An Open Letter to Lindsay Lohan

Dear Lindsay,

You are at the crossroads of a defining moment. You are free to leave your gilded cage. Will you soar? Or will you splat against the window pane? Will your story be told as is Drew Barrymore's -- a story of triumph, accomplishment and esteem and (dare I say) joy? Or will your life story become an obituary about a life that might have been?

The choice is yours. Yes, Lindsay, how you author, direct and act in your life story from this moment on is entirely up to you.

Life happens for you, not to you. You -- yes YOU -- create the experiences in your life whether you realize it or not. This isn't about blame, shame, guilt or even credit. Those are judgment words and judgment is toxic to the human spirit. You did not get up out of bed on day wondering how you could screw up your life and then do just that. You, like everyone else, are doing the best you can with the light you have to see. And, Lindsay, some days you couldn't even find your flashlight lost at the bottom of your expensive trendy bag.

The light is there, I promise you. But it's not at a jewelry store. It's entirely within you. All you have to do is tap into it and light your way.

This is about taking full responsibility for the life you create. To do anything less, places you as a victim. And you most certainly were not born to be a victim to anyone or any thing.

Here's the thing…

If you created a s--- storm of life events you might as well go back and pick up the gifts you were meant to receive. I'm talking about the lessons you can learn that will positively change your life's direction, bring you more of the good stuff and less of the crap you've thrown upon yourself.

Here's the other thing…

You also created the highest of high moments in your life.You brilliantly used your innate gifts at their highest potential to experience sublime success. And, just as brilliantly, you began to throw it all away as if you weren't worth it somehow.

Now that's just babblecrap in the form of your own inner misguided thoughts and feelings. It's allowing yourself to be in service to other people's agendas instead of your own innermost calling and purpose in life.

Since you created your achievement you might as well go back and get the recipe of how to do it again. Examine how you showed up to achieve success and model that behavior. It's what you're here to do. I can't imagine being in jail, house arrest or the fodder for tabloid journalism is what feeds your soul.

Expressing your gifts is what will make your heart sing and give you the ability to fly freely, boldly and beautifully out of that gilded cage.

I'm rooting for you because I, like many people, love a story well told. ( thewrap.com )

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Lindsay Lohan Borrows $1,750 Gown, Hems it Herself, Returns it Totally Destroyed

Lindsay Lohan Borrows $1,750 Gown, Hems it Herself, Returns it Totally Destroyed - Lindsay Lohan Earlier this month, perpetually troubled starlet Lindsay Lohan made a pretty major red carpet appearance at the prestigious amfAR Gala, where she was decked out in a beaded gown by Theia. Given some of Lohan's regular fashion faux pas, we were fairly impressed with this ensemble. Apparently though, Lohan's dress didn't fare too well after the party was over.

According to Us Weekly, Lohan pulled some major strings to get the gown in the first place, having her dear friend (and occasional benefactor) Charlie Sheen call it in from noted stylist Phillip Bloch.

As the night progressed, Us reported that Lohan accidentally ripped the dress at an after-party and panicked, so she did what no other person in their right mind would ever do: She had her stylist friend run up to the bouncer, snag a pair of scissors, and hem it DIY-style.

"She turned it into a mullet! Only a fashiony person would do that! She's out of control and behaving really badly," a source told the mag. Frankly, we think a bad hem job is step up for the DUI-getting LiLo, but we can imagine the folks at Theia weren't too thrilled when their gown came back looking like this:

Same Theia Dress It's time for PR people to learn a very valuable lesson: Do not loan out a dress if Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan are the team behind the pull request. End of story. ( StyleCaster )

READ MORE - Lindsay Lohan Borrows $1,750 Gown, Hems it Herself, Returns it Totally Destroyed

Lindsay Lohan Chewed to Pieces in Pitbull Lawsuit

Lindsay Lohan Chewed to Pieces in Pitbull Lawsuit - As it turns out, Lindsay Lohan doesn't have much luck as a plaintiff in legal proceedings either.

Troubled "Liz & Dick" actress Lohan, who has experienced more than her share of legal woes in recent years, was shot down Thursday in her lawsuit against Pitbull, Ne-Yo and Afrojack over the 2011 song "Give Me Everything."

Lindsay Lohan Chewed to Pieces in Pitbull Lawsuit

Lohan had sued the trio, along with others, under New York Civil Rights Law, claiming that the song made "disparaging and defamatory statements" about Lohan, violated her privacy, and used her name for advertising purposes without authorization.

Oh, and she also claimed that the tune caused her "tremendous emotional distress."

Specifically, Lohan took issue with the lyrics, "So, I'm tiptoein', to keep flowin'/I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan."

However, Lohan's claims went down in flames in U.S. District Court in New York on Thursday, as Judge Denis R. Hurley granted the defendants' motion to dismiss and tossed out Lohan's complaint.

In his ruling, Hurley found that the song, as a protected work of art under the First Amendment, doesn't violate the New York Civil Rights Law.

The judge also dismissed Lohan's claim that the songwriters used her name for advertising or purposes or trade.

"Even if the Court were to conclude that plaintiff had sufficiently alleged that her name was used in the Song for purposes of advertising or trade, the isolated nature of the use of her name would, in and of itself, prove fatal to her New York Civil Rights Law claim," Hurley found.

As for the claim of emotional distress? Yeah, that didn't fly either, with Hurley ruling, "even if the defendants used plaintiff's name in one line of the Song without her consent, such conduct is insufficient to meet the threshold for extreme and outrageous conduct necessary to sustain a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress."

On the plus side for Lohan, the judge decided not to impose sanctions on the actress, as the defendants had requested.

In her complaint, Lohan asked for a permanent injunction preventing any further distribution of the song, plus an injunction ordering the defendants to surrender all existing copies of the song to Lohan.

Naturally, she was also asking for an accounting of the profits that the song had generated for the defendants to date, and "compensatory damages in an amount to be determined in the Court."

Looks like she's the one who hit a bum note, as far as the justice system is concerned. ( The Wrap )

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REFILE-Reformer's drive to change Indonesia state firms hits roadblocks

REFILE-Reformer's drive to change Indonesia state firms hits roadblocks - On an overcast Saturday in early January, the man in charge of modernising Indonesia's state companies suddenly lost control of his prototype electric sports car and ploughed into the side of a mountain in East Java.
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan was unhurt, but the $300,000 bright red "Tucuxi", dubbed "Indonesia's Ferrari" by local media, was a write-off.

It looks like his chances of pulling off an ambitious reform of the bloated state sector are heading the same way.

More than a year after his appointment, most of Iskan's initiatives to fix state firms have either been revoked or blocked by parliament or remain stuck in ministries, according to government and parliamentary documents obtained by Reuters.

"The political challenge is still huge," said Iskan, who started his career as a journalist and still writes a regular column in his newspaper, in an interview. "Life is like that. It's difficult to make this country better."

Iskan has abandoned plans to start mass production of the privately funded Tucuxi, named after a type of dolphin.

But criticism over the crash -- he is being investigated by police for driving an unlicensed car on public roads, although no charges have been filed -- dented his reputation and further sapped his political capital, making it even tougher for him to battle powerful vested interests.

It is a frustration that, according to those close to him, is motivating the media mogul to consider standing as a candidate in next year's presidential election despite being viewed as a rank outsider.

"I would lie if I say I don't want to, I want to," Iskan said, when asked if he wanted the presidency.

He conceded he held only a small chance of winning, and declined to discuss his reasons for running because he was still a serving minister. But several people close to him said he saw the presidency as the only way to achieve change.

"Iskan is impatient over the lack of action just like any private sector guy. He's frustrated with the political pressure especially from the parliament," said a source close to Iskan who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

REFORM PRIORITY
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, two-thirds of the way through his second and final five-year term, has made reform of state companies a priority in developing the G20 economy.

Yudhoyono turned for help to Iskan, who made his reputation turning the near-bankrupt Jawa Pos Group into one of Indonesia's biggest media companies.

Just over a year since his appointment in late 2011, Iskan has struggled to implement any of his ambitious plans. On Jan. 23, he announced that he might have to cancel all his planned initial public offerings (IPOs).

It is not the first time Yudhoyono has picked a reformist and then failed to give them protection. His highly respected finance minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, became so exhausted by relentless politically motivated criticism she left in 2010.

Indonesia's 140 state-controlled firms account for a huge chunk of Southeast Asia's biggest economy -- their total revenues are estimated to have hit 1,500 trillion ($155 billion) last year, or nearly a fifth of gross domestic product.

Several of the companies have complete or near control of key industries such as energy, power and agriculture that underpin Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

"There is an ownership fetish -- the state wants to act as a entrepreneur," said James Castle, chairman of CastleAsia, one of Indonesia's leading consultancies for foreign firms.

"They are everywhere, acting like private companies, and they crowd out the private sector."

ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN

Even Iskan's attempt to take control of the appointment of senior state company managers has largely failed.

In November 2009, Yudhoyono, criticised over repeated power cuts, gave Iskan the job of heading state electricity monopoly PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) and agreed to allow him to choose his own board. The appointment was seen as a success.

As state-owned enterprises minister in 2011, he wanted similar freedom to make appointments free of political considerations. He discovered quickly that wasn't so easy.

Executives connected to political party chiefs and the presidential palace are on the board of more than half of the top 25 state firms, according to state-owned enterprises ministry data and the companies documents from 2012.

Two presidential decrees, issued in 2005 a year into Yudhoyono's first term, gave the authority to choose top managers of state firms to a "Final Assessment Team" (TPA) led by the president.

"These are, of course, assignments ... they are missions from the government," Firmanzah, a special advisor to the president with responsibility for administration and financial matters, said in defence of presidential staff appointments.

"This is to push for good governance."

ENEMY OF THE HOUSE

Iskan has also antagonised members of two parliamentary commissions with oversight of state companies.

"He is not an expert in bureaucracy, politics and lobbying. He's a businessman," said Muhammad Said Didu, chief commissioner of state planter PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV.

He faced a setback only a few months into the job when he was forced to revoke his first decree to give more flexibility to executives in state firms to take major business decisions.

Parliament warned Iskan the decree, which gave his ministry such powers as deciding share buy backs, was illegal.

"My questions are: Does he have the authority to do that? And is it in line with the state-firms law?" said Benny K. Harman, vice chairman of one of the parliamentary commissions overseeing state firms, who is from Yudhoyono's party.

Differences of interpretation and overlapping, sometimes conflicting, laws also hinder Iskan's attempts at major reform and can make executives afraid to act for fear of prosecution.

In 2012, he planned five state firm initial public offerings. Only one, builder PT Waskita Karya, went to the market and that had already been approved by parliament back in 2008, before he came into office.

Last month, he announced that all IPO and rights issue plans by state firms would probably be postponed because of technical and regulatory issues.

He declined to discuss a plan to create one of the world's largest palm-oil and rubber firms with $5.6 billion in assets, which had once been set for completion in March 2012.

"Changing the law in this country is like changing the Koran," senior Iskan aide Wahyu Hidayat told Reuters. "Next to impossible." ($1 = 9,680.5 rupiah) (Reuters)

READ MORE - REFILE-Reformer's drive to change Indonesia state firms hits roadblocks

Whatever happened to the British working class?

Whatever happened to the British working class? - A new survey suggests that the traditional working class has dwindled to represent just 14 per cent of the population.

One hundred years ago, Britain was a hive of industrial activity - with soot, smog and smoke choking the country’s crammed cities and burgeoning towns.

The vast majority of men (and rarely women) worked in mills, mines, docks and factories – and the flat caps they wore denoted their working class identity.

Few people then could envisage that a century later, this once dominant social group - the traditional working class - would have dwindled to represent just 14 per cent of the population.

Rex Features - The Likely Lads: Two working class men Terry Collier (James Bolam) and Bob Ferris (Rodney Bewes) featured in the popular '70s sitcom - there are fewer of their like now it would seem

Yet that is the startling figure revealed by a new BBC survey, which suggests that as a nation we have moved on from the three-tiered class system of yesteryear that was made up of the working class, the middle class and the upper classes.

The BBC's Great British Class Survey contends that things are now much more complex with no fewer than seven social classes.

Among the new groupings identified in the survey are "technical middle classes", which represents six per cent of Britons.

They are prosperous, tend to work in scientific professions, but more culturally apathetic than their "established middle class" social siblings, who are more highbrow and account for 25 per cent of the population (by far the biggest group).

The survey - in which 160,000 people participated - also acknowledged "new affluent workers", who tend to be from working class backgrounds but earn more than their parents did and are more culturally active, although with few highbrow interests. They make up 15 per cent of the population.

Socially and culturally active (but also poorer and almost always urban renters rather than homeowners) are the 19 per cent of Britons described as "emergent service workers".

The joint smallest social grouping - at just six per cent of the population - are the "elite", who are the richest, more likely to be privately educated than any other class and much more inclined to enjoy opera.

Fifteen per cent of Britons are said to be part of the most-deprived "precariat", who largely rent their homes and - if they are employed at all - are likely to be menial workers such as cleaners.

So, it begs the question: whatever happened to the traditional working classes?

One of the authors of the study, Professor Fiona Devine, of the University of Manchester, believes the decline of industry is the most crucial factor.

"In the second half of the 20th century in particular, jobs in factories, steelworks, mines and other manual places of work were very rapidly lost.

"They were replaced by jobs in services and the growth of managerial positions.

"So you have two effects taking place here.

"Many of the traditional working classes got jobs in the service sector, which are still low paid, but socially very different from traditional industrial jobs.

"No longer are working class people as likely to be a trade union member and work and mix with exclusively men from the same streets.

"They began to encounter a much broader range of people than they would before and household incomes were boosted by having two earners.

"Younger working class people in the post-war era took advantage of improved education to find themselves managerial positions.

"The result has been a great deal of social mobility over the last 50 years."

Professor Devine highlighted this trend by pointing out that her own father was a postal worker, while her mother worked as a cleaner.

She also pointed out the fact that the average age among the traditional working classes is 66.

"They represent the last people to who could expect to hold traditional manual jobs," Professor Devine explained.

What also differentiates the traditional working classes from the "precariats" – and even more educated groups such as "emerging service workers" - is that they are very likely to own their own homes.

This is a result of Margaret Thatcher’s right-to-buy policy, which allowed 2.2million working class council tenants to purchase their homes between 1980 and 1996.

And this rise in home ownership – coupled with a huge decline in the proportion of social housing – has perhaps been the second most decisive factor in restructuring Britain’s social classes, according to Professor Roger Burrows from Goldsmiths College, University of London (whose father was a printer).

"Many traditional working class people during this era either seized the opportunity to buy their council homes or felt pushed into homeownership," explains the sociologist who contributed to the report while he worked at the University of York.

"The dwindling stock of social housing, combined with often poor build quality, suddenly meant they had become a place of last resort, reserved for only the poorest.

"This had a massive effect on those people who, for the first time in their lives, owned property – after all, only 20 per cent did during the 1950s.

"Many of these people had become more aspirational – and this had a big effect on their children, many of whom would now be considered new affluent workers or even members of the established middle class.

"It also had a big effect in breaking down working class communities and destroying working class power in the form of trade unions as people concentrated on paying off their mortgages rather than paying subs and striking."

Professor Burrows believes future changes to our class structures are likely to less revolutionary.

But in 100 years our multi-faceted society might look as just alien to future generations as the army of flat cap-wearing workers of 1913 look to us now. ( yahoo news )

Blog : Step Apart | Whatever happened to the British working class?

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5 Easy Ways to Bust Out of a Bad Mood

5 Easy Ways to Bust Out of a Bad Mood - Feeling the late-winter blues? It's tough to stay chipper when the skies are gray and spring feels like it couldn't possibly come any slower - but despite the fact that seasonal sadness is relatively common, it's important to pay attention to any persistent feelings of malaise. "[When experiencing depressive thoughts], first, you have to ask yourself if you are experiencing true clinical depression, or whether your feelings more fleeting, like with a bad mood," says Susan Krauss Whitbourne, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

"When it comes to ordinary stress, it's all about how you think about it," says Witbourne. Clinical depression, on the other hand, is recognizable by a lack of rhyme or reason to your sadness. In these cases, there's usually something off in one's brain chemistry: "When someone is clinically depressed, serotonin drops - the chemical that keeps our mood elevated," she says. "While you could go see a doc and ask for anti-depressant like Prozac or Zoloft, if it's more of an isolated case, it's actually possible to change your brain chemistry with your thoughts." Here are few ways to think positive when you're having a horrible, no-good, very bad day - try these out to brighten your mood and put a pep in your step for the rest of the winter.

Be Pretty In Pink

In the early '90s, researchers looked at the effect of peppy rose shades on violent, incarcerated prisoners when painted on their cell walls. The study showed that it could calm aggressive and anxiety-filled prisoners. When surrounded by such a warm yet calming shade, the inmates couldn't be worked up even if they tried to be. The study authors believe that the hue causes heart muscles to relax and makes you feel more tranquil (temporarily, of course). Although the study wasn't about depression per se, it does show that colors can have a marked effect on mood. Hate fuchsia? No biggie. "Any vibrant color is a great way brighten your mood," says Whitbourne. So why not try to incorporate happy hues into your life? Swipe on on a vibrant gloss or lipstick, or paint your nails your favorite bight shade, and a good mood could be right at your fingertips. Literally.

Hit The Treadmill

If you're not feeling so hot (as in winter blahs, not mutant flu), science proves that working up a sweat can flood your brain with endorphins, the chemicals in the brain responsible for making you feel like a million. A Penn State study showed that even if you aren't a religious gymgoer, if you suddenly book a bike at Flywheel first thing in the morning (or plan to do your fave workout), you can feel happier - and more productive - for the rest of that day. What's even more interesting: If you've been down in the dumps and are feeling less than motivated to sweat it out, you're the one that's going to get the biggest happy high - and it'll kick in within the first twenty minutes of your workout. "Exercise is known to reduce depressive feelings," says Whitbourne. "Although you will experience marked brain changes within the first 20 minutes of your workout, I recommend sticking with it for at least 30 minutes to maintain the endorphin high, which will also improve your mood."

Eat Sushi

Some studies show that omega-3 fatty acids (which are found in fish such as salmon, shrimp, summer flounder, and tuna) can help lower depression-like feelings. One study found that consuming a fish-rich diet twice a week resulted in a lower risk of depression and suicide, while another demonstrated that those diagnosed with bipolar disorder who ate an omega-3 concentrated diet had a more even-keeled mood naturally after just four months. "Sushi is certainly one way to get the benefits of mood-boosting fish, but it's not necessary to eat raw fish to get this effect," says Whitbourne. "Plus, eating more fish can help improve your mental and physical health, too, which could make you feel better overall in the long run." Take note: The fattier kinds of fish tend to have more mood-boosting omega-3s (hence salmon's reputation as a superfood). Hate fish? Pop a fish oil supplement daily instead; it'll have a similar effect.

Live Like An Icelander

Think you need to be on a tropical island for everything to be all right? Maybe not. A 2006 study showed that Iceland might actually have some of the happiest people in the world. Close social connections, plus a strong arts and culture scene, may explain why many Icelanders remain content in the face of volcanic eruptions, sub-arctic temperatures, and days with as few as four hours of daylight. (Adorable horses and geothermal spas probably don't hurt, either.) So, while long winter days may indeed trigger seasonal affective disorder, Icelanders prove that you can beat it.

Make Use Of That To-Do List

While being laid-back and following the 'don't worry, be happy' mindset may seem like the way to go, experts say that having goals and reaching them could really be the secret to feeling fulfilled. So, redo that closet that looks like it's going to explode, finally take that German language class you've been talking about forever, or tackle whatever woulda-coulda-shoulda thing you haven't gotten around to yet. "Being more goal-oriented and more conscientious is absolutely a way to become less depressed," says Whitbourne. And don't make that checklist super-simple either-it's more effective to push your limits. Research shows that ambition, not low expectations, are deemed more valuable, and therefore can make you feel more satisfied with your life (and hence, in a better mood). Starting to feel better about life already? Get to it, girl! ( Spring Shape Up Guide )

Blog : Step Apart | Spring Shape Up Guide

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