STARS WHO STRIP FOR A CAUSE

These celebs take off their clothes for a good cause - charity.


Want to wear a naked Irina Shayk? Now you can! The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl follows in some famous footsteps by taking it all off for Marc Jacobs' 'Protect the Skin You're In' campaign. Profits from the T-shirts and other merchandise benefits research at the NYU Skin Cancer Institute.

Waka Flocka Flame's run-ins with the law aren't stopping him from stripping for all to see. Luckily for him, it's all legal. 

In an ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the tattooed rapper posed naked – save for some oversized bling covering his nether region – to promote 'Ink, Not Mink.' Like past celebrity PETA campaigns, Waka Flocka Flame is encouraging fans to think twice before donning fur.

'Karate Kid''s Taraji P. Henson isn't letting hitting the big 4-0 stop her from stripping down for good cause. The stunning actress is the latest celeb to bare all for PETA - and she's certainly got nothing to hide.

In a case of life imitating art, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine has brought the name of the band's recent album, 'Hands All Over,' to life in a stunning nude pictorial – all for a good cause. 

Levine, 31, appears stripped down in the February issue of British Cosmopolitan with the hands of his girlfriend, Victoria's Secret model Anne Vyalitsyna, covering his privates. 

The shoot was done on behalf of Everyman, which is 'the UK's leading prostate and testicular cancer campaign,' according to its website. And the singer was hardly shy about baring (almost) all. In his words, he's spent 'most of [his] life naked.' 

'In fact, I often have to be told by the people around me that it's inappropriate to be as naked as I am,' Levine revealed. 'But I live in California, where it's always warm, so why not?'

Following the trend of female celebrities who have been posing in nude pictorials, Marisa Miller is baring all … for a good cause. 

Victoria's Secret model Marisa Miller is showing some skin – to get people to protect theirs. The 32-year-old hottie took it off for designer Marc Jacobs for the latest edition of his 'Protect the skin you’re in' T-shirts, part of the celebrity designer's skin cancer awareness campaign. 

On the shirt, Miller is pictured with the campaign's slogan and her hair strategically covering her X-rated parts. She's also sporting a pair of stylish Chuck Taylors. 

The T-shirts will be sold at Marc Jacobs' boutiques with proceeds benefiting the NYU Cancer Institute, according to the campaign's Facebook page.

Pamela Anderson's risqué new vegetarian campaign for PETA has been banned in Montreal for treating the actress like a piece of meat. Canadian officials denied a permit for an event launching Anderson's new animal-rights ad at the last minute on July 15, claiming the ad is sexist. 

In the ad, the buxom blond, 43, poses in a bikini with her body covered in marks suggestive of a butcher's diagram. Parts of her body are labeled 'rump,' 'ribs,' 'breast,' and so on. The ad's caption reads, 'All Animals Have the Same Parts.' 

But this isn't the first time Pam has stripped down for PETA ...

Anderson also showed off her famous figure in this 2004 PETA poster, which appeared in China.

In 2003, she bared it all for PETA's 'I'd Rather Go Naked than Wear Fur' campaign, and in June 2006, the sultry star posed topless in the window display of the Stella McCartney boutique in London. Anderson had said she would take her clothes off if the PETA Humanitarian Awards raised enough money that night, which they did.

Holding a strategically-placed rabbit, 'The Hills' star bares her buns in PETA's new 'Be Nice to Bunnies' iPhone app, a shopping directory that lists cruelty-free products. Pratt says her decision to star in the campaign is to 'help consumers be informed and keep them compassionate.'

Pratt, 24, teamed up with peta2, the young adult division of the animal rights organization, to encourage people to never buy personal-care and household products which are tested on animals.

Joanna Krupa is not afraid to show off a little skin - or stir up some controversy! The model, who also graces the cover of Playboy's December issue, has the Catholic League barking about her latest pictorial. Krupa appears nude, sporting only angel wings and a strategically placed crucifix in a new PETA ad with the tagline, 'Be an angel for animals,' encouraging pet lovers to adopt. 

'It's understandable that the Catholic League is wary of another sex scandal, but the sex we're talking about pertains to dogs and cats,' said the sexy former 'Dancing With the Stars' contestant, 30. 'As a practicing Catholic, I am shocked that the Catholic League is speaking out against my PETA ads, which I am very proud of. I'm doing what the Catholic Church should be doing, working to stop senseless suffering of animals, the most defenseless of God's creation.' 

But this isn't Joanna's first scandalous ad that's had tongues wagging ...

Cuddling a cute puppy, Krupa sports a digital halo, wings and carries a rosary in the ad which reveals her support of adopting animals and leaves very little else to the imagination. 

'We're trying to spread the word that breeding isn't the way to go,' Krupa told PETA in an interview.

The blond beauty appeared quite fired up about the whole issue, saying that somebody 'needs to put their foot down and stop this breeding and these puppy mills.'

'Twilight' star Christian Serratos shows her "New Moon" in a PETA ad. The 19-year-old bares it all for a PETA ad. Expressing solidarity with all things cute and cuddly, Serratos appears in the woods of what looks like none other than Forks, Wash. This appearance makes the actress the youngest person to pose naked in a PETA ad. Well, that’s one way to steal the spotlight from RPattz.

Wig-loving 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star, Kim Zolciak, shows her (nearly) naked support for marriage equality in this ad for the NOH8 campaign against the ban on same-sex marriage. The reality TV diva joins along list of celebs who've taken it all off for charity. 

Of her decision to appear in such a state of undress, Zolciak tweeted, 'The noh8 campaign shoot was hot. and I am topless!!! Just to cause a stir to make people pay attention!'

'Dancing with the Stars' stunner Karina Smirnoff may sport some flashy costumes on stage, but she would rather dance naked than wear fur off stage. The newly single Smirnoff discusses her choice to stop wearing fur and and pose nude for the PETA campaign, saying, 'I did wear fur, especially when I was little. But there are ways of being warm and being fashionable without being cruel.' 

But she's not the only sexy star to take it all off for the animal rights organization...

'Third Watch' actress Nia Long shows how to beat the morning commute... by riding the rails in the buff! 

Of her decision to join the PETA 'I'd rather go naked than wear fur' campaign, Long says, 'When I became a mother I started to really understand the importance of all living creatures in a way that I didn't ever think about before.'

PETA definitely knows how to turn heads. Actress Eva Mendes gave fans a view to remember for the benefit of the organization ...

... as did Layla Kayleigh, co-host of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.

Actor Will Ferrell is dropping trou again. No, it's not for a movie role. This time, it's for a new line of sunscreen. Will Ferrell Suncreen comes in three varieties: Sun Stroke, Sexy Hot Tan and Forbidden Fruit. Ferrell is nearly-nude on every bottle. Proceeds benefit Cancer for College, which helps cancer survivors realize their dreams of attending college.

Vegan actress Alicia Silverstone took it all off for a 2007 print ad to promote vegetarianism.

'Girls Next Door' star Holly Madison showed off her curves in this ad, released in April 2007.

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan takes it all off for a campaign for London Fog, which benefits Paul Newman's 'The Hole in the Wall Gang,' a camp that gives seriously ill children a chance to experience the great outdoors.

Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian spurred airbrush rumors after flaunting her exposed figure in an ad for PETA.

'NYPD Blue' star Charlotte Ross revealed (nearly) everything in a 2002 PETA ad next to the tagline, "I'd Rather Show My Buns Than Wear Fur."

Winona Ryder dropped her pants for these t-shirts for Marc Jacobs that benefited skin cancer.

Ex-porn star Jenna Jameson downplays the merits of animal sex in this PETA ad.

Aussie model Sophie Monk turned up the heat with this PETA ad for vegetarianism.

Dita von Teese is no stranger to stripping, but it'd not everyday that she strips for charity. Dita's nude bod appeared on these t-shirts for Marc Jacobs that benefited skin cancer.

Victoria Beckham followed in Dita's footsteps. 'Victoria loves Marc's work but she wasn't entirely comfortable with getting naked,' a source told the U.K.'s Daily Mirror. 'Marc went all-out to persuade her. And when she heard about what a great cause it was she knew she just couldn't turn it down. The picture she and Marc have chosen is amazing - sexy but tasteful.'

The ladies of Danity Kane fight fur with ... nudity.

Ballet dancer Sian Murphy, a member of Britian's Royal Opera Carmen Dancers, went bare for a calendar sold to benefit Macmillan Cancer Support.

Model Joanna Krupa appeared in the 'I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur' campaign in 2007.

Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard stripped down for an anti-fur ad in 2008.

Sarah Michelle Gellar took it all off in photos for Vaseline, and auctioned off nude photos to benefit the Coalition of Skin Diseaes in America, The Insider reports.

Members of the Royal Opera Carmen Dancers took it all off to benefit Macmillan Cancer Support. 

Former Wilson Phillips singer Carnie Wilson appeared partially nude in a PETA anti-fur poster which was released in January 2001.

The real-life Yorkshire 'Calendar Girls' were projected into stardom when a movie was made about their story. These women posed nude to raise money for charity.

Samantha Who?' star Christina Applegate took it off for a 2007 Christmas-themed ad.

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman is one of the few men who have stripped down for animal rights.

Singer Imogen Bailey posed in shackles for a campaign to stop people from visiting Thailand due to the cruel use of baby elephants in the tourism industry.

Kimora Lee Simmons posed with her pooch Zoe alongside the slogan, 'Be an angel for dogs,' in this January 2008 ad.

Jude Law's ex-wife, actress Sadie Frost, bared her backside in 2006 for PETA.

Former 'Baywatch' babe Traci Bingham showed her love for animals in an anti-meat campaign for PETA.

Now here's one way to catch everyone's attention! '90210' star Tristan Wilds, 21, is pulling back the sheets on an important cause by posing nude in the August issue of Cosmopolitan UK.

The Staten Island-born actor is doing what he can to raise awareness for Everyman, the UK's leading testicular and prostate cancer charity that encourages men to take care of their health and check themselves regularly for suspicious lumps. 

'What made me do this photo shoot more than anything was the cause,' he said. 'My friend's granddad died of prostate cancer and it had a profound effect on me. So when I was presented with the opportunity to speak out, I had to take it.'

EXPATS FIND DELHI ‘SLUT WALK’ TOO CONSERVATIVE

Delhi on Sunday witnessed its first “Slut Walk,” a rally against the attitude of blaming sexual harassment on the clothes women choose to wear. The young organizers claimed that the march attracted one thousand participants, but some expats felt that the event was too conservative.

Courtesy Anne Andrews

Belinda Fleischmann, above, pulled up her tank top to expose her stomach.

“It was a shame that people dressed conservatively for the walk,” Belinda Fleischmann, 31, who has been in Delhi for the past two weeks, told India Real Time by telephone after the event.

She said that she lifted her pink tank top to show a little stomach during the march. It was a move that attracted much media attention. “I was told by an Indian friend that I would get arrested if I go in a bra. So the least I could do was show my stomach. And the amount of media that covered it was insane,” said Ms. Fleischmann, a Swiss national who found out about the “Slut Walk”through her friends.

Ms. Fleischmann, who works for non-profit organization Operation Asha, admitted that she wouldn’t normally wear her tank top in India. She said she has learnt it’s best to wear clothes that cover her shoulders and knees: “I try to dress like Indian women.”

“The ‘sluttiest’ thing anybody wore was a tank top,” said Anne Andrews, a 30-year-old from the U.S. who has been in Delhi for the past six months.

“I was wearing white. So to make sure that no one could see through it, I wore two tank tops,” Ms. Andrews said, adding that wearing just one top wouldn’t have worried her if she was in the U.S., but in India she has to be more cautious.

“I think I did it just to be a little appropriate.”

Ms. Andrews, who plans to be in Delhi till December, says she has learnt from the experience of others. “People at my workplace have told me not to go out alone in an auto after 10pm.”

Courtesy Belinda Fleischmann

Anna Matussek, right, with a friend, Stefan Meyer.

“I always wear sleeves, no shorts or anything above the knees,” she added.

Anna Matussek, a German, who has been in Delhi for the past five months, said she usually dresses conservatively: “I don’t want to wear clothes that are somewhat offensive to people around me.”

On the day of the walk she wore a tank top with a message that read: “This is not an invitation to rape.”

“It is not particularly revealing but in India that’s a concern,” the 28-year-old said.

As for the Delhi “Slut Walk” organizers, they said that dress wasn’t the most important element in their overall agenda, which is to protect women from sexual harassment.

“We told people to wear what they usually wear,” said organizer Umang Sabarwal, aged 19.

Source: Wallstreet Journal

YAHOO, ALIBABA MAKE PEACE—AT A PRICE

Yahoo Inc. and Alibaba Group on Friday resolved their high-profile dispute over the abrupt transfer of Alibaba's online-payments business to a new entity controlled by Alibaba Chief Executive Jack Ma.

But for Yahoo, which owns around 40% of China-based Alibaba, the deal over the business called Alipay brought more pain as some investors questioned its value.

Yahoo's stock declined nearly 3% Friday on the news and has sunk by about 17% since the start of the month, which saw the Internet pioneer report lackluster second-quarter earnings as it struggles to find revenue growth under CEO Carol Bartz. The stock closed down 40 cents at $13.10—near a 52-week low.

For many investors, Yahoo's stake in Alibaba, an e-commerce giant, is more important than Yahoo's own $6 billion online-advertising business. The two companies have publicly feuded since Ms. Bartz took the helm at Yahoo in 2009, as Alibaba at one point tried to buy back Yahoo's increasingly valuable stake.

In May Yahoo disclosed that Alibaba had transferred ownership of Alipay to a company owned by Mr. Ma without seeking board approval or notifying the U.S. company. Alibaba countered that Alipay was transferred to Chinese ownership lawfully and in order to make sure it would obtain a license by China to operate as an online-payments company.

Friday's deal ensures that Alibaba will participate in Alipay's future profits but limits the amount of money it could receive in a sale or initial public offering of the business to $6 billion, with a minimum payout of $2 billion.

The placement of a cap on how much Alibaba—and therefore Yahoo—could receive from an Alipay sale or offering surprised some investors. Yahoo's chief financial officer, Tim Morse explained during a conference call Friday that "when you have a $2 billion floor, or guaranteed minimum payment, it kind of makes sense that there's a [cap] to it as well."

In a note to investors, research firm Susquehanna Financial Group LLC said the deal may have "created more questions than answers at this point for investors." The firm also said it was disappointed that neither Ms. Bartz nor Jerry Yang, Yahoo's co-founder, were on the conference call. Mr. Yang made a $1 billion investment in Alibaba in 2005 and currently sits on Alibaba's board.

The deal was structured in part to preserve the value of Taobao, the Alibaba-owned e-commerce company that accounts for the vast share of Alipay's revenue. The deal allows Alipay to continue to provide payment-processing services to Taobao on "very preferential" terms, said Alibaba Chief Financial Officer Joe Tsai.

Analysts sometimes compare Taobao to eBay Inc. and Alipay to PayPal, which is owned by eBay.

Alibaba on Friday sought to play down Alipay's worth. Growth in Alipay's profits relies largely on its ability to boost its nascent business of processing payments for companies other than Taobao, Mr. Tsai said, noting that Alipay's non-Taobao revenue was less than $60 million last year and that Alipay is only marginally profitable.

Mr. Tsai defended the original decision to transfer ownership of Alipay as necessary to get regulatory approvals. "If you own 100% of a business that doesn't have a license to operate, that's 100% of zero," he said. Japan's Softbank Corp. also is a major investor in Alibaba.

But Mr. Tsai didn't address the question of whether Alibaba's interpretation of the law was indeed what was required, because other companies with foreign ownership, including subsidiaries of Tencent Holdings Ltd., were able to obtain licenses without restructuring.

—Shara Tibken and Loretta Chao contributed to this article.

HOROSCOPE:Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Instead of bossing everyone around today and putting them in their places with sarcasm, try to stop and face your own emotions. You're a bit on the domineering side, Aries. That's what comes with being a natural leader. But you're taking it a little over the edge at the moment. If you slow down and consider what's going on inside your head and your heart, you'll find you're actually feeling very uneasy. Try to get back in touch with the reasons why you do what you do, and see if it's time to change anything.

Throwing your back into your work is nothing new to you. You've always been dedicated to producing both quality and quantity. Now other people know they can count on you to create something that's both durable and functional, not to mention beautiful. You're dependable in that way, and everyone knows it. Your craftsmanship shines brightly today. If you're in a creative field, this is the perfect time to start developing an exciting new line. You're both a master and a perfectionist at the moment. Make it last.

You keep changing your mind and it's not a mistake. You can't help it. Anyone who lives with a cat or understands PR will be familiar with that strategy. But how long can you keep this up? The situation might spin out of hand today if you're not careful. Is it better if no one believes you or if no one notices you? At a certain point, you might actually want to cut your losses and disappear. It'll save you the trouble of having to explain everything.

Maybe you had your doubts, but not any more. One good argument will finally sway you. One little peek behind the curtain will reveal what you've been ignoring. One touch of a friendly hand will melt your glacier of denial. Now that you believe, you can heal from the pain of not knowing, and relax from the pressure of not caring. Work on clearing out your past junk today. It'll be a relief, but it'll also be a first step. As soon as you give yourself room to move, there won't be anything stopping you.

You're loyal and punctual, to your credit. Try not to get frustrated with everyone else today. To their discredit, they're fickle and late. What's gotten into them? The current energy is widening people's perfectionist streaks. This could explain their lack of promptness. Maybe they're too busy trying to get things just so. It's hard to call something 'good enough' when you're not convinced that 'good enough' exists. Give everyone time before you quit. You can afford to be patient. Later, you'll be glad you were.

Stick to the facts for now. If you want to get off on the right foot, try not to make wild guesses about strangers. Project a cautious, measured version of yourself until you know who you're dealing with. Inner turmoil is your private business, so don't go looking for new shoulders to cry on. And if you're bubbling over with the good stuff, you should only share it with those who can appreciate it. Maintaining this tough exterior might not be such a picnic, but it probably won't matter after today. Plus, you'll get points for self-control.

Your focus now should be on trying to lead a well-kept life. You're a master at using charm instead of force. That skill comes into play now. You'll negotiate with friends and associates, and try to finish projects with an eye for detail and balance. This is a special talent of yours, so things should go well. Using this skill may turn your luck around. Can you think of ways to make this sort of behavior a habit? Doing so would benefit all your relationships and projects, and the rest of your life itself.

Respond to the allure of deep mysteries, because who isn't a sucker for a good who-done-it? Some of this might get a little personal, even if it doesn't seem to be about you at first. Don't flinch from what you find. Specialized gear may be required, so it'll help a lot if you're handy with these tools. Otherwise, be ready to learn fast. So far, you're taking a reasonable approach to something that could really get your pulse pounding. Keep up the good work. Leverage your talents for another day and see what you can get off the ground.

The world seems to be making urgent demands. How is this different from usual? Well, for one thing, if you're feeling weak or persecuted, it's going to be a lot worse. Fear will loosen your tongue, and you'll hear yourself say some amazing things as it wags. Divine revelations, brilliant thought gems, stupid jokes -- it's all there. The people around you will be the ones who decide if you're a prophet or a windbag. Today you might be a bit of both. You'll win, sort of, if you can laugh at yourself.

You were so careful as you got this project off the ground that it's okay to take a bit of a risk now. Just about any opportunity you see today is a good bet, because you've done your homework. If you can be both objective and sensitive at the same time, you'll find that things turn out even better than you'd hoped. Thus, it's all right to put all your eggs in one basket for the time being. Soon you'll see what it all adds up to, and you'll know what you have to work with.

Grumbling, overreacting and stirring up trouble will be your M.O. today. Cooperation becomes difficult as that stubborn streak of yours intensifies, making everyone feel uncomfortable. The question is, do you know what you want, or are you just rebelling? The latter is likely. You want to get people worked up, since you're feeling uneasy yourself. But a better approach would be to take a few deep breaths and remind yourself to stay on track. Rocking the boat for no good reason can only lead to a mess you'll have to clean up later.

You might think you're keeping your true emotions hidden from the people around you, but -- news flash -- you're more transparent than you think! In fact, your actions make those 'secret' feelings clear to everyone. You'd make a bad liar today, so don't even try to be anything other than perfectly honest. Don't waste time on pretense; instead, be as vulnerable and softhearted on the outside as you are inside. And when people share their true feelings with you, don't assume you know their inner motivations. This spirit of sharing will cut through any insecurity you may feel.