Whole Lotta Love List

Swan Lake: Love at First Sight for Bird and Boat

2008-09-03T10:41:00.000-05:00

Animal behaviorists in Muenster, Germany said that a wild black swan named Petra has become smitten with a white, two-seat, swan-shaped paddle boat. They said the Black Australian Swan has been showing all the typical signs of love for its species including circling the plastic boat, making crooning noises and staring endlessly.
The unusual behavior of the swan has compelled authorities to move the bird and the boat to the elephant paddock at the local zoo for the winter as the black swan now refused to fly south for its annual winter migration without his mate. Zookeepers attempted to fix the swan up with others of his own species but he was not interested.

Her Cheatin' Heart

2007-08-10T11:31:00.001-05:00

A sign in Hershey, PA speaks for itself but I'll type what is written on it anyway. "To the memory of an unfaithful woman Bernice K. Wallish married Aug. 1 1945 deserted family for lust and greed March 7 1973."

'Wuthering Heights' Tops Brits Love Lit List

2007-08-10T09:40:00.000-05:00

Wuthering Heights has been named as the best romantic novel of all time, according to an article in This is London.
Emily Bronte's 1847 tale of thwarted love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, set on the Yorkshire moors, beat classics by Daphne du Maurier, DH Lawrence and Bronte's elder sister Charlotte.
Pride And Prejudice, Jane Austen's comic novel about the love affair which develops between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, came second.
Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet, the oldest work in the Top 20, is third.
The poll, commissioned by UKTV Drama, found the 1595 play also contains the favourite romantic moment of all time: The star-crossed lovers' balcony scene.

Puppy love charm bracelet unleashed

2007-07-17T11:37:00.000-05:00

Inspired by dog lovers everywhere, Rembrandt Charms introduces its Puppy Love charm bracelet. Americans spend over $32.4 billion dollars on their pets, with the majority being spent on the 65 million dogs living in the U.S. This bracelet allows dog lovers to spend some of that money on themselves. “Dog charms have always been popular at Rembrandt,” comments Mary Mendola, customer service manager. “The best selling dog charms include the Labrador (2404), Golden Retriever (1097), Cocker Spaniel (1765), and Photoart charms which can be personalized with a picture of your dog.”

As Fortunes Rise in Ireland, So Do the Number of Marriages

2007-06-28T14:39:00.003-05:00

As marriage in the UK declines to the lowest levels ever, Irish brides and grooms are tying the knot in record numbers, according to this article by the BBC. Many say it's because the economic boom in Ireland in the 1990s often referred to as the Celtic Tiger.
The number for 2006 was just under 8,300, a small increase on the 8,100 marriages registered in 2005. In 2006, there were 116 civil partnerships (65 male and 51 female), the first full year of same-sex couples being able to register their unions.
Just under 2,600 divorces were registered - the highest ever recorded.
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency said there had been a significant increase on the recent low of 7,300 marriages registered in 2001.
Since the introduction of new marriage laws in 2004, there has been an increase in the number of religious ceremonies taking place outside religious buildings and civil marriages taking place outside Registrar's Offices.
The number of adults in the UK choosing to marry, on the other hand, is at its lowest level since records began, according to an article published by the BBC in February.

What's love got to do with it?

2007-06-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

The New York Times ran a story in the Styles section last week about a documentary called Crazy Love. It's about a New York couple, Burt and Linda Pugach, in photo, who were married after he was released from prison for attempting to kill her.

Selectivity key to successful love hookup

2007-05-09T07:35:00.000-05:00

Researchers in Chicago found that people who like everyone have a lot of friends, but people who are selective about who they like are more successful in love because as a love interest people want to feel special.
Watch the report by WMAQ in Chicago here.

You know you can't resist

2007-04-13T09:23:00.000-05:00

What causes attraction? Noone knows exactly, but attraction is the one factor that makes or breaks a relationship. It completely overrides your mental check-list for your ideal mate (religion, education…), and it’s certainly not something that can be learned with time. But does developed love triumph in the long run? Click here to find out what scientists say.

Morbid weddings abound on John Waters' new Court TV show

2007-03-19T09:40:00.000-05:00

John Waters, the fabulous pencil-mustached director and Baltimorean (my birth city), says his his new series 'Til Death Do Us Part' the first Court TV show in America done with actors based on true crime.
"Its always about a bride or groom that kills one another and you don't know during watching it which one it's going to be until the end," he says during a video interview posted on CourtTV.com. Waters, the creator of such insta-classics as Pink Flamingoes, Female Troubles, Hairspray and Serial Mom, plays the Groom Reaper in the series that premieres Monday (10 p.m. ET/PT).
Waters says in his role as host he plays a sort of "time traveler" who talks to the camera, an observer, watching couples in all their wedded bliss and explaining how the blessed union will eventually result in murder. Click on the links to read articles from The New York Times and USA Today.
Court TV, tonight at 10 and 10:30, Eastern and Pacific times; 9 and 9:30, Central times.

Must love jaws:Awesome spoof of Jaws trailer

2007-03-05T13:55:00.000-05:00

This is a hilarious look at how movie studios' marketing of movies can manipulate.

Popular Teenagers Secrets of Love

2007-02-25T19:55:00.000-05:00

Just goes to show you that, while the medium might be different, teens 50 years ago were thinking about the same things teens are thinking about today. This comic book cover comes from the collection of a guy named Ben and there are many more if you follow the link.

Berlin officials deny permit for annual 'Love Parade'; Organizers seek new German host city

2007-02-22T14:04:00.001-05:00

Love Parade began life as a peace demonstration in the late 1980s and, over the course of the years, has developed into an event that makes it possible for fans to celebrate electronic dance music in a relaxed way with like-minded people from all over the world. Unfortunately for the first time, it won't take place in Berlin.

Posted yesterday on loveparade.com:

Dear Friends of the Loveparade,
Today we regretfully have to make public some very sad news. Due to the failure to date of the City of Berlin to grant us written approval, the Loveparade 2007 cannot be held in Berlin. We do not have the level of planning security necessary for the preparation of an event of this magnitude.
It should be pointed out that the organisers submitted the application for approval in good time in June of last year to the Berlin Senate. The financing amounting to three million Euro has been secured and all partners have confirmed their support. Loveparade’s Managing Director Rainer Schaller said about the situation: “no approval, no Loveparade. We require absolute security of planning to organise an event of this magnitude. Loveparade Berlin GmbH is ready to go and wants to get on with organising this year’s parade.

Pussycat dolls

2007-02-21T10:43:00.000-05:00

These courtesy of PetPics.net, which bills itself as "the archive for cute & funny animal pictures."

Love, Billy

2007-02-19T10:25:00.000-05:00

The photographer, William Sherman, who shot this photo called Love, Billy seems to use Brooklyn, NY as his main subject and has really captured the gritty beauty of the whole Williamsburg to Red Hook area. His archives are great. Check them out.

It's a thin line . . .

2007-02-18T10:32:00.000-05:00

between love and hate. As thin as this mirror, in fact.

Love is a big word

2007-02-17T15:14:00.000-05:00

Heart-shaped box of candy declares his love for Europe; Officers fight over the caramel-filled piece

2007-02-16T12:08:00.000-05:00

Plainclothes agents broke up a Valentine's Day march by opposition activists expressing pro-European views, detaining about 10 people in the capital of the tightly controlled ex-Soviet republic of Belarus.

Big Day for Hard Science

2007-02-14T10:06:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day isn't just a hectic time for florists and chocolatiers — it's busy for scientists and scholars, too. More precisely, it's a busy time for their publicists, who know that if we're not all looking for love, well, we journalists are at least looking for a story angle.

Most Cheaters Caught on Valentine's Day

2007-02-13T19:42:00.000-05:00

Look out all you cheaters: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found private detectives who said Valentine's Day is a big deal for cheating spouses. Feb. 14, these investigators joke, is their Super Bowl of Surveillance.
"Eighty percent of cheating spouses will try to spend part of the day with the other person," said Jimmie Mesis, editor of the trade journal PI Magazine.

Fun with virtual icing

2007-02-12T11:16:00.000-05:00

Theoworlds.com has a great e-Valentine's Day card that looks like a cake. You choose the shape of the cake, the color of the icing, extra toppings and what the cake says. You write using your mouse. Pretty cool. It's much easier than actually making a cake.

"I (heart) NY" campaign due for a revamp, say state officials

2007-02-12T09:33:00.000-05:00

The famed "I Love New York" campaign may get a new media facelift in the near future.The state is launching an ad campaign today seeking marketers to help energize and reinvigorate the brand. The campaign was introduced in 1977 by Wells Rich Greene, and refashioned by 11 ad agencies over the years. But state officials said the campaign is ripe for an upgrade.

Second love triangle cited in Colorado murder case (Guess that makes it a rectangle . . . .)

2007-02-11T13:55:00.000-05:00

The Larimer County, Colorado District Attorney's Office will take over prosecution of the first-degree murder case against the wife of a Weld County, Colorado deputy sheriff because he allegedly is in an extramarital relationship with a lawyer in the Weld prosecutor's office, The Greeley Tribune reported today. Citing an unnamed source, the Greeley newspaper reported one reason for the reassignment of the case "may be an allleged romantic relationship" between the employee and Deputy Ken Nelson, husband of Shawna Nelson.

Thousands of couples pucker up simultaneously for world record

2007-02-10T19:44:00.000-05:00

More than 6,000 Philippine couples kissed simultaneously in a Manila parking lot at midnight on Saturday, and organizers of what was called the Lovapalooza event said they had set a world record.
A total of 6,124 couples kissed simultaneously for at least 10 seconds in a parking lot outside a Manila shopping mall, said Albert Almendralejo, producer of Lovapalooza.

Touching letters sent to Fidelity, IL for the postmark

2007-02-10T19:38:00.000-05:00

Postmaster Peggy Ruyle displays a handful of mailings sent her way from around the globe for postmarking in advance of Valentine's Day, Monday, Feb. 5, 2007, in Fidelity, Ill.

Here comes the bride . . . all smelly, fat and wide

2007-02-08T14:24:00.000-05:00

With the Year of the Pig around the corner, a pair of pet pigs Shui Fu-ko, the bridegroom, and Huang Pu-pu, the bride got marital blessings from their owners, local folks, county leaders and even a priest who presided over their nuptials on Monday.Every guest invited to grace the pig couple's big day was required to give a red envelope of at least NT$100 ($3) as a congratulatory gift. All the money collected was to go to a philanthropic fund to buy a minibus for a local charity.