Saturday, July 27, 2013

Police seize cannabis crops in Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia (© Nathan Edwards/Newspix/Rex Features)

Australia has the world's scariest animals and most potent pot

Marijuana aficionados may be surprised to know that the state of New South Wales, Australia, is home to weed that packs a massive wallop. Make your Down Under vacation plans now, folks. The region may have the most potent mary jane on the planet. But there’s a flipside to the "good" news. Authorities are worried that the off-the-charts levels of psychoactive THC could cause mental health issues and dependency. In fact, the THC content is so powerful that Australian authorities might consider it a hard drug, based on a study by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. The research was conducted on marijuana seized in regions such as Tweed Heads, Byron Bay and Lismore. Tweed Heads? No way.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Hooters gets new logo as part of sweeping overhaul

The wing-and-beer chain, celebrating its 30th anniversary, unveils the design as it faces new competition from upstart competitors.

Hooters of America unveiled a new logo this week as part of a broad attempt to keep the aging chain relevant with customers who suddenly have a number of new "breastaurant" choices.

The company's new "Hootie" logo (pictured, top) looks very similar, with an owl's eyes that also look like doughnuts. Or tires. Or something like that.

But the owl has become more sleek and stylized, which the restaurant says calls out its "contemporary transformation" with a nod to its heritage. Hooters is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

USA Today says the old owl was "scruffy-looking and fuddy-duddyish," while the new owl is "lean and mean."

Hooters' waitresses, whom the company calls its "girls," will also get new uniforms over the next several months. The company says the uniforms will include tank tops that still maintain the sexy and sporty image that customers are used to.

The company is also updating its menu to rely less on frozen, premade dishes. "Instead of everything being frozen and being brought in, we're bringing everything in now fresh," Greg Brickman, the company's executive chef, says in this USA Today video.

The company is returning to some of its original recipes for chili and chowder, he added. "We're just trying to make everything one step better."

What's forcing Hooters' hand? Look no further than the number of new competitors in the "brestaurant" business. One of them, Bikinis Sports Bar and Grill, has even trademarked the term breastaurant in hopes of winning an advantage over the likes of the Tilted Kilt, Mugs N Jugs and Twin Peaks. The top three "breastaurant" chains in the country behind Hooters each saw sales jump at least 30% in 2011, The Associated Press reports.

Will Hooters' sweeping overhaul make a difference with diners?

Judge Orders $1 Million Returned to Exotic Dancer

A federal judge has ruled that Nebraska cops must return over $1 million confiscated at a traffic stop from a woman who saved the money $1 at a time during her 15 year career as an exotic dancer.

The money belongs to Tara Mishra, 33, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who began putting aside her earnings when she started dancing at age 18, according to an opinion U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon wrote last week. The money was meant to start her business and get out of the stripping business, the judge wrote.

State troopers confiscated the money in March 2012 when they pulled over Rajesh and Marina Dheri, of Montville, N.J., for speeding in Nebraska, according to court documents. The Dheris are friends of Mishra and had been given the cash so they could buy a nightclub in New Jersey. Mishra would own half of the business and the Dheris would own the other half.

Mishra had packaged the money in $10,000 bundles tied with hair bands and placed in plastic bags, and it was stashed in the trunk of the Dheri's rented car, which the Dheris were driving to Chicago. When they were pulled over for speeding, a state trooper asked the Dheris if he could search their vehicle, which they allowed, Bataillon explained.
The state trooper found the money and after suspecting it was drug money took the Dheris into custody, according to the judge's opinion. But police did not find any evidence of drug activity in the car and a K-9 analysis found only trace elements of illegal drugs on the cash, according to Bataillon.
Neither Mishra nor the Dheris could not be reached for comment.
"The government failed to show a substantial connection between drugs and the money," Bataillon wrote in his opinion. "The dog sniff is inconsequential…The court finds the Mishras' story is credible…Ms. Mishra did have control over the money and directed the Dheris to deliver the money to New Jersey for the purchase of the business."
Bataillon ordered that Mishra receive cash or a check in the value of $1,074,000 with interest.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton Are Bahamas Bikini Babes

Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann take a dip in the ocean! (Splash News)Work hard. Play harder. That seems to be the motto of Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton, who have been putting in long hours shooting Nick Cassavetes's latest comedy, "The Other Woman" down in the Bahamas.

After a long day on set Friday, the three blondes decided it was time to have some fun (and we can't blame them; they are in a tropical paradise after all).
Holding what we speculate are some tasty adult beverages, Diaz, Mann, and Upton hit the beach—and the sparkling turquoise waters. Upton, who's barely old enough to drink (she just turned 21 on June 10), no doubt turned some heads in her skimpy crimson two-piece.

Kate Upton flaunts her bikini bod. (Splash News)
But her co-stars certainly held their own in their bikinis, too. Even though they're both twenty plus years older than the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit model, both Diaz and Mann looked just as stunning splashing around in the waves. Flaunting some toned gams, Diaz rocked a sporty gray-and-white patterned number, while Mann stuck with a basic blue. All three of them wore sunglasses to shield the bright rays.
Despite their significant age difference, it was actually the older gals who seemed to be having the most fun. Cameron (who was the only one holding a proper wine glass) and Leslie (who kept her beverage of choice in a plastic cup) were snapped giggling with each other, running along the shoreline, and may have even built sandcastles.
While it's going to be back to work for the stars soon, these pictures made us wonder—with these three beauties on the beach, how could any men really look at any other women?

Stranded singer Dave Matthews hitches ride to own concert with fans

Seeing Dave Matthews live is awesome, but for Emily Kraus, it surpassed all expectations. Kraus was on her way to see the singer's show in Hershey, Pa., when her boyfriend spotted a stranded bicyclist. When they pulled over to help, they realized the bicyclist was Dave Matthews. The Grammy award-winning star had gone for a preconcert ride when his tire popped. The couple gave him a ride to his own concert. Matthews invited the couple to dinner, brought them backstage, treated them to front-row seats and gave her a shoutout during the concert (start watching at 0:55).. "All the planets aligned last night — something greater than I'll ever be able to comprehend," Kraus says.

Philadelphia stirs a lap dance tax tussle

2 'gentlemen's clubs' are crying foul over the city's attempt to collect more than $800,000 in amusement levies.

Men and legs of table dancer © Image Source, Image Source, Getty Images

Philadelphia has determined that the code of chivalry doesn't cover lap dances -- but its amusement tax does.

A five-year audit by city officials found Club Risque and Cheerleaders, two so-called gentlemen's clubs, had failed to collect the 5% amusement tax on their performances and owe $320,538 and $486,482 in taxes, respectively.

The owners have filed an appeal with the Tax Review Board, which is slated to hear the case later this month.

Attorney George Bochetto, who represents the clubs, told ABC News, "Since the city is broke, they want money for lap dances." He couldn't be reached for comment for this story.

Actually, the city's finances are improving. Standard & Poor's recently raised its rating on Philadelphia's debt, and officials expect a $178 million surplus this year.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, of course, sees things differently than the clubs do. Spokesman Mark McDonald denied that there was a "lap dance tax." He also told MSN Money that other strip clubs in the city pay taxes on lap dance performances.

"I am not in a position to talk about pending litigation," McDonald said, adding that another taxpayer, whom he declined to identify, is in the same situation.

In the city's view, a lap dance is like any other service the club is offering, such as alcoholic drinks, that are subject to tax.

This issue has actually come up before.

New York's highest court ruled last year that lap dances were not "dramatic or musical arts performances" like ballet or theater and were therefore subject to taxation. The 4-3 decision cost the club Nite Moves almost $125,000, according to The New York Times. An attorney for the clubs was quoted as saying he would appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, though odds of that being successful are slim.

If Nite Moves had won its case, strip-show attendees could have argued without fear of contradiction that they were "patrons of the arts."

'Project Runway' billboard banned in Los Angeles

Sexy shot has appeared in New York, shows Heidi with naked models

WENN

A "Project Runway" billboard featuring Heidi Klum and a group of naked models has been banned in Los Angeles. The scandalous ad features the supermodel sitting on a throne, with her co-star Tim Gunn by her side and a bevy of nude beauties beneath her.

Click here to see the whole billboard | Bing: More about 'Project Runway'

The sexy shot has appeared on billboards in New York, but it has been deemed too explicit to be shown in L.A. and will no longer be on display, the Hollywood Reporter confirms. The 12th season of "Project Runway" debuts July 18.