** Style and Focus PR would like to send out late condolences to the families of: Lena Horne, Dixie Carter, John Forsythe, and Lynn Redgrave.
** Congratulations to CW actors Jensen Ackles and Danneel Harris on recently getting married. The couple wed in Dallas over the weekend. (People magazine).
** After 'Iron Man,' Marvel hopes its other characters are as successful. The comic book publisher is hoping that Tony Stark and his red and gold super suit — once unknown outside comic book circles — show how second-tier superheroes can become billion-dollar franchises. The big question surrounding Marvel since the acquisition has been how much value its library brings to mainstream audiences that have never heard of Namor the Sub-Mariner, Dr. Strange or Ant-Man.
Before the release of the first "Iron Man" in 2008, few people outside those who frequent comic book stores had heard of billionaire Tony Stark and his red and gold super suit. Now he has generated more than $1 billion in worldwide box office and is Marvel's bestselling consumer products property, exceeding even Spider-Man.
Now Disney is hoping that Iron Man provides Marvel a model for turning subprime superheroes from its 5,000-plus character library into investment-grade franchises.
Now that Iron Man is a bestselling brand with worldwide appeal, Philips said, Marvel intends to keep him that way with new waves of products that will continue to be released until "Iron Man 3" hits theaters. (LA Times)
Showing posts with label News Bites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News Bites. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thursday, October 15, 2009
News Bites: Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License
It's so horrible that someone would use their racist views to deny someone else their happiness. It's so sad that things like this still go on.
HAMMOND, La. (MSN) - A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have.
Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.
Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist.
To read the rest of the article click here
HAMMOND, La. (MSN) - A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have.
Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.
Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist.
To read the rest of the article click here
Monday, September 21, 2009
Style and Focus News Bites
** Must Read Article: Chinese Babies Stolen By Officials For Foreign Adoption (click link to read in full)(from the Los Angeles Times)
Since the early 1990s, more than 80,000 Chinese children have been adopted abroad, the majority to the United States. The conventional wisdom is that the babies, mostly girls, were abandoned by their parents because of the traditional preference for boys and China's restrictions on family size. No doubt, that was the case for tens of thousands of the girls.
But some parents are beginning to come forward to tell harrowing stories of babies who were taken away by coercion, fraud or kidnapping -- sometimes by government officials who covered their tracks by pretending that the babies had been abandoned. Parents who say their children were taken complain that officials were motivated by the $3,000 per child that adoptive parents pay orphanages.
"Our children were exported abroad like they were factory products," said Yang Libing, a migrant worker from Hunan province whose daughter was seized in 2005. He has since learned that she is in the United States.
** According to TV blog insiders, numerous fans of CW's Supernatural (which stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) are upset and may boycott the upcoming 5th episode that will feature Paris Hilton. Upset that the show will include her instead of an actress who is actually know for her acting abilities is the general consensus of many of the complaints. While others (including non fans of the series) are planning to watch just to see her killed off (many hope in a gruesome way).
** Disney Faces Rights Issues Over Marvel. According to the New York Times, Walt Disney’s proposed $4 billion acquisition of Marvel Entertainment may come with a headache: newly filed claims challenging Marvel’s long-term rights to some of its superhero characters. Heirs to the comic book artist Jack Kirby, a creator of characters and stories behind Marvel mainstays like “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four,” last week sent 45 notices of copyright termination to Marvel and Disney, as well as Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and other companies that have been using the characters.
The notices expressed an intent to regain copyrights to some of Mr. Kirby’s creations as early as 2014, according to a statement disclosed on Sunday by Toberoff & Associates, a law firm in Los Angeles that helped win a court ruling last year returning a share of the copyright in Superman to heirs of one of the character’s creators, Jerome Siegel.
** Singer and actress Jill Scott (HBO's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) has just signed on to star in Lifetime's "Sin of the Mother". Based on the Carleen Rice novel "Orange Mint and Honey". The movie is described by Variety as focusing on a grad student who returns home to face her abusive, alcoholic mother only to discover that her mom is sober and has a 3-year-old daughter and new life. "Sins of the Mother" is due to premiere on the Lifetime Movie Network in 2010. Jill Scott is also appearing in Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married Too?" in 2010. (Black Talent News)
** London Mayor Wants Museum Visitors to Pay. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London said he had been impressed, during his visit to New York last week, with its semi-voluntary admission system. Although New York’s museums are officially free, each one has a range of entry fees and visitors are usually made to feel compelled to pay. Mr Johnson said he had no interest in coercing people, but felt that a similar system could work in London.
Free museums are considered one of the Britain’s biggest cultural attractions, particularly in London. Mr Johnson said that "cynical young people” had approached him and questioned the value of offering free museums. He said that if adults paid a voluntary fee, it would show youth the importance of the cultural institutions.
Mr. Johnson made his comments at the Victoria and Albert museum, in Kensington, West London, during a discussion with Kevin Spacey, the actor, and other cultural figures about the impact of the recession on the arts world. Mr. Spacey, artistic director of the Old Vic, warned that many arts institutions were suffering from reduced corporate donations and sponsorship deals during the economic downturn. He said: “I believe that, far from being a luxury in our lives, the arts and culture are a necessity. The creative industries lead the UK economy and are the envy of the world". (London Times)
** According to Us Weekly, Zooey Deschanel married Death Cab for Cutie front man Ben Gibbard on Saturday in Seattle. Congratulations!
Since the early 1990s, more than 80,000 Chinese children have been adopted abroad, the majority to the United States. The conventional wisdom is that the babies, mostly girls, were abandoned by their parents because of the traditional preference for boys and China's restrictions on family size. No doubt, that was the case for tens of thousands of the girls.
But some parents are beginning to come forward to tell harrowing stories of babies who were taken away by coercion, fraud or kidnapping -- sometimes by government officials who covered their tracks by pretending that the babies had been abandoned. Parents who say their children were taken complain that officials were motivated by the $3,000 per child that adoptive parents pay orphanages.
"Our children were exported abroad like they were factory products," said Yang Libing, a migrant worker from Hunan province whose daughter was seized in 2005. He has since learned that she is in the United States.
** According to TV blog insiders, numerous fans of CW's Supernatural (which stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) are upset and may boycott the upcoming 5th episode that will feature Paris Hilton. Upset that the show will include her instead of an actress who is actually know for her acting abilities is the general consensus of many of the complaints. While others (including non fans of the series) are planning to watch just to see her killed off (many hope in a gruesome way).
** Disney Faces Rights Issues Over Marvel. According to the New York Times, Walt Disney’s proposed $4 billion acquisition of Marvel Entertainment may come with a headache: newly filed claims challenging Marvel’s long-term rights to some of its superhero characters. Heirs to the comic book artist Jack Kirby, a creator of characters and stories behind Marvel mainstays like “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four,” last week sent 45 notices of copyright termination to Marvel and Disney, as well as Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and other companies that have been using the characters.
The notices expressed an intent to regain copyrights to some of Mr. Kirby’s creations as early as 2014, according to a statement disclosed on Sunday by Toberoff & Associates, a law firm in Los Angeles that helped win a court ruling last year returning a share of the copyright in Superman to heirs of one of the character’s creators, Jerome Siegel.
** Singer and actress Jill Scott (HBO's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) has just signed on to star in Lifetime's "Sin of the Mother". Based on the Carleen Rice novel "Orange Mint and Honey". The movie is described by Variety as focusing on a grad student who returns home to face her abusive, alcoholic mother only to discover that her mom is sober and has a 3-year-old daughter and new life. "Sins of the Mother" is due to premiere on the Lifetime Movie Network in 2010. Jill Scott is also appearing in Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married Too?" in 2010. (Black Talent News)
** London Mayor Wants Museum Visitors to Pay. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London said he had been impressed, during his visit to New York last week, with its semi-voluntary admission system. Although New York’s museums are officially free, each one has a range of entry fees and visitors are usually made to feel compelled to pay. Mr Johnson said he had no interest in coercing people, but felt that a similar system could work in London.
Free museums are considered one of the Britain’s biggest cultural attractions, particularly in London. Mr Johnson said that "cynical young people” had approached him and questioned the value of offering free museums. He said that if adults paid a voluntary fee, it would show youth the importance of the cultural institutions.
Mr. Johnson made his comments at the Victoria and Albert museum, in Kensington, West London, during a discussion with Kevin Spacey, the actor, and other cultural figures about the impact of the recession on the arts world. Mr. Spacey, artistic director of the Old Vic, warned that many arts institutions were suffering from reduced corporate donations and sponsorship deals during the economic downturn. He said: “I believe that, far from being a luxury in our lives, the arts and culture are a necessity. The creative industries lead the UK economy and are the envy of the world". (London Times)
** According to Us Weekly, Zooey Deschanel married Death Cab for Cutie front man Ben Gibbard on Saturday in Seattle. Congratulations!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Style and Focus News Bites 6/26
Style and Focus Lifestyle PR would like to send out condolences to the families of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon.
** Sony Comments on the Passing of Michael Jackson. Commenting on his passing, Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, said: "Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era. His artistry and magnetism changed the music landscape forever. We have been profoundly affected by his originality, creativity and amazing body of work. The entire Sony family extends our deepest condolences to his family and to the millions of fans around the world who loved him." (Press Release)
** According to the London Times, a study shows that One in Five Women Choose to be Childless as Careers Takes Precedence. One in five women are remaining childless as a growing proportion choose a career over raising a family, according to the study published yesterday. The trend is most marked among women of higher social class, with better qualifications, and who were brought up as an only child. The study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests that remaining childless is a lifestyle choice. In the past childlessness was due to poverty, poor nutrition and low marriage rates caused by war and emigration. The proportion of women childless in England and Wales has increased from an estimated 10 percent of a 1945 cohort to 19 percent of women born in 1960.
** Will Your Friends Influence Your Shopping Habits and Interests. That's what two marketing companies, 33Across and Media6Degrees, will be analyzing whether there is a connection between social networking sites, advertising and your friends, and they are not interested in the basic friend lists, but in interactions on the sites, taking note when a user visits a friend’s page, sends a video or exchanges an instant message. In turn, they can identify people who are friends with a company’s existing customers, and then advertise to them.
Instead of using research to identify which Web sites are popular with certain demographic targets, these companies let “the consumer do the heavy lifting for you purely because of the proximity of that customer to other customers,” Mr. Steele said. “There’s a certain traction that you get when you target consumers that you know talk to each other, that you don’t get when you advertise like you would in print.”
Advertisers, eager for any information that allows them to waste fewer ads and spend less money, are trying Media6Degrees and 33Across to see whether friendships are a better indicator of who might like their products than other indicators like age, gender, geography or interests.
It may be valuable for advertisers, but for publishers, it is not great news — tactics like this mean that advertisers can assemble promising audiences while bypassing expensive sites like, say, CNN.com or ESPN.com. And privacy advocates are complaining about online tracking, a subject Congress is examining. (New York Times)
** Beauty Retailer ULTA Celebrates the First-Ever Recipients of the ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship. ULTA, "the store on everyone's lips," is honoring today the inaugural recipients of the ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship. Committed to positively impacting the future of women, ULTA launched in 2008 the ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship Fund to benefit outstanding high school senior girls in select communities across the country.
Sixteen deserving young women were selected based on their academic achievements, community involvement, leadership qualities and commitment to continuing their education; each girl received a scholarship to the educational institution of her choice. The young women also were offered the opportunity to take advantage of a special trip to Chicago for today's awards luncheon and shopping spree at ULTA on State Street with Lyn Kirby, President and CEO of ULTA. (Press Release)
The 2008-2009 ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship recipients are:
1. Alexa Del Tufo of Mooresville, NC
2. Katherine Strelzyk of Chicago, IL
3. Alyssa Bilyeu of Chesterfield, MO
4. Laura Rodriguez of Harker Heights, TX
5. Aparna Ghosh of Ann Arbor, MI
6. Leigh Anna Logsdon of Lubbock, TX
7. Chi Wai Tsang of Chicago, IL
8. Lily Marucci of Casa Grande, AZ
9. Emily Gold of Farmingdale, NY
10. Maria del Pilar Delgado deLeon of Fort Collins, CO
11. Emina Becirovic of Omaha, NE
12. Megan Whitehead of Sandy, UT
13. Jessica Morrison of Dunwoody, GA
14. Sarah Eisenberg of New Lenox, IL
15. Julia Alice White of Wellington, FL
16. Shelby Kretz of Toledo, OH
** Sony Comments on the Passing of Michael Jackson. Commenting on his passing, Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, said: "Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era. His artistry and magnetism changed the music landscape forever. We have been profoundly affected by his originality, creativity and amazing body of work. The entire Sony family extends our deepest condolences to his family and to the millions of fans around the world who loved him." (Press Release)
** According to the London Times, a study shows that One in Five Women Choose to be Childless as Careers Takes Precedence. One in five women are remaining childless as a growing proportion choose a career over raising a family, according to the study published yesterday. The trend is most marked among women of higher social class, with better qualifications, and who were brought up as an only child. The study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests that remaining childless is a lifestyle choice. In the past childlessness was due to poverty, poor nutrition and low marriage rates caused by war and emigration. The proportion of women childless in England and Wales has increased from an estimated 10 percent of a 1945 cohort to 19 percent of women born in 1960.
** Will Your Friends Influence Your Shopping Habits and Interests. That's what two marketing companies, 33Across and Media6Degrees, will be analyzing whether there is a connection between social networking sites, advertising and your friends, and they are not interested in the basic friend lists, but in interactions on the sites, taking note when a user visits a friend’s page, sends a video or exchanges an instant message. In turn, they can identify people who are friends with a company’s existing customers, and then advertise to them.
Instead of using research to identify which Web sites are popular with certain demographic targets, these companies let “the consumer do the heavy lifting for you purely because of the proximity of that customer to other customers,” Mr. Steele said. “There’s a certain traction that you get when you target consumers that you know talk to each other, that you don’t get when you advertise like you would in print.”
Advertisers, eager for any information that allows them to waste fewer ads and spend less money, are trying Media6Degrees and 33Across to see whether friendships are a better indicator of who might like their products than other indicators like age, gender, geography or interests.
It may be valuable for advertisers, but for publishers, it is not great news — tactics like this mean that advertisers can assemble promising audiences while bypassing expensive sites like, say, CNN.com or ESPN.com. And privacy advocates are complaining about online tracking, a subject Congress is examining. (New York Times)
** Beauty Retailer ULTA Celebrates the First-Ever Recipients of the ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship. ULTA, "the store on everyone's lips," is honoring today the inaugural recipients of the ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship. Committed to positively impacting the future of women, ULTA launched in 2008 the ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship Fund to benefit outstanding high school senior girls in select communities across the country.
Sixteen deserving young women were selected based on their academic achievements, community involvement, leadership qualities and commitment to continuing their education; each girl received a scholarship to the educational institution of her choice. The young women also were offered the opportunity to take advantage of a special trip to Chicago for today's awards luncheon and shopping spree at ULTA on State Street with Lyn Kirby, President and CEO of ULTA. (Press Release)
The 2008-2009 ULTA Enrich, Empower & Enlighten Scholarship recipients are:
1. Alexa Del Tufo of Mooresville, NC
2. Katherine Strelzyk of Chicago, IL
3. Alyssa Bilyeu of Chesterfield, MO
4. Laura Rodriguez of Harker Heights, TX
5. Aparna Ghosh of Ann Arbor, MI
6. Leigh Anna Logsdon of Lubbock, TX
7. Chi Wai Tsang of Chicago, IL
8. Lily Marucci of Casa Grande, AZ
9. Emily Gold of Farmingdale, NY
10. Maria del Pilar Delgado deLeon of Fort Collins, CO
11. Emina Becirovic of Omaha, NE
12. Megan Whitehead of Sandy, UT
13. Jessica Morrison of Dunwoody, GA
14. Sarah Eisenberg of New Lenox, IL
15. Julia Alice White of Wellington, FL
16. Shelby Kretz of Toledo, OH
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Work Chic Redefined In Tough Economy
by Jean Patteson
Orlando Sentinel
Orlando, Fl. -- The popularity of dressing down for the office is sinking about as rapidly as the average 401(k). And the casual-Friday concept? Gone the way of CEO bonuses.
In the current economic climate, women in the workplace need to make more of an effort, says Martinette Mitchell, manager of the Personal Touch personal shopping service at Nordstrom in Orlando's Florida Mall.
"Dress not for the position you're in, but for the position you're striving to get," she says. "Dress to impress."
That is not new advice. It is simply an approach to business dressing that was overlooked during the anything-goes, boom-time atmosphere of the last two decades.
Piece together a winning wardrobe "The new chic is conservative. It's no longer fashionable to be wasteful. It's fashionable to make smart investments - to build a wardrobe where every piece works with every other piece," says Marie Johnson, style consultant for Stein Mart store in central Florida.
"You should be able to go into your closet with your eyes closed, grab three or four pieces, put them on and look great, " says Johnson.
Because we're in an economic downturn, "It's more important than ever to dress well. It empowers you. It makes you stand out."
In other words, women should dress for success in 2009 the way they did (or their mothers or grandmothers did) in 1989 - in suits, tailored separates, classic accessories, closed-toe pumps.
It is key to invest in quality items for their longevity, says Mitchell. "When building a career wardrobe, she should consider neutral colors that are easily interchangeable in order to accomplish different looks. Neutral colors ranging from black, navy, gray and tan to nudes."
In trying times, a woman must take charge of her wardrobe, says Jamie Yasko-Mangum, president of Successful Style & Image in Oviedo, Fl.
"When she presents herself to current or potential employers, she should reflect confidence and intelligence - and that means wearing a suit," she says.
In addition to a couple of suits, her basic business wardrobe should include about four pairs of slacks, four blouses and one or two jackets, says Yasko-Mangum.
But no matter what the state of the economy, "I do not recommend investing in just one expensive piece. You want to invest in a small variety of good pieces so you have more than one smart choice," she says.
Johnson's plan for a basic wardrobe is similar to Yasko-Mangum's.
With two skirted suits, two pairs of slacks and five tops, she says, "you can create 30 different outfits."
Piece Together a Winning Wardrobe
Can't afford to buy a complete business wardrobe all at one? Not a problem, say image consultants. Here are their tips for gradually acquiring the pieces you need, or building on items already in your closet:
* Update your old suits with new tops.
* Rely on statement jewelry, shoes an handbags to freshen your basic outfit every day.
* Try monochromatic dressing. It always looks businesslike - and it visually elongates and slenderizes the figure.
* Choose all-season fabrics such as featherweight wool and cotton-silk blends to avoid the expense of separate summer and winter wardrobes.
* Shop smart. Upscale boutiques and department stores are offering all kinds of special promotions. And discount stores have great deals.
* Keep in mind that a chic haircut and polished makeup are part of your business wardrobe.
Orlando Sentinel
Orlando, Fl. -- The popularity of dressing down for the office is sinking about as rapidly as the average 401(k). And the casual-Friday concept? Gone the way of CEO bonuses.
In the current economic climate, women in the workplace need to make more of an effort, says Martinette Mitchell, manager of the Personal Touch personal shopping service at Nordstrom in Orlando's Florida Mall.
"Dress not for the position you're in, but for the position you're striving to get," she says. "Dress to impress."
That is not new advice. It is simply an approach to business dressing that was overlooked during the anything-goes, boom-time atmosphere of the last two decades.
Piece together a winning wardrobe "The new chic is conservative. It's no longer fashionable to be wasteful. It's fashionable to make smart investments - to build a wardrobe where every piece works with every other piece," says Marie Johnson, style consultant for Stein Mart store in central Florida.
"You should be able to go into your closet with your eyes closed, grab three or four pieces, put them on and look great, " says Johnson.
Because we're in an economic downturn, "It's more important than ever to dress well. It empowers you. It makes you stand out."
In other words, women should dress for success in 2009 the way they did (or their mothers or grandmothers did) in 1989 - in suits, tailored separates, classic accessories, closed-toe pumps.
It is key to invest in quality items for their longevity, says Mitchell. "When building a career wardrobe, she should consider neutral colors that are easily interchangeable in order to accomplish different looks. Neutral colors ranging from black, navy, gray and tan to nudes."
In trying times, a woman must take charge of her wardrobe, says Jamie Yasko-Mangum, president of Successful Style & Image in Oviedo, Fl.
"When she presents herself to current or potential employers, she should reflect confidence and intelligence - and that means wearing a suit," she says.
In addition to a couple of suits, her basic business wardrobe should include about four pairs of slacks, four blouses and one or two jackets, says Yasko-Mangum.
But no matter what the state of the economy, "I do not recommend investing in just one expensive piece. You want to invest in a small variety of good pieces so you have more than one smart choice," she says.
Johnson's plan for a basic wardrobe is similar to Yasko-Mangum's.
With two skirted suits, two pairs of slacks and five tops, she says, "you can create 30 different outfits."
Piece Together a Winning Wardrobe
Can't afford to buy a complete business wardrobe all at one? Not a problem, say image consultants. Here are their tips for gradually acquiring the pieces you need, or building on items already in your closet:
* Update your old suits with new tops.
* Rely on statement jewelry, shoes an handbags to freshen your basic outfit every day.
* Try monochromatic dressing. It always looks businesslike - and it visually elongates and slenderizes the figure.
* Choose all-season fabrics such as featherweight wool and cotton-silk blends to avoid the expense of separate summer and winter wardrobes.
* Shop smart. Upscale boutiques and department stores are offering all kinds of special promotions. And discount stores have great deals.
* Keep in mind that a chic haircut and polished makeup are part of your business wardrobe.
Monday, March 23, 2009
News Bite: Economy Has More Women Becoming Strippers
I know everyone's entitled to do what ever they want but I just find it a little disturbing that some women are chosing to go this route to make extra money.
------------------------------------------------------
Economy Has More Women Becoming Strippers
Many Turning To Adult Entertainment Industry For Work
by The Associated Press
As a bartender and trainer at a national restaurant chain, Rebecca Brown earned a couple thousand dollars in a really good week.
Now, as a dancer at Chicago's Pink Monkey gentleman's club, she makes almost that much in one good night.
The tough job market is prompting a growing number of women across the country to dance in strip clubs, appear in adult movies or pose for adult magazines.
Employers across the adult entertainment industry said they're seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured.
"You're seeing a lot more beautiful women who are eligible to do so many other things," said Gus Poulos, general manager of New York City's Sin City gentleman's club. He said he got 85 responses in just one day to a recent job posting on Craigslist.
The transition to the nightclub scene isn't always a smooth one -- from learning to dance in five-inch heels to dealing with the jeers of some customers.
Some performers said they were initially so nervous that only alcohol could calm their nerves.
"It is like giving a speech, but instead of imagining everyone naked, you're the one who's naked," Brown, 29, said.
Eva Stone, a 25-year-old dancer at the Pink Monkey, said dealing with occasional verbal abuse from patrons requires "a thick skin."
Makers of adult films cautioned that women shouldn't rush into the decision to make adult movies without considering the effect on their lives.
"Once you decide to be an adult actress, it impacts your relationship with everyone," said Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of adult film giant Vivid Entertainment Group. "Once you make an adult film, it never goes away."
The women at the Pink Monkey say dancing at a strip club might not have been their first career choice, but they entered the business with their eyes wide open. The job gives them more control and flexibility than sitting in a cubicle, and "it's easy, it's fun and all of us girls ... look out for each other," Brown said.
In this economy, "desperate measures are becoming far more acceptable," said Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist who's had clients who worked in adult entertainment.
For some, dancing is temporary, a way to pay for college loans or other bills. Others say they've found their niche.
Dancers at the upscale Rick's Caberet clubs in New York City and Miami can make $100,000 to $300,000 a year -- in cash -- even with the economic downturn, club spokesman Allan Priaulx said.
Priaulx said 20 to 30 women a week are applying for jobs at the New York club, double the number of a year ago.
Still, analysts said, the industry isn't immune to the economic recession. Business is down an estimated 30 percent across all segments, including adult films, gentleman's clubs, magazines and novelty shops, said Paul Fishbein, president of AVN Media Network, an adult entertainment company that has a widely distributed trade publication and an award show.
"In the past, people have said this industry is recession-proof," said Eric Wold, director of research for financial services firm Merriman Curhan Ford. "I definitely don't see that; maybe recession-resistant."
Strip club dancers and managers said they're drawing in the same number of customers, but fewer high rollers.
"They're not getting the big spenders," said Angelina Spencer, executive director of the Association of Club Executives, a trade group for adult nightclubs. "They're not getting the guys who come in and drop $3,000 to $4,000 a night anymore."
Still, the clubs' operating structure leaves them with low overhead and profit margins of up to 50 percent, Wold said.
Dancers are independent contractors, paying clubs a nightly flat fee depending on how long they work. At the Pink Monkey, for example, dancers who arrive at 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday pay a $40 "house fee," while women who don't arrive until midnight pay $90. And they keep their tips.
Wold and others say it's almost impossible to estimate the size of the adult entertainment industry because few companies are publicly traded. He does pay close attention to three that are: Lakewood, Colo.-based VCG Holding and Houston-based Rick's Caberet, which own clubs, and New Frontier Media, a Boulder, Colo.-based adult film producer and distributor.
All three are profitable.
Rick's Caberet had $60 million in revenue in its 2008 fiscal year, up from $32 million the year before, Wold said, and he estimates VCG will have $57 million for last year, compared with $40.5 million in FY2007. New Frontier Media generates more than $400 million in consumer buying a year.
Larry Flynt, whose half-billion dollar Hustler empire publishes magazines, produces and distributes films and operates a casino, said he's continued to do well. But he doesn't expect those who are solely in the film business to survive.
"A lot of the small studios are out of business now, there's no doubt about that," Flynt said.
Adult magazines also are struggling along with the larger publishing industry, and have to cut pages like everyone else.
But the economic realities aren't keeping jobseekers away.
Vivid Entertainment's Hirsch said the number of women in his business has doubled in the last couple years, with roughly 800 working as adult actresses. "It is more competitive than I've seen it in 25 years," he said.
That doesn't mean all the newcomers are planning on lengthy careers in the industry.
Stone, who has a bachelor's degree in graphic design, took up dancing four years ago to help pay her student loans. She plans to go to graduate school this year to pursue a master's in education.
Brown, meanwhile, has a ready answer for those critical of her career choice.
"I have job security," she said.
------------------------------------------------------
Economy Has More Women Becoming Strippers
Many Turning To Adult Entertainment Industry For Work
by The Associated Press
As a bartender and trainer at a national restaurant chain, Rebecca Brown earned a couple thousand dollars in a really good week.
Now, as a dancer at Chicago's Pink Monkey gentleman's club, she makes almost that much in one good night.
The tough job market is prompting a growing number of women across the country to dance in strip clubs, appear in adult movies or pose for adult magazines.
Employers across the adult entertainment industry said they're seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured.
"You're seeing a lot more beautiful women who are eligible to do so many other things," said Gus Poulos, general manager of New York City's Sin City gentleman's club. He said he got 85 responses in just one day to a recent job posting on Craigslist.
The transition to the nightclub scene isn't always a smooth one -- from learning to dance in five-inch heels to dealing with the jeers of some customers.
Some performers said they were initially so nervous that only alcohol could calm their nerves.
"It is like giving a speech, but instead of imagining everyone naked, you're the one who's naked," Brown, 29, said.
Eva Stone, a 25-year-old dancer at the Pink Monkey, said dealing with occasional verbal abuse from patrons requires "a thick skin."
Makers of adult films cautioned that women shouldn't rush into the decision to make adult movies without considering the effect on their lives.
"Once you decide to be an adult actress, it impacts your relationship with everyone," said Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of adult film giant Vivid Entertainment Group. "Once you make an adult film, it never goes away."
The women at the Pink Monkey say dancing at a strip club might not have been their first career choice, but they entered the business with their eyes wide open. The job gives them more control and flexibility than sitting in a cubicle, and "it's easy, it's fun and all of us girls ... look out for each other," Brown said.
In this economy, "desperate measures are becoming far more acceptable," said Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist who's had clients who worked in adult entertainment.
For some, dancing is temporary, a way to pay for college loans or other bills. Others say they've found their niche.
Dancers at the upscale Rick's Caberet clubs in New York City and Miami can make $100,000 to $300,000 a year -- in cash -- even with the economic downturn, club spokesman Allan Priaulx said.
Priaulx said 20 to 30 women a week are applying for jobs at the New York club, double the number of a year ago.
Still, analysts said, the industry isn't immune to the economic recession. Business is down an estimated 30 percent across all segments, including adult films, gentleman's clubs, magazines and novelty shops, said Paul Fishbein, president of AVN Media Network, an adult entertainment company that has a widely distributed trade publication and an award show.
"In the past, people have said this industry is recession-proof," said Eric Wold, director of research for financial services firm Merriman Curhan Ford. "I definitely don't see that; maybe recession-resistant."
Strip club dancers and managers said they're drawing in the same number of customers, but fewer high rollers.
"They're not getting the big spenders," said Angelina Spencer, executive director of the Association of Club Executives, a trade group for adult nightclubs. "They're not getting the guys who come in and drop $3,000 to $4,000 a night anymore."
Still, the clubs' operating structure leaves them with low overhead and profit margins of up to 50 percent, Wold said.
Dancers are independent contractors, paying clubs a nightly flat fee depending on how long they work. At the Pink Monkey, for example, dancers who arrive at 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday pay a $40 "house fee," while women who don't arrive until midnight pay $90. And they keep their tips.
Wold and others say it's almost impossible to estimate the size of the adult entertainment industry because few companies are publicly traded. He does pay close attention to three that are: Lakewood, Colo.-based VCG Holding and Houston-based Rick's Caberet, which own clubs, and New Frontier Media, a Boulder, Colo.-based adult film producer and distributor.
All three are profitable.
Rick's Caberet had $60 million in revenue in its 2008 fiscal year, up from $32 million the year before, Wold said, and he estimates VCG will have $57 million for last year, compared with $40.5 million in FY2007. New Frontier Media generates more than $400 million in consumer buying a year.
Larry Flynt, whose half-billion dollar Hustler empire publishes magazines, produces and distributes films and operates a casino, said he's continued to do well. But he doesn't expect those who are solely in the film business to survive.
"A lot of the small studios are out of business now, there's no doubt about that," Flynt said.
Adult magazines also are struggling along with the larger publishing industry, and have to cut pages like everyone else.
But the economic realities aren't keeping jobseekers away.
Vivid Entertainment's Hirsch said the number of women in his business has doubled in the last couple years, with roughly 800 working as adult actresses. "It is more competitive than I've seen it in 25 years," he said.
That doesn't mean all the newcomers are planning on lengthy careers in the industry.
Stone, who has a bachelor's degree in graphic design, took up dancing four years ago to help pay her student loans. She plans to go to graduate school this year to pursue a master's in education.
Brown, meanwhile, has a ready answer for those critical of her career choice.
"I have job security," she said.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Style and Focus News Bites: Barbie, Brad and Birthday Visits
** According to the Associated Press, West Virginia Deomocratic Delegate Jeff Eldridge is proposing to ban the sale of Barbie dolls and others like her in his state. He wants to outlaw the dolls, because the dolls influence girls to place too much importance on physical beauty, at the expense of their intellectual and emotional development.
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My Response:
This is one of the dumbest things I have read, with all the things going on economically he want to go after Barbie. It's the parents responsibility to instill good judgement and values to their children and banning an iconic doll is not going to change our cultures obsession with youth and beauty. So, is he also going to ban gentlemen magazines because they hold a certain stereotypical view towards beauty on how women are suppose to look. Yeah, but I guess I don't see that happening any time soon.
** In the New York magazine article, "Why Were Milan’s Runways So Whitewashed?" details the lack of diversity among models used during fashion week in Milan.
** Shoe designer Yohji Yamamoto has signed a deal with Salvatore Ferragamo to create a new collection of ergonomic shoes called Salvatore Ferragamo for Yohji Yamamoto. The new Ferragamo footwear will be unveiled this Friday, in Yamamoto's fall 2009 runway show in Paris, according to a press release. The shoes, ergonomic Chelsea boots and hiking boots will be available to consumers early July in Yamamoto boutiques, Ferragamo flagships and more directional fashion stores. Prices will vary from just under $500 to just over $1,000. (Fashion Wire Daily)
** According to People magazine, singer Kelly Rowland paid a birthday visit to an ailing little girl, Jasmina Anema. Jasmina is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. For her 6th birthday on Wednesday, Jasmina enjoyed pink cupcakes and received a Hello Kitty bicycle. But she was so "over the moon" when Grammy-winning singer Kelly Rowland sang "Happy Birthday" to her in her hospital room at NYU Medical Center. Jasmina told PEOPLE that "Kelly made me feel like a princess and she made me feel so special."
** According to Fashion Week Daily, Rebecca Taylor will launch a shoe and jewelry collection. She has partnered with two licensing groups: Peter Marcus Group for shoes and MJJ Brilliant for jewelry. Both collections were inspired by Taylor's ready-to-wear collection and her continuous inspiration from European flea markets and free spirited travelers. The footwear will include leather boot and sandals with prices ranging from $300-$400 at retail. The jewelry collection will consist of whimsical designs in materials such as 18K vermeil and a new signature sequin group. The jewelry line prices will range from $150-$500 retail. Both collections will be available at Rebecca Taylor the boutique, select department stores, and contemporary websites nationwide.
** Brad Pitt to meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to discuss Make It Right, a project launched in 2007 to construct affordable and environmentally-sustainable housing for low-income residents of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans who lost their homes as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Pitt and Pelosi are slated to kick off their meeting at 3:30 p.m., after posing for photos for the press in the Capitol Building. (CNN)
** eBay is adding to its image as being a green company. Alan Marks, senior vice president for global communications at eBay says that its business model encourages reselling old items rather than throwing them out, and buying used merchandise rather than making new stuff reduces carbon emissions that go along with production. “We never set out to be a green business,” Mr. Marks said. “We realized it’s intrinsic.” To promote its green credentials eBay will team with Hearst to run ads Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Esquire.
EBay is rather late to the game in making claims about its environmentalism. Large corporations like General Electric and BP have run advertisements for years promoting their environmental efforts, for instance. “Over the last couple of years, protecting the environment has become as American as apple pie and Derek Jeter,” said Michael Brune, the executive director of the activist group Rainforest Action Network. “Every company wants to at least be seen as being friendly to the environment.”
Mr. Brune said he had mixed feelings about eBay’s claim for its green business model. “A lot of the things sold on eBay are new merchandise, and last time I checked the Postal Service still used fossil fuels for all of their planes and their trucks, so it’s not sustainable,” he said, referring to how eBay sellers ship items. “It’s fair to say that buying used goods on eBay is better for the environment, but let’s not get carried away and say this is the greenest thing since recycled paper.” (New York Times)
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My Response:
This is one of the dumbest things I have read, with all the things going on economically he want to go after Barbie. It's the parents responsibility to instill good judgement and values to their children and banning an iconic doll is not going to change our cultures obsession with youth and beauty. So, is he also going to ban gentlemen magazines because they hold a certain stereotypical view towards beauty on how women are suppose to look. Yeah, but I guess I don't see that happening any time soon.
** In the New York magazine article, "Why Were Milan’s Runways So Whitewashed?" details the lack of diversity among models used during fashion week in Milan.
** Shoe designer Yohji Yamamoto has signed a deal with Salvatore Ferragamo to create a new collection of ergonomic shoes called Salvatore Ferragamo for Yohji Yamamoto. The new Ferragamo footwear will be unveiled this Friday, in Yamamoto's fall 2009 runway show in Paris, according to a press release. The shoes, ergonomic Chelsea boots and hiking boots will be available to consumers early July in Yamamoto boutiques, Ferragamo flagships and more directional fashion stores. Prices will vary from just under $500 to just over $1,000. (Fashion Wire Daily)
** According to People magazine, singer Kelly Rowland paid a birthday visit to an ailing little girl, Jasmina Anema. Jasmina is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. For her 6th birthday on Wednesday, Jasmina enjoyed pink cupcakes and received a Hello Kitty bicycle. But she was so "over the moon" when Grammy-winning singer Kelly Rowland sang "Happy Birthday" to her in her hospital room at NYU Medical Center. Jasmina told PEOPLE that "Kelly made me feel like a princess and she made me feel so special."
** According to Fashion Week Daily, Rebecca Taylor will launch a shoe and jewelry collection. She has partnered with two licensing groups: Peter Marcus Group for shoes and MJJ Brilliant for jewelry. Both collections were inspired by Taylor's ready-to-wear collection and her continuous inspiration from European flea markets and free spirited travelers. The footwear will include leather boot and sandals with prices ranging from $300-$400 at retail. The jewelry collection will consist of whimsical designs in materials such as 18K vermeil and a new signature sequin group. The jewelry line prices will range from $150-$500 retail. Both collections will be available at Rebecca Taylor the boutique, select department stores, and contemporary websites nationwide.
** Brad Pitt to meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to discuss Make It Right, a project launched in 2007 to construct affordable and environmentally-sustainable housing for low-income residents of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans who lost their homes as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Pitt and Pelosi are slated to kick off their meeting at 3:30 p.m., after posing for photos for the press in the Capitol Building. (CNN)
** eBay is adding to its image as being a green company. Alan Marks, senior vice president for global communications at eBay says that its business model encourages reselling old items rather than throwing them out, and buying used merchandise rather than making new stuff reduces carbon emissions that go along with production. “We never set out to be a green business,” Mr. Marks said. “We realized it’s intrinsic.” To promote its green credentials eBay will team with Hearst to run ads Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Esquire.
EBay is rather late to the game in making claims about its environmentalism. Large corporations like General Electric and BP have run advertisements for years promoting their environmental efforts, for instance. “Over the last couple of years, protecting the environment has become as American as apple pie and Derek Jeter,” said Michael Brune, the executive director of the activist group Rainforest Action Network. “Every company wants to at least be seen as being friendly to the environment.”
Mr. Brune said he had mixed feelings about eBay’s claim for its green business model. “A lot of the things sold on eBay are new merchandise, and last time I checked the Postal Service still used fossil fuels for all of their planes and their trucks, so it’s not sustainable,” he said, referring to how eBay sellers ship items. “It’s fair to say that buying used goods on eBay is better for the environment, but let’s not get carried away and say this is the greenest thing since recycled paper.” (New York Times)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Style and Focus News Bites
** Ashley Judd Protest Against Gov. Sarah Palin for Promoting Aerial Killing of Wolves. According to The Huffington Post (huffingtonpost.com), Ashley Judd stars in a new campaign targeted at Sarah Palin's alleged "anti-conservation agenda" and her promotion of the killing of wolves and bears in Alaska.
The group that Judd is working with is the Defenders Action Fund which have a new Website, EyeonPalin.org. In a video, Judd condemns Palin for promoting the aerial killing of wolves and even accuses her of suggesting $150 bounties for the severed forelegs of killed wolves. "Now back in Alaska, Palin is again casting aside science and championing the slaughter of wildlife," Judds recites somberly. "Palin even proposed a $150 bounty for the severed foreleg of each killed wolf. And now she is encouraging even more aerial killing. it is time to stop Sarah Palin and stop this senseless savagery."
** As Hotels Struggle for Business, Some Guests Find an Upside to the Struggling Economy. The upside for many guests are: bargain rates, less-crowded hotels and rooms available at the last minute at most popular hotels. Many also are enjoying improved service and special treatment, such as free upgrades to suites or club floors, as hotels roll out the red carpet to try to attract and hold on to customers. However, despite the good fortune of guests, many hotels have laid off workers or decreased their work hours resulting in guests having to wait longer to check in and out, have rooms made up and have cars returned by the valets. Luxury hotels are feeling the biggest decline in service, many travelers who used to stay at luxury hotels "are trading down," staying at less-expensive ones, says Will Marks, an industry analyst for JMP Securities. (USA Today)
** Emma Watson (The Tale of Despereaux and Harry Potter), has decorated and signed a Blue Peter plate for the Blue Peter's Mission Nutrition Appeal. The plate is currently being auction on Ebay (click here for link). The goal of the appeal is to provide meals to over 2 million children worldwide.
** In celebration of Black History Month, Payless ShoeSource Has Launched the Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship Program for Minority Youth. Through the new program, Payless is selling a limited-edition I Believe necklace for only $4 (click picture for better view) in more than 800 stores n
ationwide and Payless.com, while supplies last, and will donate 100 percent of the net profits of necklace sales, with a minimum donation of $35,000, to a newly developed scholarship program established with the National Urban League (NUL). This is the first-ever retail partnership for the NUL. Payless said it expects the NUL to distribute a minimum of a dozen $2,500 scholarships to African American and other minority youth through its signature program, Project Ready.
"Youth and education are critical to the future of our nation," said LuAnn Via, president and CEO of Payless. "Our efforts this February are focused on supporting African American and other minority youth with our Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship program. The unique, limited-edition I Believe necklace is available for only $4 -- a price point accessible to so many. Together, we are truly celebrating Black History Month with this fun, fashionable and affordable item and benefiting youth in the process -- providing strong opportunities for higher education and financial support to help make academic dreams come true." For more information on the I Believe necklace or the Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship program, please visit http://www.payless.com/bhm. (Press Release)
** Angelina Jolie plea for more freedom to thousands of Burmese refugees that have been locked inside camps for up to 20 years in Thailand. After Jolie's visit to Thailand's Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee center, asked the Thailand government to give approximately 110,000 refugees in the northern part of the country freedom to move around and seek higher education. "I was saddened to meet a 21-year-old woman who was born in a refugee camp, who has never even been out of the camp and is now raising her own child in a camp," Jolie said in a statement. (People magazine)
The group that Judd is working with is the Defenders Action Fund which have a new Website, EyeonPalin.org. In a video, Judd condemns Palin for promoting the aerial killing of wolves and even accuses her of suggesting $150 bounties for the severed forelegs of killed wolves. "Now back in Alaska, Palin is again casting aside science and championing the slaughter of wildlife," Judds recites somberly. "Palin even proposed a $150 bounty for the severed foreleg of each killed wolf. And now she is encouraging even more aerial killing. it is time to stop Sarah Palin and stop this senseless savagery."
** As Hotels Struggle for Business, Some Guests Find an Upside to the Struggling Economy. The upside for many guests are: bargain rates, less-crowded hotels and rooms available at the last minute at most popular hotels. Many also are enjoying improved service and special treatment, such as free upgrades to suites or club floors, as hotels roll out the red carpet to try to attract and hold on to customers. However, despite the good fortune of guests, many hotels have laid off workers or decreased their work hours resulting in guests having to wait longer to check in and out, have rooms made up and have cars returned by the valets. Luxury hotels are feeling the biggest decline in service, many travelers who used to stay at luxury hotels "are trading down," staying at less-expensive ones, says Will Marks, an industry analyst for JMP Securities. (USA Today)
** Emma Watson (The Tale of Despereaux and Harry Potter), has decorated and signed a Blue Peter plate for the Blue Peter's Mission Nutrition Appeal. The plate is currently being auction on Ebay (click here for link). The goal of the appeal is to provide meals to over 2 million children worldwide.
** In celebration of Black History Month, Payless ShoeSource Has Launched the Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship Program for Minority Youth. Through the new program, Payless is selling a limited-edition I Believe necklace for only $4 (click picture for better view) in more than 800 stores n
ationwide and Payless.com, while supplies last, and will donate 100 percent of the net profits of necklace sales, with a minimum donation of $35,000, to a newly developed scholarship program established with the National Urban League (NUL). This is the first-ever retail partnership for the NUL. Payless said it expects the NUL to distribute a minimum of a dozen $2,500 scholarships to African American and other minority youth through its signature program, Project Ready."Youth and education are critical to the future of our nation," said LuAnn Via, president and CEO of Payless. "Our efforts this February are focused on supporting African American and other minority youth with our Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship program. The unique, limited-edition I Believe necklace is available for only $4 -- a price point accessible to so many. Together, we are truly celebrating Black History Month with this fun, fashionable and affordable item and benefiting youth in the process -- providing strong opportunities for higher education and financial support to help make academic dreams come true." For more information on the I Believe necklace or the Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship program, please visit http://www.payless.com/bhm. (Press Release)
** Angelina Jolie plea for more freedom to thousands of Burmese refugees that have been locked inside camps for up to 20 years in Thailand. After Jolie's visit to Thailand's Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee center, asked the Thailand government to give approximately 110,000 refugees in the northern part of the country freedom to move around and seek higher education. "I was saddened to meet a 21-year-old woman who was born in a refugee camp, who has never even been out of the camp and is now raising her own child in a camp," Jolie said in a statement. (People magazine)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Style and Focus News Bites: London Shoe Shopping, Katie Holmes New fashion IT Girl and more
** High-end Shoe Shopping at it's best. Browns, a temple of style in London, has recently opened up its first stand-alone shoe store on Brook Street. A London fashion institution since opening in 1970, the new Brook Street shop will feature the very best in designer fashion – from Chloé, Jill Sanders, Marc Jacobs, YSL and many more. For more information visit Browns official website.
** Academy Award-nominated actor-producer-director Don Cheadle and his production company, Crescendo Productions, have signed a two-year, first-look television development deal with Universal Media Studios. Cheadle runs Crescendo with producing partners Kay Liberman and Lenore Zerman. (Press Release)
** Fashion Designer Narciso Rodriguez Unveils New Women's Fragrance. This spring, Rodriguez reveals his latest signature fragrance called 'essence', which is an homage to the duality of a woman's nature - the intense and the ethereal, the simple and the complex. 'essence' marks the designer's third scent created in collaboration with Beaute Prestige International, the Paris-based fragrance division of the Shiseido Cosmetics Corporation.
The 'essence' range of products includes a 3.3 oz eau de parfum ($100.00), a 1.6 oz eau de parfum ($78.00), a 6.7 oz scented body lotion ($48.00), a 6.7 oz scented shower gel ($40.00) and a 3.3 oz perfumed deodorant ($33.00). 'essence' will be available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide in mid-March, 2009. (Press Release)
** Katie Holmes is the latest IT girl in fashion as the new face of Miu Miu. The brand's 2009 spring campaign features Mrs. Holmes in the latest ads. It was inivitable that Katie would be a designer spokes model, over the past few years she has been included on many of the best dressed lists. (Photos: people magazine)
(Click for a better view)
** Fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons and actor Djimon Hounsou are expecting their first child. Simmons has two daugthers, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee with former husband Russell Simmons. (Us magazine)
** Academy Award-nominated actor-producer-director Don Cheadle and his production company, Crescendo Productions, have signed a two-year, first-look television development deal with Universal Media Studios. Cheadle runs Crescendo with producing partners Kay Liberman and Lenore Zerman. (Press Release)
** Fashion Designer Narciso Rodriguez Unveils New Women's Fragrance. This spring, Rodriguez reveals his latest signature fragrance called 'essence', which is an homage to the duality of a woman's nature - the intense and the ethereal, the simple and the complex. 'essence' marks the designer's third scent created in collaboration with Beaute Prestige International, the Paris-based fragrance division of the Shiseido Cosmetics Corporation.
The 'essence' range of products includes a 3.3 oz eau de parfum ($100.00), a 1.6 oz eau de parfum ($78.00), a 6.7 oz scented body lotion ($48.00), a 6.7 oz scented shower gel ($40.00) and a 3.3 oz perfumed deodorant ($33.00). 'essence' will be available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide in mid-March, 2009. (Press Release)
** Katie Holmes is the latest IT girl in fashion as the new face of Miu Miu. The brand's 2009 spring campaign features Mrs. Holmes in the latest ads. It was inivitable that Katie would be a designer spokes model, over the past few years she has been included on many of the best dressed lists. (Photos: people magazine)
(Click for a better view)
** Fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons and actor Djimon Hounsou are expecting their first child. Simmons has two daugthers, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee with former husband Russell Simmons. (Us magazine)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
News Bites: Spider-Man, Charities, and more
** Coming to a Comic Bookstore Near You. Spider-Man Saves the Day!!!. In the upcoming Spider-Man comic, Peter Parker goes up against one of his rogue gallery who is attempting to thwart the swearing in ceremony of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. According to Marvel, the comic will be written by Zeb Wells with artwork by Todd Nauck and Frank D'Armata.
Marvel's Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada said, "when we heard that President-Elect Obama is a collector of Spider-Man comics, we knew that these two historic figures had to meet in our comics' Marvel Universe," says . "Historic moments such as this one can be reflected in our comics because the Marvel Universe is set in the real world. A Spider-Man fan moving into the Oval Office is an event that must be commemorated in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man." The much anticipated AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 will be hitting comic book shelves nationwide January 14th. (Marvel News)
** Macy's to Close 11 Stores. The Cincinnati company said it will close 11 underperforming stores in nine states, which will affect 960 employees. "The decision to close stores is difficult, and often occurs when the market changes, new competing shopping centers are opened nearby to existing older ones, or when customers change shopping habits. In the store closing process, we are committed to treating affected associates with respect and openness," Chief Executive Officer Terry Lundgren said in a press release. For the list of closing stores click here. (MSN)
** According to Fashion Week Daily, New York magazine's biannual spin-off New York Look will not be publishing a Spring 2009 issue, and a Fall edition doesn't appear likely. The content featured in the publication, is devoted to coverage of runway shows in New York, Paris and Milan. Instead the issue will be folded into New York magazine's Fall Fashion issue.
** Actress Alyssa Milano is engaged to Hollywood agent David Bugliari. Bugliari proposed just before Christmas, according to Us magazine. The pair has been dating for more than a year.
** Financial Crisis Snuffs Out Perfume Retailer. Perfume retailer Passion for Perfume went into administration this week after the company directors failed to find a buyer for the struggling business. Administrators at Deloitte said the company made 185 redundancies across its 45 stores on New Year’s Eve and let go of 9 employees at its head office in Manchester.
Passion for Perfume was established in 2004 and sold perfume online and through its network of shops in the UK. In recent times, the company fell into financial difficulties that it blamed on ‘challenging trading conditions and reduced consumer demand’. The fragrance market has been stagnant for a while, growing barely above zero in Europe since 2002, according to figures from market researchers Euromonitor. The failure of Passion for Perfume follows the demise of a number of other leading retailers in the UK. Woolworths, Adams and Zavvi are among those to be placed in administration in recent weeks. (Cosmetics Design)
** TNT has picked up Jada Pinkett Smith's new medical drama "Time Heals," with a 10-episode order. The series is produced by and stars Pinkett Smith. The show also features David Julian Hirsh (TBS' "Lovebites"), Laura Kenly, Christina Moore ("90210") and Suleka Mathew ("Men in Trees"). (Black Entertainment News)
** Princes William and Harry are working together to raise charitable funds for schools in Uganda for the Henry Van Straubenzee Memorial Fund. It was named after a young man who died in a car crash in 2002 and whose family is very close to the House of Windsor. Henry was a classmate at the Ludgrove prep school with Prince Harry while William is friends with Henry's older brother Tom.
The charity helps the school where Henry van Straubenzee was planning to work during a year off before university. Thanks to efforts by the princes and other friends, the organization has expanded to assist 11 schools in the African nation. On Jan. 8, the princes will attend a reception to officially launch the charity and mark their patronage. The occasion marks another milestone in the princes' working lives, coming just days after they announced the formal start of their new office, complete with "cyphers," or logos. (People magazine)
Marvel's Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada said, "when we heard that President-Elect Obama is a collector of Spider-Man comics, we knew that these two historic figures had to meet in our comics' Marvel Universe," says . "Historic moments such as this one can be reflected in our comics because the Marvel Universe is set in the real world. A Spider-Man fan moving into the Oval Office is an event that must be commemorated in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man." The much anticipated AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 will be hitting comic book shelves nationwide January 14th. (Marvel News)
** Macy's to Close 11 Stores. The Cincinnati company said it will close 11 underperforming stores in nine states, which will affect 960 employees. "The decision to close stores is difficult, and often occurs when the market changes, new competing shopping centers are opened nearby to existing older ones, or when customers change shopping habits. In the store closing process, we are committed to treating affected associates with respect and openness," Chief Executive Officer Terry Lundgren said in a press release. For the list of closing stores click here. (MSN)
** According to Fashion Week Daily, New York magazine's biannual spin-off New York Look will not be publishing a Spring 2009 issue, and a Fall edition doesn't appear likely. The content featured in the publication, is devoted to coverage of runway shows in New York, Paris and Milan. Instead the issue will be folded into New York magazine's Fall Fashion issue.
** Actress Alyssa Milano is engaged to Hollywood agent David Bugliari. Bugliari proposed just before Christmas, according to Us magazine. The pair has been dating for more than a year.
** Financial Crisis Snuffs Out Perfume Retailer. Perfume retailer Passion for Perfume went into administration this week after the company directors failed to find a buyer for the struggling business. Administrators at Deloitte said the company made 185 redundancies across its 45 stores on New Year’s Eve and let go of 9 employees at its head office in Manchester.
Passion for Perfume was established in 2004 and sold perfume online and through its network of shops in the UK. In recent times, the company fell into financial difficulties that it blamed on ‘challenging trading conditions and reduced consumer demand’. The fragrance market has been stagnant for a while, growing barely above zero in Europe since 2002, according to figures from market researchers Euromonitor. The failure of Passion for Perfume follows the demise of a number of other leading retailers in the UK. Woolworths, Adams and Zavvi are among those to be placed in administration in recent weeks. (Cosmetics Design)
** TNT has picked up Jada Pinkett Smith's new medical drama "Time Heals," with a 10-episode order. The series is produced by and stars Pinkett Smith. The show also features David Julian Hirsh (TBS' "Lovebites"), Laura Kenly, Christina Moore ("90210") and Suleka Mathew ("Men in Trees"). (Black Entertainment News)
** Princes William and Harry are working together to raise charitable funds for schools in Uganda for the Henry Van Straubenzee Memorial Fund. It was named after a young man who died in a car crash in 2002 and whose family is very close to the House of Windsor. Henry was a classmate at the Ludgrove prep school with Prince Harry while William is friends with Henry's older brother Tom.
The charity helps the school where Henry van Straubenzee was planning to work during a year off before university. Thanks to efforts by the princes and other friends, the organization has expanded to assist 11 schools in the African nation. On Jan. 8, the princes will attend a reception to officially launch the charity and mark their patronage. The occasion marks another milestone in the princes' working lives, coming just days after they announced the formal start of their new office, complete with "cyphers," or logos. (People magazine)
Monday, December 29, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites: Movies, Magazines, Engagements and Eco-Business
** Disney Pulls Out of Next 'Narnia' Movie. Walt Disney Co. said it won't be involved in a third "Chronicles of Narnia" movie, pulling out of a longstanding partnership with co-producer Walden Media to finance the children's franchise that once represented one of the most promising film properties in the Disney stable.
Disney cited "budgetary considerations and other logistics" as reasons for not financing the film. But the studio's decision comes in the midst of a sharp downward turn for the franchise, based on the popular fantasy books by C.S. Lewis. The series' first film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," grossed $745 million world-wide in 2005, while the second film "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," brought in just $419 million world-wide when it was released earlier this year. Reports at the time of the film's May release estimated that it cost as much as $200 million to produce, not counting marketing costs.
Some of Walden Media's recent films, such as "Nim's Island" and "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," have also stumbled at the box office, though its 3-D film "Journey to the Center of the Earth" performed well this summer. (Wall Street Journal)
** A new magazine launched that will focus on the single life. David C. Wright, an entrepreneur, recently launched Singular, a Los Angeles magazine for singles. "We want people to not feel stigmatized," said Wright, "whether it's a chapter of your life or longer, it's all right to be single." Singular is considered a controlled-circulation magazine because it is sent free of charge to people with a certain income and makes money from advertising rather than subscriptions. (Los Angeles Times)
** America's Next Top Model winner Eva Marcille (formerly Eva Pigford) announced her newly engagement to Tyler Perry’s House of Payne star Lance Gross. The proposal happened on Christmas Eve. (E!)
** A federal judge said Fox retains rights to distribute the Warner Bros. superheroes film 'Watchmen,'. The ruling in favor of Fox comes as a surprise, given that the studio appeared to have dropped the project more than a decade ago and was not involved in producing the film, which is based on a comic book series by the same name and is scheduled to hit theaters in March. The decision came in a five-page order issued on Wednesday. "Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the Watchmen motion picture," the ruling read.
The judge advised the studios, at this point, to focus on reaching a settlement or appealing the decision. "The parties may wish to turn their efforts from preparing for trial to negotiating a resolution of this dispute or positioning the case for review," he wrote. It's not clear how the studios involved might resolve the dispute. Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc., could pay Fox a lump sum or cut it in on a portion of the profits. Also not certain is whether Fox would have to put up some of the film's production costs under such an arrangement. (Wall Street Journal)
** According to inTouch Weekly, actress Zooey Deschanel and musician Hunter Burgan are engaged. The proposal happened over the weekend of December 20th.
** Coca-Cola's Landmark Billboard in Times Square Goes Green. The Coca-Cola Company's iconic red billboard in New York City's Times Square is going "green" in time for New York's famous New Year's celebration. Coca-Cola is leading a unanimous eco-friendly shift to wind power among 30 billboards that tower over the world's most recognizable intersection.
Coca-Cola was the first company to select clean, renewable wind power to light up their billboard located at 47th and Broadway. After Coca-Cola made their commitment, all of the neighboring billboards on three buildings around Times Square joined the movement through an electric supply agreement with ConEdison Solutions and the building management company.
This voluntary action is the latest example of Coca-Cola's commitment to Live Positively, an operating philosophy that guides the Company's service to its customers, consumers and communities. This guiding philosophy is the basis for the Company's consumer-focused programs, products and packaging, and efforts to help the environment. To learn more about Live Positively and Coca-Cola's efforts to support recycling, the environment and sustainable energy, visit the new Web site http://www.livepositively.com/. (Press Release)
Disney cited "budgetary considerations and other logistics" as reasons for not financing the film. But the studio's decision comes in the midst of a sharp downward turn for the franchise, based on the popular fantasy books by C.S. Lewis. The series' first film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," grossed $745 million world-wide in 2005, while the second film "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," brought in just $419 million world-wide when it was released earlier this year. Reports at the time of the film's May release estimated that it cost as much as $200 million to produce, not counting marketing costs.
Some of Walden Media's recent films, such as "Nim's Island" and "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," have also stumbled at the box office, though its 3-D film "Journey to the Center of the Earth" performed well this summer. (Wall Street Journal)
** A new magazine launched that will focus on the single life. David C. Wright, an entrepreneur, recently launched Singular, a Los Angeles magazine for singles. "We want people to not feel stigmatized," said Wright, "whether it's a chapter of your life or longer, it's all right to be single." Singular is considered a controlled-circulation magazine because it is sent free of charge to people with a certain income and makes money from advertising rather than subscriptions. (Los Angeles Times)
** America's Next Top Model winner Eva Marcille (formerly Eva Pigford) announced her newly engagement to Tyler Perry’s House of Payne star Lance Gross. The proposal happened on Christmas Eve. (E!)
** A federal judge said Fox retains rights to distribute the Warner Bros. superheroes film 'Watchmen,'. The ruling in favor of Fox comes as a surprise, given that the studio appeared to have dropped the project more than a decade ago and was not involved in producing the film, which is based on a comic book series by the same name and is scheduled to hit theaters in March. The decision came in a five-page order issued on Wednesday. "Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the Watchmen motion picture," the ruling read.
The judge advised the studios, at this point, to focus on reaching a settlement or appealing the decision. "The parties may wish to turn their efforts from preparing for trial to negotiating a resolution of this dispute or positioning the case for review," he wrote. It's not clear how the studios involved might resolve the dispute. Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc., could pay Fox a lump sum or cut it in on a portion of the profits. Also not certain is whether Fox would have to put up some of the film's production costs under such an arrangement. (Wall Street Journal)
** According to inTouch Weekly, actress Zooey Deschanel and musician Hunter Burgan are engaged. The proposal happened over the weekend of December 20th.
** Coca-Cola's Landmark Billboard in Times Square Goes Green. The Coca-Cola Company's iconic red billboard in New York City's Times Square is going "green" in time for New York's famous New Year's celebration. Coca-Cola is leading a unanimous eco-friendly shift to wind power among 30 billboards that tower over the world's most recognizable intersection.
Coca-Cola was the first company to select clean, renewable wind power to light up their billboard located at 47th and Broadway. After Coca-Cola made their commitment, all of the neighboring billboards on three buildings around Times Square joined the movement through an electric supply agreement with ConEdison Solutions and the building management company.
This voluntary action is the latest example of Coca-Cola's commitment to Live Positively, an operating philosophy that guides the Company's service to its customers, consumers and communities. This guiding philosophy is the basis for the Company's consumer-focused programs, products and packaging, and efforts to help the environment. To learn more about Live Positively and Coca-Cola's efforts to support recycling, the environment and sustainable energy, visit the new Web site http://www.livepositively.com/. (Press Release)
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Condoleezza Rice Gives Piano Recital for the Queen
I saw this and wanted to post it because so many young women look up to the superficial and swallow I thought this little piece about Condoleeza Rice giving an inspirational piano recital for the Queen was empowering for young women.
Rice Gives Piano Recital Fit for a Queen
By The Associated Press
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, left, shakes hands with Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. Secretary of State, as Louise Miliband, right, the wife of the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, looks on, prior to a private concert at Buckingham Palace in London, England, on Monday.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave a piano recital for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
Rice performed music by Johannes Brahms and was accompanied by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband's wife, Louise, on violin, as well as three members of the London Symphony Orchestra.
The queen gave Rice an audio recording of the recital Monday night as a gift.
Rice is a classically trained pianist who had expressed a wish to play at the palace.
She was making her final trip to Britain before President-elect Barack Obama takes office next month. She was due Tuesday in Brussels for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, and then planned to travel to India.
Rice Gives Piano Recital Fit for a Queen
By The Associated Press
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, left, shakes hands with Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. Secretary of State, as Louise Miliband, right, the wife of the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, looks on, prior to a private concert at Buckingham Palace in London, England, on Monday.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave a piano recital for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
Rice performed music by Johannes Brahms and was accompanied by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband's wife, Louise, on violin, as well as three members of the London Symphony Orchestra.
The queen gave Rice an audio recording of the recital Monday night as a gift.
Rice is a classically trained pianist who had expressed a wish to play at the palace.
She was making her final trip to Britain before President-elect Barack Obama takes office next month. She was due Tuesday in Brussels for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, and then planned to travel to India.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites
** Tony Dow better known for his role on the classic TV series "Leave It To Beaver" will have his artwork displayed at the famed Louvre museum in Paris, France from Dec. 11 - 14. Dow is one of serveral artists from the Karen Lynne Gallery to be featured at museum as part of the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibition. The sculpture that will be displayed is titled “Unarmed Warrior,” and is a bronze figure of a woman holding a shield. (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
** The Mayor of Boston, Thomas M. Menino launched an enhanced holiday promotional website designed to boost holiday sales and encourage families to enjoy the city's broad range of holiday events - many free or deeply discounted. Working in partnership with the local hospitality industry, arts organizations, businesses, neighborhood Main Street programs, Downtown Crossing Partnership, Copley Place and Prudential Mall. The city has pulled together a central marketing effort to offer discounts for: The theater, Dining, Shopping, Lodging, and Parking at www.MayorsHolidaySpecial.com. (Press Release)
** Jennifer Hudson would like to thank fans for all the support during this most trying time for her. She wrote on her personal blog "I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time... My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your love and concern." (World Entertainment News)
** Hilary Duff has signed with NBC to create a new TV series. Also, the one-year contract will allow Duff, to guest star or appear in other NBC series. (Us Magazine)
** Whoopi Goldberg to produce "Sister Act" on the London Stage. Goldberg is headed for the West End to open a musical version of her hit film "Sister Act" in London. Casting is underway and will be announced next year. The musical will open June 2, 2009, at the London Palladium, with preview performances beginning May 6. Goldberg will join forces with Stage Entertainment, one of Europe's largest theatrical producers, a company headed by Joop Van Den Ende, in presenting the show. The musical will feature music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken. (Black Entertainment News)
** The Mayor of Boston, Thomas M. Menino launched an enhanced holiday promotional website designed to boost holiday sales and encourage families to enjoy the city's broad range of holiday events - many free or deeply discounted. Working in partnership with the local hospitality industry, arts organizations, businesses, neighborhood Main Street programs, Downtown Crossing Partnership, Copley Place and Prudential Mall. The city has pulled together a central marketing effort to offer discounts for: The theater, Dining, Shopping, Lodging, and Parking at www.MayorsHolidaySpecial.com. (Press Release)
** Jennifer Hudson would like to thank fans for all the support during this most trying time for her. She wrote on her personal blog "I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time... My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your love and concern." (World Entertainment News)
** Hilary Duff has signed with NBC to create a new TV series. Also, the one-year contract will allow Duff, to guest star or appear in other NBC series. (Us Magazine)
** Whoopi Goldberg to produce "Sister Act" on the London Stage. Goldberg is headed for the West End to open a musical version of her hit film "Sister Act" in London. Casting is underway and will be announced next year. The musical will open June 2, 2009, at the London Palladium, with preview performances beginning May 6. Goldberg will join forces with Stage Entertainment, one of Europe's largest theatrical producers, a company headed by Joop Van Den Ende, in presenting the show. The musical will feature music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken. (Black Entertainment News)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites 9-29 Websites and Fragrances
** Web site helps young women with 'high tastes and low budgets' make the most of both. PoorLittleRichGirls.com was created by a group of friends who love the high fashion however their budget couldn't quite give them the high fashion perks. The Web site helps hip young women find places to score $3 cocktails, $20 blowouts and other moderately priced must-haves. It's the newest Chicago-based beauty/ party Web site targeting women who want the latest in products and places for the fabulous. PoorLittleRichGirls.com aims for a different demographic: trendy, thrifty, fabulous and frugal 18- to 30-year-olds "with high tastes and low budgets." (Chicago Sun-Times)
** BagBunch Creates Handbag Search Engine. BagBunch.com, recently launched an online fashion magazine, announced its recently launched bag search engine which was created to simplify the online experience for purse shoppers by providing a search engine that is focused solely on handbags. The bag search engine is available now at http://bagbunch.com/search/ and is powered by Google technology which allows it to search through a private list of bag websites before looking at the rest of the internet. (Press Release)
** Boots celebrates the style of the ‘Golden Twenties’ with the revival of British fragrance house Girard. The UK-based retailer of health and beauty products will be the exclusive stockist of Girard fragrances that first graced the shelves of beauty emporiums approximately a century ago. Two of the original recipes have been revived for the launch, which are complemented by three new scents evoking exotics destinations.
1) Bouquet d’Orient is one of the houses original 1920s creations, challenging the French giant of the time Chanel No 5. According to the company this rich, spicy fragrance with top notes of Bergamot, Neroli and Lemon, perfectly depicts its oriental subject. 2) Lysval, the second and more floral of the original recipes to be revived, includes notes of Ylang Ylang, Indian Jasmine, Rose petals and Orange Blossom. “The challenge was to update the fragrance, keeping as close to the original signature as possible whilst still appealing to the modern nose. These fragrances are like fine French wine – the charm of them is that they are meant to be savoured and have great depth,” said lead perfumer on the project Beverley Bayne at CPL Aromas. (cosmeticsdesign.com)
** BagBunch Creates Handbag Search Engine. BagBunch.com, recently launched an online fashion magazine, announced its recently launched bag search engine which was created to simplify the online experience for purse shoppers by providing a search engine that is focused solely on handbags. The bag search engine is available now at http://bagbunch.com/search/ and is powered by Google technology which allows it to search through a private list of bag websites before looking at the rest of the internet. (Press Release)
** Boots celebrates the style of the ‘Golden Twenties’ with the revival of British fragrance house Girard. The UK-based retailer of health and beauty products will be the exclusive stockist of Girard fragrances that first graced the shelves of beauty emporiums approximately a century ago. Two of the original recipes have been revived for the launch, which are complemented by three new scents evoking exotics destinations.
1) Bouquet d’Orient is one of the houses original 1920s creations, challenging the French giant of the time Chanel No 5. According to the company this rich, spicy fragrance with top notes of Bergamot, Neroli and Lemon, perfectly depicts its oriental subject. 2) Lysval, the second and more floral of the original recipes to be revived, includes notes of Ylang Ylang, Indian Jasmine, Rose petals and Orange Blossom. “The challenge was to update the fragrance, keeping as close to the original signature as possible whilst still appealing to the modern nose. These fragrances are like fine French wine – the charm of them is that they are meant to be savoured and have great depth,” said lead perfumer on the project Beverley Bayne at CPL Aromas. (cosmeticsdesign.com)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Style & Focus News Bites
Style and Focus PR would like to send our condolences to the families of Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes.
** Advertising: Calvin Klein and Condé Nast Strike Online Ad Deal. Condé Nast has signed an exclusive deal with fashion brand Calvin Klein to run an ad campaign for its fragrance Secret Obsession on the vogue.com website. The deal, which will run for four weeks and will kick off before the campaign breaks nationally, will see Calvin Klein sponsor VogueTV and run banner advertising across the site. Calvin Klein will also offer exclusive sampling to Vogue.com readers. (Brand Republic - Media Week Magazine)
** Entertainment: Keke Palmer to Star in New Nickelodeon Series "True Jackson, VP". Keke Palmer of the hit film "Akeelah and the Bee" will star in Nickelodeon's newest live-action series "True Jackson, VP." The network has ordered 20 episodes of the series centered around 15-year old True Jackson (Palmer) who is tapped to head the youth division of a major fashion label. True soon learns that corporate life has the same highs and lows as high school, complete with cliques, mean girls and crushes -- but with cool perks like designing for up-and-coming rock stars and casting super cute models. (Black Entertainment News)
** Beauty/Business Law: L'Oreal Loses to eBay in Counterfeit Case. L’Oreal has lost to eBay in a Belgian court after it tried to sue the online auction site for selling counterfeit goods. The Tribunal de Commerce ruled in favour of eBay, dismissing claims from the cosmetics giant that the online auction site was not doing enough to prevent the sale of counterfeit Lancôme products. L’Oreal awaits the decision of courts in the four other European nations where the case was filed. (Cosmetics Design)
** Health/Business: Thousands in California whose health policies were canceled to be offered new coverage. About 3,400 Californians whose health insurance was canceled by Kaiser, Health Net and PacifiCare after they got sick will soon receive notification that they may be eligible for new coverage and for compensation for medical bills they paid while they were uninsured. In a deal with state regulators, the insurers agreed to offer former members new coverage regardless of preexisting medical conditions and to reimburse them for medical expenses. In exchange, the state Department of Managed Health Care will close investigations into the companies' rescission practices. Regulators began mailing out notices to individuals Tuesday. (Los Angeles Times)
** Advertising: Google Shuts Down Popular U.K. Advertising Blog. The UK's most popular advertising industry blog, Scamp, has been shut down by Google for breaching the conditions of its blogging platform, Blogger. Scamp, written by Bartle Bogle Hegarty creative director Simon Veksner, is hugely popular in the UK ad industry, often drawing hundreds of comments per post from disgruntled advertising executives. (Guardian)
** Art: Economic Realities Press on Artists’ Outdoor Eden. The 25 year-old open air studios of Laddie John Dill and Ed Ruscha are being encroched upon by the rapidly reviving city of Venice, CA. The city of Los Angeles wants to tear down the fence, pave the space for a parking lot. The project has quickly emerged as a fight between the artistic values that led to the renewal of Venice and the commercial interests that are reshaping the community’s character.
“After the railroad line stopped back there, and Venice began its slow deterioration, this was a really rough part of town,” Mr. Dill said. Now, however, as the boulevard on the other side of the alley has become populated with restaurants, clothing boutiques and a Pinkberry cafe, “this whole thing is symbolic of the gentrification of Venice.”
City bulldozers are expected to begin work on the 100-space parking project soon after a ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday. That has led the owner of the warehouse leased by the two artists to begin preparing a lawsuit seeking to stop the project. (New York Times)
** Advertising: Calvin Klein and Condé Nast Strike Online Ad Deal. Condé Nast has signed an exclusive deal with fashion brand Calvin Klein to run an ad campaign for its fragrance Secret Obsession on the vogue.com website. The deal, which will run for four weeks and will kick off before the campaign breaks nationally, will see Calvin Klein sponsor VogueTV and run banner advertising across the site. Calvin Klein will also offer exclusive sampling to Vogue.com readers. (Brand Republic - Media Week Magazine)
** Entertainment: Keke Palmer to Star in New Nickelodeon Series "True Jackson, VP". Keke Palmer of the hit film "Akeelah and the Bee" will star in Nickelodeon's newest live-action series "True Jackson, VP." The network has ordered 20 episodes of the series centered around 15-year old True Jackson (Palmer) who is tapped to head the youth division of a major fashion label. True soon learns that corporate life has the same highs and lows as high school, complete with cliques, mean girls and crushes -- but with cool perks like designing for up-and-coming rock stars and casting super cute models. (Black Entertainment News)
** Beauty/Business Law: L'Oreal Loses to eBay in Counterfeit Case. L’Oreal has lost to eBay in a Belgian court after it tried to sue the online auction site for selling counterfeit goods. The Tribunal de Commerce ruled in favour of eBay, dismissing claims from the cosmetics giant that the online auction site was not doing enough to prevent the sale of counterfeit Lancôme products. L’Oreal awaits the decision of courts in the four other European nations where the case was filed. (Cosmetics Design)
** Health/Business: Thousands in California whose health policies were canceled to be offered new coverage. About 3,400 Californians whose health insurance was canceled by Kaiser, Health Net and PacifiCare after they got sick will soon receive notification that they may be eligible for new coverage and for compensation for medical bills they paid while they were uninsured. In a deal with state regulators, the insurers agreed to offer former members new coverage regardless of preexisting medical conditions and to reimburse them for medical expenses. In exchange, the state Department of Managed Health Care will close investigations into the companies' rescission practices. Regulators began mailing out notices to individuals Tuesday. (Los Angeles Times)
** Advertising: Google Shuts Down Popular U.K. Advertising Blog. The UK's most popular advertising industry blog, Scamp, has been shut down by Google for breaching the conditions of its blogging platform, Blogger. Scamp, written by Bartle Bogle Hegarty creative director Simon Veksner, is hugely popular in the UK ad industry, often drawing hundreds of comments per post from disgruntled advertising executives. (Guardian)
** Art: Economic Realities Press on Artists’ Outdoor Eden. The 25 year-old open air studios of Laddie John Dill and Ed Ruscha are being encroched upon by the rapidly reviving city of Venice, CA. The city of Los Angeles wants to tear down the fence, pave the space for a parking lot. The project has quickly emerged as a fight between the artistic values that led to the renewal of Venice and the commercial interests that are reshaping the community’s character.
“After the railroad line stopped back there, and Venice began its slow deterioration, this was a really rough part of town,” Mr. Dill said. Now, however, as the boulevard on the other side of the alley has become populated with restaurants, clothing boutiques and a Pinkberry cafe, “this whole thing is symbolic of the gentrification of Venice.”
City bulldozers are expected to begin work on the 100-space parking project soon after a ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday. That has led the owner of the warehouse leased by the two artists to begin preparing a lawsuit seeking to stop the project. (New York Times)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites
** Entertainment: Rupert Grint has signed on to do the independent film "Cherry Bomb". The movie centers on best friends Malachy (Grint) and Luke (Robert Sheehan), embarking on a wild weekend and come across a beautiful but troubled stranger (Kimberley Nixon). Production on the film, penned by playwright and screenwriter Daragh Caville has already begun and is tentatively scheduled for a 2009 release. (Digital Spy) - Entertainment
** Fashion: Christian Louboutin To Open Paris Store. The 100-square-meter Paris store located in Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, will feature a county-fair theme. Mr. Louboutin has also decorated the new space with vintage chairs and a large crayfish sculpture. In addition to shoes, the shop will sell Mr. Louboutin's line of handbags. (Wall Street Journal) - Fashion
** Business: Lil Wayne Launches Champagne Brand. Lil Wayne (whose's real name is Dwayne Carter) has teamed up with French vineyard and wine manufacturers Voirin-Jumel to produce a range of champagne - entitled Halo champagne. There will be four varieties available: Halo Brut, Halo Brut Vintage, Halo Rose and Halo Pinnacle. (Contact Music) - Business
** Fashion/Business: Steve & Barry's Seeks Financial Help. The sportswear company Steve & Barry's LLC is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The privately held New York-based company said it is being represented by a bankruptcy frim and is in negotiations with lenders. Published reports said that the chain could liquidate about 100 of its stores bud did not specify which ones. (Detroit Free Press) - Fashion/Business
** Entertainment/Art: Jackie Chan Museum Planned in Shanghai. Construction has begun on a museum for Chan in the Chinese financial capital Shanghai. Earlier this week, Chan attended a ceremony marking the start of work. The museum will display props and costumes from Chan's movies, photos and other memorabilia. Construction is scheduled to finish in October 2009. (The Associated Press) - Entertainment/Art
** Advertising: McDonald's Hatches New Billboard. A Chicago McDonald has unveiled it newest billboard a 21 feet egg. The billboard is adjacent to the McDonald's restaurant at Clark and Addison which is in the shadow of Wrigley Field. It's been ingeniously designed by ad agency Leo Burnett - Chicago, to crack open to promote McDonald's fresh eggs for breakfast. It includes a timer that starts opening around 6 a.m. each day then the egg closes up around 10:30 a.m. The egg-travangza in Wrigleyville also will open for each Chicago Cubs home game through at least mid-August. (Chicago Sun-Times) - Advertising
(Click to enlarge image)
** Accessories/Cause: Russell Simmons Launches The Green Initiative Bracelet. The bracelet will be exclusivly sold at selected H.Samuel stores in the UK and from hsamuel.co.uk. The Simmons Jewelry Co. are proud to introduce an exquisite collection of premium quality malachite and raw diamond unisex bracelets in aid of the Diamond Empowerment Fund. The design of the bracelet is symbolic of the African continent with the green malachite a symbol for the care of the planet, natural and human resources. The Green Initiative bracelet is available in two unisex sizes and is priced at £125. There will be a donation of $20 ($US) to the Diamond Empowerment Fund from the sale of each piece.
The Diamond Empowerment Fund(DEF) which was founded in 2007, is a non-profit international organization that was established to work towards the empowerment of Africa. The fund’s mission is to raise money and support education initiatives that develop and empower people in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource. (Press Release) - Accessories/Cause
** Entertainment: DJ AM (real name Adam Goldstein) has sued the New York Daily News for libel and false-light invasion of privacy, alleging that a June 22 article published online and in print about his lack of earning prowess since he and former fiance Nicole Richie split is false. His lawsuit states that his career is not in financial trouble. (E!) - Entertainment
** Fashion: Christian Louboutin To Open Paris Store. The 100-square-meter Paris store located in Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, will feature a county-fair theme. Mr. Louboutin has also decorated the new space with vintage chairs and a large crayfish sculpture. In addition to shoes, the shop will sell Mr. Louboutin's line of handbags. (Wall Street Journal) - Fashion
** Business: Lil Wayne Launches Champagne Brand. Lil Wayne (whose's real name is Dwayne Carter) has teamed up with French vineyard and wine manufacturers Voirin-Jumel to produce a range of champagne - entitled Halo champagne. There will be four varieties available: Halo Brut, Halo Brut Vintage, Halo Rose and Halo Pinnacle. (Contact Music) - Business
** Fashion/Business: Steve & Barry's Seeks Financial Help. The sportswear company Steve & Barry's LLC is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The privately held New York-based company said it is being represented by a bankruptcy frim and is in negotiations with lenders. Published reports said that the chain could liquidate about 100 of its stores bud did not specify which ones. (Detroit Free Press) - Fashion/Business
** Entertainment/Art: Jackie Chan Museum Planned in Shanghai. Construction has begun on a museum for Chan in the Chinese financial capital Shanghai. Earlier this week, Chan attended a ceremony marking the start of work. The museum will display props and costumes from Chan's movies, photos and other memorabilia. Construction is scheduled to finish in October 2009. (The Associated Press) - Entertainment/Art
** Advertising: McDonald's Hatches New Billboard. A Chicago McDonald has unveiled it newest billboard a 21 feet egg. The billboard is adjacent to the McDonald's restaurant at Clark and Addison which is in the shadow of Wrigley Field. It's been ingeniously designed by ad agency Leo Burnett - Chicago, to crack open to promote McDonald's fresh eggs for breakfast. It includes a timer that starts opening around 6 a.m. each day then the egg closes up around 10:30 a.m. The egg-travangza in Wrigleyville also will open for each Chicago Cubs home game through at least mid-August. (Chicago Sun-Times) - Advertising
(Click to enlarge image)
** Accessories/Cause: Russell Simmons Launches The Green Initiative Bracelet. The bracelet will be exclusivly sold at selected H.Samuel stores in the UK and from hsamuel.co.uk. The Simmons Jewelry Co. are proud to introduce an exquisite collection of premium quality malachite and raw diamond unisex bracelets in aid of the Diamond Empowerment Fund. The design of the bracelet is symbolic of the African continent with the green malachite a symbol for the care of the planet, natural and human resources. The Green Initiative bracelet is available in two unisex sizes and is priced at £125. There will be a donation of $20 ($US) to the Diamond Empowerment Fund from the sale of each piece.
The Diamond Empowerment Fund(DEF) which was founded in 2007, is a non-profit international organization that was established to work towards the empowerment of Africa. The fund’s mission is to raise money and support education initiatives that develop and empower people in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource. (Press Release) - Accessories/Cause
** Entertainment: DJ AM (real name Adam Goldstein) has sued the New York Daily News for libel and false-light invasion of privacy, alleging that a June 22 article published online and in print about his lack of earning prowess since he and former fiance Nicole Richie split is false. His lawsuit states that his career is not in financial trouble. (E!) - Entertainment
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites
** Beauty: Leading Cosmetic Firms Fined for Exchanging Information. The German units of nine international cosmetics and fragrance firms have been fined a total of almost €10 million for exchanging information about sales, planned product launches and price rises which violates anti-trust laws. According to the German Federal Cartel Office, the following companies were implicated: Chanel, Clarins, Cosmopolitan Cosmetics (now P&G prestige products), Coty Prestige Lancaster, Estée Lauder, L'Oréal, LVMH Parfums and Cosmetics, Shiseido and YSL Beauté. In addition thirteen former managers of these companies are to be fined by the office.
The Cartel Office said the companies have been meeting four times a year to discuss figures, recent advertising costs and planned price increases since 1995. The companies are being fined between €250,000 and €2.1m, however they can appeal at the higher regional court in Dusseldorf. (Cosmetic Design) - Beauty
** Entertainment: Courteney Cox to Join 'Scrubs'. According to Entertainment Weekly, Cox will become the new Chief of Medicine and her character will "ruffle feathers". Cox signed up to appear in three episodes. - Entertainment
** Business/Health: Salmonella Scare Hurts Calif. Tomato Growers. The Food and Drug Administration announced that the salmonella outbreak has sickened more than 1,000 people — making it the worst food outbreak in years. Even thought the FDA never suspected California tomatoes, the salmonella scare has clearly hurt California growers, who are just starting to harvest their tomatoes.
Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers, a cooperative association of farms in California and Arizona, says that when the FDA issues consumer warnings before it has a good handle on the possible culprit, the economic devastation goes beyond farmers. Whose affected are "the people who pick in the field, the workers who grow it, the people who harvest it, the packing shed workers, which affects the truckers." (NPR) - Business/Health
** Fashion: My Vintage Baby Premieres Maternity Wear for Spring 2009. The new line of maternity tops will complement the My Vintage Baby’s children’s collection. This will be the Company’s first venture beyond the unique and nostalgic children’s apparel and accessories it's known for. For more information regarding My Vintage Baby please visit: www.myvintagebaby.com. (Press Release) - Fashion
** Fashion: Leonardo DiCaprio Partners with Jaeger-LeCoultre. The luxury company has collaborated with the charitable actor to create the Time to Care program, as well as develop two watches that will benefit the Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at the California Community Foundation. The timepieces will debut this fall, and all proceeds from the sales will directly benefit the cause. (Fashion Week Daily) - Fashion
** Business: Jennifer Lopez Closes Her Restaurant. According to Us magazine, Lopez has closed her buzzed about restaurant Madre's which is located in Pasadena, CA. The Latin inspired restaurant opened a little over six years ago. The restaurant's name was selected by then Gigli co-star Ben Affleck. No additional information given. - Business
The Cartel Office said the companies have been meeting four times a year to discuss figures, recent advertising costs and planned price increases since 1995. The companies are being fined between €250,000 and €2.1m, however they can appeal at the higher regional court in Dusseldorf. (Cosmetic Design) - Beauty
** Entertainment: Courteney Cox to Join 'Scrubs'. According to Entertainment Weekly, Cox will become the new Chief of Medicine and her character will "ruffle feathers". Cox signed up to appear in three episodes. - Entertainment
** Business/Health: Salmonella Scare Hurts Calif. Tomato Growers. The Food and Drug Administration announced that the salmonella outbreak has sickened more than 1,000 people — making it the worst food outbreak in years. Even thought the FDA never suspected California tomatoes, the salmonella scare has clearly hurt California growers, who are just starting to harvest their tomatoes.
Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers, a cooperative association of farms in California and Arizona, says that when the FDA issues consumer warnings before it has a good handle on the possible culprit, the economic devastation goes beyond farmers. Whose affected are "the people who pick in the field, the workers who grow it, the people who harvest it, the packing shed workers, which affects the truckers." (NPR) - Business/Health
** Fashion: My Vintage Baby Premieres Maternity Wear for Spring 2009. The new line of maternity tops will complement the My Vintage Baby’s children’s collection. This will be the Company’s first venture beyond the unique and nostalgic children’s apparel and accessories it's known for. For more information regarding My Vintage Baby please visit: www.myvintagebaby.com. (Press Release) - Fashion
** Fashion: Leonardo DiCaprio Partners with Jaeger-LeCoultre. The luxury company has collaborated with the charitable actor to create the Time to Care program, as well as develop two watches that will benefit the Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at the California Community Foundation. The timepieces will debut this fall, and all proceeds from the sales will directly benefit the cause. (Fashion Week Daily) - Fashion
** Business: Jennifer Lopez Closes Her Restaurant. According to Us magazine, Lopez has closed her buzzed about restaurant Madre's which is located in Pasadena, CA. The Latin inspired restaurant opened a little over six years ago. The restaurant's name was selected by then Gigli co-star Ben Affleck. No additional information given. - Business
Monday, June 30, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites
Style and Focus have been selected to view the Fall line of UGG's exclusively from Nordstrom. I will post my review of the line tomorrow.
** 'The Dark Knight' Tickets are Selling Out on Fandango. Fans are Scooping Up Tickets for Late Night Showtimes Scheduled Across the Nation. With less than three weeks remaining till "The Dark Knight" opens on July 18, at 12:01 a.m., Fandango, the nation's leading movie goer destination, is finding that dozens of showtimes for the film are already sold out.
"We are currently seeing a surge in advance ticket sales for 'The Dark Knight'," says Ted Hong, vice president of marketing for Fandango. "It makes sense that there's a rush for tickets, as it's the perfect movie to see on the big screen, as supported by our strong ticket sales for both traditional screens and the larger format in IMAX. We believe the film is appealing to both comic book and action fans, as well as casual movie goers." (Press Release)
** Is the U.S. Patent System Hindering Innovation? The U.S. patent system is not working. It stands accused on all sides of stifling innovation instead of nurturing it. Some critics say the system is fundamentally wrecked, others that it can be fixed. In this new book, "Patent Failure: How Judges, Bureaucrats, and Lawyers Put Innovation at Risk," economist James Bessen and law academic Michael Meurer show that the system no longer provides predictable property rights. They go on to offer solutions based on empirical evidence from history, law and economics.
The authors acknowledge that the crisis is recent: The system worked well into the 1980s until it was undermined by problems with the Patent Office's quality examination, the scrutiny of applications for patents to say if they should be granted. The book laments that the U.S. may be left with a patent system for chemicals and pharmaceuticals and little else. (Los Angeles Times)
** Estee Lauder is aiming to increase its presence in the fast growing market of India by targeting the country's biggest cities. The first stage of the expansion will see the company focus on the Mumbai market, where it is currently opening four freestanding stores. This move will be backed up by targeting two of India's other major metropolises and economic centers, Delhi and Bangalore over the course of the next six months. (Cosmetics Design)
** Magic Johnson's Business Moves Off The Court. John's first business venture was his movie theater which is a big success in Baldwin Hill, CA. His business success has come from focusing on long-ignored urban neighborhoods through his Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund.
Canyon-Johnson, formed in 1998, has financed 31 real estate developments in 13 states. It launched its third and biggest investment fund in April -- and in a matter of weeks drew $1 billion from big investors. Johnson has other ventures in the works. In March, he signed a multi-year marketing deal to help electronics retailer Best Buy Co. bolster sales in urban neighborhoods. (Los Angeles Times)
** Lauren Conrad of MTV's "The Hills" has designed a "Have a Heart" necklace for charity which will be available this fall. The necklace priced at $22.00, will benefit the Girls m.powerment Campaign, with a full 90% of net proceeds from each sale going directly to the group. (People Magazine)
** 'The Dark Knight' Tickets are Selling Out on Fandango. Fans are Scooping Up Tickets for Late Night Showtimes Scheduled Across the Nation. With less than three weeks remaining till "The Dark Knight" opens on July 18, at 12:01 a.m., Fandango, the nation's leading movie goer destination, is finding that dozens of showtimes for the film are already sold out.
"We are currently seeing a surge in advance ticket sales for 'The Dark Knight'," says Ted Hong, vice president of marketing for Fandango. "It makes sense that there's a rush for tickets, as it's the perfect movie to see on the big screen, as supported by our strong ticket sales for both traditional screens and the larger format in IMAX. We believe the film is appealing to both comic book and action fans, as well as casual movie goers." (Press Release)
** Is the U.S. Patent System Hindering Innovation? The U.S. patent system is not working. It stands accused on all sides of stifling innovation instead of nurturing it. Some critics say the system is fundamentally wrecked, others that it can be fixed. In this new book, "Patent Failure: How Judges, Bureaucrats, and Lawyers Put Innovation at Risk," economist James Bessen and law academic Michael Meurer show that the system no longer provides predictable property rights. They go on to offer solutions based on empirical evidence from history, law and economics.
The authors acknowledge that the crisis is recent: The system worked well into the 1980s until it was undermined by problems with the Patent Office's quality examination, the scrutiny of applications for patents to say if they should be granted. The book laments that the U.S. may be left with a patent system for chemicals and pharmaceuticals and little else. (Los Angeles Times)
** Estee Lauder is aiming to increase its presence in the fast growing market of India by targeting the country's biggest cities. The first stage of the expansion will see the company focus on the Mumbai market, where it is currently opening four freestanding stores. This move will be backed up by targeting two of India's other major metropolises and economic centers, Delhi and Bangalore over the course of the next six months. (Cosmetics Design)
** Magic Johnson's Business Moves Off The Court. John's first business venture was his movie theater which is a big success in Baldwin Hill, CA. His business success has come from focusing on long-ignored urban neighborhoods through his Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund.
Canyon-Johnson, formed in 1998, has financed 31 real estate developments in 13 states. It launched its third and biggest investment fund in April -- and in a matter of weeks drew $1 billion from big investors. Johnson has other ventures in the works. In March, he signed a multi-year marketing deal to help electronics retailer Best Buy Co. bolster sales in urban neighborhoods. (Los Angeles Times)
** Lauren Conrad of MTV's "The Hills" has designed a "Have a Heart" necklace for charity which will be available this fall. The necklace priced at $22.00, will benefit the Girls m.powerment Campaign, with a full 90% of net proceeds from each sale going directly to the group. (People Magazine)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites
** Actor Hill Harper's (CSI: New York) second book "Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny" (list price: $22.50) will be available in June. The book includes contributions from Angela Basset, Michelle Obama, Tatyana Ali and Nikki Giovanni. It is the follow-up to his national best selling first book "Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny".
** 'Sex And The City' stylist to create a luxury collection for M&S. New York fashion guru Patricia Field, whose clients range from Sarah Jessica Parker to Anne Hathaway, has signed a deal to create a collection for London department store Marks & Spencer. The new range, which Patricia describes as 'Destination Style New York', aims to bring the Manhattan glamour associated with Carrie and co. to the British high street when it debuts in October. The 35-item collection includes dresses, tops, pants and accessories. (Hello magazine)
** Menu Foods, other pet food makers and retailers involved in last year's massive pet food recall will set up a $24 million cash fund to compensate pet owners, according to a proposed settlement filed Thursday in federal court. The fund is expected to compensate thousands of pet owners in the U.S. and Canada who bought recalled pet foods made by Menu and 11 others. The products had a contaminated ingredient from China that sickened dogs and cats. (USA Today)
** Jackie Chan plans to make a film highlighting the plight of victims of last week's earthquake in China – where the death toll is closing in on the 60,000-person mark and more than 5 million people have been left homeless. He returned to his home country as soon as he heard about the 7.9-magnitude quake and also plans to raise money through benefits for the victims. (People magazine)
** Seattle South Lake Union streetcar appears to be slowing down despite what Mayor Greg Nickels, says the line is exceeding expectations. Ridership is almost exactly where the city predicted it would be the first year — about 1,000 average daily trips, based on logs by streetcar drivers. It breaks down to eight riders per one-way trip.
Ticket sales ($1.75 adult ticket) cover 5 percent of the estimated $2.1 million annual operating cost, mainly because the overwhelming majority of riders use King County Metro Transit passes. "That is not, obviously, a stellar performance from a financial viewpoint, but it's also the first year," said Jim Jacobson, deputy general manager for Metro, which operates the city-owned streetcar line. He said ridership will grow as the neighborhood develops and more trains are added. Plus, summer tourists, new employers such as Amazon.com and UW Medicine, along with new condos, are predicted to help boost ridership. (Seattle Times)
** Madonna's Chanel handbag raised almost half a million dollars at a charity auction at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. A mystery buyer purchased the bag for $471,000. The event raised more than $10 million for amfAR's life-saving Aids research programs. (World Entertainment News Network)
** Actor and rapper, Bow Wow has joined the fifth season of HBO's Entourage with a recurring role as a stand-up comedian who is managed by Eric Murphy, played by actor Kevin Connolly.
** 'Sex And The City' stylist to create a luxury collection for M&S. New York fashion guru Patricia Field, whose clients range from Sarah Jessica Parker to Anne Hathaway, has signed a deal to create a collection for London department store Marks & Spencer. The new range, which Patricia describes as 'Destination Style New York', aims to bring the Manhattan glamour associated with Carrie and co. to the British high street when it debuts in October. The 35-item collection includes dresses, tops, pants and accessories. (Hello magazine)
** Menu Foods, other pet food makers and retailers involved in last year's massive pet food recall will set up a $24 million cash fund to compensate pet owners, according to a proposed settlement filed Thursday in federal court. The fund is expected to compensate thousands of pet owners in the U.S. and Canada who bought recalled pet foods made by Menu and 11 others. The products had a contaminated ingredient from China that sickened dogs and cats. (USA Today)
** Jackie Chan plans to make a film highlighting the plight of victims of last week's earthquake in China – where the death toll is closing in on the 60,000-person mark and more than 5 million people have been left homeless. He returned to his home country as soon as he heard about the 7.9-magnitude quake and also plans to raise money through benefits for the victims. (People magazine)
** Seattle South Lake Union streetcar appears to be slowing down despite what Mayor Greg Nickels, says the line is exceeding expectations. Ridership is almost exactly where the city predicted it would be the first year — about 1,000 average daily trips, based on logs by streetcar drivers. It breaks down to eight riders per one-way trip.
Ticket sales ($1.75 adult ticket) cover 5 percent of the estimated $2.1 million annual operating cost, mainly because the overwhelming majority of riders use King County Metro Transit passes. "That is not, obviously, a stellar performance from a financial viewpoint, but it's also the first year," said Jim Jacobson, deputy general manager for Metro, which operates the city-owned streetcar line. He said ridership will grow as the neighborhood develops and more trains are added. Plus, summer tourists, new employers such as Amazon.com and UW Medicine, along with new condos, are predicted to help boost ridership. (Seattle Times)
** Madonna's Chanel handbag raised almost half a million dollars at a charity auction at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. A mystery buyer purchased the bag for $471,000. The event raised more than $10 million for amfAR's life-saving Aids research programs. (World Entertainment News Network)
** Actor and rapper, Bow Wow has joined the fifth season of HBO's Entourage with a recurring role as a stand-up comedian who is managed by Eric Murphy, played by actor Kevin Connolly.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Style and Focus News Bites
** Can Nintendo’s new, Wii Fit transform the home-fitness market? Scheduled to be released in North America sometime next week, Wii Fit is not meant to replace going to the gym but as an additional fitness option. But in a world of $3,000 elliptical machines and $150-an-hour personal trainers, it has at least a chance of becoming a global, affordable, mass-market interactive home-fitness system. (On its overseas debut last month, it became one of the fastest-selling games ever in Britain.)
The system costs $90 (plus an additional $250 for the basic Wii console, if you don't already have the unit). It uses a television and a sensitive “balance board” placed on the floor to present a few dozen activities, from push-ups to yoga, to more entertaining challenges like balance games and aerobic contests. Nintendo is not aiming Wii Fit at people with a serious exercise regimen. Rather, it is meant to appeal to the person busy with work and family who just wants to have fun getting a little toned at home. (New York Times)
** Supermodel Alek Wek and fashion designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka of Badgley Mischka were honored by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) at the 30th Annual American Image Awards this Wednesday evening, May 14 in New York. Wek received the "Spirit of a Woman" award for her work as a model and humanitarian, and Badgley and Mischka were named "Designer of the Year." (Fashion Wire Daily)
** Two of Britain’s leading independent schools are planning on boycotting this summer’s exam league tables, claiming they do not give a true picture of academic achievement. St Paul’s School for boys in Barnes, South West London, and Eton, in Windsor, confirmed that they will refuse to submit their GCSE and A level results to the Independent Schools Council for publication in August. They will join Winchester College, which took the same step last year.
Martin Stephen, High Master of St Paul’s said that the league tables kill good teaching and damage education, as they encouraged schools to teach to the test and in some instances to enter pupils for soft qualifications, rather than for more difficult traditional subjects. (London Times)
** Chanel Goes Interactive at Bergdorf Goodman. The upscale retailer and Chanel Fragrance and Beauté have teamed up to launch an interactive beauty area, the first of its kind in the U.S. (WWD)
** The Gap and the Whitney Museum of American Art introduces Limited Edition Artist colletion T-shirts. The shirts are designed by 13 contemporary artists, including Chuck Close, Jeff Koons, Marilyn Minter, Kiki Smith, Cai Guo-Qiang, Barbara Kruger, Ashley Bickerton, Kenny Scharf, Glenn Ligon, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Kerry James Marshall, Hanna Liden and Sarah Sze. The shirts range in price from $28 to $38.
The limited edition collection is available exclusively at select Gap stores in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and franchise markets, as well as online in the U.S. at gap.com. They're also available at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and at Colette, a Paris-based boutique. (Press Release)
** Mary J. Blige and Marketing guru Steve Stoute recently announced their new charity initiative, FFAWN: The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now, Inc.
FFAWN was originally created in 2007 by the two in order to use Mrs. Blige's personal story and success to inspire women from all walks of life to reach their individual potential. Blige said she hopes to help these women overcome the difficulties they face in their lives and to provide them with the drive and confidence to pursue and realize their goals and dreams. Through scholarships, grants, and programs that foster strong self-esteem, career development, and personal growth, FFAWN is intended to help women gain the confidence and skills they need to achieve success. (Press Release)
** Hills Finale Tops Ratings Among Young Viewers. Monday night's season finale of MTV's The Hills was watched by 2.94 million viewers between the ages of 12 and 34 and 3.77 total viewers. The ratings made The Hills finale the most watched show in its time period among 12-34-year-olds across both cable and broadcast networks. (Us magazine)
The system costs $90 (plus an additional $250 for the basic Wii console, if you don't already have the unit). It uses a television and a sensitive “balance board” placed on the floor to present a few dozen activities, from push-ups to yoga, to more entertaining challenges like balance games and aerobic contests. Nintendo is not aiming Wii Fit at people with a serious exercise regimen. Rather, it is meant to appeal to the person busy with work and family who just wants to have fun getting a little toned at home. (New York Times)
** Supermodel Alek Wek and fashion designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka of Badgley Mischka were honored by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) at the 30th Annual American Image Awards this Wednesday evening, May 14 in New York. Wek received the "Spirit of a Woman" award for her work as a model and humanitarian, and Badgley and Mischka were named "Designer of the Year." (Fashion Wire Daily)
** Two of Britain’s leading independent schools are planning on boycotting this summer’s exam league tables, claiming they do not give a true picture of academic achievement. St Paul’s School for boys in Barnes, South West London, and Eton, in Windsor, confirmed that they will refuse to submit their GCSE and A level results to the Independent Schools Council for publication in August. They will join Winchester College, which took the same step last year.
Martin Stephen, High Master of St Paul’s said that the league tables kill good teaching and damage education, as they encouraged schools to teach to the test and in some instances to enter pupils for soft qualifications, rather than for more difficult traditional subjects. (London Times)
** Chanel Goes Interactive at Bergdorf Goodman. The upscale retailer and Chanel Fragrance and Beauté have teamed up to launch an interactive beauty area, the first of its kind in the U.S. (WWD)
** The Gap and the Whitney Museum of American Art introduces Limited Edition Artist colletion T-shirts. The shirts are designed by 13 contemporary artists, including Chuck Close, Jeff Koons, Marilyn Minter, Kiki Smith, Cai Guo-Qiang, Barbara Kruger, Ashley Bickerton, Kenny Scharf, Glenn Ligon, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Kerry James Marshall, Hanna Liden and Sarah Sze. The shirts range in price from $28 to $38.
The limited edition collection is available exclusively at select Gap stores in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and franchise markets, as well as online in the U.S. at gap.com. They're also available at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and at Colette, a Paris-based boutique. (Press Release)
** Mary J. Blige and Marketing guru Steve Stoute recently announced their new charity initiative, FFAWN: The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now, Inc.
FFAWN was originally created in 2007 by the two in order to use Mrs. Blige's personal story and success to inspire women from all walks of life to reach their individual potential. Blige said she hopes to help these women overcome the difficulties they face in their lives and to provide them with the drive and confidence to pursue and realize their goals and dreams. Through scholarships, grants, and programs that foster strong self-esteem, career development, and personal growth, FFAWN is intended to help women gain the confidence and skills they need to achieve success. (Press Release)
** Hills Finale Tops Ratings Among Young Viewers. Monday night's season finale of MTV's The Hills was watched by 2.94 million viewers between the ages of 12 and 34 and 3.77 total viewers. The ratings made The Hills finale the most watched show in its time period among 12-34-year-olds across both cable and broadcast networks. (Us magazine)
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