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Awkward and Awesome

Welcome to the latest edition of Awkward and Awesome. As well as some things that make me happy (hence the entire Awesome section).

Awkward

~ Gross, maybe. But the amount of hair I think I've been losing lately is atrocious. What, am I stressed or something?
~ My cat looks like this to me right now ...


  ...the vet bills are just ridiculous expensive. $100 just to make sure this little terror can fly? I should have let her fart on that vet.
~ We have pretty much no food in the house right now. Our next 4 days of meals will consist of 600 ways to eat bread, canned vegetables, cereal, spices, and enough meat to feed an army. Not really that great of meat either. There are like hot dogs, frikadellers (that's a Danish thing I just butchered), and a million pieces of fish.
~ I went to a curling match as I previously mentioned. To cheer on Canada as they tried their hardest to take out the Swedish ladies. But they lost, as most Canadians do. Except Matt. He's winning (#winning)! Because he's with me. You probably already saw where that was going.
~ Denmark is saying good-bye to us in it's typical fashion. Today it's raining.

I'm enjoying my time here at the curling match.

Awesome 

Packing has begun! It may not look like much, but I hope that's because we really just don't have as much stuff to take home.


~ The super happy guy in my curling picture - he just had his 3rd little girl!! Unreal.
~ Today my run was a little tough at first. I pushed through it though and felt good enough to do a few sprints at the end. I think my wind pipes are clearing.
~ Monday we leave for home. I'm going to immediately buy some class passes to the yoga studio there around Niagara. I hope by Tuesday night I'm sweating my tooshie off in a hot yoga class.
~ Tonight is the first game in a 2 game series to see who will take home the bronze for the Danish league. Again, not what we wanted, but there's still a bonus!! {Make up for all these damn vet bills.}
~ Want to help out the greatest non-profit there is? Hockey Players For Kids will be debuting a really awesome event happening in Niagara Falls this June. If you're into hockey, are around the area, or just want to see what it is, you can ask me. I'll tell you. Maybe it will be something you're into seeing? Maybe you'll want to become a sponsor? Who knows! Actually, I know. You'll want to sponsor.
~ Today is my big brother's birthday. The entire month of March we are the same age. Only 11 months apart. Today he turns 25. Happy Birthday Benjamin!
~ And this song, although I'm not from West Virginia, makes me feel at home.

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Group reports finding shipwreck in Lake Michigan

HOLLAND, Mich. – An organization that documents shipwrecks said it has found the wreck of a 60-foot, single-masted sloop in Lake Michigan that may date back to the 1830s while looking for remnants of a plane that crashed into the lake more than 60 years ago.

The wreck was found off southwestern Michigan in water about 250 feet deep between Saugatuck and South Haven, Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates announced this week. The discovery was made while working with author Clive Cussler and his sonar operator Ralph Wilbanks of the National Underwater & Marine Agency.

The group was searching for the remnants of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501, which crashed into the lake in 1950, killing 58 people.

"Sometimes, when you're looking for one thing, you come across another," shipwreck researcher Craig Rich told The Grand Rapids Press of the discovery.

The vessel sits upright and is in relatively good condition, Holland-based Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates said. The sloop's construction and design are consistent with ships built in the 1820s and 1830s. Video of the wreck is expected to be shown April 16 at a social event in Holland.
"It's fascinating stuff," Cussler, who has worked with Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates to locate other wrecks, told the newspaper. "It's not the Titanic or anything like that. But it is rather historic just for the era in which it sank."

The ship likely was moving goods across the lake when it went down, Rich said, and it could be the oldest shipwreck discovered by Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates. Rich said the group hopes to identify the ship by the summer and begin researching its story. And the group plans to explore the wreck this year.

"If we can put a name to it, we'll figure out what the story is and, if not, it'll be a mystery wreck," he said.
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Baltic Sea letter in a bottle found 24 years later

MOSCOW – Nearly a quarter-century after a German boy tossed a message in a bottle off a ship in the Baltic Sea, he's received an answer.

A 13-year-old Russian, Daniil Korotkikh, was walking with his parents on a beach when he saw something glittering lying in the sand.

"I saw that bottle and it looked interesting," Korotkikh told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "It looked like a German beer bottle with a ceramic plug, and there was a message inside."

His father, who knows schoolboy German, translated the letter, carefully wrapped in cellophane and sealed by a medical bandage.

It said: "My name is Frank, and I'm five years old. My dad and I are traveling on a ship to Denmark. If you find this letter, please write back to me, and I will write back to you."

The letter, dated 1987, included an address in the town of Coesfeld.

The boy in the letter, Frank Uesbeck, is now 29. His parents still live at the letter's address.

"At first I didn't believe it," Uesbeck told the AP about getting the response from Korotkikh. In fact, he barely remembered the trip at all; his father actually wrote the letter.

The Russian boy and the German man met each other earlier this month via an Internet video link.
Korotkikh showed Uesbeck the bottle where he found the message and the letter that he put in a frame.

The Russian boy said he does not believe that the bottle actually spent 24 years in the sea: "It would not have survived in the water all that time," he said.

He believes it had been hidden under the sand where he found it — on the Curonian Spit, a 100-kilometer (60-mile) stretch of sand in Lithuania and Russia.

In the web chat earlier this month, Uesbek gave Korotkikh his new address to write to and promised to write back when he receives his letter.

"He'll definitely get another letter from me," the 29-year-old said.

Uesbeck was especially thrilled that he was able to have a positive impact on a life of a young person far away from Germany.

"It's really a wonderful story," he said. "And who knows? Perhaps one day we will actually be able to arrange a meeting in person."
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'The Kennedys' paints a flattering portrait

NEW YORK – "The Kennedys" opens on the eve of Election Day 1960 with John F. Kennedy voicing high hopes to supporters as a long presidential race comes to an end.

These sequences are intercut with the weary-looking candidate peering in his bathroom mirror at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Mass., the next morning. Self-reflectively, he pops one pill after another for his multiple ailments and to get himself started.

So this is how this show's going to go, the wary viewer may be thinking: build him up, then tear him down.

"The Kennedys" arrives in a cloud of such suspicion. Grandly announced last spring by cable's History channel, the eight-part, $30 million miniseries was abruptly dropped by the network in January amid reports that the real-life Kennedy camp, having gotten wind of an early script, was unhappy about the project.

One warning sign: A key producer and writer of the film is Joel Surnow, who, though best-known as a creator of the action series "24," is also known to be politically conservative. Was he out to get the Kennedys?

After a few weeks in limbo, this hot potato landed at ReelzChannel, where the first two episodes premiere Sunday at 8 p.m. EDT. (Subsequent segments debut April 5-8, with the two-hour conclusion airing April 10.)

Surprise! Despite the bumpy road that got it here, and the stigma attached, "The Kennedys" turns out to be a solidly entertaining portrait.

A cautionary note to those who may have feared (or hoped) this docudrama would engage in Kennedy-bashing: "The Kennedys" is a flattering, even affectionate portrayal. Whatever creative license the film has taken in its storytelling, its subjects seem to be the beneficiaries as, even when it dwells on the family's deficits, it does so with a sympathetic touch.

Yes, Jack's physical problems are showcased. On Election Day, Jackie is seen strapping him into a back brace and, as he descends a staircase, he must take one painful, halting step at a time. At another point, he needs help rising from his chair in the Oval Office.

"My body's breaking down," he tells Jackie. "I can't stand for more than 20 minutes. I can't sit for more than five. If the public knew the shape I was in, they'd boot me out of here."

But in this film, the battles Jack wages with his health humanize, not diminish, him.

So does his womanizing, which is an ongoing issue in his marriage, but displayed on-screen very sparingly. His dalliances are mostly talked about.

"Bobby, I'm not a kid anymore, but I keep acting like one," Jack tells his brother mournfully after Jackie, discovering his latest tryst, has fled to Camp David. "I think she's finished with me."

But she's not, of course. She returns with the kids to the White House, where Kennedy is busy tackling the Cuban Missile Crisis and "saving the world," as Jackie tells little Caroline.

And a year later, on that fateful flight to Dallas in November 1963, Jack and Jackie declare their love for each other anew.

"The Kennedys" is, if anything, a tribute to this family — its accomplishments, its vision and the awful price exacted for its outsized ambition.

The film's biggest problem is its cast. Tom Wilkinson is fine as Joseph P. Kennedy, capturing the family patriarch's ruthless drive and harsh authority, while Barry Pepper is credible as Robert F. Kennedy, Jack's sensitive and fiercely loyal sidekick.

But Greg Kinnear serves as the latest reminder that no actor has yet copied Jack Kennedy's magnetism. Kinnear makes JFK likable and earnest. But this Jack has no sex appeal, nor any chemistry with Jackie.

In the equally daunting challenge of portraying the First Lady, Katie Holmes seldom gets no closer to her character than being an attractive, slim brunette.

What saves "The Kennedys" is its writing and the lush production values that give it form.
The time frame of the miniseries starts on Nov. 8, 1960 — when voters chose Kennedy over his Republican rival, Richard M. Nixon — and follows the saga through Robert Kennedy's assassination in 1968 during his own campaign for president.

But along the way there are frequent, gracefully interwoven flashbacks, looping back as far as the 1930s for background on Joe Sr., as well as sons Joe Jr. (targeted for great things until his death in World War II) and Jack (from whom little was expected with Joe the shining star).

In a scene from 1937, the father dispenses sagely cynical advice to these two lads: "It's not what you are. It's what people think you are. And with the right amount of money, you can make `em think whatever you want."

With that sort of creed, Joe Sr. runs things with an iron hand — not least, Jack's 15-year push for the White House.

A dirty trick masterminded by Joe clinches Jack's first political race, for Congress. Years later, Joe makes the necessary, um, arrangements to guarantee that all-important Illinois will be in Jack's column in his presidential bid — a nasty piece of business about which, according to the film, neither Jack nor Bobby had any knowledge.

It is Joe who — over the objection of both the president-elect and his brother, who was ready to leave politics — insists on Bobby as Jack's choice for attorney general.

Early in the Kennedy presidency, both Jack and Bobby seem innocents buffeted by circumstances beyond their control (the Bay of Pigs disaster, for example), magnified by their father's intrusions. Then, in a defining moment, they assert their independence and respectfully send their father on his way.

Like most of what happens on "The Kennedys," it's a nice twist in the narrative and, however it may clash with the truth, only burnishes the family legend. The fun, sexiness and magic of Camelot is absent from "The Kennedys," but this is no sliming. So what was all the fuss about?
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FBI can't crack the code in this murder case — can you?


ST. LOUIS — Are you good at solving puzzles and cracking codes? If so, the Federal Bureau of Investigation needs your help in cracking a code connected to a homicide in Missouri.

The mystery begins in a St. Louis field on June 30, 1999. Ricky McCormick, 41, was found dead there, and his killer hasn't been caught.

That's where you come in. The FBI said two encrypted notes were found in the victim's pants, and their code crackers haven't been able to figure out what the notes mean.
"We are really good at what we do," said Dan Olson, the chief of the FBI's Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit. "

But we could use some help with this one."
"Breaking this code could reveal the victim's whereabouts before his death and could lead to the solution of a homicide," Olson said. "Not every cipher we get arrives at our door under those circumstances."

“Even if we found out that he was writing a grocery list or a love letter, we would still want to see how the code is solved. This is a cipher system we know nothing about," Olson said.

Killer code: See the victim's notes in larger size
McCormick was a high school dropout, but he was able to read and write and was said to be “street smart,” the FBI said. Members of his family told authorities that he had used such encrypted notes since he was a boy, but it’s unknown whether anyone besides McCormick could translate his secret language.

The FBI said investigators believe the notes, which contain more than 30 lines, were written up to three days before his death.

If you have an idea how to break the code, or you have seen similar codes, contact the FBI:
FBI Laboratory

Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit
2501 Investigation Parkway
Quantico, VA 22135
Attn: Ricky McCormick Case
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Amy Adams 'Excited' To Play Lois Lane In 'Superman' Reboot

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Amy Adams is still reeling about landing the coveted role of Lois Lane in the upcoming "Superman" film.

"I'm really excited!" Amy told Access Hollywood on Tuesday at CinemaCon 2011 in Las Vegas, where she was promoting her new film, "The Muppets," with Jason Segel. "It's amazing."
 
Will Amy - who usually sports lovely red locks - dye her coif darker for the iconic brunette role alongside "The Tudors" actor Henry Cavill in director Zack Snyder's superhero reboot?

"I don't know yet," Amy said. "We'll see, we will see."

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Zack -- whose "Sucker Punch" is currently in theaters -- released a statement about casting Amy in the role.

"Second only to Superman himself, the question of who will play Lois Lane is arguably what fans have been most curious about," Zack said in a statement released to Access on Sunday. "So we are excited to announce the casting of Amy Adams, one of the most versatile and respected actresses in films today. Amy has the talent to capture all of the qualities we love about Lois: smart, tough, funny, warm, ambitious and, of course, beautiful."

The 36-year-old Oscar nominee also joins veteran actors Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Martha and Jonathan Kent, respectively.

The film, tentatively titled, "Superman: Man of Steel," is slated for theatrical release in December 2012.
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Gadhafi's forces adapt to airstrikes, pound rebels

LibyaMoammar Gadhafi's ground forces recaptured a strategic oil town Wednesday and moved within striking distance of another major eastern city, nearly reversing the gains rebels made since international airstrikes began. Rebels pleaded for more help, while a U.S. official said government forces are making themselves harder to target by using civilian "battle wagons" with makeshift armaments instead of tanks.

Western powers kept up the pressure to force Gadhafi out with new airstrikes in other parts of Libya, hints that they may arm the opposition and intense negotiations behind the scenes to find a country to give haven to Libya's leader of more than 40 years.

Even as it advanced militarily, Gadhafi's regime suffered a blow to its inner circle with the apparent defection of Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa. Koussa flew from Tunisia to an airport outside London and announced he was resigning from his post, according to a statement from the British government.

Moussa Ibrahim, a Libyan government spokesman in Tripoli, denied that the foreign minister has defected saying he was in London on a "diplomatic mission."

It was not immediately possible to confirm either statement with Moussa or people close to him.

Gadhafi's justice and interior ministers resigned shortly after the uprising began last month, but Koussa would be the first high-profile resignation since the international air campaign began.

Airstrikes have neutralized Gadhafi's air force and pounded his army, but his ground forces remain far better armed, trained and organized than the opposition.

The shift in momentum back to the government's side is hardening a U.S. view that the poorly equipped opposition is probably incapable of prevailing without decisive Western intervention — either an all-out U.S.-led military assault on regime forces or a decision to arm the rebels.

In Washington, congressional Republicans and Democrats peppered senior administration officials with questions about how long the U.S. will be involved in Libya, the costs of the operation and whether foreign countries will arm the rebels.

NATO is in the process of taking over control of the airstrikes, which began as a U.S.-led operation. Diplomats said they have given approval for the commander of the NATO operation, Canadian Gen. Charles Bouchard, to announce a handover on Thursday.

Gadhafi's forces have adopted a new tactic in light of the pounding airstrikes have given their tanks and armored vehicles, a senior U.S. intelligence official said. They've left some of those weapons behind in favor of a "gaggle" of "battle wagons": minivans, sedans and SUVs fitted with weapons, said the official, who spoke anonymously in order to discuss sensitive U.S. intelligence on the condition and capabilities of rebel and regime forces. Rebel fighters also said Gadhafi's troops were increasingly using civilian vehicles in battle.

The change not only makes it harder to distinguish Gadhafi's forces from the rebels, it also requires less logistical support, the official said.

The official said airstrikes have degraded Gadhafi's forces since they were launched March 19, but the regime forces still outmatch those of the opposition "by far," and few members of Gadhafi's military have defected lately.

The disparity was obvious as government forces pushed back rebels about 100 miles (160 kilometers) in just two days. The rebels had been closing in on the strategic city of Sirte, Gadhafi's hometown and a bastion of support for the longtime leader, but under heavy shelling they retreated from Bin Jawwad on Tuesday and from the oil port of Ras Lanouf on Wednesday.

Gadhafi's forces were shelling Brega, another important oil city east of Ras Lanouf. East of the city in Ajdabiya, where many rebels had regrouped, Col. Abdullah Hadi said he expected the loyalists to enter Brega by Wednesday night.

"I ask NATO for just one aircraft to push them back. All we need is air cover and we could do this. They should be helping us," Hadi said.

The battlefield setbacks are hardening a U.S. view that the opposition is probably incapable of prevailing without decisive Western intervention, a senior U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, compared the rebel forces to a "pick-up basketball team."

Gadhafi's forces also have laid land mines in the eastern outskirts of Adjabiya, an area they held from March 17 until Saturday, when airstrikes drove them west, according to Human Rights Watch.

The New York based group cited the electricity director for eastern Libya, Abdal Minam al-Shanti, who said two anti-personnel mines detonated when a truck ran over them, but no one was hurt. Al-Shanti said a civil defense team found and disarmed more than 50 mines in what Human Rights Watch described as a heavily traveled area.

NATO planes flew over the zone where the heaviest fighting was under way earlier Wednesday and an Associated Press reporter at the scene heard explosions, but it was unclear whether any airstrikes hit the area. U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Clint Gebke, a spokesman for the NATO operation aboard the USS Mount Whitney, said he could not confirm any specific strikes but that Western aircraft were engaging pro-Gadhafi forces in areas including Sirte and Misrata, the rebels' last significant holdout in western Libya.

The retreat Wednesday looked like a mad scramble: Pickup trucks, with mattresses and boxes tied on, driving east at 100 mph (160 kilometers per hour).

And as the fighting approached Ajdabiya, residents there made an exodus of their own. The road to the rebels' de-facto capital, Benghazi, was packed with vehicles, most of them full of families and their belongings. Streets on the western side of Ajdabiya were deserted and silent.

Rebel military spokesman Col. Ahmed Bani said the rebels had made a "tactical retreat" to Ajdabiya and will set up defensive positions there. "Even with courage and determination, the forces need power to be able to fight back," he said.

Bani said he heard from three sources, including one in Chad, that 3,200 to 3,600 heavily armed members of the Chadian presidential guard were marching from Sirte toward Ajdabiya. The report could not be independently confirmed.

As Gadhafi's forces push rebels toward Benghazi, some 140 miles (220 kilometers) northeast of Brega, pressure is growing for NATO members and other supporters of the air campaign to do more.

Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain believes a legal loophole could allow nations to supply weapons to Libya's rebels — but stressed the U.K. has not decided whether it will offer assistance to the rebels.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that Washington also believes it would be legal to give the rebels weapons. Asked whether the U.S. would do so, President Barack Obama told NBC, "I'm not ruling it out, but I'm also not ruling it in."

NATO officials and diplomats said the alliance had not considered arming the rebels. Any alliance involvement would require support from all 28 members, a difficult task, and an alliance official who could not be named under standing regulations said NATO "wouldn't even consider doing anything else" without a new U.N. resolution.

China, Russia and Germany oppose supplying weapons to the rebels.

Under the U.N. resolution authorizing necessary measures to protect civilians, nations supplying weapons would need to be satisfied they would be used only to defend civilians — not to take the offensive to Gadhafi's forces.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said the operation already had gone too far. He called for an immediate cease-fire and admonished French President Nicolas Sarkozy at a diplomatic meeting in Beijing. Hu called for peaceful efforts to restore stability, expressed China's concern that Libya may end up divided and said force would complicate a negotiated settlement.

Diplomats were attempting to persuade Gadhafi to leave without military force.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said negotiations on securing Gadhafi's exit were being conducted with "absolute discretion" and that there were options on the table that hadn't yet been formalized.

"What is indispensable is that there be countries that are willing to welcome Gadhafi and his family, obviously to end this situation which otherwise could go on for some time," he said.

But the Italian diplomat insisted immunity for Gadhafi was not an option.

Uganda became the first country to publicly offer Gadhafi refuge. The spokesman for Uganda's president, Tamale Mirundi, told the AP on Wednesday that he would be welcome there.

Gadhafi has shown no public sign he might leave power, vowing to fight until the end. His forces were continuing to besiege Misrata, the rebels' main western holdout.

An activist in Misrata said there have been power outages, and water service was cut off so residents must rely on wells, but the biggest problem was a lack of medical supplies such as anesthesia and sterilizers, along with diapers and baby formula. Four people in the town were killed Tuesday, the activist said.

Libyan officials took journalists to the home of a family who said their 18-month-old son was killed in an airstrike Tuesday morning against an ammunition dump in the mountain village of Khorum, 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Tripoli. They say their home was hit by a stray missile when the dump was hit. Their account could not be independently confirmed.

British and other diplomats were involved in negotiations with the rebel leadership in Benghazi. Cameron's spokesman Steve Field said it was partly to gauge if the opposition would be trustworthy allies — "learning more about their intentions."

NATO's top commander, U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis, has said officials have seen "flickers" of possible al-Qaida and Hezbollah involvement with the rebel forces. Bani, the rebel military spokesman, dismissed accusations that al-Qaida elements are fighting with the rebels.

"If there are elements that were with al-Qaida in the past and they are now in Libya, they are now fighting for Libya, not for al-Qaida," he said, emphasizing the word "if."
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Chris Brown Thanks Fans for No. 1 Album

“We did it,” he cries as ex Rihanna tells “Rolling Stone” she doesn’t want to hurt his career. 

Chris Brown, who broke down on ABC’s Good Morning America last week after being asked about assaulting his ex Rihanna, is smiling again now that his album, F.A.M.E., has entered the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at No. 1

“I wanna thank all of my fans for making my album number 1 in the country!!” he Tweeted Wednesday, a day after he performed drama-free on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars. “I love you! We did it.”< First-week sales of 270,000 copies are the second highest total of the year. It also is his first No. 1 on the national album chart. Meanwhile, Rihanna tells the new Rolling Stone she doesn't want to hurt Brown's career.

She says in the music magazine it was "my decision" not to object to a Los Angeles judge's decision in February to downgrade a restraining order keeping Brown, 21, 50 yards away from Rihanna -- 10 yards at music industry events.

"We don't have to talk ever again in my life," she added. "I just didn't want to make it more difficult for him professionally. What he did was a personal thing -- it had nothing to do with his career. Saying he has to be a hundred feet away from me, he can't perform at awards shows -- that definitely made it difficult for him."
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Now Both of Us Have Gotten a Name Change!

Many of you may be surprised that Nikki's legal name has never been Nicole... until now. For those new to this blog, no - Nikki is not a transsexual. And no, we didn't get married. This is one of those old-fashioned "I hate my name" name changes, coupled with a removal of her married name due to divorce.

Nikki has hated her given first name for as back as she can remember. Part of the reason for this was due to her abusive mother screaming that name nonstop during her childhood. That, and the fact that her mother named her after a song which talks about her making a husband happy. Ick. Nikki is very much a lesbian, and in the past, she did try to make her husband happy (even though she didn't find him attractive in the least), only to be repaid with abuse of almost every kind there is. No, I'm not telling you her old name. I'm not even allowed to say it!

Her middle name was Nicole. It's now her first name.


Her former surname is one I won't reveal either, same as I don't speak of my old name. Suffice to say, it was her married name. Since she's been divorced for over two years, it's high time she got rid of that old name. Now her last name is the same as mine. (I identify myself only as "Amy K" on this blog, due to a couple stalkers/harassers who somehow summoned up enough intelligence to type my name into a search engine. Just look at the Facebook badge on the right to see my name.)


Nikki was so worried that the judge wouldn't grant her name change for some reason. She had no problem at all. She was in the courtroom for about 15 minutes, while I watched Skylar in the hallway. Then we went downstairs and she got her certified copy of the name change order. We then headed to the Social Security office, and we saw many of the people who we saw in the courtroom. Next week, she'll get her license changed, which will only cost four dollars. That was way cheaper than we expected.


Nicole means "victory of the people." Our last name means "heart" in German. Put them together... let's see... Victorious Heart. I like it!


Nikki has a profound sense of freedom now. She's finally free of the first name that's plagued her since childhood, and the surname that's followed her around for over ten years. I'm so happy for my sweetie. Go, Nikki!
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Packing Up My Inspiration

To keep up with my need to write something everyday this week that makes me happy I think music is a perfect way to go today. It has the ability to make you happy, sad, angry, and disgusted. I used to spend hours looking up new music to listen to and I'm not really sure when that stopped. I've felt a bit out of my own little music loop for awhile now, and not having anything to download new music from was definitely part of that problem. However, I have a new program so our iTunes is slowly but surely getting added to again. Plus I found this guy, Derek Shanahan, on 20 Something Bloggers and he's who inspired my post today. He calls himself a "music hunter" and has his own Music Blog. I'm not following any bloggers that are guys at this point but I think he will end up being my first. Check out his page here.

Since we're leaving Monday to head back to North America, all of these songs are to get me into the mood to pack, travel, and sit on a plane for 10 hours!

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Etsy

After my "rant" this morning I've decided to put a few things up everyday in the next week that make me happy. Today it will be my favorite pieces of artwork on Etsy right now. They're all under the photography category and make me think of things that I hope to one day have adorning my walls. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!



Yes, the fork middle finger {conveniently called Fork You} is necessary on a day like today!

Check out their shops here.
1. donnageissler
2. HoneyTree
3. CityScapesByBreton
4. MarianneLoMonaco
5. MarianneLoMonaco
6. KateSexsonArt
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Cracking the "Source Code" at the Hollywood Premiere

Los Angeles – When Jake Gyllenhaal took to the red carpet on Monday, March 28, at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood for the premiere of his new mind-bending film "Source Code," he was all smiles. For unlike many of his earlier projects, he was really happy to be part of this one, as the movie is one that he had a big hand in bringing to the screen.

It all started with the script by Ben Ripley, then came together through Gyllenhaal's love of the story, about a soldier who is used in a sort of time-travel experiment.

"The first time that I read it I loved it," the actor explained at an earlier press day for the film. "It just got better and better and better and more tense and more engaging as I went on." So Gyllenhaal decided to take the plunge, and enlisted director Duncan Jones to join him. Jones, who is currently most famous for being David Bowie's son as well as the director of one film, "Moon," was Gyllenhaal's first choice for a collaborator.

"Duncan is a great guy and I think that people get that," Gyllenhaal said.

Also along for the time-twisting thriller are stars Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright, who joined Gyllenhaal and Jones on the picture-perfect California spring night for both the screening and after party, also held at the Arclight. Farmiga, who recently got an Oscar nomination for her work in "Up in the Air," agreed that Jones is the kind of Hollywood director that every actor dreams of being around.

"It wasn't the role for me here. It was Duncan Jones," she revealed. "I adore 'Moon.' I thought that it was something very, very special and when I read 'Source Code' it was the same intricate puzzle that he presented in 'Moon' and I love having my noodle challenged and finding something to chew on. I wanted to be a piece of that puzzle."

Jones' talent for making actors looked good also drew a crowd of other thespians to the "Source Code" premiere, perhaps in the hopes of meeting the hot auteur. Famous faces on hand included Tara Lipinski, Mike Epps and Matthew Gray Gubler of "Criminal Minds" fame, as well as Carla Ortiz, Logan Lerman and Kristin Cavallari, who brought NFL quarterback Jay Cutler of the Chicago Bears as her escort.
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Eagle ray soars onto boat, body slams woman

By Todd Wright
NBCMIAMI.com NBCMIAMI.com
updated 1 hour 23 minutes ago
 
Spotted eagle rays aren't really supposed to fly, but a 300-pounder took flight in the Florida Keys this weekend to the surprise of an unsuspecting boater.

Jenny Hausch, a tourist from Illinois, was on a charter boat off the coast of Islamorado when the giant ray propelled itself out of the ocean and landed on top of her, CBS4 reported.

The marine body slam shocked everyone in the boat, who struggled to get the spotted eagle ray out of the boat and back into its habitat.

It was the second time this month a sea-bound animal decided to take a boat ride. A dolphin jumped onto a boat in Marco Island and sprained a woman's ankle.

It took the help of two Florida Fish and Wildlife officers who happened to be passing by the boat to get Hausch from under the animal and get the ray back in the water.

Rays are known to breach the waters surface, but usually hunt near the ocean floor for shrimp, crabs and other crustaceans.

Like most rays, spotted eagles are equipped with venomous spines in their tails.

In 2008, a spotted eagle ray jumped out of the waters near Marco Island and onto a speeding boat. It hit a woman, who died from the impact.

Luckily, Hausch escaped with no injuries from her fish tale.
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I've Had About This Much, Too Much

What I need right now is a vacation away from ... well just away.

 

Where I can enjoy having nothing to do and no one to listen to.

 

I'll even throw in one of these for good measure.


 

Then maybe I'll feel better. But right now I'm about to lose my mind.
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More Details on Reese Witherspoon’s Wedding Look!

Though it wasn’t pink, Reese Witherspoon tied the knot Saturday night in a dress that would make Elle Woods proud. The actress walked down the aisle at her Ojai, Calif., ranch estate in a custom Monique Lhuillier gown as she wed fiancé Jim Toth in front of a star-studded crowd that included Sean Penn, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey, Jr.

There was quite a bit of speculation surrounding Witherspoon’s dress choice — a January trip to Paris, where she visited several designer boutiques, had fashionistas guessing — but ultimately, her decision was Lhuillier, a label she’s teamed up with in the past.

(Other brides who’ve chosen the brand include Carrie Underwood, Ashlee Simpson and Jewel.) Underneath her gorgeous gown, Witherspoon wore Jimmy Choo’s “Macy” satin platform sandal, part of the line’s luxe bridal collection. And on her ring finger, to match her sparkling 4-carat diamond engagement ring from the William Goldberg Diamond Corporation, she now sports a band from the same brand.
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Vanessa Hudgens Insists She's Single, Isn't Dating Josh Hutcherson

"I'm single," Vanessa Hudgens declared during her appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" yesterday. Vanessa was on to discuss her upcoming movie "Sucker Punch," but the conversation quickly moved to the starlet's love life.

When asked about her previous long-term relationship with "High School Musical" co-star and heartthrob Zac Efron, Vanessa replied, "We’re good… After being in a relationship with someone that long, you stay friends." Hey! Weirder things have happened.

Rumors have been swirling that VHud is on the rebound with her "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" co-star and hottie Josh Hutcherson (hello, sexy motorcycle date!), but when Ellen probed about her potential new relationship, Vanessa played coy. "Can’t a girl have friends?" she asked. "Awww, I love him. We just did a movie together and we had the best time."

Sure Vanessa, a girl can have "boy friends"—but are "friends" seen kissing at movie premieres? A theatergoer witnessed Josh giving Vanessa a kiss the first moment she appeared on screen at the "Sucker Punch" premiere last night, according to Hollywood Life. We don’t want to speak too soon, but maybe a new hybrid couple name is in order. Janessa? Vosh?

Do you think Vanessa and Josh are an item? Do you have a suggestion for a couple nickname? Tell us in the comments.

Tags Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens
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Britney Spears: Inside the Diva Factory

It took a virtual village to build the superstar's new album
March 28, 2011
By Glenn Kenny
Special to MSN Music

The music industry's old and new worlds collide this week with the arrival of Britney Spears' latest album. Among other things, Spears'"Femme Fatale" dramatizes both the blockbuster scale of mainstream pop's time-honored hits mentality and the new realities of how music finds an audience in an era of digital disruption. In the brave new world disorder of the recording industry, the old hierarchy of major labels, big recording contracts and lavish albums can seem all but obsolete as the audience takes control, letting tiny indie labels and self-contained artists bypass yesterday's star-making machinery to seed their careers with laptop studios and viral promotion. The old verities of the business -- radio airplay, retail displays and big record marketing campaigns -- are being overwritten by virtual guerilla music making and marketing.

Except, perhaps, for the very biggest hits: In contrast to the sleeper hits that invade via YouTube or Facebook, or recent critics' darlings such as James Blake, whose debut album bears the note "All tracks written, performed, produced, and recorded at home by James Blake," Spears' "Femme Fatale," her seventh studio album, comes to consumers bearing a lengthy if not Byzantine set of credits.


On the album's "deluxe edition" (which features 16 tracks as opposed to the regular edition's 12), 22 individual songwriters are cited. Spears herself is not among them. There are over a dozen producers, sometimes as many as four to a single track. And this is strictly the aural side of Britney we're talking about; as an artist who's always been as image-driven as she is, there's another whole network of video directors, stylists, makeup artists and photographers that goes into the crafting of the promotional material and ancillary merchandise that is now part and parcel of a major-label mega-launch that an event record such as "Femme Fatale" demands.

Cynics might say that as far as Britney Spears is concerned, this is to be both expected and disdained, that it's evidence that she's not much more than a media puppet, and that even such pop phenoms past and present as Madonna and Lady Gaga have more "integrity" simply by dint of writing, or at least co-writing, their own material. And that old-school idols kept their Svengalis to a minimum, as measured by exceptions such as Elvis Presley and notorious micromanager "Colonel" Tom Parker. (While we're on the subject of Elvis, let us not forget that, perusing his hefty discography, one doesn't find a whole helluva lot of songwriting credits for The King, either. Just saying.)

Such cavils don't negate Spears' outsized commercial power, however. Having seemingly gotten over a number of personal and business trials, she's still here and she's still selling records (in some form or another), and she's still all over what's left of Top 40 radio.

"I don't think that Britney would be around today had she decided, after '...

Baby One More Time' and those hits that broke her, that she was going to co-write her own material," notes Peter Zizzo, a producer, songwriter and longtime music industry figure who helped discover and break young female artists such as Avril Lavigne and Vanessa Carlton. "She's definitely proof that there's something to be said for choosing your lane and staying in it. In a sense it's kind of mind-boggling that she's had a career for almost 15 years now; she could have gone the way of a Tiffany or a Debbie Gibson. But the fact is that she puts out great pop records, consistently. I think that testifies to the fact that she understands herself, she recognizes that she's a product and a brand."

Spears began work on "Femme Fatale" in 2009. Like all of her records, the process starts with what seems to be turning into a vestigial figure in record-making: the A&R executive. "A&R" stands for "Artists and Repertoire," reflecting earlier eras when self-contained artists were an exception to the rule and label handlers would pick songs, producers and arrangers to build hit records. By the'70s heyday of rock and pop singer-songwriters, the emphasis in this position was in holding the artist's hand, creating an environment in which he or she felt sufficiently protected to craft what would be his or her own repertoire.

Record company executives like David Geffen and Clive Davis were renowned for giving their artists room to breathe and leaving the marketing to other experts, or so it seemed. "I liked [Clive Davis] because he thought like an artist," no less a personage than Miles Davis noted in his autobiography. Still, when need be, Davis could take a firm guiding hand with artists, especially ones who didn't write: He assembled the talent on both the songwriting and production ends for the debut album by Whitney Houston, and didn't that pay off?

In Spears' case, the executive overseeing the product is Teresa LaBarbera Whites, of Jive and now Sony (which owns Jive now). LaBarbera Whites has long had a stake in Spears' career, and according to a music industry figure at another major label who spoke on condition of anonymity, "Spears trusts her implicitly." For "Femme Fatale," LaBarbera Whites and Spears made the Long Island-born producer and songwriter Lukas Gottwald, known as Dr. Luke, co-executive producer. This empowered Gottwald as a key project gatekeeper, responsible for corralling the other songwriting and producing talent. The record's other linchpin, and second co-executive producer, is Max Martin, the Swedish pop-song kingpin who's been part of the Spears creative team since writing "... Baby One More Time." "Max Martin is the best pop songwriter in the world right now; there's just no argument there," our unnamed industry source contends, but if you insist on arguing the point, there are literally dozens of top 10 songs and millions of records sold in Martin's favor.

"Clearly the instincts that went into making this record are in the exact right place," our sources adds, pointing to the deep talent roster behind "Femme Fatale." "The point when you're doing these kind of pop records is to surround yourself with the right people. Dr. Luke is as hot as it gets right now. As are the track producers Billboard and Benny Blanco. I see she went back to Bloodshy, who did Toxic.' It's not like they have slackers to make up the rest of the album." Indeed, as Spears' career has advanced, she's picked up new creative collaborators to work with, and on "Femme Fatale" she keeps around those whose work has borne Top 40 fruit. "Toxic," with its nearly shrill and frantic sound, was a bit of a departure for Spears, but it worked -- like crazy -- so Bloodshy gets to stay involved with her records. (Sometimes things don't go as well. Underground music fans still gape in awe at the ill-fated team-up in the early aughts between Spears and DFA, the New York avant-dance production team later to splinter off into LCD Soundsystem.

So can we presume that Spears is, when all is said and done, the secret mastermind behind this hive of pop-manufacturing activity? Our insider shrugs. "If you're in a position to work with these guys, it doesn't matter what she thinks, as long as she understands what's expected of her." (By the same token, this source also admits that sometimes staying out of the creative process pays off, noting that once teen diva Christina Aguilera became actively involved with crafting her own material, she went on to "make records no one cares about.") Peter Zizzo sees it a bit differently: "There's no way you can survive this long without in some way being aware of the creative choices you're making."

With that question unresolved, one last point of curiosity remains: Given how not-cheap all of this talent is, how does an increasingly impoverished music industry bankroll such productions? The answer is simple: Spears still moves the old-school "units" that Kurt Cobain of Nirvana mocked in his song "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter." The "units" are just manifested differently than they used to be. Instead of vinyl 45s, cassingles or CD singles, digital singles purchased on iTunes and other outlets are the stuff of today's Top 40.

"Spears is a worldwide superstar, so she'll still sell traditional albums," the insider insists. "In the digital world she is equally strong. Ten digital singles equals one album in terms of sales, and she absolutely delivers in that category." Add to that the fact that in today's pop world, the record companies may have their fingers in everything that a particular artist is selling, and there are a lot of things being sold The count isn't yet in on how much more "content" will be generated by "Femme Fatale," but the record is not only charting, but getting a good reception from pop-savvy critics. As Spears approaches, dare we say it, cougar-dom, her icon status appears to be in excellent shape, which means it's likely that it will be very well-maintained well into the future.

Glenn Kenny is chief film critic for MSN Movies. He was the chief film critic for Premiere magazine from 1998 to 2007. He contributes to various publications and websites, and blogs. He lives in Brooklyn.
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Bret Michaels sues Tony Awards over 2009 mishap

LOS ANGELES – Bret Michaels sued CBS Broadcasting and the organizers of the Tony Awards on Friday over a 2009 mishap that resulted in him being hit in the head by a set piece, claiming the accident contributed to a brain hemorrhage that nearly killed him.
The Poison frontman's lawsuit claims he continues to deal with effects from the injury and brain bleeding that left him hospitalized last year.

"Through his sheer will to live, to see his children grow up, Michaels was able to survive this trauma," his lawsuit states.
Michaels and Poison performed at the Tony Awards in June 2009 and the singer suffered a busted lip and broken nose when he was whacked by a piece of scenery.
He claims show organizers never explained that the set would be changing after the band performed, "Nothin' But a Good Time." He also claims the show could have prevented the incident from airing, but chose not to.

Footage of the accident quickly became a viral hit on the Internet, and Michaels' lawsuit claims clips have been viewed more than 27 million times on YouTube.

Michaels was hospitalized in April 2010 and doctors found he had a brain hemorrhage and he later suffered a warning stroke, which the musician says nearly killed him.

"Michaels was never told that the scenery piece would be descending or given any warning of the existence of the dangers it presented," the lawsuit states.

CBS declined comment and has a policy not to respond to lawsuits outside of court.
Phone and e-mail messages left for spokespeople for the Tony Awards were not immediately returned Friday evening.

Within days of the accident, Michaels expressed dismay that Tony organizers hadn't shown more concern about the incident.

"The Tony Awards dropped a piece of the stage on Bret's head, and then instead of doing the right thing, joked about it and played it off for ratings," Michaels' attorney Alex Weingarten wrote in a statement.

He said Michaels tried to resolve the court without filing a case but was unsuccessful. "They must be held accountable for almost killing Bret, and that is what we are going to do," Weingarten wrote.
His lawsuit does not state how much he is seeking to recover, although it states the injury hurt his ability to perform at later shows.
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Air raids hit Gadhafi stronghold of Sirte in Libya

Libya – International air raids targeted Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte for the first time Sunday night as rebels quickly closed in on the regime stronghold, a formidable obstacle that must be overcome for government opponents to reach the capital Tripoli.

A heavy bombardment of Tripoli also began after nightfall, with at least nine loud explosions and anti-aircraft fire heard, an Associated Press reporter in the city said.

Earlier in the day, rebels regained two key oil complexes along the coastal highway that runs from the opposition-held eastern half of the country toward Sirte and beyond that, to the capital. Moving quickly westward, the advance retraced their steps in the first rebel march toward the capital. But this time, the world's most powerful air forces have eased the way by pounding Gadhafi's military assets for the past week.

Sirte is strategically located about halfway between the rebel-held east and the Gadhafi-controlled west along the Mediterranean coast. It is a bastion of support for Gadhafi that will be difficult for the rebels to overrun and the entrances to the city have reportedly been mined. If the rebels could somehow overcome Sirte, momentum for a march on the capital would skyrocket.

An AP reporter at the front said the latest rebel advance during the day reached as far west as the oil port of Ras Lanouf, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of Sirte.

After nightfall, Libyan state television confirmed air raids on Sirte and Tripoli. Foreign journalists who were taken by the regime to Sirte a few hours before the bombings began reported hearing at least six loud explosions and warplanes flying overheard. They were driven around the city and said it was swarming with soldiers on patrol and armed civilians, many of them wearing green bandanas that signaled their support for Gadhafi.

In the contested city of Misrata in western Libya, residents reported fighting between rebels and Gadhafi loyalists who fired from tanks on residential areas. Misrata is one of two cities in western Libya that have risen against the regime and suffered brutal crackdowns. It is located between Tripoli and Sirte on the coastal road.

In <Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he could not offer a timetable for how long the Libya operation could last, as the Obama administration tried to bolster its case for bringing the United States into another war in the Muslim world.

The U.N. Security Council authorized the operation to protect Libyan civilians after Gadhafi launched attacks against anti-government protesters who demanded that he step down after nearly 42 years in power. The airstrikes have crippled Gadhafi's forces, allowing rebels to advance less than two weeks after they had seemed at the brink of defeat.

Now that the rebels have regained control of two key oil ports, they are making tentative plans to exploit Libya's most valuable natural resource. But production is at a trickle, the foreign oil workers and their vital expertise have fled the country, and even talk of a marketing deal with Qatar seems murky at best.

"As they move round the coast, of course, the rebels will increasingly control the exit points of Libya's oil," British Defense Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC. "That will produce a very dynamic and a very different equilibrium inside Libya. How that will play out in terms of public opinion and the Gadhafi regime remains to be seen."

The coastal complexes at Ras Lanouf and Brega were responsible for a large chunk of Libya's 1.5 million barrels of daily exports, which have all but stopped since the uprising that began Feb. 15 and was inspired by the toppling of governments in Tunisia and Egypt.

On the eastern approach of Ras Lanouf, airstrikes hit three empty tank transporters and left two buildings that appeared to be sleeping quarters pockmarked with shrapnel. Like the oil port of Brega and the city of Ajdabiya before it, Gadhafi's troops appear to have left in a hurry, abandoning ammunition and disappearing without a fight.

"There was no resistance. Gadhafi's forces just melted away," said Suleiman Ibrahim, a 31-year-old volunteer, sitting in the back of a pickup truck on the road between the two towns. "This couldn't have happened without NATO. They gave us big support."

The agreement with the tiny Gulf nation of Qatar could allow the rebels to exploit Libya's vast oil reserves — most of which are in the eastern territory they control. With no ships coming or going, Libya's tanks are full to the brim. Until they are emptied, there's nowhere to store any oil that is pumped from the ground.

Qatar, which has conducted at least one sortie over Libya, is the only Arab country known to have actively joined with the international force.

"We trust them, so basically they are the ones who are going to market our oil for us," Ali Tarhouni, the rebel finance official, told The Associated Press on Friday. "For Qatar there's no words to describe what they've done for the Libyan cause."

Officials at Qatar's ministry of energy and industry could not be reached for comment. Executives with the Arabian Gulf Oil Co., the National Oil Co. subsidiary in the east that broke free from its parent company, also could not be reached. Repeated calls to Libya's oil minister went unanswered.

Eastern oil officials said over a week ago they were still producing about 100,000 barrels per day from two key fields. But it was unclear whether such levels were sustainable given the security problems across the country and the exodus of foreign workers from the vital sector.

The Paris-based International Energy Agency said recently it believed that Libyan oil production had "slowed to a trickle" while exports had "ground to a halt." The IEA said it believed it could take months for Libyan oil to reappear on the world market.

Gates said the international action appeared to be a success, with the no-fly zone in place and sustainable with "a lot less effort than it took to set it up." He said the Pentagon was planning how to draw down resources that will be assigned to European and other countries pledging to take on a larger role.

But asked on ABC's "This Week" if that would mean a U.S. military commitment until year's end, Gates said, "I don't think anybody knows the answer to that."

The Gadhafi regime on Saturday acknowledged the airstrikes had forced its troops to retreat and accused international forces of choosing sides.

"This is the objective of the coalition now, it is not to protect civilians because now they are directly fighting against the armed forces," Khaled Kaim, the deputy foreign minister, said in the capital, Tripoli. "They are trying to push the country to the brink of a civil war."

The rebel turnaround is a boost for President Barack Obama, who has faced complaints from lawmakers from both parties that he has not sought their input about the U.S. role in the conflict or explained with enough clarity about the American goals and exit strategy.

Obama was expected to give a speech to the nation Monday, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday defended the administration's decision.

Libya, she told CBS, "had a leader who used military force against the protesters from one end of his country to the other, who publicly said things like "we'll show no mercy," "we'll go house to house," and the international community moved with great speed in part because there's a history here."

Pentagon officials are looking at plans to expand the firepower and airborne surveillance systems in the military campaign, including using the Air Force's AC-130 gunship armed with cannons that shoot from the side doors, as well as helicopters and drones.

Fox, the British foreign minister, ruled out supplying arms to the rebels. "We are not arming the rebels, we are not planning to arm the rebels," he said.
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Britney Spears Says Her New Album Is Best Yet

Britney Spears thinks her new album 'Femme Fatale' is the ''best she's ever made'' and has told fans she is ''back and better than ever'' after a two-year break from the limelight.

Britney Spears says her latest album is the "best she's ever made".

The 29-year-old pop star - who hasn't released a record for two years but is returning with latest album 'Femme Fatale' - says she is "better than ever" and is ready to take the charts by storm again with new tracks which will get fans dancing.

She said: "The b*tch is back and better than ever! I think it's the best album I have ever made. There's nothing to say. I'll let the music speak for me. "I wanted to make a fierce dance record where each song makes you want to get up and move your body in a different way. That's what I want from the music I listen.

The 'Hold it against Me' hit maker has been busy promoting her new album - due to be released on Tuesday (29.03.11) - by doing a number of shows including a surprise performance at LasVegas's Rain Nightclub in the Palms Casino Resort on Friday (25.03.11).

Britney said she's enjoying being back in the limelight and has especially loved working on 'Femme Fatale' with Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am.

The blonde beauty gushed to V magazine "Oh my God, he's amazing! He's so much fun and he's funny and he's a charm.

"I love him, he's great. I love the Black Eyed Peas, so when they told me I'd be working with him, I was just like 'Oh my God, I can't wait!' "
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... Die. Here We Go!

Unfortunately this hockey season has not turned out the way we planned. We were happy to spend our days in Denmark until late April. We wanted to take home a weird, little Gold Helmet. It was all within our reach - for the entire season. Then something happened. It doesn't matter how good you're playing, if your defense is almost unstoppable, your goalie has almost 100% save percentage, your forwards are almost scoring 30 times a game. Almost just won't get you where you need to be. So despite how well our guys played this series, outplaying the opposition every game, we just could not get the puck in the back of the net.

 

You know what this means ... we're heading home! We briefly, very briefly, discussed the options of staying for a bit. Maybe do some traveling to some place awesome and warm but I don't think that's going to be on our agenda right now. We have tickets to a Toronto Rock game on the 8th with his brothers (Notice it's the brothers and me? I'm like the 4th kid now. That's fun!).  We can be home for Easter! Lucy can get those dreadful claws taken out sooner than later. We can see our families, friends, people we don't want to see but sort of have to, don't ask me who I'm talking about because I won't tell you. We can start paying massive amounts of money for gas since we'll be traveling from Cincinnati to Niagara Falls so often this summer. Oh, and we get to start finishing our wedding planning. Start finishing - that just sounds weird. Matt has asked me to start a list of all these things we need to do once we're back. Mostly wedding things, but everyday things as well. I told him I can remember all this on my own, or why doesn't he help remember? But he wants the list, so here is a start:
  1. Go to Jeweler so he can make our wedding bands. My engagement ring is sort of different so I need something very specific to match. Which means another custom-made ring, ASAP!
  2. I have meetings to set up in Niagara for HP4K. I will link to this site every single time I mention it. So just visit the thing already!
  3. Get invitations together. Make sure design is complete, gather all paper materials, print, cut, copy, paste, tape, stuff, mail ... I'm not sure all that has to happen but it sounded good.
  4. Reception tasting, pricing and layout of the room need to be decided very soon as well.
  5. Buy my shoes!
  6. Get my dress to the alterations lady. This thing was bought off-the-rack and needs to be taken in. A. Lot.
  7. Get cell phones. That's right. No phone numbers for us the first bit we're in town. That's because Canada sucks for cell phone plans. No way I'm paying that much for one.
Okay, that's just a start. But I wanted to get it down so Matt knows I pay attention (sometimes).

I just took about a 10 minute hiatus from this blog post. My significant other walked through the door and said that "If there's anything in this world you could do today, and look back on it and say 'This is why I married you' what would it be?" Umm, what? "One day you'll be able to say 'Denmark was awesome, Matty was hot, and I did this'" Seriously, what? This went on for a little bit. Until he told me I had to wear Roots clothes, he was wearing his Toronto Blue Jays t-shirt, and I was shaving Canada into the back of Gooie's head. What Canadian is in town? I guessed - baseball? No. Junior hockey? No. Soccer? No. (Why would Canadian soccer be here? He says.) Well I give up. What is it?



Curling?  Heaven help me. He knows how I feel about curling. I'll just leave it at that. But apparently we could get on TSN. I think I'll paint U.S.A. on my forehead. Support the best country in the world. You know. I'll let you know how it goes.

Finally, I saw this on Facebook this morning. In Toronto they held a fashion show for the Heart and Stroke Foundation featuring Canadian celebrities (This is partly why some of them are unrecognizable! Ok, sorry I just love taking jabs at Canada.) One of my best friends lost her daddy this year to a heart attack so this is special to us. I've picked my favorite look from the show for you to see here. I hope everyone will take the time to at least check out the site, the Facebook page, and do everything they can to ensure heart health, and general health, for all their loved ones. Awareness is the first step to making a difference.




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Gwen Stefani Donates $1 Million to Relief Efforts in Japan

Gwen Stefani has joined the growing list of celebrities donating toward the relief and recovery efforts in Japan.

"I've been inspired by Japan for many years and have a true love, appreciation and respect for the Japanese people and their culture," Stefani said Wednesday. "The disaster in Japan is beyond heartbreaking and I want to do anything I can to help. I would never be able to make a gesture like this without the love and support of all the fans over all these years."

Besides giving $1 million to the Save the Children's Japan Earthquake-Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund, the singer and clothing designer announced that sales of a special edition T-shirt purchased on her band No Doubt's website will also benefit the fund.


Last week Sandra Bullock gave $1 million to the Red Cross, Lady Gaga announced a $5 "We Pray for Japan" bracelet with all proceeds going to relief and Charlie Sheen stated that $1 from every ticket sold on his live tour will be donated.

Universal Music is creating a digital compilation album to raise funds with Justin Bieber and Rihanna among those contributing.

The disaster in Japan is emerging as the world's most expensive natural disaster on record, with Japanese officials saying losses could total up to 25 trillion yen — or $309 billion.
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First female VP candidate Ferraro dies at 75

BOSTON – Geraldine Ferraro was a relatively obscure congresswoman from the New York City borough of Queens in 1984 when she was tapped by Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale to join his ticket.

Her vice presidential bid, the first for a woman on a major party ticket, emboldened women across the country to seek public office and helped lay the groundwork for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential candidacy in 2008 and John McCain's choice of his running mate, Sarah Palin, that year.

Ferraro died Saturday in Boston, where the 75-year-old was being treated for complications of blood cancer. She died just before 10 a.m., said Amanda Fuchs Miller, a family friend who worked for Ferraro in her 1998 Senate bid and was acting as a spokeswoman for the family.

Mondale's campaign had struggled to gain traction and his selection of Ferraro, at least momentarily, revived his momentum and energized millions of women who were thrilled to see one of their own on a national ticket.

The blunt, feisty Ferraro charmed audiences initially, and for a time polls showed the Democratic ticket gaining ground on President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush. But her candidacy ultimately proved rocky as she fought ethics charges and traded barbs with Bush over accusations of sexism and class warfare.

Ferraro later told an interviewer, "I don't think I'd run again for vice president," then added "Next time I'd run for president." Reagan won 49 of 50 states in 1984, the largest landslide since Franklin D. Roosevelt's first re-election over Alf Landon in 1936. But Ferraro had forever sealed her place as trailblazer for women in politics.

"At the time it happened it was such a phenomenal breakthrough," said Ruth Mandel of the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University. "She stepped on the path to higher office before anyone else, and her footprint is still on that path."
Palin, who was Alaska's governor when she ran for vice president, often spoke of Ferraro on the campaign trail.

"She broke one huge barrier and then went on to break many more," Palin wrote on her Facebook page Saturday. "May her example of hard work and dedication to America continue to inspire all women."
For his part, Mondale remembered his former running mate as "a remarkable woman and a dear human being."

"She was a pioneer in our country for justice for women and a more open society. She broke a lot of molds and it's a better country for what she did," Mondale told The Associated Press.

Ferraro died at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she had gone Monday for a procedure to relieve back pain caused by a fracture. Such fractures are common in people with her type of blood cancer, multiple myeloma, because of the thinning of their bones, said Dr. Noopur Raje, the Mass General doctor who treated her.

Ferraro, however, developed pneumonia, which made it impossible to perform the procedure, and it soon became clear she didn't have long to live, Raje said. Since she was too ill to return to New York, her family went to Boston. Raje said it seemed Ferraro held out until her husband and three children arrived. They were all at her bedside when she passed, she said.

"Gerry actually waited for all of them to come, which I think was incredible," said Raje, director of the myeloma program at the hospital's cancer center. "They were all able to say their goodbyes to Mom."
Ferraro stepped into the national spotlight at the Democratic convention in 1984, giving the world its first look at a co-ed presidential ticket. It seemed, at times, an awkward arrangement — she and Mondale stood together and waved at the crowd but did not hug and barely touched.

Delegates erupted in cheers at the first line of her speech accepting the vice-presidential nomination.
"My name is Geraldine Ferraro," she declared. "I stand before you to proclaim tonight: America is the land where dreams can come true for all of us."

Her acceptance speech launched eight minutes of cheers, foot-stamping and tears.
Ferraro, a mother of three who campaigned wearing pastel-hued dresses and pumps, sometimes overshadowed Mondale on the campaign trail, often drawing larger crowds and more media attention than the presidential candidate.

But controversy accompanied her acclaim. A Roman Catholic, she encountered frequent, vociferous protests of her favorable view of abortion rights. She famously tangled with Bush, her vice presidential rival who struggled at times over how aggressively to attack Ferraro.

In their only nationally televised debate, in October 1984, Bush raised eyebrows when he said, "Let me help you with the difference, Ms. Ferraro, between Iran and the embassy in Lebanon." Ferraro shot back, saying she resented Bush's "patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy."

Ferraro would later suggest on the campaign trail that Bush and his family were wealthy and therefore didn't understand the problems faced by ordinary voters. That comment irked Bush's wife, Barbara, who said Ferraro had more money than the Bush family. "I can't say it, but it rhymes with rich," Barbara Bush told reporters when asked to describe Ferraro. She later apologized.

In a statement, Bush praised Ferraro for "the dignified and principled manner she blazed new trails for women in politics." He said that after the 1984 race, "Gerry and I became friends in time — a friendship marked by respect and affection."

Ferraro's run also was beset by ethical questions, first about her campaign finances and tax returns, then about the business dealings of her husband, real estate developer John Zaccaro. Ferraro attributed much of the controversy to bias against Italian-Americans.

Zaccaro pleaded guilty in 1985 to a misdemeanor charge of scheming to defraud in connection with obtaining financing for the purchase of five apartment buildings. Two years later, he was acquitted of trying to extort a bribe from a cable television company.

Ferraro's son, John Zaccaro Jr., was convicted in 1988 of selling cocaine to an undercover Vermont state trooper and served three months under house arrest. Some observers said the legal troubles were a drag on Ferraro's later political ambitions, which included her unsuccessful bids for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in New York in 1992 and 1998.

Ferraro, a supporter of Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, was back in the news in March 2008 when she stirred up a controversy by appearing to suggest that Sen. Barack Obama achieved his status in the presidential race only because he is black.

She later stepped down from an honorary post in the Clinton campaign, but insisted she meant no slight against Obama. In a statement, Obama praised Ferraro as a trailblazer who had made the world better for his daughters. "Sasha and Malia will grow up in a more equal America because of the life Geraldine Ferraro chose to live," Obama said.

Ferraro received a law degree from Fordham University in 1960, the same year she married and became a full-time homemaker and mother. She said she kept her maiden name to honor her mother, a widow who had worked long hours as a seamstress.

After years in a private law practice, she took a job as an assistant Queens district attorney in 1974. She headed the office's special victims' bureau, which prosecuted sex crimes and the abuse of children and the elderly. In 1978, she won the first of three terms in Congress representing a blue-collar district of Queens.

After losing in 1984, she became a fellow of the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University until an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate nomination in 1992.
She returned to the law after her 1992 Senate run, acting as an advocate for women raped during ethnic conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

Her advocacy work and support of President Bill Clinton won her the position of ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, where she served in 1994 and 1995.
She co-hosted CNN's "Crossfire," in 1996 and 1997 but left to take on Chuck Schumer, then a little-known Brooklyn congressman, in the 1998 Democratic Senate primary. She placed a distant second, declaring her political career finished after she took 26 percent of the vote to Schumer's 51 percent.

In June 1999, she announced that she was joining a Washington, D.C., area public relations firm to head a group advising clients on women's issues.
Ferraro revealed two years later that she had been diagnosed with blood cancer.
She once discussed blood cancer research before a Senate panel and said she hoped to live long enough "to attend the inauguration of the first woman president of the United States."

Fouhy reported from New York. Associated Press writers Jim Fitzgerald and Frank Eltman in New York contributed to this report.
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