Monday, July 26, 2010

News and Pop Culture Round-Up

Kellan Lutz Likes To Keep His Hot Body in Shape For Us!
Seemingly always working on his fitness, Kellan Lutz hit the gym in Northridge. The hunky Twilight actor showed one way he keeps hit hot body in shape as he took part in some boxing exercises outside.The 25-year-old actor also revealed to E! that he will be taking his shirt off in two of his upcoming films, Love, Wedding, Marriage and Immortals. He says: “Always got to be shirtless, right?” READ MORE

Adoptive Children of Lesbian and Gay Couples Developing Well
Should the sexual orientation of prospective adoptive parents be considered when placing children in adoptive homes? According to the results of a new University of Virginia study, the answer may be "no."In a sample of 106 adoptive children living in different parts of the United States, youngsters were developing well regardless of whether they were living with lesbian, gay or heterosexual parenting couples. The study found that whether or not adoptive children were developing in positive ways was unrelated to the sexual orientation of their adoptive parents. The finding appears in the August issue of the journal Applied Developmental Science. "We found that children adopted by lesbian and gay couples are thriving," said U.Va. psychology professor Charlotte J. Patterson, who led the study. "Our results provide no justification for denying lesbian or gay prospective adoptive parents the opportunity to adopt children. With thousands of children in need of permanent homes in the United States alone, our findings suggest that outreach to lesbian and gay prospective adoptive parents might benefit children who are in need." READ MORE

Gay Man Found Dead in D.C. Apartment
A 26-year-old gay man who had been missing for about two weeks was found dead inside his apartment in Northwest Washington on July 22. Mark Gower, a native of Portland, Ore. who lived in D.C. for several years, was found after failing to show up for work at his day job at a cosmetics store and his night job as a dancer at the gay nightclub Secrets, friends and co-workers said. A spokesperson for D.C. police said there were no outward signs of foul play or trauma on Gower’s body when police forced open his apartment door. READ MORE

Early Humans Ventured Farther North Than Thought
Ancient man ventured into northern Europe far earlier than previously thought, settling on England's east coast more than 800,000 years ago, scientists said. It had been assumed that humans — thought to have emerged from Africa around 1.75 million years ago — kept mostly to relatively warm tropical forests, steppes and Mediterranean areas as they spread across Eurasia. But the discovery of a collection of flint tools some 135 miles (220 kilometers) northeast of London shows that quite early on man braved colder climes. The researchers dated the artifacts to somewhere between 866,000 to 814,000 years ago or 970,000 to 936,000 years ago. That's at least 100,000 years before the earliest known date for British settlement, in nearby Pakefield. Exactly what kind of humans made these tools is unknown. READ MORE

Samantha Ronson
Samantha Ronson Visits Ex-girlfriend, Lindsay Lohan, in Jail
Lindsay Lohan got another visitor Thursday: Former girlfriend Sam Ronson.
A day after the 24-year-old was greeted by her mother Dina and teen sister Ali, Ronson popped by the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, Calif., where Lohan is confined for at least the next two weeks for violating probation from her DUI case. Though they had a nasty split, Ronson has been by Lohan's side ever since she was sentenced to the slammer July 6. Last week, she visited the actress at the sober-living facility where Lohan had been residing and even defended her on Twitter when crass comic Joan Rivers made some mean jokes. "Pick on someone your own age," Ronson wrote Rivers. "Oh wait I guess people that old can't hear." (US)

Lindsay Lohan to Serve Only Two Weeks in Jail Says Sheriff
If Lindsay Lohan behaves herself in jail, she'll serve only about 14 days of her 90-day sentence. "She is scheduled to be released on either Aug. 1 or 2 for overcrowding issues and good behavior," L.A. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore tells PEOPLE. It's the long-standing policy of the L.A. County jail system to release nonviolent misdemeanor offenders early due to severe overcrowding. Lohan, 24, is serving her time alone in a 12-by-8 cell for violating probation in her DUI case. (People)
Chinese Travel Guide Dubs Tel Aviv 'Gay Paradise'
Masses of gay tourists from Taiwan and Hong Kong are slated to visit Israel soon thanks to a new Chinese travel guide which highly recommends visiting Tel Aviv - a "paradise for members of the gay and lesbian community," according to the book. The guide is a joint initiative by Israel's Foreign Ministry mission in Taiwan's capital Taipei and a Taiwanese publishing firm specializing in gay literature. The 144-page guide recently hit book stores in Taiwan and Hong Kong and is devoted entirely to gay and lesbian attractions in Tel Aviv. It includes enthusiastic recommendations for gay parties, bars, clubs and gay-friendly beaches in the city. It also contains rather bold recommendations for saunas and sex shops alongside a more traditional list of cafés, restaurants and hotels. READ MORE

The Death of the American Middle Class
For years Americans could expect their children to have a better lifestyle and more financial security than they themselves did. Sadly, not any more. And what's most shocking is that the cited statistics largely came about or the conditions giving rise to them arose on the watch of Chimperator Bush. Obviously, more of the GOP's management of the economy, financial regulation and a host of other things is NOT good news unless one is in the top 1% of the population. For the rest of us, things look grim and are worsening. READ MORE


Betty White, 88, Debuts New Clothing Line
Betty White is creating quite an empire! The 88-year-old comedian -- who recently unveiled her sexy pin-up calendar -- is partnering with Jerry Leigh Apparel to produce a line of T-shirts and hoodies using the star's likeness. "With Betty White's star continuing to be on the rise, she was a natural fit for Jerry Leigh Apparel, as we pride ourselves on offering the most cutting edge developments in the apparel industry," president Andrew Leigh tells AOL StyleList. A portion of the proceeds will benefit White's favorite charity, the Morris Animal Foundation. The actress is also donating proceeds from her 2011 calendar to the philanthropic organization. "With Betty dedicated to her philanthropic efforts with the Morris Animal Foundation, we knew this venture would be a good fit and it would appeal to the general public and Betty White's extensive fan base," Leigh says. The custom apparel is currently available for $48 at HoodieBuddie.com. In addition to her foray into fashion, White has kept herself busy over the past few months. Her hosting gig on Saturday Night Live garnered rave reviews and her sitcom Hot In Cleveland was recently renewed for a second season. (US)