A new series of military-spec electric motorcycles is set to put Russian security forces in the forefront of sustainable, environmentally-friendly law enforcement. Choose from military-spec or police versions; machine gun and grenade launcher attachments are optional.
The first week I was in college I had no friends. I went to school in Montreal, where the drinking age was 18, and there was a university-sanctioned and remarkably debauched introduction to campus life called “Frosh Week” where people got hammered, sang songs, and inevitably wound up at a full-contact strip club called Supersexe.
It turns out that people aren’t eating as many McHamburgers as they used to, which is a big problem if your business is all about slinging meat. So McDonald’s is hoping the novelty of its “Create Your Taste” ordering kiosks will lure some customers b…
Wonder how Uber’s week could get worse? Today the district attorneys for Los Angeles and San Francisco announced they’re following through on their threat to sue the company, and that they have reached a settlement with its competitor Lyft. According…
Most of us keep our music stored on a single computer, or maybe an external hard drive which means that we will need to carry it around with us around the house if we wish to listen to it on different devices. This can be a bit troublesome, so if you’re in the market for a device that lets you create your own personal music cloud and offers multi-room streaming, you might be interested in a Kickstarter project for the OnAir Box.
The OnAir Box is basically a device that allows users to create their own private music cloud that can be accessed wirelessly. The device will support a multitude of storage options, such as microSD cards, external hard drives, or even USB drives, so if you have your music stored on an external hard drive, plug it into the OnAir Box to start streaming it to the connected devices in your home.
So what about those of you who listen to music on the web through services like SoundCloud? Well the folks behind the OnAir Box have announced that they will be integrating SoundCloud with the OnAir Player, thus allowing users to add their SoundCloud playlists to their personal music library. The company has also mentioned that they will be looking into other music services such as Spotify.
The OnAir Box can also be linked to existing stereo equipment, so if you have a sound system setup that you’d prefer to use, you will be able to plug the OnAir Box to it using the standard headphone jack or use an optical cable if you prefer higher quality streaming. It also features a HDMI port that allows users to connect it to your TV or AV receiver.
While there are other personal cloud devices out there such as Western Digital’s My Cloud, if you’re looking for a more dedicated media cloud streaming device, perhaps the OnAir Box might do a better job. To learn more or pledge your support (they are seeking $200,000 in funding), head on over to its Kickstarter page for the details.
The OnAir Box Turns Your Existing Stereo/TV Into A Music Streaming Device
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Whether or not you actually actively surf websites like 9gag for memes, chances are you have probably come across several memes posted on Facebook or other social media websites, emails, or maybe during the course of instant messaging with friends and family. One of those popular memes is the Grumpy Cat meme which is basically a picture of a cat that looks, well, grumpy.
So how popular can a meme get, you ask? Well according to reports, it seems that Grumpy Cat has managed to earn its owner more than $100 million in the past two years. To put it into perspective, that’s supposedly more than what Hollywood stars like Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey makes!
However according to Grumpy Cat’s owner, Tabatha Bundesen, she claims that those reports are inaccurate. While she declined to mention how much Grumpy Cat has made her, other reports have suggested that they were in the low six figures as of 2013, although that much money for just a simple meme is still a lot when you think about it.
Speaking to The Daily Express, Bundesen was quoted as saying, “What she’s achieved in such a short time is unimaginable and absolutely mind-blowing. I was able to quit my job as a waitress within days of her first appearance on social media and the phone simply hasn’t stopped ringing since.”
Grumpy Cat Internet Meme Has Reportedly Made Its Owner A Lot Of Money
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According to a report from yesterday, it was suggested that Bose’s audio products are expected to make a return to the Apple store sometime next week. This follows a short hiatus in which Bose’s products were removed from Apple stores entirely. Well the good news is that if you were hoping for any of this to be true, you’re in luck as the folks at 9to5Mac have recently “confirmed” it themselves.
Of course this isn’t a true confirmation as Apple has yet to make an announcement, and neither has Bose’s products been seen in their stores, but given that 9to5Mac has had a pretty decent track record when it comes to certain leaks and rumors, perhaps there is some truth to their claims.
That being said, Bose’s popular products such as the SoundLink III/Mini Bluetooth speakers are also expected to be returning to Apple stores where they will be sold alongside other audio products, including those from Beats which was acquired by Apple earlier this year. It has been rumored that the reason for Bose’s removal is due to their legal dispute with Beats.
However both Bose and Beats have reportedly come to an agreement and have since settled the lawsuit, which is why some have speculated that this could be the reason why their products are making a return. In any case take it with a grain of salt for now, but check back with us later this week or next to see if the rumors are true.
Bose’s Return To The Apple Store “Confirmed” In New Reports
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While iOS 8 might be the latest operating system version from Apple, it seems that not everyone is as eager to download the software as compared to iOS 7 which offered more radical changes from iOS 6. That being said, iOS 8’s adoption is on the rise, albeit slowly, and the latest numbers from Apple’s App Store support page (via MacRumors) have revealed that adoption of iOS 8 is currently sitting at 63%.
This is an improvement over last month’s figures which revealed that adoption of iOS 8 was sitting at 56%, so a 7% increase in a month is still growth, albeit a slow one. Apple’s own estimates appear to be in line with those from other analytics services such as MixPanel which has estimated iOS 8’s adoption to be around 63.94%.
In some ways it is not surprising that not many users are eager to adopt iOS 8. Unlike iOS 7 which offered up a completely new design along with a host of new features, iOS 8 mainly introduced new features and improvements, which while welcome, isn’t as exciting as a UI revamp, something which iOS users have been asking for for many years.
Other possibilities could be due to the buggy nature of iOS 8 which was fixed in iOS 8.1 which led to more adoption. Apple has also stopped signing for iOS 7 so users are also forced to update their devices. In any case there is still quite a way to go before the next major release of iOS, so we have to wonder will iOS 8 see the same figures enjoyed by iOS 7 by then, or will it be lower?
iOS 8′s Adoption Now Sitting At 63%
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My gut reaction to hearing about the new Bravo scripted series, Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce was to slam my fist down on my desk in exasperation that I wasn’t hired to be one of the writers of the show!
Come on! Divorce is my thing. Never mind that I write about it almost every day on Divorced Girl Smiling, but the plots of both my novels, Free Gift With Purchase and Divorced Girl Smiling heavily include divorce.
So last week, I sat down and watched the premiere of Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, trying to put my bitterness and jealously aside and be an unbiased critic. Here is my review:
The Plot
Abby McCarthy is the best selling author of a self-help series who seems to have the perfect life: a cute husband, two great kids who attend a prestigious private school, a beautiful home, and all the money she needs.
But the truth is, her marriage is crumbling, and she and her husband, Jake are trying to hide it from everyone, including the kids. While Jake is already dating (and sleeping with women), Abby is desperately holding onto hope of saving the marriage. One night changes everything…
Abby’s two new best girlfriends, Phoebe and Lyla (both divorced) take her out to a new club. There she meets the gorgeous, young manager of the place. In a predictable, but realistic storyline, she goes back to his apartment and sleeps with him. And when she gets home at 5 a.m., Jake goes ballistic. Their fight leads to the kids walking in and finding out their parent’s marriage is over.
At her Barnes And Noble book signing the next day, Abby blows her cover of having the perfect life, telling the crowd she sometimes wishes her husband would die. The episode ends with her walking out of the store, probably relieved to have come clean, but in a way, broken.
The Actors
Maybe the producers of Girlfriends Guide To Divorce missed out on a great writer (me), but they certainly got it right with the actors–every one of them. I remember Lisa Edelstein all the way back from Seinfeld. Just hilarious! And beautiful. Next, they went with Paul Adelstein, who was the pediatrician on Private Practice. Throw in Janeane Garafalo and Carrie Fisher and this cast really was top-notch.
What I Think
So, I have to admit, I was thoroughly captivated during the whole show, which might be because divorce is my business, but I don’t think so. As far as pure entertainment value, I’d rank it up there with Grey’s Anatomy (the early years), Desperate Housewives, and Lipstick Jungle.
Did it paint a realistic picture of divorce? At times, I think it did, even though it was greatly embellished for the purpose of entertainment (which it should be).
Scenes that included Abby and Phoebe’s French kiss, Abby’s vulnerability when sleeping with a much younger man, and Abby’s girlfriends telling her that people saw Jake get a hotel room with a much younger woman made me realize that there are certain “givens” that typically happen during a separation and divorce. Not saying every newly separated woman goes out and kisses another girl, in fact, most probably don’t. But, most DO have that first encounter (and many times it is with a younger man).
Very unrealistic: when Abby calls out “Jake” during sex with the younger guy. No way a separated woman would do that. Just wouldn’t happen (in my opinion.)
Also, I could have done without the brother character–Abby runs into him in a coffee shop and is avoiding telling him about her divorce because he is so conservative. Who does that?! It’s your brother! When I was getting divorced, I called my brother crying and seeking support. That seems more realistic to me.
There is one scene where a guy friend of Abby’s says, “Marriage is forever. It’s not like there was abuse or alcoholism.” Abby then replies, “I’m sorry I disappointed you and that I wasn’t abused.” Very good writing.
I think my favorite scene was when Abby gets home at 5 a.m. and Jake is sitting at the kitchen table waiting. The fact that she slept with someone drives him nuts, even though he has been sleeping with several women. So, what does he do? He tries to have sex with her! Very realistic of what a man would do, in my opinion. But, I was so glad she didn’t do it. She had just had sex with the younger guy an hour ago. That would have been kind of yucky. The scene was realistic in the sense that newly separated couples often go back and forth, indecisiveness every minute and things becoming explosive as the clock ticks.
I will look forward to watching Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce tonight (the show airs Tuesday nights on Bravo), and probably for the whole season. Not just because of my business, but I’m curious and I really care about Abby (which is a credit to Edelstein and the producers of the show).
It’s funny. I once pitched both my novel, Free Gift With Purchase and my unpublished manuscript, I’ve Got Issues to a well-known movie producer. He said to me, “Divorce movies don’t sell. No one wants to watch their divorce on TV or in a theatre. It’s just too painful.” Really? First of all, the guy is married (never divorced) so how did he know that? Secondly, he is out of the business now. Here is my answer to him:
Kramer Vs. Kramer, The War of the Roses, Bye Bye Love, An Unmarried Woman, Heartburn, Enough Said, and Crazy Stupid Love. All megahits, some even won Oscars.
Depending on how the season goes, Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce has the potential to be the next big divorce hit.
Jackie Pilossoph is the author of her blog, Divorced Girl Smiling, and the comedic divorce novels, Divorced Girl Smiling and Free Gift With Purchase. She also writes feature stories, along with the weekly dating and relationships column, “Love Essentially” for Sun-Times Media local publications. Pilossoph lives in Chicago. Oh, and she’s divorced
Hello my friends. No, I’m not talking to you, silly young millennials. I am talking to Angelenos who remember the excitement of the opening of The Music Center 50 years ago. Talk about a milestone in the cultural life of our City of Angels. Last Saturday and Sunday, a great, happy, noisy –and boozy —celebration took place at The Music Center, inside and outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. It was a great way to commemorate half a century of amazing performances that took place on its stage.
I was told that Saturday night was a red-carpet-black-tie affair, where guests were royally entertained by musicians, dancers, and singers. Afterwards, a formal dinner was served outside on the plaza in a specially erected tent.
But on Sunday, the celebration was much less formal. I would describe it as very Bohemian, very happy, very jazzy. And how could it not be, considering the fact that our very own KCRW was one of the sponsors of this celebration, with music provided by KCRW DJs Aaron Byrd and Jason Bentley.
Luckily for me, a good friend invited me to go with her to this party. There, to our astonishment, we discovered that the whole affair took place backstage, with performers turning their backs to the empty seats of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and instead facing us –just a few hundred guests eating, drinking, and schmoozing in a dark, cavernous, surreal space usually hidden behind a curtain.
It was definitely a night to remember. And I was happy to discover that the one and only KCRW was such an essential part of this celebration. So my friends, it’s that time of year again –the time of year we ask you to contribute to the magic of KCRW, the public radio station whose unique voice is heard not only across this country of ours, but also around the world. So come on, join the party. Support the visionary voice of this unique station of ours by calling 1-800-600-KCRW, or go to kcrw.com/join.
To learn about Edward’s Fine Art of Art Collecting Classes, please visit his website. You can also read The New York Times article about his classes here.
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Edward Goldman is an art critic and the host of Art Talk, a program on art and culture for NPR affiliate KCRW 89.9 FM. To listen to the complete show and hear Edward’s charming Russian accent, click here.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
