Obsessions: Yes, teen TV scares me

(CNN) -- Out of all the frightening things on television, especially as we near Halloween, I'll admit it's the teen dramas that make me want to leave a light on.

Between the dead friends and the supernatural ones, shows I love like "Pretty Little Liars" and "The Secret Circle" have scenes suspenseful and chilling enough to make someone watch the action from behind a shielding hand.

And yes, that someone would be me. I'm a sucker for whodunit suspense, but I have a low tolerance for true horror, making slasher films, psychological thrillers, ghost stories and their ilk off-limits if I want uninterrupted sleep.

Knowing I can't hang with the big kids watching "True Blood" -- incredibly sad, but yes, also true -- surely I could handle a comparatively tame series. The CW's "The Secret Circle"? It sounded like nothing more than a lip-glossed, for-TV version of "The Craft."

Except while I was scoffing at the spotty acting and cheesy, after-school-special plot turns that dot all teen shows, two things happened: The first was that I became completely invested in the storylines, and two, I realized I wasn't giving the source material, show runners or actors enough credit.

It's easy to assume that because of the marketing, because of the network or because these shows -- including the CW's other hit, "The Vampire Diaries" -- are adapted from young adult novels, they'd be like candy to an adult. And for some, that may be true. But I'd argue that, just as adult fans of YA have been realizing over the past few years, some of the best pop culture just happens to come with a side of teen angst and issues.

Perhaps everyone's taking a page from author Maurice Sendak's book and refusing to "cater to the (BS) of innocence," as he told the Guardian this month.

So while the entire cast of "Circle" may look like they were pulled from the pages of a junior's clothing catalogue and one of the leads does bear the same tortured expression of a "Twilight" star, there was nothing sparkly about the fourth episode, "Heather."

The show, which is adapted from a fictional young adult series of the same name, centers on a group of teens who are the descendants of witches. As they uncover their powers, they run into a variety of threats, including of course, demons.

If you've watched a show centered on the supernatural before, including the classic "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," you've run into your fair share of demonic appearances. (Can we have a moment of silence for an OG of scary teen TV? More than a decade later, I still remember the voice-stealing "Gentlemen" of season 4's "Hush.")

But I had to tip my hat to actress Camille Sullivan, who portrayed the woman who'd been possessed in that particular "Secret Circle" episode, because she officially put "Heather" on "do not watch again" status. This probably means there are 13-year-olds with a greater constitution than me, and I'm OK with that.

While "The Secret Circle" hasn't been at all secretive about the dark turns the series will take, ABC Family's "Pretty Little Liars" inched up the creep factor throughout its two seasons.

Yet another adaptation from a beloved set of books, "Liars" offers you the eye-rolling idea of a high school student dating her English teacher with complete seriousness, but you'll also get a twisted storyline of a frenemy who may or may not be dead.

If you haven't seen the show, which has skyrocketed over the past year to become one of the most popular programs on TV, that's the central premise: A group of four "pretty" and prone to lying friends reconvene after the death of their fifth BFF, Alison. What draws them together in her absence are the intrusive, uncannily knowing text messages from someone (or perhaps more than one person) known as "A."

Ali's a complicated character, even when she's alive, played convincingly by Sasha Pieterse. But "Liars," part drama and part thriller, raises the stakes with all of the questions surrounding her death. Who killed Ali, and is she really dead? Because if she is, who's this creepy "A" that seems to know the secrets of the four main friends?

At first, the "Clue"-like guessing game was the main draw, but as season one turned into season two, "A" was revealed to be ruthless. This isn't just a bully, as one speech delivered during the second season tried to claim; this is a masked stalker, kidnapper and killer who has amazing access to just about everyone and everything.

If I asked for a show of hands of who was excited and yet sort of terrified to watch this week's Halloween episode, I know without seeing them that mine wouldn't be the only one raised.

That special edition didn't disappoint, what with an opening fright of twin-on-twin violence, a fake-out attack and a Halloween costume involving a baby mask that might haunt my dreams.

I can keep watching, though, because there is something that separates these shows from the rest of the chilling fare that's offered. The writers give me, and I suspect other scaredy-cats like me, a reprieve. There's a fine balance between the soapier, sillier plots -- it wouldn't be a teen drama without a love triangle or a fated love that seems to be doomed -- and the more frightening moments.

If you consider yourself a master of suspense, don't let the baby-faces on teen dramas fool you. If horror has taught us anything, it's the young ones you have to watch out for.

Memorial service will celebrate life of racer Dan Wheldon

(CNN) -- The racing sanctioning body IndyCar will hold a public memorial service Sunday to celebrate the life of two-time Indianapolis 500 champ Dan Wheldon.

Wheldon, 33, was near the back of a 34-car field at the Las Vegas Indy 300 on October 16 when he got mixed up in a crash that saw several cars spin out of control and burst into flames, spewing smoke and debris. He died of head injuries.

On Saturday, hundreds gathered in St. Petersburg, Florida, for Wheldon's funeral. They remembered him as a winning personality and family man as much as a star on the race track.

Born in Emberton, England, Wheldon had settled in the west Florida city with his wife and two young sons.

Susie Wheldon spoke to her late husband through a letter read aloud by family friend Michael Johnson at the First Presbyterian Church. Audio from that message, and other parts of Saturday's otherwise private ceremony, were recorded and released by CNN affiliate WTSP.

"I am so scared. Scared I'm going to forget things as time goes by: the way you smell, the sound of your voice, the touch of your hand," she wrote.

Wynonna Judd -- whose half-sister Ashley is married to one of Wheldon's pallbearers, driver Dario Franchitti -- sang at the funeral. The speakers included agent Adrian Sussman, who recalled the positive effect that Susie Wheldon and the couple's two boys had on his friend.

Besides those inside, dozens of people stood nearby the church to pay their respects.

In lieu of flowers, friends and fans were asked to donate to the fund or to the Alzheimer's Association, a cause close to the late driver's heart. His mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2009.

NASCAR said it will provide teams at the Talladega Superspeedway this weekend with a decal in honor of Wheldon.

The decal features an image of a knight and the word "Lionheart." Wheldon likened himself to Richard the Lionheart, the 12th-century British warrior king, and often wore the image on the back of his helmets.

"When I first started racing, a lot of the guys said that I raced with a lot of heart, occasionally not my head, but always with a lot of heart, like the way that Richard the Lionheart fought in battle," Wheldon wrote on a sponsor's blog in 2010.

In a statement released Saturday, Susie Wheldon said: "Although the last few days have been unbearable for our family, the overwhelming love and support we have received are rays of sunshine during these dark days. The outpouring of sympathy and condolences has been so comforting, and I want to thank everyone for their kind notes, letters, gifts and flowers."

Medicare: How much more will they cut?

MONEY Magazine -- This is the second-part of MONEY's ongoing series on Medicare.

For all the chatter about how politicians have to buckle down and get serious about reining in Medicare, you might have missed this development: Last year's health reform bill cut $500 billion out of two big Medicare programs over a decade, while increasing the number of high-income retirees who have to pay larger Part B premiums.

"It's as if that never happened," says Jonathan Oberlander, a professor of health policy at the University of North Carolina.

To be sure, health reform wasn't a let's-shrink-the-government project. The reason Democrats got their hands grimy and made cuts to the program was to help pay for a new health care entitlement, making it easier for Americans under 65 to buy their own insurance. Still, the new law shows that liberal lawmakers will slice into Medicare if needed, and offers a glimpse into how they'll try to do it.

The central idea behind the maze of cost-control provisions health reform establishes: Focus on trimming fat before reducing benefits. One approach is to reduce the power of providers to drive spending. When your doctor says you need this test or that surgery, you tend to take his word for it, even if you have hefty out-of-pocket costs. Hospitals, meanwhile, have consolidated in recent decades, giving them considerable price-setting power.

Results: There's substantial evidence that doctors at times over-treat, and you overpay for just about everything. "For a long hospital stay we pay $18,000, vs. $4,000 or $5,000 in Germany or Japan," says Gerard Anderson, director of the Center

Just say no to high prices

One way Democrats try to knock down provider costs is to flatly insist on lower ones. Payments to private insurers who run Medicare Advantage plans have been cut, for instance, and the fees that Medicare pays to hospitals have been curbed as well. That's where the $500 billion in Medicare savings under the new law came from.

The legislation also establishes the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, experts appointed by the White House to find ways to restrain Medicare spending growth to GDP plus one percentage point. To override the IPAB's recommendations, Congress would have to come up with its own equivalent cuts.

Will docs say no right back?

The law also sets up programs that aim at changing financial incentives for providers. "The care system in general is set up to pay for how much you do do three CAT scans, you get paid three times," says Donald Berwick, the current head of Medicare. "[The patient] doesn't want CAT scans; she wants to be home and healthy."

The legislation encourages doctors and hospitals to set up networks, which will be rewarded financially if they can show they've kept costs down without compromising your health. (You'd be able to opt out.)

Will such measures save enough money? Since they haven't been tried, no one knows; the CBO, for Jim Capretta, a former George W. Bush administration budget official who is now at a think tank called the Ethics and Public Policy, raise another concern, arguing that government cost controls tend to be blunt instruments.

In the end, they say, the IPAB or Congress will have to resort to across-the-board payment cuts. And if the cuts get deep enough, hospitals could run into financial trouble. If cuts later extended to doctors, they could decide to stop seeing Medicare patients or quit taking on new ones, just as many now refuse to treat Medicaid patients.

That's why Medicare's own actuary has warned that health reform's cuts may not be sustainable for long. If there started to be serious access issues, says Wilensky, "I think seniors would rise up and take the heads off politicians who let that happen."

What happens in Medicare doesn't stay in Medicare

The pressure to fix Medicare won't just affect seniors; people younger than 65 will be affected too. The likely changes might reduce costs. They could also mean you are less likely to get your coverage through your employer -- or that the coverage you do get will be less generous.

Many liberal solutions to Medicare's woes, for instance, focus more generally on health care reform. "The ability to constrain Medicare costs is limited by what's happening in the private sector," says Bruce Vladeck, who ran Medicare during the Clinton administration.

If Medicare can't be cheap in a country where health care is expensive, the thinking goes, the goal should be to make all medicine more affordable.

How? UNC's Oberlander says one idea that could gain currency is something called "all payer" pricing, which would make it harder for hospitals to charge different prices to different insurers.

Maryland has a form of this, in which an independent state board sets rates. If it worked (a big if), health plans could have more leverage in negotiating what they pay and providers would have to get more serious about getting efficient.

Other initiatives would more directly affect the kind of insurance you could get. Many Democrats still cherish the idea of adding a public option to the new health insurance exchanges that will start offering plans to people without workplace coverage in 2014.

The belief is that a big public health plan would have lower overhead and more leverage to negotiate. It's also a step toward the kind of tax-financed universal health care system that exists in other rich countries -- which, advocates point out, all spend less on medical services than the U.S. does.

Work plans could take a hit

Health reform did put a cap on this break for the highest-end plans, but it's pretty high. Republicans may be ready to go further, even though it would technically be a tax hike. As President, George Bush supported raising taxes on "Cadillac" health plans, and candidate John McCain wanted to replace the employer tax break with, yes, a voucher.

The upshot of limiting the employer subsidy is that some companies could decide not to offer a health plan because the benefit would become less valuable to current and prospective employees. And those that continued to provide coverage would probably pick lower-cost policies with bigger out-of-pocket costs.

With more of your own money on the line for medical bills, you'd probably become pickier about which insurance plan to go with and what health services you're willing to buy. That, in turn, proponents say, would also help keep a lid on costs.

Raising the eligibility age doesn't help that much. America's other big public retirement benefit, Social Security, saw its fiscal health improve dramatically in 1983, in part because Congress voted to gradually raise the age for full-retirement benefits from 65 to 67.

So it's not exactly a shocker that some reform proponents are now suggesting a similar phased-in boost in the eligibility age for Medicare -- including President Obama, who reportedly floated the idea during the debt-ceiling debate.

Medicare, however, is different from Social Security in important ways that make raising the age limit less of a slam-dunk. For one thing, notes Juliette Cubanski, a Medicare policy analyst at the Kaiser Family Foundation, there is no early retirement option that would allow people younger than 67 to get federal retiree health coverage, albeit with reduced benefits. If you were forced to stop working because of a layoff or illness, your main fallback would be the health exchanges established under reform the ones that many conservatives are hoping to repeal.

The savings aren't huge

Then, too, the Social Security check you get in your sixties, in real terms, is basically the same as the one you'll get at 100. In Medicare, by contrast, 65- and 66-year-olds are generally healthier than older beneficiaries, which makes them the program's cheapest customers.

The CBO estimates that the federal government would spend 0.4% of GDP less on Medicare by 2035 if the eligibility age were raised to 67 starting in 2014. That's a lot of money. But with Medicare on track to eat up almost 6% of GDP by then, it's a long way from being the solution.

There's also a more fundamental problem with raising the eligibility age: "Not a dollar is saved in overall health care costs," argues UNC's Oberlander; the costs would simply shift to other payers and other parts of the federal budget.

Employers, for instance, would pick up part of the tab via company health plans, and states and the feds would get hit with a bigger Medicaid bill for low-income 65- and 66-year-olds. And since insurance premiums for couples earning less than $59,000 will be subsidized under health reform, part of that cost would end up back with Uncle Sam -- and by extension with you, the taxpayer.

You would also feel a direct hit. If you're 65 or 66 and can't get coverage through an employer, you would have to buy your own insurance. If you're already on Medicare, be prepared to pay slightly higher Part B premiums, which would be needed to cover a pool of people who would be a bit older and sicker than under current law. And if you're younger than 65 and will be buying coverage on the exchanges, you would also face modest premium hikes as more 65- and 66-year-olds are added to the rolls.

You will face higher out-of-pocket costs soon.

As a part of the recent deal to raise the debt ceiling, the congressional super-committee must identify $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions over the next 10 years. (If it can't hammer out an agreement by the end of November, Medicare payments to providers will be cut automatically.) Among the ideas that may be floated are several that could take cash out of the pockets of some current or near retirees:

Streamlining co-insurance and deductibles.

Medicare beneficiaries bear different costs depending on which part of Medicare they tap -- a steep deductible for hospitalization, for instance, and 20% co-insurance for doctors. The recent Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction commission (the committee before the super-committee) proposed creating one deductible of about $550 and applying the 20% co-insurance rate to both hospital and doctor bills. The commission also suggested limiting out-of-pocket costs a key protection that traditional Medicare doesn't now offer. For people who become seriously ill, imposing a maximum on how much you're on the hook for would save serious money. Most beneficiaries would pay an average $500 more a year, a CBO analysis found.

Today the premiums for Medicare Part B are set at 25% of the programs' costs. A proposal in June by senators Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) would gradually lift that limit to 35%. If the rule were in place this year, monthly premiums would go from about $115 to $161, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Restrictions on Medigap plans.

Because of the holes in Medicare's coverage, most seniors get supplemental coverage, such as a retiree health plan or private Medigap insurance, which may cover a big chunk of their deductibles and co-insurance. That reduces their incentive to consider less expensive treatment options, which many health economists think is essential for keeping medical costs down. The Lieberman-Coburn plan suggests restricting Medigap protection, allowing the plans to cover as much as 50% of coinsurance up to a certain limit.

That is sure to be wildly unpopular. "The perception that seniors are out there using services willy-nilly because they don't have to pay for them is just not true," says Bonnie Burns, a policy specialist with California Health Advocates. But it's not clear that the change would actually add to most beneficiaries' overall costs, because Medigap plans without such broad coverage would have lower premiums. Kaiser found that on average, enrollees might save a bit, though anyone needing hospital care would be likely to pay more.

Higher premiums for the affluent.

This change may be the one most likely to become law, says Oberlander. In fact, so-called means testing is already in place for Part B and D beneficiaries with earnings of $170,000 for a couple ($85,000 for singles). After that, premiums rise on a sliding income scale, from 35% of program costs (or $162 a month for Part B this year) to as high as 80% ($369). Those thresholds used to be indexed for inflation, but the health care reform law froze them. As a result, about 14% of beneficiaries will have to pay more for their Medicare in 2019.

Even with reforms, this is going to be tough.

Talk to any honest health policy analyst for more than 10 minutes, and you hear a lot of uncertainty. Here is conservative Capretta on how much seniors would pay for insurance under the Ryan-like plan he'd support: "Nobody really knows." Would private policies be affordable? "We hope so. We don't know that," says Gail Wilensky, who ran the Medicare system during the George H.W. Bush administration. (That's why she'd argue for keeping vouchers high enough to buy at least one plan.)

Now here's the liberal Henry Aaron, an economist at the centrist-liberal Brookings Institution, on the cost controls in the Democrats' Affordable Care Act: "We may strike out. None may work."

Aaron cites an economists' joke: If you are driving from L.A. to Boston, the first thing you need to know is to head east. Advocates on both sides think they at least have a functioning compass. But whether you believe spiraling costs can best be cured by spurring competition in the health care market or through government intervention to encourage greater efficiency in the industry, other economic forces are pushing prices higher. And they will complicate everyone's best-laid plans to keep a lid on spending.

First, despite today's tough economy, the country is getting richer in the long run -- and, says Boston University health economist Austin Frakt, richer societies may well prefer to spend a rising portion of their income on health. We have to spend the added wealth on something, and living healthier longer is one of the better options.

If health spending grows one percentage point faster than GDP, a recent study projects, it will eat up 40% of all gains in real income between now and 2050, about the time that today's twenty-somethings achieve senior status. That still leaves 60% of new wealth to spend on everything else.

Second, medical technology keeps getting better. And that adds to the pressure to spend. The health care we want to buy isn't some fixed menu of services; we want whatever a doctor suggests in response to the question, "I am sick -- what can you do for me?"

In the 19th century he had leeches, which did have the virtue of being cheap. By 1966, when Medicare began, he could offer some invasive surgery and a stay in a clean hospital. Today he has 3-D imaging equipment and lasers for keyhole surgery. Tomorrow, who knows?

Get ready for tax hikes

What this means to you is that even if America moves to a more market-driven system, over the long run you can bet that taxes will have to go up to support whatever federal health spending remains. That might make the Tea Party furious, but the fact is, Republicans care about the over-65 vote every bit as much as Democrats do.

On the other side of the political spectrum, the constant thrum of rising costs could force even the most liberal lawmakers to make their peace with benefit cuts, especially for wealthier retirees, and tougher caps on Medicare budgets.

To keep spending more on Medicare makes it hard not only to keep taxes low but to have government do much of anything else. The Urban Institute's Steuerle frames it provocatively as a choice between more $400,000-a-year surgeons or $50,000-a-year teaching assistants.

Automatic caps will hurt

In coming months one idea you'll hear debated a lot is imposing a numerical cap on future government spending or revenue -- say, 21% of GDP or even 18%.

No matter what the specific numbers proposed are, growing health care costs are on a path to push the size of government well beyond those limits. If that happens, Medicare would go from long-term challenge to immediate crisis. Big changes would have to happen fast. Budget hawks ought to be specific about what those changes will be.

All you can know for sure now: This country not just the government, but each of us as individuals -- is facing a monster of a doctor's bill, and there's no easy way to get around paying it.

Additional reporting by Amanda Gengler.

Read the first-part of this series: Medicare: What no one is telling you

Going to one income changes the math for these soon-to-be parents.

These late-in-life parents want to retire at the same time they'll be paying three college tuition bills. Can they do it?

Today's featured rates:

Lindsay Lohan reports for morgue cleanup duty

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Lindsay Lohan made sure she made it to the Los Angeles morgue early Friday for her first day of court-ordered community service.

"We can confirm she came in well before her appointed time, between 6 and 6:30 this morning," Los Angeles County Coroner Assistant Chief Ed Winter said Friday.

Thursday was suppose to be Lohan's first day of work as a morgue janitor, but she was sent away after showing up late for the morning's orientation.

Publicist Steven Honig blamed her tardiness on "a combination of not knowing what entrance to go through and confusion caused by the media waiting for her arrival."

As part of her sentence for a necklace theft conviction, Lohan was ordered to work 120 hours at the county morgue after she completed 360 hours of community service at the Los Angeles Downtown Women's Center, but she was booted from that program for missing too many appointments.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner ruled Wednesday that Lohan had violated her probation. Lohan posted $100,000 bail for her probation revocation, but Sautner ordered her to perform two working shifts -- or eight hours a day -- twice a week at the morgue until her probation revocation hearing November 2.

"Her duties will include general janitorial work like vaccuuming, taking trash out and cleaning bathrooms," Winter said.

Lohan, 25, was on probation after pleading guilty in May to stealing a necklace from a Venice, California, jewelry store. She served five weeks of home confinement ending in June for that misdemeanor theft and violation of another probation.

Lohan's legal woes began in 2007 with two drunken driving arrests, and they've been compounded by her failure to attend counseling classes and her failures of alcohol and drug tests.

Martin: Cain had better get serious

(CNN) -- Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain has vaulted to the top of the Republican presidential field because GOP voters like his plainspoken talk and his willingness to offer a radical change to the U.S. tax code, and in a year when touting a long career in politics isn't a good idea, he's getting points for having no political experience.

But just as it is easy to vault up the ladder, it is just as easy to come falling back down when people really begin to start taking everything you say seriously, which should always be the case when running for president of the United States.

It was clear at CNN's Republican debate Tuesday in Las Vegas that the other six candidates on stage weren't going to let Cain skate through another debate touting his "9-9-9" tax plan and smiling and joking. The knives came out quickly, and the former conservative radio show host must have felt like he was ambushed.

Yet it was a question posed two hours earlier by CNN's Wolf Blitzer that brought Cain and his supporters back down to reality.

Using the exchange of 1,000-plus Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier by the Israeli government, Blitzer asked Cain if he would release al Qaeda operatives in Guantanamo Bay for a U.S. soldier.

"I could see myself authorizing that kind of transfer, but what I would do is I would make sure that I got all of the information, I got all of the input, considered all of the options and then, the president has to make a judgment call," Cain said.

When questioned on that, Cain quickly backtracked, saying "things are moving so fast" and that he misspoke.

Well, Mr. Cain, as we saw this week with the killing of former Libya dictator Moammar Gadhafi, President Barack Obama's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the year, and the U.S. Senate rejecting a portion of the president's jobs bill, things move pretty quickly in the White House, and the American people expect the leader of the free world to be able to handle it all.

A few days before the debate, Cain caused an uproar by saying he would build an electric fence along the U.S.-Mexico border to keep out illegal immigrants. When pressed about it, he demurred, saying, "That's a joke," and that Americans need to get a sense of humor.

Sorry, Herman, when a presidential candidate touches on the hot-button issue of immigration, you can expect the media and the American people to take you seriously.

But far more damaging to Cain this week was an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, where he gave the impression that he was pro-choice, while saying he is pro-life.

The confusing answer, as well as the anger with which social conservative Republicans responded, caused Cain to have to walk back the statement by reiterating that he is pro-life.

Are all of these problems manageable? Sure. Every candidate goes through these. But Cain is no ordinary candidate. He's a political novice who is trying to get the American people to trust that his business background is far more important as a qualification for president.

There is no doubt that the 2012 presidential election will hinge on the economy and who voters think can best turn it around, but Cain needs to quickly realize that the person occupying the Oval Office has to be able to deal with domestic and foreign issues. And in every debate, he has faltered or looked like an amateur when discussing what is happening around the globe.

There is no greater trait required of a person running for president than discipline. Cain's performance on that score seems like a hindrance more than it is an asset.

Cain is sitting in a very good position today by virtue of the polls. But unless he is able to clearly articulate his positions without needing to issue clarifying statements, he will be another flash in the pan who will be remembered more for his joking and singing on the campaign trail than a man who was serious about the toughest job in the world.

Timberlake, Biel together at his premiere party

(PEOPLE.com) -- Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have remained friendly since their breakup earlier this year -- but now it seems their romance may have been rekindled beyond friendly bike rides.

The off-again, on-again couple attended the premiere after-party of Timberlake's new movie, "In Time," in Los Angeles Thursday, and stole a few intimate moments together, according to an onlooker.

They weren't attached at the hip the entire time -- Timberlake, 30, greeted guests at the event while Biel, 29, hung out with a small group of friends and at one point picked up some tacos from a food truck -- but they stayed at the party past midnight, after most of the other guests had left.

"[They] became more and more affectionate, sneaking kisses, whispering to each other, and sharing quick back rubs and caresses," the eyewitness said. "At one point, she pretended to punch him a couple times and he gamely bounced up and down like a jack in the box."

Timberlake's costars in the movie, which opens Oct. 28, Olivia Wilde and Amanda Seyfried, also mingled with guests after the premiere.

See the full article at PEOPLE.com.

Spooky reads for Halloween

(CNN) -- Zombies, ghosts, even the devil himself are jumping off the page in this week's hot reads for Halloween. So if you're in the mood for something wicked, we've got you covered with some brand-new bone-chilling best-sellers.

Although they're never actually called zombies in Colson Whitehead's "Zone One," this is a zombie novel with real brains, a panache of pop-culture references and post-9/11 New York gloominess.

n this darkly comic take on the apocalypse, a plague has killed off most of the world's population, leaving behind a wave of walking dead, called skels and stragglers.

One of the survivors and the narrator of the novel, Mark Spitz, leads a team of "sweepers," clearing the undead out of Zone One in lower Manhattan.

While on its surface, this appears to be a zombie tale, it's really a survivors' story; most suffer from PASD, post-apocalyptic stress disorder.

While the novel is speculative, it gives you a very realistic sense that the apocalypse, zombies and all, could happen anywhere, anytime.

Whitehead, an up-and-coming voice in American literature, is not your run-of-the-mill horror writer. He's an award-winning novelist, a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant, author of a series of online essays on competing in the World Series of Poker and a frequent, funny and sardonic contributor to Twitter. You can follow him @colsonwhitehead. But he was raised on horror and science fiction stories, comic books and movies.

He counts George Romero's classic "Night of the Living Dead' as a key influence. While Whitehead puts his own fresh spin on the genre, the touchstones are there for old-school horror fans. Whitehead himself says, "I like my zombies like I like my women: slow and implacable."

Read an excerpt from "Zone One."

"Are you there, Satan? It's me, Madison," begins the 11-year old narrator of Chuck Palahniuk's new novel, "Damned."

It's the story of a little girl, the daughter of a film star and a billionaire, who dies unexpectedly and then has to navigate her way through the underworld. Accompanied by hell's version of "The Breakfast Club," she treks through the Dandruff Desert, across the River of Vomit and up the Mountain of Toenail Clippings to face off with Satan.

Like most of Palahniuk's work, it's not for the faint of heart or the easily offended.

With a career spanning 15 years and 11 novels, including the iconic "Fight Club," here, Palahniuk imagines hell as a bit like "Dante's Inferno" meets "South Park," a land where "The English Patient" plays on endless repeat and the damned constantly interrupt your dinner from their afterlife call center. Palahniuk, who's lived through some pretty tough episodes himself, says his mother's battle with cancer was the inspiration for "Damned," leaving him wondering about heaven and hell and what the afterlife holds.

Here, he's come up with a thoroughly original vision, satiric and horrifying, enough so you'll want to repent after you read.

Read an excerpt from "Damned."

The "Saw" movie franchise has been a favorite of horror fans for years. Now, the authors behind several in the slasher series have moved from the big screen to books.

Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan wrote the screenplays for "Saw IV," "Saw V," "Saw VI" and "Saw 3D." They've teamed up with Stephen Romano, an acclaimed author, screenwriter and illustrator, on their debut novel, "Black Light," which comes across like "Ghostbusters" on steroids.

Paranormal private eye Buck Carlsbad sees dead people in this supernatural noir. He's an exorcist for hire, ready to get rid of your ghosts, for a fee.

Haunted by his past, Buck has spent years seeking out the person, or thing, that murdered his parents and left him for dead. In his latest case, Buck is hired to ride shotgun on a high-tech bullet train as it speeds across the desert version of the Bermuda Triangle at 400 miles per hour.

The triangle is a place where Buck almost died a few years ago and where he swore he would never return. Now he's back to brave myriad ghouls, ghosts and spirits and hopefully solve the most harrowing unfinished case of his career.

Visceral and cinematic, "Black Light" is over-the-top fun, the action nonstop, and a bit like a haunted house ride at an amusement park.

Read an excerpt from "Black Light."

ACLU: Lawsuit alleges 3 women assaulted while in ICE custody

(CNN) -- A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of three immigrant women who were allegedly sexually assaulted while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Texas, the American Civil Liberties Union said this week.

The ACLU, citing documents it said it had obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, said in a news release that there have been nearly 200 allegations of sexual abuse of immigration detainees jailed at detention facilities across the United States since 2007.

The ACLU release did not give dates of any of the alleged assaults, including those involving the three women who are plaintiffs in the class-action suit. The plaintiffs were identified only as Sarah Doe, Kimberly Doe and Raquel Doe "to protect them from further harm," the ACLU said.

The alleged attacks occurred while the plaintiffs were being transported from the T. Don Hutto Family Residential Center in Taylor, Texas, to the airport or bus station in nearby Austin, the ACLU said.

Its release did not say where the class-action suit was filed Wednesday, but it said defendants include three ICE officials; Williamson County, Texas, where the Hutto facility is; the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), a private prison company that manages the Hutto facility; the former facility administrator for Hutto; and a guard at the facility.

The lawsuit alleges that ICE along with Williamson County and the Corrections Corporation of America were "deliberately indifferent and willfully blind to the fact that (the guard named as a defendant) and other employees regularly violated the rule that detainees are not be transported without another escort officer of the same gender present," the ACLU said.

ICE did not comment specifically on the ACLU's announcement of the lawsuit, but an agency spokeswoman said ICE "maintains a strict zero tolerance policy for any kind of abusive or inappropriate behavior and requires all contractors working with the agency to adhere to this policy."

ICE Public Affairs Officer Gillian Christensen added that the agency requires regular criminal backgrounds checks for its workforce.

"The (Department of Homeland Security) Office of the Inspector General and ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility investigate ALL allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct and the agency takes appropriate action -- whether it is pursuing criminal charges or administrative action -- when those allegations are substantiated," Christensen said in the ICE statement.

The Corrections Corporation of America did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ACLU announcement.

The ACLU said it was basing its claim that there have been 185 allegations of sexual abuse in federal detention centers against female immigration detainees on various federal documents.

The documents -- obtained from the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and ICE, according to the ACLU -- showed that Texas had more alleged abuse cases, 56, than any other state, the organization's news release said.

"While the information gleaned from the documents likely does not represent the full scope of the problem given that sexual abuse is notoriously underreported, the documents nonetheless make clear that the sexual abuse of immigration detainees is not an isolated problem limited to a few rogue facilities or to a handful of bad-apple government contractors who staff some of the nation's immigration jails," the ACLU said.

"Unfortunately, we believe these complaints are just the tip of the iceberg," said Mark Whitburn, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Texas.

D.C. mayor to request FEMA funding for Washington National Cathedral

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- On the eve of submitting a request for funds to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Washington Mayor Vincent Gray inspected the damage done to the National Cathedral from the August 23 earthquake that rattled the nation's capital and much of the East Coast.

"This is far more than a than a religious institution. This is an iconic structure," Grady said during his visit to the cathedral Thursday, in an apparent effort to ward off any controversy over the use of federal funds for a religious institution.

"It's a place (that) has an enormous role in the nation."

Gray added that there are precedents in federal funding supporting help for the site, which is host to many official state events, and he said he feels justified in requesting funds from FEMA. There is no guarantee the request will be granted, he said.

Cathedral administration currently pegs repair costs at $15 million, with the work taking at least 10 years to complete.

The damage to the cathedral and the Washington Monument have gotten much of the attention in the aftermath of the 5.8-magnitude quake. Gray was quick however, to assert Thursday that there was damage to some District of Columbia schools and public facilities totaling another $7 million.

Built from private donations, the cathedral is largely self-funded. But, the U.S. National Parks Service declared the site a national treasure and has awarded the landmark $750,000 in restoration grants -- money that the senior director of finance and administration for the cathedral, Andrew Hullinger, said has not yet been dispensed.

If FEMA funding is ultimately not granted, or sufficient, Hullinger says, "We will go back to our roots, essentially, and go coast-to-coast and seek donations to restore this national cathedral."

The cathedral draws at least 500,000 tourists a year, and Gray noted that those visitors also contribute to the local economy.

The cathedral is still on schedule to reopen to the public on November 12.

Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud dies

(CNN) -- Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud died in New York, officials said Saturday, raising succession questions in the key oil producer amid turmoil in the region.

No other details about his death were immediately available, but arrangements are under way to transport his body back to Saudi Arabia, officials said.

Crown Prince Sultan, thought to be in his 80s, was Saudi Arabia's minister of defense, and was one of the top figures in the Saudi kingdom. He's had various medical issues in recent years.

In 2009, he was in New York for surgery for an undisclosed illness and had also flown to Morocco for medical treatment over the years.

The country's royal court released a statement about the death Saturday.

"King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud mourns the death of his brother and his Crown Prince ... Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud," the statement said.

The statement also said he died "outside the kingdom following an illness," but did not release details on the ailment.

Reports in recent years have indicated that Crown Prince Sultan was battling cancer.

King Abdullah's half-brother was the desert kingdom's defense minister for decades, meeting regularly with visiting dignitaries.

He took a leading role in Saudi Arabia's involvement in the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq, heading a coalition of about half a million troops from more than 30 countries.

Of his many children, perhaps the best known internationally is Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's former ambassador to the United States.

Prince Bandar served as ambassador from 1983 to 2005 and was friends with the family of President George W. Bush.

U.S. judge dismisses Arizona claims against feds on immigration law

(CNN) -- A judge on Friday ruled against Arizona, dismissing its claims "in their entirety" against the federal government over its enforcement of immigration laws.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton is an apparent blow to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and her allies, who last year passed a controversial law known as SB 1070.

The Obama administration has challenged Arizona, claiming that enforcing immigration matters is the exclusive responsibility of the federal government. And in a separate ruling in July 2010, Bolton blocked four key elements of the state legislation from taking effect -- including one requiring local police officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws.

This past August, state officials filed a petition to overturn that ruling, with Brewer saying she wants the U.S. Supreme Court to decide the matter. Arizona has argued that the law aims to merely assist and cooperate with federal authorities, which it says Congress has blessed.

The focus of Friday's ruling was Arizona's counterclaim to a federal lawsuit intent on blocking SB 1070.

Brewer released a statement Friday calling Bolton's latest decision "to dismiss Arizona's suit against the federal government ... frustrating but not entirely surprising."

"It is but the latest chapter in a story that Arizonans know all too well: The federal government ignores its constitutional and statutory duty to secure the border. Federal courts avert their eyes. American citizens pay the price," the statement said.

Passed last year, the Arizona law aimed to "discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States."

In its counterclaims to the federal lawsuit, Arizona stated that Washington does not have "operational control" over the Arizona-Mexico border, fails to protect Arizonans from invasion and domestic violence and hasn't lived up to its statutory responsibility to enforce immigration laws. Arizona also cited the 10th Amendment, which states that powers not delegated to federal authorities rest with the states.

But Bolton wrote in her ruling that the "invasion clause protects against 'armed hostility from another political entity' and does not permit Arizona to sue the federal government for its alleged failure to protect the state from unlawful immigration." Bolton also said it is up to the political branch, not the courts, to decide if the "domestic violence clause" applies to the immigration debate.

Arizona also argued that it faces greater costs due to what it calls federal authorities failure to properly address immigration -- including to "provide education, medical care and other benefits" to illegal immigrants in violation of the Tenth Amendment."

The judge countered, claiming "Arizona does not point to any federal immigration policy that mandates or compels Arizona to take action."

"The complained of expenditures arise entirely from Arizona's own policy choices and independent constitutional obligations and are not incurred as a result of any federal mandate. These state costs do not give rise to a claim under the Tenth Amendment," she wrote.

Arizona also alleged that the federal government "failed to comply with and enforce federal immigration law," including a requirement that the U.S. Homeland Security department have "operational control" of the border and construct at least 700 miles of barriers.

The judge found that these laws don't require "any discreet action 'with the clarity necessary to support judicial action,'" noting that the term "operational control" is broad and that there are no deadlines for the fencing, infrastructure or other developments.

In her statement following Bolton's ruling, Brewer vowed that the state's efforts on the matters would continue.

"This decision makes it even more critical that the U.S. Supreme Court hear our defense of SB 1070," she said. "If the courts won't hold the federal government accountable -- as today's decision makes clear -- then states like Arizona need clarity in terms of the authority they have to combat illegal immigration."

Cadaver dog indicates 'hit' in home of missing Missouri girl

(CNN) -- A cadaver dog searching the home where a missing 11-month-old Missouri girl was reportedly last seen indicated a positive "hit" for the scent of a body, according to documents released Friday.

The information was included in an affidavit, dated Tuesday, police filed to request a search warrant of Lisa Irwin's Kansas City home.

Baby Lisa was reported missing at 4 a.m. October 4, after Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, came home from work to find the door unlocked, the lights on and a window that had been tampered with.

Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, said she last saw Lisa at 6:40 p.m. the night before.

"The cadaver dog indicated a positive 'hit' for the scent of a deceased human in the area of the floor of Bradley's bedroom near the bed," the affidavit read.

It also said that interviews with people involved in the case "revealed conflicting information" and that Bradley told police she did not initially look for her baby behind the house because she "was afraid of what she might find."

A judge approved the search warrant, which allowed investigators to comb the house and barred the family from returning home. The warrant was executed on Wednesday.

Police took clothing, blankets, a toy, rolls of tape and a tape dispenser from the home, documents showed.

The attorney for Lisa's parents said the release of the affidavit Friday was "unfortunate," as it could derail the search for the missing girl.

Joe Tacopina described his clients as "very shaken up and they refuse to believe anything except that she is out there and alive." He said Lisa's parents are "terrified, not for themselves, but for the welfare of their daughter."

The attorney also stressed cadaver dogs are just meant to be an investigative tool, and cannot be considered a basis for legal action against his clients.

The family's private investigator, Bill Stanton, called the information contained in the affidavit "interesting."

"I'm eager to get the facts (and) I hope it leads to finding baby Lisa," he said.

Earlier in the week, Bradley said in an NBC interview that she was drunk the night the infant disappeared and that she had last seen the baby about four hours earlier than initially reported.

Bradley told NBC she is afraid she will be arrested. Police have accused her of killing Lisa, she said, and told her that she failed a lie detector test.

"I was the last one with her," a tearful Bradley said. "And from judging on how the questioning went, that's kind of a fear that I have. And the main fear with that is, if they arrest me, people are going to stop looking for her. And then I'll never see her again, and I'll never know what happened."

Asked how much she had been drinking that night, Bradley said, "enough to be drunk."

But she rejected the notion that she could have harmed her daughter while under the influence of alcohol.

"No, no, no," she told NBC. "And if I thought there was a chance, I'd say it. No. No. I don't think alcohol changes a person enough to do something like that."

Asked whether he had questions about Bradley, Jeremy Irwin told NBC, "No. There's no question to be had there. I know who she is. I know the kind of mother she is."

Irwin said it's possible someone could have entered the house without Bradley hearing, as the couple's bedroom is on the opposite corner of the house from Lisa's room and Bradley sleeps with a fan at high speed.

Lisa is described as being 30 inches tall with blue eyes and blonde hair, according to police. She weighs between 26 and 30 pounds and was last seen wearing purple shorts and a purple shirt with white kittens on it.

The missing girl has two bottom teeth and a "beauty mark" on her right outer thigh, police said. At the time of her disappearance, she had a cold with a cough.

Feminine fashion for spring

(CNN) -- In recent seasons, fashion trends have dictated girls borrow from the male wardrobe with "boyfriend jeans" and military-inspired gear reminiscent of the battlefield. But looking ahead, the offerings on the catwalk for Spring/Summer 2012 indicate a definite return to femininity and glamor.

CNN asked three fashionistas in the know, Bloomingdale's fashion director Stephanie Solomon, stylist-to-the-stars Nikki Pennie and front-row fashion blogger Bryanboy, for their predictions of the new season's top trends.

"It's all about the feminine silhouette"

During the last month, Stephanie Solomon sat in on shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris and as Bloomingdale's head buyer she knows exactly what is likely be in stores.

"It is a total turn around from last year's Spring/Summer collections," says Solomon. "There is no reference to goth, grunge and certainly no borrowing from the boys this season."

"It is a totally feminine look that we haven't seen in years," she adds. "The catch-all phrase of the season is femininity. It is floral-inspired, tropical-inspired, ethnic-inspired, artist-inspired and scarf-inspired and usually is seen in a dress, a pair of pants, an underscore skirt and in colors that range from pale pastels to shocking neons."

Accessories will be minimal but in line with accentuating the feminine look and earrings will make a big comeback.

Fashion trends just a click away

Solomon says, "(Earrings are) the ultimate punctuation point for femininity. We will also see pretty pumps. It is no longer aggressive combat boots or thick-soled wedges. Everything will be much more delicate -- ladylike structures and in color."

It is a view echoed by stylist and fashionista Nikki Pennie, who welcomes the return of the feminine.

"Princess chic is a massive (trend) and that starts with everything from floor length skirts (to) taffeta, tulle and organza, paired with foxy lace and spandex tube tops. We saw that from Jason Wu. He was one of my favorites," says Pennie.

Pastels are also likely to be popular, with a lot of baby pinks, blues and yellows in different fabrics. Sequins, silks and cottons were used prominently on the Phillip Lim, Calvin Klein and Preen catwalks, according to Pennie.

Floral prints were also big.

"Half of New York showed florals, but in a great way," says blogger Bryanboy. "I love the tropical prints from Joseph Altuzarra, the hyper flower power at Peter Thom, the botanical prints from Alexander Wang ... This season is very visual."

Interpreting the trends

Pennie says we won't have to worry too much about picking our favorite pieces from new collections because retailers will do it for us. "They will pick the most prominent trends and make it wearable already.

"Karl Lagerfeld always sets the trickle-down trend ... Retailers just know if they emulate Chanel's collections, then they aren't going to go wrong," she said.

In pictures: Paris fashions get a spring in their step

With the Olympics next year, fashion-spotters have also noticed a sporting theme running through the Spring/Summer previews. Pennie says: "Alexander Wang set a sporty trend ... He is such a high roller in the fashion world." She adds that we will see buyers and retailers snap up the sporty look because of Wang's influence and popularity.

Bryanboy adds: "I loved how Kenzo used sport silhouettes; cute anoraks, jackets with hoods and use of nylon. There were quite a few nylon looks. Sporty, athletic-inspired that you would see on tracksuits."

Simplicity is key

While following trends will keep you fashion-forward, Bryanboy says keep it simple.

"Pick one simple element ... it could be a color," he suggests. "Something in a sweet cotton-candy pink that's going to be on-trend. Marine life is big so a shell accessory. Really take one visual element and incorporate it into your wardrobe."

Pennie agrees: "For example, you could buy a floral blouse or a floral top and wear it with skinny jeans ... Or try buying a pretty summer dress and put it with a blazer in a pastel color or a tulle skirt.

She has some sage advice: "You get fashion victims who put every look from the catwalk together in one look -- find the pieces that suit you and make you feel fashionable and stylish."

Get spooked: Five haunted cemeteries

(CNN) -- Walking through a hushed cemetery at night with only a flashlight to guide your way can be a stirring experience for amateur ghost hunters this Halloween.

"A lot of paranormal societies use graveyards for training grounds," said Alan Brown, author of more than 20 books on the subject. "If you get an EMF reading in a graveyard, there is no electricity there, so it has to be coming from some other source."

Oftentimes, the spirits you may encounter in a cemetery aren't kind or frightening but rather full of grief in this final resting place.

"Oddly enough, a lot of cemeteries aren't that haunted," said Richard Senate, a historian and ghost hunter of 33 years. "People haunt where they loved. The idea of haunting a cemetery outside of someone who is grieving -- that's what we're picking up, the grief of a person, rather than their spirit linked to a site."

However, there are still an abundance of spirits roaming their final resting place, he said. Senate shared what he regards as some of the most haunted cemeteries in America. Visiting one of these historic sites just may introduce you to someone, or something, waiting on the other side.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans

Rich with history and lore, New Orleans' above-ground cemeteries have been inspiration for storytellers and authors alike. Before these elaborate tombs were built, the ground often gave up the recently buried during floods or heavy rains. Because the city is situated below the water table, burial was not a practical option, and the small cities of above-ground tombs began.

Cemetery No. 1 is perhaps the most famous of New Orleans' cemeteries. Visitors have witnessed phantom figures, Civil War ghosts and yellow fever victims restlessly stalking through the maze of crypts, Senate said. But perhaps the most well-known spirit is that of Marie Laveau, the city's own voodoo queen. She is often seen walking the grounds.

"She haunts her tomb," Senate said. "If you go there, take along a piece of chalk, make 3 X's on her tomb, and if you ask a prayer or request, she will help you get it. Always bring your chalk."

After pausing, Senate added, "It's a pretty creepy place. I don't know if I want to be there at night."

Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Chicago

Not all cemetery hauntings involve walking through a graveyard at night. Chicago's most famous spirit is really just looking for some company, and a way home.

The locals call her "Resurrection Mary," Senate said. She is seen not only within the cemetery but just outside of the gates. If you're driving through the area, she just may try to hitch a ride.

Over the years, thousands of people have reported a young woman who flags down passing cars for a ride home. When they ask for an address, she supplies that of the cemetery. Often, "Mary" vanishes in the car or steps out at the cemetery and fades into darkness, Senate said.

During the '30s, a Polish woman between the ages of 17 and 22 was on her way back from a dance at the O'Henry Ballroom when she was killed in a car accident. She was buried in Resurrection Cemetery, and locals believe that this is "Mary." She is always seen wearing a vintage ball gown and seems incredibly lifelike -- until she vanishes.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, California

Not only is this cemetery full of Hollywood legends from the silent film era to our recently departed celebrities, Senate says it is also full of ghosts. And they don't just come out at night; you can see Hollywood's ghosts during the day.

Before Rudolph Valentino died, he made a habit of visiting hospitals and spending time with children. He spoke to one little girl who was going to have an operation and offered her words of encouragement. The girl survived her operation and recovered.

When Valentino died, she vowed to visit his grave each year and place a red rose on his gravestone. She became known as "the lady in black," and she was quite visible in the '30s. But when the lady in black died, her ghost carried on the tradition. Both her and Valentino's ghosts have been seen by his grave, Senate said.

Of course, these are just a couple of the site's rumored hauntings.

Boothill Cemetery, Tombstone, Arizona

Once a rollicking silver rush town, Tombstone is now the true embodiment of a ghost town. The scenes of incredible violence that took place in its lawless streets still resonate, especially the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral among the Clantons, the Earps and Doc Holliday. Three of the Clanton gang were killed in the fight, which only lasted about 30 seconds. They now rest in Boothill Cemetery, alongside gamblers, smugglers and outlaws, Senate said.

There are dozens of "boot hill" cemeteries across the country, especially the West. The name refers to those who "died with their boots on" or in a violent way. But Tombstone's cemetery, and the entire town, is considered to be one of the most haunted. Ghosts of outlaws and the Clanton gang are often seen in the cemetery, hoping to avenge their death.

"Tombstone is a true place for ghost hunters to go," Senate said. "It is chock full of haunted sites, and the cemetery is but one."

Gettsyburg Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

The site of one of the deadliest battles in American history is naturally still haunted by the vestiges of war, where families clashed and broke apart on the battlefield during a staggering three-day campaign.

The battlefield itself became a burial ground for thousands of men, many of whom were later relocated to proper graves. The Gettysburg Cemetery offers a final resting place for all of the men who never made it home. Shadowy phantom figures in both Union and Confederate uniforms still pace the battlefield and cemetery.

But Senate notes that one of the most persistent ghosts is really just there to be social. In the cemetery, a man is often seen wearing a black hat with a star, symbolic of one of the Texas regiments fighting with the Confederates at Gettysburg. He often tries to converse with tourists and on several occasions has posed with families for photos or takes a photo of family if they request it, Senate said. During photo development or even on the camera's screen, the man disappears.

For an encapsulating haunted experience, Senate recommends staying in the Farnsworth House Inn. Confederate snipers hid in the house during the battle, and their ghosts roam the rooms today.

If you go

Should you decide to stop by any of these cemeteries and go on your own ghost hunt, Senate has a few words of advice. Remember to be respectful of those who have passed on, and don't disturb any grave to try to incite a ghost.

"You should be like a ghost: No one should know you've even been there," Senate said.

Police investigate threat to Rep. Schilling

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Capitol Police said Thursday that they are investigating a reported threat made against Illinois Rep. Bobby Schilling.

The Republican's spokeswoman confirmed the threat and said Schilling is grateful for the "professionalism of local law enforcement in responding to this situation."

"After receiving a very concerning unusual email alert Tuesday evening, Rep. Schilling and his family are taking recommended precautions while the situation is investigated by relevant authorities," his spokeswoman, Andrea Pivarunas, said in a statement.

According to CNN affiliate WQAD-TV, Capitol Police and the FBI are investigating an online threat that offered a $75,000 reward for Schilling's assassination.

"I will pay $75,000 for ASSASSINATING Illinois Congresswoman (sic) Bobby Schilling and any US Congressman, US Senator and FBI, CIA and NSA DIRECTORS and their FAMILY MEMBERS regardless of their age," it read, WQAD reported.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords speaks in audiobook

Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider declined to comment on the exact nature of the threat but confirmed that authorities are looking into it.

"USCP is conducting an active investigation w/ the FBI re: this matter. USCP does not discuss the security of Members of Congress, and any communication between USCP and any Member of Congress is confidential," she wrote in an e-mail.

WQAD said the congressman has been asked to "lay low" and "not really go out in public."

"I'm pretty concerned. My wife is very concerned. It's a general threat to all members of Congress, but they specifically called my name out in the threat. You just don't know what people are thinking," Schilling said, WQAD reported. "It's something we're not going to take lightly."

Senate blocks votes on jobs bills

Washington (CNN) -- Democrats and Republicans tried to force versions of a jobs bill through the Senate late Thursday, but both fell short of the 60 votes they would have needed to bring their proposals to the floor.

In a 50-50 vote, senators blocked a component of President Barack Obama's jobs bill -- $35 billion for states and localities to hire more teachers and first responders while preventing current ones from being laid off.

"For the second time in two weeks, every single Republican in the United States Senate has chosen to obstruct a bill that would create jobs and get our economy going again," Obama said in a statement.

"That's unacceptable. We must do what's right for the country and pass the common-sense proposals in the American Jobs Act."

The funding would have been paid for by a 0.5% tax increase on people earning more than $1 million a year. Republicans opposed the tax increase.

"Republicans have once again said no to creating jobs in America and no to helping the American people. They have turned their backs on our children and the safety of our communities by blocking a bill that would put 400,000 teachers, police officers and firefighters back to work," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, said in a statement.

Similarly, senators blocked a Republican-backed proposal to repeal a 3% withholding requirement for all government contractors. Businesses have decried it as burdensome.

The measure was part of Obama's broad jobs package and has Democratic supporters. However, Democrats and Republicans disagreed over how to offset the costs of eliminating the withholding. Senate blocked the bill by a 57-43 vote.

"Every American deserves an explanation as to why Republicans refuse to step up to the plate and do what's necessary to create jobs and grow the economy right now," Obama said.

Either side would have needed at least 60 votes to move its bill forward.

"It's hard to understand why Democrats would block this bipartisan effort to protect jobs -- a provision of the president's bill," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a statement after the vote. "I've said a number of times in recent days that the president doesn't want Congress to pass his jobs bill; he wants to blame Republicans and use it on the campaign trail."

Republicans have blocked debate on the entire $447 billion jobs plan in the Senate. They argue that any tax increase would harm economic growth and job creation, while Obama and Democrats contend that the president's package ensures immediate job growth.

Democrats are promising to force votes on individual components of the Obama plan.

Other components of the jobs bill to be voted on include funding for infrastructure projects and extending cuts in payroll taxes.

Among other things, Obama's overall blueprint includes an extension and expansion of the current payroll tax cut, an extension of jobless benefits, new tax credits for businesses that hire the long-term unemployed, and additional money to help save and create jobs for teachers and first responders such as firefighters.

Former baseball star makes plea deal in auto thefts

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Former baseball great Lenny Dykstra reached a deal with prosecutors, pleading no contest Wednesday to three counts of grand theft auto and filing a false financial statement, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.

Dykstra, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star who led the New York Mets to a World Series championship, was released pending sentencing Jan. 20, 2012, the office said in a statement. The former athlete, who faces up to four years in prison, admitted the loss was more than $100,000, according to a statement from the district attorney's office.

In exchange for Dykstra's plea, 21 charges against him, including attempted grand theft auto, identity theft, possession of a controlled substance and unauthorized possession of a syringe, will be dismissed at sentencing, according to the statement.

Beginning in January, Dykstra, 48, and two co-defendants tried to lease various high-end automobiles from several area dealerships by providing fraudulent information and claiming credit through a phony business, prosecutors said.

A criminal complaint contended that Dykstra and Robert Hymers, 27, his accountant, provided information from a man they claimed was a co-signer, but who had not authorized his name to be used.

Leases were not approved at two dealerships, but the pair and Christopher Gavanis, 30, a friend of Dykstra's, drove off with three cars at one company by providing fraudulent information to a dealer, Deputy District Attorney Alex Karkanen said.

When Dykstra was arrested in April, Los Angeles police detectives allegedly found cocaine and ecstasy along with somatropin, a synthetic human growth hormone, when they searched his Encino home.

In September, Hymers pleaded no contest to one felony count of identity theft. Gavanis pleaded no contest to one felony count of filing a false financial statement, prosecutors said.

In a separate case, Dykstra was indicted in May on federal charges, including obstruction of justice for allegedly taking more than $400,000 in property that should have gone to his bankruptcy creditors and then lying about it under oath, prosecutors claim.

Dykstra's stellar professional baseball career began in 1981, when the New York Mets drafted him out of high school.

During his second year in the majors, the player nicknamed "Nails" for his tenacity, hit a lead-off home run in Game 3 of the 1986 World Series at Boston's Fenway Park, after the Mets lost the first two games. That spark rallied the Mets to a seven-game series victory over the Boston Red Sox.

10 mountains for every kind of climber

(CNNGo) -- Climbing pioneer George Mallory scaled some of the world's biggest peaks "because they're there." But with so many mountains and so little time, how does a climber know where to start?

We've taken some of the guesswork out of picking the perfect peak, so whether you're the next Sir Edmund Hillary or more of a mountain man wannabe, you can focus on reaching the summit.

1. Hardcore junkies: K2, Pakistan/China

"So, who wants to go first?"

Everest may be taller, but real mountaineers know no peak on the planet beats K2 for sheer intensity. If you need an introduction, odds are you should stick to admiring it from afar.

This 8,611-meter Himalayan giant, dubbed the "Savage Mountain," is considered the world's toughest, with routes harder than Everest's and weather that's even more brutally cold and unpredictable.

For every four climbers who reach the summit, one dies trying, and female climbers beware: the peak is said to be "cursed," as three of the five women to conquer the summit died on the descent.

If that doesn't scare you off, you're either good enough to belong, or crazy enough to try anyway. Succeed, and you'll have earned the right to tell aspiring climbers that Everest is for wimps. If you're a cheater, head for Mount K2 instead, a decidedly friendlier Canadian peak with a name that will fool your less savvy friends.

Where to start: No question here -- any serious K2 summit bid will be with an expedition, who'll take care of the details. Be wary if they sign you up for a winter ascent, as it's never been successfully climbed when the weather turns even more brutal than usual. Unless you're just that hardcore, that is.

Adventure Peaks; 44 (0)1539 433794; info@adventurepeaks.com; www.adventurepeaks.com/expeditions/k2.htm

Amical Alpine; info@amical.de; www.amical.de/expeditionstagebuecher

2. Couch potatoes: Bromo, Indonesia

You could even climb it twice if you wanted.

Who said climbing a mountain has to involve breaking a sweat? If the mere thought of hiking sets your heart pounding, head to Indonesia's Bromo-Tengger National Park, where catching a glimpse of the volcano's lunar-like beauty requires barely more effort than it would to pull up a photo on your laptop.

At 2,782 meters, the slightly taller Panajakan, which offers the best view in the Bromo area, may not have the stature of other peaks on this list, but when you can hire a four-wheel drive to take you within five meters of the summit for a sunrise view of the steaming Bromo National Park volcanoes and surrounding Sea of Sands, all while enjoying tea and barbecued corn on the cob at a peaktop warung, who's going to quibble about a few thousand meters' difference?

Where to start: Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park is most often accessed from nearby Cemero Lawang, the closest village and park entry point, where you'll need to pay 25,000 rupiah (US$2.80).

Cemero Lawang and other nearby villages have good hostel accommodations -- try Lava View Lodge or Caf Lava -- but tours are easily arranged in many East Java cities as well. Try to avoid weekends, when easy access means big crowds.

Global Adventure Indonesia; (Caf Lava and Lava View Lodge); 62 354 391163; globaladventure@indo.net.id;http://globaladventureindonesia.com/cafe-lava

Bromo Iljen Tours; 62 333 774 5081; www.bromoijentours.com/tour

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3. Purists: Matterhorn, Switzerland

So good, they modeled a chocolate bar after it.

Some say the Matterhorn has been overcome by tourism as guiding companies made the peak accessible to anyone. But if you want to go back to the birthplace of mountaineering, this 4,480-meter Swiss peak -- the most recognizable in Europe, jutting high above the surrounding Alps -- is the place to be.

Climb with any of the guiding companies on the peak today and you'll be roughing it a bit less than the first ascenders (think real gear and well-maintained huts along the Hornli Ridge with food decidedly more attractive than your standard freeze-dried trail dinner), but you'll still be following in the footsteps of the hardy few who created the sport.

To get a feel for the long mountaineering history you'll be joining, check out the Matterhorn museum at the base, but save it for after your successful ascent -- it contains nearly as many homages to failed Matterhorn attempts as the Zermatt Cemetery.

Where to start: Zermatt is your base camp for a Matterhorn climb, and it's easy to find a guide or any equipment you need in this town, which may not feel as traditional as purists would like, but caters to the skier/climber crowd perfectly.

Take a cable car to Schwartzsee and spend the night in Hornli Hut on Hornli Ridge before rising early for a long but single-day ascent that will leave you time to explore the rest of the Swiss Alps. To avoid feeling like you're being herded up the mountain, avoid the high season from mid-June to late-August.

Adventure Consultants; 1 866 757 8722; info@adventure.co.nz; www.adventureconsultants.com

Alpine Ascents; 1 206 378 1927; climb@alpineascents.com; www.alpineascents.com/matterhorn.asp

4. Aspiring Ansels: Fitzroy and Cerro Torre, Argentina

Don't forget your camera, and don't forget to use it.

No ascent is complete without the victory shot that proves you made it to the top, but climb Fitzroy and Cerro with a photographer and they'll get so caught up in these Patagonian peaks' otherworldly scenery you'll have to remind them you're here to climb the peaks, not just stand back in awe.

You'll have to work for the perfect shot -- not only is Patagonia's weather notoriously fickle, Fitzroy is no walk in the park. Technical climbing skills for rock and ice are a must on any route, and if its 3,375 meters make it a relative dwarf, it's still no trophy peak.

Catch a view of the granite spires reaching skyward, though, and it will more than make up for the challenge. For those who are more photographer than climber, nearby Cerro Torre offers scenery nearly as epic, with none of the technical work.

Where to start: You'll rack up some flier miles getting here -- Buenos Aires to El Calafte, though LADE, an airline operated by the Argentinian air force, offers cheap flights if you book far enough ahead. Hop on a bus from in El Calafte and enjoy the adventurous four-hour ride to El Chalten, the most common home base for Fitzroy ascents. You'll also need to pick up a (free) climbing permit at the national park office in El Chalten.

Andes; 44 1556 603929; john@andes.org.uk; www.andes.org.uk

American Alpine Institute; 1 360 671 1505; info@aai.cc; www.aai.cc

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5. Families: Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

You may even spot Simba from the top.

Kilimanjaro's family-friendly draw isn't the safari surroundings, though "Lion King" lovers young and old will no doubt delight in the wildlife sightings.

If you're planning to bring the whole family on your next mountain adventure, Kilimanjaro has a relatively low minimum age -- 10 years -- compared to other summits of its stature, and though the thin air at 5,895 meters is a challenge, multiple walk-up routes make it a good pick for budding mountaineers.

It's also the top pick for sheer diversity in the sights along the way. You'll travel through five different climactic zones en route to the "roof of Africa" and if you follow the Machame route, you'll likely see a wide range of wildlife too -- although many guides also offer safaris as an end-of-climb addition that will appeal to all ages.

Where to start: Anyone climbing Kilimanjaro must use a local guide, but with literally hundreds of companies offering expeditions, you should have no trouble finding one that fits your needs. This is a trip to plan ahead for -- you'll need a hefty dose of vaccinations and a visa to enter Tanzania, but one-of-a-kind Kilimanjaro is worth it. If you're a stickler for the details, make sure you reach the top of the highest of the highest of the three extinct volcanoes that form the peak, Uhuru.

Adventure Consultants; 1 866 757 8722; info@adventure.co.nz; www.adventureconsultants.com

Alpine Ascents; 1 206 378 1927; climb@alpineascents.com; www.alpineascents.com

International Mountain Guides; 1 360 569 2609; office@mountainguides.com; www.mountainguides.com

6. Weekend warriors: Grand Teton, United States

One day up, one day down, a lifetime of bragging.

If you're short on time and trekking experience, few peaks make it as quick and easy to get classic scenery and name appeal as Wyoming's Grand Teton.

It's the iconic mountain of the American west, and views of its jagged summit have a "wow factor" belying its relatively short stature that will leave your ignorant friends back home in awe of your newfound climbing chops.

You won't even have to miss much time at the office -- other big-name peaks take a week, at least, to climb, but the Grand Teton's 4,179 meters make it doable in two days (one if you're in superhuman shape and ready to work).

With several flights a day landing in nearby Jackson Hole, it's a packed but feasible long weekend, even if you tack on the two-day introductory course most guiding companies offer before the summit bid. Make it back in time to do a little bragging before your meetings -- and the real world -- intrude again.

Where to start: There are several guide companies to choose from, but Exum sets the standard. They're the oldest, having guided the peak for 80 years, and due to an official relationship with the park, have the highest campsite on the mountain, on the saddle between the Middle and Grand peaks.

Most climbers will ascend the classic but beginner-friendly Owen-Spalding Route (but watch out for the thrilling but vertigo-inducing Belly Roll pitch).

Exum Mountain Guides; 1 307 733 2297; exum@exumguides.com; www.exumguides.com

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7. Gourmets: Dolomites, Italy

Best way to work up an appetite.

Mountain climbers may not be known for living the high-class life, but Italy's Dolomites elevate trekking above its backpacker stereotypes.

The range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Le Corbusier called them "the most beautiful architectures in the world," but for serious foodies, the appeal is as much in the valley villages between the peaks, where a long day of trekking is richly rewarded with Italian cuisine.

The peaks' average height is around 3,000 meters, and the tallest, Punta Penia, is just 3,343, but deep valleys mean you'll work up an appetite to justify extra helpings of homemade pasta and gelato at the guesthouses along the way (there's no need to rough it here).

Routes range from easy hikes for those who are more gourmet than climber to 20-pitch big wall climbs, including the north face of Cima Grande, considered one of the best walls in the Alps. And for a true Dolomites experience, be sure to check out the "via ferrata" -- as long as you're not scared of heights. These routes, formerly supply lines from Italy and Austria's pre-World War I rivalry, are so exposed they've been protected with cables and ropes, but offer the best views and are some of the most popular routes in the entire range.

Where to start: No guides needed here -- and with so many peaks and regions to pick from, you really can't go wrong. The easiest way to reach the range is by car, as trains only reach the outer valleys. However, the Dolomitibus bus service offers good connections, though you'll have to be careful not to miss the stops, which hit each village just a handful of times per day. Accommodations are easily found online -- see dolomitesinfo.com for info on the whole region and suedtirolerland.it for the northern and western valleys.

International Mountain Guides; 1 360 569 2609; office@mountainguides.com; www.mountainguides.com

8. Party people: Cotopaxi, Ecuador

It looks like a reflection, but after this much partying it could all be in your mind.

As a frequent pre-Everest test, Ecuador's Cotopaxi is a serious challenge -- all the more reason to reward yourself after bagging the 5,897-meter peak with a tour of South America's vibrant party scene.

Cotopaxi is the most popular high altitude summit in Ecuador and the third largest volcano in the world. The national park is just 55 kilometers south of Quito and Cotopaxi's perfectly shaped cone is instantly recognizable, giving you the willpower to pass by the party scene on the way to the mountains -- it will still be there when you get back, but good weather on the summit might not hang around.

For your victory celebration, Quito may be the most famous option, but other towns in the area -- accessible by car or trek -- offer plenty of choices. Check out Banos, which has something for everyone in your climbing party -- hiking, mountain biking, hot springs, cheap hotels, all-night discos and all the Spanish rap you can handle.

Where to start: Plenty of guiding companies offer Cotopaxi climbs, based internationally and locally. Be aware that you get what you pay for -- some local outfits may be a steal compared to overseas operators, but have also been known to be less than committed to getting you to the top. After reaching Quito, you'll have a choice between the north and south routes -- north has better views, but the ride will leave you a little more bruised than the southern option. No permit is needed, but there is a fee to enter the national park and a separate refuge fee jumped to US$42.70 as of June 1, 2011.

Alpine Ascents; 1 206 378 1927; climb@alpineascents.com; www.alpineascents.com

International Mountain Guides; 1 360 569 2609; office@mountainguides.com; www.mountainguides.com

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9. Ski bums: Elbrus, Russia

Never too cold if you remember to pack a flask of vodka.

The Alps may be home to Europe's most famous skiing, but real ski bums know to head east. While other European resorts worry about dwindling snowfall and shorter ski seasons, Russia's Mount Elbrus is above their fears -- literally.

The highest peak in Europe at 5,642 meters, Elbrus almost guarantees you some good skiing, and carries Seven Summits standing for an added bonus. The climb's most popular route is not technical, but don't underestimate the challenge of real altitude and chilly conditions.

Fortunately, the active rest days built into your acclimatization plan are the perfect excuse to break up your ascent with a few days of cat skiing before the final ski descent. And if you still haven't logged enough vertical meters by the end, the thousand-kilometer Baksan Valley offers the most developed ski resorts in the Caucasus range, with heli and cat ski tours on Elbrus and the surrounding peaks.

Where to start: Most climbers fly into Min Voldy before heading to Terskol, a town at Elbrus's base with two ski lifts and several hotel options, but you won't need to worry about the details if you join one of the many expeditions run by well-known international guiding companies, a good idea since the seemingly easy route can turn dangerous during Elbrus's violent storms. April, May and June are the best months for a ski descent.

Mountain Madness; 1 800 328 5925; info@mountainmadness.com; www.mountainmadness.com

Pilgrim Tours; elbrus@pilgrim-tours.com; www.pilgrim-tours.com

10. Loners: Mount Khuiten, Mongolia

Don't need a guide, just a set of healthy lungs.

Make it to the summit of Mongolia's 4,373-meter Mount Khuiten, and you'll have the golden Altai range vistas all to yourself.

The trek is as much a part of the experience as the climb itself, with only the occasional horsemen interrupting vast skies and the empty expanse below. The climb itself isn't too challenging, although you will run into some 30 to 40-degree pitches of ice and snow whichever route you ascend.

Though you can make the ascent alone, climbers who are hesitant to cut off all links to civilization can join one of several guiding companies offering Mount Khuiten expeditions, based both in Mongolia and abroad, most of which offer the chance to try your hand at horse or camel riding, or take in a traditional festival in one of the few towns you'll pass on the way in.

Where to start: Ulaanbataar is the nearest major airport and is also the place to go to pick up any last-minute gear for your ascent, though you can also arrange a flight to Bayan Olgii in Western Mongolia, leaving just one more four-wheel drive transfer and a day of trekking before the start of the climb. Most climbers ascend Potin, Mongolia's largest glacier, but head up the southeast ridge for a more challenging ascent.

If you don't go with an expedition, be sure to arrange a local driver and translator -- you'll need to pick up permits from three different authorities in Olgii, make your way through several checkpoints on the way in, and navigating the remote, sometimes roadless areas is no picnic on your own, even for agoraphobes. Olgii's Central Mongol Altai Mountain Club can be a good resource as well.

KE Adventure Travel; 1 888 630 4415; info@keadventure.com; www.keadventure.com

Alpine Ascents; 1 206 378 1927; climb@alpineascents.com; www.alpineascents.com

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Feminine fashion for spring

(CNN) -- In recent seasons, fashion trends have dictated girls borrow from the male wardrobe with "boyfriend jeans" and military-inspired gear reminiscent of the battlefield. But looking ahead, the offerings on the catwalk for Spring/Summer 2012 indicate a definite return to femininity and glamor.

CNN asked three fashionistas in the know, Bloomingdale's fashion director Stephanie Solomon, stylist-to-the-stars Nikki Pennie and front-row fashion blogger Bryanboy, for their predictions of the new season's top trends.

"It's all about the feminine silhouette"

During the last month, Stephanie Solomon sat in on shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris and as Bloomingdale's head buyer she knows exactly what is likely be in stores.

"It is a total turn around from last year's Spring/Summer collections," says Solomon. "There is no reference to goth, grunge and certainly no borrowing from the boys this season."

"It is a totally feminine look that we haven't seen in years," she adds. "The catch-all phrase of the season is femininity. It is floral-inspired, tropical-inspired, ethnic-inspired, artist-inspired and scarf-inspired and usually is seen in a dress, a pair of pants, an underscore skirt and in colors that range from pale pastels to shocking neons."

Accessories will be minimal but in line with accentuating the feminine look and earrings will make a big comeback.

Fashion trends just a click away

Solomon says, "(Earrings are) the ultimate punctuation point for femininity. We will also see pretty pumps. It is no longer aggressive combat boots or thick-soled wedges. Everything will be much more delicate -- ladylike structures and in color."

It is a view echoed by stylist and fashionista Nikki Pennie, who welcomes the return of the feminine.

"Princess chic is a massive (trend) and that starts with everything from floor length skirts (to) taffeta, tulle and organza, paired with foxy lace and spandex tube tops. We saw that from Jason Wu. He was one of my favorites," says Pennie.

Pastels are also likely to be popular, with a lot of baby pinks, blues and yellows in different fabrics. Sequins, silks and cottons were used prominently on the Phillip Lim, Calvin Klein and Preen catwalks, according to Pennie.

Floral prints were also big.

"Half of New York showed florals, but in a great way," says blogger Bryanboy. "I love the tropical prints from Joseph Altuzarra, the hyper flower power at Peter Thom, the botanical prints from Alexander Wang ... This season is very visual."

Interpreting the trends

Pennie says we won't have to worry too much about picking our favorite pieces from new collections because retailers will do it for us. "They will pick the most prominent trends and make it wearable already.

"Karl Lagerfeld always sets the trickle-down trend ... Retailers just know if they emulate Chanel's collections, then they aren't going to go wrong," she said.

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With the Olympics next year, fashion-spotters have also noticed a sporting theme running through the Spring/Summer previews. Pennie says: "Alexander Wang set a sporty trend ... He is such a high roller in the fashion world." She adds that we will see buyers and retailers snap up the sporty look because of Wang's influence and popularity.

Bryanboy adds: "I loved how Kenzo used sport silhouettes; cute anoraks, jackets with hoods and use of nylon. There were quite a few nylon looks. Sporty, athletic-inspired that you would see on tracksuits."

Simplicity is key

While following trends will keep you fashion-forward, Bryanboy says keep it simple.

"Pick one simple element ... it could be a color," he suggests. "Something in a sweet cotton-candy pink that's going to be on-trend. Marine life is big so a shell accessory. Really take one visual element and incorporate it into your wardrobe."

Pennie agrees: "For example, you could buy a floral blouse or a floral top and wear it with skinny jeans ... Or try buying a pretty summer dress and put it with a blazer in a pastel color or a tulle skirt.

She has some sage advice: "You get fashion victims who put every look from the catwalk together in one look -- find the pieces that suit you and make you feel fashionable and stylish."

Senate blocks votes on jobs bills

Washington (CNN) -- Democrats and Republicans tried to force versions of a jobs bill through the Senate late Thursday, but both fell short of the 60 votes they would have needed to bring their proposals to the floor.

In a 50-50 vote, senators blocked a component of President Barack Obama's jobs bill -- $35 billion for states and localities to hire more teachers and first responders while preventing current ones from being laid off.

"For the second time in two weeks, every single Republican in the United States Senate has chosen to obstruct a bill that would create jobs and get our economy going again," Obama said in a statement.

"That's unacceptable. We must do what's right for the country and pass the common-sense proposals in the American Jobs Act."

The funding would have been paid for by a 0.5% tax increase on people earning more than $1 million a year. Republicans opposed the tax increase.

"Republicans have once again said no to creating jobs in America and no to helping the American people. They have turned their backs on our children and the safety of our communities by blocking a bill that would put 400,000 teachers, police officers and firefighters back to work," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, said in a statement.

Similarly, senators blocked a Republican-backed proposal to repeal a 3% withholding requirement for all government contractors. Businesses have decried it as burdensome.

The measure was part of Obama's broad jobs package and has Democratic supporters. However, Democrats and Republicans disagreed over how to offset the costs of eliminating the withholding. Senate blocked the bill by a 57-43 vote.

"Every American deserves an explanation as to why Republicans refuse to step up to the plate and do what's necessary to create jobs and grow the economy right now," Obama said.

Either side would have needed at least 60 votes to move its bill forward.

"It's hard to understand why Democrats would block this bipartisan effort to protect jobs -- a provision of the president's bill," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a statement after the vote. "I've said a number of times in recent days that the president doesn't want Congress to pass his jobs bill; he wants to blame Republicans and use it on the campaign trail."

Republicans have blocked debate on the entire $447 billion jobs plan in the Senate. They argue that any tax increase would harm economic growth and job creation, while Obama and Democrats contend that the president's package ensures immediate job growth.

Democrats are promising to force votes on individual components of the Obama plan.

Other components of the jobs bill to be voted on include funding for infrastructure projects and extending cuts in payroll taxes.

Among other things, Obama's overall blueprint includes an extension and expansion of the current payroll tax cut, an extension of jobless benefits, new tax credits for businesses that hire the long-term unemployed, and additional money to help save and create jobs for teachers and first responders such as firefighters.

After reveling Gadhafi's death, fighters near Sirte quietly go home

Near Sirte, Libya (CNN) -- One day ago, this outpost on the outskirts of Sirte was the scene of unbridled euphoria as revolutionary fighters captured their greatest prize -- deposed ruler Moammar Gadhafi.

But after the death of the longtime ruler, most of the roughly 500 members of the "Lions of the Wadi" brigade -- who had converted an abandoned resort west of Sirte into their temporary headquarters -- packed up their belongings Friday and quietly drove home to Misrata.

Like many of the revolutionary fighters across Libya, these men aren't really soldiers. They are engineers, doctors, teachers, businessmen -- everyday people united by the common goal of ending Gadhafi's 42-year dictatorship.

For months, they battled better-trained, better-armed pro-Gadhafi forces, despite being hamstrung by a lack of organization and training on heavy weaponry. Then, with the help of NATO airstrikes, revolutionaries managed the seemingly impossible -- toppling Gadhafi's four-decade regime.

Where the men diverged was in their accounts of what led to Gadhafi's death.

Their stories include Gadhafi dying from injuries sustained in an airstrike to Gadhafi getting killed in a crossfire. But some fighters did not contest the notion that Gadhafi may have been executed -- possibly with his own gun.

Regardless of what or who truly killed Gadhafi, many fighters claimed involvement in his capture. Throngs descended on the area after Sirte -- Gadhafi's hometown -- fell to the revolutionaries, and each of a dozen fighters took credit for playing a role.

As the pro-Gadhafi fighters' defeat seemed imminent, small piles of their green army uniforms were found discarded.

But amid widespread jubilation that was relayed across the world, some scenes of war still emerged.

Several Gadhafi loyalists were slung in the backs of pickup trucks and paraded around Sirte. One loyalist, mangled with injuries, was taunted by some revolutionaries.

But many fighters who celebrated the end of Gadhafi simply said they wanted to get back to their families, their old jobs or their studies.

By midday Friday, only a few dozen remained near Sirte. After morning prayers, they packed up and got ready to go home to Misrata -- a city torn apart by the Libyan war that, like the rest of the country, faces an arduous recovery ahead.