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New Twists on the Royal Wedding
Apr 23, 2011 10:18 AM
New Twists on the Royal Wedding
The Arrival
Royal Wedding Tradition: The bride makes a grand arrival in a carriage, traveling from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, with adoring fans waving and cheering along the way.
The Twist: Kate made it evident early on that she'd be doing a few things differently when she announced that she'd be traveling to Westminster by car. That means that unlike how Princess Diana's arrival in a glass carriage offered a peek at her dress, the world will have to wait to see what Kate's wearing until she steps out and begins her four-minute walk down the aisle. The low-key arrival isn't just a sign of tough economic times; it's also a reflection of Kate's own desire to be recognized as a commoner prior to marriage.
The Ceremony
Royal Wedding Tradition: Before a packed Westminster Abbey (the church can hold up to 2,200 people!), the couple exchanges traditional vows.
The Twist: William and Kate's ceremony will be one of the most complicated ever performed at Westminster Abbey. With three different clergymen presiding over various parts of the ceremony, plus two choirs, a full chamber orchestra and a military fanfare team, it's hardly the expected royal wedding program. Still, the couple took pains to choose traditional music — asking Prince Charles for help — and to incorporate a few specially commissioned choices as well. What's more, experts estimate that around 1,900 people will attend the actual ceremony, meaning Westminster won't be filled to capacity.
The Dress
Royal Wedding Tradition: The bride wears a large white ball gown, probably with some type of sleeve or shoulder covering, plus a tiara and some tasteful — but regal — jewelry.
The Twist: Look, we're not saying Kate's going to go off-the-wall and wear something purple or pink, but we do think the gown could have a few nontraditional elements. To reflect her own personal tastes, the dress might be a bit more tailored, rather than a full ball gown. Kate also loves outfits with higher necks, so the dress may feature a more modest neckline than, say, Diana's low scoop neck dress. Insiders also think that Kate, like many other modern brides, could easily slip into something else for the reception. Wearing two dresses — a formal one for the ceremony, and then something a little sexier or easier to dance in later on — has become a major trend for many brides.
The Reception
Royal Wedding Tradition: The Queen hosts a lavish "breakfast" (even though it's usually in the afternoon) at Buckingham Palace for several hundred dignitaries and guests from around the world.
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The Twist: While The Queen will likely still hold a champagne breakfast for an estimated 900 guests, we think Kate and William will take their wedding reception into their own hands too. Later on that day, Prince Charles will host an intimate evening of dining and dancing for just about 300 of the couple's closest family and friends. (Cue Kate's second dress!) Here, it's expected that most of the formality of the "royal wedding" could be dropped, and the whole party might look fairly similar — at least in terms of schedule — to any other elegant, modern-day wedding.
Endangered Places Around the World
7:10 AM
Endangered Places Around the World
Formed 10,000 years ago at the end of the Ice Age, the Wadden Sea is a low-lying coastal zone where tourists can walk along a land bridge in shallow water
Africa’s Mbuti pygmies, who grow to heights of only 4-5 feet, are a group of nomads who live along the Congo Basin, which stretches from Cameroon in the
Kauai, the fourth largest Hawaiian island, is famous for its tropical beauty and lush mountains. Global warming could disrupt its distinct “cloud forest” ecosystem, pushing life-giving moisture to higher elevations. Home to the hummingbird-like honeycreeper, a rare and colorful animal that sips nectar from flowers, this cool zone is vital to Kauai’s verdant environment. Deforestation and non-indigenous species like pigs and goats have also decimated the honeycreeper’s habitat in recent years and the bird is now in danger of going extinct.…
Hogh describes Zahara de la Sierra as “a white city in this very green place.” Also known for its olive oil production, the region faces the risk of desert-
Gujarat is India’s largest producer of cotton and salt and is also the birthplace of Mahatma Gahdhi. Monsoons will intensify with continued global warming, causing severe flooding and destruction in India. In 1930, Gandhi launched a campaign against the British salt tax, which had made it illegal for Indians to produce their own salt. He eventually won that fight. India is now the third biggest cotton producer in the world after the U.S. and China and the majority of its cotton comes from Gujarat.
The paddy fields in the low-lying Ganges Delta are crucial for local farmers as more than 300 million people depend on the crops produced and 130 million actually live there.
The first Olympic Games are believed to have been held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 B.C. The earliest evidence of building at the site is the Temple of Hera, honoring the wife of Zeus, which dates to around 600 B.C. In recent years, extremely warm and dry summers have increased the number of wildfires in Greece. Fires in 2007
Stretching for 90 miles along the Californian coast midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Big Sur is arguably one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the U.S. For the last 20 years, most of California has been experiencing increased droughts with less rainfall in the spring and summer, leading to a severe escalation in the number of large wildfires
The Moken people can dive in deep water for long periods of time. Their underwater vision is also clearer than any other people in the world. Within 30 years, scientists fear that Asia will lose 30% of its coral reefs. Deforestation and increased erosion also threatens the Mergui Island reefs. If the ecosystem collapses, the culture of the 4,000 Moken people could also vanish
Founded 500 years ago by the Spanish conquistador Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, Trinidad is renowned for its preserved Spanish colonial architecture and has even been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The once-rich town belonged to wealthy landowners who prospered from the sugar and slave trades. Today, most of their houses—many built by hand—are museums and tourist attractions. “It’s so colorful and lovely,” Hogh remarks. “But because of global warming, the weather in the Caribbean will become more severe with storms. Many of these houses will disappear because they are built by hand and fragile.” Located in the Caribbean Sea, Trinidad, together with the rest of Cuba, lies in the path of hurricanes. In 2008,
The Mississippi River Delta, with its rivers, marshes and barrier islands, provides a habitat for many species of birds, fish, shellfish and small mammals. At the rim of the delta, the Chandeleur Islands form a chain that acts as a buffer zone against hurricanes and storm surges for the densely populated regions of Louisiana and Mississippii. But ferocious storms, like 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, have greatly reduced the islands’ defenses. Storms and hurricanes are expected to grow even fiercer in the future with global warming, leaving the local environment and vital culture more exposed to destruction.
Stretching for 3,900 miles, the Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, surpassed only by the Amazon in South America and the Nile in Africa. The agricultural area of the Yangtze generates almost half of the total crop production in China—in total, China accounts for about a third of the world's rice production. Roughly 500 million people depend on the river for fresh water, including those living in Shanghai and Nanjing. Due to the diminishing of the Tibetan glaciers, the flow of the once mighty Yangtze is dwindling. By the end of the 21st century, the United Nation's IPCC projects that those glaciers will have decreased by more than 60%, deeply impacting the Chinese people and the world's food supply.
Esteemed as a winter wonderland, Austria and the Alpine region is Europe’s snow resort Mecca. It’s also gorgeous in summer with its evergreen pastures and cascading mountainsides, made famous by the classic Hollywood musical 'The Sound of Music.' “Everyone here in Europe is used to going there, for skiing,” Hogh explains. “They’ve been skiing there for the last 200 years and some of the country is less and less snow.They try to make snow with snow cannons. You’re not allowed to heli-ski as much anymore because of the pollution. It will go down by 80% of its normal size. Will my children be able to ski there? I don’t know.'
The southern shoreline of Manhattan Island, known as the Battery, is the largest public place in downtown New York. Hundreds of thousands work nearby and over 36,000 residents live in its surrounding area. About every 100 years, the area experiences extreme flooding that reaches heights of up to 10 feet. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of winds and hurricanes and cause sea levels to rise. According to the worse-case scenario, extreme events may occur every four years by 2080, with floods raising water levels by 11-14 feet and paralyzing the whole Manhattan infrastructure. “The tidal area there with the Hudson River is a very beautiful place but it will go underwater,” Hogh warns. “There is more than 280,000 people working in this walking district.
Located between Australia and Hawaii, in one of the most remote areas of the Pacific Ocean, lies the nation of Tuvalu. Only 10-square miles – made up of tropical reef islands and narrow coral atolls encompassing blue lagoons -- Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world. Only 12,000 people inhabit the nine-island nation. At 16 feet above sea level, the country has one of the lowest maximum elevations in the world, making it extremely vulnerable to storms and changes in sea level. Tuvalu is also affected by the King Tide, a high tide that raises the sea level higher than normal. Coupled with the expected rise in global sea levels, the entire nation could ultimately become submerged. “I don’t care whether the place is big or small,” Hogh concludes. “It’s the same thing with people. No matter if you’re black or white or Chinese or whatever. It’s about treating each other with respect and it’s the same thing with these small islands.
How Kate gave up millions to marry William
6:41 AM
How Kate gave up millions to marry William
While the golden couple is all smiles these days and poised to become husband and wife in front of a worldwide audience on April 29, their relationship hit a serious roadblock three years ago and they parted ways for several months.
Within days of the split, Kate was inundated with offers to sell her story and reveal the most detailed insight yet into the life of the future king of England. Television, book, and magazine deals came flooding in, yet Kate steadfastly refused to entertain any of them, turning her back on a fortune in the process.
Ten million dollars? "No problem," said Paul Ridley, former editorial executive of the Sun newspaper and now a leading public relations expert based in London. "There was interest from everywhere and she could easily have sparked a huge global bidding war if she had wanted to. Properly managed, she could have named her price and tapped into an almost endless revenue stream. She would have been the girl that walked away from a life of royalty and all that goes with it, and any media group would love an exclusive, long-term agreement with someone like that.
"She could have got a large immediate payment to help her get over the breakup, and then been wheeled out as a royal commentator whenever any issue came up. She could have opened the door to William and the way his mind works and would have had some extraordinary insight."
While the British media are never shy to stoke themselves into a frenzy, the interest in Kate came from all across the globe. Publications from as far as Japan, Germany, and the U.S. wanted a piece of the action and made countless approaches with checkbook in hand.
The world's most beautiful royals
Despite the mildly acrimonious nature of the split, with Kate's ire further stoked by reports linking William with a series of women immediately after the breakup, she vowed to remain tight-lipped and stayed true to the pledge.Given the obsession with privacy held by the royal family, there is little doubt that any attempt by Kate to "cash in" would have instantly vetoed any possibility of reconciliation. She shunned the vast sums of money that continued to be offered, and instead concentrated on her job as a fashion buyer for clothing chain Jigsaw and her part-time role with her parents' company, Party Pieces.
"If Kate had sold her story for a fortune during the time they were broken up, then a subsequent reconciliation would have been unthinkable," said Robin Millard, royal correspondent for AFP. "The royal family guards its privacy intensely and would have regarded such action as a huge betrayal."
Within three months, reports began to surface that William and Kate were back on speaking terms and were once again "good friends." By the end of 2007, it was clear that the relationship had been rekindled in full and was as serious as ever.
As the countdown to next Friday's grand occasion continues, the problems that were but a blip in the relationship are now long forgotten as the couple has started to finalize preparations by visiting Princess Diana's grave, doing last-minute shopping, and getting ready to face the world.
Kate is now just a week away from discovering that a royal wedding and the title of princess is priceless.
Why William won’t kiss the bride
6:16 AM
Why William won’t kiss the bride
Sorry, William, you may not kiss the bride.
As he watches Kate Middleton walk down the aisle at Westminster Abbey on April 29, William will have the traditional groom's checklist stashed in his memory. He will surely mentally admire Kate's dress, nervously go over his vows one final time in his head, and prepare to listen to the solemn words of the archbishop of Canterbury in his final seconds as a bachelor.
"There will be no kiss during the wedding ceremony," explained the Very Reverend Dr. John Hall, the dean of Westminster and the man responsible for overseeing the spiritual life of Westminster Abbey. "We don't do that in the Church of England. That's sort of a Hollywood thing: ' You may now kiss the bride.' It doesn't happen here."
Kate's changes to the wedding vows
For the royal family, too, kissing, it seems, is serious business and must be undertaken only in appropriate situations. When William's mother, Princess Diana, wed Prince Charles in 1981, the pair also did not kiss in church. Instead they produced an iconic moment on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. As thousands of well-wishers screamed for the newlyweds to pucker up, Diana said to Charles: "Well, what about it?"Photographs of the resulting kiss were splashed across the front page of every British newspaper and seen around the world. That balcony moment is due to be repeated by William and Kate, although this time it will be scripted and part of the carefully planned event.
Top group-buying sites
5:26 AM
Top group-buying sites
Where deals are available: More than 150 cities in the U.S. and Canada and 23 other countries.
What makes it unique: Being the largest social buying site, Groupon has applications available for both the iPhone and Android devices, unlike many other sites of its kind.
Just how valuable is it? In 2010, Groupon was said to be considering selling itself to Google for billions.
Where deals are available: Features deals in dozens of U.S. cities, Canada and four locations in the United Kingdom.
What makes it unique: In addition to its iPhone app, LivingSocial has two popular Facebook applications, Pick5 and Visual Bookshelf, which allow members to share their favorite things with friends.
It has deep pockets: In order to keep up with competition from the No. 1 group-buying site, LivingSocial recently raised big bucks. Find out how much. It also leveraged its resources to aid recovery from a major natural disaster.
What deals are available: Offers deals in more than 30 U.S. cities.
What makes it unique: HomeRun allows members to earn "credit," its own form of virtual currency, through promoting the site. Credit can be used to make a purchase, and if you earn enough credit by inviting friends to join, you can get a free deal. The "Beginner's Luck" feature gives new members the chance to take advantage of many deals within the first 30 days of joining.
It's getting social: It recently broadened its deal offerings to one of the biggest social media sites.
What deals are available: Features deals in more than 50 U.S. cities.
What makes it unique: SocialBuy also promotes the "group" aspect of group buying. For every friend you refer to the site, you get one SocialPoint. When any friend you send a sign-up link to joins, you earn an additional five points (up to 50 friends per month). You can also earn SocialBucks, which are equal to one U.S. dollar and can be used toward any purchase.
Grocery background: The company was founded by the former vice president of an online grocery service.
What deals are available: Offers deals in more than 50 U.S. cities.
What makes it unique: Not only does Dealster give members a $10 credit for referral, but its coupons are transferable and can be given to others.
Subscribers keep coming: Last fall, the site recorded a growing number of subscribers. Find out how many.
What deals are available: Currently only features deals in its home district but has plans to expand to five to seven major U.S. cities soon.
What makes it unique: Unlike other social buying sites, Deals for Deeds allows customers to select a charitable organization -- from a group of those currently being featured -- to donate 5 percent of the cost of their purchase.
Charities can benefit: One of the first charities that teamed up with Deals for Deeds was an organization dedicated to building affordable housing.
What deals are available: Offers deals for restaurants and eateries in and around six large public universities.
What makes it unique: GrubLife is the first college-focused social buying network created specifically for money-conscious, food-loving students. GrubLife takes advantage of the 18-to-25 crowd's addiction to technology by alerting members of new deals via email or text message.
How good are the deals? A starving college student might be pleased to receive a good deal on their next meal.
What deals are available: Offers deals in 12 major U.S. cities.
What makes it unique: The site does not offer just one deal each day for your city -- it offers three. Tippr features "accelerated deals." It distributes the deals to more than 100 online syndicators, who feature their daily deals on their websites.
Americans love deals: The thriving group-buying industry is expected to have a 138 percent jump in revenue. Find out how much.
Movie curses
5:22 AM
Movie curses
'The Misfits'
Movie curses. The scary-looking "Apollo 18" movie takes on an urban legend surrounding the canceled lunar mission. From untimely deaths to unexplained events, we found other movies with spooky curses, connections and rumors.
'Poltergeist'
In the case of "Poltergeist," the "curse" points to the untimely deaths of two of its stars.
'The Dark Knight'
The Batman sequel "The Dark Knight" saw its share of troubles both during and after filming.
'The Exorcist'
"The Exorcist" was plagued by so many problems that priests were asked to bless the set.
'Atuk'
Some believe the never-produced screenplay is cursed because several actors died after reading the script.
'Superman'
Many people associated with the Superman films have seen their share of bad luck.
'The Crow'
The 1994 film "The Crow" is known for the on-set death of its star, but that wasn't the only accident during the shoot.
'The Omen'
The 1976 movie about the devil's son has been accused of being cursed since its release.
'Rebel Without a Cause'
Rumors of a curse on the James Dean classic persisted after the untimely deaths of its three young stars.
The trouble-plagued 1961 movie "The Misfits" offered up the last major film roles for its three stars.
Amazing Phone Book Sculptures Art
2:31 AM
Long-Bin Chen makes unique three-dimensional sculptures out of recycled phone books, newspapers, and magazines.
These Quite Unusual And Creative Books Creations Pictures
2:29 AM
Robert The, American artist and a mathematician with a strange name, has been making bizarre creations from books for many years. His art works are stored in many private collections and are exhibited in modern museums. These quite unusual and creative books creations modern art.
Actors and historical characters
Apr 22, 2011 2:42 PM
Actors and historical characters
The former greaser won’t have to extend his acting range much to inhabit the character of a man nicknamed “Dapper Don” Gotti, not to mention the most powerful crime boss in America during the 1980s.
In 2009, Depp captivated audiences when he played a Depression-era gangster who rose to “Public Enemy No. 1” status for his dozens of bank heists.
Sixteenth-century England was the setting for this 2007 film, in which Cate Blanchett depicts the rise of a young queen. The film earned the actress international attention and lead to many major movie parts.
In this 1963 classic, Elizabeth Taylor was said to be completely immersed in the role of the alluring Queen of Egypt that many said she was born to play. Though, the $44 million dollar film nearly bankrupt the studio.
Phoenix portrays a troubled and legendary country singer in this biopic. Did he actually sing those famous tunes? Watch his famous prison performance.
In the City of Light with her husband in the 1950s, Streep’s boisterous character struggles to find something useful to do. After a go at hat-making and bridge, she stumbles upon a vocation that changes the eating strategies of millions of Americans.
The year is 1970, the mission is dangerous, and an unlucky number seems to be sending three men to their demise in outer space. It’s a story of survival, heroism, and faith and Hanks shines as the captain.
Jason Robards and Hal Holbrook played alongside Redford as a crusading reporter in this riveting drama set in the nation’s capital. This true story had all the makings of box office gold: crooks, cold trails and a mysterious whistle blower.
Strathairn played a crusading broadcast journalist in the 1950s whose series of TV news reports lead to the censure of a certain Wisconsin senator . The film was written by a Hollywood leading man.
As the monarch the Commonwealth realms, Mirren’s character refuses to honor the death of her son’s very popular ex-wife. The resulting turmoil causes friction with a politician played by Michael Sheen.
Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for his moving portrayal of a singing legend who suffered an impairment since the age of 7. Listen to one of his most famous songs.
An American director famous for his westerns directed Fonda in this tale of a future president’s salad days in an Illinois city.
Douglas won a Golden Globe for this 1956 biopic of one of the world’s most talented–and impoverished–artists. It’s directed by the father of a famous female singer and actress
A famous American director both wrote and directed this 1957 film about one of aviation’s greatest heroes. Stewart’s character had a fitting nickname.
Francis Ford Coppola had a hand in crafting the story behind this 1970 classic, in which Scott portrayed a World War II Army officer. Much of it was set in the second-largest continent.
A legendary scandal brought down the embattled 37th President of the United States, portrayed by Hopkins in this 1995 film, which was nominated for four Oscars.
In an Oscar-nominated role directed by Spike Lee, Washington plays a troubled youth who becomes a controversial human rights leader, and later assumes the name El-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz.
This 1992 movie also starred Anthony Hopkins, Dan Aykroyd and Kevin Kline, who played one of the most famous actors of his day. A blood relative of the tragicomic figure Downey portrayed was also included.
Andrew Lloyd Webber won an Oscar for best original song in this 1996 musical about the famous wife of an Argentinian president, played by Madonna
Penn won the top acting prize for his role as the first openly gay man elected top public office in this 2008 biopic.
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