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The woman who might be on the Supreme Court Minutes after Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced his retirement, the rumors about who might be on Obama's "short list" began to spread. Currently the Supreme Court of the United States has only one female associate justice. (Search for her name.) Reports suggest there are several women on Obama's list, along with a few men. Here is a topline of the potential female nominees: Leah Ward Sears: The current chief justice of Georgia's state Supreme Court, Sears would be the first black female justice. (Search for more about her.) Elena Kagan: Formerly dean of Harvard Law School, she is the solicitor general of the United States. (Search for more about her.) Sonia Sotomayor: A judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, she would be the first Latina Supreme Court justice. (Search for more about her.) Diane Wood: A senior lecturer at the University of Chicago School of Law, she is a federal appeals court judge. (Search for more about her.) Jennifer Granholm: The governor of Michigan has been mentioned but says she's not interested in a seat on the bench. (Search for more about her.) Search for the latest news about Obama's Supreme Court nominees. Correction, May 11, 2009: This originally said if selected Sonia Sotomayor would be the first Latina chief justice. That's incorrect; she would be the first Latina Supreme Court justice. The error has been corrected.
*** 'Flying while fat': Should some pay for two?Ryanair caused a stir in February when it suggested making passengers pay to use the bathroom. Now the company is considering a policy that would make overweight passengers pay by the pound. (Search for more on that.) The Irish budget airline isn't the first to consider implementing a policy for "flying while fat," a phrase coined by the media. Earlier this month, United joined Southwest and other airlines by enforcing policies that require overweight passengers to purchase another seat — or forgo their flight. (Search for the "seatmates of size" policy.) The Association for Airline Passenger Rights has fired back, calling the policy discriminatory. It's not likely to be the last challenge. Consider that more than half of the American population is overweight or obese. In the meantime, search has the skinny on the so-called fat tax: How big is too big: Passengers who cannot fit in a single seat with the armrests down and/or cannot use the safety belt with a single extender. (How long is an extender?) Pay-per-pound: If Ryanair adopts its body-conscious model, passengers may have to pay for every pound they exceed a medically determined ideal weight. (Search for your ideal weight.) Know your rights: Travel writer Harriet Baskas suggests keeping a copy of the airline's policy with you, to ensure all options are exhausted before you're forced to pay for another seat. (Search for more on your rights.) Bonus: Weight policies don't affect just passengers. Several Air India flight attendants were fired earlier this year for exceeding airline weight requirements. (Search for that story.) *** Wardrobe malfunctions & other fashion flubsCeleb gossip sites were all agog last week over Britney Spears' most recent wardrobe malfunctions. One involved the pop princess losing a hair extension during a concert in Oakland, Calif. (Search for video.) Good taste prevents us from mentioning the other one. (But we can't stop you from doing your own search.) If you're a celebrity, you can count on the paparazzi capturing every fashion flub on camera. Just look at Brad Pitt, who was famously photographed with his pants awry — and Jake Gyllenhaal, who recently made news at the Coachella music festival for the same faux pas. Or Lil' Kim, who literally almost lost her shirt on an episode of "Dancing With the Stars" last month. (Search for video.) Let's face it: We've all had our own embarrassing fashion accidents: the unzipped fly, the run in the stocking, the torn hem — or worse. Search has ideas about how to fix some common fashion glitches: How to fix a run in your nylons; How to prepare for any fashion emergency. Plus: How exactly do you tell someone their fly is down? Believe it or not, there's etiquette to this. Search explains. Bonus: Justin Timberlake is credited with uttering that now-famous phrase, adding permanently the words "wardrobe malfunction" to our language. (Search has more on that Super Bowl halftime show that sparked all the controversy.) Plus: CBS may once again be on the hook to pay the $550,000 FCC fine that was thrown out last year. The Supreme Court today ruled that the decision must be re-examined by an appeals court. (Search for the latest.) *** Who is the ‘Hipster Grifter’?Recently The New York Observer published a scathing profile of a young woman named Kari Ferrell. Since then, the Internet has been buzzing about the woman now known as the Hipster Grifter. (Search for the article.) Who is she? Ferrell, 22, is a fugitive wanted in Salt Lake City in connection with forgery, issuing bad checks and retail theft. Some call her a grifter. What's that? (Search for the definition.) We turn to search to learn more about Ferrell, some of her alleged cons and her life on the grift. The affinity con: In Salt Lake City, Ferrell lived and allegedly preyed in a subculture of the hardcore punk scene that refrains from drinking alcohol, using tobacco and taking recreational drugs. Who lives like this? (Search for the answer.) The sweetheart scam: Ferrell reportedly conned boyfriends and lovers out of their money. Last year, in Salt Lake City, she had a boyfriend post her bail and then promptly skipped town. Among grifters, these victims are known as what? (Search for the answer.) Where is she now? Reports vary. Early reports suggested she fled to Philadelphia, but this week word is she's still in NYC. An extradition warrant has been issued, and anyone who has seen her is asked to call the authorities. How might you recognize her? She has a unique tattoo. (Search for more about her ink.) Latest: Yesterday search turned up a video, in which Ferrell apologizes and addresses her critics, including a former employer.(Search for it.) *** Washington’s unforgettable goofs & gaffesWhen Joe Biden said on NBC's "Today" show Thursday that he told his family not to go anywhere in confined spaces now, such as commercial airliners, because of swine flu, he was just being honest. Silly Joe. He was honest, but his remarks went way beyond the precautions suggested by Obama administration health officials. (Search for more on Biden's swine flu gaffe.) Biden's office quickly backpedaled on the VP's statement. Biden's comments matched what political journalist Michael Kinsley called a gaffe, which is, as he put it, when a politician tells the truth, or at least what he or she believes is the truth. That more particular type of gaffe is now called a Kinsley gaffe. (Search for the definition.) Here are a few more memorable ones: First up, Jill Biden (wife of Joe, of course) said her husband had been offered the position of either secretary of state or vice president in an Obama administration. (Search for more.) OK, but who said: "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb bomb Iran" (sung to the tune of the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann")? (Search for the answer.) During primary season, Hillary Clinton defended her decision to stay in the primary by seeming to suggest that Barack Obama might get assassinated. (Search for the gaffe.) Candidate Obama caught heat for his remarks about some economically strapped Middle Americans who "cling to guns or religion … as a way to explain their frustrations." That didn't go over well. (Search for more.) But who can forget President George W. Bush's farewell at the conclusion of his final G8 summit: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter"? (Search for more on that.) *** Long shots & favorites at the Kentucky DerbySaturday, May 2 marks the 135th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, and already the Kentucky Derby is making headlines. One filly died after a collision on the track, and a colt was pulled at the last minute for an injury. (Search for Kentucky Derby news.) But the news isn't all grim for Derby fans. There is still the thrill of the race and the chance of picking a winner. We turn to search to find out who is favored to win, which horse is the long shot and the stories that have the paddock buzzing. Favorite to win: I Want Revenge. This early 3-1 favorite has been burning up the track in recent weeks, under 19-year-old jockey Joe Talamo, and will post from the 13th position on Saturday. (Search for more about thoroughbred racing's rising-star jockey.) Long shot: Mine That Bird. Entering with long 50-1 odds, this colt could pay off big for those who bet on the underdog. Coming off a championship season (largely in Canada) this son of a Belmont Stakes winner will post from the eighth position. (Search for more about handicapping a horse race.) Sentimental favorite: Friesan Fire. The Louisiana Derby winner enters with 5-1 odds and will take the sixth position at the gate. Why sentimental? The colt's trainer, Larry Jones, has signaled that this is his last Derby, saying his retirement has nothing to do with a tragedy that unfolded last year, rather it's just time. (Search for more on the tragedy.) Search for more about this year's Kentucky Derby contenders and the latest on payoffs. For the record: Which horse still holds the record for fastest time at the Kentucky Derby? Search for the answer. Which horse was the longest long shot — entered at 90-1 — to win? Search for the answer. And the most recent horse to win the Triple Crown? Search for the answer. Yep, it's been a long time since we had one. *** Lance Armstrong: Racing for a comebackLance Armstrong is back on the bike right now in the Giro d'Italia, his first race since his crash — and broken collarbone — last month. He has had other setbacks, and some successes, on the comeback trail lately. But why come back after an unprecedented seven consecutive Tour de France wins? The move, he says, is part of an effort to raise awareness about his new LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Awareness Campaign. (Search has more about it.) Now that he's competing in the Giro d'Italia — widely known as the most important race leading up to the Tour de France — we look at what's happened since he announced his bid to win No. 8 last fall: His stolen bike: His custom Trek time-trial bike was stolen from a tour bus right before the Amgen Tour of California in February. Armstrong tweeted about it — search for his official Twitter account — but it was not found in time for the race. He used a backup instead. (Search tells us if anyone was arrested in connection with the case.) Anti-doping drama: Armstrong's long-simmering feud with the French boiled over when that country's anti-doping agency accused him of breaking its rules in mid-March in what has been referred to as Showergate. They've since cleared him of wrongdoing and won't seek sanctions against him. (Search tells us what the agency's beef was.) Injury: After finishing in 125th place in the Milan-San Remo race in late March, Armstrong crashed during Spain's Castilla y Leon race and broke his collarbone. (Find out how the surgery went.) Independent drug testing:Armstrong's independent drug-testing plan fell apart. (Search for the details.) Cleared to race: After recovering from the collarbone injury, and initially being told that he and his team would not be allowed to participate in the Tour of the Gila, Armstrong was admitted into the race, which ends Sunday. His personal life, on the other hand, appears to be going more smoothly. He's expecting a baby this summer with girlfriend Anna Hansen. Correction, April 30: This article said that the Tour of the Gila is widely known as the most important race leading up to the Tour de France. This was incorrect. The Giro d'Italia (also known as the Tour of Italy) is known as the most important race before the Tour de France. *** When the economy takes the ultimate tollThe grim recession is taking its toll on the psyches of people around the globe, regardless of wealth or success. Here are details about recent high-profile suicides, plus some suicide prevention resources: David Kellerman: The Freddie Mac acting chief financial officer was found hanging in his basement on April 22. It has been speculated that the stress of the failing mortgage giant was the reason. (Search has the details.) René-Thierry Magon de La Villehuchet: The head of a French investment company — and major investor with Bernie Madoff — took his life at his desk in New York in December. (Search for more details.) Adolf Merckle: This German industrialist, who in 2007 was ranked Forbes' 44th richest man, threw himself in front of a train in January. In 2008, he dropped dramatically on the Forbes list. (Search tells us where he appeared on the list.) Patrick Rocca: The so-called poster boy of Ireland's Celtic Tiger shot himself in the head in January. In 2007, his fortune topped an estimated $647 million. (Search for more details.) These times are reminiscent of tales of rich financiers leaping from office windows after the Great Crash of 1929. And that's just what they were: tales. Contrary to popular belief, suicide rates did not increase during the Great Depression. (Search has the data.) Today, calls to suicide prevention hotlines have spiked dramatically in some areas. For example, those in Los Angeles and Oregon have seen startling increases. (Search for more details.) The national suicide rate is hotly debated, but the ailing economy impacts the psyches of a surprising number of Americans, according to a recent survey. (Search for details.) Unlike during the Great Depression, today there is help. The government has launched a Web site full of information, and there are resources to prevent suicide. (Search for them.) *** How Michelle Obama redefines ‘first lady’When it comes to firsts, Michelle Obama seems to break new ground every day. Of course, being the first black first lady is at the top of the heap. But she's first in many other "first lady" categories, too. As the media assesses her husband's first 100 days in office, we look at the mark she has made in her short time in the White House: Tallest: Mrs. Obama is tall (5-foot-11), but she's not the tallest first lady in American history (though there's a bit of a debate). She's just shy of that title with, well, this search offers the answer. Busiest: There's no official ruling here, but it's generally agreed that she's been the busiest first lady during this introductory 100-day period. She visits all over D.C., talks to military families and schoolkids, and has given numerous speeches to government employees and other groups. (Search for details on her schedule.) Fittest: She's definitely the buffest first lady ever. Obama does a tough cross-training routine for 90 minutes at least three times a week. This has led to another first: Her toned arms have been studied, debated and endlessly envied. (Search for Obama's arm workout.) Most "covered": The latest tally shows that from the campaign through today, she has appeared on at least 22 major magazine covers: People, Essence and more. She's the second first lady to make Vogue's cover. (Who was the first? Answer.) She is also the first person to share the cover of O with Oprah. (Search for that cover photo.) Everyday fashionista: Jackie Kennedy brought high fashion to the modern-era White House. Nancy Reagan was known for designer duds. But Michelle Obama champions little-known, young American designers as well as wearing clothes from moderately priced retailers such as J. Crew. (Search for more about her favorite designers.) First to hug the queen: Lest we forget, she was the first first lady to ever hug the queen of England. Etiquette faux pas? (Search for more on that.) Michelle Obama's trailblazing accomplishments certainly amount to more than the above. (Search for more on her biography and her career.) *** 'Tanorexia': Who’s obsessed with tanning?Texas teens under the age of 16 1/2 may be banned from using tanning beds, if a proposed bill passes. According to lawmakers, increased cases of melanoma among people in their 20s require drastic, preventive action at an earlier age. (Search for more on the story.) Hollywood's obsession with tanning isn't helping, either. Take Kim Kardashian, for example. The star recently sought advice for curing sunburn lines — after dozing off in the sun with extraordinarily large sunglasses on — then posted the pics on Twitter. (Search for them.) Could the reality TV star be suffering from "tanorexia," a compulsive need to be tan? We can't say for sure, but Kardashian claims she's no amateur when it comes to achieving optimal results with tanning sprays and creams. That's not the case for many of her Hollywood peers whose hides are perpetually bronzed, either by ray or by spray. Here are some famous faces who take tanning to the extreme: The granddaddy of glow: George Hamilton leads the list. Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham and Lisa Rinna always bear burnished bods. You don't have to live in Hollywood, either: Just look at Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. Designers do it, too: Check out Donatella Versace and Valentino. And then there are the celeb tanning disasters, when fake tans turn orange. Search for examples. Bonus: UV light is classified by the American Medical Association as a carcinogen, like tobacco … or asbestos. But could moderate UV light exposure actually prevent skin cancer? That's the finding of one study. (Search has more on that.) Scientists call it hormesis, and it's the theory that long-term, low exposure to toxins can help the body build protection against them. (How does that work?) Correction, April 27: This article originally said that Kim Kardashian got sunburned by a tanning bed. That was incorrect. She got her burn on the beach. The error has been corrected. *** ‘The Lovely Bones’ heads for the big screenWhen the first image from the film adaptation of Alice Sebold's best-selling novel was released this week, we hit the Web to find out what it looked like. (Search for the pic.) Next question: When will it be in theaters? And third: Who's directing? Peter Jackson, of "Lord of the Rings" fame, helms the story of 14-year-old Susie Salmon, who was raped and murdered by her neighbor George Harvey. But, as fans of the 2002 novel know, the details of the grisly crime are secondary to Susie's life in heaven, as she narrates what happens to her friends and family — and her killer — after her death. Alas, we'll have to wait for the trailer to know more, but here's what else search can tell us in the meantime: The role of Susie Salmon is played by this best supporting actress nominee for her role in "Atonement." (Answer.) This "Devil Wears Prada" star plays serial killer George Harvey. (Answer.) Plus: Mark Wahlberg was brought in to play Susie's father, Jack Salmon, when this "Lars and the Real Girl" actor reportedly gained too much weight for the role. (Answer.) Search has more on the rest of the cast. Also, author Alice Sebold was raped in college and reportedly drew from that experience in writing "The Lovely Bones." She wrote about the crime in this 1999 memoir and was instrumental in putting her attacker in prison. (Search has more about that.) *** A brief history of Stephen HawkingBritish physicist Stephen Hawking was taken to the hospital this week, severely ill. His survival this long while suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease has astonished many. What else do we know about the man some have called "the second Einstein"? Hawking is first and foremost a brilliant physicist, and one whose achievements have been made in spite of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative disease that has left him confined to a wheelchair since he was 21. (Search for more on Hawking's battle with the disease.) In spite of that, he's led a life that has been both interesting and enviable. Hawking thinks everyone should have a shot at understanding his world of theoretical physics and black holes and has written three famous books for laymen: "A Brief History of Time," "The Universe in a Nutshell" and "A Briefer History of Time." More recently, he wrote a children's book with his daughter, Lucy Hawking. It's called "George's Secret Key to the Universe." He's been married twice. His first wife wrote a tell-all in 1999 in which she described her ex-husband as an "all-powerful emperor." (Search for more on the book.) Hawking then married Elaine Mason, whom Vanity Fair called "an exuberant redhead." Mason had been his nurse. In 2004, Hawking suffered a series of injuries that had some wondering if she was abusing him. Hawking denied it, but two years later he filed for divorce. (Search for more on the couple.) Almost exactly a year ago, Hawking made headlines when he celebrated his 65th birthday by taking a zero-gravity flight. (Search for the video.) Hawking's presence in pop culture has been as far-reaching as his theories. He has said that almost as many people know him for his appearances on "The Simpsons" as for his science. (Search for Stephen Hawking on "The Simpsons.")
*** A closer look at Craigslist crimesJust weeks ago, a Minneapolis man, Michael John Anderson, 20, was sentenced to life without parole for the shooting death of a woman he lured to his home with a baby-sitting ad he posted on Craigslist. Why did he do it? He said he wanted to see what it felt like to kill someone. (Search for more on this chilling case.) Now, med student Philip Markoff, 22 (pictured), is accused of being another so-called Craigslist killer. (Search for the latest.) His arrest has us asking: Just how safe is the online classifieds site? And how common is crime on Craigslist? Here's what we've dug up from search. "Erotic services": This is the section of Craigslist that Markoff allegedly used to find victims — and it has caused the site problems before. In March, the Cook County Sheriff's Office filed suit against Craigslist for facilitating prostitution, in some cases involving minors, demanding that its "erotic services" section be removed. (Search has more on that.) The suit comes after Craigslist founder Craig Newmark instituted new guidelines around "erotic services" ads. (Search explains more about them.) According to the company, "erotic services" was created "at the request of users." And while Craigslist is considered one of the largest sources of prostitution in the U.S., it also has been instrumental in aiding law enforcement in cracking down on the crime. How? Users leave digital footprints that can reveal who and where they are. (What's a digital footprint?) Nevertheless, pressure is mounting on Newmark to make Craigslist safer, and to start by removing the site's "erotic services" section. But the law is on his side. The federal Communications Decency Act exempts Craigslist from liability for what users post, since the site is considered a "provider of interactive services" and not a publisher. (How's that work?) And there's legal precedent: Last year Craigslist was deemed not liable for discriminatory housing ads posted on the site. (Search has more on that case.) Still, with 50 million users per month, it's difficult to gauge just how dangerous a place Craigslist is. Some estimate that crimes there still run far below the national average. But others are starting to take note: Trench Reynolds is one prominent Craigslist crime tracker. Search for his site. *** Nathaniel Ayers & other struggling artists"The Soloist," a biographical film about a musical genius who suffers with mental illness, opens in theaters tomorrow. Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx plays Nathaniel Ayers in the title role. Nathaniel Ayers is, among other things, a musical virtuoso. The Cleveland native showed all the signs of being a child prodigy and began playing the bass when he was in grade school. He was awarded a scholarship to Ohio University and later The Juilliard School in New York City, which he attended for three years until he had a breakdown. Ayers is also schizophrenic. (Search for more about schizophrenia.) The Ayers story first made headlines when a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, Steve Lopez, met Ayers, then a street musician, in L.A.'s Pershing Square and learned about his remarkable background. (Search for more about journalist Steve Lopez.) Robert Downey Jr. plays Lopez. (Search for more on Downey.) But we're not here to give away all the details of Ayers' life. His story does bring to mind other gifted artists who struggled with mental illness. Beethoven: The classical composer was afflicted with mental illness. Which one? (Search for the answer.) Van Gogh: He suffered from any number mental disorders, including bipolar disorder, temporal lobe epilepsy, syphilis and something called Ménière's disease. His mental health was not helped by his frequent use of this spirit. What was it? (Search for the answer.) Ernest Hemingway: Hemingway was famously quoted on the subject of his suffering: "That terrible mood of depression of whether it's any good or not is what is known as The Artist's Reward." He received this treatment for his depression. What was it? (Search for the answer.) Sylvia Plath: Her novel, "The Bell Jar," is thought to be a semiautobiographical account of Plath's experiences with her own mental illness, described as "the bell jar, with its stifling distortions." What did she have? (Search for the answer.) On a related note, in 2001 a psychiatrist coined a term to refer to his finding that creative writers are more susceptible to mental illness. What is the term he coined? (Search for the answer.) Brian Wilson: As the Beach Boys rose in popularity, singer-songwriter Wilson found himself retreating into seclusion, drug abuse and binge eating. This was not your average case of manic depression, or even schizophrenia. What was it? (Search for the answer.) Brooke Shields: After the birth of her daughter Rowan, Shields found herself contemplating suicide. What was the cause? (Search for the answer.) Many famous creative women have been diagnosed with a mental illness. (Search for more on that topic.) *** Ultimate Bond girl? Miss MoneypennyOn Admin Day, we honor Miss Moneypenny. She's the buttoned-up assistant to M, the head of the British Secret Service, in the novels and most film adaptations of Ian Fleming's James Bond series. Five actors have played the role, with Lois Maxwell holding the record for 14 films as Miss Moneypenny. What about the others? In second place: Samantha Bond had the role in four films. (Who is she?). And third: Caroline Bliss played Moneypenny in just two. (Search for more about her.) But Maxwell was the most practiced in the role, mastering that taut dialogue with Bond, in quips amusingly riddled with sexual innuendo and bawdy flirtation. (Search for screenplays.) Of course, what we really want to know is this: Did Moneypenny and Bond ever consummate their relationship? Search won't tell, but "The Moneypenny Diaries," a trilogy of novels written from her point of view, just might. (Search for them now.) Bonus: Miss Moneypenny hasn't appeared in the last two Bond films starring Daniel Craig. Will she be in the next one, "Bond 23"? (Search for the latest.) Plus: Who might be the next Bond girl: Jennifer Aniston or Freida Pinto? (Search for the latest.) *** Wunderkinds & modern prodigiesOK, so Chopin wrote his first polonaise at 7, but what has he done for us lately? We're more interested in the prodigies around us. Here's what we've dug up with a few Web searches. First things first. What is a prodigy, exactly? It's anyone with "exceptional talents." But is there such thing as a yo-yo prodigy? Probably not, but there could be. (Search for the definition of prodigy.) Go ahead and work on that. Meantime, here are some real prodigies: Medicine: Balamurali Ambati graduated from New York University when he was but 13 and later went on to earn his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1995. Education: Born in 1984, Michael Kearney is reported to have said "I have a left ear infection" to his pediatrician when he was just six months old. Kearney holds several records for his early achievements. He was teaching college at age 17. Last year, he won $25,000 on a TV game show. Which one? (Search for the answer.) Math: Doesn't it bug you when you have to use a supercomputer to calculate the 13th root of a 200-digit number? Alexis Lemaire doesn't. He's not only the fastest but possibly the greatest human calculator. He now researches artificial intelligence. Music: The musical world is full of prodigies. One of the most recognized is Yo-Yo Ma. Ma began playing the cello at age 4 and performed at Carnegie Hall at age 9. (Search for more on Yo-Yo Ma.) Drums: When we first saw Joe the 4-year-old drummer, we of course thought "prodigy"! Turns out, 4 is a popular age to be great at drumming. (Search for more 4-year-old drummers.) Soccer: Freddy Adu became one of the youngest athletes in America to sign a professional contract. The funny thing is that he'd been offered a six-figure contract four years earlier, at age 10. (Search for more on Freddy Adu.) *** Kara DioGuardi: Is four a crowd on ‘Idol’?Tabloid reports suggest a fight has erupted between Kara DioGuardi and Paula Abdul on the "American Idol" set. What's at stake? A seat at the judges' table next season. (Search for more about the feud.) Who is this "fourth judge" that's causing such a stir? "American Idol" changed its format this season to add another seat at the judges' table. Ever since the announcement that singer-songwriter DioGuardi was joining the cast, there's been speculation of what it signaled. Primarily: Is Paula going to get the ax? Well, currently things aren't looking too good for DioGuardi. There are rumors she's fighting with Simon Cowell now. And Abdul has said the fourth-judge format "doesn't work." Whether DioGuardi will make it to next season, no one knows. In the meantime, here's what we've dug up about her, thanks to search: Early days:DioGuardi grew up in New Rochelle, N.Y., and attended Duke University. Her mother died of ovarian cancer in 1997. Her dad, Joseph DioGuardi, was a U.S. congressman from what state? (Remember?) What popular daytime talk-show host is her cousin? (Search for the answer.) Career:As a songwriter, she has worked with a lot of successful recording artists, including Celine Dion,Marc Anthony,Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears,among others. She co-wrote the first hit single from Ashlee Simpson's debut album, "Autobiography." (Search for the title.) Contestant connections: DioGuardi's connection to "Idol" predates her ascension to the bench. In the past she has written songs for some of the show's contestants, including David Archuleta, Carrie Underwood and Katharine McPhee. DioGuardi co-wrote a certified-gold single from Kelly Clarkson's second album, "Breaking Away." (Search for that title.) Currently there are rumors swirling that she has plans to record with a finalist from Season 7. (Which one?) Colleagues: Sure, there are rumors, but for now she has a seat at the table, alongside Simon, Paula and Randy. Search for the latest news and gossip about her 'Idol' cohorts: *** Farrah Fawcett, then and nowWhat sent Fawcett to an L.A. hospital a couple of weeks ago? It wasn't her cancer, as early reports claimed, but a hematoma said to have been caused by a medical procedure. (What's a hematoma?) The 62-year-old actress only recently disclosed that her cancer had spread to her liver, a fact she's been living with since 2007. Sadly, Redmond O'Neal, the 24-year-old son she had with ex-boyfriend Ryan O'Neal, was arrested on April 5 for allegedly bringing drugs to prison. (He was arrested with his father last year on similar charges. Search has more about that.) Meanwhile, our hopes and best wishes are with her. Search has more on what we love about Farrah: The swimsuit poster: Fawcett opted for a red swimsuit instead of a bikini to hide a childhood scar on her stomach. No matter: The 1976 poster sold more than 12 million copies. (Search for it.) Her hair: That tousled blond mane became the defining hairstyle of the '70s. No wonder she was featured in those Fabergé commercials. (Search for them.) Her cause: Fawcett has long been a supporter of organizations that aid victims of domestic violence. And while she played the role of a battered wife in the 1984 film "The Burning Bed," Fawcett was attacked by then-boyfriend James Orr in 1998 after refusing his marriage proposal. (What happened to him?) Bonus: Forget the blond jokes — and her strange appearance on "Letterman" from long ago — Fawcett graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in this. *** Remembering Columbine, 10 years laterOn the eve of the 10-year anniversary of the deadliest crime at a U.S. high school, some questions about what happened and why have been answered. Turns out, it wasn't video games, or bad parenting, or revenge for years of relentless bullying. So what led Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to open fire on their teachers and fellow classmates, killing 13 before turning their guns on themselves? According to event expert Dave Cullen's new book "Columbine," the massacre was the result of a yearlong plan to stage an Oklahoma City-style terrorist bombing by two suicidal teens. (Search for excerpts.) But the poorly wired bombs didn't detonate and destroy the school and everyone in it, as they'd intended. Cullen and others credit this fact with saving many more lives than were lost. However, when the plan failed to bring on mass destruction, the duo started shooting. And yet it's a story that still stuns. Harris, the mastermind behind the plot, has been labeled a psychopath with a cunning ability to deceive adults. (What are the signs?) Klebold was the follower, an extreme, angry depressive. (Search for symptoms.) What else have we learned about that violent day? Search offers some answers: Their writing: Harris and Klebold each wrote about hatred and anger — and destructive plans. (Search for their journals.) The parents: They've been the subject of several lawsuits. Understandably, none of them have sought media attention, but Klebold's parents did speak to The New York Times in 2004. (Search for more about that.) The survivors: Search for updates on how they're coping with the aftermath. Search for resources on preventing school violence. *** Return of the ZombiesVampires, werewolves, aliens. They're all so 2005. The monster du jour is unquestionably the zombie. And forget blood-spattered gore and chain saws; today's zombies want to make you laugh, not eat your brain — well, most of them. Hollywood is preparing a horde of flicks dedicated to the undead, but that's not where it ends. Here's the latest on zombies. "Zombieland," starring Woody Harrelson, is due in theaters later this year. Rumor has it he must have really gotten into character: He reportedly mistook a paparazzo for a zombie at LaGuardia Airport. (Search for more on the scuffle.) "Dead Snow," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, pits Norwegian medical students against Nazis. (Search for more on "Dead Snow.") Like a little romance with your zombies? Try "Breathers: A Zombie's Lament," produced by Diablo Cody of "Juno" fame. (Search for more on "Breathers.") The modern age of zombies really started, however, with George Romero's 1968 cult classic, "Night of the Living Dead." Bonus: The film was a commentary on the Vietnam War. (Search has more on Romero.) But author Max Brooks brought the age of zombies forward with his books "The Zombie Survival Guide" (search for more) and "World War Z," the history of a zombie war that almost exterminated the human race. The latter is in production to be a movie. (Search for "World War Z".) FYI: Brooks' "Survival Guide" recommends an M1 Carbine and a machete to fend off zombies. (What is an M1 Carbine?) Last but not least: Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is coming to Broadway. (Search for more.) And for the more genteel among us, consider Seth Grahame-Smith's take on a Jane Austen classic: "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." (Search for more on that.) The book begins this way: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." How does the Austen book begin? (Search for the answer.) *** |
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