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2011-09-15T07:16:00.001-07:00

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FBI Investigating Scarlett Johansson Photos

Posted: 14 Sep 2011 01:09 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into who may be responsible for leaking private photos hacked from the cell phone of actress Scarlett Johansson.

The two photos depict Johansson in various stages of undress. An FBI official told Fox News, "The FBI is aware of the alleged hacking incident and is looking into it."

Fox News also reports that the FBI is already investigating whether other celebrities, including Vanessa Hudgens and Jessica Alba, had their email accounts hacked. According to TMZ, Hudgens met with law enforcement earlier this year about the hacking.

This is far from the first time a celebrity has had his or her privacy violated. Several years ago, ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was the target of a stalker who secretly videotaped her in her hotel room. That man, Michael Barrett, was later found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in prison.

The cell phone hacking of Hugh Grant also caused a major uproar. Reporters for the now defunct British tabloid News of the World hacked into the film star's cell phone to listen to private messages. Grant had the last laugh when he secretly tape recorded one of the reporters admitting to the crime.

Not surprisingly, this latest scandal is causing an uproar on the Web. Over the past several hours, online searches for "scarlett johansson" and "scarlett johansson fbi" have both soared into breakout status.

Breaking News: Kardashians Mocked

Posted: 14 Sep 2011 10:36 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

News anchors are supposed to read the news, not make it. But we're more than happy to make an exception for two reporters from Philadelphia's Fox 29 morning show, "Good Day."

After interviewing Kim and Kourtney Kardashian on the air, Mike Jerrick and Sheinelle Jones thought the cameras had stopped rolling. They hadn't.

As soon as they said their goodbyes to the Kardashians, who were promoting a line of clothes, the anchors began making fun of the two sisters. "Can they still hear us?" asks Jerrick. He then proceeds to mock the reality stars for their high-pitched voices and affinity for shoulder pads.

Jones half-heartedly attempts to defend the sisters, saying "I think they're stunning." But even she can't keep a straight face as her cohort continues speaking in a nasally Kardashian-like voice, a bit like a Smurf who sucked helium.

Yes, yes, we know. Making fun of others is wrong. Except when it's the Kardashians. Then it's hilarious. Enjoy!

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2011-09-14T07:26:00.001-07:00

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Justin Bieber Wears Women's Jeans

Posted: 13 Sep 2011 11:33 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Justin Bieber wears what's comfortable -- it's as simple as that. The pop sensation rocked the red carpet at Dolce & Gabbana's Fashion's Night Out event in New York City, where he spoke aobut his own fashion choices, including women's jeans.

Bieber spoke to Life & Style magazine about his affinity for ladies' jeans. "I've worn women's jeans before because they fit me. It's not a trend; it's just, whatever works, works." Again, Justin says this isn't a trend, so if everybody starts wearing Not Your Daughter's Jeans, don't blame him.

Bieber was responding to a question about Kanye West's decision to wear a women's sweater. "It wasn't (so he'd) look like a woman in a sweater; it was just a regular sweater that happened to be a woman's."

An article from the Yahoo! Contributor Network points out that Justin and Kanye aren't the only male stars to wear women's duds. Actress Liv Tyler has caught her dad, Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler, wearing her threads. Same deal with Zoe Kravitz of "X-Men: First Class" fame. Her papa, Lenny Kravitz, has been known to raid her closet.

The Biebs is no stranger to nontraditional styles, though he's not going to cross into Lady Gaga "meat dress" territory. At the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, Justin rocked an Elvis-like glittery gold dinner jacket. He's worn leopard-print shoes, oddly oversized glasses, and white leather with rhinestones (always a bold choice). And don't forget the women's jeans. You got a problem with that?

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2011-09-12T07:48:00.001-07:00

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Obama Speaks on 9/11 Legacy
Let's Hear It for New York
Participating in the National Day of Service

Obama Speaks on 9/11 Legacy

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 06:20 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

President Obama spoke for several minutes from the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He used the occasion to remember and honor those who died in the attacks as well as the two million Americans who have gone to war over the past ten years ago.

Obama remarked that Americans have been defended by those who choose to serve in our armed forces. He also commented that while the wages of war are great, war is never glorious. Even the bravest fighters die in battle, and those who return suffer terrible scars, both physical and emotional.

The President also spoke about "quiet heroism." Those Americans who rebuilt their businesses following the attacks. The burn victims who bounce back. And the families who press on.

Obama mentioned a woman, Suzanne Swaine, who lost her husband on 9/11. She wrote him a letter in which she lamented that she and her daughters were robbed of so many moments. But after "ten years of raising girls" on her own, she couldn't be more proud of their spirit and resilience.

Finally, Obama spoke about what it means to be the United States of America, with an emphasis on the word "united." "These past ten years," the President said, "underscores the bonds between all Americans... nothing can break the will of a truly United States of America."

Let's Hear It for New York

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 11:26 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

"Never forgotten. Forever grateful." To help honor the victims and heroes of Sept. 11, director Spike Lee filmed a unique and moving tribute to the New York Fire Department.

Lee, working with State Farm, filmed roughly 150 children from New York serenading members of the FDNY to the tune of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's smash hit "Empire State of Mind."

This version was conducted by James Davis Jr. The ad aired during the Eagles-Rams NFL game and is sure to go viral.

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can't do,
Now you're in New York!
These streets will make you feel brand new,
The lights will inspire you,
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York.

Proceeds for the song, which you can buy on iTunes, go toward the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Participating in the National Day of Service

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 10:12 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

On the tenth anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks in American history, memorial ceremonies, speeches, and dedications remind people of what was lost. Amid the grieving and reflection, many remember that today is also the National Day of Service.

The idea came about in 2002. The families and loved ones of the victims sought to honor the sacrifices of all those who perished in the attacks on September 11, 2001, and to help instill a sense of ongoing unity in the American people, who are too often divided by politics, race, and religion.

Serve.gov writes, "The September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance was established into law by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009, and is consistent with President Obama's overall call to service, United We Serve."

There are many ways in which Americans can and do participate. Some conduct food drives, others help educate about disaster preparedness, and others collect items for care packages for soldiers. Inspiring people to work together toward the country's greater good is what the movement strives to accomplish.

The site 911day.org allows visitors to share their plans on what they plan to do on 9/11. Prayer, forgiveness, and unity are common themes. One person writes, "I will donate blood in honor of those lost on 9/11." Web searches for "national day of service" and "donate blood" are both soaring.

In Miami, volunteers worked with members of the Miami Dolphins football team to send care packages to troops serving overseas. In Louisville, Kentucky, volunteers worked on a landscaping project for a local firehouse. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said, "We show compassion through service and the work you all are doing with Service for Peace and National Day of Service is a model for everybody."

For ideas on how to get involved locally, check out Serve.gov.

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2011-09-11T07:14:00.001-07:00

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Remembering George Howard

Posted: 10 Sep 2011 01:51 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

After the attacks on 9/11, "Never Forget" became a kind of slogan, a way to honor the victims and heroes of that horrific day. President George W. Bush took that sentiment to heart.

Following the aftermath of the attacks, Bush met with families of the victims. One woman, Arlene Howard, approached the president and gave him a police badge. The badge belonged to her son, George Howard, who was an officer for the Port Authority Police Department in New York City.

CNN conducted an interview with Eric Draper, the official White House photographer during Bush's presidency. The badge meant a great deal to Bush. Draper remarked, "He would always carry it and pull it out to remind people and to remind himself about what happened that day." During an address to Congress ten days after the attack, Bush held up Badge 1012 as a symbol for all those who lost their lives.

Bush remarked: "And I will carry this. It is the police shield of a man named George Howard, who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others. It was given to me by his mom, Arlene, as a proud memorial to her son. This is my reminder of lives that ended, and a task that does not end..."

The official site of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association hosts a memorial to Officer Howard. He wasn't officially working on September 11, 2001. He had the day off, but heard about the attacks and immediately went down to the World Trade Center to help in any way that he could.

This wasn't the first time Howard responded to an emergency at the World Trade Center. When the site was bombed in 1993, Officer Howard responded and was credited with saving several lives. He was off duty on that day, as well.

Officer Howard was 44 at the time of his death.

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2011-09-10T07:56:00.001-07:00

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The Events of 9/11 Anniversary
How to Look Like a 'Warrior'
'Back to the Future' Shoes Cause Web Frenzy

The Events of 9/11 Anniversary

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 03:17 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The somber occasion will be commemorated in a variety of ways across the United States. Below are some of the biggest events scheduled and who will attend.

President Barack Obama will have a busy day, visiting Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. He is also scheduled to attend an interfaith prayer service at Washington's National Cathedral.

The city of New York's official site hosts a list of events taking place in the Big Apple. Among the most high-profile will be the opening of the Sept. 11 memorial at the site of the former World Trade Center in Manhattan.

On Sunday night, the National Geographic channel will air an interview with hen-President George W. Bush. The interview will feature both personal insights from Bush as well as archival footage from the chaotic and terrible day.

The memorial at the Pentagon will be closed most of Sunday for private visitation for surviviors and families of those killed in the attack on the nation's capital. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will deliver a speech at the memorial Sunday morning and President Barack Obama will lay a wreath on the memorial Sunday afternoon."

Near Shanksville, where United 93 crashed in an empty field, a new memorial will be opened Saturday. According to WTAE, "Every detail is designed to remember those who lost their lives, from the 17-ton boulder placed in the exact spot where the plane crashed, to the black concrete walkway shaped like wings, to the benches which mimic the metals of the plane." Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to attend the memorial's dedication, as are Obama and Bush.

How to Look Like a 'Warrior'

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 12:26 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Want to feel like a wimp? Then, by all means, go see "Warrior." The fight flick focuses on what it takes to survive in the brutal world of mixed martial arts. Spoiler alert: It's not easy.

Tom Hardy ("Inception," "The Dark Knight Returns") and Joel Edgerton ("Animal Kingdom," "The Thing") play brothers who clash in the ring. Both actors went through rigorous training sessions to get into shape for their roles.

This isn't lost on the masses. Over the past week, web searches on "warrior workout" have jumped an astonishing 700%. People clearly want to look like the stars -- but that might change once the masses hear about what Hardy and Edgerton went through to look like, well, warriors. Here's the scoop.

Edgerton was asked to gain 20 pounds of muscle for his role. Hardy put on 28. How'd they do it? According to the film's press notes, Edgerton described his training as a patchwork of "physical, mental, and emotional." Before filming, both actors went through a ten-week training process. Meals were restricted and focused on high protein.

While both actors ended up looking ripped, their training regimes were quite different. The film's producers wanted Hardy to be more of a raging bull in the fights. So, Hardy focuses much more on heavy weightlifting with the goal of bulking up in sheer size.

Hardy, who was apparently not into athletics prior to this role, had his days structured as follows: "Two hours of boxing, followed by two hours of kickboxing and Muay Thai, followed by two hours of choreography, and finally two hours of lifting." Edgerton, meanwhile, plays the underdog. With his smaller size, he relies on finesse, jiu-jitsu, and "slick maneuvers." Both actors had stunt doubles, but Hardy and Edgerton completed about 85% of the fight work.

The training was, of course, necessary. Not only to sell the action as believable to audiences, but to also protect the actors who went up against some of the best fighters in the world, including Kurt Angle, while filming. True, the actual fights weren't real, but even when staging a brawl with a professional mauler, you better know how to sell a punch, and even more importantly, duck.

'Back to the Future' Shoes Cause Web Frenzy

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 10:58 AM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Remember those imaginary supercool, self-lacing shoes worn by Marty McFly in "Back to the Future II"? Well, the future is now: Nike has created its own version of the shoes and is auctioning off 1,500 pairs of the special-edition sneaker on eBay. Proceeds will benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Plus, the proceeds will be matched, effectively doubling the amount that will go toward Parkinson's research.

Michael J. Fox, who has the disease and who memorably played Marty McFly in the franchise, appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman" to get the word out and to show off the cool Nike kicks.

The actor said, "This brings together three populations of people with major joneses. The sneakerheads, the 'Back to the Future' guys, who, believe me, are out of their minds -- in a good way! Thank God for them. And also people in the Parkinson's community who have an interest in research." Not to mention people with a jones for Fox himself.

The Nike press release calls the Nike Mag an "exact match" to the shoes in the movie, "down to the contours of the upper, the glowing LED panel and the electroluminescent NIKE in the strap." These shoes don't appear to have laces, but aside from that detail, they come pretty close to the original pair. The press release notes, "The 2011 NIKE MAG illuminates with the pinch of the 'ear' of the high top, glowing for five hours per charge." As PC World put it, "at least they look cool."

The site will offer 150 pairs of shoes a day at nikemag.ebay.com through Sept. 18. Fans should know these shoes don't come cheap. The first pair sold for a whopping $37,500. TMZ reports that the winning bidder turns out to be Tinie Tempah, a 22-year-old British rapper.

Word of the Nike Mag auction immediately sent searches on Yahoo! soaring on "michael j fox" and "marty mcfly shoes."

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2011-09-09T08:21:00.001-07:00

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'Biggest Loser' Contestant in Critical Condition After Fall

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 10:52 AM PDT

by Michael Krumboltz

Gossip blog TMZ is reporting that Sam Poueu, a contestant from the ninth season of "The Biggest Loser," is in critical condition in a San Francisco hospital after falling several stories from a building a few days ago.

Poueu, who didn't win on "The Biggest Loser" but was a fan favorite and lost 142 pounds during his run, is currently recovering in the intensive-care unit. TMZ writes that, according to sources, Poueu "suffered a pelvic injury, torn ligaments, a punctured lung, and a broken leg during the accident." The circumstances behind the fall remain unclear.

Immediately following TMZ's report, Web searches on the reality star shot up over 1,000 percent. Related lookups on "sam poueu accident" and "sam poueu in icu" also posted significant gains.

Less than a year ago, Poueu was in the news for much happier reasons when he became engaged to fellow "Biggest Loser" star Stephanie Anderson. Anderson lost nearly 100 pounds while on the show.

Ashley Johnson, another contestant on "The Biggest Loser," wrote an update on Sam's condition on Facebook. "Sam Poueu is making great improvements everyday! God is answering our prayers and Sam is fighting! Please keep the prayers coming. He is still in critical condition, but is fighting like hell and is impressing the Doctors like he impressed all of us on the Biggest Loser!"

Poueu's cousin, Koli Palu, who competed with him on the show, also gave a heartening update, according to The Hollywood Gossip. "Sam Poueu has made serious improvement in the last few hours. He has become very responsive to [fiancee] Stephanie Anderson and his Mother, squeezing their hands and kicking his feet. The head trauma has pretty much stabilized. He still has a long way to go but thank you so much for your love and prayers."

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2011-09-08T07:44:00.001-07:00

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Model Sues "The Price Is Right"

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 12:52 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

The longest-tenured model for "The Price Is Right" has filed a lawsuit claiming she was sexually harassed by two producers for the game show, Michael G. Richards and Adam Sandler (not the actors with the same names).

When model Lanisha Cole left the show in 2010, she was a "fan favorite," whose job was to reveal actual prices of household items to the viewing audience and contestants. But she alleges that backstage, for about a year, she endured very ugly treatment.

The 20-page civil complaint includes wrongful termination, wrongful sexual harassment, failure to take steps to prevent harassment, false imprisonment, and infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit states that Cole began working for the popular game show back in 2003, and enjoyed her job for years. All that changed in 2009, when Richards took an interest in another model and began to favor her -- and shun Cole. The suit claims that her work on the show was limited using policies "which never before existed."

Cole also details an incident where Sandler entered her dressing room without knocking -- despite a sign posted to do so -- and berated the model for not wearing a microphone -- when she was wearing barely any clothes. Cole's attorney said of the account, "Sandler deliberately humiliated Ms. Cole in front of her peers."

Cole's attorney, Solomon Gresen, said in a statement, "This case is about senior-level men in the entertainment industry exploiting power and control over women by bullying and harassing female talent." He added, "Ms. Cole did nothing to provoke Richards and Sandler. Once the harassment began, she was powerless to stop it."

Cole complained about her harassment only after being called into a meeting regarding alleged harassment of another model. When the Pasadena native filed her suit, she was told she was "holding the show hostage," and she eventually left the show.

Host Drew Carey is not named in the lawsuit or blamed in any way. Cole is seeking a jury trial, and monetary compensation to cover her medical and legal expenses and loss of earnings. "The Price Is Right" has been served with multiple sexual harassment lawsuits over the years. The show has not yet commented.

Amanda Knox Appeal Gets Hope

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 12:20 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Is the incarceration of Amanda Knox coming to an end?

The American college student and her then boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty of murdering Meredith Kercher in 2007. Knox has long proclaimed her innocence. Now, after years in prison and countless court appearances, an Italian prosecutor says Knox and Sollecito are likely to be acquitted.

According to the U.K.'s Telegraph, "court appointed experts have criticised the way the original forensic investigation was carried out by police." Knox won a recent victory in court, when the prosecutors' request to conduct further examinations on DNA evidence was denied. Long story short, independent experts are saying that some of the DNA evidence against Knox should not have been admitted as evidence.

This doesn't necessarily mean that Knox will be freed, but it does give the jailed 24-year-old hope. Her days behind bars may come to an end if judges see things her way in the appeal. Below, a brief history of the case that has kept millions transfixed for years.

The crime: Knox, Sollecito, and a third man, Rudy Guede, were accused and jailed for the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher. Kercher, who was from England, was stabbed to death in the Italian house she shared with Knox. She was also sexually assaulted.

The rumors: Following the crime, rumors began to swirl that Knox may have been on drugs when the crime transpired or that the crime was some sort of sexual act gone horribly wrong. Many in the media took to referring to Amanda as Foxy Knoxy. Some people, including Knox's parents, felt that this nickname painted Amanda as some sort of seductress and helped convict her.

The evidence: Much of the case hinged on DNA that was taken from a 12-inch knife found at the murder scene. Kercher's DNA was found on the blade, and Knox's DNA was found on the handle. A recent review found that much of that DNA was unreliable and may have been contaminated by sloppy police work. That's good news for Knox.

The frenzy: Ever since the murder was reported, Web searches have been incredibly high. Even now, four years later, online interest in Knox remains huge. Over the past 24 hours, searches on "amanda knox" and "amanda knox trial" have both roared to huge gains. Not surprisingly, "foxy knoxy pictures" are also popular.

What's next: The closing arguments on the appeal are set to start later this month, on Sept. 23. Perhaps shortly thereafter, there will be real closure for all involved.

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2011-09-07T07:14:00.001-07:00

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Stars' Cheerleading Starts

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 02:47 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Both are Oscar-winning actresses in their mid-40s. Both have gone through bad breakups. And both are stunningly beautiful. But Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry have something else in common that may be a surprise: The two started off as cheerleaders. And we've got the pictures to prove it.

Click here for photos of celebs with cheerleading pasts.

Before the A-listers were screen divas, the two rocked the pom poms, and in Halle's case, the splits. Photographs unearthed from these actors' pasts shows they certainly showed talent -- even back in their teens.

Another odd coincidence: Both women have won Academy Awards, as well as Razzies for worst performances (Berry for "Catwoman" and Bullock for "All About Steve"). Again, the two showed their cheerful sides, appearing in person to collect their infamous "worst actress" raspberry-shaped awards.

Sandra Bullock
Bullock won an Oscar for her role as an inspirational figure on the sidelines of the high school football field in "The Blind Side." In real life, she cheered for her high school team at Washington Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, back in 1982.

The funny gal got noticed with spirited parts in movies like "Speed" and "Miss Congeniality," but received her Oscar in a dramatic role.

These days, the 47-year-old seems to be featured more in the tabloids than in movies, currently for her rumored relationship with sexy "Proposal" co-star Ryan Reynolds (which she denies).

Bullock also surfaces in photos with her 19-month-old son, Louis Bardo, whom she is raising alone after splitting from her husband Jesse James in 2010. Bullock will be back on the big screen soon with the upcoming movies "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" and "Gravity."

Halle Berry
Halle Berry seems to defy gravity in her high school cheerleading pic. Even back in 1980, the peppy teen wowed people at her Heskett Junior High School in Bedford, Ohio, with the splits.

The Oscar winner has shown athleticism in many roles, from her turn as a Bond babe in "Die Another Day" to playing the mutant Storm in "X-Men." The Leo recently set the Web on fire with her beach bikini pics at her 45th birthday party.

The actress divorced actor Eric Benet, then got involved with French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry. The pair split in 2010. The two have a daughter, Nahla Ariela Aubrywith.

The three-year-old, who has been the subject of a bitter custody dispute, will be accompanying her mom to Glasgow, Scotland for the filming of "Cloud Atlas," co-starring Natalie Portman and Tom Hanks. Watch for the star's upcoming flicks, "Dark Turn" and "New Year's Eve."

Marcy Borders: One Decade Later

Posted: 06 Sep 2011 12:40 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

The attacks on 9/11 changed the lives of billions -- and few more so than Marcy Borders. Soon after the World Trade Center attacks, Borders was photographed covered in dust and ash from the fallout. The photo, taken by Stan Honda of AFP, was one of the iconic images from that terrible day.

Borders has been through a lot in the 10 years since. There have been problems with depression and substance abuse, as well as lingering nightmares about Sept. 11. She recently spoke with the New York Post about her life's ups and downs over the past decade.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Borders had been working at her new bank job for just a month. The planes hit the World Trade Center, and a panicked Borders left her desk on the 81st floor of the north tower to go out into the street to see what was happening.

Just as she got to the street, the south tower fell, and Borders couldn't see much of anything. "I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. The world went silent," she remarked. Eventually, someone pulled her into a building's lobby, where a photographer captured the haunting photo of her surrounded by harsh yellowish dust. According to the U.K.'s Telegraph, Borders still has the clothes she wore that day, "still unwashed and coated in the dust of the twin towers."

In her talk with the Post, Borders details some of the difficulties she's faced since then: "My life spiraled out of control. I didn't do a day's work in nearly 10 years, and by 2011 I was a complete mess. Every time I saw an aircraft, I panicked. If I saw a man on a building, I was convinced he was going to shoot me."

This past April, she checked herself into rehab, after realizing that she would die if she stayed on her current path. A little more than a week later, she got the news that Osama bin Laden had been killed by American forces. The news, along with her new clean and sober lifestyle, did a lot to help silence her inner demons. "I used to lose sleep over him, have bad dreams about bin Laden bombing my house, but now I have peace of mind."

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2011-09-02T07:08:00.001-07:00

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After Labor Day, OK to Wear White?
Troubled Bridge Underwater: Video Captures Covered-Bridge Collapse
Nooooo!: Lucas Makes More Changes to Original Trilogy

After Labor Day, OK to Wear White?

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 01:02 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

As sure as temperatures cool and leaves start to change color, the question arises: Should the white wardrobe be stored along with bathing suits and sun hats?

Traditionally, in the Northeast, a dress code was firm: The summer whites came out after Memorial Day and went away after Labor Day. Fashion historian Bronwyn Cosgrave remembers how, growing up, "You had this short season to wear white."

But in the age of Lady Gaga, anything seems to go. (We're looking at you, meat dress.) And yet the outdated rule still causes a closet crisis come the end of summer. "Don't wear white after Labor Day" rose 2000% in Yahoo! searches. Fashionistas also looked up "why can't you wear white after labor day" and "no white after labor day" in the last week.

The question spilled onto the Web. Fashion forums were contradictory. One blogger for the retail site Zappos cautioned that white should not be worn "below the waist" after Labor Day.

Another advised against white shoes (although LaJollaMom approved wearing Manolo Blahnik white boots from Neiman Marcus, if you could stomach the $1,695 price tag.)

How did we get stuck in this anti-white rut? The curator for the museum at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), Kevin Jones, says that it all started with America's high society, who dressed for the season -- the social season.

Jones explained, "If it's summer, you're not in the city, you're at your country home." The popular choice, white cotton clothing, reflected light and kept you cool. Jones adds, "Once the season ended, their garments changed." Back in town for fall, women, who wore long skirts in the dirty city streets, changed their wardrobes to heavier, darker fabrics.

Nice lifestyle if you were part of it. But for the rest of us, and the fashion world, times have changed -- and the rule really doesn't apply. Even the 2004 book "Emily Post's Etiquette, 17th Edition" says it's fine to wear white after Labor Day.

Still not sure? Let Colleen Sherin, senior fashion director for Saks Fifth Avenue, give you some tips. From her office in New York City, she assures shoppers, "There are really no rules anymore. It's just about making the look appropriate." Translation: It's not what you wear, it's how you wear it: Sherin suggests winterizing those white jeans from summer with boots, not sandals, and a jacket instead of a tank top.

She adds, "It's the way you put it together that makes the look work year-round." The department store is promoting several looks in "winter white" for the colder months, including a suit and a faux fur coat in the snowy shade.

The fashion historian Cosgrave thinks fashion is actually having a "white moment." She argues, "Wearing white is timeless." And therefore seasonless: She points to the stunning white gown worn by first lady Michelle Obama at the inaugural balls in 2009. And Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard rocked a white mermaid dress when she accepted her Academy Award.

But you don't have to be a first lady or a movie star to break the white rule. Cosgrave adds, "Anything that can break up the dominance of black, in my point of view, bring it on."

Troubled Bridge Underwater: Video Captures Covered-Bridge Collapse

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 12:44 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Hurricane Irene brought unexpectedly disastrous floods to the state of Vermont -- the worst in 75 years or "perhaps ever," according to Governor Peter Shumlin. The epic storm brought flooding, 250 road closures, and one death.

But the image many have taken from the state is the damage to its historic covered bridges -- and two that were completely destroyed: One bridge was lost in Woodstock, Vt. And one viral video caught the Bartonsville Bridge just as it collapsed into the Williams River in Rockingham, Vt.

Watch the bridge fall down here.

The video quickly captured the attention of the Web, with over 400,500 views so far.

New York also lost an antique in the storm. The Blenheim covered bridge on Schoharie Creek in upstate New York is no more, which means it loses its significance as the longest covered bridge in the world, at 210 feet, according to the New York Times.

Both the Bartonsville and the Blenheim bridges were on the National Register of Historic Places.

Vermont still boasts an impressive collection of 100 covered bridges in the small state with a population of 625,000 who love their historic bridges.

Nooooo!: Lucas Makes More Changes to Original Trilogy

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 11:34 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Many would argue that the original "Star Wars" films were masterpieces when they were first released (the prequels not so much). However George Lucas just can't stop futzing around with his creations.

The billionaire filmmaker's latest change can be seen in the upcoming Blu-ray release of the original trilogy. In the battle between Luke Skywalker and the Emperor in "Return of the Jedi," Lucas has given Darth Vader a new bit of dialogue.

Originally, Darth Vader just stood and watched the Emperor electrocute Luke with lightning bolts before coming to his son's rescue. Not anymore. Now, right before Darth Vader comes out of his daze, lifts up the Emperor, and tosses him to his death, the Dark Lord of the Sith yells a helpless "Noooo!"

If you're having having flashbacks to the awkward moment in "Revenge of the Sith" when the newly created Darth Vader screams "Noooo!" after the Emperor lies to him about Padme's death (awesome parody here), you're not alone. "Star Wars" fans far and wide have voiced their displeasure. Among the disappointed is filmmaker Simon Pegg, who wrote on Twitter that he "always loved Vader's wordless self sacrifice." Pegg then goes on to use salty language to bring home his point.

Commenters at Entertainment Weekly are equally displeased. One person writes, "WHY? WHY? WHY? Mr Lucas – do you have sooo much time on your hands that all you want to do is to simply keep tinkering with the movies? Leave them alone and go fishing!" Another jokingly posts, "Oh, now I get it. Vader threw the Emperor down the shaft because he was saying "NOOOOO…." to what the Emperor was doing to his kid. And here I always thought it was just a big ol' bear hug that went wrong..."

Still, for all the outrage, Lucas has been unapologetic about his desire to alter his movies, probably because he truly believes he's improving them. In the past, he's made Han Solo shoot Greedo first, added Hayden Christensen to the end of "Return of the Jedi," and given Jabba the Hutt an ill-advised cameo in "A New Hope." None of thoes changes have gone over well with the fans who have made him a billionaire. Perhaps one day he'll digitally remove Jar Jar Binks from "The Phantom Menace." Would anyone complain about that? Anyone?

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-09-01T07:30:00.001-07:00

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Hurricane, Civil War, Kardashian Wedding: August 2011 Buzz
Man Finds $150,000 in Garden
An Unlikely Friendship

Hurricane, Civil War, Kardashian Wedding: August 2011 Buzz

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 02:32 PM PDT

by Vera H-C Chan

August should have been a quiet month for Islamic observers celebrating Ramadan and for countries that take their seasonal break. In the Middle East, though, Arab spring became a bloody summer as civil war continued in Libya and Syria. Meanwhile, the U.S., which has already endured record-breaking snowfall and extreme drought, braced itself for one jolt after another. Here now, the heat in August, as seen through the top online news stories and searches.

Acts of God
One tweak in the grand universe and suddenly quakes were rattling Virginia and floods devastating Vermont. On August 23, even as the eastern half of the United States was eyeing Hurricane Irene, a 5.8-magnitude temblor emanated from Virginia — troublingly, near the North Anna Power Station, which promptly shut down its nuclear reactors — but made its presence felt from Maine to South Carolina, and cracked the Washington Monument. The quake turned out to be a dress rehearsal, as the East Coast went into emergency preparation mode. Irene swelled and then diminished, but it still had the strength to collapse turnpikes, swamp roads, and sweep away bridges. Picturesque Vermont (population 625,741) suffered shocking damage: The state had already gone through record snowfall, spring flooding, and a dry summer. But Irene inflicted Vermont's worst weather disaster in 80 years, although some Vermonters blame a man-made pipeline for tweaking Mother Nature. Click here for hurricane aid resources.

Search sampling: hurricane irene path, irene storm tracker, noaa hurricane, hurricane evacuation zones, hurricane preparedness, national grid power outages, cape hatteras irene damage, new york state thruway, tappan zee bridge, quechee covered bridge, bartonsville covered bridge, vermont emergency platform, bogue inlet pier, merritt parkway, pompton lakes fire, 287 collapses, home generators, fema hurricane irene jobs, verizon phone outages, cell phone batteries, sump pump, fema camps.

Holy month, civil war
Ramadan fell during the month of August, but observing its rituals of abstinence and self-purification wasn't possible in a besieged Middle East. In Sudan, street protests have been met with gunfire. Among the body count of 2,200 and counting, one activist group calculates nearly a quarter died during the holy month. Yet the civilian deaths, according to the Economist, as well as rebel success in Libya have "emboldened" protesters. As for Libya, the country celebrated Eid al-Fitr without Moammar Gadhafi, who remains absent but vocal after his compound was raided and ransacked August 23. As fighters eye the colonel's hometown and defiance from at least one son, damage — ranging from mass hunger to an estimated 50,000 dead after six months of civil war — is being assessed.

Search sampling: libya map, map of syria, libya air strikes 2011, syria revolution 2011, gunfire hama syria, gadhafi libya, assad syria, gadhafi rebels libya, rebels libya tripoli, activists arrests syria, biblical name of syria libyan lockerbie, plans libyan, rebuilding libya, truth libya, libya flag.

Royal reality wedding
Some countries have royal weddings. Americans deal in reality. The one-woman empire called Kim Kardashian married NBA power forward Kris Humphries — which a few searches referred to as "kris hump." Some gushed over "kim kardashian wedding ring" and "kim kardashian wedding dresses," others checked out her first union with music producer Damon Thomas (+27,744%). The hookup may help stall slightly slipping Search buzz, and her credibility: A poll released two days before her wedding ranked her among the 10 least-trustworthy personalities. Still, the hitch went without a hitch, replete with diamonds ($15 million), flowers ($50,000), celebrity guests (nearly 400), cake (six feet tall), cameras (E! will air "Kim's Fairytale Wedding" in October), and a People magazine cover.

Search sampling: reggie bush kim kardashian, how tall is kim kardashian, kim kardashian wedding invitation, kim kardashian twitter, kim kardashian psoriasis, kim kardashian and kris hump wedding, kim kardashian married at 19, kim kardashian first marriage, kim kardashian sex tape, kim kardashian people magazine, kim kardashian jam turn it up video, kim kardashian honeyoon, kim kardashian sexual orientation.

Yahoo! August 2011 Web-Hot Searches

Search Terms With Significant Percentage Changes

Hurricane Irene 2011 (off the charts). See above.
Selena breakup (off the charts). No, no, a thousand times no — Selena Gomez and her Bieber beau's hearts still beat as one, despite Kathy Griffin's best efforts.
Nick Ashford dies (off the charts). The Motown songwriter who co-wrote songs such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" died August 22 at age 70.
Will and Jada (off the charts). The Smiths' luxe mansion-home made Architectural Digest's September cover, but it didn't quash August marital problems between the celebrity powerhouse duo.
Honda recall (off the charts). Stalled engines made Honda recall 2.49 million vehicles.
Viola Davis (+89,723%). Attributed with saving "The Help" from itself by many critics.
Bank of America stock (+25,134%). Plummeting stock, capital fundraising, and lawsuits, oh my.
Charla Nash (+62,522%). The chimp attack victim revealed her new face.
The Client List (+34,248%). Jennifer Love Hewitt gets a series for 2012.
Damon Thomas (+27,744%). See above.

Biggest Search Terms

Lucille Ball

Jennifer Lopez

Nicole Kidman

William Shatner

Rose McGowan

Fantasy Football

Heather Locklear

Man Finds $150,000 in Garden

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 11:47 AM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Money doesn't grow on trees, the saying goes. But sometimes it sprouts up in the garden. An unemployed man in northern Illinois was in his backyard when he came across some serious green: bags filled with $150,000 cash.

Wayne Sabaj was headed to pick some broccoli to go with his roast. The carpenter spotted duffel bags that looked like trash by the peppers -- but they turned out to be a cash crop: stacks of $20 bills that added up to about $150,000. The 49-year-old, who is living with his dad, did not exactly jump for joy.

The out-of-work carpenter told ABC7, "I could really use this money." But with this money comes trouble. He explained, "With my luck, it would be bank robbery and I'd get caught and say I'd robbed a bank."

So the honest man with money troubles alerted the police to his amazing backyard treasure.

For now, police haven't a clue to where the cash came from: There are no reported burglaries in the area, and no banks have been robbed.

Then there was the concern that whoever left the money behind would be back, and that's a problem the Sabaj men would rather have solved by the police.

If nobody comes forward to legitimately claim the cash, there may be a happy ending for the green thumb: Police will help figure out if Sabaj can keep the money. The carpenter has retained an attorney just in case.

For now, the cash is in custody with the country sheriff, who left behind a card on the lawn where the bags were found with a request: Please call.

An Unlikely Friendship

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 10:59 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

For anyone who lost a loved one on 9/11, the urge to be vengeful toward those connected to the attackers must be overwhelming. But that isn't true of everyone.

Phyllis Rodriguez lost her son Greg in the attack on the World Trade Center. In the years since that terrible loss, she has formed what many consider to be an unusual friendship with Aicha el-Wafi, the mother of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was convicted of playing a large role in the attacks. He is currently serving a life sentence for his crimes.

Back in December, the two spoke at a conference for women, where Rodriguez talked about their mutual admiration for each other. Rodriguez remarked, "When I saw Aicha in the media coming over when her son was indicted, I thought, 'what a brave woman, someday I want to meet her... when I'm stronger.'"

In 2002, el-Wafi asked to be put in touch with the parents of the victims. She was introduced to five families. She met Phyllis, and she "saw in her eyes that she was a mother" (like el-Wafi). A respectful relationship quickly formed.

When the two met, they were both nervous, not knowing what they wanted from each other. By the end of the afternoon, they felt like they'd known each other for a long time. Rodriguez says she feels the two have "a special connection which she values very much, that's all about being afraid of the other but making that step."

Rodriguez goes on to say that when people heard that her son had died on 9/11, she got immediate sympathy. But el-Wafi earned no such sympathy even though, in Rodriguez's words, "her suffering is equal."

So how did Rodriguez come to forgive? In an interview with the Forgiveness Project, she spoke a bit about her philosophy. "When Greg was killed, I thought, 'I will never forgive the people who murdered my son,' but I have come to see forgiveness as more than a word; it's a context, a process. I don't forgive the act, but trying to understand why someone has acted in the way they have is part of the process of forgiving. Forgiveness is being able to accept another person for being human and fallible."

Generosity, tolerance, and speaking out against violence are things the two women agree on -- strong beliefs that have helped them through unimaginable pain and suffering.

You can watch their interview on TED below.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-31T07:37:00.001-07:00

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Gadhafi Family in Focus

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 01:17 PM PDT

by Michael Krumboltz

Ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi remains in hiding and continues to draw massive online interest. Also huge on the Web over the past several weeks: His family.

According to Algerian diplomats, Gadhafi's wife, three of his children, and several of his grandchildren have fled to Algeria, the country directly west of Libya. And while official news is understandably scant regarding the specific movements and activities of the Gadhafi family, some bits of information have found their way to the Web.

Drawing the most online interest are two of Gadhafi's daughters. Aisha Gadhafi, Muammar's only biological daughter, gave birth to a baby girl on Tuesday, shortly after crossing over to Algeria. According to an article from CNN, Aisha had been expected to deliver in September, making the baby a bit early.

Unlike some of her siblings, Aisha largely stayed out of the public eye during her father's reign as leader of Libya. A lawyer, she ran a charitable foundation in Libya and assisted in the defense of Sadaam Hussein, during his trial in 2004. She also defended the man accused of throwing his shoe at President George W. Bush.

Aisha also made news when she spoke out against Hillary Clinton for not leaving her husband. Those in the Arab media like to refer to the 42-year-old as the "Claudia Schiffer" of the region thanks to her stunning looks. She suffered a loss in April when her daughter and brother were killed during a NATO airstrike. Over the past 24 hours, online lookups on Aisha Gadhafi have surged 250%. Related queries on "aisha gadhafi pictures" also spiked.

Even more compelling is the renewed interest in Gadhafi's adopted daughter, Hana. For years, Moammar Gadhafi has been claiming that Hana was killed as a very young girl during a 1986 airstrike. However, recent reports are questioning this.

When Libyan rebels invaded Gadhafi's compound, they discovered a room with Hana's birth certificate as well as photos of a woman with the name "Hana" written on the back. Additionally, according to a buzzy article from Associated Press, "a Tripoli official surfaced, saying Hana worked for him as a surgeon up until the rebels came to town."

This isn't the first time that Hana's supposed death has been called into question. There have long been rumors that the child was never actually killed, and that Gadhafi was using her as justification for attacks on United States citizens. As of now, nothing is certain either way, but the new reports have led to a flurry of searches on the Web. Lookups for "Hana Gadhafi alive" are up over 300% of late.

Other members of the Gadhafi family tree are inspiring lookups too. Son Mohammad Gadhafi, the oldest of Moammar's children, was reported to have escaped Libya and may be residing in Algeria. Saif al-Islam Gadhafi is wanted by the rebels as well as the International Crime Court for crimes against humanity. He was initially believed to have been captured. However his current whereabouts remain unknown.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-30T08:15:00.001-07:00

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Socialite Says "I Do" to Over-the-Top Wedding

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:30 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Move aside, Kate Middleton. Eat your heart out, Kim Kardashian. British socialite Petra Ecclestone has you both beat when it comes to over-the-top weddings. The Formula One heiress reportedly dropped an estimated $5-$7 million on her big day to wed businessman James Stunt in a three-day extravaganza in Rome.

Buzz on the Web was certainly big: Lookups on the extravagant bride increased 389% in just one day.

Still, the blonde seems to be aware that she is blessed with good fortune, as it were. She told ABC, "I'm not spoiled, I'm privileged, and I think there's a huge difference in that."

The 22-year-old certainly knows how to live the good life: She is the daughter of billionaire Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone, who's thought to be footing the bill, and former Armani model Slavica Radic. The celebutante is also a fashion designer who, according to People, will release her line of Starks handbags in the fall.

The daughter of privilege had quite an expense list for her nuptials: The celebration took place at a 15th-century castle, Castello Orsini-Odescalchi, where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes tied the knot back in 2006 -- and which reportedly cost $500,000 to rent.

The bride left her hotel for the ceremony in a Rolls-Royce Phantom, then switched cars to join her father in his vintage white Rolls-Royce for her entrance. Guests were greeted by an 18-piece string section from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and treated to a 40-minute concert -- at a cost of more than $160,000.

The model and designer wore a $130,000 custom Vera Wang gown, complete with diamond tiara and earrings. Andrea Bocelli serenaded the couple after the two exchanged vows.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed entertainment by the Black Eyed Peas and family friend Eric Clapton, and were served $6,500-a-bottle wine. Fireworks and an acrobatics display capped the evening. At a dinner the night before the wedding, guests feasted on caviar and Cristal and enjoyed a performance by Alicia Keys.

The guest list included princesses Beatrice and Eugenie; their mother, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York; and Paris and Nicky Hilton.

The couple's spending didn't stop at the wedding: The pair will move into Aaron and Candy Spelling's $85 million manse (purchased with cash), the largest residence in Los Angeles, natch.

So what do you buy the couple who clearly have everything? Luckily, they thought of that, too: Guests were asked to give to charity in lieu of gifts.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

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Man's Best Friend Mourns His Death

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 10:28 AM PDT

by Claudine Zap

The photo showing the bond between felled Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson and his dog Hawkeye has captured the attention of the Web.

The soldier, who was one of 38 killed in Afghanistan on August 6 when a rocket-propelled grenade took out a U.S. Chinook helicopter he was riding, was mourned at a packed service in Rockford, Iowa, filled with family, friends, and Tumilson's loyal canine companion.

The Labrador retriever was such an important part of Tumilson's life -- the San Diego resident called his dog "son" -- that the pooch attended the funeral at the Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock Community School, which was filled to capacity with 1,500 mourners.

When Tumilson's friend Scott Nichols walked to the front of the room to give his eulogy, Hawkeye followed. As Nichols spoke, Hawkeye dropped to the ground at the foot of the casket and, according to observers, heaved a big sigh. The loyal pooch would not leave his owner's casket during the funeral.

The video clip of the mourning dog seen here has already received more than 113,000 views.

The heart-breaking photo was taken by Tumilson's cousin and posted on Facebook, where it quickly went viral. She wrote on her Facebook page, "To say that he was an amazing man doesn't do him justice. The loss of Jon to his family, military family, and friends is immeasurable.''

Not to mention the loss to his dog.

12-Year-Old Delivers Baby Brother

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 08:59 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Baby on the way and you can't make it to the delivery room? Here's hoping 12-year-old Gaelan Edwards is nearby.

Gaelan saved the day when his mom went into labor and couldn't make it to the hospital. The boy explains that he was up late watching TV when he heard his mom call him from her bedroom. At first, he thought he was in trouble for watching the tube when he wasn't supposed to be. But it turned out his mom needed his help in a major way.

Mom Danielle told Gaelan that when he sees the baby's shoulders, he needs to hold on to them and pull the baby out. It was a nice reminder, but Gaelan didn't need any tips. After watching many medical shows on TV and reading medical books at home, he already had a pretty good idea of what to do.

In an interview with CNN, Gaelan says that when he started to pull the baby, it started crying, which was a relief. "You know that's a healthy baby," he said. After the baby came out, Gaelan clamped the umbilical cord and cut it with household scissors. He then helped mom push out the placenta before cleaning and wrapping his newly born brother.

Gaelan may be extremely capable and cool under pressure, but he's still a kid. To his mom's obvious chagrin, he described the cord cutting as "gross" because "blood was spurting out everywhere." With stellar comic timing he then says that he "had to wash (his) hands because... yeah."

Not surprisingly, Gaelan is now considering medical school down the road. Way to go, big brother.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-25T07:03:00.001-07:00

Yahoo! Buzz

Khapra Beetle Bugs U.S. Border Patrol
Dick Cheney Had Secret Letter
Rose McGowan's Escape

Khapra Beetle Bugs U.S. Border Patrol

Posted: 24 Aug 2011 02:34 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

As if hurricanes and earthquakes weren't enough, there's another menace to worry about: the discovery of one of the world's "most feared" pests, now on U.S. soil. Meet the Khapra beetle. The bug, in larva stage, was identified by Chicago customs officials in a 10-pound bag of rice that came from India.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol describes the bug as "one of the world's most tenacious and destructive stored-produce pests because of its ability to damage grain." And worse, "Infestations can result in up to 70 percent grain damage, making products inedible and unmarketable."

There's more. The creepy critter, 2 to 3 millimeters as an adult and 5 millimeters long as a larva, is described as "one of the 100 worst invasive species worldwide." The bugs originated in South Asia, but have also invaded parts of northern Africa, the Middle East, and even Europe, Asia, and South Africa. Think of it as anti-beetle mania.

The bug has been here before: It first invaded California back in 1953, which resulted in a massive effort to eradicate the infestation, successfully accomplished by 1966 at a hefty cost of $15 million.

The bugs have been intercepted at the border 100 times this year, compared with just 15 times in 2009. They're certainly causing an infestation on the Web: In the last day alone, the beetle has seen lookups on Yahoo! increase 1,125%.

The Baltimore Sun points out that grain shipments don't even have to have a live one for the entire supply to be rejected. No other species is treated this way.

The good news, despite the increase in bugs at the border, is that the pests haven't made it into the grain supply of the U.S. But plenty of invasive species are already here, like the stink bug, Formosan termites, and Rasberry crazy ants.

And by the way, if you're planning on travel to any of the countries where the khapra bugs live, don't bother bringing back grains as a souvenir. They will be taken away at the airport.

Dick Cheney Had Secret Letter

Posted: 24 Aug 2011 02:29 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Former Vice President Dick Cheney kept a secret resignation letter in a locked safe in case he ever became incapacitated while in office.

Cheney wrote the letter because of his history with health problems. He had already suffered four heart attacks when he signed the letter in March 2001 (he suffered another in 2010).

In an interview with NBC to help promote his upcoming memoir, "In My Time," Cheney said that few people knew of the letter's existence. President George W. Bush was one. The other was a member of Cheney's staff.

"I did it because I was concerned that - for a couple of reasons," he told NBC's Jamie Gangel in an interview that will air August 29 on "Dateline." "One was my own health situation. The possibility that I might have a heart attack or a stroke that would be incapacitating. And there is no mechanism for getting rid of a vice president who can't function."

Apparently the letter isn't the only bombshell in the memoir. Cheney told NBC, "There are gonna be heads exploding all over Washington." There have long been rumors that Cheney's memoir won't hold back when it comes to his boss's second term in office. "I didn't set out to embarrass the president or not embarrass the president," Cheney said. "If you look at the book, there are many places in it where I say some very fine things about George Bush. And believe every word of it."

Cheney's memoir (which hits stores on August 30) isn't the only Bush-era memoir. Donald Rumsfeld released his autobiography "Known and Unknown" back in Februrary to considerable hype. President George W. Bush published his own memoir, "Decision Points," less than a year ago in November. And former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice published "Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family" last year, and is set to release another memoir later this year. And just several months ago, former first lady Laura Bush published "Spoken From the Heart."

Rose McGowan's Escape

Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:42 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Rose McGowan is best known for her butt-kicking roles in "Scream," "Grindhouse," and, most recently, "Conan the Barbarian." But in the recent issue of People magazine, the outspoken actress went into detail about a real-life battle far scarier than any movie.

McGowan, 38, spoke with People about how she spent her childhood in the Children of God cult. The sect is a "polygamous cult that blended free-love attitudes with Christian proselytizing." At age nine she escaped the cult with her father after he became fearful that Rose might be sexually abused.

While in the cult, McGowan tells People she was often either angry or terrified. "You weren't allowed to have imperfections," she explained. "I had a little wart on my thumb, and I remember walking down this hallway -- a door opened and some adult grabbed me and just cut it off with a razor blade and stuck me back out in the hallway with it still bleeding."

McGowan also describes watching how the men in the cult treated the women. "At a very early age I decided I did not want to be like those women. They were basically there to serve the men sexually -- you were allowed to have more than one wife." The cult's women would sometimes travel to area bars to try to recruit, an act known as "flirty fishing."

McGowan's father realized he had to leave when he was asked to draw cartoon literature that advocated child-adult sexual relationships. Soon after, Rose, her father, and some siblings left the cult in the middle of the night. They hid in a stone house, and avoided the cult members who came looking for them. "I remember a man trying to break in with a hammer," McGowan said. The Children of God sect has since been renamed The Family International and has "renounced its advocacy of sexual sharing" and adult-minor sexual relationships.

Eventually, McGowan settled with her father in Washington, where they worked on their relationship. "We became really close when he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis at age 60," she said. Her father died in 2008. Today, she is close with her siblings, who she describes as "the most together, offbeat, funny, regular-ish people." Her mom is also happily married.

But McGowan has no illusions that things could have ended very differently. "As strong as I like to think I've always been, I'm sure I could have been broken. I know I got out by the skin of my teeth."

For the full article, pick up the September 5, 2011 issue of People magazine.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-24T07:32:00.001-07:00

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Don't Be Afraid of Katie Holmes

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 02:52 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Katie Holmes wants to scare the hell out of you. But don't take it personally. She wants to scare everybody. Holmes's new horror movie, "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," hits theaters this weekend, and anticipation for the haunted-house flick is running high. But will the movie get folks to forget about her previous (and poorly received) fright fests?

Holmes horror movies have happened before -- and not with good results. In 1998, Holmes starred in "Disturbing Behavior." The film, which also featured James Marsden and Nick Stahl, focused on a high school where trouble-making students undergo some aggressive "reprogramming." The film didn't fare well at the box office, drawing a modest $17,500,000 in domestic sales.

A year later, Holmes again tried to scare audiences with the controversial "Teaching Mrs. Tingle." The black comedy focused on a would-be high school valedictorian who is so intent on securing the title that she may be willing to kill the one teacher who stands in her way. The film might not have been "bad," but it did have bad timing. It was released shortly after the Columbine tragedy. The flick earned less than $9 million in the states.

In 2000 came "The Gift." The film had an all-star cast. Joining Holmes were Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank, and Greg Kinnear. Sounds like a winner, right? Well, the reviews were decent, but Box Office Mojo reports that the film took in only $12 million in domestic ticket sales. Holmes did deserve credit for playing against type as the aggressive yuppie.

But, hey, maybe the fourth time's the charm? In "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," Holmes, her boyfriend (played by Guy Pearce), and his daughter (Bailee Madison) move into a sprawling house that holds many secrets, few of them good. The flick has a big media push and can boast that it was co-written by Guillermo del Toro, who unleashed the creepy "Pan's Labyrnth" and "The Devil's Backbone" on moviegoers. The man made Ron Perlman a superhero in "Hellboy." If anyone can make a successful horror movie with Holmes, it's him.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

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Meet Sudden Star Katie Eastman

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 01:02 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Most of the time, Katie Eastman reports the news. These days, she is the news. The 22-year-old reporter from Des Moines, Iowa's WOI-ABC 5 has become an overnight celebrity thanks to Stephen Colbert.

Here's the story: Eastman's employer, WOI-ABC 5, had refused to air a political ad from Colbert's PAC urging Iowa voters to cast their ballots for "Rick Parry" (note the deliberate misspelling). Colbert (or at least his blustery onscreen persona) decided to take it upon himself to mock (in a friendly way) the TV station as well as (in his words) "intrepid cub reporter" Katie Eastman, whose stories include dog-park openings and garage sales.

Colbert, looking deadly serious as always, announced that he wanted somebody to investigate why he was dissed and thought Eastman would be the ideal candidate."Katie blew the lid off Garage-Sale-Gate! Clearly, Katie, you're the only one I can trust. Call me."

Eastman had no idea the sudden press was coming. In an interview with NPR, she remarked that she woke up one morning to a flood of voicemails, text messages, and tweets saying that she was on the popular Comedy Central show. She found the video online. "I started screaming, and just, like, pacing the kitchen floor," Eastman says. "Like, 'That just did not just happen! No! That was my face! Oh, my gosh!'"

Following Colbert's show, Web lookups for Eastman surged over 200%. Related searches on WOI jumped 43%. On Eastman's Facebook page, a fan urges her to run as vice president on the "Rick Parry" ticket. Another writes, "Katie for 'Good Morning America!'" Still another gives her a pep-talk. "We all know you cover more than puppies, this is good for your career I am sure. Keep it up Katie, maybe I'll see you on a national news program someday. Reporting, not being reported about."

The experience must be surreal for Eastman, but the unexpected "Colbert bump" is looking like a huge win.

Megan Loses Marilyn Tattoo

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 12:58 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Nobody quite heats up the Web like the actress Megan Fox. Her stunning looks, killer body, and, well, controversial comments (which got her fired from the last "Transformers" movie) captivate fans -- Yahoo! searches on the star are up 300% in the past day. And now, the bombshell famous for her body art says she's removing another beauty: her tattoo of Marilyn Monroe.

The image of the iconic film legend visible on Fox's forearm has seemed to be fading compared to photos from a few years ago. And the actress confirmed the news to Italian magazine Amica (where she graces the September cover) that she and her Marilyn tat are parting ways.

Fox explains in the interview, "I'm removing it. It is a negative character, as she suffered from personality disorders and was bipolar. I do not want to attract this kind of negative energy in my life." (Monroe was known to be in psychoanlaysis, and there remain many theories to the actual state of the star's mental health.)

The 24-year-old has said in the past that these same qualities inspired her to get the ink in the first place. As Us Weekly notes from a 2009 interview, the star recounted, "I really admire Marilyn Monroe, but I would never try to emulate her. I got the tattoo as a warning." She added at the time, "It warns me not to let myself be treated so badly by the film industry so that it breaks me down."

The star hardly seems broken, so maybe it's time for a new tattoo: Either way, the film star has plenty of other body art even without the siren's image: The blog On the Red Carpet details the Shakespeare quote on her right shoulder, "We will all laugh at gilded butterflies," and one on her ribs, "There once was a little girl who never knew love until a boy broke her heart."

Even if the ink is fading on Fox's forearm, the star has been taking on Monroe-esque curves. The actress also tells Amica magazine she's dumped her vegan diet, which was limited to raw fruit and vegetables, and no bread, coffee, or sugar. The star, who was so thin that some speculated she had an eating disorder, now admits, "I had lost too much weight. So now I eat a bit of everything." Her healthier bod can be seen here. Now, with more bombshell.

The "Jennifer's Body" actress does perhaps reveal the secret to her success. When asked by Amica if there was something about her body she dislikes, she responds, "Of course, I have a lot of flaws. But I do not tell them -- ever."

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-20T07:33:00.001-07:00

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Bill Clinton: Poster Child for Plant-Based Diet

Posted: 19 Aug 2011 12:49 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Bill Clinton, once famous for his larger-than-life appetite, is now the poster child for a vegan lifestyle.

Back in the 1990s, the politician was known -- and even mocked -- for his fast-food cravings. In a "Saturday Night Live" skit, the late Phil Hartman, playing Clinton, is shown jogging three blocks to McDonald's to mix it up with the people -- and sample all of their lunches. See the hilarious sketch here.

But Bill is no longer a burger lover: After a quadruple bypass in 2004 and two stents inserted last year to open up veins from the surgery, the former president changed his ways. As Clinton discussed with Yahoo! News last year, he is now vegan. See the interview here.

Clinton first dropped red meat to shed weight for his daughter Chelsea's wedding. The president referenced a study that people with heart disease who switched their eating habits eventually saw their bodies healed. The elder statesman, who celebrates his 65th birthday on Friday, told Yahoo! News that his inspiration is being around to enjoy his future grandchildren.

The lean leader's new diet is made up mainly of plants, vegetables, and beans. As he revealed to Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN earlier this week, he stays away from dairy, meat, and fish, and instead chooses to consume a plant-based diet.

Still, the former president has his weaknesses. As he told Dr. Gupta, at Thanksgiving he allows himself "one bite of turkey."

Nivea Pulls 'Offensive' Ad

Posted: 19 Aug 2011 11:26 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Companies like to push the envelope with their ads. Sometimes the gamble works, sometimes it doesn't, and sometimes, like in the case of Nivea, the whole thing turns into a fiasco.

Nivea, a company that specializes in skin-care products, recently released a print ad that it has since pulled. How to best describe the ad? It shows an African American man preparing to toss a decapitated head (his own?) with an afro-style haircut. The ad copy reads: "Re-Civilize Yourself." The underlying message seems to be that afros are not civilized.

Almost immediately, the ad was met with outrage. The Los Angeles Times reported that Facebook users began "posting photos of themselves with Afros on Nivea's wall, saying things such as: 'I wear my hair natural and I just graduated with my doctorate! So who needs to be re-civilized?? Nivea no longer welcomed in my household.'"

Nivea has since taken down the ad and issued an apology via Facebook. "Thank you for caring enough to give us your feedback about the recent 'Re-civilized' Nivea for Men ad. This ad was inappropriate and offensive. It was never our intention to offend anyone, and for this we are deeply sorry. This ad will never be used again. Diversity and equal opportunity are crucial values of our company."

While the ad has since been pulled, the massive interest in the controversy it created continues full steam ahead. Over the past 24 hours, Web searches for "Nivea recivilize yourself" surged 629%. "Nivea racist ad" spiked 140%. They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but the fallout over this might prove otherwise.

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2011-08-19T07:25:00.001-07:00

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Don't Call Him "That Baywatch Dude"
American Girl in Italy: 60 Years Later
9/11 Sculpture Has No Home
Paris Hilton Voted the Least Trustworthy Celebrity

Don't Call Him "That Baywatch Dude"

Posted: 18 Aug 2011 04:40 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

You might not know Jason Momoa by name, but that's about to change. Momoa stars as the title character in the newly released (and highly anticipated) "Conan the Barbarian."

The film is a remake of the 1982 cult classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those are big shoes for Momoa to fill, but don't worry -- Momoa's a big guy. Standing 6'4" with long black hair and a chiseled jaw, he seems like a natural for the role of a battle-hungry barbarian. But despite Momoa's talents, his career almost stalled out long ago, thanks to his big break on "Baywatch." Yes, that "Baywatch."

In a recent inteview with MovieLine, Momoa spoke about how he appreciates that the lifeguard drama got him into acting. But (and this is a big but) he also contends that the show hurt his career. "Just because it's 'Baywatch,' people don't think you can act. I'm constantly fighting that stigma. When I got cast as Conan, people were like, 'You're hiring the 'Baywatch' dude to play Conan?'"

And don't think he's just holding a pity party for himself. Momoa insists that after "Baywatch," it took him five years just to get an agent because nobody would take him seriously. But Momoa persevered. He traveled and trained, and was finally cast on "Stargate Atlantis," his next big break.

These days, Momoa couldn't tank his career if he tried. He's already making an impact in the Search box. Over the past seven days, online lookups for the hunky Hawaiian are up 215%. He's got a juicy role on the hit HBO show "Game of Thrones" and other projects in the works, and his turn as "Conan" is sure to expose him to a much bigger audience. Gone are the days when he's best known as "that Baywatch dude." Take that, Hasselhoff.

American Girl in Italy: 60 Years Later

Posted: 18 Aug 2011 01:57 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

A stunning young woman walks down a street in Florence, her head held high. All around, men playfully gawk at her grace and beauty. Just then the camera shutter snaps. "American Girl in Italy" is among the most popular snapshots of all time, and it's turning 60 years old this month.

The photo, which was shot in 1951, perfectly captures the fun and romance of being abroad. In honor of its birthday, Ninalee Craig, the subject of the photo spoke with the "Today" show about what happened behind the scenes and what the photo really represents.

In an interview with "Today," Craig spoke about how, despite what some might say, the photo isn't a "symbol of harassment." Craig insists that the image is "a symbol of a woman having an absolutely wonderful time."

Craig should know -- when the photo was taken, she was a 23-year-old traveling alone through Europe. While staying at a cheap hotel, Craig met photographer Ruth Orkin, who was also traveling alone. The two spoke about the fun and challenges of being alone while on the road in Italy. They hatched a plan to take photos that focused on what it was like to travel as a single woman.

For two hours, the photographer and amateur model walked the streets of Florence. Photos were taken at markets and in cafes. The street-scene photo came about naturally. According to Craig, Orkin shot only two pictures of her walking down the macho street. One of them turned out to be absolutely iconic.

As for whether or not the photo was staged, Craig says no way. "The big debate about the picture, which everyone always wants to know, is: Was it staged? No! No, no, no! You don't have 15 men in a picture and take just two shots. The men were just there. ... The only thing that happened was that Ruth Orkin was wise enough to ask me to turn around and go back and repeat" the walk down the street.

In the interview, Craig also remarked that she never felt in danger while walking among the admiring men. "None of those men crossed the line at all," she said.

Craig is now a great-grandmother living in Toronto. Orkin, who passed away in 1985, went on to co-write and co-direct the 1956 Oscar-nominated film "Little Fugitive." Of course, both women will be best remembered for one indelible image that, staged or not, captured the public's imagination and never let go.

9/11 Sculpture Has No Home

Posted: 18 Aug 2011 01:27 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

It seemed like a good idea at the time. A sculpture made from pieces of the World Trade Center had been in the works since last spring -- and had been scheduled to be installed outside the City Center in Saratoga Springs in time for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. But, for now, it has no home.

The artwork, "Tempered by Memory," is made from steel beams pulled from the fallen twin towers, and was constructed by the organization Saratoga Arts. However, at 25 feet, the piece is larger than originally planned, and the City Council thinks it's too big for the smaller scale of the center.

The sculpture that was supposed to bring closure seems instead to be bringing up bad feelings. Joel Reed, the head of Saratoga Arts, told WNYT that the city was playing politics with the memorial. "It's an election year, and things will get stalled. That's what we're facing."

The city center suggested that the piece go across the street to be installed at the Visitor Center, but the advisory board said, "Not in my front yard."

Mayor Scott Johnson said no politics were involved in the decision. Instead, a committee has been set up and the public has been giving input on the site.

The artists who created the sculpture, Noah Savett and John Van Alstine, are advocating for the work to be placed at the Visitor Center. The steel beams given to the city were among those sent around the world to help remember the day. Saratoga Springs was "one of the few places that decided to turn the massive structures into a work of art."

In a letter to the local paper, the artists wrote that they see the art as "a monument to the solidarity and unity of purpose that can arise from the ashes of disaster."

Paris Hilton Voted the Least Trustworthy Celebrity

Posted: 18 Aug 2011 11:04 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Would you buy a used car from Paris Hilton? As our Magic 8 ball used to say, "Don't count on it." According to a recently released poll by Ipsos, a whopping 60% of Americans don't trust her.

Hilton was found to be the absolute least trustworthy celeb, beating out other morally questionable folks like Charlie Sheen (52% unfavorable), Britney Spears (45% unfavorable), and Kanye West (45% unfavorable). Others on the bottom of the list of unpopular personalities: Arnold Schwarzenegger (44%), Tiger Woods (42%), Kim Kardashian (38%), Mel Gibson (33%), Donald Trump (31%), and LeBron James (29%).

According to Ipsos, four of the bottom ten celebs (Tiger Woods, Charlie Sheen, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears) "are more widely disliked by women than they are by men." The rest are relatively evenly disliked by both genders.

The poll is more than just a "Mean Girls"-like popularity contest. The results can have an effect on which celebrities companies choose to endorse their products. To that end, you can expect Betty White to be a highly coveted pitch-woman in the years to come. The "Golden Girls" star was ranked as America's most trusted celebrity.

White, 89, scored an 86% favorable rating, topping such A-listers as Denzel Washington (85%), Sandra Bullock (84%), Clint Eastwood (83%), and Tom Hanks (81%). Rounding out the top ten were Harrison Ford (80%), Morgan Freeman (79%), Kate Middleton (79%), Will Smith (77%), and Johnny Depp (76%).

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2011-08-18T07:20:00.001-07:00

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Far-Right Flyer Causes Furor in Germany
A Mysterious Rodent Turns Up
Look! Up There! It's a Bugnado!

Far-Right Flyer Causes Furor in Germany

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 02:41 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Passionate motorcyclist or scary neo-Nazi? Debate erupted in Germany over a controversial campaign poster that shows Udo Voigt, the candidate for the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD), on a motorcycle, accompanied by a slogan that translates to "step on the gas."

Some opposition party leaders are calling for the NPD, which has ties to the neo-Nazi movement, to put the brakes on a slogan that they say takes on a very different meaning given the source.

The Green Party leader Volker Ratzmann called the campaign an "intentional provocation." Andreas Gram, a member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union party in the Berlin city government, denounced the poster's "association with gas chambers" that killed millions of Jews in Nazi death camps.

The 22,000 posters that have been distributed around Berlin, where Voight is running for city parliament, have caused an uproar just a month before elections.

But Voigt says the accusations are baseless. He told Spiegel magazine, "I am a passionate motorcyclist and want to power my way into the (parliament) with gas." He added, "After 66 years, people need to stop bringing up things from the past."

The NPD didn't have a problem with bringing up the past in a party pamphlet crossword puzzle that included this clue: five-letter German name that has "fallen somewhat out of fashion". Answer: "Adolf." Or another that focuses on a "freedom flyer" of the 20th century. Answer: (Rudolph) Hess, Hitler's deputy.

The NPD, which runs on an anti-immigration platform, is hoping to win 5 percent of the vote, the required minimum to gain seats in the local parliament. Meanwhile, a regional public radio station in Berlin refused to air an NPD ad that blames foreigners for all of Germany's problems, saying the racist language is illegal.

Provocation does seem to be the point. A past campaign flyer from the party shows immigrants riding a flying carpet with the headline "good flight home."

To get a sense of how the politics differs in Germany from the U.S., Michael St. Clair, who specializes in Germany linguistics at University of California at Berkely, explained it's all in the meaning of the message. "What's problematic to German politicians is whether or not the poster promotes the Nazi past or Nazi era." St. Clair emphasized, "That would definitely be illegal under the law."

However, the scholar is not convinced that for this is the case with the flyer, saying that the phrase in colloquial German is more a phrase that means "to accelerate" or "hurry up" -- and not to gas people.

Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, agrees. He said in a statement to Yahoo! News, "One may take issue with Udo Voigt's political views and associations, or those of his party, but to draw a connection between this poster and Nazi gas chambers is ridiculous."

At the very least, the party is guilty of bad taste. Notes Devin Pendas, history professor at Boston College, "Whether the reference to the Nazi gas chambers was intentional, or whether, as seems more likely, the NDP intended to refer to getting the German economy moving again, phrasing it in the way they did shows poor political judgment and a lack of sensitivity to the character of German history."

Enough said.

A Mysterious Rodent Turns Up

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 02:15 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Yoo-hoo! Anybody missing a jumbo rodent? In Paso Robles, California, a giant South American rodent was spotted lurking around a wastewater-treatment facility before disappearing back into the surrounding area. The news unleashed a flurry of searches on the furry creature.

Witnesses estimate the creature, called a capybara, weighs at least 100 pounds. According to an article from Reuters, the capybara has the dubious honor of being the world's largest rodent. This is the third sighting in three years. Experts believe its the same creature.

California is a long way from South America, so how did this king-size creature get to the Golden State? The most likely explanation, according to Todd Tognazzini of the Califronia Department of Fish and Game, is that the big beast is an escaped pet. The capybara, which resembles a huge guinea pig, eats vegetation and, despite its intimidating size, is not considered dangerous. It's also kind of cute

News of the odd animal's appearance sparked a flurry of searches on the Web. Over the past 24 hours, online interest in the animal surged an astounding 9,553%. Related lookups on "capybara pets" also spiked. According to Tognazzini, people have been known to keep the rodents as pets. "The Internet is fraught with examples of people scratching them on the belly and thinking they're cute and making pets of them," he said.

But don't go thinking these things are easy to care for. You need a special permit to have one in California. We imagine it's also a good idea to buy a collar with a nametag. You know, just in case the creature wanders over to a wastewater facility, freaks people out, and causes an online uproar.

Look! Up There! It's a Bugnado!

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 12:57 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and now... bugnadoes! In the great state of Iowa, a swirling vortex of insects was spotted (and videotaped) above a cornfield. This is not a drill, people.

A buzzy article from LiveScience helps to explain the phenomenon, which, thankfully, isn't all that common. Professional storm chaser and photographer Mike Hollingshead caught the bugnado on video on July 4. He uploaded the clip to the Web, and, not surprisingly, the video has since gone viral. What was it like to see in person? Hollinghshead told Life's Little Mysteries that the air "looked like it was smoking."

So, what's going on in layman's turns? The LiveScience piece explains that the bugs in this clip are near the end of their lives and the flight is actually a mating ritual. Joe Kieper, entomologist and executive director of the Virginia Museum of Natural History, spoke with LiveScience.

"This is a mating flight," Kieper said. "The males are trying to impress the females, and the females select a mate." Different pairs hook up in the vortex, which is kind of a dance for bugs looking to score. After the male and female mate, the male dies, and the female lays eggs. She too then dies.

What's amazing is the level of synchronization among the insects. Like a large flock of seagulls, the insects seem to be moving as one. According to an article from WJLA.com, "a bugnado is spawned when heavy rain or floods and optimal temperatures cause insects to hatch en masse, conjuring dense colonies of buglife that ascend into sky-darkening breeding frenzies."

If you're worried about this being a trend, don't. They don't appear often and they aren't dangerous like a real tornado, but they can lead to big-time bug bites and a serious case of the heebie-jeebies.

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2011-08-17T07:16:00.001-07:00

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9/11 First Responders Left Out of 10th-Anniversary Event
Video: Car Stereo Takes It to 11
Russell Armstrong Dies at 47
Kate Talks about Jon. Jon Talks about Show.

9/11 First Responders Left Out of 10th-Anniversary Event

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 05:25 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

President Obama will be there. So will former president George W. Bush and former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani. And, of course, the current mayor, Michael Bloomberg, will attend.

But Sept. 11 first responders, the emergency workers who helped with the rescue and recovery efforts 10 years ago, will be denied entry to the 9/11 National Memorial on the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

The 90,000 or so firefighters, police officers, and civilian volunteers who rushed toward the burning twin towers will not be allowed to attend the ceremonies on Sept. 11.

Mayor Bloomberg confirmed that the day would be reserved for victims' families. "Family members only will be allowed to walk onto the plaza, look at their loved ones' names, look down into the voids," he said, referring to the reflecting pools in the footprints of the two towers. "The first day, it's reserved for those family members who lost somebody on 9/11."

And, in fact, first responders have never been officially invited to the events. But that doesn't make it right, says John Feal, founder of an advocacy group for first responders, many of whom are now battling cancer and other diseases. Feal, a first responder himself, told CNN, "The best of the best that this country offered 10 years ago are being neglected and denied their rightful place."

In fact, as construction of the 9/11 National Memorial continues, passes are required for those who wish to visit the site. The passes, which are free, are for a specified date and time.

When the online reservation system opened, the 5,000 passes for the public opening date, Sept. 12, were snapped up within an hour. Since then, the memorial foundation has made more slots available.

Video: Car Stereo Takes It to 11

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 03:25 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Warning: This video may blow out your speaker system. Well, not really. But the short is a demonstration of some serious megabass. We're not sure how this happened, or even if it's possible. But the amped-up car stereo seems to be so powerful, it creates a wind tunnel inside the car, causing a woman's long blond hair to blow upward whenever the ear-deafening bass roars. It seriously gives new meaning to the term "hair band."

What's 40,000 RMS? Well, we're no sound engineers. But our translation: It's really, really loud. A typical stereo system is usually around 100 watts and can withstand brief moments of 10,000 watts of sound. But this souped-up stereo can clearly handle a supercharged bass.

We have no way of knowing exactly how "mega" the megabass really is. But as long as nobody's eardrums were harmed in the process, the video sure is entertaining.

Of course, anything this powerfully loud is getting some mega attention. The YouTube video has already caught on with audiophiles, with nearly 39,000 viewers and counting.

Plug your ears and check it out. And, please, don't try this at home.

Russell Armstrong Dies at 47

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 02:55 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

The apparent suicide of Russell Armstrong, the estranged husband of Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast member Taylor Armstrong, has sparked a massive amount of interest in his life, family, and business dealings.

While the details of Armstrong's death are still forthcoming, the late investor's history of financial ups and downs has been well documented. Armstrong was a venture capitalist who had apparently fallen on hard times. According to celebrity site TMZ, Armstrong's lawyer, Ronald Richards, remarked that his client had large debt problems and had become depressed not only about his economic downturn, but also about his looming divorce.

Last month, Taylor told People magazine that she and Russell had had a series of arguments. She accused Russell of shoving her. Russell told People that the show "pushed us to the limit." That comment and several others are sure to lead to many questions about whether the "Real Housewives" program should be canceled. Armstrong, who was 47, leaves behind Taylor, as well as three children.

Before starring on the reality show about pampered wives in posh Beverly Hills, Russell Armstrong worked as a professional investor. According to his official site (which may suffer outages due to massive clicks), "Russell Armstrong has spent the past two decades as an investment banker and venture capitalist, where he has been instrumental in the development of over 200 businesses with early stage funding in excess of $2B dollars."

While that paints a picture of a secure and successful man, Armstrong was actually under considerable financial pressure. In July, he was hit with a $1.5 million lawsuit for breach of contract. The suing company claimed "it had hired him to expand its business but alleged he had misused the funds to redecorate the mansion he shared with his wife."

He also ran afoul of the law in 1997 when he he was convicted of felony tax evasion. Armstrong was sentenced to five years of probation. In 2001, he was accused of "fraud, negligent misrepresentation, statutory securities violations and breach of fiduciary duties." Starcasm.net hosts a PDF of the lawsuit.

Russell's marriage to Taylor Armstrong was his second. Together they had a daughter, Kennedy, who is five years old. Russell also had two teenage sons from a previous marriage. Taylor's "Real Housewives" co-stars have reacted to the sad news, voicing their support for Taylor and pleading for privacy on her behalf.

Kate Talks about Jon. Jon Talks about Show.

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 10:47 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Starting in September, for the first time since 2007, you won't be able to watch the Gosselins on television. Earlier this week, TLC announced that the long-running show "Kate Plus 8" (formerly "Jon and Kate Plus 8") is heading off to that great playground in the sky. The final episode will air September 12.

Jon Gosselin, who is the father of Kate's eight children and was once a co-star on the show, was told about the program's cancellation at a recent press conference. He told entertainment site Radar Online, "Contracts have to end at some point. I think everything had run its course, and it was time to come to an end anyways."

He also voiced hope that his ex-wife and the children get more opportunities to spend time together now that the show is over. Of his kids in particular, he said, "I hope they can have more private family moments. I hope that this will bring more privacy to my children and that they can get the proper attention they need for any personal issues they might have in the future."

During a taped interview that aired during Monday night's "Kate Plus 8" episode, Kate didn't speak about the show's cancellation. But she did talk about her ex-husband. "I know that I'm glad to be divorced and on my own."

But she's not bitter. Far from it. Kate went on to say, "I wouldn't change my marriage because I have eight awesome kids that I would not change." Kate, 36, added, "But people change and they're not who you thought they were and if they're not for you, move on. And I have."

Kate also cleared the air when it comes to Jon's lady-friends. "I don't care if his girlfriends change weekly, yearly, monthly," Kate said. "I don't give it a second thought ... more power to him."

Part of that acceptance may stem from the fact that the two rarely interact. "Unless I have to deal with him with the kids, I don't, which is good because it keeps the peace." When they do have to chat about the kids, it's usually over email, phone, or text message.

News of the show's looming cancellation was felt on the Web. Over the past 24 hours, online lookups for "kate plus 8 canceled" have surged well over 8,000%.

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2011-08-16T07:57:00.001-07:00

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Obama Bus Catches Buzz on the Web

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 04:30 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Pull over, Sarah Palin: President Obama's bus is about to run yours off the road.

The $1.1 million (yep, you read that right) Obamamobile is, according to the Associated Press, "an impenetrable-looking conveyance the size of a cross-country Greyhound, painted all in black, with dark tinted windows and flashing red and blue lights." The rubber is hitting the road for the president's current trip to Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois.

Two of these superbuses were commissioned by the Secret Service to chauffeur the commander-in-chief around the country -- along with the eventual Republican presidential candidate and visiting dignitaries. While these babies don't come cheap, the protection service decided the buses, normally leased and retrofitted to provide presidential protection, would pay for themselves over their projected 10-year lifespan.

The Secret Service won't reveal specifics on the high-tech monster buses but said that they have similar features to "the Beast," a tricked-out limo and the president's regular ride. That official Cadillac comes with thick, reinforced doors and reportedly is equipped with bulletproof glass that can withstand a rocket-propelled grenade or a chemical attack.

The cruiser has definitely caught notice on the Web. Yahoo! lookups have revved up for "obama bus tour," "obama bus tour schedule," and the "obama bus" in the last day.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin has been tooling around Iowa in her own sweet ride as part two of her "One Nation" bus tour. The ex-Alaska governor's bus is a flashier model, at least on the outside, covered with red, white, and blue images of the Liberty Bell, the Constitution, the American flag, and Sarah Palin's signature. Maybe the two can drag race.

"World War Z" Movie Causes Controversy on the Web

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 03:20 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Sorry, "World War Z" fans: It seems that the movie, which will star Brad Pitt and be directed by Marc Forster ("Quantum of Solace"), may be very different from the best-selling book by Max Brooks.

And movie buffs on the Web are certainly rising up like an undead army to denouce the not-yet-finished horror flick.

The novel charts a U.N. worker's accounts of oral histories of a decade-long zombie war. The movie, according to bloggers who saw the press release, will take place as the zombie world war is breaking out when there is still time to stop it -- completely different from the premise -- and the timing -- of the book.

There had been reports that this atypical monster tale would certainly be a challenge to put into film. Paramont's seeming solution? As the AV Club sees it, "Make a typical zombie movie anyway."

Movies.com quotes the press release as explaining the film this way: "The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself."

Comments were, well, apocalyptic. On the Movies.com blog, a typical negative swipe: "Based on Paramount's plot synopsis, the film should say 'Inspired by the same stuff that inspired the book World War Z by Max Brooks.'"

Another disappointed commenter wrote, "When I heard they were going to make this into a movie I was really excited to see what this would look like on film. I'm no longer excited. Thanks, Paramount."

Still another fan noted, "Of course we're all still seeing it, but what we're seeing isn't 'World War Z,' plain and simple."

Interest in the zombie flick grew on Yahoo! with news of the controversy: In the last day, lookups all increased for "world war z," "world war z movie," and "world war z movie trailer."

Brad Pitt has already arrived in Glasgow to begin filming the monster-war movie. The massive enterprise includes a cast and crew of 1,200, fake sets that remake the U.K. city into "war-torn" Philadelphia, and plenty of locals to play undead extras.

It's certainly possible the press release doesn't do the cinematic plot justice. At least, fans of the book can certainly hope that's the case.

The zombie doomsday movie is set to open on December 21, 2012.

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2011-08-13T07:23:00.001-07:00

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Gloria Steinem TV Special Stirs the Web

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 04:23 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Move over, Kim Kardashian. Take a seat, Sarah Palin. Gloria Steinem has words for you. The feminist leader is getting her due on HBO, in a documentary titled "Gloria: In Her Own Words." According to the press release, the biopic is an "intimate biographical portrait of Gloria Steinem, an enduring feminist icon for more than 40 years."

Steinem -- who founded Ms. Magazine, went undercover as a Playboy bunny, and became a leader of the women's movement in the 1970s -- has been the face of feminism for decades: She put younger fans "on notice" by famously smooching Stephen Colbert during an interview on "The Colbert Report" while promoting the now-defunct women's radio network.

News of her upcoming HBO documentary instantly inspired Yahoo! searches on "gloria steinem," "gloria steinem expose," and "gloria steinem playboy."

Now 77, the activist who spent a lifetime being political has also struggled personally: She survived breast cancer at 50, and married for the first time at age 66, to entrepreneur David Bale, father of actor Christian Bale. Steinem's husband died three years later.

The spirited Steinem, who is featured in Newsweek, has offered tart comments about current female figures. She dismissed possible presidential candidate Sarah Palin as "a woman only a man can love," adding that the Mama Grizzly is "up there with [Supreme Court Justice] Clarence Thomas."

On the Kardashians, she told the New York Daily News, "They're not empowering other women, but there's no point in blaming the people who take advantage of the system without changing the system."

Steinem can definitely take credit for changing the system. In 1963, the journalist went undercover at the New York City Playboy Club and wrote a groundbreaking expose of the place. Forty years later, the women's rights crusader has called for a boycott of the NBC show "The Playboy Club." She told Reuters, "It was the tackiest place on earth. It was not glamorous at all." (NBC defended the show, calling it a "really fun soap opera.")

The special airs on Monday, August 15.

Duchess of York's "Weird" Interview Sparks Buzz

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 01:21 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Just because your title is Duchess of York does not mean you will get the royal treatment.

Sarah Ferguson has sparked buzz for a video that shows her storming off the set of an Australian news show when she was asked to watch a tape in which she seems to offer up access to her ex, Prince Andrew, for cash.

Ferguson's manager called the interview an "ambush." The "60 Minutes" news show, which claims it had prepared the duchess with the questions beforehand, is promoting the segment as the "weirdest interview you will ever see."

The duchess had been the target of a sting by the now-defunct News of the World (which was shut down due to charges of illegal phone hacking): A reporter posed undercover to supposedly set up the deal but instead set her up.

The tabloid claims that the duchess offered to sell access to her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, then the trade envoy, for £500,000 (about $700,000) and was filmed accepting a $40,000 cash down-payment from the reporter. Unknown to her husband, the duchess had allegedly been promising access and trade deals in exchange for a cut in profits.

The recent current affairs interview was cut short when the duchess was asked to watch footage of the transaction. The Australian news team argued that the 2010 scandal was hardly news, and that the duchess had previously agreed to speak with them on tape. Said the "60 Minutes" producer, "She agreed to talk about the issue, as she has already extensively done, so it certainly wasn't entrapment."

Fergie's bad publicity hasn't done her any favors in the eyes of the royal family: The duchess was snubbed from Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.

See video that promotes the "60 Minutes" interview here.

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2011-08-12T07:54:00.001-07:00

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"Man on Wire" Remembers Twin Towers

Posted: 11 Aug 2011 02:38 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

In 1974, the still unfinished twin towers, at some 1,350 feet, were the tallest buildings in the world. The architectural monument inspired one daring young man, Philippe Petit, to commit what he called the "artistic crime of the century." The tightrope artist stepped out onto an illegally rigged wire 110 stories up, stretching 200 feet long, between the two towers -- and essentially danced high above the street for almost an hour.

The 2008 film "Man on Wire" tracks Petit as he recounts his audacious plans to walk between the two towers on a tightrope, and follows this highly dangerous, and highly illegal, feat. (The title is the description on the police report.) To Petit, the twin towers were his plaything. Ten years after the towers came down in the Sept. 11 attacks, the film is an homage to the buildings that became part of the New York City skyline years ago -- and that are now gone.

Interviewed recently for his one-man show of his life story, Petit said that the towers still exist -- in his mind. "I don't see time begin and end. In my head, the twin towers are still alive."

The Oscar nominee added in a different interview to the Huffington Post, "On the subject of the towers disappearing, of course it was an immense -- sadness is not the word -- it was something alive that was pulled out of me," he said. Years after the attack, he holds onto that 1974 memory. "Nothing can change that. The memory of this adventure is an intimate, romantic, poetic, joyful feeling that will continue...for the rest of my life."

The award-winning movie certainly brings the amazing high-altitude tale to life. The documentary, which does not reference the attacks, unfolds like a suspenseful thriller rather than a staid recounting of the facts. The high-wire act, which took six years to plan, was done in secret, the walk itself a crime. The performance was a once-in-a-lifetime event that stopped traffic around the World Trade Center and made headlines around the globe.

While essentially a benign act 37 years ago, it is hard not to watch the movie without thinking about how different the world is now. The Frenchman's team, as the Telegraph notes, "observes the buildings relentlessly, recruits assistants, builds models, collects documents, [and] notes security patrol routes and codes." These men on a mission were crazy, but they were artists, not madmen.

Still, with nothing but their wits, the men are easily able walk into the north and south towers dressed as deliverymen and executives (using fake IDs), and somehow sneak in a disassembled balancing pole, wire for rigging, 250 feet of one-inch braided steel cable, and a bow and arrow. The comrades hide on the top floor. The all-night setup begins, which involves shooting the wire from one building to the other with the bow and arrow. At 7 the next morning, Petit stepped off the south tower onto the wire.

After Petit finally came down from the wire (unharmed), he was arrested, jailed, taken for a psychological evaluation, and released. Journalists asked the performer why he did it. The then 24-year-old responded, "When I see three oranges, I juggle. When I see two towers, I walk."

Thanks to "Man on Wire," we can see the twin towers again, too.

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2011-08-11T07:17:00.001-07:00

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Viral Videos Swirl Through London

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 12:33 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

The riots, which began in London following the death of Mark Duggan, continue to spread across England, sparking both fear and outrage. Fueling the strong responses are viral videos from eyewitnesses. Some show specific acts of violence. Others focus on responses to the causes of the unrest.

Perhaps the buzziest video involves an injured man on the street. A group of men approach the dazed man, and at first it looks like they are going to help him. But then the group begins going through the injured man's backpack, stealing items.

The injured man was later identified as Asyraf Haziq, a 20-year-old Malaysian student. He is currently being treated at a London hospital for a broken jaw and damaged teeth. According to the U.K.'s Guardian, Haziq was on his way to buy groceries when he was attacked.

See video below, but note that it may disturb some viewers.

Other videos are even more violent. One clip shows police in Manchester chasing and then beating alleged rioters on the night of Aug. 9. Police have admitted to being overwhelmed by the "unprecedented levels of violence and criminality." This is just one of many videos from the Manchester riots.

Not all the viral videos feature acts of violence. One of the buzziest clips features a man, Darcus Howe, being interviewed by the BBC. Howe speaks about the police response to the riots and how authorities are going after young black men without cause.

The interview leads to a confrontation when the BBC broadcaster infers that Howe may have taken part in the riots. Howe responds: "I have never taken part in a single riot. I've been part of demonstrations that have ended up in a conflict. Have some respect for an old West Indian Negro, and stop accusing me of being a rioter. [...] You just sound idiotic."

The riots have, of course, been covered by professional journalists, some of whom are finding themselves caught up in the violence themselves. In one case, a CNN reporter had bottles thrown at him by rioters. In another, a reporter was punched in the face and had his camera stolen. The Cutline's Joe Pompeo summarizes the attacks.

The violence has also been well documented through photographs. On Flickr, thousands of photos have been uploaded, many of which feature things far more disturbing than just broken glass. Photos of the London riots focus on burning buildings, massive looting, and police doing their best to control the chaos.

Lastly, a time-lapse video of the riots in Tottenham, shot by Prokopi Constantinou, may bring the scope of the riots into perspective. Day turns to night, which turns back into day. All the while, the fires keep burning.

"Dirty Dancing" Remake Causes Controversy on the Web

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 08:42 AM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Is nothing sacred? Fans of "Dirty Dancing" certainly have a bone to pick. A storm of comments and searches hit the Web as soon as the news surfaced that Kenny Ortega ("High School Musical") would be directing a remake of the love story.

The dance movie from 1987 starred the late Patrick Swayze as dance instructor Johnny Castle, and a very young Jennifer Grey who played Baby, a guest at a summer resort who falls for teacher.

The story was set in the Catskills in the 1960s. But the movie has since become a timeless classic: The cheesy dance numbers, Patrick Swayze's smooth moves -- on and off the dance floor -- and his unforgettable line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" cemented the film in the memories of a generation of kids from the 1980s.

So it's not surprising that a storm of controversy would quickly follow plans to remake the movie. Searches on the Web immediately spiked on "dirty dancing remake" and "dirty dancing remake cast."

Fans of the original bemoaned the news on Yahoo!. Typical comments: "Please do not remake this movie!" And this: "There is no one that could replace Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey and I mean no one." And a third: "There will never be another 'Dirty Dancing' as good as the original. I think it will do a great dis-service to Patrick Swayze by remaking this film. You can't improve on perfection." Another called the original an "American icon of romance."

But not everyone sounded so incensed. For one, "Dancing with the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba jumped at the chance to have her say on casting, suggesting Jennifer Grey's pro partner from season 10, Derek Hough. And for Baby: Her vote is for Lea Michele from "Glee."

But perhaps the most unlikely show of support came from the original Baby, Jennifer Grey. The now 51-year-old actress and season 10 "DWTS" winner took to Twitter to voice her approval: "I love @Kennyortega and trust that he will do something special #DirtyDancingRemake."

Like we said: Nobody puts Baby in a corner.

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2011-08-10T07:26:00.001-07:00

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Kutcher Is Tops in Salary and Searches on the Web

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 03:47 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Looks like Ashton Kutcher is the one winning: He tops a TV Guide survey of highest paid stars on the small screen.

The "No Strings Attached" actor will be receiving $700,000 an episode (for a 22-episode season, mind you) to replace Charlie Sheen in "Two and a Half Men." That's well ahead of Kutcher's co-stars: Jon Cryer gets $600,000 an episode, and Angus T. Jones, Cryer's son on the series, earns $250,000 a show.

The alum of "That '70s Show" is bringing some serious star power -- both in salary and in searches on the Web. Lookups on "ashton kutcher two and a half men" rate over 250% in just the last day. Fans also tuned into "ashton kutcher teen choice awards" and, appropriately, "ashton kutcher net worth."

Kutcher's hefty take is still a bargain compared to Charlie Sheen, who brought in a cool $1.2 million per show, but who was fired after a very public melt-down.

In an interview for Details magazine, Kutcher, who wrapped the first episode and reportedly threw the cast an impromptu party, said he had never met the man he's replacing: "I've never met him in my life. But, you know, he sent me congratulations and wished me well. Via Twitter."

At the time, Sheen indeed tweeted, "#Winning Congrats to the cast and crew...CBS & WB..! My best to @aplusk !!" He also wrote, "The show must go on... You got the right guy! c."

The "right guy" comes out ahead on Yahoo! search compared with Charlie Sheen, but viewers are curious about "charlie sheen new show", "list of charlie sheen movies" and "charlie sheen roast."

When Glaciers Collapse

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 01:30 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Being a tourist is usually pretty predictable. You travel to nice places, take a few pictures, and then go home. But every once in a while, something unexpected happens. Such was the case when a group of tourists visited a glacier in Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska.

The group was on a boat near the impressive glacier, when they heard a rumbling noise. The glacier (at least part of it) was collapsing into the sea. At first, the tourists simply took more pictures. It was only after about 15 seconds when they realized that this wasn't your typical ice-crash.

Chunks of ice went flying toward the boat, and a huge wave sent the passengers reeling. "Holy crap!" someone shouted over and over. One passenger suffered a broken leg, according to the video's description on YouTube.

You can watch the video below. Beware, it does include some saucy language about half-way through. But when you're on a boat being rocked back and forth, you might as well swear like a sailor.

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2011-08-09T08:06:00.001-07:00

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Wealthy Duchess Gives Fortune Away to Marry

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:03 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva (yes, that's one name) is one of the wealthiest women in all of Spain. She is worth somewhere between $850 million and $5 billion -- but not for long. The Duchess of Alba, 85, is giving it all away so she can marry the one she loves.

This sounds like a plot to the latest Nicholas Sparks novel, but we assure you, this is non-fiction to the core. So, why is she giving her vast fortune away? The duchess's six children were dubious about their mother's plans to marry Alfonso Diez, a civil servant who is 24 years younger.

To help assuage their fears that the love may not be genuine, the duchess is going to give her fortune to her children. According to an article from the BBC, the duchess's six children had been against the wedding. Earlier this year, the duchess remarked, "Alfonso doesn't want anything. All he wants is me."

Not surprisingly, news of the impending wedding sparked a flurry of web searches. Online lookups for "duchess marries" and "spain duchess fortune" were both incredibly popular, as the masses sought the scoop on the unlikely love story.

The duchess's children were all from her first marriage to Pedro Luis Martinez de Irujo y Artazcoz, son of the Duke of Sotomayor. He died in 1972. The duchess remarried in 1978 to Jesuit priest Jesus Jesus Aguirre y Ortiz de Zarate. He passed away in 2001. The duchess has been friends with Diez for several years. In fact, there were rumors of a wedding in 2008, but nothing occurred after the children "vetoed" the idea of marriage.

No word on whether or not her children and grandchildren will attend the ceremony. The duchess likes to point out that each of her kids is divorced, something that she herself has never been. According to the UK's Guardian, the Duchess has given her children and eight grandchildren "a palace each." That ought to shut 'em up.

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2011-08-06T07:47:00.001-07:00

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New Biracial Spider-Man Causes Controversy on the Web

Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:04 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

There have been plenty of upgrades to the Spider-Man franchise lately: Andrew Garfield has replaced Tobey Maguire in the 2012 movie reboot, "The Amazing Spider-Man."

Over in the comic book world, the change to the Spider-Man character has been rocking the Web. Meet Miles Morales, the half-black, half-Latino teenager who takes over when (spoiler alert!) Peter Parker is killed.

Before anyone gets too upset, keep in mind that, first, the September relaunch of "Ultimate Spider-Man" is an alternate universe from the Marvel comic book series in which the original Peter Parker is alive and well. Second, these characters are just that -- not real.

But try and tell that to the blogosphere. News of the new, ethnic Spider-Man rocked the Web. Searches spiraled upward in just one day on "new black spiderman," "miles morales," and this mouthful: "miles morales the multicultural spiderman."

Opinion was fast and furious. Some dismissed the new superhero as "politically correct." (And that's one of the more printable comments.) On the Marvel site, comments were mixed. One complained, "This is not Spider-Man. Only Peter Parker is Spider-Man. R.I.P. Spidey." Another wanted to know, "Why couldnt he be Asian, there are plenty of blacks in comics already." One sent this approving message, "Way to go Marvel for blazing the way!!!! God bless America and Spiderman ... a true American hero!!!"

Sports fans have been talking up the link between the new Spidey and Tiger Woods. Other commenters suggested a connection with a young President Obama.

Even the fake-conservative news host Stephen Colbert jumped into the fray, joking that the the nonwhite character was stealing Peter Parker's job.

Over at USA Today, a commenter defended the new Spidey: "I for one am glad to see this ... whatever way we can express equality, fine."

Alexandra Petri, in the Washington Post, opined that "[t]he response to the black Spiderman shows why we need one."

The creator of Miles Morales is one Brian Michael Bendis, who was inspired to develop a biracial character when he heard "Community" actor Donald Glover was campaigning for the movie role of Spider-Man. He thought, "Oh, I would so like to read that book." And then remembered that he could -- if he wrote it.

The writer added, "Even though there's some amazing African American and minority characters bouncing around in all the superhero universes, it's still crazy lopsided."

It seems the time for Miles Morales has come.

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2011-08-05T07:24:00.001-07:00

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Sarah Palin’s Hair Salon Gets a Show and Other Spinoffs
Superman's New Costume
Captain Morgan's Ship Found?
The Chile Mine Disaster: a Year Later
Dramatic Rescue of Teen Buried by Sand Moves the Web

Sarah Palin’s Hair Salon Gets a Show and Other Spinoffs

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 04:31 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Politics doesn't always make for gripping TV (we're looking at you, C-SPAN). But that hasn't stopped reality shows from trying -- sort of. Here, a roundup of shows inspired by politics that seem to be anything but political.

Let's start with Sarah Palin: The Tea Party darling's trademark tresses now have their own show. Really. The beauty salon that gave Palin her pouf will be in the spotlight in "Big Hair Alaska," a two-part series from TLC that airs in September featuring the Beehive salon, Palin's beauty parlor.

According to the network's press release, all it could say about the show is that it "goes inside a busy hair salon in Wasilla, Alaska, where the personalities of the owner and her staff are as big as the hairstyles they create." Really, if that's the best they can do, we're guessing "Big Hair" will be a big bore.

Think of it as a spinoff to the other show about the former governor, "Sarah Palin's Alaska." The one-time Republican vice-presidential nominee puts on her game face to hunt, fish, and even take Kate Gosselin and her kids camping. Maybe not so surprisingly, that show bombed in the ratings after the first episode.

Then there's art imitating life: Rob Lowe, who famously played Sam Seaborn on the hit show "The West Wing," is taking on his own real-life political project. He's making a reality show tentatively called "Potomac Fever" that expects to follow young movers and shakers in the nation's capitol. One small problem, go-getters who actually want power want nothing to do with reality TV.

The show, which E! picked up, is still in the casting stage. A source involved in the project told the New York Times, "We're dealing with people who are connected to politics." Well, not all that connected. Candidates for casting include a DJ, a local traffic and entertainment news anchor, and a congressional staffer who is also a Washington Wizards dancer.

An earlier DC-based show from Bravo, "The Real Housewives of DC", was canceled after it couldn't improve lackluster ratings.

Some speculate that access was a major issue. As one DC insider approached for the show put it to a Washington blogger, "My husband has worked way too hard on his career to have a camera come in here."

Maybe C-SPAN doesn't look so bad after all.

Superman's New Costume

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:34 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Superheroes are, more often than not, macho dudes who fight evil with their fists. So, it's a bit ironic that so much attention is paid to their costumes. Here -- take a look at Superman's new threads. "Man of Steel," which stars Henry Cavill in the title role, hits theaters in 2012.

Captain Morgan's Ship Found?

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:30 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Captain Morgan is more than just a corporate logo. Way back in the 1600s, he was a real, honest-to-goodness swashbuckler. Feared, ruthless, and admired, Morgan ruled the Caribbean in a way that Captain Jack could only dream.

Now, many years later, archaeologists from Texas State University believe they may have found a section of one of Welsh Admiral Sir Henry Morgan's lost ships. Nobody is sure yet, but the ship appears to have sunk around the same time as Morgan's raid on Panama in 1671.

The Chile Mine Disaster: a Year Later

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 12:16 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

On August 5, 2010, the earth opened in northern Chile and swallowed 33 miners. For 69 days, the men were trapped half a mile down. The miners stayed strong and more than two months later, all 33 men were retrieved. The rescue was watched by more than a billion people, giving many of them a feeling of hope that the miraculous is still possible.

The one-year anniversary of the mine's collapse has inspired a tremendous amount of interest in the heroes who faced staggering odds to survive their ordeal. Over the past week, web searches for "chile miners today" and "chile miners update" have both surged. Though information on some of the miners is scant, newspapers and programs have profiled many of the men. Unfortunately, heartache and illness have been the rule rather than the exception.

According to an article from the U.K.'s Telegraph, some of the rescued miners have expressed an interest in returning to mining. One miner, Pablo Rojas, told the newspaper, "I've gone back, because it's my life. I've been doing it from the age of 16, and I don't know how to do anything else." But almost half the men have been without a job since the mine accident.

Indeed, though some might think the miners' fame translated into not having to work again, that hasn't been the case. According to the AP, "just one, the flamboyant Mario Sepulveda, has managed to live well off the fame. Most have signed up to give motivational speeches. Four, so far, have gone back underground to pound rock for a living." Sepulveda, on the other hand, formed a business consulting service and hired a public relations agent. Six months before the mine's collapse, Sepulveda "oversaw a campaign to build homes for people affected by a massive earthquake in Chile."

Some survivors are battling physical ailments. Other survivors suffer on a more personal level. Edison Peña, the miner who jogged to keep in shape while trapped underground, was a media darling at first. He ran the New York Marathon, cut the cake at Elvis Presley's birthday celebration in Graceland, and even sang an Elvis tune on "Letterman." But in recent months, he has also come under criticism for some bad habits. According to the Telegraph, his partner Angelica said, "If both God and the devil were down that mine, I think that probably the devil took him."

Some doctors were concerned that the miners didn't get enough time to rehabilitate, both mentally and physically. Alex Vega is bothered by loud noises and built a wall around his house for reasons he doesn't even understand. Ariel Ticona, the miner whose wife, Elizabeth, was pregnant and has since given birth to a baby named Hope, says her husband doesn't sleep well. The Guardian writes, "at New Year he simply disappeared to the south of the country at the last moment, leaving Elizabeth at home with their two young boys and a baby girl."

"60 Minutes" ran a story on the miners back in February. According to the program, "all but one of the 33 men, doctors say, have suffered severe psychological problems since the accident." For example, Victor Zamora, upon returning to the mine for the first time since being rescued, said that he feels "lots of sadness" and that he would "prefer to be dead."

A book, "33 Men: Inside the Miraculous Survival and Dramatic Rescue of the Chilean Miners," has been written about the miners. In a radio interview, author Jonathan Franklin explains that all but one of the men suffer from post traumatic stress disorder.

One thing that has gone well for the miners: their ability to stick together while negotiating. Though there have been spats and in-fighting, the man have collectively negotiated the movie rights to their story -- hopefully in a way that will help provide each of them with a little bit of comfort in the years ahead.

Dramatic Rescue of Teen Buried by Sand Moves the Web

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 10:55 AM PDT

by Claudine Zap

He's OK. But for nearly 30 harrowing minutes, 17-year-old Matt Mina thought he would die under five feet of sand.

The teen had been on Newport Beach in Orange County, digging underground tunnels with friends. They were trying to make the tunnels meet when the ground collapsed above him.

A family member saw the sand cave in, and alerted a lifeguard, who called the fire department.

The survivor told the "Today" show, "I didn't know if anyone could hear me when I was screaming for help." Nobody could hear him, but the rescue was already underway.

Paramedics arrived within minutes, and along with some dozens of lifeguards and beach goers, furiously began to dig.

The video of the rescue has quickly gone viral. See the dramatic rescue of the young man from the sand.

Underground, Mina's hands were trapped behind him. He used his head to create a small pocket of air. He counted each breath and came in and out of consciousness.

He couldn't hear the massive above-ground effort to unearth him. Mina told CBS Los Angeles, "The helplessness you feel when you're underground -- it's like, you think you can just pull yourself out, but you can't. It's so heavy."

After about 30 minutes, the paramedics and lifeguards unearthed the tunnel-digging teen. When he showed signs of life, the crowd cheered wildly. Matt Mina was taken to a local hospital and released.

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2011-08-04T07:46:00.001-07:00

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If You Watch Only One Video Today...

Posted: 03 Aug 2011 03:19 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

... do yourself a favor and make it this one.

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2011-08-03T07:15:00.001-07:00

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"The West Wing" on the Debt Ceiling

Posted: 02 Aug 2011 01:38 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

The debt debate is settled (for now). President Obama signed into law a bill that raises the debt ceiling. The law puts to rest a bitter back and forth that left politicians exhausted and taxpayers incredibly annoyed.

While the debate and down-to-the-wire bickering may have seemed unprecedented, it's worth noting that at least one high-profile TV show predicted the fiasco almost to a T. "The West Wing," which ran on NBC for many years, had a bit that sounded almost as if the actors were describing the current-day troubles.

In the clip, various members of the White House staff explain why the debt-ceiling debate has gone down to the wire and what will happen if nothing is done.

"Is it routine or the end of the world?" one asks. "Both," another responds. Sound familiar? Now that an epic fiasco has been averted, take a look at this and laugh (or maybe cry).

Message in a Bottle Found in Hawaii

Posted: 02 Aug 2011 11:07 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Off the coast of Oregon, a ten-year-old boy tossed a message in a bottle into the Pacific Ocean. A year later, a girl in Hawaii found it on the beach.

According to a popular article from the AP, Thomas Craig never expected his bottle to actually be found. Upon hearing that somebody found the message, he told an Oregon newspaper, "I couldn't believe someone had found it. I was shocked. When I threw it overboard, it hit the top of my grandpa's boat so I thought it broke and sank. The chances of someone finding it seemed like a once-in-a-million type thing."

Thomas's message was that lucky one. Nine-year-old Trinity Ballesteros of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii saw it washed up on the beach. The message read: "Dear finder of my message, my name is Thomas and I live in Oregon. I'm ten years old and this week I'm salmon fishing deep in the ocean. I would like to hear from you."

Trinity responded (via email) to Thomas, who had included his mom's address. Since then, the two plan to become pen pals (of the email variety).

But that isn't the only message in a bottle making waves on the Web. Near Florida, a man found another message that had been floating in glass for 50 years. A video from CNN explains that a hotel owner put the message out to sea with a note that said anyone who returns the bottle to the hotel will get a $150 reward.

The reward was, according to the man's daughter, a joke the man was playing on his wife, who managed the hotel. He thought it would be fun to see her reaction when a stranger came in asking for $150.

Flash forward 50 years. A man finds the message and tracks down the man's daughter, who now runs her late father's hotel. The woman's reaction was pure shock and disbelief, mixed with a lot of memories of her father's playfulness.

And there are many more stories like this. Just last year, we reported on a high school student who dropped a message in a bottle off the coast of Florida. A year and a half later, he got a response all the way from Ireland. Today, the bottle has a place of honor in an Irish pub.

One of the most moving stories goes back to 1979. Dorothy and John Henry Peckham threw a message into the Pacific Ocean while on a cruise. Six years later the bottle was picked up by 31-year-old Hoa Van Nguyen in Southeast Asia. A correspondence began that led to the Peckhams helping sponsor Nguyen and his family's immigration to the United States.

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2011-08-02T07:52:00.001-07:00

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Crop Circle Creation Theory: Physics, Not Aliens

Posted: 01 Aug 2011 12:50 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Those otherworldly crop circles may not have been caused by aliens after all. Instead, think physics: A study in Physics World points to the possibility that the patterns could be caused by earth-bound microwaves, lasers, and GPS. Maybe.

Formations in fields have been documented more than 10,000 times in the late 20th century. They have been credited to everything from paranormal activity, to human hijinks, to the weather -- and in some cases, even wallabies (more on that later).

Further fueling the mystery is that the farmland designs are done in secret, usually in the dark -- and often by jokesters who want to make it seem like Martians were at work. It wasn't until 1991 that the first pranksters admitted to have created at least some of the crop circles as a UFO hoax. What's confounded scientists is trying to explain just how the art is done without any marks left by the makers, all in just one night.

The question led researcher Richard Taylor of the University of Oregon to contend that in the modern age, planks and ropes (to flatten plants) and even bar stools to jump from one area to another undetected -- were out.

Instead, the scientist argued that high-tech gadgets like GPS to place the shapes and magnetrons (tubes which use electricity and magnetism to generate intense heat) to cause the crop stalks to fall over at high speed must have been used.

Can any of this be proven as the tools of the crop-circle trade? Not really. But as Matin Durrani, editor of Physics World, put it, at least Taylor gives an explanation that's an alternative to alien technology: "He is merely trying to act like any good scientist -- examining the evidence for the design and construction of crop circles without getting carried away by the side-show of UFOs, hoaxes, and aliens."

Fair enough. Still, some crop circles have a fairly reasonable explanation. The Harry Potter "maize maze" was designed by a York, England, farmer, not little green men.

And some formations in poppy fields in Australia have been blamed on wallabies. Yes, those kangaroo-like animals apparently eat the legally grown opiate, become "high as a kite," and hop around to create their own circle work.

Whatever the real reason, we can all agree they're crop-tastic.

Love on the Rocks for Justin and Selena?

Posted: 01 Aug 2011 10:02 AM PDT

by Michael Krumboltz

Is this the end of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez's tween-tastic romance? The rumor mill is speculating that the singing sensations have split.

According to unsubstantiated reports on the Web, the photogenic couple have gone their seperate ways, possibly over a text message that Bieber allegedly sent to ex-girlfriend Jasmine Villegas.

While this is all just speculation, the searches are already through the roof. Over the past several hours, online lookups for "selena gomez break up," "justin selena split," and "justin bieber single" have all hit high notes in the Search box.

Phone calls seeking comment from representatives for Gomez and Bieber were not immediately returned.

This rumored breakup comes just a week after Bieber made a surprise appearance at one of Gomez's concerts. The well-groomed young man took the stage, much to the delight of the thousands of fans in attendance, and sang Justin Timberlake's mournful tune "Cry Me a River." The song choice may have seemed odd at the time, but if the rumors are indeed true, the choice was appropriate.

A small sample of the lyrics:
You were my sun, you were my earth/But you didn't know all the ways I loved you, no/So you took a chance and made other plans/But I bet you didn't think that they would come crashing down, no

But don't go starting a candlelight vigil just yet. Remember -- the Internet has been wrong before (remember the Taylor Lautner death rumors?). As this blog from Zap2it points out, this Gomez-Bieber rumor may have originated with a random YouTube video that went viral.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-08-01T07:55:00.001-07:00

Yahoo! Buzz

Murdoch scandal, Norway massacre, debt ceiling: July 2011 Buzz

Posted: 31 Jul 2011 09:32 AM PDT

by Vera H-C Chan

Judgment seemed in short supply this July. The trial of the summer ended in a verdict that dismayed even the Florida jury that rendered it. A long-submerged media scandal was dragged out, knocking over a domino of editors and coppers in the process. Meanwhile, a debt ceiling impasse deadlocked American lawmakers, threatening global financial stability. Most horrific was a native son's extremism, which caused a massacre Norway has not seen since the second World War. In a roiling hot month, a look at the buzz that burned.

Norway massacre
For decades, Norway (up 1,242% in searches) has been a country at peace. Its police are unarmed. Rehabilitation, not just incarceration, defines its legal system. The 2009 homicide rate was 0.6 per 100,000. (By comparison, the United States is eight times higher.) Against this backdrop, 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik spent years formulating a xenophobic philosophy — recorded in neo-Nazi forums, anti-Muslim videos, and a 1,500-page manifesto — and building up an arsenal that would leave seven dead in Oslo and 76 massacred in a Labour Party Youth Camp. The mass shooting led people online to dig into Breivik's background, family, and motives — including his invocation of the Knights Templar, the medieval Christian crusaders. And peaceful as it may be, Norway and countries beyond its borders, is re-examining its own standards of tolerance and right-wing extremism.

Journalistic hacks
Watergate (boiled down to -gate) gets evoked every now and then in political scandals, but the phone hacking ignominy may well measure up to the 1970s disgrace that brought down a president. The practice of Britain's leading tabloid, News of the World, went back at least a decade, but it took a cross-continental effort (The Guardian's Nick Davies and the New York Times) to surface the seedy extent to which tabloid reporters and private investigators hacked into the cell phone voicemail of a missing (and later found dead) teenager, and possibly many others. The paper, part of Rupert Murdoch's sprawling media empire, was shut down, but that didn't stop the domino effect of high-powered editors toppling, followed by Scotland Yard's top two men. And while Americans are used to the spectacle, a rare Parliamentary hearing took a humbled Rupert Murdoch and son James to task, although without resolution. As investigations continue, including one into the "non-suspicious" death of whistleblower Sean Hoare, only the image of Wendi Deng Murdoch — thanks to an overhead spike of a foam pie — has improved under pressure, for the moment.

Debt ceiling
On May 16, the U.S government hit its $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. Instead of raising it like the 102 times before since this limit was established in 1917 (most recently, eight times under President George Bush and three times under President Obama), the rote exercise became a political symbol of big government vs. political intransigence vs. American safety nets. As Congress played chicken, exasperated spectators included investors, executives, the International Monetary Fund managing director, Chinese media (China owns the majority of American debt, followed by Japan) and Americans in general. Now, among the many questions people pose online (besides how to pronounce John Boehner's surname): Will Obama pull the 14th Amendment trigger, even if he doesn't want to?

Yahoo! July 2011 Web-Hot Searches

Search Terms with Significant Percentage Changes

Amy Winehouse dead (off the charts). The British singer's death was met with both shock and acceptance, as though joining the so-called 27 Club had been inevitable. Toxicology reports for the woman with the "once-in-a-generation voice" are still due, but theories circulate cutting back completely on alcohol may have compromised her system.
Jennifer Lopez American Idol (off the charts). The busy "Most Beautiful Woman" announced her divorce, celebrated her 42nd birthday, shot scenes for her next movie in Atlanta, and isthisclose to renewing "Idol."
Staples Center L.A. Lakers (off the charts). Despite a lockout, the Lakers' schedule was among the highlights with the release of the 2011-12 NBA schedule.
Zara Phillips (+156,003). The Scottish queen's granddaughter wed rugby player Mike Tindall in a (comparatively) low-key matrimony with royal guests.
Rupert Murdoch (+92,296%). See above.
Srebrenica Massacre (+46,044%). About 40,000 gathered July 11 in Bosnia-Herzegovina to observe the 16th anniversary of the largest massacre on European soil since 1945. Trials against those who oversaw the deaths of 8,000-plus Muslims, including Ratko Mladic, are still underway.
Univision Copa America 2011 (+25,134%). Futbol (aka soccer) fans tuned into the network to catch Uruguay defeat Paraguay 3-0. Favorites Argentina and Brazil were ousted during the semifinals.
Knights Templar (+16,406%). See above.
Alex Morgan Soccer (+11,271%). The U.S. player broke the tie in the Women's World Cup final, although Nadeshiko, aka the Japan team — whose players work day jobs — went on to win. The match made records for Tweets-per-second and ESPN (second highest rated women's soccer game).
Voldemort (+8,073%). The villain and the rest of Harry Potter's concluded its cinematic run, ending a literary saga.

Biggest Search Terms

Casey Anthony

Jennifer Lopez

Cindy Anthony

Emma Watson

Amy Winehouse

Lindsay Lohan

Olivia Wilde

Heidi Montag

Dolly Parton

Kirstie Alley

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-07-30T07:13:00.001-07:00

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Meet Kitler: The Shelter Cat That Can't Find a Home
Help the Netflix Customers!
Charles and Diana: The Wedding That Changed the World

Meet Kitler: The Shelter Cat That Can't Find a Home

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 04:24 PM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Adorable kitten. Adolf Hitler. Two things that usually don't go together. But a stray kitty has somehow managed to combine the cuteness of a cat with the evil of the Nazi Party. Thanks to (or rather, cursed with) unusual markings that seem to imitate the Fuhrer's famous 'stache, this little kitty can't find a home.

As reported by the English Telegraph, the six-week-old Hitler kitty was found starving and near death. But the little feline proved fierce, and has since recovered her health.

But she still has found no home. Some have thought her resemblance to the leader of the Third Reich has hardened hearts against her. Also, the shelter nicknamed her Kitler, which probably hasn't helped her cause. Neither is the photo of Kitler seeming to make the Hitler salute.

Not that Kitler is the first cat to resemble Hitler: It's a phenom that has gained attention on the Web before. But none of this helps this kitten's fate. We're sure Kitler has no intention of creating a master cat race. But mice may have a different opinion.

Help the Netflix Customers!

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 01:47 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

When Netflix announced that it was raising its prices by up to 60%, a lot of people went ballistic. The official Netflix blog was quickly besieged with negative comments. Customers threatened to quit in droves. In short, people were acting like a stranger just slapped their child.

The comedy-minded folks at Funny or Die obviously picked up on that reaction. A new video starring Jason Alexander (of "Seinfeld" fame) addresses the price hike in an over-the-top spoof that resembles a Red Cross plea for donations.

"For a mere six dollars a month," Alexander remarks, "you can help them keep their current Netflix plans." The video focuses on several sad souls who can no longer afford the monthly fees. One heartbroken customer is "so upset, she can barely get out of bed to attend her advanced Pilates workshop."

Such tragedy, but there is hope! For just dollars a month, Alexander gravely intones, "you can help an upper-middle-class American keep their access to DVDs and streaming."

You can check out the video here. We imagine it's probably a pretty big hit around Netflix HQ.

Charles and Diana: The Wedding That Changed the World

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 08:42 AM PDT

by Claudine Zap

A fairy-tale romance between a prince and his princess-to-be. A sparkling sapphire and diamond engagement ring. A wedding watched around the world. Sounds like the royal wedding of Kate and Will. But actually, this royal wedding took place 30 years ago: On July 29, 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer. In many ways, it was the wedding that changed the world. Here, a look at the legacy.

Diana arrived in a glass, horse-drawn coach. The couple married at St. Paul's Cathedral in front of 3,500 guests. Outside, a crowd of 600,000 well-wishers filled the streets. And a global audience of 750 million tuned in to watch the wedding on TV -- the largest ever for such an event.

The 20-year-old bride wore an elaborate Emmanuel design with a 25-foot-long train (that was copied for years after she appeared in it), and memorably flubbed her 32-year-old groom's name when saying her vows, calling him Philip Charles instead of Charles Philip.

After the ceremony, the two emerged on the balcony of Buckingham Palace and kissed for the wildly enthusiastic throngs below.

The event marked the beginning of their lives together -- the start of a new popularity for the monarchy and a focus on Diana as style icon to be wildly imitated and adored. The romance with the "people's princess" lasted long after the marriage had collapsed.

Meanwhile, as Diana, Princess of Wales, the blushing bride became a global celebrity. Bob Houston, publisher of Royalty Monthly magazine, called the '80s the "decade of Diana." And added, "Diana was the spearhead of the American invasion of Britain, the celebrity culture."

Royal historian Hugo Vickers remembered how Diana changed the monarchy. Speaking on the phone from his home in Hampshire, England, he said, "Diana had a particular gift. She was brilliant in her way. She really did have a certain magnetism."

Following a disastrous public divorce, and Diana's subsequent shocking death in a car accident in 1997 when she was only 36, the world watched as her two sons, princes William and Harry, followed mournfully behind her casket.

During her lifetime, the media was mad for Diana, following her every movement, and some even blamed the tabloid press for the car crash that led to her untimely death. This at a time pre-Internet; before Facebook or Twitter or the 24-hour news cycle.

The interest in the royals was re-ignited when Prince William, about to turn 29 and in the Royal Air Force, married his longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton, 29, in the spring.

From the start, William kept his mum in mind. When the prince announced he was marrying his on-again, off-again love who he had met in college, Catherine Middleton was wearing Diana's engagement ring.

The devoted son said at the time, "It's my way of making sure my mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement and the fact we are going to spend the rest of our lives together."

William approached marriage with caution, perhaps having learned the lesson of his mother's youthful engagement. Royals expert Carolyn Harris of Queens University in Canada noted the differences in an email, writing, "Charles and Diana did not know each other very well when they were married and there was a large age difference between them. During their early married life, they found they had few common interests."

Harris added, "In contrast, William and Kate had the opportunity to become friends, then date for a long period of time before their marriage so they had the opportunity to establish their personal relationship before having to perform royal duties as a couple."

The two seem to be masters at handling the press, saying little in public and revealing as few details as necessary about their lives. For example, Kate's wedding dress designer was successfully kept a secret until she made her appearance dressed in a stunning Sarah Burton design for Alexander McQueen on the day of her wedding.

The 30th anniversary of Charles and Diana's wedding will certainly be on many people's minds. As Vickers mused, "That was a very special, happy day, whatever happened afterward can't take that away. It's a tragedy how it all turned out."

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-07-29T07:33:00.001-07:00

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Shocker: 'The Smurfs' Not Well Reviewed

Posted: 28 Jul 2011 11:17 AM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

This probably isn't going to come as much of a shock: "The Smurfs" is not a critical darling. As of 9 AM PST, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes hasn't found a single positive review. Other films to achieve this dubious distinction include the McDonald's propaganda piece "Mac and Me" and the unintentionally hilarious "Manos: The Hands of Fate."

The Hollywood Reporter's Michael Rechtshaffen gets right to the point, calling the film "numbingly generic." "For all the digitally enhanced Smurfness, the results are remarkably mirthless" and "thoroughly uninspired." The movie serves as proof, Rechtshaffen writes, that "Hollywood seems to have no intention of leaving any '80s pop culture touchstone unturned." What's next? "Where's the Beef: the Movie"?

Keith Staskiewicz of Entertainment Weekly gives the movie a "D+" and writes that it has the stink of a shameless cash-grab full of recycled ideas. He calls the flick "half animated, half live action, and all careful studio calculation." Probably not the kind of pull-quote the studio execs were hoping for.

The Onion's AV Club also gives the movie a D+. Reviewer Tasha Robinson writes that kids may find the frantic action fun, "but for adults, watching 'The Smurfs' may feel a little too much like trying to wrangle an overcrowded kiddie birthday party." Most likely to enjoy the film are those "who can't get enough of characters smacking face-first into glass surfaces."

Alonso Duralde of The Wrap is the most brutal. He calls "The Smurfs" "a film that does for children's entertainment what lead paint does for children's toys." He writes that the flick is "too moronic and cringe-worthy for adults," though kids may find Azrael the cat amusing.

Roger Moore from Tribune Newspapers is a tad more forgiving. Giving the movie two out of four stars, Moore writes that the Smurfs are "still sickeningly sweet and upbeat. But if you've got kids, it's not nearly as torturous to sit through as you might have feared." That's not faint praise considering the director of "The Smurfs" also helmed two "Scooby Doo" movies and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua."

Also negative but not THAT negative is Catherine Shoard of the UK's Guardian. She writes that the film "spools along without drama with enough noise and neon to distract under eights for an hour and a half." But buried in the review is a disturbing factoid for anyone hoping the Smurfs would quickly come and go. Apparently this is just the first film in a planned trilogy. Moviegoers, you have been warned.

Must-See Pippa TV

Posted: 28 Jul 2011 08:36 AM PDT

by Claudine Zap

Pippa is getting her own TV show. Kate Middleton's maid of honor and younger sister, Pippa Middleton, will be the subject of a one-hour documentary, "Crazy About Pippa."

Think of it as a spin-off of the wall-to-wall coverage of Kate and Will's royal wedding. From that major TV event, a star -- poured into a white Alexander McQueen gown -- was born. The 27-year-old has been "liked" on Facebook 185,000 times. Even her posterior has its own fan page.

And if searches on Yahoo! are any indication, TLC is on to something. Web lookups for the stunning socialite were up a meteoric 25,000% in the last month. Fans have followed everything from "pippa middleton dress" to "pippa middleton pics" and "pippa middleton fashion trends."

Pippa's sudden rise to fame may have a more lasting legacy: The baby name site Nameberry announced that Pippa and the formal version, Philippa -- are the hottest baby names of 2011.

So is there anything left to learn about England's most eligible bachelorette? According to the network's press release, fans can expect "those closest to Pippa [to] provide insight into the life and work of the future Queen of England's sister. Those who know and admire her will answer the question, 'who is Pippa Middleton?'"

Seems Pippa's brother-in-law has a thought. The show reveals that -- spoiler alert -- Prince Harry once referred to England's "It" girl as a "foxy filly."

"Crazy About Pippa" will air on Tuesday, August 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TLC.

Yahoo! Buzz

2011-07-28T07:16:00.001-07:00

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Own Your Own Town for $800K

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 01:52 PM PDT

by Mike Krumboltz

Had it with life in the big city? The traffic, crowds, and high rent got you down? Then may we suggest you consider investing in the town of Scenic, North Dakota? And by "invest" we mean "buy the whole darn town for $800,000."

That's right. The small town, which admittedly has seen better days, can be yours for just a bit more than an average home in San Francisco. So, what exactly do you get for your $800k? Quite a lot, actually. You'll get a dance hall, a saloon, two jails, a train depot, two stores, and some more empty buildings.

According to ABC News, the town is for sale because the current owner, Twila Merrill, has been diagnosed with cancer. Merrill's daughter, Lee Ann Keester, remarked, "I have to take care of my mom. Family always comes first... But it's just time, everything comes with time... [My mom] would love to do it until she's 100, but her health won't permit her."

True, the town won't be mistaken for New York or even Green Acres. However, based on the pictures, it does have a certain Old West charm. One can almost picture John Wayne ambling down the street. It does look like a ghost town -- and with less than ten residents, it's mighty close to becoming one.

This isn't the first time an entire town has gone up for sale. Some may remember actress Kim Basinger's ill-fated purchase of Braselton, Georgia for $20 million. Basinger planned to turn the town into a tourist draw, complete with film festival. But things didn't quite work out as she planned. She was later forced to sell the town at a huge loss due to financial problems of her own.

And Basinger isn't alone. As an article from MSN points out, many have purchased towns only to see that the dream of "owning their own zip code" turn into a nightmare. It's one thing to be a landlord and have to fix a renter's leaky faucet. It's another to be responsible for an entire town of faucets (and toilets, and electricity, and crime prevention, and, and, and...)