With Catching Fire, the second installment in The Hunger Games trilogy, set to begin shooting next month, two of the film’s stars are demanding more cash!
According toRadaronlineand the Hollywood Reporter, Liam Hemsworth (who plays Gale) and Josh Hutcherson (who plays Peeta) are none to happy that their co-star Jennifer Lawrence will be getting a heftier paycheck than they this time around.
Despite the fact that Jen’s character Katniss Everdeen is the story’s main and central heroine, the boys don’t think it’s fair that she will be earning $10 million while they will only be getting closer to $2 million. That seems like a lot less to me, especially for Josh who shares most of the screen time with Jen. so what gives?
“With the success of the first movie, they feel that $5 million is a more suitable fee and are haggling with the studio before dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on their deals.
“And they have even said they may not return for the sequel, which they hope will be a bargaining chip for a bigger pay packet,”
Whoa!!! they might not return?? You’ve got to be kidding me! Surely this must have been prearranged prior to signing the dotted line – everyone and anyone knew this franchise would be wildly successful. I’m sure their negotiators are playing hardball, because there’s no way producers can change Josh and Liam’s roles…or can they?
You’d think after growing up in a mob family, the scariest thing about you would be say, your AK47 or, worse, the fear that you could turn on your friends faster than Sammy the Bullsh—er.
Who’d guess the most frightening thing about you would be your giant fake lips and catastrophicly gigantic double JJ’s.
I’m talking about VH1’s plastic surgery nightmare poster girl big Ang, the breakout star of “Mob Wives” who now has a spinoff show of her own, called, yes, “Big Ang.”
Even though big can’t put together a grammatical sentence (or Italian for that matter), she has just written, no kidding, a book.
Getty Images Angela ‘Big Ang’ Raiola
(While the book displays only her name as author, if you look at the very last line in the book you’ll see a thanks to Valerie Frankel. Bingo!)
Her book “Bigger Is better,” which is due out on the inauspicious date of Sept. 11), is filled with big Ang’s advice on style (help me, Jesus!), life (as in existence and not “oh, he got ‘life’ ”) and recipes for living large .
Like? like how one Sunday her family ate 75 meatballs. That kind of large.
Big Ang follows a growing number of reality show “authors” (most of whom pretend to write their own books). Some have hit the best-seller lists and some have fallen flatter than Ang’s boobs without implants.
But trust me, Ang’s book will hit the lists because 1) it’s funny and 2) more importantly, because her fans simply can’t get enough of her.
She grabs you with the opening words: “nine years ago I was under house arrest for a drug conviction. Two years ago, I was $100,000 in debt. And now, I’m about to move into a mansion, I’m on TV, and people from Saudi Arabia come to my bar to meet me.”
OK, it’s not “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” although her story kind of is.
I asked a few editors who specialize in celebrity books why in hell people buy books about style by women no one really wants to look like.
Lisa Sharkey, senior vice president at HarperCollins (which, like the Post, is owned by News Corp.) has a roster of celebrity best sellers and just signed “Real Housewives of new Jersey” star Caroline Manzo for an advice book.
“Fans like to read their words, want to meet them at signings,” Sharkey says, “People look up to people on TV.
“we now have readers who wouldn’t dream of cracking a book who will go to the store, buy it and read it. How great is that?”
Kathryn Huck, executive editor of St. Martin’s Press which published both Karen Gravano’s best-selling “Mob Wives,” and the K kids’ “Kardashian Konfidential,” says “the fan base for both ‘brands’ is just enormous, and they offered a real insider’s look into their worlds.
“Also their shows promoted the books heavily, even as far as writing the book into the shows.” That’s not something legit authors can ever offer up.
“Other books though, like Mike the Situation, the Countess, and Jill Zarin — really didn’t work, probably since they offered little that was fresh and they lacked a universal likability factor that those other folks have. “
Well, big Ang certainly has a likability factor — in an older, bigger Snookie kind of way —although by all accounts Snookie’s career as an author was lacking the likability factor of having a lot of sales.
I’m with you TWG, except I don’t think you take it far enough!
Why even limit it to toys that have such deep psychological trauma on our kids. Personally I think that every Olympic athlete (well, maybe not some of the women water polo players and virtually all the weightlifting and shotput contestants of either gender) should be ASHAMED of the unrealistic expectations they are putting on a generation of children, adolescents, and adults who like to sit on the couch and watch TV and eat potato chips. I mean, I agree with TWG that FICTIONAL characters just like GI JOE, Christian Gray, and Lara Croft is a great start as to why our kids may have body image issues.
I mean, afterall, to suggest it’s not the fault of the manufacturers of these toys would just leave parents on the hook for providing a responsible and nurturing environment to avoid those issues. and parent accountability is just CRAZY TALK.
So KUDOS to you TWG, except I say you should really get DARING now and focus on the real culprits here. Let’s go after the real folks who are so surreptitiously ingraining us with self loathing….professional athletes like the Olympians have NO RIGHT to cut me so deep by exercising and training for 10 – 12 hours a day to acheive perfect physiques that would even make toys like Barbie, and Buzz Lightyear, and Woody would be envious of (if they actually had thoughts, which they don’t, because they’re not real). I just don’t have 10-12 hours a day to train, so what jerks they are for being able to and giving me an unrealistic idea of what I could look like if I did.
A man was rushed to Barnsley Hospital after vomiting blood and experiencing cramps. the cause? a nine-inch disposable fork he accidentally swallowed 10 years ago.
Lee Gardner was fooling around with the fork in his mouth one day and gagged, swallowing it in the process. through all the years he had it in his system, there was only the one time he felt affected — like something had lodged in when he bent over in an unusual manner.
Gardner never told his surgeon, Dr Hanis Shiwani, about it until he was asked repeatedly while being examined with an endoscope. He was lead to believe that it would pass through his system naturally, which wasn’t the case.
The fork’s prongs were found to be pressing on his stomach, causing an ulcer and, eventually, bleeding. the lodging of an object in the stomach would make a person feel sick, according to Dr Shiwani, who said Gardner was lucky for not getting further damage from the fork.
His case was admittedly out of the ordinary, not only because it involved a fork, but also due to the fact that not many patients come in with an object trapped in them for a long time.
Kenny Rogers used to be sexy to the ladies of a certain era. Sure he has had gray hair since the early 1970s, but he always looked masculine, rugged, yummy. Until now.
Has anyone seen him lately? He went from a decent looking dude who was aging nicely to a thing that will Haunt your Dreams (see below). As Cee Lo might ask: WHY?
It seems mr. Rogers is not alone. Plastic surgery is not just for the ladies and judging from the photos below, there are many, many men (too many men) who are ruining their graceful aging process with so many procedures their faces look like stretched leather. Here are a few of the worst offenders:
Kenny Rogers: hideous and sad what has become of the once rugged country crooner. He should have known when to hold ‘em …
Wayne Newton: Dude, is this guy even human? I think an alien mothership is missing one passenger somewhere. I have seen chainsaw wielding maniacs from backwater southern towns who have better leather faces than this guy.
Mickey Rourke: The once sexy actor took a few too many blows to the head it seems during his boxing career. He looks terrifying. Even in The Wrestler, his big comeback, his face was a sad, sad story.
David Gest: I’d love to blame Liza Minnelli for this, but it’s really not her fault. He looked like this before. I haven’t seen any before photos, but my guess is no matter what he thought he was fixing, he looks way worse now.
Axl Rose: For some reason, this one makes me the saddest. I can’t understand why a seemingly sexy rock star who wasn’t even known for his youthful looks would subject himself to this. He is no Wayne Newton, but he doesn’t look like the rugged rock star we all loved. He had a smile that reminds me of childhood memories … and now it’s gone.
Burt Reynolds: He could get the Hall of Fame prize for worst plastic surgery. Honestly, he was aging well and would have aged well. Who did he hire? Some hack? it honestly looks like he’s wearing a rubber Halloween mask — and not even a good one!
You say potato, I say pot-ah-toe … chip. and that's just the start of it.
Though thin and flat may be the national standard – and bestselling variety – of this ubiquitous snack, regional and sometimes hyper-local preferences for different calibers of crunch, thickness, seasonings and endless other elements have created a surprisingly diverse culinary patchwork of chip styles around the country.
That's right – the chips you nosh in the Northeast could be wildly different than those savored in the South.
Midwesterners, for example, prefer a thicker, more substantial chip. big, hearty chips also sell well in new England and the Rockies, though in the latter area those progressive mountain folk want theirs with artisanal seasonings. Southerners love barbecue flavor, chip industry executives say, but it needs to be sprinkled on thin, melt-in-your-mouth chips.
Southwestern states predictably go for bold and spicy. Local flavors – such as new Orleans Cajun and Mid-Atlantic crab seasoning – find their way onto chips in those places. and people all across the country, it seems, love a curly, shattering kettle chip.
“People like the potato chip they grew up with,” says Jim McCarthy, chief executive officer at the Rosslyn, Va.-based Snack Food Association, a trade group that represents the many denizens of convenience store shelves. “There's a very strong brand recognition and brand loyalty to the chip you grew up with.”
Potato chips are America's number one snack, according to the group's 2012 state of the industry report, and we spent $9 billion on them in 2010, 50 percent more than what we spent on the no. 2 snack, tortilla chips. More than half of those sales go to Plano, Texas-based Frito-Lay North America, whose original thin, crispy chip is the top-seller. But hometown styles still claim their territory.
In the Pacific Northwest, Seattle's thick-cut Tim's Cascade Style offers big bite and bigger flavors, such as jalapeno made from real peppers and a salt and vinegar chip that “makes you pucker” says Dave West, sales director for the company.
Over in the Rockies, kettle-cooked Boulder Canyon chips pair their crunchy bite with artisanal seasonings such as red wine vinegar, spinach and artichoke, and balsamic and rosemary.
Down the map in the Southwest, Arizona-based Poore Brothers offers two varieties of kettle-cooked chips with mouth-numbing heat from jalapenos and habaneros.
“People in this region really tend to like this pepper, these stronger, spicier flavors,” says Steven Sklar, senior vice president of marketing at Phoenix, Ariz.-based Inventure Foods Inc., which owns the Boulder Canyon and Poore Brothers brands. “You've got a hard bite with a strong flavor. the combination makes a big difference.”
While Southerners like spice, industry executives say, the region's traditional chip is thin and flaky. “The southern consumer prefers a lighter, thinner potato chip,” says Julie McLaughlin, director of marketing at Birmingham, Ala.-based Golden Flake Snack Foods, which makes Golden Flake Thin & Crispy Potato Chips. the company sells across 10 states in the Southeast, McLaughlin says, and its best-selling chip is “Sweet Heat Barbecue,” one of five barbecue varieties it makes. Golden Flake also offers a thick-cut, wavy chip, McLaughlin says, “for the transplants.”
And then there are the niche chips, the hyper-local flavors that connect people to their culinary heritage.
In new Orleans, Zapp's makes “Spicy Cajun Crawtaters,” designed to mimic the flavor of a seafood boil. Nottingham, Penn.-based Herr Foods makes a Philly cheesesteak chip, as well as one meant to taste like boardwalk fries. for other Mid-Atlantic producers such as Hanover, Penn.-based Utz Quality Foods and the Mount Jackson, Va.-chippery Route 11 Potato Chips, crab seasoning is must, but may be for locals only.
“If you've never had a blue crab experience, or been at a crab feast, you're kind of like, 'what is this?'” says Sarah Cohen, Route 11 president and co-founder. “If I see somebody ordering a lot of crab and they're in Kansas City, we'll call them up to see if they understand what the crab is. usually they don't, and they're thankful that we called.”
Advances in potato chip making technology and distribution have flattened what may once have been a much wider variety of regional chip preferences, some analysts and executives say. Potato chip making began in the mid-19th century with mom-and-pop operations in practically any small town with access to potatoes, oil and a kettle to fry them in.
Today, the industry uses “chipping potatoes” grown specifically for the purpose, and has developed technology to produce a more uniform chip. Advances in packaging and the emergence of big box chains mean chips now can travel much farther, spreading once local tastes throughout the country.
“Through the mass marketers, through Costco and BJs, Walmart, a lot of product that was regional has now become national,” says the Snack Food Association's McCarthy. “You can find Utz potato chips in California and before you couldn't.”
For sure, standardization and competition from giant producers like Frito-Lay may have squeezed some smaller companies out of business, executives say. But it may be the predominance of those flat, mass-produced chips that has also kept regional passions alive.
“Trying to compete with the giants out there hasn't been successful,” says Inventure's Sklar. “That's where regional players like Poore Brothers come in with a different product and then regional flavors to enhance that. Going head-to-head with Frito-Lay on a flat chip just isn't going to work.”
But even Frito-Lay plays the regional flavors game. the company began experimenting a decade ago with flavors like “Chicago Steakhouse Loaded Baked Potato,” and “San Antonio Salsa.” Today, it offers roughly a dozen specialty flavors such as Wavy Au Gratin in the Midwest, Garden Tomato & Basil in the East, and a thick-cut Deli chip for Colorado.
Executives create new flavors by surveying popular items and food trends in the different regions, said Ram Krishnan, Frito-Lay vice president of marketing. But today they also employ Facebook and other social media to crowd source preferences. In contests that have been held around the world, the company invites consumers to suggest new flavors on the company's Facebook page. the current contest, the first in the United States, runs through October 6. Flavors like sautéed onion and ketchup, smoked salmon, and bacon – with anything from cheese to chocolate – have been suggested.
Some flavors that started out as regional specialties – for example, Limon, originally for California – have gained a wider audience.
“What always happens is that a lot of the regional cuisines have expanded and become more mainstream,” says Krishnan, suggesting, for instance, that the popularity of Mexican food has helped the “limon” flavor gain fans. “We always find we launch these regional flavors and then they expand.”
The company has also experienced a sort of reverse migration. Overseas under various brands, Frito-Lay sells flavors like roast chicken to the British, caviar to Russians, and spicy masala to hungry Indians. Occasionally, these find their way back to the United States: Limon began in Mexico, Krishnan says, and a ketchup-flavored chip now popular in Buffalo, N.Y., began in Canada. In the future, Krishnan says, even more of those overseas flavors are likely to hit the United States to cater to the country's ethnic populations.
“Good ideas come from everywhere, especially when you think about the changing demographics of this country and how multicultural we're becoming,” he says. “It's a matter of time.”
Copyright 2012 the associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Between 200,000 and 300,000 total hip replacement surgeries are performed each year in the United States, sixty-five percent of them on people over the age of 65, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. These procedures have been concentrated in older adults because many people put off the operation as long as possible and because arthritis and other degenerative joint disorders become more severe as people grow older.Today, the number of younger people undergoing total hip replacement seems to be increasing. according to Dr. Joel Buchalter of Somers Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Group, the development of longer lasting prostheses and advances in surgical technique that reduce recovery time have persuaded more patients to avoid postponing the procedure. “Also, changing attitudes toward aging have made more people in their forties and fifties unwilling to endure years of discomfort or restricted levels of activity,” says Dr. Buchalter.
These trends are expected to drive the number of total hip replacement operations to increase rapidly in the coming years
One of the key surgical advances benefiting patients is the anterior hip replacement, a minimally invasive approach that reduces discomfort and simplifies and accelerates rehabilitation. Dr. Douglas Fauser, who is currently performing the procedure, explains: “The anterior approach to hip replacement allows us to reach the hip joint from the front of the hip instead of from the lateral (side) or the posterior (back) position. this way the hip can be replaced without detaching muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery.
The surgeon can simply work through the natural space between the muscles. The most important muscles for hip function are left undisturbed and do not require a healing process to recover from surgical trauma. we are extremely excited to offer this innovative and cutting edge hip replacement surgical technique to our patients both young and old,” says Dr. Douglas Fauser.
Anterior hip replacement is made possible by a special, state-of-the-art surgical table known as the “hana” table. The table allows hyperextension, adduction (movement to the mid-line) and external rotation of the hip to an extent not possible with conventional tables. this mobility enables the leg to be positioned for proper fit of all prosthetic components.
The result is less pain, less scarring and a faster recovery. “In our experience, with conventional surgery most patients walk with a cane to their first post op visit. After anterior approach, some come in walking without the aid of a cane. Leaving the lateral and posterior soft tissues intact makes the hip immediately stable and also reduces the risk of dislocation,” says Dr. Fauser.
The hana® table is basically an infinitely adjustable positioning device. it also has a sterile robotic attachment that lifts the femur to make it accessible for the surgeon to place the femoral implant without interference from soft tissue. Additionally, the surgeon can view video images during the procedure to ensure precise fit and placement of all components.
Conventional lateral or posterior hip surgery typically requires strict post-surgical precautions. Most patients must limit hip motion for 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. They must not flex the hip more than 60 to 90 degrees which complicates normal activities like sitting, putting on shoes or getting into a car. Climbing stairs may also be difficult during recovery.
With anterior hip replacement, patients can bend the hip freely immediately after surgery and use the hip normally without cumbersome restrictions. under supervision, they go up and down stairs before leaving the hospital. Patients are evaluated and treated by a physical therapist following surgery and may go home when able to walk with crutches or a walker and perform basic day to day activities. Discharge is generally 1 to 3 days after surgery depending on the patient’s degree of disability prior to surgery and overall capabilities.
“Most patients who are candidates for traditional hip replacement surgery are also candidates for the anterior procedure,” says Dr. Buchalter. “In fact, for patients who require bilateral hip replacement, it is even possible to do both hips in a single procedure. The patient undergoes a single surgery and anesthesia, a single hospital stay and a single rehabilitation period.”
“Anterior hip replacement with the hana® table minimizes disruption for patients,” Dr. Fauser concludes. “With conventional surgery, we generally see patients at their first office visit, two weeks after discharge, walking with a walker. with the new procedure performed on the hana® table, many of our patients are walking with only a cane and some are walking without assistance. Post-operative images show that we’re getting an excellent fit, along with the best possible outcome for our patients.”
There are several types of breast plastic surgery that can help you get a chest that you can be proud to show off. if you are not currently happy with how your breasts look, you should find out your options. there are enough for practically any woman to be interested in, so even if you have never thought about surgically changing your breasts, you might change your mind once you find out the possibilities.
For example, you might be happy with the size of your breasts, but you do not like the placement. if they seem saggy, or point at the ground these days, you can get some of the original perkiness back with a lift, which is a popular breast plastic surgery option. This is particularly common among older women. those who have lost or gained a lot of weight at some point, such as during pregnancy, may also notice a change in perkiness. No matter what your reason is, you should consider this procedure if you do not like the saggy chest you may currently have.
Of course, if you do not like your current chest size, you should look into implants. many women have considered this treatment because it is a simple way to increase size. You would have to make a few decisions, such as whether you want saline or silicone implants. You will also have to determine how big you want them to be, which your doctor should help you decide.
If you want bigger breasts, but do not like the idea of foreign items in your body, you can consider a different type of breast plastic surgery. This is called reconstruction or fat transfer, which involves taking fat from other areas of the body and placing it into the chest area. This is most popular among women who have had a mastectomy due to cancer, but it also works well for women who want a more natural alternative to implants. You can ask your doctor if this would be the best choice for you.
If you actually want smaller breasts, you can get them reduced. Reducing the size can help you relieve any discomfort in your back, shoulders, or elsewhere since there will not be as much weight or stress in those areas. your insurance company may even pay for this treatment if it will improve your health and comfort.
Most doctors offer all of these types of breast plastic surgery options. consider talking to a local doctor to find out which treatment would get you the results you want. then you can begin preparing for the procedure.
Plastic surgery is not something most people think they will want or need. then, you start aging. while some of us age gracefully, some of us do not. sometimes you get undesirable age spots, or perhaps you have acne, freckles, or fine lines. have you ever considered trying to get those chicken pox scars removed?
A chemical peel is available over the counter. Perhaps you even have a friend who tells you how easy it is. maybe for them it was. Perhaps it would even be just as easy for you. it is recommended that you seek the advice of your doctor before you try to do this at home. even if you just want to be sure you’re not allergic to any of the chemicals you might introduce to your skin. so what does a chemical peel accomplish?
A chemical peel is when you use chemicals to cause your skin to blister. it is similar to sunburn. the skin underneath is going to have less visible scarring and hopefully give you a better appearance. A chemical peel is done to face, neck or hands. this will be done as outpatient plastic surgery. First they will wash excess oils from your skin. Caution will be taken with eyes and hair. A combination of chemicals will be applied to your skin. the skin will begin to blister and peel as though it has sunburn. during the chemical peel some patients feel stinging and burning. Some chemical peels will be done with pain relief. sometimes it is appropriate to just have a cool compress. Now what happens once you have this fabulous sunburned look?
As the skin peels new skin is visible. the effect is a more pleasing appearance. it will be vital that you use sunscreen, as this skin will be quite sensitive to actual sun exposure. Some patients may be prone to scarring, and sometimes you will find that you have some discoloration. Fair skinned, fair haired people tend to be the most responsive. while someone with a darker complication can have great results, uneven skin tone is more likely.
While most of the reasons people want chemical peels are cosmetic it is not only a cosmetic procedure. Chemical peels can help remove pre cancerous cells. These growths are not likely to grow back on the regenerated skin. your surgeon will discuss your reasons and expectations. You are a peel away from fresher, more vibrant, perhaps healthier skin.
A well known plastic surgeon was charged with half a dozen misdemeanor counts for allegedly videotaping female patients after they had undressed, officials said Thursday.
Dr. Lance Everett Wyatt, 42, was arrested without incident Thursday morning by Los Angeles police and investigators with the Medical Board of California’s Operation Safe Medicine. he could not be immediately reached for comment. Wyatt has appeared on several TV shows about plastic surgery including "20/20" and "the Doctors."
Wyatt, who has an office near the Beverly Center and specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery, faces six misdemeanor counts four of them related to the secret video recordings and the other two counts related to what the Los Angeles city attorney's office described as "sexual battery and battery."
"the sexual battery and battery counts relate to the way in which the doctor conducted the examination," said Deputy City Atty. Richard Kraft. he added: "the evidence of the defendant's violation of his patients' trust and invasion of privacy was compelling."
If convicted on all counts, Wyatt faces a maximum sentence of two years in county jail and must register for life as a sex offender.
"Patients deserve to feel safe and secure while in the care of their physician," said City Atty. Carmen Trutanich. "Our charges allege that Dr. Wyatt violated that sacred trust, and he should be held accountable."
Prosecutors allege that on Aug. 4, 2011, Wyatt made secret video recordings of two patients who were seeing Wyatt for post-surgical care and were undressed. One of the patients discovered a camera in the office, fled with the camera and turned it over to police, authorities said.
Linda Stasi
Kenny Rogers used to be sexy to the ladies of a certain era. Sure he has had gray hair since the early 1970s, but he always looked masculine, rugged, yummy. Until now. 
By MICHELE KAYALFor the associated Press
