New York City

Northern Echo - A LABOUR politician has defended his beliefs in extra-terrestrial life – after claiming to have fathered a child with an alien. Married father-of-three Simon Parkes, who represents Stakesby on Whitby Town Council, said his wife had rowed with him after revealing he had a child called Zarka with an alien he refers to as the Cat Queen. The 53-year-old driving instructor said he has sexual relations with the alien about four times a year. “What will happen is that we will hold hands and I will say ‘I’m ready’ and then the technology I don’t understand will take us up to a craft orbiting the earth,” he explained.  “My wife found out about it and was very unhappy, clearly. That caused a few problems, but it is not on a human level, so I don’t see it as wrong. Councillor Parkes, who also claims his “real mother” is a 9ft green alien with eight fingers, said people only claim he is mad because they have not shared his experiences and that the encounters don’t affect his work on behalf of Whitby residents. “I can understand how you would say that because you have not seen anything yourself and that’s your immediate fallback position, but you come and spend some time with me and follow me around for a day and you will actually walk away shaking your head because you will think actually he’s not mad.  “There are plenty of people in my position who don’t chose to come out and say it because they are terrified it will destroy their careers.” Easily the best part of this story is the guy saying that their sex “wasn’t on a human level” so its technically not cheating. Thats the ultimate “It doesn’t count if…” excuse I’ve ever heard. It doesn’t count if its in a different area code. It doesn’t count if you’re on vacation. It doesn’t count if you have interspecies sex with the Cat Queen she gives birth to a human-alien hybrid baby. And it ain’t cheating if you’re fucking 0n a spacecraft in orbit. Play on playa. Must have learned that from his 9 foot tall whore mother with only 8 fingers.

New York City is the second largest tech hub in the country, trailing only behind Silicon Valley. The days of second place may soon be over, though, if the outcome of a new "Brooklyn Tech Triangle" is half as exciting as newly released renderings suggest it will be. [ more › ]

A man was stabbed in the chest in Times Square this afternoon, and the perpetrator remains at large. An NYPD spokesman said that the victim was stabbed around 2 p.m. near the intersection of West 46th Street and Seventh Avenue. The victim was transported to Bellevue, and authorities say his injuries are not life-threatening. Police from the Midtown North Precinct are currently canvassing the area for the suspect, a male who is reportedly in his 40s. [ more › ]

If feels like we've been waiting forever but Dinosaur BBQ's new Park Slope outpost finally opens to the public tomorrow at 5 p.m. The giant space retains some of its warehouse charms, with tons of exposed brick, weathered wood and high, raftered ceilings. It's a familiar aesthetic if you've visited the chainlet's other locations but with unique touches like a charming Calder-esque ceiling mobile made from old glass bottles. [ more › ]

Bills that would expand abortion rights and institute campaign finance reform are likely to die in Albany before the state legislature adjourns on Thursday, thanks to a coalition of Republicans and a handful of Democrats that together control the Senate. "This has been an ugly few weeks here in Albany, and it has shaken the public trust,” Governor Cuomo said yesterday. [ more › ]

Online real estate marketplace Zillow has launched a new web and mobile co-shopping platform, Agentfolio, for direct communication among agents and homebuyers, the company announced today. The platform is the result of Zillow's October 2012 buyout of collaborative shopping company Buyfolio, which is now called Agentfolio. Zillow says Agentfolio is the only platform for real estate that provides collaborative search options for multiple people. Zillow is offering the service for free among members of its Premier Agent program, and $25 a month for agents who are not subscribers. Zillow launched Agentfolio in Chicago and plans to roll it out in New York City, Boston, and other markets across the country. Susan Daimler, Zillow's director of Agentfolio, said she believes the service will allow for more efficient communication in the processes of searching for and selling homes. "The home search has gotten too complicated for the inbox," she was quoted as saying. "Agentfolio provides a mobile and online workspace where agents and their clients can search, share, organize and discuss listings all in one place." link

Pavel Datsyuk was in New York City recently to promote next season's Winter Classic and, as always, talk a little hockey."It's good for hockey fans of both teams, for the NHL, and for people who live in Michigan," Datsyuk said. "When I grew up, lots of kids played outside; I played all day, every day almost." The Detroit Red Wings will host the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Original Six clash set at "The Big House"—the University of Michigan's football stadium.The Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals when Brent Seabrook scored at the 3:35 mark in overtime. As the Wings look to next season, they can find comfort in some sizable contributions from their young players. "Nyquist, Brunner, Andersson, they were unbelievable, especially in the playoffs," he said.Their contribution was sizable, to say the least—that wasn't just a veteran talking up the team's young guns. Damien Brunner had nine points (five goals and four assists), Gustav Nyquist had five points (two goals and three assists) and Joakim Andersson also had five points (one goal and four assists). Detroit acquired Nyquist and Andersson through the NHL Draft, while Brunner signed with the Wings as a free agent. Nyquist was a fourth-round pick in 2008, and Andersson was a third-round pick in 2007.Datsyuk was drafted by the Wings in the sixth round in 1998. Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg was also selected in a later round; he was drafted in the seventh round in 1999. There are plenty of examples of NHL teams grabbing gems in later rounds of the NHL Draft, but the Red Wings seem to do it better than anyone else.How?"Work," Datsyuk said. "They love to work."

Brainpickings has unearthed a midcentury relic as awesome as any: the marriage proposal letter Charles Eames gave to Ray Kaiser in 1941. Both students at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, in Michigan, the pair married later that year and forged a partnership that gave rise to some of the most significant designs in American history, from molded-plastic chairs to modern houses and pretty much everything in between. "And while extraordinary love letters generally have an ineffable and enduring appeal," writes Brainpicker's Maria Popova, "there's something particularly mesmerizing about epistles exchanged by two people who are partners in every possible sense of the word and whose romantic relationship is also a creative collaboration." In that spirit, here's a look at the full letter: It reads: "Dear Miss Kaiser, I am 34 (almost) years old, singel (again) and broke. I love you very much and would like to marry you very very soon.* I cannot promise to support us very well. — but if given the chance I'll shure in hell try – *soon means very soon. What is the size of this finger?? as soon as I get to that hospital I will write "neams" well little ones. love xxxxxxxxxx Charlie" · Happy Birthday, Charles Eames: The Disarming 1941 Love Letter in Which He Proposed to Ray [Brainpickings via Jezebel] · All Eames coverage [Curbed National]

Starbucks calorie counts already exist on menues in New York City. As of June 25 Starbucks says that customers will be able to see full nutritional information at more than 11,000 U.S. Starbucks locations. As of June you will be told that your small but delicious Frappuccino contains 230 calories. Pastries and other items will also have to show the ‘Starbucks calorie counts’ displaying blueberry scones at 460 calories a piece and morning buns at 350 calories. The announcement by the Starbuck Corp. comes at a time when consumers often opt for healthier, lower fat options when eating out. If it’s good for the consumer it’s good for business and Starbucks is following in the footsteps of MacDonalds by preempting upcoming FDA legislation. The new legislation isn’t clear at the moment. The move to display Starbucks calorie counts on its menues is a smart one showing transparency and openness. Starbucks noted in its announcement that it does already provide nutritional information on its website. They also said that customers can reduce their calorie intake by opting for low fat milk, sugar free syrups and no cream. According to Sue Hensley, spokeswoman for the National Restaurant Association a “Large majority” of food and beverage chains are still awaiting clear FDA guidelines as to what they may or must reveal to customers. Mary Wagner the senior vice president of global research and development said about the Starbucks Calorie counts that: “Menu labeling is yet another step to extend our commitment to wellness.” Do you think that Starbucks calorie counts are important thing for customers to know ? Should it be a legal requirement to provide nutritional information at food outlets or do restaurants have the right not to display? Post your comments below. Starbucks Calorie Counts: Coffee Giant Must Display Nutritional Info is a post from: The Inquisitr

Am absolutely in love with this 6 story New York City townhouse. It is in the July issue of Architectural Digest. A luxury home filled with modern art and fantastic furniture and all of the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]