Cuba says it has suffered one of the most difficult financial years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Economy minister Jose Luis Rodriguez said the Cuban economy had grown by 4.3% in the past year, falling short of the 8% forecast by the government. President Raul Castro called for austerity measures including cutbacks in official travel and bonuses. Cuba was hit by hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma this year, with estimated losses of nearly $10bn (£6.7bn). The cost of food imports has also risen by more than $8bn on the previous year. As Cubans prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the revolution, the authorities had hoped that the centrally-controlled state run economy would escape the worst of the global financial crisis, says the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana. Mr Rodriguez said the past year had been one of the most difficult since the so-called "special period" began - the term used for the economic crisis caused by the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, which heavily subsidised Cuba. The president of the Cuban parliament's economic commission, Osvaldo Martinez, blamed the lower growth rate on factors outside the country's control. "Economic growth of 4.3% is less than the 8% foreseen in the plan, and this is explicable, given the profound devastation caused by the hurricanes, the economic war waged against us and the noticeable increase in the price of food and fuel during most of the year," he said. Cuba calculates its Gross Domestic Product by including state spending on health care, education and food rationing, our correspondent says. This means the figure reflects public spending, not just economic activity, as it does elsewhere in the world. Trips curbed Mr Rodriguez predicted that the Cuban economy would grow by 6% in 2009. President Raul Castro, who took over from his brother Fidel in February, told the National Assembly "the accounts don't square up". "We have to be realistic and adjust our dreams to real possibilities," he said. "That means complying with the socialist principal each receives according to his work." Mr Castro said the government would cut government trips abroad by 50% and end programs that rewarded workers, business leaders and officials with free holidays at a cost to the government of $60m a year. Latin American leaders recently urged US President-elect Barack Obama to end the 46-year trade embargo on Cuba. Mr Obama has said that he would lift restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba, but maintain the US trade embargo to press for changes in the Communist-run country. | |
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Cuba reports slowdown in economy
Bangladesh road crash 'kills 24'
At least 24 people have been killed in Bangladesh after the lorry in which they were travelling veered off the road in thick fog, police said. Thirteen others were injured when the vehicle's driver apparently lost control and crashed into a ditch. The accident occurred in Tangail, about 42 miles (72km) north of Dhaka. Road accidents are common in Bangladesh and are often blamed on faulty vehicles, poor driving or bad weather conditions. Among the injured, five are in a critical condition, a police official told Reuters. Police said the lorry was travelling to Bogra from the capital, and that most of the passengers were heading home to vote in Monday's national elections. | |
Argentine dig unearths tango cafe
Archaeologists in Argentina have found the remains of a famous tango cafe which operated in Buenos Aires in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Experts found the brick floor of Cafe Hansen 50cm (20ins) below the ground in the north of the city. The cafe took its name from its first owner, Juan Hansen, and is mentioned in historical chronicles as one of the cradles of tango. It was demolished in 1912 by order of the mayor to make way for roadworks. | |
Immune cells link to Parkinson's
Rogue immune cells entering the brain may contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease, say scientists. A French study in diseased mice revealed the cells accumulating in brain tissue, and mice bred to lack them did not fall ill as quickly. The researchers suggested that the cells could be targeted using drugs. A UK charity said the findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, did not yet prove that this approach would work.
About 120,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's disease, a progressive brain condition which causes symptoms such as tremor and difficulty moving. This is caused by the death of nerve cells which produce the chemical dopamine, which helps coordinate movements. Previous research had suggested a link between inflammation in the brain and the condition, pointing the finger at one of the body's own immune responses. The researchers from the INSERM institute in Paris looked for the presence of a particular type of immune cell called a "T-cell" in the brain tissues directly affected by Parkinson's. They found the cells gathering both in human brain samples taken from Parkinson's patients after death, and at an earlier stage in mice bred to develop the disease. When mice lacking these immune cells were studied, the rate of nerve cell death was significantly slower. The researchers said that this was enough evidence to start considering the possibility of using drugs to reduce this kind of immune response in patients with Parkinson's, in the hope that this might slow the progress of the disease. Human differences However, a spokesman for the Parkinson's Disease Society said that the research did not exclude other causes for the illness. "This study has shown that the Parkinson's developed at a slower rate in mice lacking specific immune cells, which suggests that these cells do play a role in the development of the condition. "However, the study doesn't determine at what stage of the disease the inflammation occurs. Therefore, the potential for anti-inflammatory treatment is difficult to determine." He added: "It is also important to remember that as the study was done using mice, it doesn't provide a precise model for what happens in the human brain." | |||
This study has shown that the Parkinson's developed at a slower rate in mice lacking specific immune cells, which suggests that these cells do play a role in the development of the condition 
LA suburb's shock at Santa killer
Residents of a Los Angeles suburb have expressed their shock at Wednesday's killings of at least nine people by a gunman dressed as Santa Claus.
Bruce Pardo burst into a Christmas Eve party at his ex-wife's parents' home in Covina, shooting and starting the fire.
He then took his life with a shot to the head at his brother's home about 25 miles (40km) away, police said.
Officials later said it appeared that he wanted to flee to Canada but was severely burned in the incident.
Law enforcement authorities in California found $17,000 (£11,658) on Mr Pardo and a plane ticket to Canada.
Pardo is said to have suffered third-degree burns on both arms and his Santa suit actually melted onto his body before he fled the house in Covina.
A Los Angeles County coroner said earlier in the day that a ninth body had been found - all of them badly burned and none as yet positively identified.
Local media have reported that Pardo's ex-wife and in-laws were among the dead but this has not been officially confirmed.
'Money problems'
The quiet suburb is still in shock at the events.
LA Santa killer 'planned to flee'
One of Pardo's co-workers at a Catholic church, Jan Detanna, told the Whittier Daily News that the unemployed aerospace engineer was "the nicest guy" who "always had a smile".
Details have emerged that Pardo, 45, had reached a divorce settlement just a few days before the attack.
Court documents showed the two-year marriage ended with an award of $10,000 to Sylvia Pardo along with their dog and her wedding ring, while Bruce Pardo took the house.
Bruce Pardo's lawyer, Stanley Silver, told the Associated Press news agency his client had fallen behind on marital support when he lost his job in July.
Pardo had knocked on the door of the home just before midnight, shooting in the face an eight-year-old girl who answered the door, police said. She is being treated for her wounds.
He then sprayed the 25 guests with bullets before setting fire to the house with a home-made incendiary device.Iraq orphan shows football prowess
Ali Abbas from Iraq plays football for two London clubs - Chelsea and Tottenham.
 Ali Abbas seldom wears his artificial arms |
He plays well. He scores goals. He is fit. He is skilled. His record with "kick-ups" - keeping the ball in the air - is 98.
Ali has no arms.
Falling over is dangerous - he has had to learn to roll onto his side when he loses balance. And the Chelsea and Tottenham sides he plays for are their disabled teams.
Ali is nearly 18 now - almost six years on from a terrible event in Baghdad.
Late one night, at the end of March 2003, during the Iraq war, an American rocket exploded next to their home.
Ali's mother, father, and 14 other members of his family were killed, and Ali lost both his arms.
TV, websites and newspapers showed a boy lying in a hospital bed, looking straight at the camera biting his lower lip as if about to weep - white bandages just below his shoulders, protecting the stumps of his arms.
Ali Fund
There is another photograph of Ali, taken before his arms were amputated, which was not widely published.
It shows the blackened flesh and bones of his fingers, his wrists and his forearms scorched and incinerated by the explosion.
There is a wide burn, almost circular, covering most of the front of his body.
But above his chest, and below his waist, there was no injury at all.
 Ali lost 14 members of his family, and his arms, in 2003 |
The media attention that Ali received six years ago caught the eye of another amputee - Zafar Khan, a London pharmacist and chairman of the Limbless Association, who has an artificial leg because of a car accident.
"Dr. Zafar", as Ali calls him, set up the Ali Fund, and arranged for the 12-year-old Iraqi to be seen by the prosthetists at Queen Mary's Hospital in south London.
The Limbless Association's senior prosthetist Nick Hillsdon fitted Ali with artificial arms.
But Ali hardly wears them.
He says they are heavy, and hard to attach. He has to leave them carefully positioned when he takes them off, so that he can get them on again without a struggle.
People who lose their legs really have no choice, if they want mobility: they have to get used to wearing artificial legs, and they have hands for tightening the straps.
But Ali gets by very well without arms. He uses his feet to change channels on the TV remote control, to play games on his Playstation, and even to hold his toothbrush.
But he is not able to use his feet to attach his arms. His uncle Mohammed helps him with that, and with going to the bathroom.
Future president?
Mohammed is a self-effacing, smiling, kind uncle who looks after Ali meticulously.
In a symmetry of loss, it was Ali's mother, killed in the rocket explosion, who brought up Mohammed after his own mother had died when he was a child.
 Ali began using his feet for tasks shortly after he lost his arms |
Ali is an engaging, apparently well-adjusted young man - he has an infectious laugh, and seems generally cheerful, despite what happened to him one night in Baghdad six years ago.
But tears come to his eyes sometimes when he talks about that night - he is still deeply sad that he was unable to attend his parents' funeral.
And he did not even know they were dead until several weeks later.
But he did know really: "none of my close family came to visit," he told me.
Ali now lives in London and in Baghdad. He has been to school in Britain, but not consistently enough to pass exams.
But he is intelligent and observant and perceptive - and he can type with his toes.
He told me he would like to be a professional football coach.
And, he says, he wants to do something to help his country.
"Yes, why not?" is his reply when I asked him about getting involved in politics.
"President of Iraq?" I suggested light-heartedly.
"Yes," replied Ali Abbas. And he was not joking.Friday, December 26, 2008
Boy-killing Egypt teacher jailed
An Egyptian court has sentenced a schoolteacher to six years in jail for beating a pupil to death because he had not done his homework.
Maths teacher Haitham Nabeel Abdelhamid, 23, took Islam Amr Badr outside the classroom and hit him violently in the stomach.
The 11-year-old boy fainted and later died in hospital of heart failure in the city of Alexandria.
The court was told the boy had four broken ribs.
Abdelhamid was convicted of manslaughter.
He said he only meant to discipline the pupil and did not mean to hurt anyone.
The teacher's lawyer was quoted as saying in court: "Hitting [a child] is not banned in schools and my client did not break the law."
National outrage
Observers say the case has been seen as a shocking reminder of the failings of Egypt's state education system.
The incident, at Saad Othman Primary School on the outskirts of Alexandria in October, caused national outrage.
Islam's father, Amr Badr Ibrahim, said others should have stood trial with the teacher.
"The problem is the teaching and the teachers because they cannot find good teachers," he said.
"The minister of education should be the first person to be accused - how can he agree to let such a young man teach children?"
In the state education system, young, inexperienced and under-resourced teachers often struggle to control classes of 60 to 100 children.
The Egyptian government says it is bringing in education reforms - including new teacher testing.
It is also trying to tackle violence in schools and has issued new statements on the prohibition of corporal punishment.Israelis re-open Gaza crossings
Israel has re-opened crossings into the Gaza Strip to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Israeli officials said Defence Minister Ehud Barak took the decision after talks with security chiefs and requests from the international community.
About 80 trucks with supplies such as medicine, food and other goods are expected to cross on Friday.
The move comes despite Israeli warnings to Palestinian militants in Gaza to stop their rocket attacks on Israel.
Some 50 rockets have been launched from Gaza in recent days, after the killing of three Hamas members by Israel.
A six-month ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas ended last week.
Cairo talks
UN officials have warned that the Hamas-controlled territory is facing a humanitarian catastrophe. Four out of five Gazans are dependent on food aid and the UN warehouses there are now empty. The UN says the deliveries fall far short of what is needed.
The Israeli defence ministry did not say for how long the Gaza crossings would remain open but a spokesperson said the security situation was re-evaluated on a daily basis.
The ministry said a smaller number of rockets was fired on Friday morning than on previous days and therefore it was judged that the humanitarian need in Gaza was greater than the security need in Israel.
In November, Israel re-sealed the border with Gaza after temporarily opening it to allow in a limited amount of food and fuel. That step was taken after a rocket was fired at Israel from Gaza.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would not hesitate to strike Hamas and also Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza.
Separately, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said after Thursday's emergency talks in Cairo with top Egyptian officials that the latest escalation was "unbearable".
The BBC's Christian Fraser says some will see Ms Livni's visit as the first of several diplomatic steps Israel must take before launching military action.
China begins anti-piracy mission
China begins anti-piracy mission
Three Chinese naval ships have set sail for waters off Somalia to protect Chinese vessels from pirate attacks.
Two destroyers and a supply ship left the port of Sanya on Hainan island to join warships from other nations already patrolling the area.
It will be the Chinese navy's first operation beyond the Pacific.
There have been more than 100 pirate attacks this year off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest sea lanes.
On Thursday, the German navy said it had foiled an attempt by pirates to hijack an Egyptian cargo vessel off Somalia.
Six Somali pirates were captured by sailors of the frigate Karlsruhe in the Gulf of Aden. However, the pirates were immediately released on the orders of the German government, officials told the BBC.
Japan's prime minister also indicated that his country was considering sending ships to help combat piracy.
"Each nation is taking measures. So, Japan should also take its own steps," Taro Aso said.
'International scourge'
The commander of China's South Sea Fleet, Rear Adm Du Jingchen, said his personnel were prepared for a complicated and long-term mission.
 |
"Acts of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters off Somalia have been increasingly rampant since the beginning of this year, posing a severe danger to the safety of ships and members from many countries, including China," China's Defence Ministry spokesman Huang Xueping said.
"Apart from this, pirates have also been threatening ships delivering humanitarian relief items to Somalia by international organisations. Piracy has become an international scourge."
The Chinese military says there have been seven attacks this year on Chinese vessels in the area.
It says its forces will board and inspect suspected pirate ships, try to rescue those who are attacked and mount a vigorous defence if they themselves come under attack.
However, defence ministry officials insist that China's doctrine of non-interference in other nations' affairs has not changed, the BBC's Chris Hogg in Beijing says.
The Chinese will work with other members of the international task force in the area.
China has no bases in the region so keeping its forces well supplied during what is expected to be a lengthy deployment is a major challenge, our correspondent adds.
Japan's industrial output plunges
Industrial output in Japan dropped just over 8% in November compared with the previous month, the biggest fall on record, government figures show.
At the same time, unemployment rose to nearly 4% of the population.
More than 2.5m people were out of work in Japan in November, a rise of 100,000 compared with the year before. Those on temporary contracts are worst affected.
Factories were closed and jobs cut as demand for manufactured goods slumped amid the global financial downturn.
Production at major Japanese manufacturers fell by 3.1% in October.
November's 8.1% drop was the largest since records of such output statistics began.
Dismal data
The new numbers released by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, suggest industrial output will continue to decline, perhaps by about 8% in December.The biggest falls came in production of autos, machinery and electronics and followed announcements of large cutbacks by companies including Toyota and Sony.
"Overall, production is rapidly falling," the ministry said.
The BBC's Duncan Bartlett in Tokyo says Japan's factories are usually busy and efficient but at the moment many are sitting idle because there are no customers for their goods.
In the car industry, many companies have decided to stop building new vehicles until they have sold the ones they have already made.
Separately, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said 2.56 million people were unemployed in Japan in November, an increase of 100,000 from a year earlier.
Those hardest hit are people on temporary or limited contracts - job losses in this group doubled in a month.
Consumer prices rose 1% from a year earlier, driven by higher costs of basic necessities such as food, fuel and electricity.
'No growth'
The Japanese government has already predicted that the economy will not grow in 2009.
Business confidence has plummeted in recent months.
Interest rates are pegged at just 0.1%, lower than US rates. The government has announced several economic stimulus measures.
Japan is the world's second-largest economy, and Asia's largest, so has been directly hit by the slump in demand caused by spreading global recession.
Economists say that the continuing bad news suggests that Japan's recession is getting worse, our correspondent says, despite the attempts by the government and the Bank of Japan to help by increasing public spending and cutting interest rates.Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Vanessa Anne Hudgens
Vanessa Anne Hudgens (born December 14, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She made her debut in 2003 appearing in the Hollywood films Thirteen and Thunderbirds, before reaching fame in 2006 after appearing as Gabriella Montez in the Disney Channel film High School Musical hit series. Hudgens began a music career and released her debut album, V, in 2006. Her second album, Identified, was released July 1, 2008. She is a spokesperson for Neutrogena, Sears, and Eckō.
PCA, World Series, Poker Tours - PokerStars gears up for 2009
The planet’s most fiercely contested team event returns - The PokerStars World Cup of Poker is back! Qualify to represent your country in the live Final in the Bahamas during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) in January 2009, where you could play for national pride, bragging rights, and $290,000 in cash prizes - for FREE! Qualifiers for all regions are available now, located under the Events > World Cup tab in your PokerStars lobby. See the Qualifying pages for more information.
WSOP WinnerPokerStars has a new World Champion
On November 10, the climax of the epic World Series of Poker* saw Danish PokerStars player Peter Eastgate defeat Russian PokerStars player Ivan Demidov to write himself into the history books as the 2008 World Champion, claiming the legendary World Series of Poker Main Event Bracelet and $9,119,517. Read about Peter’s win and Ivan’s second place finish, as well as the WSOP success of Team PokerStars Pro, which included bracelet wins for myself (Daniel Negreanu) and my fellow Pros Barry Greenstein, Dario Minieri and Alexandre Gomes, on the PokerStars Blog
EPTEuropean Poker Tour (EPT) Season 5
With the EPT continuing at full pace towards the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) and the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo, the tour still has plenty of serious action in store. With a phenomenal 1,964 players so far competing for a total prize pool in excess of $12,000,000, the tour is set to move on to the Czech Republic when EPT Prague kicks off on December 9. EPT Deauville is also on the horizon, ready to return the EPT to France on January 20. Qualifiers for this event are running NOW from $2.22 or 111 FPP, located under the Events > EPT tab in your PokerStars lobby. More information about the EPT can be found here.
APPTAsia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Season 2
With over 1,200 players competing for a total prize pool of more than US $2,500,000 so far on the APPT, all roads now lead to Australia and the APPT Grand Final starting on December 2. The home of world famous landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House is set to provide a stunning backdrop for the conclusion of this impressive poker tour. To re-live all the action from Season 2 of the APPT and see how the Grand Final plays out, visit the PokerStars Blog.
LAPTLatin American Poker Tour (LAPT) makes its first ever visit to Mexico
The LAPT is set to make its first ever visit to Mexico with the inaugural LAPT Nuevo Vallarta from December 5-7! To be a part of this eagerly anticipated event and see if you have what it takes to become the first ever LAPT Nuevo Vallarta champion, satellites are available NOW from $0.25 and 250 FPPs. Find them under the Events > LAPT tab in your PokerStars lobby. To read more about the LAPT click here.
» Software Updates
The latest PokerStars software updates have been released to make sure we stay on top of our game so you can stay on top of yours. The latest updates include improvements to the ‘Auto-Rebuy’ option for Ring Games and the ‘Find a Player’ request. There’s a new look VIP Store in the Cashier, new games including Badugi, and a range of new Keyboard Shortcuts. For full details, visit the Software News page.
PokerStars World Record Week - Be a part of it
Guinness World Record Attempt
25% Reload Bonus
Sunday Million - $2.5 million guaranteed
Sunday Warm-Up - $1 million prize pool
Cash prizes on Milestone Hands
10,000 player Sit & Go tourneys
Team PokerStars Pro Exhibition Match
Extra Sunday Million satellites
Guinness World Record Attempt
This is your chance to play in the largest online poker tournament in history and to be part of a world record attempt. We’re aiming for 35,000 players, and with a buy-in of $11 and a $500K guaranteed prize pool, you should be a part of it on Sunday December 28 at 15:30 ET.
The Guinness World Record Attempt [$500k gtd!] tourney can be found under the Tourney > Special tab. Register now!
25% Reload Bonus
To celebrate the holidays, PokerStars is giving you a gift – a 25% reload bonus up to $150*! The qualifying deposit period is from now until December 31 at 23:59 ET. To receive the bonus, enter the code PS25 into the bonus code field of the Cashier when making your qualifying deposit. Restrictions apply – visit our Deposit Bonus page for details.
Sunday Million - $2.5 Million Guaranteed
The world’s biggest weekly tournament is about to get bigger for World Record Week. PokerStars is guaranteeing a prize pool of $2.5 million in the December 28 Sunday Million. The buy-in remains at $215! We’ll also be running a variety of Sunday Million satellites, so make sure that you qualify. Don’t miss it, December 28 at 16:30 ET.
Sunday Warm-Up - $1 million guaranteed
Not to be outdone by the Sunday Million, the Sunday Warm-Up is also receiving a boost, taking it to a $1 million guaranteed prize pool. The Sunday Warm-Up takes place on December 28 at 12:45 ET. Satellites will be running throughout World Record Week – qualify now!
Milestone Hands
During World Record week we will be giving away cash prizes for every millionth hand dealt in our ring games from December 24 at 14:00 until December 31 at 23:59 ET. Plus you can win even bigger prizes depending on your VIP status. Visit our Milestone Hands information page for more details, and to see a full list of the prizes and VIP status multipliers.
10,000 player Sit & Go tourneys
We’re also going to be running a series of 10,000 player Sit & Go tournaments during the weekend of December 27-28. The buy-in is just $1 and we’ll be adding an extra $10,000 to the prize pool of each Sit & Go. These special Sit & Go’s will appear from December 27 and will start when 10,000 players have registered. Once one tournament is full, another will open for registration. You will find these special events under the Sit & Go > All tab.
Team PokerStars Pro slugs it out for charity
Team PokerStars Pro is filled with an enormous amount of poker talent, and we’re often treated to reports of the team winning and making final tables at tournaments all around the world. Now, we’re pitting teammate against teammate in an 8-game format exhibition tourney to determine the top dog. This exhibition tourney takes place on December 28 at 13:00 ET. PokerStars will be donating the prize money won on behalf of the top 3 players to charity. The overall winner will also be named captain of Team PokerStars Pro for an upcoming promotion in 2009. Go to the Tourney > Special tab to watch the game, and cheer your favorite.
Extra Sunday Million Satellites
To make sure you don’t miss out on the action, we’re running extra FPP qualifiers for the World Record Week Sunday Million.
- 50 FPP MTT Turbo, Monday -Saturday at 15:00 ET and Sunday at 13:30 ET, 99 tickets
awarded
- 1,300 FPP Turbo, Saturday December 27 at 14:40 ET, SilverStar + VIPs
- 2,500 FPP Turbo satellite Sunday December 28 at 14:30 ET, PlatinumStar + VIPs
- 1,000 FPP MTT Turbo, Monday-Saturday at 21:00 ET, 99 tickets awarded
Satellites are located under the Tourney > Satellite tab.
For more information on all these exciting promotions, please visit the World Record Weekend promotions page. See you at the tables!
Daniel Negreanu
Regards,
Daniel Negreanu
World Champion
Team PokerStars Pro
* To earn the 25% deposit bonus, a player must earn 20 VPPs per bonus dollar (example: to earn a $150 bonus you must earn 3,000 VPPs). To receive your bonus, you must earn the required VPPs within 6 months of your qualifying deposit. To earn the entire $150 bonus, your first eligible deposit during the bonus period must be for $600 or more. For full bonus details click here.
GROWING UP FAST
However, nothing was more shocking than pregnancy of 17-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney's younger sister. The actress broke the news in late 2007. Executives at Nickelodeon, the network that aired her show "Zoey 101," considered pulling the show out of concern for the message her condition might send to young viewers. However, the show's fourth and final season (which was pre-taped) aired through May, and Spears gave birth to daughter Maddie Briann in June.
The younger Spears' situation fueled discussions on pop culture's influence and some say glamorization of teen pregnancy—a hot online topic fueled by the 2007 film "Juno," the ABC Family series "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," and the pregnant daughter of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
SONG BIRD AND LOVE BIRDS
Taylor Swift owed her quick ascent to her girl-next-door looks and catchy country songs. The 18-year-old singer made her way into the New Brat Pack after she began dating Joe Jonas, and model Gaston starred in her "Love Story" music video as her romantic interest. Fame came at a cost, or at least heartache: Swift topped headlines and pulled searches in November after revealing she was unceremoniously dumped in a 27-second phone call.
CAMP ROCK
Disney stars are abundant in Search, and for good reason. When one of the wholesome brand's stars breaks the happy family façade, chaos ensues. A December Vanity Fair cover featuring 33-year-old actress Kate Winslet in nothing but an overcoat and heels barely raised an eyebrow, but an earlier photo shoot that showed a teenaged Miley Cyrus with an exposed back caused a national furor.
The "miley cyrus photo scandal," as people referred to the incident in Search, threatened the reign of the Teen Queen, a title she's earned for good reason. The 16-year-old is the face of the billion-dollar "Hannah Montana" Disney brand and a platinum-selling pop star. While kids may eat up Cyrus' sugary-sweet persona, her real-life actions had grown-ups talking, and not just the parents of her fans.
Following the photo shoot, Cyrus issued a public apology, saying she was embarrassed by photos she thought were supposed to be "artistic." Parent company Disney swooped in to protect its young star, claiming that the shoot was manipulated to sell more covers.
The backlash—online and off—forced renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz to defend her work. Vanity Fair posted a behind-the-scenes account that showed Cyrus' parents and handlers on the set. The furor didn't let up when shots of the bikini-clad star goofing off with friends surfaced online and news came out about her recent relationship with 20-year-old underwear model Justin Gaston. Taking flirty photos and hanging out with older guys may be typical adolescent girl behavior, but for the Teen Queen, they became royal scandals. Fans responded, and for the first time, searches on "miley cyrus" outpaced those of her alter-ego.
Cyrus wasn't the only Disney star with a photo scandal. When nude shots of actress/singer Vanessa Hudgens hit the Web in 2007, there was speculation that she would be dropped from the Mouse House's hit "High School Musical" franchise. What could have been a public relations nightmare for Disney became a boon: Hudgens became a household name and even got a pay raise to star in the feature-film version. Thanks to her and boyfriend Zac Efron, "High School Musical 3" became one of 2008's biggest box-office hits.
Like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers—Kevin, Joe, and Nick—parlayed their Disney series into a successful recording career and the original movie "Camp Rock." Unlike Cyrus, the brothers remained relatively immune from scandal. The rockers still found themselves as tabloid fodder for, of all things, their insistence on . That inspired fans to search on terms like "purity rings."
Celebrity Brat Pack
Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
1,058 Votes
If there are two things that Hollywood is constantly looking for, they are the next big thing and the latest celebrity scandal.
In 2008, tabloid staples cleaned up their acts due to court-ordered conservatorships (Britney Spears), pledges of sobriety (Lindsay Lohan), and motherhood (Nicole Richie). As a result, celebrity rags and bloggers shifted their focus to a new, younger set of headline makers: the New Brat Pack.