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There’s a joke among tattoo artists that whenever Rihanna gets a new tattoo, droves of 20-something women will soon come asking for the same.
A few years ago, the singer adorned the upper portion of her left ear with the outline of a star. Not many came asking then, but, in what seems to have been a self-fulfilling prophecy, more are now.
“Anytime there’s a condensed spot, where one little tattoo makes the whole spot look filled up, that’s where the trends come from,” said Brad Stevens, a tattoo artist at New York Adorned in Manhattan, who said he tries to dissuade many people from getting visible tattoos, sometimes dissuading them altogether.
Although the space confines of the ears demand simplicity in design, ears frame the face, making them bold choices for ink placement. Some ear tattoos, such as the two Grape-Nut-sized stars that model Cara Delevingne got on the front of her right ear, look like piercings from a distance. But others, such as the spider web that fills the entire top portion of the model Catherine McNeil’s right ear, take a certain stylish gusto to pull off.
As Ms. Kuykendall discovered from her experience, the ear anatomically differs drastically among people. The top part of the ear has the most tattoo-able surface area, composed of the scapha (the flat part near the outer flap at the top) and the crus of the antihelix (the raised ridge closer to the middle). Scaphas that flow into unprotrusive cruras make for ideal canvases. Smaller, highly ridged ears are hardly tattoo-able at all.
The ear holds ink differently than other parts of the body do; without fat or muscle tissue, ink is more likely to fall out of the thin skin. To prevent this, tattoo artists etch the ink deeper, which runs the risk of having it dissipate beneath the skin and create a shadowy halo effect called “blowing out.” Dainty, clean lines aren’t an option (look at the blurry “Love” on Miley Cyrus’s right ear).
That said, the smallness of the space could be said to lend it a delicacy, even a mystique. The ear is a known erogenous zone. Those with hair long enough can conceal and reveal it as occasion demands.
A certain class of tattoo artists and collectors maintain a sense of decorum that, until other parts of the body are heavily covered or completely filled, highly visible spots should be left un-inked. It is a mind-set born out of respect for tattoos’ permanence that, left unconsidered, can breed future regret.
Ms. Kuykendall, who plans to never work at a job with a dress code, said her decision to get her web was simply because she wanted it, and she isn’t concerned with how it will look in 50 years. Ms. McNeil, who is 24, said that though she had wanted an ear tattoo for a while, the choice of such a prominent design was impulsive and has yet to affect her modeling career.
And if either woman’s tattoo ages poorly, they can always just let down their hair.
As he sips a coffee in the Portugalete district of Bilbao, Arben, a young Albanian man, explains that the English word “ferry” is almost exactly the same as the word for “hell” in his native language. The irony is not lost on him. A few hundred yards away, where the Nervión river opens out onto the Bay of Biscay, is Arben’s current home: a small tent pitched near the port. It is the base from where, each day, he attempts to stow away on vehicles that are boarding ferries bound for the UK.
For him, the idea of reaching England is heaven. But getting there is hell.
“In England there is work. I would have a house, everything – it would be good for me,” he says, in a mixture of broken English and Spanish.
Britain’s high wages and low jobless rate of about 4 per cent are a draw for migrants such as Arben. Although the Spanish economy is growing, its unemployment rate remains above 16 per cent, making it a stepping stone, rather than a final destination, for many of those seeking a better life.
Arben, who prefers not to give his full name, left Albania last year, hitchhiking to Germany, from where he says he took a bus to Spain. He has been living in the tent for seven months, enduring one of the harshest winters northern Spain has seen in recent years.
He has come tantalisingly close to realising his dream. On one occasion he hid undetected for four days inside a lorry, which eventually boarded a ferry and took him to Portsmouth. But on arrival the British authorities found him. A bite on his arm from a sniffer dog was his only souvenir before he was sent straight back to Spain.
Since the Calais migrant camp known as the “Jungle” was dismantled in 2016, Spain’s northern ports have become a new route to the UK. The busy nature of Bilbao, which is Spain’s fifth-biggest port and has a regular ferry service to Portsmouth, has made it a prime departure point. Last year the Spanish civil guard thwarted 3,800 stowaway attempts.
Alarmed at the increasing popularity of Bilbao among Syrians, Afghans, Albanians and others, this year the authorities have built a 4m-high wall, topped by barbed wire, around the perimeter of the car park for vehicles carrying cargo. They have also increased the civil guard’s presence in the port.
Nearby, a lorry about to board the ferry comes to a halt and two civil guards check it. One of them looks underneath the vehicle, while the other inserts a small device beneath the awning of the trailer, to measure the amount of carbon dioxide inside. If the level is higher than normal, they assume someone is hiding inside and open up the trailer to look.
Nobody is aboard this lorry. But Vicente explains that 11 would-be stowaways have already been found that same morning. One of them, a Moroccan man, was found balanced on the axle between the wheels of a lorry. The others were all Albanian.
He recalls how they found one man who had packed himself tightly into a wooden box a few days earlier. When they pulled him out, he could hardly stand up.
If a stowaway reaches the UK and is detected, the ferry company involved faces a €3,000 fine. The drivers of vehicles used by the migrants can also come under suspicion of trafficking.
So far this year, just over 1,000 attempts have been stopped. Yet the numbers can be misleading. In Spain, stowing away on vehicles is deemed an infraction but not a crime, therefore almost all the migrants who are caught are removed from the port area and released, only for them to try again the next day. The civil guard says that only a few dozen migrants, most of them Albanian, are carrying out the vast majority of attempts to reach the UK. The sheer number of unsuccessful attempts by those such as Arben reflects how hard it is.
“It’s not easy, there are too many of us [trying],” says another Albanian man who sleeps in a tent on a hill above the port, from where he can watch the movements of the civil guard. He and another man have only been here for three days, but they are pessimistic.
“It doesn’t look like we’re going to have a chance [of reaching the UK],” he says, in fluent English. He spent several years working as a carpenter in London, but after returning to Albania for a visit, he was not allowed back in to the UK.
Despite the Spanish authorities’ apparent tolerance of the migrant camping sites around the port, the civil guard have carried out a number of arrests of suspected people traffickers, most recently in March. Civil guards who work in the port insist that although those who camp out appear to be travelling unaided, understanding the port’s logistics is difficult without the knowledge of traffickers.
But local people who have been helping the migrants over the past year, giving them food and tents, insist that in this case, traffickers aren’t involved.
Puig says that she and other volunteers started helping the migrants about a year ago, seeing their gesture as a stopgap measure until the local authorities stepped in.
The newly built wall and increased security around the port seem to have been effective. The numbers of migrants being caught are on average lower than they were in the last few months of 2017. But in the same way that the closure of the Calais Jungle camp brought migrants here, the clampdown in Bilbao is sending migrants elsewhere along the coast, to cities such as Santander.
“It’s very difficult to get into the UK from here, so they are moving to other ports,” says Vicente, the civil guard.
Discover Space is a three-part, interactive learning exhibit presented by the Space Science Institute.
If a bus-sized iron asteroid traveling at approximately 12 miles per second hit New York City, would Baltimore be spared?
The answer to this and other space questions can be found in Discover Space, an interactive learning exhibit on display at the Baltimore County Public Library's Towson branch through Oct. 29.
Lisa Hughes, manager of the branch on York Road, said the exhibit will appeal to patrons from elementary aged kids to seniors.
"We had some adults here while we were setting it up and they were using the kiosk that shows what happens when asteroids hit Earth," Hughes said. "It was fun to see their reaction when they saw the tremendous impact it would make if it hit their town.
"The adults were as engaged and excited as young children would be," she said.
The Discover Space exhibit, which formally opens Monday but had a preview on Sunday, is being presented by the Space Science Institute and has three separate components.
Visions of the Universe is an exhibit developed by the Space Science Telescope Institute, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the American Library Association with funding from NASA. Hughes described it as part of an initiative to celebrate astronomy, recognizing the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo.
A second part of the exhibit, Space Rocks: Asteroids and Comets, utilizes two computer kiosks and Google Earth to show users the damage that would occur if an asteroid landed in their neighborhood, as well as a risk comparison activity and a physics-based asteroid deflection game.
The third piece of the display, Planet Families, includes a 42-inch touch screen table on which users can play a game where they create their own solar system and explore its gravitational stability.
"Not only should the public understand what these objects are and how they behave, but also how they've played a role in our history," said Paul Dusenbery, director of the National Center for Interactive Learning at the Space Science Institute, in a statement about the exhibit. "We can even help them understand what risks they actually pose to life on Earth."
The impetus behind creating the traveling exhibit, which was on display in Alexandria, Va., prior to coming to Towson, was to "create awareness of astronomy's impact on society and culture, and stimulate young people's interest in astronomy and science," according to a library news release.
Hughes said she didn't hesitate when asked if she wanted the display at the Towson branch.
"We jumped at the chance because we are joining with schools to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs," Hughes said. "Additionally, our summer reading program was called 'Fizz, Boom, Read,' so it's a nice continuation of that theme."
Hughes said the American Library Association often partners with educational initiatives coming out of Washington, from organizations like the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. She said the libraries present an ideal location for such exhibits and displays because they are accessible, the hours are good and there is no cost to get in.
"We're excited to have this here because we know it will appeal to a lot of different ages," Hughes said. "It will be interactive and fun and there is something for everyone in the family. We thought it would be a perfect place for it to be available to the public."
By the way, there would be minimal, if any, impact in Baltimore if that bus-sized iron asteroid hit New York City, according to the interactive exhibit. Impacts of that size hit Earth every 1,000 years or so, the exhibit states.
Discover Space is accessible during the Towson branch's regular hours. For more information, go to bcpl.info.
It’s suppertime, your family is clamoring for dinner and nobody wants to cook.
Your teenagers are as finicky as ever. The younger one is clamoring for kalbi, and the older one wants a salad. Dad insists a burger would be fine but you know he secretly craves a steak. Tutu pats her tummy and says some soup would be very nice, thank you.
Head down to New Eagle Cafe, where the menu includes a family-friendly mixture of old-school favorites, luxurious treats and comfort foods from several continents.
At $22.50, Old-Fashioned Ribeye Steak is a giant 14-ounce Dad-pleaser. It’s grilled to order, topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions, and accompanied by hot veggies and white rice, mashed potatoes, french fries or brown rice.
New Eagle Cafe is conveniently located along Nimitz Highway.
Your young carnivore can order BBQ Short Ribs ($16.25), New Eagle’s kalbi. They’re accompanied by hot veggies, and though he could opt for rice or mashed potatoes, he’ll probably order New Eagle’s yummy crinkle fries.
With 10 distinctly different salads on the menu, and a half-dozen soups ranging from old-fashioned oxtail to mandoo udon, your older teen and her Tutu can find something satisfying here, too. Classic American diner offerings include spaghetti and meatballs, pork chops and prime rib. The menu also includes tempura combination plates, three kinds of katsu, and teishoku selections that range from miso butterfish to a whole Maine lobster with a side of sashimi.
You could even come back in the morning. New Eagle Cafe’s diverse breakfast menu includes everything from classic omelets and eggs Benedict to saba with miso and tsukemono. Mahi Mahi and Eggs ($12.95) is a wonderful way to start anybody’s day. The fish is egg-battered, floured, grilled and accompanied by two eggs, and your choice of hash brown, toast, white or brown rice.
This 4,000-year-old monolith in England may have been an ancient astronomical tool to mark the seasons, according to archaeological evidence.
An ancient stone monolith in England was likely an astronomical marker, according to new archaeological evidence.
The 4,000-year-old stone is triangular in shape and angles up toward geographic south. Its orientation and slant angle are aligned with the altitude of the sun at midsummer, researchers said.
And new evidence shows that there are packing stones around the base of the 7.2-foot tall (2.2-meter) monolith, indicating that it was placed carefully in its location and position, they added.
This ancient monolith's triangular shape and flat, north-facing side are just some of the reasons scientists think it was positioned on purpose to mark the changing seasons.
The monolith is located at a ridge called Gardom's Edge in the Peak District National Park near Manchester, an area that shows evidence of human occupation extending far back though its history. Other ancient monuments such as Bronze Age roundhouses and a late Neolithic enclosure have been found nearby.
The seemingly astronomical monolith is thought to have been erected by Neolithic people around 2000 B.C.
"The stone would have been an ideal marker for a social arena for seasonal gatherings," Brown said. "It's not a sundial in the sense that people would have used it to determine an exact time. We think that it was set in position to give a symbolic meaning to its location, a bit like the way that some religious buildings are aligned in a specific direction for symbolic reasons."
The researchers used a 3D computer model to analyze how the stone would have been illuminated throughout the different seasons four millennia ago, given that the tilt of Earth's axis has changed over time.
Their model showed that the slanted side of the stone would remain in permanent shadow during the winter, while it would have been illuminated only in the morning and afternoon during most of the summer. At midsummer, the sun would have lit the stone brightly all day.
"The use of shadow casting in monuments of this period is quite rare in the British Isles," Brown said. "But there are some examples including New Grange, Ireland, and some Clava cairns in the north-east of Scotland that have been proposed to include the intentional use of shadows. Both are associated to burial sites using the symbolism of a cyclic light and shadow display to represent eternity. Given the proximity of the Neolithic enclosure and possible ritual importance of this site, the Gardom's Edge monolith could be another such example."
Brown will present his findings Tuesday (March 27) at the National Astronomy Meeting in Manchester, England.
TIME: President Bush wrote Israeli Prime Minister Sharon a letter saying that in a final deal, there will be no right of return and there will be adjustments to the 1967 borders and the status of Jerusalem.
ABBAS: President Bush doesn't have the right to prejudice final-status issues. These issues should be discussed in the final stages, not now. He can't make commitments on behalf of the Palestinian people. It is our right to say yes or no.
TIME: To get a final-status agreement, do you think you will have to make unpopular decisions, unpopular compromises? ABBAS: I promise any compromise will go to a referendum. People will accept it or not.
TIME: Do you think you can achieve a deal in one five-year presidential term?
ABBAS: I have to do it because after that I won't be President anymore.
TIME: Yasser Arafat was a symbol for Palestinians around the world. Do you see yourself as a different kind of leader?
ABBAS: There are differences in our ways of thinking. I want to put everything on the table, and you can take it or leave it. Even when I was running for the elections, many friends advised me not to. But I said, "No, I have to tell the people everything. Either they'll elect me or not."
TIME: Are you worried that might anger people? Are there threats against your life?
ABBAS: Everybody is under threat. We are Muslims. We believe that when life comes to an end, it comes.
TIME: It's risky just to be a Palestinian?
ABBAS: It's risky. But it's also risky to be an American. You remember the Twin Towers. So if you believe in God, you won't be afraid.
TIME: You were born in Safad, in what is now Israel. How did it feel when you went back for a visit in 1995?
ABBAS: Very sad. It's my country. I know every street and store. But now I'm not allowed to be there. That's life. I'm not asking for Safad. I'm not asking to return there.
In the 19 years he has conducted the American Symphony Orchestra Leon Botstein has been at his best when his programs have been built around unusual works that deserve to be heard more often. With that as a goal, it’s easy to run off the rails: works that seemed promising on paper, or even in rehearsal, can turn out to have been neglected with good cause. Others may have been worthy but failed to make their mark because inadequate rehearsal time, or other technical issues, made it impossible for the orchestra to show the scores at their best.
There was no need for caveats on Sunday afternoon when Mr. Botstein led his orchestra at Carnegie Hall in a program that brought together Busoni’s Piano Concerto in C (Op. 39) and Liszt’s “Faust” Symphony, two works that have vehement constituencies but are rarely heard because they are sprawling and, in the case of the Busoni, challenging for both orchestra and soloist.
This concerto, which clocked in at around 72 minutes on Sunday (the program notes estimated that it should take 64 minutes; the timing in the published score is 80) offers a pianist relatively little time to rest, and most of that is in the last of its five expansive movements.
Piers Lane, an Australian pianist based in London, seemed undaunted by its demands. His playing had everything this work requires: drive, athleticism and muscularity, certainly, but also lyricism and shapeliness where Busoni allowed room for them. Mr. Lane was particularly bracing in the fourth movement, “All’Italiana,” which begins as a tarantella and spins into a shimmering fantasy.
Mr. Botstein kept firm control of the work, and the American Symphony players produced a polished, finely balanced sound, which they maintained throughout Liszt’s quirky rendering of the Faust legend as a trilogy of tone poems, each devoted to one of the central characters.
The first movement, “Faust,” is framed in dark, brooding string writing, with brassy triumphant scoring at its core, underpinned with foreboding. “Gretchen,” a blend of innocence and complexity, is couched in rich woodwind blends and gracefully winding string lines. And the finale, “Mephistopheles,” is built on tart transformations of the themes from “Faust,” with a coda for tenor and chorus.
Section for section, the orchestra played unimpeachably and often artfully in the Liszt, and the Collegiate Chorale Singers gave zesty performances in the finales of both works. Ryan MacPherson's tenor seemed a bit light for Liszt’s valedictory setting of a few lines from Part II of Goethe’s “Faust,” but he projected the music ably, amid the finale’s luxurious scoring.
A music review on Tuesday about a concert by the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, using information from the program, misidentified the tenor soloist in Liszt’s “Faust” Symphony. The tenor was Ryan MacPherson — not William Burden, who had been scheduled to perform.
7 million lost jobs: Gone forever?
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A two-year string of job losses appears to be near an end, if it hasn't ended already.
When the government releases its jobs report for December on Friday morning, some believe it will show an increase in hiring. That would be the first rise in payrolls in two years, although the consensus of economists surveyed by Briefing.com is for another loss of 35,000 jobs.
Most economists don't expect the employment picture to significantly improve anytime this year -- or over the next few years for that matter.
The unemployment rate, which stood at 10% in November, is expected to stay uncomfortably high for the foreseeable future. Some experts even suggest that the labor market won't be able to fully recover from the 7.2 million jobs lost since the start of 2008 before another recession and round of job losses.
This probably won't be a jobless recovery, like the 21-month period that followed the 2001 recession during which an additional 1.1 million jobs were lost. Most economists are looking for employers to start adding to U.S. payrolls early this year.
The first step of climbing out of the job hole is to stop digging. So a positive payroll number would be significant. But the hole the economy fell into during the Great Recession is so deep, the return of hiring won't do much to significantly fix the weak job market.
"The problem is recovery doesn't mean recovered," said Lakshman Achuthan, managing director of Economic Cycle Research Institute. "We need a long recovery to get back 7 million jobs."
Achuthan believes even if there is decent growth this year, there will be slow growth over the course of the expansion. That means it could take as long as 10 years to recover all the lost jobs -- and that assumes that there isn't another recession in that time frame. Achuthan believes another recession later this decade is likely.
Unemployment heading up. The unemployment rate is forecast to be unchanged for December. But most economists expect it to rise during the course of 2010, even as employers start adding jobs.
Part of that is because the economy needs a gain of more than 100,000 jobs a month just to keep pace with population growth.

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