Current World

2012-10-17T02:37:00.001-07:00

Astronomers discover planet with four suns

An international team of amateur and professional astronomers has discovered a planet whose skies are lit up by four suns -- the first known case of such a phenomenon.

The planet, located about 5,000 light years from Earth, has been dubbed PH1 in honor of Planet Hunters, a programme led by Yale University in the United States, which enlists volunteers to look for signs of new planets.

PH1 is orbiting two suns, and in turn is orbited by a second distant pair of stars. Only six planets are known to orbit two stars, researchers say, and none of those are orbited by other distant stars.

"Circumbinary planets are the extremes of planet formation," said Yale's Meg Schwamb, lead author of a paper presented Monday at the annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society in Nevada.

"The discovery of these systems is forcing us to go back to the drawing board to understand how such planets can assemble and evolve in these dynamically challenging environments."

US citizen scientists and Planet Hunters participants Kian Jek and Robert Gagliano were the first to identify PH1. Their observations were then confirmed by a team of US and British researchers working in Hawaii.

PH1 is a gas giant with a radius about 6.2 times that of Earth, making it slightly larger than Neptune. It orbits a pair of eclipsing stars that are 1.5 and 0.41 times the mass of the Sun roughly every 138 days.

The two other stars are orbiting the planetary system at a distance that is roughly 1,000 times the distance between Earth and the Sun.

The Planethunters.org website was created in 2010 to encourage amateur astronomers to identify planets outside our solar system, using data from the US space agency NASA's Kepler space telescope.

Kepler, launched in March 2009, is NASA's first mission in search of Earth-like planets orbiting stars similar to our Sun.

The discovery of PH1 was made available online Monday at the site arxiv.org and has been submitted to the Astrophysical Journal for publication.

"It still continues to astonish me how we can detect, let alone glean so much information, about another planet thousands of light-years away just by studying the light from its parent star," Jek said.

Last week scientists reported the discovery of a "diamond planet" twice the size of earth and orbiting a sun-like star.

Up to one-third of the planet's mass and much of its surface is believed to consist of diamonds, implying that distant rocky planets can no longer be assumed to have the same features as Earth
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Nicole Kidman to Be in London for Summer Olympics

2012-07-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

It's going to be hard for Nicole Kidman to lay low this summer. Us Weekly has learned that the Oscar-winning actress, 45, will be in London for most of the 2012 Summer Olympics, which kick off in the UK later this month.
Kidman is the spokeswoman for OMEGA Watches, the official timekeeper of the Olympics, and thus will be on hand in London for various promotional appearances. Husband Keith Urban -- and presumably their daughters Sunday, 3, and Faith, 19 months -- will be at her side.
PHOTOS: How Nicole's face has changed
Still, with hundreds of millions of TV viewers watching the games -- and hundreds and hundreds of reporters in town -- it may be difficult for Kidman to avoid at least a few questions about the Hollywood story of the summer: Her ex-husband Tom Cruise's still-developing divorce and custody battle with Katie Holmes, who filed papers last Thursday after nearly six years of marriage.
PHOTOS: Tom and Nicole's marriage
Kidman and Cruise, 50, divorced in 2001 after 11 years together, and share kids Isabella, 19, and Connor, 17.
PHOTOS: How Tom has barely aged
Much has been made of Kidman's supposed estrangement from her older children, with whom she has not been photographed in years. Several former members of the Church of Scientology claimed to the Hollywood Reporter that members of the organization deliberately turned Bella and Connor against their mother -- a charge a rep for the church vehemently denied.

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Give First Glimpse of Baby Samuel!

2012-07-06T14:02:00.002-07:00

INFphoto.com, Raef-Ramirez/AKM-GSI

Didn't think it was possible for the Garner-Affleck crew to get any more adorable!? Well, think again!
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck's brood, including daughters Violet and Seraphina and the most recent addition, baby Samuel, looked the epitome of the all-American family as they hit up a Fourth of July parade together in L.A.—and also gave the world its first peep at the new member, who was decked out head to toe in patriotic garb.
So who does he take after?
MORE: Jennifer Garner and Ben Affeck Welcome a Baby Boy!
We knew the gene pool was stacked in his favor, but this lucky tot appears to have been extra blessed with both his mom's famous pout and his dad's handsome profile.
Since his arrival four months ago, the close family has been keeping baby Samuel all to themselves, and it's no wonder why. One look at this cute boy and all we can think about is pinching those deliciously chubby cheeks!

New Iron Man 3 Teaser Art: Is Tony Stark Now a Mutant?!

2012-07-06T14:00:00.003-07:00

Look who's ready to suit up again!
Iron Man 3 doesn't hit theaters until next May, but we're already starting to see bits and pieces of what to expect from the Robert Downey Jr.–headlined flick.
It's what's we're not seeing in these teasers, though, that's got the geekverse abuzz.
Marvel has released an image of concept art from the flick that shows Downey's Tony Stark battling baddies in what appears to be an armored suit ermerging from his body.
MORE: Robert Downey Jr. Starts Filming Iron Man 3—Everything You Need to Know!
The pic, which was posted on The Avengers' Facebook page, depicts only sections of the suit on his left arm and left leg, with the rest of his armor MIA.
The image immediately reinforced fanboys' theories that the film's top-secret plot would indeed be based on the comic book's famous Extremis storyline, in which a scientist creates a drug that grants superhuman abilities to its subjects.
That, or Tony Stark was rushing to get dressed and forgot to strap on a few accessories. Hey, happens to all of us!
The flick already starting filming in late May with Gwyneth Paltrow, who reprises her Pepper Potts role, as well as potential new love interest Rebecca Hall. (Jessica Chastain reportedly had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.)

Guy Pearce is also on board as a geneticist named Aldrich Killian, who supposedly creates the Extremis serum.
As for the baddie, Ben Kingsley has signed on to play a supervillain, and although the studio has yet to confirm his identity, speculation is running high that he could take on the role of Mandarin, a wealthy scientist and martial-arts expert who draws his immense power from highly advanced alien technology.
Hopefully, some of those questions will get answered when Iron Man 3 hits Comic-Con on July 14 and invades the the San Diego Convention Center's vaunted Hall H.
The film arrives in theaters on May 3, 2013

Bikini Twitpic of the Day: Britney Spears Flaunts Her Amazing Body (and Her Adorable Kids)

2012-07-06T13:58:00.003-07:00

Britney Spears is one hot mama!
The 30-year-old X Factor judge showed off her incredible, toned figure Thursday in a super-cute Facebook shot. In the pic, Spears wears a tiny bikini and shares a laugh with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden James Federline.

"Getting ready for some pool time!" she writes. The trio is shown all in their bathing suits, but clearly still indoors. "Having a blast xxoo"
The pop star, her sons and fiancé Jason Trawick landed in Maui Sunday for a family vacation.
She definitely deserves some fun in the sun!

2012-07-06T13:55:00.002-07:00

Does this look familiar to you?
Well, if you follow any Jennifer Aniston media coverage, then it should. This über-sexy photo of the actress on the front of GQ Spain's July/August issue is recycled from a shoot done years ago.
READ: Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez Sound Off on Paparazzi in New Doc $ellebrity
The cover image is actually a photo taken from Vogue's December 2008 spread. Say whaaaa?!
We're not sure what prompted the magazine's decision to reuse an old shot. It's not like she looks any different from four years ago—which leads us back to questioning just how much Aniston spends a month for her beauty regimen, but then again, it could just be all the love in her life keeping her young.
Reps for the magazine did not respond to repeated calls seeking comment.
"I'll tell you what, I think the 40s are great," the Wanderlust star told the mag, and when you look like that, why wouldn't they be?!

Rihanna's Snake-Like Spread for Harper's Bazaar: Gotta Have It or Make It Stop?

2012-07-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Camilla Akrans/Harper's Bazaar

It took us about 10 minutes to figure out who this was.
At first we assumed she was a Cycle-2 contestant from America's Next Top Model who somehow snuck into a Harper's Bazaar shoot. It couldn't possibly be Rihanna.
After all, the girl is wearing clothes and Ri-Ri, as everybody now knows, hates clothes. She prefers scraps of cloth that may or may not cover her all up. Until today, we guess...

So, what can we tell you about the pop python, other than she likely shed this getup like a rattlesnake as soon as the cameras stopped clicking?
Well, the friendly, super-approachable folks at the magazine inform us thusly: The "Where Have You Been" singer is wearing a dress and boots by Tom Ford and a Repossi ear cuff.

Tom Cruise to File for Divorce After Letting Katie Holmes "Play the Media" First

2012-07-06T13:45:00.001-07:00

Tom Cruise has remained conspicuously silent throughout the mania surrounding his divorce from Katie Holmes, but that doesn't mean he isn't mapping out a legal game plan.
The star's lawyer, Bert Fields, has confirmed to the BBC that the 50-year-old is planning to file for divorce but, for the moment, has opted to let his estranged ex "play the media" before making any moves.
MORE: Inside Katie Holmes' New NYC Apartment!
"Tactically we can't say where Tom will file a divorce case and if he'll be seeking joint custody of Suri," Fields said.
He added that they've decided to let Holmes take the spotlight first before filing their own counter divorce case.
"We are letting 'the other side' play the media until they wear everyone out," Fields explained, "and then we'll have something to say."
Although it appears the couple could be gearing up for a contentious battle, with custody for 6-year-old Suri front and center, Fields reiterated that Cruise is disheartened by the turn of events.
"It's not Tom's style to do this publicly," Fields said. "He is really sad about what's happening."

Holmes, 33, filed for divorce on June 28 in New York City and is seeking sole custody of Suri. Speculation has been mounting that Cruise could file a counter divorce case in California and seek joint custody, but, per the BBC, Fields wouldn't confirm those reports.
The opening salvo for their legal showdown comes on July 17, when Holmes is set to appear in front of a family court judge in New York City for an order-to-show-cause hearing, allowing her to request a speedy temporary order before Cruise's legal team has a chance to respond.
In the meantime, Holmes has decamped to a posh downtown Manhattan apartment with Suri, and the two have been spotted out and about the city with pals.

San Diego Fireworks Fail: Everything Goes Off at Once, Show Over in 30 Seconds

2012-07-06T13:37:00.001-07:00

A bootleg fireworks fail on some random guy's street? You almost expect that on July 4. But the seventh-largest U.S. city screwing up? That's more noteworthy!

The July 4 fireworks show in San Diego ended abruptly after a malfunction on three barges in the city's coastal bay caused all the explosives to go off at the same time.
An extravaganza that was supposed to last 25-30 minutes was compressed into about that many seconds. Silver lining: those 25-30 seconds were awesome!!

San Diego Fireworks 2012

Zombie Theme Park: "Z World" Bound For Detroit?

2012-07-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

If entrepreneur Mark Siwak has anything to do with it, Detroit's economy may soon have new life breathed into it by ... the undead. How's that for irony?
He is hoping to bring a zombie theme park called "Z World" to the motor city.
"Z World" would be a massive, 200-acre theme park, a "survival ride" of sorts where people stay the night and try to fend off zombies. Good times!
If players are caught in the night, they would turn into zombies and go chase their friends, he says. So it's like zombie apocalypse meets laser tag.

From Rudy Eugene to Karl Laventure, zombies among us are all the rage these days. But would a park based around something like this be a real draw?
Siwak, who is trying to raise $140,000 to create "Z World," said that Detroit is a perfect fit as parts of it almost resemble a post-apocalyptic town.
Siwak said of the plan: "There are formal proposals to essentially abandon some Detroit neighborhoods. That's not a solution. We must be more creative than that."
"Let's start something fun and unique to revitalize an area and create jobs."
It's true, if you were going make a zombie theme park, Detroit seems like the place to do it ... plenty of vacant lots, and the real estate prices are a steal!
So far, Siwak doesn't have too many supporters, however. His fundraising page at indigogo has only raised $4,231, more than $135,000 short of his goal.

Woman Selling Soul on eBay For $2,000

2012-07-06T13:33:00.001-07:00

Selling everything from ghosts to haunted objects on eBay is nothing new, but an actual mortal soul is now up for bids at a relatively affordable cost if you want it.
A freelance writer by the name of Lori N. is currently selling hers on the online auction side for $2,000, a reasonable amount for something so potentially powerful.
According to Click On Detroit, Lori was in a car crash not too long ago, an accident that has had a very negative effect on her existence - mentally and physically.

She’s currently “at the end of her rope” and her body is a mess, she claims, and she’s just looking to make some money on what’s left of her soul. Understandable.
“What I’m going to deliver is the opportunity for someone to save my soul. They can save it through prayer, they can save it through conversion,” its owner says.
“And I’m also going to give them a certificate detailing the white and black marks on my soul,” which is listed as slightly used on eBay.
That's a relief … you don't want to get ripped off by some inauthentic soul.
Astonishingly, no one has bid yet, but have no fear, you still have until 12:52 Pacific time tomorrow to do market research and pull the trigger.

Tomas Lopez, Lifeguard Fired For Saving Man Outside His Coverage Zone, Offered Old Job Back

2012-07-06T13:31:00.003-07:00

Fired Florida lifeguard Tomas Lopez, who was let go earlier this week for saving a swimmer outside his jurisdiction, has been offered his old job back.
His response: Thanks but no thanks.
"It's another chapter in my life closed and I am just going to continue to get my schooling finished and get on with my career," Lopez told CNN.

The much-publicized incident took place at Hallandale Beach, north of Miami, on Monday, when Lopez instinctively went after a drowning man.
Lopez said the man had turned blue and "was having a lot of trouble breathing." He was outside Lopez's coverage zone, though, so he got fired.
The pink slip was handed down by Jeff Ellis Management Co., which says lifeguards are not insured outside the beach for which they are responsible.
Ellis told CNN on Thursday: "Clearly, he should not have been terminated for what had occurred. I know that he has tried to do the right thing."
"I have no doubts I did the right thing," Lopez, who said he knew the rules but acted anyway, told CNN in the aftermath of his pink slip.
"I believe I did what was right, and that if someone needs help you're going to go help them, regardless if you're a lifeguard or not."
Three other lifeguards quit in protest and two others were dismissed after saying they would have followed Tomas Lopez's example.
As for the drowning victim, a nurse on the beach assisted him until EMTs arrived. He is said to be in good condition as of Friday, CNN reports.

Britney Marshall, 14, Pressured By Mom to Get Breast Implants

2012-07-06T13:29:00.001-07:00

Britney Marshall, a 14-year-old from Nottinghamshire, England, is the youngest of five girls in her family ... and the only one without breast implants.
Her mother, Chantal Marshall, wants to change that.
The elder Marshall told the Sun (UK), "Britney is going through a funny phase at the moment and saying she doesn’t want to get her boobs done."
Marshall really wishes she would, she openly admits.

"At the moment she doesn’t really have what I would say are boobs. I’d like her to follow in her sisters’ footsteps... I really love the fake look of my girls."
"I know Britney will go that way when she’s a bit older."
Chantal and her four other daughters collectively own $50,000 worth of fake boobs, with sizes ranging from 32DD (Ripley, 21) to 34HH (Terri, 27).
But Britney Marshall is determined to stay au naturel... for now. It seems Britney's brothers provide an alternative perspective on the matter.
According to the Daily Mail, Chantal Marshall admitted, "Some of my sons think we’re crazy... They keep telling Britney she should be different."
Listen to your brothers, Britney. Please.

Myla Sinanaj: Pregnant! Kris Humphries the Father!

2012-07-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

In a sworn deposition late last month, as part of his divorce battle against Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries claimed he was always only friends with Myla Sinanaj.
But if that really was the case, it's very clear now: they were friends with benefits... because MYLA SINANAJ IS PREGNANT!!!

TMZ insiders closely associated with the New York City hotel employee tell the site that Sinanaj is three months along and Humphries is definitely the father. Forehead, meet palm.
Sinanaj allegedly started dating Humphries in January, only Kris has denied the relationship because he's trying to negate his prenup with Kardashian under the premise that he was left broken-hearted by a duplicitous reality star solely seeking a ratings bump.
It's sort of hard to argue that point when you knocked up a girlfriend within months of your split, isn't it?
Myla is also accused of blackmailing Humphries with information he shared with her about his marriage to Kim.
The Sinanaj source adds that Myla has every intention of carrying the pregnancy to term and does not want Humphries involved in the child's life. Oh, right, and then there's this: she hasn't even told him yet!
Surprise, Kris Humphries!

Jane Pitt, Brad Pitt's Mom, Writes Anti-Gay, Pro-Mitt Romney Editorial

2012-07-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

Brad Pitt has been a vocal advocate for gay rights, so it came as a bit of a surprise to learn that his mom write an editorial in her local Missouri newspaper that supports presidential candidate Mitt Romney's conservative views on homosexuality.
Springfield's News-Leader confirms that the author is Brad's mom.
Jane Pitt's letter was primarily penned to express support for Romney, in response to a previous News-Leader editorial urging readers to shun the Republican's bid to unseat President Barack Obama because of his Mormon beliefs.

In her response, which was published on Tuesday, she wrote:
"I think any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is Mormon."
"Anyone who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney’s opponent, Barack Hussein Obama - a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years and did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer."
Obama, she writes, is "a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage. I hope all Christians give their vote prayerful consideration because voting is a sacred privilege and a serious responsibility."
It was more pro-Romney and anti-Obama than anti-gay, but nevertheless, Jane Pitt makes her views on same-sex marriage and abortion clear.
In any case, it's a total 180 from the views shared by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who have been ardent proponents of gay marriage for years.
Last year, following the passage of marriage-equality laws in New York, Brad said, "No state should decide who can marry and who cannot."
"Thanks to the tireless work of so many, someday soon this discrimination will end and every American will be able to enjoy their equal right."

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez: Sort of Still Together!

2012-07-05T14:37:00.002-07:00

They may be going on private helicopter flights, but might the relationship between Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez soon be grounded for good?
According to TMZ insiders, none of whom is named or extensively quoted, Justin and Selena have been unstable for quite some time now. Their status is described as "unstable," by the website, which claims the young superstars have continually split and reconciled over the past few weeks.

Having been dating for 18 months, Bieber and Gomez are together at the moment, the source adds, but it's a tenuous situation and their relationship could crumble at any time.
Rumors of a break-up first cropped up in May, following a mysterious Bieber Tweet.
While we have no confirmation in either direction, both halves of the couple have certainly been busy of late. Bieber is flying around the country, performing and promoting his new album, while Gomez recently talked of going on tour some time in the future.
Might such busy schedules simply be too much of a burden for the adorable duo these days? We'll update this pressing story as information comes in.

San Diego Fireworks Fail: Everything Goes Off at Once, Show Over in 30 Seconds

2012-07-05T14:35:00.001-07:00

A bootleg fireworks fail on some random guy's street? You almost expect that on July 4. But the seventh-largest U.S. city screwing up? That's more noteworthy!

San Diego Fireworks 2012

Megan Rapinoe, U.S. Soccer Star, Goes on Record: "I'm Gay"

2012-07-05T14:34:00.001-07:00

First, Anderson Cooper. Then, Frank Ocean. Now... Megan Rapinoe.
In the latest issue of Out, the U.S. soccer star says she's never hidden her sexuality, but she's never made it official, either. Until now. Simply put, Rapinoe tells the publication:
"For the record: I am gay."

A midfielder for the Seattle Sounders Women, Rapinoe is preparing for the Summer Olympics in London and makes it clear she understands her responsibility now as a role model.
"I feel like sports in general are still homophobic, in the sense that not a lot of people are out. I feel everyone is really craving [for] people to come out. People want - they need - to see that there are people like me playing soccer for the good ol' U.S. of A."
Rapinoe has been dating an Australian soccer player for about three years.

Happy 66th Birthday, Bikini!

2012-07-05T14:33:00.001-07:00

While two-piece swimwear had been around since the early 20th Century, the bikini was officially introduced July 5, 1946. The world? Never the same after that.
We can all thank a Frenchman named Louis Reard, whose idea was to fashion a garment, using as little fabric as possible, that could still be legally worn in public.
As our gallery of celebrity bikini photos shows, his dream lives on to this day.

A French sunbather tries on the bikini in the mid-1940s.

The rest, as they say, is history. Today, 66 years later, his invention is so indoctrinated into the very fabric of our culture that we even have the bikini onesie.
Other July 5 birthdays: Megan Rapinoe (27), Eva Green (32), Huey Lewis (62) and Jersey Shore's Pauly D (32), who surely appreciates sharing his with the bikini.
Here are some classic bikinis through the years. Well, the last couple of years, because unlike the marvelous two-piece, THG is still in its relative infancy:

The Amazing Spider-Man Spins Web of Holiday Cash at Box Office

2012-07-05T14:32:00.001-07:00

The Amazing Spider-Man spun out $23.4 million yesterday alone, combing with Tuesday's total for an overall box office haul so far of $59.3 million. It's on track to gross over $125 million in its first six days of release.

The Amazing Spider-Man Trailer

Where does this figure rank in history?
Yesterday's tally goes down as the second-best showing ever on the Fourth of July, trailing only the original Transformers, which banked $29.1 million on the same Wednesday in 2007.
With mostly positive reviews and a very favorable CineScore from fans, it's pretty clear that The Amazing Spider-Man will turn Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone into official Hollywood A-listers.

Prince William: Knighted in Scotland! July 5, 2012 4:33 PM by Free Britney With the lovely, supportive Kate Middleton by his side, Prince William was knighted as a member of the Order of the Thistle in Scotland on Thursday. He received the title from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II – the highest honor she can bestow in Scotland – around his 30th birthday last month. In a nod to her Scottish title, the Countess of Strathearn, Kate Middleton wore a soft yellow coat dress specially made for her by Emilia Wickstead. Prince William KnightedKate Middleton, Yellow Coat Dress Kate and William fell in love at St. Andrews University, just outside the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, where the grand ceremony took place at St. Giles Cathedral. A pipe band heralded the beginning of the festivities before the royals arrived. Kate had a few words and a smile with a church official and was then escorted in. No reports of the Queen hating on her today, so that's good. Prince William then joined other members of the Order of the Thistle. After several minutes, he walked to the cathedral alongside his aunt, Princess Anne. Like the other knights, including the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, he wore a deep-green velvet cloak and matching hat adorned with a white ostrich feather. This is actually William's second honorary knighthood. He was invested in the Order of the Garter at Windsor Castle in 2008. Congratulations to the royal! [Photos: WENN.com] Tags: Prince William, Kate Middleton 0 Katie Holmes Elle Cover Story: Signs of Tom Cruise Split? July 5, 2012 4:05 PM by Free Britney Katie Holmes covers the new issue of Elle, and you can't help but read into some of her quotes knowing she was about to file for divorce from Tom Cruise. Perhaps most notably: "I definitely feel much more comfortable in my own skin," the actress, 33, says of having progressed in her 30s. "I feel sexier." She goes on, "I think in my twenties – it’s like you’re trying too hard to figure everything out ... I’m starting to come into my own. It’s like a new phase." Katie Holmes Elle On the subject of being Mrs. Tom Cruise, which she apparently had enough of just weeks after giving this interview, she also hints at the breakup. "He has been Tom Cruise for 30 years," she says. "I know who I am and where I am and where I want to go, so I want to focus on that." As for his impact on her own career: "Things are not handed to anyone. If anything, you work a little bit harder when you’re in such visible circumstances." Who knows if it means anything, but the NY Post says Katie did not enjoy speaking about Tom, who allegedly begged for reconciliation and is very bitter at her. “Katie didn’t speak about Tom in a lovey-dovey way at all" in the interview. "She deflected the Tom questions and brought them around to herself.” Reading between the lines or just coincidence? You be the judge. Katie Holmes Elle Photo Tags: Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Celebrity Fashion 0 Nina Dobrev Raps About Devotion to Suntan Lotion July 5, 2012 3:30 PM by Hilton Hater As the temperatures climb around the United States, Nina Dobrev and Nick Braun have a very important message for Internet users: don't forget about suntan lotion. Yo. Indeed, The Vampire Diaries star and The Perks of Being a Wallflower actor are featured in a new Funny or Die video, rapping about the positives of SPF and reminding viewers to smear as much on as possible before soaking up any rays. It's both a funny and a pertinent point. Watch now: Nina Dobrev for Funny or Die Rap: SPF Rules! The Vampire Diaries Season 4 kicks off in October, while The Perks of Being a Wallflower opens on September 21. Tags: Nina Dobrev 0 Kate Upton Too Fat, Loser Website Claims

2012-07-05T14:31:00.001-07:00

Kate Upton has gained a massive following due to her sexy curves, but surprisingly, her famous figure has landed her a number of harsh critics as well.
Modeling's newest "it" girl is a frequent punching bag of the website SkinnyGossip (dot) com, which has been linked to promoting anorexia in the past.
We thought people liked curvy models in general, but this worthless site features a list of "Starving Tip[s] of the Day" aimed at impressionable girls.
No wonder Kate Upton has become its mortal enemy.

SkinnyGossip refers to Kate with terms such as "thick," "lardy," "squishy brick," "pregnant," "well-marbled" and even "cannibal" (for her Carl's Jr. ad).
An anti-Upton post on the site reads:
"Is this what American women are 'striving' for? The lazy, lardy look? Have we really gotten so fat in this country that Kate is the best we can aim for?"
Victoria's Secret casting director Sophia Neophitou also had some harsh words for the model and her voluptuousness, telling the New York Times:
"We would never use her. She's like a Page 3 girl. She's like a footballer's wife, with the too-blond hair and that kind of face that anyone with enough money can buy."
Fortunately, this awfulness hasn't seemed to faze the 20-year-old ... or millions of male admirers salivating over Kate Upton photos of her Cat Daddy video.

Nina Dobrev Raps About Devotion to Suntan Lotion

2012-07-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

As the temperatures climb around the United States, Nina Dobrev and Nick Braun have a very important message for Internet users: don't forget about suntan lotion.
Yo.
Indeed, The Vampire Diaries star and The Perks of Being a Wallflower actor are featured in a new Funny or Die video, rapping about the positives of SPF and reminding viewers to smear as much on as possible before soaking up any rays.
It's both a funny and a pertinent point. Watch now:

Nina Dobrev for Funny or Die Rap: SPF Rules!

The Vampire Diaries Season 4 kicks off in October, while The Perks of Being a Wallflower opens on September 21.

Katie Holmes Elle Cover Story: Signs of Tom Cruise Split?

2012-07-05T14:28:00.001-07:00

Katie Holmes covers the new issue of Elle, and you can't help but read into some of her quotes knowing she was about to file for divorce from Tom Cruise.
Perhaps most notably: "I definitely feel much more comfortable in my own skin," the actress, 33, says of having progressed in her 30s. "I feel sexier."
She goes on, "I think in my twenties – it’s like you’re trying too hard to figure everything out ... I’m starting to come into my own. It’s like a new phase."

On the subject of being Mrs. Tom Cruise, which she apparently had enough of just weeks after giving this interview, she also hints at the breakup.
"He has been Tom Cruise for 30 years," she says. "I know who I am and where I am and where I want to go, so I want to focus on that."
As for his impact on her own career: "Things are not handed to anyone. If anything, you work a little bit harder when you’re in such visible circumstances."
Who knows if it means anything, but the NY Post says Katie did not enjoy speaking about Tom, who allegedly begged for reconciliation and is very bitter at her.
“Katie didn’t speak about Tom in a lovey-dovey way at all" in the interview. "She deflected the Tom questions and brought them around to herself.”
Reading between the lines or just coincidence? You be the judge.

Prince William: Knighted in Scotland!

2012-07-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

With the lovely, supportive Kate Middleton by his side, Prince William was knighted as a member of the Order of the Thistle in Scotland on Thursday.
He received the title from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II – the highest honor she can bestow in Scotland – around his 30th birthday last month.
In a nod to her Scottish title, the Countess of Strathearn, Kate Middleton wore a soft yellow coat dress specially made for her by Emilia Wickstead.

Kate and William fell in love at St. Andrews University, just outside the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, where the grand ceremony took place at St. Giles Cathedral.
A pipe band heralded the beginning of the festivities before the royals arrived. Kate had a few words and a smile with a church official and was then escorted in.
No reports of the Queen hating on her today, so that's good.
Prince William then joined other members of the Order of the Thistle. After several minutes, he walked to the cathedral alongside his aunt, Princess Anne.
Like the other knights, including the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, he wore a deep-green velvet cloak and matching hat adorned with a white ostrich feather.
This is actually William's second honorary knighthood. He was invested in the Order of the Garter at Windsor Castle in 2008. Congratulations to the royal!

Lindsay Lohan for Marc Ecko

2012-07-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hot on the heels of yet another failed drug test, this may be the last we see of La Lohan for a very long time. Why artists and brands still collaborate on projects with the celeb junkie is beyond question, but when you think of just how much interest and publicity ‘fire crotch’ attracts, it seems an obvious choice.

After hitting the fashion rounds throughout 2009 with her own leggings line (did that actually take off?) and then teaming up with Emanuel Ungaro to a less than stellar reception it seems that NY streetwear designer Marc Ecko wants nothing more than to give the Mean Girl another chance. Maybe he’s regretting that now, after news broke over the weekend that the recently released jail birdette failed yet another la coca test!

With his grown man Cut and Sew line, Marc Ecko steers well clear of his hip hop urban past, shelving his oversized denims and flashy sports tops in favour of pea coats and cardigans. Touted as a collection ‘for those that want to start dressing a little more serious but still maintain their youthful edge’, Ecko ropes in Lohan as his muse. I’m guessing one look at Lindsay’s ample knockers, fellas will be running for the racks to rock Marc’s classier cuts.

Ecko’s decision to bring Lilo on board as muse is simple. She evokes emotion and creates a buzz that we all love to hate and hate to love. She creates an aura of mystic especially as a sex symbol – luring men to their knees, while bedding women and proudly announcing her lesbian affairs. You go guuurl! As Marc states ‘she manages to create a sense; something you can touch and feel. For better or worse, Lindsay does that to us. She provokes our emotional state. By her design, or our own doing. Her gestures, words and gaze have a way of getting us all worked up. To me, that is what it means to muse’.

Not sure if I’m entirely convinced, but as someone who is continually intrigued by this misfit of mis-guideness, the entire multi media campaign is a brilliant manipulation in creating an excitement for a brand that has little to do with a drug addicted startlet.