Barbie Makes Waves With New Makeover
Barbie is changing her look. For decades, the iconic blue-eyed blonde doll has been criticized for promoting an unrealistic body image to little girls. To address the issue toymaker Mattel is now adding three new body types — tall, petite and curvy. Last year, the company also introduced several new dolls with different skin tones and hair colors. [Time]
We’ve expanded our line to offer girls more choices. Learn more at https://t.co/0DPxyt0TiR. #TheDollEvolves pic.twitter.com/AbRzs6WhAY
— Mattel (@Mattel) January 28, 2016'Explosive' Spread of Zika Virus Alarming, WHO Says
The Zika virus, the mosquito-borne illness that’s been linked to severe birth defects after a pregnant woman is bitten, is spreading at an “explosive” rate in South America, health officials said. There are no vaccines and mosquito-borne illnesses can spread quickly beyond Zika’s current geographic bounds. Also, further cause for alarm: infected patients don't always experience symptoms, and it’s already spread to 23 countries. [Quartz]
The Life and Death of Akai Gurley
The death of Akai Gurley, an unarmed Brooklyn man killed by an NYPD police officer in the stairwell of a Brooklyn building, is back in the news as the man who shot him, Officer Peter Liang, goes on trial in connection with his death. This Buzzfeed profile takes a long look at who Gurley was before his tragic death made headlines. [Buzzfeed]
And if you want more information about the Liang trial, DNAinfo has put together an overview of the case.
Trump Still Says He’s Not Going to Debate
Adding more drama to a bizarre Republican presidential race, Donald Trump has said he won’t participate in Fox’s debate Thursday night, mainly because of his one-sided feud with Fox anchor Megyn Kelly. On Wednesday night, Fox’s Bill O’Reilly couldn’t get Trump to reconsider, even after offering to forgive some debt of milkshakes Trump apparently owes him. So now you can picture Trump and O’Reilly sipping milkshakes together. [Washington Post]
'Driving While Black' Really Is a Crime in Florida, Study Says
Police in Florida were nearly twice as likely to stop and ticket black drivers for seat belt violations despite the fact that white and black Floridians use their seatbelts at nearly the same rate, according to a report by the ACLU. [Vox]
Joseph Fiennes to Play Michael Jackson in British TV Film
British actor Joseph Fiennes is set to play the King of Pop in an upcoming television film — prompting an outpouring of disbelief over the decision to cast a white man for the role. The (supposedly) based-on-a-true-story movie will tell the tale about how the music legend drove across the country with Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando in the days after the 9/11 attacks. [The Root]
Uber Wants to Put 'Bop It' in its Cars to Calm Down Drunk Passengers
Uber has come up with an innovative way to prevent its angry, drunk passengers from trying to attack the company’s drivers: distract them with a kids toy from the 90s. The company has been experimenting with leaving a Bop It in the backseat of cars during rides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the theory being that riders will be too distracted by the game to bother or assault their drivers. After all, it is generally much safer to hit a toy than it is to hit a person. [The Guardian]
Don’t 'Be Like Bill'
The newly popular meme “Be Like Bill” that shows a stick figure with a message describing someone who is ultra-chill has taken Facebook by storm. Now there is a new “Be Like Bill” quiz that allows people to insert their own name to generate a similar pre-written personality description. It turns out, it could be a scam. The Better Business Bureau is telling people not to “Be Like Bill,” saying it could put viruses on your computer and steal bank details.
The DeLorean’s Making a Comeback
The famous “Back to the Future” car could soon be hitting the streets again. The DeLorean Motor Company, which up until now has been refurbishing old models, reportedly plans to make about 300 replicas of the famed 1982 DeLorean. It would be the first time in more than 30 years that the car makes a comeback. [USA Today]
The New York Times Loves This ‘Avant-Garde’ Sex Toy Candy By A Former Lingerie Designer
The New York Times profiled what it describes as a "lingerie savant" who makes champagne-flavored candy Rolexes and edible sex toys for men in the Meatpacking District. “Everybody is always like Wonka this, Wonka that, but I just never relate,” the candy maker tells the Times. What does that mean? Who knows! Read on. [NYT]
Which States Make Up the Midwest?
Oklahoma? Nebraska? Definitely Michigan. Right? Vox has a handy interactive map so you can decide which states you think are in the Midwest (and see the responses of more than 14,000 other readers.) And if you want to fight over some boundaries a little closer to home, don't forget DNAinfo's own Draw Your Neighborhood Borders project. [Vox]
McDonald’s Tries to Win Back Customers in Japan with Chocolate Covered French Fries
McDonald’s is trying to save their plummeting business in Japan by launching a new product that’s both cringe-worthy and curious. Take the chain’s French fries, drizzle them with two kinds of chocolate sauce and you’ve got the “McFry Potato Chocolate Sauce” a strange sweet and salty combo, now available in Japan. McDonald’s business in Japan has struggled following a number of unsavory incidents in the past few years — the company admitted to selling expired chicken, pieces of plastic were found inside a chicken nugget and one customer found a tooth in their fries, the Washington Post reported. [Washington Post]
This column was compiled by DNAinfo reporters Camille Bautista, Jeanmarie Evelly, Emily Frost, Gwynne Hogan, Noah Hurowitz, Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, Irene Plagianos, Eddie Small, Gustavo Solis, Danielle Tcholakian, Shaye Weaver and Nikhita Venugopal.
