Tabloid Archives...
Thursday, March 31, 2005
· Ted Koppel leaving ABC. Ted Koppel is leaving ABC and the "Nightline" show he has hosted since it started in 1980 - making him the third high-profile news anchor to leave a broadcast network in the last year. 
· Oprah and Stedman over for good? Oprah Winfrey has lost a lot over the past year and a half. She's dropped 100 lbs. and has shed many of her insecurities - and now it looks like she may have even lost her boyfriend of nearly 19 years, Stedman Graham. Tongues have been wagging ever since Oprah appeared solo at February's Oscar ceremony.
· New drug allegations against Lance Armstrong. A former personal assistant to Lance Armstrong filed court papers Thursday alleging that he discovered a banned substance in the six-time Tour de France winner's apartment early last year.
· Sandy Berger to plead guilty in 'Sockgate.' Former national security adviser Sandy Berger will plead guilty to taking classified material from the National Archives, and hiding them in his socks, the Justice Department said Thursday.
· Armed robber's luck with dog walker stinks. The robber was left holding a bag of poop. That's all he had to show for the holdup of a 32-year-old woman walking her dog in San Diego.
· Academy sues after Oscar tickets fetch $30,000. Oscar organizers have sued 50 people who resold tickets for Hollywood's biggest award show, raking in up to $30,000 a pair from fans longing to rub elbows with Leonardo DiCaprio or Hilary Swank.
· High Tech Supermodel. Supermodel Naomi Campbell has angrily rejected reports that she assaulted her personal assistant with a cellphone. The 34-year-old catwalk babe and author is alleged to have attacked her personal assistant with a Blackberry PDA during a jaunt to Rio de Janeiro.
· Hanoi Jane finally admits North Vietnam visit was a mistake. In an apparent effort to sell more books, Fonda now says that her 1972 visit to a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun site, an incident that brought her the nickname “Hanoi Jane,” was a “betrayal” of American forces and of the “country that gave me privilege.” Fonda's memoir “Jane Fonda: My Life So Far” comes out next week.
· Beauty queen brighter than nuclear physicist. A Slovenian TV program that tried to prove top models were brainless bimbos was scrapped after a beauty queen turned out to have a higher IQ than a nuclear physicist.
· Parents Worried After Learning School Name Means 'Massacre.' Parents of children who will attend the new Matanzas High School in Flagler County, Fla., are concerned after learning that the Spanish meaning of Matanzas is "massacre."
· Pope given last rites. Pope John Paul II was given the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church late Thursday night as his health deteriorated, a Vatican source has told CNN.
· Comedian Mitch Hedberg Found Dead In New Jersey Hotel Room. Comedian Mitch Hedberg was found dead in a New Jersey hotel room Wednesday morning, according to Minnesota's Pioneer Press. He was 37.
· Fire at Ozzy Osbourne's Mansion. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne had to flee their English mansion when a fire broke out in the living room, a British newspaper reported Thursday.
· Those Harvard people are so darn smart. A Harvard study determined that Adolf Hitler "held grudges, couldn't stand criticism, craved attention and had a tendency to bully others."
· N.Y. Student Arrested in School Bomb Plot. A 15-year-old boy who had shown strong interest in the Columbine school shootings has been arrested for allegedly plotting to blow up his high school, authorities said Thursday.
· Prince Albert takes over in Monaco. Prince Albert has taken over the regency of Monaco because his ailing father is unable to exercise his royal functions, the palace says.
· Schiavo dies 2 weeks after tube removed. Two weeks after a court ordered her feeding tube removed, and after multiple attempts by her parents to get the order lifted, Terri Schiavo passed away on Thursday.
· Three NBA players tossed from NBA game. Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver ordered security guards to remove three Colorado Rockies players from America West Arena on Monday night for their conduct while seated directly behind him during a game against Denver.
· Girl Killed After Refusing to Kiss Man. A 15-year-old girl was fatally shot after refusing a man's demand for a kiss, authorities said. The alleged gunman was captured Wednesday night in Washington, D.C.
· Grumpy prince Charles calls media 'bloody people.' For a man about to marry the love of his life, Britain’s Prince Charles sounded distinctly grumpy on Thursday in the elegant Swiss ski resort of Klosters.
· Yankees bartender hits The Boss with bias suit. A Yankee Stadium bartender's discrimination lawsuit throws a high hard one at George Steinbrenner, accusing the Yankee owner of making a racist remark. Valentino Lopez accuses The Boss of saying in November 2000 that he "didn't want his high-profile guests seeing nonwhite girls selling souvenirs."
· Jack Welch: 'I Fell In Love.' Jack Welch, the retired CEO of GE, is one of the most successful corporate executives in the history of American business. And he is obsessed with winning, which happens to be the title of his new book, "Winning." And there was ugly publicity a few years ago, when he was still married, about his romantic relationship with a younger woman, Suzy Wetlaufer. She’s since become the third Mrs. Jack Welch.
· High School Teacher Quits After Sex Charge. A New York high school teacher has resigned after being accused of having sex with a 15-year-old female student.
· Lohan's Dad's DWI Now a Felony. The DWI charge against Lindsay Lohan's embattled father was upgraded Tuesday to a felony — which could land him in the clink for four years.
· Religious leaders finally in agreement on something. Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders united on Wednesday for a frontal assault on a gay festival planned for Jerusalem.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Supercilious [su·per·cil·i·ous] adj. 1. Full of contempt and arrogance. 2. Behaving as if or showing that a person thinks they are better than other people, and that their opinions, beliefs or ideas are not important, condescending: "He spoke in a haughty, supercilious voice."
· Update: Joan Kennedy in hospital after falling. Joan Kennedy, the ex-wife of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), who has battled alcoholism for years, was recovering in a Boston hospital yesterday after she was found passed out cold on a city street.
· Confused Cops Swarm Woman After Birth. A woman rushing to a hospital to give birth hit a few stops along the way — first at a gas station where she delivered the baby herself, then when confused police ordered her out of the car at gunpoint.
· Britney turns the tables on the tabloids. The much-gossiped about crooner is lashing out at gossip mags — and in a bizarre diatribe, is suggesting that their reporters are liars and are overweight or have misbehaving kids.
· Duct Tape Plant Explosion Kills One. An explosion late Wednesday rocked a plant that makes duct tape, shooting a fireball into the air and shaking homes a mile away. One employee was killed, officials said.
· Pamela Anderson Newest Face for M.A.C. Pamela Anderson is the newest face of the VIVA GLAM V lipstick and lipglass, the primary fund-raising tools for the M.A.C. AIDS Fund.
· Debt 'counselors' hit for $100M scam. Regulators announced settlements Wednesday with three debt-counseling agencies that they said had bilked consumers out of more than $100 million, a scam they said was becoming increasingly common.
· Rap mogul ordered to pay $107 million. Rap impresario Marion "Suge" Knight has been ordered to pay $107 million to a woman who claimed she helped found his ground-breaking music label, Death Row Records, before being pushed out when Knight realized how valuable the label was.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
· Boy Scout official pleads guilty to child porn. A longtime Boy Scouts of America official who directed a national task force to protect children from sexual abuse pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession and distribution of child pornography.
· Schiavo parents running out of judges. A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday rejected a last-ditch plea by the parents of brain-damaged Florida woman Terri Schiavo for a new hearing in their fight to keep their dying daughter alive.
· Flight attendant testifies in Jackson case. A flight attendant who has undercut a prosecution claim that Michael Jackson served alcohol to his accuser during a jet trip testified in the pop star's child molestation trial Wednesday that the boy was unruly and rude and started a food fight.
· ABC's Westin Won't Drop Wal-Mart. ABC News president David Westin responded with a blunt "No" after 21 members of Congress Tuesday called on him to drop Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as a sponsor for Good Morning America segment "Only in America."
· Joan Kennedy found lying in street. Joan Kennedy, the former wife of Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, is in the hospital recuperating from a concussion and a broken shoulder after a passer-by found her lying in a street, according to her son.
· Courtney Love puts her legal woes behind her to play porn star Lovelace. Colorful diva Courtney Love, emerging from more than a year of legal woes, has agreed to play legendary porn star Linda Lovelace in an explosive 'Deep Throat' movie comeback.
· Jose Canseco, Omarosa to Star in TV Show. VH1 has selected seven new has-beens to stop being polite and start trying to revive their careers on "The Surreal Life." The fifth season, now in production, will premiere Sept. 4, the cable channel announced Tuesday.
· Update: Pat O'Brien has to go. Wouldn't you think that if you gossiped on-air for a living - literally made your daily bread from the sex scandals, drug-rehab stints, drunken escapades and the horrifying public indiscretions of others - that you'd keep your own life as clean as a priest's?
· GM to build fleet of hydrogen powered cars. General Motors Corp. Wednesday said it signed an $88 million deal with the Department of Energy to build a fleet of 40 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and further develop the technology.
· Swank fined for bearing forbidden fruit. Two-time Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank has been fined for bringing forbidden fruit into New Zealand, after getting a thumbs down from judges in an appeal, a court said Wednesday.
· Olsen Twins to Sell N.Y. Digs. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are selling their $7.3 million Manhattan apartment before they've even lived in it, according to People magazine.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Exponential [ex·po·nen·tial] adj. Characterized by an extremely rapid increase (as in size or extent). "The company enjoyed an exponential growth rate."
· Joey Buttafuoco got married (barf) and we missed it. Joey Buttafuoco wed his Yugoslavian fiancée in a ceremony at a Las Vegas casino earlier this month — after managing to show some remarkable restraint at a strip-club bachelor party.
· Update: 1981 attack on Pope planned by Soviets. New documents found in the files of the former East German intelligence services confirm the 1981 assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II was ordered by the Soviet KGB and assigned to Bulgarian agents, an Italian daily said on Wednesday.
· IRS: Taxpayers Are Stiffing Us. The Internal Revenue Service reported Tuesday that the gap between taxes paid and taxes owed stood at more than $300 billion, with a large portion due to individuals understating income.
· Should Kids Be Listed as Sex Offenders? When an Iowa teenager's name was placed on the state's sex offender registry as a result of a crime he committed as a 13-year-old, some parents wanted him thrown out of high school. But does it make sense to treat a teenager who commits a sex crime the same way we treat an adult?
· Witness Lashes Out at Jacko's Attorney. A prosecution witness lashed out at Michael Jackson's attorney from the witness stand Tuesday, quoting another witness saying: "You have made this court like O.J.'s court or Robert Blake's court."
» Jet hostess: Jacko didn't give kid wine. A corporate flight attendant says Jacko never shared his soda pop can of wine with his young accuser or any other kid on a flight from Miami to California, contradicting key testimony from the boy and his siblings.
· Omelet's king of fat food. The new Enormous Omelet certainly isn't for the faint of heart - it packs in 730 calories, 47 grams of fat and 140% of the daily cholesterol recommended for an average adult.
· Up to 1,000 Dead in latest Indonesian Earthquake. Firefighters freed a man trapped in a crumpled house on remote Nias island on Wednesday, 36 hours after he was buried in rubble. As the first foreign military help arrived, officials said an estimated 1,000 people had died in the region's latest large earthquake.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
· Attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Dies at 67. Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., the masterful attorney who gained prominence as an early advocate for victims of police abuse, then achieved worldwide fame for successfully defending football star O.J. Simpson on murder charges, died this afternoon.
· Virginians have fastest growing waistlines. The percentage of Virginians qualifying as obese is growing at a faster rate than anywhere else in the nation, according to a federal study.
· Boy Scout official charged in child porn case. A former top official of the Boy Scouts of America has been charged with downloading child pornography from the Internet after federal investigators found images of children engaging in sex acts on his computer.
· Buffett drawn into probe of insurance deal. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett is cooperating with regulators investigating a controversial transaction undertaken by one of his main operating companies but claims he was never briefed on the nature of the deal, his holding company Berkshire Hathaway Inc. said Tuesday.
· Club Owner Testifies in Jackson Trial. The comedy club owner who sought to put Michael Jackson in touch with a young cancer patient testified in Jackson's molestation trial Tuesday but hardly mentioned the pop star sitting across the courtroom.
· Steroids Prescribed To NFL Players. A list obtained exclusively by 60 Minutes Wednesday reveals that three Carolina Panthers professional football players had prescriptions filled for a banned steroid less than two weeks before they played in the 2004 Super Bowl.
· Fort Lauderdale officer in trouble for ticketing doctor on way to deliver baby. Frantic and disbelieving, Dr. Anthony Chidiac tried to explain to Officer William Lilliston that he had been speeding to get to a patient in the throes of childbirth. Chidiac was pulled over in the final block before reaching Holy Cross Hospital, traveling 35 mph in a 25 mph zone. Rather than letting the doctor go, Lilliston handcuffed Chidiac and placed him in a patrol car.
· Kofi Annan: ‘Hell no,’ he won't go. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, asked Tuesday if he would resign after a critical report concerning the oil-for-food scandal in Iraq, replied, "Hell, no."
· Madonna, Hubby Don Nun, Pope Costumes. Catholic-turned-kabbalah-devotee Madonna has a bad habit of displaying poor taste, and now her boy-toy director hubby has stirred up more controversy - by dressing as the pope while John Paul II is seriously ailing.
· Many Americans too sleepy for sex, report finds. Many Americans are so sleepy that they are having problems in their marriages, making mistakes at work and even going without sex, according to a report released Tuesday.
· Jerry Falwell in Critical Condition. The Rev. Jerry Falwell was hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday, battling his second case of viral pneumonia in just five weeks, hospital officials said.
· List of Schiavo donors will be sold by direct-mail firm. The parents of Terri Schiavo have authorized a direct-mailing firm to sell a list of their financial supporters, making it likely that thousands of strangers moved by her plight will receive a steady stream of solicitations from anti-abortion and conservative groups.
· Seeing red? Not on Ashton Kutcher’s wrist. Audiences loved Ashton Kuchter as one half of an interracial couple in “Guess Who” — the flick was the top-grossing movie over the weekend — but there’s something they didn’t like: the red string Kabbalah bracelet he wore throughout the shooting. Test audiences “were really annoyed” by the sight of the emblem of the trendy religious movement favored by Kutcher and his sweetie Demi Moore.
· Zeta-Jones for 'Dallas' movie. Catherine Zeta-Jones is to play Pamela Ewing in a big screen adaptation of Texan soap Dallas. Brad Pitt is thought to be co-starring in the movie, though producers have refused to confirm his involvement, IMDb reports.
· Yankees outrgaged at NY Times 'conflict of interest.' A New York Times editorial — which accused the Yankees of "acting like a superstar free agent and asking for the moon" in its plans for a new stadium — never mentioned that the Times Co. is a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox and has a substantial self-interest in stopping the Yankees from building a new, more profitable stadium.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Pervasive [per·va·sive] adj. Having the quality or tendency to pervade or permeate: "the pervasive odor of garlic."
· Presley Dishes About Marriage to Jackson. Lisa Marie Presley aired her "Dirty Laundry" on "Oprah." In the first of a two-part interview on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to promote her new album, Presley spoke Monday about her brief marriage to Michael Jackson, who is on trial on child molestation charges.
· Tears of a Cop. From an oval-office meeting to the front pages of the tabloids: Bernie Kerik talks about the perfect storm that wrecked his career.
· MCI Accepts Verizon's $7.6 Billion Offer. MCI Inc. on Tuesday accepted a sweetened takeover offer of $7.6 billion from Verizon Communications Inc., according to The Wall Street Journal.
· Death Penalty Tossed Over Bible Verses. The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday threw out the death penalty in a rape-and-murder case because jurors had studied Bible verses such as "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" during deliberations.
· Eli Lilly Fires Worker for Writing Book. Eli Lilly & Co. said on Monday it fired an employee who wrote a book about his tenure as a Pfizer Inc. sales representative which boasted about how little he worked and how much money he earned.
· In Secret Hideaway, Bill Gates Ponders Microsoft's Future. One way to peek into technology's crystal ball last month was to take a winding road into a cedar forest in the Pacific Northwest to seek out one of tech's top thinkers. A sunny Thursday afternoon found him waiting alone behind the gate of his secluded cottage.
· Juvenile arrested in Minnesota shootings. A juvenile has been arrested in connection with last week's school shootings in Red Lake, Minnesota, authorities said Monday.
· Stolen Laptop Exposes Data of 100,000. A thief recently walked into a University of California, Berkeley office and swiped a computer laptop containing personal information about nearly 100,000 alumni, graduate students and past applicants, highlighting a continued lack of security that has increased society's vulnerability to identity theft.
Monday, March 28, 2005
· Rosie O’Donnell apologizes to Kirstie Alley. The comedian recently made headlines when she took pot shots at Kirstie Alley, accusing the “Fat Actress” star of lying about her weight. “earlier this evening kirstie alley told matt lauer that her fattest was 201,” O’Donnell wrote on her Web site. “I almost choked on my yodel I am 220 fess up kirstie--201 my [bleep] i started to fume.”
· Pennsylvania police chief gets 30 days in pot case. Weatherly, PA Police Chief Brian Cara this morning pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of smoking marijuana seized by his department in Carbon County Court and was sentenced to a 30-day jail sentence.
· Another major quake causes panic - Kills Nearly 300. A major earthquake in the Indian Ocean has hit the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, just over three months after last year's tsunami. It struck just before midnight local time, with an estimated magnitude of 8.7, and caused widespread panic.
· Schiavo to Undergo Autopsy to "End Debate." In case you think the Schiavo news will end anytime soon, the husband of brain-damaged Florida woman Terri Schiavo has ordered an autopsy after she dies to silence allegations his plan to cremate her body is aimed at hiding something, his lawyer said on Monday.
· Jerry Brown to Wed. Former California governor and three-time presidential candidate Jerry Brown has long shunned convention, but the lifelong bachelor said on Monday that he would wed within the next month or two.
· Man Places Ad After Wife Gives Away Dog To Stranger. A man who lost his dog in a messy separation with his wife has turned to the classified ads to get it back. Earle Hollings said he misses "the stupid little thing."
· Tankless Toilet Makes a Fashion Statement. A tankless toilet unveiled by Kohler Co. promises to make a fashion statement while still staying functional. The company has unveiled the Purist Hatbox, a toilet that aims to bring the throne to your home into the 21st Century.
· Harvard students want their snap, crackle, pop back. Angry cereal fans are lashing out after Harvard University cleared its dining halls this school year of brand-name cereals, such as Fruit Loops and Cap'n Crunch, and swapped them for less expensive, apparently healthier options.
· Update: Jackson judge allows previous abuse allegations. In a setback for Michael Jackson's defense, prosecutors will be allowed to introduce evidence of past molestation allegations against the singer, relating to five previous accusers, the judge ruled Monday.
· Nancy Sinatra blames crooner's wife for death. Singer Nancy Sinatra holds the fourth and final wife of her legendary crooner father frank responsible for this death in 1998.
· Golfer sets ugly record, shoots 12 on TPC hole. Former PGA champion Bob Tway set a dubious record Monday by hitting four balls into the water and making a 12 on the par-3 17th island green at The Players Championship.
· 'Guess Who' Tops the Box Office With $21 million. Two guesses on who topped the weekend box office. Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher, that's who. Their comedy "Guess Who," an update of the 1967 classic "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," debuted as the No. 1 movie with $21 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
· Jackson Says He's Victim of Conspiracy. Declaring himself "completely innocent" of child molestation charges, Michael Jackson said Sunday that he is the victim of a conspiracy and asked fans around the world to pray for him.
» Lawyers: Past Jackson Charge Irrelevant. Michael Jackson is urging fans to pray for him, and says he has faith that he will be vindicated. But the focus may soon shift to one of the key issues in the case: details of past allegations against the singer.
· U.S. broadcasters brace for siege. Leading lawmakers and the commission's new chairman have proposed a broad expansion of indecency rules, which were significantly toughened just last year. They are also looking for significant increases in the size of fines and new procedures that could jeopardize the licenses of stations that repeatedly violate the rules.
· Airline Passenger Privacy Betrayed. A government investigation has found that the Transportation Security Administration misled the public about its role in obtaining personal information on 12 million airline passengers to test a new computerized, terrorist-screening system.
· Woman Faces Possible Prison For Alleged Sex With Boy. A 25-year-old Central Florida woman will likely learn her punishment Monday after being arrested on charges she had sex with a 16-year-old boy.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Ambivalence [am·biv·a·lence] n. 1. Uncertainty or indecisiveness as to which course to follow. 2. The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea.
· Selective Restraint. The sad case of Terri Schiavo has raised passions not seen since five years ago. Then another bitterly divided family argued in Florida courts over someone who couldn't speak on his own behalf: Elian Gonzalez.
· A Hidden Vatican Treasure. Deep in the heart of one of Europe's oldest cities is a place that would soothe even the most troubled soul - a sanctuary that, while not exactly a secret, is hidden from the view of millions of tourists who pass within a few feet of it.
· IRS May Consider eBay Sales Taxable Income. "When you're working on the Internet, it's kind of a gray issue," said Bart Fooden, a certified public accountant in Woodbury, N.Y., who advises small businesses and individuals. "The big issue is whether you're doing it as a business or not."
· Big Brother microphones tested. In Chicago, cops are trying out a tiny microphone positioned near the windshield so powerful it can pick up conversations on the street. "You could pull into a street corner and, if there's a drug deal going on a half-block away, you can hear what's going on."
· Dog-treat dispensers get tails wagging. It's just what New York mutts need: a doggie-treat dispenser on every corner. Gumball-style dog biscuit machines are starting to sprout up all over town so Fido doesn't have to go hungry whenever his best friend forgets the goodies at home.
· Crowded House Drummer Hester Found Dead. The drummer from 1980s Australian rock band Crowded House hanged himself in a park in southern Australia, an emergency services spokeswoman said Monday
Sunday, March 27, 2005
· Easter Bunny Gets Pummeled by Boy at Mall. The Easter Bunny is hopping mad. Bryan Johnson, who portrays the furry character at the Bay City Mall, says he was pummeled in an unprovoked attack on the job. Police say the attacker was a 12-year-old boy who sat on Johnson's lap the day before the March 18 incident. Johnson, 18, suffered a bloody nose. He kept his cool during the attack, deeming it inappropriate for the Easter Bunny to fight back.
· 'Give me $50,000 or Toby the bunny rabbit is history.' Animal lovers around the world have expressed outrage at a website whose owner has threatened to butcher, cook and eat a pet bunny called Toby unless he receives $50,000 in donations by the end of June.
· PC profs: Don't use B.C. dates. The term "B.C." may be going the way of the dinosaur. Politically correct history professors and some textbook companies are switching from using religious-based terms to mark history to more agnostic phrases. Instead of "B.C." or "Before Christ," the new phrase on college campuses is "Before [the] Common Era," or "B.C.E."
· The World's Largest Easter Egg. Thousands of tourists from around the world visit the mammoth easter egg, which measures 25.7 feet long, 18.3 feet wide, and stands 31.6 feet high. The 2,000-pound aluminum skin is attached to the central mast at a 30-degree angle with 177 turnbuckle struts, and rests on a 27,000-pound base of concrete and steel and turns in the wind like a weathervane.
· House OKs $37 million for Wal-Mart H.Q. road. The U.S. House has approved a federal highway bill that includes $37 million for widening and extending the Bentonville street that provides the main access to the headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Benevolent [be·nev·o·lent] adj. 1. Charitable: performing good or charitable acts and not seeking to make a profit. 2. Characterized by or suggestive of doing good; showing kindness or goodwill.
· FBI Admits Accidentally Giving Classified Files Back to Man Who Took Them. The FBI admitted Saturday it accidentally gave classified documents back to the American translator who pleaded guilty to taking them from the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
· Secret nose job stuns hubby. Kay Kelly Cregan's devastated husband assumes his wife secretly underwent the plastic surgery that led to her death as a surprise for him.
· Amazon.com Knows, Predicts Shopping Habits. Amazon.com Inc. has one potentially big advantage over its rival online retailers: It knows things about you that you may not know yourself.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
· Jennifer Aniston files for divorce from Brad Pitt. Jennifer Aniston filed for divorce from Brad Pitt on Friday, court papers showed. A long-rumored split between the "Friends" star and the "Ocean's Twelve" star was confirmed in January when they released a joint statement saying they were formally separating.
· Finger Food Claim Hurts Wendy's. Sales have dropped sharply at Wendy's fast food restaurants in the area of northern California where a woman claimed she found part of a finger in a bowl of chili, but analysts say the company's long-term prognosis should not be affected.
· 'Beverly Hillbillies' Creator Dies at 93. Paul Henning, who created the hit TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies" and wrote its theme song, died Friday. Henning, who lived in Toluca Lake, died in a Burbank hospital of natural causes.
· DMC restores the maverick automaker's famous steel sports car. Saturday's passing of John Z. DeLorean, the controversial figure behind the DeLorean Motor Car Company's short but high-profile bid for glory, closed an unusual chapter of automotive history. And the death of the 80-year-old Detroit native is only likely to increase the collectible appeal of the automobile that carries his name.
· Letterman kidnap plot accuser signed confession. The man accused of plotting to kidnap David Letterman's 16-month-old son confessed after FBI agents said they wanted to give him a polygraph test, court records show. Frank initially denied any knowledge of a kidnap plot when FBI agents interviewed him March 15, the documents said. But he gave investigators a signed confession when agents returned the next day with a polygraph examiner, the records show.
· Colombian police find 'drug sub.' Authorities discovered a submarine-like vessel Friday still under construction by drug traffickers who planned to use it to smuggle cocaine, the head of Colombia’s secret police said.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Garish [gar·ish] adj. 1. Marked by strident color or excessive ornamentation; gaudy. 2. Loud and flashy: garish makeup.
· Martha Begs to be free of ankle device. Martha Stewart has a new to-do list - and her first order of business is getting rid of that pesky electronic ankle bracelet. The domestic diva, you see, likes to wear skirts, and that bulky monitoring device cramps her style.
· Wal-Mart Director Resigns After Probe. A high-profile Wal-Mart Stores Inc. board member resigned Friday after an internal probe turned up evidence of financial improprieties of up to half-a-million dollars. Three Wal-Mart employees, including a company officer, also lost their jobs.
· Pee Diddy to make custom aluminum rims. At 35, Sean "Pee Diddy" Combs has already made his mark as a hip-hop musician, Broadway actor, marathon runner, fashion designer, celebrity boyfriend, gossip column favorite, voter registration booster and all-around entertainment entrepreneur.
· Cheating wife gets millions in divorce. A judge has awarded the former wife of a multimillionaire businessman a divorce settlement worth more than $40 million even though she admitted having affairs with her rock-climbing guide and a man she met on a flight to China.
Friday, March 25, 2005
· Paula Abdul Fined After Hit-And-Run Charge. "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul was fined and placed on probation Thursday after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of hit-and-run driving stemming from an accident last December in which her Mercedes clipped a car on a San Fernando Valley freeway.
· Escape Plans Found in Nichol's Ga. Cell. Authorities found hand-drawn escape plans in the cell of a man accused of going on a deadly courthouse rampage, the sheriff said. After the March 11 attack that ended in four deaths, authorities disclosed that a judge and prosecutors requested extra security for Brian Nichols after investigators found a handmade knife in each of his shoes.
· NBC announcer hangs it up after 62 years. Through the eras of John Chancellor, Tom Brokaw and now Brian Williams, Howard Reig's voice was also heard when viewers turned on the evening news. "This is NBC Nightly News," the clear baritone would say, ushering in headlines from Watergate to terrorism.
· Bullock honored on Walk of Fame. Film star Sandra Bullock has been honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
· Update: Imus explodes at exposé on his ranch. Radio host Don Imus used his airtime yesterday to blast The Wall Street Journal over a front-page article raising questions about his charity and $3,000 per night lodging for sick kids.
· NBC fires 3 in TV sex scandal. The firing of a reporter and two producers has created a mess at NBC's owned-and-operated Los Angeles TV station, especially since the fired reporter, Kyung Lah, was covering the Michael Jackson case. Lah, who is married, was fired from KNBC-TV when her bosses discovered her alleged affair with her field producer, Jeff Soto, who is also married, according to the New York Post.
· Smuggler hauls art ... into the museum. A British graffiti artist who goes by the name “Banksy” went one step further, by smuggling in his own picture of a soup can and hanging it on a wall, where it stayed for more than three days earlier this month before anybody noticed.
· Doc in hiding after nose-job death. The Manhattan plastic surgeon whose patient died after a nose job was in hiding yesterday. "That office is closed today," the doorman said as he stepped between a reporter and the entrance to the building.
· Sizemore Sentenced for Drug-Related Charge. Actor Tom Sizemore was sentenced Thursday to 17 months in jail and four months in a drug treatment facility for repeatedly failing drug tests while on probation. He pleaded with the judge for leniency, saying "I assure your honor that I'm not acting now. I'm not acting, I'm begging, I'm beseeching you." Then, outside court, he gave a high five and directed an obscene gesture at the press.
· Council Members Vote Without Re-Election. City council members LuAnn Wanamaker and Roy A. Hein attended meetings and voted on issues for about 15 months before anyone noticed they had neglected to stand for re-election in 2003.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Avarice [av·a·rice] n. Immoderate desire, greed for wealth: an unreasonably strong desire to obtain and keep money.
· Error Makes Money Machine Give $100 Bills. Customers who used the bill changing machine at Bluffs Run Casino in Iowa found they had bigger payoffs than any gambling device in the place. That's because the machine was spitting out hundreds instead of twenties.
· Defiant chess champ Fischer lands in Iceland. Chess legend Bobby Fischer arrived in Iceland on Thursday, hoping to avoid deportation to the United States by accepting an offer of citizenship from a country still grateful for its role as the site of his most famous match.
· Woman Says 'Fear Factor' Saved Her Life. A prison guard who escaped a car that sank in a flooded creek credits an episode of the TV reality show "Fear Factor" with saving her life. Debra Swaim's car was swept off the road into Cucamonga Creek during a flash flood late Tuesday. As her car sank, Swaim said she remembered a rerun episode of NBC's "Fear Factor" in which contestants had to escape from a car in the water.
· Teacher Accused Of Having Sex With Male Student. A married Denver high school social studies teacher was arrested, accused of having a sexual relationship with her underage male student.
· Officer had nude photos of suspect, report says. It began as the fairly routine arrest of a drunken-driving suspect on a Houston street. It quickly evolved into a maze of questions as investigators checked out reports that a Houston police officer had found nude photos of the driver stored in her cellular phone, downloaded them and later showed them around the courthouse.
· Man Tried To Steal Gun To 'Rescue Terri Schiavo.' A man was arrested after trying to steal a weapon from a gun shop so he could "take some action and rescue Terri Schiavo," authorities said.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
· Update: Ex-Atlanta Hostage Receives $70K Reward. The woman who said she gained the trust of suspected courthouse gunman Brian Nichols by talking about her faith while he held her hostage was presented with $70,000 in reward money Thursday for helping authorities capture him.
· 'Idol' judge faces hit-and-run charges. "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul was charged Thursday with hit-and-run driving for allegedly fleeing after her car clipped another vehicle on a freeway last December.
· Peterson restaurant for sale. The Shack sports bar and grill, founded by Scott and Laci Peterson is up for sale on eBay.
· Imus charity questioned. Radio host Don Imus is facing criticism from the Wall Street Journal Thursday for the costs incurred by his charity that brings sick children to his ranch for visits. The paper reports that Imus' charity spent $2.6 million in 2003 and $2.7 million in 2002 to bring 100 children to the ranch each year.
DA calls Blake jury "stupid." Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said jurors who acquitted actor Robert Blake of the murder of his wife are "incredibly stupid" and insisted his office had put on a good case. [Maybe Cooley's next jury trial should have jurors recuse themselves on the basis that they don't want to be called 'stupid' if they ultimately disagree with the DA's case].
· Update: Suspension over smoking principal photos reversed. A student who photographed his principal smoking outside a school building was allowed to return to class after initially being suspended for posting the photos on the Internet.
· Schwarzenegger May Face Libel Trial. Arnold Schwarzenegger edged closer to facing a British libel trial on Wednesday after he failed to block a legal action brought by a reporter who alleged the actor-turned-politician sexually assaulted her.
· Bonds prepares for his reverse 'metamorphosis.' In a recent interview, Barry Bonds was quoted saying "If I want to live until I'm 80 years old, I'm going to have to become a leaner-type, cardio-type individual who keeps his heart rate up."
· Seinfeld's TV dad dies at age 82. Barney Martin, a former New York City detective who went into show business and became best known for playing Jerry Seinfeld’s father Morty on the comedian’s hit television series, has died.
· Community bicycles are disappearing. Apparently some Bentonville, Arkansas residents have not learned how to share. Fifteen bikes have been stolen from the Community Bike Program - and there were only 16 to start with.
· Child abuse sinks 'Wife Swap.' A father who allegedly struck his 13-year-old daughter during the taping of "Wife Swap" has forced ABC to scrap the entire episode. A Nashville, Tennessee restaurant owner was arrested at his home Tuesday night after the incident — which reportedly happened while cameras were rolling.
· Supreme Court Won't Hear Schiavo Case. The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted, rejecting a desperate appeal by her parents to keep their severely brain-damaged daughter alive.
· Clooney has neighbors fuming. George Clooney is becoming a big landowner in Italy — too big for some of his neighbors’ tastes. The actor had been widely adored by the residents of Laglio, a village on the shore of Lake Como, where he bought a villa several years ago. But now Clooney is looking to buy the town’s only sunbathing beach - and the locals aren't happy about that at all.
· Died after nose job. An apparently healthy 42-year-old woman died last week following a nose job and face-lift by a Manhattan plastic surgeon with the state's worst malpractice record.
· 'The clues were all there' School shooter depicted as deeply disturbed, ignored teen. Two days after a shooting rampage on the Indian reservation here left 10 dead, friends, relatives and neighbors of Jeff Weise - the 16-year- old assailant - began to sketch a portrait of a deeply disturbed youth who had been treated for depression in a psychiatric ward, lost several close family members, sketched gruesome scenes of armed warriors and was removed from the school where he gunned down most of his victims Monday.
· Possible shakeup at 'CBS Evening News.' CBS chief Leslie Moonves pointed to "The Early Show" as a possible blueprint for the new "CBS Evening News." "The Early Show" doubled ratings and profits in the past several years on the strength of an ensemble approach to morning news - rather than a single anchor.
· FHM Names Angelina Jolie Sexiest Woman. Angelina Jolie has been named the sexiest woman in the world by FHM magazine. It is Jolie's first time at the top of the annual readers' poll by the American edition of the men's magazine.
· Key Prosecution Witness in Michael Jackson Case Jailed. One of the prosecution's most important witnesses in Michael Jackson's child molestation trial has been jailed in Las Vegas on charges of burglary, robbery and first-degree kidnapping, all with a deadly weapon.
· Men's magazine plays a photo prank on the Bush twins. As an April fool's joke, Maxim is taking on the Bush twins. The April issue of the men's magazine has a photo illustration of Jenna and Barbara Bush, plumage in the air and sporting lingerie in what is meant to be the aftermath of a pillow fight. "Born November 25, 1981, this Texas twosome burst into the public eye and our dirtiest dreams," the caption reads.
· Slain guard at Minnesota school called a hero. Derrick Brun wrote poetry, played trumpet and guitar, and more than anything else, wanted a career as a cop. Like the tribal police officer he longed to be, he faced down a killer this week and paid for his courage with his life.
· Man Finds His Tax Return on Internet. Don Bodiker uses a popular file sharing program to swap music and - unknowingly - his tax returns over the Internet.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Specificity [spec·i·fic·i·ty ] n. 1. The condition or state of being specific rather than general. "his input added a desirable note of specificity to the discussion;" "the specificity of the symptoms of the disease."
· Why we receive SPAM. According to a recent survey, nearly a third of e-mail users have clicked on links in spam messages and - most disturbing - one in ten idiots users have purchased products from these junk advertisements. [P.T. Barnum comes to mind].
· Want better sex? Head to the grocery store Like many aspects of our health, our sex drive is affected by what we put into our bodies. A few drinks and a thick steak, followed by a rich chocolate dessert, may sound romantic, but it is actually a prologue to sleep - not sex.
· GM says it may drop its Buick or Pontiac brands. General Motors Corp., which issued a shock profit warning last week and has been losing market share, may phase out one of its weaker car brands if sales fail to meet projections.
· David Cassidy Wants to Win Kentucky Derby. David Cassidy isn't horsing around when he says his life's passion is to win the Kentucky Derby. The 1970s teen idol has a contender in Mayan King, an undefeated 3-year-old who will run Saturday in the Lane's End Stakes at Kentucky's Turfway Park. Cassidy owns the horse with several partners.
· Taped Confession Details Couey's Attraction To Children. A convicted sex offender who confessed to kidnapping and killing a 9-year-old Florida girl can be heard on a newly released tape from 1991 asking for help after attempting to molest another little girl.
· Cars Stolen Most Often. Using insurance data, State Farm compiled a list of the top 25 vehicles stolen in your state.
· Giant lobster wins sympathy, liberation. Lobsters are the exception, an animal consumers frequently come in contact with before it is killed and prepared for the platter. The large, old ones in particular inspire animal rights activists and seafood lovers alike to come to their rescue.
· Man Floats Shroud of Turin Forgery Theory. Nathan Wilson is an English teacher with no scientific training, but he thinks he knows how Jesus' burial cloth was made and he thinks it's not a physical sign of the resurrection.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
· Whitney Houston Enters Rehab - Again. A year after her first reported stay in rehab, Whitney Houston has again checked into a rehabilitation facility. "Whitney Houston has re-entered a rehabilitation facility today," her publicist, Nancy Seltzer said.
· Jacko Lawyer Collapses. Michael Jackson's child molestation trial was interrupted on Wednesday when defense attorney Brian Oxman fell ill and had to be taken to the hospital. Several people in the courtroom, including Jackson, came to Oxman's aid when he slumped over in his chair.
· Peterson defense charged county $229,000 for experts. Scott Peterson apparently ran out of money during his more than six-month murder trial last year, and his lawyers charged Stanislaus County more than $200,000 for experts, a county auditor said Wednesday.
· School Killer's Animated Terror. The Minnesota teenager responsible for Monday's high school shooting spree last year created a violent video that included an animated character shooting four people and blowing up a police car. [Not for the timid].
· Update: GOP adviser died of overdose at Carrie Fisher's home. Republican media adviser R. Gregory Stevens, who was found dead in the Beverly Hills home of actress Carrie Fisher on Feb. 26, died of an overdose of cocaine and the painkiller OxyContin, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
· Roger Clemens' Hummer stolen. It took All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens 20 years to rack up 300 wins - a feat for which his team rewarded him with a brand-new orange Hummer.
· Hi-Anxiety. Cameron Diaz's status as a reigning sex-goddess is under attack - by high-definition TV. HDTV is six times clearer than normal TV and like other technical innovations - talking movies, come to mind - may spell the end of some actors' careers.
· As low-carb fad fades, Atkins tries a new diet. As the low-carb fad fades, Atkins has altered its “net carbs” method by using parts of the latest trend from Europe - a glycemic-index diet - to target U.S. food companies for products bearing the new “net Atkins count” seal.
· Trump Wants Jackson to Perform in Vegas. What do Wayne Newton, Celine Dion and Michael Jackson have in common? If Donald Trump and his partners have their way, they all will have a resident performing gig in Las Vegas on their resumes.
· Japan 'set to free' Bobby Fischer. Japan has decided to allow former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to travel to Iceland, despite US requests for his extradition, Japanese media say.
· Man who admitted shining laser at aircraft indicted on Patriot Act charge. A man accused of pointing a laser at an airplane, temporarily blinding the pilot and co-pilot, was indicted Wednesday under an anti-terror law. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on one count of interference with pilots of an aircraft "with reckless disregard for the safety of human life," a provision of the USA Patriot Act passed following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
· Four die in blaze after firefighters' inspection. Hours after firefighters responding to a report of smoke in a home's basement found a minor problem with a furnace and returned to their station, flames erupted early Tuesday, killing four children and injuring their mother and a nanny.
· Celine calls her audiences sleepy drunks. Celine Dion has admitted that audiences at her Las Vegas show are often tired, drunk, sick and in some cases asleep. Dion says her stint as a regular performer in at the city's Caesar's Palace Colosseum means that for the first time in her career she's often not playing to fans.
· Golf Pro explains early departure. Mark Hensby had a good reason for not playing the 18th hole last week at Bay Hill after hitting his tee shot out-of-bounds. He was out of balls. Hensby said his (former?) caddie didn't replenish the supply when they resumed the first round Friday morning, with 11 holes still to play.
· Update: Pat O'Brien's photo scandal. Pat O'Brien, the host of "The Insider" who entered rehab on Sunday, has more to worry about than sexually explicit voice-mail messages. There's a photograph, too. The New York Post is reporting that O'Brien's girlfriend, "Betsy," has an ex-husband who claims he is in possession of a "compromising photograph" of the mustachioed broadcaster pleasuring himself.
· Trooper suspended for 'too bad' 911 remark. A state trooper was suspended for 15 days without pay after he was recorded on a 911 tape saying "too bad" to a caller seeking help for a man injured in a motorcycle accident.
· Seinfeld 'Soup Nazi' plans to franchise his store. More than a decade ago, Al Yeganeh, a surly New York City soup seller, gained fame when he inspired a character on the hit TV sitcom "Seinfeld." Now, the notorious chef - known for yelling at some customers, refusing to serve others - is taking his own show on the road. Later this year, the real-life "Soup Nazi" will begin selling his soups nationwide.
· Bob Barker Donates $1 million to Northwestern. Bob Barker has donated $1 million to Northwestern University's School of Law to endow a course on animal rights law.
· 'Idol' Mess: Wrong phone numbers cause revote. “American Idol” displayed incorrect phone numbers for three singers after Tuesday night's edition of the Fox show aired. Fox has announced that the network will air a new performance show Wednesday night and re-open the voting, with the results show moved to Thursday. According to FOX, "this new show will combine new live elements with encores of Tuesday's performances from the remaining 11 contestants."
· Schoolhouse crock. A Bronx teacher who repeatedly flunked his state certification exam paid a formerly homeless man with a developmental disorder $2 to take the test for him.
· Girls' softball coach arrested. A registered sex offender coaching a girls softball team was arrested Monday. Bernal had been coaching softball for the past five years, most recently for the Fontana Girls Fast Pitch Softball Association.
· FDA orders killer hospital beds to be seized. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, citing a public health risk, said Tuesday it ordered the seizure of enclosed hospital beds made by Vail Products Inc. The FDA said it was aware of 30 people who became trapped in the beds, seven of whom died.
· CNN.com posted misleading graph showing poll results on Schiavo case. In presenting the results of a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, CNN.com used a visually distorted graph that falsely conveyed the impression that Democrats far outnumber Republicans and Independents in thinking the Florida state court was right to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube removed.
» Time Warner Settles Fraud Charges. Time Warner Inc., the world's largest media company, is paying $300 million to settle fraud charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission for overstating online advertising revenues and the number of its Internet subscribers.
· Jen's not so Jolie over pictures. Just as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are reportedly patching up their marriage, these newly released pictures of Brad and Angelina Jolie could see the former Friends star sending him packing again.
· Macaulay Culkin's Dad Goes to Bat for Jacko. Michael Jackson never acted inappropriately with Macaulay Culkin or any of his siblings. So says the Culkins' long-estranged dad, Kit, in a single-spaced, 40-page treatise I read yesterday.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Haughty [haugh·ty] adj. Condescending: behaving in a superior, condescending, or arrogant way. "He always seemed haughty in company meetings."
· New town being considered for the deaf. Plans are being debated this week for the creation of a new town with the usual amenities: hotels, a convention centre, retail shops and churches. But one thing will be different: Sign language will be the preferred way to communicate.
· Former Steeler dies while lifting weights. David Little, a durable linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 1990, died while weightlifting at home in Miami. He was 46.
· Nut strike cracks after 13 years. Striking workers at a walnut processing plant in California have voted to bring their 13-year walkout to an end. The 600 members of the Teamsters Local 601 union went on strike at the Diamond of California plant in September 1991 in a dispute over pay. They have now finally ratified a new five-year contract, clearing the way for their return to work. However, most of the workers have now found jobs elsewhere, and the union admits they are unlikely to return.
· This timepiece waits for no one - to get out of bed. A 25-year-old scientist at MIT's Media Lab, has come up with a gizmo she calls "Clocky" that's designed to get sleepyheads moving. When the snooze button is pressed, the clock rolls off the table and trundles to a hiding place where it lies in wait for 10 minutes before going off again. And every day it rolls to a different hiding place.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
· Trial Delayed In Teacher Sex Case. Former Florida middle school teacher Debra Lafave, who is accused of having an affair with one of her students appeared before a judge Tuesday morning.
· Update: Teen killer used police weapon and vest. The FBI said Tuesday that Jeff Weise, 16, killed his grandfather, Daryl Lussier, and his grandfather's girlfriend, Michelle Sigana, with a .22-caliber gun Monday before going to Red Lake Senior High School. Authorities believe Weise stole his grandfather's police-issued pistol and a shot gun as well as a bulletproof vest.
· Arrested for water delivery. St. Francis Catholic worker Lana Jacobs was arrested and handcuffed for trespassing. Jacobs tried to take a bottle of water into the hospice for Terri Schiavo.
· No fur flies over Pee Diddy’s coat. A lynx coat that was supposedly custom-made for the rap impresario by his own company, Sean John, recently went up for sale on eBay. No one bid for it.
· Update: Basketball's Greatest Shot? Here's the video for Blake Hoffarber buzzer-beater while lying on his back in the State Championship game. The shot sent the game into a second overtime - and helped the Royals win the title.
· Truck-sailing Cubans finally reach U.S. A Cuban family that twice tried to reach Florida with vehicles converted into boats has made it to Miami, this time coming overland via Mexico from Costa Rica, the family's lawyer said.
· New York holds off on tax refunds. The state is delaying tax refunds to 1.3 million New Yorkers who filed their tax returns early. "If the taxpayer owed taxes and was late, they would have to pay a fine," said state Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long.
· Letterman Plot Suspect Pleads Not Guilty. The man accused of plotting to kidnap talk-show host David Letterman's 16-month-old son and nanny and hold them for $5 million ransom has pleaded not guilty to all charges. According to court records, Frank told the acquaintance he had a key to Letterman's house and even knew where the child slept.
· Kournikova settles lawsuit against her parents. Anna Kournikova and her parents have settled their dispute regarding the ownership of a $5 million waterfront home in Miami Beach, the attorney for the tennis star's parents said. Sergei and Alla Kournikova sued their daughter in Miami-Dade Circuit Court last year, saying they wanted money for their share of the house that they alleged Anna Kournikova took over.
· Prince Rainier moved to intensive care. Prince Rainier III of Monaco, who was admitted to hospital two weeks ago with a chest infection, has been placed in the intensive care unit, the palace has announced.
· "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." A man wanted for a 2003 murder in Orlando who investigators thought they had last year when they shot and killed Marvin Williams in a case of mistaken identity was captured Tuesday by police in Baltimore.
· Host Pat O'Brien goes into rehab. What's the inside story on "Insider" host Pat O'Brien's decision to enter rehab Sunday? Hollywood sources suggest the timing was to defuse the release of several sexually explicit voice-mail messages, available on the Internet yesterday, soliciting sex froman unidentified woman.
The Face of Evil
· A neo-nazi 'angel of death.' Jeff Weise, the 17-year-old named in newspaper reports as the gunman in the Red Lake school shooting, may have been investigated last year in connection with a shooting threat to the school, according to posts made on a Nazi website.
· 'Oprah' buzz works no magic for Pontiac G6. In September, Oprah gave 276 members of her "Oprah Winfrey Show" audience a new Pontiac G6 - a move heralded in marketing circles for its wide reach and emotional impact. But industry researchers said the G6 - which has been on the market for six months - has been a flop, with nothing special to set it apart except, perhaps, the panoramic sunroof. And that's optional.
· Man Killed Playing Russian Roulette After Seeing It In Movie. Police say Jeremiah Overstreet, 27, was watching the movie "Man on Fire" with his girlfriend. After the scene in which Denzel Washington played Russian roulette with another character, deputies said, Overstreet put his own gun to his head knowing that there was one bullet inside the gun.
· Blake Speculates About Who Killed His Wife. In his first television appearance since being acquitted last week in the killing of his wife, actor Robert Blake said Tuesday he does not know who killed Bonny Lee Bakley but speculated it could have been "somebody whose father was taken for a ride."
· Judge Accused Of Using Sex Toy In Court Faces Hearing. A sex toy, graphic photos and even audiotapes could be in evidence as an Oklahoma judge faces charges that he masturbated on the bench while presiding over cases. Retired District Court Judge Donald Thompson, 58, could get as many as 10 years in prison on each of three counts of indecent exposure if convicted, and would be required to register as a sex offender.
· Snap on, snap off — celebrity choppers. Think of the snap-on smile as the white-enameled cousin to the press-on nail. The resin appliance, which fits snugly over existing teeth, goes for $1,000 to $3,000.
· Update: Librarian accuses Harvard of discrimination. A Harvard University librarian claims in a lawsuit that she has been rejected repeatedly for promotion because she is black and is perceived as just a “pretty girl” whose attire was too "sexy," because she often wore low-cut blouses and tight pants.
· Judge Refuses To Order Schiavo's Tube Reinserted. A federal judge on Tuesday refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, denying an emergency request from the brain-damaged woman's parents after President Bush and Congress acted on legislation allowing her case to be reviewed by federal courts.
» Pain of publicity intrudes the dying. 73-year-old Thomas Bone had incurable cancer, and didn't want to die alone. Unfortunately, he lived at the hospice where Terri Schiavo lives, so when nurses called out for his family the night he died, they could not reach him in time due to all the added security and metal detectors set up for Schiavo.
· Newspaper offers $1 million to say sorry. That's the message today to all NY Daily News readers who believed they had won our Scratch n' Match game on Saturday, and unfortunately had not.
· Personal Data of 59,000 People Stolen. Hackers gained personal information of 59,000 people affiliated with a California university - the latest in a string of high-profile cases of identity theft.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Innocuous [in·noc·u·ous] adj. 1. Having no ill or adverse effect; harmless. 2. Not likely to offend or provoke to strong emotion; insipid.
· Researchers discover wreckage of giant underwater aircraft carrier. The deep-diving scientists of the University of Hawaii have discovered another monster lurking in the waters off Oahu. "We thought it was rocks at first, it was so huge," said Pisces pilot Terry Kerby. "But the sides of it kept going up and up and up, three and four stories tall.
· Mud wrestler is mad as hell. The Camp Bucca flasher returned to her North Carolina home yesterday after being booted from the military for baring her breasts during a wild mud-wrestling party at the U.S. Army's main prison in Iraq.
· "Ban Solitaire!" says senator. Senator Austin Allran wants to erase all copies of Windows Solitaire from state-employees’ computers in his part of North Carolina - a move that some say would save taxpayers millions of dollars in lost productivity.
· Man Wins $1.9 Million Playing Penny Slot Machine. A Nebraska man got more than a penny for his thoughts when he won $1.9 million Monday while playing a video slot machine.
· Improbable basketball shot is still sinking in. It was an absurd shot. Taken out of desperation. With almost zero chance of going in. Yet Blake Hoffarber swished it, lying on his back on the three-point line late Saturday night at Target Center with his legs and arms up, looking a lot like an upside-down turtle.
· Sandra Bullock Says She No Longer Seeks 'Safe' Roles. The 40-year-old actress, best known for her roles in big-budget movies like action thriller "Speed" and the romantic comedies "Two Weeks Notice" and "While You Were Sleeping," has set her sights on riskier projects that could challenge her image as a box office darling.
Monday, March 21, 2005
· Minnesota Massacre: Student's rampage leaves 10 dead. A student on Monday killed two of his grandparents, then went on a shooting rampage at his Minnesota high school, killing seven people and wounding as many as 13 others before killing himself.
· Man Dies After Being Restrained on Flight. Prosecutors are investigating the death of a man who was subdued by several fellow airline passengers after he became disruptive on a New York-bound flight, a spokesman said Sunday.
· Thousands fume over game typo. Thousands thought they’d hit the jackpot. But it turns out it was a printing mistake. The error led thousands of people who’d played the Scratch N’ Match game in Saturday’s New York Daily News to mistakenly believe they’d won up to $100,000 in cash and prizes.
· Diva demands red carpet at 2am. As demands from divas go, Mariah Carey's latest must be among the most outrageous. When the singer's aides arrived at a London hotel at 2am yesterday to check preparations for her imminent arrival, they were dismayed to find the red carpet had not been rolled out.
· Coke to launch new no-calorie soda. The Coca-Cola Co. said Monday it will launch a no-calorie version of its trademark soft drink called Coca-Cola Zero in the United States in June. The drink will be sweetened partly with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium.
· Sheriff: Evidence slain girl was sexually abused. Jessica Marie Lunsford, the 9-year-old Florida girl whose body was found Saturday near her parents' home, was kidnapped from her bedroom, and there is evidence from a medical examiner that she was sexually assaulted, the Citrus County sheriff said Sunday night.
· Michael Jackson Arrives Late to Court, again. A feeble-looking Michael Jackson arrived late again Monday to his child molestation trial, walking slowly and stiffly into court, but the judge took no apparent action against the pop star.
· Jews excluded from capital cases. A former prosecutor's claim that he conspired with a judge to keep Jewish jurors off death penalty cases will be the focus of a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday. "It was standard practice to exclude Jewish jurors in death cases," according to the former prosecutor.
· Ask Jeeves sold for $1.85 billion. IAC/InterActiveCorp, Barry Diller’s internet conglomerate, on Monday agreed to buy search website Ask Jeeves, in a stock deal worth $1.85bn.
· Jackson Prosecutors May Wrap Up Evidence. Prosecutors in the Michael Jackson trial could finish presenting evidence about accusations that the singer molested a 15-year-old as early as this week, though they are waiting to see if evidence of alleged prior offenses also can be included.
· UK minister: Camilla can be queen. Camilla Parker Bowles can become queen after all, despite earlier statements by Prince Charles that she will take a lesser title after marrying him, the government has said.
· Update: DeLorean's dream of Belfast car empire. John DeLorean's story is one of overreaching ambition, greed and a touch of Hollywood-style glitz.
» A kid meets John Delorean. A variety of interesting stories meeting John Delorean. Look at "J.Z.D. Encounters" N. Jersey 1999, when a young fan visits Delorean's 400 acre estate, or the many photos of the car and manufacturing plant in Belfast.
» Delorean Documents. Thirty years of John Z. Delorean magazine covers, articles, DMC brochures, investment prospectus, and other documents of yesteryear.
· Kravitz helps Brazil hunger fight. Rocker Lenny Kravitz has given an electric guitar worth $5,000 to Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Kravitz donated the guitar to raise funds for the president's campaign to wipe out hunger in the country.
· Gap drops Jessica Parker. Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker is said to be less than impressed after being replaced as the face of Gap.
· Kidnap plot hero had kids at heart. The Montana man who blew the whistle on the David Letterman kidnap plot turned in his best buddy because he loves children, his father said last night.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Autonomous [au·ton·o·mous] adj. 1. Independent in mind or judgment; self-directed. 2. Not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent: "an autonomous judiciary."
· Cabaret singer Bobby Short dead at 80. Cabaret singer Bobby Short, the tuxedoed embodiment of New York style and sophistication who was a fixture at his piano in the Carlyle Hotel for more than 35 years, died Monday.
· Why your pet needs a toothbrush. Daily brushing is the single most important thing you can do to keep Buster's and Boots’ breath fresh and teeth tartar-free. More important, good dental hygiene contributes to your pet’s overall health and can even increase his life span.
· Update: Fake Lawyer Sentenced to 12 Years. A convicted felon who posed as a Newport Beach, CA lawyer and represented hundreds of clients has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Harold David Goldstein told the federal judge at his sentencing hearing Wednesday that he made sincere efforts to represent his clients despite his lack of a law license.
· 'Ring' Earns $36 Million to Win Box Office. Naomi Watts ran rings around the competition as her horror sequel "The Ring 2" took in $36 million to debut as the top weekend movie. The movie's take was more than double the $15 million that the original surprise horror hit grossed at its 2002 opening. "Robots," the previous weekend's No. 1 movie, slipped to second place with $21.8 million, lifting its 10-day total to $66.9 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
· Fashion Takes a Vow of Chastity. Underwear. It can say "I'm sexy." It can say "I'm confident." But can it say "I'm waiting for marriage?" That's what Yvette Thomas is banking on. Her growing line of clothing, WaitWear, plasters slogans like "Virginity Lane: Exit When Married" and "Notice: No Trespassing On This Property. My Father Is Watching" on underwear and T-shirts, and is meant to inspire young people to abstain from sex until they tie the knot.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
· John DeLorean Dies at 80. John Z. DeLorean, the innovative automaker who left a promising career in Detroit to develop the stainless steel-skinned, gull-winged sports car bearing his name has died. DeLorean, whose namesake car was turned into a time machine in the "Back to the Future" movies, was among just a handful of U.S. entrepreneurs who dared start a car company in the last 75 years.
· Shocker: Man electrocuted stealing copper wire. A man trying to steal copper wire from an Alabama power facility transformer died of electric shock when he grabbed a 44,000 volt line Friday night, authorities said.
· Barry Bonds' ex-girlfriend testifies he used steroids. Barry Bonds' ex-girlfriend told a grand jury in San Francisco last week the Giants outfielder confided to her in 2000 that he began using steroids, two sources told the Chronicle for Sunday's editions.
· Canadian medical: Apologizes to dead for poor health care. A letter from the Moncton Hospital to a New Brunswick heart patient in need of an electrocardiogram said the appointment would be in three months. It added: "If the person named on this computer-generated letter is deceased, please accept our sincere apologies."
· Legislative Oops allows you to serve booze at parties to anyone, regardless of age. Current Virginia law allows people who hold parties in their own homes to serve booze to anyone, regardless of age. The Governor has through March 27 to veto, amend or sign the legislation.
· Letterman is lucky, says suspect's ex. The suspect in the David Letterman kidnap case is a "very scary man" fully capable of snatching a defenseless baby, the ex-con's former girlfriend said yesterday. Letterman is extremely lucky," the woman told the Daily News. "This could have turned out much worse."
» Letterman's private world. For Letterman, privacy is nirvana - an irony, given his occupation - and he has spent the past 23 years carefully, some would say obsessively, building a wall between himself and the rest of the world. And those who know him say the horror - and relief - of the past week will serve to raise that wall higher.
· Ex-Child Star Schroder Avoids Pitfalls. He did his first commercial when he was 5 and made his starring movie debut — in "The Champ" — just two years later. Then he got richer by playing a rich kid in the TV series "Silver Spoons." Today, says Rick (not Ricky) Schroder, "I can't really remember not being famous."
Word of The Day by WordThink
Placate [pla·cate] tr.v. To make somebody less angry, upset, or hostile, usually by doing or saying things to please him or her; appease.
· FCC Exonerates CNN in F-Word Incident. Federal regulators on Friday rejected indecency complaints about CNN’s live telecast of the Democratic National Convention last summer that featured swearing by a support staffer when balloons failed to drop as expected.
Corporation.
