Saturday, June 30, 2012



    Stolen Dali painting returned after surfacing in mail

    A stolen Salvador Dali painting worth an estimated $150,000 has been recovered after being mailed back to the United States from Greece, police said Saturday.
    An unidentified man posing as a potential customer snatched the 1949 gouache and watercolor piece "Cartel des Don Juan Tenorio" from New York's Venus Over Manhattan in a brazen heist on June 19, casually walking out of the month-old art gallery with the frame sticking out of a bag.
    A police spokesman told AFP that the surrealist work was mailed from the Greek capital Athens and recovered Thursday.
    "US Customs seized it and (New York Police Department) detectives got it from them and returned it to the owner," he said, adding that no one has been arrested in connection with the heist.
    Dali's 1949 work was on display as part of the gallery's debut exhibition, which opened in May on Manhattan's swank Upper East Side.
    Surveillance video showed a balding man wearing a checkered shirt leaving with the loot.

    Topless military wives aim to raise PTSD awareness

    ​U.S. military wives are exposing their emotions as well as their bodies in an effort to speak out about their husbands' struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Battling BARE campaign began at Fort Campbell, a U.S. Army base on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, when founder and military wife Ashley Wise posted a photo of herself online, nude and holding her husband's gun, with a pledge scrawled on her bare back. Wise's mission to unite women like herself in combatting the stigma attached to PTSD resonated with people across the country, rocketing the Facebook page's following to more than 16,000 in less than two months. The "au naturel" pics keep coming, along with the aim to help army wives remember that they're not alone. 

    Australian swimmer lands in hot water after tweeting picture of herself in revealing bikini ... and starts hilarious copycat tweets



    Outrage: Stephanie Rice poses in the designer bikini deemed 'too revealing'
    Outrage: Stephanie Rice poses in the designer bikini deemed 'too revealing'
    An Australian Olympic swimmer has been criticised for posing in a bikini deemed 'too revealing' - but has started a copycat craze of people wearing the outfit.
    Triple gold medalist Stephanie Rice posted the picture of her in a two-piece designer swimsuit on Twitter earlier this week.
    The bikini - known as the 'tomb raider' - had been given to her as a birthday present from the designer Ellie Gonsalves.
    But critics blasted for the sports star for showing off in the costume which some claimed was 'too sexy'.
    One fan tweeted: 'Stephanie Rice posting a photo of herself in swimwear has brought disgrace to the Australian swim team and she should be dropped.'
    Despite the public backlash, Miss Rice left the photo on her Instagram page.
    There were also claims that by posing in the swimsuit she could have breached a sponsorship contract with Speedo.
    However, her management denied that she had broken any rules.
    A spokesman said: 'No, Stephanie isn't an ambassador for Ellie Gonsalves, she just loves their stuff.
    'She doesn't have any relationship with Speedo anymore so there are no restrictions there.'
    Despite some criticism, the picture sparked a string of spoofs with men posting pictures of themselves in the same costume. Many of the them were supporting the swimmer.
    Radio presenter Ryan Fitzgerald contacted the makers of the bikini and was sent one to wear. He put the picture online of him and friend Michael Wipfli wearing the swimsuit.


    The outfit's designer Ellie Gonsalves also posted a picture of herself in the costume to show support for her athlete friend.
    Ellie Gonsalves label director Vanessa Bryce said that sales of the bikini have soared since Miss Rice's picture was made public.

    'We've had inquires from all over - the US, Singapore. We've sold an extra 60 since the photo ran and sales of other swimwear has also gone up,' she told the
    Herald Sun.
    'Yes, we are preparing a special package of things to send (Rice) after the Olympics to say thank you', she added.
    Ryan Fitzgerald
    Michael Wipfli
    Spoof: Radio presenter Ryan Fitzgerald, left, and friend Michael Wipfli, right, pose in the same style of bikini after the designer sent them one to wear
    The controversy is the latest to hit the swimmer, who won three golds at Beijing in 2008 and is the world record holder for the women's 400m individual medley.
    In 2008, Miss Rice sparked outrage when a picture of her posing in a skin-tight police costume appeared on her Facebook page.
    And in September 2010 she was slammned she wrote 'suck on that faggots' after Australia beat South Africa in a Rugby Union match. Miss Rice was criticised for the comments and made a tearful public apology.
    Police officer pic posted on Rice Facebook page in 2008
    The actual Ellie Gonsalves poses in bikini
    Suggestive: Miss Rice poses in a police costume in 2008, and right, her friend Ellie Gonsalves poses in the same bikini in a show of support for the swimmer
    Controversy: Miss Rice cries as she apologises for a gay slur in 2010 in which she wrote 'suck on that faggots' after Australia beat South Africa at rugby
    Controversy: Miss Rice cries as she apologises for a gay slur in 2010 in which she wrote 'suck on that faggots' after Australia beat South Africa at rugby

    Miss Rice tweets a response to the controversy over her bikini picture, promising more 'racy' swimwear at the Olympics
    Accomplished: Stephanie Rice of Australia competes in the Semi Finals of the Women's 200 Metre Freestyle
    Accomplished: Stephanie Rice of Australia competes in the Semi Finals of the Women's 200 Metre Freestyle

    Dressed up and at work: Stephanie Rice out and in the pool
    Dressed up and at work: Stephanie Rice out and in the pool
    Dressed up and at work: Stephanie Rice out and in the pool


    Smoking pot (©AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

    Dope on world drug use shows weed's where it's at

    Marijuana is still the most popular illicit drug on the planet, with as many as 224 million users worldwide, according to the UN's World Drug Report. A red-eyed 14.1 percent of Americans enjoy a toke, while the Micronesian Republic of Palau boasts the highest number of stoners per capita, with almost one-in-four people blazing one up for their tiny Pacific island nation. Interestingly, in Uruguay, where they've recently decided to all but legalize its use, the rate is far lower -- just 5.6 percent. And while its cultivation is difficult to measure accurately, given the number of small, backyard growers, global production is believed to be on the rise, with the product becoming more potent. So, all in all, the future's looking bright for the world's stoners. If they can bring themselves to open the drapes.

    Friday, June 29, 2012


    Dinner party with good friends at a home cooked do-it-yourself evening of birthday celebration. (© Shelby Ross/Getty)

    Best study ever proves booze really does make life better

    Let's toast our new favorite scientists, a team from the Boston University School of Medicine who've found that folks who drink "in moderation" have a better quality of life than those who completely cut out the booze. The researchers tracked more than 5,000 50 year olds, and discovered that the regular drinkers scored highest when measured on factors including dexterity, emotion, cognition and mobility. "Overall, this study shows a positive relation between regular moderate alcohol intake and quality of life in middle-aged adults," said the study's authors. It's worth noting that their definition of "moderate" alcohol consumption is "no more than 14 drinks a week, and no more than three a day for women and four a day for men." Better crack open a bottle now if you want to meet your daily quota.

    \\
    Charlie Sheen

    NEW YORK (AP) -- Nik Wallenda has nothing on Charlie Sheen.
    Sure, the famed high-wire artist thrilled millions as the first person to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope.
    But that amazing feat lasted a mere half-hour, and Wallenda, had he lost his footing, would have been saved by a protective tether. Besides, the prayer-reciting daredevil called for holy reinforcement as he took his lofty stroll.
    By contrast, hell-raising Sheen has tempted fate for decades without a net. There's been nothing to defend him from his death-defying appetites but tiger blood, Adonis DNA and endless bluster.
    That is the tightrope Charlie Sheen cavorts on, 24/7, where at any moment he is poised to upstage everything else (as he did a year ago with his stormy exit from "Two and a Half Men," complete with his public rantings and his chaotic Torpedo of Truth concert tour).
    Now, never really gone, Sheen is back. He has a new comedy series, "Anger Management," which premieres Thursday on FX with a pair of back-to-back episodes at 9 p.m. EDT.
    Nominally based on the 2003 Adam Sandler-Jack Nicholson movie, the series has been tailored to fit Sheen's image and comfort zone. Once applauded as a talented actor, here he presents yet another version of the self-styled Charlie Sheen-esque character he played as Charlie Crawford on "Spin City" and Charlie Harper on "Men."
    On "Anger Management," he plays a psychologist named — wait for it — Charlie Goodson.
    Charlie Goodson is a former up-and-coming baseball player who, in a fit of rage during a game, tried to break a bat across his leg and messed up his knee.
    What else could he do for a post-athletic career but become an anger management therapist?
    With that, the series takes a step beyond the nonstop hedonism Charlie Harper championed on "Men." Along with enjoying good times, Charlie Goodson is trying to transform his motley clients, and himself, into less angry people.
    In short, "Anger Management" displays a bit of heart, and surprisingly (since it's on the edgy FX cable channel, not CBS), turns out to be a tamer than "Men."
    Charlie has a 15-year-old daughter he adores, a sassy ex-wife he lets push his buttons, and, in addition to the paying members of his therapy group (shades of "The Bob Newhart Show"), he also volunteers at a penitentiary to work with cartoonish hardened inmates.
    Meanwhile, he realizes that he still has anger issues and decides to seek counseling for himself.
    "Why do you need a therapist? You ARE a therapist," his neighbor asks.
    Charlie responds this way: "Did you ever see a tow truck hauling a tow truck?"
    Of course, Charlie being Charlie, there's a problem.
    "There's only one tow truck I trust," he sighs, "and unfortunately, I'm having sex with it."
    He's talking about Kate, a fellow therapist and his no-obligations bedmate, to whom he pledges in the sack, "I promise I will never love you."
    "Keep talking," she coos, turned on by his sweet nothings.
    But can Kate be his friend-with-benefits and his therapist, too?
    The writing has its bright moments, and the supporting cast proves serviceable. (Sheen's former "Spin City" sidekick, Michael Boatman, is welcome as Charlie's neighbor.)
    But "Anger Management" exists solely to showcase Sheen, as it trades on the underlying joke that has fueled him since he joined "Spin City" a dozen years ago: his own reputation as a richly paid, scandal-beset rake.
    The new show is just the latest act for the attention-gorging Sheen as he operates in league with his faithful codependents: a vigilant public and the media that guarantees his prominence.
    So "Anger Management" is an OK, if slight, sitcom with a big star at its center. And since the big star is Sheen, his show is impossible to judge out of the context of whatever off-script spectacle Sheen next makes of himself. Granted, after all this time he hasn't crashed to earth. But he's never exactly balanced on his real-life tightrope, where, without warning, he's always liable to steal the show — even from the TV series he stars in.

    Thursday, June 28, 2012


    The breast restaurant guide: How waitresses offering dinner and a tacky 'view' are keeping U.S. diners alive in the recession



    The waitresses at Twin Peaks wear skimpy plaid tops that accentuate their chests.
    In case you didn't catch the joke, the chain's logo is an image of two pointy, snow-capped mountains. And the sports bar doesn't stop there: It promises 'scenic views.'
    Twin Peaks owner Randy DeWitt downplays all of that and insists that the appeal of the restaurant goes beyond the obvious. Hearty meals and a focus on making customers feel special, he says, are what really keeps them coming back.
    Rarity: So-called breastaraunts like Twin Peaks, four waitresses pictured, are staying in top shape despite an overall decline in restaurant sales
    Rarity: So-called breastaraunts like Twin Peaks, four waitresses pictured, are staying in top shape despite an overall decline in restaurant sales
    'We believe in feeding the ego before feeding the stomach,' he says. Or as the website of the mountain lodge-themed restaurant states: 'Twin Peaks is about you, `cause you're the man!'
    Twin Peaks is part of a booming niche in the beleaguered restaurant industry known as 'breastaurants,' or sports bars that feature scantily clad waitresses.

     

    These small chains operate in the tradition of Hooters, which pioneered the concept in the 1980s but has struggled in recent years to stay fresh.
    Instead of relying on lust alone, the new crop of restaurants is growing by offering new themes (think: rustic lodges and Celtic pubs) and varied menus (think: pot roast and shepherd's pie instead of just burgers and wings). In other words, they're hoping maybe people really are coming in for the food.
    Big appetite: The sports bar that features scantily clad waitresses says it believes in feeding the ego before feeding the stomach
    Big appetite: The sports bar that features scantily clad waitresses says it believes in feeding the ego before feeding the stomach
    Trail setters: Following the trail blazed by Hooters, Twin Peaks and other similar restaurants have been the only type to show an increase in sales lately
    Trail setters: Following the trail blazed by Hooters, Twin Peaks and other similar restaurants have been the only type to show an increase in sales lately
    The nation's top three 'breastaurant' chains behind Hooters each had sales growth of 30 percent or more last year, according to Technomic, a food industry research firm. They still represent less than 1 per cent of the nation's top restaurants, but the upstart chains are benefiting as other mid-priced options like Applebee's and Bennigan's have experienced declines during the economic downturn.
    'The younger crowds want to go to a newer place, not where mom and dad took them,' says Darren Tristano, an analyst at Technomic.
    Tovan Adams says he frequents Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery in Tempe, Ariz., where waitresses wear matching tartan mini-skirts and bras that fit in with the restaurant's Celtic theme. He even brings his daughters, ages 6 and 9, with him for lunch.
    'If you come in the evening, you'll see a lot of kids here,' says Adams, an electric engineer who likes the menu's variety. 'Everyone's still got their clothes on. If you go to the beach, it's a lot worse than being here.'
    Lynette Marmolejo, a college admissions worker, dropped in at the Tilted Kilt for the first time recently. She likes that the restaurant is dominated by the 'corporate crowd' rather than the 'college crowd.' And she says the half-dressed waitresses don't bother her.
    Uniform: Hooters opened its first location in 1983 in Florida, putting its waitresses, four pictured, in tiny orange shorts and tight white tank tops
    Uniform: Hooters opened its first location in 1983 in Florida, putting its waitresses, four pictured, in tiny orange shorts and tight white tank tops
    'Prices and the food -- if those are good, I don't care what anybody's wearing,' Marmolejo says.
    Tilted Kilt, which serves dishes such as shepherd's pie and 'Irish nachos' (potato chips instead of corn tortillas), had annual sales of $124 million last year, reflecting growth of 33 percent. And by the end of this year, the company expects to have 95 locations, up from 57 at the end of last year.
    That growth is one reason Tilted Kilt CEO Rod Lynch, bristles at the 'breastaurant' moniker. He says the word implies that the company's success is based purely on sex appeal. To the contrary, he says his customers -- about three-quarters of whom are men and of the average age of 36 -- consistently say the experience is about far more.
    Tilted Kilt doesn't go so far to call itself a family restaurant. But Lynch understands the risks of crossing a certain line.
    'We want to be very PG-13,' he says. Its 'class in all things' motto also means servers can't have tattoos, piercings or dyed hair.
    Rose Dimov, a 22-year-old waitress at Tilted Kilt, says her job is no different from any other waitressing gig; make guests feel special and ensure they have a good time. As an aspiring ballroom dancer, she also says she's not fazed by the revealing outfit that comes with the job.
    Dinner and a show: The restaurants are focusing not just on their food, though some have begun diversifying their menu, but a show as well
    Dinner and a show: The restaurants are focusing not just on their food, though some have begun diversifying their menu, but a show as well
    'Going to a restaurant should be an experience,' Dimov says. 'We're entertainers.'
    Although the name might suggest otherwise, the owner of Mugs N Jugs in Clearwater, Fla., says his place also is like any ordinary restaurant with entertainment. Sam Ahmad says his game room, pool table and karaoke are why 40 percent of his customers are families.
    Sales at the restaurant grew to $3 million in 2008, from $700,000 in 1998, Ahmad says, but have since declined because of the recession. After selling a second location to a franchisee last year, Ahmad is looking to find others who want to open franchise locations under the Mugs N Jugs banner.
    As for the tank tops and shorts the waitresses wear, Ahmad says they don't reveal too much. And those photos on the Mugs N Jugs website showing waitresses leaning over a pool table? Ahmad explains they are purely for marketing purposes.
    'They're at an angle because they're at a pool table,' he says. 'When you're in the restaurant, you won't see that. She'll be standing.'
    Taking a cue from its much smaller rivals, Hooters is also making changes.
    Declining: Mid-priced restaurant options like Applebee's and Bennigan's have experienced declines during the economic downturn
    Declining: Mid-priced restaurant options like Applebee's and Bennigan's have experienced declines during the economic downturn
    The company opened its first location in 1983 in Clearwater, Fla., with waitresses sporting the now famous tiny orange shorts and tight white tank tops. The chain grew rapidly at first but has struggled in recent years. Sales have fallen steadily since peaking in 2007 at $960 million, as the menu and decor grew stale.
    Last year, a group of private investors bought the chain of 365 restaurants and decided to try to revive the business. In February, Hooters opened a renovated location in Atlanta to showcase its new look with upgraded TVs, an outdoor bar and a covered patio. Remodeling is slated for another six to eight restaurants this year.
    In April, Hooters also beefed up its menu with items that include a Baja burger, buffalo chicken sliders and a spinach and shrimp salad. The idea is to offer dishes that draw new customers, says David Henninger, Hooters' chief marketing officer. Currently, more than three quarters of Hooters customers are male, with an average age of 45.
    As part of the effort to improve its image, Henninger says Hooters is looking to showcase the life stories of its servers, many of whom are studying to go on to professional careers.
    Expanding: Mugs and Jugs, a similar restaurant seen in Florida, has also got in on the action that has created currently 365 Hooters restaurants and 22 Twin Peaks
    Expanding: Mugs and Jugs, a similar restaurant seen in Florida, has also got in on the action that has created currently 365 Hooters restaurants and 22 Twin Peaks
    'The public can be misinformed about what we do,' says Henninger, who was hired this year. 'They jump to their own conclusions.'
    Without explaining how, he says the 'curious' name of the restaurant could easily be misinterpreted. He says that the name is 'part of the fun' and is about being 'in on the joke.'
    No matter how hard they try to open their doors to a broader audience, Hooters and its rivals remain the subject of criticism. 'If it's an adult entertainment business, that's fine,' says Mona Lisa Wallace, president of the San Francisco chapter of the National Organization for Women. 'Where they're crossing the line is when they expose young children to the objectification of women.'
    Not every chain is defensive about the reputation of breastaurants.
    At Twin Peaks, based in Addison, Texas, sales last year grew 35 percent to $44 million from the previous year, according to Technomic. Owner DeWitt touts the 22-restaurant chain's amenities but is under no illusions about the main attraction.
    Waitresses, for instance, vary their costumes for special occasions. Around the holidays, servers dress up like Santa's little helpers. Around Easter, they dress up like bunnies.
    'We hire only spectacular talent,' says DeWitt. 'They have to fit into that costume.'


    Tuesday, June 26, 2012




      The Spice Girls Reunite to Announce Details About Upcoming MusicalThe Spice Girls on June 26 in London (AP Photo/PA, Ian West)

      It was a Spice Girl reunion in London on Tuesday when Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, and Melanie Chisholm came together to drum up interest in "Viva Forever," an upcoming musical based on the hit songs of the '90s girl group.

      The event took place at St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel, where the Spice Girls filmed their music video for "Wannabe" back in 1996. The women looked better than ever as they gathered to talk about "Viva Forever," which will be produced by Judy Craymer, the mastermind behind the ABBA musical, "Mamma Mia!" The show centers around four women whose friendship is put to the test when their band competes on a TV talent-competition show. The musical, which opens this fall, will feature hit songs made famous by the Spice Girls, who sold 75 million records around the world.
      "They sing it better than us," Melanie Brown, better known as Scary Spice, told the Associated Press, referring to the cast of the musical.
      The Spice Girls formed in 1994 and shot to fame two years later when they released their debut single, "Wannabe." Some of their other hit songs include "Say You'll Be There," "Spice Up Your Life," and "Viva Forever," which was the inspiration for the name of the musical.  Halliwell left the group in 1998, and while the remaining four continued to make music together, they called it quits in 2000. This is the first Spice Girls appearance since they all participated in a reunion tour in 2007 and 2008.
      After the event, Beckham — who is now based in Los Angeles where her husband, David, plays soccer for the L.A. Galaxy  — immediately headed back to the States, but the Spice Girls were on her mind. "On my way home!! Thank you @MelanieCmusic @OfficialMelB @EmmaBunton @GeriHalliwell for an amazing day!! "
      "Viva Forever" begins previews in November, then opens at London's Piccadilly Theatre on December 11.

      Monday, June 25, 2012


      Jenny McCarthy's New Topless (and Bottomless!) Playboy Cover—Check It Out!

      Jenny McCarthy Playboy Magazine
      Here's a sexy way to start off the work week.
      Playboy has just given us our first glimpse of Jenny McCarthy on the cover of the lad mag's July-August issue, which hits newsstands this Friday.
      Wearing pretty much next to nothing, the 39-year-old Love in the Wild host definitely proves that age is nothing but a number.r
      The upcoming eight-page nude pictorial is McCarthy's seventh for Playboy. She first appeared in 1993, which earned her the title of Playmate of the Year.
      "All I wanted to do [when I began in the industry] was work with my clothes on, and now I just hope to get them off!" she joked with E! News during a recent interview.
      Well, given what we see here, Jenny, we're certainly OK with that.


      Ex-Porn Queen Jenna Jameson Officially Charged With DUI

      Jenna Jameson Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images
      Jenna Jameson has assumed the pole position, and not in a good way.
      The ex–porn queen has been officially charged with DUI after crashing her car into a street pole last month during an allegedly boozy fender-bender in a Los Angeles suburb.
      MORE: Former Miss Arizona Teen USA Tori Vance Pleads Not Guilty to DUI
      The Orange County D.A.'s office confirms to E! News that the 38-year-old has been charged with three misdemeanor counts: one misdemeanor of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, one misdemeanor of having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, and one misdemeanor of driving a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
      Jameson, who successfully reinvented herself in the late '90s as a porn mogul and struck gold with a gangbusters Internet hub and a best-selling tell-all, was popped on May 25 after slamming her SUV into a post. No other vehicles were involved in the fender-bender, and a police officer told E! News that Jameson, whose blood alcohol level was 0.13, "displayed objective signs of intoxication."
      She suffered minor injuries but declined any medical attention.
      If convicted, Jameson could serve anywhere from probation to a year in jail. Her arraignment is set for Tuesday in Orange County.
      Jameson and her tempestuous baby daddy, UFC brawler Tito Ortiz, recently sought an emergency restraining order against a friend who, they allege, repeatedly stalked them, stole from them and frightened their children.

      Sunday, June 24, 2012


      Sailors recover a package of marijuana. (©AP Photo/U.S. Navy)

      Insane amount of ganja pulled from Pacific Ocean — again

      ​There are some very chilled-out, dopey-lidded fish swimming around in the Pacific Ocean these days. First, 8,000 pounds (worth $3.6 million) of green ganja was pulled from the salty waters near California last month. Now, a remarkable 19,000 additional pounds of marijuana has been yanked out of the sea, this time dumped hastily by three boats in plain view of a military copter overhead. According to reports, the aircraft spotted the boatmen frantically tossing dozens of black hefty bags overboard, each of which contained 100 pounds of pot, before they sped off. No word yet if the runners were ever located, but California sure is going to have some drab dorm rooms this summer.

      Map showing Liucunbu, China (© 2012 Microsoft)
      China mystery mushroom


      Strange things are often found underground, but a "mystery mushroom" dug up in the village of Liucunbu, near Xi'an, China, was decidedly less mysterious than a Chinese news station had originally reported, when it was later determined to be a sex toy (find the hilarious news report). The "long, fleshy object" with a "nose and an eye" was found by workers digging a well. The rubbery device was measured, prodded and labeled a "fungus" by a breathless reporter in the clip that has since gone viral (what type of mushroom did the workers believe the toy was?).
       

      Saturday, June 23, 2012

      GRAHAM NASH MEMOIR'S


      Graham Nash
      © Jeff Christensen / AP -- Graham Nash
      Graham Nash to pen memoir

      Former Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash star Graham Nash is penning his memoir after signing a new deal with the publishing company Random House.
      The rocker says the story of his life sparked a bidding war among New York's top publishers and that he eventually chose to go with Random House's offshoot Crown Archetype because agents there offered him "over seven figures."
      England-born Nash tells The New York Times that his book will be full of honest recollections of his amazing life. He says, "I've been as honest as I can be. If they asked me a question about drugs, I answered them. You ask me a question, you're going to get an answer. Whether you like the answer or not is your problem, but you'll get an answer."
      The untitled memoir will be released at the end of 2013, and Nash says music and book fans alike will find it riveting.
      "I've had an incredible ringside seat to the last 50-odd years of rock 'n' roll," he said. "I think people will be very interested to know what the British Invasion was like, what Woodstock was like, what my friends are like, what trouble we got into, what heights we scaled. I think they'll be interested in all of it."


      MIAMI -- Writer and blogger Erica Kennedy has been found dead in her Miami Beach apartment. She was 42.
      Police confirmed Monday that Kennedy, whose full name was Erica Kennedy Johnson, was found dead last week. No cause of death was immediately reported.
      Sarah Robinson, her aunt, released a statement over the weekend:
      "We are devastated by this loss. Erica was bright, funny, talented, thoughtful, and passionate."
      According to a bio linked to Kennedy's Twitter account, the former fashion publicist began her writing career as a special correspondent for the New York Daily News. She went on to write about fashion and entertainment for magazines such as Vibe, In Style, Paper and Elle UK.
      She published the hip-hop satire "Bling" in 2004 with a book cover of her own design. It became a New York Times best seller and was optioned for film by The Weinstein Company. Kennedy's follow-up novel, "Feminista," was released in 2009.
      The graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Oxford University, Kennedy worked most recently as a creative consultant for fashion and lifestyle brands and was known for her lively tweets.


      Friday, June 22, 2012


      Loud Mouth Burritos Facebook page photo (© http://on.fb.me/LoQh1o)

      Here are burritos only stoners with munchies will scarf

      Researchers long ago provided irrefutable evidence that people who are stoned get hungry -- very hungry. Pro skateboarder and MTV reality star Rob Dyrdek hopes to cash in on this ravenous condition ( "munchies" is its scientific term) with food designed for potheads. Dyrdek is teaming up with his cousin Chris "Drama" Pfaff and starting Loud Mouth Burritos, which makes frozen burritos whose contents cannot be truly appreciated unless you're super high. For now, you have two choices: the Cheeseburger, stuffed with hamburger meat, cheese, ketchup and mustard, and the Pepperoni Pizza, with mozzarella, pepperoni and tomato sauce. As a bonus, the burritos contain just 420 calories each, a pretty clever gimmick, we'd say.


      The Rolling Stones To Call It Quits After Glastonbury 2013? (REPORT)

      The Rolling Stones Break Up
      A tabloid says the Rolling Stones are calling it quits.
      Are The Rolling Stones calling it quits after next summer's Glastonbury Festival? According to The Mirror, the band is set to retire from live performances after their first -- and only -- headlining gig at the famous U.K. musical festival.
      The tabloid newspaper reports that sources close to The Stones have indicated that their Glastonbury appearance will be their final date in a "handful" of shows in the U.K. and the U.S. in 2013.
      "All four members have agreed that next year is the right time to have one final hurrah and put on the gig of their lives," "a source close to the band" reportedly said. "It's a case of now or never, and obviously Glastonbury is the most important festival on the circuit. Everybody's incredibly excited ... it's a final bow."
      Plans to commemorate The Rolling Stones' 50th anniversary have not yet been officially set. It was earlier reported that The Stones will not tour to mark their anniversary this year. Instead, the anniversary tour has been pushed back to 2013, which seems to coincide with The Mirror's reports.
      The Rolling Stones' last tour together, 2005's "A Bigger Bang," was, at the time, the highest-grossing tour of all time before being topped by U2's 2009-2011 tour, 360.
      In 2010, guitarist Keith Richards caused a bit of controversy when he wrote about frontman Mick Jagger in his autobiography, Life. Richards called Mick "unbearable" and even mocked his sexual prowess. Richards later cleared up the rumors, stating that after a rocky period in the 1980's, everything was great now between him and his bandmate.
      “Basically we are brothers,” he explained to The Daily Express. “I can knock him but if anyone else does I’ll slit his throat!”
      Meanwhile, plans for the The Stones to return to the studio have also been put on hold. In April, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood reportedly told the media that The Stones would head back to the recording studio soon "to just throw some ideas around."
      However, shortly after, Wood denied such claims and apologized to Rolling Stones fans for the misunderstanding. At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony -- where the guitarist was inducted again, this time with the band The Faces -- Wood told Billboard that The Stones will not be hitting the studio any time soon

      Wednesday, June 20, 2012


      (From left) Digby Ioane of Australia tackles Stuart Hogg of Scotland during an international match in Newcastle, Australia (© Rob Griffith/AP)
      Murray Greig

      As the last seconds ticked off before Scotland's historic win over Australia in Newcastle, Scottish rugby fan Murray Greig leaped onto the field and ran, cartwheeling and handstanding on the grass, exposing the Australian home fans to the underwear-free nether regions under his kilt (what was historic about the match?). Now the 22-year-old fan is being called "Braveheart" in newspaper headlines, and video footage of his streak is being used to promote Scotland's rugby tour (find an interview with Greig, post streak).

      Brooklyn Decker Topless Photos 2011: Marks Squires' Nude Pics


      Photographer Mark Squire Shot A Series of Brooklyn Decker Nude Photos and the Internet Rejoices. Here are the Brooklyn Decker Topless Photos
      SI Swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker has appeared in a nude photo shoot for photographer Mark Squires. No doubt many of you will be happy to hear this. Many of the same folks who are happy to hear about the nude pics will be sad to hear that the photos are (gasp) tasteful.
      The Brooklyn Decker topless photos feature the model posing in black and white. No doubt the internet will explode at the thought of Brooklyn Decker topless photos.

      Here are the Brooklyn Decker topless photos

      The Brooklyn Decker topless photos are part of a long line of models posing for "artistic" nude photos. Kim Kardashian appeared nude in W Magazine, although she wasn't happy with the results. Cindy Crawford has appeared nude in Allure Magazine and other magazines.

      Brooklyn Decker is a two-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl and wife to tennis star Andy Roddick.

      Tuesday, June 19, 2012


      Blake Lively kicks off 'Savages' shoot with sex scenes
      WENN
      Blake Lively's first day on the set of "Savages" was a raunchy one -- she shot sex scenes with actors Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson.
      The actress tackles one of her grittiest roles to date in Oliver Stone's new crime thriller, playing Ophelia, a hippie who is in a three-way, open relationship. The "Gossip Girl" beauty quickly became acquainted with her male co-stars.
      She tells Entertainment Tonight, "The first three days were all of our sex scenes. But the good news is if you're not comfortable with each other after that, you're just never going to be comfortable with each other, so it builds trust quick."
      Co-star Kitsch admits he was in a rush to complete the awkward scenes, adding, "I was like, 'We've just got to shoot it and move on.' It's like, 'Cut!' (and you're) just naked, just waiting, resetting the camera angle. That's what it comes down to."

      Movie News

      Salma Hayek
      © AP
      Salma Hayek banned daughter from 'Savages' set

      Actress Salma Hayek banned her young daughter from visiting her on the set of new crime thriller "Savages" because the movie is too violent for the child to watc

      Hayek's daughter, V'Savages'alentina, is usually a regular on mom's film sets, but Hayek didn't want the four-year-old seeing her in action as the ruthless leader of a drug cartel in Oliver Stone's new film, and refused to take her to work. Hayek tells Jay Leno, "She loves to come to the set. She doesn't get bored, she wants to be there ... (But) she's not gonna watch this movie, no. Actually it was the only movie that she was not on the set."
      The actress doubts Stone would have appreciated having the child bossing people around on his set. She explains, "I usually bring her on the set and she always likes to sit right next to the monitor and she bosses everyone around. I did a movie ("Here Comes the Boom") with this director, Frank Coraci, and she would say, 'Can I say, 'action' on this one?' And he's like, 'Er, OK', so she'd scream 'action!' a couple of times, and Kevin James and I are following the orders.
      "I'm doing "Grown Ups 2" and also Dennis (Dugan, director) is letting her say 'action' (too), but I know Oliver Stone would have not let her just come in and say, 'Excuse me Oliver, let me just come in and take over the set!'"

      Monday, June 18, 2012


      Music News

      The Beatles in 1963
      © AP
      Beatles poster fetches $44,000

      A rare poster advertising a concert by the Beatles at the U.K.'s famed Cavern Club just months before they shot to stardom has sold at auction for $44,000.
      The Fab Four were regulars at the venue in their hometown of Liverpool, England, before landing a record deal, but posters from their days at the club are scarce.
      Now officials at London auction house Christie's have sold a poster from a Beatles show in November 1962 for $44,000. Editors at trade listings website WhatSellsBest.com report the billboard ad is the earliest Beatles poster Christie's staff have ever sold.