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Friday, February 21, 2014

Cheeky Kimberley in read knickers

Kimberley Garner flashes her rear thanks to an untimely gust of wind

KIMBERLEY Garner reveals a bum-per amount of flesh thanks to an unfortunate gust of wind.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 23, had a Woman In Red moment as she left an exhibition in London last night.

See more pics at :http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/5459340/kimberley-garner-is-the-woman-in-red-knickers.html

Affair was fun but now I want marriage to work

Affair was fun but now I want marriage to work

I feel like such a rat
I feel like such a rat

 

Dear Deidre

I HAD a fling with a girl who offered it to me on a plate but the sex meant nothing. Now I don’t know if I can save my marriage.
My wife became suspicious of my suddenly seeing so many “old mates” so she went through my phone one night.
I confessed and ended the fling but I feel like such a rat.
It’s a big ask but I want our marriage to work and for the trust and spark to come back.

Read more at:http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/deidre/5458343/Affair-was-fun-but-now-I-want-marriage-to-work.html

Scandal seasom Cast Offers 10 Things to Know About Season 3B

"What was most interesting for me was the more that we're learning about who her parents are, the more of a window we have into Olivia's emotional reality," star Kerry Washington tells THR. "I really like that, and that's a lot about what this next part of the season is about."

Scandal Season 3 Cast
ABC/Craig Sjodin
"Scandal"
"We still finish every table read and go, 'That's not the season finale?!' It's pretty crazy. The table read we just did sent us all spinning. We need for the next table read to happen right away, but we're scared because something is happening that's terrifying." That's how Scandal star Kerry Washington describes the second half of the ABC political thriller's third season.
When we last left the Gladiators in Suits, Washington's top fixer, Olivia Pope, had just been burned by her mother (Khandi Alexander), who it turns out was the real terrorist of the family and was last seen talking to her daughter while standing in front of the White House. Meanwhile, papa Rowan Pope (Joe Morton) is out of a job after Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) -- whose re-election will be a major theme in the remainder of season three -- tapped Jake (Scott Foley) to head B613.
Over at OPA, the fixers are down one Gladiator after Huck (Guillermo Diaz) tortures and removes Quinn (Katie Lowes) from the family, with the newest recruit running back into Charlie's (George Newbern) arms.
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with the cast at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour to get the scoop on what's ahead when the Shonda Rhimes drama returns on Feb. 27 for the remainder of season three. Here are 10 things to know.
PHOTOS: On-Set With the Gladiators: Inside the Fast-Paced World of ABC's 'Scandal'
1. Expect to see a window into Olivia's emotions.
"It's definitely on her mind," Washington says of finding Mama Pope. "What was most interesting for me was the more that we're learning about who her parents are, the more of a window we have into Olivia's emotional reality. I really like that, and that's a lot about what this next part of the season is about."
2. Sympathy for Rowan.
Washington says that Olivia's relationship with Rowan will be far less strained when the season resumes. "There was that great scene when Rowan is in chains and Olivia has that realization that they've both been bamboozled by her mom," she says. "So Olivia starts off this second half of the season with a lot more compassion for Rowan because in some ways, they've both been victims. That's where she is. You'll have to watch whether he is in a similar place or not."
3. It's not a question of if Olivia will have a role in Fitz's reelection campaign, but more of how she makes that decision.
"Whether she's involved or not, how those decisions get made is really interesting and unexpected," Washington teases. Adds Diaz of how OPA will respond after Liv makes her decision: "We're going to stand behind whatever Olivia wants to do. She does choose someone and we completely back her. You might see Huck in a suit in one of these upcoming episodes, too." Anyone else think Huck would make an excellent bodyguard?
PHOTOS: Nudity, Slapping, Pranks! 'Scandal' Cast Share Their Most Scandalous Moments
4. Quinn will search for a new identity.
Lowes says Quinn, following her banishment from OPA, will struggle to find where she fits in. "Quinn has struggled so much with her identity over the first three seasons. Because Lindsay Dwyer was stripped from her and because she doesn't have a dad, a family or a home life, it's a question of 'Who is she?' And now she doesn't have OPA and that's how she figured out who she was," Lowes says. "It's complicated and sad." As for if the now ex-Gladiator will fight her way back into OPA's good graces, the actress previews it'll be a "dirty and messy" process that may or may not come with her finding a "whole new identity."
5. Sorry, Charlie.
For those rooting for an eventual romantic pairing between Huck and Quinn, don't hold your breath, as Lowes says the latter's romance with Charlie may be here to stay. "There are definitely feelings there between Charlie and Quinn; Quinn couldn't have a normal boyfriend-girlfriend relationship right now; she's not like that anymore," she says. "The closest she could ever have to a boyfriend lies within Charlie. But I do think she's between a rock and a hard place and she has nowhere left to go." Adds Diaz: "Quinn is doing her own thing -- she's sticking with Charlie. Charlie is the only one who's showing her love right now."
6. Huck won't feel bad about ousting Quinn.
Lowes says Quinn will question whether she needs a family anymore and explore if she can even fit back in with OPA at all, while Diaz notes the former B613 baddie won't feel bad about torturing Quinn. "The episode we see on Feb. 27, we're going to see Huck and Olivia have a really intense scene," Diaz says. "I don't think Huck feels bad about what he did to Quinn. He only feels bad that Olivia is going to be upset with him and look at him with these eyes of 'What the f--- have you done?!' That's the only reason he feels guilt or regret for doing what he did. But as far as Quinn, he's still standing his ground and he doesn't think she belongs at OPA anymore at this point. It's weird to see him so staunch and not budging on what he feels. It's a bit upsetting." But is there hope for Huckleberry-Quinn? "I still have hope that Huck and Quinn will mend their relationship," Diaz says. "I oddly feel that what he did to her has brought them closer in a really weird way. He pulled out her tooth and tortured her and something about that has brought them even closer and when -- and hopefully if they do become friends again -- their friendship has gone to another level of closeness."
PHOTOS: 'Scandal' From A-Z
 7. Jake will get "dark."
Diaz says sitting atop B613 might change Jake. "There are these little things that start to seep in, little moments where you see that darkness come from Jake -- and it's really interesting how they're doing it," Diaz says of his former partner in crime. "No one at B613 is sane. There's something off with all those people at B613, and that's really interesting to see Jake start to show that."
8. Finding Mama Pope is on the agenda.
"We're only one script ahead and we haven't seen her yet," Diaz warns. "But you know she's going to come back with guns blazing! Finding her is going to be on their agenda; I don't know if it's at the top, but it's Olivia's mom. They're not going to drop that so easily."
9. Back on the campaign trail and up to no good.
First lady Bellamy Young says the series will spend a lot of time with the campaign in the second half of the season. "There will be all sorts of machinations trying to get us back in the White House for another four years," she says. "We will be joined by the amazingly talented Jon Tenney, who will throw a wrench in the works in the very best of ways." As for speculation that Tenney will play Mellie's new love interest, Young remained mum, offering only that viewers will be "amazed" to see what kind of a role he has.
PHOTOS: The Couples of Shondaland: 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Private Practice,' 'Scandal'
10. Information is dangerous, James.
New White House press secretary James (Emmy winner Dan Bucatinsky) warns that David Rosen (Josh Malina) has information connecting him with Daniel's death. "They say information is power and information on a show like this is so dangerous. James and Cyrus' (Jeff Perry) relationship is going to get tested more than it was last season. Now James is going to be in the White House as the press secretary, and [to be] that close in a job in this administration during a reelection with David Rosen sniffing around with evidence is so palpable that I feel like the relationship, our professional lives, our ambition, the truth -- it's all a big stew of danger and threat. How do you survive that?" As for James' steamy affair with the vice president's closeted husband, Bucatinsky says it's all part of the fabric of Scandal. "The affair was all about showing the world -- and Cyrus -- what James is made of. The whole show is everybody gets taken to their cliff and it's sink or swim. What are you made of? Everybody proves what they are made of on this show and that's why it's so exciting. None of us really know what we're made of until we read it on the page."

Read more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/scandal-cast-offers-10-things-673295

Arnold Schwarzenegger cheating scandal


arnold scandalArnold Schwarzenegger got down and dirty with the hired help and fathered a child. Ten years later, however, the gig was up when his longtime wife Maria Shriver noticed a resemblance between the maid’s son and her own son with Arnold. Maria then confronted the maid who confessed to the affair with Arnold. Soon thereafter, Shriver and Schwarzenegger separated.

Kristen stewart and Robert pattinson cheating scandal

kristen and robert scandalKristin Stewart shocked the world when she cheated on her longtime love and Twilight co-star, Robert Pattinson with Rupert Sanders. And while she apologized to Rob and the two later tried to patch things up, it just wasn’t ever the same and they eventually split for good.

Christie fires aide in NJ bridge scandal; prosecutor launches probe


(Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Thursday fired a top aide who apparently helped orchestrate massive traffic jams at a busy commuter bridge to settle a score, saying he had been blindsided in the scandal that threatened to tarnish his political image.
As Christie apologized publicly for the abrupt lane closings seemingly ordered by some of his staff, and which he said he did not know about beforehand, the office of the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey said it was launching an investigation.
Revelations that his staff may have had a hand in plotting the four-day lane closures at the George Washington Bridge in September, causing hours-long jams that stalled commuters, school buses and ambulances, come as Christie has emerged as a powerful figure in the Republican Party and a possible presidential contender.
The controversy erupted with the release on Wednesday of emails showing Christie's aide and allies appearing to plan lane closings in what critics said was a bid to punish the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, at the New Jersey end of the bridge, because he had declined to endorse Christie's re-election effort.
"I am embarrassed and humiliated by the conduct of some of the people on my team," Christie said. "I am who I am, but I am not a bully."
As the head of the party's governors association and a possible 2016 White House contender, the tough-talking governor has sought to present himself as a leader who can work with opponents and forge bipartisan alliances.
Christie said at his news conference that he dismissed his deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, who in the most damning of the emails, wrote to a Port Authority executive in August, saying: "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee."
The executive, David Wildstein, replied: "Got it."
Wildstein later admitted ordering the lane closures and resigned his post. He supplied the emails to the media in response to a subpoena issued by a panel of state lawmakers.
Appearing before the panel on Thursday, Wildstein declined to answer questions, repeatedly invoking the constitutional protection not to say anything that might incriminate him.
The state Assembly's transportation, public works and independent authorities committee, which is probing the closures, voted to hold him in contempt.
The charge will be referred to a county prosecutor for determination of what it could mean for Wildstein, an Assembly spokesman said.
U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, whose job Christie held before being elected governor, has opened a probe into the decision to close the bridge lanes, his spokeswoman said.
"Our office is reviewing it to determine whether a federal law was implicated," Rebekah Carmichael said in a statement.
A local newspaper reported emergency responders were delayed in attending to four medical situations - one involving an unconscious 91-year-old woman who later died of cardiac arrest and another, a car accident, in which four people were injured.
At the news conference, Christie referred to the lane closings as a "rogue political operation."
"I am stunned by the abject stupidity that was shown here," Christie said. "This was handled in a callous and indifferent way, and this is not the way this administration has conducted itself over the last four years."
'HEARTBROKEN' AND APOLOGETIC
Christie took reporters' questions at the packed news conference in his office that lasted nearly two hours.
He appeared contrite, describing himself repeatedly as "heartbroken" and apologizing several times to the public, and even to the media.
Toward the end of his lengthy appearance, he visibly relaxed, leaning against the podium, and resorted to more typical form, calling one reporter's question "crazy."
He later visited Fort Lee and apologized to Mayor Mark Sokolich, who told reporters he accepted the apology.
"It was a terrible thing and we are going to work to fix it," Christie said as he left the town hall.
Christie has enjoyed immense popularity at home since his election in 2009, particularly for his handling of recovery and rebuilding efforts after Superstorm Sandy devastated his state in late 2012. He was re-elected in a landslide in November.
But he is known as well for engaging in shouting matches, hurling insults and belittling challengers.
Christie told the news conference he was "nowhere near" beginning to consider a possible 2016 presidential bid but some saw the traffic scandal as taking a major toll on his political career.
A New York Daily News editorial pronounced his presidential aspirations as "all but kaput," saying he will be "lambasted and lampooned as a man of low character and horrible judgment."
Taking a poke at Christie's heft as well, the Daily News front page headline on Thursday read: "Fat chance now, Chris."
But David Axelrod, a former political adviser to President Barack Obama, said on Twitter that Christie handled the issue at the news conference "about as well as he could."
"Unless smoking gun turns up tying him to scheme, or others arise, he lives to fight another day," Axelrod tweeted.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/09/us-usa-newjersey-bridge-christie-idUSBREA080MB20140109http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/09/us-usa-newjersey-bridge-christie-idUSBREA080MB20140109

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Gigi Hadid Topless Shoot For ‘V’ Magazine

Gigi topless for v magazine


The teen model certainly isn’t shy as she stripped down for what could be her most revealing shoot ever, as she put her chest on full display! What do you think of her racy shoot?

Just days after making her topless debut in the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, 18-year-old Gigi Hadid is stripping down for another high-fashion shoot — and this one manages to be even more revealing, as her breasts are on full display! The girlfriend of Cody Simpson and daughter of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Foster totally stole the sexy spotlight in her shoot for V magazine. She really seems to be popping up, (or should we say, popping out!), everywhere we look.
gigi hadid nude for magazine shot

Gigi Hadid Topless In ‘V’ Magazine:

Gigi is nearly topless showing many of her luscious lady lumps on the pages of V‘s spring issue. The teen is having a major model moment — and 2014 is off to a great start for her as she’s working hard on her modeling career in NYC!
Inside the magazine, the star dished about her handsome boyfriend, Cody Simpson — but don’t call her a groupie! “I prefer the term band-aid,” she jokes with the magazine.
While we won’t call her a groupie, we can’t get over her figure in her latest shoot — and how much of it she showed off! It’s clear she’s taking her modeling career very seriously, as she suited up in a slew of outfits — however, in many they managed to show off her chest. Her curly hair and piercing blue, green eyes contributed to the bombshell appeal of the shoot.
What do you think about these sexy photos of Gigi in her new magazine spread?  Let us know and VOTE!

Selena Gomez Cancel Shows In Asia and Australia


Selena Gomez Cancels Tour

Selena Gomez recently cancelled several shows in Australia and Asia.
Although the Spring Breakers star was originally scheduled to make several appearances in the regions early next year, reports surfaced that Gomez is currently in desperate need of a little “me” time. According to Billboard, the singer announced the cancellation of these upcoming dates on Friday (December 20).
To help ease their collective pain, Selena Gomez dropped an official statement on her legion of disappointed alongside the announcement. Although the singer gives everyone a good reason for the cancellation, chances are there are quite a few people shaking their angry fists in the air right about now.
Gomez explained:
“My fans are so important to me and I would never want to disappoint them,” comments Gomez in a statement issued by promoter Live Nation. “But it has become clear to me and those close to me that after many years of putting my work first, I need to spend some time on myself in order to be the best person I can be. To my fans, I sincerely apologize and I hope you guys know how much each and every one of you mean to me.”
AAP reports that Live Nation will fully refund tickets for those fans who’d already planned to catch Selena Gomez during her tour. Unfortunately, those unhappy individuals may not receive their money right away due to delays associated with the upcoming holidays. In other words, expect a mild insult to your musical injury.
In addition to scrapping tour dates in Australia, the singer also nixed shows in Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. It’s currently unknown if she intends to reschedule the canceled performances in these regions at some point next year.

Read more at: http://www.inquisitr.com/1068400/selena-gomez-cancels-shows-in-asia-australia-to-become-a-better-person/source/taboola/

Justin Bieber Sex scandal and more than 6 times Selena Gomez support him.

selena-justib-biber-pap-fight


No matter how many eggs Justin has thrown, or how many brothels he’s visited, his on-again, off-again girlfriend has stayed by his side and held his hand through the fire.

justin-bieber-video-tati-neves
Posted Thu, January 16, 2014 3:12pm EST 68,987 Article Views


Six Times Selena Gomez Has Supported Justin Bieber


Can you say best girlfriend ever? Time and time again, Selena Gomez has proven that it’s going to take something insane to make her give up on Justin Bieber. From police raids to sex scandals to paparazzi scuffles, the “Come & Get It” singer has stood behind the Biebs, for better or worse.


Selena Gomez Stands By Justin Bieber — No Matter What

Most recently, Selena was not scared off by Justin egging his neighbor’s house and then having his house raided by Los Angeles County Sheriffs on Jan. 14. “She’s worried sick about him,” a source told HollywoodLife.com exclusively. Another source claimed that Selena’s blaming the incident on Justin’s friends — not him.
But this is nothing new. Selena’s love and care for Justin didn’t dissipate in Nov. when the Biebs hit up a Brazilian brothel and hung out with strippers, and even when the Biebs peed in a mop bucket and cursed out Bill Clinton.
Most girls would just drop a guy who’s done all these things forever, but Selena has remained strong and instead of abandoning Justin, she’s displayed some tough love and support.

Selena Gomez Comforts Justin Bieber

justin-bieber-selena-gomez-lil-za
Posted Thu, January 16, 2014 3:12pm EST 68,987 Article Views

Six Times Selena Gomez Has Supported Justin Bieber


And of course Selena has been there when bad things have happened to Justin (rather than Justin doing bad things). When the “Boyfriend” singer was booed at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, Selena was there to give Justin a big kiss after show was over — which probably made the whole thing worth it.And when Justin’s grueling “Believe” world tour was bringing him down in Apr., Selena was the one who dropped everything she was doing to fly to Norway to comfort him — even though they weren’t dating!
We’re just going to throw this out there — Selena is the most understanding girlfriend ever, and Justin may have found the one girl in the world who will put up with all the ridiculous trouble he gets into. Hold onto that girl, Bieber!

Read More at :http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/01/18/selena-gomez-supports-justin-bieber-sex-scandal-police-raid/

2014 sex scandals

These 2014 Grammy nominees are known for more than just their work.
The 2014 Grammy nominees are full of musical talent ... and sexy secrets.
These celebs were all nominated for their recording prowess, but if rumors are true, their bedroom skills and sex scandals are even more intriguing than their songs!
Robin Thicke
Robin Thicke may as well be a walking sex scandal, but even those are bland for him. He's routinely accused of stepping out on wife Paula Patton (even as recently as this week), and "Blurred Lines" is one of the rapiest songs ever. No, son of Alan Thicke, you don't know we want it. Unless we give you consent. And you're so creepy that no woman in her right mind would.
Robin Thicke licking foot of girl
Rihanna
Rihanna and Chris Brown, who notoriously battered her in 2009, were embroiled in one helluva love triangle with his current girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, until late 2013. She's also been linked to half the men in hip-hop, deserved or not. Can you blame her for getting hers, though? Look at her!
hot rihana shot
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake has been plagued by cheating rumors since he and wife Jessica Biel first got together -- and they split numerous times before tying the knot. No wonder one of his 'NSYNC nicknames was "Trousersnake."
Justin Timberlake hot
Pink
Pink and Carey Hart have been together and rock solid for years ... but they weren't always so tight. During breaks from their relationship, Pink has reportedly hooked up with Tommy Lee and Kristanna Loken -- the latter of which Pink says tried to dominate her. Ow ow!
pink hot
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift changes crushes the way most healthy, hygienic people change their underwear. And then writes about how those mean boys wronged her. To be fair, her rumored sex scandals are probably tamer than most: One of the reasons she reportedly split from One Direction hottie Harry Styles is because she was too prude for him. No shame in making a man earn it!
hot tylor swift
Jay-Z
Before marrying Beyonce and doting on adorable daughter Blue Ivy, Jay-Z reportedly fathered a love child with Trinidadian video vixen Shenelle Scott ... and paid her $1 million to keep quiet about it and never bother him again.
jay-z hot
Katy Perry
Katy Perry married a sex addict in Russell Brand. When she couldn't tame him, she moved on to notorious womanizer John Mayer ... who once claimed to have a "white supremacist d---." For as much as she brags about her talent and her lack of cosmetic surgery, it doesn't seem like Perry loves herself that much if this is how she picks her mates.
katy perry very hot
Lorde
Lorde just turned 17. Her boyfriend is 24. Legal? Yes. Gross? Also yes.
lorde hot

Read more at: http://www.yourtango.com/2014205202/celebrity-sex-2014-grammy-awards-nominees-sex-scandals

Topless Photos of Lebanese Olympic Skier

Topless photos and racy video footage of Lebanese Olympic Skier Jackie Chamoun have gone viral in Lebanon, prompting a potential government inquiry just days before the Olympic veteran is due to compete in the women’s giant Slalom in Sochi. But government claims that the revealing footage may have damaged Lebanon’s “reputation” have precipitated an enormous backlash in a country that has suffered far worse than the publication of  images that wouldn’t look out of place in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
The photos, taken three years ago at Lebanon’s Faraya ski resort as part of an annual Austrian cult calendar shoot featuring male and female Olympic ski instructors, are tame by most calendar criteria—her breasts are concealed by a strategically placed ski or a half-zipped parka. The accompanying behind-the-scenes video (NSFW, to be sure) is more revealing, if chill inducing. The 22-year-old skier-turned model, clad in little more than ski boots and thong underwear, gamely acquiesces to a photographer’s request to lounge in the snow or climb a treacherous-looking icefall. During a brief interview at the end of the 1:38 minute long video, Chamoun admits that it’s much easier being a ski racer than a model because “I’m not used to posing with no clothes on.”
The 2013 calendar was released last year, but the video only surfaced a few days ago, when the local Al-Jadeed television highlighted it in a news broadcast, calling it a “scandal.” The images took Lebanese social media by storm, and the country has spoken of little else for the past few days. Chamoun admitted on her Facebook page to posing for the photos “with other professional athletes”and apologized for offending her critics. But she also implored fans and critics alike to drop the issue so she could ski her best at Sochi. “Now that I’m at the Olympic Games … All I can ask to each of you who saw this, is to stop spreading it, it will really help me focusing on what is really important now: my trainings and race,” she wrote. The post earned her more than 13,000 Likes and an outpouring of support. “Jackie, many Lebanese people including myself would rather see a Lebanese naked beauty than what we see in our country,” wrote one fan. ”You have not done anything wrong.”
Faisal Karami, Lebanon’s caretaker minister of youth and sports, was less enthusiastic. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, he ordered the country’s Olympic committee to launch an inquiry and take all steps necessary to avoid “harming Lebanon’s reputation.” That statement elicited an even greater scandal, as Lebanese across the spectrum ridiculed the minister for his shortsighted take on what really ails Lebanon. In an editorial titled “What Reputation?” the English language Daily Star newspaper lashed out at Karami and Chamoun’s critics. “Since the beginning of 2014, there have been no fewer than six car bombs,” the editorial said. “There is a general lack of law and order, not to mention the lack of a working government. Is there a better definition of a failed state than ours? This woman, who should be a source of pride to the country, … is being blamed for something she chose to do with her free will, while the everyday concerns of citizens are being wholly and fundamentally neglected.”
Lebanon’s online news portal, NOW, was more blunt, placing Chamoun’s pinup alongside an image of a heavily armed man in camouflage under the headline “Boobs over Bullets.” And Lebanese human rights activist and blogger Melkar El Khoury was apoplectic in a recent post: “In a country that is overburdened with debts, embezzlement and corruption, political deadlocks and terrorism, drug and human trafficking, uncontrolled spread of personal weapons, economic decay and unemployment… Jackie’s [rear end] is undermining Lebanon’s image and sending the wrong message?”
Allegations of hypocrisy aside, the “scandal” has caused a bit of head scratching among many Lebanese. Yes, many parts of Lebanon are conservative, but billboards spanning the length of the country’s highways feature cosmetic surgery and laser hair removal clinic ads that reveal almost as much as Chamoun’s photo shoot. While topless bathing is frowned upon at most beach clubs, a summer stroll down Beirut’s seaside corniche offers a wide spectrum of female dress, from ground skimming shapeless black veils to high-heels and hot pants. That tolerance for diversity, forged in the crucible of a 15-year sectarian civil war, is a fundamental part of Lebanon’s reputation as the most liberal and fun-loving country in the Middle East, no matter what crises come its way. The suggestion that an Olympic skier’s brief foray into modeling is a scandal is what undermines Lebanon’s reputation, not the act itself.

McDonald's UK growth strong despite horsemeat scandal and hot summer

McDonald's in Paris
McDonald's in Paris. The company says European sales have held up well. Photograph: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images
McDonald's shrugged off last year's horsemeat scandal as it reported a strong performance from its UK business for 2013.
But the world's biggest burger chain admitted it was a challenging year for the wider business after it posted falling global sales and said fewer customers were visiting its restaurants.
The company reported a 0.2% rise in comparable worldwide sales after a 0.1% fall in the final three months.
A robust performance from the UK, Russia and France helped sales in Europe rise 1% in the fourth quarter, although earnings across the region remained flat when foreign exchange movements are stripped out.
Jill McDonald, chief executive of McDonald's UK, said the British chain had had another strong year of growth despite an "economic environment has remained challenging for customers, the horsemeat scandal [which] cast a cloud over the food industry and an uncharacteristically hot summer".
The group, which celebrates 40 years in the UK in November, said its supply chain remained unaffected by the horsemeat crisis, which hit a raft of food retailers and restaurant chains across the UK.
Europe was McDonald's best performing region at the end of 2013. Sales dropped 1.4% across the US and were down 2.4% across Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
McDonald's has come under pressure amid a healthy eating push, while it has also faced heightened competition from rivals such as Burger King.
The company plans to open up to 1,600 new restaurants in 2014 and revamp 1,000 existing locations. It currently has more than 34,000 locations worldwide.
It opened 24 new restaurants in the UK in 2013.
Jill McDonald said: "We are mindful that whilst the emerging shoots of economic recovery are encouraging, it's still tough out there for our customers."

Read more at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jan/23/mcdonalds-uk-growth-horsemeat-scandal-hot-summer

Amber Heard, photographed in New York City.

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Amber Heard, 27, is not just beautiful; she’s well read, consuming on average a book a week. “Reading keeps me sane,” she says. “Growing up, it was my escape, my alternative; it provided both rebellion and peace.” The older of two girls, she knew early on that if she was going to pursue a career as an actress she had to get out of Texas. “When I was 16, it became clear that I wasn’t going to fit in the machinery that was being provided for me.” Heard moved first to New York but quickly continued on to Los Angeles, where she was immediately cast on television and in film, with parts in Pineapple Express, Zombieland, and The Rum Diary (with Johnny Depp, her fiancé). This month she stars in director McG’s latest action thriller, 3 Days to Kill, scripted by Luc Besson and Adi Hasak and co-starring Kevin Costner. She plays an international spy/assassin, and so had the opportunity to show her skill as a marksman. “Anytime I can shoot the gun instead of throw the bouquet, it is exciting for me,” she says, adding, “My dad is your typical old-school Texan. He loves to hunt. Six days out of the week, we ate what he killed. He took me to the shooting range from the time I could hold a gun, and I did target practice almost my whole life.” Later this year she will be seen in a screen adaptation of Martin Amis’s novel London Fields. “I play Nicola, the central character, our protagonist, and she’s also the antagonist—the hero and the villain. I like the dichotomy and the humanity of her. She doesn’t fit in a standardized, archetypal mold.” Neither do you, Amber.

Read more at : http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/03/amber-heard-3-days-to-kill-actresshttp://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/03/amber-heard-3-days-to-kill-actress

The Sochi scandal no one’s talking about How Russia is silencing its environmentalists

The Sochi scandal no one's talking about: How Russia is silencing its environmentalists
As athletes and fans from around the world descend upon Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics, they are (according to some) sitting atop a site of immeasurable loss and irreversible damage to what was once a unique and pristine ecosystem. They’re unlikely, however, to be aware of it, and authorities will be on their guard to prevent anyone with a megaphone or a picket sign from bringing it to their attention. Those would-be protesters are yet another group being silenced in Russia – where, along with everything else, it’s also a crime to defend the environment.
In the rush to complete what ended up being $51 billion in construction in just five years, Russian’s Olympic Committee has played fast and loose with the environmental standards it once promised to uphold. To take just one example of many, Olympic organizers make much of the fact that Russia’s first green construction standards were implemented for the Games. But at the same time, authorities have also reversed legislation protecting national parks in order to allow for those green buildings to go up. As a result, construction of the Olympic village ended up affecting over 8,000 acres of Sochi National Park, a strictly protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As the global news agency AFP recently reported, the area’s sensitive wetlands, home to 65 species of birds, were buried under six and a half feet of crushed rock, while reptiles and brown bears have reportedly gone missing from surrounding mountain areas. Water pollution in the Mzymta River, once a major spawning site, threatens a fifth of Russia’s Black Sea salmon. And while Olympic organizers boast that they’ve planted 1.5 million new trees — three for every one that was cut down — Suren Gazaryan, a zoologist and environmental activist who was forced to flee the country, said that the scattered planting can in no way make up for what was lost.

Read more at http://www.salon.com/2014/02/09/the_sochi_scandal_no_ones_talking_about_how_russia_is_silencing_its_environmentalists/

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