Kim Kardashian and husband Kris Humphries (Getty Images)
It seems pretty clear that there is very little that happens on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" that is unscripted. Most of the situations and plots seem contrived in that "The Hills"-esque fashion, where storylines seem to play out (instigation followed by conflict followed by resolution) in a way that would just never happen so cleanly in real life.
Also, a recent TMZ report caught producers crafting a scene between Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick at Kim Kardashian's wedding, providing further evidence for this claim. (The fact that no one seemed to care shows that it's pretty much understood that we're not really bothered if "reality television" is real so long as it's entertaining.)
So keep that all in mind while watching this clip -- filmed when the family was vacationing in Bora Bora earlier this summer -- of Kim Kardashian casually informing husband-to-be Kris Humphries that she was previously married.
Watch Kris Humphries learn that Kim Kardashian was previously married
Why Visit Rome
If you’re looking for top designer names or brands you may want to start reading along through Condotti. This renowned street leads up to Piazza di Spagna and is home to top designer stores like Gucci, Fendi, Prada and Dior simply to cite a couple. Many Rome guidebooks will highlight this area as the primary shopping point. However , don’t be disappointed if you’re on a rather more modest budget, through del Corso is ideal around the corner! On this street you may hit a wide selection of local stores as well as international tops such as Benetton and Zara. Book lovers aren’t to miss the multi-level Feltrinelli Waterstone’s found inside a small shopping center called Galleria Alberto Sordi. This is also the best place to stop for a bubbly Cappuccino or a coffee while you’re there. If you’re in the Vatican area you might need to take a stroll down via Cola di Rienzo and visit the Coin department store. Here you will also find a wide variety of local shops and street merchants that sell at very cheap prices. To make you stay rather more special why not stay in an Rome Apartment.
Jennifer Aniston rents home with Justin
Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux have moved into a two-bedroom home.
The couple are reportedly renting the small $3 million property in Hollywood after the 'Hollywood Bosses' actress sold her lavish Beverly Hills mansion for $38 million.
A source told Us Weekly: "One bedroom is the master and the other is currently furnished as a guest room.
"It is a really romantic house with great views and a warm feeling in every room. If they decide they like it, it's also for sale."
According to X17 Online, Jennifer and Justin's new home boasts hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, a pool, hidden garden and a garage which has been converted into a family room.
The source added: "They're really excited about it."
Doctor's Orders: No More Heels for Victoria Beckham
Photo by Keystone
Victoria Beckham is trading in her signature stilettos for some comfy flats. The fashion favourite, who is set to show at New York Fashion Week this fall, has reportedly ruptured a disk causing severe back pain that prevents her from wearing those sky high heels and even lifting her new baby girl Harper Seven Beckham. [Mirror]
Just over a month after giving birth, Beckham has been ordered to skip the extra four inches and keep her footwear choices closer to earth. Whether she's switched her Christian Louboutins for Crocs is a mystery to us but we hope to see the healthy and bubbly star in only a few weeks time.
Danica Patrick jumps to NASCAR, will run Sprint events in 2012
The worst-kept secret in motorsports is a secret no more. Danica Patrick, arguably the country's best-known racer, will jump from IndyCar to NASCAR full-time beginning with the 2012 season.
Wearing the same leather jumpsuit and high heels from her commercials, Patrick, alongside GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons, made the announcement in Phoenix at a flash-and-dazzle event that was more GoDaddy rally than press conference.
[Related: See more photos of Danica Patrick]
"For breaking news that will shock the world, we are excited to finally announce that GoDaddy will be taking me full-time into NASCAR next year," Patrick said. "Very exciting. I'm just excited to finally say it."
Patrick has some heavyweight backing in the world of NASCAR. Her Nationwide car will be owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports, and her Sprint Cup car will be owned by Tony Stewart's Stewart-Haas Racing. GoDaddy will be her sponsor for both series.
How one family broke their junk food addiction
The Leake family are on a real food crusade. (photo credit: Shannan Casper Photography)
The Leake family are on a real food crusade. (photo credit: Shannan Casper Photography)
How long could you go without junk food? Last year, the Leake family attempted to abstain for 100 days. A year later, they’re still going strong. “Halfway through the first challenge I took the basket of Halloween candy I was hiding in the guest room for when we'd completed the challenge, and just threw it out,” says Lisa Leake, a stay-at-home mom of two daughters, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Virginia earthquake's tremors felt far and wide
An unusually strong earthquake sent shock waves far beyond its Virginia epicentre on Tuesday, rattling residents all over the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and Canada.
The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake's magnitude at 5.8. It was centred near Mineral, Va., about 135 kilometres southwest of Washington, D.C. After several revisions, the U.S.G.S. placed the quake's depth at six kilometres.
There were no reports of serious injuries or deaths but a fire department spokesman in Washington said there were reports of minor injuries.
Some damage was reported to buildings in the U.S. capital. A spokesman for Washington's National Cathedral says at least three of the four stone pinnacles on the central tower had fallen off and the central tower looked like it was leaning.
Several airports in New York, Philadelphia and the Washington area briefly suspended flights.
California fugitive arrested after 36 years: FBI
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A convicted murderer who escaped from a California prison camp over three decades ago has been recaptured thanks to a clue gleaned from his dying mother, authorities said on Monday.
William Walter Asher III, 66, was taken into custody without incident at a home in the Northern California town of Salida on Friday, FBI spokesman Steve Dupre said.
Asher, who was sentenced in 1967 to seven years to life in prison after a fatal bar robbery, had been on the run since an accomplice helped him escape from a Northern California prison camp in 1975.
The trail had gone cold until 2005, when authorities learned that, on her death bed, Asher's mother had asked family members for help in contacting her son via a secret number, Dupre said.
Agents using phone records tracked two phone calls to a residence in Salida, where Asher was living under the assumed name of Garry Donald Webb, Dupre said.
Best Costumes For Halloween: Dress in Character Costume for Halloween
It is a fact that a character costume is a wise move to take when thinking of ideas for a Halloween party. Aside from the fact that character costumes wouldn't make you look like witches from a thousand feet underground, a character costume never runs out of style or fashion. Nobody will laugh at you for wearing red briefs outside of your leggings, as they all know that you are imitating one of the most elusive action figures in the world of comics and cartoons. In fact, instead of laughing, people may actually take pictures of you with them to show to their friends. This is because character costumes have already established their own ideals, beliefs, and stands throughout the course of the years.
Meet the ‘luckiest’ woman in the world
The August issue of Harper's magazine contains a fascinating story about a woman named Joan R. Ginther, known in the press as the "luckiest woman in the world."
To earn that appellation, Ginther won the lottery four times. That's right, four times. And she didn't win no measly $20 and $30 payouts either—she hit multimillion-dollar payouts each time.
First, she won $5.4 million; then a decade later, she won $2 million; then two years later $3 million; and finally, in the spring of 2008, she hit a $10 million jackpot.
The odds of this? One in eighteen septillion.
To put this into perspective, the Harper's story's author, Nathaniel Rich, says there are only one septillion stars in the universe, and one septillion grains of sand on Earth. A person with Ginther's kind of luck, writes Rich, would only happen once every quadrillion years.
Real estate buyers to focus on low interest, ignore market turmoil: economists
TORONTO - Canada's real estate market is now expected to grow this year rather than decline, as buyers take advantage of continued low interest rates that are intended to offset recent economic turmoil, economists said Tuesday.
The comments came after the Canadian Real Estate Association revised its 2011 national forecast for home resales, citing stronger than expected sales and higher prices in the second quarter.
An earlier CREA forecast that called for a one per cent dip in sales this year from 2011. But the association said Tuesday sales should grow this year — albeit less than one per cent above 2010.
CIBC deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal said recent stock market uncertainty due to the European debt crisis and the United States credit downgrade is actually helping boost sales in Canada's real-estate market.
Bad economic news abroad tends to keep Canadian interest rates low, he said.
Since the European and American debt issues came to a head in recent weeks, economists have been predicting the Bank of Canada will leave its key rate untouched at one per cent until at least next year.
That's a change of opinion since last winter, when economists widely expected Canada's central bank would begin hiking its rates sometime in 2011 as the economy strengthened — putting upward pressure on the price of borrowing.
TLC Cancels Kate Gosselin's 'Kate Plus 8'
TLC has pulled the plug on "Kate Plus 8."
The cable network announced it has canceled Kate Gosselin's reality series, featuring the adventures of the mom and her large brood.
PLAY IT NOW: Access Hollywood Live: Who Would Be Kate Gosselin’s Dream Guy?
"TLC has decided not to renew another season of 'Kate Plus 8,'" a network rep said in a statement to Access Hollywood on Monday. "By the end of this season, 'Kate Plus 8' will have hit the 150 episode mark (including "Jon & Kate Plus 8"); an exceptional milestone."
However, this may not be the end of Kate's days as a reality star.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Kate Gosselin’s Sexy ‘Dancing’ Transformation
"TLC hopes to check in with Kate and the family periodically with specials in the future," the network's statement continued.
The series finale will air on September 12.
Kate sat down with Access Hollywood in April, where she talked about how her kids - sextuplets and twins - felt about having their lives captured by the cameras.
10 new earthly wonders
These may not be household names, but one peek at these hidden gems and you'll know why they deserve protection and recognition.
UNESCO has just unveiled the newest members of their World Heritage List, which celebrates notable natural and cultural sites around the globe. To be considered for inclusion, a place has to meet at least one of ten criteria, which range from "representing a masterpiece of human creative genius" to being an area of "exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance." The Class of 2011 includes prime examples of all, including the world's top flamingo foraging site, elaborate Persian gardens, and the legendary stomping ground of Lawrence of Arabia. Here are 10 sites that made the cut:
Ningaloo Coast
Australia
Made up of nearly 3,758 square kilometres of Australia's remote western coast, the striking Ningaloo Coast is comprised of both marine and land-based treasures. In the water off the Ningaloo Coast, you'll find one of the longest near-shore reefs in the world and a wealth of diverse sea life, from sea turtles to an annual visit from whale sharks. On the land side, a network of underground caves and groundwater streams help support the coast's biodiversity.
(Courtesy of Sergio Pitamitz/SuperStock)
Ogasawara Islands
Japan
Remarkable method wipes out leukemia in 2 patients, improves a third
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Scientists are reporting the first clear success with a new approach for treating leukemia — turning the patients' own blood cells into assassins that hunt and destroy their cancer cells.They've only done it in three patients so far, but the results were striking: Two appear cancer-free up to a year after treatment, and the third patient is improved but still has some cancer. Scientists are already preparing to try the same gene therapy technique for other kinds of cancer.
"It worked great. We were surprised it worked as well as it did," said Dr. Carl June, a gene therapy expert at the University of Pennsylvania. "We're just a year out now. We need to find out how long these remissions last."
He led the study, published Wednesday by two journals, New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine.
It involved three men with very advanced cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL. The only hope for a cure now is bone marrow or stem cell transplants, which don't always work and carry a high risk of death.
Mother's blood test reveals baby's sex
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Blood drawn from expectant mothers could offer parents an earlier sneak peek at their baby's sex than methods currently used in the U.S., researchers said Tuesday.The test may be particularly valuable for families that harbor sex-linked genetic disorders like hemophilia, they add.
Because such disorders only strike boys, knowing that the baby is a girl could spare the mother diagnostic procedures, such as amniocentesis, that carry a small risk of miscarriage.
"It could reduce the number of invasive procedures that are being performed for specific genetic conditions," said Dr. Diana Bianchi of Tufts University School of Medicine, who worked on the new study.
Wealthy duchess gives fortune away to marry
Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva (yes, that's one name) is one of the wealthiest women in all of Spain. She is worth somewhere between $850 million and $5 billion--but not for long. The Duchess of Alba, 85, is giving it all away so she can marry the man she loves.This sounds like a plot to the latest Nicholas Sparks novel, but we assure you, this is nonfiction to the core. So, why is she giving her vast fortune away? The duchess's six children were dubious about their mother's plans to marry Alfonso Diez, a civil servant who is 24 years younger.
To help assuage their fears that the love may not be genuine, the duchess is going to give her fortune to her children. According to an article from the BBC, the duchess's six children had been against the wedding. Earlier this year, the duchess remarked, "Alfonso doesn't want anything. All he wants is me."
Toyota loses top spot in global sales
TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp., which has sunk to No. 3 in global vehicle sales from pole position, is counting on emerging markets to drive a revival in its fortunes, one of its top India executives says.
Toyota sold 3.7 million vehicles around the world in the first half of 2011, down 11 per cent from a year earlier as sales crashed 62 per cent in April-June on production disruptions caused by the March earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.
That put it behind General Motors Co., which sold 4.5 million vehicles during the same period, and Volkswagen AG of Germany, with 4.13 million vehicles sold. Toyota has been the top selling automaker in annual sales for the past three years.
10 Things You Can't Tell Your Boss
I’ve reported to a lot of people over the years. And during that time I’ve told my boss things I should have perhaps kept to myself. Divulging too much inner dialogue isn’t always the best career move. You want to nurture the image your boss had of you when deciding to bring you on board. You do need to open up and communicate; being overly reserved won’t help you build a constructive bond.A good a rule of thumb is you want to avoid making your boss visibly uncomfortable. You definitely don’t want to make her cringe. It’s hard to find the right balance. How much information is too much? Here are ten things to keep on the tip of your tongue.
Work Scenario 1: You’re calling in sick. Or you’re back from a sick day. Don’t give your boss a play by play of the stuff that came out of your body. Don’t use words like dry heaving. These embellishments won’t make your boss more sympathetic nor will it make your story sound more credible. You’ll only succeed in making your boss nauseas and associate you with disease. It’s fine to be sick every once in a while. You’re legally entitled to an allotment of sick days.
Work Scenario 2: Don’t tell your boss you’re attracted to him or her. Don’t mention that your boss showed up in a sexy dream last night. Don’t compliment his/ her nice body. Don’t put either of yourselves in such a dangerous position. The imbalance of power is not in your favor. Save face, save your job. Keep things professional. This is no line to cross for any boss worth his or her salt.
Anthony Quinn's son, Francesco Quinn, dies at 48
Actor Francesco Quinn, son of the late Anthony Quinn, talks with reporters during …
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Francesco Quinn, a son of the late actor Anthony Quinn, has died of an apparent heart attack while jogging near his home in Malibu, California, according to media reports on Sunday.
Quinn, 48, was jogging Friday night with his son Max in the La Costa neighborhood of Malibu, the posh seaside community north and west of Los Angeles, when he fell and lost consciousness. People on the scene were unable to revive him.
"We were working feverishly at it. But at a certain point it turned, and there was no response," La Costa resident Tim Lawrence told local news website, the Malibu Patch.
Paramedics arrived and took Quinn to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
100-Year-Olds Just as Unhealthy as the Rest of Us
Centenarians may have a great deal of wisdom to share, but this apparently does not include advice on how to live to age 100.
Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that many very old people — age 95 and older — could be poster children for bad health behavior with their smoking, drinking, poor diet, obesity and lack of exercise.
The very old are, in fact, no more virtuous than the general population when it comes to shunning bad health habits, leaving researchers to conclude that their genes are mostly responsible for their remarkable longevity.
But before you fall off the wagon and start tossing down doughnuts for breakfast just because your Aunt Edna just turned 102, remember that genetics is a game of chance. What didn't kill Aunt Edna still could kill you prematurely, the researchers cautioned.
What Not to Buy at H&M
H&M is a budget-conscious fashionista’s dream. But buyer beware; some items aren’t worth buying at even the lowest prices due to poor fit, low quality, or better bargains elsewhere. Here’s what we suggest you skip when shopping at one of our favorite affordable fashion outlets.
1. Lingerie
Though plenty of us like to indulge in pretty underthings, bras and underwear’s most important characteristic is function! While H&M’s lingerie selection looks nice, most of their products are made from synthetic materials (elastane and polyamide, to be specific), which are fine for T-shirts and dresses, but not so great for our lady parts because synthetic materials don’t breathe as well as real cotton and can cause problems in these particular areas. Additionally, the last thing a woman wants is to get poked and prodded by the underwire in her bra, and H&M’s selection doesn’t offer the best fit, sometimes leading to discomfort.
