Friday, July 26, 2013

Bikini Portion Banned From Miss World Pageant

Contestants at the 2013 Miss World competition, held in Bali this September, will be required to wear sarongs instead of bikinis, CBS News reports. Apparently the no-swimsuit rule only applies to this year and came about after local organizers requested that the traditional Muslim customs of Indonesia be respected. So now all of the panting dudes and women who like to ogle other women's bodies will just have to use their imaginations. And since contestants don't have to starve their way to rock-hard six-packs, maybe they'll actually maintain consciousness onstage this year! 


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Kanye Too ‘Squeamish’ to Watch Kim Give Birth — Is That Weird?

Kim Kardashian's relationship with Kanye West began with the most photographed first date in the history of mass media, but since then, they have been apart more often than not. As of April, they had spent approximately three quarters of Kim's pregnancy in different cities. Kanye was not in the room when Kim discovered their baby's gender. (Discussion of his penis, however, was.) Now a rumor has emerged that Kanye "won't physically be in the delivery room" when Kim gives birth because "he's very squeamish and doesn't want to be around blood."

Is that normal? When did fathers become a mandatory presence in delivery rooms, anyway?

In the first half of the twentieth century, fathers who witnessed childbirth were a small minority, explains a BBC feature tracing the history of Western dads in the delivery room. (Exception to the rule: The notoriously baby-averse Queen Victoria enjoyed "the great comfort and support [that] my beloved Albert was to me during the whole time" of her first son's birth.) The sea change began in the mid-sixties, spurred in part by obstetrician Robert Bradley's popular 1965 book Husband-Coached Childbirth. Paired with the rise of the Lamaze technique, fathers increasingly ended up in the delivery room as hee-hee-hoo-ing birth assistants. BBC's experts estimate that three quarters of British dads were in the delivery room by the late seventies. Modern U.S. and U.K. estimates range from 75 to 90 percent. A 2003 study found that 93 percent of fathers who live with their partners witness their children's births; most men absent from the delivery room are also absent from the mother's life. Delivery-room dads are more likely to experience PTSD than their female counterparts — both because they are "fully aware" of the "extremely vivid" pain and gore, and because they are powerless.

Gordon Ramsay skipped four childbirths out of fear that his sex life "would be damaged by images like something out of a sci-fi movie—skinned rabbits and conger eels coming at me from everywhere. I didn't want that to be in my memory. Seeing a woman in distress, screaming at the top of her voice, pushing, pushing, pushing, and sweat, sweat, sweat? I'd rather be stark-bollock naked in a steam room with 50 vegans." His wife's response, according to Ramsay: "I don't want you there. I don't feel attractive." As far as acceptable moments to stop worrying about female attractiveness go, "busy bringing a new human into the world" strikes me as a good one, but to each her own.

There is nonetheless a (convoluted) kernel of wisdom in paying attention to how male squeamishness may affect a childbearing woman. John Kennell, a childbirth researcher at Case Western University School of Medicine, finds that women giving birth with the support of another woman choose fewer pain-reducing measures during birth. They are 60 percent less likely to ask for an epidural and half as likely to have a C-section. In The Doula Book, Kennell and two co-authors cite studies of male behavior during childbirth and theorize that the father's anxiety influences the mother. Nonetheless Kennell says he isn't discouraging paternal presences from delivery rooms. Rather, he proposes moving away from Bradley's "husband-coached childbirth" model and toward the use of doulas, trained (and historically female) specialists who provide information, coaching, and support during labor.

Nonetheless, delivery-room absence in the name of squeamishness generally draws rebuke. "Nowadays any self-respecting father has to be there — blood, gore, and all, standing there smiling," a D.C. obstetrician told the Washington Post in 2006. Or, as one woman put it in a discussion on WhatToExpect.com, "Was he too squeamish to impregnate you? I feel that if you aren't able to go in a store and buy condoms you shouldn't have sex. By that same reasoning, if he is too squeamish for labor and delivery, he should have been buying condoms."


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Redbox Instant app coming to Roku players this summer

REDBOX INSTANT BY VERIZON TO LAUNCH ON ROKU THIS SUMMER

NEW YORK [June 6, 2013] – Movie night is heating up this summer. Redbox Instant™ by Verizon - a joint venture between Redbox, a subsidiary of Coinstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSTR), and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) - and Roku® today announced that the two companies will bring Redbox Instant by Verizon to the Roku streaming platform this summer. The partnership expands Redbox Instant by Verizon to one of the most popular streaming players for the TV and gives Roku's millions of users access to the newest releases and a growing library of popular movies from the convenience of their living rooms.

Redbox Instant by Verizon on Roku is a great entertainment choice for movie fans offering a compelling subscription package for only $8 per month, which includes 4 credits to access to the newest releases on disc at more than 43,000 Redbox kiosks nationwide plus thousands of popular movies online as well as the ability to purchase and rent new releases on-demand through the Redbox Instant store.

"We've received overwhelming demand from our customers for Redbox Instant by Verizon on their Roku devices, and we're pleased to be expanding the service this summer to meet that demand," said Shawn Strickland, CEO, Redbox Instant by Verizon. "Roku is synonymous with great choice, control and value in TV entertainment, and together as partners, we share a strong commitment to providing movie fans a fun and convenient way to enjoy their favorite Hollywood entertainment."

"Redbox Instant by Verizon is a tremendous addition to the Roku platform. We look forward to introducing our customers to the service, and continuing to grow our selection of streaming entertainment for the TV," said Steve Shannon, general manager of content and services, Roku.

Redbox Instant by Verizon subscribers will be able to access the service on their Roku players, and everyone regardless of subscription will have the ability to purchase and rent the newest digital releases directly through the channel. Redbox Instant by Verizon on Roku will be accessible at launch on Roku 3, Roku 2, Roku LT (models 2400 & 2450), and Roku HD (model 2500) players as well as the Roku Streaming Stick.

Customers can text Roku to 727272 to be the first to know when Redbox Instant becomes available on Roku.*

* Text and data rates may apply.
###

About Redbox Instant by Verizon
Redbox Instant by Verizon, a joint venture between Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, and Verizon Communications, Inc., offers movie lovers the best value for the biggest movies on disk and digital. It is the only service to offer a compelling subscription package that includes the newest releases on disc available through more than 43,000 Redbox kiosks nationwide and a selection of thousands of movies to stream instantly. Redbox Instant also offers the ability to purchase or rent new releases, making it a great destination for movie fans to find what they want to watch right now. The service is available on a growing list of major platforms such as Xbox 360, Android and iOS devices, Samsung Smart TV and Internet Connected Blu-ray devices, LG Smart TV's, and Google TV. For more information, visit us at http://www.RedboxInstant.com. Follow us on Twitter @RedboxInstant and like us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/RedboxInstant.

About Roku
Roku is the creator of the most popular streaming software platform for delivering video, music and casual games to the TV. Roku launched the first device to stream Netflix to the TV in 2008, and since then has sold more than 5 million Roku streaming players in the U.S. Roku players are also available in Canada, the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland. In addition, Roku works with OEMs who create Roku Ready™ devices which access the Roku streaming platform. Roku Ready devices can be purchased from major retailers in the U.S. Roku was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR. Roku is privately held and headquartered in Saratoga, Calif. For more information or to purchase directly from Roku, visit www.roku.com.

Roku and Roku Ready are registered trademarks and the Roku Streaming Stick is a trademark of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries.


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Latest experimental Dropbox build adds auto screenshot uploads, iPhoto import

Latest experimental Dropbox build adds auto screenshot uploads, iPhoto import data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 315};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20601644' !== '') ? 'bsd:20601644' : ''; var postID = '20601644'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"internet",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"ben-gilbert", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Latest experimental Dropbox build adds auto screenshot uploads, iPhoto importBypostedJun 6th, 2013 at 1:44 PM 0

Latest experimental Dropbox build adds auto screenshot uploads, iPhoto import

Dropbox's next move may be to take over your favorite screenshot sharing service, as the latest experimental build of its app adds the ability to upload screenshots automatically to your Dropbox folder. And that's not all! The latest build also adds iPhoto import functionality, which offers synchronization between local iPhoto libraries and your Dropbox account (it's only supported on the OS X version, of course, and only works with iPhoto 7.0 or higher), which are then viewable on the web.

Of course, this stuff may never make it into the next release of the Dropbox app given the beta-esque nature of this release, but it sounds extremely likely that it will given the company's wording. At very least, these features won't hit wide, final-release until some point after the next update (the update after this next one, to be clear). Head past the break for the full, detailed list of additions in version 2.3.12, and to the Dropbox forum to snag the new build for yourself in the source link below.

New in 2.3.12

Screenshot to DropboxMove to DropboxImport from iPhotoMuch faster upload/download speeds for large files

Notes:

Screenshot to Dropbox is only supported on Windows and Mac. To trigger it just take a screenshot using Print Screen on Windows or on MacMove to Dropbox is a context menu item that will show up for most files or folders outside of your Dropbox.Import from iPhoto is only supported on Mac with iPhoto 7.0 or higher. It will show up as a notification in your tray menu if you have photos in your iPhoto library. Your iPhoto albums and events will also be created as Dropbox albums (viewable on the web). when.eng("eng.pr.init")when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Roberto Cavalli’s Used Cigarette Was eBay Gold

The Italian designer recently chatted with Vogue U.K. and spurted out classic Cavalli gems about both the duchess ("A princess should be sexy") and Victoria Beckham ("I remember when she asked me to design the Spice Girls costumes for the reunion in 2008, I was so surprised and pleased because I really didn't like the competition — Dolce & Gabbana"). More surprisingly, he also shared a silly tidbit about himself that involved a used cigarette and the Internet. "At the Cavalli for H&M launch in 2007, I stepped out of the car smoking and dropped my cigarette on the pavement — a disgusting, dirty Italian habit — and I found out not long afterwards that it was sold on eBay for £250," he said. "My children said to me, 'You are not allowed to throw your butts away ever again, we'll have them.'" Somebody spent nearly $400 for something that touched Cavalli's mouth! That person could have purchased a new, animal-print wallet instead.


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The Promising Young Designers From Graduate Fashion Week

London’s Graduate Fashion Week came to a close last night, culminating in the Gala Show and Awards to honor the best graduate designers of the week.

The model David Gandy, looking as superhumanly handsome as ever, presented the Menswear Award to Edinburgh College of Art’s Shaun Douglas and Olivia Creber. They had their photos taken with Gandy, but they weren’t the first; preshow, an actual line of women formed while he patiently posed for snaps.

Todd Lynn presented the Womenswear Award to Hannah Williams of UCA Epsom, whose collection suggested serious potential. Designs that appeared to be made of rubber were embossed with trompe l’oeil details; one cream dress featured the outline of a coat, lapels, pockets, and jewelry in the same color. The effect was eerie and intriguing, but could also lend itself to a more accessible retail version. As Suzy Menkes said of the graduates, “What we’re seeing here is controlled creativity.”

The George Gold Award for best collection, along with a £20,000 (about $31,000) prize and the opportunity to design a collection for George at Asda, went to Lauren Smith of Edinburgh College of Art. Roland Mouret, who was on the judging panel, described her collection as “emotional” — it included a nipped-in boiler suit in a dreamy, delicate bubble print and abstract, embroidered separates. Previous winners of the Gold Award include Burberry’s Christopher Bailey, so Smith should be one to watch.

There was also a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Hilary Alexander, who carried it onto the stage and announced, “You don’t get bingo wings with one of these. It weighs a ton,” before handing it to “my friend, long-term sparring partner, and fellow front-row veteran Suzy Menkes.” Menkes, collecting her award dressed in a Dries Van Noten jacket, was quick to point out that “I’ve got lots of life to go yet.”

The rest of the evening was dedicated to re-showing the best collections of the week. Jennifer Lowther of Northumbria University displayed a Henry Holland–esque sense of humor by emblazoning her men’s streetwear collection of scarves, pants, and sweaters with the slogan "Have some balls." Chen-Yu Wang of Ravensbourne presented whimsical womenswear that seemed destined for Susie Bubble — including a rompersuit covered in knitted eyeballs and a pinafore printed with little houses. One model carried a knitted horse.

The gala tied up what has been four days of graduate shows and presentations. The hope is that some of the designers showcased will become the NEWGEN winners, Vogue Designer Fashion Fund recipients, and ultimately major talents of the British industry. The awards have been distributed, triumphant photos have been taken, and contact details have been exchanged; the rest is up to the graduates.

Click below to view the best of street style from Graduate Fashion Week.


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