Femme Fatale' Becomes Britney Spears' Sixth Number One Album

Britney Spears is once again officially on top. Brit's latest effort, Femme Fatale made a big splash to debut in first place after its first week on the charts, making this her sixth number one album.

Britney moved 276,000 copies of her new album to bury her valiant second-place competitor, Wiz Khalifa, who sold 197,000 copies of Rolling Papers. While the numbers are impressive, they aren't particularly special for Britney, whose 2008 album Circus sold 508,000 copies in its first week.

Merrimack and Lawler Arena to Host MIAA Super 8 Hockey Tournament

NORTH ANDOVER, MA – Merrimack College and Lawler Arena have teamed up with the Massachusetts Intercollegiate Athletic Association to host 12 games of the 2011 Super 8 High School Hockey Tournament beginning March 5.

“We are excited about hosting such a historic and talented tournament,” said Merrimack Director of Athletics Glenn Hofmann. “We feel the renovated Lawler Arena is the perfect venue for a premiere high school hockey tournament, and we look forward to welcoming the elite high school hockey teams in Massachusetts to our campus.”’

Merrimack will host Super 8 Tournament games on March 5, 8, 9, 13, and 16. Tickets to all games at Lawler Arena will be available on the day of each game only. There will be no advance ticket sales.

“On behalf of the MIAA and MIAA ice hockey committee, we’re delighted to establish a new partnership with Merrimack College,” said Bill Gaine, Deputy Director of the MIAA. “We look forward to having them host us and become the new home of the ice hockey tournament.”

Merrimack College will also host MIAA high school hockey tournament games in 2012.

Prior to and during the 2010-11 college hockey season, Lawler Arena underwent numerous renovations including the installation of chairback seats throughout the arena, a new student section, a renovated lobby and entranceway, a new press box, a graphics scoreboard, a new ice bed and compressor, a tunnel connecting the visiting locker rooms to the bench, and a new speaker system.

In the midst of its best season since joining Hockey East, the Merrimack hockey team enters this weekend with a 21-5-4 record, 15-5-3 in Hockey East, ranked fourth in the country. The Warriors have set school records for wins in a season and points in Hockey East while eying their second-ever NCAA Tournament bid.

Playing in the renovated Lawler Arena, Merrimack has played to seven sellout crowds this season and ranks second in Hockey East in attendance based on capacity filled.

Sushmita Sen New Brand Ambassador for JAFRA Cosmetics

JAFRA Cosmetics International, Inc. ventures into India, through a strategic joint venture between the Ruchi Group and the parent company Vorwerk KG & Co. Commencing operations in New Delhi in October, JAFRA Ruchi Cosmetics India Pvt. Ltd. announces a new partnership with the world-renowned actress and model Sushmita Sen at its Official Grand Opening press conference held at JAFRA office in New Delhi.

JAFRA belongs to the prestigious Vorwerk Group, one of the largest direct selling companies in the world with a turnover of approx. USD 3 Billion. To provide the right local presence and support, JAFRA has partnered with Ruchi, which today stands strong at a turnover of over USD 3 Billion. The strength of both Vorwerk and Ruchi gives JAFRA the right backbone and support to expand to every corner of the country.

Speaking on the association, Johan Wicklund, Jt. Managing Director, JAFRA Ruchi Cosmetics India says, “We are extremely delighted to bring JAFRA in India in partnership with the Ruchi Group. This association helps us reduce the learning curve considerably and gives us the right leverage to expand into every part of the country effectively.”

He further adds “We are also honored to have Sushmita Sen as the face of our brand. Sen represents the aspirations of Indian women today and her commitments towards the entrepreneurial spirit to make a difference for women around the world aligns perfectly with the JAFRA mission, vision, and values. We are extremely delighted to partner with Sen and hope for a long association.”

On the association, Sushmita Sen, Brand Ambassador JAFRA Ruchi Cosmetics India says, “I strongly believe and work towards women empowerment and JAFRA’s brand ideologies strongly speak the same. This is one strong reason I opted to endorse a brand like JAFRA. It is a brand which not only offers a wide range of skincare products but also provides a great business opportunity to all its consultants. I truly look forward to the association.”

On the Joint venture, Harish Singla, Jt. Managing Director, JAFRA Ruchi Cosmetics India said “We are pleased to bring a brand like JAFRA to the Indian market. With the platform of direct selling skin care products the support and knowledge base of the Vorwerk and Ruchi Group, we look forward to optimizing the opportunity and give a successful start for the brand in India.”

Also present at the Press conference were Walter Muyres, Managing Partner, VORWERK KG & Co., Dinesh Shahra, Managing Director, Ruchi Group, Dr. Friedrich Kroos, President and CEO, JAFRA Cosmetics International Inc., Dr. Pragna Chakravarti, Chief Scientific Officer, JAFRA Cosmetics International Inc. and Janice Jackson, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, JAFRA Cosmetics International Inc.

The JAFRA management team has been able to set up operations with support from JAFRA Worldwide and the Ruchi Group. Simultaneously, JAFRA will introduce a revolutionary business opportunity system designed for individuals in bodycare products looking to earn extra income and become part of a worldwide network of successful sales Consultants. The company is headquartered at New Delhi.

Mike Kekich Would Like to Put That Whole Wife-Swapping Business Behind Him

Can you imagine if, 2011, two Yankees pitchers decided to swap wives and families, as Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson did in the seventies? Is there a limit to what some reality-TV producer would pay to chronicle that bizarre arrangement? Barring a swinger mentality on this year's Yankees club that we are heretofore unaware of, we'll never learn the answer to that question. But the story of Kekich and Peterson remains a fascinating one, which is why (noted Red Sox fan) Ben Affleck and his brother, Casey, are working on a script for The Trade, a movie about the pitchers' wife-swap, and why Matt Damon may direct that film.

If they're to make that movie though, it appears they won't be able to count on the cooperation of Kekich. "Page Six" reports that Kekich, now living in New Mexico, is "panic-stricken" about the movie and is refusing to participate. And he's not the only one stonewalling the filmmakers: According to the report, other Yankees from that era are also refusing to participate.

Kekich's decision not to cooperate shouldn't come as a surprise. As Big League Stew points out, if he wanted to cash in on his story, he could have done it long ago. And it sounds like he's ready to move on. From "Page Six":

    He has moved away and has a new identity. He is freaked out that those working on the movie found out where he is. He isn't too keen on having the scandal dredged up again after all this time.

Certainly, that's his right. (Kekich and Marilyn Peterson, by the way, didn't last, though Susanne Kekich and Fritz are still married.) But it's possible that the filmmakers might still be able to mine one of the key participants for information, if they haven't already: In an essay on Bronx Banter today, Bruce Markusen writes that during an interview last summer, Fritz Peterson informed him of his involvement with the movie.

Mike Kekich And Fritz Peterson: The Story Behind "The Trade"

Controversy is stirring about the upcoming Ben Affleck and Matt Damon film, "The Trade," which aims to recount the 1970's "wife swap" scandal, involving former Yankees Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson.

The scandal, which began in 1972 but wasn't leaked to the media until 1973, eventually led to the two swaping wives permanently. The idea started from a joke the two long-time friends and pitchers made over dinner.

Details from The Clarion Ledger:

    Peterson traded his wife, Marilyn, his two kids and a poodle for Susan Kekich, the two Kekich children and a Bedlington terrier.

    "We didn't trade wives; we traded lives," Kekich said.

    Said Yankees executive Dan Topping after the trade was announced during spring training of 1973, "We may have to call off Family Day this season."

"The Trade," which is being rewritten by Ben and Casey Affleck, will be based on the events and aftermath of the scandal, according to the New York Post.

According to USA Today, Kekich, who now lives in New Mexico and has a new family, is not very happy about the film, and is trying to get it blocked. Damon and Affleck are well-known Red Sox fans, and the Post also questions their ability to tackle the scandal in an unbiased manner.

Sourcebook on Parry-Romberg Syndrome

This is a “must have” reference book for patients, parents, caregivers, and libraries with medical collections. This sourcebook is organized into three parts. Part I explores basic techniques to researching parry-romberg syndrome (e.g. finding guidelines on diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis), followed by a number of topics, including information on how to get in touch with organizations, associations, or other patient networks dedicated to parry-romberg syndrome. It also gives you sources of information that can help you find a doctor in your local area specializing in treating parry-romberg syndrome. Collectively, the material presented in Part I is a complete primer on basic research topics for patients with parry-romberg syndrome. Part II moves on to advanced research dedicated to parry-romberg syndrome. Part II is intended for those willing to invest many hours of hard work and study. It is here that we direct you to the latest scientific and applied research on parry-romberg syndrome. When possible, contact names, links via the Internet, and summaries are provided. In general, every attempt is made to recommend “free-to-use” options. Part III provides appendices of useful background reading for all patients with parry-romberg syndrome or related disorders. The appendices are dedicated to more pragmatic issues faced by many patients with parry-romberg syndrome. Accessing materials via medical libraries may be the only option for some readers, so a guide is provided for finding local medical libraries which are open to the public. Part III, therefore, focuses on advice that goes beyond the biological and scientific issues facing patients with parry-romberg syndrome.
Editorial Reviews

This book has been created for patients who have decided to make education and research an integral part of the treatment process. Although it also gives information useful to doctors, caregivers and other health professionals, it tells patients where and how to look for information covering virtually all topics related to parry-romberg syndrome (also Progressive Facial Hemiatrophy; Progressive Hemifacial Atrophy; Romberg Syndrome), from the essentials to the most advanced areas of research. The title of this book includes the word official. This reflects the fact that the sourcebook draws from public, academic, government, and peer-reviewed research. Selected readings from various agencies are reproduced to give you some of the latest official information available to date on parry-romberg syndrome. Given patients’ increasing sophistication in using the Internet, abundant references to reliable Internet-based resources are provided throughout this sourcebook. Where possible, guidance is provided on how to obtain free-of-charge, primary research results as well as more detailed information via the Internet. E-book and electronic versions of this sourcebook are fully interactive with each of the Internet sites mentioned (clicking on a hyperlink automatically opens your browser to the site indicated). Hard-copy users of this sourcebook can type cited Web addresses directly into their browsers to obtain access to the corresponding sites. In addition to extensive references accessible via the Internet, chapters include glossaries of technical or uncommon terms.

Lady Gaga Says Her Stylish Life Is 'Just Another Day at the Office'

Lady Gaga insists her glamorous look is just part of her regular personality, fame or no fame.

Speaking to TV host Gayle King while wearing spikes on her face and shoulders, huge platform shoes and a leather dress, she said: “I live a glamorous, stylish life. It's nothing to do with money or anything. It's just the way I choose to live.

“I just woke up in my New York apartment and just wanted to be myself today, so I wore my vintage mute glare catsuit and these are my favourite shoes right now.

“They're creepers and they're made into platforms. I'm very excited about that. It's just another day at the office.”

She also tried to convince Gayle the spikes in her face were natural, adding: “They've been there this whole time but I waited until I'd put ‘Born This Way’ out for you to see them.”

Gaga, 24, also said claimed she does not take herself too seriously, and doesn’t worry about criticism.

She added: “I always like to say people take me too seriously and not seriously enough at the same time. I think there’s an incredible amount of scrutiny on young women and I think there’s a tremendous amount of analysis that goes into everything, but I just don't care what people think of me to be perfectly blunt.”

More Details on Kelsey Grammer's Wedding Today!

Kelsey Grammer's divorce from his wife of 13 years Camille was only finalized earlier this month, but he's set to tie the knot with 29-year-old Kayte Walsh today. Officiating the ceremony will be Grammer's La Cage aux Folles co-star Terry Lavell.

A source told the NY Post newspaper: “They’ll be married by Terry Lavell, who plays Mercedes. He has the license to officiate weddings. The congregation will sit in the audience seats.

“Kelsey wanted to get married at the Longacre because he enjoyed being on the stage. Also, it’s where he fell in love with Kayte; she was always backstage.”

When the ceremony is complete, the guests will then go to New York’s plush Plaza Hotel for the reception.

Around 150 guests are expected at the after-party, where they will dine on a multi-course meal of andoiulle en croute, slow-roasted turkey breast with chorizo stuffing and braised short-ribs.
For the vegetarians -- including Kayte -- a menu of goat’s cheese truffles and wild mushroom risotto will be served.

Kelsey’s ex-wife Camille recently wished the couple well in their marriage and expressed her hope they could communicate better about their two children; Mason, nine and Jude, six.

She said: “I'm sad for what was, yet excited about the road ahead. I'm grateful to my family and friends who have stood by me through this time -- I will never forget their love and support.

"What I most hope is that Kelsey and I can improve our communications and truly co-parent our two wonderful children; and I wish Kelsey and Kayte love and happiness in their new marriage."

Kathy Griffin Dating the Old Spice Guy

Kathy Griffin has got some new spice in her love life!

The comedian has been seen out and about with Isaiah Mustafa (known as the Old Spice guy), and a source has confirmed that the two are indeed some sort of romantic pair.

"They are not boyfriend/girlfriend but they are definitely spending time together and getting to know each other," the source tells Us.

Kathy has been casually seeing Isaiah for several months now -- way back in September she tweeted a picture of herself with the commercial star, calling him "super hot." At an event on Tuesday night, he was seen whispering sweet nothings to Kathy and the next day doting on her on her set of Glee.

Guess she scored the hottie, who is a pretty hot commodity -- before romancing Kathy he was in a relationship with beauty Neve Campbell.

Abigail Breslin: 'I'm Not a Huge Party Person'

Abigail Breslin has definitely grown up since her appearance in Little Miss Sunshine, but at 14, she's not a party animal yet by any means. In fact, she says she's planning a low-key birthday bash for her 15th birthday in April.

Abigail Breslin (Pacific Coast News)
She said: “Well me and my best friend are thinking about having a joint birthday because we’re just a month apart from each other. But no, I’m not like a huge party person. I just like to hang out and chill.”

However despite her laid back attitude to parties, the actress is expecting lots of presents. She joked to BANG Showbiz: “Well, I’m not opposed to gifts! Let’s not get crazy now!”

Abigail admitted being a teen actress can be tricky because her voice changed over the course of making new animated movie Rango for which she provides the voice of Priscilla alongside Johnny Depp and Isla Fisher. She explained: “I came in two or three times to re-do some lines. For me, because we first shot it when I was 12, and I’ll be 15 in two months so my voice started to change a little bit. And I’d be 13 and going in and my voice sounded, just different. I had to like, ‘chipmunkify’ my voice a little bit. Make it a little higher. Most people in the movie were not having to go through changes in their voices when they filmed it.”

Former Yankee Mike Kekich Panicked Over Ben Affleck Wife Swap Movie

People wrongly assume that drama with athletes only started when TMZ started reporting on it. Drama has always existed, just the media didn’t report on it and if they did by the time you got the information it was dated.
If someone is arrested,we have the information immediately, back in the 70s might take days,  if ever for that information to come to light.
Can you imagine if a story like Mike Kekich happened today? It would be talked about for months non stop. Short version Kekich and teammate Fritz Peterson decided to do an actual wife swap.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon want to do a movie about it called “The Trade” and Kekich is freaking out.

parry romberg syndrome

Two and a Half Men Cancelled – Not Yet, Here’s How They Can Save the Show!

Two and a Half Men hasn’t been cancelled.  Not yet.  While shooting has been shut down for the season following Charlie Sheen’s off air meltdown and rantings against the hit show, there is still some room to save the Monday night darling without him.

Here are our ideas of how Two and a Half Men can be saved….

Send Uncle Charlie to rehab.   If the show wants to explain the extended and probably permanent absence of Charlie Sheen’s character they can send him off to rehab.  Maybe that would inspire the actor to finally head to rehab himself.

Fifth Third Bank

Man under arrest for Fifth Third holdup - Police took a man into custody for a robbery of Fifth Third Bank about 15 minutes after this afternoon’s holdup.

They arrested the man at Building C of the Carriage House apartments on Washington Avenue.

The man, who did not display a weapon, asked for and was given $250, according to a teller at the Broad Street bank.

The robber left on foot about 2:45 p.m. but reportedly offered someone $50 to give him a ride to Washington Avenue near the library.

Cristin Milioti: Watch the '30 Rock' scene-stealer's 'Sopranos' past

The Feb. 24 episode of "30 Rock" was, for lack of a better term, a perfect storm of awesome.

Not only did "Let Me In" star Chloe Moretz show up as ruthless, Bieber-loving, aspiring businesswoman-child, "TGS" almost got a new writer in Abby Flynn (Cristin Milioti).

Playing an up-and-coming stand-up comedian, with pigtails and a baby voice, Milioti kind of stole the episode for us -- if you ignore, for a moment, the sight of Alec Baldwin in an old sea captain's uniform.

But we couldn't help but wonder, under the wig and, ahem, cleavage... why Milioti looks so familiar. Enter: the Internet.

Milioti is a three-time "Sopranos" vet, playing the very small, but distinctly hilarious, role of Catherine Sacrimoni, which you might remember best as the grumpy bridesmaid in "Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request."

Though her shining moment ("God! Can't this family ever talk about anything besides food?") doesn't seem to be on YouTube, you can watch her look shocked when her mother keels over at the worst wedding ever.

Earthquake Hawaii

Magnitude
3.6
Date-Time
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 00:12:33 UTC
Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 02:12:33 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
21.180°N, 157.550°W
Depth
19 km (11.8 miles) set by location program
Region
OAHU REGION, HAWAII
Distances
35 km (22 miles) ESE of HONOLULU, Hawaii
37 km (23 miles) SE of Kane`ohe, O`ahu, Hawaii
55 km (34 miles) W of Kaunakakai, Moloka`i, Hawaii
61 km (38 miles) SE of Wahiawa, O`ahu, Hawaii

Wainwright Will Undergo Tommy John Surgery

THURSDAY, 10:01am: GM John Mozeliak confirmed that Wainwright will undergo Tommy John surgery according to the team's official Twitter feed. The injury will keep him on the shelf for all of 2011.

WEDNESDAY, 8:59am: Adam Wainwright is heading back to St. Louis to have his right elbow examined, and right now the team expects the worst. "I can say just based on the initial evaluation from our training staff, things do not look encouraging," said GM John Mozeliak according to Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. ESPN's Buster Olney says (on Twitter) that it appears the team is expecting their ace to have Tommy John surgery, which would keep him out for all of 2011.

Wainwright, 29, has been one of the game's best pitchers in recent years, pitching to a 2.53 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 463 1/3 innings over the last two seasons. He finished second in the NL Cy Young voting last season and third in 2009. Rival executives are speculating that the Cards will pursue Kevin Millwood in the wake of the injury, according to Olney (on Twitter). Over the weekend we heard that Millwood was "waiting for the right widespread panic."

If Wainwright finishes the 2011 season on the disabled list, his $9MM option for 2012 and $12MM option for 2013 will not vest.

Natalie Kenly

Natalie Kenly:The 24-year old model is one of several women - along with Bree Olson and Brooke Mueller - who is currently vacationing with Charlie Sheen in the tropics.

Best known for her spreads in Cali Chronic X Magazine, Kenly was first identified by TMZ as the mystery woman who was spotted smooching the actor this week and who he's been telling pals is one of his many "goddesses." Really. We're not making any of this up.

Natalie Kenly Pictures

A marijuana lover, Kenly was crowned "Chronic Girl 2010" by the publication. Its co-editor, Jeffrey Peterson, told TMZ that Sheen developed an interest in Natalie soon after seeing her on the cover of last year's February issue, pictured above.

Peterson even adds that Charlie has been "very romantic" when it comes to his courtship of Kenly. We can only assume this means he offered her the premium cocaine.

0 like Space Shuttle Launch: How to Watch the Discovery Liftoff Live with Your Kids

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engine!

The 3-hour process of fueling the space shuttle Discovery began this morning at 7:25 a.m. EST by NASA technicians in preparation for this afternoon’s 4:50 p.m. scheduled launch.

This will be the last flight for Discovery before it is retired by NASA. This particular mission has been three months in the making — the original launch was scheduled for November 1st, but due to bad weather and some mechanical problems, it was delayed. The purpose of this mission is to supply the International Space Station with food and various other supplies and equipment.

The Oregon Economics Blog: Do Days in School Matter

The Lake Oswego School District had a double dose of news yesterday night: board members voted to take the next step in possible school closures, and Superintendent Bill Korach announced his retirement.

Sort of.

Korach, who's in his 24th year as schools chief, announced his official retirement. Korach will actually continue as superintendent, and find a way to use a reduced salary to fund a teaching and non-teaching position in the district.