Tom Schaar, a 12-year-old boy from Malibu, California, crushed the dreams of famous and amateur skateboarders this week when he set a world record to become the first person to land a three-rotation 1080 move.
Tom Schaar, a six-grader, pulled off the maneuver consisting of three full rotations that has been unsuccessfully attempted by the sport’s best for years.
The boy who is less than 5 ft tall completed the difficult trick at the Woodward West action sports camp in Tehachapi, California.
Tom Schaar told ESPN.com: “It was the hardest trick I’ve ever done, but it was easier than I thought.”
The boy completed the move after trying five times.
Tom Schaar, 12, set a world record to become the first person to land a three-rotation 1080 move
Tom Schaar has skated throughout his short life.
He has completed a number of stunts with his skateboard, including a 720 maneuver.
But the 1080 move spun Tom Schaar into the record books – and dashed the hopes of well-known skaters who were pegged as being the first to be able to land the tough stunt.
Shaun White, defending X Games Skate Vert champion, was believed to become the first to achieve the move.
He won his first Winter Olympic snowboard gold medal in 2006.
There was also another youngster, 14-year-old Mitchie Brusco, who was viewed as the sure bet to do a 1080 when he tried it in Pennsylvania.
But instead the 80-lb Tom Schaar destroyed those possibilities.
Bob Burnquist, the 35-year-old defending X Games Big Air gold medalist, told ESPN that he hopes to learn from Tom Schaar in the future.
Bob Burnquist said: “Tom’s a little giant and a spinning machine.”
With a half-billion-dollar multistate lottery jackpot up for grabs, plenty of folks are fantasizing about how to spend the money. But doing it the right way – protecting your riches, your identity and your sanity – takes some thought and planning.
Making sure you don’t blow the nation’s largest-ever lottery jackpot within a few years means some advice is in order before the Mega Millions drawing Friday, especially if you’re really, really, really lucky.
With a $640 million multistate lottery jackpot up for grabs, plenty of folks are fantasizing about how to spend the money
Q: What do I do with the ticket?
A: Before anything else, sign the back of the ticket. That will stop anyone else from claiming your riches if you happen to drop it while you’re jumping up and down. Then make a photocopy and lock it in a safe. At the very least, keep it where you know it’s protected. A Rhode Island woman who won a $336 million Powerball jackpot in February hid the ticket in her Bible before going out to breakfast.
Q: What next?
A: Relax; breathe; take time to think about your next move. Don’t do anything you’ll regret for the next 30 years, like calling your best friend or every one of your aunts, uncles and cousins. It doesn’t take long to be overwhelmed by long-lost friends, charities and churches wanting to share your good fortune. You’ve waited a lifetime to hit the jackpot; you can wait a few days before going on a spending spree.
Q: So whom should I tell first?
A: Contacting a lawyer and a financial planner would be a lot wiser than updating your Facebook status. Make sure it’s someone you can trust and, it’s hoped, dealt with before. If you don’t have anyone in mind, ask a close family member or friend. Oklahoma City attorney Richard Craig, whose firm has represented a handful of lottery winners, says it’s essential to assemble a team of financial managers, tax experts, accountants and bankers.
Q: Remind me, how much did I win?
A: As it stands now, the Mega Millions will pay out a lump sum of $359 million before taxes. The annual payments over 26 years will amount to just over $19 million before taxes.
Q: How much will I pay in taxes?
A: This partly depends on where you live. Federal tax is 25%; then there’s your state income tax. In Ohio, for example, that’s another 6%. And you might need to pay a city tax depending on the local tax rules. So count on about a third of your winnings going to the government.
Q: Should I take the cash payout or annual payments?
A: This is the big question, and most people think taking the lump sum is the smart move. That’s not always the case. First, spreading the payments out protects you from becoming the latest lottery winner who’s lost all their money. Don McNay, author of the book “Son of a Son of a Gambler: Winners, Losers and What to Do When You Win the Lottery”, says nine out of 10 winners go through their money in five years or less. “It’s too much, too fast,” he says. “Nobody is around them putting the brakes on the situation.”
Q: But what if I’m good at managing the money?
A: Invested properly, the lump sum option can be a good choice. There’s more planning that you can use to reduce estate taxes and other financial incentives. Others, though, say that with annual payments, you are taxed on the money only as it comes in, so that will put you in a lower tax bracket rather than taking a big hit on getting a lump sum. And you still can shelter the money in tax-free investments and take advantage of tax law changes over the years.
Q: Should I try to shield my identity?
A: Absolutely. This will protect you from people who want you to invest in their business scheme or those who need cash in an emergency. Lottery winners are besieged by dozens of people and charities looking for help. “There are people who do that for a living. Unless you understand that, you can become a victim very quickly,” says Steve Thornton, an attorney in Bowling Green, Kentucky, who has represented two jackpot winners.
Q: So how can I protect myself?
A: Again, it somewhat depends on where you live. In Ohio, you can form a trust to manage the money and keep your winnings a secret. In other states, you can form a trust but still be discovered through public records. And a few states require you to show up and receive your oversized check in front of a bunch of cameras, making it impossible to stay anonymous. Steve Thornton set up a corporation in the late 1990s to protect the identity of a client in Kentucky who won $11 million. “No one had done this before, and there were legal questions about whether a corporation can win,” he says. “We were able to hide their names.”
Q: Is it OK to splurge a little?
A: Sure, it’s why you bought a ticket, right? “Get it out of your system, but don’t go overboard,” Don McNay says. But remember that if there’s a new Mercedes-Benz in the driveway, your neighbors will probably be able to figure out who won the jackpot.
Q: How much should I help my family and others?
A: It’s certainly a natural desire to help relatives in need and take care of future generations. But use extreme caution when giving out your money. Jack Whittaker, a West Virginia contractor who won a nearly $315 million Powerball jackpot in 2002, quickly fell victim to scandals, lawsuits and personal setbacks. His foundation spent $23 million building two churches, and he’s been involved in hundreds of legal actions. “If you win, just don’t give any money away, because the more money you give away, the more they want you to give. And once you start giving it away, everybody will label you an easy touch and be right there after you. And that includes everybody,” Jack Whittaker said five years ago.
Only two of the three holders of the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot have collected their lottery prize, as officials urge them to do so.
The player who bought the ticket in Kansas has still not contacted officials, as two other winners from Illinois and Maryland celebrate their win.
Each winner is in line to receive $154 million as a lump sum.
A video producer, Tom Kreft, named by Wall Street Journal reporter Lauren Schuker as the Maryland winner today denied that he had won.
Maryland does not require lottery winners to be identified so the Mega Millions winner can claim the prize anonymously. The store will receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, which was purchased on the night of the draw.
One winning ticket was purchased in northeast Kansas, but no other information would be released by the Kansas Lottery until the winner comes forward, spokeswoman Cara S. Sloan-Ramos said.
No winner had contacted the agency by Saturday morning, Kansas Lottery Director Dennis Wilson said. “We sure want to meet the winner, but we want to tell them, sign the back of the ticket and secure it.”
Only two of the three holders of the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot have collected their lotery prize
Kansas law also allows lottery winners to remain anonymous, though lottery winners in Illinois are identified.
Mike Lang, spokesman for the Illinois Lottery, said his state’s winning ticket was sold in the small town of Red Bud, near St. Louis. The winner used a quick pick to select the numbers, he said.
“It’s just unbelievable. Everyone is wanting to know who it is,” said Denise Metzger, manager of the Motomart where Illinois’ winning ticket was sold.
“All day yesterday I was selling tickets and I was hoping someone from Red Bud would win. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this. I’m just tickled pink.”
While only three people hit the big jackpot with all six numbers, at least 42 tickets matched five of six numbers – 29 in California, 12 in Illinois and one in Kansas, according to lottery officials.
California Lottery Commission spokesman Alex Traverso said the payout on those tickets will be about $125,000 to $130,000.
The estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New Jersey.
Americans spent nearly $1.5 billion for a chance to hit the jackpot, which amounts to a $462 million lump sum and around $347 million after tax.
The average American was more likely to be killed in a mass murder than win the jackpot. Fifty three times more likely, in fact. Dying in an avalanche sometime in the next decade is 160 times more likely than winning.
Unfortunately, not all Americans had a chance of winning the biggest jackpot in history as Mega Millions is only played in 42 states.
However residents in other non-playing states can purchase tickets in the states they are sold in as there is no residency requirement to play and win.
Even non U.S. citizens could have played, but the tax they would have to pay on winnings is different.
At 173-million-to-one, the odds of scoring the largest lottery win in US history are so long they’re literally unfathomable. And mathematicians say there’s no way to improve them – except by buying more tickets.
In theory, with such a massive jackpot would be possible to “invest” $173 million to play every number combination and then rake in $560 million in winnings.
That is, at $1 a ticket, and 173 million possible combinations, you could play every number and increase the odds of winning to 100% and rake in more than 320 percent profit. (Though, that begs the question: “If you’ve got $173 million laying around, why are you playing the lottery?”)
The three winning tickets are less surprising as there was only a 3% chance there is only one winning ticket.
China’s Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge has opened today allowing motorists to cross over a canyon – at 1,102ft.
Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge is now the world’s highest and longest tunnel-to-tunnel bridge.
Work started on the feat of engineering in October 2007 and the bulk of the work finished at the end of last year.
The record-breaking bridge is designed to ease traffic in the Jishou area of Hunan province and officially opened to motorists today.
Drivers can take in the views of the Dehang Canyon as they steer their way across all 3,858ft of the new sky-high road which links two tunnels.
Aizhai Extra Large Suspension Bridge is now the world's highest and longest tunnel-to-tunnel bridge
The bridge, which is lit up at night with 1,888 lights, is the fourth suspension bridge to cross a valley so wide it seems to be connecting two mountain ranges.
Once on the bridge cars and lorries can motor along a two-way, four-lane motorway at about 50 mph. Pedestrians can also walk along it on a special walkway under the road.
The bridge is a key part of the Jishou-Chadong Expressway, a 64-kilometre road which has 18 different tunnels which cover about half of its length.
It is hoped the bridge will help ease traffic jams which are common in the mountainous area which has narrow, steep and winding roads.
The structure is supported by a base 78 ft wide.
China is has the longest bridge in the world, the Danyang Kunshan Grand Bridge which is just over 100miles long and was built two years ago to carry the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway.
Earth Hour 2012 made famous landmarks from all around the world, which normally light up the night sky, to plunge into darkness today to raise the profile of climate change.
Sydney’s iconic Harbor Bridge and Opera House were among the first buildings around the world to begin the blackout.
Later on Washington’s National Cathedral, London’s Clock Tower, the Great Wall of China and Tokyo Tower will also be dimmed at 8:30 p.m. local time.
Central Sydney icons have been taking part in the annual event since Earth Hour began as a Sydney-only event in 2007.
Australia is among the first countries to hit the light switches each year.
In New Zealand, Sky Tower in Auckland and parliament buildings in Wellington switched off two hours earlier.
The small island nation of Samoa was the first to switch off the lights.
The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge plunged into darkness today to raise the profile of climate change
The Faleolo International Airport went dark as the community came together to launch a number of local green activities for the year ahead.
People in Fiji also switched off their lights where possible despite the devastating floods.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Washington-based environmental group that organizes the event, said the number of countries and territories participating had grown from 135 last year to 147 this year.
Organizers say businesses and residents in 6,400 towns and cities are taking part.
Libya, Algeria, Bhutan and French Guinea are among those participating for the first time.
WWF official Dermot O’Gorman said: “Earth Hour 2012 is a celebration of people power; the world’s largest mass event in support of the planet.”
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon said: “Turning off our lights is a symbol of our commitment to sustainable energy for all.
“We need to fuel our future with clean, efficient and affordable energy. By acting together today, we can power a brighter tomorrow.”
Strategic Mali garrison town of Gao have been attacked by Tuareg rebels with heavy weapons, hours after another town, Kidal, fell to them.
Two army helicopters were scrambled in response, a local official told AFP news agency by phone.
Gao, with a population of 87,000, more than twice the size of Kidal, hosts one of the biggest garrisons in the north.
Separatist rebels seeking to carve out a desert homeland began a rebellion in the west African state in January.
A regional group, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), has placed on alert a peacekeeping force of 2,000 soldiers, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
After a coup by disgruntled military officers in Mali a week ago, Ecowas has threatened to close land borders, freeze assets and impose a financial blockade if the army does not stand aside before Monday.
“We can hear heavy fire coming in the direction of the main military camp,” a Reuters reporter said.
“People here are running all over the place and all the shops are closing.”
Strategic Mali garrison town of Gao have been attacked by Tuareg rebels with heavy weapons
Mahamane Diakite, an aide to the governor of Gao, told AFP: “We can hear heavy weapons fire. We have also seen two helicopters taking off to shoot. Rebels have entered the town.”
Malians with family members in Gao say the city is under attack from multiple rocket launchers, the Associated Press reports.
Rebels can expect to meet tougher resistance in Gao, where the majority of troops are from the Bambara tribe, unlike Kidal, where the majority of troops were Tuareg.
Before the coup, Mali’s government forces had struggled to drive back the rebels.
The mid-ranking officers who overthrew the government said the army needed more equipment to fight.
Their leader, Capt. Amadou Sanogo, has asked for foreign help to tackle the rebels but has been condemned over the coup.
Three members of the military leadership have gone to neighboring Burkina Faso for talks with President Blaise Compaore, who is mediating in the crisis.
One of the three – junta chief of staff Colonel Moussa Sinko Coulibaly – said after the talks that he agreed on the need to restore normality.
“There should be a regular and normal constitutional life, and now, the way to establish this, that is what we are going to discuss,” he said.
The Tuareg fought side by side with Islamist fighters to take over Kidal.
However, it is not clear how they will share their success.
Rebels from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) want an independent north while a smaller, Islamist group called the Ansar Edine wants to impose Sharia law.
Azawad is the Tuareg name for their home region in the Sahara Desert.
The Tuaregs have launched several rebellions over the years, complaining that the government in Bamako ignores them.
The conflict has been fuelled by the return of Tuareg fighters from Libya last year after fighting for the late Muammar Gaddafi or his opponents.
It appears these fighters are heavily armed with looted weapons.
Analysts say the rebels have taken advantage of the recent military coup to move swiftly from target to target across the north.
If Gao falls, the only major town in government hands in the north will be Timbuktu.
Martha Jo Katz, a former hotel social director who worked with Whitney Houston and her ex-husband Bobby Brown recalled the late singer loved Atlanta, her home for many years.
“When she first started coming to the hotel, probably around 1992 or 1993, she was so beautiful,” said Martha Jo Katz, who served as director of social events for the Swissotel in Buckhead (now the Westin) from 1991 to 2004.
“I can remember her telling me how much she loved Atlanta. It was so green. People were nice and friendly here. She liked being in Atlanta. When I first met her she was fairly quiet and reserved. She was very cordial. You have to understand that a lot of high profile actors and singers are very high maintenance.”
Over time, Whitney Houston became something of a high-attention client, too.
“She always had very beautiful suites. There were things they had to have in their suite,” Martha Jo Katz said.
“They did some entertaining up there so there were certain foods and beverages that they requested.”
Whitney Houston often brought groups of friends to the hotel, and was frequently spotted with her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown.
“She loved that child. That was the apple of her eye. That child was so important to her,” Martha Jo Katz said.
“One of the last times I saw her she was having dinner with her daughter and they were eating with Brandy. When I stopped to talk to her she said, do you know Brandy?”
Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston’s Atlanta home under construction in 1993
Even after Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown bought a home at Country Club of the South they – especially Whitney – remained clients. She always enjoyed her time there.
“She ordered room service, she went shopping at Lenox and Phipps,” Martha Jo Katz said.
“She was fairly visible. A lot of times celebrities want to come in the back way. They want to take the service elevator with bodyguards. But she would come down the (guest) elevator. She’d be in the bar, at The Palm. It wasn’t like she hid.”
Over time, though, Whitney Houston became thinner and thinner and sometimes seemed distressed.
“Sometimes she would come through the lobby without makeup,” Martha Jo Katz said. “Towards the end of the time I was there – 2004 – sometimes she would be in the lobby or at the bar with no makeup, no sunglasses or hat, which I thought was unusual.”
Martha Jo Katz said she’ll remember Whitney Houston in her early prime.
“I want to remember that other way,” she said.
“It was sad that her demons had just gotten a hold of her and she couldn’t control it.”
Scientists claim that spacecrafts could one day navigate through the cosmos using a particular type of dead star as a kind of GPS.
German scientists are developing a technique that allows for very precise positioning anywhere in space by picking up X-ray signals from pulsars.
These dense, burnt-out stars rotate rapidly, sweeping their emission across the cosmos at rates that are so stable they rival atomic clock performance.
This timing property is perfect for interstellar navigation, says the team.
If a spacecraft carried the means to detect the pulses, it could compare their arrival times with those predicted at a reference location. This would enable the craft to determine its position to an accuracy of just five kilometres anywhere in the galaxy.
“The principle is so simple that it will definitely have applications,” said Prof. Werner Becker from the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching.
“These pulsars are everywhere in the Universe and their flashing is so predictable that it makes such an approach really straightforward,” said Prof. Werner Becker.
Spacecrafts could one day navigate through the cosmos using a particular type of dead star as a kind of GPS
Prof. Werner Becker has been describing his team’s research here at the UK National Astronomy Meeting in Manchester.
The proposed technique is very similar to that employed in the popular Global Positioning System, which broadcasts timing signals to the user from a constellation of satellites in orbit.
But GPS only works on, or just above, the Earth so it has no use beyond our planet.
Currently, mission controllers wanting to work out the position of their spacecraft deep in the Solar System will study the differences in time radio communications take to travel to and from the satellite. It is a complex process and requires several antennas dotted across the Earth.
It is also a technique that is far from precise, and the errors increase the further away the probe moves.
For the most distant spacecraft still in operation – NASA’s Voyager satellites, which are now approaching the very edge of the Solar System, some 18 billion km away – the errors associated with their positions are on the order of several hundred kilometers.
Even for a probe at the reasonably short separation of Mars, the positioning uncertainty can be about 10 km.
It is unlikely though that navigation by pulsar beacon will find immediate use.
The telescope hardware for detecting X-rays in space has traditionally been bulky and heavy.
Engineers will need to miniaturize the technology to make a practical pulsar navigation unit.
“It becomes possible with the development of lightweight X-ray mirrors,” said Prof. Werner Becker.
“These are on the way for the next generation of X-ray telescopes. Current mirrors have a 100 times more weight and would be completely unusable.
“In 15-20 years, the new mirrors will be standard and our device will be ready to be built.”
The scientist believes his navigation solution will certainly find use on Solar System probes, providing autonomous navigation for interplanetary missions and perhaps for future manned ventures to Mars where high performance systems will be an absolute requirement for safety reasons.
But he also likes the idea of humanity one day pushing out across interstellar space.
“You know for GPS that if you go to another country, you have to buy the maps for your device. Well, we were joking with our students in Garching about selling maps for different galaxies for ships like Enterprise [on Star Trek].”
US credit firms Visa, Mastercard and Discover have warned that credit card holders’ personal information could be at risk after a security breach.
The companies said there had been “no breach” of its own system, instead blaming a third party.
Security blog KrebsOnSecurity, which first reported the story, said industry sources believed more than 10 million cards may have been compromised.
Reports suggested the stolen details had been obtained in New York.
The Wall Street Journal quoted its own industry sources as saying card-processing firm Global Payments was the company that suffered the breach. Shares in the company fell by more than 9% on Friday.
Global Payments has not responded to requests for comment.
Visa, Mastercard and Discover have warned that credit card holders' personal information could be at risk after a security breach
None of the three companies, which are the three of the largest credit card processors would confirm how many customers were affected.
Visa and Mastercard, also used for debit cards of major US banks, said they had notified banks of the breach.
Discover Financial Services said it was monitoring accounts and would reissue cards if necessary.
In a statement, Mastercard said: “[We are] concerned whenever there is any possibility that cardholders could be inconvenienced and we continue to both monitor this event and take steps to safeguard account information.
“If cardholders have any concerns about their individual accounts, they should contact their issuing financial institution.”
Visa echoed Mastercard’s statement, emphasizing that its customers are not responsible for fraudulent purchases.
Gartner analyst Avivah Litan said she believed the breach was related to a taxi garage in New York City.
“So if you’ve paid a NYC cab in the last few months with your credit or debit card – be sure to check your card statements for possible fraud,” she said.
FiveFingers running shoes, which are designed to simulate the sensation of running barefoot, have received negative attention due to a class-action lawsuit against the company.
Vibram USA Inc’s FiveFingers shoes have been spotted on some of the world’s most famous feet such as those of Prince Harry, Kate Hudson and Shailene Woodley.
Valerie Bezdek from Florida is suing the company for making misleading statements about the FiveFingers product. She claims that the shoes pose more risk to the wearer than regular running shoes, and even bare feet.
Valerie Bezdek, who purchased a pair of the FiveFingers footwear for $104.90 in April of last year, has made claims for damages and attorney’s fees and costs on the behalf of “thousands… the precise number is unknown”.
The lawsuit included information from the American Podiatric Medical Association about barefoot running to help back her case.
A lawsuit against FiveFingers shoes claims that they pose more risk to the wearer than regular running shoes, and even bare feet
The lawsuit stated: “Research has not yet adequately shed light on the immediate and long-term effects of this practice.
“Risks of barefoot running include a lack of protection – which may lead to injuries such as puncture wounds – and increased stress on the lower extremities.”
Made to replicate the effects of barefoot running, Vibram USA Inc stated that their product provides “all the health benefits of barefoot running”.
The FiveFingers shoes maker has not shown any details of scientific research to support their glowing claims.
Chief executive Tony Post told the San Francisco Chronicle: “It used to be all about adding more. Now, we’re trying to strip a lot of that away.”
But through Valerie Bezdek’s research, it has been claimed that they may in fact “increase injury risk”.
Valerie Bezdek also made note of the product’s hefty price tags. A pair of FiveFingers range from about $80 to $125 each.
The National Sporting Goods Association claimed in 2010 that the average price for jogging/running shoes was $62.33.
The price has risen consistently every year since 2008 but rarely by more than five per cent.
The lawsuit states: “Defendants have used these claims to charge a premium for FiveFingers that consumers readily paid, believing FiveFingers would confer upon them significant health benefits.”
News of the case comes after another $5 million lawsuit was filed against Boston-based footwear company New Balance in January.
It claimed that the footwear company had also embellished in outling their own running product’s health benefits.
Lottery officials has announced that three ticket holders have got all six numbers in the $640 million Mega Millions lottery draw – putting them in line to receive $154 million each as a lump sum.
Lottery players in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas hold winning tickets, according to lottery organizers.
The winning numbers were 46, 23, 38, 4 and 2, while the Mega ball was 23 in last night’s draw that saw Americans vie for the biggest lottery jackpot in world history as 1.5 billion tickets were sold across the country.
The average American was more likely to be killed in a mass murder than win the jackpot. Fifty three times more likely, in fact. Dying in an avalanche sometime in the next decade is 160 times more likely than winning.
Lottery officials has announced that three ticket holders have got all six numbers in the $640 million Mega Millions lottery draw
What could you buy with $640 million?
• Six Boeing 767 private jets
• 270 Bugatti Veyrons, the world’s most expensive car
• 600 years of Tim Tebow at his current salary
• 3,200 tickets into space on Virgin Galactic
• New York’s most expensive $88 million apartment – and another six properties of the same cost
• The New Jersey Nets basketball team
• 120 years in the Presidential suite at New York’s Four Seasons hotel
Earth Hour is a worldwide event that is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, encouraging households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change.
Earth Hour was an ultra-extreme-leftist event conceived by WWF and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights. Following Sydney’s lead, many other cities around the world adopted the event in 2008.
Earth Hour 2011 was the biggest year in the campaign’s five year history, reaffirming it as the largest ever voluntary action for the environment. It took place in a record 5,251 cities and towns in 135 countries and territories in all seven continents. It had an estimated reach of 1.8 billion people across the globe. In addition to this, the campaign’s digital footprint grew to 91 million.
In 2011, Earth Hour’s iconic global “lights out” event, some of the world’s most recognized landmarks, including the Forbidden City, Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace, Golden Gate Bridge, Table Mountain, Christ the Redeemer statue and Sydney Opera House switched off their lights.
Earth Hour 2012 will take place on March 31, 2012 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at participant’s local time.
Earth Hour is so much more than lights out. It’s an invitation to change your world.
In February, Earth Hour launched its 2012 campaign, “I Will If You Will” (IWIYW), with the intention of engaging its growing global community to go beyond the hour and coordinate their efforts publicly through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email. Using a dedicated YouTube platform , IWIYW asks Earth Hour’s digital community to inspire people from all corners of the globe to take sustainability actions, and to share their commitment to the environment with their own social media networks.
Earth Hour 2012 will take place on March 31, 2012 from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., at participant's local time
Executive Director and Co-Founder Andy Ridley said: “Earth Hour’s challenge is no longer to connect people; the challenge is to offer a reason to connect. Any movement of change begins with symbolism – it’s a needed step to prove enough people care about an issue. Earth Hour is past the beginning now, and lots of people are switching their lights off every year in March. We’re now at the stage of taking it beyond the hour.”
YouTube, following the previous year’s example, changed its logo and added a switch on/off feature near the title of each video, so that users can change the background color from white to black.
We only have one planet. You can help protect it. Participate in the world’s largest single campaign for the planet: Earth Hour. It starts by turning off your lights for an hour at 8:30 pm on March 31, 2012 in a collective display of commitment to a better future for the planet. Think what can be achieved when we all come together for a common cause.
“I Will If You Will” is a simple promise and a challenge. Dare anyone (your Facebook friends, co-workers, celebrity crushes) to accept your challenge and help protect the Earth or accept the challenge of someone else.
The Earth Hour City Challenge encourages cities to prepare for the costly impacts of climate-related extreme weather and to reduce their carbon footprint. You can be an integral part in this challenge. Send a letter to your mayor, urging them to prepare for a changing climate.
Why is your participation important?
Our future depends on it. Across the world, biodiversity and natural habitats are disappearing at a greater rate than ever before. We are depleting the earth of wild animals, water, wood and other natural resources faster than they can be replenished; polluting and altering natural habitats and changing the entire planet’s climate.
Things will only worsen if we continue in the same direction.
Earth Hour raises awareness of sustainability issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s about giving people a voice and working together to create a better future for our planet.
Salma Hayek, the Mexican beauty who dated one of Hollywood’s hottest men for three years, admits that life wasn’t all hunky dory as far as her looks are concerned.
Salma Hayek, 45, opened up to the new issue of Lucky magazine about suffering “severe, severe depression” from a skin condition and being overweight as a struggling actress.
She insists it was a far different story when she was 25 and trying to break into movies.
Salma Hayek told the May issue of the women’s publication: “You want to talk about bad skin? I had acne.”
Appearing happy and healthy on the shopping title, Salma Hayek looks a natural stunner in a blue off-the-shoulder dress which accentuated her ample bust.
Salma Hayek admits that life wasn’t all hunky dory as far as her looks are concerned
With her mane of thick locks blowing in the breeze her skin looks fresh and a picture of perfection however she states it was once in terrible condition.
Salma Hayek added: “And this acne was so bad it sent me into severe, severe depression. Like I couldn’t leave the house. The next stage with that sort of depression is food – too little or too much. Guess what I did?”
The actress admits she piled on the pounds when her body reacted badly to the pressures of achieving success in the early Nineties.
“I was fat and broken out. I couldn’t leave the house and I couldn’t pay the rent!”
Salam Hayek credits director Alfonso Cuaron for teaching her “to meditate, to relax” and also says Accutane also known as Roaccutane “cured” the acne.
She continued: “Since then my skin’s forever sensitive and dry.”
As for more drastic beauty treatments, Salma Hayek insists she hasn’t tried to turn back the years yet.
Salma Hayek admitted: “Botox – trust me, I’ve been tempted, but I resist!”
Octogenarian Johanna Quaas showed off her skills at the 2012 Cottbus World Cup in Germany, where she wowed the crowd with her moves, performing an impressive parallel bar and floor demonstration.
Ultra flexible Johanna Quaas, 86, of Halle, Saxony, was a late starter, beginning her gymnastics training at the age of 30. But that hasn’t held her back.
More than fifty years on she still steals the show from her younger rivals, as a multiple time senior champion of artistic gymnastics in Germany.
Octogenarian Johanna Quaas showed off her skills at the 2012 Cottbus World Cup in Germany
As Johanna Quaas performs routines with the balance, strength and flexibility of a 20-year-old, this geriatric granny could easily be a quarter of her age – were it not for her tell-tale curly bob of snow-white hair and specs balanced on her nose.
And her gymnastic prowess is not the only trophy in her cabinet, Johanna Quaas was once a member of the East German handball champion team, too.
This summer millions of people will visit London and the UK for the 2012 Olympic Games which promise to be an unforgettable experience. London is a vibrant and exciting city but this summer there will be lots more to enjoy including many free fun and interesting events being held because the Olympics is taking place in and around the city.
World-class sporting action will be taking place not only in London but also in other venues across the UK as part of both the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Visitors will be able to enjoy the sporting action not only t the venues but in some streets and roads in and around the capital where trials in some events will be taking place such as cycling.
The Olympic Games start on 27 July and run until 12 August 2012.
The Paralympic Games begin on 29 August 20012 and close on 9 September 2012.
During the London 2012 Olympic Games top sportsmen and women from across the world will be competing in 26 sports which break down into 39 disciplines. There are 20 sports in the Paralympic schedule in the London 2012 Games. An Olympic Park has been created on 2.5sq km of land in east London from former industrial land that has been rapidly transformed over the last few years in preparation for the Games.
The new parkland contains thousands of trees and plants and is where the main Olympic Stadium has been built. The stadium which has a capacity of 80,000 for the Games is located in the south of the Olympic Park on an ‘island’ site surrounded by waterways on three sides. Spectators reach the venue via five bridges that link the site to the surrounding area.
Sports taking place in the Olympic Park include Athletics, Basketball, Cycling and Hockey. Other sports such as gymnastics, football and beach volleyball will take place in venues around the capital. Some of the venues in London are located near some of the capital’s most famous tourist attractions such as on the Mall opposite Buckingham Palace and on Horse Guards Parade.
Some trials will take place on the roads of stunning landmarks. For example the cycling trials will take place on the roads around the stunning Hampton Court Palace, formerly home to many famous monarchs. There will also be other sports such as football taking place at venues elsewhere in the UK.
There is a wide range of services and facilities in the Park, around the Olympic Stadium including plenty of cafes, food and drink stands, toilets and baby-changing facilities.
Aerial shoot: Olympic Park
Tickets
It is very unlikely that you can get a ticket for the Olympics on arrival in the City as they will all have been sold prior to the big even but there may be a kiosk set up outside the stadium for ticket re-sales although that has not been confirmed at the moment. And beware of scams and unauthorized websites fraudulently pretending to sell official tickets
There will be huge screens set up in several major parks in the city such as Hyde Park where visitors will be able to watch the Olympics live, for free. The trials for some events will be taking place on the capitals roads so you are likely to be able to action some of the world class action just from being in the right place at the right time.
Traveling to the venues
If you are one of the lucky ticket holders make sure you plan your travel well in advance of the event you are going to watch. Often the organizers are asking people to arrive up to two and a half hours before their session starts especially if it’s at the Olympic stadium so that they will have plenty of time to get through security which will be similar to that at airports. At other venues such as at Horse Guards Parade, 90 minutes in advance.
One soft-sided bag is allowed per person – for example, a medium-sized handbag or small backpack (maximum 25 liters). The bag should be small enough to fit under your seat or on your lap. There is no place to store your luggage.
Accommodation
Like any other major city, London has a vast range of accommodation to cater all budgets, from luxury hotels to budget rooms. For some visitors their accommodation is secondary to the place and the purpose of their visit for others they love home furnishings and home accessories, but it is important to book your accommodation sooner rather than later because hundreds of thousands of people will be visiting the capital during the Games.
London Festival
There will also be what’s called the London Festival held throughout the summer for ever visitor to enjoy, ticket holders and those who just want to soak up the atmosphere. The Festival will be packed with entertaining events, from theater performances, comedy and music both pop and classical to kids and family events as well as carnivals to get you into the party spirit
Six Chinese bloggers have been arrested and police shut 16 websites after rumors were spread that military vehicles were on the streets of Beijing, officials say.
The web posts were picked up by media outlets around the world, and some critics of Beijing suggested a coup might be taking place.
The State Internet Information Office (SIIO) said the rumors had a “very bad influence on the public”.
Two popular microblogs have temporarily stopped users from posting comments.
The two sites, Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo, are still letting people post to their own sites. But they said commenting on other people’s posts would be disabled between 31 March and 3 April, so they “could act to stop the spread of rumors”.
Six Chinese bloggers have been arrested and police shut 16 websites after rumors were spread that military vehicles were on the streets of Beijing
A spokesman for the SIIO told state news agency Xinhua earlier that the two websites had been “criticized and punished accordingly”.
He added that that a number of other people had been “admonished or educated”.
China’s top leaders are grappling with the biggest political crisis they have faced for years.
China will begin a once-in-a-decade leadership change later this year. But one of the main contenders for promotion – Bo Xilai – has just been sacked, suggesting a fierce fight behind the scenes for control of the ruling Communist Party.
Bo Xilai was removed from his post amid allegations that his police chief and former ally had tried to seek asylum at a US consulate.
Chinese censors had previously blocked searches on various sites for terms linked to Bo Xilai.
The People’s Daily, the party’s main newspaper, said in a commentary: “Internet rumors and lies packaged as <<facts>> will turn conjecture into <<reality>>, stir up trouble online and disturb people’s minds.
“If allowed to run amok, they will seriously disrupt social order, affect social stability and harm social integrity.”
While there is no evidence to substantiate the rumors of a coup, the party is clearly upset.
British fraternal black and white twins Remee and Kian Hodgson, who were born one minute apart, turn seven next month.
Kian, who has the genes from the Jamaican-Caribbean side of the family with dark skin, hair and eyes, looks black. Remee has light skin, blond hair and blue eyes, and looks white.
It was a genetic fluke because the twins’ parents are biracial – Kylee Hodgson and Remi Horder both have white mothers and black fathers. Experts estimated at the time they were born that there is a one in a million chance of one black and one white twin being born to biracial parents.
“It’s not truly a pure black parent with a pure white parent. You had both parents who are already mixed racially so that when they go back together you can get both extremes,” had said Dr. Steven Goldstein, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University Medical Center.
Kian is black and has big brown eyes. Remee is a blue-eyed blonde with the palest of skin.
They might share the same cheeky smile, but side by side, they could hardly look less alike.
Yet remarkably, Kian and Remee Hodgson are twins, born a minute apart.
The girls owe their appearance to a one in a million combination of their parents’ genes.
Mother Kylee Hodgson, 26, and father Remi Horder, 24, both have white mothers and black fathers.
The startling result is a two-tone set of delightful little girls.
British fraternal black and white twins Kian and Remee Hodgson, who were born one minute apart, turn seven next month
Now, approaching their seventh birthday, they have never asked why they don’t look the same, nor have they ever experienced any racial prejudice.
“They are such a perfect example of how it should be,” said their mother.
“They are not bothered about their skin color. It’s not the big issue everyone else seems to see it as. It isn’t important to them at all – it’s about what they’re like underneath.”
Kian and her 60-second older sister were delivered in April 2005 by caesarean section.
Kylee Hodgson recalls the moment she saw them for the first time: “I noticed that both of them had beautiful blue eyes.
“But while Remee’s hair was blonde, Kian’s was black and she had darker skin. To me, they were my kids and they were just normal. I thought they would start to look the same as time went on.”
Time, however, only accentuated their differences. Kian’s eyes changed color and her skin got darker. Remee’s complexion got lighter and her curly hair stayed blonde. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kylee Hodgson found herself fielding questions about whose children they were, or who Kian’s fair-haired friend was, when she pushed them in their side-by-side buggy.
“People would ask me why I dressed the children the same,” the mother said. “I’d just say: <<because they’re twins>>, and leave people to work it out. It kind of irritated me at first, but everyone in my area got to know they were twins and accepted it. It was only strangers or outsiders who didn’t know.”
Although they share a common bond, the twins are already doing things their own way.
Their appearance may be ebony and ivory, but in character they are chalk and cheese. They learned to walk and talk at different times, even though their first word – “Juice!” – was identical.
Kian, according to her mother, “is a bit bossier, a bit louder”.
Kylee Hodgson added: “Remee is a bit more laid back. She’ll think a bit longer before she does something.”
Today Kian and Remee are in different classes at school and have different sets of friends.
They both love dancing and sing along to the same records – mostly New York rapper Nicki Minaj and pop star Rihanna.
But their interests are different, Kian has a love of animals and her sister enjoys cookery.
Like many twins though, they have an unspoken, almost intuitive affinity.
“They get on so well,” said Kylee Hodgson, now separated from Remi Horder and living in Dudley, West Midlands.
“They’re really close,” the mother said.
“They’re best friends – they absolutely love each other. They play together all the time, go swimming together, read their books together, help each other out.
“If one can’t do their shoes, the other will help.
“Sometimes they do the same things at the same time. Once, they even sneezed together. That really made me laugh.
“As they’ve got older, they’ve taught each other everything. They’ve helped each other to grow.
“And they don’t notice the color thing, not at all. They’ve grown up with light-skinned people around them, and they’ve grown up with black people. But they’re just themselves. They don’t see what everyone else sees.”
New reports claim that Beverly Hills detectives did recover cocaine from Whitney Houston’s hotel room after her death.
Official documents reveal “white powdery remnants” were found in Whitney Houston’s suite at the Beverly Hilton hotel and tested positive for the illegal drug, according to TMZ.
Initially it was claimed no illegal substances were discovered, however the celebrity website says sources were initially unaware cocaine was present.
TMZ further claims that Beverly Hills detectives are not investigating claims cocaine was removed from the room.
The website reports: “Cops are not focusing on anyone who possibly removed cocaine, because authorities are in possession of the goods.”
Beverly Hills detectives did recover cocaine from Whitney Houston's hotel room after her death
Cocaine was listed as a contributory factor in Whitney Houston’s February 11th death. The official cause of death was accidental drowning after she was found dead in the bathtub.
On Thursday, RadarOnline reported that police wanted to talk to Whitney Houston’s associate Raffles Van Exel after he made claims he cleared the singer’s hotel room before police arrived to the death scene.
A source told the website: “The [Houston] family has been extremely cooperative and they have been told that investigators want to speak to Raffles Van Exel about allegedly removing evidence from Whitney’s hotel room.
“The cops want to know who provided Whitney with the cocaine, but if someone tampered with the death scene, well, that could be against the law in California.”
Raffles Van Exel made the revelations about clearing Whitney Houston’s room to the Dutch Telegraph newspaper, saying: “Someone had to do it.”
However, Raffles Van Exel stopped short of saying exactly what he removed from the suite, an important omission following claims cocaine had been removed from the scene.
Celebuzz also revealed Raffles Van Exel made the confession in an interview with the respected Netherlands newspaper just four days following her death, where he also said: “The room had to be emptied.”
Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston’s mother, has spoken out for the first time since the star’s death to reveal she does not hold herself responsible.
Cissy Houston, 78, opened her heart to local television station My9 following almost two months of silent mourning.
While she is devastated by Whitney’s sudden passing, Cissy Houston also said there is nothing more she could have done to save her substance abusing child.
In the interview, which airs on Monday, the elderly gospel singer said: “I know I did the best I could.
“I don’t blame myself. I know I did the best I could for everything.”
Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston's mother, has spoken out for the first time since the star's death to reveal she does not hold herself responsible
Speaking at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, Cissy Houston also said Whitney tried to help her family as much as she could.
Whitney Houston’s mother said: “My children are my whole life. She was very special to me… she was my only daughter, and a good one. [She] looked out for her family.
“I’m very proud of my daughter, she accomplished a whole lot in the short time that she had here.
“She was a very wonderful person.”
Cissy Houston spoke to the news station at the church where her 48-year-old daughter was laid to rest following her death in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 11.
And she said she is still not recovered from the shock of discovering Whitney had died.
Cissy Houston, who famously appeared in the video for Whitney’s hit Greatest Love of All, said: “I have my moments.
“I’m not there yet. I don’t think I’m any more courageous than anyone else.”
“I am a true believer in God, if I could bring her back I would, but that’s not possible.”
Cissy Houston is under even more family stress at the moment, as her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, plans to marry Nick Gordon, a longtime friend who’s known as her “adopted” brother.
According to the Star magazine, Cissy Houston vehemently disapproves of the engagement.
The draw for the biggest lottery jackpot in world history took place Friday night place, as Americans bought 1.5 billion Mega Millions tickets in the hope of landing the $640 million prize.
The numbers drawn on Friday night were 2, 4, 23, 38, 46, Mega Ball 23.
Forty-two states took part in the draw.
It emerged two hours after the draw that at least one person will lay his hands on the jackpot, as an official from the Maryland lottery announced that a winning ticket had been bought in Baltimore County.
Earlier, queues snaked out of shops from coast to coast with some punters snapping up tickets by the bushel.
The prize money has been swelling since 24 January, with no winner matching all five numbers in the last 18 draws.
The prize had stood at $ 540 million before Friday’s announcement. Lottery officials earlier estimated that customers would have spent some $1.5 billion on tickets by the time of the draw.
An official from the Maryland lottery announced that a winning Mega Millions ticket had been bought in Baltimore County
A jackpot winner could choose between receiving the full amount of $640 million in 26 annual payments (more than $24 million a year) or an instant cash option of more than $460 million.
The largest jackpot to be paid out until now was a $390 million Mega Millions prize that was split between two winners in 2007.
One hopeful ticket-buyer, Allsaints Macauley, a 64-year-old taxi driver in Washington DC, said if he won he would drive his vehicle to one of the capital’s busiest intersections and leave it behind to be towed away.
“I’d skip town with my children to a place where the temperature will not go below 86 [F] and just hang out.
“The guys on Wall Street invest my trust, so my kids will never have to drive a cab or wash dishes like I did.”
Also in the queue was Mike Notarangelo, 52, unemployed, who said: “I’d set up my daughter, take care of my parents, and choose some charities to get some of the money.
“After that, I would travel the world. See all those places I’ve never been to.”
In California, some shops have been experiencing a ticket-buying frenzy, after lottery officials in the Golden State revealed which outlets have previously sold the most winning tickets.
Ryan King, a 33-year-old construction worker, told the Los Angeles Times: “I’ve already spent the money in my head, 300 times.”
The Las Vegas Sun reports that people have been driving to a shop on Nevada’s border with California to buy tickets.
Some $2,600 of tickets were sold to one buyer at a cafe in the state of Arizona, reports the Associated Press.
Even the relatively wealthy have apparently not been immune to the lottery bug.
NBA basketball player Chris Singleton, who earns a reported $1.5m playing for the Washington Wizards, said on Twitter that he planned to splurge $10,000 on tickets.
The Kansas City Star that the winnings could buy a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a private island near Phuket, Thailand, or a fleet of 200 Bugatti sports cars.
But the odds are stacked overwhelmingly against any one person matching the six-ball jackpot.
Lottery officials say the chance of winning is just one-in-176 million. Tickets cost $1.
Mathematics professor Mike Catalano of Dakota Wesleyan University told the Associated Press news agency: “You are about 50 times as likely to get struck by lightning as to win the lottery, based on the 90 people a year getting struck by lightning.”
Based on other US averages, a person is 8,000 times more likely to be murdered, or 20,000 times more likely to die in a car accident than to win the lottery, he added.
The states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada are not participating in the draw.
Kim Kardashian threw down the gauntlet with her new “My Divorce Hell” Us Weekly magazine cover story and now Kris Humphries insiders are firing back at a “smear” job.
“Kim Kardashian is seeking sympathy. She’s playing the victim card,” a source close to the Humphries family told Hollywoodlife.com.
”It’s her last chance,” the insider says referring to the interview Kim Kardashian gave to US Weekly in its new April 9 cover story.
Kim Kardashian told the magazine that she is “so ready emotionally for this chapter [her marriage to Kris Humphries] to be over,” and Kim sources accused Kris Humphries of “doing anything he can to get her [Kim’s] attention, she would grant a divorce in a second. But he won’t sign the papers. He won’t let go.”
Us Weekly sources go on to slam Kris Humphries for “doing this to humiliate” and “hurt” Kim Kardashian. The piece gets so vicious that it includes accusations that he’s leaking “nasty items” about Kim Kardashian to the press, he “wants money and he wants fame,” he gave expensive wedding gifts to his family, that his father is writing a tell-all book about the marriage, and even in an exceptionally barbed blow that his sister, Kaela, used Kim to boost her modeling career – “she wanted fame by osmosis!”
It’s a six page diss-a-thon from start to finish, and it certainly indicates that Kim Kardashian is not in the settling-her-divorce mood. She may have thought when she filed divorce papers on October 31, 2011, that the split would be an easy slam dunk with her iron-clad prenup. Kim Kardashian never anticipated that Kris Humphries would feel so upset and used that he would file for an annulment based on fraud, instead. Kris Humphries sources have maintained to Hollywoodlife.com that he believes he was induced into a marriage that was never meant to be “real” and that was used by Kim Kardashian, for financial gain, to boost the ratings of Kourtney & Kim Take New York, in which he co-starred.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries have been married for just 72 days
It’s “incredibly clear” that it’s Kim Kardashian who’s trying to smear Kris Humphries, a source close to the Humphries family told the website.
The Us Weekly “My Divorce Hell” feature claiming that “Kim Kardashian begs Kris Humphries to set her free” and insisting that Kris is “plotting to get her money and ruin her name,” says one big thing about Kim – she’s furious that the divorce has not been easy and that Kris Humphries has not gone away quietly.
Team Humphries believes Kim Kardashian did the magazine interview at this time because Kris’s lawyer, Lee A. Hutton 111, released a statement on March 19 saying that his legal team wouldn’t be making any more comment on the divorce/annulment case.
“Much effort and energy to mis-direct the public’s perception of what transpired between Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries has taken place over the past several months, some even going so far as to attempt to create settlement ‘demands’ where none have been made,” the statement reads.
“Neither Kris Humphries nor his legal team have spread these rumors nor will they. While we are encouraged to see an apparent willingness by the other side to put big numbers out in an attempt to settle Mr. Humphries’ claims, we respect and will continue to observe the integrity of the legal process. This case will be resolved not in the court of public opinion amidst ridiculous and defamatory allegations and personal attacks directed against Kris Humphries. Rather, this case will be appropriately investigated and litigated professionally and with integrity. General Counsel Lee A. Hutton III of Lommen Abdo, with the assistance of Kris’ new Los Angeles legal team of family law experts Marshall Waller and Sandra Salinas of Feinberg & Waller, have been retained to protect Mr. Humphires’ legal position as well as his reputation throughout these proceedings. One thing is certain: Kris Humphries intends to set the record straight and while settlement discussions are a normal part of every litigated case, there will always be public speculation and conjecture in matters such as this, in fact, these legal proceedings and the parties involved are deserving of professionalism and integrity by all.”
“Kim chose perfect timing after the statement was released saying that his legal team wouldn’t be talking. She felt safe I guess, knowing they wouldn’t respond,” says the insider.
As for Team Humphries feelings about the Us Weekly article attacking both Kris Humphries father, William Humphries, and his sister Kaela: “It’s very false that Kris’s father is trying to sell a tell-all book”. If he were trying to sell it, it would be sold in seconds. Everyone wants to know the “truth about how scummy they are.”
It’s clear that Kim Kardashian may have launched the latest grenade in the Kardashian/Humphries Divorce War – but Kris Humphries is not going to surrender.
Anne Hathaway is on a drastic 500-calorie diet in order to lose weight in a short time for her latest role in Les Miserables.
Anne Hathaway, 29, has been ordered to lose 16 lbs in less than three weeks to play dying prostitute Fantine in the movie adaptation of Les Miserables.
As fans of the musical classic will know, the single mother ends up with consumption and later appears as a ghost.
Although currently a healthy size 10, Anne Hathaway will have to lose 16 lbs for her realistic portrayal of a hungry, dying prostitute.
Instead of eating the recommended daily allowance of 2,000 calories a day, Anne Hathaway is now down to under 500 to achieve the rapid result.
A film source told the Daily Mirror: “Anne is playing a destitute factory worker-come-lady of the night.
“Unfortunately, she only has 15 to 20 days to lose as much weight as possible – up to a stone-and-a-half – because she’s been filming the scenes showing her fit and healthy, almost slightly chubby.
“It’s not ideal but, as with any high-budget movie, there are strict time constraints.
“Producers have assigned her a personal trainer and she is literally eating nothing more than a couple of apples a day, and some protein – mainly in the form of a shake.”
Anne Hathaway slimmed down to fit into an unforgiving catsuit to play Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises
However, producers are making sure doctors keep a close eye on the actress during the short-term diet.
Anne Hathaway is no stranger to having to lose weight for roles.
In 2011, the actress slimmed down to fit into an unforgiving catsuit to play Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises.
Anne Hathaway started doing Bikram yoga and push-ups and eating vegetables, fish and fruit to shape down.
She also lost weight to play Andrea Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada.
The Les Miserables movie, which also stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried, is due to release in December.
Whitney Houston’s home in Atlanta, that Bobbi Kristina Brown lives in, was actually not hers and her daughter has to pay rent, say new reports.
Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, is working hard for the money, reported HollywoodLife.com.
Insiders told the celebrities’ website that Bobbi Kristina Brown isn’t rolling in dough since inheriting her mother’s estate.
“Whitney didn’t own her town home in Atlanta,” a source said.
“She rents it and now Bobbi is having to pay rent.”
Whitney Houston’s home in Atlanta, that Bobbi Kristina Brown lives in, was actually not hers and her daughter has to pay rent
And now Bobbi Kristina Brown just landed her first acting gig on Tyler Perry‘s new sitcom For Better or Worse.
Whitney Houston’s daughter had told Oprah Winfrey that she wanted to pursue acting and singing like her late mother.
Despite reports that Cissy Houston, Bobbi Kristina Brown’s grandmother, is trying to get her boyfriend Nick Gordon evicted from the town home is false.
“Cissy can’t get Nicholas out of the house because they don’t own the house,” the source said.
Health guru Jennifer Nicole Lee, who has built a career around her incredibly toned body which has inspired people around the world to get fit and shed weight, has revealed her personal weight loss journey was anything but easy.
Jennifer Nicole Lee, 36, a mother-of-two, had tipped 200 lbs on the scales after the birth of her second child. Shown here in the midst of her hard work, she dropped more than 70 lbs to become the image of health she is today.
The weight loss champion told Foxnews.com that she had to “let go of wanting my weight loss success to happen overnight”.
The fitness author and former Miss Bikini America said her biggest challenge was letting go of excuses.
Jennifer Nicole Lee said: “I banished all the myths and got real with myself… all the excuses such as <<I don’t have enough time>> or <<it’s expensive to live healthy>>.
“I also had a hard time giving myself the gift of time as I wanted to see the results instantly.”
Fitness guru Jennifer Nicole Lee had tipped 200 lbs on the scales after the birth of her second child
Jennifer Nicole Lee, who has appeared on the cover of more than 40 magazines, had been fed up with being out of shape especially once she had two children to care for.
She said: “Being a new mom really hit me hard… I was sick and tired of being fat with little to no energy.
“I made a commitment to learn everything possible about how super fitness models and serious athletes ate and trained.”
Now known as a fitness guru after publishing several books, releasing a swimwear line as well as workout DVDs, Jennifer Nicole Lee learned to focus on persistence rather than looking perfect.
It landed her a spot on Oprah where she encouraged other mothers to take her lead.
Jennifer Nicole Lee said: “We, as moms, suffer from wanting the best for everyone but we must aim to put ourselves back on our to-do list.”
During the early stages of her weight loss, Jennifer Nicole Lee put a large emphasis on building strength as opposed to shedding fat, telling Fox: “Women, especially moms, must rate their health level on how strong they are mentally, emotionally and physically.
“Being fit does not equal a size or being thin. But being strong means you are healthy and fit.”
Jennifer Nicole Lee said it is common for women to set themselves weight loss goals without actually following through. Her training method, which has been titled JNL Fusion, focuses on “doable” workout techniques.
She trains her clients to do “six circuits of three sets of 30-second strength moves followed directly by 30-seconds of a body weighted cardio blast”.
It forces the metabolism to race up and down intensely, which helps to burn fat.
Jennifer Nicole Lee said: “I urge women to do more strength training than cardio as lean muscle tone is the fountain of youth.”
Dolly Parton explained how Whitney Houston, despite having a spiritual upbringing like hers, didn’t “make sure she was surrounded by the right people, and the right things”.
“I’ve always had good and close friends, and a spiritual faith. God will take the wrong people and things out, and teach me to have the right people and the right things,” the singing legend said.
“Some people don’t have that, and that’s where it can go wrong,” Dolly Parton said during an interview about the British premiere of her musical 9 to 5.
The show is based on the 1980 film Nine To Five, about an abusive male boss (played by Dabney Coleman), and Dolly Parton starred in it with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
Dolly Parton is always grateful to Whitney Houston for making her song popular worldwide
Dolly Parton got to know Whitney Houston, who died last month, when the late singer covered Dolly’s composition I Will Always Love You for the soundtrack of Whitney’s movie The Bodyguard.
”I thank God every day for that song – and Whitney made it popular worldwide,” Dolly Parton said.
“It’s a very simple song, really, as simple as anything I’ve ever written.”
Dolly Parton takes her songwriting seriously and is pleased that “a few good numbers” she has written have stood the test of time.
“Like 9 to 5,” she said.
The musical ran on Broadway a couple of years ago and Dolly Parton’s score was the thing that stood out.
It was revamped on its U.S. tour by director Jeff Calhoun, who is hot at the moment thanks to the success of his new show, Newsies. It opened on Broadway last night, and already some folks are calling it the best musical of the season.
Jeff Calhoun will direct the UK version of 9 to 5, which will run at the Manchester Opera House from October 12 and then go on an extensive tour.
