Dirt-caked bathtubs, molding refrigerators and mystery stains are just a few of the horrors travellers say they've found at the Grand Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. In the past year, disgruntled and disturbed guests have called the hotel everything from "cockroach heaven" to a "filthy, disgusting dump" and have plastered the Internet with sordid photographic evidence to prove it. That's bad news for the Grand Resort Hotel since generally the number one reason guests don't return to a hotel is because of cleanliness issues, says Howard Adler, director of Purdue University's Center for the Study of Lodging Operations.
In Pictures: America's Dirtiest Hotels
From a dilapidated California inn to a mold-infested Myrtle Beach flophouse, these are America's 10 filthiest hotels, according to a survey of reviews from 2010 on the travel website TripAdvisor.
America's Dirtiest Hotels
1. Grand Resort Hotel & Convention Center, Pigeon Forge, TN
America's dirtiest hotels
Couple weds over the phone. Who knew that was option?
Sarah Brown with groom Randall Blake's mother saying 'I do' over the phone. (Photo: KCRA/CNN)
This week, a soldier stationed in Afghanistan called his bride in California to get married. I'm not talking about a proposal, but the actual vows, transmitted through a receiver. Army Specialist Randall Blake is serving a one year tour of duty overseas, but wanted so badly to wed the girl he left behind, Sarah Brown, they figured out a way to make it happen.
L'Oreal ads of Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington banned for airbrushing
This Lancome ad featuring Julia Roberts was banned for being overly airbrushed.
Retouched advertisements are certainly nothing new, but The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has been cracking down on companies they believe have been heavy handed with the airbrushing wand. According to BBC News, Member of Parliament Jo Swinson has been lobbying against digitally altered images and she raised the red flag on two L'Oreal advertisements she claimed were "not representative of the results the products could achieve." One ad features actress Julia Roberts for Lancome Teint Miracle foundation, while the other shows supermodel Christy Turlington for a Maybelline foundation called The Eraser. As evidenced by the ads, the results of these products, both owned by parent company L'Oreal, are just a little too flawless.
Room to Rent, via the Web
When Lisa Marion’s roommates moved out of her apartment in Toronto in February, she scrambled to find replacements. But instead of finding one or two, she found 30.
Ms. Marion, 26, has been using Airbnb, a Web site that streamlines the process of renting out her extra bedrooms to travelers. The service has unexpectedly turned her into a bed-and-breakfast owner, bringing in roughly $1,800 a month, a nice cushion as she works on starting her own business.
“It pays my rent with a little left over,” she said. “I’ve been able to upgrade my place, paint and get new furniture, which in turn means I can charge more.”
Airbnb, which says it is handling 10,000 guests a night, is at the center of a boom in new companies that are creating a market for places to stay — a spare room, a house when the owners are on vacation or even a backyard treehouse.
Some of these businesses are riding the surge of interest in all kinds of Web ventures; Airbnb plans to announce on Monday that it has raised $112 million from investors. Last month, Wimdu, a similar venture in Europe, raised $90 million. Smaller competitors like 9flats, Roomarama and iStopOver are also hoping to take a bite of the short-term rental market.
These companies say they are helping hosts like Ms. Marion become microentrepreneurs, while giving adventurous travelers insights into how local residents live, whether they are visiting Japan or Los Angeles.
Kate Middleton wears Princess Diana's earrings
Prince William has already given Catherine his mother's sapphire engagement ring and now the Duchess of Cambridge has been gifted with more jewelry that was once owned by the late Princess Diana.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge has the earrings to match her engagement ring. (Tim Rooke / Rex Features )
Catherine was given a matching pair of sapphire and diamond earrings that were a favourite of Diana's. However the Duchess has put her own spin on the jewelry: she turned the studs into more modern-looking drop earrings.Related Link: Catherine's Fashion Faux-Pas
It seems as if they are now Catherine's favorite pieces of jewelry as she has been spotted wearing them several times. The 29-year-old first wore them while attending Wimbledon and she also had them on during her and William's North American tour.
Princess Diana was seen wearing the earrings many times during the '80s and '90s.
Lucifer banned from New Zealand — at least as a baby name
In New Zealand, there will be no little Lucifers on the playground. Nor will there be any Messiahs.Choosing a name for an unborn child is no simple task. But for some parents, the quest for a unique name results in monikers that are potentially damaging to young ones, or at least New Zealand thinks so.
A 9-year-old was granted special permission to change her name in the country. “It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap,” the judge ruled.
The name in question? Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii.
Now New Zealand’s Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is trying to bring a little perspective to the occasionally out-of-hand name game. Three sets of parents unsuccessfully attempted to name their newborns Lucifer. The name is essentially banned from the country.
Mystery mansion rises in the Ozarks
You've probably heard of the 56,000-square foot Spelling Manor that just sold to billionaire heiress Petra Ecclestone or the 43,000 square-foot Fair Field estate belonging to billionaire industrialist Ira Rennert. You may even be familiar with the palatial pads that some real estate developers have built in the hopes of finding wealthy buyers like Alpine, N.J.'s $68 million Stone Mansion or England's Updown Court (which now faces foreclosure).
Here's another huge home to put on your real estate radar: Pensmore. Pensmore, the Ozarks mountain estate being erected in rural Christian County, Missouri, will garner bragging rights as one of America's largest homes upon its projected 2013 completion. The chateau-style mansion will encompass an estimated 72,000-square feet on its secluded plot of more than 500 acres. It will include 13 bedrooms, 14 baths and an assortment of outrageous amenities.
China reaches a new milestone in fake goods: entire Apple stores
A man walks past windows of a shop masquerading as a bona fide Apple store in downtown Kunming, in southwest China's Yunnan province, Thursday, July 21, 2011. China, long known for producing counterfeit consumer gadgets, software and brand name clothing, has reached a new piracy milestone - fake Apple stores. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT
, On Thursday July 21, 2011, 6:37 am EDTBy Louise Watt, The Associated Press
BEIJING, China - At first, it looks like a sleek Apple store. Sales assistants in blue T-shirts with the company's logo chat to customers. Signs advertising the iPad 2 hang from the white walls. Outside, the famous logo sits next to the words "Apple Store."
And that's the clue it's fake.
China, long known for producing counterfeit consumer gadgets, software and brand name clothing, has reached a new piracy milestone — fake Apple stores.
An American who lives in Kunming in southern Yunnan province said Thursday that she and her husband stumbled on three shops masquerading as bona fide Apple stores in the city a few days ago. She took photos and posted them on her BirdAbroad blog.
Final farewell: Last shuttle lands, ending 30-year era that put hundreds in orbit, lab in sky
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Atlantis and four astronauts returned from the International Space Station in triumph Thursday, bringing an end to NASA's 30-year shuttle journey with one last, rousing touchdown that drew cheers and tears.
A record crowd of 2,000 gathered near the landing strip, thousands more packed Kennedy Space Center and countless others watched from afar as NASA's longest-running spaceflight program came to a close.
"After serving the world for over 30 years, the space shuttle's earned its place in history. And it's come to a final stop," commander Christopher Ferguson radioed after Atlantis glided through the ghostly twilight and landed on the runway.
"Job well done, America," replied Mission Control.
With the shuttle's end, it will be another three to five years at best before Americans are launched again from U.S. soil, with private companies gearing up to seize the Earth-to-orbit-and-back baton from NASA.
Do celebs have higher rates of divorce?
The ups and downs of celebrity relationships keep tabloids gossip pages busy on a minute-to-minute basis. Fortunately, there's an almost endless amount of material as every couple of days a boldface name is breaking up, making up, or seen "canoodling".Last Friday the big celeb relationship news was that Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony were calling time on their marriage. The duo, married for seven years and the parents of three-year-old twins, announced the end of their union via press release.
While it may seem that divorce is an occupational hazard for celebrities-this is bust-up number three for Lopez and number two for Anthony- that may be because there's no tabloid magazine devoted to the private lives of dancers and choreographers, occupations which, according to a 2010 study (via The Star), represent professions with the highest rates of divorce.
Ivanka Trump Names Daughter Arabella Rose
New parents Ivanka Trump and Jared KushnerJeff Kravitz/FilmMagicDonald Trump beat his daughter to the punch.
One day after Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner welcomed a baby girl, the "Celebrity Apprentice" star's father revealed his granddaughter's name during an appearance on "Fox & Friends."
"I just left the hospital and the baby is beautiful. Ivanka's doing great," Donald said Monday. "Arabella, a very exotic name. Arabella Rose is the baby's name -- I just found that out, by the way."
[Photos: Check out which other stars are expecting.]
Shortly after her dad's announcement, Ivanka, 29, tweeted: "Jared and I are having so much fun playing with our daughter! Arabella Rose is beyond adorable. She's truly a blessing."
Bridal Q&A: Dress Trends For 2012
Courtesy of Carolina Herrera, available at White, Toronto
Courtesy of Carolina Herrera, available at White, Toronto
Courtesy of Carolina Herrera, available at White, Toronto
Wedding gowns are a highly personal choice, but they're just as subject to trends as the rest of fashion. (New York even hosts a twice-yearly fashion week just for bridal.) To get a read on what's up-coming, we spoke with Andrea Anastasiou, a fashion stylist and the owner of White Toronto, at the Yorkville bridal boutique's recent Carolina Herrera trunk show. Anastasiou filled us in on everything from the hottest gown silhouettes to bridal hair accessories, and how celeb brides like Reese Witherspoon and Kate Middleton are influencing what brides are wearing.
Lady Gaga Egged Over Wheelchair Stunt
A group of angry fans threw eggs at Lady Gaga in response to her recent appearance on stage in Sydney, Australia rolling around in a wheelchair. Though the throwers missed Gaga herself, a few eggs hit members of her entourage. It is unclear why audience members had the eggs in the first place, however.
Photos: Lady Gaga's Best Looks
The wheelchair incident occurred at Gaga's concert at the Sydney Town Hall on Wednesday. The singer came out to perform the rock ballad "Yoü and I" while dressed up as her new mermaid alter ego Yuyi. Since her legs were bound in the costume, she was able to move on stage with a wheelchair. The pop queen has previously used wheelchair imagery in her music video for "Paparazzi" and her performance of that song on the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
Huge Underwater Volcanoes Discovered Near Antarctica
A string of a dozen volcanoes, at least several of them active, has been found beneath the frigid seas near Antarctica, the first such discovery in that region.Some of the peaks tower nearly 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) above the ocean floor — nearly tall enough to break the water's surface.
"That's a big volcano. That's a very big volcano. If that was on land it would be quite remarkable," said Philip Leat, a vulcanologist with the British Antarctic Survey who led a seafloor mapping expedition to the region in 2007 and 2010.
The group of 12 underwater mountains lies south of the South Sandwich Islands — desolate, ice-covered volcanoes that rise above the southern Atlantic Ocean about halfway between South America and South Africa and erupted as recently as 2008. It's the first time such a large number of undersea volcanoes has been found together in the Antarctic region.
Leat said the survey team was somewhat surprised by the find.
"We knew there were other volcanoes in the area, but we didn't go trying to find volcanoes," Leat told OurAmazingPlanet. "We just went because there was a big blank area on the map and we had no idea what was there; we just wanted to fill in the seafloor."
Tony Romo’s wedding video trailer hits the Internet
And here you thought the trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises" would be the best movie preview you'd see this week. The video of Tony Romo(notes) and Candice Crawford's wedding is apparently so grandiose in scale that it warrants its own teaser.
1. Any fears I had about mocking the wedding video of a happy, newlywed couple were alleviated by the consecutive shots of somebody reading about the wedding in a newspaper, Romo meticulously grooming his stubble and then having his cuffs buttoned by a grown man in a tuxedo.
2. There appeared to be a lot of seats under the tent. Given recent events in Dallas, I pray they were all ready in time.
7 Makeup Rules You Should Never Break
Sure, you can do whatever you want when it comes to makeup. In fact, coloring outside the lines is sure to get you noticed. But sometimes that attention won’t be positive, especially in environments where a buttoned-up impression is critical (like at work and school as well as when dating and networking). If you’re breaking any of the following seven rules, think twice and—at a minimum—know your audience.
Why do we kiss?
Humans have been kissing one another for thousands of years. But is smooching more science than art, more biology than poetry?“A man’s kiss is his signature.” — Mae West
There’s the romantic kiss, the social kiss, the air kiss, the kiss that conveys affection, familial ties or deep respect. The ancient Romans were big on romantic kissing, but the Greeks viewed kissing more as a way to pay homage or give social recognition. In Biblical times, washing and kissing another’s feet was considered a gesture of humility and respect. The Black Stone of Mecca, a relic considered holy by Muslims, has been polished smooth by centuries of kissing. Today, kissing is a near universal behavior, with many of us puckering up under the mistletoe, to seal a marriage and to ring in the New Year.“A man’s kiss is his signature.” — Mae West
Humans have been kissing — for any number of reasons — for a very long time, according to scientists. But where did the custom come from and why exactly do we do it?
David & Victoria Beckham Welcome Baby Girl; Becks Reveals Name On Facebook
David Beckham and Victoria Beckham arrive to attend the Royal Wedding of Prince William …
Victoria and David Beckham are proud parents to their first baby girl, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
"David and Victoria Beckham are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter," Beckham family spokesperson Jo Milloy said in a statement to Access on Sunday. "Happy and healthy, she arrived at 7:55 AM this morning at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles and weighed 7lbs., 10oz.
PLAY IT NOW: Victoria Beckham Is ‘Proud’ Of Husband David
"Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz are excited to welcome their new baby sister to the family," the statement continued, referring to the couple's three sons.
A name for the Beckham's new arrival - who is the couple's fourth child, but first daughter -- has yet to be announced.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: From Spice Girl To Fashionista: Victoria ‘Posh’ Beckham
Victoria and David have three boys -- Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, 8, and Cruz, 6.
It was back in March that an excited David confirmed to reporters at an event for his team, the LA Galaxy, that the pair was expecting a daughter.
Sports Radio Host Drops 200 Pounds
It's been a wild ride over the past 440 days. While hosting my show on Fox Sports Radio and blogging the midnight oil, I found time to sweat away 200 pounds of fat.
Receiver Jerry Rice won three Super Bowl rings with the 49ers weighing 200 pounds. That's what I had on my back all these years.
After a few photos popped up on social media sites, people have reached out to me about of my weight-reduction.
I haven't updated my photos on Twitter and Facebook since this battle of the pounds got underway. Now that "I've taken my talents," as LeBron would say, to ThePostGame.com, it's finally time to share my story.
The three questions I get asked most often.
1) Are you sick?
2) Did have lap-band Surgery?
3) What was your weight loss secret?
Cute video of twin babies laughing in sync
We can't get enough of adorable babies being, well, adorable babies.
A baby laughing at celery. A baby rocking out. A baby trying to stay awake. A baby telling stories.
Now it's double the cuteness with twins erupting into synchronized laughter.
The video just might give you a case of the giggles, too.
Woman missing 41 years found alive in Florida, police believe
How would it feel to hold a memorial service for your mother, only to find out she's still alive?
Ask Grace Kivisto. "I'm in shock," the Galesburg, Ill., woman told local TV station WQAD after hearing the astonishing news from a detective last week.
Back in 1970, Kivisto's mother, Lula Cora Hood, disappeared amid a family feud. Hood, who had 14 kids, suffered from mental health problems and had split several times before, but always returned eventually.
This time, however, she didn't come back. "We never heard a thing," said Kivisto.
WHL team offers free season tickets to Kate and Will
With William and Kate, the newly wed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, appearing before fawning crowds on their first royal visit to Canada, it was only a matter of when a sports franchise would try to get in on action.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes marketing staff evidently figured that since Prince William is an avid sports fan but not much on playing hockey — he was 0-for-3 after taking some shots on goal in a ball hockey game in Yellowknife, N.W.T., on Tuesday — maybe he and his bride would be up for watching some hockey games. The Hurricanes have offered the couple complimentary season tickets for the upcoming year. If they can't make it to every game, on account of their busy schedule and the fact they live in England, there is the option of a 10-game flex pack, as Hurricanes business manager Jim Bradley (pictured, top), explained in a polite invitation letter that is totally not tongue-in-cheek.
Queen Elizabeth II puts off palace repairs, costs British taxpayers less in the past year
Related Content
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II talks to staff members as she officially opened the …
LONDON - Britain may have enjoyed a lavish royal wedding but Queen Elizabeth II must put up with shabby furnishings and leaking palace roofs in austerity Britain, according to the annual report on royal finances released Monday.
Official accounts for the royal family show that British taxpayers spent 32.1 million pounds ($51.7 million) supporting the monarchy in the past year, 5.3 per cent less than the year before. Much of the saving came from reducing the bill for maintenance of royal residences, from 15.4 million pounds to 11.9 million pounds.
"The queen is very keen that the Royal Household should continue to reduce its expenditure in line with public expenditure reductions," said the royal family's treasurer, Sir Alan Reid.
5 Totally Unnecessary (but Common) Beauty Products
While we love what the multibillion-dollar-a-year cosmetics industry has to offer, there are some products that aren’t very effective or worth the investment. Steer clear of the following five beauty product categories to keep your makeup regime and cosmetics budget looking good.
1. Foundation Primers
Foundation primers are said to smooth out the skin and prepare it for the application of foundation. However, most primers are made from silicone-based formulas, which can clog pores, and the results are negligible. Investing in quality cleansers and moisturizers will do more than any foundation primer.
2. Toners
Toners are alcohol-based products that are intended to get rid of any additional traces of oil or makeup from your face after you wash it. However, alcohol is harsh on the skin. A good cleanser, often in conjunction with makeup remover, can easily eliminate all the makeup and dirt from your face, making a toner pretty much pointless.
Crowds cheer Monaco's Prince Albert and new bride
MONTE CARLO (Reuters) - With a wink and a smile, Monaco's ruler Prince Albert married South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock on Saturday in a ceremony attended by a who's who of European royalty and the international elite.
The 53-year-old married Wittstock, 33, in the courtyard of his palace at the foot of a vast white-marble double staircase lined with white flowers. Some 3,500 guests sat outside to watch the service on giant TV screens.
Albert's sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie, both dressed in pink, smiled as they watched the couple marry in front of a crowd that included French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld and opera singer Renee Fleming.
The long white train of Wittstock's Giorgio Armani duchess satin gown, encrusted with thousands of tiny crystals, spilled over the red carpet. The groom wore the white dress uniform of Monaco's Carabinieri royal guard.
Autopsy reveals Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage died of natural causes
An autopsy revealed that wrestling great Randy "Macho Man" Savage died from heart disease and not from any injury sustained in his May 20 car crash.
The St. Petersburg Medical Examiner's Office found that the 58-year-old had an enlarged heart with hardened coronary arteries. He became unresponsive while driving his Jeep Wrangler on a Florida highway in May and crashed into a tree. While the auto accident left minor cuts and bruises, the heart problems were the official cause of death of the wrestler.
At the time of his death, it was unknown whether the former wrestling star had died because of the heart issue or because the heart issue caused him to crash. The coroner said Savage was found with therapeutic levels of a number of prescribed drugs in his system and that alcohol wasn't a factor. There was no evidence he was taking any heart medication, leading to the assumption that Savage may not have known about his condition.