Cuban man proud of his extra digits
A Cuban man nicknamed "Twenty-Four" says he's proud of his four perfectly formed extra digits. The condition, polydactyly, is relatively common, but the fact that Yoandri Hernandez Garrido's extra fingers and toes are perfectly formed and functional is what sets him apart from others. Hernandez says his extra digits have helped make him a pretty popular guy.
JOSEPH HYUNGMIN SON, known as Dr. Evil’s henchman “Random Task” in the first “Austin Powers” movie, was convicted of raping and torturing a 20-year-old woman and faces 15 years in jail. It took 18 years for police to wrangle Son, who was convicted of the 1990 attack on a California woman. DNA collected from Son in 2008 as a result of a probation violation from an unrelated vandalism charge linked him to the crime, KTLA reports.
Australian national airline Qantas apologized for posting a picture of two rugby fans wearing Afro wigs and with their faces and arms painted black at an international rugby game after it sparked online outrage.
The photo, briefly run on the Qantas Twitter site, was the result of a competition asking Australian fans to tell how they would show their support for the team and depicted two fans impersonating Fiji-born Australian team player Radike Samo at a Saturday night international game.
"We apologize that the photo of two Radike fans offended some of our followers," Qantas said in a statement.
"We've spoken with Radike and whilst he is not offended we decided to remove the image."
The Twitter community was divided, but many were angered.
"What that image represents to most people is appalling," said one commenter.
Others said the whole issue had been blown out of proportion.
"What is all the fuss about? See things in context not offensive. Good Aussie fun," tweeted another.
Radike, who is a loose forward, said he didn't have any problems with the costumes.
"I don't know what the fuss is all about. These guys were paying me a tribute," he said.
"I was glad to be in a photo with them, so I don't know why anyone is getting worked up. That (sort of reaction) is just silly."
Neighboring New Zealand is set to host the Rugby World Cup from September 9 but Australia beat New Zealand 25-20 in Brisbane Saturday night to win the Tri-Nations title, raising pressure on the two long-term rivals.
U.N. issues new bird flu warning
The United Nations is warning of a resurgence of the bird flu. Authorities say a mutant strain of H5N1 is spreading in Asia , and it seems to bypass the current vaccine. They also say bird migration is bringing the virus back to virus-free countries.
avian flu Bird flu (avian influenza) Bird flu is caused by a type of influenza virus that rarely infects humans. But when bird flu does strike humans, it's often deadly. More than half the people who become infected with bird flu die of the disease.
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bird flu prevention
Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staff Bird flu vaccineThe Food and Drug Administration has approved one vaccine to prevent infection with one strain of H5N1 bird flu virus. This vaccine isn't available to the public, but the U.S. government is stockpiling it and will distribute it in the event of an outbreak. It's intended to help protect adults ages 18 to 64 and could be used early in such an outbreak to provide limited protection until another vaccine — designed to protect against the specific form of the virus causing the outbreak — is developed and produced.
Researchers continue to work on other types of bird flu vaccines. One of the stumbling blocks is that most vaccines need chicken eggs for their development and production. Bird flu viruses are lethal to chicken eggs.
Recommendations for travelers
If you're traveling to Southeast Asia or to any region with bird flu outbreaks, consider these public health recommendations:
- Avoid domesticated birds. If possible, avoid rural areas, small farms and open-air markets.
- Wash your hands. This is one of the simplest and best ways to prevent infections of all kinds. When you're traveling, alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing at least 60 percent alcohol are an excellent choice. They are effective, easy to use, don't require water and they're safe for children.
- Ask about a flu shot. Before traveling, ask your doctor about a flu shot. It won't protect you specifically from bird flu, but it may help reduce the risk of simultaneous infection with bird and human flu viruses.
Because heat destroys avian viruses, WHO officials don't consider cooked poultry a health threat. Even so, it's best to take precautions when handling and preparing poultry, which is often contaminated with salmonella or other harmful bacteria.
- Avoid cross-contamination. Carefully wash cutting boards, utensils and all surfaces that have come into contact with raw poultry in hot, soapy water.
- Cook thoroughly. Cook chicken until the juices run clear, and it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 F (74 C).
- Steer clear of raw eggs. Because eggshells are often contaminated with bird droppings, avoid mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, ice cream, and any other foods containing raw or undercooked eggs.
Michael Jackson's 53rd birthday
The "King of Pop," Michael Jackson, would have turned 53 today. His career started with The Jackson 5 and he became one of the best-selling artists of all time. Although he had worldwide musical success , Jackson also had some personal downfalls. Two years after his death , Jackson is remembered by fans and family and a tribute concert is in the works.Michael Jackson’s children and father visited the late pop star’s boyhood home in Gary, Ind., as the town celebrated what would have been his 53rd birthday.
Hundreds of fans took part in activities outside the house in Jackson Street over the weekend ahead of Jackson’s birthday on Monday.
Thirteen-year-old Paris Jackson told WLS-TV that she enjoyed seeing so many fans at the house when she and her brothers, 14-year-old Prince and 9-year-old Blanket, visited on Saturday.
Hilary Duff gets $100K for getting dumped from 'Bonnie & Clyde'
Hilary Duff scored a $100,000 severance package after getting dropped from the upcoming remake of "Bonnie & Clyde". Rumor has it that the star of "Red Riding Hood" was approached to replace Duff, but turned down the role.Hilary Duff received a $100,000 severance package after she was dropped from the remake of the film classic "Bonnie and Clyde" due to her pregnancy.
Nancy Grace dancing HLN's Nancy Grace to take the 'Dancing' stage.She’s known for her passion and strong point of view on her namesake HLN show. But on the next season of "Dancing with the Stars," Nancy Grace will unleash her quickstep and her tango.
The legal commentator was one of 12 celebrities announced for the 13th season of the hit ABC show, which premieres September 19.
Joining Grace to compete for the Mirrorball trophy are:
David Arquette – The eccentric actor hopes to place the Mirrorball on his trophy case next to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship title belt he inexplicably won in 2000.
Chaz Bono – The actor, writer and activist was a contestant on VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club” in 2008.
Carson Kressley – The stylist and TV personality served as “fashion savant” on Bravo’s “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
J.R. Martinez – The retired soldier and motivational speaker has played Brot Monroe on “All My Children” since 2008.
Ron Artest – Of course, the controversial basketball star could be competing as “Metta World Peace” if his name change gets approved before or during the tournament.
Rob Kardashian – Will the reality TV star do better than sister Kim, who finished 11th in the fall 2008 season of “Dancing”?
Chynna Phillips – The singer hopes to hold on for more than just one day on the dance floor.
Elisabetta Canalis – The Italian actress and TV host is best known to U.S. audiences for her two-year relationship with George Clooney, which came to an end earlier this year.
Hope Solo – The U.S. women’s World Cup soccer goalkeeper could join the long list of athletes who’ve had success on the “Dancing” floor.
Kristin Cavallari – The "Hills" star hopes her run on “Dancing” lasts longer than her hosting gig on “Get the Party Started,” which lasted all of two weeks on UPN in 2006.
Ricki Lake – The actress and talk show host might be preparing for her first dance at her wedding reception. Lake announced her engagement to jewelry designer Christian Evans earlier this month.
Courtney Stodden is desperately trying to gain attention, the young blonde claims today is birthday seventeen and to celebrate, she tweeted a photo from social network site Twitter of a photo of herself in a red swimsuit, dressed like a 1990s Baywatch babe.
The aspiring model and singer married her way to fame when she wed 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchinson in June.
"I'm so happy. This is the best birthday ever," she told RadarOnline.com. "17 is going to be even better than 16 because I'm going to spend the whole year with my wonderful husband!"
She claimed to be only sixteen years old at the time though many doubt her claimed age.
Earlier - it was revealed that she and her husband are looking for a reality TV show.
Christi Hall muses:
"There would seem to be no better place than the mess of reality TV - right?"
That seems to be the plan for the pair and now they claim to have a reality TV show they are shopping.
"It's gonna be a reality show like no other," Stodden boasted to on Australian TV's "The Morning Show."
NEW YORK — Maria Sharapova's slow start almost turned into an early exit at the U.S. Open.
The three-time major champion picked up her game in time to avoid an upset against 102nd-ranked Heather Watson, rallying for a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory Monday in the opening round.
After being thoroughly outplayed in the first set, third-seeded Sharapova let a 4-1 lead in the second slip, as well. She shored things up at 5-all in the second to pull out that set. She also led 4-1 in the third, but gave back a break. After that, Sharapova broke right back then served out her match against the 19-year-old Brit, who was making her first appearance in the main draw at Flushing Meadows.Sharapova improved to 12-0 this year in third sets.
"In the end, that's kind of where it counts," she said after a match that lasted 2 hours, 34 minutes. "No matter how tired or whether you're playing your best tennis or sometimes your worst, you keep fighting for it."
Not showing the same kind of fight was fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova, who became the first reigning Wimbledon champion to lose in the first round of the U.S. Open. She made 52 unforced errors in a 7-6 (3), 6-3 loss to Alexandra Dulgheru and has won only two matches since hoisting the trophy at the All-England Club last month.
"After I made some mistakes, I was mentally down," Kvitova said.
Last year's U.S. Open and Wimbledon runner-up, second-seeded Vera Zvonareva, defeated Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France, 6-3, 6-0.
Other women's winners included No. 13 Peng Shuai, No. 19 Julia Goerges and No. 27 Lucie Safarova.
But Sharapova-Watson was the best match of the afternoon.
With Watson nimbly covering a court that players say is playing slower than usual this year, Sharapova had to fight, and the match turned into a showdown of styles — the Russian's punishing, aggressive baseline game vs. Watson's grinding, retrieving relentlessness. The final stats were no surprise: Sharapova finished with 41 winners and 58 unforced errors, compared to nine winners and 30 unforced errors for her opponent.
"There's no doubt that she's a great up-and-coming player who showed some of her best tennis today," Sharapova said. "She played really smart in the first. I was making too many errors. Consistency at the end helped me get through the match."
The early headliner for the men was American Mardy Fish, who at No. 8 is the highest-ranked U.S. player in the tournament.
The 29-year-old from Los Angeles opened the match by losing his serve, but that turned out to be the only hiccup. He is one of 14 American men entered in the U.S. Open, as the host country continues the quest to find its next great champion. No U.S. man has won a major since Andy Roddick won in New York in 2003.
"Andy's been the No. 1 player in our generation for years," Fish said. "This is extremely different for me, this feeling coming out here and trying to show everything you can, to show you're the No. 1 guy, at least for this tournament. It's been a lot of fun.
The 29-year-old singer is pregnant with her first child.Beyonce Knowles revealed she's pregnant during the recently concluded MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) 2011.
Beyonce arrived at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles wearing a loose fitting orange dress, holding her visible baby bump as she posed on the red carpet.
"I have a surprise!" the 29-year-old singer told the press.
And while performing her song "Love on Top", Beyonce proudly rubbed her baby bump while telling the crowd: "I want you to feel the love that's growing inside of me.
"Now I'm a woman, and because I gave it my all, I can focus on my marriage. I can decide I want to have kids. I can be the mother I want to be and dedicate myself to my children."
Matthew Fox was arrested Monday morning after allegedly attacking a female bus driver in Cleveland.
According to reports, Fox was accused of punching a lady driver named Heather Bormann, 29, in the chest and stomach after the latter blocked the entrance of the private party bus she was driving when the "Lost" actor attempted to hitch on the vehicle which was already rented out by someone else.
Fox reportedly received a blow to his mouth in return, sustaining a cut on his lips. He was briefly detained and was later released to a friend.
An American actor and former model, Matthew Fox's first major role was playing older brother and family patriarch Charlie Salinger on "Party of Five" in the 1990s, co-starring with Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Lacey Chabert. He is also known for his role as Dr. Jack Shephard on the ABC drama series "Lost."
Andy Saarima says he hasn't been to a "subpar" restaurant such as a Chili's or Applebee's in more than a year. The 29-year-old Chicago bartender would rather eat at Five Guys Burgers and Fries: "There are just so many smaller, faster options with way better food."
American twentysomethings are snubbing the restaurant chains their parents took them to as kids. Chili's, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday (NYSE: RT - News), and other so-called casual-dining chains are already struggling to revive sales in the wake of an epic recession. Now they risk losing an important consumer demographic group unless they remake themselves. "If you have a little bit of money and you're educated, you want a boutique feel, less chain," says Brad Swanson, who runs the restaurant group at KeyBanc Capital Markets, an investment banking and equity research firm.
The casual-dining chains, which serve reasonably priced sit-down meals, are losing customers to such "fast-casual" upstarts such as Five Guys, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Panera Bread (Nasdaq: PNRA - News), which offer counter service, trendy menus, and not much else. Sales at full-service restaurants, which include casual dining, fell 1.3 percent, to $166 billion last year, vs. a 6 percent rise for fast-casual chains, says researcher Technomic.
Revenue at Chili's parent, Brinker International, has declined for four straight years. Sales at DineEquity (NYSE: DIN - News), which owns Applebee's and IHOP, have slid in nine of the last ten quarters (in part because the company has sold about half its Applebee's locations to various franchisees). With analysts projecting continued declines this year, the casual-dining chains are revamping their operations to remain relevant. DineEquity spokesman Paul Kranhold says Applebee's biggest threat isn't newer rivals but "consumers who may be choosing to dine at home." Brinker officials declined to comment.
Ruby Tuesday, which grew revenue in its fiscal 2011 for the first time in four years, is licensing and opening stores from Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, a Florida chain that looks a lot like a certain fast-casual competitor. Lime Fresh restaurants feature hammered copper countertops and earth-toned walls and sell the usual Mexican fare—guacamole, quesadillas, burritos—made from "humanely raised" food. The chain "plays on sustainably raised, better quality, more natural ingredients—not too dissimilar to what Chipotle has done," says Robert Derrington, a restaurant analyst at investment firm Morgan Keegan. "It's clearly positioned towards a younger demographic."
Greg Ashley, Ruby Tuesday's vice-president of finance, says he doesn't view fast-casual rivals "as a threat at all," and the tie-up with Lime Fresh is just another growth opportunity. The chain plans to open as many as nine Lime restaurants over the next 12 months, adding to the 10 that exist now.
Applebee's is rehabbing its aging outlets—at about $200,000 a pop. For years the restaurants were cluttered with nostalgic Americana such as Tiffany-style lamps and carousel horses. Those are being swapped out for photos of local little league teams and firefighters to better align with Applebee's slogan: "There's No Place Like the Neighborhood."
Millennials like to hit the bar after work. Hence Applebee's "Girls' Night Out" parties, which are advertised heavily on Facebook. Ruby Tuesday is pushing $5 cocktails made with açai berries, as well as craft beers. The fast-casual restaurants are doing the same. Chipotle serves beer and margaritas at most locations, while beer and wine is on the menu at select Five Guys stores.
Menus are getting a makeover, too. About time, says Sarah Perry, a 27-year-old arborist in Chicago who associates Chili's and Applebee's with "cheap food." Five Guys "burgers are really fresh," she says. "You don't get that stale, come-from-the-box sort of taste." Five Guys is also showing customers the origins of its veggies. At one of its Chicago stores, a sign notes that the outlet's potatoes are from Clawson Farm in Idaho. Not to be outdone, Ruby Tuesday is dishing up spaghetti squash marinara, while Applebee's sells entrees with fewer than 550 calories.
Will it be enough? Chipotle, with its stripped-down menu and industrial interiors, continues to attract long lines at lunch. Panera is winning over yuppie crowds with fresh salads and artisanal breads. And the upstarts are expanding rapidly. Five Guys plans to add 600 new locations in the next two years, for a total of about 1,400. Smashburger, which has 100 stores, is targeting Miami and Los Angeles for new locations. Says Smashburger Chief Executive Officer David Prokupek: "We're getting a lot of people from casual-dining chains."
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "The Help" remained Hollywood's top draw with $14.3 million on a slow late-summer weekend whose business was even more sluggish as many East Coast theaters closed to ride out the storm there.
Irene was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm Sunday, but the weekend already was a lost cause for many theaters in its path. Studio executives estimate that about 1,000 theaters shut down for at least part of the weekend and that business may have been off 15 to 20 percent because of the storm.
"It was a wild weekend," said Dave Hollis, head of distribution at Disney, which released DreamWorks Pictures' "The Help." ''All things considered, to kind of come out with business down only 15 to 20 percent is something to be pretty thankful for."
"The Help" has been the No. 1 film for two-straight weekends. The acclaimed adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's novel about black Southern maids sharing stories about white employers amid the civil-rights movement raised its domestic total to $96.6 million and should cross the $100 million mark Tuesday.
Late August often is a dumping ground for movies with slim commercial prospects, and Irene cut even further into receipts for the weekend's three new wide releases.
Zoe Saldana's action tale "Colombiana," released by Sony, opened in second-place with $10.3 million. Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes' horror story "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," a FilmDistrict release, debuted in third with $8.7 million. Paul Rudd's comedy "Our Idiot Brother," distributed by the Weinstein Co., premiered at No. 5 with $6.6 million.
"Colombiana" features "Avatar" star Saldana as an assassin out for revenge against the drug lords responsible for her parents' deaths. "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," produced by Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth," is a remake of the 1970s TV movie about a household terrorized by tiny, savage creatures. "Our Idiot Brother" stars Rudd as a happy-go-lucky guy doing time with his three sisters after serving a short prison sentence.
Business was strong Friday night for "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" in the New York City area, but as the storm crept closer Saturday, theaters either closed or became ghost towns, said Bob Berney, FilmDistrict's head of distribution.
Berney said he stopped by a theater complex in suburban Westchester County Saturday night and only about 25 people had turned out for 7:30 p.m. shows.
"It was just dead," Berney said. "They were open but no one was there, whereas in Manhattan, I think all the theaters were closed."
Studios base their weekend reports on actual revenues for Friday and Saturday and estimates for business on Sunday.
But this weekend's numbers were more of a shot in the dark. Some theaters did not report their weekend grosses, and it was uncertain how many cinemas might remain closed Sunday or how big an audience might turn up in the wake of the storm.
"I think everybody is trying to lean toward conservative estimates," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution at Sony, who said "Colombiana" managed to beat the studio's projections of an $8 million opening weekend despite the weather.
Overall business plunged, with domestic revenues totaling $88 million, down 23 percent from the same weekend last year, when "Takers" led with $20.5 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.
"It's not like this was destined to be a blockbuster weekend, anyway," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "But going to the movies is not a top priority when you're concerned about severe weather."
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers also are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Help," $14.3 million.
2. "Colombiana," $10.3 million.
3. "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," $8.7 million.
4. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $8.65 million ($22.1 million international).
5. "Our Idiot Brother," $6.6 million.
6. "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World," $5.7 million.
7. "The Smurfs," $4.8 million.
8. "Conan the Barbarian," $3.1 million.
9. "Fright Night," $3 million.
10. "Crazy, Stupid, Love," $2.9 million.
Flood insurance: How many victims of Irene were covered?Flood insurance for damages in New Jersey and New York is big question mark. Share of damaged homes covered by flooding insurance not yet known.Hurricane Irene caused between $200 million and $400 million in insured losses in the Carolinas, catastrophe modeling company EQECAT said Sunday, suggesting the storm may have been far less severe than the insurance industry feared.The bigger question, though, is how much coverage people have for the severe flooding that struck New York and New Jersey, and whether the federal government's flood program can handle all of the claims.
EQECAT said the bulk of the losses it has seen so far come particularly from storm surge and flooding.
Combined with its estimate of $300 million to $600 million in insured losses from a direct hit on parts of the Caribbean, EQECAT now puts Irene's total damage so far in a range of $500 million to $1 billion.
That is far less than its competitor, AIR Worldwide, which estimated Irene's damages in the Caribbean at $1.1 billion.
It is not unusual for catastrophe modeling companies, whose software is used by insurers to model their exposure to natural disasters, to differ widely in their initial loss estimates.The figures tend to be revised as the days go by and the companies send more teams to the disaster sites to survey losses first-hand.
Still, the early figures compare with some projections by meteorologists and statisticians that Irene could be a $10 billion or more event. Much will depend on how much damage the storm did in the greater New York area.
Loss estimates on the rest of the U.S. East Coast are expected on Monday.
FLOOD DAMAGE
Nationwide Mutual, one of the country's largest property insurers, said it received 6,000 claims calls on Sunday, which is twice what it would usually expect on the Sunday after a major storm.
A spokeswoman for the company said that presents a mystery that could take days to clarify.
They can not tell yet whether they are getting an unusually high volume of claims, which would imply a lot of storm damage, or whether more people are calling than usual because they have already gotten home after the storm, which would imply it was somewhat mild.
``Generally what we're seeing as you move east is a lot of trees on houses, widespread power outages and as you get closer and closer to the coast, we've got coastal flooding, the power outages are even more widespread,'' said Brian Maness, a claims manager for the company in North Carolina.In New Jersey, the state is expecting damage in ``the billions of dollars, if not in the tens of billions of dollars,'' Gov. Chris Christie told NBC's ``Meet the Press.''
By all accounts, in cities like Jersey City, Montclair, Nutley and Hoboken, that damage will come in large part from flooding that put in some cases multiple feet of water into homes.
New Jersey is the fourth-most insured state by the National Flood Insurance Program, which writes almost all of the flood insurance in the United States.
The state has $51.88 billion of insurance in force from the NFIP, and Jersey City and Hoboken are two of the most insured cities in the state. On the other hand, for example, Montclair and Nutley are two of the least.
Congress is working on a reform package for the NFIP, which has been surviving on a series of one-year extensions amid a debate about the cost of the program and its role in keeping the private sector largely out of the flood insurance business.
It's clear Katy Perry doesn't take herself too seriously: This is, after all, a woman who had whipped cream shooting out of her bra in the music video for "California Gurls."
But Perry, who took home three Moonmen at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night, told reporters backstage that winning the video of the year prize for "Firework" held somewhat of a deeper meaning.
"I felt like I was in the right place tonight, especially with that award," the pop star said. "Because we all know 'California Girls' — it's a great song, but it's not gonna change the world or anything like that. But 'Firework,' to me, it feels like it's a movement. You can always sing [about] clubs and bubs and bitches and ho's, but I think it takes a little bit more to sing songs like 'Firework.' "
Asked what was next for her after sweeping the telecast, Perry said she would continue to focus her efforts on her ongoing concert tour.
"It's been really grueling, and I'm just trying to take that one day at a time and get through that and make sure I give the best damn performance every single time," she said. "But yeah, I don't want to feel like I've peaked just yet. I've got way too many outfits to go through."
Adele Absolutely Rocks MTV VMAs With “Someone Like You” Performance.Singer Adele stole the show at the 2011 MTV VMAs with her performance of Someone Like You the huge hit that helped launch her mainstream musical career along with Rolling in the Deep from her sophomore album 21.
Standing center stage in a simple black dress the British songstress accompanied by just a piano backing belted out her hit song, earning a standing ovation from a room full of her peers.
Speaking to MTV News Lady Gaga called Adele: “She’s a breath of fresh air and she’s so exciting and her music is adding another dimension to radio that’s so important. She’s [also] a truly lovely person — which, to me, is always my favorite.”
With the best selling record of the year (Rolling in the Deep) and a career that appears poised for greatness her clean infectious voice stood out as other acts relied on gimmicks and auto tuning (thanks Lil Wayne) to get the audience up on their feet.
Soulful, sultry and right to the point, everything Adele did during her performance shouted out that music can connect without all the theatrics and special effects singer fall back on during the digital age of music creation.
Bringing the house down with vocals isn’t easy to do but Adele managed and here’s the video for proof:
Everything is moving at warp speed for Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux.
One month after selling her sprawling Beverly Hills mansion for a whopping $38 million, sources confirm to Us Weekly that the 42-year-old Horrible Bosses actress and Theroux, 40, are currently renting a two-bedroom home in Hollywood."One bedroom is the master and the other is currently furnished as a guest room," an Aniston insider tells Us. "It is a really romantic house with great views and a warm feeling in every room. If they decide they like it, it's also for sale."According to X17, the home features hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, a converted garage that has been turned into a family room, a pool and a hidden garden. "They're really excited about it," the insider tells the new issue of Us Weekly (out now).The move certainly makes sense, given the couple's strong desire to start a family. "He'd make an excellent father," a Theroux source tells Us. "Since he's a screenwriter, he could work from home and take care of a kid."
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hurricane Irene battered New York with ferocious winds and driving rain on Sunday, shutting down the U.S. financial capital and most populous city, halting mass transit and causing massive power blackouts as it churned slowly northward along the eastern seaboard.
New York City's normally bustling streets were eerily quiet after authorities ordered tens of thousands of residents to evacuate low-lying areas and shut down its subways, airports and buses.
Those who had to travel were left trying to flag down yellow taxis that patrolled largely deserted streets.
Irene, still a menacing 480-mile (780-km)-wide hurricane, was enveloping major towns and cities in the northeast, hugging the Atlantic coast and threatening dangerous floods and surging tides.
From the Carolinas to Maine, tens of millions of people were in the path of Irene, which howled ashore in North Carolina at daybreak on Saturday, dumping torrential rain, felling trees and knocking out power.
"The edge of the hurricane has finally got upon us," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the more than eight million people who live in New York as he warned that tropical storm-force winds would hit the city.
Times Square, often called the crossroads of the world, was sparsely populated, mostly with visitors, as Irene rolled into the city with full force.
NEW YORK: Tens of thousands of Americans fled their homes and vacation spots on Saturday as a weakened but still formidable Hurricane Irene lashed the US East Coast with gale-force winds and rain, shutting down airports, transit systems and businesses.
Irene, now fewer than 55-km south of Cape Lookout, North Carolina, packed winds of 150-km per hour as it was officially downgraded a notch to a Category One storm, the lowest grading.
"Little change in strength is expected before Irene reaches the coast of North Carolina," the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said in its latest advisory. "And Irene is expected to remain near the threshold of Category One and Category Two strength."
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered an unprecedented mass evacuation and the closure of the subway while US President Barack Obama cut short his summer vacation and returned to Washington.
After North Carolina, the hurricane was forecast to churn up the eastern seaboard towards Washington, New York and Boston. The densely populated corridor, home to more than 65 million people, was under threat of flooding, storm surges, power outages and destruction that experts said could cost up to $12 billion.
Bloomberg told a news conference on Friday he had ordered the first-ever mass evacuations from low-lying areas across the densely populated city that are home to some 250,000 people, calling it a "matter of life or death."
"We have never done a mandatory evacuation before, and we wouldn't be doing this now if we didn't think the storm had the potential to be very serious," Bloomberg said.
Authorities had earlier announced that New York's massive transit system would begin to shut down midday on Saturday in another rare move that could hinder transport into Monday's rush hour.
All major New York area airports will close on Saturday at noon (1600 GMT), officials said.
New York state meanwhile said major links into the city would be cut if winds exceeded 60 miles per hour, as predicted, and authorities called up 900 National Guard troops and 2,500 power workers to prepare for emergency repair work, the largest ever deployment.
Neighbouring New Jersey on Thursday ordered 750,000 people out of the Cape May area.
Rain and tropical storm-force winds were already pummeling North Carolina and other parts of the coast.
The NHC said Irene would likely remain a hurricane as it passed over or near the mid-Atlantic on Saturday night before churning north towards Canada.
Irene's approach stirred painful memories of Hurricane Katrina, which smashed into the Gulf Coast in 2005, stranding thousands of people in New Orleans and overwhelming poorly-prepared local and federal authorities.
The popular North Carolina beach resort of Kill Devil Hills was a ghost town on Friday, as forecasters predicted up to 15 inches of rain in some places and the first power outages were reported.
SALISBURY -- Rick Schwartz, a tracker of hurricanes since 1967 and author of the book "Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States," said the Delmarva Peninsula has been due for "the big one," and Hurricane Irene could be it.
Since the current active hurricane cycle started in 1995, Irene will be the first major mid-Atlantic coastal hurricane, a figure which is "way under historic norms," Schwartz said.
By this point in a typical cycle, Delmarva should have already seen two or three notable hurricanes, he said.In the last two active hurricane cycles -- one from the mid-1870s to 1904 and the other from 1933-60 -- there were six notable hurricanes to impact the area. He considered notable hurricanes as storms that produced more than $1 billion in damages.
"It looks like we're about to play catch-up," he said.
Man names kids Lady Gaga & will.i.am. A British man is making headlines for naming two of his children after popstars Lady Gaga and will.i.am. The man apparently took advice from his oldest daughter for the names , and his wife says he's likely to do it again.Lady GaGa and will.i.am are to be the names of a British father’s two children. Ian Clark, 36, is following the advice of his eldest child Maddie, who persuaded him to name his second daughter Meggie Maisie Lady GaGa. Now Clark plans to call his first son Tommy will.i.am, according to The Mirror. Clark’s partner Melanie Robinson said: “I’m trying to convince him not to.” However, the 28-year-old, who is four months’ pregnant, conceded: “He’s done it once so I’m sure he will do it again.”
Photo of 'sick' Steve Jobs may be fake.A picture of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs recently hit the web showing him in a gravely ill state. However, researchers studied the image and say there are signs that it was altered to make Jobs look more frail.image is a fake.
tim cook his replacement Tim Cook on Steve Jobs' Resignation: Apple Isn't Going to Change Freshly minted Apple CEO Tim Cook started his day by sending a note to Apple employees, which was leaked to various news organizations. In the message, which was full of reverence for previous chief executive Steve Jobs, Cook sends a clear message: Nothing's going to change.
It's not an unexpected message, given that Jobs hired Cook from Compaq, and Jobs was Cook's mentor as much as his colleague for his 13 years at Apple. Jobs hand-picked key executives at Apple, and Cook has served in his stead as CEO previously in 2009. Cook also took over day-to-day operations from Jobs when he went on medical leave in January this year.
Brad Pitt saves woman from trampling.While "Tree of Life" star Brad Pitt, 47, was filming his new zombie thriller "World War Z" in Scotland, he saved an extra from being trampled during a scene in which she and hundreds of others were fleeing 'zombies' . Pitt jumped in, picked up the woman and carried her to safety.BRAD Pitt saved a woman on the set of World War Z from being trampled.
The 47-year-old actor was shooting battle scenes for the horror apocalypse movie in Glasgow, Scotland, with 700 extras when the actress fell to the ground in the melee.
Quick-thinking Brad scooped her up in his arms and put her back on her feet before she faced the risk of getting badly injured.
“Lots of people hurt themselves and Brad came to the rescue of one woman who slipped. I don’t think she could believe it when Brad picked her up,”“He didn’t have time to speak to her as it was mid-shoot. But she said afterwards how grateful she was, despite having a grazed knee.”
Lost luggage and rude attendants may make you want to scream. Here are the U.S. airlines people complained about the most.
By Everett Potter
When Andrew Shrage discovered that his seatback TV wasn’t working on his JetBlue flight from Chicago to Boston, he didn’t wait until he landed to complain to the airline. Shrage, an editor at the website MoneyCrashers.com, tweeted @JetBlue before the plane took off, and the airline responded—with a $50 voucher.
Twitter may be changing how we complain to the airlines, but there’s still a lot to complain about. According to the latest Department of Transportation (DOT) report, the agency received nearly 3,600 complaints about airlines from January to June, 2011.
That's a lot of complaints, even if it is an improvement from the nearly 4,000 received over the same period last year. Not surprisingly, complaints about flight delays and cancellations, rude or incompetent service, and baggage handling led the list.
But what these stats don’t tell you is that legions of consumers are now voicing their complaints directly with the airlines via Twitter. And the airlines—or at least some of them—are listening, responding, and in some cases being proactive and fixing the issues.
Angler fishes out woman's prosthetic leg.An angler reeled in a prosthetic leg while fishing in a Minnesota lake recently, then returned it to the woman who lost it while swimming three years ago.A woman who lost her prosthetic leg while swimming in a western Minnesota lake three years ago has been reunited with the limb thanks to an angler.
Beth Krohn was fishing last month on Lake Ida in Alexandria. She says her line kept snagging on something, and that she hoped it wasn't a dead body.Krohn returned the leg to Riley after tracking her down through a prosthetic limb manufacturer in Alexandria.
Krohn says she's proud of the catch, comparing it to going deer hunting and shooting the biggest buck.
Riley says she always wondered what someone would think if they saw a leg surfacing in a lake.
Lake Ida, Minnesota
Richest apartment building faces foreclosure.A New York couple is facing foreclosure in one of the world's richest apartment buildings. The couple reportedly stopped making payments on $16 million in loans tied to their apartment (see which celebrities are facing foreclosure).
740 Park Avenue
Los Angeles, Aug 27 (PTI) Troubled star Charlie Sheen has offered his ex-wife, Denise Richards, a house in his neighborhood.
The former Bond girl is moving into a home, that the 45-year-old actor purchased earlier this year from movie mogul Mike Medavoy, which is located six houses down from where Sheen lives in the gated community, reported TMZ online.
Sheen and Richards are reportedly getting along well, and the former ''Two and A Half Men'' star is keen to spend more time with their two kids.
Some of Richards'' stuff has already been moved in, and she is likely to shift in a week along with her kids.
It has been reported that Sheen is also trying to purchase a third home in his gated community for Brooke Mueller and the twins.
August 2011 celebrity quotes. A country-music concert turned tragic. A "miracle" congresswoman went back to work. One oppressive regime came close to toppling as another was remembered 50 years later. These were just a few of the events that made headlines in August. Let's look at the month's most quotable lines.
President Obama spoke as rebels attempted to end the Libyan dictator's four-decade reign in Tripoli
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