Corporation.
Tabloid Archives...
 | May 2006 Archives [Some Source Links May Unexpectedly Drop] Return to TabloidColumn.com Return to Tabloid Archives Sitemap |
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
· 6-Year-Old Fla. Girl Charged With Felony For Kicking Teacher's Aide. A 6-year-old special education student who kicked a Naples teacher's aide and spent several hous in juvenile jail is facing felony battery charges. Her mother, however, wants to know why the case has gone so far. 
· Woman wins $2 million in matchmaker suit. A widow won $2.1 million from a high-priced matchmaker whom she claimed failed to deliver on promises of introductions to cultured, wealthy men. Anne Majerik, a 60-year-old social worker from Erie, Pa., claimed in a lawsuit that she paid Beverly Hills matchmaker Orly Hadida $125,000 to be introduced to men who wanted monogamous relationships, earned more than $1 million and had estates of up to $20 million. Instead, she said, she only got a few introductions to inappropriate men.
· Police: Couple Offered Hit Man $100 To Kill Grandkids. Two grandparents in Lake County, Fla., were arrested for allegedly offering a hit man $100 to kill their three grandchildren, daughter-in-law and the family's pet dog. Lake County deputies said Robert Jackson, 60, and his wife, Versie, 59, traveled to a Best Western hotel Tuesday to meet a hit man -- who was an undercover law enforcement officer.
· 'Juan Valdez' is hanging up his poncho. Juan Valdez is retiring. Long live Juan Valdez! The ambassador to the world for Colombian coffee, Carlos Sanchez, is hanging up his trademark poncho after four decades of playing the role of "Juan Valdez." Now the national federation of Colombian coffee producers, owners of the Juan Valdez trademark, is searching for a man to inherit that poncho.
· NBC throws big send-off party for Couric. NBC honored "Today" show host Katie Couric as a departing heroine on her last day on the TV show on Wednesday as she leaves for her new role as the first female solo anchor on network news. Couric, 49, will take over in September as anchor and managing editor of the CBS "Evening News," filling the chair once occupied by Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.
· Liz Taylor dismisses Alzheimer's report. Elizabeth Taylor on Tuesday dismissed tabloid reports that she was being treated for Alzheimer's disease or was gravely ill. The Academy Award-winning actress, who uses a wheelchair because of back problems, was asked about the reports during an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live." "Oh come on, do I look like I'm dying?" the 74-year-old actress asked King in a rare television interview.
· Man Caught Filming Up Skirts At Fair. Police at Cal Expo say 45-year-old Jeff William Jones of Sacramento targeted unsuspecting women with his hidden camera attached to his shoe and was "taking pictures of females private parts," says Robert Craft, Chief of the Cal Expo Police. More disturbing is Jones is a counselor and trainer at the Sacramento Children's Home. Staff members at the children's home say Jones has a stellar reputation and is "a great example to the children and fellow employees."
· 'Lost' Actress Released From Jail Early. "Lost" actress Michelle Rodriguez was supposed to spend 60 days in jail for violating probation with a drunken driving arrest. She served less than a day because of overcrowding. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County city attorney's office said it's "the sad reality" of the county's overcrowded jails.
· Teen Arrested After Allegedly Running Over Friend - Twice. A teen is under arrest after allegedly running over a friend. The Clay County Sheriff's Office says 18-year-old Chris Summerford allegedly stole a truck in Orange Park and ran over a friend twice. "He said you ran over him and then he backed up. He said you ran over him again and he said stop it," says a mother of one of the boys who saw the incident.
· Flawless Man-Made Diamonds. After decades of experimentation, scientists can finally grow diamonds that outshine even the rarest De Beers rocks. During the past year, scientists have mastered the ability to grow 10-carat single crystals with a color and clarity that surpass mined diamonds. Within a decade, they’ll also be cheaper.
· Jury Convicts Muhammad in 2nd Sniper Trial. John Allen Muhammad's conviction for six more murders in the Washington, D.C.-area sniper spree gives prosecutors the insurance they sought - that there is little chance he will leave prison alive. Muhammad, 45, was convicted Tuesday after a monthlong trial in which he acted as his own attorney. The verdict adds to the death sentence Muhammad previously received for a sniper shooting in Manassas, Va.
· Brigadier tells it like it is. An Australian military commander who tried to ensure truth would not become a casualty of conflict in East Timor has embarrassed a TV network. Brigadier Michael Slater appeared yesterday morning in a live feed from Dili to the Nine Network's Today show, with Australian soldiers standing behind him. He was pressed by Today host Jessica Rowe about whether Dili really was as safe as the Australian military claimed, given the presence of armed soldiers at his shoulder. Pausing briefly, Brigadier Slater replied: "Jessica I feel quite safe, yes, but not because I've got these armed soldiers behind me that were put there by your stage manager here to make it look good."
· As Hurricane Season Looms, States Say 'You're On Your Own.' Convinced that tough tactics are needed, officials in hurricane-prone states are trumpeting dire warnings about the storm season that starts on Thursday, preaching self-reliance and prodding the public to prepare early and well. Cities are circulating storm-preparation checklists, counties are holding hurricane expositions at shopping malls and states are dangling carrots like free home inspections and tax-free storm supplies in hopes of conquering complacency.
· 1940s TV star Robert Sterling dies. Robert Sterling, the handsome star of 1940s movies who appeared with his wife Anne Jeffreys in the television series "Topper," died Tuesday at his Brentwood home. He was 88.
· Paris Hilton Launches Music Career. Paris Hilton is coming out with an album. She says it'll be a mix of reggae, pop and hip-hop - and a remake of Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy." Hilton told the Hong Kong magazine Prestige that once she overcame her shyness to become a singer, she realized that singing is what she loves to do the most.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
· Former Marine Knifes, Kills Would-Be Robber. Former Marine Thomas Autry fought off four attackers Monday night in Atlanta with a pocket knife, killing one and seriously wounding another, police said. Autry was walking home from his waiter job when attackers armed with a shotgun and a pistol chased him, according to Detective Danny Stephens. Autry pulled the knife out of his backpack when the group caught him.
· Prosecutor: FBI calling off Hoffa search. The FBI is wrapping up its two-week search of a suburban Detroit horse farm after finding no trace of former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa's remains, a local prosecutor said Tuesday. On Monday, a Michigan congressman said it was time to set some spending limits on the search for Hoffa's remains.
· Doctor sues own hospital company over wife's death. A hospital company is being sued by one of its own doctors, an anesthesiologist who says hospital staff failed to perform emergency surgery to save his wife.
· Ben Affleck taken to hospital over migraine. Ben Affleck was taken to a Cambridge, Massachusetts hospital Monday after suffering a migraine. "Ben Affleck was treated for a migraine at Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts today. He was released this afternoon, and is recuperating at home," said Affleck's rep.
· Batwoman hero returns as lesbian. Comic book heroine Batwoman is to make a comeback as a "lipstick lesbian" who moonlights as a crime fighter, a DC Comics spokesman has confirmed.
· Holloway case a mystery after a year of 'catch and release.' A year has passed since Natalee Ann Holloway, accompanied by three young men, walked out of a nightclub in Oranjestad, Aruba, and into oblivion.
· Moscow says banned gays because "cleaner" than West. Moscow's influential mayor said on Tuesday the city banned gay activists from holding a parade because it is morally cleaner than the West, which is caught up in "mad licentiousness."
· Pedophiles to launch political party. Dutch pedophiles are launching a political party to push for a cut in the legal age for sexual relations to 12 from 16 and the legalization of child pornography and sex with animals, sparking widespread outrage.
· Banks Ask Customers To Take Off Hats, Sunglasses. Remove the hats and glasses. That's the demand of some banks in South Florida worried about robberies. The banks want surveillance cameras to get a better look at patrons and any would-be robbers.
· 13-Year-Old Boater Arrested in Snorkeling Death. A 13-year-old boater was arrested Monday after authorities said he hit and killed a 6-year-old snorkeler, then sped away. The 6-year-old was snorkeling off Key West with his father and a sibling next to their 22-foot motorboat when he was struck.
· 75 inmates at Guantanamo on hunger strike. Seventy-five prisoners at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo were on a hunger strike on Monday, joining a few who have refused food and been force-fed since August, a military official said.
· Cordless jump-rope can help the clumsy. If you think keeping fit is merely mind over matter, Lester Clancy has an invention for you — a cordless jump-rope, a jump-rope minus the rope, leaving just two handles, so you can jump over the pretend rope.
· Pot Found in 6-Year-Old's Scooby-Doo Backpack. When a teacher asked a 6-year-old boy to pull a folder out of his Scooby-Doo backpack, a bag filled with 25 smaller bags of marijuana fell out instead, a court document said.
· Desperate Chicks? In an effort to get radio air time, the Dixie Chicks website has listed out hundreds of radio station phone numbers so remaining fans can "Request The Chicks."
· Nashville proposes big increase in traffic tickets. Nashville drivers beware: The city budget that Mayor Bill Purcell proposed last week calls for traffic ticket revenue to increase $1.5 million next year. Meeting this goal means more tickets — many more tickets.
· Man Overboard May Have Jumped. A passenger was spotted jumping overboard from a cruise ship returning from the British Virgin Islands, but no sign of the person was found after searching half a day, officials said Sunday.
· Spain to get migrant patrol help. Nine EU nations have pledged to provide aircraft and patrol boats to support Spain in its effort to stem the flood of illegal migrants from Africa. Austria, Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal are backing the request.
· Miami-Dade man reports fire, arrested when officials find pot lab in home. A man who reported a fire at his Miami-Dade home was arrested Monday when emergency officials discovered a marijuana hydroponics lab, authorities said.
· Coral Gables Police Dog Runs Away From Home. A Coral Gables police officer has lost his partner. Officer Gordon Dickinson woke up Sunday morning, but when he looked in his backyard, the 4-year-old, 80-pound Belgium Malinois Dickinson works with was gone.
Monday, May 29, 2006
· Driver drags bike 4 miles. An N.C. man was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill after a car plowed into a motorcyclist early Sunday and dragged his bike for several miles down U.S. 17 Business. Larry Jacobs, of Sugar Grove, N.C., was arrested in Surfside Beach after witnesses saw a car hit 27-year-old Makino Robinson from behind, then continue driving at least four miles with the motorcycle pinned beneath his car.
· Senate Leader Took Free Boxing Tickets. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three professional boxing matches while that state agency was trying to influence him on federal regulation of boxing.
· 2 CBS News staff, U.S. soldier killed in Iraq blast. Four people, including a U.S. soldier and two members of a CBS News crew, were killed Monday when a bomb ripped through the U.S. military convoy in which they were traveling.
· Babies aborted for not being perfect. The ethical storm over abortions has been renewed as it emerged that terminations are being carried out for minor, treatable birth defects. Late terminations have been performed in recent years because the babies had club feet, official figures show. Babies are being aborted with only minor defects. Other babies were destroyed because they had webbed fingers or extra digits.
· South Carolina Coed Strangled With Bikini. Law enforcement officials are continuing their investigation into the apparent murder of a Clemson University student. Pickens County Coroner Jim Mahanes says 20-year-old Tiffany Souers was found strangled in her off-campus apartment. According to the Clemson police captain, Ms. Souers was strangled with her bathing suit top.
· Newsweek: How Mexico treats immigrants. As tough as the United States can be for workers who slip in from south of the border, Mexico is in a poor position to criticize. The problem goes far beyond the predatory gantlet of thugs and crooked cops facing defenseless transients like Moisés. There's ample precedent in Mexico for just about everything the United States is—or isn't—doing. Calling out the military? Mexicans may hate the new U.S. plan to deploy 6,000 National Guard troops on the border, but five years ago they cheered President Vicente Fox for sending thousands of Mexican soldiers to crack down on their southern frontier.
· 'Die Hard,' 'Breakfast Club' actor Gleason dead at 67. Paul Gleason, who played the go-to bad guy in "Trading Places" and the angry high school principal in "The Breakfast Club," has died. Gleason died at a local hospital Saturday of mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer linked to asbestos, said his wife, Susan Gleason.
· WWII Veteran Robbed During Memorial Day Weekend Fundraiser. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating a crime against a World War II veteran this Memorial Day. Over the weekend, a man stole $1,000 from a veteran raising money for others. World War II veteran Alfred Ricco was selling plastic red poppies outside a Boca Raton Wal-Mart to raise money for disabled veterans when a man approached him about the fund-raiser.
· Gore Inc. The former U.S. Veep is starring in movies, managing money and advising Google and Apple. Green has been good to him.
· Barry Bonds Hits 715th Home Run, Passing Babe Ruth's Career Tally. hit the milestone home run with a two-run shot to center Sunday, moving past Babe Ruth into sole possession of second place on the career list behind Hank Aaron. Bonds homered off Colorado's Byung-Hyun Kim and before his home fans — where he wanted to do it all along — and before the San Francisco Giants head on a road trip.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
· Student Suspended for Sharing Caffeine Gum. A middle school student was suspended for three days for sharing chewing gum because it contained caffeine, school officials said. The girl, whose name and age were not released, gave another Huston Middle School student Jolt gum. The gum is "a stimulant that has no other redeeming quality," said Amy Palermo, schools superintendent.
· Teacher in sex probe kills self. The late-night suicide of a 42-year-old Taunton teacher who strung himself up with an electrical cord rather than face an investigation of his alleged sexual misconduct with a 14-year-old middle schooler could leave the girl with deep emotional scars, police and state officials said.
· Sex offender busted at Chuck E. Cheese. Leominster police arrested a Level 3 sex offender at Chuck E. Cheese, where 40 children where celebrating birthday parties, at the Mall at Whitney Field on Friday night around 5:30, according Sgt. Michael Ciccolini. Ciccolini said that Raymond Guimond had recently been released from prison and was on lifetime parole. The conditions of his parole were that he had to wear an ankle bracelet and could not be around children.
· Drinking And Dynamite Don't Mix. Investigators say a man came to a KOA campfire showing off a powerful firework that was about 5 inches long and an inch thick. Another man tossed it into the fire, but it failed to light, so he reached in to the fire to retrieve it, police say. Two men lost their hand in the explosion, and suffered other head and facial injuries.
· Search Continues For Hoffa Remains. The FBI said the search will continue through the holiday weekend for the remains of labor leader Jimmy Hoffa. Nothing was found Saturday, the 11th day of digging at a Michigan horse farm.
· Angelina Jolie gives birth to daughter. Angelina Jolie gave birth to Brad Pitt's daughter Saturday in Africa, Pitt's publicist announced. "The night of May 27, 2006 in Namibia, Africa, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt welcomed their daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. No further information is being given," publicist Cindy Guagenti said in a statement.
· Skydiver dies after slipping from harness. A first-time skydiver slipped from her harness during a jump Saturday and fell to her death, authorities said. The 44-year-old woman from West Chester, Pa., was participating in a tandem jump, her first near Cleveland, Ohio.
· Woman tops list for CEO salaries. Carol A. Ammon, 55, a former lab technician who made millions of dollars from a pharmaceutical company she started nine years ago, earned the highest pay among Philadelphia's top executives in 2005. Ammon's total direct compensation of $171,674,814 last year put her in the same company as the chief executives of Yahoo Inc., Capital One Financial Corp., and Cendant Corp. - all among Forbes' top five income earners.
· Top 10 Affordable Gadgets. Shopping on the discount side of tech doesn't necessarily mean you have to compromise on your gadgets' features.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
· Dad on anniversary vacation kills two kids, self. A man killed his two young children Saturday by throwing them off the 15th floor of a landmark South Beach hotel and then jumped to his own death, police said. The children were 4 and 8 years old and the family was on vacation from Alton, Illinois, said police spokesman Bobby Hernandez.
· Minutemen Group Begins Building Border Fence in Arizona. Minutemen border watch volunteers began putting up new fencing Saturday on a cattle ranch along the southeastern Arizona border with Mexico, intent on building impediments to a flood of illegal immigration until the federal government takes up the task.
· Gay Rights Activists Attacked In Moscow. Gay rights activists came under attack while trying to hold a rally Saturday in Moscow. The activists had hoped to put on a display of gay pride despite the city's refusal to grant them permission for a parade. As the first half-dozen activists arrived carrying flowers, they were met by about 100 religious and nationalist extremists who kicked and punched them, shouting "Moscow is not Sodom!"
· 'X Men 3' Hits History Books. "X Men 3: The Last Stand" took in almost $45 million on Friday and landed in the history books. It is now the second highest opener of all time, right behind "Star Wars: Attack of the Sith."
· White House compares illegal immigration to traffic ticket. The White House on Friday said a Senate bill that would grant legal status to illegal immigrants is analogous to a traffic law that allows a speeder to pay a fine and continue driving. "If you had a traffic ticket and you paid it, you're not forever a speeder, are you?" White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said.
· More Problems For NYC's Ex-Top Cop. Bernard Kerik once enjoyed a national reputation as a brash, self-made law enforcer. As New York's police commissioner, he was at Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's side during the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. By late 2004, President Bush wanted him for homeland security chief. A grand jury in the Bronx is now hearing testimony about a possible corruption case against Kerik involving reputed mob associates.
· Political dispute over FBI raid nears showdown. Two senior administration officials said the showdown over the FBI's raid of Rep. William Jefferson's office last weekend had reached what one called "the tipping point," with threats of high-level resignations. Top Justice Department officials - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty and FBI Director Robert Mueller - indicated they would resign if forced to give the seized materials back, the officials said.
· Sharon Stone Blasts Bush on AIDS. Sharon Stone took no prisoners Thursday night in her opening remarks at the annual Cinema Against AIDS dinner in Cannes. “Our president has spent $167 million on abstinence programs,” she said. “And zero dollars on sex education. Zero dollars on teaching about safe sex.”
· Woman to Pay Doctor $2.8 million for False Charge. A judge ruled that a woman who accused her doctor of molesting her and having his identical twin impersonate him to assault her must pay the doctor $2.8 million because she fabricated the allegations.
· STDs Running Rampant In Retirement Community. Doctors said sexually transmitted diseases among senior citizens are running rampant at a popular Central Florida retirement community. Doctors blame Viagra, a lack of sex education and no risk for pregnancy for the spike in sexually transmitted diseases at The Villages.
· 37 Million Expected to Travel for Holiday Weekend. The number of Americans driving and flying over the Memorial Day holiday weekend is expected to rise only slightly this year as consumers respond to the rising cost of airfares, hotel rooms and motor fuel, according to travel agency AAA. AAA said 37.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more, or about 1 percent more than last year.
· Dentist's Lawyers Seek Posthumous Divorce. Dr. John Yelenic and his wife separated in 2002, agreed to a divorce and even hammered out a property settlement. But the Blairsville dentist was slain the day before he was to sign his divorce papers, setting the stage for what attorneys say is a first-of-its-kind request in Pennsylvania: a divorce decree after death.
· Indonesia Earthquake Kills More Than 2,500. A powerful earthquake flattened homes and buildings in central Indonesia early Saturday, killing more than 2,500 people and injuring thousands more in the country's worst disaster since the 2004 tsunami.
· Pat Robertson's Claim Of Leg-Pressing 2,000 Pounds Draws Skeptics. Some trainers and strength coaches are raising their eyebrows about claims that religious broadcaster Pat Robertson leg-pressed 2,000 pounds. Experts say lifting 1,000 pounds would require a major effort even for well-conditioned athletes. They also question if there are even machines that can hold 2,000 pounds. The CBN Web site attributes Robertson's energy in part to "his age-defying protein shake."
· Rags to riches tale writes itself. It was just a movie set, but in a moment it showed Chris Gardner where he'd been - and how far he'd come. There with actor Will Smith - who is playing Gardner, a former homeless man turned millionaire - Gardner stood in what looked like the train station bathroom where he once slept a quarter century ago.
Friday, May 26, 2006
· $800,000 Later, Priest Pleads Guilty To Larceny. A Roman Catholic priest pleaded guilty to grand larceny Friday for financing a lavish lifestyle of vacations, country clubs and fancy clothes with more than $800,000 looted from his parish.
· Hilary Swank to File for Divorce. Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank will file for divorce from actor-husband Chad Lowe, People magazine reports. "Hilary Swank and Chad Lowe have jointly decided to divorce," an attorney for the couple said.
· Oops! Capitol building reopens after false alarm. A phone call reporting gunfire — apparently a false alarm — led police to briefly shut down the Capitol Friday and search the largest House office building floor by floor as staff members and a few lawmakers were kept inside.
· Two Army Reservists Become Instant Millionaires. Two Army reservists are instant millionaires. New York State lottery officials said Thursday that two jackpots of $1 million each have been won in the Fort Drum area.
· CBS and Howard Stern Settle Lawsuit. Shock jock Howard Stern regained control of the master tapes from the last 20 years of his terrestrial radio program in a Friday settlement of the contentious lawsuit brought by his former bosses at CBS Radio. Stern's new employer, Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (SIRI), agreed to pay $2 million to CBS Radio.
· 40,000 women 'sex trafficked' for World Cup. In response to reports that 40,000 young women will be brought to Germany from Central and Eastern Europe to "sexually service" men attending the World Cup soccer championship next month, a Catholic group warns that many are desperately poor and will be "sex trafficked" against their will. An estimated 3 million soccer fans – mostly men – are expected to descend on 12 German cities for the quadrennial sports event June 9 to July 9. Prostitution is legal in Germany.
· Teen shoots intruder after father says on phone, `Do what you have to do.' Javaris Granger wished his father was there instead of him. His father was on the phone, urging Granger, 15, to get the gun they used for shooting practice. "Do what you have to do," his father said. Granger did. He aimed the gun and fired at the violent intruder. The intruder is now in Memorial Regional Medical Center with two gunshot wounds.
· Oprah offends a few rappers. Rappers Ludacris and 50 Cent have dissed Oprah Winfrey. Now, Ice Cube has a beef with the talk show queen. "I've been involved in three projects pitched to her, but I've never been asked to participate," the rapper-actor tells FHM magazine. "For 'Barbershop,' she had Cedric the Entertainer and Eve on, but I wasn't invited," says the 36-year-old rapper, referring to his 2002 movie. "Maybe she's got a problem with hip-hop." Cube adds: "She's had damn rapists, child molesters and lying authors on her show. And if I'm not a rags-to-riches story for her, who is?"
· The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time. At PC World, even the worst products deserve recognition (or deprecation). So they put together a list of the 25 worst tech products that have been released since PC World began publishing nearly a quarter-century ago.
· Meat Loaf Says He Can't Remember 'American Idol' Performance. Remember Meat Loaf's performance Wednesday on "American Idol"? He doesn't. Meat Loaf has absolutely gripping television stage fright, yet he still performed with Katharine McPhee on the finale.
· Coach Accused Of Using School Money At Brothel. A San Diego-area high school football coach is accused of using his school-issued debit card at a Nevada brothel. When Coach Dennis Houlihan went to a coach's clinic in Reno, Nev., and according to expense accounts, Houlihan withdrew almost $300 from an ATM at 9:45 p.m. Then, less than six hours later, at 3:31 a.m., he allegedly took out another $164 from a machine located at the Kit Kat guest ranch, a legal house of prostitution located near Carson City.
· Illegal immigrant accused of impregnating 10-year-old girl. Police said they are searching for a 21-year-old illegal immigrant accused of raping a 10-year-old family member and leaving her pregnant.
· Calif. city to take Wal-Mart land by eminent domain. A developing city east of San Francisco is the first place in the country to use the Supreme Court's eminent domain ruling to keep Wal-Mart out of its area. The retail giant has 3,900 stores across the country — nearly seven new stores open every week — but there won't be one coming to Hercules, California. Tuesday night the city council voted unanimously to take Wal-Mart's 17 acres of land by power of eminent domain. It's a power the Supreme Court affirmed for municipalities in a controversial New London, Conn., ruling, in which the city wanted to take private property for a commercial development.
· The fattest boy in the world. If there is a 'face of child obesity', it is six-year-old, 210 pound Dzhambulat Khatokhov. Sheer size has made this boy from a poor Russian family a hero in his home town and an object of fascination in the west.
· NYC Mayor Advocates U.S. Worker Database. Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg thrust himself into the national immigration debate Wednesday, advocating a plan that would establish a DNA or fingerprint database to track and verify all legal U.S. workers. The mayor also said elements of the legislation moving through Congress are ridiculous and said lawmakers who want to deport all illegal immigrants are living in a "fantasy."
· Massive VA Data Theft Revealed By Gossip. The theft of personal data for 26.5 million veterans came to the attention of the Veterans Affairs inspector general only through office gossip, he told Congress Thursday.
· Petty Hasn't Changed Views on Women Racers. Richard Petty didn't think women belonged on the race track when Janet Guthrie became the first female driver to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 in 1976. Thirty years later, his opinion hasn't changed. "I just don't think it's a sport for women," Petty said in an interview with The Associated Press. "And so far, it's proved out."
· Senate Confirms Hayden As CIA Director. After hearing assurances he will be independent of the Pentagon, the Senate on Friday easily confirmed Gen. Michael Hayden, a career Air Force man, to head the CIA.
· A daily drink 'only good for men.' Drinking alcohol every day protects against heart disease in men but not in women, Danish research shows. A study of 50,000 people found that men who drank daily had a 41% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared with a 7% drop in men who drank once a week.
· Teamster-flavored cupcakes. Not far from the farm in Milford, Mich., where authorities are searching for Jimmy Hoffa's remains, Laura Hosbach of the Milford Baking Co. sells cupcakes that are to die for.
· Scott Peterson, juror in his murder trial are pen-pals. A juror who sent Scott Peterson to death row said she's been corresponding for nearly a year with the former fertilizer salesman convicted in the murder of his pregnant wife. Richelle Nice told People magazine that she and Peterson have exchanged about two dozen letters since August.
· Couple surrender in videotaped rape-killing. A couple accused of videotaping the rape of an Independence woman and killing her were in custody Thursday night after spending several days on the run, Jackson County prosecutors said. Richard Davis, 41, and Dena Riley, 39, had a 5-year-old girl with them when they turned themselves in earlier in the day, said Jeff Lanza, an FBI spokesman in Kansas City, Missouri.
· Roth predicts Van Halen comeback. Now that he's lost his radio job, David Lee Roth is seeking gainful employment in another capacity - as lead singer of Van Halen. Again.
· Michael Jackson Plans Appearance in Tokyo. Michael Jackson plans to make his first public appearance since his trial acquittal last June at a ceremony in Tokyo to accept MTV Japan's "Legend Award," his spokesman said.
· Hackers can crack top antivirus program. Symantec Corp.'s leading antivirus software, which protects some of the world's largest corporations and U.S. government agencies, suffers from a flaw that lets hackers seize control of computers to steal sensitive data, delete files or implant malicious programs, researchers said Thursday.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
· More votes cast for 'Idol' than any American president. More than 63 million votes were cast for the fifth "American Idol," which is more than for any U.S. president in history.
· Senate Passes Sweeping Immigration Bill. The Senate on Thursday approved a far-reaching immigration bill that includes a controversial program that would allow millions of illegal immigrants already living and working in the United States a new chance at legal residency and a portion of those a chance a citizenship.
· Suspected Driver In Fatal Crash Could Walk Free. The suspected driver of a stolen car involved in a crash that killed a 12-year-old boy and seriously injured two others could be back on Central Florida streets as early as Thursday night. 20-year-old Anthony Williams - a suspected drug dealer, has not been charged with causing the boy's death but only with grant theft auto, and the judge has granted Williams a $500 bond.
· Inadequate sleep linked to weight gain. Women who fail to get enough shut-eye each night risk gaining weight, a researcher reports. In a long-term study of middle-aged women, those who slept 5 hours or less each night were 32 percent more likely to gain a significant amount of weight (adding 33 pounds or more) and 15 percent more likely to become obese during 16 years of follow-up than women who slept 7 hours each night.
· Spanish-American War debt finally paid off? The Treasury Department said Thursday it will eliminate a pesky money-grab tax on long-distance telephone calls and refund about $13 billion collected from callers. The tax dates to 1898, when lawmakers needed money to fight the Spanish-American War.
· Janet Gretzky plans lawsuit. Lawyers for Janet Gretzky and Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet have set the stage for a possible lawsuit against New Jersey state officials for defamation resulting from the investigation into an alleged gambling ring, the Newark Star-Ledger reported Thursday. According to court documents obtained by the Star, both lawsuits would seek $50 million in damages.
· Date Set for First Leg of Spector's Civil War. Phil Spector has another date to get ready for. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lee Smalley Edmon set an Apr. 16, 2007, trial date in the lawsuit the notorious music producer filed in September against a former assistant for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from him.
· Rapper Shot During Attempted Robbery. Beanie Sigel, the popular rapper who has been shadowed by his violent past, was wounded by gunfire during an attempted robbery early Thursday. The gangsta rapper was shot one or two times in the upper right arm shortly after 8 a.m., police said.
· B.I.G. Judge Feeling Wronged. The ghost of Notorious B.I.G. continues to haunt the Los Angeles legal system. The federal judge who ordered the City of Angels to pay the family of the slain rapper $1.1 million said Tuesday that she felt deceived by some of the evidence presented during the course of the family's wrongful death lawsuit last year
· Judge: Child molester is too short for prison. A Nebraska judge said a 5-foot-1 man convicted of sexually assaulting a child was too small to survive in prison, and gave him 10 years of probation instead. His crimes deserved a long sentence, District Judge Kristine Cecava said, but she worried that Richard W. Thompson, 50, would be especially imperiled by prison dangers.
· More ImClone Mess for Martha. Despite having done the time, the domestic diva still needs to deal with the fallout from the crime. Martha Stewart faces a Thursday deadline to respond to the charges in a civil suit that she was privy to insider information before ditching a lion's share of ImClone Systems stocks in 2001.
· Enron Executives Guilty On Conspiracy Charges. Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay has been convicted of all six counts against him, including conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. Former Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling was convicted Thursday of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, in one of the biggest business scandals in U.S. history.
· 2 Teens Charged With MySpace.com Extortion. Two New York teenagers were in police custody Wednesday facing illegal computer access and attempted extortion charges after they allegedly threatened to shake down the popular Web site MySpace.com unless its operators paid them $150,000, prosecutors said.
· Congress passes funeral protest ban. Demonstrators would be barred from disrupting military funerals at national cemeteries under legislation approved by Congress and sent to the White House.
· Hasbro Halts Plans For Dolls Based On Risque Music Group. Hasbro Inc. shelved plans Wednesday to release a line of dolls based on the Pussycat Dolls, an all-female music group known for risque lyrics and skimpy outfits.
· Honda Says Brain Waves Control Robot. In a step toward linking a person's thoughts to machines, Japanese automaker Honda said it has developed a technology that uses brain signals to control a robot's very simple moves.
· Vicente Fox Says Immigration Challenges Friendship. Mexican President Vicente Fox said Wednesday that immigration is the most pressing challenge to the relationship between his country and the United States, but is also their greatest opportunity. Fox, speaking in English, said "Until recently, Mexico was trapped in a vicious cycle of economic crisis, recurring crisis. But we have set out to change that," he said. "Today, Mexico has the soundest, safest, most stable economy of our lifetime."
· Update: Hastert, ABC spar over investigation report. House Speaker Dennis Hastert is demanding a "full retraction" of an ABC News report that he is being investigated in connection with the Jack Abramoff corruption probe.
· 'View' Ladies 'Furious' After Dixie Chicks' Diss. The ladies from "The View" shredded a copy of Time magazine Tuesday after getting dissed by the issue's cover girls — controversial country music group, The Dixie Chicks. In Time's cover story this week, Dixie Chick Emily Robison says that the group takes its political views very seriously and will try to limit appearances to high-caliber, meaningful gigs. Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines' "new motto is, 'What would Bruce Springsteen do?'" says Robison. "Not that we're of that caliber, but would Bruce Springsteen do 'The View'?"
· Physics teacher under fire for gun experiment. Every year, physics teacher David Lapp brings his Korean War era M-1 carbine to school, fires a shot into a block of wood and instructs his students to calculate the velocity of the bullet.
· Taylor Hicks Wins ‘American Idol' Crown. Taylor Hicks proved Simon Cowell wrong, and Prince proved that "American Idol" has earned serious respect. Hicks, who barely made it past the famously judgmental Cowell during initial auditions, was named the winner of the TV talent contest Wednesday night over sultry brunette Katharine McPhee, 22, of LA. This edition of "American Idol" was the most-watched yet, with an average weekly audience of 30.3 million.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
· Study finds no marijuana-lung cancer link. Marijuana smoking does not increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer, according to the findings of a new study at the University of California Los Angeles that surprised even the researchers.
· Woman's Death Goes Unnoticed On Flight. The next time you take a flight, you might want to make sure the passenger sleeping next to you is really just taking a nap. That’s because a 78-year old woman died while on a cross-country flight out of Fort Lauderdale and everyone on the plane thought she was just sleeping. Officials with Delta Airlines said the woman died on flight 503 to Salt Lake City over the weekend.
· Janet Jackson Says She Gained Weight for Role. Janet Jackson, newly svelte after losing 60 pounds, says she gained weight for a role in an upcoming movie, which she ultimately had to pass on because of her new album. "They (the producers) wanted to see me in a different light, as a heavier woman," the 40-year-old singer, who weighed about 180 pounds at her heaviest.
· Child Killed By Driver Fleeing Orange County Deputies. A child was killed and two others seriously injured Wednesday night when a car fleeing police collided with three vehicles.
· Update: Hastert "In the Mix" of Congressional Bribery Investigation. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is under investigation by the FBI, which is seeking to determine his role in an ongoing public corruption probe into members of Congress.
· ACLU Launches 'Don't Spy On Me' Campaign. A civil rights group planned to launch a nationwide campaign Wednesday demanding that authorities probe whether phone companies broke laws by sharing customer records with the government's biggest spy agency.
· Some Moms Come Forward to Defend Spears. Britney Spears. She's so easy to make fun of. Even her song titles conspire to mock her: "Oops, She Did It Again!" But the latest headlines about America's most maligned mother are evoking a new sentiment from fellow moms. Almost tripped and dropped a baby? PLEASE, they're saying. What mom hasn't? Give the girl a break!
· Company Sells 'Islamic Jeans' Made For Muslims. A company in Italy has begun selling "Islamic Jeans" made especially for Muslims who need greater comfort and flexibility during prayer sessions.
· Angry lawmakers demand FBI return seized documents. House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded Wednesday that the FBI surrender documents and other items agents seized on Capitol Hill in what lawmakers said was an unconstitutional raid. The Saturday night search of Rep. William Jefferson's office on Capitol Hill brought Democrats and Republicans together in rare election-year accord, with both parties protesting agency conduct they said violated the Constitution's separation of powers doctrine.
· 2 Die In Ferrari Crash In Yard Of Former "Dallas" Actress. Authorities are trying to determine why a 1993 Ferrari Testarossa crashed and overturned this afternoon near Agoura Hills, California in the yard owned by former "Dallas" actress Morgan Brittany.
· Hurricane Drill in Louisiana Canceled. A mock evacuation that was supposed to be part of a two-day statewide hurricane preparedness drill was canceled after a misunderstanding about who had jurisdiction over a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer park.
· Edmund Hillary Blasts Everest Climbers Who Left Dying Man. Mount Everest pioneer Sir Edmund Hillary said Wednesday he was shocked that dozens of climbers left a British mountaineer to die during their own attempts on the world's tallest peak.
· Reba McEntire takes shot at Dixie Chicks. Reba McEntire, hosting the Country Music awards for an eighth time, took a shot at country music's newest outlaws, the Dixie Chicks. "I don't know why I was so nervous about hosting this show this year," she said. "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker."
· Duke accuser tips her drivers? According to Fox News' sources, when investigators questioned the Duke accuser after DNA tests on the semen found inside her body did not match any of the Duke players, she allegedly gave police the name of her boyfriend and two men who drove her to her dancing engagements.
· Teacher accused of arriving at school drunk. A middle school teacher was arrested after police said he showed up at school drunk, asked one of his students to fetch cognac, then fondled a student and made a sexual remark to another.
· Mom: God made me do it. A woman accused of killing her three young sons by tossing them into frigid San Francisco Bay believed God summoned her to sacrifice her children, her lawyer told a judge. "The voice of God called upon her to sacrifice her three children," Teresa Caffese said Tuesday at the woman's preliminary hearing in San Francisco Superior Court.
· Senate Votes to Hike Fines for Employers. Employers would face fines as high as $20,000 for hiring undocumented workers and have to screen all new hires as part of legislation that would grant legal status to millions of illegal immigrants.
· GM locks in $1.99 a gallon price for buyers of gas guzzlers. General Motors said on Tuesday it would subsidize gasoline purchases in Florida and California to boost sales in those key markets. GM said it would cap the price of gas at $1.99 a gallon for new buyers of some of its 2006 and 2007 full-size sport utilities and mid-size cars.
· Bible Student Charged in Phone Sex Case. A student at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College was charged in the theft of his roommate's debit card, which was used to pay for more than $2,300 worth of calls to phone sex lines, prosecutors allege.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
· 'Smiling' driver runs over 3 toddlers, 2 adults. A man ran over three young children and two women with a car in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant Tuesday, police said, and one witness described him as having a smile on his face.
· Bin Laden: Moussaoui Not Linked to 9/11. Osama bin Laden purportedly said in an audio tape Tuesday that Zacarias Moussaoui - the only person convicted in the U.S. for the Sept. 11 attacks - had nothing to do with the operation. "He had no connection at all with Sept. 11," the speaker, claiming to be bin Laden, said in the tape posted on the Internet.
· Update: Saudi School Bus Riders Released From Jail. Two Saudi men accused of boarding a school bus full of students were released from jail Tuesday after federal officials determined they don't pose a security threat. Through an interpreter, Mana Saleh Almanajam, 23, and Shaker Mohsen Alsidran, 20, told investigators that they got on the bus Friday morning because they wanted to visit the school and didn't know it was just for students.
· Mexico's Fox Begins U.S. Trip in Utah. To some, Mexican President Vicente Fox's visit to the United States is a sign of hope to Hispanics as Congress debates immigration policy. To others, it is an opportunity to rally again in support of tightening the border. Fox begins his five-day trip in Utah on Tuesday before moving on to Washington state and California.
· Woman, 44, Nabbed For Sex With Boy, 13. 44-year-old North Carolina woman was arrested Wednesday on charges that she carried on a month-long sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy. Linda Ann McBride was arrested Wednesday at the Winston Salem home she shared with the boy and the child's grandmother. [Warning: Disturbing photo]
· The Most Dangerous Words on the Web. Don't try this at home - not if you want to have a working computer. Search for "Free Screensavers," it's likely that 64% of the sites you find will gum up your machine with spyware or a computer virus.
· Geri Halliwell Names Baby 'Bluebell Madonna.' Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has named her baby Bluebell Madonna.
· 'Send Help' Sign On House Leads To Bodies. A sign in a window pleading for help led a neighbor to the discovery of two bodies in a Palm Bay home Tuesday morning.
· Katrina autopsy: Police shot mentally disabled man in back. Autopsy results obtained by CNN show a mentally disabled man was shot in the back when he was killed by New Orleans police in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This contradicts testimony by a police sergeant that the victim had turned toward officers and was reaching into his waistband when shot.
· Bernanke admits a 'lapse.' Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke admitted Tuesday to Congress that he made a mistake talking to a television reporter about market perception of his inflation-fighting credentials.
· Charles Gibson Named New ABC Anchor. ABC appointed Charles Gibson as the new anchor of its struggling "World News Tonight" broadcast on Tuesday, replacing Elizabeth Vargas.
· Who would you rather buy your gas from? The Missouri Corn Growers have created a Web site for folks to vote on their next ethanol billboard campaign. The current boards, featuring a farmer and a Saudi leader, use the tagline, “Who would you rather buy your gas from?”
· Bribery case complicates Democrat's electorial strategy. Democrats' plans to make Republican corruption a theme of their election strategy this year have been complicated by accusations of wrongdoing in their own ranks, leading the party to try on Monday to blunt the political effects of the unfolding case against Representative William J. Jefferson.
· 8-Year-Old Boy Arrested After School Bus Hits, Kills Girl. An 8-year-old boy was arrested after he sneaked onto a school bus and released its parking brake, causing it to roll forward and fatally strike a second-grader, police said Tuesday.
· Former Democratic Sen. Lloyd Bentsen Dies. Lloyd Bentsen, a Texan who represented the state in Congress for 28 years and served as President Clinton's first treasury secretary, died Tuesday, his family said. He was 85. Bentsen capped off his career as a 1988 vice presidential nominee, telling rival Dan Quayle during a televised debate: "Senator, I knew Jack Kennedy, I served with Jack Kennedy. And Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."
· Forget Kabbalah, Britney's baby is her religion. Why did Britney Spears really dump Kabbalah? The pop star revealed on her Web site that she was ditching the trendy religion for motherhood. “I no longer study Kaballah,” she recently wrote, “my baby is my religion.” (“Kabbalah” has a variety of spellings that are considered acceptable.) But her split from the trendy offshoot of Jewish mysticism may have more to do with the bottom line. “She’s tired of the way [Kabbalah leaders] kept hassling her for money,” says a well-placed source.
· Concord Teacher Accused Of Having Sex With Student On Raleigh Field Trip.&nbs