Feminists Protest Barbie ‘Dreamhouse’ In Berlin

by Libby Zay on

Barbie’s Eurotrip hit a roadblock at its first stop in Germany, where an activist group caused quite a production at the opening of a touring Barbie “Dreamhouse.” CNN is reporting a group of left-wing feminists, Femen, protested the opening of a 27,000-square-foot pink mansion earlier today in Berlin, arguing the attraction puts the sexism and shallow materialism they believe Barbie symbolizes on display.

Above is a picture of one of the bare-breasted protesters in front of the Dreamhouse. An inscription across her torso reads “Life in Plastic is Not Fantastic,” and – in case you can’t tell – she’s holding up a burning cross with a charred Barbie doll attached to it. Protesters were arrested, but the movement led to an “Occupy Barbie Dreamhouse” page on Facebook, which already has thousands of “likes.”

Located off the shopping district of Alexanderplatz, the life-sized mansion is full of Barbie-related fashions, furniture and accessories. It will be open to the public until August 25, at which point it’s slotted to move on to other cities throughout Europe. A Dreamhouse also opened inside a Florida shopping mall last week.

Six Flags Texas Debuts Record-Breaking Hybrid Coaster (VIDEO)

by Libby Zay on

Coaster enthusiasts, get ready to roll. Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio is introducing a new coaster with a first-of-its-kind looping zero-gravity barrel roll on a hybrid coaster. The new coaster, dubbed the Iron Rattler, will also feature the world’s tallest and steepest drop, an 81-degree fall from a height of 180-feet. The coaster is fast, too; it tops out at 70 miles per hour as it snakes through four over banked turns and eventually flips riders upside down.

Here’s a summary of the record-breaking stats, according to Six Flags Fiesta Texas:

  • A 180-foot lift hill makes it the tallest hybrid coaster in the world.
  • An 81-degree drop makes it the steepest hybrid coaster in the world.
  • A top speed of 70 mph makes it the fastest hybrid coaster in the world.
  • A zero-gravity barrel roll makes it the first hybrid coaster in the world to flip completely upside down.

Season pass holders will get a sneak peek at the Iron Rattler on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19, and then the coaster will be available for public rides on Saturday, May 25.

Recovery Vacations A Hit With Soldiers Returning From War

by Chris Owen on

Troop Rewards provides recovery vacations to returning U.S. soldiers and their families who served overseas. To do that, Troop Rewards relies on hotels and private vacation property owners to donate unused inventory, sort of like a hotel might release a number of rooms to Priceline for bidding.

This year, Florida’s Sandpearl resort is teaming up with Troop Rewards to provide recovery vacations for five military service members who were deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

“This is such a great way to honor, remember and reward the servicemen and women who have served and defended our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last ten years,” said Tom Burkett, Troop Reward’s Executive Director. “To be able to team up with such a beautiful and inspiring resort is icing on the cake.”The idea of recovery vacations started with a phone call Burkett received in 2009 from a soldier then serving in Iraq. The soldier’s tour was about to end but before re-joining society with his future wife, he wondered what the cost would be to book Burkett’s timeshare suite at a Florida resort.

Burkett told him the going rate was over $800 per night, but for him the rate would be $0. “How can I charge you anything when you have spent the last year risking your life for my freedom,” Burkett says on the TroopRewards website. “Little did he know at the time, that this would the first of many free stays at his resort for soldiers coming back from Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.”

Since then, Burkett has offered his suite every year to help support the troops and enlisted other private vacation property owners, hotels and resorts to provide rooms, raise money to help pay for travel costs and spending money, making the experience mostly free for soldiers and their families.

The resort will provide five military service members complimentary four-night luxury vacations at the Sandpearl Resort starting on Memorial Day.

Man Attempting To Dribble Soccer Ball To Brazil Killed In Accident

by Sean McLachlan on

It sounded like one of those crazy ideas that should have led to fun and adventure and ended in triumph. Instead it ended in tragedy.

Richard Swanson, pictured here, of Seattle, decided to raise money for charity by dribbling a soccer ball 10,000 miles to Brazil in time for the 2014 World Cup. Sadly, The Guardian reports that he only made it as far as Oregon. While walking down US Highway 101 near Lincoln City he was hit by a pickup truck on Tuesday and killed. The police have ruled it an accident and the driver has not been charged.

Swanson was only two weeks and about 260 miles into his trip. He had been posting updates about his journey on his Facebook page, including a photo of the last meal he ate, a hearty breakfast in Lincoln City just hours before being killed.

His project, called Breakaway Brazil, was meant to raise money for the One World Futbol Project, which distributes durable soccer balls to needy children in developing areas.

What Does A $100,000 Vacation Look Like?

by Reena Ganga on

If your summer travel budget is feeling a little skimpy at the moment, then indulge your fantasies for a minute and imagine you’ve got $100K to blow on your upcoming vacation. What does it look like?

Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent is giving 50 travelers the chance to find out. The company, which offers high-end travel services to those with deep pockets, recently relaunched their private jet journeys in which travelers hop across the globe without ever having to come into contact with an economy class seat or gelatinous airplane meal.

In their latest (and most expensive) offering, Abercrombie & Kent’s founder Geoffrey Kent will accompany the passengers on a round-the-world adventure, which will take them to nine countries on a Boeing 757 decked out with plush business class seats, a lounge area, and a bar.Pit stops include an Amazonian river cruise, a visit to the Moai on remote Easter Island, dinner with diplomats in Sri Lanka’s Galle Fort, a game-viewing expedition on the Masai Mara, a swanky party in the wealthy nation of Monaco, and more.

How do you pack for a trip like that? Well, it doesn’t matter what you bring really, because you won’t exactly be wrestling for overhead bin space. Not to mention that joining the tour group is a traveling Bell Boy whose job it is to wheel your handmade Globetrotter suitcase around the planet. Nice, huh?

The 26-day tour departs from Miami next October … so you know, there’s still time to save up.