Luxe Life
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Oprah: Fantastic to Have Your Own Jet
Continue reading… 10 CommentsEverything Oprah Winfrey endorses turns to gold: Barack Obama. The book industry. KFC grilled chicken. If the queen of media's history is any indication, the ailing private-jet industry may have its day in the sun. During Sunday's address to Duke University graduates at Wallace Wade Stadium, Oprah extolled the joys of private jet travel and wasn't afraid to let everyone know she's sitting pretty.
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Obama, Sykes Bring Down the House
Continue reading… 26 CommentsWith Hollywood heavyweights strolling down the red carpet, paparazzi, and a bevy of screaming 'tweens, you'd think this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night was a summer blockbuster movie première. As the fans ogled the likes of Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, Robert DeNiro, and Glenn Close, the stars were there in hopes of catching a glimpse of or mingling with President Obama, the true A-lister of the evening. He did not disappoint.
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McDonald's Launches Media Blitz for McCafé Line
Continue reading… 4 CommentsTaunted by the credit crunch, Starbucks made like Mickey D's earlier this year and began offering breakfast pairings—selling coffee and breakfast foods together for the low, low price of $3.95. Apparently the tables have turned; McDonald's will soon offer a new line of premium coffees called McCafé. Sounds lush.
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Google Gets Goats
Continue reading… 6 CommentsGoogle has hired goats. Yeah, you heard right. The goats are replacing the gas-powered lawn mowers at the search giant's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. The goats will not only help trim the land's excessive grass, weeds, and brush in an eco-friendly way, it'll increase the fertility of Google's land with fresh goat droppings.
On its official blog, Google talks about its latest approach to saving energy:
"At our Mountain View headquarters, we have some fields that we need to mow occasionally to clear weeds and brush to reduce fire hazard. This spring we decided to take a low-carbon approach: Instead of using noisy mowers that run on gasoline and pollute the air, we've rented some goats from California Grazing to do the job for us (we're not "kidding"). A herder brings about 200 goats and they spend roughly a week with us at Google, eating the grass and fertilizing at the same time. The goats are herded with the help of Jen, a border collie. It costs us about the same as mowing, and goats are a lot cuter to watch than lawn mowers.
California Grazing provides a grazing management system that not only cuts back on the weeds, but also helps native grasses to survive. The company calls their 800 goats "self propelled weed eaters."
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Watch Out For Phishing Scams on Facebook
Continue reading… 0 CommentsFacebook is not immune to phishing scams. The popular social-networking site has been infiltrated by scams that send Facebook users to faux login sites such as yesterday's fbaction.net, or today's fbstarter.com. Today's scam, for example, is delivered in the form of a message from a Facebook friend that says, "Look at this!," and includes a link to fbstarter.com. The site takes users to a fake Facebook sign-in page, asking for your username and password. Users who fall for this will essentially deliver his or her login credentials to the scammer.
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Swine Flu, Earthquake, and Drug Wars Rock Mexico
Continue reading… 23 Comments"I'm supposed to go to cancun Friday," reads a skittish post on Tripadvisor's Cancun forum. "I'm cancelling. Of course the people at hotels are going to tell you everything is ok. not worth dying to me. i'll go back when this fiasco is long gone. Russian roulette."
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Cannes Film Festival: The Complete List of Competitors
Continue reading… 0 CommentsThe Festival de Cannes today released the names of the 20 films competing for the coveted Palme d'Or. Among those up for the festival's marquee prize include a handful of heavyweight directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Jane Campion, Pedro Almodóvar, and Ang Lee.
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Green Spas: What are the Benefits?
Continue reading… 3 CommentsThere are several spas out there that are incredibly wasteful. Earlier this month I received a gift for two treatments at a popular spa in Washington D.C.; although I reaped the immediate physical benefits, I left disturbed by the excess use of water, a littering of plastic wrappers for ear buds and razors, and the unnecessary endless supply of towels and robes. I plan to book all future treatments with a green spa.
The main goal of a green spa is to reduce its environmental footprint while providing healing, aesthetic, and wellness services. Spas are increasingly making a concerted effort to go "green" by using environmentally friendly building materials and water-reclamation areas, and by saving energy with solar lighting.
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How the New Wimbledon Roof Works
Continue reading… 0 CommentsRain delays can be pretty irritating for tennis players and fans alike. Wimbledon is particularly subject to the whimsy of British weather, and matches are often played in fits and starts. Remember last year's epic Wimbledon final? Rafael Nadal dethroned five-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer in four hours and 48 minutes; the battle was the longest men's championship match in Wimbledon history, no thanks to two frustrating rain delays. Weather delays inevitably affect the quality of tennis, especially when players are on the court for mere minutes and are then forced to take a break until the following day. Who really wants that?
Wimbledon has heard the call of many, and today it unveiled the Centre Court's new retractable roof. The concertina-style roof—which allows it to be folded into a compressed area when it's not being used—is made of a translucent water-proof fabric. It will take about 10 minutes to close and another 20-30 minutes for the air management system to ensure that the grass doesn't become slippery.
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New Apple Ads Brushes Off Microsoft's Campaign
Continue reading… 7 CommentsWhile Microsoft forges ahead with its confusing advertising strategy (Jerry Seinfeld?!), Apple continues to keep its cool and consistent message, ignoring Microsoft's latest attacks that it offers the same hardware for a significantly lower price. "A PC is no bargain when it doesn't do what you want," Apple spokesman Bill Evans told BusinessWeek. "The one thing that both Apple and Microsoft can agree on is that everyone thinks the Mac is cool. With its great designs and advanced software, nothing matches it at any price."
Apple's new quartet of "Get a Mac" ads—staring the familiar odd couple John Hodgeman and Justin Long—highlights Apple's creative features, instead of price.
My favorite commercial in the series features PC sifting through tall stacks of photos, searching one-by-one to find a friend; Mac then goes on to brag about iPhoto's facial recognition capabilities.
Check it out here:
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Starwood Sues Hilton Hotels for Corporate Espionage
Continue reading… 0 CommentsStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide today sued Hilton Hotels and two senior executives—former Starwood employees—for corporate espionage. Sounds like juicy fodder for a big-screen thriller. Starwood claims the executives stole "truckloads of documents" before and after they joined Hilton Hotels in June 2008, in an effort to expedite Hilton's entry into the lifestyle and luxury market with its Denizen brand.
The Hilton executives named in the lawsuit—Ross Klein, head of luxury & lifestyle brands, and Amar Lalvani, head of development for the segment—had been closely involved with developing Starwood's W Hotels brand.
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Obama Unveils High-Speed Rail Initiative
Continue reading… 5 CommentsPresident Obama today laid out plans for a high-speed rail system in the United States, saying it would rival air travel, relieve congestion, create jobs, reduce pollution, and curb U.S. dependence on oil. The economic stimulus package passed by Congress in February includes $8 billion to start the project. Obama is also seeking another $5 billion over five years for high-speed rail development.
"A major new high-speed rail line will generate many thousands of construction jobs over several years, as well as permanent jobs for rail employees and increased economic activity in the destinations these trains serve," Obama said in prepared remarks. "High-speed rail is long overdue, and this plan lets American travelers know that they are not doomed to a future of long lines at the airports or jammed cars on the highways."
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YouTube Symphony Orchestra Performs at Carnegie Hall
Continue reading… 1 CommentThe world's first collaborative online orchestra debuted at Carnegie Hall last night. The YouTube Symphony Orchestra, selected by the YouTube community and members of the most celebrated orchestras, is made up of 93 musicians, ages 15 to 55, from more than 30 countries.
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Affordable Vera Wang Wedding Gowns in 2010
Continue reading… 4 CommentsI'm in the thick of planning my own wedding and I'm constantly on the hunt for deals in this recession. Most wedding vendors are struggling right now, so bargaining with them can actually work in your favor. I've received up to 20 percent off on things like wedding invitations, videography, and even the band. If you're planning to get married next year, you'll have some luxurious and affordable options, especially if you're eyeing a Vera Wang wedding gown. Yes, an affordable Vera Wang wedding gown! Sounds like an oxymoron, I know. The designer presented her Spring 2010 bridal collection in her New York showroom today. Wang, who calls the gowns "demi-couture," has lowered her median price point 30 to 40 percent, from $5,500 to $3,800, according to the Fashion Wire Daily. She's worked to get the prices down, but says she hasn't sacrificed the quality. "There are 10 gowns at the $3,800 level," said Wang.
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Mel Gibson's Divorce: Priciest in Hollywood History
Continue reading… 25 CommentsMel Gibson will need a brave heart to deal with what could be the most expensive divorce in Hollywood history. After 28 years of marriage, Robyn Moore filed for divorce from the Oscar-winning actor, citing "irreconcilable differences." With no prenuptial agreement, Moore could receive up to half of Gibson's estimated $900 million fortune.
The 53-year-old Australian filed a response to the divorce petition, writing that the couple separated in August 2006, less than a month after his infamous DUI arrest and subsequent anti-Jewish tirade at the officer who arrested him. Pictures surfaced of Gibson partying with younger women earlier that night. More recently, Gibson has been linked to a Russian musician named Oksana, who is signed to his record label Icon.
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10 Things to Know About Bo: The Obama Family's First Puppy
Continue reading… 7 Comments"Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House," then President-Elect Obama promised in his victory speech on election night. After many months of anticipation, the First Family will soon receive the "First Puppy," a six-month-old Portuguese water dog they've named Bo.
Here are 10 things to know about Bo:
1. The new pooch is a gift to Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, who has three "porties" of his own. "We love our Portuguese water dogs and know that the girls--and their parents--will love theirs, too," Kennedy said in a statement. His newest puppy is Bo's brother. -
Tiger Woods Teeing Off at Masters: Seeks 5th Win
Continue reading… 3 CommentsThe 73rd Masters got underway today, with all eyes on Tiger Woods. The No. 1 player in the world, who won this tournament four times before, is scheduled to tee off this afternoon. This is his first major since his brilliant—and painful—U.S. Open win at Torrey Pines last summer, after which he announced he would undergo reconstructive knee surgery.
After an eight-month break, Woods thankfully returned to the sport in February, fully rehabilitated. He was victorious at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill two weeks ago.
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Vermont Legalizes Gay Marriage, Overrides Veto
Continue reading… 13 CommentsNine years ago, Vermont adopted the nation's first civil unions law. Today, it reached another milestone by becoming the fourth state—along with Iowa, Massachusetts, and Connecticut—to legalize gay marriage. Vermont is the first state to allow same-sex marriage through legislative action instead of a court ruling.
The Vermont Legislature voted to override Gov. Jim Douglas's veto of a bill that will legalize same-sex marriage. The vote was 23 to 5 to override in the state Senate and 100 to 49 to override in the House. Under Vermont law, two thirds of each chamber had to vote for override.
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Segway, GM Unveil 'PUMA' Vehicle
Continue reading… 8 CommentsOn the cult comedy show Arrested Development, Will Arnett's character, Gob Bluth, proudly cruises around town on a Segway, in all its nerdy glory. Oh, how I miss you, AD! The upright, self-balancing electric scooter was intended to be a safe, practical, and economical marvel but instead has found itself the butt of many jokes, developing a stigma of laziness and dorkiness.
Today, however, General Motors Corp. and Segway Inc. hope you'll think otherwise. The companies have joined forces to create not just a two-wheeled electrical vehicle but a two-seater designed to be an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cars and trucks. The project,called Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, is part of GM's effort to change its public image and focus on creating fuel-efficient vehicles. It is made specifically for city driving.
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Eliot Spitzer: 'No Excuses' for Behavior
Continue reading… 1 CommentAfter many months of lying low, Eliot Spitzer is back! The disgraced former New York governor is in the national spotlight again—this time as an analyst of the economic crisis. In his first interview since his resignation as governor in March 2008, Spitzer talked with Matt Lauer on the Today show this morning and addressed the 800-pound gorilla in the room: his relationship with then call girl Ashley Dupré.
"I, Matt, like most of us, I suppose—I won't speak for anybody else. I have flaws. I've tried to think about it deeply, address it," he said. "As I say, there are no excuses. I've tried to address these gremlins and confront them. What I did was an egregious violation of trust to my family, colleagues, and the state. I paid a price and appropriately so."
