Paula Abdul Leaving 'American Idol'

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- After much speculation, Paula Abdul will not be returning to "American Idol" next season.

The "Idol" judge hit her Twitter page on Tuesday night to break the news. "With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to #Idol," she posted on her Twitter page. "I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day1become an international phenomenon."

Following the announcement, FOX issued a statement of their own to Access Hollywood confirming Paula would not be in her judge's chair next season for the first time since the show began in 2002.

"Paula Abdul has been an important part of the 'American Idol' family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she's a tremendous talent and we wish her the best," the statement from FOX said. During her "Idol" negotiations, Paula posted several messages on her Twitter page making it clear that her return was still up in the air.

"Your support & encouragement means so much to me. I hope you understand I can only return to #Idol if the deal
is fair," she posted last week.

On Tuesday, after announcing she would not return for the show's upcoming ninth season, Paula once again offered her heartfelt thanks to her fans for their support.

"What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered
upon me... It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month," she wrote. "I do without any doubt have the BEST fans in the entire world and I love you all."

Paula's negotiations with "Idol" producers reportedly came down to money. According to a previous report by Radar Online, the veteran reality judge was asking for $20 million to return to the show - "Idol" was reportedly willing to offer half of that amount.

The news of her departure comes just weeks after host Ryan Seacrest inked a new contract worth $45 million over three years, making him the highest paid host on reality TV. Meanwhile, last week it was confirmed that the newest member to the "Idol" judging panel, Kara DioGuardi, would be returning to the show when Season Nine bows in January.

Eminem Sends Mariah Defamatory "Warning"

Over the last 10 years, I've heard both sides of the story.

I really believe that you and Mariah had something going on at some point. I am not suggesting that I know how serious things got. I'm not saying that I believe your accounts that you and Mariah were intimate. I wasn't there. And Dude, that is not my business. I don't need or want to know.

But you can't take it personal that Mariah denies that you had a relationship. You have to be careful about how you approach this. Mariah has successfully depicted you as a psychopath, and you continue to feed into it.

After denying that you guys ever dated, Mariah released a song and video that claimed that someone is "Obsessed" with her. She put just enough info in the song to make people suspect that you are the obsessed person.

Em, Mariah's "Obsessed" is a great video, and it worked.

Then what do you do? You fall into the trap. You blow up. Go nuts and release "The Warning" that says admittedly embarrassing things about yourself as a means to prove the nature of your relationship with Mariah.

You threaten to release photos and audio tapes as further proof.

Eminem, let me say this again, "WE BELIEVE YOU."

Please relax. Mariah and her girlfriends are giggling about Crazy Boy (that's you) and sipping champagne.

She will deny everything until the end. She can do this in her sleep. She's got a solid poker face.

Even though you are upset that high class, superstar Mariah Carey won't admit that she hung out with the kid from the 8 mile, you don't have to resort to divulging such personal business.

The lower you drop the bar, the more indecent it makes you look. You are still a guy who is publicly defaming a woman. That never goes over well.

Em, to tell your circle of friends about you and Mariah is one thing. That is bad enough. But to make a record describing the details of your relationship with a woman and then put her name on it is not cool.

At the end of the day, Mariah is still a woman. Despite how much she upset you, you don't need to take it there. You have a daughter that I know you love more than anything. The last thing you want is for some guy to ever show your daughter such a public display of disrespect.

Marshall, it does not matter that Mariah won't admit to seeing you.You've done good for yourself. It's really no big deal. Why does the public need to know who you have dated anyway?

Let it go. Holding on to it makes you look "Obsessed."

Michael Jackson dead at 50

Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead today after paramedics found him in a coma at his Bel-Air mansion, city and law enforcement sources told The Times.

Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Steve Ruda told The Times that paramedics responded to a 911 call from the home. When they arrived, Jackson was not breathing.

The paramedics performed CPR and took Jackson to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda said. Hundreds of reporters gathered at the hospital awaiting word on his condition. The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said family members rushed to Jackson’s bedside, where he was in a deep coma.

The circumstances of Jackson’s death remain unclear. Law enforcement sources said that Los Angeles Police Department robbery-homicide detectives have opened an investigation into the death, though they stressed that there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

The detectives plan to interview relatives, friends and Jackson’s doctors to try to figure out what happened. The L.A. County coroner’s office will determine a cause of death. A Los Angeles Fire Department source told The Times that Jackson was in full cardiac arrest when rescue units arrived.

A doctor was in the house performing CPR on Jackson, said the source who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Paramedics were called to a home in the 100 block of Carolwood Drive off Sunset Boulevard.

Jackson rented the Bel-Air home -- described as a French chateau built in 2002 with seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 12 fireplaces and a theater -- for $100,000 a month. The home is about a six-minute drive from UCLA Medical Center. Jackson has three children -- sons Prince Michael 7, and Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., 12, and daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11.

Jackson, 50, died as he was attempting a comeback after years of tabloid headlines, most notably his trial and acquittal on child molestation charges.

In May, The Times reported that Jackson had rented the Bel-Air residence and was rehearsing for a series of 50 sold-out shows in London's O2 Arena. Jackson had won the backing of two billionaires to get the so-called "King of Pop" back on stage.

His backers envisioned the shows at AEG's O2 as an audition for a career rebirth that could have ultimately encompassed a three-year world tour, a new album, movies, a Graceland-like museum, musical revues in Las Vegas and Macau, and even a "Thriller" casino. Such a rebound could have wiped out Jackson's massive debt
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Do you think is normal for a man to be jealous in a relationship

Males are raised to be jealous. We see movies of jealous males, read books about jealous males. It's considered to be normal. A man who is not madly jealousy is sometimes though to be "too weak". Even the animal kingdom has countless examples of strong men driving away any potential competition. On the other hand, a male who is too jealous can often destroy a wonderful relationship and drive away the woman that he loves.

What is your take on this?

Hey peeps, how can one deal with insecurities in a relationship

How many times have I heard: “He or she loves me at first….until my intensity drives him or her away.”

Insecurity creates such a disastrous dynamic in a relationship. It gives our power to our partners. It takes the mutuality out of the equation. It makes us overreact and over-need. Insecurity makes us want too much too fast. It gets us in over our heads. It causes us to aim our emotional suction cups at our partners. It makes us feel less about ourselves and our partners feel less about us. Feeling insecure and driving our partners away leads to self-loathing.

What do you think one can do to correct this? Your contribution will go a long way.

New Lagos

These pictures are real, kudos to Fashola

GOOD PEOPLE, GREAT NATION.

‘Nigeria, good people, great nation’, I had exclaimed and someone quickly reminds me that you cannot market a bad product. Much more painful is the fact that this opinion is constantly echoed every time. How have we fallen so far? I ask ‘what is Nigeria?’ As far as I am concerned, Nigeria is the sum of its individual citizens, and to call Nigeria a bad product is to call each and every Nigerian a bad person.

My question is how long shall we continue like this? I like the line of thought of this re-branding slogan, because it begins with the people i.e. you and me. Our nation is only as great as we are good. So to label us a bad product is to inadvertently say that we are all bad people. I strongly disagree.

We all like to complain about what the government is doing or not doing? But ask yourself too, what am I doing? I do not deny that there are bad people in this country, but tell me one country in this world where they are not. Much more, I believe that there are more good people than bad ones in Nigeria; the problem is simply that we have lost our voices and are sitting on our hands. We chant the slogan of the defeated – ‘if you cannot beat them, join them’.

It has been said that all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing, which is why we have come to gain a reputation as a ‘bad product’. But no more! Of what use is a mind if it does not think, of what use is a voice if it is not heard, of what use is being good if you just sit and do nothing?

Let every one of us (good people) who belong to this blessed and most populous black nation in the world begin to use our minds and think of how to make this land better. Let us lift our voice and drown the chorus of ‘bad product’. Talk is cheap, so they say, and like my friend will say, ‘You can think as long as you like and there’s nothing wrong with that, but only one thing counts – RESULT!’

I challenge us to dream again, to tell the world of our dreams of a great nation, but most importantly to act. Douglas Everett said ‘there are some people who live in dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.’ As we become the latter, we would hear the world join in this awesome refrain – ‘Nigeria, good people, great nation’.

I still believe in green, white and green… do you?

Online courtship scams woman of $47,000

A college student in Nigeria has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for scamming an Australian woman out of $47,000 online by pretending to be a widowed white businessman desperately in love with her.

A court in Ikeja in southwest Nigeria ruled that Lawal Adekunie Nurudeen will also have to pay back the 56-year-old woman, even if it meant selling the two plots of land and the Honda Prelude he bought with her money.

Nurudeen was an engineering student when he met the woman online in 2007, said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria's anti-corruption police.

The woman lamented that she was looking for a husband but had been disappointed in the men she had met.

"The convict, who is married with three children, instantly applied and told the victim that she had met Mr. Right," the commission said in a statement.

Nurudeen pretended to be a 57-year-old British engineer working with a multinational company in Nigeria. He told her his wife and only child had died in a road accident in Lagos, the former capital of the country.

"He sent the picture of a white man to the victim to foreclose any suspicions," police said. The woman agreed to marry him.

A few weeks later, Nurudeen called the woman pretending to be a doctor. He told her that her fiance had been in an accident and needed money for treatment.

The woman obliged, the commission said.

Nurudeen let two weeks pass. He then called the woman again, thanking her profusely for her kindness and telling her that he would like to visit her in Australia. He asked her for airfare, cash for customs clearance and other incidentals, police said.

Authorities did not say how Nurudeen was caught. But he duped the woman of $47,000 before his arrest, the commission said.

Scammers in Nigeria have gained a reputation for using the Internet to con foreign nationals out of money. Some of the scams have earned the name "419" after the clause in the Nigerian criminal code that deals with obtaining property under false pretense

Do you prefer a male or female boss?

Who is better as a boss, a woman or man?

Bosses' gender may affect your level of stress at work, although it is not clear how or why.
In a recent study published in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, only men who worked for a mixed-gender pair seemed to have fewer mental and physical symptoms of distress as compared to any other group. The discussion argues that women who act like their male counterparts in leadership positions are more prone to being disliked and cause stressful situations at work.

What is your view on this?

Love, Issues, Relationships and Religion

Pop quiz (this is my favorite saying): is religion an important factor in relationships?

I got this friend of mine who recently got a job with one of Nigeria's top banks about 5 months ago.During one of the training sessions one of his classmates asked the instructor this question: "Is religion important in a relationship?" Everyone waited with bated breath as the instructor paused before answering.

She then said, "I don't think so.Because religion involves a relationship between man and his Creator, not between two couples." (I'm not quoting verbatim though,but something along those lines)..I thought to myself, hey.....she just might be right.I mean,honestly speaking, it should not be a deciding factor for one to spend the rest of his life with another person...but these days, people make it such a big deal. For instance, I know someone who goes to redeemed and would not date a catholic, not even if her life depended on it. On the other hand i know a number of people who can marry anyone from anywhere, as long as they are in LOVE and are determined to make it WORK.

See, that's just it...Love is a key factor.People always miss this valuable point because at the end of the day, if you are really in love with each other, obstacles can and will be overcome. The thing is, one's orientation, personal pride and overall belief systems always get in the way.

We need to challenge our belief system.Why do we believe what we believe? It's a question we must ask ourselves so that we don't throw something beautiful away all in the name of religion...

What's your take?

Hottest New Fragrances

Vera Wang LOOK

The bold, modern, captivating scent of Vera Wang LOOK embraces a woman's confidence and creates a seductive effect through complex textures and layers of fragrance notes.

DKNY Be Delicious
DKNY Be Delicious is a fragrance of a free-spirited and refreshing individuals. DKNY Be Delicious is a juicy fragrance that combines the scent of apple with a sophisticated blend of exotic flowers and sensual woods.

Mariah Carey's Luscious Pink
Mariah Carey's Luscious Pink, a sparkling and intoxicating new fragrance that captures the pure radiance of Mariah Carey. Luminous and sensual, Luscious Pink embraces Mariah's ever-captivating presence and playfully seductive personality, translating these qualities into an exquisite and effervescent fragrance that reflects Mariah's aura of femininity.

Incanto Bliss Ferragamo

Incanto Bliss is a new edition by Salvatore Ferragamo, which appeared in January 2009. The perfume was presented as a joyful and sparkling floral-fruity edition introducing yuzu, cumquat, apple, freesia, lotus, rose, musk and woody accords. Creator of this edition is Beatrice Piquet, and the perfume is available as 30, 50 and 100ml edt. The flacon was designed by Sylvie de France, and it reflects the fragrant composition with sea motives – underwater fantasy decorated with bubbles, corals and starfish.

Very Pretty by Micheal Kors
Very Pretty is a vibrant interpretation of the multi-faceted Michael Kors woman.
Intense sparkling citrus top notes bring sophistication while a heart of sheer white florals adds a touch of femininity. A rich, textured dry down creates balance for a luxurious and modern experience.

L'eau D'issey
L'eau D'issey (issey Miyake) Perfume by perfume Issey Miyake, Launched By The Design care House Of Issey Miyake In 1992, beauty L\'eau D\'issey Is Classified As A product Sharp, Aquatic Fragrance. This Feminine Scent perfume Possesses A Blend Of Fresh Water care Florals Including Lily.

Euphoria Spring Temptation
Euphoria Spring Temptation is a spring edition by the house of Calvin Klein, created of pear blossom, guava leaves and waterfall accords in top notes, with a heart of pink lily, freesia petals and dewy violets placed on a base of white sandalwood, clear frozen musk and amber. The perfume was developed by Loc Dong and Carlos Benaim, and it will arrive on the market in March 2009, as 30 and 50ml edp.

Jean Paul Gaultier Ma Dame

The perfume MA DAME was imagined and created as a fresh, floral one, and all merits for it go to perfumer Francis Kurkdjian (Takasago), who also created the famous Le Male and Fragile, just to remind you.
MA DAME includes sporty notes of rose, grenadine, musk and cedar. The bottle was designed as a transparent block of glass, coloured in pink, with an engraved sculpture of the legendary Classique. The outer package is white, with pink and black print. It is available as 30, 50 and 100 ml edt, with an accompanying perfumed body care collection.