Friday, June 27, 2008

Lauren Conrad: A Day In the Life

Lauren Conrad: A Day In the Life

It was a typical hectic Wednesday for Hills hottie Lauren Conrad, as she went about her daily business while filming new scenes for the hit MTV reality show.

To kick things off, LC and a gal pal attended a meeting at Fine Line Inc., where the 22-year-old Laguna Beach native spent over an hour inside before leaving with some clothes samples in hand.

From there, an animated Miss Conrad joined friends for lunch at Toast on 3rd Street - entertaining the gathered girls throughout the lunch date.

Finished up with her grub and gossip, Lauren quickly made her way Downtown to attend an event at the Fashion Institute before getting all dressed up for a night at Kumo with co-star pals Audrina Patridge and Lauren "Lo" Bosworth.

Enjoy the pictures of Lauren Conrad out at Kumo with Audrina and Lo, lunching at Toast and meeting at Fine Line (June 18).

Posted by fathima at 9:40 AM | | Comments

Minka Kelly Helps Launch “Rock Bodies”


Minka Kelly Helps Launch “Rock Bodies”
Wearing a cute multi-fabric strapless dress, Minka Kelly made her way to Espace on 42nd Street to attend Self Magazine's issue release party for the "Rock Bodies" issue.

Minka, who briefly dated John Mayer prior to his courtship of Jennifer Aniston, was the main guest for the event - which also saw model Estelle, tennis star Monica Seles and Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem.

Meanwhile, Minka is making her way to the big screen after finding success in her role as Lyla Garrity on the tv series Friday Night Lights.

The soon-to-be 28-year-old is currently filming her new movie "500 Days of Summer", which co-stars Zooey Deschanel.

"500 Days of Summer" is described as "an offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and a young man who falls for her."

Enjoy the pictures of Minka Kelly at the Self magazine launch party (June 18).

Posted by fathima at 9:36 AM | | Comments

Thursday, June 26, 2008

US barley growers ponder potential beer deal

US barley growers ponder potential beer deal

HELENA, Mont. - The prospect of Anheuser-Busch being taken over by a brewing company with roots in Belgium and Brazil has made some Northern Plains barley growers uneasyBudweiser is king in Idaho, Montana and North Dakota, where nearly three-fourths of the nation's barley is grown. Fairfield, in north-central Montana, even touts itself as the "Barley Capital of the World." Malt barley from the region also finds its way into beers brewed by Coors, Miller and international companies that include Grupo Modelo SA, a Mexican producer that recently built an Idaho Falls, Idaho, plant to process barley into malt.

News that InBev SA, formed in 2004 from beverage companies in Belgium and Brazil, made an unsolicited offer of roughly $46 billion for Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos. unsettled some barley growers because many sign preseason contracts with the St. Louis company. Under those contracts, farmers sell their best barley to Anheuser-Busch rather than chance selling it on the open market.

The prospect of a hostile takeover remained Thursday after Anheuser-Busch, brewer of Bud Light and Michelob as well as Budweiser, unanimously rejected InBev's offer of June 11. Anheuser-Busch Chairman Patrick Stokes said the proposal undervalued the company. In what could be the first move toward a hostile takeover, InBev announced Thursday that it had filed for a court judgment that Anheuser-Busch shareholders can remove the company's board without cause.

Efforts to buy the company have farmer Mike Hager wondering "who we'll be working with, who we'll be dealing with and if they'll still have contracts."

Hager grows barley near Fairfield, a community of about 600 residents that lies west of Great Falls in what Montanans proudly call the Golden Triangle, considered the state's premier grain-growing area.

Grain-storage bins made of gray metal tower over Fairfield, where farmers swap stories at the Cozy Corner Cafe. They buy barley seed from Anheuser-Busch and receive advice from company agronomists. Bankers are more willing to lend money for operating expenses if they know farmers have a contract for grain sales, said Jay Ratliff, another Fairfield-area farmer.

"I'm assuming that if someone takes over Anheuser-Busch they would continue making the quality of beer that Anheuser-Busch is famous for, and to do that they would have to have quality barley," said Evan Hayes, an American Falls, Idaho, grower and chairman of the Idaho Barley Commission. Still, he said, "there is obviously a concern because it is such a large portion of our marketplace."

InBev spokeswoman Marianne Amssoms said only that the company would have "a strong commitment to the communities in which Anheuser-Busch operates." Anheuser-Busch responded to questions about barley contracts only with a statement that the company does not "confirm, deny or speculate on rumors of potential investments, acquisitions, mergers, new business partnerships or other transactions."

The stability that Anheuser-Busch has brought to Montana towns such as Fairfield definitely has been an asset for the communities, said Sen. Jon Tester. The Montana Democrat, who has raised barley in the past on his farm 80 miles northeast of Great Falls, said he will join Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., if she finds congressional grounds to challenge a takeover. McCaskill has said she will work to prevent one but is uncertain what she could do.

Barley growers probably have nothing to worry about, according to James Wetzel, an economics professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. He said InBev likely wants to boost U.S. market penetration by the beers it already produces, brands that include Beck's and Stella Artois. The company might end up brewing some of its foreign beers in the United States, requiring more barley from U.S. producers, Wetzel said.

"If I had to bet $10 one way or the other, I would think the barley growers in America are going to come out ahead," he said.

Agricultural economist Gary Brester of Montana State University said that who manages a company is often more important than who owns it, and there is no indication that InBev would change managers or direction if it acquired Anheuser-Busch. Yet the proposed takeover does pose some risks for growers.

"Suppose InBev decided malting barley was less important than hops (for research and development) and they put their R&D into hops," Brester said. "They might not think Montana malting barley is as special as A-B thinks it is."

Although Anheuser-Busch may seem like family in some grain communities, there is no question the company is in business to make money. Each truckload of barley is sampled and tested at delivery. If it fails to meet company standards for quality, the barley is rejected and likely becomes cattle feed, said Fairfield grower Tom McInerney. That brings about half as much money as malting barley.

Some growers grumble that the company has taken advantage of volatile grain markets, contracting for lower prices than farmers would have received on the open market, McInerney notes. Still, he sees more pluses than minuses with Anheuser-Busch.

"Historically, they've been good for this area and they've offered some stability with a decent contract program," McInerney said. "I'd like to see them stay. We have a known entity in them."

Posted by fathima at 10:53 PM | | Comments

Jackie Chan visit highlights Timor's martial arts gangs

Jackie Chan visit highlights Timor's martial arts gangs

DILI (AFP) - A United Nations goodwill visit this week by kung fu star Jackie Chan to East Timor has highlighted concerns over gang violence by "martial arts groups" made up of disaffected youth.The visit, organised by UN children's agency UNICEF, aimed to curb a culture of violence among the groups, which have become a magnet for thousands of young people in a country with few jobs and few prospects.

Demonstrating new moves as he met enthusiastic crowds in the capital Dili, Chan urged the country's young martial arts enthusiasts to steer clear of violence and gangs.

"It does not matter what school of martial arts we are from as long as we are united. Training for martial arts helps you to strengthen your eyes, your mind and your body," Chan said Thursday.

"When you have a good body and mind, let's help people. Don't harm them."

Jose Soares Visente, a leader of the Devoted Heart Lotus Brotherhood, a black-clad gang that ambitiously claims 20,000 members, said Chan's message of peace was needed to overcome fighting between the groups.

Set up in 1980 by the Indonesian military, the Brotherhood requires prospective members to slaughter a rooster before being allowed to take part in morning and night time training with sticks, knives and swords.

Several members have been killed in fighting and the group's headquarters burnt down in early 2007, Visente said.

"I hope Jackie Chan's visit will help us to build unity and peace between martial arts groups," he said.

While many groups teach pure martial arts, analysts say some in Dili stray into gang violence that could threaten the stability of the tiny nation.

With unemployment hovering around 50 percent, many young East Timorese from the countryside drift into the gangs in the absence of anything else to do, said George Quinn, an East Timor expert from the Australian National University.

"They are a still quite powerful force on the streets of Dili and it's still an issue ... They're not by any means turning tame," Quinn said.

A big fear is that the martial arts groups could be drawn into political violence similar to 2006, which killed at least 37, or that they could start the fighting themselves.

"It's certainly true that violence in and of itself can start from the gangs," Quinn said.

Started as sports clubs under Indonesia's 1975-1999 military occupation, many martial arts groups quickly moulded into something more closely resembling criminal gangs, Quinn said.

Since formal independence was achieved in 2002, violent martial arts groups have regularly fought over street territory and have been known to be used as muscle by politicians to intimidate opponents, Quinn said.

Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, who led a short-lived insurrection by ex-soldiers until he was killed in February during an attack on President Jose Ramos-Horta, was also backed by some Dili martial arts group, he said.

Others are drawn from the nearly 100,000 internally displaced people left over from violence between police and armed forces in 2006 triggered by the defection of Reinado and his men, he said.


Posted by fathima at 10:50 PM | | Comments

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Yahoo: Pacers to deal Jermaine O'Neal to Raptors


Yahoo: Pacers to deal Jermaine O'Neal to Raptors
The Toronto Raptors have agreed in principle to acquire forward Jermaine O'Neal from the Indiana Pacers for point guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic, the 17th pick in the draft and a player to be named, Yahoo reported WednesdayWhile Yahoo reported the deal, citing an unidentified NBA executive, Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo told The Canadian Press that he was in the midst of "four or five" conversations with teams involving Ford and a combination of Toronto's No. 17 pick and/or other Raptors players.

A deal can't be finalized until July 1, when Ford's base-year compensation tag comes off the books, and Yahoo said O'Neal and Ford must still pass physicals.

O'Neal is a six-time All-Star. He averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 42 games last season.

Posted by fathima at 11:23 PM | | Comments

Obama disagrees with high court on child rape case

Obama disagrees with high court on child rape case

CHICAGO - Democrat Barack Obama said Wednesday he disagrees with the Supreme Court's decision outlawing executions of people who rape children, a crime he said states have the right to consider for capital punishment. "I have said repeatedly that I think that the death penalty should be applied in very narrow circumstances for the most egregious of crimes," Obama said at a news conference. "I think that the rape of a small child, 6 or 8 years old, is a heinous crime and if a state makes a decision that under narrow, limited, well-defined circumstances the death penalty is at least potentially applicable, that that does not violate our Constitution."

The court's 5-4 decision Wednesday struck down a Louisiana law that allows capital punishment for people convicted of raping children under 12, saying it violates the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

The ruling spares the only people in the U.S. under sentence of death for that crime — two Louisiana men convicted of raping girls 5 and 8. It also invalidates laws on the books in five other states that allowed executions for child rape that does not result in the death of the victim.

Obama's Republican rival, John McCain, also criticized the court's decision, calling it "an assault on law enforcement's efforts to punish these heinous felons for the most despicable crime."

"That there is a judge anywhere in America who does not believe that the rape of a child represents the most heinous of crimes, which is deserving of the most serious of punishments, is profoundly disturbing," McCain said in a statement.

Obama, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, said that had the court "said we want to constrain the abilities of states to do this to make sure that it's done in a careful and appropriate way, that would have been one thing. But it basically had a blanket prohibition and I disagree with that decision."

Obama has two daughters, ages 7 and 9.

He has long supported the death penalty while criticizing the way it is sometimes applied.

As an Illinois legislator, he helped rewrite the state's death penalty system to guard against innocent people being sentenced to die. The new safeguards included requiring police to videotape interrogations and giving the state Supreme Court more power to overturn unjust decisions.

He also opposed legislation making it easier to impose the death penalty for murders committed as part of gang activity. Obama argued the language was too vague and could be abused by authorities.

But Obama has never rejected the death penalty entirely. He supported death sentences for killing volunteers in community policing programs and for particularly cruel murders of elderly people.

"While the evidence tells me that the death penalty does little to deter crime, I believe there are some crimes — mass murder, the rape and murder of a child — so heinous, so beyond the pale, that the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage by meting out the ultimate punishment," he wrote in his book "The Audacity of Hope."

In 1988, a question about rape and capital punishment tripped up Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis.

Dukakis was asked during a nationally televised debate with Republican George H. W. Bush whether he'd still oppose the death penalty if his wife were raped and murdered.

His unemotional, dispassionate answer was ridiculed, and gave Republicans more material to paint him as an emotionless liberal.

At the news conference Wednesday, Obama answered questions on a number of topics, including a compromise eavesdropping bill the Senate was preparing to consider. He said he supports the bill, which would establish new rules to govern when the National Security Agency, CIA, FBI or others can tap American phone and computer lines.

The bill also effectively gives legal immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the government eavesdrop on calls and e-mails for years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, without the approval of a special, secret court.

Obama, who opposed an earlier version of the bill, said he supports the compromise partly because it would prohibit presidents from superseding surveillance rules in the future

Posted by fathima at 11:16 PM | | Comments

Author Rushdie receives knighthood


Author Rushdie receives knighthood

LONDON (AFP) - Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday gave the author Salman Rushdie the knighthood which caused protests by Muslims around the world when it was announced last year.

Rushdie, 61, was knighted for his services to literature.

When the knighthood was announced in the queen's birthday honours list last June, it sparked condemnation from a number of Muslim countries and organisations, protests, and threats against Britain from Al-Qaeda.

"It's been a long time -- my first novel was published 33 years ago but I think the thing you hope to do as a writer is leave behind a shelf of interesting books and it's great just to have that work recognised," Rushdie said after receiving his honour.

He added: "At this stage it's certainly not a day to talk about controversy, it's a day for myself and my family to celebrate this.

"I think it was a short-lived thing, I'm happy to say, and in my experience most people were very pleased. I certainly was."

After Rushdie's knighthood was announced last year, a Pakistani government minister at one point suggested the award justified suicide bombings.

And Al-Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri warned that the terror network was preparing a "precise response" to Britain's decision to transform Rushdie into "Sir Salman".

In the subsequent furore, British government ministers stressed that they were sorry if people had been upset by the honour, but said it was for a lifelong body of work and refused to apologise for the award.

The Indian-born writer, who was raised as a Sunni Muslim, has lived since 1989 under the shadow of an Iranian fatwa -- or religious decree -- calling for his death over his controversial novel "The Satanic Verses".

The author is accused by some Muslims of blaspheming Islam in the book, which triggered an international furore when it was first published in 1988.

Rushdie was forced into hiding after Iran's revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued the fatwa.

Following the announcement of Rushdie's knighthood last year, Iran said the death sentence still stands.

After nearly a decade hiding away, Rushdie began to appear in public more and more, eventually becoming a socialite fixture on the international party circuit.

Asked if, in hindsight, he had any doubts about writing "The Satanic Verses", he replied: "I really have no regrets about any of my work.

"This is, as I say, an honour not for any specific book but for a very long career in writing and I'm happy to see that recognised."

Rushdie's second novel, "Midnight's Children", won the prestigious Booker Prize in 1981 and was named the best novel in 25 years of the prize in 1993.

Speaking about his works, the knight added: "It's difficult to choose between your books, you wouldn't choose between your children would you.

"Clearly 'Midnight's Children' was a very important book for me and I'm proud of what that book's achieved.

"The children's book I wrote, 'Haroun And The Sea Of Stories', was important to me because I wrote it for my son and most writers will tell you they are closest to their most recent book.

"The queen asked me what I was writing next and how the work was going and I unveiled to her I might write a children's book next," he revealed, adding that he almost messed up the ceremony protocol due to nerves.

Posted by fathima at 9:20 AM | | Comments

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Cotillard and Cohen invited to become Oscar voters

Cotillard and Cohen invited to become Oscar voters

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A diverse group of actors -- including French Oscar winner Marion Cotillard and "Borat" star Sacha Baron Cohen -- have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesThe Academy said on Monday it issued invitations to 105 luminaries. Other notable names include Oscar-winning "Juno" screenwriter Diablo Cody, the film's director Jason Reitman, Ruby Dee, Josh Brolin, Allison Janney, Jet Li and Ray Winstone.

Each year, in order to replenish its ranks as members die or opt for nonvoting status, the 15 branches of the Academy endorse new candidates.

Under a membership policy adopted in 2004, the Academy has slowed growth in its ranks, which number just below the 6,000 mark. This year, the Academy could have sought out as many as 137 new members, but the branches chose to be more selective than that.

Cotillard won an Oscar this year for playing Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose." Reitman and Dee were also nominated this year, and Cohen was nominated last year for writing "Borat."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Posted by fathima at 1:43 AM | | Comments

Hottest deals in Bollywood

Hottest deals in Bollywood

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan for Bajirao Mastani

After being reportedly chucked out of Bajirao Mastani years ago, Aishwarya Rai makes a comeback… and this time she isn't alone. Coming as a package deal with Ash is hubby Abhishek Bachchan playing the love struck Peshwa (Maratha warlord). Years ago, Aishwarya Rai was shown the door after Sanjay Leela Bhansali dropped her like a hot potato after her break-up with Salman Khan. Kareena Kapoor replaced Aishwarya Rai and the project was shelved

Posted by fathima at 1:40 AM | | Comments

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Anna Nicole ex snaps up lingerie for Dannielynn

Anna Nicole ex snaps up lingerie for Dannielynn

LAS VEGAS (AP) — They're not traditional family heirlooms, but Larry Birkhead's is not a traditional family.

Anna Nicole Smith's former boyfriend spent nearly $3,000 at a celebrity auction Saturday scooping up lingerie once worn in a Playboy shoot by the late playmate.

Birkhead said he is trying to make sure his 1-year-old daughter, Dannielynn, has something to remember her mother by.

"I have a lot of history I have to put together that she doesn't really know about," Birkhead told The Associated Press. "Playboy was such a big part of Anna's career."

Birkhead bought a pink bustier for $1,800 and a white negligee for $1,000 at the auction, run by Julien's Auctions and held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

He was awarded custody of Danielynn after Smith died from an overdose of prescription drugs in February 2007. She was 39.

Birkhead said he hoped the items would help his daughter learn her mother's life story — when she's old enough.

"You know, it's not something I can show today, but something down the road," Birkhead said. "It's not going to be in any bedtime stories anytime soon."

Posted by fathima at 4:15 AM | | Comments

Bill Gates surrendering Microsoft helm


Bill Gates surrendering Microsoft helm
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - A Harvard University dropout who ushered in the home computer age and made billions of dollars along the way will have his last official day of work at Microsoft on June 27.
Three people will essentially fill the void left behind when Bill Gates retires from the company he and friend Paul Allen co-founded in 1975.

Since Gate's began his transition from leading Microsoft to heading his personally-bankrolled charity, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , his job as chief software architect has been handled by Ray Ozzie.

Craig Mundie inherited Gate's chief research and strategy officer duties, while former Harvard classmate Steve Ballmer became chief executive officer at the Seattle-based software colossus.

Gates left Harvard after two years to found the firm that became global powerhouse Microsoft. He later received honorary degrees from Harvard and other universities.

After retiring, Gates will remain chairman of the Microsoft board of directors and its largest shareholder.

"I don't think anything is going to drastically change the day he leaves," said Matt Rosoff of the private analyst firm Directions On Microsoft.

"If he thinks something is important and tells Steve Ballmer, Ballmer will listen to him."

Still, Gates's bespectacled nerdish visage is an integral part of Microsoft's image and his departure is symbolic, according to analysts.

"The challenge Microsoft has when the founder departs is remembering its heart," said analyst Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

"At some point the firm has to take the essence of what made Bill Gates successful and make sure that is preserved. Whether it is a company or a person, once you've lost your heart there isn't much left but a shell."

Analysts say there are signs that Microsoft has been struggling since Gates stepped away from managing operations several years ago.

Microsoft has "missed a number of opportunities" and the Windows and Office software on which its fortune is built have stumbled.

Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system released in January of 2007 has flopped with customers, many of whom are clinging to its predecessor Windows XP.

"They are in trouble on the desktop (computer software)," Enderle said. "Microsoft started as a desktop vendor and suddenly it is its weakness."

Meanwhile, Apple's Macintosh computers have been gaining popularity.

While Windows is still used on 90 percent of the world's computers, Macintosh computers using Apple operating systems has grown to more than five percent of the market.

The software giant also sees its bottom line threatened by Google, which offers free online programs that compete with Office and other packaged software sold by Microsoft.

Microsoft failed in a recent bid to buy Yahoo for nearly 50 billion dollars in order to combine online resources to better battle Google in the Internet search and advertising market.

Enderle said he doesn't see "Gates's fingers" in the attempted Yahoo takeover, and Gates was likely among board members that backed pulling the plug on acquisition talks.

"Microsoft has to leverage its strengths; right now it is thrashing a bit," Enderle said. "The company is on its own. The training wheels are off. It needs a way to point itself in the right direction and peddle like hell."

Microsoft's server and tools division is its most profitable unit. It's entertainment unit, which sells Xbox videogame consoles and gaming software, has yet to make a profit.

"You could see Microsoft struggling after Bill Gates stepped out of day-to-day roles," Enderle said.

"A founder takes such a larger-than-life role and directs a company in very subtle ways that are often forgotten when a founder leaves. That gap, for a lot of companies, has been almost terminal."

Posted by fathima at 4:11 AM | | Comments

Saturday, June 21, 2008

American scuba diver charged with killing wife


American scuba diver charged with killing wife
SYDNEY, Australia - Eleven days after getting married in 2003, an Alabama woman put on diving gear and slipped into the water off Australia's coast for what was supposed to be a romantic exploration of a shipwreck with her new husband.But the dive ended with her drowning and on Friday, almost five years later, her husband, David Gabriel Watson of Birmingham, Ala., was charged with murder for the honeymoon death.

The Queensland state coroner found there was sufficient evidence to charge Watson in the death of his 26-year-old wife, although circumstances of the drowning remain unclear.

Christina Mae Watson, known as Tina, drowned Oct. 22, 2003 while diving at the wreck of the SS Yongala, a passenger and steam freighter that sank during a cyclone in 1911 on the Great Barrier Reef near the northeastern city of Townsville.

Coroner David Glasgow issued the indictment after a months-long investigation. The move triggered extradition proceedings to return Watson to Australia.

Watson faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted of murder. His Australian lawyer did not immediately enter a plea, but he has argued the evidence does not support any criminal charge.

Watson was not present in court and his whereabouts were unclear. He did not testify at the coroner's inquest, claiming privilege against possible self-incrimination.

But in videotaped police interviews, Watson, who uses the first name Gabe, said his wife began having trouble a few minutes into the dive. He said she panicked and clutched at his mask, pulling it off his face. By the time he restored it, she was sinking away from him, her eyes wide and arms outstretched toward him, he said.

Watson, an experienced diver who had completed a dive rescue course, was acting as a so-called dive buddy for his less-experienced wife. He told police he decided to go for help rather than following her to the sea floor and attempting a rescue.

One of the dive leaders pulled Tina Watson to the surface. Efforts to resuscitate her failed.

During the coroner's inquest, police testified that they initially thought the death was an accident. However, they became suspicious when Watson changed details of his account.

An autopsy found no pre-existing medical condition that could have explained the young woman's death. Tests showed there was nothing wrong with her diving gear.

In his findings Friday, Glasgow said the exact circumstances of Tina Watson's fate may never be known.

"There are only two persons who know what in fact actually occurred," Glasgow said. "One is Tina, who cannot tell us, and the other is Gabe."

Watson's lawyer, Steve Zillman, argued during the inquest that his client had no motive to kill his wife and that the evidence did not support a criminal charge. He accused police of being intent on blaming Watson for the death, no matter what the evidence showed.

But Glasgow said Tina Watson's father, Tommy Thomas, had provided a possible motive, telling authorities his daughter told him that shortly before they were married, Gabe Watson asked his fiancee to increase her life insurance and change the policy to make him the sole beneficiary. Thomas said his daughter decided to lie to Watson that she had made the changes.

Thomas, Tina Watson's mother Cindy Thomas and other family members watched the proceedings on a live video link between the courtroom and Alabama, where they live.

Tommy Thomas was quoted by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. as saying the family welcomed Friday's indictment.

"We're actually relieved to hear the coroner's findings," Thomas said. "It's something that we have dealt with for quite some time and it validated our beliefs."

National news agency Australian Associated Press quoted Watson's U.S. attorney Bob Austin as saying that Watson had not yet decided whether he would fight Australia's extradition request.

"He's very disappointed, very distraught and displeased," Austin was quoted as saying of Watson's reaction to the coroner's findings.

Australia and the United States have an extradition treaty, though the process can take months and Watson will be able to challenge any extradition request in U.S. courts.

Posted by fathima at 9:54 AM | | Comments

Bush says Democrats keep blocking his energy plans

Bush says Democrats keep blocking his energy plans

WASHINGTON - President Bush is accusing Democrats in Congress of blocking his energy proposals, saying they are partly to blame for high gasoline costs pinching Americans' budgetsIn his Saturday radio address, Bush urged Congress to lift its long-standing ban on offshore oil and gas drilling to increase U.S. energy production. Democrats have rejected the idea.

"This is a difficult time for many American families," Bush said. "Rising gasoline prices and economic uncertainty can affect everything from what food parents put on the table to where they can go on vacation."

Bush said offshore drilling could yield up to 18 billion barrels of oil over time, although it would take years for production to start.

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by Bush's father in 1990. Bush's brother, Jeb, fiercely opposed offshore drilling when he was governor of Florida. What the president now proposes would rescind his father's decision — but the president took the position that Congress had to act first and then he would follow behind.

Congressional Democrats have been quick to reject the push for lifting the drilling moratorium, saying oil companies already have under lease 68 million acres on federal lands and waters — outside the ban area — that are not being developed. Drilling proponents say that number is misleading because sometimes it takes years for actual development to take place.

"This week, President Bush and his Republicans allies rallied behind the oil industry's political agenda once again and advocated opening more of America's federal land, including coastal areas, to drilling," Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, said in the Democratic response. "This proposal will not bring the type of relief Americans deserve at the pump."

Bush says he wants to ease the regulatory process to expand oil refining capacity and lift restrictions on oil shale leasing in the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. Oil shale is a type of rock that can produce oil when exposed to heat and other processes.

"One major deposit in the Rocky Mountain West alone would equal current annual oil imports for more than 100 years," Bush said. "Unfortunately, Democrats in Congress are standing in the way of further development."

Bush said that in a spending bill last year, Democratic leaders inserted a provision blocking oil shale leasing on federal lands. "That provision can be taken out as easily as it was slipped in — and Congress should do so immediately," he said.

Bush also reiterated his desire to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling, saying scientists have developed ways to reach this oil in northern Alaska with little impact on the land or local wildlife.

Bush said opposition from Democratic leaders opposition to his proposals has helped drive gas prices to record levels.

"I ask them to reconsider their positions," he said. "If congressional leaders leave for the Fourth of July recess without taking action, they will need to explain why $4-a-gallon gasoline is not enough incentive for them to act."

Posted by fathima at 9:50 AM | | Comments

Cable ads attacking Verizon confuse consumers

Cable ads attacking Verizon confuse consumers

Naomi Campbell spared jail over assault on jet
The picture on his TV would freeze now and then, and he had heard good things about FiOS. Then the 21-year-old student saw a TV commercial from Comcast that made fun of FiOS and claimed the cable TV company has a larger fiber-optic network.

"I thought to myself: Maybe I don't have to switch, because if Comcast has fiber optics now, that means that they'll be better," said Axel, who lives in Roosevelt, N.J.

But after asking around online, he found that nothing's changed about Comcast's service: It still uses coaxial cable to connect homes. It does use fiber-optic cable further away in the network, as it has for many years.

"From what everyone said ... this is kind of misleading," Axel said.

Axel had fallen for one of a series of commercials run by every major cable company that competes with Verizon's FiOS. Besides Comcast, Cablevision, Time Warner Cable, Cox and Charter have all run ads belittling FiOS.

The ads have a curiously similar message, emphasizing that cable networks "are" fiber-optic, even though none of the companies draw fiber all the way to the home, like Verizon does in most cases when it installs FiOS. This allows for higher Internet speeds and, according to Consumer Reports, better picture quality.

"Cable is deploying the rhetoric instead of the technology," said Verizon spokeswoman Bobbi Henson.

Comcast spokeswoman Jennifer Khoury said the ad was referring to the fact that the company has the largest "residential" fiber network in the nation, stretching for 125,000 miles, and noted that a freezing picture doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the network technology.

"Our ads reinforce the value and scope of our fiber network to our customers," she said, adding that the fact that Verizon uses fiber to the home makes little difference to the services it can provide. Comcast has started upgrading its network to provide FiOS-like speeds in 20 percent of its markets this year.

Comcast has also started running newspaper ads with the message: "We already have a fiber-optic network serving ALL our homes" reads one in the Seattle-Post Intelligencer.

Fiber-optic lines have been the main conduit for telecommunications since the '80s. In the late '90s, cable companies upgraded their networks to draw fiber closer to homes, which allowed them to offer broadband, video on demand and other services. The fiber lines end at neighborhood nodes, where the signal is transferred to a coaxial cable shared among as many as 500 households. The shared nature of the coaxial network and its susceptibility to electrical noise limits its capacity.

Verizon's FiOS network also shares capacity, but among fewer households, and the fiber itself has nearly unlimited data capacity.

Mike Weaver in Watauga, Texas, saw an ad from Charter Communications Inc. that talked about "advanced fiber optics," and was disappointed when he realized that the cable company isn't drawing fiber to the home. He wants the faster Internet speeds provided by FiOS, he said.

Charter spokeswoman Anita Lamont said the intent behind the current ads, which say the company has been using fiber for the last 10 years, "is to reassure current Charter customers that they too have fiber optic technology bringing their homes to life."

In an ad from Time Warner Cable Inc., an enthusiastic Verizon salesman shows up at a doorstep and starts talking about "The Fiber" and makes a flourish that produces a burst of light. The homeowner holds up a bowl of cereal and retorts that "I think I'm taken care of in that department," adding that Time Warner Cable has been using fiber for over a decade. "Welcome to the program!"

Time Warner Cable got into a legal tussle with Verizon over a longer version of the ad, which Verizon saw as implying that subscribers need a satellite dish to get FiOS. Time Warner Cable is no longer running the ad, said spokesman Alex Dudley.

"Lately it seems everybody is talking fiber optics," says a suave man in Cablevision's commercial for its Optimum cable service. "The Optimum Network is fiber optic. Your phone company? Talking fiber, even though a lot of their network ... isn't."

A Cablevision spokesman did not return calls about the ad, which appears to highlight the fact that FiOS isn't available in Verizon's entire local-phone service area.

An ad for Cox Communications shows a curbside, accompanied by voiceover: "Years ago, Cox laid advanced fiber-optic cable right about here. Now the phone company wants to come along and do it too. The old phone company and its new network is about a decade behind Cox ... Thanks, but ... I don't need any more fiber."

Cox spokesman David Grabert said that ad is no longer on the air, but it is preparing a new batch of videos that "address Verizon's competitive weakness."

For its part, Verizon has taken some criticism for claiming in ads that FiOS provides "uncompressed" high-definition TV signals. All TV providers, including Verizon, provide digital TV signals that are compressed to reduce the bandwidth needed. Henson said Verizon was trying to convey that it didn't apply additional compression to the video it receives, which some cable companies do.

It's stopped running that ad, preferring instead to focus on customer testimonials about the picture quality.

Posted by fathima at 9:40 AM | | Comments

Friday, June 20, 2008

Spears' return to LA begins with scuffle

Spears' return to LA begins with scuffle

LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears is back in Los Angeles, and it didn't take long for trouble to find her. Within moments of arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday evening, Spears' entourage was involved in a scuffle with a paparazzo.

Between 30 and 35 photographers swarmed her vehicle outside the terminal before a bodyguard pushed a camera into a photographer's face, Los Angeles World Airport Police Sgt. Jim Holcomb said.

Holcomb said the paparazzo complained that the shove left a slight mark on the cheek, but cooler heads prevailed and no charges were filed.

The 26-year-old pop star was unscathed, and Holcomb says officers ensured she was able to leave the airport safely


Posted by fathima at 8:58 PM | | Comments

Audrina Patridge Backs Kira Plastinina

Audrina Patridge Backs Kira Plastinina

Showing off her stuff in a sparkly silver ensemble, Audrina Patridge was front and center at the US launch party for Kira Plastinina on Saturday night (June 14).

The 23-year-old MTV reality starlet has reportedly entered into a business deal with the 16-year-old Russian designer prodigy, with the two quickly becoming friends upon meeting.

According to press reports, "Plastinina had recently contacted Audrina, the only "Hills" principle without her own clothing line, to meet for dinner in L.A., and recruited her as an official brand ambassador."

As for Plastinina, she recently opened 40 stores in Russia bankrolled by her millionaire father. Her first location in the States opened in New York City in mid-May, with many more sure to come.

Enjoy the pictures of Audrina Patridge (with Kira and Katy Perry) at the Kira Plastinina launch party (June 14).

Posted by fathima at 8:55 PM | | Comments

Salma Hayek: Shopping with Baby Valentina

Salma Hayek: Shopping with Baby Valentina

Rumored to be walking down the aisle in August, a very busty Salma Hayek was spotted out shopping with her daughter Valentina on Saturday afternoon (June 14).

The 42-year-old Mexican actress and her little angel popped into Tart on Melrose Ave, with Salma looking as if she's already showing her baby girl the how to's of shopping in Beverly Hills!

Meanwhile, Salma and good friend/fellow actress Penelope Cruz have spoken out about claims that the two spent several nights at a ranch owned by Sergio Villarreal Barragan, a drug trafficker with mafia ties.

A joint statement issued by Hayek and Cruz read: "The production of Bandidas arranged accommodation for all the actors, which is common practice in the film industry. Penelope Cruz decided to stay in a hotel, while Salma Hayek preferred to stay in a house."

The response continued: "Salma Hayek never knew who owned the house or had any contact with its owners or with anything associated with the rented place, which was paid for by the production company. Neither the actresses nor their respective film companies were involved in the film's production."

Enjoy the pictures of Salma Hayek out shopping with baby Valentina (June 14).

Posted by fathima at 10:57 AM | | Comments

Hayden Panettiere Hits Up Plastinina Launch Party

Hayden Panettiere Hits Up Plastinina Launch Party

Always happy to get away from her busy professional career to take in a little fashion, Hayden Panettiere was on hand at the US Launch Party for 16-year-old Russian designer Kira Plastinina on Saturday night (June 14).

While there, the 18-year-old Heroes hottie posed for photographers solo before heading inside and mingling with fellow celebs such as reality star Khloe Kardashian.

Besides checking out the latest fashions and working on her hit show Heroes, Hayden is also in the process of launching a music career.

According to press reports, Panettiere, 19, will be releasing a debut single titled Wake Up Call this August, with an entire album expected to come out early 2009.

As for her first single, it was written by established songwriter Andreas Rombhane and has been described as a "reggae-flavored pop song".

Enjoy the pictures of Hayden Panettiere at the launch party for Kira Plastinina (June 14).

Posted by fathima at 10:55 AM | | Comments

Thursday, June 19, 2008

3 more Yahoo execs reportedly jumping ship

3 more Yahoo execs reportedly jumping ship

SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo Inc.'s management ranks are rapidly thinning as the Internet pioneer fends off a shareholder mutiny threatening to culminate in the firing of Chief Executive Jerry Yang.Three more executives have decided to jump ship, according to reports published Thursday by two blogs — AllThingsD and Techcrunch — and The New York Times. The reports were based on unnamed people with knowledge of the departures.

The latest defectors reportedly are: Qi Lu, an executive vice president in charge of Yahoo's search and advertising technology; Brad Garlinghouse, a senior vice president who oversees communications tools like mail; and Vish Makhijani, a senior vice president involved in search.

Garlinghouse is the best known of the trio. In 2006, he wrote a scathing memo arguing that Yahoo had gone awry and needed a major housecleaning. The so-called "manifesto" caused a stir when it was leaked to The Wall Street Journal.

The management turmoil appears related to a major reorganization that Yahoo President Susan Decker wants to complete as early as next week, according to a Wall Street Journal story that cited unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Hilary Schneider, a Yahoo executive vice president who is one of Decker's most trusted subordinates, could wind up with expanded responsibility in a streamlining aimed at improving communication between the company's product groups and overseas sales division, the Journal reported.

Yahoo declined to confirm the departures Thursday but issued a statement expressing its confidence in "a deep and talented management team."

"Yahoo continues to be a leader in our industry and remains a unique, exciting, and important place to work even as we experience the attrition that's to be expected in the Internet industry," the company said.

The Sunnyvale-based company already lost four prominent leaders in the past week: two executive vice presidents, Jeff Weiner and Usama Fayyad; and the creators of Yahoo's Flickr photo sharing service, Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake.

The exodus could worsen Yahoo's instability as Yang and his remaining lieutenants scramble to regain their bearings after spending five months grappling with an unwelcome takeover bid from Microsoft Corp.

Hoping to overcome Yahoo's resistance, Microsoft raised its original offer from $44.6 billion to $47.5 billion, or $33 per share. The software maker withdrew the bid May 3 when Yang sought $37 per share — a price that Yahoo's drooping stock hasn't seen since January 2006.

Yahoo shares fell 18 cents Thursday to close at $22.73.

Spurred on by shareholders upset with Yahoo's handling of the Microsoft negotiations, activist investor Carl Icahn is campaigning to oust the company's board in an Aug. 1 election.

If he gains control of Yahoo's nine-member board, Icahn has pledged to fire Yang, who co-founded the company in 1995 and became CEO a year ago.

Yang has argued Yahoo is on the verge of a turnaround that will boost its net revenue by at least 25 percent in 2009 and 2010.

Those projections have been greeted with widespread skepticism among investors burned by Yahoo's broken promises in the past.

Yahoo tried to extend an olive branch to its shareholders last week by striking an online advertising deal with Internet search leader Google Inc. Yahoo is counting on the alliance to boost its annual revenue by about $800 million.

But the Google deal won't kick in until late September at the earliest to give U.S. regulators and lawmakers more time to determine whether the partnership would violate antitrust laws. Combined, Google and Yahoo control more than 80 percent of the U.S. search advertising market.

Yahoo choose the Google partnership over another offer from Microsoft. After backing off its attempt to buy the entire company, Microsoft proposed spending $9 billion to acquire Yahoo's search business and a roughly 16 percent stake in Yahoo's remaining operations.


Posted by fathima at 9:24 PM | | Comments

Japanese prince visits Sao Paulo for immigration celebrations

Japanese prince visits Sao Paulo for immigration celebrations

SAO PAULO (AFP) - Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito bent protocol a little as he started a visit to Sao Paulo on Thursday for celebrations marking 100 years of Japanese immigration to BrazilThe heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne shook hands with some members of the crowd gathered in the city's main park to watch him lay a wreath at a memorial to the first Japanese who arrived in this South American nation.

The gesture was unsual for a member of Japan's imperial family, who generally keep their distance from commoners. A hefty escort acts as a buffer.

Prince Naruhito arrived in Sao Paulo on Thursday for a four-day stay in Brazil's biggest city that will include side-trips to towns that featured strongly historically for the Japanese immigrants.

On Wednesday he was extended a formal welcome in Brasilia, where Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomed him during ceremony on the exact centenary of the inflow.

The migrant influx is important for both countries, having created in Brazil the biggest Japanese community in the world outside Japan, estimated at 1.5 million people.

Some 300,000 of Brazilian-Japanese have gone the other way, heading back to Japan and the land of their parents or grandparents as part of Japan's push to off-set its ageing population.

The first of the Japanese who went to Brazil, 781 of them, arrived on a ship on June 18, 1908 to work in the booming coffee plantations around Sao Paulo.

Since then, their number has multiplied and Japanese influences can be seen especially in Brazil's south, where sushi restaurants, karaoke bars, Japanese-language newspapers and martial arts classes abound.

Prince Naruhito was on Friday to continue his itinerary with a visit to a Sao Paulo museum enshrining the history of the immigration, followed by a meeting with students of Japanese descent.

Saturday will be the peak of celebrations, with the prince visiting the towns in Sao Paulo state that have played a role in Japanese immigration, then attending a parade of Japanese culture at Sao Paulo's main exhibition center.

Prince Naruhito was to leave for Rio de Janeiro on Sunday and from there go to Los Angeles on Wednesday before returning to Japan.

Posted by fathima at 9:20 PM | | Comments

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Kate Moss Promotes Velvet Hour


Kate Moss Promotes Velvet Hour

Her career is the definition of longevity in the modeling industry. And Kate Moss was spotted in Berlin, Germany to promote her new fragrance.

Miss Moss arrived at Hotel de Rome at Bebelplatz Square earlier today looking smashing in a flirty grey tweed dress and a pair of chunky black heels. She's in town to launch "Velvet Hour," her new perfume.

Meanwhile, back in Mother England, Kate's best friend Rhys Ifans is crashing at her pad whie trying to ward off the sting of being dumped by his ex-fiancé Sienna Miller. And Moss isn't too keen on how it all went down.

According to press, Kate warned Sienna not to break Rhys' heart at the inception of their relationship, yet Miller dealt a crushing blow by dumping Ifans over the phone.

An insider told press, "Rhys is probably Kate's best male friend. In fact, she's as close to him as a sister and she's very protective of him because she knows his vulnerabilities. Kate's not someone you'd want on the opposing team. She's a formidable woman and very loyal when it comes to her friends. Kate has taken Rhys in and told him he can stay at her place for as long as he wants. He's in a bad way and she's really angry at Sienna, even though she knew she'd never stay with Rhys."

Enjoy the pictures of Kate Moss at her Berlin hotel (June 12).











Posted by fathima at 10:28 PM | | Comments

Sarah Larson: Moving On

Sarah Larson: Moving On

Sure, she may have been dumped by one of the studliest guys in Hollywood (George Clooney), but Sarah Larson isn't letting that stop her.

The brunette beauty was spotted grabbing some lunch with her agent from Nous Model Management at the swanky Chaya Brasserie in Los Angeles yesterday.

A lingerie campaign is rumored to be on the horizon for the 29-year-old rising star, who looked sexy in a black silk printed dress with a pair of leather woven shoes and a pair of superstar shades.

Among the possible reasons for the dissolution of their relationship, there is speculation that Larson went ahead with a breast augmentation that George wasn't keen on, causing him to break up with her. A source close to Sarah denies the rumor.

Enjoy the pictures of Sarah Larson out to lunch in LA (June 11).










Posted by fathima at 10:22 PM | | Comments

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Audrina Patridge: Ready To Move Out?


Audrina Patridge: Ready To Move Out?

Flanked by two security guards and a rent-a-cop, Audrina Patridge was all smiles as she arrived back at her Los Angeles home on Tuesday (June 10).

The Hills hottie has been the center of controversy as of late, reportedly getting into a big fight with co-star/former BFF Lauren Conrad.

According to insiders, LC threw a fit when she found her housemate in the midst of a photoshoot with OK! magazine in their backyard - as Conrad had already promised exclusive photos of their spot to a rival magazine.

Explaining the situation to OK!, Audrina tells: "She was very, very, very mad. She said it's her house. But this is my room. I said, 'We're not taking pictures of your house - don't be rude.' It just adds to the tension. Now she thinks I'm sneaky and shady for doing this photo shoot, yet she and her team knew about it. She won't let it go."

Enjoy the pictures of Audrina Patridge arriving home yesterday (June 10).











Posted by fathima at 12:20 AM | | Comments

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Trump argues his case for golf resort in Scotland

Trump argues his case for golf resort in Scotland

ABERDEEN, Scotland - Donald Trump argued his case Tuesday for the construction of a $2 billion golf resort on a stretch of coast in northeast Scotland after months of acrimony between the billionaire developer and local residentsThe brash American known for his New York developments and for his television show, "The Apprentice," was in a bullish mood as he batted back environmental concerns from a panel of planners and environmentalists' lawyers in a public inquiry in Aberdeen.

"The Donald," as he is sometimes called, told the inquiry that his golf course will be the greatest in the world — better than the Royal & Ancient at St. Andrews, Turnberry, Carnoustie and Troon, all in Scotland; and better than Pine Valley in New Jersey, which he called the best course in the world.

"People won't play a course if it is environmentally harmful," Trump said. "They don't like it, they don't feel good about it and they won't play it."

He wants to build the course at the Menie Estate, 12 miles north of the oil town of Aberdeen. The development has divided political opinion in Scotland and embroiled Scotland's first minister in a dispute about overstepping his jurisdiction in planning law.

The plans to create a course on a legally protected site of scientific interest have been met with opposition from local environmentalists and a landowner who steadfastly refuses to sell his property. Local fisherman Michael Forbes became famous after he refused the Trump Organization's offer of $690,000 to sell his family's run-down farm in the center of the estate.

The proposals for two golf courses, 900 timeshare apartments, a 450-bed hotel and 500 luxury homes were narrowly rejected by the Aberdeenshire Council late last year after local residents and conservationists said one course should not be built on the Foveran Links, a stretch of shifting sand dunes that are home to some of the country's rarest wildlife, including skylarks, kittiwakes, badgers and otters.

But local business leaders, tourism agencies and Scotland's nationalist First Minister Alex Salmond approve of the development, which could bring much needed jobs and money to the area.

Trump used Tuesday's hearing to make a last-ditch appeal to push through the golf complex. The panel will meet until early July, and draw up a conclusion at some point after that.

David Tildsley, representing the Scottish Wildlife Trust, told the billionaire that he had ignored his own consultants on environmental issues.

Under cross-examination by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Trump drew snickers from the audience when he said he knew more about the environment than his consultants did. He acknowledged he had not read environmental reports that he commissioned.

"I would consider myself an environmentalist in the true sense of the word," Trump said.

Trump said that the moveable sand dunes would benefit from having a golf course on them as they will be stabilized and would not be blown away in a storm.

Trump was expected to play on his Scottish roots as he faced the panel of three senior planning officials appointed by Salmond's government and lawyers representing environmental agencies.

On Monday he visited his mother's childhood home on the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides and after touring the humble house in Stornoway he told journalists: "If it weren't for my mother would I have walked away from this site? I think probably I would have, yes. Possibly, had my mother not been born in Scotland, I probably wouldn't have started it."

Trump seemed cheerful despite the grueling session.

"I think it's going well, what do you think?" he told The Associated Press after the morning hearing. "I think we're swaying them."

Posted by fathima at 10:01 AM | | Comments

Monday, June 9, 2008

Kim Kardashian Glams Up Target Afterparty


Kim Kardashian Glams Up Target Afterparty

Following the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, Target and Converse One Star hosted an afterparty for all of the night's winners and attendees. And Kim Kardashian was all about hamming it up on the red carpet.

The "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" starlet sported a black and white ballerina-style dress along with a pair of black ultra-modern-looking heels and a black handbag.

Earlier in the day, the "Disaster Movie" hottie was spotted out and about in West Hollywood, doing some shopping at the super-hip Intermix boutique on Robertson Boulevard, as well as picking up her dry cleaning.

And she looked summer chic in a strapless animal-print dress with a pair of flip flops and, of course, her ever-present 'I'm a celebrity' shades.

Enjoy the pictures of Kim Kardashian at the Target afterparty and out running errands on Sunday (June 1).












Posted by fathima at 8:31 AM | | Comments

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Lindsay Lohan Hits the MTV Movie Awards

Lindsay Lohan Hits the MTV Movie Awards

Posted by fathima at 7:37 AM | | Comments

Christina Aguilera’s Night in Sin City


Christina Aguilera’s Night in Sin City
Stepping out more and more often following the January birth of her first child, Max, Christina Aguilera was out making some cash with appearances at two Las Vegas nightclubs on Saturday (May 31).

The "Genie in a Bottle" babe posed for photographers on the red carpet at LAX nightclub, also performing at PURE at Caesars Palace for the Stephen Webster Silver Collection launch event.

In related news, Aguilera has also taken an interest in the upcoming elections, filming a Rock the Vote public service announcement with her newborn son in which she encourages young people to vote.

The "Dirrty" singer told press, "This election in particular is such an exciting and historical one, and so I was proud to have my son and I stand together for such a powerful moment and message in time."

Enjoy the pictures of Christina Aguilera at LAX and Pure in Las Vegas (May 31).

Posted by fathima at 7:33 AM | | Comments

Friday, June 6, 2008

First Look: Jessica Alba sizzles in a sari!


First Look: Jessica Alba sizzles in a sari!
The gorgeous Jessica Album, one of Hollywood's reigning queens of hotness, is set to sizzle in a sari for the upcoming film, The Love Guru, where she'll star alongside comedy heavyweight Mike Myers.


In the film, a comedy co-written by Myers, Pitka (Myers) is an American raised at an ashram in India. He becomes a self-help and spiritual guru, famous the world over for his speciality in settling relationship issues between couples.


Jane Bullard (Alba), who owns a professional ice hockey team, seeks Pitka's help when her star player becomes estranged from his wife, who is dating a member of the rival team. It's unknown why Alba appears in a sari, leaving us to speculate!


Alba was recently married to Cash Warren in May; the couple are expecting their first child

Posted by fathima at 9:39 AM | | Comments

Previous topic | Next topic


Mallika slaps Ranvir 99 times

This is no rab ne banayee jodi and nobody would agree to this more than Mallika Sherawat and Ranvir Shorey. Mallika who plays the pagli in Ugli aur Pagli apparently had to use her hands more than Ranvir would have preferred.

Reveals Mallika, "My character is hyper and so every time she gets excited, she slaps the guy. And so Ranvir would get slapped almost everyday on the sets."

Ranvir is more fortright. He says, "The title of the film is incorrect. Instead of Ugli aur Pagli it should be called Kahani of 99 slaps. I must have got slapped at least 100 times including all the retakes."

We must say, life is certainly not a party for Ranvir. While most heroes opposite Mallika get to woo her and some lucky ones like Himanshu Malik and Emraan Hashme even get to smooch her, Ranvir gets only slaps from the sulty heroine!!!

Who said life played fair? Certainly not Ranvir

Posted by fathima at 9:35 AM | | Comments

Overexposed Audrina Patridge


Overexposed Audrina Patridge
These days it's becoming more and more common for celebrities to have wardrobe malfunctions. And yesterday Audrina Patridge gave the paparazzi a little added bonus.

The dark-haired hottie was spotted on her way to a photo shoot at a private Beverly Hills residence when her little panty-flash incident occurred.

As she tried to gracefully exit the white Cadillac Escalade in which she was riding, Miss Patridge's dress was blown up a bit, exposing her underwear to the clamoring shutterbugs.

All in all, everything was all good, and even Audrina had a great sense of humor, laughing off the mishap with a friend as she made her way to the photo shoot.

Enjoy the pictures of Audrina Patridge in Hollywood (May 30).

Posted by fathima at 12:22 AM | | Comments

Simpson Sisters Party in Vegas

Simpson Sisters Party in Vegas

Enjoying a night out in Sin City, the Simpson sisters and Pete Wentz headed out for the grand opening of the Palms Place Hotel & Spa in Las Vegas on Saturday (May 31).

Upon arrival, Ashlee Simpson and her Fall Out Boy beau posed on the red carpet together before Ashlee's big sister Jessica took her turn.

Shortly thereafter, the singing siblings met up inside - with Jessica smilingly rubbing Ashlee's pregnant tummy.

The night marked the latest addition to the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, as Palms Place is a multi-million dollar, 47-story hotel, condominium, hotel, and spa.

Enjoy the pictures of the Simpson sisters and Pete Wentz at the Palms Place Opening (May 31).

Posted by fathima at 12:17 AM | | Comments

Monday, June 2, 2008

Japan Loves Mariah Carey

Japan Loves Mariah Carey

As previously reported by Fropki.com, Mariah Carey and her new husband Nick Cannon boarded a plane at LAX bound for Japan. And she seems to be having a great time.

The "Touch My Body" singer has been hanging out in the Land of the Rising Sun for a few days now, and it seems the Japanese can't get enough of her.

According to an insider's report, she caused chaos on the streets of Daikanyama on Tuesday when she stopped into a the Kamawanu boutique along with an entourage that included a hair stylist, makeup artist, film crew, and security guards.

Witnesses told press that fans lined the streets in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the "Honey" songstress, to the point that she finally had to leave the scene without signing autographs, taking pictures, or even stopping to say hi.

Posted by fathima at 5:50 AM | | Comments

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Inflation Watch continues this week on Wall Street

Inflation Watch continues this week on Wall Street

NEW YORK - Investors examine the same key economic reports at the start of every month — on manufacturing, the service sector and employment. This week, they'll be looking at these indicators for inflation clues as much as they will for insight into economic groInflationary pressures have overtaken recession as Wall Street's primary concern. At least for now.

The market has been mercurial lately, confident that it has a lot to worry about but not completely sure what to worry about most. There are so many choices: the ever-sinking housing market, the still-strained debt markets, and ongoing deterioration in consumer credit.

But what has appeared in recent weeks to be the most tangible, widespread risk to consumer spending — and therefore the economy and corporate profits — is the high price of food and energy. Just months ago, the market was monitoring every tick in interest rate spreads. Now it's all about light, sweet crude.

"The biggest story continues to be oil," said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial Group in Westport, Conn. It is true that oil has been rising for many years now, he said, "but over the past few years, there was positive employment growth, rising asset prices, positive real wage growth. In the current environment, those tail winds are missing — as a result, oil prices are a bigger and growing worry for consumers and the economy."

With that in mind, economic readings take on an additional role; nearly every one has some measure of inflation that will be more closely watched than usual. The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing and service sector reports include price indexes, and the Labor Department's employment report reveals unit labor costs.

To be sure, this week's reports will still be read for hints about where the economy is headed. The ISM manufacturing report is expected to indicate another small contraction for May, and its service sector report is expected to post very tame expansion. The employment report is expected to show the fifth consecutive month of U.S. job losses and an uptick in the unemployment rate to 5.1 percent.

There's little chance that investors will be rid of their inflation worries anytime soon. A pullback in oil could provide a boost to stocks, but Wall Street's jitters are not likely to let up until it sees a prolonged energy price decline.

"Our new chief concern seems to be inflation," said Arthur Hogan, chief market analyst at Jefferies & Co. "We've shoved recession to the back seat and inflation gets to ride shotgun. ... The market seems to be in lockstep with crude prices right now."

Stocks gained last week in response to a brief oil price retreat, a better-than-expected reading on durable goods orders and an upwardly revised estimate of first-quarter gross domestic product. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 1.27 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1.78 percent, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 3.19 percent.

This week, in addition to economic data, the market will be reading a few earnings reports on housing-related companies such as Thornburg Mortgage Inc., Toll Brothers Inc. and Hovnanian Enterprises Inc., as well as consumer brands including Williams-Sonoma Inc., Del Monte Foods Co. and Cascade Corp.

"One thing that is challenging for the market and investors," Sheldon noted, "is there are not only crosscurrents in the economy, but also crosscurrents in how companies are doing."

The corporate picture is mixed. Last week, a few big names including Dell Inc. and MasterCard Inc. gave healthy outlooks for the year, while other companies such as Sears Holdings Corp., KeyCorp and J. Crew Group Inc. disappointed investors.

Posted by fathima at 11:10 AM | | Comments