These Military Photos From May 2015 Honor Bravery And Sacrifice

June 3, 2015, 1:18 pm

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Check out the best images from the U.S. military for the month of May 2015. The images were compiled from the Flickr feeds of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard.

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14 Badass Girl Athletes Show Off Their Game Faces

June 3, 2015, 1:36 pm

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The 2015 Women's World Cup begins on June 6, and to commemorate the occasion, the clothing brand Wildfang is showcasing some badass young female soccer players.

The company's CEO Emma McIlroy teamed up with photographer Andrea Corradini to create "#GameFace," a series of fierce photos of 14 athletes ages 5 to 14. "We are beyond excited about the Women's World Cup. It's one of the most amazing moments in sports and women get to take center stage," McIlroy told The Huffington Post, adding, "We wanted to look forward to the next generation of female footballers and, as you can see, the future of the sport is in good hands."

The creators reached out to local soccer coaches in Portland, Oregon and invited their young female players to show off their "game faces," which they define on the Wildfang website as "their most authentic moment, right before they stepped out onto the pitch."


Tess, 11: “Cheetahs are my favorite animal -- they’re almost as fast as I am.”

Unsure if anyone would show up to the photo shoot, McIlroy and Corradini were pleasantly surprised when over a dozen bold, young athletes stopped by -- most coming right before or immediately after practice. With "zero styling," each girl proudly displayed her purest game face.

"They showed up with such innocent and fierce pride," Corradini told The Huffington Post. "They were confident, yet giggly. Independent, yet bonded with their teammates. They had no reservations about just being themselves and letting me photograph them in their most natural and authentic way."

"We wanted to show young females as they truly are -- raw, powerful, beautiful," McIlroy added, noting that she hoped the photo series would provide a refreshing alternative to the images of "young women in pink and wearing princess dresses" that seem so pervasive in today's society.

The Wildfang CEO also said she hopes other women can "see a little of themselves" in the hardworking female athletes depicted in #GameFace. "We hope they remind them to be a little bolder and tougher and ultimately be really proud of being who they are," she continued. "Our hope is these images leave you feeling inspired to go kick ass in your day."

Keep scrolling to see the badass young women of #GameFace and visit the Wildfang blog to learn more about the series.



H/T BuzzFeed



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Asia: World Tango Capital?

June 3, 2015, 1:50 pm

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By Alfred Romann -- OZY

Stepping into this particular evening — the ambiance, the dress, the music — is a throwback to the 1950s. Here, a man in a pin-striped, three-piece suit with a rose in his lapel dances close to a young woman with beautifully dark hair and a black dress that’s held up with just a thin spaghetti strap. There, another man in a shiny gray suit over a gray shirt and a gray tie leads a woman across the dance floor as her legs dart through a flowered dress with a (very) high leg slit. The familiar twang of the tango fills the air as we breathe in the beauty of … Buenos Aires? Hardly. This is Hong Kong.

Argentina may very well be the birthplace of this sensually dramatic dance, but more of the industry’s growth these days is being led by Asia. Unassuming Asians — professionals by day, dancers by night — attend milongas (tango-infused parties), pay for private lessons that can top $200 and even travel more than 11,400 miles to Buenos Aires to dance with the industry’s biggest names. That is, when the most famous dancers aren’t flown into Asia for special workshop performances. The bad news for some dedicated, if not fanatical, followers here is that they may have just missed the Seoul Tango Festival, though over in Japan there are dozens of milongas going on any given week — and, in India, tango groups and associations are popping up everywhere from Jakarta to New Delhi.

In this part of the world, tango has more of a cult following than mass appeal. In Hong Kong, for example, dances like the tango or even the flamenco appeal to a younger generation looking to fill both social and exercise needs. Locals “go crazy” for those dances, says Anna Chan, head of artistic development for dance at the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, the city’s new government-sponsored arts hub. In other parts of Asia, such as Japan and mainland China, the younger generation can be spotted taking part in tangolike dancing as a form of entertainment, visible almost every evening in parks around the country much like, say, breakdancing might be seen in North America.



But understanding how the tango first maneuvered onto this continent requires stepping back to see how it started — early last century in the smoke-filled bars near the port in Buenos Aires. The lyrics then, full of struggle and macho romance and Argentine slang, had a lot in common with the blues but gave way to a dance style that emerged over time. Those moves eventually pushed into Asia thanks to Baron Tsunayoshi Megata (that’s Tsunami Megata to his friends), the grandson of a samurai warrior and son of a diplomat. Megata lived in Paris for six years, until 1926, where he learned to dance. Back in his homeland of Japan, he opened an academy then wrote a book, A Method to Dance the Argentine Tango, and the first Argentine orchestra played in Japan in 1954.

Meanwhile, in Argentina, tango’s popularity was waning. It wasn’t until three decades later that the musical Tango Argentino brought the focus back to Argentina. Carlos Rivarola was one of the key dancers in that show, which was held in Paris and Broadway and attracted all sorts of A-listers. He was later cast in Tango, an Argentine film that was nominated for an Oscar in 1999.

Despite these successes, making money at home proved quite difficult for Rivarola and his foot-moving peers. And it fell on communities in Europe and Asia to financially prop up tango, which was included on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009. “All of us who live off tango make our money outside Argentina,” Rivarola tells OZY. While he’s been visiting Japan for years, the 63-year-old also traveled to Singapore and Hong Kong earlier this year to teach dance classes and perform as demand for his talents there has been rising.

Indeed, even in Hong Kong, which still has one of the smaller tango communities on the continent, there’s an event related to the dance almost every night, says Ka-mong Lee, who learned to tango in 1999 then quit his job as a graphic designer four years ago to teach the dance full time. During one recent evening, Lee, his wife and his dance partner were among a group of dancers who opened for Rivarola and his partner, Gladys Fernandez, another Argentine dancer whom many credit with launching tango in Hong Kong.

Now, with the help of enthusiasts like Lee, the tango torch just might get passed to a new generation of tangueros — if they’re willing to shake it on the dance floor. “Chinese people sometimes feel shy,” Lee says. “You have to help them through.”

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16 Artworks That Sing The Holy Praises Of The Booty (NSFW)

June 4, 2015, 7:25 am

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Warning: There will be butts. This one may not be suitable for work.


Note: This post contains many images of butts, like for example, these two.

Do you bow down to the butt, the batty, the badonkadonk? Do you go weak for those cheeks? Worship at the almighty altar of ass?

Okay, you get the picture. And the picture is a butt. If such a picture sounds appealing -- and, according to nearly every relevant trend piece, it does -- we highly recommend you make your way over to Superchief's Brooklyn group art exhibition exalting the ineffable beauty of the backside.

The show is beautifully titled "Booty Worship," and over the next month, the gallery will roll out artwork from over 60 artists who have one thing in common. Hint: it's not their artistic medium.


Shelby Sells - @sweaterpuppiez

"Everyone has one," the gallery wisely noted in a statement, referencing humanity's penchant for having a posterior. It continues by proclaiming its show to be "the best body specific, booty delicious gallery special feature this side of the Atlantic! In the Big Apple, all walks of life will be portrayed in the appreciation of butts! It’s time to show them off and let ‘em shine!"

From elicit polaroids to raunchy feminist comics, the tuchus-tastic artworks on view show there is no right way to love a butt. We're not often pumped for art shows that explicitly focus on the unclothed female physique. However, "Booty Worship," with its body positive tone and nasty-silly spirit, it's hard not to like. As blogger Katie Rosenthal put it:

"These images are created for a female viewer just as much as for a male, and, at its best, the show puts the female body in a rightful place of power. Maybe the big juicy ass of the future hasn’t yet shoved aside the old tired phallus of the past, but the young artists featured at Superchief are reimagining our media and its stereotypes to celebrate girl culture, youth, and all of our bodies."

The exhibition opens June 4, 2015, at Tender Trap in Brooklyn, and will include "booty themed" performances. Every Thursday for the rest of the month, a stream of new artists will unveil their personal homages to where your poop comes out. We're not sure if you're ready for this aesthetically stimulating jelly, but here's a preview to get you in the zone.

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Tim Federle Reveals Cover For 'The Great American Whatever,' His New Young Adult Novel

June 4, 2015, 8:06 am

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Tim Federle, the award-winning author of Better Nate Than Ever and Five, Six, Seven, Nate!, will release his first novel for young adults next year, and The Huffington Post has an exclusive first look at the cover.

Billed as “a wry, winning testament to the power of old movies and new memories,” The Great American Whatever follows Quinn Roberts, a gay, wisecracking 16-year-old with a weakness for Jolly Ranchers and cute boys, who dreams of becoming a Hollywood filmmaker. When his home life is beset by personal tragedy, Quinn embarks on a “laugh-out-loud sad” journey of self re-discovery with the help of his straight best friend, Geoff, and a new love interest.

Check out the cover below, then scroll down to keep reading.


Federle had a mature audience in mind when he began writing the book, originally titled Quinn, Victorious, five years ago, basing the plot on his personal experiences as seen through characters in their mid-20s. The success of the two Nate books, which are geared toward middle-grade readers, inspired him to trim 10 years off Quinn's age and emphasize the character's defining, post-adolescent moments instead – including brushes with self-doubt and an early sexual encounter.

Still, he hopes the new book, which is shades darker than Nate but no less droll, will resonate with grown-ups as well as young adults.

“So much of the teenage experience – particularly the complications in forging new identities and relationships – continues well into adulthood,” Federle told The Huffington Post. “I want people to read The Great American Whatever with a smile on their faces and maybe a couple tears in their eyes.”

In the two years since the release of Better Nate Than Ever, the 35-year-old Federle has established himself as a prolific scribe whose breezy wit isn’t bound to a single genre. The former Broadway dancer has also penned two bestselling cocktail recipe books, Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist and Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist; his first picture book, Tommy Can’t Stop!, was released in April.

“I try to just let go and write from a place of honesty and humor,” he quipped. “And hunger – I write faster when I know there’s frozen Reese’s cups waiting as a reward.”

The Great American Whatever hits shelves March 29, 2016.

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These Illustrations Perfectly Sum Up What It's Like To Have Anxiety

June 4, 2015, 8:48 am

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Let's just put this out there: Anxiety is the worst.

Just ask the 40 million American men and women who experience the disorder in a given year. It's debilitating, both physically and mentally. However, it can still be challenging to explain anxiety to those who just don't know what it's like to deal with a mental health issue. Enter these on-point illustrations by artist Beth Evans.



The 24-year-old created the comics to help people better understand what the condition feels like, especially when putting it into words can sometimes be difficult. The illustrations are a welcome portrayal, given that anxiety is often subject to judgment and stigma.

"I hope people can gain a better understanding of what it's like to have anxiety and what it feels like, and for people who have anxiety, I hope that it can be something people can relate to," Evans told The Huffington Post in an email. "I think it can be challenging explaining anxiety to someone who doesn't know about it because it's a very personal thing. Everyone experiences it differently. It can be hard to convey what it feels like at times."

Take a look at a few of her other illustrations on anxiety and self-doubt below:



Evans knows exactly what it feels like to battle the condition on a daily basis after dealing with it for many years and being diagnosed in college. She said she wanted to capture her experience, but wants others to know that the condition is certainly not one-size-fits all -- and as a result, neither is the way in which a given person manages it. It is possible to not only make peace with anxiety and self-doubt, but succeed in spite of it.

"Anxiety is a process. There's also no right or wrong way to deal with it," she said. "Go for what feels comfortable to you, and don't beat yourself up if things don't go perfectly. Take things at the speed you need to."

Sounds like great advice.

H/T Bustle




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Elizabeth Sackler: A Force For Feminism And Art

June 4, 2015, 8:59 am

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Elizabeth Sackler is a feminist and art-world force to be reckoned with.

In 2007, she opened the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum. Seven years later, Sackler became the chairwoman of the board of trustees -- the first woman to hold the position in the history of the Brooklyn Museum. Thursday night, she continues to add to her legacy by hosting the fourth annual Sackler Center First Awards.

The award ceremony recognizes women who are first in their field. At the inaugural ceremony in 2012, Sackler named 15 women as recipients, champions in breaking down gender barriers. The years after honored theatre director Julie Taymor and attorney/professor Anita F. Hill. This year, Sackler chose to recognize Miss Piggy -- a woman who is timeless and relatable to all ages, Sackler said.



"I was thinking, 'who embodies the grit and the strength and the ability to sort of just shrug off all the obstacles in her way and just go for it?'" Sackler said. "That's Miss Piggy."

Though Miss Piggy may be a puppet, Sackler argues that her educational value, ability to inspire, and tenacity are what make her appropriate for this award. While some have criticized the choice, Sackler is not afraid of shaking things up while adding a little whimsy along the way.

"The Sackler Center First Awards should be magical," Sackler said. "Life should be magical because we have to make magic. We have to change things."

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Where Is Emma Stone's Apology For Whitewashing?

June 4, 2015, 9:07 am

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"Aloha," the film about a navel-gazing manchild who goes to Hawaii and finds himself, got mostly bad reviews when it debuted in May for its meandering and over-sentimental plot. Then, gradually, criticism sprang up over Emma Stone’s leading role as a mixed-race Asian woman. Stone playing a Hawaiian, Chinese and Swedish fighter pilot named Allison Ng was cited as yet another instance in Hollywood’s long history of misrepresenting people of color on screen.

On June 2, director Cameron Crowe issued an apology over the casting decision. Yet Emma Stone has stayed silent on the issue. Where is her apology? And what responsibility do white actors bear when they accept roles clearly written as people of color?

Over the last decade there has been considerable outcry over the whitewashing of Asian roles in particular --- the cast of "21", the cast of M. Night Shyamalan’s "Avatar: The Last Airbender," Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan in "Star Trek," and more recently Tilda Swinton’s role as a Tibetan man in the upcoming "Doctor Strange." "Aloha," it seems, is a kind of tipping point in the conversation, the casting almost comically clueless.

After all of the vocal backlash, it felt natural for Crowe to issue a reasonably heartfelt apology -- albeit one full of excuses for the casting of the role of Allison Ng. For Crowe, the character being based on a “real-life, red-headed local” who constantly reminds people she’s Asian seemed like a good enough reason to make a movie set in Hawaii with a 100 percent white cast. He misses the point of course --- regardless of whether this character is real or not, his desire to showcase a white-passing Asian over a visibly mixed-race one is a problem.

And yet, Crowe’s final admission that he is “the one to blame” for the misguided casting choice is gratifying. But is it completely true? While he did write the character, direct the film and work with casting director Francine Maisler in choosing stars, it’s striking that so rarely are the actors in these controversies ever taken to task. Why are we not asking more of Emma Stone?

Crowe says that Stone was “chief among those who did tireless research” in preparation for the role, but it’s a flimsy defense. Researching Hawaiian culture is one thing, but how much research did Stone do into the history the whitewashing and misrepresentation of Asian characters in cinema?

Similarly hazy defenses have been made in other cases of whitewashing or red, yellow and blackface. In 2013, Johnny Depp’s role in "The Lone Ranger" as a Native American was justified because of his vague Cherokee ancestry, and honorary membership in the Comanche tribe. In December Christian Bale told The Hollywood Reporter that critics of his controversial film "Exodous" should stop “pointing fingers,” at director Ridley Scott, and blamed movie-goers, not himself, for the heavily whitewashed movie. Often, actors don't comment at all on the implications of taking these roles.

For successful white actors, the ability to play characters who come from identity groups different from their own is an experience of privilege. It’s not just the fame and fortune, but access that defines this kind of success. And that same access is not afforded to non-white actors and actresses.

In just a few short years, Stone has risen from an unknown teen comedy actress to a legitimate A-List star with an Oscar-nomination and a constant stream of new films in the works. She is an influential figure, whose words could make a difference. Her silence on "Aloha" speaks volumes.

Last year, Jessica Chastain took to the Critics Choice Awards stage to give a moving speech on diversity in Hollywood, calling on industry peers to “stand together against homophobic, sexist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic and racist agendas.”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” she said. “And I would like to encourage everyone in this room to please speak up."

The systemic racism that continues to thrive in Hollywood is ultimately to blame for these constant instances of erasure. However, if actors were challenged more on their decisions to accept such problematic roles, perhaps there would be fewer problematic roles. It’s time for the Emma Stones of Hollywood to start speaking up -- especially when they make mistakes. It’s these teachable moments, after all, that push the conversation about race forward, in Hollywood and beyond.

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Video Of Guy Helping Raise Money For Homeless Man By Beatboxing On A Harmonica Goes Viral

June 4, 2015, 9:55 am

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This man's an impressive beatboxer, but his musical skills aren't the only thing admirable about him.

A video uploaded to Facebook features Jack Greenough totally killing it beatboxing on the harmonica while helping raise some money for a homeless man in Cambridge, England. The clip was posted just last week, but already has almost 190,000 views -- a testament Greenough's incredible talent, along with his kind spirit.

In the beginning of the video, Greenough walks by and recognizes the homeless man. He mentions that they've talked before and he's previously borrowed the man's harmonica. Then at the 0:17 point, he begins wowing us with his insane musical multi-tasking skills on a harmonica of his own. Yes, he's beatboxing and playing the harmonica. At the same time.

We didn't think it was possible, either.

At the 1:25 mark, the harmonica player stuns us once again but this time for another reason. Greenough urges the people who are watching him to donate some money to the homeless man.

Greenough just beatboxed his way into our hearts.

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Abandoned Castles, Châteaux And City Halls Showcase The Beauty Of Emptiness

June 4, 2015, 10:04 am

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Photographer Matt Emmett has traveled all around the world capturing beautiful buildings for his work, Forgotten Heritage Photography. He has devoted his life to shedding light on what he calls "ruins and abandonment," turning old, dilapidated buildings into beautiful imagery.

"These places that were once alive with sound and movement are now silent and still, but they are no less mesmerizing," Emmett told Architectural Digest earlier this year. "Immense and powerful beauty resides in forgotten places."

The majority of the abandoned buildings Emmett photographed for this shoot are located throughout Luxembourg, Belgium, France and the U.K. As seen in his current Facebook profile photo, he generally wears a hard hat when taking photos as an "urban explorer."

Scroll down to see more of Emmett's work and read about his experiences in his own words. You can also follow him on Twitter, visit his Facebook page and check out his work at Forgottenheritage.co.uk.

Coal Mine
"Looking more like a castle, this elaborate headstock and miners shower block was built over shaft #1 at Hasard de Cheratte coal mine. Located near Liège in Belgium."


Ruined Colonnade
"A folly within the now overgrown grounds of Baron Hill manor on the Isle of Anglesey."


Cloisters
"Pillars line the cloisters along the edge of the central courtyard at a historic trading house in Belgium."


Ruined Portico
"The pillared entrance portico at the ruined Baron Hill estate on Anglesey. The house was abandoned after being partially gutted by a fire during WWII. It has been slowly reclaimed by nature ever since."


Chambers of Commerce
"The central courtyard of a historic trading house in Belgium."


Gwyrch Castle
"View across the ruined Gwyrch Castle in North Wales. The castle is now being cleaned of foliage and brought back to life. Its future as a hotel complex looking more likely each day."


Abandoned Asylum
"The long abandoned Denbeigh asylum in North Wales. One of the U.K.'s largest asylums when in use."


Stone Dwelling
"A stone dwelling built over a period of decades by an artist living in the Cotswolds."


Abandoned Chateau
"Chateau Miranda in Belgium. Once an orphanage but now just a ruin, slowly fading as the elements invade and batter it."


Abandoned Farm Kitchen
"A range cooker in the kitchen of an abandoned watermill/farmhouse located in an isolated valley in the Luxembourg countryside."


Chateau Interior
"Two chairs sit in a pool of light in an abandoned chateau in Belgium. The location once was a wedding venue so the rooms were filled with chairs, crates of Champagne flutes and cigars."


Derelict Boys School
"Empty boys school in Berkshire, abandoned since the late '80s after an abuse scandal forced the school's closure."


Derelict Stable Block
"Stable block at a derelict country house in Wiltshire. The buildings within this once grand estate are deteriorating fast."


Belgium Chateau Interior
"Chairs and a coffee table sit in a pool of light below a beautiful skylight in a European mansion."


Grand Staircase
"Stunning architectural staircase at an abandoned university site in Belgium."


H/T Atlas Obscura

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Watch 'Lion King' And 'Aladdin' Broadway Casts Have Epic Sing-Off During Flight Delay

June 4, 2015, 10:13 am

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Now this is one flight delay we actually wish we were stuck in.

A video uploaded to YouTube captures every theater geek's dream-come-true: a sing-off between Broadway cast members of "The Lion King" and "Aladdin." Though it took place during a six-hour weather delay at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, the singing turned what could've been a dreary scene into an incredible one.

Watch as "The Lion King" cast starts off belting the iconic "Circle of Life," but at the 3:06 mark, the camera cuts to the "Aladdin" cast fighting back, as James Inglehart, who plays the Genie, gives a seriously impressive freestyle rap. The battle continues and later on, at the 6:40 mark, the Aladdin cast performs a fantastic "Arabian Nights."

For those who witnessed the sing-off, that awesome performance may have been more memorable than their trip.

H/T Time

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One Man Built A Home Out Of Shipping Containers And It's The Coolest Thing Ever

June 4, 2015, 10:27 am

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Would you live in a shipping container? No? Well, what if it looked like this?



Joseph Dupuis is the Carp, Ottawa man behind the "Off Grid Shipping Container Cabin" that's taken the Internet by storm. Currently listed on a classifieds site for $58,000 in Canadian dollars (roughly $46,500 USD), it's one hell of an idea.

Dupuis says that he built the tiny cabin from three 20-foot shipping containers. At 355 square feet, it comes insulated with heat -- necessary for those Canadian winters -- and a cooling system. The shipping container home is also outfitted with solar panels, a wood stove, full kitchen, and shower, with room for a "future" toilet (right now, the cabin only has an outhouse).

For critics that complain about the cabin's lack of a toilet, Dupuis says it's due to a legal issue. "If you dig for septic, the home becomes a dwelling," he told The Huffington Post. "I wanted the whole point of the cabin to be that you can break it down and move it whenever you need to."

Dupuis said he started designing the house in 2010, and worked on his plans for about an hour each day for three years. He constructed the home on his family's farm, building 95 percent of the cabin himself and leaving the rest to electricians and other subcontractors. He bought each container for $3,400 CAD and worked 12-13 hour days for three months to complete it. The hard work and planning paid off, as his cabin -- and its low costs -- are truly impressive. When he lived in the cabin himself, Dupuis' winter heating bill was only $35, and the most expensive bill he paid belonged to his phone.

Dupuis wants to turn the unexpected media attention into a business.

"I want to help as many people as I can get out of the pocket of big banks and make people more self-sufficient," he told HuffPost. "I see my friends buying $400,000 houses and they're in debt for the next 35 years. It's pretty backwards -- we don't need these expensive homes and all this stuff we have in our lives."

Scroll through photos of the shipping container home below:



All photos courtesy of S7vn Photography

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'100 Years Of Fashion Under 2 Minutes' Celebrates American Style, From The Good To The Bad

June 4, 2015, 10:56 am

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It's Throwback Thursday, so it's only right that the Internet would bless us with an awesome video chronicling a century of style.

The folks over at Mode Glam whipped up a fun stop-action video entitled "100 Years of Fashion Under 2 Minutes." One model is transformed in looks that range from the petticoats and parasols of 1915 to today's boyfriend jeans and motorcycle jackets.

While we love the ultra feminine attire from 1935 and 1955, there are definitely a few cringe-worthy moments thanks to our questionable sartorial choices of 1985 and 2005.

Take a trip down memory lane with the video above.




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A Tasty History Of The Hamburger

June 4, 2015, 11:05 am

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The hamburger is so American it elicits feelings of patriotism the instant a patty is sandwiched between two buns. Its roots, however, were grounded way before anyone ever sang about our red, white and blue flag and the majesty of purple mountains.

According to New York Magazine, the origins of the burger can be traced back to the 13th century, from which it evolved through many iterations. From raw mutton to plated beef, the dish has had quite a journey to its starring role in the American backyard barbecue. Interestingly, we can thank White Castle for the hamburger bun. Learn more about the hamburger's history in the animated video above.




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Unlock These Never-Before-Seen Photos Of The Tiananmen Square Protests With Your Phone

June 4, 2015, 12:39 pm

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Photographer Xu Yong was in Tiananmen Square 26 years ago when Chinese government troops opened fire on their own people -- and he captured those moments.

Hundreds -- possibly thousands -- of unarmed protesters and onlookers were killed when tanks and soldiers entered central Beijing on June 3-4, 1989, to put down the student-led protests. Xu has held on to his camera negatives for decades and recently decided to publish them in an art book, titled Negatives, in what The New York Times called a "provocative" move against hard-liners in the current government.

Xu's book release coincides with the candle light vigil held Thursday night in Hong Kong by tens of thousands of students in solidarity with those killed during the Tiananmen Square protests.

For the first time in the annual vigil's quarter-century history, some student groups didn't take part and instead held their own memorials, a sign of an emerging rift between young and old over Hong Kong's pro-democracy identity that took root during the 2014 Occupy Central protests. The recent vigil was the only large-scale public commemoration of the victims on Chinese soil, and the Tiananmen events remain a taboo topic on the mainland.

“Unlike digital photographs, which can be manipulated, negatives never lie," Xu said about the unadulterated negatives.

"On the attempt to cover-up and induce amnesia on an historic event, negatives have more direct impact as evidence than normal photographs or digital media, Xu wrote in a description of the project. "However, perhaps using this form to immunize against amnesia is not that important. What should be carefully considered are the social conditions that have resulted in the prolonged process of completing these works."

Xu's more than two-decade-old negatives aren't stuck in the past. They can easily be seen in color on smartphones. If you're on an iPhone, go to your "settings" icon, hit the "general" tab, click "accessibility" and then mark the label "invert colors" to on. Android-users: go to "settings" then "accessibility" and select "inverted rendering" at the bottom of the menu.

Once you switch the color spectrum, you can either view the negatives on your phone's browser, or hold up the camera to a physical copy of the book or a desktop window to see the images in full color.

Historical magic. Take a look.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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ISIS May Have The 'Same Theory The Nazis Had' By Stealing Syrian Cultural Artifacts

June 4, 2015, 12:58 pm

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The Islamic State group may be taking a move out of the Nazi playbook by looting ancient Syrian antiquities.

While Islamic State fighters have destroyed historical sites and ancient artifacts in cities across Syria and Iraq and disseminated shocking footage of their destructive campaigns on the internet, Christopher Marinello, CEO of Art Recovery Group, believes that the militants have held off destroying a large part of the antiquities they encounter, opting to sell them on the black market instead.

"It's extremely painful knowing the importance of these objects," he explained. "[But] they [Islamic State fighters] know very well there's value in the objects of antiquity that are being looted, and they're not about to destroy them. This is the same theory the Nazis had."

According to Marinello, while the Nazis considered Jewish artifacts to be "degenerate art," they still saw their market value and turned the pieces into a revenue stream. "I think that's what we're going to see here," he concluded, referring to the tactics of the Islamic State militants.

Watch more from HuffPost Live's conversation about the Islamic State group's looting of Syrian cultural objects here.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

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19 Rad Brides Who Rocked Their Tattoos On The Big Day

June 4, 2015, 2:04 pm

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Brides want to feel and look like the most beautiful versions of themselves on their wedding day. And for tatted-up ladies, that means showing off their incredible ink.

Below are 19 tattooed brides who wouldn't dream of covering up those works of art on the big day.



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Why MoMA Protestors Are Demanding Better Treatment, In 11 Brilliant Posters

June 4, 2015, 3:03 pm

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New York's Museum of Modern Art held its annual "Party in the Garden" gala this week, beckoning black-tie-clad VIPs to generously support the institute by purchasing tables for anywhere between $25,000 and $100,000.

While the venerable guests partied, partially on behalf of banker David Rockefeller's 100th birthday, a different kind of crowd huddled across the street from the museum, umbrellas and protests signs in hand.

"MoMA, don't cut our health care," a large, red banner read. "Modern art, ancient wages!" the crowd chanted.



Like a scene out of "House of Cards," around 100 members of Local 2110, the union chapter that represents MoMA's technical and office workers, organized a timely protest in response to stalled negotiations between union members and the museum management.

"Our union went into negotiations with MoMA management with proposals to improve wages, healthcare, and the opportunity for advancement in certain sectors of the museum," Emily Hall, an editor in MoMA's Department of Publications and a Local 2110 member, explained to The Huffington Post. "All but one, I believe, were rejected, and instead we were presented with a proposal that shifts a greater burden of health care costs to employees."

Negotiations -- regarding staff healthcare costs, among other things -- began in April; however, the most recent, a five-year collective bargaining agreement between the two parties, expired on May 20, and an extension is set to close on June 20.

According to Hall, and reiterated to HuffPost by Grace Kwon, who works in MoMA's visitor services department, the museum is now asking staffers to pay a percentage of their health care premiums, including a percentage of surgery and childbirth costs, while increasing copays and instituting significant deductibles.

Proposed wage increases for staffers "barely cover these expenses," Hall claims. "Many union members are essentially facing a pay cut."



The gala protest lasted for two hours on Tuesday night, during which a smattering of red posters could be seen popping out amidst the rained-on masses. "Average MoMA senior staff salary: $349,000 / Average MoMA employee salary: $49,000," one read. "MoMA endowment: $1,000,000,000 / 2014 was MoMA's best year ever / Why cut back?" another asked.

Members of MoMA's graphics department, along with writers and editors on the protester's action committee, devised the strategy behind the posters. "There's a long history of stunning social justice posters, which we would have loved to invoke, but we didn't have much time," Hall said. "In just a handful of days, the group came up with the posters' slogans, which use MoMA's very recognizable typeface. There's some talk of making more of them."



The posters have become all the more relevant since Artnet's Philip Boroff announced that MoMA Director Glenn Lowry was paid a startling $2.1 million in salary, bonus, and benefits in 2013. Furthermore, The Daily Beast reported that in MoMA's fiscal year 2013 990 return tallies the museum's total assets and fund balances at a staggering $1,086,806,338.

MoMA has issued the the same statement to several media organizations in response to the protests: "The Museum of Modern Art has an outstanding staff. At this time, we are in the process of negotiations with Local 2110, and are optimistic that we will reach a positive outcome for the staff and all concerned."



MoMA's decision to cut staff benefits amidst plans for expansion and a healthy endowment has left more than a few people surprised.

"Salaries for MoMA workers are not high to begin with," Hall concluded. "The proposed expenses will make it difficult -- if not impossible -- for many of us to make ends meet ... I think we're hopeful about how strong the response has been [to the protests] among ourselves and in the public. We're hopeful that it's something the museum can't ignore."

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Disney Princes Reimagined As Queer By Artist YANN'X (NSFW)

June 5, 2015, 5:56 am

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All of your queer fantasies about Disney's leading men are about to come to life.

An artist by the name of YANN-X has produced a series of images that reimagines your favorite childhood Disney princes in some compromising -- and very queer -- situations.

It's no secret that Disney is already pretty (secretly... or not-so-secretly) queer. But now, from Prince Charming to Aladdin to Hercules, YANN-X has provided us with some compelling videos to contextualize what it would look like if Disney's prices got intimate with one another.

The Huffington Post spoke with YANN-X further this week about these images and what the artist is trying to accomplish. Check out some of the images below, as well as the creator's interview.



The Huffington Post: Why did you decide to start making these images?
YANN'X: My first childhood memory was going to the movie theater with my dad to watch “Snow White." I was three years old and it hit me like a truck, because Prince Charming -- so gentle, yet so manly -- thrilled me in a way I never felt before. I had fallen in love! From this moment on I dreamt of becoming an artist (and work for Disney, of course!). Years later, artists like Joe Phillips or David Kawena inspired me anew with their radiant vision of a gay life, as normal and happy as a straight one... and no matter how idealistic, I wanted to be a part of this.

"Twisting well-known situations can be quite unsettling for people but I enjoy it. That’s what I’m aiming for."

Let’s be clear: naked Disney characters are nothing new. Everyone can do (or has done) it, but it’s not what I’m into. What I’m trying instead is to take highlights of our pop culture and show them from another point of view. Twisting well-known situations can be quite unsettling for people but I enjoy it. That’s what I’m aiming for. So if it moves you or makes you smile, then I’ve done my job well. Love it or hate it, I’m fine with both, for the worst would be to leave you cold. But when I use nudity, it’s never as a shock value -- things should be sexy, funny, not pornographic. It’s a matter of honor.





Are you trying to subvert traditional Disney storylines and values through these photos?
I’m not trying to subvert! I’m just showing these characters in a new light, thus suggesting to look at life in a different way. People are free to try or not, I’m not forcing anyone.

Of course, Disney characters are icons of our collective memory, so tapping that source is like using a universal language -- it’s a way to make sure everyone will get my message. So, I give these characters a private life, let them flirt, make love or have fun, not for cheap thrills but as a way to reflect on our feelings and intimacy.

"I give these characters a private life, let them flirt, make love or have fun..."

I also often pictured them as real actors whose lives had little to do with their parts, and I wondered what happened once their scene or the movie was over... But yes: in my imagination, they’d shed their perfect image and dump their princess girlfriends to fool around with the other boys.





Which photos have gotten the largest response?
It started with "The Little Upset“ where Mermaid Ariel catches her beloved Eric in Prince Philip’s arms. People liked and reposted it for weeks -- I was in heaven!

"Sleeping Beauty," where Prince Charming and Philip (him again!) kiss in Beauty’s bedroom, went quite viral as well.

My "Frozen“ parody with Elsa in the toilets was another success (anything "Frozen“ is bound to be a success these days, right?).

But "Mariage Pour Tous“ in support of gay marriage definitely had the biggest impact: all these hate-mails, insults, threats and lost friendships! But even though my life was a nightmare at the time, I never regretted it.





What do you want people to take away from these images?
That homosexuality is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of... It’s about love! And we all have the right to love, no matter where or whom. We shouldn’t have to fight in court about it, we should all be able to display our affection without facing contempt. We can all be princes, loving someone of the same gender and not feeling guilty. I like the idea that in the end, everyone can be happy, just like in Disney movies. It's as if it was a movie about paradise lost... and re-found!

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8 Times 'Game Of Thrones' Hinted At What's Coming In The Books

June 5, 2015, 7:07 am

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Is winter ever actually coming? According to the show, it sure looks like it.


Image via HBO/HuffPost

Fans of the hit HBO series "Game of Thrones" know that the show is very different from the books. Huge characters have seemingly been cut from the series (The North remembers, Lady Stoneheart), and storylines have had drastic changes (Just hang on, Sansa). Despite all this, George R.R. Martin has said on his blog that things are meant to "arrive at the same place" in the end. This actually makes the changes even more intriguing.

At this point, the series has pretty much caught up with the books. Keeping in mind that the books and the show are supposed to get to the same place in the end, and the fact that the show needs to often condense events and characters down to just the essentials, it appears the major changes, exclusions and inclusions may hint at what we can expect in Martin's upcoming books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Here are some interesting moments that stand out:

Note: These "Game of Thrones" speculations are based on what we know from the books and the show.

1. It looks like Valyrian steel will help defeat the White Walkers, thanks to that one big fight.


Image: Giphy

If you watched the Season 5 episode "Hardhome," you know one of the biggest moments came when Jon Snow took on a White Walker in combat and his sword didn't break. Whaaat? The White Walker shattered another guy's weapon just moments ago. How did this happen? Don't even bother asking Jon Snow. The dude doesn't know a lot.

In Martin's novel A Feast for Crows, one particular exchange between Sam and Jon explains how this could occur. (FYI the White Walkers are more commonly called the Others in the books):

"I found one account of the Long Night that spoke of the last hero slaying Others with a blade of dragonsteel. Supposedly they could not stand against it."

"Dragonsteel?" Jon frowned. "Valyrian steel?"

"That was my first thought as well."

Though some redditors speculate that Valyrian steel and dragonsteel may not be exactly the same, we can derive from the fight with the White Walker that they appear to share similar properties. According to a video on the history of Valyrian steel from the "Game of Thrones" DVDs, it's thought to have been forged with magic and dragon fire, and the events in "Hardhome" seem to support that.

2. We might finally know where White Walker babies come from because of that Night's King scene.




HBO didn't wait until Season 5 to possibly spoil the books. Back in Season 4, the series introduced us to the Night's King, who turns babies into new ice people.

As io9 points out, the series actually tells us more about the White Walkers than the books ever have. Though the novels don't explain what the White Walkers are doing with the babies, their fate is speculated on. The specific scene where a baby appears to turn into a White Walker seems particularly telling.

3. Cutting out Aegon means he's probably not a Targaryen.




A new, controversial Targaryen seems like an important role on "Game of Thrones," but apparently not, based on the fact that a character from the books is not appearing in the show this season.

In Martin's novels, Aegon Targaryen is thought to be Daenerys' nephew. Varys supposedly switched him with another baby before the Mountain was able to kill him in the Sack of King's Landing, but perhaps that's not actually what happened.

Even in the books, there are a lot of doubts about Aegon's legitimacy, and totally excluding him from the show appears to confirm that he's either fake or a total non-factor.

Also, in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Martin didn't cite Aegon as one of the characters he was disappointed got cut from the series, so take that for what it's worth.

4. Westeros could have an outbreak of greyscale thanks to what happened to Jorah.



Image: ScreenCrush


Since Aegon's been cut, it seems his guardian Jon Connington won't appear this season either. This made it seem like the greyscale storyline would be cut, since in A Dance with Dragons it's Connington, not Jorah Mormont, who contracts the disease while saving Tyrion.

Now that Mormont has the disease, speculations of an outbreak in Westeros seem to be back on the table.

5. Cutting all those Martells means they are probably less important then we thought.



No Martells, mo' problems.

The future ruler of Dorne sounds like an important part in "Game of Thrones," but that hasn't been the case with Arianne Martell. In the books, she appears to be a huge character and has a big plan to name Myrcella as the ruler of Westeros, but all that was cut in Season 5. Instead, we just got a bunch of sand snake scenes:


Image: Giphy


Oh gosh. Make it stop.

Arianne's younger brother, Quentyn Martell, also seems to be cut. This casts doubt on the book theory that he was successful in his attempt to steal one of Daenerys' dragons, which obviously would've been huge. Instead, it appears he actually did die in the attempt.

The exclusions also puts a chink in the armor of the Dornish master plan theory, which says Dorne has been secretly pulling the strings for pretty much everything all along.

6. Daenerys Targaryen will probably take Tyrion Lannister into her service in future books, much like what happens in the show.



Image: Giphy


Season 5, Episode 7 has a moment "Game of Thrones" fans have been anticipating for a long time. Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen finally meet. This hasn't happened in the books yet, but Martin has teased that "Tyrion and Dany will intersect" and the former "has decided that he actually would like to live." So, from the show, it appears he may be living to help Dany take the throne.

7. Hizdahr may have been revealed as the Harpy.


Image: Imgur

The identity of the Harpy in the books is still a mystery (or was, anyway). But Imgur user Piranha Plant points to one particular moment in Season 5, which may reveal that Hizdahr zo Loraq is the true mastermind behind all the killings by the Sons of the Harpy.


Image: Imgur


Piranha Plant cites the scene where Dany threatens the masters with her dragons as evidence:

Note the other masters. Almost all of them are on their knees, begging, but not to Danny -- to Hizdahr. They are asking him to admit to being the Harpy so that they (the innocent ones) may be spared from being dragon fodder. His answer? "All Men Must Die."

8. "R + L = J" is basically confirmed. Jon Snow isn't Ned Stark's son.


Image: Imgur

Martin has said he might reveal Jon Snow's real parents in The Winds of Winter, but why wait that long? The show appears to have already confirmed what many fans have come to suspect: Jon Snow's parents are Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

The truth about Snow's parentage is strongly hinted at in Episode 4, "Sons of the Harpy." In addition to Lyanna being mentioned in the episode and Melisandre possibly revealing that Snow has King's blood, Selyse Baratheon remarks to Stannis that Snow's mother was some "tavern slut." Stannis replies, "Perhaps. But that wasn't Ned Stark's way," making "R + L = J" supporters everywhere immediately pledge their loyalty to House Baratheon.

To make a long story short, that's why Stannis is the man-nis!


Image: Giphy

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