Chris Brown enjoyed a night out with former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger on Tuesday.
Chris Brown and Nicole Scherzinger were a part of a star-studded line up that arrived to help host the Black Pyramid Party at Supperclub in Los Angeles.
With Chris Brown, 23, fresh from a court appearance, he joined The X Factor UK judge as well as The Voice UK judge Will.i.am and singer Sean Kingston at the bash.
Chris Brown- who arrived wearing loose jeans, a plain white T-shirt, plus a hooded leather jacket – addressed the crowd with warmth and often reached out to touch fans.
Chris Brown and Nicole Scherzinger enjoy a night out at Black Pyramid Party in LA
As he put on an animated display inside the venue, taking to the microphone and flailing his arms in the air, his star friends smiled on as they awaited their turn to entertain.
However, while the clubbers danced and the spotlight was not on the celebrity guests, Chris Brown cosied up to Nicole Scherzinger.
The performer is currently paired up with girlfriend Karrueche Tran but she was not pictured at the venue.
Nicole Scherzinger, 34, is dating Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton, but while her beau is away in Asia for training, she got to know her industry pal a little better.
Chris Brown was seen leaning in close to the star – perhaps in an effort to be heard over the loud music – and at one point appeared to put his arm around her.
Nicole Scherzinger donned a flirty off-the shoulder with a large beanie hat on her head for the night out.
Meanwhile Chris Brown was again showing off his new darker set of locks after recently dying his hair.
He ditched his platinum blonde locks before his court hearing on Monday where it was revealed he failed a drug test.
The singer – who is currently on probation after attacking his then girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 – tested positive for marijuana in June in Virginia, where the drug is illegal, but since he claims to have smoked it in California, where he has a medicinal marijuana card. Judge Patricia Schnegg has let him off with a warning.
However, Judge Patricia Schnegg ordered a review of his progress on November 1 amid concerns about how many community service hours he has completed and allegations he has violated the terms of his travel restrictions.
She also urged him to consider how the public and his young fans perceive his actions, telling him: “You are not an average person sitting in a living room. You are not only in the public eye, but you are on probation.”
Before the hearing Rihanna, who is currently in London, tweeted Chris Brown a message of support saying: “@chrisbrown I’m praying for you and wishing u the best today (sic)” to which he responded: “thank u so much (sic).”
For many years it seemed that watches were outdated and would never gain popularity again, especially due to the fast development of mobile devices with integrated clocks. They are, however, experiencing a renaissance at the moment According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, 2011 was one of the most successful years in terms of growth for the business and has seen watch exports from Switzerland gain up to 19.2%.
More than just a time-teller
Watches have always been far more than just items to tell their wearer what time it is. They serve aesthetic purposes, too, and are as often used as decor elements which can largely differ in prices. In fact, global brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre have decades of experience in manufacturing elegant wristwatches and some of their models go for five-digit sums. Watches come in such a huge variety of designs and colors that they match every taste. It is interesting to note that people often use watches to spice up their outfits and rather buy a watch than spend much money on an entire outfit. The aspect of fashion does therefore play an important role in the design of a watch. However, another aspect is as important: the various functions a watch can offer.
High-tech watches rival smartphones
Some of them even dispose of special features like waterproof watch cases or a compass, and the industry is working hard to compete with the latest electronic devices: Watches with Bluetooth-connectivity or the ability to be synced to smartphones are among the latest developments and are to attract a younger audience which wants to have some fun with the watches. Therefore it doesn’t come as a surprise that people between 15 and 30 who have grown up with electronic devices have become one of the most important target audiences for manufacturers of watches.
Standing out
It is quite ironic that the overwhelming success of mobile phones and smartphones has led to the recent comeback of watches. While over the last couple of years people have always competed over who has the best and latest technology, everyone does by now own a smartphone. To stand out, express themselves and underline their individuality, people are starting to look for something new. Especially for men, watches are classic accessories which give them the opportunity to create their individual outfit since they are quite restricted in their choice of jewelry. The fact that watches aren’t only elegant but also electronic gadgets makes them ideal for men.
Police have fired tear gas in Greece to disperse anarchists throwing petrol bombs near parliament in Athens.
Dozens were arrested during the one-day strike against planned spending cuts of 11.5 billion euros ($15 billion).
It was the first union-led action since a conservative-led coalition came to power in June.
The savings are a pre-condition to Greece receiving its next tranche of bailout funds, without which the country could face bankruptcy in weeks.
Greece needs the next 31 billion-euro installment of its international bailout, but with record unemployment and a third of Greeks pushed below the poverty line, there is strong resistance to further cuts.
Police have fired tear gas in Greece to disperse anarchists throwing petrol bombs near parliament in Athens
The government of conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is proposing to save money by slashing pensions and raising the retirement age to 67.
But it has also urged the troika representing Greece’s lenders – the European Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – to give it an extra two years to push through the austerity programme.
On Tuesday Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras put a price on that delay for the first time – saying it would in effect cost as much as 15 billion euros.
The Greek protest follows a series of demonstrations in Spain and Portugal, which are also facing stringent austerity measures.
An estimated 50,000 people joined Wednesday’s protests, including doctors, teachers, tax workers, ferry operators and air traffic controllers.
Banks and historic sites in Athens remained shut, with many shopkeepers expected to close up early so they could attend demonstrations.
Schools and government services also closed down, though buses were still running, reportedly to help ferry people to the protests.
“We can’t take it anymore – we are bleeding. We can’t raise our children like this,” Dina Kokou, a teacher, told Reuters news agency.
“We won’t submit to the troika!” and “EU, IMF out!”, “People, fight, they’re drinking your blood,” protesters chanted.
A march past parliament turned violent as anarchists wearing black balaclavas and carrying sticks threw petrol bombs and broken bits of concrete at riot police on Syntagma Square.
Images showed a policeman on fire as the bombs exploded.
The strike was called by the country’s two biggest unions, which between them represent half the workforce.
A survey conducted by the MRB polling agency last week found that more than 90% of Greeks believed the planned cuts were unfair and a burden on the poor.
Greece was given a 110 billion-euro bailout package in May 2010 and a further 130 billion euros in October 2011, backed by the IMF and the other 16 euro nations.
That money is paid in installments, but correspondents say the lenders are reluctant to stump up the latest slice, as they feel Greece has not made enough effort to meet its deficit-reduction targets.
Greece needs the new money to make repayments on its debt burden. A default could result in the country leaving the euro.
Four Syrian military guards were killed after suicide attackers drove vehicle bombs into the military HQ in the heart of Damascus, officials say.
State TV quoted army sources saying that 14 others were hurt in the attacks, contradicting earlier official accounts that said no one had died.
The rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) said it had carried out the attack, but did not mention suicide bombings.
State TV broadcast footage of a minibus slowing before exploding at the HQ.
Suicide attackers drove vehicle bombs into the military HQ in the heart of Damascus
Gunfire reverberated around the city for hours after the bombings, as rebels fought with soldiers at the compound.
Official media said “terrorist attackers” had opened fire inside the perimeter of the compound and in nearby streets, and security forces had confronted them.
State TV said those killed were guards at the compound, and both civilian and military personnel had been wounded.
Witnesses said the blasts ignited a fire that engulfed much of the main building that houses the army’s General Staff.
State media insisted earlier that no senior officers were hurt.
The blasts happened just before 07:00 local time close to one of the city’s busiest areas, Umayyad Square, which is dominated by government buildings.
Roads leading to the area were blocked off as the authorities dealt with the aftermath.
Diplomats living close to the area said the blasts were the biggest they had heard for months.
Buildings more than 1 km (half a mile) away shook violently under the force of the explosions.
The staff command compound represents the heart of the Syrian army.
And the attack comes days after FSA announced it had moved its command from Turkey to Syria in an apparent attempt to bolster its fight against regime forces.
Damascus resident Jean-Pierre Duthion said his entire building shook and windows were shattered.
“We all ran into the corridor, in the place without windows or anything, and we were just waiting until it stopped,” he said.
Andy Williams has died at his home in Branson, Missouri, after a year-long battle with bladder cancer, aged 84.
The singer was best known for the song Moon River, the Oscar-winning song featured in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
In 1962, he started The Andy Williams Show, which was broadcast around the world and went on to win three Emmys.
Since the 1990s, he had run the Andy Williams Moon River Theater in his home town.
Andy Williams was one of the most enduring stars of the 1960s and ’70s whose easy style and mellow voice led President Ronald Reagan to call him “a national treasure”.
Andy Williams has died at his home in Branson after a year-long battle with bladder cancer
A new generation discovered Andy Williams’ music when Music to Watch Girls Go By made the Top 10 in 1999 after being used in an advert.
He described Moon River as his “signature song” which had a “wonderful” melody and “timeless” lyrics.
“I never tried to sing like anybody else, fortunately I didn’t sound like anybody else. It just happened,” said Andy Williams.
“I was very lucky that I had a voice that sounded different to almost anybody else’s and it’s recognizable.”
Andy Williams died on Tuesday night and is survived by his wife, Debbie, and his three children, Robert, Noelle and Christian.
Howard Andrew Williams was born in Iowa and started singing professionally with his three brothers as the Williams Brothers Quartet.
They worked in night clubs and on radio and backed Bing Crosby on his number one record Swinging on a Star in 1944.
Andy Williams’ TV show made him an international star and launched a recording career that spawned such hits as Butterfly, Love Story, Can’t Get Used to Losing You and Almost There.
The show lasted nine years and will be remembered by many for introducing the Osmond family to the world.
Andy Williams became a major star in 1956, the same year that Elvis Presley shot to fame, and was well loved in the 1960s.
“The old cliché says that if you can remember the 1960s, you weren’t there,” said the singer.
“Well, I was there all right, but my memory of them is blurred – not by any drugs I took but by the relentless pace of the schedule I set myself.”
In 1962 he married Claudine Longet, a French actress and singer, with whom he had three children before their divorce in 1975.
Andy Williams revealed in November 2011 he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer but said he planned to continue performing at his own theatre.
He said at the time that bladder cancer was “no longer a death sentence” and that “people with cancer are getting through this thing”.
“They’re kicking it, and they’re winning more and more every year. And I’m going to be one of them,” he went on.
Andy Williams left hospital in July to spend his final days at home with his family.
In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that donations be made to the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network.
Cheeky Honey Boo Boo appears to have the troublemaker gene, as she was seen running around a police car while sticking her tongue out.
Fortunately there was no officer behind the wheel that she was caught goading, as the reality star spread her arms in an airplane stance while swooping around the parked law enforcer vehicle.
The little blondie, real name Alana Thompson, was seen wearing a red Piggly Wiggly T-shirt, complete with “See You At The Pig!” slogan across the back, while getting up to mischief.
Honey Boo Boo, also wearing a pair of floral cycling shorts, was free to roam across her front yard barefoot while larking around in her hometown of McIntyre, Georgia.
Despite playing during the school hours on a Tuesday afternoon instead of sitting at a desk in a classroom, Honey Boo Boo’s mother June Shannon insists that she is not exploiting her daughter.
Speaking to Radar Online, she said: “I don’t exploit Alana. I would never exploit my kids. Critics are critics and everybody has their opinions but I am not doing anything wrong.
“It’s always been about fun and it’s an experience in life that they can look back at.”
June Shannon added: “We watch the show and wish they put in more stuff!”
Honey Boo Boo originally found fame on Toddlers & Tiaras, before landing her own spin-off.
It is no wonder the lure of the small screen has enticed June Shannon to sign on the dotted line, with the family reported to earn an estimated $2-4,000 per episode, expected to soar for a new series.
And while the seven-year-old playfully ran rings around the police car, June Shannon has had a real run-in with the law, with the coupon queen arrested in January 2008 for theft and contempt of court.
Spain’s economy continued to shrink at a “significant rate” in the third quarter, the Bank of Spain has said.
Spain is currently in a deepening recession, with the unemployment rate at its highest level since the 1970s.
Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said on Saturday he expected the economy to contract by about 0.4% in the July-to-September quarter.
Bank of Spain has announced that the country’s economy continued to shrink at a significant rate in the third quarter
European markets were trading lower, with concerns about Spain adding to fears over global growth.
Spain’s Ibex index was down 2.3%, while markets in London, Paris and Frankfurt were down more than 1%.
Spain’s borrowing costs also rose, with the yield on 10-year Spanish bonds traded on international markets rising to 5.94% from 5.67%.
The Bank of Spain said in a monthly report: “Available data for the third quarter of the year suggests that GDP kept falling at a significant rate, in a context of high financial tensions.”
The government has introduced highly unpopular spending cuts and tax rises as it attempts to reduce the country’s deficit.
It will present details of an emergency budget and further austerity measures on Thursday.
Separately, French bank Societe Generale said that it had further cut its exposure to Spanish sovereign debt, to 400 million euros ($515 million) by the end of August, from 700 million euros at the end of June.
South African politician Julius Malema has appeared in court to face money laundering charges.
A large crowd of his supporters has gathered outside the court in Polokwane, capital of his home state of Limpopo.
There is a heavy police presence and long stretches of barbed wire fencing have been put in place.
Julius Malema says the charges against him are politically motivated.
South African politician Julius Malema has appeared in court to face money laundering charges
He is accused of abusing his former position as head of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League.
Chanting and dancing outside the court, many members of the ANC Youth League are holding up placards saying “Hands off our leader”.
Julius Malema is well-known in South Africa for his fiery populist rhetoric and lavish lifestyle, describing himself as an economic freedom fighter.
The 31-year-old politician was thrown out of the ANC in April, accused of sowing divisions in the party.
Julius Malema is a fierce critic of his former ally, Jacob Zuma, recently attacking the president over his handling of the Marikana miners’ strikes.
Some in South Africa believe he is being rushed to trial – less than a week after a warrant for his arrest was issued – in order to strengthen Jacob Zuma’s political position.
It is likely to be a long court battle that may offer insights into the corruption that many people believe blights South Africa.
Julius Malema is also the subject of a separate tax investigation.
Women are ironing out wrinkles and rejuvenating their skin with injections of their own blood.
The procedure – dubbed the “vampire facelift” – involves taking a blood sample from the patient’s arm and putting it through a machine which separates out the platelets.
These are tiny fragments of cells which circulate in the blood and are filled with hormones and proteins.
They are responsible for making the blood clot when we get a cut or bruise. But also at high concentrations they are thought to stimulate the skin to repair itself. These platelets are then injected into the face.
Women are ironing out wrinkles and rejuvenating their skin with injections of their own blood
The procedure has had impressive results in America and is now being offered by clinics in the UK.
Taimur Shoaib, a consultant plastic surgeon who offers the treatment in three £400 ($625) sessions at his clinic La Belle Forme in Edinburgh, has performed the procedure on several hundred men and women since launching it earlier this year.
He said: “It can rejuvenate and repair skin that has environmental damage. It’s good for skin that has been damaged by the sun or smoking and that is dry and damaged and wrinkled. This appeals to people because it’s a natural product.”
At Bassim Matti’s clinic in Harley Street, 28 patients have had the treatment paying £1,500 ($2,350) for a series of injections covering the face.
Reza Nassab, a registrar in plastic surgery at the clinic, said after six months 60% of the patients were still very satisfied with the results.
He said 40% did not see much of an effect, but staff were hoping to improve the results by changing the concentration of the platelets.
Reza Nassab said: “This treatment is called PRP or platelet rich plasma, but people call it the Vampire facelift. The platelets have growth factors within them. When they are injected into the face, the growth factors are thought to stimulate collagen and other things which help to rejuvenate and regenerate the skin.”
Platelet transfusions have long been used in reconstructive surgery, but this is their first use as a cosmetic treatment.
In experiments on rats injected with platelets, scientists found high concentrations increased the number of collagen fibres in their skin and improved skin quality.
Reza Nassab, who presented the results at the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons scientific meeting in London, said he believed it worked the same way in humans.
He said: “It’s using your own blood, a technique which has been used in medicine for a long time, to give your skin a boost.”
Popular LA bakery Sprinkles, which launched a cupcake ATM Stateside, is bringing the device to the UK so that shoppers can get a sugary fix at all hours of the day.
Sprinkles, which is said to be considering a number of different locations in London to install the machine, churned out up to 1,000 cupcakes a day when it opened the same facility in Los Angeles – and even reported that the machine crashed because of high demand.
The ATM would be continuously restocked throughout the day and night with a choice of eight cupcake flavors at any one time, priced at around £3.50 ($5.50) each.
Sprinkles, which launched a cupcake ATM Stateside, is bringing the device to the UK
Nicole Schwartz, head of marketing at Sprinkles, explained that the machines can hold up to 600 cupcakes, and any cake dispensed will have only been baked a couple of hours earlier.
She told The Atlantic at the time of the LA launch: “The machine is attached to our bakery, which is essentially a 24-hour operation. By the time our closers leave at night, it’s 11:00 p.m. and our bakers arrive in the wee hours of the morning (2 or 3 a.m.!).
“We’ll constantly be restocking the automat with freshly baked cupcakes so the cupcake you receive will only have been baked a couple hours earlier.”
Whether the London machine will stock cakes for dogs too, like its LA counterpart is as yet unconfirmed.
Sprinkles in LA decided to stock the pet treats because health department regulations do not permit dogs in the bakery she explained, “so you don’t have to tie up Fido while you head inside”.
Sprinkles is as famous in its American birthplace for its A-list fans as it is its buttercream-frosted treats.
Heidi Klum, Blake Lively and the Kardashian sisters have all been spotted in its stores (though quite how they eat cupcakes and maintain those bodies is anyone’s guess).
And since The Great British Bakeoff hit screens, cupcakes are certainly in fashion on this side of the pond too.
Cakes, in flavors such as cinnamon sugar and chocolate coconut, sell for $3.50 each (£2.15) or $39 per dozen (£24) in the States, and prices are likely to be similar when the cakes launch in the UK.
Larry Young and Brian Alexander, who recently released The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex, and the Science of Attraction, have dissected the emotional, biological and cultural reasons behind the real reason men love breasts.
The two authors believe heterosexual men are so fascinated by women’s breasts thanks to a simple hormone released during nursing which helps to forge the powerful bond between mother and baby, which also creates an evolutionary drive for a strong nurturing bond between lovers.
Larry Young, a leading expert in the neuroscience of social bonding, wrote a column for the Huffington Post, explaining that “biologically speaking”, the human male breast obsession is “pretty weird”.
“Men are the only male mammals fascinated by breasts in a sexual context,” said Larry Young.
“And women are the only female mammals whose breasts become enlarged at puberty, independent of pregnancy. We are also the only species in which males caress, massage and even orally stimulate the female breasts during foreplay and sex.”
Heterosexual men are so fascinated by women’s breasts thanks to a simple hormone released during nursing
He continued to say that women do enjoy attention on their breasts, after Roy Levin, of the University of Sheffield, and Cindy Meston, of the University of Texas, surveyed 301 people, which included 153 women, on breast stimulation.
The results showed that stimulating the breasts or nipples enhanced sexual arousal in about 82% of the women, and nearly 60% ask to have their nipples touched, according to Larry Young.
The authors cite the success of Hooters, “men’s” magazines like Playboy, and about “100,000 years of art” as obvious proof that men are “extremely” drawn to breasts.
However, the attraction is nature, not nurture, they say.
“Boys don’t learn on the playground that breasts are something that they should be interested in. It’s biological and deeply engrained in our brain,” they wrote.
“In fact, research indicates that when we’re confronted with breasts, or even breast-related stimuli, like bras, we’ll start making bad decisions (and not just to eat at Hooters).”
Evolutionary biologists have suggested that because full breasts are mostly made up of fat, this signaled to a man that a woman is in good health, “therefore a top-notch prospect to bear and raise children”.
However, another hypothesis is based on the idea that many primates have sex with the male entering from behind, which has been used to explain why some female monkeys “display elaborate rear-end advertising”.
Therefore in humans, it has been argued that women’s breasts evolved to mimic the contours of her rear.
The authors dismiss both of these ideas, instead referencing a neurological explanation that links the same brain mechanisms used to promote a powerful bond between a mother and her infant.
“When a woman gives birth, her newborn will engage in some pretty elaborate manipulations of its mother’s breasts,” they wrote.
“This stimulation sends signals along nerves and into the brain. There, the signals trigger the release of a neurochemical called oxytocin from the brain’s hypothalamus.
“This oxytocin release eventually stimulates smooth muscles in a woman’s breasts to eject milk, making it available to her nursing baby.”
They continued: “But oxytocin release has other effects, too. When released at the baby’s instigation, the attention of the mother focuses on her baby. The infant becomes the most important thing in the world.
“Oxytocin, acting in concert with dopamine, also helps imprint the newborn’s face, smell and sounds in the mother’s reward circuitry, making nursing and nurturing a feel-good experience, motivating her to keep doing it and forging the mother-infant bond. This bond is not only the most beautiful of all social bonds, it can also be the most enduring, lasting a lifetime.”
Essentially, “when a partner touches, massages or nibbles a woman’s breasts, it sparks the same series of brain events as nursing”, they explained.
Humans are also among the very few animals that have sex face-to-face, “looking into each other’s eyes”.
The authors conclude that this “quirk” of human sexuality has evolved to “exploit the ancient mother-infant bonding brain circuitry as a way to help form bonds between lovers”.
Because an oxytocin release focuses the brain’s attention to a partner’s face, smell, and voice, the authors believe that the combination of oxytocin release from breast stimulation, and the increase of dopamine from the excitement of foreplay and face-to-face sex, helps to create an “association of the lover’s face and eyes with the pleasurable feelings, building a bond in the women’s brain”.
Far from being creepy, the authors say, a man’s fascination with breasts is “an unconscious evolutionary drive prompting us to activate powerful bonding circuits that help create a loving, nurturing bond”.
Greek trade unions have begun the first general strike since the country’s conservative-led coalition government came to power in June.
Wednesday’s 24-hour walkout is to protest at new planned spending cuts of more than 11.5 billion euros ($15 billion).
The savings are a pre-condition to Greece receiving its next tranche of bailout funds, without which the country could face bankruptcy in weeks.
Large anti-austerity demonstrations are also planned.
Greek trade unions have begun the first general strike since the country’s conservative-led coalition government came to power in June
Greece needs the next 31 billion-euro installment of its international bailout, but with record unemployment and a third of Greeks pushed below the poverty line, there is strong resistance to further cuts.
The government of conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is also proposing to slash pensions and raise the retirement age to 67.
Workers from a diverse range of sectors are taking part in the strike, from doctors to air traffic controllers.
It was called by the country’s two biggest unions, which between them represent half the workforce.
A survey conducted by the MRB polling agency last week found that more than 90% of Greeks believed the planned cuts were unfair and a burden on the poor.
With demonstrations planned, many people fear a repeat of the violence that has hit the streets in previous protests.
Thousands of police have been deployed in the centre of Athens to prevent a flare-up.
Greece is currently trying to qualify for the next installment of its 130 billion-euro bailout, which is backed by the IMF and the other 16 euro nations.
The country was given a 110 billion-euro package in May 2010 and a further 130 billion euros in October 2011. That money is paid in installments, but correspondents say the donors are reluctant to stump up the latest slice, as they feel Greece has not made enough effort to meet its deficit-reduction targets.
Greece needs the next tranche of its bailout to make repayments on its debt burden. A default could result in the country leaving the euro.
Kim Kardashian looked fantastic in her green velvet wrap dress from the front, but from behind it was unfastened and quite literally busting at the seams.
Kim Kardashian, 31, was at Fred Segal in Santa Monica on Tuesday evening for her Midori Makeover Parlour event when she experienced her frock’s fury.
Luckily, Kim Kardashian had her momager Kris Jenner on hand to do a quick inspection of the gown before allowing her famous daughter to walk the red carpet – face front, of course.
Kim Kardashian looked fantastic in her green velvet wrap dress from the front
With her shiny dark locks swept to one side, Kim Kardashian finished off her evening look with neutral make-up and a pair of gold stiletto heels.
The most famous Kardashian had tweeted a picture of her substantial cleavage in the dress while en route to the sweet melon liquor event, calling herself a “Ghostface Killa”.
Kim Kardashian’s dress was unfastened and quite literally busting at the seams from behind
“So excited for my @DrinkMidori Makeover Parlour event tonight! #Midorimakeover,” Kim Kardashian tweeted to her 16.2 million followers.
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star then shared a picture of three styles of green acrylic nail art, asking her fans to pick Kim Kardashian’s manicure makeover.
It was an ironic post since the brunette bombshell, who turns 32 next month, had already visited her favorite Beverly Hills nail salon earlier Tuesday for a manicure and pedicure.
“Back in LA for a few hours! Feels good to be home, even for this short time!” she wrote after landing at LAX.
Only yesterday, Kim Kardashian was strutting around Miami Beach with her sister Kourtney in her usual thick make-up.
While her older sibling – who recently gave birth to her second child Penelope – rocked a white T-shirt and shorts, Kim Kardashian opted for something more attention grabbing, sporting a plunging white swimsuit and a gold belt.
The sisters have been busy filming a new season of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami in the Florida sunshine.
The pair will be working on their Dash clothing and accessories shop which they have branches of in both New York and California.
Honey Boo Boo’s mother, June Shannon, has stated that her granddaughter Kaitlyn will not be having surgery to remove the extra thumb on her right hand anytime soon.
Kaitlyn, whose mother is June Shannon’s 18-year-old daughter Anna “Chickadee”, was born on July 26 and shortly after the bone abnormality was detected.
But it has been revealed that doctors do not want to operate on the two-month-old infant, as they would rather wait until her digits are fully developed.
Kaitlyn, whose mother is June Shannon’s 18-year-old daughter Anna “Chickadee”, was born on July 26
Talking about the possibility of her grandchild having her extra thumb amputated, 33-year-old June Shannon, from McIntyre Georgia, told RadarOnline.com that corrective surgery has been delayed until a later date.
“The doctor doesn’t want to do anything right now because they don’t know the full function of the other thumb or if they’re both connected,” she said.
“They just have to wait and see. They don’t want to do it too early, if they cut one off the other could have paralysis or it could make the other fingers not work, so they don’t want to make any rash decisions.”
Reports surfaced shortly after Kaitlyn’s birth that June Shannon had made inappropriate comments about the physical abnormality, which she denied.
Talking about her first grandchild, the mother-of-four exclaimed: “She’s just special; I would never make fun of her.
“That is not right. It makes her more unique and special to us. We don’t even pay attention to it. We don’t make a big deal about it.”
June Shannon and her family shot to fame on TLC’S Toddlers & Tiaras.
They currently star in the spin-off series Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, with the season finale set to air this Wednesday.
Caleb Clark, 19, from Griffin, Georgia, previously came forward as Kaitlyn’s father. He claimed he fathered the child after dating Anna Shannon for two years during high school.
June Shannon added that her grandchild “may or may not ever” get surgery to remove the double thumbs and they will wait for a while before returning to hospital.
Lady Gaga has come under scrutiny recently after appearing to balloon in weight compared to her usual slender self.
But now Lady Gaga has found one effective way to hit back at her critics – by posing in just her underwear to completely flaunt her physique.
The Poker Face hitmaker posted up four separate shocking images on her LittleMonsters.com blog on Tuesday.
And she even admitted in one caption that she has been struggling from eating disorders since childhood, while also opening up to her fans about her weight.
Lady Gaga has found one effective way to hit back at her critics by posing in just her underwear to completely flaunt her physique
In an open and personal response to recent attacks on her fluctuating figure, Lady Gaga has posted pictures of herself wearing just a bra and underpants on her social networking site with a caption that reads: “Bulimia and anorexia since I was 15.”
The 26-year-old pop superstar wrote: “My boyfriend prefers me curvier. When I eat I am healthy and not so worried about my looks, I’m happy. Happier than I’ve ever been.
“I am not going to go on a psycho-spree because of scrutiny. This is who I am. And I am proud at any size.”
Lady Gaga’s public response comes after a series of unflattering photographs made the singer look much curvier than usual while performing on her tour this week, with claims that she had “piled on the pounds”.
Lady Gaga responded after a series of unflattering photographs made the singer look much curvier than usual
Seemingly appalled, the recovering bulimic, who has admitted to gaining nearly 25 lbs, took to social media to launch a sub-section of her site, called Body Revolution.
As well as the series of half-naked images, Lady Gaga wrote: “But today I join the BODY REVOLUTION. To Inspire Bravery. And BREED some m$therf**king COMPASSION.”
The page continues: “My mother and I created the BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION for one reason: <<to inspire bravery>>.
“This profile is an extension of that dream. Be brave and celebrate with us your <<perceived flaws>>, as society tells us. May we make our flaws famous, and thus redefine the heinous.”
She also wrote: “Hey Guys its Gaga… Now that the body revolution has begun, be brave and post a photo of you that celebrates your triumph over insecurities.”
And she clearly seemed confident in the candid shots which she shared with her Little Monster fans.
Lady Gaga can be seen stretching while revealing her body art in all its glory while wearing just a citrus colored bra and matching thong.
In one picture she even shows off her derriere, while she also gives a side profile showing her looking slimmer than she did on stage last week.
She also took to the site to thank her fans for helping her over the scrutiny of her weight.
She added: “My weight loss/gain since I was a child has tormented me. No amount of help has ever healed my pain about it. But YOU have.”
Pamela Anderson was the first celebrity to be eliminated from Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday.
After just one dance, the viewers and judges voted out Pamela Anderson, 45, and her pro-dancing partner Tristan MacManus.
On Monday, Pamela Anderson performed a shaky routine, which left her close to tears when confronted with the judges.
“I don’t want to be the first person to cry on Dancing With the Stars,” she said as she was awarded a meagre 17 points – leaving her and Tristan MacManus at the bottom of the scoreboard on the show’s first all-star season.
“I screwed up so many things,” she told her partner.
Before her elimination, the former Playgirl pleaded with the judges to let her stay.
“The dance last night was very emotional,” she said.
“I put a lot of personal stuff into each performance and I just want to do more of it.”
The Barb Wire star attributed her poor performance to nerves and inexperience.
“I think emotions sometimes take over and also I’ve been travelling a lot, I probably should have rehearsed more… and they’re right,” she stuttered, looking at the judges.
“I should have put a lot more effort in, and I’m going to because next week we have such a great dance and I really want to get to it,” she begged while nervously licking her lips.
The former glamour model, who says she plans to appear on Broadway soon, seemed desperate to improve her ratings with the audience and judges.
“I’m going to end up in musical theatre and I’m going to be on Broadway and I’m really excited about that opportunity and the next dance is a little tease so I would really like to do it,” she implored fruitlessly, before her elimination.
Pamela Anderson was the first celebrity to be eliminated from Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday
Pamela Anderson was sent home but she managed to hold it together and crack a weak smile: “I was ready for it, for sure,” she said of her failure.
“We got the lowest score, but we’ll keep dancing, we’ll dance together again,” she said glancing back at her partner.
Also at the bottom of the pile were Bristol Palin, 21, her partner Mark Ballas and 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey with Anna Trebunskaya. Both couples scraped through to the next round with judges praising Palin for improving the most.
Bristol Palin, daughter of the controversial politician Sarah Palin who was cheering her on from the sidelines, seemed particularly relived to make it though – after she was eliminated in the finals of season 11.
“I think I took a lot of heat last time for making it to the finals and I’m sure there’s going to be a lot more heat with me being on the All Star season,” said Bristol Palin.
Bristol Palin, who has a reality TV show Life’s a Tripp, added: “I know that I do deserve to be here because I work just as hard as everyone else and I hope that this time I can be a lot more confident and do a lot better for myself.”
Her partner Mark Ballas has been urging her to act more “sexy” and after Monday night’s dance host Tom Bergeron said: “You say that you’re shy but apparently your hips did not get the memo.”
Bristol Palin said her partner’s teaching method, where he tells her to “let that a** go nuts” and “give that a** its own brain” can be a little embarrassing as well as helpful.
“He’s really over the top, definitely and it’s not just like on the show, it’s all the time, all day, but it’s really fun and I think it helps me get out of my shell,” she said.
Top of the competition is the surprisingly nimble retired NFL champ Emmitt Smith, 43, who achieved the impressive score of 24.5.
Meanwhile DWTS veteran Kirstie Alley, 61, sailed safely into the second round saying: “I’m like alcoholic only I’m a dance-a-holic. I have to take it one day at a time.”
General Hospital actress Kelly Monaco, 36, was the champion in the first season of the show – but she lacked confidence in her latest performance.
“I still don’t know what I am doing,” she admitted after giving a feisty dance to Big Spender with her partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy.
“It’s roughly been about seven years since I have danced but I have decided to give it another shot because there is a certain fire that comes with being part of the show and I’ve been missing it,” she said.
An embarrassing moment came when former Disney actress Sabrina Bryan, 28, prematurely celebrated getting through to the next round – before it had been announced that she was safe.
“Wait a minute, I should clarify,” said host Tom Bergeron as she pre-emptively hugged, kissed and careered around onstage with her partner Louis van Amstel.
“Only the names I mentioned are safe,” he added.
“That was terrible,” said host Brooke Burke Charvet in reference to the mistake.
To save further blushing, the overzealous Cheetah Girl did qualify – but only after judges had scolded her for “over dancing” and trying too hard.
“There was no taming me last night,” said the DVD fitness coach emphatically.
“I was just really, really excited.”
Unsurprising, the youngest members of the audience were excited to see Justin Bieber perform As Long As You Love Me in a vest and pair of bizarre low slung shiny black trousers and a menagerie of male dancers.
Rapper Pitbull also made an appearance with a primetime TV debut of his song Don’t Stop the Party.
Police have fired rubber bullets and baton-charged Spanish protesters attending a rally against austerity in Madrid.
The clashes occurred as protesters tried to tear down barriers blocking access to the parliament, reports said.
Metal barriers had been placed around the building to block access from every possible direction.
Demonstrators – known as Indignants – say “Occupy Congress” is a protest against the kidnapping of democracy.
Spanish media reported at least 20 people had been arrested and 13 injured in the clashes, as police tried to prevent demonstrators gaining access to Congress.
Police have fired rubber bullets and baton-charged Spanish protesters attending Occupy Congress rally against austerity in Madrid
Thousands of people had massed in Plaza de Neptuno square in central Madrid for the march on parliament.
But their route towards the parliament building’s main entrance is blocked off by metal railings, police vans and hundreds of Spanish riot police.
Spain’s provinces have piled pressure on the government with a possible new bailout request and an early election.
Andalucia is considering asking for a 4.9 billion euro ($6.3 billion) emergency credit line from the central government, a spokeswoman for the regional administration confirmed to Reuters news agency.
Three other regions – Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia – have already said they will seek emergency funds.
In Catalonia, President Artur Mas called an early election for 25 November, which correspondents say will be a de facto referendum on his demands for greater independence for the province.
There is real concern in Europe that Spain may need an international bailout going beyond the 100 billion euros ($125 billion) pledged by eurozone finance ministers in June to rescue its banks.
Tuesday’s demonstration was organized via social media sites and many young people turned out.
Buses were reportedly laid on to ferry demonstrators into the capital from the provinces.
One of the main protest groups, Coordinadora #25S, said the Indignants did not plan to storm parliament, only to march around it.
The Coordinadora #25S manifesto reads: “Democracy has been kidnapped. On 25 September we are going to save it.”
Pablo Mendez, an activist from the 15M Indignants movement, told the Associated Press: “This is just a powerful signal that we are sending to politicians to let them know that the Spanish bailout is suicide and we don’t agree with it, and we will try to prevent it happening.”
Another demonstrator, Montse Puigdavall, said: “I’m here because of the situation we are living in now, because of all the social cuts and rights that we have lost, that took a lot of hard work to achieve.
“So we are here because we’re determined not to lose them.”
Under Spanish law, people who lead demonstrations outside parliament that disrupt its business while it is in session may be jailed for up to one year, AFP says.
Clashes have broken out at previous rallies and marches against the cuts and at least 1,300 police are on duty at the Congress building.
The Spanish government is having to borrow heavily to cope with the effects of a collapse in property prices, a recession and the worst unemployment rate in the eurozone.
After nine months in government, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is still resisting pressure to request a bailout.
His government insists the 100bn-euro pledge does not constitute an international financial rescue.
If Mariano Rajoy does request a bailout, it may not happen before late October because of a regional election in his home province, Galicia.
Catalonia’s election decision comes days after Mariano Rajoy rejected a request from the wealthy but indebted region to run its own fiscal affairs.
The region is legally barred from holding an actual referendum on independence.
“It is time to take the risk,” Artur Mas told the regional parliament.
“If Catalonia were a state we would be among the 50 biggest exporting countries in the world.”
Denmark has decided to tighten the rules of sperm donation after one donor was found to have passed on a rare genetic condition to at least five of the 43 babies he is thought to have fathered.
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) produces tumors that affect the nervous system, and the affected sperm is thought to have been used in 10 countries.
The sperm bank has been criticized for failing to screen for the condition.
Donors will now only be allowed to donate enough for 12 inseminations.
Denmark has liberal sperm donation policies that appeal to women who want to conceive using artificial insemination.
Denmark has liberal sperm donation policies that appeal to women who want to conceive using artificial insemination
The Copenhagen sperm bank Nordisk Cryobank said it was aware of five babies that had been born with NF1.
The clinic’s director, Peter Bower, told Agence France-Presse that confidentiality rules meant he was unable to give detail on how old the children were, or where they lived.
But he said the donor was known to have provided sperm to women prior to October 2008, in countries inside and outside Europe.
He said Nordisk Cryobank did not stop using the sperm immediately because it could not be sure the donor was responsible for passing on the condition.
The donated sperm was used by 14 different fertility clinics, Danish broadcaster DR reports.
NF1 is caused by a genetic mutation. In half of all cases it is passed from a parent to their child. In other cases, the mutation develops on its own.
It can produce a wide range of symptoms – from unusual skin pigmentation, to serious and disfiguring non-cancerous tumors which can sometimes turn cancerous.
It can also cause learning difficulties, problems with vision, and an abnormally curved spine.
There is no treatment for the condition, but the symptoms can be managed.
A mother of one of the affected children, Mia Levring, condemned the clinic’s actions, saying she was “shaken and shocked”.
Another, Sonja Pedersen, said: “We are dealing with a lot of children, but there is also the economical aspect. They earn a lot of money doing this. And one has a responsibility to make sure that the product, so to speak, is all right.”
The head of the Danish Health and Medicines Authority, Anne-Marie Vangsted, criticized the sperm bank, saying it had failed to withdraw the sperm when it first became aware of the problem.
It is unclear how the donor who passed on NF1 was able to father 43 children, despite Denmark’s current limit of 25.
The new limit of 12 will be introduced from 1 October.
Sao Paolo, Brazil’s biggest city, has some of the worst congestion problems in the world.
Friday evenings are a commuter’s worst nightmare in Sao Paulo.
That’s when all the tailbacks in and out of the city extend for a total of 180 km (112 miles), on average, according to local traffic engineers, and as long as 295 km (183 miles) on a really bad day.
Red brake lights stretch as far back as the eye can see, blinking repeatedly as drivers endure an exasperating stop-and-go journey, which can continue for hours.
“It’s like a sea. A sea of cars,” says Fabiana Crespo, as she slowly navigates the congested streets with her 10-month-old baby Rodrigo.
“For a long time I lived with my family in the south of Sao Paulo and worked on the other side of town.”
“So when I got married, I decided to move to the north of the city to be close to the office, because commuting can make your life hell,” she says.
“But after my first son was born I decided to go back to running the family business which is in my old neighborhood. So I am back to the ordeal crossing the whole city to go to work.”
For Fabiana Crespo it’s a journey that can take more than two hours of her day – each way.
Traffic jams cause problems all over the world, and not just for drivers, but in Sao Paulo they have become more than a nuisance.
Sao Paolo has some of the worst congestion problems in the world
Heavy traffic is an integral part of life and culture in this vast city of more than 11 million people.
“We have become slaves of traffic and we have to plan our lives around it,” says Fabiana Crespo.
By the time she gets back home after another stressful two-hour commute it is already evening, and her husband is waiting with their older child, three-year-old Pedro.
However, she also knows that it is a certain irony that it was in one of those terrible congestions nine years ago that she met the man she would eventually marry.
“I was with a friend in my car and he was in his car also with a friend. In the stop and go of the traffic jam we started driving side by side and then he started looking at me,” says Fabiana Crespo.
After some flirting through the car windows, Mauricio managed to convince Fabiana to give him her phone number. He called, and an enduring love story began.
“I think this is the only thing we can’t complain about in Sao Paulo’s traffic,” she says.
However, for most motorists, the story is one of frustration and local news radios dedicate considerable energy and airtime to ensure motorists are fully up to date.
There is even one station dedicated exclusively to reporting traffic conditions and alternative routes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Since it was set up seven years ago, Sul America Traffic Radio has gathered a large following of listeners who also act as reporters, calling in to update other motorists or to vent their frustrations.
During rush hour, the station has the support of a helicopter while a team of reporters is out on the road, often stuck in traffic themselves.
Among them is Victoria Ribeiro, whose job is to drive around town finding traffic jams – not in itself much of a challenge – and to find ways to escape the mess.
“I have been working with the radio since its beginnings and we can see the traffic is only getting worse, as more cars are coming onto the streets,” Victoria Ribeiro says.
The Brazilian car industry has been breaking successive production records over the last decade, as the income of millions of Brazilians has improved thanks to economic growth.
Owning a car is a widely held aspiration, offering an alternative to the city’s deficient public transport system, and the ultimate proof of belonging to the middle class.
However, while the explosion in car sales was essential to sustain Brazilian economic growth, it has also pushed Sao Paulo’s “sea of cars” to a whole new level.
“It’s like a war, because everybody seems to become very selfish once they are behind the wheel of a car,” says Victoria Ribeiro.
For those who have enough money there is another option – they can literally hover above the problem.
The combination of bad traffic and fear of crime – two major concerns in Sao Paulo – a growing helicopter industry is able to ferry around the super rich or business executives.
“If I hire a helicopter for a few hours I can hop between helipads and have three or four meetings in one day, which would be impossible if I had to move back and forth by car,” says legal consultant Sergio Alcibiades, who uses an air taxi service a few times a month.
“For me this is a tool to make money.”
The owner of Helimart Air Taxi, Jorge Bittar, says his company is enjoying an average growth of 10% per year and has 16 helicopters that rarely stay on the ground for long.
“When it comes to traffic, the worse it gets, the better it is for us.”
There may be opportunities for some but traffic jams also have a negative impact on the economy.
The heavy traffic has a huge impact on the cost of living and doing business says Claudio Barbieri, a professor in engineering and transport expert from the University of Sao Paulo.
“If you have a truck and this truck cannot make more than six to eight deliveries instead of 15 or 20, you need two trucks, so everything becomes more expensive.”
Professor Claudio Barbieri says Sao Paulo has skilled and experienced traffic engineers that somehow manage to get the city to flow, albeit slowly.
“But the big problem is that we Brazilians are terrible with planning and traffic will only become more manageable if we start looking into real long-term solutions.”
But he is also clear that a “more manageable traffic” environment is the best possible scenario that can be achieved.
“No city in the world will ever manage to end congestion because when traffic flows, people are drawn to their cars. The key is to find a balance, the point at which it is worthwhile for commuters to use public transport because it’s faster then driving,” he says.
“That way Sao Paulo needs urgently to invest more in public transport instead of building new roads and expressways that will only be filled up with more cars.”
Alpha Walker and Tamara Diaz, a couple who tried to extort millions of dollars from Stevie Wonder, have pleaded no contest and been sentenced to 292 days in prison in Los Angeles.
But Alpha Walker and his girlfriend Tamara Diaz were released after being sentenced, having already served their time since they were arrested in May.
Alpha Walker was accused of making a video that he said would make the singer “extremely” embarrassed.
He tried to blackmail the star for up to $5 million, Stevie Wonder’s lawyer said.
The couple who tried to extort millions of dollars from Stevie Wonder have pleaded no contest
At a preliminary hearing, a police detective described the video as an 80-minute rant against Stevie Wonder.
It was said to feature the dilapidated home of Stevie Wonder’s dead mother and to show Stevie Wonder’s son, of whom the musician is protective.
A plea of no contest is not an admission of guilt but means the defendant does not contest the charges.
Alpha Walker had previously maintained his innocence and his solicitor Ian Wallach had claimed that he had a constitutional right to make and market the video.
A sting operation involving Stevie Wonder’s solicitor led to the pair’s arrest.
Ian Wallach said a deal was reached after prosecutors encountered trouble proving the extortion case, according to the Associated Press news agency.
He added that the charges were eligible to be reduced to misdemeanors and expunged later if the pair comply with the terms of their release.
Alpha Walker and Tamara Diaz were both ordered to spend three years on probation and told to stay away from the singer and his associates.
Riot police have ringed the Spanish parliament in Madrid as protesters gather for a march against austerity tagged “Occupy Congress”.
Metal barriers have been placed around the building to block access from every possible direction, correspondents say.
Indignants, as the protesters are known, say they are protesting at the “kidnapping” of democracy.
Spain’s provinces have piled pressure on the government with a possible new bailout request and an early election.
Andalucia is considering asking for a 4.9 billion euro ($6.3 billion) emergency credit line from the central government, a spokeswoman for the regional government confirmed for Reuters news agency.
Three other regions – Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia – have already said they will seek emergency funds.
Indignants, as the protesters are known, say they are protesting at the "kidnapping" of democracy
In Catalonia, President Artur Mas called an early election for 25 November, which correspondents say will be a de facto referendum on his demands for greater independence for the province.
There is real concern in Europe that Spain may need an international bailout going beyond the 100 billion euros ($125 billion) pledged by eurozone finance ministers in June to rescue its banks.
Thousands of people have gathered in central Madrid for the march to parliament, due to begin at 17:30.
Buses were reportedly laid on to ferry demonstrators into the capital from the provinces.
One of the main protest groups, Coordinadora #25S, said the Indignants did not plan to storm parliament, only to march around it.
The Coordinadora #25S manifesto reads: “Democracy has been kidnapped. On 25 September we are going to save it.”
Pablo Mendez, an activist from the 15M Indignants movement, told the Associated Press news agency: “This is just a powerful signal that we are sending to politicians to let them know that the Spanish bailout is suicide and we don’t agree with it, and we will try to prevent it happening.”
Another demonstrator, Montse Puigdavall, said: “I’m here because of the situation we are living in now, because of all the social cuts and rights that we have lost, that took a lot of hard work to achieve.
“So we are here because we’re determined not to lose them.”
Under Spanish law, people who lead demonstrations outside parliament that disrupt its business while it is in session may be jailed for up to one year, AFP notes.
Clashes have broken out at previous rallies and marches against the cuts and at least 1,300 police are said to be on duty at the Congress building.
The Spanish government is having to borrow heavily to cope with the effects of a property values collapse, a recession and the worst unemployment rate in the eurozone.
After nine months in government, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is still resisting pressure to request a bailout.
His government insists the 100 billion-euro pledge does not constitute an international financial rescue.
If Mariano Rajoy does request a bailout, it may not happen before late October because of a regional election in his home province, Galicia.
Catalonia’s election decision comes days after Mariano Rajoy rejected a request from the wealthy but indebted region to run its own fiscal affairs.
The region is legally barred from holding an actual referendum on independence.
“It is time to take the risk,” Artur Mas told the regional parliament.
“If Catalonia were a state we would be among the 50 biggest exporting countries in the world.”
Social network Myspace has announced its fourth major redesign as it seeks to regain relevance in the face of falling numbers.
Myspace, now part-owned by Justin Timberlake, aims to focus more on music and offer deeper integration with Facebook and Twitter.
But it faces stiff competition from online platforms offering to connect artists and fans.
According to measurement firm comScore, the Myspace audience is 54 million.
This is down from hundreds of millions at its peak in 2005.
Social network Myspace has announced its fourth major redesign as it seeks to regain relevance in the face of falling numbers
A message on the website announced the redesign: “We’re hard at work building the new Myspace, entirely from scratch.”
“But we’re staying true to our roots in one important way – empowering people to express themselves however they want,” the message continued.
It called on fans to join “our brand new community” and offered a sneak preview of the resdesign.
Those interested in joining were asked to leave an email contact and “expect an invite soon”.
The new-look Myspace says it aims to put music at the heart. Users can control audio content from a navigation panel and pair photograph albums with playlists in a kind of social media mix tape to mark any occasion.
A Discover tab within the navigation panel will offer access to trending artists, music, mixes, radio, videos, news, and forthcoming concerts. The items can be dragged into personal folders.
There is also an emphasis on what’s called Artist Pages, with the promise of lots of tracks, albums and videos.
MySpace was sold to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp empire in 2005.
It paid $580 million for the social network but users and advertisers left the site for rival social sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
The site underwent a major makeover in 2010, rebranding itself as a “social entertainment site”.
But it wasn’t enough and in June 2011, News Corp sold it to online advertiser Specific Media at a huge loss.
A further rebrand after the sale promised it would become “the number one online community music destination”.
Music and media analyst Mark Mulligan said he thought this latest rebrand was the “deepest” yet.
“At its peak, MySpace was a trailblazer for bringing together fans and artists but it faces stiff competition from sites such as TopSpin and Pledge Music which offer artists tools to establish relationships with fans,” he said.
“It can’t just do what they used to do even if they do it better,” Mark Mulligan said.
“It has to offer artists a reason why they would go there rather than on Facebook. It needs to become a social platform for bands and not just an alternative to Facebook,” he said.
Vaginal whitening wash Lactacyd White Intimate, a product that promises to make your private area “safely fairer within four weeks”, has hit the beauty market in Thailand.
Lactacyd White Intimate comes after huge controversy was sparked when 18 Again – an Indian pharmaceutical “vaginal tightening and rejuvenating cream” came onto the market earlier this year.
The latest product’s advert, which is online, on TV and on radio, shows an attractive, fair-skinned young woman complaining about how tight shorts can leave skin looking darker.
Vaginal whitening wash Lactacyd White Intimate promises to make your private area safely fairer within four weeks
The young woman then waltzes off in a tiny pair of white shorts as a voice-over states that the product can help skin become “bright and translucent”.
In a country where fair skin is synonymous with success, skin and body hair whitening products are readily available – and the industry is expected to reap $2 billion this year alone- but this is the first vaginal whitening wash to hit the shelves.
When 18 Again hit the shelves in India, not only did women voice the opinion on Twitter that 18 Again was created by Ultratech purely to cash in on female insecurities, but many criticized the accompanying TV advert.
Curiosity rover has completed its first close-contact science on Mars.
The robot pushed its arm instruments up against a pyramidal rock to assess the atomic elements that were present.
The rock – dubbed “Jake Matijevic” after a late rover engineer – was not expected to have high research value. Rather, it was regarded as an early opportunity to demonstrate the performance of the arm’s “hand lens” and X-ray spectrometer.
Curiosity has now continued driving.
Curiosity rover has completed its first close-contact science on Mars
On Monday, it moved some 42 m (138 ft), the single biggest roll for the robot since landing seven weeks ago in Mars’ equatorial Gale Crater.
The vehicle is endeavoring to get to location that scientists have nicknamed Glenelg, which satellite images have indicated is a junction between three types of geological terrain.
It is at Glenelg that Curiosity will likely use one of its key arm tools – its drill – for the first time.
Even before the rover gets to the junction, it will look for some suitable soil to scoop and deliver to its onboard laboratories for analysis.
NASA’s $2.6 billion mission touched down on the Red Planet on 6 August (GMT).
Much of the time since then has been spent commissioning the immensely complex, six-wheeled machine and its suite of 10 instruments.
The Jake Matijevic investigation allowed the science team to use the X-ray spectrometer (APXS) and the hand lens (Mahli) in unison with the rover’s infrared laser instrument (ChemCam).
The laser, which sits atop the rover’s mast, also determines the chemical composition of targets, and the rock experiment meant researchers could do some cross-calibration of APXS and ChemCam.
Little information has been released by NASA about what it saw, but then the pyramidal rock was not expected to be anything more than a standard lump of Martian basalt.
As the mission progresses, APXS and ChemCam, along with the keen eye of Mahli, will be used to survey the crater’s surface for more interesting rocks. When they identify a fascinating target, it is at that point that the drill will be commanded to acquire a sample for detailed scrutiny in the onboard laboratories.
Curiosity’s mission has been funded for one Martian year (two Earth years) of study. It will try to determine in that time whether past environments at Gale Crater could ever have supported microbial life.
