Hayley Hynes

Many who grew up in the 80s and 90s are quick to associate the nostalgia of heading back to school with the bright and cheery supplies designed by Lisa Frank. The notoriously private artist is best known for crafting lunchboxes, stickers, toys and trapper keepers covered in dolphins, unicorns, pandas and other adorable critters that decorated classrooms for decades. Before she rose to fame, Frank grew up in Michigan’s Bloomfield Hills (one of America’s wealthiest cities ), the daughter of a higher-up in the automotive industry who supported her creative pursuits. “ My dad was an art collector, my mom had a little kiln in our basement and we would make pottery. I think from about age five on, they sent me to art classes, and I was a huge colorer. HUGE. I think to keep me quiet, they would bring the coloring books and crayons, and I would fill up the books,” Frank told Urban Outfitters in a rare interview. She went on to attend Cranbrook Kingswood School with Mitt Romney, then headed...

Upon hearing “Pink Friday,” most people’s minds immediately jump to the Queen of Rap herself , Nicki Minaj. The Trinidadian femcee released her debut album on Nov. 22, 2010, via Cash Money Records, Universal Motown Records and Young Money Entertainment. Even as a newcomer, she nabbed impressive collaborations from names like Eminem, Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West, ultimately selling 375K copies in her first week out. This placed Minaj behind Lauryn Hill with the second-highest sales debut ever for a female rapper, and the mother of one has only continued to prove her power since. Over a decade later, she returned with “Pink Friday 2,” this time recruiting J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Future, Monica, 50 Cent and other icons to join her on the tracklist. Minaj’s 2023 LP debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making her the first female rapper with three albums to top the chart; she moved 228K album-equivalent albums at the time, 92,000 of which were pure sales. These statistics are all...

His inauguration is still weeks away, but since championing the 2024 election , Donald Trump has been making his presence felt across America. The East Coast native has big plans to implement changes across the nation, from teaming up with Robert F. Kennedy on health initiatives to making cryptocurrency more accessible. On Monday, Nov. 18, it was revealed that Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT) is in “advanced talks” to acquire Bakkt (BKKT), a well-established crypto exchange company not long after the president-elect launched his World Liberty Financial initiative. The former is majority-owned by NYSE parent company Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) which is led by CEO Jeff Sprecher, husband of former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler, who was also co-chair of Trump’s inaugural committee . Neither Bakkt nor its future potential owners have confirmed the Financial Times ‘ reports just yet, but there have been notable jumps in both stocks since the rumor mill began turning this week....

Since Donald Trump came out on top in the 2024 election, the news has been flooded with headlines about how the New York native plans to run the country during his second term. With another dramatic leadership shift from Democratic back to Republican, Americans are anticipating a lot of change to come. Despite the chaos that ensued during his first time in office, there seems to be one thing Trump had to offer that most everyone wants more of – stimulus checks. Per Fox 5 DC , there’s been a sudden increase in social media posts claiming American taxpayers in some states will receive $2,000 or more from the government. This isn’t the first time in 2024 these claims have circulated, and they only seem to be growing more popular in wake of Trump’s presidential campaign and victory. Internal Revenue Service Has No Apparent Stimulus Plans (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) As you might recall, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS offered three stimulus checks to support taxpayers and keep...

It could be the end of an era for budget-friendly travel — at least for now. On Monday, Nov. 18th, low-fair flight company Spirit Airlines confirmed that they’ve filed for bankruptcy protection after making efforts to cut costs all around. Some of their recent steps have included selling 23 Airbus jets and delaying future aircraft deliveries. Sadly, Spirit has also had to furlough hundreds of pilots with plans to cut additional staff in January. In their filing, they confirmed 13,000 full-time and part-time employees, plus 8,000 independent contractors and temporary workers. Things might look dire now, but as CNN notes, American Airlines , United and Delta have all gone bankrupt within the last 25 years, only to bounce back stronger on the other end of negotiations and hard work. What We Know About Spirit Airlines’ Bankruptcy So Far Photo Credit: Forsaken Films / Unsplash CNN cites, “ mounting losses, unaffordable debt, increased competition for bargain-seeking airline passengers...

Whether you’re satisfied with the results of the 2024 presidential election or not, the only option now that the votes are in is to accept that situation and move forward with grace and confidence. Throughout their campaign for the White House, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump had celebrities endorsing them to help persuade the public. The former relied on Megan Thee Stallion’s bodacious body and a co-sign from Barack Obama, while Trump’s support from figures like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan could be what gave him the winning edge. The South African pledged his allegiance to the Republican candidate following the assassination attempt made on his life in July; per Barrons , Musk was one of the president-elect’s biggest donors for his third campaign, spending more than $130 million supporting Trump and others in his political party. Considering he’s the richest man in the world, dishing out this money to help his friend was nothing for the Twitter CEO, who’s only stood to benefit...

Ray Davis, a running back for the Buffalo Bills , is known for his talent on the football field and his rising career in the NFL. Throughout his first season, the 26-year-old has been a consistent standout, quickly winning over Bills fans with his stamina and drive. After being drafted by the team, Davis signed a rookie contract that provided him with both a $795K base salary for the year and a hefty $713K signing bonus. NFL rookie contracts, especially for players taken in the mid to later rounds, tend to offer initial earnings in the low to mid millions over the course of several years, and the 25-year-old is no exception. With performance incentives and future contract renegotiations, Davis has the potential to increase his earnings significantly as his career progresses. Running backs who prove themselves on the field often see lucrative second contracts, which can push their net worth into higher figures. All About Buffalo Bills Rookie Ray Davis (Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)...

It’s been almost 12 years since the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting took the lives of 26 people (20 of them children) in Newton, Connecticut. While Alex Jones, a well-known right-wing commentator and owner of Infowars, has since taken back his comments about the incident being a hoax , he still owes the families of the victims over $1 billion in personal damages after they took legal action against him for emotional distress and defamation. Despite the controversy surrounding his name , “ Jones and other right-wing commentators once on the fringe have catapulted in popularity as many people have moved away from traditional news sources,” the Associated Press notes. Thanks to those who still support him, the 50-year-old has made millions from his radio and internet shows, plus the sale of nutritional supplements, survival gear, clothing and other merchandise, keeping him afloat in tense times. Two years after filing for bankruptcy, Jones stands to lose the company he’s...

Steve Madden shoes have been confidently carrying women for decades, with an estimated 120 locations in America, plus 250 more across 65 other countries. The man behind the brand was born in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York in 1958. Interestingly, Madden’s interest in footwear began as a teenager when he started working at a local shoe store. After high school, the creative went off to the University of Miami, but wound but back in Long Island after his sophomore year. At the time, Madden felt called to spent more time selling footwear and learning about the female consumer’s preferences to perfect his own designs. People associate Steve Madden with the company itself more than the visionary behind the products, but the fashion icon actually has a very interesting story. Outside of starting a family with his former director of operations (and eventual wife from 2005 to 2015), Wendy Ballew, the East Coast native managed to secure a $700K salary during his 31 months in prison, even...

Being drafted into a professional sports league like the NBA or NFL is far from easy, and while the money certainly makes the hard work worth it, there are risks that come from engaging in such high-level athleticism . From avoiding  overzealous fans to sustaining career-changing injuries on the clock, professional basketball players are all too familiar with the ups and downs that come with life in the fast lane. Since was drafted ninth overall by the Utah Jazz in 2023, Taylor Hendricks has been making his presence felt on the team and keeping himself laser-focused on helping his team achieve success. While his positive reputation and attitude is well known amongst coaches and contemporaries, fans will sadly be seeing a lot less of the Florida native this season after he sustained a gruesome injury during a game on Oct. 28. What Is Taylor Hendricks’ Net Worth? (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) Taylor Hendricks was born on Nov. 22, 2003 in Florida, where he attended Windermere...

In 2003, J effrey B. Straubel, Elon Reeve Musk, Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded Tesla – a company focused on the design, develop ment, manufacturing and sale of fully electric vehicles, energy generation and storage systems. In 2024, the automotive brand reported 140,473 employees and was ranked No. 58 on Forbes ‘ Global 2000 list, plus No. 68 on the outlet’s ranking of America’s Best Employers for Tech Workers. While Musk in particular has faced criticism for his leadership style in the past, Tesla’s net worth hasn’t taken the same hit as his other companies, such as Twitter/X ; recent estimates claim the South African’s stake in the latter is worth nearly 70% less than what he paid for it two years ago. As of Oct. 3, the price of a Tesla share is $243.81 according to Forbes. This is down 2.09%, or $5.21 and is a result of the company’s third-quarter deliveries missing expectations. 462,890 EVs were delivered in the three months before Sept. 30, while Wall Street...

The platform formerly known as Twitter has gone through some major changes since Elon Musk’s 2022 takeover. The billionaire renamed the company “X” and eradicated the blue checkmark system used to verify celebrities and public figures; now, anyone can be verified for just $8/month, causing some serious chaos in the early days as parody accounts posed as actual celebrities. For the most part, those who still use Twitter/X have become accustomed to the new features and moved on from mourning what Musk has taken from them. These days, the father of 11 owns 74% of the company , although Forbes estimates his stake “is now worth nearly 70% less than he paid for it” two years ago. This clearly indicates Musk is making less money, but what does this mean for Twitter’s net worth? New Reports Reveal Twitter’s Net Worth Is Down By Billions (Julian Christ/Unsplash) In October 2022 (after trying to back out of the deal), Musk paid $44B for X, then-known as Twitter. A company named Fidelity...

Today’s young adults had no shortage of dolls to play with in childhood, from Barbie and her fabulous friends to the always stylish Bratz crew. There was Polly Pocket and MyScene too, but it wasn’t until late 2016 that the girls of L.O.L. (Lil Outrageous Littles) Surprise! entered the chat. The miniature dolls come from MGA Entertainment Inc., which founder Isaac Larian has an 82% stake in. Interestingly, the remaining 18% belongs to his family. While they quickly became a hit among young fashionistas , the L.O.L. Surprise! dolls have faced some controversies over the past decade, which have caused a noticeable cut in quality and quantity. Now that rapper T.I. and his vocalist wife, Tiny, have successfully won a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against MGA, it’s unclear what the future holds for L.O.L. What Exactly Are L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls? Photo Credit: Dan Kitwood Not long after the L.O.L. Surprise! line debuted, it became America’s No. 1 toy for most of 2017. The next year, MGA...

At 6’10” tall, Ben Simmons is a force to be reckoned with both on and off the basketball court. He’s been playing in the NBA for almost a decade now, although injury has kept him away from playing more than one season. After the drama surrounding his departure from the Philadelphia 76ers and failure to play more than a few games since being traded to the Brooklyn Nets , basketball lovers are curious about what the Australian will have to offer this season. According to the athlete’s agent, he’ll be a “full participant” at the latter team’s upcoming training camp scheduled for Oct. 1. As The Score notes, Simmons has only made 57 appearances since being acquired by the Nets in exchange for former MVP James Harden. All eyes are on the 28-year-old as he gears up for what could be his first great performance in years. Simmons Looks At Home On America’s Basketball Courts, But He’s A Long Way From His Native Country (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) Ben Simmons was born on July 20,...

In the entertainment industry , some of the biggest players live most of their lives out of the spotlight, securing multi-million dollar deals and planning world tours for today’s creatives. Among them is 56-year-old Kevin Liles – the son of an accountant and railway conductor from Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from Woodlawn High School, the future millionaire was off to study electrical engineering at Morgan State University on a scholarship from NASA . He later dropped out and changed his focus to music, joining a group called Numarx in the 80s before securing an unpaid internship at Def Jam in 1991. Kevin Liles’ net worth was low then, but in just seven years, he was offered the role of record label president, which he held from 1999 to 2004. What Is Kevin Liles’ Net Worth? (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage) While he presided over Def Jam’s artist roster and handled day-to-day business, company revenues doubled to $400M. This was through diversification of the brand, “...