WORLD

Japan Names Mascot for 2014 World Cup

Japan is channeling the Pika-power.

What’s cuter than Pokemon? Dressing the lovable monsters up in soccer uniforms and having them represent your country as its mascots. Never one to shy away from shameless cuteness, Japan has named Pikachu as its national soccer team’s mascot for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. Pikachu won’t be going alone, though; it seems that he’ll also be bringing along some of his friends to join in on the fun (from Pikachu, clockwise: Squirtle, Litleo, Helioptile, Charmander, Fennekin, Meowth, Froakie, Pancham, Bulbasaur, and Chespin). Clearly the Japanese are capitalizing on their hottest commodity right now, even more so than the famous Mario.

However, I can’t help feeling like they’ve dropped the ball in a couple of instances here. First, it’s obvious that the choices shown in the above picture are meant to plug the most recent releases, X and Y. Of the eleven selections, six of them are those who made their debut in the newest generation of games. Oddly enough, the other five were part of the original 151. While it’s great for Nintendo that this is a sales-driven approach, I would’ve liked to see Jigglypuff (because it’s one of the most iconic Pokemon) and Voltorb (because it’s a ball) used instead of, say, Meowth and Helioptile… and yes, I realize how ridiculous I sound nitpicking this.

This is going to sound like wishful thinking here, but I could potentially see this springboarding the franchise into some sports titles down the road. Who wouldn’t want to play a Pokemon-based soccer video game? Or basketball? Or perhaps even football? I’d buy any of those games in a heartbeat with no regrets whatsoever. Whatever happens in the future of the series, this latest endeavor is sure to be memorable and I salute Japan for doing it.

British singer Kate Bush returns to the stage

by Jordan Mattos

In a stirring turn of events, pop chanteuse Kate Bush has announced a limited 15-date tour in August and September at London’s Eventim Apollo. The British singer, now 56, first became known in the late 70s with the unusual “Wuthering Heights”, inspired by the Bronte novel of the same name and featuring her now iconic high-pitched incantations. The classically trained Bush became known for off-kilter, idiosyncratic song subjects and for combining obscure ethnic instruments with state of the art production equipment, such as the then groundbreaking Fairlight CMI synthesizer.

Her only tour, 1979’s “The Tour of Life”, used whimsical stage elements such as mime, magic and modern dance choreography. A succession of hit singles throughout the 80s cemented her position in the pop pantheon, inspiring a string of cover songs by Natalie Cole (The Man with the Child in his Eyes), Maxwell (This Woman’s Work), the Futureheads (Hounds of Love) and others. In 2013, the Queen honoured her with a CBE for services to music at Windsor Castle.

Quite erroneously, traditional media outlets have named Bush a recluse for her sporadic media appearances and unwillingness to perform. In reality, her absence in the spotlight is due to Bush’s devotion to family, to production – at times taking up to a decade between albums to release songs in perfected form, and to a healthy disregard for celebrity. Already she is poised to outsell fluffy pop acts Kate Perry, Lady Gaga and even Beyonce, with ticket searches for the performer reaching an outstanding 432% on Viagogo.

Sales figures notwithstanding, Bush’s return to the stage is a hallmark event for fans of esoteric pop stars of any stripe. Quite a multitude of contemporary acts from Bjork to Tori Amos, have been influenced by her distinctive, elegant persona.

Tickets are now on sale. Prices start at £49, ranging to £135. For tour information please visit KateBush.com.

Home work: Filmmaker Yared Zeleke’s Origin Stories

by Jordan Mattos

It takes a certain level of conviction to stay true to one’s roots when balancing the demands of a bustling metropolis. The filmmaker Yared Zeleke is an Ethiopian storyteller who swims against the current, making films that detail his experiences back home and abroad. His first feature, currently in development, was selected as one of the 15 international projects for the Cannes Film Festival’s lucrative L’Atelier program in 2013. Raised in the slums of Addis Ababa, Zeleke earned his MFA in Directing from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and has worked with various NGO’s in Norway, Namibia and the U.S. All the while, he has preserved his artistic integrity while redefining where he calls home. I had a conversation with Mr. Zeleke about current artistic pursuits and the conditions facing today’s artists in the Big Apple.

Can you talk about your upbringing?

I grew up in the slums of Addis Ababa during one of the darkest periods of Ethiopia’s 3,000-year history. Emperor Haile Selassie had just been deposed in a military coup and the country was consequently thrown into cycles of war and famine. The ongoing conflict and chaos in my country caused me to also lose my family and home while a young boy. Despite the disturbances, I had a happy childhood.

How has your sense of home influenced your next film?

My first feature, Lamb, is analogous to my life’s journey in that it is deeply personal and inescapably political. It is a semi-autobiographical drama about the heart, heartache, and humour of everyday life in my homeland.

You are now back in Ethiopia. How did you feel being an artist in NYC?

It’s challenging…

Your film The Quiet Garden (2009) is about people asking to escape from the city’s noise. Would you or did you ever live in Manhattan?

I once lived in the Lower East Side, right before it got out of control with rent and well-off tourists. I wouldn’t want to return there or probably any part of Manhattan even if i could. Rent, especially, continues to increase for meagre spaces even in inconvenient locations. More and more young people are moving in, who are not necessarily artists themselves.

Film financing is a complex matter, especially during times of economic difficulty. How do you manage?

Grants, grants, and more grants. My work has been funded by several major European sources.

Why do you think artists resist calling their work political?

Politics is such a dirty word.

Your films directly confront difficult to dramatize anxieties. Housewarming (2009) confronts dead-on the alienation felt by an immigrant woman longing to be back home while attempting to fit in at a stylish dinner party in Brooklyn.

Housewarming is about homesickness, particularly as an immigrant in New York. Tigist (Patience) is a short documentary about a girl from the Ethiopian country-side who dreams of being a pilot and comes to California to learn to fly.

Women play an integral role in many of your films.

Strong women raised me in Ethiopia. My primary caretaker was my grandmother who was revered for her storytelling skills as much as she was for her coffee ceremonies. She was born in Kaffa, after all, the birthplace of the coffee bean.

Many of your stories deal with being an outsider and the relationship between defending one’s individuality or being accepted into a group.

The traditional African proverb,”it takes a village to raise a child”, rings true about my upbringing. The adults in my neighbourhood collectively looked after all of us as children by keeping us distracted from the horrors of the Derg with school, church, and the movies. I remember my aunt’s spiced bread; my cross-dressing cousin’s comedy act; the forested, majestic mountains surrounding the city; and the bonﬁres, singing, and dancing during the holidays. I incorporated all these memories into my stories.

For more information about Yared Zeleke and Slum Kid Films, visit http://vimeo.com/user942327

Did the Russians Dupe Snowden?

by Jeff Myhre

A new book by a writer who has covered eastern Europe for 30 years suggests that Edward Snowden, the NSA leaker, could have been an unwitting agent for the Russian security service, the SVR. The Snowden Operation: Inside the West’s Greatest Intelligence Disaster is a must read if you have any interest in this case at all.

Edward Lucas is senior editor at the Economist and was the only English-language reporter in Prague when the anti-communist revolution swept Czechoslovakia in the late 1980s. He knows how that part of the world works and is particularly knowledgeable about how espionage services operate there. He never produces a smoking gun, but his argument is consistent with the facts and with the known behavior of the SVR and its forerunner the KGB.

There are four ways an intelligence officer (a person who works for the SVR, CIA, MI6 whatever) can recruit an agent (someone who supplies information – note the distinction. James Bond was an intelligence officer not an agent). The acronym is MICE: money, ideology, compromise and ego. You can bribe someone, ask them to “help the cause,” blackmail them with whatever you can find, and/or appeal to their sense of pride (“they don’t appreciate you, but we do.”).

In the case of Snowden, Lucas posits that he was motivated by ideology, but under a “false flag.” A false flag means that a person is recruited by an intelligence service but believes he is helping a different organization or cause. One of the most common ways the KGB did this during the Cold War was recruiting Jews by pretending to be from Israel’s Mossad. False flag recruitments are rather common in the espionage world and are favored by the Russians (and the Soviets before them).

Did the Russians Dupe Snowden?

The hypothesis here is that Snowden was tricked into believing he was helping the cause of open government, personal freedom, Mom and apple pie. In this, he was a “useful idiot” to borrow Lenin’s term.

Lucas then traces timelines and connections to Glenn Greenwald, Jacob Appelbaum and Laura Poitras, illustrating how these individuals could have unwittingly helped the SVR develop Snowden as an agent.

Would a prosecutor get a conviction with this evidence in a court of law? I don’t think so, and to be fair, neither does Lucas. However, the facts as we know them all fit. The conclusion is that you can’t rule out the possibility and this explanation of what happened is more likely to be true than any other.

Three Women Freed in London After 30 Years Alleged Captivity

by Blair Kaplan

Three women have been rescued from a south London home after one of the women called a local London charity to report that she had been held against her will for three decades. Two other women were also rescued from the house.

The charity, Freedom Charity, notified police of the phone call which occurred in October. According to Metropolitan Police, the phone call to the charity was made after one of the women held captive watched a documentary regarding forced marriages.

Metropolitan police have commented that a 67-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman have been taken into custody upon a slavery and domestic servitude investigation.

“All three women, who were highly traumatized, were taken to a place of safety where they remain,” police said in a statement. They confirmed that an investigation of the “very serious” allegations was underway.

The three women rescued are reportedly a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman, and a 30-year-old British woman.

It has not been reported as to which of the three woman made the phone call for help or how long the other two had been held.

Project Phoenix Rising is here to help Kids in Libya

by Lane Campbell

Today we interview Tommy Jordan. Tommy Jordan has organized Project Phoenix Rising with a small group of volunteers around the globe. The team is working to bring a modern classroom experience to students in Libya. Tommy Jordan is no stranger to being in the spotlight having gained worldwide fame after posting a YouTube video of himself using a handgun to destroy his daughters laptop. That video today has over 38 Million views on YouTube. The controversy that erupted following the video featuring his non-traditional parenting practice was enormous. Today Tommy hopes to use that celebrity status to raise money in order to help others in Libya with Project Phoenix.

What is Project Phoenix?

Project Phoenix started out as a plan for western companies to bring tech into Libyan schools; we wanted to augment the learning experience in Libya with modern technology using the same official curriculum that students are learning from books. We refer to the original concept as our phase one plan but it was more of our first official request to work in Libya.

We hit roadblocks in our phase one plan; infrastructure isn’t in place over there to handle today’s technology. The electric power grid in Libya has big gaps and is not the most reliable, that alone presented a huge challenge. The more details we discussed the more roadblocks we conceptualized as obstructions in the process of deploying a classroom experience in the same manner done in the United States.

With phase 2 we began fresh with the concept of bringing an entire purpose built classroom to the students of Libya. We realized there is a large quantity of storage containers available at steep discounts; these containers are a by-product of our consumer-based economy. The containers are made of solid steel and are weather proofed to provide protection over months of travel onboard a shipping container. These containers can also be inexpensively shipped over seas making them the perfect option for our project.

After months of planning we have engineered these containers to be self sufficient in even the most inhospitable environments. Each classroom facility is designed to accommodate 12 students and a teacher, with tablet computers, high speed Internet, electricity, air conditioning and lighting inside. The design for a Project Phoenix Rising classroom facility includes electricity provided by solar panels and backed up by a diesel generator. Then we designed the classroom facility to be transported and accessed while it’s loaded on the back of a truck, making it possible for the facility to visit multiple communities each week. The exterior of the classroom facility features a canopy that will pop out the side for kids to work in the shade if there are too many kids in a community to sit inside the classroom facility.

What was your motivation behind this project?

We can trace the roots of the project back to when I first had the opportunity to work in Libya from 2006 to 2009. I love to travel and it was the first international work I ever did. During that experience I learned about the people and culture, it’s a beautiful country. Unlike so much of the world that has chosen to adopt a “westernized” culture, Libya has retained its own unique culture.

The concept for this project came together back in January 2013 while having a conversation with the head of a large international charity. I was helping them with something on their website and my ability to recognize words in Arabic came up in conversation. We started talking about how I learned to spell some words in Arabic, which brought up my experience in Libya. The project has evolved from those early conversations.

Who is involved in the project?

Many talented folks have been committing resources to this project. I would estimate that over $250k has been committed in resources from our friends. Those friends are:

Worldwide CAD – Murray and his architectural firm out of Texas has been helping us out with designs.
DEI Industrial – Chad and his team out of Texas have been instrumental in nearly every stage of this project.
TwistedNetworx – This is Tommy’s consulting company.
Lightworks – Lou has been advising on the lighting and electrical equipment, his recommendations have been instrumental in lowering power consumption.
Doctor Gillian Gillespie – She has been instrumental in connecting our project with the right charitable organizations and government agencies.

How can I help out?

We are raising money with GoFundMe.com

Please Donate Today! – http://www.gofundme.com/phoenixlibya

Today this is all a concept that requires we raise $100,000 USD to found the charity in the US and UK then to build the first prototype. The costs for these classroom facilities will be $65,000 USD so out of the $100,000 USD we raise at least that much money will go directly into the classroom. The rest of the funds will be used to properly setup our charitable organization within the United States and for travel. Donations made within the United States today are not tax deductible.

Why choose GoFundMe.com over using Kickstarter.com for funding?

I checked into using it and indigogo.com as well but settled on gofundme.com for a couple of reasons. There are big problems with using kickstarter.com for our concept; the first is they hold onto funds until you reach a goal set when you create the funding request. The second is they return all the funds contributed to the cause if we don’t reach our goal. With GoFundMe.com our team has access to funds as the donations are made. As a newer organization we need these funds to help the kids today. If we did the kickstarter.com route and didn’t reach out goal we wouldn’t have any funds to work with.

How is this charity structured today?

The project has undergone multiple changes in the last half year. It started out as a commercial venture. We thought it needed to be a commercial venture until we started talking about actually building schools. Then we realized it would need tremendous international support. We are going to use the funds donated to form a charitable organization so future donations will be tax deductible.

After the charity is formed we intend to get registered with the United Nations in order to obtain additional funding from the international community.

How can I learn more?

Tommy has featured Project Phoenix Rising on his website with far more information than we included on ManhattanDigest.com for this interview. If you are interested in learning more about the project or want to keep updated with the latest news it would be best to head over to http://8minutesoffame.com/phoenix-rising/ for the latest news and information.

What to do about Sochi?: An Open Letter

by Michael Tyminski

Hello everyone,

As you may be aware, in addition to doing TV reviews for Manhattan Digest, I’m also typically called on for live coverage of many of TV’s landmark events, whether it was this winter’s Grammy Awards or Oscars, or the upcoming VMA’s and Emmy Awards.

Looking ahead on the calendar, one of the landmark TV events of this season is the opening and closing ceremonies of this year’s Olympic Games in Sochi. While normally this is the sort of event I would jump on in a heartbeat, recent events in Russia make it difficult for me to be in a celebratory mood.

Recently, the Russian legislature passed some very harsh anti-LGBT laws that essentially codify such relationships as deviant and criminal, and puts a ban on “non-traditional” propaganda in the state. Those who violate this ban are subject to arrest, something that the Russian government has no qualms about enforcing (case in point: the Pussy Riot arrests). This has led to further controversy, as while the IOC is assuring athletes that they will not be arrested, the Russian government has restated that this law will apply to even visiting athletes. Further complicating matters, Olympic broadcaster NBC is not entirely sure how to approach this issue as part of their coverage, leaving a pretty realistic chance that the issue is completely whitewashed out of their coverage, even if events dictate otherwise (it’s not like the network had the most sterling of reputations for their coverage after the much less controversial London games either).

It’s safe to say that we here at Manhattan Digest have a more enlightened approach towards such issues, and I feel like this situation lacks easy answers. Do I just ignore the whole situation, essentially using my silence like a de facto boycott like Harvey Fierstein advocated in the New York Times recently? Or will there still be extensive demand for normal coverage? Conversely, do I ignore the celebration aspect and take a more strictly journalistic tack, in which should something controversial or breaking happen that myself (or one of our writers) comment upon it? My gut feeling says to lean against scrubbing and sanitizing coverage, but I’d rather not blow off a large event if our readership demands/requests it.

Ultimately, I think it’s best that I get the input of not only Ryan, our editor-in-chief, but also that of our readers. Manhattan Digest is a site heavily driven by crowd sourcing, and I feel that in situations like this one it’s my responsibility to cater to the interests of our readers first and foremost. If you have a preference or a suggestion, please do not hesitate to comment below.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Michael Tyminski

TV Columnist/Reviewer

Manhattan Digest

SEX ED: Increasing Volume of Ejaculation with Orgasm….Is It Possible???

by Edward S. Goldberg, MD

Dear Sex Ed, I am a 34 year old, heterosexual male in a relationship with my girlfriend for 2 1/2 years. I’ve noticed lately that when I cum, hardly anything comes out anymore. Is there anything i can do about this?

Thanks, Drying Up in NYC.

Dear Drying Up,

Volume of ejaculate can be affected by various circumstances related to you or to the situation. Situational variables include how turned on you are by your partner, the “newness” of the encounter, or how much time is spent being aroused before orgasm. Volume and “vigor” of ejaculation can be affected by poor prostate health such as prostatitis, an inflammation of the gland which can be either very painful or asymptomatic. Testosterone levels have a big effect on the nature and sensation of orgasm in men and can be treated with prescription testosterone supplementation. Frequency of orgasms can also have an effect; the ideal interval between ejaculations to maximize sperm production is 3-5 days but waiting longer doesn’t necessarily mean more production and there can even be diminishing returns by waiting too long. Ejaculation can be significantly affected by drugs (prescription and recreational) and alcohol. Prescription medications that are associated with a negative effect on sex function include (but are not limited to) SSRIs (like Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and others), opiate pain medications (Vicodin or Percocet), anti-histamines and decongestants (Benadryl, Sudafed), and Propecia. Recreational use of marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, or pretty much anything else can often have an effect in a bad way on both erections and orgasms. Sometimes medications like Cialis or Viagra can be of use by allowing a longer period of foreplay without fear of losing an erection.

If there is any concern about prostate health, negative effect of prescription medications, or to pursue the use of prescription medications, a visit with an internist or a urologist would be advised. Men often learn about sex through pornography and it is important to remember that actors in adult entertainment are not typically “average” when it comes to sexual function, so it’s a good idea not to compare yourself to what you see in the movies. The bottom line is that in order to maximize your semen volume you need to take your time during foreplay, consider changing things up with your partner to “spice it up” a bit, and take a break for a day or three between orgasms.

QUESTIONS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, SEX, OR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE CAN BE SUBMITTED TO SEX ED BELOW, OR VIA EMAIL TO [email protected]

Time to Suit Up; Summer 2013 Swimwear

by Ryan Shea

One of my most feared and yet favorite times of year is Summer. From October to May I long for the heat and sunshine and beach days! I start purchasing my swimwear well before the Summer season begins and by the time Memorial Day hits my bathing suit drawer is over flowing! Growing up on Long Island, the beach is not just a place to soak up a tan and cool off in the Atlantic, it is an endless, sandy, runway where every girl wants to have the most eye catching bikini or one-piece. And, thanks to Facebook and Instagram, the pose off continues off the beach.

I have to say I am really excited to write about the swimwear trends for the 2013 Summer Season. They are fresh and bold. I will also give you some affordable options so you can rock these looks on any budget.

Retro is huge this year! Not only in clothing but in swimwear as well. If you read my last article you know all about my affinity for high waist! And thankfully this trend is showing up for beach wear too.

Floral High Waist Bikini — Mix and Match High Waist Bikini

high-waisted-bikini — Polka Dot High Waist Bikini

Retro Swimwear — Retro Inspired Swimwear

These Retro vintage-feel bathing suits are my favorite for this season. The high waist bottoms look great with a variety of tops; bandeau, halter, string… Mixing and matching only make this look feel more vintage and I especially love the idea of mixing prints.

Speaking of prints, bold pattern and prints are another trend this year. Aztec, houndstooth, floral, etc… Pretty much any pattern you can imagine is showing up on Runways for Summer. So feel free to stand out and make a statement. Mix and match patterns and colors! Also, a look resurfacing this year is graphic prints. The prints I have seen so far are animals, people, and landscapes. These prints work best on a one-piece otherwise the effect is lost.

Graphic Swimwear — Patterns and Graphics

Lion Graphic Bathing Suit — One Piece Lion Graphic

Now something for the sexy women out there. Boudoir bathing suits are another hot trend this year. The lingerie look is not something everyone would feel comfortable in but as long as you are confident you can pull this off. Black, chic, and sexy are just a few of the details in this look.

Lastly, I’d like to quickly mention some bold looks that are trending this Summer. The Rocker look is hard and accessorized and textures are also a fun look to try out this year.

Now obviously we can’t all afford Vivienne Westwood or Versaci bathing suits (myself included), luckily many affordable retail company’s offer a variety of these popular looks for reasonable prices. Take a look below and hopefully you’ll find something that suits you!

www.forver21.com has some cute options as well as www.target.com.

Another site I’d like to mention is something you’ve heard me talk about before www.wanelo.com. Just search your favorite look and browse from hundreds of retailers. Also, www.etsy.com is a great place to find vintage and handmade swimwear.

Also, for you bling lovers out there, a friend of mine, Danielle, has created a business where she customizes beautifully decorated bathing suits. Her one of a kind designs are stunning and the best part is you can request a look that is just for you.

Check out the Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Bikini-Crush-Swimwear

Summer Dreams: Summer 2013 Fashion Trends

by Ryan Shea

Despite the bitter cold weather we’ve been experiencing in New York, Summer is right around the corner! And with Summer weather comes a new Summer wardrobe. I have started stocking up since November… And I thought I’d share the trends I think will be big this season.

My favorite item for Summer 2013 is High Waisted Denim Shorts!

High waist torn shorts — Torn Light Wash High Waist Denim Shorts

I am seriously obsessed with this look. High waist jeans are flattering on almost every body type. Every retail store is stocking up on these must have shorts so, no matter your budget, there are a pair just for you. My most recent purchases have been from online sellers who customize the shorts the way you like; studs, lace, tears, etc… I love the vintage feel of this style.

You can rock these with a basic white tee or vintage band tee or with a sleek button up. Just about everything looks good with a pair of high waist shorts. Flip flops for the beach, a pair of high tops for a rocker feel, or a towering pair of platform wedges.

Speaking of floral…

Floral prints are a trend that never go out of style. And floral will be everywhere this year.

Personally, I like my florals mixed with something a little structured or hard looking. Think 90’s grunge but an updated version! Adding denim to any floral print basically gives you a vintage grunge look. A denim vest with a strapless floral summer dress or a denim shirt with floral shorts, maybe?

Floral Grunge — Floral blouse with Grunge feel

Pastel Florals — Pastel Floral Cut Out dress with Denim Shirt

Now for the my color choices for this Summer (drum roll!) …

Mint and Coral!

My sister Theresa is actually the person to bring these wonderful colors into my wardrobe decisions. I have always been someone who favored the furthest ends of the light spectrum (Black and White) … Summer was always a big white season for me. I love the contrast of my tan skin against a gleaming white piece of clothing, but I have severely underestimated the subtle glow of a mint green and coral item. Because of their neutral tones these colors can be part of almost any outfit or any article of clothing.

Mint Shorts with Taupe Top and Chic White Blazer

There are so many trends that are going to be popular this Summer and I wish I could list them all but instead I’ll just post some pics of some items I think should be in every girl’s wardrobe this Summer season!

Here are some idea’s I thought looked cute for this Summer;