Dancing with the Stars Season 10, Round 4 Review of Pamela Anderson

The last round of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) resulted in the elimination of... someone. I really cannot remember who since the celebrity roster for Season 10 is quite the barrel scraper. I never understood how a

 reality television star could be considered a celebrity considering that the most I have seen them do well on camera (mainly females) is whine or take their shirts off (males... and the occasional female with a censored bar taped to her chest). So it is back to focusing on Pamela Anderson since she is the one celebrity I know by name and cup size.

After the attempt to have a more standardized score based on performance and technique last week, that scoring system was immediately pitched into a bin for the more audience friendly movie night theme where couples danced routines based off popular movie songs. Dancers are mainly responsible for the outcome of the routine, but sometimes the music itself can contribute to how well the routine fares. Some dances worked like tangoing to "Oh, Pretty Woman" (Pretty Woman) or turning "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Armageddon) into a rumba while the foxtrot to "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (The Breakfast Club) fared poorly. Backstage drama was mainly from Kate Gosselin and her constant whining. Her lackluster rumba is a clear indication she is no longer into this and is time to go regardless of drama ratings. DWTS is about DANCING with the stars not drama with them

Dining With the Stars: America's Top 10 Celebrity-Owned Restaurants

 Travelers star-ving for mouth-watering main dishes served with a side of fame can enjoy these prime celeb-endorsed eateries owned by legendary actors, athletes and musicians

Cafe Zoetrope, San Francisco, California (Francis Ford Coppola). Photo Credit: TripAdviser.com

April 20, 2010, (Sawf News) - Travelers star-ving for mouth-watering main dishes served with a side of fame can enjoy these prime celeb-endorsed eateries owned by legendary actors, athletes and musicians
The list has been compiled by TripAdvisor editors based on approval ratings by their travelers.
"These restaurants highlight another way stars have won over their fans - through their stomachs," said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor.
"Though we've seen a number of celebrity restaurant busts in the past decade, these famous restaurateurs have thrived by showing a strong commitment to star-quality food and service."
1. Nobu, New York City, New York (Robert DeNiro)
Taste of Tokyo in Tribeca, Recommended for doing Business, Special Occasions
Screen legend Robert DeNiro partnered with Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa in August 1993 to open a modern Japanese restaurant in Tribeca. While there are currently 21 Nobu restaurants around the globe, the flagship New York City location remains the top-ranked among them for its dazzling array of sushi and sashimi, combined with innovative entrees like the black cod with miso.
2. One sixtyblue, Chicago, Illinois (Michael Jordan)
All-Star American in the Windy City, Recommended for Bar Scene, Doing Business, Special Occasions
Although basketball icon Michael Jordan owns several restaurants and steakhouses in the greater New York area, his Chicago spot is a slam dunk with travelers for its sophisticated cuisine. Located in the West Loop neighborhood, unique entrees include chorizo stuffed squid, bacon-wrapped rabbit saddle and English pea ravioli, plus a highly rated bar menu for those watching their wallets.
3. P.J. Clarke's, New York City, New York (Timothy Hutton)
Perfect Pub Faire in the Big Apple, Recommended for Atmosphere, Dining on a Budget
With roots dating back to 1884, Manhattan tavern P.J. Clarke's welcomed actor Timothy Hutton as a partner in 2002. Frequented by famous faces throughout the years, including Frank Sinatra and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, P.J. Clarke's is recommended by travelers for its bustling atmosphere and outstanding burgers.
4. Ana Mandara, San Francisco, California (Don Johnson and Cheech Marin)
Visions of Vietnam in the Bay Area, Recommended for Large Groups, Outdoor Seating
Though Hollywood stars Don Johnson and Cheech Marin opened Ana Mandara while filming the television program Nash Bridges, the dynamic duo remains connected through their joint investment in this successful Bay Area eatery.
Located on Fisherman's Wharf, Ana Mandara distinguishes itself with cuisine inspired by Chef Khai Doung's native village of Nha Trang, including Vietnamese braised korobuta pork belly and Mekong Delta prawns.

Alice Cooper's Town Sports Bar & Grill, Phoenix, Arizona (Alice Cooper). Photo Credit: TripAdvisor.com

5. Beso, Los Angeles, California
Lively Latin in LA, Recommended for Atmosphere (Eva Longoria)
When developing the concept for Beso with celebrity chef Todd English, TV star Eva Longoria proved that she can hold her own in the kitchen by adding a few recipes to the menu. Foodies can pit her avocado guacamole against English's artichoke version, while enjoying Latin-inspired steak and seafood entrees in a chic environment.
Eva and hoopster husband Tony Parker frequently visit the restaurant with their famous friends.
6. Gladys Knight and Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles, Atlanta, Georgia (Gladys Knight)
A-List Soul Food in the ATL, Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Local Cuisine
Inspired by the legendary Wells Supper Club in Harlem, the Empress of Soul Gladys Knight, along with her son Shanga Hankerson and friend Ron Winans, opened their first chicken and waffle joint in Atlanta in 1997. Now with four locations, the chain serves up soul food classics like shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes, in addition to their namesake fried chicken and waffles.
7. Zoom, Park City, Utah (Robert Redford)
Comfort Classics in Sundance, Recommended for: Romance, Doing Business, Outdoor Seating
Featuring casually elegant American cuisine, acting and environmental legend Robert Redford's Zoom whips up delicious food while playing tribute to Park City's history.
Housed in the former Union Pacific railroad depot, travelers are smitten with the restaurant's vintage charm and unique dishes like the warm jalapeño crab dip, buffalo osso buco and pecan-cornmeal crusted trout filet.
8. Alice Cooper's Town Sports Bar & Grill, Phoenix, Arizona (Alice Cooper)
Playful Bar Bites in Phoenix, Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Bar Scene, Dining on a Budget
Famously theatrical rocker Alice Cooper translated his over-the-top personality into a Phoenix sports bar and grill.
Dubbed, "Where Jocks and Rock Meet," Cooper's place shows off servers with "Alice Eyes" face paint and entrees named after famous athletes and celebrities, such as Tedy Bruschi, Kid Rock and even Vanna White.
9. Cafe Zoetrope, San Francisco, California (Francis Ford Coppola)
Classic Italian in North Beach, Recommended for Service, Atmosphere, Outdoor Seating
Located in the historic Sentinel Building in North Beach, famous director and vintner Francis Ford Coppola's Cafe Zoetrope dishes out Italian cuisine in a cozy space adorned with personally collected movie memorabilia.
In addition to recommending the outdoor seating, travelers report immediate 'amore,' upon digging into the meatball pizza and house specialty Caesar salad.
10. Southern Hospitality BBQ, New York City, New York (Justin Timberlake)
Down-Home Cookin' in Manhattan, Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Food, Service
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, pop star Justin Timberlake's latest restaurant venture, Southern Hospitality, brings his down-home roots and passion for barbeque to New York City.
It's no secret that Justin's celebrity status attracts travelers to the restaurant, but tasty nibbles like fried pickles, dry rub ribs and pulled pork keep them coming back for more.

Michelle Bombshell McGee and Jamie Jungers to host Celebrity Cheaters reality show?

Jamie Jungers

Michelle Bombshell McGee and Jamie Jungers to host Celebrity Cheaters reality show?

They haven’t signed a contract but according to reports by numerous sources, Michelle Bombshell McGee and Jamie Jungers have reportedly made a verbal agreement with Bobby Goldstein, the creator of the new show Celebrity Cheaters. Will they host the program or is this another rumor?


Bobby Goldstein is the creator of the hit show ‘Cheaters’ and wants to create a similar based program only one based upon celebrities. The show would essentially have private investigators who are hired by the celebrity’s partner hoping to catch him or her in the act.
(Photos, Slideshows, and Videos from the Tiger Woods Scandal)


One can only imagine how popular the show would be. Potentially, the show could become the hottest thing in reality television, and may ruin the careers of a few celebrities as well as launch the careers of the other women or men caught on tape.


What might be the most surprising thing learned from the Tiger Woods and Jesse James sex scandal is the infamy that the mistresses have gained. Jessica Hahn may be an example of a high profile mistress who received plenty of notoriety, however, she didn’t sustain life long success from being Jim Bakker’s mistress.
In recent years, it seems that mistresses gain more notoriety, book deals, and publicity for being the other woman, whether or not the success will last, however, remains to be seen.

Should Michelle Bombshell McGee and Jamie Jungers host the new Celebrity Cheaters, their overall success may be a good indication of whether things have changed enough that being the other woman can lead to long term career success.

On the other hand, we just learned that Joslyn James has returned to stripping and porn movies.

So much for long term career success.

Microsoft: Office 2010 released to manufacturing

Microsoft late last week announced that the latest iteration of its popular Office productivity suite, Office 2010, has reached its release-to-manufacturing (RTM) milestone. Also included in the announcement are well-known applications such as SharePoint 2010, Visio 2010 and Project 2010.
Office 2010 was released as a public beta in November 2009, Takeshi Numoto, corporate vice president of Microsoft Office noted that it was downloaded by 7.5 million people since. This allowed Microsoft to test its software across every conceivable type of computer, which allows the company to identify and repair bugs much faster.
In a blog entry on the Microsoft Office 2010 Engineering blog, Numoto noted that Volume License customers with active Software Assurance (SA) on the above products will be able to download them in English starting from April 27, while Volume Licensing customers without SA can do so from May 1. The final version of Office 2010 will be officially launched to business customers on May 12, with general retail availability expected to follow in June.

Windows Phone? No App for That

Looking for the niftiest new mobile app? You might find it on an iPhone or an Android device, but not on a Windows phone. Developers' apathy and a fast-falling market share mean that Microsoft's mobile phone business is in the doldrums. And that in turn may mean trouble for all of Microsoft several years from now.
A recent survey confirms what everyone already knows: Developers are spending their time writing nifty apps for the iPhone, Android phones and BlackBerries, not for Windows phones. In March, Appcelerator surveyed more than 1,000 developers and found that 87% were interested in developing apps for the iPhone, 81% for Android phones, 53% for the iPad, 43% for the BlackBerry, and a lowly 34% for Windows Phone 7.
That's only part of the bad news for Microsoft. The company's market share of mobile subscribers has also taken a deep plunge. Market research firm comScore says that between October and January, Microsoft's share of the market fell from 19.7% to 15.7%. RIM, the maker of the BlackBerry, remained the leader, growing from 41.3% to 43%. Apple 's iPhone increased slightly, from 24.8% to 25.1%, and Google's Android grew by more than 250%, going from 2.8% to 7.1%.
Microsoft has known for some time that its Windows-based mobile operating system is in trouble and an also-ran, and so it has revamped it thoroughly. But that revamp may be too little, too late. New Windows 7 phones won't be out until the holiday season, and in the meantime, Microsoft's competitors will all gain market share at the company's expense.
Research firm Canalys says that sales of Microsoft mobile devices will fall in 2010 compared to 2009, and sales by its competitors will soar. It predicts that for the full year, Microsoft will drop to a mere 7.2% of the market , while Android will roar past it to 18.9%. Canalys has Apple barely beating Android, with 21.3% of the market, and it puts RIM at 43%.
By the end of 2010, Microsoft will be so far behind its competitors that it will likely never catch up. The issue isn't just market share and the perception that Windows phones aren't as worthy as the competition. It's also that Microsoft is losing the app war -- badly. With developer interest lagging and market share dropping, there will be far fewer great apps for Windows Phone than there are for its competitors. And it is apps that drive mobile phone purchases.
Should Microsoft even care that the Windows Phone platform seems headed south? After all, its revenue from phones isn't significant. But the fact is, mobile devices of all kinds are the future, and they are where massive growth is.
Smartphones are essentially computers with telephone appendages. That's where most computing and a good deal of work -- even enterprise -level work -- will be done in the future. And no matter what you think of the iPad , it's another example of a nondesktop personal computer -- and, of course, there's no version of Windows on it. Expect more non-PC, mobile computers to be released without any version of Windows on them.
Today it doesn't matter. Tomorrow it will. Microsoft's problem is not just that it might not be able to tap into the greatest growth market in computers. Its main business will also be affected. What if Google forges links between its mobile phone Android operating system and its netbook (and possibly PC) Chrome operating system? Will enterprises consider moving at least in part away from Windows and toward Chrome? Will iPhones, iPads and iAnythings make more enterprises consider using Mac OS X? All that is entirely possible. And that's when Microsoft will really face trouble.
Preston Gralla is a contributing editor for Computerworld.com and the author of more than 35 books, includingHow the Internet Works(Que, 2006).
Read more about mobile apps and services in Computerworld's Mobile Apps and Services Knowledge Center.

Microsoft preps fix for IE 8 flaw that makes safe sites unsafe

Microsoft will release an update intended to rid Internet Explorer 8 of a vulnerability that can enable serious security attacks against websites that are otherwise safe.
The change, which will be introduced in June, will be the third time in six months that Microsoft has tweaked a feature used to filter out XSS, or cross-site scripting filter, attacks against websites. The filter, which Microsoft introduced with the release of IE 8, is designed to strip out malicious commands that exploit the vulnerabilities, which plague many websites.
As The Register reported in November, the new XSS filter could be exploited to introduce XSS attacks on sites that otherwise weren't vulnerable. Microsoft has twice made changes to the feature, once in January and again in March, but last week, researchers at the Black Hat Security Conference in Barcelona showed the filter still injected threats into sites that included Google, Wikipedia, Twitter and even Microsoft's own Bing.
"This issue manifests when malicious script can 'break out' from within a construct that is already within an existing script block," David Ross, of Microsoft Security Response Center, said here. "While the issue identified and addressed in MS10-002 was identified to exist on high-profile websites, thus far real-world examples of the SCRIPT tag neutering attack scenario have been hard to come by."
XSS exploits allow attackers to inject malicious code or content into trusted websites by convincing victims to click on booby-trapped links. Because the links contain the well-known domain names, they rarely arouse suspicion, as was the case recently when admins from the Apache Foundation visited tainted links that exposed their login credentials and led to a serious security lapse.
Features like Microsoft's XSS filter, or a similar protection offered in the NoScript add-on for Mozilla Firefox, are designed to prevent such attacks. ®

Microsoft Fix It software comes to XP and VistaWindows users get free automatic software fixes

Microsoft has launched a free service called Fix It, which it claims will diagnose, fix and prevent problems with PCs running Windows XP and Windows Vista.

The Fix It service is currently in a test (beta) version, and brings some of Windows 7's help features to users of previous versions of Windows.
The Fix It software is a free download from the Microsoft website, and once installed the software checks your PC and operating system. The software does not require an internet connection to run, so can be used by users experiencing networking or internet connection problems.
The software is accompanied by Microsoft Fix IT Center online, where PC details can be registered and users can access web-based help and troubleshooters in addition to the offline Fix It tools.
Avoid the need to call an IT helpline in the first place by choosing a reliable PC with help from Which? laptop reviews and the best desktop PC brands report

Windows problems solved

Microsoft claims that Fix It will fix more than 300 of the most common Windows problems and will pro-actively download updates to prevent problems occurring. According to the company, the automated troubleshooters can either 'find and fix' or 'find and notify' you of problems.
Fix It works with multiple PCs. Microsoft says, so that both home users with more than one PC or laptop, and small business users, can manage updates to all their computers from one online location.
Windows XP users wanting to take advantage of the Fix It software must be running Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). Download Fix It free from the Microsoft website.

Attacks on Google May Have Compromised Password System

The New York Times is reporting that the attacks against Google and other companies late last year, attacks which Google sourced to China, may have exposed Google's single-sign-on system, code-named Gaia.

The attacks were revealed in January. Many companies are said to have been hit, but very few—Google and Adobe—are named. The incident led to much outrage from the company and an official "inquiry" by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Google announced that they would no longer perform the censoring of their Chinese sites demanded by the Chinese government. In March, they started redirecting Google.cn requests to their Hong Kong site at google.com.hk, but traffic to that site from China is filtered at other levels by the government.
The Times report is vague about exactly what was compromised: was it the source code for Gaia? The control system? The passwords themselves? The story says that no actual passwords appear to have been stolen, but that the event creates the possibility that the attackers will be better-able to craft more sophisticated attacks.
In response, Google has enabled a new layer of encryption for GMail and took other measures, including physical security measures at data centers, to tighten security. One would hope that they also took the time to upgrade the Windows XP IE6 system that was compromised to open the door for the attackers.

Countries criticize Google over privacy, point to Buzz and Street View

A group of 10 countries has joined forces by calling on Google to build more privacy protections into its services and warned them about putting technological innovation above these protections, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Leaders from the 10 countries - Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom - signed a letter that mostly focuses around the rollout of Google Buzz but also acknowledges that Google acted quickly to remedy that situation.
The countries also called Google to the mat over the Street View feature in Google Maps, noting that the company launched the service “without due consideration of privacy and data protection laws and cultural norms.” They also criticized Google for addressing privacy concerns, such as the retention of unblurred facial images, after the fact.
And that’s all they had - two things. One of them has been addressed by Google already and the countries acknowledge that. The other - the Street View matter - is something that’s still open for debate.
As a side note, Google told the WSJ that the timing of the letter was ironic given that the company plans to share today information about the number of requests it receives from foreign governments.
The Buzz rollout was a bit of a fiasco - I’ll give the government officials that much. But this argument over Street View is getting pretty old. Privacy advocates have argued that Google hasn’t done enough to warn people when the Street View cameras will be rolling into town (even though there’s a website for that information) and that capturing images of people on the street and putting them up on the Internet is crossing a line when it comes to privacy. Google also addresses privacy - and actions that can be taken to address Street View concerns - on its site.
Here’s a question: If I’m on vacation in Paris and happening to snapping pictures of the Eiffell Tower and some people who are walking by happen to get caught in my picture, does that mean I can’t post it on Flickr or my Facebook page? Should I have given the government advanced notice that I will coming into the country with a camera and plan to snap some photographs while there? Perhaps the government of that country should issue an advisory that tourists are heading their way and may be armed with cameras. Proceed into the streets with caution.
Of course, that’s ridiculous. And so is the argument by government officials concerned about privacy when it comes to images captured in the public domain - regardless of what country it is.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for privacy protections - but these governments are fighting the wrong fight. Instead, what they’ve done is written a letter that complains about a problem that’s already been addressed and another problem that’s not really a problem at all.
Move on, folks. There’s nothing to see here.

The ultimate in recycling

A high school teacher's challenge has Langley Fine Arts School students thinking outside the (blue) box.The creativity of Langley Fine Arts School students will be on display this Thursday when they host a trashion show called Take Another Look.
Again this year students at the Fort Langley school have taken items intended for the landfill or the compost pile and turned them into inventive outfits.

View Larger Image

Student Seoyoon Lee (in a full-length dress by Dahye Lim) modelled one of the pieces that will be on display.

The public can see their creations - more than 50 pieces - Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Willowbrook Shopping Centre.Check out a purse crafted out of Kraft dinner boxes, an outfit of paper towels, a functional umbrella made out of used bubble wrap, a Flapper-style dress made of plastic garbage bags, or a dress made out of burned out Christmas lights.
The show focuses on the idea of taking a second look at the things people use and throw away everyday. Visual arts students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 were given the task to create fashion items from materials viewed as garbage or what makes it into the recycling bin.
"The works in this fashion exhibit encourage both the artists and the audience to 'Take Another Look'; to take another look at the incredibly creative and innovative pieces and, more importantly, to take another look at our consumption habits and the accumulation of waste that results," said teacher Nancy Crawford.
The result is a diverse array of inspiring pieces ranging from casual wear to evening dresses made from materials as diverse as plastic straws, teabags, bus tickets and receipts, bubble wrap, chip bags, and paper towels.
Students from the school will also be doing freeze modeling - striking a pose and holding it for extended periods.
It all takes place in the centre court of the shopping centre, which also played host to the show last April. The trashion show - free to attend - is in honour of Earth Day, the annual day that encourages people to think about how their actions impact the planet and nature.

10 Signs You Might Be A Hot Mess (PHOTOS)

By now, we're all familiar with the term 'Hot Mess,' right? And we know that no one is capable of being hotter and messier than celebrities (it's just what they do, you guys). So we've put together the ultimate Hot Mess guide, featuring 10 signs to look for when locating a Hot Mess in the wild. Use it wisely.
Click through the gallery to reveal the 10 symtoms of Hot Messiness. Also, head on over to Fashion FAILs And FTWs for a complete fashion review of many more hot messes out there.

Swimwear show in Tokyo

Models present beachwear fashion during the Toray Swimwear Collection 2010 in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, April 20, 2010.

Trinny Woodall: English Fashion Designer (Photos)

Trinny Woodall, English fashion designer and television personality was spotted about town with a new mystery man—who could he be?

The British tabloids are much like their American counterparts in that they seem to have an interest in even the monotonous details of celebrity life. Such is the case with the most recent shots of Mrs. Woodall, who has apparently found a new man to parade around with.

According to the Daily Mail, the new couple has only been in each other’s company for a matter of weeks. Their relationship comes about eight months after the former ‘What Not To Wear’ host divorced her husband of nine years.
Sounds like a reasonable interim period, doesn’t it?
After being married for nearly a decade, single life found Trinny Woodall a different woman. Here is a list she crafted on her blog of how she had changed since the last time around:

1) I am a lot less shy.
2) I have made my own way in life and am self-sufficient.
3) My acne has disappeared.
4) I have a daughter and responsibilities.
5) I still don’t know what I want, but I do know what I don’t want in a man.
6) I have fewer single friends.
7) Married friends have a set idea of who they think would be good for me.

It appears she is doing quite well for herself since the split. The new man is a little ‘Hugh Grantish,’ but they appear to be having a blast. The stalkerazzi managed to track them down at on their way to an art gallery recently. They were also spotted having a romantic dinner at a restaurant called Cipriani a few weeks ago.
As soon as the mystery man’s name is released we’ll do some digging on him. Until then, enjoy some photos and video of Trinny Woodall below.

Grace Kelly Fashion Exhibition Opens in London

From actress to princess and leading philanthropist; the V&A Museum pays tribute to her life.

The epitome of understated chic, Grace Kelly was famed for her fashion sense. Now her stunning wardrobe has been brought back to life at London's Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
With 40 of her iconic dresses on display and cabinets of shoes, bags, sunglasses and jewelry, the exhibit opened to rave reviews this weekend in the capital.
Paying tribute to her life as an Oscar-winning actress, highlights include the grey and pink silk chiffon dress embroidered with roses, which she wore in the famous dancing scene with Frank Sinatra in High Society (MGM later gave the dress to her and she wore it several times to various events) as well as outfits from the many Hitchcock films she starred in.
When Kelly left Hollywood behind to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, she stepped up the fashion stakes, wearing haute couture by Chanel and Christian Dior but the Philadelphia-born fashionista never got complacent and according to the exhibition's curator, treated all of her clothes like "old friends", preserving them in dust bags and often wearing the same outfit more than once.
"She's one of the few people who deserves this title of style icon. It's very hard to find anyone else today who can be remembered in the same way 50 years from now," curator, Jenny Lister told AFP adding: "She liked beautiful fabrics, she always accessorized it very carefully with plain white gloves and jewelry."
And wasn't just her style that she left in her legacy. Two years after her marriage, Princess Grace became president of the Monaco Red Cross, using her many celebrity connections to organize fundraising events for the charity. In her first year as a princess, she started an annual Christmas party for the children of Monaco and in 1963 she became the founding president of AMADE, a nonprofit charity helping children in need around the world.
Looks like she wasn't called Grace for nothing.
The exhibition, "Grace Kelly: Style Icon" runs through September 26.

Victoria Beckham plays the fashion designer snapping Eva Longoria as BFFs joke around for mobile phone advert

During her Spice Girl days, Victoria Beckham played up to her pop persona as she hawked everything from lollipops to cameras to scooters.
But with her music days far behind her, it appears Posh's bid to be taken seriously as a fashion designer has translated into her latest ad campaign.
In the new U.S. ad for LG Fashion Touch phones, Beckham plays up to her new role as serious fashionista who styles her friend Eva Longoria.

Plenty to talk about: Victoria Beckham and Eva Longoria co-star in a new advertisement for LG Fashion Touch mobile phones

In the cheesy ad, the pair are seen laughing and joking together while playing dress up.
Beckham, 36, is seen talking into a red phone, before the Desperate Housewives actress, 35, bursts into laughter.
The two women are seen wearing various designers outfits and are caked in heavy make-up before they prepare to sashay down the catwalk together.

'I'm a serious fashion designer': Beckham looks in her element surrounded by designer dresses on mannequins

Chatterboxes: The pair's discussion is unheard as music plays... but it is likely to be about fashion

Fabulous friends: Eva and Posh pulled out all the stops in the glamorous ten second ad

The ad warns fans they were see the famous friends 'like you’ve never seen them'.
The commercial ends with a summing up of the phones as 'Friends. Fashion. Fabulous'.

More...

• Glamazon Bar Refaeli sizzles in stunning photo shoot with reality TV's latest sensation
• Merry Teri puts in a dazzling display at the basketball in low-cut vest top
• Mel B takes her thoroughly modern family to the movies

The ad coincides with the launch of the two new LG fashion phones - the Lotus Elite (Beckham's one) and the Rumor Touch (Longoria's).

What's so funny? Something Beckham says gets Longoria bursting into giggles

How do I look? Longoria poses in a purple dress as she gets a friend to try out the camera function on her new phone

The ad was shot last March in Los Angeles and the pair were styled by Longoria's hairdresser pal Ken Paves.
The pair have been close friends with the Beckhams first moved to Los Angeles in 2007.
Longoria said of her friend: 'I admire her as a wife and mother. We have a lot in common.

Showing her funny side: Beckham's smirk and laughter contrasts with her usual sullen poses

'I really like to surround myself with women who place their family first. She is very devoted and dedicated to her kids and I really respect that.
'We hang out at each other's houses. We don't go out that much actually. We just do normal girl things when we're along - we have a meal and a catch up.'
Describing their friendship, Beckham said: 'Eva has been really sweet. When I first moved here, I didn't know anybody. She went with me to get my nails done, my hair done...'

Behind the scenes: Beckham and Longoria play with their respective phones in between shots

Strike a pose: Longoria cuddles up a puppy as she strikes a pose for Beckham

Beckham and Longoria are no stranger to celebrity hawking, having starred in many ad campaigns.
While Longoria's advertising past is relatively tame compared to Beckham's huge list of companies, she is a high-profile face of L'Oreal and has appeared in ads for fashion ranges Bebe and London Fog.
However, Beckham is practically a Goliath in terms of fronting campaigns and has starred in ads for Armani lingerie, Marc Jacobs, Rocawear, Daihatsu cars, Walkers Crisps.

Fashion And Fiction

The recent image trend in Women fashion magazine is that of bizarre and grotesque images. Introduction of such images have actually soared the sale of these magazines. But the big question is, why delicate damsels are getting attracted to such images?

The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, studied such pics in fashion magazines like Vogue: a Jimmy Choo ad portraying a woman fishing a purse out of a pool that contains a floating corpse of man, and a Dolce & Gabbana ad that features one beautiful woman dressed in period costume skewering another in the neck.

The researchers interviewed 18 women who regularly read fashion magazines to report their reaction to magazines flaunting such images. The report confessed that women approached fashion advertisement as a type of fiction. "These women would be transported into the story world set in motion by the ad's pictures, asking themselves, ''What is happening here?'' and ''What will happen next?'' Explains one of the researchers.

These images allow a women to get indulged in the advertisement and examine its lighting, colors, lines, composition, and creativity. The researchers conclude that these images engage the reader in the fashion ad making her go through every detail.

The fashion industry also aims at not only presenting their collections but also to make their readers engage in their message and remember the ad for a longer time.

"The merely pretty was too easily passed over; grotesque juxtapositions were required to stop and hold the fashion consumer flipping through Vogue. For the brands that choose to use grotesque imagery—roughly one-fourth, according to a content analysis—the promise is that greater engagement with ad imagery will lead to a more intense and enduring experience of the brand," reports a researcher.

Nicole Kidman, Jewel: Academy of Country Music Awards fashion hits and misses

Nicole Kidman, a fashion miss at the Country Music Awards.Husband Keith Urban doesn't seem to notice

AP Photo

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April 20, 2010 -- A fashionista to the core, Nicole Kidman should know better than to show up looking like she did on Sunday night. The acclaimed actress was wearing what looked like a chopped off tuxedo that was then made into a short frock.

Designer L'Wren Scott should also be ticketed by the fashion police for Kidman's look, which only had one redeeming touch: Her red lips! Nothing could ruin those luscious smackers.

Meanwhile, Jewel looked like her name in a halter top, Grecian style gown done in a stunning blue (to match her eyes) and created by Jenny Packham. Meanwhile, Cher made a brief appearance wearing her standard rock and roll look from head to toe, including a leather jacket, lacy bustier and a long thick biker's chain coming from her tiny waist.

Designer duds at the Country Music Awards were also part of LeAnn Rimes' draw, as she stepped out with actor Eddie Cibrian. Wearing the high-end designer Lanvin, her strapless cocktail dress was matched with heels by Stella McCartney and a Jimmy Choo clutch purse.  A pretty penny was spent on this outfit for Rimes, but the singer looked as expensive as the cost of the gear.

Other fashion at the 45th annual Academy of Country Music Awards worth mentioning were singer Miranda Lambert's metallic dazzler by Pamella Roland and Taylor Swift, who was draped in a lavender gown made by Hollywood favorite designer Marchesa.  On her feet? Christian Louboutin high heels (the shoes that are identified because each pair is colored red on the bottom).

Finally, as far as fashion is concerned, the winner for the night was Carrie Underwood who wore three outfits during the course of the evening, including a nude colored Basil Soda dress as she walked proudly on the red carpet. Her performance gown was a floral satin stunner, while her pure white mini was absolutely perfect for accepting her Entertainer of the Year award.
Oh, and this former American Idol winner also sported a big diamond ring, one that this writer thinks is part of every outfit she will ever wear from now on because this singing sweetie is engaged to be married and that rock is a rock she will have on her finger for the rest of her life.

For a look at the fashions on the fashionistas who didn't necessarily go a little bit country at the Academy of Country Music Awards held in Las Vegas on Sunday, check the slide show below.

Fashion hits and misses at the Academy of Country Music Awards show

View Slideshow »

WORLD FOREX: Euro Gives Up Gains; Canadian Dollar Soars

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--The euro surrendered its earlier gains made on the back of a better-than-expected auction of short-term Greek debt Tuesday, as lingering, longer-term concerns over the fiscally strapped euro-one periphery weighed down the common currency.
The Canadian dollar, meanwhile, soared against the greenback--with the U.S. currency dipping below parity with the Canadian dollar--after the Bank of Canada stood pat on key interest rates but signaled monetary policy could soon tighten based on a steadily improving economy.
"The Canadian dollar is the star of the day," said Carl Forcheski, director of foreign exchange at Societe Generale in New York. The Canadian currency gained more than 1.6% against the greenback by late morning trading.
Around noon Tuesday, the euro was at $1.3439 from $1.3469 late Monday, according to EBS via CQG. The dollar was at Y93.36 from Y92.38, while the euro was at Y125.46 from Y124.42. The U.K. pound was at $1.5338 from $1.5316. The dollar was at CHF1.0685 from CHF1.0641.
The ICE Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a trade-weighted basket of currencies, was at 81.086 from 81.015.
The BOC on Tuesday firmly stated that rate hikes are coming by explicitly removing its year-old conditional commitment to keep the overnight target rate at the lowest possible level of 0.25%.
In a clear signal it could raise rates in June, the Bank of Canada said that with recent improvements in the economic outlook, the need for its low-rate pledge is now passing, and it is appropriate to begin to lessen the degree of monetary stimulus.
Slow-growth economies and debt-laden peripheral countries continued to weigh on the euro, which earlier hit a peak of $1.3523 after Greece raised EUR1.95 billion of three-month funds with a yield comfortably below its 4% pain threshold.
Still, the yield is much higher than the 1.67% at the previous auction in January and compares with a July 2010-dated German Treasury bill, or bubill, trading at 0.26%/0.22%.
But the common currency slipped against the dollar by late afternoon as lingering questions remained over the longer-term prospects for Greek financing and over the mechanics of an International Monetary Fund-E.U. bailout plan.
In Sweden, the Riksbank left its interest rates unchanged at 0.25% as expected but the central bank said that increases toward a "more normal level" will begin in the summer or early autumn. The Swedish krona gained around 0.4% against the dollar and more than 0.7% against the euro by late-morning trading.
The Reserve Bank of Australia pushed the Australian dollar higher Tuesday after minutes from the central bank signaled further rate hikes lie ahead. Also buoyed by rising commodity prices, the Australian dollar gained nearly 0.8% against the dollar.
India's central bank Tuesday also increased key interest rates, highlighting the entrenching global recovery. The Indian rupee strengthened against the dollar.
On a day when global central banks took center stage inching toward monetary policy normalization, the yen declined broadly, as the Bank of Japan is seen as lagging its peers; some officials have suggested the bank will actually loosen policy further to stimulate an economy that struggles with deflation.
The dollar gained nearly 1% against the yen, and even the beleaguered euro gained more than 0.7% against the Japanese currency.
"The global recovery is broadening and the aggressive monetary easing doled out in 2009 will give way to continued policy normalization in 2010 across major economies," with Japan likely to keep policy loose for a longer period of time, said analysts at Mizuho Corporate Bank in New York, weighing on the low-yielding yen.

Mexican world number one Lorena Ochoa retires from golf

Ochoa took over as world number one from Annika Sorenstam Women's world number one Lorena Ochoa has announced her retirement from golf. The 28-year-old Mexican, who won two majors, has dominated the sport for the last three years since usurping Annika Sorenstam as world number one. Ochoa will hold a news conference to explain her decision on Friday but she is thought be set to start a family. She married Andres Conesa, the chief executive of Mexican airline Aeromexico, in her home city of Guadalajara in December 2009. "Lorena Ochoa has confirmed her retirement from the LPGA, as some media reported today [Tuesday]," said a statement on her official website. "The reasons and more details on the matter will be given by Lorena personally in a press conference on Friday in Mexico City. Lorena will share this news of a new stage in her life with her sponsors, family members and friends." Ochoa was set to play next week in the LPGA Tour's Tres Marias tournament in Morelia, west of Mexico City. The newspaper Reforma said on Tuesday that Ochoa was retiring to concentrate on her family and charities. Ochoa won the Women's British Open in 2007 and Kraft Nabisco Championship, another of the year's four women's majors, in 2008 and has recorded 27 victories in eight seasons on the LPGA Tour. She overhauled Sorenstam as the leading women's player in April 2007, the first time the Swede had been headed since the official rankings were introduced in February 2006. Sorenstam, who retired in December 2008, dominated the women's game for over a decade, winning 90 tournaments, including 10 majors, and was player of the year eight times.

288 teens worldwide to bear flags at FIFA World Cup

When flag bearers parade onto a World Cup field, it's the official start of a battle royal between two teams who've played their hearts out to gain a spot in the FIFA World Cup football competition.

This year, some 288 teens from 21 countries will travel to South Africa to bear the flags of champion teams at the 2010 FIFA World Cup competition, which arguably is the world's largest sporting event.

Jamaica will be sending 12 teens to perform flag-bearing duties in South Africa, and is the only country in the Caribbean region participating in the Flag Bearer Programme.

The programme is one part of the sole and exclusive assets of the Coca-Cola Company and their partnership with FIFA for this year's World Cup.

The other flag bearers will come from Mexico, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Tunisia, Greece, Japan, Serbia, Italy, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Spain and England.

"Through this programme, Coca-Cola will be offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for teens to carry the flags of the participating countries onto the pitch at the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches, and will host the participants for four days and three nights," explained Chris Hardy.

The Jamaican flag bearers will perform their duties at two big ticket matches, namely Brazil vs Ivory Coast and Italy vs Slovakia.

Hardy, who is the country manager for Coca-Cola Jamaica, added that the teens will not only be participating in the matches, but will be fully immersed in South African culture and get "a real, full experience of the country".

While this is so, the 288 children will not be unsupervised in South Africa, as Coca-Cola International is very strict on chaperone requirements, roles, and necessities. Locally, Hardy has added another element to the plan, which would be a representative from the ministry of education.

"We've engaged the ministry of education to participate with us in this exciting journey and Andrew Francis from the ministry will be joining us in South Africa as one of the chaperones for the 12 Jamaican teens who will be flag bearers," Hardy said.

In outlining chaperone roles, Hardy mentioned that "the chaperone is an integral part of the event team and critical to the success of the flag bearer programme". He said that they will be in charge of the teens from the time participants depart their home country until they are reunited with parents and guardians.

"The teens cannot and will not be unaccompanied at any time. It is the responsibility of the chaperone to accompany them and watch over them in the hotel, at the stadium, during the tours, while taking part in leisure and sport activities and at all other times," Hardy remarked.

All flag bearers will also be covered under participatory medical insurance. This insurance will cover the teens from the time they depart until the time they return to their home country. The all expense paid trip to South Africa will include visas, travel, accommodation, food, and transportation while in South Africa. The participants will also see themselves going on nature tours, safaris, and museum visits, to complete the experience Hardy mentioned earlier.

Rising public debt threatens world financial system: IMF

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned in a report on Tuesday that rising public debt in developed countries is a threat to the stability of the world's financial system.

"Risks to global financial stability have eased as the economic recovery has gained steam, but concerns about advanced country sovereign risks could undermine stability gains and prolong the collapse of credit," the report said.
"Without more fully restoring the health of financial and household balance sheets, a worsening of public debt sustainability could be transmitted back to banking systems or across borders."

New iPhone Discovered in a Bar: Clever Marketing Ploy by Apple or Big Mistake?

When the news hit tech blog Gizmodo, jaws across the tech world dropped. An Apple engineer apparently left a prototype of the next iPhone in a California bar, and now photos and tech details of the device were plastered on the blog for all to see.

Tech news website Gizmodo got hold of a prototype of the iPhone 4G after it was left in a bar in Redwood City, Calif., and Gizmodo's analysis and review of its new features, along with video and pictures, has set the web on fire

GMA tech contributor Becky Worley got a chance to play with the phone, which is equipped with new software, a larger battery, and a front-facing camera for video chat. Gizomodo received a letter from Apple saying that the phone was company property and requesting its return.
This apparent slip by one of the world's most secretive tech companies has shocked its fans, but not everyone is convinced it was actually a mistake. Did the meticulously-managed tech company stage the loss? How could one of Steve Jobs' employees casually misplace such an important company secret?

So, our question to you today: Do you think the iPhone prototype was the real deal or a clever marketing ploy by Apple?

Israeli PM warns of nuclear threat on Holocaust Day

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused world governments on Sunday of failing to show sufficient concern about the threat posed by Iran as he marked the Jewish state's annual Holocaust Day.
"We are not hearing the protests that we would expect to hear," Netanyahu told a commemoration ceremony after sundown.
"The world is going about its business as though it's a fuss about nothing ... while (Iran) steps up its efforts to arm itself with nuclear weapons and threatens to wipe Israel off the map," he added.
"What annoys me is the lack of indignation shown by the rest of the world."
Israel, which has the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear arsenal, shares Western suspicions that Iran's nuclear problem is cover for a drive for a weapons capability.

Pakistan war games show of force for India: analysts

KHAIRPUR TAMEWALI, Pakistan — Pakistan is flexing its military might near the Indian border in massive war games analysts say are aimed at putting on a show of force for its nuclear-armed rival.All branches of the military are taking part in the exercises named "New Resolve", which despite the Taliban militant threat in the northwest have so far focused on drills for conventional war on the eastern border with India.
Fighter jets roared overhead, shots rang out and tanks lumbered through the desert sands in the biggest war games in two decades in the Khairpur Tamewali area of Punjab province, 600 kilometres (about 400 miles) south of Islamabad.
The Pakistan Air Force's F-16s, French Mirages and Chinese-made F-7PGs engaged imaginary targets on the ground with a hail of bombs and missiles.
Up to 50,000 troops will take part in the games, which began on April 10 and will end on May 13 just 60 kilometres from the Indian border.
"The exercise seems to have nothing to do with the western borders," retired Lieutenant General Kamal Matinuddin, a defence analyst, told AFP.
"The way the military demonstrated its prowess by quickly mobilising troops and the war machinery showed the war games are actually focusing on the eastern borders," he added.
"Our armed forces must be capable of responding to emerging challenges on the eastern border by devising new tactics in response to new Indian strategy."
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947 -- two of them over the fate of the Himalayan territory of Kashmir -- and there have been repeated shows of military force on both sides of the border.
Recent tensions with India and reported new military strategy coming from New Delhi "have triggered a hot response from Pakistan," defence and security analyst Brigadier Mahmood Shah told AFP after witnessing the exercises.
"Our military keeps on putting to test its doctrines on the western border with Afghanistan but we really needed to test our capabilities focusing on conventional war on the eastern border," the retired brigadier said.
A campaign of suicide attacks and bombings in Pakistan blamed on the Taliban and other extremist Islamist groups has killed more than 3,200 people in less than three years across the nuclear-armed country of 167 million people.
Pakistan has diverted troops to battle against Taliban militants increasingly seen as a threat to national security in the northwest, with the US also pressuring Islamabad to go after militants who attack in Afghanistan.
The military has launched multiple campaigns in the last year to dislodge Taliban fighters from their strongholds in the northwest -- although the establishment still sees India as the primary threat.
But army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, who witnessed the exercises along with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other top civil and military officials, said Pakistan had no aggressive intent.
"We harbour no aggressive designs against anyone but self defence is our inherent right and we will protect Pakistan at all costs," he said at a ceremony attended by reporters flown in to witness the spectacle.
He added that Pakistan's army was "committed to play a positive role in contributing towards strategic stability in the region."
Relations between Pakistan and India have been bedevilled by mistrust and tensions, exacerbated by the November 2008 attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai.
In February, the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours held their first official talks since the Mumbai attacks, when 10 Islamist gunmen killed 166 people in the bustling financial capital.
India blamed the attacks on Pakistan-based militants and said talks could only resume if Islamabad took concrete steps to bring those responsible to justice and cracked down on groups operating on its soil.

Air India May Resume Flights to London, Frankfurt

NEW DELHI -- Air India, the nation's flag carrier, may resume flights to Frankfurt and London's Heathrow airport from Tuesday night to clear the backlog of about 3,000 Europe-bound passengers who are currently stranded in India, the civil aviation ministry said Tuesday.
"Indications have been received that the Heathrow Airport may get operational for limited hours from Tuesday night, in which case, Air India will start Europe operations depending upon the availability of slots there," the ministry said.
European air-safety regulators Monday agreed to relax the flight bans, which prompted airlines such as British Airways PLC, Air France-KLM SA and Dubai's Emirates to announce that they would restart flights.
Monday, Air India resumed flights to Chicago and Newark, which were suspended last Thursday due to flight bans in Europe caused by a cloud of volcanic ash.
The ministry said also that Jet Airways (India) Ltd. has about 6,000 Europe-bound passengers with confirmed bookings who are stranded in India.
Jet has resumed four daily flights to Newark and Toronto flights via Athens.
Lufthansa AG has also started its flights to Munich and Austria from India Tuesday morning, the ministry said.

Rehman Malik's dismissal from FIA turned into retirement

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday overturned the 1996 termination of Interior Minister Rehman Malik as additional director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) into retirement and approved the payment of his back-dated perks.

Quoting sources, Online news agency reported that Malik had termed his dismissal as vindictive and had urged the law ministry to convert this into retirement.

The law ministry, after reviewing the legal complexities, sent its approval to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who passed it on to Zardari.

The overturning of Malik's termination has been done under section 23 of the Civil Servants Act.

Malik, who began his career as an immigration officer, became the FIA's additional director general during Benazir Bhutto's second term as prime minister in the mid-1990s.

Malik was associated with anti-terrorism and anti-money launching operations of FIA, but was stripped of his post after Bhutto was dismissed in November 1996.

He then fled into exile in Britain where he began a flourishing business.

He returned to the country in October 2007 after then president Pervez Musharraf promulgated an amnesty against graft that enabled Bhutto, her husband Zardari and 255 other politicians, bureaucrats and army officers to return home.

The Supreme Court in December 2009, declared the amnesty, in the form of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), unconstitutional and ordered the revival of all the cases that had been closed under it.

These cases are now in various stages of being reopened.

Pakistan's pre-Islamic art on show in Paris

An undated photo shows a military truck parked under the shadow of a the world's biggest Buddha statue, in Afghanistan, before being destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Pakistan's pre-Islamic heritage is showcased in Paris from Wednesday in an exhibition of ancient Buddhist art that offers a fresh perspective on a country fraught with violence and religious unrest. 

 

AFP - Pakistan's pre-Islamic heritage is showcased in Paris from Wednesday in an exhibition of ancient Buddhist art that offers a fresh perspective on a country fraught with violence and religious unrest.
The Guimet Museum of Asian Art has gathered 200 works dating to the first to sixth centuries from Gandhara, an ancient kingdom that covered modern day northwest Pakistan but whose cultural influence reached India and Afghanistan.
Gandhara became more widely known in 2001 when the Taliban destroyed what were then the world's biggest statues of Buddha, giant figures carved out of a cliff in Bamiyan, Afghanistan.
The Paris exhibition includes pieces that are among the earliest human representations of the Buddha, the "Enlightened One", who had previously been worshipped through symbols.
The exhibition's impressive main stupa -- a type of tower for housing a Buddhist shrine -- depicts in detail the stages leading to the Buddha's spiritual enlightenment in 36 reliefs intricately carved out of stone.
Ornate schist and stucco reliefs, stupas, sculptures and gold jewellery mostly depict the life of the Buddha, but the show reveals the art of Gandhara was influenced by other cultures and was home to various non-Buddhist deities.
Alongside the Buddhas are features familiar from the Greek and Roman era, when Mediterranean culture left its mark on the vast territories conquered by Alexander the Great.
Sculptures of the Greek gods Athena and Aphrodite share space with Hindu goddesses and carved depictions of nature spirits, winged angels and demons.
Carvings of garland bearers are sculpted into scenes divided by Corinthian columns and symmetrical archways, in reliefs framed with decorative bands and floral motifs.
The period saw a melding of Greek, Persian, Hindu and Buddhist cultures, with statues of Buddha done in the style of classical Greek sculptures and sometimes even inscribed with Greek letters.
"The kingdom was at the crossroads of the world," said the show's curator Pierre Cambon, referring to Gandhara's position along the silk trading route that linked the Mediterranean, the Indian sub-continent and the Far East.
"The exhibition reflects the different historical themes from each culture, so there is something relevant in their art to everyone today," he added.
According to the curator, the varied cultural influences incorporated in Gandhara art show "a certain common heritage that can bring about communication and understanding."
That the show comes at a difficult time in Pakistan's history "is useful, so the country does not feel imprisoned by its problems," Cambon said.
"Pakistan -- Land of encounters -- the art of Gandhara" was to be inaugurated by Pakistan's Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, but ash from the Icelandic volcano stopped him from travelling. The show runs to August 16.