Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Skip Security Check at JFK Airport

by Bruna Nessif Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 7:53 PM PST

AKM-GSI

There were no pat downs or awkward standing poses for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

While trying to make their connection flight from John F. Kennedy airport to LAX after flying in from Brazil yesterday, E! News confirms that Kimye cleared customs and then completely bypassed one of the most important stops—security.

So what happened?!

Kim Kardashian shows off "Bo Derek" braids

"This was a lapse in judgment by one of our employees. We're working closely with the Transportation Security Administration and speaking to the individuals involved to better understand what happened," American Airlines told E! News in a statement.
"The flight in question departed JFK an hour late. It was delayed in part because of this issue and in part because a number of connecting bags were late arriving to the aircraft."

The Transportation Security Administration reportedly said that an American Airlines employee escorted two "celebrity passengers" through a "non-public area in order to provide expedited access to their domestic flight."

Kardashian's had no comment.

—Reporting by Holly Passalaqua

Don't miss two all-new episodes of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami this Sunday and Monday at 9 p.m. on E!

Now Kimye can't be part of our Celebrity Airport Security gallery!

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Harry Potter Series Gets a Makeover—See the First New Cover!

by Natalie Finn Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 8:30 PM PST

Scholastic Paperbacks

The Boy Who Lived is getting a spiffy new look.

A California artist has been commissioned to create new covers for all seven Harry Potter books, timed to fall on the 15th anniversary of the U.S. debut of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Meaning, those books featuring images by Mary GrandPré are about to become collector's items, folks! 

Daniel Radcliffe is all grown up and stepping out with mystery women

The first new cover by Kazu Kibuishi, who penned the graphic novel series Amulet, was revealed Wednesday and the fresh set of paperback editions—also available in a box set—featuring his art will start rolling out in September.

All of the covers will show a key scene from the book, kicking off with Harry's first trip to Diagon Alley with Hagrid on the cover of Sorcerer's Stone.

"When illustrating the covers, I tried to think of classic perennial paperback editions of famous novels and how those illustrations tend to feel," Kibuishi said in a statement released by Scholastic Trade Publishing. "In a way, the project became a tribute to both Harry Potter and the literary classics."

We bet the pages within will still turn as fast as ever.

Speaking of key scenes, enjoy pics from the best Harry Potter movie moments ever!

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Pregnant Kim Kardashian Tweets "Bo Derek" Braid Pic, Kanye West Makes a Cameo

by Alyssa Toomey Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 5:30 PM PST

Instagram

Kim Kardashian is a braided beauty! 

The expectant E! star tweeted an old photo today, flaunting her Bo Derek-inspired hair from her Hype Williams-directed music video for her single "Jam! (Turn It Up)."

"Bo Derek braids," the reality star wrote, posting an Instagram pic of her famous locks, shiny silver outfit and "couture" ring. 

Kim's so proud of Kanye's Grammy wins!

Kanye West also makes a cameo in the pic, resting his head on his current GF's shoulder. At the time, the twosome were just friends and 'Ye had stopped by to watch the shoot. 

Kim posted a similar Twitpic almost two years ago, and she clearly still has a braid obsession, as the mama-to-be posted numerous photos on her Instagram today of fish tail braids, side braids and even a throwback braid from the Angel Ball she attended in October with her rapper beau. 

From music video pals to parents-to-be, oh, how things have changed for Kimye!

But she still loves braids—see below her latest look!

celebuzz.com

Don't miss two all new episodes of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami this Sunday and Monday at 9 p.m. on E!

Check out all the pics from Kimye's Brazilian getaway!

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Kristin Cavallari Shares Tips for Dropping Baby Weight

by Rose Curiel Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 6:02 PM PST

Just six short months after giving birth to baby Camden, Kristin Cavallari has a body that most women would envy.

So, when we caught up with the reality-star-turned-jewelry-designer at the recent launch of her eponymous collection, we just had to ask her for tips on dropping the typically hard-to-lose baby weight.

Take a look at Kristin Cavallari's jewelry line

And while some of Cavallari's advice is specific to new moms—like burning a whopping 500 calories a day by simply breastfeeding!—she also has helpful suggestions that any busy gal would appreciate. Take her fitness routine, which maximizes her workouts—and time with the oh-so-cute Camden—by targeting multiple muscle groups.

"I'll try to just do a lunge with a bicep curl, so I'm working more than one body part at a time," she reveals.

Hey, if it can guarantee us a body like hers, we're willing to give it a try! Watch the video for more handy tips from Cavallari. 

Check out celebrity workout outfits

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Kelly Rowland Cries After Birthday Lunch With Beyoncé, Jay-Z

by Rebecca Macatee Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 6:00 PM PST

MAJO/AKM-GSI

If we just had lunch with Beyoncé and Jay-Z, we'd probably be squealing, dancing and jumping for joy.

But Kelly Rowland followed up a meal with her Destiny's Child "sis" and Hov by crying in a Venice Beach, Calif., parking lot on Monday.

Bey wishes Kelly a happy birthday!

To make matters worse, Kelly's breakdown happened on her 32nd birthday!

No word yet on why Kelly was sobbing (after all, it was her birthday and she could cry if she wants to!) A request fior comment has not yet been returned.

We hope whatever bummed her out, though, has come and gone. K.Rowland, you are fierce!

Check out the best and worst moments from the 2013 Super Bowl!

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Lady Gaga Cancels Remainder of Born This Way Ball Tour Due to Injured Hip

by Bruna Nessif Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 6:32 PM PST

Santi/Splash News

Sorry, Little Monsters, Lady Gaga is bowing out.

The pop star has decided to cancel the remainder of her Born This Way Ball tour after announcing that she would postpone four shows due to a hip injury.

"After additional tests this morning to review the severity of the issue, it has been determined that Lady Gaga has a labral tear of the right hip," Live Nation said in a release. "She will need surgery to repair the problem, followed by strict down time to recover. This unfortunately, will force her to cancel the tour so she can heal."

Lady Gaga postpones four shows

Initially, concerts scheduled for today and Thursday in Chicago, Saturday in Detroit and Sunday in Hamilton, Canada, had been the only shows canceled, with makeup dates to be announced later, however Mother Monster's injury has clearly become a bigger issue than before.

According to the release, refunds for the canceled performances will be available at point of purchase starting Feb. 14, 2013.

Lady Gaga goes on tirade after former assistant sues her

"I've been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for sometime now,over the past month it has worsened," Gaga tweeted yesterday. "I've been praying it would heal." She continued: "I hid it from my staff, I didn't want to disappoint my amazing fans. However after last nights performance I could not walk and still can't."

Gaga added, "It will hopefully heal as soon as possible, I hate this. I hate this so much. I love you and Im sorry."

Here's to a speedy recovery!

Remember these bizarre Lady Gaga looks?

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Jeff Probst's Daytime Talk Show Canceled After One Season

by Tierney Bricker Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 7:03 PM PST

Mark Davis/WireImage

Jeff Probst's torch has been snuffed out.

Probst's daytime talk show The Jeff Probst Show has been canceled after just one season, a CBS TV Distribution spokesperson confirms to E! News.

The Survivor host's series failed to receive a second season pickup after lackluster ratings, averaging 950,000 viewers.

Probst recently opened up about sharing custody with Mark-Paul Gosselaar

"I'm super bummed but extremely proud," Probst said in a statement to Variety. "The truth is all shows come to an end. Ours just ended a decade sooner than we had hoped."

Production and broadcast of the remaining original episodes of The Jeff Probst Show will continue throughout the current season.

While Katie Couric's daytime talk show Katie secured a second season, Ricki Lake's show was also canceled after one season.

Check out these TV watercooler moments

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Anne Hathaway Talks Getting Booed at the BAFTAs—and Watch Her First TV Commercial!

by Natalie Finn Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 10:05 PM PST

Paul Drinkwater/NBC

Anne Hathaway may have left the 2013 BAFTA Awards a winner, but she's had better arrivals in her day.

"I was so late that I had to run straight down to the end of the carpet and miss all the interviews," she recalled to Jay Leno Wednesday on The Tonight Show. "And, the worst part was, I missed the fans. They're out in the cold and the rain and the sleet, and they booed me."

So, summing up the first part of her night, "I got booed, my dress ripped and I had the flu."

Anne Hathaway sings Beyoncé on Between Two Ferns

"But it turned out great," Hathaway quickly added. "I got to hug George Clooney, and that's the whole point. And, oh yeah, I got a really amazing, prestigious award. That's pretty cool."

And, as the BAFTA winner for best supporting actress explained, she had a good reason for being late, revealing to Leno that the zipper on her custom-made designer gown ripped as she was putting it on—and an attempt to sew her into it was not successful.

"I look like a turkey that has been sewn together. Just not good," Hathaway said.

Eddie Redmayne's BAFTAs night turned out worse than Anne Hathaway's

The Les Misérables star looked pretty stunning in the studded Burberry gown she ended up in, so obviously no one was the wiser.

"How irritating am I?" she joked. "Most women don't even have one great dress, I have two."

Leno also (surprise, surprise) unearthed Hathaway's first TV commercial, a very dramatic spot she shot when she was 14 for Better Homes and Gardens Realty.

The newly wedded Hathaway also revealed what she and hubby Adam Shulman are doing for Valentine's Day tomorrow—they're participating in Eve Ensler's One Billion Rising, a global campaign started by the Vagina Monologues author that aims to use dance as a call toward ending violence against women.

And, since The Tonight Show broadcast had just passed the midnight hour and it was technically Feb. 14, it was time to dance!

Both Hathaway and Leno pulled a couple of people out of the audience for an impromptu boogie in honor of that very good cause. Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Check out Anne Hathaway and her fellow stars on the 2013 BAFTAs red carpet

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Harry Potter Series Gets a Makeover—See the First New Cover!

by Natalie Finn Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 8:30 PM PST

Scholastic Paperbacks

The Boy Who Lived is getting a spiffy new look.

A California artist has been commissioned to create new covers for all seven Harry Potter books, timed to fall on the 15th anniversary of the U.S. debut of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Meaning, those books featuring images by Mary GrandPré are about to become collector's items, folks! 

Daniel Radcliffe is all grown up and stepping out with mystery women

The first new cover by Kazu Kibuishi, who penned the graphic novel series Amulet, was revealed Wednesday and the fresh set of paperback editions—also available in a box set—featuring his art will start rolling out in September.

All of the covers will show a key scene from the book, kicking off with Harry's first trip to Diagon Alley with Hagrid on the cover of Sorcerer's Stone.

"When illustrating the covers, I tried to think of classic perennial paperback editions of famous novels and how those illustrations tend to feel," Kibuishi said in a statement released by Scholastic Trade Publishing. "In a way, the project became a tribute to both Harry Potter and the literary classics."

We bet the pages within will still turn as fast as ever.

Speaking of key scenes, enjoy pics from the best Harry Potter movie moments ever!

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TV Watercooler: Arrow, Nashville, Modern Family and More!

by Tierney Bricker Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 8:48 PM PST

Jack Rowand/The CW

Spoiler Alert! The following article contains spoilers on a lot of Wednesday night's shows, so click away if you've yet to watch and don't want to know what went down! Seriously, if you complain about spoilers in the comments you are the gum on the TV world's shoe. 

Sorry, Pretty Little Liars, but Arrow is stealing your thunder and forming an "A" Team of its very own! Tonight on the CW hit drama, another person was brought in on the secret and we were loving it. Plus, Rayna (Connie Britton) is officially starting to lose it on Nashville, and Supernatural blessed us with the gift of seeing the Winchesters in hipster glasses. 

Oh, and a Game of Thrones star joined the X-Men sequel and a Harry Potter fan favorite is heading to TV!

TV's best Valentine's Day episodes ever!

The "A" Team Expands: Not only has Emily Bett Rickards been upped to a series regular for Arrow's second season, but the show made a bold move in bringing her character Felicity in on Oliver's (Stephen Amell) superhero secret. And to this development we say: Huzzah! Seriously, how effortlessly did she take the big news and just roll with the punches, helping Diggle (David Ramsey) to save Ollie's life after being show by his mother. (Way harsh!) Though she says she's only sticking around until they find Oliver's MIA stepfather, something tells us Felicity, who upgraded the team's computer system in a flash, will probably have a change of heart.

And while we really, really like the idea of Oliver and Felicity eventually hooking up, we want it to be the slowest of burns. And did anyone else feel a spark between Felicity and Diggle? Just checking...

Nashville's Next Trainwreck: After learning of her husband's affair, Rayna kind of loses it. In truly spectacular fashion. First, she makes out with producer Liam (Michiel Huisman) and then she forgets her lyrics onstage and has a big ol' breakdown. But doesn't Britton make an emotional breakdown look amazing? It's probably the hair. 

Jonathan Taylor Thomas is set to guest star on Last Man Standing: Get all the details here!

Line of the Night: "I need to be a big boy and patch things up, and move back in with my mom," Dylan says on Modern Family. Oh, you shaggy-haired idiot. Never leave us!

Awesome News of the Night: Tyrion Lannister is teaming up with the X-Men! "Officially like to welcome #PeterDinklage from #GameOfThrones to #XMEN#DaysofFuturePast Very very excited," director Bryan Singer tweeted tonight. Has casting news ever been so money? Trick question because in equally as awesome casting news, Harry Potter's very own Ron Weasley, aka Rupert Grint, joined the CBS pilot Super Clyde. The night was cold and full of awesome news for nerds! In less than awesome news, ABC has banished Happy Endings, one of TV's funniest and strongest sitcoms, to Friday nights. Boo! Hiss!

.Gif of the Night: Dean (Jensen Ackles), In. Hipster. Glasses. On. Supernatural. You're welcome, world!

Check out these TV watercooler moments

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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Skip Security Check at JFK Airport

by Bruna Nessif Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 7:53 PM PST

AKM-GSI

There were no pat downs or awkward standing poses for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

While trying to make their connection flight from John F. Kennedy airport to LAX after flying in from Brazil yesterday, E! News confirms that Kimye cleared customs and then completely bypassed one of the most important stops—security.

So what happened?!

Kim Kardashian shows off "Bo Derek" braids

"This was a lapse in judgment by one of our employees. We're working closely with the Transportation Security Administration and speaking to the individuals involved to better understand what happened," American Airlines told E! News in a statement.
"The flight in question departed JFK an hour late. It was delayed in part because of this issue and in part because a number of connecting bags were late arriving to the aircraft."

The Transportation Security Administration reportedly said that an American Airlines employee escorted two "celebrity passengers" through a "non-public area in order to provide expedited access to their domestic flight."

Kardashian's had no comment.

—Reporting by Holly Passalaqua

Don't miss two all-new episodes of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami this Sunday and Monday at 9 p.m. on E!

Now Kimye can't be part of our Celebrity Airport Security gallery!

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Alyson Hannigan Secures Restraining Order Over Alleged Online Death Threats

by Natalie Finn Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 8:07 PM PST

Kaminski / Splash News

Alyson Hannigan is putting family first.

The How I Met Your Mother star has obtained a temporary restraining order against a New Hampshire man whom she alleges has repeatedly threatened—in postings to Facebook and fan site—to kill her and husband Alexis Denisof.

According to court documents filed today and obtained by E! News, Hannigan states that 43-year-old John Hobbs is "mentally unstable," has possessed a pistol permit since 2000 and was recently discharged from a mental hospital.

How I Met Your Mother renewed for ninth and final mother-meeting season

Per a judge's order, Hobbs must stay at least 100 yards away from Hannigan, Denisof and their two daughters, as well as refrain from posting anything about them online.

View the documents

"With that said, in 2013 I still can marry you tomorrow. I can kill you tomorrow too. Cause I simply like and love you as you live life. Aly...It doesn't end. Even after death," read a Jan. 3 Facebook post attributed to Hobbs and included in the court filing.

"Aly, many years ago I said we were 'Soulmates' Well, the only way you are going to see that now is by talking in person," read another post dated Jan. 14. And, on Jan. 15, he allegedly wrote, "Going to the casinos and a trip to Ca this year," and "So Alexis, I guess this means you better watch your wife, a little bit more than normal."

HIMYM's Cobie Smulders flashes wedding ring

Hannigan states in her filing that, due to his online activity, Nashua, N.H., police went to his home, where Hobbs "fully acknowledged his interest in Alyson Hannigan" and agreed to visit a mental-health clinic, after which he still insisted that he was going to California to visit the actress.

A report from the Nashua Police Department backs up Hannigan's version of events. A hearing is scheduled for March 6 on whether to make the restraining order permanent.

See more famous family pics right here

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American Idol: Ladies Tackle Hollywood Week, Group Round Not All Harmonious

by Natalie Finn Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 7:29 PM PST

Michael Becker / FOX

It was ladies' night on American Idol Wednesday, as the fairer sex finally got their shot at Hollywood Week glory following a week devoted to the guys.

First up, 162 ladies were put through the sudden-death a cappella round in order to win the opportunity to be assigned a group, stay up all night and try to pull off a polished, choreographed routine with Idol band accompaniment.

An opportunity that all wanted desperately, of course!

See which guys are still in the running for the top 20 on American Idol

Instantly setting herself apart from the pack was Kez Ban, a husky-voiced singer with soulful leanings who more or less pleaded with her group to choose the Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreaming" as their performance song, saying she would "fight to the death" for it.

No such luck, but she was onboard with the Ronettes' similarly retro "Be My Baby," exclaiming, "I don't have to sing a song that makes me want to vomit, yay!" That didn't stop Kez Ban from ditching the group for a dinner run, though, and then informing the camera crew that they sucked for coming to her room early the next morning.

So, how did it go for—you can't make this stuff up—The Misfits?

American Idol is up for fave reality show at the 2013 Kids' Choice Awards

Surprisingly well! The harmony was a little rough in places, but individually, each girl shined.

"Kez Ban, you know you're a crazy psycho, and I loved that," Nicki Minaj teased in pronouncing them the best group of the day. So, on went Kez, along with Breanna Steer, Angela Miller and Janelle Arthur.

We imagine that the four ladies from Almost Famous—Daysia Hall, Savannah Votion, Lizz Weiss and J'Leigh Chauvin—cringed when Gotye won Record of the Year at Sunday's Grammy Awards.

"That's the remix," snarked Nicki as they launched into "Somebody That I Used to Know" with a lyrics-butchering vengeance. Daysia managed to distinguish herself enough to move forward, a decision none of the other girls found fair.

Same went for the Handsome Women, from which only Liz Bills moved forward, and For You, whose only survivors were Holly Miller and Stephanie Schimel, who pushed for a last-minute song change.

So, excessive radio play is obviously no guarantee that the words will become ingrained in people's brains. "I'll admit that I was glad it was over," indeed.

Original Idol winner Kelly Clarkson is getting married in Vera Wang

Some of the stronger groups included the sassy country bells of Raisin' Cane; the Swagettes, featuring the swaggy vocal stylings of Melinda Ademi, Kamaria Ousley, Denise Jackson Candice Glover; and the Dramatics, with the fabulously named Cristabel Clack.

Other individual success stories included Shubha Vedula, Erin Christine, Zoanette Johnson, Isabelle (no last name), Britnee Kellogg, Kree Harrison, Haley Davis, Tenna Torres and Kiara Lanier.

So, the remaining girls perform solos—with or without their own instruments—on Thursday's show, after which the top 20 girls and top 20 guys will be revealed.

Who won your love tonight? Sound off in the comments!

See the biggest Idol highlights through the years

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Lindsay Lohan's amfAR Gown: Charlie Sheen Offered to Pay for Half of Her Dress

by Bruna Nessif Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 9:30 PM PST

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for FIJI Water

Either Charlie Sheen is a really nice guy or he's secretly Lindsay Lohan's financial advisor.

The Anger Management star has been exceptionally generous with his Scary Movie 5 star lately, and a source confirms to E! News that the actor offered to pay for half of the stunning nude-and-silver beaded fringe Theia gown LiLo wore to the amfAR event last Wednesday.

Oh yeah, we're being totally serious.

Lindsay did look great in that gown

The former Two and a Half Men star reportedly put in a call to celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch to ask that he dress Lohan for the night.

"Never in a business like this do you see a celebrity pay for another celebrity," Bloch told Us Weekly, and noted that the request came from Sheen himself and not from an assistant. "He's very considerate."

Very considerate, indeed. Let's not forget that in November, Sheen gave Lohan $100,000 (yes, you read that right) to cover her tax debt.

So why is he doing all this? His rep had told us that the actor "has a long history of helping out his friends in many ways, and this is just another example of that."

But Lindsay is not one of Charlie Sheen's goddesses

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Galactic Civilizations II Has Gone Gold

The official Galactic Civilizations II website has word that the upcoming Sci-Fi 4X epic has gone golden and will be available n February 21st. I've been waiting for this one for a while, so I know I'm excited.

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For the People, By The People: Sunday

Has it really been a couple of months since I did one of these? Indeed it has my friends, and I apologize. Real life can sure as hell suck any free time you have away from ya, which is exactly what's happened recently. Anyway, enough of my whining, here's some recent fun news-y tidbits for you to chew on. Enjoy!

Babylon 5:

FirstOnes has released a trailer of their mod for Nexus. You can download the 16 MB trailer by clicking here.

Freespace 2:

The Freespace 2 community has been as active as ever. Just in the last few days, the Hard Light Productions website has moved to a new domain (http://www.hard-light.net/), updated their Freespace Wiki, and released their MediaVP model and texture pack for FS2. There's so much going on over on the Hard Light Forums since my last update that I'd run out of space posting it all.

Hardwar:

Over on Captain Zedo's, there's a PDF map of Downtown Titan to download as well as a new Hardw[a]r Enhanced Economy Mod DLL 20051112 to download too.

Homeworld 2:

Over on the Star Wars: Warlords website, they seem to be approaching their 0.5 milestone release. On the Freespace: A New Age forum, they've posted an update on how the mod is coming along.

Star Trek: Armada Series:

Since it's been a long time since the last update, I'm just going to keep all of the ST game updates simple and quick. Armada 2 Files has seen a ton of updates, such as the Derelict Map Pack, a new version of the Whale Probe as well as the Earth Alliance Omega Class Destroyer.

Star Trek: Bridge Commander:

Bridge Commander Files also has a slew of updates such as the USS-Mantis, ZZ's Miranda Pack and the new SNS Akira Pack, among others.

Star Trek: Klingon Academy:

KlingonAcademy.com has announced a new download system. Over on the KlingonAcademy.com forums there have been a lot of new mod releases, including a D4 Class Bird of Prey, a NX Class Cruiser Pack, a Daedalus Class Cruiser Pack and a slew of releases from the Next Generation Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Command Series:

Starfleet Command 3 Files, like the other sites, has a ton of updates. You can find the USS Anubis, the Alternate Universe: Swift Wars pack, and the Typhon Class Dreadnaught, for example. Starfleet Universe has word that Elite-Kaos has released the beta version of his SFC3 multiplayer mod called EXPANSIONv0-01.

Space Empires Series:

Not only has Strategy First signed the rights to publish the latest Space Empires games, but they've recently released Space Empires IV Deluxe as a digital download for about $30, which is cheaper than previously offered.

Wing Commander Series:

The Wing Commander CIC has been busy, as usual. They have word that some Wing Commander Mods for Space Empires IV are now available, Privateer Gemini Gold is getting a 1.01 patch, Flight Commander 1.3 will have advanced scripting, there's some new art from Origin artist Sean Murphy, and finally a new way to play Wing Commander: Armada online (which I have to try).

X Series

Even though X3 was released recently, Egosoft has already relesed a 1.2 patch that includes a bunch of minor and major fixes. You can find out more in their X3 patches section.

X-Wing/Tie Fighter Series:

The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade has been updated with a new Escape Pod and a new Xiytiar Transport.

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More Star Trek: Legacy Info Released

Gamecloud has a small story which gives us some more information about the recently leaked game, Star Trek: Legacy, which will be created by Mad Doc and published by Bethesda. Here's a clip:

According to the article the game is an action-strategy hybrid title for both the PC and Xbox 360 and will actually span the entire Star Trek timeline, from Enterprise to the original series to the Next Gen-DS9-Voyager timeframes. The game is due for release in September 2006.

We'll bring you more information as it becomes available.

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For the People, By The People: Sunday

Has it really been a couple of months since I did one of these? Indeed it has my friends, and I apologize. Real life can sure as hell suck any free time you have away from ya, which is exactly what's happened recently. Anyway, enough of my whining, here's some recent fun news-y tidbits for you to chew on. Enjoy!

Babylon 5:

FirstOnes has released a trailer of their mod for Nexus. You can download the 16 MB trailer by clicking here.

Freespace 2:

The Freespace 2 community has been as active as ever. Just in the last few days, the Hard Light Productions website has moved to a new domain (http://www.hard-light.net/), updated their Freespace Wiki, and released their MediaVP model and texture pack for FS2. There's so much going on over on the Hard Light Forums since my last update that I'd run out of space posting it all.

Hardwar:

Over on Captain Zedo's, there's a PDF map of Downtown Titan to download as well as a new Hardw[a]r Enhanced Economy Mod DLL 20051112 to download too.

Homeworld 2:

Over on the Star Wars: Warlords website, they seem to be approaching their 0.5 milestone release. On the Freespace: A New Age forum, they've posted an update on how the mod is coming along.

Star Trek: Armada Series:

Since it's been a long time since the last update, I'm just going to keep all of the ST game updates simple and quick. Armada 2 Files has seen a ton of updates, such as the Derelict Map Pack, a new version of the Whale Probe as well as the Earth Alliance Omega Class Destroyer.

Star Trek: Bridge Commander:

Bridge Commander Files also has a slew of updates such as the USS-Mantis, ZZ's Miranda Pack and the new SNS Akira Pack, among others.

Star Trek: Klingon Academy:

KlingonAcademy.com has announced a new download system. Over on the KlingonAcademy.com forums there have been a lot of new mod releases, including a D4 Class Bird of Prey, a NX Class Cruiser Pack, a Daedalus Class Cruiser Pack and a slew of releases from the Next Generation Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Command Series:

Starfleet Command 3 Files, like the other sites, has a ton of updates. You can find the USS Anubis, the Alternate Universe: Swift Wars pack, and the Typhon Class Dreadnaught, for example. Starfleet Universe has word that Elite-Kaos has released the beta version of his SFC3 multiplayer mod called EXPANSIONv0-01.

Space Empires Series:

Not only has Strategy First signed the rights to publish the latest Space Empires games, but they've recently released Space Empires IV Deluxe as a digital download for about $30, which is cheaper than previously offered.

Wing Commander Series:

The Wing Commander CIC has been busy, as usual. They have word that some Wing Commander Mods for Space Empires IV are now available, Privateer Gemini Gold is getting a 1.01 patch, Flight Commander 1.3 will have advanced scripting, there's some new art from Origin artist Sean Murphy, and finally a new way to play Wing Commander: Armada online (which I have to try).

X Series

Even though X3 was released recently, Egosoft has already relesed a 1.2 patch that includes a bunch of minor and major fixes. You can find out more in their X3 patches section.

X-Wing/Tie Fighter Series:

The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade has been updated with a new Escape Pod and a new Xiytiar Transport.

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Keep The News Coming!

Hey there, folks, how are you? I don't think I've ever mentioned this before, but if you have news about a particular space sim, strategy game, or mod that you would like me to share, please feel free to send me an email at by clicking my name on the right hand side of the page and the clicking the email link (I thought about putting a direct email link here, but that might lead to spam), and I'll make sure your news gets posted as soon as I can get to it. Thanks, and I hope you're enjoying the site. Also, thanks to Beth for bringing me on board and allowing me to keep bringing you guys news about the space sims and strategy games we all love.

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New Sword of the Stars Screenshots on IGN

IGN has over twenty new screenshots of the upcoming Sci-Fi 4X game, Sword of the Stars. Here's a couple of 'em to feast your eyes upon:  
Head over to IGN for the rest.

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New X3: Reunion Designer Diary Entry at GameSpot

There's a fantastic developer diary entry over at GameSpot detailing the day in a life of a pilot in the X3 universe. Here's a clip:

With him at my mercy, I ask him to surrender. To my surprise, he refuses and then I realize why. I had not checked my immediate surroundings carefully, and two local police ships are speeding to his aid. The supplier was not attached to any station or factory. He was an independent trader and still they came to his aid! Cursing, I swiftly dispatch the freighter and he disappears in a cloud of dust, his scream cut short. Even in this short span of time, the police ships are onto me--one standard Boron M4 fighter and one Vanguard M4. I curse again. Although the M4s are lighter than my ship, they are faster and more agile, and the Vanguard is faster and more heavily armed than most ships.

Be sure to check out the rest of the diary entry over at GameSpot, and enjoy.

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New X3: Reunion Patch Available

There's a new 1.3 patch available on the X3: Reunion download page that brings the game up to version 1.3. There's no word on what the massive 119MB patch (or the 62MB patch if you're upgrading from version 1.2.01) does, but at that size, one would hope it does a lot. :)

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Flatspace II Released

Last week, the latest version of Flatspace -- a top-down elite/roguelike space game -- has been released. Flatspace II, according to its product description page, has new artifacts, better balancing and more. Here's a clip from the page about the game:

Another big change in Flatspace II compared to the first game is the game balancing. Unlike the first game there are no unfair or random events that can instantly kill the player and the game is less punishing to beginners. A new difficulty system limits damage to your ship, upgrades are more affordable, and a massive amount of play testing ensures that the different player activites are much more evenly balanced than before.

You can head over to the Flatspace downloads page to get the 12.5 MB demo version and try it out for yourself. The first game was a lot of fun, so I look forward to trying out this new version.

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Galactic Civlizations II Tidbits

I noticed today that there's a new Galactic Civilizations II interview over at RPG Vault. Here's a clip:

Jonric: What can we expect to see from the AI, both for the friendly units and also for the various enemies you can encounter?

Brad Wardell: There are no tactical battles in the game, so formations and such don't really come into play. Instead, players can build fleets, group units together to send to various parts of the map, create rally points to organize their forces, etc.

The computer AI, which is the part of the game I code, has a different AI personality for each player. This isn't just some variables, but rather its own engine running in a background thread; i.e. a base class for the AI and then each player has its own derived class. So as a result, different players can play quite differently. We are trying to develop a system whereby each computer opponent will use quite different strategies to play. As I play the game more, I learn more possible strategies to play with, and then try to incorporate that into different AI personalities.

There's also a new Galactic Civilizations II preview over on Gamespy. Enjoy!

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New Space Game Found - Epoch Star

It isn't often that a space game flies under my radar, but somehow this one did. I was searching for images of Starflight on Google Images recently, and came across a game I'd never heard of called Epoch Star, which was released in the middle of 2005.

Apparently, Epoch Star is a space adventure game reminiscient of Starflight and Star Control II, and was created by Battleline Games. I played the game for an hour or so last night, and found it was very similar to those two games, but with its own tweaks like a WASD control scheme. I had a ton of fun with the game, so I'd suggest anyone who has even a passing interest in space adventures at least check it out, since it's a free download. I hope you enjoy it.

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Homeworld 2: Dustwars Mod Timeline Available

Thanks to Mike Barton for letting me know that there's a new and extremely detailed timeline regarding the Homeworld 2: Dustwars mod for Homeworld 2 (natually). The timeline is huge and very detailed, so I hope you all enjoy it.

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Galactic Dream Announced & Demo Released

There's a new space strategy game out there for your enjoyment that I just found out about. It's called Galactic Dream and it looks pretty neat. There's also a demo for the game as well. According to the features page, some of the features include:
Lead one of 3 distinctive and amazing Species: terran, dakras or the wise sandkings. Three Different Sides, three unique playing styles, each coming with characteristic tech tree, units and combat tactics
Almost 40 different units; each possessing upgrading capability, each carrying terrifying space weapons
Each units have different abilities.
A majestic universe, entirely 3D, giving you multiple perspectives over the battlefieldYou can head over to the Galactic Dream download page to download the demo. Enjoy!

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New Battlestar Galactica Model Screenshots Available for FS2

Thanks to Eliot Watts for sending me an email about this. Apparently there are some new screenshots of the Battlestar Galactica Model for the Beyond The Redline mod for Freespace 2 available on the Game Warden forums, and I must say they're very impressive. Here's shrunken versions of them that link to the forum itself:

Enjoy!

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New Star Trek Games Announced

The big news of the day is that Bethesda Softworks has announced their acquisition of the Star Trek license, as well as two new Star Trek games. Star Trek: Legacy is a tactical starship combat game coming for the Xbox 360 and PC, while Star Trek: Tactical Assault is on its way to the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS.

Mad Doc Software (the creators of Star Trek: Armada 2) is working on Star Trek: Legacy while Quicksilver Software (the creators of the Starfleet Command series) is working on Star Trek: Tactical Assault, which means they’re in experienced hands who’ve created well-regarded Star Trek games in the past. Here’s are some clips from the press release:

Star Trek: Legacy places you in the role of the Admiral of a task force of warships, which you control in small and large-scale battles. Test your strategic and tactical skills in real-time combat featuring authentic spaceships, full damage modeling, and spectacular visual effects. The storyline in Legacy spans the entire Star Trek Universe, including the Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise eras. Star Trek: Legacy will be released on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC this September.

Star Trek®: Tactical Assault, in development for handheld gaming systems, features real-time spaceship combat from the universe of the original Star Trek series. With a wide array of authentic Star Trek races, ships, and weaponry, you can engage in single-player battle through either the Federation or Klingon campaigns or in head-to-head wireless multiplayer combat. Star Trek: Tactical Assault is being developed in the studios of Quicksilver Software, creators of the highly popular Star Trek: Starfleet Command.

We’ll bring you more info as we get it, but this is exciting news indeed.

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Galactica Sim - Free 4X Game - Released

In a recent press release, Blue Gecko Entertainment announced the release of Galactica, a free "tick-based" 4X game. This looks to be an online strategy game that in this writer's mind looks reminiscient of the Master of Orion games, at least based on the screenshots. According to the press release, "The game challenges players to build an empire by colonising and conquering thousands of planets with hundreds of competing players." Features include research, diplomacy, and a lot more. It looks pretty neat, so head over to Blue Gecko Entertainment and check it out.

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Epic: Middle States Becomes Torn Stars

I got a nice email from Jon of the Epic mod team stating that the mod is now called Torn Stars. Here's a description from the new web site:

Torn Stars (formerly Epic: Middle States) is a new and epic space simulation set in the war torn and ravaged Middle States star cluster. Live a second life traveling and plying the space lanes with a fleet of transports, preying on fat and rich merchant transports as a pirate, exploring l-points and undiscovered star systems, or even laying claims and searching out mineral-rich asteroids.

You can read more about this new mod for Independence War 2, and download the 98MB file, at the official Torn Stars website.

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Star Wraith IV Version 2 Launched

The official Star Wraith IV site has news that version 2 of this popular indie space sim has been released. Here's a clip:

The next phase of Star Wraith IV, version 2, has been launched! This update is a major revision to the game. The graphics engine has been overhauled to provide Evochron level detail and effects. A few bug fixes are also included along with some new textures and cockpit details. This update is free for all current registered players and the installer will also work as a patch to update any older 1.X version of the game up to the 2.X system.

This new version has several bug fixes, tweaks, and revisions, so head over to the official site to download the 11.2 MB trial version. It's a fun game, so any space sim fan should enjoy it.

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Sword of the Stars Snags Publisher

In a new press release, Lighthouse Interactive has announced that they'll be publishing the upcoming Sci-Fi 4X game, Sword of the Stars. Here's a clip:

Erik Schreuder, Lighthouse CEO, said: “Sword of the Stars marks a major milestone in the growth of Lighthouse. We needed the right title to launch our push into North- America and Sword of the Stars is truly an incredible title with all the ingredients needed to be a genre leader.” Schreuder went on to say “The Kerberos team is world class and have been involved in many blockbuster titles, we are extremely happy to have partnered with them.”

There are also some new screenshots available on Lighthouse's official SOTS page. I'm personally looking forward to this one.

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Tie Fighter: Total Conversion Released

The Tie Fighter: Total Conversion mod for X-Wing Alliance has been released. This mod converts content from Tie Fighter to the X-Wing Alliance engine. To play the mod you need X-wing Alliance with both CD-ROMS and the TIE Fighter Collectors Edition CDROM or X-Wing Collectors Series Disk 2 CDROM. If you have both of these items, head over to the TFTC downloads page to download the 112 MB mod. I know I'll be downloading it soon myself.

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Starships Unlimited 3 Launched

In a recently released press release, Matrix Games has announced the release of Starships Unlimted 3, the latest in the popular sci-fi 4X game series from Ape Zone. Here's a clip from the release:

Unlike many other games of galactic exploration, conquest, economics and diplomacy, Starships Unlimited v3 focuses on a small number of unique starships, each with different crew mixes and different technologies. These ships and their crews are the heroes of this science fiction epic, boldly exploring the unknown, dealing with alien races and helping your people expand to new worlds.

You can find out more at Matrix Game's official Starships Unlimted 3 web site.

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Space Rangers 2 Coming to North America

I noticed on Blue's that Cinemaware Marquee, a new indie label from eGames, will bring Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators to North America in March. Here's a clip from the press release:

Cinemaware Marquee, an affiliated label of eGames, Inc., today announced that its first title, Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators will be released in North America in March 2006. Space Rangers 2 is already one of the most critically acclaimed games of the year in Europe.

Developed by Russian studio 1C/Elemental Games, Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators continues the trend of Russian developers blazing new trails in videogames. The game is a turn-based RPG encompassing various gameplay genres in a vast interstellar world that can be played in countless ways – explore the galaxy, fight off an evil robotic army, build a trading empire – it is completely up to player. This depth and scope of gameplay ensures that Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators will be one of the most revolutionary titles of the year – the ultimate realization of a truly unique, bold vision to deliver a groundbreaking game on a new scale.

There are a lot of people who've been wanting this game, but have been having trouble getting it due to limited availability here in the states. This should solve that problem.

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StarCalibur Demo Released

A demo of a space sim I knew nothing about called StarCalibur has been released. I found the demo on Filefront, but FilePlanet also has a copy. The game seems to be Russian, but the demo has English text.

I played the demo a bit and found it fun, so check it out. It's a respectable 130 MB in size. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a website for the game at the moment, so I can't find any more info on it, but I'll keep an eye out for some more info. Enjoy the demo!

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Weird Worlds Patch Available

There's a new patch available for Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space that has a veritable cargo hold full of fixes and new features, including: enemies flee if no guns
can try to ram a fighter
formation leader dodges followers
And more! Head over to the Weird Worlds download page to get the 294KB patch.

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Pregnant Kristen Bell "Maybe" Having a Boy, Admits Childbirth "Looks Terrifying"

by Natalie Finn Wed., Jan. 23, 2013 10:49 PM PST

Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

Did Kristen Bell just let the sex out of the bag?!

Ellen DeGeneres is now convinced that the pregnant House of Lies star has a baby boy on the way after Bell told her, in an interview airing tomorrow on Ellen, about how excited her car-fanatic fiancé, Dax Shepard, is about "all the off-roading he'll have in this tiny partner."

"Maybe?" Bell played coy when DeGeneres immediately asked if that meant she was expecting a son.

Kristen Bell takes her baby bump grocery shopping

"Do you have to be a boy to off-road? Absolutely not!" the actress protested. "I think he's going to force [the baby], even if it's a sloth, to off-road." (Wow, can you even begin to imagine Bell's reaction were she to birth a baby sloth?!)

Well, regardless of what Bell is carrying in that growing belly of hers, he/she/sloth is making her feel fantastic—and she'd like to keep it that way.

"I've got nothing to prove" by having natural childbirth, she cracked to Ellen. "I feel like, when I arrive at the hospital, I want a glass of whiskey, I want the epidural in my back and I want to get hit in the face with a baseball bat and wake me up when it's over because I've seen the videos—and it looks terrifying."

Evan Rachel Woods is also preggers and looking mighty happy about it

Bell also might not be in any rush to give birth because her "self-esteem has never been higher." 

"I look in the mirror and I think it's the reverse body dysmorphia," she marveled, "because I can understand what my shape is, but I see Brooke Shields. And it doesn't make a lick of sense, but it's something that the baby's giving me hormonally makes me feel really giggly and happy."

Cheers (but hold the whiskey) to that!

Check out more famous baby bumps right here

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