Adele to perform at Grammy Awards after vocal cord surgery
Adele is set to perform at the 2012 Grammy Awards, marking her first time singing live in almost five months, when she canceled a sold-out U.S. tour and several UK concerts to undergo vocal cord surgery.
The 23-year-old British pop singer is nominated for six Grammys at this year's ceremony, which is set to take place on February 12 at 8 p.m. ET and air on CBS. Rapper and "NCIS: Los Angeles" actor LL Cool J is hosting the event. Adele already has two Grammys under her belt.
"Ima be, Ima be singing at the Grammys," Adele said in a Twitter message posted on Tuesday, January 31. "It's been so long I started to forget I was a singer! I can't wait, speak soon xx."
The Recording Academy, which votes on the Grammy winners, also quoted the singer as saying in a statement: "I'm immensely proud to have been asked to perform at this year's Grammy Awards. It's an absolute honor to be included in such a night, and for it to be my first performance in months is very exciting and of course nerve-racking, but what a way to get back into it all."
Adele is best known for hit singles such as "Someone Like You" and the angsty "Rolling In the Deep," which was performed by Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff on the FOX musical sitcom "Glee." On a recent episode of the network's hit singing competition series "American Idol," co-judge Steven Tyler of the rock band Aerosmith joked about having to hear contestants sing "the same Adele song" for hours.
The song are featured on her second studio album, "21." More than 5.6 million copies of it have been sold in the United States since it was released in early 2011, breaking Usher's seven-year-old record for selling the most copies in one year.
In November of 2011, Adele, whose full name is Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, underwent vocal cord microsurgery to stop recurrent bleeding from a benign polyp. The condition is usually the result of unstable blood vessels in the vocal cord that can rupture.
She had canceled more than a dozen concerts and promotional appearances in the United States, where she was set to embark on a sold-our tour, and in her native United Kingdom as a result of her ailment. The following November, she said on her blog that she is "doing really well" after undergoing the surgery.
Adele won the Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her song "Chasing Pavements" at the 2008 Grammy Awards. She also took home two American Music Awards on November 20, for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Album (See a full list of winners).
Artists and bands set to perform at the 2012 Grammy Awards include Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Coldplay and Rihanna, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Glen Campbell with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars and Paul McCartney.
Adele is nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video for "Rolling In The Deep," Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for "21" and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Someone Like You." Check out a full list of nominations for the 2012 Grammy Awards. The ceremony may include a tribute to Grammy-winning blues singer Etta James, who recently died at age 73 after battling cancer. Christina Aguilera and Stevie Wonder, who are also Grammy recipients, sang at her funeral on January 28.
Adele paid tribute to James on her blog, saying: "What a lady Etta James was. She was the ultimate original. Her voice was breath taking and her songs are reflections we all recognize in some way or another. It's an honour every time I hear her voice. I saw her at BB Kings in New York a few years ago, and it was something I will remember forever."
NYC subway food ban - Lawmaker wants to ban food on NYC subway, Chowing down while riding the New York City subway could earn you a hefty fine if one lawmaker gets his way. State Sen. Bill Perkins is pushing a bill that would outlaw food on the subway as a way of combating vermin.
Someone is eating spaghetti on the subway, and someone comments "Animal" and the food fight begins. But what is the protocol, or proper etiquette for eating on the transit system? NYC has already removed garbage cans from some platforms, in a project to discourage people from bringing too much garbage, that hasn't worked, they leave it behind. We've all been on the transit system when someone is eating a bag of chips, a chocolate bar, but a whole meal in a large take out container, is that going over the line. And then what happens to the leftovers, are they left behind in the transit vehicle? We all have an opinion on this, and it just annoys everyone, especially with some of the smells of McDonalds and tuna salad sandwiches. It also helps feed the rodents that travel the system, and sometimes even come into the cars, and trowing the trash, can start fires on the tracks. Some people toss the leftover 'dinner' onto the train tracks, and feeds our friends.
It is already against the rules in NYC subways to drink coffee, and now they are considering a ban on food, with a fine of $250 for eating in the train or on the platform. Is this something that could be coming to the TTC in Toronto? We may not have as many rats in our transit system, but we sure have mice, and they love to eat too. It's already getting unbearable with people and their huge backpacks, as they try to maneuver around the subway cars, and now with so many people using their iPads and book readers, it's difficult moving around without bumping someone. Do we need a food fight on our subway before eating full course meals is banned? I always thought most people would use good discretion on the transit system, and the odd bag of chips or chocolate bar would be okay, but give me a break, a full course meal in a large takeout container, no thanks.
Millionaire stiffs ex-wife, leaves cash to chauffeur, doorman
Music mogul Alan Meltzer died in October at the age of 67. But before he died, the millionaire businessman made sure to draft a will; in it, he left $1 million to his chauffeur and $500,000 to his doorman, while his ex-wife got nothing. There are countless extremely kind-hearted professional poker players out there – but it might be hard to match the generosity shown by music magnate and high stakes regular Alan Meltzer…from beyond the grave.
We all know that the likes of Jamie Gold, Jennifer Harman, Joe Hachem, Mike Sexton, Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Victor Ramdin, Phil Gordon and, of course, Barry Greenstein have been generous with their time and money.
But they are all still with us, while Meltzer continues to display an impressive level of benevolence even long after his death.
Then again, even if he did give away $1.5 million of his estate to two of his former employees, Meltzer’s acts of kindness did not go down well with his former wife of 13 years, who had some very strong words to explain her feelings for her dead ex while also suggesting he can give his cash “to the bums” if he wants.
Record Label Boss Remembers Doorman and Driver
Anyway, poker fan Meltzer – who founded and owned New York City-based record label Wind-up Entertainment, Inc – died on October 31 last year aged just 67, but still managed to bring very large smiles to a couple of his old friends. The affluent music executive left an incredible $1 million for his chauffeur as well as $500,000 for his doorman after suddenly dying late last year. That $1.5 million is equivalent to approximately 15% of the recreational poker player’s estate – with the majority of his wealth accumulated after Wind-up became the world’s biggest independently owned record label.
But Meltzer, who lived in a New York luxury apartment building within the city’s Upper East Side, never forgot the assistance he received from Jean Laborde, his chauffeur, and doorman Chamil Demiraj – and made certain they were both included in his will. Laborde and Demiraj spoke to daily tabloid newspaper The New York Post about their deceased boss, with the former saying: “I don’t know what to do exactly with the money, but one thing I know for sure – every year I’m going to bring the guy some flowers at his grave.”
Chauffeur Misses Old Friend Alan Meltzer
The 54-year-old also told of how he enjoyed working for Meltzer but also misses his ex-employer, adding: “He was such a nice guy. He left me money, but it’s not a good deal for me because it means he’s no longer here”. Demiraj reinforced Laborde’s words during the newspaper interview, saying: “I appreciate it [being given $500,000]. He was a generous guy. He was a really good friend of mine, and I was a good friend of his. It’s a surprise. Peace and rest to him. That’s all I can say.”
Having formed Wind-up back in 1997 after enjoying great success with CD One Stop – which distributed pre-recorded music during the late 1980s and through the 1990s – Meltzer’s fortune grew large enough for him to enjoy frequent journeys to Las Vegas to take part in some of the world’s most exacting cash games.
High Stakes Poker Appearance
Some of you poker fans with good memories (although hopefully you all enjoy impressive recall if aiming to succeed at poker!) might remember Meltzer when he appeared on High Stakes Poker back in 2009.
Meltzer faced off against the likes of the legend that is Doyle ‘The Texas Dolly’ Brunson, as well as Eli ‘Mr Vegas’ Elezra, Phil ‘The Unabomber’ Laak and Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan on the cash game show broadcast by cable television network Game Show Network (GSN) in the USA.
However, Meltzer’s ex-wife Diana – whom he divorced back in 2010 – was not so impressed by the poker player’s kindness to his two former employees and friends.
Ex-Wife Unimpressed By Generosity
She also chatted with The New York Post, but was most certainly thoroughly indifferent – while also hostile – about Meltzer’s bequest, saying: “I could care less. If he wants to give it to the bums, he can give it to the bums.” But Diana did not stop there, saving her most vitriolic attack on he former husband until last by adding: “He could f**k a nun. I couldn’t give a s**t. He can give his money to whoever he wants. We’re divorced. The man is dead.”
Obviously, there were more than a few hard feelings left following the couple’s divorce, with the break-up that ensured Diana did not get her expected one-third of Meltzer’s estate a likely major contributor to her evident bitterness…and no amount of post-life generosity is going to change that, I suspect.
Unfortunately, life is in many ways similar to high stakes poker games, but not many of us will ever have the opportunity to tip so impressively following our demise – or exit, if you will. Good on you, Mr Meltzer.
Toddlers & Tiaras lawsuit - 'Toddlers' mom sues media, Isabella Barrett, the 5-year-old girl best known from the TLC show “Toddlers & Tiaras” recently sparked controversy when she sang the hit LMFAO song “Sexy and I know It” at a nightclub. Her mom says that the media is “sexualizing” her daughter and has filed a lawsuit against several news outlets.
The mother of "Toddlers & Tiaras" star Isabella Barrett has filed a libel suit, accusing three entertainment outlets of "sexualizing" her 5-year-old daughter.The suit was filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on January 23 and names the parent companies of entertainment websites TMZ, the Huffington Post and the UK's Daily Mail. The suit accuses them of "falsely claiming that she was gyrating in a nightclub and singing about her sex appeal," according to legal documents obtained by OnTheRedCarpet.com.
Susanna Barrett, the girl's mother, is referring to the publications of stories which featured a video of Isabella singing along to the band LMFAO's club hit, "Sexy and I Know It" at the Cocktails that Care Charity Event in New York City to benefit two dog-related causes.
In the articles, Isabella was said to be "gyrating" at a "nightclub" to the song "Sexy and I Know It" while her mother "pushed" her on and was "enjoying the raucous event far more than her bemused looking child."
Susanna Barrett fired back at the sites in her lawsuit, claiming they made false claims and left her child vulnerable to "deviants and child predators."
"Isabella Barrett did not act or portray herself sexually, erotically or provocatively: she was not 'gyrating' at a 'nightclub' or singing 'about her sex appeal,'" Barrett's document reads. "It is the Defendants who, through their Articles, have thrust these false and vulgar characteristics on to Isabella. As a result, Isabella is now perceived sexually, erotically and pornographically by the readership of the Articles. Defendants have placed Isabella in serious physical danger, attracting the attention of others who would seek to sexualize a child."
Susanna claimed that it was the female DJ at the event that encouraged Isabella to sing the song and does not take kindly to being called an "unfit mother" by media outlets and commenters.
"She did not understand the concept of sex, let alone 'sex appeal' and could not have been singing about her own sex appeal," Susanna added.
According to the New York Daily News, Susanna Barrett is seeking $30 million in damages.
TMZ caught up with Isabella and her mother , a few days after the video went viral and Barrett defended the incident, telling a TMZ camera man, "That's a real catchy song" (See video below).
Isabella was featured on TLC's "Toddlers & Tiaras," has her own show "Beauty Queens" in Germany and also launched lip gloss and a Glizty Girl jewelry line.
Isabella recently criticized her fellow "Toddlers & Tiaras" star, 3-year-old Paisley Dickey, who made headlines for dressing up like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman."
"Last time I was here, Paisley was trying to copy me," Barrett told TMZ. "But my mom doesn't dress me up as a hooker."
Dead Bats White Nose Syndrome - Up to 6.7 million bats dead from disease, Federal scientists say that up to 6.7 million bats from the Northeastern U.S. have died of white-nose syndrome, a debilitating disease that causes the bats to wake from hibernation too early. Spelunkers says the government’s death toll is too high and may lead to unnecessary cave closures. In 2006, scientists began to notice that a mysterious disease was decimating bat populations in upstate New York with unexpected speed and thoroughness. Now identified as ‘white-nose syndrome,’ bat biologists estimate that this fast-moving disease has now killed as many as 6.7 million bats in North America over the past six years.
White-nose syndrome refers to a white fungus that appears on the nose, wings, and other body parts of infected, hibernating bats.
The new estimate is dramatically higher than the previous one, dating from 2009, that white-nose syndrome had killed 1 million bats on the continent. The disease has spread from Nova Scotia to Tennessee, infecting bat colonies in 16 states and four provinces. In 2010, scientists predicted that unless a cure could be found, white-nose syndrome could completely wipe out brown bat populations within the next 16 years.
“This number confirms what people working on white-nose syndrome have known for a long time — that bats are dying in frighteningly huge numbers and several species are hurtling toward the black hole of extinction,” said Mollie Matteson with the Center for Biological Diversity, which has filed several petitions to save bats and stem the spread of the disease. “We have to move fast if we’re going to avoid a complete catastrophe for America’s bats.”
Bats are nocturnal creatures, emerging from caves and other dark recesses to hunt for insects only at night. Even though they may seem frightening to humans, extinction of the species is an even scarier prospect. The loss of so many bug-eating bats will undoubtedly have an impact on insect populations, including those that feed on human food crops.
Scientists have estimated that bats save farmers between $3.7 billion and $53 billion per year on pesticides by eating the insects that feed on crops like corn, cotton, vegetables and fruit. Since the bat disease has only shown up in the Midwest and South in the last couple of years, the full effects of declining bat numbers on regions more strongly dominated by agriculture than the Northeast may take some time to show up.
The outbreak is the worst wildlife disease epidemic in North America’s history. Congress recently directed the Department of the Interior to allot $4 million for research and management of the disease.
“America’s bats are in the throes of an unprecedented crisis and some species face the very real prospect of extinction,” Matteson said. “While it’s heartening to see some money allocated for white-nose syndrome, today’s new mortality estimates are a wake-up call that we need to do more, and fast.”
michelle williams taking break Michelle Williams taking acting break?, Actress Michelle Williams, 31, has reportedly decided to take some time away from acting to focus on being a mother . Williams recently won a Golden Globe for Best Actress and is also nominated for an Oscar for the role . She says she has no new projects in the works and wants to take some time off.
She’s been getting a ton of praise for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn, but for Michelle Williams, her favorite role in life is being a mom to her 6-year-old daughter, Matilda. And she’s about to spend a lot more time committing to that part in the coming weeks and months. “I just want to go back to being a mom for a while,” Williams tells E! at Sunday’s Screen Actors Guild awards. Having raised Matilda as a single mother since Heath Ledger‘s tragic death in 2008, Michelle, 31, recently admitted that she always wanted to give her daughter a sibling. “I really wanted, and I really expected or imagined, that Matilda would have siblings that were close to her age,” said Williams. “I wanted that for her. But I couldn’t make that happen. And now that she’s 6 that isn’t even a possibility anymore. So something that was making me feel impatient, that’s been removed. For whatever reason, that’s not our luck, or our path. While Williams was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar in 2011 for "Blue Valentine" and this year for "My Week with Marilyn," the actress said that she has no plans to shoot another film in the foreseeable future. She recently wrapped "Oz: The Great and Powerful," in which she plays Glinda the Good Witch. The film will be out in 2013.Williams' daughter who she had with actor Heath Ledger, Matilda Rose, is now 6 years old. "Even when I’m working I still think about her and can’t wait to get back to her at the end of the day... Raising my daughter is my absolute priority. Everything I do is to make Matilda’s world as happy and secure as possible," Williams said last year. "I hope one day she will see my movies and be proud of me."
woman marries seattle building Woman 'marries' building, A Seattle woman said "I do" to a 107-year-old warehouse in an attempt to save it from demolition . Babylonia Aviaz says she is protesting the warehouse being turned into luxury apartments . The "union" may not last long because demolition on the building is already under way.
Marry a warehouse? There may be some women who can't much tell the difference between the football-watching lump in the living room and a storage shed, but an Occupy Seattle protester decided to take the metaphor a step further over the weekend when she married the abandoned building at 10th and Union.
The old warehouse, occupied not long ago by anti-corporate protesters in an attempt to reclaim it as a community center, is slated for demolition to make way for a new apartment complex.
"If corporations can have the [same] rights as people, so can buildings," Baylonia Aivaz told Seattle's KOMO-TV in a reference to the U.S. Supreme Court decision that opened the door to nearly unlimited corporate contributions to political campaigns.
"I'm doing this to show the building how much I love it, how much I love community space and how much I love this neighborhood. And I want to stop it from gentrification," said Aivaz, clad in a long white wedding dress and standing near a bulldozer as a ukulele player strummed "Lean on Me."
A graduate of Rancho Palos Verdes High School in Los Angeles and Duke University, Aivaz said on her Facebook event page that the 200 Occupy Seattle protesters who occupied the building had hoped the 107-year-old warehouse could have been used as a place for communal art displays, free child care or other community services.
"The moment we entered the warehouse we became a true community. We became self-motivated. We worked co-operatively," she wrote on the page, which also featured photos of the blessed event. "We explored 36,000 square feet like children, giggling and dreaming at the possibility of all that space. We played with conveyer belts, riding up and down. The kind you always want to sit on in the airport luggage dispensers. We strung up lights.... We removed pounds and pounds of unnecessary building materials.... We dreamed."
Sunday's "gay marriage" (presumably because the building had the female vibe, not to mention that a same-sex marriage bill is pending in the Washington legislature) was to point out that the new luxury apartments will render the city's funky Capitol Hill neighborhood, as Aivaz put it, "even more unaffordable."
Bidding war Pippa interview Bidding war for Pippa interview?, Rumors are swirling that several TV networks are offering a six-figure deal for an exclusive interview with Pippa Middleton. According to some rumors, Middleton signed a big book deal and may donate the money from the interview to charity. "The View" host Barbara Walters denied reports that she is seeking to pay for the interview
Barbara Walters denies she is in a bidding war with Oprah Winfrey to have the first U.S. interview with Pippa Middleton. Responding to the news first run by British tabloids, the 82-year-old TV personality said Monday, January 30 on "The View", "It's not true. ABC News does not pay for interviews."
The veteran journalist went on pointing out that Winfrey's talk show on OWN might have a different policy in inviting someone for an interview. "I have no idea what Oprah does - we do not pay, ABC News does not pay. She's not a news program, maybe they have a different policy," she explained.
Though ABC News won't spend its money to invite the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge for a chat, Walters did not rule out that she will be seen interviewing the 28-year-old party planner someday. "I do have to say that I would love to do the interview," she admitted before stressing, "To make it clear: Would I like to do the interview? Yes, I think she's a charming, beautiful girl. Will we pay to do the interview? No."
Previously, it was reported that Walters and Winfrey have offered as much as 300,000 poundsterling ($471,690) to Pippa for the interview. NBC reportedly also wanted "Today" host Matt Lauer to have a chat with the maid of honor at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.
"The big guns see Pippa as the big-name interview of 2012," a source claimed. Words are, Pippa would donate the fee she receives from the interview to charity.
US television chat show Queens Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters are locked in a fierce bidding war to secure royal sister Pippa Middleton as a guest, says a British tabloid.
The younger sister of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has achieved global stardom since her appearance at her sibling's royal wedding in April.
The Sunday Mirror newspaper reported that fees of up to STG300,000 ($A445,864) have been offered for Pippa to be interviewed in the US as she starts on the promotion trail for her upcoming book about how to host a perfect party.
While Oprah is said to have told her network executives to "pull out all the stops" to secure the 28-year old, ABC TV legend Walters is said to be pushing bosses to offer a six-figure deal.
"The big guns see Pippa as the big-name interview of 2012," a US TV analyst told the Mirror.
Any fee paid for Pippa's television appearance will be donated to charity, the report said.
ancient mummy cancer Cancer found in ancient mummy, Researchers say they have discovered a form of cancer in a 2,200-year-old mummy . They say the findings are key to understanding the cause of the disease. According to the researchers, this is the second-oldest known case of the cancer
A professor from American University in Cairo says discovery of prostate cancer in a 2,200-year-old mummy indicates the disease was caused by genetics, not environment.
The genetics-environment question is key to understanding cancer.
AUC professor Salima Ikram, a member of the team that studied the mummy in Portugal for two years, said Sunday the mummy was of a man who died in his forties.
She said this was the second oldest known case of prostate cancer.
“Living conditions in ancient times were very different; there were no pollutants or modified foods, which leads us to believe that the disease is not necessarily only linked to industrial factors,” she said.
detained Twitter joke destroy, Brits deported over Twitter jokes, Two British friends who joked on Twitter that they were ready to “destroy America” and “dig … up Marilyn Monroe” found out that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can take such quips literally. The two Brits reportedly were detained overnight in connection with the Twitter jokes and eventually deported
Two British tourists were barred from entering America after joking on Twitter that they were going to 'destroy America' and 'dig up Marilyn Monroe'. Leigh Van Bryan, 26, was handcuffed and kept under armed guard in a cell with Mexican drug dealers for 12 hours after landing in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting. The Department of Homeland Security flagged him as a potential threat when he posted an excited tweet to his pals about his forthcoming trip to Hollywood which read: 'Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?'
After making their way through passport control at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) last Monday afternoon the pair were detained by armed guards. Despite telling officials the term 'destroy' was British slang for 'party', they were held on suspicion of planning to 'commit crimes' and had their passports confiscated.
Leigh Van Byran and Emily Banting were on their way to Los Angeles from England. Instead of partying like rockstars in Hollywood, they ended up in the back of a truck full of illegal immigrants and Mexican drug dealers because of some seemingly nefarious tweets that they sent out. Watch out, tweeting can land you in jail.
Apparently, the U.S. Homeland Security officials who detained the two upon their landing thought the two Brits were serious threats and that they went to L.A. with the sole purpose of committing crimes.
Byran's tweet that raised the red alert was:
"free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?" and Leigh's tweet was a quote from Family Guy (a friggin' cartoon):
"3 weeks today, we're totally in LA pissing people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin' Marilyn Monroe up! Detained for 12 hours, the two young adults had their baggage searched for spades and shovels, as they tried to explain that it was all a misunderstanding — a big joke.
Byran told The Daily Mail that by "destroy" he meant "get trashed and party." They just wanted to have fun in the U.S.
What's crazy isn't what the two Brits tweeted, but how they were treated. Thanks to the Associated Press, we know very well that federal agencies like the CIA is sifting through Twitter and Facebook messages to thwart terrorism, but for these social media "experts" to miss the mark so badly on this case and send the two visitors on a plane back home is a little frightening.
So, if I tweet that I'm going to dig Elvis or Michael Jackson's bones up, I'm going to land myself behind prison bars? And what about if I go search for Area 51? Send me packin' for sticking my nose in some desert? And since when was the U.S. looking out for threats to Marilyn Monroe's grave? I didn't know her bones were a national treasure, more important than real terrorists.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has some serious explaining to do.
white house michelle obama lingerie White House slams first lady rumors, The White House is denying reports that first lady Michelle Obama went on a shopping spree at a high-end lingerie store . According to the reports, the New York boutique had to shut down for Obama's rumored visit, which also supposedly helped them . The director of communications for the first lady says the story is "100 percent false."
White House Michelle Obama lingerie – The White House is denying reports that first lady Michelle Obama spent $50000 shopping spree at a high-end lingerie store Agent Provocateur. According to the reports, the boutique based in New York, New York had to shut down for Obama’s rumored visit, which also supposedly helped them boost their sales. The director of communications for the first lady says the story is “100 percent false. The First Lady – better known for shopping at more modestly-priced High Street stores – along with the Queen of Qatar, Sheikha Mozah, closed off part of Madison Avenue to spend time in the luxury lingerie shop. Their purchases contributed to a market-spanking 12.5pc lift in sales.
When they closed Madison Ave, was it for Michelle’s safety, or the tamale vendors?
Agent Provocateur, which is styled on vintage Hollywood glamour, sells handmade Calais lace corsets that sell for up to £900, which could ruffle the feathers of more than just President Barack Obama in an election year.
My guess is there is very little she can do to get a “rise” out of Barry. £900… Oh yea, there is a joke there!
Gary Hogarth, Agent Provocateur’s chief executive, refused to be drawn on the store’s closely kept “secret client list”. But he admitted the brand had attracted a high number of “unexpected famous names” – especially in the US, where sales have overtaken the UK.
Is she is paying by the piece, the acre, or by the bolt?
…“This is a real luxury brand,” says Mr Hogarth. “But now it is also being run with a strong business discipline. That has meant a lot of changes to the finance team, merchandising and production and planning. It also means negotiating on every rental contract – which is more than possible in this market.”
Does anyone need a new barf bag? At some point haven’t you made enough lingerie?
…”The glamour of the AP brand is really powerful – it has a luxurious quality, that means people have a sense of walking away with a special purchase even when they are buying a pair of knickers,” says Mr Hogarth.
“Would you like us to wrap the shipping container for you Mrs Obama?”
With a bit more “research” I found that much of their lingerie is made in Romania and of synthetic materials. (Some of the best research ev’ah!) Even better, there are actually Middle East chains of this store. I am not kidding, they have stores in Qatar, Bahrain, and Dubai. Here is the link.
According to a number of British newspapers, Michelle Obama recently spent some time crafting her own version of a stimulus plan. The Telegraph, The Sun and The Daily Mail claim that first lady Michelle Obama spent $50,000 at a New York City lingerie bou.
‘underwater ufo millennium falcon Underwater UFO’ looks like ‘Star Wars’ ship, “Star Wars” fans are wondering whether a mysterious object found deep in the Gulf of Bothnia is from a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Swedish researcher Peter Lindburg found what some are calling an “underwater UFO” which happens to resemble the famous “Star Wars” spaceship, “Millennium Falcon
.
For now, it’s an unidentified submerged object. But a strange circular formation deep below the Baltic Sea has sparked great excitement among UFO believers who think it might be a crashed flying saucer. While searching for shipwrecks in the waters between Finland and Sweden on June 19, a Swedish team of nautical salvagers say they uncovered a “very strange anomaly” — a round object about 60 feet across resting about 300 feet below sea level. “You see a lot of weird stuff in this job, but during my 18 years as a professional I have never seen anything like this. The shape is completely round,” Peter Lindberg, leader of The Ocean Explorer team, told the local press, according to MSNBC. The circular object — described by Gizmodo as resembling Star Wars’ Millenium Falcon — is also trailed on one side by what appears to be a lengthy patch of displaced seabed. That has lead some UFO believer to surmise the strange circle is a wrecked UFO, which crashed onto the seafloor and left behind a path of destruction measuring some 900 feet, according to News.com.
The object could, of course, be a natural phenomena, or something manmade. Without any assurance it was otherworldly, The Ocean Explorer team initially said it had no intention to pursue further investigation after publicizing the finding. “It is not in our sphere of interest to go for this object since the cost for each hour out on the sea are tremendous,” wrote Lindberg, whose company has made a name for itself by searching for “fluid gold” — bottles of champagne, wine and liquor that can be retrieved from shipwrecks, with great profit. “Since it might be nothing we can not afford spending funds just to have a look at it, even if it might be a ‘new’ Stonehenge standing on the bottom.” But thanks to international media coverage, interest from around the world and perhaps some donations, The Ocean Explorer team appears to have had a change of heart. “We will go out again soon to document and film the object,” reads a message on the website. “We have received many emails that people want to donate money to the project. We are very grateful for your donation.” On the Ocean Explorer Facebook page, where team members have already started advertising “Secrets Of The Sea 2011-12″ shirts decorated with a picture of the round object on the seafloor for $20, Lindberg wrote the following message: Ok folks here are some relevant information; We will equipe the ROV with a real time 3D-sonar so we can get really nice images at close range . . . [W]e will use a multibeam sonar and an ordinary side scan sonar. We will have divers with rebreather equipment with us but they will be sent down as a last option. We have also thought about geiger-equipment. But right now there is not enough funds so we can proceed, we working on it though.
David Beckham Super Bowl underwear, David Beckham loses pants for ad, David Beckham may play a different type of football from the one scheduled for this weekend’s Super Bowl . But pigskin fans will nonetheless see the soccer stud during the big game, wearing nothing more than briefs, when clothier H&M debuts a new ad for Beckham’s signature underwear
Here it is ladies! It’s David Beckham‘s Super Bowl ad that we’ve all been waiting for. The new H&M body wear Spokes Model is looking fine as hell! I had to watch this on full screen, twice to appreciate every tattoo and crevice (even his forehead lines are sexy.)! Don’t wait until Sunday, check it out after the jump!
Super Bowl Sunday is when David Beckham’s underwear ad for television officially airs for H&M, but the YouTube went up over the weekend.
Here’s video of the soccer superstar looking very serious in his skivvies, and also giving the world a 360-degree view of all those tattoos. (Via Huffington Post)
The briefs and trunks he’s modeling are part of H&M’s new “David Beckham Bodywear” collection.
Earlier this month, H&M announced that Beckham’s ad will be broadcast during the second quarter of Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday.
The undies already hit the open market, on Thursday.
Leap year gives this motivational speaker a chance to celebrate his birthday. This celebrity shares his birth month with a "friend," a former first daughter and an NBA superstar. Check out these celebrities and others who will hear wishes of "happy birthday" this month
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston is best known for her 10-year role as Rachel Green on "Friends" but made the successful leap to several movie roles while on the show and after. She is due to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this year.
Michael Bloomberg
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg won his third term in office in 2009. A successful businessman as well as politician , he founded Bloomberg L.P., a financial media group.
Tom Brokaw
Television journalist Tom Brokaw anchored the " Today " show and "NBC Nightly News" and covered historic events such as the Challenger disaster and the fall of the Berlin Wall. He has authored several books, most notably "The Greatest Generation".
Garth Brooks
Country music superstar Garth Brooks took his genre to international fame with his hit songs and energetic concerts . Following a brief retirement, he now performs at the Encore Las Vegas resort.
Chelsea Clinton
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton campaigned for her mother's bid for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2008. She married Marc Mezvinskyin 2010
Sheryl Crow
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow has enjoyed a career that has spanned several decades and has earned her nine Grammy Awards . She won her battle with breast cancer in 2006.
Michael Dell
Founder and CEO of Dell Computers, Michael Dell started his company while still a college student. He and his wife started the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation in support of children's causes.
Isla Fisher
Actress Isla Fisher got her start on Australian television before her breakthrough in American movies She and her comedian husband have two daughters .
John Grisham
Best-selling author John Grisham was a criminal law attorney for 10 years before beginning his writing career. Seven of his legal thrillers have been made into movies .
Matt Groening
Cartoonist Matt Groening created the popular and long-running series "The Simpsons" as well as "Futurama." His two series have earned him 12 Emmy Awards, and he will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this year.
Michael Jordan
Arguably one of the best NBA players, Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to their six NBA Championships in the 12 years he spent with the team, with a brief hiatus as a minor league baseball player. He was a two-time Olympic gold medalist and was a part of the 1992 "Dream Team."
Ashton Kutcher
Hunky actor Ashton Kutcher took over the vacant lead role on "Two and a Half Men" following the controversial departure of Charlie Sheen. His high-profile divorce from Demi Moore has made headlines .
Jillian Michaels
Take-no-prisoners trainer Jillian Michaels helped inspire some dramatic physical and emotional changes to contestants on "The Biggest Loser." She has since left the show, but she offers her training services through her line of personal fitness programs .
Toni Morrison
Influential author Toni Morrison won both the Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize for her work Her award-winning novel "Beloved" inspired a movie and an opera, "Margaret Garner."
Ellen Page
"Inception" star Ellen Page was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for her breakout role in "Juno." She is set to star in the next Woody Allen film, "Nero Fiddled," to be released later this year.
Sarah Palin
Former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin was the first woman to be nominated as a Republican vice-presidential candidate. She authored a best-selling book, "Going Rogue" and showed America her home state in her television show "Sarah Palin's Alaska."
Joe Pesci
Academy Award-winning (for what movie?) actor Joe Pesci's roles have varied from bad guys in "Casino" to lovable good guys in "My Cousin Vinny." He is one of the producers of the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys."
Rihanna
Pop singer Rihanna has produced hit after hit and released her sixth album in November. She is the Ambassador for Culture and Youth for her home country and is involved in promotion and marketing for the country.
Christina Ricci
Actress Christina Ricci rose to fame after her breakout role as Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family." Currently, she stars in the drama "Pan Am."
Alan Rickman
Recognized as a villain from his roles in "Die Hard" and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," Alan Rickman kept audiences guessing whether his well-known role as Severus Snape in the "Harry Potter" series was a good guy or a bad guy. Classically trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began acting on stage and has continued throughout his caree
Tony Robbins
Motivational speaker Tony Robbins has created a self-help empire comprising his speaking events and his best-selling books . His charity, the Anthony Robbins Foundation, conducts food drives and The International Basket Brigade as well as empowerment programs.
Bob Schieffer
Television journalist Bob Schieffer is the current moderator of "Face the Nation" and former anchor of "CBS Evening News" . He has chronicled his career in journalism in three books .
Shakira
Latin cross-over singer Shakira broke through the American pop charts with her first English album "Laundry Service." She performed twice during President Barack Obama's inaugural festivities, once with Usher and Stevie Wonder .
Vijay Singh
Professional golfer Vijay Singh is frequently seen on the leader board and has won two PGA Championships as well as a win in the Masters Tournament A native of Fiji, he was named a goodwill ambassador for his country in 2005.
Roger Staubach
Legendary quarterback Roger Staubachfor "America's Team"led his team to two Super Bowl victories and was instrumental in the team's impressive record during his 10-year tenure. He coined the "Hail Mary pass" where a last-minute, long-shot play gave his team the win.
George Stephanopoulos
Former political adviser George Stephanopoulos worked on the 1992 presidential campaign for Bill Clinton and became Clinton's White House communications director. He can now be found at the anchor desk for "Good Morning America" and as a political correspondent for ABC News.
John Travolta
Oscar-nominated actor John Travolta will always be recognized by his dance moves in "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease." An avid pilot, he owns and flies several aircraft
Alice Walker
Iconic author Alice Walker is best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Color Purple," which was made into a movie and a Broadway musical. A collection of her papers and manuscripts are housed in Emory University's library.
Vanna White
Letter-turning beauty Vanna White has appeared on "Wheel of Fortune" as co-host since her debut in 1982. She published her best-selling autobiography "Vanna Speaks!" in 1987.
