Sunday, March 27, 2011

How One Husband Met His Four Wives

Image: Kody Brown with his wives (from left) Robyn, Christine, Meri & Janelle (© TLC/George Lange/AP)
  














Watch: The popular TLC show 'Sister Wives' goes behind the scenes to find out how Kody Brown met his wives & why this polygamous marriage works for them.

Search: Toughest Female Killers on Film

Image: (Clockwise from left) Emily Browning in 'Sucker Punch,' Chloe Moretz in 'Kick-Ass' & Noomi Rapace in 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' (© 2011 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.; Lions Gate/Everett/Rex Features; Everett Collection/Rex Features)  
 
Babydoll's name belies her deadliness in the new action flick, 'Sucker Punch.' But she's just the latest in a long line of Hollywood women who kill with abandon.
 
Emily Browning in 'Sucker Punch' (© Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)
 
Lady Killers: The Tough 10

Cool cars that aren't so overplayed

Alfa Romeo 4C.  (Alfa Romeo/Handout)  

When the average Ferrari or Lamborghini won't do, consider these even more exotic options.


Pagani Huayra

Cars That Will Make You Cool

Let's get something straight. Italian cars are cool--but not just any Italian car. It's got to be something special.

"There's something about the design language of Italian supercars and sports cars that just exudes coolness," says Ray Wert, editor-in-chief of the car blog Jalopnik. "An Alfa Romeo 8C? Sex on wheels. Maserati? Gorgeous. Basically any Italian car will make you cool--with the exception of a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. Those brands are so overplayed."

Wert contends that those two most iconic of Italian brands are too stereotypical to actually raise their drivers' coolness quotient--though he admits that Ferrari's new FF, due out next year, may be different, at least for a while.

"It's one of those situations where, for the first couple of months, when you're the first guy who people have seen in that car, you're cool," Wert says. "But when you're the second guy, you're not." (Ferrari declined to comment on the record for this story. Seems it prefers to let its product speak for itself.)

Tough crowd. Apparently if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, cool has got to be obvious to everyone.

The Rules of Cool
Fortunately for drivers less intuitively cool than others, there are some general guidelines that determine whether a car is cool.

For instance: The car must not be awkward to get into or out of. The extremely low-riding Lotus is disqualified here, while the slightly higher Audi R8, for instance, is not.

Also: A truly cool car must have two doors rather than four, and it must not have undue amounts of chrome or unnecessary design accents on the exterior (this disqualifies any blinged-out Bentleys, BMW's admittedly great but four-door M-line sedans, and the aggressive Aston Martin Vantage, which has huge vents carved on its hood and chrome throughout the interior (though the Aston Martin Virage or Aston Martin Rapide would qualify for consideration).

Above all, a cool car must look effortless.

"Cool is self-fulfilling," says Tim Philippo, product manager for Jaguar North America. "Cool is really satisfying only yourself: You are complete within your coolness."

Philippo says stars like Clark Gable and Steve McQueen embodied that nonchalance--they both also happened to drive Jaguars. New Jags, like the XKR-S, pull from that same heritage, Philippo says.

"We're not the obvious choice when you hit the lottery, but people still buy the new cars because they appreciate the design and the luxury," he says. "There's something that stands out about a Jaguar."

A vaunted history makes for another rule of thumb: Vintage cars are almost always cool, but you've got to do them right. An old car paired with an old driver will only look cheesy, Wert says.

"Absolutely vintage is cooler, except if you go too far back," Wert says. "Pick a target age: If you're a 25-year-old and you're driving a 20-year-old Lamborghini, that's fine because that adds 20 years to your age, so you'll be 45. That's fine. If you're a 30-year-old driving that 20-year-old-car, you're now 50. So you have to even them out. "

And if you're 70?

"An Alfa Romeo 8C, because it shows that you're hip and with the kiddies," Wert says.

Spyker C8 Aileron
The $272,000 Spyker C8 Aileron's body is all aluminum.
Simple enough. But what about that fine line between something amazing and something amusing? The Spyker C8 Aileron is pretty flashy, but its authentic aviation-inspired engineering and design elements keep it in the cool column. And at 1,200 horsepower, the Veyron Super Sport may seem too outrageous to make this list, but it's tough to argue with the fact that anyone who drives one will be swarmed with gawkers ogling the $2 million machine--and talking about how cool it is.

Cars that will still look great in 10 years

Chrysler 300.  (Chrysler handout/AP Photo)

Some auto trends will make you wonder “What was I thinking?” down the road.

10 Cars That'll Look Good in 10 Years

2011 Chrysler 300

 Remember when you squeezed into bell bottoms, wore shoulder pads to make your neck line look smaller or thought puke green carpet was a great way to decorate your living room? We've all been there—attracted to trends that lasted for a season but left us wondering, "What was I thinking?" But, there are some things that never go out of style, like Audrey Hepburn's shift dresses and wood floors.


Cars are the same way. Some, like the 1964 Ford Mustang are gems, but others, like the Ford Pinto, won't earn antique plates. When you go car shopping, do yourself (and your kids) a favor. Buy one that will look good a decade from now.

Keep it Simple


Honda Civic

Most people don't buy a Honda Civic because it will get them noticed, but that's one of the reasons why it's so appealing. The Civic is affordable, practical and its simple design is actually one reason why it's been so successful. The Civic can net 26/34 mpg city/highway because its exterior isn't wind resistant. Gas is getting expensive, so expect more cars to look like the Civic. That means your 2011 Civic will be in style when your kids hit college.

Ford Fusion

The Honda Civic is good for singles and small families, but it's easy to outgrow it. If you need more space and classic styling, go for the Ford Fusion—it's comfortable enough for youngsters and high schoolers on the basketball team. Like the Civic, the Fusion is rather plain and inoffensive, but like a t-shirt and jeans, simple never goes out of style. With such clean lines, your kids won't duck in their seats when you drive around town ten years from now.

2011 Chrysler 300
2011 Chrysler 300
Chrysler 300

In search of something jazzier than the Ford Fusion or Honda Civic? Go for the Chrysler 300. The 300 is boxier than the Civic and Fusion, but that doesn't mean it will look dated. Chrysler actually modeled the 300 after Bentley and Rolls Royce, two icons that have produced good looking cars for nearly 100 years. As an adaptation of these luxurious classics, you can rest assured—the 300 will age gracefully.

Exclusive interview with Chewbacca

Chewbacca (screenshot from Yahoo! premiere video)   

The beloved "Star Wars" Wookiee takes questions from kids about hair care and "The Clone Wars." 

Chewbacca Returns to 'Star Wars' and Answers Fan Questions

He's hairy, hot-headed and handy with a bowcaster. Kids love him because he's like a big teddy bear. Grown-ups value his loyalty and battle savvy.  There's no one like Chewbacca, the beloved Wookiee of Star Wars™ fame.
Thousands of kids recently submitted questions to the "walking carpet" in anticipation of his debut in the one-hour season finale of Star Wars: The Clone Wars™.  Chewie took some time from his duties to answer some of the most popular questions in this Yahoo! premiere video:

   
Chewbacca in 'The Clone Wars' Lucasfilm In the season three finale, the young Jedi Ahsoka Tano is taken captive and stranded on a planetary game preserve, where she finds herself on the run from merciless Trandoshan hunting parties. With the odds stacked against her, hope for rescue dwindles -- until her escape efforts receive an unexpected boost from a friendly (and furry) fellow captive.

Reese Witherspoon marries Jim Toth

Jim Toth and Reese Witherspoon (Noel Vasquez/Getty Images) 

The actress and her beau exchange vows at her 6-acre ranch in Ojai, California.

Reese Witherspoon Weds Jim Toth!

Hello there, Mr. and Mrs. Toth!
Reese Witherspoon married Jim Toth early Saturday evening at her 6-acre ranch in Ojai, Calif., a rep for the actress confirms to UsMagazine.com.
Wearing a custom-designed Monique Lhuillier gown, the actress, 35, exchanged vows with CAA agent Toth, 40, in front of 120 family members and friends (including Renee Zellweger, and Alyssa Milano, and Tobey Maguire) in the front courtyard of the Ojai house.
Story photo: Reese Witherspoon Weds Jim Toth! 
Kevin Mazur / Wire ImageUs Magazine


PHOTOS: Inside Reese and Jim's whirlwind romance
Witherspoon's best friend, Heather Rosenfield, served as matron of honor, and her kids with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe -- daughter Ava, 11, and son Deacon, 7 -- took part in the ceremony. The Oscar winner's young nieces served as flower girls.
The "Tennessee Waltz" was the processional music for Toth and the kids, while Witherspoon walked down the aisle to "Here Comes the Bride." The 20-minute ceremony was officiated by Reverend Jimmy Bartz, founder of Thad's church in Santa Monica, where the couple have been attending weekly Sunday services. The duo exchanged wedding bands designed by jeweler William Goldberg.
PHOTOS: How Reese, Jim and her kids make a happy family
Located 90 miles north of Los Angeles, the Ojai ranch -- where the star gardens and keeps horses, donkeys, pigs, goats and chickens -- has been Witherspoon's rural escape for years.
It's the second wedding for the actress, who divorced Phillippe, 36, back in 2007 after seven years of marriage. Shortly after ending a three-year relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal, she and never-married Toth began dating in January 2010. (Although A-list firm CAA also counts Witherspoon as a client, Toth has never represented her.)

Review: Nintendo's new 3DS impresses

Visitors try out the new Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming device with a 3D display.  (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images  

The device's 3D effect isn't perfect, but with some games it can be genuinely amazing. 

Nintendo 3DS: Seeing is believing 

According to people who make way more money than the rest of us, the future of entertainment will be presented in glorious 3D. I'm not sure consumers are entirely onboard with this yet, but apparently it's just a matter of time until we're all spilling the guacamole bowl because we refuse to take off our dorky glasses during Super Bowl L.

All of us, that is, except the folks at Nintendo.
The longtime handheld video game king releases its heavily-anticipated 3DS system on March 27, ending a wild year's worth of rumors, speculation, and hyperbolic praise. Boasting glasses-free 3D technology, it's the company's answer to the serious threat posed by Apple's various iOS devices, and a pre-emptive strike against old rival Sony and their Next Generation Portable due out later this year.
But more importantly, is it any good? Absolutely -- but not necessarily for the reason you think. Read on for some answers to what are likely your most pressing 3DS questions.

Ohio State star's surprising announcement

Jared Sullinger (Andy Lyons/Getty images)  

Freshman Jared Sullinger says he’ll return to school next season, but will he change his mind? 

Sullinger vows to return to Ohio State; Will he follow through?


If Jared Sullinger really is a man of his word, he'll certainly soften the blow for what was a wounded fan base on Friday night.
Following Ohio State's tough 62-60 regional semifinal loss to Kentucky in Newark, N.J., the nation's top freshman vowed to return for his sophomore season.
"I'm going to be an Ohio State Buckeye next year," he said. "Winning is that important to me. I don't like losing. This is not what I came here to do. This is not what I came here for, to sit here and see my seniors crying. I came here to win a national championship, to see them celebrate. I wanted to (share) tears of joy with these guys.

(L - R) Brooklyn Decker (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images); Willow Smith (Jeff Schear/WireImage.com) 

Brooklyn Decker cuts 10 inches off her tresses, while Willow Smith debuts yellow hair extensions.

Top Shots of the Week

Miss any of the hot celebrity moments from last week? Check out omg!'s Top Shots!

The Olsen twins demonstrate bad taste

(L - R) Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen (Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic.com) 

Ashley dons an awkward stole and bedspread-like dress, while Mary-Kate wears a muumuu.

What Were They Thinking?!

The Olsen twins continue to confound on the red carpet.

 

 

The best U.S. cities for your retirement

The downtown of Colorado Springs, Colorado. (ThinkStock) 

These locales feature favorable cost of living, low tax burden, and excellent access to health care.

The Best Retirement Places

Lists of best places to retire are a popular mainstay of personal finance journalism. Here at Forbes we've published our share, producing rosters focusing on favored locations for retirees seeking an active lifestyle, a foreign residence and even, in the U.S., an urban neighborhood.

As part of the new Forbes 2011 Retirement Guide, our latest offering -- The Best Retirement Places -- considers a wide range of factors but focuses especially on two bottom-line issues: tax burden and cost of living. That's why you won't see any locations in the highest-tax, highest-cost states like California, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
Still, in canvassing cities with populations starting at around 100,000, we look at a lot of issues besides costs. They include weather, availability of doctors, driving environment, crime rates and opportunities for an active retirement, which we defined by the extent of volunteering and outdoor paths for bicycling and walking. The roster of cities skews toward more temperate climates but not completely: It contains Fargo, N.D., Pittsburgh and some other chilly-in-the-winter places like Indianapolis, Colorado Springs, Kansas City and Salt Lake City.

Ex-NBA star stuns drivers with nice gesture

Alonzo Mourning (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) 

Alonzo Mourning draws a big ovation on a busy Miami street for a simple act of kindness that stops traffic.

Alonzo Mourning stops busy Miami traffic to assist a pedestrian

During his NBA playing career, Alonzo Mourning(notes) was known for his long frame, exquisite timing and defensive footwork. It allowed the 6-foot-10 center to rank as one of the more destructive defense forces of his generation, with a Hall of Fame career only partially curtailed by a kidney disease that eventually required a transplant.
He was also a very good screener, getting in the way of opposing point men in order to allow teammate Tim Hardaway (who struggled with bad knees after several operations) a clear look at the rim.
Right around noon on Friday, in downtown Miami, shocked drivers on the city's busy US 1 road got to see both elements in action.
Apparently, Mourning dashed out of his truck and into traffic to act as a crossing guard for a pedestrian who needed the assistance. Mauricio Maldonado of the Sun Sentinel has the report:
Mourning's vehicle had been sitting in traffic on the right lane, when he spotted a disabled person sitting in a motorized wheelchair along the curb. Mourning jumped out of his SUV, stood in the road and stopped traffic by raising his long arms, while the wheelchair-bound pedestrian made it to the median. Then, the seven-time NBA All-Star immediately went to the southbound lanes and raised his arms to command stunned drivers to stop. All traffic movement instantly stopped, and the wheelchair safely made it to the other side.

Actor's secret multi-million-dollar side job

Jeremy Renner (Jordan Strauss/WireImage.com)  

"The Hurt Locker" star Jeremy Renner finds a lucrative outlet for his talents in the business world.

Jeremy Renner's Secret Side Gig: Flipping Houses

Jeremy Renner * Steve Granitz/Wireimage.com Jeremy Renner might be best known for playing brooding tough guys and charming anti-heroes, but there's one part he plays that few know about: house flipper.

Before he was nominated for Oscars for "The Hurt Locker" and "The Town," Renner and his business partner, actor Kristoffer Winters (who had a small role in "Locker," plus last year's "Fair Game") were fixing up and flipping old houses in Hollywood and Studio City, according to the new issue of The Hollywood Reporter (on newsstands now).

Problems impeding Japanese nuke crew

(Photo AP)  

Contaminated water and erroneous radiation reports have workers struggling to contain the reactors.

More obstacles impede crews in Japan nuke crisis

 
AP Photo/The Yomiuri Shimbun, Masanobu Nakatsukasa

TOKYO – Mounting problems, including badly miscalculated radiation figures and inadequate storage tanks for huge amounts of contaminated water, stymied emergency workers Sunday as they struggled to nudge Japan's stricken nuclear complex back from the edge of disaster.