· Did You Know? Tabloid Column features full-search Google, stock quotes (just enter the ticker symbols seperated by a space), and weather (enter your zip code) in the upper right of the home page.

· WWW Internet Inventor Receives Technology Prize. No, not Al Gore... The MIT Scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, has been awarded the first Millennium Technology Prize.

· Hackers Target Supercomputers. Hackers have broken into some of the world's most powerful computer clusters in recent weeks in an apparently coordinated cyberattack targeting research and academic institutions.

· Two arrests under video camera law. Using night vision goggles to spot video cameras, Los Angeles police have made the first arrests under a new law targeting pirates who use camcorders in cinemas.

· Nude Photography: The Final Frontier For William Shatner. The "Star Trek" star recently went behind the camera to handle a photo shoot for Playboy.com of Deanna Brooks, Miss May 1998 and found the challenge gratifying.

· 'Bin Laden' Offers Europe Truce. In a recording broadcast on Arab satellite networks Thursday, a man who identified himself as Usama bin Laden offered a "truce" to European countries that do not attack Muslims, saying it would begin when their soldiers leave Islamic nations.

· The Apprentice's Secrets Revealed. So, with the show's two-hour season finale airing tonight, TV Guide Online is firing off 11 things Donald Trump (and executive producer Mark Burnett) would never tell you about the nation's guiltiest pleasure.

» Donald TrumpWatch. The latest Donald Trump news you can probably live without.

· Girl in wreck survives 10 days on noodles, Gatorade. A 5-year-old girl who was found with her dead mother after a car crash that happened 10 days ago was "doing extraordinarily well" at a hospital Wednesday, the girl's doctor said.

· Can 20/20 survive without Barbara Walters? There are precious few associations in all of television more indelible than the one between Barbara Walters and ABC's 20/20 news magazine, returning to Fridays after a four-week absence.

· Star magazine altered Demi Moore's dress. There's actress Demi Moore with her young beau, Ashton Kutcher. He's in a white suit. She's wearing a sexy fitted dress - also white. They appear on the cover of this week's recently renovated Star magazine, which declares: "$1 Million Wedding of the Year!"

· Amazon launches Internet search service. Online retailer Amazon.com quietly launched an Internet search service Wednesday, jumping into a marketplace already crowded with tools and promised offerings from Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft Corp.

· Electroshock Therapy Makes a Comeback. More patients are turning to electroshock therapy again for the treatment of depression and other mental illnesses when medications and traditional psychotherapy have failed them.

· Song with 33 swear words heads for chart top-spot. The track, which has 33 swear words including the word f**k 20 times and six sh*ts, has been described as a ghetto version of Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O'Connor.

· Giant Pig Stolen From Easter Seals Camp. A giant 24-foot inflatable pig was stolen overnight Wednesday from an Easter Seals camp in Sorrento, Fla., according to police.

· Anti-tax author appears in Vegas federal court on tax charges. As millions of taxpayers prepared to meet the April 15 filing deadline, an anti-tax author attempted to argue Wednesday in federal court that no American is required to pay taxes.

· U.S. Acts to End Web Site Tax Scam. The government is asking a federal court to shut down what it charged is a wide-ranging system of tax fraud that has misled about 100,000 taxpayers into taking improper deductions and credits, and has cost the U.S. Treasury $324 million in tax revenue.

· Idaho Hemingway House Remains Closed. Ernest Hemingway's last home is the only one of his three that isn't open to the public - and it might never be if this resort town continues its opposition to making it more accessible.

Word of The Day by WordThink

Precarious [pre·car·i·ous] adj. 1. Dangerously lacking in security or stability: "The precarious life of an undercover cop." 2. Subject to chance or unknown conditions: "His kingdom was still precarious." 3. Based on uncertain, unwarranted, or unproved premises: "A precarious solution to a difficult problem."

· Teenager helps fix Microsoft Windows flaw. The teenager who spotted a major security flaw in Microsoft’s Windows operating system, told the company and then worked "round the clock" to correct it, says he never got a penny for his efforts.

· Oldest worker calls it quits at 104. A man billed as the world's oldest worker is calling it quits. Science professor Ray Crist put down his pointer at age 104.

· Protests set for topless hairdressers. Women's groups and anti-porn campaigners were today planning to protest the launch of Scotland's first topless barbers.

· Williams, in midst of trial, becomes father again. Jayson Williams, in the midst of his trial on manslaughter, has become a father again.

» Judge Denies Request to Dismiss Williams Trial. Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman on Thursday refused a defense request to dismiss all charges against the retired NBA star.

· Two Drunken Passengers Arrested At Miami Airport. Five passengers wrestled a drunken man off a jet after he threatened before takeoff to kill someone, and another intoxicated man on a different flight was arrested after tearing up his seat, according to federal charges filed Wednesday.

· Man stole vehicles to run down pedestrians. The father of a man accused of going on a deadly hit-and-run rampage said he repeatedly warned mental health officials that his son was a danger to himself and others.

· Muslim Army chaplain wins adultery appeal. The U.S. Army dropped its remaining charges against Capt. James Yee, the Muslim chaplain once jailed on accusations of espionage while assigned as a cleric for detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

· Lowe's Customer Bitten by Rattlesnake. A customer rummaging through the trees at a Lowe's store here was bitten on the hand by an 18-inch eastern diamondback rattlesnake, a company spokeswoman said Wednesday.

» Snakebite during service proves fatal to minister. The minister of a Lee County church died early Monday, hours after he was bitten by a rattlesnake during a Sunday church service and refused to seek medical treatment.

· Editors get last laugh on April 1. With headlines declaring that Columbia's Oakland Mills High was changing its colors, getting a Subway sandwich shop in the cafeteria and adding badminton to its sports lineup, the school's latest student newspaper appeared to scoop everyone, including major media.

· Laws fail to put the brakes on Morristown menace on wheels. For nearly two decades, Peter Perrault has been legally barred from driving in New Jersey. But that hasn't stopped him. Since 1985, he has accrued 53 moving violations, four drunken driving arrests, 102 suspensions and a motor vehicle rap sheet that runs 19 pages long, authorities say.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

· Audrey Seiler Charged Over Kidnapping Hoax. Audrey Seiler, the University of Wisconsin sophomore accused of staging her own disappearance last month, was charged Wednesday with two misdemeanor counts of obstructing officers.

· Gibson Wants to Bring Unedited 'Passion' to TV. Mel Gibson's Icon Prods. has quietly started the process of shopping for TV licensing deals for "Passion," which is the first hugely successful film to come down the pike as a true free agent for pay TV and broadcast/basic cable licensing in more than five years.

· J-Lo Butt Implants Explode. A woman who yearned to have a fat ass like pop star Jennifer Lopez has found her dreams blasted to smithereens - after her butt implants exploded.

· Stewart lawyers claim new juror lies found. Pressing again for a new trial, Martha Stewart's lawyers said Wednesday they have uncovered more lies and omissions by one of the jurors who convicted her last month.

· Liberal 'Air America' radio stations pulled. Air America Radio, the new liberal talk-radio network, said its broadcasts in LA and Chicago were shut down after only two weeks, after an Air America check bounced and allegedly in default by more than $1 million.

» Liberal lawsuits already flying. Air America, summarily booted today off stations in Los Angeles and Chicago for reportedly bouncing a check, is seeking a legal injunction that would return the fledgling liberal network to the airwaves.

· Groening to lend his voice to 'The Simpsons.' Matt Groening, creator of "The Simpsons,'' will make his first guest appearance on Sunday's show. In a scene from the episode, "My Big Fat Geek Wedding,'' Groening, center, as himself signs autographs for fans at a sci-fi convention.

· Heavy social drinkers show brain damage. Heavy social drinkers show the same pattern of brain damage as hospitalized alcoholics - enough to impair day-to-day functioning, U.S. researchers said Wednesday.

· Britney's sick suicide video. Here are the shocking new Britney Spears photos that show the star drowning in a bath with slashed wrists. The scenes from Spears' video have sparked fury from parents’ groups who fear it could lead to copycat suicides. They have branded the singer stupid and irresponsible.

· Kathie Lee Gifford Returns to Morning TV. Kathie Lee Gifford returned to morning talk television Wednesday, co-hosting Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" with Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade. It was a one-day appearance.

· Scientology critic ordered to pay church $500,000. A former member and longtime critic of the Church of Scientology has been ordered by a Marin County judge to pay the church $500,000 for speaking out against the controversial religious movement.

· Dick Clark Has Diabetes. Dick Clark, renowned as "America's oldest teenager," has diabetes. Clark, 74, has had type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes, since 1994, but kept it a secret from everyone except close friends and family.

· Town angered over DNA testing of black men. The Charlottesville, VA police department's decision to test the DNA of hundreds of black men in their search for a serial rapist has angered community leaders who view it as racial profiling.

· Child Molester Freed on Technicality in California. A convicted child molester serving a life sentence was freed after an appeals court ruled he never had a chance to confront his accuser - a teenager who committed suicide before the man's trial.

· Rapper Lil' Kim Charged With Obstruction. Rapper Lil' Kim was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit perjury, making false statements and obstructing justice in connection with a 2001 shootout involving her entourage that left one man wounded.

· Ad Draws Big Notice To Little Newspaper. It's not often that The Gabber, a free, weekly, 13,000-circulation little Gulfport, Fl paper makes national news. But when it accepted an ad from a group of local Democrats suggesting that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should be killed - it gets a lot more attention than it wants.

· Jury Selection in Scott Peterson Double Murder Trial Continues. The initial jury selection in the Scott Peterson trial is almost halfway completed, but the issues facing both sides are increasing.

· Kidman Richest Aussie Entertainer. Oscar winner Nicole Kidman more than doubled her annual income in 2003, making her Australia's richest entertainer.

· 'Profiler' actor saves home from burning. Neighbors are crediting actor Robert Davi with saving their home after a fire broke out under a water heater.

· 'Weird Al' to tour in wake of tragedy. "Weird Al" Yankovic plans to fulfill his touring commitments in the wake of the accidental death of his parents. Nick and Mary Yankovic died of carbon monoxide poisoning in their Fallbrook, Calif., home on Friday caused by a fire burning without an open flue.

· Gov't Calls Dolly Parton 'Living Legend.' Dolly Parton will receive "The Living Legend" award today from the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., a spokeswoman said.

· Girl, 5, found near car 10 days after crash killed mom. A five-year-old girl is in stable condition Wednesday, a day after she was discovered by highway workers near the scene of a car crash that killed her mother about 10 days ago, according to police and hospital officials.

· Muzzle award winners include CBS and Martha Stewart. CBS Television, which passed on the miniseries The Reagans amid conservative pressure, and an art-wary North Texas police department, are among this year's winners of the dubious Jefferson Muzzle awards for suppression of free speech.

· Ex-cop accused of taking cars at WTC. Ex-cop William Bennette, 52, of Queens, was arrested early Tuesday on charges he stole five U.S. Secret Service vehicles that were part of the agency's fleet at the trade center site. Using phony documents, Bennette, who had been working as a support technician for the Secret Service, transferred some of the vehicles to his family, officials charged.

· Microsoft issues patches to fix 20 Windows, e-mail security flaws. Microsoft Corp., the world's biggest software maker, issued patches to fix 20 flaws in its Windows operating system and an e-mail program that could let a hacker take over a computer.

· New Jackson abuse claims probed. Los Angeles police are investigating new allegations of child abuse against pop icon Michael Jackson from the 1980s, according to a police statement.

Word of The Day by WordThink

Mercurial [mer·cu·ri·al] adj. 1. Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile: "A mercurial temperament."

· 'Passion' Soundtrack Certified Gold. The soundtrack to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, according to Integrity Media Inc.

· Alleged Beckham Mistress Defends Story. One woman who claims she had an affair with David Beckham insisted she had no reason to lie, while another was accused by a tabloid newspaper on Wednesday of being a hooker.

· Man who lost 340 pounds inspires others. A man has started a weight-loss ministry called TYJ (Thank You Jesus), featuring what he calls a "12-day, two-day goal," where for 12 straight days, he watches his carbohydrate intake and eats more protein, in addition to drinking lots of water, and then for two days eat regular meals.

· Britney to star in reality TV show. Her representatives are currently negotiating to sell an unscripted series featuring backstage footage of her life on tour.

· 'Baywatch' ex-star gives birth to girl. It's a girl for former "Baywatch" star Kelly Packard. Packard gave birth to Aubrey Lin Privett on April 6 in New York, a spokesman for Packard said.

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

· Bellagio resort hopes to reopen Wednesday after power outage. The famed water fountains outside the Bellagio hotel-casino should resume their dancing spectacle on Wednesday when the resort plans to reopen after a crippling power outage.

· Man Shot After Charging Judge In Court. It was a chaotic scene at Philadelphia's Criminal Justice Center on Tuesday, when a defendant in court was shot as he tried to attack the judge.

· When "Water" Isn't Wet. It looks and acts just like water except for one thing... it doesn't get things wet. The chemical has all the firefighting properties of water, yet it will not cause the damage to items that is usually associated with water.

· Porn profits go mainstream. The pornography business has spread far beyond seedy side streets. Now, companies like Time Warner and Echostar are generating big bucks from the $12 billion adult entertainment industry.

· Powerball winner's home broken into. The Putnam County Sheriff's Department is investigating yet another apparent attempt to rob $315 million Powerball winner Jack Whittaker.

· Sorority women told to lie to give blood. The national office of a sorority whose members were urged in an email to lie about their health to boost a campus blood drive apologized Tuesday. [The college student also needs a little help with her spelling - ed]

· CBS Expects Double-Digit Ad Price Increase. CBS chairman Leslie Moonves on Tuesday predicted double-digit advertising price increases for his first-place network during next month's market for commercial time.

· ABC Taps 'Harry Potter' for Sweeps Week. Not being able to come up with anything on their own, ABC hopes to make ratings magic with a night of television built around the network debut of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

· Jilted chef admits sawing off wife's head. Oscar Pilamunga, a Manhattan chef, was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years to life in prison after strangling his wife, sawing off her head and stuffing her body in a suitcase for threatening to leave him.

· It's Geek-Meets-Grape As Wine Gets Wired. Once, wine meant horse-drawn plows and barefoot workers stomping in a tub. These days, winemakers are more likely to depend on the juice running through their personal computers as they turn grapes into premium vintages.

· Sen. McCain's wife stable in hospital after stroke. Cindy McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain, suffered a small stroke and was hospitalized in stable condition.

· Autopsy confirms Yankovic parents died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Autopsy results confirmed today that carbon monoxide poisoning killed the parents of comic "Weird Al" Yankovic in their North County home last week.

Bill Clinton Is Clinton to blame for September 11? As the September 11 Commission tries to get to the truth, it is evident there is plenty of blame to pass around. Here's a take on how the strength of Al Qaeda grew during the Clinton Administration — at a time when Bill was pre-occupied with stained dresses and Cuban cigars.

· Google to sell trademarked keywords. Google plans to stop limiting sales of trademarks in its popular keyword advertising program, a high-stakes gamble that could boost revenue but also create new legal problems for the company.

· Crane used to lower 500-pound man from 8th floor. The fire department was called in for an unusual rescue operation Monday, when a man weighing more than 500 pounds had to be removed from the eighth floor of a downtown building.

· Colorado Coach: Partygoers Share Rape Blame. Insisting the University of Colorado football program doesn't condone sexual misconduct, suspended coach Gary Barnett said Tuesday there is "no question" there was misbehavior at a 2001 party at the center of a rape scandal — but that everyone at the gathering shared the blame.

· Student Goes on Trial for Web Terror Charges. A Saudi graduate student accused of setting up Web sites to help Islamic militants recruit followers went on trial Tuesday in a key test of a Patriot Act provision that bars the giving of expert advice to terrorist groups.

· Muslim Man Gets 5 Years For Hidden Razors. A man who arrived at Dallas airport on a flight from Europe with 32 razor blades in his carry-on luggage has been sentenced to more than five years in prison.

· Man pays $1 million for 'lucky' phone number. An online buyer has paid $1.1 million dollars for the cell phone number 135-8585-8585, which has a similar pronunciation in Chinese to 'let me be rich, be rich, be rich, be rich.'

· Woman allegedly poses as Reba's tour manager. A woman who allegedly posed as Reba McEntire's tour manager and persuaded a 77-year-old man to pay her $2,000 for a security job with the country singer has been arrested, officials said Monday.

· Lauren Hutton Hospitalized in N.M. Actress and model Lauren Hutton was airlifted Monday to a heart hospital because of chest pain that doctors determined was probably from indigestion.

· Man arrested for making ricin. A Washington state man whose family says may suffer from autism has been arrested for making the deadly poison ricin from castor seeds in his own home, officials said Tuesday.

· Walters to get $6 million for memoirs. The New York Daily News is reporting that Miramax Books has agreed to pay around $6 million for Barbara Walters' highly touted memoirs - the largest advance in the nine-year history of Harvey and Bob Weinstein's publishing company.

· Man's J-Lo plastic surgery. MTV's I Want A Famous Face, where contestants undergo thousands of pounds' worth of plastic surgery to look like their favourite star, has managed to turn up the shock factor another notch by trying to transform a man into J-Lo.

· NASA Workers Afraid To Speak Up. According to a new 145-page report conducted more than a year after the doomed Columbia space shuttle, "Open communication is not yet the norm, and people do not feel fully comfortable raising safety concerns to management."

· Trademark challenger: Fired up over 'The Apprentice.' While fans of "The Apprentice" gear up for the final firing, one failed contestant is gearing up for a fight with the man who fired her.

· Trump rides a monster wave of self-promotion. The real estate mogul may have built his empire with an eye on "location, location, location," but the Trump battle cry now appears to be, "synergy, synergy, synergy," as he rides a monster wave of publicity fueled by the TV show, even as some of his business interests are in a free fall down the toilet.

» Donald TrumpWatch. The latest Donald Trump news you can probably live without.

· Debt takes a holiday as 'clock' is removed. The world-famous National Debt Clock that hung on the side of a three-story building at 43rd Street and Sixth Avenue has been torn from its home of more than 15 years.

· Bushes report $822,126 in adjusted gross income. President Bush reported $822,126 in adjusted gross income for last year, on which he paid $227,490 in federal income taxes - or about 28 percent, according to the president's federal returns released Tuesday by the White House.

· Suspects captured in Blockbuster hostage situation. A robbery attempt at a Blockbuster video store ended early Tuesday when law enforcement officials captured three suspects who were holding 10 hostages at gunpoint.

· Networks Scramble Schedules for Bush. President Bush's decision to hold a news conference at 8:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday has forced the major broadcast networks to revamp their primetime lineups.

· 'Jetson' Lifestyle May Not Be Too Far Away. We're closer to the Jetson age than you may know. For instance, there's an iron that reminds you to turn it off. There's an oven that not only cooks, but acts as a cooling device as well. And it can be remotely operated by a cell phone, mobile tablet or Web-enabled command center in case you get inadvertently delayed at work.

· Janet's 'Damita Jo' In Downward Spiral. It's not good news for Janet Jackson or Virgin Records. Her "Damita Jo" album, which debuted at number 2 last week, looks headed for a bust.

Word of The Day by WordThink

Intrepid [in·trep·id] adj. 1. Resolutely courageous; fearless. Persistent in the pursuit of something. "A team of intrepid explorers."

· 'He'll come back,' says ex-wife of $30 million man. Nynna Ionson, the $30 million Canadian lottery winner's ex-wife says, `I know he'll come back to me. He'll never find a person more compatible.' [Yea, Right!]

· Tyson's a freak, but boxing needs him now. If all goes according to plan, and it rarely does when Mike Tyson is involved, the former baddest man on the planet will walk into a Phoenix gym sometime this week and begin hitting the speed bag. Or maybe he’ll walk into a Phoenix strip club and begin hitting on the dancers instead.

· Yale rips off Wesleyan College website. In a bold demonstration of originality, common decency and respect for federal copyright law, Yale College Council members have copied a substantial portion of WesMatch without permission and released it to the Yale community as their own creation.

· Miss Missouri Named Miss USA. Miss Missouri Shandi Finnessey was crowned Miss USA in the 53rd pageant Monday night.

· Top Tattoo Gal. Britney Spears has been voted the queen of the body art babes - because of her sexy angel tattoo.

· Bonds Hits 660th Homer. Barry Bonds hit his 660th home run Monday to tie godfather Willie Mays for third on career list.

· Actors learn from murderer. The Royal Shakespeare Company has turned to a real-life murderer to help its actors with their current production of Macbeth.

Monday, April 12, 2004

· Ohio Troopers Allegedly Find Drugs On 'American Idol' Bus. Troopers stopped one of Ruben Studdard's tour buses Monday in Cleveland. Studdard was not on the bus at the time, but three people are currently face charges.

· Tiger goes from Augusta greens to green berets. Fresh from the green jackets of Augusta, Tiger Woods arrived at the home of the Green Berets on Monday for a week of military training.

· Charge Reduced in Hidden Box Cutter Incident. Prosecutors have reduced the charges against a college student accused of hiding box cutters on four airliners last year to expose weaknesses in airport security.

· Disney's 'Alamo' May Be a Losing Battle. Disney may want to forget "The Alamo." The much-hyped historical film, which cost as much as $140 million to make and market, met box office disaster during its opening weekend, pulling in only $9.2 million.

· Collector Bequeaths Beer Bounty To Bar. The old ditty "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" doesn't apply to Joe Fessler. His collection amounts to more 650 bottles and cans of beer.

· Folgers hikes coffee prices. Folgers announced Monday it will hike its food service and office coffee prices by 4 to 6 percent as of May 3. Over the years, Folgers is the first major roaster to raise its coffee prices, and is an indicator of what's to come.

· The Paula Jones Story. Paula Jones is hawking her autobiography, "I Said 'No!': A Case File of Sexual Harassment," in which our plucky heroine will warn fellow victims "what to expect if their harasser is a powerful man."

· Mansion Sells For Record $128 Million. Wouldn't you like to be the real estate agent who got the commission on this one? A mansion in London has been sold for $128 million - the most expensive home purchase in the world.

· Suicide doc Kevorkian expects to die in prison. Assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian, behind bars for the videotaped lethal injection of a man in 1998, says he expects to die in prison, but has few regrets.

· Father’s lawsuit against Whitney Houston thrown out. Finally, some good news for Whitney Houston. A New Jersey superior court judge has thrown out the $100 million lawsuit filed by the singer’s late father against the troubled diva.

· Commissioner Found Asleep, With Pants Down. An Ocoee, Florida city commissioner was found asleep inside a car with his pants down car early Easter morning, according to police.

· Car Donation Crunch Worries Charities. Charities fear that potential donors may conclude it's not worth the hassle to donate used cars if Congress follows through with plans to clamp down on inflated tax deductions.

· Indecency Uproar Taming U.S. Network TV. Whether you believe it is a new sexual McCarthyism, or you see it as a long-awaited campaign against programing that's crossed the line into indecency, U.S. television is about to get toned down a notch.

· Why Housing Is About to Go "Pop!" Analysts say too many red alerts are flashing for investors and the Fed to remain in denial when so much is at stake. If this bubble bursts, watch out.

· Anderson and Lee to wed again. According to The Examiner, Ex-Baywatch star Pamela Anderson is planning on wedding former husband Tommy Lee again. The wacky couple wanted the ceremony to be a secret but the news of the impending Las Vegas, Nevada, nuptials has leaked out, according to reports.

· 82-year-old gets to ride shotgun in Indy race car. At age 82, Margaret Ringenberg is living life in the fast lane. She had a chance to fly on the ground over the weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

· The secrets of J. Edgar Hoover. J. Edgar Hoover was a powerful man with secrets of his own, including rumors of bizarre sexual behavior. Finding the real J. Edgar has been the passion of author Richard Hack for nearly two decades, leading him to write the book, “Puppet Master: The Secret life of J. Edgar Hoover."

» Puppetmaster: The Secret Life of J. Edgar. [Amazon]

· Defibrillators now required on airliners. Most commercial airplanes now must have cardiac equipment on board to help passengers who suffer heart attacks. The new Federal Aviation Administration rule, which affects about 2,600 airliners, went into effect Monday.

· Microsoft Lawyers Keeping Busy. Today's announcement that Microsoft is paying $440 million to InterTrust mark the second settlement this month by the world's No. 1 software company. Microsoft agreed about two weeks ago to pay Sun Microsystems $1.6 billion to settle a private antitrust suit and resolve patent claims.

· Star Wars tops movie list Stars Wars has been named as men's favorite movie of all time, followed by The Great Escape and The Godfather, the Oscar-winning tale about the American mafia. The women's favorite was Dirty Dancing, with Bridget Jones and Thelma and Louise in second and third spots.

· Hung's CD expected to debut in Top 40. Will William Hung get the last laugh on the "American Idol" judges who booted the 21-year-old University of California, Berkeley, engineering student off the show in January before he'd finished his off-key version of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs"?

· Trump gets big raise for 'Apprentice' work. The Los Angeles Times said Donald Trump confirmed he was making about $50,000 an episode for the current series, and that figure would “at least” double for thr upcoming season.

Trump has sought to trademark his catchphrase from the show, “You’re fired,” and last week NBC said it would sell official “Apprentice” merchandise featuring the phrase, including shirts and mugs.

· Coors to Yank TV Ads Featuring Chairman. Coors Brewing Co. is yanking three televisions ads from the Colorado market that feature company chairman Peter Coors because he plans to run for the U.S. Senate.

· Corporate ties create doubts about network news. Plenty of news divisions and publishers are corporate cousins: Hyperion Books and ABC News; Time Warner Trade Publishing and CNN; HarperCollins and the Fox News Channel.

· Cruise and Cruz back together? Penelope Cruz and Tom Cruise are reportedly trying for a reconciliation after their recent split. The Spanish actress flew to be by his side in Berlin where Tom is filming, instead of heading off to her own movie set in Morocco.

· Judge threatens jail for those not responding to subpoenas. The judge in the Scott Peterson murder trial threatened to put a handful of people in jail this morning after defense attorney Mark Geragos said they failed to respond to his subpoenas.

· Scalia apologizes for erasure of reporters' recordings. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has apologized for an incident last week in which a U.S. marshal erased reporters' recordings of a speech Scalia gave to high school students.

· Tough Neighborhood: Chicago installs gunshot sensors. Gunshot detection technology - capable of "triangulating within 20 feet" the location of a shooting - is being added to 30 surveillance cameras already in place on high-crime corners and to 50 new cameras expected to be installed by late summer at undisclosed locations.

· Power failure disrupts flights in L.A. A brief failure of a power line shut down electrical service to the Los Angeles International Airport tower and disrupted air traffic for about 100 flights Monday morning, authorities said.

· Power remains out at top Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino. One of the biggest hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip closed Monday after a main power line failed, forcing the property to relocate thousands of guests.

· Millions At Risk Of Going Blind. More than 28 million Americans over age 40 have eye ailments that put them at risk for vision loss and blindness, researchers say, warning that the numbers will surge as the population ages.

· Blind parents sue state for taking baby. When Pyanne Jordan's first daughter was born, she could barely see the infant. Now she can't see her baby at all, after Alabama's Department of Human Resources' took the baby away and placed her in state custody.

· Virgin Mary statue weeping a hoax. A statue of the Virgin Mary that has been drawing crowds since 2002 when it apparently began weeping rose-scented tears has started crying again, in the week before Easter, its owner said. After analysis, it turns out that the "tears" were a mixture of vegetable oil and rose oil.

· Rebecca won't be Stamos any longer. One of Hollywood's most beautiful couples is calling it quits. A rep for John Stamos and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos confirms to us that they're separating after five years of marriage.

· Nationwide ban on ephedra goes into effect. A federal judge allowed a nationwide ban on dietary supplements containing ephedra to take effect Monday, turning aside a request by two supplement makers.

· Catastrophe Calculator: Estimate Asteroid Impact Effects Online. Now anyone with a passing interest in the fate of the planet can remove some of the mystery regarding the effects of the next collision. A new University of Arizona web page allows visitors to plug in a hypothetical space rock's size, the visitor's distance from the impact site, and other parameters to generate an outline of devastation.

· Broadband prepares to take off. Next time you board an airplane there could be more to look forward to than a movie and an in-flight meal as high speed net access takes to the air.

· Update: Man bets all on roulette... and wins. Last week we told you about the man who sold all his possessions, including his clothes, and was going to roll all $135,300 on his future. Today, the man stood in a rented tuxedo in Las Vegas and bet it all on a single spin of the roulette wheel - and walked away with $270,600!

· Turner Talks About AOL Time Warner Firing. Media mogul Ted Turner knows why he was fired from the No. 2 job at AOL Time Warner - and he doesn't regret his "mistake" one bit.

· Diplomatic spat over airport screening in Miami. A diplomatic spat has erupted between Spanish and U.S. officials after staff at Miami airport insisted on screening Spain's Crown Prince and his fiancee.

Word of The Day by WordThink

Acrimonious [ac·ri·mo·ni·ous] adj. 1. Bitter and sharp in language or tone; rancorous: "An acrimonious debate between the two presidential candidates."

· Williams' defense to seek dismissal. judge will consider a motion Monday to dismiss charges against retired NBA star Jayson Williams, accused in the shotgun shooting death of a hired driver, after prosecutors admitted not handing over some evidence to defense lawyers.

· Theft of FBI files 'has makings of Kerry Watergate.' It is believed that the burglars were seeking papers that link Senator Kerry - the Democratic presidential candidate - to a controversial meeting of anti-Vietnam War activists in the early 1970s, at which a proposal to assassinate US congressmen was discussed.

· Celebrity's own epitaphs. Over the years, talk-show host Larry King has asked many of his guests questions all of us have pondered: “What would like your epitaph to read?” Many of those responses are collected in his new book, “Remember Me When I'm Gone.”

A few of the quotes include: Kato Kaelin (OJ Simpson houseguest), "I guess my 15 minutes are up," Yogi Bear, "It's Over," Dave Barry, Peter Falk, Chevy Chase, Jack Lemon, and many others.

» "Remember Me." Review or purchase this book.

· Michelle Wie: Golf Prodigy. No woman athlete has ever successfully competed with men at the highest level of any professional sport. But this 14-year-old may be able to do it.

· 'Perfect Storm' To Send Milk Prices Soaring. Consumers can expect to pay 50 cents more for a gallon of milk within the next month. Analysts said the hike is the result of a "perfect storm" of shrinking herds, higher feed and beef prices, and some cases of mad cow disease.

· Shaq Curses on Live TV Again. Shaquille O'Neal cursed during a live postgame television interview Sunday, the Lakers superstar's second profane outburst this season.

· Turin Shroud Back Side Shows Face. The ghostly image of a man's face has emerged on the back side of the Turin Shroud, the piece of linen long believed to have been wrapped around Jesus's body after the crucifixion, according to new digital imaging processing techniques.

Sunday, April 11, 2004

· Parents of 'Weird Al' Found Dead at Home. The elderly parents of Grammy-winning recording artist "Weird Al" Yankovic were found dead in their home, apparently victims of carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said.

· The World's Largest Easter Egg. This egg is recognized around the world as not only a unique artistic masterpiece but also an achievement of nine mathematical, architectural and engineering firsts.

· Children on Easter egg hunt find guns instead. A group of children hunting for Easter eggs Saturday during a church event found two loaded handguns outside an elementary school.

· 'Passion' back on top of box office. Easter holiday moviegoers returned Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" to the top spot at the box office after a three-week absence, while Walt Disney Co.'s costly new historical drama "The Alamo" bombed at 3rd place.

Mickelson wins first major. Phil Mickelson's agonizing pursuit of a major ended Sunday at the Masters when he made an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole, a spectacular conclusion to a back-nine duel with Ernie Els. Gone is that ugly streak of being 0-for-42 in golf's biggest events.

· Ephedra banned starting tomorrow. A government ban on sales of ephedra kicks in Monday unless a federal judge issues the dwindling industry a late reprieve.

· 92-Year-Old 'Career Criminal' Busted On Bourbon Street. A 92-year-old man with a rap sheet that dates back to the 1930s was busted Thursday for alleged illegal gambling and illegal distribution of prescription drugs in the French Quarter.

· Disney to Reshuffle Management at ABC. The Walt Disney Co. is planning a management shake-up at its fourth-place ABC network to stem a ratings slide and placate dissatisfied investors. The moves include the departure of Lloyd Braun, who has served as chairman of the ABC Entertainment Television Group since 2002, according to company sources familiar with the matter.

· Crumbling Wright House Shipped to Pa. A prefabricated home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and threatened with demolition has been carefully dismantled and shipped 570 miles to Pennsylvania for reassembly.

· Highrises threaten nude beach. For the sunbathers of Vancouver's renowned Wreck Beach, the pending development of "Peekaboo Towers" that would overlook the famous nude locale is, well, unnatural.

· Hot Tubs to Go — With a Side of Romance. So here's an alternative: Bring the hot tub to you. It's actually possible — and not overly expensive — to make like the rich and famous and experience the luxury of having a hot tub or spa in your own home for the day or weekend.

· Meatballs and Madness Return to 'The Restaurant.' NBC's "The Restaurant" ended its first season with a contrived sense of jubilation. After five episodes of chaos and discord, rats and wretched reviews, mutiny and mayhem, Rocco DiSpirito took the staff of his eatery to the beach and the managers and cooks and waiters and bartenders celebrated the successful launch of Rocco's on 22nd.

· Personalized moon delivery for sale on eBay. Orbital Development of Carson City, Nevada, is looking for interested parties in its MoonCrash Project. For a starting bid of $6 million you can buy a commercial spacecraft project that will go to the Moon.

· Janet Spoofs Super Bowl Flash on 'SNL.' It was inevitable: Janet Jackson spoofing her infamous wardrobe malfunction by flashing a heavily pixillated breast on "Saturday Night Live." The one surprise was the context. Jackson portrayed national security adviser Condoleezza Rice opening her blouse at the Sept. 11 commission hearings, in an opening skit on the comedy show.

· Kutcher ready for fatherhood. Ashton Kutcher, 26, refused to comment on rumors that Demi, 41, is pregnant and the couple are planning a 2004 wedding. He would only say: "Hey, I can't talk about that stuff," but added that he is ready to become a dad.

· Madonna concert provokes Irish ire. Pop diva Madonna came under fire from Christians in Ireland on Friday after it was confirmed she would play her first ever Irish concert on a Sunday.

· Pat Summerall Receives Liver Transplant. Broadcaster Pat Summerall received a liver transplant Saturday and was recovering in an intensive care unit, a hospital spokeswoman said.

· Spy agency launches recruiting campaign. The highly secretive National Security Agency is looking to hire 7,500 workers over the next five years in the spy agency's largest recruiting campaign since the 1980s.

· Victoria's Secret Drops TV Fashion Show. Victoria's Secret is dropping its nationally televised fashion show this year, at least partly because of criticism following Janet Jackson's breast-baring faux pas at the Super Bowl.

· Bush shows fishing skills for TV show. The Iraq crisis forced President Bush to skip a fishing outing for a television show Saturday, but he caught a big bass for the camera the previous afternoon.

· As Obesity Surgeries Soar, So Do Safety, Cost Concerns. The number of overweight Americans resorting to stomach-shrinking surgery is rising so rapidly that health experts and insurance companies are increasingly becoming alarmed about the safety, effectiveness and mounting costs of the operations.

· A Free Lunch. Yes, there is such a thing, and you're entitled - if you're one of this Italian restaurant's 2,000 former employees over the past 25 years.

Word of The Day by WordThink

Demure [de·mure] adj. 1. Modest and reserved in manner or behavior.

· Sony Buys Movie Rights to Clarke's Book. Former counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke's best-selling book may soon be a movie.

· Air marshal leaves gun in airport restroom. A federal air marshal accidentally left her gun in a restroom at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, an airport spokeswoman said. Mrs. Fife's first name wasn't provided.

· Free Spuds. Sterzing's, the Burlington-based chip maker, received 10 tons of unusable potatoes and invited the public to come get them.

· Drunken Man Applies To Be WSP Trooper. A drunken man walked into the Orchards Washington State Patrol office Thursday, asking about applying to be a trooper.

Saturday, April 10, 2004

· White House releases bin Laden memo. The White House declassified and released Saturday the daily intelligence briefing delivered to President Bush a month before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

· What was Oprah thinking? Oprah Winfrey's famously loyal fans are scolding their idol on her own Web site for allowing hated "Apprentice" reject Omarosa [AKA the black bitch] to grace the hallowed TV stage while well-liked castoffs Ereka and Heidi had to sit in the audience.

· Tiger stumbles to worst Masters effort as a pro. Tiger Woods has struggled to his worst Masters showing as a professional, unable to find sufficient form to stay in contention much less the "A-game" to capture his fourth green jacket.

» Mickelson Tied for Masters Lead. The best player to never win a major has never had a better chance than this.

· Seismic Experts Rip NBC Quake Miniseries. An upcoming TV miniseries about an impossibly large earthquake that strikes the West Coast has left seismic experts shaking their heads at what they called gross inaccuracies.

· PETA listens to Bruce and butt's out. "The ad was intended to parody the sad shape a meat-addicted America," PETA execs wrote in a memo. "But Mr. Springsteen's management felt that people might think we are spoofing Bruce himself."

· Prosecutor wants Kobe to enter a plea. Prosecutors, apparently frustrated by the slow pace of the sexual assault case against NBA star Kobe Bryant, accused the defense team of raising “preposterous” issues and dragging its feet.

· American Airlines Passenger Data Disclosed. American Airlines' passenger names and travel itineraries were released to four research companies vying for contracts with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

· 13-year-old patient assaulted in hospital. A 13-year-old girl was taken from her room at Bellevue Hospital on Friday morning and sexually assaulted by an unidentified man, police said.

· Southern California man sole winner of $63 million jackpot. Kevin Harder, 57, said he's been "totally broke" and has been unemployed since being laid off three years ago from a high-tech job.

· Handcuffs for two USF students. Three arrests, including those of two of University of South Florida students, have been made on charges of distributing food to homeless without permit.

· Low-Carb Labeling Hits Booze. Consumers counting carbohydrates and calories may soon see that information on the labels of their favorite rum, scotch and other liquors.

· Restaurants make low-carb concessions. Low-carb dishes are showing up on fast-food menus across the nation as restaurants seek to tap into the surge of protein-loving consumers. Hardee's offers a low-carb breakfast bowl. Burger King has a bunless Whopper. Subway serves "Atkins-Friendly Wraps."

· Where's Super Millionaire? After much hoopla for Regis Phibin's new Super Millionaire show, the programming idiots at last place ABC apparently couldn't decide whether to overexpose the show again - or drop it. They decided to drop it. Count on ABC bastardizing it again during the May ratings sweep when the network needs it most.

· Does The IRS Owe You Money? The IRS may be looking for you — not because you owe money, but because the IRS may owe you. Here's a state-by-state database.

» Unclaimed Property. While you're in the mood to find money, why not try a state search of unclaimed property.

· Prosecution Will Get Michael Jackson Tape. Reversing his previous position, the judge in the Michael Jackson molestation case ruled Friday an audiotape of an interview conducted for Jackson's legal team should be turned over to the prosecution.

· Janet Jackson to Be Live on NBC's SNL. Viewers are used to watching "Saturday Night Live" aired live. Live, as in: as it happens, not five or seven seconds later, once the censors say it's safe for broadcast.

Word of The Day by WordThink

Progeny [prog·e·ny] n.pl. 1. Something that originates or results from something else; outcome; issue. 2. A result of creative effort; a product.

· Strip-Search Hoaxer. The caller to the Phoenix-area Taco Bell said he was a police officer and informed the manager there was a thief on the premises. Someone's pocketbook was missing, the caller said, ordering that a female customer be detained and strip searched in a back office.

· Online Filing Hits Record High. Taxpayers have been filing electronic tax returns in record numbers, the Internal Revenue Service reported one week before the April 15 filing deadline.

· Tarantino Planning a Third 'Kill Bill.' "Kill Bill - Vol. 2" isn't even in theaters yet, but Quentin Tarantino says he's already planning volume three.

· Presidential Hopeful Jailed In Run-In With City Police. An obscure two-time presidential candidate has been jailed without bond on charges of threatening to kill a police officer and the officer's canine partner, after allegedly telling the cop he would "kick his ass and cut off his dog's head."

· David Duke Released from Prison. Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke left federal prison in Big Spring, TX yesterday, headed to an undisclosed halfway house in Louisiana. In April, 2003, Duke was sentenced to 15 months in prison and fined $10,000 for bilking his supporters and cheating on his taxes.

Friday, April 9, 2004

· Houston gives free pass to high school idiots. Houston, TX schools are dropping a policy that required city high school students to pass such core courses as English and math before they moved to the next grade, since many struggling students were getting discouraged.