Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Star Bright Blake Lively


ET's Glam Squad: Blake Lively grabs some attention in this orange gown at the premiere for 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.'

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

5.8 quake shakes Los Angeles


LOS ANGELES (AP) — A strong earthquake shook Southern California on Tuesday, causing buildings to sway and triggering some precautionary evacuations. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The jolt was felt from Los Angeles to San Diego, and slightly in Las Vegas.

The 11:42 a.m. quake was initially estimated at 5.8 but was revised downward to magnitude-5.4, said seismologist Kate Hutton of the U.S. Geological Survey office in Pasadena. More than a dozen aftershocks quickly followed, the largest estimated at magnitude-3.8.


QUAKE: Centered near Chino Hills, felt in San Diego, Vegas
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: Earthquake details
YOUR REPORT: Tell and show us what you see and hear

The quake was centered 29 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles near the San Bernardino County city of Chino Hills, and the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the quake was about 8 milesbelow the earth's surface.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: San Diego | Las Vegas | Southern California | Pacific | Anaheim | Pasadena | Orange County | Los Angeles County | Disneyland | Marriott | Power | Mojave Desert | San Bernardino County | Steve Whitmore | Northridge | Brian Humphrey | Department of Water | Chino Hills | Kim Hughes | Monterey Park | Kate Hutton
"It will certainly cause cracked plaster and broken windows, but probably not structural damage," Hutton said.

The magnitude-5.9 Whittier Narrows quake in 1987 was the last big shake in that area. That quake heavily damaged older buildings and houses in communities east of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said there were no immediate reports of damage or injury in Los Angeles. San Bernardino and San Diego counties also had no immediate reports of damage.

Buildings swayed in downtown Los Angeles for several seconds.

Workers quickly evacuated some office buildings.

"It was dramatic. The whole building moved and it lasted for a while," said Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore, who was in the sheriff's suburban Monterey Park headquarters east of Los Angeles.

California is one of the world's most seismically active regions. More than 300 faults crisscross the state, which sits atop two of Earth's major tectonic plates, the Pacific and North American plates. About 10,000 quakes each year rattle Southern California alone, although most of them are too small to be felt.

As strongly as it was felt, the quake was far less powerful than the magnitude-6.7 Northridge earthquake that badly damaged the region on Jan. 17, 1994. That quake was the last damaging temblor in Southern California. It killed 72 people, injured more than 9,000 and caused $25 billion in damage in the metropolitan area.

No electrical outages were reported in Los Angeles due to the quake, said Department of Water and Power spokeswoman Kim Hughes.

In Orange County, about 2,000 detectives were attending a conference on gangs at a Marriott hotel in Anaheim when a violent jolt shook the main conference room.

Mike Willever, who was at the hotel, said, "First we heard the ceiling shaking, then the chandelier started to shake, then there was a sudden movement of the floor."

Chris Watkins, from San Diego, said he previously felt several earthquakes, but "that was one of the worst ones."

Delegates and guests at a cluster of hotels near the Disneyland resort spilled into the streets immediately after the quake.

The damage created by an earthquake depends greatly on where it hits. A 7.1 quake — much stronger than Northridge — hit the Mojave Desert in 1999 but caused only a few injuries and no deaths.
Source: USA Today

Sunday, July 27, 2008

DIANE KRUGER in Acne Jeans


inStyle's pick of the day:
Diane Kruger tried on a casual look at the L.A. premiere of The X-Files: I Want to Believe. The actress was low-key in Acne jeans with an American Apparel T-shirt, an H&M scarf and a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch.

GOLD - Must have items for 24-karat fun!

The Olympics are coming so go for the gold! Style.com's Candy Pratts Price gives her picks of some glam items to burnish your style:


Gold Flakes Supreme
Premium French vodka with 24K gold flakes Price: $73

Roger Vivier Haute Couture
One-of-a-kind sandal in crocodile layered with gold leaf and black curled feathers and sprinkled with jet Swarovski.

Erickson Beamon Gold-leaf cuff Price: $525

Christian Louboutin Donjon over-the-knee boot Price: $1,175

Francisca Botelho Hamsa and Evil Eye escapulario Price: $650

Gara Danielle Clustered bead hoop earrings Price: $110

Friday, July 25, 2008

Bachelor Matt Grant & Fiancée Shayne Lamas Split


Bachelor Matt Grant and fiancée Shayne Lamas have ended their short and often-rocky relationship, they tell PEOPLE.

"We tried hard to make it work but we realized that we were both heading in different directions," the two said in a statement to PEOPLE. "We truly care about each other and will remain close friends."

Neither would elaborate.

Grant, 27, and Lamas, 22, have been plagued with reports of trouble since their televised engagement on ABC's The Bachelor: London Calling in May.

One month later Grant told PEOPLE that he had moved out of Lamas's Century City condominium, citing a need for "space."

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Wearable Trend Alert: Black Shirtdresses



PEOPLE StyleWatch:
You can never have too many little black dresses. And right now, we are loving shirtdresses. Not only do they easily transition from work to play, but more importantly for this time of year, they move effortlessly from summer to fall. Just add a cardigan and you’re set for the chillier weather ahead. In the meantime, get an easy piece like Liv Tyler, Paris Hilton and Katherine Heigl.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

StyleWatch Trend: DOUBLE STRAND PEARLS



Source: PEOPLE Pearls lend a classic flair to edgy little black dresses for fashionistas like Ashlee Simpson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Gwyneth Paltrow. Is it for you?

Forbes: Jennifer Aniston Earned More Than Angelina Jolie in 2007




Finally, Jennifer Aniston has come out on top.

According to Forbes, the 39-year-old actress earned more than Angelina Jolie in 2007.

Aniston raked in $27 million in 2007; Jolie, 33 - who just welcomed twins with Aniston's ex Brad Pitt – took in $14 million.

See photos comparing the lives of Aniston and Jolie.

In terms of female earners, Cameron Diaz claimed the top spot with $50 million, Forbes reports.

Keira Knightley pulled in $32 million, beating out Aniston. Academy Award winners Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow each banked $25 million.

The men still made more than the women overall.

Will Smith earned a staggering $80 million; Johnny Depp netted $72 million, while Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers both took in $55 million. Leonardo DiCaprio banked $45 million.

See the full lists at Forbes.com.
Source USMagazine

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Rihanna has some shopping to do


Rihanna strutted her stuff and flashed a smile, but left empty handed, on her way out of Fred Segal in Santa Monica on Thursday. Straight from performing at an MTV event and showing off a cute sundress in Milan this jetsetter doesn't look the least bit too tired for a little shopping. With a Summer break from touring, this good girl gone bad can finally enjoy some time off...and of course, spend a little of that hard earned cash.

Source: PopSugar

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Hollywood hair-bots, take two: the blunt-banged bob




Unlike those generic loose golden waves celebs love, Glamour reports that the latest look-alike hairstyle in Tinseltown is sort of severe. In their recent films, some of our favorite A-listers have dark cropped cuts with bangs--and they're surprisingly sexy. Could this be the new all-flattering 'do?

Kate Bosworth is basically the word blond come to life, and we love her that way. But all bets were off when we saw her in 21. With a chestnut crop, femme fatale eyeshadow and a snug black dress, she's the glammest casino queen we've seen since Sharon Stone.

Angelina Leaves Hospital with Newborn Twins



Source: PEOPLE
Angelina Jolie

Photo by: Michael A. Mariant / AP
Angelina Jolie and her twins left the hospital early Saturday – a week since she gave birth to Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline.

"Angelina Jolie left the Clinic Santa Maria of Fondation Lenval early in the morning of July 19th," hospital rep Nadine Bauer confirmed to PEOPLE. "The mother and babies are doing very well."

There were only a few journalists camped outside the Fondation Lenval hospital in Nice, France, early Saturday morning but even they didn't know for sure when Jolie slipped out of the hospital with her twins at 4 a.m. local time.

Jolie and the newest Jolie-Pitts left Lenval to join their excited siblings – Maddox, 6; Pax, 4; Zahara, 3; and Shiloh, 2 – at Chateau Miraval, the enormous and luxurious chateau in Correns, France, that Jolie and partner Brad Pitt rented in May.

"We saw the cars and we thought it was her but we didn't see anything," one observer said.

Photographers had been stationed on nearby roofs of the hospital, hoping that Jolie would leave as she had arrived nearly three weeks ago – by helicopter.

Bauer added Saturday that hospital staff wanted to thank their own personnel for the attention and care they gave the Jolie-Pitt family. She also released a statement from the hospital, which thanked "those journalists around the hospital who did their best to respect their privacy."


SECRET GETAWAY
Jolie's departure began at about 3:50 a.m. when, according to an eyewitness, a grey Volkswagen minibus with darkened windows arrived outside the hospital on its Promenade des Anglais.

"There was a sudden spray of light out of the hospital's garage way and then four or five people came out of that through a rear doorway," the witness said. "They stood behind the hospital in a small courtyard in the dark."

The courtyard entrance, a gated area for emergency access has been closed during Jolie's stay, "was suddenly opened by someone who was waiting in the bus stop beside the hospital," the witness said. "This group of people got into the van, very quickly. . . . It was all done in a hurry. And they were very quick organizing themselves inside. Very rapid. And then 'Pouf!' they were gone.

"With all the press attention around them, a constant watch on the front of the hospital, they managed to leave so quickly, my hat's off to them," the witness added.

At 9 a.m., Dr. Michel Sussmann, who delivered the twins by Cesarean section on July 12, confirmed the family's departure, telling reporters, "You can go home. The story is over."

Added Bauer: "We enjoyed having her and her family here very much."

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Communication Breakdown as eBay Modifies Changes

Source: Ina Steiner AuctionBytes.com
On top of all the changes eBay has announced this year, it is now making changes to its changes. eBay announced a number of significant changes to users in January, and again last month (see the July 6th AuctionBytes-Update editorial about the challenges sellers face coping with these changes). Now it is modifying and delaying some of those changes, and sellers are left dazed and confused.

Commented one frustrated seller on the AuctionBytes Blog, "So why did I just spend the last 6 weeks revising my links? Do any of these departments at eBay talk to each other?"

On Thursday, eBay announced it would reverse some of the changes to its feedback system. But it took several conversations with eBay's Public Relations department for AuctionBytes to nail down exactly what the impact of the policy would have on seller non-performance criteria.

And despite numerous requests from AuctionBytes for clarification and a timetable on a new Links policy, eBay's Public Relations department failed to do so until Friday when we pointed to an article in eBay's newsletter for PowerSellers that said the company was delaying implementation of the links policy. An hour after AuctionBytes confirmed and wrote about the policy delay, eBay posted the news to its Announcement Board that is accessible to all users, writing that it would delay implementation of two new policies - the Links policy forbidding all off-eBay links, and its Specified Shipping policy, which was also scheduled to go into effect this month.

In Friday's announcement, eBay acknowledged the challenges sellers faced in making bulk revisions to make listings compliant with new policies when it wrote, "However, we've been working on improving our bulk editing tools to make it easy to update the shipping information within your listings all at once. These will be available in August, so we're going to delay the enforcement of this policy as well until these are available. Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to launch."

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Angie Delivers! Two More Jolie-Pitts Are Born


source: eonline

The supercouple welcomed a son and a daughter Saturday evening at the seaside Fondation Lenval in Nice, the actress' obstetrician tells E! News.

Twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline were delivered via Cesarian section about 6 p.m. local time.

"Brad and Angelina are extremely happy and everything went perfectly," ?Dr. Michel Sussmann the obstetrician who delivered the twins tells E! News. "Both of the babies are adorable and in excellent ?health and everyone's content and getting some much deserved rest.

"[Brad, Angelina and the twins] are all tired but very, very happy."

Knox arrived first and weighed 5.03 pounds, per Sussmann; Vivienne followed at 5 pounds.

Pitt was on hand to witness the womb exodus, which took place earlier than expected (conventional wisdom had the C-section taking place this Tuesday). Sussmann told the Associated Press the procedure was pushed up "for medical reasons," but declined to elaborate.

Jolie should be allowed to leave within a few days.

There's been no official comment from the couple's camp.

The Oscar-winning actress checked into her $500-per-night private room-with-a-view nearly two weeks ago for some prescheduled R&R.

So, the world stood by, as Jolie grew increasingly uncomfortable behind windows coated with paparazzi-blocking insulation and an Angie impostor happily modeled her expansive tummy through the window of her own room for the looky-loos down below.

"Any pictures released are either posed fakes set up by paparazzi, or, they are pictures of other patients," the hospital said in a statement Wednesday. "We hope this is clearly understood out of respect for all patients in this clinic."

Well, this clinic wasn't caring for just any patient—as far as the media were concerned, at least.

An international cordon of shutterbugs dutifully chronicled hospital visits from Pitt and their kids and Jolie's brother, James Haven, and waited for word of that inevitable first contraction, even after Sussmann announced that she might not deliver until mid-July.

The actual arrival comes weeks after it was erroneously reported that Jolie and Pitt had welcomed twin girls, Isla Marcheline and Amélie Jane, named in honor of the A-listers' own parents (Jolie's late mother was named Marcheline; Pitt's is Jane).

Earlier Saturday, reports surfaced indicating Jolie had given birth to twin girls, but a hospital spokeswoman said the stories had "wrong information."

Meanwhile, the ever-expanding clan—which, along with the newest additions, includes Maddox, 6; Pax, 4; Zahara, 3; and Shiloh, 2—have been hunkered down for the past couple months at their 1,000-acre chateau in the south of France. The other children, who have been under the care of Haven and an army of nannies, are expected to meet their new siblings on Sunday.

And judging by the 32-year-old mother of six's take on pregnancy, Knox and Vivienne may not be the last Jolie-Pitt progeny to be welcomed to the fold.

"I love it," a pre-popped Jolie said in the July issue of Vanity Fair of being pregnant. "It makes me feel like a woman. It makes me feel that all the things about my body are suddenly there for a reason.

"It makes you feel round and supple, and to have a little life inside you is amazing."

And two lives, while no doubt taxing, was even better for Jolie, thanks in large part to her 44-year-old better half.

"I'm fortunate," she said of partner Pitt. "I think some women have a different experience depending on their partner. I think that affects it. I happen to be with somebody who finds pregnancy very sexy. So that makes me feel very sexy."

Let the countdown for No. 7 begin.

Friday, July 11, 2008

An unexpected bug bite remedy


Baze, one of the girls in the Glamour beauty department, found a surprise use for Revive moisturizing cream - soothes bug bites:

Our beauty closet is jam-packed with every kind of face cream you could imagine--I get overwhelmed just thinking about it. But now there's one that really stands out to me. I recently met with Hylton Lea, a big-wig over at Révive skincare and he was telling me all about one of their high-tech products called Moisturizing Renewal Cream. It's meant to make skin look tighter and more glowy but when Hylton mentioned that it also regenerates skin cells, it occurred to me that the healing effects might work on my bug bites. I am so allergic that when I get a bite, within a few hours it becomes a big, red, swollen, itchy lump of misery. I get so desperate for relief that I'll try anything. So sure enough I got a bite on my forearm last week and the Revive cream totally worked! I saw a major improvement in my bite the next day. I'm not saying I would run out and buy a $165 moisturizer just to soothe insect bite irritation, but it's fun when you find out you can multitask with something fancy. Have any of you ever accidentally discovered a surprise use for a product?

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Bright Young Hollywood




For every Shia LaBeouf success, there’s a Lindsay Lohan flameout. Vanity Fair's August issue features Hollywood's Next Wave. Mark Seliger photographs today’s crop of hot young things, while Krista Smith collects the Tiger Beat data sheets (biggest crush? BlackBerry or iPhone?).

AMANDA SEYFRIED Age: 22. Hometown: Allentown, Pennsylvania. Breakthrough roles: Karen in Mean Girls, Sarah on HBO’s Big Love. Upcoming film: Mamma Mia! Levi’s or J Brand? Levi’s. Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin? “Prada. I don’t have any, but they make a woman’s leg look fantastic.” Favorite designer? “Miu Miu. I can’t afford it, but I love it.” BlackBerry or iPhone? BlackBerry. What’s on your iPod? Folk music. Who do you dream of working with one day? Michael Caine. Favorite movie? “Romeo and Juliet with Claire Danes. She was the first girl I related to in some way.” Last book you read? Invisible Monsters, by Chuck Palahniuk. What did you want to be when you grew up? A meteorologist. Xbox, Wii, or PlayStation? “Wii, because of Guitar Hero.” Hybrid or Escalade? “Audi. Maybe I should drive a hybrid. I do have a shirt that says, ‘Go Green.’ ”

EMMA ROBERTS Age: 17. Hometown: Rhinebeck, New York. Breakthrough roles: Addie Singer on Nickelodeon’s Unfabulous, title role in Nancy Drew. Upcoming film: Wild Child. First “Hollywood” moment? “I guess after my television show started airing, and I would be walking around the mall or just out with friends, and girls would come up to me and be like, ‘Oh my God, we love your show, we love this!’ And I would look around still, and be like, ‘Are they really talking to me?’ ” Number of shoes in your closet? “Probably a little under 50.” Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin? Louboutin. Chuck Taylors or Nikes? Chuck Taylors. Justin Timberlake or John Mayer? Justin Timberlake. What’s on your iPod? “Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Girlicious, lots of random little indie types of bands I’m kind of getting into.” American Idol or Lost? “Lost! I’m a huge Lost fan.” Favorite movie? Almost Famous. Style icon? “I love the way Mary-Kate and Ashley dress. I know that’s probably cliché to say.” Xbox, Wii, or PlayStation? Wii. Favorite drink? Dr. Pepper.

BLAKE LIVELY Age: 20. Hometown: Burbank, California. Breakthrough roles: Bridget in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl. Upcoming film: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. First “Hollywood” moment? “I hope not ever.” Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin? “Jimmy Choo and Chanel. I can’t stand it: the security guards know me there.” Levi’s or J Brand? J Brand. BlackBerry or iPhone? iPhone. Favorite guy’s guy? “I’m dating Brad Pitt.” Favorite girl’s girl? Angelina Jolie. Favorite movie? Wizard of Oz, Moulin Rouge!, Romeo and Juliet. Xbox, Wii, or PlayStation? Wii. Madden or Halo? “Guitar Hero for Wii. I had them write it into the show. But I just bought the Rock Band for Xbox.” Favorite snack? “Whatever’s greasier and cheesier the better.” Hybrid or Escalade? “Hybrid. Even if anybody picked the Escalade they wouldn’t say it, ‘cause it’d be, like, bombed.”

KRISTEN STEWART Age: 18. Hometown: North Hollywood, California. Breakthrough roles: Jodie Foster’s daughter in Panic Room, Tracy in Into the Wild. Upcoming films: Twilight, Adventureland, and What Just Happened? Levi’s or J Brand? “Levi’s. Although I think I’m wearing nice J Brands right now.” Chuck Taylors or Nikes? Converse. Favorite designer? “Oh, I don’t know­. Anything that’s beat up. I kind of like to look like a hobo.” Role model? Jodie Foster. BlackBerry or iPhone? “I’m getting a BlackBerry. I don’t even have an e-mail address. I just need a phone that’s not gonna break.” What’s on your iPod? Van Morrison, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones. Last book you read? Under the Banner of Heaven, by Jon Krakauer. Morning or evening? “I’m a night person. I mean, look at me.” Hybrid or Escalade? “A ‘95 Toyota Tacoma.” Boy crush? “My boyfriend, Michael Angarano!”

Longer Lashes in a Tube? Maybe Not



Source: New York Times
CALL it the Great Eyelash Coup. In November 2007, at the request of the Food and Drug Administration, United States marshals seized 12,682 tubes — about $2 million worth — of Age Intervention Eyelash, a lash enhancer then sold by Jan Marini Skin Research. The F.D.A. considered it an “unapproved and misbranded drug” in part because it contained bimatoprost, which is approved for glaucoma treatment but not for cosmetic use.

Since 2001, ophthalmologists have found that hair growth was a side effect. Others included optic-nerve damage and blindness — hardly worth the risk if you didn’t have glaucoma.

Age Intervention was “making a medical claim,” said Rita Chappelle, an F.D.A. spokeswoman, and its label didn’t disclose bimatoprost, which “is not to be showing up in cosmetic eye products, period.”

After the raid, Ms. Marini, the chief executive, reformulated her product to leave out the offending ingredient. Concurrently, Allergan, which sells bimatoprost as an antiglaucoma drug called Lumigan, filed suit against her company and others for patent infringement. Ms. Marini pulled her new formula.

But last month, Marini Lash, her latest eyelash enhancer, joined several products like neuLash, RevitaLash and MD Lash Factor that supposedly condition and lengthen lashes. The makers of these four products say they don’t contain bimatoprost. Allergan plans to seek F.D.A. approval for an eyelash grower that does use bimatoprost.

Whether eyelash lengtheners in a tube, which are applied to the lash line like eyeliner, work is another matter. The makers say yes — with qualifications. A $140 tube of MD Lash Factor comes with a disclaimer that says it’s not intended to “prevent, cure, relieve, resolve, stop or reduce hair loss or to promote the growth of hair.”

Neulash.com may boast that it “promotes healthy, natural lash growth in just 4 weeks!” But Richard Carieri, the chief executive of Skin Research Laboratories, its maker, is more careful. “We do not claim neuLash grows eyelashes, but invite users to judge the results of their lashes and brows after four weeks of use,” he said.

The F.D.A. has an ongoing investigation into eyelash products, Ms. Chappelle said.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Denim Dos and Don'ts

The August Glamour Magazine includes a quick how-to on wearing America's favorite fabric:

Don't make a mini even mini-er by pairing with heels. (If you do opt for the short styles, pair them with flats to counterbalance the hem.)


Do try a fitted denim pencil skirt. It's just as sexy as a miniskirt but in a polished, uptown kind of way.


Don't let your denim dress you down: Had this girl traded her ratty skirt and fuchsia leggings for a crisp pair of cropped jeans, she'd be rocking a chic stripes-and-jeans combo.

Do pull off white jeans (before and after Memorial Day, thank you very much) by pairing 'em with a darker color on top. Add a colorful accessory to make your whole outfit pop. Tip for wearing all white: avoid wearing it too tight!

Matthew McConaughey: It's a Boy!




Source: Eonline
Matthew McConaughey is a proud new pop.

The ab-fab actor and his girlfriend, Brazilian model Camila Alves, welcomed a 7-pound, 4-ounce boy, their first child together, Monday evening, E! News confirms.

The youngster was born at 6:22 p.m., according to McConaughey's rep.

But while this may cut into the Texan's time for sojourns to Nicaragua and lazy days on the beach with Lance, the Sahara star sounds more than ready to embrace daddyhood.

"A healthy baby boy was born," McConaughey said tonight in a statement to OK! magazine.

"Camila and I were side by side the entire time. We are both tired and elated, and are so happy to have created the greatest miracle in the world—having a child and making a family. Now comes the greatest adventure—raising one, together."

McConaughey first spread the good news of Alva's expectant status on his reggae-playing website.

"My girlfriend Camila and I made a baby together," McConaughey blogged in January.

"It's 3 months growin in her womb and all looks healthy and lively so far. We are stoked and wowed by this miracle of creation and this gift from God, and so excited for the adventure that will come in raising this child, being mother and a father, and shepherding him or her through this life."

McConaughey's mother added her own rapturous comments to the site a few days later: "Just when I think life cannot get any 'SWEETER,' Matthew and Camila fill life with more...so here I am DRINKING FROM MY SAUCER, BECAUSE MY CUP IS INDEED OVERFLOWING WITH THIS NEW BABY," she wrote.

The child's name has not yet been released.

Monday, July 7, 2008

It's a Girl for Nicole & Keith!




AP Photo/Isaac Brekken Story E!

Nicole Kidman beat Angelina Jolie to the finish line.

The Aussie Oscar winner and her Grammy-winning husband, Keith Urban, welcomed their first child, a baby girl, this morning in Nashville.

The Monday-born Sunday Rose Kidman Urban checked in at 6 pounds, 7½ ounces, according to a statement from their publicist.

"Keith was by Nicole's side, and mother and baby are very well," the rep added.

On his website, Urban gave a shout-out to his family and fans.

"Earlier this morning, Nic gave birth to our beautiful baby girl," he wrote. "We want to thank everybody that has kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We feel very blessed and grateful that we can share this joy with all of you today."

Kidman, 41, has two other children from her union with Tom Cruise, Isabella, 15, and Connor, 13. She and Urban, 40, married June 25, 2006.

They announced their pregnancy in January.

Just this weekend, Urban noted that his missus was due to burst at any minute. At a Nashville concert Saturday, with Kidman waiting in the wings, Urban dedicated his song "Better Half" to his "very, very, very, very, very pregnant wife."

Matthew McConaughey Beats the Heat on Surfboard




As the long weekend recedes and we face many hot weeks before the next one, we will lower our blood pressure, combat high gas prices and find inner peace by embracing our inner shirtless dude.

We will think Matthew McConaughey thoughts. And possibly call in sick next Monday.

Anyway, that's the plan.
Source: E!

Britney Spears To Join Madonna On Tour?



Queen of Pop Madonna has given an offer to troubled popstar Britney Spears to come along on her tour, as she wants to be helpful in putting back Britney’s career on track.

The Material Girl is going to meet Spears in NY to record a video, that is going to broadcasted during her Sticky and Sweet tour which kicks of on 23rd August.

The 49-year-old singer has invited the Toxic hitmaker to accompany her onstage at some selected concerts.

A source tells British newspaper The Sun, "They are recording a video together on Sunday that will provide the backdrop for part of Madonna's show.

"And they are talking about Britney taking the stage on a few of the dates too.

"It's hoped that Madonna can help Britney get back to her old self."

Uma Thurman: Engaged Life Is 'Wonderful'




Uma Thurman is learning never say never – at least when it comes to wedding vows.

After her two divorces from actors Gary Oldman and Ethan Hawke, the Kill Bill star swore she'd never marry again. But now, in her first interview since her engagement to Swiss multimillionaire Arpad "Arki" Busson was announced, Thurman tells the U.K.'s Sunday Times Style magazine that she's happy to go back on her word.

"I'm going to have to retract my statement of never," she says. "I'll have to eat my words – what a surprise."

Thurman, who says "personally, things are wonderful," also showed off her stunning engagement ring (which is reported to be an 8-plus carat center diamond surrounded by 20 smaller stones). It's so big, the article says, he hand can "barely get through the sleeve of her coat."

With her personal life going well, the 38-year-old actress also says she's happy to "look my age."

"Being in my late thirties is fine with me. Maybe when 40 hits, the penny will drop and you just hate life. But so far, so good."
source: PEOPLE

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Madonna Denies Divorce, Puts A-Rod in a Trance?



Source: PEOPLE
Deny, deny, deny!

Never one to shy away from controversy, Madonna issued the mother of all denials on Sunday, quashing rumors of an affair with Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez, refuting claims that she converted him to Kabbalah and denying plans to divorce her husband of seven years, Guy Ritchie.

"My husband and I are not planning on getting a divorce. I know Alex Rodriguez through Guy Oseary, who manages both of us. I brought my kids to a Yankee game. I am not romantically involved in any way with Alex Rodriguez. I have nothing to do with the state of his marriage or what spiritual path he may choose to study,” Madonna said in a statement to People.

Earlier in the week, her publicist also denied talks of a split.

On Saturday, the 49-year-old musician, her husband and their three children -- Lourdes, 11; Rocco, 7; and David, 2 -- were seen attending prayer services at the Kabbalah Centre in New York City.

Meanwhile, the baseball star's former trainer and friend told the New York Post on Sunday that A-Rod is "totally brainwashed" by Kabbalah, which the trainer says contributed to the demise of Rodriguez's five-year marriage to wife, Cynthia.

"Alex, God bless him, is lost," says Dodd Romero, who is godfather to Rodriguez' two daughters. "I think he got pulled in by the dark side, if you can say that nicely. He's totally brainwashed."

He also said the baseball star only listens to Madonna music in the car and goes "into a trance" when her music videos play at the gym.

Dodd spent time with Cynthia in Paris last week, where she reportedly fled after news of the split broke. Dodd says cutting ties with A-Rod shortly after Cynthia gave birth to their second daughter in late-April was "one of the hardest things I've had to do, because he's like a brother to me."

Are jalapeno peppers behind salmonella outbreak?

Report says jalapeno peppers probed as source

Salmonella cases climb to 943

Better go easy on fresh salsa for a while!

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its list of suspects from tomatoes to all the ingredients in freshly-made salsa.

Despite a report that jalapenos could be the culprit behind mass illnesses, CDC spokesman Glen Nowak could not say Saturday what specifically caused the outbreak, adding that investigators "do not rank the ingredients" in salsa.

The FDA announced Saturday there have been 943 reported cases of salmonella in 40 states. That compares to 922 people about two days ago, and 869 reported earlier last week.

"We're still looking at tomatoes as a possible cause," said Nowak, "along with jalapenos and cilantro and other ingredients in fresh salsa." He said they are not looking at packaged, prepared salsa.

Nowak refuted a recent Wall Street Journal report that CDC investigators now consider jalapeno peppers "a leading suspect" in the mystery outbreak that has gone unsolved since mid-April and cost the country's tomato industry an estimated $100 million in losses.

Investigators from the CDC and other health departments around the country are focusing on restaurants where there have been two or more separate instances of people reportedly becoming sick within a 10-day period after eating at the restaurant. At least 130 people have been hospitalized nationwide since the first salmonella illnesses appeared.

"We're working through the holiday weekend and we're hoping we can have something early in the week, more information in terms of what the case controls studies show," said Nowak.

Since news of the outbreak broke in early June and the FDA issued tomato warnings, farmers in Georgia say their business has been crippled by the scare that prompted groceries to pull tomatoes from their shelves and restaurants to take them off their menus.

Two of the nation's biggest tomato customers, burger chains McDonald's and Wendy's have brought tomatoes back, but it's too little too late for Georgia tomato farmers, said Bill Brim, president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

"We've lost $600,000 and it's just sickening," said Brim. "Now they're saying it might be jalapenos. I guess they needed another crop to kill. They're just trying to see how many damn people they can put out of business."

Early in its investigation the FDA eliminated Georgia tomato growers as suspects because their first crop of the season had not been harvested when the outbreak began in April.

But that didn't matter, said Brim, because consumers avoided all tomatoes in the scare, and that drove box prices of tomatoes from a high of $17 to $5. "Most of it we just had to throw out," said Brim, who owns a vegetable farm in Tifton.

State agriculture commissioner Tommy Irvin hosted a "tomato sandwich" luncheon last week at the state agriculture department to restore faith in the state's tomatoes. On Saturday, he joined a growing chorus of critics of the federal government's handling of the outbreak.

"They shouldn't have issued a warning about tomatoes unless they knew tomatoes were the source," said Irvin. "They still don't know the source. I think the CDC has egg all over its face on this one."

CNN reported Saturday that starting Monday health inspectors will halt the shipment of ingredients common to Mexican cuisine — tomatoes, jalapeno and serrano peppers, cilantro, scallions and bulb onions — from Mexico to the United States.

The network said the plan was to intercept the food at the border and send samples to laboratories to examine them for salmonella or E. coli. Nowak of the CDC could not confirm the report. Spokespersons for the FDA did not return Saturday calls seeking comment.

Meantime, tomato farmers, packers and shippers fear it could take months to rebuild the nation's $1.3 billion market for fresh tomatoes. Brim said some growers may not plant their usual second tomato crop of the season if the mystery isn't solved by the end of July.

"It's been a real eye-opener how the government and the media can destroy a market," he said. "A real eye-opener."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Britney Spears Back in Business!



Source ET: Britney Spears takes a meeting!

Hollywood.tv spots the pop star looking ready to get down to business in a cute salmon top and skinny jeans as she heads to a meeting at the William Morris Agency in Los Angeles.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

A-Rod's wife tells pals she believes Madonna lured Yank with kabbalah



NY Daily News reports that A-Rod's estranged wife is telling friends that pop icon Madonna is using kabbalah to brainwash Yankee star Alex Rodriguez into believing they are "soulmates".



Cynthia Rodriguez, who has bolted to rocker Lenny Kravitz's Paris pad to avoid the limelight, is blaming the Material Girl for breaking up her five-year marriage, a close friend told the Daily News. The 34-year-old stunner has revealed to close confidants that she discovered a note her husband wrote professing his true feelings to Madonna.

"I believe he was having an affair with Madonna," she told a friend, who spoke anonymously for fear of angering A-Rod. "She said she found a letter where Alex told Madonna: 'You are my true soulmate.'"

The friend said Cynthia Rodriguez, who gave birth to the couple's second daughter about 10 weeks ago, is teary and heartbroken over the split. Despite the sleepless nights and jags of tears, Cynthia Rodriguez is telling friends, "I still love my husband."

The startling revelations come just days after reports that Rodriguez, 32, had been dumped by his wife and has been seen making late-night visits to the 49-year-old Madonna's upper West Side home.

While Madonna's flack has vehemently denied any hanky-panky, insisting the slugger and the singer "are just friends," Cynthia Rodriguez is convinced otherwise. She has privately insisted to pals that the "Hard Candy" singer beguiled A-Rod by introducing him to the mystical Jewish teachings of kabbalah.

"I feel like Madonna is using mind control over him," Cynthia Rodriguez told the friend. "I don't recognize the man he's become. He was a sweet, beautiful, loving husband and father. Today he's very cold and calculating."

The Bombers' $275 million third baseman upset his wife in April by showing up 10 minutes after she gave birth to their daughter, Ella Alexander. He only exacerbated her hurt feelings by spending only a day with her and their newborn before rejoining the Yankees.

"This all started with kabbalah," said the friend. "Alex told Cynthia that he'd discovered that he'd been looking for his soul mate. And now, he said, he'd found her."

Simultaneously, Madonna has been hounded by reports that her seven-year marriage to filmmaker Guy Ritchie is on the rocks.

'I believe in family more than anything'

At first, Cynthia didn't find it odd that her brawny husband was spending so much time with the married pop star, whose daughter, Lourdes, shares his mother's name.

"Cynthia was so innocent," said the friend, adding that the scorned wife believed A-Rod and Madonna were hanging out simply because they share the same manager, Guy Oseary. "Cynthia thought he just respected the woman," the friend said. "Cynthia told me, 'I respected her, too - her creativity and ability to reinvent herself. I grew up listening to Madonna songs. I never dreamed this 49-year-old woman was anything more than a friend.'"

Three weeks after the birth of their daughter Ella, A-Rod dropped a knee-wobbling bomb on his wife, the friend said. Alex "came to Cynthia and claimed their marriage was over," the friend said. "That was news to her. She'd had no clue. She said, 'I was devastated,'" the friend said. "I've been with him for 13 years," she told her friend. "I stood beside him through all his struggles."

Despite the public humiliation of his romps at strip clubs and seeing photographs of him with Scores dancer Joslyn Noel Morse, "Cynthia has been a faithful wife," the friend said. "She said, 'I believe in family more than anything in the world.'"

Friends of Cynthia Rodriguez suspect A-Rod, or his allies, floated the story this week that she was having a fling withKravitz in Paris. Kravitz who was playing a gig in Belgium last night, was forced to issued a public denial Thursday.

"There is absolutely no affair between Cynthia Rodriguez and myself," he said in a statement. "This is unequivocally 100% not true. Cynthia is a friend and is here with the godfather of her baby, who is also Alex's trainer, his wife and their baby girl."

A-Rod suggested a Paris respite

HER FRIEND told The News that Cynthia Rodriguez bolted to France because she "wanted to escape the stress and clear her head."

"It was Alex who suggested she go to Paris for a few days," the friend said. "He said, 'Why don't you stay with Lenny?' He said to stay as long as she wanted. A day after she got there, the paparazzi were waiting outside the poor guy's house. Alex, or somebody in his camp, tipped them off."

The friend confirmed that Cynthia Rodriguez was in Paris with her daughters and their godparents, Dodd and Sabina Romero, and their daughter. "It was a family vacation," said the friend. "Lenny Kravitz is a gentleman who opened his home to her in a time of crisis. For people to portray him as an adulterer is sick."

Cynthia Rodriguez has declined to talk with friends about whether she's ready to get a divorce. "She keeps saying, 'I love him, or at least the man he was when I married him.' "But she's forced her to defend herself and their children. It's a very emotional time for her." A spokesman for Cynthia Rodriguez refused to comment, saying only, "This is a private matter."

Friday, July 4, 2008

Inside Angelina Jolie's Luxe Hospital Suite



Source: PEOPLE
As she awaits the birth of her twins, Angelina Jolie chose a hospital that helps the poor – but also comes with a spectacular view.

The Fondation Lenval, where Jolie is being monitored, is a 133-bed hospital in Nice, France, that specializes in the care of children and teens. Established in 1884, it has a history of treating children whose parents do not have the resources for medical care.

According to local paper Nice-Matin, Jolie is staying in a pre-booked suite of four rooms, each of which go a relatively affordable $200 a night. The hospital is one of the most modern-looking in the south of France, with a blue glass building fronting the world-famous Promenade des Anglais on the Mediterranean sea. At least half of the rooms overlook the Mediterranean. (Just down the street at the renowned Palais de la Mediterranee hotel, a seaview suite goes for more than $2,300 a night.)

The hospital suite could be Jolie's home for quite some time. Her obstetrician, Dr. Michel Sussmann, said Wednesday that she could give birth anytime "in the next weeks."

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Star Style Alert: 'Juicy' Barbecue Wear



(Source: etonline) Want to be comfy, chic and still fly your patriotic colors at this weekend's Fourth of July festivities? Try the latest summer frocks favored by Eva Longoria, Jessica Simpson and Gwen Stefani -- the Juicy Couture Maxi dress! Get the boho paisley versions (left) preferred by Gwen for $298 at Nordstrom, or the smocked Maxi worn by Jessica and Eva, in red-and-white or blue-and-white floral patterns for $278. Shorter, knee-length versions are also available at Revolveclothing.com for $198.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Stars Turn Out for Charity — And Shoes!



As Becki Newton stepped inside the Christian Louboutin boutique in Beverly Hills on Tuesday night, the wide-eyed Ugly Betty star told PEOPLE, “[This store is] very dangerous!” Felicity Huffman would know. Within a half hour, the Desperate Housewives actress had already bought two pairs of the pricey red-soled shoes at the party, where guests also purchased products from French skincare line Darphin to benefit P.S. Arts. “I got a pair of boots that I’ve been eyeing for a year and a half that I almost bought for my birthday, but I was like, ‘I can’t buy Christian Louboutin shoes, I can’t!’ And so I went in and I got them, which is very exciting,” said a giddy Huffman, who picked out a pair of “Wizard of Oz sparkly shoes” too. Does her hubby William Macy support her shoe habit? “Yes, I do!” assured Macy. Meanwhile, Newton, who drooled over the ankle boots, snagged a pair of platform sandals instead. Other guests included Steven Cojocaru and stylists Elizabeth Stewart and George Kotsiopoulos
source: offtherack

Doc: Brangelina Won't Have Twins for Weeks



Source:E! online

Angelina Jolie's doctor just threw a bucket of cold water on the global Brangelina babywatch.

"Angelina's pregnancy has gone very well so far, and she has absolutely no problems at all," obstetrician Dr. Michel Sussmann told E! News.

"But she still has at least two or three weeks to go until she gives birth, and she'll most certainly be staying in the hospital until after she gives birth."

Maybe Dustin Hoffman's previously believed red herring due date of Aug. 19 wasn't so far-fetched after all.


AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau
"Lenval is one of the best maternity hospitals in the world, so if there were any problems she'll get the best care possible," Sussmann said. "But for now, both Angelina and the babies are doing extremely well. Everyone's very happy."

Sussmann spoke to E! News following a press conference at 5:30 p.m. local time, in which he gave an update on the state of the world's most-watched pregnancy.

"Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have asked us to let you know that she's very well," Sussmann said, addressing her early admittance. "It isn't an emergency, it's completely planned. We're not talking about a premature birth."

Sussmann also added that the updates would be kept to an absolute minimum out of respect for the mother-to-be.

"She's a pregnant woman, and she's entitled to her privacy. She will stay in the hospital as long as it takes, then she will be allowed to go home. I have a very high respect for both her and her husband, and she's a very good patient."

The conference itself came just a few hours after some high-powered visitors arrived at the hospital, albeit with much less fanfare than the press conference provided.

A shades- and trilby-wearing Pitt, accompanied by daughters Zahara and Shiloh, were spotted earlier in the day entering the hospital's maternity ward.

The hospital is bending the rules ever so slightly for the famous patient—minors under the age of 15 are ordinarily not permitted during the hospital's visiting hours.

Special times apparently call for special measures.

The family's blacked-out Mercedes was waved through the side entrance of the hospital at 1:16 p.m. local time after passing through the amped-up security hired by the hospital following Jolie's admittance.

The 33-year-old checked into Nice's Lenval hospital earlier this week in advance of the twins' birth. It was something Nadine Bauer, the hospital's spokeswoman, told E! News was "standard procedure," and "something she had planned with her doctor...for some time" as a way to rest up for the final days of her pregnancy.

Bauer also confirmed on Tuesday that Sussmann would hold a press conference in the wake of the twins' arrival to formally announce the news, but because no due date has yet been given, anticipation was high going into today's press conference.

It will, no doubt, continue to be.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Madonna's Rep: No Divorce, No Affair



Guy Ritchie and Madonna

Photo by: Evan Agostini / AP
Madonna's spokeswoman has released an exclusive statement to PEOPLE rejecting reports that the singer's marriage to her film director husband Guy Ritchie is on the rocks.

"Madonna's husband Guy arrived in New York last night to be with his wife and family (not in a last ditch attempt to save his marriage which does not need saving)," Liz Rosenberg told PEOPLE. "There are no plans for Madonna and Guy to divorce."

Rosenberg also denied a published report of a relationship between the singer and New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.

"Madonna and Alex have the same manager, Guy Oseary," Rosenberg says. "They have met. They know each other and Madonna took her kids to a Yankees game last week. There's really not anything to comment on beyond that."

Adds Rosenberg: "It's nothing new that people are airing tons of dirty laundry Madonna's way lately – much of it untrue." She joked: "By the way, rumors of Madonna and Lil Wayne are quite exaggerated, as well."

Brangelina Babies Almost Out!


Independence Day is coming early for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's latest spawn.

The Oscar-winning actress has checked into a French hospital to deliver her twins.

A spokeswoman for the Lenval Hospital in Nice tells the Associated Press Jolie is ensconced in the maternity ward and is doing well, but, contrary to a report earlier today in the French tabloid Closer, the babies have not made their grand entrance yet.

There was no immediate comment from the couple's reps.

‘Steal the Celebrity Style’ Heidi Klum is Sleek, Skinny & Strapless


Source: allieiswired.com, photo instyle


Heidi Klum’s ability to bounce back from having multiple children is crazy. It takes most of us months to bounce back from a candy binge, yet she can strut her stuff on the Victoria’s Secret catwalk weeks after giving birth. And she’s showing no signs of letting the body that made her famous go. Just check out this recent pic of Heidi on the red—er, turquoise—carpet wearing a curve hugging black strapless dress. Hey, if you’ve got it, you might as well flaunt it. Are you brave enough to steal Heidi’s sleek look for yourself? You can do it for less! Here's some examples:

Dress - $149.00 by Bebe
Bracelets - $6.80 (entire set) by Forever 21
Clutch - $20.00 by Urban Outfitters, browse clutches
Shoes - $90.00 by Jessica Simpson browse peep-toe pumps

Solution, or Mess? New Milk Jug Design



Source NYT

NORTH CANTON, Ohio — A simple change to the design of the gallon milk jug, adopted by Wal-Mart and Costco, seems made for the times. The jugs are cheaper to ship and better for the environment, the milk is fresher when it arrives in stores, and it costs less.

What’s not to like? Plenty, as it turns out.

The jugs have no real spout, and their unorthodox shape makes consumers feel like novices at the simple task of pouring a glass of milk.

“I hate it,” said Lisa DeHoff, a cafe owner shopping in a Sam’s Club here.

“It spills everywhere,” said Amy Wise, a homemaker.

“It’s very hard for kids to pour,” said Lee Morris, who was shopping for her grandchildren.

But retailers are undeterred by the prospect of upended bowls of Cheerios. The new jugs have many advantages from their point of view, and Sam’s Club intends to roll them out broadly, making them more prevalent.

The redesign of the gallon milk jug, experts say, is an example of the changes likely to play out in the American economy over the next two decades. In an era of soaring global demand and higher costs for energy and materials, virtually every aspect of the economy needs to be re-examined, they say, and many products must be redesigned for greater efficiency.

“This is a key strategy as a path forward,” said Anne Johnson, the director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, a project of the nonprofit group GreenBlue. “Re-examining, ‘What are the materials we are using? How are we using them? And where do they go ultimately?’ ”

Wal-Mart Stores is already moving down this path. But if the milk jug is any indication, some of the changes will take getting used to on the part of consumers. Many spill milk when first using the new jugs.

“When we brought in the new milk, we were asking for feedback,” said Heather Mayo, vice president for merchandising at Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart. “And they’re saying, ‘Why’s it in a square jug? Why’s it different? I want the same milk. What happened to my old milk?’ ”

Mary Tilton tried to educate the public a few days ago as she stood at a Sam’s Club in North Canton, about 50 miles south of Cleveland, luring shoppers with chocolate chip cookies and milk as she showed them how to pour from the new jugs.

“Just tilt it slowly and pour slowly,” Ms. Tilton said to passing customers as she talked about the jugs’ environmental benefits and cost savings. Instead of picking up the jug, as most people tend to do, she kept it on a table and gently tipped it toward a cup.

Mike Compston, who owns a dairy in Yerington, Nev., described the pouring technique in a telephone interview as a “rock-and-pour instead of a lift-and-tip.”

Demonstrations are but one of several ways Sam’s Club is advocating the containers. Signs in the aisle laud their cost savings and “better fridge fit.”


And some customers have become converts.

“With the new refrigerators with the shelf in the door, these fit nice,” said April Buchanan, who was shopping at the Sam’s Club here. Others, even those who rue the day their tried-and-true jugs were replaced, praised the lower cost, from $2.18 to $2.58 a gallon. Sam’s Club said that was a savings of 10 to 20 cents a gallon compared with old jugs.

The new jug marks a sharp break with the way dairies and grocers have traditionally produced and stocked milk.

Early one recent morning, the creators and producers of the new tall rectangular jugs donned goggles and white coats to walk the noisy, chilly production lines at Superior Dairy in Canton, Ohio. It was founded in 1922 by a man who was forced to abandon the brandy business during Prohibition. Five generations of the founder’s family, the Soehnlens, have worked there.

Today, they bottle and ship two different ways. The old way is inefficient and labor-intensive, according to members of the family. The other day, a worker named Dennis Sickafoose was using a long hook to drag plastic crates loaded with jugs of milk onto a conveyor belt.

The crates are necessary because the shape of old-fashioned milk jugs prohibits stacking them atop one another. The crates take up a lot of room, they are unwieldy to move, and extra space must be left in delivery trucks to take empty ones back from stores to the dairy.

Efficiency One Gallon at a Time They also can be filthy. “Birds roost on them,” said Dan Soehnlen, president of Superior Dairy, which spun off a unit called Creative Edge to design and license new packaging of many kinds. He spoke while standing in pools of the soapy run-off from milk crates that had just been washed. About 100,000 gallons of water a day are used at his dairy clean the crates, Mr. Soehnlen said.

But with the new jugs, the milk crates are gone. Instead, a machine stacks the jugs, with cardboard sheets between layers. Then the entire pallet, four layers high, is shrink-wrapped and moved with a forklift.

The company estimates this kind of shipping has cut labor by half and water use by 60 to 70 percent. More gallons fit on a truck and in Sam’s Club coolers, and no empty crates need to be picked up, reducing trips to each Sam’s Club store to two a week, from five — a big fuel savings. Also, Sam’s Club can now store 224 gallons of milk in its coolers, in the same space that used to hold 80.

The whole operation is so much more efficient that milk coming out of a cow in the morning winds up at a Sam’s Club store by that afternoon, compared with several hours later or the next morning by the old method. “That’s our idea of fresh milk,” Greg Soehnlen, a vice president at Creative Edge, said.

Sam’s Club started using the boxy jugs in November, and they are now in 189 stores scattered around the country. They will appear soon in more Sam’s Club stores and perhaps in Wal-Marts.

The question now is whether customers will go along.

As Ms. Tilton gave her in-store demonstration the other day at the Sam’s Club here, customers stood around her, munching cookies and sipping milk. “Would you like to take some home today?” she asked.

A shopper named Jodi Kauffman gave the alien jugs a sidelong glance.

“Maybe,” she said.

Bon Jovi to give free concert in NYC this summer


Source: AP

NEW YORK - Bon Jovi will perform free concert July 12 in Central Park.

It's billed as a prelude to the July 15 All-Star baseball game, which will highlight the final season at Yankee Stadium.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Jovi will help ensure it goes out in a blaze of glory, hopefully a blaze in late October at the World Series.

Bon Jovi's hits include "Livin' on a Prayer," "Bad Medicine" and "Blaze of Glory." Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi said playing Central Park is a dream come true.