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  • Selena Gomez Moves Past Illness – ‘Revival’ Heading for No. 1

    Selena Gomez Moves Past Illness – ‘Revival’ Heading for No. 1

    selena gomezSelena Gomez is on track to earn her second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart with her latest release, Revival.

    Industry observers are predicting the set, which was released on Oct. 9 through Interscope Records. may move upwards of 110,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Oct. 15.

    Good for her !

    This after published reports detailed her diagnosis and battle with Lupus.

    In a recent interview with Billboard Magazine, pop star Selena Gomez revealed that she has lupus. She reportedly underwent chemotherapy to treat the autoimmune disease. Rumors about the singer’s lupus diagnosis circulated in early 2014, but this is the first time that Gomez has publicly commented on having the disease.

    Around the time Gomez was likely diagnosed with lupus, she canceled several appearances for her Stars Dance tour and stepped out of the spotlight for a bit. The cancellations stirred up gossip that the pop singer might be struggling with some type of addiction. At the time, she did not respond to the rumors.

    The previous rumors of an addiction problem were further fueled by Gomez’s entry into a rehabilitation program. At the time, the singer’s rep even confirmed she was receiving treatment at Dawn at the Meadows Recovery Facility in Wickenburg, AZ. However, her rep denied that she was being treated for substance abuse and addiction, instead indicating that Gomez was seeking treatment for emotional issues, as well as for partying.

    Gomez reports feeling hurt by all the negative speculation on whether or not she was dealing with a substance abuse problem when she was actually struggling with lupus.

    The pop singer is not alone in her lupus diagnosis. Approximately 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease. It is most common in women who are between 15 and 44 years of age.

    According to Dr. Joan Merrill with the Lupus Foundation of America, “There can be an increased risk of…strokes, blood clotting in the legs or even heart attacks.”

    Mild cases of the disease can be treated with anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressant drugs such as steroids or aspirin. More serious cases require chemotherapy.

    In addition to discussing her lupus diagnosis and treatment during the interview, Gomez also opened up about struggling with her self-esteem. She admits to having a hard time dealing with hurtful comments posted on the Internet earlier this year. “I was in a bikini and got publicly ripped for being overweight,” she says. “That was the first time I’d experienced body shaming like that.” Gomez says she has since been working in therapy and is feeling more confident now.

    She even posed nude on the cover of her new album, Revival.

  • WGN Explores America’s Slavery Past In Underground

    WGN Explores America’s Slavery Past In Underground

    WGN America’s new drama Underground shows slavery in a different light than history typically shows. The new show follows slaves from the deep south as they use the Underground Railroad to head for freedom. The stars of the show call it an adventure rather than a typical period piece.

    The cast and creators appeared at New York Comic Con this weekend to talk about the show. At the event, WGN screened the first 25 minutes of the pilot episode.

    Aldis Hodge stars in Underground as Noah, a slave that has tried to escape from his plantation many times. After Noah hears about the Underground Railroad, he enlists a group of slaves from his plantation to join him on the journey. The drama showcases the humanity of the slaves and their struggles to achieve their goal of freedom.

    The violence of the era is also on full display in Underground. The slaves must travel for hundreds of miles through inhospitable terrain to make it to where they can be free. The escaped slaves know that the are being hunted by slave catchers day and night and the terrifying repercussions that await them if they are caught.

    Underground tries to stay true to the era. As part of their research for the show, the creators listened to slave narratives held in the Library of Congress and pored over the book “The Underground Railroad” by William Still. The escaped slaves use hanging moss, the position of the stars, and symbols etched into the ground to guide their way.

    The show was filmed in Louisiana on former plantations and their slave quarters. The terrain of Louisiana, full of bayous and swamps, helps the audience see the real struggles that the slaves went through on their quest for freedom. After reviewing the historical accuracy of the script, the Burden Museum in Baton Rouge allowed the show to shoot scenes in some of its historically preserved buildings.

    The music of the show also sets it apart from other historical dramas. The show’s creators tapped Grammy winner John Legend as a music producer for the show and his opinions have a strong impact on the music used for the scenes. A lot of the music used for the show is modern. For example, Underground opens with an image of a slave on the run with Kayne West’s “Black Skinhead” track playing in the background.

  • Fashionable Gloves Making A Comeback This Fall

    Fashionable Gloves Making A Comeback This Fall

    The fall fashion shows were showcasing fashionable gloves this year, showing that the hand-warmers are making a comeback in the world of fashion. At the Boss, Tracy Reese, and Band of Outsiders fashion shows, fashionable gloves were paired with business clothing to show just how fashionable these items can be. Oscar de la Renta and Tayna Taylor showed new designs for gloves meant to be worn with evening wear. If gloves are a fashion style that intrigues you, here are some rules for wearing gloves fashionably this fall.

    No Mittens

    No adult should be out and about wearing mittens. Mittens are not an appropriate style for grown-ups.

    Fitting Gloves

    Gloves are only fashionable if they fit properly. The gloves should fit the length of the fingers without appearing too short or hanging loose at the fingertips.

    Picking Plain Gloves

    Plain gloves are more interesting with details and a noticeable texture. Make sure the texture of the gloves doesn’t clash with the texture of your outfit.

    Complementary Colored Gloves

    When choosing fashionable gloves to go with an outfit, choose complementary colored gloves instead of matching colors exactly. This creates a more dramatic look and makes the gloves more noticeable.

    Day Gloves

    Gloves worn during the day should only be worn outdoors. When indoors, the gloves should be removed for etiquette’s sake.

    Evening Gloves

    Fashionable gloves for evening wear generally come in two colors, black and white, and are made of shiny fabrics like satin or silk. Shiny gloves should only be worn for evening events.

    Jewelry

    Watches and rings are typically worn under the gloves, not over them. Bracelets are the only jewelry worn over gloves.

    Replacing Gloves

    Fashionable gloves should be replaced if they have any snags or frayed threads protruding from them. Snags and frayed threads weaken the structure of the gloves and ruins their appearance.

    Shaking Hands

    Shaking hands with gloves is tricky. If wearing day gloves, it is polite to remove the gloves before shaking hands. Evening gloves can remain on when shaking hands, unless you are shaking hands with a head of state.

    Eating With Gloves

    Gloves should be taken off whenever you are eating. Proper etiquette advises that the gloves should be placed on your lap under your napkin during meals.

    Dancing With Gloves

    It is considered impolite to dance with a partner with your gloves on. The gloves can be placed inside a handbag or laid neatly at your place at the table until you return from the dance floor.

  • 3 Horror Books Way Scarier Than Their Movies

    3 Horror Books Way Scarier Than Their Movies

    The month of October is prime time for horror movies and books. Some classic horror movies have retained their popularity throughout the years because they scare the pants off of everyone that watches them, but many people do not know that the horror books they are based on are way scarier than their movies. Here are three horror books to read that are guaranteed to scare you more than their movies did.

    IT by Stephen King

    Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise the clown in “IT” made thousands of adults rethink how scary clowns really are. The terrifying masterpiece follows seven kids who set out to fight an evil demon posing as the child killing clown Pennywise. The movie shows the myriad ways that children can be lured away by a stranger who seems harmless and the danger those kids encounter once they are alone with a true predator.

    The book, released in 1986, completely explores the horrors that the movie glosses over, adding details to the kids’ traumas that are sure to send a shiver down your spine. The books also includes a number of terrifying incidents that didn’t make it to the big screen, such as one child’s fearsome encounter with an abandoned refrigerator in the woods. The horror book was the best selling book in the United States the year it was released, selling more than a million first-run copies.

    The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

    The movie based on the book The Haunting of Hill House, simply titled “The Haunting,” follows a group of people who arrive at Hill House for a sleep study conducted by Dr. Marrow (Liam Neeson), only to find that it is actually an experiment in fear. As the group begins to learn the truth about the house and its former owner, they find that they must escape the house before they are all killed by the malevolent spirits inside.

    The book, released in 1959, focuses more on true terror and suspense than on descriptive images of horrifying incidents. Many of the haunting episodes in the book are described vaguely, letting the readers rely on their imagination to fill in the blanks. The book was named one of the best literary ghost stories of the 20th century and was a finalist for the National Book Award.

    The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

    Anthony Hopkins made Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the villain of the Oscar-winning Silence of the Lambs, a household name. His portrayal of the brilliant, psychotic cannibal captivated audiences worldwide and showed them how scary a highly intelligent psychopath could be.

    The horror book that the movie is based on quickly became an international best seller after its release. The book further explores the relationship between Dr. Lecter and FBI agent Clarice Starling and has more clues and twists than the movie adaptation. Published in 1988, the book won the Bram Stoker Award for best novel that year and the Anthony Award in the same category the following year. It was also nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 1989.

  • Same Day Beauty Services Now Through LivingSocial

    Same Day Beauty Services Now Through LivingSocial

    LivingSocial has taken beauty appointment bookings to the next level by launching its new FastBook service as a pilot program. FastBook allows LivingSocial members to book their beauty appointments in real time for last minute beauty needs. FastBook will first be available to customers in Austin, Texas and will be launched in other select cities at a later date.

    The new FastBook service can be accessed through LivingSocial on desktop and mobile devices. Dozens of spas offering beauty services like massages, facials, and nail services are participating in the pilot program.

    FastBook aims to make booking beauty appointments faster and more convenient. Customers using FastBook can schedule their appointments up to two weeks in advance, including booking and confirming appointments on the same day of the service. Customers can also use FastBook to compare prices between beauty service providers in their area. Photos and ratings of the service providers are also included.

    LivingSocial launched another new initiative, called Restaurant Plus, in mid-September. That program lets customers save money automatically at restaurants participating in the program. The Restaurant Plus pilot program is being tested in Atlanta, Georgia and covers a wide range of locations, including full service restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops, and breweries. The company says that the initial customer tests of the service were “very successful.”

    To participate in the program, the customer must register a payment card with the service. When a customer dines out at participating restaurants and pays with the registered payment card, they automatically earn up to 30 percent cash back on the purchase. Once the savings have reached a minimum amount, the customer will receive the savings as cash back on the registered payment card. If the minimum amount has not been reached by the cutoff date, the savings will roll over to the next month.

    The new Restaurant Plus program can be used at any time of day for any items on the menu. The LivingSocial site contains a directory of establishments participating in the pilot program. The company says that the program provides an easier way to save than presenting a voucher, coupon, or gift card.

    The two new pilot programs could cement LivingSocial’s position as the premiere place for people to find and share the best services and events around. The company’s website offers thousands of offers daily, saving customers money on everything from gourmet dinners to international travel. Businesses of any size can list their offerings through the site to reach a larger audience and, hopefully, attract more customers.