Metta World Peace: Ron Artest changes name to better the world

A court commissioner granted the Lakers forward's request to officially change his name to Metta World Peace on Friday, three weeks after the bid was blocked because Artest had unpaid traffic tickets.

Artest, 31, did not attend a brief hearing Friday.

MONITOR QUIZ: Weekly news quiz for Sept. 11-16, 2011

Superior court spokeswoman Patricia Kelly said that Artest's new last name will be World Peace.

His publicist, Courtney Barnes, said the player chose Metta because it is a traditional Buddhist word that means loving and kindness toward all.

"Changing my name was meant to inspire and bring youth together all around the world," World Peace said in a statement released after the hearing. "After this short delay, my tickets have been paid and I'm glad that it is now official."

He requested the change in June, citing only personal reasons. He is scheduled to appear on the next season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Barnes wrote in an email that World Peace will now have to get a new driver's license to reflect his new name, but the switch won't affect his contracts with the Lakers or any endorsement deals.

Artest helped the Lakers win an NBA title in 2010 and in April he received an award for outstanding service and dedication to the community.

He has testified before Congress to support mental health legislation.

Artest isn't the first athlete to adopt an unusual name.

Lloyd Bernard Free, a professional basketball player who played in the league from 1975-88, had his first name legally changed to World in 1981. A friend had given him the nickname because of his 44-inch vertical leaps and 360-degree dunks.

In the NFL, wide receiver Chad Johnson legally changed his last name to Ochocinco in August 2008 to reflect his jersey number. The name means "eight five" in Spanish. Ochocinco is now with the New England Patriots. Source News : http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0917/Metta-World-Peace-Ron-Artest-changes-name-to-better-the-world

Read more »

Scarlett Johansson Pictures

News For scarlett johansson pictures ,Source News : http://celebs.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474980291701. OMG! Scarlett Johansson admitted taking the nude pictures herself. But did she also leak the naked photos of herself instead of a so-called hacker?

Mila Kunis and the Match Point actress are in the same company, sort of. Justin Timberlake's so-called boo (on the down low) and Johansson's phone's were allegedly hacked. Don't you hate when every diabolical thing that smells like a rate gets blamed on the poor defenseless hacker?

Scarlett Johansson in Kuwait 02Kunis made out well; her pics only showed her in "compromising" positions. However, Scarlett Johansson's pictures showed her completely nude, like in the buff.

Of course when the news hit the Internet yesterday, like most leaks, her name began trending on Twitter.

Anyway, it goes that ScarJo admitted taking the explicitly nude pictures of herself -- Ryan Reynolds was not behind the camper, as some of you may be wondering.

On that note, have you ever wondered what the newly-minted bachelor is thinking about his former spouse's naked photos swirling around on the Internet?

While the FBI conducts its investigation into the leaked Scarlett Johansson pictures, the Lost in Translation actress' lawyer is threatening to sue anyone under the son who publishes, distributes, and profits from the sale of his client's seductive pics.

Aha! Based on that, it seems that Johansson is not denying that the female in her birthday suit appearing in the explicit nude photos is her. With her Avengers movie not far away, perhaps she doesn't want to deny it. You know what they say: "Controversy and sex sells."

Do you think ScarJo had anything to do with the alleged leak of her private photos.

Scarlett Johansson Really, Really Doesn't Want You to See Her Naked Pics! Read more: http://www.eonline.com/news/scarlett_johansson_really_really_doesnt/263926#ixzz1Xyn10ea5

Don't mess with the ScarJo.

That's the message Scarlett Johansson's pitbull of an attorney, Martin Singer, is sending to the various gossip sites that have deigned to publish nude self-portraits apparently hacked from the actress's cell phone and leaked online.

Here's what he had to say.

In a cease-and-desist letter sent to such sites as TheDirty and MediaTakeOut, Singer demands they remove the "stolen copyright protected private photographs" immediately or face a lawsuit.

One of the pictures shows a sultry Johansson lying on a bed topless; another finds her posing in front of a mirror exposing her bum.

"The highly personal and private photographs at issue capture our client self-posing in her own home in a state of undress and/or topless," Singer writes. "If you fail to comply, you will be acting at your own peril. Please govern yourselves accordingly."

RELATED: Hacking scandal—which Hollywood hottie will have her naked pics leaked next?

That's a pretty stern warning—but in case the sites don't get the point, the Oscar-nominated star has the authorities on the case as well.

The FBI has confirmed to E! News it's investigating the possibility that a hacking ring has been breaking into the cell phones and personal email accounts of more than 50 female

stars and stealing pictures and videos to leak on the Internet.

Johansson's camp contacted the feds after the unauthorized pics popped up yesterday. She joins a list of celebs including Miley Cyrus, Jessica Alba, Christina Aguilera, Vanessa Hudgens and Demi Lovato who've allegedly been targeted.

UPDATE: As of 11 a.m. PT, more than two dozen sites still had the revealing pics up including L.A. Weekly and SheKnows.

However, after receiving the cease and desist from Singer, Perez Hilton agreed to take them down from his site earlier today, posting a comment stating "photos removed by request."

Additionally, the owner of TheDirty tells E! News that after mulling it over, he decided to comply with the lawyer's demands as well—and for good reason.

"I got a threat letter," site founder Nik Richie says. "It basically said if you keep those pictures on your website, I am going to go after you to the fullest extent and pretty much sue your ass. They were pretty serious about this thing."

Richie says that while he rarely takes down photos, in this instance he felt for Johansson.

"I've been through this a lot and, usually, I am pretty victorious," says Richie. "[But] she got hacked. And she is really serious about her privacy. She took the pictures. And, I don't know, but for some reason I took them down."

The gossip guru says Singer's letter contributed to his decision, though he found the photos to be pretty artistic.

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/news/scarlett_johansson_really_really_doesnt/263926#ixzz1Xymmnh8t

Read more »