A former contestant from Season 2 of the extreme makeover/beauty pageant hybrid "The Swan" says the reality show ruined her life, and is speaking out about the celebrities who are slated to appear on Fox's two-hour special "Celebrity Swan."

At 34 years old, Lorrie Arias appeared on "The Swan" in 2004, and underwent more plastic surgery procedures than any other contestant -- going on to get a face lift, nose job, brow lift, upper lip lift with fat transfer, upper/lower eye lift, full body lift, breast implants, tummy tuck and liposuction on her knees -- but did not go on to compete in the beauty pageant component of the show.

Today, Arias told the New York Post that her surgeries were for nothing, since she's "a 300-pound mess of a person who is afraid to go outside.”

The former reality show contestant is speaking out about Fox's decision to revive the show, which was once called "the most sadistic reality series of the decade," with a two-hour special that will feature celebrities. The show is currently still casting, but producers allegedly have their sights set on stars like former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and "Happy Days" alumna Erin Moran.

Arias told RadarOnline, it's not the plastic surgery that's the problem, but the lack of psychological support during and after the series that left her spiraling downward. The former reality show cast member claims producers offered only four 15-minute therapy sessions during the two-and-a-half months of filming, and she couldn't afford therapy when she returned home.

Arias told the website, she believes Moran -- who is currently broke, homeless and living like a recluse -- will need major therapy before and after the show, calling the former actress "unstable," but thinks former White House intern Monica Lewinksy will be "fine."

Saying "I Do" can be a libido booster, so he might want even more sex now.

You've stopped obsessing about how you look, so you're enjoying sex more than ever!

It's easy to get lazy about taking your birth control-that surprise pregnancy is less of a big deal now.

You'll do things that you never thought you'd do (hello, sex toys!) to keep things exciting.

Quickies are the new norm, and you love 'em.

How many calories does sex burn?

You have random romps that are so hot it's like the first time all over again (only better).

You'll dream about sex with old boyfriends once in a while. (Don't worry, it's normal!)

His obsession with oral sex will never go away, even after you've been married for years.

At times you'll feel like your husband is cheating on you…with porn.

None of this sound familiar? For some couples married sex is exactly the same as it was before they were married.

Misunderstanding, misstatements and all the classic contortions of partisan message management surround the sequester, the term for the $85 billion in ugly and largely irrational federal spending cuts set by law to begin Friday.

What is the non-budget wonk to make of this? Who is responsible? What really happened?

The finger-pointing began during the third presidential debate last fall, on Oct. 22, when President Obama blamed Congress. “The sequester is not something that I’ve proposed,” Obama said. “It is something that Congress has proposed.”

The White House chief of staff at the time, Jack Lew, who had been budget director during the negotiations that set up the sequester in 2011, backed up the president two days later.

“There was an insistence on the part of Republicans in Congress for there to be some automatic trigger,” Lew said while campaigning in Florida. It “was very much rooted in the Republican congressional insistence that there be an automatic measure.”

The president and Lew had this wrong. My extensive reporting for my book “The Price of Politics” shows that the automatic spending cuts were initiated by the White House and were the brainchild of Lew and White House congressional relations chief Rob Nabors — probably the foremost experts on budget issues in the senior ranks of the federal government.

Obama personally approved of the plan for Lew and Nabors to propose the sequester to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). They did so at 2:30 p.m. July 27, 2011, according to interviews with two senior White House aides who were directly involved.

Nabors has told others that they checked with the president before going to see Reid. A mandatory sequester was the only action-forcing mechanism they could devise. Nabors has said, “We didn’t actually think it would be that hard to convince them” — Reid and the Republicans — to adopt the sequester. “It really was the only thing we had. There was not a lot of other options left on the table.”

A majority of Republicans did vote for the Budget Control Act that summer, which included the sequester. Key Republican staffers said they didn’t even initially know what a sequester was — because the concept stemmed from the budget wars of the 1980s, when they were not in government.

At the Feb. 13 Senate Finance Committee hearing on Lew’s nomination to become Treasury secretary, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) asked Lew about the account in my book: “Woodward credits you with originating the plan for sequestration. Was he right or wrong?”

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Lew responded, “and even in his account, it was a little more complicated than that. We were in a negotiation where the failure would have meant the default of the government of the United States.”

“Did you make the suggestion?” Burr asked.

“Well, what I did was said that with all other options closed, we needed to look for an option where we could agree on how to resolve our differences. And we went back to the 1984 plan that Senator [Phil] Gramm and Senator [Warren] Rudman worked on and said that that would be a basis for having a consequence that would be so unacceptable to everyone that we would be able to get action.”

In other words, yes.

But then Burr asked about the president’s statement during the presidential debate, that the Republicans originated it.

Lew, being a good lawyer and a loyal presidential adviser, then shifted to denial mode: “Senator, the demand for an enforcement mechanism was not something that the administration was pushing at that moment.”

That statement was not accurate.

On Tuesday, Obama appeared at the White House with a group of police officers and firefighters to denounce the sequester as a “meat-cleaver approach” that would jeopardize military readiness and investments in education, energy and readiness. He also said it would cost jobs. But, the president said, the substitute would have to include new revenue through tax reform.

Dark Skies, which is out in theaters now, was not screened early for critics. This is never a good sign. If nothing else, however, it does pique my curiosity. What am I not supposed to see? I must know!

On Thursday night, I purchased a ticket to the midnight showing of Dark Skies (along with fellow movie-writing folk Matt Singer and Jenni Miller) at the AMC Loews Village 7 in Manhattan's East Village. Dark Skies is the story of ... well, I still have no idea, to tell you the truth. If you must know, perhaps there's a nice summary on its Wikipedia page. Yes, I tried to see Dark Skies early on Friday morning, but things did not go smoothly. Along the way, I kept a running diary of what happened.

11:42 p.m. Honestly, I have no idea what Dark Skies is about. I think it's about space? Or aliens?

11:45 p.m. I live in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Here is the line for tickets to the midnight screening of Dark Skies.

line

11:54 p.m. I live in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Here is what the theater looks like at the midnight screening of Dark Skies.

theater

11:57 p.m. Strangely, a large group of people just showed up for Dark Skies all at once, yet very few seem to know each other. Including us, there are at least 12 souls in New York City who wanted to see Dark Skies as soon as humanly possible.

12:01 a.m. Just as the lights went down, Matt Singer had to close the theater door himself. That's never a good sign for those who hope that there are movie theater employees here to make sure things go as smoothly as possible.

12:06 a.m. So, after the 10-second AMC fanfare played, we've now been sitting here for five minutes staring at a blank screen.

12:06 a.m. Maybe this just is Dark Skies. Maybe this is why no one wanted us to see this movie.

12:09 a.m. The lights are still off in the theater and there's still nothing on the screen. I must say, the rest of the crowd is surprisingly calm considering that we all paid $13 to stare at literally nothing.

12:11 a.m. We are on the seventh floor of the theater, there are no theater employees in sight and the screen is still dark.

12:12 a.m. I called the theater and I was just told by whomever answered that what was happening is normal and the movie would start at 12:15. I think she thinks I'm complaining about the trailers. I literally said, "I go to a lot of movies, the screen is blank." Her response, "That's normal. Call back later if nothing happens."

The man with the "world's worst portrait tattoo" finally got his happy ending on Thursday when he had the opportunity to fix the botched ink job of his late wife that had plagued him for so many years.
More on Yahoo! The Worst Tattoos in Hollywood

In 2007, on the one-year anniversary of his wife Mindy's death, Chad Stahl, 38, owner of Cutright Lawn and Landscaping, LLC, visited On the Edge Tattoo Studio in Bowling Green, Ohio to honor her with a portrait tattoo. The couple had been dating for 10 years, had 3 children, and were married for less than 3 months when Mindy died in a household fire.

Tattoo artist Dennis Foust inked the $450 portrait tattoo. "I had seen Faust's portrait work on his website and he even tattooed some of my in-laws with designs in honor of Mindy so I was confident going in," Stahl told Yahoo! Shine in his first media interview. "But when the swelling subsided, it didn't look like Mindy at all—her teeth looked evil." To add insult to injury, a friend had emailed him a link to a blog post titled "Worst Tattoo Ever" with a photo of Stahl's tattoo posted by a disgruntled On the Edge ex-employee. A few months later, Stahl returned to the studio and Faust tried to fix it, adding the words, "In loving memory of Mindy" but the damage was too great. "I was embarrassed to wear sleeveless shirts and didn't want anyone to see the tattoo but everyone in my town knew about it," says Stahl.

Foust told Shine: "This was my very first portrait tattoo done years ago. I've since moved forward, improved my skills, and my work has been featured in magazines."

Recently, a friend of Stahl's recommended that he visit Scott Versago at Empire Ink in Akron, Ohio, who had heard of the infamous tattoo and on Thursday Versago fixed it—for free. Vergaso wrote on his Facebook page: "I got to tackle the official '#1 worst portrait tattoo in the world' today. I'm sure you've all seen it a million times online, as had I. I couldn't believe my eyes when this guy walked in and showed me this project. I think my jaw literally hit the floor. He went on to tell me the story behind the portrait; He had just married his beautiful wife and not even three months afterwards she was killed in a horrible house fire accident leaving him to raise their three children alone. Shortly after he went to a local tattoo studio to memorialize his wife and was left with this abomination. He later returned to that studio for one more session, thinking that perhaps 'he had done something wrong in the healing of the tattoo' and they butchered it even more the second time. Finally, he drove all the way to my studio, Empire Ink, just to meet me and to see what his options were. Touched by his story, I gifted the entire project to him for free. Now he has closure and I have an amazing story to add to my portfolio!"

The fix-it job took just three hours. "I'm so happy and want everyone to see it," Stahl told Shine. "I'm going to enter the tattoo in a contest hosted by On the Edge to see if they recognize me."

The "Poetic Justice" video hit the web on Friday, offering a glimpse into Kendrick Lamar and Drake's very different lives.

In the visuals, Lamar (who put out one of 2012's best albums, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City") raps as vignettes from a Compton, Los Angeles party interrupt his love-lorn verse. At the party, a young man and woman get cozy and walk off into the distance, until everything goes to hell.

Eventually we see an iPhone with a missed call from Drake, who is in a bedroom accompanied by a sleeping, nearly naked lady. Drake raps his verse into a cordless phone.

It's not until the end of the video that what actually caused all the commotion is revealed. We won't spoil it here, except to say that it's nice that the video didn't pitch us Drake as a character living in Compton, because the Toronto native doesn't really fit the bill.

MTV has more on the movie's backstory, involving Janet Jackson, who Lamar really wanted to be in the video:

    On the slow and syrupy "Poetic Justice," Kendrick and Drake trade bars over a sampling of Jackson's 1993 single "Any Time, Any Place." The Scoop DeVille-produced track also borrows its name from the 1993 film that starred Janet and Tupac Shakur, so a video cameo from Jackson would be very fitting.

Lamar made an earnest, public plea to Jackson. "Janet, c'mon, Janet," he said. "No paperwork with the managers, contact the managers. This is artist to artist," Lamar pitched in December. "This is a young boy that looked up to you for years. Please, yeah, video, Janet Jackson 'Poetic Justice.' It'll only be right."

The video still makes an impact. Take a look above and let us know what you think in the comments. Drake and K-Dot also appeared alongside A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz in the recently released video for "F--kin' Problems," and Drizzy dropped the visuals for his new single, "Started From the Bottom."

Kendra Wilkinson Baskett couldn't wait to do "Celebrity Wife Swap." Then she found out who she was swapping with: Kate Gosselin, single mom to eight kids.

Kendra, who's appeared in "Playboy" and on "The Girls Next Door," is married to former NFL-er Hank Baskett and lives with him, their four-year-old son Hank IV, and a fulltime housekeeper and nanny, Rosa. Hank is very involved around the house and likes to cook for Kendra and set up her girls' nights.


When we spoke to Kendra, she sounded positive about the experience, saying she "got so excited" about going on the show, because "I love the feeling of stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something off. I think that's the way to live your life, is to be thrown off a little bit." She was into the idea of living "in someone else's life" for a week; she's "all about the social experiments."

But as experiments go, a week with eight children is practically the Manhattan Project, and when Kendra found out whose house she was headed to, she "lost it. I wanted to run out."

She wasn't the only one, evidently; Kendra reported that "there was some tension and drama" between Kate Gosselin and Hank. She didn't want to speak for them, because she wasn't there, but it sounds like Kate doesn't entirely approve of the Basketts' laid-back lifestyle, or what Kendra describes as her "Southern California" attitude. (Or, we're guessing, of Kendra herself, who laughed that Kate didn't get "why a woman like me deserves a man like that.") We'll have to find out whether Kate passed any judgments, but we know Hank didn't sell Kendra out. "All I know is, my husband said, 'I stuck up for you.'"

Meanwhile, back at the Gosselins', Kendra was determined to make a good impression. Calling that time a "whirlwind," she told us her goal for the week: "I truly, truly wanted those eight kids to really respect me." Not to think of Kendra as a second mom, necessarily, but it took "a lot of work" to get the kids to trust her.

She's a fighter, though, she says, and she kept at it. She wanted the experience to be good for everyone, and she wanted "these kids to know me, and to know my heart" -- not least because of the trash-talk they might have heard about her posing nude, "'she's stupid,' you know, all that bad stuff that's about me."

 A growing number of firearm and firearm-related companies have stated they will no longer sell items to states, counties, cities and municipalities that restrict their citizens' rights to own them.

According to The Police Loophole, 34 companies have joined in publicly stating that governments who seek to restrict 2nd Amendment rights will themselves be restricted from purchasing the items they seek to limit or ban.

Extreme Firepower Inc., located in Inwood, WV has had a longstanding policy that states:

"The Federal Government and several states have enacted gun control laws that restrict the public from owning and possessing certain types of firearms...If a product that we manufacture is not legal for a private citizen to own in a jurisdiction, we will not sell that product to a law-enforcement agency in that jurisdiction."

York Arms, located in Buxton, ME released a statement following new legislation in New York:

"Based on the recent legislation in New York, we are prohibited from selling rifles and receivers to residents of New York.  We have chosen to extend that prohibition to all governmental agencies associated with or located within New York."

Quality Arms, located in Rigby, ID writes on their website, "elected officials have their own agenda to circumnavigate the truth and destroy the constitution of the United States."

The site states: "Quality Arms Idaho will not supply and firearm or product, manufactured by us, or any other company nor will we warranty, repair, alter, or modify and firearm owned by any State, County or Municipality who infringes on the right of its citizens to bear arms under the 2nd Amendment."

"The people at Bravo Company USA and BCM support responsible private individuals having access to the same tools of civilian Law Enforcement to affect the same ends...As such Bravo Company's policy is that law enforcement officials and departments will be restricted to the same type of products available to responsible private individuals of that same city or state."

SBI introduced virtual card for SBI net banking users. Other banks may also be providing Virtual Card, because I have listened about virtual card before SBI. Virtual card, by all the banks may be working the same way.

SBI Virtual Credit CardsA virtual card is also known as Electronic Card or e-Card. Virtual card gives an extra layer of security for your credit or debit card. It works the same way as real debit or credit card works but it is virtual (not physical). And your actual card (plastic card) info will be safe from merchants. Virtual card has only card number so it is secure and makes your real card secure. There are some of the information about this card.


Advantages for using State Bank Virtual Card

    Virtual Card provides an easy and secure way of transacting online without providing the Primary Card/ Account information to the merchant.
    It reduces the risk of exposing entire Credit/ Debit limit/ as the Primary Card/ Account information is not communicated to the merchant.
    Card is valid for a Max. of 48 hours or till the transaction is complete.
    The amount is debited only when actual purchase, using the Virtual Card, is completed successfully.

State Bank Virtual Card Creation / generation:

Step 1: Visit SBI Internet Banking (https://www.onlinesbi.com/) and click on Login of Personal Banking.
.

Step 2: Login on using User Name and Password (Advisable to use Online Virtual Keyboard).

Step 3: Click on “e-Card” tab and select “State Bank Virtual Card” option.

Step 4: Select the appropriate Account No. from the list and enter the amount for which you want
a State Bank Virtual Card. Accept the Terms & Conditions and click on Generate.

Step 5: Verify Card Holder Name, Debit Account No. and Virtual Card Limit. On re-verification of particulars/values click on Generate and in case of any error click on Back for correction.

Step 6: Click on the specific Card No. which you want to view. On click the complete Card details viz. Name, Issue Date, Expiry, Merchant Name, CVV2, Limit Amount, Status, Source Account No. will be displayed on the screen.

How to Cancel generated/created State Bank Virtual Card:

Step 1: Visit SBI Internet Banking (https://www.onlinesbi.com/) and click on Personal Banking.

Step 2: Login on using User Name and Password.

Step 3: Click on “Requests” tab and select “State Bank Virtual Card” option.

Step 4: Click on Cancel Virtual Card. Select the Virtual Card and click on Cancel.

Step 5: Verify the Virtual Card No. you wanted to cancel and click on OK.

Step 6: Confirmation message “Your Virtual Card number 466XXXXXX462 has been successfully cancelled.” will be displayed on the screen and the blocked amount will be credited back to the account, within an hour.

SOURCE

 Apps4Africa has just announced the three winners of its 2012 competition, showcasing the best in African innovation.

The winners, chosen from nearly 300 submissions, were Ffene, from Uganda, an app that helps small and medium businesses reduce administrative costs; SliceBiz, from Ghana, a crowdsourcing platform to encourage middle class Africans to invest small amounts in high-growth startups; and Prowork, from Nigeria, which is a project management and real-time collaboration tool for businesses.

The Apps4Africa competition began in late 2009 as an annual program that aimed to support African social entrepreneurs using technology to solve societal problems. This year's competition demonstrated again that Africa has innovation and a growing number of innovators. But now the challenge for technology entrepreneurs is not merely to innovate and create apps, but to turn them into lucrative business ideas.

During my trips to Africa while coordinating the Apps4Africa competition, I witnessed from the innovators a real desire to innovate and have their voices heard. But whilst a technology revolution is taking place in Africa, with so many of these young men and women building and creating apps, they still face huge challenges in understanding how to start businesses around their innovations.
An African future inspired by tech?
Africa's technology potential

Most of the innovators are following trends and their dreams, inspired mostly by the stories of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs making it without a clear business plan or any structured road map when they started their businesses many years ago. The reality check has not yet taken place in the minds of Africa's innovators and lots of time is being wasted on unrealistic desires.

Young entrepreneurs in Africa have a mosaic of demands that need urgent attention. Policy makers need to start taking the young entrepreneurs seriously, as they are the future of Africa.

The growing number of competitions and gatherings -- like Apps4Africa, Startup Weekend, Africa Gathering, Maker Faire, Pivot East and BarCamps -- help to give visibility and credibility to these innovators, but this is not enough. The young African innovator needs business skills and funding.

However, preparatory brainstorming gatherings, where people meet to share ideas, cement relationships and learn, could form the missing link that helps to create a culture of entrepreneurship and trust, that challenges and empowers the technology entrepreneurs to do more for Africa, and encourages the funders to support them.

Now the competition is over, with the prize money coming soon into the winners' bank accounts, what is next for them? Many people are asking this legitimate question.

One thing is sure, the entrepreneurs have ideas; the proof is that we have banks of apps being developed from the continent. But 90% of the people who attended the Apps4Africa sessions, with their business ideas in hand, need mentoring.

The ecosystem in their countries to facilitate the creation of companies and a culture of entrepreneurship and risk taking is currently in its infancy or non-existent. Funding is currently a big issue. Investors don't take the technologists seriously, say the entrepreneurs. Whilst their intentions and ideas are good, many of the entrepreneurs that I meet need to be mentored intensively. Investors don't have time for this.

Two bomb blasts killed at least 15 people and wounded 119 others on Thursday in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, the city's police commissioner, Anurag Sharma, said a day after the attack.

Sharma didn't rule out the possibility of terror involvement in the city blasts. But he refused to identity any group as a suspect.

The two bombs were planted on bicycles parked in a crowded spot, Sharma said. They were improvised explosive devices, he said, and they could have been triggered by a timer.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the strike a "dastardly attack" and said "the guilty will not go unpunished." He directed government agencies to extend all possible relief to authorities in Andhra Pradesh state. He also approved money for the next of kin of those killed and for others seriously injured.

The Transportation Security Administration has apologized after the family of a wheelchair-bound 3-year-old girl with spina bifida was pulled aside and told she would receive a pat-down.

The family was heading to Disney World when the incident took place on February 9. It was "really strange and stressful," said Nathan Forck, the girl's father.

His daughter, Lucy, was taking her first big airline trip. "She didn't know what to expect," he said. "She was pretty upset."

In a video taken by her mother and posted on YouTube with the title "Shh! TSA Wants to Touch Your Kids," Lucy appears visibly distraught. Sitting in her hot pink wheelchair, Lucy weeps, crying for her stuffed lamb doll. A TSA agent can be overheard telling Lucy's mother, Annie Shulte, to stop her "illegal" recording. There is discussion by the agents over whether to give Lucy a pat-down.

The video has been viewed more than 136,000 times.

"TSA regrets inaccurate guidance was provided to this family during screening and offers its apology," the agency wrote in an email. "We are committed to maintaining the security of the traveling public and strive to treat all passengers with dignity and respect. While no pat-down was performed, we will address specific concerns with our work force.”

Furthermore, TSA policy does not prohibit passengers from taking photos or videos at screening locations as long as they're not interfering with or slowing down the process.

The trouble apparently began with mom's earrings.

According to Nathan, Annie was pushing Lucy through security when alarms were tripped by her metallic earrings. In the case of a passenger in a wheelchair, "a pat-down procedure is used to resolve any alarms of a metal detector," TSA says on its website.

It may have appeared to the agents that it was Lucy who set it off, not Annie.

After 30 minutes of tense isolation as agents and supervisors discussed options, Annie proposed carrying Lucy through security while agents swabbed the wheelchair separately.

A shooting and a fiery crash left three people dead in the neon heart of the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday, and police scrambled to find out who triggered the carnage.

The bloodshed closed the Strip for about a block and a half around some of its biggest draws, leaving tourists gaping at a wrecked Maserati, a burned-out taxi and four other vehicles.

"First time in Vegas, and then, like, the whole thing, what you know from movies only -- I was shocked," Christine Gerstenberger, who was visiting the desert gambling mecca from Germany, said Thursday afternoon. She and her brothers debated going back to the hotel "because I'm totally scared," but "We're too curious," she said.

See iReporter's video of fire

One of those killed was Kenneth Cherry Jr. -- an aspiring rapper also known as Kenny Clutch -- his attorney Vicki Greco said. According to his Facebook page, Cherry is from Oakland, California, and lived in Las Vegas.


"Out of everyone I know in the rapping industry there is no way I would have ever, ever expected to find that he was shot on the Las Vegas strip in such an aggressive manner," said Greco, who said Cherry had two kids. "He didn't have a (criminal) record or a history. He was just a good kid trying to make it and be a good father."


Four of the Nevada city's biggest casinos -- Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, Bally's and the Flamingo -- are nearby, and police collected surveillance-camera video from them to help the probe.

Also killed in the incident was a cab driver named Michael Boldon, CNN affiliate KVVU reported.

His family is devastated by the death of the 62-year-old cab driver, his brother Tehran Boldon told the affiliate.

"It is gut-wrenching," a tearful Tehran Boldon told KVVU. "My life mission will be to see them punished and brought to justice for the senseless thing they did."

It started around 4:20 a.m. with a dispute in the valet lot of the Aria Hotel, about a block away, Sheriff Douglas Gillespie said. Investigators haven't confirmed the cause of the altercation, but he said it spilled onto the street as someone in a black Range Rover Sport fired several shots at the Maserati as it headed north on Las Vegas Boulevard.

When the driver was hit, the Maserati continued into the intersection of the boulevard and Flamingo Road and collided with a taxi, which caught fire. The sports car's driver, the cab driver and a passenger in the taxi all died; a passenger in the Maserati and three other people in the resulting pileup were hurt, Gillespie said.

The Maserati's passenger and other witnesses are helping detectives piece together what happened, he said. And the "top priority" for police is to find the Range Rover, which sped away from the intersection, and those inside it when the shooting happened.

"This act is totally unacceptable, and we are going to make a very clear message to these individuals in regards to that," Gillespie said.

Police in neighboring states have been asked to look for the sport-utility vehicle, and Gillespie warned the occupants should be considered armed and dangerous.

"Clearly, the suspects have no regard for the lives and safety of others," he said.

The Range Rover had an out-of-state dealer plate, tinted windows and large, black rims, Las Vegas Police Sgt. John Sheahan said.

The block around the crash remained closed off into Thursday afternoon. John Lamb, who was inside Caesars Palace, told CNN affiliate KLAS he heard the commotion and saw the taxi on fire from a window.

The FBI has arrested an Connecticut woman accused of threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a community college.

Amanda Bowden, 19, of East Haven, Conn., was taken into custody Tuesday.

Bowden is accused of threatening to commit a Newtown-style mass shooting at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn.

"As alleged, this defendent made a series of threats that described in great detail her intention to carry out a suicidal mass murder at a community college in New Haven," said U.S. Attorney David Fein.

According to federal authorities, Bowden made several threats by text message with a witness cooperating with investigators between Feb. 4 and Feb 16. She also had text message and verbal conversations with an undercover officer, discussing her plans to commit a mass shooting and bombing at Gateway, authorities said.

Bowden claimed to have guns and claimed that she had constructed at least two napalm-based bombs at her home in East Haven, according to Fein.

The FBI and New Haven police chief Dean Esserman notified Gateway Community College President Dorsey Kendrick about the threats on Feb. 5, according to a school spokesperson.

"Chief Esserman and GCC security had been contacted by the FBI, and were told that there was no imminent danger as a result of the post, but an investigation was underway," said Evelyn Gard. "The chief requested that Dr. Kendrick and GCC security keep the matter confidential until the investigation wa
s complete."

There is no good way to find out that your significant other is cheating on you, but one woman in Russia discovered her boyfriend's infidelity in a pretty surprising manner. Marina Voinova was looking up an address on Russia's version of Google Maps, Yandex Maps. She wanted to get a closer glimpse of a building using the street view feature. So she zoomed in, and there was her boyfriend Sasha with his arms around another woman.

Well, perhaps it was just an old picture that was taken before he and Marina were a couple. Only problem with that was that Marina and Sasha had been together for five years, and the Yandex Maps feature has only been around for three years. And, the plot thickens: Sasha is seen in the photograph with his arm in a cast, which he had to wear last summer.

When Sasha returned home, Marina asked him to type the address she had looked up into Yandex Maps. Once Sasha saw the incriminating image of himself, Marina said, his entire face changed color and he confessed everything.

Marina promptly broke up with her boyfriend after her discovery and said it would be "silly to blame the Web for my boyfriend's unfaithfulness." Now, instead of searching online maps, Marina is single and searching online dating sites.

 Oscar Pistorius' murder case took a sensational twist Thursday when it was revealed that the chief investigator who analyzed the scene of Reeva Steenkamp's fatal shooting faces seven counts of attempted murder charges himself.

Hilton Botha sits inside the court witness box during the Oscar Pistorius bail hearing. (AP)Hilton Botha, whose stumbling and at times incoherent evidence on day two of Pistorius' bail hearing gave the Blade Runner's case a serious boost, was allegedly one of three drunk police officers who opened fire on a mini-bus taxi full of passengers in 2011, according to South Africa's Eyewitness News.

According to Botha, the shooting took place as part of the investigation into the murder of Denise Stratford, a Girl Scout leader whose body was discovered stuffed into a drain in 2011. Botha and colleagues were tracking the suspect and as part of their inquiries fired at the mini-bus when it failed to pull over when requested.

Botha was arrested at the time due to the charges, which were subsequently dropped, before it emerged Thursday that they had been reinstated.

"There was a decision taken by the director of public prosecution's office to charge the members, each one of them, with seven counts of attempted murder," said police spokesman Neville Malila. "That was the number of people that were in the taxi."

Botha denied he was drunk during the alleged incident and told South African legal journalist Karyn Maughan on Thursday morning that the reinstatement of the charge is "beyond my comprehension."

"I can only think it is linked to my work on the Oscar Pistorius case," he said.

In a statement, however, the South African National Prosecuting Authority revealed the murder charge against Botha was reinstated before the Pistorius incident, reportedly as early as Feb. 4. Botha insisted to the media that he only learned of the reinstatement after the Valentine's Day killing of Steenkamp. According to Malila, Botha is scheduled to appear in court in May to face the charges.

Thursday, the NPA called for Botha to be taken off the Pistorius case.

"If we have an investigating officer that is facing such serious charges, it cannot happen that he continues with this case," a spokesperson said.

Botha had become one of the major characters in the Pistorius case as it has unfolded with a bail hearing that stretched into a third day and resembled a mini-trial with detailed evidence being given from both sides.

The reason for the elongated hearing is a product of both the vagaries of the South African legal system and the desire of both the prosecution and defense to gain a positive result on bail.

During his testimony Wednesday, Botha unraveled under cross-examination from defense attorney Barry Roux, admitting that he couldn't find anything to contradict Pistorius' claim that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder. Botha also opened himself to allegations he had contaminated the crime scene by revealing he had not worn protective shoes and was forced to admit one of his witnesses, a neighbor, was more than a quarter mile away from the scene.

Barack Obama is widely known as the United States' first black president. But is he really the country's first African-American commander-in-chief?

Of course author Toni Morrison famously declared that former president Bill Clinton was really the nation's first black head of state, however, rumor has it there are six other former presidents who had African-American ancestry.

Several scholars have discussed the genealogy of these presidents in the past, and the debate was reignited after Obama was elected in 2008.

Check out the slideshow below for a list of former heads of state who allegedly were descendants of African-Americans.

She arrived onto the red carpet in a controversial orange couture gown with a bizarre bustle detail but Rita Ora decided to slip into something a little more comfortable for the Brit Awards after-party.

The 22-year-old singer flashed some leg in a black sequined dress that had a split that soared up to her hip.

Rita's dress boasted a halter neckline with gold choker detail and a plunging back leaving more of her flesh on show.

The R.I.P singer, who lost out on to Ben Howard for the Breakthrough Artist gong, had swapped a scruffy bun for tight curls as she arrived at the Sony bash held at the Arts club.

Rita proved gracious in her defeat and tweeted: 'Don't worry you win some you loose some. We still killed this year!!'

Earlier in the evening Rita had stepped out in couture gown by Ulyana Sergeenko couture gown but her sartorial gamble didn't pay off.

Rita's outfit boasted a bizarre bustle effect draping, an unflattering high neckline and frayed hems.

Perhaps the singer decided to change into the black dress after complaining that she was unable to breathe in the ensemble.

Rita was joined at the Sony bash by the likes of Labrinth, Simon Cowell and Harry Styles.

The One Direction singer brought his mother Anne Cox along to the bash and the pair were seen celebrating together.

Harry and his band were presented with the new Global Success Award and the group also performed their new charity single, at the ceremony held at the 02.

The lead investigator in the murder case against Oscar Pistorius faces attempted murder charges himself over a 2011 shooting, police said Thursday in another potentially damaging blow to the prosecution.

Prosecutors said they were unaware of the charges against veteran detective Hilton Botha when they put him on the stand in court to explain why Pistorius should not be given bail in the Valentine's Day shooting death of his girlfriend.

Prosecutors say Pistorius intentionally killed model Reeva Steenkamp and have charged him with premeditated murder. Pistorius says he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and that the shooting was accidental.

Police Brig. Neville Malila told The Associated Press that Botha -- who gave testimony in the Pistorius bail hearing on Wednesday -- is scheduled to appear in court in May on seven counts of attempted murder related to an incident in October 2011 when Botha and two other police officers fired at a minibus they were trying to stop.

Malila said police had learned Wednesday, the same day that Botha appeared in court to oppose Pistorius' bail application, that the charges against Botha and the two others had been reinstated by the Director of Public Prosecutions. They were initially dropped following the shooting incident.

Malila said police were now waiting for details from the Botha case file from the public prosecutor.

Medupe Simasiku, the spokesman for the prosecutors charging Pistorius with premeditated murder, said he couldn't say how the charges against Botha would affect their case against Pistorius.

A Florida family turned a trip to Taylor Creek in St. Lucie County into their own private petting zoo in January, authorities report, and then posted the incriminating photos online.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials say they received a tip that Ryan William Waterman, 21, of Ft. Pierce, posted Facebook images of himself and two kids petting, lifting, and sitting on a manatee calf.

The State Attorney's Office issued a warrant for Waterman's arrest based on the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, which makes it illegal to injure, harm, harass, capture or attempt to capture a Florida manatee.

“This was a young manatee which was likely still dependent on its mother for food and protection,” FWC manatee biologist Dr. Thomas Reinert said in a release. “Separating the two could have severe consequences for the calf.”

“The calf also appeared to be experiencing manatee cold-stress syndrome, a condition that can lead to death in extreme cases,” said Reinert. “Taking the calf out of the water may have worsened its situation.”

If convicted, Waterman faces $500 fine and a maximum 60 days in jail, FWC spokeswoman Katie Purcell told Palm Beach Post.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time a Floridian has mounted a sea cow.

In October, a St. Petersburg woman was photographed riding a manatee just off-shore and was arrested after she turned herself in to police.

The state has strict protection laws for the Florida manatee, which has been listed as an endangered species since 1967.

As it turns out, strippers and underage teens do not the perfect birthday party make.

At least that's the opinion of the South Glens Falls Police, who arrested New York mother Judy Viger on Monday for allegedly organizing and paying for a stripper surprise for her son's 16th birthday.

Viger, 33, was charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Associated Press. The incident reportedly occurred at Spare Time Bowling Center in South Glens Falls, N.Y., in November.

The AP reports that Viger is accused of hiring two women to dance with -- and on -- teens at the upstate bowling alley. The news outlet notes that pictures from the party appeared to show a "scantily clad, tattooed woman clinging upside down to a seated teen."

Saratoga County District Attorney James Murphy told The Post Star that police had interviewed numerous witnesses and parents. Officials said some children at the party were as young as 13.

WRGB called Tops in Bottoms, the company that reportedly supplied the strippers, and the man who answered the phone told the station the incident was “blown out of proportion.”

Similarly, a man who said he was Viger's friend argued "police have it all wrong," Fox23 News writes.

Kerry Washington and Craig Robinson star in the upcoming film "Peeples," a new comedy from producer Tyler Perry.

Written and directed by Tina Gordon Chism ("Drumline"), "Tyler Perry Presents Peeples" focuses on the Peeples, a well-off East Coast family celebrating a reunion weekend in the Hamptons. The idyllic retreat is interrupted when Wade (Craig Robinson) shows up looking to propose to Grace (Kerry Washington). Perry, the acclaimed writer, director, producer and star, is presenting the film.

"I worked with Tyler on a movie he did called 'Daddy's Little Girls,'" Robinson told Movieline in 2011. "I can't say enough good things about him. He was way cool and down to earth. He put me in a scene, and the scene didn't make it into the final cut. But we were having so much fun on the scene that I did -- it was so funny -- that when I got to the set the next day, he had them put me in an outfit and add an additional scene. That's the kind of dude he is. He sees something and he goes with it. That's what makes him great."

HuffPost Entertainment is happy to debut two exclusive new posters for "Peeples," one featuring Robinson ("The Office") and one featuring Washington ("Django Unchained"). Check them out below.

Kelly Clarkson has come out swinging at Clive Davis, whom she accuses of "spreading false information about me and my music" and bullying.

Davis is currently making the media rounds in support of "The Soundtrack of My Life," a new memoir in which he reveals he is bisexual and had "loving relationships and sexual intimacy" with both men and women. Clarkson took issue with a very different passage, in which the music mogul apparently writes that she broke into "hysterical sobbing" when he demanded that smash hit "Since U Been Gone" would be included on Clarkson's album.

"Not true at all," Clarkson wrote in a WhoSay post on Tuesday. "His stories and songs are mixed up. I did want more guitars added to the original demo and Clive did not. [Producers Max Martin and Łukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald] and I still fought for the bigger sound and we prevailed and I couldn't be more proud of the life of that song. I resent him dampening that song in any way."

UPDATE: Davis' team has responded to Clarkson's note with a statement of his own:

    As anyone who has read "The Soundtrack of My Life" knows, I think Kelly Clarkson is a tremendous vocal talent and performer. In the book, I provide an in-depth look at our years together during which we shared major multi-platinum success, as well as a few creative differences. I am truly very sorry that she has decided to take issue with what I know to be an accurate depiction of our time together. Before the book was published, I had every fact checked with five independent individuals who were present on a daily basis throughout it all. The chapter as it is written was thoroughly verified by each and every one of them. I stand by the chapter as written in my book. At the same time I wish, and will always wish, Kelly's talent and her career to soar to ever new heights.

The original article continues below.

The "American Idol" winner goes further, alleging that Davis berated her after she played him "Because of You." "I cried because he hated it and told me verbatim that I was a 'sh-tty writer who should be grateful for the gifts that he bestows upon me,'" Clarkson writes. "He continued on about how the song didn't rhyme and how I should just shut up and sing. This was devastating coming from a man who I, as a young girl, considered a musical hero and was so honored to work with."

Eventually, the label placed "Because of You" on the album, and it went on to be a smash hit. Clarkson goes on to say that she's since found fulfillment in all her professional relationships, thanking Davis "for teaching me to know the difference" -- presumably between ill-wishers and supportive partners.

In 2007, Clarkson took to her website (via People) to address reports that a feud had emerged between her and Davis:

    For years now I’ve warned of the many potential dangers of genetically engineered (GE) foods, pointing out that such crops might have wholly unforeseen consequences.

    In recent years, such suspicions have increasingly proven correct, forcing the biotech industry to up the ante of their propaganda campaign.

    A recent article in the Wall Street Journal titled, “Monsanto: Battered, Bruised, and Still Growing”1 sets the stage for the discussion that follows. The dark heart of Monsanto has been exposed in recent years, and they’re in dire need of an image makeover.

    I bet they probably have the best and brightest propaganda experts on speed dial these days. In the featured article, the company is lauded for “fending off” California Proposition 37 last November, as labeling foods containing genetically engineered ingredients would be “befuddling” to consumers.

        “I'd be up for the dialogue around labeling. Maybe we'll look back and say [Prop 37] was the start of a more reasonable debate. But it was a confusing proposition,” Monsanto Chief Executive Hugh Grant tells the Wall Street Journal.

    Grant goes on to talk about how the company is now going “back to the basics of reconnecting” with their  customers, and how consistency in messaging and predictable pricing is helping turn the tide that has threatened to engulf them over the past three years.

Biotech Industry Ups Propaganda Efforts with Undercover Ambassadors

    Part of this makeover program appears to be the recruitment of seemingly independent “ambassadors” to covertly lobby the GE agenda. The appearance of being an independent voice is imperative for the role to be effective, SpinWatch2 said in a recent article.

    According to an October 2011 article in the Guardian, leaked emails from a PR company working with EuropaBio listed potential candidates for the role3, including Lord Patten, chancellor of Oxford University and BBC Trust chairman; Sir Bob Geldof; former Irish EU commissioner and attorney general David Byrne; former UN secretary general Kofi Annan; and Mark Lynas, an environmentalist and writer who claims to have helped create the anti-GE movement back in the mid-1990’s. According to the Guardian:

        “The 10 or more ambassadors will not be paid directly, but the lobbyists have offered to write, research and place articles in their names, arrange interviews and speaking engagements with the Financial Times and other international media, and secure for them what could be lucrative speaking slots at major conferences.

        In addition, EuropaBio says it will introduce them to the highest-level European bureaucrats and MEPs in order for them to make the case for GM within EU institutions.”

    In 2011, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas responded to the news by saying:

        "This brazen attempt by EuropaBio to recruit covert 'ambassadors' to 'change the debate' on GM is yet further proof that the powerful GM lobby will stop at nothing to push its hugely unpopular and unnecessary products onto European citizens. We need far stronger regulation on corporate lobbyists across the EU to prevent this kind of insidious behind-the-scenes maneuvering from seriously undermining our democratic system."

The Art of Spin, and the World of “War Craft”

    When confronted, the above named candidates denied knowledge of EuropaBio4, known as “the voice for the biotech industry at the EU level.” Most, including Mark Lynas, also claimed they’d reject the offer to peddle GMO policy should they be asked.

    What a difference a year makes. While Lynas suddenly began writing about his “conversion” in 2010, he recently took to the stage as a veritable born-again proselytizer of genetically engineered crops at the January 3 Oxford Farming Conference5.

    What better ambassador for the tattered and bruised Monsanto than a “former foe” having “seen the light of science” and, of his own free will (supposedly), deciding to mend his ways and right the wrongs he’s done against the biotech industry?

Octomom Nadya Suleman has checked herself into a 28-day rehab program for an addiction to the anxiety drug Xanax, reports TMZ.

Suleman, 37, will undergo treatment at the Chapman House Drug Rehabilitation Center in Southern California. Her three nannies and two friends will watch over her 14 young children during that time.

"Nadya wanted to get off the Xanax she was prescribed by her doctor and learn to deal with her stress, exhaustion and anxiety with professional help with a team of doctors," says her rep. "Nadya wanted to deal with her issues and make sure she is the best mother she can be.”

Suleman, a single mom, previously revealed she regrets having so many children and has considered suicide.

"Some days I have thought about killing myself," said Octomom. "I cannot cope. Obviously I love them, but I absolutely wish I had not had them."

Nadya, who has 14 children under age 10 (including her two-year-old octuplets), admits she made a mistake undergoing in-vitro fertilization and feels desperate many days.

"The only way I can cope is to lock myself in the bathroom and cry," said the unemployed Suleman. "Sometimes I sit there for hours and even eat my lunch sitting on the toilet floor. Anything to get peace and quiet."

Nadya, who has received countless death threats over the years, has struggled with financial problems and public hatred and says she deserves more credit than she's given.

“I’ve trained them so well, they can brush their own teeth, dress themselves and scrub each other’s backs – they’re so independent,” she said. “It’s not chaotic. They’re very quiet and obedient and they’re well-behaved and smart. The kids have structure and discipline and only eat healthily – they don’t know what candy is! I’ve done a really great job with them – I don’t get any credit.”

In fact, Octomom insists her children could not have a better mom. "They could never have a better home," she said. "A better home, physically, yes; we’re going to be moving. But they could never have a better mother."

Ever wonder what makeup look your guy likes but are too timid to ask? We tracked down some hotties who gave us their opinions on what turns them on when it comes to the makeup you wear. Get ready, girls, here are the answers to your burning cosmetics questions...so take notes!

By Carly Cardellino

1. Au Naturel
"I like it when a girl doesn't wear any makeup at all. I know it sounds cliché, but it lets me know that she takes care of her skin and is confident in herself because she doesn't need to cover her complexion up with foundation or anything like that." - Dawson S.

2. Smoky Eye
"I love it when my wife wears a smoky eye. It's very sexy and mysterious." - Nick R.


3. Light Eyes, Light Lips
"When a woman wears light sparkly shadow around her eyes that makes them glow and minimal lip color, I think that's the perfect makeup look. If her lipstick is too bright, I'm afraid to get in there and really kiss her if the opportunity arises." - Brandon E.

4. Rocker-Chic Eyes
"I'm into either the all-natural style or punk rocker eyes, where there's dark eye shadow and mascara, but not too much. I think it's sexy and rebellious and gives off an "FU" attitude." - Nick H.

Related: The Best Long-Lasting Party Makeup

5. Minimal Makeup
"I don't like when a girl wears a lot of makeup, because if she has too much on then it's not really her. A light amount of foundation that matches her skin tone is the best-when it doesn't match the rest of her skin, it looks too fake and not attractive." - Tony C.

6. A Bit of Blush
"The tiniest amount of pink color on a woman's cheeks is really sexy. The more natural, the better. I like it because it looks like she just came in from outside on a cold day or just finished running." - Jeff D.

Banning smoking in enclosed public places can lead to lower rates of preterm birth, according to Belgian researchers who say the findings point to health benefits of smoke-free laws even in very early life.

It is well known that smoking during pregnancy can stunt the growth of unborn babies and shorten gestation, and that second-hand smoke exposure can also effect births, but little was known about the impact of smoking bans on preterm birth rates.

So a team of researchers led by Tim Nawrot of Belgium's Hasselt University investigated trends in preterm births - before 37 weeks gestation - from 2002 to 2011 covering a period before, during and after the introduction of smoke-free laws.

They found the risk of preterm birth after the introduction of each phase of Belgium's smoking ban, which was implemented in three phases - in public places and most workplaces in January 2006, in restaurants in January 2007, and in bars serving food in January 2010.

No decreasing trend in preterm was evident in the years or months before the bans, the researchers said in their study in the British Medical Journal on Friday.

"Our study shows a consistent pattern of reduction in the risk of preterm delivery with successive population interventions to restrict smoking," the researchers wrote.

"It supports the notion that smoking bans have public health benefits even from early life."

Smoking causes lung cancer, often fatal, and other chronic respiratory diseases. It is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the world's number one killers.

With long flights, decadent foods, and little time for the gym, traveling can take its toll. How can you avoid the nasty flu going around and stick to your New Year's Resolution even when you're in and out of airports or on the road? We asked three guys who travel for a living for tips for staying fit while still enjoying your trip.

Andrew Evans, National Geographic's Digital Nomad, gets paid to travel the world exploring and to share his experiences through social media and blogging. He traveled 276 days in 2012, and expects to hit the same number this year. He averages one airplane and one new country per week.

Unplug to unwind. Shut off all your gadgets, turn off the TV screen, drink a glass of water, put on a face mask, stick in ear plugs, breathe deeply, meditate, and then go to sleep, he suggests. "I rarely use any sleep aids because I don't like feeling groggy," he says. "I find if I've done some intense exercise before a flight, it helps me sleep."

Improvise. When there's no gym at his disposal, Evans takes advantage of what's around. In hotel rooms he does dips with the chair and bed, arm curls with his packed suitcase, and pushups and situps daily. (Try this Hotel Room Workout you can do with your carry-on luggage.)

"When all else fails, you have to be inventive and determined," he says. "I do pull-ups on tree branches or on the exposed water pipes in the hotel basement. You can do box jumps on a concrete barrier, or run intervals in a parking lot." Constantly traveling also forced him to become a runner. "You can run anywhere in the world--and I have, on all seven continents."

Make "less bad" food decisions. Travel tends to favor quick junk food or heavy luxury food. Evans allows himself one splurge meal per week, and otherwise steers clear of sweets and takes the bread basket off the table.

"When you don't have a choice about what you're eating, then it comes down to making bad options less bad," he says. "For example, get the fish, skip the chips, and pull off the breading." For more eating out tips, sign up for the Eat This, Not That! newsletter to learn how to make healthy swaps at hundreds of restaurants.

Ironman athlete and marketing professional Peter Shankman travels 250,000 miles per year. He answers the majority of his emails on a plane and eats at home a tenth of the time he outs out, usually in another city or country.

Don't be shy. "Bellhops, receptionists, and shuttle-bus drivers usually know the best jogging routes in a new city, as do flight attendants," says Shankman. "Ask them. You might even wind up with a new running partner."

Drink, drink, drink. Flying, changing time zones, switching weather patterns, and sitting in airports or hotels are dehydrating. The more water you drink, the easier the trip is, he says.

Pack your own snacks. Airline food is filled with fats and oils. Shankman packs TSA-approved baggies of almonds, beef jerky, and other healthy foods that don't take up too much room. (Save money and Make Your Own Healthy Beef Jerky.)

BMW is recalling almost 570,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada because a battery cable connector can fail and cause the engines to stall.

The recall affects popular 3-Series sedans, wagons, convertibles and coupes from the 2007 through 2011 model years. Also included are 1-Series coupes and convertibles from 2008 through 2012, and the Z4 sports car from 2009 through 2011.

The cable connectors and a fuse box terminal in the cars can degrade over time, and that can break the electrical connection between the trunk-mounted battery and the fuse box at the front. If that happens, the cars could lose electrical power, causing the engines to stall unexpectedly, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website Saturday.

The company says in documents sent to NHTSA that the problem stems from movement between the battery cable and the fuse box.

BMW says it knows of one minor collision in Canada due to the problem, but no injuries.

The German automaker says dealers will replace the battery cable connector and secure it for free. It will start notifying owners in March.

The 3-Series is BMW's most popular car in the U.S., dominating the small luxury car market. The company sold nearly 100,000 of them in the U.S. last year.

The recall affects more than 504,000 cars in the U.S. and another 65,000 in Canada.