Saturday 21 December 2013

Wilkinson Christmas Card

Wilkinson Christmas Card, Pregnant reality star Kendra Wilkinson shared her sweet family Christmas card via Instagram on Friday.

“Happy holidays!!” the 28-year-old wrote.

Alongside the caption, Wilkinson posed with Santa Claus with her husband Hank Baskett, 31, and the couple’s 4-year-old son Hank Baskett IV.

All dressed in red, the family of three stood around Saint Nick as their baby boy donned a Spider-Man outfit.

The Kendra on Top star went makeup-free, and hid her baby bump under oversized, leopard print pajamas.

Us Weekly broke news in October that Wilkinson and the former NFL player were expecting again.

“She and Hank have been planning a second baby for a while,” an inside source reported to Entertainment Magazine, “and they are very excited.”

Two months later, the former Playboy model announced they were having a baby girl.

“He’s beyond excited. He’s beyond,” Wilkinson said in November at the Frozen premiere in Hollywood about her son becoming a big brother.

“I mean, it’s because of him we’re having another one. It’s perfect timing for everyone.”

Cory Denoncourt Snowbank

Cory Denoncourt Snowbank, Snowbank Collapse Kills Young Boy - A 10-year-old boy passed away Thursday, December 20th after suffering injuries while he was playing in the snow with a friend. Young Cory Denoncourt was outside of his family’s apartment home in Greece, New York, according to police of the Rochester suburb.
The boy was building forts with a friend in a snowbank on Wednesday when the bank collapsed, causing him to fall and became trapped. Children playing at the apartment worked to pull Denoncourt out of the snow. Additional help was summoned to come by another child on the scene

Denoncourt was taken to a nearby hospital after the accident occurred. Once admitted, the young boy was listed as being in critical condition. Denoncourt passed away while at the hospital Thursday night due to the injuries he sustained during the snowbank’s collapse.

As the winter weather continues, the police are reminding all children to take every precaution when they are playing in the snow and ice. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that children are never alone when playing in the snow.

Grieving students will be able to meet with a crisis team Friday as they process the loss of their classmate.

On The Web:

Cory Denoncourt snowbank
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/12/20/Police-NY-boy-died-after-falling-into-hole-while-playing-in-snow/UPI-81271387548463/

Brian Boitano Comes Out

Brian Boitano Comes Out, Fifty days before heading to Russia as a delegate for the United States during the Sochi Olympic Games, Boitano announced in a statement Thursday that he is gay.

American figure skating star and Olympic champion Brian Boitano announced Thursday that he is gay and that he felt honored to represent the U.S. in the official delegation to the Sochi Olympics in Russia.

Boitano said he hopes that the Sochi games will encourage "friendship, peace, and mutual respect," as Russia's government continues to enforce laws punishing LGBT people for perpetuating supposed propaganda.

"I am many things: a son, a brother, and uncle, a friend, an athlete, a cook, an author, and being gay is just one part of who I am," Boitano said. "First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance. As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations."

Boitano, 50, is currently skating in Europe and has competed in three separate Olympic Games. He joins out Olympic hockey player Caitlyn Cahow and tennis icon Billie Jean King, among others, in the delegation representing the U.S. in Sochi.

Dr. Pepper Ravens

Dr. Pepper Ravens, Dr. Pepper has given Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker a free gift of specials bottles after making six field goals. Tucker is going to have to make some room in his refrigerator after a great performance against the Detroit Lions.

The field goal kicker received a special gift basket of Dr. Pepper in recognition of each of the field goals Tucker hit against Detroit. Because the PR people at Dr. Pepper are clever, Tucker was sent a different size container for each field goal he hit. Tucker hit field goals from 24, 29, 32, 49, 53 and 61 yards in the game.

The undrafted opera- and hip-hop-singing kicker is confident that given the right field and weather conditions, he is capable of trumping Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater’s 64-yarder hit Dec. 8 against the Tennessee Titans as the longest in league history.

“If I pulled out the 8-degree driver — on a day when I’m feeling real fresh — I could probably hit one from 70 yards,” Tucker told USA TODAY Sports. “I hit one from 70 yards in pregame in Detroit this past Monday night.”

What is the former University of Texas standout’s longest shot?

“In practice I’ve hit from 79 yards,” Tucker said. “That was in Denver before our opener in September. The weather was perfect; the field was good. With the altitude in the Rocky Mountains, the ball jumps off your foot.

“The reality is a situation like that will come up once in a blue moon. But if you have that club in your bag, you never know when you’re going to need to use it.”

Tucker has converted a league-best 35 of 37 field goals this season, and his leg figures to prove vital in Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots (10-4). Three of the past four games between the teams were decided by three points or fewer.

It has been a dizzying week for the kicker, who has converted 33 consecutive field goals, the fourth-longest streak in NFL history.

Tucker received several congratulatory texts from kicking peers, such as the Chicago Bears’ Robbie Gould thanking him for beating the Lions and keeping the Bears in the thick of the NFC North title mix.

“It’s been a little crazy — it’s been fun,” Tucker said. “To be able to share this journey with such a great group — the guys in this locker room, the coaches, everybody in this building has been a cool deal.”

Justin Timberlake Gq

Justin Timberlake Gq, ustin Timberlake was named GQ's most stylish man of the year, but he wasn't the only one to be lauded for great fashion.

Pharrell Williams followed right behind Timberlake on the magazine's top "25 Most Stylish Men of 2013." Les Miserables actor Eddie Redmayne came in third.

"Redmayne has established himself as an expert when it comes to how a suit should fit and his sleek Burberry suits and McQueen tuxes made every other guy look like he could use a trip to the tailor," the magazine wrote.

One of basketball's most prominent figures, LeBron James, also made the cut.
Kanye West, who's vocal about his love for fashion, was also on the top 10 as well as Mandela actor Idris Elba.
"Our October cover man knows how to wear a suit, whether it's bold colored with some sheen or basic black, and has the swagger to carry off impressive outerwear that would swallow lesser gents," the magazine wrote about Elba.

Real Housewives Orange County New Castmembers

Real Housewives Orange County New Castmembers, Can these ladies handle the heat? Real Housewives of Orange County had a typically major shakeup following season 8, with longtime castmembers Alexis Bellino and Gretchen Rossi leaving the cast, alongside with first-season newbie Lydia McLaughlin.

Cleveland Teen Killed On Icy Highway

Cleveland Teen Killed On Icy Highway, A Cleveland teenager is killed in a single-car accident just after midnight Satruday. The wreck happened at 12:49 A.M. on Highway 64 near 177th West Ave.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers tell KRMG that 16-year-old Brock Norton was driving down the highway when he lost control due to the wet and icy road.

Norton hit a guardrail, went airborne then rolled his truck.

Troopers say Norton wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the truck.

Norton was pronounced dead at the hospital about 90 minutes later.

Chase Debit Card Target

Chase Debit Card Target, JPMorgan Chase & Co on Saturday notified customers who used debit cards at Target Corp stores during the recent security breach that it limiting use of the cards to cash withdrawals of $100 a day and purchases totaling $300 a day.

The new limit effects roughly 2 million accounts, or fewer than 10 percent of Chase debit card accounts, according to a bank spokeswoman. It does not apply to credit cards.

The bank spelled out the limits in an email to customers with the subject line: "Unfortunately, your debit card is at risk by the breach at Target stores."

The bank said it was taking the action as a precaution and recognized that the move "could not have happened at a more inconvenient time."

Target said on Thursday that computer hackers had stolen data from as many as 40 million credit and debit cards of shoppers who visited its stores during the first three weeks of the holiday season.

Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder declined to comment on JPMorgan's action. She said she "couldn't speculate" on whether other banks issuing debit cards would take similar steps.

The bank said in the letter that it plans to reissue affected debit cards over the coming weeks and in the meantime said employees at its 5,600 branches would help those who need more cash. Many branches will stay open late "if needed," the letter said.

Debit cards, unlike credit cards, typically require customers to enter personal identification numbers when they make purchases at store check-out counters. Initial reports of Target's security breach said data may have been taken through devices at its counters.

Debit cards are used to spend money that has been deposited in checking and other demand accounts at banks. Cardholders are not liable for unauthorized transactions they report to Chase, the bank said.

Shin-Soo Choo Rangers Deal

Shin-Soo Choo Rangers Deal, A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo has agreed to a $130 million, seven-year contract with the Texas Rangers.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because there was no official announcement about the deal that is pending a physical for the 31-year-old Choo. That person said the physical is expected to be done before Christmas.

The deal comes a month after Texas acquired slugging first baseman Prince Fielder in a trade with Detroit for second baseman Ian Kinsler, the Rangers' primary leadoff hitter.

Choo was Cincinnati's leadoff hitter for 143 games last season, when he had a .423 on-base percentage with 20 stolen bases and 21 home runs.

The deal was first reported by CBSSports.com.

Kate Upton: Maksim Chmerkovskiy Breakup 2013

Kate Upton: Maksim Chmerkovskiy Breakup 2013, Men all over the world are celebrating after learning that model Kate Upton has split from her boyfriend of 6 months, former "Dancing with the Stars" dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Us Weekly was the first to break the news that the pair had split, and they blamed their "hectic schedules" for their breakup. "They are really good friends still and speak all the time, but their schedules just made it too difficult and it fell apart," a source told Us. "[Chmerkovskiy] has a lot of respect for her, but it just wasn't working anymore." (Maksim's people, when contacted by Us Weekly, "declined" to comment on his personal life.)

Us exclusively revealed back in June that the 21-year-old Other Woman actress and 33-year-old Dancing With the Stars pro were dating. The twosome went public with their romance in September -- holding hands during a walk in New York City. One month later, Chmerkovskiy opened up about their relationship with Us at the Oct. 17 launch of his brother Val Chmerkovskiy's Valentin Clothing at Philippe in Beverly Hills, and he seemed to be smitten with the model.

"She's an amazing person," Chmerkovskiy gushed. "We have an incredible time together, and, you know, I definitely didn't see that coming and I think neither did she. We enjoy each other's company very much and like I said, she's a great girl that I never thought anything romantic like this could have happened."

Kate has been making the news lately, according to The Huffington Post, for her work on the upcoming film, "The Best Man," which also stars Cameron Diaz. The film stars Diaz as a woman who thinks she's met the perfect guy (played by "Game of Thrones" star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), until she finds out he already has a wife (Leslie Mann). As they learn more about each other, they also discover he's got another other woman (Upton's character, who's referred to as "The Boobs"). The three of them then decide to team up to get back at the cheater.

Beyonce Walmart

Beyonce Walmart, Beyonce surprised shoppers at a Walmart in Tewksbury, Mass. on Friday, Dec. 20. ‘Tis the season of Queen Bey.

Beyonce not only spread holiday cheer to her fans when she released her surprise self-titled album last week, but on Friday she shocked shoppers with an impromptu trip to a Massachusetts Walmart.

The 32-year-old songstress showed up to the store in Tewksbury around 7 p.m., grabbed a cart and started strutting through the aisles.

Beyonce grabbed a cart at a Walmart in Tewksbury, Mass. and shopped with her friends on Friday, Dec. 20.

She even picked up a hard copy of her own record, “Beyonce,” that became available one week after its online debut.

Beyonce wore an aqua colored mini-dress and leather jacket as she grabbed the mic and addressed the crowd.

Us Weekly reported that Jay Z’s gal gifted ever person in the store with a $50 gift card to Walmart, which came to a total of $37,500 for 720 shoppers.

Beyonce gifted shoppers at a Walmart in Tewksbury, Mass. with $50 gift cards on Friday.

Beyonce’s unannounced visit to Walmart comes just days after one of the retailer’s top competitors, Target Stores, put out a statement declaring they would not sell the “XO” singer’s album because of her choice to release it online first.

“At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections,” a spokeswoman for Target, Erica Julkowski, told Billboard.

“While there are many aspects that contribute to our approach and we have appreciated partnering with Beyonce in the past, we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats,” she continued.

“At this time, Target will not be carrying Beyoncé’s new self-titled album ‘Beyonce.”

spacewalks: nternational Space Station astronauts begin series of high-stakes

spacewalks: nternational Space Station astronauts begin series of high-stakes, Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins returned to the International Space Station's airlock Saturday to wrap up a successful five-hour, 28-minute spacewalk, the first of at least two excursions needed to repair a critical coolant loop.

Running well ahead of schedule, the astronauts decided to call it a day instead of pressing ahead with additional work planned for a second spacewalk Monday and began repressurizing the station's Quest airlock at 12:29 p.m. EST to officially end a virtually problem-free spacewalk.

Mastracchio and Hopkins successfully disconnected a faulty ammonia pump module, removed it from its rack in the station's solar power truss and maneuvered it to a mounting fixture to clear the way for installation of a replacement pump module Monday. There were no indications of any water leaks in either astronaut's spacesuit like one that triggered a frightening abort during a spacewalk in July.
The original flight plan called for Mastracchio and Hopkins to simply disconnect the old pump during the initial spacewalk and to remove it during the second outing. But the spacewalkers had no problems disconnecting ammonia lines and power cables and flight controllers told them to go ahead and remove the refrigerator-sized pump module.

All of that went off without a hitch. Anchored to the end of the International Space Station's robot arm, Mastracchio had no trouble pulling the 780-pound ammonia pump module from the power truss, holding it in place over his head while arm-operator Koichi Wakata, working inside the station, moved him to the mounting fixture.

A few minutes later, the pump assembly was safely locked in place, completing the first phase of work to repair coolant loop A, one of two used to dissipate the heat generated by the station's electrical systems.

Other than an early comment about cold toes, Mastracchio and Hopkins had no complaints and nearly five hours into the excursion, mission control asked how the spacewalkers felt about moving outboard along the station's solar power truss to prepare a new pump module for installation Monday. The astronauts earlier agreed to extend the spacewalk an hour or so.

Without giving any reasons, Mastracchio said he would prefer to end Saturday's spacewalk after securing tools and tethers.

"We wanted to get your take before you start moving, we're four hours and 46 minutes into the EVA, and we would like to get some work done on the spare out on ESP-3, we'd like to get your thoughts on that," astronaut Douglas Wheelock radioed from mission control

"OK, so basically all we could do is open MLI (insulation blankets) and break torque (on attachment bolts), is that it?" Mastracchio asked.

"Possibly cap removal and removing the tape from the electrical connectors as well, and we're breaking torque on the bolts as well, yes, and it'll help us with some get aheads and put us in a good config for the second EVA," Wheelock said.

"Yeah, my vote would be to call it (off) for today, but it's up to you guys if you really want to go out there," Mastracchio replied.

"And Rick, could you give us some ideas if it's temperature, your (suit) temperature?" Wheelock asked.

"It's just, more a couple of things," Mastracchio replied, without providing any details.

"Copy all, Rick. And standby, we'll have further words for you in just a minute."

"I assume we could add those tasks and still get them all done on EVA-2, correct?" Mastracchio asked.

"Copy that, Rick."

A few moments later, Wheelock told the astronauts, "OK, guys, we're going to wrap it up and just do some cleanup here now."

Given how far ahead of the timeline the crew got, flight controllers are still hopeful the astronauts can complete the pump swap out Monday, avoiding a third spacewalk on Christmas Day.

This was the 175th spacewalk devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998, the ninth so far this year, the seventh for Mastracchio and the first for Hopkins.

As it now stands, 114 astronauts and cosmonauts representing nine nations have logged 1,100 hours and seven minutes of spacewalk time outside the International Space Station, or 45.8 full days. Mastracchio's time outside during his seven spacewalks totals 43 hours and 58 minutes, moving him up to 15th on the list of most experienced spacewalkers.

© 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Heroin Obamacare

Heroin Obamacare, Police.in.Massachusetts.on.Friday.pulled.over.a.suspicious.automobile.and.after.conducting.a.search,recovered.more.than.a.thousand.small.packets.of.heroin.stamped.”Obamacare”.and.”Kurt.Cobain.”

Four.people.were.arrested.after.the.traffic.stop.in.Northampton.in.which.1,250.of.the.packets.were.found.

Police.say.the.car.driver.committed.several.violations,prompting.the.stop.He.was.later.found.to.be.unlicensed.

The.Associated.Press.says.a.state.police.dog.found.the.contraband:

“State.police.Lt.Daniel.Richard.says.it’s.not.unusual.for.heroin.to.be.stamped.with.numbers,words.or.symbols.to.identify.who’s.selling.it.But.he.says.the.’Obamacare’.stamp.is.one.he.hadn’t.heard.of.”

No.explanation.was.immediately.available.

Four.people.are.facing.drug.trafficking.charges.after.Massachusetts.State.Police.say.a.Trooper.found.1,250.plastic.bags.of.heroin.in.their.vehicle.The.heroin.packages.were.all.marked.with.stamps.that.read.either.“Obamacare”.or.“Kurt.Cobain.”

Officials.say.Trooper.Joseph.Petty.had.pulled.over.a.car.on.Interstate.91.in.Northampton.when.a.passing.vehicle.committed.“several.violations,”.State.Police.said.
Trooper.Petty.caught.up.to.the.vehicle.in.Hatfield.and.pulled.it.over.

During.the.stop,Trooper.Petty.says.he.noticed.illegal.drugs.in.the.car.

A.K-9.unit.was.called.in.and.allegedly.found.1,250.individual.plastic.bags.of.heroin.in.the.vehicle.

All.four.people.in.the.vehicle.were.arrested.

Obamacare heroin: The.driver,Tyler.Robenstein,23,of.Colchester,Vt.,was.charged.with.trafficking.in.heroin,conspiracy.to.violate.drug.laws,possession.to.distribute.a.Class.A.substance,speeding,unlicensed.operation.of.a.motor.vehicle.and.failure.to.change.lanes.for.an.emergency.vehicle.

Marquese.Jones,22,of.Newark,N.J.,was.charged.with.trafficking.in.heroin,conspiracy.to.violate.drug.laws.and.possession.of.a.Class.A.substance.

Ashley.Beaulieu,21,of.Colchester,Vt.,was.charged.with.trafficking.in.heroin,conspiracy.to.violate.drug.laws.and.possession.to.distribute.a.Class.A.substance.

Sherod.Green,21,of.Newark,N.J.,was.charged.with.trafficking.in.heroin,conspiracy.to.violate.drugs.laws.and.possession.to.distribute.a.Class.A.substance.

All.four.suspects.were.expected.to.be.held.until.their.arraignment.in.Northampton.District.Court.

Massachusetts.state.police.on.Friday.seized.1,250.bags.of.heroin.containing.bizarre.labels.like.”Obamacare”.and.”Kurt.Cobain.”

The.state.police.confiscated.the.bags.during.a.traffic.stop.in.Hatfield,Mass.,the.department.said.in.a.statement.that.was.posted.to.its.Facebook.page.Four.people.were.taken.into.custody.

“During.the.stop,evidence.of.illegal.narcotics.led.to.a.request.for.a.State.Police.K9.Trooper.David.Stucenski.and.K9.Frankie.located.1,250.individual.bags.of.heroin.in.the.vehicle,”.the.statement.read.

Earlier.today,Massachusetts.State.troopers.found.1,250.bags.of.heroin.labeled.with.“Obamacare”.during.a.traffic.stop.in.Hatfield,MA.I.guess.this.isn’t.exactly.what.the.White.House.was.looking.for.when.they.wanted.to.increase.Obamacare.recognition!

According.to.the.state.police,most.times.when.sealed.bags.of.heroin.are.found,they.are.labeled.with.different.markers.in.order.to.differentiate.between.the.various.strains.of.the.drug.Apparently.this.is.not.something.new.to.police.Since.Obama’s.election.in.2008,many.drugs.have.been.branded.with.the.president’s.name.

“The.Commander-in-Chief’s.name.and.face.has.been.slapped.on.a.wide.variety.of.contraband.products.including.ecstasy.pills,LSD.tabs,heroin.baggies.and.a.popular.strain.of.medical.marijuana,”.according.to.the.report,including.26.different.types.of.Ecstasy.pills.alone.

Huh!?.I.mean.the.White.House.did.say.they.needed.to.work.on.their.PR.strategy.for.the.new.health.care.law…I.just.don’t.think.this.was.what.they.were.looking.for!

Make.sure.to.check.out.the.picture.on.Politico!

I’m.not.sure.what.this.particular.strain.of.heroin.does.Maybe,like.ObamaCare,it.completely.messes.you.up,takes.your.money.and.leaves.you.with.nothing.

The.ObamaCare.heroin.navigators.were.carrying.both.“ObamaCare”.and.“Kurt.Cobain”.branded.heroin.so.I.can.see.a.self-destructive.suicide.theme.here.

There.have.been.a.lot.of.critics.railing.against.the.President’s.Affordable.Care.Act,and.the.subsequent.problems.with.the.roll-out.of.the.accompanying.website.which.stonewalled.users.from.signing.up.for.healthcare.

But.perhaps.the.biggest.critics.are.a.group.of.alleged.drug.peddlers.that.were.stopped.by.Massachusetts.State.Police.in.the.Western.part.of.the.state,allegedly.carrying.more.than.1,000.marked.bags.of.heroin.with.the.words.“Obama.Care”.sprawled.across.each.packet.in.big,red.letters.

During.the.stop,Petty.claimed.he.saw.“evidence.of.illegal.narcotics,”.which.led.to.him.calling.in.a.police.K9.to.sniff.around.the.vehicle.in.search.of.drug.paraphernalia.

And.the.ObamaCare.dealers.would.have.gotten.away.with.it….if.it.hadn’t.been.for.that.pesky.dog.The.arrested.ObamaCare.heroin.navigators.are.named.Sherod.Green,Marquese.Jones.Tyler.Robenstein.and.Ashley.Beaulieu.It’s.unknown.if.they.were.associated.with.ACORN.

But.considering.that.Obama.just.freed.eight.drug.dealers,including.a.crack.dealer.with.a.lifelong.rap.sheets.who.took.his.5-year-old.daughter.alone.while.dealing.crack,maybe.these.unlicensed.ObamaCare.heroin.navigators.can.get.off.too.

Or.maybe.Obama,a.former.coke.user.who.says.that.he.didn’t.do.heroin.because.he.didn’t.like.the.heroin.dealer,only.has.a.soft.spot.for.crack.dealers.

“Pot.had.helped,and.booze;.maybe.a.little.blow.when.you.could.afford.it..Not.smack,though.”

On.60.Minutes,Obama.mentioned.that.he.had.considered.using.heroin,but.didn’t.use.it.because.he.didn’t.like.the.pusher.who.was.selling.it.Otherwise,he.apparently.would.have.used.heroin.

Heroin.stamps.are.a.way.for.drug.dealers.to.mark.their.brands.They.often.use.pop.culture.to.mark.their.brands.The.Social.Art.Collective.in.New.York.City.has.put.on.an.art.exhibition.of.heroin.stamps.with.the.Heroin.Stamp.Project.

There’s.just.one.problem.I.don’t.see.anyone.becoming.addicted.to.ObamaCare.Even.many.Senate.Democrats.seem.to.be.trying.to.kick.the.habit, Obamacare heroin.

Will Arnett Erin David

Will Arnett Erin David, A honey for the holidays! Will Arnett has moved on from his August romance with celebrity chef Katie Lee. The 43-year-old Millers actor is now dating Hollywood producer Erin David, Us Weekly can exclusively confirm.

"Will and Katie Lee fizzled. He lives in LA, she lives in NYC," an insider reveals to Us. "[Erin] produced one of the shows or a film he was in. She produced a lot of Lorne Michaels stuff."

The new couple haven't been hiding their affection for one another either. Arnett and David -- who first worked together in the actor's now-canceled NBC series Up All Night, where she served as executive producer -- recently stepped out together for a very special shindig.

"Will brought her to Jen [Aniston] and Justin [Theroux's] holiday party," the source adds.

Aniston, 44, and fiance Theroux, 42, threw their annual, star-studded tree lighting party at their Bel Air home on Sunday, Dec. 8. Guests arrived at 6:30 p.m. and brought ornaments to decorate the tree. Arnett and David were joined by other famous faces, including Courteney Cox and her new beau, Snow Patrol rocker Johnny McDaid, Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Levin, Tobey Maguire and his wife Jen Meyer, Jason Bateman, Isla Fisher, Chelsea Handler, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin.

This isn't Arnett's first Hollywood romance. The actor separated from Parks and Recreation star Amy Poehler in September 2012 after nine years of marriage, Us exclusively confirmed at the time. The exes are parents to sons Archie, 4, and Abel, 2. Arnett's new girlfriend Erin previously worked with Poehler in her 2008 film Baby Mama. Poehler, 42, is currently dating comedian and actor Nick Kroll.

Dania Ramirez Twins

Dania Ramirez Twins, She's popped! Dania Ramirez is officially a first-time mom -- to twins! The Devious Maids actress gave birth to both a girl and a boy on Tuesday, Dec. 17. The 34-year-old star's Lifetime costar Edy Ganem tweeted the happy news.

"You guys!! today is a VERY SPECIAL day bc @DaniaJRamirez had her babies really early today!!!" Ganem tweeted earlier this week. "Sending her love!!!" Ramirez, in turn, retweeted the comment.

Back in September, Ramirez celebrated the upcoming birth of her daughter and son at a baby shower in West Hollywood. The glowing mom-to-be and her guests -- including costars Roselyn Sanchez, Judy Reyes, Ganem, Ana Ortiz, Rebecca Wisocky and the show's creator Marc Cherry -- noshed on brunch treats and played baby-themed games at hotspot Pearl.

Us Weekly confirmed in September that Ramirez and director husband Bev Land were seeing both pink and blue. The couple married in February 2013, and Land is already a father to son Kai, 11, with his his ex-wife Sharon Leal.

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Dania Ramirez, Devious Maids Star, Gives Birth to Twins

Monday 11 November 2013

Girlfriend Sues Over Powerball Win

Girlfriend Sues Over Powerball Win

Girlfriend Sues Over Powerball Win, A New Jersey man who won a $338 million Powerball jackpot, among the largest lottery winnings, is embroiled in a court fight with his former girlfriend over the money.

Pedro Quezada of Passaic was the sole winner of the Powerball drawing last spring, worth about $152 million after taxes.

His lawyer argues that Inez Sanchez has no claim to the money because the couple were never married.

But attorneys for Sanchez say Quezada purchased the ticket based on the couple's shared earnings. Sanchez and Quezada lived together for 10 years, have a child together, and shared ownership of a grocery store in Passaic, attorneys say.

Superior Court Chancery Judge Margaret Mary McVeigh refused to dismiss the lawsuit and she denied a request from Sanchez to freeze Quezada's lottery winnings, pending the outcome of a trial to determine if she is entitled to a share of the money, The Record reported Saturday.

The judge said Friday that while the couple's relationship was long-term and Sanchez contributed to the household, the court has no legal framework for restraining Quezada's assets.

Sanchez has moved out of the recently purchased Clifton home the couple shared and has filed a domestic violence claim against Quezada, The Record reported. Quezada's attorney declined to comment on that claim.

Sanchez's attorney says that a large chunk of the lottery winnings is already gone, claiming $57 million has been sent to Quezada's native Dominican Republic, $5 million was given away, $300,000 was spent on the home in Clifton, and $20 million can't be located, the newspaper reported.

Rebecca Romijn John Stamos

Rebecca Romijn John Stamos

Rebecca Romijn John Stamos, Eight years after she and John Stamos parted ways, Rebecca Romijn is content with her life -- exactly as it is.
Married to Jerry O'Connell since 2007 and mom to twin daughters Dolly and Charlie, 4, Romijn said she is constantly amazed by her daughters -- and glad they get on so well.

"I am done having kids," Romijn, 41, said. "Two was always the goal, and we got that and here we are."

Fortunately, Dolly and Charlie entertain themselves.

"They are very good friends," Romijn said. "They are each other's best playdates."

"They keep each other such great company and they play so well but they also fight and it turns on a dime, she said. "I'm constantly admiring them and then breaking up fights but they are each other's best company."

As for her old life with Stamos, Romijn said she doesn't keep in touch with her ex, to whom she was married from 1998 to 2005.

"I have no idea what is going on with him these days," she said.

Jessica Biel Lance Bass

Jessica Biel Lance Bass

Jessica Biel Lance Bass, Actress Jessica Biel is helping her gay friend Lance Bass prepare for his upcoming nuptials. A week after Biel, who is married to Justin Timberlake, and Bass attended the wedding of the boys' 'N SYNC bandmate Chris Kirkpatrick on 2 November (13), the pop star-turned-radio personality has revealed the actress has come up with some great ideas for his big day. Bass, who proposed to boyfriend Michael Turchin in September (13), says, "We were sitting there talking to Jessie Biel, and she gave us a lot of great pointers. She had some really great ideas. "One really cool idea she had was that, on the invites - because we love our onesies - send out personalised onesies to all our guests, so that at midnight after the reception it turns into a pajama party. How fun would that be? I think we might be doing that one. That was something we both loved." The gay star tells Us Weekly he and Turchin are likely to tie the knot next October (14), adding, "We’ve slowly but surely started planning it."

Jessica Alba Startup

Jessica Alba Startup

Jessica Alba Startup, The Honest Company today announced that it has raised $25 million in new venture capital funding, led by existing investor Institutional Venture Partners. This is the Los Angeles-based maker of branded all-natural/non-toxic diapers and other baby and kids products, whose co-founders include actress Jessica Alba and ShoeDazzle/LegalZoom founder Brian Lee.

Other investors include General Catalyst Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners and ICONIQ Capital.
We spent some time discussing the deal with IVP principal Eric Liaw, who is taking an Honest Co. board seat in connection with the transaction. A few notes:

1. This is an unusual investment for IVP, in that it is a growth-stage investor that has now participated in both a Series A and Series B round. Liaw largely chalks that up to IVP's past relationship with Lee via a 2011 LegalZoom investment. "Yeah, it's a little outside our sweet spot, but we were very attracted to the team," Liaw explains. "Brian Lee is a successful serial entrepreneur, and we really believe Honest can be bigger than any of the other companies he's founded."

2. On investing in a company whose president is a working actress: "It was something we talked about at the outset, but it hasn't been much of an issue. Her time is a bit more unorthodox than the typical founder, but just she and [fellow co-founder] Chris Gavigan were in Canada for a full week making a press tour announcing our launch. At the end of the day, everyone is multi-tasking, but the time commitment is certainly there."

3. Liaw sees this as the company's final round of outside funding. He believes that its next two major execution challenges are expanding its in-store retail presence (it has been running a test in Cosco since the summer) and international expansion (beyond the recent Canada launch). No word yet on where the next market will be, although Liaw says that an English-speaking market -- such as the UK or Australia -- may make the most sense.

Harold Jellicoe Percival

Harold Jellicoe Percival

HAROLD Jellicoe Percival will get a decent send of at his funeral. Mr Percival was part of The Dambusters 617 Squadron ground crew. Their mission of May 1943 has been celebrated ever since.

He died age 99.

He never married. He had no children.

So. The nurses and staff at Alistre Lodge Nursing Home in Lytham St Annes in Lancashire, where he died, placed an advert calling for people to attend his funeral (above). Like many others, we spotted it.

Nursing home manager Lorraine Holt tells BBC:

“Late last night we had a call from a soldier on leave from Afghanistan who said he wanted to attend. Then an 80-year-old lady from London who served in the RAF called us to say she was attending. The response has been absolutely incredible. Our local police have been in touch asking if we need any traffic control on the day of his funeral after hearing how many people are due to attend. We’re going to open the nursing home for anybody who wants to come after the service, but I’m not sure how we’ll cope with so many people.”

Davis Boothman, secretary for the RAF Association Leyland branch, adds: “We normally do try and make a showing at these times. It is important that we remember people like Harold – they are part of us.”

Harold Percival l The Funeral Of Harold Jellicoe Percival Makes Many Remember

Mr Percival’s great-nephew and great-niece will be at his funeral. His nephew lives in Australia. He’s called  David Worsell. He can’t make it. He says:

“He worked in Australia for a number of years as a decorator and would visit England for holidays. He travelled around England with only his backpack. He didn’t have a postal address – he just used to get everything sent to my mother’s address and would go through it when they met up. He lived with us on and off in Australia and New Zealand. He loved cricket and taught my son how to spin bowl…

“I managed to trace him six months ago and sent him photos of when he lived with us. We always had a Coe’s (Harold Jellicoe Percival) room wherever we lived as he could turn up at any time.”

Shame he couldn’t make it.

Kate Beckinsale Knox

Kate Beckinsale Knox, The 40-year-old actress, who's perhaps best known on the big screen for her blockbuster Underworld franchise, is taking an indie turn in director Michael Winterbottom's movie about the highly publicized Amanda Knox murder trial,The Face of an Angel, which shot in Rome over the weekend.

In it, Beckinsale plays a journalist who teams up with a documentary filmmaker (Rush's Daniel Brühl) to uncover the mystery of who killed British student Meredith Kercher, a controversial case which has sharply divided public opinion on both sides of the Atlantic, especially after Knox and her ex Raffaele Sollecito had their convictions overturned.

And by the looks of the set photos that have surfaced, Kate's taking her latest gig quite seriously as she was spotted at Rosati bar and restaurant in the Piazza del Popolo on Sunday, wearing a blue jacket, denim jeans, white T-shirt, lavender cashmere scarf and carrying a navy blue handbag.

She and her 35-year-old costar sat down at a table and filmed a scene in which they presumably talked about the slaying.

And if you ask Beckinsale, she's not concerned in the least that her latest flick will ruffle any feathers given its sensitive subject matter, particularly among the case's critics and bloggers online.

"Don't think I haven't had my share of nutters," the British thesp told the Telegraph in an interview.  "I've worn latex head-to-toe in three movies, after all."

That's partly because The Face of an Angel is not so much about Knox and Kercher and the events of that terrible night as it is about her and Brühl's characters, who are on the periphery and loosely based on real-life figures.
"My character plays a sort of Virgil, a guide who leads the director through this dark world," said the Total Recall star.

The Face of an Angel is slated to hits theaters later next year.

Tom Cruise Afghanistan

Tom Cruise Afghanistan, Happy Veterans Day! Tom Cruise Says Acting Is Just Like Serving In Afghanistan. While I watch elementary school kids (No Jacko.) sing a tribute to veterans this morning, here’s Tom Cruise stepping in even more shit thanks to his $50 million lawsuit against In Touch. Which is what happens whenever Tom Cruise is put in a situation where he has to give non-scripted human reactions to questions that weren’t pre-screened by a team of Scientology publicists who understand the first rule of Scientology is never talk about Scientology because Scientology is crazy. TMZ reports:

First, the Middle East — Tom says his location shoots are just like serving a tour in Afghanistan, “That’s what it feels like. And certainly on this last movie, it was brutal. It was brutal.”
As for his physical training, Tom said, “There is difficult physical stamina and preparation. Sometimes I’ve spent months, a year, and sometimes two years preparing for a single film.” But the kicker, he adds, “A sprinter for the Olympics, they only have to run two races a day. When I’m shooting, I could potentially have to run 30, 40 races a day, day after day.”

Naturally, Tom’s team has already started claiming he was taken out of context and is a proud supporter of the troops. In fact, if some of them would like Tom Cruise to personally visit them in their bunks, it’d be his honor as a freedom-loving America who will one day vanquish us all with his Tachyon Stare. Via People:

Cruise’s legal team says the quotes made public by their opponents in the $50 million fight are only part of a much longer deposition. They also say an unreleased video made of the proceeding clearly shows that Cruise wasn’t being serious.
“As the video shows, he and the lawyer were laughing at his answer, and, when asked in the next question if the situations were comparable, Tom said, ‘Oh, come on,’ meaning of course not,” Fields continues.

Of course, the presumption here is that obviously Tom Cruise would never compare his work to serving a military tour in the Middle East because he’s a sane and rational man who didn’t just admit that the religion he devotes more time and energy to than his own daughter literally views his ex-wife as Hitler and believes he has the power of telekinesis- holy shit, did that pen just move?

Kim Kardashian Sweet Tweet

Kim Kardashian Sweet Tweet, Kim Kardashian is really taking well to motherhood. The new mom 33-year-old reality star recently blogged about how much she's enjoying being a mom to daughter North West.

In a more candid statement, Kim took to her Twitter to gush about her feelings for her beautiful baby girl.

"Moms- do u ever want to wake up your baby to give him or her kisses? i want to soooooooo bad right now, but she's so peaceful sleeping," she wrote.

Aww...we love seeing the softer side of Kim!

Earlier this weekend, Kim and fiance Kanye West were seen strolling around Santa Barbara with little Nori in tow--no wonder she was to tired!

Peyton Manning Mri Results

Peyton Manning Mri Results, A person with knowledge of the results says Peyton Manning’s MRI showed aggravation of his right ankle that is not expected to keep the Broncos quarterback out of next Sunday’s game against Kansas City.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t addressed the issue. Interim coach Jack Del Rio meets with the media Monday afternoon.

He had an MRI on Monday morning.

Manning originally hurt both ankles last month.
The Denver Post had first reported the results of the MRI.
After Sunday’s game, Manning said the time off during last week’s bye helped “but I imagine I’ll be pretty sore tomorrow.”

Manning threw four touchdown passes to bring his season total to 33 — tied with Tom Brady for the most after nine games in NFL history.

With Chris Clark subbing for All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady, who’s on IR following a foot operation, Manning has been hit from his blindside and fumbled in Denver’s last three games.

Those protection issues are a big concern with the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs up next. The Chiefs lead the league with 36 sacks, including 11 by Justin Houston and 9 by Tamba Hali.

Manning missed some practice time before the Washington game two weeks ago and it’s possible he’ll be limited or sit out some workouts this week, too.

Dutch Royal Family

Dutch Royal Family, Royal family have been pelted with tomatoes while on a state visit to Russia.

King Willem-Alexander and his wife, Queen Maxima, were on their way to a concert in Moscow on Saturday when they became the target of a protest by Russian opposition activists.

None of the fruit hit the king or queen, according to reports from the state-run Ria Novosti news agency.

Eduard Limonov, the leader of the banned National Bolshevik party, said two of his group’s members were responsible for the incident, and were subsequently arrested.

Mr Limonov said today that the protest was carried out to draw attention to the death of a fellow activist, Alexander Dolmatov, who committed suicide in a Dutch detention centre in January.

After taking  part in a protest in May 2012 against President Vladimir Putin, Mr Dolmatov was arrested and then subsequently released. Fearing re-arrest based on charges faced by other activists, Mr Dolmatov fled.

Making his way to the Netherlands, the activist sought asylum from political persecution. His request was rejected, and he was placed in a holding centre where he then killed himself.

Yesterday’s protest came after the Dutch king met Mr Putin in the Kremlin on Friday.

On the surface, the visit has celebrated the historical ties that exist between Russia and the Netherlands. But the pair are also believed to have discussed a number of issues which, in recent months, have seen the relationship between the two countries deteriorate.

Foremost among them is the still unresolved issue of Russia’s seizure of a Dutch-registered Greenpeace ship which was protesting against Arctic drilling at a Gazprom oil rig.

Trader Joes Recall

Trader Joes Recall, More than 90 tons of ready-to-eat salads and sandwiches by a California catering company are being recalled after 26 people in three states were sickened by a bacterial strain of E. coli linked to its products, federal health officials said Sunday.

Richmond-based Glass Onion Catering are recalling approximately 181,620 pounds of salads and sandwich wraps containing cooked chicken and ham, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

The recall lists Walgreens, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods as companies that received the items. The products were produced between Sept. 23 and Nov. 6, and were shipped to distribution centers in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Texas. The Contra Costa Times reports the company supplies food to Trader Joe's, Super Fresh Goods and Delish.

Products regulated by FSIS bear the establishment number "P-34221" inside the USDA mark of inspection. FSIS products subject to recall include:

- 12 oz. packages of "delish pan pacific chop salad

- 13.4 oz. packages of "delish California style grilled chicken salad

- 9.9 oz. packages of "delish uncured applewood smoked ham & cheese wrap

- 10.5 oz. packages of "delish grilled chicken caesar wrap" - 10.9 oz. packages of "delish southwestern chicken wrap

- 11.5 oz. packages of "delish greek brand low-calorie grilled chicken wrap

- 9.9 oz. packages of "delish white chicken club wrap

- 11.2 oz. packages of "delish asian style chicken wrap

- 13.4 oz. packages of "atherstone Fine Foods Southwestern Style White Chicken Wrap with Chimichurri Sauce

- 10.5 oz. packages of "atherstone Fine Foods Asian Style White Chicken Wrap with Mango Vinaigrette

- 9.9 oz. packages of "atherstone Fine Foods Grilled White Chicken Caesar Wrap with Caesar Dressing

- 10.7 oz. packages of "super fresh Foods California Grilled Chicken Salad, Low Fat Mendocino Mustard Dressing

- 10.7 oz. packages of "Lunch Spot Southwestern Style Chicken Wrap, Chile & Lime Dressing

- 9.2 oz. packages of "super fresh Foods Pan Pacific Chopped Chicken Salad, Ginger Soy Dressing

- 10.7 oz. plastic containers of "TRADER JOE'S Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken.

- 11 oz. plastic containers of "TRADER JOE'S MEXICALI SALAD with Chili Lime Chicken.

The FSIS said it began monitoring a cluster of illnesses involving E. coli O157:H7 on Oct. 29 and then was notified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that California authorities had reported people sickened from eating pre-packaged salads with grilled chicken.

In Washington, three people who were sickened with the bacterium told investigators they ate ready-to-eat salads from Trader Joe's, said Tim Church, a spokesman with the state's Department of Health.

The FSIS says the bacteria can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps two to eight days after being exposed to it. While most people recover within a week, some develop kidney failure.

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Aaron spelling production company

Aaron spelling production company
Aaron spelling production company, From All Movie Guide: The son of an immigrant Russian tailor, Aaron Spelling grew up in the Jewish ghetto of Dallas. Traumatized by constant bullying from his WASP schoolmates, Spelling psychosomatically lost the use of his legs at age eight and was confined to bed for a year.

He spent his solitude with the written works of Mark Twain, O. Henry, and other masters, developing his own storytelling skills in the process. After wartime service with the Army Air Force, Spelling attended Southern Methodist University, then headed to New York, hoping to find work as an actor and writer.

No one was interested in his writing, though he did eventually secure a few good film and TV roles (he was the squirrelly murderer in Vicki, the 1952 remake of 1941's I Wake Up Screaming). He then moved to California in the company of his wife, actress Carolyn Jones. While her career flourished, his dreams of becoming a great writer dwindled, and he reluctantly returned to acting. Spelling's writing skills finally came to the attention of actor/production executive Dick Powell, who hired Spelling as a scripter and producer for Powell's Four Star Productions.

Spelling's strong suit during this period was the ability to woo TV-shy film actors into the Four Star fold by writing the sort of parts they'd like to play, but had never been permitted to by the Hollywood typecasting system. After Dick Powell died, Spelling became aligned with comedian/TV mogul Danny Thomas, for whom Spelling produced the hit series The Mod Squad in 1968. His new-found industry clout permitted Spelling to produce one TV hit after another:

The Rookies, Starsky & Hutch, S.W.A.T., Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, among others. Whenever accused of merely turning out "schlock," Spelling could point with pride to his highly regarded weekly drama Family, and, much later, to his Emmy win for Day One, a 1989 TV movie about the wartime Manhattan Project.

After several years of indifferent projects, Aaron Spelling once more became the king of youth-oriented television with his 1990 series Beverly Hills 90210 (which co-starred his daughter, Tori) and the equally popular follow-up, Melrose Place. Spelling's name continued to grace the credits of numerous youth-oriented soaps on the fledgling WB and UPN networks right up until his death in June of 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Lionel Richie net worth

Lionel Richie net worth
Lionel Richie net worth, Lionel Richie net worth: American musician, actor, singer-songwriter and record producer Lionel Ritchie has an estimated net worth of $200 million in 2013. He is also known to be one of the members of Commodores, a musical group which was signed by Motown Records.

After working for around 14 years with the Commodores, Lionel Ritchie launched his solo career in 1982 with his debut album Lionel Richie. The album spawned the #1 hit single titled “Truly”. The release of his debut album which sold more than four million copies led him to be named as one of the 1980s most successful and popular balladeers.

It was followed by the release of his sophomore album titled Can’t Slow Down which sold twice as much as his debut album. It was named Album of the Year and won him two Grammy awards. It spawned the single titled “All Night Long” which peaked at #1 on US music charts.

Eventually, it was followed by the release of his other albums titled Dancing on the Ceiling, Back to Front, Louder Than Words, Time, Renaissance, Just for You, Coming Home, Symphonica is Rosso, Just Go, and Tuskegee.

Some of his other hit singles include “Hello”, “Stuck on You”, “Penny Lover”, “Running with the Night”, “Say You, Say Me”, “We Are The World”,  ”Dancing on the Ceiling”, “Say You, Say Me”,  ”Ballerina Girl”, and “Se La”.

Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. was born on June 20, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama, USA.

Robert Kardashian diaries

Robert Kardashian diaries
Robert Kardashian diaries, Robert Kardashian, one of the attorneys who defended O.J. Simpson against charges he murdered his wife, left his widow with several diaries in which he exposes many of the Kardashian family secrets while he was married to former wife Kris Kardashian.

His widow Ellen has released some of their contents, revealing that Kris, who subsequently married Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner, was less than a model wife and mother. In the diaries, written over a two year period from 1989 to 1990, Robert Kardashian recounts how his former wife beat daughter Kim in a hysterical rage.

In addition, Kardashian says that his wife often left their children alone for days at a time without even leaving a contact number in the event an emergency happened. During Christmas of 1989, Kardashian claims he spent the holidays alone with his kids.

The attorney, who succumbed to cancer in 2003, also states that Kris was unfaithful during their 12-year marriage, entering into a relationship with a much younger soccer athlete. His children were so upset that their stepmother sold their father’s diaries to be published by In Touch magazine that they filed a lawsuit against her, claiming that the handwritten journals were left to them by their father’s will.

Robert kardashian and kids

Robert kardashian and kids
Robert kardashian and kids, An ailing Robert Kardashian made a deathbed warning to his wife Ellen — “run as far away from the drama as you possibly can!”

The widow of the famed attorney — who became nationally known as a member of O.J. Simpson‘s criminal defense dream team — was referring to the shame he felt about the lives his three daughters had started to line, according to Ellen, who is now being sued by Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Rob‘s and their mother, Kris Jenner over some of her late husband’s belongings.

“His last wish to me was that I have freedom and I would get as far away as I possibly could from the drama and everything that we had experienced during our time together,” Ellen said in a 2012 interview, a transcript of which RadarOnline.com has obtained.

“When he told me that I should go far away, on some level I thought it was a warning.”Nine years after Robert’s death of esophageal cancer, however, Ellen willingly put herself back in the middle of the Kardashian’s “drama.”

She broke her silence to Star, revealing how Robert thought Khloe might not have been his biological child and how Bruce Jenner was a cross dresser!

It came after years of silence between her late husband’s children and Ellen.I tried to stay in contact with the children after Robert passed away,” she revealed.

“I made several attempts and several phone calls. I never got a return phone call. I did speak to Rob for a couple of years, but then without phone numbers to get a hold of them, we just lost touch.

“I tried to get a hold of them through family members, but they said it was just as well that I didn’t, or I didn’t attend my mother-in-law’s funeral because of them.”

According to Ellen, Robert hoped his third-wife could save herself from “the drama within the girls and their mother.”

“It was constant,” she said. “It was phone calls to the house, upsetting a dinner, being out with somebody and having one of the girls call.  They were fighting with her (Kris). Just continual.

“The drama and their lifestyle was excessive and not like anything that I had ever seen or been through. It was constant and it was a lot of fighting, a lot of arguing between them and their mother.

“Robert wanted me to be free of chaos and all the family issues and things that had taken place that I had experienced.”

She said Robert, who died at age 59, “was very disappointed in a lot of different things that had taken place with the girls.”

“They had their disagreements and they argued about a lot of things,” Ellen recounted.

“Robert was very family oriented and loved, you know, his culture and he loved being Armenian and that’s something the girls would not participate in. He found that very disturbing and he was sad.”

“He also felt that as a father, he shouldn’t give them more than they needed.They wanted new cars, they’d come to him for new handbags or expensive shoes. Robert being Armenian, well, he worked for everything he ever had and that’s the way he lived his life.

“He wanted his family to do that.  He wanted his girls and his son to be raised with the same ethical background and to be hard working and make money the right way.”

The Kardashians have accused Ellen of profiteering from photo albums and a journal the siblings claim is copyrighted to them.

Duck Dynasty net worth

Duck Dynasty net worth
Duck Dynasty net worth, Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson says that his days on the popular A&E reality program are numbered.

The hit show follows the eccentric Robertson family in Louisiana and has consistently brought in stellar ratings for the network. With 9.6 million viewers, it is the highest rated telecast in the network’s history.

Duck Dynasty returns on August 14, but family patriarch Phil might not be a part of the show much longer. He tells Parade magazine that despite the show’s success, he doesn’t want to be a part of it for much longer.

When asked how much longer, Phil replied:

“Not long. But I think it’ll go on without me… I’ll catch a few fish. Hunt squirrels, deer, ducks. Stay out in the woods. Come in. Make the jam. Enjoy life.”

Despite the interview, family spokesman Al Robertson said that Phil is not leaving the show any time soon when asked for comment on the rumor.

The Robertson family owns and operates the Duck Commander and Buck Commander companies out of its West Monroe warehouse. It has become a huge tourist magnet since the A&E series began.

Phil once said that he actually turned down a career opportunity with the NFL in order to pursue his dream duck hunting business.

“They said, ‘Why don’t you go in the NFL and play football?’ In the ’60s, the late ’60s, the going price was $60,000. You make the team? 60 grand. I thought, ‘And I miss duck season? And I have large, violent… men chasing me trying to stomp me in the dirt?’ It just seemed like a lot of stress and not a lot of money.”

It paid off too. Phil Robertson has an estimated net worth of $15 million.

Do you think there’s any truth to the rumor that Phil Robertson will be leaving Duck Dynasty in the near future?

Phil robertson created duck commander company

Phil robertson
Phil robertson created duck commander company, Photos of the 'Duck Dynasty' stars without their famous beards are circulating around the Internet again this week and have become a trending topic on Bing as the hit A&E reality TV show continues to create waves among fans.

Fans of the show have gotten to know and love each of the characters with their long bushy, and wild beards. However, they did not always look like that, and the photos below show the cast members of the hit A&E show in all their beardless glory.

Here is a photo of Phil Robertson, who is known as the Duck Commander. He let go of a potential career in the NFL to create the Duck Commander Duck Call in 1973.

This photo shows Uncle Si without his glasses and beard. He looks almost unrecognizable in the photo on the left which was taken when he served in the military. Uncle Si, of course, was sent a blue mug by his mother when serving in Vietnam. Now more than 30 years later he takes it everywhere with him and only drinks from that blue mug every day.

Here is a before and after shot of Willie. The left photo shows Willie when he was a student at Louisiana State University. A lot has changed since then, however, and he has now grown one of the most impressive beards in the Robertson family, and has put his business degree to good use, becoming the CEO of Duck Commander.

The photo on the left shows Jase and Missy looking clean cut and fresh as newlyweds from their wedding day. On the right, the photo shows them 20 years later – still happily married – but with Jase donning a massive beard for his part in Duck Dynasty.

"Duck Dynasty" Season 4 had a premiere date on August 14, 2013, and became the most watched reality TV show as millions tuned in to watch the show.

Here is a video of Phil Robertson speaking at Harvest Crusade 2013.

El Paso Triple-A team picks 'Chihuahuas' as nickname

El Paso Triple-A team picks
El Paso Triple-A team picks 'Chihuahuas' as nickname, The Padres' Triple-A affiliate is moving from Tucson to El Paso, and as such, they decided to shift nicknames after life as the nondescript Tuscon Padres and join the rich tradition of silly minor league nicknames.

Today, they announced their decision after a contest, and it was ... well ... it was a decision, alright.Yes, the team is now the Chihuahuas. Given the option of picking their mascot, they opted for the tiniest, yippiest, least cuddliest, most-pick-up-able-by-an-owl-iest dog in the world.

There is a local connection, I suppose -- El Paso does border the Mexican state which gives the world's smallest dog its name -- but still. Chihuahuas! I don't agree with the notion that all mascots should be fierce but at the very least, your mascot shouldn't be frightened by particularly feisty housecats. I love dogs, and have noticed that I'm not alone among people who love dogs in having an anti-Chihuahua bent.

I will say, I rather like this logo.To be fair, the El Paso Times writes that the company that's helping the now-Chihuahuas do branding has had success with similarly silly teams, like the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and Richmond Flying Squirrels, and, I mean, I'm writing about it, so ... .

I don't think it's logistically possible, but I'd love to see a lineup featuring David Eckstein, Jose Altuve, Shane Robinson, and this guy.

Aledo's 91-0 win earns bullying complaint from Western Hills parent

Aledo's 91-0 win earns bullying complaint from Western Hills parent
Aledo's 91-0 win earns bullying complaint from Western Hills parent, Aledo's coaches said they did everything but take a knee Friday night to hold the score down against Western Hills.
They still won 91-0.

The parent of a Western Hills player filed a formal complaint accusing Aledo's coaches of bullying. Aledo released a copy of the complaint with the writer’s named blacked out. It appears to be from a father struggling to make the game a teachable moment for his son.

"We all witnessed bullying first hand, it is not a pretty sight," he wrote.
"You don't want to see their kids give up 91 points," responded Aledo head coach Tim Buchanan. "Our kids aren't very excited at the end of the game, either."

Buchanan said neither his coaches nor his players bullied the losing team.
In the complaint, the father wrote: "I did not know what to say on the ride home to explain the behavior of the Aledo coaches for not easing up."

"I'm not going to ask a football player to go out on the field and not play hard," Coach Buchanan responded, saying that would be insulting to opponents and unfair to his own players who have practiced so hard.
Buchanan said his starters played only about half the game on Friday night.

The Western Hills parent said the lopsided game provided a bad lesson for both teams, writing: "I thought how tough it must have been for the parents of the Aledo football players to explain what happened..."
Aledo's superintendent answered that coaches did use the game as a teaching moment, but not the negative lesson alleged in the bullying complaint.

"I can tell you, our kids learn from our coaches' compassion, and slowing things down," said Superintendent Derek Citty. "It could have been worse than what it was."

Citty said Aledo’s principal talked to the parent, and described him as a gentleman expressing his concern.
Aledo's superintendent hopes the University Scholastic League moves the school into a tougher district next year. The powerhouse program ended up playing weaker Fort Worth teams after Dunbar High moved up to 4A, forcing the UIL to realign districts before last season.

Dunbar has a 3A student population, but is also undefeated this season.
As for this season's Aledo team, even the concerned Western HIlls parent thanked them for showing respect and good sportsmanship to his son.

Plane crash Arkansas: Pryor couple dies in crash

Plane crash Arkansas: Pryor couple dies in crash
Plane crash Arkansas: Pryor couple dies in crash, A plane crashed in Arkansas after leaving Alabama. KFOR-TV reports on Oct. 22 that the Piper Saratoga plane was carrying two people. Their bodies were found in the wreck near Huntsville.

Officials believe Ivan and Adina Williams were the victims they found in the single-engine plane crash. The couple is from Pryor and owns a business in Oklahoma. Ivan is the CEO of Williams Construction Co., and family members confirmed that he was using this plane.

The plane left Alabama in the morning and was headed to Oklahoma. It did not encounter any problems in Sylacauga, but it was losing altitude by the time it was near Huntsville. The weather has been described as rainy. However, it is not known if this was responsible for the crash. Air-traffic control was notified about the plane’s problems before it disappeared from radar. Ivan and Adina Williams never reached their destination of Claremore.

Local residents describe hearing a loud crash and being confused by the sounds in the afternoon. It took several hours to find the plane near Huntsville. Williams Construction Co. has declined to issue a statement at this time and is waiting for a spokesperson to come forward and discuss the crash with the media.

Explosion North Hollywood: Huge Explosion Blows Up Pickup Truck on Miranda Street

Explosion North Hollywood:
Explosion North Hollywood: Huge Explosion Blows Up Pickup Truck on Miranda Street, An explosion in North Hollywood has blown the roof off a pickup truck, shocking locals. However, reports have confirmed that no one was injured or killed in the incident.

The explosion hit North Hollywood at about 12.30 a.m. last night, and is believed to have taken place from the pickup truck's cab.

The pickup was parked in the back of a home on the 11300 block of Miranda Street.

Sgt. Mike Kammert has said, "Police and firefighters arrived about the same time and found the truck with its roof blown open and at least one propane tank inside the truck. Kammert said the LAPD bomb squad was at the scene to determine what exploded. Officials were focusing on the propane tanks as the likely source," according to The Los Angeles Times.

He added that investigators were carrying out their work and that they were securing the area to ensure no further risks remained to locals in the region.

He said, "It'll probably be another hour or so. The bomb squad doesn't move fast, which is probably a good thing."A bomb squad was sent in to help with the investigations, and local residents were advised to find shelter.

One local witness described to NBC Los Angeles that the explosion "shook everything." One witness, Laura Weir told the network: "I heard a big loud noise and the dog started barking… The next thing I know, I see the helicopters, I see the fire department."

A propane tank was thought to have been in the pickup truck's cabin at the time of the explosion. Investigators have removed the truck to further examine it as part of their investigations.

LAPD Lt. Todd Hankel explained, "[The blast] caused extensive damage to the vehicle and damage to the surrounding buildings… We were unable to determine the source of the explosion, so we evacuated the area."

It still has not been confirmed whether the explosion was intentional or an accident. Investigations are ongoing. 

Saudi to reassess relations with US: report

Saudi to reassess relations with US: report
Saudi to reassess relations with US: report, Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief has said the kingdom will make a "major shift" in relations with the United States in protest at its perceived inaction over the Syrian war and its overtures to Iran, a source close to Saudi policy said.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan told European diplomats that Washington had failed to act effectively on the Syrian crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was growing closer to Tehran, and had failed to back Saudi support for Bahrain when it crushed an anti-government revolt in 2011, the source said on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear if Prince Bandar's reported statements had the full backing of King Abdullah.

"The shift away from the US is a major one," the source close to Saudi policy said. "Saudi doesn't want to find itself any longer in a situation where it is dependent."

"This happens after the US failed to take any effective action on Syria and Palestine.

"Relations with the US have been deteriorating for a while, as Saudi feels that the US is growing closer with Iran and the US also failed to support Saudi during the Bahrain uprising."

UN seat rejection

The prince's initiative follows a surprise Saudi decision on Friday to reject a coveted two-year term on the UN Security Council in protest at "double standards" at the United Nations.

John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said he had discussed Riyadh's concerns when he met his Saudi counterpart, Saud al-Faisal, in Paris on Monday.

Kerry said he had told the Saudi minister that no deal with Iran was better than a bad deal.

"I have great confidence that the United States and Saudi Arabia will continue to be the close and important friends and allies that we have been," he told reporters in London.

"I reaffirmed President Obama's commitment that he will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon," said Kerry.

Policy hawk

Prince Bandar, who was Saudi ambassador to Washington for 22 years, is seen as a foreign policy hawk, especially on Iran.

The kingdom has informed the US of its actions in Syria, and diplomats say it has respected US requests not to supply the groups with advanced weaponry that the West fears could fall into the hands of al Qaeda-aligned groups.

Saudi anger boiled over after Washington refrained from military strikes in response to a poison gas attack in Damascus in August when the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, agreed to give up his chemical arsenal.

Saudi Arabia is also concerned about signs of a tentative reconciliation between Washington and Tehran, something Riyadh fears may lead to a "grand bargain" on the Iranian nuclear programme that would leave it at a disadvantage.

'As bad as it gets': Australia braces for worst of wildfires

'As bad as it gets': Australia braces for worst of wildfires
'As bad as it gets': Australia braces for worst of wildfires, More than 70 wildfires -- including 29 that are uncontained -- are raging across a wide swath of Australia's most populous state, now threatening the western suburbs of Sydney, authorities said Wednesday.

"It's only a matter of hours before we see a flare-up in fire activity and a breach of these tenuous containment strategies," said Shane Fitzsimmons, Rural Fire Service (RFS) commissioner, in Sydney earlier in the day.

The wildfires stretch along a nearly 1,000-mile line in New South Wales, from the far north of the state south of Brisbane -- which lies just across the Queensland border -- to east of Canberra, the country's federal capital. Fires in the Blue Mountain range west of Sydney are a particular worry as rough terrain has impeded firefighting efforts.

"If our strategies don't work and weather materializes tomorrow that is forecast ... it could be absolutely devastating," said Rural Fire Service (RFS) Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers in New South Wales on Tuesday. "We lost a couple hundred homes the other day -- we could get worse losses than that." Wednesday is expected to be "about as bad as it gets," added Fitzsimmons.

With high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds forecast, fire officials have urged residents to evacuate from the path of the fires. "On days like today, minutes really matter," Fitzsimmons said.

At least one death has been reported. A 63-year-old man died of a suspected heart attack Friday while defending his home against a blaze on the New South Wales Central Coast, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC, reported.
'Eerie' skies over city of Sydney

Some urban areas that border the Australian bush have been devastated by the fires, which have destroyed more than 200 homes in the Blue Mountains region since Thursday.
Scores of fires now have burned 25,800 hectares (310,859 acres) -- an area greater than the size of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, officials said they were bringing in 1,500 firefighters to join the more than 1,000 emergency crews already on the ground.

At Blue Gum Forest inside the Blue Mountains National Park, firefighters were doing controlled burns -- setting fires in the bush ahead of the frontline of the blazes to eliminate tinder and slow the progress of the fires. Instead of cloud-shrouded mountaintops, the valleys of the region were covered with a dense layer of smoke.

Fears are still high that fires could join to form a "mega-fire" and endanger heavily populated areas of this popular natural retreat west of Sydney.

Most of the firefighters in the area were volunteers who've left their ordinary jobs to put out the fire, pouring in from different parts of Australia.

"There's a sense of community, doing what they can -- you can get a sense of resilience, strength, and a deep sense of pride of each brigade pulling their weight," said CNN's Robyn Curnow, reporting from the Blue Mountains.
The state of emergency issued by authorities gives firefighters and police the authority to carry out measures such as cutting off water, power and gas and ordering mandatory evacuations of areas at risk.
A total fire ban is in place for the Greater Sydney region until further notice, officials have said, meaning no fire may be lit in the open, and all fire permits are suspended. The fires have spread a cloak of smog over Sydney in recent days.

The bush fires in the area spread out of control Thursday amid high temperatures and powerful winds. Emergency officials said the region is emerging from a very dry winter and has had little rain in recent months.
The causes of the Blue Mountains fires are still under investigation -- officials are looking into whether one major blaze was caused by a military training exercise.

Police said Monday they had arrested two boys, age 11 and 15, over two earlier bush fires in the Port Stephens area, more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Sydney, that began October 13. One of the fires they are accused of starting burned more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) in the surrounding area.

The 11-year-old has been placed under house arrest, charged with two counts of intentionally causing fire and being reckless as to its spread, NSW Police Force said. The child is scheduled to appear in court next month where he is expected to plead not guilty to the charges, CNN affiliate Sky News reports.

Civilian Deaths in Drone Strikes Cited in Report

Civilian Deaths in Drone Strikes Cited in Report
Civilian Deaths in Drone Strikes Cited in Report, In the telling of some American officials, the C.I.A. drone campaign in Pakistan has been a triumph with few downsides: In more than 300 missile attacks there since 2008, dozens of Qaeda and Taliban leaders have been killed, and the pace of the strikes, which officials frequently describe as “surgical” and “contained,” has dropped sharply over the past year.

But viewed from Miram Shah, the frontier Pakistani town that has become a virtual test laboratory for drone warfare, the campaign has not been the antiseptic salve portrayed in Washington. In interviews over the past year, residents paint a portrait of extended terror and strain within a tribal society caught between vicious militants and the American drones hunting them.

“The drones are like the angels of death,” said Nazeer Gul, a shopkeeper in Miram Shah. “Only they know when and where they will strike.”

Their claims of distress are now being backed by a new Amnesty International investigation that found, among other points, that at least 19 civilians in the surrounding area of North Waziristan had been killed in just two of the drone attacks since January 2012 — a time when the Obama administration has held that strikes have been increasingly accurate and free of mistakes.

The study is to be officially released on Tuesday along with a separate Human Rights Watch report on American drone strikes in Yemen, as the issue is again surfacing on other fronts. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a vocal critic of the drone campaign, is to meet with President Obama in the White House. And on Friday, the drone debate is scheduled to spill onto the floor of the United Nations, whose officials have recently published reports that attacked America’s lack of transparency over drones.

But nowhere has the issue played out more directly than in Miram Shah, in northwestern Pakistan. It has become a fearful and paranoid town, dealt at least 13 drone strikes since 2008, with an additional 25 in adjoining districts — more than any other urban settlement in the world.

Even when the missiles do not strike, buzzing drones hover day and night, scanning the alleys and markets with roving high-resolution cameras.

That is because their potential quarry is everywhere in Miram Shah — Islamist fighters with long hair, basketball shoes and AK-47 rifles who roam the streets, fraternize in restaurants and, in some cases, even direct traffic in the central bazaar. The men come from an array of militant groups that take shelter in Waziristan and nearby, including Al Qaeda and the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.

The militants’ commanders, however, are more elusive. Some turn up at the town’s phone exchange, to place ransom calls to the families of kidnapping victims who have been snatched from across Pakistan. Others run Islamic-style courts, filling the place of the virtually invisible government system. Still others stay completely out of sight, knowing they are being sought by the C.I.A.

In theory, the Pakistani security forces should be in charge. A sprawling base, with a long airstrip that is home to a fleet of American-made Cobra helicopter gunships, dominates the northern part of the town. Military engineers have just completed a new road that leads to the Afghan border, 10 miles to the north.

But apart from sporadic exchanges of fire with the militants, the soldiers are largely confined to their base, leaving residents to fend for themselves.

Unusually for the overall American drone campaign, the strikes in the area mostly occur in densely populated neighborhoods. The drones have hit a bakery, a disused girls’ school and a money changers’ market, residents say. One strike occurred in Matches Colony, a neighborhood named after an abandoned match factory that is now frequented by Uzbek militants.

While the strike rate has dropped drastically in recent months, the constant presence of circling drones — and accompanying tension over when, or whom, they will strike — is a crushing psychological burden for many residents.

Sales of sleeping tablets, antidepressants and medicine to treat anxiety have soared, said Hajji Gulab Jan Dawar, a pharmacist in the town bazaar. Women were particularly troubled, he said, but men also experienced problems. “We sell them this,” he said, producing a packet of pills that purported to treat erectile dysfunction under the brand name Rocket.

Despite everything, a semblance of normal life continues in Miram Shah. On market day, farmers herding goats and carrying vegetables stream in from the surrounding countryside. The bustling bazaar has clothes and food and gun shops.

Communication, however, is difficult. The army disabled the cellphone networks, so residents scramble to higher ground to capture stray signals from Afghan networks. And Internet cafes were shut, on orders from the Taliban, after complaints that young men were watching pornography and racy movies.That ban distressed families that use the Internet to communicate with relatives working in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and across the Persian Gulf states. Emigrant remittances are a cornerstone of the local economy.

On the edge of town, where buildings melt into low, tree-studded hills, young boys play soccer on the banks of the Tochi River. As in so many other countries, some youngsters wear the jersey of the English soccer club Manchester United.

But the veneer of normality is easily, and frequently, shattered. Every week the streets empty for a day as army supply trucks rumble through. The curfew is strictly enforced: several children and mentally ill residents who have strayed outside have been shot dead, several residents said.

In the aftermath of drone strikes, things get worse. Many civilians hide at home, fearing masked vigilantes with the Ittehad-e-Mujahedeen Khorasan, a militant enforcement unit that hunts for American spies. The unit casts a wide net, and the suspects it hauls in are usually tortured and summarily executed.

Journalists face particular risks. In February, gunmen killed Malik Mumtaz Khan, the president of the local press club. Some blame Pakistani spies, while others say the Taliban are responsible.

Meanwhile state services have virtually collapsed. At the local hospital, corrupt officials are reselling supplies of medicine and fuel in the town market, doctors said. At the government high school, pupils are paying bribes to cheat in public exams — and threatening teachers with Taliban reprisals if they resist, one teacher said.

The collapse has created business opportunities for Taliban spouses: one commander’s wife is a gynecologist, while an Uzbek woman works as a homeopath, the pharmacist said.

For some residents, the only option is to leave. Hajji, a 50-year-old businessman, moved his family to the port city of Karachi in 2011. His family was scared by militant pamphlets that threatened to execute American spies, he said, and the militants prevented his children from obtaining polio vaccinations.

“They think vaccinators are spies who are looking for militant hide-outs,” he said during an interview in Karachi, agreeing to be identified only by part of his name.

For a number of outraged Pakistani officials, the drone debate has centered on claims of civilian casualties, despite American assurances that they have been few. In defending the drone strikes, which have sharply decreased this year, American officials note that the operations have killed many dangerous militants. One major militant killed this year was the Pakistani Taliban deputy, Wali ur-Rehman. He was killed at Chashma village, just outside Miram Shah, in May.

Still, in a speech announcing changes to the drone program in May, Mr. Obama admitted that mistakes had been made. Civilian deaths from drone strikes will haunt him, and others in the American chain of command, for “as long as we live,” he said.

He added, “There must be near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured.”

But the new Amnesty International report, which examines the 45 known strikes in North Waziristan between January 2012 and August 2013, asserts that in several cases drones killed civilians indiscriminately.

Last October, it says, American missiles killed a 68-year-old woman named Mamana Bibi as she picked vegetables in a field close to her grandchildren. In July 2012, 18 laborers, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed near the Afghan border.

Ms. Bibi’s son, Rafiq ur-Rehman, and two of her injured grandchildren are due to travel to the United States next week to speak about their experiences.

“The killing of Mamana Bibi appears to be a clear case of extrajudicial execution,” said Mustafa Qadri, the report’s author, in an interview. “It is extremely difficult to see how she could have been mistaken for a militant, let alone an imminent threat to the U.S.”

Leah Remini says Church of Scientology looks to make an example of her

Leah Remini says Church of Scientology
Leah Remini says Church of Scientology looks to make an example of her, Actress Leah Remini has opened up further about her leaving the Church of Scientology weeks after she was subpoenaed to testify in a lawsuit against the church.

Remini split from the church in July. She has now said that Scientologists hope she fails on Dancing With The Stars so she can be an example of what happens to people who leave the church.

“The church is looking for me to fail,” the King of Queens star said on Tuesday night’s episode of DWTS. “So they can say, ‘Look what happens when you leave.’”

When she left the church, Remini said she did so because Scientology officials were controlling and intimidating toward members.

During her 30 years as a member of the church, Remini served a one-year stint in the church's elite "Sea Org" religious order and was friends with some of Scientology's most high-profile members, including Tom Cruise.

The star was subpoenaed to testify on October 15 in a case against the church earlier this month, but the church has postponed her deposition indefinitely.

In the case, former member Monique Rathbun is suing the church and its leader, David Miscavige, for allegedly harassing her and her formerly Scientologist husband, Marty.

Because of what Remini could divulge, lawyers for the church said they “don’t particularly want that deposition taken,” attorney Marc Wiegand said. “But we’re entitled to discovery on matters that are relevant, and this is a relevant matter.”

"Who knows what may come up," Ray Jeffrey, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said.