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Rihanna has reached a $10 million settlement accountants for bad money advice

2014-02-18T19:25:00.003+01:00

As we reported the other week, Rihanna was suing her accountant for millions because of the bad advice he gave her back in 2009 (specifically, to purchase a $7 million home, when she could not yet afford it). Although we doubt Rih Rih really needs the extra money at this point in her career, she nonetheless came out on top of the suit.

“The defendants advised Ms. Fenty by e-mail that purchasing a home in Los Angeles ‘would be a good investment’ despite knowing Ms. Fenty was experiencing financial difficulties,” Rihanna’s lawyer, Edward Estrada, wrote.

Page Six of the NYPost reports that Rihanna has worked out a settlement with the accounting firm, whom she first sued for $35 million in 2012. Rihanna will be signing a $10 million settlement from accountant Peter Gounis and the firm Berdon LLP, some time this week.

LOOK: Paris Hilton Goes Without Underwear, ''Flashes VAGINA'' at Her 33rd Birthday Party!

2014-02-18T19:15:00.002+01:00

Splash News

(E ONLINE) Paris Hilton may be older, but is she any wiser? The socialite-turned-DJ celebrated her 33rd birthday at West Hollywood’s Greystone Manor on Saturday and went commando in a hot pink Alon Livne dress, which featured a thigh-high slit and a flame-inspired bodice. The “Good Time” singer risking flashing photographers multiple times when
her skirt opened up on the red carpet, exposing her long legs and showing her bikini bottom tan lines.
Hilton, of course, loved the look. “This was one of the couture gowns [from the runway], and I said, ‘I have to wear that for my birthday it’s like the perfect Barbie princess dress,’” she told Us Weekly.

The notorious party girl also praised Livne on Instagram, calling him “such a talented & creative designer!”

Araya Diaz/WireImage

The former Simple Life star said she’ll be celebrating her birthday for “about a month,” noting that she’s already partied in in New York City and Miami. She also plans to hit up Brazil and Las Vegas. It’s not surprising, given that Hilton hosted five events across the globe to fete her 21st birthday in 2002.
Hilton added that she’s hard at work on her sophomore album. For now, however, she’s taking some time off to celebrate her special day. “Thank you all for the birthday wishes & for making me feel so special on my birthday! You all mean so much to me! Love you all!” the hotel heiress tweeted Monday.

Hollywood legend ''Shirley Temple'' dies at 85

2014-02-11T13:21:00.003+01:00

Hollywood legend Shirley Temple has died at the age of 85, her family announced today. The actress who found fame as a child star in the 1930s and became the youngest person to receive an Academy Award (She won a special juvenile Oscar in 1935) died on Monday February 10th at her home in Woodside, California, from natural causes.

Shirley Temple was one of the most popular child stars in Hollywood history, getting her first film role at the age of three in 1932. She is No. 18 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest female American screen legends of all time. May her soul rest in peace. Amen.

Top News: Bomb training session turns disastrous: 21 students dead

2014-02-11T13:18:00.000+01:00

The events underscored the determination of the insurgents to rebuild and regain the strength they enjoyed in Iraq at the height of the war until U.S.-backed Sunni tribesmen turned against them.

BAGHDAD — An instructor teaching his militant recruits how to make car bombs accidentally set off explosives in his demonstration Monday, killing 21 of them in a huge blast that alerted authorities to the existence of the rural training camp in an orchard north of Baghdad. Nearly two dozen people were arrested, including wounded insurgents trying to hobble away from the scene.

The fatal goof by the al-Qaida breakaway group that dominates the Sunni insurgency in Iraq happened on the same day that the speaker of the Iraqi parliament, a prominent Sunni whom the militants consider a traitor, escaped unhurt from a roadside bomb attack on his motorcade in the northern city of Mosul.
Nevertheless, the events underscored the determination of the insurgents to rebuild and regain the strength they enjoyed in Iraq at the height of the war until U.S.-backed Sunni tribesmen turned against them. The militants are currently battling for control of mainly Sunni areas of western Iraq in a key test of the Shiite-led government's ability to maintain security more than two years after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
While the Iraqi army has been attacking insurgent training camps in the vast desert of western Anbar province near the Syrian border, it is unusual to find such a camp in the center of the country, just 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of the capital.
The discovery shows that "the terrorist groups have made a strong comeback in Iraq and that the security problems are far from over, and things are heading from bad to worse," said Hamid al-Mutlaq, a member of the parliament's security and defense committee.

The militants belonged to a network now known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an extremist group that recently broke with al-Qaida. The ISIL, emboldened by fellow fighters' gains in the Syrian civil war, has tried to position itself as the champion of Iraqi Sunnis angry at the government over what they see as efforts to marginalize them.
Car bombs are one of the deadliest weapons used by this group, with coordinated waves of explosions regularly leaving scores dead in Baghdad and elsewhere across the country. The bombs are sometimes assembled in farm compounds where militants can gather without being spotted, or in car workshops in industrial areas.
The explosion Monday took place at a camp tucked away in an orchard in the village of al-Jalam, a farming area that has been a stronghold of al-Qaida close to the Sunni city of Samarra. According to a police officer, an army official and a hospital official, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, the events unfolded as follows.
The militants were attending a lesson on making car bombs and explosive belts when a glitch set off one of the devices during the car bomb part of the demonstration. Security forces rushed to the area after hearing the thunderous blast and arrested 12 wounded militants along with another 10 trying to flee.
Authorities searched two houses and a garage in the orchard, finding seven car bombs as well as several explosive belts and roadside bombs. The cars did not have license plates. Bomb experts then started the work of defusing the devices.
Later Monday, a bomb exploded near a cafe in western Baghdad shortly after nightfall, killing three people and wounding 11 others, according to police and medical officials who all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.

The U.S. strongly condemned the assassination attempt on parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a roadside bombing that wounded one of his bodyguards.
"Speaker Nujaifi has been a strong partner of the United States' efforts in Iraq and we are grateful that he was unharmed in the attack," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement. "Today's attack exemplifies the danger terrorist groups pose to all Iraqis, and the importance of Iraqi leaders from all communities working together to isolate militant groups from the broader population."
Violence has spiked in Iraq since last April, when security forces cracked down on a Sunni protest camp north of Baghdad in clashes that left 45 dead.
The situation deteriorated significantly in late December, when security forces dismantled a protest camp near the Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi. To defuse the tension, the security forces withdrew from Ramadi and the nearby city of Fallujah. ISIL militants promptly took over parts of Ramadi and the center of Fallujah.
The Iraqi government and allied tribes launched an offensive on Jan. 26 to wrest control of the cities back from the militants. Sporadic clashes are still continuing around Fallujah and in some parts of Ramadi, with only limited success by security forces.
Associated Press writer Sinan Salaheddin contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.msn.com/world/car-bomb-teacher-accidentally-kills-21-students

Storm pounds Midwest, eyes Northeast

2013-02-22T15:34:00.001+01:00

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A major winter storm headed northeast into the U.S. Great Lakes on Friday and threatened New England after blanketing states from Minnesota to Ohio with blinding snow, sleet and freezing rain.

The storm dumped more than a foot of snow in Kansas on Thursday, forcing airports to cancel hundreds of flights and stranding motorists on highways.

Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Sly James said that about 60 buses were stuck on snowbound streets on Thursday, and even tow trucks were left immobile by the storm.

"It's still an ongoing process to get people off the roads," he told CNN.

About 570 flights were canceled on Friday, with 127 of them at Chicago's O'Hare airport. Kansas City International Airportreopened after being closed on Thursday while crews cleared runways.

The National Weather Service said the storm would move northeast into the upper Great Lakes over the next several days.

Sleet and freezing rain was possible in the Appalachians and mid-Atlantic states, with thunderstorms expected on the storm's southern fringe in the southeastern United States, it said.

The storm is expected to reach the East Coast this weekend, delivering heavy snow to parts of New England for a third straight weekend, from northern Connecticut to southern Maine.

SNOWY KANSAS

Kansas bore the brunt of the bad weather on Thursday, with up to 15 inches of snow in some parts of the state, according to the National Weather Service.

A 200-mile (323-km) stretch of Interstate 70 in central Kansas was closed and strewn with cars stuck in snow.

National Guard troops riding in Humvees were dispatched to look for stranded motorists along the interstate and other highways, said Sharon Watson, a spokeswoman for Kansas emergency management services.

The fierce storm triggered severe thunderstorms from eastern Texas to Georgia.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback declared states of emergency because of hazardous travel and possible power outages. Brownback ordered state offices closed because of the storm.

In Nebraska, a 19-year-old woman was killed in a two-car accident on Wednesday on Interstate 80 near Giltner. The Nebraska State Patrol said weather was a factor.

An 18-year-old man died in Oklahoma when his vehicle slid into a tractor-trailer on a slushy state highway, the state's highway patrol said.

Drought-stricken farmers in the Great Plains, one of the world's largest wheat-growing areas, welcomed the moisture brought by the storm, although experts said more rain or snow would be needed to ensure healthy crops.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

originally found: http://news.yahoo.com/major-snowstorm-moves-u-midwest-threatens-england-032147753.html

Nollywood Veteran actor,Justus Esiri is dead

2013-02-20T10:40:00.001+01:00

Wow! Nollywood veteran actor,Justus Esiri has passed on a few hours ago due to complications arising from Diabeties.

The father of Mavin artiste,Dr Sid(as pictured above)actor who shot to limelight with several movies like the Village Headmaster,died in a Lagos hospital.

These wanton deaths in the Nigerian Entertainment industry just sends a chill down my spine...

May he RIP

Rihanna smokes blunt in a bikini

2013-02-20T10:37:00.001+01:00

Well,they don't call her bad gal Riri for nothing.She's rumored to have broken up with Chris Brown again as they spent valentines day apart ..so she did what she knows how to do best..flaunt her sexy body.

More pics after the cut

Michael Jackson's son lands high-profile gig

2013-02-20T00:35:00.003+01:00

Prince Michael Jackson is moonwalking into the entertainment industry at the age of 16.

"Entertainment Tonight" has hired Michael Jackson's eldest son as its newest correspondent. He has already interviewed "Oz the Great and Powerful" stars James Franco and Zach Braff, alongside director Sam Raimi.

Prince's first gig was fitting (and maybe purposely planned?) considering his father famously played The Scarecrow in Sidney Lumet's 1978 "Oz"-inspired feature film, "The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

During the interview, which airs Monday night on the CBS entertainment news program, Prince asks his subjects for advice on how to break into the industry since he aspires to be "a producer, director, screenwriter and actor."

"I always tell people, just go out and try, and stop waiting around or dreaming it's going to happen," Franco answers. "Just go and start doing things on your own."

And that's exactly what Jackson appears to be doing -- with a little help from "ET" correspondent Brooke Anderson, who mentored him before his first on-camera interview and remarks that he seems wise beyond his years.

"That's what most of my people say," Jackson responds. "That was all thanks to my dad. He raised me right."

Watch a preview of Prince Jackson's future in broadcasting:

originally found: http://tv.yahoo.com/news/michael-jacksons-son-prince-hired-et-correspondent-video-005525020.html

Justin Bieber's ex sports daring red-carpet style

2013-02-20T00:13:00.001+01:00

It’s no secret that Justin Bieber’s ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez is gorgeous. But when she strutted her stuff on the red carpet at the premiere of “Spring Breakers” in Paris on Monday wearing a blue mini dress with a plunging back, she definitely showed the Biebs what he’s missing. And it’s clear she’s not crying over her ex!

Selena’s sultry dress was a true head-turner, and her co-stars Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, and Rachel Korine also looked stunning in their Monday best. Check out this vid to see all of the beauties rock it down the red carpet!

originally found: http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/justin-bieber-ex-selena-wows-spring-breakers-red-200310312.html

'The uglier the better' '90s style is back

2013-02-20T00:09:00.002+01:00

The '90s are back, and they're bringing their overallsNineties style has returned in a big way, with flannel shirts, floral babydolls, and Dr. Martens combat boots slowly taking over our wardrobes. But there's one item we wore in the 1990s we truly haven't missed: overalls. Remember wearing overalls?! We had long ones, short ones, skirt ones, colorful ones, corduroy ones. Sometimes we'd even leave one strap unbuckled for cool points. (We know, these are memories best left forgotten.) We've seen them pop up again from time to time, but thankfully they never caught on. Then 3.1 Phillip Lim, one of the hottest, trend-setting designer brands, sent multiple pairs of overalls down the spring runways in pink suede, and even black leather! Ugh. They just hit retailers for a whopping $1,400 and are astonishingly already sold out. Other designers have followed suit, as Moschino, Isabel Marant, and MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela all have overalls in their spring collections, and bigger mass brands like Guess, Diesel, Joe's Jeans, AG Adriano Goldschmied, Free People, and American Apparel have jumped on board too.

'90s Beauty Looks We're Happy To See Again

New overalls by Diesel, Guess, and 3.1 Phillip LimWith overalls flooding stores at every price point, will women be able to resist their cozy charm or merely hop on board because it's simply the latest trend? Or will they take their blinders off and recognize that perhaps overalls are not flattering, and are best left to farmers? We felt it could go either way.

'90s Nickelodeon Star's New Adventures

Fearful of an overall apocalypse, we headed straight to New York Fashion Week to see what the knowledgeable fashion elite had to say. First up: the celebrities sitting front row. We figured if THEY all started wearing overalls, the trend might be cemented. Here's what they said:

Jada Pinkett Smith, actress (and wife of Will Smith, pictured above) - "I still wear overalls. I wear G-Star overalls, real slouchy and loose with the crotch down to my knees. [Laughs] I do it '90s style. And my daughter Willow collects overalls at the flea markets. She likes getting vintage overalls, that's her new thing now."

Miley Cyrus - [while wearing a red sleeveless jumpsuit] "I feel like I'm wearing a chicer version right now. I'm into it! I kind of say the uglier the better. The more interesting."

Kristin Chenoweth - "I bought some at Urban Outfitters. They're denim, and I have to say, they're really cute. And I get asked everywhere where I got them."

Vanessa Hudgens - "I rock 'em all the time. Yeah! With nothing else, or with anything. [Laughs] They're amazing."

Selita Ebanks, model - "I recently styled a leather overall jumpsuit with a tapered ankle. That's pretty sexy with a very simple pump."

Shenae Grimes of "90210" - "I have a pair or two. I think [I'd wear them with] a crop top and cute little booties for some height because wearing overalls will shorten you."

Angela Simmons, designer and daughter of Reverend Run of Run-DMC - "I like overalls if they're revamped. I like the leather overalls. I have a pair of Levi's overalls that I've had for a while, but I've been wearing them. They're kinda loose. I think loose is really cute, but fitted overalls are really cute as well, it depends on your style and how you do it."

Sammi Giancola of "Jersey Shore" - "Trends always come back. I actually like overalls. I'd definitely wear them!"

Celebs like Heidi Klum, Alexa Chung, and Liv Tyler are already on boardWe can't believe it! Mega-successful pop stars, actresses, models, and reality show cast members are all drinking the Kool-Aid! But what did the real designers and fashion experts think? We decided to ask them next, since they had to have more sense. Right?

Nina Garcia, creative director at Marie Claire and judge on "Project Runway" - "Yeah, I do think you can wear overalls. I really like those Phillip Lim overalls from spring, and it's all about the styling. Probably with a leather jacket or a jacket over it. It depends on your age, but I think a nice masculine jacket over it would do the trick."

Rachel Roy, designer - "I'm putting some into my collection for Rachel Rachel Roy and I'm doing a variety. Some are '70s—very high, long and lean, very tight. I'm doing some that are super sexy—lower in the back, so there's no coverage in the back until the bum. I'm having a lot of fun with overalls for spring. They're denim, but I may experiment with some different materials because I am putting them into the collection after that as well."

Betsey Johnson, designer - "I love overalls. Wear them, don't style them. It's a very real piece of clothing. Nothing underneath, a tube top underneath, a blouse underneath. Be creative! No rules!"

Rebecca Minkoff, designer - "On the right person they can definitely be flattering. I would do a more fitted overall. Slimmer in the leg, not as baggy."

J. Alexander aka Miss J., fashion expert known from "America's Next Top Model" - "My leather ones I left at home in Paris from Versace circa 1991. I don't have them! They're easy to wear, you can dress them up or down."

Lubov Azria, designer of BCBG - "There's something about overalls that's cool. On the right girl it looks right. My kids are wearing overalls. I remember wearing overalls with Dr. Marten shoes, those were really cool!"

Seriously? Are we missing something. We're talking about OVERALLS, people! Look at the insanely stylish and beautiful women like Heidi Klum, Alexa Chung, and Liv Tyler wearing them. They hide their figures and look so frumpy! Finally we found just a few people who would rather die than wear overalls, or live through an overalls revival. Behold, the only three smart responses:

Nicky Hilton, designer and socialite - "No! Never! Ever! I think I may worn them [in the past], yes. [Laughs]"

Phillip Bloch, stylist/style expert - "Yeahhh, overalls are great for farmers. The leather overalls, not really, unless you're in a shoot for Italian Vogue and you've got grease all over you. Then it's sexy."

Rebecca Taylor, designer - "Just don't do it! Seriously, don't do it! Unless you're a painter or some kind of workman. A one-piece with some waist-definition is great, but dungarees with the straps? Not good. I did wear them in the past—that's why I can speak with knowledge."

OK, so the verdict is in! Apparently many people love overalls, and we're overruled. But we don't care how popular they become, we refuse to wear them ever again. Would you?
originally found: http://shine.yahoo.com/the-thread-style-crush/overalls-back-vengeance-194700275.html

Who could be Crazier than this guy?

2013-02-19T04:20:00.002+01:00

Sorry, but I personally think this is the craziest person existing on this earth at present. What's your view of this video?

Drop your comment when you've finished enjoying this video...

How to BOOST you relationship in 6 Seconds

2013-02-19T00:49:00.002+01:00

These scenarios that come along with a busy lifestyle are familiar to most of us: When your date arrives at your place while you’re in the middle of an important phone call, you gesture for this person to come in and finally get around to greeting each other 10 minutes later, still feeling a bit frazzled from your conversation. Or maybe you just spent a great weekend together, but when it’s time to say goodbye, you realize that you’re running late for an appointment — so you rush out the door in a hurry, barely kissing your date goodbye.

These rushed instances are as understandable as they are commonplace, but they inevitably take a toll on relationships, because these transitional moments often set the tone for both a couple’s time together and their time spent apart. Dr. John Gottman, a leading relationship researcher and the author of What Makes Love Last? How to Build Trust and Avoid Betrayal, asserts that our “rituals of connections are crucial,” because they serve not only to re-establish the connection with our partners, but also to protect our relationships from betrayal. “The parting and reunion [moments] turn out to be really important,” asserts Dr. Gottman. Attention spent on each other in transitional junctures communicates that “you’re important to me, and when you come back at the end of the day, it’s an event. You matter to me.

How momentary transitions can safeguard your romance from betrayal
Being present for each other and asserting the importance of the relationship during these transitional moments is part of how couples establish what Dr. Gottman refers to as “attunement” — i.e., a deep level of understanding that couples both possess and lovingly express to each other. In his book, What Makes Love Last, Dr. Gottman asserts that this level of mutual attunement is a way for couples to inoculate themselves against falling down the slippery slope of negative thinking about their relationship that can ultimately lead to betrayal. “One of the other important things we discovered about betrayal was not only about turning away from one another, but it’s also about this negative comparison where one partner is saying in [his/her] mind, ‘Who needs this crap? I can do better,’” Dr. Gottman explains. “And that negative comparison gets people to start detaching from the relationship.”

Six seconds to a better relationship
The “six-second kiss” is one simple and fun activity that Dr. Gottman advocates couples incorporate into their everyday moments of transition. Described by him as “long enough to feel romantic,” the six-second kiss serves as a temporary oasis within a busy day and creates a deliberate break between the on-the-job mentality (i.e., going to or from work) and a couple’s one-on-one time together. In fact, the six-second kiss makes up just a fraction of what Dr. Gottman has dubbed the “magic five hours,” which is the amount of extra time he’s found that the most successful, happiest couples began devoting to their relationships each week after completing his workshops together. Time spent intentionally focusing on theirpartners during “reunions” and “partings” also comprise an important component of the “magic five hours” that these couples invest into their relationships on a weekly basis.

Reunited, and it feels so good...
We’ve all heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” The same could be said for the moment when you’re reunited with your date. Those first few moments set the tone for your time spent together — either positively or negatively. Greeting your sweetheart with affection communicates this person’s importance to you while reminding your partner of the good feelings you share when you’re in each other’s company, and trigger reciprocal feelings of his or her own.

A number of small gestures can be combined in order to ensure that your reunion goes well:

Make sure to set aside your phone and any other distractions first, and then give your partner your full attention as you exchange greetings.
Share a six-second kiss.
Say that you’re happy to see your partner again.

If you’re used to a more casual way of saying “hello” and “goodbye,” these seemingly simple gestures of affection might feel awkward at first, but letting yourpartner know that you’re happy to see him or her creates an important, positivetransition between your time apart and the time you spend together.

In a long-term relationship, Dr. Gottman says that having a “stress-reducing conversation” is a great way to kick off a couple’s reunion time together. “The one thing research has discovered,” says Dr. Gottman, “is that if they take 15 minutes apiece to talk about what’s stressful about the day, and their partner is an ally in listening — without giving advice or problem-solving — that can be very important. You have to have a time when you really have your partner’s ears; it’s a time when you really can connect.”

How to make saying “goodbye” even sweeter
Setting a few minutes aside to properly say “goodbye” to each other can make a dramatic difference in a couple’s thoughts about the relationship during the time they spend apart. So before you zoom off into the world going different directions, take a minute to communicate how much you enjoyed your time together — and maybe touch base about when you’ll be getting together again in the near future. If you don’t have a plan for your next date, just establishing when you’ll be talking to each other next (“I’ll call you tomorrow”) can help a couple maintain their feelings of connection with each other.

You should also make a point of asking what’s ahead for your sweetie so you can provide the right kind of support later on. “One of the most important things to do in parting is to find out what your partner’s day is going to be like,” Dr. Gottman says. “Find out about anything that is important that’s going to happen to your partner that day. If she’s going to have lunch with a friend or he has a critical phone call or important meeting scheduled, know about that and what it means to her or him.”

And yes, before saying goodbye to your partner (for now, anyway), don’t forget to savor that six-second kiss!

Theo Pauline Nestor is the author of How to Sleep Alone in King-Size Bed: A Memoir of Starting Over and a regular contributor to Happen magazine.

A heart transplant has sparked a romance

2013-02-19T00:46:00.001+01:00

A heart transplant has sparked a romance between the donor’s sister and the recipient. "I didn’t have any words to describe it, it was just this, you know, connection,” Erin Roberts said.

Erin’s brother, Kellen Roberts, was on a trip to Sioux Falls, S.D., when he hit his head on March 7, 2005.
The free-spirited Seattle resident, who was an organ donor, died in South Dakota. In nearby Minneapolis, 17-year-old Connor Rabinowitz was waiting, hoping for a new heart.

“I just wish he could know how grateful I am for him,” Rabinowitz said.
The transplant was a success, and with a second chance at life, Rabinowitz said he needed to find out about the man who saved him.
When Connor and Kellen’s sister, Erin, met for the first time, they told said they fell in love instantly.
The couple shared their story with ABC News’ Seattle affiliate KOMO.
“I have it vividly in my head… just looking over, feeling her mom hug me, and just staring into her eyes,” Connor said.
For Erin, the moment was “priceless”.
“To know that a part of something you loved so much can continue on, but not just continue on in existence, but be the life force for someone else,” she said. “I don’t know if there’s any words to describe that.

'After dating him for a few years, I asked Charly Boy to marry me or I would leave' - Lady Di

2013-02-19T00:41:00.002+01:00

Below is what she said during a recent interview sent exclusively to me...

I dated Charles for a few years before I proposed to him to marry me, else I would leave. He was getting too comfortable with just dating me because marriage wasn’t really on his mind. You know, he hasn’t been lucky in that department. During my first visit to Nigeria, I met his wonderful family and it was clear he was coming from a very strict Christian background. His family was a very spiritual one with high sense of morality and values, there was no way some of that wouldn’t have robbed off on Charles. I just fell in love with him and his close nit family. Since then, they have been ever so kind and loving to me. I just thank God.

I love her. I think women should start giving ultimatums to their men...especially if they are of marriageable age. John Legend's fiancee Christine Teigen just gave him an ultimatum. Marry me or I'm done. Lol. See more from the interview after the cut...

What was the thing that attracted you to him when you first met him?

His uniqueness of course, and the fact that he is a gentle man, very sensitive, passionate, loving and a giving person. I must also add intriguing and adventurous because that was the first thing I noticed about him.

People say there is a whole lot of difference between courting and marriage; did you experience that in yours?

If people are saying that, then they are sure right. There is a big difference between courting and marriage. As boyfriend and girlfriend, you don’t have much responsibilities, you stay just focused on each other. After marriage comes a lot of responsibilities, children, in-laws, income, bills and a lot more. Marriage is a time to take charge and be serious, it is no longer a play thing. But if you have managed to be friends during courtship years, it makes the journey a bit easy. Courtship is playful, marriage is serious business. That is just the simple truth.

Have your trust for him ever wobbled, like maybe he is unfaithful?

As entertainers at the early stages, it wasn’t easy but as time passed by I began to see things for what they really are. Because we are always in the limelight, we attract all sorts of people, but experience will always teach us how to deal with things. Charles is not lacking in that area. Well, my trust for him may have wobbled in our first few years but I have long since figured out where his mind, soul and head is and I am comfortable with that knowledge.

Have you ever feared he will leave you considering his history?

I have been most lucky in all of this, considering that I am coming from miles away, no brothers, no sisters, no family, except the Oputas and my friend Charles who sometimes fills in as a the brother I never had. Yes, it could be scary sometimes, but for some reasons those thoughts never took over my mind.

You have been together for thirty-six years, is there any secret behind this bond?

Charles is my best friend, our friendship came before marriage. I sure don’t have all the answers. What even works for me may not work for you, but what I do know is that, we are two individuals determined to make our relationship work. We talk a lot in our marriage, Charles is the first to say sorry when he goofs. He is so sensitive when it comes to my feelings, but above all, I think we are just two very good friends who have refused to grow up and who have sworn to watch out for one another.

Be sincere, have you ever woken up and felt you were done with the whole thing? Don’t you get tired and bored sometimes?

Being fulfilled in one’s marriage is guaranteed when your spouse is supportive, understanding, and sensitive to your feeling, always looking for creative ways to keep the spark in the marriage. I will just say that I am lucky and I thank God for that. No regrets.

Is there still romance in your relationship? Does your husband still look at you the way he did thirty six years ago?

Charles is an unrepentant romantic person, even though he hides that part of himself from public. He knows that I love romance and often makes the plan for such rendezvous. Being married for over three decades can become boring if you don’t work at it. We sure work at it because for us, this is it. That is why we try to keep it as youthful and fresh as we can. It is not easy but we are determined.

Has anything changed fin the last thirty-six years?

Life is always changing, nothing stays the same. We inspire growth in our relationship. He is like a fine wine, tasteful with age.

Who is Django and why is he 'unchained'?

2013-02-19T00:37:00.000+01:00

Jamie Foxx's character was named after a '60s spaghetti-western gunslinger.

Quentin Tarantino typically draws inspiration from an array of sources for his films, and "Django Unchained" is no exception. The title character gets his name from the 1966 spaghetti Western "Django," about a coffin-dragging gunslinger played by Franco Nero,who has a cameo in last year's film. Tarantino also may have drawn inspiration from another Italian film, 1959's "Hercules Unchained." And depending on how deep you want to go, there's a theory that Foxx's blue suit and the title are a combined tribute to the inventor of an early 20th-century camera technique.
originally found: http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/oscars-2013-meanings-behind-oscar-movie-titles-explained-1361045867-slideshow/

Scouts drooling over raw, superathletic star

2013-02-19T00:18:00.001+01:00

Is the answer to the NFL's present trend of run-option quarterbacks a guy with almost no football past?

That is the daunting question revolving around BYU defensive lineman Ezekial "Ziggy" Ansah. In so many ways, Ansah is the latest version of Jason Pierre-Paul, a tall, fast and uber-athletic defensive end who didn't have much experience with the game. The difference is that Ansah not only has even less football experience than Pierre-Paul, but also Ansah has less experience with this country and its growing fascination with the game.

Ezekiel Ansah has the size and speed NFL teams crave. (Getty Images)"It is crazy, to go from where I was a year ago to how much people are paying attention to me," Ansah said in his slightly halting English that reverberates through his kettle-drum voice. Ansah is viewed much like Pierre-Paul in 2010, a mid-first-round pick (Pierre, from South Florida, went No. 15 overall to the New York Giants) with high upside and lots of risk.

To hear Senior Bowl Executive Director and former longtime NFL scout and executive Phil Savage talk about Ansah, the top 10 appears to be a sure thing heading into the NFL Scouting Combine, which starts this week in Indianapolis.

"I'm thinking that maybe even the top five with the way that teams are so desperate to adjust what they're doing for all these read-option quarterbacks," said Savage, who watched Ansah take over the Senior Bowl last month as if he were already a level better than the competition. "You're going to need guys on the defensive line who can chase those guys down. Ansah is that guy."

Ansah finished the Senior Bowl with seven tackles, including 3 ½ for losses (1 ½ were sacks), and forced a fumble from Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib. Savage and many other observers said he was clearly the best player in the game.

Ansah is the NFL's version of a runway model. At 6-foot-5, 274 pounds and a wingspan of nearly seven feet, he runs like a track athlete. That's what Ansah did before finding his way to the gridiron. In fact, Ansah did lots of things before getting to football. There was soccer in his native country of Ghana. There was basketball, a sport he loved as he watched his older brother, Elias, play. Ziggy even dreamed of playing at the NBA level after he converted to Mormonism and came to the United States five years ago.

In track, he ran the 200, once clocking a 21.19 at a Mountain West Conference meet. That's a decent time … if you're a typical 5-foot-10 sprinter. At Ansah's size, that speed conjures images of an 18-wheeler headed down a mountain road with no brakes.

Ansah showed that power the first time he did any live hitting at BYU. He was on the kickoff coverage team in practice, took off running and laid waste to three blockers along the way, turning any hope of a blocking scheme into a jumble. As Ansah ran off the field, all BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall could think to himself was, "How do I find a way to use this guy?"

The Cougars didn't find many ways until this past season, when Ansah finally got regular playing time after an injury to the starting nose tackle. Despite playing inside, which is unusual for someone of Ansah's height and weight, he had six tackles for losses (including three sacks) in his first three starts. He finished the season with 13 tackles for losses (4 ½ sacks) in limited time, leading many NFL scouts to wonder what might be if Ansah was let loose on the world.

That wonder was fueled at the Senior Bowl. After what Savage termed a so-so week of practice from Ansah, he took over the game.

"He was the best player in the game, by far … Basically, he took over the game," said Savage, who watched from field level. "A lot of people figured he would be able to rush the passer because of how well he can run. But then he showed he can put his hand in a big offensive lineman's chest, get off that block and play the run. Once people in the NFL really look at the tape, he's going to shoot up the boards.

"I was talking with one [NFL] scout and he said, ‘If this was recruiting, I'm not sure he wouldn't be the top recruit in the country.' In the draft, you only get your pick and then you have to wait, so taking a guy like Ansah is tough because of the risk. But if you can recruit other guys who you know are sure things, you can take a risk on a guy like this and really go after him. Like I said, he might be the top kid in a situation like that, and I think after the combine there are going to be a lot of teams at the top of the draft wondering if they should take a shot."

Or as another scout put it: "The upside is a [Pierre-Paul], Demarcus Ware-type athlete. He's what we're all looking for from an athletic perspective. But, yeah, there are a lot of questions."

Numbers game

Ansah gets the big picture that goes with the questions. Truth is, he probably understands them better than most of the people who will be doing the asking. Ansah is majoring in actuarial science, which is the study of mathematical and statistical methods to finance and insurance as they pertain to risk management, along with a minor in math. The son of a father who is a retired Shell Oil executive (Ghana is Africa's leading oil exporter) and a mother who is a nurse, Ansah comes from a family that values education. He is the youngest of five siblings, and his four older brothers and sisters all went to college.

He is on a path to be a high-level insurance professional, which means he understands risk assessment and the numbers that go with it. He automatically gets that NFL people will look at him with a wary eye. At the same time, he has a confidence that they will love.

"This is a business that people take very seriously," said Ansah, who has already dealt with rejection, being cut twice after trying out for the BYU basketball team. "People need to know who I am and what I can do."

Ansah's special skill is corralling quarterbacks such as Georgia Tech's Tevin Washington. (Getty Images)OK, so how fast are you going to run in the 40-yard dash?

"Oh, we'll see what happens," Ansah said. However, between the tone of his voice and his choice of study, there is no doubt that Ansah knows exactly how fast he is, probably down to the hundredth of a second.

Ansah laughs when called out on that.

"In other words, you know exactly how fast you are, but you don't want to say. You just want people to enjoy the show," a reporter said to Ansah.

"You could say that," Ansah replied after his rumbling chuckle.

But athletic ability is only the beginning of the questions. As with Pierre-Paul, there's a concern of how much an athlete can love a game he only started playing a few years ago. More importantly, even for a player as smart as Ansah, can he learn the subtle nuances of the game fast enough to translate ability into instinctive play?

It is one thing to flash ability the way Ansah has, even in an all-star game. It's another thing to play consistently, to do things that can be counted on week after week, when coaches are trying to design successful game plans.

For instance, what happened during the week of practice leading up to the Senior Bowl? Why didn't Ansah jump off the page in practice the way he did in the game?

"I was listening to the coaches and trying to learn what they were telling me," said Ansah, who was being coached by the Detroit Lions staff. "In the game, I switch my mind and just go."

Fair answer, but there are some issues that words – or even actions, to this point – can't adequately address.

For instance, does Ansah love football enough to play through the pain that goes with a 16-game schedule? Better yet, is his body even conditioned to do it?

Ansah does his best to respond, but understands the overarching issue.

"I love the game," Ansah said. Again, his laugh gives a better answer than his words can share. There is a toughness to how he talks that's typical of people who enjoy the painful side of the game. "I'm trying to think of one moment, but there are a lot of them. Probably covering kickoffs, when I was just running and hitting people."

The downside

As much as some people like the idea of getting the next Pierre-Paul or even a guy like Stephen Neal, a guard with New England who never played in college but played eight seasons in the NFL before retiring after the 2010 season, the success rate for players with non-traditional football backgrounds is questionable.

Perhaps the best example – or worst, depending upon your perspective – is former New York Jets defensive end Vernon Gholston, who had to be talked into playing football in high school, just like Pierre-Paul. Gholston, who also is exceptionally bright, ended up at Ohio State and became an even more successful college pass rusher than either Pierre-Paul or Ansah.

Gholston went No. 6 in the 2008 draft to the Jets. In three years with the Jets, Gholston never recorded a sack and was cut. In each of the past two years, he was with a team in training camp but didn't last past August.

Or there is Jets offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse, who moved to the United States from Haiti when he was 14, started playing football in high school and played at the University of Massachusetts before being a second-round pick in 2010. Ducasse has started one game in three years with the Jets, and what little playing time he has received has been shrouded in mild controversy. In November, Jets offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo, who was fired earlier this month, indicated that he was being forced to play Ducasse on roughly 25 percent of the snaps.

With players such as Gholston and Ducasse, small things can have large ripple effects because of their lack of experience.

One concern about Ansah is how quickly he can pick up the game's subtleties. (Getty Images)One former Jets employee said that Gholston's confidence was shot in his very first game. Gholston, who was under pressure to fulfill a five-year, $32.5 million contract that included $21 million guaranteed, missed a sack of Miami quarterback Chad Pennington, who had recently left the Jets.

"I just remember that play so vividly and how he seemed to think about that play over and over again," the former Jets employee said. "He wasn't a guy with a lot of confidence, and I think that with the pressure of the contract and the New York media on him, he just went into a shell."

For Ducasse, the 2011 NFL lockout deprived him of vital learning time with the coaching staff. When Ducasse came back to the team after the lockout, it was almost as if he were starting over again as a rookie, the former employee said.

Another highly drafted project who didn't pan out was former Jacksonville wide receiver Matt Jones, an option quarterback in college whose athletic ability never translated to the NFL game. He had some drug issues before quitting the game.

The problem is that for all the questions about Ansah, there is just as big of a question facing coaches who are seeing more and more quarterbacks with running ability, such as Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick.

"You need big, strong athletes who can not only play the run and rush the passer, but who can chase down all these quarterbacks," Savage said. "You're seeing it at the college level. Nick Saban at Alabama changed his recruiting to deal with (Heisman Trophy-winning Texas A&M quarterback) Johnny Manziel and what they're doing at Ole Miss and now Auburn with the spread.

"Yeah, there are a lot of 235- and 240-pound guys who can run, but they can't deal with those 300-pound offensive linemen when teams run straight at them. Here, you have a 270-pound man who can run like that. You have to think about that guy. You have to think hard."

originally found: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--the-pass-rush-project--ezekiel--ziggy--ansah-is-the-latest--raw--superathletic-de-to-make-waves--200203777.html

Tragedy on couple's one-of-a-kind trip

2013-02-19T00:15:00.003+01:00

- View Photo
  Associated Press/Jerry Root - In this undated family photo supplied Monday Feb. 18, 2013, showing British couple Peter Root and Mary Thompson, both 34, who were killed in Thailand Wednesday Feb. 13, 2013, in a road accident during their round-the-world cycling odyssey. The couple from Britain's Guernsey in the Channel Islands, left Britain in July 2011 and had cycled through Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and China, a journey chronicled on the website Two on Four Wheels, until tragedy struck.(AP Photo/Jerry Root) NO SALES less
LONDON (AP) — A British couple's round-the-world cycling odyssey ended in tragedy when both of them were killed in a road accident in Thailand.

Peter Root and Mary Thompson, who had been chronicling their journey in a blog, died Wednesday when they were hit by a pickup truck in a province east of Bangkok, Thai police said Monday.

The couple, both 34 and from Guernsey in the Channel Islands, left Britain in July 2011 and had cycled through Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and China.

The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the couple, who met in art school and spent six years saving money and planning their journey, Peter's father Jerry Root told the Associated Press in an interview.

"They were both inspirational," Jerry Root said. "They didn't just talk about it, they did it. I couldn't be prouder of them."

He said they were both experienced cyclists who knew the rigors and risks of extended bicycle travel.

"They were camping wild, as they called it," he said. "What helps me is to think of how happy they were with each other. They were leading the life they wanted to. It was the happiest, the most fruitful of lives."

The couple had been posting photos and details of their trip on the website Two on Four Wheels. They also had many followers on Twitter and Facebook who were tracing their journey and vicariously enjoying their adventure, which included a trip through remote parts of Central Asia.

A video they posted from that part of the journey shows them camping in the desert, riding through hills, stopping to swim in rivers and lakes, and braving heavy snowstorms. They also cycle through tense situations as armed conflict breaks out during their journey through Tajikistan.

There is also footage showing Thompson suffering a gash to her knee after an apparent collision with a truck.

The couple look tanned, joyous and relaxed — if a bit windblown — in the footage. It is apparent life on the road agreed with them.

"They never talked about the trip as having a destination or a deadline or a time scale," said Ben Thompson, Mary's brother. "They didn't have firm plans, they had rough ideas. They just loved people. They were always dragging people to the campfire to share a story and a beer and some food."

After Southeast Asia, the couple were planning to make their way to New Zealand for a brief respite, he said.

Thai Police Lt. Col. Supachai Luangsukcharoen said Monday that investigators found their bodies, their bicycles and their belongings scattered along a roadside, along with a pickup truck that crashed between some trees.

Supachai said the truck driver, 25-year-old Worapong Sangkhawat, was seriously injured in the crash. He told police his truck hit the cyclists as he was reaching down to pick up a cap from the vehicle's floor, Supachai said.

The driver has been released on bail and faces charges of causing death by dangerous driving, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.

Police said the couple's bodies were being kept at a rescue unit in Chachoengsao, 20 miles (30 kilometers) east of Bangkok, until they could be repatriated.

___

Writers Jill Lawless in London and Thanyarat Doksone in Thailand contributed to this report.

Katherine Webb's weird pic with NBA legend

2013-02-19T00:11:00.001+01:00

Following the All-Star weekend, just about all of the NBA's news-makers and news-gatherers are in transit, taking advantage of the lone day off between now and the end of the regular season. Because of that, and because we've already gone over some the league's bigger storylines in 3300-word detail, we now present to you a picture of Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar posing with Katherine Webb (whom you might know from Brent Musberger's leering portrayal of her over a month ago), while Kareem wears a Darth Vader mask:

(Courtesy twitter.com/kaj33)

Hundreds hurt as meteorite bangs Russia

2013-02-15T12:32:00.002+01:00

CHELYABINSK, Russia (Reuters) - More than 500 people were injured when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, sending fireballs crashing to Earth, shattering windows and damaging buildings.

People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt a shockwave according to a Reuters correspondent in the industrial city 1,500 km (950 miles) east of Moscow.

A fireball blazed across the horizon, leaving a long white trail in its wake which could be seen as far as 200 km (125 miles) away inYekaterinburg. Car alarms went off, windows shattered and mobile phone networks were interrupted.

"I was driving to work, it was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it was day," said Viktor Prokofiev, 36, a resident of Yekaterinburg in the Urals Mountains.

"I felt like I was blinded by headlights," he said.

No fatalities were reported but President Vladimir Putin, who was due to host Finance Ministry officials from the Group of 20 nations in Moscow, and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev were informed.

A local ministry official said such incidents were extremely rare and Friday's events might have been linked to an asteroid the size of an Olympic swimming pool due to pass Earth at a distance of 27,520 km (17,100 miles) but this was not confirmed.

Russia's space agency Roscosmos said the meteorite was travelling at a speed of 30 km (19 miles) per second and that such events were hard to predict. The Interior Ministry said the meteorite explosion had caused a sonic boom.

Russia's Emergencies Ministry said 514 people had sought medical help, mainly for light injuries caused by flying glass, and that 112 of those were kept in hospital. Search groups were set up to look for the remains of the meteorite.

"There have never been any cases of meteorites breaking up at such a low level over Russia before," said Yuri Burenko, head of the Chelyabinsk branch of the Emergencies Ministry.

WINDOWS BREAK, FRAMES BUCKLE

Windows were shattered on Chelyabinsk's central Lenin Street and some of the frames of shop fronts buckled.

A loud noise, resembling an explosion, rang out at around 9.20 a.m. (12:20 a.m. ET). The shockwave could be felt in apartment buildings in the industrial city's center.

"I was standing at a bus stop, seeing off my girlfriend," said Andrei, a local resident who did not give his second name. "Then there was a flash and I saw a trail of smoke across the sky and felt a shockwave that smashed windows."

A wall was damaged at the Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant but a spokeswoman said there was no environmental threat.

Although such events are rare, a meteorite is thought to have devastated an area of more than 2,000 sq km (1,250 miles) in Siberia in 1908, smashing windows as far as 200 km (125 miles) from the point of impact.

The Emergencies Ministry described Friday's events as a "meteor shower in the form of fireballs" and said background radiation levels were normal. It urged residents not to panic.

Chelyabinsk city authorities urged people to stay indoors unless they needed to pick up their children from schools and kindergartens. They said what sounded like a blast had been heard at an altitude of 10,000 meters (32,800 feet).

The U.S. space agency NASA has said an asteroid known as 2012 DA14, about 46 meters in diameter, would have an encounter with Earth closer than any asteroid since scientists began routinely monitoring them about 15 years ago.

Television, weather and communications satellites fly about 500 miles higher. The moon is 14 times farther away.

(Additional reporting by Natalia Shurmina in Yekaterinburg and Gabriela Baczynska in Moscow, Writing by Alexei Anishchuk and Timothy Heritage, Editing by Michael Holden)

Original found: http://news.yahoo.com/possible-meteor-shower-reported-eastern-russia-052833588.html

College player gives up football game for love

2013-02-15T12:22:00.001+01:00

(USA Today Sports Images)On this Valentine's Day, the Cleveland Plain Dealer delivered a touching story of true, unconditional love.

Ben Pike is a defensive lineman at Toledo. Or, he was on Toledo's football team. He has a year of eligibility left, but he's giving it up to tend to his fiancee, a former Toledo basketball player who battled with leukemia last year and found out on Jan. 25 it had returned.

Pike has plans that are far more important than Division I football. He is going to graduate after this semester. He is going to marry Ashlee Barrett on June 15. He is going to see her through a bone marrow transplant and her second battle against leukemia.

"I know in some people's terms, he's giving up things," said Ben's mother Becky Pike told the Plain Dealer. "But he's really not giving up. He's not giving up anything. He's really fighting for life. And he's just turned his forces to he's going to win a battle for life instead of winning on the football field."

It's a beautiful story by the newspaper, one with a happy ending that will be written when Barrett has beaten her cancer.

According to the Plain Dealer's story, the two met when Pike was a freshman and Barrett was a junior who had just transferred to Toledo. They dated. On Toledo's trip to Washington, D.C. for the Military Bowl in 2011, Pike worked it out so he could propose to Barrett on the White House driveway.

In April 2012 Barrett had a blood infection that almost cost Barrett her life, the Plain Dealer said. She was diagnosed then with leukemia. Barrett was in St. Louis teaching second grade. Pike made weekly visits from Toledo to St. Louis, even through the football season.

Barrett finished chemotherapy and returned to teaching for a while, but the leukemia returned in late January. The Plain Dealer said she is halfway through another round of chemotherapy. Pike has a student teaching job at a middle school in Toledo during the week and visits St. Louis and his fiancee on weekends. He plans to move to St. Louis in May, leaving behind the rest of his football career.

"It's a very, very helpless feeling because there's nothing you can do that can make it better or go away," Pike told he Plain Dealer. "The only thing you an do is be there for her 100 percent. The whole way she's handled the first round, going through everything, the way she's handled herself with such grace and beauty and a positive outlook on life. It's been truly humbling. I can definitely say she's my hero."

Will Ferrell Ejects Shaq O'Neal Out of Lakers Game

2013-02-14T12:15:00.001+01:00

(Photo : Conan Video Still) Will Ferrell reacting to Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson Breakup over affair with Rupert Sanders on Conan August 2, 2012.

Comedic actor Will Ferrell drew inspiration from the former hit MTV series Punk'd, a show in which host Ashton Kutcher orchestrated pranks on random celebrities, to carry out a recent prank of his own.
During Tuesday night' Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns basketball game in LA, Ferrell donned a red coat, stood courtside in the Staples Center and pretending to be a security guard. Ferrell then walked up to former Laker Shaquille O'Neal, who was watching the game from his courtside seat, and pretended to eject him from the arena.Standing at 7-foot-1 and weighing 325 pounds, the former Laker center was a towering presence over the comedian but Ferrell kept a totally straight face as he approached O'Neal.
O'Neal must have been taken back by Ferrell's thick mustache, or he was in on the prank, because he immediately placed both of his hands behind his back and pretended to be handcuffed. O'Neal then has a depressed expression on his face as he looked down and eventually walked out of the game.
Watch the video here and see how everything actually played out.

As a first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, O'Neal quickly became one of the top centers in the league, spending the majority of his professional ball-playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is now a sports commentator on Inside the NBA.
Ferrell developed his acting chops first as a cast member of Saturday Night Live then eventually becoming a box-office favorite from such movies as Old School, Step Brothers and The Other Guys.
The moment at the Staples Center was both strange and amusing, and the Lakers went on to defeat the Suns 91-85.
Originally found: http://www.enstarz.com/articles/13182/20130213/will-ferrell-ejects-shaq-oneal-out-lakers-game-plays-security-guard-watch-video.htm

Apple cuts MacBook Prices

2013-02-14T12:08:00.000+01:00

Computerworld - Apple today dropped prices of its Retina-equipped 13-in. MacBook Pro by as much as $300, and lowered the price of its top-end MacBook Air by $100.

Some models of the company's laptop line also received processor speed increases, with the 13-in. MacBook Pro with Retina now sporting a 2.6GHz Intel Core i5. The two stock 15-in. MacBook Pro with Retina notebooks also got a performance boost.
Apple rarely lowers prices, but instead typically keeps them static while swapping out CPUs for faster silicon, or beefing up other components, such as memory or storage space.
"They've got slow growth in PC sales like everyone, and lower prices help," said Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, who also cited efficiencies in Retina screen production and processor price cuts as likely contributors to Apple's decision.
The 13-in. MacBook Pro with the higher-resolution Retina display received the largest cuts, with the lower-priced of the two stock configurations falling $200 to $1,499 and the more expensive of the pair dropping $300 to $1,699. Those decreases represented cuts of 12% and 15%, respectively.
Apple also cut the price of the top-end 13-in. MacBook Air, the model with 256GB of flash storage space, by $100 to $1,399, a 7% reduction.
The last time that Apple made price cuts of this size on already-existing models was in mid-2009, during the depths of a major recession, when it dropped MacBook Pro prices as much as 15%.
Apple also cut prices of the revamped MacBook Air line a year later when it introduced a sub-$1,000 11-in. ultra-thin notebook.
Like all personal computer makers -- dubbed "OEMs" for "original equipment manufacturers" -- Apple has struggled to maintain sales growth in the face of continued economic woes in some regions, and competition from tablets and smartphones. Apple has also had been haunted by supply problems in its revamped all-in-one iMac desktop line for nearly four months.
During 2012's fourth quarter, Mac sales plummeted 22% compared to the same quarter the year before. Last month during an earnings call with Wall Street, CEO Tim Cook credited part of the Mac's poor performance to cannibalization by tablets such as its own iPad.
"I think Apple made this move [because] it had seen disappointing results because of the high [Mac] prices," said Gottheil.
But Gottheil declined to spotlight poor past sales as the sole reason why Apple slashed prices today. "I always thought the 13-in. MacBook Pro with Retina was not as sweet and balanced a design as the 15-in.," he said. "It overmatched the display with the computational power."
By reducing the "step-up" differences -- the gaps between entry-level models and higher-priced "upgrades" -- Apple should be able to sell more of the latter, increase overall revenue and boost the ASP, or average selling price, of its notebooks.
"There are three price bands for Apple's products," said Gottheil. "The 'got to just get something that works,' the performance-price medium, and the 'what the hell' band." Decreasing the difference between the first and second, he argued, could make more buyers opt for the higher-priced middle band.
Along with the price reductions, Apple also dropped the most expensive standard configuration of the 15-in. MacBook Pro -- a Retina-less notebook -- from its online store. That model, which sold for $2,199, can be duplicated by modifying the one remaining stock MacBook Pro, a $1,799 2.3GHz quad-core notebook with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard disk drive.
The updated laptops are available starting today at the new prices via Apple's e-store and retail outlets, as well as at some authorized resellers.

'Blade Runner' arrested in fatal shooting

2013-02-14T11:59:00.000+01:00

Oscar Pistorius, the South African double amputee "Blade Runner" who inspired the world by competing as a sprinter in the London Olympics, is under police custody Thursday after allegedly shooting and killing his girlfriend, who he may have mistaken for an intruder, according to the South African news agency News24.

Oscar Pistorius competed in the London Olympics and Paralympics. (Reuters)A Pretoria police captain confirmed to News24 that the woman, Pistorius’ girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was shot in both the head and arm and died at the scene. It is believed four shots were fired, and police say a 9mm pistol was recovered from the home in the suburban Silverwoods Country Estate's area of Pretoria, the nation’s capital.

Pistorius was brought into custody soon after for additional questioning over the circumstances of the death. He is expected to appear in Pretoria Magistrate court on Thursday according to News24.
Additional details were not immediately available.
Pistorius, 26, was born without fibula in both legs, yet was determined to lead a normal life despite having his legs amputated below the knee.

He developed into a world-class athlete and became a superstar at the Paralympic level while wearing carbon fiber prosthetic blades. In 2012, he qualified for the Olympics and competed for South Africa in both the 400-meter race and as a member of his nation’s 4x400-meter relay team.
Despite finishing without a medal, the mere presence of the Blade Runner on the track was hailed globally.
South Africa is one of the most dangerous nations in the world, and residents commonly carry firearms to protect themselves against frequent home invasions.

New SARS-like virus spreading

2013-02-14T11:54:00.001+01:00

LONDON (Reuters) - A third patient in Britain has contracted a new SARS-like virus, becoming the second confirmed British case in a week and showing the deadly infection is being spread from person to person, health officials said on Wednesday.

The latest case, in a man from the same family as another patient, brings the worldwide number of confirmed infections with the new virus - known as novel coronavirus, or NCoV - to 11.

Of those, five have died. Most of the infected lived or had recently been in the Middle East. Three have been diagnosed in Britain.

NCoV was identified when the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued an international alert in September 2012 saying a virus previously unknown in humans had infected a Qatari man who had recently been in Saudi Arabia.

The virus belongs to the same family as SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - a coronavirus that emerged in China in 2002 and killed about a tenth of the 8,000 people it infected worldwide. Symptoms common to both viruses include severe respiratory illness, fever, coughing and breathing difficulties.

Britain's Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the latest patient, who is a UK resident and does not have any recent travel history, is in intensive care at a hospital in central England.

"Confirmed novel coronavirus infection in a person without travel history to the Middle East suggests that person-to-person transmission has occurred, and that it occurred in the UK," said John Watson, the HPA's head of respiratory diseases.
He said the new case was a family member in close contact with another British case confirmed on Monday and who may have been at greater risk because of underlying health conditions.
The WHO said although this latest case shows evidence of person-to-person transmission, it still believes "the risk of sustained person-to-person transmission appears to be very low".
RISK VERY LOW, BUT VIRUSES CAN MUTATE

Coronaviruses are typically spread like other respiratory infections such as flu, travelling in airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Yet since NCoV was identified in September, evidence of person-to-person transmission has been limited.
Watson said the fact it probably had taken place in the latest two cases in Britain gave no reason for increased alarm.
"If novel coronavirus were more infectious, we would have expected to have seen a larger number of cases than we have seen since the first case was reported three months ago.
Tom Wilkinson, a senior lecturer in respiratory medicine at Britain's University of Southampton, said that if NCoV turned out to be like the previous SARS outbreak, it may prove quite slow to spread from one human to another.
"But it's early days to make any definite statements because viruses can change and mutate very rapidly, so what is right today may be wrong tomorrow," he told Reuters.
Based on the current situation, the WHO said all member states should continue surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections and investigate any unusual patterns.

"Testing for the new coronavirus should be considered in patients with unexplained pneumonias, or in patients with unexplained severe, progressive or complicated respiratory illness not responding to treatment," it said in a statement.

The WHO said on Monday that the confirmation of a new British case did not alter its risk assessment but "does indicate that the virus is persistent".
The British patient confirmed on Monday had recently travelled to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and is in intensive care in a separate British hospital, the HPA said.
Among the 11 laboratory confirmed cases to date, five are in Saudi Arabia, with three deaths; two are in Jordan, where both patients died; three are in Britain, where all three are receiving treatment; and one was in Germany in a patient from Qatar who had since been discharged from medical care.
The WHO said at this stage there is no need for travel or trade restrictions, or for special screening at border points.
(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Michael Roddy)
originally found: http://news.yahoo.com/case-sars-virus-shows-person-person-transmission-115342518.html

Weird 'hood ornament' spotted on Mars

2013-02-14T11:51:00.002+01:00

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has photographed a shiny, metallic-looking object that bears a passing resemblance to a door handle or a hood ornament.

The Curiosity rover has not stumbled onto evidence of an ancient civilization that took the family van to Olympus Mons for vacation, however. The object is simply a rock that the wind has sculpted into an interesting shape, scientists said.
"The shiny surface suggests that this rock has a fine grain and is relatively hard," Curiosity scientists wrote Monday (Feb. 11) in an explainer blurb accompanying the image, which was taken on Jan. 30. "Hard, fine-grained rocks can be polished by the wind to form very smooth surfaces."
Similar "ventifacted" (wind-eroded) rocks can be found here on Earth, notably on the dry, gusty plains of Antarctica, they added.
The newfound rock is not the first shiny object Curiosity has photographed on the Red Planet.
In October, the car-size rover paused its first soil-scooping activities to investigate a bright sliver lying on the ground nearby. Scientists think the scrap is a piece of plastic debris that shook loose during the robot's dramatic sky-crane landing on the night of Aug. 5.
Later in October, Curiosity spotted bright flecks in one of the holes it dug out while scooping. That material appears to be some sort of native Martian mineral, as does the so-called "Mars flower," which garnered a lot of attention after Curiosity photographed it in December.
While such finds may be be interesting to laypeople and researchers alike, Curiosity has bigger fish to fry. The rover's main task is to determine whether its landing site — a huge crater called Gale — could ever have supported microbial life.
Curiosity carries 10 different scientific instruments and 17 cameras to aid in this quest, along with other tools such as a rock-boring drill. Curiosity used this drill to collect samples for the first time over the weekend, boring 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) into a Red Planet rock in a move that had never been done before on another planet.
Originally found: news.yahoo.com/nasas-curiosity-rover-finds-weird-hood-ornament-mars-191351150.html