British comic Russell Brand filed for divorce Friday to end his marriage to US pop star Katy Perry 14 months after the pair were wed in India.
"Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends," the 36-year-old comedian and actor said in a statement.
In court documents Brand filed in Los Angeles, the British actor and comedian cited "irreconcilable differences" as a reason for divorce.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Russell Brand files for divorce from Katy Perry
Friday, December 30, 2011
Jennifer Hudson Declined Precious Role, Didn't Want to Gain Weight
Gabourey Sidibe sure must be grateful for this!
In Jennifer Hudson's book I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down, the 30-year-old singer-actress opens up about why she turned down an opportunity to star in the Academy Award nominated 2009 film Precious.
PHOTOS: Jennifer's incredible slimdown
"I had [gained weight] with Effie [in Dreamgirls]," she explains, as excepted by Uptown Magazine. "And as much as I was moved by this film, I wanted to try a role that had nothing whatsoever to do with my weight."
PHOTOS: Stars who were bullied for their weight
Instead, Hudson, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Dreamgirls, went on to co-star in the first Sex and the City Movie alongside Sarah Jessica Parker.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sears Holdings plans to close 100 to 120 Kmart, Sears stores as sales disappoint
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Sears Holdings Corp. plans to close between 100 and 120 Sears and Kmart stores after poor sales during the holidays, the most crucial time of year for retailers.
The closings are the latest and most visible in a long series of moves to try to fix a retailer that has struggled with falling sales and shabby stores.
In an internal memo Tuesday to employees, CEO and President Lou D'Ambrosio said that the retailer had not "generated the results we were seeking during the holiday."
Sears Holdings Corp. said it has yet to determine which stores will close but said it will post on http://www.searsmedia.com when a final list is compiled. Sears would not discuss how many, if any, jobs would be cut.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Justin Bieber Surprises BFF with Mustang Convertible for Christmas
Tis the season for giving, and Justin Bieber pulled out all the stops for a Christmas present for his childhood friend, Ryan Butler.
PHOTOS: Celebs with Bieber fever
"Justin got me a present. #swag!!!" Butler posted to his Twitter along with a pic of a brand-new ivory two-door Ford Mustang Convertible Sunday.
via ca.omg.yahoo.com
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Moon & Venus Put On Post-Christmas Sky Show
For those still recovering from an active Christmas Day, there will be a celestial sight pretty enough to adorn your Christmas tree on the evening after Christmas.
On Monday (Dec. 26), known as Boxing Day in Commonwealth nations like Canada and the United Kingdom): The brilliant planet Venus will shine prominently in the vicinity of a lovely crescent moon. The Venus-moon sky show repeats on Tuesday night, too.
On Monday, check the south-southwest sky right after the sun sets. Venus will likely catch your eye first since it will be shining about one-fifth of the way up from the horizon. Now look off to the right and at a slightly lower altitude from Venus and you'll also catch sight of the slender sliver of a waxing crescent moon.
Monday, December 26, 2011
What to Do with Unwanted Gifts
Not all presents are hits
In a recent Consumer Reports poll, 20 percent of adults admit they received a gift they didn't want last year. That's about 49 million unhappy gift recipients. Given this startling number, chances are you'll get an underwhelming present (or two) this holiday season. But that doesn't mean you're stuck with the duds. Following are your best options for parlaying your bummer gifts into bonuses.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
‘Blair Witch Project’ star Heather Donahue re-emerges as a medicinal marijuana farmer
Gotham Press, Arisan Entertainment
You can stop being scared of the Blair Witch, because we've found Heather Donahue. The girl who found fame by snottily bleating at the camera, "I'm so scared!" in "The Blair Witch Project" back in 1999 has resurfaced 12 years later -- and she seems far more blissed out.
In her new memoir, "GrowGirl," the 37-year-old actress reveals that in 2007 she cultivated the "seeds of a new dream." Put bluntly: She became a medical marijuana farmer.
via ca.omg.yahoo.com
Friday, December 23, 2011
‘X Factor’ Finale Results: And The Winner Is…
Melanie almost missed this opportunity, when Simon--either in a rare case of admitting he was wrong, or in a not-so-rare-case of manufacturing TV drama for ratings--initially eliminated her during the Judges' Houses rounds, and brought her back as a bonus contestant after having a last-minute change of heart/strategy. But once Melanie was back in the game, she was a frontrunner from that point on, never landing once in the bottom two--and this Thursday, she was declared the very first "X Factor USA" winner. Simon may have made some bad decisions this season--firing Cheryl Cole, not giving Steve Jones a co-host, keeping Simone Battle over Caitlin Koch, making Drew Ryniewicz spend an entire performance glued to a chair--but apparently going back for Melanie was not one of them.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Jennifer Hudson: Has She Lost Even More Weight?
Photos: Tony Barson/WireImage; Jim Spellman/WireImage
The incredible shrinking Jennifer Hudson!
It's no secret singer Jennifer Hudson has lost a phenomenal amount of weight since she became a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers. While she denied reports of getting as thin as a size zero, her appearance on the red carpet last night at the "VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul" concert in New York City seemed to show otherwise.Jim Spellman/WireImage
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
How to Perfectly Poach an Egg
How to Poach an Egg
Poached eggs were once a dish I indulged in only at restaurants.
Why? Whenever I attempted the feat of making them at home, I would wind up with either an unfortunate runny mess or a hardened lump that hardly lived up to my culinary ideal.
But then I learned a few simple tricks and the mystery of the poached egg was revealed. Deceptively elegant, firm whites offset by yummy runny yolk, a perfectly poached egg can perk up any meal, whether breakfast or dinner.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Czech revolution icon Vaclav Havel dies
Freedom icon and Czech ex-president Vaclav Havel, who steered his country peacefully to independence from Soviet rule, died aged 75 on Sunday, drawing a wave of tributes from around the globe.
Accolades poured in for the statesman and playwright hailed as a "great European" and the "soul of the Czech revolution" that toppled communism in his country.
Mourners held candle-light vigils across the Czech Republic, with an ad hoc memorial erected on Prague's central Wenceslas Square, the focal point of anti-communist rallies in 1989, and at Prague Castle, the seat of Czech presidents.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Why We Still Have Body Hair
Human body hair might seem to be useless on today's modern man, but it could help us detect parasites, researchers suggest, adding there's a chance our female ancestors preferred a bug-free mate, and so opted for hairier guys.
Humans appear relatively hairless compared with our ape relatives, but the density of hair follicles on our skin is actually the same as would be expected of an ape our size. The fine hairs that cover our bodies, which have replaced the thicker ones seen on our close relatives, are thought to be an evolutionary leftover from our hairy ancestors.
Now scientists find these fine hairs are useful after all — people with more of them are better at detecting bedbugs.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Disney Is Introducing a New Princess -- And She's Not What You'd Expect!
I’ve often wondered why the mothers are always dead in the Disney Princess stories. I figure it’s that if the mom was alive and well, the writers would miss all sorts of plot opportunities starring the vicious, evil stepmother. I’ve also questioned whether Disney would ever get a clue and give little girls a royal role model whose singular goal in life wasn’t to land the handsome prince.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Armed gang steals millions from Dubai royal family
Members of an armed gang are on trial after they've been charged with stealing millions from the Dubai royal family. The £2million heist ($3,099,000) was the royal family's "holiday spending money" set aside for its visit to London on June 24.Royal aide Abdullah Shakeri, who testified from behind a protective screen, said he thought members of the gang were only joking when they first approached him outside the Emirates Bank in Knightsbridge, West London with the demand to "put the cases down or I'll shoot you in the face." The Daily Mail reports that the robbers then repeated their threat and told Shakeri he would be shot if he did not flee the scene.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
British royals unveil diamond jubilee tour
Britain's royal family will tour the globe next year to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee marking 60 years on the throne, Buckingham Palace announced on Wednesday.
Prince William and his wife Catherine will travel to the Asia-Pacific region, while heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will visit countries including Australia and Canada, it said.
The queen, 85, and her husband Prince Philip, 90, will remain in Britain but will travel as widely as possible throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the palace said.
"Members of the royal family will travel overseas representing the Queen throughout the Diamond Jubilee year, visiting every Realm as well as undertaking visits to Commonwealth countries, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories," a Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Air Canada to face class action suit from obese
A Quebec judge has authorized a class action lawsuit against Air Canada on behalf of obese travellers who had to pay extra because of their disability during a three-year period ending in December 2008.
The Montreal law firm BGA Barristers & Solicitors LLP announced the ruling on Monday. David Bourgoin, a lawyer with the firm, said a similar suit against WestJet was thrown out because of a technicality, but the firm has about 30 days to fix the problem and continue the case against WestJet.
The case against Air Canada is aimed at reclaiming fees the airline charged obese passengers for a second seat or a seat for an attendant before a tribunal and court ruling outlawed the practice.
Monday, December 12, 2011
December 5 – 11: Madonna Super Bowl Performance and Beastie Boys Induction Spark Backlash
Kiss member Gene Simmons and War founder Howard E. Scott unleashed verbal assaults this week on other acts.
Simmons, the bassist and vocalist for the legendary band, said Madonna is not appropriate to perform at Super Bowl XLVI. When asked for his opinion on the matter, Simmons had a sarcastic response. "I love all karaoke singers," he told TMZ. "I like all the girl singers who get up and sing with tapes. Shame on you."Gene Simmons
Simmons, whose band performed at the Super Bowl in 1999, said artists who lip-sync misrepresent themselves to their audience. He suggested that entertainers who sing over vocal tracks inform their audience beforehand.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Paralympian eyes Olympic glory after "miracle" crash - Cycling
UTRECHT, The Netherlands, December 8 (Reuters) - Paralympic silver medallist Monique van der Vorst has miraculously become an able-bodied Olympic hopeful after a crash reversed her paralysis.
Paralysed from the hip down since she was 13, the 27-year-old handcyclist, who has just signed with the Rabobank women’s professional cycling team to compete as a top-class able-bodied athlete, was hit by a bicycle last year while training in her wheelchair for the 2012 London Paralympics.
While recovering from the trauma, van der Vorst’s feet started to tingle and miraculously she began to move them again. From that point on she spent months in the hospital and in the rehabilitation centre trying to regain the use of her legs.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Japan quake caused rare double-wave tsunami: NASA
The massive earthquake off the coast of Japan in March caused a rare "merging tsunami" in which two waves combined to amplify the destruction after landfall, according to NASA.
For the first time ever, US and European radar satellites captured images of the two wave fronts, confirming the existence of the long-hypothesized process, which forms a "single, double-high wave far out at sea."
"This wave was capable of traveling long distances without losing power. Ocean ridges and undersea mountain chains pushed the waves together along certain directions from the tsunami's origin," NASA said in a statement on its website.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Hollywood’s Best Actors for the Buck
The "Twilight" movies are more than a cultural sensation, they're a financial phenomenon. The latest, "Breaking Dawn," has ranked No. 1 at the U.S. box office for the past three weekends and has already earned $588 million worldwide. The entire franchise has brought in $2.4 billion so far and there’s still one more movie set for release next year.©Dave M. Benett/Getty Images non-NA
It's been a lot of reward for relatively little outlay. The first two movies were produced for $37 million and $50 million, respectively. The current film is the most expensive to date with an estimated budget of $110 million. Part of the reason the budget has risen is that stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are getting paid more for playing Bella and her vampire boyfriend Edward, but they’re still not getting the $20 million paychecks that some big stars can command.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Vancouver man trapped in automatic toilet
A Vancouver man is sharing a cautionary tale after getting stuck in one of the city's high-tech self-cleaning public toilets.
Paul Taylor says he was locked inside the public toilet for 45 minutes before city staff arrived to pry open the door with a crowbar.
The concept behind the self-cleaning toilets is simple: a user steps in, locks the door, and when the user exits, the facility flushes and cleans itself. The toilets are programmed to automatically unlock after 12 minutes as a safety measure.
But when Taylor used the toilet at the corner of Nelson and Granville streets last week, the door stayed locked. He tried the fail-safe lever, designed to open the door if it malfunctions, but he says that didn't work either.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Holiday tipping on a budget
This year, we've declared a moratorium on excessive holiday spending. We just can't afford to spend big money on celebrating. That means making and sticking to a clear list of what we plan to buy and how much we can afford to spend.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Tergiversate chosen as Dictionary.com's word of 2011
Dictionary.com has chosen a word you've probably never heard of as the word of the year for 2011.Laura Newcombe of Toronto, Canada, participates in the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee
The word is Tergiversate and it is a verb meaning "to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc." or to turn renegade. Basically it means you like to change your mind a lot.
Pronounced "ter-jiv-er-sate", editors say they chose it because it's associated with rapidly changing situations and is fitting to our political and economic times.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Top baby names for 2011
In January, Today’s Parent listed the top names and trends predicted to this year.(Thinkstock)
Now, as the year comes to a close, Baby Center has released its list of the most popular baby names of 2011.
Sophia and Aiden are still tops, and as Today’s Parent predicted, “last names as first names” were hot (Madison and Jackson) as were Biblical names (Jacob and Noah) and L-names (Lily, Lucas, Logan, Liam).
Boy names that end with “N” still reign supreme: Aiden, Jackson, Mason, Jayden, Ethan and Logan all made the top 10.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Paulina Gretzky back in love with Twitter, but not unconditionally
Earlier this week, the hockey world was rocked by scandal as the 22-year-old model/actress of a retired player deleted her Twitter account. Parades are planned, we imagine, now that she had made her triumphant return to the social media platform.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Apple iPhone 'self-combustion' on flight sparks probe
An iPhone that started spewing smoke and glowing red on an airplane in Australia has been submitted for analysis by transportation safety authorities.
The phone began "emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow" on a flight from Lismore, near Brisbane, that had just landed in Sydney on Friday, reported the Regional Express airline in a news release.
The airline described the incident as a "mobile phone self-combustion."
A flight attendant managed to extinguish the red glow successfully, and no one was hurt, the airline said.
In a photo released by the airline, the phone appears cracked and discoloured following the incident.
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