Should Graphic Cigarette Warning Labels Be Used on Other Hazardous Products?

Health. It's something most of us have but take for granted. We treat our bodies like trash and then wonder why it's not functioning at optimal levels. I've been guilty of this especially when it comes to eating or drinking. I know that large quantities of decadent food isn't good for my body, but it tastes so good! And drinking, well, you can't just have one glass of wine at dinner right? Hey, at least I don't smoke. I find it repulsive and the smell disgusting.

Recently, the federal government said that cigarette warnings are going to get bigger and bolder. Remember the television ad where the woman speaks through a hole in her throat using a machine? Yeah, this is similar but more shocking. I think it's good. People need to know the dangers of smoking and even if they don't care, at least the shock factor might deter new smokers from taking up the cancerous habit. The proposed graphic warning labels got me to thinking of other hazardous to your health items Americans ingest on a daily basis.  Would adding visual depictions of the potential consequences of exposing one's body to various products help consumers make healthier decisions?

For example:  How about sugary, calorie wasting sodas? Did you know there are no health benefits to drinking soda? And if you think drinking diet soda is better for you, think again. The health risks of diet soda include kidney damage, bone loss, tooth enamel damage and weight gain. You are basically drinking poison when you open up a can of diet soda. It's packed with chemicals and fake sugar. Is that what you want to put in your body or have your child put in theirs? A great graphic warning on sodas should be rotting teeth or a hugely obese person. I know it sounds over the top, but I'm all for it if it prevents people from jeopardizing their health.

Let's talk fast food. Stopping off at a burger joint after work is more convenient and cheaper than going to the grocery store. But the amount of calories you are ingesting in one meal is shocking. Let's take Burger King for example. If you order a Whopper Value meal with a medium Coca Cola and medium fries, the total amount of calories in that single meal is a whopping 1,400! Not to mention the 62 grams of fat and 1,660 mg of sodium.

If you base this off a 2,000 calorie per day plan, that's already 70% of your caloric needs. The 2,000 calorie plan also allows 65 grams of fat, so in this one fatty meal you've basically reached your fat needs. Still hankering for fast food? I stopped eating fast food a long time ago, after reading the "nutritional" value in these meals. Sure, on occasion I might stop by an In-N-Out to get a burger, but I avoid the special sauce and just get it with ketchup and mustard.

I'm not saying you should deprive yourself of burgers and fries, but give your body a break and eat it in moderation. Having nutritional info at fast food joints really helped me avoid them. I think it should be available at all restaurants. We tend to eat more when we dine out, and that's when the pounds sneak on.

Although new FDA guidelines call for more visible posting of nutritional information in restaurants, is that 4-digit caloric total enough to get people to step away from the Big Mac Supersize meal?  A good graphic warning on fast food products might be an extremely obese person stuck in bed unable to get out. Yeah, it's harsh, but what is it going to take for people to wake up and see the consequences of their bad eating habits?

Avoiding fast food can save more than just your health. It saves money in the long run. Think about it. You can go to the grocery store, buy vegetables, lean meats, fruits and some carbohydrates and end up spending about $50 a week. $50 week can last ten meals at home. Essentially, you are spending only $5 a meal if you eat at home. A Whopper Value meal is around $5--but if you are eating that twice a day, then you already spent $10 on two meals. And don't forget you're also killing your health.

What are some other warning labels you think should be implemented? Have you ever stopped a bad habit due to any warnings?resource: www.savings.com/

DUI Charges Dropped for Woman with "Botox Defense"

Did you hear about the DUI defense attorney that got a Canadian woman's DUI charges thrown out of court by using a "Botox Defense"?  This is no joke...it is true.  Now DUI defense attorneys everywhere (well maybe not the US) are trying to find new defendants over what has proven to be a new defense for refusing a breathalyzer test.

The “Botox Defense” may change frowns into smiles for defendants like Paddi Anne Moore, 51, as she was pulled over under the suspicion of a DUI, telling officers at the time that she just couldn’t blow into the breathalyzer. She was given four chances to blow into the breathalyzer before officers legally charged her for refusing to provide a breath sample. 

Even though Moore admitted to drinking that evening, the prosecutors haven’t been able to make a DUI case since there is no real proof as to the women’s level of sobriety.  (Apparently in Canada when you refuse to take a breathalyzer there is no other course of action to prove a DUI.  In the US you would be subject to a blood test).  The woman claims it wasn’t a matter of refusal but the inability to perform the test.  Due to receiving Botox injections she was unable to pucker her lips therefore she couldn't suck or blow on any object and that included a breathalyzer device. 

The Botox Defense seems to work as the judge threw out Moore’s DUI charge after he received a letter from the doctor that performed the Botox injections. The doctor stated that some patients who receive Botox injection are unable to wrap their lips around an object for up to six months. (Using a straw is one of the main reasons women get wrinkles around the mouth).  In the United States, Botox is basically injected around the eyes and in the forehead and not recommended around the lips.  Moore injected Botox into the muscles around the mouth to treat smoker lines; in the US we typically use dermal fillers like Juvederm or Restylane to treat those areas.  Not being able to suck or blow for six weeks has really paid off for Moore and due to the result of this case there may be a surge in plastic surgery for men and women opting to receive more frequent Botox treatments.

Baby, 1, run over by father; Dad arrested for DUI

WOODLAND, CA - A Woodland father was arrested and faced felony driving under the influence charges after police said he accidentally drove over his 1-year-old son in a parking lot early Sunday morning, according to Woodland police investigators.

The child was transported by helicopter to the UC Davis Medical Center following the accident in the parking lot of the Masonic Lodge at 228 Palm Avenue in Woodland around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, Woodland police Sgt. Steve Sexton said.

Sexton said the child's father Alejandro Ramirez Lopez, 27, was arrested on DUI and other charges and booked into the Yolo County Jail following an investigation into the accident. The circumstances that led to the accident were not immediately known.

The boy suffered life-threatening injuries in the collision. UC Davis officials could not comment on the boy's condition Sunday afternoon.

Kimmel On Lady Gaga's Meat Dress

On "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Kimmel had a field day with Lady Gaga's ridiculous meat dress from Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards. Not only did he mock how uncomfortable and silly looking it was, but Gaga's incongruous reasoning as well (she said she wore meat to protest 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'). But Kimmel's biggest problem with the dress had less to do with Gaga's fashion sense and more to do with her safety while wearing raw meat.

resource: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/14/lady-gaga-meat-dress-kimmel_n_715981.html

5 Reasons We Need Legalized Prostitution

Prostitution is legal in Switzerland, but the women and their johns had a bad habit of dropping trou in public. In order to end that, the Swiss government has proposed "sex boxes," which are really more like hooker cubicles.

About the size of a parking space, the walled off green spots don't look like a place most would want to do the nasty, but it does provide a modicum of privacy to both the client and the prostitute.

Anything that gets sex off the street and away from the eyes of passersby and children has to be a good thing, right?

It's this kind of legislation and consideration/compromises around sex work that make it clear prostitution should also be legal all over the U.S. More than 1 million women in the United States have worked as prostitutes, according to the National Task Force on Prostitution. About 100,000 women are currently working. It's the "oldest profession" and, like it or not, will survive us all.

Traditional feminist theory might hold that prostitution is exploitation and perhaps it is, but it exists and occurs whether it's legal or not, so why not make it safe for everyone?

Five reasons prostitution should be legal:

1. STD-free: A john visits an illegal prostitute, gets an STD, and brings that home to his wife who passes it on to their child. And that is just one scenario. The fact is, in places like Nevada, where prostitution is legal, the women get monthly blood tests, they have access to condoms and education about safe sex practices, and they're far more likely to have treatment if they do contract something. The spread of AIDS and other STDs would be reduced by legalizing prostitution. 
2. Safer for the women: Illegal sex workers get beaten up, robbed, and raped. They get shot in hotel rooms and left for dead. In a brothel, like the ones in Nevada, there are bouncers to protect the women and everything is more open. It wouldn't make it the safest profession in the world, but it would certainly cut back on some of the violence against the women.
3. Money: If prostitution were legal, the law enforcement money currently spent fighting prostitution could go toward fighting something else. We could tax the service and therefore make some revenue from it. It would be a win-win.
4. Less exploitation: Human trafficking is a very real problem all over the world and in the U.S. If prostitution were legal, there would also be legal requirements that prostitutes would have to meet --18 years old, a U.S. citizen, etc. There would still be a market for human trafficking and people would still be people, but more regulation would crack down on at least a portion of it.
5. We own our bodies: The most compelling reason of all is that we own our bodies. It may be distasteful, but it's our right to use our bodies as we see fit. If a woman wants to rent hers out, it's her right to do so.

Do you think prostitution should be legal?

resource:  http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/109004/hookers_in_cubicles_5_reasons

Boy Found Used Condom At Hotel Infected With STDs?

A young boy staying with his family at a Wyndham Hotel in Atlanta found a used condom inside his bed.
 An Alpharetta family is angry after their 4-year-old child allegedly found a used condom in what they said was an unclean Wyndham Garden Hotel room in downtown Atlanta.

Carmen Jones told Atlanta police she and her family were staying at the 175 Piedmont Avenue hotel on July 31.

The family woke the next morning to notice that they had been staying in room with unclean sheets and no soap or coffee cups, according to a police report.

It’s unclear why the family did not notice the unclean room until the next morning. Attorney Thomas Jones told the AJC that the family was “just exhausted and didn’t realize it.”

Carmen Jones told police the family was getting ready to leave the hotel room when she noticed her 4-year-old grandson was playing with a used condom.

Jones asked for management from the hotel to bring mouthwash for her grandson, the police report said.

She told police that her grandson became ill a few days later. He also had sores developing inside his mouth, the police report said.

The family took the 4-year-old to the doctor and then to Scottish Rite Hospital, police said.

No charges have been filed against the hotel according to the report, which was filed six days after the incident happened.

The AJC has made several attempts to contact the hotel. Calls and e-mails to Wyndham’s corporate office were not immediately returned.

The family has hired Thomas Jones, a lawyer with Jones & Associates on Cascade Road, to negotiate a settlement with the hotel. Jones has been contacting local media about this story through an e-mailed press release.

He told the AJC he will file a lawsuit against the hotel if out-of-court negotiations are not successful.

The AJC is attempting to interview family members within the next hour about this story.

According to the release from Jones’ law firm, the family had spent the day at Six Flags over Georgia and reserved a hotel room at the Wyndham so they could spend the night there and then go to the Georgia Aquarium the next day.
WGCL's Tony McNary reports that the boy may now have a series of STDs. Video
resource: http://www.dailyvsvidz.com/2010/08/boy-found-eat-used-condom-at-hotel-vs.html

COMMENT ON LIPSTICKALLEY .COM
How do you not notice a dirty room immediately because of exhaustion?

I think because sores developed in the child's mouth, that is obviously going to set alarms that the child has been sexually abused. So, they concocted the story to make it seems like he got sores from the used condoms. 
Not only that but they figure why not also try to exhort money from the hotel.

I am not a nurse but it sounds fishy the child got sores within a few days of allegedly making contact with a used Condom wrapper.

Second of all, if the room was dirty-especially since a child was in tow-they should have told management about it immediately so they can get a new room.

Also, if the child was playing with a used condom, they should have brought him to the hospital BEFORE he became ill and started developing sores.  What do you think? 

what-the-double-dip-recession-will-look-like

 Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

"Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe the economy has yet to hit bottom, a sharply higher percentage than the 53% who felt that way in January," according to a recent Wall Street Journal poll.

A growing and vocal minority of economists believes that there will be a double-dip recession primarily because of the intransigence of high unemployment and the rapidly faltering housing market. The notion of a "jobless recovery" has been around since the recessions of the 1950s and 1960s. It is a concept built on a relatively simple idea: employment lags during a recession but it is always part of a recovery cycle. Production rises as businesses see the end of a downturn and anticipate improving sales. They are reluctant to hire new workers until the recovery is confirmed, but once it has been, hiring picks up.

The 2008-2009 recession was — if it is indeed over — different from any other because of its depth and causes. The first trigger was the drop in housing prices, which robbed many people of their primary access to capital. As that access disappeared, so did the availability of credit. Consumer buying power evaporated and business cut inventory and production. Joblessness rose. Finally, consumer confidence plunged.

The last downturn was so great that in some months more than 500,000 people lost jobs. The unemployment rolls are now more than 8 million, and perhaps more gravely, over 1.4 million people have been out of work for over 99 weeks — which means they are no longer eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits. This segment of the population has already begun to add to the number of indigent Americans and will continue to do so unless they can find homes with friends and family.

The second dip of the recession that ended in 2009, according to economists and the federal government, is likely to begin within the next two quarters if certain conditions are met.

Unemployment claims are running well above expectations, and recently hit a six-month high. The four-week average of initial claims rose 14,250 to 473,500 this week. The last peak, in February, was during a period when GDP was in the very early stages of recovery. There is nearly no jobs creation in the private sector. Real estate prices continue to drop, particularly in the hardest hit regions such as California, Nevada, Florida and Michigan.

The federal, state and local governments are in no position to lend assistance to businesses, most of which lack access to capital. Similarly, banks are not prepared to lend to small businesses, especially those with modest balance sheets and relatively low sales. This presents a problem for employment since companies with less than one hundred workers have traditionally been the largest creators of jobs.

This is what a double-dip recession would look like:

1. Housing

The cost of homes in the areas where prices have already dropped by 50% or more will continue to fall. These regions typically have the highest unemployment rates, the local governments are hard pressed to offer basic services, and potential buyers are aware that home prices could drop further. Real estate values in these areas could drop another 20%. In the rest of the country, protracted unemployment and the unwillingness of banks to lend would make otherwise attractive all-time low mortgage rates unappealing.


2. Unemployment

Unemployment would move back above 10% quickly. In the 1982 recession, the jobless rate was over 10% for 20 consecutive months and reached 10.8% for two months. During this period, the manufacturing base had not been destroyed. The economy is now arguably worse than it was in 1982. Many Americans who worked in manufacturing before the recession cannot be retrained, and the factories where they worked will not be reopened. Many companies have recently adopted the policy that they will keep as much of their work-force temporary for as long as possible. This keeps the cost of benefits low and allows firms to fire people quickly and without severance. A hiring strike by American businesses would contribute to putting 200,000 to 300,000 people out of work per month. At the peak of the recession that just ended, there were nearly six job seekers for every open job, according to the Labor Department. The job market could return to that point.

3. Consumer Spending

One of the primary reasons that consumer buying activity did not grind to a halt at the beginning of the last recession was that people still had access to a huge reservoir of home equity loans, most of which were taken out at the peak of the real estate market in 2005 and 2006. The New York Times recently reported that "lenders wrote off as uncollectible $11.1 billion in home equity loans and $19.9 billion in home equity lines of credit in 2009, more than they wrote off on primary mortgages, government data shows. So far this year, the trend is the same." Retail activity was helped somewhat by the capital available on these lines of credit, so store closings were probably deferred to the latter part of 2008. With more than 11 million mortgages underwater, 24% of the national total, and several million more within a few percentage points of being negative, the consumer will have no cushion as the economy deteriorates over the next six months.

4. Consumer Confidence

Consumer confidence, the critical gauge of the activity that represents two-thirds of U.S. GDP, will plummet again. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index would certainly move back toward the all-time low it hit in February 2009 when it reached 25. Currently, the measure in most months is closer to 60.


5. Auto Industry

Auto sales, one of the primary barometers of consumer economic activity and manufacturing output, would probably drop back to recession levels. People concerned about employment will defer car purchases. Annual car sales in the U.S. were over 16 million in 2005 but dropped to just above 10 million in 2009. The car companies hope that domestic sales will rise to 11.5 million this year. In a double-dip recession, at least 1 million of those annual sales would be lost.

6. Trade

The nominal balance of trade would almost certainly drop, probably to a deficit of $25 billion a month, as the U.S. takes in fewer imports due to low demand for consumer goods and business inventory. Exports would also drop because an economic crisis in the U.S. would spread quickly worldwide. This is because of the tremendous size of the U.S. GDP in relation to that of any other country. The drop in imports would be a signal that business activity had slowed in China, the rest of Asia and Europe. Demand for consumer and business goods would drop in most regions, forcing a nearly universal cut in jobs outside the U.S.

7. Budget

The budget deficit would grow beyond the $1.5 trillion it should reach this year. Treasury receipts fell to $2.1 trillion in the federal fiscal year 2009 and are down to $1.7 trillion so far in the 2010 period. If history is any guide, receipts in a second recession could drop by as much as $200 trillion a year as tax receipts from both business and individuals falter. The demand on the federal government to render aid to the unemployed could add $50 billion to annual government outlays. Unemployment insurance will cost Washington $44 billion this year. As states run out of money to cover benefits, more of the burden could fall to the federal government.

8. National Debt

The rise in the deficit and a rapid increase in the American national debt would cause concern among the capital markets investors who purchase U.S. Treasuries. The inability of the Treasury to rein in spending will cause borrowing to increase. This in turn could bring the government's debt rating down, in turn causing U.S. borrowing costs to rise. Increasing costs will then raise the annual expenditure to run the government by increasing debt service.

9. Stock Market

If the performance of the equity markets in 2008 and early 2009 is any indication, the S&P 500 would drop from its current level of about 1,100 to a low of 676, which it hit in March 2009. This would take trillions of dollars off business balance sheets and from consumer retirement and brokerage accounts. Businesses would become less likely to invest in new plants, equipment and services. For individuals, many would see a large part of their retirement disappear. That would cause a huge drop in consumer spending as people attempt to preserve cash, perpetuating further drops in the stock market.

10. Banking

The effect on most of the financial services industry would be catastrophic, particularly at the regional and community bank level where a number of home and commercial real estate loans are held. The FDIC would be forced to borrow money from the Treasury to cover bank closings. The number of failed banks could reach the level of the savings and loan crisis during which over 700 banks and mortgage lenders were shuttered.

11. Interest Rates

As the great majority of economists have pointed out, the Fed has already dropped interest rates to zero. This means the central bank is out of ammunition.

The Latest Hollywood Diet Is Kirstie Alleys Organic Liaison

By Noemi Mayberry

Every week there is a new version of the Hollywood Diet and each has its own benefits and downfalls. Many of the diets have been promoted by famous spokespeople or promoted as a way to lose weight quick.

Many of the diets work along the thoughts of starvation and quick loss due to the necessity to wear a gown for an event. Of all the diets available it is important to find one that not only works but, is also healthy.

Kirstie Alley has a new diet plan that encourages a healthy source of food as well as a healthy mind set. The plan concentrates on all aspects associated with dieting to include the food, the mind and the body.

Most diets have a food plan that includes horrible non textured food or taking numerous pills on a daily basis. This plan, the Organic Liaison, includes recipes for delicious meals that are organic and healthy.

Her program for weight loss has been designed to ease the person into a change in diet from eating unhealthy to eating organic. Her design is also meant to be a fun way of losing weight with the many different tools available on the site. There are areas to communicate with others on the same plan and charts for monitoring weight loss.

The plan also has optional supplements available such as nutrients for body cleansing and supplements to help you sleep while dieting. The plan is designed to promote exercise, good food, necessary supplements and support. It has been slightly designed around the Jenny Craig program which Kirstie was a spokesperson for.

When choosing a Hollywood Diet it is important to remember that many have been created and advertised as a quick solution to losing weight quick which is extremely unhealthy. For the best and most long term results, the plan should be one that promotes a healthy food plan, exercise routine and support.

About the Author:

Want to find more about hollywood then check out all your favorite stars and see the latest hollywood celebrity photos.

ABC The Bachelor Pad Launches Dirty Secrets

By Denise Charles

ABC's Bachelor is about to premier soon and the actors to the entire season have been mapped out on spoiler sites. We have a reliable source of info from the past, I'm quite confident that his Bachelor Pad spoilers are proper about the cast.

That stated, if you want to know a Bachelor Pad spoiler but do not want to know the end of the show, here are some Bachelor Pad spoilers that won't spoil the show for you.

Here is what you are able to assume on this season of Bachelor Pad:

There will likely be competitions, dates and sure, roses. The winners on the competitions get to go on group dates and whoever gets a rose is safe for that week. Every week a guy along with a woman will likely be voted out. The very last man or woman standing wins $250,000.

Jake Pavelka will likely be on Bachelor Pad, but not as a contestant. Newly solitary Bachelor Jake Pavelka is going to be for the show but not to discover love. Rather, he is going to be a judge along with former Bachelorettes Trista Sutter and Jillian Harris. Sorry to people who are hoping that Jake will locate Mrs. Right! Will not be happening.

Does anyone find love on the show? A couple of people do but most just romance on the bachelor pad.

The competitions are quite tame. This aint Survivor, so don't assume to see endurance competitions or something as well physically demanding. But a single competition a pie eating contest makes a couple of cast members sick. This show is starting to sound far more and more like Big Brother. I hope there weren't any bugs involved.

You can find some hookups, but mostly from the very first base range. But there's a Fantasy Suite provided following every date and it does get used a couple of times.

The things people will do for love and money.

Of the cast members Who could be the stupidest girl in the property? I'd say any lady who signed up to accomplish this present, but since a $250,000 prize is at stake, even the stupidest woman could wind up laughing all the way to the bank.

No winner has been determined yet and the finale will not tape right up until September. That signifies the Top 4 is the farthest the spoiler sites can go for now. Most likely a good move on ABC's part, but unless they air the final showdown reside, the winner's name will likely be leaked prior to the finale airing.

About the Author:

To see the bachelor pad spoilers and more of the bachelor pad come see our site.

Vegas Father Charged With Beating, Freezing Infant; Accused Claims Fractures Were from a Fall

LAS VEGAS (CBS/KLAS) Police arrested a Las Vegas man on child abuse charges Monday for allegedly kicking and hitting his 4-month-old son before putting him in the freezer while the mother was away, said CBS affiliate KLAS.

Randy Thomsen, 25, told police his son Alexander fell off the couch May 27, causing head injuries. According to KLAS, when the mother, Mayra Meza-Irra, took the child for medical care almost a week later, doctors determined the boy had sustained a fractured skull and broken ribs -- severe injuries for a fall. Medical specialists concluded that the child suffered from four rib fractures, and possibly a fifth, inconsistent with Alexander falling off the couch.


However, according to the police report, the mother said her 5-year-old daughter may have caused the injuries when she took the infant out of the crib, said The Las Vegas Sun.

Detectives interviewed the daughter, who was home when alleged abuse happened. She told police she saw Thomsen shake, hit and kick the baby, and that he once put the child in the freezer and closed the door, said KLAS. According to police, the abuse took place while the mother was at work.


Thomsen was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and charged with one count of child abuse with substantial bodily harm. Police records indicate that Thomsen is a documented gang member and has previous charges for assault, battery and attempted murder.

As oil spews in Gulf, BP chief at UK yacht race

Play Video CNBC  – Future Of Drilling In Gulf

• Slideshow:Gulf Coast Oil Spill
• Play Video Energy & Oil Video:Tony Hayward Pushed Aside ABC News

AP – **ADDS QUOTE FROM BP SPOKESWOMAN** The yacht 'Bob' owned by BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward, sails during …

By RAPHAEL SATTER, Associated Press Writer Raphael Satter, Associated Press Writer – 52 mins ago

LONDON – BP chief executive Tony Hayward, often criticized for being tone-deaf to U.S. concerns about the worst oil spill in American history, took time off Saturday to attend a glitzy yacht race off England's Isle of Wight.

Spokeswoman Sheila Williams said Hayward took a break from overseeing BP efforts to stem the undersea gusher in Gulf of Mexico to watch his boat "Bob" participate in the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.

The one-day yacht race is one of the world's largest, attracting hundreds of boats and thousands of sailors.
In a statement, BP described Hayward's day off as "a rare moment of private time" and said that "no matter where he is, he is always in touch with what is happening within BP" and can direct recovery operations if required.

That is likely to be a hard sell in Gulf states struggling to deal with the up to 120 million gallons of oil that have escaped from a blown-out undersea well.

A pair of relief wells that won't be done until August is the best bet to stop the massive spill that was set off by an oil rig explosion that killed 11 workers on April 20. BP has been hammered for its response, in part because of comments by Hayward that Gulf Coast residents horrified by the spill consider insensitive.
By late June, the oil giant hopes it can keep nearly 90 percent of the flow from hitting the ocean. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen on Friday said a newly expanded containment system is capturing or incinerating more than 1 million gallons (3.8 million liters) of oil daily, the first time it has approached its peak capacity.

British environmental groups immediately slammed Hayward's outing. Charlie Kronick of Greenpeace said Hayward was "rubbing salt into the wounds" of Gulf residents whose livelihoods have been wrecked by the disaster.

"Clearly it is incredibly insulting for him to be sailing in the Isle of Wight," he said.

Hugh Walding, the coordinator of the Isle of Wight Friends of the Earth, said Hayward's choice of venue was sure to arouse anger.

"I'm sure that this will be seen as yet another public relations disaster," Walding said.

Hayward's public persona has already dented the company's image. Hayward angered many in the United States when he was quoted in the Times of London as suggesting that Americans were particularly likely to file bogus claims. He later shocked residents in Louisiana by telling them that no one wanted to resolve the crisis as badly as he did, adding: "I'd like my life back."

On Thursday, Hayward told lawmakers on a U.S. House investigations panel that he was out of the loop on decisions surrounding the blown well. Both Democrats and Republicans were infuriated when he asserted, "I'm not stonewalling."

The next day, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg seemed to suggest that Hayward was being withdrawn from the front line of the oil spill response, although his comments were later qualified by company spokespeople.
"It is clear that Tony has made remarks that have upset people," Svanberg said in a U.K. television interview.
It was not clear whether Hayward actually took part in Saturday's race or attended as a spectator. Williams refused to comment beyond saying that the embattled chief executive was there with his son.

Peta Stuart-Hunt, a press officer for the event, said Hayward "wasn't listed on any of the crew list." She said she could not immediately who was on the crew list.

"If he is on the boat, he's in contravention of the rules," she said.

An Indiana County woman has been charged with having sex with a horse

CLYMER - An Indiana County woman has been charged with having sex with a horse, state police at Indiana said Tuesday.

Dovie Lee Kerner, 46, of Plumville also allegedly had sex with other animals including a dog and a pig, court documents state.

The investigation began in November 2008 when it was reported by two officials from the Humane Society of Indiana County, police said.

One of the officials said she received a phone call from a confidential informant who asked her if it was illegal to have sex with an animal. When told yes, the informant said he had a video on his cell phone of Kerner having sex with a horse, court documents state.

Because of Kerner's alleged sexual activities with other men and animals, the informant, who had dated the woman, and his Jack Russell terrier both contracted sexually transmitted diseases, court documents state.

Kerner is charged with two counts each of obscene and other sexual materials and performances and disorderly conduct and one count of sexual intercourse with an animal.

The charges were filed before Magisterial District Judge George Thachik. No preliminary hearing date has been set, according to online court records.
resource: http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/529344.html?nav=742

The Top Three Reasons Why We Enjoy Celeb Gossip

By Shawne M.J. Patrick

Why is it that many of us are fascinated with celebrities? Come on, you know it's true! Who hasn't picked up the newest gossip magazine in the checkout line at the corner store, and gotten their fix of celeb gossip? I know i have! And you know those magazines wouldn't be there if nobody acquired them!

So why do we girls and guys have such an obsession with following the lives of folks we don't know? Well read on for the top three reasons we adore celebrity gossip, and particularly wedding gossip!

Reason #1: It's such a lot of fun living vicariously through the lives of others. I mean let's admit it - most of us will likely never just jet off to the Caribbean to get married to a twenty something super model in a lavish and secret marriage attended by all the biggest names in Hollywood. We love reading about celeb's famous and infrequently infamous weddings as it lets us pretend and think what it would be like to live a famous and fabulously made life. I mean actually, what would it be like getting married in an Italian castle like Tom and Katie?

Reason #2: It makes us feel happier about ourselves! It's simply a fact of mankind's nature that no matter how bad our own lives seem to be, there's always somebody else out there who will cause you to feel better about your own situation. Sure, you could be trying to pay the bills with a night stocker job at the local Wal-Mart, but at least you did not get pregnant with octuplets and then have no-one in the media care about it! Sure, you may not have been able to have 1,000,000 dollar marriage on an exotic island, but at least your wedding is still intact after a decade instead of ten minutes, like a certain country music star we know. Rhymes with Benny Lesney?

Reason #3: Because it's there! Infrequently, celebs are like a train wreck - you don't want to watch, but you cannot look away! It is not like you want to watch Brittany going down in flames and shaving her head bald, leaving K-Fed as the responsible parent ( yikes ) but dang, how are you able to not watch? And if they had no wish their escapades splashed all over the media, then maybe they shouldn't be acting crazy! I mean, how many country stars do you see in the tabloids, besides the one mentioned above of course? Not many, because they aren't out wrecking Ferraris (cough, cough Sarah Harding).

About the Author:

So there you have it, the top three reasons we adore celebrity gossip! It could be electrifying, it may be abominable, it may be amazing, but celeb gossip is always entertaining! And entertainment is the spice of life!

Colts' Owner Irsay Says Team Will Break Bank To Retain Peyton Manning

By Ross Everett

In what has to be one of the least difficult front office personnel decisions in sports history, Indianapolis Colts' owner Jim Irsay has confirmed that the team will sign quarterback Peyton Manning to a contract extension that could make him the highest paid player in NFL history. Manning's current deal will expire after the end of the 2010 season, with the final two years having been voided due to his meeting a number of performance based criteria. Despite losing the Superbowl this year, the Colts have not wavered on their commitment to Manning as the longterm QB for the team.

You can tell that an owner is adamant about resigning a player when he tells the media that he wants to make him the highest paid player in league history, and Irsay did just that at the NFL's Superbowl media day on Monday:

"You know it's going to get done. I think it's clear, and we'll start on it this summer. That's been the way we do things [to hammer out an extension when a player is entering the final year of his contract]. And it'll be the biggest [contract] in history; there's not much doubt about that."

Not exactly the most advantageous negotiating position to make public that you're committed to breaking the bank to resign a player. Then again, it's not like Manning is a quarterback that can easily be replaced as Irsay emphasized:

"It simply comes to one question, and that's replaceability. Everything is based on the replaceability factor. You make decisions based on who you can afford to target and keep. ... Other guys you really want to [re-sign] you might have trouble doing it, because of what it costs you, and how much attention they're getting [from other teams in free agency]. We don't have that luxury and we've had to work hard."

Manning's agent, Tom Condon, has already had preliminary discussions with the Colts' management about a new deal. Condon also represent's Peyton's brother Eli Manning, and negotiated a $97.5 million contract extension from the New York Giants for him last year. Peyton's contract will almost certainly exceed those figures, with some speculating that he could receive $20 million per year with a $50 million signing bonus up front.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports and one of the world's foremost experts on NFL football handicapping. He is a widely published freelance writer specializing in soccer, fencing, auto racing and fantasy role playing games. He provides daily free sports picks to a number of broadcast media outlets. Ross lives in Las Vegas with an Asian houseboy, three dogs and a retired racing wombat.

Sexually Abused Children of the World

TRENTON, N.J. – Two adults and three juveniles have been charged with gang-raping a 7-year-old girl who was sold by her 15-year-old stepsister during a party at a crime-ridden apartment building, police said Saturday. Details on the arrests were announced at a Saturday night news conference at police headquarters in Trenton, the state's capital city.

The arrested people include a 20-year-old man who already had been charged Friday with having sex with the 15-year-old. The other four are a 19-year-old Trenton man and boys ages 13, 14 and 17. Each was charged with aggravated sexual assault and child endangerment.

Police said further arrests may be made in the case, which shocked residents of the gritty Rowan Towers apartment building.

Authorities say the 7-year-old girl was offered for sale by her stepsister on March 28. They say the stepsister went to a party with some men at Rowan Towers and the younger girl tagged along because she worried about her stepsister's safety.

Police say the 15-year-old sold sex to men, then took money to let them touch the younger girl. They say touching turned to forcible sex as at least seven men raped the 7-year-old.

Before Saturday's arrest announcement, the 15-year-old had been charged with promoting prostitution, aggravated sexual assault and other crimes; police have not released her name, and she remained in juvenile detention Saturday night.

Mayor Doug Palmer said he met with the victim's relatives at his office on Thursday to offer help and make sure they were able to move out of the neighborhood over safety concerns.

"We made sure they got out of the area," he said Saturday afternoon, before the news conference.

He credited the police force for its hard work but said "we're still not finished." He pledged to spare no expense "to make sure that everyone responsible is brought to justice."

"We're still asking the community to let us know if they have any more information on this heinous crime," he said.

Palmer met with the parents, the 7-year-old girl and her two younger siblings. The woman is the mother of the 7-year-old girl, and the man she lives with is the father of the 15-year-old. The man and woman also have two toddlers together.

He said police officers had taken the case "very personally."

Police Director Irving Bradley would only say "it's still an active investigation."

Police earlier in the week were urging residents to come forward, but neighbors said they were scared of retaliation from gangs that prowl the streets if they spoke up.

Rowan Towers sits on a stretch of West State Street near downtown Trenton and is surrounded by blocks of abandoned, boarded-up homes. It's fronted by a well-manicured lawn and features a colorful playground and a basketball court. An American flag hangs from a pole to the right of the front door.
resource: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100403/ap_on_re_us/us_teen_sister_sex

LONDON – The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has lost all credibility because of its mishandling of abuse by priests, the leader of the Anglican church said in remarks released Saturday. A leading Catholic archbishop said he was "stunned" by the comments.

The remarks released Saturday marked the first time Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has spoken publicly on the crisis engulfing the Catholic Church. The comments come ahead of a planned visit to England and Scotland by Pope Benedict XVI later this year.

"I was speaking to an Irish friend recently who was saying that it's quite difficult in some parts of Ireland to go down the street wearing a clerical collar now," Williams told the BBC. "And an institution so deeply bound into the life of a society, suddenly becoming, suddenly losing all credibility — that's not just a problem for the church, it is a problem for everybody in Ireland, I think."

At the Vatican, the pope celebrated Easter Vigil on Saturday evening but didn't directly refer to the scandal in his homily.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano on Saturday denounced what it called the "vile defamation campaign" against the pope and cited messages of solidarity that had arrived from bishops from around the world.

Benedict, who on Sunday celebrates Easter and delivers his "Urbi et Orbi" speech, hasn't made any explicit reference to the scandal since he released a letter to the Irish faithful concerning the abuse crisis in that country on March 20.

The interview with Williams, recorded March 26, is to be aired Monday on the BBC's "Start the Week" program as part of a general discussion of religion to mark Easter. But its publication ahead of the interview caught Catholic leaders off guard.

Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said he had "rarely felt personally so discouraged" as when he heard Williams' opinions.

"I have been more than forthright in addressing the failures of the Catholic Church in Ireland. I still shudder when I think of the harm that was caused to abused children. I recognize that their church failed them," a statement, posted on the archdiocese's Web site, said. "Those working for renewal in the Catholic Church in Ireland did not need this comment on this Easter weekend and do not deserve it."

Martin also noted that that Anglican leaders in Ireland — including the Church of Ireland's Archbishop of Dublin John Neill and Bishop Richard Clarke — had distanced themselves from Williams' statements, with Clarke describing them as careless.

Martin later said that Williams had called him to express regret for the "difficulties which may have been created" by the interview, but it wasn't clear if that constituted an apology or whether Williams still stood by his remarks.

Calls to Williams' office seeking comment on his interview and the call to Martin were not immediately returned.

The Catholic church has been on the defensive over accusations that leaders protected child abusers for decades in many countries, and Williams' criticisms are likely to strain already testy relations between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion — which estimate 1.1 billion and 80 million adherents respectively.

Although both the pope and the archbishop of Canterbury have stressed the importance of healing the Reformation-era rift that split the churches in the 16th century, relations hit a low point last year when the Vatican invited conservative Anglicans to join the Catholic Church.

How many will take up the offer is still unknown, although in the interview Williams said he didn't think the issue "is going to be a big deal."

"I think there'll be a few people who will take advantage of it — and they'll take advantage of it because they believe they ought to be in communion with the bishop of Rome. And I can only say fine, God bless them."

The strained relations come at an awkward time for both churches, which are under considerable internal pressure.

The Catholic Church has been rocked by sex abuse scandals in countries such as the United States, Germany and Ireland, where Cardinal Sean Brady faces calls for his resignation following allegations that he played a role in helping to cover up activities of pedophile priests.

The pope himself has come under fire, with critics accusing Benedict — who as a Vatican cardinal directed the Holy See's policy on handling abuse cases — was part of a culture of secrecy intended to protect church hierarchy.

The Anglican Church, meanwhile, still faces bruising internal debates — or even a potential split — over what rights to extend to homosexuals and women within the church.

The pope's planned first official visit to Britain in November already has generated controversy and promises of protests after Benedict's criticism of British rules designed to protect gays and women in the workplace, which have raised fears at the Vatican that the Catholic Church could eventually be prosecuted for refusing to hire gays or transsexuals.

Both Williams and Benedict are due to meet during the visit to Britain, but the archbishop seemed curt when describing how he would greet the pope at Lambeth Palace, his official residence just south of the River Thames.

Williams said the pontiff would be welcomed as "as a valued partner, and that's about it."

In the interview, Williams said Christian institutions, faced with the choice of self-protection or revealing potentially damaging secrets, have decided to keep quiet to preserve their credibility.

"We've learned that that is damaging, it's wrong, it's dishonest and it requires that very hard recognition ... which ought to be natural for the Christian church based as it is on repentance and honesty," he said.
resource: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100403/ap_on_re_eu/eu_church_abuse

Children who have been sexually abused can develop special behavioral problems. Many will act out their anger and or other feelings that may seem inappropriate. While it is certainly desirable to set limits on inappropriate behaviors, it is important to keep in mind that children who have been abused have special need. Behind every behavioral problem is a reason. Talking with your child and bringing such issues up in therapy, can help to gain an understanding of why your child is behaving in certain ways. Once something is understood it will be easier to find an answer, which will lead to eliminating the problem behaviors altogether. It's important to remember that punishment is not always an effective way to eliminate problem behaviors, and some behaviors, such as bed wetting, may not respond to discipline at all.

1. Sexually Acting Out. Can be defined as excessive and/or public masturbation, constant focus on sex and/or sexual behaviors, often stems from a child having been forced to perform sexual acts. Children can be confused between sexual behavior, sexuality and feelings of love and affection. Sexually abused children have not been allowed to develop their own sexuality according to their own developmental time frame. This means that the body and mind are in different place, and there may not be adequate impulse control. Special attention should be given if you notice a child who is acting sexually with another child, particularly if there is a big age difference.

* Explain the difference between public and private behaviors. For example, exploring our bodies is o.k., but it is not to be done in public. Explain that sexuality is best kept private, as it is a very special thing we do not share with everybody! Also stress the difference between private and secret. Sexuality is never a secret!

* Explain the difference between sex an love, and how we can express non-sexual love for people and reserve sex for when we are grown up. There is nothing wrong with wanting touch, like a hug or pat on the back.

* Keep in mind that sexually abused children have a tendency to sexualize things that are not usually sexual. Help your child figure out the difference!

* Also keep in mind that some sex play between similarly-aged children is normal. Consult sex play handout for clarification. In many cases, simply pointing out that it's not o.k. for children who are a lot older to have sex play with younger children is enough to deter them, otherwise consult a professional.

* Remember that you can give your kids good information about sex and sexuality and still teach them your own values. Hiding information about sex from you kids will only serve to make them more vulnerable and confused. Sex education is very important, and if you don't educate your children, someone else will!

2. Aggressive Behavior. Ranging form short-temperedness and low tolerance for frustration to abuse of animals and setting-fires, is very common among sexually abused children. This is a form of acting-out behavior as a way to express anger safely (see conduct disorders).

* Encourage your child to express his/her anger in other ways. Have time set aside formal "group scream" or pounding a pillow are both helpful forms of anger work.

* Teaching by Example. If you frequently loose your temper with your child and/or "rant and rave" a lot, you are sending a message that it's o.k. to take your anger out on other people. The same is true if you hit or spank your child to indicate you are displease with their behavior. You are teaching them to solve problems by the use of violence.

* Use non-punitive behavior management techniques, such as time out for younger children and loss of privileges for older children, to eliminate specific behaviors.

* Encourage expression of feelings as a whole, validating whatever feeling your child is having. Even though you may not like what they say, your child has a right to feel whatever he/she feels (i.e. mad, sad, happy, scared, angry, . . . ). Even if we don't understand why are children may feel certain ways, it is important to send them a message that it's o.k. to feel the way they feel and to express their feelings. Having this kind of environment may prevent aggressive behavior.

* Don't set children up to fail. Giving children the opportunities to do things like set fires or smash valuables make those behaviors more likely to occur. It's important to child-proof your home!

* Severe behavior and conduct problems in adolescents, such as fire-setting and/or animal abuse, indicate professional help is needed!

3. Anxiety Problems can be extremely frustrating. This category includes problems at bedtime, noncompliance with lights off, terrible fears of the dark, the washroom, certain objects or places, people with certain characteristics, etc.
resource: http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/behavioralproblems.html

ObamaCare: A Fairy Tale – or How the Gay Community Lost Its Magic Power

Big Government by Charles Winecoff
Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away – called New York City – there was a special place where fairies could go when they weren’t feeling well.  It was known as the Gay Men’s Health Project.  The friendly bears and slender youths who ran this magical dispensary helped unlucky fairies mend their wings and wee-wees so they could get back to working through their issues and flit off to the nearest after-hours disco, bath house, abandoned truck or dilapidated pier.

Because they knew the empire wasn’t going to do it for them, the handsome lords and lads of Greenwich Village worked in unison to take care of their own kind.  An invisible tribe that blended easily into the population at large, they understood that the heterosexist king’s medicine men were not attuned to their unique needs; they did not want uncaring jesters from the court making choices about their bodies.  So the fairies raised their voices as loud as they could to make sure they had access to like-minded, sympathetic healers who would not make them feel ashamed of their behavior (and would get them back on the dance floor ASAP).

Then, in the year of eight tens and two, the fairies began to wither by the thousands and fall from the sky.  No one knew why.  So those who were still of able body came together again to build a new safe haven specifically for their sick brothers: a non-profit service organization called the Gay Men’s Health Crisis.  Thanks to the actions and determination of these bold heroes, GMHC succeeded in providing legal aid, counseling, and even some housing to 15,000 fellows affected by HIV and AIDS.

But the elders, led by the prophet Larry Kramer, soon became weary of doing all the work themselves. They wanted support from the royal court.  So they amassed an army specifically to agitate and create awareness of  the needs of their ailing brethren.  They called their legion of troops ACT UP, and their motto was SILENCE = DEATH.


The warrior fairies did not trust the king and queen, who hailed from a make-believe place called Hollywood.  Even though there were many fairies in Hollywood, the elders imagined that the king, whose name was marked by a malevolent ”R,” would round up their infected friends and lock them in concentration camps.  The fairies only trusted royals whose names boasted a benevolent ”D.”

So fearing the worst, they paid no heed to the warnings of their own shamans.  Instead, they fought to protect their underground turf from the imaginary menace of the “R” invaders by keeping their fairy-only, non-reproductive recreation centers open.  Thousands more fairies fell from the sky.

Time passed.  Powerful potions were eventually conjured up to keep infected fairies healthy and alive.  Kings began to grant them audiences, and the peasantry as a whole became more accepting of their existence, and appreciative of their hard history.  The fairies were celebrated and honored for the injustices they endured.  The peasantry took extra care to be more tolerant of fairy feelings.

But the fairies couldn’t reciprocate.  They didn’t know how to trust or to let down their guard.  They had become addicted to attention, self-pity, and anger.

When the two mighty towers were destroyed by flying far-right religious trolls, who had a blood-soaked and homophobic history, the new king took fierce action to prevent any further attacks.  But because this king also sported an “R’ after his name (and wore a cowboy hat), the fairies felt it was against their religion (D-ism) to support his efforts.

Instead, they mocked him, accused him of plotting a sinister master plan, and prayed for his assassination.  They stood in solidarity with anyone who railed against the “R”-lettered king.   And they remained willfully ignorant of the plight of their less fortunate fellow fairies in far-away lands, who were still being brutalized by evil trolls.  They were no longer capable of recognizing an enemy.

Domestic fairies enjoyed many fetishes, but none was so great as their fetish for the letter “D.”  They became isolated from the rest of their countrymen within their own affluent domain, commonly referred to as “the gay ghetto.”  They became obsessed with how they were portrayed in minstrel shows, and they presented golden statuettes to any princess who extolled their virtues in the Land of Make Believe.  They became lazy and self-satisfied, but annoyed that some people still lived by ancient beliefs and rules that did not include them.  They demanded that all beliefs and customs that did not take them into consideration be “reformed” (whether or not they really wanted anything to do with those beliefs).

Finally, in the year twenty and nine, a Savior arrived who was similar to the trolls in color and name, but who wore a holy letter “D.”  He promised to be the fairies’ best friend.  He promised to ban the law of the land that prevented them from joining in blessed unions like the rest of the peasantry.  He also vowed to allow the fairies to serve, in all their proud flamboyance, in His armed forces.

But the King’s seductive words proved meaningless.  He was more concerned with soothing the savage trolls with His charm - to what end, no one was sure – while dreaming up ways to siphon the peasants’ money.

To that end, the King passed a grand law that, He declared, would improve the physical and financial health of every single person under the crown, including the fairies.  But the peasant majority was suspicious of the King’s intent, and challenged Him, loudly and publicly.  This made the King frown, and totally threw Him off his game.

The King wasn’t interested in what the peasants wanted.  He believed He was the smartest man in the world.  So He just scowled, and lectured, and got His way.  His royal henchmen laughed in the faces of the good, hard-working peasants.

The fairies, who were once the most boisterous rebels in all the land, didn’t rush to the peasants’ defense.  They made not even a peep.  Transfixed by the King’s big “D,” their fairy spirit had been paralyzed.  Polarized by pride (and prejudice), they were no longer able to question authority - and certainly not the motives of their smiling Messiah.

It didn’t matter that many of the witch doctors who had long toiled to eradicate AIDS doubted that the King’s costly law would actually be beneficial to ailing fairies, leaving them instead with fewer, less potent spells.
It didn’t matter that nowhere in the final law passed by the all the King’s men were the fairies’ needs – medical or legal - even mentioned.  Those crucial words had vanished, quietly replaced by a pricey call for abstinence, something the fairies had long shunned.

It didn’t matter that a provision giving the loving partners of fairies the same tax exclusion as peasant spouses on the value of employer-provided health benefits was also removed.  It didn’t matter that the King’s law (which He called “my bill”) made it more advantageous for fairies to remain unmarried.
It didn’t matter that a prosperous mouthpiece for the fairies openly announced his disappointment in the decree, or that a spokesperson for the King declined to comment.

It didn’t matter that one of the King’s henchmen declared that, more important than healing fairies’ bodies, the new law would fix the “mal-distribution” of wealth among the peasantry.  Nor did it matter that another apple-polisher let it slip that the underlying goal was “to control the people.”

And it didn’t matter that the UN, which was teeming with fairy-hating trolls, hailed the King’s bill as a demigodsend.

The only thing that mattered to the fairies was that their King had a “D” after his name. In their hard-won comfort, they had forgotten how to fight.  They waved away any inconvenient reality that didn’t glorify the mythical icon.  Their own tough, triumphant past no longer moved them.  A pampered new generation of fairies mistook ”equality” for “freedom,” and had no knowledge  of the fickle nature of politics or safety.  They believed Lady Gaga was forever.

SILENCE now equalled COMPLICITY.

And so they marched in unison again.  Only this time, it wasn’t a movement born of urgency, compassion, or even thought. It was the catatonic death march of the true believer.  The fairies had turned into the fanatics they once abhorred.  And that is how they gave up their magic power and lost their ability to soar.
Yes, Virginia, there is an end to this story.  We just don’t know exactly what it is yet.

Me real beauties: Cap’n Jack bans false breasts

Times Online IF the predatory molls and purse-snatching lassies in the next Pirates of the Caribbean blockbuster seem a little deflated compared with their swashbuckling predecessors, blame it on Walt Disney’s new ban on actresses with artificial enhancements.

Under Rob Marshall, the director of the fourth chapter of the family films, only the naturally endowed will stand a chance of crossing swords with Johnny Depp.

In a request to casting directors circulated around Los Angeles last week, the film-makers say they are seeking “beautiful female fit models. Must be 5ft 7in-5ft 8in, size 4 or 6, no bigger or smaller. Age 18-25. Must have a lean dancer body. Must have real breasts. Do not submit if you have implants.”

The film-makers warn that there will be a “show and tell” day with costume designers where potential actresses will be expected to run — a venerable Hollywood test to detect false breasts, which move less freely than the real thing during action sequences.

The actresses, who must also be able to dive and swim, are needed for scenes to be shot in Hawaii this summer. The film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, is due to be released in May 2011.

Depp will return as Captain Jack Sparrow in what Disney hopes will be the start of a new trilogy. Ian McShane, the British actor, has been cast as Blackbeard and Penelope Cruz will replace Keira Knightley as the love interest.

Knightley, 24, who was 18 when she shot the first Pirates movie, did not have to face the indignity of an enhancement test. “I am not that well endowed so they literally painted in my cleavage,” she said.

“It took about 45 minutes every day for make-up artists to add shade and volume and it looked fantastic until it got too hot shooting. Then the make-up would start smearing and the lines running away.”

She tried alternatives such as a bodice which shrunk her waist to 18 inches. It gave her a tremendous cleavage by squeezing her breasts “up and out” but also left her with only enough oxygen to breathe for 10 minutes: “After that I started passing out.”

However, publicity posters for the film King Arthur, in which Knightley played Guinevere, were digitally enhanced to give her bigger breasts.

Sources said this was the first time such an edict had been passed on a Pirates film: “In the last movie there were enhanced breasts to give that 18th-century whoreish look and men were pretty well padded, too, and no one worried,” said a former casting agent. “But times are changing and the audience can spot false breasts.”

Cruz, the Spanish Oscar winner, is said not to know about the casting decisions. But she said that acting in Nine had exposed her “to some wonderfully beautiful women of all shapes, styles and sizes”.

If Marshall and Disney are frowning on plastic surgery “cheats”, they may reflect a change in public attitudes. A Disney spokesman said: "We never comment on casting rumours." Earlier this month the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (Asaps) announced that while breast augmentations remained the most popular procedure in America, the number of operations had dropped from 365,000 to 312,000 — and is expected to decline again this year. “Not only are numbers down, which can be partially explained by the recession, but women are asking for smaller enlargements,” said Renato Saltz, the president of Asaps and a Utah plastic surgeon.

“Women used to want the most bang for their buck, but now I see many opting instead for a C-cup over a traditional double-D because they want something more subtle, not something that stops a room talking.”

The former casting agent said: “Directors such as Martin Scorsese already avoid employing actresses using Botox or with collagen inflated lips. They know what they want, which is to avoid vulgar distractions. In Hollywood movies, where everything else is false, nothing is more valued than natural beauty.”