Holy 80th Anniversary, Batman! YuMe to Celebrate the Dark Knight's Birthday with Launch of Exclusive Batman DZNR Series

Batman (DZNR) chibi plush (Image via Batman News)

YuMe Toys is thrilled to announce the launch of their new Batman DZNR Series (pronounced 'Designer'), an exclusive line of specialty Batman chibi plush. 

As the 80th anniversary of the famed Caped Crusader draws near, the new Batman DZNR Series features artwork meant to highlight and celebrate the rich history of this world-renowned hero.

Batman has taken on many variations over time that have kept fans in suspense. YuMe has selected some of Batman's most iconic iterations to design and curate a collection worthy of the hero's devoted fandom. 

• The seven designs that make up the core of the Batman DZNR Series will be released weekly on Walmart.com beginning July 1, 2019.

Offering a fresh take on traditional plush, the Batman DZNR Series provides core Batman fans a high-quality, collectible line that pays tribute to the iconic Batman comic legacy, while also showcasing and celebrating more modern Batman designs that both classic and new fans will appreciate. 

• The line also includes a special Walmart.com exclusive inspired by the Batman Golden Age comics.

"Batman is one of the most beloved and recognizable superheroes of all time and we took great care to meticulously design and create the Batman DZNR Series to ensure that the line truly honors Batman's legacy," says Michael Kwan, CEO, Maxx Marketing. "We believe that the unique designs and quality of the chibis capture the essence of Batman and will make excellent additions to any collection. We look forward to launching more high-end, licensed chibi plush lines for fans around the world to enjoy."

• The Batman DZNR Series will be available in 7" chibi plush gift boxes starting at $14.99 at Walmart.com/Batmans80th.

The Wheels of Gotham (Image via Batman News)

About YuMe

YuMe Toys, is an award-winning global toy brand that dreams of bringing people together through imagination, fun, and entertainment. YuMe, inspired by the word meaning "to dream" in Japanese, is recognized for its highly stylized plush and toy lines which have gained strong momentum in North America, Europe and Asia since 2018. 

• The YuMe brand designates the highest quality soft toys featuring Warner Bros. Consumer Products' most popular entertainment brands including JK Rowling's Wizarding World/Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts franchise, DC Universe, Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry and the studio's most iconic horror movie titles.

SOURCE: YuMe Toys

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Quick & Easy Ways To Minimize Paper Use In Your Office

Paper work in office... (via pixnio)

Paper use is more important than you might initially assume. What’s wrong with using a lot of paper in your office? Well, there are a few primary concerns: 

• Too much paper use is terrible for the environment
• You end up creating a messy office space that becomes harder to work in
• It’s harder to keep track of important documents

These three things can lead to a damaged business reputation, lack of productivity, and a loss of vital information.

Thankfully, there are some quick and easy solutions to this; here’s how you can minimize paper use in your office:

Invest in a virtual mailbox

A lot of paper in your office comes from your mail. Clients may send documents to you, contractors may do the same, and so on. Eventually, it all piles up and you have lots of letters everywhere, creating loads of mess.

A virtual mailbox solves this issue by ensuring your mail is sent elsewhere. Companies like Physical Address offer virtual business addresses that come with a virtual mailbox. As such, your mail gets sent to a different location where it can be sorted and scanned into a digital folder. From here, you can access it whenever you want, and it’s all digital. So, your office doesn’t have to deal with all this paper anymore. 

Digitalize your documents

Whenever possible, you should avoid printing things out. To do this, you should consider digitalizing as many documents as possible. Instead of sending out contracts to clients, then having them sign them and post them back, you can send out digital contracts. These days, some services let you send contracts that can be signed online, completely obliterating a large portion of paper use in your office.

The same goes for things like payslips and any other documents you usually print. Of course, there may be instances where you have no choice but to print something out. For example, a client that doesn’t know how to sign digital contracts or requests a physical copy. 

Don’t worry, there’s another easy idea to combat this.

A printer (via pxhere)

Print on both sides of the paper

In instances where printing isn’t avoidable, you should print using both sides of the paper. This idea is one of the simplest ones out there, yet it cuts your paper use in half. Instead of printing out four sheets of paper, you can print out two. So, if clients demand physical documents or there’s no way of digitalizing something, then use this idea instead.
Make mail your last resort

Think about all the different ways you can contact clients or leads these days. Instead of sending them postal mail, you can email them, send a message on social media, text them - or give them a call. None of these options involves the use of paper! So, make mail the absolute last resort when contacting people; try all the other means first.

If you reduce paper use in your office, then you help decrease the carbon footprint of your business. Consumers see the efforts your making, and it helps build a positive reputation. Not only that, but a lack of paper in your office makes it a tidier place to work, and you can improve your organization too. So, try these quick & easy ideas to cut down the amount of paper your business uses.

Could You Take Your Interests To The Next Level With A Blog?

A laptop (image via Unsplash)

In life, we all have interests, that much is true. However, we don’t always get to take them that seriously or indulge in them as much as we perhaps might like. And that’s easily done. Because life is busy and we all have commitments that tend to take priority over some of the things that we love. When you love sports or books or baking or art, you may find that you don’t tend to have much time for it compared to when you were younger. Now that you have a job, a social life, a family, and financial commitments too – it can be hard for you to work out exactly how you’re going to enjoy your interests and get everything done that you need to. So you don’t. And you stop. Yet, this can then go on to affect your happiness in life.

So what can you do? Well, the first thing to think about is for you to actually make more time for your interests. Yet, with an already busy calendar, this can seem a little crazy. So the next thing for you to contemplate, is perhaps pursuing your interests as more of a career move. Now, moving into a new career field can seem a little impossible – so this is where blogging comes in. Years ago, people just started blogs for their own interests only – so you also get to tick two boxes off here. But you can also look to make it a full-time money-making job for you too. Let’s take a look at how.

Identify Your Passion

To start with, you need to make sure that you know what your passion is! This sounds a little silly, but it’s easy to think that you’re passionate about something that maybe you just like. Instead, you need to want to take this interest to the next level and really look to make something creative with it.

Find One Hour A Day

Now if you’re worried about finding the time to do this, just commit an hour for yourself. You should be able to get up earlier in the morning to secure that precious hour, or stay up one hour later if you’re a night owl. If you are serious about making this work, then you need to dedicate this time for yourself, so you can actually make it happen!

Choose Your Niche

Now, you need to decide on your niche for your blog. The first exercise should help you here. So decide what of your interests you want to turn into a career, or at least enjoy blogging about. Maybe it’s health and fitness? Maybe it’s a career choice? Maybe it’s a hobby? Pick your niche or general niche, and get ready to begin.

Invest In It

This won’t always be the case, but when it comes to making this work out, you need to make sure that you’re in the best possible position. So, ask yourself – do you need to invest a bit more in your niche to feel ready to write about it? Should you take a writing course or train to become a personal trainer or get your master’s in finance? If you feel like you need to brush up on your skills or knowledge in order to showcase yourself as an expert on the matter.

Get Hosting

Now it’s time for you to get everything set up. The start of that is always with hosting. Because in order for you to build a blog, it’s needs to be hosted somewhere. Take a look at the platforms available and choose a provider and plan that suits you.

Choose Your Domain

And now, you need a domain to go along with it. For this, you’re going to want to think strategically about the right name. And it’s hard for you to choose the best domain name – but not impossible. Think of catchy names to go along with your branding or your niche. Maybe even your own name? See what’s available and register the domain.

Get Writing

Then you just need to write. Even if you’re waiting for a design to be made for you, or you’re still making tweaks to a template, you need to make sure that you have some posts ready to go. And not only that – it’s good to get into the habit of writing regularly, so that you can get a content schedule up.

Build Your List

At the same time, you should also be thinking about how you can grow your marketing list. Because when it comes to engaging your audience and being able to grow your presence online, you really do need to have an email database. This is a great way to directly market to your audience. And the sooner you can start the better. So aim to build your list right off the bat, as your first subscribers are often the most loyal.

Market More

The next thing that you need to do is continue to push your marketing. And while you’ll definitely want to be strategic here, you don’t overly need to put too much time and attention into the what and why. Yes, align your tactics with your goals and audience, but then, just make sure that you are pushing on with content and actually getting it out into the world – as this will help you to grow.

Grow As You Go

Finally, you’re then going to want to make sure that you’re able to grow as you’re going along. Don’t overthink it or look too far ahead, just aim to put the work in everyday, to consistently grow what you’ve got, and then aim to monetize are you’re doing so. If you start to use affiliate marketing from the start, or even advertising if that’s what you want, you know that this will work out for you. Because when it’s there from the beginning, you can start to earn a little money, and it will all become easy for you to take your interest to a full-time paying gig!

Lexus Helps Save the Universe in "Men in Black: International"

The 2020 Lexus RC F to star as the Men in Black agents’ vehicle of choice in Sony Pictures’ Men in Black: International

To complete their missions, the Men in Black need vehicles with the horsepower for high speed pursuits, the most advanced alien-fighting technology, and sophisticated styling befitting the most exclusive group of secret agents in the galaxy. Lexus is pleased to fill that role as the official vehicle of Sony Pictures' "Men in Black: International," slated to open in U.S. theaters June 14, 2019.

• The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

Lexus vehicles are the official fleet of Men in Black agents globally in the film. The 2020 Lexus RC F stars as the Men in Black agents' vehicle of choice for their high velocity pursuits. The luxury sport coupe recently underwent an exciting change, making it faster, lighter and even more ready to transport the Men in Black as they save the universe. 

The Lexus RC F offers the best power-to-weight ratio in its class and the most powerful Lexus V8 to date, generating 472-horsepower – plus in the film it boasts some pretty amazing alien tech. The Lexus RX Hybrid and Lexus LX SUVs are also featured in film scenes with alien encounters.

"We've added some advanced capabilities to the RC F to assist the Men in Black agents, creating a truly one-of-a-kind alien-fighting machine," said Lisa Materazzo, vice president of Lexus marketing. "We can't wait for moviegoers to see the RC F as they've never seen it before."

The collaboration between Lexus and Sony Pictures' "Men in Black: International" includes integration in the film, a co-branded TV spot, a custom Men in Black RC F and sponsorship of the film premiere.

"We're excited to collaborate with Lexus on this multi-tiered campaign in support of 'Men in Black: International,'" said Jeffrey Godsick, EVP, Brand Management and Global Partnerships, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. "The Lexus RC F sports coupe provides the perfect vehicle for our team of Men in Black agents, led by Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, as they protect the galaxy."

Men in Black International (2019)

About "Men in Black: International"

The film is directed by F. Gary Gray, and written by Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, based on the Malibu Comic by Lowell Cunningham. 

Produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald. Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, E. Bennet Walsh, Riyoko Tanaka, David Beaubaire, Barry Sonnenfeld, Edward Cheng, and Howard Chen. 

The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Laurent Bourgeois & Larry Bourgeois, with Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson. 

The Trailers:

SOURCE: Lexus

Announcing "Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES" with Author Events Nationwide

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette

Chooseco, publisher of the world-famous Choose Your Own Adventure interactive book series announced the release of Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES, a new sub-series that lets readers experience life as an actual spy from history. 

The sub-series launches with two May 1st titles written by debut authors Kyandreia Jones and Katherine Factor. 

Each book explores the life of an iconic figure: the young Margaretha Zelle, best known as Mata Hari, and James Armistead Lafayette, a true hero and spy from the Revolutionary War whose amazing story is rarely included in history books.

Advance Praise For Choose Your Own Adventure Spies

"…bringing the life of an enslaved person within reach for modern young readers is a feat. For fans of Choose Your Own Adventure books, this historical drama is worth having on the shelf." 
Kirkus Reviews

"History gets a makeover in the new Choose Your Own Adventure Spies series, which plunks readers into exciting scenarios, based on real events, and lets them call the shots…This book will get kids excited about history, but it's imperative that they read the end note on James Armistead Lafayette's life to learn what choices he actually made." 
Booklist Reviews

• Debut authors Katherine Factor (Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari) and Kyandreia Jones (Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette) will be visiting bookstores, schools, and libraries nationwide.

See below for the current Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES event calendar:

May 1: Reading and Q&A with Kyandreia Jones at Hamilton College (Clinton, NY)
May 3: Reading and Q&A with Katherine Factor at NW Academy (Portland, OR)
May 9: Reading and writing workshop with Katherine Factor at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy (Chicago, IL)
May 18: Reading and Q&A with Katherine Factor at Powell's Books (Portland, OR)
May 19: Reading and Q&A with Katherine Factor at Rose City Book Pub (Portland, OR)
June 1: Reading and Q&A with Kyandreia Jones at Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL)
July 16: Reading and writing workshop with Katherine Factor at Traverse Area District Library (Traverse City, MI)
July & August: Readings and writing workshops with Katherine Factor at Saturday Academy (Portland, OR)

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari

About Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari

YOU are young Margaretha Zelle, a world-famous dancer from the Netherlands. You have just arrived in Bali with your dance troupe when your best friend Althea goes missing. As a master of tongues and disguises, who better to save her? But if you leave now, you will miss your chance to audition for the performance of a lifetime.

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette

About Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette

The year is 1781. YOU are James Armistead, a brave, literate enslaved person living in Virginia. General Lafayette approaches you with the most critical choice of your life: do you join the Revolutionary Army or find freedom on your own terms? As a spy for the revolution, you might change the course of history. But whose liberty will you really be fighting for?

• Chooseco is a purpose-built publishing house which brought the groundbreaking Choose Your Own Adventure series back to print. Since the series relaunch, Chooseco has sold over 15 million copies. Chooseco is based in Vermont. It boasts a creative team dedicated to promoting literacy through immersive interactive stories.

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari

SOURCE: Chooseco

The O'Jays Take On The Trump Administration And Social Injustice On New Studio Album 'The Last Word'

The Last Word - album cover

Multi-platinum selling Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The O'Jays (Eddie Levert Sr., Walter Williams Sr. and Eric Nolan Grant), take on the Trump administration and social injustice with a message of love on their new album, The Last Word, released across all streaming platforms via S-CURVE RECORDS/BMG. 

• The Last Word is the group's final studio album and their first in almost 20 years.

The group will appear on the Today Show performing their new single Stand Up (Show Love) on Tuesday, April 23rd.

With a remarkable career that has spanned 60-years and included hits like "Love Train," "For the Love of Money," "Use ta Be My Girl," "Back Stabbers," and many more, The O'Jays are an indelible part of pop culture. 

With the release of The Last Word the group is showing that they have not lost a beat, emoting the same hunger and vocal craftsmanship they have become known for while delivering socially conscious message music that makes you think while you dance.

The Last Word was produced by the Grammy nominated producers Steve Greenberg, Mike Mangini and R&B legend Betty Wright (the trio behind Joss Stone's "Soul Sessions"), along with the songwriter and rock/pop mastermind Sam Hollander (Panic! at the Disco, Weezer, Neon Trees). The album includes standout tracks such as "Above the Law," "Stand Up (Show Love)," and the Bruno Mars and Patrick Monahan penned "Enjoy Yourself."

"I look at what is going on in the world and not much seems to have changed from when we first started doing this," said Eddie Levert. "We are still dealing with the same issues. On this album we addressed those issues as well as the intolerance we see coming out of the Trump Administration on a daily basis. We also offer a solution. That solution is to combat hatred with love and acceptance."

"I want to believe things will eventually change but we have a long way to go," said Walter Williams. "With this final album we are providing a soundtrack for those that are speaking truth to power and encouraging people to come together through love."

The 9-track album provides a critical look at the precarious state of social and criminal justice in America. As elder statesmen, the group has experienced much throughout their lives, from the civil rights movement to rising economic inequality and the erosion of democratic norms. On this album they are sharing their perspective on the state of the country as well as the world; offering up some words of wisdom for the next generation before exiting the stage.

In celebration of the release, the group will be performing a special show at the Apollo Theater on April 26th. Tickets can be purchased here.

• Buy/Stream The Last Word here

The Last Word tracklist:

1. I Got You
2. Stand Up
3. Enjoy Yourself
4. Do You Really Know How I Feel
5. Above The Law
6. '68 Summer Nights
7. Start Stoppin'
8. Pressure
9. I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow (Than I Was Today)

About The O'Jays:

With over 50 years of touring and some of music's most beloved hits under their belt, The O'Jays remain one of today's seminal music acts. The group scored their first number 1 in 1972 with "Backstabbers." Subsequently, they had other various chart-topping pop and R&B singles including "Love Train", "Put Your Hands Together", "For The Love of Money", "I Love Music", "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)", "Livin' For The Weekend" and "Use Ta Be My Girl." 

• This success propelled The O'Jays to be the first black vocal group to perform in arenas throughout America during the 70s and 80s.

Eddie Levert Sr. and Walter Williams Sr. as well as Eric Nolan Grant, who joined the group in 1995, continue to thrill fans today. Throughout their career The O'Jays have achieved 10 Gold albums, 9 Platinum albums and 10 #1 hits.

The O'Jays were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005 and honored with BET's Life Time Achievement Award in 2009. In 2013, they were inducted into The Official R&B Music Hall of Fame.

The O'Jays (cr. Denise Truscello)

SOURCE The O’Jays

Adrienne Campbell-Holt to Helm 'Contested'; Timely Political Drama to be Feature Debut

Adrienne Campbell-Holt (lmage via adriennecampbellholt.com)

Adrienne Campbell-Holt, founding artistic director of New York's Colt Coeur theater, has been attached to the political drama "Contested," to be produced by Kettle Cove Productions. It will mark her feature film directing debut.

With Colt Coeur, Adrienne Campbell-Holt has directed eleven world premieres, including Stephen Belber's "Joan," Ana Nogueira's "Empathitrax" (now being developed for a feature), Steven Levenson's "Seven Days in Heaven," and "Dry Land" by Ruby Rae Spiegel. 

She has also helmed numerous world premieres by Theresa Rebeck, including most recently, "Downstairs," starring Tyne Daly and Tim Daly. 

On Broadway, Adrienne Campbell-Holt has served as associate director of "Dear Evan Hansen." She is the recipient of the 2018 Lucille Lortel Visionary Director Award. 

• On screen, she has directed two short films and shadowed directors on several broadcast television series including "Madam Secretary" and "Grey's Anatomy."

About "Contested"

"Contested," written by former political operative Lynn Reed, is a timely political drama that examines political polarization through the lens of family rift. 

Kate Adams is the top advisor to the woman who would be the first female president of the United States, while her brother Mark serves in a similar capacity for the opponent. 

Although they have battled professionally for decades, the extreme tactics and high stakes of this campaign threaten to destroy any remaining familial bond, while also threatening to permanently (and literally) divide the country.

"Lynn Reed has a demonstrated commitment to telling emotionally impactful stories set against the backdrop of larger narratives about ambition and identity," Adrienne Campbell-Holt stated. "As a lifelong political junkie, I'm thrilled to join Lynn on this journey and bring this moving story to the screen."

SOURCE: Kettle Cove Productions

4/20 Anthem "Pot Salad" Released by Art Rock Band Das Funk Haus Rolls Marijuana Culture and Religion in a New Smokin' Video and Six Song EP

Still from the Das Funk Haus video for the new single

The South Florida band Das Funk Haus will be releasing the brand-new Pot Salad EP on Saturday, April 20th, 2019 at 12am. The new EP is following the music video for the single "Pot Salad" which is available on the YouTube channel Cortez Heights Records

The Pot Salad EP contains five new Das Funk Haus compositions that run the gamut of marijuana culture, self awareness, social house cats, and even Frank Sinatra. This is the sophomore release by the Florida based Art Rock project, and is released on the bands own imprint, Cortez Heights Records. 

The Pot Salad EP follows the music video which gives gracious nods to classic films, paintings, religion, and lots of weed. It's a tongue in cheek blend of visual and musical flavors you will want to sit back and enjoy. Pot Salad is a perfect mix of funk and Zappa-esqueness written specially for 4/20 fans.

The new Pot Salad EP is Das Funk Haus' follow up to their 2014 album Electric Garden Party, which the Marquette Wire called "a feel of late-night jam sessions filled with a hazy smog of instrumentals, think Jimi Hendrix meets Dave Matthews Band, plus a whole lot of intrigue." 

Electric Garden Party charted #12 Relix Magazine September 2014. The band is always evolving around founding members H.B. Russell, and Percival Frequency, and now has expanded into a six piece progressive rock band. 

The new recordings on the release show off some of the new members, especially new drummer James Hershey, and new back up vocalist Suzy Dazzle. All of the new songs were mixed and produced by H.B. Russell and Dave Pezza.

Das Funk Haus has a unique musical vision that was originally founded 1995. The art rock, psychedelic funk band combines a six piece rock band with modern lyrical concepts that seem to cater to all who search for something different.

SOURCE: Cortez Heights Records

The Video: