If America is falling into the recession economists fear it is, Angelina Jolie may prove more important than ever.

To the country's celebrity magazine editors, that is. Shrinking wallets could mean shrinking readership, and nobody moves magazines like Jolie, according to Forbes.com's second annual analysis of the top-selling celebrity faces.

In Pictures: Top-Earning Cover Stars

"The idea of spending $3.99 on a magazine when you don't know what your economic future is is very, very difficult," says Star magazine Editor-in-Chief Candace Trunzo. "It makes it that much more important for us to present a cover that is so appealing that they can't help but buy it."

For the newsstand-dependent celebrity weeklies, compelling covers are absolutely crucial, making editors' choices of cover stars more important than ever. How these magazines fare in the face of economic hardship remains to be seen, since none of them, with the exception of People, were around in their current forms during the last big downturn in the early 1990s.

So expect to see a lot more of Jolie. We analyzed the newsstand sales for the six biggest celebrity weeklies -- People, Star, US Weekly, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style and OK! -- over a year-long period ending June 30, eliminating non-celebrity and "collage" covers as well as special issues with exceptionally large rate bases.

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DALLAS - With stock markets sinking and fear of recession rising, what's the affluent consumer to do? Neiman Marcus hopes a few of them will escape the grim headlines by splurging on diamonds, Dior and other diversions.

The luxury retailer unveiled its Christmas Book on Tuesday and made surprisingly few concessions to the financial crisis running from Wall Street to Main Street.

You can be the first on your block to own a limited-edition BMW sedan, a backyard golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus or a collection of every top 100 record from 1955 to 1990.

"I think we all need a break," said Ginger Reeder, a Neiman vice president. "These gifts are not meant to be anything more than something to make you smile, make you go 'Oh my gosh, who would have thought about that?'"

Reeder said Neiman's wealthy customers aren't much affected by the economy, but that so-called aspirational shoppers — more middle-income yet yearning for touches of luxury — may shop less often and buy fewer items.

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Five Shocking Paychecks

By maris and chin2

Are you making what you're worth? Even in a tight economy, some workers are taking home more money than their job titles might reveal. Here's a look at five careers that come with surprising salaries--and what you need to do to land one.

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Artwork on paper

Posted In: . By maris and chin2


Abstract artist Nestor Vinluan's work will accentuate the 450 rooms and suites of the newly-refurbished Heritage Hotel Manila. "Vinluan's famed style and newly-created series of enigmatic artworks on paper expressing vibrant and layered colors and interplaying with ethereal markings serve as the last pieces of the puzzle to complete the contemporary look, modern ambiance, light earthen hues and bright feel of the newly-refurbished rooms," said Eddie Yeo, GM of the Heritage Hotel who led the $4.5-M refurbishment program.

Yeo searched for the perfect paintings that will complement the new rooms' modern ambiance and light earthen hues. He went as far as Antipolo, known as the haven of artists, to look for the right artist. Luckily, he met Mr. Vinluan and got acquainted with his modern abstract paintings that evoke tranquillity and transcendental meditations of nature in the form of water, earth, life, spring, sunrise and sunset.

"The artistic freedom I was given enabled me to fluidly explore and express my reflections on nature and produce some of my best works without impediments," Vinluan enthused.

Vinluan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and earned his Master's Degree at Pratt Institute in New York on Fullbright Hays Scholarship. He is also a recipient of prestigious awards and distinctions including the Fernando Amorsolo Diamond Jubilee Professional Chair Award (1994) and the Gawad Chancellor para sa Pinakamahusay na Alagad ng Sining Award (2000 and 2001). He was an artist-in-residence at the Sculpture Square, Singapore in 2004.

 

Esquire recently posted a list of 75 books every man should read. It was in fact a list of fine literature, but we couldn’t help but notice that the compilation was very bland (as in, a mere four authors are non-white and only one is a woman) listing Bukowski’s misogynistic Women as a must-read is kind of offensive.


Jezebel decided to make their own list of the 20 books every woman should read, and these selections are much more on target—and yay for female authors! Slouching Towards Bethlehem would rank highly on my list, but my all-time favorite book? Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Sure it’s a children’s book, but I think it could make the cut.


Check out Jezebel’s picks below and share with us: What books do you think every woman should read?

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Search: The unguarded Angel

By maris and chin2

Ah, what love can do! It can change Angelica Panganiban and turn her into a more open, less defensive person.

The Angelica who used to turn off press people because of her bouts with "amnesia" and attacks of snobbishness is gone. Now, she sits beside you and talks more, smiles more, holds back less and less.

Boyfriend Derek Ramsey has done wonders to broaden her perspective. The London-raised hunk is outgoing where Angelica can be painfully shy. He goes out of his way to call up press people and explain his side when an issue arises. He greets everybody, from the highest to the lowest in the cast and production crew.

"I'm afraid people will ignore me," Angelica says. "That's why I don't initiate conversations."

Derek has taught her to take risks in dealing with others, to trust in their willingness to make friends and put themselves in her shoes.

Now, Angelica is less afraid to let people peek into her thoughts, her feelings.

"My brief separation from Derek has done wonders for both of us," she begins. "I realized I can be my own person. I can go out on my own."

Now she knows what she's been missing all along.

When you're with somebody you tend to make him the center of your universe. The few weeks of separation made me find myself, appreciate myself," adds Angelica.

In other words, she discovered the inner strength she thought she never had. And it's making her grow - and glow.

She was in her element as she talked about the reason behind her new look: A beribboned headband and a peasant gown that accented her figure.

"I play Scarlet dela Rhea-Castillejos, the woman everyone loves to hate in the teleserye Iisa Pa Lamang (weeknights after I Love Betty La Fea)," she recounts. "Scarlet may seem bad, but it's only because she has reason to. The challenge is to show her vulnerable side."

One of the ways is to make her look like someone you'd like to meet on the street. That's why Angelica thought of wearing a beribboned headband the way today's teenaged icon, the Gossip Girl in the favorite series, does. This will not only make Scarlet more reachable, it will also make viewers look for something new each time the series airs on ABS-CBN.

"Hopefully," Angelica muses, "the fashion statement will add more excitement to my character and the series as well."

Not that she, or Iisa Pa Lamang, lacks this element. The series has been running for several weeks and Angelica, true to form, is getting good feedback for her role.

She's also getting more sleep, more time for her family and loved ones, thanks to a more relaxed work schedule.

"I enjoy the balance between work and family that it gives me," she relates. Now, she has more time to cook her specialty in the kitchen: Spaghetti. She can plan that trip to Europe that she's been longing to take after Wowowee allowed her to rekindle ties with her cousins in the US.

"I've been super blessed lately. I had Maging Sino Ka Man: Ang Pagbabalik. Then A Love Story came along," Angelica says. "Other actors don't have work these days."

There are offers to pose for other men's magazines after she made the men's eyes pop out of their sockets as the cover girl of FHM and Maxim Philippines. But Angelica is not biting.

"Enough. I want to retain an air of mystery," she explains.

Or is Derek keeping her from doing so?

Angelica may be more open about herself. But she's not ready to bare all about her private life just yet. Let the mystery, as she puts it, remain. She'll have more time to reveal other things about herself - layer by layer - at the proper time.

For now, it's enough that the previously oh-so-guarded Angelica is opening up, and letting us see what's inside, not only her mind, but her heart as well.
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7 anti-aging super foods

By maris and chin2



A few weeks ago I was using my flat iron and when I looked in the mirror to admire my ’do, I discovered my first gray hair (gasp!). It was the first time I was visibly confronted with the reality that, surprise, I will age, and I’m not 18 anymore no matter how good I feel.

I already have the exercise part down, so on my quest for a fountain of youth I’m paying more attention to research on how to eat to age healthfully. The best information I’ve found? 7 anti-aging super foods and recipes to enjoy them in, from Peter Jaret’s James Beard Foundation award-winning article in EatingWell Magazine, “The Search for the Anti-Aging Diet.

Read on to find out more about the 7 foods to keep you young:

 

While housing has not taken centre stage in the Canadian election, issues such as the economy and the environment have produced a lot of promises from the major political parties -- and many of the promises are designed to woo homeowners' votes. A recent survey for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation showed that Canadians are wary of election promises. By a two-to-one margin, we're more likely to believe in the existence of Bigfoot than in the validity of pledges made by politicians on the election trail.

The biggest housing news to emerge during the campaign was approved by the current Conservative government just before the election was called. On September 4, the government renewed funding for three housing and homelessness programs, pledging $387.9 million per year for five years, to March 31, 2014. The other political parties cried foul, since news of this renewal didn't emerge until after the election campaign had begun.

The programs that received renewed funding include the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance to low-income homeowners for major and necessary home repairs to heating, structural, electrical, plumbing and fire safety systems. This program has operated since 1973.


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LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Actress Megan Fox has been named one of the 25 Hottest Actors Under 25 by MovieFone.

The 22-year-old beauty topped the list, her second appearance on the annual run down thanks to not only her breakout role in "Transformers," but her upcoming repertoire of films including "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People" alongside British funnyman Simon Pegg.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Shia LaBeouf

"I honestly believe that Megan is here to stay," "How To Lose" director Robert Weide told MovieFone. "She'll constantly surprise people by her range. Anyone who thinks she's just a pretty face is going to be surprised in the same way they were when Michelle Pfeiffer proved she really was an actress."

"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" star Michael Cera also nabbed a top spot thanks to the super success of starring roles in movies including "Superbad," and "Juno."


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