'Santa' hands out $100 bills in hard-hit city

'Santa' hands out $100 bills in hard-hit city - Anonymous 'Secret Santa' Brings Christmas Cheer. A spot with one of the highest poverty rates in the nation gets a surprise visitor. A businessman who identified himself only as “Secret Santa” brought Christmas cheer to Reading, Pa., one $100 bill at a time. Reading has the highest poverty rate of cities across the nation with more than 65,000 residents, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. An estimated 90,000 people call Reading home.

Adriana Lima's Crazy Liquid Diet

Adriana Lima's Crazy Liquid Diet - Adriana Lima looked pretty darn gorgeous during last night's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. But according to Lima, 30, preparing for the big show is no easy task. The model undergoes an intense regimen of working out and dieting that most people definitely wouldn't be able to handle!

2011 YEAR IN REVIEW

2011 YEAR IN REVIEW - Surprises in top 10 searches of 2011. Even Kim Kardashian couldn't stir up as much online buzz as accused mom Casey Anthony. The top search term of 2011 wasn't a person or a news event. It was a technological marvel. In the 11 years that Yahoo! has compiled its annual list of top searches, PlayStation 2 (2001 and 2002) is the only other device to have captured the top slot. This year, the iPhone led the queries, bypassing a reality TV divorcee and America's most wanted terrorist.

Tight Parallel Parking In Paris

Tight Parallel Parking In Paris - Not Exactly the Right Way to Parallel Park. A driver in Paris manages to squeeze his very compact car into an even smaller parking spot by making a bit of extra room. Video: A driver in Paris manages to squeeze his very compact car into an even smaller parking spot by making a bit of extra room.

Blind photographer takes unique shots

Blind photographer takes unique shots. Blind photographer creates visionary art. Craig Royal hasn't let his disability stop him from crafting a successful fine arts career. Craig Royal, a fine art photographer, was born with vision loss due to a congenital form of optic atrophy. He has been practicing photography for the last four years and his subject matter is wide and far; nature, architecture, objects and their potential for abstraction and a philosophical perspective that explores the human condition. Royal believes, "Photography is more than a form of artistic expression but also a visual aide that allows me to revel in the exquisite detail that surrounds us."

Charlize Theron's revealing dress

Charlize Theron's revealing dress - The actress is the definition of glamour in a black-and-white, 1920s-inspired ensemble.No wonder Charlize Theron hasn't been single in 17 years! The star of the upcoming flick "Young Adult" rocked the red carpet at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in a black-and-white 1920s-inspired Gucci creation, and wisely swept back her hair in a headband, which allowed her to showcase her best accessory -- her gorgeous face. Charlize completed the sexy look with a gold necklace, gold sandals, and a hot Alexander McQueen clutch.

Your Smartphone Is Spying on You

Your Smartphone Is Spying on You - 'Spying' app discovered on smartphones. A secret code gathers "unprecedented" information on Android, BlackBerry, and Nokia users. An Android developer recently discovered a clandestine application called Carrier IQ built into most smartphones that doesn't just track your location; it secretly records your keystrokes, and there's nothing you can do about it. Is it time to put on a tinfoil hat? That depends on how you feel about privacy.

Saddest Cities in U.S. Are St. Petersburg, Detroit and Memphis: Report

Saddest Cities in U.S. Are St. Petersburg, Detroit and Memphis: Report - St. Petersburg, Fl., is apparently the saddest city in America, with Detroit, Mi. not far behind, according to a study by Men's Health magazine, which used data such as unemployment and suicid rates, antidepressant usage and the number of people who actually admitted to depression.

Burger King unveils new french fries

Burger King unveils new french fries - Burger King debuts thicker fries amid competition. Competition from rivals drives the chain to reinvent a key menu item for the first time in years. Burger King Corp, the second largest hamburger chain, has changed its french fry recipe for the first time since 1998 as competition from upstarts and traditional fast-food rivals mounts.

Man mistakenly gives away life savings

Man mistakenly gives away life savings - Man accidentally gives away life savings hidden away in donated suit. An 80-year-old who never trusted banks sewed the huge stash into one of his suits. There's a cynical old saying that "no good deed goes unpunished." That adage has proved true for an elderly Illinois man who accidentally gave away his entire life savings when making a clothing donation to his local Goodwill.

Anne Hathaway's Gorgeous Engagement Ring

Anne Hathaway's Gorgeous Engagement Ring - Adam Shulman sure knows how to pick some good bling. The 30-year-old actor worked with jewelry company Kwiat Heritage to design a sparkler to present to Anne Hathaway, and on Sunday, the Dark Knight Rises star showed off her new accessory in New York City.

Ben Affleck Shows Off Dolphin Tattoo

Ben Affleck Shows Off Dolphin Tattoo - Is Ben Affleck a fan of Flipper? Jennifer Garner's hubby and dad to daughters Violet, 4, Seraphina, 2, and a new baby-to-be on the way, inadvertently revealed a dolphin tattoo on his right hip Saturday when his shirt rode up as he fastened his daughter into a car seat. Another fan of dolphin-themed body ink? Affleck's newly-single ex-fiancee Jennifer Lopez. The 42-year-old American Idol judge has a similar marine mammal tattooed on the back of her right shoulder.

America's Dirtiest Vehicles

America's Dirtiest Vehicles - The dirtiest new vehicles in America. These rides are the worst offenders when it comes to air pollution and carbon footprint. Nobody wants to be known as the dirtiest, at least not when it comes to air pollution. The good news is that since 1975, overall new passenger car emissions of greenhouse gasses have decreased, and fuel efficiency has increased. The trends seem likely to continue, based partly on technological innovation, partly on more stringent government regulation, and partly on consumer interest and demand.

Pamela Anderson renting out her house

Pamela Anderson renting out her house - The actress is offering the public a chance to sleep under her roof for a hefty fee. Pamela Anderson Puts Malibu Beach House for Rent on VRBO. The three-bedroom pet-friendly property, listed on VRBO, costs a cool $20,000 per week or $75,000 per month. For anyone who has ever dreamt of sleeping in Pamela Anderson’s king-sized Tempurpedic bed, now is the chance to fulfill that wish.

U.K. eatery under fire for baby fee

U.K. eatery under fire for baby fee - Moms fume over a restaurant chain's $5 charge for infants who didn't even eat. Restaurant Apologizes for Charging $5 Baby Tax. Moms Still Fuming. Natasha Young's six-week-old son wasn't ordering off the menu at Cosmo's Restaurant in Croyden. But his mom still had to pay about $5 just to keep him on her lap at the table at England's largest eatery. Another new mom, Ana Sheridan, was told the same thing when she brought her 6-month-old daughter to the same restaurant.

"I was astonished as we explained she was exclusively breastfed and would be sitting on our laps, therefore not consuming any food or occupying an extra seat. They said it was their new policy. That was all," Sheridan told London's Evening Standard.

After an uproar over Cosmo's baby tax policy erupted in parenting forums around the Web, the restaurant posted a public apology to both women on their website for the "mistreatment by our staff."

In the same message, management also clarified their baby fee was only supposed to apply to toddlers who are actually eating the restaurant's food, not those who are swaddled in blankets, clamoring for breast-milk. "COSMO would like to assure customers that this is an isolated incident," writes Cosmo's management. "We will be retraining all employees at Croydon as a matter of urgency."

Maybe it was all a misunderstanding, but through this incident, a larger message was broadcast: Parents with young kids aren't going to take being penalized any longer. The recent trend in kid-free zones and bans on toddlers in restaurants has sparked a backlash. Many parents feel marginalized, even bullied when they take their toddlers out to a restaurant. While they may have gotten used to fellow patrons complaining about their crying babies, being charged extra for the privilege is the last straw.

Earlier this year, at a restaurant in the town of Bath, a group of moms were charged about $3 each for bringing in baby food as opposed to ordering off the children's menu. One message-board mom called the idea of a baby corkage fee "disgusting." Another wrote: "They don't charge for breastfeeding but it's probably only a matter of time!" Two weeks after the story erupted, the Bath restaurant withdrew of its baby fee and donated the profits made off of the surcharge to charity.

It was a victory for long-scorned parents and a battle cry to other establishments considering similar policies. So when word got out of Cosmo's baby charge a few months later, tempers really flared. "Shocking and shame on the management," writes one commenter on the Evening Standard's article. "You might as well charge a pregnant women for taking up extra space."

But not every parent sees it the same way. The Guardian's Hilary Osbourne defends Cosmo's staff for charging customers a baby fee. "As a parent, I know that once babies start weaning they can make a mess, and I can see why restaurants might want to charge for having to clean up after someone who is probably eating something their parents brought from home," she writes.

Guess it all boils down to what kind of 'mess' restaurants are will to clean up: a table full of baby food or a chorus of hungry parents, fed-up with being penalized every time they bring their child out to eat. Suddenly, that table isn't looking so messy.

via: yahoo

Tobey Maguire, others settle over poker winnings

Tobey Maguire, others settle over poker winnings - Actor pays big to settle poker lawsuit. Tobey Maguire agrees to pay $80,000 to resolve a case involving poker and a convicted con man. Tobey Maguire has decided to fold 'em and settle a lawsuit over his winnings from a convicted con man during high-stakes Hollywood poker games.

The "Spider-Man" star agreed to pay $80,000 to settle the lawsuit filed over more than $311,000 he was paid by a convicted Ponzi scheme operator in Texas Hold 'Em matches that included celebrities, businessmen and others, court documents state.

If approved by a judge next month, Maguire will pay the money to a bankruptcy trustee who is trying to recoup money that former hedge fund operator Bradley Ruderman bilked from investors to finance his lavish lifestyle.

The money will be used to repay victims of the scheme, which Maguire and other players were unaware of.

Court records show that 14 of the 22 people sued to recoup poker winnings have settled their cases. Howard Ehrenberg, the bankruptcy trustee who sued the group, said Monday the poker settlements total more than $1.7 million.

Ehrenberg said Maguire's payout to resolve the case is in the same range as others who agreed to settlements.

"He did not end up with any better settlement than the others," Ehrenberg said.

Maguire's settlement states he "strongly disputes that he violated any laws, rules or regulations in regard to participating in the poker games" but was agreeing to the payment to avoid fighting the case, which would be costly.

The actor signed the settlement on Nov. 22 and it was filed a day later with a bankruptcy court handling the lawsuits.

The trustee alleged Maguire and others had no right to keep their winnings from the unlicensed poker games held at upscale hotels and private residences. Maguire and others have denied there was anything improper about the matches.

In court filings, Maguire noted that he lost $168,500 to Ruderman, who is currently serving a 10 year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of investment adviser fraud and willful failure to file taxes.

Several of those sued are fighting the cases, most notably actor-director Nick Cassavetes. His attorney has said the games were not illegal and the statute of limitations has long passed for pursuing any criminal charges for the games held between 2006 and 2009.

Ehrenberg said he expects the remaining cases will be resolved before trial.

Filings show that billionaire Alec Gores and "Welcome Back, Kotter" star and poker aficionado Gabe Kaplan have also settled cases filed against them.

Gores, who along with his brother attempted to buy Miramax films last year, has agreed to pay $49,908 to settle a $445,500 lawsuit over Ruderman's poker payments.

Kaplan has agreed to pay $26,900 after he was sued to try to recoup nearly $63,000 in winnings.

Ehrenberg filed the lawsuits in late March, attempting to recoup money on behalf of people who invested in the scheme by Ruderman.

via: yahoo

Massive Black Hole Yields its Mysteries to Astronomers

Massive Black Hole Yields its Mysteries to Astronomers - To strive for the most complete understanding of a black hole, astronomers have turned their telescopes to the double-star system Cygnus X-1, which boasts the first of these discovered oddities. The move paid off, providing detailed information on the black hole's mass, spin and its distance from the sun.

Taylor Swift's New Hobby

Taylor Swift's New Hobby: Making Snow Globes - How does Taylor Swift get in the holiday spirit? With some serious craftiness, apparently! Coming off her big wins at the CMAs and AMAs, Swift has been crafting handmade snow globes with friends.

Man repays cash stolen from Sears in 1940s

Man repays cash stolen from Sears in 1940s - An elderly man haunted by a decades-old crime drops off a surprise at a Seattle store. Elderly man returns cash stolen from Sears in '40s. The manager of the Sears store in downtown Seattle says an elderly man has repaid — with interest — cash the man says he stole in the late 1940s.

Early Walt Disney drawing up for auction in Nevada

Early Walt Disney drawing up for auction in Nevada - An original, autographed drawing by Walt Disney, believed to have been made about 1920 before he hit it big in the entertainment world, will go up for auction in Reno this week. The whimsical drawing of a cigar-chomping man wearing a derby hat will be among 1,400 items up for sale at the two-day auction set to begin Tuesday at the Atlantis Casino Resort.