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Artist Claims Taylor Swift Stole Her Work To Promote '1989' Album

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There's some bad blood between Taylor Swift and a fellow artist amid allegations the Grammy-award winner and outspoken fair-pay advocate stole artwork to promote her hit album, "1989."


New Orleans artist Ally Burguieres posted an open letter to the “Shake It Off” singer on Friday following what she says is a yearlong battle for any kind of recognition for Swift’s use of her fox.


The red and white sketch was allegedly tweeted out to Swift’s millions of followers back in October of last year, but not before another person’s signature was slapped on it along with Swift’s lyrics to “I Know Places."


Burguieres, who runs a vegan artisan boutique and clothing line called Cocoally, said she was immediately flattered by her artwork’s use, but when she reached out for recognition, to her surprise, she found her efforts rebuffed.



Okay, I pretty much put it out there already, so may as well just put it all out there. Thank you so much...

Posted by Ally Burguieres on Friday, December 11, 2015


“I don’t have anything artistically against her, or anything personally against her, but I guess from a professional standpoint, I naively thought there would be more respect there,” she told The Huffington Post on Monday.


Burguieres' claim is particularly ironic, considering Swift's famously public battle against low-royalty streaming services while demanding fair pay for her own work, as well as others.


Swift caused a scene in 2014 when she pulled her music from Spotify and similar streaming services. That same summer she published a Wall Street Journal op-ed that described art as “important and rare,” and being of such, is of value and “should be paid for.”






"It’s my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album’s price point is. I hope they don’t underestimate themselves or undervalue their art," she stated in part.


How Burguieres’ case could somehow be different from Swift's preaching has left her mystified and increasingly upset.


"This is difficult because of everything that she’s said, this is the last thing I’d imagine,” Burguieres told HuffPost. “Her team has had no desire to accept any sort of responsibility or take any action to make things right.”


Immediately after Swift shared the fox image, it began circulating online with Swifties -- as her devout fans are lovingly called -- rapidly copying the image for their own creative use and association to the singer.




Then suddenly on Nov. 4, four days after its Oct. 31 posting, Burguieres says it was deleted from Swift’s page. That leaves her convinced that Swift’s team knew they made a mistake. Problem is, she said, they have yet to fess up.


"You can handle it in a decent way and that’s not just pretending it didn’t happen," she said.


Burguieres said she eventually contacted an attorney who was able to get in touch with Swift’s lawyers. In a conversation between them last month, Burguieres was offered an undisclosed “four-digit” sum but with that payment stipulated as going to a charity.






Burguieres, who makes a living off her artwork, compared that response to pouring “salt on a wound.”


"This isn’t just up to what she thinks I may deserve or what I don’t deserve. This is basically artists’ rights. I shouldn’t have to fight so hard just to be credited," she said.


“I’ve started to feel intimidated and steamrolled and I’m not even a threat. I’ll I’m asking for is credit,” she said.


Attempts to reach Swift’s team for comment were not immediately successful.


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This Dinosaur Egg Candle Lets You Hatch A Tiny Raptor At Home

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"Hey, what's that inside your candle?"


"Oh, it's just a teensy-tiny raptor, coming out to play from beneath the wick."


So will go the conversation when you burn this hatching dinosaur egg candle. Light the wick, and a prehistoric little fellow emerges from his waxy coating as your candle burns, eventually revealing himself as the adorable theropod of your dreams:



The hatching dinosaur candle is currently available for pre-order from Firebox, for delivery in 2016. It'll set you back about $45, plus shipping costs. Order online now, and await the next geologic era with glee. 


H/T Mental Floss


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No Hidden Nazi Train In Poland, Geology Experts Say

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WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish geology experts say they have found no traces of a train at a site allegedly hiding a World War II Nazi train.


Experts from a mining academy in Krakow examined the site in southwestern Poland last month using magnetic and gravitation methods. The head of the team, Janusz Madej, said Tuesday that "according to our examination, there might be a tunnel there but there is no train there."


Earlier this year two explorers told authorities in the city of Walbrzych that they have located an armored Nazi train hidden in a secret tunnel in the city.


According to local lore, the Nazis hid a train with gold in a secret tunnel during the war.


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All The Book Adaptations You're Going To Want To See Next Year

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It’s looking like 2016 will not be the year the Salinger estate relents to a Catcher in the Rye adaptation, which is bad for the closet Caulfield devotees among us.


There’s good news, too, though: so many great books are getting the on-screen treatment next year that it’s hard to pick just 20 to spotlight. We’ll assume you’re aware of the next installments of ongoing series like "Divergent" and "The Maze Runner"; here’s what else to look out for.


“The BFG”


based on the book by Roald Dahl



Steven Spielberg morphs a beloved kids’ book into a movie starring Shakespearean stage actor Mark Rylance as the BFG, and Bill Hader as Bloodbottler. Ruby Barnhill will play Sophie, which is also the name of Dahl’s granddaughter. An earlier, lovely cartoon adaptation of the book might be tough to top. (July 1, 2016)


“The Girl on the Train”


based on the book by Paula Hawkins 



Hawkins’ novel was hailed as the next Gone Girl, but without the now-famous “Cool Girl” rant or any equivalent feminist manifesto. It does, however, follow a broken relationship down a path full of sinister twists. Emily Blunt will star. (Oct. 7, 2016)


Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiars”


based on the book by Ransom Riggs



This haunting story is already decorated with -- and inspired by -- vintage photography found by Riggs, so a visual adaptation is a logical next step. Eva Green and Samuel L. Jackson will star in the movie, which notably drops the word “children” from the book’s title. When a teenager ventures to a strange island, he discovers a rundown school with wondrous inhabitants. (Dec. 25, 2016)


“A Hologram for the King”


based on the book by Dave Eggers 



Eggers, author of book-turned-millennial candy A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, wrote the National Book Award-nominated A Hologram for the King in 2012. It’s about a salesman traveling to Saudia Arabia to make a deal regarding an isolated hotel. Tom Tykwer (“Run Lola Run,” “Cloud Atlas”) wrote the adapted screenplay, and Tom Hanks will star. (U.S. release date is undetermined)


“The Circle”


based on the book by Dave Eggers 



It’ll be a big year for Eggers, whose 2013 novel The Circle was a bit of a flop, due to allegations of plagiarism. The novel is a satire about a girl who gets a job at a mega-super company (think Google meets Apple meets Microsoft), and falls quickly into the jargony, cult-like workplace. It’s hard to know whether director James Ponsoldt (“The End of the Tour,” “The Spectacular Now”) will take a too-earnest approach. What we do know is that Emma Watson and Tom Hanks (once again!) will play the leads. (U.S. release date is undetermined)


“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”


based on the book by Seth Grahame-Smith



Another Jane Austen spinoff? The horror! Thankfully for some, this one deviates a little from the norm, and does not, in fact, star Kiera Knightley. Instead, it’s an adaptation of an adaptation -- a funny, scary book riffing on Austen’s classic. Lily James will play Elizabeth Bennet. (Feb. 5, 2016)


“Through the Looking Glass”


based on the book by Lewis Carroll



The same crew that worked together on 2010’s “Alice in Wonderland” is back with more nonsensical goodness. Mia Wasikowska (who recently rocked blond locks in “Crimson Peak”) is an excellent Alice and Johnny Depp is, well, Johnny Depp. Here’s to hoping the Jabberwocky makes an appearance. (May 27, 2016)


“American Pastoral”


based on the book by Philip Roth 



A postwar family struggles to recover from their 16-year-old daughter’s political choices in Ewan McGregor’s directorial debut. He’ll also play the lead role, alongside Jennifer Connelly and Dakota Fanning. (U.S. release date is undetermined)


“The Zookeeper’s Wife”


based on the book by Diane Ackerman 



Hooray for lady directors! Niki Caro (“Whale Rider,” “North Country”) brings Diane Ackerman’s nonfiction story to life. Really, this movie is an adaptation of two books: Ackerman’s organized story about a couple who used their zoo to house Jews who escaped from the Warsaw ghetto, and the diary the book is based on. (U.S. release date is undetermined)


“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”


based on the book by Kim Barker



Barker’s The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan was described as “Battle-Zone Absurdity and Adrenaline-Fueled Folly” by New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani. It doesn’t exactly sound like the sort of story Tina Fey’s production company would pick up to cast Fey as the lead, but lo and behold: Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton will join her robust cast. (March 4, 2016)


“Let it Snow”


based on the book by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle



If you were let down by Paper Towns, the most recent John Green book to get the on-screen treatment, there’s hope for you, yet! This short story collaboration between Green and fellow YA writers Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle will be morphed into a Christmas Eve romance that could rival the likes of “Love Actually,” with its series of intertwined love stories. (Dec. 9, 2016)


“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”


based on the book by J.K. Rowling



The Harry Potter franchise is due to take over the world any minute now, and Rowling’s screenwriting debut with the adaptation of Fantastic Beasts brings it one teensy step closer. The book -- for those lamentably not in the know -- is a textbook-like catalogue based on an assigned book Harry uses in the series’ first installment. The movie adaptation will be the first in a new trilogy, and will be set in New York rather than the rural, idyllic Hogwarts. (Nov. 18, 2016)


“Silence”


based on the book by Shūsaku Endō



Set in the 17th century, “Silence” follows two Catholic priests on a journey to Japan during a period of persecution against “Hidden Christians.” Liam Neeson and Adam Driver star as two priests in a film that seems worth seeing if only to witness Adam Driver play the antithesis of his usual roles. (U.S. release date is undetermined)


“Doctor Strange”


based on the comics by Steve Ditko



Another promising action movie from Marvel, “Doctor Strange” will star Benedict Cumberbatch as a surgeon who falls into the world of magic, making use of his scientific knowledge as a way of better understanding sorcery. It’s a perfect role for the often typecast Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock in the BBC’s take on the arrogant detective, and played a stubborn yet kind Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game.” (Nov. 4, 2016)


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All The Essentials For The Adult Coloring Aficionado

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There's only one absolute must-have for holiday shoppers this winter, whether it's a present for a lucky person on your gift list or a soothing indulgence to get you through a stressful season. Yes: coloring supplies.


Coloring, any HuffPost Arts reader knows, isn't just for kids anymore. It's the chillest, most unintimidating form of creative relaxation out there, and now you don't have to be 8 and under to partake. 


But where to begin? We've got you cover-to-covered with absorbing illustrated books and professional-quality art supplies to kick-start your or your loved one's coloring habit.


The Books:



The Supplies:



For more coloring books, check out our past roundup here.


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'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them' Trailer Brings Us Back To The Wizarding World

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"Harry Potter" fans rejoice! The first official trailer for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is here, and it looks just as magical as we expected. 


The almost two-minute clip gives fans a glimpse back into the wonderful wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. In it, we see Newt Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne) -- author of Harry Potter's textbook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and "magizoologist" -- exploring New York City's secret community of witches and wizards. 


The trailer also offers fans a look at Colin Farrell in the role of the wizard Graves. But blink, and you'll miss him!


"Fantastic Beasts" takes place in the 1920s, 70 years before Harry even reads the textbook at Hogwarts, but exists in the same magical universe, complete with odd and whimsical creatures and inventions. 


See the whole thing below:  





"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is set to be released in November 2016. 


 


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Meet The Man Who Helped Bring George Takei To Broadway

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"Allegiance," the new musical which is now playing at New York's Longacre Theatre, marks the Broadway debut of George Takei, who has long described the show as his passion project.


Each night as the curtain rises, the 78-year-old "Star Trek"  icon can thank Marc Acito, who wrote the "Allegiance" libretto along with composers Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione. For Acito, however, the show marks a career milestone for very different reasons. The 49-year-old writer, who is openly gay, relocated to New York from Portland, Oregon, in 2010 with two manuscripts and a determination to be on Broadway in five years.


While "Allegiance" is thrilling audiences in New York now, the show almost didn't move forward with Acito's involvement. In 2012, Kuo and Thione approached Acito with an offer to join the "Allegiance" team after seeing his musical adaptation of  "A Room With A View" at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. With just months to go before rehearsals with stars Takei, Lea Salonga and Telly Leung were to begin, he had reservations.


"As a white guy, I'm really sensitive to the perception of cultural imperialism," Acito told The Huffington Post of the musical, which follows a Japanese-American family thrown into an internment camp when the U.S. enters World War II. "Never in a million years would I presume to tell a Japanese-American story. But to be invited by an Asian-led team to participate in that story is such an honor, and what I found in that story was something that fulfilled my own mission as an artist, [which is] to tell truthful stories that uplift and inspire." 



Although "Allegiance" marks his Broadway writing debut, Acito is no stranger to the public sphere. Prior to becoming a playwright, Acito was a journalist whose work appeared in The New York Times and on NPR; his first foray into book writing came in 2004 with the teen novel, How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship, and Musical Theater, which was well-received by readers and critics alike.


Still, for Acito, the bright lights of Broadway beckoned. In 2011, he made his stage writing debut with "Birds of a Feather," a comedy that was loosely based on the controversial children's book, And Tango Makes Three, about two "gay" male penguins who raised a chick together in NYC's Central Park Zoo. "Feather," which premiered in Fairfax, Virginia, nabbed him a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play.


The common thread in all of his work, Acito says, are characters who are considered outsiders and who are battling -- and triumphing -- over adversity. In cases like "Birds of a Feather," they also happen to be gay.



His latest project could very well endear him even more to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Days after the Broadway premiere of "Allegiance" in November, Acito flew to North Carolina to prep for the debut of his next musical, "Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz," which depicts the adolescent years of Judy Garland.


Although countless books, films and stage plays have examined Garland's life, Acito sees "Chasing Rainbows" as ultimately a triumphant spin on an "important part of queer history" and what some see as a tragedy. Particular attention is given to the close relationship between Garland and her father, Frank Gumm, who is believed to have been a closeted gay man.


"The part of Judy's story that we deal with is that of a 13-year-old girl who is trying to support her entire family during the height of the depression. She is routinely bullied, mocked for her weight and openly criticized for not being pretty enough," he said. "She's somebody who ultimately lost, but put up a damn good fight. I think that's a really interesting story, to look at the person who put up a damn good fight." 



Whether or not "Chasing Rainbows" will see a Broadway bow remains to be seen. For now, however, Acito has Takei to thank for his own breakthrough on the Great White Way. The 78-year-old "Star Trek" icon spent years in a Japanese-American internment camp during his childhood and his experiences inform the plot of "Allegiance," the significance of which is not lost on Acito.


"We have living history onstage," he said. "We're not just re-telling this story; there's somebody who's re-living it onstage every single night. We all feel like we owe it to George. We owe it to all the internees."



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We Now Know What Happened To Emma Thompson And Alan Rickman's Characters From 'Love Actually'

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In between never-ending debates over whether it's a delightful modern classic or dreadful tripe, "Love Actually" has become the Christmas movie that won't quit. So don't blame its creative forces if they just can't let this one go.


A few weeks after we learned a lesbian storyline was left on the cutting-room floor, here's the latest from the "Love Actually" Files: If you've wondered what happened to one of the film's sadder couples, Karen (Emma Thompson) and Harry (Alan Rickman), you now have an answer. In case you don't remember (c'mon, you remember!), Harry is the one who flirts with his assistant, even buying her expensive jewelry, while Karen's heartbreak unfolds to the melancholia of Joni Mitchell. They appear to rekindle half-heartedly at the end of the film, but what came of their relationship after the final frame?


"Love Actually" had a midnight screening over the weekend with writer-director Richard Curtis and his longtime partner Emma Freud, who served as script editor on the project, in attendance. Freud live-tweeted the event and answered fans' questions, including two that elicited rather depressing information about Karen and Harry.










OK there. It's nothing we couldn't have surmised from the way Karen tentatively tells Harry, "Good to have you back" upon his arrival at the airport. Still, we apologize to any "Love Actually" obsessives who are weeping for this dampened romance. Love, actually, is sometimes a pile of garbage, namely when it causes Emma Thompson to weep.





 


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You Can Worship 'Star Wars' At This Movie-Themed Church Service

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"Star Wars" inspires an almost religious devotion in many fans. And now they have somewhere to officially worship the space opera movie franchise.


The Zion Church in Berlin is hosting a special service on Sunday to coincide with the release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," according to the church's website.






Scenes from the 1983 classic "Return of the Jedi" -- the third movie in George Lucas' original trilogy, directed by Richard Marquand -- will be broadcast to the congregation, reports the BBC.


An organist will interpret music from the "Jedi" score, according to The Local. And worshippers who dress as characters from the films can win tickets to see "The Force Awakens."


Pastors-in-training Ulrike Garve and Lucas Ludewig came up with the idea after drawing parallels between the "Star Wars" epic and the Bible, and have been promoting it via Twitter:






"The more we talked about it, the more we saw parallels to Christian traditions in the films," said Garve, per the church's website. "We want to make these analogies clear to the congregation."


"The Force Awakens," directed by J.J. Abrams, premiered at Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theater on Monday night. It opens to the public on Friday.


Harrison Ford's Han Solo and Carrie Fisher's Leia Organa will appear in the movie, alongside new cast members including Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie and Lupita Nyong'o.


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The 'P***y Bow' Is The Feminist Answer To Business Casual

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Earlier this month, Pantone announced its highly awaited choice for the official color of 2016. In an unusual turn of events, it actually announced two: Rose Quartz and Serenity, as Pantone calls them. (Also known to color plebes as pink and blue.)


The two shades, presented softly bleeding into each other like a vivid sunset, also bear a striking resemblance to something else. As artist Christen Clifford kindly observed: "The colors of 2016 are fluid and changing, like vaginas."


Clifford, of all people, has keen insight into the pigmentation of a woman's interior. She is the artist behind the "Pussy Bow," the furtive piece of office wear that allows your to surreptitiously don the insides of a vaginal cavity while presenting your latest Power Point presentation.


"I like to think that just by showing the inside on the outside, it’s a bit rebellious," Clifford explained to The Huffington Post in an interview. "A feminist action disguised as a fashion accessory."


 



A photo posted by AUNTS (@aunts_here) on




The project started after Clifford purchased a vibrator/internal camera from a Japanese sex toy website. "The device is supposed to be an internal camera/vibrator, but every time I used it I was just trying to get the shot, I felt like a photographer," she said. "It wasn’t sexy time."


Soon after her photographic experiments began, Clifford was invited by AUNTS to perform at the Ace Hotel during their residency. She accepted, and for the piece, live streamed the interior of her vagina. "All these people watching the stream messaged things like, 'Show me your pussy!'" she told HuffPost UK. "I guess they didn’t understand that’s what they were seeing."


Clifford selected an image depicting the vaginal muscle near her cervix, with some vaginal mucus. Turns out, the interior of a vagina looks a lot like a lava lamp, or a sunset as seen from underwater. "I love the colors, how the warm fluid turns to an almost cool blue," she said. "And I think it is hilarious that Pantone released their colors of 2016 the same week."


 



Following her Ace performance, Clifford played around with the digital image of her vagina by printing it onto fabrics. Then she thought of the "pussy bow," and, in a lovely variation on the typical epiphany moment, burst out laughing.


For those unfamiliar with the pussy bow, it's a garment of clothing that's been around since the 1600s. You may know it by its tamer moniker, the tie-neck blouse. The item of clothing is basically a female alternative to the necktie -- a silk strip meant to be loosely tied around the neck. Originally named because of their resemblance to the ties worn around cats' necks, pussy bows have been associated with feminism since they were titled as such in the 20th century. 


As Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, explained in a segment on PBS: "We used to dress in suits with a skirt and a jacket with button-down shirts and a little bow tie, because that was sort of our interpretation of the man's tie … It was our attempt to be feminine but fit into what was then a male world." 


For Clifford, she just really liked the style of the bow. "It can also be a good butch/femme look for genderqueer and or trans bodies, as it has both stereotypically masculine and feminine styles combined," she said. 



Also, the double entendre was too good to pass up. "I want to make people laugh. Laughter is healing and fun. I mean, can’t it be feminist art and have a laugh at feminist art at the same time? Most people think seriousness and vaginas when they think of feminist art. Remember Julianne Moore in 'The Big Lebowski'?" 


Clifford's project, aside from looking damn good, challenges the status quo of office professionalism, which all too often serves as an indirect way of prompting employees to look as heteronormative as possible. As photographer Endia Beal, who dissects the racial and gendered implications of business casual wear in her work, put it: "It felt for me, when I was in a corporate space, that I was performing, kind of a theatrical performance."


The "pussy bow" sparks a variety of conversations regarding women in the workplace, including how Freudian symbolism can be lurking in your coat closet. "Somebody said [to me], 'I hope we don’t start seeing dick pics on ties!' and the old school Freudian in me came out and I thought, 'But aren’t ties already shaped like dicks?'" Clifford mused.


"Maybe I’ll use the camera in another orifice and make an Asssssscot. Or a Cravag. Vagshion," she added.



The artist also hopes her piece will encourage women to wear their own vaginas on their sleeves, or at least be more comfortable sharing related stories, triumphs and fears. "My vagina has changed a lot in 44 years," Clifford said. "I loved exploring it as a space for potential pleasure as a child. I was raped at 15 and didn’t tell anyone for years and years. Later I had a lot of great sex and a lot of mediocre sex. I birthed two children through this vagina. It became a space of love and potential. And injury! Every woman has a story of her life through her relationship to/through/for/with her vagina. Every. Woman."


If you were not already smitten with Clifford's bow, she is donating 10 percent of all its proceeds -- they sell for $50 each -- to Planned Parenthood. "Reproductive rights are under attack like never before, and I am sick of going to the same protests to support Women’s Health that I started going to when I was 18 years old. I’m 44! Why has this country not accepted women as individuals in society with control over their own bodies?"



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37 Magical Gifts For The Grown-Up 'Harry Potter' Fan

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Press play, crank up the volume and get ready for a wicked cool gift guide!









 


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Broadway Star Melissa Errico Shines On 'What About Today?'

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Broadway and television actress Melissa Errico releases her first concert DVD, “What About Today?,” this week, and The Huffington Post has a sneak peek.


In this exclusive clip, the Tony nominee (“Amour”) performs a tender version of the Burt Bacharach tune, “The April Fools.”


The first in a planned “Live at 54 Below” series slated for release by Broadway Records, “What About Today?” captures Errico’s April 2014 performance at Feinstein’s/54 Below. Other highlights of the eclectic set, which was also released on CD in October, include the show tunes “Meadowlark” and “Small World,” as well as a groovy take on the Donna Summer classic, “Last Dance.”


“It was a portrait,” Errico, 45, told The Huffington Post of the show, which was directed by Richard Jay-Alexander. “I was trying to capture what my life felt like at that time. Women try to do everything – have a really good marriage, take care of themselves, take care of their children, take care of their parents. I tried to portray in that show that I was juggling a million things, plus still trying to handle what I call ‘the insanity’ of show business.”


What isn’t immediately apparent from “What About Today?” is how much the Feinstein's/54 Below performance represented a professional rebound of sorts. Just one year earlier, Errico's run in the acclaimed 2013 off-Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Passion” was cut short after she broke a small blood vessel in her throat.



According to Errico, the 106 days of doctor-mandated vocal rest that followed was “a wonderful lesson,” and served as inspiration for her latest and most autobiographical show, “Sing the Silence.”


Co-written by The New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik, “Sing the Silence,” which debuted to great acclaim at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater in New York last month, uses the personal reflection Errico experienced during her days of silence as a metaphorical conduit for women's empowerment. In keeping with that theme, the show featured music by Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush, as well as other female composers.


“It started as a kind of catharsis about myself and what I’d been through,” she said. “But as I settled into working with Adam, we went way outside of my story. I see it as a way to use my voice to talk about other generations, and get people thinking about the things they don’t say, they things they’re not allowed to say, they things they don’t have the nerve to say, and where silence fits into the female story right now. It’s way, way beyond me.”


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This To-Do List Nails The Sexist Double Standard Women Face In Comedy

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It's a sad reality that, even today, the idea that "women can be funny, too" is still a novel one to many people.  Comics who also happen to be women, like Amy Schumer, Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, and Tig Notaro, are redefining what it means to be a "funny woman," but the double standards between men and women in the comedy world persist. 


On Monday, comedian Sara Schaefer posted a tweet that pretty much nails those double standards in one brilliant visual joke: 






Hilarious and sad. It's the stuff of great comedy.


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8 Things People With Tattoos Want You To Know

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A tattoo may tell its owner's whole story, or it might have no specific meaning at all. Some were spur-of-the-moment decisions, and others result from lifetimes of heartache, fear, patience or joy. 


One thing most tattoo owners do agree on is that their ink is a high form of art that's made to be appreciated, not stigmatized. We asked our Facebook communities to share things they wish others knew about their tattoos. For starters... 


1. No, it wasn't the result of a "long night" out. 


"People have asked if I was drunk when I got my tattoos. I understand it does happen, but no reputable shop or responsible artist would tattoo an intoxicated client." --Lisa Marie via Facebook


2. And yes, they'll still be beautiful when we're older. 


"My tattoos do not give anyone the right to stare at me, or judge me, or ask the oft-repeated question, 'But have you thought about what they'll look like when you're older?' Just like everyone else, my skin will start to wrinkle and sag and the images I wear will eventually become distorted, but isn't that part of their beauty?" --Elizabeth Moran via Facebook 



3. Tattoos don't always have to "mean something."


"Some of us just like their beauty and artistry. I am proud to look down at my skin and see a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork." --Elizabeth Moran via Facebook


4. But sometimes, they are incredibly personal.


"I have a mental illness awareness ribbon on my right hand... I'm not ashamed of my illness, and I did this to show others it's ok." --Amy Simpson via Facebook



5. Sometimes, we're hiding them from you on purpose.


"As much as I love my tattoos, it's sometimes nice to be covered up in the winter because I know that's not the first thing people are looking at. Many people compliment them, which is really lovely, but there are definitely more than a couple judgmental stares." --Mia Wheeler via Facebook


6. We don't necessarily love every tattoo we've gotten. 


"Do I think the dolphin on my lower back represents current 30-year-old me? No, but it did when I was 18. It's like having a map of my adult life on my body." --Kayli Schaaf via Facebook



7. Just because we have one doesn't mean we have to show it off. 


"People tend to ask, 'Why did you bother to get them if you hide them?' They don't understand that I didn't get my tattoos for anybody else but myself. They're reminders of people and moments that were important to me." --Paige Tomas-Suffel via Facebook


8. Tattoos do not make us less responsible humans.


"I've lost good friends because of my tattoos -- they didn't want to be associated with my 'negative, deviant lifestyle.' But in reality, my tattoos have kept me alive." -Jordanne Tillman via Facebook 


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30 Elf On The Shelf Ideas That Require No Special Skills Whatsoever

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The Elf on the Shelf has become a holiday staple in homes across the country. But it's also a bit of nuisance to legions of parents who, night after night, have to remember to move the little guy to a new location and showcase some impressive mise-en-scène skills.


For those moms and dads who don't have time to dream up elaborate, Pinterest-worthy setups, here are 30 easy and straightforward Elf on the Shelf ideas that require little time or special skills. 


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14 Honest Cards That Convey What It’s Like To Be A Parent During The Holidays

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'Tis the season for giving. That means presents, parties and of course, cards.


But for parents in the throes of holiday chaos, Hallmark cards don't quite capture the inevitable roller coaster of emotions. 


That doesn't have to be an obstacle, however. Here are 14 honest holiday cards for stressed-out parents.



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Yes, Art Is Boring Sometimes, But Maybe That's A Good Thing

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Gaze upon a painting by Mark Rothko, color field king, and you can experience myriad emotions. The lush blocks of orange and yellow might awaken your physical senses, causing your body to recall feelings of warmth and comfort. The smooth appearance of rectangular shapes could slow your thought process, evoking feelings of tranquility. Alone -- just you and Rothko's handiwork -- you may also become aware of your own isolation.


Or ... you could just feel bored.





Boring. It's an adjective we use haphazardly to describe subjectively tedious and uninteresting things -- golf tournaments, Grapes of Wrath, your grandmother's weekly bridge group. The word has certainly been deployed to describe art, by someone, somewhere. Probably more than once. 


But, does calling a painting "boring" necessarily mean we don't like it? If it is tedious, does it mean it's bad? According to one philosopher, the answer is a hopeful "no" to both.


"Works of art, in all their variety ... afford us the opportunity for boredom," Alva Noë, a philosophy professor at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote in a column for NPR this week. "And they do so when everything in our lives mitigates against boredom." 


We live in a constantly connected world, encouraged by everything from "Netflix and Chill" mantras to wearable technology. So, in essence, we're almost never truly idle. Maybe boredom is one of the benefits of art, Noë surmises. 


"Could it be that the power to bore us to tears is a clue to what art is and why it is so important?"





Historical male thinkers, like Kierkegaard and Fromm, have pondered what it means to be bored, categorizing it as a state that must be defeated or an unwanted symptom of feeling alienated and industrialized or even privileged. Women authors have also explored the less-than-happy consequences of boredom; just read Virginia Woolf.


But there are upsides to boredom, outlined in these writers' works and Noë's, too. Upsides that make it OK to feel bored while gazing at a Georgia O'Keeffe or watching a Marina Abramovic performance or analyzing a Robert Frank photograph. In fact, maybe you should feel bored. Let's explore.





Boredom as Protest


Noë accurately points out that many artists mean to be boring. Take, for example, John Baldessari's "I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art," which consists of the title phrase written over and over again as a lithograph. He's hardly being subtle.


But more than meaning to be boring, some artists use "boring" art to make a statement. Consider UK critic Charlie Lyne's film "Paint Drying," which he launched in protest of the British Board of Film Classification, an organization that functions similarly to the Motion Picture Association of America.


UK Law states that every film released in British cinemas requires a BBFC certificate; however, filmmakers must pay a fee of around £1000 before the BBFC will even watch a feature film vying for certificate. This policy places a particular burden on the indie filmmakers who don't have big studio financing to begin with. 


So, in response to what Lyne deems an unfair practice, he is currently Kickstarting a film that, as the title hints, consists entirely of paint drying. "While filmmakers are required to pay the BBFC to certify their work, the BBFC are also required to sit through whatever we pay them to watch," he writes on his campaign site. "That’s why I’m Kickstarting a BBFC certificate for my new film 'Paint Drying' -- a single, unbroken shot of white paint drying on a brick wall."


In this case, Lyne wants the certifiers to feel boredom. His form of boredom is protest.





Boredom as Meditation


"Profound boredom," Martin Heidegger wrote, "drifting here and there in the abysses of our existence like a muffling fog, removes all things and men and oneself along with it into a remarkable indifference. This boredom reveals being as a whole."


Heidegger's characterization of boredom -- taken out of context -- sounds like something 21st century CEOs and yoga enthusiasts are both familiar with: meditation. He's effectively outlining the process of meditating, the goal of which wikiHow states is "to focus and quiet your mind, eventually reaching a higher level of awareness and inner calm."


Think back on that potentially boring Rothko painting. As you sit and wonder why a swath of simple hues should capture your attention, as you focus on what makes the seemingly infinite depth of a shade of pink worthy of your gaze, questions of both personal and professional nature fade away. Your captivated, even in a so-called state of boredom, by this one work.


Noë deems this state a "temporary illiteracy or, even more, a temporary blindness." And this temporary state can illuminate facets of ourselves, or as Heidegger says, our being as a whole. Sounds an awful lot like meditation, no?





Boredom as, well, Boredom


At the end of the day, it's hard not to think of Susan Sontag's famous quip: "We should not expect art to entertain or divert anymore."


Be bored, one might defiantly conclude. Relish boredom. Artists have no responsibility to shock or excite you. As Noë remarked, there is "the more radical possibility that all art points toward boredom, not exactly as its goal, but as its foreseeable consequence."


Why? Because all art causes you to think, and if we configure our perception of boredom as a state of unhindered thought, we can enjoy the state of boredom. In fact, we can purposefully move from feeling bored to feeling inspired.


"If we become bored, we should ask if we are operating in the right frame of attention," Sontag added. Instead of concluding with boredom, sink into it and expand your thoughts. Eventually, you could have a sense-opening experience.





Tl;dr: Boring art isn't necessarily bad and bad art isn't necessarily boring. 


So just as you should think twice before muttering "I could do that" whilst eyeing a Basquiat, and maybe hold off on decrying "This isn't art!" after checking out a Louise Bourgeois exhibition, perhaps "this is boring" isn't as effective a statement as you thought. The Oxford Dictionary definition of the word boring isn't as nuanced as the bored feelings flitting about in your head. 


Just remember: boring art isn't necessarily bad. "Art's boredom," Noë reckons, "is a valuable boredom."


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The Common Thread That Connects Cartoonists At The New Yorker

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While the cartoonists at The New Yorker have had a variety of different trajectories, there is a (rather odd) commonality that connects nearly all of them.


In addition to having fathers who were more than skeptical about their dream career paths, almost all of the artists had tense relationships with their moms when they were kids, filmmaker Leah Wolchok told HuffPost Live's Josh Zepps on Monday.


"Everyone talked about their mothers," she laughed. "Aside from Liana Fink, who seems to have a very healthy, thriving relationship with her mom and was inspired by her as an artist, I would say a lot of the cartoonists talk about the conflict they have with their mom growing up."


Wolchok, who chronicled some of the publication's illustrators for her HBO documentary, "Very Semi-Serious," said the cartoonists also described a sense of loneliness and alienation at school, and quite a few remembered being "the smallest one who wasn't getting chosen for the baseball team."


But cartoonist Mort Gerberg assured that being passed over for the team in grade school had no bearing on his prospects for athletic success in the long run.


"The wonderful irony of that is for the past 10, 12, 15 years, I've been pitching for the softball team of The New Yorker. That's my thing!" he said.


Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation with the cartoonists.


Want more HuffPostLive? Stream us anytime on Go90, Verizon's mobile social entertainment network, and listen to our best interviews on iTunes.


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Zoo Auctions Off Artwork Made By ... Animals?

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These animals are taking modern art to a whole new level. 


The Buttonwood Park Zoo in Massachusetts is holding an auction of fine art pieces -- made by the zoo's animals. Elephants, seals, beavers and more use their mouths and snouts to hold paintbrushes and create shockingly professional and original works of art. Or, they just drop the brushes and go for some good ole' fashion paw-painting. 


You can barely tell that these were made by creatures without opposable thumbs:








But the animals aren't just casual artists: they're doing it for a cause. The program is part of the zoo's second annual "Art Gone Wild" fundraiser to benefit its growing education and conservation programs. Last year, they raised nearly $4,000.


The animal's artistic processes come somewhat naturally, thanks to an enhanced training program. 


"It's really important that the animals and the keepers have a strong relationship, so when they ask them to do different behaviors, they respond to a word-based command," Lindsey Audunson, the zoological program coordinator, told The Huffington Post.


This video shows the zoo's Harbor Seal, Blue, channeling his creative energy into painting a picture using a brush held in his mouth:



Many of you have seen the great artwork being created by the animals at the Zoo. Many have also wondered how the animals create these masterpieces. This video shows one of our star artists showing off his talent. One of the key components of this program is the strong bond the animals have with their zoo keepers. These enhanced training skills allows zoo keepers to paint with various zoo species in a reward based process. You can help support this great effort by bidding on some of the art available through the Zoo’s Art Gone Wild auction. All proceeds from the art sales go directly to supporting the Zoo’s education and conservation programs.https://www.bpzoo.org/art-gone-wild/

Posted by Buttonwood Park Zoo on Monday, December 14, 2015


This year's auction will feature 50 pieces of original artwork painted by 10 different species of animals, and is set to close Tuesday, Dec. 15th, at 9 p.m. EST.


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The Most Influential Celebrity Baby Names Of 2015

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Some of most popular names in the U.S. today prove that celebrities influence baby name trends. Nicole Richie’s HarlowGwen Stefani’s Kingston, and half of the names chosen by the Jolie-Pitts have risen in popularity thanks to famous families. High profile birth announcements can take an already rising name and put it on more parents' short lists, like Channing Tatum’s Everly. Or it can transform an obscure choice, like Marlowe, into everyone’s new favorite.


As 2015 draws to a close, Nameberry takes a look at the celebrity baby name choices likely to influence baby naming in 2016 and beyond.


Charlotte



One of biggest celebrity stories of 2015 was the birth of Her Royal Highness, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge. Just days after Charlotte’s birth was announced, we learned that the name had cracked the U.S. top 10. It’s a classic choice, not a trendy one, but it’s still a name to watch in 2016.


Josey


Naya Rivera named her baby boy Josey, a name traditionally reserved for girls. This is consistent with a growing trend of parents reclaiming and subverting gendered names -- a move that's particularly noticeable with celebrity parents. 


Calvin


Both "Grimm’s" Claire Coffee and "Bones’" Emily Deschanel named their sons Calvin in 2015. A new wave of "old man" names is making a comeback, and Calvin could be the hottest of them all.


Poppy 



Jenna Bush Hager named her new daughter Poppy this hear, as did Nate Berkus. This is evidence that vintage flower names are in vogue, with more parents considering antique lovelies like Marigold and Magnolia. New favorite Poppy has been big in the U.K. for years and is now catching on in the U.S. as well.


Edith


Cate Blanchett’s daughter Edith is evidence of another new trend: names with the digraph ‘th’. Fast-rising Theodore, Theo, and Thea have all appeared on celebrity birth announcements. But some of the most stylish names put the ‘th’ in the middle or the end, like Blanchett’s Edith.


Sparrow


O-ending names for girls have been catching on ever since Will and Jada welcomed Willow way back in 2000. 2015 showed trends in girl names like Sparrow (daughter of Eivin and Eve Kilcher) and Harlow Monroe (Kimberly Caldwell’s daughter).


Saint



If Charlotte was the baby name of early 2015, Saint West is the story of the winter. Other recent arrivals with names that are equally grand: Lily Cole’s Wylde and Kimora Lee’s Wolfe.


Edie 


Simple, even spare choices like Keira Knightley’s Edie and Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker’s Hank show a trend toward short, straightforward names meant for everyday use. Other names in this category include Max, Art, Ozzie, and Cy.


Love


Terence Howard’s Qirin Love was one of the vintage middle names that are all the rage.We’ve also seen unexpected choices like Snow, Moon, Ocean, Sky, Rein, Blue, Red, and Day used for celebrity babies in 2015.


Luna



The hottest direction in naming is "up," whether that’s celestial objects, like Leonor Varela’s Luna or, ways to get there, like Sam Worthington and Lara Bingle’s Rocket. A.J. Cook of "Criminal Minds" is mom to Phoenix Sky.


Charlie 


Jeff Goldblum’s Charlie Ocean pulls together many 2015 trends. Charlie is a "post-gender" name, used in almost equal numbers for boys and girls. Dave and Odette Annable named their daughter Charlie Mae earlier this year. It’s also simplified name, like Edie and Hank, free of clutter. 



Nameberry


 


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