Did you know that Disney’s Hollywood Studios celebrated its 20th anniversary in May of this year? Ever since it was conceived in Walt Disney’s mind 4 decades or so ago, this theme park has reached unprecedented heights: it is now one of the most visited theme parks in the world. As with many other institutions, though, this park has its own secrets, and in celebration of the park’s 20th anniversary, the LA Times treated its readers to these secrets. Here are some of them.

Many buildings in the theme park are not as big as they seem. In fact, many of the architectural structures in Disney theme parks follow the concept of “forced perspective.” Following this concept, buildings have smaller scaling as one goes up. Many a visitor has found his mouth hang open in awe of the buildings thanks to forced perspective.

The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is actually the first ever Disney roller coaster to invert riders. This applies to ALL of the Disney theme parks. So, more than an exciting ride, you’re also getting a piece of theme park history here!

The Sorcerer’s Hat is painted using a unique technique called “chameleon paint.” This hat is the main icon of the studio and was dedicated in 2001 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Walt Disney. The chameleon paint makes the hat change in color as people move from one place to another.

Here’s another piece of trivia about the Sorcerer’s Hat. All other Disney theme park icons have some sort of attraction except for the hat! That doesn’t take away from its popularity, though.

These are only several of the secrets, though. You might want to check the article from LA Times to discover the rest.

Who would have thought? After all, mainstream journalism does not normally pay its respects to tabloids. But then again, can TMZ be categorized under this label?

I could hardly believe it, but BBC has a full write up on TMZ. Apparently, the Hollywood-based entertainment news web site has already been attracting the attention of other journalists and has been building a reputation for getting the scoop on the hottest happenings in Hollywood – ahead of everyone else. Seems to me that the BBC write up is all positive:

TMZ broke the news of Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic tirade against a police officer, and it was the first to publish the photograph of a bruised Rihanna after she was assaulted by Chris Brown.

But it was the Jackson story that focused attention on the site more than ever before. Mainstream media outlets struggled to confirm the singer’s death while TMZ had details that proved to be accurate.
Once viewed as a bunch of mavericks, the site won the grudging respect of established news organizations.

I say, what better place to evolve from being mavericks to an established and respected entity than in Hollywood? After all, this is where dreams do come true, right?

People behind TMZ also have a lot to say. Harvey Levin – that familiar grinning face you see on TMZ’s TV version – edits the web sites and claims that their extensive contact book is one of the best in town, and that it is the key to their success. Well people, if you have something to say, you know who to approach now.

Yoga has long become a trend in celebrity circles for getting and staying fit. If rumors are to be believed, though, the in thing these days is going butt naked to do yoga! Rumors being what they are, nothing has really been confirmed, but if they are to be believed, Hollywood celebrities such as Nicolas Cage, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Watts, Jennifer Lopez, and Rita Wilson are doing naked yoga.

So what is so special about naked yoga? The World Sentinel reports:

The proponents of naked yoga say that it is taboo-breaking, thrill, liberation, unique perspective, profound spiritual and healing experience; unifies body-soul-mind; sheds barriers/inhibitions/masks; provides greater freedom of movement; saves the hassle of buying expensive yoga outfits; offers acceptance of body with all imperfections; makes one feel comfortable in one´s own skin; overcomes weight/body image issue; etc. But they insist that it is not about sex.

They just had to include that disclaimer about sex, didn’t they? Anyhow, yoga practitioners say that many people actually practice yoga naked in the comforts of their own homes. After all, yoga practitioners are actually encouraged to do the exercises on their own. And who (or what) is to stop private individuals to do yoga without any clothes? Joining a whole class wherein everyone – instructor and students alike – is something else altogether!

Despite my inhibitions (and other people’s as well, perhaps), naked yoga is actually catching on. If you think about it, the Hollywood stars are not pioneers in this field. There are many naked yoga clubs around the world. Check your local listing, there might be one near you.

Photo courtesy of www.yogalifestyle.com