She may look like your typical thin, blonde Brit pop singer, but more people are starting to take notice of Natasha Bedingfield after her Today Show performance this morning.

Natasha Bedingfield has performed on the Today Show before, and I guess the audience just couldn’t get enough. Today, Natasha Bedingfield performed her hit single “Pocketful of Sunshine” and her version of Madonna’s “Ray of Light.”
You can WATCH A VIDEO of Natasha Bedingfield’s performance at the Today Show web site.

Being Natasha Bedingfield

Turns out there is more to being Natasha Bedingfield than just making money with her great singing voice. She also donates her time and money to organizations including Global Angels and the American Association for Cancer Research. Maybe next time I need a fast cash loan I’ll just ask her for help.
It probably won’t work, though. Natasha Bedingfield doesn’t have a history of helping people who were irresponsible with credit cards in college and now live paycheck to paycheck because of it. Her main philanthropy has been for Global Angels, which helps orphans and sets up refugee camps for former child prostitutes.

Natasha Bedingfield’s career

Natasha Bedingfield released her first album, “Unwritten,” in 2004. The album made it to the No. 1 spot on the UK Album Chart. It sold more than 800,000 copies in the U.S. Her second album, called “N.B.” in Europe was released in 2007. It was released as “Pocketful of Sunshine” in North America in 2008.
Natasha Bedingfield currently is working on a new album, when she’s not performing on the Today Show, and she says it will be released next year.

Charitable blood

Natasha Bedingfield was born in London, and her parents are both charity workers. She took interest in music at a young age and formed a musical group with her siblings when she was a teenager.
Natasha Bedingfield went to college for a year at University of Greenwich before deciding to focus full time on singing and songwriting.

Natasha Bedinfield ties the knot

Natasha Bedingfield got married this year to documentary filmmaker and businessman Matt Robinson. She talks about married life in her interview with Today’s Matt Lauer. She also talks about covering Madonna’s song and the songwriting process.
This is Natasah Bedingfield’s third appearance performing on the Today Show. Her first was all the way back at the beginning of her career. Wikipedia says:

She has confirmed to be writing for the new album while on holiday in New Zealand, she says “I’m here for a couple of weeks to do a bit of writing. It is such an inspiring place to write music. I love coming here as often as I can, usually once a year to fuel up on ideas for my next album”. She has also confirmed she is working with Brian Kennedy who produced Rihanna’s hit single “Disturbia.”

Natasha Bedingfield has won several awards, including UK Solo Artist of the Year in 2005, Capital FM’s Best Newcomer in 2005 and Best Pop Artist in 2007 from the BT Digital Music Awards.

(Photo: James Devaney/Wine Image)

Is she trying to turn herself into a living golem through Kabbalistic ritual? Or are these photos altered via Photoshop? Whatever the case, the photos of Madonna’s biceps that are currently circulating are frightening. If she needs shakes to build her arms a bit, payday loans and short term loans are available here.

But here’s the program she’s been following, courtesy of personal trainer Tracy Anderson. Ashley Pearson reports for the London Daily Mail that it is a grueling routine that only those dedicated to exercise should even attempt. Or perhaps a golem.

Please don’t slay me in my sleep, clay monster!

Pearson assumed it would be something like lots of yoga, cardio and muscle work. However, it’s “one hour of cardiovascular exercise and an hour of Pilates-style muscle toning.” The cardio is in the form of dance aerobics, which makes sense for an entertainer like Madonna. It wasn’t so arm-intensive, however. As is common with Pilates, only small arm weights are used.

So where do the freakish arms come from?

Well, apparently Madonna spends 30 minutes working on arms each day. It relies primarily upon isometric exercises, and Pearson describes it as “strenuous, and very painful – even after five minutes. And it does build muscle.”

Now that Madonna’s weight is lower than what it was 10 years ago, the muscles are more defined. Too much, if you ask me… but perhaps the true culprit is her macrobiotic diet. It involves whole, non-processed foods, extreme caution about overeating and a whole lot of chewing. Apparently there’s so much chewing that Madonna isn’t getting the nutrients she needs -  just look at her!

Pearson writes that Madonna and her scary biceps have two chefs who cook for her  and she allegedly has two macrobiotic chefs who cook for her. She eats miso soup for breakfast (hardly a meal)  then “a lot of grilled fish and vegetables with no oil or spices.” And like any low-carb crazy diet, she only eats a small amount of brown rice. Haven’t we gotten past the point where we understand that total war against carbs isn’t healthy?

The arms are going to grab me. Help!

Golems are supposed to be able to protect their creator. With her arms like that, I don't know if Madonna will be able to do that... (Photo: dcairns.files.wordpress.com)

Madonna reportedly once said “I’m not going to get fat. Deal with it.” I’m not sure if she’ll be able to deal with it for long. Pearson speculates that the arms are an unfortunate side effect of Madonna getting her abs and lower body the way she wants it. However, I implore her to stop fighting against nature and return to the time when she was actually attractive. It would sell more tickets, and I understand that’s the business she’s in.

If I must, I will take out payday loans and short term loans to protect against the threat of Madonna’s biceps. I will send her Filet O’ Fish sandwiches, as apparently fish is in her diet…

You too can apply for loans for fish sandwiches for Madonna. Apply here!

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“Alex Rodriguez is in a horrible spot,” writes former Major League Baseball outfielder Doug Glanville writes in the New York Times op-ed piece “No Tipping, Please.” No, he isn’t saying that the former poster boy for Major League Baseball excellence is now resigned to waiting tables sloppily, or that he’ll need online payday loans or credit repair soon.

What he is saying is that if allegations are true, A-Rod has been caught cheating once again. The victim is the game of baseball and all of its fans.

Tipping ain’t a city in China

First came the admission that he used steroids while a member of the Texas Rangers ball club. Now investigative reporter Selena Roberts alleges in her new book “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez” that Rodriguez was involved in a reciprocal pitch-tipping exchange with friends on other teams his own was playing against.

What is pitch tipping? For those of you who don’t know, Glanville explains it nicely:

Tipping pitches involves watching your opponent like a well-trained code-breaker. It most often happens when there is a runner at second base, where he is in a unique position to steal any signs the catcher is relaying to the pitcher – so well positioned, in fact, that catchers and pitchers have a special set of signs for that situation. We all know the basic signs – one finger for fastball, two fingers for curve. But with a runner on second, the real sign may be the one right after an indicator: for example, it could be the first sign after the catcher puts down three fingers, or the second sign after he wiggles all of his fingers.

Cheat the right way, not the wrong way

Glanville points out that middle infielders – the shortstop and second baseman – have the best vantage point (aside from the pitcher) to see the catcher’s pitch signals. He played center field for the Rangers when Alex Rodriguez still played shortstop, and he admits that while he couldn’t see the signs from that far away, he could see how the catcher was positioned and “cheat” (ironically named) a few steps in the appropriate position to be ready for the upcoming play. Basic knowledge of the pitcher and hitter’s tendencies made this possible.

With practice, a savvy player can really tune into this part of the inside game and know exactly what pitch is planned before it is delivered. Hitters sometimes even pick up on clues and decipher it for themselves, even though they can’t clearly see the catcher when they’re at bat and focusing on the pitch.

A serious charge

It’s all a part of the game, but isn’t necessarily considered intentional pitch tipping. That’s what Alex Rodriguez has been accused of, making a mockery of the game. According to the story, Alex supposedly relayed signs to the opposing hitter (if he was a friend) or someone he knew would return the favor. Supposedly, A-Rod had this scheme worked out with lots of opposing players, and he did it in close games as well as in blowouts (when pitch tipping might typically be expected to occur). It is uncertain whether he relayed the sign to the hitter from his infield position via hands, feet, glove, etc. There are countless ways he could have done it.

And doing it is indeed a no-no. Glanville puts it as follows:

This may be one of the most egregious charges one can make against a player, and a rare one at that. Should a player know that someone in his own dugout is helping the opposing team, I would venture to say that all-out Armageddon would ensue. Imagine if a pitcher knew that his pitches were being given away to the opposing hitter by his own teammate no less. This spy would have to watch his back.

If in fact there was a pitch-tipping scheme, I would expect a full investigation, not just of Alex but of any player who would share information with his opponent. It is that serious.

Bright lights are always on him

Considering how much attention Alex Rodriguez gets for his playing skill, dating Madonna, steroid use and consultation with a personal confidence coach before each and every game, it seems unlikely that something like this could have been missed. Furthermore, it’s even more unlikely that nobody on his teams knew. Perhaps they were afraid to come forward, Glanville asserts.

There is no question that Alex Rodriguez has disillusioned a generation of fans. He strikes me as disillusioned himself – understandably lost over the fragmentation of his family, from worrying endlessly about what everyone thinks of him, lost because, after all he has done on the field, his accomplishments will always have a terrible footnote attached. And lost, more recently, because precisely when he wanted to put aside all these distractions and just play baseball, he found himself on the disabled list, kept away from focusing on the one thing he was trying to preserve.

Finding the truth

Pouring all of our ire about what may be wrong with baseball into A-Rod could be a mistake. No one person – even Barry Bonds and his 10-gallon head – can be held responsible for all the sport’s ills. His position as one of the game’s greats also puts the sport in a precarious position from which it would need a great deal of credit repair with the general public. For my part (and Glanville agrees), I hope this isn’t true. Why? Because it further tarnishes not only A-Rod’s reputation, but baseball’s. Don’t crucify the sport or any one player in the court of public opinion for pitch tipping or anything else until the truth is known for sure. Any fan will tell you that we owe baseball that much.

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A payday loan might not be necessary for you so-called hustlers, according to the Beyonce diva video. In Beyonce’s latest video she compares divas with hustlers. Many may find them comparable but when I looked up the definition of Hustler, per dictionary.com it is:

1. An enterprising person determined to succeed; go-getter.
2. Slang. A person who employs fraudulent or unscrupulous methods to obtain money; swindler.
3. Informal. An expert gambler or game player who seeks out challengers, esp. unsuspecting amateur ones, in order to win money from them: He earned his living as a pool hustler.
4. Slang. A prostitute.
5. A person who hustles.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure the likes of Tina Turner, Mariah Carey and Audrey Hepburn would never want to be compared to a hustler.

What is a Diva?

Most divas would consider themselves to be hard working women that push through the hard times to get to the good times. In almost all cases, they have pushed through some boundaries to get where they are and generally have to struggle with people saying no.  They then become known for being somewhat demanding because that is the way they got in their position. True divas are gorgeous and exude this wherever they go. Generally they also tend to have a wild side and a very free will to do as they please. Many females have been called divas like Cher, Tina Turner, Oprah, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Audrey Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, and more.  A diva is someone who keeps everyone on their toes. You really never know what will happen next when around someone like that.

In the new Beyonce diva video she defiantly shows how being a diva can get you places. I’m not sure if it is quite like a hustler, but I can kind-of understand how she compares the two professions. One thing I know for sure, Beyonce will not need to take out a payday loan, unlike a hustler, in these hard economic times.

Who is a hustler?

Many people think of pimps and gangsters as hustlers.  Those of us in our twenties to early thirties know that a hustler is an entrepreneur that has not only dominated their own industry but have ventured out into other industries and dominated them as well.  These hustlers range from Jay-Z, Beyonce, Tony Hawk, Paris Hilton, Madonna, Russell Simmons, Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs, Eminem, Eve, Missy Elliot, Jennifer Lopez, and even the likes of Justin Timberlake. With the definition of a hustler ever changing, who knows what will come next?

Do They Mix?

Both a hustler and a diva pertain some similar qualities but not all people have the qualities that are similar among the two titles. I would say very few can say they are both and very few would want to be called both. I cannot see Audrey Hepburn or Bette Midler being called a Hustler by any means but maybe Beyonce could be called both. In Beyonce diva video, she does seem to think she is both! I would say no hustler or diva would ever be caught getting a payday loan but I suppose that if they were low on money, they would either smile and try to find a new way to get money or marry a rich man or women that could give it to them.

Madonna and Ritchie confirmed that they were splitting up in October. The divorce was made final in November. Madonna blamed the breakup on Ritchie’s “unreasonable behavior.” Now the famous pop diva and actress will pay “one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement,” said her spokeswoman.

In the beginning

Madonna and Ritchie met at a party hosted by Sting in 1998. They married in December of 2000 at a castle in Scotland. Madonna wore a dress designed by Paul McCarney’s daughter, Stella McCartney. Ritchie was clad in a kilt.

The two and their children, Ritchie’s son Rocco and Madonna’s daughter Lourdes, shared residences in England and New York City. They adopted  son David, from Malawi,  together in 2005.

Rumor mill starts turning

After the couple went separately to some high profile events, rumors began to fly. Tabloids claimed the couple was splitting up, but they denied it. They seemed to imply that the rumor was as ridiculous as one of them needing a payday loan.

Madonna also denied allegations that she was having an affair with Yankee player Alex Rodriguez. After the couple confirmed they were filing for divorce, Madonna still maintained she was not romantically involved with Rodriguez.

Expensive breaks

Paul McCarney’s divorce from Heather Mills earlier this year caught a storm of media attention. The former Beatle ended up shelling out $50 million. Madonna’s $76 million news will no doubt be front-page news for some time.

The spokeswoman’s assertion that Madonna’s settlement will be one of the biggest ever is debatable.  Michael Jordan had to shell out $150 million to ex wife Juanita in their divorce last year. But he isn’t the first to pay that sum.  Neil Diamond gave the same amount to Marcia Murphey in 1994. And Steven Spielberg handed over $100 million to Amy Irving in 1989.

However, The Times reports that Guy Ritchie might be getting the biggest cash advance ever seen by a man in a divorce settlement.

Final countdown

The sum Madonna has agreed to pay includes their home in western England and the couple’s pub in London. Child custody arrangements are still being worked out.

It’s going to be quite the cash advance for Ritchie, especially considering the majority of the couple’s shared wealth belongs to Madonna. Various sources estimate that Ritchie, on his own, is worth about $30 million and will never need  a  payday loan.