Simon Cowell defends Miami holiday with baby

Music mogul Simon Cowell has hit back at critics who blasted him for taking baby Eric on holiday to Miami when he was only 10 days old. The X Factor boss and his girlfriend Lauren Silverman jetted to Florida for a beach holiday with Eric - who was born in New York on 14 February (14) - and his parenting skills were attacked by several critics. However, Cowell has now hit back, insisting he and Silverman are proud parents and would never put their son at risk. He tells Britain's Daily Mail newspaper, "I just want people to be clear that, yes, he has gone on a plane very early on, but the paediatrician in New York cleared him to travel. We would not have done it otherwise. We would never dream of putting him a risk. "I know there will be photos where Eric looks like he is in the sun, or photos where he looks like there's a dog in his face, or it looks like we aren't being great parents - but that isn't the case. We are taking great care of him all the time."

These ladies' dresses took a backseat to their Academy Award acceptance speeches By Glenn Kenny On the red carpet of all manner of awards ceremonies, most of the observations concerning the female nominees concerns what, and in many cases "who

These ladies' dresses took a backseat to their Academy Award acceptance speeches By Glenn Kenny On the red carpet of all manner of awards ceremonies, most of the observations concerning the female nominees concerns what, and in many cases "who

Aberdeen's Kurt Cobain Day features weird crying statue

Aberdeen's Kurt Cobain Day features weird crying statue

Coroner: Multiple Drugs Found in Hoffman's Body

Coroner: Multiple Drugs Found in Hoffman's Body

Jim Lange, the first host of the popular game show "The Dating Game," died at age 81 on Feb. 25, 2014. Find: 'The Dating Game' clips

Jim Lange, the first host of the popular game show "The Dating Game," died at age 81 on Feb. 25, 2014. Find: 'The Dating Game' clips

Kendall Jenner Models Nude & More

Get down girls, go ‘head get down! Over the years the Kardashian-Jenner sisters have proven that they aren’t afraid to flaunt what Kris Jenner gave them, from Kendall taking it off for ‘W’ to Kim K getting nude in ‘Playboy.’ These ladies certainly have a “No shirt, no problem” policy! It’s no secret that the ladies of the Kardashian-Jenner household don’t mind being in the spotlight, and there may not be any greater symbol of that than this list of the many times the sisters (and the mother!) have stepped in front of a camera without their tops on. From the sexy magazine covers to the tantalizing Instagram shots, strap in for a roller coaster ride, because these girls know how to take a shocking, stunning topless pic! And we know where the siblings got it from — their momma, Kris Jenner! She may be the most provocative girl in the entire family, as we found out in Mar. 2012 when the momager posted a picture of herself very pregnant and very topless on her official website. Was it sexy? Probably not. But did it grab our attention? DEFINITELY. And the apples didn’t fall far from the tree. Though Khloe and Kourtney have had their fair share of skintastic moments, Kim Kardashian has been the most daring of all the sisters, and she’s been dominating the topless game for years now. She made her first bold topless move by posing in W magazine totally naked in Nov. 2010. The reality star was only covered by some spare text and some metallic body paint. And of course, she went all the way when she posed for Playboy years before that in 2007. More recently Kim has taken it all off for her fiance Kanye West, sexily straddling him and a motorcycle in the “Bound 2″ music video.

Putin asks parliament to use military in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked parliament for permission to use the country's military in Ukraine, the Kremlin said Saturday. Putin said the move is needed to protect ethnic Russians and the personnel of a Russian military base in Ukraine's strategic region of Crimea. "I'm submitting a request for using the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine pending the normalization of the socio-political situation in that country," Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin. He sent the request to the Russian legislature's upper house, which has to approve the motion, according to the constitution. In Crimea, the pro-Russian regional prime minister had earlier claimed control of the military and police there and asked Putin for help in keeping peace, sharpening the discord between the two Slavic neighbor countries. It was the latest escalation following the ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russian president last week by a protest movement aimed at turning Ukraine toward the European Union and away from Russia. Armed men described as Russian troops took control of key airports and a communications center in Crimea on Friday. Ukraine has accused Russia of a "military invasion and occupation" — a claim that brought an alarming new dimension to the crisis, and raised fears that Moscow is moving to intervene on the strategic peninsula where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based. Ukraine's population is divided in loyalties between Russia and Europe, with much of western Ukraine advocating closer ties with the European Union while eastern and southern regions look to Russia for support. Crimea is mainly Russian-speaking. Crimean's prime minister, Sergei Aksyonov, declared that the armed forces, the police, the national security service and border guards in the region will answer only to his orders. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk opened a Cabinet meeting in the capital, Kiev, by calling on Russia not to provoke discord in Crimea, a peninsula on the Black Sea. "We call on the government and authorities of Russia to recall their forces, and to return them to their stations," Yatsenyuk was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. "Russian partners, stop provoking civil and military resistance in Ukraine."

George Lopez arrested for public intoxication

George Lopez was arrested for public intoxication in a Canadian casino Thursday night after passing out on the floor. The actor/comedian made light of the situation at the Caesars Windsor in a statement to USA TODAY, saying, "Tied one on last night. Not feeling great this morning. I was trying to sleep it off, unfortunately, it was on the casino floor." A photo of Lopez lying on the floor was circulating on social media Friday, and a spokesperson for Windsor police confirmed to People that police officers took a male into custody at 11:25 p.m. "from the OPP Casino Enforcement Unit. The male was subsequently released with no charges." TMZ first reported the arrest.

Judge orders Chris Brown, "stay in rehab"

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California judge has ordered Chris Brown to remain in an anger-management rehab program and told the pop singer to return to court in two months. The judge on Friday scheduled Brown's next hearing for April 23. That would come after what's expected to be a brief assault trial in Washington earlier that month. Prosecutors have asked that Brown be sent to jail for violating probation with his October arrest in Washington. In that incident, Brown and his bodyguard are accused of punching a man and breaking his nose outside a hotel. Brown is on probation for his 2009 attack on then-girlfriend, Rihanna. Brown's attorneys have asked the judge to await the outcome of the Washington case before hearing evidence on whether Brown should go to jail.

Hudson, Foxx, Pharrell get 'Happy' with Oscar music

The Oscars are going for all kinds of Happy with their musical numbers. All the Oscar-nominated songmakers practiced their hits Friday at the Dolby Theatre in preparation for their live performances on Sunday's Oscars telecast. Pharrell, who wore his now famous hat to the auditorium but took it off to practice on the Oscar stage, performed several house-raising renditions of his nominated hit song Happy from Despicable Me 2. Singing and dancing in front more than 30 young professional dancers, Pharrell worked the rehearsal crowd into an enthusiastic lather. Actress Kate Hudson, on hand for rehearsals, was dancing with such vigor that she had to take off her faux-fur vest. She alternated from bobbing in her seat to moving enthusiastically in the aisle. Actor Jamie Foxx and his daughter, Corinne, were also in attendance. Jamie Foxx even strolled up to the Oscar stage to show the professional dancers some impressive moves. Brad Pitt showed Corinne Foxx he knows a thing or two about taking a good selfie. "Move it over here to avoid the shadow," Pitt said with a smile as he posed with her for their photo. Slowing it down on stage, Yeah Yeah Yeah front woman Karen O practiced an intimate version of her nominated The Moon Song with Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig strumming on an acoustic guitar. The song is from director Spike Jonze's Her, and Jonze co-wrote the lyrics to the song. Jonze was a constant presence during Friday's run-through. Irish rockers U2 closed the rehearsal space to practice their song Ordinary Love from the Nelson Mandela biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Broadway sensation Idina Menzel had no problems opening the house to her rehearsal for the nominated song Let It Go from the Frozen soundtrack. Menzel practiced with a full orchestra whose sounds were piped in from a remote studio location. Menzel gave a number of vocal variations to the final line in the song.. "I don't know, I'll just have to try it out," Menzel said as she readied for her live performance on Sunday. "I'll just have to go for it then."

Happy Birthday Denese Brown

I just wanted to wish one of my favorite people on the planet a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND MANY, MANY MORE. I hope and pray that God grant you the desires of your heart. It's nice to have a sister that's always looking out for you. Thank you for being there. Love you much!

DR. OZ WELCOMES 'BEAUTIFUL GRANDDAUGHTER!

Daphne Oz is first-time mom, and Dr. Oz is a first-time grandpa! Mehmet Oz's eldest daughter welcomed her first child with husband John Jovanovic on Wednesday, Feb. 26 in New York, her rep confirmed to Us Weekly. PHOTOS: Celebrity pregnancies The 28-year-old Chew host and investment fund analyst Jovanovic, who wed in August 2010, announced they were expecting back in September. Their daughter arrived at 10:03 p.m., weighing 6 lbs, 13 oz., and is 20.5 inches long. Grandpa Oz wasted no time meeting his first grandchild. "My daughter @DaphneOz delivered her first child!" he tweeted Thursday, Feb. 27. "I'm holding my beautiful granddaughter now. Thank you for all the well-wishes & prayers!"

God's Amazing Grace!

God is good, and it's because of his Amazing grace that brings us through our ups and downs. Mountains and Valleys! He didn't say that the journey would be easy. On the contrary, he said love them that curse you, love then that persecute you. So he warned us that we would not always have it easy. Always remember to LOVE YOURSELF NO MATTER WHAT!
To purchase download go to:
Amazon

Great review of this recording:
http://www.theblackgospelblog.com/2010/08/amazing-grace-bobby-hardy.html

The Restaurant Guy, a plate of goodness!

I did not want to stop reading this book. It was like drinking an expensive bottle of Merlot. Fantastic book, fantastic people. Noel is the best restaurant guy around, and you really need to hear some of his stories from back in the day, and I promise you won't be bored... I couldn't wait for the next page to start. Noel Stein knows the restaurant business like noone else. An exceptional raconteur, he gives the reader an inside look of how restaurants operate and packs the book with great gossipy tidbits about everyone from Hugh Hefner to Bill Cosby. This book should be made into a movie.

RICK'S ON MAIN 2907 MAIN ST SANTA MONICA BEST KARAOKE SUNDAY NIGHTS 10PM

This really is the best spot for Sunday night karaoke on the West Side. Rick's 2907 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA FOOD SERVED UNTIL LAST CALL (1:20AM)

Boston judge: Federal ban gay marriage unconstitutional

A Boston judge has fired the latest salvo in the battle for gay marriage, ruling Thursday that a federal ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional because it violates states' rights.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro ruled in favor of gay couples' right to marry, the AP reports, challenging the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on the ground that it interferes with a state’s right to define marriage.

Same-sex unions have been legal in Massachusetts since 2004, but the state argued that DOMA discriminated against gay married couples by denying them access to the same benefits as heterosexual married couples.

Tauro agreed, ruling on two separate challenges to the law that the act forced Massachusetts to discriminate against its own citizens.

"The federal government, by enacting and enforcing DOMA, plainly encroaches upon the firmly entrenched province of the state, and in doing so, offends the Tenth Amendment," Tauro wrote in a ruling. "For that reason, the statute is invalid."

In a second case, filed by Gays & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Tauro ruled that DOMA also violates the Constitution's equal protection clause.

Advocacy groups embraced Tauro's ruling Thursday. "We've maintained from the very beginning that there was absolutely no basis for this law treating one class of married Massachusetts couples different from everybody else and the court has recognized that," said Gary Buseck, GLAD's legal director.

Supporters of same-sex marriage also took to Twitter to cheer on the ruling, posting tweets like "Yessssss!!!!!!!", "RIGHT ON!", and "Holiday, celebrate! So, U.S. Judge in Boston rules that a federal gay marriage ban is unconstitutional... Party in Boston!"

The Justice Department argued that the federal government has the right to set eligibility requirements for federal benefits such as Medicare - including requiring that those benefits only go to couples in marriages between a man and a woman, the AP reported.

The lawsuit challenges only the portion of the law that prevents the federal government from affording pension and other benefits to same-sex couples.

Congress put DOMA on the books in 1996 when it seemed that Hawaii was on the brink of legalizing gay marriage, and opponents feared that the movement would become a nationwide trend.