This and that | Ripple's Web

(Credit:
Josh Miller/CNET)

Many drivers rely on smartphones for navigation, music, and calls in the car, but holding the phone while performing any of these tasks impairs driving ability and is illegal in some states. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that manually operating a phone greatly increases distraction while driving, where engaging in a hands-free call showed no increased crash risk.

To more safely use your phone in the
car, get a mount that will keep its voice command button in easy reach and its screen viewable at a glance.

Mounts can stick to windshields and dashboards, clip to vents, or fit into cup-holders. A good mount will offer multiple points of articulation so the phone can be optimally positioned.

For convenience, the clamp end should make it easy to attach and remove your phone, yet hold it securely. A phone becomes its most distracting when it drops off a mount and falls onto the floor, sliding under the seat or brake pedal.

We have tested a variety of mounts that use varying means to hold onto phone and car. Check out our roundup below.

Go hands-free with these smartphone mounts (pictures)

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Click through for the full photo gallery and more details.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/pRza/~3/Iu3-hZ06q-A/

Your sexting artistry can now be immortalized as art.

(Credit:
CBS)

Do you consider yourself a sexting master (or mistress)? If so, artist Karen Finley wants u, u sexy beast.

Finley — a well-known and sometimes controversial performance artist — is planning a series of paintings inspired by sexts. The works will be displayed later this month in New York’s New Museum as part of an interactive installation called “Sext Me if You Can.”

If you’re wondering how that beloved cleavage shot would look like on a canvas above your couch, be advised that not just any of your favorite sexy missives or nudie pics will do.

Interested sexters will be asked to pay between $200 and $500 for a 10-minute private, anonymous on-site sitting during which they’ll get access to a private phone number created expressly for sending Finley sexts. The message will, in turn, serve as the inspiration for a painting, or series of paintings, created by the artist in a temporary studio set up in the New Museum lobby and displayed from May 23-26.

Karen Finley

(Credit:
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders)

“Through this process, the erotic exchange with the artist — bound by rules of commerce — transforms into a lasting and collectible work of art,” reads a New Museum description of the project. Once the exhibit is over, participating patrons get to take home one of the paintings inspired by their sext.

Finley is one of four solo performers participating in the New Museum’s NEA 4 in Residence program. The museum has invited the so-called NEA Four artists who played a key role in the culture wars of the ’90s to tackle contemporary issues surrounding funding for performance art today.

And while we’re looking forward to seeing Finley’s artistic interpretations, we probably won’t be running a photo gallery. Sry!

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/pRza/~3/qkFvBxpwr1Q/

The athletic WRX concept helped Subaru gauge public reaction to a production version.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)

Before the recession, automakers at auto shows regularly showed off futuristic concept
cars, which seemed more about keeping the design departments busy than developing future products. When resources became scarce, concept cars largely became prototypes brought out to gauge public reaction.

Such is still the case, given the assortment of concept cars we saw during the most recent international auto show cycle.

Beginning with last year’s Paris Motor Show, and running through Detroit, Geneva, and New York, automakers unveiled concepts that tended to be templates for new models. The reaction these cars received from public and press served as a focus group report for the automakers, giving them a good indication whether the concepts could be green-lit for production or sent back to the drawing board.

Top 10 concept cars from the 2012-2013 auto show season (pictures)

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Click through for the full photo gallery and more details.

One of the most exciting concepts was the Subaru WRX, mostly due to enthusiast interest in the next generation of this sporty and affordable car. Subaru did not say anything about performance specs when it took the covers off at the
New York auto show, but the little sedan looked very athletic.

A number of small SUVs made appearances: the Volkswagen CrossBlue, Honda Urban SUV, Nissan Resonance, and Lincoln MKC. The spike in this type of car shows that automakers recognize the segment’s popularity. Of these four, Honda said it had very definite production plans, while the Lincoln MKC seemed another likely candidate to enter showrooms. The Nissan Resonance looked more like a design exercise, but it carries a definite new styling language, which may find its way to new Nissan models.

The Volkswagen CrossBlue looked very intriguing, especially with its diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain. Although Volkswagen said it had developed the vehicle specifically for the American market, the vehicle is only likely to enter production if it can be built here.

At the Paris Motor Show, Nissan brought out the more outlandish Terra SUV, a fuel cell-powered vehicle. Nothing about the car looked intended for production, but it made for an interesting look at what Nissan might be making in 10 or 20 years.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/pRza/~3/neEq5T4Ye58/

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Penny Loker, 31, was born with two birth defects — hemifacial microsomia and Goldenhar Syndrome — that left her with a disfigured face.

Loker endured multiple surgeries and lengthy recoveries as a child. But she never lost her positive attitude, according to her sister.

Loker didn’t realize how different she was until she started school. At home, she was treated the same as everyone else.

Penny calls her core group of friends her “rocks.” From left, Laura, Penny, Linda, Suzanne and Becky.

Loker’s mother, Marion Loker, raised her children alone after the death of her husband.

Loker, her mother and her sister, Crystal Loker.

Loker and her sister Crystal as children.

Loker’s high school graduation photo, taken not long before the incident after her manicure and pedicure.

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Editor’s note: We first met Penny when she wrote to us about a CNN Photo Gallery showcasing disfigured children and stillborn babies affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam. Penny spoke of the anger and sadness she felt over seeing CNN’s “viewer discretion” warning on the gallery. She was born with a disease that left part of her own face malformed and felt compelled to reach out to us about the children who simply look different. “How can I not speak up about this?” she asked. “If not me, who will speak on behalf of these children?” We invited her to educate us all by sharing her story and allowing us to see the world through her eyes.

(CNN) — As a little girl, she never got a valentine at school parties.

As a teenager, she never had a best friend, a boyfriend or a date.

As a woman, she’s never had a relationship. She’s never been kissed.

Her dream to one day become a wife and mother is fading as she grapples with the reality that it may never happen.

Penny Loker, 31, was born with hemifacial microsomia and Goldenhar Syndrome, two birth defects that left her with a disfigured face. Hemifacial microsomia causes a malformation of the ear and/or the structure of the lower jaw. Goldenhar Syndrome is a congenital condition that produces abnormalities of the head and the bones of the spinal column. It usually affects the appearance of eyes, ears, facial bones and the mouth.

Both conditions are complex, as are their names. But for a little girl facing a big world, the names were simple: Monster. Ugly. Freak.

Loker was raised in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in a home where love and acceptance were given freely.

Her father died soon after Loker’s first birthday. Her mother, a strong, loving woman, readily took on the challenge of raising Loker and her sisters. That included arranging for multiple surgeries at hospitals far from home.

Loker’s recoveries were lengthy and painful, recalls older sister Crystal Loker. “But even then Penny had a positive attitude. She was a trouper who kept her smile and didn’t complain.”

‘Impaired Perceptions’: Photographer rejects first impressions

At home, Loker’s looks were not an issue and she was treated the same as her sisters. She knew she looked a bit different, and she knew it caused her to be in the hospital a lot, but she had a child’s innocence and accepted it as normal.

When it was time to start school, she discovered how different she actually was. She spent a lonely childhood excluded from nearly everything. She had no friends. She accepted the name-calling as part of her life and seemed to understand that crying or fighting back only made it worse. So she quietly endured it.

She remembers that pain and humiliation well. “As an adult, it’s hard to stand by silently when you know what these kids are going through,” Loker says. “But it’s equally difficult to speak out when you don’t feel empowered to do so.”

As she got older, the name-calling was more often behind her back than to her face. By the time she reached high school, she had learned there would be no friends, parties or dates for a girl who looked like a freak.

“It hurt, but there was nothing I could do to change it,” she says.

While day-to-day encounters with strangers brought the same hurtful stares and comments, Loker was used to it. Then came a day with such cruelty it remains a vivid memory.

“For graduation my sister gave me a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure. I’d never had one before, and it was a wonderful experience. I left the spa feeling truly pretty for the first time in my adult life.”

But less than a block from the salon, she encountered a carload of boys who slowed to look at her and began pointing and calling her names.

Distraught, she walked as quickly as she could to get away from them, thinking all the while that she was not beautiful after all.

“The pretty nails made no difference at all. Shamed and humiliated, I realized I was still the same girl that everyone made fun of,” she recalls. “I remember that day as one of the worst.”

Talking to someone with a chronic illness

But time can ease all wounds, and her determined spirit taught her to find the good around her.

She has a core group of girlfriends and relatives who cherish her as she is. She speaks proudly of being able to provide for herself, thanks to her job at Rogers Communications, where she spends her days handling customer requests. The company was recognized this year as a diversity leader corporation, a recognition that only adds to Loker’s pride.

There are many adventures in life that she is hesitant to embrace, even though she is physically able. She prefers not to shop alone. She has never been on a true vacation, saying the thought of one is scary.

Yet it’s a feat she is determined to accomplish. She is saving now for a trip to California to visit either BlizzCon or Comic-con.

“I’m kind of a geek and play the online MMO World of Warcraft with my sister and her husband, and we always talk about how cool it would be to go there,” she says. “People dress up so I would feel ‘normal’, not out of place.”

She’s quick to point out she has no interest in visiting a theme park geared toward children, where she’d likely be subjected to stares as parents attempt to answer questions about her.

She wishes she could open the dialogue about individuals with malformations by educating people, especially children, whose natural curiosity can eventually become cruelty if left unaddressed.

“Educating them early on would help them learn to be more tolerant of others who are different. The ability to love, share, bring happiness and help others is the real beauty of a person,” she says.

“The exterior doesn’t necessarily reflect the beauty that often lives inside. And when people fail to remember that, they can miss out on the love and friendship of a truly special person.”

Crystal Loker agrees. “Penny is truly beautiful. She’s always seeing the best in others and never has an unkind word for anyone. In Penny’s world, others always come first. She’s full of laughter and smiles. When you spend a day with her, you go home feeling good about yourself.”

Loker welcomes the opportunity to teach all of us to see beyond the surface. But until then, she continues to hope for good days in her own life, which for her means days when she is ignored.

“When I go out to dinner with my friends and no one stares at me or asks to be moved to a table further away from me, that’s a good day,” she says.

In spite of it all, Loker is quick to point out her many blessings: Being able to share a home with her family, having a job she loves, having good friends and a good health care system to help with the cost of a lifetime of surgeries.

Her only regret?

“I have so much love to give and I would love to share that with a family of my own. I understand it will probably never happen, and I’m learning to accept it. But I am sad about it,” she says. “It feels like the one great loss in my life.”

Visit the CNN Facebook page Monday night for a live discussion with Penny Loker at 8 p.m. ET.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/14/health/loker-profile/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/u3tFGEGeJX0/a-beauty-thats-beyond-skin-deep

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Penny Loker, 31, was born with two birth defects — hemifacial microsomia and Goldenhar Syndrome — that left her with a disfigured face.

Loker endured multiple surgeries and lengthy recoveries as a child. But she never lost her positive attitude, according to her sister.

Loker didn’t realize how different she was until she started school. At home, she was treated the same as everyone else.

Penny calls her core group of friends her “rocks.” From left, Laura, Penny, Linda, Suzanne and Becky.

Loker’s mother, Marion Loker, raised her children alone after the death of her husband.

Loker, her mother and her sister, Crystal Loker.

Loker and her sister Crystal as children.

Loker’s high school graduation photo, taken not long before the incident after her manicure and pedicure.

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Editor’s note: We first met Penny when she wrote to us about a CNN Photo Gallery showcasing disfigured children and stillborn babies affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam. Penny spoke of the anger and sadness she felt over seeing CNN’s “viewer discretion” warning on the gallery. She was born with a disease that left part of her own face malformed and felt compelled to reach out to us about the children who simply look different. “How can I not speak up about this?” she asked. “If not me, who will speak on behalf of these children?” We invited her to educate us all by sharing her story and allowing us to see the world through her eyes.

(CNN) — As a little girl, she never got a valentine at school parties.

As a teenager, she never had a best friend, a boyfriend or a date.

As a woman, she’s never had a relationship. She’s never been kissed.

Her dream to one day become a wife and mother is fading as she grapples with the reality that it may never happen.

Penny Loker, 31, was born with hemifacial microsomia and Goldenhar Syndrome, two birth defects that left her with a disfigured face. Hemifacial microsomia causes a malformation of the ear and/or the structure of the lower jaw. Goldenhar Syndrome is a congenital condition that produces abnormalities of the head and the bones of the spinal column. It usually affects the appearance of eyes, ears, facial bones and the mouth.

Both conditions are complex, as are their names. But for a little girl facing a big world, the names were simple: Monster. Ugly. Freak.

Loker was raised in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in a home where love and acceptance were given freely.

Her father died soon after Loker’s first birthday. Her mother, a strong, loving woman, readily took on the challenge of raising Loker and her sisters. That included arranging for multiple surgeries at hospitals far from home.

Loker’s recoveries were lengthy and painful, recalls older sister Crystal Loker. “But even then Penny had a positive attitude. She was a trouper who kept her smile and didn’t complain.”

‘Impaired Perceptions’: Photographer rejects first impressions

At home, Loker’s looks were not an issue and she was treated the same as her sisters. She knew she looked a bit different, and she knew it caused her to be in the hospital a lot, but she had a child’s innocence and accepted it as normal.

When it was time to start school, she discovered how different she actually was. She spent a lonely childhood excluded from nearly everything. She had no friends. She accepted the name-calling as part of her life and seemed to understand that crying or fighting back only made it worse. So she quietly endured it.

She remembers that pain and humiliation well. “As an adult, it’s hard to stand by silently when you know what these kids are going through,” Loker says. “But it’s equally difficult to speak out when you don’t feel empowered to do so.”

As she got older, the name-calling was more often behind her back than to her face. By the time she reached high school, she had learned there would be no friends, parties or dates for a girl who looked like a freak.

“It hurt, but there was nothing I could do to change it,” she says.

While day-to-day encounters with strangers brought the same hurtful stares and comments, Loker was used to it. Then came a day with such cruelty it remains a vivid memory.

“For graduation my sister gave me a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure. I’d never had one before, and it was a wonderful experience. I left the spa feeling truly pretty for the first time in my adult life.”

But less than a block from the salon, she encountered a carload of boys who slowed to look at her and began pointing and calling her names.

Distraught, she walked as quickly as she could to get away from them, thinking all the while that she was not beautiful after all.

“The pretty nails made no difference at all. Shamed and humiliated, I realized I was still the same girl that everyone made fun of,” she recalls. “I remember that day as one of the worst.”

Talking to someone with a chronic illness

But time can ease all wounds, and her determined spirit taught her to find the good around her.

She has a core group of girlfriends and relatives who cherish her as she is. She speaks proudly of being able to provide for herself, thanks to her job at Rogers Communications, where she spends her days handling customer requests. The company was recognized this year as a diversity leader corporation, a recognition that only adds to Loker’s pride.

There are many adventures in life that she is hesitant to embrace, even though she is physically able. She prefers not to shop alone. She has never been on a true vacation, saying the thought of one is scary.

Yet it’s a feat she is determined to accomplish. She is saving now for a trip to California to visit either BlizzCon or Comic-con.

“I’m kind of a geek and play the online MMO World of Warcraft with my sister and her husband, and we always talk about how cool it would be to go there,” she says. “People dress up so I would feel ‘normal’, not out of place.”

She’s quick to point out she has no interest in visiting a theme park geared toward children, where she’d likely be subjected to stares as parents attempt to answer questions about her.

She wishes she could open the dialogue about individuals with malformations by educating people, especially children, whose natural curiosity can eventually become cruelty if left unaddressed.

“Educating them early on would help them learn to be more tolerant of others who are different. The ability to love, share, bring happiness and help others is the real beauty of a person,” she says.

“The exterior doesn’t necessarily reflect the beauty that often lives inside. And when people fail to remember that, they can miss out on the love and friendship of a truly special person.”

Crystal Loker agrees. “Penny is truly beautiful. She’s always seeing the best in others and never has an unkind word for anyone. In Penny’s world, others always come first. She’s full of laughter and smiles. When you spend a day with her, you go home feeling good about yourself.”

Loker welcomes the opportunity to teach all of us to see beyond the surface. But until then, she continues to hope for good days in her own life, which for her means days when she is ignored.

“When I go out to dinner with my friends and no one stares at me or asks to be moved to a table further away from me, that’s a good day,” she says.

In spite of it all, Loker is quick to point out her many blessings: Being able to share a home with her family, having a job she loves, having good friends and a good health care system to help with the cost of a lifetime of surgeries.

Her only regret?

“I have so much love to give and I would love to share that with a family of my own. I understand it will probably never happen, and I’m learning to accept it. But I am sad about it,” she says. “It feels like the one great loss in my life.”

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/14/health/loker-profile/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/P6LHqgCToEE/a-beauty-beyond-skin-deep

On the trail: Wilson’s Stump, an ancient cedar, has a heart-shaped skylight.

(Credit:
Google Japan)

When I hiked Yakushima Island a few years ago, it was the closest thing I’d seen to an alien planet from science fiction.

Famous for its staggering ancient cedar trees, the island off southern Japan has an interior that struck me as a mix of so many imaginary worlds I’ve seen on film: Endor, Dagobah, Pandora.

An hour into the hike, it began to rain. Biblically. It was coming down cats and dogs, or “earth and sand” as they say in Japanese, and it didn’t let up for six hours.

Yakushima then seemed like Venus and its incessant, lethal rain like that in Ray Bradbury’s “The Illustrated Man.” My Nikon dSLR found itself swimming in an inch of water that got into my pack, and promptly died.

But I couldn’t resist the island’s enchanting scenery. It’s said to have inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s acclaimed anime film “Princess Mononoke.”

Describing Yakushima in an article for Travel Leisure Southeast Asia, I wrote: “The forest is a surreal universe of emerald moss, infinite rivulets and waterfalls, thick roots webbing over great glistening rocks, all shot through with torrents gushing from the mountain.”

“And the sugi cedars. Found above 1,200 meters (3,937 feet), the giant cedars are like mighty rivers of wood shooting up from the ground. Or, from afar, they shine blood-red in the mist like frozen giants.”

In February, Google Street View hikers climbed Yakushima’s mountainous heart to the Jomon Sugi, a towering cedar tree believed to be anywhere from 2,000 to 7,000 years old. Only discovered in 1968, it’s 83 feet tall and 53 feet around.

En route, the team captured 360-degree views of the ancient cedar forest, which draws thousands of trekkers as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hiking mysterious Yakushima Island for Street View (pictures)

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The panoramic shots, which feature relatively rare imagery of the forest in snow, are expected to be available this summer. Check out pictures released so far in our photo gallery.

Google Japan is also planning to bring Street View to Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest peak at 12,389 feet and a national icon.

That’s a much easier climb, but the view from the top is equally spectacular, especially in the evening (the lights of Tokyo can be seen 60 miles away) and at dawn when the sun rises from beneath the clouds.

All fun to see on Street View, but much more fun to see firsthand.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/pRza/~3/Ggh8Zv7uC1c/

(Credit:
Lisbeth Ortega/Photojojo)

Editors’ note: This guest post is the second in a five-week series of Photojojo’s best photography tips. Check back next Tuesday for the latest guide to making the most of your shutter.

You’re addicted to shooting photos with your favorite mobile companion, but there’s just one problem: your photos seem to be stuck in your phone.

There are plenty of quality Instagram printing services, like PostalPix (check out our collab with them on this Instagram album), Printstagram and Stickygram, to name a few.

These services are great for printing Instagrams in a pinch, but it’s actually surprisingly easy to make your own at home. And this ain’t your mama’s project, either — this DIY will give you glazed, resilient magnets ready for a decades of use. Make an afternoon of it or, like a true photo geek, even a Friday night.

With this guide, you’ll be on your way to making a colorful photo gallery that can live on your fridge or that blank canvas some call a filing cabinet.

(Credit:
Lisbeth Ortega/Photojojo)

Here’s what you’ll need:

• your Instagrams (more on that later)
• a photo editor, like Photoshop or GIMP
• a printer
• photo paper
• a mat board or illustration board (available at craft stores)
• Mod-Podge Dimensional Magic Glaze
• magnetic tape
• an X-acto knife or scissors
• a ruler
• a pencil
• a pin
• plastic cups (one for each magnet, optional)

DIY Instagram magnets

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Step 1: Download your Instagrams
If you have your settings set to save your Instagrams to your phone every time you upload one, then you can browse your camera roll for your saved ‘grams.

Otherwise, if you’re using an iPhone, you can download your photos from Instagram itself by tapping on your photo and holding until “Save Image” pops up.

If you’re going for a batch of photos, you can download your entire collection using a service like Instarchive.

Step 2: Print your photos
Size your photos to 2×2 inches at 300dpi in a photo editor like Photoshop or the free and open-source GIMP.

Then, tile those 2×2-inch photos into an 8×10-inch canvas, so they all print out on a single sheet, which can even be done in a word processor like Word or Google Docs, if you choose. This should make for 20 photos to a sheet.

Finally, place your photo paper in your printer, and print.

Tip: Save the file of photos, so you can print another one in case you need to later.

Step 3: Cut them out
For the straightest edges, an X-acto knife works best. Set a ruler along your cut line, and run your X-acto along it to cut out your photos. (You can also use scissors, if you like.)

(Credit:
Lisbeth Ortega/Photojojo)

Tip: For a shortcut version of this project, skip to Step 7. Simply turn your photo paper version into a magnet.

Step 4: Cut your mat board, then glue
To fortify the back of your Instagrams, you’ll be cutting out squares from the mat or illustration board you picked up at the art shop.

Use a pencil to draw a grid of 2×2-inch squares. Now cut out the squares the same way you did your Instagrams.

Glue your Instagrams to each mat square with regular glue or a dab of Mod-Podge glaze, then let it dry.

Step 5: Glaze with Magic
What’s this Magic Glaze, you say?

The Mod Podge Dimensional Magic Glaze creates a thick, shiny coat atop your photo, so it looks like a real-deal magnet like you’ve seen in the store.

It works by simply squeezing the glaze directly onto your photo, coating it as you squeeze. No need to brush or touch it. Just let it smoothly goop on top.

(Credit:
Lisbeth Ortega/Photojojo)

Tip: Try squeezing it around the edges of your photo and working your way to the center.

Step 6: Dry
Before it dries, grab your pin and pop any air bubbles. Wipe your pin between pops, so it doesn’t build up.

Now let it dry. This’ll take about 24 hours.

(Credit:
Lisbeth Ortega/Photojojo)

Tip: If you’re worried about dust falling and drying on your magnet, place a plastic cup over it to keep it safe.

Step 7: Add magnetic strips and admire your work
Cut small strips of magnetic tape and adhere them to the back of your magnets.

(Credit:
Lisbeth Ortega/Photojojo)

Now you’re ready to turn your fridge into an Instagram art gallery. This might just merit some wine and cheese.

For more phone-ography tips, check out Photojojo University. Whether it’s DIY tutorials or can’t-find-it-anywhere-else photo goodies at the Photojojo Store, Photojojo’s on a mission to inspire and share the good word about the greatest photo stuff in the world.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/pRza/~3/7omFJiw0coE/

He coulda been a contender.

(Credit:
Hasbro)

Ladies and gentlemen, the iron has left the building.

Or rather, the board. In the biggest shakeup of the classic board game Monopoly since Monopoly Live, the iron has gone straight to jail and it won’t be getting a release card.

In a reality TV-like vote by Monopoly fans around the world to choose a new token, the iron proved the least popular, garnering support of only 7.6 percent.

Players voted on Facebook for a replacement among five proposed tokens: a robot, a helicopter, a guitar, a diamond ring, and a cat.

The Save Your Token Campaign attracted massive attention. Even outside brands like Chevrolet, Duracell, Tropicana, and Playskool joined in, backing tokens that reflected their products in some way.

But what would have been the coolest addition by far, the token that would have brought your grandpa’s property parlor game kicking and screaming into the 21st century, by which of course I mean the beautifully mustachioed albeit retro humanoid robot, didn’t pass GO.

With 31 percent of the vote, the cat won. Yes, myriad online fans of Lolcats, Cheezburger cats, and all the other felines of every stripe proved too numerous for those who fought the good fight.

The robot came in second with 27 percent.

Were cat fans better organized? Was it their ground game? Was it that enormous Super PAC from Meow Mix?

Cat battles robot in race to be new Monopoly token (pictures)

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Whatever the case, the cat will join new sets of Monopoly on store shelves by mid to late 2013, nearly 80 years after Parker Brothers purchased the game from its designer in 1935.

“While we’re a bit sad to see the iron go, the cat token is a fantastic choice by the fans and we have no doubt it will become just as iconic as the original tokens,” Eric Nyman, senior vice president and global brand leader for Hasbro Gaming, said in a release.

The cat will join the classic lineup of the racing
car, battleship, shoe, thimble, top hat, wheelbarrow, and Scottie dog; the latter two were added in the 1950s.

Check out the winning cat token in the photo gallery above, along with voting results for each contestant.

I just hope that dog teaches this upstart cat who’s boss.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/pRza/~3/vOc8zSr26oo/

(CNN) — Easton Neston is the kind of place you’d expect to find in one of PG Wodehouse’s comic novels — a playground for England’s eccentric and carefree landed gentry.

Nestled among 600 acres of lush farmland and landscaped gardens, the 36-room house was built 300 years ago by architect Sir Nicholas Hawksmoor for one of the country’s aristocratic families.

Not only is the property one of the finest examples of English Baroque buildings, it’s unusual in that it has remained a private dwelling. Indeed, the owner of this estate is no ordinary Lord of the Manor.

Born Leonid Maxovitch Rodovinksi in St Petersburg, Leon Max is one of a number of Russian-born tycoons acquiring some of the UK’s most iconic buildings from old families crippled by their exorbitant running costs.

Russians make waves in UK real estate

Max is coy about how much he paid for Easton Neston, but British publications have reported it sold for around $25 million in 2005, as its founding family were struggling to keep up with its annual $3 million maintenance bill.

Billionaire promotes Soviet-era art

And while the price-tag may seem eye-wateringly expensive, Max spent almost twice as much redecorating the house. It was painstaking process, supervised by Lady Henrietta Spencer Churchill, a relative of former British Prime minister Sir Winston Churchill and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The staff were streamlined but the “old timers” left are surprisingly loyal to their newfound country squire.

”What did I think of when a Russian tycoon bought this property?” muses the copiously tweeded chief groundsman Roy Goodger, a 30-year veteran of Easton Neston.

”Strange at first. But I was happy because I knew a Russian tycoon would have money and that’s what this place needs.”

Max is less optimistic about his neighbors. ”I suspect the locals had low expectations,” he says in perfect, if soft-spoken English.

Read more: Russian billionaire’s Soviet-era art

”Come to think of it they were probably expecting a shaven-headed man in a black leather overcoat with a bunch of goons toting Uzis. So, I think they were a bit disappointed when they saw me.”

A refugee from the Soviet regime, who has lived in America since the 70s, Max is actually something of an anti-oligarch.

Yes, his story is one from the rag trade to the rich list but it is unconventional in that his fortune was made outside of the fast-growing emerging markets. Rather, it was in the hyper-competitive U.S. retail sector where he is best known as the man behind the Californian label Max Studio.

Max clearly doesn’t shy away from a challenge. When we meet he has just launched his high-end clothing line Leon Max in the UK, during one of most pronounced double dip recessions in a generation. ”Yes, Europe is in a recession but it’s like everything, things will change,” he says. ”And in the meantime, it’s a wonderful place to live… to work.”

In fact, Max — who spends only part of the year at Easton Neston — has become so enamored with “all things English” that he’s relocated part of his design studio to a former real tennis court in a wing designed by Sir Christopher Wren, famous for the construction of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

”I also get inspired by the country life here,” says Max as he dons his signature white smock and weaves between seamstresses busy at their machines.

Photo gallery: Russian billionaire’s collection of Soviet-era art

“In fact, we’ve recently launched a new line called Max Studio Country, which has everything a girl needs for a weekend in the country. Besides, it’s a wonderful place for our fashion shoots.”

For his part, Max appears to have perfected the country look ”thanks to my tailor on Savile Row.” When we meet he is looking effortlessly chic in a moss-green moleskin suit, which one can’t help noticing matches much of the furniture.

Although Max avoids questions about his true wealth and the value of his business, he does concede “it’s enough to keep me in good wine… and country houses.”

It also seems enough to keep him in good company as well. For when we meet the house is abuzz with preparations for the weekend’s big event: A shooting party, which will attract the cream of British society.

”Shooting days are easily 5000 calorie days,” says Max, who is trim for a man in his 50s.

The day will include: A breakfast, of eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding and bubble and squeak. Then there’s elevenses with pork pie and spirits, followed by a black tie dinner, champagne, port stilton and more.

”Speaking of which, Nicholas,” he says as he catches his trusty manservant whizzing by. ”What are we thinking of in terms of the wine? Say a Chateau Margaux 1996 to go with the lamb?”

A second later the butler scuttles back off down one of the house’s endless corridors and one is left with the feeling of having met the white rabbit from Lewis Carroll’s Alice and Wonderland.

”He may be British but he’s spent a long time in Hollywood,” says Max affectionately. ”He used to work for the Gettys, then he was Nicholas Cage’s butler. So, I think this probably the most normal set up he’s seen so far,” he chortles.

The Gettys may be famous for their massive wealth and love of art but Easton Neston itself would put many museums to shame.

The interior has been so sympathetically redecorated it’s hard to believe at first that Max bought the house after it had been stripped of its contents.

”Unfortunately, the family I bought it from (Lord Hesketh) had sold the contents at auction earlier,” he says puffing on a Marlboro Light cigarette.

One thing he did manage to get his hands on though, is a huge hunting scene attributed to Sir Peter Paul Rubens which hangs majestically above the fireplace in the drawing room flanked by similarly impressive works by Samuel Scott and Luca Giordano.

For all the riches in the world, Max cuts a lonely — if elegant — figure in this former baronial hall. The twice-divorced father of one doesn’t even have a dog. “I’d love one but I travel so much,” he says. ”They always end up being the housekeeper’s dog.”

Would he like to find a “Lady of the Manor” one day?

”Let’s just say I’m interviewing,” Max replies with a wry — if not shy — smile and another drag on his cigarette.

As we leave, the parlor maid is laying out the silver in preparation for an Earl who is coming to tea while outside the gamekeeper ensures the drives aren’t flooded before the shooting party arrives at the weekend.

Flocks of sheep graze in the distance while the odd pheasant flutters between the topiary. But then the bucolic scene is shattered by the arrival of a huge helicopter, and our host bids us goodbye.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/03/business/leon-max-easton-neston-dos-santos/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/Ng41XH_qAm8/russian-tycoon-to-country-gent

(CNN) — Easton Neston is the kind of place you’d expect to find in one of PG Wodehouse’s comic novels — a playground for England’s eccentric and carefree landed gentry.

Nestled among 600 acres of lush farmland and landscaped gardens, the 36-room house was built 300 years ago by architect Sir Nicholas Hawksmoor for one of the country’s aristocratic families.

Not only is the property one of the finest examples of English Baroque buildings, it’s unusual in that it has remained a private dwelling. Indeed, the owner of this estate is no ordinary Lord of the Manor.

Born Leonid Maxovitch Rodovinksi in St Petersburg, Leon Max is one of a number of Russian-born tycoons acquiring some of the UK’s most iconic buildings from old families crippled by their exorbitant running costs.

Russians make waves in UK real estate

Max is coy about how much he paid for Easton Neston, but British publications have reported it sold for around $25 million in 2005, as its founding family were struggling to keep up with its annual $3 million maintenance bill.

Billionaire promotes Soviet-era art

And while the price-tag may seem eye-wateringly expensive, Max spent almost twice as much redecorating the house. It was painstaking process, supervised by Lady Henrietta Spencer Churchill, a relative of former British Prime minister Sir Winston Churchill and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The staff were streamlined but the “old timers” left are surprisingly loyal to their newfound country squire.

”What did I think of when a Russian tycoon bought this property?” muses the copiously tweeded chief groundsman Roy Goodger, a 30-year veteran of Easton Neston.

”Strange at first. But I was happy because I knew a Russian tycoon would have money and that’s what this place needs.”

Max is less optimistic about his neighbors. ”I suspect the locals had low expectations,” he says in perfect, if soft-spoken English.

Read more: Russian billionaire’s Soviet-era art

”Come to think of it they were probably expecting a shaven-headed man in a black leather overcoat with a bunch of goons toting Uzis. So, I think they were a bit disappointed when they saw me.”

A refugee from the Soviet regime, who has lived in America since the 70s, Max is actually something of an anti-oligarch.

Yes, his story is one from the rag trade to the rich list but it is unconventional in that his fortune was made outside of the fast-growing emerging markets. Rather, it was in the hyper-competitive U.S. retail sector where he is best known as the man behind the Californian label Max Studio.

Max clearly doesn’t shy away from a challenge. When we meet he has just launched his high-end clothing line Leon Max in the UK, during one of most pronounced double dip recessions in a generation. ”Yes, Europe is in a recession but it’s like everything, things will change,” he says. ”And in the meantime, it’s a wonderful place to live… to work.”

In fact, Max — who spends only part of the year at Easton Neston — has become so enamored with “all things English” that he’s relocated part of his design studio to a former real tennis court in a wing designed by Sir Christopher Wren, famous for the construction of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

”I also get inspired by the country life here,” says Max as he dons his signature white smock and weaves between seamstresses busy at their machines.

Photo gallery: Russian billionaire’s collection of Soviet-era art

“In fact, we’ve recently launched a new line called Max Studio Country, which has everything a girl needs for a weekend in the country. Besides, it’s a wonderful place for our fashion shoots.”

For his part, Max appears to have perfected the country look ”thanks to my tailor on Savile Row.” When we meet he is looking effortlessly chic in a moss-green moleskin suit, which one can’t help noticing matches much of the furniture.

Although Max avoids questions about his true wealth and the value of his business, he does concede “it’s enough to keep me in good wine… and country houses.”

It also seems enough to keep him in good company as well. For when we meet the house is abuzz with preparations for the weekend’s big event: A shooting party, which will attract the cream of British society.

”Shooting days are easily 5000 calorie days,” says Max, who is trim for a man in his 50s.

The day will include: A breakfast, of eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding and bubble and squeak. Then there’s elevenses with pork pie and spirits, followed by a black tie dinner, champagne, port stilton and more.

”Speaking of which, Nicholas,” he says as he catches his trusty manservant whizzing by. ”What are we thinking of in terms of the wine? Say a Chateau Margaux 1996 to go with the lamb?”

A second later the butler scuttles back off down one of the house’s endless corridors and one is left with the feeling of having met the white rabbit from Lewis Carroll’s Alice and Wonderland.

”He may be British but he’s spent a long time in Hollywood,” says Max affectionately. ”He used to work for the Gettys, then he was Nicholas Cage’s butler. So, I think this probably the most normal set up he’s seen so far,” he chortles.

The Gettys may be famous for their massive wealth and love of art but Easton Neston itself would put many museums to shame.

The interior has been so sympathetically redecorated it’s hard to believe at first that Max bought the house after it had been stripped of its contents.

”Unfortunately, the family I bought it from (Lord Hesketh) had sold the contents at auction earlier,” he says puffing on a Marlboro Light cigarette.

One thing he did manage to get his hands on though, is a huge hunting scene attributed to Sir Peter Paul Rubens which hangs majestically above the fireplace in the drawing room flanked by similarly impressive works by Samuel Scott and Luca Giordano.

For all the riches in the world, Max cuts a lonely — if elegant — figure in this former baronial hall. The twice-divorced father of one doesn’t even have a dog. “I’d love one but I travel so much,” he says. ”They always end up being the housekeeper’s dog.”

Would he like to find a “Lady of the Manor” one day?

”Let’s just say I’m interviewing,” Max replies with a wry — if not shy — smile and another drag on his cigarette.

As we leave, the parlor maid is laying out the silver in preparation for an Earl who is coming to tea while outside the gamekeeper ensures the drives aren’t flooded before the shooting party arrives at the weekend.

Flocks of sheep graze in the distance while the odd pheasant flutters between the topiary. But then the bucolic scene is shattered by the arrival of a huge helicopter, and our host bids us goodbye.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/03/business/leon-max-easton-neston-dos-santos/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/A37jHFwjO2k/from-russian-tycoon-to-english-country-gent