Yahoo News

YUI 3.5.0 Preview Release 2 has been released to the developer community for feedback and testing. It is now available on the Yahoo! CDN at yui.yahooapis.com/3.5.0pr2/build/yui/yui-min.js, or as a download if you plan to test it locally.

The rollup of 3.5.0 changes introduced up until PR2 is available on our GitHub Wiki. You can also review the list of tickets that were resolved in this release.

Work-in-progress user guides and API docs for 3.5.0 can be found on our staging site, but beware that these docs may be incomplete or even broken, since this is where we test new stuff. Official docs for the latest stable release can always be found on our production site, yuilibrary.com.

Some highlights in this release include:

• New HTML5 File Uploader with Flash fallback
• Major DataTable refactor. If you’re a DataTable user, please read the user guide for details about API changes.
• CSS Button, Button and ButtonGroup modules
• Many bug fixes and feature enhancements for App Framework components

To file bugs against this release, please visit our bug tracking system. If you’d like to provide input on these and future modules, the ongoing discussions on various topics relating to the 3.5.0 release are happening on our GitHub wiki.

We will release YUI 3.5.0 GA in mid-March. Happy testing!

by Claudine Zap

Groundhog Day is almost upon us, when marmot meteorologists take over the weather report to answer the pressing question: Is spring almost here, or are we subject to six more weeks of winter -- and maybe more important, are rodents ever right?

Searches on Yahoo! have forecasted a storm of interest, including "what is groundhog day," "when is groundhog day," and "history of groundhog day."

The story goes that on February 2, if the groundhog (also known as a woodchuck) emerges from its burrow and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. No shadow means an early spring.

The history of this now American tradition stems from pagan and Christian holidays brought over from Europe that looked to hibernating animals to signal the end of winter. The Germans used hedgehogs as their weather guides. In Pennsylvania, early American settlers found groundhogs, not hedgehogs, and the forecasting began in the new country with a new rodent.

Thanks to the movie "Groundhog Day," the marmot Punxsutawney Phil has reached celebrity status. The supposedly 125-year-old rodent, who gained fame in the comedy starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, boasts a Facebook page along with media hype.

So how accurate is the forecast from Punxsutawney Phil? According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Phil's reading is 100% accurate, natch. But the National Climatic Data Center disagrees, noting that its research shows "no predictive skill for the groundhog during the most recent years of this analysis." The Stormfax Almanac concurs, judging the Pennsylvania prognosticator to be correct a not-very-impressive 39% of the time.

But perhaps that's not all that surprising: As the Christian Science Monitor points out, no weather forecaster would dare deliver predictions further than a few days out. And they've got high-tech gadgets at their fingertips.

But in this case, tradition rules, and across the country, reasonable people turn to rodents for their weather report -- and the results can be unpleasant. The most infamous groundhog has to be Staten Island Chuck, who gained notoriety for biting New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg a few years back. Other groundhogs emerge on the day to make their own, possibly contradictory, predictions: The Huffington Post tracked down lesser-known furry mammals who forecast.

Groundhog or no, the first day of spring is officially March 20, and it can't come soon enough.

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by Claudine Zap

Two teens from Toronto successfully launched a Lego figure into near space -- and launched a storm of interest on the Web.

Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad, 17-year-old classmates at Agincourt Collegiate Institute, took four months, many Saturdays, and $400 to carry a Lego figurine and four cameras miles above the earth, a project that the two did for fun, not for class.

"We didn't really believe we could do it until we did," Ho told the Toronto Star. You can see the video they made, using the stunning photos of the Lego man 78,000 feet off the ground, here.

The video of the Lego man in near space has gone viral, with 570,000 views and counting. Searches on Yahoo! for "lego man in space" have soared 325% in just one day.

The high school students, both seniors, were inspired by a video of a similar project undertaken by students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The DIY contraption included a GPS locator so the students could track the weather balloon (a professional-grade one they purchased online) once it landed. Using a website that calculates a weather balloon's landing position based on coordinates and variables like wind speed, the two waited to launch the object until the timing was right for a Canadian landing.

The video shows the two-inch high LEGO man holding a Canadian flag flying high above Earth and the clouds, until the tilt of the earth's axis can be seen. And then the balloon pops, sending the Lego guy back to the ground in a mere 32 minutes.

Ho and Muhammad may still be walking on air with all the accolades they've received for their successful project. The teens have been offered cameras from Canon and asked to speak at an engineering competitions, and they've been given funds to cover the cost of the project. Even Lego sent its congratulations.

Not bad for two kids who haven't even found out yet where they're going to college.

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by Mike Krumboltz

George Clooney is a respected actor, director, and activist. But he's also a born prankster. The star of "The Descendants" recently visited "Inside the Actors Studio," where he dished about his plans for pulling one over on his good friend and rival Brad Pitt.

In the clip, an audience member asks Clooney about some of his favorite pranks that he's pulled. Clooney says, "I'm a big believer in making (movie) sets fun ... I have done some horrible things to people. Truly, truly horrible. I'm working on one now for Brad Pitt. It might end his career." Clooney then added, "I owe him, so I'm getting him."

What did Pitt do to inspire such a revenge? We're not sure if this is the reason, but according to Matt Damon, while on the set of "Ocean's Twelve," Pitt constructed a fake memo and gave it to the Italian crew. The memo instructed the crew not to look Clooney in the eye and only call him "Danny" or "Mr. Ocean." Clooney was apparently none too pleased.

Clooney's love of pranks goes way back. As the New York Post explains, the Oscar winner placed plants in front of Julia Roberts's trailer door on the set of "Ocean's Eleven" so she couldn't exit. He arranged for a tailor to secretly take in Matt Damon's pants every day while Damon was trying to lose weight for a role. "He couldn't understand how he seemed to be gaining weight while he was trying so hard to lose it," Clooney explained.

He also once told his friend, actor Richard Kind, that he was studying art. Clooney found a horrible-looking painting in the trash and told Kind that he'd painted it. "And then for his 40th birthday I gave him this horrible painting. He had to hang it on his wall, [it was by] his best friend! And for years people would come over -- everyone else knew it was out of the trash -- and go, 'That is a beautiful painting.'"

The episode of "Inside the Actors Studio" will air January 31.

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by Vera H-C Chan

In today's modern world of Internet hoaxes, celebs must spend time reassuring people of their continued existence. There are celebrity death generators online, in which you can choose the place, time, and manner of death --  often abroad and in a car off the cliffs.

This Cher rumor, however, was traced to a Tweet from someone whose handle is @Lorraine_Star: She falsely claimed that CNN reported of the 65-year-old mega-star's untimely demise in her Malibu home. Her motivation stems from the odd path to fame — falsely declaring a celeb dead to get followers.

The news was retweeted by Kim Kardashian to her 12 million followers — and since angrily retracted. @Lorraine_Star, known among her followers for expletive-filled derogatory posts about celebrities, has since proudly claimed credit for the hoax: "I started the Cher Trending topic Because I'm God."

There has been an earlier Twitition to remove @Lorraine_Star from Twitter because of her frequent foul-mouthed, derogatory posts about celebrities, and "she is so mean, so rude!!!" Kim K might just sign that one.

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by Mike Krumboltz

Alert Principal Rooney! Ferris Bueller, that righteous dude we all know and love, is making a return.

A 10-second teaser for an upcoming Super Bowl commercial shows a modern-day Matthew Broderick opening bedroom curtains, turning to the camera, and saying, "How can I handle work on a day like today?" Then the familiar "boom-boom-chick-chicka-chickah" music from the John Hughes movie plays over a black screen that reads, "2.5.12" (the date of the Super Bowl).

Some wondered if the clip might indicate that a sequel to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is in the works. Not so. Reports indicate that it's actually a sneak peek at a commercial for Honda. According to auto blog Jalopnik, the commercial, which was directed by Todd Phillips of "The Hangover," will feature a Honda CR-V doing the same kind of stunts Ferris and Cameron did in Cameron's dad's 1961 Ferrari 250GT California. Much of the commercial will mimick shots from the 1986 film.

The idea of the inspirational, rebellious, take-no-gruff Ferris driving a mini-SUV is a little sad to us. But, hey, everybody gets old. And judging by the buzz around the teaser, Ferris hasn't lost his popularity. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, bloods, wastoids, dweebies -- they all adore him.

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by Claudine Zap

Timing is everything, and when news broke that Demi Moore had been hospitalized for "health and exhaustion issues," ex Ashton Kutcher was living it up in Brazil.

The two split last November after the "Two and a Half Men" star reportedly cheated on his wife of six years. But even though the two are kaput and Kutcher appears to be partying with supermodels in Sao Paulo, it doesn't mean he doesn't care.

A source told People that the 33-year-old is "deeply concerned for Demi," adding, "He still cares about her and wants the best for her. But their marriage is ending and they are both moving on with their lives." In fact, the source said Kutcher was in the South American country shooting an ad campaign when he heard the news.

The Web was certainly moved by Moore's health crisis. Yahoo! searches for "demi moore news" rose 200% in the last day. The 49-year-old was hospitalized on Monday night after she apparently suffered a seizure. At the same time, Kutcher was tweeting a picture of himself "surfing the streets of Sao Paulo." For now, he's gone Twitter-silent.

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by Mike Krumboltz

Va-va-va-voom! Salma Hayek, 45, showed off her famous figure at two recent events, proving once again that she can't not look good.

The stunning star attended the Paris premiere of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" in a black leather ensemble. Hayek paired the dress with a glamorous updo and suede boots. The belted outfit, with its three-quarter-length sleeves, struck that so-difficult-to-hit balance between provocative and demure.

A few days later, Hayek rocked a daring black lace dress at an event at Paris Couture Week. The wraparound gown, which Hayak paired with a sexy black choker from Yves Saint Laurent, showed off the actress's gorgeous gams and, ahem, imposing cleavage.

Hayek attended the event with husband François-Henri Pinault. The Frenchman is chief executive officer of PPR, a multinational company that specializes in luxury retail brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Hayek and Pinault have one child together, a daughter. Pinault has three other children, including a son with model Linda Evangelista.

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by Claudine Zap

Demi Moore is seeking treatment for exhaustion and health issues. The news of the star's health concerns adds to a troubled time for the actress. TMZ confirmed that Moore was taken to a hospital after paramedics responded to a 911 call placed from her home.

A rep for the actress told People, "Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health. She looks forward to getting well and is grateful for the support of her family and friends." It seems that ex-Ashton Kutcher is not part of that group: He has been catching headlines in Brazil, where he is doing a fashion shoot and partying with supermodels.

The 49-year-old, who had been busy with a directing stint for Lifetime and a part in the indie flick "Margin Call," decided to pull out of the biopic "Lovelace," in which she had a small role as feminist Gloria Steinem.

Moore had fans worried months ago when she showed up on the red carpet looking dramatically thinner than her usual toned and trimmed self.

The cover model for the February issue of Bazaar admitted to the magazine that she had lost an unhealthy amount of weight, which she chalked up to age. She said she is "now experiencing my body as extremely thin -- thin in a way that I never imagined somebody would be saying to me, 'You're too thin, and you don't look good.'"

In November, the news broke that she and her husband, "Two and a Half Men" star Ashton Kutcher, had decided to end their six-year marriage, after scandalous reports that the actor, 15 years her junior, had been cheating.

Moore, who starred in "Ghost," was previously married to Bruce Willis. The two had three daughters together -- the oldest, Rumer Willis, who is 23, took her mom out over the weekend to party at Beacher's Madhouse in Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel. The newly single Moore reportedly sipped Red Bull, danced on a couch, and enjoyed the attention of "90210" actor Ryan Rottman.

Rumer was spotted at the hospital where Moore is being treated, rallying for her mother's recovery.

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by Claudine Zap

News flash: Mitt Romney is way richer than you. How rich? A very cool -- if incredibly maddening tool -- can tell you exactly how long it takes for Richie Romney to make your salary (hint: not very long). Based on the presidential candidate's 2010 tax return, the Slate calculator tells us: "Mitt Romney made $40,000 in 16 hours 10 minutes and 34 seconds."

After facing growing criticism by his Republican competitors, and taking a drubbing in the South Carolina primary, the Republican candidate finally released his 2010 and 2011 tax returns. Voters were again reminded of the great divide between wealth and regular working stiffs: Romney earned about $21.6 million in 2010 and estimates about the same for 2011.

Mitt proved after releasing his tax information that his rate is, as he had estimated, "probably closer to the fifteen percent rate than anything."

How is that possible? Easy: The very legal and very low capital gains tax. Romney, a former head of Bain Capital, has been living off investment profits, which unlike wages from a paycheck, are taxed at the lower 15 percent rate -- instead of the 35 percent that wealthy Americans pay on earned income. Mitt's riches gave searches on the term "capital gains tax" a one-day jump of 50 percent, along with lookups on "what is capital gains tax," "capital gains tax rate" and "history of capital gains tax."

John Cassidy in the New Yorker points out that it was Bill Clinton who first cut the capital gains tax from 28 percent to 20 percent. George W. Bush slashed it down to 15 percent -- where it remains today.

Maybe it's not surprising that Romney was reluctant to release his tax statements. The New York Times reports that the Republican is the wealthiest candidate to ever run for president, with an estimated family fortune of $190 million to $250 million.

Forbes called Romney's admission of his super-low tax rate a "teachable moment," adding that keeping the investment income tax low allows for a "ginormous loophole" -- tax shelters to convert fully taxed income into capital gains. "If you can transform $10 million of wages into gains, you can save over $2 million."

However, as NPR reporter Tamara Keith pointed out in an analysis of the Newt Gingrich proposed tax plan, Romney would pay zero percent on taxes: The former House Speaker calls for a 15 percent flat tax that everyone could choose on earned income, and no tax on capital gains.

Much of Romney's income comes from Bain, made through private equity deals, and is taxed at the lower capital gains rate. And even at the current rate of 15 percent, that sweet deal could be hard for ordinary taxpayers to swallow.

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