Taylor Swift Captivates Crowd With Eminem Cover

As if Taylor Swift's sweet persona weren't enough in itself to captivate fans on her current Speak Now tour--the superstar singer has come up with an infectious, simple way to really get each individual crowd pumping.

Swift's been paying homage to hometown music in each city she visits, covering hits by star artists from the area. It's a great idea, as evidenced by the appreciative screams from the audience each time she does it. So far, she's paid respect to Springsteen and Bon Jovi in Jersey, and Alanis Morissette and Justin Bieber in Toronto--but our favorite to date is her tribute in Grand Rapids, Michigan on July 28.

If you're not familiar with Grand Rapids, it's the second-largest city in Michigan after Detroit. Who's from Detroit? Oh, just some dude named Eminem, that's all.

UFC 133: Evans takes rematch from Ortiz

PHILADELPHIA – Rashad Evans did his part to set up what will be one of the most contentious fights in UFC history when he pounded out Tito Ortiz on Saturday in the main event of UFC 133 at the Wells Fargo Center to earn a shot at the light heavyweight belt.

Evans, fighting for the first time in 14 months, ripped Ortiz with a knee to the solar plexus, then finished him with a series of punches on the ground. Referee Dan Miragliotta stopped it at 4:48 of the second round.

The win guarantees Evans a shot at the belt currently held by his former friend Jon “Bones” Jones. The two were once training partners, but had a bitter split earlier this year. Jones will defend his crown in the main event of UFC 135 on Sept. 24 in Denver against another rival of Evans, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Evans hammered Ortiz in the first with a series of punches and elbows, using better boxing skills to take the round. Ortiz nearly finished it early in the second when he caught Evans in a guillotine choke – the same move he used to submit Ryan Bader last month at UFC 132 – but Evans wriggled free and finished the bout a couple of minutes later.

“All the hard work, all the trials and tribulations, paid off,” Evans said.

Vitor Belfort rebounded from his February middleweight title fight loss to Anderson Silva with an impressive first-round TKO of Yoshihiro Akiyama. Belfort landed back-to-back left hands that sent Akiyama down in a heap.

Belfort wasted little time in jumping on him, causing referee Mario Yamasaki to save Akiyama at 1:52 of the first. Upon the finish, Belfort shouted, “I’m back!”

Akiyama never had a chance to defend himself as Belfort quickly pounced and finished the fight.

Brian Ebersole was taken down almost immediately after the opening bell, but the veteran didn’t panic and managed to reverse position and pound out Dennis Hallman.

Ebersole got top position and did a lot of damage to Hallman with fists and elbows, forcing referee Kevin Mulhall to stop it at 4:28 of the first round.

“The feeling is bittersweet, [because] the fight didn’t start the way I wanted it to start,” Ebersole said. “I thought I would have had to wear him down much more, but luckily for me, he had an open guard which let me get in there. I’m ecstatic about my two straight victories. I want to fight the veterans now, the ones that I came up watching.”

Hallman said he thought the fight was stopped too quickly.

Costa Philippou, a one-time Golden Gloves boxer, landed his powerful right hook just enough times to claim a close split-decision win over popular veteran Jorge Rivera.

Neither man put together a consistent offense, but Philippou landed the harder and cleaner shots to claim the win. All three judges had scored it 29-28, two for Philippou.

“I am very happy with winning my first UFC fight, but it wasn’t the way I wanted to win it,” Philippou said. “I wanted to show off my boxing skills and instead I was wrestling and using my jiu-jitsu skills. But I will learn from my mistakes and come back stronger and fitter.”

Rivera was disappointed, but had no issue with the verdict.

“I wish I had finished the fight,” Rivera said. “I think that when the decision is left to the judges, you get what you deserve, and tonight I didn’t deserve to win.”

Rory MacDonald, a 22-year-old from Kelowna, B.C., showed why he is one of the UFC’s best prospects with an impressive first-round stoppage of veteran Mike Pyle. MacDonald, who knocked Pyle down with a counter right early in the round, finished him with a ground-and-pound attack.

MacDonald landed a left from the top that shook Pyle badly. MacDonald sensed he was hurt and poured it on, finishing him after a series of blows. Referee Kevin Mulhall stopped it with Pyle not defending himself at 3:54 of the first.

Just getting the win wasn’t enough, though, for MacDonald.

“I’m very happy, but I wish it went longer, so I could have shown more things,” he said. After doing next-to-nothing in the first round, towering Swede Alexander Gustafsson got the first finish of the night in the final preliminary card bout when he stopped Matt “The Hammer” Hamill in the second round.

Gustafsson, who spent the first round circling but not throwing, landed a kick that seemed to hurt Hamill. Gustafsson followed with a left hand that really rocked Hamill. Several punches later, Hamill went down, Gustafsson got the mount and quickly finished it at 3:34 of the round.

“This was by far the biggest fight of my career,” Gustafsson said. “It was unbelievable. I think that I was too defensive in the first round, but the second round I felt great. I want a career out of this. I want to fight the best guys in the world.”

Hamill said a short training camp was a problem.

“I was eager going into the Octagon, but I was also fatigued,” Hamill said. “I had little time to prepare for the fight, and you could see my fatigue as my arms were down from the start of the fight. Alexander is a dangerous striker, and it was dangerous for me to have my arms down. I’ll be back tougher than ever, though.”

Chad Mendes used his powerful wrestling to repeatedly take submission expert Rani Yahya done and grind out a 30-27 unanimous decision on all three cards. Mendes remained unbeaten and in the running for a shot at the UFC featherweight title with the win.

“Of course, we all look for a finish, but overall, I am happy with the fight and I felt good,” Mendes said. “When I took him down the first time, I wanted to see what he felt like. He’s a tough guy and I knew he would be strong. I was trying to elbow him and follow through with some quick pop shots as much as possible.”

Yahya was impressed by Mendes.

“Chad is strong and Chad is good,” Yahya said. “He is really good at what he does. He kicked me a few times and I felt them for sure, and he has great takedowns.”

Ivan Menjivar survived an all-out assault by Nick Pace in the final 45 seconds of their bantamweight fight to pull out a unanimous decision victory. Menjivar was controlling Pace with his hands and good kicks, but Pace turned the fight in his direction with a knee with about 45 seconds left.

Menjivar backed off the rest of the fight with a punching Pace in hot pursuit. Menjivar survived and earned a 29-28 verdict on all three cards. Yahoo! Sports had the same score.

“He took me down, so it was a very close fight,” Menjivar said. “I think I punched him more than he did me, so I was more in control, but he hit me hard twice and that made my legs shake.”

Pace was disappointed by the outcome, particularly since he caught Menjivar in a rear-naked choke at the end of the first, though he couldn’t get the finish.

“I hate losing more then I like winning, and I want to be the champion,” Pace said. “It was very unlucky, but that’s MMA and that’s life. It’s not always fair.”

In a very close battle between wrestlers, Johny Hendricks outlasted Mike Pierce and pulled out a split decision victory. There was little to choose from between them, though Hendricks seemed to have a slight edge in the striking.

All three judges scored it 29-28, two for Hendricks and one for Pierce. Yahoo! Sports had Hendricks 29-28.

“It was a very tough fight,” Hendricks said. “It’s always hard with other wrestlers, and he changed levels often, making it even harder. I feel that the takedowns were even. In fact, I don’t think he took me down at all. I feel awesome, my ground game is good, my knees are great and I am really happy with my improvement.”

Former World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion Mike Brown got back onto the winning track after having lost his last two by edging Nam Phan. Brown had a big first round, taking Phan down and pounding him with fists and elbows.

Phan recovered to take the second round, using a very effective body attack, but Brown won the third round to take the fight. Judges had it 29-28 twice and 29-27, all for Brown. Yahoo! Sports scored the bout 29-27 for Brown, giving him a 10-8 advantage in the dominant first round.

“At the beginning, my back was [hurting] me, so that’s why I was a little conservative, but I’m glad I got the job done,” Brown said. “There was a lot of repetitive trauma there for over four minutes, so even though I didn’t knock him out, I knew that I was breaking him down. It wasn’t the most perfect fight, but I’m happy I got the victory.”

Rafael Natal won the opening fight of the night almost exclusively with leg kicks. He turned Paul Bradley’s front leg a bright red by the middle of the first round and kept firing away on it throughout the bout en route to a unanimous decision.

Judges had it 29-28 twice and 30-27 for Natal, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who never got a chance to work his game game. It didn’t matter, though, as Natal at the very least matched Bradley with his hands and did a great job with his kicks.

“I am really, really happy about this fight!” Natal said. “I feel like I needed it. I worked really hard for it. It was a tough fight and I’m glad I came through winning.”

Special glimpse inside North Korea

Two journalists get a special inside look at daily life in secretive North Korea.

S&P Rating: Your money in a AA-rated U.S

United States bonds are no longer officially rated Triple-A, at least in the eyes of Standard & Poor's.

And while Moody's and Fitch, the other leading rating agencies, have affirmed the top rating, they too have worried about the long-term prospects for the United States.

None of this necessarily means disaster for your money. The United States has not been downgraded to "junk" status, like say, Greece. The rating is still very high -- just not tops.

Still, there could be ripple effects. Here's where.

Your stocks

Bad news for the economy generally means tough times for stocks. But history shows that when a country loses its AAA credit rating, it's not necessarily terrible news for that nation's stock market.

When Canada lost its AAA rating in April 1993, for instance, the country's stocks gained more than 15% in the subsequent year. The Tokyo stock market climbed more than 25% in the 12 months after Moody's downgraded Japan in November 1998.

S&P rating downgrade: FAQ

At the very least, a downgrade could add more fear and uncertainty to an already sluggish economic recovery, market strategists say. As a result, they advise investors to dial down risk in their equity portfolios by gravitating toward shares of larger, stable companies -- but not just any large caps.

Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist for Janney Montgomery Scott, favors "boring blue chip stocks with pristine balance sheets and that are globally diversified and therefore benefit from faster growth outside the U.S., especially in the emerging markets."

Why not just go directly to emerging market stocks? For starters, U.S.-based multinationals are a safer bet than volatile emerging market shares, especially in times of economic uncertainty. Long-forgotten U.S. multinationals are trading at much more attractive values than emerging market stocks, which have been on a tear for the past decade. And large-cap multinationals tend to pay big dividends, which come in handy during periods of slow growth.

Your bonds

In the year following Canada's downgrade in 1993, yields on 10-year Canadian bonds jumped from 7.6% to 8.1%. So there could be an uptick in U.S. bond yields, but experts didn't think it would be big.

That's because Treasuries, unlike Canadian securities, are considered a default investment for global investors seeking safety.

"There isn't a fund that owns Treasuries just because they're rated AAA," says Ben Inker, head of asset allocation for the asset management firm GMO. "They own Treasuries because, well, they're Treasuries."

That said, a downgrade would likely force investors to look at bond issuers with balance sheets, unlike the U.S.'s, that are improving.

"If you're a bond holder, you want the most credit-worthy securities," says Anthony Valeri, fixed income strategist for LPL Financial. That would mean high-quality corporate bonds and emerging market debt, he says.

After deleveraging over the past three years, U.S. corporations are sitting on nearly $2 trillion in cash.

As for emerging market countries, their ratio of debt-to-GDP is falling as the same ratio rises in the U.S. and Europe.

Plus, Americans who buy emerging market debt could see their investments rise simply because emerging market currencies are strengthening against the U.S. dollar.

Your cash

The relative safety of the different vehicles in which you might stash your cash -- FDIC-insured accounts, money market funds or short-term Treasuries, for example -- wouldn't be so affected by a downgrade that you'd need to shift your money around, say experts.

Skittish investors who wouldn't want to park their cash in downgraded Treasuries might feel more secure by putting that money into an FDIC-backed bank account instead, since it would be protected by deposit insurance, says FPA New Income manager Thomas Atteberry.

But the increased sense of security would be little more than psychological, says Peter Crane, president of Crane Data, which tracks the money-market fund industry; after all, like Treasuries, FDIC-insured accounts are ultimately backed by the same entity: the U.S. government.

As for money market mutual funds, which are not insured, the effect of a downgrade is not expected to be dramatic, since those funds generally invest in short-term debt, and discussion of a downgrade has so far been limited to long-term U.S. bonds, says Mike Krasner, managing editor of imoneynet.com, which monitors the money fund industry.

Despite a downgrade, U.S. debt would still be considered a safe haven. "Double A will become the new triple A," says Crane, "because there simply isn't a viable competitor to Treasuries."

Your borrowing

The price of consumer credit would be pegged less to a Treasury downgrade than it would be to bond investors' overall confidence, says Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics for Moody's Analytics.

Because yields -- and corresponding interest rates -- move inversely to price, rates that track shorter-term Treasuries are more likely to see a bump.

Rates on car loans, which follow shorter-term rates like the two-year Treasury or LIBOR, the London Interbank Offered Rate, could go up -- but not enough to really hit consumers, says Paul Cuevas, director of auto finance at J.D. Power & Associates.

Most mortgage rates, however, track the 10-year Treasury yield, which continues to fall. Adjustable rate mortgage holders could be slightly more vulnerable, because ARMs are typically tied to shorter-term interest rate movements, says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors.

For students and parents who rely on private student loans, any jump in borrowing costs for lenders would be passed on to borrowers, says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and Fastweb.com. Federal student loan rates would remain fixed.

Credit card rates are pegged to the prime rate, which moves with the federal funds rate. If the prime rate goes up, consumers could be hit with credit card rate hikes, says Beverly Blair Harzog of Credit.com. Even if the rate doesn't go up, she says, card issuers spooked by a credit downgrade could raise your interest rates anywhere from 1% to 5% -- but only if you've had your card for more than a year.

World’s best-dressed women

World’s best-dressed women



Princess Charlene of Monaco. Photograph: AP/Lionel Cironneau



US socialite Lizzie Tisch. Photograph: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images



British actress Tilda Swinton. Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images



 British actress Carey Mulligan. Photograph: John Shearer/Getty Images



Qatar’s Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser. Photograph: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

$8 Million Gold-Plated Rolls Redefines Excess

By G.E. Anderson, Yahoo!

What do you get for the robber baron who has everything? As if a run-of-the-mill Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB ($450,000) weren't a flashy enough statement of personal wealth, consider the Rolls-Royce Phantom Solid Gold, a rolling monument to excess that would make even Jay Gatsby blush.

Evidently, at least one customer—identified only as a "businessman from the Middle East"—didn't get the memo that the world economy is in recession and commissioned the car seen here for the princely sum of $8 million ($8,150,000, to be precise). For that, you get a gigantic golden radiator grille that was originally designed to resemble a bank. The plebeian chrome-plated door handles, trunk-lid trim, hinges and hardware on the rear picnic tables were replaced with 265 pounds of solid 18K gold (better durability and scratch resistance than pure 24K). Even the "RR" logos in the wheels received the royal treatment.

The Solid Gold Phantom's shiny accouterments are the handiwork of the United Kingdom's Stuart Hughes (a company that covers iPads and other electronic devices in the precious metal of your choice). With gold trading at $1,661 per ounce, perhaps this car's ostentation was intended as an investment in solid assets (the gold alone is worth nearly $7 million).

But it's equally an investment in the owner's safety, thanks to Eurocash AG, a Swiss coach-builder that specializes in armoring vehicles. Eurocash claims that this particular Rolls (which took 18 months to build) can withstand assaults from AK-47s, Dragunov sniper rifles, and even hand grenades. Because let's face it, protection from attack is a basic necessity when you're driving a moving metaphor for greed. An interior plaque proclaims the car as "One of the first two Armoured EWB Phantom of Production [sic] in the World," so apparently the only expense spared was the cost of a translator.

This limousine may be the most luxurious, but it's certainly the most conspicuous utility vehicle money can buy. With recent news of Ferrari sales surging, followed by this latest travesty of good taste, the phrase "embarrassment of riches" has officially lost all meaning. 

Top 10 worst female health habits

By realbuzz.com

From workouts to healthy diets, many of us make an effort to look after ourselves. However, we could be compromising our health on a daily basis without even knowing it. From carrying heavy handbags to wearing crippling heels, here are the top 10 female habits you should try to break.

Wearing heels

More and more of us are opting to wear heels on a daily basis, and this could be bad news for our health. High heels affect our posture, put pressure on joints, and can lead to a range of conditions including arthritis, hammer toes, back pain and tendon injuries – and that’s before you take into account any heel-related accidents! To minimise damage, limit your heels to 1.5 inches for daily wear, and wear insoles to help reduce the pressure on joints.

Carrying a heavy handbag

With the rising number of gadgets and accessories the majority of women haul around, many of us are carrying around several pounds of weight on our shoulders every day. As a result, lots of us are also putting our long term health at risk. While you may not feel the effects right now, lugging around a heavy handbag can lead to serious back problems and neck pain as well as poor posture. Don’t wait until the damage is done – do your health a favour and try clearing out all non-essential items and switching to a smaller bag.

Sleeping in makeup

Most of us have succumbed to the temptation to sleep in our post-party makeup at some point. However, leaving makeup on overnight – along with the dirt and oil that naturally accumulates on skin throughout the day –is a quick route to clogged pores, congested skin and spots. Sleeping with mascara and eye makeup on can also affect your health by causing eye irritation, bloodshot eyes or even infection.

Matching men drink for drink

From networking drinks to first dates and social events, there are many instances when women may feel compelled to keep up with the drinking habits of the opposite sex. However, women not only tend to weigh less than men but they have less body water to dilute the alcohol, which means they tend to get more drunk more quickly. To minimise the risks of alcohol on your health, try to keep within the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption and alternate alcohol with soft drinks.

Wearing the wrong bra size

It is thought that more than 70 per cent of women are wearing the wrong bra size. However, wearing a badly fitted bra can not only affect the look of your clothes, but research suggests it can cause a range of health problems including back, neck and breast pain, breathing difficulties, poor posture, skin irritation, circulation problems and even irritable bowel syndrome. Rather than guessing your size, make sure you get measured to ensure you are getting the support you need.

Worrying and harbouring regrets

Stress is damaging to both our physical and mental health, and women are twice as likely as men to suffer from stress-related disorders, as well as having higher rates of depression and anxiety. While it is thought there may be biological reasons for this, worrying about the future and dwelling on regrets can also add to our problems, with research suggesting that women are more than twice as likely as men to harbour regrets over lost loves and broken relationships.

Obsessing over appearance

While both genders suffer from body insecurity, many women tend to overly obsess over their idea of the “perfect” body. Research findings published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that 16 per cent of the normal or underweight women studied believed themselves to be overweight, while a study commissioned by Dove found that 90 per of women wanted to change at least one aspect of their appearance. Body insecurity not only affects our mental health, but it can also lead to physical damage caused by extreme diets, yo-yo dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery.

Emotional eating

While comfort eating affects both genders, research has suggested that men are more likely to reinforce positive emotions with food, while women comfort eat when they’re sad. Women are also more likely to satisfy their cravings with sweet, high calorie foods. Rather than letting your waistline suffer next time you’re feeling blue, try distracting yourself from cravings by doing something you enjoy, or boost your endorphins and health with an uplifting workout.

Not getting enough sleep

Not only can lack of sleep make us look and feel at our worst, but insufficient shut-eye can also lead to increased accidents, calorie consumption and heart disease risk. Unluckily for women, statistics suggest that sleep problems affect more women than men, while a study by the University of Michigan found that women are more than twice as likely to give up sleep to care for others. Unfortunately, sleep has been found to affect women’s blood pressure and mood more than men’s, making it imperative that you do your best to get a good night’s sleep.

Putting themselves last

Not only are women more likely to compromise their sleeping habits to care for children and others, they are also prone to putting their own wants and needs at the bottom of a hectic to-do list of chores and obligations. To avoid running yourself into the ground, learn to sometimes say no to those requests and commitments that are less than essential, and make sure you set aside some “me” time each week to do something enjoyable just for you.