Cops: Weeks of planning went into shootings at Colo. Batman screening

Saturday, July 21, 2012
A graduate student's attack in a sold-out theater near Denver showing the new Batman movie, in which 12 people were killed early Friday, was the culmination of two months of meticulous planning that included a potentially deadly booby trap left in the suspect's home for investigators, authorities said.
Fifty-eight other people were injured, many of them seriously, in the shootings shortly after midnight at the Century 16 Movie Theaters complex in Aurora, Colo. Earlier reports had said 59 people were injured, but police revised that number at a news conference Friday night. All but a small handful of the injured had been shot, Police Chief Dan Oates said. Thirty people remained in area hospitals Friday night, 11 of them in critical condition, after a carefully orchestrated attack in which the suspect, identified as James Eagan Holmes, 24, bought all of his weapons and ammunition legally beginning in May.

Late Friday, the family of Alex Sullivan, 27, said in a statement that he was among the dead, the Denver Post and The Associated Press reported. Heart-wrenching photographs taken earlier Friday showed Sullivan's father, Tom, grieving and pleading for information about his son. 
Federal and local enforcement officials said Holmes was sheathed in a helmet, a gas mask, a tactical bulletproof vest, throat and groin protectors and tactical gloves. All of the gear was black.
Holmes was armed with two .40-caliber Glock handguns, a Remington 870 single-barrel pump shotgun, a Smith & Wesson AR-15 assault-style rifle and as many as 6,000 rounds of ammunition, Oates said.
The scene also appeared to have been specially targeted for maximum carnage — the local premiere of one of the most eagerly awaited movies of the year, "The Dark Knight Rises," the third in the series of director Christopher Nolan's Batman films.
In a statement, Nolan expressed "profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community."
Aurora, Colo., Police Chief Dan Oates says the suspect in the theater shootings bought his weapons and ammunition legally.
After he was arrested outside the theater, Holmes told police that he was the Joker, a reference to one of the most prominent villains in the Batman canon, a law enforcement official told NBC News on condition of anonymity. (The official said the suspect had dyed his hair red or orange, which isn't typically associated with the green-haired Joker character, who doesn't appear in "The Dark Knight Rises.")
Aurora police said Holmes also booby-trapped his apartment with an elaborate network of wire-connected bottles containing an unknown liquid, presumably intended to go off when authorities arrived to canvass his home.
Holmes told police about the trap before they arrived, however, and investigators hadn't entered the apartment Friday night. They were analyzing gases and examining photographs of the scene to figure out how to deal with the materials and had decided to defer any action until Saturday at the earliest, Oates said.
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"It's not something I've ever seen before," said Oates, who said that the area was evacuated and that police were expected to remain on the scene "for hours or days."
Holmes, a graduate student from San Diego who was in the process of withdrawing from the neuroscience program at the University of Colorado-Denver medical school, put up no resistance when he was arrested in a parking lot at the theater, police said. He retained legal counsel and wasn't answering investigators' questions, they said.
"We are confident he acted alone," Oates said of Holmes, who was scheduled to appear in Arapahoe County District Court on Monday morning to face unspecified charges. Authorities refused to speculate on his possible motive.
One of those killed was Jessica Ghawi, a sportswriter who survived a June 2 mass shooting at a mall in Toronto in which two people were killed and seven others were injured. Ghawi blogged under the name Jessica Redfield.
Defense officials told NBC News that a sailor at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora was missing and presumed to have been killed. A second sailor and two airmen from Buckley were also shot. Their identities and conditions weren't available.
Authorities said the gunman appeared at the front of the theater at 12:39 a.m. (2:39 a.m. ET), about 20 minutes into the film, and released two canisters of gas. Witnesses told reporters that the gunfire erupted during a shootout scene. Authorities responded within a minute and a half, Oates said.
"It was mass chaos," witness Jennifer Seeger told TODAY. The gunman shot the ceiling and then "he threw in the gas can, and then I knew it was real."
Witnesses said the gunman entered the theater at Aurora Town Center through an emergency exit door. But a federal law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the suspect bought a ticket and went in as part of the crowd. He is believed to have propped open an exit door as the movie was playing, the official said.
Aurora is a suburb less than 10 miles east of downtown Denver and just 15 miles northeast of Littleton, near the scene of what had been the worst mass shooting in Colorado: the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999, when two gunmen killed 12 fellow students and a teacher and wounded 26 other people before killing themselves.
Three of the suspect's four weapons were found in his white Hyundai parked at the back entrance to the theater; one of the handguns was found in the theater.
Law enforcement officials told NBC News that the weapons were legally bought from local stores of two national chains — Gander Mountain Guns and Bass Pro Shop — beginning in May.
Oates didn't say what kind of magazines were used, but he said "many, many rounds were fired." Some rounds penetrated an adjoining theater and injured at least one person, he said.
Jennifer Seeger, who sat in the second row of the theater when the gunman arrived, tells NBC's Brian Williams about her ordeal.
James Yacone, the FBI's agent in charge in Denver, said there was no indication of a link to terrorism. Holmes wasn't on any federal law enforcement watch lists, authorities told NBC News, and Oates said he had no police record beyond a speeding ticket last year.
The few people who had any contact with Holmes described him as a recluse who lived with his shades drawn and who, when he did meet someone, revealed little.
"He kept to himself, didn't like a lot of attention," said Melvin Evans, a neighbor.
Another neighbor, Kaitlyn Fonzi, said, "We never heard anything abnormal until midnight this morning, when we heard loud techno music playing" from Holmes' apartment.
'Pain and grief ... too intense for words'Gov. John Hickenlooper said at a news conference that "our hearts are broken as we think of the friends and family of the victims of this senseless tragedy." He called the shootings "the act of an apparently very deranged mind."
"The pain and grief (are) too intense for words, but we can't let it keep us from our lives," Hickenlooper said. "We are going to come back stronger from this, but it is obviously going to be a very long process."
President Barack Obama cut short a campaign visit to Florida to return to Washington ahead of schedule.
He called for reflection after the attack. "There are going to be other days for politics," Obama said during an abbreviated appearance in Fort Myers, where he led a moment of silence on behalf of the victims and their families.

Madonna puts gun to her head in on-stage stunt

Thursday, July 19, 2012
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The true worth of TV stars: $1 million per episode? Get Ashton Kutcher a raise!

Chelsea Handler is the most overpaid celebrity on TV and Ashton Kutcher should be asking for a hefty raise, according to a semi-scientificstudy conducted by The Los Angeles Times.
The Times’ study divided the salaries of TV personalities by the average number of viewers their show attracts, ranking them according to how much money they make per viewer. Handler, who makes $12 million, attracts only 718,000 viewers on average, which works out to the comedienne earning an astonishing $16.70 for each viewer – the most of any TV personality.
While the study fails to account for the fact that some performers tape 200 or more episodes per year (Jon Stewart’s “Daily Show,” for example) or the importance of attracting a young demographic (we’ll give you that, Chelsea) or the fact that all salaries are unofficial and based on “agency sources and reported figures” as the Times concedes, the study nonetheless provides an interesting look into the rather incomprehensible, illogical world of TV.
According to the findings, it seems that Handler, David Letterman and Anderson Cooper are maximizing personal gain, rounding out the top three in most money per viewer; however, “Jersey Shore’s” Snooki, “Modern Family’s” Ty Burrell and “Two and a Half Men’s” Kutcher are giving their networks a real bang for their buck with some of the lowest per viewer earnings. Then again, it’s hard to think Burrell and Snooki’s million-dollar annual salaries are reason to groan. And while Kutcher pulls in only $1.16 per viewer, with a $17 million salary he ends up making about $1 million for each of his twenty-two minute episodes. All of a sudden, the floppy-haired star doesn’t seem so underpaid.
It really does seem impossible to gauge how much a star deserves though. “Judge Judy’s” Judith Sheindlin makes the most of any TV personality: $45 million annually. How's that work, you might ask? The supreme ease and profit in syndicating “Judge Judy” is probably the best answer. But other questions abound.
Why should Stephen Colbert earn only one-third of Jon Stewart’s salary for making essentially the same show? And how did Keith Olbermann make what the Times estimates to be $56 per viewer when helming “Countdown” on Al Gore’s Current TV?
Perhaps paychecks hinge less on economic sense and more on an entertainer’s “it” factor and potential drawing power. The Times notes that “intense competition makes network executives do increasingly desperate things.”

After all, Olbermann's short-lived gig pulled Current TV into the spotlight, Letterman has helped make CBS the most-watched network thanks in part to his show’s late-night domination, and Stewart pulls in youngsters and provides a widely watched platform for movie stars and authors alike to discuss their projects and crack a few jokes.
While we can roll our collective eyes at Chelsea Handler’s $16.70 per viewer salary for “Chelsea Lately,” perhaps someone over at E! knows exactly why she deserves so much. It just goes to further prove how complex the TV industry is. Either that, or Handler has one hell of an agent.

Fred Willard arrested for alleged lewd act at adult theater

Actor Fred Willard, 72, was arrested on suspicion of engaging in a lewd act at an adult theater, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
Uniformed officers arrested Willard Wednesday night at the Tiki Theater on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, police told the newspaper. The actor was booked and released on his own recognizance, police Sgt. Chuck Slater told the paper.
According to TMZ.com, the theater was showing three movies, "Follow Me 2," a XXX parody of "The Client List," and "Step Dad No. 2."
Willard currently hosts a comedy improv and talk show on ABC, "Trust Us With Your Life."Willard received three Emmy nominations for his role as Ray's brother's father-in-law on "Everybody Loves Raymond" and one for his role on "Modern Family." He is also known for his roles in Christopher Guest films, including "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind."
Internet punsters have been merrily pointing out that Willard is reportedly scheduled to star in a small film ironically titled "The Yank," a romantic comedy set in Ireland.
Comedian Paul Reubens, creator of Pee-wee Herman, was famously arrested in 1991 in an adult theater. CBS stopped airing Reubens' show after the arrest and ensuing controversy, but public sympathy fell heavily with the comic, who received a standing ovation for poking fun at the arrest at that year's MTV Video Music Awards.

U.S. News Best Hospitals 2012-13: the Honor Roll

Tuesday, July 17, 2012
 
The medical centers in the Best Hospitals Honor Roll are members of an unusually exclusive club, one that makes up less than 0.4 percent of the nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide that U.S. News evaluated for the 2012-13 rankings. The 17 hospitals on the list, most of them household names, excel across a broad spectrum of patient care, scoring at or near the top this year in at least six of the 16 Best Hospitals medical specialties.
Displacing Johns Hopkins, Mass General is No. 1 for the first time. It marks the end of a 21-year reign for Hopkins that started in 1991, the year after U.S. News began publishing Best Hospitals. Another first: Indiana University Health is new to the Honor Roll.
Rank
HospitalPoints
Specialties
1
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston30
16
2
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore30
15
3
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.28
15
4
Cleveland Clinic, Ohio27
14
5
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles20
13
6
Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis20
12
7
New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, N.Y.18
11
8
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.17
11
9
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston17
10
10
UPMC-University of Pittsburgh Medical Center16
9
11
NYU Langone Medical Center, New York11
8
12
Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago10
10
13
UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco9
7
14
Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York9
6
15
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia8
7
16
Indiana University Health, Indianapolis7
6
17
University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, Ann Arbor6
6

Scientists see AIDS vaccine within reach after decades

About 2880 candles are seen lit during a World AIDS Day event in Jakarta
 At an ill-fated press conference in 1984, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler boldly predicted an effective AIDS vaccine would be available within just two years.
But a string of failed attempts - punctuated by a 2007 trial in which a Merck vaccine appeared to make people more vulnerable to infection, not less - cast a shadow over AIDS vaccine research that has taken years to dispel.
A 2009 clinical trial in Thailand was the first to show it was possible to prevent HIV infection in humans. Since then, discoveries have pointed to even more powerful vaccines using HIV-fighting antibodies. Now scientists believe a licensed vaccine is within reach.
"We know the face of the enemy," said Dr. Barton Haynes, of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and recent director of the Center for HIV AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI). The research consortium was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), founded in 2005 by the National Institutes of Health to identify and overcome roadblocks in the design of vaccines for the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS. NIAID's funding of CHAVI ended in June.
Unlike many viruses behind infectious disease, HIV is a moving target, constantly spitting out slightly different versions of itself, with different strains affecting different populations around the world. The virus is especially pernicious since it attacks the immune system, the very mechanism the body needs to fight back.
"The virus is far more crafty than we ever thought," said Haynes, who will outline progress in vaccine research at the International AIDS Society's 2012 conference being held in Washington from July 22-27.
First sign of hope Thanks to drugs that can control the virus for decades, AIDS is no longer a death sentence. New infections have fallen by 21 percent since the peak of the pandemic in 1997 and advances in prevention - through voluntary circumcision programs, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and early treatment - promise to cut that rate even more.
Still, as many as 34 million people are infected with HIV worldwide. And with 2.7 million new infections in 2010 alone, experts say a vaccine is still the best hope for eradicating AIDS.
Teams have been working on a vaccine for nearly three decades, but it wasn't until RV144, the 2009 clinical trial involving more than 16,000 adults in Thailand, that researchers achieved any hint of success.
The test of a combination of two vaccines followed several big failures, including the stunning news that Merck's vaccine may have increased the risk of infection among men who were both uncircumcised and had prior exposure to the virus used in the vaccine.
"It had an extremely chilling effect on the whole field," said Colonel Nelson Michael, director of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, which led the RV144 trial.
The Thai study tested Sanofi's ALVAC, a weakened canary pox virus used to sneak three HIV genes into the body, and AIDSVAX, a vaccine originally made by Roche Holding's Genentech that carried an HIV surface protein.
Both vaccines had poor showings in individual trials. Researchers were so convinced the Thai trial would fail that 22 scientists wrote an editorial in Science calling it a waste of money.
Then came the shocker. Results of the study published in 2009 showed the vaccine combination cut HIV infections by 31.2 percent. According to Michael and many other experts, the result was not big enough to be considered effective, but its impact on researchers was huge, says Wayne Koff, chief scientific officer of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) based in New York.
An extensive analysis of the Thai trial published this year in the New England Journal of Medicine offered clues about why some volunteers responded.
The study, led by Haynes, scientists at Walter Reed and 25 other institutions, found men and women who were vaccinated made antibodies to a specific region of the virus's outer coat, suggesting this region provides an important vaccine target.
Preparations are under way for a follow-up trial testing beefed-up versions of the vaccines among heterosexuals in South Africa and men who have sex with men in Thailand.
Once again, the trial will use a Sanofi vaccine, but instead of AIDSVAX, researchers will use a different vaccine candidate with a boosting agent from Novartis.
Michael said it has been a major effort to secure new research partners and funding, including support from host countries, as well as to persuade rivals Novartis and Sanofi to work together. The teams still need to retool the vaccines to work in South Africa, where the strain of HIV is different.
"We're really working as fast as we can," said Michael, who expects large-scale effectiveness studies to start in 2016.
The hope is to have at least 50 percent effectiveness, a level that mathematical modelers say could have a major impact on the epidemic. Michael thinks this might be the pathway for getting the first HIV vaccine licensed, possibly by 2019.
Vaccine experts are equally excited about a vaccine that Michael's team is developing with Harvard University and Johnson & Johnson's Crucell unit, which uses weakened versions of a common cold virus and a smallpox virus.
A study published in February showed this vaccine protected monkeys from a virulent strain of HIV. Animals that did become infected after repeated exposure also had low levels of virus in their blood. Safety studies in human patients are just starting, with large-scale efficacy studies slated for 2016.

First female country music star Kitty Wells dead at 92

Singer Kitty Wells, whose hits such as "Making Believe" and "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" made her the first female superstar of country music, died Monday. She was 92.
The singer's family said she died peacefully at home after complications from a stroke.
Her solo recording career lasted from 1952 to the late 1970s and she made concert tours from the late 1930s until 2000. That year, she announced she was quitting the road, although she performed occasionally in Nashville and elsewhere afterward.
Her "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" in 1952 was the first No. 1 hit by a woman soloist on the country music charts and dashed the notion that women couldn't be headliners. Billboard magazine had been charting country singles for about eight years at that time.
She recorded approximately 50 albums, had 25 Top 10 country hits and went around the world several times. From 1953 to 1968, various polls listed Wells as the No. 1 female country singer. Tammy Wynette finally dethroned her.
In 1976, she was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and 10 years later received the Pioneer Award from the Academy of Country Music. In 1991 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences -- the group that presents the Grammy Awards.
Her 1955 hit "Making Believe" was on the movie soundtrack of "Mississippi Burning" that was released 33 years later. Among her other hits were "The Things I Might Have Been," "Release Me," "Amigo's Guitar," "Heartbreak USA," "Left to Right" and a version of "I Can't Stop Loving You."
In 1989, Wells collaborated with Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn and k.d. lang on the record "The Honky Tonk Angels Medley."
"I never really thought about being a pioneer," she said in an Associated Press interview in 2008. "I loved doing what I was doing."
Her songs tended to treasure devotion and home life, with titles like "Searching (For Someone Like You)" and "Three Ways (To Love You)." But her "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" gave the woman's point of view about the wild side of life.
The song was written by J.D. Miller as a retort to Hank Thompson's 1952 hit, "The Wild Side of Life."
The chorus to Thompson's record was:
I didn't know God made honky-tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife —
But you gave up the only one that ever loved you
And went back to the wild side of life.
In his response, Miller wrote:
It wasn't God who made honky-tonk angels,
As you said in the words of your song,
Too many times married men think they're still single,
That has caused many a good girl to go wrong.
It's a shame that all blame is on us women ....
The song opened the way for women to present their view of life and love in country music. It also encouraged Nashville songwriters to begin writing from a woman's perspective.
The song was controversial enough that the Grand Ole Opry asked Wells not to perform it, and some radio stations were reluctant to play it.
"They get away with a lot more today," Wells told the AP in 1986. "They're more (sexually) suggestive today."
In 2008, the Library of Congress announced that Wells' record had been added to its National Recording Registry of works of unusual historic merit.
Also that year, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum honored her with an exhibit about her career.
Her second hit, "Paying for That Back Street Affair," in 1953, was also written as an answer to a previous hit, Webb Pierce's "Back Street Affair."
She was known as a gracious, elegant and family-oriented person.
"What I've done has been satisfying," she said in the 1986 AP interview. "I wouldn't change a thing."
About her many years of touring, she said, "I like going to different places and seeing the scenery and meeting the people. I've always enjoyed traveling. It's as good a way as any to spend your time."
She was born Ellen Muriel Deason in Nashville, the daughter of a railroad brakeman.
She began playing the guitar at age 14 and soon was performing at dances in the Nashville area.
Wells married Johnny Wright, half of a duo called Johnny and Jack, in 1938 when she was not yet 20, and soon began touring with the duo. She took her stage name from an old folk song, "Sweet Kitty Wells." Johnny Wright died Sept. 27, 2011.
By the late '40s, they were appearing on the Grand Ole Opry. He performed with her throughout her career and their long marriage.
Son Bobby Wright, one of her three children, played a countrified sailor on the TV show "McHale's Navy" from 1962 to 1966.

Two killed, 19 wounded in Toronto party shooting

Two people have died and at least 19 others were wounded in a shooting at a block party in the eastern Toronto suburb of Scarborough Monday night, according to Canadian media reports.
Toronto police Chief Bill Blair told CBC that a teenage girl and a man aged about 20 had been killed in the violence shortly before 11 p.m. ET Monday.
An infant was also wounded in the shooting, he told CBC, although the child's injuries were not life threatening.
"I've been a cop for 35 years, this is the worst incidence of gun violence in my memory anywhere in North America," Blair said.

Sylvester Stallone's son dies at 36

Monday, July 16, 2012
 Sage Stallone, left, and his uncle Frank Stallone arrive at the Hollywood premiere of  
 
Sage Stallone, the 36-year-old son of actor Sylvester Stallone, died Friday.
"Sylvester Stallone is devastated and grief-stricken over the sudden loss of his son Sage Stallone," his representative said in a statement. "His compassion and thoughts are with Sage's mother, Sasha. Sage was a very talented and wonderful young man. His loss will be felt forever."
Sage Stallone's attorney, George Braunstein, told Los Angeles TV station KNBC that Sage Stallone was engaged to be married and was working on various film projects at the time of his death.
He acted in several movies, including "Daylight" and "Rocky V" with his father.
The younger Stallone also co-founded Grindhouse Releasing, a company that describes itself as "dedicated to the restoration and preservation of motion pictures historically held in very low regard."

Katie Holmes 'doing all right' as Tom Cruise has 'somber' birthday

Katie Holmes 'doing all right' as Tom Cruise has 'somber' birthday
As the press tells it, Katie Holmes is all smiles while her estranged husband Tom Cruise has a somber birthday.
The actor, who turned 50 on July 3, is said to have spent the day with extended family members and his two kids with ex-wife Nicole Kidman, Bella and Connor. The timing was undoubtedly rough, as Cruise's ex Holmes had just filed for divorce from the "Mission: Impossible" star the week before.
For his part, 17-year-old Connor retweeted a statement to his Twitter account that some read as a display of support for his dad, as it read, "#LaFamilia‬ Always. Friends Come And Go, But Family Is Forever."
People magazine reports that Connor and his 19-year-old sister gathered with Cruise, recently named the highest paid actor in show business by Forbes, in Beverly Hills on Tuesday. The magazine cites an inside source who said that the vibe that day was "somber ... Just very, very sad."
When Cruise flew to California from Iceland, where he's been filming the movie "Oblivion," to celebrate his 50th, Holmes was on the opposite coast with the pair's 6-year-old daughter Suri.
The New York Daily News says that it approached 33-year-old Holmes while she was out shopping at a Whole Foods with Suri on Wednesday, and the actress allegedly told the paper, "I'm doing all right, thank you."
Holmes, who's reportedly moved out of the New York home she shared with Cruise and into her own place, was also photographed on July 4 smiling with Suri over ice cream.
In a new reported interview with Elle magazine that will arrive on newsstands July 17, Holmes hinted that her 30s have ushered in "a new phase."
"I definitely feel more comfortable in my own skin," she told the magazine, according to the New York Post's Page Six. "I feel sexier. I think in my 20s, it's like you're trying too hard to figure everything out ... I'm starting to come into my own. It's like a new phase."
Indeed, Holmes went on, “I know who I am and where I am and where I want to go, so I want to focus on that."

Jennifer Lopez departs 'Idol': 'The time has come'

Jennifer Lopez departs 'Idol': 'The time has come'
After weeks of speculation - and some heavy hinting on "Today" Thursday - Jennifer Lopez confirmed on Friday that she's leaving "American Idol."
The 42-year-old actress/singer and mom to 4-year-old twins Max and Emme told "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest on his radio show that she had to take something off her plate, and it looks like that thing is "American Idol."
"I honestly feel like the time has come, that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I've put kind of on hold because I love 'Idol' so much," she explained. "I could just keep doing 'Idol' for the rest of my life, but that would be giving up a bunch of other things. I feel like we had an amazing run."
Lopez, who has served as an "Idol" judge for two seasons, reiterated how difficult a choice this was for her. "It's been a long thought process ... I really have been torn," she told Seacrest, adding later, "It’s really going to be hard for me to go."
"I have my movies and music and my this and that ... and it just gets more complicated, as the kids get a little bigger. It started feeling like it was a lot, and something had to give. And that's, I think, where I am right now."
Just yesterday, Lopez's fellow "Idol" judge Steven Tyler announced that he was leaving the show to focus on his music.
“After some long...hard...thoughts…I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement from Fox. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back – but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band."
The one judge left standing - Randy Jackson - is rumored to be on his way out as well, while Mariah Carey and Adam Lambert are among those rumored to be in the running to step in as new judges on the Fox show.

Mike Tyson's reason for going vegan: Prostitutes?

 Mike Tyson's reason for going vegan: Prostitutes?

Mike Tyson told "Today" host Ann Curry Tuesday morning that he adopted the vegan lifestyle to help usher in change - and not just change in what  was on his dinner plate.
While much of America was enjoying a first cup of coffee, the former heavyweight champion - who was on the program with director Spike Lee to plug his new one-man show on Broadway - took them down a winding road lined with hookers and regret as he explained what changed him.
"I just threw up the white flag,” he said. “Too many prison cells, jail, too many lawsuits, too many bankruptcies, too many women, too many venereal diseases, too many everything. I got tired."
And then there was this apparent tipping point: "I really got tired of um, every time my prostitute girlfriend came back from a trip I had to sleep with her, so I said you know, I’m going to live a different life."
But Tyson wasn't done yet. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I was a prostitute hunter,” he added.
It's only then that Curry says, “OK, I’m going to stop you there,” which was probably a good idea. If you want to hear more frank reflection from the boxer, you'll find it in his one-man production, "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth," which will take over New York's Longacre Theatre from July 31 to August 5.

Yahoo hacked, 450,000 passwords posted online

 Login information of more than 450,000 Yahoo users was hacked and posted online in a warning to the site.
Hackers posted online what they say is login information for more than 450,000 Yahoo users.
The hack, which of course was conducted anonymously, was meant to be a warning, according to the Web page where the documents were dumped.
"We hope that the parties responsible for managing the security of this subdomain will take this as a wake-up call, and not as a threat," a note on the page said. "There have been many security holes exploited in Web servers belonging to Yahoo! Inc. that have caused far greater damage than our disclosure. Please do not take them lightly."
The statement adds that the "subdomain and vulnerable parameters" that were used to hack the site were not posted "to avoid further damage."
The Web page where the data was dumped was offline for much of Thursday morning.
Yahoo confirmed on Thursday the hack of Yahoo Voices, part of its news service, saying "approximately 400,000" usernames and passwords were stolen. But in a written statement, the company said that less than 5% of the breached Yahoo accounts had valid passwords.
"At Yahoo! we take security very seriously and invest heavily in protective measures to ensure the security of our users and their data across all our products," the statement said. "We are fixing the vulnerability that led to the disclosure of this data, changing the passwords of the affected Yahoo! users and notifying the companies whose users accounts may have been compromised."
Yahoo apologized in the statement and urged users to change their passwords on a regular basis.
Voices is an online publishing tool. Formerly known as Associated Content, it was acquired by Yahoo in 2010. Starting in its days as an independent company, many have criticized it as a "content farm," a website that cranks out low-quality content designed to game search engines like Google to get page views and sell advertising.
Perhaps due to the similarity of the names, some early reports from security analysts and others identified the hack as impacting users of Yahoo Voice, the site's Web phone service.
As it has after previous hacks, tech blog CNET broke down the list to find the most frequently used passwords. Many of them were embarrassingly easy to crack.
Sequential lists of numbers, like "12345," were used 2,295 times, and "password" was used 780 times, out of the 450,000 passwords.

What to wear to an interview: the new rules

 

1. Go undercover
"People working in the same building often dress in sync," says Kat Griffin, who founded Corporette.com, a site for professional women. She realized this simple truth after showing up at her conservative Wall Street office wearing what many magazines told her was appropriate (revealing wrap dresses and fishnet stockings) or frumpy suits, neither of which did her any favors.
Have a cup of coffee in the morning near your potential new office or drive by during lunchtime and watch people going in and out. Just don't do your investigating on a Friday when many companies' dress codes are more relaxed, says Brenda Arnold, regional vice president of Robert Half International, a staffing firm.
If you're still unsure, make a call to a local professional organization (like the local bar association if you're a lawyer) to see what they recommend.
2. Create a halo effect
A well-tailored outfit suggests that you're conscientious and detail-oriented in other areas, says Frank Bernieri, PhD, associate professor in the psychology department at Oregon State University.
So take time to make sure your clothes fit you well. For instance, the stylish skirt you see at the store might be hitting the 5'8" mannequin perfectly, but you...not so much. Skirts should be barely above or at your knee, says Griffin. Any longer and you'll look dowdy; any shorter and, well, you know what message that sends.
Trousers should touch the tops of your shoes but not fall below the heels and drag on the ground. To quickly deal with a pair of too-long pants, slip on a slightly higher pump or try iron-on adhesive tape for a no-sew hem.
3. Stick to the classics
No matter what field you're interviewing in, you'll do well to find the line between looking stiff and looking sloppy.
When it doubt, as O creative director Adam Glassman says, think classic -- as in foolproof and flattering silhouettes, like the basic button-down (try the no-iron kind from Brooks Brothers), pencil skirt, slim trousers, and sheath dress, all of which are appropriate to wear to an interview in almost every industry.
Throw on a smart blazer (which conveys authority); it can also be taken off if you're feeling overdressed. "Don't forget to cut the zigzag thread stitched over pockets or the vent in a new jacket, skirt or pair of pants," says Griffin. If you agonize over coordinating separates, try purchasing a piece that comes already mixed and matched (like this two-in-one dress from the Limited that gives the illusion of a top and skirt).
For law firms or investment banks, go with a suit. You'll want to avoid trendier pieces—mesh tops or pajama-inspired tops — even if your interview is at a dot-com or creative ad agency. (For those, choose one of the above tops and pair it with dark denim.)
4. Step out of the shadows
Looking professional doesn't have to mean black (although we do appreciate its slimming effect). Choosing a classic top, pair of trousers or shift dress in a rich and vibrant color (like spring's bold tangerine) demonstrates a certain level of confidence — a must-have for any job.
Splashy prints, like florals or stripes, can also be interview-appropriate...when worn in moderation. A patterned cardigan would work with a solid skirt or pair of pants. If you're prone to sweat, skip the light blue oxford or a silk blouse for something darker and thicker that won't reveal underarm wet spots.
Not ready to take the leap from charcoal to chartreuse? Think about a different, less-mournful neutral — like this season's sophisticated navy. Glassman says it flatters almost any skin tone and can be paired with everything from fuchsia to camel.
5. Accessorize with aplomb
Well-chosen accessories can telegraph your creativity and make you stand out in an applicant pool filled with play-it-safe pearls.
However, Glassman once met with a candidate who had on earrings so large they resembled napkin rings, so he'd like to remind interviewees to choose one bold piece — like a vibrant beaded necklace or an oversize men's-style watch (free of gimmicky gems or wacky colors).
Also, steer clear of big bracelets or large cocktail rings that can get in the way of a firm handshake.
When it comes to shoes, closed toe is the best way to go (even in the summer), says Griffin. Yours should be scuff-free but also comfortable (Rockport and Cole Haan both incorporate sneaker technology into their heels).
Walking a few blocks to a restaurant for lunch is often part of the interview at many law firms or financial institutions. While the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) may be bringing back buff hose one royal skirt suit at a time, if you're interviewing in a more conservative environment (like a bank or government office) where stockings are a must, Glassman says they should match your shoes for a leg-lengthening effect.
6. Take the sit-down test
Some outfits look good when you're standing up, but when you're seated across from your potential employer it could reveal...ahem...a whole other side of you. Buttons can gape, skirts can ride up, and your bra can peek out from what you thought was a demure blouse.
Pull a chair up in front of a mirror and take a seat — this helps you spot problem areas you might otherwise miss, says Griffin. You should remember that your one-on-one may not always take place in an office.
Andrea Bredau, vice president of human resources at Huge Incorporated, an interactive advertising agency, often meets with people in a lounge area with a low couch. She says that this slouchier seating arrangement recently revealed a well-qualified candidate's derriere — something she'd rather not remember.
You can always take a photo of your interview outfit and send it to a friend for a second opinion. Do your dry run several days in advance so you have time to drag out the ironing board, make adjustments or visit the dry cleaner.

8 religious wonders to see in the U.S.

People visit Jerusalem for the rich history, interwoven religious narratives and crumbling holy walls. They visit Europe for ornate churches with painted ceilings and golden trim. They visit India for peace of mind, finding serenity in its carved and colorful temples scattered along the sacred Ganges River.
But people rarely travel the U.S. in search of such sanctuaries. After all, what religious wisdom could America, a country still in its youth at 236 years old, have to offer?
Although the country may not have a reputation for religious landmarks, America is home to more than just secular city halls and strip malls. Whether or not you practice a faith, visiting these beautiful and historic U.S. religious spots may provide inspiration.

 
Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois
This Bahá'í House of Worship is one of just seven Bahá'í temples in the world and is the only of its kind found in North America. It's just 30 minutes north of Chicago in Wilmette, Illinois.
Although the house of worship was created with a mixture of quartz and cement, the intricately carved temple looks as if it's made of white lace. Like all Bahá'í houses of worship, the circular temple has nine sides and is surrounded by fountain-filled gardens.
The temple services members of the Bahá'í faith, a religion founded in 19th-century Persia that stresses unity of all humankind. Anyone is welcome to visit the space -- its auditorium and gardens are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day free of charge.
"We don't ask what your religion is -- we don't even care," the temple's summer tour coordinator, Gwendolyn Clayborne, said. "It's a place for people to come and meditate and pray and just get in touch with their spiritual sides."
Clayborne said people are surprised such a temple, which was completed in 1953 and took more than 30 years to construct, can be found in Illinois.
"A few people from Chicago will admit it's the best kept secret," Clayborne said.

 This Bahá'í House of Worship, one of just seven Bahá'í temples in the world, is located 30 minutes north of Chicago.
Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, California
With its traditional Chinese design, this Buddhist temple looks like it came from the Far East.
Although it was completed in 1988, the temple's architecture is faithful to the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties, which ruled in China from the 14th to 20th centuries.
The Hsi Lai Temple features golden tiles in its buildings, protective figurines on its roof and a peaceful courtyard at its center. A bird's-eye view shows the building is shaped like a bodhi leaf, symbolic of the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment.
Inside the temple, an art gallery includes both Eastern and Western paintings, ceramics, photographs and Buddhist artifacts.
"People come here and say, 'I don't know I'm in Southern California. It seems I am in another part of the world,'" said the temple's director of outreach, Miao Hsi.
The temple is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day free of charge, and tours are offered on weekends. For a $7 donation, visitors can enjoy the temple's Chinese vegetarian buffet.
 The Hsi Lai Temple's architecture is faithful to the Ming and Ching dynasties, which ruled in China from the 14th to 20th centuries.

Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Michigan
Although it is a modern mosque in Michigan, inspiration for the Islamic Center of America came from venerable houses of worship in Turkey, India and other countries.
With a stone-carved edifice and fiberglass dome, the mosque's design is distinct. Inside, visitors will find crystal chandeliers, imported granite and a prayer room decorated with Islamic motifs and calligraphy of Quranic verses created by a Lebanese artist.
The 65,000-square-foot facility services nearly 5,000 families in a city with one of the largest Arab-Muslim populations in the U.S. This site has only been open since 2005, but the Islamic Center of America has been serving America's Muslims since 1962.
Guests often are impressed with the mosque's beauty, but what they are most awed by is the center's openness, said Kassem Allie, the center's executive administrator.
"What people are kind of surprised about is we are so open to visitation and dialogue and collaboration," he said. "I think they think we're a closed organization. ... They find out who we are and the fact that we have an open house."
The Islamic Center of America is open to visitors from 9 a.m. to about 11 p.m. daily and free tours of the facility can be scheduled on its website.
 The design of the Islamic Center of America was inspired by houses of worship in Turkey, India and other nations.
Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Augustine, Florida
Memorial Presbyterian Church may be beautiful, but it's the story behind the building that often touches visitors the most.
The church is dedicated to Jenny Louise Benedict, the daughter of tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler, who built the church in 1889. Flagler had always had a special place for St. Augustine in his heart, investing heavily in the city after visiting with his first wife, Mary. And when his beloved daughter died after complications from childbirth, Flagler knew the Presbyterian church he was planning to build in town would be erected in her honor.
Flagler, along with Mary, Jenny Louise and his granddaughter, Marjorie, are all entombed at the church.
The structure's detailed design draws influence from the churches of Europe, including Venice's St. Mark's Basilica. It features wood-carved walls, stained-glass windows, a peaceful sanctuary and a prominent dome that inspires guests to lift their eyes toward the heavens.
"People walk in, and they see a little piece of Europe," church historian Jay Smith said. "I wouldn't say it rivals the European cathedrals, but it has its own unique beauty and majesty, and people are very surprised by that."
Smith said people must remember to appreciate the rich history of Memorial Presbyterian Church and the city that surrounds it. Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the longest continually inhabited city founded by Europeans in the U.S.
Memorial Presbyterian Church is open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and tours of the building are conducted on weekdays.

Visitors to Memorial Presbyterian Church are often impressed with the story behind the building, which was dedicated to the daughter of business tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler after her death.  
Temple Emanu-El in New York City
With a sanctuary that stands 103 feet tall, 100 feet wide and 175 feet long and seating for 2,500 people, New York's Temple Emanu-El is one of the largest Jewish temples in the world.
Inside, Temple Emanu-El is full of color. The ceiling is painted and gilded, its arches are lined with mosaics of glass and marble, and there are more than 60 stained glass windows. The temple is also home to a museum that houses artifacts important in Jewish history.
Completed in 1929, Temple Emanu-El's 5th Avenue and 65th Street location is the fifth home for its congregation, whose members have been worshiping in New York since 1845.
Mark Heutlinger, administrator of the Emanu-El congregation, said the temple and its members are an important fixture "on the greatest street in the greatest land in the greatest city of religious freedom."
"We are a part and parcel of the mosaic society of New York — the quilt of cultures that represents New York City," Heutlinger said.
Admission to Temple Emanu-El is free, and it is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.
 Temple Emanu-El is one of the largest Jewish temples in the world, with a sanctuary that stands 103 feet tall, 100 feet wide and 175 feet long, and seats 2,500 people.
Palace of Gold in Moundsville, West Virginia
A name like Palace of Gold comes with high expectations, and this West Virginia shrine doesn't disappoint.
The Indian-inspired palace is expansive, with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, stained-glass windows, wood-carved furniture and walls covered in leaves of 22-karat gold. The grounds surrounding the building feature an impressive rose garden, a fountain, thousands of different bushes and a lotus-filled lake.
It's hard to believe this exquisite palace, which opened in 1979, was initially intended to be just a simple house.
In 1973, West Virginia devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a Hindu organization more commonly known in the U.S. as the Hare Krishna movement, had decided to build a home for their leader, Srila Prabhupada.
But when Prabhupada died in 1977, the disciples' course of construction changed, and they began instead to build a memorial for Prabhupada. And with that, the elaborate Palace of Gold was born.  
April through August, the Palace of Gold is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and tours are available: $8 for adults and $6 for children ages 6 to18. From September to March, its hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and tours 
 are $6 per adult and $3 per child.
 The Indian-inspired Palace of Gold features marble floors, crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows, wood-carved furniture and walls covered in leaves of 22-karat gold.
Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah
Not everyone who travels to the Salt Lake City Temple is allowed inside the walls, but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy its splendor.
Only temple recommended Mormons may step foot inside the structure, which is used for special instruction and ordinances, such as celestial marriages. But the view from outside the temple is inspirational enough.
The Neo-Gothic building, which was dedicated in 1893, took 40 years to construct. Except for some of its hardware and glass, the temple was built completely of native materials. With five floors, six spires -- the tallest standing at 210 feet -- and a granite facade, the structure is definitely imposing.
Salt Lake Temple is at the heart of Temple Square, three blocks containing nearly 20 attractions significant to Latter-day Saints' life and history, such as Assembly Hall and the Salt Lake City Tabernacle.
In 2011, Temple Square saw about 2,750,000 visitors from all over the world. And for those not allowed inside the temple, a scaled model is on display in the Temple Square South Visitors' Center, which shows off the building's interior.
Most buildings in Temple Square are open daily to the public, free of charge.
 The Neo-Gothic Salt Lake Temple, which was dedicated in 1893, took 40 years to construct.
St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City
Although St. Patrick's Cathedral isn't as tall as the skyscrapers that surround it, the cathedral has an old-world grandeur that's rare in New York.
The design of this Neo-Gothic church, which features soaring spires, an elaborate marble exterior and colorful stained glass windows, was inspired by the great cathedrals of Europe. Replacing a church of the same name, St. Patrick's Cathedral opened its doors in 1879 to help accommodate a growing Catholic population in the city.
The cathedral is iconic in Midtown Manhattan, known as a place of retreat, Monsignor Robert Ritchie said.
"It's kind of an oasis of quiet inside the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area," Ritchie said. "It's a place people can go with their problems, a place where people can just go and look at some beautiful scenery, a place where people can pray."
Open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. daily, the church welcomes visitors. Free guided group tours can also be scheduled during weekdays.
 St. Patrick's Cathedral features soaring spires, an elaborate marble exterior and colorful stained glass windows.
 

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