Burger King launches body spray / fragrance

from today.msnbc.msn.com By Sarika Dani

 

The way to a man's heart may be through his stomach, but the way to a woman's heart — according to Burger King — may be through a new meat-scented body spray.

While fast-food chains aren't exactly best known for selling signature fragrances, on Sunday The Home of the Whopper rolled out a men's body spray called Flame by BK. The 5-ml bottles are available for sale in Ricky's stores in New York City and on a dedicated Web site, firemeetsdesire.com.

If you're salivating for a chance to marinate yourself in flame-broiled flavor, relax: The experience can be yours for just $3.99 — a small price to pay for some seriously mouthwatering mojo.

"My assumption when I heard about it was that it would smell like french fries and burgers," said Luis Bejaran, 24, who manages a Ricky's store on Eighth Street in Manhattan. But, he said, that wasn't the case. "It's a combination of Axe body spray, TAG and this YSL cologne I have. It's one of those scents that's not sweet, and light at the same time."

While Bejaran said he would be certainly be willing to set his body a-Flame, his female co-workers were not so sure about its meaty merits. "It's not the best choice for a man," offered one.

Still, as of Wednesday afternoon Bejaran says the store had sold at least 10 bottles, and plenty more people had stopped in or called to inquire about it. Many were drawn in by the store's window display, which currently features "the Burger King guy, half-naked," said Bejaran. Only four Ricky's stores were lucky enough to get the "King" special window treatment, however.

It's true that the reclining, vaguely nauseating Burger "King" does not make for the sexiest spokesperson, but his appeal, like the fragrance itself, may lie in its ridiculousness.

On firemeetsdesire.com, Burger King takes pains make satire of the "sexy is serious" stylings of other fragrance campaigns, offering this description of the scent against a chic black background: "The WHOPPER sandwich is America's favorite burger. FLAME by BK captures the essence of that love and gives it to you. Behold the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat."

As with any decent marketing stunt, the whole Flame campaign has stoked the embers of opinion among fans and critics alike.

"I would not wear it out of principle," said 23-year-old Mike G., after seeing the slim silver package sporting art of a flaming heart. "It's from Burger King. I would never wear a cologne from a fast-food restaurant. It actually angers me slightly. I mean, the packaging says heartburn — what are they trying to say?"

Perhaps that beauty — as they say — is in the, er, nose of the beholder.

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Model Bettie Page Dies in Los Angeles at 85

LOS ANGELES (AP) —  Bettie Page, the 1950s secretary-turned-model whose controversial photographs in skimpy attire or none at all helped set the stage for the 1960s sexual revolution, died Thursday. She was 85.

Page was placed on life support last week after suffering a heart attack in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness, said her agent, Mark Roesler. He said he and Page's family agreed to remove life support. Before the heart attack, Page had been hospitalized for three weeks with pneumonia.

"She captured the imagination of a generation of men and women with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality," Roesler said. "She is the embodiment of beauty."

Page, who was also known as Betty, attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie that were quickly tacked up on walls in military barracks, garages and elsewhere, where they remained for years.

Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic poses.

"I think that she was a remarkable lady, an iconic figure in pop culture who influenced sexuality, taste in fashion, someone who had a tremendous impact on our society," Playboy founder Hugh Hefner told The Associated Press on Thursday. "She was a very dear person."

Page mysteriously disappeared from the public eye for decades, during which time she battled mental illness and became a born-again Christian.

After resurfacing in the 1990s, she occasionally granted interviews but refused to allow her picture to be taken.

"I don't want to be photographed in my old age," she told an interviewer in 1998. "I feel the same way with old movie stars. ... It makes me sad. We want to remember them when they were young."

The 21st century indeed had people remembering her just as she was. She became the subject of songs, biographies, Web sites, comic books, movies and documentaries. A new generation of fans bought thousands of copies of her photos, and some feminists hailed her as a pioneer of women's liberation.

Gretchen Mol portrayed her in 2005's "The Notorious Bettie Page" and Paige Richards had the role in 2004's "Bettie Page: Dark Angel." Page herself took part in the 1998 documentary "Betty Page: Pinup Queen."

Hefner said he last saw Page when he held a screening of "The Notorious Bettie Page" at the Playboy Mansion. He said she objected to the fact that the film referred to her as "notorious," but "we explained to her that it referred to the troubled times she had and was a good way to sell a movie."

Page's career began one day in October 1950 when she took a respite from her job as a secretary in a New York office for a walk along the beach at Coney Island. An amateur photographer named Jerry Tibbs admired the 27-year-old's firm, curvy body and asked her to pose.

Looking back on the career that followed, she told Playboy in 1998: "I never thought it was shameful. I felt normal. It's just that it was much better than pounding a typewriter eight hours a day, which gets monotonous."

Nudity didn't bother her, she said, explaining: "God approves of nudity. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they were naked as jaybirds."

In 1951, Page fell under the influence of a photographer and his sister who specialized in S&M. They cut her hair into the dark bangs that became her signature and posed her in spiked heels and little else. She was photographed with a whip in her hand, and in one session she was spread-eagled between two trees, her feet dangling.

"I thought my arms and legs would come out of their sockets," she said later.

Moralists denounced the photos as perversion, and Sen. Estes Kefauver of Tennessee, Page's home state, launched a congressional investigation.

Page quickly retreated from public view, later saying she was hounded by federal agents who waved her nude photos in her face. She also said she believed that, at age 34, her days as "the girl with the perfect figure" were nearly over.

She moved to Florida in 1957 and married a much younger man, as an early marriage to her high school sweetheart had ended in divorce.

Her second marriage also failed, as did a third, and she suffered a nervous breakdown.

In 1959, she was lying on a sea wall in Key West when she saw a church with a white neon cross on top. She walked inside and became a born-again Christian.

After attending Bible school, she wanted to serve as a missionary but was turned down because she had been divorced. Instead, she worked full-time for evangelist Billy Graham's ministry.

A move to Southern California in 1979 brought more troubles.

She was arrested after an altercation with her landlady, and doctors who examined her determined she had acute schizophrenia. She spent 20 months in a state mental hospital in San Bernardino.

A fight with another landlord resulted in her arrest, but she was found not guilty because of insanity. She was placed under state supervision for eight years.

"She had a very turbulent life," Todd Mueller, a family friend and autograph seller, told The Associated Press on Thursday. "She had a temper to her."

Mueller said he first met Page after tracking her down in the 1990s and persuaded her to do an autograph signing event.

He said she was a hit and sold about 3,000 autographs, usually for $200 to $300 each.

"Eleanor Roosevelt, we got $40 to $50. ... Bettie Page outsells them all," he told The AP last week.

Born April 22, 1923, in Nashville, Tenn., Page said she grew up in a family so poor "we were lucky to get an orange in our Christmas stockings."

The family included three boys and three girls, and Page said her father molested all of the girls.

After the Pages moved to Houston, her father decided to return to Tennessee and stole a police car for the trip. He was sent to prison, and for a time Betty lived in an orphanage.

In her teens she acted in high school plays, going on to study drama in New York and win a screen test from 20th Century Fox before her modeling career took off.

Music Used During U.S. Military Interrogations

(AP) U.S. military interrogators have often blasted music at detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. According to the British law group Reprieve, these are among the songs they have used most frequently:

• "Enter Sandman," Metallica.

• "Bodies," Drowning Pool.

• "Shoot to Thrill," AC/DC.

• "Hell's Bells," AC/DC.

• "I Love You," from the "Barney and Friends" children's TV show.

• "Born in the USA," Bruce Springsteen.

• "Babylon," David Gray.

• "White America," Eminem.

• "Sesame Street," theme song from the children's TV show.

Other bands and artists whose music has been frequently played at U.S. detention sites: Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Don McLean, Lil' Kim, Limp Bizkit, Meat Loaf, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tupac Shakur.

Huge stash of Marijuana found in ancient tomb

from foxnews.com

Duuuuuude! The world's oldest stash of marijuana has been found in far western China, according to an article in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

An ancient Caucasian people, probably the Indo-European-speaking Yuezhi whose fair-haired mummies keep turning up in Xinjiang province, seem to have buried one of their shamans with a whopping 789 grams of high-potency pot 2,700 years ago.

That's about 28 ounces of killer green bud, worth perhaps $8,000 at today's street prices, and enough to keep Harold and Kumar happy for a couple of days.

"It was common practice in burials to provide materials needed for the afterlife," lead author Ethan B. Russo, a practicing neurologist and prominent medicinal-marijuana advocate based in Missoula, Mont., tells the Canadian Press. "No hemp or seeds were provided for fabric or food. Rather, cannabis as medicine or for visionary purposes was supplied."

But the researchers couldn't tell if the weed was meant to be smoked or eaten. No pipes, bongs or rolling papers were found in the tomb.

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus relates how the Scythians, Iranian-speaking nomads who roamed the steppes to the west of the Yuezhi in the first millennium B.C., liked to throw marijuana onto bonfires to induce trancelike states. It's possible the buried shaman followed similar practices.

WKRP in Cincinnati ... For Real This Time

CINCINNATI (AP) —  WKRP is back on the air in Cincinnati — but this time it's for real.

A low-power TV station has changed its call letters to WKRP, the same as the fictional radio station in the 1970s hit series "WKRP in Cincinnati."

The station changed its call letters to promote its new digital TV signal. It formerly went by WBQC-TV.

General Manager Elliott Block says the new call letters give the station recognition because so many people remember the television sit-com.

'12 Days of Christmas' items would cost over $86,000

PITTSBURGH (AP) —  Given the economic downturn, even the most romantic might balk at the $86,609 price tag for the items in the carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

That's this year's cost, according to the annual "Christmas Price Index" compiled by PNC Wealth Management, which tallies the single partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, purchased repeatedly as the song suggests. The price is up $8,508 or 10.9 percent, from $78,100 last year.

"True loves may take it on the chin for a peck on the cheek," said Jim Dunigan, managing executive of investment for PNC Wealth Management, which has been calculating the cost of Christmas since 1984.

In this tight economy, what's a romantic to do?

The creative but cash-strapped consumer might consider some modifications. After all, who needs dozens of birds?

Instead of two turtle doves ($55) why not two Dove chocolate bars at about buck each? Don't have $4,414 for 10 lords-a-leaping? How about a "Riverdance" DVD? Plenty of leaping there, and it's only about $25 on Amazon.com. Save a couple grand by skipping the 11 pipers piping and getting a CD of Scottish bagpipe music for less than $20.

"The price of creativity, I think, has to be measured against the value of true love," said Dunigan. "Necessity is the mother of invention. So this year, it might pay to be a little more inventive."

While some sources suggest the gold rings actually refer to ring neck pheasants — apparently, all the birds were for feasting — Dunigan advises sticking with jewelry.

"At least my experience, if you had to lead with something, gold rings probably wouldn't be a bad idea," he said.

They are down about 11 percent, from $395 last year to $350, the result of pressures on discretionary spending, Dunigan said.

But sticklers for tradition might also save by procrastinating. With the economy in its first consumer-led recession since the early 1980s and energy prices falling as of late, prices could come down between now and Christmas, Dunigan said.

PNC Financial Services Group Inc. checks jewelry stores, dance companies, pet stores and other sources to compile the list. While it is done humorously, PNC said its index mirrors actual economic trends.

For instance, gasoline costs topped $4 this summer, driving up shipping costs for many goods. So a pear tree that cost $150 last year will cost $200 this year. (The partridge is up $5 to $20.)

Luxury items are also up, as reflected by the price of the seven swans-a-swimming, which are up 33 percent to $5,600.

But the faltering economy has also brought down the cost of some items.

The three French hens (down $15 to $30) and six geese-a-laying (down $120 to $240) reflect declines in food prices.

The eight maids-a-milking will cost 12 percent more, $52.40 from about $47 last year, thanks to their second annual minimum wage increase.

The 10 lords-a-leaping, 11 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming are all up about 3 percent, reflecting the general average wage increase.

Fans Celebrate 25 Years of 'A Christmas Story'

CLEVELAND (AP) —  Fans of the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" are celebrating the film's 25th anniversary with a convention and trips to the house where the movie was made.

The 1983 film, an adaptation of Jean Shepard's memoir of a boy in the 1940s, was set in Indiana but largely filmed in Ohio. The movie starred Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker, a young boy determined to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

The film was a modest theatrical success, but critics loved it. It eventually joined "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" as a Christmas cult classic.

"It's a film about being a kid and looking back," said Brian Jones, who owns the house where the movie was shot and the neighboring museum dedicated to the film.

About 4,000 fans are attending the convention at Cleveland's Renaissance Hotel, where they'll meet some of the film's actors, watch three documentaries made about the film and see the original 1938 fire truck from a famous scene in the movie involving a child's tongue stuck to a frozen pole.

"It is unbelievable that a movie has touched the lives of millions of families," said Phil Gillen, son of the late actor Jeff Gillen who played the movie's worn-out Santa Claus. He traveled from Miami with his family to attend the convention.

Avid fans Mark and Becky Tompkins also traveled to the meetup with their children, Madison, 9, and Brandon, 5.

"It's a Christmas movie that you can watch and relate to," Mark Tompkins said. "Everyone, whether they want to admit it or not, really wanted a special gift one holiday."

Former Spitzer Prostitute Pursuing Career in Music: Ashlee Dupree

from nypost.com

NEW YORK  —  Now that she's done singing about Eliot Spitzer, Ashley Dupre is taking steps to get a real music career under way.

An insider tells the New York Post's Page Six that the former high-end prostitute has signed a manager to help guide her career.

Her manager, Chris Lighty, has handled 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott. Dupre's earlier dreams of getting into show business got somewhat interrupted by her other career choices.

Digital sales surpass CD sales at Atlantic Records

from efluxmedia.com - By Davie Barret

 

Atlantic Records has come out with an almost shocking, but somewhat predictable, statement recently, declaring that they get most of their revenue from digital sales, rather than from sales of CDs. This might be the crossroad every record company has feared since the digital music files have come out a decade ago.

It has always been a question of "when" rather than "if" digital sales will surpass traditional compact discs. Atlantic Records has declared that they get most of their revenue from digital music stores, like iTunes , and from selling ringtones for cell phones. The major record company has stated that this is a milestone that no other company has yet reached, as most than half of their winnings come from the digital, rather from CDs.

On the other hand, analysts don't think that overall, digital music will surpass CD's by the end of 2011 and that Atlantic's statement is really a thing other record companies should take in consideration.

This is important as the change to digital is unavoidable and preparations must be made. This transition poses some problems in terms of how much the record companies will profit. Until now a CD contained a full album, several songs, which the buyer purchased when paying for the CD. With digital music, the consumer has the option to choose what songs to pick, making prices, inevitably, drop.

Solutions can be found of course, like concentrating more on concert tickets and tour merchandise and even promoting bands and artists through the Internet and other new media mediums.

Dita Von Teese sizzles on December cover of German Playboy

from getback.com - By Amy & Nancy Harrington

Burlesque star Dita Von Teese is baring it all for the December issue of German playboy.

Posing in stockings and suspenders, as well as PVC boots, the star certainly lives up to her sex symbol status.

Arkansas man sues McDonald's over nude photos of his wife

from nydailynews.com

If you have naked photos of your wife on your cellphone, be sure to keep it safe.

That's sound advice a man in Fayetteville, Arkansas failed to heed.

Phillip Sherman mistakenly left his cell phone behind at a local McDonald's, and now he and his wife, Tina Sherman, are suing the fast food joint for $3 million after nude photos of her that were on the phone found their way to the Internet.

According to the lawsuit, Phillip forgot the phone in July and was assured the employees would keep it safe. However, the naked pictures of Tina ended up online, and the Shermans are blaming the workers at the McDonald's restaurant.

The couple is seeking damages for suffering, embarrassment and the cost of having to move to a new home.

No Doubt to return for 2009 tour

from news.bbc.co.uk

No Doubt are to reform for a tour in 2009 as they put the finishing touches to their first studio album in seven years.

The group, led by Gwen Stefani, revealed the tour plans in a live chat on their website.

Stefani said it would be "so inspiring to get out there and play all those songs again".

The group have not played live since 2004 and their last studio album was 2001's Rock Steady.

"I have cabin fever. Maybe we should play some shows or something," guitarist Tom Dumont said in the conversation.

Stefani answered: "I think we should go out now. I don't think we should wait. Pack up the babies and get a bunch of nannies."

No Doubt have been in the studio on and off throughout 2008, but Stefani's participation has been limited since giving birth to her second son in August.

Since the group's last album, Stefani has released two critically-acclaimed solo albums, while the other members have pursued solo and session work as well as producing.

Free Dr. Pepper! Guns 'n' Roses: Chinese Democracy

LOS ANGELES (AP) —  Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.

The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.

"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."

Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

Dr Pepper is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.

Paul McCartney to Release Experimental Beatles Track From 1967

LONDON (AP) —  Paul McCartney says it's time an experimental Beatles track saw the light of day.

McCartney says he wants to release "Carnival of Light," a 14-minute experimental track the Fab Four recorded in 1967 but never released.

The band played the recording for an audience just once, at an electronic music festival in London. It reportedly includes distorted guita, organ sounds, gargling and shouts of "Barcelona!" and "Are you all right?" from McCartney and John Lennon.

McCartney said during a recording session at Abbey Road studios he asked the other members of the band to "just wander round all of the stuff and bang it, shout, play it. It doesn't need to make any sense."

"I like it because it's The Beatles free, going off piste," he told the BBC in a radio interview to be broadcast Thursday. Extracts of the interview were published Sunday in The Observer newspaper.

McCartney said he still had a master tape of the piece and "the time has come for it to get its moment."

McCartney, usually regarded as the most melodically minded Beatle, told the BBC he had a long-standing interest in avant-garde music. He said "Carnival of Light" was inspired by experimental composers John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen.

He said he had wanted to include the track on the Beatles' "Anthology" compilation, but was vetoed by his bandmates.

McCartney would need permission from Ringo Starr and the widows of Lennon and George Harrison to release the track.

Lindsay Lohan Calls Obama First 'Colored President' in Interview

from foxnews.com

 

Just call her Lindsay Bunker.

Lindsay Lohan used a derogatory term for  African Americans most commonly used by racist character Archie Bunker in the 1970s sitcom "All In the Family."

"It's an amazing feeling. It's our first, you know, colored president," the 22-year-old actress said in response to a question from Maria Menounos on "Access Hollywood" about her reaction to Obama's win in the 2008 presidential race.

The oft-troubled starlet muttered the offensive term in the midst of an interview about her role on "Ugly Betty," gay marriage, and cancer research.

The television interview comes on the heels of a sit-dwon with "Harper's Bazaar" magazine where Lohan denied being a lesbian, but admitted to being in love with her female partner of several months, Samantha Ronson.

Last call for Britain's iconic telephone booths?

LONDON (AP) - Britain's bright red telephone boxes are increasingly unused and unprofitable, but far from unloved.

The fate of more than a third of the country's 12,700 iconic red telephone booths is up in the air: Telecommunications company BT says it wants to scrap about 400 of them and is in negotiations with local authorities about what to do another 4,000.

Villages and local governments are stepping up efforts to salvage the street furniture, converting the booths into community notice boards, greenhouses, or possibly even miniature art galleries. They have until Saturday to apply to adopt a phone booth.

The small English hamlet of Lighthorne, about 90 miles northwest of London, recently became the first community in Britain to take over a red phone box from BT, paying 1 pound (less than $2) for the privilege.

"The point is it's very much part of our heritage," said Josette Tait, who chairs Lighthorne's parish council, which made the decision to buy the booth after learning BT was going to remove it. "It's been here well over 60 years."

Tait said no one had used Lighthorne's phone booth — about 25 yards from the village green — in about a year. She explained that the village, population 460, had no real use for it.

"Everybody's either got land lines or mobile phones," she said. "I suspect that's probably true nationally."

That's apparent from figures supplied by BT Group PLC, the successor to Britain's national telephone monopoly.

"Pay phone usage has declined dramatically since the advent of the mobile phone," BT spokeswoman Gemma Thomas said. She declined to say how much BT was making — or losing — on its pay phones, but said more than half of them no longer turned a profit. Among the money-losers are several thousand traditional red kiosks — many of which could be sent to the recycling heap unless local councils take responsibility for the phones' upkeep.

Thomas said authorities — mostly in rural areas — had so far applied to save about 300 of the boxes, adding that she expected more as the deadline for applications neared.

'Iconic image'
Conservative lawmaker Alan Duncan, who championed the "Adopt a Kiosk" plan earlier this year, said he hoped more communities would take action to protect what he said was "an iconic image in Britain."

"It goes with black taxis and double-decker buses," Duncan said. "Both in rural and in urban areas the red box itself is seen as part of the local streetscape."

Designed by British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the first of the classic red telephone boxes appeared in 1924. The phone booths have been tweaked several times since. The K6, rolled out in 1932, became the most widespread. Some 70,000 of the soundproof cast-iron kiosks popped up across the country, according to Icons Online, part of the official Web site for Britain's museums and galleries.

But vandalism, high maintenance and problems with accessibility spurred the Post Office, BT's predecessor, to begin replacing them with modern phone booths in the 1960s. Campaigners managed to list around 3,000 kiosks as historic buildings, meaning that those cannot be removed; the rest remain in limbo.

It's unclear how long Lighthorne's phone box has been in place: Tait said BT told her it had no record of when it was installed. Barbara Townsend, a lifelong resident of Lighthorne, said she could remember slipping coins into the machine to buy three minutes of conversation with her sister in the mid-1940s.

Village landmark
"We didn't have a telephone at home then," the 75-year-old said. "You had to be very well off to have a telephone."

She said she was pleased the council had decided to hold on to the box, calling it a village landmark.

Tait said the council would pay 25 pounds ($39) to renew the kiosk's coat of red paint, but that the villagers had not yet decided what to do with the box now that it no longer contained a telephone.

Whatever its ultimate use, Tait said she was pleased that the kiosk would remain in place.

"We thought it was probably better to purchase it rather than lose it completely and have a very blank space where it's always been," she said.

Beatles may make music with 'Rock Band'

from billboard.com

NEW YORK - The Beatles could be coming to top-selling video game "Rock Band."

The Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. and MTV have scheduled a press teleconference Thursday at 10:00 a.m. ET to announce "an exclusive agreement to develop a global music project."

Although the announcement does not offer details on the agreement, representatives for the Beatles have been talking to MTV's "Rock Band" team for months.

If a deal is signed, "Rock Band" will have secured two of the top-selling catalog bands of all time for versions of the game. AC/DC recently became the subject of a "Rock Band Track Pack," featuring 18 live versions of hits like "Thunderstruck and "Back in Black." The title, like the band's new album, "Black Ice," is a Wal-Mart exclusive.

Both AC/DC and the Beatles remain absent from digital music services, including the iTunes Music Store, AmazonMP3 and others.

MTV declined to comment.

'EFFING.HYSTERICAL...

Amber Lee Ettinger aka OBAMA GIRL - Pictures / Photos

Enjoy - Ace:)

Madonna & Guy Ritchie reach divorce settlement

from msnbc.com via Access Hollywood

LONDON - Guy Ritchie and Madonna have settled their divorce, according to the British newspaper The Sun.

The "RocknRolla" director will reportedly walk away with assets totaling around $60 million, including a 1,200-acre country estate, a London pub, and a cash settlement.

Madonna will hold on to her New York and Los Angeles homes and most of her considerable fortune, The Sun reported.

"The negotiations were relatively painless," The Sun quoted a source as saying. "Guy knew what he wanted and Madonna knew what she was keen to keep. There was a spell when Guy was in a mood to dig his heels in, but he decided this arrangement seemed reasonable and a long battle over money would make life unbearable."

Madonna is being represented by divorce lawyer Fiona Shackleton, who formerly represented Paul McCartney in his divorce from Heather Mills. Shackleton reportedly negotiated Madonna's divorce terms during a day of phone calls with Guy's lawyers.

The former couple reportedly expects to reach a compromise over their three kids — Lourdes, 12, who is the daughter of Madonna and ex Carlos Leon, and sons Rocco, 8, and David, 3.

With the divorce all but out of the way, Guy, who's in London filming "Sherlock Holmes" with Robert Downey Jr., is reportedly ready to move on romantically as well.

"Guy has always been very popular with women," the source said. "They have thrown themselves at him throughout his marriage but he has always been utterly faithful. Now it's all over, he plans to have a little fun — something that has been missing from his life for far too long."

Photos of the 2010 Toyota Prius 'Leaked' Online

from foxnews.com

Whether it was a leak or one of those clever viral marketing campaigns, we'll likely never know, but photos of the 2010 Toyota Prius have shown up online months before its planned unveiling at Detroit's North American International Auto Show in January.

First posted on Priuschat.com, a Web community for enthusiasts of the high mileage hybrid, the images have since been confirmed by Toyota to be the real deal.

The design of the new Prius appears to be an evolution of the current model. It maintains the same basic shape, but trades some of its characteristic slab-sided and slope-nosed look for details that resemble other cars in the Toyota lineup like the Matrix and Corolla.

Toyota says the new car will be roomier and even better gas mileage than the one it replaces, but is keeping the exact specifications to itself until the official debut, or the next "leak." It is widely believed to be getting a more powerful gasoline engine and electric motor to go with the increase in fuel efficiency. A plug-in hybrid version is expected to be added in later years.

Lawsuit against God tossed over lack of address

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A judge has thrown out a Nebraska legislator's lawsuit against God, saying the Almighty wasn't properly served, because of his unlisted home address. State Sen. Ernie Chambers filed the lawsuit last year seeking a permanent injunction against God.

He said God has made terroristic threats against the senator and his constituents in Omaha, inspired fear and caused "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

Chambers has said he filed the lawsuit to make the point that everyone should have access to the courts regardless of whether they are rich or poor.

On Tuesday, however, Douglas County District Court Judge Marlon Polk ruled that under state law a plaintiff must have access to the defendant for a lawsuit to move forward.

"Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant this action will be dismissed with prejudice," Polk wrote.

Hole in the judge's ruling?

Chambers, who graduated from law school but never took the bar exam, thinks he's found a hole in the judge's ruling.

"The court itself acknowledges the existence of God," Chambers said Wednesday. "A consequence of that acknowledgment is a recognition of God's omniscience."

Therefore, Chambers said, "Since God knows everything, God has notice of this lawsuit."

Chambers has 30 days to decide whether to appeal. He said he hasn't decided yet.

Chambers, who has served a record 38 years in the Nebraska Legislature, is not returning next year because of term limits. He skips morning prayers during the legislative session and often criticizes Christians.

Rock Band Protests McCain's Use of Its Song

from nytimes.com - by DAVE ITZKOFF

 

Another rock act has objected to the use of its music by Senator John McCain's presidential campaign. This time it's the band Foo Fighters, protesting the campaign's use of its song "My Hero" at rallies. " 'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential," the band said in a statement released on Wednesday. "To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song." Last month the band Heart demanded that the McCain campaign stop playing its song "Barracuda" at public appearances by Gov. Sarah Palin. And in August Jackson Browne filed suit against the Ohio Republican Party for using his song "Running on Empty" in a television commercial without his permission.

De La Soul "Three Feet High & Rising" Press Kit Video: WOW!

After having a mini-discussion of the status of De La Soul's landmark 1989 recording "Three Feet High & Rising" on vinyl LP via email with a buddy of mine, I went to good 'ole youtube to see what they had to offer on the De La Soul tip. (Long sentence, eh?)

Anyway, I found a real gem. Someone in possesion of the original press kit video that Tommy Boy Records sent out in late 1988/early 1989 as a promo only item was nice enough to upload it to the web for all the world to see.

Truly amazing footage.

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIP-HOP Y'ALL?? - Ace:)

And now, a message from Sarah Silverman...

Music Downloads: Is the Price Right?

from businessweek.com - by Olga Kharif

A contentious battle between Apple and part of the music industry is set be decided today (Oct. 2), when a panel of judges appointed by Congress is expected to rule whether Apple and other online music distributors should pay higher royalty fees to music publishers.

The ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board affects not only Apple but also Amazon.com, EMusic, RealNetworks' Rhapsody, and Best Buy's Napster. Music publishers, who represent creators of song lyrics and sheet music, want an increase in royalty payments while Apple and the other companies are pushing for a reduction.

Their dispute underscores the larger debate over the best methods for distribution and how to divide the proceeds from online music sales. As more consumers access music over the Web and eschew compact disc purchases, a cross section of companies led by Apple has emerged as a conduit between consumers and the music industry, keeping a share of sales.

Publicly, Apple has railed against the prospect of a fee increase. During a 10-month trial that concluded earlier this year, Apple executive Eddy Cue claimed that a rate increase could narrow already thin margins and that the company "would not continue to operate [the iTunes Music Store] if it were no longer possible to do so profitably." The testimony fueled worry that iTunes, whose downloads have helped drive sales of iPods and iPhones, would shut down or drastically change its business model if a royalty increase comes down the pike.

Strange Bedfellows

Many within the industry expect the board to leave the current royalty rate unchanged at 9.1¢ for every 99¢ music download. The panel is due to provide the parties with a written decision on Oct. 2 before making it public on Oct. 6.

Music publishers would like to see the rate raised to 15¢ for every 99¢ sale, arguing that online music distribution costs much less than those of CDs, which also carry a 9.1¢ royalty. "You don't have to ship them, there aren't any breakage problems," says David Israelite, president and CEO of the National Music Publishers' Assn..

In an unusual twist, Apple's opposition to a royalty increase puts it on the same side of the debate as the Recording Industry Association of America, which represents record labels including EMI, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group —and is often at odds with Apple. Under existing agreements with online music sellers, the recording industry would be forced to absorb royalty increases, at least until it could strike new accords with Apple and others. Record labels currently receive 70¢ of every 99¢ song download. They, in turn, dole out the portion that accrues to publishers.

The RIAA and the Digital Media Assn. say the current rate is already too high and want it reduced to about 4¢ per download. Record labels are competing against music that's distributed freely, explains DiMA Executive Director Jon Potter. "It's a difficult thing to do," he says.

The 99¢ Price Is a Hit

If royalties are increased, Apple is unlikely to change its tune on what it charges per download. CEO Steve Jobs has adamantly clung to the 99¢-a-song price tag. And even if Apple eventually coughs up a few pennies a song, the company's bottom line won't take a big hit, says Trip Chowdhry, an analyst at Global Equities Research. The iTunes Music Store accounts for less than 5% of Apple's sales and just a sliver of earnings.

Analysts also don't expect much change in Apple's pricing or business model either. JupiterResearch surveys show that the 99¢ price strikes a chord with consumers. Higher prices and different approaches, such as subscriptions, apparently do not find favor with the mass market. "Going to subscriptions is not a simple solution," says Jupiter analyst David Card.

Ultimately, the music industry could suffer if Apple were somehow forced to raise its prices, some analysts say. "If the price is too high, everyone is going to go the other way, which is free," says Daniel Ernst, an analyst at Soleil-Hudson Square Research, which has a buy rating on Apple.

Whatever decision the board announces, it's highly unlikely to go uncontested. Parties to the dispute can petition the board to revise its decision within 15 days. If a rehearing is refused, combatants can appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Congress is another means of recourse. Just this week, House and Senate lawmakers passed legislation asking the music industry and Webcasters to reconsider royalty rates that the board imposed on Internet radio stations in 2007.

Kharif is a senior writer for BusinessWeek.com in Portland, Ore.

Playboy Playmates Controversy: Racy images on snowboards

BURLINGTON, VT (AP) — A new line of Burton snowboards that features images of Playboy models is upsetting some people who feel the boards send the wrong message.

Burton's 2009 Coalition line of snowboards features a model called the "Love" that uses vintage Playboy magazine photos as the main design element.

The images on the boards are discrete.

Jeff Sprenger is a snowboarder and parent from Essex. He says the Love boards send the wrong message to the models' intended market, 14 to 24-year-old males.

Burton spokeswoman Caroline Andrews says the Coalition line is only sold in certain snowboard shops, there are limited quantities and the boards will be wrapped and sold only to people over 18.

L.A.'s Top Independent Record Shops

from examiner.com - by Jason Gelt

Let's have a round of applause for the independent record shop. Their numbers have dwindled in recent years as digital downloads supplant CDs as the predominant cash-and-carry music format for the general music buying public. But if you're into vinyl records, the indie store still reigns supreme. As records become more and more of a niche market, those little mom and pop shops become even more important.

Now, everybody loves Amoeba (unless it's a Saturday afternoon and the aisles are so crowded you can barely look through the bins), but for that up-close-and-personal old-fashioned record shopping experience, why not try one of these other stellar options.


1. Freakbeat Records: 13616 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-995-7603. The Valley's finest used and new record store, featuring a great selection of vinyl, collectibles and CDs, plus a knowledgeable and helpful staff. Not only that but you can sample the used records on the premises.

2. Vinyl Solution: 13616 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-995-7603. Huntington Beach's solution to the punk rock record collector's quandary. Great records, great prices and knowledgeable staff, plus frequent in-store performances from local and touring acts.

3. Rockaway Records: 13616 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-995-7603. Silver Lake's only remaining independent record store has an impressive selection of collectible vinyl and CDs. Prives can be high, but the quality is guaranteed.

4. Canterbury Records: 13616 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-995-7603. Pasadena's premier mom and pop record shop stocks a little something for every taste, plus cheap turntable supplies.

5. Headline Records: 13616 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-995-7603. A punk rock enthusiast's haven, Headline Records serves up hard-to-find punk platters to distinguishing collectors, not to mention an outstanding selection of t-shirts.

6. Rhino Records: 235 Yale Ave., Claremont, CA 91711, 909-626-7774. I know it's a bit of a drive, but the trip is definitely worth it, even with today's gas prices. Hidden away in collegiate Claremont, Rhino Records is a classic independent music store with a great selection of new and used records, CDs and DVDs.

7. Pasadena City College Flea Market: Held on the first Sunday of each month, this flea market has an entire floor set aside for record dealers. Whether you're looking for old punk, old jazz and R&B or obscure folk rock, chances are you'll find something here to suit your tastes. Best of all, it won't break the bank.

8. Don's Music: 4871 Eagle Rock Blvd., L.A., CA 90041, 323-255-3551. Jam-packed from floor to ceiling with vintage vinyl of every variety, Don's has a little of something for every taste. Don't forget to pet the store cat, 13

9. Poo-Bah Record Shop: 2636 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 626-449-3359. Since 1971, this East Pasadena institution has provided vinyl nerds with an excellent selection of new and used rock, jazz and soul LPs and 45s.

Amy Winehouse & Mark Ronson to record track for Quincy Jones tribute album

from singersroom.com - By Njai Joszor

 

Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson are slated to record a song for Quincy Jones' upcoming tribute album.

Joining a roster that already includes Usher, John Mayer, and Mariah Carey, Winehouse has signed on to record with Mark Ronson.

"It's going to be explosive stuff," a source said.

"He knew who she was and she was so thrilled to meet him. Her performance clearly impressed him - he was raving about her. This is just the opportunity she needs to show the world she has still got it."

In related news, Amy Winehouse has been rumored to be struggling with the follow up to her Grammy Award-winning album "Back To Black."

"If six months produces two half-baked tracks, how long will an album take? Unless she sorts herself out and gets some focus it might never happen" a source told the Sun.

Ben Folds records live songs to be on iTunes the next day

from nme.com

Ten new songs will be recorded throughout tour

Ben Folds is set to release 10 live tracks, recorded over 10 cities on his current tour.

Folds has teamed up with iTunes for the venture, which will see Folds record a song at each show, and Folds himself will make a new cover for each track using Photo Booth. The song will be sold on iTunes the very next day and is part of a new programme called 'The Sound of Last Night… This Morning'.

At the end of the tour, the tracks will be compiled and sold as an album. Fans will be able to buy the album at a reduced price, based on the songs they've already purchased.

Folds is touring to support the release of his third solo album 'Way To Normal' produced by Dennis Herring. The record was recorded at Folds' own studio in Nashville, TN and features a guest appearance from Regina Spektor.

The tour continues tonight at the Embassy Theatre in Ft. Wayne, IN.

Birthplace of Hip Hop to be Sold

from hiphopdx.com

City officials in New York ruled that the sale of the building commonly referred to as the birthplace of Hip Hop can go forward.

The landlord of 1520 Sedgwick is expected to remove the building from the city's Mitchell Lama moderate housing program by paying off the current mortgage, which is $5 million. The move will make room for an investment group headed by real estate developer Mark Karasick to buy the property, according to a New York Times blog.

Opponents of the buyout pulled together a $10 million counter offer and went to court in an attempt to block the sale of the building to Karasick. The state Supreme Court initially sided with the opposition group, issuing a temporary restraining order, before ruling against the group, allowing the initial sale to go forward the report reads.

"They were unsuccessful and we're proceeding to close," said Steven Frankel, an attorney for 1520 Sedgwick Associates.

If the sale goes through, more than 100 families will be affected.

Artist creates Paris Hilton portrait out of Porn Magazines

from BBC News 

British artist Damien Hirst has paid an undisclosed amount for a portrait of US socialite Paris Hilton made from images taken from pornographic magazines.

The collage - entitled Paris, 2008 - was the work of Jonathan Yeo, the son of former Conservative minister Tim.

Yeo's previous subjects - all painted in more conventional fashion - include Rupert Murdoch and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

A two-day auction of Hirst's art set a new record earlier this month for a sale dedicated to a single artist.

Yeo's use of adult magazines began in 2004 after the White House cancelled a commission to paint President George Bush.

The 38-year-old's painting of Tony Blair, the first official portrait of the former Prime Minister, was unveiled in January.

Brilliant...

Nitin Sawhney (featuring Roxanne Tataei) - "Distant Dreams"

Janet Jackson parts ways with Island Def Jam

NEW YORK (Billboard) - After just 14 months on Island Def Jam, Janet Jackson announced Monday (September 22) her departure from the label. According to Jackson's publicist, the label agreed to dissolve its relationship with the artist at her request.

After a long stint with Virgin, Jackson inked a deal with Island in July 2007 and released her label debut, "Discipline," in February. When album sales failed to meet expectations, the singer expressed dissatisfaction with Island Def Jam, first telling SOHH.com that the label "stopped all promotion whatsoever on the album" after releasing the first single, "Feedback."

Earlier this month, she hinted about potentially severing ties with the label to Billboard, stating, "I can't say if we'll be working with them in the future. I don't know what the future holds between the two of us."

Executive produced by Jackson and her boyfriend, Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri, "Discipline" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in March with 181,000 copies sold. But it has shifted only 415,000 copies in the United States so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and spent just 14 weeks on the chart.

Now, Jackson "will have autonomy over her career, without the restrictions of a label system," according to a statement from her management team. "Always known to break new ground and set trends, Janet's departure from Island makes her one of the first superstar artists to have the individual freedom to promote their work through a variety of avenues such as iTunes, mobile carriers and other diverse and innovative channels."

Jackson is on the road for her first tour in seven years, "Rock Witchu," with support form LL Cool J and Donnie Klang. The outing began September 10 in Vancouver and runs through October 22 in Dallas.

Reuters/Billboard

Stolen Jamie Lynn Spears Breast-Feeding Photo Triggers Probe

from foxnews.com

 

LOS ANGELES —  A stolen photo of Jamie Lynn Spears breast feeding her baby girl has sparked a federal pornography investigation, TMZ reports.

Federal and local authorities are looking for someone peddling 12 photos of Jamie Lynn, her older sister Britney Spears, her infant daughter Maddie and the baby's father Casey Aldridge, law enforcement sources told the Web site.

One of the pictures shows Jamie Lynn breast feeding Maddie, and the 17-year-old's left breast is exposed, TMZ reports, adding that the photos were taken on Aldridge's digital camera.

Aldridge took the camera card to his local Wal-Mart in Louisiana for copies, and law enforcement believes someone at the Wal-Mart may have made extra copies, then tried to sell them, sources told TMZ.

Because Jamie Lynn is a minor, selling the photos — or buying them — could constitute a violation of federal laws prohibiting pornography. Peddling pictures of a minor's breast — even if not taken for sexual purposes, could land the seller and buyer in federal prison if they are marketed across state lines for the purpose of being lurid, according to TMZ.

Jamie Lynn Spears starred in the television series "Zoey 101" and won a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite TV actress in 2006.

Final Curtain Falls at Yankee Stadium After 85 Years

NEW YORK (AP) —  Even Yogi Berra knew this was the end.

As baseball said farewell to Yankee Stadium, one of the game's most beloved players stood beneath the stands in a full vintage uniform. Now 83, the man who coined the phrase "it ain't over till it's over" put his own stamp on the day.

"I'm sorry to see it over, I'll tell you that," Berra said.

The goodbye completed an 85-year-old run for the home of baseball's most famous team. What began with a Babe Ruth home run on an April afternoon in 1923 was likely to end with Mariano Rivera pitching on a September night.

All the greats were remembered, with fans wearing a collection of jerseys that could fill a Hall of Fame. On one subway car alone, there were shirts with Derek Jeter's No. 2, the Babe's No. 3, Mickey Mantle's No. 7, Phil Rizzuto's No. 10 and Don Mattingly's No. 23.

Fans were allowed on the field starting at 1 p.m. and entered through the left-field seats not far from where Aaron Boone's home run landed five years ago.

Glenn Bartow and his 13-year-old daughter arrived more than 12 hours before New York played Baltimore at night, and were the first ones into Monument Park.

"We come every Sunday," Emily Bartow said.

This Sunday was the last.

Visitors touched the 24 plaques and six monuments, posed next to them for family photos. Under the kind of cloudless sky that made people recall summer days of yore, they slowly circled the warning track.

Some posed along the 318-foot sign in the left-field corner of the pockmarked fence, raising baseball gloves along the top of the blue-padded wall as if they were making leaping catches. Others stood alongside the 408 sign in center. Some covered their hands with dirt and put their hand prints on an advertisement with a black background.

Those who could not walk were pushed along in wheelchairs. Parents brought strollers to make sure toddlers got to experience the great ballpark before it is dismantled.

Moses Del Rio, a 32-year-old from Brooklyn, held his 11-month-old son, Ryan, who started walking only in the past week.

"I brought him here to take pictures of him in the stadium," the father said.

Jeter, likely to get a plaque of his own years from now in the new Yankee Stadium, said Saturday was the first time he looked around and tried to soak in the memories — the three big decks filled with fans, the sign in the tunnel from the clubhouse to the field with the Joe DiMaggio quote: "I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee."

Jeter began his day by watching old Yankees games on television.

"Just driving in, I think it really starts to hit you, that this is the last time," he said. "When you take the field, you're constantly reminded of the history that's been here before you."

With the Yankees nearly out postseason contention for the first time since making the playoffs in 1995, there was plenty of time to join the crowd.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi went onto the field to sign autographs. Mike Mussina and Alex Rodriguez posed for photos with rooters. Joba Chamberlain even took fans' cell phones and shouted messages to their family and friends.

An elaborate ceremony was planned before the start of the game. Whitey Ford, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Graig Nettles and Bobby Richardson were among those expected.

Don Larsen, David Wells and David Cone — the three pitchers who threw perfect games in Yankee Stadium — all were on hand, as was former Yankees star Willie Randolph, fired as manager of the Mets earlier this year.

Larsen, whose gem was the only one thrown in a World Series, thought about his former teammates.

"I'm missing a lot of the guys who are gone and not able to join us," he said.

Bernie Williams returned for the first time since the Yankees let him go after the 2006 season.

"All the memories that I have here, I know that I'm going to have to keep them in my head because this place is not going to be any longer," Williams said. "There is a part of me that feels very sad about watching the stadium go."

New York didn't plan it this way as it prepared to move next year to a new Yankee Stadium, a $1.3 billion sports palace rising across 161st Street that will be filled with $2,500 seats, a martini bar, steak house and art gallery. The Yankees won 26 World Series championships after moving into their big ballyard in the Bronx, and had hoped to close the Stadium with another title.

Thousands of police and security filled the worn aisles to ensure the fans didn't walk away with the ballpark's guts — which will be sold piece by piece to collectors. Many fans have been arrested and screwdrivers confiscated during the past week.

"I'd like to try and get two seats," said Bartow, the early-arriving fan. "They're going for a couple thousand dollars. It's going to be tough, but I may have to do it because, you know, we have to."

The Bartows lingered on the field for 1 hour, 15 minutes, taking pictures they're certain to cherish. When it was time to climb the steps back to the stands, father and daughter turned to exchange a final-day kiss.

Berra, a 10-time champion often considered the greatest living Yankee, didn't really need any more souvenirs.

"I hate to see it go," he said. "It will always be in my heart."

Porn on a Plane: Flight Attendants Want Filters

from msn.com - By Marguerite Reardon, CNET news.com

Coffee, tea, or porn? "I don't think so," say American Airline flight attendants.

Leaders of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents some 19,000 workers including American Airlines flight attendants, asked American Airlines' management this week to consider adding filters to its in-flight Wi-Fi access to prevent passengers from viewing porn and other inappropriate Web sites while in flight.

A union representative told Bloomberg News that attendants and passengers have raised "a lot of complaints" over the issue.

American Airlines is one of several airlines testing in-flight Internet access as a way to lure more passengers. American has been offering the service on a limited basis since Aug. 20 on some flights between New York and Los Angeles or San Francisco, and between New York and Miami. The cost of the service on cross-country flights is $12.95, and it's $9.95 on the New York to Miami route.