The Hottest Cars Of 2011
- Hannah Elliott
These stunners will turn heads and quicken heartbeats.
Car-lovers take heart: despite Canadian auto sales being essentially flat for 2010, some of the hottest cars to hit the scene in years will make their way to showrooms this spring.
Take the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. Not only is it the world's fastest production car (it hit 268 miles per hour last summer in Germany) but it is also one of the most refined -- with interior cues taken from its sister company, Bentley. Its cockpit is wrapped in hand-stitched soft-grain leather and trimmed to the hilt in carbon-fibre; the rear-view camera, Bluetooth capability and satellite radio make driving to the store a pleasant experience rather than the sweat- and stress-inducing jolt provided by other exotic autos.
The Super Sport's exterior is hot too, with bold lines that look modern but evoke Bugattis from the 1920s and '30s (a continuous crest line down the length of the car, a stirrup-shaped grill).
Sure, you'll pay for all that beauty -- at a retail price of US$2.5 million, only the world's wealthiest people can afford to put a Super Sport in their garages. But those lucky enough to do so will really get something special: A balance of 1,200 horsepower, three suspension settings and a world-renowned dual-clutch transmission.
"It's a real physical sensation," says Bugatti driver Pierre-Henri Raphanel. "The Bugatti is incredible because if I give you more performance, it will normally destroy and contort drivability and reliability, [but the Super Sport can be] controlled with only two fingers on the steering wheel."
Bugatti's not the only marque coming out with stunners. Ferrari's street-legal 599XX variant, the GTO, the elegant Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro and McLaren's first-ever solo production car, the MP4-12C, will quicken lots of heart rates when they hit the streets next year.
One common thread between some of the hottest new cars is an emphasis on weight control. Almost every car on our list, including the Range Rover Evoque, boasts a streamlined frame, light-as-air carbon fibre components or a super-efficient, whittled down engine.
Stephan Winkelmann, the CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, says the future of high-end motoring is about handling, not power. "If you can have a car that decreases in weight with the same power, you will have a much better feeling in the driving experience," he says.
Porsche's latest 911 variant, the lightening-quick GT2 RS, embraces that ethic. Dave Engelman, a spokesman for the Stuttgart, Germany-based company, says Porsche engineers got the GT2 RS to beat its predecessor 911 GT2 off the line by simple addition and subtraction: They upped the horsepower by 90 and pared down the weight by 154 pounds. That gave the coupe a power-to-weight ratio of 4.9 pounds per horsepower, by far the best in its class. They also managed to eke out a 5 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Friday, December 31, 2010
The Hottest Cars Of 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
10 Resolutions You Should Never Make
Have you ever swore to lose 15 pounds, quit dating unavailable men, and take up a new hobby? This year, we advise against it.
1. Get Married by the End of the Year
(Photo credit: Leonard McLane)Marriage is a huge goal, especially if you’re still single, making the odds of failing painfully high. Instead, whether you’re in a relationship or not, focus on what you like about your current situation — you’ve got enough pressure in your life.
2. Go Blonde (Or dye you hair the opposite color it is now)
(Photo credit: Altrendo Images)Changing your look is a great way to jump-start the New Year—if the results are good. Radical beauty moves can go wrong, cost a ton of cash and sometimes make you cry. Why not try highlights first? Easing into a new ‘do will boost the odds of a great outcome.
CHECK IT OUT: Amazing Hairstyles in 15 to 30 Minutes
3. Become famous
(Photo credit: Altrendo Images)Get-famous-fast options usually involve sacrificing your dignity and privacy. Forget the Jersey Shore, honing your talents and polishing your work performance will get you much further, and winning the respect of those you admire is more satisfying and graceful.
4. Buy a New Wardrobe
(Photo credit: Altrendo images)If you're not socking some cash into a retirement fund, you might want to rethink your goal of acquiring a closet filled with fancy new clothes. Instead, consider upgrading with a few basics and accessories.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
From Alaska to Hollywood – the biggest breakups of 2010
From long-term lovers to short-term unions, Hollywood couples have been breaking up (again and again) all year long. At first, we thought it was just a case of the two-timers. But as the year went on, relationships of all kinds fell apart before our eyes. In no particular order, here are some of the biggies from 2010:
Courtney Cox and David Arquette
They're not divorced. Just ask them. But if you and your husband were separated and he went on Howard Stern to discuss his first sexual encounter with a new woman, we'd bet a divorce is imminent.Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey
A total Hollywood shocker, Carrey announced the split via Twitter stating, "I'm grateful 4 the many blessings we've shared and I wish her the very best! S'okay!" From his involvement with her autistic son, to her relationship with his grown daughter—and their constant praise of each other to the media—we thought this five-year love-a-thon was the real deal. Apparently, we thought wrong.Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal
We thought Jake had found true love with America's sweetheart — that is until they broke up and she was immediately spotted with a new hottie. But he quickly moved on as well - to a young blonde named Taylor Swift. Watch your step, Jake. This crooner's known to kiss and tell. Just ask John Mayer.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Kelly Osbourne's 'Just Being Miley'
Kelly Osbourne has bonded big time with Miley Cyrus on the set of the film "So Undercover," currently shooting in New Orleans, but now, she's even starting to look like her 18-year-old pal!
Early Thursday morning, Kelly, 26, posted a photo of herself dressed as Miley, complete with a lengthy brown wig.
PLAY IT NOW: Dr. Drew Reacts To Miley Cyrus’ Controversial Bong Smoking Video
"I'm just being Miley!!!!" Kelly Tweeted.
The former "Dancing with the Stars" contender made the photo a little bit better - she posed next to the real thing. Both Kelly and Miley struck the same pose in the pic.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The ‘Fierce’ Miss Kelly Osbourne
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com , Kelly stood up for Miley, after reports surfaced that her mom, Sharon Osbourne, believes the former "Hannah Montana" star is a bad influence on her daughter.
"Just read in the rags that apparently my mum thinks Miley is a bad influence on me it could not be father from the truth!" Kelly Tweeted on Tuesday. "Actually it's the other way around Miley has us all on a health kick. Gym/early nights There [sic] really scraping the barrel on that one!"
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Michelle Williams still asks why Heath Ledger died
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Actress Michelle Williams says she still can't find the meaning behind Heath Ledger's death three years ago, in a rare interview talking about the late father of her child who died of a prescription overdose.Williams, who since the actor's death in New York in January 2008, has remained mostly quiet in interviews about her former partner, told ABC news show "Nightline" this week she could understand why the public was curious about her grief, but still could not understand why Ledger died.
"I've found meanings around the circumstance but the actual event itself still doesn't have a ... I can't find a meaning for it," she said with tears in her eyes.
The 30 year-old actress, whose romance with Ledger blossomed on the set of "Brokeback Mountain" in roles for which they both received Oscar nominations (he won supporting actor), said she had found "meaning in things and people and relationships that have sprung up and friendships that have strengthened.
"I can find a lot of meaning in that, but not in why," she said.
Williams had split with Ledger when he died but was still sharing duties raising their daughter. To deal with her grief, she said she read "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion, the Pulitzer-Prize winning account of Didion's year following the death of her husband.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Paris airport evacuated as precaution
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris for fear heavy snow could force part of the airport's roof to collapse.The portion of roof in question is the same one that collapsed in 2004, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported, citing an airport employee.
An earlier report said the roof had collapsed.
Heavy snow has snarled travel throughout Europe throughout the week.
And French airlines were forced to reduce flights to Charles de Gaulle Friday due to a shortage of the liquid used to de-ice planes.
The country's civil aviation authority asked the airlines to cut their flights by half because of the low gycol stocks and predictions of below-freezing temperatures.
Flights had been expected to resume to normal levels at 12 p.m. GMT (7 a.m. ET).
Email scam angers 6-49 winners
An elderly couple from Lower Truro who won the lottery are upset their names are being used for an email scam.Allen and Violet Large won $11.2 million in Lotto 6-49 in July and decided to give their millions away to family and charities.
Now, the couple is disgusted to find out there's an email circulating with their names attached. The email, written in broken English, asks people to help the Larges give away their winnings.
"That really ticks me off," Allen told CBC News, with his wife sitting at his side.
"Anybody that stoops so low as to think that they're going to gain prosperity from us over doing something like this - they got another thought coming."
Police said the email looks like a new twist on an old scam, the Nigerian banking story. They also think it could have originated in Italy.
Sgt. Brigdit Leger with the RCMP in Nova Scotia warned people to exercise due diligence when they receive suspicious correspondence.
"If you're sensing that something is not right, take your time to research it," she said. "There are a number of phenomenal organizations throughout Canada that will help you with that: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is one."
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Canada has high ranking in survival for 4 cancers
TORONTO - A comparison of cancer survival rates in six developed countries puts Canada in the top three alongside Australia and Sweden, and ahead of Norway, Denmark and the U.K.The study, initiated in the United Kingdom and published online Tuesday in The Lancet, examined survival rates for breast, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer in 12 jurisdictions in the six countries.
"The main reason to look at these countries in relation to us is that they're countries of comparable wealth and very good quality information on cancer incidence, mortality and survival," said Terrence Sullivan, president and CEO of Cancer Care Ontario.
"The value for us is really to see how we're doing as a benchmark with the other jurisdictions."
Altogether, the study involved data for 2.4 million adults diagnosed with primary cancer from 1995 to 2007. The four Canadian provinces that provided information were Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario.
Senior author Dr. Heather Bryant described the findings as good news for Canadians.
"What's been found is there really is a difference across the countries, and that Canada and Australia and Sweden really came out faring the best for five-year survival, which of course is very good news for cancer patients here."
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Phillips is engaged to be married
LONDON - Prince William and Kate Middleton will soon have company on the royal wedding calendar. Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday that Zara Phillips, Queen Elizabeth II's eldest granddaughter, is engaged.
Phillips, an accomplished equestrian, said she was shocked but "very happy" that her rugby-playing boyfriend Mike Tindall had proposed.
No date has been set yet. Phillips is close friends with her cousin, Prince William, who plans to marry Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29. Their engagement was announced last month.
Phillips, 29, is 12th in line to the throne.
The 32-year-old Tindall has played 66 times for England and was in the team that won the 2003 World Cup. It was during the tournament that he first met Phillips in a Sydney bar. Tindall plays for club side Gloucester and is still a regular in the national side.
The palace said in a statement that the couple got engaged Monday evening at their home in western England.
In a statement, Phillips said she was "really shocked when Mike proposed but I am very happy."
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Face transplant woman meets donor's family
Updated: December 21, 2010 10:23 AMFace transplant woman meets donor's family
The first U.S. face transplant patient has said a donor saved her from a life of eating and breathing through a tube, but until this weekend she knew her only as a woman who died in 2008.
Two years after Anna Kasper's face was merged with the remnants of Connie Culp's, Kasper's family decided to reveal she was the donor, so that others can know the generous woman they loved.
"She'd give her time. She'd give her money. She gave a lot of things she didn't have to other people," Kasper's husband, Ron Kasper, told the Plain Dealer newspaper in Cleveland. "When they asked about the donation, we knew it was what she would want to do."
The Kaspers and Culp met for the first time this weekend.
Culp, 47, has been expressing thanks to her donor since the surgery, but she had never been able to name her. She told the Plain Dealer that the get-together went well after some initially awkward moments.
"They're just really nice people," Culp said. "It's awesome, how much we have in common."
Kasper's 23-year-old daughter, Becky Kasper, said she can see part of her mother in Culp, though their bone structures are different.
"I can definitely see the resemblance in the nose," she told the Plain Dealer. "I know she's smiling down on this, that she's very happy."
Culp's husband shot her in the face in 2004. The blast destroyed her nose, shattered her cheeks and shut off most of her vision. Her features were so gnarled that children ran away from her and called her a monster.
Shania Twain Is Engaged!
Exclusive: Shania Twain Is Engaged!
Posted Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:51am PST by Us Weekly in Our Country
Looks like they made it! Country superstar Shania Twain is engaged to Frederic Thiebaud, her rep confirms exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly, out Tuesday.
Twain, 45, stepped out with Thiebaud, 40, for a PDA-packed lunch at Serafina's Fabulous Grill in NYC on Thursday with an enormous engagement ring.
PHOTOS: See who else got engaged this year
"I've never seen Shania so happy," a pal tells Us of the singer. Swiss-born Thiebaud, a Nestle business executive, popped the question about two months ago in Switzerland.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Anger mounts as travel havoc snarls Europe during Christmas rush
LONDON - Frustrated travellers in Europe expressed fury Monday at transportation officials' inability to clear snow and ice from planes, runways and high-speed train tracks, failings that have caused holiday travel chaos and fears that many will not get home in time for Christmas.
The continent's worst bottleneck was London's Heathrow Airport, where thousands of travellers were stranded overnight as flight cancellations increased even as other major European airports resumed normal operations after several days of delays.
London Mayor Boris Johnson summed up the exasperation as Britain suffered another day of travel setbacks.
"It can't be beyond the wit of man surely to find the shovels, the diggers, the snow-ploughs or whatever it takes to clear the snow out from under the planes, to get the planes moving and to have more than one runway going," he said as British Airways cancelled its Monday short-haul schedule from Heathrow.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Amelia Earhart's final resting place?
Space Imaging / GeoEye
A high-resolution image from the Ikonos satellite, acquired on April 16, 2001, shows Nikumaroro Island in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
Holiday calendar: Amelia Earhart's final resting place?
Newly reported evidence adds support to the claim that famed aviator Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, spent the last days of their lives on Nikumaroro Island in the southwest Pacific Ocean, seen here from more than 400 miles up.
The Ikonos satellite image was taken almost a decade ago, at the request of a group that has long been looking for traces of the missing pair. Earhart and Noonan disappeared in 1937 during their attempt to make a round-the-world flight — and were never found. Their story has inspired a myriad of books and movies, including the recent film "Amelia."
Since the 1980s, The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, or TIGHAR, has been engaged in a search effort called The Earhart Project. TIGHAR focused on Nikumaroro Island and commissioned the satellite photo in 2001. The uninhabited coral atoll, part of the Pacific island republic of Kiribati, is about 300 miles southeast of Howland Island, the place Earhart was trying to get to when she and Noonan disappeared.
Now TIGHAR says it has recovered bone fragments from a remote area of Nikumaroro that may have come from a human. DNA tests to be conducted in Oklahoma could confirm whether the bones were indeed of human origin or instead came from a sea turtle. There's even a chance the bones could be genetically linked to Earhart. Other artifacts found on the island — including bits of rouge, a broken mirror from a woman's compact and bottles with melted bottoms — support the view that Earhart and Noonan could have lived there for a while as castaways.
Unearthed photos of Niagara Falls without water
Credit: Russ Glasson
When Russ Glasson's mother and father and in-law visited Niagara Falls in 1969 they witnessed something unique — a waterfall with no water.
Last year, Glasson uncovered 35mm slides of his in-laws photos and took pictures of them with his digital camera so he could share them online. The images show the falls during the six month period when the American falls were "de-watered" by the the Army Corps of Engineers. You can see the crew at work in the photo below.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
NASA captures a very sad sun as it explodes
Sometimes when you smile up at the sun the sun smiles back. And sometimes it makes a frown not even a sunny day could turn upside down.
NASA captured this image during a recent explosion. Scientists say the activity is a sign the sun is "waking up" and heading into another "solar maximum" cycle, according to Space.com.Sad sun
Of course, another less realistic reason may be that the sun is dealing with an intergalactic break-up. Cheer up sun, there are more stars in the Milky Way.
A solar filament or explosion releases high-energy plasma which sometimes creates brilliant auroras on Earth and can threaten satellites. They "are formed in magnetic loops that hold relatively cool, dense gas suspended above the surface of the sun," said David Hathaway, a solar physicist at NASA on Spaceweather.com.
(Photo by NASA/GSFC/SDO)
See more pictures from Space in this slideshow.
Prince George named Canada's worst crime-ridden city: Survey
Prince George has been ranked as Canada’s No. 1 crime city in a survey released Thursday by Maclean’s magazine.
Police in Victoria and Kelowna disputed the figures, which place five B.C. cities on the magazine’s Top 10 wall of shame.
Prince George, with a population of 77,000, easily topped the worst- city rankings, at 90 per cent above the national crime average.
“Prince George is actually quite a safe community, despite what the rating says,” said RCMP Const. Lesley Smith. “I know we have had an increase in crime. It’s in direct relation to gang activity.”
Smith said police in Prince George are targeting the problem and will release figures next week on the amount of drugs and weapons taken off the street and the number of gang members charged this year.
According to Maclean’s, sleepy Victoria is No. 2 on the crime charts, with 81 per cent more crime than the national average.
But Victoria police department spokesman Sgt. Grant Hamilton challenged the figures, saying they didn’t take into account a number of factors.
“Victoria is a very safe city,” he said. “You can walk around downtown and go out at night time. We don’t have a large number of drive-by shootings or gang activity.”
Friday, December 17, 2010
Angelina Jolie's Christmas Plans: Have an Adventure
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Adam Varjas/Startraks
Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their globetrotting family won't be staying put for Christmas."We're going to travel with the kids and go to a random part of the world," Jolie told Ryan Seacrest on his KIISFM radio show Friday. "We're going to travel and have an adventure because that's what we love to do."
It's hard to image when the mother of six, who's currently promoting her latest film The Tourist, has had time to shop for Christmas, but Jolie says she has all the kids' gifts taken care of.
"I've got it all boxed and ready to go," Jolie, 35, says. "I'm trying to get every stocking right."
Sounds like wherever the Jolie-Pitt gang spends the holiday, their stockings will be hung by the chimney with care.
Watch 23,096 stuffed animals bombard a hockey rink
While tossing hats onto the ice when a player scores three goals might be hockey's most famous tossing tradition, it simply doesn't compare to the Technicolor grandeur of 23,096 teddy bears and other stuffed animals blanketing the rink as they did at the Calgary Hitmen game on Sunday:
For 16 years the Hitmen, who were co-owned by and named after former WWF champion Bret Hart, have held a Teddy Bear Toss to benefit over 50 charities in Alberta that work with children. On Monday, after the 23,000-strong toss, the players hand-delivered teddy bears to the Alberta Children's Hospital.
[Rewind: Fans protest by making it rain tennis balls]
The fans bring the stuffed animals to the game and then wait for the first goal to be scored. For the 16,844 fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome watching the Hitmen take on the Red Deer Rebels on Sunday, the honor went to Cody Sylvester at 3:49 of the first period. He scored, and the mayhem started and continued for 40 minutes while play was delayed. "It's unbelievable," Sylvester told the Examiner after the game. "Scoring in front of all those fans and all those teddy bears coming down on you -- it's a pretty special moment."
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Working Online from Home
Buying A Used Atv
Buying A Used Atv
Not all of us can afford a brand new 2007 ATV with all the bells and whistles. As with cars or motorcycles or any large vehicle for recreation or pleasure, we sometimes have to start out with buying second hand. Of course there’s nothing wrong with purchasing a used car, bike or ATV. If you are going to buy used, you have to know what to look for, especially with a vehicle such as an ATV where you know that there is a chance the previous owner might have given the ATV some serious abuse on the trails. Before you begin to cruise the classifieds you have a couple of decisions to make. Who is the ATV for? An ATV for an adult is made differently than one made for a child. Do you want the ATV for purely recreational purposes? Do you want to race or just enjoy some leisurely off-roading with your family? Do you want to use the ATV as a utility vehicle?
Police search for thief after $1.5M in chips stolen from Vegas casino
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Authorities will be looking out for anyone trying to cash high-denomination chips at the posh Bellagio resort after an armed bandit stole at least $1.5 million in casino chips and fled on a motorcycle.
The thief took chips ranging in value from $100 to $25,000 early Tuesday, police said. However, he might find it hard to redeem the chips at any other casino except the Bellagio, an Italian-themed casino with a wall of famous fountains along the Las Vegas Strip.
Gordon Absher, spokesman for Bellagio owner MGM Resorts International, said the casino chips aren't the same as cash.
"At some point they have to be redeemed," he said.
Chips are unique to casino properties and are generally not interchangeable, although state regulations allow casino companies to redeem chips from sister properties with some restrictions.
Absher wouldn't say if MGM Resorts properties are among Las Vegas casinos that embed radio frequency devices in chips. But police will be keeping a close eye on cashier cages in case someone shows up with a stack of $25,000 chips.
"We have safeguards in place," Officer Barbara Morgan said.
The robbery had the makings of a scene straight out of a Hollywood caper. Police say a man wearing a jumpsuit and a motorcycle helmet with white stripes walked into the casino with a gun, robbed a craps table then sped away on a motorcycle in the dead of night.
The 3:50 a.m. robbery happened "about as quick as you can do it," police Lt. Clinton Nichols told The Associated Press.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
8 industries the Internet is killing
, On Monday December 13, 2010, 3:16 pm ESTNothing lasts forever. As buggy makers and typewriter manufacturers would sadly confirm, it's only a matter of time before a new, better, faster technology renders your existing business model obsolete.
The choice: Evolve or die.
We all know the Internet has ushered in an unprecedented wave of technological and business transition, but sometimes it takes a simple moment to make it seem real. When our 10-year-old son arrived home from school recently and stared blankly at the Yellow Pages directory that had been left on our doorstep, I knew we had reached a new milestone in the evolution of online vs. offline businesses. His generation will never know what the pre-Internet world looked like.
To better understand where he — and we — are headed, it may be helpful to look at some traditional businesses and activities that have already been shunted aside by the Internet rush:
1. Record stores
Buying shrink-wrapped spinning media from a store in a mall isn't dead yet, but it's headed there. As the industry shifts from physical CDs and DVDs to online delivery, the record companies that used to tightly control every facet of this industry are slowly — or in some cases not-so-slowly — sliding from grace.
Web-savvy independent artists are increasingly navigating the process, from production to marketing to touring, on their own. And keeping more of the revenue along the way. Back on main street, video stores, under threat from on-demand streaming services like Netflix, face a similarly bleak future.
2. Phone companies
Sure, the traditional phone company still exists, but it's now a radically different animal. Skype and other IP-based voice — and increasingly video — services are prompting consumers to question why local and long distance service continues to cost what it does. With millennial consumers ditching landlines entirely and everyone else abandoning pay-by-the-minute long distance for largely free Internet telephony, traditional phone companies have expanded into Internet, television, wireless and other services to survive.
3. Newspapers
This may be a little unfair, as they continue to report the news, kill trees and truck it across town to your doorstep every morning. But not for long. The Internet's 24/7 news cycle has forced traditional newspapers to shift online in a big way. Old worries about the website cannibalizing paper-based subscriptions are giving way to the stark realization that younger consumers don't buy papers and advertisers are looking for ways to reach them. Classified ads, long a revenue mainstay for newspapers, have collapsed thanks to the emergence of services like Craigslist and Kijiji. The newspaper of tomorrow will shed the name entirely as it either becomes a multiplatform news service, or dies trying.
4. Small appliance repair shops
Once upon a time, if the toaster stopped toasting, you'd bring it into the dark, dusty store just off your town's main street where a plaid-wearing man with smile wrinkles on his face would diagnose the problem. If it was cheap enough to fix, you gave him the business. Today, the friendly repairman is gone, and no one gives a second thought before heading to the big box store to buy a replacement. How is this the Internet's fault? It fuels ever-growing pressure to drive consumer prices down. We end up with cheap, non-repairable, disposable goods — and no room for craftsmanship.
5. Watches and watchmakers
With every cell phone and smartphone sporting a built-in clock — updated from the wireless network, no less, so it never needs to be set — the traditional wristwatch, long a rite of passage for graduating high schoolers, is an increasingly rare sight on the wrists of teens and twentysomethings. And if you do happen to wear a watch? Hope it doesn't break, as watchmakers are becoming almost as difficult to find as appliance repairpeople.
6. Pawn shops
Sketchy as some of these places may seem, for generations they've been mainstays for consumers looking for quick cash as well as those looking for quick bargains. Online auction services like eBay are cutting into their business base by making it far easier and quicker to find what you're looking for by simply going online.
7. Map makers
Online map services and GPS capability showing up in everything from dedicated in-car devices to smartphones are combining to make unfolding — and refolding — a paper map seem a little too quaint. And dangerous, given new hands-free laws. Buy those paper-based maps from the in-store display before they're gone for good.
8. Customer loyalty
Forrester Research data released last month shows almost 60 per cent of shoppers in the U.K. initiate an online shopping session without first deciding what brand they prefer. About 86 per cent of them read customer reviews before making their decision, and 44 per cent hit the web before heading to the mall. When a competing store's listing is just a click on an iPhone away, customer connections to the stores and brands that used to define the shopping experience are no longer as strong as they once were. Bricks and mortar stores may want to invest in additional staff training to keep customers from bolting.
The Internet-driven churn of once-thriving, now-obsolete businesses will likely continue as long as there is an Internet. And beyond. Companies that recognize the fundamental threat posed by shifting technologies and business models stand a better chance of surviving and thriving than those that choose to keep their heads in the sand.
Even in today's webified, social-media-powered economy, history continues to repeat itself. Only now it moves faster with each passing day.
Wayne Gretzky trivia fail
As seen by Puck Buddy Joel R. during Monday night's Los Angeles Kings/Detroit Red Wings game on VERSUS.
In full disclosure, we had trouble with this trivia question, but totally nailed "How many goals did it take Wayne Gretzky to reach 800 goals?"
VERSUS later revealed the answer, failing to fix the mistake in the initial question and rendering the entire thing even more absurd. Good times.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Mona Lisa's eyes hide message
Enlarge Photo
The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.
An Italian art researcher says Leonardo da Vinci painted tiny letters behind the eyes of the Mona Lisa that may be a clue to her identity.Silvano Vinceti, chairman of the Italian national committee for cultural heritage, said the letters are invisible to the naked eye, but were revealed through high-resolution imagery.
"Leonardo was keen on symbols and codes to get messages across, and he wanted us to know the identity of the model using the eyes, which he believed were the door to the soul and a means for communication," Vinceti told the Guardian newspaper.
The letters were created in black with a very fine brush.
Behind the right pupil of the unknown woman called Mona Lisa are the letters L, V — Leonardo's initials. Her left pupil is more of a mystery — Vinceti said the letters there are either B, S, or C, E.
The art expert also claims to have found the number 72, or possibly L2, under the bridge that appears behind her.
The woman with the enigmatic smile is commonly thought to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant. But Vinceti believes the painting was created in Milan and says the woman may be from the court of Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan.
Monday, December 13, 2010
New photos released of Prince William and Kate
Two new official photographs of Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton, taken by Mario Testino, were released Sunday to mark their wedding next April.One portrait is an intimate close-up of the prince hugging his bride-to-be, while the other shows the two 28-year-olds in a more formal pose, standing side by side in the red carpeted council chamber of St James' Palace in London.
Peruvian-born Testino, who was responsible for some of the most enduring photographs of William's mother Princess Diana, said the young couple were clearly "brimming with happiness" in the shots.
They were taken on November 25, nine days after the couple announced they were finally tying the knot after an eight-year romance. The wedding has been set for April 29 next year, at Westminster Abbey in London.
"I am very happy to have been asked to cover this historic moment that the whole world was waiting for," said Testino, who has taken many family shots of the prince, his brother Harry and his father Prince Charles.
"They are in their prime and brimming with happiness. I have never felt so much joy as when I see them together."
The formal image shows a smiling William and Kate standing close together with Kate resting her left arm on the prince's -- giving a full view of the engagement ring that once belonged to Diana.
She is wearing a white dress from high street retailer Reiss, while he is wearing a dark suit, blue tie and white shirt from Turnbull and Asser.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Colour war: Silver, black battle for top car choice
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Henry Ford famously wrote that a customer of his could have a car painted any colour that he wanted, so long as it was black.Turns out, a lot of people would be just fine with that -- although Ford might have done even better with silver.
A report from paint manufacturer DuPont released Tuesday indicates that silver and black are locked in a tight battle for car-colour supremecy.
A full 26 per cent of cars globally are painted silver, followed closely by black with 24 per cent, the study shows.
Rounding out the top five are white and grey, tied at 16 per cent, and red, at 6 per cent.
But wait -- if you are thinking that your North American neighborhood has far more white-painted cars than either silver or black models, you'd be right.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Jessica Simpson, Inc. Could Surpass $1 Billion
When you think "Jessica Simpson," do you think "billionaire businesswoman"?
No, not immediately.
Truth be told, Simpson is far more famous for who she's dating -- and what she's cooking for Thanksgiving -- than for her amazing business acumen. But alas, wipe those smirks away! Because Jessica Simpson, Inc. (not her real brand) is poised to break the $1 billion mark.
Crazy, right? From shoes to bags to jeans to perfume, Simpson-branded products are a massive commercial success. And the star herself is said to be worth $100 million, according to WWD.com.
You heard that: $100 MILLION. Not bad for the recipient of John Mayer's most infamous diss. It's almost like her ho-hum singing and acting careers are go-nowhere, just-for-fun side projects; her new holiday album "Happy Christmas" is a dismal No. 123 on the Billboard 200 chart. And her last film that had a theatrical release, "Blonde Ambition," grossed just $6,422.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Facebook's Zuckerberg in group of wealthy pledging to give away most of fortunes
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Another 17 of America's richest people, including Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, junk bond pioneer Michael Milken and AOL co-founder Steve Case, have pledged to give away most of their wealth.
They are the latest to join the Giving Pledge, an effort led by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett to commit the country's wealthiest people to step up their charitable donations.
They've now signed up 57 people and their families.
The list also includes New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CNN founder Ted Turner and film director George Lucas.
Though not a formal contract, those who pledge are committing to give away at least half of their wealth to philanthropic causes either before or after they die.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Celine Dion Debuts Twins
Meet Celine Dion and Rene Angelil's twins, Eddy & Nelson!
The singer debuted her new bundles of joy in the pages of People and Hello! Canada on Wednesday.
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: Celine Dion Opens Up On Miscarriage
"The love and what I feel inside, what we have accomplished - I don't know how to put it into words," Celine told People, referring to her difficult journey to conceive. "It's bigger than life itself."
The singer has discovered her new twins, who were born on October 23, aren't allowing her to get much sleep.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Islands fear "end of history" due climate changes
CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) - Some low-lying island nations face the "end of history" due to rising sea levels unless the world takes stronger action to slow global warming, a spokesman said at U.N. climate talks on Monday.
Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, the Marshall Islands and the Maldives were most at risk, said Antonio Monteiro Lima, a delegate of Cape Verde who is vice-chair of the 43-member Alliance of Small Island States.
"All these countries are at this moment struggling to survive ... they are facing the end of history," he told a news conference on the opening day of Nov. 29 to Dec. 10 negotiations among almost 200 nations on slowing global warming.
Island states say that storm surges are eroding beaches, blowing salt water onto farmland and contaminating fresh water supplies. In the longer term, they fear that rises in sea levels will wash them off the map.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Hot fields for hiring in 2011
Occupational experts like Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., say that America is climbing out of recession and that job opportunities are better now than they've been for a long time. But what does this mean for people hoping to advance their career? What can they do in 2011 to be strong candidates in the future job market?
Shatkin answers these essential questions in his book "2011 Career Plan: The Best Moves Now for a Solid Future." In it, he explains that the recovery is a steady upswing, not a hiring boom, and that people will need to be strategic about how and where they pursue employment.
"Jobs are not expected to be plentiful in 2011 -- or for several years afterward," Shatkin says. "In fact, we may see a repeat of what happened after the recession of 2001, when 39 months passed before employment rose back to pre-recession levels. This recovery is also a patchwork affair, with some industries bouncing back much faster than others. For example, in March 2010, while manufacturers were adding jobs, the news and information business was still losing jobs. That's why 'I'll find something' is not an adequate career plan for 2011. You need to choose a specific goal and develop a smart strategy to take advantage of the opportunities that 2011 does have to offer."
Monday, December 6, 2010
Top 10 Vacation Destinations for 2011
Our experts share their 'must-visit' spots for the coming year
Each year, Frommer's editors, authors, and experts from around the world sit down to talk about the best cities, islands, beaches, and other vacation destinations for the coming year. We aim for a list that steers clear of too-hot spots or places that are so under the radar you'll find yourself lost.
More from Frommer's:
• World's best holiday lights
• Best and worst hotel booking sites
• 8 airport survival tipsTo tell you about our choices, we turned to our experts in the field: authors and editors who live in the destinations or who travel there on the regular. We think the best people to share about a city or a region are those who can't stay away from them for too long.
Doha, Qatar
Doha doesn't attract the hordes of beer-swilling British tourists or the sheer number of hotels that the U.A.E.'s Dubai does, but its beaches are more beautiful and its gourmet restaurants are less crowded. The Al Jazeera news network is what put Doha on the map a decade ago, although a different sort of camera -- the movie kind -- is what's drawing tourists for the Doha-Tribeca Film Festival. Next year marks its third installment. Doha is concentrating on beefing up its presence on the international stage by following up its world-class, I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art with a bid for the Olympics in 2016 and the Fifa World Cup in 2022. Plus, the city is hosting professional soccer's Asian Cup in January
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Cosby Show' Alum Tempestt Bledsoe Named New Host of 'Clean House
All grown up.StyleAfter nine years of hosting the Style Network's popular how-to show "Clean House," Niecy Nash gave her final farewell Tuesday night. But she'll be passing the show on to a familiar face: new host Tempestt Bledsoe, who memorably played Vanessa Huxtable on "The Cosby Show."
Bledsoe will start leading the team that helps real families makeover their homes when the show returns on January 26th. About her new role, Bledsoe says "I love meeting these families and I look forward to helping them get their cluttered homes back in order."
[Photos: Another former 'Cosby' co-star grows up]
Before the announcement, Niecy, who announced she was leaving the show last August, hinted at the new host's identity on her personal blog, confirming it would be "a former 'Cosby' kid" and graciously passing the wand to her successor: I know I have jazzy stilettos to fill, but it can be done!"
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Canada's richest people
Canada's richest people
by Canadian Business
Thursday, December 2, 2010provided by2010’s Canadian Business Rich 100 list is out, and this year’s rankings contain a few surprises. Most surprising of all may be that even in this uncertain economy, the majority of Canada’s well-heeled elite saw their net worth rise this past year—and out of our top ten richest Canadians, all but two grew their wealth.
The men and women of the Rich 100 range from entrepreneurial mavericks to the heirs of family dynasties, from publicity hounds to reclusive billionaires, and Canadian Business’ rankings are the definitive look at Canada’s wealthiest citizens, revealing not just who they are, but the roles they play in our society and economy. Below, the top ten names on 2010’s Rich 100.
#1
Thomson family
Chairman, Thomson Reuters
Net worth: $23.36 billion
Toronto
David Thomson, 3rd Baron Thomson of Fleet, has seen his already considerable wealth grow 6.2% in the past year (last year’s Canadian Business Rich 100 had him occupying the number one spot as well.) With Thomson Reuters’ controlling stake in The Globe and Mail, Thomson is proof that old media isn’t dead yet.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Top five things to do before you die
Forget retiring to Florida to join the lawn bowling team, your golden years are the time for real adventure. Here's a bucket list that is not for the faint of heart.
5) Learn to Fly.
There is nothing more mundane than being earthbound, and while bungee jumping and skydiving may be exhilarating, don't you want to do more than just fall from a great height? Real, bird-style flying requires that you harness the currents with a paraglider or a wingsuit. Warning: you might want to cross a few other things off your bucket list before taking the big leap.
4) Space Travel.
Do you have $220,000 lying around? Have you always dreamt of looking down at Earth from space? If so, Sir Richard Branson is dying to chat with you. His company, Virgin Galactic, is the first to take civilians to the final frontier. Age and fitness shouldn't stop you; 93 per cent of those tested, aged 22 to 88, qualified for the trip, so there's no excuse not to go!
Related stories
- Vote on the item you're most likely cross off your bucket list.
- Check out a Live Chat with MP Judy Sgro on the Canada Pension Plan
- Why pension reform is necessary for Canadians to secure a comfortable retirement.
- What it's like being 60+ and single in Ontario.3) The Big Trip.
Whether you're visiting the Seven Wonders of the World, or retracing your great-great-great grandfather's pioneering journey through the Prairies, it's never too late to plan an adventure. For inspiration, be sure to check out Hollywood's take on the bucket list road trip. Though you may not want to risk impalement by skydiving over the pyramids like Jack and Morgan, the world is your oyster.
2) Start Something from Scratch.
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but that's just because most old dogs are pretty lazy. Humans, acutely aware of our own mortality, are often much more open-minded about taking on a life-changing new skill. Build your dream house, start a small business that incorporates your favourite hobby, or learn a new language.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Bachman, Turner take care of business, unlike this guy
The Grey Cup's halftime show was reasonably divisive this year. As you can tell from our live blog, some (including myself) thought Randy Bachman and Fred Turner put on one heck of a show, while others weren't blown away and wanted a younger act. It's always tough calculating what will appeal to the average man for this kind of a show, as an audience of 6.04 million probably doesn't have universal music tastes. Still, can we come together on one front? If you thought the halftime show was the most spectacular thing Bachman and Turner were involved in during Grey Cup week, you ain't seen nothing yet. Check out this video just for you, which appears to be from their rehearsal at Commonwealth Stadium.
Hey, you! How about you quit playing Broomstick Hero and get back to clearing the snow? That's no way to take care of business. Even blue-collar types deserve a break, but prancing around on snow is a good way to take a sledgehammer blow, even if you are a slave to the rhythm. That's not an easy groove, either. Oh, well, at least you took it like a man. Thank you for the feeling.
If you missed the show itself, you can check it out for yourself here: there's no need to give us your money, please, as we're giving it all away. If you've been travelling, welcome home. Pull up a chair, crank up the speakers, and just let it ride. If you're going to copy Broomstick Hero above, though, first make sure you're not fragile.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Good-looking couples have more daughters
Good-looking couples have more daughters, study suggests
AP
Good-looking parents tend to have girls, a British researcher says.
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise have Suri, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have Shiloh, and Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have Violet and Seraphina. Strictly judging from the pages of US Weekly, it would appear that good-looking couples tend to have little girls. In this case, US Weekly might be on to something.
Beautiful parents tend to have more daughters than their homelier counterparts, according to a report by evolutionary psychologist Dr. Satoshi Kanazawa of the London School of Economics. Kanazawa tackled the same question in a 2007 book that covers all sorts of facets of human behavior, "Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters," which he co-wrote with Alan S. Miller.
Kate Middleton Should Avoid These Outrageous Wedding Dresses
Everyone's buzzing about what the super stylish Kate Middleton will wear when she marries Prince William next April 29th. Well, we can say with certainty that the princess-to-be willnot be walking down the aisle in any of these eight gowns.Whatcha Hiding Under There?Is it just us or does a dress like this make you think the bride is trying to cover up a, ahem, surprise wedding guest?
Photo by: Karl Prouse/Getty ImagesAccessory Overload
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Macau casino mogul Ho bids $330,000 for 2 white truffles at auction, matching 2007 record
MACAU, Macau - A Macau casino mogul bid US$330,000 for a pair of white truffles, including one weighing nearly a kilogram, matching the record price he paid at the same event three years ago for one of the giant tubers.Billionaire Stanley Ho made the winning bid Saturday at a charity auction through representatives of his company, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau.
The pair included a huge truffle dug up in the central Tuscany region weighing 900 grams as well as one found in Molise weighing in at 400 grams.
The auction was staged at Ho's Grand Lisboa hotel in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, with bidders participating simultaneously in Rome and London through satellite link.
White truffles are the most expensive and highly prized of Italy's truffles, and among the most famous are those from Alba in the northern Piedmont region, where pigs or dogs are used to sniff them out during the September-December hunting season.
During the autumn truffle season in Italy, restaurants offer pasta and other dishes containing the edible fungus at sky-high prices.
Slivers of the delicacy, with its strong aroma, are prized to flavour pasta sauces and rice dishes.
In 2007, Ho paid $330,000 for a white truffle unearthed in Tuscany weighing 1.497 kilograms.
Ho is best known for his casino monopoly in Macau, a gambling enclave in southern China near Hong Kong.
Sixteen lots of white truffles from different areas in Italy went on the block, raising a total of $373,500 for various charities in Macau, Britain and Italy.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Infamous vehicles
Ten vehicles that have become celebrities in their own right, and where they are today
Photo: Ted Soqui, Sigma, Corbis
When an automobile is involved in a notorious incident - a well-publicized crash, an assassination attempt, a police chase - the stories live on through history while the car often fades into oblivion. But sometimes that car or bike resurfaces years later and becomes a celebrity in its own right. "There's power and influence associated with these cars," says Leslie Kendall, curator of the Los Angeles-based Petersen Automotive Museum. Here some of the most infamous cars throughout history and where they are now.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Flying Snakes' Secret Revealed
The snake dangles 49 feet (15 meters) off the ground, tail entwined around a branch. Suddenly, the animal rears up and launches, flinging its body toward the forest floor.
In other reptiles, the leap would be suicidal, or at least an invitation for broken bones. But the snake in question is a Chrysopelea paradisi, one of five related species of tree-dwelling snakes from Southeast and South Asia. When these snakes leap, it's not to nosedive; it's to glide from tree to tree, a feat they can accomplish at distances of at least 79 feet (24 m).
What no one knows is exactly how these reptiles manage to fly so far without wings. Now, a new study finds that the snakes' amazing aerial abilities may all be in the way they move.
"For any flier, you really need to know the basics: How fast is it going, what's the shape of the flier, what is the shape of the wing," study author Jake Socha, a biologist at Virginia Tech, told LiveScience. "With this new study, we now really get insight into what the exact position of the body is as it's in this really developed glide."
Socha presented his research today (Nov. 22) at the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting in Long Beach, Calif. The study will be published this week in the journal Bioinspiration and Biomimetics.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Driving PSA voted ad of year despite avoiding shock tactics
A powerful public safety announcement showing why your loved ones want you to buckle up has been voted YouTube's ad of the year.
It will have you thinking of others every time you get in your car and start the ignition.
The 90-second commercial titled "Embrace Life" begins with a man reaching his hand out as if he is holding car keys and starting the ignition.
He starts to drive and looks over at his wife and daughter as if he is thinking about them while driving. They smile back.
All of a sudden, the man looks stunned as his eyes open to perfect circles. His daughter mimics his expression. He swerves while his wife and daughter jump up from the couch and put their arms around him as if they are his seatbelt keeping him in his seat and saving his life.
"I wanted to create a visual metaphor addressing how a single decision in a person's day can greatly influence both their own and their loved ones' lives," said writer and director Daniel Cox, who didn't want to shock or scare the audience.
"The family living room represents the feelings many people equate with their own car, in that it represents a level of safety and protection from the 'outer' world."
Watch the commercial:
Friday, November 26, 2010
Landfall for 3 teens who spent 50 days adrift in the South Pacific
SUVA, Fiji - Three teenage boys who spent 50 days adrift in a tiny boat in the South Pacific walked ashore on shaky legs Friday after their chance rescue — celebrated on their home island hundreds of kilometres away as a miracle that brought them back from the dead.
The trio — Samuel Pelesa and Filo Filo, both 15, and Edward Nasau, 14 — told rescuers they survived on rainwater they collected, a handful of coconuts, raw fish and a seagull that landed on their 3.5-metre aluminum boat.
The boys set off Oct. 5 from their home island to one nearby. It's not known how they went missing, but the outboard motor may have broken down at sea.
Worried family members reported them missing and the New Zealand air force launched a sea search. No sign of the tiny boat was found, and the village of 500 people held memorial services, expecting never to see the boys again.
They were picked up Wednesday by a fishing trawler, undernourished, severely dehydrated and badly sunburned, but otherwise well. The ship's first mate said the area they were in is way off any normal commercial shipping routes.
They drifted 1,300 kilometres from where they set out — Tokelau, a bucolic collection of coral atolls north of Samoa that is New Zealand's territory.
A Fiji navy patrol boat met the trawler Friday and escorted it into the harbour of its capital, Suva. The teens were met by New Zealand consular officials and taken directly to a hospital for medical checks. Looking thin, the three walked off the boat without speaking to reporters.
Tai Fredricsen, first mate aboard the tuna boat San Nikuna, said a crew member spotted a small vessel bobbing in the open sea northeast of Fiji on Wednesday. "We knew it was a little weird," he said.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Macy's Thanksgiving parade dazzles NYC
NEW YORK — A high-kicking Kung Fu Panda and a diary-toting Wimpy Kid joined the giant balloon lineup as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade unfolded Thursday, drawing tens of thousands of spectators to the annual extravaganza on a chilly, overcast morning.
As millions more watched the live broadcast on television, entertainers on tap included Kanye West, Gladys Knight and Colombian rocker Juanes.
The Broadway cast of "Elf" performed and they were to be joined by the cast of "American Idiot," along with marching bands from across the United States.
An inflatable version of Virginia O'Hanlon, the 8-year-old girl whose letter to the editor elicited the response, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," made its debut.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
How to invest in emerging markets now
China plans to focus its economy on domestic consumers; that's probably a good tactic for investors, too. Here are 9 stocks (you may not have heard of) to help.
By Jim JubakAt the end of October, China's Communist Party formally endorsed the country's new, 12th five-year economic plan. For 2011-2015 the plan envisions changing China from the world's factory to the world's market. During this period, China's leaders intend to change the economy from one driven by exports to one focused on domestic consumers.
I think investors should pursue something like that transformation in their stock portfolios. Most investors who have put money into the world's emerging economies have bought the big export companies in those economies: a Vale (VALE, news, msgs) or Petrobras (PBR, news, msgs) in Brazil, an Infosys (INFY, news, msgs) or Coal India in India, a Petrochina (PTR, news, msgs) or Lenovo Group (LNVGY, news, msgs) in China. Even investors who don't own these companies have likely heard of them.But I think it's time to develop your own five-year plan that shifts some of the money in your portfolio that you've allocated to overseas equities from export-driven companies to companies that focus on consumers within Brazil or India or China or . . . .
You don't need to abandon those exporting powerhouses all at once, or even at all. But you do need to rebalance your portfolio to include more companies that focus on domestic growth.
Let me give you the two reasons for undertaking this rebalancing. And then give you a short list of stocks that you should consider as potential tools for that rebalancing.
Reason No. 1: Beat the bubble
First, if you're worried that the aggressive monetary growth coming from the Federal Reserve and China is inflating a new bubble that could burst as early as 2011, you should add domestic-focused emerging-market stocks to your portfolio.
