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Totoro The Mystical Creature Is Getting Its Own Theme Park In Japan

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Fans of the magical creature Totoro will soon be able to frolic in nature with their beloved character.


The governor of Japan’s Aichi prefecture announced Thursday that it is building an entire theme park based on director Hayao Miyazaki’s cult classic animated film “My Neighbor Totoro” in partnership with Studio Ghibli Inc., according to The Japan Times.


The park, tentatively dubbed Ghibli Park, is scheduled to open in early 2020. Totoro’s fantasy world will span nearly 500 acres at Morikoro Park near Nagoya, about 200 miles southwest of Tokyo.


My Neighbor Totoro,” released in 1988, follows the story of two sisters who move to an old house in the countryside while their mother is in a nearby hospital. Satsuke and Mei meet a creature they call Totoro, who leads them through a mystical forest and teaches them powerful life lessons.


The film and its English version, voiced by Elle and Dakota Fanning, has become a favorite around the world. 





Morikoro Park currently contains a replica of Satuske and Mei’s fictional home, where fans of “Totoro” can book a guided tour. Gorō Miyazaki, Hayao Miyazaki’s son, designed the real-life version of the home, according to Japanese culture blog Kotaku.


“It feels like the family just stepped out for a few minutes and will be back anytime,” one TripAdvisor review of the attraction reads. 


Unlike a traditional theme park, there are no plans to include any rides at Ghibli Park. Instead, Gov. Hideaki Omura said, it will embody the film’s theme of “respecting and embracing nature,” according to the BBC. Construction is planned only in park areas that have existing clearings, to “avoid felling trees,” Omura said.


Long-range plans for Ghibli Park include attractions based on Miyazaki’s other films, including Academy Award winner “Spirited Away,” “The Wind Rises” and “Princess Mononoke,” Newsweek reported.


Phase one of the park, however, is strictly Totoro territory.





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Lawsuit Accuses Glass Artist Dale Chihuly Of Plagiarizing Work

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A lawsuit filed on Friday accuses the renowned Washington glass artist Dale Chihuly of passing off the work of another man as his own for 15 years.


The suit, filed by the lawyers of Michael Moi in King County Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for Western Washington, claims the prolific decorator of botanical gardens has been involved in a “myriad of clandestine painting sessions” with Moi, but has never compensated him or given him credit for his efforts, despite the artist’s promises otherwise.


“The truth behind the creation of his paintings has been intentionally hidden,” Moi claims.


In a press release sent to HuffPost, Chihuly’s camp strongly refutes Moi’s claims, dubbing the lawsuit “baseless.” 


The statement, sent on Friday from Chihuly’s studio headquarters in Seattle, claims the studio hired Moi as handyman for “various cleaning, repairing and small construction projects over the years.”


Moi “also alleges possession of Chihuly’s private documents, including medical papers and personal letters, that would be ‘substantively uncomfortable’ if released to the public,” the statement adds. In February, the statement continues, Moi asked for $21 million, “threatening to publicly file a lawsuit if his demand for money was not met. Earlier this month, when Chihuly had not agreed to pay him, Moi served Chihuly’s legal counsel with a state court complaint.”



Chihuly Inc. asserts that it has “allowed” Moi’s claims to go public “rather than accede to Mr. Moi’s ultimatum,” characterizing the demands as “nothing more than an ugly and reprehensible display of opportunism and exploitation” motivated by a desire to disclose private information, specifically about Chihuly’s mental health, a topic of a recent Associated Press interview.


Chihuly told the AP he has been dealing with bouts of depression since his 20s, and, at 75 years old, suffers from bipolar disorder. “I’m usually either up or down,” he said. “I don’t have neutral very much. When I’m up I’m usually working on several projects. A lot of times it’s about a six-month period. When I’m down, I kind of go in hibernation.”


Moi’s lawsuit demands credit for joint work ― “a large volume of paintings” he says were created at Chihuly’s Boathouse in Washington, some involving blow torches and plexiglass ― as well as the revenues derived from their sale.


Moi never held the position of painting assistant, the company counters, while acknowledging that Chihuly does not work alone ― he uses studio assistants to “execute his vision,” particularly his large, glass-blown sculptures that often resemble alien sea creatures or Seussian shrubbery. (A few anonymous reviewers of Chihuly Studio on Glassdoor claim to have experienced a less-than-ideal working environment.)


Chihuly has been a part of court cases concerning his art before. In 2006, he sued two fellow glass-blowers, one of whom was a longtime collaborator, for copyright infringement, claiming they had purposefully mimicked his signature style. (The case against one of them, Bryan Rubino, was settled.)


Chihuly’s work is currently on view in shows at the New York Botanical Garden, as well as Arkansas’ Crystal Bridges museum. It’s also included in more permanent displays in venues across the country.







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Jack O’Neill, Founder Of Iconic Surf Brand, Dies At 94

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Jack O’Neill, a pioneer in wetsuit technology and founder of the iconic California surf brand, died of natural causes Friday at the age of 94, the Orange County Register reported.


Friends of the Santa Cruz local confirmed his death to Monterey news station KSBW 8 on Friday.




For those who don’t surf, O’Neill’s name is still recognizable as the popular surf brand with a wave-like logo seen on T-shirts, sweatshirts and board shorts, usually worn by anyone who can appreciate a beach-centered lifestyle. 


For those who do surf, however, O’Neill was an innovator of the sport and a true soul surfer. He was known as the eye patch-wearing pioneer (his eye was injured in a surfing accident) who created one of the first neoprene-based wetsuits, which allowed surfers to remain in cold water much longer, according to the O.C. Register.


While others have claimed to have invented the wetsuit, it is O’Neill who is widely credited with expanding surf culture into the colder coastal areas of the world.




In 1952, O’Neill opened a small surf shop at Ocean Beach in San Francisco ― a first for the area ― and looked for ways to stay warm in Northern California’s chilly waters, San Francisco Gate reported. While working on the neoprene-based wetsuit, O’Neill moved his shop south to Santa Cruz.


“I thought that I’d have a little shop on the beach and some people to surf with. But I kept up on the neoprene wetsuit and I soon got letters from around the world ― people who were interested in staying warm in the water,” O’Neill said in a 2012 interview with surf news site Surfline.


“Nobody is more surprised than I am how it’s grown,” he said of his invention.


Surf brands and wetsuit makers still use neoprene. O’Neill, as a brand, has branched into men’s and women’s athletic wear, lifestyle clothing and swimsuits. In 1996, O’Neill, the surfer, founded the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, a youth program that teaches environmental and marine conservation.


In an interview with RedBull TV published in December, O’Neill revealed what he values most: “The three most important things in life are surf, surf and surf.”


O’Neill celebrated his 94th birthday on March 27. He died at home surrounded by family, according to KSBW 8.



A post shared by O'Neill (@oneill) on





A post shared by O'Neill (@oneill) on



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Ariana Grande Surprises Young Fans Injured In Manchester Attack

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Ariana Grande brought a much-needed smile on Friday to the faces of some of her young fans who were injured in the Manchester terror attack.


The pop star paid a surprise visit to youngsters at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, who continue to receive treatment following the May 22 suicide bombing following her concert at the Manchester Arena.


Grande spoke with and hugged the children, and also posed for photographs. 


























The singer spent some time talking to nurses:






She left some gifts:






And she also penned a heartfelt note to one of her fans:






For those who couldn’t be visited, she surprised them over FaceTime:






Adam Harrison, whose daughter Lily suffered spinal injuries in the attack, said she was “on cloud nine” following Grande’s visit.


This means more to us than all the amazing things people have done this week,” added Peter Mann, whose daughter Jaden was also injured in the blast.


“So happy she came I could burst. Never seen Jaden so happy; even cried again myself,” Mann told the BBC.


Grande made the hospital visit soon after returning to Manchester for the first time since the attack, which killed 22 people and injured dozens more.


It came ahead of her all-star “One Love Manchester” benefit concert at the Emirates Old Trafford stadium on Sunday. 


Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Coldplay and Pharrell are all set to perform. Proceeds will go to the Red Cross’ “We Love Manchester Emergency Fund.”






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A 'Drag Race' Queen Kicks Off Pride By Re-Creating A Queer Classic

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RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant Alexis Michelle kicked off Pride month in the “gayest” way possible, teaming up with Broadway’s Andrew Keenan-Bolger for a spirited take on “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again.” 


The tune is a perfect pick for Pride, of course, given its history. In 1963, Judy Garland and a 21-year-old Barbra Streisand performed the duet on “The Judy Garland Show,” and it remains a staple of queer playlists 54 years later. 


Michelle, 32, will return to New York nightspot Feinstein’s/54 Below June 13 for a special Pride installment of “It Takes A Woman... An Evening with Alexis Michelle.” The show, which features musical direction by Brandon James Gwinn, sees the drag queen tackling songs from Broadway musicals such as “Cabaret,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “La Cage aux Folles,” as well as hits by Streisand and Lady Gaga.   


“I fell in love with theater when I was 5 years old,” Michelle, whose real name is Alex Michaels, told HuffPost in May. “The best I can do – as a gay man, a queer performer and a drag queen – is live my life honestly, openly and authentically, and let that authenticity be reflected in my performances. I really do believe that if we all live authentically, that behavior in and of itself has the power to change the world.”


Alexis Michelle stars in “It Takes A Woman… An Evening with Alexis Michelle” at Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York on June 13. Head here for details. 

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The Funny Story Behind How The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Album Got Its Name

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Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” could have been a totally different album altogether, were it not for a simple misunderstanding.


Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney has revealed how the title and concept of the British band’s eighth album actually came to him during an airplane flight with a roadie, Mal Evans.


McCartney said in an interview posted to his website on May 25 that the idea behind the record, which celebrated its 50th anniversary Thursday, all emanated from him mishearing Evans asking him to “pass the salt and pepper.”


“I thought he said Sergeant Pepper,” said McCartney. “I went, ‘Oh! Wait a minute, that’s a great idea!’”







After having “a laugh about it,” McCartney, 74, said he immediately “started thinking about Sergeant Pepper as a character.”


“I thought it would be a very interesting idea for us to assume alter egos for this album we were about to make,” he added.


The rest, as they say, is music history.


Read the full interview on McCartney’s website here.


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Fox News Mulls Over Whether Wonder Woman Is 'American' Enough

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As “Wonder Woman” garners stellar ratings and remains on track for a record-breaking opening weekend, a Fox News panel is conducting a deep dive into a critical matter: Is the Amazonian princess American enough?


Fox host Neil Cavuto noted on Friday to guest Dion Baia that “some” have been taking issue with the film’s alleged lack of patriotism — chiefly, that the superhero’s costume color scheme is too un-American. 



“Some are calling it less American, Dion, because, well, her outfit isn’t red, white, and blue, and, in order to appeal for foreign audiences, very little reference to America at all,” said the “Your World With Neil Cavuto” host.


“I think, nowadays, sadly, money trumps patriotism,” Baia replied. “Especially, recently, I personally feel like we’re not really very patriotic, the country, in a certain sense. And they want these movies to succeed internationally, you know, so they’re going to dial back.”


Fellow guest Mike Gunzelman lamented that he feels “it’s cool to hate America these days.”





Baia, for his part, said his comments have been misconstrued. “Taken outta context much?” he tweeted Saturday, referencing an Entertainment Weekly article that characterized him as being “upset” with the movie (probably because he used the word “sadly.”)


He maintained he was simply explaining why he believes the movie’s American patriotism was “toned down.”






But in any case, criticism of Gadot’s costume as not looking “American” is a little weak.


A red, blue and gold color combination is still fairly reminiscent of the American flag. Gold is often incorporated into patriotic decorations and accessories, and sometimes used in place of white.


The original comic and Lynda Carter’s iconic Wonder Woman costume from the 1970s TV series both included more gold than white.  



Yes, Gadot’s Wonder Woman is not wearing a bottom piece adorned with little white stars, but she is wearing a top with an emblem of an eagle, which is, you know, a major symbol for the United States.



Plus, the actual plot of the movie involves Wonder Woman teaming up with an American pilot to stop German forces, which makes equating it with “hating America” a bit of a stretch.


Whatever. There have been worse takes on the movie.

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Here's What The First 'Harry Potter' Book Looks Like Around The World

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In its 20 years on this planet Earth, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone — or Philosopher’s, if you’re British — has been officially translated into 68 languages (and unofficially even more than that).


Naturally, some aspects of J.K. Rowling’s characters and plot require a bit of finessing so they make sense in languages other than her native English. The verbal clues that help readers imagine the school houses of Slytherin and Ravenclaw, for example, turn into “Serpentard” and “Serrdaigle” (roughly “snake” and “eagle talon”) in French. In German, “The Mirror of Erised” becomes “Der Spiegel Nerhegeb” — “nerhegeb” being the German word for “desire” spelled backwards.


Character names aren’t safe from alteration in translation, either. Buckbeak the Hippogriff becomes “Hardodziób,” roughly meaning “haughty beak,” in Poland. In Iceland, Crookshanks the cat becomes “Skakklappi,” or “crook-legged.” The wayward owl Pigwidgeon simply is “Kvík” in Slovak, or “squeak.”


Rowling’s affinity for puns requires some smart work on the part of the translator, as well; in a recent discussion over whether Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown ever had sex on the “Harry Potter” sub-Reddit board, users mused over the differences in translation over a scene during Divination class. After Lavender realizes she’s found Uranus, Ron requests whether he can “see Uranus, too.” Oh, ho, ho — but for readers in other languages to get the joke, the pun had to be altered somewhat, from “Uranus” to simply a “heavenly body” (that Ron would like to see, too). Ten points to the translator who had to finesse that one.


The text isn’t the only thing that has changed as the story of “Harry Potter” traveled from country to country. Various publishers chose to stray from the American cover illustrated by Mary GrandPré or the U.K. version created by Thomas Taylor, while others did not. Here are 21 magical covers from the first “Harry Potter” book that stole our hearts.


British English



French



Arabic



German



Spanish





Dutch




Italian



Swedish



Danish



Persian



Russian



Ukranian



Japanese




Portuguese



Thai



Czech



Bosnian


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John Oliver Rips American Media For Coverage Of London Attack

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John Oliver was not a fan of the American media’s use of strange verbiage during their coverage of the terror attack in London on Saturday night.


During Sunday night’s episode of “Last Week Tonight”, the British comedian showed a supercut of CNN and Fox News repeatedly saying that Britain was “reeling” and “under siege” after the attack. In an effort to clarify how Brits are feeling, Oliver stressed that “in no way is Britain ‘under siege.’” 


“Is it upset? Yes. Is it pissed off? Oh, you fucking bet it’s pissed off,” he said. “But to say it’s ‘under siege’ and that its people are ‘reeling’ is to imply that it’s somehow weak enough to be brought to its knees by three monumental assholes. And that, as an idea, is insulting.”


In fact, the overstatement of being “under siege” caused a perfectly snarky hashtag, #ThingsThatLeaveBritainReeling, to pop up.


Oliver used this man, still clutching his pint of beer while leaving the scene of the attack, as an example: 






“He refused to leave his pint of beer behind! That is a one-man walking ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ poster,” Oliver quipped.


You can watch the whole glorious clip above. 

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Raw Photos Capture First Two Years Of Motherhood

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Photographer Anna Ogier-Bloomer has enjoyed documenting her family, especially her mother, for almost 15 years, so when she became a parent herself in 2013, she naturally decided to capture that experience as well.


Her photo series “Letdown” shows the first two years of motherhood ― from the exhaustion and pain to the joy and peace.



“The first two years of motherhood were a complete shock to the system ― unfathomable love for another person and completely unexpected challenges,” Ogier-Bloomer told HuffPost. “A wise friend, and lactation consultant, told me that when it comes to babies, the only constant is change. She was absolutely right. Any time we thought we’d finally adjusted to a challenge, our daughter changed into a whole new person overnight, with new needs, new interests and new tendencies.”


During those two years, the photographer’s daughter, Violet, wouldn’t sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time and constantly needed to be held. Ogier-Bloomer said she and her husband were in “survival mode.” Focusing on her photography felt impossible, especially after she went back to her full-time job as an art professor when the baby was 3.5 months old. 



“Being a mother is the absolute hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I was surprised by what a physical toll it would take on me for the first two years,” Ogier-Bloomer recalled. 


The physical elements of motherhood inspired the photographer to create “Letdown.” A big part of the project centered around breastfeeding.


“Breastfeeding is one of the greatest joys of my life, but it was very difficult at times, too,” she said. “I wanted to investigate the complexity of doing the most difficult yet most meaningful work I’d ever done. The physical act of motherhood begins at conception and continues to evolve through a child’s life.”



With help from her husband, sister and the camera’s self-timer, Ogier-Bloomer turned these experiences and feelings into art. 


The photographer focused her camera on details like the engorgement of the breast, the pain on her skin from Violet’s pinching and scratching, moments of illness and the overall emotional outpouring of love. 


“These things simultaneously bring excruciating physical pain and unparalleled emotional joy,” she explained. “Through images of my own mother, I attach a thread from one generation to the next. I confront the complexity of these seemingly contradictory states of being, and the ways in which women feel the pull of motherhood, their children, and their physical self and appearance in a way unlike anything or anyone else.”



Ultimately, Ogier-Bloomer hopes fellow mothers who see her photos feel less alone and know that she’s an advocate for parents. She also wants to help normalize breastfeeding. 


“I want those for whom these images, this subject matter, the idea that toddlers want to nurse even while their mothers are using the toilet, are outside of their realm, to have a better understanding of what the complex and vital experience of mothering and breastfeeding is really like,” the photographer said.



Ogier-Bloomer said that becoming a parent changed how she viewed her own mother. 


“I get it now. I understand the pain she feels when one of her three children, all grown, suffers, experiences heartbreak or disappointment or becomes estranged,” she explained. “I understand the desire she has to make it all go away, to come fix it for us even though she can’t ― the deep pain and sadness I feel when my daughter is hurt or sad is something that doesn’t disappear.”


She added, “My child is a part of me. And I hope viewers see their own mother, or all mothers, in a new light.”



H/T Refinery29

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These 'Hipster Babies' Are So Cute It Hurts

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Cute baby alert!



Stylist Kari Nyack teamed up with Tommee Tippee U.K. for a “hipster baby photo shoot.” For the shoot, four adorable babies named Lyla, Ezra, Theodore, and Jahmali sported some artsy looks and posed around London’s hip Shoreditch neighborhood.


The initiative is part of the baby product company’s #WeanTogether campaign, which shares easy weaning recipes with “foodie” titles like “Deconstructed Autumn Fruit Crumble” (aka pear and blueberries) and “Nightvision Coulis” (aka carrots).



According to a press release, “The campaign aims to show parents that you don’t have to be a hip master chef in order to create healthy meals for your baby, and empower them to make their own weaning recipes from scratch.”


The company also invites parents to share their favorite weaning foods on social media and the campaign website. While the “hipster babies” haven’t shared their reviews of the recipes, we have to imagine they’re fans. 


Keep scrolling for more hipster baby cuteness.



H/T Mashable

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Listen To Gov't Mule's New Album 'Revolution Come...Revolution Go'

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Warren Haynes is no stranger to making political statements on Gov’t Mule albums ― and the band’s new record is no exception. Called “Revolution Come…Revolution Go,” the set, which makes its premiere Monday on HuffPost, features songs about the current political climate ― with an overarching theme of unity.


Haynes, along with drummer Matt Abts, keyboardist/guitarist Danny Louis and bassist Jorgen Carlsson, entered the studio to begin working on the new album on Election Day 2016, and the sentiment felt during that time infuses some of the tracks, including “Stone Cold Rage.”


“‘Stone Cold Rage’ is kind of an observation of what’s going on … whichever way the election went there were a lot of people who were going to be pissed off,” Haynes told HuffPost at Build Series.”It just speaks about where we are right now with the divide.”


Likewise, the album cover speaks to that feeling, as it features a soldier atop a broken toy mule facing the wrong way. He’s seen shouting through an orange street cone.



“If you look at the artwork, it’s about people who aren’t working together. It’s about going in a circle and winding up right where you were and no progress being made,” Haynes said.


Even the title track on the record ― the band’s first studio album in four years ― speaks to what’s going on in the current political climate. 


“We keep having these major changes and the next administration comes in and negates them, and the next administration comes in and negates that. And all we’re really doing is undermining what’s being done. We’re not really moving forward,” Haynes said.



Gov’t Mule, though, hopes their new album gives fans something to think about. 


“Music brings people together. People in our audience are from all walks of life and are on both sides of the political spectrum. And everybody has a genuine ax to grind,” Haynes said, adding, “I think the biggest takeaway from our new record is that it’s up to people to work together and solve this situation. We can’t depend on the government to solve it. And the only way we can do is by working together.”


Listen to the entire album (currently available for pre-order) below, before it comes out on Friday.  






Welcome to Battleground, where art and activism meet.

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'Moonlight' Fans Have The Best Name For Crayola's New Blue Crayon

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Earlier this year, Crayola tragically announced the retirement of its beloved yellow crayon, Dandelion. Shortly after, it became apparent that the classic 24-pack would never be the same.


Perhaps in an effort to help fans through the grieving process, the company quickly unveiled Dandelion’s replacement ― a nameless blue crayon ― along with an announcement that its official pigment title would be chosen by the public. 


The #NameTheBlue campaign was born.







The campaign officially closed last week, but not before a frontrunner suggestion emerged, thanks to “Moonlight” playwright and screenplay co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney. 


“Chiron,” he tweeted, with a link to coverage of Crayola’s new blue, referencing the main character of the Oscar-winning film about a young, queer black man coming of age in Miami, Florida.


Barry Jenkins, who also co-wrote and directed the movie, shared the message, and a flood of retweets rolled in. One look at a still from “Moonlight” ― or a quick reminder of the movie’s defining line, “In moonlight black boys look blue” ― made it clear to many that “Chiron” is the perfect choice for Crayola’s deep new pigment.










The blue crayon has been temporarily dubbed “YInMin,” a mashup of the elements that make up the color ― Yttrium, Indium and Manganese. Researchers in Oregon “accidentally” discovered the specific shade of blue several years ago


At the moment, “Chiron” seems to be the fan-favorite name for the Crayola addition. It is, in our humble opinion, much, much better than the alternative: Yes, people have suggested covfefe. 














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Bob Dylan Finally Gave His Required Nobel Prize Lecture. Here It Is.

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“Bob Dylan” the public artist is a cryptic puzzle. As some scholars may spend years piecing together an understanding of dead languages or obsolete technologies, those with similar Don Quixote-esque tendencies may try to parse a true meaning from Dylan’s art.


Dylan has a reputation for being media averse and any long statement from the now 76-year-old artist is rare. So, it’s a unique opportunity that there’s a new, nearly half-hour speech by Dylan to consume.


Last year, Dylan was awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition,” as the institution described. At first, Dylan hesitated to accept, but finally allowed the institution to give him his medal earlier this year, albeit in a private ceremony.


Part of the requirement of accepting this prize, however, is to give a lecture for The Nobel Foundation. Dylan therefore recorded an audio-only lecture Sunday that was subsequently released Monday.


“When I received the Nobel Prize for Literature, I got to wondering exactly how my songs related to literature,” Dylan began his lecture. “I wanted to reflect on it and see where the connection was. I’m going to try to articulate that to you ― and most likely it will go in a round-about way.”


Dylan famously didn’t even acknowledge the award for nearly two weeks, a slight that a member of the Nobel institution called “impolite and arrogant.” He also did not attend the formal banquet.


Eventually, Dylan warmed to the honor and told The Telegraph that it was “amazing” and “incredible.” He further said, “Who dreams about something like that?”


This new lecture at least has the audio flourishes of background music and editing to distinguish it slightly from a straight, rambling recording of Dylan speaking into a microphone. Although the latter wouldn’t have been too surprising (or unwelcome) given Dylan’s artistic history.


Dylan finished his intro to the speech by saying, “I hope what I say will be worthwhile and purposeful.”

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Ariana Grande's Mom Walked Through Benefit Show With A Comforting Message

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Ariana Grande’s mother, Joan Grande, was there in the crowd at her daughter’s Sunday night concert in Manchester just as she was two weeks before when a terrorist attack killed 22 at a show in the city.


But after reportedly shepherding panicked young fans backstage at the tragic May 22 event, Joan came out to the One Love Manchester benefit show this weekend with a comforting message. A reporter for The Guardian noticed her hugging fans and telling them, “Do not be afraid.”






The benefit, held to raise funds for victims of the attack and their families, drew a crowd of 50,000 in Manchester, England, including several who were injured in the attack. 


Performances by Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Robbie Williams, Miley Cyrus, Coldplay and Katy Perry became emotional as the artists spread messages of strength and perseverance


“The kind of love and unity that you’re displaying is the medicine the world really needs right now,” Ariana said at the benefit. 


“What a night!” her mother wrote over Twitter after the event, adding her thanks to the city of Manchester.


“The fortitude of your city is extraordinary!” she wrote.






The show went on just one day after another terror attack hit the United Kingdom. Three men plowed into pedestrians with a car on London Bridge and stabbed people nearby on Saturday evening in the nation’s capital before being shot dead by police. London mayor Sadiq Khan announced there was “no reason to be alarmed” by an increased police presence following the attack.


Nearly half the U.K. viewing audience watched the live One Love broadcast, which was shown on ABC in the U.S. and streamed live online. Initial estimates put the amount raised at £2 million ($2.6 million), but TMZ reports that figure could be as high as $12 million and rising. 

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New Fitness Book Wants You To Get Ripped With Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg may be an unlikely fitness model, lacking the muscle poundage of Dwayne Johnson or the rippling, always-exposed abs of Jillian Michaels. Nonetheless, the still-spry 84-year-old has attracted admiration in recent years for her unquestionably great stamina. 


Wondering where she gets her strength? Apparently you’re not alone. The Associated Press reports that Ginsburg’s trainer of nearly two decades, Bryant Johnson, will walk America through her regimen in a book, The RBG Workout: How She Stays Strong... and You Can Too!


A few hints: Johnson has Ginsburg do push-ups using her feet, not her knees; she does planks instead of sit-ups; and medicine balls are involved. 



The cover illustration of The RBG Workout will be familiar to Ginsburg exercise enthusiasts. The book will be illustrated by Patrick Welsh, who previously drew Ginsburg working out for Politico reporter Ben Schreckinger’s in-depth piece on her fitness. (After completing a modified version of her workout, Schreckinger endorsed the regimen, concluding: “Sore, disoriented and cranky, I didn’t feel a day over 65.”)


As in the Politico article, Welsh will depict Ginsburg performing each move in robes, spectacles, purple leggings and pink sneakers. We don’t know if she exercises in full Supreme Court regalia, but we don’t know if she doesn’t! Let us have our fun.


Lest you be intimidated by RBG’s proficiency, remember that it’s never too late to dedicate yourself to a healthy lifestyle. Ginsburg herself began working with Johnson in 1999, after a battle with colon cancer left her physically weakened. She now works out twice weekly. 


It seemed the liberal-leaning justice had fully entered the realm of celebrity in 2015, when the bestselling The Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg was published. She was the subject of pop cultural references and memes; people bought books about her by the truckload. Now, however, it’s clear that another step was needed: People had to want her beach body. (Or, in all seriousness, her healthy approach to exercise, suitable for all ages.) Now, at last, her celeb workout book is here.


In a world where we get our book recommendations from film actors and political guidance from reality TV stars, it seems fitting that we at least get our fitness inspo from a brilliant legal scholar and Supreme Court justice. 


Now please excuse us, we have some planks to do. 



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Margaret Atwood Speaks Out Against Anti-Abortion Legislation In The U.S.

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Since her classic 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale was adapted into a TV series for Hulu, Margaret Atwood has used the story as a jumping-off point for discussion around current events.


In a recent call for more public library funding, Atwood reminded fans there are no libraries in Gilead, her fictional authoritarian regime. (“It’s no coincidence,” she added.) Atwood noted that a free press was not protected in Gilead, either, in a letter distributed by PEN America earlier this year regarding censorship and free expression.


Most recently, the author brought up Gilead at New York City’s BookCon 2017 this past weekend, likening recent abortion legislation in Texas to “a form of slavery.”


Atwood spoke on a panel alongside “The Handmaid’s Tale” showrunner Bruce Miller, discussing the historical precedents for Gilead and the intersection of their art and activism.


“I’m not a real activist,” Atwood explained, because activists get paid for their work, and she, on the other hand, doesn’t “have a job.” Her perch as an artist, she continued, makes it possible for her to say the things that others want to say, but feel unable to. For this reason, she said, she would never survive a fascist society because artists are usually targeted first.


“So, you are not yet living in a fascist society,” Atwood told BookCon crowds. “Whoopee.”



When the panel opened up to audience questions, Atwood was asked to put her speculative fiction abilities to use to predict what’s in store for the United States.


“I’m not a clairvoyant,” Atwood said. Instead, she said she looks at what’s happened in the past ― and what’s happening in the present ― when creating future, fictional worlds.


“I was born in 1939,” she said. “What was going on in 1939?”


Atwood continued to explain that she’s read a great deal about fascism, and is an avid reader of prisoners’ diaries. In fact, when asked what further reading she would recommend to fans of her book, she suggested The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: a History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer.


So, The Handmaid’s Tale arose from her imagining what fascism would look like in America. “It wouldn’t be atheistic,” she said.


While she didn’t feel qualified to comment on America’s possible future, she did provide a lengthy, impassioned comment on the current state of affairs ― regarding a question about abortion legislation in Texas.


“I’m [...] waiting for a lawsuit that says if you force me to have children I cannot afford, you should pay for the process,” she said. “It is really a form of slavery to force women to have children that they cannot afford and then to say that they have to raise them.”


Atwood also addressed the ways in which the Hulu adaptation of her book takes seriously the issue of climate change. Pollution and other environmental concerns catalyze the establishment of Gilead in the book, but in the show, the changing climate is more central to the plot.


The update to the show, Atwood said, was made to reflect what’s currently happening in the world. The author cited the example of everyday plastics affecting male fertility.


“But you’re not allowed to say that,” she noted.


Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale ― both the book and the TV show ― will know that her comments fit with the world Atwood wrote about. In her fictional Gilead, women bear the burden of society’s fertility issues, while male infertility is either ignored or dealt with in secrecy. That Atwood ensured her story was drawn from events and trends already existing in real life makes her vision of a possible future that much more frightening.







 


Editor’s note: The author of this article moderated the BookCon panel featuring Margaret Atwood and Bruce Miller.

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Ballet Dancer Jumps Onto Subway Tracks, Rescues Man, Becomes NYC Hero

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Subway heroes come in all types: Army veteransutility engineers, professional ballet dancers


The latest transportation savior is more likely to be seen in tights and dance slippers, leaping across a stage at New York City’s prestigious Lincoln Center, than performing a random feat of heroism in his city’s subway system.


Nonetheless, American Ballet Theater dancer Gray Davis did just that: Over the weekend, he came to the rescue of a 58-year-old man who’d fallen onto the tracks at the 72nd Street Broadway-Seventh Avenue station.


According to police, the incident occurred just before midnight on Saturday. The injured man, whose name has not been released, was allegedly pushed onto the tracks by a woman who initially fled the scene. (Carolyn Mack, 23, has since been arrested on assault charges, though she claims she did not push the anonymous man.)


Davis, who’d been waiting at the subway station with his wife, ABT soloist Cassie Trenary, and his mother, Janie Krabbe B. LeTourneau, saw the man fall. “At first I waited for somebody else to jump down there,” he told The New York Times. “People were screaming to get help. But nobody jumped down. So I jumped down.”


Not only did he jump down, but he reportedly lifted the unconscious man to safety, and, upon hearing an oncoming train, “swung” his way out of danger.


“I never realized how high it was,” Davis said of the subway platform ledge. “Luckily, I’m a ballet dancer, so I swung my leg up.”


Davis and Trenary were in the process of heading back from one of her Lincoln Center performances. Although Davis, who’s been with ABT for around 10 years, was not dancing that night due to a herniated disk, Trenary had danced in both the Saturday matinee and evening performances of “The Golden Cockerel.”


Davis’ mother recounted the sequence of events on Facebook in a post shared by ABT’s page, calling the altercation “the most disturbing thing I have ever witnessed”:



As we watched a man and woman on the opposite platform punching each other, Cassandra Trenary made Gray go look for security..all of a sudden the woman threw the man onto the train tracks, while a train was due any minute. We were all horrified about what was about to happen as the man lay unresponsive on that track...out of no where and just in time we all watched as a brave young man jumped down, and lifted the man high up on to safety like he was a feather. Shocked, I said, uh, Cassie is THAT Grayson Davis ? She said Yes it is. He then lifted himself up miraculously just before the train got there. People started cheering and yelling “you are a hero”. The three of us have been in shock ever since. The NYPD came, arrested the lady, then got our statement, and told Gray he did a very brave thing and no doubt saved the man’s life...the man was rushed to hospital and we pray he will be ok. My son has always made me proud, but I’ve never been as proud of him as I was tonight, out of 2 full platforms of people, he was the only person brave enough to jump down and save that man’s life. This certainly is a day I will never forget in more ways than one. (Did I mention Gray has been recovering from a herniated disc for the last month?)






According to several reports, the couple usually uses the 66th Street station after performances, but due to service disruptions, had opted to trek to 72nd instead.


As ABT noted, unlikely heroes truly are everywhere.


HuffPost has reached out to American Ballet Theater and Cassie Trenary for comment and will update this story accordingly.


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This Tony Nominee Doesn't Want Praise For Playing A Straight Guy

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When Brandon Uranowitz began performances in “Falsettos” last fall, he hoped audiences would view the musical, which explores same-sex relationships during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s, as a “history lesson.”  


Recent hits like “Fun Home” and “Kinky Boots” have tackled queer issues to great acclaim on Broadway, of course. In comparison, “Falsettos” would remind audiences who’d witnessed the passing of same-sex marriage and other strides toward equality in recent years “what it was like for gay men and women at a certain time to find love and create a family,” Uranowitz said. 


A little more than two weeks after “Falsettos” opened Oct. 23, however, President Donald Trump’s election thrust the future of LGBTQ rights into uncertainty. Suddenly, the Reagan-era homophobia depicted in William Finn’s musical, first presented on Broadway in 1992, seemed to be resurfacing in the Trump administration’s anti-gay platform



It’s impossible to gauge what impact the 2016 election had on “Falsettos,” but Uranowitz told HuffPost the political shift “lit a fire under our asses.” The musical explores the complicated dynamics between two gay men, Marvin and Whizzer (played by Christian Borle and Andrew Rannells), as they struggle to make peace with Marvin’s ex-wife, Trina (Stephanie J. Block). Meanwhile, Trina begins a relationship with Marvin’s therapist, Mendel (Uranowitz), while she and her ex-husband strive to maintain a steady home life for their young son, Jason (Anthony Rosenthal), before tragedy strikes.


“Falsettos” ended its limited run at New York’s Walter Kerr Theater Jan. 8, but was captured for posterity in a future “Live from Lincoln Center” broadcast on PBS, and received five Tony Award nominations. Uranowitz, who was honored with a nod for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, said his nomination is “encouraging” regardless of whether he takes home an award on Sunday.


“We just wanted to give the most authentic, truthful and honest show we could give every night because … who knows where this country is going? It wasn’t about recognition or awards,” he said. “I just want to do good work that speaks to people [and] I felt like we caught lightning in a bottle.”



It’s the second shot at Tony glory for the 30-year-old Uranowitz, who was nominated as a featured actor for “An American in Paris” in 2015. Like “Angels in America” and “The Normal Heart,” “Falsettos” is revered as a landmark piece of queer theater, so it struck a chord with the actor, who struggled to come to terms with his sexuality while growing up in New Jersey.  


As a “gay, neurotic Jew,” Uranowitz related most to Whizzer, but after four auditions, he was cast as Mendel, who is the musical’s sole straight male character. He’s wary of any praise he’s received that singles out the fact he’s a gay man playing a straight role, as he feels it “speaks to institutionalized heteronormativity.”


“I’d like to believe that I got a Tony nomination for serving this character and this piece as opposed to … playing a straight guy,” said Uranowitz, who came out when he was 20. Noting that he “played straight for a big portion of my life,” he added, “It bothers me that I’m supposed to be proud that I can hide my sexuality in a convincing way ― I’m an actor, and it’s my job. I just want people to understand that maybe that’s not the most praiseworthy thing.”


Since “Falsettos” wrapped in January, Uranowitz has kept busy on the concert stage. One of the highlights of his new cabaret show, “The Songs of William Finn,” is a touching duet he performs with boyfriend Zachary Prince. The couple met when Prince was cast as Uranowitz’s understudy in the 2011 musical, “Baby It’s You!” Though the show flopped, their relationship has endured.


Watch a clip of Uranowitz and Block re-creating a “Falsettos” number in his new cabaret show below. 





“Before we started dating, we’d vowed never to date another actor, and immediately after that, we started dating each other as actors playing the same role,” Uranowitz quipped. “So it was a learning curve.” He went on to note that there’s never been “any detrimental competition” between him and Prince. “We have different sensibilities and different temperaments, and we’ve always been able to put each other before our work,” he said. “He’s the greatest human ever.”


After Uranowitz and his “Falsettos” co-stars perform on the Tony Awards next Sunday, he’ll begin rehearsals for “Prince of Broadway,” a musical celebration of director Harold Prince which opens at the Manhattan Theatre Club Aug. 24. Beyond that, he’d love to play Leo Frank in “Parade,” as well as try his hand at Shakespeare.


No matter where his work takes him next, Uranowitz said he feels a sense of obligation to the LGBTQ community “because I feel obligated to myself.”


“We get into so much trouble when we’re not authentic, honest or truthful. God forbid the person you love get in the way of somebody’s paycheck,” he said. “I live out and I live proud, and I’m proud of anybody who can do that.”


See Brandon Uranowitz and the cast of “Falsettos” perform on the Tony Awards, which air June 11 on CBS


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A 6-Minute Break Down Of The Complicated History Between The U.S. And Puerto Rico

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Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory for over a century, yet many Americans know little about the island and its relationship with the United States. 


The history of Puerto Rico and the mainland is long and complicated, but it doesn’t excuse that a 2016 survey found that only 43 percent of Americans know that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. AJ+ producer and host Sana Saeed’s new video, released Sunday, is a great first step to change that.


“There’s very little conversation about Puerto Rico itself despite it being a U.S. territory for over 120 years,” Saeed says at the beginning of the video.


In a little over six minutes, Saeed gives a quick breakdown of the history of Puerto Rico ― from the United States’ acquisition of the island during the Spanish-American War to Puerto Rican’s 2012 plebiscite over statehood or independence (which is more complicated than she has time to explain) ― and how its ambiguous status has contributed to the island’s need to file for bankruptcy in May. 


“Puerto Rico’s status and treatment as a U.S. territory has been at the heart of its $74 billion debt crisis,” Saeed said. 


Julio Ricardo Varela, founder of Latino Rebels and co-host of the “In The Thick” podcast, added some thoughts of his own about what people should be asking themselves when it comes to Puerto Rico.


“I’m done with asking the question, ‘Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state?,’” he said in the AJ+ video. “I think the question is, ‘When will the rest of American start respecting Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans, and what they’ve contributed — when will they start hearing their voice?’ That’s the question. When will people start demanding Congress to pay attention to American citizens.”


Varela also said that there are more and more people in Puerto Rico who believe “that the current territorial status is obsolete. It represents a previous era and is colonial in nature.”


To get a better sense of why that is, watch Saeed describe the "tumultuous" relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico above. 

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