and human habitats on Mars.
JPL/NASA
It's not just experience and stress tolerance that makes a Mars astronaut. NASA will also look for something less tangible — well, four somethings.
NASA wants CHAPEA participants to display what it calls "expeditionary skills":
Self-care and team care, which involves monitoring yourself and your teammates for signs of mental and physical fatigue, and knowing when and how to intervene
Cultural competency, since astronauts have to work closely together with very high stakes, not to mention represent the US in international collaborations
Leadership and followership, and knowing when (and how) to lead and when to follow
Teamwork and communication — obviously
"Expeditionary skills are really that important complement to technical experience that we look for and train in our astronaut populations," Bell said.
In the CHAPEA application process, NASA assesses those core traits. Bell wouldn't say how, though.
"I'm not going to disclose too many of our methods, because we're aware that people might want to self-present in a certain way," she said.
The CHAPEA job has health requirements too
A "No Smoking" sign on a plane.
Newscast/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
CHAPEA crews also need to be healthy with limited medical needs, due to the isolation and resource constraints. There are no doctors on Mars.
Here are the health requirements:
Non-smoker
No food allergies or avoidances
No gastrointestinal disorders
Some medications are disqualifiers, such as blood thinners, daily allergy medications, antidepressants, anxiety medications, sleeping aids, or daily insulin.
Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination
Applicants must also pass a criminal background check, psychiatric screening, and a medical evaluation. During the year-long CHAPEA experiment, they must exercise regularly on NASA's schedule.
The gig pays, but Bell and a NASA spokesperson both declined to share details on compensation, saying it will be introduced to candidates later in the application process.
Ultimately the pay shouldn't be your motive, Bell said, since this is participation in a scientific research experiment.
"It could be a personal self-challenge: Can I even do this? Or could I be an astronaut? Or could I go to Mars someday? But then there's also the greater good of being able to contribute meaningfully to science, and science that's really going to pave the way to amazing things in the future," Bell said.
Here's everything you need to know about the couple's almost two decadeslong relationship and how their divorce played out.
Costner and Baumgartner first met at a golf course when the actor was rehearsing for his role in the 1996 film "Tin Cup."
The couple, photographed here at a Pro-Celebrity Golf Tournament at Monte Carlo Golf Club in 2000, met while on a golf course in the 1990s.
Toni Anne Barson/WireImage
The Academy Award-winning director and actor was practicing his birdies and his bogeys ahead of starring as a golf prodigy in the 1996 romantic comedy when he and Baumgartner, 49, who is 19 years his junior, were introduced. At the time, she was working as a model.
Costner, meanwhile, was married to his first wife, Cindy Silva, whom he met and wed while still in college.
During their 16-year marriage, they welcomed three children: Annie, 39, Lily, 36, and Joe, 35.
Upon the dissolution of their marriage in 1994, Costner had several other relationships before he and Baumgartner married.
He had a brief relationship with Bridget Rooney, with whom he fathered a son named Liam, 26, and also reportedly dated political activist Birgit Cunningham and supermodel Elle MacPherson.
It was not until 1998 that Costner and Baumgartner's paths crossed again at a restaurant.
They officially began dating in 1998.
Getty Images
The two began dating soon after they ran into each other, several years after their first encounter.
Speaking to People in 2003, Costner recalled: "We exchanged numbers, and I told her that I would — did she mind if I called her in two weeks. I did not realize that was like an insult to a woman."
After four years together, the couple briefly separated in 2002 because they didn't see eye-to-eye about their future.
After five years together, they pulled the plug on their relationship in 2003.
Carlo Allegri/Getty Images
According to the "Field of Dreams" actor, they called it quits for a time due to a difference of opinion when it came to having kids.
While Costner, already a dad of four, didn't want any more children, for Baumgartner, becoming a mom was a dealbreaker.
Reflecting on their separation while speaking to Parade in 2008, Costner said: "For years, fear kept me from marrying Christine. Christine wanted a child, but I was afraid I couldn't be an effective father."
However, he said that he was able to quiet his worries to make their relationship work.
"I woke up and thought, 'Am I going to lose a beautiful woman who is willing to be with me to my very last breath because I am afraid to say yes to a child?'" he said.
"That's all it took," he said. "I decided that I was not going to miss out on love."
The couple married at Costner's 165-acre Colorado ranch in September 2004.
The wedding took place at Costner's Colorado ranch on September 25, 2004.
Lara Porzak/Rogers and Cowan via Getty Images
The couple married in a three-day ceremony at the actor-director's sprawling 165-acre property, the Dunbar Ranch (named after his character in his Academy Award-winning directorial debut, "Dances With Wolves"), just outside of Aspen, Colorado, on September 25, 2004.
It was dubbed "the celebrity wedding of the year" by Extra TV, and over 300 guests attended, including Costner's famous friends Bruce Willis, Tim Allen, and Don Johnson.
According to People, Costner arrived in a horse-drawn wagon while his bride made her journey to the ceremony in Costner's vintage green pickup truck.
They had their first dance to the song "Unchained Melody," made famous by Elvis Presley. As is customary, Costner's best man —who was his eldest son, Joe — delivered a toast for the couple.
The couple honeymooned at a 5-star hotel in Scotland a month later, where Costner was accused of sexual harassment by a masseuse.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner on the Old Course of the Royal & Ancient, St Andrews, Scotland, ahead of the Dunhill Links Championship.
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The allegations against Costner — which came to light in 2006 — did not result in any criminal complaints against the actor. Instead, the former spa worker sued her employer for unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination. She later settled the case.
The woman claimed that Costner exposed himself and carried out a sex act as she gave him the massage at the Old Course Hotel in Fife, Scotland, according to CBS News.
According to The Guardian, Costner and Baumgartner were staying at the hotel as he was playing in the nearby Dunhill Links pro-celebrity golf championship.
The woman said that her allegations were not taken seriously by hotel staff, which is why she filed the claim to a British employment tribunal, per CBS News.
Costner's identity was initially kept anonymous in the lawsuit, but tribunal chairman Nicol Hosie allowed his name to be made public.
"This was never about Kevin Costner," his spokesman said in a statement at the time. "It is a dispute between a hotel and an ex-employee."
In 2005, Baumgartner revealed that Costner was the one who encouraged her to start her handbag design business.
Baumgartner credits Costner for helping her start her designer bag business.
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In the early 2000s, Baumgartner founded the label Cat Bag Couture, which makes designer laptop cases.
"When I came up with some samples, I showed them to Kevin, and he said they were beautiful and amazing," she told the Denver Post in 2005.
"He told me I should take it to the next step and he'd help me," she continued. "I've always loved fashion and style, and if you can mix it with function, it's perfect."
Between 2007 and 2010, the couple welcomed three children together.
Their three children joined them on the red carpet at the World Premiere of Disney's "McFarland, USA" in 2015.
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First was their son Cayden, born in May 2007. At the time, Costner was 52 and expressed worries about being an older dad.
"I hope I have as much energy for Cayden as I had for my first," he told People, adding that he had fears that "someone [else] will raise him, meaning that my life will end prematurely."
"I won't get to coach him in what I think it is to be a man. I'd like to be the person that tells him about life."
Baumgartner then gave birth to their second son, Hayes, in February 2009. They welcomed their third child together, a daughter named Grace, in June 2010.
Costner said COVID-19 pandemic lockdown made their relationship stronger.
Costner spoke about how their relationship evolved during the coronavirus pandemic.
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In an interview with People in June 2020, the "Bodyguard" actor spoke about what it was like to take a step back from acting while everything was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Our partnership has really come into focus about what we do for each other and how we deal with our family," he said of Baumgartner.
"Our house is like a river: You've just got to get into the flow of it. And whatever you thought it was going to be, maybe it still can, but it's going to have to work with what the day brings."
Baumgartner was there to support Costner when he announced that he was unable to attend the Golden Globe Awards in January 2023.
Kevin Costner mentioned Baumgartner several times while apologizing for missing the Golden Globes in January 2023.
Kevin Costner (@modernwest)/Twitter
Costner won the award for best actor in a drama series for his performance as John Dutton in "Yellowstone" at the Golden Globes in January 2023, but was unable to attend the ceremony due to severe flooding at his home in Santa Barbara, California.
"Nobody's sadder than us that we can't be there at the Golden Globes," Costner said in an Instagram video posted before the show began. "Chris had a beautiful dress, I was looking forward to walking down the red carpet with her."
Elsewhere in his speech, he mentioned "how bad Chris wanted to support me," and explained that his wife had organized a last-minute viewing party for the family at home.
"She went out and bought me some gold and yellow and black and silver balloons, and so we're able to sit at the television and see what happens," Costner said.
In May 2023, Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner after 18 years of marriage.
Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner on May 1, 2023.
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A representative for Costner, 68, confirmed the news to the Los Angeles Times on May 2, five months shy of the couple's 19th wedding anniversary.
"It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action," a statement on behalf of the actor read.
"We ask that his, Christine's, and their children's privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time."
According to the outlet, Baumgartner asked for joint custody of their three kids, who are now 16, 14, and 13. Costner responded to the petition, also requesting joint custody of the children.
In June, Costner asked a judge to force his estranged wife to move out of their marital home in the wake of their divorce.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner in happier times.
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After Baumgartner filed for divorce, Costner filed a motion to evict her from their marital home, citing a clause in their prenuptial agreement that gave her 30 days to move out after divorce proceedings began.
"Christine has taken the position that she will not move out of Kevin's separate property residence unless and until Kevin agrees to various financial demands," Costner's court papers read.
However, Baumgartner hit back at Costner's claims, accusing the veteran actor of having no legal basis for trying to kick her — and their three children — out of the only home that the kids had ever known.
On July 7, a judge ordered Baumgartner to move out of their shared compound by the end of July and rejected her request to delay the move until August 15 in light of rental-market concerns.
Costner additionally demanded Baumgartner pay $99K in legal fees — plus a $29 filing fee — for the legal headache she caused in disputing the prenup.
Costner's team requested Baumgartner to pay up to recoup the costs of the legal actions.
Kevin Costner denied having an extramarital affair during his marriage in court documents filed in August.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner in 2009.
Michael Tran/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Costner said he was faithful during their 18-year marriage after Baumgartner's legal team requested documents "relating to any extramarital romantic relationships," in a court filing obtained by Entertainment Tonight and People.
Attorneys for the mother of three filed new court documents on August 21 that included exhibits in which Baumgartner's legal team asked Costner to supply documents pertaining to any "expenses paid by you, or any person at your request or on your behalf, relating to any extramarital romantic relationships."
Costner's legal team responded that the actor "has no responsive documents for 'extramarital romantic relationships' in which he engaged because he engaged in none."
However, per the reports, Costner's team said that the actor "does not know for a fact" if Baumgartner "engaged in any 'extramarital romantic relationships' before separation and, if so, whether she spent any of his money or charged any expenses in furtherance of her affair(s) on credit cards he paid."
The actor's legal team also argued that Baumgartner's request for such documents was "for purposes of harassment," as well as "burdensome" and "oppressive," according to People.
In September, the couple's child support payment dispute was settled. A judge ordered Costner to pay $63,209 per month, $100,000 less than what his estranged wife sought.
The couple's child support payment dispute has been settled.
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As Business Insider reported, Baumgartner had initially requested $248,000 per month to maintain the lifestyle the couple's three children were used to, before her lawyers drastically reduced that number to $161,592 a month.
In a summary of the outcome of the case, obtained by People, the Santa Barbara County Judge explained his decision, stating that the "reasonable needs of the children are fully met by this child support order" and anything "greater than $63,209 per month" would be "disguised spousal support."
He added: "Christine will have her opportunity to convince the Court that she is entitled to spousal support. That is not the issue at hand for this hearing."
In addition to that, the court ruled that Costner was to be responsible for "all the children's health insurance costs and unreimbursed health care expenses (including medical, dental, therapeutic and orthodontic)" as well as "all private school tuition and related costs" for his sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13.
On top of the health- and education-related costs, Costner is also set to pony up for "all the minor children's extracurricular expenses, hunting club dues, and Cayden's car and expenses related to it."
During their child support hearing in September, Costner confirmed that the "still has love" for Baumgartner, despite their current situation.
Kevin Costner and his second wife, Christine Baumgartner.
Lester Cohen/Getty Images for Omnipeace Foundation
During the second day of their two-day hearing to determine their child support payments, Costner spoke to reporters outside the courtroom in Santa Barbara, California.
"It feels so bad," he continued. "We're talking about somebody I love on the other side."
When asked whether he "still has love" for his estranged wife by a reporter, the actor replied, "Of course."
A few weeks later, the pair quietly reached a settlement in their divorce. The terms of the settlement are not known.
Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner at the 94th Annual Academy Awards in 2022.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images
"Kevin and Christine Costner have come to an amicable and mutually agreed upon resolution of all issues pertaining to their divorce proceedings," the couple said in a joint statement released by the actor's publicist, Arnold Robinson, on September 20.
A judge in Santa Barbara County acknowledged the settlement at a hearing that neither the ex-couple nor their attorneys even attended.
The agreement ended what had already become a contentious court fight. It allowed the couple to avoid the high profile drama of a trial that had been scheduled for December in a Santa Barbara County, California court.
Their divorce was finalized and they were legally separated from each other in February 2024.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner, photographed in 2019.
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Costner and Baumgartner's marriage officially ended on February 16, 2024, a judgment entered in Santa Barbara County court showed, according to court records obtained by AP News.
Their legal separation came nine months after Baumgartner filed for divorce in May 2023. It marked the end of their acrimonious split that repeatedly made headlines and came to exemplify a summer rife with messy celebrity divorces.