Outfit Formula: Festive Silver Boots

Metallic boots are a great way to jazz up an outfit, especially for the holidays, when you have grey, or salt & pepper hair to bookend the look, or when your wardrobe is neutrally-rich. Metallic boots add shine, which is festive, eye-catching and unique. Silver boots are especially popular because they’re less bright and gaudy than most gold boots. Pewter boots straddle the line between silver and gold and are another way to go.

Silver boots come in all sorts. Heeled, flat, matte, extra shiny, dressy, casual, minimal, maximal, high shaft, low shaft, so take your pick.

Here are four outfit formulas that incorporate silver boots in easy ways. Note that none of the models have silver or salt & pepper hair to bookend the look, but that would add something extra to the look.

1. Skinnies, Black Top & Silver Boots

Combine a pair of dressier blue skinny or straight leg jeans with a festive top and silver boots. The top needn’t be black, but that might be what you have on hand. Finish off the outfit with a silver bag to match the boots, or another bag that works with the palette. Silver jewellery picks up the silver of the boots.

Eloquii Cropped Sequin Turtleneck

2. Flares & Silver Boots

Pointy toe heeled boots or pumps are a classic worn under flared jeans and pants. The combination is dressy, streamlining and elongating. Here the model is wearing a black top with waist definition, but a colour or pattern works just as well – as will a fluid fit. The eyelet detailing of the top does effectively pick up the silver of the boots. Adding silver jewellery will do that too. Personally, I find the jeans here two inches short, but that’s subjective.

Eloquii Slim Bootcut Jean

3. Flared Midi, Fluid Top & Silver Boots

A soft flared midi skirt worn with a fluid, untucked welted top is a comfortable and modern combination. The pairing can shorten the leg line so in this case heeled boots are a good bet. The silver boots are low contrast to the model’s skin tone which further elongates the leg line. The silver complements the white in the pattern of the skirt, which pulls the outfit together.

Eloquii Print Blocked Circle Skirt

4. Column of Black & Silver Boots

If you wear a lot of black, breaking up the head-to-toe column with silver boots is extremely effective. The same can be done with a column of navy, ink blue, red, grey or a pattern. Here, the black trim of the boots complements the black of the outfit. Although this is a skirted look, adding silver boots to black pants and top is as fabulous. Just about any colour or patterned handbag would work here.

NICHOLAS KIRKWOOD Casati Embellished Metallic Textured-leather Ankle Boots

I prefer warm metals so it’s gold boots for me. I have a flat smart casual pair that I bought last year that became instant workhorses. I wear them day to day instead of on occasions because I like glitz and shiny things. I often complemented them with a matching gold belt. But now that I’m off wearing belts with high rises and exposed butterfly jeans, we’ll see what happens. My gold boots are great to travel with because they’re very comfy and go the distance. I wear them in the Winter and Spring when I feel like more of a party on my feet. They are particularly good with white jeans. The metallic leather scuffs quite easily, but not too bad. I’m an urban walker and don’t let my shoes boss me around.

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Stocks end week down despite Trump’s assurances about China

Wall Street is forecasting bleak times. US markets sold off sharply Friday after weak economic data from China stoked worries of a global slowdown in 2019. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 496.87 points, shedding 2 percent, to close at 24,100.51, after retail growth in China slowed to its lowest level in more 15…
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Johnson & Johnson stock tanks on baby powder asbestos report

Johnson & Johnson’s stock had its worst day in 16 years after an explosive report accused the consumer-products giant of lying for decades about trace amounts of cancer-causing asbestos in its namesake baby powder. J&J had evidence from lab tests dating as early as 1971 that its talcum powder contained asbestos — and lied about…
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Downton Abbey Is Returning—This Time to the Big Screen. Watch the Trailer

If you missed the Grantham, their servants and the grandeur of their English estate, you’ll be happy to know that the cast of Downton Abbey is returning in 2019. Only this time, it’s on the big screen.

The show’s Twitter account on Friday teased the trailer for the movie, which is simply named Downton Abbey.

The show, a PBS series available on Amazon Prime Video, won three Golden Globes and 15 Emmys during its six seasons, which began in 2010 and wrapped up in 2016.

Focus Features confirmed in July that the popular show was being made into a feature film, with the main cast, including Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, and Michelle Dockery, returning for their roles, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The creator of Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, who following the show was busy with a book project for an unrelated story, wrote the screenplay for the movie, Entertainment Weekly reports. The series follows a family through the changes of the early 1900s, including with historical events such as the sinking of the Titanic, World War 1 and Adolf Hitler’s first attempt at seizing power in Germany.

The show garnered a high viewership for the public broadcaster, bringing in 9.9 million viewers for its final season premiere. Merchandise associated with the show has brought in about $ 24 million in 2013, Forbes reports.

The storyline of the movie hasn’t yet been revealed, but it is set to be released in theaters on September 20, 2019, CNN reports.

“It’s a return to these really beloved characters and seeing them in new sets of circumstances and how they will deal with those, and hopefully, a good mix of the drama, comedy, and romance that had been the mainstays of it all,” Executive producer Gareth Neame told Entertainment Weekly.

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“I Was Ashamed”: Kid Cudi Opens Up About Why He Kept His Depression From Loved Ones On “Red Table Talk”

Kid Cudi is again taking a moment to talk about his battle with depression, one that he says he kept hidden from those close to him.

On the next episode of Red Table Talk, Jada Pinkett Smith, her mother …

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Apple’s $1 billion Austin campus is the latest big investment from top tier firms: Texas governor

"Texas is the Alabama when it comes to recruiting in college football. We get to pick the 5-star recruit companies that are coming to the Lone Star State," Abbott says.
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Samsung’s foldable phone rumored to have killer specs and a massive battery

Galaxy F Specs

Samsung unveiled its first ever foldable smartphone last month, but it was hardly a proper announcement. Samsung showed off the phone’s Infinity Flex screen design, revealed the phone would have a large screen on the inside and a smaller one on the outside, and demoed bits and pieces of the new interface it developed with Google for the unnamed phone.

That’s about everything Samsung was willing to tell us about the phone, leaving plenty of things out of this first foldable phone presentation. However, a report that talks in great detail about the future of foldable devices also shares new information about Samsung’s new phone, including camera and battery specs.

Continue reading…

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  1. Holy cow, this Amazon sale on 128GB iPads has to be a mistake
  2. Amazon is blowing out iPad and MacBook Pro refurbs, today only

Trending Right Now:

  1. Best Buy is running one last big sale with some of the best deals we’ve seen all year
  2. The ultra high-end Galaxy S10 version that popped up in rumors might’ve just been confirmed
  3. Sonos Beam sound bar is back on sale, and Amazon’s secret Sonos deals are still live

Samsung’s foldable phone rumored to have killer specs and a massive battery originally appeared on BGR.com on Fri, 14 Dec 2018 at 23:07:38 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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Good Sign for Buyers: Housing Inventory Growing Again

The growth is potentially a big deal for homebuyers for multiple reasons. As inventory grows, buyers have a wider selection of homes to choose from. More homes for sale can help reduce bidding battles among buyers for a home purchase. And higher housing supply may put more pressure on sellers to cut listing prices.

There were 3% more homes for sale nationally in October than the same time a year ago, according to a new report. The online real estate firm Zillow reported inventory fell for 44 straight months on an annual basis before realizing the uptick. A 1% jump in inventory in September spurred a greater gain in October, a possible sign of future gains in available inventory.

The surges came after inventory declined last October at a 10.2% annual pace. Expensive markets that were among the nation’s hottest saw some of the biggest inventory gains. Take San Jose, California. It had the biggest annual inventory jump, adding about 1,500 homes to boost inventory by 93.1% from last October. San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle also experienced the greatest increases in the number of houses for sale.

Still, rising mortgage rates could dampen the rising housing stock if the higher rates scare off potential buyers.

“In yet another sign that the housing market is cooling, we’re finally starting to see inventory return after several years of annual declines,”  Zillow Senior Economist Aaron Terrazas stated in a press release. “The combination of tight supply and strong demand have pushed up home values in recent years, but markets always ebb and flow and there is no doubt that the tides that have buoyed sellers are shifting.”

Terrazas added, “Buyers are not out of the woods yet: While there are more homes for sale, rising mortgage rates are quickly eating into what they can afford to pay. First-time buyers have benefited from flat or falling rents over the past year—making it somewhat easier to save for a down payment—but the decline in rents could be short-lived if higher buying costs push some people back toward the rental market.”

On the home appreciation front, Zillow reported median home value nationally at $ 221,500, up 7% from this time last year. The median rent is $ 1,442, down 0.1% ($ 1 per month) year-over-year, the second straight month of annual rent declines.

But before purchasing a home, here are some tips for buyers to consider:

  • Identify a realtor to work with that’s in your area. Real estate agents can offer helpful insights, including disclosing how fast homes are selling and for what price. They often can help you negotiate a price to make your offer stand out over others. To find an agent in your area, enter your zip code at www.realtor.com/realestateagents
  • Know your budget and stick to it. Before you even start shopping, figure out what you can afford to spend by receiving a pre-approval from a lender to learn the amount of money you’re qualified to borrow. When determining your final budget, examine other costs of homeownership, including property taxes, insurance, and utilities. If listings are scarce in your market, home prices are likely to rise as bidding for available houses drive them up.
  • Avoid cases where you are competing against other buyers and counteroffering over what you can actually afford. Don’t be afraid to back off if the price exceeds your budget.
  • Identify needs versus wants.

As you begin home searching, focus on what features you really want against what you can live with or without. For instance, ask yourself questions like do you want a three-bedroom home with an attached garage and basement? Do you want to be in a certain school district or near your job? Sites like Realtor, Zillow, and Trulia, and others can help with that research.

The post Good Sign for Buyers: Housing Inventory Growing Again appeared first on Black Enterprise.

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Robinhood’s 3 percent interest claim misses the mark

Yes — a checking account that gives you 3 percent interest is probably too good to be true. Robinhood — a popular investing app backed by some of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious investors — announced Thursday it would hold consumers’ cash in insured checking and savings accounts that yielded a 3 percent interest rate —…
Technology News & Reviews | New York Post

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DVR Alert: Lin-Manuel Miranda Will Return To THE TONIGHT SHOW This Week

Tony-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda will return to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon this week in support of his new film Mary Poppins Returns. Lin will return to the show onMonday, December 17, alongside guests Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins and musical guest Black Thought ft. Salaam Remi.
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Federal judge in Texas strikes down Affordable Care Act

A federal judge in Texas said on Friday that the Affordable Care Act’s individual coverage mandate is unconstitutional and that the rest of the law must also fall.


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The most dog-friendly cities in the world

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Whether you want to move somewhere completely new or go on a two-week vacation with your pup, you need to know which cities are the most accepting of our beloved canines. Some cities have low dog populations and so naturally, aren’t nearly as fun for you and your dog, while others have dog beaches, parks, and dog-friendly accommodation galore. These are among the most dog-friendly cities in the world.

Rome, Italy

Rome has a whole hoard of dog-friendly attractions. Many of their restaurants and business in general, allow dogs. Not to mention, Rome has a vast number of parks for your pup to play in. There is a beach in Maccarese, not far from Rome’s center which is famous for its love of dogs, too. The beach, named Baubeach, is a beautiful stretch of the coast with plenty of sand and sea for your enjoyment. More importantly, however, is that it is entirely dog-friendly. Here, your dog is free to run and play with other dogs, as well as dig in the sand and go for a dip in the ocean.

Seattle, U.S.A.

Why leave home when one of the world’s most dog-friendly cities is right here in the United States? Seattle has around twice as many dogs as it does children, with 14 off-leash parks and ten others surrounding the city. One of its parks, Magnuson Park, is a staggering nine acres of secure land which even includes a stretch of the shoreline for your dog to enjoy. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the city has numerous dog-friendly hotels, shops, and restaurants, too.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam is possibly the most dog-friendly city in the entire world. Unlike most other places, you don’t even have to look for a sign to tell you that dogs are allowed in shops and restaurants, they just are! With the exception of museums and galleries, and places with a sign saying they aren’t welcome – which is rare – dogs can literally go to all of the places that you can in Amsterdam. They have a ton of beautiful dog parks, too, as well as Flevopark, which has a swimming area for canines.

Paris, France

France has the largest dog population in the world, so it comes as no surprise that they welcome dogs into their capital city with open arms. Much like Amsterdam, dogs are generally not allowed in galleries and museums but are welcome almost everywhere else. It’s also typical for Parisian restaurants and pubs to bring an extra chair to your table for your dog, as well as a bowl of water. Paris also has two big dog-friendly parks, Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne, which are three and two and a half times bigger than New York’s Central Park, respectively. Now, that’s a lot of room to play fetch!

Just because you want to visit or relocate to a city which is good for your pups, doesn’t mean you should suffer. All of these cities love their dogs but also offer some incredible sights and attractions for you, too, making them the perfect destinations, regardless of the reason.

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The post The most dog-friendly cities in the world appeared first on Worldation.

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The $100m Wedding Beyoncé Played Reveals India’s Stark Contrasts

This week, Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal—two people westerners might never have heard of—got married in a wedding estimated to cost $ 100 million.

Ambani is the daughter of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, a man worth an estimated $ 45 billion whose far reaches into technology, food, and textiles would make him comparable to being the Indian version of Jeff Bezos. Piramal is the son of another business scion, a childhood friend of Ambani.

Ambani and Piramal’s wedding has culminated three weeks of what has become an extraordinarily extravagant wedding season in India.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Aisha Tyler Comes Out In Support Of Priyanka Chopra And Nick Jonas

Aisha Tyler doesn’t have time for anti-Chopra/Jonas trolls. As the world knows, Nick and the Quantico alum recently got married in India, however, their age difference has sparked the ire of some of their most judgmental fans. Tyler isn’t pleased with those online who would choose to look at Priyanka and Nick’s romance pessimistically.

On the 10th of December, the actress took to her Twitter to say, “their passion is infectious, they are wildly generous, and their company is a delight.” The 48-year-old actress went on to add, “Haters please feel free to suck it.”

During a conversation with Raz on Spotify, Jonas said that it was a “real dream” for him to raise a family with the Indian-American actress. It’s been a long withstanding hope.

According to the brother-of-three, he’s had to grow up in more than one manner very quickly, and there are a number of different ways of looking at that.

Nick said that he could look at life being “unfair,” however, he chooses to understand himself as someone who was given a gift at a young age, and now is able to see things from a different perspective than others.

As for Priyanka, she admitted to E! News in October that she was considering having kids sometime soon. She said that all of her friends are having babies right now, and she needs to “catch up.”

Meghan Markle, one of Priyanka’s main friends, is reportedly pregnant with her first child with Prince Harry. Chopra was even at her wedding in May of this year, arguably the biggest wedding of 2018, just before the summer months kicked off.

As it was previously reported, Nick and Priyanka just got married in India, despite their 10-year age difference. In the past, people have criticized both Priyanka and Nick for their decision to get married, arguing that the idea their romance would work out for the better was a pipe dream. It looks like both parties are determined to prove those theories wrong, however.

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17 Ways to Save Money When You Live in a Big City (It’s Actually Possible!)

I know I don’t have to tell you this, city dwellers: Living in a big city is expensive.

I was slapped with that cold reality when I moved to Denver. After living in two relatively rural college towns, I was used to paying a rent I could almost afford; groceries that were, well, normally priced; and a night out with friends that never remotely creeped close to $ 50.

Then there were those times I visited New York City and San Francisco for long weekends… Don’t get me started.

Anyway, kudos for making it work — but I know it’s got to get difficult sometimes. That’s why we put together a list of ways to save money when you live in a big city.

1. Save Money on Any Debt You’ve Already Accumulated  

Moving in general is expensive, but moving to a big city and adjusting to that new cost of living is difficult.

If you accumulate any credit card debt in the process that’s still lingering, consider refinancing or consolidating it to find better interest rates.

A good resource is Fiona, a search engine for financial services, which can help match you with the right personal loan to meet your needs.

Fiona searches the top online lenders to match you with a personalized loan offer in less than 60 seconds. Its platform can help you borrow up to $ 100,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 4.99% and terms from 24 to 84 months.

2. Get $ 3 Pantry Essentials Delivered to Your Door

Groceries tend to be more expensive in big cities. Goods in New York City are 10% higher than average U.S. prices, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The task itself also tends to be more difficult, depending on how far away you live from the closest store.

A great way to save money is to order the essentials online — where prices are more likely to be the same nationwide.

With Brandless, you can stock up on all your grocery essentials for $ 3 each. Yup — everything’s $ 3. And you’ll get $ 5 off your order when you sign up with your email address.

Better yet, Brandless carries organic, gluten-free and vegan options. You could spend hours perusing the virtual aisles, but here are a few examples:

  • An 8-ounce jar of organic, 100% pure honey: $ 3
  • Organic aged white cheddar popcorn: Two for $ 3
  • Roasted and salted almonds: $ 3
  • Organic, fair-trade, light-roast ground coffee: $ 3

You can also stock up on Brandless cleaning supplies, household essentials and clean beauty supplies.

Shipping is free when you spend $ 39 or more.

3. Claim Cash Back on Drinks and Takeout Orders

Life tends to be a bit more stressful in the big city, and it’s important to take time to unwind. Whether you prefer to do that with alcohol or takeout, claim cash back.

Traditionally, Ibotta is known for its cash-back offers on groceries, but it’s also available for restaurants, bars and food-delivery services.

For example, we’ve seen deals for:

  • 10% cash back for new DoorDash users.
  • $ 5 back on two bottles of Stella Artois.
  • $ 2 back on a glass of Cupcake Wine.

Just download the app for free, then select “Find Offers.” When you claim your first cash-back offer, you’ll pocket a $ 10 bonus.

4. Ease the Pain of Those Higher Car Insurance Rates

The good news is big cities typically have public transit systems, so sometimes you can get away with selling your car and living that car-free life.

If you still need your car, though, you’ll probably face higher car insurance rates.

Here are three options to help alleviate the pain associated with those high costs:

  • First, find a pay-per-mile insurance policy. If you live in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia or Washington and drive less than 200 miles a week, consider getting insurance through MetroMile, a company that lets you pay for insurance by the mile. I you only drive 5,000 miles per year, you could save $ 500, according to MetroMile’s calculations. Find out if it could help you save by snagging a free quote.
  • If you still drive quite a bit, take a few minutes to compare rates from other providers. A service called Gabi will do it for you, and you don’t even have to fill out any forms. Simply link your insurance account and provide your driver’s license number, and Gabi will go to work. Gabi says it finds an average savings of $ 720 per year for its customers.
  • Help offset big-city costs by renting your car out when you’re not using it. With the Getaround app, you can safely rent out your car to people in your community and neighborhood. The company insures your car for each trip, offers 24/7 roadside assistance and screens drivers for a safe driving record.

5. Count Your Many Steps and Turn ’Em Into Cash

Whether you walk to work or take public transit, you tend to spend more time on your feet in big cities.

Go ahead and reward your barking feet with the Achievement app.

Achievement connects to your phone’s health apps and runs in the background, so it works passively. Many users report being happily surprised when logging on and checking their progress.

Once you earn 10,000 points, you’ll score $ 10, which you can deposit directly into your bank account.

Pro tip: Achievement connects to more than 30 Android and iOS health-related apps, including MyFitnessPal and Garmin. The more apps you connect, the more earning opportunities.

6. Negotiate Your Monthly Bills (or Have This Bot Do It)

A great money-saving tactic when living in a big city is to negotiate your bills. Some may be more difficult to negotiate than others (you can even try negotiating your rent), but we suggest starting simply with a free negotiation tool.

Download TrueBill, an app that’ll negotiate your bills, cancel unwanted subscriptions and refund your bank fees.

After downloading the app, create an account and link your bank account and/or credit cards. Turn on the bill negotiation and outage protection features. Boom. TrueBill is already searching for potential refunds — it might get you a refund even when you didn’t know an outage occurred.

On average, Truebill says it helps customers save more than $ 700 a year by lowering their bills, canceling necessary subscriptions and getting refunds.

Signing up and using the service is free, though there are some paid premium services that are totally optional — but could totally be worth it.

7. Set up Your Big-City Budget

If money’s tighter than you’d like, it’s important to keep a budget.

Budgeting can be a little scary, but it doesn’t have to be. The first step is to find out how you’re doing now. Luckily, you can have a financial assistant right in your pocket to help you out.

The Empower app is a powerful budgeting tool that can help you figure out how you’re spending your money and develop a budgeting plan to keep you on track.

Link the app to your bank accounts, and it will track your spending. It will also categorize your spending so you can see exactly where you are overdoing it. That’s right: It will show you just how many times you went out for dinner because you didn’t want to do the dishes.

Set a monthly spending limit and the app will show you a graph that can tell you in one snapshot just how you’re doing for the month. Are you over the line or under it? It’s that simple to see how you’re doing so you can adjust your spending accordingly.

8. Declutter Your Space — and Earn Some Extra Cash

Affordable apartments tend to be small, so if you’re feeling a bit cluttered in your space, clean stuff out.

You can sell virtually anything on Letgo. This easy-to-use app lets you snap a photo and upload your item in less than 30 seconds. It removes a lot of the hassle of selling things online, and it’s 100% free to use.

If you’ve got old technology lingering (think: phones, CDs, DVDs or video games), download the Decluttr app, and start scanning the barcodes on your media to get immediate quotes. It’s completely free to use, you won’t pay listing or seller fees, payment is super fast and even shipping is free.

Plus, enter FREE5 at checkout to get an extra $ 5 for your trade-in order!

9. Entertain Yourself on Your Commute (and Win Cash)

While you’re swiping around on your phone and wasting time on your commute, go ahead and download the Lucky Day app

You could win up to $ 10,000 playing digital scratch-off tickets or even a whopping $ 100,000 in the daily lotto. You’ll also have a lot of chances to win gift cards to cool places like Amazon, Walmart, Dunkin and Target.

It’s all free to play, with no in-app purchases. The company has already awarded more than $ 3 million in prizes to winners since 2014.

Try to resist an embarrassing happy dance on the subway if you win money.

10. Create an In-Case-of-Emergency Fund Without Thinking

When you have to spend a lot of money just to get by day to day, the task of saving money will easily fall to the wayside.

Don’t let that happen. Digit allows you to save money without even noticing.

This innovative app automates saving for you. Simply link it to your checking account, and its algorithms will determine small (and safe!) amounts of money to withdraw into a separate, FDIC-insured savings account.

Bonus: Penny Hoarders will get an extra $ 5 just for signing up! Additionally, savers will receive a 1% bonus every three months.

Using this set-it-and-forget-it strategy, one Penny Hoarder saved $ 4,300 without noticing — read his Digit review.

If you need that money sooner than expected, you’ll always have access to it within one business day.

Digit is free to use for the first 30 days, then it’s $ 2.99 per month afterward.

11. Dress up to Big-City Standards Without Credit Card Debt

There’s something about living in a big city where there’s more pressure to dress like, well, a real human. Fashion trends are actually timely, and you want to look professional when walking into your skyscraper of an office.

But just because you have pressure to look trendy doesn’t mean you have to rack up credit card debt.

Instead of shopping online at any ol’ retailer or signing up for a clothing subscription service, check out flash-sale site Rue La La first.

It offers top brands for up to 70% off. How? When retailers have excess product, Rue La La takes it and sells it at a hefty discount — but each sale is only available for a limited time.

Just sign up for free with your email address. (It’s an exclusive site — discounts are for members only.) Then search your favorite brands, or browse the boutiques to see what’s available.

12. Protect Your Abode and Belongings With Affordable Insurance

If you’re renting, you know some cities and states require renters insurance. It might seem like a pain at the time, but it can really save you in the long run.

For example, when my boyfriend lived in Denver, a hail storm hit and destroyed his complex’s roof, causing water to flood into his apartment. After his deductible, his renters insurance paid for him to move into a hotel near his workplace for about three months. If any of his items had been damaged, it would have covered those expenses, too.

If you don’t yet have renters insurance — or want to shop around for a better rate — start by getting a free quote. We recommend the online insurance company Lemonade, through which renters insurance starts at $ 5 a month.

Beyond affordable rates, Lemonade adds a layer of transparency you don’t often see in the insurance world. Instead of profiting extra when it doesn’t have to pay out claims, the company keeps a set 20% of your premium for itself, and 80% goes into a pool for paying claims. Money left over after paying claims each year goes to a cause of your choice.

That also means Lemonade isn’t going to be super stingy about granting customers the claims they deserve — ’cause the money isn’t going into its pockets.

13. Find a Side Gig (Opportunities Abound)

Big cities are basically playgrounds for side gigs. If you’re struggling to make rent or are racking up credit card debt, consider increasing your income, even if only temporarily.

Here are some of our favorite side-gig options for folks in the big city:

  • It’s no secret big cities attract more tourists, and that’s good news for you. If you have a spare room, try earning some extra money by listing it on Airbnb. If you’re a good host with a desirable space, you could add hundreds — even thousands — of dollars to your savings account with Airbnb.
  • If you’re looking for a flexible, independent way to earn money — and you love hanging out with dogs — Rover might be your perfect gig. The online network connects dog walkers and sitters to local dog owners through its 4.9-star-rated app, so you don’t have to staple flyers on every utility pole across town. Rover says sitters can earn as much as $ 1,000 a month.
  • Need a fun, flexible way to earn money while also meeting lots of new people? Try driving with Lyft. To be eligible, you’ll need to be at least 21 years old with a year of driving experience, pass a background check and own a car made in 2007 or later.

14. Call it Quits With Your Expensive Cell Phone Provider

If you’re sick of of paying your cell phone carrier hundreds of dollars each month, look beyond the so-called Big Four and into the discount carrier Twigby.

That’s what Zak Wilson did. He’d been paying Verizon Wireless about $ 180 a month for two lines. So he tried Twigby. For both phones, he’s now paying $ 60 a month.

Plus, new customers get 25% off the first six months of service.

Pro tip: Big cities mean big Wi-Fi opportunities. Whenever you can, tap into free Wi-Fi to save on data.

15. Snag Cash Back — Even From Your Favorite Local Deli

Cash-back apps are great, but many of them don’t cater to your favorite local haunts — like that unsuspecting deli on your block or your favorite coffee pitstop on your way to work.

But don’t worry. We found an app that’ll reward you for keeping any receipt.

As seen on Shark Tank, CoinOut is a shopping rewards app. You’ll earn cash when you snap a photo of a receipt — any receipt, from any retailer, featuring any item. (Similar apps are a lot pickier.)

We put it to the test: A couple of Penny Hoarder staffers dug out receipts — a $ 5 Wendy’s order and a salad from a local sandwich shop. One collected 5 cents, the other 4 cents. The better condition your receipt is in, the more you’ll earn back, so resist crumpling it into a ball.

You can also earn cash back when you shop online with one click through the CoinOut app. Featured retailers include Walmart, Overstock and Warby Parker.

You can cash — ahem, coin — out once a week for an Amazon gift card or funnel the money right into your bank account or PayPal.

16. Don’t Let Laundry and Dry Cleaning Shrink Your Budget

Laundry’s a big expensive chore in big cities. And dry cleaning? Don’t even get us started…

You’ve probably already invested in that magical Febreze Fabric Refresher spray (if you haven’t, just trust us), but now it’s time to tackle the costs of dry cleaning.

For some fabrics, it’s totally necessary. But for others (even if the tag says dry-cleaning only), it’s not.

Dive into your guide to saving money on dry cleaning. It just might change your life (or at least your budget).

17. Find Fun (and Free!) Weekend Activities

All right. We’ve addressed all your big recurring bills, but you’ve got to have some fun, too. After all, you live in a city where there’s tons to do and explore.

Look into your neighborhood’s farmers market, check out free museum passes from your local library, take a hike (genuinely), plan a picnic or window-shop.

Get some inspiration from our list of free things to do in Orlando.

Carson Kohler (carson@thepennyhoarder.com) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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The defamation of Linda Fairstein and other commentary

Justice watch: The Defamation of Linda Fairstein Linda Fairstein, former chief of the Manhattan DA’s Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit, has written 19 mystery novels as well as the definitive book on sexual violence. Last month, the Mystery Writers of America named her Grand Master, their highest honor — but not for long. As Jeffrey Kroessler…
Opinion | New York Post

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Even Weirder Heroes and Other Things We Want to See in the ‘Spider-Verse’ Sequel

Two weeks before Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse even hit theaters, Sony had already green-lit a sequel and at least one spin-off. That’s right, Sony are doubling down on their animated Spidey universe. Why wouldn’t they? The response of critics and fans has been fantastic, with many reviews quickly praising the movie as one of the best Spider-Man movies to ever swing onto screens – with Miles Morales being proof that anyone can be a hero. So what should a Spider-Verse sequel look like? We’ve got a few ideas.

Spider-Gwen + Miles



From the footage we’ve seen in trailers and exclusive clips, it looks like Miles and Spider-Gwen are going to get on quite well, and it would be great to see them team-up once again. Hopefully, they can still travel in between universes by the end of the movie, because the pair have an interesting dynamic in the comics that the animated sequel could quite easily adapt.

In a plotline that started in Spider-Man #12 and finished in Spider-Gwen #15, Miles’ Father disappeared and was discovered on Earth-65. Gwen and Miles teamed up to investigate why, and found that Miles’ Dad was actually the Scorpion on Gwen’s Earth. But when the pair also stumbled on a reality where they were married, they decided to see what would happen as a couple. As mentioned, the series only included two issues – so the relationship didn’t last too long. But figuring out that they work better as friends would definitely be a mature way of approaching a relationship. Regardless of how it plays out, who doesn’t want to see an upside down kiss between two dimension-crossed lovers?

 

New Villains



With new superhero movies always comes new villains. Sure, Wilson Fisk is an interesting main villain to use in a new animated franchise, but hopefully the sequel uses the opportunity to include new adaptations of classic characters. Since we’ve already seen the Ultimate version of the Green Goblin, what about other terrifying versions of the Goblin persona? There’s always the orange hooded Hobgoblin, or if Norman Osborn acquired a symbiote he could become Red Goblin.

Spider-Man has such a rich history of villains that Sony have plenty to pick from. The animated nature of the Spider-Verse franchise gives them so much more scope to go wild and crazy. You want to see Hydro-Man and The Rhino? Sure thing. An adaptation of The Clone Saga with The Jackal? It could work… Hello world, meet Marvel Zombies. Okay, maybe they won’t touch the clone fiasco… It seems like they’re committed to providing a captivating backstory if Kingpin’s story is anything to go by, so hopefully whichever villain they choose gets the same treatment.

 

Venom



Sony have just kick-started an incredibly popular live-action franchise with Venom, and although it wasn’t a full-horror movie, it wasn’t exactly kid-friendly either. Putting Eddie Brock and the Symbiote into a Spider-Verse movie introduces a younger audience to the character. Even from a profit perspective, Sony still gets more out of those rights. Let’s not forget, this wouldn’t even have to break the timeline of the original Venom film since Sony own both properties. They could quite easily have Eddie voiced by Tom Hardy and acknowledge his previous appearance.

Plus, it could also be a way of branching out into new territory for Venom. If the writers want to stick down the ‘alternate versions of a character’ route, there’s always the recent Venomverse storyline to adapt. That way, we could see a variety of heroes and villains get their own symbiotes! Picture Miles Morales trying to explain to Eddie Brock that his Venom Blast doesn’t have that name because of the Symbiote? Phil Lord and Christopher Miller could easily turn that into a hilarious exchange between the hero and the anti-hero. You know it makes sense, Sony.

 

Morlun and the Inheritors



For a film with ‘Spider-Verse’ in the title, it seems to remarkably miss a key element of the original storyline of the same name. Back in 2014, the huge event spanned most of the Spider-Man related titles, and brought a multiversal threat to anyone who could spin a web. Morlun and his family, the Inheritors were seeking out anyone with Spider powers, also known as Spider-Totems. They kill any Totem they find to absorb their life force as food. Couldn’t they just eat normal food like the rest of us?

Miles Morales and Peter Parker recruit alternate versions of Ben Reilly, Jessica Drew and even Uncle Ben to fight against the family of energy vampires that threaten the entire Spider-Verse. Considering Into the Spider-Verse has just introduced wider audiences to parallel universes and alternative versions of popular characters, a sequel could take that idea and run wild. The original Spider-Verse storyline would be a great way to do so.

 

Even Weirder Spider-Heroes



So, you thought Spider-Ham was weird? Well, do we have some stranger heroes for you. If the Spider-Verse sequel is going to double down on the alternative takes on Spider-Man, then it really needs to prove that it can go weirder. Ever heard of Golden Oldie? It’s a version of Aunt May who became the Herald of Galactus on her Earth. No, that’s not a joke. That’s an actual thing that happened in comics. But seriously, there are literally hundreds of different Spider-Men and Women waiting to be brought onto the big screen.

We all know that movies like to use montages to speed a story along. If Miles and Peter need to recruit other Spider-Heroes and go dimension hopping, it would be a great way to showcase some of the weird and wonderful characters populating the multiverse. How about Earth-311, where Peter Parquagh happens to live in the year 1602, in London? Again, not a joke. There’s Spider-Man 2099, Miguel O’Hara – who has one of the most impressive Spider-Man designs ever. Or perhaps Ben Reilly with his hooded costume and his clone backstory!

However Sony decides to move forward with the Spider-Verse franchise, they have an entire multiverse to explore.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse swings into theaters on December 14.

The post Even Weirder Heroes and Other Things We Want to See in the ‘Spider-Verse’ Sequel appeared first on FANDOM.

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How ‘You’ve Got Mail’ made NYC a rom-com star

Twenty years ago, the Internet was an unexplored, foreign land, not an addiction or a matchmaking service. And the Big Apple was still filled with mom-and-pop shops — a landscape threatened by corporate giants like Fox & Sons Books. OK, Fox books is fictional — a part of the world of “You’ve Got Mail,” rom-com…
Entertainment | New York Post

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J&J loses $39.8 billion in market value after report claims J&J knew about asbestos in baby powder

Investors sold off shares of Johnson & Johnson on Friday after a Reuters report said the company knew for decades that its baby powder contained asbestos, an allegation J&J has denied.
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Facebook blames bug for exposing photos of 6.8 million users

Facebook revealed Friday that a bug in its system accidentally exposed the private photos of up to 6.8 million users — the latest in a series of data spills that have attracted worldwide regulatory heat. In a Friday blog post, the social networking giant said the breach occurred between Sept. 13 and Sept. 25, and…
Business | New York Post

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Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Happy Friday! Apologies for unexpectedly going MIA last week, but your girl here decided she needed some firsthand experience with the health care system via a trip to the emergency room. (Hot tip: Stay hydrated during stomach bug season, folks!) Many thanks to the wonderful Damon Darlin (also known as KHN’s executive editor) for filling in last week. Make sure to check it out if you missed it.

Onward to this week, though, where we’re finally starting to slow down as we drift toward the holidays.

“I hate to panic, but …” was a quote from NPR’s coverage of the health law enrollment numbers that pretty much summed up the atmosphere the day before the sign-up deadline. The big number to focus on here is that there are nearly 20 percent fewer new enrollees than at about this same time last year. The lag has advocates pointing nervous fingers at the Trump administration’s efforts to chip away at the health law.

But some experts eschew Chicken Little predictions (at least quite yet), saying that fewer sign-ups don’t necessarily mean more people will be uninsured. For one, the unemployment level is the lowest in decades (although that has nuances that are too complex to get into right here) so people who used to get health law plans might be covered by their employers. Secondly, the sign-up numbers don’t reflect anyone who is sticking with the plan they currently have.

Either way, we won’t have long to wait to see how it shakes out.

NPR: Enrollment in HealthCare.Gov Plans May Be Down for 2019

The Associated Press: Health Law Sign-Ups Lagging As Saturday Deadline Is Looming

Amid all that talk of sabotage and low numbers came a study that found 4.2 million Americans are actually eligible to get what amounts to free health care through the exchanges, as an unintended consequence of President Donald Trump nixing key health law payments last year.

The Hill: Study: 4.2 Million Uninsured People Eligible for Free ObamaCare Coverage

A quietly simmering debate over fetal tissue research brewing the past few months has started to come to a boil this week. (Although, if you’ve been reading your Morning Briefing regularly, this won’t come as a surprise.) Back in September, the administration launched an audit of all federally funded research that uses fetal tissue. The far-reaching ramifications were felt recently when a lab that has played an integral role in testing for HIV cures was put on notice that its funding could be canceled.

The sides are firmly drawn here and have deep roots in abortion politics (as witnessed in this quote from CQ’s coverage of Thursday’s heated House hearing on the topic: “Obviously the 800-pound gorilla in the room is that we know aborted tissue is being used,” said Georgia Republican Rep. Jody Hice).

With the National Institutes of Health signaling interest in pumping $ 20 million into finding an alternative to fetal tissue for research purposes, I don’t think this topic is going away anytime soon.

The New York Times: Fetal Tissue Research Is Curtailed by Trump Administration

The Hill: NIH to Fund Research Into Fetal Tissue Alternatives

The death of a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl who had been taken into Border Patrol custody is likely to intensify scrutiny of the care immigrants detained by the U.S. government are receiving. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the girl had not eaten or consumed water in several days, and it’s unclear whether the agents had tried to rectify that situation. Advocates are saying the death is reflective of a “culture of cruelty” within the agency.

Meanwhile, there are nearly 15,000 migrant children in detention facilities in the country, where issues with background checks, abuse and neglect continue to make headlines.

The Washington Post: 7-Year-Old Migrant Girl Taken Into Border Patrol Custody Dies of Dehydration, Exhaustion

NPR: Almost 15,000 Migrant Children Now Held at Nearly Full Shelters

More voices are starting join the growing chorus of advocates, doctors and city leaders who oppose the administration’s proposed policy to penalize immigrants who are accepting government aid (such as Medicaid). It’s not just about public health, they say. The policy would also take a heavy financial toll.

Dallas Morning News: Dallas Mayor Says Trump Administration’s Proposed ‘Public Charge’ Rules Would Harm City’s Immigrants, Economy

There was some shade being thrown at the Supreme Court this week, when the justices declined to take up a case on state Medicaid funding and Planned Parenthood. Justice Clarence Thomas called out his conservative colleagues Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh for dodging the case. “So what explains the court’s refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named ‘Planned Parenthood,’” he wrote. The case itself was somewhat complex, but essentially the decision leaves in place Medicaid patients’ right to sue over provider issues.

The Associated Press: Justices Won’t Hear States’ Appeal Over Planned Parenthood

The maker of a device that reverses overdoses recently drew fire for jacking up the list price of its injector from $ 575 to $ 4,100 during a span of time that opioid-related deaths were also accelerating rapidly. As you can imagine, this did not go over well with either lawmakers or the public when it came to light. Now Kaleo, in damage-control mode, is releasing a generic version that comes with a $ 178 price tag. The whole journey is quite the snapshot of what’s going wrong with high health care costs.

Stat: Kaleo, Maker of $ 4,100 Overdose Antidote, to Offer Generic For $ 178

Speaking of, you have to check out the salacious details emerging in this case that started as an antitrust lawsuit against just two drugs and has ballooned into this sweeping investigation into price-fixing allegations in the generics marketplace.

The Washington Post: Generic Drug Price-Fixing Investigation Expands to 300 Drugs and 16 Companies

Pharma, meanwhile, is sweating over the Democrats taking power in the House. Once a political powerhouse of nearly mythological proportions, the industry has lost clout in recent years, and companies don’t think the new power structure will work in their favor.

Stat: Will Democrats in Congress Keep the Door Open for Pharma — or Slam It?

Whew! That was not as short as expected. Just in case you want some more great reads for your weekend, check out the miscellaneous file:

• What happens to your life when millions of people have witnessed you hit rock bottom? As the opioid epidemic dug deep roots into the country, there was this trend where videos and photos of people overdosing would go absolutely viral. Public health officials and cops at the time justified putting them up because the videos could act as a deterrent for drug use. For the people used as the face of the crisis, however, it was deeply life-altering.

The New York Times: How Do You Recover After Millions Have Watched You Overdose?

• Baby boomers are now aging alone more than any other generation in U.S. history. That isn’t just a sad statistic — it’s also a looming public health crisis. Loneliness has been as closely linked to early mortality as smoking up to 15 cigarettes or consuming more than six alcoholic drinks a day.

The Wall Street Journal: The Loneliest Generation: Americans, More Than Ever, Are Aging Alone

• A rash of recent headlines explores whether trauma is passed down through genes. It’s a very buzzy idea, but the evidence that trauma can leave a signature that lasts generations is circumstantial at best.

The New York Times: Can We Really Inherit Trauma?

 

I’ll leave you with some bah-humbug! warnings about not eating that raw cookie dough this holiday season (even though it’s clearly the best part of making cookies). Have a great weekend!

Kaiser Health News

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How Many Vacation Days Did You Use This Year?

how many vacation days did you use this year

How many vacation days did you use this year, readers — and what did you DO with your vacation? As 2018 comes to a close, it’s always a great idea to review your vacation days to make sure you’re using them properly (especially if they’re use-or-lose!), and we’d love to hear how many of you are already planning for vacations in 2019! When we’ve asked in the past about vacation time, 40% of you had used less than 50% of your time for the year (whoa!).

I’ve never had the luxury of working a job where vacation days rolled over, so I’ve always tried to make the most of vacation time by taking a lot of long weekend vacations and staycations. For the past few years with the kids, I’ve told myself to just buy airline tickets as soon as we have the school calendar, and deal with hotels and research as the trip gets closer — to force us to actually go places — but I’m still struggling to master the vacation that is planned really early. We’re looking at some international travel this summer, as well as a trip to “Harry Potterland” (Universal Studios) that my 7-year-old may or may not accept as a viable Christmas present, but we’ve yet to pull the trigger on anything.

For those of you who are great at vacation planning (or finding fabulous vacation packages), I’d love to hear from you: How many months ahead are you planning? If you get, say 20 days of vacation for 2019, how many do you vacation days do you “use” ahead of time? For those of you with partners, if you get more vacation (or less) than your partner, how do you deal? 

Since the stock photo features a bag — and it is the season for gift-giving — anyone have any favorite travel gear to shout out? I’ve heard great things about Away luggage but I haven’t tried it yet.

How many vacation days did YOU use this year? If you're wondering what's normal vacation use is for career women -- and want to see how they make the most of their vacation time -- then this is the post for you! Lots of comments from women lawyers, professors and more!

The post How Many Vacation Days Did You Use This Year? appeared first on Corporette.com.

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Who are Ellie and Izzie from Gogglebox? The Warner sisters from Leeds who star on the Channel 4 show

GOOGLEBOX offers up nothing but cracking characters, and Leeds pair Ellie and Izzie Warner are up there with the best.

The outspoken duo have been likened to Marmite… But love them or hate them, viewers can’t seem to get enough.

Ellie and Izzi Warren landed with a crash, bang wallop on to Planet Gogglebox

Who are the Warner sisters?

Blonde Ellie and her younger sister, red-headed mum Izzi, are from Leeds.

While Ellie still lives at home, where the Gogglebox scenes are filmed, Izzi has her own flat — and says she doesn’t like her sister showing up unannounced.

Though they’re pretty close, Izzi thinks Ellie is disorganised, while Ellie thinks her sister is too bossy.

The pair love nothing more than watching telly, though they were recently knocking back cocktails on a joint holiday to Mallorca.

Ellie has been asked out by a few male viewers on Twitter who’ve fallen for her charms on telly but she’s yet to respond to any of them.

Like most sisters, Ellie and Izzi love and loathe each other at the same time

Why are Gogglebox viewers angry at them?

The gobby duo caused major Gogglebox controversy last month after making a “disgusting” joke about the United Airlines passenger David Dao, who was dragged off his flight due to overcrowding and knocked unconscious.

Ellie summed up David’s ordeal by saying: “Oh my god. That would make an amazing Snapchat story.”

“That would be straight on my story,” Izzi agreed. “What caption would you do?… ‘When they tell you no booze left on the flight’?”

Seeing as Dao had been assaulted, viewers were amazed the pair’s joke made the final cut of the show, with one Twitter user writing: “What is wrong with those girls?”

Ellie and Izzi love nothing more than settling down with the telly
C4

What else have they done on the show?

Many Gogglebox viewers find the duo hilarious but they’re often labelled “fake” due to their often ridiculous banter.

Back in 2015, they were mocked by viewers after Izzi compared a scene from the screen adaptation of novel Lady Chatterly’s lover to “something out of a book” — and Ellie said a dog from Dogs Might Fly looked like Leonardo Dicaprio.

On Twitter at the time, some viewers suggested they should be appearing on Towie rather than Googlebox.

Izzi and Ellie hit the town together regularly

more gogglebox

BOXING CLEVER?


Who are controversial Gogglebox sisters Ellie and Izzi Warner?

FAMILY AFFAIR


Meet the Gogglebox's George Gilbey's family from Clacton

HOUSE OF SCOUSE


Meet the Johnson-Aley family, including model Olivia

GOTHIC GOGGLEBOXERS


Meet the Woerdenweber family from the Wirral on Gogglebox

MEET THE MICHAELS


Meet Louis, Carolyne, Andrew and Alexandra Michael from Gogglebox

Nutty Couple


All you need to know about Gogglebox stars Giles and Mary


When and how did they land their Gogglebox gig?

The girls first showed up on the Channel 4 show in 2015, and were amazed they’d been picked.

Ellie and Izzi bagged the job after being approached by an old friend who was casting for the show.

After originally saying no, the pair agreed to audition before bagging the gig.

Ellie said at the time: “We thought ‘Who’d want to watch us?’ and then we got picked and couldn’t believe it!”

They claimed at the time that Gogglebox was their fave TV show and one of the only ones Izzi ever tuned into.

The pair were delighted to be propelled into the TV spotlight


TV and Showbiz – latest celebrity news, gossip, photos, TV and film reviews | The Sun

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Criticized for Charms That Evoke Blackface, Prada Says It ‘Abhors Racist Imagery’

Facing online accusations that animal-like figurines and charms in its stores and windows evoke blackface, Prada Group issued a statement saying it “abhors racist imagery” and vowed to withdraw them from “display and circulation.”
In a Facebook post, Chinyere Ezie, a civil rights lawyer, said the sight of the figurines in the Italian brand’s store in New York’s SoHo district had her “shaking with anger,” describing “racist and denigrating #blackface imagery” and “Sambo like imagery.”

Ezie noted she had just returned from a visit to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, taking in an exhibit on blackface.
“History cannot continue to repeat itself. Black America deserves better. And we demand better,” she wrote in her post, which got picked up by other blogs. “Shame on you Prada.”

In a statement to WWD, Prada said the figures are “fantasy charms composed of elements of the Prada oeuvre” and known as Pradamalia.
“They are imaginary creatures not intended to have any reference to the real world and certainly not blackface. Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery. In this interest we will withdraw the characters in question from display and circulation,” it

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Yves Saint Laurent Illustrations for Children’s Book Up for Auction

THE DEVIL IN PARIS: Parisian auction house Cornette de Saint Cyr is holding an auction on Dec. 19 of 100 drawings by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
The pictures, drawn by Saint Laurent between 1961 and 1962, were destined to illustrate a children’s book commissioned by Parisian publisher Jacques Damase, but the project never came through. This is the first time the drawings are being unveiled to the public.
Named “Le Diable à Paris” (“The Devil in Paris”), the book, written by Damase, features a dapper-looking devil, drawn by Saint Laurent, wearing a red suit and little black horns on the cover illustration.
Other drawings see the devil dress up to visit a duchess, sport a leopard-printed suit and even a bull’s head in an illustration titled “Le Diable Espagnol” (“The Spanish Devil”), where he is pictured alongside a flamenco dancer.
Drawn in ink, pastel or graphite in mostly red and black hues, the title character is faced with an array of magical creatures, such as a giraffe in the shape of the Eiffel Tower or a human body with a dragon’s head.
A statement from the auction house explained Damase met Saint Laurent through accessories designer Roger Vivier. At the time of the project, the

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WATCH: World News 12/13/18: Suspect In Deadly France Attack Believed To Be Killed

A shootout between Indiana police and teen after tipster reported threat; Trump fires back at Michael Cohen allegations
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http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

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Roksanda Pre-Fall 2019

Looking to artist Rana Begum’s geometric patterns, optical tricks and fluorescent color palette, Roksanda Ilincic worked up a collection with a sporty-couture feel and a mix of smooth surfaces and rough edges. Highlights included taffeta gowns with pouf sleeves, fabric flower appliqués with frayed edges, and black scribble embroidery.
 

Roksanda Pre-Fall 2019 
Courtesy Photo

 
Other dresses – long and short – were adorned with cutout organza panels and more of those naif embroidered scribbles and looked as if they were designed by freewheeling art students. Another dress had a dramatic cape at the back and was covered with blurry, colored panels. For day, there were pleats and tucks galore on dresses made from long strips of mismatched, patterned fabric, or from lightweight cotton silk gazar in flouro pink or orange.
 

Roksanda Pre-Fall 2019 
Courtesy Photo

 
A pair of cream linen silk trousers came with color-blocked pastel racing stripes down the side, while a tailored jacket was an elegant patchwork of energy drink green and powdery blue. While many of the silhouettes in this upbeat collection were breezy, bright and dreamy, but there was a strictness to this collection, too, in the form of a pea green wool boucle coat and long matching skirt, and a sturdy cream

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NASCAR on FOX’s 12 gifts of the 2018 season: Elliott Sadler & Martin Truex Jr. crash each other’s interviews

NASCAR on FOX’s 12 gifts of the 2018 season: Daryl Motte picks Elliott Sadler and Martin Truex Jr. crashing each other’s interviews as his favorite part of the 2018 season.

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Next 3 Marvel Studios Movies: ‘Captain Marvel,’ ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’

Next 3 Marvel Studios Movies: 'Captain Marvel,' 'Avengers: Endgame,' 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'

The chilly month of December has warmed up nicely, thanks to superheroes. The animated adventure Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (above), opening in theaters this coming Friday, December 14, has already received rave reviews. Advance word on Aquaman, opening in theaters the following Friday, December 21, has also been very positive.

To further stoke the excitement, Marvel Studios released two new trailers last week, with a third tipped for wide release soon. Let's look a bit closer at…

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Parents’ brain activity ‘echoes’ their infant’s brain activity when they play together

Research shows for the first time that when adults are engaged in joint play together with their infant, the parents’ brains show bursts of high-frequency activity, which are linked to their baby’s attention patterns and not their own.
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JWoww ‘Wants What Is Best’ for Her Kids Amid Roger Drama

Jenni “JWoww” Farley doesn’t want her ongoing drama with estranged husband Roger Mathews to have any impact on their children: daughter Meilani, 4, and son Greyson, 2.

“Jenni’s stance has been the same the whole time — she just wants what is best for their kids,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively. “From the day [their split] became public, Jenni has not commented about it. She wants her kids to be OK and she doesn’t want her kids to go on social media someday and see that their parents are fighting.”

The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star, 32, filed a restraining order against Mathews, 43, in the early hours of Friday, December 14, after the pair got into an argument. He shared a series of 10 videos on Instagram about the drama, including some filmed in the back of a police car.

JWoww Wants What Is Best For Kids Amid Roger Drama
Roger Mathews, Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley and their daughter, Meilani, attend DreamWorks Trolls The Experience in New York City on November 14, 2018. ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

“My wife, earlier tonight, we had a disagreement because she’s leaving again tomorrow for work and promised my daughter that she would be hanging out with her all day, whereas my daughter has the flu. So I took umbrage to it, and a little bit of a disagreement I would say ensued,” Mathews said in one clip.

He went on to call Farley “completely, uncontrollably emotional” and claimed that she told their kids that “their dad is a piece of s–t and she’s sorry she ever had children with him.”

The MTV personality shared her side of the story in a statement shared on Instagram later on Friday morning. She said in part that she had the authorities involved “as she felt it was in her best interest, and in the best interests of her children to do so.”

JWoww Wants What Is Best For Kids Amid Roger Drama
Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley attends the ‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ premiere at HYDE Sunset: Kitchen + Cocktails in West Hollywood on March 29, 2018. Phillip Faraone/FilmMagic

Farley’s costar Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi also spoke out in her defense, in addition to sharing security footage of Farley talking to police. “My best friend has been through A LOT these past few months and my heart breaks for her,” Polizzi, 31, wrote on Instagram before calling her BFF “a damn good mother.”

Farley filed for divorce from Mathews in September after three years of marriage. However, they continued to spend time together in the weeks that followed, and Mathews told Us exclusively in November that he and Farley were “working on things.”

With reporting by Brody Brown

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4ocean Named The “Agent of Change” at 48th Annual SURFER Awards

4ocean Named “Agent of Change” at 48th Annual SURFER Awards

4ocean, an ocean cleanup company headquartered in Boca Raton, received the Surfer Magazine “Agent of Change” at the 48th Annual SURFER Awards held in Oahu, Hawaii. The award is given to a group or individual who uses surfing to better the lives of others.

Surfers Andrew Cooper and Alex Schulze launched sustainability company 4ocean in January 2017, just a few short years after a surfing trip to Bali gave them the insights into the problem of plastic and trash littering our oceans and waterways. To date, 4ocean has already pulled over 2.3 million pounds of trash. The company funds its efforts through the sale of post-consumer recycled bracelets, reusable bottles, and cleanup combos. Each purchase removes a minimum of one pound of trash from oceans and coastlines.

“Two-plus million pounds of plastic pulled is just the beginning of a lifetime commitment to protecting the future for our environment,” said 4ocean co-founder Alex Schulze. “Seven-days-a-week for 365 days-a-year, teams of 4ocean full-time captains and crews are dedicating to cleaning river mouths, oceans and coastlines, both above and below the water.”

“With over 16 billion pounds of plastic entering the world’s oceans annually, 4ocean is committed to making a difference. Pulling plastic one pound at a time is our goal as we expand operations from the U.S. to Bali, Indonesia, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and other high impact areas,” said 4ocean co-founder Andrew Cooper.

4ocean’s business model is creating new, more sustainable economies around the world by paying fisherman to collect plastic and trash from the ocean instead of fish. It’s changing the way people think about the problem of plastic pollution.

A for-profit business, 4ocean gives ocean plastic a monetary value while incentivizing people all over the world to change their behavior.

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UK Will Have To Pay Heavy Price For Brexit: IMF Study

The International Monetary Fund warned that if Britain leaves the European Union, the country will have to pay a heavy economic price for it, and those costs would be unevenly spread across different sectors and regions.

A Country Report on the United Kingdom by the IMF European Dept., cited in an IMF blog, has measured the potential volume of loss the country will incur in various sectors.

The British parliament is hotly debating Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement after t
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http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

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How If Beale Street Could Talk Author James Baldwin Went From Literary Critic to Civil-Rights Icon

History changed around James Baldwin, but the glaring contradiction in American life that he so often highlighted still lurks within it. The author’s work argued that white Americans who boast of the United States as a nation of freedom can only do so by glossing over, to some degree, its history of slavery, as well as myriad other injustices experienced by minority groups of all kinds. In his lesser-known 1974 novel If Beale Street Could Talk, which arrives in theaters Friday with a film adaptation from Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins, insidious injustices are an inescapable part of everyday life — a truth the personal experience of which shaped Baldwin’s writing, propelling his evolution into a major voice for civil rights.

Born in Harlem in New York City on Aug. 2, 1924, Baldwin had one of his first political awakenings facing racism in the early 1940s at a restaurant in New Jersey, where he got a defense-related track-laying job during World War II. As the story goes, when a waitress told him the restaurant didn’t serve African Americans, he threw a glass at her. He felt “ready to commit murder,” as he later wrote in the 1955 anthology Notes of a Native Son, and thought he had to get out before he either killed someone or got himself killed. After that incident, he moved to Greenwich Village and began working in a restaurant and writing, then moved to Paris in 1948.

“Before he went to Paris, he had started to establish himself as a book reviewer, but he didn’t establish that prophetic voice until later,” says David Leeming, who worked for Baldwin and wrote James Baldwin: A Biography.

He would spend the rest of his life splitting his time between the United States and France. In Paris, he wrote Go Tell It On the Mountain — a semi-autobiographical 1953 novel about his stepfather, a stern preacher — and Giovanni’s Room, a novel that takes place within a circle of Parisian gay life, in 1956. He began to get more recognition among the general population for his critiques of American history, such as his 1955 anthology Notes of a Native Son, in which he wrote: “At the root of the American Negro problem is the necessity of the American white man to find a way of living with the Negro in order to be able to live with himself. And the history of this problem can be reduced to the means used by Americans — lynch law and law, segregation and legal acceptance, terrorization and concession — either to come to terms with this necessity, or to find a way around it, or (most usually) to find a way of doing both these things at once.”

While his career was already developing, there was one incident in that period that he would later single out as a starting point for his identity as a voice on civil rights.

On Sept. 4, 1957, white mobs spit on 15-year-old Dorothy Counts as she entered a newly-integrated school in Charlotte, N.C. Seeing news coverage of what happened to Counts compelled Baldwin to return to the U.S. to as a writer and activist. He repeatedly challenged white Americans to look inward, arguing in his 1961 anthology Nobody Knows My Name that the nation would not allow black people “to starve, to grow bitter, and to die in ghettos” if not driven by a fear that had nothing to do with the people who had to live with its consequences. He became even more famous as a spokesperson for the civil rights movement with a New Yorker essay that became the 1963 book The Fire Next Time, seeming to foreshadow 1960s race riots with its title, which was derived from a line in a spiritual in which God promises Noah that next time humanity will be punished for sin not with flood but with fire. Baldwin reiterated his belief that “the Negro problem” wouldn’t exist if white people truly learned to “love themselves and each other” — and made clear the terrible consequences that could follow if that didn’t happen.

With the publication of this essay, “he was suddenly recognized as an American novelist, not just a Negro novelist,” says Rich Blint, an expert on Baldwin and professor of Literature at the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New School.

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The year 1963 was a turning point in the civil rights movement, and by that point Baldwin was at the height of his career and at the center of it all.

He was in the middle of a speaking tour for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) when he appeared on the cover of the May 17, 1963, issue of TIME right after school walkouts turned violent in Birmingham, Ala. Televised images of African-American children getting hosed down and attacked by police dogs, combined with the deadly 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in the fall, are considered to be catalysts for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “Spring 1963 will long be remembered as the time when the U.S. Negro’s revolution for equality exploded on all fronts,” TIME wrote the next month, following Attorney General Bobby Kennedy’s meeting with a group of African-American literati, which was organized by James Baldwin. “After the spring of 1963, there can be no turning back.”

And yet, that revolution didn’t lead to as much change as Baldwin had hoped for. From the late ’60s until his death on Dec. 1, 1987, at the age of 63, his writing would reflect his increasing frustration and disappointment that the nation had yet to fulfill the promise of full equality for people of all races and sexual orientations.

The assassinations of Medgar Evers in 1963, Malcolm X in 1965, and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 “broke him,” says Blint. (In the 1972 anthology No Name in The Street, Baldwin recalls a postal clerk friend asking him if he could have the suit that Baldwin wore to Martin Luther King’s funeral after reading in a gossip column that the author vowed never to wear the suit again. Baldwin personally delivered it to him and stayed for dinner.) He attempted suicide at least four times throughout his life.

“Watching all of these men being snuffed out one by one really, really depressed him,” Blint says. “How much longer do we want to wait for a certain type of progress?”

It was in this later period that he wrote If Beale Street Could Talk, which reflects many of the often invisible, but perhaps even more dangerous, forms of racism that he saw throughout American culture. The novel’s protagonists have trouble finding an apartment because they’re black, and one is hastily locked up for a crime he did not commit — plot points that reflect the period’s concern with housing equality and the beginning of mass incarceration. TIME also saw it as a response to the studies such as the Moynihan Report, which made headline news of the state of vulnerable African-American families. “Possibly Baldwin, who now lives in France, took to long fiction for the first time in six years out of disgust with the slag heaps of sociology about blacks,” the magazine wrote in its original 1974 book review. “Such studies often go on about the instability of the black family; the [family in the novel is] both strong and united.” (The review also argued that the story would be more compelling staged, foreshadowing Jenkins’ film adaption: “As a novel it is not a success, being too sentimental and predictable by half. But it has the makings of a splendid opera.”)

While Baldwin is no longer alive, his writing is — from the 2016 Oscar-nominated documentary I Am Not Your Negro to the idea that he can be seen as a Founding Father of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“For people to reach for him in this moment makes all of the sense in the world — a moment of profound crisis, when the nation has to answer the question, Who are we?” says Eddie S. Glaude, a TIME columnist and Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University, who is writing a book about Baldwin.

And after all he lived through, perhaps that would not surprise Baldwin himself. “Each generation is promised,” he wrote in Notes of a Native Son, “more than it will get: which creates, in each generation, a furious, bewildered rage.”


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Discord Store Will Grants Developers 90% Revenue Share Starting in 2019

The video game online store wars are officially in full swing, with Discord announcing Friday morning that it is opening up its online store with 90% of all revenue going to gamer makers starting in 2019. The news comes on the heels of Epic Games own announcement last week that it was launching the Epic […]

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Kelli O’Hara Will Honor Steven Reineke At Feinstein’s/54 Below

Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara will give an intimate cabaret performance at Feinstein’s54 Below on Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 530 p.m. in honor of Music Director Steven Reineke’s tenth anniversary leading The New York Pops. Kelli and Steven will jointly curate a program featuring songs from some of their memorable career highlights and work together over the past decade.
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‘The Conners’ gets expanded second season at ABC: report

Continuing the story of the Conner family without its matriarch was a risky proposition, and, thankfully for ABC, it worked.
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http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

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‘Spider-Man’ swings into dazzling if goofy ‘Spider-Verse’

Much like its hero, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” swings wildly from place to place, in a tone that’s so uneven as to initially be a trifle disorienting. Stick with it, though, and this animated feature — distinguished by its dazzling visual palette, which creates the feel of a comic book leaping onto the screen — proves a great deal of fun, reinforcing that animation remains the ideal medium (if not the most profitable) for superhero adaptations.


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Rape survivors are fighting back against victim-blaming in Lebanon

“I’ve been raped,” Manal Issa shouts as she staggers down a street in Beirut.


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Trump offers new alternative facts to explain his problems, but …

President Donald Trump sought the open arms of Twitter and Fox News to creatively explain away inconvenient facts about his legal peril and his promised border wall before GOP senators dragged him back to reality with a rebuke from his own party for ignoring a cold-blooded murder OK’d by a foreign colleague.


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http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

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Love cute cafes? These are the best cafes in the world

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Big fan of coffee? Love having somewhere cozy to spend time with your friends? If that’s the case, you probably love nothing more than settling down with a nice cup of joe in a café. You likely know all the best places to go in your hometown, but what about in other cities around the world? If you need somewhere to enjoy a coffee or two while on vacation, you should probably check out these cute cafés.

Fukuro No Mise (Tokyo)

For all the animal lovers out there, cafés are some of the best places to go. Cat cafés have been popping up all over the world, but it’s not just felines that call these places home. The name Fukuro No Mise translates to Café of Owls, so we’re sure you can guess what animals you’ll find at this establishment. If you’re still not over the loss of Hedwig in the final Harry Potter book, you can drown your sorrows by petting some owls at this cute Tokyo café. Just try not to get too excited. The Owls might be tame, but they’re still birds of prey.

Snakes and Lattes (Toronto)

What’s more relaxing than playing a board game with your friends? Okay, so maybe it’s not that relaxing, but it’s a great way to pass an hour or two while you settle down with some tea or coffee. Plus, at Snakes and Lattes in Toronto, you have a choice of hundreds of classic games to get through while you let your competitive streak run wild. The cute café even hosts its own gaming events every so often, giving you an excellent chance to prove your talents to enthusiasts from around the world.

Big Knit Café (Bangkok)

Nothing says cute and cozy like a knitted scarf or jumper. Luckily, if you’ve no idea what you’re doing with a ball of yarn and some needles, you can learn everything you need to at the Big Knit Café. The establishment offers plenty of tutorials to newbies as they sip on their coffee and enjoy a relaxing afternoon in Bangkok. For those already in the know, there’s plenty of yarn lining the walls that you can take to your table and start working on. Now you just have to decide what it is you want to knit.

Chillout Ice Lounge (Dubai)

You don’t go to Dubai if you can’t handle the heat. However, if the high temperatures prove to be too much for you, at least the Chillout Ice Lounge is designed to cool visitors down. Nearly everything in the establishment is made from ice, including the couches, making it the perfect place for some relief from the heat. Hot chocolates are the drink of choice here, and they’re recommended for staying warm in the subzero café. Things can get so cold that you’ll probably be grateful to return to the Dubai heat once you’ve finished your drink.

There are so many amazing places to enjoy coffee around the world, but these spots take the traditional café to the next level. You’ll want to add them to your bucket list.

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All the Trimmings: The Sheen Factor

Contemporary sartorial authorities typically refer to just two options for formal silk: satin or ribbed (aka grosgrain). So when I recently came across a historical reference to a third option – “dull silk” – it was an eye-opener in a couple of ways.

Silk Satin

Firstly, it explained the dichotomy of Victorian and Edwardian sources referring to facings as being “silk or satin” as if the two were somehow mutually exclusive.  In actual fact, satin is a finish that can be produced by numerous materials, including silk.  Although some modern sources define satin solely as a synthetic version of silk, that is not only incorrect (likely stemming from the fact that most satin textiles these days are indeed cheaper synthetics, ) but it obviously couldn’t apply to facings made prior to the 1940s as polyester had not yet been invented.  This had me scratching my head for many years until I came across the aforesaid reference in a 1936 fashion magazine:

Lapels of single-breasted dinner jackets are usually faced with dull silk, grosgrain or barathea.  With the more informal double-breasted dinner jacket, many men have the shawl collar faced with satin.

This midnight blue jacket features lapels faced in black grosgrain silk.

This midnight blue jacket features lapels faced in black grosgrain silk.

Dull Silk – A Forgotten Tuxedo Lapel Material

The passage suggested to me that early authorities used the term ‘silk’ as shorthand for ‘dull silk’.  I searched my archives for similar references and found this caption in a 1940 issue of Esquire: “the new satin shawl collar and more conventional dull silk peak lapel”. The classification of dull silk as “conventional” certainly re-enforces my theory that ‘dull’ was implied in early references to ‘silk’ facings. The second revelation was that ‘satin’ is a fairly fluid term today, kind of like “midnight blue”.  The facings on my various tuxedos might or might not qualify as satin (see the very technical description here) but they are a far cry from the high-gloss appearance I associate with that term.  I would more accurately describe them as being dull silk because even though it has no fixed definition the term much more accurately captures their low-lustre finish.

It’s good to know that grosgrain isn’t the only option for understated trim considering how rare it is.  Certainly, if I were to find myself in the market for another tuxedo, I would pay much more attention to the sheen quotient of the facings to make sure I stay far away from the glossy look of rental wear.

Notched Lapel tuxedo with daywear vest and glossy lapel facings

Plastic perhaps “dulled” “flat” or “matte” is a better term as it doesn’t suggest ‘boring’ rougher finish also makes for easier tying bow tie.


Gentleman’s Gazette

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Last Minute Gift Guide 2018

You have one week and two more weekends before Christmas. And that means you better get started. Yes we’re talking to you – the last-minute procrastinators, the disorganized, the busy or the ones ‘waiting on the next paycheck before I can knock off this gift list’ types. We’re here to help – we’ve got the last-minute gift guide for everyone on your list.

No need to say thank you. – we understand. Keep in mind, online is the easiest way to order if you’ve waited this long, but check each website for their latest ordering date for delivery for Christmas. Also keep in mind these are the busiest times of the year for all retailers, so if you want to be absolutely sure the gifts arrive on time, pick them up in person, as there are no guarantees. Big-box retailers like Wal-Mart and Target will alllow you to shop online and pick up at the store.

FOR UNPLUGGED KIDS

Some of this year’s coolest gifts are not electronic, which should make some parents very happy as phone addiction is real. If there’s any gift that encourages some family time as well, then that’s a blessing since much of the time it seems like you’re talking to your kids while they’re barely looking up from their Instagram feed.

SCRUFF A LUVS PET TOYS

If your young child wants a pet but you know you’ll be the one taking care of it, get them a Scruff A Luv toy. It requires your child to wash and take care of their ‘pet’ in order to see it grow into the final product. While parents who reviewed it weren’t always happy with the scruffy toy that emerges, they did say that for the most part, their kids adored it. $ 11

DON’T STEP IN IT

If you know anything about kids, you know they love anything gross. So this game is made for them. The idea is that using a blindfold, and after scattering squishy pods of “poop” around a mat, you try to evade the piles. $ 25 and up

KID MADE MODERN

This kit made “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list. It encourages children to be creative with a full spectrum of arts and crafts supplies. Although they might still go to YouTube to figure out the how-to’s, at least they’ll be expanding their creativity with something tactile. There are also multiple options including a jewelry making kit, wooden toy making kit and a board book one. From $ 37.99

FOR THE COOL KIDS

Teens are notoriously hard to buy for, as everything you like is corny to them and everything they like is corny to you. But after you’ve bought every video game and electronic thing they want, what’s left? Here are few things they may like but don’t blame us if they don’t. You can always give them a gift card if you’re not sure.

SUPREME

 

If your son or daughter  is one of the kids who always has to have the latest, Supreme is a brand that would qualify. They have limited runs of each item so when it’s gone, it’s gone. Although the brand, which started out as a skateboard shop and line, has been around since 1994, its become increasingly popular in the last few years.

Each time the brand makes a “drop” or releases new product, there are lines around their Brooklyn, NYC, London, France and Japan stores. While a lot of their clothing becomes coveted and resold far beyond the original price, you can still pick up a shirt on their website for under $ 100. You can also check Ebay and shopping app Poshmark for cheaper options, just make sure you buy from trusted sellers with a history who have good feedback. $ 110 for this sweater, various

LUMEE DUO SELFIE PHONE CASE

 

If your teen girl (or boy)  is always looking for just the perfect filter and lighting, here’s the perfect gift – a phone case that comes with its own light. If you can’t get them off the phone, at least make sure their selfies come out well-lit. $ 63.10

FOR UNC OR AUNTIE

NFL Apparel 

If your uncle’s favorite phrase is ‘Who Dat” then we know who he’s rooting for. Or maybe’s its your auntie always wanting to call you after a Sunday game to talk about ‘Dem Boyz.” You know they’d appreciate some official gear to celebrate their team’s victories and to cry in after a loss. $ : Various

FOR YOUR BEARDED BAE

Shea Moisture Beard Kit 

 

You love the feeling of his beard when he’s nuzzling you, so you’ve got as much motivation as he does to keep it well-groomed. Shea Moisture’s well-reviewed beard 4-piece beard kit uses the all-natural ingredients that are a hallmark of the brand and includes beard wash, detangler, conditioning oil and balm. $ 34.49

FOR YOUR MELANIN QUEEN

D’IYANU

 

She may not have an actual crown, but she is a queen to you and your family. Nigerian-American designer Addie Olutola  started D’Iyanu in 2014 to provide fashion-forward clothing with an African twist. Since then, through the power of social media, the brand has become a popular choice for fashionistas looking to combine style with cultural expression. $ : Various Sizes up to 3X for women and men.

FOR MOM

Hurricane Snakeskin Boots 

The days that moms wanted a toaster or vacuum cleaner are over. Chances are, your mother has a thriving life and career and is competing with you for Instagram likes. She also likely has a mean shoe game. If that’s that case, here’s a good choice for her. Newly minted duchess Meghan Markle’s favorite boots, according to The Daily Mail, are $ 550 by the designer Dear Frances. But London-based brand TopShop makes a comparable pair for less than half the cost. Their snakeskin Hurricane boot comes in four colors and has a comfortable stacked heel. Here’s to you, Moms!

Good American Jeans 

If your mom’s not into shoes, chances are she’s into jeans. Out of all the celebrity designer brands, Good American is one of the best. The high-quality denim, various fit and size-inclusivity make them a winner. Yes, they are expensive, but that’s why they’re perfect for a once-a-year gift, especially if you have the type of mother who doesn’t believe in spending a lot on herself. Right now, a lot of styles are on sale on Nordstrom.com and you can also find good deals on the discount shopping app, `Poshmark.

FOR GRANDMOM

InstaShiatsu Foot Massager 

 

Oprah’s “My Favorite Things” makes another appearance on this list with this foot massager. If we know anything about our grandmothers, whether they are in their 40’s or their 70’s, they still work or have worked hard.

So their feet deserve a break. This foot massager is said to work miracles on tired feet, so we think Mom-Mom will appreciate it. Oprah said she heard a choir of angels sing when she used it, and who are we to question Oprah? $ 199

Eternal Fleur Flower Box 

Since Amazon doesn’t guarantee Christmas delivery on the massager, there’s another option for Grandmom. Eternal Fleur creates roses that come in beautiful boxes that last for a year. There is some secret sauce in how that’s done, but the roses are real and come in an array of colors. There are several box options from crocodile to Lucite, and you can order flowers in different quantities as well – from a single rose to a dozen. It’s like getting flowers that (almost) last forever.

FOR GRANDDAD

 

Tile Phone and Key Finder 

You love Pop but he’s always forgetting something, so waiting on him to get out the door to come pick up the grandkids is a pain. Hook him up with the Tile Finder which can help him locate his keys and his phone via Bluetooth technology. That should help him and you out. $ 59 and up

Jabra Wireless Headphones 

If he’s a music lover, then add some wireless headphones to his list as well. The best under $ 50 are the Jabra Move wireless which have a battery life of 8 hours and are surprisingly good for the price. Throw in Spotify or Tidal premium (Grandpa can share your account passwords) and you’ve got a winning Xmas gift combo. $ 49.98


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Life & Style – Black America Web

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2019 Lighting Trends with Glen Peloso

LED lighting is showing up everywhere. This energy-efficient technology also offers a great deal of flexibility, allowing for the design of unique, sculptural pieces with architectural details.

FLEXIBLE GENIUS

This pendant light uses LED lighting technology to create adjustable lighting zones that can be used to direct the light and create different light patterns as needed.

Tamasera by Eglo, Available from Living Lighting,
www.livinglighting.com

GEOMETRIC LINES

Geometric shapes are a popular choice for contemporary décor. LED lighting allows for clean lines with lighting built right in resulting in perfect geometric patterns uninterrupted by traditional light bulbs.

Martelo by Kuzco, Available from Living Lighting,
www.livinglighting.com

MODERN RETRO

LED lighting lets us create a modern take on old trends like this stunning chandelier that offers a modern look with an art deco feel.

Vega by Kuzco, Available from Living Lighting,
www.livinglighting.com

BETTER MORNINGS

Two LED bar vanity lights placed on either side of the mirror provide more even lighting with less shadows than overhead lighting. This is better for applying make-up, shaving and other tasks.

Nolita by Kuzco, Available from Living Lighting,
www.livinglighting.com

The post 2019 Lighting Trends with Glen Peloso appeared first on Home Trends Magazine.

Home Trends Magazine

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Everything you need to know about Brooklyn Beckham’s new girlfriend

Sorry ladies but it seems that Brooklyn Beckham has been snatched up once again; the young photographer has been spotted out and about, with a new girl on his arm. Who is she?

REX

Words by Zeinab Batchelor

Sorry ladies but it seems that Brooklyn Beckham has been snatched up once again, and not by any of us.

The young photographer has been spotted out and about, with a new girl on his arm. But who is she?

We’re used to seeing Brooklyn with his ex girlfriend Chloe Moretz, but it seems that the former couple are officially off, with this week seeing not only Brooklyn and his new GF, but also Chloe moving on too with a playboy model.

The name of Brooklyn’s new girlfriend? Hana Cross.

But who is she? Here’s everything we know…

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🌞baby

A post shared by Hana (@hancross) on

Birthday: 7th September: aged 21
Star sign: Virgo
Occupation: Model, signed to the likes of Select, Premium Models, the Lions LA. First making her modelling debut with high-street brands like Asos, Nastygal and Topshop, then got the attention of major fashion house Fendi which sees Cross in one of their latest campaigns.
Height: 5’8
Hometown: Chipping Campden, a small market town in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire.

How the lovebirds met: Hana is close friends with Brooklyn’s cousin, Libby Adams, as seen on many Instagram stories of the two. Libby Adams is the daughter of Victoria’s sister, Louise Adams.

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Severe delays

A post shared by Hana (@hancross) on

The young couple has made a string of appearances over the past few months, some less informal like Winter Wonderland and the Mumford and Sons gig last month. However they seemed to up it a notch by attending The British Fashion awards together, on the 10th December, hosted at The Royal Albert Hall.

And while Hana was photographed on the red carpet alongside Brooklyn and his parents, there are reports that they spent time together during the event, even attending an after party in Belsize Park together.

Now, the question that’s on everybody’s lips – has she met the parents?

Yes she has. Hana Cross and David Beckham were spotted at his launch party for Haig Whiskey just a few weeks ago – surely that’s saying something!

What’s in store for Brooklyn and Hana? Only time will tell.

The post Everything you need to know about Brooklyn Beckham’s new girlfriend appeared first on Marie Claire.

Marie Claire

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Style Your Home’s Outdoors with All the Perfect Additions from MacKenzie-Childs! Save on Tables, House Letters & Chairs. Shop Now!

The Ultimate Christmas Soul Playlist

I’m only 30 but when I think of classic Christmas soul music, I don’t think of Boyz II Men or Mariah Carey, like many of my counterparts do. I think of Otis Redding and James Brown. Now don’t get me wrong, they have Christmas classics, but when I am looking for that bottom of the gut, soul churning Christmas music. I skip most of the 1990s.

The other day I was listening to my Christmas playlist in my office and a co-worker asked, “what do you know about that?” I quipped, “a lot”.

Since I was a kid, my family has been playing the same Christmas cassette tape. It has a small white piece of half peeled tape on it, that reads “Christma ongs”. It was dubbed by an aunt or cousin but despite moves and life changes, this cassette has lasted. The songs are the soundtrack of such special memories.

I’m not walking around with a Walkman, so I have now pulled the playlist together on a streaming service and here is the list:

Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas – Carla Thomas 

Back Door Santa – Clarence Carter 

Santa Goes Straight To The Ghetto – James Brown

Christmas Ain’t Christmas – Bobby Womack 

Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This Year- James Brown 

Presents For Christmas – Solomon Burke 

All I Want For Christmas Is You – Carla Thomas

May Christmas Bring You Happiness – Luther Vandross

White Christmas – Otis Redding 

Please Come Home For Christmas – Charles Brown 

Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday – William Bell 

This Christmas – Donny Hathaway 

Silent Night – The Temptations 

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – The Jackson 5

One Little Christmas Tree- Stevie Wonder 

What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas – Emotions 

Happy Holidays To You – The Whispers 

Merry Christmas Baby – Otis Redding 

For my family, this is the quintessential Christmas soul playlist. When it cranks up, I know we’re ready to cook, eat, or play a game of spades.

What’s on your family playlist? Let us know in the comments!

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Entertainment – Black America Web

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Will Alexx and Tiffany Work Things Out? | Ready to Love | Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN

SPECIAL NEWS BULLETIN:

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

CHARITY UPDATE :

Click today to request your free ACRX discount prescription card and save up to 80% off of your medicine!

SPECIAL DONATION REQUEST UPDATE:

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How Many End Credit Scenes Are in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse?

With the reviews now in for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, we can reveal whether there are any end- or post-credit scenes in the Sony-Marvel film and, if so, how many.

Turn away now if you don’t want to know!

Still here? OK then…

There isn’t really a mid-credits scene in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but there is a nice and touching tribute to Spider-Man creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

The post-credits surprise, on the other hand, is a full-fledged scene.

Again, spoilers follow!

The scene features the surprise arrival of Spider-Man 2099, the Spider-Man of the future. The man under the mask is Miguel O’Hara, voiced by Oscar Isaac (a.k.a. Poe Dameron). His appearance leads to a fun retro-trip to the old Spidey cartoon from the 1960s.

Continue reading…

IGN All

SHOPPING DISCOUNT UPDATE:

GameStop, Inc.

Virgin Galactic completes crewed space test, more flights soon

A Virgin Galactic rocket plane reached space on Thursday and returned safely to the California desert, capping years of testing to become the first U.S. commercial human flight to breach Earth’s atmosphere since America’s shuttle program ended in 2011.


Reuters: Science News

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Spire.io – Over 50 Million Minutes of Calm Discovered!