LEANNE ITALIE

13 - 12:01am

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NEW YORK — The elaborate invitation has been proffered and accepted, the limo rented and the outfits coordinated, so what’s next when planning for prom? That traditional pop of spring, of course, in the corsage and boutonniere. Once a sweet surprise and often all white to go with any outfit, prom flowers have made the leap into the new millennium with glitzy embellishments, jewelry attachments and a world of creativity for the florists who design them.

Crisis hotlines turning to text to reach teens 03/31/13 - 12:09am

They stream in a couple of dozen times a week, cries for help in bursts of text to DoSomething.org, a nonprofit more used to texting out details to teens on good causes and campaigns than receiving them from young people in crisis.

NEW YORK — They stream in a couple of dozen times a week, cries for help in bursts of text to DoSomething.org, a nonprofit more used to texting out details to teens on good causes and campaigns than receiving them from young people in crisis. “I feel like committing suicide,” one text read. “What’s the suicide hotline number?” Another asked: “How do you tell a friend they need to go to rehab?”

Gay marriage equality symbol spreading like wildfire on social media 03/27/13 - 11:44pm

NEW YORK (AP) — Bud Light said it with beer cans and Martha Stewart with red velvet cake as companies and celebrities from Beyonce to George Takei joined millions of social media users in posting and tweaking a simple red logo in support of gay marriage.

Telecommuting: Was Yahoo doing it right? 03/06/13 - 1:42am

NEW YORK — Yahoo’s leaked edict under CEO Marissa Mayer that calls remote workers back to the office lit the Twitterverse on fire, angering advocates of telecommuting and other programs intended to balance work and home life. A new study from the nonprofit Families and Work Institute shows a tide moving the other way, with more workers now telecommuting — and men significantly more likely than women to be granted the freedom to work at least partially at home.

Internet cat stars scratch surface of fame 02/05/13 - 3:28pm

After years of viral viewing, cats come into their own in lucrative, altruistic ways

NEW YORK — They frolic in empty boxes and stick their heads under faucet streams of water. They dance on tippy toes and fly through the air with Pop-Tarts. They play piano wearing little frocks and get tickled to distraction to the delight of millions on YouTube. I speak, of course, of the cat stars of the Internet, a place filled with felines and their wacky uploading humans since the dawn of bandwidth. Now, after years of viral viewing, they’re coming into their own in lucrative and altruistic ways.

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High or dry? Staying sober for New Year's Eve 12/26/12 - 1:09am

Jennifer Perry isn't much of a drinker. Never has been, yet she's ready every New Year's Eve for the inevitable attention when she's out trying to have a good time.

NEW YORK — Jennifer Perry isn’t much of a drinker. Never has been, yet she’s ready every New Year’s Eve for the inevitable attention when she’s out trying to have a good time. “I don’t care if everyone at the table orders a drink but me. That’s fine,” said Perry, 46, a singer in Atlanta. “What I do resent is being pressured, and then being asked is it a ‘religious thing’ or if I have a ‘problem.’” Sometimes, she relies on: “Oh, thank you, but I’m still on methadone.” While not true, a quick apology usually ensues and the pesky prober moves along.

Clues, hints: twisted tales of elusive gifts 12/12/12 - 1:11am

NEW YORK — It’s not possible for Katie Jackson to be any more clear about what she wants for Christmas. It’s the same thing she has asked for three years running: a dog. But not just any dog. A Leonberger, one of those gentle giant breeds that can cost up to $1,500 and would occupy a good chunk of her Long Island City apartment.

Tips for de-stressing holiday entertaining 11/28/12 - 1:15am

Choosing The Menu

NEW YORK — With a little planning, a little help and a lot of resolve, holiday entertaining doesn’t have to mean you’re too stressed out to enjoy your own party. Sometimes, said Michelle Morton, a professional organizer and busy mom of three in Raleigh, N.C., it’s all about attitude. “This is not the time to perfect being ‘perfect,’” she said. “This is all about surviving with a smile on your face and at the end of the day making sure you enjoy it as well. If it doesn’t make you happy, and you’re doing it out of obligation, then cross it off your list.”

Go for charitable 'adoption' as holiday gift 11/20/12 - 5:03pm

Deforestation

NEW YORK — Buy a sheep, “adopt” a soldier or name a piece of rainforest. There are lots of ways to honor loved ones for the holidays with gifts through charitable-minded naming and adoption programs. Heifer International’s catalog at heifer.org offers shoppers a unique way to make giving more meaningful by buying cows, goats, sheep, llamas, water buffalos, bees, trees and more to benefit people in need around the world. A card of explanation goes to the giftee.

Breastfeeding baby doll: creepy or groundbreaking? Let the debate begin 11/09/12 - 12:46am

NEW YORK — We've got dolls that wet, crawl and talk. We've got dolls with perfect hourglass figures. We've got dolls with swagger. And we've got plenty that come with itty bitty baby bottles.