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Sears Closing 20 More Stores

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Expect to see another 20 Sears and Kmart stores close as the parent company, Sears Holdings, plans to send several other stores to retail’s graveyard. On Friday, Sears Holdings announced 20 locations on top of the recently announced closings, bringing to a grand total of 260 for this year, as the business struggles to deal with years of retail sales decline. The latest store closings include 18 Sears stores and two Kmart locations.

These stores will begin liquidation of their starts by June 30 and closed by mid-September, Sears announced in a statement.

Sears
CORAL GABLES – JUNE 15: elevated pole image of Sears which is an American corporation founded in 1886 with 793 US locations including 3655 SW 22nd St June 15, 2016 in Coral Gables FL, USA (Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock.com)

“We understand that members may be disappointed when we close a store, but our Shop Your Way membership platform, websites and mobile apps allow us to maintain these valued relationships long after a store closes its doors,” the company said.

It is important to note that last month Sears Holdings reported sales dropping by nearly 12% at stores open at least a year in the first there months, doing considerably worse than other retailers.

Sears announcement is just one of hundreds of retail stores facing a downward trend in the retail business industry. In fact, Sears, J.C. Penny, Macy’s and other major chains have announced store closures.

This news comes after Amazon announced ‘Prime Wardrobe,’ which could disrupt the fashion industry. The new style platform is similar to  Trunk Club and Stitch Fix. That said, Amazon Prime’s Prime Wardrobe will include brands like Adidas, Calvin Klein, Levi’s and Hugo Boss. Also, Prime Amazon will deliver shipments in a resealable box along with a prepaid shipping label. Amazon says their goal is to make it easier for shoppers.

Johnny Depp Jokes About Assassinating President Trump

Johnny Depp made a joke Thursday night while giving a talk during the Glastonbury festival before the screening of The Libertine, a 2004 movie about John Wilmot a drunken poet who doesn’t become famous until after he dies.

During Johnny Depp’s talk, Depp joked with the audience, “Can you bring Trump?” According to the New York Times, “the remark was met with booing and jeering,

Donald Trump continued by saying, “You misunderstand completely. When was the last time an actor assassinated a president? I want to clarify: I’m not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it’s been a while, and maybe it’s time… By the way, this is going to be in the press, and it’ll be horrible. It’s just a question; I’m not insinuating anything.”

Johnny Depp
LOS ANGELES – MAY 18: Johnny Depp arrives for “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” US Premiere on May 18, 2017 in Hollywood, CA (DFree / Shutterstock.com)

First of all, there is a lot to unpack here. First of all, the last time an actor assassinated a president was in 1865, when John Wilkes Booth shot and killed Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s theater.

The White House did not find this joke funny. Kellyanne Conway, the counselor to the president, told The Washington Post, “The joke is no laughing matter. These things are real.”

Also, a spokesman for the Secret Service told The Post the agency is reportedly “aware of the comment in question. For security reasons, we cannot discuss specifically nor in general terms the means and methods of how we perform our protective responsibilities.”

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Reportedly Hire a Surrogate to Carry a Third Child

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are looking to grow their family.

According to People, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, the parents to North West and Saint West, want to have a third child and plan on hiring a surrogate.

After welcoming Saint, Kardashian openly spoke on Keeping Up with the Kardashians about having another child, but doctors diagnosed the fashion designer with a placenta accreta, which means a third pregnancy could be extremely high risk. What is placenta accrete? Placenta accrete is when the placenta grows in the wall of the womb, which makes it difficult to detach during birth.

Kardashian revealed on Keeping Up With the Kardashians that surgery on her uterus would be too complicated and to carry again would be high risk.

“Not only has this been really painful, but now hearing that I can’t carry any more kids, it couldn’t get any worse,” Kardashian said on an episode of her reality show. “I mean, f–k, like I really tried everything and I really want this, and it’s just not going to happen for me.”

Kim Kardashian West
LOS ANGELES – FEB 08: Kanye West & Kim Kardashian arrives at the Grammy Awards 2015 on February 8, 2015, in Los Angeles, CA (DFree / Shutterstock, Inc.)

While dealing with the possibility of never becoming pregnant again, Kardashian said she and Kanye West would consider surrogacy to meet their needs.

“After talking to Kanye, I think that I always knew that surrogacy was an option, but I didn’t think it was that realistic of an option,” she explained on her show. “Now, I feel like that’s my reality.”

TMZ reports the family has to upwards of $45,000 for a surrogate including $45,000 in 10, $4,500 monthly installments; if there are multiples, the surrogates get $5,000 for each additional child, and if the surrogate loses reproductive organs, she gets $4,000. Kim and Kanye are also required to deposit $68,850 with the agency, TMZ added.

Uber CEO, Founder Travis Kalanick Resigns

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Uber co-founder and chief executive officer, Travis Kalanick, has resigned.

Travis Kalanick, under pressure from his top investors, announced his departure from the company on Tuesday night. The decision to step down comes as a surprise considering last week Kalanick said he was stepping away from his position as CEO temporarily to mourn his mother, who died in a boating accident and to work on his leadership skills.

Now, investors reportedly do not want him to return. In a statement, Uber’s board says:

“Travis has always put Uber first. This is a bold decision and a sign of his devotion and love for Uber. By stepping away, he’s taking the time to heal from his personal tragedy while giving the company room to fully embrace this new chapter in Uber’s history. We look forward to continuing to serve with him on the board.”

Kalanick will continue to stay on the board of directors. In a statement to employees, Kalanick repeats the sentiment in the board’s public statement.

“As you all know, I love Uber more than anything in the world, but at this difficult moment in my personal life, I have accepted a group of investors’ request to step aside, so that Uber can go back to building rather than be distracted with another fight. I will continue to serve on the board, and will be available in any and all ways to help Uber become everything we’ve dreamed it would be.”

Travis Kalanick Uber CEO
BEVERLY HILLS – FEB 28: Travis Kalanick at the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on February 28, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California (Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com)

Uber has been in a public relations crisis. The company’s former President Jeff Jones left the company then, Uber was thrown into a middle of a sexual harassment controversy, and many Uber customers deleted the app following the #DeleteUber campaign.

On Tuesday Uber announced a new set of initiatives to improve the driver experience including in-app tipping. It is important to note that Uber is a multi-billion dollar company worth approximately $70 billion dollars. But with the company’s CEO gone, the board of directors has an extensive list of positions they will need to fill including, CEO, chief operating officer, general counsel, senior vice president of engineering, chief marketing officer, and board chair.

‘Star Wars: Han Solo’ Spinoff Directors Leave While the Movie is Still Reportedly in Production

‘Star Wars: Han Solo’ spinoff directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller leave while the movie is still filming in London.

Directors leaving major feature films over “creative differences” is nothing new. For example, director Tim Miller left Fox’s sequel Deadpool 2; Rick Famuyiwa left Warner Bros. The Flash, Patty Jenkins left Thor and Michelle MacLaren who left Wonder Woman. Now, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are no longer directing the Han Solo Star Wars spin-off.

Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, announced in a statement, ”Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it’s become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we’ve decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon.”

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
LOS ANGELES – JUN 09: Phil Lord & Chris Miiler arrives to the “22 Jump Street” World Premiere on June 09, 2014 in North Hollywood, CA (DFree / Shutterstock.com)

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller also released a statement, “Unfortunately, our vision and process weren’t aligned with our partners on this project. We normally aren’t fans of the phrase ‘creative differences’ but for once this cliché is true. We are really proud of the amazing and world-class work of our cast and crew.”

Lord and Miller previously directed The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street and the sequel 22 Jump Street. The duo was signed on to direct the Star Wars spinoff in July 2015.

Donald Glover
LAS VEGAS-SEP 20: Rapper Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino performs in concert at the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival Village Show at MGM Resorts Village on September 20, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Debby Wong / Shutterstock, Inc.)

The Star Wars: Han Solo film stars Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Donald Glover, and Emilia Clarke.

The movie has been filming in London since February. The Hollywood Reporter reports that there are several weeks left on the film’s production schedule with reshoots planned for this summer.

‘Bachelor in Paradise’: Warner Bros. Resumes Production After Investigation Concludes No Sexal Misconduct Occurred

Following an investigation by an outside law firm, Warner Bros. has concluded there was no evidence of misconduct on the set of Bachelor in Paradise. According to TMZ, the announcement comes only 10 days after the show’s production was suspended. The show was temporarily shut down after a producer allegedly witnessed sexual misconduct on tape between two contestants DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios and as a result filed a complaint.

Warner Bros. released a statement to People magazine, announcing that the studio will resume production on the show.

As we previously stated, we recently became aware of allegations regarding an incident on the set of Bachelor in Paradise in Mexico,” Warner Bros. says in the statement.

“We take all such allegations seriously. The safety, security, and well-being of the cast and crew is our number one concern, and we suspended filming so that the allegations could be investigated immediately and thoroughly,” Warner Bros. says.

Warner Bros. adds “Our internal investigation, conducted with the assistance of an outside law firm, has now been completed. Out of respect for the privacy interests of those involved, we do not intend to release the videotape of the incident. We can say, however, that the tape does not support any charge of misconduct by a cast member. Nor does the tape show, contrary to many press reports, that the safety of any cast member was ever in jeopardy.”

Bachelor in Paradise also explains they will implement new policies and procedures to ensure “safety and security” of all participants.

Olympios’s attorney released a statement saying they are still investigating the situation, regardless if Warner Bros. has completed theirs. “It needs to be crystal clear that production of Bachelor in Paradise was shut down because of multiple complaints received from ‘BIP’ producers and crew members on the set.” Olympios’s attorney adds, “It comes as no surprise that Warner Bros., as a result of its own internal investigation, would state that no wrongdoing had occurred.”

Corinne Olympios released a statement last week regarding the incident. In the statement, she says she was a “victim” who has a vague recollection of her encounter with Jackson. She also said she will be “seeking therapy to begin dealing with the physical and emotional trauma stemming from that evening.” Meanwhile, Jackson released a statement where he said it was “unfortunate that my character and family name has been assassinated this past week with false claims and malicious allegations.”

Gal Gadot’s ‘Wonder Woman’ Viral Pay Gap Story, Explained

Wonder Woman was a major hit at the box office, and Gal Godot quickly became a household name overnight. Both she and the movie’s director, Patty Jenkins, are set to make a ton of money during negotiations for the upcoming Wonder Woman 2 movie. But, it begs the question – how much were they paid for the first film?

A story by Elle.com claimed that Gal Godot was compensated $300,000 for her role in the movie, which is $13,700,000 less than Henry Cavil. “Gal Gadot reportedly earned $300,000 for Wonder Woman, while Henry Cavill, as Superman, earned $14 million for Man of Steel,” the news outlet reported. “Aside from movie stars, there are regular people who make more than Gadot did for Wonder Woman. Your average anesthesiologist makes more than that in a year.”

Gal Gadot Wonder Woman Pay
LOS ANGELES – MAY 25: Gal Gadot at the “Wonder Woman” Los Angeles Premiere at the Pantages Theater on May 25, 2017, in Los Angeles, CA (Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com)

How could Gal Godot get paid so much less than Henry Cavill?

Apparently, most superhero movie actors make the same amount of money when they are starting out. According to Vanity Fair, despite starring in major feature films, many actors do not make as much money as you think. For example, Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth were all reportedly paid less than $500,000 for their first solo superhero movies. But, eventually landed bigger paydays for subsequent feature films. For example, Robert Downey Jr. was paid less than $500,000 for the first Iron Man movie but, he landed a $50 million deal for The Avengers.

Stories of actresses getting paid less than their male co-stars are common. But, that does not mean it is true. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gal Godot got paid the same as Henry Cavil did for his standalone debut.

Brain Eating Amoeba: Family Files Lawsuit Over Teen’s Death

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One year after a teenager died over a deadly amoeba, Lauren Seitz’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the waterpark.

One June 19th, 18-year-old Lauren Seitz was exposed to Naegleria floweri, an amoeba that can cause a rare but deadly brain infection. The lawsuit claims that the water park, US National Whitewater Center, and the construction company, Recreation Engineering and Planning Inc., Were negligent and reckless and as a result should be held accountable for the young teenager’s brain infection.

CNN reports, Seitz was a high school graduate from Ohio. She was on a music tour with several members of her church, Church of the Messiah. During their trip, the group stopped at US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. During their stay at the water park, Seitz and her friend went whitewater rafting when the raft flipped, allowing the deadly amoeba to travel up her nose and to her brain, according to the lawsuit.

Seitz returned to Ohio where she became ill where physicians diagnosed her with an amoeba infection. She would die 11 days after her whitewater trip.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevent, amoebas are commonly found in freshwater and soil. The organism enters through the nose and travels to the brain, where it causes cerebral swelling and ultimately death. Symptoms associated with an amoeba infection include vomiting, seizures, hallucinations, and headaches.

The CDC also reported water samples collected from the whitewater center shortly after her death tested positive for Naegleria flowers, CNN reports.

“Lauren and other visitors had a higher likelihood of encountering Naegleria fowleri in the unregulated waters of the U.S. National Whitewater Center than they did by simply rafting in the nearby Catawba River,” the lawsuit says.

Moreover, the lawsuit claims the center failed to adequately chlorinate the water or train their employees on the proper ways to regulate the water and ultimately showcased “a conscious disregard for the safety of its visitors, including Lauren,” the lawsuit says.

UPS To Add Surcharges to Black Friday, Christmas Shipments

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Holiday shopping may just get a little bit more expensive. UPS announces this week that the company will begin charging “Peak” rates during certain time frames. Between November 19th and December 2nd, UPS will charge $0.27 per package for all ground shipments sent to a residential address.

The extra costs will then go away during early December but, will return once again during December 17th and December 23rd. In fact, UPS announced the company would tack on an additional $0.27 surcharge for ground shipments, $0.81 Next-Day Air, and a $0.97 charge for two-or-three-day deliver.

UPS
UPS is one of the largest postal shipping company in the world. (WDnet Creation / Shutterstock.com)

While an extra charge, which is at most still less than a dollar, may seem like not much. It can be expensive for retailers who ship thousands of packages through UPS during the holidays. As a result, businesses will have to decide whether they should increase shipping rates, raise prices on products, or bite the bullet and pay the surcharge as a cost of keeping the business alive. Moreover, this will be extremely tight for online retailers who promise free ground shipping.

It is important to note that big packages will also be faced with “peak” surcharges on top of standard surcharges on those shipments.

UPS says the money the company makes from these charges can be used to offset expenses for additional delivery trucks, seasonal workers and other operating costs during the holidays. It is important to note during the 2016 holidays, UPS’s average daily volume was more than 30 million packages for more than half of the available shipping days. As a result, UPS hired about 95,000 seasonal employees to handle the large volume of shipments.

Amazon Disrupts the Fashion Industry with ‘Prime Wardrobe’

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On Tuesday, Amazon announced Prime Wardrobe, which gives Amazon the potential to disrupt the fashion industry further.

The new style platform, Prime Wardrobe, is similar to other subscription service plans like Stitch Fix and Trunk Club. Under the new business model, Amazon Prime’s Prime Wardrobe will include brands like Adidas, Calvin Klein, Levi’s and Hugo Boss. Also, Prime Amazon will deliver shipments in a resealable box along with a prepaid shipping label. Amazon says their goal is to make it easier for shoppers.

Shoppers will have the ability to save up to 20%, try on the clothes before they buy them, and get to choose from over a million items including fashion items designed for women, men, kids, and babies.

How will a customer save money by using Amazon Prime Wardrobe?

Amazon says should a customer keep five or more items, they will be able to receive up to 20% of those items. While keeping three or four fashion items allows the customer to obtain a 10% discount.

This new deal will continue to put pressure on department stores, especially if Amazon starts selling the same items those companies usually carry. Moreover, the new business model “try before you buy” concept has been relatively successful. Stitch Fix earned $730 million last years by letting customers try on clothes at home.

Meanwhile, other retail companies have suffered as more and more people are looking towards saving money and using e-commerce for their shopping needs. In fact, earlier this month the parent company behind Ann Taylor, Lane Brand and Loft announced they would be closing between 250 to 650 stores.

This news comes after Amazon announced the acquisition of Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion. The deal is expected to shape up the grocery retail industry as Amazon continues to invest and implement new technology to the retail industry.