Kim Novak is clarifying why she used the word "rape" to describe how she felt about "The Artist."

The 79-year-old "Vertigo" actress, who will be honored next month at the TCM Classic Film Festival, said during a phone interview Monday that hearing the score from the Alfred Hitchcock film used in the recent Oscar-winning homage to the silent-film era reminded her of the same feelings she experienced when she was raped as a child.

"It was very painful," said Novak. "When I said it was like a rape, that was how it felt to me. I had experienced in my youth being raped, and so I identified with a real act that had been done to me. I didn't use that word lightly. I had been raped as a child. It was a rape I never told about, so when I experienced this one, I felt the need to express it."

Novak, who played the dual role of both a suicidal trophy wife and a morose working girl opposite Jimmy Stewart in the 1958 thriller, said in a statement released in January by her manager that she "wanted to report a rape" and that the filmmakers of "The Artist" had no reason "to depend on Bernard Herrmann's score from `Vertigo' to provide more drama."

Novak's comments drew criticism from rape crisis groups, who noted that plagiarism was not the same as a sexual assault. Other actors have similarly been chastised for misusing the word "rape." Johnny Depp and "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart both issued apologies after they compared having their photos taken to being raped in respective interviews.

"I never reported my real rape, so I felt the need to report this one," said Novak, who left Hollywood in the 1970s for Big Sur, an isolated section of California coastline, before eventually relocating to Oregon. "I felt that someone needed to speak up because the music has been taken advantage of too much. I hope that in the future, maybe somehow it will do some good."

Michel Hazanavicius, the writer-director of "The Artist," which won five Academy Awards last month, including best picture and original score, responded to Novak in January, noting that the film was "a love letter to cinema" and that he loves "Bernard Herrmann, and his music has been used in many different films, and I'm very pleased to have it in mine."

New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says the club has held a workout with veteran receiver Randy Moss, who is trying to make a comeback after spending a year out of football.

The Saints are not releasing details about the 35-year-old Moss' workout, but New Orleans may be in the market for a receiver this offseason because two of quarterback Drew Brees' regular targets, Marques Colston and Robert Meachem, are entering free agency.

The 6-foot-4 Moss last played in the NFL in 2010, a turbulent season for him in which he bounced from New England to Minnesota and then to Tennessee.

His best season was with New England in 2007, when he caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The 6-foot-4 Moss last played in the NFL in 2010, a turbulent season for him in which he bounced from New England to Minnesota and then to Tennessee.

Rahul Gandhi owned up to the Congress debacle in Uttar Pradesh but promised to stay the course in the state for the party's revival.

"I led the campaign from the front, I take the responsibility," he said in a press appearance outside 10, Janpath on Tuesday evening. He stepped forward to take responsibility for the loss amid a scramble among Congressmen to insulate him from any blame for the UP humiliation. The ring-fencing had started no sooner had the results confirmed that Samajwadi Party had swept the state and Congress had come a poor fourth.

Rahul blamed the decimation on the "party's weak fundamentals" in UP and conceded the weakness would continue till the organization was strengthened. Complimenting Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav, the Congress heir apparent said the mood was clearly for the main opposition party.

He, however, added that the defeat would not lessen his interest in UP. "I promised the people of UP that I will be seen with the poor, on the roads and fields. My work will continue. My efforts will be to re-erect the Congress in UP."

Rahul's brave decision to face the cameras came amid mounting criticism that the party was trying to shield him from the responsibility of defeat. The implications of the UP debacle can be serious for Rahul's fledgling political career as the party positions him for the top job at the Centre in 2014 elections.

While the young leader made a mark in the 2009 polls, carving out a niche "youth factor" among the electorate, it has been a rough ride for him since. His mission of reviving Congress in the Hindi heartland suffered a setback when Congress was trounced in Bihar despite him leading the charge. A similar fate in UP threatens to dilute the belief in his leadership and charisma. His bold experiments with party nominations also bombed in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Is life imitating art for Selena Gomez? The 19-year-old stripped down to her bikini to catch some Florida sun during a little down time while filming her forthcoming flick, "Spring Breakers."

"Need sun again," Gomez tweeted, along with a photo of herself sporting a multicolored bikini -- with matching hair to boot -- and sipping on a refreshing smoothie.

Gomez is in Florida to film the teen film alongside co-stars James Franco, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Heather Morris. There's no doubt that the girl gang is having a blast filming the comedy in the sunny state.

But what does her beau, Justin Bieber, think about his girlfriend sharing the scantily clad photo? He must not be too upset. The 18-year-old reportedly just purchased a $10.8 million mansion in the Hollywood Hills -- a love nest for himself and Gomez, according to the U.K.'s Daily Mail.

They may one of the rare long-lasting and relatively low drama celebrity couples, but singer Enrique Iglesias and his girlfriend, tennis player Anna Kournikova, won't be exchanging rings any time soon, if ever.

In a recent interview with Parade, the 36-year-old Latin singer explained why he called Kournikova his "wife" at a concert in Russia last year, yet hasn't popped the big question. He told the magazine, "It was just meant to be sweet in the moment. I honestly didn't mean to confuse people. I thought it'd be easier for the audience to understand than if I said "my girl."

[Related: 17 5-Minute Marriage Makeovers]

But why not make an honest woman out of Kournikova after dating for 11 years? Iglesias admitted, "I've never really thought marriage would make a difference. Maybe it's because I come from divorced parents, but I don't think you love someone more because of a piece of paper. And nowadays, it's not taboo to have kids and not be married. What makes a difference is that you're a good parent, period."

In that case, could children be coming sooner than marriage for the superstar pair? The couple first met when Iglesias hand-picked Kournikova, then 20, to play his love interest in his incredibly steamy 2001 music video for "Escape". Since then, there have been multiple rumors of secret marriage and separation, but despite whatever really happened, the couple is still together today.
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Blondie singer Debbie Harry, 66, caused a stir on Sunday morning, when she was rushed by photographers trying to snap a photo of 25-year-old actress Lindsay Lohan.

According to Page Six, photographers mistook Harry for Lohan, with her platinum blond bangs, aviator sunglasses and black hooded sweatshirt.

Despite their 41-year age difference, Harry did in fact look quite similar to Lohan, who two days earlier left the same hotel wearing similar sunglasses.

We can't say we're too shocked by the paparazzi's mistake. Lohan's face looks radically different as of late and she's also been looking like 49-year-old Victoria Gotti's twin for some time.

The 79-year-old "Vertigo" actress, who will be honored next month at the TCM Classic Film Festival, said during a phone interview Monday that hearing the score from the Alfred Hitchcock film used in the recent Oscar-winning homage to the silent-film era reminded her of the same feelings she experienced when she was raped as a child.

"It was very painful," said Novak. "When I said it was like a rape, that was how it felt to me. I had experienced in my youth being raped, and so I identified with a real act that had been done to me. I didn't use that word lightly. I had been raped as a child. It was a rape I never told about, so when I experienced this one, I felt the need to express it."

Novak, who played the dual role of both a suicidal trophy wife and a morose working girl opposite Jimmy Stewart in the 1958 thriller, said in a statement released in January by her manager that she "wanted to report a rape" and that the filmmakers of "The Artist" had no reason "to depend on Bernard Herrmann's score from `Vertigo' to provide more drama."

Novak's comments drew criticism from rape crisis groups, who noted that plagiarism was not the same as a sexual assault. Other actors have similarly been chastised for misusing the word "rape." Johnny Depp and "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart both issued apologies after they compared having their photos taken to being raped in respective interviews.

"I never reported my real rape, so I felt the need to report this one," said Novak, who left Hollywood in the 1970s for Big Sur, an isolated section of California coastline, before eventually relocating to Oregon. "I felt that someone needed to speak up because the music has been taken advantage of too much. I hope that in the future, maybe somehow it will do some good."

Michel Hazanavicius, the writer-director of "The Artist," which won five Academy Awards last month, including best picture and original score, responded to Novak in January, noting that the film was "a love letter to cinema" and that he loves "Bernard Herrmann, and his music has been used in many different films, and I'm very pleased to have it in mine."

Novak said that the motion picture academy sent her a letter disapproving of her making the statement while "The Artist" was in Oscar contention. She acknowledged that after getting "over the shock" that the "Vertigo" love theme was used in "The Artist," she actually enjoyed the film and thought it deserved its Oscar glory – except for the best original score trophy.

The coffee table tome features semi-nude and nude works of men and women who have cosmetically enhanced their faces and bodies.

The subjects in the book have undergone a combination of procedures, including lip augmentation, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), breast augmentation or pec implants, blepharoplasty (eyelid lift or modification) and body resculpting.

Shot in the traditional chiaroscuro style, the contrasting light and dark tones only serve to further enhance the modifications the models - dubbed The Botox Botticellis - have undergone in the pursuit of physical perfection, or in an attempt to turn back time.

Some may find the portraits haunting, despite Toledano's attempt to recreate the sense of a classical portrait. For his part, Toledano says there's something 'transcendant' in their classical poses, and their 'determined' faces, though he too stops short of deeming them beautiful.

Read more

I've always had an irrational and bitter resentment toward good sleepers. You know who you are. You probably don't mean to brag, but you guys always do. You always do.

"I could sleep ANYWHERE," you say, casually. And, "I'm a mess without my ten hours of sleep." And you don't confine your annoying somnolence to nighttime. "I need a disco nap," you'll say, tucking your legs up, closing your eyes and falling asleep at will during broad daylight on some lumpy, scratchy couch without a single ritual or sleep aid or even a moment of doubt about your ability to greet The Sandman. Jackhammers, neighbor dogs barking, horns honking, doorbells ringing, nothing can rouse you from your REM delirium.

Meanwhile, I could be lying on a mattress made from homemade marshmallows and space-age polymers custom fitted to my firmness needs, my cheek on a silk pillowcase, with Sade and Kenny G perched on the edge of my bed to provide optimum easy listening -- while under the influence of a fistful of pharmaceutical sleep aids -- and still be wide awake even as a team of massage therapists kneaded the kinks from my shoulders.

Becoming a parent was to insomnia what a box of cupcakes and a gallon drum of Hershey's chocolate syrup is to diabetes. What can be managed under the best of circumstances is now a full-scale crisis that has been ignited by the sweet nectar of parenthood.

I really had a handle on it before I had a baby two years ago, and looking back, I have no idea what I had to toss and turn about back then. Seriously, any worries subordinate to "responsible for entire human life" seem pretty trivial to me now.

Taylor Swift looks good in a teeny bikini!

The 22-year-old country queen took a break from her Speak Now concert tour in Australia Thursday to splash around at Cottesloe beach in Perth showing off her curves in a retro black and white halter swimsuit.


Accessorizing her 50s-style suit with tortoiseshell sunglasses, The Lorax star wore her hair in a loose ponytail while going barefoot in the sand.

PHOTOS: Sexy winter beach bods

Currently hard at work on the road entertaining sold out crowds worldwide, Swift -- who saw her most recent Dr. Seuss film project break box office records this weekend -- says she wouldn't mind settling into an acting career, given the right amount of spare time.

She's spoken about her weight problem in the past but it seems Lauren Goodger is still hung up about her size.

The Only Way Is Essex star has spoken out about her constant weight battle revealing her struggle to shift the excess pounds.

Speaking to Heat magazine, the 25-year-old opened up about unhappy it makes her and the affect is has on her on a daily basis

The reality TV star - whose Essex salon was recently petrol bombed - has tried many attempts to shape up in the past but just can't seem to stick to a routine.

'I've tried boot camp, had a personal trainer and a nutritionist,' she said. 'But I just start eating again. I have a problem.'


'It’s awful,' Lauren said of some of the messages. 'There are some really unkind bullies out there. They don’t even know me. Who do they think they are?

'They call me a beached whale and a fat c***. They also call me Miss Piggy.'

But it seems Lauren is ready to confront these people and her own demons as she exposes her body and bare face in the magazine.

Wearing a pair of red shorts, a white vest and just a hint of lipgloss, the brunette looks miserable as she stares into the camera and admits that she hardly ever looks in the mirror when leaving for her various nights out on the town.

By using his mighty megaphone for raunchy name calling, Rush Limbaugh has handed the Democrats a big fat gift.

Whatever the damage to the nation’s top radio talker, he has put a face on the argument that President Obama’s party has been mounting for months—that Republicans are waging a “war on women.” In calling Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” merely because she testified to Congress in favor of insurance coverage for birth control, Limbaugh has given the Democrats an indelible image to make their case.

“I don’t know any woman in America who finds being called a ‘slut’ funny,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic national chairman, told me. She was referring to Limbaugh’s explanation that his attempt at humor had gone awry. “To suggest that in exchange for access to contraception a woman should have to post sex tapes is just so outrageous.”

The Florida congresswoman also took a shot at Mitt Romney for his tepid response to Limbaugh’s three-day assault on Fluke. “The most their frontrunner could bring himself to say is that he wouldn’t have chosen those words,” Wasserman Schultz says. “You have countless candidates quaking in their boots when asked to criticize him.”

A onetime Romney adviser didn’t argue the point. The former Massachusetts governor “didn’t help himself,” says Alex Castellanos, a top strategist for Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign. “He had an opportunity to demonstrate strength. He left the bat on his shoulders.”

As the sky glowered black and Stephanie Decker felt the monster tornado begin to suck her house into its vortex, she knew it would not hold and she had no choice but to shield her two young kids with her own body. She lost her legs in the process.

"I knew my leg was barely attached or it was severed. I didn't know which but I knew it was bad. If I didn't get help soon, I was going to bleed out," Decker told ABC News, which interviewed her Monday night from her hospital bed in Louisville, Ky.

Decker, 37, and her family were smack dab in the middle of a tornado outbreak Friday that included 140 reported twisters, 76 confirmed landings and 39 deaths.

"It was nothing I expected," the Henryville, Ind., woman said. "I never, ever thought in a million years my house would be blown away."

She was determined to keep her kids safe, and her actions saved them, but at a steep cost. Not only was her home lost, but both of her legs had to be amputated late Friday -- one just below the knee, the other just above it.

"I assumed I was safe and I heard the roar like a train, and I heard it behind me, and I knew it was coming," she recalled today. "And it was so loud that I knew that I needed to do something different. I knew staying put wasn't going to work."

So Decker acted. She dashed down into her home's basement with son Dominic, 8, and daughter Reese, 5. As the house began to disintegrate she tried to shield them with a comforter.

"My daughter said, 'Mommy, I don't like this,' and I said, 'I know honey,'" Decker said. "I could see the wind. I could see the window blew out and the house burst."

She was crushed under the cascade of debris.

"I remember the whole thing," she said. "I stayed conscious the whole time. I couldn't afford [to pass out]. They needed me. They had to have me, so I had to figure out what to do. And my son is a hero. He went to get help."

They were the image of prim, proper and polished when they hit the red-carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars after party just over a week ago in their corresponding navy outfits.

But inside the bash, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes let their hair down and showed off their goofy side.

In new pictures seen on Vanityfair.com and taken inside a photo booth at the star-studded event, the duo are seen pulling animated faces and puckering up fish lips to lean in for a kiss.

The 49-year-old Top Gun star looks adoringly at his wife of five years and puts an affectionate arm around her, while Katie pulls a very animated face.

The two snaps show a fun side of the couple, who while often affectionate, rarely ham it up for the camera.

The 33-year-old actress looked stylish in a navy blue Elie Saab embellished gown as she posed up with her spouse on the red carpet outside the event in West Hollywood, California.

Katie showed off her new look by wearing her hair tied back in a high ponytail, and accessorised her dress with a pretty diamond necklace and matching earrings.

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Former baseball player Lenny Dykstra, who once made so much money as a financial adviser he bought Wayne Gretzky's Ventura County mega-mansion, was taken into custody Monday after being sentenced to three years in state prison for a scheme to lease cars using fraudulent paperwork. The former Mets and Phillies outfielder tried to take back a no contest plea before sentencing, but the judge rejected his request. Dykstra's fall from wealth has been chronicled over the last few years. He's 49, grew up in Garden Grove in Orange County, and played in 1,278 games over 12 seasons.

In Punjab where trends were available for 16 seats, Congress was leading in 11 seats while ruling Akali Dal-BJP combine was ahead in four seats. Punjab has a 117 seat Assembly.

Ruling BJP was ahead in six seats in Uttarakhand with Congress close behind in five seats. The trends were availabe for 11 out of 70 seats.

In 60-member Manipur Assembly, trends were available for four seats with Congress leading in all of them.

The results will end all the speculations on who will for the government in these states. Elections were held in a total of 690 assembly seats -- 403 in UP, 117 seats in Punjab, 70 in Uttarakhand, 60 in Manipur and 40 in Goa -- in a span of over a month.

The results are likely to have a bearing at the national level as Congress faces one controversy after another and is looking forward to salvage its image while the opposition treats it as an occasion to test the grounds ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress faces an uphill task in reviving its fortunes in the Mayawati-ruled Uttar Pradesh where its campaign was led from the front by Rahul Gandhi.
Congress is contesting 357 seats in the state out of 403 seats where it won 22 seats in the 2007 state polls.

The ruling BSP, which won 206 in last elections, in UP has contested all 403 seats, SP 402, BJP 398 and RLD 46.

The result in UP, the state having 403 seats, is most awaited. Will Mulayam Singh's Samajwadi Party emerge as the party with maximum number of seats as predicted in most exit polls? Will SP get the majority and be able to form the government on its own or will it need the support of other parties like the Congress to form the government? How will the ruling BSP perform in the elections and how will campaigning by Rahul Gandhi change the fortune of the Congress party in the assembly polls are some of the most eagerly awaited questions which will be answered today.

Election results from five states are to be announced on Tuesday, with the fortunes of the Gandhi political dynasty and the national government riding on the outcome.

The most important polls took place in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and its most politically significant where 200 million people live amid some of the most entrenched poverty on the planet.

Rahul Gandhi, the next in line in the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty which has dominated Indian politics since independence in 1947, has led campaigning there for the Congress party, which runs the federal government

The 41-year-old presumed "prime-minister-in-waiting" faces the biggest test yet of his credibility as he looks to improve on the dismal record of Congress locally that stretches back 22 years.

"His efforts will be well-rewarded," Congress spokeswoman Renuka Chowdary told reporters at the national headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. "The Congress is not going to be in any embarrassing position."

Success would energise his supporters and perhaps hasten his ascent to national leadership at a time when his mother Sonia, the president of the party, has been diagnosed with an undisclosed illness, rumoured to be cancer.

Failure would feed the doubters -- and there are many -- as well as interest in his sister Priyanka, whom some Gandhi loyalists still prefer.

"As the family has scripted it, this should be the age of Rahul," concluded Outlook, a weekly news magazine, in a front-page article headlined "What if he fails?"
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Carlos Slim, the telecommunications tycoon who controls Mexico's America Movil SAB (AMXL), is the richest person on Earth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world's 20 wealthiest individuals.

The 72-year-old's net worth fell $478.4 million in a day to $68.5 billion as of the close of markets on March 2, as U.S. moguls Bill Gates and Warren Buffett placed second and third on the list compiled by Bloomberg News. Brazil's Eike Batista, who ranks 10th, still covets the top spot after vowing a year ago that he'd become the world's wealthiest man by 2015.

"I'm competitive," Batista, who trails Slim by almost $39 billion, said in a March 2 telephone interview from Rio de Janeiro. "It's Brazil's time to be No. 1. Brazilians have always admired the American dream. What's happening in Brazil is the Brazilian dream and I happen to be the example."

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index takes measure of the world's wealthiest people based on market and economic changes and Bloomberg News reporting. Each net worth figure is updated every business day at 5:30 p.m. in New York. The valuations are listed in U.S. dollars.

Today's ranking was published with the release of new billionaires profile pages in the Bloomberg Professional service. The profiles feature a transparent analysis of how each billionaire's fortune was calculated.

Slim's fortune has increased 11 percent this year, according to the index. A spokesman for Slim didn't immediately return a telephone request for comment.
Gates, Buffett

Gates, 56, co-founder of Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) in Redmond, Washington, is worth $62.4 billion, down $102.1 million on March 2 and up 11 percent year to date.

The fortune of Buffett, 81, chairman of Omaha, Nebraska- based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/B), declined $336.9 million to $43.8 billion on March 2 and is up 2.4 percent in 2012. Almost all of Buffett's wealth is held in Berkshire Hathaway, the publicly traded holding company he has run since 1965. Read More

Not only is Katy Perry's tune "Part Of Me" not about ex Russell Brand, but the singer recently revealed that she was told to lie about it.

"Some people that I work with were like 'You should say you wrote it a couple weeks ago,'" Perry said of the her emotional Grammys tune, according to MTV news. "I'm like, 'I'm not a douchebag. I'm going to tell the truth."

Perry's lyrics, "You can keep the diamond ring/It don't mean nothing anyway/ In fact, you can keep everything -- except for me," seemed to line up perfectly with her December split from husband Russell Brand, but Perry said the song was written back in 2010.

"It feels like my life plays out with these songs," she said. "I feel like I'm in some kind of weird 'Truman Show' where I'm like, 'Why is thijavascript:void(0)s single appropriate now and it wouldn't have been appropriate then?' It's just so crazy."

“It seems very serendipitous, but, as un-fun as it sounds, I prepare everything,” Perry continued. “I’m overly prepared and kind of a control freak in the best of ways.”

According to Variety, film studio Annapurna has dropped out of its commitment to finance Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh's upcoming psychodrama thriller, "Side Effects." According to the Playlist, the studio balked at Soderbergh's rumored casting of Blake Lively as a pill-addicted woman at the center of a love triangle between her doctor and ex-con husband. The two men, according to recent reports, will be played by Jude Law and Channing Tatum, respectively.

The film is still set to be distributed by Open Road Films, but will need to find new cash for production; Variety reports that it should be able to do so at Sundance.

Both Law ("Contagion") and Tatum ("Magic Mike," "Haywire") have worked with Soderbergh before, but this would be Lively's first time with the director. Then again, as producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told The Huffington Post this week while talking about his new film "Man on a Ledge," the casting was just a rumor -- and, as is now evident -- rumors can often hurt a film in pre-production.

"We don't have any cast set yet. We're definitely very interested in those actors, but there's nobody set," he said. "It's a little frustrating because it can often spoil the process a little bit. When things become public in general, they're harder to manage. As a producer it becomes more complicated. A lot of the rumors are false and people are disappointed when you actually hire the person you wanted. It's a little problematic, it's something you have to live with."

Variety reports that Annapurna dropped out of the film Friday, days before di Bonaventura denied the concrete casting, making clear the tangible effect on production that can be wrought by the rumor mill. That the casting rumors started weeks ago, without a public correction, is less an accident than a now-damaging concession to the web's insatiable appetite.

"I used to try to correct it all the time, but no one cares when you try to correct it in my experience," the producer said. "Whatever the better story is, I guess if the correction is the better story, they'll go with that, but if they like the rumor better than your correction, they're going to stick with it."

Soderbergh has always made sure to make films his own way, and Lively would be one of his less off-kilter leading lady choices. She is an accomplished screen actor, with a starring role in "Gossip Girl" and supporting parts in dramas like "The Town," while the director has cast porn star Sasha Grey in an art film, and his current film, "Haywire," stars Gina Carano, a former MMA star.

Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi was spotted sporting some new bling, making it seem pretty official that she and longtime boyfriend Jionni LaValle are engaged. The pint-sized "Jersey Shore" guidette stepped out sporting a rock on her ring finger, quite the telltale sign that she and LaValle are making things official, following rumors that they're expecting their first child.

Although Polizzi initially nixed rumors on both "Good Morning America" and "Watch What Happens Live" that she was with child, the reality star has since ceased shooting down speculation that she is expecting -- although she has yet to officially confirm her pregnancy. But a source close to Snooki has since confirmed to TMZ that she is, in fact, pregnant with the couple's first child.

Polizzi was spotted Monday with fellow "Jersey Shore" cast member and spin-off partner Jenni "JWoww" Farley while doing some shopping at a pet store. But Polizzi's pup wasn't the only accessory completing the rumored mom-to-be's look -- Snooki's sizable new sparkler was hard to miss.

Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola may be the self-proclaimed "sweetest bitch you'll ever meet," but the "Jersey Shore" star contends that "Dangerous," the name of her fragrance line, is also an apt description.

While in Miami, where she's enjoying some R&R on the beach and an evening at the Joe Boxer South Beach Comedy Festival, Giancola spoke with The Huffington Post about eau de Sammi, cast mate Pauly D's forthcoming spinoff and, of course, whether Snooki is with child.

You’ve been promoting your fragrance, Dangerous. What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?
If you watch the show, you can find some dangerous things that I've done. There are some crazy, out-of-control things going on all the time. I think I have an edgier side, so "dangerous" plays off to me like I can be sweet, or I can be bitchy.

Snooki and JWoww have fragrances too. Who's the best-smelling cast member?
Me, of course!

Have you seen the trailer for Pauly D's new show?
I haven’t, but I'm so proud of him and I'm so happy for him. It looks really awesome. You're going to see him DJing and doing his thing.

If you were to have your own spinoff, what would the premise be?
It would be "Sammi’s World" -- you could see my life.

What’s your take on Snooki’s rumored pregnancy?
I don’t know too much about that, but if she's pregnant I'm happy for her, and if she's not pregnant I'm still happy for her. I support my girlfriends.

Who on "Jersey Shore" would make the best parent?
Jenni’s, like, the mother of the house, so we always thought that she would be a good parent.

If Snooki is pregnant, what should the baby's nickname be?
Pickle.

"Jersey Shore" is known for spawning some choice catchphrases. What’s your favorite, and least favorite?
I like "GTL" and I don’t like "Get real." It gets annoying after a while.

What's something that people would be surprised to know about you?
I play soccer, and I like to draw and paint.

What’s the biggest misconception about you?
I think people think that they know me based on the show, but they don’t get to know me for who I am. They just see an hour a week.

The full-frontal nude photo circulating around the Internet today purporting to be Olivia Munn is a phony -- this according to sources extremely close to Olivia Munn.
Several pics hit the web today -- appearing to show Olivia in various states of undress ... pink lingerie, a black bra, a white bra, a pink bikini, a low-cut v-neck ... and then fully nude.

Sources tell TMZ, several of the shots are legit -- namely the black bra, the bikini, the v-neck ... all of which Olivia has previously posted on her blog or Twitter. But according to sources, the ones where you can't see her face are 100% fake ... including the nude shot.
We're told someone with a similar body to Olivia is taking provocative photos and trying to pass them off as the real thing -- why ... we have no idea.

Once, long ago, Evie looked after "Barry" Obama, the kid who would grow up to become the world's most powerful man. Now, his transgender former nanny has given up her tight, flowery dresses, her brocade vest and her bras, and is living in fear on Indonesia's streets.

Evie, who was born a man but believes she is really a woman, has endured a lifetime of taunts and beatings because of her identity. She describes how soldiers once shaved her long, black hair to the scalp and smashed out glowing cigarettes onto her hands and arms.

The turning point came when she found a transgender friend's bloated body floating in a backed-up sewage canal two decades ago. She grabbed all her girlie clothes in her arms and stuffed them into two big boxes. Half-used lipstick, powder, eye makeup — she gave them all away.

"I knew in my heart I was a woman, but I didn't want to die like that," says Evie, now 66, her lips trembling slightly as the memories flood back. "So I decided to just accept it. ... I've been living like this, a man, ever since."

Indonesia's attitude toward transgenders is complex.

Nobody knows how many of them live in the sprawling archipelagic nation of 240 million, but activists estimate 7 million. Because Indonesia is home to more Muslims than any other country in the world, the pervasiveness of men who live as women and vice versa often catches newcomers by surprise. They hold the occasional pageant, work as singers or at salons and include well-known celebrity talk show host Dorce Gamalama.

Most in-arena entertainment diversions are garbage. Like voting on which Nickelback song to hear or watching some newbie struggle to answer a trivia question 99 percent of the crowd answered before it was asked.

Ah, but the Kiss-Cam … the Kiss-Cam is the guiltiest of guilty pleasures, a combination of voyeurism and improv comedy and "she's with HIM?!" moments of astonishment. At the Los Angeles Kings' game against Anaheim on Saturday night, there was another addictive quality added to the Kiss-Cam: Hollywood celebrity gawking. Witness Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson at the 53-second mark.

That was … awesome. Rita Wilson looked like she's waited her entire life to be featured on the Kiss-Cam, and Tom Hanks jumped to the call of duty like he was saving Private Ryan all over again. When you're on the Kiss-Cam, it's that thing you do. What a Ladykiller. OK, that's the punchline.

What a cool moment. It almost makes up for "Larry Crowne" and "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close." Almost …

Bonus hilarity: The next dude's "OMG it's Tom Hanks OMG it's us *slurp*" moment with his girl, in which he attempts to bring her down to the sticky arena floor in his passionate smooch.

Of course, you'd be forgiven if nothing else on this surreal clip mattered after witnessing this scene early on:

I know, you’re thinking that to romance a man you just need to show up naked, but I think you might be wrong. So often we hear that the man should be the romantic one, and maybe 50 years ago this would have been so but this is 2008, and men like to be spoiled too. Think back to when you first met. The first dates, wining an dining, making an effort to look your best, breakfast in bed, long weekends having frantic sex. Dont you wish it was the same? Well I bet your partner also does. Instead of waiting for him to make the first move (after all we know how slow men are in the romantic take-up department. No offense guys) you take the lead and add a bit of romance into your relationship.

Show off your romantic side.

1. Pick up the phone: Give him a ring while he is at the office just to let him know that you are thinking of him. Or if you are confident with phone sex tell him what you are going to do to him once he gets home and in turn what you would like him to do to you.

2. Fill the stocking: Men love sexy lingerie just as much as women if not more. Let him know how much you want him by getting out your best panties, team them with a pair of fishnets, stilettos and seduce him tonight.

3. Feed his heart: You know the old saying the way to a mans heart is through his stomach! Well you better believe it because it works every time. Get out the best dinner set set the table with candles, put on some soft music and prepare his favorite meal. You wont even need to think of dessert because this is where he will become romantic and wisk you of to the bedroom.

4. Flirt: When was the last time you actually flirted with your partner? Go out in public (to dinner, to a party or nightclub) and try it. It will boost both your egos bring back those old feelings of lust for one an other. Think like a single person and see what happens

5. Bedroom boudoir: Set the mood in your bedroom. Clear out all the clutter, change the bed linen (bring in some silk sheets perhaps) and fill the room with scented candles. Stand a bottle of your favorite bubbly in some ice, lay your sexiest lingerie on the bed and keep a box of his favorite chocolates near by. This is also an inexpensive way to give your bedroom a new look.

6. Use toys: If you want to add some spice to your love making then what better way then to introduce some props. We are not talking about 12? dildos (unless you want to that is) it can be something as small as a silk scarf or as daring as vibrators. Your man will need never be asked to make an effort again.
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An app called Zombies, Run!, is a narrated game where real-world runners must out run zombies and collect supplies to keep themselves and their fellow humans alive -- and the only way to do that, is to hit the pavement.

"When you're out running, you'll occasionally get chased by zombies and you'll need to speed up in response over the next minute," said the app's co-creator Adrian Hon.

"That's very much like interval training, which is one of the best ways to get fit and to improve cardio. But it's incredibly hard to make yourself do it because it's painful. But when you're being chased by zombies, well that's another thing," he said.

The story, performed by professional actors, plays out in one to two minute acts interspersed between the music runners already have on their devices. As players progress throughout the game, they start uncovering the mystery of how this futuristic world came to be filled with zombies.

Each mission that players embark on is approximately half an hour and there are currently 13 missions available, with 17 more in development. Players advance in the game by automatically collecting supplies like medicine, batteries and water for fellow humans back at their base.

"You hear the sound of the gates of the base you live in going up and someone says, 'The gates are broken -- we've got an emergency' and suddenly the megaphone goes on and tells you to report to the gate immediately 'Go, go, go!'", said Hon about the beginning of mission three.

"Every time I hear it, I still speed up. And it puts a smile on my face because I think 'OK, let's go for it'" he said.

Created in conjunction with award-winning novelist Naomi Alderman, the motivation for the app was to use the power of storytelling to make running more entertaining and motivating.

"For a lot of people who want to get into running it's been a great motivational tool. But we also have people who are running for an hour or two hours just because they want something more interesting than music or a podcast," she said.

Deron Williams really wanted to make his tee time Monday morning in Miami.

Knowing coach Avery Johnson would be giving his team the day off if they won, Williams took matters into his own hands and scored a franchise-record 57 points to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 104-101 victory Sunday night over the Charlotte Bobcats.

“I had an 11:39 tee time, so I had to make sure I’d make that,” said Williams, an avid golfer. “So I wanted to contribute.”

The Nets needed just about every point they could get from Williams to fend off the pesky Bobcats, who led by as many as 16 in the first half.

“The first half was pretty pitiful,” Williams said.

Williams had 17 points in the first half before erupting for 22 in the third quarter to help the Nets battle back from an eight-point halftime deficit and take the lead. He added 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a pivotal shot late in the game to give the Nets a four-point lead.

Johnson called Williams’ effort unbelievable.

“He really was focused,” Johnson said. “He was well-rested. He made a lot of shots yesterday in our mini-practice and it carried over into tonight’s game. We were going back and forth on whether to have a shootaround this morning and we opted for rest. And he was pretty fresh.”

Williams’ eyes grew a little wider when he realized early on that the Bobcats weren’t double-teaming him off pick and rolls.

Lindsay Lohan's fourth time hosting "Saturday Night Live" brought forth some memorable sketches, but perhaps none more so than "The Real Housewives of Disney."

Sure, thanks to Bravo we all know what the Real Housewives of New York, Atlanta and Beverly Hills are like (in the words of Tina Fey, "a fire in a wax museum"), but what about our favorite fictional women of privilege? What are their dinner parties and fundraisers and balls-to-the-wall brawls like? Finally, our questions are answered.

The true highlight might be Taran Killam as Prince Charming, but we'll let you guys be the judges.

While the critical response to Lindsay Lohan's "Saturday Night Live" hosting efforts has been less than positive, the ratings tell a different story. By the numbers, Lohan outshined past hosts like Alec Baldwin, Emma Stone, Melissa McCarthy and even Jimmy Fallon.

"I'm so excited for her," Lindsay's mother, Dina Lohan, told me. "She has worked so hard all week rehearsing. I'm so proud of her. Her brothers Mike and Cody and sister, Ali, were all with her. Thank you for believing in us."

However, it wasn't just her family that joined Dina in executive producer Lorne Michaels' office to watch the show. Dina also invited close family friend and former "Real Housewives of New York" star Jill Zarin and her husband, Bobby, to attend.

"She's a different kid," Jill told me, but she didn't want to say too much about the evening. "It's very hard to be famous, period. I can't imagine doing it at her age. But the one thing she has that a lot of famous people don't have is real talent -- and I can say that as someone that used to be on a reality show."

After the show ended, Lindsay, her guests and the cast and crew headed to Kibo, a Japanese restaurant in New York's Gramercy area, where Lindsay went from table to table thanking everyone.

"It was such a huge celebration at the after-party," a guest told me. "No one wanted to leave. Around 3:00 a.m., folks started to say goodnight after Lindsay worked the room, making it clear that she was back. Not drinking, b

When you think of an artist's tools of the trade, what comes to mind? Some paintbrushes, a canvas, a couple tubes of paint. How about... a chainsaw?

It may seem more a tool of destruction than creation, but UK artist Tommy Craggs has grown to become quite skilled with his weapon of choice.

On his website he says, "I see the trees come back to life in my artistic struggle working against the grain, with all of the beauty of the wood showing through."

Environmentalists have nothing to fear: Craggs only uses tress that have fallen naturally or need to be felled for woodland management purposes. He has won numerous awards for his work at carving festivals around the world (yes, they exist). He placed third in Canada's Chetwynd Chainsaw carving championship in 2011 and snagged the top prize at the English Open Chainsaw Competition with his take on "Alice In Wonderland."
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Deciding to proceed ahead with a divorce isn't easy, and whether you reached that conclusion by yourself, were blindsided by a pronouncement from your husband, or something in between, you're probably still a little numb and left wondering, "What do I do now?"

That question can be answered on many different levels, of course. But, as a Divorce Financial Strategist™ who exclusively works with divorcing women throughout the country, my advice is to direct your focus immediately on creating a solid strategy, one that will help you emerge from divorce in the best possible shape, both emotionally and financially.

How do you make that kind of game plan? Easy. I believe there is one thing you need to do that can make all the difference between a successful divorce settlement and one that is considerably less favorable:

Build a winning divorce team.

Yes, you need a "team." In the past, divorce was a simpler process involving only the divorcing couple and their lawyers. But these days, you'll also need the support of other professionals, particularly those who can help secure your financial interests both in the short- and long-term. To protect your financial stability and personal well-being, build a solid divorce team that includes these three essential players:

1. A Matrimonial/Family Law Attorney

Look for an attorney who exclusively handles divorce cases or devotes at least 75 percent of his/her practice to divorce. Ideally, your lawyer will be a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an organization requiring the fulfillment of several stringent professional conditions.

When interviewing potential candidates, please don't hesitate to get a little nosy. Certainly, you'll want to discuss the individual complexities of your case, but be sure to explore the lawyer's own qualifications and fees as well. Honesty and openness are the best strategies here because there's no need for any "surprises" once you've started working together. Find out answers to questions like these:

In an interview with "Extra" posted online Friday, the reality star told reporter AJ Calloway that she is staying clear of the dating scene.

"Obviously, I've learned that I rush into things when I fall in love and get excited," Kardashian admitted. "I need to take my time, so maybe I should chill out for a little bit and not date -- it's the only thing I can do at this point. Whenever it happens, it'll just happens. I'm not worried about it, I'm not looking."

So who is the current object of Kardashian's affection? She told Calloway that she's "in love with" two-year-old nephew, Mason Disick. "He's the love of my life!"

Kardashian filed for divorce from Kris Humphries in October 2011, just 72 days after their $10 million wedding, which was broadcast in a two-day, four-hour special on E!.

Brendon and Rachel are an emotionally volatile couple, and they've already scored a reality TV victory when Rachel won the most recent interation of "Big Brother." So it's no big surprise that they're the target of some negativity from the other teams on "The Amazing Race" (Sun., 8 p.m. EST on CBS).

Rachel has proven she can get emotionally rattled, which affects her focus and her gameplay. But when Rachel is focused, she's a true force to be reckoned with.

Vanessa succeeded in rattling Rachel and Brendon so much during the pumpkin stacking competition on "The Race" that they switched to the other task. But in the cool and air-conditioned room where the harp stringing competition was held, Rachel was able to relax and really get into the groove. She and Brendon tore through that challenge on their way to a solid second place finish in the leg.

They got a little help in that regard from Dave dropping all of his bottles in the second challenge, incurring a two-hour penalty. Meanwhile, Vanessa and her partner Ralph struggled so much with the pumpkin stacking challenge that they were there late into the night. Lucky for them, the twins Elliot and Andrew were fumbling with the harp strings.

The two teams came together at the bottle balancing challenge, and it was a race to the finish to avoid elimination. For all her Rachel taunting in the competition, Vanessa barely stayed alive, coming in just ahead of the twins, who found themselves eliminated. As for Rachel and bottle-dropping Dave? They had to watch four teams come in before them, including two who only seconds to spare. So they came in sixth, but mere moments behind the fourth and fifth place team going into the next leg.

On Sunday night's episode of "The Real Housewives Of Atlanta" (Sun., 9 p.m. EST on Bravo) NeNe Leakes got some unwelcome news when she returned home from her trip to South Africa.

After being accused of stealing razors from a local Walmart, NeNe's oldest son Bryson was in Gwinnett County jail in Georgia, and wanted her to bail him out.

It wasn't the first time Bryson had been in jail, and so NeNe decided to play hardball. Saying that he could languish in jail for a month, she refused to pay his bail.

However, after Bryson had been in jail for five days, Cynthia's husband Peter Thomas tried to change NeNe's mind. "Five days is a long time for him in there," he said. "Bail him out!"

But NeNe was sticking to her guns. "I feel like it's time to show tough love. Bryson, he's had a really easy life. So, now I'm gonna show you what a hard life is."

Try as he might, Peter just couldn't persuade NeNe to change her mind: "The lesson needs to be learned."

Chris Brown and Rihanna are together again-musically, at least. This week they released two remixed collaborations, fueling speculation they've also reunited romantically, three years after their relationship came to a violent end. Brown's rep has denied the rumors, but it's clear the two are sending mixed messages and fans are concerned. While Rihanna may have forgiven Chris Brown, who pled guilty to felony assault, others can't forget the startling photo of a battered Rihanna and fear it could happen again. Which begs the question, can an abuser really change?

"Abusers can be rehabilitated, but they have to want to change," said Brian Namey, spokesperson for The National Network to End Domestic Violence ("NNEDV"). Though there are batterers' intervention programs across the country that work with abusers to change their behavior, "a very small number actually make that change," Namey said.

"About 95 percent of men who abuse a woman are capable of change. Only about five percent of men cannot change, and are without a conscience," says couples therapist Dr. Nancy Davidson, adding that an abuser must first accept responsibility for the destructive behavior. Relationship expert Dr. Margaret Paul adds that an abuser must be open to healing and change and able to find adequate help. Related: My Sister's Husband Hits Her

Rehabilitation for abusers includes extensive education counseling and usually therapy, and results are never immediate, says marriage and family therapist SaraKay Smullens. "This abusive behavior is deep within this person and in intimate moments, it can come out again," she said, warning that anyone who returns to an abusive situation is in real danger. "It's life threatening."

The National Dating Abuse Helpline reports that three women are killed by an abusive partner everyday in the United States. The danger to victims escalates when they attempt to leave the relationship.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—May 16, 2011—According to ON24, Inc., the global leader in webcasting and virtual event solutions, CA Technologies’ trend-setting, month-long virtual trade show, May Mainframe Madness, is on its way to setting new standards for attendee visits and interaction. Thousands of online visitors, representing over 50 countries, are expected to attend.

Set to run till the end of the month, May Mainframe Madness features a special guest keynote from Apollo 12/Skylab astronaut Captain Alan Bean. The keynote, scheduled for today, May 16, at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm EDT, will focus on the importance of successful teamwork both in space and on earth.

An engineer, test pilot, artist and mainframe fan, Captain Bean’s presentation will detail his involvement in NASA’s Gemini, Apollo and Skylab programs and will include a discussion of how technological advances like NASA’s mainframes—help make the impossible possible,explained CA Vice President of Mainframe Marketing Steven Menges.

May Mainframe Madness also showcases more than 150 video and webcast keynotes and educational sessions and demos; 25 virtual booths; and online chat sessions.
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Transportation, Alt
Mercedes slaps sheet of LEDs on the side of an F-Cell, turns car into a chameleon
By Michael Gorman posted Mar 4th 2012 7:12PM
Mercedes F-Cell gets LED camouflage
It's not often that folks want to hide the fact that they're driving a Mercedes, what with plenty of them being among of the finest motorcars on the road. However, as part of a marketing plan to call attention to its zero-emissions F-Cell model, the German marque swathed a side of one in LEDs to give it the ultimate in camouflage. You see, in addition to that makeshift display, a Canon 5D Mark II was mounted on the other side of the car so that video of its surroundings could be shown on the LED bodywork -- READ FULL STORY

Guys, we love you, we really do. But as wonderful as you are, every so often you do something that makes us want to jump out the nearest window (or push you out first). Please, please, don’t ever…

1. Offer to “babysit” your own kids. When your 16-year-old neighbor does it, it’s called babysitting. When a parent does it, it’s called child care, and it lasts for at least 18 years. Get it?

2. Imply that office work is harder than housework. At the end of a hard day, there may be smoke coming out of your ears, but let’s face it: You’ve basically been sitting on your butt. That same smoke is coming out of our ears too—but we’ve cleaned the house, shuttled the kids around, run errands all over town and lugged grocery bags besides. When we say we’re exhausted, we are exhausted.

3. Give a home appliance as a gift. Forgive us if we can’t work it up for this one. A new washing machine? Really? Can we get you some new snow tires?

4. Buy us the “cougar” perfume. Under our crew-neck sweaters may beat the heart of an untamed vixen—but most of us don’t want to smell like one. (Nice try, though.)

5. Brag about your driving. This is supposed to let us know that ours isn’t so great. If my husband tells me one more time that he’s been “accident-free since 1978,” I’m going to reach over, grab the wheel and make the car swerve into something, just to shut him up.

6. Be unimpressed by a meal that took a lot of time and trouble. I don’t know whose fault this is (Food Network? Julie and Julia?), but every so often we get the idea that it would be fun to make stock and spend the day basting. If the result is less than earth-shattering, say something nice anyway.

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Sure, your dishwasher makes quick work of dirty plates and cups. But lots of other stuff will get squeaky-clean in there, too. "Dishwashers are real time-savers for cleaning many household and personal items," says Liz Trotter, owner of American Maid Cleaning in Olympia, Washington. Read on to find out how you can save yourself some serious scrubbing. Photo by Thinkstock

1. Glass Globes from Light Fixtures
It's amazing how much brighter a room will look after this cleaning task is checked off your to-do list. "Run these through on the top shelf and make sure there's space between them because the glass is more fragile than what's used for drinking glasses," says Trotter. Use the delicate, china or crystal cycle if available, and skip the heated dry option. And to be safe, avoid washing antique or hand-painted globes or those with gold-leaf trim in the dishwasher.
Find out how to clean your house in under an hour.

2. Shower Heads and Faucet Handles
If your shower head is spraying sporadically from clogged holes or your faucet handles aren't as shiny as they used to be, place these on the top rack and run the pots and pans cycle. It's fine to run cookware through at the same time, so you're not wasting a wash for these few items.

3. Plastic Hair Brushes, Combs, Clips and Barrettes
These personal care items get coated with hair products, but clean up well in the dishwasher, says Trotter. Remove all strands of hair, then corral everything in a mesh lingerie bag or dishwasher basket on the top rack. Run a normal cycle. One note: Don't try this trick with wood-handled or natural bristle brushes because the water and heat can damage them.

4. Baseball Hats and Visors
"The dishwasher is a fantastic way to make sure hats keep their shapes," says Linda Cobb, a cleaning expert who is also known as the Queen of Clean. Put hats on the top rack, head opening down, on a separate wash cycle from dishes because you can't use dishwasher detergent (many contain bleaching agents). Instead, fill the detergent cup with borax, found in the supermarket laundry aisle. Run a regular cycle without the heated dry option, then place hat over a glass or jar to dry. Reshape brim while damp.

5. Plastic Toys
Small plastic items such as baby toys, teethers and action figures can get funky pretty fast. Toss them in a mesh bag or dishwasher basket and place on the top rack. "Wash these on a normal cycle along with your other dishes," says Donna Smallin, author of The One-Minute Cleaner.

6. Pet Bowls and Toys
It's generally fine to load these with other dishes. "Wash them regularly to prevent the growth of bacteria that can make both you and your pet sick," says Kimberly May, DVM, of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "But it's prudent to run a separate load or use the sanitize cycle if you have a baby or a familymember with a suppressed immune system." Most dishwasher-safe toys are labeled accordingly on the package or manufacturer's website. However, if you're not sure whether the material will hold up in the dishwasher, just to be safe, you can also soak toys in 1 part bleach to 10 parts water, and rinse well. Rope toys and rawhide chews can't be cleaned; toss when icky. CLICK HERE MORE READ

A 7-year-old boy who was sucked from his home by a tornado on Friday and dropped 350 feet away on the side of an interstate is home from the hospital, recovering from his injuries.

Jamal Stevens suffered only minor injuries from the twister that demolished his family's two-story home in Charlotte near Interstate 485, where Jamal was found by his family a few minutes after the twister struck his neighborhood.

"I've never seen or heard anything like that," said Patricia Stevens, recalling the moment the twister "sucked out the walls" of the house in the darkness. "It was a terrible sound. I never want to go through that again. I don't want anyone to ever go through that again."

At the house, whose second story was blown away, little was left except for a garage and an exposed internal staircase. Pink insulation and debris littered the yard, which abuts the embankment of the interstate.

The lightning and thunder suddenly picked up, there was a terrible noise, and then her daughter-in-law started passing the children down the stairs to Stevens, starting with 3-year-old twins Ashley and Amber.

When the mother ran back upstairs to get Jamal and 5-year-old Ayanna, Stevens pulled herself and the children behind the couch.

A gang of gunmen disguised in military-style uniforms and carrying forged arrest warrants killed 25 police Monday, then hoisted the battle flag of al-Qaida in a carefully planned early morning shooting spree in western Iraq, officials said.

The killings in Haditha highlight al-Qaida's success in regaining a foothold in an area they once dominated through police executions and murdering city officials.

By going after police, the militants demonstrate to the residents of Haditha, a desert city closer to the Syrian border than to Baghdad, how isolated they are from the central government's protection and intimidate those who want to join the security forces.

The city's proximity to the border, just 65 miles away, means it is vital territory to al-Qaida if they want to ramp up operations in Syria to help overthrow the government of President Bashar Assad. Already, Sunni militants who revile Assad because he's a member of an offshoot religion of Shiism are crossing from Iraq into Syria.

The killings carried out by al-Qaida Monday morning demonstrated a high degree of coordination, knowledge of their targets and a boldness that indicated little fear of the local security forces ability to fight back.

The violence began with an attack on a suburban checkpoint around 2 a.m. in Haditha and ended with the gang disappearing into the desert a half hour later.

"We consider this attack as a serious security breach and we believe that al-Qaida or groups linked to it are behind this," said Mohammed Fathi, spokesman for the governor of Iraq's western Anbar province where Haditha is located.

Iraqi officials described a systematic plot to kill police in Haditha, 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad, with attackers disguising themselves in military uniforms and driving cars painted to look like Iraqi interior ministry vehicles.

Fathi said the gang claimed they were military officials with arrest warrants for city police. They were stopped at a checkpoint outside Haditha, where they took away the guards' mobile phones before shooting nine of them, he said.

The gang's convoy, described by one Haditha police lieutenant as stretching 13 cars long, then stopped at the homes of two Haditha police commanders, including the colonel who served as the city's SWAT team leader. Brandishing the fake arrest warrants, the gunmen forced the commanders into the convoy, and shot both less than a quarter-mile (400 meters) away, Fathi said.