Nathan Sawaya does with LEGO what many artists would love to accomplish with their regular pieces of art. Taking a favorite childhood toy, he turns the familiar plastic shapes into stunning works of art.

From his own creations to works from the masters, Sawaya’s LEGO building capabilities have captured the attention of art fans around the world.

Nathan Sawaya is currently enjoying success as his works of art take part in a global museum tour.

The artwork from the New York-based artist features large-scale sculptures that use nothing but LEGO building blocks. Sawaya builds pieces from his own imagination, and he also accepts commission requests. His artwork is featured at galleries in New York, Miami, and Maui.

According to the artists’ website, BrickArtist.com:

“He’s available to design and build custom creations for private collectors, events, photo shoots and conventions. In addition, he occasionally makes himself available for speaking requests and is the author of two best-selling books.Sawaya was the first artist to ever take LEGO into the art world. His unique sculptures and touring exhibition, THE ART OF THE BRICK, continues to inspire creativity as well as break attendance records around the global.Born in Colville, Washington and raised in Veneta, Oregon, Sawaya’s childhood dreams were always fun. He drew cartoons, wrote stories, perfected magic tricks and also played with LEGO. Sawaya attended NYU. After college he rediscovered LEGO but not as a toy, but rather as a medium.”

Nathan is so obsessed with creating beautiful and riveting LEGO artwork that his studios in Los Angeles and New York contain more than 2.5 million colored LEGO bricks.

If you have an eye for surrealist art that focuses on various forms and popular works of art, you shouldn’t miss a chance to see Nathan Sawaya’s works of art in person. Sawaya is currently showing off his work in an exhibit known as The Art of the Brick. Nathan has multiple unique exhibitions created solely from standard LEGO bricks with several new sculptures created specifically for each exhibition.

You can find tour dates and locations for the LEGO artwork by visiting HERE.

In the meantime, here are some of the artists beautiful LEGO artwork pieces:

[Photos via Emily Bell]

13 Amazing LEGO Artwork Creations By Artist Nathan Sawaya is a post from: The Inquisitr

The late Pope John Paul II may be officially recognized as a saint for a reported “mystery miracle” that he performed.

Vatican officials have attributed a “mystery miracle” to John Paul II, and are set to announce it to the world. The Holy See hasn’t said when they will reveal what the miracle was, but they promise that it will “amaze the world.”

Insiders report that the miracle involves the “extraordinary healing” of a Costa Rican woman who had a severe brain injury. Her family began praying to the memory of the late pope, Italian media reports.

Details of the miracle, including the “who, when and where” may be revealed at the end of this month or at the beginning of July, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Pope John Paul II’s path to sainthood has long been in motion. He was beatified (the first step toward sainthood) in May 2011.

The second miracle, which is required for full sainthood, reportedly occurred on the day of his beatification.

The second miracle was apparently recognized by theologians from the Vatican’s Congregation of the Causes of the Saints, which examines potential sainthood cases.

Pope John Paul’s first recognized miracle was the healing of a French Nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre. She recovered from Parkinson’s disease after praying for the late pope to intercede. Her healing had no medical explanation, according to the Catholic Church.

The late Polish pontiff will likely be made a saint this autumn, either on October 20 or November 24.

What do you think of Pope John Paul II’s imminent sainthood? Could he have really performed a “mystery miracle” that will “amaze the world?” Sound off!

[Image via: Greg O'Beirne]

Pope John Paul II May Become Saint Over ‘Mystery Miracle’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

COMMENTARY — A Red Robin ad has vegetarians fired up.

The 476-strong restaurant chain is a gourmet burger specialty house. The supposedly controversial ad, which you can see in the video, announces that they have “24 different burgers to cater to a lot of different tastes.”

In the ad, the actress then lowers her voice and explains that they even have a vegetarian Garden Burger “in case your teen-age daughter is going through a phase.”

OK, fair enough.

Burger fans don’t normally eat at vegan health food counters, and vegetarians don’t dine in burger places. The only real reason a vegetarian would go there would be if you were forced to by your mom or some other family member.

So it would seem to me that the Red Robin ad is just acknowledging a real-life situation in a humorous fashion.

However, for whatever reason, some vegetarians who viewed the Red Robin ad had steam coming out of their ears.

According to The Huffington Post, there was an outpouring of negative reaction to the ad. Red Robin’s senior director of communications Kevin Caulfield told the Huff Post that the ad will be out of rotation soon.

I’m not sure why they even bothered to respond. Huff Post pulled out some of the posts on the Red Robin Facebook page from angry vegetarians. They wouldn’t convince me that the restaurant chain lost ten cents’ worth of business.

For example, a poster named Jesse VanHall wrote, “I’ve never eaten at Red Robin…I will not be a patron of Red Robin until they issue a formal apology and pull the add.”

Yeah, OK. Red Robin should totally listen to VanHall.  Because it’s good business sense to cater to people who aren’t your freakin’ customers anyway.

People who liked the Red Robin ad or thought it was funny far outnumbered the haters, going by the posts on the burger chain’s Facebook page.  And they actually seemed to represent real Red Robin diners, who have already proven willing to spend money there.

Many comments echoed this one by Tyler Lyerly:

“Love the humor in that commercial. Because of it, I will eat at Red Robin more often. If someone gets offended by this commercial, it’s likely they’ll be offended by everything they encounter.”

Multiple people admitted that they themselves had gone through the vegetarian phase.

As a matter of fact, so did this writer. I was a vegetarian for three years, and you know what?  It can be isolating if you refuse to eat like people around you.  Socializing over meals is a critical part of human bonding.

Red Robin acknowledged that, and they provided a vegetarian choice even though those customers aren’t their target market.  I think they did OK.

As for me, if I ever go back to being a vegetarian, I won’t eat at a burger chain.

And I won’t complain that the burger chain I don’t patronize is targeting their ads to actual burger eaters, not to me.

If you disagree, fire away in the comments.  What’s your take on the Red Robin ad brouhaha?

[burger photo by Jeffrey W via Wikimedia]

Red Robin Ad Makes Fun Of Vegetarians, Hilarity Ensues is a post from: The Inquisitr

According to US-based doctor Vatsal Thakkar, children diagnosed with ADHD could simply be sleep deprived.

This medical opinion, alongside reports that ADHD in children is linked to obesity in adulthood, means that the disorder will continue to be an issue that doctors try to better understand to ensure treatment and management is accurate.

The clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine has suggested that up to one third of children, not to mention the one quarter of adults also diagnosed with ADHD, have sleeping problems that facilitate the hyperactive behavior of the disorder.

Furthermore, Thakkar believes that — due to the similarities between sleep deprivation and ADHD such as lack of focus, aggression and forgetfulness — the symptoms could cause confusion in accurate diagnosis of the symptoms, especially if Thakkar’s remarks about poor understanding of sleep deprivation is added into the equation.

The assistant professor continued along that line of reasoning by saying that, although there are many genuine cases of ADHD, there are also cases which are nothing more than sleep disorders in disguise; this obviously puts many people on edge when you take into consideration the enormous increase of prescriptions for the ADHD drug, Ritalin.

In addition to this, there is also new evidence that has shown that many ADHD children suffer from breathing problems when they sleep, which means that their delta sleep is affected greatly; this deep, rejuvenating section of our sleep patterns, that normally occurs 30 – 50 minutes after we fall sleep, is needed for proper growth and development.

Therefore, children who miss out or have this section of their sleep disturbed, are undoubtedly more likely to have similar symptoms to ADHD; quite simply, it could be more about resolving sleeping issues than it could be about treating the attention deficit disorder.

Furthermore, with sleep deprivation apparently causing weight gain, it would seem that there is an obvious and reoccurring pattern with the attention disorder, sleep, and weight.

With the news of the close relationship that ADHD and sleep deprivation share, it seems likely that more studies will aim to uncover just how common misdiagnosis is in children expected to have to disorder.

[Image via Wikimedia Commons]

ADHD Could Be Due To Sleep Deprivation, Says Doctor is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cabbage Patch wigs are the newest fashion trend to take the web by storm. As the name suggests, the wigs are fashioned after the once popular Cabbage Patch Kids dolls that ruled the 1980s.

The wigs are the brainchild of Georgia mom-to-be Amanda Lillie. Speaking to TODAY Moms, she says of her new creation:

“I was a huge child of the ‘80s and I had lots of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and I just loved them.”

After coming up with the idea, Amanda put up a few of the wigs on her Etsy shop, and, before she knew it, orders were flooding in.

The wigs are hand crocheted and take two to three hours each to create. Amanda says the most popular option is pig tails with a light-brunette color.

While Lillie is happy to crotchet the cabbage patch wigs for parents, she also sells patterns for the hair accessory, estimating that it will take a novice about a day to complete.

The cabbage patch wigs are most popular among parents with children around 8-months-old. Not surprisingly that age is when most children are about the size of a Cabbage Patch Kid doll.

If you’re an adult and you want to look like a Cabbage Patch Kid, perhaps for Halloween, that size is also available.

The wigs owe much of there success to Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks where buyers have shown off their adorable children who are proudly wearing the cabbage patch wigs.

The wigs aren’t just for kids to wear during everyday outings. Lillie says one hospital worker wears the wig to put a smile on the faces of sick children.

So what says you internet readers: Do you like the idea of dressing your child up in a cabbage patch wig, or do you want to leave the 1980s in the past?

Cabbage Patch Wigs For Kids Go Viral is a post from: The Inquisitr

Watermelon Oreos exist and they’re available at target.

The new Oreos, which feature bright pink and green filling between to vanilla cookies, might sound a little strange but food bloggers have been giving the cookies some nice reviews.

JunkFoodGuy said that he had some pretty low expectations for the new flavor but ended up enjoying them.

The website writes: “I opened up these Limited Edition Watermelon Golden Oreos, expecting to smell an awful fake watermelon smell to come wafting out…but nothing … As soon as I bit into one … I got an immediate light watermelon taste. I’ll just say it right off the bat….I liked these. A LOT. These DIDN’T overwhelm me with artificial (well, overly artificial) watermelon flavor. Instead the immediate taste I got was a watermelon taste that tasted like, frankly, it had been blended with creme.”

FoodJunk.com came to the same conclusion. The website writes that the vanilla cookie takes up 75% of the flavor profile but the light watermelon taste “makes the cookie as a whole.”

Dinosaur Dracula adds: “These new ones are actually good. Though you could accurately describe the flavor as ‘watermelonny,’ the vibe I got was pure Bubblicious. The cream filling, resplendent in its shocking hues, tastes exactly like Bubblicious gum.As strange as that seems, it works.”

The Watermelon Oreos have gotten some good reviews from critics but they still might be a little too weird for the average consumer. Still, Nabisco hopes that cookie lovers will bring the limited edition flavor to their next picnic. The company did not say if you should dip the Oreo in milk or lemonade.

The Clarion Ledger notes that this isn’t the first time that Nabisco has sold an interesting flavor of Oreos. The company has also sold Strawberry Shake, Candy Cane, Peanut Butter, Birthday Cake, and Gingerbread Oreos in the past.

Are you going to try the new cookies? Yahoo reports that the limited edition cookies will be available exclusively from Target this Summer.

[Image Via FoodJunk]

Watermelon Oreos Exist And They’re Good is a post from: The Inquisitr

A bout of receipt profanity at a St. Louis sports bar has angered a dad who was out enjoying a meal with his son.Joseph Gibson was finishing up his meal at Friendly’s Sports Bar and Grill when he noticed a rather disturbing note on his receipt.

Under the special orders section for Wing Sauce the receipt read: ”F—in Needy Kids.”

According to general manager Denny Domachowski, the waitress placed the message as a joke and fully intended to remove the message before handing the check with its receipt profanity over to the family.

The GM at the restaurant tells CNN that he apologized to the dad, and, when the dad called the restaurant back later, he apologized for a second time.

Not feeling that the restaurants apology was enough, Mr. Gibson posted the photo on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Facebook page. Along with the Facebook post, Gibson wrote:

“So customers with children are a joke? This place isn’t so friendly. I got nowhere with management.”

Domachowski then said he only allowed the dad to bring a child to the 21 and over bar because it was Father’s Day. Apparently, the bar felt that allowing the child into the establishment was gift enough to insult the child.

This is hardly the first time we have reported on a receipt that was handed to a customer “by accident,” and it probably won’t be the last. We have to question when waitstaff employees will finally realize that they are probably going to get busy and forget to remove their “joke” messages.

The restaurants refusal to take full accountability isn’t quite on par with an Amy’s Bakery type meltdown, but they definitely could have responded in a better manner than they did.

Do you think this type of alleged accidental receipt profanity is a good reason to fire a waitstaff member? Should the restaurant take more responsibility for its employees disrespectful actions?

Receipt Profanity Angers Dad, Calls Out ‘F*ckin Needy Kids’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Everyone wants to work from home, and as technology improves, more positions each year are available to the pajama-clad home workforce — but scams also seem more prolific as time passes.

A legitimate work from home job is considered the Holy Grail for many families battling work life balance issues, and reduced childcare costs and commuting expenses are two of the myriad reasons more workers hope the opportunity to telecommute presents itself.

But work from home scams that prey upon this ever-present desire have made many wary of the leap to a home office, and rightly so. A recent Wisconsin work from home opportunity that turned out to be an elaborate version of a common banking scam cost a single mom of four more than $3,000, and she tells local news sources:

“I went to the bank, deposited the checks (they sent me two checks) totaling almost $4,000. About three days later – received note saying they`re fraudulent checks and I was now in a hole.”

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen says that type of work from home scam is all too common, leaving work from home hopefuls on the hook for thousands and even possibly in danger of arrest and jail time:

“The scam artist is counting on the bank releasing the money or you having sufficient funds in your account to cover the expense check back to the scam artist. You don`t discover the check is going to bounce until after you`ve wired or sent the money back to the scam artist.”

Ultimately, in a “soft” job market, work from home jobs are going to be at least as hard to come by as work at work jobs — but not all opportunities are scams.

The battle becomes less difficult if you already have a job and can potentially transfer to at least some at-home hours, and Salary.com has tips on negotiating a work from home sitch. (Case in point: studies show work from home employees are more productive and effective than their on-site counterparts.)

In the not too distant future, HuffPo UK theorizes, you may not even have to ask your boss to work from home.

One writer says employers are, on their own, coming around to their own work from home benefits, saying:

“I’ll give you an example and for simplicity’s sake, let’s say your commute is an hour each way. Your work year contains 253 days in 2013, and if you work from home two days a week that’s a saving of 25.3 days. That means that you’re saving 10% of your work year simply by not commuting two days a week. At a company level, given that 60% of hours are recycled back to work – that’s an efficiency increase of 6%. For every 16 people who work from home two days a week, your employer will create a whole person’s worth of time each year.”

So while work from home opportunities are out there and for real, it’s worth keeping in mind that “too good to be true” offers are undoubtedly a huge risk — and as the writer above suggests, simply selling an employer on why a work from home spot saves them money is your best bet to finagle a telecommuting job.

Not already employed? You can also work from home by offering an existing skill on a freelance basis, and many junior-level administrative employees have built successful careers as virtual assistants.

Have you managed to find a legitimate work from home job?

How To Work From Home Without Getting Scammed is a post from: The Inquisitr

The 100 Diet is the latest in a series of plans aimed at streamlining menus and cutting sugar, but can you really lose 18 pounds in 14 days with such unrestricted eating guidelines?

Jorge Cruise’s The 100 makes a new-ish claim about what matters in diet and how eating just 100 calories from sugar a day (also known as limiting your carb intake) will radicalize your weight loss – and even allow for unlimited quantities of some decidedly not-celery foods.

The plan sounds a bit like a magic bullet, albeit not too unlike the old and controversial Atkins style of dieting, wherein carbs are restricted to those from leafy greens and other low-sugar veggies. (No carrots or corn!)

But it’s not just chocolate and pasta in Cruise’s sights in The 100‘s diet — speaking to Redbook, the diet guru attacks some seemingly “safe” foods that actually harbor some damning carb counts. You ready to have your diet mind blown?

Cruise explains:

“Eating carbohydrates – which are sugars – increases insulin. In our world, 80- to 90-percent of women’s weight-gain comes from overindulging in insulin-stimulating food. And it’s not hardcore, straight-up, I-can-see you-in-the-face sugar. They’re eating whole-wheat bread. They’re eating ancient grains. They’re eating black beans. That stuff is horrible.”

But 18 pounds in two weeks? Is that even safe? We’ve long been told that one to two pounds a week is what healthy, sustainable weight loss looks like.

The 100 diet not only has some drastic health food claims, Cruise also opines that a faster rate of weight loss is to be expected if you have a bit more weight to lose:

“I think in America we’ve lowered our standards. If you have four pounds to lose, one or two pounds a week is great. But if you have 30 pounds to lose, and you’re losing one pound a week, you’re doing something wrong: you’re eating carbs. You’re eating whole-wheat bread and whole-wheat pasta. You’re eating oatmeal with agave nectar and blueberries. It’s all sugar.”

(Do you like this guy? I like this guy.) But does it really work? Calorie counters remain skeptical:

“Also, I’m sure that people that are accustomed to eating a lot of sugar and refined carbs will experience weight loss when these foods are drastically reduced … But in reality, weight loss is a tad more complicated than just keeping sugar calories to 100 or less each day. For example, if a dieter eats 3000 calories of cheese a day or 3000 calories of steak, I don’t think they will experience weight loss.”

And clinical dietician Angela Majerle with MetroHealth Medical Center told Fox8:

“It’s a problem because you’re eliminating huge food groups. You’re eliminating whole grains, rice, fruits, and many vegetables … The initial six to eight pounds you might lose in that first week is water weight; it’s not fat weight at all.”

However, with Americans increasingly seeking a new approach, it seems The 100 diet stands to perhaps turn the standard way of losing weight around and perhaps make dieting easier for people who struggle with carb overload.

Have you tried a plan like Jorge Cruise’s The 100 diet?

The 100 Diet, 18 Pounds In 14 Days? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Twist-off wine corks could change everything.

One of the biggest boons to the wine industry has been that once the cork came out, there was no putting it back in, forcing wine drinkers to either drink the whole bottle in one sitting or get creative and find something else to stop up the bottle.

Thanks to a recent invention, corkscrews may soon be a thing of the past. No longer will we need a separate kitchen utensil to break into our beverage or jerry-rig a way to stop up the bottle.

Twist-off wine corks (Helix corks) have been designed to not only be easier to take out of the bottle but also make it possible to put them back in. Using almost a reverse of the style that most pop bottles use to cap off the beverage and save it for later, Helix corks use a “threaded” design on the cork and the bottle itself, making the removal and replacement of the cork much easier as the parts just slide together on grooves.

Cork manufacturer Amorim and bottle-making company O-I worked together to create this ingenious new design in wine-stopping technology. It took four years of research to ensure perfection of the design, but be assured that the time was taken to ensure that the redesign of the cork would not impact the taste, aroma, or color.

The Helix cork is made of harder stuff, meaning that it won’t expand or shrink as much. Where previous corks required the presence of gas interaction to keep the bottle sealed, there is nowhere for the oxygen to go with the new twist-off cork.

Erik Bouts, president of O-I Europe, has said, “Cork is still by far the preferred stopper. Our research has found that at least 80 [percent] of consumers prefer the cork and glass combination for their wine. It has the highest-quality image in the market and now we have made it easier to use. And it is still the most sustainable option.”

The Helix cork won’t change what you love about wine, but it will make it easier to remove and replace the cork.

What do you think about twist-off wine corks? Would they change how you feel about wine?

Twist-Off Wine Cork Could Change Everything is a post from: The Inquisitr

Want to make sure the priest is in the confessional before you jog down to the church to ask forgiveness for your sins? There’s an app for that.

Reverend Richard Heilman, a Roman Catholic prelate, has designed a smartphone app called “My Confessor” that would allow forgiveness-seekers to check when their priest is available at their local church to hear confession.

Heilman says that most Catholics should seek forgiveness by confession at least once a month, and his app will help you pick the perfect time.

“Maybe more often if you’re dealing with repetitive sin,” he said. “A lot of us aren’t in a state of grace and confessions help that grace flow freely.”

Heilman says that priests are often busy, and aren’t always around when Catholics show up looking for confession.

“It’s challenging sometimes for priests to find time for confession because they have work to do,” Heilman said. “And parishioners are trying to go easy on Father because they see us trying to handle multiple things.”

Think of My Confession as a digital church bulletin that will show a red status box when the father is “out” or a green one when he is “in.” My Confessor also includes a description of the Catholic concept of Reconciliation as well as related confession tips.

Heilman financed the app out of his own pocket in order to make confession more convenient for Catholics. The Wisconsin-based priest’s app is already sparking nationwide interest.

“I want people to not feel uncomfortable asking about confession,” Heilman told the New York Daily News. “We want everybody ignited in the Holy Spirit.”

The app will be available for both iPhone and Android by the end of the month. You can check out the My Confession app itself here.

Confession App Lets Catholics Check The Holy Father’s Availability is a post from: The Inquisitr

In gross product introductions this week, ranch dressing soda was brought to the masses in a bid, we imagine, to make America collectively throw up in its mouth a little bit.

The idea of ranch dressing soda is one of those concepts that just isn’t palatable from any angle. Sure, Elvis’ peanut butter, banana, and bacon habit was odd news for a long time until America came to worship at the altar of bacon and began mixing it with everything from ice cream sundaes to chocolate and cupcakes.

And ranch dressing soda does not sound so bad when we consider too that the Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe was announced not too long ago and even stoners said, “are you really gonna eat that?”

Anyway, America, I feel it’s time we had a sit-down talk or intervention, and that ranch dressing soda is the breaking point. Is there anything redeeming about the new Rocket Fizz flavor from Lester’s Fixins?

HuffPo was brave enough to force ask not one, but several of their writers to sample the new beverage, and people were pleasantly … horrified.

Not a one seemed to dig on ranch dressing soda, alas, but the reviews are funny. One HuffPo staffer said:

“You know, there is almost nothing I won’t eat, but the smell of this alone made my eyes water. The taste isn’t the problem, it just tastes like sugar soda. The problem is the lactic, blue-cheesy, synthetic aroma that enters your soft palate and nose as you swallow. Just thinking about it is giving me the shivers.”

Another opined:

“I mean, why not mess with buttermilk powder and garlic extract before you turn to some weird synthetic chemical? This tastes like you soaked blue cheese in sunscreen in a plastic tub on a hot day, and then forced it through a seltzer siphon.”

Interesting in buying ranch dressing soda? The Lester’s Fixins site has more information on where to buy their assortment of Rocket Fizz drinks.

Ranch Dressing Soda Introduced For ‘On A Dare’ Demographic is a post from: The Inquisitr

As the Pope blesses Harleys with his new white Popecycle, bikers were busy celebrating in Vatican city.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Pope Francis is a different type of pope. Not only is this Pope blessing Harleys, he’s giving Vatican bonuses to the poor, condemning Catholic church hypocrisy, and criticizing the world for wasting food.

So perhaps it’s not so surprising that Pope Francis would celebrate with thousands of bikers the 110th anniversary of Harley-Davidson. And at the Vatican, no less.

Harley-Davidson gave Pope Francis two white classic Harleys now forever enshrined as the Popecycles. No word on whether this included a matching all-white set of Harley leathers, but the pope was given a leather jacket.

Bikers and their trademark Harleys thundered their greeting to Pope Francis, who entered St. Peter’s Square in an open-topped jeep. Experts estimate that over half a million Harley owners were in Rome for this four day celebration.

Alongside the Harleys stood nuns and tens of thousands of Christians who came to take part in a pro-life rally. They came there to celebrate the Catholic church’s teachings against abortion, euthanasia and murder.

Despite the mixed crowd, Pope Francis offered the standard mass and included all in his message. After mass, the pope blessed the Harleys and the bikers and spoke a homily about celebrating life. I’m sure that was met with thunderous engine revving.

But Pope Francis also cautioned that “power and pleasure” lead to God being “replaced by fleeting human idols which offer the intoxication of a flash of freedom, but in the end bring new forms of slavery and death.” So, while many of the bikers were apparently Catholic, Pope Francis apparently felt it was necessary to remind everyone to not make anything earthly, including your hog, more important than God. Afterward, Pope Francis spent time talking to bikers in the square, blessing Harleys along the way.

What do you think about Pope Francis blessing the Harleys bikers?

Pope Blesses Harleys, Bikers Give Francis The Popecycle is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new Corona billboard will turn our moon into the world’s largest lime wedge.

If you happen to be near 15th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan tonight, June 15, be sure to stop by the clever Corona billboard to see their most impressive ad campaign to date.

As shown in their test run (see video below), at precisely the right moment, the moon will appear as the lime slice traditionally served in the mouth of a Corona bottle – a moment they’re calling “Corona Luna”.

Corona worked alongside astronomy experts from top universities and planetariums to calculate the exact dates and times when the moon would be viewed perfectly in line with their new billboard.

This is a rather impressive feat, considering all of the angles that would have to be considered – from the position of the moon, the position of the billboard, and taking into account where viewers will be standing when the phenomenon occurs.

Hats off to the brand for taking a serious approach to consumer participation!

For a brand that we most often associate with sandy beach scenes and sunny days, it’s refreshing (pardon the pun) to see Corona given a new life as a drink for after the sun goes down.

Corona is now a part of the AB InBev family. Huffpo reports Constellation Brands is looking to acquire US distribution rights for the popular beverage, following the merger with AB InBev, who will control distribution in other parts of the world.

Corona been was first brewed in 1925 by the Mexican based company Cerveceria Modelo, and wasn’t available in the United States until 1979.

For those hoping to get a good look at the Corona Luna in all it’s glory, your prime viewing window will be between 8:45pm and 11pm tonight!

Tweet us your Corona billboard photos if you’re in the area tonight!

Corona Billboard Turns The Moon Into A Lime [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nap Nanny recliners are being recalled after dozens of reports of children falling out of the Nap Nanny recliner.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the Nap Nanny recliners recall started in 2012.

At the time, some of the nation’s largest stores, including ed Bath & Beyond, Amazon, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, and Diapers.com, agreed to recall 150,000 Nap Nanny infant recliners. The recall was a voluntary move by retailers following the reported deaths of several infants, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission actually sued the company would not agree to the Nap Nanny recliners recall. The company shut down in November of 2012, although its website remains open with product information.

Just yesterday, Baby Matters LLC announced the recall of its Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill infant recliners as part of a settlement with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which claims there were at least 92 incidents involving the Nap Nanny recliners. Nap Nanny Generation Two recliners are reported to have caused the deaths of four infants and a fifth died using the Chill model.

Baby Matters disputes the idea that their Nap Nanny recliners contain any defects, but they have agree to the Nap Nanny recall in order to have the CPSC lawsuit dismissed. It is estimated that the Nap Nanny recliners recall will affect about 165,000 units sold between 2009 and 2012.

Nap Nanny Recliners Recall: Napper Linked To Five Infant Deaths is a post from: The Inquisitr

Researchers at Portland State University have carried out a study that has revealed that same-sex marriage will not affect straight marriage rates.

The study has thoroughly detailed the number of straight marriages from all 50 states and the District of Columbia from the years 1989 to 2009, alongside recording the straight marriage rates from the 13 states and Washington; this comparison was then used to analyze any differences in the results between areas that have legalized same-sex marriage and the ones that haven’t.

If you want to take a look at the findings for yourself, it’s published online at PLOS ONE, and is quite an interesting read regardless of your opinion of marital traditions.

Who knows, it might even have you taking a leaf out of Clint Eastwood‘s book and get you not caring about the whole gay-marriage scene at all.

The researchers found that there was no difference between the rates of straight marriage in the locations that had legalized gay marriage, in comparison to the ones that hadn’t, during those time periods.

Although this won’t surprise many LGBT readers, it will undoubtedly help quell fears that straight couples are ‘at risk’ should marriage equality be introduced.

Despite the researchers concluding these findings, it’s worth bearing it mind that studies are still intended to be carried out to determine how same-sex marriage will affect straight marriage after gay marriages are legalized across the board; this is so that they can analyze the length of all marriage/partnerships, as well as the rates of divorce that might occur after legalization.

The only reason they were unable to carry out this section of the study this time round is because of the ‘missing data’ from same-sex marriage; they are still called civil unions in the majority of places after all, and therefore aren’t classed as marriage in the eyes of the law.

Even though this study has, in many ways, tried to end the debate raging about whether gay marriage will affect straight marriage, it seems unlikely that the results will suddenly stop the ongoing topic.

Though who knows, maybe by New Year’s Day 2014, we will all be at ease with these values and opinions, after all it was only this New Year’s that we acknowledged that new laws, such as gay marriage, would finally get passed.

But for now, lets just try and appreciate this same-sex marriage study for what it is, at least before all the critics start to pick apart the findings and the debate picks up pace once more.

[Image via Wikimedia Commons]

Same-sex Marriage Doesn’t Affect Straight Marriage, Says Study is a post from: The Inquisitr

There’s no cheese in hamburger.

That was a message that a “burned-up” Wendy’s customer delivered loud and clear at the drive-thru window after his order was bungled. And apparently not for the first time. See cell phone video embedded below.

The customer explained the problem to the drive-thru window worker as follows: “When you have cheeseburger, you have cheeseburger; when you have hamburger, you have hamburger. I want my money back now, and I want it fast.”

As a repeat patron, he was definitely dissatisfied with the service at Wendy’s. “This is such incompetence. I cannot believe it happens every time I come here … I’m losing my sh*t because this happened the past three times I’ve come. Please be competent once in your life. Take an order and fill it.”

It appears that he didn’t even get a full refund for his trouble even after this rant.

According to a 2012 survey, Wendy’s drive-thru offers the fastest drive-thru experience on average. Most customers can expect to spend around 129.75 seconds in the restaurant’s drive-thru lane. Accuracy is, of course, a separate matter.

Even non-regular fast-food diners likely have had experienced messed up orders, including messing items, as a result of indifferent or undertrained employees. On the other hand, most people probably order cheeseburgers rather than plain hamburgers so perhaps in this case it was an honest mistake.

That being said, do you think that burger joint employees should take their jobs more seriously? Was the customer justifiably upset or did he overreact to discovering a slice of cheese on his hamburger?

In other Wendy’s news, the chain plans to expand its menu with a rollout of a pretzel bacon cheeseburger later this year. Presumably it can be ordered without the cheese. The fast-food chain also recently revamped the interior decor in 80 of its locations, introducing comfortable lounge chairs beside a roaring fireplace. Another 200 remodels are planned across North America later this year in an update to the 43-year-old chain’s brand.

Wendy’s Customer Rants About A Hamburger That Came With Cheese [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Father’s Day restaurants freebies have become a regular tradition and Father’s Day 2013 is no different.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Father’s Day 2013 saw Facebook reuniting families torn apart by time.

And they’ll probably want to celebrate by finding some good Father’s Day restaurants freebies. So let’s see if we can make a whole day of it.

IKEA is giving away a free breakfast before 11 AM which includes scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon and a cup of coffee.

You have a lot of lunch and dinner options with the available Father’s Day restaurants freebies.

With a valid Father’s Day coupon Boston Market is giving away a ribs meal worth $10.99. Spaghetti Warehouse is offering free spaghetti or lasagna entrees with a coupon. Not sure if this one is for the whole family, but a Father’s Day restaurants freebies from Hooters gives 10 free wings for every 10 wings purchased.

If you signed up for the Melting Pot’s mailing list you’ll be in for a treat. The Melting Pot is offering Endless Fondue for $39 a person from June 14 through Father’s Day itself. This Father’s Day restaurants freebie is a four-course dinner which includes your choice of cheese fondue, choice of salad, an endless fondue entree and choice of chocolate fondue.

For desert, TCBY is giving dads a free six-ounce cup of frozen yogurt. Shoney’s is giving away hot fudge cake when combined with entree purchases. Buca di Beppo is giving away free cannolis with a coupon promo called “Holy Free Cannoli.”

What Father’s Day restaurants freebies do you plan on treating yourself to?

Father’s Day Restaurants Freebies 2013 Roundup is a post from: The Inquisitr

McDonald’s restaurants in China have caved to popular demand and added a number of rice dishes to the menu. The problem? They suck.

Almost everyone figured that the McDonald’s Chinese menu items would be a risky bet, with many mocking the dishes before they even had a chance to sample them. Shanghaiist’s Food Editor Ben Cost, for instance, said that his time was better spent sampling “more obscure dishes.”

But there was one big food critic who was brave enough to try the new dishes. Valentina Luo of That’s Beijing is at the front of the region’s incredibly negative reviews with a sublime little piece on McDonald’s Rice Fun Wrap.

She writes:

“If you take a look inside the Rice Fun Wrap (and if you do, a warning: the whole thing will fall apart instantly and irrevocably), it looks 
like a vegetarian hand-roll with a slice of chicken someone accidentally dropped in the kitchen. ‘What shall we do with this chicken I dropped, boss?’ ‘That’s our new Chinese menu, son.’ “

Not very flattering. The rice was a particular point of contention, and caused her to throw out the wrap before she was even half-way through.

“I had the bitter-salty taste in my mouth hours afterwards, even though I only took two bites before I threw the thing.”

She ended her negative review with this little barb:

“Seriously, McDonald’s, 2,000 years of gastronomic genius and this is how you treat my country’s ancient cuisine? Next time CCTV tries to shake you down, I’m actually going to take their side: that’s what you’ve done to me, my culinary heritage and my goddamn dinner plans.”

Ouch.

Suffice it to say, McDonald’s Chinese endeavors have fallen flat with food critics. We’ll let you know how the sales are when we see the numbers.

McDonald’s Chinese Menu Items Blasted With Extreme Prejudice By Reviewers is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you wanted a go at Wendy’s nine-patties T. Rex burger behemoth, you’re going to just have to image that much meat. The nightmarish item has been pulled from the menu after a very short (yet successful) stint.

In all likelihood, Wendy’s nine-patties burger probably wasn’t even offered in your area. The monster was only offered in Manitoba, Canada, and even then, only for a short time.

A Wendy’s official announced Wednesday that they would discontinue the T. Rex burger, which was a stunning nine quarter-pound patties held together with nine pieces of sliced cheese all between a strained bun/grease sponge.

“For obvious reasons, Wendy’s of Brandon neither condones nor promotes the idea of anyone consuming a nine-patty hamburger in one sitting,” said Barb Barker, an administrative assistant for the Wendy’s outlet in Brandon.

She continued that Wendy’s “strives to deliver a positive dining experience for our customers. Our goal is to provide options to our customers so they can make options that meet their needs.”

Yeah, let’s talk about “needs.” Wendy’s probably realized that no one “needs” to spend $21.99 on a burger that clocks in at a mind-boggling 3,000 calories and 6,000 grams of salt. But we digress. It was a joke item, we get it, but people were actually ordering this thing. One or two every day, as a matter of fact.

So where did the idea come from? Well, you’d be on to something if you said that the nine-patty T. Rex burger looks familiar. It actually started as a prank ad published by Sports Illustrated almost a decade ago. The thing is, people have requested it every year, and the restaurant finally obliged.

They seemed to change their minds after a photo of the real deal made its way to Reddit, where it was subjected to equal parts mockery and wonder.

Did you get your hands on a Wendy’s nine-patties T. Rex burger? Let us know if you survived! This video review sums it up for us [NSFW - language].

Wendy’s Nine-Patties T. Rex Burger Nightmare Pulled From Menu is a post from: The Inquisitr

The term “glamping” is certainly not new, but interest in camping for those of us who like frivolities such as hot water and soft bedding services has become a growing trend in a world where everyone is in denial about their adjusted personal net worth.

That glamping is a thing may speak to the fact that when vacation time and holiday spending dollars are markedly decreased, everyone still wants to be fancy.

Sure, you may not be able to afford a luxe hotel in a swank location, but glamping claws back some of the glamour of hotel stays while still remaining affordable — and then, for the people who have a budget but still want to vacay under the stars, the sky is the blinged-out limit.

One HuffPo writer tells a tale of no-holds-barred glamping, the sort where money is less of a concern but balancing a camping experience with convenience is at the fore.

He boasts a setup that might make some of our permanent houses jealous, and says:

“My Airstream boasted a full shower, dual zone air conditioning, a gas grill, generator and a flat panel TV/DVD as only a few of the features in the 23′ International Signature Series (4 person maximum sleeping capacity) … I chose to make it even easier by using the company AIRSTREAM 2 GO as they took care of everything (and I mean everything) including the pink flamingos and lawn chairs placed out in front adding to the glamp-o-icious experience.”

He adds:

“Many camp grounds offer, spas, pools, catered meals and will assist in just about any request with hiking and horseback riding being at the top of my list if you choose the route along the Pacific Highway as I did.”

Another West Coast glamping hideaway is a bit more accessible but still carries amenities, and ABC recently visited Costanoa Lodge, where “comfortable beds are provided in warm bungalows with all the comforts of home, and in some cases, a hot tub to relax your stress away.”

Glamping convert Brandie tells the network:

“Absolutely, it’s a definite compromise; you get the best of both worlds … So you have kind of like a little bit of a hotel, but you still have the rustic feel of camping as well.”

Do you think glamping is a reasonable substitute for room service and flat screen TVs?

Glamping Is Totally Recession Chic is a post from: The Inquisitr

Employees opened up boxes of bananas and discovered a shipment of cocaine.

Although nowhere near as original as a woman attempting to smuggle cocaine in diapers, this concealment is still pretty odd.

The Danish supermarket, Coop, had been waiting for the order of bananas and therefore expected nothing out of the ordinary when opening up the boxes.

However, what they didn’t anticipate was a 100 kilograms of white power stored away inside.

Considering that the street value of this amount of cocaine is somewhere in the thousands, somebody out there will undoubtedly be angry that their shipment of cocaine fell into the wrong hands.

The only indication that all was not as it seemed was the weight of the boxes; employees had noticed that some boxes of bananas were heavier than others.

Despite initial claims that the substance was cocaine, the authorities refuse to commit to that statement because they’re still unsure whether it actually is the drug.

Surely the police will run tests to ensure that employees have actually found an illicit drug and not just sugar?

Whatever the substance is finally determined to be, even if it’s “innocent” it still could be just as addictive as cocaine if reports on high fructose corn syrup are anything to go on.

Either way, the Columbian supplier of the fake boxes of bananas have been contacted about the potentially illegal content hidden away in their shipment.

A Coop spokesperson, Jens Juul, commented on the odd occurrence, saying that more bags with white powder had been found Wednesday in a separate shipment from Colombia.

This unintended delivery turned up at a central dispatch facility in suburban Copenhagen.

Although contact with the suppliers has been made, no arrests have been made so far.

No doubt there are some drug dealers out there that are very annoyed that their cocaine ended up going to supermarkets in Denmark, but who would really want to own up to that mistake?

It seems that only time, and the continued efforts of the police investigating, will help discover why boxes of bananas concealed such a highly illegal drug.

[Image via Daily Record]

Employees Open Box of Bananas And Find Cocaine is a post from: The Inquisitr

A California woman recently found a razor blade in her Burger King hamburger.

A couple of weeks ago, relatives of 46-year-old Yolanda Orozco went to the Burger King in Willits and ordered hamburgers.

“I bit off of it, I checked for onions and then I saw a razor blade in there,” Orozco said. “I was in shock. I was just looking at it. Somebody at Burger King was careless.” Orozco said that the blade was hidden between the burger meat and the cheese.

Willits police officer Mark McNelley took Orozco’s call about the razor blade in the burger. Initially, he said, he thought it was a hoax. He and his partner spent six hour investigating, and trying to determine if there was any criminal wrongdoing. The pair determined that it was an accident that could have been prevented.

McNelley and his partner took a tour of the Burger King that night, and what they found was troubling.

“That’s when we saw the disconcerting sign of three other razor blades in close proximity to food,” McNelley said. Employees said that they use the blades for cleaning purposes, and McNelley said that he found the single-edge blades above and in front of the burger warming trays and above the condiment area.

“I was definitely surprised. I didn’t expect to see that,” McNelley said.

Since there were no laws broken, the Willits Police Department has closed the investigation, but the Mendocino County Department of Environmental Health has taken over. Inspectors are mandating better employee training and a better storage and tracking system for the blades.

Orozco said restaurant management has contacted her, but she is “really paranoid” right.

In 2008, a similar, but actually a whole lot worse, discovery was made by a New York man who found a serrated knife baked into the bread of his 12-inch Subway sandwich. As in, a whole knife, not just the blade. John Agnesini sued Subway after the discovery, and eventually settled for about $20,000.

Does hearing about a razor blade found in a Burger King hamburger make you nervous to eat fast food?

Woman Finds Razor In Burger King Hamburger is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new angry Legos study has examined the changes across the Lego brand across the past few years, positing that the tone of the colored blocks has become more sinister with the introduction of a bevy of “angry faces.”

The Legos study concerns the growing prevalence of minifig heads and how the expressions present may influence play using the toys that previously were restricted to brightly colored blocks.

In the past, the Legos study notes, Lego play centered around building and more raw creativity — but with the introduction of branded sets, the feel of Lego toys overall has been shaped by other factors.

The University of Canterbury in New Zealand’s Dr. Christoph Bartneck said that the rise of “conflict based” themes in Lego sets was a worrisome trend. Bartneck examined thousands of Legos study samples to arrive at the conclusion that changes in the Lego brand may prompt aggression in kids to follow.

The researcher said:

“It is important to study how to create appropriate expressions and how these expressions are perceived by the users. Children’s toys and how they are perceived can have a significant impact on children … We cannot help but wonder how the move from only positive faces to an increasing number of negative faces impacts on how children play.”

As franchises including Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Pirates Of The Caribbean have proved lucrative for the popular perennial brand, their influence on Lego play becomes more significant. Noting a drastic increase in pieces with negative facial expressions in the Legos study, Bartneck explains:

“It is our impression that the themes have been increasingly based on conflicts. Often a good force is struggling with a bad one … The number of new faces that the Lego company introduces every year is increasing steadily. Lego started producing a greater variety of faces in the 1990s. Happiness and anger seem to be the most frequent emotional expressions.”

He adds:

“But the facial expressions are not directly matched to good and evil. Even the good characters suffer in their struggle and the villains can have a smug expression. In any case, the variety of faces has increased considerably.”

Bartneck’s Legos study will be presented in August at the First International Conference on Human-Agent Interaction in Sapporo, Japan.

Angry Legos Study Examines Toys’ Rage Faces is a post from: The Inquisitr

E-cigarettes have become an alternative for cigarette smokers around the world and now Britain has decided to regulate the newly popular products. The Medicines and Health Regulatory Agency (MHRA) released a statement on Wednesday that revealed it would consider the electronic inhaler as medicines.

“Reducing the harms of smoking to smokers and those around them is a key Government health priority,” said Jeremy Mean, the MHRA’s Group Manager of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines. “Our research has shown that existing electronic cigarettes and other nicotine containing products on the market are not good enough to meet this public health priority.”

The MHRA said that the vapor simulation of smoking will be considered medicines “so that people using these products have the confidence they are safe, are of the right quality and work.”

Britain’s Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, also chimed in with her thoughts on the matter. Davies made it known that more people have turned to E-cigarettes outside of the deadly harm tar and tobacco can cause to regular smokers.

“While it’s best to quit completely, I realise that not every smoker can and it is much better to get nicotine from safer sources such as nicotine replacement therapy,” Davies said about the topic. “More and more people are using e-cigarettes, so it’s only right these products are properly regulated to be safe and work effectively.”

There’s a long road ahead for manufactures of the new electronic products as tougher tests are being put in place, which they will have to face before the product can hit the market.

The MHRA also noted that “safe and effective products” can help users to cut down on smoking or quit all together as regular cigarettes are responsible for “killing 80,000 people in England each year.”

Do you believe Britain’s new stance will help smokers quit and lead them to E-cigarettes as an alternative?

[Image via Creative Commons]

E-Cigarettes To Be Considered Medicine In UK is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new Kickstarter raising funds to create luxury shirts designed with special needs people in mind (but appropriate for all wearers) was born of a lack of options for integrated clothing items in that realm — but unlike mass-market garments of the same function, Mianzi’s shirts are appropriate for all wearers.

Richard Nachum Kligman’s Kickstarter to get Mianzi Fashion off the ground has hit a third of its goal in four days, and it’s not difficult to see why. Many popular Kickstarters back projects that are just fun or just popular, and it’s kind of cool to see one that innovates to create a product that makes life easier for people with special needs.

On the page (using a site where folks with great ideas can hook up with small bits of funding), Kligman explains how the concept of Mianzi Fashion was born — and why the shirts appeal not just to special needs clientele, but everyone.

Kligman explains that his son Moishy requires a bib due to cerebral palsy, and searching high and low led him to realize no products exist to address the need for a shirt and a bib concurrently. While that was frustrating, the entrepreneur also saw the opportunity to bring such an item to others with the same issue:

“My son Moishy lost oxygen at birth and has cerebral palsy and one of the outcomes from this was low muscle tone in his mouth causing him to drool. After looking around for a product that was high quality, quick-dry, anti-bacterial, anti-odor, and absorbent and of course beautifully designed and super comfortable, I realized it did not exist and so Mianzi was born.”

The project’s Kickstarter describes clothing that is luxury-oriented first, and subsequently appealing to a broad range of customers, not just those with special needs. Explaining the name “Mianzi” means “bamboo” in Swahili as well as “a face of dignity and prestige” in Chinese, the line’s creator explains how versions of the shirt in the first run will have special features for those with special needs on request — but can be ordered without:

“For people with disabilities or the elderly that have a drooling problem, we add in an extra layer of material in the inside of the shirts across the chest area. This works to keep our most important customers both dry and comfortable. In addition, we have snaps placed on the shoulder to make these shirts easier to put on and take off since many special needs people, including my son, has a head sensitivity. Please make sure to let us know you want the ‘special’ version … for

Mianzi’s shirts are 70% bamboo rayon and 30% organic cotton, combining bamboo’s benefits with cotton’s durability. And if you back the campaign but don’t need more shirts, Mianzi will pass your shirt on to a person in need of the shirts’ innovative features.

You can get the full scoop on Mianzi’s special needs shirts over on their Kickstarter page.

Special Needs, Special Shirts: Kickstarter Aims To Create Luxury Fashion For All is a post from: The Inquisitr

No, it’s not because you want me to wear an ugly, ill-fitting dress.

Wedding season is upon us, but more and more friends and relatives are turning down the honor of being a bridesmaid or groomsman as the expense is becoming too great – especially for those in the 18 to 34, with a lower-socioeconomic status, and males 20 to 24 who have the highest persistence of unemployment.

It’s not just the brides and grooms, or the father-of-the-bride sweating out the financials. Unsurprisingly, the tendency to turn down the request to stand with a bride or groom is inversely related to household income; lower-income correlates to a higher refusal rate. Don’t take it personally.

On average, US couples spend between $25,600 and $32,000 on their wedding – paying for flowers, photographers, food and alcohol, formal wear, and a venue. The cost of just attending a wedding has risen over the years, as according to an American Express survey from 2012, a wedding guest will, on average, spend about $329. This covers the cost of the gift and travel expenses.

What about the costs of the wedding party? Based on the same survey, the elite participants pay a little more, $577 – having to cover the expense of parties, travel, a gift, along with bride-approved attire and accessories for the big day.

But for some it’s not always about the money – granted that is a factor, but true bridezillas often have extraordinary demands that put people off from wanting to participate. These divas, who foam over every little detail, expect everyone to acquiesce and embrace the same vision of their special day, paying out to the point of night-sweats for whatever extreme want the bride decrees – no questions asked.

In one infamous leaked email from a bride to her bridesmaids that went viral last year, Gawker quotes key passages, “If money is tight and you can’t afford to contribute to say the bachelorette party or won’t be able to afford a dress … [we] don’t have time to deal with that, I’m sorry.”

The unnamed bride-to-be goes on to callously explain the rules and expenses for those in the running to be part of her bridal party. “This includes flights as well, everyone knows the states (wow, states, seriously?) where the parties are going to be held so if you won’t be able to afford a flight (sounds more like many flights) then that means you can’t make a party which ultimately means I can’t have you as a bridesmaid … That goes for bridesmaids dresses as well. Everything will be affordable but if you think by affordable it’s going to be a $25 Forever 21 dress then you’re going to the wrong wedding.”

The aforementioned bridezilla makes unrealistic assumptions that people can afford to travel to multiple states for multiple pre-wedding celebrations, but can also plan out months in advance and can let her know “this week” if they’ll be busy anytime between February 1 and August 31. If so, they need not apply – err accept – the honor of being part of her elite bridal crew, and will be relegated to the status of a guest.

Another demanding bride went a step further, requesting not only her wedding party, but all guests do a 21-day cleanse leading up to the wedding – sustaining on a vegan only diet so that everyone looks their best on her big day.

Are you getting married this summer? Do you think you’ve made any unrealistic demands of your loved ones regarding your big day?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Record Number Of Loved Ones Turning Down Wedding Party Roles is a post from: The Inquisitr

It would seem that even becoming a hermit won’t stop you from hearing about the Kardashians.

Christopher Knight, a hermit for a total of 27 years, still knew about celebrity news despite his last conversation with another person being in the 90s.

For regular followers of The Inquisitr, this hermit will be familiar news due to coverage of his arrest in April.

Upon his arrest, the police had totalled his burglary count to just over a 1,000 break-ins.

Out of all the numerous items Knight pilfered, People magazine was one of them.

Furthermore, it seems he didn’t just stick to stealing one copy of the renowned glossy mag but also many more.

This unusual choice in essentials would place Knight as one of the most up-to-date hermits of this generations, especially when reports from individuals like Trooper Diane Vance are taken into consideration:

“When he mentioned the Kardashians, I kind of had to laugh. I don’t think my husband knows who the Kardashians are, but he did.”

Despite having amassed thousands of followers, not to mention several marriage proposals, Knight still has an undecided fate when it comes to his length of sentence.

When new district attorney, Maeghan Maloney, was asked to comment on the case she had this to say:

“When you have more than one victim, what becomes difficult is the range of punishment that victims would like to see. There are people who don’t see any need for jail time; there are people who think life imprisonment is appropriate.”

Moreover, the authorities intend to have Knight undertake a mental health examination before they continue with his charges.

Until such a time that the examination is possible – currently there is a huge backlog – Maloney will continue to review all the evidence from the case so far.

Regardless of how long that should take, it seems that Knight will be able to keep up with the Kardashians without having to resort to all too familiar criminal antics.

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

Even The Maine Hermit Couldn’t Escape News About The Kardashians is a post from: The Inquisitr

George Clooney recently joked about a procedure called “Ball Ironing,” and it turns out that such a cosmetic surgery actually exists. While the California company behind the procedure prefer to call it a “Male Laser Lift” procedure, we can’t help but think it will forever be known as ball ironing thanks to comments made by the A-list actor.

An Italian publication recently asked George Clooney about his views on plastic surgery, and he joked:

“I never fixed my eyes, but I spent more money to stretch the skin of my testicles. I did not like wrinkles. It’s a new technique, many people in Hollywood have done it. It’s called ‘ball ironing.’ ”

Beauty’s Park is offering a “tightening the tackle” deal at the moment that provides buyers with a $575 scrotal beauty procedure. According to the company, the process “involves using lasers to remove hair, erase wrinkles, and correct discoloration on the scrotum.”

On the company website, a note about the procedure reads:

“Male grooming these days is on par with female grooming. Using the Pixel laser this procedure evens out skin tone, removes discoloration from ingrown hairs, removes skin tags and provides overall tightening to the external skin. You know where…”

Nurse Jamie invented the procedure and says they “had a difficult time coming up with a name.”

Possible names originally included Ball Ironing, Go Nuts, and Laser Polish the Crown Jewels.

Nurse Jamie, the creator of ball ironing, is no amateur inventor, having appeared under their stage name for various consultations with health and mental wellness specialist Dr. Drew.

Women undergo bikini and brazilian waxes to groom down below, and now it looks as a very select group of guys are doing the same.

So what do our male readers think of the new procedure? Are you willing to undergo a round of ball ironing? This is yet another procedure most guys are probably going to opt-out from undergoing.

‘Ball Ironing’ Exists, George Clooney Wasn’t Joking About Male Cosmetic Procedure is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lincoln, NE – A woman was ticketed for trespassing and public nudity after she had participated in an X-rated porn shoot at Pius X High School, her alma mater. She says she did it to get back at her classmates who mocked her dream of becoming a porn star.

Valerie Dodds, aka “Val Midwest,” is a 19-year-old aspiring porn star who claims she held a porn shoot at her former Nebraska Catholic school to get revenge on students (and teachers) who made fun of her career ambitions.

“Everyone at my high school had something rude to say to me when I started my website and so this is my tribute to all of you lol,” Dodds wrote on her website.

She was photographed nude on the school’s football field, where she flaunted her figure in front of the Catholic institution’s motto “Restore All Things in Christ.” She also allegedly masturbated during the May 13 shoot.

She came back on Tuesday for a slew of new shots, posing in front of the high school in broad daylight wearing nothing but white panties and pasties. She was covered just enough to avoid trouble for the second shoot, but Lincoln cops ticketed her anyway for her topless display last month.

“I got ticketed for trespassing and public nudity! Pius decided to call the Lincoln Police Department AND Crime Stoppers because ‘GOD’ couldn’t help them out on this one I guess LOL!” Dodds wrote on her Facebook page.

She told ABC affiliate KETV that she had a rough time at Pius X, and that classmates frequently branded her a “slut.”

“That’s when all the Pius kids were saying mean things, and that’s when I decided to go there and show them I’m here to stay,” she said.

The school said that it would keep calling the cops on Dodds if she chose to return and remove her clothing on campus.

“More important to us, however, is that we constantly follow our school’s motto: To Restore All Things in Christ,” Pius X officials said in a statement. “To that end, we are praying for the young lady and her family, and we stand ready to offer forgiveness and support should she seek it.”

In our day and age, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s offered a contract with Vivid tomorrow.

You can check out pictures of Valerie Dodds here, here and here, but be warned: In case you couldn’t tell from the story, they’re NSFW.

Thou Shalt Not Film Porn At Your Catholic Alma Mater (You Will Be Ticketed) is a post from: The Inquisitr

A New York City sushi joint’s restaurant tip ban has sparked what is sure to be another internet tipping debate, as one of America’s most hated social customs is examined in light of the restaurant’s ban on tips.

The restaurant tip ban was enacted at Sushi Yasuda in Manhattan, a swank Midtown eatery with moderate NYC prices and one notable exception.

While the restaurant’s ban on tips is unusual, so too is its treatment of employees. Most servers across the US are paid a stunningly low server wage with the expectation of gratuities making up the difference.

As anyone who has ever waited tables knows, this isn’t always the case. And while the restaurant’s tip ban means no math for diners during their meals out, the workers also benefit in the form of health insurance, paid time off, and a steady salary that ensures no one is working at a loss on slow days.

Sushi Yasuda’s co-founder Scott Rosenberg said of the restaurant’s tip ban that diner satisfaction and ease of experience was really the driving factor. Explaining that a one price covers all tab is a simpler way to enjoy dinner, Rosenberg tells ABC:

“The diner doesn’t [have to] think about how much to leave and make calculations [after] a contemplative and special meal … We’re really sort of just staying connected to that classical approach [of fine Japanese dining].”

Daisy Chung is executive director for Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York, a group that advocates for often underpaid and overworked restaurant staffers.

Chung says Sushi Yasuda’s ban on tips and the resultant conditions for workers is a “good idea,” and she adds that other NYC restaurants should consider a tip ban:

“It started a good conversation about tips and restaurant compensation … We definitely feel there shouldn’t be a separate system where tip workers rely on tips to subsidize their wage. Workers should be fully compensated.”

While the restaurant’s ban on tips is good for workers, sushi fans are also pleased. Rosenberg recalls one excited sushi diner who pledged he was “going to eat 20 percent more sushi.”

Would you prefer all restaurants have a ban on tips and just charge a little bit more to pay servers consistently?

Sushi Yasuda’s Restaurant Tip Ban Prompts New Tipping Debate is a post from: The Inquisitr

A so-called pizzaghetti slushy is now available to adventurous eaters in Canada.

In parts of Quebec, some people have an affinity for a meal that combines both pizza and spaghetti. While that sounds relatively harmless — particularly for those of us who love both dishes — the idea of chugging it down as a slushy doesn’t immediately sound appealing.

Even the dispenser is a little unappetizing. The machine appears to be stuffed with pizza and spaghetti that’s just waiting to get processed and served to you in a cup. In actuality, the pizzaghetti slushy is just a marketing gimmick to get people interested in the product.

The convenience store chain Couche-Tard is currently offering the unusual beverage to its customers. According to The Huffington Post, the drink is not unlike those Slush Puppies you fondly remember as a child. In this particular case, the slushy is designed to look like pizzaghetti.

Although the idea of consuming an ice-cold version of pureed pizza and spaghetti is enough to make some people retch, the drinks themselves do not taste like their namesake.

Delish reports that Couche-Tard’s pizza slushy tastes like kiwi, while the spaghetti drink smacks of strawberry. In other words, you’re not actually drinking anything that remotely resembles a pizzaghetti slushy.

In order to spread the word about the product, the convenience store chain has unveiled a 30-second commercial that’s getting some attention all on its own. The clip features a giant slice of pizza and a spaghetti woman making out in a park. It’s the sort of video that needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Here’s a picture of the Couche-Tard dispenser. It’s easy to understand why some people may initially be turned off by the fruit-flavored beverage. The company previously released wonton, swamp, and beef slushies, though none of them reportedly tasted like their namesakes.

What do you think about the pizzaghetti slushy that currently available in Canada?

[Image via Imgur]

Pizzaghetti Slushy Now Available In Canada [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

60 Minutes correspondant Lara Logan embarked on a journey into one of Spain’s greatest works in progress. The cathedral began construction back in 1882 and has been incomplete ever since.

Despite, or perhaps because of this unique status, it has been quite the crowd pleaser, even playing host to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2010. It was this visit that the Sagrada Familia was deemed to be a basilica. The consecration also marked the first time that Mass had formally been held in the building.

Although Spanish, the cathedral owes its design to an Italian, Antoni Gaudi. He became affectionately known as “God’s Architect”. His death in 1926 came when the structure was around a quarter finished. Realizing the complicated nature of his design, Gaudi constructed plaster models for others to follow in later years.

Gaudi had “gaudy” ambition for his project, according to author Gijs van Hensbergen. He noted that Gaudi wanted to illustrate the story of the Catholic Church through the structure, no easy task. Even now, the architect team tackling the project projects completion at 13 years down the line.

2011 saw an unwelcome and unexpected setback to the project when a man set fire to a portion of the structure. While initially optimistic, the construction crew at the time soon realized that the damage was, in fact, fairly serious.

Luckily, the Bonet family’s patronage has kept the Basilica alive for the masses to enjoy. Tourism generated upon completion would be quite useful to Spain.

The current representative of the family, Jordi, is quite old but still fondly remembers when he first gazed upon the church. The impact of that first visit led to his being part of the envoy that met the Pope on his visit.

The finished building will have 18 towers upon completion, and the impressive work will hopefully pay off for those that have put so much effort and funding into seeing Gaudi’s work finished.

[Image via Gettyimages]

Sagrada Familia Construction Explored is a post from: The Inquisitr

An ancient D20 die beats the Dungeons & Dragons dice to the punch by 2000 years.

Reverend Chauncey Murch must have rolled a crit when he acquired the ancient D20 die between 1883 and 1906 while conducting missionary work in Egypt.

Apparently, way before Gary Gygax and Dungeons & Dragons people in ancient Egypt were casting icosahedra. The ancient D20 die pictured above is a twenty-faced die dating from somewhere between 304 and 30 B.C., a time span also known as Egypt’s Ptolemaic Period.

The ancient D20 die from Egypt is made from serpentine and amazingly still has all the numerals visible, like eta, thta, and epsilon. The ancient D20 die is a little over an inch tall. The symbols carved into the D20 die appear to be of Greek origin, in keeping with it coming from the Ptolemaic Period.

The previous record holder for the world’s most ancient D20 die similar to Dungeons & Dragons was a Roman glass die from around the 2nd century AD. It is described as “Deep blue-green in color, the large twenty-sided die incised with a distinct symbol on each of its faces.”

No one knows for certain what types of games these ancient D20 die were used for. Although it’s possible they were used for religious purposes, as well.

The ancient D20 die is now being held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ancient D20 Die Beats Dungeons & Dragons By 2000 Years, Egypt Gets Buff is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe is something that we have to know exists, and since we have to know, we’re making sure you have to know, too. We can’t handle the Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe alone.

Sweet/savory hybrids like the Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe, or its not-so-ancient ancestor burger on a donut, are not a new thing — but it seems every peanut butter bacon shake or hot dog Twinkie we discover raises the gag inducing bar just a bit.

Okay, so maybe bacon chocolate is fun for five minutes — but a Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe just seems to remove all pretense of trying to be oddly intriguing or possibly good when you’re high and heads straight to “only on a dare or bet” territory.

The Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe joins Dunkin Donuts’ new egg sandwich on a donut as things we’re seeing this month that aim to adulterate donuts, breakfast, dinner, drive throughs, and fairs. A brainchild of a chef at the San Diego County Fair, the monster behind the horrid creation combined traditional sweetly savory sloppy joe meat with onions and a classic glazed Krispy Kreme for the nightmare foodstuff.

And if you want to blame someone for the Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe, the party responsible is Chicken Charlie’s, of Del Mar, California. Going by feedback posted on Buzzfeed, the Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe isn’t a standalone act either — for some reason closely held between the people eating them, Chicken Charlie’s and God, everyone seems to be deciding to eat their donut abomination alongside a bacon wrapped deep-fried pickle.

Ugh.

If you happen to be morbidly curious or lost your tastebuds in a freak accident and want some Instagram bragging rights, you have until July 4 to sample the Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe before the state fair rolls up its awnings for good.

Would you ever eat a Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe, or is that taking the donut bun trend too far?

Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe Exists, Is Worse Than It Sounds is a post from: The Inquisitr

Quick, what’s the weirdest pizza you can imagine? You still probably can’t top this year’s Swedish Pizza Championships winner, whose pie included toppings like bone marrow and cabbage.

A pizza topped with smoked beef bone marrow, pickled cabbage and sour cream won the title of “Pizza Baker of the Year” for Jonas Karlsson, a contestant in the Swedish Pizza Championships this week. While that sounds pretty gross, the competition judges were taken with Karlsson’s dedication and passion for pizza.

“The winner has created a pizza with both love and passion, and with a great respect for the ingredients. The winner has pushed the pizza into the top echelons of modern gastronomy,” a jury member said in a statement.

Karlsson is a chef at Speceriet in central Stockholm, and dominated his competition which included Frida Ceveryd from Stantons in Varberg and Adem Tokmark from Vapiano. He won the finals, which were held at Kungsträdgården in central Stockholm on Wednesday.

Ceveryd’s pie was a “horseradish luxury” and Tokmark offered a “Vitello con Ruccola.”

But it was Karlsson’s specialty that won the day, and he was pleased as peaches to be taking home the prize. His bone marrow and cabbage pizza is a popular dish among Swedes.

“Most people have a relation to the pizza and everyone has their favourite. I want to show with my special pizza that you don’t need to use expensive ingredients for it to taste good,” he said of the unconventional pie.

The pizza championships are an annual event held by Fast Food Magazine, along with a handful of food industry companies. Would you ever try a bone marrow and cabbage pizza? Sound off in the comments below!

[Image via: Peerajit Dittain / Shutterstock]

Swedish Pizza Championships Include Bone Marrow And Cabbage Winner is a post from: The Inquisitr

Heads are spinning over William Peter’s Blatty’s lawsuit at Georgetown University, his alma mater. Why? Simple. They’re just not Catholic enough.

William Peter Blatty’s lawsuit is specifically a “canon lawsuit,” meaning that he takes issue with the school calling itself a Catholic institution when they don’t really act all that Catholic, in his opinion.

Blatty is a graduate of the university (1950) and Georgetown serves as the setting of his novel The Exorcist as well as the 1973 American horror film based on it. The film was also shot in Georgetown.

In the complaint filed with Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington D.C., Blatty and “more than 1,200 alumni, students, parents, teachers, and other laity from around the world” say that Georgetown University doesn’t comply with “Ex Corde Ecclesiae,” a 1991 decree by Pope John Paul which sets the tone for Catholic schools.

The list of grievances is both long and dry, but here’s the basic gist:

” … The university failed to ensure ‘that all official actions and commitments [are] authentically Catholic,’ to recruit personnel that are willing and able to ‘promote Catholic identity,’ to respect Catholic doctrine and that the university employs a majority of non-Catholics.”

But wait, there’s more:

“Another problem for Blatty: a large coalition of Georgetown faculty protesting against Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) for misuse of Catholic social teaching in defending his budget, which hurts the poor.”

Blatty also takes issue with the campus hosting a performance of The Vagina Monologues and allowing sex health education programs.

There are also complaints regarding the attendance of Democratic pro-choice politicians like Nancy Pelosi and even President Barack Obama on campus for events.

What do you think of William Peter Blatty’s lawsuit? Can he get away with suing Georgetown University for not being Catholic enough? Sound off! [Bonus: The Exorcist highlight reel!]

‘Exorcist’ Author Suing Alma Mater For Not Being Catholic Enough is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you live in New York City, you know exactly how awful rent prices have become. In fact, there are entire Tumblr and WordPress pages setup to showcase the crappy rental spaces that often cost thousands of dollars per month to secure. Yet, for nine New York residents, the price was just right. That’s because they were given multi-million dollar digs for just $10. That’s slightly lower than the average New York City apartment rental, which runs $3,418.

The nine residents were given the $10 spaces when BFC Partners decided to demolish their homes above Mars Bar and turn it into a 65-unit residential development at 21 E. First St. in the East Village.

Residents were told they wouldn’t be displaced and could purchase an apartment at Jupiter 21 for just $10.

Residents had to find temporary living quarters for a couple years while the building was developed; after that, they were able to purchase the apartments tax-free.

According to BFC Partners’ Joseph Ferrara:

“If it wasn’t for the existing residents that were living in a very dilapidated building prior to us constructing Jupiter 21, we would never have a project at this location. We felt we owed it to them to replace their home with a brand new, modern apartment in a building that is being well-received into the community. We hope the existing and new residents thrive in their new environments and enjoy all the amenities that Jupiter 21 has to offer.”

While the new residents are forbidden from selling their apartments, they can rent out their digs, which rent from $3,000 to $10,000 per month.

With a garden, washers and dryers, hardwood floors, a rooftop lounge, and over-sized windows, we’re pretty sure the old Mars Bar residents are more than happy to be living in apartments that were likely out of their price range several years prior.

Sure, they have $10 apartments, but I would hate to be responsible for the property taxes on the new digs, especially in New York City.

Are you jealous of the residents who received new $10 New York City apartments?

New York Apartments Sell For $10 Each is a post from: The Inquisitr

“Is this your husband?” has never made so many women nervous.

Two unsuspecting men have been outed for cheating thanks to a Facebook photograph that went viral.

Exposing affairs publicly is becoming a popular humiliation technique for upset spouses; only recently a women outed her cheating husband on a billboard.

However, it’s normally the other half who seeks to expose the cheating so openly, but, in this most recent case, it was an unknown source who decided enough was enough.

A female train passenger posted the picture on Facebook after having endured two hours of the two men talking about cheating on their wives.

The caption of the photograph she posted on the social network was as follows:

“If this is your husband, I have endured a 2 hour train ride from Philadelphia listening to this loser and his friends brag about their multiple affairs and how their wives are too stupid to catch on. Oh please repost …”

Within minutes of the photograph going online, thousands of people begun to the repost and shame the cheating men.

It leaves everyone wondering what punishment is in store for these men if and when their wives find out.

Hopefully, it won’t be as violent as when an estranged husband attacked his wife with a sharp implement just to scare her.

Due to the nature of these pictures, let’s just hope that these men really have been named and shamed for genuine reasons.

Since social media is becoming a common place for public shaming, we have to ask ourselves how many stories we overhear are actually true.

It’s not uncommon for people to make up grand and exciting tales when actually they’re anything but, nor is lying unheard of when people are trying to impress their friends.

Furthermore, is it right to delve into someone else’s private life and ask the whole of Facebook “Is this your husband?” when we don’t know all the facts?

Not many couples would enjoy their dirty laundry being aired to the whole of a social network site.

According to Anna North, Salon writer, these type of shaming posts are becoming more of an issue as they grow in popularity. Addressing this particular story, North had this to say:

“[the post] is just the latest in a long line of public shamings on social media,”

She then went on to say:

“It’s now possible to use social media to enforce behavior in public and semi-public spaces in a way it never was before.”

Although using social media in such a way could alter how we behave, it could also leave us open to similar public shaming episodes.

If these type of posts are indeed becoming a favorite amongst social networks, then how long will it be before we see ourselves caught out for a similar act?

Regardless of your stance on public shaming, the caption “Is this your husband?” is sure to be a popular and memorable quote for a long time.

[Image via now.msn]

Cheating Husband Caught Out By Facebook Photo is a post from: The Inquisitr

Admittedly women like to shop, who doesn’t? We’ve been stereotypically branded as shoe and handbag obsessed, but according to market research women spend about $7 billion a year on makeup, and other beauty related products.

In the US alone, 68 percent of women dole out their dollars on beauty products – purchasing two or three times more blush, lipstick and gloss, foundation, concealer, eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadow than they’ll ever need or use. A makeup bag can easily contain a few hundred dollars in the abovementioned enhancements along with brushes to apply them – much of which will expire long before it’s ever used.

Beauty isle real-estate is cutthroat. Often an over-buy can be stimulated by concern a particular product will be in limited supply or discontinued. We also like to impulsively experiment with products, but ultimately we stick to a few tried-and-true favorites – whether it’s a $2 mascara or a $25 eyeliner.

Still the spending and waste can be astronomical as many of the items contain a similar mix of ingredients but are radically priced across a wide spectrum.

A UK market survey sampled 2,100 women, 18 and over, and found many of them spend thousands frivolously over a lifetime – an average of £3,600 (about $5,500 US) – on overpriced fragrances they’ll likely never wear.

Eight percent of respondents admitted they owned upwards of 10 or more unused bottles of the pricey scents. But in the end, used or not, what are they really paying for?

When you purchase a bottle of perfume around the price-point of $100 how much of that is for the contents of the bottle you actually spritz yourself with – some more heavy handed than others? Brace yourself – about $2. The actual liquid concentrate – which includes a mixture of distilled water, alcohol, fragrant oils, and chemical compounds – is the least valuable part of the designer perfume. While the mixture of exotic fragrance creating additives can be expensive, it’s typically introduced in very small concentrations.

The remaining $98, broken down, covers the cost of the bottle and packaging, marketing, licensing, and other random fees – including calculating the manufacturer’s profit and potential overhead. Therefore, for your money’s worth, for those of you who are budget minded, you may want to consider asking for a sample size.

Otherwise you’ll be like the 60 percent of the women polled who unabashedly admitted to re-gifting their unopened perfumes to loved ones instead of allowing them to languish in their bathroom, on a dresser top, or boxed away in a linen closet.

How much do you think you spend a year on makeup and other related merchandise? How much of that do you think goes more towards the marketing than the quality of ingredients?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Women Waste Thousands Over A Lifetime On Expensive Perfumes is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Alabama Gulf coast development on state park land announced in May has met some unexpected resistance.

As a result of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in April 2010, which hit at the height of spring migration and just before the summer beach season, states on the Gulf of Mexico lost a fortune in environmental resources and tourist dollars. BP eventually agreed to repay around $1 billion to the affected states. Now states have to decide the best way to put the money to work.

In the May announcement, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said that the state will be using $85 million to build a lodge and conference center complete with boat ramps at a beach site near popular tourist destination Gulf Shores, Alabama. At the time, local politicians and business owners saluted the decision to build the resort.

Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey emphasized that the new development will bring new tourists and business conferences to the area “without costing the taxpayers a dime,” because BP must pay for the project to restore the health of the beach. That includes economic health.

However, some environmental groups have called for more transparency about the Alabama Gulf coast development project, which they say will allow for private contractors to get their hands on money intended to restore the health of beach communities. During a meeting last month of the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council, Council Vice-Chair Jimmy Lyons said, “At this point we shouldn’t even be talking about projects. We should be focused on making the process as fair and transparent as possible.”

But it’s over three years since the spill, and a lot of people in Alabama are tired of the stalemate over the money.

Alabama Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources N. Gunter Guy Jr. said Friday that it’s time to develop the beach to draw new tourists. He told local station WHNT: “We believe we lost millions of visitors, we don’t believe it, we’re sure we did. We lost millions of visitors. You got to understand, there was oil in the water for 87 days.”

But the numbers seem off to other people. Alabama will be spending about 10 percent of its BP recovery funds on restoring natural coastline, so most of their share of the money is going to economic development and restoration projects like the proposed lodge.

By comparison, WHNT said Florida will spend 90 percent of their BP funds on beach and wildlife restoration, while hard-hit Louisiana will spend 100 percent of their funds that way.

What are your thoughts on the proposed $85 million Alabama Gulf coast development?

[Dauphin Island, Alabama oil spill protective boom photo by US Department of the Navy]

Alabama Gulf Coast Development Sparks Debate About BP Beach Recovery Funds is a post from: The Inquisitr

Marvel Comics has unveiled their latest comic book in Mighty Avengers, and it may be a little controversial.

For the second time this month, Marvel has done something that raised a few eyebrows and possibly put a few fans on edge. Earlier this month, an all-female X-Men team was unveiled, making some comic book fans ask if this was inevitable or just to appease the special interest groups.

According to the storyline, the new all-female X-Men team meets an old enemy who seeks asylum from an ancient evil. The team includes Jubilee, Storm, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Jean Grey and Scott Summers’ daughter Rachel Grey, and Psylocke.

This might seem peculiar except for the fact that some X-Men teams before have been all men, usually consisting of Cyclops, Wolverine, Colossus, Gambit and Iceman or some other classic characters. Most of the time, though, the X-Men have usually always had Storm, Jean Grey, or one of the other women prominent among them.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Joss Whedon, director of The Avengers, was upset that there haven’t been enough female super heroes. This may be in answer to his protests, or possibly coincidence.

This time around, it’s Marvel Comics‘ Avengers that has been retooled with some possibly controversial choices. The storyline for Mighty Avengers is that the original Avengers are off planet doing their usual thing, and we apparently needed a second team to fight Thanos in their absence.

Enter the Mighty Avengers. Luke Cage has gathered Superior Spider-Man, Power Man, She-Hulk, White Tiger, Blue Marvel, Falcon, a new Ronin and Monica Rambeau under a new superhero guise. Have you noticed yet that Spider-Man is the only white male member of the Mighty Avengers? Everybody else is African-American or female or both, making us wonder if there wasn’t some kind of agenda to the list. And it seems a bit controversial as well that the logo includes the word “mighty” in a spray-paint font.

Executive editor Tom Brevoort says that the new diversity is no accident, “It feels artificial and ghettoising to me, to have an all-black or all-LGBT or all-Asian Avengers. Putting them together and therefore keeping them away from the other characters — to me, that feels fake. The reality is that people are interested in these characters and want to see heroes that reflect them — and they have a very genuine point.”

In the end, when it comes to Marvel super hero teams, it all comes down to perspective. We should be willing to hand the reigns over to a new team, no matter what their gender or racial background may be.

What do you think of Marvel Comics’ decision toward the casting of the Mighty Avengers? Is it controversial or a welcome change of pace?

Marvel Comics’ New ‘Mighty Avengers’ May Be Controversial is a post from: The Inquisitr

Whether or not you’ve ever thought about what a lion burger would taste like, it seems people across the US are developing a taste for it. This has raised concerns amongst experts who want to know where the meat has been coming from and what kind of impact it could have on wild lions.

Every now and again, lion burgers sourced from captive-populations crop up in restaurants around the country. These sightings provoke one of two responses – outrange and curiosity.

One of the first lion meat cases emerged in 2010, when an Arizona restaurant served the big cat burgers in honour of the South African football World Cup. More recently, it has made an appearance in tacos from Florida, and meat skewers in California. Each time it has the same effect, some people react with anger and disbelief, while other flock to the restaurants offering such a rare delicacy.

Illinois, is believed to be a trade hub where lions are sourced, slaughtered, and packaged. One state representative is even trying to introduce a ban on the lion meat, in an attempt to curb the trend.

Currently, the sale of lion burgers in the US in completely legal. As long as the animal it is derived from is not on an endangered species list, it’s fair game. This has led to some petitioning for the additions of lions to the list.

It’s worth noting that the meat doesn’t come from wild lions – not that this fact makes it acceptable. Instead, it is believed that due to the rise of exotic pet ownership, there are those who find they can no longer look after a growing lion. When that happens, it’s possible the big cats are sold on to facilities who harvest their meat.

If lion burgers in the US were to become an even bigger trend, how long do you think before restaurants start turning to wild populations?

Image: Furryscaly via Flickr

Lion Burgers Are All The Rage In The US is a post from: The Inquisitr

“Lord’s prayer valedictorian” Roy Costner IV sat down with Megyn Kelly on FNC this afternoon to talk about what happened at his high school commencement address.

Last Saturday at the Liberty High School graduation in South Carolina, Costner scrapped his prepared, officially approved speech at graduation and recited the Lord’s prayer instead to the wild applause and cheering by the student body. The video of this event went viral.

Apparently outside groups previously complained about prayers at school board meetings, and, as a result, the Pickens County School District did away with prayer at the graduation ceremonies. That is, until Roy Costner took the mic and registered a protest against that decision by ripping up his prepared remarks at the podium.

Kelly asked Costner what it felt up on that stage. Costner called the audience reaction an awesome moment. “You can’t tell it from the video but I was in tears on stage from joy … I didn’t expect an outcome like that … I was hoping maybe a few would clap but then it blew up … I had goosebumps all over.” He admitted that he has been astounded by the reaction that he has received since then.

Costner stated that school officials told him previously than any discussion of God in his valedictory address was off limits. What got this all started, Costner explained, was a group from Wisconsin that had complained about prayers being recited at the beginning of meetings. A lawsuit was apparently threatened. This prompted officials to ban prayers at all school events.

He noted that the local community “is strongly for prayer, for God; we had no complaints that I know of to the district.”

He added that in his opinion reading the Lord’s prayer was necessary given everything that had been going on in Pickens County as far as pressure from outside groups. After praying himself, Costner decided in advance to ditch his speech and instead deliver the Lord’s prayer “The students were with me,” he said, some even reciting the words along with him. But he added modestly, “it was nothing special I did.”

Watch Roy Costner’s interview with Megyn Kelly on Fox News Channel:

WATCH: ‘Lord’s Prayer Valedictorian” Opens Up To Megyn Kelly is a post from: The Inquisitr

Annabel Tollman, who has dressed everyone from Mariah Carey to Liv Tyler and the Olsen twins, died suddenly in her sleep Wednesday. She was 36 years old.

The British-born stylist died in her West Village apartment, but the cause of death has yet to be determined. However, New York Magazine‘s The Cut said that she passed away from a blood clot, although that has yet to be confirmed.

Tollman’s friends and family thanked everyone for their support on her official Facebook page Friday afternoon.

“We thank you all for honoring our beloved Annabel. Her beauty, spirit and love will remain in our hearts always. At this time, there is not confirmation of what caused this tragedy and we ask that you respect Annabel’s privacy, legacy and honor and continue to think of her her just as she was, perfect in every way,” they wrote. “When we have news to share regarding memorial services and celebrating her life, we will be sure to make an announcement.”

Annabel Tollman was born in Brussels and earned a degree in fashion journalism from Central St. Martins College of Arts and Design in London. She became a full-time celebrity stylist in 2008 after working at Interview magazine, where she was the publication’s first fashion director.

In 2010, Tollman was voted one of the 50 most stylish New Yorkers by StyleCaster. In 2011, The Hollywood Reporter named her one of the 25 most powerful stylists in Hollywood.

Paper magazine editorial director Mickey Boardman was among the first to tweet about Tollman’s death.

Devastated. Just devastated to hear about the loss of dear Annabel Tollman. She was just a nice, sweet, really good girl. A real gem.

— Mickey Boardman (@AskMrMickey) June 7, 2013

Tollman was reportedly in talks for a Bravo reality series. She previously appeared on The Rachael Ray Show and Kimora Lee Simmons‘ Life in the Fab Lane.

Tollman’s personal motto was, “Make a fairy tale and go and live in it.”

We here at The Inquisitr extend our condolences to Annabel Tollman’s friends and family.

Celebrity Stylist Annabel Tollman Dies is a post from: The Inquisitr

When you dine at Sushi Yasuda, you don’t have to worry about leaving a tip. Scott Rosenburg, the owner of the renowned New York Japanese restaurant, has decided to stop accepting tips from customers.

Don’t worry, though, the servers will be compensated for the lost tips. They will receive a higher hourly wage that will be subsidized by higher menu prices. Rosenburg said that the average customer will spend less money than before tipping was eliminated.

“Wouldn’t it be nice,” Rosenburg asks, “If you could get lost in the whole experience all the way through the meal, not until that last step, when you have to look at the check, do some math, do some calculation. Why not just take your check, see the number, and sign it if you’re good with it. To me, it extends the fullness of the experience a little bit more.”

Rosenburg is not the only person who doesn’t believe in tipping. Cornell University Professor Michael Lynn was recently interviewed on his views about tipping and said he would outlaw tipping completely. He said tipping is discriminatory because he found that the people who get the most tips are thin white women in their 30s with big breasts.

Lynn also said that tipping can make the customer very uncomfortable. If a customer doesn’t know how much he is supposed to tip for a service, he might feel awkward.

According to Lynn, tipping also shifts away work from the employee. He said that tipping can create so much unease that customers just end up doing the work themselves. For instance, some people park their cars farther away even if there is a valet at the door.

Do you think Rosenburg made the right decision when he decided to ban tipping at his restaurant? Or do you think customers should be able to tip whatever they want?

[Image via Shuttershock]

New York Japanese Restaurant Bans Tipping is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fake shark attack warning signs are the latest weapon in a surfer’s failed battle to hog the waves. On Wednesday night, an unknown person posted as many as ten signs carrying the official logo of the California State Parks stating that there had been multiple shark sightings in the water off Pleasure Point near Santa Cruz.

A surfing forecast had said that the waves would be especially good for the next 48 hours.

However, the shark attack sign said that surfers should either stay out of the water for 48 hours or consider using a different beach five miles away. According to the posted notices, there were two reported sightings of great white sharks and one great white shark attack in the area.

Hmm.

On Thursday, California park authorities removed the signs and came forward to assure surfers that the warnings were bogus. The people who put up the fake shark attack signs haven’t been found.

However, both park officials and other surfers believe that the motive is pretty obvious — the unknown pranksters wanted the beach all to themselves.

A disgusted visitor told local news station KTVU:

“You know, it’s a pretty big ocean. I think there’s room for everyone. And with that I’m going to go put my wetsuit on.”

Others told KPIX that the hoax was dangerous, because it would teach other surfers to ignore the warnings. One surfer even said that he’d previously surfed with a shark by his side.

As surfers hurried to the beach to take advantage of the good waves, reporters asked if the people who posted the fake shark attack warnings actually broke any laws.

KTVU suggested that posting an official-looking sign was about the same as filing any false report and could be prosecuted under those laws.

KPIX essentially agreed, reporting that the use of the California State Parks logo to make the sign appear official was in fact an offense.

So, people, don’t decide it’s a cool thing to do to get the beach to yourself.

First of all, it won’t work, because the surfers will surf anyway. And, second, you’d feel pretty silly if you had to tell people you got arrested for posting fake shark attack warning signs.

[photo by Epic Stock Media via Shutterstock]

Fake Shark Attack Warning Signs Fail To Frighten Surfers is a post from: The Inquisitr

Paula Deen has launched her very own line of butter. Called “finishing butters,” Deen’s line of products are now on sale at Wal-Mart.

The celebrity chef, known for making indulgent Southern dishes and often criticized for her excessive use of fattening ingredients, has developed these finishing butters along with chocolates and “all-natural tortilla chips made with fresh vegetables” for a new product line.

By “vegetables,” notes The Huffington Post, Deen means corn and jalapeños. Close enough.

Anyway, the new butters come in five flavors: Southern Grilling Butter, Lemon Dill Butter, European Style Butter, Sweet Citrus Zest Butter, and Garden Herb Butter.

You can currently get them at your local Wal-Mart while the tortilla chips will show up in Walgreens stores within a few weeks.

The aforementioned chocolates are reserved for QVC and will drop later this year. They will be available in both “premium” and sugar-free varieties.

In the press release for the new products, it explains that they are called “finishing” butters because they “let cooks bring a wonderful fresh butter taste to various dishes while just adding butter to the end of the cooking process” with the promise of indulgence we’ve come to expect from Deen.

“My Sweet Citrus Zest butter is hard to practice in moderation,” she writes.

The new products might raise a few eyebrows, especially in light of Deen’s Type 2 diabetes diagnosis early last year (and her rep deal with the diabetes drug Victoza). Since then, Deen has been very vocal about her condition and the changes she has made to her diet, but folks like Anthony Bourdain still regard her as “the worst, most dangerous person to America.”

What do you think of Paula Deen? Are you excited to try her finishing butters?

‘Finishing Butters’ By Paula Deen Debut At Wal Mart is a post from: The Inquisitr

Happy National Donut Day! The ever-so popular fried delight is celebrating its honorary day with free donuts throughout the United States and popular chains all over the world are joining in the fun. The tradition dates back to the 1930s, and it’s been held on the first Friday of June ever since.

The Salvation Army began a “Doughnut Day” in 1938 to recognize women who served the delicious treat to soldiers during World War I, but it’s now grown into a worldwide celebration and there are many great deals out there to grab a couple freebies while you’re out.

Krispy Kreme, one of the most popular chains, is giving away a free donut on Friday without the need of any other purchase. Their top competitor in Dunkin’ Donuts has the same giveaway, but you’ll have to purchase a beverage to get the freebie from them.

Tim Hortons is giving away a free donut with any purchase as long as you print out their coupon on Facebook, which you can find here. In celebration of National Donut Day, Entenmann’s has set up a website where you can find the hot spots around the United States, and they’ve also launched a Donut Day sweepstakes.

The baked goods company didn’t stop there, as they also have hundreds of other prizes you can win on the site, which is located at donutdayusa.com. Enjoying the sweet dessert food was originally considered a breakfast staple, but it’s now common to find customers picking up a “hot-n-ready” box during any time throughout the day.

From a quick snack before bed to a quick pick-me-up when you wake up in the morning, donuts have driven sales for companies across the nation and have also become a premier menu item at some restaurants and fast food stops.

With all the deals going around on Friday, it’s possible to end up with multiple freebies before the day is out. If you’re a sucker for donuts, today’s the day for you.

Which company do you believe has the best National Donut Day deal in the works?

[Image via Creative Commons]

National Donut Day : Free Donuts Everywhere is a post from: The Inquisitr

Canadian authorities have uncovered price-fixing from chocolate suppliers such as Mars and Nestle as well as independent distributors.

Upon discovering the shocking evidence, the Competition Bureau charged the companies involved, with full cooperation from the Canadian division of Hershey.

It’s no wonder chocolate has caused such problems for these food giants when you consider that chocolate is a drug and therefore a serious money winner.

Upon addressing the shameful state of affairs, the Commissioner of Competition spoke openly but firmly about the seriousness of this crime:

“We are fully committed to pursuing those who engage in egregious anti-competitive behaviour that harms Canadian consumers,”

He continued by stating, “Price-fixing is a serious criminal offence and today’s charges demonstrate the Competition Bureau’s resolve to stop cartel activity in Canada,”

The thorough and dedicated approach to this case seems quite surprising to the untrained eye considering what the companies sell; we’re doubtful that chocolate has ever been taken so seriously.

Alongside the food giants, three individuals will also be charged with price-fixing: Robert Leonidas, former Nestle Canada president; David Glenn Stevens president and chief executive of ITWAL; and Sandra Martinez, former president of confectionery for Nestle Canada.

Despite the hard evidence found by the authorities, all three chocolate companies promise to fight these charges vigorously.

In a statement, Mars Canada had this to say for everyone following the heated topic: “Mars Canada intends to vigorously defend itself against these allegations.”

They also added: “It is Mars Canada’s policy not to comment on pending litigation and we are therefore unable to make any additional comments in relation to this matter, which is now before the court.”

In stark contrast to this defiance of guilt, Hershey Canada will plead guilt to one count of price-fixing dated from 2007; however, they have blamed previous management for the questionable act.

Hopefully their admittance of price-fixing will work in their favour, though only time and the evidence presented will be able to tell how successful this guilty plea really is.

Maybe we should take chocolate more seriously, not just because of the money involved but because of the health benefits too.

Never again will you look at your chocolate bar and simply see it as a tasty quick snack.

[Image via Wikimedia Commons]

Canada Discovers Price-Fixing By Chocolate Companies is a post from: The Inquisitr