Tropical Storm Isaac gains strength, expected to become hurricane Sunday

Tropical Storm Isaac gains strength, expected to become hurricane Sunday

Published August 26, 2012 Associated Press

KEY WEST, Fla. – Tropical Storm Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast.
Isaac drew new strength early Sunday during a warm-water crossing of the Florida Straits after causing weekend havoc in Cuba, where it downed trees and power lines. Before that, Isaac was blamed for four deaths in Haiti.

Elisabeth Murdoch denies she wants top News Corp job

Elisabeth Murdoch denies she wants top News Corp job

Fri Aug 24, 2012

(Please note that the story contains strong language in the final paragraph)

By Paul Sandle

(Reuters) - Elisabeth Murdoch denied on Friday she wanted to succeed her father as head of the News Corp media empire, but acknowledged her role in forcing out one of his favorite newspaper executives over a phone hacking scandal.

Speaking at the Edinburgh Television Festival, she said that as a daughter it had been heartbreaking to see Rupert Murdoch humbled by the scandal which engulfed his News of the World newspaper, but played down her own ambitions.

Armstrong, First Man on Moon, Dies

Armstrong, First Man on Moon, Dies

August 25, 2012
By online.wsj.com

Neil Armstrong was a quiet, self-described nerdy engineer who became a global hero when as a steely-nerved U.S. pilot he made "one giant leap for mankind" with a small step on to the moon. The modest man who entranced and awed people on Earth has died. He was 82.
Mr. Armstrong died following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures, his family said Saturday. It didn't say where or when he died.

Mr. Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon July 20, 1969, capping the most daring of the 20th century's scientific expeditions. His first words after setting foot on the surface are etched in history books and in the memories of those who heard them in a live broadcast.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," Mr. Armstrong said.

Mr. Armstrong's family described him as "a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job." The statement mentioned his success after the lunar walk "in business and academia" and as a "community leader in Cincinnati."

Madonna Extends Thorny Olive Branch To Elton John

Madonna Extends Thorny Olive Branch To Elton John

'I forgive him. Gotta start somewhere,' Madge said onstage after John made some unkind comments about her earlier this month.
By Gil Kaufman 2012/8/24
Would a "fairground stripper" extend an olive branch in such a generous manner? We think not.

Whatever Elton John may think of Madonna, the pop diva proved that she has more class than John indicated in recent harsh comments
 when she extended the olive branch of forgiveness during a recent show in France.

"I'd like to dedicate this next song to Mr. Elton John," Madonna said on Tuesday during a performance of the song "Masterpiece" in Nice, France in a video posted by Madonna-TV.com. "I know he's a big fan of it. And I know he's a big fan of mine. And you know? I forgive him. Gotta start somewhere." The gesture came on the final show on her

Katy Perry, John Mayer Split

Katy Perry, John Mayer Split

Celebrity News August 23, 2012 AT 6:32PM
By Justin Ravitz

Talk about hot and cold.
After a couple months of casual dating, John Mayer and Katy Perry have split, multiple sources confirm to Us Weekly.
PHOTOS: Katy Perry's many video looks
"She's really upset about it," one insider tells Us.
Echoes another insider: "She is making it seem like it wasn't serious with John, but she is hurt."
Us Weekly first reported the budding romance, with Perry, 27, and Mayer, 34, making an "affectionate" appearance together at Soho House in West Hollywood June 19.

Movie Review: Hit and Run

Movie Review: Hit and Run

August 24, 2012
By Nat Almirall
Dax Shepard: Okay, I’m writing this vehicle — hmm, vehicle — what do you want to be?

Kristen Bell: I’ve always wanted to work in conflict negotiation, or something with horses.

DS: Perfect! I’m playing a badass driver/action hero with a heart of gold and a great left hook. you can always be arguing with me over violence.

KB: Well, I don’t want to be too stuffy.

DS: No, the twist is that you’ll be the aggressive one, like we’ll have one scene where I say something that offends you and you get really mad at me. And I’ll always be doing what you want.

KB: Ha!

DS: And I’ll be in the witness protection program, so I can call myself somebody cool.

KB: Nathan Fillion!

DS: No, I want to go old school.

KB: Clint Eastwood!

Boost Retirement Income, Minimize the Risk

Boost Retirement Income, Minimize the Risk

By Walter Updegrave | Money 2012/8/24
An elderly widowed relative of mine barely scrapes by month-to-month with absolutely nothing left over. Aside from Social Security, she has a small savings account worth about $30,000 and a house that's paid for and valued at $150,000. It just breaks my heart to see her pinch pennies. Is there anything she can do to increase her monthly income? -- Pam, LaGrange, Ky.
Before I get to some suggestions, you and your relative need to understand that trying to squeeze more income from limited resources always comes with some risk, even if it's not readily apparent.
For example, many retirees trying to get more than the ultra-low interest rates available on savings accounts and CDs these days are turning to long-term bonds, junk bonds or even mutual funds and ETFs that focus on dividend-paying stocks. By pursuing those loftier payouts, however, they are putting their principal at greater risk of losses.
So you want to be careful that your well meaning attempt to help your family member doesn't end up jeopardizing the little financial security she has now.

Cramer: What Gold, Housing Shortages Mean

Cramer: What Gold, Housing Shortages Mean

By Bruno J. Navarro | CNBC
2012/8/24
Declines in the stock market Thursday haven't changed the fundamentals, especially when factoring in shortages in homes and gold, "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer said on CNBC.
Rallies in the Philadelphia Housing Index and gold are real tells of what's going on, he said.
"Lately we've seen some pronounced positives in the housing arena, including numbers today showing a 1.82 percent jump in U.S. home values, the biggest gain since 2005, when the housing boom was raging," he said.
"Plus, yesterday Toll Brothers (TOL) said that almost every single area in this country was strong, something confirmed today by the Federal Housing Finance Agency's figures. Incredibly, the federal survey showed that the biggest gainers were in hard hit areas like Arizona and Nevada. Nevada? That's been ground zero for no recovery." (Read More: Builder Stocks With Big Potential: Pro)
Cramer said that Zillow's estimation of 400,000 homes newly in the black was especially significant.

Romney Wants Bernanke to Go but One of His Top Advisers Doesn’t Seem to Agree

Romney Wants Bernanke to Go but One of His Top Advisers Doesn’t Seem to Agree

By Bernice Napach | Daily Ticker
2012/8/24
He's been chairman of the Federal Reserve since February 2006, appointed by President George W. Bush and reappointed by President Barack Obama.
Some say Ben Bernanke helped to save the U.S. economy during the financial crisis that hit just months after he took over leadership of the Fed. Others say his policy of zero interest rates has failed to revive an economy which continues to grow too slowly to push unemployment below g 8 percent while hurting the

Benson debuts in Packers' victory

Benson debuts in Packers' victory

CINCINNATI (AP)
AUG 23, 2012
Aaron Rodgers was the best running back on the field.

The MVP quarterback led Green Bay to a big first half Thursday night, running for 52 yards and two touchdowns during a 27-13 preseason victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, who simply couldn't catch him.
Rodgers avoided the rush and took off, finishing as the game's top rusher.

''l always joke around with him about being a running back, showing his running back skills,'' running back Cedric Benson said. ''He's got speed on those rollouts and that's very helpful.''

Facebook doubles iPhone app speed by dumping HTML5 for native code

Facebook doubles iPhone app speed by dumping HTML5 for native code

Rewrite could presage mobile advertising and new version for Android as social networking company renews focus on mobile
Charles Arthur
guardian.co.uk, Friday 24 August 2012


Facebook: the speed is reckoned to have doubled for the new iOS version. Photograph: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images
Facebook has radically increased the speed of the iPhone and iPad versions of its app by dumping the HTML5 version it used for one written in Apple's own Objective-C code to improve the mobile experience - and, potentially, begin making money from phone users.

The move, says Facebook's Jonathan Dann, "signals a shift in how Facebook is building mobile products, with a focus on digging deep into individual platforms". The blog post hints that versions written specifically for Android and other mobile platforms are on the way.

Tropical storm Isaac heads toward Haiti, Dominican Republic

Tropical storm Isaac heads toward Haiti, Dominican Republic

Storm could beocme a hurricane when it enters the Gulf of Mexico
The Associated Press Posted: Aug 24, 2012

Tropical Storm Isaac strengthened slightly as it spun toward the Dominican Republic and Haiti, but seemed unlikely to gain enough steam early Friday to strike the island of Hispaniola as a hurricane.

The storm's failure to gain the kind of strength in the Caribbean that forecasters initially projected made it more likely that Isaac won't become a hurricane until it enters the Gulf of Mexico, said Eric Blake, a forecaster with U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

"We think it could become a hurricane on Monday," Blake said late Thursday. "It would be somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico."

Murdoch's Sun defies royals, prints naked Harry pics

Murdoch's Sun defies royals, prints naked Harry pics

By Stephen Mangan and Michael Holden
LONDON | Fri Aug 24, 2012
(Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's Sun tabloid on Friday became the first British newspaper to defy the royal family by printing pictures of Prince Harry cavorting naked in Las Vegas, stoking a debate about what papers can print in the name of press freedom.

While newspapers across the globe have published the images of Queen Elizabeth's grandson naked with an unnamed woman after they appeared on a U.S. gossip website on Wednesday, the British media had decided not to do so until this point.

Instead they had agreed to comply, some more reluctantly than others, with a request from lawyers acting for the royal family to respect the privacy of the prince, who is 27 and single.

Top-Earning Towns

Top-Earning Towns

Aug 21, 2012 Money
Luxe homes, great schools and exclusive communities. It takes a big paycheck to live large in these posh patches.
1. Bethesda, MD
Population: 61,511
Median family income: $184,606
Median home price: $740,000

An easy commute from Washington D.C., Bethesda is a hotspot for the highly educated, with nearly half of its residents boasting a graduate or professional degree. That may explain the incomes -- the highest on our list this year. They enable people to afford the luxe homes here, which are more than twice as pricey as the state average.

Though Washington D.C. is a quick Metro ride away, there's no need to head to the nation's capital for culture. Bethesda's urban downtown offers its own live theater, international cuisine and a variety of events, from monthly art walks to annual juried art competitions.

Kim Kardashian's Swinging Threesome with Male Porn Star Revealed

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Kim Kardashian's Swinging Threesome with Male Porn Star Revealed

by Hope Carson
August 23, 2012
Kim Kardashian was reportedly involved in swinging back in the day when she was married to her first husband. A veteran porn star has taken a stroll down memory lane and described a meeting with the 20-year-old Kim K and her participation in a threesome.
In a recent interview, 1990s porn star Julian St. Jox revealed that he had sex with the reality T.V. star and fashion mogul a decade ago at L.A.'s Wyndham Hotel.

"It was around 11:30 p.m. when Kim showed up with a black male," Jox revealed. "As soon as Kim walked in, everyone was looking. She wasn't known at the time at all, not like today, but for everyone who frequented these parties, she was interesting because she was a new face. She was wearing a tight miniskirt and tank top and designer shoes and bag. From afar she looked gorgeous. She had a great body and seemed bright ... [she] something special about her: a je ne sais quoi. She knew what she was doing. She was very responsive to me."

At the time, Kim, now 31, was married to Damon Thomas. The loquacious Mr. St. Jox didn't go into what kind of three-way they had, and whether the third party was male or female. If the third person was the "black male" who, according to St. Jox, escorted La Kardashian to the party, he might very well have been her husband. Furthermore, the party, as described by Julian Jox sounds like a swing party. Yikes. What will

Angelina Jolie's daughter to make acting debut in "Maleficent"

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Angelina Jolie's daughter to make acting debut in "Maleficent"

August 23, 2012
(CBS/AP) Four-year-old Vivienne Jolie-Pitt is making her movie debut alongside her famous mom.
Pictures: Angelina Jolie
Pictures: Jolie, Pitt in Japan and Vietnam
Read more: Jolie's "Maleficent" gets a 2014 release
Walt Disney Studios says Angelina Jolie's youngest daughter will play a "minor role" in "Maleficent," in which Jolie plays the title character. Vivienne is set to play a young Princess Aurora, who grows up to be evil Maleficent's target in the live-action "Sleeping Beauty" tale.

Elle Fanning will portray the older teen version of Princess Aurora.

Avril Lavigne Engaged to Nickelback's Chad Kroeger

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Avril Lavigne Engaged to Nickelback's Chad Kroeger

By MARISA LAUDADIO
08/21/2012

Whoa, Canada!

Avril Lavigne and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger's relationship has been so quiet that few even knew they were dating. Now, after a six-month courtship, the Canadian rockers are engaged to be married, Lavigne's rep tells PEOPLE exclusively.

New Kaspersky appeals to your cash sense

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New Kaspersky appeals to your cash sense

A new way to lock down your financial transactions called Safe Money is a big part of Kaspersky's plan to make bank in its 2013 security suites.

by Seth Rosenblatt August 23, 2012

Kaspersky's new Safe Money feature automatically detects when you go to a banking site -- no need to go through the program interface anymore.
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)
A safer way to conduct online transactions and a new exploit blocker are the keystones to Kaspersky Lab's 2013 security suites, the company announced today.
The major new feature that's in both Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 (download exclusively from Download.com today) and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2013 (download) is the exploit blocking engine called

Jobless claims rise, labor market healing very slowly

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Jobless claims rise, labor market healing very slowly

WASHINGTON | Thu Aug 23, 2012
(Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly rose last week, suggesting the labor market is healing too slowly to make much of a dent in the unemployment rate.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 372,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. That was the highest level in five weeks.

The data keeps pressure on President Barack Obama ahead of his November re-election bid. His Republican challenger is trying to focus voters' attention on a lofty unemployment rate that has dogged Obama's presidency.

'Fiscal cliff' plan will send US into recession: CBO

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'Fiscal cliff' plan will send US into recession: CBO

By Paul Handley (AFP)2012/8/23
WASHINGTON — The US Congress's budget analysts said Wednesday that current plans designed to slash the budget deficit after January 1 will plunge the country into recession and push up joblessness.
The Congressional Budget Office said the poison-pill political deal on the budget last year -- sharp cuts to spending and tax increases that will hit household finances -- will cause the economy to shrink by 0.5 percent next year.
It would also likely send the unemployment rate to 9.1 percent by the second half of 2013, from the current already-high 8.3 percent, the CBO said.
The plan -- known as the "fiscal cliff" because of the sharp return to recession widely foreseen -- would succeed in cutting some $500 billion from the budget deficit, forecast at $1.1 trillion for this fiscal year.
But the current growth trajectory of about 2.25 percent would abruptly halt under the current law, the

Number of West Nile cases has soared, CDC says

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Number of West Nile cases has soared, CDC says

August/22/2012
HOUSTON — There’s been an alarming increase in the number of West Nile cases nationwide, with more than 1,100 reported, according to officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest CDC figures, released Wednesday, show that the national total for West Nile infections is three times as many as usually seen at this point in the year, officials said. Seventy-five percent of those cases were reported in five states — Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Dakota and Texas — with about half in Texas.
“We are in the midst of one of the worst West Nile virus outbreaks ever seen in the U.S.,” Lyle R. Petersen, director of the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, said at a briefing.

Sin City's take on Prince Harry's nude Las Vegas romp? Yawn

Sin City's take on Prince Harry's nude Las Vegas romp? Yawn
By John M. Glionna August 23, 2012

LAS VEGAS — The British monarchy and many of its subjects might be aghast over published photos of playboy Prince Harry’s randy and quite naked romp with at least one nude woman in a VIP hotel suite here, but the reaction in Sin City is considerably more subdued.

Vegas is yawning.

New York might be the city that never sleeps, but this neon town is the desert mecca that never blinks. And that bunk about things happening here and staying here? Fahgettaboudit!

PHOTOS: The young Prince Harry

Justin Bieber to make cameo appearance on ‘The Simpsons’

Justin Bieber to make cameo appearance on ‘The Simpsons’

The ‘Believe’ singer will make an appearance in the Fox cartoon’s 24th season. Other cameos fans can look forward to include Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway and Natalie Portman.
BY RHEANA MURRAY / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012
Justin Bieber will get the cartoon treatment when he joins Bart and the gang in an upcoming episode of “The Simpsons.”

Taylor Swift's 'Never Ever' Sets Download Record

Taylor Swift's 'Never Ever' Sets Download Record

Swift's 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' sold 623,000 paid downloads in its first week.
By Gil Kaufma
Aug 22 2012
Taylor Swift did it. The singer who seems to reach new high points with every move set another record
 this week when her latest breakup single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,"
 set a high-water download mark for female artists.

Billboard reported that for the week ending August 19, Swift had the biggest digital sales week ever for a song by a woman thanks to 623,000 paid downloads, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.
The song will debut at #1 on Billboard's Digital Songs chart. Swift easily bested the previous top sales weeks for a woman, which was set by Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" in 2010 (610,000) and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," which notched the record for the biggest first-week sales by a woman last year with 448,000.

Donald Trump Tweets Well Wishes To Rosie O'Donnell After Heart Attack

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Donald Trump Tweets Well Wishes To Rosie O'Donnell After Heart Attack

08/22/2012
Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell, two media personalities known for their mutual disdain of one another, seemed to make peace on Tuesday.

Following news of O'Donnell's heart attack, Trump tweeted her a get well message.

".@Rosie, get better fast. I'm starting to miss you!" Trump wrote. O'Donnell quickly responded, jokingly asking if the NBC "Celebrity Apprentice" host was "trying to kill her." She thanked him and admitted his post "was a bit of a shock."