AskMen “Top 99 Most Desirable Women Of 2010?

Who are the Top 99 Most Beautiful Women on Earth? That’s the question AskMen.com set out to answer with its annual “Most Desirable Women” readers poll. More than 6 million voters selected some of the Planet’s most gorgeous girls in the hunt for the lass fans find “Most Desirable.”



Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui took top honors. The Entourage hottie is the lady the overwhelming percentage of pollers would most like to have as a wife or girlfriend.

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart Urged to Have Babies!

ROBERT Pattinson’s mom wants him to have a baby with his Twilight costar and girlfriend Kristen Stewart!

Insiders say Clare Pattinson is keen for her superstar son — who is fast becoming Hollywood’s hottest star — to start a family with Kristen because she thinks it’ll help keep Rob’s feet firmly on the ground.

“Rob’s mom Clare believes the responsibilities of raising a child would help keep him grounded as his success in showbiz continues to explode,” a source said.

“She doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with them having a baby at a young age. She simply adores Kristen and is already treating her like a daughter-in-law.”

Kristen, insiders say, even suggested she and Rob, 23, move to England to be closer to his family.

“Kristen has been spending more time with Rob’s parents, and they love her and she loves them,” the insider told the National Enquirer.

“Clare just knew Kristen was The One. Rob knows his mom’s not been wrong about anything yet. He’s taking her advice about Kristen VERY seriously.”

Microsoft Zune / Pink phone coming in two months, WM7 included?

Ever wondered what happened to the rumored Microsoft Pink / Zune phone? Not much, it seems, but here’s a new rumor which pegs that a Zune-like phone will be unveiled by Microsoft in the next couple of months.



According to All Things Digital, Katherine Egbert (technology analyst at Jefferies) recently mentioned that the Zune-like handset might be announced either at MWC 2010 (in February), or at CTIA 2010 (in March).

Apparently, the new Microsoft phone will run Windows Mobile 7, featuring a “music subscription/purchasing service” and a 5MP camera with HD video recording.

Apple rumor roundup: future of media edition; Apple Tablet Name: The iPad?

Now that Apple's officially announced an event to show off its "latest creation" on the 27th, the rumors and gossip are about to get even more out of hand -- eventually we expect them to take flight and start raiding small towns for soda water and appetizers. In the meantime, however, we've got the latest batch of somewhat-sober whispers to tide us over, so let's run through 'em, shall we?

The rumor: The iPhone Blog points us to a China Times piece setting the tablet's screen size at 9.7 inches. (We covered the 22-inch touchscreen iMac rumor separately.)
Our take: At this point we've heard pretty much every screen size from eight inches to 11, so we're not making a call either way on this one. We will say that the only other product with a 9.7-inch screen we can think of off-hand is the Kindle DX -- a relatively simple device that's still so large and heavy we generally hold it with two hands. Just something to think about.

The rumor: Ars Technica talks to the director of the OLED Association, who rules out a 10.1-inch AMOLED screen by saying "there's no real production of 10.1-inch panels." Oh, and the only place to buy those would be Samsung, really, and Sammy doesn't have the capacity.
Our take: We never thought a 10.1 OLED screen was likely: not only are prices insane, but OLED still has terrible daylight viewing issues. The Ars piece is well worth a read, though -- it's a nice look at the state of OLED.

TVXQ’s Xiah Junsu contracts virus!

TVXQ’s Xiah Junsu has contracted a virus infection and hasn’t been in good shape lately. On the 18th, Junsu received treatment at the hospital for this virus.



Junsu’s representative stated:

“Starting from the 17th, Xiah Junsu was feeling pain and dizziness. He visited the hospital for a check up and they determined he had contracted a virus infection which has made him lethargic.”

Fox was ready to pay anything for Simon to stay

If it were up to Fox, they would have played a game of Simon Says with Simon Cowell, and the “American Idol” judge would have stayed in place beyond this season, according to sources.

“The ‘American Idol’ people were desperate for Simon to stay,” a show insider told Life & Style magazine. “They told him to name his price (to stay), but he still walked away.”

Cowell announced Jan. 11 that he will leave “Idol” after this season to bring his British talent show, “The X Factor,” to the United States. “X Factor” will debut on Fox during the fall 2011 television season, while “Idol” will air in the winter. Even though the two shows won’t compete head to head, the magazine reports that Cowell wants “X Factor” to “blow ‘American Idol’ out of the water.”

Is it likely? There’s plenty of speculation at this point.

“I think without Simon, the numbers will go down,” Scott Sternberg, a producer of Paula Abdul’s reality show, “Hey Paula,” told Life & Style. “I think we all feel that now there’s going to be a missing plug when he leaves.”

Mariska Hargitay More Magazine February 2010

Mariska Hargitay — best known to Law & Order fans as SVU’s tough-as-nails Olivia Benson — steps off the mean streets of crime TV for a cover story on the pages of the February issue of More Magazine, arriving on newsstands Jan. 26th.



The cover girl — who recently recovered from suffering a collapsed lung after a work-related injury — chats about the late night shakeup at home network NBC, financial woes, and her late mother, sex symbol Jayne Mansfield.

Taylor Swift's "Today was a Fairytale"

Pretty much every actor and actress on the planet has a role in Valentine's Day, the romantic comedy being released next month.

But only one star appears in the film, makes out with Taylor Lautner and has a single on the movie's soundtrack: Taylor Swift.

Below, we're giving readers a chance to listen to this song, titled "Today was a Fairytale." It’s already number-one on the iTunes “Top Songs” chart and it starts with the following verse:



Jennifer Aniston "Put On a Little Weight," Accuses Blogger

Oh no she didn't!

Looking at red carpet shots from Sunday's Golden Globes, Andy Port, a female writer for New York Times fashion blog The Moment asks "What do Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Courteney Cox have in common?"

Her surprising answer: "I could have sworn that some of the ladies who showed up at the Golden Globes on Sunday had put on a little weight."

The provocative essay is called "Now Scrutinizing: A Rounder Golden Globes." Port adds, "It's almost criminal to name names, because the very actresses whose body-mass indexes have been the subject of endless tabloid speculation are the very ones now sporting sexier curves."

The writer even honed in on specific body parts that seemed "curvier": "You could definitely see the difference if you concentrated solely on the upper arms."

Known for her devotion to fitness, Aniston, 40, turned heads on Sunday with a thigh-baring Valentino gown that recalled a recent look sported by Angelina Jolie.

Apple Boot Camp 3.1 Update to support Windows 7

Apple has updated its Boot Camp software today so Mac users can finally run Windows 7 officially, with newly issued drivers and utilities. The Boot Camp 3.1 update provides support for both 32-bit as well as the 64-bit Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate versions of Windows 7.




The software update furthermore includes Magic Mouse and Apple wireless keyboard support, as well addressing some Apple tracpad and laptop LED issues. The 32-bit version is 380.73MB, while the 64-bit update is 274.58MB in size.

Samsung’s Bada Developers website goes live, Bada SDK to be available soon

Developers interested in building applications for the new Samsung Bada smartphone OS can now start making concrete plans about what they want to develop, as the Bada Developers website has been launched.



The website is full of tutorials related to basically anything about Bada – from UI and graphics, to Communication, Web, Media, Security, Location Services and Data Synchronization. And, naturally, you’ll soon be able to download the Bada SDK via the the website.

According to Samsung, there are already “hundreds of mobile application companies” that “are going on their own products, which will be sold at Bada application store.”

Google's China moves may hurt Android, help Windows Mobile

Google's decision to postpone the launch of two new Android phones in China this week points to the wider implications of the search giant's potential exit from the market.

A decision to leave China could deliver a blow to Android, which has just recently gained notable momentum, and could bring opportunity to Google's struggling rival Microsoft.

Google had planned to help launch two Android phones from Motorola and Samsung on Wednesday with China Unicom, said Jill Hazelbaker, a Google spokeswoman. She would not say why the launch is now delayed.

After Google publicly revealed a cyberattack on its systems that originated in China, the company followed up with a shocking announcement last week: It would stop censoring search results in China and thus face banishment from the country for failing to comply with local laws. The decision to delay the Android phone launches is likely related to any ongoing talks that Google may be having with China's regulators.

Motorola did not confirm the delayed launch nor answer questions about plans for the future launch of the phone in China. In a statement it said it is committed to offering Android phones in China.

BoA returns with Possibility PV ft Miura Daichi

We haven’t reported much about BoA recently, but the Hallyu megastar is back with a new track and music video! Just a few minutes ago, Possibility, a fresh Japanese song with BoA and Miura Daichi, surfaced the internet and has traveled here.



In contrast with her sexy American image, BoA slows things down with Possibility, a simple yet strong track that really shows off both artists’ vocal talent; the duo even does a bit of dancing in the PV. The video gives off a very clean feel, with its monochrome concept and BoA’s mature, short hair.

(500) Days Director Webb Stuck to New Spider-Man; Joseph Gordon-Levitt Next?

New York Magazine’s Vulture blog says that “(500) Days of Summer” director Marc Webb is now officially the director of Sony's "Spider -Man" reboot.



The Vulture item, which moves forward a story from Deadline New York’s Mike Fleming last week that had Webb sitting atop the studio’s list, reports that the director is actually signing on for three movies, with the rebooted franchise focusing on the "private life of Peter Parker." The studio confirmed that Webb had been hired but mentioned only one picture, with Sony co-chair Amy Pascal and Columbia Pictures president Matt Tolmach saying they had sought -- and, in their view, found -- a director who could "capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes."

'American Idol' in Chicago: Shania Twain impressed us much!

"I was very surprised and, yes, you have a beautiful bottom end," Shania Twain told American Idol auditioner John Park.

And then it got weirder from there.



Maybe because the Canadian country star was finally saying something, Kara, Randy and Simon more or less jumped down her throat on tonight's Idol when her longest critique in two days wandered into double-entendre territory.

"You have nice lips," Twiain continued, perhaps not realizing that she was digging a deeper hole for herself.

'Avatar' Producer Says Sequel Could Be James Cameron's Next Project

'It's going to be hard to walk away from this,' Jon Landau tells MTV News of film's runaway success.

In early December, James Cameron hinted that he might pursue a smaller project following the release of "Avatar," a film the director had been working on in one form or another since the mid-'90s. Then his CGI behemoth actually hit theaters, reeling in $77 million during opening weekend, on its way to $1.6 billion in worldwide box-office receipts and counting.

With the #1 all-time box-office spot now in sight, will Cameron skip that smaller film — possibly "The Dive," the true and tragic story of two free divers who fall in love — in favor of kick-starting work on an "Avatar" sequel? His longtime producing partner Jon Landau hinted to MTV News that a speedy return to the blockbuster franchise is likely.

"I think it's going to be hard to walk away from this," he explained when asked if a sequel would be Cameron's next project. "I think that might be a good bet."

He hastened to add a note of caution, however, saying, "In Hollywood, anything can happen."

Bill Gates Rejoins Facebook, Gives Twitter A Try Too

Last summer, Microsoft founder Bill Gates made the somewhat surprising announcement that he was quitting Facebook after being inundated with friend requests, explaining “It was just way too much trouble so I gave it up”. Today, it looks like he’s decided to give it another go. A few hours ago, Gates launched both a new Facebook Page and a Twitter account (@BillGates).

Gates’ first updates on Twitter, which were first noticed by TheNextWeb are mostly related to the crisis in Haiti, which may well have spurred his decision to join. President Obama recently sent his first tweet from an aid center in Haiti, and plenty of other celebrities have used the platform to help encourage donations. The new Twitter account has been verified by Twitter as the real deal.

Motorola MOTOROI demoed on video in very cozy quarters



You don't typically get this close to your phone unless you're about to put it against the side of your face, but hey, we figure a little intimate time with a device you use this much can't hurt, now, can it? Here we've got one of the first high-def hands-on experiences of Motorola's latest Android set, the MOTOROI, loaded with a Korean ROM in preparation for its upcoming launch on SK Telecom. As if on cue, the very first thing the user tests is the browser's multitouch support, revealing that performance could be an issue here -- even on the phone's OMAP3 core -- but the good news is that the presence of Blur doesn't seem to cause the home screen to stutter like we've seen on the CLIQ and DEXT. All things considered, the odd hump on the bottom right edge doesn't seem as dramatic in the reals as it does in press photos, which we'd say is a good thing -- particularly considering the latest talk that we'll see this sucker launch all over the world over the next few months. Follow the break for the full video.

Microsoft promises emergency IE patch

It's mum on when rush fix will arrive, plans to reveal delivery date on Wednesday

Microsoft today announced that it will issue an emergency security update for Internet Explorer (IE), but postponed setting a ship date for the fix until tomorrow.

"Given the significant level of attention this issue has generated, confusion about what customers can do to protect themselves and the escalating threat environment, Microsoft will release a security update out-of-band for this vulnerability," said George Stathakopoulos, general manager of the Trustworthy Computing Security group, in an entry on the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) blog.

"We take the decision to go out-of-band very seriously, given the impact to customers, but we believe releasing an update out-of-band update is the right decision at this time," Stathakopoulos said.

Fahrenheit in pornographic calendar; Companies express intention to sue

The pictures of the four handsome flower boys of Fahrenheit, Wu Chun, Jiro Wang, Calvin Chen, and Aaron Yan, have recently been infringed upon by a Hong Kong internet community. Their photos were surreptitiously substituted into a pornographic 2010 calendar of males for males -- the contents were extremely sensational. Their management companies have stated that they will defend their rights through the law.

Pornographic calendar from surreptitiously substituted photos

According to netizens, in the homosexual forum of a HK online community, just several days ago, Wu Chun and Calvin's faces were placed onto macho-man bodies, creating a photo of these two in an ambiguous (Love) relationship. Besides being sold on a DVD named "Follow Me", they were also used to recruit new online members.

Mischa Barton dons shocking pink tights to play pregnant prostitute

Mischa Barton has channelled some seriously strange outfits in recent months - but shocking pink tights teamed with a floral minidress and leopard-print coat really tops the lot.



Still, the former OC actress can be forgiven for her sartorial slip-up this time - she was in character, playing a pregnant prostitute.

The 23-year-old was caught by photographers mid-way through filming scenes for the American TV series Law and Order: SVU in New York's Meatpacking district.

Hollywood heavyweight Sharon Stone has also been roped in for a cameo appearance on the show.

While Mischa will play a hooker called Gladys, Sharon will play an ex-cop turned prosecutor over four episodes.

'Paranormal Activity 2' gets ready with 'Saw VI' director

Something’s moving in the “Paranormal Activity 2” house.

Paramount has hired screenwriter Michael R. Perry and director Kevin Greutert to create the sequel to 2009’s biggest surprise hit, “Paranormal Activity,” which scared up $151 million in worldwide grosses in the fall on a shoestring $15,000 budget and a shrewd, opt-in Web marketing campaign.

Significantly, Paramount will unleash it in theaters on the pre-Halloween weekend of October 22, which sets it against that date’s reigning champion in previous years, the next installment in Lionsgate’s “Saw” series (this year would be “VII”). In a symbolic twist, Greutert made his directorial debut on the sixth “Saw” film, which grossed just $31 million worldwide, with observers thinking that the franchise may be bleeding dry.

Jason Blum and Oren Peli, who masterminded the first “Activity,” are producing the second iteration. Steven Schneider will serve as executive producer.

“These guys get it, and the fans won’t be disappointed,” said Peli of Perry and Greutert’s participation.

Unsurprisingly, the filmmakers are keeping the story line — as well as the film’s actual title — hidden in the attic.

Nick Jonas and Selena Gomez: Back Together?!?

Nick Jonas has a new band. Does he also have an old girlfriend?

In the video below, Selena Gomez is spotted getting off a tour bus with Nick in Chicago. Sources also say she was in attendance at his concert in Detroit over the weekend.



Rumors of a Jonas/Gomez relationship began to surface in the summer of 2008. Nick never really shot them down, though there was never an official break-up. Think this video means there's been an official reconciliation?

iPhone OS 4.0 detailed: multitasking & new UI but iPhone 3G/3GS only? Apple calling tablet the iTablet?

That’s right, y’all. We’re back at it, and this time we’ve received some exclusive iPhone OS 4.0 details from one of our trusty Apple connects.



Here are some iPhone OS 4.0 features, according to our guy:
  • There will be multi-touch gestures OS-wide. (Would make sense for that as the rumored OS for the iTablet is close if not the same as the iPhone)
  • “A few new ways” to run applications in the background — multitasking.

Browse safely with Internet Explorer

Unless you're brand new to computers, the recent news that an Internet Explorer hole was exploited in China-based attacks against Google Gmail users and dozens of high-tech companies was no surprise.

Lately, malware has increasingly targeted holes in media players such as Adobe's Flash Player and Reader PDF software, so the Chinese attack on IE is in some ways a throwback. Many tech pundits have responded by recommending against using Internet Explorer at all. The free and easy availability of alternative browsers such as Firefox, Opera, Apple's Safari, and Google's own Chrome would appear to make this sound advice.

Unfortunately, some Internet users don't have a choice of browser. The Web sites of many organizations use custom applications that require IE. More importantly, Windows itself relies on Internet Explorer to receive updates and for other behind-the-scenes operations. Even if you never open IE, you still need to make sure the browser is fully patched and up to date.

Twins making a come back ?! Ah Sa and Ah Gil swim suit battle !

After a long time not being on the same stage, Twins first joint apparition is for "Hot Summer Days" 's director Wing Shya. From the time in 2007 when it was disclosed that they would go solo, they never really appeared as a band working together, but to everyone's amazement, they filmed a blessing and promotional VCR 2010 spring romantic movie "Hot Summer Days" and they appeared very sweet and still with their great chemistry, using "Hello everyone, we're Twins" as an introduction.



In the video, Charlene and Gillian who had been on their seperate ways for a long timewere carefully dressed up, one in red and the other in white; and the set was a photo studio, making people wondering if they were about to work together on Twins reunion.

Kim Hyun Joong and Jeon Doo Hwan controversy

SS501’s member Kim HyunJoong is currently mad due to the controversy that is encompassing him in Korea. This controversy of this matter involves the ex-president of Korea, Jeon DooHwan.



What is it exactly that the netizens and citizens are making a fuss about? KBites will lay out the facts.

In Korea on the 18th, the news reported that Kim HyunJoong had gone to the birthday celebration for the former president of the Republic of Korea. This could seem like a simple birthday celebration, however, the fact is that it wasn’t

Many of you guys may not know about the reputation Jeon DooHwan has in Korea. Many of you guys might not also know that some Koreans are just waiting patiently for his death. Jeon DooHwan was the president that caused one of the most notorious act in Korea, also called the “Gwangju Democratization Movement.” Before, Jeon DooHwan had pressured Koreans under the military power, basically making sure that everyone was following him. However, in Gwangju, several hundreds of citizens gathered together and formed a “movement” for the democracy in the government. Unfortunately, the armed forces were too much for the weak citizens to handle, and along with the movement, several hundreds of the citizens were brutally massacre in 2 days, causing a short period of war between the citizens of Korea. This wasn’t his only mistake, but one of the mistakes he is critized the most for.

Heidi Montag: “I’m Not Addicted To Plastic Surgery”

Despite undergoing 10 plastic surgery procedures in one day, reality personality Heidi Montag-Pratt says she’s not addicted to going under the knife.



Heidi hit headlines last week, when she revealed that she was “beyond obsessed” with getting work done to her body in the Jan. 25 issue of PEOPLE. The star now insists that isn’t the case.

“I would say that none of those people know me at all, and that’s just a judgment,” Heidi said during an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday. “I’m not addicted. If I were addicted, I would have had 10 plastic surgeries,” she said, making a distinction between having surgery and undergoing a “procedure.”

Nicole Scherzinger wants to be a Bond girl.

The Pussycat Dolls singer — who recently split from Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton after almost two years together — reportedly ended their relationship in order to further her acting ambitions and has set her sights on taking on the lead female role opposite Daniel Craig in the next movie about iconic British spy James Bond.

“Nicole is fiercely ambitious and didn’t want to spend her next few years following Lewis around the globe,” a source told Britain’s Hello!magazine. “He wanted her to be his companion as he went from one place to another, but she was not prepared to pack in her career, and that led to a number of arguments.

“She has lined up some meetings in Hollywood. Nicole is very athletic and sees herself in action movies. She has even said her ideal role would be to star as the next Bond girl. Why not? She has the looks and the physique for it. ”

Despite her acting ambitions, the 31-year-old beauty hasn’t turned her back on the music industry, as she is currently writing a number of songs for her solo album, as well as a new LP with her group.

Taylor Lautner Wants a Normal Girl!

TAYLOR Lautner wants to date someone who can just be themselves.

The Twilight star — who recently split from Love Story singer Taylor Swift — has had enough of dating girls who are preoccupied with themselves and instead is opting for the single life for a while.

“I just want someone who can be themselves. Not put on a show,” said Taylor. “It is as simple as that. I’m not dating anyone right now.”

Following Lautner’s split from Swift, it was claimed the two Taylors decided to call time their short-lived, highly-publicized romance after a series of fights over food.

“Unlike Lautner, Swift is anti-diet. Her favorite restaurant is the Cracker Barrel near her family’s Henderson, Tenn., home,” a source said in December.

“Her favorite dish is their biscuits and gravy — something Lautner wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole!

Motorola Motoroi coming to USA in March


Well, isn't this a novelty? The well practiced skill of lusting after Korean gear from afar won't be necessary with Motorola's latest Android 2.0 handset, as we're hearing the Motoroi is headed to US shelves this March. Moto Korea head honcho Rick Wolochatiuk was on hand at the Korean launch to confirm that the new handset "will be launched in other markets around the world," with the US specifically confirmed for a March release. The Motoroi, if you recall, is a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen spliced atop hardware good enough to record 720p video and output it via HDMI. An 8 megapixel camera with Xenon flash should ensure you get pretty decent photos too. But what are we doing telling you about it when there are perfectly good promo videos after the break? Go get 'em!

The photoshoot : f(x), Yoon EunHye and KARA Goo Hara


Bringing you updates on the latest of Korean style and fashion, K Style 19th January features rookie girlgroup f(x)’s photoshoot in Africa, Yoon EunHye’s all natural photoshoot for Beyond, and also some teasers to KARA Goo Hara’s vampire girl concept photoshoot for Nylon.

Go under the cut for the full spread of photos.

Joey Yung's "Queen Victoria" style wig

Joey Yung's EP "Joey Ten" will be released at the end of this month. A few poses of her new look are exposed. This time, Joey put on a "Rainbow Aerobic" dancing costume designed by Petra Storrs. Lady Gaga has worn that "dance outfit" before. Joey and Petra are very excited for the "cross-border cooperation." Petra said Joey looks like a warrior, full of justice and a feeling of peace, in contrast to Lady Gaga's aggressive look. In the "Joey the Queen" modeling, she wore a huge wig with such exaggeration to reassemble "Queen Victoria" style . SK, the producer said "When we were gathering ideas for this EP, the first thing cropped up was a "Queen's" look. Therefore for a music queen, we sure need a crown." Joey is very happy for wearing an exaggerated wig rather than a heavy metal crown. She said "I don't need to set my hair up, I only need to put the wig on! Having said that I am worried the wig may fall off when I sing and dance. "

Actor Nick Cheung forks out HK$200,000 in bid to get male heir

Golden Horse award-winning actor Nick Cheung has forked out HK$200,000 (S$40,000) to send his actress wife Esther Kwan for artificial insemination, in hopes of getting a male heir, Hong Kong media reported.

2009 had been a good year for the Hong Kong actor who won multiple awards for his role in the 2008 film "Beast Stalker".

Cheung had previously commented on his recent wins and said that he could "die without regrets", adding that "heaven has given me everything I needed so I have no complaints".

After his wins in 2009, Cheung's popularity and acting fees skyrocketed. Despite having both fame and fortune, the 44-year-old veteran had a lingering regret: He has no male heir to continue his bloodline. The couple have a three-year-old daughter, Brittany.

When filming for "Beast Stalker" began late last year, Hong Kong media reported that co-star Nicholas Tse's wife, actress Cecelia Cheung, was pregnant.

Britney Spears: Credit Card Bandit!

Britney Spears cannot sign record deals, buying homes, or probably even date someone without the consent of her father, conservator Jamie Spears.

That doesn't mean she can't find ways around the chains that legally bind her. When it comes to a recent shoe purchase, she was a credit card ninja.

The pop star has actually been using her bodyguard's credit card to buy stuff that doesn't fit into her conservatorship budget. Britney 1, Jamie 0!

Britney hit up the Steve Madden store in the Valley over the weekend and bought two pairs of boots, paying for them with a credit card ... in a bodyguard's name.

The store employees gave Britney a hard time over the card ... because she signed her own name on the dotted line. Sigh. That will get you in trouble every time.

Spears ultimately convinced the clerk the person named on the card is an employee of hers and she was entitled to use it. Wonder if this will come up in court.

FUN FACT: Britney's personal credit card budget? $1,500 a week.

Jessica Simpson Dumped by Billy Corgan!!

JESSICA Simpson is single again!

According to reports, the singer/actress — who previously dated Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo — has been dumped by Billy Corgan, her boyfriend of just a few weeks.

“Jessica loved spending so much time in and out of the studio with Billy,” a source told the New York Daily News newspaper.

“She’s in awe of his musical prowess, and it adds to her feelings for him, but they are not dating.

“Dating Jessica publicly can be intense. Billy maintains a quiet, private music-focused life and the taste of publicity he got while being with Jessica was an eye opener.

“Billy likes Jessica, but he will work to keep their relationship as it is and focus on the music. They are not getting serious, but Jessica has had so much fun with him.

“Jessica really got fed up with doing things for other people. She barely wears make-up these days. Her workout schedule isn’t strict. She eats whatever she wants.

La Toya Jackson wants Simon’s spot on ‘Idol’

If Simon Cowell’s upcoming departure from “American Idol” isn’t enough to leave some fans feeling uncertain about the show’s future, the idea of La Toya Jackson acting as his replacement might clench it.

According to gossip Web site TMZ, the singer believes she’d be a perfect fit for “Idol.” Jackson recently spoke to producer Nigel Lythgoe about possibly being a guest judge before Cowell revealed that this would be his last season on the televised talent show. Now she hopes to have a shot at a permanent spot.

“I would LOVE to be a judge on ‘American Idol,’ ” the Jackson sibling announced to TMZ. “I would love to have a chance for the public get to know the real me. I would be thrilled.”

No word on just what viewers might learn about “the real” Jackson that they haven’t already gleaned from her two Playboy pictorials, Playboy video and numerous tell-all interviews, but it could be interesting.

Twitter growth slows while usage expands globally

The most recent State of the Twittersphere Report, published today by inbound marketing firm Hubspot, shows that Twitter is experiencing a significant decline in the growth of new users. This report analyzes more than 5 million Twitter accounts and 6 million tweets, using data collected from the firm’s popular Twitter Grader tool.

According to the report, the Twitter new user growth rate dropped from 13 percent in March 2009 to just 3.5 percent as of October 2009. It also appears that site traffic has suffered a decline, however that could be attributed to the growing number of business-focused third-party Twitter clients currently available.

On the flipside, the report states that Twitter users are more engaged than ever before.

In the seven months since we last examined the State of the Twittersphere, the average Twitter
account holder has become less of a newbie. The average user is following more people,
followed by more people and has posted more updates.


Taiwan man dies after watching 'Avatar'

A 42-year-old Taiwanese man with a history of high blood pressure has died of a stroke likely triggered by over-excitement from watching the blockbuster "Avatar" in 3D, a doctor said Tuesday.

The man, identified only by his surname Kuo, started to feel unwell during the screening earlier this month in the northern city of Hsinchu and was taken to hospital.

Kuo, who suffered from hypertension, was unconscious when he arrived at the Nan Men General Hospital and a scan showed that his brain was haemorrhaging, emergency room doctor Peng Chin-chih said.

"It's likely that the over-excitement from watching the movie triggered his symptoms," he told AFP.

Kuo died 11 days later from the brain haemorrhage, and the China Times newspaper said it was the first death linked to watching James Cameron's science-fiction epic "Avatar".

Film blogging sites have reported complaints of headaches, dizziness, nausea and blurry eyesight from viewers of "Avatar" and other movies rich in 3D imagery.

Rumours about ex almost drove HK actress Monica Chan to suicide

Actress Monica Chan has been plagued by scandal ever since she entered showbiz a decade ago, but she was so depressed by recent rumours about her ex-boyfriend Zhu Ming that she contemplated suicide.

The 43-year-old actress revealed on Hong Kong variety show "Be My Guest" that there was a continuous stream of negative media reports after her relationship with Zhu was made public.

Some claimed she stole her fellow actress' boyfriend, others said she was materialistic, greedy and dumped Zhu when he had financial problems last year.

Chan admitted that the rumours had caused her to have suicidal thoughts and tearfully went on to clarify the circumstances of their break-up on the show.

"Zhu had already proposed to me and we were planning to get married. We broke up because we realised that our characters were incompatible. It was not because of those rumours. But no matter how I explain myself, people still think I am that kind of person," said Chan.

"I thought about suicide but luckily, I had friends around me who encouraged me and gave me their support."

Ming Dao leaves J-Star

Top Taiwanese idol drama leading man Ming Dao has followed his screen lover Joe Chen’s footsteps and left the illustrious J-Star.

The management company is headed by its infamously fearsome boss, industry veteran Sun De-rong, who has scouted and groomed a whole host of Taiwanese celebrities, including Show Luo, 5566, Cyndi Wang and Matilda Tao. Both Ming Dao and Joe, who have played romantic partners thrice, learnt their ropes under Mr Sun.

Speaking through his agent, Ming Dao said he considered and also struggled for a long time to reach this decision. He added that he will never forget everything Mr Sun has given him.

On the news, his ex-boss responded, “This is the sad fate of an artiste manager. When he’s not famous yet, we have to find opportunities for him. When he is, we need him to give us opportunities.”

Following Joe’s earlier exit from J-Star, there are speculations both cases are related to the lower wages the company’s artistes receive for starring in idol dramas compared to other stars.

Mr Sun only vaguely replied, “There are always 100 reasons for everything.”

By the look of things, it is no wonder Ming Dao has no qualms going solo. His venture into the Chinese market has yielded many positives. The idol drama Happiness is Definitely Strong, which he stars in opposite Catwalk model Annie Chen, broadcasts on 26 Jan as Anhui Satellite TV‘s opening blockbuster of the year.

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