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Analysis: Barbie isn’t just a movie star now — she’s also a virtual social media influencer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

By: Jul Parke, University of Toronto ListenThe explosive public response to the upcoming Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling demonstrates the sheer power of nostalgic marketing for contemporary consumers.The Barbie movie made headlines last summer over its hefty US$100 million budget. Part of this budget went into its decadent set, which reportedly contributed to a global shortage of pink paint, as well as a massive marketing push that has seen partnerships with Airbnb, Xbox, Forever 21 and a multitude of other brands in numerous sectors.Branded characters and mascots like Barbie are tied to powerful childhood memories for many. Yet in the age of the metaverse these characters aren’t remaining dolls or television characters. They’re also becoming social media influencers.Barbie does it for the ‘gramBarbie was developed by Mattel in 1959 in the form we know her best — a physical doll. Since then, there have been a series of Barbie’s never-ending iterations, including...

Explosion, partial collapse of multi-unit home on South Lincoln in Denver

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A portion of a multi-unit residential building in Denver has partially collapsed after an explosion on Thursday evening.One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and one dog is missing, a Denver Fire Department spokesperson said. Everyone who was inside has been accounted for. Denver home explosion: Full fire department news conference The building has four units on two floors with the addresses 457, 459, 461 and 463 South Lincoln Street.The greatest damage can be seen on the southern side of the building. The homes to the south have also been impacted, fire officials said.Part of a multi-unit residential building on South Lincoln Street in Denver collapsed after an explosion on Aug. 10, 2023. (Photo: KDVR)Power has been shut off to both of the buildings. Crews from Xcel Energy are also at the scene shutting off the gas supply. Residents in the area may experience power and gas outages. Photos: Residential building explosion in Denver The cause of...

Westminster wedding crasher wanted for stealing gifts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (KDVR) — Police in Westminster are searching for a real-life wedding crasher, who's wanted for stealing cards and gifts from multiple weddings over the past month.The same man has reportedly targeted weddings at the Establishment and the Church Ranch Event Center, where Shayna and Armando Bonilla held their dream wedding on Sunday. Explosion, partial collapse of multi-unit building on South Lincoln Street in Denver On Monday, the Bonillas went to look for their cards and noticed they were missing.“We searched through everything we brought home that day," she said. "No cards were anywhere. So we contacted the venue the next morning."General manager Eric Gardner said that's when his team spotted the culprit. Multiple surveillance videos show a man arriving on a motorcycle, putting on an orange construction vest, and then casually walking into the main lobby where the card and gift table was set up."He said he was with the shuttle service, and that he knew what he ...

$700K in bikes stolen in Boulder over the past year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Police in Boulder are warning of a spike in bike theft this month.More than $100,000 worth of bikes is reported missing. The city reports that 45 bikes have been stolen over the past 30 days. Tyler Shady told FOX31 he learned about the importance of bike locks the hard way. "I personally have had two bikes stolen from me when I lived on campus, both in the same night," Shady said. Westminster wedding crasher wanted for stealing gifts Shady said he hasn’t had a bike stolen since then because of his consistent use of quality bike locks. Boulder Police told FOX31 thieves are targeting all types of bikes, from cheap to expensive. The city's stolen bikes report shows 356 bikes were stolen over the past year, valued at $728,000. Ten have been recovered.How to protect your bike from thievesShady, who manages University Bicycles, told the Problem Solvers some crooks are putting down the bolt cutters and picking up the power tools. “People are using cordless angle g...

Emmy Awards move to January, placing them firmly in Hollywood’s awards season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The strike-delayed 75th Emmy Awards have a new date — one that places them squarely within Hollywood’s awards season, for a change.Fox announced Thursday that the Emmys will air Jan. 15 from the Peacock Theater at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles. The show will air on the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday.The timing means that the Emmys, which honor the best shows on television, will air weeks before the Screen Actors Guild Awards, which honors film and television actors. Numerous other shows like the Golden Globe Awards, which haven’t been confirmed for a return to network television, and the Critics Choice Awards, also are held in January.The ceremony will happen roughly four months later than originally planned.While the move is a bit of a throwback — the first Emmys, where only six awards were handed out, were held in January 1949 — the show traditionally airs in September, a slot that once heralded the upcoming fall television season. But that timin...

Crews repair water main break on West Dixie Highway in North Miami

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

A bad break led to a wet mess in North Miami.A construction worker on Thursday accidentally ruptured a water main on West Dixie Highway, near Griffing Boulevard, causing water to spray everywhere.City officials said the rupture caused temporary water supply and road traffic disruptions.Crews with North Miami Public Works Department have since fixed the pipe.

Miata ends up wedged under fuel tanker on I-95 in Miami, causing lane closures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

A crash along Interstate 95 in Miami put a driver in a dangerous spot.According to investigators, the collision happened on the southbound lanes near Northwest 62nd Street, just north of the State Road 112 exit, Thursday afternoon.A Mazda Miata was traveling south on the highway when it ended up partial wedged under a fuel tanker.Firefighters arrived to check for gas spill, but there didn’t appear to be a leak.The crash led to several lane closures, but the highway has since reopened to traffic.As of late Thursday night, it remains unclear whether or not the driver of the Miata suffered any injuries.

Meet Westminster’s attack dogs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

LONDON — The next U.K. general election is likely more than a year away, but Westminster’s political attack dogs are already flexing their muscles and entering the fray.Strategists from both main U.K. parties have spent the quiet summer months briefing that the “gloves are coming off” in their approach to their opponents and they are ready to start aggressively throwing political punches in the pre-campaign phony war. Here is POLITICO’s guide to some of the key people — both on camera and behind-the-scenes — masterminding, and hoping to land, lasting blows on their opponents. In the blue cornerAlex Wild: The Conservative Party director of communications is one of the more experienced media strategists in today’s Tory Party. He cut his teeth at the Taxpayers’ Alliance — a Westminster campaign group which digs out examples of reckless government spending, feeding them to scoop-hungry hacks. He joined Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) during Boris Johnson’s 2019 ele...

Patriots’ Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe address relationship around team’s preseason opener

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

FOXBORO — After a rainy training camp practice Monday, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones answered a question about his relationship with backup Bailey Zappe by speaking about his entire position room.“Yeah, I think I’ve definitely been in some really good quarterback rooms and learned a lot from the guys that were here when I was young,” Jones said, “and hopefully I can do the same for the guys that are younger than me.”Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Callahan: Patriots offense already operating like its preparing for O-line disaster New England Patriots | Patriots fall to Texans in preseason opener in Bailey Zappe’s extended look New England Patriots | Patriots-Texans Inactives: Nine players not spotted in pregame warmups New England Patriots | Patriots assign rookie numbers before preseason opener vs. Texans New England Patriots | The Patriots’ 4 big questions h...

Authorities still working to locate, identify bodies in Maui wildfires. Follow live updates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:32 GMT

By REBECCA BOONE (Associated Press)Follow live updates about wildfires burning across parts of Maui in Hawaii, destroying a historic town and forcing evacuations. The National Weather Service says Hurricane Dora, which passed south of the island chain, was partly to blame for strong winds that initially drove the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters.Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in a news conference Thursday afternoon that authorities are still trying to locate and identify people who died in Lahaina when the fire raced through the town. “People whose homes are not damaged — you can come home as soon as we have recovered those who have perished,” he said. “Please allow us to complete this process.”Search and rescue teams from California and Washington state, which are trained in disaster skills including using dogs to find human remains, have been deployed to Maui to assist with the process, officials said.Maui Police Chief...