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Hacker Leaks Sensitive Information Of Top Government Officials And Celebrities

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hackA hacker has published what appears to be private information — including Social Security numbers — of celebrities and potentially of top government officials, Anthony McCartney of The Associated Press reports.

The website — first published on RT— lists Social Security numbers attributed to first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as celebrities including Jay-Z (aka Shawn Carter), Ashton Kutcher, Donald Trump, and others.

From AP:

Social Security numbers posted on [Mel] Gibson, Jay-Z and others matched records in public databases.

The other public figures whose names appear on the site are LAPD Chief Charlie Beck (with references to ex-cop Chris Dorner), FBI Director Robert Mueller, Attorney General Eric Holder, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sarah Palin, Beyoncé Knowles, Hulk Hogan, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears.

The leaker appears to be adding names as time goes on— Trump and Spears weren't there at first, and pages for Hogan (aka Terry Bollea) and Palin arose around 21:00 EST. Pages for the first lady and Arnold Schwarzenegger popped up sometime after that.

All of the pages list a Date of Birth, SS number, previous addresses, and phone numbers under a customized picture (some have music). All of the pages — except those on Biden, Clinton, and Trump — link to a credit report. AP notes that "several of the purported credit reports appear to have been generated last week."

From Mike Roe Of Southern California Public Radio:

The website ... is registered under the .su country code, which was originally created for the Soviet Union. Swiss security blog abuse.ch notes that top-level domain has been increasingly used by cybercriminals.

Los Angeles police and the FBI told the AP they were aware of the pages but declined to comment further.

The Hacker's Twitter handle tweeted the website and a message that Google translates from Russian to English as "Hello world, we are exposed[su]. Our goal is to show you all that this is only one of a few tricks up his sleeve lone wolves."

We held off on this story earlier because of the gravitas and lack of confirmation. At this point we know that the credit reports seem new, Beyonce's number was registered to a "business management firm for entertainers," and the SS numbers of "Gibson, Jay-Z and others matched records in public databases."

Now Watch: Learn How To Dispute Credit Score Errors, If Your Social Security Number Has Been Hijacked

 

SEE ALSO: Cybersecurity experts expect a major hack of US banks in the spring of 2013

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You Can Listen To Justin Timberlake's New Album Free Right Now

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justin timberlake 20 20 experienceJustin Timberlake knows you just can't wait to hear his brand new album, The 20/20 Experience, so he's put it up on iTunes for you to listen to for free! He posted the link on Twitter on Monday, but didn't say how long it's going to stay up, so you better get your listen in soon if you want to hear the album before its March 19 release date.

The only catch: The stream is 1 hour, 8 minutes long and has no track breaks. So we've done a little clicking to make sure this all checks out, and here is your official breakdown of the timestamps and (VERY LONG) track lengths. Seriously, those are some long-ass songs. We see radio remixes in this album's future.

1. Pusher Love Girl (0:00 to 8:02) track length: 8:02
2. Suit & Tie feat. Jay-Z (8:02 to 13:28) track length: 5:26
3. Don’t Hold the Wall (13:29 to 20:39) track length: 7:10
4. Strawberry Bubblegum (20:39 to 28:38) track length: 7:59
5. Tunnel Vision (28:39 to 35:25) track length: 6:46
6. Spaceship Coup (35:25 to 42:42) track length: 7:17
7. That Girl (42:43 to 45:30) track length: 4:47
8. Let the Groove Get In (45:30 to 52:41) track length: 7:11
9. Mirrors (52:42 to 60:47) track length: 8:05
10. Blue Ocean Roar (60:48 to 68:10) track length: 7:22

SEE ALSO: While Timberlake is soaring, Justin Bieber is having a meltdown >

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The Iranian Government Wants To Sue Hollywood Over 'Argo'

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian media say authorities are planning to sue Hollywood over the Oscar-winning "Argo" because of the movie's allegedly "unrealistic portrayal" of the country.

Several news outlets, including the pro-reform Shargh daily, said on Tuesday that French lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre is in Iran for talks with officials over how and where to file the lawsuit. Coutant-Peyre is also the lawyer for notorious Venezuelan-born terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal.

The decision on the lawsuit came after a group of Iranian cultural officials and movie critics screened the film in a closed audience in a Tehran theater late Monday.

Iranian officials in February dismissed "Argo" as pro-CIA, anti-Iran propaganda.

The movie is based on the escape of six American hostages from the besieged U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.

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This Is What Movies Would Look Like Without Visual Effects

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vfx

Last month, visual effects (VFX) company Rhythm & Hues filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The studio helped bring a ravenous Bengal tiger to the big screen in Oscar winner "Life of Pi."

However, after more than 200 layoffs, some 400 VFX artists protested during the 85th Academy Awards. 

The recent bankruptcy filing of Rhythm & Hues is the latest blow to the VFX community which has taken a hard hit in the past year.  

Last September, VFX studio Digital Domain Media Group also filed for bankruptcy before being bought in part by Galloping Horse and Reliance Capital. 

Now, some VFX artists have suggested a walk out later this week on 3/14 ("Pi" day) to show support for creating a union.

If it weren't for visual and special effects crews, a lot of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters would be unwatchable. 

From "Life of Pi" to "The Dark Knight Rises," we've gathered together images from visual effects studios Industrial Light & Magic and Rhythm & Hues and visual effects software company Imagineer Systems to show what popular movies would look like without added effects.

Visual Effects crew Rhythm & Hues helped make Oscar winner "Life of Pi" go from this ...



... to a boat lost out in the Pacific Ocean with a giant Bengal tiger.



All of Davy Jones' gang in Pirates of the Caribbean is completely computer generated.



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What TV Shows Can Learn From The Success Of 'The Walking Dead'

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the walking dead

"The Walking Dead" is currently one of the most successful cable shows on television.

Based on the comic series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, the show follows a group of survivors living in a zombie-filled apocalypse.

Now in its third season, the show is viewed by tens of millions and shows no signs of slowing its growth. 

Every time "The Walking Dead" returns from a hiatus or starts a new season, it shatters its own ratings record. When the series returned from its winter break in February, it had a record 12.3 million viewers 

What is it about the zombie series that makes it must-watch TV?

Sure, it's full of immensely life-like detailed zombies, action-packed, nail-biting moments, and, after this season, we know no character is ever safe from getting axed, but the success of the series is due to more than just that.

Business Insider spoke with "The Walking Dead" producer David Alpert to find out what it is about the show that gets tens of millions of people viewing Sunday nights.

"People tune in for the characters," adds Alpert. "They are emotionally invested in these people, the dilemmas, and moral choices. I think if we did this today as just a straight zombie action show I don't think anybody would watch. Or, there would be a very small audience; just the hardcore fans. And, that's not what we do."

Alpert tells Business Insider that fans tell them they watch the show for the character relationships.

"We have so many people come and tell us, 'I don't watch horror, and I don't watch zombie stuff, but I watch your show, I read your books, because I love Rick, I love Tyrese, I love Lori, and I have to know what's happening to my favorite characters."

arrow cwSince its debut on AMC in 2010, others have tried to capitalize on the show's success in film and television.

CW has had success with turning comic series "Arrow" into a television series this past fall.

Later this year, we'll see even more shows become reliant on book and comic adaptations.

ABC hopes "S.H.I.E.L.D.," based on Marvel's secret intelligence agency, will follow in the success of last year's "The Avengers." NBC is betting on "Wonderland" based on Lewis Carroll's popular fairytale series. 

Lionsgate and Summit recently released a spin on the zombie genre with romantic comedy "Warm Bodies" about a boy slowly becoming human again after being turned into the walking dead. The film has grossed $98.9 million in theaters worldwide. 

Later this summer, Brad Pitt will star in the anticipated book adaptation of zombie film, "World War Z." 

"People have reacted to zombies," says Alpert. "But I feel that the people who are trying to imitate that aspect only are missing the broader lesson from 'The Walking Dead.'"

"We've taken this crazy idea that the dead have come back to life, but we've grounded it so much that these characters seem real," says Alpert. "So you believe in their stakes. And, people get emotional about it. And, the reason I think the show is so successful is because they care so much. Afterward, people debate — 'What would I do in the same situation?'"

Of course, this isn't the only thing that makes the zombie show such a massive hit. 

Alpert also credits much of its success to the show's connection with its massive fan base.

Like other shows, "The Walking Dead" and AMC teams have live tweets coming from multiple accounts during the show including @WalkingDead_AMC and @TheWalkingDead. However, AMC takes it one step further. 

After every airing of "The Walking Dead," it's followed by a live recap and discussion called "The Talking Dead."

Hosted by Chris Hardwick, the show has became so popular, it's now an hour long and has been moved up an hour to directly follow the first showing of "The Walking Dead." (It used to be that "The Walking Dead" aired twice, back-to-back, followed by a half-hour episode of "The Talking Dead.")

"If we did this today as just a straight zombie-action show, I don't think anybody would watch." – David Alpert, producer, "The Walking Dead"

To bring together all their fans in one place, Skybound Entertainment recently launched thewalkingdead.com, a one-stop shop to encompass the show, the comic book series, the novels, and the various video game titles with message boards and forums for the fans. 

"Historically, you'd have to spend millions of dollars in market research, and we have this direct engagement with the fans," says Alpert. "When we do something and they don't like it, we know it instantly … and, we also know when they love something with real-time feedback [during live shows]."

Alpert adds, "We really believe we have the best fans in the world — they're passionate, they're boisterous, and they're vocal, but we wouldn't have it any other way. " 

SEE ALSO: Roadmap To The Future

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Porn Stars' Incredible Before And After Make-Up Transformations

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porn stars with and without makeup

Melissa Makeup has become famous since her Instagram account went viral. 

She's particularly known for her ability to make over porn stars for the camera. 

Melissa shared some of her Instagram photos with us, and the before-and-after transformations are incredible. 

Some of the adult entertainers don't even look like the same person after make-up. 

Courtney Shea before.

Source: xmelissamakeupx



Courtney Shea after.

Source: xmelissamakeupx



Jennifer White before.

Source: xmelissamakeupx



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Gwyneth Paltrow's Unappetizing Cookbook Is Getting Eviscerated By Critics

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Gwyneth paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow's new gluten and sugar-free cookbook is called "It's All Good." 

But the critics have other things to say. 

The book begins with Paltrow describing a time that she felt light-headed and feared she was "having a stroke." The episode turned out to be a panic attack and a migraine and inspired her to change her diet. 

"When we mere mortals feel faint and off-kilter and fear we’re having a major health emergency, and really we’ve just gotten too much sun or had too little to eat, we file away our crazy little moment among our embarrassing stories shared only with close friends and family," writes Hailey Eber at the New York Post. "But when Gwyneth Paltrow has such an episode, she writes a cookbook."

Eber also blasted Paltrow's list of restricted foods, which include coffee, eggs, sugar, shellfish, potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, corn, wheat, and meat. 

"The book reads like the manifesto to some sort of creepy healthy-girl sorority with members who use beet juice rather than permanent marker to circle the 'problem areas' on each other’s bodies," Eber writes. 

Esther Zuckerman at The Atlantic Wire comments on how Paltrow's book takes finicky Hollywood eating habits to the extreme. 

"It's All Good seems to take laughable Hollywood neuroticism about eating to the next level," she writes. 

This isn't the first cookbook that Paltrow has written.

Her last one, "My Father's Daughter," was a critical and commercial success.  

SEE ALSO: 'Healthy Food Revolutionary' Jamie Oliver Called Out Again For Salty Food >

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BORN AGAIN VIRGIN: The Bachelor's Brilliant Marketing Ploy That Led To Record Ratings

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Sean Lowe The BachelorSean Lowe started cycle 17 of "The Bachelor" with 26 tanned, toned, buffed and puffed women literally lined up for his choosing.

After 13 episodes of group dates, one-on-one dates, hometown trips and "fantasy suites," Lowe ultimately got down on one knee to propose Monday night to 26-year-old graphic designer Catherine Giuduci.

What his new fiancé undoubtedly knows, as does the rest of America — but was oddly left out of the ABC show's story lines  is that the religious Lowe is a born-again virgin.

According to UrbanDictionary, a "Born Again Virgin" means "More than a year between sexual relations, with anyone else" or "Someone in denial. Usually too stupid to realize it's a moot point."

Wikipedia puts it more politely: "An individual can claim to be a born-again virgin, secondary virgin or renewed virgin if, after having engaged in sexual intercourse, s/he makes a commitment not to be sexually active until marriage (or some other point in the future, or indefinitely), whether for religious, moral or practical reasons."

While the show strayed away from discussing Lowe's born-again status and instead zoomed in on his lengthy make out sessions with various contestants, Us Weekly dubbed him "The Virgin Bachelor," reporting that Lowe swore off sex after college.

Sean Lowe The Bachelor

"Lowe is a born-again virgin, a development the 'Bachelor' cameras mostly ignored. It’s a mystery why a series built on sex wouldn’t explore its central character’s not having sex," writes The Daily Beast's Ramin Setoodeh. "Instead of telling us what made him different [from] all the previous bachelors, the show edited Lowe to look like every other guy."

While trying to answer the question "Why Did ‘The Bachelor’ Hide Sean Lowe’s Born-Again Virginity?" Setoodeh writes, "The women on 'The Bachelor' were more conservative than the usual single ladies who party at the house. Many of them arrived with their Bibles in hand. A lot of their talk about Christianity didn’t make the broadcast."

When The Beast reached out to "Bachelor" reps for comment, a publicist for the show said producers weren’t available.

But what ABC kept secret about Lowe's sexuality was made up for in tabloid reports, even if the man at the center of attention doesn't understand what all the hulabaloo is about.

“I’m shocked,” Lowe told The Beast. “I don’t know why every tabloid feels the need to talk about it.”

Of the born-again virgin label, he said, “I’ve never described myself that way,” though he later clarified, “it’s true. It’s a decision that I’ve made. But I don’t think it needs to be discussed on the show. For me, it’s a non-story.”

“Reality Steve” Carbone, who writes about "The Bachelor" on his blog, thinks ABC skirted the issue because “They don’t like to delve into deep issues on the show. It’s very superficial. It’s much more about the drama than about ‘Are these people spiritually connected and will they be married for the next 50 years?’ It’s very flimsy. Does it surprise me? No.” 

“I don’t know if ABC is hiding it,” said Eric Andersson, a senior writer at Us Weekly who covers "The Bachelor." “I don’t think they are playing it up as much as they could.”

But whether ABC is trying to hide it or not, the tabloid reports worked and this season's "Bachelor" ratings were up by 3 percent to 8.8 million in total viewers.

The average audience for that group among ABC’s regularly scheduled shows is only 2.4 million viewers, reports The NY Times.

As for what's next for the former "Bachelor" and his bride, a televised wedding is in the works; but, he said today during a press call, "I doubt Chris Harrison ["Bachelor" host] will be officiating [our wedding] only because my dad and grandfather are ordained ministers." 

SEE ALSO: The next "Bachelorette" used to be homeless >

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More Prominent Data Leaked While Credit Agencies Explain How Hackers Stole It

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kanye west jay-zOn Monday a website published sensitive identifying information of 15 public figures including Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Jay-Z, And Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The site has since published six more names — including U.S. Marshals Director Stacia Hylton and Mitt Romney— while the biggest U.S. credit agencies explained how cybercriminals impersonated victims to access the data.

The U.S. Marshals Service is America's oldest federal law enforcement office and second oldest federal agency.

A spokesman for TransUnion Corp. said that hackers accessed the credit histories by using "social-security numbers and other sensitive, personal identifying information" they already had from other sources, according to Jordan Robertson of Bloomberg.

Since 2006 hackers have obtained more than 17,000 credit reports from banks, auto dealers and other businesses that rely on credit reporting agencies, according to a Bloomberg investigation.

The website disclosed TransUnion credit reports on First lady Michelle Obama, FBI director Robert Mueller, Mitt Romney, Mel Gibson, Ashton Kutcher, Beyoncé Knowles, and Hulk Hogan.

Equifax Inc. credit reports on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, Jay-Z, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Kris Jenner were also leaked.

Credit reports on Tiger Woods, Sarah Palin, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears as well as personal information of Donald Trump, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, and Kanye West also appeared.

The website has the Soviet Union's .su country code, a domain originally created in 1990 that has been increasingly used by cybercriminals. The website's Twitter page (now suspended) contained what Russia Today called "bad Russian."

President Obama acknowledged the leak and said that the FBI and Secret Service were looking into it.

Also in Tuesday the president also invited select CEOs to the White House Situation Room to discuss cybersecurity threats after James R. Clapper Jr., the nation’s top intelligence official, said critical infrastructure attacks are more dangerous than terrorism.

SEE ALSO: Hacker Leaks Sensitive Information Of Top Government Officials And Celebrities

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Here's What 'Crocodile Hunter' Kid Bindi Irwin Looks Like Today

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Bindi Irwin became famous for accompanying her "Crocodile Hunter" dad Steve Irwin on dangerous expeditions for his Animal Planet documentary series.

Bindi Irwin Steve Irwin

The Australian tot started palling around with her TV host parents at an early age. 

Most of us last saw Bindi, at age 8, hugging her mother, Terri, and brother, Bob, at a memorial service for her famous father after he was killed in a stingray accident in 2006.

Bindi Irwin Terri Irwin Bob IrwinToday, the Australian TV star is now nearly all grown up at age 14, promoting her new film "Return to Nim's Island" set to be released later this year.

Bindi Irwin Us Weekly

And she still hasn't lost her adventuresome spirit!

Bindi Irwin tiger

Now Watch: This 12-Year-Old Has The Answer To A Major Problem For The Cosmetics Industry

 

SEE ALSO: Here's what "Little Miss Sunshine" Abigail Breslin looks like today >

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Taylor Swift's Unopened Fan Mail Found In Dumpster — Here's Today's Buzz

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Taylor Swift award

  • Another PR disaster for Taylor Swift as a  box containing hundreds of unopened fan letters addressed to the singer was discovered in a Nashville recycling dumpster“Taylor gets thousands of fan letters everyday and they are delivered to her management office. After the letters are opened and read, they are recycle ... The only explanation for any letters being unopened would be that a small batch of mail that was supposed to be delivered to Taylor was accidentally put with letters headed for the recycling center,” said a spokesperson for Swift.
  • Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler are reuniting in an untitled Warner Bros. romantic comedy for the first time since "50 First Dates."
  • Cate Blanchett and HBO are working together to adapt Marisa Acocella Marchetto's graphic novel memoir "Cancer Vixen: A True Story." Blanchett would executive produce and star as the author, "a shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life" who spends 11 months fighting cancer.
  • Mickey Mouse will appear in 19 original shorts on the Disney Channel reminiscent of the style of early 1920s and 1930s Disney cartoons. Watch the first short here.
  • Justin Bieber's hamster dies while in fan's care. The rodent, named PAC, is being mourned by Beliebers everywhere — with #RIPpac shooting to the top of Twitter’s trending topics on Tuesday evening — after the announcement of his passing.
  • Director Rupert Sanders' (the one who had an affair with Kristen Stewart) ex-wife Liberty Ross has moved on to music mogul Jimmy Iovine.

SEE ALSO: Here's what "Crocodile Hunter" kid Bindi Irwin looks like today >

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Disney Is Bringing Old School Mickey Mouse Cartoons Back To TV

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mickey mouse

Disney is bringing Mickey Mouse cartoons back to their roots.

Starting this summer, Disney Channel will air 19 new animated shorts featuring Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and the rest of the gang

This isn't the first time Disney has brought Mickey back on air. Most recently, he appeared in 3D form on preschool network Disney Junior series "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."

Rather, it will be the first time he will be brought back in a 2D animated form. 

The shorts will pay homage to the style and art direction of early Disney cartoons from the 1920s and 1930s.

The animated shorts will premiere Friday, June 28 on the Disney Channel.

Watch the first short, "Croissant de Triomphe" below:



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22 Storytelling Tips For Writers From A Pixar Storyboard Artist

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toy story buzz lightyear

There's no question Pixar dominates the Best Animated Feature at the Oscars.

Year after year, the animation studio churns out award season gold (save perhaps "Cars 2").

One of the biggest questions is how Pixar continues to stay fresh year in and year out.

If you've ever wanted some advice from a Pixar employee, this is for you.

Former Pixar storyboard artist Emma Coats tweeted out 22 tips for aspiring writers.

Since then, her list started going viral on Reddit.

1. "You admire a character for trying more than for their successes."



2. "You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different."



3. "Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now rewrite."



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'Price Is Right' Model's $8.5 Million Prize In Pregnancy Suit Gets Wiped Out

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Brandi Cochran

A former model on "The Price Is Right" has had a massive jury award for alleged pregnancy discrimination wiped away, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A California state court judge threw out an $8.5 million jury award for Brandi Cochran Tuesday because a jury didn't receive proper instructions before making its decision.

Cochran claimed "Price Is Right" producers treated her poorly after she got pregnant, making cutting comments about her weight gain and taking her off the show's website.

Eventually, she says, the show fired her. A jury gave her the massive award in November after telling the judge it was deadlocked a few times, Lawyers.com has reported.

Two months later, the California Supreme Court ruled that the judge failed to tell the jury  pregnancy discrimination had to be a "substantial motivation factor" for Cochran's firing, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

In other words, Cochran's pregnancy couldn't just be a small part of the reason she was fired. Cochran will have to go through another trial if she wants her award.

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Taylor Swift's Face Doesn't Sell Magazines

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Taylor Swift Vanity Fair Cover

Poor Taylor Swift may never want to be on the cover of another magazine again. Her Vanity Fair cover story pitted her against the Amy Poehler and Tina Fey loving Internet (which is basically all of us?) when she (kind of?) took a dig at the two comedians, who made a joke at her expense at the Golden Globes. Now it looks like magazines with her face on their covers don't actually sell that well. Why is that? 

Erik Maza reports for Women's Wear Daily that Swift, who has been ubiquitous on newsstands over the past year, does not have the sales numbers to necessarily justify her presence. A tweet from him puts it bleakly: 

In most cases Swift didn't do terribly, she just also didn't drive magazine buyers wild. For instance: Her February 2012 Vogue cover sold 329,371 copies including digital sales—which was "a little above the six-month average that ended in June 2012" but far below Lady Gaga, who was the top seller that year (albeit on the monster September issue). In a more embarrassing case, Swift's November Glamour cover, which Maza said did "OK," fell behind Lauren Conrad's and Victoria Beckham's in the year. 

When it comes to Cosmopolitan, though, Swift was just a non-starter. Maza writes: "Swift flopped, with the issue the weakest in a year that underperformed overall — she sold a little over a million copies, or 20 percent below the six-month average that ended in December 2012." Zooey Deschanel, an actress who still has more indie than mainstream cred, did better than Swift inCosmo sales — and Cosmo, one of the most successful magazines on the planet, caters to younger audiences. So what's wrong with Swift? One or two or all three of these things, perhaps:

Theory No. 1: Taylor Swift is overexposed.

Maza says "singers do well at the newsstand, just perhaps not those who have been overexposed." Even though Swift's album was one of the best sellers of  2012, there might be such a thing as too much Taylor. Perhaps the magazine-buying public feels they've learned enough about the "stuff she only tells her girlfriends," especially since even in interviews billed as revealing, she remains cagey

Theory No. 2: Taylor Swift is not sexy enough.

Is she just too innocent for Cosmo readers, who are used to blaring headlines about sex rather than veiled metaphors? Scarlett Johansson, a starlet who banks on sex appeal, was the top seller forCosmo's year, followed by Twilight's Ashley Greene. While the Twilight connection might have propelled Greene into that spot, the Greene cover also featured a cover line about Fifty Shades of Grey. Swift's just said "LATE NIGHT SEX." 

Theory No. 3: Taylor Swift's relationships are hurting her marketability.

Sure, they make for sweet pop songs. But Glamour editor Cindi Leive attributes Swift's failures at the magazine stand perhaps to her failures in love: "There may have been a little hiccup for her right around the 1-D relationship." Maza points out that "1-D" refers to One Direction and thereby refers to Harry Styles. Do magazine buyers actually react to Swift's covers based on the guy she's dating? The girl can't catch a break. That said, Leive believes she'll bounce back. Doesn't she always? 

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at ezuckerman@theatlantic.com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

SEE ALSO: The 9 most annoying quotes from Taylor Swift's 'Vanity Fair' cover story >

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Judge Rules 'Storage Wars' Is Protected By 1st Amendment Even If Staged

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storage wars

A&E and "Storage Wars" have taken the first round in its ongoing legal tangle with its former star Dave Hester, who claimed in a lawsuit that the reality show is staged.

In a ruling Tuesday, Judge Michael Johnson of Los Angeles Superior Court sided with the network on a couple of points, throwing out the Unfair Business Practices of Hester's complaint on First Amendment grounds.

Also read:'Storage Wars' Lawsuit: Star Claims That A&E Has No 1st Amendment Protection

Johnson also sided with A&E in ruling that an injunction against the series would violate the network's First Amendment rights.

Hester (pictured) filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court in December, claiming that he had been fired for complaining that the show had been rigged. Specifically, Hester alleges, the show's producers plant valuable items in storage lockers, which competitors then bid on, supposedly without knowing what's inside them.

Also read: 'Storage Wars' Star Brandi Passante Files Lawsuit Over Porn Video

In response, A&E filed an anti-SLAAP motion to strike stating that the show enjoys First Amendment protections.

Hester's legal team issued a response, claiming that those protections don't apply in this case, claiming that A&E was violating the Communications Act of 1934, which states that a person shall not  "supply any contestant in a purportedly bona fide contest of intellectual knowledge or intellectual skill any special and secret assistance whereby the outcome of such contest will be in whole or in part prearranged or predetermined."

As such, Hester's legal team argued, the network was engaging in illegal activity not protected by the First Amendment.

Also read:'Storage Wars' Death: Mark Balelo Committed Suicide, Medical Examiner Confirms

Hester also argued that a press release issued by A&E refuting the staging claims is commercial speech which would also not be protected.

However, in his ruling Tuesday, Johnson offered a differing opinion.

"This argument is not persuasive," Johnson ruled.

With regard to the claim that A&E and co-defendant Original Productions violated the Communications Act, Johnson found that Hester did not provide "any citation to a particular policy within the Act."

Johnson also found, "It is well settled that television broadcast involves free speech, as well as production activities that advance or assist in the creation of a television program."

“We are pleased that Judge Johnson rejected Mr. Hester’s baseless unfair business practices claim," one of A&E's attorneys, Kelli Sager of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, told TheWrap in a statement.

Other claims of Hester's, including breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, remain to be explored.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

SEE ALSO: Dave Hester claimed 'Storage Wars' was fake after fired >

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Taylor Swift Debuts Music Video '22' Starring Her Real-Life Friends

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Taylor Swift 22 music videoTaylor Swift debuted her latest music video for her song "22" on "Good Morning America" from Nebraska on Wednesday, where she kicks off her "Red" tour tonight.

"The friends in the video are actually my real-life best friends," Swift explained on "GMA" of the video shot in a Malibu parking lot.

One of those friends happens to be former “Gossip Girl” actress Jessica Szohr.

And with her lucky number being 13, it was no coincidence that the video is premiering March 13.

"Happy, free, confused and lonely in the best way," Swift sings in the song. "It's miserable and magical, oh yeah."

Watch "22" below, but for the record, Swift is 23-years-old.

SEE ALSO: What's wrong with Taylor Swift's image? >

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Spanx Is Embroiled In An Ugly Legal Battle With A 'Real Housewife'

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Sara BlakelyFormer "Real Housewife" and Yummie Tummy shapewear creator Heather Thomson is accusing Spanx of copying the design of some of her control tank tops. 

Thomson says that she plans to take legal action against Spanx founder Sara Blakely.

It all began when Thomson allegedly "received a package at her Seventh Avenue offices that contained an anonymous note and a control tank top bearing a Spanx label which the note claimed was being sold on QVC," reports Karyn Monget at Women's Wear Daily

Thomson said she immediately recognized the tank as one she sold with the Yummie Tummy brand and wrote a letter to Spanx alleging that it was an infringement on a patent. 

Spanx filed for a declaratory judgment in court saying that it didn't violate any patents, but Thomson said she intends to fight back. 

Spanx gave WWD this comment. 

“Spanx was making shaping camisoles long before Yummie Tummie. We have no further comment. The papers filed in court provide our position at this time.”

Thomson, who was a Real Housewife of New York, successfully sued Maidenform Brands for $6.75 million in 2011 for copying her designs. 

But Spanx would be a more formidable partner since the company essentially started the shapewear trend in 2000. 

Patent lawsuits are traditionally difficult to win, so Thomson faces an uphill battle. 

SEE ALSO: This Map Reveals Exactly Where Meth Is A Huge Problem In America >

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Olivia Wilde Reads Mean Tweets Directed At Her From Justin Bieber Fans

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Last week, following photos of Justin Bieber walking around shirtless and nearly pant-less in London, actress Olivia Wilde tweeted to her over 824K followers: 

Well, Bieber fans did not like the tone of Wilde's tweet and the backlash started to pour in.

Of Bieber's nearly 36 million Twitter followers, Wilde joked Tuesday to Jay Leno, "about 35 million people" wrote nasty tweets aimed at the engaged 29-year-old actress, calling her "too old" and "a lesbian."

Watch Wilde read some of the tweets below on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno":

SEE ALSO: How Justin Bieber went from squeaky clean teen to troubled teen >

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Kristen Bell Raising $2M On Kickstarter To Make A 'Veronica Mars' Movie

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Kristen Bell Veronica Mars

Before Kristen Bell was known as the "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" actress who loves sloths, she played the title character on the CW's cult favorite show "Veronica Mars."

Since the show was canceled in 2007 after three years on the air, fans have been begging to bring back Bell and her kick-butt cast mates.

Show creator Rob Thomas was listening and on Wednesday, posted a campaign to Kickstarter in hopes of raising $2 million in 30 days to make a "Veronica Mars" movie. 

The entire original cast is on board, and even made the below video asking for fans' help.

Kristen Bell Veronica Mars Kickstarter CampaignThe campaign has already raised almost a million dollars and is encouraging fans to donate by pledging rewards for certain amounts  ranging from a copy of the script for $10 to a role in the film for $10,000. 

Warner Bros. has promised to handle distribution and publicity if Bell and co. can raise the cash in time.

If they get the funds, the low-budget movie would start production this summer, and hit theaters in 2014 for a limited time before getting released on digital platforms.

“Kristen and I met with the Warner Bros brass, and they agreed to allow us to take this shot," show creator Thomas wrote on the project’s fundraising page. “They were extremely cool about it, as a matter of fact. Their reaction was, if you can show there’s enough fan interest to warrant a movie, we’re on board."

Watch Bell and her cast mates "Veronica Mars" video pitch below:

SEE ALSO: What TV shows can learn from the success of "The Walking Dead" >

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