Fun Crawler

Parade on Thanksgiving Day in New York

2011-11-29T00:08:00.000-08:00

More than 3 million Americans are on the streets of New York and more than 50 million TV screens in the audience were the traditional Thanksgiving Day parade held on Thursday 85 th time.
The most striking and massive daytime show organized retail chain Macy's and signifies the beginning of the season of Christmas shopping. Because along with Santa Claus, favorite toys and drummers in a costume parade involving numerous entertainers in costumes in the form of gift packs and pouches.

A man dressed as a turkey at Times Square.

Inflatable figure of Spider-Man.

Children are delighted to watch the parade.

Julius the Monkey character over the festive crowd.

The ensemble of Hawaii All-State Marching Band in festive costumes.

Canadian singer Avril Lavigne.

Kermit the Frog.

Figure skater Johnny Vaira.

Orchestra of Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band from Alabama.

Support Group at Times Square.

People watch from the balcony of an inflatable Santa Claus figure.

Singer Cee Lo Green of the group Gnarls Barkley.

Inflatable figures on Seventh Avenue.

Participants in the parade on Thanksgiving Day.

The parade in full swing.

Tim Burton's character.

Headed by a festive procession, of course, the image of the turkey.

Inflatable figures on Sixteenth Street.

Volunteers from the group of "Santa's Helpers" in Times Square.

Inflatable figure Kung Fu Panda.

Inflatable Pikachu figure above Times Square.

Inflatable figure of Uncle Sam.

Children look at the figure of an inflatable Sponge Bob.

Inflatable figure of Mickey Mouse.

Star jury in the new promo video American Idol

2011-11-24T00:46:00.001-08:00

The eleventh season of American Idol kicks off just 22 next January, but the promo video with stars judges, has already appeared on the network.So different and equally authoritative - a glamorous pop icon Jennifer
Lopez, an old school rocker Steven Tyler, Randy Jackson and elegant "perpetual motion" - leading Ryan Seacrest - still believe that "all deserve a chance" and, if paid psychoanalysts "willing to listen to everyone."Soon, through the efforts of the starry jury the public will forget their old "gods" - Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Scotty McCreery - and would worship the new "American Idol."
And now a judge in a voice repeating:Superstar begins with a dream!
To bring these dreams - a new promo clip show.

The Art of flavors at the Bolshoi Theatre

2011-11-24T00:37:00.001-08:00

Bolshoi Theatre today perhaps the most fashionable secular court. This time it opened its doors for a gala evening perfume brands, among which were Veledeeva Daria, Natalia Turovnikova, Miroslava Duma.
House of Guerlain and the Bolshoi Theatre have been cooperating for many years, so it is not surprising that the presentation of his exhibition perfume brand chose the site of one of the oldest theaters in Russia.Ceremonial gala evening in a renovated and newly opened building began with the premiere of the ballet "Sleeping Beauty". Two actions are set by Yuri Grigorovich, flew by, and, after a stormy applause troupe, guests moved to the Beethoven Hall. There also were tightened and those who missed the show, but he could not deny myself the pleasure to get acquainted with the exhibition.It consisted of perfumery objects from the private collection of family Guerlain: the original bottles, posters, leaflets and much more. Guided tour for invited personally by the president spent a brand Laurent Boileau.

The guests listened with interest to explanations of the guide, do not hesitate to ask questions. Many connoisseurs are interested in vintage posters that are created to mark the world famous artists.Presentation of the exhibition in the old smoothly flowed into friendly secular gatherings to discuss the latest theatrical events. In particular, the dispute erupted again about controversial by critics (and audiences), the opera "Ruslan and Ludmila". Leaving the disputants, with glasses of champagne in hand, "Gossip" prefer to leave quietly.

Biggest Toy Recalls 2011

2011-11-23T03:05:00.001-08:00

Biggest Toy Recalls 2011- List of 2011 Toy recalls of the biggest recalls and toxins in toys were the biggest problems. Although most toys are perfectly fine, some prove dangerous once they reach the hands of children. See some of the biggest toy recalls of 2011.

Woodstock Percussion Gripper Shakers

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 9,400 in the U.S. and 700 in Canada
Recall Date: June 2nd, 2011
gripper shakers Recalled by Woodstock Percussion Due to Laceration and Choking Hazard

Battat magnetic sketchboards

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 95,000 in the United States and 4,300 in Canada
Recall Date:November 2nd, 2011
Battat Magnetic Sketchboards Magnetic Pen Tip Poses Choking Hazards

Battat musical wooden tables

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 14,000
Recall Date:September 29th, 2011
Battat musical wooden tables recalled due to choking hazard

Battat toy keys

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 1,080,000 in the United States and 3,600 in Canada
Recall Date: August 2nd, 2011
Battat toy keys recalled due to choking hazard

Bravo Sports Disney-branded pogo sticks

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 159,000
Recall Date:July 29th, 2011
Bravo Sports Recalls Disney-Branded Pogo Sticks Due to Fall and Laceration Hazards

Edushape Mini Stars building sets

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 18,000
Recall Date: July 7th, 2011
Edushape Mini Stars Building Sets Recalled Due to Choking Hazard

EKSuccess Brands American Girl craft jewelry

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 75,000
Recall Date: June 7th, 2011
EKSuccess Brands Recalls American Girl Crafts Jewelry Kit Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Excite USA toy helicopters

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 24,000
Recall Date: June 10th, 2011
Excite USA Recalls Toy Helicopters Due to Laceration Hazard

Family Dollar Stores remote-controlled toy tanks

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 67,000
Recall Date: January 25th, 2011
Family Dollar Stores Recalls Remote Controlled Toy Tanks Due to Burn Hazard

Fisher-Price load 'n go wagons

Category: Toys
Country: Mexico
Units Affected: About 208,000 in the United States and 2,800 in Canada
Recall Date: July 28th, 2011
Fisher-Price Recalls Load 'n Go Wagons due to Laceration Hazard

Horizon Hobby model helicopters

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 16,600 in the U.S.; 1,300 in Canada
Recall Date: May 31st, 2011
Model Helicopters Recalled by Horizon Hobby Due to Impact and Laceration Hazards

Infantino activity truck toys

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 40,500 in the United States and 1,900 in Canada
Recall Date: April 4th, 2011
Infantino Recalls Toy Activity Trucks Due to Choking Hazard

Little Tikes workshop and tool sets

Category: Toys
Country: United States
Units Affected: More than 1.7 million additional units
Recall Date: September 28th, 2011
Little Tikes Recall of Toy Workshop and Tool Sets Due to Choking Hazard

Pottery Barn Kids soft dolls

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 81,000 in the United States and 1,300 in Canada
Recall Date: September 8, 2011
Pottery barn kids recall soft dolls Due To Strangulation Hazard

Radio Flyer Scoot 'n Zoom riding toy

Category: Toys
Country: United States
Units Affected: About 165,000
Recall Date: August 16th, 2011
Riding Toy Recalled by Radio Flyer Due to Fall Hazard

Rhino Toys OBall Links & Mini Rattle

Date recalled: March 3, 2011
Units recalled: about 28,000
Rattles Recalled by Rhino Toys Due to Choking Hazard

Sassy refreshing rings

Date recalled: Jan. 31, 2011
Units recalled: about 37,000
Sassy Inc. Recalls Refreshing Rings Infant Teethers/Rattles Due to an Ingestion Hazard

Target frog masks

Date recalled: Oct. 21, 2011
Units recalled: about 3,400
Target Recall Children's Frog Masks Due to Suffocation Hazard

G.A. Gertmenian and Sons "Toy Story 3" bowling game

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 600
Recall Date: May 5th, 2011
G.A. Gertmenian and Sons Recalls Toy Story 3 Bowling Game Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

UJ Trading Knight Hawk Toy Helicopters

Category: Toys
Country: China
Units Affected: About 18,500
Recall Date: May 11th, 2011
UJ Trading Recalls Knight Hawk Toy Helicopters Due to Fire Hazard

Calisson Cool-It Soother teething rings

Date recalled: Jan. 12, 2011
Units recalled: about 7,000
Teething Rings Recalled by Calisson Due to Ingestion Hazard

AOSOM wooden playpens

Date recalled: March 3, 2011
Units recalled: 5,000
AOSOM Recalls Wooden Playpens Due to Choking and Laceration Hazards

5 Birds That Will Blow Your Mind

2011-11-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

5 Birds That Will Blow Your Mind- Behold the Turducken; a chicken, stuffed in a duck, stuffed in a turkey. But while impressive, it's old news. There are birds out there that go way beyond the once-innovative turducken.
1. The Ten-Bird Roast
This behemoth Ten-Bird Roast comes from UK celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, which he prepared on his program for his medieval Christmas special. He makes it all sound so very easy: "You need a whole free-range turkey (10-12kg is about the right size) and a whole goose (6-7kg). And then a selection of eight to 10 smaller birds, all plucked and drawn (i.e., oven ready). You don't need all the smaller birds to be different - you could use, say, three pheasants and five pigeons. So choose from the following: farmed duck, mallard, guinea fowl, chicken, pheasant, partridge, pigeon, woodcock. Please do not use very high or well-hung game birds, as they will contaminate the subtle flavours of the other birds." As if we, in the States, have these birds at our local supermarket. But if you do dare to try his undertaking, then be sure to watch his video which details the entire process from feather to plate.

2. Bacon Today's Turbaconducken: Turducken Wrapped in Bacon

A chicken stuffed in duck stuffed in a 15 lb. turkey, all nicely packaged in pork bacon. But the bacon isn't just on the outside. The chicken pieces were wrapped in fatty strips, then the duck was also bundled in bacon, and then the turkey was lovingly covered in more bacon, resulting in a total of five pounds of the porcine product.

3. The Goochiphetridge

This gorgeous stuffed bird comes to us from Londonfood. Their version; a goose stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a pheasant stuffed with a partridge.
4. The Quaducant: Quail, Duck, Pheasant

The Quaducant can be purchased via the online store, Cajun Grocer. At six pounds, it's more compact than it's turducken sibling. It starts with tender breast meat of quail, which is stuffed with breast meat from duck, and then both are crammed into a deboned pheasant. In the middle: Creole sausage. A quadruple threat.

5. The True Love Roast

Again we turn to England for a over-stuffed stuffed turkey. This True Love Roast from chef Phillip Corrick and creator Devon farmer Anne Petch can feed up to 125 people, took eight hours to prepare, is over 50,000 calories, and was stuffed with...are you sitting down...ready? Goose, Barbary duck, Guinea fowl, Mallard, Poussin, Quail, Partridge, Pigeon squab, Pheasant, Chicken, and finally, an Aylesbury duck. For more details check out the Daily Mail's paint-by-number guide to making this ridiculous roast.

Weird World Wonders

2011-11-19T06:13:00.001-08:00

Weird World Wonders: Mono Lake, California

Weird World Wonders: Pamukkale, Turkey

Weird World Wonders: Devils Tower, Wyoming

Weird World Wonders: The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Weird World Wonders: White Desert, Egypt

Weird World Wonders: Split Apple Rock, New Zealand

Weird World Wonders: Racetrack Playa, California

Weird World Wonders: Socotra, Yemen

Weird World Wonders: The Chocolate Hills, Philippines

Weird World Wonders: Great Blue Hole, Belize

Weird World Wonders: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

Weird World Wonders: Mud Volcanoes, Azerbaijan

Weird World Wonders: Shilin, China

Weird World Wonders: Baobab Trees, Madagascar

Weird World Wonders: Cappadocia, Turkey

Weird World Wonders: Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand

Weird World Wonders: Hvitserkur, Iceland

Masterpiece Entertainments

2011-11-19T06:06:00.001-08:00

Masterpiece Entertainments. Such expensive entertainments were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, and x-are masterpieces of ingenuity and skill.

Amazing Food Arts

2011-11-19T06:05:00.001-08:00

Interesting collection of food art.

Interesting Art Gallery

2011-11-19T06:03:00.001-08:00

Interesting Art Gallery: The house Dolgorukov that Prechistenka, there is a gallery Tsereteli. On the ground floor of the gallery, in a covered patio, a huge bronze apple grows.

Famous Comic Strip Artists

2011-11-19T05:59:00.001-08:00

Famous comic strip artists- Out more about the artists behind the newspaper comic strips, past and present.comic strip classics stamps.

"B.C." Johnny Hart introduced his award-winning cast of smart-aleck cavemen in 1958 and cranked out the strip until his final day in 2007. Mason Mastroianni + Johnny Hart's grandson + B.C. Johnny Hart + comic artist, B.C. Best Newspaper Comic Strip National Cartoonist Society 1989, Johnny Hart + died at drawing board,

"Blondie" comic Chic Young drew beautiful Blondie and her bumbling Dagwood from 1930 until his death in 1973. Chic Young's son Dean + John Marshall + Blondie,

"Bloom County" Berkeley Breathed's spastic Bill the Cat and pensive Opus the Penguin ran in papers from 1980 to 1989. Berkeley Breathed + Flawed Dogs book + Dreamworks motion picture,

"Boondocks" comic Aaron McGruder's incendiary comic about square-peg suburbanites Huey and Riley had collegiate roots and ran in major papers from 1999 to 2006. Aaron McGruder + screenwriter + Red Tails + George Lucas,

"Calvin & Hobbes" Bill Watterson led these partners in crime through one backyard escapade after another from 1985 to his last original strip in December 1995. Bill Watterson + reclusive lifestyle

"Cathy" Working women across the country related to Cathy Guisewite's strip throughout its 34-year run, which ended in October 2010. "An Evening With Cathy Guisewite" + October 7 + Midland Center for the Arts,

"Dick Tracy" comic Chester Gould had his fedora-clad gumshoe solve cartoonish crimes until his retirement in 1977 (he watched his legacy continue until his 1985 passing). Mike Curtis + Joe Staton + Dick Tracy comic, dick tracy's 80th birthday oct 4, 2011,

"The Far Side" Gary Larson explored nature's funny side until his retirement ended the single-panel strips in 1995. Gary Larson + The Simpsons,

"For Better or For Worse" The chronicles of a growing Canadian family were Lynn Johnston's bread and butter from 1979 until her retirement in July 2010. In the Beginning There Was Chaos + by author Lynn Johnston,

"Mark Trail" comic Ed Dodd created these wilderness adventures in 1946 and wrote them until retiring in 1980. Jack Elrod + Mark Trail cartoonist, Ed Dodd Mark Trail cartoonist congestive heart failure 1991

"Peanuts" comic Charles "Sparky" Schulz gained international fame with his troop of precocious kids and iconic beagle, who debuted in 1950 and ran for 50 years. Peanuts Gang + Got Milk? campaign, Schulz died day before last original Peanuts strip

Fun facts about 'Harry Potter' co-stars

2011-07-06T05:22:00.000-07:00

The Supporting Stars of 'Harry Potter'

Over the summer, billboards have started dotting the countryside reading, in dramatic lettering, "It All Ends!" They are not predicting a coming apocalypse but describing the end of an era. On July 15, the final "Harry Potter" movie will hit the silver screen. Much has been made of the young cast who grew up during production of the franchise's eight movies, but less attention has been paid to the staggeringly talented grown-up cast that has been assembled for the series. Click ahead and read about some of "Harry Potter's" supporting stars.

Actress: Helena Bonham Carter
"Harry Potter" Role: Bellatrix Lestrange
Before she was known for playing the most wicked member of the Death Eaters, Helena Bonham Carter was known as a "corset queen," starring in one English period drama after another, from "A Room With a View" to "Where Angels Fear to Tread," to " The Wings of the Dove." For that last movie, Bonham Carter garnered her first Oscar nomination. She received her second one for "The King's Speech." Less commonly known is that Bonham Carter also played Don Johnson's love interest during the '86-'87 season of "Miami Vice."

Actor: Alan Rickman
"Harry Potter" Role: Severus Snape
Rickman might not have earned any Oscar nominations (more proof that there's no justice in this world) but he has received two Tony nominations for his brilliant performances for "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" in 1987 and in Noel Coward's "Private Lives" in 2002. He also played one of the most awesomely evil villains in cinema: Hans Gruber, the German terrorist from "Die Hard."

Actor: Ralph Fiennes
"Harry Potter" Role: Lord Voldemort
Before he played He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, Ralph Fiennes first garnered critical attention, and his first Oscar nomination, as another memorable movie villain -- Amon Goth from "Schindler's List." Fiennes put on 28 pounds for the role of the Nazi officer by drinking Guinness beer.

Actor: David Thewlis
"Harry Potter" Role: Remus Lupin
David Thewlis was a relative unknown until he starred in Mike Leigh's bleak drama "Naked," which won him an acting prize at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. He went on to star opposite Brad Pitt in "Seven Years in Tibet," which got him banned from entering China. You can see him this year in Steven Spielberg's "War Horse."

Actor: Richard Harris
"Harry Potter" Role: Albus Dumbledore
Richard Harris died shortly before the release of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." Prior to that, he earned two Oscar nominations for "" (1963) and "The Field" (1991), as well as a Golden Globe for "Camelot" (1968). He even managed to get a top ten hit on the U.S. charts in 1968 with his rendition of "MacArthur Park."

Actor: Michael Gambon
"Harry Potter" Role: Albus Dumbledore
Prior to taking over for Richard Harris as Harry Potter's bearded mentor, Michael Gambon had a brilliant career on the stage, winning just about every British acting award under the sun. He was in the running to replace George Lazenby as James Bond but ultimately lost out to the more famous Roger Moore. He also starred in the landmark British miniseries "The Singing Detective." If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor. It's really quite good.

Actor: Maggie Smith
"Harry Potter" Role: Minerva McGonagall
Dame Maggie Smith must have a very impressive trophy rack. She's earned two Golden Globes, an Emmy, a Tony, and a pair of Oscars for "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969) and for "California Suite."

Actor: Gary Oldman
"Harry Potter" Role: Sirius Black
Gary Oldman first hit the big time with his riveting performance as ill-fated Sex Pistol Sid Vicious in "Sid and Nancy." Oldman lost so much weight for the part that he was briefly hospitalized. Yet all that effort paid off. Sex Pistol's front-man John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) -- who's not the easiest man in the world to please -- praised his performance.

Actor: Emma Thompson
"Harry Potter" Role: Sybill Trelawney
Though she might play Hogwart's teacher who could be uncharitably described as a dotty incompetent, Emma Thompson is anything but. She was signed to an agent in her second year at Cambridge. To date, she's the only person ever to win an Oscar for acting in one movie ("Howard's End," 1992) and for writing another ("Sense and Sensibility," 1995). And in 1994, she became one of only a handful of people to win two Academy Award nominations, one as Best Actress for "The Remains of the Day" and one for Best Supporting Actress for "In the Name of the Father."

Actor: Kenneth Branagh
"Harry Potter" Role: Gilderoy Lockhart
Branagh directed and starred in a series of Shakespeare adaptations for the big screen, from "Henry V" to "Hamlet," earning him scads of acclaim and awards. He's one of only nine people ever to get Oscar nominations in acting, writing, and directing. He is also noted for dating two other people on this list: Emma Thompson, whom he was married to from 1989 to 1995, and Helena Bonham Carter from 1994 to 1999. Most recently, he directed this summer's superhero spectacular "Thor."

The car explosion in Thailand

2011-07-05T03:04:00.000-07:00

In Thailand, police received a signal about an abandoned car in the city center, in which a bomb. The area immediately cordoned off and started to work engineer. However, as soon as he approached the car to defuse it, there was an explosion. The man was thrown to the ground. Thanks to the protective suit he practically did not suffer.

National Chocolate Eclair Day June 22

2011-06-22T06:04:00.000-07:00

National Chocolate Eclair Day June 22

Stupid Guy Thing Day
Please don't blame the messenger. The folks at Wellcat, a rich source of off-beat holidays has declared June 22 as Stupid Guy Thing Day.
"Women are always talking about [it], so here's a day to commemorate it," according to Wellcat. Apparently aren't aware of a guy's ability to celebrate his own stupid moves.
These stupid guy things are even celebrated in pop culture. It may have started with Bill and Ted or Wayne and Garth, with the bar being lowered even further by "Jackass" (the TV show and movies) and even "Destroy Build Destroy."
The Wellcat folks encourage women to make a list of "stupid guy things" and pass it on. Just don't post the list on Facebook where you could offend your boyfriend, husband, father, brother or male boss.
V-Mail Delivery Anniversary
You've got v-mail! Not voice mail, not virtual mail, but victory mail. On June 22, 1942, the first v-mail was sent from New York. Letters were written on special paper and then censored and reproduced onto microfilm, for overseas delivery.
"V-mail microfilm are made on a continuous enlarger at the Pentagon building, Washington, D.C. V-mail is available to and from the armed forces stationed outside the United States. It is only 1/65th the weight of ordinary mail and saves ninety-eight percent of the cargo space required for ordinary letters. 1,600 letters can be placed on a roll of film little larger than a pack of cigarettes," according to the Library of Congress.
National Chocolate Eclair Day
The eclair is a decadent pastry like no other. Cream puffs have a similar pastry, but a lighter filling. The eclair is a choux pastry, which creates a hollow center when baked. The interior is filled with a vanilla pudding-like substance and a thick layer of chocolate coats the top of the top.
Like the cupcake, the mini eclair has been making the rounds as a popular finger food dessert. Good luck finding one on a plate at a party if you passed them by the first time. If you're feeling ambitious, tempt your taste buds with these non-traditional homemade chocolate eclairs.
Source : Yahoo

Cameron Diaz Popcorn

2011-06-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

With Cameron Diaz on his show to promote "Bad Teacher" on Monday night, Dave took the opportunity to ask about the much talked about moment when cameras caught the movie star feeding Alex Rodriguez a handful of popcorn during last February's Super Bowl. A playful Diaz, who earlier said it was OK to call the New York Yankees star her boyfriend ("I do," she said), obliged Letterman with an "exclusive" telling of the moment and then took part in a funny bit when the comedian pulled out an oversized tub of popcorn and handed it over with implied instructions. Great stuff.

"We were watching the game and I was eating and I was getting down to the last couple of pieces of popcorn and all of a sudden I see a hand coming in… and I'm like… [at this point she pantomimes pulling away a tub of popcorn]. Anybody who knows me doesn't put their hand in my food, especially when it's close to my mouth. And I said, 'What are you? It's mine.' And then I went, 'I love you too much, I'm going to give it to you, you deserve it." And it was the only piece of popcorn that I even put near his face and they happened to have the camera on right when I did it.

"Ten minutes later, we're blowing up on our Blackberries ... We started laughing so hard, 'We're like, are you kidding me?' But let me tell you something. We had more fun with that."

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan pregnant

2011-06-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

(AFP) – Former Miss World turned actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is pregnant, her father-in-law and veteran Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has revealed.

"NEWS NEWS NEWS !! I AM GOING TO BECOME A GRANDFATHER .. AISHWARYA EXPECTING .. SO HAPPY AND THRILLED !!!," Bachchan wrote on his Twitter page late Tuesday.
Aishwarya Rai, 37, married Bachchan's actor son Abhishek, 35, in April 2007. The child will be their first and comes after weeks of speculation in Indian gossip columns about the actress' fluctuating weight.
Bachchan senior later said on the micro-blogging site that he was "overwhelmed" with the response to the news from followers and had received 2,843 tweets of congratulation in just half an hour.
Writing on his blog bigb.bigadda.com, he said: "There is joy and happiness around us."
There was no immediate indication when the baby was due.
The Bachchans -- Amitabh, his actress wife Jaya, Aishwarya and Abhishek -- are Bollywood's "first family" and have a fanatical following in India and around the world. His daughter, Shweta Nanda, has two children.
The family patriarch said he was particularly pleased with the news because "now cometh the progeny of my son that shall bear the surname Bachchan - the first in this generation...".
The family boycotted the annual Filmfare magazine awards in 2010 after a tabloid newspaper in Mumbai wrote that Rai could not have children, prompting a legal notice to be sent demanding a retraction and an apology.
Rai, who took the Miss World crown in 1994, made her debut in Hindi-language Bollywood in the late 1990s and has gone on to star in more than 40 Indian films.
Most recently she was in the blockbuster South Indian film "Endhiran" (Robot) alongside Tamil-language superstar Rajinikanth, which broke box office records in India.
She appeared as a jewel thief in Steve Martin's "The Pink Panther 2". Her other English-language films include "Bend It Like Beckham" director Gurinder Chadha's "Bride and Prejudice" in 2004 and "The Last Legion" in 2007.
She was recently seen at the Cannes film festival promoting her upcoming film "Heroine", which was due to begin shooting this year.
The chief executive of UTV Motion Pictures, Ronnie Screwvala, said at the time that Rai had star power.
"She is the brand ambassador for India and for Indian cinema when it comes to the French Riviera."
Rai also has a number of lucrative modelling contracts, including for French cosmetics firm L'Oreal.
Source : Yahoo

Jon huntsman

2011-06-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

Former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman will formally announce his bid for the presidency next week at Liberty State Park in New Jersey, with the Statue of Liberty as the backdrop, a Republican source told CNN on Tuesday.

Huntsman was Utah's governor from 2005-2009 before President Barack Obama -- the man Huntsman will be vying to unseat -- appointed him to the top diplomatic post in Beijing. That service, as well as his break with GOP orthodoxy on issues like climate change and civil unions are likely to be fodder for his rivals in the Republican primaries.
He has scrambled to assemble a campaign since returning to the United States at the end of April, making appearances in the early primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina in May. He has reportedly decided he would skip the Iowa caucuses, the first GOP presidential contest, because of his opposition to ethanol and farm subsidies -- two issues dear to Hawkeye State voters.
Source: CNN

Celebrities Charity Work

2011-06-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Celebrities Charity Work

Celebrities That Do Charity Work. While there are many celebrities that contribute to various charitable organizations and foundations, there are 10celebrities that do charity work on a whole different level—celebrities that give their time and money in hopes of creating a better, safer, healthier world for all.

Angelina Jolie. Angelina Jolie has made a name for herself on the big screen, but some of her best work occurs off-screen, where she lends support to charities, foundations and causes around the world. Jolie is the Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR. She also offers her help to UNICEF, the ONE Campaign, Doctors Without Borders, Kids in Need of Defense and the Afghanistan Relief Organization. In addition, Jolie co-founded the Jolie-Pitt foundation with longtime boyfriend, Brad Pitt.
Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt, much like his famous other half, Angelina Jolie, is involved in many different charities. His charity work includes Global Action for Children, Global Green, Human Rights Watch, Live 8, the ONE Campaign and the aforementioned Jolie-Pitt Foundation
Bono. Not only is Bono the lead singer of the world-famous Irish band U2, he’s also very involved with charity work, most of which centers around fighting poverty and hunger. Bono’s charitable supports include the ONE Campaign, Amnesty International, (RED) and UNICEF
Oprah Winfrey. Talkshow host Oprah Winfrey founded Oprah’s Angel Network to promote helping others, but her most notable work to date has to be the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, which aims to help low-income girls receive an education.
George Clooney. Clooney, who’s known as one of the world’s most eligible bachelors, is more than that. Clooney is known for his charity work, which includes the founding of Not On Our Watch, which he co-founded with fellow celebrities Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon and Jerry Weintraub, to aid in the battle against genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
Matt Damon. Damon is another one of the celebrities who do charity work. Not only was he was one of the minds behind the founding of Not On Our Watch, but over the years, Damon’s also been involved with other charities, as well, including Celebs for Kids, DATA, the ONE Campaign, the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of America and the Yéle Haiti Foundation. Damon also founded the Running the Sahara expedition charity called H20 Africa.
Ben Affleck. In addition to co-founding Not On Our Watch, Affleck also co-founded the “Small Change Campaign” with television talkshow host and "American Idol" judge Ellen DeGeneres. In addition, Affleck has also contributed his time to Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Jimmy Fund and UNHCR’s Gimme Shelter Campaign. Affleck also offered his help to the political arena, encouraging his fellow Americans to vote.
Ellen DeGeneres. DeGeneres is not only a talkshow host and judge on "American Idol," but she’s also actively involved in many charities, events and foundations, including the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, the “Small Change Campaign,” the charitable event Idol Gives Back, and the ONE Campaign. In addition, DeGeneres also supports charities and causes that support animals, including The Humane Society, the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign and the Society for Animal Protective Services.
Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett Johansson is one of Hollywood’s most famous and talented young actresses, but there’s more to this beauty than just good looks. She also contributes her time to many different charities and causes. Her name is attached to such charities, as (RED), Oxfam, USA Harvest, Make Poverty History, Not On Our Watch and World AIDS Day.
Justin Timberlake. Justin Timberlake began performing at a very young age. His love for music led him to lend his time to several different music-related charities and foundations, including MusiCares, the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and Music For Relief. In addition, Timberlake also founded The Justin Timberlake Foundation to promote musical education. Timberlake also supports Oxfam, Childwatch and Habitat for Humanity.

Source: mademan

Highest Paid Musicians

2011-06-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Highest Paid Musicians

Forbes’ Top 10 Highest Paid Musicians According to the list, U2 made more money than other musicians, netted $130 million from their massive world tour and other deals, much bigger than my weekly earning from this blog. The group made $10 million in ticket sales on each tour stop, merchandise revenue. Australian heavy metal group AC/DC is on the second place with $114 million, while Beyonce Knowles came in third with $87 million, the highest-paid female musician. Her earnings mostly came from endorsement with companies, such as Nintendo and L’Oreal and from her growing fashion line. She’s three spots above her husband, Jay-Z.

The complete list is below:

1. U2, $130 million
2. AC/DC, $114 million
3. Beyonce Knowles, $87 million
4. Bruce Springsteen, $70 million
5. Britney Spears, $64 million
6. Jay-Z, $63 million
7. Lady Gaga, $62 million
8. Madonna, $58 million
9. Kenny Chesney, $50 million
10. Black Eyed Peas / Cold Play / Toby Keith, $48 million

Do you have another name to be added into the list? Are you an artist yourself? If the list is to be infinite, on what number you will find yourself on the list? Let me know on the comments section.

Famous Unsolved Cases

2011-06-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

Famous Unsolved Cases- A few of the famous unsolved cold cases are still open, despite using new technology to catch the criminals. Throughout history there have been a few that go unsolved. Some of them are more than 100 years old and we’ll never know the truth on what happened.In 1982, seven people died in the Chicago area after taking Extra Strength Tylenol capsules. It is still one of the famous cases of the 20th century. The capsules were tampered with and laced with potassium cyanide.

The bottles, which were tampered with, came from many different factories, so blaming the contamination to one company was unsuccessful. Despite the new developments, the FBI told reporters that “no arrests have been made and no criminal charges filed,” this was after the case was reopened in January 2009.

Another case that continues to puzzle FBI agents is D.B. Cooper. He was a middle aged man who boarded Flight 305 from Portland to Seattle on Nov. 24, 1971. Shortly after takeoff, the man told the flight crew that he had a briefcase filled with dynamite. He demanded $200,000 and two parachutes or he would blow up the plane.

The plane landed in Seattle, he was given $200,000 and the air carrier took off again. Later, the same plane landed in Reno, Nevada, but Cooper was gone with the money and the exit door ajar. A boy found $5,800 along the banks of the Columbia River, which was a link to the famous case. However, it is still cold and detectives remain baffled.

Famous murder trials

2011-06-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

Famous murder trials

In the high-profile murder trial of young Florida mother Casey Anthony who is charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, prosecutors brought in forensics experts to testify. As Anthony awaits a verdict, we take a look at some of the most infamous murder trials in history.

Lincoln assassination trial

Who was on trial: A vehement critic of the Lincoln administration, John Wilkes Booth, and a group of co-conspirators.

The verdict: The seven-week trial, by a military tribunal, ended in death sentences for Mary Surratt, David Herold, Lewis Powell and George Atzerodt. Samuel Arnold, Samuel Mudd and Michael O'Laughlen were sentenced to life in prison, while Edmund Spangler was imprisoned for six years.

Richard Hauptmann trial

Who was on trial: German ex-convict Bruno Richard Hauptmann.

The verdict: Hauptmann was sentenced to death in 1936 for the murder and kidnapping of the son of famous aviators Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

O.J. Simpson murder trial

Who was on trial: Retired football player O.J. Simpson.

The verdict: After nine months of what was called "the trial of the century," Simpson was acquitted in 1995 on charges that he murdered his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. In a later civil trial, he was found guilty and ordered to pay the victims' families several million dollars in compensation.

Leopold & Loeb murder trial

Who was on trial: Two wealthy University of Chicago students, Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. and Richard Albert Loeb, better known as "Leopold and Loeb".

The verdict: Said to be motivated to commit the perfect crime, the young men murdered 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks. Defense attorney Clarence Darrow's legal maneuvers spared them the death penalty, and the pair was sentenced to life in prison. Loeb was murdered in prison, and Leopold was released on parole after 33 years.

Lindy Chamberlain murder trial

Who was on trial: New Zealand-born mother Alice Lindy Chamberlain.

The verdict: Chamberlain was convicted of murdering her baby daughter while on a family vacation in Australia and sentenced to life in prison. She spent four years behind bars before police found new evidence that a dingo had probably killed the infant. She was released in 1986.

Ted Bundy murder trial

Who was on trial: Notorious '70s serial killer Ted Bundy had two murder trials: one for the killing of sorority sisters, the second for the murder of Kimberly Leach.

The verdict: Bundy was convicted of kidnapping and murdering numerous women and sentenced to death in 1979. While on death row, he admitted to killing more than 30 women in several Northwestern states. He was electrocuted in 1989.

Claus von Bülow murder trial

Who was on trial: British socialite Claus von Bülow.

The verdict: In the '80s, Bülow was convicted of attempting to kill his wife and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He appealed the verdict and won. Bülow now lives in London.

Dan White murder trial

Who was on trial: Former San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.

The verdict: Using a controversial strategy now known as the "Twinkie defense," White's lawyers got his conviction charge reduced from murder to manslaughter in the killing of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. White committed suicide in 1985 after his release from prison.

Dr. Sam Sheppard murder trial

Who was on trial: Osteopathic doctor and neurosurgeon Dr. Sam Sheppard.

The verdict: Sheppard was convicted in 1954 of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his pregnant wife. He was acquitted in a retrial after serving 10 years in jail. The real killer was never found.

Leonard Peltier murder trial

Who was on trial: Native American activist Leonard Peltier.

The verdict: In 1977 Peltier was sentenced to two life terms in prison for the murder of two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He continues to appeal his case. His last parole request, in 2009, was denied.

Megan Fox Fired From Transformers 3

2011-06-21T03:01:00.000-07:00

Megan Fox Fired From Transformers- Despite the harsh remarks Megan Fox made against "Transformers" director Michael Bay, including referring to him as "Hitler," Bay reveals in a new interview that it wasn't him that suggested she get the ax.

"She was in a different world, on her BlackBerry," Bay said of Fox in an interview with GQ magazine. "You gotta stay focused. And you know, the Hitler thing. Steven [Spielberg] said, 'Fire her right now.'"

Legendary director Steven Spielberg severed as an executive producer on both "Transformers" and its 2009 sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." He's also an executive producer on the upcoming third film, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."

The "Hitler thing" that Bay is talking about is a 2009 remark Fox made to Wonderland magazine. She said Bay was like Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on his sets and that he is a "nightmare to work for," adding she still enjoyed his personality "because he's so awkward," according to the Los Angeles Times.

Days after her interview was published, self-proclaimed "Transformers" crew members and writers posted messages on Bay's website, slamming Fox for her comments and calling her "ungracious." The posts were later removed.

Bay responded on his website on Sept. 12, 2009, saying: "I don't condone the crew letter to Megan. And I don't condone Megan's outlandish quotes. But her crazy quips are part of her crazy charm. The fact of the matter I still love working with her, and I know we still get along. I even expect more crazy quotes from her on "Transformers 3.'"

GQ reports that Megan Fox declined to comment to the magazine about the situation for the article. In May 2010, Fox said it was her decision not return for the third movie.

Best road Trip Movies

2011-06-21T02:50:00.000-07:00

Best road trip movies

Best road trip movies. There's nothing like the thrill of the open road. If you're planning a summer road trip getaway, get inspired by these flicks and then plan your own adventure.

Rain Man
Release date: Dec. 16, 1988

Cast: Tom Cruise; Dustin Hoffman

Easy Rider
Release date: July 14, 1969

Cast: Peter Fonda; Dennis Hopper; Jack Nicholson

The Blues Brothers
Release date: June 20, 1980

Cast: Dan Aykroyd; John Belushi

Thelma and Louise
Release date: May 24, 1991

Cast: Susan Sarandon; Geena Davis; Brad Pitt

Wild Hogs
Release date: March 2, 2007

Cast: Tim Allen; John Travolta; Martin Lawrence

Smokey and the Bandit
Release date: May 27, 1977

Cast: Burt Reynolds; Sally Field

Tommy Boy
Release date: March 31, 1995

Cast: David Spade; Chris Farley

Sideways
Release date: Oct. 22, 2004

Cast: Paul Giamatti; Thomas Hayden Church; Sandra Oh; Virginia Madsen

Dumb and Dumber
Release date: Dec. 16, 1994

Cast: Jim Carrey; Jeff Daniels

National Lampoon's Vacation
Release date: July 29, 1983

Cast: Chevy Chase; Beverly D'Angelo; Randy Quaid; Christie Brinkley

The Bucket List
Release date: Jan. 11, 2008

Cast: Jack Nicholson; Morgan Freeman; Sean Hayes

Little Miss Sunshine
Release date: Aug. 18, 2006

Cast: Greg Kinnear; Toni Collette; Abigail Breslin; Alan Arkin

The Muppet Movie
Release date: June 22, 1979

Cast: Kermit the Frog; Miss Piggy; Swedish Chef

Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Release date: Nov. 25, 1987

Cast: Steve Martin; John Candy

The Motorcycle Diaries
Release date: Jan. 15, 2004

Cast: Gael García Bernal; Rodrigo de la Serna

Are Self-Tanners Safe

2011-06-21T02:48:00.000-07:00

Are Self-Tanners Safe

Are Self-Tanners Safe. Self tanners have made their mark on the cosmetic industry. Are they a safe alternative to sun exposure? Before modern cosmetic technology introduced the ubiquitous self-tanner you had to spend hours lying in the sun to look good in that strapless yellow dress. Not to mention the damage you inflicted upon your skin in terms of aging and skin cancer risk. All of that changed when the new and improved self-tanner hit the shelves. No more QT orange tone! These tanners actually gave a realistic looking tan. But, have you ever stopped to wonder about the safety of applying self tanner products to your skin? Are self-tanners safe?

What is it that causes self-tanners products to give skin that bronze glow? The active ingredient in self-tanning products is a natural chemical, dihydroxyacetone, also known as DHA. This ingredient is derived from raw sugar cane and has been deemed to be relatively harmless, although there have been some reported allergic reactions. In some cases, dihydroxyacetone is combined with erythrulose, a carbohydrate that turns the skin a pleasing tan color. These simple ingredients work their magic by interacting with cells in the outer layer of the epidermis, known as the stratum corneum. When this interaction takes place, a color change occurs, resulting in the impressive tan color you see when you look in the mirror.
Because DHA and erythrulose only act on the outer layers of the skin, absorption into the body doesn’t occur to any significant degree which limits its toxicity. There is, however, the potential for a local allergic reaction. These are not common, but when they occur they manifest as red, itchy skin and irritation.

There is one area of concern when it comes to the issue of whether or not self-tanners are safe. A study showed that immediately after applying self-tanners, the skin is more susceptible to damage from the sun for the first twenty-four hours after application. For this reason, sun exposure should be avoided for a day after applying self-tanner products. Keep in mind that most self-tanner products contain no sunscreen so you have no ultraviolet light protection.

Although self-tanners appear to be safe in terms of their primary ingredients, read the bottle carefully before purchasing since many contain parabens and dyes which may be unhealthy. There are now organic self-tanners available which can be ordered from the internet. These may be difficult to find locally, although some health food stores and natural food markets carry them. Organic self-tanning products use soy extracts and essential oils in addition to DHA to turn the skin a golden brown.

Self-tanning products, if carefully selected to avoid added dyes, parabens, and other questionable chemicals, appear to be safe. When you consider the alternative of sun exposure, you can even argue that they provide the benefit of helping you reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature aging. Self-tanning products are a safer way to get the warm glow of summer without lying in the sun.

Source:healthmad

Summer Songs

2011-06-21T02:46:00.000-07:00

Summer songs

Summer songs. Whether you're planning a summer barbecue, camping trip, a night out on the town, or just need to kick back and relax in the warm weather, here's a list of hot and cool summer songs for any occasion.

All Summer Long
Rocker Kid Rock sings about his summers growing up on the lakeshores of his home state. Good for a backyard barbecue or a trip to the swimming hole.

Rolling in the Deep
The latest single from breakout soul singer Adele has been burning up the charts since its release and is poised to be summer's big hit.

I'm Yours
Jason Mraz's reggae-sounding single was on everyone's lips during the summer of 2008. Its laid-back sound makes it a good addition for a trip to the beach

The Edge of Glory
The pop singer has been churning out hit after hit since her debut album, and with her newest summer single, it seems she's not slowing down

All I Wanna Do
The song appeared on Sheryl Crow's first album and sets the summer mood for just wanting to have fun

Hot Child in the City
Seventies rocker Nick Gilder released this platinum hit single in 1978 on his second album. It's a nice summer tune for rolling down the car windows.

Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison's most recognizable song, about the remembrance of young love and playing outdoors, is perfect for a summer romance

Good Vibrations
One of America's first surf bands, the Beach Boys set the summer soundtrack with this hit and others

Amber
This 2001 hit, by rock band 311, uses reggae sounds to make a perfect beach song. The song was featured in this 2004 film and is rumored to be about lead singer Nick Hexum's ex-fiancée

Could You Be Loved
Arguably the most popular figure in reggae music, Bob Marley was a figure in the late '60s and '70s with his groovy island tunes

Summer of 69
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams released this nostalgic summer tune in 1985, and we've been rocking out to it every summer since

Dog Days Are Over
Fight the dog days of summer with this up-tempo tune off Florence and the Machine's first album, "Lungs". Lead singer Florence Welch was recently named the face of this fashion house.

Power
Outspoken rapper Kanye West released this single just before summer in May 2010 off his fifth album and was nominated for a Grammy

cars 2 cast

2011-06-21T02:43:00.000-07:00

cars 2 cast

cars 2 cast. An international cast of new and familiar voices will be heard heading round the world when "Cars 2" hits movie theaters this week.

Owen Wilson
Character: Lightning McQueen

Bonnie Hunt
Character: Sally Carrera

Michael Caine
Character: Finn McMissle

Eddie Izzard
Character: Miles Axlerod

John Turturro
Character: Francesco Bernoulli

Larry the Cable Guy
Character: Mater

Jenifer Lewis
Character: Flo

Joe Mantegna
Character: Grem

Green Lantern Opening Weekend

2011-06-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

"Green Lantern" Opening Weekend

Though it topped the box-office charts and seems to be doing better with the general public than it has with the critics, Warner Bros.’ "Green Lantern" opening weekend box-office haul $52.7 million is being seen as a disappointment for the costly project.
The studio's estimates earlier this week had it falling somewhere between the $55 million opening of "X-Men: First Class" and the $65 million opening of "Thor" with the result likely closer to the latter as the 3D revenue 'bump' would raise the price ('Thor' scored several additional millions from being both in 3D & on IMAX, while 'X-Men' was a 2D-only non-IMAX release).
On Friday things looked good as well with $3.3 million in midnight showings and a $21.6 million opening day haul. Yet it was downhill from there with Saturday's takings dropping to $16.8 million - a second day drop of 22%. This is where good reviews and word-of-mouth come into play - "X-Men: First Class" fell 7.9% and "Thor" fell 8.4% on their second days.
Warners is hoping Father's Day will give the film a boost today with the $52.7M weekend estimate certainly on the upper side of things. If that bump doesn't appear and the actual drop-off is more akin to "Thor" and "X-Men", that final tally will be closer to a flat $50 million.
The result is not good for a film that cost $300 million to make and market and only scored 25% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. With such a drop off so quickly, the wonder is what kind of longevity will the film have.
There's also the question of international box-office as, unlike the already established "X-Men" franchise and at least an understanding of the "Thor" concept via mythology, 'Lantern' simply doesn't have much of a fanbase outside the United States that's comparable to the other top tier DC and Marvel heroes. "X-Men" and "Thor" have done better internationally than domestically, but with most comic book films that arrangement is usually the other way around.
Faring better though is everything else. J.J. Abrams "Super 8" fell a modest 40.1%, a result Paramount will no doubt be happy with. While some have begun to question the legitimacy of the $50 million budget the studio is claiming, the film is already at $72 million domestically and will prove quite profitable.
With an $18.2 million opening despite horrendous reviews, Jim Carrey starrer "Mr. Popper's Penguins" matched the opening of most recent Carrey films. Also of note, "The Hangover Part II" has scored $488 million worldwide - surpassing the original to become the biggest R-rated comedy globally.

Marilyn Monroe dress auctioned

2011-06-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

Marilyn Monroe dress auctioned

Actress Debbie Reynolds, 79, auctioned off Marilyn Monroe's famous ivory dress from "The Seven Year Itch". Reynolds held the auction after filing for bankruptcy after a major project failed. See what other Hollywood memorabilia was sold at the auction.

2011 Miss USA crowned

2011-06-20T12:39:00.001-07:00

2011 Miss USA crowned

Miss California, 21, has been crowned Miss USA. The winner of the Miss USA pageant goes on to represent the United States in another pageant later this year.

Jack McKeon to be Marlins manager?

2011-06-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Jack McKeon to be Marlins manager?

Rumor has it that 80-year-old former manager Jack McKeon is expected to be the interim manager for the Florida Marlins. The team's former manager unexpectedly resigned Sunday after the team went 1-15 in June.

Jill Scott’s new album

2011-06-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Jill Scott’s new album

Grammy-Award winning singer Jill Scott, 39, has a new album coming out June 21 – her first in four years. On the new album the Philadelphia native’s collaborators include Anthony Hamilton, Doug E. Fresh and Paul Wall.

Steven Spielberg demanded Megan Fox be fired

2011-06-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

Steven Spielberg demanded Megan Fox be fired

"Transformers" director Michael Bay says executive producer Steven Spielberg demanded that Megan Fox be fired from the third film after her comments about Bay. Fox's rep had said it was her choice to leave the film. Recently, former co-star Shia LaBeouf opened up about working with Fox.

Heidi Montag's extreme workout routine

2011-06-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

Heidi Montag's extreme workout routine

Reality TV star Heidi Montag, 24, says she's been hitting the gym hard to get in shape for summer. Montag has gone under the knife in the past but the young star says she's trying to stay healthy.

Evangeline Lilly joins 'The Hobbit'

2011-06-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

Evangeline Lilly joins 'The Hobbit'

Former "Lost" star Evangeline Lilly, 31, is joining the cast of Peter Jackson's two-part movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel "The Hobbit". The star will play a new elf character in the prequel to "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. See who she'll be working with:

* Bilbo Baggins
* Elrond
* Frodo Baggins
* Galadriel
* Gandalf the Grey
* Gollum
* Legolas
* Saurman

'Jackass' star Ryan Dunn dies

2011-06-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

'Jackass' star Ryan Dunn dies

"Jackass" star Ryan Dunn, 34, was killed in a car accident. Dunn posted on Twitter a picture of himself drinking with friends hours before the accident. However, authorities have not yet said what caused the crash. Dunn is most famous for his stunts in the "Jackass" movies as well as the show on MTV.

Mel Gibson dating Greek model?

2011-06-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

Mel Gibson dating Greek model?

"The Beaver" star Mel Gibson, 55, has reportedly moved on from his ex Oksana Grigorieva. Rumors are swirling that he's now dating Greek model Stella Mouzi. The two have been seen in several outings together and she's apparently been to Gibson's house for a barbeque.

Homeless man discovers he's rich

2011-06-20T12:29:00.001-07:00

Homeless man discovers he's rich

A homeless man will no longer have to live on the streets. A private investigator tracked down Max Melitzer to inform him that he's inherited a 'significant' amount of money. Melitzer has been homeless for years and was reportedly 'in shock' after learning about the inheritance. There's no word on how much he inherited.

Fight like a king

2011-06-20T03:49:00.000-07:00

Royal Ascot - the major races in England.
Royal Ascot - certainly a very significant event for the British high society and establishment. In England there is no such popular awards ceremonies, as Taffy or Olive Branch, there is no International film festivals in category "A". Therefore, instead of scarlet ladies are using the track perfectly green lawn at Ascot racecourse.
This year, the men decided to diversify the event and made a fist fight. What they did not share is not known.

In Bulgaria, the monument to the soldiers-liberators painted in comic book characters

2011-06-20T03:42:00.000-07:00

Very little is sacred in Russia before the anniversary - the seventieth of the start of World War II. And, of course, stepped up to the date of any kind of vandals.
But the vandals were surprised by a wrong one. People who have a monument, really were superheroes. Just not fantastic, but the most real. Of flesh and blood. Because so many of them perished during the liberation of Bulgaria. But the miracle they were able to make - saving the world from fascism. But not everyone is the power of Superman.

Bristol palin virginity

2011-06-18T12:58:00.000-07:00

Bristol Palin Virginity- Bristol Palin trashes the father of her 2½-year-old son Tripp, calling Levi Johnston 'the Gnat' in her new memoir 'Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far.'

The 'Dancing With the Stars' finalist reveals she lost her virginity to Johnston when she got drunk for the first time on wine during a camping trip, then woke up in a tent with no memory of the blackout sex. Though she and Johnston agreed they should wait until marriage, she admits they were soon intimate again. She claims that in their rocky relationship, Johnston "cheated on me about as frequently as he sharpened his hockey skates."

Palin's pregnancy at age 17 was revealed to the world when her mother, Sarah Palin, was chosen as John McCain's vice-presidential running mate in the 2008 election.

Bristol's new book, co-written with Nancy French, hits shelves June 24, and features the young mom nuzzling Tripp (obscuring part of her own face) in the cover photo.

According to the Associated Press, which obtained an early copy of 'Not Afraid,' Palin has fond memories of childhood in Alaska. But she seems to have nothing but anger toward her ex-boyfriend, accusing him of "constantly spreading false accusations against our family." The two met in seventh grade, when the self-described straight-A student could never have predicted someday breaking the news to Johnston about her pregnancy ("Better be a [bleeping] boy," was his alleged reply) or seeing his 2009 Playgirl photos (Bristol's reaction: "Puke!").

Palin has turned her life as a teen mom and daughter of a famous Republican into a lucrative speaking career as an abstinence advocate. She also has a reality show in the works, and acknowledged undergoing jaw-enhancing surgery. "I am absolutely thrilled with the results," she said recently about her new appearance. "I look older, more mature, and don't have as much of a chubby little baby face!"

As Bristol's ventures take off, both she and her mother have turned to the federal government to apply for trademarks of their own names, according to US News and World Report, with their applications both going unchallenged by the June deadlines, a major hurdle toward approval. Sarah Palin seeks a trademark to protect her name, or "mark," for business and advertising, elections, entertainment engagements and for "providing motivational speaking services in the field of politics." Bristol Palin's application says she does motivational speaking "in the field of life choices." One benefit to trademark protection is using the U.S. federal court system to sue for infringement. Government at work!

College majors of the stars

2011-06-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

Surprising college majors of the stars

Before they were rich and famous, many notable public figures were just regular college students. Though some celebrities skipped or never finished college others pursued degrees and studied subjects that may surprise you.

Forest Whitaker

If Forest Whitaker wasn’t an award-winning actor, he would probably be performing this classic art form which he studied at the home of the Trojans.

Jennifer Garner

In her years at a small liberal arts university, Jennifer Garner studied a challenging subject before switching her major to drama. Unlike her famous husband, who majored in this subject, Garner completed her bachelor’s degree.

Michael Jordan

There’s more to "His Airness" than swishes and slam dunks. In addition to his basketball credentials, Jordan has a degree from a high-ranking public university.

Weird Al

Long before the king of musical parodies rapped "White and Nerdy" he was learning a more structured skill at this California university.

Aston Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher has a new steady gig , but if things don’t work out he may want to finish what he started at the University of Iowa before dropping out to pursue modeling.

Richest Teens

2011-06-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

Richest teens

Celebrity teens fill the gossip columns rock the airwaves and star on hit TV shows.

Angus T. Jones

Age: 17

Jones has done well as one of the stars of "Two and a Half Men". The show and its bad-boy former lead actor have made lots of headlines in recent months. Jones also starred opposite Dennis Quaid in this baseball movie.

Cole & Dylan Sprouse

Age: 18

These twin teen actors have been on Hollywood's radar since appearing in this 1999 Adam Sandler comedy. They currently bring in $20,000 an episode on their Disney Channel show.

Dakota Fanning

Age: 17

This teen actress has appeared in many movies since her debut in this 2002 film. The in-demand actress recently celebrated a big milestone.

Miley Cyrus

Age: 18

The former Disney Channel star has turned herself into a name brand among young girls. Going from a teen actress to a teen pop star, Cyrus has built an empire.

Obama Boehner Golf

2011-06-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

It’s just a friendly game, but Democrats and Republicans are managing expectations for Saturday’s golf summit between President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner like the high stakes political theater it actually is.

The White House spent much of the week downplaying the president’s skills (Golf Digest has him, charitably, as a 17 handicap), while talking up the possibility the round will ease the way for an eventual bipartisan deal on the deficit.
House Republicans, on the other hand, have projected a quiet confidence in the speaker’s polished mid-80s golf game. At the same time, they’ve dismissed any suggestion the fairway encounter will have long-term political significance and laughed off predictions the round will be the beginning of a beautiful new friendship between the pair.
That’s led to an enthusiasm gap about the whole exercise, with Obama aides investing it with significance and Republicans giving a “whatever” vibe on a day when the pros will be tearing it up at the U.S. Open at nearby Congressional Country Club.

Megan Fox Brian Austin Green

2011-06-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

To celebrate their first wedding anniversary, it was only fitting that Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green returned to Hawaii, the site of their low-key 2010 nuptials.
And Fox -- who was honored Wednesday night at the Maui Film Festival for her work on the documentary Na Nai'a: Legend of Dolphins -- hinted they might even renew their vows in the near future.

"I didn't think that I was into it until my relationship with Brian," she told E! News. "He's very sensitive and very emotional. He's a Cancer so he's very all about feelings and relationships and he cries about everything. He'll want to do it, so I'll do it for him."
(The two wed in a private ceremony at the Four Seasons Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii on June 24, 2010.)
The couple, joined by Green's son Kassius, 9 (from his previous relationship with actress Vanessa Marcil), also plan to swim with dolphins during their stay.
"My husband is terrified of sharks but we're going to do it anyway," Fox, 25, said. "Sharks don't usually go where there are tons of dolphins so we can do it. I didn't used to be [scared of sharks], but I am now because of him. His fear is so intense, it's smothered me and now I'm afraid."

Susan boyle musical

2011-06-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

The 50-year-old singing sensation - who shot to fame on Simon Cowell's talent search show 'Britain's Got Talent' in 2009 before going on to sell more than 14 million albums worldwide - will see her inspirational tale take to the stage from 2012 in international stage production 'I Dreamed A Dream'.
Susan, who will be portrayed by 'Rab C. Nesbitt' actress Elaine C Smith, is thrilled at the prospect of seeing her life turned into a worldwide musical.

She said: "I am happy that the musical is being produced, I never thought my life story would end up on the stage but a lot has happened in two years and it is a very exciting prospect. I hope everyone enjoys the show and I promise there will be a few surprises along the way."
Meanwhile, producer Michael Harrison claimed the brand new musical will have all the qualities of a real-life "fairytale".
He added: "She is an inspiring woman and her story is an excellent one to tell - someone with a raw talent who surprises the world and overturns all the odds to make a new life for herself.
"It's got all the qualities of a fairytale, but with the added bonus of being absolutely true. I am looking forward to the tour very much."
'I Dreamed A Dream' will open at Newcastle's Theatre Royal on March 23 2012 before going on tour.
Tickets for the Newcastle shows will go on sale on July 7.

python trash truck

2011-06-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

Python Trash Truck: A six-foot long Burmese python was found at a Cincinnati fast food restaurant on Thursday when a garbage truck driver emptied a trash bin.
Python, which is one of the largest species of snakes, was found wrapped around a broom before deputies were called around 11 am to take away the reptile.
The snake was then taken way by animal welfare workers after it was lifted into a cardboard box using the broom.

The python appeared sluggish at first but revived once inside the box, Hamilton County sheriff's spokesman Steve said in a statement.

Officials said they were not sure how the python got into the trash bin area.

Source: ibtimes

+cancer death rates fall

2011-06-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

Death rates from breast cancer have fallen faster in the UK than any other major European country, experts have said.
Research from 30 countries found large declines in the number of women dying, particularly in the UK and Iceland.

Typically, death rates from breast cancer fell by almost a fifth across the countries, ranging from a 45% reduction in Iceland to a 17% increase in Romania.
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland had the second, fourth, and fifth largest decreases of 35%, 30%, and 29% respectively, coming after Iceland in first place. Luxembourg came in third place with 34%.
In France, Finland, and Sweden, death rates decreased by 11%, 12% and 16% respectively in comparison.
The study contradicts claims that survival rates in the UK are worse than in other western European countries. Experts said the latest research was much more reliable.
The study, published online in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), was led by a team at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France.
They examined World Health Organisation data on cancer death rates from 1989 to 2006 alongside information from individual countries.
The fall in death rates was greater than 30% in three countries, 20% to 30% in 12 countries, and actually increased in four countries.
The overall fall usually began between 1988 and 1996, and trends suggest the drop should continue.

Amber Portwood Released

2011-06-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

Amber Portwood was released from St. John's Hospital in Anderson, Ind. on Friday following her attempted suicide earlier this week.

Radar Online reports the Teen Mom star, 21, was likely on a 72-hour hold for psychiatric evaluation, which is standard procedure when patients attempt to commit suicide.
Portwoods's on-off boyfriend, Gary Shirley, 24, set up an e-mail account Thursday that allows fans to send well-wishes to the MTV star as she recovers.
"The amount of positive support and energy has been overwhelming," Shirley, who shares custody of daughter Leah, 2, tweeted. "Your support is too special to pass up. All emails will be screened and any positive message will be printed and given to Amber."

Buzz Aldrin Divorce

2011-06-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

Their love wasn't written in the stars after all. Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, 81, has filed for divorce from his third wife, TMZ reports. Aldrin -- the second man to walk on the moon -- tied the knot with Lois Driggs Cannon on Valentine's Day in 1988.

When his attorney filed papers in L.A. Wednesday, Aldrin cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their split; they have no children together.
Aldrin -- who competed on Dancing With the Stars' 10th season -- told Us Weekly in April 2010 that his wife "taught me the jive and the quick step."
"Now he's teaching me his new steps!" Driggs Cannon added of the skills he picked up from pro partner Ashly DelGrosso.
Aldrin's former wives include Joan Archer (with whom he had three children, James, Janice, and Andrew) and Beverly Zile.

Bar Refaeli Arm

2011-06-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

Bar Refaeli has broken her arm less than a month after her split from Leonardo DiCaprio.
Bar and Leonardo parted ways in May and now the stunning Israeli-born model has hurt one of her arms. The 26-year-old beauty took to her Twitter account this morning to discuss her painful injury.
“I broke my arm. And I’m annoyed! Booooooo,” read the Tweet.

It is so far unknown which arm has been injured or how it happened. The exact magnitude of the injury is also yet to be disclosed.
While Bar recuperates from her injury, it seems unlikely that the on-and-off long-term romance between her and Leonardo will ever recover.
"She definitely has a hold on him," a Leonardo source told Us Weekly. "But this split seems more serious than the rest."
Leonardo and his new flame Blake Lively seem to be going strong and have been seen gallivanting around the world together partaking in romantic jaunts.
"They hang out, travel, have fun," a friend of Blake’s revealed. "They're having a great time."

Beer Quiz

2011-06-18T00:49:00.000-07:00

Beer quiz

With the beginning of summer just 3 days away, we're looking forward to another season of bucolic backyard barbecues and buckets of ice-cold beers. Work up a thirst and test your brew IQ. China produces most beer world's No. 1 beer producer out of the 169 countries around the world brewing beer.

First beer in history

The first beer brewed +chinese kui 5000 years.

First beer in America

First brewed by Europeans in the New World beer 1587 colony of virginia.

U.S. hops crop

Most of the hops grown in the United States washington produces 75% hops

Most popular beverage

Most popular beverage in the world 2007 ac nielson popular beverage beer,

Nature's Fireworks: Lava

2011-06-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

Nature's Fireworks: Lava

While the United States commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 with plenty of pyrotechnics, nature presents its own brand of fireworks all year long. Here are 11 spectacular fire and lights displays, from volcanic eruptions to the northern lights.
Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii has been dazzling spectators since 1983. Lava from this dome on the flank of 13,679-foot Mauna Loa flows to the Pacific Ocean, where molten rock sizzles into the water. The best view is from tour boats. You can also see the subtle subterranean glow of magma from various spots around the volcano’s rim.

Nature's Fireworks: Northern Lights

This phenomenon, triggered by solar wind in the Earth’s ionosphere, is available for viewing year-round in polar regions. You’ll have better luck during clear winter evenings above the Arctic Circle. For virtually guaranteed sightings of the aurora borealis, visit Bettles or Fairbanks, Alaska, or the diamond-boom hub of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There, several wilderness resorts, such as Blachford Lake Lodge, offer special packages for northern-lights seekers, including the all-important extreme-cold clothing.

Nature's Fireworks: Thunder and Lightning

Want to see a spectacular three- or four-hour thunderstorm? Visit the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains anywhere in southern Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado or New Mexico. Almost every afternoon from May through September, the sun’s heat raises thermals that climb the sky and form thunderheads that are then steered east by the prevailing winds. So a round of golf or morning’s fishing can be followed by a late afternoon or early evening thunder-and-lightning show.

Nature's Fireworks: Meteorites

The Perseid meteor shower peaks around mid-August, and the best places to watch are higher-elevation Northern Hemisphere locales away from urban light pollution, such as Mount Washington in New Hampshire, Pikes Peak in Colorado or the back side of Sandia Peak near Albuquerque. Bring a coat and a sleeping pad for lying down, and reflect on the fact that the streak of light you see is caused by high-speed friction within the same atmosphere we breathe. So, take deep, slow, thankful breaths.

Nature's Fireworks: Milky Way

Contemplating infinity is the perfect antidote to a world in which instant global access makes the universe seem small. It’s not. Our home galaxy contains more than 400 billion stars, a number large enough to paralyze even the snazziest home calculators. Great places to admire the Milky Way are the Kohala Coast on Hawaii’s Big Island; the higher reaches of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona, such as the Tucson foothills; and the coastal islands of Maine on clear August and September nights.

Nature's Fireworks: Sun Dogs

Sun dogs are luminescent light bands created by sunlight that shines through ice fog. They resemble rainbows but are less vivid. Nonetheless, they’re delightful manifestations of light, and it’s cool to tell people their scientific name: parhelion. The ring around the sun one sees in winter is caused by light refraction through ice crystals at high elevations. More impressive are ground-level sun dogs that require ice fog. Ski areas known for that are Mount Bachelor in Oregon, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village in Alberta, and numerous Rockies resorts such as Whitefish in Montana. Morning is the best time to see sun dogs, as slanted light accentuates the effect.

Nature's Fireworks: Rainbows

Admiring a rainbow in the distance amid the velvet mountains of Hawaii, the justly named Rainbow State, is a rich travel reward. Like sun dogs, rainbows are refractions of visible light through tiny drops of water; in this case, unfrozen water. Other notable rainbow venues are Western Canada’s incessantly shower-dappled Skeena River Valley; the verdant hills of Wales and Ireland; and the Florida Keys during the rainy season, mid-May to mid-October. Any Caribbean island is a great rainbow generator, as is Alaska’s Kodiak Island and the islands of the upper Great Lakes in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan, from June to September.

Nature's Fireworks: Sunsets

There’s a vast array of places to see great sunsets: Marco Island or Sarasota in Florida, Kauai’s Ke’e Beach, Sandia Crest above Albuquerque, or the shores of Santa Barbara, Calif. The best ones come over ocean waters or in desert skies, where either dust or humidity accentuate and spread the rich colors. More important than finding the right place is the right attitude: What better way is there to appreciate the miracle of physics whose light and warmth make life possible?

Nature's Fireworks: Full Moon

I’ve read books by moonlight at 10,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies, snorkeled by the light of the moon in the Caribbean and skied by moonlight in Washington’s Cascade Mountains. But nothing surpasses the sight of the full moon reflected in a placid body of water, backed by natural landscape features that provide their own character to the scene. See moonlight on a backwater by a mangrove cay in the Florida Everglades; on a timberline lake in the Rockies; on the Danube River in Budapest; or on a wilderness lake in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters. Howling is fashionable in certain quarters, but I prefer quiet contemplation.

Nature's Fireworks: Green Flash

Skeptics pooh-pooh this famously evanescent phenomenon, but I’ve seen it and so have millions of others. Just after the sun sets over an unobstructed horizon, a momentary arc of green light appears. Oceans and large lakes are the best places to watch for this. Even if you don’t see it (and it's notoriously difficult to capture on film), it’s entertaining to discover that the sun’s movement is detectable to the naked eye. That the best venue is sitting on a beach only adds to the spiritual value of this sight. Try the west-facing shores of Florida, California and Hawaii.

Nature's Fireworks: Fireflies

The airborne version of bioluminescence is one of the wonders of childhood. Two thousand species of little flying beetles called lampyridae are found in temperate and tropical regions around the world, including Japan, where fireflies are so beloved that they’re a metaphor for passionate love. One of the greatest novelties of all, however, occurs in the southeastern U.S., where some fireflies synchronize their flashes. Early summer visitors to Elkmont, Tenn., and Congaree National Park, S.C., can watch a sort of firefly Rockettes revue as hundreds of lightning bugs flash in unison.

Kim Kardashian's lavish wedding requests

2011-06-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

What on earth is there to buy a girl with a 20.5-carat, $1 million engagement ring?
Crystal napkin rings, a $175 mustard jar, $6,000 vases and WAY more! Kim Kardashian and fiance Kris Humphries have given their wedding guests a plethora of suggestions on what to get them for their upcoming wedding. The couple registered at GEARYS, an upscale luxury seller of jewelry and homeware in Beverly Hills.

The prices vary -- from a $12.50 cloth napkin to a $7,850 crystal vase. The reality star and her NBA beau would also like a $1,650 silver-plated coffeepot and 24 five-piece silverware sets, each costing $1,600. (That's $38,400 worth of Torchon dinner place settings on one registry.)

Although Kardashian, 30, isn't a big drinker, she and Humphries, 26, have requested 24 Baccarat Vega champagne flutes, each costing $130. They've also requested 24 of the Baccarat Vega goblets, which will set one back $125 each.

The duo only began dating in December 2010, but Humphries popped the question to his reality TV star love in May 2011. Khloe Kardashian joked that her sister Kim's wedding is "going to be royal wedding number two!"
According to the couple's registry, Kardashian and Humphries will say "I do" on October 31, 2011

Lottery millionaire's selfless gesture

2011-06-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

n Ohio man who needs kidney dialysis to stay alive won $5 million in the lottery--but says he plans on giving part of his windfall away.

"I'm going to help people because I love it. It makes me feel good, and I think that's what God put us here for," Phillip Withem of Logan said Tuesday, right after accepting the mega-check from the Ohio Lottery.

In 2006, Withem paid $20 for an instant lottery ticket, and won $2,500. Then he won a second-round draw, featuring 86 entrants, called the Top Prized Drawing, which gave him his big payday.

Withem said he planned to donate some of the haul to children's charities, and to friends who helped him during his illness.

Before he got sick, Withem worked part-time cleaning and maintaining the Hocking County Courthouse.

"The people at the courthouse were really nice to me when I got sick," Withem said. "I really appreciate that."

Withem, who needs to undergo dialysis three times a week, said he'll also use the money to make his life comfortable.

"No more disability," he said. "But I don't think I need it."

He also has his sense of humor to help him get by. Asked whether he had any children, Withem replied: "I have no kids that I know of. But I'm sure I'll have them coming out of the woodwork now."
Source : Yahoo

Report: Friends say Rep. Weiner to resign

2011-06-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

Rep. Anthony Weiner has informed friends that he's stepping down from Congress, the New York Times reported Thursday morning.
Multiple news outlets report that Weiner will publicly announce his decision at a press conference Thursday. NBC reported just before the news broke that Weiner's staff members appeared to be packing up Weiner's office this morning. NBC's Alex Moe reports that two staff members and two interns left the office with their belongings, turned off the lights and locked the door.

Weiner's move was widely expected in the face of increasing pressure from colleagues as well as the public amid a growing scandal over the New York Democrat's lewd online communications with multiple women.
Weiner had previously indicated that he wished to speak with his pregnant wife Huma Abedin before deciding on his political future. Abedin returned to Washington yesterday following a trip to Africa with her boss Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
House Democrats today were scheduled to meet to discuss potential next steps to punish the New York congressman, including possibly stripping him of his committee assignments (he currently sits on the powerful House Energy and Commerce as well as the Judiciary committee), and expelling him from the Democratic caucus.
The scandal, which first broke three weeks ago continued to deepen this week.
Just yesterday, porn star Ginger Lee held a press conference to announce that the congressman had asked her to lie about their online communications. "I think that Anthony Weiner should resign because he lied to the public and the press for more than a week," Lee said.
Weiner was asked about his Twitter communications with Lee back when the scandal broke, telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer that Lee probably received "pro-forma" messages from his account and that was all.
Lee claims Weiner sent her specific messages about his "package."
Lee hired celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred to make her case to a national audience and multiple news outlets report that an Atlanta strip club was already using the scandal to promote her appearance at their venue Wednesday night.
Source : Yahoo news

Meet the new owner of the Spelling manor

2011-06-16T05:08:00.000-07:00

Meet Petra Ecclestone, the 22-year-old British heiress to the Formula One auto racing empire who just purchased the most expensive home in the U.S., the Spelling Manor. Plus, Candace Cameron Bure, aka, D.J. Tanner, returns to her "Full House" roots and Ke$ha seems to be starting a new caped trend.

Al-Qaida taps controversial new terror chief

2011-06-16T05:05:00.000-07:00

Bin Laden deputy Zawahri takes over as Qaeda leader
(Reuters) – Veteran militant Ayman al-Zawahri has taken command of al Qaeda after the killing of Osama bin Laden, an Islamist website said on Thursday, a move widely expected following his long years as second-in-command.

Bin Laden's lieutenant and the brains behind much of al Qaeda's strategy, Zawahri vowed this month to press ahead with al Qaeda's campaign against the United States and its allies.
"The general leadership of al Qaeda group, after the completion of consultation, announces that Sheikh Dr. Ayman Zawahri, may God give him success, has assumed responsibility for command of the group," the Islamist website Ansar al-Mujahideen (Followers of the Holy Warriors) said in a statement.
The bespectacled Zawahri had been seen as bin Laden's most likely successor after the man held responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington was shot dead by U.S. commandos in Pakistan 45 days ago.
His whereabouts are unknown, although he has long been thought to be hiding along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The United States is offering a $25 million reward for any information leading to his capture or conviction.
Former U.S, intelligence officer Robert Ayers said Zawahri was "a man lacking in charisma, a pale shadow of bin Laden."
"He's a grey bureaucrat, not a leader who can energize and rally the troops. The only thing his promotion will accomplish is to elevate his priority as a target for the U.S."
Sajjan Gohel of Asia-Pacific Foundation security consultants said Zawahri had been in practical charge of al Qaeda for many years, but lacked bin Laden's presence and his "ability to unite the different Arab factions within the group."
Others see a more accomplished figure.
London-based journalist Abdel-Bari Atwan, who interviewed bin Laden in 1996, said Zawahri was the "operational brains" behind al Qaeda and was respected in part because, he said, he had been bin Laden's chosen deputy.
"He managed to transform al Qaeda from being a small organization focused on expelling U.S. interests from Saudi Arabia into a global organization. The men he brought to al Qaeda from his own Egyptian Islamic Jihad group proved to be the instruments that drove al Qaeda's international push."
Believed to be in his late 50s, Zawahri met bin Laden in the mid-1980s when both were in Pakistan to support guerrillas fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. Born to an upper-class Cairo family, Zawahri trained as a doctor and surgeon.
"A worthy successor to a great predecessor. We ask God to grant you and your soldiers success for the victory of Islam and Muslims and to raise the banner of religion," a contributor to another Islamist militant website, As-Ansar, said in a posting.
In a video message posted on the internet on June 8, Zawahri said al Qaeda would continue to fight.
"The Sheikh (bin Laden) has departed, may God have mercy on him, to his God as a martyr, and we must continue on his path of jihad to expel the invaders from the land of Muslims and to purify it from injustice," Zawahri said.
Zawahri called this year's Arab uprisings a disaster for Washington because, he said, they would remove Arab leaders who were the corrupt "agents of America."
He also pledged allegiance to the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Omar, calling him "Emir of the Believers."
The pledge, which repeats one made by bin Laden in the 1990s, was seen by analysts as an attempt to shore up al Qaeda's alliance with the Taliban, which sheltered the Arab-led group until U.S. attacks on Afghanistan in 2001 ended Taliban rule.
Western powers have demanded the Taliban cut all ties with al Qaeda.
"Today, and thanks be to God, America is not facing an individual or a group ... but a rebelling nation which has awoken from its sleep in a jihadist renaissance challenging it wherever it is," Zawahri said.
Among some Egyptians there was disdain at the news.
Karim Sabet, 34, a director of an oil and gas startup firm, said he was not surprised by the announcement.
"He's been the loyal no. 2 forever. Zawahri seems even more of a mad man than Osama was, and he'll want to prove himself by going on the attack soon. Another devil killing in the name of Islam. Disgusting."
Source : Yahoo news

Tragic family news for former NBA star

2011-06-16T05:02:00.000-07:00

The teenage daughter of Robert Horry died on Tuesday after a lifelong battle with a rare genetic disorder.
Ashlyn Horry, 17, suffered from 1p36 deletion syndrome, an affliction that develops when part of the first chromosome is missing. Little was known about the condition before Ashlyn was diagnosed. Up until a few years ago, it didn't have an official name.

"My little girl was the light of my life and my family's," Horry told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday. "It's been tough, but we were blessed to have her for the time we did."
Horry won seven NBA championships during his career with the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. He earned the nickname "Big Shot Rob" due to his clutch shooting late in playoff games.
His daughter lived 17 years with her disorder, enduring multiple surgeries and several other close calls. A 2003 L.A. Times article detailed how she spent the first six months of her life in the hospital, had a tracheotomy for three years, took in most food through a tube and slept with an IV near her bed.
In that piece, Horry said that he sometimes couldn't help but feel bad for his daughter, like when her cousins would come over and chase butterflies while she sat and watched, unable to join in play. His wife expressed less regret.
"She's happy all the time," she said. "She doesn't know any different. That's great, and it's a peace for me. This is all she knows. She's happy, and I want to keep it that way."
Source : Yahoo

Cause of broken baseball bats uncovered

2011-06-16T04:55:00.000-07:00

Major League Baseball turns to unlikely experts to figure out why so many bats are shattering.

The U.S. Forest Service has helped Major League Baseball reduce the number of broken bats and the injuries splintered bats can cause.

HS team celebrates state title too early

2011-06-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

There's a reason they always stress to touch home plate to all Little Leaguers coming around to score: If you don't, you'll be called out.
Incredibly, that exact scenario unfolded in the most important Class LL high school baseball game of the season in Connecticut. Making it even more dramatic, the appeal happened in extra innings, when the player in question was rushing home to celebrate what he thought was a state championship

.

According to the Newington (Conn.) Town Crier, Southington (Conn.) High star Matt Sprulli appeared to score from first in the bottom of the eighth inning of the Connecticut Class LL state baseball championship against Newington (Conn.) High. Yet Sprulli never touched home plate with the winning run before celebrating in a massive dog pile at second base with the rest of his teammates.

Wise to the error, Newington catcher Tyler Barrett held the ball, stood on home plate and looked over to home plate umpire David Bindas, who promptly called Sprulli out, ending the eighth inning and giving Newington a new lease of playoff life.

"I hate to say it but it was kind of bittersweet," Barrett told the Town Crier. "I was happy to get the out because it gave us another chance to win the ballgame. It's about time we handed it to them. They have a great program but we were due."
Source : Yahoo

Older album knocks Gaga off top of charts

2011-06-16T04:44:00.000-07:00

Adele's 21 returns to #1 in its 16th week on The Billboard 200, displacing Lady Gaga's Born This Way, which is in just its third week. 21 is the first album to rank #1 this late its chart run since Taylor Swift's Fearless, which was #1 in its 16th week in March 2009.

Two weeks ago, Gaga posted the biggest one-week sales tally since 2005. But last week, sales of the album dropped by 84%. That was the biggest sales drop-off, expressed in a percentage basis, of any of the 17 albums to sell 1 million copies in a week in the Nielsen SoundScan era.

Adele, meanwhile, has been a model of consistency. Her album has sold between 88,000 and 168,000 copies every week for the last 15 weeks. (It sold more than that in its first week, but has since settled into a very nice groove. Just when its sales were starting to soften, "Rolling In The Deep" became a monster hit and helped to keep the pace up. The song is expected to top the Hot 100 for the sixth straight week when the chart is released later today.)

This is the 10th week at #1 for Adele's album, which is the longest run by any album since Fearless had 11 weeks on top in 2008-2009. It's the longest run at #1 for an album by a British artist since George Michael's Faith logged 12 weeks on top in 1988. Both of those albums went on to win Grammys for Album of the Year. Adele is front-runner for the honor at next year's Grammys.

21 is the first album to spend its first 16 weeks in the top three since Usher's 2004 blockbuster Confessions, which spent its first 17 weeks in that high-rent district. A key difference between the two albums? By its 16th week, Usher's album had spawned three #1 hits on the Hot 100. Adele is still on her first.

Born This Way spent just two weeks at #1. Of the 17 albums to sell 1 million copies in a single week in the Nielsen SoundScan era, Born This Way is one of just five to spend only one or two weeks in the top slot. *NSYNC's Celebrity and Britney Spears' Oops!...I Did It Again both had one week on top. Backstreet Boys' Black & Blue and Limp Bizkit's Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water both had two. (Of course, Born This Way may return to #1 down the line, rendering this point moot.)

The Book Of Mormon re-enters The Billboard 200 at #3. It's the first original cast album to appear in the top 10 since Hair wound up a 28-week run in the top 10 in October 1969. (Hair, which was billed "the American tribal love-rock musical," spent 13 of those weeks at #1.) The Book Of Mormon won nine Tonys on Sunday, including Best Musical.

Since Hair, just two other cast albums have even reached the top 20. Dreamgirls peaked at #11 in August 1982 (boosted by Jennifer Holliday's Grammy-winning hit "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"). Rent debuted and peaked at #19 in September 1996.

Mormon sold 61,000 copies this week. Billboard's Keith Caulfield reports that this is the biggest one-week total for a cast album in Nielsen SoundScan history. The old record was held by Highlights From The Phantom Of The Opera, which sold 54K copies during Christmas week of 1992. This week's sales tally for Mormon consists of 9K CDs (this was the first week it was available on CD) and 52K digital copies (goosed by a $1.99 sale at AmazonMP3, which ran from Thursday through Sunday).

Cast albums held center-stage in the pop market for more than 20 years, from December 1943, when the Oklahoma! cast album made the top 10 on the pop songs chart (there was no album chart yet), to February 1965, when Fiddler On The Roof made the top 10. Rock's ascendance in the mid-1960s pushed cast albums to the sidelines. The only two cast albums to make the top 10 since Fiddler are Hair and now The Book Of Mormon.

It's not that cast albums don't sell. They do. They just sell slowly, over time. The aforementioned Highlights From The Phantom Of The Opera has sold 4,959,000 copies since SoundScan started tracking sales for Billboard in 1991, though it never climbed higher than #46 on The Billboard 200. Wicked (which peaked at #77) has sold 2,112,000 copies since its release just before Christmas 2003.

The Book Of Mormon has exceed the chart success of a previous project from Mormon co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The soundtrack to South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut reached #28 in 1999.

Ronnie Dunn's eponymous solo debut album debuts at #5. With his former partner Kix Brooks, Dunn notched nine top 10 albums between 1991 and 2009. In addition, the album enters Top Country Albums at #1. Brooks & Dunn had six #1 albums on the country chart, from Waitin' On Sundown (1994) to #1s...And Then Some (2009).

Pop Quiz: Ronnie Dunn is the only second artist to reach #1 on Top Country Albums both in a group or duo and as a solo artist. Name the other. Answer below the top 10 list.

Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem" leaps from #16 to #4 on Hot Digital Songs. Will it make the top 10 on this week's Hot 100? Find out later today when we post Chart Watch: Songs.

Here's the low-down on this week's top 10 albums.

1. Adele, 21, 114,000. The album logs its 10th week at #1 in its 16th week on the chart. Four songs from the album are listed on Hot Digital Songs, topped by "Rolling In The Deep," which logs its sixth straight week at #1.

2. Lady Gaga, Born This Way, 100,000. The album slips to #2 after two weeks on top. Four songs from the album are listed on Hot Digital Songs, topped by "The Edge Of Glory," which dips from #4 to #5.

3. Original Cast Album, The Book Of Mormon, 61,000. This is the first cast album to appear in the top three since Hair spent 20 consecutive weeks in the top three in 1969. It's #1 on Top Digital Albums.

4. Tech N9ne, All 6's And 7's, 56,000. This new entry is the rapper's first top 10 album. Killer, Sickology 101 and K.O.D. all peaked in the second half of the top 20. The album enters Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at #1. It's his first #1 on that chart.

5. Ronnie Dunn, Ronnie Dunn, 45,000. This new entry is Dunn's first solo album, following a long string of hit albums with former partner Kix Brooks. Brooks & Dunn had nine top 10 albums between 1991 and 2009. "Bleed Red" jumps from #110 to #80 on Hot Digital Songs.

6. All Time Low, Dirty Work, 44,000. This new entry is the group's second straight top five album. Nothing Personal hit #4 in July 2009. "Time-Bomb" enters Hot Digital Songs at #136.

7. Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party, 41,000. The album holds at #7 for the second week in its 32nd week on the chart. This is its 10th week in the top 10. Three songs from the album are listed on Hot Digital Songs, topped by "Dirt Road Anthem," which jumps from #16 to #4.

8. Brad Paisley, This Is Country Music, 38,000. The album drops from #6 to #8 in its third week on the chart. Two songs from the album are listed on Hot Digital Songs. "Remind Me," a duet with Carrie Underwood, debuts at #43. "Old Alabama" (featuring Alabama) drops from #68 to #75.

9. Various Artists, Now 38, 31,000. The album drops from #7 to #9 in its sixth week on the chart. It has been in the top 10 the entire time. It has sold 359K copies.

10. Death Cab for Cutie, Codes And Keys, 30,000. The album drops from #3 to #10 in its second week. It has sold 133K copies in its first two weeks.

Four albums drop out of the top 10 this week. Eddie Vedder's Ukulele Songs drops from #4 to #11, My Morning Jacket's Circuital drops from #5 to #18, Flogging Molly's Speed Of Darkness plummets from #9 to #58 and Glee: The Music, Season Two, Vol. 6 drops from #10 to #21. Glee: Vol. 6 is the #1 soundtrack for the third straight week.

Quiz Answer: Wynonna is the only other artist (besides Ronnie Dunn) to reach #1 on Top Country Albums both in a group or duo and as a solo artist. She topped the chart four times in the Judds (with her mother Naomi Judd) and has since reached the summit three times on her own. (Note: I'm not counting collaborations involving solo artists as "groups or duos.") I'll give you half credit if you answered John Rich. Rich has topped the Country Albums chart as part of a group (Lonestar) and as part of a duo (Big & Rich), but not yet as a solo artist.

Tedeschi Trucks Band's Revelator enters The Billboard 200 at #12. This is the first album by the 11-member group which is headed by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks (who are married). Tedeschi received a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist of 1999 (she lost to Christina Aguilera).

Arctic Monkeys' Suck It And See debuts at #14. It's the band's third top 15 album in a row, following Favourite Worst Nightmare and Humbug. Suck It... debuts at #1 in the U.K., displacing Lady Gaga's album. This is the band's fourth album in a row to debut at #1 in that market, following Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not and the two other just-named titles. Only three other acts have debuted at #1 with four straight albums in the U.K.: George Michael (1987-1998), Boyzone (1995-1999) and Keane (2004-2010). ("Suck It And See" is a colloquial expression, common in Britain and Australia, which means "to try something new to discover what it's like." So it's not a prurient title, as many pop fans will assume, given some of the titles we've seen on the charts this year.)

Def Leppard's Mirrorball debuts at #16. The album, a two-CD with DVD combo, is a Walmart exclusive. Def Leppard first charted in May 1980 with On Through The Night. The band first cracked the top 20 in February 1983 with Pyromania. The band joins a long line of "heritage" acts (such as Eagles and Journey) to strike exclusive deals with Walmart. (Sarah McLachlan released a live album titled Mirrorball in 1999. It reached #3. But we seem to have run out of good album titles.)

I have more good news for Def Leppard. The band's 1995 compilation Vault: Greatest Hits 1980-1995 tops the 5 million mark in sales this week.

Randy Travis' Anniversary Celebration debuts at #19. The collection marks Travis' 25th anniversary as a country star. Travis first hit the country album chart in June 1986 with Storms Of Life...Adele's 2008 album 19 drops from #15 to #24. It's #1 on Top Catalog Albums for the 15th time in the past 17 weeks...Country Strong drops from #71 to #96. It's the top-ranking soundtrack to a theatrically released movie for the 15th week. (Will somebody please put out a hit movie soundtrack?)

The Broadway cast album to the latest revival of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, starring Daniel Radcliffe, debuts at #122. The cast album to the original 1961 production, starring Robert Morse, peaked at #19. The cast album to the 1995 revival, starring Matthew Broderick, didn't chart. Radcliffe sang "The Brotherhood Of Man" on the Tonys.

Coming Attractions: Jackie Evancho's Dream With Me and Bad Meets Evil's Hell: The Sequel will debut at #1 and #2 next week, though it's not yet clear which will come out on top. Bad Meets Evil is a collabo featuring Eminem and Royce Da 5'9''. Owl City's All Things Bright And Beautiful will also debut in the top 10. Barry Manilow's 15 Minutes may also crack the top 10. Also due: Black Veil Brides' Set The World On Fire, Now Country 4, Neil Young & the International Harvesters' A Treasure, Ledisi's Pieces Of Me, Ziggy Marley's Wild And Free, Andy Grammer's Andy Grammer and Madeleine Peyroux's Standing On The Rooftop.
Source : Yahoo

Pro golfers star in hilarious music video

2011-06-16T04:33:00.000-07:00

Stop what you're doing, right now, and watch this. Do it.

That, friends, is dorktacular perfection. Ben Crane, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler and Hunter Mahan are the Golf Boys, and their song is called "Oh Oh Oh." (Sometimes simplicity is best.)

So much to love about this video, from the return of Crane's Snake Shaker to Fowler's bucketheaded hipsterism to Mahan's puttin' pimpery to Watson's sheer Bubbaness. This absolutely smokes "Super Bowl Shuffle" and every other athlete song ever written. And hey, it's available on iTunes too! The proceeds go to charity, friends, so relax and enjoy.

And if we don't hear "oooh de lally lally" on every single drive by these cats this weekend at Congressional, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.

Struggling mom forced to sell Obama letter

2011-06-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

Destiny Mathis, a young woman in Indiana, reached out to President Obama for a sign of hope in tough economic times, and was initially thrilled to receive a handwritten reply from the president. Now, however, the same economic hardships that prompted her to write to Obama last November have prompted her to put up the letter for sale on an auction website--marking the ninth such sale of an Obama letter that the online auction service has handled.

Mathis, a single mother of three from Indiana, wrote to the president that even though she graduated at the top of her college class and worked for years as a surgical technologist, she had lost her job in January after complications with her pregnancy. "I am so afraid this dreaded economy is going to have my family homeless," she wrote, according to NBC5, the Chicago network affiliate. Mathis is now weeks away from being evicted from her home.

The president wrote back a handwritten note on White House stationery. "Please know that things will get better for you and your family," he said. You can watch the NBC5 report on the letter's sale above.

The 26-year-old is now selling the note to Gary Zimet, who has sold eight other letters from the president so far for up to $20,000 on his site, Moments in Time. He's asking for $11,000.

A Michigan woman sold a letter from Obama in October for $7,000 to help pay for her cancer treatment and for a downpayment on a house. "Thanks for the very kind and inspiring letter," Obama wrote to Jennifer Cline, after she told him in a letter that she was struggling to make ends meet and had lost her health insurance. "I know times are tough, but knowing there are folks out there like you and your husband gives me confidence that things will keep getting better!"
Source : Yahoo

Gene Simmons interview ends in drama

2011-06-16T04:19:00.000-07:00

After 28 years of living with KISS singer Gene Simmons, it seems like Shannon Tweed -- former model and mother of his two children -- might have finally had enough. During the couple's appearance on The Joy Behar Show, the rocker made a comment that seemed to seriously irk his lady. At that point, it appears Tweed decided she couldn't stand her longtime partner another moment, so she got up and left the studio.

And while speaking to Kathie Lee and Hoda on "Today," Tweed mercilessly skewered the Kiss bassist every chance she had. And when asked specifically about their future, Tweed said, "It's not looking great."
Source : Yahoo

Inspiring rise of Stanley Cup star

2011-06-16T04:14:00.000-07:00

One year ago, Tim Thomas sat on the Boston Bruins' bench and watched as the Philadelphia Flyers came back from a 3-0 series deficit in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and eliminated the Bruins.
It was the end of a miserable season for Thomas, whose effectiveness was limited by a hip injury. He lost the No. 1 goalie job to backup Tuukka Rask.
But as Thomas had done for his entire career, he fought back; and one year after watching his team fail in spectacular fashion, he raised the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP following the Bruins' 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 -- the franchise's first Stanley Cup in 39 years.
A 9th-round pick by the Quebec Nordiques in 1994, Thomas didn't play his first NHL game until the 2002-03 season after bouncing around the minor leagues and spending parts of four seasons in Europe. Some would have quit after being unable to achieve their goals right away, but that's not Thomas' style. He's always been a fighter; whether it's outside or inside his crease.
An aggressive and emotional player, Thomas' style defined this Boston Bruins team: a hard-nosed, gritty bunch that may not play the sexiest brand of hockey, but in the end, their play stands out and get the job done.
As each game of the Final passed and the Bruins clawed their way back into the series after falling into a 2-0 hole, it quickly became evident that there was only one choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy, win or lose.
It was Tim Thomas and Tim Thomas alone.
Even as the Vancouver Canucks took a 2-0 series lead and then were a win away from the Cup after Game 5, Thomas' play stood out and he became not only the MVP of the Bruins, but of these playoffs.
He finishes with that elusive 16th win that only one team gets to celebrate. He finishes with a 1.98 goals-against average and a ridiculous .940 save-percentage. He finishes with four shutouts in the playoffs, two of which coming in the Final. He finishes with eight goals allowed in seven Cup games.
And there's a good chance he'll finish the season with a trio of trophies at next week's NHL Awards. One week from tonight, the 37-year old Thomas will likely take home the Vezina Trophy; and along with the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup, he'll become the first goaltender to win all three since 1974 and 1975 when Bernie Parent of the Flyers achieved the feat.
Source : Yahoo

Los angeles milk ban

2011-06-16T03:22:00.000-07:00

(AP) -- Chocolate milk has long been seen as the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down, but the nation's childhood obesity epidemic has a growing number of people wondering whether that's wise.
With schools under increasing pressure to offer healthier food, the staple on children's cafeteria trays has come under attack over the very ingredient that made it so popular -- sugar.

Some school districts have gone as far as prohibiting flavored milk, and Florida considered a statewide ban in schools. Other districts have sought a middle ground by replacing flavored milks containing high-fructose corn syrup with versions containing sugar, which some see as a more natural sweetener.
Los Angeles Unified, the nation's second-largest school district, is the latest district to tackle the issue. Superintendent John Deasy recently announced he would push this summer to remove chocolate and strawberry milk from school menus.
But nutritionists -- and parents -- are split over whether bans make sense, especially when about 70 percent of milk consumed in schools is flavored, mostly chocolate, according to the industry-backed Milk Processors Education Program.
Source : Yahoo

Gary busey fired

2011-06-16T03:19:00.001-07:00

Sources connected with the upcoming movie "Mansion of Blood" tell us, Gary had simply become too difficult to work with -- but the nail in the coffin ... we're told a woman on set complained about inappropriate comments Gary made, and production decided enough was enough.

According to sources, Gary had already finished shooting about half of his scenes -- so the script was rewritten ... and another actor filled in to shoot the rest.

Source : TMZ

Shuttle atlantis launch test

2011-06-16T03:19:00.000-07:00

Space shuttle Atlantis' massive external tank was filled with super-cold liquid fuel today (June 15), just as it would on launch day, to test upgrades that were made to the tank in advance of its scheduled liftoff next month.

The so-called "tanking test" was scheduled to begin this morning at 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT), but stormy weather last night at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. delayed the work until around 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT).
Reports indicated that lightning struck within a quarter mile of Launch Pad 39A, but preliminary assessments show no damage to either Atlantis or the pad, NASA officials said.
NASA is aiming to launch Atlantis on its STS-135 mission — the last flight of the agency's space shuttle program — on July 8 at 11:40 a.m. EDT (1540 GMT). The shuttle will carry four astronauts and a cargo bay full of spare parts on a 12-day trip to the International Space Station.
During today's tanking test, technicians filled Atlantis' external fuel tank with more than 500,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, and ran through regular countdown procedures, to make sure the tank is safe and robust enough to fly.
"It's really just to fill the tank and de-tank, then let the team do the high-tech X-rays during the next week," NASA spokesman Allard Beutel told SPACE.com.
NASA decided to perform the test because of issues that were detected on the shuttle Discovery's external tank, which eventually delayed the STS-133 mission for several months. Repairs and modifications were made to Discovery's tank, and when the shuttle launched in late February, the external tank performed flawlessly, NASA officials said.
Since Atlantis' external tank was constructed with the same materials and was manufactured during the same processing flow, engineers preemptively fixed the tank the same way they did with Discovery's. Today's tanking test will allow ground teams to collect data and assess how these modifications will hold up for launch.
Engineers will take X-ray scans of the orbiter-facing side of a section called the intertank, which is the part of the external tank that caused troubles in the lead-up to Discovery's launch.
"We're going to go ahead and do the tanking test to prove to ourselves that nothing unexpected happened, all our models are right, and we do understand how this [modification] performs," Mike Moses, chair of the shuttle's mission management team, said in a news briefing on June 1. "The X-rays are really that double check to show we understand the stresses that got put into the system. Obviously we'll look at the data and if we're not happy with what we see, we'll take the next course of action. It really is that safety check of that band-aid that we put on the tank."
The X-ray scans are expected to begin on Saturday, Beutel said, and should take about a week to complete. Agency officials are confident in the modifications that were made, and expect Atlantis' tank to perform well, the way Discovery's tank did.

Joss Stone Murder Plot

2011-06-16T03:04:00.000-07:00

Joss Stone Murder Plot- Two men have been charged over an alleged plot targeting singer Joss Stone.

Junior Bradshaw, 30, and Kevin Liverpool, 33, both from Manchester, are accused of conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

It comes two days after police arrested two men in the town of Cullompton, close to the singer's family home in Devon.
The 24-year-old chart-topper, who apparently has a £9m fortune, said she was "absolutely fine" and she was "getting on with life as normal".
The star, whose hits include Super Duper Love and Fell In Love With A Boy, said: "I'd like to thank everyone for their concern.
"But I'm absolutely fine and getting on with life as normal while the police continue with their inquiries."
One of the singer's neighbours, Florence Webber, said the rural area was usually quiet.
"You never think anything like this is going to happen in a place like this," she said.
"We didn't know it had happened until this morning. It is a quiet area. I don't know that she (Stone) is there that often."
Both suspects are due to appear at Exeter Magistrates' Court in the morning.
Stone, a friend of Prince William and Kate Middleton and a guest at their wedding, is not believed to have been home at the time.
Earlier Sky News filmed a white sports car leaving the house with a person covered by a blanket in the front passenger seat. It is not clear if it was the singer.
Stone, who has sold more than 10 million albums, is due to go on a European tour in a few weeks.

Christina Aguilera W Cover

2011-06-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

Christina Aguilera looks lithe and elegant on W magazine's July cover. The Voice coach, 30, sports long, white-blonde frizzy extensions and covers her nude body with a bouquet of crimson red roses.

In the interview, Aguilera opens up about her failed marriage to music producer Jordan Bratman, with whom she has a three-year-old son, Max. "At one time or another we were not angels," she says candidly. "It got to a point where our life at home was reminding me of my own childhood I will not have my son grow up in a tension-filled home. I knew there would be a negative reaction in the press to my divorce, but I am not going to live my life because of something someone might say."
Since her split with Bratman, Aguilera's found love in the arms of her new beau, Matt Rutler, who was a production assistant on the set of Burlesque. "He was so supportive. He still is," she says. "We've been through a lot in the past year."

Bristol palin arizona house rent

2011-06-16T02:55:00.002-07:00

Bristol Palin didn't stay too long in her house 35 miles south of Phoenix in Maricopa. A real estate agent has confirmed the daughter of possible presidential candidate Sarah Palin is renting out the 4,000 square foot house.
Nate Martinez with RE/MAX Professionals says the five-bedroom home went on the market this week. She's asking $1,400 a month for the home she bought last year for $172,000.

Bristol Palin will be back on TV by the end of the year, starring in a reality series for the Bio Channel. The as-yet-untitled series will follow her move from Alaska to Los Angeles with her son, Tripp, to work at a small charity. She will live with actor brothers Kyle and Christopher Massey.

Stanley Cup Finals 2011

2011-06-16T02:55:00.001-07:00

Stanley Cup Finals 2011- We're not sure exactly why NHL championship gear continues to leak in the hours and days before a team wins their conference or the Stanley Cup, but we're not complaining.

After the NHL's conference champion merchandise found its way online on the day the Vancouver Canucks became the first team to advance to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, here's what the Canucks (or the Boston Bruins on Wednesday) will be wearing during the celebration:

Woof.

At least the Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks gear from last season had some design and creativity to it. These shirts could take a cue from the ones given to this year's conference champions; they had some personality to them.

We also would have loved to have seen a Stanley Cup on the front of the hats as some part of champions logo to dress them up a bit more.

If you're one to open your wallet for more than just championship shirts and hats, here's also mini Stanley Cups, Zambonis, glassware and assorted t-shirt designs to choose from.

Mavericks victory parade

2011-06-16T02:55:00.000-07:00

Mavericks victory parade- About 250,000 people are expected to flock to downtown Dallas for Thursday's parade to celebrate the Mavericks' first NBA championship. Below are details (and recommendations from organizers) on the event, and an invite to join us for live updates and a chat during the parade.
People are encouraged to arrive early, but to not camp out overnight (it's actually against city ordinance).

Schedule of events:
Schedule of events: Street closures will begin at approximately 8:00 a.m.
Parade will start at 10:00 a.m. and end at approximately 11:00 a.m.
Celebration at the American Airlines Center from 12:30 p.m. and end approximately at 1:30 p.m.

Pitt jolie date malta

2011-06-16T02:54:00.001-07:00

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their brood of six will be spending June in Malta as he films zombie flick World War Z. Pitt, 47, and Jolie, 36, have rented a palatial $11 million mansion in Qrendi, Malta, just five minutes from the ocean, and plan to live it up with their kids before the movie starts rolling.
But on Tuesday night, the couple soaked up some adult time with dinner at Trattoria Da Pippo in the nearby town of Valetta.

Leaving Shiloh and the gang behind, the twosome met up with ten other friends and colleagues for a sumptuous Maltese meal.
Explains a local insider: "It's a lunchtime restaurant, so it was opened especially for them. Brad wanted a dinner for some of the people working on the film. It was an intimate setting."
As ever, Pitt was "a gentleman" with his love of six years. "He held the door, and pulled out her seat," the insider says, adding that the sat next to each other.
On the menu for the feast? Antipasto of parma ham, salami, Maltese sausage and maltese goat cheese, mussels, pasta with clams, sea urchins and (more!) Maltese sausage, veal with parma ham and sage, plus king prawns and fried calamari.

John edwards mug shot

2011-06-16T02:54:00.000-07:00

John Edwards may be facing as many as five years in prison and tens of thousands of dollars in fines for allegedly violating campaign laws to cover up an affair with a former staffer. But the former Democratic presidential hopeful was photographed smiling in his official mug shot released by the U.S. Marshal Service today--a move that seems to channel other disgraced politicians including Tom DeLay.

How to spot relationship problems

2011-06-16T02:33:00.000-07:00

How To Spot Relationship Problems- You have probably witnessed marriages and loving relationships ending due to problems that seem to have grown from small things. A lot of problems usually become magnified, because it is being ignored at the early stages of a relationship. This is usually justified by that ever so famous phrase, "blinded by love." Failing to recognize even the minutest issue during the early stage of your relationship can lead you to a life-changing and tear-jerking break up. To spare you from spending too much time and energy in a relationship that might not work out and from the pain of a huge break up, here are some tips on how to spot relationship red flags.

Do you notice a lack of communication in your relationship? This could be easily seen during the early stage of relationship. The first thing your partner will do is to limit conversations with you if he is starting to lose interest.

Do you notice a change in your partner's behavior? You may become aware of your partner's change in his way of doing things. An example is if he used to be punctual when meeting with you, but is now always late and doesn't give the initiative to explain why. If you ask for an explanation, he gets easily irritated. Take note of small changes such as this because it could be a sign that something is wrong.

Actors Who Do Their Own Stunts

2011-06-16T02:29:00.000-07:00

Actors Who Do Their Own Stunts

Actors Who Do Their Own Stunts- Not everything we see onscreen is an illusion. Sometimes, that actor leaping from a burning building or rolling a motorcycle across a highway is actually executing the maneuver. Danger be damned! Although CGI and stunt doubles usually provide enough verisimilitude for an audience, some actors still prefer to truly inhabit their roles, right down to the crunch of body on pavement. Below, ten actors with madness in their method.

10. Jason Statham
Guy Ritchie cast Statham in the former Olympic diver's first feature, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The actor later starred in Paul W.S. Anderson's remake of Death Race 2000, in which the onetime French Connection model got to drive like, well, Gene Hackman in The French Connection. "The adrenaline is a great rush," he said in one interview. "I love it, but it is quite stupid." No argument here.

9. Burt Reynolds
The grizzled heartthrob's screen work has involved many feats of derring-do. In Deliverance, he rolled out of a canoe into a raging river. In Sharky's Machine, he leapt out of the Atlanta Hyatt Regency. In fact, one of Reynolds's first features was Navajo's Land; he was cast partly for his stunt-liness and partly because he looked a bit like Marlon Brando (the director's first choice).

8. Zoe Bell
Her range as an actress has not yet been fully established, since Bell -- who's worked as a stunt double for Lucy Lawless and Sharon Stone -- made her film debut, in Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, playing a stuntwoman named Zoe Bell. Not much of a stretch, though it's unlikely that Bell spends much of her off-screen time clinging to the hood of a speeding Dodge Charger.

7. Burt Lancaster
The late Lancaster was a professional acrobat before he took up acting, so it's no surprise that he was able to swashbuckle with the best of them in The Flame and the Arrow. Warner Brothers even sent him on a publicity tour during which he perched on poles and re-created his feats from the film. The Oscar winner displayed his athletic prowess in later films as well, like Trapeze and The Train.

6. Harrison Ford
Ford was in his mid-sixties when he filmed Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but he didn't let a few creaky joints stop him from doing his own stunts. It's nothing new for the strong-jawed leading man, who crashed a speeding car into a bus and dangled from a helicopter in Last Action Hero. "I have picked up plenty of bumps, bruises, and cuts over the years," he's confessed.

5. Angelina Jolie
Often, parents take extra precautions to keep themselves safe on behalf of their kids. Not Jolie. She likes to impress her impressive brood, and, if doing her own stunts is what it takes, by golly, she will, whether it's jumping from a moving car or hanging off a building. As a bonus, the stringent exercise regimen required for stuntwork helps her get back into shape after a pregnancy. Just like your mom, huh?

4. Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Governator couldn't be expected to carry out all the mayhem his characters cause. But Schwarzenegger says he did his own stuntwork in many of his films -- notably the Conan movies and Commando -- partly because it was so difficult to find a double who resembled him. So he's wrestled a wolf, fallen from a 40-foot tower, and jumped off a plane. Which may be almost as difficult as balancing California's budget.

3. Tom Cruise
Cruise's career spans just about every genre, but he's really made his mark as an action star. For the last two installments of Mission: Impossible, Cruise insisted -- against the wishes of studio executives -- on performing his own stunts. He continued his shenanigans for his latest film, Knight and Day, greatly impressing co-star Cameron Diaz, who called him phenomenal. Also crazy.

2. Buster Keaton
In that long-ago time when FX consisted mostly of camera tricks and the substitution of dummies for actors, Keaton kept it real. He pulled off the most dangerous stunts of his era -- and he even stood in for other actors in his films, performing their stunts. Keaton's most famous OMG moment appears in Steamboat Bill, Jr., when the façade of a building, which weighed in at two tons, drops down over him.

1. Jackie Chan
That he does all his own stunts (and has the broken bones to prove it) is part of Hong Kong native Chan's lore. Although Chan's early training was geared toward a career in the Peking Opera, he gravitated toward work as a stuntman. Now he's one of the world's top martial-arts film actors. His Rush Hour 3 co-star, Chris Tucker, notes that Chan got hit hard with a table during shooting -- but returned to the set the next day. For the win.

Food slang

2011-06-16T00:22:00.000-07:00

Food slang

I'll have a cup o' joe and a heart attack on a rack. Lost? That's diner slang for a cup of coffee and a beloved Southern dish. Brush up on your All American diner lingo with the following list of scrumptious slang.

A spot with a twist

While you may not catch Queen Elizabeth II ordering her afternoon drink in slang, try asking for a spot with a twist next time you're in need of a warm beverage. Hungry? Accompany your drink with some of these traditional British treats.

Adam & Eve on a raft

American diners are known for their quick, no-nonsense breakfasts served up hot with a piping mug of coffee. Next time you sally up to the diner counter for some breakfast grub, try ordering the popular Adam and Eve on a raft.

Butcher's revenge

While this dish sounds like the name of a serial killer, a slab of butcher's revenge is more likely to be served at Grandma's house than the big house.

Eve with a lid on

It doesn't get more American than this yummy dessert. Next time you find yourself at a roadhouse diner, order an Eve with a lid on. For an extra treat, have your waitress put a hat on it

Honeymoon salad

This clever play on words will have you asking for a honeymoon salad on your sandwich or burger, or even as a basic side dish.

Pigs in a blanket

Often served with a side of spicy mustard, pigs in a blanket became one of America's favorite party appetizers in the 1950s. They are loved by both kids and adults -- there's even a holiday celebrating them.

Walk a cow through a garden

Summer barbecue season can bring out the grill master in all of us, so it's no surprise this next dish is a favorite of many backyard chefs. Next time you light up the charcoal, treat yourself and walk a cow through a garden.

Athletes as actors

2011-06-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

Athletes as Actors

Athletes as actors- There are several professional athletes who have turned actors over the years and it’s been a common career change. However, some have tried it, only to fail. Some of these guys found success on TV shows and big screen films while others went down as one hit wonders. But we may not see them getting an Oscar or Emmy rather some have become very successful in their second careers. Going through a list of athletes turned actors is a tough sell, mainly because there really aren’t a lot of good ball players who made much of an impact in their thespian trade. However, a handful of them have been able to make a successful transition from one career to the next. This list takes a few liberties as it includes body builders and wrestlers, but some of the most entertaining “athletes” come from those athletic classifications, and if felt unfair to ignore them.Here's our roundup of some of the more memorable athlete-turned-actors stories.

Jim Brown

He might have been the greatest of all time. Some even say that he was, even if his days in the league were abbreviated. But after he walked away from the football field, Brown went on to have a quite, successful movie career.
Pro Sports Career: Played football for the Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965 on the position of Halfback.
Notable Acting Roles:

Robert Jefferson in The Dirty Dozen (1967)
Slammer in I'm Gonna Git you Sucka (1988)
Montezuma Monroe in Any Given Sunday (1999)
Fireball in The Running Man (1987)
Appeared on the TV shows CHiPs (1979, 1983), Knight Rider (1984), T.J. Hooker (1983-84), and The A-Team (1986)

Sure it would be nice to see Jim Brown take on more versatile roles but when you consider he was one of the greatest football players ever along with his very successful movie career it is hard to deny him first place on this list. Everyone remembers his performance in The Dirty Dozen which launched his movie career. Since then he has starred in over 30 movies and also produces and directs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

He was the first to really make it big in the film business. All signs pointed to a short, unsuccessful career in acting. After all, he had a heavy Austrian accent, and his long and confusing last name seems impossible to pronounce. But somehow he managed to find staying power with a few key roles.
Pro Sports Career: Mr. Universe of 1968, IFBB Mr. Olympia for 1970-1975, 1980
Notable Acting Roles:

Arnold Strong 'Mr. Universe' in Hercules in New York (1970)
Conan in Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Conan in Conan the Destroyer (1984)
The Terminator in The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2 (1991), and Terminator 3 (2003)
Kalidor in Red Sonja (1985)
John matrix in Commando (1985)
Dutch in Predator (1987)
Ben Richards in The Running Man (1987)
Julius Benedict in Twins (1988)
Douglas Quaid in Total Recall (1990)
Detective John Kimble in Kindergarten Cop (1990)
Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin (1997)

Who can forget when Arnold took on the iconic role of Conan, or when he became the ultimate soldier in Commando? He even took risks, such as plying his trade to comedy in films like Twins and Kindergarden Cop. But his most important role saw him playing a character that wasn’t even human. In the Terminator franchise, Arnold became an emotionless killing machine, and we loved it. Almost enough to forget that he almost single handedly created the corny one liners that populated his movies. But anyone who can take the simple phrase “I’ll be back” and foist it into the lexicon of the times deserves to be the number one guy on the list.

Alex Karras

Pro Sports Career: Played football as defensive tackle with the Detroit Lions from 1958-1962 & 1964-1970
Notable Acting Roles:

Mongo in Blazing Saddles (1974)
Sheriff Wallace in Porky's (1981)
George Papadapolis in the TV series Webster (1983-89)
TV sportscaster in Buffalo '66 (1998)

Who can forget Karras’s great performance as Mongo in Blazing Saddles?He later proved to be a successful actor as he appeared in more movies and many television shows including Webster in which he was one of the main characters along with his wife Susan Clark.

Jason Lee

Professional skateboarding is not exactly the sport you might think of when you hear about pro athletes becoming actors. However when you think of the skill level and the athletic ability involved along with the competitiveness I think it deserves to be here with the other sports.
Pro Sports Career: Former professional skateboarder from the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Notable Acting Roles:

Brodie in Mallrats (1995)
Banky Edwards in Chasing Amy (1997)
Zavitz in Enemy of the State (1998)
Azrael in Dogma (1999)
Jeff Bebe in Almost Famous (2000)
Brodie Bruce/Banky Edwards in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
Brian Shelby in Vanilla Sky (2001)
Lance Dowds in Clerks II (2006)
Earl Hickey on the TV series My Name is Earl (2005-present)

Jason Lee is the youngest on the list and also probably the one with the brightest future as an actor. Lee is just perfect as the character Earl Hickey in the TV series My Name is Earl which started airing in 2005. Lee also recently appeared in the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks and was also the voice of Underdog which was released in 2007.

Carl Weathers

Pro Sports Career: Played football as Linebacker for the Oakland Raiders (1970-71) and the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League (1971-73).
Notable Acting Roles:

Apollo Creed in Rocky (1976), Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), and Rocky IV, Dillon in Predator (1987)
Action Jackson in Action Jackson (1988)
Chubbs in Happy Gilmore (1996)
Chubbs in Little Nicky (2000)
Col. Brewster in Tour of Duty (1989-90)
Adam Beaudreaux in Street Justice (1991-93)
Chief Hampton Forbes in The Heat of the Night (1993-94)

Carl Weathers was perfect in the roll as Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies. He also has proven his acting ability in several TV series including Street Justice which aired from 1991 to 1993.

Rexburg Snake House

2011-06-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Rexburg Snake House

Rexburg snake house- The residence near Rexburg, Idaho, now known locally as "The Snake House," is shown. The five-bedroom house on a nearly 2-acre lot in the eastern Idaho countryside seemed like a steal at $178,500. But it wasn't long before Ben and Amber Session realized the dream home they had purchased for their growing family was their worst nightmare: It was infested with hundreds upon hundreds of garter snakes.

Pakistan CIA Informants

2011-06-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Pakistan CIA Informants- (AFP) – Pakistan's top spy agency has arrested five Pakistani informants who assisted the CIA ahead of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.The men arrested reportedly include a Pakistani Army major said to have copied the license plate of cars that drove up to bin Laden's compound in the military town of Abbottabad, two hours from the capital Islamabad.

The Pakistani military denied that any army officer had been detained over what it called the "Abbottabad incident"."The story is false and totally baseless," it said in a statement. A Pakistani security official earlier told AFP that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency had no immediate comment on the report.
US officials told the newspaper that Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta raised the fate of the CIA informants during talks with Pakistani military and intelligence officers in Pakistan last week.
At a closed briefing last week, the CIA deputy director rated Pakistan's counterterrorism cooperation with the United States as three out of 10, officials told the newspaper.
Relations between Pakistan and the United States, wary at the best of times, deteriorated sharply over the bin Laden raid on May 2, which humiliated the Pakistani military and invited allegations of incompetence and complicity.
As US President Barack Obama seeks to bring an end to the war in Pakistan's neighbor Afghanistan, US and Pakistani officials have sought to play down any unease between them.
Source: Yahoo

Pippa Middleton Split

2011-06-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

Pippa Middleton Split

Pippa Middleton Split- She is the 27 year old sister to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, reportedly has split from boyfriend Alex Loudon. Pippa Middleton is now single after split. According to a friend of Pippa’s they are taking a “three month separation.” She is moving to the South of France.
However, there other reports that the couple’s relationship was strained due to Middleton’s new found fame stemming from the Royal Wedding a couple of months ago, as too much to handle. “Pippa has become very high-profile, and it’s put a strain on things,” a source said in a statement. “They’re moving in different circles.” Middleton’s reason for moving to France isn’t about the split, but to work more on her career as an event planner. A source said “She’s an amazing social networker and wants to throw the biggest and best parties. “She’d love to work on events around the Cannes Film Festival.” “But Alex doesn’t have the same dream as Pippa. He’s quite happy being in London, so it’s not something he is keen on sharing with her.”
Loudon, 30, is a cricket player turned business man and wants to stay in London. Though he attended the wedding back in April with Pippa the couple has not been seen together in weeks. Middleton has been seen out and about with former boyfriend, George Percy, since the split. Percy, 27, is the eldest son of the Duke of Northumberland, making him heir to a large fortune.

Most expensive restaurants

2011-06-15T04:15:00.000-07:00

Most Expensive Restaurants In The World

By: Lindsay Noyes

Break Studios Contributing Writer

All foodies have a few restaurants that they have to visit, and the ten most expensive restaurants in the world are usually on that list. The world offers a large variety of cuisine for any budget. However, the most expensive restaurants always offer the best food available. Here is a list of the top 10 most expensive restaurants in the world.

Aragawa in Tokyo, Kapan is the number one most expensive restaurant in the world. With the average meal costing $368, having a meal at this restaurant will cost you a pretty penny. At first look you will think you are in the wrong place. It is located in the basement of an office building at the end of a dark hall, but one bite of their delicious kobe beef and you will be happy to spend the money.
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris, France comes in second with the average cost per person at $231. Offering modern, authentic French cuisine in an upscale environment, this restaurant is a must visit. They specialize in la carte dining so each customer can customize their own dish. You can choose to have caviar, giblets of lamb and a duck liver sauce, or any of you favorite French cuisine. Just be sure to save room for their exquisite desserts.
Gordon Ramsay in London, England is third on the list of most expensive restaurants. The average meal costs $183 and is well worth every penny. The well-known chef puts everything he knows into this restaurant to make it an excellent dinning experience. It only has 13 tables, so it is always busy, but with delicious entrees such as cornish lamb and pigeon, if the restaurant had 30 tables it would still be packed at all times.
Acquarello in Munich, Germany has an average cost of $125 per person. It is a Mediterranean style Italian restaurant that has a menu with a wide range of food. So whether you are in the mood for pasta, pigeon, veal or chicken Acquarello has something for you.
Alberto Ciarla in Rome, Italy comes in at number five, with the average meal costing $113. Alberto Ciarla has a large selection of seafood included in their seven course menu. They combine the delicate flavors of the fish with hearty pastas and vegetables to make unique and delicious dishes that everyone will enjoy.
Sushi Kaji in Montreal, Canada has an average price of $109 per person. They combine exotic flavors with everyday food to give customers an experience they are sure not to forget. From watermelon soup to fried fluke with tomato sauce the menu offers a wide range of dishes that you must try.
Queue de Cheval Steak House in Montreal, Canada averages out at $85 per person. All the beef offered is corn-fed and dry-aged 35 days before it is served. They are most known for their 24-ounce porterhouse that is not for lite eaters. So if you are in the mood for a delicious one of a kind steak this is the place for you.
El Amparo in Madrid, Spain comes in at number eight. Averaging $70 per entree this lovely restaurant offers a pleasant dining experience. It is located in a coach-house and is beautifully decorated. Not only is the food top-quality, but the entire package is worth the money.
Whampoa Club in Shanghai, China has an average cost of $63 per person which makes it the 9th most expensive restaurant in the world. The luxurious ambiance of the restaurant is what draws you in, but it's the delicious dishes, including the drunken chicken, that keeps you coming back.
Boeucc in Milan, Italy is number ten on the list of the world's most expensive restaurants. This jacket-required restaurant has an average of $62 per person and is the oldest in Milan. The must-try dish on their menu is the saffron risotto which is second to none.

Source : Mademan

Tori Spelling in car crash

2011-06-15T04:11:00.000-07:00

Tori Spelling in car crash

Actress Tori Spelling, 38, was in a car accident Monday morning while taking her kids to school. The star tweeted about the incident that reportedly took down part of a wall of the school. Spelling, who is pregnant with her third child, also tweeted that she was going to the hospital to get checked out. No one has been reported injured.

Dakota Fanning ad causes stir

2011-06-15T04:09:00.001-07:00

Dakota Fanning ad causes stir

A new ad for Marc Jacobs' perfume, "Oh, Lola" starring Dakota Fanning, 17, is causing some controversy. The ad features the young actress with a bottle of the fragrance between her legs.

Kim Kardashian's wedding registry revealed

2011-06-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

Kim Kardashian's wedding registry revealed

The wedding registry of Kim Kardashian, 30, and Kris Humphries, 26, has been revealed. The couple registered at the posh Gearys in Beverly Hills. Also included on the registry is a date for the event.

Arnold’s ex-housekeeper breaks silence

2011-06-15T04:06:00.000-07:00

Arnold’s mistress breaks silence

Mildred Baena, 50, the woman at the center of the scandal involving former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, 63, says she told her son about his father about a year ago. Schwarzenegger admitted that he had fathered a child out of wedlock not long after he and his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver, 55, announced an amicable separation.

Shaq questioned in robbery case

2011-06-15T04:04:00.000-07:00

Shaq questioned in robbery case?

According to reports, former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal was questioned by police in connection with a 2008 robbery case. The case allegedly revolves around a purported sex tape of O'Neal and a woman who was not his wife at the time, and a group he supposedly sent to retrieve it.

Robert Horry's daughter dies

2011-06-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

Robert Horry's daughter dies

The daughter of former NBA star Robert Horry has died. Ashlyn Horry, 17, died after battling a genetic disorder so rare that it didn't have a name.

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris cancel wedding?

2011-06-15T04:02:00.002-07:00

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris cancel wedding

Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner, 85, confirmed on Twitter that he and Crystal Harris, 25, have called off their wedding. The wedding was going to be televised on Lifetime, and it would have been Hefner's third marriage.

Was Jennifer Aniston the cause of Justin Theroux's breakup?

2011-06-15T04:01:00.000-07:00

Was Aniston the cause of Theroux's breakup?

Rumor has it has that "Horrible Bosses" star Jennifer Aniston, 42, may be the cause of actor Justin Theroux's breakup. Theroux's girlfriend of 14 years moved out of the couple's apartment over the weekend. A rep for Aniston has previously commented on the relationship.

Montel williams marijuana

2011-06-15T03:55:00.000-07:00

Cops say TSA busted the former talk show host with a metal pipe commonly used to smoke marijuana ... as he went through security.

The pipe -- which was in his carry-on -- set off a metal detector. We're told there was no residue.

Montel is a long time advocate of medical marijuana -- which he uses to manage pain related to multiple sclerosis.

Source : TMZ

Leighton Meester new look

2011-06-15T03:52:00.000-07:00

Leighton Meester new look- How's this for a showdown: a real-life royal versus Gossip Girl's Queen B.?!
Kate Middleton stepped out in a stunning, rose sequined Jenny Packham dress, J.K. Bennett clutch and peep-toe heels Thursday night for the Ark charity gala at Kensington Palace.

But her floor-length frock might have had some CW fans doing a double-take. Leighton Meester's alter ego, Blair Waldorf, wore the same dress when she became engaged to Prince Louis this past season in the episode titled "The Princesses and the Frog."

Source : Eonline

Cruise as Jack reacher

2011-06-15T03:48:00.000-07:00

Cruise as Jack Reacher- Tom Cruise is a perfect fit as Ethan Hunt, but perhaps he's reaching a bit with his next proposed role.

The "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" actor is reportedly in negotiations with Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions to star as drifter Jack Reacher in an adaptation of "One Shot," based on the popular Reacher thrillers from author Lee Child. "The Usual Suspects" writer Christopher McQuarrie would write and direct the film. Cruise's casting is undoubtedly a bit of a curveball for fans of the Reacher series, since the character is described as 6'5" and roughly 250 pounds — not exactly Cruise's physical type.

english village the hum

2011-06-15T03:46:00.000-07:00

English village the hum-

Now a tiny English village is the latest community to claim to be being hit by
the phenomenon known as “the hum”.

Residents of Woodland, in County Durham, claim that every night a noise
permeates the air similar to the throb of a car engine.

It is sometimes so strong that it even shakes the bed of one of the
householders.

But no matter how hard they look, the community cannot find the source of the
problem and, at their wits end, have called in the council to investigate.

The 300-strong population is the latest around the world to be hit by the
rumble which has in the past led to wild conspiracy theories blaming it on
UFOs, government experiments and abandoned mine shafts.

It is so widespread that it has even featured on the television show The X
Files.
It’s most famous occurrence was in Bristol in the 1970s when more than a
thousand people complained of the consistent drone causing nosebleeds,
sleeplessness and headaches.
It vanished as mysteriously as it arrived and was never explained.
Residents of Woodland, a community consisting of one main street surrounded by
farmland, claims their version of “the hum” is constant from
midnight until 4am every night and stops them sleeping.
There are no pylons, factories or abandoned mines nearby.
The noise started about two months ago and has been plaguing the isolated
village every day since.
Marylin Grech, 57, a retired store detective, said: “In certain areas of
the house you can hear it more loudly. It is definitely from outside, it’s
in the air, all around, very faint.
“It vibrates through the house. We’ve turned all the electricity off in
the house and we can still hear it, so it’s not that.
“Sometimes we’ll be in bed and it vibrates right through our bed, like a
throbbing.
“It’s not tinnitus, that’s a high pitched sound and this is very low. If
I put my fingers in my ears it stops, so I know it’s not in my head.
“At 4am it’s so clear, because we live in such an isolated place with no
traffic, it’s heaven.
“But it leaves a buzzing in your head for the rest of the day.”
Gary Hutchinson, an environmental protection manager at Durham County Council,
said: “I can confirm that we received a call regarding a humming sound
in the Woodland area earlier on June 1 and we will now make further
enquiries before deciding what action we will take.”

Drunken Steamroller

2011-06-15T03:44:00.000-07:00

Drunken Steamroller- Motorcycle accidents are certainly scary -- but police in Florida say they're not the work of the boogeyman.
After being found trapped underneath a motorcycle on the side of a road in Naples, a man accused of drunken driving told police that an imaginary monster was responsible for the mishap.

Deputies from the Collier County Sheriff's Office responding to reports of a motorcycle wreck at around 2 p.m. on June 12 encountered a suspect described as "highly aggressive and combative," according to a police report obtained by AOL Weird News.
The victim of the crash, identified as James Scarborough, was transported to a hospital for minor injuries, Naples News reports.
When an officer arrived at the hospital, he heard "yelling and screaming coming from" Scarborough's room.
"The male that I heard was yelling profanity and trying to get out of bed," the incident report notes.
The deputy confronted the 49-year-old suspect -- who reportedly gave off "a strong odor of alcohol" and had a flushed face, bloodshot watery eyes and "slurred and mushmouthed" speech -- and asked him about the motorcycle crash.

Diagonal view city

2011-06-15T03:38:00.000-07:00

Diagonal View City
10 Abandoned Places Explained
These 10 notable places, from the mysterious to the bizarre, were abandoned. Here's why.

Diagonal view world

2011-06-15T03:27:00.000-07:00

Diagonal View World
10 Weirdly-Named Towns
In honor of anyone living in Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky, here are 9 more unusually-named towns.

Kim cattrall sex and the city 3

2011-06-15T03:19:00.000-07:00

Kim Cattrall is unsure if 'Sex and the City' has a future.
While the 54-year-old actress - who played man-eating PR executive Samantha Jones in six TV series and two movies of the romantic comedy alongside Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis - would "love" to return for a third film, she is unsure if there is a possibility it could continue any further.
She said: "I don't know if it will happen. I really, really have no idea. I love playing Samantha Jones. I would love playing Samantha Jones again, but I don't know if I will."

Although she would jump at the chance to step into Samantha's shoes again, Kim recently revealed she wants people to remember that she had a career before the character of Samantha.
She said: "I loved working on 'Sex and The City'. It's a dream job and a great character to play. But before 'Sex and The City' I was a working actress and hopefully I will be until I can't talk or move."

Source : Yahoo

Jennifer lopez idol return

2011-06-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

First-year "American Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez says she's "on the fence" about returning to Fox's competition series for a second season.
The singer said in an interview on BBC Radio 1, "I don't know. I haven't been forced to make a decision, and I'm glad about that because honestly I'm very on the fence about it."

Lopez signed a one-year deal with the show in October for a reported $12 million. She offered mostly positive critiques of the contestants and got emotional when some were eliminated.
"I had an amazing time doing it and I loved it, but I have a lot of other things happening, and it's going to come down to making a choice of really what I want to do for the next year," she said. "We're not really at the breaking point of 'You have to make a decision right now!' So I'm not. I'm really enjoying the time of just waiting -- and seeing."
Lopez and husband Marc Anthony are currently working on the Latin competition show "Q'Viva! The Chosen." The project features the duo traveling around the world with director-choreographer Jamie King in search of undiscovered Latino talent, starting in July. It will be filmed in English, Spanish and Portuguese and broadcast simultaneously on TV networks across the Americas.
Source : Yahoo

FDA sunscreen labels

2011-06-15T03:15:00.000-07:00

Consumers will soon be able to better determine whether their sunscreen is truly protecting them from damaging rays. That's what the government is promising in a broad new effort to strengthen testing and labeling requirements for products that make a wide variety of claims.

"This is a very significant day," says Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation. For the first time, she says, a sunscreen that meets specific standards can specifically claim that it reduces the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging, along with preventing sunburn.

The standards are built around new required tests to determine the ability of a product to block both ultraviolent A and B rays. UVA's are considered to be the most dangerous when it comes to skin cancer development. And they also can cause skin aging, including wrinkles.
Sunscreens that show wide-ranging effectiveness will be called "broad spectrum." "Only sunscreens that are labeled both broad spectrum and SPF-15 or higher can have the claim they will reduce both skin cancer and skin aging when used as directed," Woodcock says. Sunscreens that don't meet these new standards must add warning labels that specifically state that they do not provide these protections.
In addition, sunscreens can no longer be labeled waterproof or sweat-proof. They can claim to be water resistant. But even then, Woodcock says, the front label must "tell how much time a user can expect to get the protection while swimming or while sweating." The idea is to emphasize to consumers that sunscreens must be re-applied often to provide adequate protection.
The changes are being praised by the American Academy of Dermatology. The head of the group, Dr. Ronald Moy, says skin cancer is exploding. "Each year in our country, we diagnose and treat more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer. Current estimates are that one-in-five, that's more than 20 per cent of Americans, will develop skin cancer in a lifetime." Melanoma, which used to be predominantly a disease of older men, is now the most common form of cancer for young adults in their late 20's. And it's increasing faster among young women than among young men, in large part because of the growing use of tanning beds, Dr. Moy says.
Along with these new requirements, the FDA says it will be gathering data on concerns being raised about sunscreen sprays. It wants to determine if children especially are suffering health effects when they breathe in the vapors. Government scientists also will study whether sprays leave consumers without proper protection. "We want to know what SPF number you end up with," Dr. Woodcock says.
According to the FDA, SPF-15 blocks about 93 per cent of harmful rays. Any product with an SPF value of 50 or above adds little additional protection, it says.
The new sunscreen labels are expected to be in place by the summer of 2012.

Source : CBS