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Scott Thorson: His life after Liberace

Sonia Pantiss
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Scott Thorson: His life after Liberace

Scott Thorson moved to Liberace’s Las Vegas mansion in 1977, when he was a teenage hunk in the foster care system, learning that the jewel-smitten showman could love just as extravagantly as he decorated.

Touring the premises before their relationship began, Liberace pointed out some decorative highlights, which included 17 pianos, a casino, a quarry’s worth of marble and a canopied bed with an ermine spread. On the ceiling was a reproduction of the Sistine Chapel with Liberace’s face painted among the cherubs.

When Liberace and Scott Thorson became a couple, the showman, who was 40 years older, was just as excessive.

“We were at a hotel in Florida, and Liberace had the manager give us another suite, with windows that faced the beach,” said Scott Thorson, now 54.

“He knew I’d be near the water and he wanted to be able to look at me.”

Liberace even wanted Scott Thorson nearby when he worked. So for years, Scott Thorson would don a chauffeur’s costume covered in rhinestones and drive “Mr. Showmanship” on stage in a bejewelled Rolls-Royce. Scott Thorson would stop the car, then open the door for Liberace, who would emerge in a fur coat with a 16ft train.

This routine, which ran for years at the Las Vegas Hilton, is recreated in a forthcoming movie, Behind the Candelabra, which is based on Scott Thorson’s autobiography of the same name and stars Matt Damon as Thorson and Michael Douglas as Liberace.

Behind the Candelabra debuted this week in the US on HBO and opens in cinemas in the UK on June 7.

One person who might miss the movie’s debut is Scott Thorson. He is an inmate at the Washoe county jail in Reno, Nevada, and while the place has its share of amenities – including television – HBO isn’t one of them.

Scott Thorson has been held there since February, when he was charged with burglary and identity theft, after buying about $1,300 worth of computer and mobile-phone merchandise, using a credit card and license that weren’t his. He was arrested at the Ponderosa hotel, where he and a man he had just met rented a room for $33.90 a night.

“We get a lot of the dregs of Reno, a lot of prostitutes, d**g dealers,” said Eric Pyzel, a clerk at the Ponderosa, where a nearby bumper sticker reads: “Welcome To Our Country. Just Do It Legally.”

“The cops are by pretty often. So when they got here it was kind of like, OK, what is it this time?”

On a recent Friday morning at the jail,  Scott Thorson was sitting in a small room of white cinder blocks, empty but for a sink and a wall-mounted dispenser of disinfectants. Two officers hovered. Not for the first time in his troubled life, he vowed to clean up.

“This experience has scared me straight,” he said, in a slightly nasal tone that sounds vaguely like Liberace.

“There comes a time when you’ve got to take responsibility. You’ve got to stop lying and face your mistakes.”

It’s hard to connect this tired and anxious man in a blue prison shirt to the beefcake grinning in photographs in the late 70s. Time, an on-off m**h addiction, several stints in prison and what he describes as stage 3 colon cancer have taken their toll. Another reason he looks different: the chin implant is gone. Scott Thorson had it removed in an attempt to reverse one of the creepier episodes in the history of plastic surgery. Early in their relationship, Liberace plucked an oil painting of himself from a room in his Las Vegas mansion and asked a visiting doctor to reshape Scott Thorson’s face to look like Liberace’s as a young man.

Liberace wanted a toy boy and a son. With s** and fatherhood disturbingly entwined, Scott Thorson wound up with a new chin, a nose job and enhanced cheekbones.

“I was 17 years old,” he said, explaining why he went along with a plan that sounds so lunatic.

“Liberace had taken me out of a situation with a father who was very abusive, a mother who was mentally ill. I did everything I possibly could to please this man.”

The two went on shopping sprees, travelled first-class and spent a lot of quality time with Liberace’s shar-peis. Scott Thorson was showered with gifts, including mink coats, an assortment of baubles and a Chevrolet Camaro. They entertained celebrities such as Debbie Reynolds and Michael Jackson.

However, it all ended abruptly in 1982. That year, Liberace had members of his retinue forcibly eject Scott Thorson from his penthouse in Los Angeles. It was a break-up caused, in part, by Scott Thorson’s d**g habit, which he says he developed trying to slim down, at Liberace’s urging, on what was called the “Hollywood diet”, a cocktail of doctor-prescribed drugs that included pharmaceutical co***ne.

Scott Thorson later sued for $113 million in palimony, ultimately losing a highly public battle fought both in court and in the tabloids. He settled in 1986 for $95,000, according to reports at the time.

There was a deathbed reconciliation before Liberace died of a disease caused by AIDS in 1987. And that is where Behind the Candelabra ends. But Scott Thorson’s life went on, and as he explained in a series of interviews, both in person and via a jail-monitored version of Skype, many of the events that followed are as strange as the ones that came before.

The trick is separating the strange from the unbelievable.

“His approach to communicating with people is always to play it in a manner that reflects best on him,” said Oliver Mading, the man Scott Thorson calls his adoptive father as well as his manager. One evening recently, Oliver Mading was sitting in the living room of his home a few miles from Reno’s downtown. Sitting nearby was his stepson, Tony Pelicone, who met Scott Thorson through a mutual friend a decade ago in Palm Springs, California.

Scott Thorson had the chin implant removed in an attempt to reverse one of the creepier episodes in the history of plastic surgery
Scott Thorson had the chin implant removed in an attempt to reverse one of the creepier episodes in the history of plastic surgery

At best, these men sounded deeply ambivalent about being enmeshed in Scott Thorson’s life.

“He’s not a bad person,” said Tony Pelicone, who has a swirl of brown-blond hair and a cigarette habit.

“He’s just twisted and kind of cutthroat.”

Oliver Mading said: “He’d sell his mother – “

“Then he gives you that smile,” said Tony Pelicone, interrupting.

The two admit that much of what they know about Scott Thorson’s biography they learned from Thorson and that, at the very least, he has an aversion to telling his life story as a coherent, easy-to-follow chronology. During interviews at the Washoe county jail, Scott Thorson was often evasive and moody, deflecting questions about his past to rage against the people who have declined to put up the $15,000 in bail he says he needs to get out of jail.

“All these people are getting rich from my story,” he fumed.

“And here I sit.”

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Earlier this month, Scott Thorson pleaded guilty and asked to enter a rehabilitation programme. He could face as little as probation with a suspended prison sentence to two to 30 years and combined fines of up to $110,000.

What’s indisputable is that Scott Thorson is no longer named Scott Thorson. He is now known as Jess Marlow, a change he says occurred when he entered the federal witness protection program as the star witness in the 1989 prosecution of an infamous Los Angeles character named Eddie Nash.

Eddie Nash shows up in the book and movie as Mr. Y, described as a d**g dealer with ties to organized crime who made headlines for allegedly ordering the so-called Wonderland murders, a grisly quadruple homicide that took place two days after Nash’s home was robbed of money and drugs in 1981. (The crime is named after 8763 Wonderland Avenue, where the killings took place.)

Eddie Nash purportedly learned who had committed the robbery after his underlings beat up p**n star John Holmes, an acquaintance of Nash’s who later admitted to helping the robbers enter Nash’s home.

A fictionalized version of these events turns up in Boogie Nights, with an Eddie Nash-inspired figure played by a Speedo- and robe-wearing Alfred Molina.

Scott Thorson says that Eddie Nash became a drug source for him in the early 80s and that he later became a partner in Nash’s club business. At some point, the two fell out and, by 1988, Scott Thorson was reportedly in a Los Angeles jail for an assortment of charges. There, he says, he was offered leniency by the district attorney’s office in exchange for testifying that he happened to be at Eddie Nash’s home when thugs pummelled John Holmes – which, if true, would make Scott Thorson a kind of Zelig of the Awful. Eleven members of the jury voted to convict. One held out. Eddie Nash later admitted to bribing that lone juror, and in 2001, he struck a plea bargain in which he was sentenced to 37 months in prison for racketeering.

Now, in his early 80s, Eddie Nash is a free man. And he would like to make it clear that he and Scott Thorson were never partners.

“No, no, he worked for me,” Eddie Nash said.

“When Liberace dumped him, he had nothing. He was on the streets. So I took him in, and he worked at the house. He was good for cleaning. Because I lived with eight girls at the time. Beautiful girls. College girls. It was safe to have Thorson around because he is g*y. I had a g*y cook, too.”

Scott Thorson claims that after the trial, marshals in the federal witness protection programme moved him to Florida and gave him a new name.

“They had to keep me safe because there was a contract placed on my life by Eddie Nash,” he said during one interview.

“It started with the marshals taking me to different locations around the country for seven to 10 days, to make sure no one was following,” he said.

“Texas, Alaska, Seattle.”

It’s an intriguing narrative plot point – man forced to get a new face is later forced to take on a new identity. But the story sounds highly improbable to Bill Keefer, a former federal marshal in the witness protection programme. He has doubts because of where Scott Thorson eventually landed: at a Christian-based homeless shelter in Tallahassee, Florida, called the Haven of Rest.

“How much protection could the marshals provide a guy at a homeless shelter?” Bill Keefer asked.

At the Haven of Rest, Scott Thorson found religion. And, instead of striving for invisibility, he shared his life story in front of church congregations. He says that he became a popular evangelizer, even appearing on a Pat Robertson TV show.

“He would share his testimony about his life with Liberace,” said Danny Heaberlin, who ran Haven of Rest at the time.

“We had pictures of him with Liberace, because the story was so out there, nobody would believe it otherwise.”

Scott Thorson says an east coast mafia don gave him assurances that he needn’t worry about Eddie Nash. True or not, Scott Thorson was unable to stay on the side of the angels for long. After three years at the Haven of Rest, he says, he started using d**gs again, and in 1991, was shot in a room at a Howard Johnson hotel in Jacksonville. Local reports described the crime as a robbery committed by a crack dealer.

“They thought he was going to die,” Danny Heaberlin said, “but he kept living and living.”

While he was recovering, a life-changing event occurred: a woman from Maine named Georgianna Morrill came to visit. Scott Thorson would later claim she had seen him on TV, spreading the gospel, but that is not how Georgianna Morrill remembers it.

“I read Behind the Candelabra, and I saw the photo on the back of the book and I heard the Lord tell me to pray for this g*y,” she said, speaking from her apartment in South Portland, Maine.

“I thought, I don’t even know this man. But I’m a Christian, and, when God tells you to pray for someone, you do.”

Georgianna Morrill found Scott Thorson through a Pentecostal friend and soon after the two met, she invited him to live with her in a tiny two-storey red house in Falmouth, Maine. Scott Thorson accepted. He stayed for the next 12 years.

It was the second time that he found refuge in someone else’s life, but Falmouth was a long way from Vegas, and Georgianna Morrill was no Liberace. There were periods of domestic calm, with Scott Thorson cleaning up around the house and collecting disability payments that he was eligible for after the shooting. But Georgianna Morrill wanted to get married, despite all the evidence that the match was a terrible idea. The couple had s** once, she recalls.

“That was enough,” she said with a giggle.

He also drank a lot, and when he did he would sometimes “get stupid”, in Georgianna Morrill’s words, prompting her to call the police. Still, she held out hope that one day he would propose. And one day, he did, but with a ring with a pearl on top that she somehow knew he had purchased with a stolen credit card.

“I said to him, <<I’m looking for a diamond ring and one that you paid for yourself>>,” she said, laughing.

“He got pretty mad that I didn’t want it.”

Georgianna Morrill speaks with a note of nostalgia about those strife-ridden years. It’s a note you won’t hear when you discuss the subject with Scott Thorson.

“Horrible!” he said of his Maine phase.

“It was so boring. I hated the weather. Five feet of snow. It was too quiet. I had to get the hell out of there.”

Scott Thorson moved to Palm Springs, where he would be arrested a handful of times for stealing groceries and drug possession, among many other charges. Early in this era, he met Tony Pelicone.

“I recently learned that he came by our house to meet someone I was dating,” Tony Pelicone said.

“Later his house burned and nobody was there to pick him up. So I did, thinking he’d stay for a few days. That turned into 10 years.”

Initially, Tony Pelicone was thrilled to meet Liberace’s ex, and he introduced Scott Thorson to his mother and stepfather, Oliver Mading.

Oliver Mading, a businessman with a background in packaged foods, says he negotiated the Behind the Candelabra movie deal with the producer Jerry Weintraub while Scott Thorson was in prison on d**g charges. After his release, Scott Thorson spent his cut of the movie earnings – just under $100,000 – in about two months, mostly on cars and jewellery.

“We always knew Jess without money,” Oliver Mading said, referring to Scott Thorson by his assumed name.

“Not that $100,000 is King Midas’s trove, but Jess burned through it like a complete idiot.”

Scott Thorson says he’s now penniless because of outlays for cancer treatment. The truth is almost beside the point. An assortment of siblings and half-siblings want nothing to do with him, Oliver Mading says. His only real assets today are the intangibles that Liberace bequeathed him, most notably, a peculiar place in showbiz history as the kid that Liberace once adored and tried to remake in his image.

“There’s always been a love-hate relationship,” Scott Thorson said when asked to describe his feelings about Liberace today.

“At that time, I was so honored to be in his presence. And I didn’t want to go back to my lifestyle in the foster homes, which was pure hell.”

Their years together scarred him, he says, and partly explain the troubles that followed. But those years were also the happiest of his life. So although he removed the chin implant, he also had a tribute to Liberace tattooed on his forearm. He rolls up the sleeve of a grey thermal undershirt to reveal an inky cluster of curlicued letters and symbols. In the middle is Liberace’s name, surrounded by floating musical notes, plus the years that Liberace lived and a yellow rose.

“His favourite flower,” Scott Thorson said matter-of-factly, rolling his sleeve back down.

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Hurricane Barbara lashes Mexican coast making landfall near Salina Cruz

Nancy Clayson
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Hurricane Barbara lashes Mexican coast making landfall near Salina Cruz

Hurricane Barbara has been lashing parts of Mexico’s Pacific coast after making landfall near Salina Cruz in the southern state of Chiapas.

Hurricane Barbara has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.

The US National Hurricane Center predicts it will bring heavy rain for a prolonged period of time.

Hurricane Barbara has been lashing parts of Mexico's Pacific coast after making landfall near Salina Cruz
Hurricane Barbara has been lashing parts of Mexico’s Pacific coast after making landfall near Salina Cruz

Four to 20 inches of rain is forecast, along with a storm surge of up to 5 feet above normal tide levels.

Hurricane Barbara made landfall some 80 miles east of Salina Cruz, home to Mexico’s biggest oil refinery.

A hurricane warning has been issued for the stretch of coast between Puerto Angel and Barra de Tonala.

Thousands of people in Chiapas state have been evacuated. Roads have been closed and sea traffic suspended in the area.

The storm that preceded the hurricane caused floods in many coastal areas, including the resort city of Acapulco, further north.

Hurricane Barbara is expected to lose strength and dissipate in the next 24 hours.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Rihanna pose backstage at her Lisbon concert

Lisa.Felice
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Cristiano Ronaldo and Rihanna pose backstage at her Lisbon concert

On Tuesday night, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rihanna met up backstage at her concert in Lisbon, Portugal.

Real Madrid football player Cristiano Ronaldo posted a picture backstage with Rihanna following the show, flashing the peace sign as the singer pouted next to him for the camera.

Cristiano Ronaldo captioned the shot with a casual: “Yesterday at @rihanna’ s concert.”

It’s not the first time Cristiano Ronaldo has made headlines by posing up with popstars.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Rihanna met up backstage at her concert in Lisbon
Cristiano Ronaldo and Rihanna met up backstage at her concert in Lisbon

Last week, the sportsman met One Direction at the Spanish club’s training ground, as the boys took some time out from their whistle-stop European tour to train with Jose Mourinho’s men in the Spanish capital.

At the end of their brief kickabout, three of the band members enjoyed a meet-and-greet with the manager, who presented them with a Real Madrid shirt, before they caught up with the players.

“They told us that we had the opportunity to come to see the Real Madrid players and that was very exciting for us,” revealed Niall Horan.

“It is amazing to see how they train and see so many such good players. We are big football fans and Real Madrid are one of the best teams on the planet.”

Fellow bandmate Liam Payne added: “Cristiano Ronaldo is my favorite player, he is one of the best in the world.”

Liam Hemsworth calls off engagement to Miley Cyrus, but they still live together

Lisa.Felice
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Liam Hemsworth calls off engagement to Miley Cyrus, but they still live together

Liam Hemsworth has finally called off his engagement to Miley Cyrus after endless rumors that their relationship is over.

Liam Hemsworth, 23, and Miley Cyrus, 20, are still living together at their Los Angeles home but are now sleeping in separate rooms after Liam told his fiancée their relationship was finished for good.

According to Us Weekly magazine, Miley Cyrus confessed to a friend “we’re done” when speaking about Liam Hemsworth.

Speaking about their living arrangements, another source told the publication: “It’s strange.”

Liam Hemsworth has finally called off his engagement to Miley Cyrus after endless rumors that their relationship is over
Liam Hemsworth has finally called off his engagement to Miley Cyrus after endless rumors that their relationship is over

Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus first met on the set of their film The Last Song in 2009 and had been together four years, with The Hunger Games hunk popping the question last June.

But their romance hit the rocks in February amidst rumors Miley Cyrus had become jealous of Liam Hemsworth’s close relationship with actress January Jones.

Liam Hemsworth had been urged by his brother, Thor star Chris Hemsworth, to dump Miley Cyrus because they thought the relationship was unhealthy for him because she was so jealous.

The Australian heartthrob eventually made the decision to end things after deciding he couldn’t cope with the constant drama in his romance with the former Hannah Montana star.

Miley Cyrus apparently still has the 3.5 carat Neil Lane engagement ring Liam Hemsworth gave her and it is not known if he wants her to return the expensive sparkler.

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Rodham: Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Chastain among those tipped to portray Hillary Clinton in upcoming biopic

Sonia Pantiss
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Rodham: Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Chastain among those tipped to portray Hillary Clinton in upcoming biopic

Scarlett Johansson is rumored to portray Hillary Clinton in the upcoming biopic, Rodham.

Scarlett Johansson, 28, has not secured the role just yet: she is apparently up against Jessica Chastain, Amanda Seyfried and Reese Witherspoon.

Rodham will focus on the early stages of Hilary Clinton’s career, when she was a lawyer in Washington.

The writer, Young il-Kim, was forced to deny reports earlier this year that the film was full of raunchy s** scenes when the script was leaked by The Daily Beast.

“<<Rodham>> is a journey of a woman who was torn between her personal desires and her professional ambition – both literally pulled her thousands of miles apart, because Bill did not want to leave Arkansas, and she did not want to leave Washington, D.C.,” Young il-Kim told Politico earlier this year.

Director James Ponstoldt, who was attached to the movie last month and casting for the prestigious role has only just begun.

James Ponstoldt describes Scarlett Johansson and the other candidates as “all wonderful actresses”, according to The Independent.

Scarlett Johansson is rumored to portray Hillary Clinton in the upcoming biopic, Rodham
Scarlett Johansson is rumored to portray Hillary Clinton in the upcoming biopic, Rodham

He adds that they are “very fortunate that a lot of really great actors are interested in playing these roles. We’re in an enviable position”.

Scarlett Johansson was most recently seen on the big screen portraying Janet Leigh in the biographical comedy-drama, Hitchcock.

She has previously taken on a wide variety of roles, from the provocative Nola in Match Point to the demure Meg Windermere in A Good Woman.

Her competition is fierce, however, with Jessica Chastain having just received rave reviews for her performance in Zero Dark Thirty.

Amanda Seyfried was also applauded for her performance alongside Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables.

Reese Witherspoon, who has also played a diverse range of strong female roles, has recently appeared in the critically acclaimed Mud.

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Aurornis: Earliest bird ancestor Archaeopteryx fossil unearthed in China

James J. Williams
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Aurornis: Earliest bird ancestor Archaeopteryx fossil unearthed in China

A fossil of what may be the earliest creature yet discovered on the evolutionary line to birds has been unearthed in China.

The fossil animal, which retains impressions of feathers, is dated to be about 160 million years old.

Scientists have given it the name Aurornis, which means “dawn bird”.

The significance of the find, they tell Nature magazine, is that it helps simplify not only our understanding for how birds emerged from dinosaurs but also for how powered flight originated.

Aurornis xui, to give it its full name, is preserved in a shale slab pulled from the famous fossil beds of Liaoning Province.

About the size of a chicken, the animal has very primitive skeletal features that put it right at the base of the avialans – the group that includes birds and their close relatives since the divergence from dinosaurs.

Pascal Godefroit from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is the lead author on the paper that describes Aurornis.

The fossil animal, which retains impressions of feathers, is dated to be about 160 million years old
The fossil animal, which retains impressions of feathers, is dated to be about 160 million years old

His Nature publication also reports details of an across-the-board re-analysis of how the many bird-like creatures living in Jurassic and Cretaceous times were related to each other.

This was done by comparing the detail in the shape of their bones.

The major consequence of this phylogenetic re-assessment is that it restores one of the most famous fossils ever found to the bird line.

Archaeopteryx, dubbed “the first true bird” when first identified in the 19th Century, was shunted recently into a pool of non-avian but bird-looking dinosaurs as a result of the many exquisite feathered creatures emerging in Liaoning. The skeletal features seen in these new specimens had appeared to make Archaeopteryx less pivotal.

However, this demotion caused some consternation because Archaeopteryx, which lived roughly 150 million years ago, could clearly fly; and by re-classifying the animal it had implied also that powered flight must have evolved at least twice – once on the real line to birds and again in this parallel pool of dinosaurs that merely shared some bird features.

But the re-analysis conducted following the discovery of Aurornis has once again simplified the picture.

“Previous phylogenetic investigations were based on maybe only 200 morphological characteristics. Here, we recognize almost 1,500 characteristics,” explained Dr. Pascal Godefroit.

“So it’s a much bigger and more robust analysis, and according to this new investigation Archaeopteryx is again considered an ancestor of birds and the new creature we describe is also a basal bird; and in fact it is even more primitive than Archaeopteryx,” he said.

As well as placing Archaeopteryx at one of the earliest points of divergence within the avialans, the study also re-shuffles the Troodontidae, a family of bird-like dinosaurs. Dr. Pascal Godefroit and colleagues now consider these to be a sister group of the avialans.

OECD revises eurozone growth forecasts

Clyde K. Valle
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OECD revises eurozone growth forecasts

The OECD has revised its growth forecasts for the eurozone and called on the European Central Bank to consider doing more to boost growth.

The organization says the eurozone will shrink by 0.6% this year, widening the gap between it and faster-growing economies such as the US and Japan.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has given France two more years to complete its austerity programme.

France fell back into recession in the first three months of the year.

Spain, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands and Slovenia have also been given more time to complete fiscal tightening.

The move suggests a shift away from a focus on austerity in Europe.

In its twice-yearly Economic Outlook, the OECD said prolonged economic weakness in Europe could damage the global economy.

The OECD, which represents 34 advanced economies, forecast average growth across its members of 1.2% this year and 2.3% in 2014.

It painted a troubled picture of the eurozone economy. The forecast of a 0.6% contraction in GDP is down markedly from the 0.1% contraction forecast just six months ago.

It said eurozone unemployment would continue to rise from its current rate of 12%, stabilizing in 2014.

The OECD has revised its growth forecasts for the eurozone and called on the European Central Bank to consider doing more to boost growth
The OECD has revised its growth forecasts for the eurozone and called on the European Central Bank to consider doing more to boost growth

It blamed continuing austerity measures, weak confidence and tight credit conditions. It hinted that the European Central Bank (ECB) might want to expand quantitative easing (QE) as a measure to encourage stronger growth.

It warned the continuing weakness in Europe “could evolve into stagnation, with negative implications for the global economy”.

The US and Japan have seen a greater focus on stimulus measures compared with Europe, where austerity measures have taken precedence.

Japan is forecast to grow relatively strongly this year, adding 1.6% to its GDP on the back of extraordinary economic stimulus measures introduced by the government this year.

But the OECD said there was considerable uncertainty over whether that recovery would continue into 2014, when the government is expected to cut spending.

In the US, where growth of nearly 2% is forecast for this year, the OECD said quantitative easing measures might need to be “gradually reduced”.

China is not included in the OECD club, but the organization expects its annual growth to be about 8% over the next two years.

The OECD’s chief economist, Pier Paolo Padoan, told Reuters that the eurozone remained the dominant area of concern.

“Europe is in a dire situation,” he told the news agency.

“We think that the eurozone could consider more aggressive options. We could call it a eurozone-style QE.”

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DSM-5 will cost $199, more than twice the rate of inflation

Lisa.Felice
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DSM-5 will cost $199, more than twice the rate of inflation

DSM-5 has announced its price, an incredible $199 (and the paperback is also no bargain at a hefty $149).

Compare this to $25 for a DSM III in 1980; $65 for a DSM IV in 1994; and $84 for a DSM-IV-TR in 2000. The price tag on a copy of DSM is escalating at more than twice the rate of inflation.

No one outside the closed APA circle will ever really know for sure, but clearly the astounding price jump is not fueled by Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” – the powerful interaction of supply and demand that guides any free market.

The supply of DSM-5 is unlimited while the demand is likely to be quite limited (due to all the mistrust that has been generated by DSM-5’s flawed process and reckless product).

The price tag on a copy of DSM-5 is escalating at more than twice the rate of inflation
The price tag on a copy of DSM-5 is escalating at more than twice the rate of inflation

So if supply is great and demand is small, why is the price of DSM-5 jumping up so rapidly instead of sticking to inflation or retreating? Three reasons:

1. APA has sunk more than $25 million into DSM-5 and wants to recoup as much of its investment as it can. God only knows where the money went. DSM-IV cost one fifth as much – just $5 million – of which half came from external grants.

2. APA is in deficit and is rapidly losing membership dues and drug company funding. It desperately needs all the publishing profits it can pull from DSM-5 to bridge its budgetary gap. If DSM-5 sales are projected to be much less than originally expected, the APA strategy may be to raise prices sky-high in order to make up the difference.

3. APA is probably counting on having captive buyers who are forced to pay its price, however exorbitant it may be. That’s exactly how monopolies take advantage of markets that are not free- rigging the prices to bring in all the profits the helpless traffic will bear.

Previous systems (DSM-III, DSM-IIIR, DSM-IV) were far from perfect, but they were good enough to provide a widely accepted common language for communication. The gross incompetence of DSM-5 will likely return us to a Babel of many languages – different people using different methods of diagnoses.

Amanda Bynes party photos revealed

Lisa.Felice
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Amanda Bynes party photos revealed

Amanda Bynes claimed that it was a case of mistaken identity when pictures of herself partying in her New York apartment recently surfaced in In Touch magazine.

In the snaps, it is clear that is in fact Amanda Bynes throwing what appears to be an impromptu party for three earlier this month.

In the shocking party photos, Amanda Bynes is seen reclining on her bed which is stripped down to a bare mattress with no sheets or other bedding.

With her sunglasses shielding her eyes, her hair extensions in a tattered mess and smeared make-up on her face, Amanda Bynes appears to be emulating Madonna’s famous Vogue pose.

Barefoot, Amanda Bynes wears a cream dress with a black bra teamed with a denim and leather jacket.

Later she is seen hazily sitting up, letting the photographer take her picture as she pushes her hair away from her chest.

An open can of Diet Coke with a straw sitting in it sits beside her bed and a half burnt j**nt that is blackened with soot is laying on the bed next to her after she has seemingly taken a hit.

Next up Amanda Bynes takes the photo shoot to the bathroom where she is seen preening and pouting in the mirror.

Amanda Bynes posted a video of herself in the bathroom getting ready for a New York party
Amanda Bynes posted a video of herself in the bathroom getting ready for a New York party

Hardly aware of what is going on around her, one of her male party guests gets physically close to her, seemingly kissing her on the arm.

He later does a little dance in the mirror as she continues to apply heavy layers of lip gloss to her pout.

The man in question, who would go only go by the name of “Joe”, is one of the men who provided the pictures to In Touch.

Joe and a photographer by the name of Giovanni Arnold were partying with Amanda Bynes on the night the snaps in question were taken.

Since their emergence, Amanda has jumped to her own defense, tweeting: “That’s not my bed! Those aren’t my toes! My toes are pedicured!”

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EU member states allowed to slow their pace of austerity cuts

Clyde K. Valle
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EU member states allowed to slow their pace of austerity cuts

The European Commission has announced it will allow some EU member states to slow their pace of austerity cuts, amid concerns over growth.

France, Spain, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands and Slovenia are all being given more time to complete their austerity plans.

France will get two more years to bring its budget deficit below 3% of GDP.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the extra time must be “used wisely” to lift competitiveness.

The measures came as part of the European Commission’s country-specific recommendations.

Spain, Poland and Slovenia will also get two more years to bring down their budget deficits though spending cuts and tax increases.

The Netherlands and Portugal are having their timetables extended by one year.

Even Europe’s stronger economies, including Germany, are being urged to allow wage increases and increase flexibility in the jobs market to improve competitiveness.

Europe remains broadly in recession. The 17-member eurozone shrank by 0.2% in the first three months of the year, and is expected to register negative growth for 2013 as a whole.

The European Commission has announced it will allow some EU member states to slow their pace of austerity cuts, amid concerns over growth
The European Commission has announced it will allow some EU member states to slow their pace of austerity cuts, amid concerns over growth

There has been concern that the focus on fiscal consolidation in many EU states has worsened the economic situation.

Earlier, the OECD called on the European Central Bank (ECB) to do more to boost growth.

This month, the central bank in Frankfurt cut interest rates to a record low of 0.5% and said it was “ready to act if needed”.

In an official statement, the Commission said the extra time should be used to enact reforms.

“Giving more time for certain member states to meet their agreed objectives is designed to enable them to accelerate efforts to put their public finances into order and carry out overdue reforms,” it said.

“Reform efforts must be stepped up to credibly produce the required outcomes within the new deadlines and excessive deficits must be corrected.”

Jose Manuel Barroso stressed that the decision to allow some member states to slow the pace of austerity was made on purely economic and financial grounds, rather than for political reasons.

Speaking about the new timetable for France, he said the message remained “very demanding”.

“The extra time should be used wisely to address France’s failing competitiveness … I believe there is a growing consensus now in France about the need for those reforms,” he said.

Figures released earlier this month showed that France had entered its second recession in four years after the economy shrank by 0.2% in the first three months of 2013.

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Sam Mendes back in talks with James Bond team

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Sam Mendes back in talks with James Bond team

Director Sam Mendes has resumed talks with the producers of the James Bond films about the possibility of directing the next in the series.

The Skyfall director previously ruled himself out due to other commitments but is believed to be reconsidering.

According to industry website Deadline, his change of heart was prompted by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli’s willingness to wait for him.

Skyfall, the 23rd official Bond film, earned more than $1.1 billion.

It was named best British film at this year’s BAFTA Film Awards and is the highest-grossing movie in UK box office history.

Sam Mendes has resumed talks with the producers of the James Bond films about the possibility of directing the next in the series
Sam Mendes has resumed talks with the producers of the James Bond films about the possibility of directing the next in the series

Sam Mendes, 47, was invited to direct Skyfall‘s successor but turned down the job due to theatre commitments in London.

His musical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is currently in previews and he is scheduled to follow it with a staging of King Lear at the National Theatre.

It is understood, though, that the Bond team are prepared to postpone production on the next 007 feature until he is available.

Ang Lee, Christopher Nolan and Nicolas Winding Refn are among other leading directors rumored to have been approached.

Speaking in March, Sam Mendes said he felt “very honored to have been part of the Bond family” and that he “very much” hoped to work with the 007 team again.

The last film-maker to helm consecutive Bond movies was former editor John Glen, who directed five installments in a row between 1981 and 1989.

IMF cuts China’s economic growth forecast

Clyde K. Valle
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0
IMF cuts China’s economic growth forecast

IMF has cuts its economic growth forecast for China, with weakness in the global economy set to hit exports.

The International Monetary Fund it now expected the world’s second largest economy to grow by “around 7.75%” this year, and at about the same pace in 2014.

That is lower than the 8% forecast for 2013 the IMF made in its World Economic Outlook, published last month.

The IMF also called for a “decisive impetus to reforms” in the country.

Last year, China’s economy grew by 7.8%, its slowest rate for 13 years. In the first three months of this year, it expanded at a lower-than-expected annual pace of 7.7%.

Last week, the release of disappointing Chinese manufacturing figures was one of the factors behind a global sell-off in shares. A survey indicated that factory activity had contracted for the first time in seven months in May.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, IMF first deputy managing director David Lipton said: “The Chinese economy is expected to grow at around 7.75% this year and at about the same pace next year.

“Chinese export growth has been, after years and years of very rapid growth, very slow because of the state of the global economy and we now are taking our projections of the global economy into effect.”

IMF has cuts its economic growth forecast for China, with weakness in the global economy set to hit exports
IMF has cuts its economic growth forecast for China, with weakness in the global economy set to hit exports

Among the measures called for by the IMF are slower growth in social financing and a relaxation of controls on interest rates and the exchange rate.

Despite the cut in the IMF’s forecast, David Lipton noted: “Let’s not lose sight of the fact that China is still growing at a very fast rate.

“We’re projecting that growth will remain robust.”

David Lipton added that growth “should pick up moderately in the course of the second half of this year, as the recent credit expansion gains traction and in line with a mild pick-up in the global economy”.

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Cedric Cordier case: Man arrested over soldier knife attack in Paris

Roy Siemens
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0
Cedric Cordier case: Man arrested over soldier knife attack in Paris

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in France in connection with a knife attack on soldier Cedric Cordier near Paris on Saturday, officials say.

The suspect, known as a radical Muslim, was detained on Wednesday morning in the Yvelines region, 45 km (28 miles) southwest of the capital, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said.

The “dangerous” man was traced thanks to evidence at the scene, he added.

French anti-terrorist investigators are handling the case, saying the soldier was targeted because of his profession.

Witnesses had earlier described the attacker as a bearded man of North African origin.

The man, named Alexandre, was monitored on security cameras and seen taking off his robe and running away wearing European clothes, officials said.

The stabbing took place three days after the killing of British serviceman Drummer Lee Rigby outside a barracks in the Woolwich area of London.

French President Francois Hollande said that while all theories would be investigated, there was no evidence to link the two attacks.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in France in connection with a knife attack on soldier Cedric Cordier near Paris on Saturday
A 22-year-old man has been arrested in France in connection with a knife attack on soldier Cedric Cordier near Paris on Saturday

The suspect was a petty criminal known to police, correspondents say.

Speaking on French TV on Wednesday, Manuel Walls warned against jumping to early conclusions.

The minister said that although there were signs that the suspect may be linked to radical Islam, the investigation was still in its early stages.

“I remain cautious,” the minister said.

“We need to know more about his motives, his background, his family environment.”

Pfc Cedric Cordier, 23, was approached from behind and stabbed in the neck with a small-bladed knife in La Defense business district on Saturday.

The attack took place in a busy underground hall where shops and public transport lines converge in La Defense business district.

The victim was in a stable condition after the attack, police said.

France is on high alert following a threat from the North African wing of al-Qaeda, related to the country’s involvement in Mali.

The raised alert level is one of the reasons why soldiers are on patrol in central Paris and other high-profile areas, correspondents say.

Last March, soldiers were targeted by Islamist militant Mohamed Merah in the Toulouse area of southern France.

He shot dead three French paratroopers then attacked a Jewish school, murdering three children and an adult, before being killed in a police siege.

 

Liam Gallagher writes Don’t Bother Me as a peace offering to his brother Noel

Sonia Pantiss
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Liam Gallagher writes Don’t Bother Me as a peace offering to his brother Noel

Liam Gallagher has barely spoken to his brother Noel Gallagher since a backstage fight led to the breakup of Oasis in 2009.

However, Liam Gallagher, 40, has now revealed that track Don’t Bother Me on his band Beady Eye’s new album was written as a “peace offering” to Noel.

The song Don’t Bother Me from the album Be features the lyrics: “In the morning, I’ll be calling and hoping you understand. Give peace a chance. Take my hand – be a man.”

Liam Gallagher said his arguments with 45-year-old Noel had inspired the song, which also contains the words: “I’m sick of all your lying/Your scheming and crying.”

He told the BBC that his mind had been “fuzzy” when he had written the words, which were about peace and brotherhood.

Liam Gallagher has revealed that a track on his band Beady Eye’s new album was written as a peace offering to his brother Noel
Liam Gallagher has revealed that a track on his band Beady Eye’s new album was written as a peace offering to his brother Noel

“I didn’t sit down to write a song about a brother,” Liam Gallagher said.

“There’s bits in there about Noel, I guess. And there’s bits in there about brothers in general. About everyone just chilling, man. And give peace a chance.”

Liam Gallagher said that while the song was not just about Noel, his influence was undeniable.

“I’m not here to shy away from talking about our kid. You ask me a question and I go for it,” he said.

“But, yeah, it’s about a lot of things. It’s not about just Noel. Believe you me, if I could write a song about the [expletive] with Noel, I would.”

Liam Gallagher also shared his opinions on One Direction, saying they had got “lucky” and were his band’s “biggest competition”.

“Fair play to them, man, they got lucky – like we all do, I guess – and they’re just going for it.

“It’s all going to end at some point. And when it ends, you want to make sure you’ve ticked all the boxes.”

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Bella Tsarnaeva: Sister of Boston Marathon bombings suspects faces drug charges in New Jersey

Nancy Clayson
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Bella Tsarnaeva: Sister of Boston Marathon bombings suspects faces drug charges in New Jersey

Bella Tsarnaeva, sister of Boston Marathon bombings suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, faces drugs charge in New Jersey.

Bella Tsarnaeva, 24, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to possession of ma****ana with intent to distribute.

She was arrested in December 2012 after police responded to her Fairview home on a domestic violence report and found ma****ana, according to court papers. Authorities said they had first found her live-in boyfriend, Ahmad Khalil, at the apartment, which they searched after smelling marijuana.

Both Bella Tsarnaeva and Ahmad Khalil were indicted on April 10 with possession of ma****ana with intent to distribute.

They declined to comment on Tuesday after their arraignment in Superior Court, where their attorneys entered not-guilty pleas on their behalves.

Bella Tsarnaeva’s attorney, Mario Blanch, said he has applied for her to be admitted into a pretrial intervention program, a form of probation that allows certain defendants to resolve their cases without a criminal record.

Bella Tsarnaeva, sister of Boston Marathon bombings suspects faces drug charges in New Jersey
Bella Tsarnaeva, sister of Boston Marathon bombings suspects faces drug charges in New Jersey

Bella Tsarnaeva later left the building, her head wrapped in Ahmad Khalil’s shirt to shield her from a photographer. Mario Blanch said Bella Tsarnaeva did not want to be photographed because people are already recognizing her on the streets and that she has even received death threats for what her brothers are accused of doing.

“She is a young woman, 24 years old, and through no fault of her own, she has been thrust into a public spotlight,” said her attorney Mario Blanch to North Jersey.com.

“This has been a huge tragedy for this country, and it has also been a huge tragedy for my client.”

The investigation extended into North Jersey within a few days after the Boston Marathon bombing when federal agents showed up at the West New York home of another sister, 22-year-old Ailina Tsarnaeva. The agents interviewed the woman for several hours and left with computers, cell phones and plastic bags full of items. West New York police later said the woman was cooperating with authorities.

Meanwhile, lawyers for her brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev are set to blame the “overpowering influence” of elder brother Tamerlan, said Harvey Silverglate, a civil liberties and defense attorney.

According to Harvey Silvergate, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s lawyers will cite Tamerlan as being “an embittered and dangerous character, and it is well known that older siblings have tremendous power over younger siblings”.

One of the teenage bombers attorney is Judy Clarke, who represented “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski and 1996 Atlanta Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph – in both cases using mental health as a defense.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva have their first phone call since his arrest

Diane A. Wade
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1
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva have their first phone call since his arrest

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has told his mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva that “everything will be fine” in their first telephone call since his arrest in the Boston Marathon bombings case as he recuperates at a Massachusetts prison hospital.

According to Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, who spoke to her son yesterday from Makhachkala, the capital of Russia’s Dagestan region, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev said: “I am absolutely fine, my wounds are healing. Everything is in God’s hands. Be patient. Everything will be fine.”

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, stands accused of carrying out the April 15th attack in Boston, which killed three people and injured at least 260 along with his brother Tamerlan, who was killed following a brutal shootout with police on April 19th in the Watertown suburb of the city.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva had their first phone call since his arrest
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva had their first phone call since his arrest

The teenage terror suspect was arrested after a 36 hour multi-agency manhunt and is currently being held at Devens Federal medical center as he recovers from gunshot wounds, including one to the neck.

“Mentally he is normal but the child is shocked,” Zubeidat Tsarnaeva said to Bloomberg.

“It was really hard to hear him and for him to hear me. The conversation was very quiet. It was my child, I know he is locked up like a dog, like an animal.”

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva told the news agency that the conversation she had with her son lasted six minutes and that she is promised one a month with him.

This comes as the sister of Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev faces a drugs charge in New Jersey.

DSM-5: Drinking too much coffee among mental disorders included in latest psychiatrist bible

Lisa.Felice
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DSM-5: Drinking too much coffee among mental disorders included in latest psychiatrist bible

DSM-5, the latest psychiatrist bible, is warning of the dangerous physiological impact of caffeine intoxication.

An overdose of caffeine is among the mental disorders included in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) released on May 22.

Symptoms of the disorder include restlessness, nervousness, excitement, red face, gastrointestinal upset, muscle twitching, rambling speech, sleeplessness, rapid and irregular heartbeat, according to Live Science.

The findings about the mental impacts of a caffeine overdose come from the list of mental disorders compiled by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

The DSM is the go-to guide for a myriad of professionals seeking to understand mental disorders including physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurses, occupational and rehabilitation therapists, and counselors, according to the APA website.

DSM-5 is warning of the dangerous physiological impact of caffeine intoxication
DSM-5 is warning of the dangerous physiological impact of caffeine intoxication

Caffeine intoxication had previously been listed as a disorder but in the latest edition of the DSM, it also includes the disorder associated with caffeine withdrawal.

Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal are described as including headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, depressed mood and other issues.

“Caffeine is invading our society more and more,” Alan Budney, who served on the DSM-5 working group for substance-use disorders, previously told Medscape Medical News in 2011 about why caffeine withdrawal was an important disorder to investigate.

“There’s concern enough to consider this topic seriously, even though it’s probably one of the more controversial issues faced by our work group,” he added.

Caffeine is considered the most widely used, behaviorally active drug in the world, alongside other chemicals that can prompt mental disorders.

The other powerful chemicals include alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, hallucinogens and other mind-altering substances.

Emmanuelle Seigner claims Frenchwomen are jealous of her success and beauty

Lisa.Felice
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0
Emmanuelle Seigner claims Frenchwomen are jealous of her success and beauty

Emmanuelle Seigner, wife of controversial film director Roman Polanski, has claimed that she has been criticized by other Frenchwomen because of her “success, beauty and money”.

Roman Polanski is notorious as a fugitive from justice in the US over the r**e of a 13-year-old girl.

However, Emmanuelle Seigner, 46, has suggested that the main reason she has faced attacks from her fellow Frenchwomen was their jealousy of her “success, beauty and money”.

The actress and pop singer said she could not explain the chemistry between herself and the 79-year-old Oscar-winning director but admitted she liked the “danger” and unpredictability of not fitting the mould of a perfect relationship.

Emmanuelle Seigner, who is a close friend of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the former French first lady, has said: “In France, I guess there’s something like a tyranny in mentalities – we accept success badly, beauty, money.”

“People are certainly envious, and this creates negative energy. This is annoying. I suffered a great deal at one time. I had to fight harder than others. Add to that my marriage to Polanski.”

Emmanuelle Seigner was asked about what generated the romantic spark between her and Roman Polanski, whom she married in 1989.

Emmanuelle Seigner, wife of Roman Polanski, claims Frenchwomen are jealous of her success and beauty
Emmanuelle Seigner, wife of Roman Polanski, claims Frenchwomen are jealous of her success and beauty

“I don’t know. I ignore the ingredients. I guess that would be love. This can’t be explained,” she told Madame Figaro magazine.

“Perhaps because there’s an age difference – the improbable side that makes it probable. There are relationships where everything works and looks perfect, and that doesn’t interest me.

“I don’t like the idea of fitting into a mould, so as to conform. What I like is the danger, the difference – being unpredictable.”

Emmanuelle Seigner met Roman Polanski while appearing in one of his films, Frantic, in 1988, alongside Harrison Ford, but is now mainly known for her work inside France. The pair live in central Paris with their two children, Morgane and Elvis.

Roman Polanski was charged in 1977 with six crimes related to the s***al assault of a teenager during a photo shoot in Los Angeles but fled America, meaning all the charges are still pending.

He was arrested in Switzerland in 2009 at the request of the US authorities, who wanted to extradite him to face trial.

Following a period of prison, and then house arrest, Switzerland let Roman Polanski go, but he is now unlikely ever to leave France again in case he is re-arrested.

Like Carlo Bruni–Sarkozy, who is the third wife of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Emmanuelle Seigner has received a great deal of publicity through her relationship with a world-famous husband.

Frenchwomen are often lauded for their fashion sense, slender figures and perfectly behaved children, but critics have suggested they can be jealous, snobbish and sometimes even hostile.

A new website launched to help British women living in France fit in advises them to turn up late, brush up on current affairs and learn to accept compliments without treating them as a chat-up line.

Cellulaze: First scientifically validated laser cellulite treatment approved by FDA

Lisa.Felice
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0
Cellulaze: First scientifically validated laser cellulite treatment approved by FDA

Cellulaze, a pioneering invasive cosmetic treatment which targets the dreaded appearance of quilted, pitted fat, has hit the market causing a media storm.

Affecting more than 8 out of 10 women, cellulite is considered one of the curses of female gender, but Cellulaze is considered one of the best weapons to banish orange-peel thighs.

Cellulite occurs when the strands that connect the layers of tissue and the fat below the skin (fibrous septae) gradually harden and contract, while the fat between stays the same and protrudes out in a lumpy fashion.

Diet, exercise, creams and massage do help, but chronic sufferers are constantly on the lookout for a long-term solution.

The Sunday Times Style magazine has reported that new laser cellulite treatment Cellulaze claims to melt the fat and then break down the fibres anchoring the tiny fat pockets, thus banishing the appearance of cellulite.

It is the first scientifically validated laser cellulite treatment to win the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which accepted the results of Cellulaze’s year-long trial last January.

The study was conducted in the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and monitored a group of women with an average age of 47.

It showed that just one Cellulaze treatment prevented the return of cellulite for at least a year. There are even claims that the earliest patients have remained cellulite-free for three years.

The treatment, which costs upwards of $4,000, takes one to two hours and involves a local anaesthetic and mild sedation, followed by the insertion of a laser rod, like a fine knitting needle, just below the surface of the skin through a series of tiny cuts, reported the Sunday Times.

Cellulaze is the first scientifically validated laser cellulite treatment approved by FDA
Cellulaze is the first scientifically validated laser cellulite treatment approved by FDA

Laser beams then transmit energy sideways from the rod to smooth out lumpy fat cells and heat dermal tissue. The method promotes skin thickening and tightening, resulting in tighter, smoother skin. The laser directly targets the structure of cellulite.

As well as destroying the lumps, it stimulates collagen production just below the surface, and, in most cases, gives a smoother result than anything previously achieved by other anti-cellulite treatments.

The Cellulaze laser fiber claims to level out bumps of fat, treat dimples by releasing the fibrous bands that pull down on the skin, and stimulate collagen production to increase skin’s depth and elasticity for a smoother look.

Liquefied fat is then pressed out.

Hassan Shaaban, a consultant plastic surgeon at the Sthetix clinic in Liverpool, was the British pioneer, and has now become the principal specialist training other doctors from across Europe in the technique.

He warns that not every patient will benefit.

“We classify cellulite severity from one to four,” he says.

“This treatment works best on stages two and three. In other words, women with serious cellulite will first have to lose fat by other methods.”

The cosmetic surgeon Angelica Kavouni, of the Cadogan Clinic in London, underwent the training last December and has already treated 15 women. \

“I am cautiously optimistic that it works, but I think most patients will also have to make lifestyle changes such as diet and more exercise to maintain the results,” she told the Sunday Times.

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Dita Von Teese uses 300 beauty products

Lisa.Felice
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0
Dita Von Teese uses 300 beauty products

Dita Von Teese recently admitted that the number of beauty products that she uses regularly goes in to the hundreds.

Dancer Dita Von Teese, born Heather Renée Sweet in Rochester, Michigan, has admitted she is such a beauty junkie that she couldn’t live without any of the multiple cosmetics and haircare products which she uses to achieve her glamorous retro look.

Asked what her three must-have items are, Dita Von Teese giggled: “Three? Oh my god, it’s more like 300! If you only knew, I have a lot of things that I absolutely can’t do without.

“Even for my shows, I do everything by myself, from make-up to choosing my own outfits.”

However, Dita Von Teese, 40, believes make-up can only go so far and the only way to exude s** appeal is to have confidence in yourself.

She explained: “For me, s** appeal is a very individual thing, it’s about finding yourself above all and mostly about having self-confidence. We have to find what suits us and makes us feel good.

“It’s all about being s**y, it’s nothing to do with what people think – on the contrary. It’s completely psychological.

“I love the process of getting ready, both in terms of hair as well as make-up. With only three things, I’d have a lot of trouble getting ready!”

Dita Von Teese admitted that the number of beauty products that she uses regularly goes in to the hundreds
Dita Von Teese admitted that the number of beauty products that she uses regularly goes in to the hundreds

Two years ago Dita Von Teese told the New York Times Style magazine that she uses Just For Men hair dye to achieve raven eyebrows, and also that perfect skin hasn’t come easy.

She spoke about how she visited several doctors in a bit to cure her rosacea, revealing: “I was told by a big name dermatologist, <<this is your life now>>, because he couldn’t figure out how to get rid of it.

“A million creams later, I went to a real skin doctor in Orange County. He prescribed a pill and one lotion, and boom, it was gone.”

Creme de la Mer is her choice of face cream – “it’s pricey, but so worth it”.

Her favorite beauty products include Dior Capture Totale foundation, MAC Mineralize face powder, Dior Dolce Vita lipstick, Guerlain Divinora liquid eyeliner and Dior Show mascara.

Dita Von Teese’s top tip for feeling good is adorning herself in a tasteful amount of jewels, and she especially loves rubies because they are so “sensual”.

She explained in an interview with French fashion website Pure Trend: “It’s true that I like jewellery, but I wear just the right amount to emphasize the statement piece I choose. I like diamonds but my real favorite has always been rubies.

“At the moment for instance, I’m wearing ruby earrings. I love touching them, playing with them, it’s a very sensual stone.”

Dita Von Teese has also said she relies on pink lights and a dimmer switch to banish cellulite, citing “it’s the only thing that works”.

Polly Stenham: British playwright potential cause of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart split?

Lisa.Felice
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0
Polly Stenham: British playwright potential cause of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart split?

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart split became official when he moved his belongings out of the home he shared with the actress last week.

And while it has already been claimed Robert Pattinson’s friendship with singer Katy Perry was one of the reasons behind the doomed romance, it would seem there could be another leading lady who has also come between the couple.

RadarOnline reports the 27-year-old hunk’s close friendship with British playwright Polly Stenham was a “potential cause” for the Twilight co-stars’ sudden split.

And now a cozy Instagram picture of the pair has emerged, showing 26-year-old Polly Stenham with her arm draped around Robert Pattinson and another pal as they enjoyed a night out in New York City.

It is thought the arty black and white snap was taken in early May when Robert Pattinson and Polly Stenham enjoyed a night of partying together shortly before his shock split from Kristen Stewart.

Posted on Instagram by the star’s musician friend Matthew Daniel Siskin, known as Gambles, the undated picture was soon deleted from the social networking site.

Alongside the snap, it said: “Missing the New York crew.”

Polly Stenham with her arm draped around Robert Pattinson and another pal as they enjoyed a night out in New York City
Polly Stenham with her arm draped around Robert Pattinson and another pal as they enjoyed a night out in New York City

And it has now been speculated that Polly Stenham was the mystery blonde the actor was spotted enjoying an intimate dinner with at Gemma in the Bowery Hotel on May 3.

A source told HollywoodLife.com at the time: “They seemed like old-time friends.”

However, it has also been claimed that Robert Pattinson’s close friendship with singer Katy Perry was one of the contributing factors to the split.

After weathering the storm of her s** scandal with Rupert Sanders last year, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson reportedly broke up for good earlier this month when he reportedly found text messages from her to the Snow White and The Huntsman director and became upset that they were still in contact.

A source told Life & Style magazine: “Katy never really supported Rob’s decision to get back with Kristen. She always said they wouldn’t last.

“Katy told Rob she didn’t think their relationship could withstand the cheating scandal. And he deserved better than someone who would destroy a family [like Rupert’s].”

A large moving truck picked up the last of Robert Pattinson’s belongings from the former couple’s home in Los Feliz, California, on Thursday.

Robert Pattinson initially struggled to cope with Kristen Stewart’s “momentary indiscretion” with married director Rupert Sanders, with friends revealing their relationship was strained for months after the fling.

A source previously said: “After everything that happened and the hurt she caused, he’s furious she’d be back in touch with him, even if she is saying it’s completely innocent. It does look like this it’s over for good. He simply can’t trust her.”

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Beyonce photos from High School yearbook

Lisa.Felice
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Beyonce photos from High School yearbook

Beyonce’s newly unearthed High School photos prove that she had a flawless smile and impeccable hair long before she was famous.

Beyonce, now 31, the musical megastar attended Welch Middle School in Houston, Texas, where her 13-year-old self was captured for prosperity in the 8th grade year book.

In the black and white photo that looks like it could be from a professional shoot, Beyonce beams to the camera confidently as her signature long hair is knotted on the top of her head and tumbles down over her shoulders.

Beyonce began dancing in elementary school, but when her dance teacher realized that she could hit all the high notes to a tune, she began tapping into that hidden talent instead.

By the age of 8 she was already auditioning with an all-girl entertainment group with childhood friend – and future star – Kelly Rowland, called Girl’s Thyme.

A spot on Star Search, the biggest entertainment talent show in America at the time, failed to win the band a victory however, and it would be a few more years before fame came knocking on their doors.

In the meantime, Beyonce Knowles enrolled in the Houston School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and her freshman yearbook photo from 1996 reveals her ever-blossoming beauty and innate style.

With her hair now silky smooth and straight, Beyonce still had her polished smile and unblemished image.

Unlike most high school kids who are tortured by bad skin, breakouts or braces, the Dreamgirls star appeared to be camera-ready at all times.

Wearing a pinafore dress with a long-sleeved white jumper underneath, her taste in fashion was certainly a lot more conservative than the outfits that fans are now used to her wearing.

While still a school girl, the future pop star was working hard on her path to stardom thanks to the encouragement of her father, Matthew, and mother, Tina, who designed all her costumes.

Beyonce’s newly unearthed High School photos
Beyonce’s newly unearthed High School photos

By 1996 when her high school year book photo was shot, the group (who had changed their name to Destiny’s Child) won a contract with Columbia Records and began recording their first album under an agreement with Sony Music.

According to reports, Beyonce never actually got her high school diploma because she dropped out before graduation to tour with the girls’ group.

In 1997, the band released their debut major label song called Killing Time, which was featured on the Men In Black soundtrack, and went on to have huge hits including Jumpin’ Jumpin’ and Say My Name.

Since then Beyonce has catapulted to worldwide fame and global domination with huge hits such as Irreplaceable and the 2010 Grammy winning Song of the Year, Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).

Every heroine needs a sidekick, and with husband of five years, Jay-Z, by her side, Beyonce has gone from strength to strength.

The power couple welcomed daughter Blue Ivy Carter in January 2012, and recently tell-tale signs have sparked rumors that they are expecting their second child.

“I would like more children. I think my daughter needs company. I definitely love being a big sister and at some point when it’s supposed to happen,” Beyonce told Good Morning America on May 6, while keeping mum about whether she was expecting again or not.

“My biggest job in the world is to protect my daughter and I am very protective. I just want to make sure that she can have a healthy, safe, normal life.

“I feel really, really just lucky that I can still do what I love and now have a way bigger meaning, and that’s to be her mother.”

Beyonce – who is the voice of Queen Tara in the upcoming animated film, Epic – is currently globe-trotting on The Mrs. Carter World Tour.

During a performance in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday night she got a bum-slapping surprise in the middle of a sing-a-long for Irreplaceable as a fan outstretched his arm out to touch her bottom!

In video footage capturing the moment, Beyonce is seen turning around and looking shocked as the crowd gasp at the man’s action, before she threatens to have him thrown out of the concert.

Looking directly at the slapper, she can be heard saying: “I will have you escorted out right now, alright?”

The next stop on the European leg of her tour is Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday, before Beyonce moves on to Stockholm, Sweden, and then Antwerp in Belgium on Friday – where hopefully none of the audience will overstep respectful boundaries.

Earlier this month, Beyonce fueled the second pregnancy speculation when she had to cancel a gig at Antwerp’s Sportpaleis due to “dehydration” and “exhaustion”, after which she promised fans she would make it up to them by returning and putting on a great show.

Pregnant Kim Kardashian goes make-up free

Lisa.Felice
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Pregnant Kim Kardashian goes make-up free

For once heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian relaxed her ever-glamorous style as she headed out for a quiet dinner with friends on Sunday night.

With her face clear of any make-up and her unwashed hair tied up in a messy topknot, Kim Kardashian, 32, certainly wasn’t dressed to impress.

Despite admitting she has struggled to cope with the changes pregnancy has brought to her body, Kim Kardashian has insisted on keeping up with her usual style as her body has changed.

But as the reality star left the exclusive Dan Tana restaurant in West Hollywood on Sunday night she appeared to have finally bent her self-inflicted rules.

In place of the sky-high heels Kim Kardashian normally favors, she wore a simple pair of black flip flops.

Kim Kardashian posted a series of the glamorous images online
Kim Kardashian posted a series of the glamorous images online

And her bump was neatly dressed in a plain black dress, teamed with a fashionable denim jacket.

Kim Kardashian has complained about her “pregnancy lips”, saying they have grown ever more bloated as the months have gone on.

And even without a touch of make-up, they were certainly noticeable on her night out.

As she left the restaurant Kim Kardashian was for once less than thrilled to be spotted by the paparazzi.

The reality star hid behind her black leather handbag as she slipped in the car and headed home.

On Monday morning it was back to her normal self as Kim Kardashian slapped on lashings of makeup for a photoshoot.

“Getting ready for my close up,” Kim Kardashian tweeted, as she posted a series of the glamorous images online.

Mario Williams sues ex-fiancée Erin Marzouki to get back a $785K engagement ring

Clyde K. Valle
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Mario Williams sues ex-fiancée Erin Marzouki to get back a $785K engagement ring

NFL star Mario Williams, who is suing his ex-fiancée Erin Marzouki to get back a $785,000 10-carat diamond engagement ring, actually sent her texts saying she could keep it, according to her lawyer.

Mario Jerrel Williams, 28, defensive end for the Buffalo Bills worth over $30 million with a $100 million contract, is suing Erin Marzouki for the return of the ring after their relationship turned sour.

Erin Marzouki, 31, who is counter suing to keep the ring levied accusations through her lawyer that Mario Williams lied in his lawsuit and repeatedly told her to keep the gift.

Her attorney, high profile Texas lawyer Anthony Buzbee, released a series of text messages this week that make it seem as if Mario Williams has in fact urged Erin Marzouki to keep the ring, contrary the allegations filed in his lawsuit, according a report from Ultimate Texans.

In the messages Mario Williams writes: “Keep those material things. It means nothing to me anymore,” later adding: “KEEP IT! Remember me by it.”

Anthony Buzbee described Mario Williams actions as emotionally unstable and said the football player is confused as to whether he wants to be married or single.

The lawyer also introduced into evidence an email written by Mario Williams earlier this year that asks Erin Marzouki to reconcile.

“I just want to verbally discuss and answer things knowing you have closed the door,” Mario Williams wrote.

“I still can’t say one thing bad about you that sticks.”

Mario Williams is suing his ex-fiancée Erin Marzouki to get back a $785,000 10-carat diamond engagement ring
Mario Williams is suing his ex-fiancée Erin Marzouki to get back a $785,000 10-carat diamond engagement ring

Despite the new evidence coming to light Mario Williams vehemently denies the allegations, saying that the messages were taken out of context.

“Obviously it’s just a tactic to cover up the point of the whole thing,” Mario Williams told the website.

“It is what it is. I could really care less. All it is (is) allegations and text messages and what not, whatever information blown out of proportion. I mean, it’s completely out of context.”

Yet in another message released by Anthony Buzbee, Mario Williams was allegedly more explicit in his desire to give Erin Marzouki the ring.

“She said she was going to keep the ring n told her fine. I put down using material things as leverage long ago. She is free to be n do as she wants,” Mario Williams wrote.

In his lawsuit Mario Williams claims that Erin Marzouki ended the couple’s engagement after a year because she “never intended to marry and used the relationship as a means to get money and acquire gifts”, according to the court documents.

In response to the charges Erin Marzouki has filed a counter suit to what she calls her ex-fiancé Mario Williams’ “silly” accusations and doesn’t intend to give back the ring because it was given to her as an unconditional gift.

Erin Marzouki says Mario Williams was the one who broke off the engagement because part of him “wanted to be married and start a family, while another part wanted to continue to live the life of a wealthy bachelor who could do whatever he wanted, with whomever he wanted, whenever he wanted”.

Mario Williams’ lawyers have asked the court to obtain the ring from Erin Marzouki until the legal action is resolved.

Mario Williams was the first selection in the 2006 NFL draft by the Texans and played in Houston through the 2011 season.

Although by regular standards the ring is a fortune, it is pocket change to Mario Williams who last year signed one of the most lucrative contracts for a defensive player in NFL history: a six-year, $100 million with the Buffalo Bills with $50 million in cash guaranteed.

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Baby No 59: Chinese baby boy rescued alive from toilet pipe in Jinhua

Nancy Clayson
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Baby No 59: Chinese baby boy rescued alive from toilet pipe in Jinhua

Chinese firefighters have rescued a newborn baby boy lodged inside a sewage pipe leading off a toilet.

Residents of an apartment building in Jinhua city, Zhejiang province, eastern China, called rescuers on Saturday after they heard the infant’s cries.

Rescuers tried to pull the baby out of the pipe but failed and ended up sawing through a section of the pipe instead.

They took the pipe to hospital, where it was carefully pulled apart to release the infant.

The baby, thought to be just a few days old, was found inside a pipe 10 cm (4 in) in diameter, the China Daily newspaper said.

Footage from state television showed firefighters and doctors working together using pliers to cut the pipe apart to get to the baby.

The baby is now in stable condition, reports say.

The infant was named Baby No 59 – after the number of his hospital incubator, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Chinese firefighters have rescued a newborn baby boy lodged inside a sewage pipe leading off a toilet
Chinese firefighters have rescued a newborn baby boy lodged inside a sewage pipe leading off a toilet

A number of visitors had arrived at the hospital with contributions of nappies, baby clothes and powdered milk, it added.

Meanwhile, a police officer in Jinhua told Agence France-Presse that the baby’s unmarried mother had hidden her pregnancy.

The baby fell into the toilet after she unexpectedly gave birth, the officer said.

“The woman was on the scene during the entire rescue process… and admitted [she was the mother] when we asked her,” he told AFP.

He said police were still investigating whether “she had any malicious intentions” before deciding if charges should be filed. There was still no information on the baby’s father, he said.

The case generated condemnation on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.

“The parents who did this have hearts even filthier than that sewage pipe,” one user was quoted by Reuters as saying.

“Can these people be called human beings?” another user quoted by AFP said.

China has strict family planning rules, with the one-child policy in place for more than three decades. Although there are a number of exceptions, couples can face fines if they violate the policy.

There have also been cases of babies born outside marriage being abandoned, or female newborns abandoned because of a traditional preference for sons.

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