U.S. probe into JPMorgan hiring practices widens: Bloomberg

"HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. government investigations into the hiring practices of JPMorgan in China have uncovered evidence including a spreadsheet that links hires to specific deals, Bloomberg News reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

The Justice Department has joined the Securities and Exchange Commission in looking into whether JPMorgan hired people in China because their family members would in turn offer business to the bank, the report said, citing one of the people.

The probe, which had initially centered on the bank's Hong Kong office, has also widened to include countries across Asia and more than 200 interns and full-time staff, according to the Bloomberg report.

The investigation could see the U.S. bank charged under the Foreign Corrupt Practices act, which prevents companies from paying cash or providing anything of value to government employees in order to win business.

While banks have always sought to hire staff with influential connections to government and clients, a practice which is not illegal, the probe centers on so-called sham roles in which the employee is taken on purely for those connections and does little or no other work for the bank.

Marie Cheung, a JPMorgan spokeswoman based in Hong Kong, referred Reuters to a previous comment saying the bank is cooperating fully with regulators and declined to comment further.

Press officers for the SEC and Justice department did not immediately respond to messages left when contacted outside U.S. business hours.

(Reporting by Lawrence White in HONG KONG; Additional reporting by Douwe Miedema in WASHINGTON; Editing by Ryan Woo)"

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Jessica Simpson Shows Off Son Ace Knute for the First Time

"Nearly two months after giving birth to son Ace Knute, Jessica Simpson is ready to share her baby boy with the world!

The 33-year-old, who welcomed the newest addition on June 30, is debuting her little one on the cover of Us Weekly, posing along with 15-month-old daughter Maxwell.

Jessica Simpson, Maxwell Johnson, and Ace Knute Johnson (UsWeekly)

The mommy-of-two, who has been engaged to fiancé Eric Johnson since November 2010, seems to be happier than ever, telling the mag, "With two kids, we have our hands full, but every day is a new adventure. … It's fun! I feel very at peace with being a mom."

But will the cute couple, who had back-to-back babies, add more to their beautiful brood anytime soon?

"Pregnancy is alot. It was hard to do two so close together," admits the fashion mogul mama. "I have this huge sense of accomplishment, and I feel in my heart that I'm done. But obviously, accidents do happen!"

Check out the video for details on Jessica's life as a mom, and be sure to tune in to "omg! Insider" on TV tonight for more on this story."

Jessica Simpson Shows Off Son Ace Knute for the First Time

"Nearly two months after giving birth to son Ace Knute, Jessica Simpson is ready to share her baby boy with the world!

The 33-year-old, who welcomed the newest addition on June 30, is debuting her little one on the cover of Us Weekly, posing along with 15-month-old daughter Maxwell.

Jessica Simpson, Maxwell Johnson, and Ace Knute Johnson (UsWeekly)

The mommy-of-two, who has been engaged to fiancé Eric Johnson since November 2010, seems to be happier than ever, telling the mag, "With two kids, we have our hands full, but every day is a new adventure. … It's fun! I feel very at peace with being a mom."

But will the cute couple, who had back-to-back babies, add more to their beautiful brood anytime soon?

"Pregnancy is alot. It was hard to do two so close together," admits the fashion mogul mama. "I have this huge sense of accomplishment, and I feel in my heart that I'm done. But obviously, accidents do happen!"

Check out the video for details on Jessica's life as a mom, and be sure to tune in to "omg! Insider" on TV tonight for more on this story."

Jessica Simpson Shows Off Son Ace Knute for the First Time

"Nearly two months after giving birth to son Ace Knute, Jessica Simpson is ready to share her baby boy with the world!

The 33-year-old, who welcomed the newest addition on June 30, is debuting her little one on the cover of Us Weekly, posing along with 15-month-old daughter Maxwell.

Jessica Simpson, Maxwell Johnson, and Ace Knute Johnson (UsWeekly)

The mommy-of-two, who has been engaged to fiancé Eric Johnson since November 2010, seems to be happier than ever, telling the mag, "With two kids, we have our hands full, but every day is a new adventure. … It's fun! I feel very at peace with being a mom."

But will the cute couple, who had back-to-back babies, add more to their beautiful brood anytime soon?

"Pregnancy is alot. It was hard to do two so close together," admits the fashion mogul mama. "I have this huge sense of accomplishment, and I feel in my heart that I'm done. But obviously, accidents do happen!"

Check out the video for details on Jessica's life as a mom, and be sure to tune in to "omg! Insider" on TV tonight for more on this story."

Rihanna and Drake Reunite Over VMA Weekend

"Just friends?

Rihanna and Drake seemed quite chummy in New York City over the weekend as the "Take Care" collaborators kicked off VMA festivities together by grabbing dinner at Beauty and Essex on Friday night.

Witnesses tell omg! the duo arrived separately and dined with a group of pals.

"They looked like they were just having fun," a restaurant goer tells omg!. "It didn't seem romantic or overly flirty."

While it may not have been exactly a date, security made sure to block anyone trying to photograph RiRi and the "Hold On, We're Going Home" singer … and the twosome was equally as camera shy last night.

After MTV's Video Music Awards on Sunday, Sean "Diddy" Combs hosted the Official CIROC Amaretto launch event at the Ph-D Rooftop at the Dream Hotel in downtown Manhattan. Witnesses tell omg! that Rihanna, 25, and Drake, 26, were hanging out and had tables next to each other, but opted not to pose for any photos.

Drake and Rihanna's on-again, off-again ex Chris Brown made headlines last year after they got into a fight at a nightclub in NYC over the Barbados beauty.

"It's embarrassing, the amount of media coverage … Two rappers fighting over the woman," Drake told GQ earlier this summer. "He's not even a rapper, but still, it's the last way you want your name out there. It distracts from the music. But he's made me the enemy, and that's the way it's gonna stay, I guess."

When Rihanna and Brown, 24, rekindled their relationship after the brawl it appeared as if her friendship with Drake bit the dust. But now that Chris is out of the picture, it looks like they are picking up where they left off.

Though Drake didn't take any pics with the "Right Now" singer, he did happily pose alongside singer Rita Ora. When Drake wasn't with RiRi, he and Ora, 22, stuck close all evening. However, sources tell omg! those two are "just friends."

Also partying at Ph-D: Jay Z, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Leonardo Dicaprio, Timbaland, Jamie Foxx, Pharrell, Kendrick Lamar, Ellie Goulding, and Macklemore … just to name a few!"

New Windows operating system sent to computer makers

"Microsoft on Tuesday began sending a revamped version of Windows to makers of computers, smartphones or tablets powered by the software.

"We've hit an important milestone for Microsoft," Windows team executive Antoine Leblond said in a blog post.

"In many ways, this marks a new day for Microsoft, reflecting a number of rapid-release firsts."

Developers of applications tailored to run on Windows devices were irked, however, to find out that they will not get their hands on the finished version of Windows 8.1 until it hits the market in October.

In the past, developers had early access to new versions of Windows to allow time to make sure their applications work with the software.

"Seriously, has Microsoft fallen off its rocker?" a developer asked rhetorically in a chat forum below Leblond's blog post.

"This decision is yet another that leaves me questioning the judgment of Microsoft's current management."

Microsoft in June provided developers with a preview version of the "re-blended" Windows 8 operating system released late last year.

Windows 8.1 incorporated feedback from users and developers, and came with the promise that the US software giant was speeding up its release cycle to adapt to the dizzying pace of innovation in consumer technology.

"Windows 8.1 is a significant update," Leblond said.

"As we consider the code we just handed off, and the new intuitive and fluid computing experience it provides -- anytime, anywhere, across all devices -- we're confident we made the right bet."

Windows 8.1 remains true to the vision of an operating system tuned for touch-screen controls and multi-gadget lifestyles increasingly revolving around tablets and smartphones, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft is under pressure to adapt to a huge shift in how people engage with computers.

Smartphones and tablets have vanquished the days when people devoted the bulk of computer time to Windows-powered desktop or laptop machines.

The overhauled Windows 8 operating system released in November was designed to power the array Internet-linked devices.

Better adapting to the shifting Internet landscape is believed to be among the reasons behind the unexpected announcement last week that Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer will retire within 12 months.

"There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time," Ballmer said Friday in a written release.

"My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company's transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction."

Ballmer took over as CEO in 2000 from co-founder Bill Gates, a classmate and friend from their days at Harvard University in the 1970s.

While its Windows software is used on the vast majority of personal computers, Microsoft has had little impact in the fast-growing segments of tablets and smartphones. gc/jm"

Miley's twerking dance officially enters lexicon

""Twerking", the raunchy dance that set tongues wagging when enthusiastically performed by Miley Cyrus at the MTV awards, is one of the new terms to make the latest Oxford dictionary update.

The former Disney child star, now 20, left audience members gobsmacked when she bent over and gyrated provocatively with singer Robin Thicke on his song "Blurred Lines".

The moves, borrowed from US hip-hop culture, have been colloquially known as twerking for around 20 years, but the term has now received official recognition after being included in the latest revision of Oxford Dictionaries Online, it revealed Wednesday.

"By last year, it had generated enough currency to be added to our new words watch list, and by this spring, we had enough evidence of usage frequency in a breadth of sources to consider adding it to our dictionaries of current English," explained Katherine Connor Martin, from Oxford Dictionaries Online.

"There are many theories about the origin of this word, and since it arose in oral use, we may never know the answer for sure.

"The current public reaction to twerking is reminiscent in some ways of how the twisting craze was regarded in the early 1960s, when it was first popularised by Chubby Checker's song, the Twist," she added.

Other new words recognised by the English language gatekeeper include "selfie", for a self-photograph taken on a mobile phone, online currency "Bitcoin" and "hackerspace"."

Miley's twerking dance officially enters lexicon

""Twerking", the raunchy dance that set tongues wagging when enthusiastically performed by Miley Cyrus at the MTV awards, is one of the new terms to make the latest Oxford dictionary update.

The former Disney child star, now 20, left audience members gobsmacked when she bent over and gyrated provocatively with singer Robin Thicke on his song "Blurred Lines".

The moves, borrowed from US hip-hop culture, have been colloquially known as twerking for around 20 years, but the term has now received official recognition after being included in the latest revision of Oxford Dictionaries Online, it revealed Wednesday.

"By last year, it had generated enough currency to be added to our new words watch list, and by this spring, we had enough evidence of usage frequency in a breadth of sources to consider adding it to our dictionaries of current English," explained Katherine Connor Martin, from Oxford Dictionaries Online.

"There are many theories about the origin of this word, and since it arose in oral use, we may never know the answer for sure.

"The current public reaction to twerking is reminiscent in some ways of how the twisting craze was regarded in the early 1960s, when it was first popularised by Chubby Checker's song, the Twist," she added.

Other new words recognised by the English language gatekeeper include "selfie", for a self-photograph taken on a mobile phone, online currency "Bitcoin" and "hackerspace"."

George Clooney Backs Off From Matt Damon in 'The Monuments Men' Poster (Photo)

"George Clooney produced, co-wrote, directed and stars in "The Monuments Men," so give the guy credit -- he knows when to take a step back.

A new poster for the drama about an Allied task force hunting stolen art from Nazi Germany has co-star Matt Damon in the spotlight, with Clooney sharing an equal flanking spot opposite Bill Murray (not bad company, really).

So now we know that Damon is the central character in this ensemble. But the question remains: is it an awards vehicle?

There's been chatter that Sony wasn't mounting a campaign -- the studio denies that -- but just the presence of John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Clooney, Damon and Murray means some kind of hardware has to come out of this ... right?

The co-production between Columbia Pictures and 20th Century Fox is scheduled for a December 18 release."

Alec Baldwin Involved in Paparazzi Altercation

"Alec Baldwin was involved in an altercation with a paparazzi in New York City today, his latest confrontation with the ubiquitous photo-takers who track the moves of celebrities.

According to TMZ, which first reported the news, the photographer, who has not been named in the account, nor by authorities, claimed that he did not initiate the fight. "All I can say is I was doing my job asking him normal questions and he flipped," he said. "That's all."

However, a source said the opposite was true.

"The photographer was the aggressor," the source told ABC News. "He even chased Alec's wife [Hilaria] into a store after the incident."

The website later reported that both parties admitted to pushing each other.

When contacted by ABC News, Lt. Karen Anderson of the NYPD said that "nobody got hurt" and that no police report was filed.

A rep for Baldwin had no comment.

Alec Baldwin Scuffles with Photographer

Baldwin, 55, and his wife, 29, welcomed a daughter, Carmen Gabriela, in New York City last Friday.

"We are overjoyed to announce the birth of our daughter, Carmen Gabriela. She is absolutely perfect. @ABFalecbaldwin @IrelandBBaldwin," the new mom tweeted.

Alec Baldwin Curses at Photographer Last Summer

A day later, Baldwin's 17-year-old daughter with ex-wife Kim Basinger, Ireland, penned a letter to her new sister.

"You have been born into one crazy family," she wrote. "You are both lucky and cursed at the same time.""

iTunes Radio Prepares to 'Pounce' As Streaming 'Arms Race' Heats Up

"As Apple prepares iTunes Radio for a September launch, with top brands such as Pepsi, McDonald's and Nissan as advertisers, the long-suffering record industry is hoping for a new kind of boom. Competition for streaming-music customers is intensifying — Pandora announced last week it would no longer cap mobile listener hours as of September 1st, and Beats by Dre's Daisy service could arrive as soon as October. All of these developments are likely to hasten the industry's transformation from selling downloads to streaming songs.

Look Back at How Steve Jobs Turned the Music Biz Upside Down

"An arms race is afoot," says Tom Corson, president and chief operating officer of RCA Records, home of Justin Timberlake, Ke$ha and Pink, referring to the growth of music-streaming services from YouTube to Spotify. "Apple had a very nice business selling things, and it worked great for us, and it was growing and growing. [Apple] was waiting for a disruption to come into the market, and now they're prepared and ready to pounce."

Apple has, as usual, declined to release concrete details about iTunes Radio — the company announced in June it would be part of its fall iOS 7 software release, for iPhone, iPad and iTouch, and it would unite music and advertising. When Apple's top Internet executive, Eddy Cue, revealed iTunes Radio at the company's WWDC event, his description suggested it would be much like Pandora. One key difference: It will not just expose users to ads but steer them to iTunes "buy" buttons — which makes record executives happy.

"The 'Buy' button on Apple Radio is very prominent, so when you hear something and you like it, boom, you press the button," says Jim Urie, president of distribution for Universal Music, the world's biggest record label. "I think it's actually going to be a bright red button! Everybody agrees it's going to be good for the business."

Pandora executives have been careful since Apple's WWDC announcement not to seem overly cutthroat with regard to iTunes Radio, but its chief executive, Joe Kennedy, told AllThingsD, "We've now been around for eight years. We've seen competitors large and small enter the market and, in some cases, exit the market. I've never seen an analysis that identifies an effect from any competitor. . .we don't see the picture changing."

Still, Pandora's listener-hours have decreased in recent months — mostly due to the 40-hour cap, instituted earlier this year. Still, new services, from increasingly powerful music players such as Spotify to apps, have emerged as streaming rivals. "Competition's definitely increased for Pandora. There's more apps that don't have anything to do with music that are pulling people away from listening to music on their mobile devices," says Alex Luke, a former EMI digital executive who is working on a music startup. "As a consumer with an iPhone and an iPad and a laptop, I find more things tugging at me on all sides. The market's changed dramatically from even 12 or 18 months ago."

Many at record labels view streaming, if not as the future of the entire business, then an important revenue boost after a long period of slumping sales. Download sales have dropped in 2013 after years of growth — about 6 percent for albums and 3 percent for tracks, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Many experts say the proliferation of free streaming services allow consumers to spend money on music without buying it. But Pandora points to numbers from the NPD Group, which reported earlier this year that 41 percent of Pandora and other free-music-streaming consumers say owning music remains important to them.

"The move towards [free] access to music is so simple and ubiquitous that it's having a major impact on piracy," says Syd Schwartz, a former major-label digital-music executive who is now a consultant with Linchpin Digital. "But I don't know that I'd be whistling 'Happy Days Are Here Again' for the major [labels] anytime soon."

This article originally appeared on Rolling Stone: iTunes Radio Prepares to 'Pounce' As Streaming 'Arms Race' Heats Up"

Britney Spears (Celeb Style Snafus)

Even Cord Cutters Will Have to Pay the Cable Bill

This Is Spurlock: How the 'Super Size Me' Filmmaker Captured One Direction

"Morgan Spurlock directed one of the most successful documentary features of all time, 2004's "Super Size Me," and he's been a VIP at major international film festivals ever since. But it's safe to say he'd never had a premiere anything like the one that look place in London's Leicester Square on Tuesday."

Olivia Newton-John's Home Site of Man's Reported Suicide; Star "in Shock"

"Olivia Newton-John's Florida home is the crime scene of a reported suicide. As first reported by the Palm Beach Post, an unknown man apparently killed himself with a gun on Monday, Aug. 19 at the singer and actress' Jupiter Inlet Colony house while she and husband John Easterling were out of town. Jupiter Police Department spokesman Sgt. Scott Pascarella tells Us Weekly, "The deceased is a 42-year old white male, hired as a contractor by the residents . . . We'll be releasing his identity subsequent to the outcome of the autopsy." UPDATE: On Tuesday morning, a rep for singer/actress Newton-John, 64, told Entertainment Tonight in a statement: "Olivia and her husband John are in shock over the tragic event that occurred at their Florida home yesterday. At this time we are awaiting additional information from investigators but, can confirm that the couple was not in Florida at the time and, the deceased was not a family member." Police were called to the home at around 12:15 p.m. on Aug. 19, and are treating the incident as a death investigation with the medical examiner at the scene. Contractors have reportedly been doing work on the property, which is up for sale. On Aug. 9, Gossip Extra reported that Rosie O'Donnell was under contract to buy Newton-John and Easterling's home for $5.6 million. But businessman Easterling told the site, "Nothing's done until it's signed, sealed and delivered!" This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Olivia Newton-John's Home Site of Man's Reported Suicide; Star "in Shock""

Driving an F1-inspired hybrid, the Volvo S60 KERS

"Conventional wisdom tells us that speed requires more power, and more power typically means burning more fuel. Volvo recently allowed us to take a peek into the future of its take on a kinetic energy recovery system, a "power boost" of sorts used in Formula 1 racing that Volvo says could make its way into a Volvo within a few years. The idea behind a KERS setup and a typical hybrid is the same: recovering energy from braking and storing it later for reuse. But in a KERS, the energy is stored in spinning discs rather than a heavy set of batteries. For Volvo, its KERS system uses a carbon-fiber composite flywheel, spinning at about 60,000 revolutions per minute in a vacuum-sealed case to reduce drag. It weighs only about 13 lbs., and is installed on a S60 T5 experimental vehicle driving the rear wheels. The supplemental power adds about 80 hp to the car's 240-hp rated inline-5 turbo engine. That ups the car's performance comparably to a 6-cylinder turbo model, with zero to 60 mph acceleration accomplished in an estimated 6.1 seconds, and with 25 percent improvement in fuel consumption. In addition to assisting in acceleration, the extra power stored in KERS can also be used during passing, much like a reserved turbo boost that will give you a shot of extra power to speed up — just like the KERS button on a F1 car. On Volvo's test track in Gothenburg, Sweden, we had a chance to feel the extra kick in acceleration from KERS. The integration of transforming braking energy into spinning discs was seamless, all accomplished by a continuously variable transmission. While faster acceleration at lower speeds is apparent, it's during passing from a higher cruising speed that KERS' advantage is more noticeable. You can feel the extra push as you dip deeper into throttle. While the concept of KERS has been around since the 1980's, the technology has never evolved enough to be practical, quiet or safe for a production car. Volvo's recent research has proven that it could now be a viable option for extra power in a future model. Who says less fuel and more speed is not possible?"

'N Sync to Reunite at VMAs? Justin Timberlake, Bandmates May Perform

"Hi, hi, hi! 'N Sync may be reuniting for their first televised performance together in ten years at this Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, an MTV source confirms to Us Weekly. The New York Post's Page Six first reported that Justin Timberlake -- after accepting this year's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award -- will be joined onstage Aug. 25 at Brooklyn's Barclay's Center with former boy bandmates JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick for a short set. The MTV source tells Us that producers are "trying to make it happen," and that the much-hoped-for reunion is "coming together." The hugely successful group last performed together back in 2004, singing the "Star Spangled Banner" at the Annual Challenge for Children; their last televised performance was at the 2003 Grammy Awards during a tribute to the Bee Gees. They released a Greatest Hits album (compiling highlights from their three studio records) back in 2005; since then, with Timberlake's career as a solo artist and film actor particularly riding high, the quintet has remained coy about a possible reunion. "It's just not in the cards," Chasez, 37, told The Hollywood Reporter last year, although peers (Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees) and predecessors (New Kids on the Block) had recently hit the comeback circuit. "I'm sure that everybody in my group has been asked at one time or another -- I know I get asked, I know the other guys get asked -- but we're happy with what it was and we're happy to move on." Timberlake has said he looked "like a moron" during his 'N Sync days -- and his bandmates were famously not invited to his October 2011 wedding in Italy to Jessica Biel. This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: 'N Sync to Reunite at VMAs? Justin Timberlake, Bandmates May Perform"

Brody Jenner Celebrates 30th Birthday With Beach-Themed Las Vegas Bash With Pals

"While his half-sister Kylie Jenner was busy ringing in her 16th birthday with an extravagant Alice in Wonderland-themed bash in Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 17, Brody Jenner marked his own birthday, the big 3-0, in slightly more adult fashion: With a celebration in Sin City! The reality star, who turns 30 on Wednesday, Aug. 21, had a preemptive fete with a few close friends -- and fans -- at Hyde Nightclub in Bellagio on Saturday. Jenner was "smiling a lot" and looked like he was having a great time, an onlooker tells Us Weekly. Upon arriving at the club just past midnight, he was greeted by ladies holding up signs spelling out "B-R-O-D-Y," the source says. "Tons of girls started gathering around to try and snap a photo or see him," the source adds. The beach-themed party included a cake with sand and surfboards topped with a photograph of Jenner himself surfing, according to the Las Vegas Sun. At one point, the fun-loving birthday boy even grabbed a piece of cake and threw it at a friend to start a food fight. Jenner's rumored girlfriend, model Bryana Holly, was unable to make the bash, but a source tells Us that the pair is planning on celebrating with close friends in Los Angeles later this week. Meanwhile, younger half-sister Kylie enjoyed a star-studded blowout at the AT&T center in Los Angeles that same night, with a guest list that included the likes of Hailee Steinfeld, Drake, Tyga, Glee's Naya Rivera, Hailey Baldwin, and beau Jaden Smith. Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian were both on-hand to help their younger sibling celebrate her big day, though Kim was noticeably absent (she and Kanye West had traveled to Oklahoma with baby North for West's grandfather's funeral). The evening -- Kylie's second bash in one week, after a family dinner at Nobu in Malibu -- even featured surprise performances by Drake and Big Sean. This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Brody Jenner Celebrates 30th Birthday With Beach-Themed Las Vegas Bash With Pals"

Brody Jenner Celebrates 30th Birthday With Beach-Themed Las Vegas Bash With Pals

"While his half-sister Kylie Jenner was busy ringing in her 16th birthday with an extravagant Alice in Wonderland-themed bash in Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 17, Brody Jenner marked his own birthday, the big 3-0, in slightly more adult fashion: With a celebration in Sin City! The reality star, who turns 30 on Wednesday, Aug. 21, had a preemptive fete with a few close friends -- and fans -- at Hyde Nightclub in Bellagio on Saturday. Jenner was "smiling a lot" and looked like he was having a great time, an onlooker tells Us Weekly. Upon arriving at the club just past midnight, he was greeted by ladies holding up signs spelling out "B-R-O-D-Y," the source says. "Tons of girls started gathering around to try and snap a photo or see him," the source adds. The beach-themed party included a cake with sand and surfboards topped with a photograph of Jenner himself surfing, according to the Las Vegas Sun. At one point, the fun-loving birthday boy even grabbed a piece of cake and threw it at a friend to start a food fight. Jenner's rumored girlfriend, model Bryana Holly, was unable to make the bash, but a source tells Us that the pair is planning on celebrating with close friends in Los Angeles later this week. Meanwhile, younger half-sister Kylie enjoyed a star-studded blowout at the AT&T center in Los Angeles that same night, with a guest list that included the likes of Hailee Steinfeld, Drake, Tyga, Glee's Naya Rivera, Hailey Baldwin, and beau Jaden Smith. Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian were both on-hand to help their younger sibling celebrate her big day, though Kim was noticeably absent (she and Kanye West had traveled to Oklahoma with baby North for West's grandfather's funeral). The evening -- Kylie's second bash in one week, after a family dinner at Nobu in Malibu -- even featured surprise performances by Drake and Big Sean. This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Brody Jenner Celebrates 30th Birthday With Beach-Themed Las Vegas Bash With Pals"

The most appealing new vehicles to American carbuyers are…

"For many years, the most-watched measures of how well a vehicle was built involved tracking all the things that could go wrong once that hunk of metal was in your driveway. Yet no one really buys a particular car or truck based on nothing but a quality number; the majority of tire-kickers invest more emotion in their vehicle purchase than they do when buying, say, a new toaster. That's why J.D. Power annually surveys 83,000 new owners about what's gone right with their vehicles — and this year's results show that bigger often equals better. Many of the results J.D. Power draws from the 2013 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) survey sound like common sense: Carbuyers pay more up front for attractive vehicles, get more back when they sell them used and are more likely to buy from the same brand again. The insight comes from quantifying those attractions in terms carmakers can understand; vehicles with an APEAL score that's at least 100 points above the average for any given segment garner $1,800 more per sale than those whose scores lag the average by a similar amount."