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August 2004 - Week 4 [Some Source Links May Unexpectedly Drop] Return to TabloidColumn.com Return to Tabloid Archives Sitemap

Tuesday, August 31, 2004

· Woman Turns Husband's Remains Into Diamond.  A Minnesota woman has honored her late husband by turning his cremated remains into a yellow diamond so she could always keep a part of him with her. 

· Soledad O'Brien Gives Birth to Twin Boys.  Soledad O'Brien's American mornings will be getting a lot more bleary-eyed. The CNN anchor, co-host of "American Morning" with Bill Hemmer, gave birth to twin boys Monday. 

· Actress Charlize Theron Hurt on Germany Film Set.  Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron was injured while shooting her new Paramount film, "Aeon Flux," in Germany. 

· Smart Kidnapping Suspect Found Competent.  A judge on Tuesday found a homeless man competent to stand trial in the kidnapping of teenager Elizabeth Smart, bringing an early end to what had been expected to be a three-day hearing to gauge Brian Mitchell's mental state. 

    » The Andy Griffith Show & The Real Mayberry.  Interesting facts about The Andy Griffith Show you probably didn't know. 

· Nader criticizes gambling on campaign stop through Vegas.  In an unsuccessful bid to sway Nevada voters, presidential candidate Ralph Nader made his first campaign appearance in Las Vegas saying "No presidential candidate should visit Las Vegas without condemning organized gambling," he said. It's the "seduction of people who come here as hopefuls and leave here as losers." 

· Stamp Of Approval.  For about twice the cost of a regular 37¢ stamp, consumers can now slap any old picture on an authentic U.S. Postal stamp and surprise the recipient of their postcard or envelope.  Unfortunately, what photos got by the screeners included stamps with Ted Kaczynski, Monica's dress, and Linda Tripp among others. 

· Is Bobby Knight ready for prime time?  The fiery Texas Tech coach met with television officials last month in Los Angeles and gave his approval for a sitcom deal. CBS and Paramount Television are exploring the development of a half-hour comedy that could run by next year. 

· Charles Barkley Under Investigation for Indecent Assault.  Former NBA star Charles Barkley is under investigation for indecent assault, police said Monday. A woman reported she was assaulted by Barkley at the nightclub 32 Degrees, Cpl. Jim Pauley said. 

· Peterson Prosecutors Try to Place Laci in Berkeley.  Prosecutors have moved to a new phase in the Scott Peterson murder trial by introducing evidence discovered by dog-handlers that authorities claim places Peterson's dead wife at the scene where he dumped her body. 

· Problems reported with federal air marshals.  Federal air marshals have slept on the job, tested positive for alcohol or drugs while on duty, lost their weapons and falsified information, the Homeland Security Department's inspector general said Monday in a scathing report on the air marshals program. 

· Sexcapade firefighter got hero treatment.  The firefighter at the center of the FDNY sex scandal was held up as a hero after the terror attacks - and rewarded by city tourism officials with a free vacation to a beach resort. 

· GOP Delegate Wears 'Purple Heart' Bandages.  "It was just a self-inflicted scratch, but you see I got a Purple Heart for it," was the message being handed out by a GOP delegate, but national GOP officials have asked him to stop. 

· Alleged Bank Robber Seeks Directions.  Paul Michael Callahan was a bank robber in search of a bank, according to police. First thing Monday morning, he allegedly tried to rob a copy shop at Boston University thinking it was a bank.  When he was told the shop wasn't a bank, Callahan asked for directions to the nearest Fleet bank branch, police said. 

· Former Atlanta mayor indicted.  Former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell accused federal prosecutors of launching a "witch hunt" Monday after they announced his indictment on bribery, fraud and racketeering charges in a City Hall corruption probe. 

· Rape rampant at U.S. air force bases.  Sexual assaults at U.S. air force bases are more widespread than officials first believed and addressing the problem will require major institutional changes, said an air force report released Monday. 

· Microsoft Plans Online Music Store.  Microsoft Corp., hoping to take a bite out of Apple Computer Inc.'s highly popular online music service, is gearing up to launch its own Web site for selling songs over the Internet. 

· Jury Selection in Bryant Case to Continue Behind Closed Doors.  Attorneys in Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case are questioning prospective jurors on their attitudes about race, experiences with sexual assault and any effect intense pretrial publicity has had on them - but it's all happening behind closed doors. 

· Remembering Princess Diana 7 years later.  Princes William and Harry are remembering their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in private on the seventh anniversary of her death. 

· The Boss in talks for bigger anti-Bush concert.  Sounds like Bruce Springsteen and the 15 or so acts who will tour the first week of October for MoveOnPac.org are now in talks for something even bigger. Springsteen, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt and others will be involved in a six-pronged concert tour from Oct. 1 through Oct. 8, beating the drum against George Bush's re-election. 

· Mayor Bloomberg kicks off RNC with a flub.  With a verbal flub that made close listeners cringe, Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomed a buzzing, inattentive and still-thin crowd of Republican delegates yesterday.  During his brief speech, the municipal host and Republican for the past three years, alluded to the fact that he and Gov. George Pataki had "laid the tombstone for the site of the Freedom Tower" in lower Manhattan. He clearly meant to say "cornerstone." 

· America's mayor Giuliani hits home run for W.  Rudy Giuliani rocked Madison Square Garden last night, lauding President Bush as the man who took the fight to the terrorists after 9/11 - and suggesting that John Kerry lacks the determination for such a tough, drawn-out battle. 

      » McCain mauls Moore.  John McCain unleashed the big guns on Michael Moore last night, unleashing pent-up partisan fury on the Bush-bashing filmmaker as he sat in the hall. 

· ZIP Code Man puts memory to test.  The ZIP Code Man knows where you are from. If you tell him your five digit zip code, David Rosdeitcher, 41, will mentally scan through America's 48,000 ZIP codes to find a match for your hometown. 

· No Free Whoppers for Paris.  Burger King will sell its Whoppers without Paris Hilton's help. The fast-food giant confirmed Monday that Hilton will not be part of an ad campaign that reportedly could have netted the Simple Life heiress an additional $750,000 in walking-around money. Monday's AdAge.com reported that the deal never got done because Burger King's franchisees were sizzling mad over the notion of the reality-TV/Internet sex-tape star representing for their fine cuisine. 

· Serena dresses up, then boots opponent  Williams strode into Arthur Ashe Stadium wearing knee-high black boots, a denim miniskirt, a studded black tank top and dangling earrings. A far cry from the tennis attire of days gone by, to be sure, but then again, Williams’ powerful strokes bear little resemblance to the way the women’s game used to be played 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Incredulous [in·cred·u·lous] adj.  1. Skeptical; disbelieving: incredulous of stories about flying saucers.  2. Expressive of disbelief: an incredulous stare. 

· Scorpion Queen Stung But Eyes Record.  A Malaysian woman holed up in a glass container with 6,000 scorpions has been stung twice, but is still determined to reclaim a world record for living with creatures, an aide said. 

· Astronomers Spot Smallest Planets Yet.  American astronomers say they have discovered the two smallest planets yet orbiting nearby stars, trumping a small planet discovery by European scientists five days ago. 

· 'Friendly' killer whale batters boats.  A "playful" killer whale who likes to frolic alongside fishermen has damaged three boats in separate incidents in recent weeks. 

· Lotto Winner Spent Last $2.  Four members of a Huntington Beach, Calif., family who claimed their share, about $18 million before taxes, of a $100 million SuperLotto Plus jackpot told reporters Monday their turn of luck hasn't sunk in yet. 

· Marriage is the secret to 'stayin alive.'  Wanna live longer? Well, then for one if you are single get married soon, for staying single is far more endangering to your life than smoking, if a new research is to be believed. 

· Man Convicted of Killing Wife, Daughters.  A man was convicted Monday of killing his estranged wife and two daughters on Christmas Eve 2002, less than a month before the daughters planned to testify that he had sexually molested them for years. 

· Dave Matthews Gives DNA in Waste Case.  The Dave Matthews Band says it is cooperating with authorities to determine what happened when a tour boat with more than 100 passengers was doused with raw sewage. 

· 'Major Dad' Star McRaney Has Lung Surgery.  "Major Dad" actor Gerald McRaney underwent surgery Monday to remove a cancerous growth from his lung, his Los Angeles publicist told The Associated Press. 

Monday, August 30, 2004

· Grammer, Wife Have Son Via Surrogate Mom.  "Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer and his wife, former Playboy model Camille Donatacci, are the parents of a boy born Saturday through a surrogate mother. 

· Kennedy Smith quits job.  William Kennedy Smith said Monday he has resigned from the humanitarian group he founded while he fights sexual assault allegations leveled by a former employee. 

· MTV's Miami nice.  In typically hyperbolic style, the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards celebrated music's biggest rock, R&B and rap stars last night. If the network's fans tuned in to see who would create the evening's signature moment - an act so outrageous that it would make headlines - they were disappointed. 

· NASCAR's Rusty Wallace Announces Retirement.  NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace will retire at the end of the 2005 season, citing concerns about getting hurt and saying Monday he wanted to leave at the top of his game. 

· Jimmy Smits to Join Cast of 'West Wing.'  He's played a Los Angeles lawyer and a New York detective. Now, Jimmy Smits is going to Washington - or more specifically, the cast of the "The West Wing" - as a congressman. 

· Jimmy Hendrix Family Feud.  Nearly 35 years after Jimi Hendrix's death, a family feud over the rock legend's fortune has taken center stage in a Seattle courtroom. 

· Bush on war against terror: 'I don't think you can win it'  When asked “Can we win?” the war on terror, Bush said, “I don’t think you can win it. But I think you can create conditions so that the — those who use terror as a tool are — less acceptable in parts of the world.” 

· Mark Thatcher admits to being an arms dealer.  Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's son Mark has admitted for the first time that he is an arms dealer, in a desperate attempt to avoid prosecution for allegedly funding the planned coup in Equatorial Guinea. 

· Are you feeling lucky?  [Updated] For all the Googlers out there, here are a few words to use the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button on. For example, go to Google and type in 'tabloid' then hit the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. It will take you to your favorite website for breaking news.

Other words to try the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button on includes: 'VCR Clock' (look closely), 'french military victories' (look closely), and 'weapons of mass destruction' (also look closely). How many others can you find? Send them to us.

· CDC says flu shot contamination not a health crisis.  Chiron Corporation, which manufactures close to half of America's influenza vaccine supply, announced a delay in shipping its Fluvirin influenza virus vaccine, due to the possibility of contaminated doses. 

· Actress Rosario Dawson arrested.  The 'Men in Black II' actress was shooting scenes for a new anti-Bush film entitled 'This Revolution,' when she and two fellow filmmakers were arrested. According to the NYPD, Dawson "refused to be handcuffed" and was booked on a number of charges including resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, blocking traffic and obstruction of government administration. 

· Athens turns light out on Olympics.  Efharisto!  A nervous world learned the Greek word for thank you and repeated it endlessly at an astonishingly successful Athens Olympics that quelled fears, surprised skeptics and greatly honored the birthplace of the games. 

      » Greece showed us we shouldn't have doubted them.  In summing up the Athens Games, the first order of business is to extend a big "sorry" to the Greeks. Nothing blew up, it was finished on time with several seconds to spare, and nothing collapsed. 

· Attorneys work to seat jury for Bryant trial.  Prosecutors and defense attorneys in Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case get a chance this week to see potential jurors eye-to-eye for the first time. 

· Farmers' Almanac Predicts a Wild Winter.  Gas up the snowblower but don't put away your umbrella: The Farmers' Almanac is predicting a wild winter with heavy precipitation and dramatic temperature swings in the Northeast.  The northern Plains and Great Lakes will be snowy, the almanac says, while it will be milder in the southern half of the country. The Northeast will have unusually wet weather - either as rain or snow, according to the almanac. 

· Update: Marathon runner pushed by spectator during race.  A defrocked Irish priest who once disrupted the British Grand Prix did it again Sunday, bolting from the crowd and grabbing the leader of the Olympic marathon about five kilometres from the finish. 

· Which Teeth Whitener Will Leave Your Smile Sparkling?  Products and procedures that bring a gleam back to aging teeth are literally white-hot these days, with everyone seeking that perfect Julia Roberts smile. But what works best?  In many cases, experts say, that may depend on how much you want to pay. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Pragmatic [prag·mat·ic] adj.  More concerned with practical results than with theories and principles [the CEO used a pragmatic approach to making his business a success]. 

· Strange things left behind at hotels.  Next time you check out of a hotel, be sure to look for your cell phone charger. Hotel workers say chargers are the most common thing guests leave behind - but it's not at all the strangest. Sex toys, canes, toothbrushes, camping cots, full liquor bottles - even false teeth - are some of the things hotel workers routinely find. 

· Study finds sweet news for chocolate lovers.  The study found that eating dark chocolate seemed to make the blood vessels more flexible, which helps prevent the hardening of the arteries that leads to heart attacks. 

· RIP, my bullheaded love.  You could have called Ken Kobin irascible, curmudgeonly or exasperating. His plain-spoken wife Pat preferred "bullheaded," as she outlined in his obituary.  She also didn't forget to include his TV remote when she cremated him. 

· GOP has dol-fun with Dems.  The Republican National Committee has deployed staffers and volunteers to impersonate TV dolphin Flipper. It's to lampoon John Kerry and his alleged flip-flops on the issues. 

· Newport cop driven home after DUI stop.  A Newport police officer is under investigation by his department after Fort Thomas police stopped him for suspected drunken driving, and then allowed him to be driven home without charges being filed. 

· HIV diagnosis turns out to be wrong.  A California man who once tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS has learned the diagnosis made eight years ago was mistaken and he never had the disease. 

· Radio station facing lawsuit over junk fax.  An unsolicited effort to land advertisers has one Chicago radio station on the end of what could become a class-action lawsuit. 

· Wheelchair jets to 65mph.  A Rolls-Royce jet engine is what powers one man's hopes in setting a world record - in his mother-in-law’s wheelchair. 

Sunday, August 29, 2004

· Jet Li's 'Hero' Tops Box Office.  "Hero," Jet Li's acclaimed martial-arts epic, beat giant snakes, serial killers and superbabies to debut as the top weekend film with $17.8 million. 

· Contractor tries to help friend, gets slammed by regulators.  Anthony Howell flew to Florida last week to help out a friend whose home was badly damaged by Hurricane Charley. Now, he may face a $5,000 fine and a felony charge. 

      » Hurricane victim shocked at FEMA assistance.  One day after Donald Seither's mobile home was ripped apart by Hurricane Charley, the 74-year-old retiree picked up a friend's phone and pleaded for federal aid.  About a week later, a check from the U.S. Treasury came in the mail. Here, Seither figured, was the thousands of dollars he and his wife would need to help rebuild their lives.  Then he opened the envelope containing a check for $1.69. 

· Mom charged in death of daughter missing since 1969.  A woman who said she left her 3-year-old daughter behind with relatives after moving from California 35 years ago has been accused in the girl's death. 

· Two stunt planes collide, both pilots killed.  Two stunt planes collided Saturday during a practice session in northern Arizona, killing both pilots, authorities said. 

· Spectator Attacks Leader of Men's Marathon.  A man bolted from the crowd and grabbed a man from Brazil who was leading the marathon in Athens, Greece Sunday.  After being pushed to the curb, the runner lost several seconds and eventually was overtaken by Stefano Baldini of Italy. 

· U.S. Reaches Century Mark.  While the U.S. men's basketball team fell short of its gold-medal goal, the bronze it won Saturday night helped the American delegation reach a bigger goal — it was the 100th U.S. medal of the Athens Games. 

      » Olympic Games closing with grand ceremony.  The Greeks certainly know how to party, and they're proving it to the world at the Closing Ceremony, which is now under way.  The floor of the stadium was turned into a giant spiral wheatfield, and the program began with performances of traditional Greek music and dances. 

· Women continue to want fat ass like J-Lo and Beyonce.  Buttock augmentation surgery continues to soar in popularity, as women seek to plump up their rumps and prove that bigger is better. Plastic surgeons attribute the trend partly to the popularity of ample-reared, "bootylicious" pop divas such as Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce Knowles. 

· Woman says Southwest humiliated her over her weight.  A woman is suing Southwest Airlines, saying company employees humiliated her in front of other passengers by suggesting she was too fat to fit in a single seat.  [Another lawsuit is being considered by the poor guy that was crushed sitting next to the woman]. 

· Kobe Lawyers Read Juror Questionnaires.  Attorneys in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case are spending the weekend scrutinizing 300 questionnaires filled out by prospective jurors, the first step in seating a panel that will decide whether the NBA star is guilty of rape. 

      » Kobe Bryant News.  Latest news coverage on the Kobe Bryant alleged sexual assault case. 

· David Beckham, Wife Expecting Third Child.  Soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria are expecting their third child in March, the couple announced Sunday. 

· 'Gloria’ singer Laura Branigan dead at 47.  Laura Branigan, a Grammy-nominated pop singer best known for her 1982 platinum hit “Gloria,” has died of a brain aneurysm. She was 47. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Copious [co·pi·ous] adj.  Large in quantity; abundant. Abounding in matter, thoughts, or words; wordy. 

· The Internet at 35: Still evolving.  Thirty-five years after computer scientists at UCLA linked two bulky computers using a 15-foot gray cable, testing a new way to exchange data over networks, what would ultimately become the Internet remains a work in progress. 

· 'Scotty' Making Final Public Appearances.  James Doohan beamed his way through the first of a series of events honoring him in what are expected to be his final public appearances. The 84-year-old actor who played "Scotty" on "Star Trek" laughed and smiled throughout a Hollywood tribute Saturday night featuring fellow cast members and about 600 guests. 

· Stone's basic instinct tops leg poll.  Sharon Stone has come top of a poll to find the sexiest leg moments on screen. The actress beat the likes of sex sirens Marilyn Monroe, Halle Berry and Cameron Diaz in the survey, for the moment when she uncrosses her pins in Basic Instinct. 

· Punish with hot sauce?  In her latest incarnation as parenting guru, Lisa Whelchel, late of "Facts of Life" fame as prissy Blair, suggests dabbing a drop of hot sauce on the tongue of a child who commits an oral offense such as biting, cursing or lying. 

· Why Koch is on Bush’s bandwagon.  Ed Koch identifies himself with pride as a lifelong Democrat. The former New York City councilman, congressman, and three-term mayor says his values have always been those of the broad Democratic center and disagrees with George W. Bush on just about every domestic issue, from taxes to marriage to prescription drugs.  But he's voting for him in November.  Koch said, "In my judgment, the Democratic Party just doesn't have the stomach to stand up to the terrorists. But Bush is a fighter." 

· Man jailed for watching porn in car.  A man who was watching a pornographic movie in his car as police pulled up behind him has been sentenced to three weekends in jail. 

· Conn. Man, 70, Oldest to Swim Channel.  A retired Connecticut pilot has become the oldest person to swim the English Channel. George Brunstad, 70, left Dover, England, Saturday morning heading for the French Coast. He finished shortly after midnight, said Mike Oram of the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation. 

· 2 officers killed in shoot-out.  Two Phoenix police officers were killed and a third wounded Saturday night during a shoot-out at an apartment complex, authorities said. 

Saturday, August 28, 2004

· Lewinsky: No Regrets on Interview Money.  Monica Lewinsky said Saturday she has struggled to move on from her notorious relationship with Bill Clinton - but has no regrets about accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars to talk about the affair. 

· Willis to Pay $21,000 for Violation.  Actor Bruce Willis will pay a $21,000 fine for violating federal wetlands protection laws by clearing a half-acre island in a pond at his Hailey, Idaho home. 

· Schwarzenegger to veto licenses for illegals.  California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will veto legislation that would allow nearly 2 million illegal immigrants who pass criminal background checks to obtain driver’s licenses, a spokeswoman said Saturday. 

· 10-year-old boy kills father on custody visit.  A 10-year-old boy fatally shot his physician father after the man arrived to pick him up for a weekend visit, Houston police said. 

· Kilborn Stays Up 'Late' for Last Time.  Craig Kilborn bid farewell to viewers of CBS' "Late Late Show" on Friday, concluding five seasons as its host despite the program's expanding audience. Since announcing two weeks ago that he was leaving, the 42-year-old Kilborn has had difficulty explaining why he is walking away from a show that has seen its audience grow by more than a third during his tenure. 

· Kobe jury selection begins.  The Kobe Bryant rape trial defied expectation and opened yesterday with jury selection under tight security, a strict gag order and surprisingly little fanfare. 

· Liv Tyler to 'have naked photo shoot.'  Liv Tyler reportedly wants to pose for a naked photo shoot after she gives birth later this year. Sources claim the 'Lord of the Rings' beauty wants to be photographed nude to motivate her to lose her post pregnancy weight. 

· Hooters Spark Controversy at Iowa Fundraiser.  A couple of friends in rural Iowa are throwing themselves the birthday bash of their dreams, but not everyone in town is celebrating.  Doubling as a charity fund raiser, the get-together in Jesup for pals named Donnie and Marie, of all things, will feature four clothing-challenged waitresses from the national restaurant chain Hooters selling raffle tickets. And their presence has generated a town-wide controversy. 

· Bravo Eyeing Bobby Brown Reality Show.  Bravo is in negotiations with Bobby Brown for a reality series about the singer's troubled life. Sources say the deal is not final because of haggling over how much of a presence Brown's wife, pop star Whitney Houston, would have in the program. 

· Coed's nude debut stuns her folks.  Diana Gonzalez gave her parents an anniversary gift they'll never forget: a front-page picture of her in yesterday's Daily News.  "They are not happy," said Gonzalez, 20, a New York University history major. They sent her a morning E-mail that read: "We would never expect to see our daughter naked on television on our wedding anniversary." 

      » Police dogs go 'bulletproof.'  New York police dogs will be sporting bulletproof vests today for the first time, after a Manhattan doctor donated the protective gear so the pooches will be safer when on anti-terror duty. 

· Baking the World's Biggest Bagel.  The recipe: Take 660 pounds of flour, half a pound of dry yeast, 53 pounds of malt and 121/2 pounds of salt. Mix, boil in 900 gallons of water for 30 minutes, bake at 300 degrees for 10 hours.  The hoped-for result at the New York State Fair: the world's biggest bagel. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Altruism [al·tru·ism] n.  Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness.  (also 'Altruistic'). 

· New York cops bust bomb plot.  Two Brooklyn men of Middle Eastern descent have been charged with plotting to bomb the bustling Herald Square subway station for jihad, a law enforcement source said. The alleged target is just two blocks from Madison Square Garden. 

· Branding Paris Hilton.  Paris Hilton is not only seeking to trademark her name (so she can slap it on everything from footwear and kitchen utensils to shot glasses and essential oils), but the 23-year-old heirhead actually has her own logo. 

· Nicole Richie 'started taking drugs at 13.'  Nicole Richie has confessed she started taking drugs at the tender age of 13. The sexy 23-year-old, who stars in hit reality TV show 'The Simple Life' with best friend Paris Hilton, believes the lavish lifestyle she grew up with always meant she would become a drug addict. 

· Fox Wins Round Two of Reality Boxing Bout.  Superior Court Judge Lisa Hart Cole on Friday denied a request from producers of NBC's "The Contender" for a preliminary injunction against "The Next Great Champ," a Fox reality series produced by boxer Oscar De La Hoya and Endemol USA. 

Friday, August 27, 2004

· Bobbitt Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges - Again.  A lawyer for John Wayne Bobbitt said Friday that Bobbitt was wrongly jailed on domestic violence charges after trying to break up a fight between his wife and her teenage son.  

· Mike Wallace won't face charges in New York.  The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission said it would not pursue a disorderly conduct charge against 86-year-old CBS newsman Mike Wallace, who was arrested earlier this month during a confrontation with inspectors outside a Manhattan restaurant. 

· Gymnastics Officials Urge Hamm to Return Gold.  Gymnastics officials asked Paul Hamm to give up his gold medal as the ultimate show of sportsmanship, but the U.S. Olympic Committee told them to take responsibility for their own mistakes. 

· Actor Patrick Stewart Recovers From Angioplasty.  "X-Men" star Patrick Stewart is recovering at home after undergoing an angioplasty procedure earlier this week to widen an artery, his publicist said Friday. 

· Gene (not Richard) Simmons May Get 'Queer Eye' Makeover.  Gene Simmons, the tongue-wagging bassist of Kiss, is considering an appearance on the Bravo reality show. On his web site, Simmons says that producers for the show have asked him join the Fab Five for an episode. 

· Spike Lee wins case against porn site.  Movie director Spike Lee has won his cybersquatting case against a Philippines-based operator who misused the domain name, spikelee.com, to redirect surfers to a pornographic Web site, arbitrators ruled Friday. 

· Marines Won't Press Charges After Dad Sets Fire To Self.  In his grief upon being told his Marine son was dead, Carlos Arredondo set a Marine van ablaze and seriously burned himself. A Marine spokesman said they would not press charges "out of compassion and sensitivity" to the father of the killed Marine. 

· Toy In Candy Bag Appears To Depict 9/11 Attack.  A bag of candy shocked a local grandmother and will most likely shock you. The toy inside looks like a plane flying right into the Twin Towers. It doesn't stop there, though. That grandmother was surprised, again, when she read the numbers imprinted on the toy. 

· William Kennedy Smith’s Accuser: ‘This Is Not About Money.’  The woman accusing William Kennedy Smith of sexually assaulting her five years ago says her goal is to stop his alleged behavior not collect money.  Audra Soulias, 28, filed a civil lawsuit against Smith, 43, claiming he bought her drinks while she was celebrating her birthday in January 1999 and later took her to his house, dragged her upstairs and assaulted her. 

· Kobe Trial Jury Selection to Begin Today.  After 14 months of sordid headlines and days of hearings that left unanswered questions, the sexual assault trial of NBA star Kobe Bryant was to begin with hundreds of people scheduled to arrive for the first wave of jury selection. 

      » Bryant judge criticizes late DNA challenge.  On the eve of Kobe Bryant’s rape trial, a frustrated judge chastised prosecutors Thursday for waiting until the last minute to challenge DNA evidence the defense says shows the accuser had sex with someone else hours after her encounter with the NBA star. 

· Paris Hilton didn't lose dog after all.  The ditsy, scandal-prone blondie didn't lose her Chihuahua Tinkerbell after all - she left it at her grandparents' house. According to a friend, Paris - "in a slightly cloudy state" - left the pooch with her grandparents, and then forgot where she left her.  [no word yet whether the grandparents will collect the $5,000 reward]. 

· Second 'Apprentice' Cast Hired.  On your mark. Get set. You're fired! NBC has revealed the contestants on the second season of "The Apprentice." The lineup, without last names, was released in a statement Friday and on the first-season DVD bonus materials. 

      » Donald TrumpWatch.  The latest Donald Trump news you can probably live without - including the 'Apprentice girls.' 

· Peterson trial turns to computers.  Testimony in Scott Peterson's murder trial returned to what investigators found in his computers as prosecutors try to prove Peterson researched the San Francisco Bay before dumping his pregnant wife's body there. 

      » Scott Peterson News.  Latest news coverage on the Scott Peterson trial of murdered wife Laci Peterson and son Connor. 

· Explosives Found in Jet Wreckage.  Traces of explosives have been found in the wreckage of one of two airliners that crashed nearly simultaneously earlier this week, the Federal Security Service said Friday, a day after a top official acknowledged that terrorism was the most likely cause of the crashes.  

      » Group claims responsibility for Russian jet crashes.  A website known for militant Muslim comment today published a claim of responsibility for the crashes of two Russian airliners, connecting the action to Russia's fight against separatists in Chechnya. 

· Internet crackdown leads to over 100 arrests.  In what is being called the largest global crackdown ever conducted, the U.S. Department of Justice's "Operation Web Snare" has led to over 100 arrests. Of those arrests, 53 suspects have already been convicted. The arrests follow a three-month investigation with assistance from law enforcements agents in Romania, Nigeria, and Cyprus. 

· Museum cleaner thought modern art was trash, so threw it out.  A cleaner at London's Tate Britain modern art gallery threw out a bag of rubbish which formed part of an artwork.  

· Potty Talk:  Jurors reveal Oprah's intimate secrets at murder trial.  Among the juror revelations revealed on her show, one juror said that Winfrey would always ask the other jurors to sing whenever she went to the bathroom attached to the jury room to drown out the noise. Winfrey, looking embarrassed, verified the story and said one of the songs the jurors chose to sing was "Kumbaya." 

· Firefighter admits role in Bronx sexcapades.  Threatened with perjury charges, a Bronx firefighter changed his story yesterday - and described how he and two co-workers had sex with a troubled woman at their firehouse, sources said. 

· Stripper wins lawsuit against police.  Being a stripper doesn't strip you of your right to work for a police department. That's the gist of a decision from a New Mexico jury. 

· Buy a car, get one free.  New Jersey Nissan dealership offers free used car to anyone who buys a new car. 

· Record summer slate also largely forgettable.  Yes, as the studios tote up their final tallies, overall box office sales appear headed for a record haul in the $3.4 billion range. And yet, as cultural commodities, this summer's slate seems almost instantly forgettable as if it were fast food for the mind that disappeared as soon as it was consumed. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Atypical [a·typ·i·cal] adj.  Not conforming to type; unusual or irregular. Deviating from what is usual or common or to be expected; often somewhat odd or strange. 

· Woman jumps from fifth floor of Virginia Beach hotel.  A woman died after she apparently jumped from a fifth-floor hotel balcony at the Oceanfront. Her jump occurred during a conference on suicide prevention that was taking place at the same hotel. 

· The Donald As The Dean?  Proving again that his megalomania knows no bounds, Donald Trump is plotting the establishment of, we kid you not, Trump University.  No word yet whether it will teach its students how to lose money in the casino business. 

· Throngs fleeing the GOP convention.  The exodus of New Yorkers is about to begin. With the Republican convention coming to town, many residents - worried about traffic-snarling protests and the possibility of terrorism - are fleeing the city next week. 

· Michael Moore to be at GOP Convention.  'Fahrenheit 9/11" director Michael Moore - a virulent enemy of President Bush - has been hired by USA Today to write four opinion columns during the Republican Convention. Word is that party officials aren't happy that the pugnacious Moore - wearing the credentials of a legitimate journalist - will be the skunk at their garden party next week. 

· Paris Hilton to Publish 198-Page Memoir.  Paris Hilton is trying on a new outfit: a hard cover. The model-reality TV star is publishing a 198-page memoir, "Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose." 

· Bids stopped for Britney's chewing gum.  The auction site eBay was forced to withdraw a discarded lump of Britney Spears's chewing gum after boasts it contained her DNA. 

· Award for Hollywood exec's 'slave.'  A California jury has awarded $551,000 in damages to a Filipina immigrant who claimed she was kept as a domestic slave for a year by a Hollywood movie executive. 

· Gator bites dog, man stabs gator.  A Gainsville, Fla. man jumped in a pond and stabbed a 6-foot alligator with a pocket knife to force the reptile to release his dog from its jaws. 

· Man's shoulder blade used to grow new jaw bone.  A German whose lower jaw was cut out because of cancer has enjoyed his first meal in nine years — a bratwurst sandwich — after surgeons grew a new jaw bone in his back muscle and transplanted it to his mouth in what experts call an "ambitious" experiment. 

· 50,000 beers stolen in 'dumb-crook' caper.  Somewhere in Canada there are thieves with nearly 50,000 cans of beer they will have a hard time selling, although police said Thursday the truck driver who disappeared with the loot has been arrested. 

Thursday, August 26, 2004

· Judge Charged After Calling Unwed Mom 'Disgrace To Society.'  A judicial panel has charged an Orange County, Fla. judge with chastising a deputy sheriff who had a child out of wedlock, saying she was a "disgrace to society," "had no morals," and her child was "a bastard." [no word yet on how the judge really felt]. 

· Another Woman Accuses Kennedy Smith of Rape.  William Kennedy Smith, who was acquitted more than a decade ago of sexual assault, has been sued in civil court by a former personal assistant who alleges the Kennedy cousin raped her in 1999. 

· Hooters sets its eyes on India.  With all those reports of call centers heading off to India, one U.S. brand intends to tap into the subcontinent's growing prosperity. Hooters is exporting its controversial brand of home-grown sex appeal.  The Atlanta-based restaurant chain, known more for its scantily-clad female servers than its rib-sticking menu, this week announced it signed a deal to open several Indian franchise locations. 

· U.S. Women Recapture Soccer Gold.  When the final whistle blew, an exhausted Mia Hamm was quickly swarmed by 17 thrilled teammates. A few minutes later, an Olympic gold medal was hanging around her neck, too. 

· Drew Carey sues former lawyer.  Actor Drew Carey sued his former lawyer Dennis Ardi for purportedly involving “The Drew Carey Show” star in a scheme to defraud Ardi’s wife during their bitter divorce, court documents showed Wednesday. 

· Yea, Right - Cipel wants an apology, not money, his lawyer says.  If Gov. James E. McGreevey simply apologizes, the former aide who claims he was sexually harassed by the governor will not file a lawsuit, the man's attorney said today. 

· Rodney Dangerfield Resting After Surgery.  Comedian Rodney Dangerfield underwent a seven-hour operation Wednesday to replace a heart valve.  When asked last week how long he expected to be in the hospital, Dangerfield said, "If things go well, about one week. If not so well, about an hour and a half." 

· Carson Daley now hawking cereal.  New Jersey Republicans and even some Democrats are howling for self-outed Gov. Jim McGreevey's immediate resignation. During a taping this week of the NBC late-night show "Last Call With Carson Daly" - for an episode scheduled to air Sept. 3 - the host held up a box of Wheaties featuring six-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps. Daly said, "And look what was right next to it on the shelf." 

      » Well, at least NJ gov can take a joke.  [Update] A minor league baseball team offered its fired announcer and departed scoreboard worker their jobs back Thursday following a plea by Gov. James E. McGreevey for the team to overlook their jokes about his sexuality. 

· Plane's cabin door opens at 500 feet.  A Cape Air flight from Boston to Nantucket was cruising at 500 feet earlier this month when a cabin door suddenly blew open, sending wind rushing in and frightening passengers. 

· Memphis cops, firefighters investigated for stripping at fashion show.  The city's police and fire departments are investigating charges that employees were part of a fashion show that included stripping and simulated sex. 

· Roy Horn Appears in Public in Vegas.  Roy Horn made a rare public appearance on the Las Vegas Strip, signaling thumbs-up from his wheelchair at a Cuban revue he and partner Siegfried Fischbacher are co-producing. 

· Warner Bros. Offers Reward to Help Find Missing Worker.  Friends and family held a candlelight vigil for missing Warner Bros. employee Sharon Anne Santos, hours after the company offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to her safe return. 

· Detective: Frey Was Suspected.  A prosecution investigator admitted Wednesday that he once suspected there was more than one person involved in Laci Peterson's disappearance and that Scott Peterson's former mistress may have participated. 

      » Scott Peterson News.  Latest news coverage on the Scott Peterson trial of murdered wife Laci Peterson and son Connor. 

· Animal housecleaning.  A third firefighter was suspended in the growing Bronx firehouse scandal yesterday as the FDNY moved to ax one of the Bravest ensnared in the probe. Firefighter Anthony Loscuito, 27, allegedly joined a group of colleagues who had sex with a woman inside the Engine 75/Ladder 33 firehouse in the Bronx, officials said. 

· Ouch!  Talk Show Host Kicked in the Head.  Syndicated radio talk show host Tom Leykis, known for belittling callers, urging women to bare their breasts and other antics, was kicked in the head and knocked to the ground over some on-the-air remarks, police say.  The Los-Angeles based Leykis was treated at a hospital for a black eye and a cut above the eye that required 17 stitches following the attack outside a restaurant, according to a police report. 

· California holds 'Garage Sale.'  California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is holding a rummage sale to dispose of unwanted state property from aircraft engines to jewelry. 

· Student Charged With Clogging Toilet.  Jesse Huffman insists he didn't do it on purpose, but the toilet he left plugged after "nature called" at this border crossing in north-central Montana has him facing criminal charges. 

· Kobe Judge agrees to hear DNA arguments today.  The judge in the case granted prosecutors' request for a hearing Thursday to question the reliability of the defense's DNA experts. The witnesses are expected to argue that the DNA evidence shows the accuser was promiscuous. 

      » Kobe Bryant News.  Latest news coverage on the Kobe Bryant alleged sexual assault case. 

· Kidman's health at risk.  Nicole Kidman has reportedly had a test for the bone disease osteoporosis. Nicole - who broke two ribs while filming Moulin Rouge - is said to be suffering from too much work and a lack of proper food. The disease, which can prove fatal, can be caused by excessive weight loss. The Daily Mail said the 37-year-old, who is 5ft 10in, is the thinnest she has ever been, weighing in at 112 pounds. 

· Thousands Flock To 'American Idol' Tryouts In Orlando.  Thousands of people battled Florida's August heat at the Orange County Convention Center for a chance at at being a contestant on "American Idol." 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Voluminous [vo·lu·mi·nous] adj.  Having great volume, fullness, size, or number; ample or lengthy in speech or writing: voluminous paperwork. 

· Wayans Family to Produce 'Munsters' Film.  Keenan Ivory, Marlon and Shawn Wayans will write and produce a new film based on the 1960s sitcom, "The Munsters," Universal Pictures confirmed Wednesday. The brothers are making a contemporary adaptation of the story of a monster family that never quite realizes that their ghoulish ways are different. 

· Smuggled note may have nailed Mark Thatcher.  The arrest of Sir Mark Thatcher was set in motion by a letter smuggled out of Harare's Chikurubi jail at the end of March. In it, old Etonian Simon Mann, a friend of Thatcher's who is accused of leading the failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea, referred to a contact called "Scratcher" - believed to be his nickname for Thatcher. 

· Daley says go tough on band bus driver.  Mayor Daley is a big fan of the Dave Matthews Band, but he's not so fond of a bus driver for the group. 

· F-bomb-dropping attorney gets worldwide notoriety.  A Chicago lawyer's expletive-filled phone message circulating on the Internet is providing fresh evidence to those who say lawyers' standards of behavior are eroding. "If you send one more f---ing e-mail message again, I can assure you your life on this deal is going to be very unpleasant.. . . Whether you consider it material or not, again, I don't give a flying f---. 

· The Wrath of Debbie.  The telephone scam involves an innocent sounding woman named Debbie who leaves a message "by mistake" on your answering machine for her friend Tracy touting a tip from a "hot stock exchange guy." The idea is to trick you into investing in the phony tip by thinking you've gotten lucky. Then Debbie and her fellow con artists can sell their inflated shares at a big profit - leaving all the suckers to lose money. 

· GOPers have a message to Britney Spears: Stay home.  The belly-baring pop star is being courted to attend the Republican convention in New York next week, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, and that has sparked outrage among some conservative groups.  Citing Spears’ “lesbian” kiss with Madonna, her “general immodesty,” and her annulled marriage to a childhood friend, the group is urging Republicans to call the GOP’s convention hotline to protest any appearance by Spears. 

      » Spears' Fiance to Star in Her New Video.  Britney Spears' former backup dancer and current fiance Kevin Federline can add another title to his resume: co-star. 

· Man Accused of Destroying Park With Bulldozer.  A skateboard park that was built by volunteers was destroyed in about five minutes, allegedly by a nearby business owner who was frustrated with the conduct of some of the park's patrons, and decided a bulldozer was the best solution. 

· Seat-belt stop nets bank rob suspects.  Two alleged bank robbers were nabbed during a routine traffic stop in Harlem when two NYPD cops saw the driver not wearing his seat belt, police said yesterday. 

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

· Abercrombie & Fitch pokes fun at West Virginia, again.  A&F is poking fun at West Virginia with a T-shirt again, this one reading: "West Virginia: No Lifeguard at the Gene Pool."  In March, they released a T-shirt reading, "It's All Relative in West Virginia." 

· Mother, Daughter Indicted for TV Fraud.  A mother and daughter were indicted on mail fraud charges for allegedly swindling a Pittsburgh TV station by doctoring winning sweepstakes entry forms.  Sonya Rosenberger bilked Pittsburgh station WTAE-TV out of $95,500 by using her computer to make bogus entry forms for the station's "Watch 4 Win More" contest after winning contest numbers were broadcast, according to the indictment. 

· Airlines to charge extra for booking in person.  Northwest Airlines plans to charge customers $5 to $10 extra for tickets not purchased at its Web site - a move stirring up controversy in an industry where fare hikes have had trouble flying. 

· School Goes Nut-Free For One Student.  There will be no more peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches or franks and beans at one school district in Maine.  The lunch menu is being changed for the safety of one child allergic to anything with nuts, seeds, or beans. 

· Man pleads guilty to stealing dead neighbor's money.  When Kenneth Daniels found his 80-year-old neighbor dead in April, he didn't hesitate to call police.  But what the 44-year-old Daniels didn't mention to authorities was the $235,000 in cash he found in Leo Moore's basement. 

· Teacher Accused of Sex With Student Closer to Trial.  Just like her arraignment last month, Debra Lafave was a no-show as her attorney asked for a continuance during a pre-trial hearing to defend her against allegations of having sex with a student.

A fourteen year old at Tampa's Greco Middle School says he and Lafave started engaging in sex acts at her Tampa-area apartment soon after school ended this summer. Then in June, he says they met twice for sex in Ocala - both times with the boy's 15-year-old cousin acting as a chauffeur. Her attorney says collecting evidence and talking to witnesses across the state will take time. 

· Hope dims of finding Hacking body.  Police acknowledged they may never find Lori Hacking's body at a landfill where they have concentrated their search for the past several weeks. 

· Drunken Driving Deaths Drop.  Drunken driving deaths fell in all but one of 13 states targeted by a campaign that includes money for ads and enforcement efforts to get drinkers off the road, the government said Wednesday. 

· Israel Makes 'Skunk Bomb' for Palestinian Protests.  Israel's army has developed a pungent new weapon for driving back Palestinian protesters - the skunk bomb. The stink bomb, containing a synthetic version of the odor skunks release to deter predators, has been developed for breaking up protests and stone-throwing confrontations. 

· Amber Frey: Scott Didn't Try to Keep Me From Cops.  Scott Peterson's former mistress acknowledged at his murder trial Tuesday that Peterson never tried to stop her from going to police about their affair, and never said he loved her. 

      » Scott Peterson News.  Latest news coverage on the Scott Peterson trial of murdered wife Laci Peterson and son Connor. 

· Florida man burns Marine van after being told son died in Iraq.  A man who had just been told his Marine son had been killed in combat in Iraq set fire to a Marine Corps van and suffered severe burns Wednesday, police said. 

· Cuba downs Australia to take baseball gold.  It was a game of message-sending: Cuba telling the baseball world it was still a dominating power, and Australia announcing that the sport's elite had a newcomer to reckon with. 

· Lou Rawls to Receive Honorary Doctorate.  Grammy-winning singer Lou Rawls, who has helped raise more than $200 million for the United Negro College Fund, is getting an honorary doctorate from Wilberforce University in Ohio. 

· Pair fired over gay jokes on McGreevey.  The public address announcer and the scoreboard operator for the Atlantic City Surf baseball team have been fired for making jokes about Gov. James E. McGreevey’s sexual orientation during games last week. The pair drew ire by dedicating a between-innings rendition of the song “YMCA” to McGreevey during a game on Aug. 17, less than a week after New Jersey’s governor stunned the state by announcing that he had had an extramarital affair with a man and would resign from office. The 1970s hit song by the Village People is widely considered a gay anthem. 

· Court restores $8.5 million car seat award.  A Missouri appeals court on Tuesday reinstated a jury's $8.5 million award to the family of a boy paralyzed in a car seat. 

· Greek taxi driver returns silver medal left in his cab.  A taxi driver returned a silver medal left in his cab by Dutch rower Simon Diederik, Olympics organizers said Wednesday. 

· Court rejects child support claim by lesbian.  The Mass. Supreme Judicial Court — which legalized gay marriage in a landmark ruling last year - says a woman who agreed to have a child with her lesbian partner but split up with the mother before the baby’s birth cannot be forced to pay child support. 

· Study Says Illegal Migrants Cost U.S. $10 Billion a Year.  Illegal immigrants cost the federal government more than $10 billion a year, and a program to legalize the undocumented would nearly triple that figure, a study released today concludes. 

· Doughnuts-for-A's weighs heavily on school board.  In the midst of a healthier school-food movement and childhood obesity epidemic, Krispy Kreme is rewarding students with a doughnut for every A on their report cards — up to a half-dozen per grading period. 

· He's the billionaire primed to fight Bush.  George Soros has spent millions to encourage campaign finance reform to curb the influence of big money. Now he is throwing his wealth through a gaping loophole in the very law he helped pass. 

· Prosecutors: Kobe Case DNA Could Be Contaminated.  Crucial DNA evidence tested by defense experts in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case might have been contaminated, prosecutors said in a court filing released Wednesday, just two days before jury selection is to begin. 

      » Kobe Bryant News.  Latest news coverage on the Kobe Bryant alleged sexual assault case. 

· Woman found alive, packed in box at Miami International Airport.  A woman arrived packed inside a box on a cargo flight at Miami International Airport Tuesday night.  Officials say the cargo flight originated in Cuba and stopped in Nassau, Bahamas, before landing in Miami. 

· HP employees get bar coded.  Said one mole: "Most companies try to pretend that employees aren't just a number. Here at HP, they brag about us just being a number. In fact we just got new name plates for our cubicles, and would you believe they have barcodes under our names? I figure next week we get chip implants." 

· Niagara jumper finds lasting fame elusive.  He met his boyhood idol, rock legend star Alice Cooper; he talked with ABC's Diane Sawyer, and he signed a $100,000 contract to join a circus. "I never imagined anyone would ever be interested in me," Kirk Jones said, and 10 months later, they aren't. 

· Gotti Lawyer To Rep Phil Spector.  Spector, famed for creating the "wall of sound" recording technique in the 1960s, is charged in the fatal shooting of actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in February 2003.  After a string of high-profile lawyers, Bruce Cutler, best known for representing John Gotti, is taking over Spector's criminal case.

      » Phil Spector Murder Case.  Latest news coverage on the Spector murder case, and death of Lana Clarkson. 

· Microsoft's software blunders costing it '$millions.'  A Spanish-language version of Windows XP, destined for Latin American markets, asked users to select their gender between "not specified," "male" or "bitch," because of an unfortunate error in translation. 

· Dozens Charged in Crackdown on Spam and Scams.  Federal and state law enforcement agencies have quietly arrested or charged dozens of people with crimes related to junk e-mail, identity theft and other online scams in recent weeks, according to several people involved in the actions. 

· Kevin Smith fears directing `Green Hornet.'  Citing the failure of his biggest budget movie to date, "Jersey Girl," director/writer Kevin Smith says "I've got cold feet after doing `Jersey Girl' with the biggest budget I've ever had, something like $35 million bucks and that was big for me. The notion of making something more expensive that I could serious f--- up on is pretty unnerving." 

· Robber Takes Car For Test Drive, Holds Up Bank.  Police say a man test-driving a used car found it worked just fine as a getaway car after he held up a bank. 

· Thatcher Son Accused in Coup Plot.  South African police arrested Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, early Wednesday on allegations he was involved in a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea, police said. 

· Gov. Jeb Bush To Skip GOP Convention.  Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that he won't attend the Republican Party Convention in New York later this month, where his brother will be re-nominated, because of the importance of the Hurricane Charley relief and recovery effort. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Loquacious [lo·qua·cious] adj.  1. Talkative: tending to talk a great deal.  2. Given to fluent or excessive talk : Garrulous. 

· Kerry Takes Fight Over Vietnam Ads to Bush's Ranch.  Democrat John Kerry will dispatch two fellow Vietnam veterans to President Bush's secluded Texas ranch on Wednesday to press him to condemn television advertisements accusing Kerry of lying about his wartime service. 

· Mom Delivers Son At Home After Turned Away From Hospital.  An internal investigation is under way at Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital after a pregnant woman, who twice was sent home by the medical staff over the weekend, gave birth to a son on the bathroom floor of her apartment. 

· Scarlett is old school.  Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson has given hope to her many grey-haired older male fans. The 19-year-old star has admitted she would quite happily have a fling with an older man, according to the Daily Express. "A guy who's 40, 50 or 60 years old ... why not?" said Scarlett. 

· Shocker!  Sugary Drinks Tied to Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes.  In what is no surprise to most of us, a new study determined that women who drink higher amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks are likelier to gain weight and develop type 2 diabetes. 

· Vegas cabbie dies after being set aflame.  A cab driver set on fire during a robbery attempt died Tuesday, three days after being burned over more than 70 percent of his body. Pairoj Chitprasart, 51, had been in critical condition and on life support since the attack Friday. 

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

· Dave Matthews Band Blamed For Human Waste.  Rock star Dave Matthews and his tour bus driver are facing a filthy lawsuit.  The Illinois Attorney General's office says they're responsible for dumping up to 100-gallons of raw human waste from a tour bus onto Chicago's Kinzie Street Bridge earlier this month. 

· Rodney Dangerfield to Have Heart Surgery.  Comedian Rodney Dangerfield was hospitalized Tuesday for scheduled heart valve replacement surgery but his sense of humor remained healthy. 

· Frey's cross-examination over.  The jury in Scott Peterson's double murder trial Tuesday heard more recordings of phone calls between him and his former lover, Amber Frey, in which Peterson repeatedly professed his innocence in the killing of his wife. 

      » Scott Peterson News.  Latest news coverage on the Scott Peterson trial of murdered wife Laci Peterson and son Connor. 

· Producer Won't Share Tiger Mauling Video.  The company that produced the Siegfried & Roy magic show has refused to turn over video to federal authorities investigating the tiger attack on illusionist Roy Horn. 

· 'Apprentice' Star Kwame Makes Trump-Sized Deal.  The runner-up in the first season of the NBC reality show "The Apprentice" has completed a multibillion dollar real-estate deal of his own. With two other partners, Jackson has made a deal with officials in Prince George's County in Maryland to develop an 80 to 130 acre area into commercial and residential property.  The deal is worth $3.8 billion and will provide over 32,000 jobs, Jackson said. 

· German pub owner left crying in his beer.  A German waiter who was sacked for drinking up to 100 bottles of beer every day has won a case for unfair dismissal. 

· NBC's Olympic Coverage Irks HDTV Owners.  NBC's high definition TV coverage of the Olympics has literally and figuratively struck some owners of these fancy sets as a day late and a dollar short. 

· Prince Charles accused of sex discrimination.  A woman who worked as a secretary for Prince Charles' royal staff has filed a complaint alleging sex discrimination and unfair dismissal, officials said Tuesday. 

· Shania's brother faces drug trafficking charges.  A brother of country music superstar Shania Twain faces drug trafficking charges after Edmonton, Canada cops unearthed about $7,000 worth of rock cocaine hidden in a car. 

· Man wanted for questioning in beach slayings.  A 21-year-old Wisconsin man was being sought for questioning in the mysterious shooting deaths of two camp counselors. 

· Toy company CEO commits suicide.  The chief executive of Los Angeles-based Applause Toys, LLC was found dead hours after speaking optimistically to a newspaper about saving his toy company from financial ruin. 

· Probe after journalist smuggles fake bomb on British plane.  British transport officials launched an urgent investigation after an undercover reporter smuggled fake bomb-making equipment on board a holiday jet at a central England airport. 

· Man shot in Wal-Mart restroom.  A New Orleans man was wounded by gunfire in a botched holdup in a Natchitoches, La. Wal-Mart restroom. 

· Did First Lady send Pee Diddy packing?  Sean 'Pee Diddy' Combs hasn't had a day like this since J.Lo kicked him to the curb. His Pee Diddiness scrubbed last night's scheduled performance at the new Ohio slavery museum over what the rap mogul feels was a snub by the First Lady's office.  

· New York Store Carries No Change In Its Cash Registers.  A novelty store in New York is telling customers to keep their change. Store owner Paul Blum says he instituted a new 'rounding down' policy because he was "getting lazy and too old" to go to the bank for change. 

· 'Scream' thieves face bigger challenge.  The thieves behind the brazen daytime heist of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" in Oslo may have a tough task ahead of them.  In the murky underworld of art theft, the hard part could be unloading one of the most famous paintings in the world. 

· Bobby Fischer's Deportation Appeal Rejected.  Japan's Justice Ministry rejected former chess champion Bobby Fischer's demand for protection as a political refugee on Tuesday and issued an order to deport him. 

· Vast right-nipple conspiracy.  Janet Jackson claims the George Bush White House used her notorious "wardrobe malfunction" to distract the country from the war in Iraq. 

· Doctor Takes 'Personality' Diet Plan To Internet.  The Doctor's method identifies the bad habits that lead to overeating and under-exercising. Those habits may be nighttime nibbling, not making time to exercise or not being able to say, "No." 

· Bus driver's jailed after row with cop.  A bus driver claims he was roughed up by a Manhattan cop simply for asking what was holding up traffic - and was tossed in a cell for hours when he tried to file a complaint. 

· DeGeneres to Star in 'Oh, God!' Remake.  Comedian Ellen DeGeneres is getting a promotion - to supreme being. DeGeneres will star as God in a remake of the 1977 comedy "Oh, God!"  The original starred George Burns as the creator and John Denver as a supermarket manager tapped as a new prophet. 

· Mud the New Menace at Diana Fountain.  Just when tourists thought it was safe to go back to the Princess Diana memorial fountain, the mud has struck. The Royal Parks confirmed Monday that a Spanish tourist slipped and fell suffering unspecified injuries that required hospitalization on Saturday, the day after the fountain reopened to the public following a monthlong safety review. 

· 'Elvis has left the building' announcer dies.  Al Dvorin, the concert announcer who made famous the phrase "Elvis has left the building," was killed in an auto accident in California. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Bloviate [blo·vi·ate] i.v.  To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner. 

· oops!  Goss Backed '95 Bill to Slash Intelligence.  President Bush's nominee to be the director of central intelligence, Rep. Porter J. Goss (R-Fla.), sponsored legislation that would have cut intelligence personnel by 20 percent in the late 1990s. 

· Hookers-Only Web Site Keeps Tab On Undercover Police Officers.  Hookers are using the Internet to keep tabs on undercover police officers. Police departments have used computers for years, but now the oldest profession is going high-tech. 

· Jacko Judge Admits Evidence.  The judge in the Michael Jackson child molestation case issued tentative rulings Monday admitting 39 pieces of evidence seized in a search of Jackson's Neverland estate and suggested he will toss out a number of other items. 

· Hardhat's body found in church.  The decomposed body of a construction worker missing for a week turned up yesterday, wedged between the ceiling and roof of an upper West Side New York church he was renovating, cops said. 

· George Washington's image to get makeover.  Americans know George Washington as the dour founding father with white hair and ponytail depicted on U.S. currency, but most people have little idea what the nation's first president really looked like. 

Monday, August 23, 2004

· Frey cross-examination begins with joke.  Scott Peterson's former mistress Amber Frey took the witness stand Monday for her much anticipated cross-examination by Peterson's lawyer, who began with a little kidding around. "No questions, your honor," defense attorney Mark Geragos said. "Just kidding," Geragos said to muffled chuckles from a few jurors and spectators. 

· Alan Alda joining 'West Wing.'  The five-time Emmy winner will join the cast of NBC's White House drama "The West Wing" next season, playing a Republican from California with presidential aspirations. 

· Sexcapade woman in psych unit.  The Staten Island woman who touched off an FDNY sex scandal by claiming she was gang-raped in a Bronx firehouse has checked herself into a psychiatric ward, her estranged husband said yesterday. 

· Fur flies over Crawford ads.  Cindy Crawford might want to brace herself for some unwelcome attention. The model who once posed for PETA’s “I’d rather go naked than wear fur” ad campaign apparently has changed her mind — she’s starring in a series of ads for fur giant Blackglama. A source tells The Scoop that the animal-rights group is planning to launch a “major campaign” to retaliate against its former ally. 

· Sleeping Bag Murder Similarities.  Detectives have been in touch with police in Arizona, who have an unsolved case with some similarities: a young man and woman, shot to death last October, in sleeping bags at a campsite in Yavapai County. 

· Fat-reducing microwave unveiled.  Unveiling its invention Monday to the media, Sharp said the microwave generates "superheated steam" at a temperature of about 572 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt fat and reduce oil and salt from steak, chicken, fish and other foods. 

· Restaurant owner takes newspaper to court over review.  Restaurateur Phil Romano wants to put a few people on notice, namely Dallas restaurant critics. Romano is mad as hell, and he's not going to chew their tripe anymore. To prove he means business, last week Romano slapped Dallas Morning News restaurant critic Dotty Griffith and the Belo Corp., the newspaper's parent, with a suit alleging fraud, malice, defamation and an "attempt to cripple the business of one of Dallas' finest new restaurants" via an April 16 restaurant review. 

· Catching Meth Cooks Pink-Handed.  It may fall a shade shy of catching thieves redhanded, but for farmers fed up with methamphetamine cooks filching their fertilizer, staining them pink will do just fine. 

· It looks like Bush won after all.  Florida officials called for investigations yesterday after learning that 46,000 primarily Democratic New Yorkers illegally registered to vote in both states. 

· Officer's suicide twists rape case.  The suicide of a police officer may turn a rape case into an uphill battle. Authorities accuse Matthew C. Jones, 19, of 1633 Thornwood Drive, Heath, of raping a then 3-year-old boy at the boy's home in Hebron on April 15. According to court records, Jones admitted to the crime in a videotaped confession with a Hebron Police officer, who will not be able to discuss that confession in court. On July 10, prosecutors say, the officer committed suicide in his Buckeye Lake home. 

· Kerry never bled, says his 'pal' Dole.  Former Sen. Bob Dole joined Vietnam Swift boat vets who question John Kerry's combat heroics, claiming that Kerry's three Purple Hearts got him out of the war - but without a scratch. 

· Blair refuses to accept Congressional Medal of Honor.  British Prime Minister Tony Blair is refusing to fly to the U.S. to receive the distinguished Congressional Medal of Honor bestowed on him by the nation for his support over last year's Iraq war, a London newspaper reported today. 

· Toddlers survive fall from apartment window.  Two toddlers fell out the window of a third-story apartment but suffered only cuts and bruises, officials said Sunday. 

· Mob targeted Rudy.  The mob assembled a team of hit men to whack Rudy Giuliani nearly two decades ago, when the future mayor was a Mafia-busting federal prosecutor. 

· Prosecutors try damage control in Jackson pretrial hearing.  California Damage control by prosecutors in the Michael Jackson child molestation case takes center stage today. In the closing act of the latest series of California courtroom hearings, deputies are expected to testify. The officers participated in the search of Jackson's Neverland ranch last November. They are expected to challenge accounts by former Jackson workers who say they cooperated with the search until deputies began moving into Jackson's office and other areas not specified in the warrant. 

· Captors set Micah free.  From the depths of despair to exuberant jubilation - the excruciating vigil for a kidnapped Manhattan journalist facing a gruesome execution had a happy ending yesterday. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Divisive [di·vi·sive] adj.  Creating dissension or discord; Causing disagreement or hostility within a group so that it is likely to split.

· Dog stops Columbia, S.C. carjacking.  A dog took a bite out of crime to stop a would-be carjacker, police say. The 3-year-old Rottweiler-Doberman pinscher mix named Diablo bit the suspect after he opened the passenger door of a car stopped at a stoplight and grabbed the driver by the neck. The woman said she had to pry the dog's jaws open to get him to let go. 

· Skydiver survives 11,500ft plunge.  A skydiver survived a 11,500 foot plunge after her parachute failed to open and lines broke on her reserve chute, a local skydiving club said Monday. Powerlines broke her fall and may have saved her life. She survived with a hairline fracture to her pelvis. 

· 'Hurt feelings' win killer $1200.  man jailed for brutally murdering a teenage girl has been awarded $1200 compensation for hurt feelings and humiliation while in prison. 

 August 2004 Week 3 News Archives...

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