tuberaider video

Glee fans are rejoicing at the news of a live Glee concert tour coming soon across America! The smash hit TV show has won devoted fans from coast to coast, and with its many musical numbers it seemed a natural for a live concert tour, But up until now no plans had been announced until cast member Cory Monteith let the news leak on Twitter: "There is going to be a live #glee concert tour! in select cities; limited appearances. announcement and details soon. so excited!"

The Glee concert tour will only be in select cities, so the Glee concert tickets are sure to sell out in a flash! I'd recommend watching closely for when tickets go on sale in the city nearest you.

source: fansnap

"Today, Finn Hudson (aka Cory Monteith) posted on Twitter that, "There is going to be a live #glee concert tour! in select cities; limited appearances. Announcement and details soon. So excited!" Glee wraps taping in April so we should expect to see a Glee concert tour announcement, complete with cities and date around then. You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find... you get what you need. ...and we need Glee!"

The smash hit show Glee is seeking out new cast members for its next season, and the show's next star could be you! All you have to do is take a shot at Glee's open casting call announced soon by Fox Broadcasting.

The new but already beloved musical series set in an all-American high school has won the hearts of viewers worldwide, and now the show is looking to expand with some new talent. The show used an open casting call for its original lineup and were ecstatic with the results of that process so this time they are doing it again but also inviting the viewing public to see some of the auditions and pick the finalists. See below for details on how you can be a part of the show.

Glee Open Casting Call! Fox Broadcasting

Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice and Entertainment Prez, Kevin Reilly confirmed that they're adding three new characters to the musical-comedy series...and that America would get a chance to offer their input on who they'd like to see join the cast. Glee Idol so to speak. There was an open casting call when Glee was originally auditioning for the roles, Reilly recalls...

Glee Open Casting Call! Fox Broadcasting

If you are between the ages 16 to 26, you might have a chance to join the coolest AND geekiest cast of young people in America, the cast of Glee!

The smash hit TV show is doing an open casting call to find three new cast members, and the viewing audience may even have a hand in picking the big winners. You can sign up for an audition whether you are an amateur singer and actor or a pro, but the details such as the time and date of the auditions, and where to sign up, have not been revealed yet so you will just have to wait and watch the Fox website until those details appear. But until then all you Glee fans can read below for more info.

Glee Open Casting Call for Ages 16 to 26
ontheflix

Fox 'Glee' to do open casting calls in February for season 2. Alright, "Glee" fans and wanna be "Glee" actresses and actors, Fox has announced on it's website that they will be doing open casting calls sometime in February. They say the executive producers of "Glee" will begin a nationwide casting search this February to fill three new roles for Glee's 2nd season. "Entertainment Weekly" has reported that the three new roles will be for a Eve Harrington-esque rival for Rachel, a gay jock-slash-boyfriend for Kurt, and an R&B singing teen, AKA "a male Mercedes...

Glee Open Casting Call for Ages 16 to 26

As the hit show Glee continues to conquer the hearts of America, more and more top pop stars are allowing the show to use their songs for their famous cover versions performed by the super-talented cast. And the latest one is Madonna, which means star actor Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester is set to perform Madonna's Vogue!

Jane Lynch is quick to make it clear she will not need to cram or study, to be ready for a Madonna song as she is already a fan. She says, "I've just been kind of up on Madonna these days. I'm loving her. I grew up in the '80s, so she provided the soundtrack to my life." The Sue Sylvester performance of Vogue will be just one of many exciting new pop and rock classics to be covered in the upcoming season of Glee, which will also feature some exciting new cast members in its episodes. I'm sure there will be many views and downloads of this season just like the first.

Sue Sylvester to Perform Madonna's Vogue
starpulse

Jane Lynch will live out a childhood fantasy in front of TV audiences later this year - the actress has signed on to perform her version of Madonna's dance hit "Vogue" on hit show "Glee". Lynch will put her pop star skills to the test when she sings the 1990 track in character as her coach character Sue Sylvester in an upcoming episode. And the 49-year-old confesses Madonna has been her idol for the last three decades...

Sue Sylvester to Perform Madonna's Vogue

As Black History Month begins, many are remembering the landmark events of the Civil Rights movement, and one that should never be forgotten is the movement based around sit-ins in Greensboro North Carolina, at a Woolworth's that refused to serve blacks at their lunch counter.

It's hard to imagine it was mere decades ago that this sort of despicable racism was commonplace but indeed many Americans are still old enough to remember when this was "normal". The protest was started by a group of local students who took the initiative on their own to take a stand by sitting. And soon that small group led to hundreds of young people protesting at the Woolworth's lunch counter, and set a precedent for similar protests throughout the south from then on. For the full detailed account of this inpsiring story see below.

Woolworth's refused to serve blacks at lunch counter
wikipedia

In many towns, the sit-ins were successful in achieving the desegregation of lunch counters and other public places. Nashville's students attained citywide desegregation in May, 1960, and Greensboro's Woolworth's store desegregated its lunch counter several months after its sit-in, on July 26, 1960, serving blacks and whites alike. The media picked up this issue and covered it nationwide, beginning with lunch counters and spreading to other forms of public accommodation, including transport facilities...

Woolworth's refused to serve blacks at lunch counter

Will Smith has always been one of America's most likable celebrities, and often one of the names that comes up when people imagine an actor running for President one day. And now there are reports that Will Smith may indeed be seriously considering a political career!

According to Will Smith's wife, the famous in her own right actress Jada, Will has been considering politics for a long time. She says ""Will is thinking about going into politics. He once said he could imagine becoming a U.S. president. He wasn't joking, he was quite serious about it." We hope he really is serious about it! I don't think you can ever underestimate Mr. Smith.

Will Smith Political Career News!
abc15

Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith has confirmed her husband is seriously considering a move into politics - just a year after the actor ruled out a career change. The Independence Day star previously mulled over life as a politician, but decided "it's a whole lot more fun to be a movie star." However, Pinkett Smith has revealed her partner is reconsidering a move from Hollywood to Washington, D.C...

Will Smith Political Career News!

Actress Sandra Bullock has always been one of the most well-liked actresses, but also known by some for a habit of taking roles in not-so-great movies.. so maybe it makes sense that Sandra Bullock could possibly be up for both an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year, and be awarded as both the best and the worst actress of the same year.

Her Oscar nod seems likely to come from her performance in her hit movie "The Blind Side", the inspiring true story of football player Michael Oher who was adopted by the women Sandra portrays. But on the less flattering side, Sandra has already been nominated in the Razzies for her role in the critically lambasted comedy "All About Steve." Her comptetition in that Worst Actress category includes Miley Cyrus in the Hannah Montana movie and Beyonce in "Obsessed" (which even though I love Beyonce would be my personal choice. Sorry Bey!)

Sandra Bullock Razzie Oscar
dose.ca

Sandra Bullock is on the verge of true greatness today. If Oscar nomination predictions prove true, Bullock could break ground to become the first person to be simultaneously nominated for both an Oscar and a Razzie, Hollywood's most esteemed and embarrassing honours, respectively. Academy Award nominations aren't announced until tomorrow morning, but the Razzies -- the annual awards-fest that calls out which Hollywood fare deserves to be taunted and booed until our throats are sore -- have beaten them to the punch....

Sandra Bullock Razzie Oscar

How does Heidi Montag's doctor possibly justify doing that many cosmetic surgery procedures on a perfectly beautiful and healthy young woman? In a single day no less? That is the question many people have been asking, and her cosmetic surgeon is finally speaking out, in this CNN interview.

Heidi Montag, star of "The Hills", recently got a mind-boggling 10 procedures in a single day, and in her first interviews after this radical process seemed unable to move the muscles in her face, and admitted to being in serious pain, but still insisted the plastic surgery was necessary despite her already being perfectly thin and pretty looking with her natural appearance. Many observers including doctors and psychologists have questioned the ethics of this doctor's work on Heidi, but as seen below in the video from CNN, the doctor is staunchly defending his handiwork. I guess you can watch and judge for yourself.

Heidi Montag's Doctor
charlotteobserver

After a whopping 10 plastic surgeries, Heidi Montag's surgeon, Dr. Frank Ryan, decided to speak out against the claims that the MTV Hills reality starlet almost died post-op and guarantees that she is not addicted to the craft. While Heidi told Access Hollywood's Billy Bush that, "I had too much Demerol like Michael Jackson did and my breathing was five breaths per minute which is like almost dead," after her countless number of procedures, Dr. Ryan confirms to Shaun Robinson that her claims are completely false...

Heidi Montag's Doctor

You all know Valentine's Day is coming up on the 14th, but did you know these fun facts from the U.S. Census about Valentine's Day for 2010? Here are some of the choice tidbits revealed by the Census Bureau:

In Toyota's ongoing struggle to address the defective design on millions of their cars, they are now making new efforts to offer a fix on the gas pedals that have caused huge recalls on some of their most popular cars.

The defect had been causing a hazardous potential for the accelerator pedal to get stuck on accelerate, the equivalent of having you're foot on the gas and being unable to let it back up. A representative from Toyota said "We know what's causing the sticking accelerator pedals, and we know what we have to do to fix it." The fix will need to be implemented in 2.3 million cars currently owned by consumers, so it will take a lot of work for Toyota to fix this mess.

Toyota gas pedal fix!
CNN Money

Toyota said Monday it has developed a fix for gas pedals in millions of recalled vehicles and is already shipping the new parts to dealers. The fix involves reinforcing the pedal assembly in a way that eliminates the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick, the company said in a press release. Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles in the United States for this problem...Toyota said replacement parts are already being shipped and that dealers will work extended hours to fix the recalled vehicles...

Toyota gas pedal fix!

Did you know that 190 million Valentine's Day cards are sold each year? That's a lot of money for the Valentine industrial complex. This was one of many Valentine's Day tidbits published in the latest National Geographic. Here are some others:

190 Million Valentine's Day Cards
seattlepi

# About 190 million cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second-most popular greeting-card giving occasion.
# 65 percent of households send greeting cards on Valentine's Day.
# 73 percent of Valentine Day flowers are bought by men, while women buy 23 percent of Valentine flowers.
# About 45.8 percent of U.S. consumers will exchange Valentine's Day candy. About 75 percent of is from sales of chocolate
# Americans will spend about $14.7 billion in retail sales on Valentine's Day in the United States.
# The average U.S. consumer is expected to spend $103 on Valentine's Day gifts, meals, and entertainment, down from $123 per person in 2008.

190 Million Valentine's Day Cards

Every year publications release a list of fun facts and figures relating to Valentine's Day, and one of the most interesting this year is that jewelry stores actually sold $2.2 Billion dollars worth of jewelry in 2009! This was just one of many Valentine's Day tidbits published in the latest National Geographic. Here are some others, in the link and article below:

Jewelry Stores Sold $2.2 Billion in Feb. 2009?
seattlepi

# About 190 million cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second-most popular greeting-card giving occasion.
# 65 percent of households send greeting cards on Valentine's Day.
# 73 percent of Valentine Day flowers are bought by men, while women buy 23 percent of Valentine flowers.
# About 45.8 percent of U.S. consumers will exchange Valentine's Day candy. About 75 percent of is from sales of chocolate
# Americans will spend about $14.7 billion in retail sales on Valentine's Day in the United States.
# The average U.S. consumer is expected to spend $103 on Valentine's Day gifts, meals, and entertainment, down from $123 per person in 2008.

Jewelry Stores Sold $2.2 Billion in Feb. 2009?

Pop star Britney Spears was never known as the world's greatest singer, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise if she is lip-syncing at a concert. But concert goers in Australia were up in arms to find her "miming" her performances instead of singing live while she danced and carried on, bringing some scandal in the press that Britney Spears says has left her "devastated."

Britney's management says the tabloid reports are not accurate, and explained: "Britney is aware of all this and she's extremely upset by it. She's a human being. I'm embarrassed, with such a big international entourage here with Britney, to be part of the Australian media when I see that kind of totally inaccurate reporting." But seriously she's never been that type of performer you should expect first class vocals from, it's more about the dance and the spectacle up on stage. So I think we should leave Britney alone, as the saying goes.

Britney Spears Lip Sync: "Devastated" (VIDEO)
inentertainment

The singer Britney Spears may have only performed two shows in her "Circus Tour" in Australia, but she has already become the center of some controversy. When the reviews of her shows in Perth started to come in, they were negative. Some critics even complained, about the fact that Britney lip-synchs during some of her performances. But even though her lip-synching isn't a secret to American audiences, it caused a bit of a stir Down Under...

Britney Spears Lip Sync: "Devastated"

Out of the many rocking performances in the 2010 Grammy awards, none was more thrilling than the high-flying performance from the superstar Pink, performing her hit "Glitter in the Air" as she was hanging high in the air in a feat huge enough to top any high-flying circus act. And she pulled off this entire death defying routine while singing flawlessly all along, hanging upside down!

Pink said she actually almost fell and made quite a scene at the end: "When I came out of the silk, I thought I was going to fall onto my nude butt," she said. "No one ever has another excuse to lip-sync..." But she pulled it off flawlessly, and did indeed show the music world what a real vocalist and true performer can do. Beyonce and even Lady Gaga both had solid performances as well, and ironically the Album of the Year winner Taylor Swift may have had the weakest showing of the night, barely holding a tune alongside Steve Nicks. I like Taylor, not trying to be mean, but this wasn't a great showing.

azcentral

Pink confessed she almost took a tumble during her high-flying performance of "Glitter in the Air." The lights on the top of the Staples Center threw her off, she said backstage. "When I came out of the silk, I thought I was going to fall onto my nude butt," she said. "No one ever has another excuse to lip-sync..."

Did an American church group try to kidnap children from Haiti? That is the charge being made by Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive about the Americans who tried to bring 33 Haitian Children back home with them.

10 members of an American church group have been detained by Haitian authorities for allegedly attempting to take 33 children out of the country. Reportedly the children insisted they were not orphans and still had families in Haiti to live with, but somehow the Americans tried to take them away anyway. A member of the church group said "God wanted us to come here to help children; we are convinced of that, Our hearts were in the right place." And the Prime Minister has since tempered his words and acknowledged the Americans may have simply been misguided. But it is still a sobering example of how good intentions can go dangerously wrong in this sort of crisis.

Jean-Max Bellerive Called American Group "Kidnappers"
Time

Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive lashed out at the group as "kidnappers" who "knew what they were doing was wrong," though he later conceded the group might have been misguided. Still, authorities are dubious about the Americans' qualifications and are certain that the group did not have permission to take the children out of the country. It also appears that many of the children were not orphans at all, but were placed in the care of the U.S. church group after their families were promised they would have a better life...

Jean-Max Bellerive Called American Group "Kidnappers"

Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive has been up in arms, speaking out about the group of Americans who tried to bring 33 Haitian children back home with them as orphans though they were not actually orphans

10 members of an American church group have been detained by Haitian authorities for allegedly attempting to take 33 children out of the country. The kids, aged 2 months to 12 years, were allegedly taken without proper verification of their identity and status so that many of them were not actually orphans and still had family they could be with in Haiti. A member of the church group explained that "God wanted us to come here to help children; we are convinced of that, Our hearts were in the right place."

Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive at first called the American church group "kidnappers" who "knew what they were doing was wrong," but later conceded the group of Americans may have just been misguided and did mean well, though their actions went wrong in the end.

Haitian Children in Question Are Aged 2 Months to 12 Years

Haitian Children in Question Are Aged 2 Months to 12 Years

A case in Haiti involving an American church group that is accused of a "child trafficking scheme" may actually involve their Haitian parents willingly giving up their kids because they feel too poor to take care of them, according to news reports.

An article on CBSnews.com quoted numerous parents in Haiti, including Geddoid Jesneo who says of her daughter "We have ho house, no schools, we have nothing. So I sent her away to get a better education." But Haitian authorities put a stop to these adoptions saying they were not proper, and initially considering them kidnapping. A complex situation in the middle of a crisis where these things can be very difficult to sort out. It seems as though the missionaries had good intentions in trying to bring these children out for adoption, but the endeavor may have been misguided. The Haitian Prime Minister was at first strongly denouncing the attempted adoption process, but now has softened his tone a bit, no longer calling the Americans kidnappers for the errant adoption attempts. For more detail see the story below:

Baptists Offered Kids Pool, Tennis Courts
cbsnews

CBS News went to the hard-hit village in the hills above Port-au-Prince where the children were taken and found parents and siblings of 20 of the children, almost the entire village. The parents said they willingly signed their children over to the Americans. "We have ho house, no schools, we have nothing," mother Geffoid Jesneo said in Creole. "So I sent her away to get a better education." She said her daughter will be better off away from the village. But try telling that to her 10-year-old daughter at the orphanag
e...

A case in Haiti where an American church group is accused of a "child trafficking scheme" may actually involve parents willingly giving up their kids because they feel too poor to take care of them, according to news reports.

An article on CBSnews.com quoted numerous parents in Haiti, including Geddoid Jesneo who says of her daughter "We have ho house, no schools, we have nothing. So I sent her away to get a better education." But Haitian authorities put a stop to these adoptions saying they were not proper, and initially considering them kidnapping. A complex situation in the middle of a crisis where these things can be very difficult to sort out. It seems as though the missionaries had good intentions in trying to bring these children out for adoption, but the endeavor may have been misguided. For more detail see the story below:

"I sent her away to get a better education," Says Geffoid Jesneo (NEWS)
cbsnews

CBS News went to the hard-hit village in the hills above Port-au-Prince where the children were taken and found parents and siblings of 20 of the children, almost the entire village. The parents said they willingly signed their children over to the Americans. "We have ho house, no schools, we have nothing," mother Geffoid Jesneo said in Creole. "So I sent her away to get a better education." She said her daughter will be better off away from the village. But try telling that to her 10-year-old daughter at the orphanag
e...

In a disturbing story that shows how the best intentions can go wrong in times of crisis, a group of American church missionaries have been detained for trying to take a group of children out of Haiti as orphans, many of whom were not actually orphans at all, and apparently still had family in Haiti.

Allegedly at least one child even told the U.S. church group that she still had family there, and at first she thought she was just going on a brief vacation, not being taken out of her home country for good. The church group was stopped & detained, at first called kidnappers by the Haitian Prime MInister Bellerive, but he has since softened his tone a bit on the issue.

The case continues to develop as agencies and workers struggle to maintain order in a chaotic situation where it's difficult to document who children are and what their family situation is, muchless whether they are already in an adoption process. Hopefully the best interests of these children can be served in the long run.

Haitian Child Believed She Was Going on Brief Vacation
WSJ

The 10 U.S. missionaries, who were arrested last week for allegedly attempting to take 33 children out of Haiti, could be put under formal investigation for kidnapping, trafficking and conspiracy as early as Thursday, the prosecutor in charge of the case said. Through lawyers, the missionaries have denied any wrongdoing, saying they only tried to help rescue children from the wrecked capital...But more reports surfaced that the consulate in the Haitian capital and told a group leader she lacked the documents to transport children...

Haitian Child Believed She Was Going on Brief Vacation

Did an American missionary church group try to kidnap 33 children from Haiti? That is the charge being made by Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive about the Americans who tried to bring 33 Haitian children back home to America with them.

10 members of an American church group have been detained by Haitian authorities, for allegedly attempting to take the 33 children out of their home country. Reportedly the children insisted they were not orphans and still had families in Haiti to live with, but somehow the Americans tried to take them away anyway. One member of the church group was quoted as saying "God wanted us to come here to help children; we are convinced of that, Our hearts were in the right place." The Prime Minister has since tempered his words and acknowledged the Americans may have simply been misguided. But it is still a sobering example of how good intentions can go dangerously wrong in this sort of crisis.

It has also been suggested in some reports that families are sometimes giving up their own children to be taken out of the country, simply because they believe they are too impoverished to care for their child properly. Whatever the full story, hopefully the best interests of these kids and their famnilies can be served as this is all sorted out, whether they go through an adoption process or not. And hopefully the country will be rebuilt enough that it won't seem necessary to take kids away from there to give them a shot.

Jean-Max Bellerive Called American Group "Kidnappers"
Time

Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive lashed out at the group as "kidnappers" who "knew what they were doing was wrong," though he later conceded the group might have been misguided. Still, authorities are dubious about the Americans' qualifications and are certain that the group did not have permission to take the children out of the country. It also appears that many of the children were not orphans at all, but were placed in the care of the U.S. church group after their families were promised they would have a better life...

Jean-Max Bellerive Called American Group "Kidnappers"

This will be a historic Superbowl, as the proud city of New Orleans will see their Saints compete in their first Super Bowl ever!

The Saints may be slight underdogs, going into the Super Bowl against the veteran Colts, but hopes are high that this talented team led by Drew Brees can make football history with their first Super Bowl win. New Orleans has a compelling story with all the hardship they continue to overcome after Katrina, and the proud, rich cultural history they carry with them. I like both teams but I'm definitely hoping to see the Saints get their first Super Bowl, especially since the celebration can roll right into Mardi Gras!

This Is the Saints First Super Bowl
nola.com

Though now physically separated from the Who Dat Nation, Benack has been with it in spirit. He described his reaction to the Saints coming to South Florida as "euphoric." "We lived through Katrina and the whole nine yards, and for us, this is just so special. It means more than just a game. "I was here working at the restaurant when the (NFC Championship) game was on, and I was a nervous wreck," Benack said. "When they won, I started balling like a little baby. People were coming in from the dining room to watch the game and cheering us on...

This Is the Saints First Super Bowl

As Tiger Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren figure out their troubled relationship that has been put in ruins by his extramarital affairs, one of the biggest concerns is what will happen to their two kids. It has been reported that Elin may want to leave and seek full custody, but Tiger of course will want to avoid this, and stay in his children's life whether their marriage stays intact or not.

Their two kids are aged 2 years and ten months, luckily young enoguh that they may not be fully aware of all the drama their family is currently going through. But if things are not resolved in an amicable way, the battle in divorce court and the bad vibes that may remain, along with the lingering impact of the public spectacle that led to the breakup, could have an impact on the kids' lives later on. Hopefully they will be shielded from this as best they can, and the family will do what they can to keep the kids in a good space.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren Have Two Kids
nypost

A humiliated Elin Nordegren reportedly wants full custody of her two kids with Tiger Woods -- convinced that the philandering golf great's subpar maturity makes him an unfit dad. The couple has two children -- Sam, 2, and Charlie, 10 months -- and their welfare is Nordegren's top priority, according to London's News of the World."She wants 100 percent divorce, 100 percent custody of the children, and half of everything. And she won't be changing her mind," a confidant of the Swedish stunner told the British tab...

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren Have Two Kids

The Indianapolis Colts have played in three Super Bowls, and a poll of famous football fans is showing them as the strong favorite to take home the trophy and win out over the underdog New Orleans Saints. Here are some of the many celebrity predictions gathered in the link below.

After 2 years overseeing completion of her luxurious new home, Jennifer Aniston is now allowing the world into her new living space for the first time, and the actress known for her ill-fated relationships is trying to embrace life as an independent single woman this time around.

As featured in an architectural magazine, and reported by Radaronline, Jennifer Aniston's newly remodeled Beverly Hills property took what used to be his and hers baths, and changed them to one regular bath and one spa bath with a soaking tub. IT was only a little over a year ago that Aniston hosted a housewarming party at her new Beverly Hills mansion with a guest list that included Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi and Tobey Maguire and his pregnant wife, Jennifer Meyer.

Jennifer Aniston New Home (NEWS)
independent

Jennifer Aniston has showed off her newly renovated Beverly Hills home in an architecture magazine. The Marley And Me actress has spent two and a half years doing up the house, RadarOnline reports. Jen - who will soon be seen in action comedy The Bounty Hunter - told Architectural Digest she had completely remodeled the pad, and it seems it has been kitted out for a single independent woman. "The house originally had his-and-hers baths, but Aniston has turned the 'his' into a spa bath with a soaking tub," the magazine reports...

Jennifer Aniston New Home (NEWS)

Does Kate Gosselin have what it takes to be a host on The View? She'll get a chance to show America's viewers what she's got when she returns to the Viwe this month, to be a guest host on March 11th.

Gosselin will be joined on that day by Robert Pattinson the hunky and mopey co-star of the Twilight movies, that have enraptured young teenagers and tweens everywhere. Kate Gosselin also co-hosted for a few days last September so this will not be entirely a new thing for her. Among other guest hosts coming back to the view soon are Meghan McCain, Valerie Bertinelli and Victoria Beckham, all confirmed to appear on the show in the near future.

Kate Gosselin may have lost some of the public's goodwill as her hit show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" came to an end through a somewhat ugly breakup between the two parents, who only had the TV show with their 8 children keeping them together. Neither of the parents made too good an impression in this drama. But maybe now that this is behind her Kate Gosselin can give us a new view of her! No pun intended.

Kate Gosselin Back On The View! (NEWS)
newsok

Reality star Kate Gosselin is scheduled to join the ladies of the "The View," along with a certain 'Twilight' heartthrob. The former "Jon and Kate Plus 8" mom will be co-hosting the talk show on Thursday, March 11. Gosselin is no stranger to the round table, appearing as a guest co-host for three days in September, 2009. Also set to appear on "The View" is none other than 'Twilight' hunk Robert Pattinson. The sexy vampire will make his "View" debut on Tuesday, March 2...

Kate Gosselin Back On The View! (NEWS)

In an upcoming episode of the CBS show "The Insider", perennially troubled young actress Lindsay Lohan reveals a different type of addictive behavior that she's been struggling with: hoarding.

Hoarding is an addiction that is not associated with Hollywood's glamorous lifestyle, or the dramatic impact of more well-known addictions like drugs or alcohol, or even sex addiction. But it still causes turmoil in many thousands of lives, tears families apart and can ruin people if they never get help for it. Lindsay Lohan will be interviewed by Niecy Nash on the Insider show talking about what she calls a "sore subject", her own hoarding issues.

Or at least that's how it appears in the promos for the show, which seem to have a lot of convenient and and ambiguous editing, and it also seems possible the producers have exaggerated Lindsay Lohan's hoarding addiction to hype up their program. I guess you'll have to wait and see the show, if you really care to find out.

Lindsay Lohan Hoarding (NEWS)
huff post

Lindsay Lohan can be seen on 'The Insider' this Thursday discussing her latest diagnosis: secret celebrity hoarder. "It's kind of a sore subject," Lindsay tells Niecy Nash in the teaser. Then she faces a room filled with shoes and clothes and dramatically intones, "I just need to get rid of this stuff." Supposedly her hoarding is a coping mechanism for the hurt caused by her father, shown in the opening montage...

Lindsay Lohan Hoarding (NEWS)

As seen in the video below, an ad for a gay dating site has been prohibited from appearing on television during the Super Bowl this year.

The ad, for a new Gay Dating site named mancrunch.com, shows a rather comedic display of two male football fans watching the Super Bowl and celebrating a big score by making out with each other, as another friend watches in bewilderment. Some have said that since the Super Bowl has agreed to air a controversial anti-abortion ad from football player Tim Tebow, But others say the makers of the Mancrunch ad knew they would not make it past the censors, and submitted it to get publicity for their dating site by being rejected from the airwaves. Says one ad exec, "Once in a while, you see companies who wanna get more bang for their investment in the Super Bowl by putting on ads they know are not gonna be accepted by the standards and practices of the network..."

The ad does look a little tacky, but with all the other cheesy stuff that goes on during the Super Bowl broadcast, especially the many products that use sex to sell themselves, I think it'd be only fair to let this gay dating site have their fun too. After all when the Super Bowl is on we're really watching three hours of guys piling on top of each other, are we not?

Gay Dating Super Bowl Ad Banned! (NEWS)
NPR News

This year, CBS is airing an anti-abortion commercial featuring college football star Tim Tebow, with his mother. The ad is sponsored by the conservative group Focus on the Family. Within a few weeks of that ad's approval, CBS turned down a commercial for the Super Bowl produced by a new gay dating site called ManCrunch.com. The Tebow and ManCrunch ads raise questions about not just what networks want in Super Bowl advertisements, but also what potential advertisers really want from the Super Bowl.

Gay Dating Super Bowl Ad Banned! (NEWS)

Four Wisconsin women who allegedly sought revenge on a cheating man by gluing his umm, private jewels, have now been sentenced in Calumet County. The women all got one year of probation and community service avoiding the jail time that was possible in the nationally-covered and scandalous case.

The four women, Terese Ziemann, Michelle Belliveau, Wendy Sewell, and Tracy-Hood Davis , were known as the "Krazy Glue Revenge" women, after they found out the same man had been seeing each of them at the same time, The women's attorneys had argued for ther clients to get away with just a fine, but the judge decided somewhat stronger measures were justified. The women, in a now legendary case,, tricked the man into coming to meet them, then tied him up and glued his genitals to his stomach.

Wisconsin Women Sentenced in Glue Case (VIDEO)
thegrio

All four WIsconsin women were sentenced today in Calumet County, Wisconsin court. It comes after they glued a cheating lover's private parts to his stomach back in July. The women were all sentenced to one year of probation, community service, and a dose of shame from this sensational case. Terese Ziemann, Michelle Belliveau, Wendy Sewell, and Tracy-Hood Davis all faced judgment for their roles in what's being called the "Krazy Glue Revenge" At today's sentencing, defense lawyers argued for a fine. Donessa Davis and his wife Tracy did not comment in court or afterwards.

Wisconsin Women Sentenced in Glue Case (VIDEO)

Rap superstar Lil Wayne is getting ready to serve a year in jail on a gun charge, right at the height of his career. Most people would probably be pretty upset about this development but Wayne seems to be taking it in stride, even saying that he's "looking forward to jail."

Lil Wayne will be serving a one year sentence for a felony gun charge, and will serve it out in NY's notorious Riker's Island facility. Wayne is keeping a positive mindset about his incarceration and plans to keep working by having his partners send him beats to listen to on his Pod, which he will use to keep writing new songs. Wayne says "I look at things as 'Everything is meant to be.' I know it's an experience that I need to have if God's putting me through it."

Wayne just released a new album, his rap/rock fusion experiment entltled Rebirth, and is still riding high off his last album The Carter 3. With any luck he'll use this time away as an opportunity to clear his head and maybe come back more mature and more focused. Especially since he also reportedly has quite his addiction to "syrup", 2011 could be a great fresh start for this very talented young musician.

Lil Wayne looking forward to jail? (news)
msnbc

Lil Wayne may be heading for jail, but the hip-hop star told Rolling Stone not to worry about him while he's behind bars. "This is Lil Wayne going to jail. Nobody I can talk to can tell me what that's like," he told the mag. "I just say I'm looking forward to it." The prolific rapper added that jail shouldn't slow down his rapid writing. "I'll have an iPod, and I'll make sure they keep sending me beats," he said. And though the "Lollipop" rapper just dropped a new album, the rock-crossover effort "Rebirth," he told the magazine he's accepted his time away from touring and recording...

Lil Wayne looking forward to jail? (news)

Sinbad, the standup comic and actor who used to be on top of the world, has apparently hit hard times as reports come in that he has declared bankruptcy, facing a mountain of debt and tax troubles.

Sinbad, who starred on Star Search long ago before becoming a popualr comedian and tv & movie actor, has been having financial problems for several years now, and they are getting no better it would seem. The latest news has the Attorney General's office ordering him to sell his home so that he can pay up his millions of dollars in tax debt. Sinbad is apparently delinquent in over 8 million dollars in federal taxes, making him the latest of many celebrities to be getting terrible advice from their accountants and tax lawyers, one has to assume. How do you wind up owing that much?

With tax season coming up soon many tax consultants and financial advisers will be offering their wares, so make sure to be careful and choose one that will treat your money right and keep you on the right side of the IRS.

Sinbad Bankruptcy! (NEWS)
contactmusic

Comedian-turned-actor SINBAD ADKINS has been declared bankrupt, according to U.S. reports. The Jingle All The Way star allegedly owes more than $8.15 million (£5.1 million) in delinquent federal taxes. The U.S. Attorney General's office has now ordered him to sell his home to pay the debts, according to The Detroit News Earlier this month (Dec09), a federal judge was asked to foreclose on several tax liens and determine whether or not Adkins was the owner of a $1.5 million (£937,500) home in California - and the star filed for bankruptcy the following day....

Sinbad Bankruptcy! (NEWS)

As the battle to improve our health care system hangs in the balance, and millions of Americans struggle to get proper medical treatment for their families, one woman is taking a creative approach to seeking first-rate care and dramatizing the need for a better health care system. She is promising that she will marry for health insurance!

The woman, who suffers from a little known medical condition called C4 Complement Deficiency, needs treatment for this incurable disease, but because the dreadful current health care system considers this a "preexisting condition" she is unable to get coverage from any insurance company after her COBRA coverage runs out in a year.

it is appalling that anyone should be in this position, and as weakened as Obama's health care reform bull already is, I think it's worth it to do whatever is needed to pass something, to get rid of these "preexisting conditions" policies and at least a good measure of the increased and improved coverage this reform could provide. Hopefully the Democrats will grow some spine and the GOP will show some heart.. maybe they can each get spine and heart operations, if the new health care system covers those?

Will Marry for Health Insurance
momlogic

Terri Carlson, 45, has posted several videos on YouTube saying she will marry someone in exchange for health insurance. She also started her own website. The divorcee and single mom has a genetic disorder called C4 Complement Deficiency, and there are no known cures. She has one year left under COBRA health coverage, but she was issued a lifetime denial from every other health insurance carrier...

Will Marry for Health Insurance

Football fans love to debate the top all=time quarterback, and named like Joe Namath, Johnny Unitus, Joe Montana and Peyton Manning are always sure to come up. But one name that shouldn't be forgotten is one of the oldest of all, the name of All time top quarterback Bart Starr!

Bart Starr was drafted way back in 1956, in the 17th round no less, by the Green Bay Packers, and in the first few years he barely even played. But once Vince Lombardi took over as head coach, he took Bart Starr under his wong and turned him into one of football's first great quarterbacks. He went on to be the MVP in the first two Super Bowls, and carried a streak of several years in which the Green Bay Packers went undefeatedin the postseason. So when you are making your list of all-time top quarterbacks, don't sleep on Bart Starr as a highly qualified name for that list.

Top All-Time Quarterbacks: Bart Starr!
associated content

With the outstanding career of Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, quickly coming to a close (hopefully) I thought it would be interesting to compare Favre with another Packers great, Hall of Fame inductee, Bart Starr, the man widely recognized as the greatest quarterback in Green Bay history - until Favre came along that is. But who comes out on top if you compare Bart Starr with greats like Favre?

Top All-Time Quarterbacks: Bart Starr!

The H1N1 virus also known as the swine flu terrorized the globe for much of last year, but according to experts the danger may soon be a thing of the past, as the virus is already on its way to fading out of our lives.

According to doctors and medical experts quotes in the article below, the virus that was just recently a rising epidemic now has "one foot in the grave," and there are numerous reasons to believe there will not be another wave of Swine Flu later in the year. The virus has shown no signs of mutating and all results indicate the vaccine and treatments have been quite effective.

Reports internationally bring similar good tidings, though every expert is not certain we can breathe a sigh of relief just yet. At the very least though authorities should get some credit this time for being on top of a potential crisis and taking proper measures to make sure it didn't get out of control.

H1N1 Epidemic Over?
wlky

If the U.S. swine flu epidemic isn't over, it certainly looks as if it's on its last legs. While federal health officials are not ready to declare the threat has passed and the outbreak has run its course, they did report Friday that for the fourth week in a row, no states had widespread flu activity. U.S. cases have been declining since late October. The vaccine against it is effective. And roughly half the people in the U.S. probably have some immunity because they were infected with it or got vaccinated...

H1N1 Epidemic Over?

Saturday Night Live vs. Fox News? This weekend's episode of Saturday Night Live opened with a satirical skewering of the "fair and balanced network" that portrayed many of their top stars, and this could be a war for the ages, if Rupert Murdoch's conservative news behemoth decides not to take it lying down!

The skit had SNL cast members potraying Greta Van Susteren, Glenn Beck, "Attractive Blond Lady" Karl Rove and Oliver North. After all the ribbing Fox has already gotten from saitirists like Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, not to mention the President himself, I'd imagine they Fox network must be itching to take some shots back. Will Bill O'Rreilly step up for the team? Sean Hannity? I'm just gonna get some popcorn and sit down to watch.

Saturday Night Live Fox News Slam! (VIDEO)
newshounds

Saturday Night Live's opening skit last night was a satire of Fox News. "Greta Van Susteren" moderated a "fair and balanced" panel of "Karl Rove," "Oliver North," White House spokesman "Robert Gibbs," and Fox News Correspondent "Attractive Blonde Lady." "Glenn Beck" and his chalkboard got a turn, too...

Saturday Night Live Fox News Slam! (VIDEO)

Ashton Kutcher, with his second SNL appearance, is quickly puting himself in the running for favorite regular SNL host, according to TV critics who raved about this second appearance.

Ashton was in town to promote his new movie "Valentine's Day" (which induces nausea in this blogger but hopefully others will be more open-minded), and took part in a variety of very funny skits in this SNL comeback. He did a faux Cialis ad, portrayed Mel Gibson sitting in on the view (and was actually a bit friendlier than the real Gibson, going by other recent footage) All in all, Ashton Kutcher is not on Steve Martin status just yet but give him a few more rounds and he might be on his way.

Ashton Kutcher SNL News
associatedcontent

Ashton Kutcher has become an SNL veteran all of a sudden. Yesterday's Ashton Kutcher SNL episode was his fourth in the last seven years, getting him close to the five-timers club. He started his career on the show by coming out in his underwear in 2003, back when he was still the goofy 70's Show guy. Last night, he called back to that bit to prove how far he'd come since then - but as the fourth Ashton Kutcher SNL show proved, he may not be that mature yet at 32...

Ashton Kutcher SNL News

Reese Witherspoon broke many hearts with the news that her relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal had come to an end, as so many Americans thought they were a great couple. But that sad news could be great news for some lucky man out there, as word has it Reese Witherspoon has started dating again!

Recent news reports, as linked below, say she's been back on the market for a new relationship, and specifically was seen recently on a date with a top Hollywood agent named Jim Toth. The story says they only hugged and kissed on the cheek, so nothing serious yet, but maybe a good start for a new romance just in time for Valentine's Day! As one friend said "Reese is in a good place. She's doing things for her these days. She's married to her kids right now, and they're honestly her first love."

Reese Witherspoon Dating News
CNN

Has Reese Witherspoon waded back into the dating pool?

The Oscar winner, 33, shared dinner for two at Santa Monica's cozy Italian eatery Locanda Portofino last Thursday with Jim Toth, an agent at Hollywood's powerful Creative Artists Agency. After greeting each other with a hug and settling into a corner table, the pair "were very flirtatious throughout dinner," said a fellow diner. "They were having a lot of fun, totally getting along and laughing and talking the whole dinner. Reese seemed very happy. She was smiling all dinner. The mood was upbeat and really good..."

Reese Witherspoon Dating News

Heidi Montag made lots of people worry for her health last month, both physical and mental, when she got an incredible ten cosmetic surgery procedures done in a single day, even though she looked perfectly beautiful beforehand. Amd weeks after the procedure, Montag reports she is still "very fragile" but continues to insist the plastic surgery binge was a good idea that she does not regret.

She says she still feels the impact in her body, from the drastic range of procedures her doctors and surgeon let her get, and her body is still sore and far from fully healed. Heidi says a necessary trip home to be with her mother also slowed down her recovery. About the trip she reported, "I was hysterical the whole time, It was so hurtful. My body really set back from recovering from all the crying, stress and that traumatic experience. My insides were just throbbing and pounding but I know it's part of what I had to go through."

Montag "Very Fragile"
people

It's been 11 weeks since her life-changing plastic surgery but Heidi Montag is still very much healing. "I'm very fragile," she tells PEOPLE. "I'm not in a great place right now." The long road to recovery hasn't been an easy one but Montag, 23, with weekly massages, exercise and therapy, has been working hard at the process. Still, setbacks like a stressful trip back home to Crested Butte, Colo., to confront her mom, have pushed back her healing some...

Montag "Very Fragile"

In a story that is difficult to believe or stomach, a US Army Sergeant has been accused this week of waterboarding his own 4-year-old daughter, because she refused to say her ABCs.

The Sergeant, who served 15 months in Iraq, is currently restricted to his military base in Washington after being arrested for assaulting a child. The police initially arrived to investigate a disturbance involving the man and his girlfriend but upon interviewing her discovered the possible issues with the daughter, whom they found in a locked bathroom.

Police explained: "We had a report of [Tabor] walking around his neighborhood holding a Kevlar helmet and threatening to bust out windows, In the process of talking to Tabor's girlfriend about what was going on, we learned that he had also been abusing his daughter." There seems to be indication of mental illness on his part, with reports of him walking around his neighborhood with a kevlar helmet and making threats to the property of his neighbors. There is no word yet on whether psychological trauma from his time serving in Iraq may have caused some PTSD or mental illness for him.

U.S. Soldier Waterboarding Daughter?
abcnews

An Army sergeant who served in Iraq for 15 months has been restricted to his Washington military base after being accused of waterboarding his 4-year-old daughter because she refused to recite her ABCs. Joshua Ryan Tabor, 27, was arrested on Jan. 31 and charged with assaulting a child after police in Yelm, Wash., responded to a call of a disturbance at Tabor's home and then later found the little girl hiding in a locked bathroom, according to Police Chief Todd Stancil.

U.S. Soldier Waterboarding Daughter?

Carrie Prejean, the controversial former beauty queen whose brief reign as a pageant winner was cut short amid various controversies, is in the news for happier reasons now with the announcement that she is engaged!

Carrie Prejean engagement is to the star NFL quarterback Kyle Boller, who plays for the St. Louis Rams. She is sporting a 5 carat diamond engagement ring for which Boller paid a pretty penny to one lucky jeweler. According to weddings.about,com, if Boller was smart he followed the following advice: "Well then don't buy a diamond without an independent diamond-grading report from the GIA or the American Gem Society. It should include the 4 c's of color, cut, clarity and carat, as well as the shape and size. And, like your house, don't forget to get the ring insured."

Carrie Prejean Engaged
accesshollywood

Carrie Prejean is engaged. The embattled beauty queen, who was dethroned from the Miss California title last year, became engaged over the weekend to St. Louis Rams quarterback Kyle Boller, Carrie's mother, Francine Coppola, told Access Hollywood on Monday. According to Francine, Carrie, 22, described the proposal as similar to a scene out of 2004's romance film "The Notebook," which starred Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Kyle, 28, presented his bride to be with a 5 carat diamond ring...

Carrie Prejean Engaged

There were lots of rumors recently about Brangelina's relationship and how it is possibly on the rocks, but at the Super Bowl last night they were photographed looking quite affectionate with each other, with Brad Pitt embracing Angelna and planting a big kiss on her cheek and temple. They were sitting together in one of the luxury sky boxes at the game in Miami, and were most likely rooting for New Orleans where they have recently made a home and done lots of work to try and help that community recover from Hurricane Katrina.

It would appear the rumors of their breakup have been highly exaggerated, and in fact Brad and Angelina are said to be prepping their lawyers for a lawsuit against the British tabloid named "OK!" that drove the rumors, Brangelina had sought an apology and retraction from the publication but they apparently refused, so now they may see a day in court.

Brangelina Super Bowl Smooching?
TMZ

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie hit up the Super Bowl yesterday -- where they appeared tighter than a spiral from Drew Brees. The couple -- who have been subject to a ton of breakup rumors lately -- were all over each other in a private box at the game in Miami. In case you missed it, the Saints won...

Brangelina Super Bowl Smooching?

Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, who many blame for the star's tragic death, is now facing serious charges for involuntary manslaughter for the incident in which Jackson was given a deadly dose of the drug Propofol.

Conrad Murray is a cardiologist by trade, but assumed a sort-of catch all medical service provider for Michael Jackson, allegedly providing whatever sort of drug MJ wanted from day-to-day. Ed Chernoff "We'll make bail, we'll plead not guilty and we'll fight like hell," The American Society of Anesthesiologists has said that that doctors using propofol need training to manage the possible complications that come with anesthesia, and they must be physically present throughout sedation and monitor patients "without interruption" to make sure nothing goes wrong. Rescue equipment "must be immediately available," it said.

We'll Make Bail, We'll Plead Not Guilty
chron.com

Michael Jackson's doctor has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop star. Dr. Conrad Murray, a Houston cardiologist who was with Jackson when he died June 25, entered his plea Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court just hours after he was charged. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted. Murray appeared in court in a gray suit as Jackson's father Joe, mother Katherine, and siblings LaToya, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Randy sat behind prosecutors.

We'll Make Bail, We'll Plead Not Guilty

Dr. Conrad Murray, the infamous doctor that many blame for the death of Michael Jackson, is under more scrutiny than ever for his relationship with the music superstar as he now faces charges for involuntary manslaughter in that tragic death caused by an overdose of the drug Propofol.

Dr. Murray met Michael Jackson in 2006, and soon became a regular part of Jackson's life, providing medical assistance that some have alleged took the form of simply giving Michael whatever drugs he wanted, including many unethical prescriptions and improperly administering drugs that should not have been given. The death has been ruled a homicide, and Dr. Conrad Murray may need serious help from his attorneys to escape serious punishment.

Dr. Conrad Murray Met Michael Jackson in 2006
chron.com

Dr. Conrad Murray, the Houston cardiologist who was with Michael Jackson at the time of his death, is looking forward to clearing his name, the lawyer defending him said Monday. Houston attorney Ed Chernoff said Murray wasn't ready for this kind of speculation and attack and hopes to be able to talk publicly after results of the pop singer's toxicology report are completed. "He has nothing to hide," Chernoff told the Chronicle Monday. "The doctor will be proven to be innocent..."

Dr. Conrad Murray Met Michael Jackson in 2006

As Survivor gets set to debut their new "Heroes vs. Villains" season, viewers are wondering whether one returning contestant, Amanda Kimmel, is still in her romance (or "showmance") with fellow Micronesia cast-member Ozzy Lusth.

Amanda and Ozzy continued seeing each other after the show ended, and were still together later on when that season's reunion show was filmed. But now that Amanda Kimmel is coming back for this season, which will be her third in all, will she be back on the market for another showmance, or is she still tied up with Ozzy Lusth? Some reports on the internet say they had already broken up before this show began, but I guess we will find out for sure when the new show debuts.

Amanda Kimmel & Ozzy Lusth: Together?

Four years after "Romber" found each other on Survivor: All-Stars, Survivor made another successful returning castaway love match. Viewers saw a real romantic relationship blossom between Survivor: Micronesia -- Fans vs. Favorites castaways Ozzy Lusth and Amanda Kimmel, said host Jeff Probst in TV Guide's March 17 issue.

Amanda Kimmel & Ozzy Lusth: Together?

After several public appearances that seemed to squash the rumor that they had split up, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are taking it to the next level and striking back at the British tabloids who started the rumors of their split, and sending their lawyers to sue the "News of The World" paper in London.

Their lawyer Keith Schilling said that the paper started the story began a chain reaction that spread the falsehoods throughout the media and internet, and also that the newspaper failed to offer an apology to the couple after the falsehood of their stories was revealed. I saw bravo to them for hitting back at these sleazy tabloids.

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Sue Tabloid
daily news

Brangelina is striking back. After weeks of speculation on whether Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are breaking up, the Hollywood luminaries are suing a British tabloid for suggesting they were. London's News of the World newspaper ran with a story on Jan. 24 saying the Hollywood power couple met with a lawyer to discuss how to split their assets and draw up a custody agreement for their six children. The story was "widely republished by mainstream news outlets," said the duo's lawyer, Keith Schilling, who labeled the claims "false and intrusive." The suit accuses the paper of libel...

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Sue Tabloid

A colossal news event has shaken the foundations of the reality TV world, as former star of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," Kate Gosselin has revealed a new look that involves brand new hair extensions!

Extensions are usually used to make a woman's hair longer (or a man's, we see you Fabio), but in this case Kate actually put in new extensions that are 4 inches shorter than her previous ones. She got the extensions put in by another reality TV stalwart, Ted Gibson of What Not To Wear. Gosselin is also set to release her third book (she has written three books??) entitled I Just Want You to Know: Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith and Family, which will apparently feature prayers, excerpts from her journals, and letters to each of her children.

Kate Gosselin: Extensions Shocker!
USA Today

Breaking news: Kate Gosselin took four inches off of her extensions. Ted Gibson, hairstylist for TLC's What Not To Wear who put the extensions in, tells People.com that Kate came to see him over the weekend for a trim. "Now we thought shoulder length would be ideal - we wanted it to be straight, and sexy and moving."

Kate Gosselin: Extensions Shocker!

Stephenie LaGrossa is set to return again to Survivor in the special "Heroes and Villains" and many fans are looking to refreshtheir memories of who she was. So here is a bullet point list of some of her comments about herself, from tvgrapevine.com:

Brooklyn Decker, as seen in the photo in the link below, is the cover girl of the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, and the 22 year old model reports that her mother is the happiest of all about it, and actually cried when she saw the photos.

Said Brooklyn: "We're all on pins and needles before the issue comes out, because the cover is something all the girls want so badly, So it's nice for my family because they don't have to stress about it anymore..." And it wasn't only the supermodel's mother that was psyched, her equally famous husband, tennis star Andy Roddick, also gushed about his girl's achievement on twitter: "so happy/proud of my wife ... the new cover for sports illustrated swimsuit issue!!!!" Roddick wrote. "unreal... so excited!!!!!!!!!!"

Brooklyn Decker has been in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue several times before, after being discovered in a local shopping mall in 2005 and scooped up by a modeling agency. Brooklyn is also known as a sports fan, and is one of the few swimsuit models who has also contributed to the Sports Illustrated while fully clothed, in an online column analyzing football news. And at the age of 22, hopefully we'll be seeing much more of her in years to come. She's already done a little TV, hopefully she'll get more time in the spotlight soon.

Brooklyn Decker: Mom Cried
daily news

No one may have been more proud of Brooklyn Decker landing the cover on the prestigious Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue than the model's own family. "My mom cried," the 22-year-old beauty told People.com of her mother's reaction to the photos, which were shot in the Maldives by award-winning sports photographer Walter Iooss. "We're all on pins and needles before the issue comes out, because the cover is something all the girls want so badly," she added. "So it's nice for my family because they don't have to stress about it anymore..."

Brooklyn Decker: Mom Cried

As Valentine's Day comes around on the same weekend as the NBA All-Star Game, NBA husbands are sure to be making special plans for the special someone on the big weekend. Or at the very least, NBA wives are surely making plans to make sure they are the ones the husband spends the weekend with!

One of the NBA power couples this weekend will be Brandi Padilla and Kevin Garnett, who have been together since 2004, and year later he put the diamond ring on her finger and they got married in a private ceremony. The wedding just happened to be planned for the same time as the Olympics, and Kevin Garnett did the right thing for his wife and missed the big event so he could be there for his and her big day. Brandi Padilla is also the sister in law of legendary producer Jimmy Jam, who married her older sister.

Brandi and Kevin certainly make a beautiful couple as you can see in the photos linked below, and here's hoping to a lovely Valentine's day date for them. Garnett's NBA contract should bring a lot of flowers and chocolates.

Brandi Padilla & Kevin Garnett (VIDEO)
celebrityspouses

Kevin married Brandi Padilla, his long time girlfriend, in August 2004. She joins a long list of hot NBA wives. Personally, I think she is absolutely gorgeous! Just check the photo below and see for yourself. Brandi Padilla is the sister-in-law of record producer Jimmy Jam. Jimmy is married to Brandi's older sister, Lisa Padilla. Garnett married long time girlfriend Brandi Padilla during a private ceremony in California...

Brandi Padilla & Kevin Garnett (VIDEO)

One of the NBA's all-star couples this weekend will be Brandi Padilla and Kevin Garnett, who have been together since 2004. Two years ago Garnett put the diamond ring on her finger and he and Brandy got married in a small private ceremony. The wedding also happened to be planned at the same time as the Olympics, and Kevin Garnett did the right thing for his wife and missed the big event so he could be there for his and her big day. Brandi Padilla is also the sister in law of legendary producer Jimmy Jam, who married her older sister.

Kevin Garnett is a perennial NBA all-star, sure to go down as one of the all-time greats, and had a long and successful run as a very popular Minnesota player, before coming to the Boston Celtics whom he led to an NBA title, his first. He erupted in a spectacular celebration when the championship series ended, showing tons of emotion.

As Valentine's Day comes around on the same weekend as the NBA All-Star Game, NBA husbands are sure to be making special plans for the special someone on the big weekend. Or at the very least, NBA wives are surely making plans to make sure they are the ones the husband spends the weekend with!

Brandi and Kevin make a beautiful couple, as you see in the photos linked below, and here's hoping to a lovely Valentine's day date for them. Garnett's NBA contract should bring a lot of flowers and chocolates.

Kevin Garnett Wedding: Trumped Olympic Games)
celebrityspouses

Kevin married Brandi Padilla, his long time girlfriend, in August 2004. She joins a long list of hot NBA wives. Personally, I think she is absolutely gorgeous! Just check the photo below and see for yourself. Brandi Padilla is the sister-in-law of record producer Jimmy Jam. Jimmy is married to Brandi's older sister, Lisa Padilla. Garnett married long time girlfriend Brandi Padilla during a private ceremony in California...

Kevin Garnett Wedding: Trumped Olympic Games

This year the NBA All-Star Weekend happens to coincide with Valentine's Day, and that should mean romance for a lot of NBA all-star couples (or NBA all-stars and whomever they couple with for that weekend). But one couple that won't be trading and flowers, jewelry or chocolate will be Dwyane Wade and his soon to be ex-wife, Siohvaughn Funches, who are on their way to a rather acrimonious divorce.

In a statement on the situation with his wife, Dwyane Wade recently asked for privacy and refused to address rumors that linked him with various other women including Vanessa Simmons and Gabrielle Union. "I keep my personal life my personal life. You try to keep it as private as you can. When things leak out, it's not always the truth. Some is. All you can do is continue being who you are. A lot of things have come out about me, and people are going to think what they want to think. But at the end of the day, no one knows what's happened in my life to get to the point where me and my wife, our family, not being together." Looks like Dwyane prefers to let his divorce layers do the talking. Hopefully an amicable divorce settlement can be reached since the couple have young kids in common.

Dwyane Wade Siohvaughn Funches Divorce

NBA star Dwyane Wade, 26, has finally spoken out about his impending divorce from wife Siohvaughn, 27. The former Siohvaughn Funches was Wade's high school sweetheart and the only serious girlfriend he ever had -- until now. Wade and Siohvaughn have two sons: Zaire Blessing Dwyane Wade, 6, and Zion Malachi Airamis Wade, 1. Siohvaughn found out the hard way that it's hard for a brotha to stay faithful to his wife while on the road with so many groupies lurking in the cut waiting for that team bus to pull up to the hotel...

Dwyane Wade Siohvaughn Funches Divorce

Royce Reed, a former dancer for the Orlando Magic & Miami Heat, is the former partner of NBA all-star Dwight Howard, and the mother of Dwight's son Braylon Joshua Robert Howard.

Royce Reed and Dwight Howard have recently been in the acrimonious aftermath of a recent breakup, with lawyers and lawsuits flying in both directions including Royce Reed's paternity suit filed against Howard. Their son was born in 2007 but Dwight Howard did not acknowledge that he was the father until 2008. Reed is also supposed to appear on the VH1 reality show named Basketball Wives, that premieres on March 15, 2010, but according to a judge's order she is not supposed to mention or discuss Dwight Howard or their relationship, so perhaps she will be on hand as a camera person or key grip or something. Otherwise what will she do on the show?

Reed was in the news most recently after footage appeared online of her dancing in a "booty shake" contest, displaying some very lewd dance maneuvers. It caused some controversy among viewers who questioned whether the dirty dancing, at a Super Bowl party hosted by Terrell Owens and Ludacris, was appropriate for the mother of a young kid. We'll see if she gets into some similar fun at all-star weekend. Personally I say nothing wrong with a little sexy dancing, it's not like she brought her son with her to the party. Adults parents are allowed to have an adult life! Hopefully they can come to a settlement of their paternity suit for the sake of the kid.

Dwight Howard Sued: Royce Reed Paternity Suit
huff post

Royce Reed is the mother of Dwight Howard's two-year-old son, but the two do not have the best relationship. A 2009 injunction barred Royce from using Howard's name in public after she allegedly called him out on Twitter and on television. In December, the NBA star sued his former lover for defamation. None of the legal issues are preventing Reed from having a good time during Super Bowl week, however.

Dwight Howard Sued: Royce Reed Paternity Suit

The long awaited debut of Ellen Degeneres finally arrived this week on American Idol, and it delivered all the fun fans expected. Ellen was witty, snarky and surprisingly knowledgeable about music, and had some delicious run-ins with Simon Cowell.

Ellen DeGeneres said she found it hard to watch Simon Cowell get his mean on when berating the contestants for their poor singing performances in the Idol auditions. She said "It's hard to listen to him tell people things and for me not to go, `You poor thing!'"

When asked about her lack of music industry qualifications compared to other Idol judges, DeGeneres said to EW: " It's not like I'm not a huge fan of music. That accounts for something. I've also been on stage, alone, trying to entertain an audience. I started in stand-up for 15 years. I know how important it is to reach that audience. So I can put myself in their position. It's not necessarily singing, but it's keeping an audience captivated."

It remains to be seen whether Ellen can fill the void left by Paula Abdul, not to mention after this season when Simon leaves, but she is adding a nice touch of wit and flavor to the show so far!

Ellen DeGeneres & Simon
seattlepi

Ellen DeGeneres, the newest judge on "American Idol," says Simon Cowell is "meaner" than she thought. Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi (KEHR'-uh dee-oh-GWAR'-dee) and various guest judges kicked off the ninth season of the Fox singing competition last month. DeGeneres begins her stint Tuesday night. In a video posted on the show's Web site, DeGeneres says Cowell is "actually meaner than I thought. It's hard to listen to him tell people things and for me not to go, `You poor thing!'"

Ellen DeGeneres & Simon

Sad news from a popular TV show, as the Captain who starred on the show "Deadliest Catch" has passed away at the age of 53. Captain Phil Harris suffered a massive stroke in late January, as his boat was in port in Alaska, and was flown for surgery but did not survive the effects of the stroke.

His sons released a statement, saying ""It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad -- Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end." And the producers of the show sent along words as well: "We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart."

The show Harris starred in, "Deadliest Catch" showed the adventures and travails of fisherman in the wild waters around Alaska. The show was filming a new season when Harris had his stroke, and producers say the show will continue though they aare not sure yet how they will handle his passing. One rep said "Of course, he was fishing all the way up to the end -- he was such a special guy, We're so concerned about the family and the crew right now that we haven't stopped to think about how we're going to deal with this. We'll have to figure it out in the weeks and months ahead."

'Deadliest Catch' Captain Dies
abcnews

The Discovery Channel says the captain of the "Deadliest Catch" fishing vessel Cornelia Marie has died. Capt. Phil Harris suffered what his family described as a massive stroke on Jan. 29 while the boat was in port at St. Paul Island, Alaska. The 53-year-old fisherman was flown to Anchorage for surgery. A Discovery spokesman says the Harris family contacted the network Tuesday evening with word of his death...

'Deadliest Catch' Captain Dies

Rod Blagojevich, the scandal plagued former Governor of Illinois who continues to face criminal charges for his alleged corruption, fighting back full steam against the charges set against him, and challenging the prosecutors to let the jury in his trial hear the full unedited audio recording that are being used against him in the case, made up of many phone conversations involving himself and many other figures.

The corruption charges have been a huge story, and continued a long and unfortunate tradition of high profile scandal in Illinois politics. Blagojevich faces charges of maintaining a scheme to work with his aides and advisers in setting up ways to get lucrative jobs or money in exchange for the Senate seat that opened up after OBama became president. Also Blago is accused of putting pressure on possible campaign contributors, to trade big donations for preferential treatment, including a prominent racetrack owner and a hospital executive.

Rod Blagojevich & Plea

Governor Rod Blagojevich pleaded not guilty this past Wednesday to a set of revised federal corruption charges, also going on to have challenged prosecutors with the insistence that they allow jurors to hear all of the FBI's full recordings of the former Governor's telephone conversations. Sounding unusually combative even by his theatrical standards after the brief hearing, Gov. Blagojevich told the gathered reporters he would not ask Judge James B. Zagel to prevent the jurors from hearing FBI wiretaps, in which the prosecutors reportedly say he schemed to either sell or trade President Obama's former Senate seat. "Let me cut right to the chase, today I'm laying down the gauntlet," Blagojevich loudly said. "I'm not going to hide behind my lawyers, nor will I hide behind technicalities in the law to try to block these tapes from being heard."

Rod Blagojevich & Plea

Scary news for history buffs, as word has come in of a roof collapse in the hallowed halls of the Smithsonian. but luckily it appears none of the priceless historical materials or artifacts were damaged in the collapse.

The roof collapse was caused the the tremendous snowstorm that has made so much news in the Northeast, and affected a space known as the Garber Facility in Suitland, Md., that contains aircraft, spacecraft and other similar artifacts for the National Air and Space Museum. If you have been to the Smithsonian or seen the "Night at the Museum" film about it, you know the Smithsonian is made up of many locations and galleries and wahrehouses that contain a vast array of historical artifacts. This roof collapse affected a space that is not one of their main facilities, and had been set for renovation for a while and was being closed off from public tours already. So hopefully this is a minor bump in the road on the Smithsonian's mission to preserve our history.

Smithsonian Roof Collapse
inquisitr

Massive quantities of snow that have fallen in Maryland have caused the collapse of a roof at one of the Smithsonian's buildings, though no artifacts are thought to be damaged. The collapsed section of a roof and a wall at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum Support Center were discovered today at the Garber Facility in Suitland, MD. The building houses artifacts from the National Air and Space Museum. A spokewoman for the Smithsonian indicated that items are stored inside containers and are safe. However, staff and "emergency officials" were unable to further investigate due to the conditions in the unstable structure...

Smithsonian Roof Collapse

The story of the "Milkshake Murderer" Nancy Kissel took yet another surprise turn this week, when a Hong Kong court just ruled that there must be a retrial in the case of her husband's death. Nancy, who admitted early on that she did kill her husband but claimed it was in self-defense, was accused of conspiring to give him a poisoned strawberry milkshake, then beating him to death with a statue. But the HK court found that the prosecution had improperly relied on some hearsay evidence.

Kissell allgedly killed her husband, who worked for Merrill Lynch and was reportedly about to admit in court to bank fraud, because she wanted to get his fortune and was afraid of the marriage breaking up, as he had hired a private investigator to track her. But she claims it was out of fear for her own safety and in self defense. She was found guilty, but her defense attorneys argued that the prosecution used inadmissible evidence and a Hong Kong court found unanimously that a new trial was needed.

Milkshake Murder Verdict Overturned
smh.com.au

Hong Kong's top court today overturned the murder conviction of American woman Nancy Kissel and ordered a retrial in the gruesome killing of her investment banker husband, one of the city's most sensational crime cases. "The court unanimously allows the appeal, quashes the conviction and orders a retrial," Chief Justice Andrew Li said. Kissel was sentenced to life in prison in 2005 after being convicted of drugging her high-flying banker husband with a sedative-laced strawberry milkshake and then bludgeoning him to death in 2003...

Milkshake Murder Verdict Overturned

The children of Nancy Kissel stand to inherit an $18 million dollar fortune, but the story behind their inheritance makes it a bit less glamorous than it sounds. The children are due to receive the inheritance because their multimillionaire father was killed by their mother, in an incident that made big news as the "milkshake murder" and continues to play out in courts 7 years after it happened. This is why they are now known as the $18 million dollar orphans.

The question of who should have custody of these kids and raise them from now on has also been a contentious one They at first moved on to the brother of their late father, Andrew Kissel, but he soon became embroiled in a scandal of his own, a multi-million dollar financial scandal where he was accused of a real estate scam. This led to the sister of the family, Jane Kissel, to take her brther to court insisting she could take better care, and now Jane is managing that $18 million fortune and is expected to take custody of the kids. Hopefully things can be stable for those children from now on.

Robert Kissel: $18 Million Inheritance Tug of War?

komonews

But what about the Kissel children? They'd inherited their father's estate but they were now the $18 million dollar orphans. They lived for a time with Robert's brother Andrew and his wife Hayley Kissel in upscale Greenwich, Connecticut. But then another scandal. In New York, Andrew was indicted in a multi-million dollar real estate scam. His soon to be ex-wife Hayley said she'd be glad to take the kids and their fortune. That's when Robert and Andrew's sister, Jane Kissel Clayton of Mercer Island, stepped in. With Andrew and Hayley's marriage and finances in shambles,...New York judge recently named Jane Clayton the children's temporary guardian.

Robert Kissel: $18 Million Inheritance Tug of War?

Lawyers for Nancy Kissel argued vehemently that she should not have been convicted on "hearsay evidence and improper questions", in the "milkshake murder" case that made big news when Kissel was accused of killing her husband in Hong Kong, where she lived as an American expat.

Prosecutors in the case said Kissel and her husband had been having marital trouble for a long time in their home in Hong Kong, and her husband had even put her under surveillance because of his suspicions about her. And the prosecutors said she made a premeditated plan to kill him in cold blood, because of their marital strife, and also because she was set up to be the beneficiary in his will. The husband had been speaking with divorce lawyers and his attorneys about seeking a divorce, according to reports. Kissel went on to be known as "the milkshake murderer", and continues to be in the news to this day as her legal drama plays out with her defense attorneys seeking to get the conviction overturned.

Nancy Kissel Improper Questions Hearsay Evidence
orientexpat

A Merrill Lynch investment banker was slain by his unfaithful wife in an act of
A lawyer for Nancy Kissel, an American expatriate sentenced to life in prison for murdering her investment banker husband, made a final appeal for her freedom Thursday in a Hong Kong courtroom. A decision is expected in a few weeks. In the event that her conviction is overturned, the prosecution said it would seek a retrial. Ms. Kissel, a Michigan native, gained international notoriety after admitting to killing her husband, a senior banker with Merrill Lynch, in 2003. She has been in jail since her conviction in September 2005 after a widely publicized three-month trial that dominated conversation in Hong Kong's expatriate circles...

Nancy Kissel Improper Questions Hearsay Evidence

Nancy Kissel was married to a Merrill Lynch investment banker, but in 2003 was accused of killing her husband in cold blood by hitting him with a statue, after he was found bludgeoned to death.

Prosecutors in the murder case alleged that Kissel and her husband were having marital trouble for some time in their home in Hong Kong, and the husband had even put her under surveillance because of his suspicions about her. And prosecutors said she made a premeditated plan to kill him, because of their marital strife, and also because she was set up to be the beneficiary in his will. The husband had been speaking with divorce lawyers and his attorneys about seeking a divorce, according to reports. Kissel also went on to be known as "the milkshake murderer", and the drama continues to be in the news to this day, as her intricate legal drama plays out, now about to begin a new with a new trial.

Nancy Kissel Bludgeoned Her Husband to Death With a Statue
orientexpat

A Merrill Lynch investment banker was slain by his unfaithful wife in an act of cold-blooded premeditation, a prosecutor told the High Court Tuesday as opening arguments began in the murder trial of Nancy Kissel. Acting for personal gain, she drugged Robert Kissel's milkshake with sedatives, dealt a series of fatal blows to the right side of his head with a heavy metal ornament, and then attempted a cover-up in the days following his death on November 2, 2003, the High Court heard...

Nancy Kissel Bludgeoned Her Husband to Death With a Statue

The Harry Potter books are full of symbolism and metaphors that kids can identify with, if they feel like they don't fit in or they have secrets & qualities that make them different. The most prominent is Harry's magical abilities and how they are frowned upon and forced to be a secret when he is with his Muggle family. But there are many other such instances in the book of people who have to deal with being seen as different or hiding a part of themselves, and one of those is Sirius Black, who is different from most people because he turns into a dog.

Sirius Black was one of the post formidable wizards in the Harry Potter series, a close ally to Harry and old friend of his late father, which led him to become a father figure to Harry, after overcoming the outrage of being framed for the death of Harry's parents long ago. Sirius was sometimes an outcast because he turned into a dog, but also was able to use it to his advantage as well. And like just about any Harry Potter character, he is 800 times cooler than anybody in those mopey Twilight books.

Sirius Black Turns Into a Dog
wikia.com

Sirius Black III (c. 1959[1] - June 17, 1996) was a pure-blood wizard, son of Orion and Walburga Black and elder brother of Regulus. Although he was the heir of the House of Black, Sirius disagreed with his family's belief in blood purity and defied tradition when he was sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which he attended from 1971 to 1978. As Sirius's relationship with his relatives deteriorated, he gained great friendship in James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

Sirius Black Turns Into a Dog

A new billboard in Wyoming, Minnesota had people wondering this week who is behind it, as photos spread across the internet of the billboard's cryptic message: a picture of the former President George W. Bush with the question "Miss Me Yet?"

There is no credit listed on the actual billboard and this has made it hard to ascertain who was behind it, so people were split between reading it as an attack on the current President, Obama, and taking it as a tongue in cheek jab at Bush. This afternoon though the agency who sold the billboard's ad space offered this explanation: "The Bush Miss Me Yet? billboard was paid for by a group of small business owners who feel like Washington is against them. They wish to remain anonymous. They thought it was a fun way of getting out their message." And since the initial reports it has become clearer that it was indeed put up by supporters of President Bush, who wish he was back in office.

See the article below for details and a photo:

Miss Me Yet Billboard
mofopolitics

There is a billboard along I-35 near Wyoming, Minn., with a huge photo of former president George W. Bush and this question: "Miss Me Yet?" Now, the push is on to find out who paid to have it put up. Bob says there's no readily apparent claim of ownership on the billboard, so he's heading back to the scene to see if he can find out who's behind the message. He's also got some local politicos looking into it. He'll keep us posted...

Miss Me Yet Billboard

A container that was shipped to Halifax Canada turned out to have somewhat different contest than was listed on its manifest, as investigators discovered it was holding $10 million in cocaine!

The container seemed harmless enough but when it was X-Rayed, it turned out the shipping manifest was false, and actually contained a whopping 440 pounds of cocaine, enough to fuel a whole neighborhood's worth of cocaine addiction and fill the halls of several drug rehab treatment clinics. Canadian authorities did not give an immediate answer for why the package was seized there, instead of the RCMP's usual practice of letting a drug shipment go through to its recipient so they can be apprehended.

Drug addiction is a major problem in many parts of Canada, including the Olympics host city Vancouver which is a port city for numerous drugs. Proper treatment for drug addiction is often a controversial issue in Vancouver where the Hastings and Main area was long known as a haven for junkies.

$10 Million Cocaine Seized in Canada
officialwire

Canadian border agents seized $10 million worth of cocaine from a shipping container that arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Chile. At a news conference, Andrew LeFrank, Nova Scotia director for the Canada Border Services Agency, said the discovery was made Monday after a container was routinely X-rayed to verify the shipping manifest, The (Halifax) Chronicle-Herald reported Friday. "Officers saw that there were six shapes in there that didn't look like they would correspond with what the manifested cargo was supposed to be," LeFrank said...

$10 Million Cocaine Seized in Canada

Sad news about Courtney Love and her daughter, as a judge has ruled that he is extending the restraining order placed against Courtney Love that prevents her from any contact with her daughter Frances Bean.

Frances Bean Cobain, the 17 year old daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney, went to court and had her attorneys set up a restraining order blocking her mother from contacting her. Frances now lives with other relatives, and is hoping to keep her mother at bay legally until she turns 18 and has the right to choose when her mother contacts her. Frances and other relatives have not explained why Frances made this choice in family court but Courtney Love hinted on Facebook that her daughter is "not always honest" and "clearly deluded." A sad situation, but hopefully time and distance can bring some calm and mutual understanding in the long run.

Courtney Love Restraining Order News
allheadlinenews

Courtney Love is not getting any love from her daughter this Valentine's season. A judge has just extended the restraining order filed against the former Hole rocker, which means she must refrain from contacting daughter Frances Bean Cobain until April 9. In December, the 17-year-old rock royalty offspring asked the court to prohibit her mother from communicating in any way with her. Love was also stripped off of her legal custody. Frances is now under the guardianship of her late dad Kurt Cobain's mother and sister. By August, she will turn 18 and will be free to choose whether she wants to communicate with her mother or not.

Courtney Love Restraining Order News

Alec Baldwin, is in trouble yet again, as he got into a scuffle with a photographer outside his NY apartment building, after a mysterious incident where his daughter called an ambulance to take him to the hospital.

Baldwin was hospitalized after his daughter called in a report that he was speaking of taking pills and "ending this" or words to that effect. Baldwin said he was in fact only taking an Ambien to sleep. After he returned to his building, he had an abrupt run-in with a New York Post photographer, and had to be pulled away and restrained by police.

Alec Baldwin Vs. Photographer (News)
dailynews

Emmy-winning actor Alec Baldwin blew a gasket Thursday and attacked a photographer while police and a pack of reporters looked on with amazement. "This guy! This guy!" the actor yelled as he burst out of a lobby and grabbed New York Post photographer Tim Wiencis by the collar. Cops immediately pulled the actor off Wiencis and hustled him back inside. A witness said Baldwin was pacing around the lobby muttering: "They are the lowest scum of the Earth. They are the lowest scum of the Earth."

Alec Baldwin Vs. Photographer (News)

John Mayer took his fast talking ways too far this week, with a Playboy interview that offended many fans, especially with his comments about Black people that included usage of the N-Word as well as graphic descriptions of his lack of interest in Black women.

Mayer has cine apologized on twitter, and on stage at a concert in Nashville soon after the intervew was released online. He broke down in tears at the concert, thanking his predominantly Black band for standing by him as he performed, and vowing never to play "the soundbyte game" again. But not everyone is satisfied with the apology, and it may be a long time before some of his fans get over the shock of his careless remarks. His rather disrespectful comments about the women in his life also raised eyebrows.

John Mayer seemed to be sincerely sorry for his actions, and as a very smart young performer who just needs to sort things out and keel learning, maybe this will be a good lesson for him in the long run.

John Mayer Playboy Interview, N-Word Scandal
boston.com

AS JOHN Mayer's racially-charged comments in Playboy magazine ricocheted around the Internet this week, I found myself exhausted by the sad reality that the national dialogue on race remains driven by the engine of celebrity gaffes and gotcha moments. Our voracious, ADHD-afflicted news cycle castigates, forgives, and forgets at a rate that precludes sustained discussion, so expect Mayer to spend a week with his head on the chopping block and then jog away, rubbing his neck, to join Chris Matthews, Harry Reid, Michael Richards, Geraldine Ferraro, Don Imus, and John Rocker on the list of figures whose shocking transgressions have faded to dim memories...

John Mayer Playboy Interview, N-Word Scandal

Pop singer John Mayer took his loose talking ways too far this week, with a Playboy interview that offended many fans, especially with his comments about Black people that included usage of the N-Word as well as graphic descriptions of his lack of interest in Black women.

Mayer has cine apologized on twitter, and on stage at a concert in Nashville soon after the intervew was released online. He broke down in tears at the concert, thanking his predominantly Black band for standing by him as he performed, and vowing never to play "the soundbyte game" again. But not everyone is satisfied with the apology, and it may be a long time before some of his fans get over the shock of his careless remarks. His rather disrespectful comments about the women in his life also raised eyebrows.

John Mayer seemed to be sincerely sorry for his actions, and as a very smart young performer who just needs to sort things out and keel learning, maybe this will be a good lesson for him in the long run.

John Mayer Playboy N-Word Scandal
boston.com

An analysis of such incidents and their scant longterm fallout suggests that it is now more acceptable to publicly spout racism than to publicly accuse someone of spouting racism. Look for Mayer to continue to make a vague apology to a fanbase and a punditry eager to excuse racist action because they can find no racist feeling behind it. Look for Mayer to swear he's never uttered the n-word before and never will again, and look for the context in which he said it and the clumsy if well-intentioned point he was trying to make about white privilege to be obscured.

John Mayer N-word Trouble

As fans and fellow musicians reacted to John Mayer's controversial Playboy interview, many have criticized and called Mayer out, but some that are friendly with the singer are also being rather charitable in their reactions.

Talib Kweli teased him about putting his foot in his mouth but not evince any serious anger. ?uestlove of the roots, who hangs out and collaborates with Mayer, said he is "giving him the benefit of the doubt", although it is unclear what this means in the context of such blatantly offensive statements as the ones John Mayer let slip in his Playboy conversation.

Mayer has since apologized and does seem to deeply regret his carelessness and "shock jock" approach to interviews and press appearances in recent years. I'd like to see hin also take responsibility for his disrespect of various ex-girlfriends, among numerous other troubling trends in that very long and loopy interview. I think John Mayer is a very talented and bright young man but his perspective on himself is a little warped, and he could use someone to shake him out of his self-absorption.

?uestlove: John Mayer? "benefit of the doubt"
boston.com

Look for him to continue not address more problematic statements from the interview, in particular the one about his male organ being a "white supremacist'' -- a flippant attempt to explain his dating preferences that takes up the language of dehumanization and reveals a blithe willingness to reinforce any number of stereotypes about sex, race, and desirability. Look for the mainstream media to ignore that comment too...

?uestlove: John Mayer? "benefit of the doubt"

Rappers musicans and fans are all speaking out about John Mayer's controversial interview, where among (many) other things he used the N-word and made a vulgar joke about not being attracted to Black women. his friend ?uestlove gave him the benefit of the doubt, while Talib Kweli said on twitter that Mayer must "love the taste of his own foot."

Mayer has since apologized on twitter, and on stage at a concert in Nashville soon after the intervew was released online. He broke down in tears at the concert, thanking his predominantly Black band for standing by him as he performed, and vowing never to play "the soundbyte game" again. But not everyone is satisfied with the apology, and it may be a long time before some of his fans get over the shock of his careless remarks. His rather disrespectful comments about the women in his life also raised eyebrows.

Talib Kweli: John Mayer Loves "taste of his own foot"
mtv.com

On his Twitter, the Roots' ?uestlove seemed to be in a thoughtfully forgiving mood about the outburst. "Hmmm. I'll give Mayer a benefit of the doubt (remember how people misinterpreted my photo?) and assume that was a punchline gone awry," he tweeted, referring to a photo of an apparently racist lunch menu at the NBC café that ?uest posted as a joke for Black History Month. But the drummer wasn't done with Mayer. He added, "LOL then again on 2nd read ... can't wait to see spin on this. I swear his #1 demographic is the white dude black women would do in a second." But Talib Kweli rubbed it in a bit, writing on his Twitter page, "My man John Mayer must love the taste of his own foot..."

Talib Kweli: John Mayer Loves "taste of his own foot"

Sad news in the literary world as the legendary mystery writer Dick Frances passed away at the age of 89. Francis was known for his decades-running series of crime and mystery novels that centered around the world of horse racing.

Dick Francis was himself a top jockey in the horse racing world of the 1950s, winning over 300 races, and drew from that life experience for his books about that racetrack world and all the gambling, pageantry and decadence that comes with it. His son Felix said in memory of his late father, "My brother, Merrick, and I are, of course, devastated by the loss of our father, but we rejoice in having been the sons of such an extraordinary man. We share in the joy that he brought to so many over such a long life. It is an honour for me to be able to continue his remarkable legacy through the new novels."

Dick Francis Dead - News
yahoo

Prolific author Dick Francis, a former jockey whose thrillers rode high in best-selling lists for decades, has died at the age of 89, his family said. He passed away at his Caribbean home in Grand Cayman from "old age", according to a statement released through his publicist.

His son, Felix, said on Sunday he was "devastated" as he paid tribute to his "extraordinary" father, who produced 42 novels.

Dick Francis Dead - News

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt continued to prove the tabloid rumors wrong as they celebrated Valentine's day in grand style, with Angelina buying a tree. Yes a tree, for 18.500 dollars.

The tree will reportedly be planted in their estate in France. Said a source, "Ange bought it from a nursery called The English Garden Centre in Valbonne, near their house, it's a very special tree and cost her a fortune." The tree is a rare 300 year old olive tree, leading some creative minded tabloid types to suggest she was trying to extend an olive branch to soothe recent marital woes, though the coup;e affirmed that these stories were never true in the first place. Here's hoping this is the first of many trees they've have a chance to plant.

Angelina & Brad, Valentine's Day News
the huff

Back from a three-day trip to Haiti where she helped injured orphans, Angelina is turning her attention to Brad--and giving him a very expensive tree for Valentine's Day, UK's Sun reports. According to the paper, the 200-year-old olive tree cost $18,500 and will be planted in the gardens of Chateau Miraval, their estate in the south of France.

Angelina & Brad, Valentine's Day News

Leonardo DiCaprio is looking hot and stylish on the cover of the latest issue f Esquire magazine, where he also gives an in depth interview.

One of the most interesting quotes was his comment on his nude scene with Kate Winslet in Titanic: "Kate Winslet is one of my dearest friends. We have the ultimate trust in each other and the best of intentions for what we want to do. I knew Kate before Sam [Mendes, her husband] even met her. So on the outside, it may seem strange to do a sex scene with a woman while her husband is directing. But it didn't feel that way to me. When the scene was about to start, Kate said, in front of the crew, 'Wait, wait, this is totally weird." She turned to both Sam and I and said, "Are you guys okay?" We both looked at each other and said, Yeah, we're totally fine. She said, "It's even weirder that you're both totally fine.'" For much more, and photos from the magazine, see below.

Read more: http://www.hollyscoop.com/leonardo-dicaprio/leonardo-dicaprio-gets-personal-with-esquire_23006.aspx#ixzz0fbEWCf7h

Leonardo DiCaprio Esquire (Photo Links)
hollyscoop

Leonardo DiCaprio has a new movie coming out, which means we are gonna be seeing a lot of him and we couldn't be more thrilled! Leo graces the cover of Esquire magazine, where he talks about his childhood, nude scenes and much more. Here are some highlights from the interview:

On Growing Up:
"The earliest memories I have are jumping up onstage before concerts in downtown L. A. and trying to get on the mic and break-dance, or do imitations of my mother's friends or my father's friends, or be a comic in class. I was the most insane child you can imagine, pretty intolerable to be around. High-octane energy all the time, never wanting to focus on schoolwork."

Leonardo DiCaprio Esquire (Photo Links)

Outrage in North Carolina as a man followed up on a petty nightclub fight by actually following a participant in the fight to a hospital and shooting him there after he'd been admitted for emergency treatment.

The man, father to one of the women in the fight, allegedly also tried to shoot the victim's girlfriend, according to police who arrested him on the scene. The girlfriend got away, but the main victim is reportedly still in critical condition. With all the issues already plaguing our health cvare and hospital systems, the last ting we need is the risk of gun violence in the medical facility itself, so hopefully security measures will be tightened up in the wake of this outrageous criminal act.

Laurinberg NC Gunman thaindian

The Laurinburg police said that a gunman shot at a patient in NC hospital. The gunman also tried to shoot the patient's girlfriend too, who was present at the hospital. According to the police reports, this shooting was the second part of a fight at a club, on Monday.

Laurinburg police Capt. Kimothy Monroe said that Wayne "Wolf" Simmons came to Scotland Memorial Hospital. Wayne is the father of one of the women who were involved in the fight at the club.

Laurinberg NC Gunman

Rumors abound of Renee Zellweger being pregnant, but what is the real story?

Renee has been dating Bradley Cooper, star of the Hangover, but there is no confirmation yet that she is carrying Cooper's baby. Tabolois types are still speculating though, and looking at every new photo of Zellweger trying to see the first indications of a "baby bump." You can see some recent photos in the article below if you want to try and predict her future from the miniscule amount of protrusion around her stomach. It must be fun to have people analyzing your body this much! And by fun I mean abominable irritation.

Renee Zellweger Pregnant? (News)

huff post

We don't think Renee Zellweger is harboring a mini Bradley Cooper in her womb, but she showed up at the Berlin Film Festival, for which she is a juror, in a satin dress that did something funny to her midsection. Cooper recently admitted he is spending Valentine's Day away from Renee. How long until she lands a "telltale bump?" tabloid cover, like Angelina often does (scroll down for a sample).

Renee Zellweger Pregnant? (News)

As Mardi Gras is set to start again in New Orleans, many of you mmay wonder about the origins and meaning of this raucous Louisiana tradition. Here is a brief explanation, as provided in the link below that gives much more detail.

Mardi Gras is the carnival season that begins right after the Epiphany, and ends the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras translates literally as Fat Tuesday, another common name for the celebration that is a huge tourist attraction every year for New Orleans. In the years since Hurricane Katrina, at first there were doubts about whether Mardi Gras could keep going strong, but now it has become a huge event again with people traveling from far and wide and contributing much needed money to the still recovering city.

Define Mardi Gras
wiki

The terms "Mardi Gras" (pronounced /ˈmɑrdi grɑː/, "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season" in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Epiphany and ending on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" (in ethnic English tradition, Shrove Tuesday), referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which started on Ash Wednesday. Related popular practices were associated with celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. Popular practices included wearing masks and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades, etc...


Define Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras throws are one of the most famous and most fun traditions in the annual Mardi Gras festivities. The throws are various kinds of trinkets that are thrown to the crowd during the parade, that revelers collect and gain status from grabbing.

When you are at the Bacchus parade, the King on the King's float throws out doubloons to the crowd, with the image of the Celebrity King on a side of the doubloon. If you are lucky enough to catch one, you will want to hold onto it! Some of the other popular throws include cups (otherwise known as New Orleans dinnerware), long pearl beads and stuffed animals.

Mardi Gras "What Are Throws?"
mardigrasneworleans

The throwing of trinkets to the crowds was started in the early 1870s by the Twelfth Night Revelers, and is a time-honored expectation for young and old alike. In 1884 (over 100 years ago!), Rex started using medallions instead of trinkets. These medallions are represented by today's doubloons. These doubloons are aluminum and anodized in many different colors. They depict the parade theme on one side and the Krewe's emblem on the other. They have become collector's items.

Mardi Gras "What Are Throws?"

One of the key traditions in the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration is the wearing of masks to conceal your identity while you party. THe masks are worn ad masked balls as well as parades and parties. Many resemble Venetian half-face masks with gems, feathers and colored paint.

Concealing your identitiy so you can freely Decadence is expected to be a key aspect of Mardi Gras and the mask helps cover the identity of partygoers whether tourists or locals. Masks are worn by Krewe members, tourists, and citizens during the last hours of Fat Tuesday. It is a way of indulging acts normally against the commuinity standards. Wearing the masks and being part of the festival embodies the idea of letting go of the flesh before Lent begins. Laws in the city that forbid wearing a mask to conceal your identity are suspended for that one day.

Law Concealing One's Identity With a Mask: Mardi Gras Exception
masquerade masks

Mardi Gras is a pre-Lent festival that celebrates humanity in disguise on the international level. From Europe to the Caribbean and the United States to Canada, Mardi Gras is a day of celebration right before Shrove Tuesday, or Ash Wednesday. The earliest accounts of Mardi Gras took place during the 14th and 15th century in Europe. Mardi Gras is actually a Catholic Holiday which has evolved to bigger celebrations and festivities in various parts of the world...

Law Concealing One's Identity With a Mask: Mardi Gras Exception

Madonna is about to add another achievement to her long career: she will be a judge of people's marriages with an appearance on the new TV show 'The Marriage Ref'. Maybe she will have advice on what not to do in a marriage? Madonna, who's been divorced twice, is going to be on "The Marriage Ref" as one of the judges that helps Jerry Seinfeld judge marital disputes.

Madonna's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg confirmed Saturday that Madonna would make an appearance on the upcoming reality show, where celebrities and a referee try to help couples in conflict. The episode has not yet been taped and Rosenberg did not have further details. Madonna has been married twice, once to Sean Penn and most recently to Guy Ritchie. The "Marriage Ref" will debut on NBC after the Olympics.

Madonna: Marriage Ref! nypost

Though divorced twice (so far) Madonna has agreed to appear on NBC's "The Marriage Ref". Her spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg confirmed yesterday that Madonna would make an appearance on the upcoming reality show, which has celebrities and a referee attempt to help couples in marital conflict. The episode hasn't been taped and Rosenberg was unable to provide any additional details. You may recall that Madonna was married twice already, first to Sean Penn and more recently to director, Guy Ritchie...

Doug Krohn used to be best known as a humbe computer applications developer, but recently he has found a new claim to fame, as the son of GOP/conservative prodigy Jonathan Krohn.

Doug's son has found fame as a precocious public speaker and author, espousing traditional conservative views he picked up on his own at an early age. Doug and his wife are not very into politics, and say they made no effort to influence him in his conservative stance. But their son has found more than enough motivation, speaking at the influential CPAC conference and making friends with right-wing bigwigs like Newt Gingrich and William Bennett. This led to Jonathan publishing two books, the second of which just recently debuted. Whatever you think of his politics you have to admire this young man's poise and perseverance, and Doug Krohn must be a proud dad!

Doug Krohn: Computer Applications Developer, Dad of Prodigy
huffpo

The future of the conservative movement presented himself on Friday, and he was 13. Jonathan Krohn, the author of "Define Conservatism" and political prodigy voted "Atlanta's Most Talented Child" in 2006, was the talk of the Conservative Political Action Conference for a brief portion of the afternoon session. His two-minute address on "Conservative Victories Across the Nation" covered the lost principles of the Republican Party, which he called the "shell" to conservatism's "filling..."

Doug Krohn: Computer Applications Developer, Dad of Prodigy

Jonathan Krohn has become the darling of the conservative movement with his precocious punditry, but his mom and dad actually take little interest in the politics that have become their son's passion.

Krohn, who was discovered at the age of thirteen and has gone on to write two books already, and made many media appearances promoting his right wing cause, discovered his political fixation all on his own, and his mom Marla Krohn says "poilitics bore me." But that hasn't held Jonathan back from finding his own political mentors in such big names as William Bennett and Nwet Gingrich. I may not agree with his politics but i can't help admiring his gumption, and hope to see him get much success and to keep doing his parents proud out there on the campaiogn trail one day.

Marla Krohn Says "Politics Bore Me"
nytimes

SITTING in the back seat of his mother's van as she drives through Atlanta suburbs, Jonathan Krohn is about to sign off with a conservative radio talk show host in Florida. In the 40 minutes he's been on the air, with the help of his mother's cellphone, this hyper-articulate Georgia eighth grader has attacked the stimulus bill, identified leaders he thinks will salvage the Republican Party's image, and assessed the legitimacy of Barack Obama's birth certificate...

Marla Krohn Says "Politics Bore Me"

In his role on "24" Keifer Sutherland is invincible, but in real life he is apparently quite vincible, as production of his smash hit TV show has been halted, as they cannot keep filming until he recovers from surgery for a ruptured cyst.

Sutherland is sad to be in good condition and set for a full recovery, but the operation will delay the tv show for some time. A ruptured cyst happens commonly for women when it is an ovarian cyst, but can happen to men as well. Kiefer's ruptured cyst occured near his kidney and needed immediate attention. According to his representatives, "While Kiefer Sutherland is frustrated to miss even one day of work, he and Fox decided together that it would be best to complete this minor elective procedure now as a precaution as opposed to six weeks from now when production wraps..." Here's wishing him the quickest of recoveries!

'24' Filming Halted, for Surgery
independent

TV chiefs have halted production of the thriller 24 so its star Kiefer Sutherland can undergo surgery. Shooting is expected to resume next week with Sutherland's return. Twentieth Century Fox Television would not comment on the nature of Sutherland's ailment, referring to it only as "a medical procedure". The Los Angeles Times first reported the production halt and said Sutherland, who is also 24's executive producer, was suffering from a ruptured cyst. ..

'24' Filming Halted, for Surgery

This week brought a major turning point in Pakistan's struggle with the Taliban, and a key turning point for America and the globe as well, as the Taliban's second in command was successfully captured. The Taliban's top strategist, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was captured by Pakistan in an operation whose details remain secret. Since he was captured by Pakistan and not the United States, it is pointed out that he may not be safe from torture sch as waterboarding.

Pakistan has been struggling to push back Taliban infiltration of their country for years, a key issue in American foreign policy since Pakistan is a nuclear power. Much of Obama's Afghanistan policy is aimed at addressing the Pakistan situation. Baradar is considered second in command to Mullah Omar, but moresavvy and politically aware, and to put it another way Baradar is widely thought of as the brains of the operation, so losing him, and possibly having him give up information, could be a huge blow to the Taliban. Or we can hope, at least.

Taliban's Second in Command Captured (VIDEO)
miamiherald

The capture of the Taliban's second in command deals a serious blow to the Taliban and represents a potential turning point for Pakistan's government, military officials say. The loss of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar would deprive the Afghanistan insurgency of its top-ranked military mastermind at a time when U.S. forces are in the midst of a major push to roll back Taliban gains in the country. ``It is going to be a big deal, certainly a major blow,'' a senior Pakistani military official said, speaking of the capture on condition of anonymity...

Taliban's Second in Command Captured (VIDEO)

Was the pilot who flew his plane into an Austin, Texas office building seeking revenge against the IRS? That is the indication from a sprawling, bizarre suicide note found online, that allegedly was written by the pilot.

Says the pilot, allegedly, in his note: "I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well." Others might argue, on the other hand, that the definition of insanity is deciding to fly your airplane into a building.

The pilot, Joseph Stack, goes on for some 5,000 words about his financial problems, student loans, troubles with his IRA, and beefs with income tax rules and tax codes. It seemes to be intended as some sort of political manifesto, ending with what appears to be a call for communism, but it's hard to make sense of it, and also doesn't seem worth the effort, especially when it is rewarding him with the very attention he sought through such terrible means.

Austin Pilot Suicide Note

Below is an alleged online note written by Joseph Stack, who has been identified as the man who crashed a plane into a building that houses the Internal Revenue Service in Texas. A senior law enforcement official tells CBS News that the FBI is treating the "suicide note" as real. Stack's diary takes aim at the IRS, outraged at loopholes that benefit large corporations and the Catholic Church, but not average Americans. He claimed that the IRS cost him "$40,000+, 10 years of my life, and set my retirement plans back to 0."

Austin Pilot Suicide Note

Amy Bishop was a longtime and well respected professor at the University of Alabama for years and she seemed the least likely person to go on a killing spree, but that is exactly what happened when she arrived at the school she worked at so long and began killing her co-workers.

By the end of her burst of shocking violence, 3 of her fellow staff members were dead and another three wounded. It is speculated that she was set off by failing to get tenure at the school, and also noted that she apparently had a history of possible violent incidents in the past. her history of mental illness and probable need for medication to be prescribed, and therapy provided form a clinical therapist or psychiatrist, went unnoticed apparently for many years.

The attack was stopped partly by the actions of another professer Debra Moriarity who grabbed her leg and got Bishop to leave the room. According to Debra, "...she sidestepped me. I mean, she pulled her leg free and I was in the doorway then with my back kind of to her. And I think she tried to shoot at me then, but that's when I started yelling at her, 'Amy, Amy, think about my grandson, think about my daughter! This is me! I've helped you before; I'll help you again! Don't do this Amy! Don't do this!'"

After this Bishop's gun jammed and Debra was able to return to the room and lock Bishop out, and the survivors tended to the three dead and three wounded.

Amy Bishop Shooting: Three Dead. Three Wounded
daily news

A disturbed professor accused of gunning down three colleagues at the University of Alabama was reportedly a prime suspect in a 1993 letter bomb mailed to a Harvard Medical School professor. Suspected shooter Amy Bishop, 45, and her husband were questioned and had their home searched by cops investigating the pipe bomb mailed to Dr. Paul Rosenberg, the Boston Globe reported Sunday. Sources told the newspaper that Bishop, a former doctoral student at Harvard, was suspected because she feared getting a bad evaluation from Rosenberg...

Amy Bishop Shooting: Three Dead. Three Wounded

In the shooting last week at the University of Alabama, that left three dead and three others wounded, a friend of the troubled woman who became a killer is now being hailed as a hero.

Amy Bishop killed 3 of her fellow staff members at the school and wounded another three, allegedly set off by being denied tenure at the school, but her rampage could have gone on further if she wasn't stopped at least partly by the efforts of her co-worker and friend Debra Moriarity. Moriarity grabbed Bishop's leg and got into a physical exchange that led to Bishop leaving the room, and then when her gun jammed Bishop was unable to prevent Moriarity from going back into the room and helping the other survivors block her out.

Moriarity said there was no way to see this coming, and it seems Amy Bishop's history of mental illness and probable need for medication to be prescribed, and therapy provided from a clinical therapist or psychiatrist, went unnoticed apparently for many years.

Alabama Shooting & Debra Moriarity
cnn

There was nothing about last Friday's biology department faculty meeting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville that portended the carnage that was to come, Professor Debra Moriarity told a reporter Wednesday. "It was actually a really laid-back, mundane kind of faculty meeting," the biochemist told CNN affiliate WAAY about the 13 people seated around an oval table in Room 369 of the Shelby Center for Science and Technology. "Events coming up, scheduling classes, budgets. It was really actually one of the easiest faculty meetings we've had."

Alabama Shooting & Debra Moriarity

Amy Bishop killed three fellow staff members at the school she worked at for years, the University of Alabama, and wounded another three, but her crime could have gone on further if she wasn't stopped at least partly by her closest friend in the department, Debra Moriarity.

After Bishop allegedly was set off by being denied tenure at the school, she launched into a shooting last week at the University of Alabama, that left three dead and three others wounded, a friend of the troubled woman who became a killer is now being hailed as a hero.

But Debra Moriarity acted quickly and instinctively after ducking out of the line of fire, as she grabbed Bishop's leg and got into a physical exchange that led to Bishop leaving the room, and then when her gun jammed Bishop was unable to prevent Moriarity from going back into the room and helping the other survivors block her out.

Moriarity says she shouldn't be called a hero, and was just very lucky. But others there will remember her as part of the teamwork and quick action that stopped a terrible tragedy from being even worse. Bishop seems to have had a long history of mental illness, that apparently went unnoticed for years leaving her without the intensive therapy or psychiatric treatment from clinical therapists and psychiatrists, or prescription medication, that might have helped her before she reached this point.She also may have been guilty of previous violent acts that should have put her in jail already.

Moriairity: Bishop's Closest Friend in the Department
cnn

Bishop then stepped out into the hall, pointed the gun at Moriarity and pulled the trigger, the biologist said. "It clicked, and it clicked again, and I crawled right back in the room and shut the door and she was left out in the hall." The survivors burst into action. One person locked the wooden door, another shoved a table against it, others moved a refrigerator into place to further block the door, another called 911, others moved to help the six people who had been shot, Moriarity said...

Moriairity: Bishop's Closest Friend in the Department

The shocking shooting at the University of Alabama was a terrible tragedy but could have been even worse if it hadn't been for quick action and luck. After an interaction with friend Debra Moriarity led Amy Bishop out of the room, Bishop's gun then jammed and Debra was able to return to the room and lock Bishop out, and the survivors tended to the three dead and three wounded.

It is speculated that she was set off by failing to get tenure at the school, and also noted that she apparently had a history of possible violent incidents in the past. She seems to have had serious mental problems and should have been in intensive clinical therapy or getting hardcore prescription drugs for her mental illiness.

Amy Bishop was a longtime professor at the University of Alabama for years and seemed an unlikely person to go on a killing spree, but that is exactly what happened when she arrived at the school she worked at so long and began killing her co-workers.

Debra Moriarity: The Gun Jammed, in College Killing
cnn

Three people died; three others were wounded. Two of them remained hospitalized Wednesday in critical condition, according to a spokeswoman for Huntsville Hospital. The third has been released. Moriarity, who joined the school's faculty in 1984, said the casualties have not affected her plans to remain at the school. And she rejected any suggestion that her role in getting Bishop out of the room was heroic. "She followed me out in the hall and then the gun jammed and I could get back in the room," Moriarity said. "That's not being a hero. That's just God looks out for you..."

Debra Moriarity: The Gun Jammed, in College Killing

Debra Moriarity says she's not a hero, but her colleagues at the University of Alabama disagree.

In the aftermath of the tragic shooting at the school, where professor Amy Bishop opened fire on her fellow staff killing three, others say the attack was stopped partly by the actions of another professor Debra Moriarity who grabbed her leg and got Bishop to leave the room. According to Debra, "...she sidestepped me. I mean, she pulled her leg free and I was in the doorway then with my back kind of to her. And I think she tried to shoot at me then, but that's when I started yelling at her, 'Amy, Amy, think about my grandson, think about my daughter! This is me! I've helped you before; I'll help you again! Don't do this Amy! Don't do this!'"

After this Bishop's gun jammed and Debra was able to return to the room and lock Bishop out, and the survivors tended to the three dead and three wounded. Debra says she should only be considered lucky, but University president David Williams praised her: "I believe that she acted very quickly to try and stop Dr. Bishop from shooting again"

Amy Bishop Shooting: Three Dead. Three Wounded, friend called hero
cnn

Moriarity returned to her office on Wednesday and said she plans to resume teaching next week. She predicted that, with the help of anti-anxiety medication, she would be able to sleep Wednesday night. "I've been talking to family and friends and just getting their support helps you deal with it," she said. "I think right now most of us want to get back there and get things going, make plans for who is going to cover classes." A memorial service to honor the lives of the dead -- faculty members Maria Davis, Adriel Johnson and Gopi Podila -- is to be held Friday.

Amy Bishop Shooting: Three Dead. Three Wounded

Tavi Gevinson has been the hottest name in the fashion world for at least a year now, which is an eternity in high fashion time, but this fashion diva is far from past her prime. In fact she's only 13!

Tavi Gevinson continued her assualt on the fashion world this week as she invaded Fashion Week, bring both admirers and haters flocking to the sight of her. She became a name in this world through her "style rookie": blog, that showed off her flair for creative fashion forward dress, and bit by bit reached a plateau where some of the hottest designers were hanging out with her and inviting her to shows. Others in this scene say it is much ado about nothing and she should go away, but it seems to me that style is style, and she deserves all the credit for the buzz she's getting.

tavi gevinson, fashion week!
huffpo

Thirteen-year-old fashion blogger Tavi already skipped school in September to attend New York Fashion Week, but WWD reports that the talented teen's next adventure will take place slightly farther away than the Big Apple. She's slated to be the guest of honor at Comme des Garcons' holiday party on November 27 at the 10 Corso Como store in Tokyo. Tavi has expressed her extreme adoration for Rei Kawakubo on her blog, saying she "scatters black petals on her doorsteps and serenades her in rap." We can't wait to read all about their meeting of the minds.,,

tavi gevinson, fashion week!

Tavi Gevinson, the 13 year old fashion world blogging prodigy, has won lots of fans with her style and fashion sense, ad well as her pretty stellar writing on her "Style Rookie" blog, but she';s also brought more than her share of haters, who say this 13 year old has no place at events loike fashion week hobnobbing ith "real" fashion icons.

Tavi, on her side of it, turns out to be the more mature one despite her young age, refusing to take the bait and get into a back and forth with fashiopn editors who hate on a young blogger. According to tavi "The Bloggers Versus Editors Thing is Tired" and she will ahve no part in indulging such petty beef. It seems to me all these haters just can't stand facing their own lack of substance, as this little girl is able to bring just as much style and presence as them. Tavi will be on top long after they are gone, is my prediction.

style

Tavi Gevinson "Bloggers Versus Editors Thing is Tired"

Bloggers versus editors? Fashion's "it" girl (literally), thirteen-year-old Tavi Gevinson, may be at the center of a raging debate over who gets to sit front row, but the Style Rookie blogger insists the whole "fight" is being blown out of proportion.On her blog, the petite style influencer sounded off: "The Bloggers vs. Editors! thing is tired. If there was a real competition, editors wouldn't be willing to give bloggers press. Blogs and magazines are good for different things; it's like comparing apples with oranges. Collaboration, not competition. Always!"

Tavi Gevinson "Bloggers Versus Editors Thing is Tired"

Fashion week is always full of surprises, with lots of big celebrities and famous names popping up, but one surprise that must;ve caught even jaded fashionistas off guard was the surprise show given this time around by Guns and Roses!

As seen in the video below, Axl Rose and his crew did a surprise fashion week show at the John Varvatos store in the village, which fittingly is in the site of the original Nre York rock mecca CBGB's. Axl Rose and his fellow band members took the stage early on Friday morning soon after a Thursday night performance by the lesser known New York rock group Alberta Cross, and they proceeded to play a full 17 songs over 90 minutes, quit a long set! According to Brooklyn Vegan they blessed the fashion week crowd with a whole bunch of classics from the 80s as well as some new sounds. I bet you wish you were there!

Guns N Roses Surprise Show (VIDEO)

There is apparently nothing that New York Fashion Week cannot do. It can compel important, sophisticated people to herd themselves like cattle under a tent in frozen Midtown Manhattan, and it can evidently persuade Guns N' Roses to perform a live show. On Friday morning music blogs were abuzz with news that Guns N' Roses, the rock band led by the superlatively erratic frontman Axl Rose, played a surprise set at the John Varvatos store in the East Village. (The location, appropriately enough, is the former site of the music club CBGB.) The Web site BrooklynVegan.com reported that

Guns N Roses Surprise Show (VIDEO)

School officials in Philadelphia PA confronted a student with photos proving that he was doing naughty things at home. They got their evidence by activating the webcam on the laptop in his house, according to a lawsuit that says the school was violating the child's privacy.

The school denies any wrongdoing and gave this explanation: "Last year, our district became one of the first school systems in the United States to provide laptop computers to all high school students. This initiative has been well received and has provided educational benefits to our students. The District is dedicated to protecting and promoting student privacy. The laptops do contain a security feature intended to track lost, stolen and missing laptops. This feature has been deactivated effective today..."

This explanation seems to be somewhat incomplete, but we'll see how the story plays out for this young man and his parents as they seek justice.

School Spies Webcams?
nbc

.Lower Merion School District officials are spying on students and their families inside their homes with Web cameras installed in pupil laptops, claims Blake J. Robbins in a lawsuit against the district. The lawsuit, filed Feb. 11, alleges that webcams in personal laptops -- that are issued to every high school student -- can be, and have been, remotely activated by school administrators without a person in the same room as the laptop being the wiser.

School Spies Webcams?

Malcolm X endured many hardships and dangers in his tragically short life, and equally tragic was how his family was affected as well.

Especially in the latter days of his life, Malcolm's fearless activism and leadership brought death threats and a constant sense of peril to his wife and children.

When asked in 1965 whether her family received death threats, Betty Shabazz, who was a heroic figure in her own right, explained: "Have I gotten any threats? All I get is threats."

Concerns about his safety, and the possibility of assassination attempts either from the Nation of Islam or other enemies caused increasing stress for Malcolm and his family, until sadly those fears proved to be all too well founded.

Betty Shabazz: "Have I gotten any threats? All I get is threats"
wiki

Some threats were made anonymously. During the month of June 1964, FBI surveillance recorded two such threats. On June 8, a man called Malcolm X's home and told Betty Shabazz to "tell him he's as good as dead." On June 12, an FBI informant reported getting an anonymous telephone call from somebody who said "Malcolm X is going to be bumped off." In June 1964, the Nation of Islam sued to reclaim Malcolm X's residence in Queens, New York, which they claimed to own. The suit was successful, and Malcolm X was ordered to vacate. On February 14, 1965, the night before a scheduled hearing to postpone the eviction date, the house burned to the ground. Malcolm X and his family survived. No one was charged with any crime.

In 1965, after Malcolm X had converted to orthodox Islam and greatly expanded his vision beyond Elijah Muhammad's teachings, he was suddenly perceived as a greater threat than ever, both by the Nation of Islam he left behind, and by those in America who felt threatened by his expanding and even clearer anti racist message.

This tense environment caused incredible strain on his family, and led up to a firebomb attack of his home amidst a constant stream of death threats, and throughout it all Malcolm X and his family felt unable to trust the police or the government to protect them. And if you study the history there was good reason for that suspicion. Tragically is was barely a week after the firebombing Malcolm was murdered at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. But his legacy still lives on.

Malcolm X death threats, firebomb
columbia.edu

Malcolm X emphasized the parallels between the African-American struggle for equality and the Asian, Latino, and African campaigns against European colonialism. Malcolm X also drew attention for criticizing the growing U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
Upon Malcolm X's return to the United States in November 1964, death threats escalated against him and his family. in the early morning hours of February 14, 1965, his home in Elmhurst, Queens, was firebombed.

Malcolm X death threats, firebomb

March Madness, the time of year for filling out brackets, watching tons of games, and....getting a vasectomy?

A urology practice in Chicago it trying to redefine college basketball's NCAA March Madness tournament as the perfect time for sports-watching men to get a vasectomy.

The doctors who run the 21st Century Urology, who are behind the public health initiative, are even launching a two-week ad campaign to encourage men to schedule medical the procedure in the weeks right around the beginning of the big tournament, so that as they stay home to recover from the surgery they can be watching the games.

A vasectomy is a surgical procedure where the vasa deferentia are severed, and then tied/sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering the seminal stream, to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Vasectomy March Madness NCAA
foxsports

A suburban Chicago urology practice says college basketball's March Madness tournament is the perfect time for men to get a vasectomy. Doctors at 21st Century Urology in Orland Park have launched a two-week ad campaign to induce men to schedule the procedure during the days before the first two weekends of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the Chicago Press Release Service reports.

Vasectomy March Madness NCAA

Jake Harris, son of deadliest catch star, the late Phil Harris, was arrested last Thursday on DUI charges, accused not only of driving under the influence but also driving with a suspended license, and suspicion of involvement in a hit-and-run.

Jake's family acknowledged that the arrest occured but said he was not intoxicated and there was no accident.

Jake's dad, who starred in the "Deadliest Catch" reality show, passed away suddenly just a few months ago, and according to the shows producer's the sons were deeply affected by it. They say ""It's been tough. They're a little rudderless right now. [Phil] ran that ship, and now they're having to deal with it themselves. The question now is whether the boys will continue to follow in the footsteps and what their plans are. That's what the off-season is going to be -- they'll have to figure it out and we'll be there to support them whatever they decide."

Deadliest Catch: Jake Harris DUI Arrest

Jake Harris, the younger son of the late captain Phil Harris of "Deadliest Catch" fame, was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, plus suspicion of involvement in a hit-and-run a few hours earlier. The 24-year-old was pulled over on Interstate 5 near downtown Seattle about 9 p.m. and arrested after failing a field sobriety test...A family spokesman confirmed the arrest but told KIRO-TV in Seattle that Jake wasn't intoxicated and hadn't been in an accident.

Deadliest Catch: Jake Harris DUI Arrest

Are Angleina Jolie and her father Jon Voight finally ending their feud and reconnecting with each other? That is the report coming from the tabloid world, as Voight reportedly visited Jolie's family home in Venice this past weekend.

Vogiht reportedly went on a water taxi ride with Jolie, her husband Brad Pitt and some of their children, in Venice where Jolie ad PItt have a family home.

Voight and his equally famous daughter have long been estranged, with their dischord sometimes reflectd in media statements. Jolie is a well known progressivbe activist while Voight is a very outspoken right-winger, though who knows if this is the cause of their estrangement.

Here's hoping they mend those fences, and connect the grandfather with his grandkids! And make a ton of money for charity from the photos of that occasion.

Jolie & Voight Meet in Venice! (NEWS)
ok magazine

After years of an estranged relationship with her father, Angelina Jolie and Jon Voight seem to be trying to mend their bond, as the whole Jolie-Pitt family was spotted in Venice, Italy this weekend. Enjoying a water taxi ride with daughter Zahara and Jon, whom Angelina has been at odds with since 2001 when he made a public statement regarding her mental health, the family seemed to be quite at ease.

Jolie & Voight Meet in Venice! (NEWS)

Kim Kardashian wearing JWOWW? Not exactly, more like JWOWW wearing out Kim Kardashian's patience, as the Jersey Shore star reportedly upstaged her fellow reality TV icon at Kim's fashion show.

Kim Kardashian was having a fashion shocase to debut her new clothing line, Bebe-Karadashian, when JWOWW showed up and ward has it she took all the attention away from Kim's big moment. Kim reportedly refused to have any photo-ops with JWOWW,

JWOWW aka Jennifer Farley expressed her disappointment: "I really wanted to go there just to meet Kim, but that didn't happen. I don't know why. I was really wishing that I could meet her, I don't know if it was because there too much media surrounding me, or I took too long answering the media questions. I don't know what happened."

Kim Kardashian & JWOWW News?
allheadlines

It looks like Kim Kardashian doesn't like to be upstaged by anyone, especially if it's a fellow reality television star. Rumors have been swirling that "Jersey Shore" cast member Jenni "JWOWW" Farley managed to take the spotlight off of Kim at her own fashion show, where she debuted her new line, Bebe-Karadashian.

Farley, known on the hit MTV show for both her outrageous fashion choices and right hook, sat front row at Kardashian's show and was the center of all attention as photographers snapped her every move. Reports indicate that Farley's people had tried to reach out to Kardashian, but unfortunately the E! star declined any opportunity for a meet-and-greet between the two women.

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017883196#ixzz0gDf3O6mD

Kim Kardashian & JWOWW News?

Critics are angrily accusing pop legend Elton John of disrespecting the Christian faith, after his comments suggest that Jesus Christ was gay.

John, who is openly gay and an outspoken advocate for gay rights, was seemingly making a point about Jesus being against hate and judgment, and promoting beliefs that should include tolerance of gay people instead of hate. Many though have taken it as an insult to Jesus and those who believe in him.

The Cathoilic league said in a statement: "Jesus was certainly compassionate, but to say he was 'super-intelligent' is to compare the son of God to a successful game-show contestant. More seriously, to call Jesus a homosexual is to label him a sexual deviant.''

Elton John, of course, would probably disagree that this makes anyone a "sexual deviant." And perhaps that was the point.

Elton John vs. Jesus? (NEWS)
smh

Sir Elton John has claimed Jesus was a "super-intelligent gay man". The openly homosexual musician made the claim in a magazine interview and admits he admires the Christian Messiah because his aim was to spread peace and love in the world. The Rocket Man singer - who is married to Canadian filmmaker David Furnish - told Parade magazine: "I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems... "On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving."...

Elton John vs. Jesus? (NEWS)

A report indicates that a truckload of marijuana, worth over a million dollars, somehow disappeared right under thre noses of the police who had captured it. Perhaps happy news for somebody out there, but bad and disturbing news for the authorities seeking to stop illegal drug traffic.

According to sources, police officers acknowledge they saw certain vehicles pulling up to the tractor-trailer they had apprehended and kept parked in Louisville, saw them leave, then come back, and then leave again.But then when police checked the truck, it was empty, the sources said.

How is this possible? No answers have been given yet except to say that it is being inviestigated. Hopefully better answers will be found to help both drug addicts and the many other people affected by the drug trade. I'd like to see more addiction/recovery drug rehab facilities, and less money thrown into the revolving door of arresting people.

Truckload of Marijuana, Up In Smoke! (NEWS)
marijuana.com

A truckload of confiscated marijuana that could be worth more than $1 million disappeared somewhere between Memphis and Louisville, Ky., sources say. The more than 1,700 pounds of pot went missing during a controlled drug delivery going from Memphis to Louisville, The Memphis Commercial-Appeal reported Sunday. A Memphis Police Department memo obtained by the newspaper said the drugs -- confiscated from a semi Feb. 10 -- were escorted to Louisville by Memphis police and Shelby County sheriff's deputies...

Truckload of Marijuana, Up In Smoke! (NEWS)

This new PSA has everybody talking, with its creative approach to making people "Embrace Life" and keep wearing their seatbelts. It gets the message across about safe driving witohut being gory or cheesy, with a simple but moving message:

Embrace Life Video
midwestsportsfans

This has been out for a couple of weeks and I know that I saw it somewhere a few days ago, but I didn't really see it. I just kind of glazed over it without really watching. Boy was that ever a mistake..the Embrace Life that is the subject of this post. I think the video below just might be the greatest public service announcement that I have ever seen.If you have a family or are old enough to know that you aren't actually invincible. I cannot possibly fathom a more effective "wear your safety belt" PSA than this one...

Embrace Life Video

Olympic medalist Scott Lago has left the Olympics, after racy pictures were published of him partying with his Olympic medal on.

The pictures were posted by TMZ, and they show a woman kneeling below Scott Lago's waist, and kissing his medal, which he had tied around his waist.

Lago has already apologized to the US Olympic Committee and the Ski and Snowboard assocation, but many believe he was asked to leave the Olympic Village due to the poor judgment shown, although the official story is that he left voluntarily.

Some including TMZ themselves have said this punishment is uncalled for, and really shouldn't be such a big deal, but purists insist that proper conduct is always to be taklen seriously at an event like the Olympics where you are representing your country. see below for more info and photos:

Scott Lago Racy Pictures (NEWS)
examiner

Since 1912, scandals and controversies have marred the Olympics. Scotty Lago, Olympic Halfpipe medalist, found out the hard way what happens when celebrity hits. What some are calling "racy" pictures made Lago walk away from the 2010 Winter Olympics. Lago apologized to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association after celebrity stalker site, TMZ, posted pictures of him taken at a party on Thursday night...

Scott Lago Racy Pictures (NEWS)

Everyone knows the famous image of the soldiers raising the flag in Iwo Jima, but did you know that when this historic event actually happened, the flag you see in the iconic photo was actually the second flag they raised on that day because the first one was too small?

The photograph, taken at the top of Mt. Suribachi after the American Marines had fought their way to controlling the mountain, beating back the fierce Japanese fighters. The Marines planted a flag to commemorate the courage and bravery and achievement of their fellow troops.

But two hours later, it was decided that the flag they planted was not big enough to really capture the moment, so they went back and planted another, setting up the most famous photo-op perhaps in American history.

First Iwo Jima Flag: Too Small
eyewitness to history

The photograph at the right of Marines raising the American flag at the summit of Mt. Suribachi during the battle for Iwo Jima has become an enduring image of bravery and heroism. However, this was actually the second flag raised on the mountain's summit that day. The first flag-raising occurred a couple of hours earlier - shortly after Marines had gained the top of the mountain after hard fighting. This flag was deemed too small to be easily seen from the base of the mountain so a second, larger flag was raised.

First Iwo Jima Flag: Too Small

Photographer Joe Rosenthal had poor eyesight, and was never able to follow up on his hopes to join the U.S. Armed Forces, but he did get to contribute in his own way by being there to take the most famous picture possibly ever taken of American troops, capturing for eternity the courage and achievement of our troops in World War 2.

Rosenthal was there at Iwo Jima and took the iconic photo of the U.S. Marines planting and raising the American flag, at the top of a mountain where they had just defeated the Japanese troops in a terribly hard battle.

After his rejection from the military due to his eyesight, Joe Rosenthal become a photographer for the AP (Associated Press), and got assigned to be "embedded" as we say nowadays with the Marines.

This led to Rosenthal, who had such poor eyesight, being the one who gave us the clearest and most vivid vision of what our American troops achieved in that war. Just goes to show, there are many ways to be a hero, whether a little one or a big one.

Joe Rosenthal: Poor Eyesight But Great Vision
spiritus temporis

Joe Rosenthal (born October 9, 1911) was an American photographer, who received the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic World War II portrait of American troops raising the flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Rejected by the army as a photographer because of poor eyesight, Rosenthal joined the Associated Press and followed the Marines in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the war. His picture of five marines and a navy corpsman raising the flag on Mount Suribachi ("Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima") became one of the best known photographs of the war.

Joe Rosenthal: Poor Eyesight But Great Vision

The battle of Iwo Jima is one of the most well-known events in American military history, a fierce struggle between US and Japanese troops that ended with American Marines planting their flag at the top of the mountain.

But there were many, many casualties in that battle, and as events played out even several of the men seen in that triumphant photograph wound up not surviving the war.

In the Iwo Jima conflict there at least an estimated 6,821 American troops killed in combat and 19,217 wounded. And for the Japanese the toll was even more severe, with about 18,000 killed.

Many other Japanese also took their own lives in a tradition of ritual suicide, and the total number of Allied Forces that died is also said to be much higher.

Iwo Jima Casualties
wiki

Of the 22,786 Japanese soldiers entrenched on the island, 21,570 died either from fighting or by ritual suicide. Only 216 were captured during the battle. The Allied forces suffered 26,038 casualties, with 6,821 killed in action. The number of American casualties was greater than the total Allied casualties on D-Day (estimated at 10,000, with 125,847 American casualties during the entire Operation Overlord)] Iwo Jima was also the only U.S. Marine battle where the American casualties exceeded the Japanese, ..

Iwo Jima Casualties

Joe Rosenthal was the photographer who captured the quintessential American war photo, the timeless photographic masterpiece of American Marines planting their American flag on the top of a Japanese mountain where they had just finished defeated the fierce and deadly Japanese troops.

Rosenthal had wanted to join the military himself but had been rejected due to his poor eyesight. But when he became a photographer for the AP he was assigned to travel with the troop of Marines that helped make history in Iwo Jima.

And when the Marines planted their flag in the name of their country, Joe Rosenthal was right there to turn that moment into history, so many give Joe credit for a great contribution to America in his own right.

But when asked about it, Joe is known to defer and give all credit strictly to the troops, saying "I took the picture, the Marines took Iwo Jima"

Joe Rosenthal: "The Marines Took Iwo Jima!"
wiki

Rosenthal piled stones and a sandbag so he had something on which to stand, as he was only 5 feet and 5 inches (1.65 m) tall. He set his camera for a lens setting between f/8 and f/11 and put the speed at 1/400th second. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the group of Marines start to raise the second flag. He swung his camera around toward the action and pushed the shutter. To make sure he had a worthwhile photo to send to the AP, he took another photograph showing four Marines steadying the flag, then he gathered all the Marines on the summit for a posed shot under the flag. In later years, when asked about the photo, he would say "I took the picture, the Marines took Iwo Jima...

Joe Rosenthal: "The Marines Took Iwo Jima!"

Are Angelina Jolie and her dad Jon Voight finally ending their feud and reconnecting with each other? Looks like the answer is yes! That is the report coming from the tabloid world, after Voight visited Jolie's family home in Venice this past weekend.

Vogiht was first seen with his long-estranged family after they went on a water taxi ride with Jolie, her husband Brad Pitt and some of their children, in Venice where Jolie and PItt have a family home.

Voight and his equally famous daughter have long been estranged, with their dischord sometimes reflected in media statements. Jolie is a well known progressive activist while Voight is a very outspoken right-winger, though who knows if this is the cause of their estrangement. Here's hoping they continue to mend those fences, and connect the grandfather with his grandkids! And make a ton of money for charity from the photos of that occasion.

Jolie, Dad Reunite (VIDEO)

sydneymorningherald

Angelina Jolie has reportedly reunited with her father Jon Voight. The Oscar-winning beauty - who raises six children with her partner Brad Pitt - was photographed with her kids and her dad in Venice on Sunday sparking rumours they have reconciled after being estranged for years. Brad, 46, is believed to have encouraged 34-year-old Angelina - who has recently been living in Venice, Italy, while she prepares to shoot The Tourist opposite Johnny Depp - to "smooth things over" with Jon, 71. A source said: "Since Brad and Angelina have been together, he has been encouraging her to smooth things over with her dad. And when it comes to the kids, Brad wants them to know their grandfather the way the kids know his parents."

Jolie & Voight Meet in Venice! (NEWS)

America is talking about Blacke Robbins, the sophomore at Harriton High School who his
parents say got spied on by his school, through unethical use of the webcam on his Macbook Pro computer.

Blake's school gave out 2,300 laptops to their students, that were each equipped with the ability to remotely turn the webcam on, which was meant as a security measure.

But after school officials confronted Blake with photos that supposedly showed him using drugs, it became apparent that the school may have been misusing that webcam power to spy on kids while they were at home.

Blake and his parents say the "drugs" he was supposedly busted with were actually the illicit substance known as Mike & Ikes, which are sorta addictive and poisonous to your teeth, but not illegal for kids!

Blake's Parents are now taking his school system to court, for their unethical usage of the Macbook pro's webcam, taking a program meant to increase computer literacy and move kids into the 21st century, and misusing it to spy on kids in thier own homes via the internet.

Blake Robbins Is a Sophomore at Harriton High School
philly.com

The parents of Harriton student Blake Robbins filed a complaint in federal court last week alleging that the school spied on him at home. The family claims that the sophomore was confronted by an assistant principal about using drugs when, his lawyers assert, he was in fact ingesting Mike and Ike candies. The laptop-in-every-lap program began two years ago at Harriton and this academic year at Lower Merion. Why did the district hand out MacBooks like so many No. 2 pencils? Because it could...

Blake Robbins Is a Sophomore at Harriton High School

Blake Robbins is only 16 years old, but he's becoming a major figure in the news right now as his parents are going to Federal court against his school district in what may be a landmark case around how schools can use new computer technology.

Blake's school had given out 2,300 Macbook Pro laptops to their students, and each of them was equipped with a webcam that could be turned on by remote in case it got lost or stolen.

But it seems that school staff was using that feature for other things, like snooping on the students when they were alone at home.

10-year-old Blake Robbins was called into the office at his school, and confronted with pictures of him taken on his laptop's camera, that purportedly showed him taking pills. But hew and his parents say they were only Mike & Ike candies.

And beyond the bungled "drug bust: aspect is the basic question of why school officials ever had ther kid's camera on and took a picture in the first place! It's bad enough kids are getting suspended nowadays for what they write on their own time on Facebook, but spying on them while they hang out in their room is far beyond the pale. Hopefully his parents will win out in court on this one.

16-Year-Old Blake Robbins: Harriton Snooping Victim
citypaper

NBC 10 got an interview with the kid (and his lawyer) at the center of the Lower Merion School District scandal. According to their story, we now know the supposed inappropriate behavior that the School District snapped a photo of, via Blake's Web cam: The district thought they caught him popping pills. Blake Robbins says they were Mike-N-Ike's candies...Of course, the district told us yesterday, in so many words, that Blake's computer had to have been reported stolen, or else they wouldn't have activated the security contraption on his MacBook. The AP has reported that district officials have said that only two tech department folks had the authority to activate that security feature...

16-Year-Old Blake Robbins: Harriton Snooping Victim

A Federal lawsuit is underway now because of a school in Pennsylvania that allegedly spied on its students using the webcams on their laptops.

The lawsuit is brought by the parents of Blake Robbins, one of 2,300 Harriton High School students issued laptops by their school.

The laptops, Macbook Pros, are each equipped wiith special security software that lets them turn on the computer's webcam remotely and view its contents, a feature intended to track laptops that were lost or stolen.

But Blake was called into an office and confronted with a photo of him at home, apparently taken by his laptop's webcam and showing him supposedly taking some sort of pills.

His parents say that first of all he was only eating Mike and Ikes, and secondly it is unethical for the school to be spying on their son this way. It seems clear that the school is in the wrong here, the only question is whether they came upon this photo by accident while checking on a report of a stolen laptop, or were they deliberately using the laptop's security software to spy on kids.

2,300 Harriton High School Students Issued Laptops
usatoday

A suburban Philadelphia school district used the webcams in school-issued laptops to spy on students at home, potentially catching them and their families in compromising situations, a family claims in a federal lawsuit. Lower Merion School District officials would not comment on the accusation, but angry students have already responded by putting tape on their laptop cameras and microphones. Sophomore Tom Halpern described students as "pretty disgusted" and noted that his class recently read 1984, the George Orwell classic that coined the term "Big Brother..."

2,300 Harriton High School Students Issued Laptops

Apple Macbook computers are usually promoted as the good guy computers, battling against the corporate Big Brother, Microsoft.

But in a new Federal court case, Apple's Macbooks allegedly became a tool of evil, when they were used by a school district to spy on students when they were on their own time at home.

The school, in a town named Harriton, had given out 2,300 Macbook Pros to all the kids, equipped with special security software that let officials turn on the computer's webcam remotely and track laptops that were stolen or lost.

But when they called in a student and confronted him with a photo of him supposedly taking drugs, parents began to ask whether this security software was being abused to spy on their kids. And the parents of that boy are now going to court to find out once and for all. And by the way the "drug" their son was taking? THey say it was a box of Mike & Ike's.

Harriton High School Students Use Apple MacBooks
usatoday

The affluent district prides itself on its technology initiatives, which include giving Apple laptops to each of the approximately 2,300 students at its two high schools. "It is no accident that we arrived ahead of the curve; in Lower Merion, our responsibility is to lead," Superintendent Christopher W. McGinley wrote on the district website. McGinley did not immediately return messages left Thursday by The Associated Press. The Robbinses said they learned of the alleged webcam images when Lindy Matsko, an assistant principal at Harriton High School, told their son Blake that school officials thought he had engaged in improper behavior at home. The behavior was not specified in the suit.

Harriton High School Students Use Apple MacBooks

The parents of Blake Robbins are striking back against Big Brother, taking their son's school district to court after they allegedly used his Macbook Pro's webcam to spy on him while he was chilling at home.

The school gave out 2300 laptops to their students, that each had a webcam able to be turned on remotely if it was reported lost or stolen.

But allegedly the school used that security feature to turn on the computer and spy on kids, including Blake Robbins who was calledinto the office and accused of taking drugs based on a photo taken by his laptop's webcam.

The parents are now taking the school to Federal court for this alleged invasion of their son's privacy. The school district, Lower Merion, insists that the wecams have been activiated 42 times but is was always because of a report that the computer's were missing.

The ACLU's office in Pennsylvania has also joined into the laptop privacy battle, siding with the parents and filing a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Robbins.

Lower Merion School District Activated Web Cams 42 Times
philly.com

Days after the lawsuit was filed, the district acknowledged that the student webcams had been remotely activated 42 times, but only to recover lost or missing laptops. It said the practice was halted last week. District officials have conceded that they erred by failing to inform students and parents that the cameras could be turned on inside their homes without their knowledge. "We're trying to figure out what happened here," Henry Hockeimer, a former federal prosecutor retained by Lower Merion, told Judge DuBois. He said the district has hired computer forensic experts and promised the judge that "nothing would be destroyed" that is relevant to the webcam scandal.

Lower Merion School District Activated Web Cams 42 Times

The parents of a student named Blake Robbins are now taking the boy's school to Federal court for this alleged invasion of their son's privacy.

But the school district, Lower Merion, insists that the web cams have been activated 42 times but is was always because of a report that the computer's were missing, and the security measure has helped 18 computers be recovered.

The school gave out 2300 laptops to their students, that each had a webcam able to be turned on remotely if it was reported lost or stolen, and 18 laptops were reportedly found this way by the Lower Merion school district.

But allegedly the school used that security feature to turn on the computer and spy on kids, including Blake Robbins who was called into the office and accused of taking drugs based on a photo taken by his laptop's webcam.

Blake's parents are now suing over this apparent invasion of privacy. The ACLU's office in Pennsylvania has also joined into the laptop privacy battle, siding with the parents and filing a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Robbins.

Lower Merion School District Recovered 18 Computers
philly.com

Days after the lawsuit was filed, the district acknowledged that the student webcams had been remotely activated 42 times, but only to recover lost or missing laptops. It said the practice was halted last week. District officials have conceded that they erred by failing to inform students and parents that the cameras could be turned on inside their homes without their knowledge. "We're trying to figure out what happened here," Henry Hockeimer, a former federal prosecutor retained by Lower Merion, told Judge DuBois. He said the district has hired computer forensic experts and promised the judge that "nothing would be destroyed" that is relevant to the webcam scandal.

Lower Merion School District Recovered 18 Computers

A boy in the Lower Merion School District, and his parents, are accusing the district of spying on kids while they are at home, using the webcam on kids' laptops.

The computers, macbook pros, were given out to over 2,000 students as part of a program to prepare kids for a computer and digital driven world, and each laptop was equipped with special security software that let school staff turn on the computer's webcam remotely, a feature intended to be used only if the laptop was reported lost or stolen.

But according to a Federal lawsuit now filed by the parents of Blake Robbins, the feature was used illegally to spy on their son while he was at home, leading to an accusation that the boy was taking drugs based on a photo taken by his webcam, when he was at home.

The parents report that the supposed drugs were actually Mike & Ike's candy, and that the school invaded their family's privacy unethically by watching him or taking his picture through the Apple computer webcam while he was at home, without his knowledge.

Lower Merion School District Accused of Webcam Spying
philly.com

Superintendent Christopher McGinley, whose Lower Merion School District was accused in a federal lawsuit last week of spying on students in their homes, faced about 75 district residents tonight and said little about the controversy. The superintendent had no choice; he is barred by a court order, filed Monday, from talking about the allegations, unless he first clears his statements with attorneys for 15-year-old Blake Robbins and his family. So he had nothing of substance to say about the lawsuit over district-issued laptop computers at the meeting at Narberth Borough Hall.

Lower Merion School District Accused of Webcam Spying

Marvell Scott, a New York based sportscaster, pled not guilty today to rape charges, after being arrested and charged with a hideous crime of raping a 14-year-old girl who was working as a prostitute.

The appalling (if true) case involves Marvell allegedly approaching a pimp in Times Square, which I didn't realize was even possible anymore, and arranging with him to take two underage girls to his apartment where he violated the younger of the two.,

Marvell Scott's attorney says he is completely innocent, and that the whole case is a "ruse."

Up until recently Marvell Scott was a sportscaster for WABC Tv, the local ABC affiliate that airs on channel 7.

He is also trained as a doctor and worked in Haiti helping the earthquake victims by providing medical help.

Marvell Scott Pleads Not Guilty
poughkeepsie journal

A former local New York City sportscaster has been indicted on charges he raped a 14-year-old runaway working as a prostitute. Marvell Scott pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of rape, patronizing a prostitute and endangering the welfare of a child. Manhattan prosecutors say he encountered a pimp in Times Square at 3:45 p.m. on June 5, 2008. They say he paid the pimp, and took the 14-year-old and another 16-year-old girl to his apartment where he raped the younger girl. Defense attorney Richard Portale says no sexual contact occured and called the incident "a ruse..."

Marvell Scott Pleads Not Guilty

Johnny Depp is one of the most notoriously private celebrities, but this week he is making a rare TV appearance. Not to promote his new Alice in Wonderland movie, but to speak out on behalf of the West Memphis Three, who were convicted of murder on what many believe were bogus charges with flimsy evidence.

Many who have looked at the fats of the case believe these three men were innocent, and despite the hard evidence not proving their guilt they were convicted because prosecutors made then look evil by twisting around things like their love for heavy metal music and the occult, and even reading Stephen King books.

The NY Post article below offers a knee-jerk reaction to Johnny Depp as a liberal celebrity type, but conservatives and liberals alike should really look at the details of this case and judge for themselves. It seems quite likely this is a miscarriage of justice, and their defense attorneys deserve all the help and support they can get to turn this around. Especially since one of the men is currently on death row. The Post, and other celebrity-haters, might want to lay off the hate and actually check the facts this time, because Depp seems to be getting this one right.

Depp and West Memphis Three
nypost

Depp will appear on CBS's "48 Hours Mystery" on Sunday to call for reopening the case of the West Memphis Three -- convicted as teenagers of beating three 8-year-olds to death in 1994 -- because he believes they never got a fair trial. Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley were sentenced to life in prison, and Damien Echols, who is on death row, have all spent 16 years behind bars. But Depp joins such supporters as Eddie Vedder, Metallica, Winona Ryder and the Dixie Chicks in arguing they were convicted because they were devotees of heavy-metal music, Stephen King novels and the occult...

Depp and West Memphis Three

Signs of trouble in the Palin empire, as one of Sarah Palin's top aides and advisers has suddenly resigned, according to Politico.

The aide, Palin's senior adviser and spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton, handed in her resignation this week, for reasons that are not yet entirely clear.

Stapleton said officially that she is stepping down to spend more time with her family, specifically her two uear old daughter that she spends limited time with right now.

Said Stapleton: "While it has been an honor to help Gov. Palin and her family over the last few years, I am also honored to have this incredible opportunity to stay home with my precious miracle, Isabella..."

But of course, since "spending more time with the family" is the cliche excuse for stepping down, some are speculating that their may be other reasons for the shakeup in Sarah Palin's team. I guess for now we'll just have to wait and see. Best of luck to Meghan Stapleton with her daughter though! Certainly no one would doubt that that love is real, regardless of whatever else is going on.

Sarah Palin Aide Resigns (NEWS VIDEO)
azcentral

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's senior adviser and spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton has resigned, POLITICO has learned. Stapleton has been a Palin confidant since December 2006 and one of the governor's most trusted aides since she was vaulted onto the national political scene by being picked as GOP presidential nominee
John McCain's running mate. Stapleton said she resigned to spend more time with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Isabella.

Sarah Palin Aide Resigns (NEWS VIDEO)

Rumors were flying this week about George Clooney selling his Villa in Italy but according to the actor, social activist and real life Most Interesting Person in the World himself, Clooney's villa is not on sale at all.

His older home in question is Villa Oleandra, in a very small town named Laglio with less than a thousand people.

But he recently got a new palatial estate in a different part of Italy so people were wondering if his older Italian real estate might be going on the market. But Clooney has put the kibosh on that story.

In a statement from his reps, Clooney set the record straight: "A story saying that George Clooney was sellig his Italian home in Lake Como and was going to by a home in Loreto Island, which is near Lake Como, has been republished in one form or another by various outlets. According to Clooney, 'To complete the news cycle. I'm not buying an island and am not selling my house in Italy. The story was made up...then picked up...and now denied...end of another day of false news."

George Clooney Villa News
source

Actor George Clooney recently purchased a palatial 18th-century home in northern Italy. Villa Oleandra is located in Laglio, a hamlet of about 900 residents. Today's latest was that Clooney was selling his mansion at Lake Como in Italy. The story was picked up in a lot of newspapers, including here. Some sites said David Beckham was going to buy it. Read one of those, here. The problem is, it's simply not true, says Clooney...

George Clooney Villa News

The always outspoken and outlandish Adam Lambert is at it again, but this time he's going after a target many people won't like: none other than the world's everywoman sweetheart Susan Boyle!

Lambert, the American Idol runner up, also became a runner up to Susan Boyle when their albums debuted at the same time and Boyle's album came out ahead.

Lambert acknowledged this but was less than diplomatic about it, saying that her fellow reality TV competitor's album was "terrible" and saying that her cover songs were disrespectful, which is interesting considereing the strong negative reaction to some of his own choices. Not to mention his not always quite on key vocals, where Boyle is pretty much always flawless vocally.

Lambert said: if only it weren't for Susan Boyle. I'm happy for her success, but that album is terrible. Wild Horses is the one that made me laugh the hardest. I just died when I heard it, I was crying with laughter. It was the most horrendous, sacrilegious treatment of that song! Still, when my album charted, it was validating. I was feeling a bit attacked, like I had to vindicate something. I thought: 'Wow, look what I did.''

I like Adam Lambert and wish him nothing but the best, but he should leave Susan Boyle alone.

Adam Lambert vs. Susan Boyle!? (NEWS VIDEO)
moviesandcritics

American Idol star Adam Lambert has slammed singer Susan Boyle and said her debut album was terrible. Lambert, 28, came runner-up in the eighth season of American Idol last year. He admitted he isn't a fan of Boyle, 48, whose album I Dreamed A Dream outsold his own record last year and beat it to the top spot...

Adam Lambert vs. Susan Boyle!? (NEWS VIDEO)

The family of Rachel Corrie, who was killed by a bulldozer in Israel while peacefully protesting the destruction of Palestinian homes, is now suing the state of Israel and holding them responsible for their daughter's tragic death.

The Israel Defence Ministry is the target of the lawsuit, in which the family is bringing numerous witnesses to bear on this case, who will testify that Rachel Corrie was killed without reason or any just cause by a Caterpillar bulldozer.

According to supporters of Corrie the driver of the bulldozer, and the other Israeli military people on the scene,were fully aware she was sitting in the path of the bulldozer as a passive resistance protest against the demolition of Palestinian homes, and they decided to literally drive right through her. An unthinkable crime if it is true, regardless of how you feel about Corrie's politics and the situation in Israel overall.

Hopefully the full story will come out here, and justice will be served, though that lost life can never be restored.

Rachel Corrie vs. Israel (NEWS)
thejc.com

The family of American peace activist Rachel Corrie, killed seven years ago while apparently acting as a human shield in front of an Israeli army bulldozer, is to sue the Israeli Defence Ministry. Cindy and Craig Corrie of Olympia, Washington, say they have four key witnesses, three Britons and an American, who saw Ms Corrie crushed underneath a Caterpillar bulldozer in Rafah in 2003. The witnesses belong to the International Solidarity Movement, the pro-Palestinian activist group with which Ms Corrie, 23, was involved at the time of her death...

Rachel Corrie vs. Israel (NEWS)

Just when you think we'll never see another Van Gogh painting, news has come a of a new one that's been confirmed once and for all.

An art collector and curator who is respected known for his dubious claims of having many great classics, had claimed for some time that one of his paintings was a previously undiscovered Vincent Van Gogh piece.

He was widely doubted, but now the painting which is of a windmill has now been fully vetted by other experts and verified as a legitimate find of a "new" Van Gogh.

The painting, which will now be worth a small fortune for art collectors, depicts people in Paris walking up some steps to a windmill.

The dealer, named Hannema, bought the Van Gogh for a price that adds up to about $2,700 in American dollars! Probably one of the best returns on an art investment you'll ever see. The antiques and art dealer who sold it for that price must be kicking himself now, if he's still alive.

Vincent Van Gogh Painting News
source

Dirk Hannema was known as a brilliant art curator but a bit of a fool. He claimed he had seven Vermeers in his collection, several Van Goghs and a few Rembrandts, but no one believed him. Now 25 years after his death it turned out he was right, about one work by Vincent van Gogh. The painting, "Le Blute-Fin Mill," goes on public display Wednesday in the small Museum de Fundatie in the central Dutch town of Zwolle. Louis van Tilborgh, curator of research at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, said the painting was unusual for the 19th century impressionist, depicting large human figures in a landscape. The painting shows Parisians climbing wooden stairs to a windmill in the Montmartre district...

Vincent Van Gogh Painting News

Just when we were breathing a sigh of relief over the retreat of the H1N1 Swine Flu, here comes another virus for us to worry about. Doctors and medical experts are mobilizing to spread the word on how we can protect ourselves from the newest threat to our health, the Norovirus.

Norovirus is a nasty gastrointestinal virus that has broken out in the Raleigh area and is spreading fast.

It is a highly contagous virus that can be spread from the stool and vomit of a sick person, or from simply touching surfaces where the sick person has been or eating food or drink that was contaminated.

Doctors are saying yoou need to nake sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, and that even though hand sanitizers were much hyped as a precaution against the swine flu, in this case they are useless against norovirus and you need a bonafide hand washing to beat the virus.

According to authorities: "Many commonly used disinfectants are not effective against norovirus. Cleaning with a dilute bleach solution is recommended to disinfect surfaces after an episode of illness "

Norovirus News
wcnc

Recent outbreaks of norovirus -- a common and unpleasant gastrointestinal illness -- have sickened teenagers at a conference in Raleigh and many other people across the state in long-term care facilities, schools and child care centers, restaurants, and other settings. Noroviruses are very contagious. The virus is present in the stools and vomit of sick people during illness and for a few days after they recover. People can get sick through direct contact with a person who has the virus, by touching contaminated surfaces, or by eating food or drinking liquids that have been contaminated with the virus. Noroviruses cannot be seen, smelled or tasted in food...

Norovirus News

A prominent German woman Bishop has been forced to resign this week, after drunk driving charges tarnished her tenure.

The Bishop, Margot Kaessmann, 51, was head of the Protestant church and thus leader of over 25 million Protestant worshippers, and had been known as a colorful personality, but now felt she had no choice but to step down after the drunk driving arrest that has put her driver's license in jeopardy as well as risking huge fines.

Her blood alcohol level when tested was allegedly far above the legal limit in Germany.

Kaessmann said to reporters: "Last Saturday, I made a big mistake. My heart tells me quite clearly that I cannot stay in office with the necessary authority . . . I hereby resign from all my Church responsibilities."

"I am very sorry to have disappointed many people who asked me to remain in office, and those who trustingly voted for me."

Drunk Driving Bishop!? (NEWS)
canada.com

The colourful head of Germany's 25 million Protestants, dubbed by the media as a mixture of Mother Theresa and U.S. actress Demi Moore, resigned on Wednesday after being caught drunk-driving.

Prosecutors said Kaessmann had been "completely unfit to drive" after police pulled over her luxury Volkswagen Phaeton saloon late on Saturday after going through a red light 500 metres from her home.

Taken to a police station after failing a breathalyser test, the bishop was found to be several times over the legal limit, and now faces a hefty fine and the loss of her driving licence for up to a year.

Drunk Driving Bishop!? (NEWS)

AS the debate of healthcare renews, many are asking questions about the NPDB or National Practicioner Data Bank, a resource intended to track the performance of doctors all over the country.

But critics are saying the that Practitioner Data Bank is woefully incomplete, failing to document many instances of doctors and medical practitioners who do their job poorly and should be listed as a risk.

Because the Federal government relies on states to provide the information on health care quality and performance of doctors nurses and other hospital staff and health care providers, there can be major gaps in the database if states fail to provide complete information.

A report in a Chicago newspaper, seen below, says that Illinois is one state where the records are not sufficient and will allow sub-standard performance to go unchecked in the medical professions.

Defenders though say that these problems are being overstated, and the Pracitioner Database is still very useful for the public and just needs to be improved a bit.

Practitioner Data Bank: Controversial tribune

Illinois is one of at least 20 states that have failed to adequately report disciplinary actions, as required, to the federal government. And federal officials have done little to make them, an investigation by ProPublica found. Congress ordered up the massive data repository to house disciplinary actions taken anywhere in the country against nurses, pharmacists, psychologists and other licensed health professionals. The goal was to stop dangerous or incompetent caregivers from crossing state borders for work. On March 1, hospitals finally will be able to fully use it. But the database is dangerously incomplete...

Practitioner Data Bank: Controversial

Just days after another huge snowfall rocked the Northeast, news comes of another major storm hit the New York area yesterday, so big people are calling it a "snowicane."

The snow started out as heavy rain mixed with sleet, then as the day went on became hard and heavy snow that just kept falling and falling, making a slushy nightmare for drivers and pedestrians all around the city.

The snow didn't cause as many safety risks or traffic problems, and flight delays at airports were not as bad as the previous storm which also caused NY schools to be closed.

But as it continues to fall even now, many New York workers are scared to see what the streets will look like in the morning. For photos and more detail see below:

Snowicane News
daily news

Snowflakes as big as goose feathers blanketed the city Thursday morning - but meteorologists predicted the worst was yet to come. Snow was mixed with rain in New York City and mostly didn't stick to roads, preventing the kind of calamity experienced during the school-shutting storm of early February. Come Thursday evening, however, the storm is expected to firm up, and some 10 inches are expected to accumulate by Friday morning....

Snowicane News

As Whitney Houston continues her comeback bid, but keeps giving shaky performances on her concert tour, many are asking questions about the pop icon's physical health.

Whitney was away from performing for years, suffering through well-documented drug problems in addition to a drama-plagued tabloid feeding family life with Bobby Brown. And when she finally made her comeback attempt last year, millions of fans were rooting for her to rise back to the top of the pop charts.

But with her first public performances fans immediately noticed the voice wasn't what it used to be, in fact she seemed to be struggling to keep her breath and sing on key at all, and not even coming near the high notes and vocal power she used to show.

And as her world tour goes on, her most recent show in Australia became a scandal down under, as her terrible performance sent ticket buyers into an outrage, a shame considering how rarely Australian fans get to come out for their favorite artists.

That latest in a long string of shaky performances is bringing questions about Whitney's health, but her reps insist to potential concert ticket buyers that Whitney is just fine and not in "fragile" health as the tabloids have reported.

Whitney: Health Concerns?
seattlepi

Whitney Houston has sparked fresh fears for her health after appearing at a concert in Australia looking exhausted as she struggled through her set. The singer, who kicked off her first world tour in a decade in December 2009 became the subject of a National Enquirer report last week, alleging Houston has been in a fragile state. Houston's representative blasted the claims, insisting rumors she is battling a mystery illness are "ridiculous."

Whitney: Health Concerns?

In an incident reminiscent of the Carrie Prejean scandal, another beauty pageant winner is being ousted thanks to her outspoken conservative views.

This time it is the the contestant representing Beverly Hills in the latest Miss California pageant, and after she was quoted speaking out against same sex marriage, Beverly Hills residents including the town's mayor spoke out against her stance.

The Mayor said her statements go against the tradition of tolerance Beverly Hills has always tried to maintain.

Furthermore, the Mayor points out that the contestant, Lauren Ashley, doesn't even live in Berverly Hills! Really, as these scandals continue to arise, one wonders whether the beauty pageant tradition really even fits into today's world anymore.

Beauty Queen Beverly Hills Controversy

Beverly Hills Mayor Nancy Krasne said Wednesday she is outraged over a Miss California USA contestant who is claiming to represent the city in the upcoming pageant and who spoke out against same-sex marriage in recent media interviews. Krasne said in a statement that 23-year-old Lauren Ashley does not live in Beverly Hills or represent the city in any capacity. Krasne said she was shocked to see statements made by a beauty pageant contestant under the name of Beverly Hills, "which has a long history of tolerance and respect..."

Beauty Queen: Beverly Hills: Out!

A racy beer ad in Brazil is causing controversy, with many saying its sexy images of Paris Hilton are too hot and need to be taken out of circulation.

You're probably thinking "too hot for Brazil must be pretty hot!" but even though the country is known for it's sexy vibes and tiny swimwear, they are sctually pretty strict about not allowing women to be sexually objectified on TV.

And Paris Hilton's TV spot, in which she is seen relating sensually to a bottle of alcohol as onlookers watch, has been deemed too disrespectful.

Spokesmen for the the critics said bikinis are fine on the beach, and it's all a question of context. ""The problem with the ad isn't a lack of clothing, but its sensual nature, A woman in a bikini on a beach isn't necessarily sensual; it depends on the context.""

Paris Hilton Beer Ad (VIDEO)

Paris Hilton is giving blondes a bad name. So says Brazil's Secretariat for Women's Affairs, which wants a sultry beer commercial starring the hotel heiress, model and actor off the air. The ad features Hilton in a short black dress preening and rubbing a can of Devassa beer on herself, to the delight of onlookers watching through her window...The commercial isn't very explicit -- especially in a land where postage-stamp-size bikinis are ubiquitous. But Brazil's regulations say beer commercials cannot treat women as overtly sensual objects...

Paris Hilton Beer Ad (VIDEO)

Paris Hilton is no stranger to criticism, but today she's getting heat from a new source: acting great Anthony Hopkins.

Hopkins, an Oscar winning actor, spoke about going to buy gifts for his wife and being disturbed by the images all around him of scarily skinny women, and all of the celebrity culture that promotes this image and glorifies people who have no substannce either physically or mentally.

Hopkins said: "You look at fashion magazines and you think, 'What are we living in?' You look at the red carpet, Paris Hilton, you know, these people and you think, 'Is there anything going on up there?' It's a mass enslavement and it's kind of fascism. And it's the androgyny of it; the androgyny of the human soul. I don't think people think any more. But maybe I'm just old."

I'm not sure what he means about androgyny, but it's hard to disagree that the mass media images, especially of women, set us up to be chasing an ideal that is both unattainable and undesirable, and only keeps us in an endless loop of insecurity and consumption, hating ourselves and buying their products. It's the American way!

Anthony Hopkins vs. Paris HIlton! (NEWS)
seattlepi

Sir Anthony Hopkins has taken aim at Paris Hilton and the current crop of celebrity socialites, comparing them to soulless "machines." The actor is fed up with skinny models and stars on the red carpet who lack substance -- and he's singled out the heiress for appearing to have nothing "going on up there". He tells the Daily Express UK, "We're living in a pretty strange time. I went into a shop to buy my wife some clothes and I wanted them gift-wrapped. And they had this big plasma screen on with these women on the catwalk. I thought, 'God almighty, what have we become?' These girls -- anorexic, walking like machines, no soul...

Anthony Hopkins vs. Paris HIlton! (NEWS)

A major earthquake rocked Japan today, hitting the southern coast and affecting Okinawa and other islands.

The worst impact was out at sea, apparently, and no major damage or loss of life has been reported yet, thankfully.

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prine countries, and was hit by a major disaster when an earthquake struck Kobe in the nineties.

According to one Okinawa resident, this quake came as quite a scare, though it didn't do major property damage to most homeowners: "I was fast asleep when the quake hit, and I jumped out of bed. It felt like the shaking lasted forever."

It happened on early Saturday morning Japanese time, and it will take a while to hear the full scoop on how much damage there was, hopefully the news later on will be goood.

7.0 Earthquake in Japan (NEWS)
msnbc

A magnitude-6.9 earthquake hit off Japan's southern coast early Saturday, shaking Okinawa and nearby islands, and a tsunami warning was briefly issued, Japan's Meteorological Agency said. The quake occurred off the coast of the island of Okinawa at a depth of 6.2 miles early Saturday morning, the agency said.There have been no reports of major damage or casualties so far, except for reports of ruptured water pipes in two locations, Okinawa police official Noritomi Kikuzato said...

7.0 Earthquake in Japan (NEWS)

There's an unlikely new pairing making a lot of noise in the celebrity gossip worldm, and that couple is none other than Scarlett Johansson and Axl Rose of Guns and Roses.

The sexy young actress and the grizzled old rocker have been seen about town a lot lately in NY, caught just this week at a hip spot in Noho.

All indications so far are that they are just buddies, not a romantic couple (whew!) but they are chilling together so often one might start to wonder!

In all seriousness though she seems to be steady in her relationship with actor Ryan Reynolds, and we shouldn't promote any false rumors or whispers.

If Axl and Scarlett want to get some drinks and play ping-pong, who are we to make anything out of it!

Scarlett & Axl Rose, BFF?
nypost

Axl Rose and Scarlett Johansson sure are spending a lot of time in the same places. The aging rocker and sultry actress were spotted at an after-hours spot in NoHo a week ago Wednesday, the Box on Thursday, and the Boom Boom Room on Sunday until 3 a.m. On Tuesday of this week, after the curtain of "A View From the Bridge," Johansson was seen playing pingpong with Rose at SPiN. "They were laughing the whole time," says a spy. "They looked like they were having fun." The Guns N' Roses frontman later turned up solo at celebrity haunt Avenue...

Scarlett & Axl Rose, BFF?

Sad news for Mary-Kate Olsen! According to all the most trusted tabloid sources,

Mary-Kate has reportedlyt broken off her relationship with Nate Lowman, which had been steady since they met through some mutual friends in 2008.

The split seemed to be confirmed when Mary-Kate was sighted making out with top actor Josh Hartnett.

Olsen and Hartnett were out together in England on the night of the BAFTA awards. Mary Kate is still once of Hollywood's youngest stars and richest at the same time, after amassing a huge fortune during her long career as a child star, with her fraternal twin Ashley.

Mary-Kate Split (NEWS)
daily news

Mary-Kate Olsen is a single lady once again. The mini-mogul has split from boyfriend Nate Lowman, Usmagazine.com reports. The 23-year-old actress' rep confirmed the news, saying, "No, they are not [together]. It's been a while." According to People.com, Olsen, who began dating Lowman in 2008 after meeting him through mutual friends, doesn't appear to be heartbroken...

Mary-Kate Split (NEWS)

Footage has finally emerged of the accident in which the Undertaker got burned during a taping of a Pay Per View WWE Wrestling special.

Undertaker is one of the all-time most famous professional wrestlers, and was on his way to the stage when a pyrotechnics display malfunctioned and set his costime on fire.

Undertaker showed what a tough guy and true professional he was by continuing straight into the ring despite the accident,

At first there was no video of the accident, as it was not visible in the actual broadcast, but fan footage of it has since surfaced and is circulating online. Fans reported that he was completely engulfed in flame for a couple of secconds.

Whatever you say about wrestling being fake, ,you can't deny the courage and fortitude Undertaker showed by walking straight through this brush with death straight into the ring and completing his match.

WWE: Undertaker Burned in the Ring! (VIDEO)

Video of the pyrotechnics accident that left WWE star The Undertaker burned at Sunday night's Elimination Chamber pay per view has surfaced. The video, which was shot by fans in attendance, clearly shows a fireball shoot up directly underneath him, completely engulfing the WWE legend in flames. That part was not visible on WWE's broadcast as the flame was obstructed by the smoke used during his entrance.

WWE: Undertaker Burned in the Ring! (VIDEO)

Tiger Woods already did his big apology for the press, but now he and his wife Elin had to give another one: to the other parents in their daycare center.

Tiger and Elin penned a letter apologizing to the parents at their daughters daycare center, apologizing for bringing paparazzi around to the center and bothering the other parents and kids.

In the written statement Tiger and Elin said: "We truly understand how frustrating it can be. We hope that the paparazzi will find something better to do with their time in the near future. In the meantime, it is our goal to keep life as normal as possible for our children. We are sure that as parents you can appreciate that. For Sam, that normalcy means attending the school that she enjoys so much."

Tiger and Elin Apologize
wftv

A letter shared with Eyewitness News from Tiger Woods and his wife Elin (read it) apologizes to the parents whose children attend the same daycare facility as their daughter Sam. Members of the paparazzi could be seen staked outside the school in Windermere to snap photos of Elin Woods dropping off her daughter. In the letter, the Tiger and Elin apologize for the inconvenience and say they hope the paparazzi will soon find something better to do with their time. The letter is signed, Tiger and Elin Woods...

Tiger and Elin Apologize

Kelly Ripa is not exactly known as a bad girl, but she showed a bit of her wild side this week as she came on Regis And Kelly to debut a new tattoo!

She arrived on the morning talk show that she co-hosts to show the audience, and her co-host, a new tattoo on her wrist.

The tattoo reads "consuelos" in black script, in honor of her husband of 13 years Mark Consuelos.

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos met in the 80s in the All My Children Daytime Drama (aka Soap Opera) and fell in love soon after they were made into a couple on the show. Kelly went to one of the top local tattoo artists to get it done, and deserves to be proud of how it came out!

Kelly Ripa Tattoo (NEWS)
huffpo

Kelly Ripa got a new tattoo and she showed it off on "Regis and Kelly" Wednesday morning. Ripa, who already has a flower tattoo on her inner ankle, got "Consuelos" on her wrist, as in husband-of-13-years Mark Consuelos. Ripa said of the script, "It's a little inky but it will heal." She said she got inked at Saved Tattoo in Brooklyn...

Kelly Ripa Tattoo (NEWS)

Susan Boyle became the world;s sweetheart with her instant rise to superstardom in reality TV, but it appears that the stress and strain of that rapid ascent is causing more stress than anyone should take.

According to sources including her brother, Susan Boyle is suffering from severe exhaustion and need 24 hour care.

Susan's brother Gerry said: The traveling and the whole (fame) thing is exhausting, She still has her anxieties and her loneliness."

After winning Europe's top reality show talent competition, Susan Boyle put out one of the best selling albums of the year. But with that success has come a whirlwind of media attention, criticism and pressure to live up to her new reputation.

Susan Boyle Needs 24-hour Care (NEWS)
myfoxmemphis

Singing sensation Susan Boyle is exhausted from the pressures of fame and in need of 24-hour care, The Sun reported Friday. Shortly after her first appearance on TV show Britain's Got Talent almost a year ago, the Scottish crooner began a run of promotional tours to America and Europe and watched her album become the best-selling debut in U.K. chart history. But the beneath the smiles and friendly interviews, SuBo, 48, is a lonely and vulnerable woman, her family said...

Susan Boyle Needs 24-hour Care (NEWS)

Tom Hanks is one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and now he's one of the biggesst real estate buyers in the world, as he just finished setting up a deal to buy a huge home in Los Angeles for the whopping sum of $26 million!

The sale is said to be the biggest real estate deal of the year so far in the city of Los Angeles.

Hanks procured the estate from Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, two fellow Hollywood bigwigs.

Hanks will move into the home and the real estate agents who brokered the deal will be going to Disneyland.

Tom Hanks Pacific Palisades (NEWS)
abclocal

Tom Hanks bought a 14,500-square-foot home in Pacific Palisades for about $26 million, which is believed to be the biggest real estate transaction in Los Angeles this year. Hanks bought the contemporary four-bedroom home from movie producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, real estate sources told the Los Angeles Times. The house, built in 1996, was listed at slightly more than $26 million on Blockshopper.com, a news and market data service, and that would make it the most expensive home sale in the area this year, the newspaper reported...

Tom Hanks Pacific Palisades (NEWS)

As Whitney Houston continues her comeback bid, but keeps giving shaky performances on her concert tour, many are asking questions about the pop icon's physical health. The questions have reached a fever pitch after a terrible Australia show, but she still insists nothing is wrong.

Whitney was away from performing for years, suffering through well-documented drug problems in addition to a drama-plagued tabloid feeding family life with Bobby Brown. And when she finally made her comeback attempt last year, millions of fans were rooting for her to rise back to the top of the pop charts.

But with her first public performances fans immediately noticed the voice wasn't what it used to be, in fact she seemed to be struggling to keep her breath and sing on key at all, and not even coming near the high notes and vocal power she used to show.

Whitney Houston Tour News
baltimoresun

Though video postings of her recent performances in Australia have been less than flattering, Whitney Houston says her tour is going great -- and she's in great health. Houston's publicist, Kristen Foster, released a statement Thursday, saying: "Whitney is in great health and having a terrific time on her tour and with her fans. She said more than 9,000 people attended Houston's show in Brisbane and more than 12,000 were at Acer Arena in Sydney...

Whitney Houston Tour News

Paris Hilton is causing scandal in Brazil with her sexy beer commercial.

You're probably thinking "too hot for Brazil must be pretty hot!" but even though the country is known for it's sexy vibes and tiny swimwear, they are actually quite strict about not allowing women to be sexually objectified on TV, and now government authorities may be stepping in to stop the sexiness.

And Paris Hilton's TV spot, in which she is seen relating sensually to a bottle of alcohol as onlookers watch, has been deemed too disrespectful.

Spokesmen for the the critics said bikinis are fine on the beach, and it's all a question of context. ""The problem with the ad isn't a lack of clothing, but its sensual nature, A woman in a bikini on a beach isn't necessarily sensual; it depends on the context.""

A government representative reportedly said "It's an ad that devalues women -- in particular, blond women"

Brazil, Paris Hilton News: No Sexy!
oaklandpress

So says Brazil's Secretariat for Women's Affairs, which wants a sultry beer commercial starring the hotel heiress, model and actor off the air. The ad features Hilton in a short black dress preening and rubbing a can of Devassa beer on herself, to the delight of onlookers watching through her window. The commercial isn't very explicit -- especially in a land where postage-stamp-size bikinis are ubiquitous. But Brazil's regulations say beer commercials cannot treat women as overtly sensual objects. ," according to a spokeswoman for the Women's Secretariat who said it received numerous complaints...

Brazil, Paris Hilton News: No Sexy!