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The juxtaposition between her Clueless-enlivened

Rita Ora Keeps Cool in Shades of Lemonade On the off chance that theres' one shading that has ruled the late spring, it's a new cluster of lemonade. Beyoncé may have been the first to convey the tart shade to the design discussion with her visual collection closet and her road style diversion, there's been no deficiency of stars venturing out in the fruity tone. From Blake Lively's maternity minute to Rihanna putting her own tense twist , and even Victoria Beckham who counterbalance the tone with boyish connotations, A-listers are putting their own blemish on the sun-enlivened tone. Also, yesterday in New York City, vocalist Rita Ora pushed the look much further wearing head-to-toe Escada all in the lively shade. The juxtaposition between her Clueless-enlivened angora top and her cigarette-leg trousers makes for an immaculate style match: party on the top with #girlboss ruling underneath. Retro pilots and tonal planning Stuart Weitzman stilettos amp up the vibe while accentuating Ora's styling which was out and out sweet. No sugar required.

Too Much Booze? Let Mobile App BARTRENDr Track Your Drinking Habits

Too Much Booze? Let Mobile App BARTRENDr Track Your Drinking Habits

Curious about your annual drinking habits? A mobile app called BARTRENDr will now provide users with reports on their individual alcohol consumption patterns. The app will track and analyze the number of drinks, what types -- specific brands included -- and average time of consumption along with frequently visited bars. Similar to checking in with Facebook or Foursquare, it will be up to the consumer to input their data. There's no wearable for drinking with BARTRENDr -- at least not yet. Food delivery app Seamless released a similar report to consumers in December 2014. But instead of shocking you on how much you pay for takeout, BARTRENDr's report could be your eye into alcoholism. Or at least, it could provide some interesting insight into what brands have been your favorite and when. In addition to this new report, BARTRENDr is marketing itself as a "social networking app for bar-goers." The app provides three sections: "Share;" "Buddies;" and "Bars." Within the "Share" tab, you can input data on the type of people (ex. Average Joe, Bros, Cougars) in the bar, how crowded it is and the atmosphere. That data can be shared to Facebook and Twitter or solely within that app -- publicly or to your private network. The "Share" section also lets you take a picture of what you're drinking or what bar you're in. That data, if set as public, is then used in the "Bars" tab, where you can find trending bars in your area. The "Buddies" tab is for connecting with friends or discovering new ones who use the app. The data is not only used to provide a better app experience for the users but the information is also shared with beverage brands. BARTRENDr co-founder and CEO Devon Bergman isn't shy to admit how valuable this data can be for companies. "We can look at what last week’s Corona drinker looks like. Whether they also drink shots. Or what percentage of their drinking was beer," Bergman said in an interview. "We’re about helping the brands. The system is so archaic. They sell to the distributors, they sell to the bars or they sell to the consumer. They want to know the trends." The report to brands includes the most popular beverages, the age and gender of those who drink them and frequented bars. BARTRENDr can also associate that data with larger lifestyle and consumption patterns. The brands' satisfaction with this data was one of the reasons Bergman thought to share more data with consumers themselves. "When we began providing beverage brands insight into consumption patterns, we realized how valuable the same concept could be for our user base,” Bergman said in a statement. The BARTRENDr app has attracted 700,000 users in the last five months and closed a $1 million funding round, led by the New York Angels. The app is available on iOS and Android.

‘Dance Moms’ Online: 8 Former Cast Members To Follow On Instagram, Twitter And More

‘Dance Moms’ Online: 8 Former Cast Members To Follow On Instagram, Twitter And More

They may no longer be living on the dance floor each week on "Dance Moms," but that doesn’t mean you keep catch up with some of your favorite Lifetime stars! From Twitter, to Facebook, YouTube and more, there are several social media platforms being used by the young stars and their moms of the hit reality series. As previously reported, former ALDC team member Chloe Lukasiak, who left the series with her mom, Christi, in Season 4, has recently become a YouTube sensation. The 14-year-old newfound music video star's on-screen and off-screen pal Paige Hyland, also 14, has also found success on the video sharing site. In her posts her former co-stars, mom Kelly Hyland and her 17-year-old sister Brooke Hyland, sometimes make cameos. And that’s not all! How could we forget about Asia Monet Ray? After storming the stage and take home third-place on Season 1 of “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition” coach Abby Lee Miller invited the young dancer to perform on the ALDC's elite junior team in Season 3. But after one short season, she decided to part ways with the team in order to pursue other opportunities. She later landed her own show on Lifetime, “Raising Asia.” In recent years, the 9-year-old has been busy doing what she does best: dancing and singing and posting it all to social media. Another notable face from “Dance Moms” that is no longer is powerhouse Sophia Lucia. In Season 3, Abby brought in the now 12-year-old performer to ruffle her star dancer Maddie Ziegler’s feathers. She did just the trick. Maddie has since gone on to star in several music videos for pop singer Sia, and her competitor has found equal success. Like Maddie, 12, Sophia is now one of the faces of Capezio dance wear. Like Paige and Chloe, She has also recently started uploading to her YouTube channel. Find out how to connect with Chloe Lukasiak, Asia Monet Ray, Paige and Brooke Hyland and more on social media below. (Note: click on the user names to be sent directly to each reality stars' social media account.)

Facebook Update 'Suggested Videos' Is Going To Bring More Advertisements To Your Feed

Facebook Update 'Suggested Videos' Is Going To Bring More Advertisements To Your Feed




Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wasn't lying when he said video is the site's future. The social network has introduced a new mobile feature that will bring more video, and also more ads, to your screen. Now, when clicking on a video in your mobile News Feed, a “Suggested Video” feed that takes up the entire phone screen can come up. Scroll down on the pop-up, and you will see additional video suggestions. These videos are chosen by an algorithm and will be related by topic or publisher. But not every video will be original content from a Facebook friend or publisher a user chooses to like, or follow. While videos in these streams must be clicked on to begin playing, there will also be auto-play ads interspersed. This initiative introduces a new revenue model for publishers looking to cash in from video content published directly to the social network. “We’ve heard consistently from media companies and other video creators that if they were able to make money from their videos, they would publish more,” Facebook’s VP of partnerships Dan Rose told Variety. Facebook’s advertising split, at least during this test, will be 55 percent to the publisher, reportedly the same split that YouTube grants its partners. The first content partners in this “suggested video” partnership includes Fox Sports, the NBA, Hearst magazines and Funny or Die, Re/code reports. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been repeatedly pushing the importance and the future of video on his social network. The site introduced an embeddable video player in March, so content published directly on Facebook can be shared elsewhere similar to what you see with YouTube. Facebook has claimed to bring in 4 billion video views per day across the network. The initiative also aligns with Facebook’s mobile push, as the test first will be available on Apple iPhones but will come to Android and desktop in the coming months, Re/code reports. The videos in this suggested feed are still horizontal, but Facebook is experimenting with vertical video as done on disappearing messaging app Snapchat. The new system will roll out as a test to a selected millions of Facebook's 1.4 billion users in the coming weeks, Variety reported.

Jumping Sturgeon Kills 5-Year-Old Girl On River In Florida, Injures 2 Others

Jumping Sturgeon Kills 5-Year-Old Girl On River In Florida, Injures 2 Others A GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the funeral of a 5-year-old girl killed Thursday after being hit by a leaping sturgeon while on a family boat outing in Florida had raised nearly $9,000 Saturday night, NBC News reported. The girl, Jaylon Rippy, was with her family on the Suwanee River near Fanning Springs, Florida, about 40 miles west of Gainsville. Her mother, Tanya Faye, 31, and brother, Trevor, 9, were injured by the jumping fish. Jaylon's death represented the first fatality in such an event this year. Two other people were injured Friday on the Sante Fe River, also in Florida. The GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign asked for funds to cover the cost of Jaylon Rippy's funeral as well as medical expenses, including possible surgeries, for her brother and mother. As of Saturday night, 173 people had donated $8,835, out of a goal of $25,000. Death or injury by leaping sturgeon may sound far-fetched, but the prehistoric fish is known for leaving a trail of destruction when it jumps out of the water, a behavior biologists have long struggled to explain. The species in the Gulf of Mexico can grow to 9 feet and weigh 200 pounds, according to National Geographic. They are protected by a sheath of armored scales and can jump as high as 8 feet. For boaters, these leaping fish are one of the hazards of being on the water. Those hit by this ancient species have suffered concussions, broken ribs and other bones, cracked teeth and a collapsed lung. In 2007, a 32-year-old woman, also boating on the Suwannee River, was knocked unconscious when a sturgeon leaped out of water. "With the low water levels in the river system, the sturgeon are jumping much more frequently than in recent years," said Maj. Andy Krause, a regional commander for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, USA Today reported. "We want everyone boating on the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers to be aware that the sturgeon are jumping and that people have been injured." The largest sturgeon ever recorded caught was estimated to weigh 1,100 pounds and believed to be 100 years old.

US Banks Post Detailed Crisis Plans To Avoid Breakup Threat

US Banks Post Detailed Crisis Plans To Avoid Breakup Threat A dozen of the largest Wall Street banks on Monday published detailed plans to show how they would shut down their business during a crisis without the help of taxpayer money, a crucial step to prevent being broken up by regulators. After the 2007-09 financial crisis, the banks were required to submit so-called "living wills" each year to show how they would proceed through bankruptcy during a crisis without quietly relying on government support to avoid putting the entire financial system at risk. But the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation last year said they were unhappy with the quality of the plans and urged banks to improve them by giving more details and using more realistic assumptions, or face tough sanctions including being broken up. The 2010 Dodd-Frank Act gave the regulators the power to carve up the banks if they deem the living wills "not credible," though that is only the starting point of a lengthy procedure giving banks several chances to improve. Last year there was no such joint determination because while the FDIC did use the term, the Fed did not. It is not clear when the regulators will issue their verdict on this year's round of submissions, the fourth. Banks say the refiled plans, the third time they've been revised, show they have massively improved their resilience to withstand shocks, bulking up on shareholder capital to shield creditors, and earmarking certain bonds as susceptible to losses in return for a higher yield. "Our (plan) would effectively resolve the firm within a reasonable timeframe, without systemic disruption, without extraordinary governmental support and without exposing taxpayers to risk of loss," a JPMorgan spokesman said. The plans contained far more detail than those from last year. Citigroup, for instance, submitted a 102-page document, more than three times as much as the 2014 plan. Some banks showed which parts of their business could be disposed of through public stock offerings from businesses that would be sold privately should a crisis hit. For example, Citigroup said that after stabilizing its banking operations, it would offer its U.S. consumer banking operations for sale in an IPO while international operations would be sold in private transactions. Goldman Sachs Group Inc included a table that showed it would consider selling its domestic and international asset management businesses, as well as its J. Aron commodities trading unit, in the event that the group failed. Morgan Stanley said it would ultimately sell its wealth management business, as well as major parts of both its investment management unit and its trading business in Japan, which is a joint venture with Mitsubishi UFJ Group. And Britain's Barclays said it is planning to shrink the size of its U.S. unit to $185-215 billion by July 2016, from $248 billion at the end of 2014. What is published on the regulators' websites is only the public portion of the plans. The actual documents are thousands of pages and contain detailed instruction including mundane facts such as how to access computer systems. The banks involved are Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, Barclays, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, State Street, UBS and Wells Fargo.

Pinterest Buyable Pins For iPhone And iPad Have Finally Arrived

Pinterest Buyable Pins For iPhone And iPad Have Finally Arrived

Earlier this month, Pinterest announced that it would finally roll out its long-anticipated Buyable Pins feature some time in June. The San Francisco startup waited until the last day of the month, but sure enough, on Tuesday Pinterest delivered. The new Pinterest Buyable Pins feature lets iPhone and iPad users shop for items directly from the company's app, allowing users to complete purchases without having to exit the app and go to a retailer's website. "You’ll start seeing buyable Pins all over Pinterest -- in your home feed, on boards you love, and in search results. When you spot a Pin with a blue price, that means you can buy it," Pinterest said in a blog post. At launch, Pinterest will sell 2 million products. Those products will be purchasable via 30 million of Pinterest's more than 50 billion pins, the company said. To make finding Buyable Pins easy, Pinterest will highlight purchaseable items at the top of the screen whenever users conduct a search. Additionally, the Pinterest app for iOS will include new "Shop" and "Shop our picks" categories, which exclusively feature Buyable Pins. Pinterest users can also search for Buyable Pins by specific retailers by heading to the brand's Pinterest profile and tapping the "Shop Pins" button. For Pinterest, the new Buyable Pins feature is a way to sell more ads. The startup will not be taking a cut of any purchase made through its service. Instead, Pinterest is hoping brands will pay to promote their Buyable Pins to consumers.



 

Dark Net Browser Operator Discovers 255 Faked Sites, Leaving Countless Passwords Vulnerable

Dark Net Browser Operator Discovers 255 Faked Sites, Leaving Countless Passwords Vulnerable

 The Dark Net is more dangerous than you realize. Along with drugs, illegal guns and contract hackers it's now clear that many of the sites operating within the hidden section of the Internet aren't actually sites at all. They're ripoff pages meant to trick visitors into unwittingly giving up their personal information. Juha Nurmi, a security researcher and the founder of Ahmia, a Deep Web search engine, began his investigation upon discovering that someone had replicated his and other popular sites and asked them to input their log-in credentials (a popular form of hacking known as phishing). Nurmi told Vice Motherboard he eventually counted 255 fake Dark Net sites, and many of them were modeled after popular sites like the privacy service Lelantos as well as drug markets like Agora and Abraxas. “I noticed a while ago that there is a clone onion site for Ahmia,” Nurmi said, as quoted by Motherboard. “Now I realized that someone is actually generating similar onion domains to all popular onion sites and is re-writing some of the content.” The Dark Net is a subsection of the Deep Web, broadly defined as every website on the Internet that's not listed on traditional search engines like Google and can't be accessed via the usual browser bar. It's only accessible with the Tor (which stands for “The Onion Router”) anonymity software. Rather than ending in the usual .com or .org, every site on the deep Web, and not all are for criminals, has a domain name ending in .onion. This kind of fraudulent activity would enable fraudsters to conduct so-called man-in-the-middle attacks, which occur when hackers secretly intercept and monitor or redirect a user's connection without their knowledge. It's the same method the Chinese government is believed to use to find out which mainland Internet users are trying to access an uncensored verison of the Internet. Deep Web users can rest easy, though, by simply bookmarking the sites they visit most often.

Samsung Electronics Q2 2015 Earnings Guidance: Company Braces For Another Disappointing Quarter

Samsung Electronics Q2 2015 Earnings Guidance: Company Braces For Another Disappointing Quarter Supply bottlenecks and growing competition from a crowd of Android smartphone makers continue to haunt Samsung Electronics. Bracing itself for another disappointing three months, the South Korean technology giant on Tuesday announced that its next quarter's earnings would likely miss analysts’ expectations. In its earnings guidance for the second quarter of 2015, Samsung said the company’s operating profit is expected to be 6.9 trillion won (about $6.13 billion) for the three-month period ending in June, down 4.2 percent from a year ago, and below the 7.2 trillion won analysts' estimate compiled by Bloomberg. Total sales are expected to be nearly 48 trillion won, short of a 53 trillion won forecast. “It doesn't matter how competitive you are if overall demand is weak,” Greg Roh, an analyst at HMC Investment Securities, told Reuters. “Third-quarter earnings will likely be similar to the second quarter.” It will reportedly be Samsung’s seventh straight drop in profits, which is partly attributed to production constraints for the new Galaxy S6 Edge -- the curved-screen variant of its 2015 flagship smartphone -- which received rave reviews after its April launch. As supply issues and heightened competition hit smartphone sales, the company has been forced to fall back on its memory chip unit, which is expected to boost profits by year-end. “S6 didn’t sell as well as the market had hoped for, partly because of continued outperforming of iPhones combined with the supply constraint,” Bloomberg quoted Roh as saying. “Sales sharply missed the market expectation, which implies that overall technology industry demand for smartphones, TVs and PCs is weakening.” Tuesday’s estimate did not provide a net income figure nor did it give a breakdown of divisional earnings. The audited earnings results are expected to be released later this month. Samsung, which last month lowered its shipment estimate for Galaxy S6 models to 45 million units from a previous estimate of 50 million units, has been feeling the heat in the global smartphone market that it dominated for years. While Apple has always been a tough challenger to Samsung in the high-end smartphone segment outside the U.S., fast-growing Chinese companies like Xiaomi are making life difficult for Samsung in the mid- and low-end market. “Market expectations for S6 sales were way too excessive,” Yoo Eui Hyung, an analyst at Dongbu Securities, told the Straits Times. “Analysts are revising down this year's shipment forecasts for the S6 because demand for the Edge model is exceeding supply, while the other version isn't selling well given its limited differences with the iPhone 6.”

Is This Justin Bieber's 'Best Day of My Life'? Pretty Much

If you thought Justin Bieber's best day ever might include something fancy like heading to the South of France and chilling on a yacht, you just might be wrong.
The 21-year-old singer took some time out of his busy schedule (which, by all accounts, includes him working on new music and shooting the video
 for hisSkrillex/Diplo collaboration "Where Are U Now"), to just hang around with his pals, ride around on scooters, have nerf gun fights and sing-alongs.
Bieber made it clear that this all was the perfect combination for what he declared on social media as "pretty much the best day of my life."
Don't take our word for it. He posted videos of said hangout session to his Instagram

4 Ways to Proactively Shift Your Culture Before You Outgrow It

The thought of upheaving a culture you’ve worked tirelessly to perfect might feel a bit unnerving, but it’s a natural step for any growing company. After all, your four-person startup’s culture should look starkly different from that of a 200-person company. Like the entrepreneurial landscape itself, you need to adapt in order to survive -- culture included.
Related: 4 Tips to Create a Productive and Healthy Culture
Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs lose sight of this fact. They assume that sponsoring happy hours or furnishing their morning meetings with a spread of fruits and bagels constitutes a healthy culture.
But perks don’t make a culture -- unless, of course, they support it.
Take Digital Telepathy, for example. The website designer provides employees with betterment bonuses. Team members receive $1,500 each year to spend on a project to better themselves in some way. They can take on anything they want; the only caveat is that they must share their experience with the team.
Digital Telepathy understands that culture doesn’t exist in a bubble. It’s a living and breathing thing that needs to evolve, both inside and outside the office. If you don’t attend to it, moods will plummet, employees will disengage and turnover will skyrocket.
Related: What You Can Learn About Culture From These 4 Successful Companies
If you’ve kept an eye on your company culture, you’ll inevitably start to see signs of a cultural shift. Instead of letting it happen without you, take an active role in the process.
Here’s how to do that:

1. Make a conscious decision to mold the culture you wish to create.

It has to start with you. If your company is undergoing a growth transition, choose the kind of culture you wish to establish going forward. Have a clear idea in mind, and cement the values most important to you. If you’re not leading by example, it doesn’t matter how many emails you send or how many town halls you hold -- your company will not shift.

2. Gain staff buy-in.

Although you hold the power to change your culture, that change won’t materialize unless others support it. That’s why employees should play a role in cultural shifts. Talk to staff about their opinions, and administer a survey or two. If employees take part in the process, they’ll be more likely to adopt the new culture.
But don’t rely on existing staff alone. Tap employees leaving the organization. By conducting thorough exit interviews, you can better understand why people choose to leave. If you see a clear trend, fix the areas where staff members are most dissatisfied.

3. Put it in writing.

You don’t have to produce a long, drawn-out statement, but you should document your expectations for the cultural change. Define the change in terms of values, customers, policies and services. Refer back to it regularly.
Make sure the content you produce is helpful for your staff, as well as new hires. Create slides, graphs or presentations that are easy for your team to understand; there’s no point in issuing another 100-page HR manual.
Netflix became something of a celebrity company in the Silicon Valley community when CEO Reed Hastings created his renowned “Netflix Culture” presentation, in which he detailed how he hires, fires and rewards employees. It was written to clarify for employees what’s important for success, what to expect from one other and how the company operates.

4. Incorporate the cultural changes in hiring (and firing) practices.

From the moment you decide to change your company culture, base all hiring decisions on it. Make sure every employee coming into your organization aligns with and believes in the new culture.
Take a long, hard look at existing staff, and do the same. Regardless of background or contribution, a particular employee may need to go if he no longer fits the culture. One person can disrupt the positive changes you’re making to your company, and stringing him or her along might not be worth it.
Your company culture should reflect the mission and direction of your growing company. If they’re in sync, employees will feel excited to come to work every morning and stay engaged throughout the day. And when you build the framework for a culture everyone can get on board with, no one will want to leave.

‘Do it for me’ culture threatens home improvement stores



Ever since the boom years of DIY in the 1980s, bank holidays have typically been the time when British enthusiasts tackle home improvements. But in recent years cracks have appeared in the market.
Growing employment levels and wage growth have bolstered housebuilding and construction volumes but the home improvements sector — known as repair, maintenance and improvement, or RMI — has failed to Executives point to a structural shift in the market, which was worth £14bn last year. Travis Perkins, the FTSE 100 builders’ merchant, relies on RMI for 80 per cent of its sales. Chief executive John Carter says DIY sales peaked in 2004 and now fewer young consumers have the desire to tackle home improvements, instead choosing to spend their money elsewhere.In March Kingfisher said it would shut 60 of its B&Q stores in the next two years amid falling sales as Britons increasingly turn away from DIY. That came six months after Homebase owner Home Retail announced plans to close a quarter of its stores by 2018 amid competition from supermarkets, large high street chains and online retailers and what it termed “the rise of a new generation of consumers less skilled in DIY”.
“We are vying for minds and wallets against holidays, new cars and three-piece suits, at a time when a steady influx of immigrants from eastern Europe and access to builders online has introduced competition into the market for those reluctant to do DIY jobs,” he says.

That shift has helped to fuel the fortunes of companies such as window and door manufacturers, for which renovations are a more important driver of sales than new-build orders from developers.“The fact that many are reliable, affordably priced and keen to work has proven very attractive to consumers — it has created a ‘Do it for me’ culture that has curtailed the era of ‘Do it yourself’.”
Tyman, a UK manufacturer and distributor of components for doors and windows, reported a sales jump of 20 per cent in 2014. It said the improvement reflected the investments people were making in their properties, even if they were not doing it themselves.
“The UK housing market is weighted towards repair and renovation of older homes and not newer homes. In the wake of 2008, repair sales continued but people held off big-ticket spending which weren’t essential — like a new kitchen or windows. But over the last 12 months there has been a significant upswing from quotes to execution of orders,” says James Brotherton, chief financial officer.
He says the trend is also reflective of growing activity in the housing market, given that people often spruce up their homes before a sale and after a purchase. More new-build properties mean more houses on the market, which in an upturn leads to more transactions.
Marshalls, a building products and paving specialist that generates a third of its sales from home improvements such as new driveways and patios, tells a similar story.

“London showed the first green shoots as people became more comfortable with spending out of their savings, but we are now seeing regional growth across the country,” he says.Martyn Coffey, chief executive, says the group’s domestic sales order book has reached its highest level since 2006. He notes that it was commonplace for people to fund home improvements by releasing equity from their property before 2008. After the financial crisis, volumes plummeted by more than 30 per cent, although they have recovered since 2013.
“Landscapers are picking up new employees, training them as fast as they can to keep up with demand, and we are looking into new installation systems to drive down costs when it comes to external labour. We know that if we can make the entire process lower cost and faster, then people are more likely to spend.”
Last week Britain’s biggest tile specialist Topps Tiles
 said it made more than half of its turnover from trade customers, as affection for weekend DIY projects continued to wane.
“People are becoming more adventurous with their tiling projects. It means people are moving in the opposite direction to DIY, creating the need to bring a professional fitter in,” said chief executive Matt Williams.
And despite aiming to take a third of domestic sales across the country by the end of this year, he is setting his sights elsewhere.
“Once we have achieved our goal we could look at the broader commercial tile market,” he added.

Abuse scandal may force UN to reverse its cover-up culture, says ex-Hong Kong investigator

A former Hong Kong investigator turned UN whistle-blower says a child sex abuse scandal roiling the global body could be the "tipping point" needed to reverse its "cover-up culture" and lack of accountability.
The UN faces a backlash over claims it tried to hide a report into allegations of sexual abuse by French military personnel in the Central African Republic, involving victims as young as nine.
The report was leaked to the French authorities by Anders Kompass, a director of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, who has since been suspended and is facing dismissal.
Peter Gallo, a former fraud investigator in Hong Kong who joined the UN in March 2011 to work in its internal affairs bureau, says the scandal lays bare the "cover-up culture" and lack of accountability in the UN.
"The [Central African Republic] scandal may well be the tipping point that brings about change," Gallo, 52, told the Sunday Morning Post. "It is gaining traction in a way that I never saw in my four years at the UN.
"All the UN has done since the Kompass case has been to try to lie their way out of it. Nobody has taken any responsibility."
Gallo's contract ended in March and he has launched legal action against his former supervisor, Roberta Baldini. He is seeking damages of US$6.5 million, claiming that he was defamed and falsely accused of crimes after he accused his supervisor of misconduct.
"Retaliation against staff members for reporting misconduct or simply for embarrassing their superiors is commonplace, so any staff member who does report his boss for misconduct is committing career suicide," Gallo said.
The veteran fraud and anti-money-laundering expert says his legal case is an example of "gross mismanagement" and revealed the lack of real protection for whistle-blowers.
Last month the UN said that Kompass' actions were a "serious breach of protocol" and did not constitute whistle-blowing.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon, said the body would not comment on Gallo's case as it was still under way.
At the centre of Gallo's case is the "performance improvement plan" that he was told to sign a few weeks before his contract was first renewed in 2013. It said he was underperforming in many areas and included a requirement for him to not ask questions in his cases unless they were pre-approved and to never ask questions "just to satisfy his curiosity".
He was also criticised for a lack of professionalism, ethics and integrity.
"They tried to make out that I was the most incompetent investigator in the world, but they couldn't prove that."
When he joined the UN in 2011 to work in the Office of Internal Oversight Services, Gallo understood he would be unpopular.
"I expected the hostility from the rest of the organisation and expected to be unpopular. What I did not expect was that the management … would actively prevent certain cases from being investigated," he said.
"I was put in a position whereby I was either going to be known as an incompetent investigator or a whistle-blower, so I went with option B."
Asked if he regretted taking up the UN post, Gallo said: "Yeah, I've got better things to do at my age with my life, but I can't change history. Would I do it again? No".
Gallo first moved to Hong Kong in 1992 and worked for Kroll Associates, specialising in due diligence before branching out into tackling money laundering. He ran his own risk consultancy for more than a decade in Hong Kong.
As a permanent resident of the city, he is considering all possible work options: "I may be back."

Arts and culture venues offer learning opportunities for families

Learning opportunities present themselves to us in everything we do — from grocery shopping to getting take-out.
That’s the premise of an arts and culture project created by Expect More Arizona — a statewide nonprofit education advocacy group — which helps families create memorable and educational experiences at arts and cultural venues.
The arts and culture project is an extension of the organization’s “Today” project, which gives families a new activity to do every day, through prompts on Facebook and its website.
Expect More Arizona has partnered with 24 venues across the state — five of them in Tucson — which have each created a “Today I Will” sheet with site-specific activities for families to do together on their visit.
The sheets are free but regular admission charges apply.
“There are so many opportunities to teach the kids, that we don’t even think about,” said Melissa Lempke, the organization’s vice president of marketing and communications.
Not only does the project promote unique ways to learn, but there’s also a chance to win tickets to a participating venue. Families are encouraged to take a picture while completing the activities and upload it to expectmorearizona.org/activities. Two winners will be chosen randomly each month.
The project will run year-round for a minimum of two years. However, taking advantage of these learning opportunities can be especially useful during summer as a way to stave off summer “brain drain,” Lempke said.
“Things like these fun learning activities, we hope, are great tools to keep the kids learning over the summer,” Lempke said.
The activities help bring more families to venues they might not otherwise visit, said Morgan Wells, curator of education for the Tucson Museum of Art and historic block.
“I think a lot of parents stay away from the museum. It can be intimidating,” Wells said. “Especially if you don’t know about art, how are you supposed to teach your kids about it? But this is a way to discuss art with your child.”
Many of the activities have been created to promote literacy, Lempke said.
For example, one of the Tucson Museum of Art’s activities is to find a work of art in the gallery and discuss what you think was happening before the scene and predict what will happen next.
It’s a way for the family to create a story based on the art, Wells said.
Children’s Museum Tucson is participating in the program, too.
“I feel that it’s a great tool for parents — or any caregiver, actually — to interact with their child or grandchild,” said Daniela Siqueiros, the museum’s marketing director.
“It’s helping the parents interact with our space and really learning about their kids and how much they might know, how they learn and how aware they are of their surroundings.
“It gives them a great prompt and a great tool, making the experience of playing and learning approachable.”
Taking advantage of learning opportunities outside of the classroom “helps youth better understand taught concepts, practice skills and even develop new interests,” said Ashley Pedersen, director of education at Tucson Botanical Gardens.
Participating in the project also encourages venues to update prompts, which gives families new things to do and keeps them coming back.
“You go more often when you see something new,” Siqueiros said. “It helps you think about the venue in a new way.”
Other participating venues include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the University of Arizona Museum of Art.

Imagined Celebrity Connections: Leonardo DiCaprio and Paris Hilton Square Off in Cannes

Plus, Cate Blanchett runs into Matthew McConaughey. And Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne make plans at the pool.
Each week, Josh Duboff looks at the biggest celebrity news—and amuses himself by imagining how those celebrities might have reacted.
At Cannes, Matthew McConaughey’s film, Sea of Trees, was booed at its screening. Cate Blanchett premieres her film Carol, also starring Rooney Mara.
Matthew runs into Cate backstage at a Cannes press event.
“Cate! Cate, the Great! Cate the Great Interpreter. Blanchett DuBois, the color of white!” He kisses her on both cheeks and on her forehead. “How are you?”
Cate takes a step back and straightens out her dress. “I’m excellent, Matthew. Really no complaints. We’re in Cannes, we’re here for movie premieres, we’re wearing pretty garments.” She smiles and shakes her head. “Not too shabby, is it?”
Matthew puts his fingers on his temples. “We’re in a video game, Cate. Let me tell you. This is a video game. And it looks like sun and water and croissants, but they can shut this thing off whenever they want. They can pull the plug out, and all the colors will disappear.”
Cate looks around. “You know, I think I’ve lost Rooney. We’re supposed to do some video interview together. I should probably go—”
“Rooney Mara, the shadow adventurer, on that boat riding into the dark abyss. You can’t see inside that head, or even get near it; there’s fog everywhere.”
Cate nods nervously. “I suppose that’s true, in a way.” She puts her hand on Matthew’s shoulder. “Listen, I heard about the . . . response to your film. You should know that none of that stuff matters. It’s not even worth a second thought.”
Matthew sighs. “Cate, Cate, Cate. We had gold in our paws—what? just over a year ago—all the shouts and confetti and noise! Volcanoes. But now, it’s a year later, and it’s cold on the mountain. There’s no fire. No lava. We just have our golden memories, and our golden men, on a bookcase, telling us that we’re only getting older. The sun is going back into the garage, and you can’t jump-start that car.”
Cate gives Matthew an air kiss. “Matthew, you’re divine, it was great to catch up, I must get to Rooney!” She picks up her dress and moves past him. Matthew frowns slightly and then, after a few moments, takes off his tuxedo jacket and sits down, cross-legged, on the floor.

The Mad Men series finale airs.
Christina Hendricks walks into a sushi restaurant and spots Vincent Kartheiser. “Vinnie, hey!” she shouts. Christina tells her husband to wait just a second and scurries to Vincent’s table, where he’s sitting by himself, sipping a miso soup. He stands up and gives Christina a hug. “Christina! How are ya, stranger?”
“I’m good, good. Crazy that it’s all over, isn’t it?”
Vincent nods. “All things, man. All things.”
“I watched with my whole family, and they were, like, actually bawling by the end,” she says. “I was just totally serene, though. Maybe because we finished filming so long ago . . .” Christina looks over at her husband, then back to Vincent.
“You know, I didn’t even watch it. We got tickets to this jazz festival, and I didn’t even realize it was the same night until the day of.”
“So that’s why you weren’t responding to any of the group text messages . . . ”
“Oh, no, I lost my phone a few weeks ago.”
Christina laughs. “I wish we had had more scenes together, you know? Joan and Pete didn’t really get much together.”
“Nope.” He raises his soup bowl. “To Joan and Pete.” He smiles. “And to everyone greeting us as Joan and Pete, no matter what else we do for the rest of our careers.”
Christina playfully slaps his shoulder. “Stop! We have many more roles in us. So many Coke ads left to go, if you will.”
Vincent nods, wistfully. “I guess that’s true. That’s nice.” They both grin, in the most melancholy fashion that can still be described as “grinning.” Christina pushes her hair back. “O.K., I should get back to . . . See you . . . . wow, see you sometime, I guess!”
“See you sometime, indeed.”

Paris Hilton and Leonardo DiCaprio bid against each other for the same purse at a charity auction at Cannes. Leo eventually wins it, for a rumored $10,000.
Paris exits the venue to see Leonardo sitting on a bench, smoking an e-cigarette. Paris walks over and sits down next to him. She takes the newsboy cap off Leo’s head and puts it on.
She laughs. “What do you think?”
“You totally pull it off, Paris. Very chic.”
“Do you want to put my butterfly necklace on? A trade?”
“I think I’m O.K. My butterfly-jewelry days are past me, I’m afraid.”
Paris smiles. “That was fun, in there. I really thought I was gonna get that purse!” She looks at her phone. “Oh God, hold on.” She texts for about six full minutes, while Leo puffs on the e-cig. He takes his shoes off and kicks them to the side.
Paris puts her phone down, eventually. “Sorry.”
“I feel like we’re from a different epoch, Paris. Do you feel that way? We represent something that’s . . . vestiges of a time that’s passed. Relics. The two of us in tandem, especially. Paris and Leo. We’re the 2000s!”
“I guess. I don’t know.” She looks at the e-cig. “Can I try that?” He hands it to her.
“You know, I have, like, 5 million Instagram followers,” she says. “You’re filming a million movies. We just spent tens of thousands of dollars at an auction.” She coughs softly. “I guess I’m just trying to say that I think we’re doing just fine.”
Leo looks up at the sky. “We definitely are, Paris. We definitely are.”

Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne re-unite at Cannes.
Kendall and Cara lie by the pool. Cara texts while Kendall flips through a magazine.
“Do you want grapes?” Kendall asks. “I want grapes. Grapes would be so good, wouldn’t they?”
Cara nods, not looking up from her phone. “Totally.”
Kendall rolls up the magazine and starts swatting around her. “Cara, there’s, like, a bug. It’s gross.”
“Do you want to see Justin tonight? I don’t know what to tell him.”
“Whatever.”
“Let’s just, like, hang out.”
“Yeah, agreed. That’d be perfect.”
“I just want to do nothing.”
“Me too.”
“I don’t want to be bothered.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to be bothered, either.”
“I’m just, like, exhausted.”
“Yeah, definitely.”
“Are you going to go in the pool?”
“I don’t know. I want to, but . . . I also don’t, you know?”
After a long pause, Kendall turns to Cara. “Do you ever feel like Kirsten Dunst in that movie? Where she’s a princess?”
Marie Antoinette? Yeah. Oh my God, all the time. That’s a good call.”
“Yeah.”
“I see the paparazzi lenses across the water. There’s like 30 of them. Look.”

Kendall frowns. “I know.”

6 'Inside Amy Schumer' Celebrity Appearances That Prove This Really Is One Of The Best Shows On Television

This season of Inside Amy Schumer has been one 22-minute piece of perfection after another. Not to hyperbolize, but if you’re not watching Inside Amy Schumer
, you are missing out on pretty much the greatest thing to happen to television since Lucy stomped on those grapes in I Love Lucy, or Becky asked Roseanne for birth control on Roseanne. Not only does it feature some of the funniest women in the business, but this season of Inside Amy Schumer has featured some great celebrity guests.
Some celebrities — like Dennis Quaid and Paul Giamatti — have appeared on the series once, before coming back for more. Others — like Wyatt Cenac or Jeff Goldblum — have dropped by for a memorable sketch, before disappearing from the show forever. More recently, Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Patricia Arquette all appeared in the same sketch for four minutes of total bliss and the clip of it nearly broke the Internet! The amount of celebrity appearances has definitely increased, but there have actually been some pretty fantastic guests throughout the show’s history. Remember when Chrissy Teigen played Amy’s unbelievably attractive couples therapist, or when Kathy Najimy played her technologically-challenged psychologist? (If you haven’t noticed, this show does an awful lot of sketches about therapy…) 

Happy Memorial Day -- See The Best Celebrity Beach Bods!

Is it getting hot in here?!
To celebrate Memorial Day weekend we threw together a gallery of our favorite celebrity beach bods -- and they'll definitely be some great inspiration to get bikini ready for summer! 
From Demi Lovato, who's confidence is contagious, to Amber Rose, who just loves to show off her sexy curves and Zoe Kravitz, who has one of the most effortless summer styles, we can't get enough of these sexy stars! 
But these ladies aren't the only Hollywood hotties who've been showing off their fit physiques – click "Launch Gallery" above to see more sexy stars like Justin BieberKim KardashianFergieLiam HemsworthLindsay LohanKaty Perry and more! 

Top female celebrity is granted gagging order over her affair with famous married lover

When the boyfriend confronted her about it, the pair had a heated argument for several hours, after which he agreed to delete the photos of her diary and she deleted Mr Y’s telephone number from her iPhone and iPad.
But a few weeks later he went through her iPad and discovered she still had Mr Y’s number.
The boyfriend confronted her again, saying: ‘I want to expose you both for what you have done. I have got enough evidence to do that.’ 
After another row, CHS left her boyfriend’s house in the early hours of March 2, and subsequently brought legal action against him fearing that he had not actually deleted all the pictures he took of her diary entries. 
Incredibly, neither her boyfriend nor her married lover knew she was bringing a High Court case seeking a ban on publishing the diary entries. It was held in private in Manchester. 

Granting an interim injunction, Judge David Hodge QC said: ‘It is said that the potential damage which could be done, both to the claimant, as a public figure of trust, and to Mr Y, as a public figure who is married to someone else, is enormous.
‘The claimant believes that if the documents stolen from her were shared in the public domain, both she and Mr Y would be irreparably damaged, and there would be enormous financial repercussions for both of them. Mr Y is said to be unaware of the present situation.’
The judge added: ‘I am satisfied on the evidence presently before the court that the claimant’s [Human Right Act] Article 8 right to respect for her private life clearly weighs more heavily in the balance than the defendant’s desire to exercise any Article 10 freedom of expression in publishing that private life. 
'That is because the reasons for publication are, on the evidence, motivated by malice.’
The judge said the hearing could go ahead without the boyfriend being present because CHS feared it would ‘tip him off’ and he would publish the diary entries before she could obtain a court order.

Tom Daley and Michelle Visage lead celebrity euphoria as Ireland votes a sensational YES for gay marriage

Diver Tom Daley has led celebrity euphoria Ireland historically introduced gay marriage by popular vote.
The Olympian, 21, tweeted his joy for Ireland after the first official results came in.
He wrote: "WONDERFUL news for Ireland. Now everyone...GO GET MARRIED LoveWins Athlete Tom, who is dating screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, was by no means the only star to beam with pride.
Stephen Fry also took to Twitter to voice his happiness:
Almost no signal but news in that Ireland’s Yes Campaign has carried the day. So so happy. Oscar smiles in his grave.

Memorial Day 2015 Concerts: Free music, patriotic tunes, and classic symphonies

Memorial Day weekend doesn't have to just be for beaches and barbecues – with an extra day off, there's time to catch a concert too, whether you want to be outside or indoors, honoring the holiday with patriotic tunes or hearing an orchestra. It's also a day full of free music. Here are a few options for your listening in New Jersey and New York.
The New York Philharmonic offers its annual free Memorial Day concert on Monday at 8 p.m. Music director Alan Gilbert will lead performances of Shostakovich's weighty Symphony No. 10 and Beethoven's "Egmont" Overture at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave., in New York. Tickets will be distributed at the venue at 6 p.m., but you won't necessarily miss out if you don't snag one – if weather permits, the music will be broadcast onto the Pulpit Green outside the church. For more information, visit nyphil.org.
The Cape May Music Festival opens with an appropriately themed free concert on Sunday. Under Salvatore Scarpa, the Atlantic Brass Band will perform traditional American music at 8 p.m. on Sunday at the Rotary Bandstand on Lyle Lane in Cape May. More information is available at capemaymac.org.
A different kind of American classic takes the stage at 54 Below on Monday. Nick Spangler of Broadway's recent "It Shoulda Been You" will sing from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical hits, including tunes such as "If I Loved You," "Edelweiss," "You Are Never Away," and "All At Once You Love Her." The concert begins at 7 p.m. and doors open at 5:15 p.m. The venue is located at 254 W. 54th St., New York. Tickets are $30-$75 in advance and an additional $5 at the door, plus a $25 food and drink minimum. Call (646) 476-3551 or visit 54below.com.

Ocean Grove will feature the Atlantic Wind Ensemble gratis in popular marches and patriotic anthems at the Great Auditorium tomorrow at 8 p.m. The performance, titled "We the People – A Concert of Patriotic Music," will include works by Gustav Holst, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and John Philip Sousa. The venue is located at Pilgrim and Ocean Pathways, Ocean Grove, with more information at oceangrove.org.
Former local fixture Father Alphonse Stephenson returns to New Jersey to lead the Orchestra of St. Peter By the Sea at the Algonquin Arts Center in the lively popular classics "Rhapsody in Blue" by Gershwin and "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Mussorgsky tomorrow at 3 p.m. The multimedia-augmented concert is a benefit for the Cecilia Foundation, which provides students in Ocean and Monmouth counties with musical instruments. Tickets are $43-$51 with student and senior discounts. Call (732) 258-9211 or visit algonquinarts.org.
This weekend happens to be time for one of Carnegie Hall's free Neighborhood Concerts, this one, featuring fast-rising soprano Julia Bullock. Accompanied by Renate Rohlfing, she will sing songs by Samuel Barber, Mussorgsky, Poulenc, Richard Strauss and John Cage as well as spirituals. The concert takes place tomorrow at 5 p.m. at St. Michael's Church, 225 W. 99th St., New York, (212) 222-2700 orsaintmichaelschurch.org
.
Spend some time hearing chamber music on a boat this weekend with the Bargemusic Masterworks series. Violinist Mark Peskanov heads a quintet of performers who will play music by Mozart, Schubert, Bizet and Brahms tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. Bargemusic is at Fulton Ferry Landing near the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn. Tickets are $40, $35 for seniors and $20 students. Call (800) 838-3006 

Taylor Swift is big winner at 2015 Billboard music awards

Taylor Swift was the big winner at this year’s Billboard music awards. Not only did the singer premiere her blockbuster video for Bad Blood – featuring the likes of Cindy Crawford, Kendrick Lamar and Lena Dunham – but the pop star also took home eight prizes including top artist, top female artist, top Billboard 200 Album, top Billboard 200 artist, top Hot 100 artist and top streaming song.
Swift thanked “all the girls I talk to on the Internet and we talk about your feelings and you teach me your teen slang,” during her speech for top female artist, and told her fans that she was “obsessed” with them: “You guys are the reason this year has happened the way that it’s happened,” she said. 
It was also a good year for Iggy Azalea, Pharrell Williams and Sam Smith, who each won three awards, while One Direction, Hozier, Jason Aldean, Enrique Iglesias and John Legend, took home two. Calvin Harris also picked up the award for top dance/electronic artist. The Scottish EDM artist joined Swift, his supposed new girlfriend, at the ceremony.
Smith, who was forced to pull out of the ceremony owing to his vocal haemorrhage
, accepted his awards remotely. His acceptance speech for top male artist came with a video featuring a number of cue cards. “First, thank you Billboard for this incredible honour,” he wrote. “Secondly, thank you to my amazing fans. It’s times like this that I realise how lucky I am to have you in my life. Can’t wait to get this surgery out of the way so I can sing my ass off for you again.”
Hosted by Chrissy Teigen and Ludacris, this year’s awards took place at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Sweden's Måns Zelmerlöw is 2015's Eurovision Song Contest winner

Sweden’s Måns Zelmerlöw was awarded the top prizein the long-running music competition on Saturday for his pop anthem “Heroes.” Russia’s Polina Gagarina claimed second place with “A Million Voices,” and Italy’s Il Volo followed in third with “Grande Amore.”
“I’m so happy and I want to say thank you for voting for me,” Zelmerlöw told the crowd (via BBC). “I want to say we are all ‘Heroes,’ no matter who we love, who we are or what we believe in – we are all heroes.”
Zelmerlöw was favored to win Eurovision
, but he was still seemingly pretty surprised once his victory became official.

Guide to Detroit's 2015 Movement Electronic Music Festival

DETROIT - Hart Plaza in Detroit will be filled with lights, sound and dancing this weekend for the three-day Movement Detroit music festival.
Headliners like Snoop Dogg (under the moniker DJ Snoopadelic) and Skrillex (as past of the duo Dog Blood) are among the over 100 artists scheduled to perform at the electronic festival, which brought 107,000 people to Detroit last year.
The music starts at noon Saturday and plays pretty much through to midnight Monday. There are a few breaks in between, but it's taking six stages to hold all the talent coming out to play this year.
Here's what you need to know:
Who's playing, and when?
The music starts around noon every day, but here are the artists playing in the later time slots each day:
Saturday:
  • Luciano

  • Richie Hawtin


  • Eats Everything


  • Method Man
  • Disclosure

  • ATOM & Tobias

  • Henrik Schwarz

  • Tuskegee


  • Stacey Pullen

  • Floorplan

  • Carl Craig ft. Mad Mike Banks


  • Developer

  • Cell Injection

  • Regis

  • Sunday: 

    • Loco Dice

    • Dog Blood

  • Eddie Fowlkes

  • Kimyon

  • Milan Ariel

  • Model 500


  • Hot Since 82

  • Joseph Capriati


  • Mike Servito

  • Ryan Elliot

  • Matthew Dear


  • Rodhad

  • Marcel Dettmann

  • Ben Klock


  • Earl "Mixxin" McKinney


  • Monday:

    • GRiZ

    • DJ Snoopadelic

  • Brodinski

  • !!!

  • Squarepusher


  • Paco Osuna

  • Nicole Moudaber

  • Joris Voorn


  • Lee Foss

  • MK

  • Kevin Saunderson & Derrick May


  • Sterac

  • Ben Sims


  • Neil V.

  • Shawn Rubiman

  • 313 The Hard Way


  • View the full schedule here.
    Online, it appears tickets to the event are sold out.
    How to get there and where to park.
    M-10 will undoubtedly be backed up all the way to I-96, as that's the main route to Hart Plaza where the festival takes place.
    Related: Detroit's 2015 Movement Electronic Music Festival lineup
    Run I-75 through to Gratiot Avenue to avoid the rush to the riverfront. M-10 and I-375 might take you right to the concert, but there won't be much parking available on the riverfront.
    Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Hall will have parking available, but your best bets lie further into the Central Business District or Entertainment District less than a mile away.
    Greektown, Broadway Street and Grand Circus Park are packed with parking garages and surface lots. Avoid driving on Woodward Avenue, as M-1 Rail construction is clogging up the city at the moment.
    The official Movement after part will be held at Leland City Club in Detroit on Monday. Tickets are $15, and it's a 21-and-up event.
    Various artists will be playing after party shows all around the city, though.
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