A certain type of tree has been popping up throughout the United States and has been described as “magical.” These trees produce 40 different varieties of fruit. These trees generate several types of peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and cherries. Throughout the year, however, these trees look completely normal. It is only in the spring that these trees blossom into their colorful form. Each tree of this type has its own, unique collection of stone fruit. The project to create this tree species began in 2008 when Sam Van Aken, Syracuse University sculptor and artist, found that an abandoned New York-state…
Author: Julia Berman
Japanese artist Megumi Igarashi, 42, was arrested for obscenity charges due to her art that explores female genitalia. The artist vowed to challenge her arrest and declared from behind bars to defy a culture of “discrimination” against openly acknowledging the vagina in Japanese society. On July 12, Igarashi was arrested for distributing indecent material with a potential sentence of up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. According to reports from the Kyodo News Agency on Saturday, July 19, Igarashi has been released from jail. “That was an unjust arrest. I don’t think my genitals…
Pixar has recently finished their new projects entitled “Inside Out” and “Lava.” Apparently, “Lava” is a love story that takes place over the span of millions of years. The project is also a musical. “Inside Out” is a more interpretive film about human emotions. The news of the short film “Lava” was released on June 19. The opening scenes of Pixar’s new feature “Inside Out” was screened for an audience in LA that same day at the DGA. A sneak peak of “Lava” was also shown. The exclusive audience watched behind-the-scenes look at the film which is scheduled for…
On Mon., Jun. 30, at an event to celebrate LGBT pride month, President Obama lauded Bill Yosses, the retiring White House pastry chef. Yosses is known for his delicious pies and is therefore called “the Crustmaster.” Yosses was first hired in the White House in 2007 under President George W. Bush. When speaking about the excellent pastry chef, Obama joked, “I don’t know what he does — whether he puts crack in them, or …” The audience responded with chuckles, however Michelle Obama quickly asserted, “no he doesn’t. … There is no crack in our pies.” It is ironic that…
Being a bridesmaid is not an easy task, it requires a lot of work to please a bride on her big day. Recently, a woman in New York posted an offer on Craigslist to work as a “Professional Bridesmaid.” The woman is Jen Glantz, 26, writer of All My Friends Are Engaged, so she does have some experience on the matter. On her post she wrote about her prior experiences saying, “This year alone, i’ve been a bridesmaid 4 times. That’s 4 different chiffon dresses, 4 different bachelorette parties filled with tequila shots and guys in thong underwear twerking way…
A dating app designed particularly for lesbian women has been released. The app has recently launched in the U.S., in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Florida, and then in New York City on June 19. The app plans to launch in Australia soon and was initially released in the U.K. in Sept. 2013. In the U.S., over four million women identify themselves as lesbian or bisexual, so for this large demographic, such an app is something to rejoice over. The app is called “Dattch” and it is completely different than any other app made for gay men or heterosexuals. The name…
Police have been seeking help from the public in identifying two suspected shooters from an incident on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Sunday morning, June 28. A surveillance camera placed above a bar caught some of the incident. The footage, from 2:45 a.m., shows people chaotically running around in response to the shots. The police put the views of the gunmen online in hopes that someone may identify them. The victims were shot only two blocks from Jackson Square and around the corner from Pat O’Brien’s piano bar, according to People. The shooting resulted in 10 injured people, nine were…
For the first time, a federal appeals court declared that gay marriage cannot be prohibited. On Wednesday, June 25, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Utah cannot ban same-sex marriages. Same-sex couples are still unable to marry in Utah because of a stay in place. This case has been extremely significant to the public as it is representative of the first ruling on gay marriage at the appellate level since the Defense of Marriage Act in June 2013. Ever since this ruling, judges have been unanimous in supporting the right of same-sex marriage and striking down bans…
In the age of technology there are perhaps too many ways to communicate. Emoticons have become an especially popular way to convey emotions via technology. Now, the use of these symbols can actually be psychoanalyzed. Apparently Daniel Brill, a copywriter for Droga5, has become the “Emoji doctor.” If a person screenshots his or her recently used emoticon, Brill will psychoanalyze this usage, determining the individual’s mental state. This is also dependent upon the emoticons that have been regularly applied while texting.In addition, he will “prescribe” a new emoticon to use after analysis. Brill’s venture is documented on his blog called,…
British actor Gary Oldman, 56, has received considerable heat after allegedly making anti-Semitic comments during his interview on Mon., Jun. 23, with Playboy magazine. Oldman was promoting his new film, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”, in his interview. Nevertheless, he went on to denounce certain instances of “political correctness.” During the interview he asserted that it is hypocritical to castigate Mel Gibson for his anti-Semitic comments in 2006 when he was arrested for drunk driving. His rationale was that, “we’ve all said those things.” Oldman continued to explain by saying, “Mel Gibson is in a town that’s run…
Claire Berlinski, an American woman currently living in France, tweeted about being trapped in her bedroom by her own cat on Wed., Jun. 25, morning. Her 10 thousand followers remained intrigued as she detailed her entrapment. Berlinski is a self-described “novelist, freelance journalist, travel writer, and biographer who lives amid a menagerie of adopted stray animals in Istanbul.” She lived in Turkey last year until she left after the Gezi Park protests last year. Subsequently, she moved to Istanbul France and currently lives in the Marais district of Paris. This is where the incident occurred. Berlinski began her story tweeting,…
On Friday, Jun. 20, a young American in Tübingen, Germany was rescued from a giant sculpture of a vagina, weighing 32 tons. Rescuing this student took 22 firefighters. Local newspaper Schwaebisches Tagblatt joked, “forceps delivery was not necessary.” The firefighters explained that they freed the man “by hand and without the application of tools after about 30 minutes.” The artwork by Peruvian artist Fernando de la Jara, entitled the “Chacán-Pi” (Making Love) has remained outside of Tübingen University’s institute for microbiology and virology since 2001. It is worth almost $200 thousand. Nevertheless, this is the first time that a student…
Lacy Spears, 26, of Rockland County, NY, first came into the public eye when she was brought under investigation following the death of her son. The investigation occured due to the high levels of sodium found in her 5-year-old son’s body when he died. Investigators speculated that Spears may have been slowly killing her son, Garnett, in order to get attention. This theory followed Spears’ blog postings, in which she wrote about her son’s “courageous” battle with his sickness. Police have recently confirmed this murder. Spears was arrested, pleading not guilty this past Tues., Jun. 17, to her charges of…
According to Human Rights Watch, Razieh Ebrahimi was 17-years-old when she shot her husband in the head while he was sleeping. The young Iranian girl had been suffering abuse, both verbally and physically, for two years at the time that she committed this crime. Ebrahimi had been arrested immediately after the murder in 2010, at which point she confessed. Ebrahimi told authorities about the abuse that she had endured, even being compelled to have a child at 15. In her confession, Ebrahimi openly told authorities that she had killed her husband, with his gun, and then buried him in the…
Picasso’s The Blue Room painting was one of his first creation’s during his “blue period”. The painting was produced in 1901. This period was an iconic time for the artist, in which he focused on gloomy content and mostly used various shades of blue. Picasso’s “blue period” spanned over several years. This piece now has artists speculating over a mysterious aspect of the painting, a hidden portrait of a man. Art experts are working to, and hoping that they will be able to, identify this man. Art experts are able to distinguish that the portrait is of a bearded man…
The 2014 Mermaid Parade will be held this Sat., Jun. 21st, at 1PM EST. The Mermaid parade is an annual parade in NYC. It celebrates ancient mythology, as well as honky-tonk rituals of the seaside. The parade remains one of the biggest art parades in the nation. The last six parades were held on June 21, 2008; June 20, 2009; June 19, 2010; June 18, 2011; June 23, 2012; June 22, 2013. The parade is intended to capture the mood and spirit of Mardi Gras. The Mermaid Parade was first created in 1983 with three specific goals: 1.) to bring…
According to TMZ reports on Mon., Jun. 16, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” stars Kaitlin Olson (Dee) and Rob McElhenney (Mac) are being sued after their dog reportedly attacked a 19-month-old. Allegedly, the couple’s German shepherd bit the toddler in the face. A lawsuit was filed Mon. in L.A. Superior Court against Olson, 38, and McElhenney, 37. The incident occurred in 2012 during the married couple’s Father’s Day party. Julie DeLagarde, the mother of the toddler, made it clear that she did not want her daughter near their dog, however they continuously did not leash the dog. Apparently, the…
According to Connecticut police reports, a hoarder has died after the first floor of her house collapsed into the basement. Beverly Mitchell, 66, was found dead in her Cheshire home on Saturday, Jun. 14. Mitchell was found two days after a postal carrier called the police to request a welfare check, since Mitchell’s mail had been accumulating for at least a week. Mitchell was found in her basement beneath a pile of debris. Authorities had to cut their way into Mitchell’s house through a side wall after assuring it was safe. They cut a hole into the wall and removed…
This past Friday, Jun.13, the Tsavo Trust reported that one of the oldest and largest elephants in Kenya’s Tsavo Conservation area was killed by poachers. It is likely that the elephant, named Satao, had been the largest bull elephant in the entire world. The most recent figures from the Kenya Wildlife Service estimate that 97 elephants have been poached in Kenya this year. However, much of Kenya’s population are in denial of such a massive number. Paula Kahumbu asserts in The Guardian that, “I estimate, from the reports I have seen, that the elephant poaching in Kenya is at least…
Angelina Jolie, 39, and Brad Pitt, 50, led a summit about ending rape, titled: “End Sexual Violence in Conflict”, on Thurs., Jun. 12. Foreign Secretary, Mr. Hague, and Jolie led the third day of the summit. Jolie is a special envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. At the event, the couple was accompanied by Human Rights lawyer, Amal Alamuddin, recent fiancé to George Clooney. Alamuddin has been a member of Doughty Street Chambers in London since 2010. Before Pitt took his seat, Baroness Warsi playfully said to one woman, “This is Team Hague”, from the row behind Pitt.…
The United States almost faced a nuclear catastrophe worse than Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In fact, according to a report by CNN, the accident could have been 190 times worse.This past week, the National Security Archive released details about this incident from the declassified documents. The headline was titled, “Multi-Megaton Bomb Was Virtually ‘Armed’ When It Crashed To Earth.” A U.S. Air Force bomber broke in half on a January night in 1961. As it flew over eastern North Carolina, two nuclear bombs fell from the B-52 and hit ground near the city of Goldsboro. According to the report, the B-52…
Reportedly, Jason Momoa, 34, has been cast as Aquaman in the upcoming “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” film. The rumors that Momoa would take on this role have been prevalent for months, first emerging at the end of last year. Until this point, Momoa has denied any participation in this film. Rumors have still not been officially confirmed by Warner Brothers, however Drew McWeeny at Hitfix released information that director Zack Snyder has already finalized the details of the character’s design. This epic hero collaboration is due for release in 2016. Many have speculated how “Dawn of Justice” will…
On Mon., Jun. 9, One Direction announced that they would be releasing their third fragrance called “You & I”. Their first fragrance, “One Moment”, was tremendously successful. The perfume had a long waiting list before it was even available for purchase in the fall of 2013. The pink-bottled perfume made over $500 thousand in its first week. The scent’s notes were a mix of pink grapefruit, wild berries, red currant, jasmine, freesia and musk. At the time of the fragrance’s release, band member Niall Horan stated, “Fans always want to know what we like and what we don’t like so…
Angelina Jolie’s recently released Disney film, “Maleficent”, has brought a dark twist to the sleeping beauty fairy tale. The film was released on May 30. With this release came a new fashion trend for children. Jolie collaborated with renowned, London-based designer Stella McCartney to create a children’s collection which exhibits styles from the flick. The collection was released a month prior to the film’s debut, however the growing popularity of the film makes now an appropriate time to purchase these styles. “There is a bit of a darkness to Maleficent which can be really scary at times but at the…
JK Rowling, writer of the mega hit Harry Potter series, has donated 1 million pounds to the “Better Together” campaign, a group which opposes Scottish independence. This has qualified her as the largest financial backer of the campaign that promotes remaining part of the United Kingdom. Rowling, 48, has lived in Edinburgh,Scotland’s capital, for 21 years now. She even wrote the Harry Potter series in a local cafe in the city. She was born in the West Country and grew up on the Welsh border. Rowling argued her stance on the Scottish independence debate as she warned voters against making…
Michael Egan, 32, had charged former Disney executive David Neuman for sexual assault, and then dropped the charges. However, Egan is now re-filing the case. Additionally, he has made some changes to his accusation. In April, Egan held a news conference to publicly claim that Neuman molested him, several times, when he was a teenager. According to him, these incidents took place at pool parties in L.A. and on vacation in Hawaii. That same month Egan also accused director Bryan Singer and other Hollywood executives of sexual abuse. Subsequently, Egan’s lawyer, Jeff Herman, filed the lawsuit in Hawaii. In California,…
CIA on Twitter! It’s official- everyone has twitter and facebook, even the Central Intelligence Agency now. They already had a whopping 105 thousand followers within their first two hours of joining on Fri., Jun. 6. Additionally, their first tweet was retweeted over 85 thousand times during this span. Upon joining Facebook, their page received over 73 hundred likes by the end of the day. The CIA already has Flickr and Youtube accounts. Evidently, they are receiving a PR push from the American intelligence community (IC). Especially following the Edward Snowden fiasco in which disclosures concerning the National Security Agency’s surveillance…
Illustrator Brittany Brown has created a collection of illustrations titled “Dark Girls”. These beautiful pieces aim at challenging the rigid conventions of the beauty and fashion world. Her series opens up a perspective on the urgency for more diversity in the beauty product realm. Brown is a young illustrator, 24, who works in Brooklyn. This collection has been met with tremendous acclaim. Brown describes that her inspiration came from noticing a lack of diversity among popular beauty images, specifically face charts, used by beauty brands. The illustrator describes her motivation for challenging these norms, saying, “Representation matters so much; things…
Despite Disney’s report just three weeks ago that it had, “no plans for Leia products at the Disney store”, Disney now claims that these toys are underway. Following the initial announcement, Disney had received a fair amount of criticism for its decision, compelling them to launch these toys as of this past Wed., Jun.4. A new line of Star Wars action figures had launched at the end of May on the Star Wars blog. It included Darth Vader, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker, but not Princess Leia. Complaints mostly came from parents and bloggers who were dissatisfied by the lack…
In the 1950s, programmers began speculating about the idea of intelligent computers. Inventor Alan Turing declared that the first major milestone of this effort would come when there is no clear distinction between a conversation with a computer and with a human. Turing wrote, “I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted.” Turing’s Al litmus test requires that at least 30% of humans be fooled into thinking that the robot is…
Ever taken money from the ATM? Using this Cupcake “ATM” should be fairly just as easy. A 24-hour running cupcake “ATM” has made its way to major cities such as LA, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas. The machine was initially revealed in March of 2012 at “Sprinkles” bakery in Beverly Hills. Since its debut, the ATMs have been popping up everywhere, gaining worldwide media attention. The Sprinkles’ product allows cupcake enthusiasts to buy gourmet cupcakes anytime they desire by merely pushing a button on a candy-pink machine. The machine is an extension of the bakery chain. The cupcake ATM has the ability…
Miss Nevada, Nia Sanchez, 24, has won the title of Miss USA this past Sunday, Jun. 8. The competition marked the 63rd telecast of the 3-hour annual beauty pageant. The pageant was broadcast live on NBC from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was co-hosted by Giuliana Rancic of “E!News” and Thomas Roberts of “Way Too Early.” The contestants were judged on the classic three categories: swimsuit, evening gown, and interview. The contestants came from all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. They entered the stage on flashy float as Marc Broussard sang New Orleans hits. As confetti fell in…
Female rapper Lil’ Kim, 39, is now the proud mother of a baby girl. According to ET reports Lil’ Kim gave birth to her daughter on Mon., Jun. 9, at 9:58 a.m. at Hackensack University Medical Center in NJ. The baby’s name is “Royal Reign”. She is Lil’ Kim’s first child. Royal Reign is 6 pounds, 5 ounces, measuring 19.5 inches long. The announcement of Lil’ Kim’s pregnancy occurred back in Feb. She revealed her pregnancy during her performance at MAC Cosmetics and The Blonds Fashion Week after-party in NYC. Reportedly, Royal Reign’s father is New York rapper Mr. Papers.…
Millions of young Americans are distressed over their job searches following their pricey educations. With over a trillion dollars of student loan debt, this population struggles to sustain themselves.Currently 71% of individuals attaining a bachelor’s degree are graduating with debt. This debt averages $294 hundred. On Mon., Jun. 9, President Barack Obama had all eyes on him as he proposed expanding programs which reduce the issues of federal student loan borrowing. His announcement of new executive actions at the White House outlined actions could possibly save the average student $2 thousand in loans. Obama’s “Pay As You Earn” (PAYE) program…
For years now Google has been conducting its annual “Doodle 4 Google” competitions. In this competition Google opens the floor to public entries of doodles with the prospect of appearing on the mega-corporation’s site. This year, young artists entered their designs which were centered around the prompt of, “If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place.” Last month, 50 state finalists were flown to Mountain View, California for a ceremony at Google headquarters. Winner, 11-year old Audrey Zhang of Levittown, NY stayed an extra day to work with google’s artists. She was featured on the…
Comedian Tracy Morgan, 45, is in critical condition following an accident in his limo bus. The multi-vehicle crash took place in New Jersey early this Sat., Jun.7, morning. Apparently, the accident was so terrible that the limo bus had overturned. The accident occurred around 1a.m. The collide on the New Jersey Turnpike involved a bus, a sports utility vehicle, two tractor trailers, and two other vehicles. A passenger in the limo bus, James McNair, died during the crash. Three men aside from Morgan are also in critical condition. One passenger is in “fair condition”. The two other occupants sustained no…
Marissa DeVault, 31, has been found guilty of committing first degree murder. The Arizona woman was convicted after killing her husband, Dale Harrell, 34, with a hammer on Apr. 8 2009 in their home. This past Fri., Jun. 6, Judge Roland Steinle ruled his decision for the trial which had begun in Jan. at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. DeVault will spend life in prison without the possibility of parole, which had been a prospective option for 25 years following the sentence. According to Maricopa County Superior Court documents, she killed her husband with the claw of the hummer.…
In two towns in Russia and Kazakhstan, people have been falling asleep for days straight for no apparent reason. Upon awaking, these people have no memory of the time that has passed. The epidemic began in Mar. 2013, and has affected about 60 people since. The epidemic seems to come in “waves”. These waves peaked in May 2013, Jan. 2014, and this past May. Krasnogorsk use to house a uranium mine, causing many to speculate whether the chemical is connected to the epidemic. People have mused the possibility of uranium lingering in the water supply. Yet still, there is no…
Starlett Jane Fonda, 76, was honored for her dream-worthy career with the 42nd Life Achievement Award by the American Film Institute. The event was held on Thurs., Jun. 5., at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. As Michael Douglas presented her with the award, Fonda declared that she was, “so happy to add another woman’s name to the list.” Fonda was particularly praised for her political activism and dedication to gender equality. Jeff Daniels, Fonda’s “Newsroom” co-star, sang a song in celebration of Fonda with the refrain “abs, butt, and thighs.” Evidently his jingle was in reference to her iconic exercise videos. Another…
According to Deadline report, “Black Swan” director, Darren Aronofsky, 45, is linked to HBO’s new mini series project. The big budget venture involves adapting Margaret Atwood’s trilogy book series to the small screen. Aronofsky has signed a three year development deal with HBO to executive produce and perhaps even direct the miniseries. In Atwood’s dystopia, the world is recovering from a biological catastrophe.The series takes place in the mid-21st century as society has embraces genetic modifications which has resulted in a demonic society that is free of government. A great deal of the plotline occurs after a man-made plague, a…
Anna Wintour, 64, has been bumped up two spots on Forbes’ 10th annual list of “100 Most Powerful Women”, this past Wednesday, May 28. She now holds the place of #39, which can be largely attributed to her promotion to Condé Nast’s artistic director. Anna Wintour is editor-in-chief for Vogue, a position she has held since 1988. Wintour’s ex-assistant, Lauren Weisberg, wrote the book “The Devil Wears Prada”, compelling many to speculate whether perhaps the real life Miranda Priestly. This seems likely with consideration of her nickname,“Nuclear Wintour”, which is widely used amongst the fashion world. Wintour balances her high…
A government report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) was released last week. The report finally acknowledged that the honeybee species are dying off too quickly to “guarantee their long term survival”, likely due to various pesticides. This past winter, the peak time of vulnerability for honeybee hives, the US lost about 23.2% of its honeybee population. Even though this number is lower than the 30.5% lost the year prior, the total death rate over the last 8 years seriously threatens the honeybees survival as a species. A USDA stated, “Yearly fluctuations in the rate of losses like these…
Perhaps George Clooney’s, 53 , recent engagement to lawyer Amal Alamuddin, 36, is an indicator of something greater than the end to his longtime playboy ways. Evidently, Clooney wants to become involved with politics shortly after the two wed, which is planned to occur this upcoming Sept. Due to his plans to enter the political realm, many are speculating whether Clooney will end up running for president. Clooney’s engagement to Amal, who is an internationally renown lawyer for human rights, demonstrates his gravitation towards more traditional values. Additionally, her career establishes her as an ideal candidate for the role of…
The Kardashian clan is growing even bigger as reports reveal that Kourtney, 35, and Scott, 31, plan to welcome their third child. The reality duo already has Mason, 4, and Penelope, 23 months. The news comes merely weeks after the grand Kimye wedding. The family has only recently returned from the event that began in Paris, France and took place in Florence, Italy. Kourtney is only in the early stages of pregnancy and reportedly due in Dec. A source says to Us Weekly that, “She is only a few months along.” Adding, “It was planned. [Kourtney] wants to have a…
Lindsey Stocker, who is merely 15 years old, has spurred a widespread discussion on feminism by protesting her school’s dress code. Social media users have been buzzing about the incident since it took place at Beaconsfield High School in Quebec, Canada last week. 11th grader, Lindsey Stocker, was asked to change her clothes after 2 vice principals determined that her shorts were violating the school’s dress code. Apparently, the code stipulates that shorts and skirts should be longer than a students fingertips with her arms by her sides. Stocker’s jean shorts did not fulfill this requirement. Nonetheless, Stocker refused to…
After an excruciatingly long wait, “Orange is the New Black” season 2 will be released this Fri., Jun. 6 on Netflix. Since its debut in Jun. 2013 the dark-prison-comedy series (now there’s a genre) has had tremendous success. Even when it was merely one season long the show had already taken the title of Netflix’s most watched original series in Oct. Additionally, it has been renewed for a third season. “Orange is the New Black” is based on a book by Piper Kerman, in which she recounts her own experiences in prison. The show is produced by Jenji Kohan, producer…
Comedian Jonah Hill, 30, has received a lot of heat after shouting an anti-gay slur at a paparazzo in Larchmont, California this past weekend. The actor has long been open about his support of gay rights. This past Nov., Hill even tweeted a picture of himself in a shirt that says, “Love Conquers Hate” in Russian. The shirt’s statement promoted better treatment of the LGBTQ community in Russia. Hill has described his supportive stance on gay rights to E! news, saying, “I have tons of gay friends, gay family members.” He added , “It’s like saying, why do you think…
On Sat., May 31, two 12-year old girls held down and stabbed their also 12-year-old friend 19 times in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Since they are facing trial as adults, their names have recently been released: Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier. A complaint stated that Weier urged Geyser on, telling her to, “go ballistic, go crazy.” Luckily, a passing cyclist stopped to save the victim who had stumbled out of the woods onto a road. He found her lying on the sidewalk, next to the I-94 highway, with a 5-inch knife still in her back. As the girls stabbed her she managed to…
Rolling Stone is proud to present their launch of RollingStoneCountry.com, which will debut this week. The site is entirely about the genre of country music. They will also release a special Country Issue on Jun. 6, this Friday. The issue will have Eric Church and Miranda Lambert on its cover. On their website, Rolling Stone writes, “So we’re proud to announce the launch of RollingStoneCountry.com, a new website dedicated to the genre – which we’re celebrating in a special issue.” Adding, “It’s a perfect time for it: Now more than ever, music is all mixed up again. Listen to country…
Bloomberg’s Rosalind Chin has reported that Mattel Inc., the world’s largest toy company, is releasing a new Chinese Celebrity Barbie doll. This product aims to help in expanding the brand within the Chinese market. This Mon., Jun. 2, Chin spoke to Angie Lau on Bloomberg Television’s “First Up” about the venture. Chin explains that, “They [Mattel Inc.] look at it [the Chinese market] not just as huge market, which it is, but also because it needs to offset falling sales elsewhere, especially sales of Barbie.” In 2009 the “House of Barbies”, a flagship store, opened in Shanghai. The store was…
Young mother Wu Ting, 35, was found, dead, in a pool of her own blood at a McDonald’s in Zhaoyuan, Shandong province, in China’s far east, on May 28th. The woman had been approached by a cult gang at the restaurant and was beaten to death after refusing to give them her telephone number. The chain restaurant’s location is directly across from a police station. Zhaoyuan has traditionally been the breeding ground of many religious cults. The violent, anti-Christian Boxer movement, during the last years of the Qing dynasty in 1900, even came out of this area. Many were…
According to authorities, singer Chris Brown, 25, was released Monday morning, Jun. 2, from a Los Angeles County jail. Brown’s time in custody began in mid March after violating the rules of a court-ordered rehab sentence. The R&B singer spent 59 days behind bars. Brown entered court-mandated rehab in Nov. where he received treatment for substance abuse, anger management, and other issues related to his bipolar disorder. He has received credit for the 116 days that he spent in rehab even though he was dismissed in March for misconduct. The singer has been on probation since beating Rihanna, his then…
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston, 58, indicated in a CNN interview on Thurs., May 28, that he is not at all opposed to a “Breaking Bad” comeback. Cranston even stated “never say never” when asked if Heisenberg would be revived on television. This possibility has certainly excited the AMC hit’s large fan base. A spinoff for Breaking Bad, which will be entitled “Better Call Saul”, about the show’s criminal/ comic relief lawyer Saul Goodman, is already in the making. The spinoff will follow Goodman’s character prior to the topsy-turvy events which unfolded throughout Breaking Bad. Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad creator,…
Since the A-list actress’ divorce to unfaithful ex-husband Jesse James in 2010, Sandra Bullock has spent the majority of time with her 4 year old son Louis. Late last year, Bullock told Entertainment Weekly that “If a relationship should come along, great. But I feel like I’m not missing anything yet. Maybe one day I will.” Has this day finally come? Reports are claiming that Sandra Bullock, 49, is dating Capitan America hunk Chris Evans, 32. The rumors started swarming back in May when Evans joined Bullock for dinner at Cecconi’s in West Hollywood with mutual friend Chelsea Handler. America…
There is currently a plethora of options for dating via apps or the internet. There’s tinder, match.com, OKCupid, Grouper, etc. With so many options, it’s difficult to choose one. Nonetheless, a new dating site is about to take a completely new, perhaps revolutionary approach to this trend. “Instant Chemistry” is a Toronto based biotech startup that claims it can ensure the perfect match, or as close to perfect as romance can get. The company’s slogan is “Revealing the Science of Attraction”. This site uses genetic analysis, collecting cheek swabs, and self-assessed psychological tests to find a match. Instant Chemistry is…
Giorgio Armani has stirred quite the buzz as he announced that at his Armani Teatro space, during Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week, Sept. 2014, he will have a new designer to show. Milan Fashion Week is among the most prominent events in the fashion world. Still, Armani has made a clever decision of selecting Christian Pellizzari for this position. Christian Pellizzari is a native Italian born in Venice in 1981. He studied at Polimoda Fashion School, Institute of Design and Marketing in Florence at the age of 20. He then spent 4 years at the garment making company Tonello and then…
Trans-icon Laverne Cox will be on the cover of TIME Magazine’s Jun. 9th issue. The cover photo of the issue was released this past Thurs., May 28. Cox will make history as the first transgender to land a the cover page of TIME Magazine. The article is entitled, “The Transgender Tipping Point: America’s next civil rights frontier”. It is written by Katy Steinmetz and provides a Q&A with Cox. On the cover, Cox stands tall in a tight, blue dress with black heels. During her interview, Cox explained that, “there’s not just one trans story. There’s not just one…
According to the Associated Press, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, and his wife, Priscilla Chan, pediatrician, have decided to donate a whopping $120 million to the San Francisco Bay Area’s public school system. In an interview at Facebook’s California headquarters, in Menlo Park, Chan discussed their decision, stating, “Education is incredibly expensive and this is a drop in the bucket. What we are trying to do is catalyze change by exploring and promoting the development of new interventions and new models.” READ ALSO: Getting More Personal: Facebook Wants To Listen In On What You’re Doing Zuckerberg, 30, and Chan,…
Now that weed has become legal in states such as Washington and Colorado, the industry of marijuana products is beginning to grow. Companies are now coming up with a variety of methods to consume, and enjoy,legally sanctioned marijuana. Of the new products, perhaps the most interesting and innovative of them is “Legal”. “Legal” is a beverage created by Mirth Provisions, a new beverage company that is operated and owned by Adam Stites. The company plans to release this line of cannabis-infused coffee drinks in the upcoming months. The ironically titled, cold brew drink will come in five flavors. Stites explained…
Ginnifer Goodwin, 36, and husband Josh Dallas, 32, joyfully welcomed their baby boy on Thurs., May 29. According to the couple’s representative, “this is their first child, both mom and baby are doing great”. The adorable newlyweds have been co-stars on ABC’s show “Once Upon a Time”. She plays Snow White and he plays Prince Charming, so a romance was bound to bloom. The couple married this past April following their engagement in Oct. 2013. Goodwin described the wedding, which was held in Venice, California, as a “very, very small wedding”. The event was held two days of the show…
The 64 year old, 9 times Grammy awards winner Natalie Cole has recently shared the story of her “dream home” on Thurs. May 28 when speaking to reporter Marc Myers. The dream home that she described was her childhood home. She shared personal details of her experiences living in this extraordinary place. Cole explained that when her father bought her childhood home in 1948 in the Hancock Park section of LA, they faced many threats as a minority. Nonetheless, Natalie Cole describes this house as being “like a dream” that made her feel “like royalty”. The house was a stunning,…
Back in 2011 Trump had considered running for president. At this time he had relied heavily on the prospect of exposing President Obama’s Kenyan birth and fake citizenship in order to bolster his campaign. Even though he gained some public traction amongst the Republicans, he ultimately decided not to run. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, Donald Trump simply cannot let this theory go. Trump has concocted a new theory about President Obama’s American citizenship legitimacy. He publicly spoke about this at the National Press Club. So now, Trump claims that even though there is a “very big chance” that Obama was,…
Hillary Clinton is scheduled to release her political memoir, entitled, “Hard Choices”. Apparently this book will be a detailed, “inside account of the crises, choices, and challenges” which she encountered during her time as secretary of state. The book will debut this Jun. 10. Her publisher released a 1,468-word teaser from the book on Tues., May 27, which has the population buzzing about her next move. According to sources, Clinton will not discuss the 2008 campaign or any prospective campaigns for the future, despite that the book seems to heavily suggest an upcoming one. Rather, she primarily speaks out about her…
Roberto and wife Eva Cavalli hosted a luxurious dinner party on their yacht the night of May 22nd 2014. The Cavalli’s host this annually in honor of the Cannes Festival on the waters of, where else but, Cannes, France.This year they celebrated Cannes’ 67th anniversary. Stars such as Rosario Dawson trickled in, in magnificent gowns and pristine suits. Meanwhile, Justin Bieber sported a half denim jacket and a capri pants. The guest list was certainly a mixed bag, including stars such as John Travolta, Sharon Stone, Toni Garrn, Izabel Goular, Dita Von Teese, and others. The night included food, drinks,…
Last week, the title of the new Superman movie was announced. It is, “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice”, a title which has sent die-hard fans in a frenzy. The production was also confirmed by Warner Brothers which will begin in metro Detroit. It was also confirmed that “Argo” writer, Chris Terrio, will be writing the screenplay and that “Man of Steel” director, Zack Snyder, will be directing. Affleck will be returning as Batman while Henry Cavill will return as Superman. Gal Gadot is going to play Wonder Woman. Amy, Adams, Diane Lane, and Laurence Fishburne are among the cast members, occupying…
Michael Kors posted double-digit percent gains for profits and revenues in the fiscal fourth quarter. These numbers can be partially attributed to their new retail locations. Nevertheless, shares were in the red on Wed., May 28, even though the fourth-quarter earnings and revenue exceeded Wall Street’s expectations. In comparison to the expected $816 million, Michael Kors’ revenue reached an impressive 53.6% to $917.5 million. The net sales increased 49.7% to $408.4 million, with other store sales up 26.2% in this quarter as well. As a percentage of total revenue, heir gross profit went from 59.7% in the fourth quarter of…
Last night, Wed. May 28, Brad Pitt endured a blow to the face at El Capitan while attending partner, Angelina Jolie’s disney movie premiere of “Maleficent”. According to Police Sgt. Leonard Calderon, the man hopped the fence to attack Pitt on the red carpet. The current suspect is Vitalii Sediuk, 25, a Ukrainian journalist who is infamous for stirring up celebrity drama at events with his ludicrous behavior. Sediuk was subsequently handcuffed and detained for battery. It has yet to be specified whether Pitt was slapped or punched in the face, the only thing that is certain at this time…
This past week Dior opened their new boutique in Florence, Italy on Via Tornabuoni, 57-59. The store building is a magnificent 14th century building. The design of which is an elegant mix of Florentine and Parisian, Dior’s signature, styles. This convergence demonstrates the growing commercial as well as social relations amongst France and Italy. The 2700 square foot building is twice the size of Dior’s prior location on the same street. Dior has had plans to open its new boutique in Florence since May 2013. This followed Dior’s store opening in Capri and renovation of their boutique in Portofino, two of…
André Assous, renown NY based designer, is debuting a collection of shoes and accessories for spring 2015. These pieces are uniquely inspired by and modeled off of his own artwork. This is a fantastic opportunity for Assous to prove himself as an artist in the realms of painting as well as designing. For these designs, Assous recreated and adapted portions of his watercolors which he will put onto his signature espadrilles, Western-style boots, among other signature shoe styles. This colorful line will make its first appearance at the FFANY show. The items will go for $165-275 Assous has expressed his…
American designer, Tom Ford,52, is launching a line of high end sneakers for this fall. This is his first venture into athletic-esque footwear. Ford has purposefully resisted this venture until recently. He is now satisfied with his ability to create a tennis shoe design that also exhibits his signature, chic style. Tom Ford is expected to receive the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s most significant honor, the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award at the CFDA Awards on June 2. Ford commented on this award saying he would like it to be a “mid-life award” as he still has so…
Today, May 28th, Cosmopolitan magazine announced that mega popstar Katy Perry will be on the cover of their first ever cover issue. The July 2014 issue will be on newsstands in the US on June 3. There will be a total of 62 editions, each to a separate country. The issue will be seen in countries such as Germany, Spain, Ukraine, Australia, Singapore, among others. Cosmo has been blessed with tremendous success lately, so there couldn’t be a better time for them to make this move. They have produced considerable web traffic with their site. Hearst President David Carey noted…
Throughout this year Katy Perry, 29, has truly validated just how cool she can be. Her hit song “Dark Horse” with Juicy J showed her capacity to diverge from her typical, bubble-gum pop princess image. Now, she’s causing a commotion over a cover photoshoot for V-Magazine with Madonna, 55. The pop duo pose in various S&M type poses and leather ensembles exhibiting a dominatrix esque scene. On Mon., May 8, Perry posted a preview of this shoot to her twitter account, tweeting, “Mmmmm my baby’s got a secret” with a photo of her crawling on the ground towards a woman’s…
Queen of twerking, Miley Cyrus, 21, took home two awards from the World Music Awards. The event was held at Sporting Monte-Carlo on Tues., May 27, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Mariah Carey delayed the event by over an hour before playing her new song “Meteorite”. Carey won the award for pop icon later in the night. When getting her award, Cyrus playfully joked, “Thank God, I thought this party was never going to get started.” The young popstar wore a Giambattista Valli gown as she performed. The dress was a strapless, colorful blend of greens and blues. Upon accepting the awards,…
Canes 2014 film festival is now behind us, but not until Vanity Fair and Chanel united forces to host an exquisite dinner party at Tetou Restaurant. This party was amongst the prime events which occur during the Cannes Film Festival. Tons of A-list celebrities were in attendance such as: Adrien Brody, Julie Gayet, Lily Allen, James Franco, Jessica Chastain, among others. This impressive guest list joined Karl Lagerfeld for the second, annual event. This dinner was hosted by French Vanity Fair alongside Chanel. Franco was looking surprisingly chic in a navy-grey suit. Lily Allen sported a blue, mini-tweed dress with…
Hashtags are creative tools to express commentary on whatever someone is posting through twitter or instagram. Hashtags can be humorous and clever or obnoxious and annoying. They are particularly irritating when used in everyday speech. In one definition, Urban Dictionary describes hashtags as, “a ridiculous replacement for the pound sign” and in another definition as, “the battlecry of hipsters”. Nevertheless, hashtags aren’t all bad. They are often useful indicators of current trends and a way to unite frequent users of social media. Some hashtags become more popular than others. Recently, “#youwerecuteuntil” has become popular. Basically, its exactly what it sounds…
Although nothing is certain yet, Google has made some enacted some movement in attempts to purchase the company Twitch. Twitch is a service that provides gamers with the ability to stream their “game play”. Twitch has over a million broadcasters participating per month. Twitch first took off in Jun. 2011. Twich is a streaming service, and thereby it is important because it gives gamers the ability to broadcast their plays. This is popular amongst gamers since it instructs new players on how the game works. Obviously, gamers are also eager to show off their abilities. Twitch is already integrated into…
The virus MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, has made its way to the U.S., and like any other epidemic caused widespread panic amongst the country. MERS emerged 2 years ago in Saudi Arabia and has many similar qualities to SARS, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Both are coron viruses. Thereby, they attack the respiratory system causing fever, coughing, and at times a pneumonia which may be fatal. However, MERS differs from SARS in that it appears to be not quite as contagious. At this time, over 650 people worldwide have been infected with it. The first case of MERS in the…
Lana Del Rey is exciting fans with her two, newly released singles which come from her upcoming album “Ultraviolence”. Del Rey performed at the KIMYE pre-wedding party on Friday, May 23. Kanye arranged this as a surprise treat for Kim, aligning with the orchestral performance of “Young and Beautiful” during his proposal. The event took place at the Palace of Versailles where guests were chauffeured in by horses to the performance of a full orchestra. Del Rey initially performed the album title track “Ultraviolence” at this event. Following her KIMYE performance, Del Rey played “Ultraviolence” at a show in Vancouver.…
Renown, Canadian-American comedian Jim Carrey, 52, delivered a striking commencement speech this past Saturday, May 24. Carrey spoke for Maharishi University of Management in Iowa’s graduates. Commencement speeches rarely provide the wisdom, intrigue, and personal honesty that Carrey exhibited. In the past, Carrey attended the transcendental meditation retreats which were provided by the university, as it was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a transcendental mediation pioneer. During the graduation he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts Honoris Caus. The award acknowledged Carrey’s significant accomplishments in the realms of comedic acting, artistry, philanthropy, and writing. In his moving…
Rainbowwave Ltd. is an independent agency that offers a variety of integrated approaches to both sales and communications. Rainbowwave emphasizes brand building. Their services include: PR, events, sales, consultancy, and retail. They provide their clients with management of and top-notch consultation concerning business ventures, sales, and communications. Rainbowwave works with international brands as well as up-and-coming RTW labels. It features collections for Women and Men’s apparel as well as accessory brands. Among Rainbowwaves prominent labels are: Matchstick, Koku, J.W. Anderson, Lucy Folk, among other impressive brands. The company is managed by creator, Maria Lemos, and its homebase resides in London.…
MAGNUM is acclaimed for its delectable ice cream treats. The company joyously celebrates its 25th anniversary in a variety of fun and exhilarating ways. MAGNUM has been running a humongous campaign since Apr. At this time they added the strapline “celebrating 25 years of pleasure” by MAGNUM’s newly released, gold lined packaging. In this campaign, they initiated a “Pleasure Hunt”, which many enjoyed participating in via the internet. This game was a single or multi-player activity in which the results could be shared. The game required the participant to collect various balloons. These balloons were scattered throughout website pages. This activity…
The unexpected loss of Professor Louise Wilson, OBE, this past weekend, at the mere age of 52, has devastated many of her former students. Her impact on these students, an impressive group of famous designers, is something that will not soon be forgotten. Through her teachings, Wilson’s influence on the fashion world was remarkable. Former student Stella McCartney wrote about her former professor on twitter, “no one will ever replace you because you were a true one off”. Professor Wilson was known for her tough and demanding approach. “Impress me” she would urge, intimidating her students into greatness. Christopher Kane…