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Jorge Posada Asks Out Of Lineup Against Red Sox?

2011-05-14T22:59:00.000-07:00

Jorge Posada says his back got stiff and he needed a night off to clear his head.

What is most certainly unclear is that where he stands with the New York Yankees right now.

Posada asked to be taken out of the lineup Saturday against rival Boston after the slumping designated hitter was dropped to No. 9 in the batting order.

Hitting .165 this season, Posada was in the original lineup posted by manager Joe Girardi and said he understood why he was bumped to the bottom of the order for the first time in 12 years.

But at 6 p.m., Posada went into Girardi's office and requested that he be removed. Without the five-time All-Star, the Yankees were beaten 6-0 by Josh Beckett and the Red Sox for their fourth straight loss.

And afterward, the 39-year-old Posada said he feels "a little bit" disrespected by the team.

"I told him I couldn't play today, and that I needed time to clear my head, and that was it. My back stiffened up a bit. I was taking a lot of groundballs at first base and working out, and it stiffened up," Posada said. "I wasn't 100 percent to play the game. I mean, nothing serious."

That's where it gets messy, though.

Posada never mentioned to Girardi or general manager Brian Cashman that his back was bothering him. And the Yankees weren't pleased that he wasn't playing.

A person familiar with the discussion between Posada and the team told The Associated Press that he "refused" to play. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the situation was still not settled.

The person said the Yankees have been in contact with the commissioner's office about possible recourse. The Yankees could fine Posada one day's pay – that would be $71,978 on his $13.1 million salary. If a player declines to play two days in a row, he could be put on the restricted list.

"If he feels good tomorrow, and Joe Girardi has him in the lineup and he's batting ninth, he's playing," said one of Posada's agents, Sam Levinson. "Where he hits in the lineup is irrelevant. This is about his back, not about where he's hitting."

Girardi wouldn't comment on whether Posada might play in the series finale Sunday night.

"His struggles have been tough on him," said Girardi, ejected by plate umpire Mike Winters for arguing balls and strikes following Adrian Gonzalez's three-run homer off CC Sabathia in the seventh inning. "I hope for his sake we get through this and we can move forward."

About 40 minutes before gametime, the Yankees announced that Posada had been scratched from the lineup and replaced by Andruw Jones at DH, but the team initially provided no explanation.

With speculation swirling, Cashman met with reporters in a workroom behind the press box during the third inning to give an update. In an unusual scene, the GM said Posada is not injured, but wouldn't comment on whether he had been insubordinate.

That irritated Posada.

"I don't know why he made a statement during the game. I don't understand that. That's the way he works now, I guess," Posada said. "I think we should have waited for the game to be over to talk to whoever. ... You don't do that. You're not supposed to do that."

On a bizarre night in the Bronx, Posada's wife even chimed in during the game, tweeting that her husband had back stiffness and "loves being a Yankee" more than anything.

"He's trying his best to help his team win. Today, due to back stiffness he wasn't able to do that," she wrote.

Before batting practice, Posada insisted he was OK with hitting ninth. He said he put himself in this position and he understood Girardi's decision.

Posada was on the Yankees bench during the game, wearing a cap and sweat shirt.

Slumping all season in his new role as DH, Posada has six homers and 15 RBIs. His batting average is the lowest for any player currently in the majors with at least 100 at-bats, and he hasn't homered since April 23.

With the Yankees struggling to get big hits lately, Girardi said it was time to make a lineup switch. He moved scuffling Nick Swisher down to eighth in the order and put Posada in the No. 9 hole.

"It's all right. Just move some people around, get a W or two and get rolling again," Posada said, adding that Girardi informed him of the lineup decision earlier in the day.

It was Posada who gradually supplanted Girardi as New York's primary catcher in the late 1990s. The last time Posada hit ninth was exactly 12 years ago, on May 14, 1999, against the Chicago White Sox.

"The only way I'm coming out of hitting ninth is just producing, and that's the bottom line," Posada said before BP. "I put myself in this spot. It's not like I want to hit ninth and it's not like I want to hit a hundred and whatever I'm hitting. Just a matter of really coming out of it.

"We're going through a little funk right now and it's a matter of really producing."

A proud and respected veteran who has helped New York win five World Series titles, Posada does have four hits in his last 12 at-bats.

Posada has caught at least one game for New York in each of the past 16 seasons and is one of only six major league catchers to hit 20 homers eight times, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

He lost his job behind the plate, however, relegated to DH duty this season. The switch-hitter is 0 for 24 against left-handed pitchers, and Girardi wouldn't commit to staying with Posada against southpaws.

Barack and Michelle Obama with Oprah Winfrey

2011-04-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

Barack and Michelle Obama will appear on Oprah Winfrey's show on April 27, it was announced Tuesday. Obama will be in Chicago for a series of fundraisers and will sit down for a taped interview. The interview will air on May 2, and will presumably be the final interview Oprah has with the pair on her talk show, which is ending on May 25.

Oprah, of course, is a longtime backer of the Obamas, and has interviewed the two numerous times before. Most recently, she interviewed Michelle Obama in January, where the two discussed military families.

Key in Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

2011-03-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

It is estimated that approximately 57 million people have prediabetes. To me, one million sounds like a lot, I can't even begin to fathom a number as big as 57 million. This enormously, huge number is twice the number of people that already have diabetes, estimated to be 26 million.

A little over one-quarter of these people, approximately seven million don't even know that they already have the disease. In fact, it is estimated that one out of every two people that are newly diagnosed with diabetes already have at least one diabetes related complication at the time of their diagnosis. These complications do not occur overnight, which means the diabetes did not just recently develop. The real tragedy, is that in most diabetes complications are not reversible. Can you imagine, "Well your lab results came back and it looks like you have type 2 diabetes. And that numbness and sporadic burning you have been experiencing in your feet is what we call neuropathy. It is caused from having diabetes. You are going to have it from now on because it doesn't go away once you get it?" Think of the frustration; imagine the anger.

If you put aside for a moment the mental anguish and physical discomfort associated with diabetes, consider the following. In 2007, the total direct and indirect health care costs of diabetes were 174 billion. Medical costs are over twice as high for people with diabetes than those without the disease. Diabetes is undoubtedly one of the most expensive illnesses of our time.

For as long as I have been an adult, I can remember the cost of health care being an issue. The selection of our presidents has been decided in large part based upon their position on health care reform; how they were going to improve it or fix it.

Type 2 diabetes is highly treatable and equally important, highly preventable, particularly if insulin resistance, or "rusty hinges" as I refer to it is diagnosed early. It should be well known by now, but apparently is not, that a lifestyle that includes overeating and little physical activity is the major reason why about 80 percent of the people that have type 2 diabetes develop it.

It is obviously unknown just how many people understand the cause and effect relationship of a sedentary lifestyle, overeating and weight gain, and the development of type 2 diabetes.

Ideally, it would be great if all people knew this and made the necessary lifestyle changes to ensure they were eating right and getting enough physical activity to avoid developing this unfortunate yet seriously expensive disease. In reality though we all know that this is not the case and will never happen.

If a serious dent is to be made in the growing number of people that are annually diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, then meaningful interventions years before the actual diagnosis need to take place.

Imagine planting a seed in the ground and then waiting 10 years for the young tree to grow and mature enough to produce fruit. If on the fifth year you change the tree's environment or the care of the young tree then it may postpone the day in which it produces fruit. Change the environment enough and it may never produce fruit.

The same is true of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes takes about 10 years to develop from the time insulin resistance first begins until the day the blood sugar levels actually climb above normal for the first time. If in the fifth year, or earlier, it is identified that the person has become insulin resistant

(The amount of insulin being produced by the pancreas can be measured and if elevated above normal levels indicates insulin resistance) then steps can be taken to reduce or eliminate the insulin resistance. By doing so this may stop the progression that ultimately leads to diabetes.

I would like to suggest that when a doctor has a patient that is at risk for type 2 diabetes perhaps by meeting certain criteria (family history, being overweight, sedentary, metabolic syndrome, etc.) that blood work be done, such as a C-peptide test, that would inform the doctor as to how much insulin the patient's pancreas is producing. An over production of insulin is called hyperinsulinemia and is a good indication that there is insulin resistance. If there is an overproduction of insulin then it would obviously be appropriate for the doctor to discuss the findings with the patient and explain the extreme need to make some lifestyle changes in hopes of averting the development of type 2 diabetes.

A key point here that needs to be emphasized is that to avoid developing type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance needs to be identified and reduced, or eliminated before a sufficient number of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas stop working. By doing this, type 2 diabetes can often times be prevented, however, once type 2 diabetes has been diagnosed it is not thought to be curable.

As I mentioned previously, there are an estimated 57 million people with prediabetes, most of which do not fully grasp the severity of their situation, that they are likely to go on to develop type 2 diabetes, if they do not make some swift and sometimes drastic changes in their lifestyle behaviors. The remainder of the 57 million people do not even realize that they are prediabetic.

Granted, there are also those that know they are prediabetic and that they risk developing type 2 diabetes in the near future but choose to do nothing to prevent it. These people are beyond the scope of this article.

In summary, with the numbers of people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes rising faster than ever before, I recommend looking into the feasibility of periodically checking insulin levels in patients at risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes that meet certain criteria, such as a family history, being overweight and/or sedentary, been diagnosed as having the metabolic syndrome, or having an elevated lipid profile.

With the high costs of treating patients with type 2 diabetes, it would be cost effective, at the least, in my estimation, to routinely check insulin levels in these at-risk individuals with the goal in mind of identifying people with clinically documented hyperinsulinemia and then providing them with the information necessary to help them positively change their lifestyle, thereby preventing type 2 diabetes in the future.

Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79

2011-03-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dame Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79. The actress, who was suffering from congestive heart failure, passed away in Los Angeles in the early hours of Wednesday morning (March 23, 2011) with her children by her side.

Her son, Michael Wilding, confirmed the sad news and paid tribute to his late mother in a statement, which reads:

“My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humor, and love. Though her loss is devastating to those of us who held her so close and so dear, we will always be inspired by her enduring contribution to our world.

“Her remarkable body of work in film, her ongoing success as a businesswoman, and her brave and relentless advocacy in the fight against HIV/AIDS, all make us all incredibly proud of what she accomplished. We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for mom having lived in it. Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts.”

Gonzaga University: Gonzaga Gets Jimmered in Third-Round

2011-03-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

BYU Ends Gonzaga University's Tournament Run, 89-67

Gonzaga has turned itself into a mid-major school that seems to only play the regular season to try and increase their seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

That was not the case this year. Gonzaga went on a nine-game winning streak just to make it into the tournament.

They were rewarded with an eleventh seed and an opening game against St. John's. They also entered the tournament with very little buzz.

Gonzaga then created their own buzz with an impressive and complete 86-71 victory over St. John's.

That victory led many, including yours truly, to predict that they would advance past BYU and cruise into the Sweet 16. Jimmer Fredette had different ideas. Fredette came out a little slow, but he heated as the game went on.

He ended with 34 points, and he was an amazing 7-for-12 from behind the line.

Now there is nothing left for Gonzaga to do, but prepare for next season. And that is a season Gonzaga and their fans should be excited for. Gonzaga has a young team that started to figure out how to play as this season went on.

When the 2012 NCAA Tournament rolls around I imagine it won't take a first-round victory for Gonzaga to create some buzz—it will already be there.

12 The Anti-Raunch Movement…A New Wave Of Feminism?

2011-03-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

You’d think the only thing that feminists and libertarians could possibly agree on with the Sarah Palins of the world is the color of milk. Turns out there may be a new wave of feminism that embraces at least one socially conservative value: the anti-raunch movement.

Mia Freedman, mommy blogger and ex-editor in chief of Australian Cosmopolitan…used to…well, ex-editor in chief of Cosmo says it all. Helming a magazine that regularly posts the “Sex Position of the Day” is hardly for the prudish.

But then Freedman had kids and her world view turned around. She told The Australian that saw the casualisation of raunch through mommy eyes and was not happy. Sexed-up teens, ready access to internet porn and society’s casual acceptance of them was, to her, not okay. The hyper-sexualization of society is not only offensive to Freedman– many of her readers are up in arms as well.

British feminist Natasha Walter agrees with Freedman, and feels that the impossible-to-achieve physical ideals foisted upon females today, coupled with “exaggerated femininity and a porn-star style sexuality” undermines young girls.

As other prominent Australian feminists and libertarians hop on the anti-raunch bandwagon, their concern over kids being ambushed with sexual images are causing them to be labeled puritans, or the dreaded “social conservative”.

2011 AMA Supercross Jacksonville Results

2011-03-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

Without a cloud in the sky and under a full moon the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series took an unexpected turn with Honda’s Trey Canard claiming top honors ahead of TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed and Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey. The Lites class was led by Geico Powersports Honda’s Justin Barcia, who achieved his second-win of the season in front of Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson and Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes.

Supercross

Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi nabbed the holeshot in the Supercross main with San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart going down hard in the first straight. Canard quickly overtook Alessi for the lead followed by Reed, JGRMX Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps and Dungey. Alessi’s KTM teammate, Andrew Short, jumped into fourth ahead of Kawasaki’s Ivan Tedesco, while Stewart was being transported off the track on a stretcher.

More than halfway into the competition Canard continued his lead as the three-frontrunners remained unchanged. Cole Seely, who filled in for the injured Josh Grant, was running 17th with five laps left. Meanwhile Reed began picking up his pace and making gains on Canard. The leader especially lost time in the whoops, allowing Reed to get right up on Canard’s rear wheel. On Lap 18 Reed charged into the lead, but Canard didn’t give up easily and less than a lap later Canard was back up front. In the end Canard would claim his second victory of the season in dramatic fashion. Reed came in runner-up, with Dungey once again rounding out the top-three.

2011 AMA Supercross Jacksonville Results:

1. Trey Canard (Honda)

2. Chad Reed (Honda)

3. Ryan Dungey (Suzuki)

4. Kevin Windham (Honda)

5. Andrew Short (KTM)

6. Ivan Tedesco (Kawasaki)

7. Mike Alessi (KTM)

8. Austin Stroupe (Yamaha)

9. Nick Wey (Yamaha)

10. Chris Blose (Kawasaki)

11. Fabian Izoird (Kawasaki)

12. Michael Byrne (Suzuki)

13. Jason Thomas (Suzuki)

14. Jarred Borwne (Yamaha)

15. Cole Seely (Honda)

2011 AMA Supercross Championship Points:

1. Ryan Villopoto, 221

2. Chad Reed, 214

3. Ryan Dungey, 203

4. James Stewart, 198

5. Trey Canard, 194

6. Andrew Short, 145

7. Justin Brayton, 121

8. Kevin Windham, 121

9. Davi Millsaps, 118

10. Brett Metcalfe, 107

Supercross Lites

Barcia snared the holeshot in the Lites main with a major crash taking place in the first straight that involved Suzuki City’s Malcolm Stewart. Barcia was followed by Wilson, Geico Honda’s Blake Wharton and Sipes. Kawasaki’s Matt Lemoine rounded out the top-five riders in the first few laps as Barcia continued posting consistent lap times ahead of the field. On Lap 4 Wharton hit the dirt while running through the whoops, dropping back to 17th. Despite Barcia’s wrist injury the Honda rider managed to create a decent gap between himself and Wilson. Meanwhile, Sipes began falling off the pace of the two frontrunners.

In the final laps Wilson encountered struggles with lappers, dropping further away from Barcia. With the white flag out Barcia was leading by more than six seconds. He eventually claimed the win ahead of Wilson, who rode steadily despite being unable to match Barcia’s pace. Sipes rounded out the podium in third following his win last week in Indianapolis, with Lemoine and KTM’s P.J. Larsen rounding out the top-five.

2011 AMA Supercross Lites Jacksonville Results:

1. Justin Barcia (Honda)

2. Dean Wilson (Kawasaki)

3. Ryan Sipes (Yamaha)

4. Matt Lemoine (Kawasaki)

5. P.J. Larsen (KTM)

6. Darryn Durham (Honda)

7. les Smith (Honda)

8. Taylor Futrell (Honda)

9. Hunter Hewitt (Suzuki)

10. Justin Sipes (Kawasaki)

11. Lance Vincent (Honda)

12. AJ Catanzaro (Honda)

13. Kyle Keylon (Suzuki)

14. Sean Lipanovich (Suzuki)

15. Bradley Ripple (Honda)

2011 AMA Supercross Lites Championship Points:

1. Justin Barcia, 116

2. Ryan Sipes, 99

3. Dean Wilson, 97

4. Blake Baggett, 85

5. Blake Wharton, 69

6. Matt Lemoine, 69

7. P.J. Larsen, 62

8. Malcolm Stewart, 53

9. Jason Anderson, 44

10. Lance Vincent, 43

NCAA Tournament Scores: 2011 March Madness Round 1 Review

2011-03-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of the 2011 NCAA tournament is in the books. There were some incredible finishes, buzzer beaters and shocking upsets. No. 6 St. John's fell. Tom Izzo and his Spartans made an early exit. Jimmer Ferdette led BYU to a tough first round victory. Scroll down to see a recap of the first round. Follow our live blog for first round updates.

EAST REGION

No. 5 West Virginia 84 - No. 11 Clemson 76

No. 4 Kentucky 59 - No. 13 Princeton 57

WEST REGION

No. 3 UConn 81 - No. 14 Bucknell 52

No. 6 Cincinnati 78 - No. 11 Missouri 63

No. 7 Temple 66 - No. 10 Penn State 64

No. 2 San Diego State 68 - No. 15 Northern Colorado 50

SOUTHEAST REGION

No. 1 Pittsburgh 74 - No. 16 UNC-Asheville 51

No. 8 Butler 60 - No. 9 Old Dominion 58

No. 5 Kansas State 73 - No. 12 Utah State 68

No. 4 Wisconsin 72 - No. 13 Belmont 58

No. 11 Gonzaga 86 - No. 6 St. John's 71

No. 3 BYU 74 - No. 14 Wofford 66

No. 7 UCLA 78 - No. 10 Michigan State 76

No. 2 Florida 79 - No. 15 UC Santa Barbara 51

SOUTHWEST REGION

No. 13 Morehead State 62 - No. 4 Louisville 61

No. 12 Richmond 69 - No. 5 Vanderbilt 66

Playgirl Magazine Will Pay $10,000 For A Naked Photo Of Anderson Cooper

2011-03-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

The hot honcho mag Playgirl has offered $10,000 for a naked photo of the silver fox, Anderson Cooper.

"He's got this charisma that a lot of our readers are attracted to, plus now he's all muscled, [so] he's not only smart but also hot," Playgirl spokesperson Daniel Nardicio told PopEater.com. "Both our male and female readers love Anderson."

In fact, Anderson Cooper tops the list of 'Top 10 Guys We Want To See Naked' in the March issue.

And yet, Playgirl in January reportedly offered Rob Kardashian, brother of the famemonger Kim K., $45,000 to pose nude, according to E! News.

Super Moon or Lunar Perigee

2011-03-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

You’ve heard the expression “once in a blue moon,” but what about “once in a supermoon”?

On Saturday night, the sky will be filled with just that — a supermoon, or more technically a “perigee” moon, a Greek term to describe the point when an orbiting object is closest to Earth.

Of course, the moon is the same size it’s always been (about 2,150 miles in diameter), but it will appear about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than usual because it’s passing so close to Earth, according to NASA’s website.

“The moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle; it is slightly elliptical,” said Manfred Cuntz, director of astronomy and associate professor of physics at the University of Texas at Arlington. “It happens now that the time that the moon is really close to the earth is also a full moon.”

Cuntz said perigree and blue moons don’t have much in common — aside from the fact that both are full.

“Some months have 28 days, and others have 30 or 31. Because the orbit of the moon takes 27 days, we usually have one full moon per month, but occasionally we have two. In this case, the second full moon is called a blue moon,” he said.

Cuntz said that these full moons are even rarer than blue moons, which happen about once every 2 1/2 years. The last supermoon was recorded in 1993, and the next one won’t occur until 2029.

With any luck, North Texans won’t have to wait another 18 years to see the close encounter. But cloudy conditions expected Saturday could spoil the show.

Joe Jonas and Ashley Greene Break Up

2011-03-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

It's final. It is confirmed that Ashley Greene and Joe Jonas are over. After rumors of their break up hit the Internet early Thursday (March 17), the stars' reps confirmed the breakup to People.com. The couple started seeing each other last summer. A source told the website that Jonas was "head over heels" for the "Twilight" star at the beginning of their relationship.

The pair was regularly seen holding hands and getting cozy on dates, in spite their two very busy schedules. Joe Jonas is currently working on a solo album after touring through much of last year with his brothers, Nick and Kevin, and Ashley is busy filming "Breaking Dawn."

The news of the split comes one day after Jonas' interview with Details magazine, in which he gushed over the actress, hit the Web. "It feels good. I think what works about it is she really puts my feelings first. She understands my busy schedule," he told the magazine. "She'll fly out to my shows — she's been to places in South America that I can't even pronounce."

Earlier this year, Greene opened up to Teen Vogue about her then-beau, sharing some insights into what their relationship was like. "We met through mutual friends in London, which is crazy because we both live in L.A," she said. "And we've already met each other's parents, which I think is a good result of the kind of lifestyle we live. He's sweet and really funny, which is huge for me. We have a traveling relationship."

It seems though that all that traveling eventually made it hard for the pair to maintain their relationship. The New York Post reported that their busy work schedules contributed to the split, and that "it was mutual and amicable," according to a source.

Why does the confining upgrade grade the disorder?

Rick Martin, A Buffalo Sabre Legend, Dies At 59

2011-03-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Rick Martin, a member of the Buffalo Sabres' fabled "French Connection" line in the 1970s, has died at the age of 59, the National Hockey League team has said.

The Sabres declared Martin's death in a statement before Sunday's game against Ottawa.

New York state police said Martin died after a one-car crash in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence.

NYSP Captain Steven Nigrelli said the car Martin was driving crossed the center line of the road and struck a utility pole before coming to rest against a tree.

Nigrelli said witnesses saw Martin with his head slumped and eyes closed at the wheel and it appeared that he had "an undetermined medical emergency" prior to the accident.

An autopsy is to be conducted to determine the cause of death, police said.

"Rick was not only one of the greatest players in franchise history, he was a great friend to the Sabres organization and entire community," a statement from the team said.

"The thoughts and prayers of the entire Sabres organization go out to his wife, Mikey, and their two sons, Corey and Josh."

Martin was selected fifth overall by the Sabres in the 1971 draft, and made an impact on the team the following season when he scored what was then an NHL rookie record 44 goals.

A native of LaSalle, Quebec, Richard Lionel Martin played left wing on a line centered by Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert, which became known as The French Connection.

The French Connection is recognized at the Sabres' arena with separate banners honoring all three players hanging together from the ceiling.

Martin spent more than 10 seasons with Buffalo before a severe knee injury in 1980 slowed his NHL career.

He was traded to Los Angeles during the 1980-81 season, but played just four games for the Kings through the following campaign.

Martin finished with 384 goals and 317 assists for 701 points in 685 career NHL games. He added 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 63 career playoff games.

CBS Sports Has Set the Pairings for the NCAA Tournament Bracket 2011

2011-03-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

CBS Sports has set the pairings for the NCAA Tournament Bracket 2011 during the NCAA Basketball Championship Selection Show today at 6pm EST. Celebrities like Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis have got to be happy with the 2011 NCAA Tournament Bracket results. Rudd and Sudeikis are KU Alums and big fans of Kansas Jayhawk basketball, KU is one of the top seeds in the tournament!

Charles Barkley joins the NCAA tournament coverage this year, which should add some extra madness to March Madness! Sir Charles loves to stir the pot, so he’s always entertaining.

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are big fans of the University of Iowa basketball program and other celebs are getting on Twitter with their reactions to the NCAA Tournament Bracket 2011!

Heidi Klum likes Syracuse! The supermodel and star of Project Runway told Sports Illustrated:

“I think Orange is the hot color right now and I love Otto, their mascot.”

'Sister Wives: Season 2' Tonight

2011-03-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

The Controversial show, “Sister Wives,” is back with an all new season, the season two. The second season of the show is announced to premiere tonight at 9 p.m. on TLC.

TLC.com gives a preview, “Season 2 picks up with the Brown family and delves deeper into this unconventional — yet somehow relatable — family. Follow the series as they experience the ups and downs of living a plural lifestyle, from the Browns’ bold decision to “come out” as polygamists on national television to the changes brought on by their recently extended family.”

The show follows a man with three wives and during the first season began dating a fourth women who would become his fourth wife by the end of the season. For over 16 years the wives have taken on different roles in the unique family.

The show was met with a ton of criticism and backlash as viewers were skeptical of the Brown family’s unique lifestyle. Of course, this made the show an instant hit and one of TLC’s most popular shows.

Ashlee Simpson Dates Someone New?

2011-03-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Is newly single Ashlee Simpson already moving on? A month after filing for divorce from rocker Pete Wentz, Simpson was photographed at an L.A. mall with another musician, Craig Owens of the band D.R.U.G.S.

But a source close to the singer/actress says reports of a budding romance with Owens, 26, -- who is signed to Wentz's Decaydance Records -- are just not true.

"Craig is a longtime friend and was comforting Ashlee during this difficult time," the Simpson source tells PEOPLE. "She's not moving on. There's no race for a new relationship. They're friends."

Recent reports that Simpson, 26, and Wentz, 31, are gearing up for a custody battle are also untrue, according to the source.

"Ashlee and Pete's split is amicable and they're working together to make this as positive a situation for [2-year-old son] Bronx as possible."

"Right now her attention is on Bronx and some new work projects she has coming up. That's it."

So what does Wentz think of all this?

Says a source close to the rocker: "The only thing on Pete's mind right now is spending as much time with Bronx as he can before goes out on the road next week."

Sponsored Links:

Cast of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” Evacuated Vancouver Island Area in British Columbia Because of Tsunami Warnings

2011-03-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

As tsunami warnings were issued for coastal areas along the west coasts of the U.S. and Canada following the earthquake and tsunami that's hit Japan, cast members of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” were evacuated from the Vancouver Island area in British Columbia where they were filming, according to MTV.

Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart were among those who vacated the area, and production came to a halt for the time being.

"Due to the tsunami advisory, filming of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn has been delayed," Summit Entertainment said in a statement to MTV. "All cast and crew were evacuated to base camp. Everyone is safe and sound."

According to People, the cast had been working in Tofino, a town with plenty of open coastline, that can also be viewed in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

“Twilight Saga” actress Tinsel Korey, who plays Emily, tweeted: “They're evacuating us 4 a tsumnani warning. If this... is my last my tweet. I love you. The end. Hugz.” She followed it up with, “If this is the moment. Then I've lived a good life. And I'm thankful 4 everything I've been given. 1 love. :) ”

(If that seems a little dramatic, Korey added that she’s not trying to be. “I’m just saying my peace,” she tweeted. “This is my truth right now.”)

Sponsored Links:

Christina Aguilera Arrested

2011-03-13T10:56:00.000-07:00

Pop singer and actress Christina Aguilera was detained early Tuesday "to ensure her safety" after her rumored boyfriend was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, authorities said.

Aguilera, 30, was a passenger in a car that was stopped about 2:45 a.m. (5:45 a.m. ET) in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

"The driver, Matthew Rutler, was determined to be driving while under the influence of alcohol and arrested," the release said.

Aguilera was determined to be intoxicated, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore. "She was not capable of taking care of herself," he told reporters, but said she was "very cooperative, not belligerent in any way."

She was technically arrested on a public intoxication charge, Whitmore said, but "there was never the intent to prosecute." Such actions are routine in such instances -- when a driver is arrested and a passenger is determined to be intoxicated.

Since Aguilera was not able to care for herself "and no one was available to ensure her safety, Aguilera was taken into custody," the statement said. The department "stressed that she was not involved in any criminal activity."

Aguilera will have a record of the misdemeanor arrest, Whitmore said, and was booked, fingerprinted, put in a jail cell and monitored. However, she will not face charges, he said. "The law specifically allows for no desire to prosecute."

Aguilera was released about 7:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. ET) after passing a sobriety test, he said.

Rutler's bail was set at $5,000, he said, not the $30,000 reported on the sheriff's website. He said Rutler was in the process of bailing out of jail Tuesday morning.

The car was pulled over after authorities noticed it "driving erratically," he said.

Aguilera divorced Jordan Bratman earlier this year.

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Jon Cryer And Charlie Sheen Feud

2011-03-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

The day after Charlie Sheen issued a “half-apology” to his former “Two and a Half Men” co-star Jon Cryer for calling him “a turncoat, a traitor and a troll,” Cryer went on “Conan” Thursday night to issue his (humorous) response.

Sheen’s words were painful to him for many reasons, Cryer began, not the least of which because – pause for dramatic effect – “the fact is, I am a troll,” the actor admitted.

“It’s not something I like to talk about; my parents don’t even know,” he went on, “although I guess they do now.”

He’s been hiding his true identity all this time because “there’s not a lot of tolerance for people like me in Hollywood,” Cryer said. “To avoid ignorance and bullying, I’ve had to hide the fact that I’m a troll. You have no idea how much time and money I’ve spent on electrolysis and hair dye and reconstructive surgery so I can look like this.”

And he’s not the only one: Paul Giamatti, Helen Mirren and even “Conan’s” Andy Richter are all really trolls, Cryer revealed.

We guess since he was already on the topic, Cryer also took the opportunity to clear up some misconceptions: trolls, apparently, do not drink the morning dew from buttercups, and also can’t be found baking cookies in trees - that's what elves do.

“For the last time, we’re the guys that dangle from little girls' backpacks and sit on the end of pencils!” an exasperated Cryer said.

The 45-year-old ended his big reveal saying that perhaps he should be grateful that Sheen outed him.

“I’m finally free,” Cryer said. “To all the other trolls still 'living under the bridge,' especially you younger trolls, I’m here to tell you, it get’s better. Not gay better, but still, sorta better.”

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Warner Bros. Fired Charlie Sheen From 'Two and a Half Men'

2011-03-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

Authorities confiscated an antique gun and some bullets from the home of Charlie Sheen after a search, the actor's divorce attorney said Friday.

Mark Gross told reporters he did not believe that by having the items his client was in violation of a temporary restraining order taken out against Sheen this month. Gross said no drugs were found and police were courteous during the Thursday night search -- a sentiment authorities echoed about the actor.

"Mr. Sheen was very cooperative and we are done," said Los Angeles police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman.

The actor took to Twitter immediately afterward, informing his 2.5 million followers, "the LAPD were AWESOME. Absolute pros! they can protect and serve this Warlock anytime!!! c."

The restraining order was filed March 1 after Sheen's estranged wife, Brooke Mueller, requested it, alleging that he had threatened to kill her.

"I will cut your head off, put it in a box and send it to your mom," Mueller claims that Sheen told her late last month.

The revelations were in a court document that resulted in a court order that removed Sheen's twin boys from his home.

The restraining order states Sheen cannot possess, have, buy or try to buy, receive or try to receive, or in any other way get guns, other firearms or ammunition.

It came to the attention of the Los Angeles police department that Sheen is the registered owner of firearms, Eisenman said, and the search was conducted to see if any firearms or ammunition were in his possession.

A source close to Sheen told CNN the actor knew authorities were coming to search his home for firearms. Sheen told the source that he had no weapons there. His attorney, Gross told reporters that both he and Sheen were aware beforehand that that the search was going to occur, though Gross did not offer specifics as to when he or Sheen were notified.

The attorney said he did not believe Mueller was behind the tip that led to the search.

Warner Bros fired Sheen from the hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men" on Monday after he conducted a long-running rant against the show's producers.

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Crowley Fired as State Department Spokesman

2011-03-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

P.J. Crowley is abruptly stepping down as State Department spokesman under pressure from the White House, according to senior officials familiar with the matter, because of controversial comments he made about the Bradley Manning case.

Crowley will step down as early as Sunday afternoon, the officials said, because White House officials are furious about his suggestion that the Obama administration is mistreating Manning, the Army private who is being held in solitary confinement in Quantico, Virginia, under suspicion that he leaked highly classified State Department cables to the website Wikileaks.

Speaking to a small group at MIT last week, Crowley was asked about allegations that Manning is being tortured and kicked up a firestorm by answering that what is being done to Manning by Defense Department officials "is ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid."

Crowley did add that "nonetheless, Bradley Manning is in the right place" because of his alleged crimes, according to a blog post by BBC reporter Philippa Thomas, who was present at Crowley's talk.

But Crowley has told friends that he is deeply concerned that mistreatment of Manning could undermine the legitimate prosecution of the young private. Crowley has also made clear he has the Obama administration's best interests at heart because he thinks any mistreatment of Manning could be damaging around the world to President Obama, who has tried to end the perception that the U.S. tortures prisoners.

Nevertheless, Crowley's political fate was sealed on Friday when Obama was asked at a White House news conference about his comments regarding Manning.

Obama revealed that he had asked Pentagon officials "whether or not the procedures that have been taken in terms of (Manning's) confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards."

In a comment that drew howls of protest from liberals, Obama added that Pentagon officials "assure me that they are. I can't go into details about some of their concerns, but some of this has to do with Private Manning's safety as well."

Manning's treatment has become a flashpoint for liberals, with Amnesty International noting he has been confined to a windowless cell for 23 hours a day, is stripped down to his boxers at night and is not given pillows or blankets.

Manning's lawyer also says the young private recently had to sleep in the nude because defense officials thought there was a suicide threat and decided to take away his boxer shorts.

Crowley is highly respected on foreign policy matters, dating back to his time as National Security Council spokesman under then-President Bill Clinton. He has been the Obama administration's public face on many international stories as the daily briefer at the State Department for Secretary Hillary Clinton.

But he has not had a completely smooth relationship with officials in the Obama White House, and eyebrows were raised several months ago when White House aide Mike Hammer was sent over to the State Department to serve as Crowley's deputy. Hammer is now expected to replace Crowley as the assistant secretary for public affairs.

A little-known factor in Crowley's comments about Manning was revealed Saturday by April Ryan, a White House correspondent for American Urban Radio who covered Crowley in the Clinton White House.

Ryan wrote on Twitter that Crowley "dislikes treatment of prisoners as his father was a Prisoner of War."

While it's true that Crowley's father was imprisoned during World War II, people close him downplay that as a major factor in his comments about Manning, saying the biggest factor is simply that Crowley believes what he said.

Asked to comment on Crowley stepping down, Tommy Vietor, spokesman for the National Security Council, referred questions to the State Department.

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Charlie Sheen's Comedy Show Ticket Sales Prove He's Still Winning

2011-03-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

The man has conquered Twitter, Ustream and the sitcom world—and keeps winning! So it's no surprise that Charlie Sheen would also be, duh, not losing, when it comes to ticket sales for his comedy tour, "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option".

Sorry to break the news folks, but if you didn't snag tickets for his live show yet, you're S.O.L. They're sold out!

The actor tweeted today: "Fastball; Detroit/Chicago sold out in minutes... Thanks to Sheen's Cadre..! #WINNING c."

And though we might question whether it really is Charlie behind that Twitter account, Ticketmaster confirms that the Detroit and Chicago shows are sold out.

If you're wondering who would produce this guy's comedy show, well, Live Nation would. But then again, they also gave him a machete, so they're clearly not risk-averse.

The possibility of more shows being added doesn't seem too unlikely, so if you weren't fast enough this time around, you may still have a chance to hear the stories from the Warlock himself, live!

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Crescent City California Hit By Tsunami

2011-03-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

CRESCENT CITY, California – Harbor crews are assessing the damage caused by powerful tsunami surges that pounded this northern California port, sinking or damaging dozens of boats and wreaking havoc on port facilities.

"This harbor is the lifeblood of our community," Del Norte County Sheriff Dean Wilson said as he scanned the wreckage from waves touched off by a massive earthquake in Japan late last week.

Last year saw landings of crab and fish worth $12.5 million. "The fishing industry is the identity and soul of this community, besides tourism," he said Saturday.

The region has never recovered from the loss of the timber industry in the 1980s and 1990s, and downturns in salmon fishing, said Wilson, who fished on his father's boats as a young man.

A series of powerful surges generated by the quake arrived about 7:30 a.m. Friday and pounded the harbor. Eight boats were believed sunk and dozens of others damaged; an unmanned sailboat sucked out of the harbor ran aground on the coast.

Crews are beginning the enormous task of determining and then repairing the damage to the port, where a sheen of oil floated in the basin. Seagulls feasted on mussels exposed by upended docks. About 80 percent of the docks that once sheltered 140 boats were gone.

"Our port is struggling," said Kevin Wilson, manager of Nor-Cal Seafood Inc. "Since the last tsunami in '06, they secured the funds to fix it, and this took away all the stuff they were gonna build off."

Crab fisherman Lee Wilson returned to find his boat, the Gold Coast, mostly unscathed. It has survived its second tsunami — the first, a 1964 swarm that killed 11 in the city, had pushed it up on the rocks of the break wall.

Despite the severity of the damage that has drawn curious onlookers to survey the port even in the rain, Kevin Wilson has returned to business. He bought crab from fishermen who decided to work after leaving in the early Friday darkness to escape the waves.

"We've been down here in hurricane-force winds before, and we'll keep working," he said.

For the crews tasked with repairs, it would be a longer wait. Divers could not go into the water and workboats could not maneuver until the tsunami surges end, said Alexia Retallack, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Fish and Game. Local officials were keeping a close eye on Japan through the weekend, in case aftershocks cause another tidal surge.

About 20 miles south, the family of a 25-year-old Oregon man combed the beach looking for signs of him. Authorities say Dustin Weber was swept away as he and two friends photographed the waves.

"He just didn't respect the ocean and didn't understand the tsunami," his father, Jon Weber, said. "The (first surge) hit about 7:30. It was the second wave that hit at 9:30 that got him."

"I think he expected the wave to come out of the ocean, but it didn't. It came down the shore," he said.

Santa Cruz harbor, 350 miles to the south, was the only other California port hard-hit by the waves. But the commercial fishing industry was minimally affected. Most of the 850 boats were pleasure boats, including 60 that are lived in full-time.

Cranes hauled up sunken boats — some possibly salvageable, others snapped into pieces — while crews in life jackets and rubber boots waded near the shore, yanking chunks of broken docks, floating hunks of foam and other trash from the water.

Port Director Lisa Ekers said the tsunami caused at least $17.1 million in damage to the harbor, and another $4 million to private boats. Gov. Jerry Brown issued an emergency declaration for the harbor, which can expedite funding for repairs.

One dock, with close to 40 boats, was ripped out during the surges. So far, they found 18 vessels "sitting on the bottom," creating an environmental risk from leaking fuel, Ekers said.

A dock-load of high-end rowing boats and kayaks also was washed away, and dozens more boats that smashed into each other or were hit by debris, would need major repairs.

Across the ocean in Hawaii, the waves damaged at least 60 homes, sank up to 15 boats, and battered hundreds of vessels. But authorities said they were thankful there was no loss of life or injuries reported; residents had hours to prepare or evacuate as the tsunami rushed from Japan at 500 mph.

Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark said that in addition to evacuating residents in low-lying areas, his officers had to do crowd control as townspeople gathered to watch the swells.

"A tsunami watch doesn't mean go watch the tsunami," he said.

On a boat ride through the harbor, Assistant Harbormaster Larry White pointed to buckled piers, snapped masts and hulls of flipped boats bobbing in the brown, pungent water, which rose and fell in usually strong swells generated in Japan.

He shook his head, remembering the moment when the tsunami first sucked the water out of the harbor out to sea — a sudden 9-foot drop.

"It was like the earth opening up," he said. "It was incredible."

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Kristen Stewart Left British Columbia Because of Earthquake

2011-03-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

The "Breaking Dawn" star has left the coast of British Columbia following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami near Japan. The move was a precaution. Stewart and the rest of the cast and crew aren't believed to be in any danger.

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Tyra Banks Makeover Website

2011-03-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

Tyra Banks announced on the Ellen DeGeneres Show that she’s launching a brand new makeover website Typef.com that will focus on women’s individuality. The site will allow users to create an account and get style tips based on her specific body type.

“With a lot of magazines, it tells you exactly what you’re supposed to look like and if you don’t look like this…you’re a loser, you’re not good enough,” Tyra said, whose had her own share of size issues in the modeling industry.

“What TypeF does is it says, ‘You are beautiful and you are you…Women in our individuality is what is beautiful.’ The site is all about personalization. If you go on and you log in…and say, ‘I have a short, blonde pixie cut, I have my piercing blue eyes, I have an oval-shaped face, I am 5′ 8″…’ You type all of this stuff in and when you continue to come back to the site, we deliver stuff for you, exactly for your type,” Tyra said, pictured filming Extra at the L.A. Grove on Wednesday.

As long as it keeps you from acting, Tyra…

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SXSW 2011

2011-03-12T19:34:00.000-08:00

The big buzz out of Austin today is Source Code, the Jake Gyllenhaal vehicle in which he is part of a government experiment to get zapped into the body of a train passenger eight minutes before a deadly crash. It seems antithetical to the spirit of SXSW, which was built on an indie underground, but reviews seem to be positive. EW.com reports that there was a "heated scuffle" in the bathroom at the screening when a fan tried to take a photo of Gyllenhaal at an "inopportune time."

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