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.

Still hugging after 5,000 years

2007-02-07T13:26:00.000-05:00

I heard on the Today show that the area where the skeletons were found is near when Romeo Montague was from and that they can tell they were young lovers because of their teeth. DNA testing will tell if they are related.

Astronaut charged in bizarre kidnapping case

2007-02-06T08:56:00.000-05:00

Disguised in a dark wig, glasses and a trench coat, space shuttle astronaut Lisa Nowak, right in a NASA phot and far left in her mug shot, drove 900 miles wearing diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to confront, allegedly intimidate and possibly kidnap Colleen Shipman, a woman she considered a rival for fellow astronautWilliam Ofelein's affections. He is pretty cute, but still. Nine hundred miles in a diaper?

Beautiful stranger

2007-02-05T14:32:00.000-05:00

Madonna and Guy Ritchie have reportedly signed a love pact after visiting therapist Tricia Barnes over the New Year to save their marriage, vowing to send more time together.

Spike and Chicken (aka Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy) confess their love on facebook.com

2007-02-04T11:35:00.000-05:00

The British Royal Family has come a long way. Just 30 short years ago, potential wives of Prince Charles were dropped like yesterday's rubbish if they even thought about commenting on whether or not they were dating him. Now, Prince Harry has declared his devotion to girlfriend Chelsy Davy on Facebook, a MySpace-style network, and she has done the same.
He is called Spike Wells, but has not uploaded a photo, instead a blue question mark is in the place where his photo would be. She is Chels D. and has uploaded quite a fetching photo. In "Spike's" network are friends such as Chelsy's brother Shaun.

San Fran mayor apologizes for affair with friend's wife

2007-02-01T15:37:00.000-05:00

Oops! San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, in photo at right with his ex-wife Kimberly Guilfoyle, said this morning that reports of an affair with an assistant in his office 18 months ago are true and apologized for the "personal lapse of judgment.'' He doesn't mention much about his partner in "crime," Ruby Rippey-Tourk, in photo at left, except to say she and her husband Alex "are friends of mine."

Further proof there is no karma

2007-02-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

Registered sex offender Edward Cowal wins $14 million in Florida lottery. Now says he "doesn't want anyone bothering him."

Even beauty-challenged women can break hearts, steal money

2007-02-01T13:38:00.000-05:00

A 22-year-old woman named Emma Golightly, seen in photo at right, reportedly has left behind her a string of broken hearts and empty bank accounts. Maybe it's jut a bad photo.

YouTube bride wigout is a hoax

2007-02-01T12:25:00.000-05:00

I'm so surprised! Not. I figured this was a hoax but those girls' screams seemed so real that I wanted to believe. I read that the "bride" Jodi did really cut her hair. That's the least she could have done.
Click here to see the video again.

Fund set up for murder victim's daughter

2007-02-01T12:19:00.000-05:00

This was posted on the web site of the Colorado Employees Credit Union where Victoria's mom Heather worked. It is also where Heather was allegedly shot by her father's mistress.

January 25, 2007
It is a sad time for all of us at the Colorado State Employees Credit Union. Our team is like a family and on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, we tragically lost one of our own. Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Heather Garraus.
In memory of Heather Garraus, the Colorado State Employees Credit Union has established a scholarship fund for Heather's 9-year-old daughter, Victoria. Contributions can be made via:
Colorado State Employees Credit Union
1390 Logan Street, Denver CO 80203
Payable to: Victoria Garraus Fund
Donations may also be made in person at any of the thirteen locations of Colorado State Employees Credit Union. For more information call 800-444-4816 or 303-832-4816.

True nature of romantic love needs to be clarified says Pope (not speaking from experience, one would presume)

2007-02-01T08:23:00.000-05:00

VATICAN CITY, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI's discourse on human and divine love is turning out to be a publishing hit.
ANSA said the 72-page document, titled "Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love)" -- has been reprinted three times in German and three times in Spanish, and has sold almost 1.5 million copies in Italian.
The news service said it is one of the most commercially successful doctrinal tracts ever written by a pope.
The encyclical, the first major piece of writing by the new pope, said the true nature of love between men and women needs to be clarified. The pope said erotic love can lead to degradation unless it is united with a spiritual love, ANSA reported.

"Things got ugly" as they so often do after an extramarital affair, an out-of-wedlock baby, and a bitter breakup (not that I would know personally)

2007-02-01T08:11:00.000-05:00

For more than a year, Shawna Nelson carefully guarded a secret.
The boy born in early 2006 to Shawna and her husband, Ken, was actually the child of a married Greeley police officer with whom she’d had a three-year, on- again, off-again affair.
The people closest to Shawna — including her husband, a Weld County sheriff’s deputy — knew the truth. Officers on the police force, where Ignacio Garraus worked as a cop and Shawna Nelson as a dispatcher, suspected.
But it wasn’t until about three weeks ago that Ignacio’s wife, Heather Garraus, found out.
Although they struggled Thursday for an explanation, sources close to Shawna Nelson said that discovery — and its aftermath — may have led to the deadly ending Tuesday night.
Authorities have accused Nelson of waiting outside a credit union where Heather Garraus worked and opening fire as Heather walked to her car.
Heather, the proud mother of a 9-year-old daughter, has been described as a wonderful friend and supervisor, the kind of person who would do anything for others.
Ignacio Garraus could not be reached for comment Thursday. On Wednesday, members of Heather’s family declined to comment and asked reporters, through police, for privacy.

"Tell my family I love them"

2007-01-31T09:16:00.000-05:00

Couldn't these teens find a more safe activity like, say, shooting up or provoking pedophiles on the Internet?
Moments before authorities say a 13-year-old New Orleans boy placed a loaded handgun to his temple during a fatal game of Russian roulette, he asked a friend to pass on a message: If anything happens to me, tell my family I love them.
While the other youngster fled the room after that request, authorities said, Kerrick Robertson pulled the trigger on one of the two handguns the boys had been playing with.

Bride wigs out, cuts hair hours before wedding

2007-01-29T19:39:00.000-05:00

Do you think this is real?

Voo Doo Love

2007-01-28T21:53:00.000-05:00

Ouch! What's that pain in my side?
For those who love so much it hurts, Ethnic Voodoo Dolls are the perfect Valentine's Day gift.
The Valentine’s collection features three choices – Prisoner of Love, Magic Lover (Little Witch and Little Wizard) and Kuso Love (Monkey King and Venus).
There is also a Chinese New Year collection. Fortune Boy & Girl and Money Cat will help usher in a year filled with wealth and wisdom.
Ethnic Voodoo Doll are distributed by Good Luck Distributor.

Love at first site

2007-01-27T16:11:00.000-05:00

Septagenerians marry after meeting on Internet. He says he fell in love with her voice. Maybe because, at age 75, his eyesight was gone.

Christina McLellan, 76, and Stuart Dow, 75, proved it was love at first click after falling for each other on a dating website.
Laptop romance blossomed when Christina downloaded Stuart's profile and let him know she was interested.
Christina sent an email to Stuart in Perth with her phone number.He fell in love with her voice and made a 150-mile trip to Portgordon, Banffshire, to see her.The clincher was the mince and tatties she rustled up for the ex- Black Watch soldier on their first date, finished off with trifle.Former nurse Stuart courted Christina by webcam along with self-penned love poems by email and bunches of flowers.
After a series of 300-mile round trips, Stuart popped the question and moved in with Christina. The couple got married in Buckie register office with Christina making her big entrance to the tune Tutti Frutti.
Christina, a widow for 26 years, said: "I never thought I would get a second chance so I just took it."A delighted Stuart, whose first wife died almost three years ago, added: "It is pretty amazing."

It's all your fault

2007-01-25T13:59:00.000-05:00

If your married lover can't be with you, what should you do? Kill his wife, natch.

Police won't say what may have brought the wives of two law enforcement officers together Tuesday night. But the accused giving birth to the victim's husband's child (got that?) might have something to do with it.
The accused - Shawna Louise Nelson, 35, in photo at left after she was denied bail in court Wednesday - is married to Weld County sheriff's investigator Ken Nelson. The victim - Heather Garraus, 37 - was married to Greeley police Officer Ignacio Garraus.
Police say that at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Garraus was shot in the parking lot of the Colorado State Employees Credit Union at 25th Street and 11th Avenue. Investigators later arrested Nelson and jailed her on suspicion of first-degree homicide.

Here is another "inside" account from another blog called, http://lollipop-melon.livejournal.com. Apparently this person knew all involved in the whole scandal.
Get This. This is REAL!
SO!
You know how that lady was shot? Multiple times? There is stupid story here.
The lady shot is Heather Garraus. The shooter = Shawna Nelson. Heather was married to Ignacio (Ig for short!) Garraus, he is a Greeley Police Officer. Shawna Nelson is married to Ken Nelson - a Weld County Sheriff's Investigator.
Ig cheated on Heather w/ Shawna. Heather knew about some of this, because other Credit Union people knew about it - 'cause Heather told them. I would know more, but it was drama-ish and I didn't pay attention (all they ever cared about was what happened the night before on American Idol, Depserate Housewives, or any other fill in the blank reality tv show - none of which I've seen (one American idol, two episodes of heros, and a smattering of super nanny are the only things I've seen)).
Now, this much anyone who pays even the slightest attention to what's going on would know.
As it turns out (due to a court hearing today), Shawna and Ig have an 11 month old child together. Whether Heather knew or not, I don't know. Shawna wanted to be with Ig and thought that if she killed his wife they'd be together. When Shawna was found in her car in her driveway @ her house, she was wearing a mask and a cloak = disguise. So it was well planned out.

What the fuck?

I blame television.
Heather had a 12 year old little girl, she was kinds rude, but she's a spoiled 12 year old girl, she's still cute, and still ahd potential. Now when all this comes out, that her mom was brutally shot by her father's mistress so that she could be with him and their 11 month child what is going to happen to the potential that 12 year old girl had!??? You know she's not going to be told any of this by her dad. This is so awful.
Oh, and the general public doesn't know about this yet. But they will, at 5pm Denver time, as there will be a press conference.
What the fuck?
My sentiments, exactly, lollipop-melon.

Beware of secret admirers

2007-01-25T13:52:00.000-05:00

A new vicious e-mail virus preys on the desire to be loved
(Note: as usual, Mac users do not need to concern themselves about this. You know who you are.)
Unless you know who your 'dream date' is, don't open these greeting cards.
IT security firm Sophos has warned of a major new malicious attack that has been affecting internet users since 2 p.m. today, January 25.

Falling out of love

2007-01-24T22:00:00.001-05:00

Your husband cheats. What do you do? How about tamper with your husband's mistress' parachute cord so that it will not open and she plunges to her death while onlookers gathered on the grass below? Ummmm . . .how about just divorcing him? Marcel must have been one of those legendary Dutch lovers.

Victim's headcam filmed her death, according to a story in the World Times UK
By David Charter and Rory Watson in Brussels
A married woman who was having an affair with a fellow skydiver plunged 13,000ft to her death after her love rival and best friend tampered with her parachute, police say.
Els Van Doren, 37, fell to earth in a garden in front of a group of onlookers. Els Clottemans, 22, in photo at top left, has been charged with her murder.
Minutes earlier the pair had joined hands in a star formation with two other skydivers including Ms Clottemans’s boyfriend, a Dutchman named only as Marcel, who police say was having an affair with Mrs Van Doren.
While he and Ms Clottemans broke away at 4,000ft when their parachutes inflated, Mrs Van Doren, a mother of two, was unable to open either her main parachute or the reserve and crashed to her death in the town of Opglabbeek, Belgium.
Her final moments were filmed by her own head-mounted camera.
Click here to read the rest of the story.

True Love

2007-01-24T09:37:00.000-05:00

What could be more appropriate for my first post on this new blog of all things concerning LOVE than a recount of the birth of the only child of one of the world's greatest love stories, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love? (No, I'm not being sarcastic. I do believe they were truly in love.) The following from author Everett True's book Nirvana-The Biography. I think this post is especially appropriate because the author's last name is True and Courtney's last name is, of course, Love. True Love. Love it! (although the article spells baby Frances Bean's name wrong.)

(to purchase this drawing of True and Love in bed together by illustrator Eric Reynolds, visit the Comic Art Collective here. )

For more information about music critic Everett True, go here.

Author Everett True's Nirvana - The Biography recalls the wild night when rocker Courtney Love, widow of the late front man of Nirvana Kurt Cobain, gave birth to their child Francis Bean.
In the book True describes how both Cobain and Love ended up in the same hospital within a span of a few days. Cobain checked in for a 60-day heroin detox and Love was there for complications arising from pregnancy, reports Pagesix.com.
True says: "Love - never one to miss an opportunity for drama - grabbed her intravenous drip stand at four in the morning, and wheeled it down the corridors to where Kurt was staying. 'You get out of out of this bed and come down now!' she screamed. 'You are not leaving me to do this by myself, (bleep) you!'
"Her husband followed her to the delivery room - weakened from his treatment, and hooked up to an IV stand himself - he passed out just moments before Francis was born."
Love also related to True saying: "I'm having the baby, it's coming out, (Kurt's) puking, he's passing out and I'm holding his hand and rubbing his stomach while the baby's coming out."