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January 2004 [Some Source Links May Unexpectedly Drop] Return to TabloidColumn.com

Thursday, January 29, 2004

· Key Prosecution Testimony in Stewart Case Delayed.  A federal judge placed a roadblock in the government's case against Martha Stewart on Thursday, delaying the testimony of its star witness and chastising prosecutors for withholding information that might undermine the witness' credibility. 

· Robin Givens Critically Injures Pedestrian.  Actress Robin Givens struck and critically injured an 89-year-old pedestrian in a crosswalk, police said Thursday. 

· Hormel finds calculator parts in chili.  Hormel Foods Corp. recalled about 104,000 pounds of canned chili with meat that may contain plastic and other material from a calculator. 

· Tony Randall Recuperating From Pneumonia.  Tony Randall is recuperating from pneumonia following bypass surgery. 

· Preschooler Tests Positive For Cocaine.  Police in Troy, NY want to know why a 4-year-old girl tested positive for cocaine. 

· Singer Marc Anthony, Wife Split.  Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres wants a divorce from Latin music singer Marc Anthony, according to court documents. 

· Pixar dumps Di$ney.  Pixar Animation Studios Inc. - who created "Toy Story", "Monsters Inc." and "Finding Nemo" - said it ended talks with Walt Disney Co. to extend a five-picture deal for Disney to distribute Pixar films. 

· Traffic laws not as strict for the sheriff.  At 2:30 a.m. the sheriff was pulled over for going 57 mph in a 35 mph zone.  The officer noted bloodshot eyes and asked the sheriff to take a sobriety test.  The sheriff refused.  It turns out not to be a problem. 

· Brazil To Deport American Who Threw Water At Crying Baby.  A drunken American who splashed a cup of water in the face of a crying baby during a flight to Brazil will be deported, the federal police said Thursday. 

· Strippers Flock To Houston, Hope For Super Bowl Business.  Not everyone flocking to Houston is a football fan. Some are strippers hoping to make big bucks off Super Bowl visitors. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Ominous [om·i·nous] adj.  Menacing; threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous scream prior to the shooting. 

· Fla. Teen Called Weakling; Saves Man From Pond.  A high school freshman who walked out of a weightlifting session after being called a weakling became a hero minutes later when he saved an elderly man who had driven into a pond. 

· Garfunkel Fights Pot Charges.  Folk-rock legend Art Garfunkel apparently is contesting a marijuana possession charge he faces in upstate New York. 

· Man Hits Cyclist, Drives On With Body In Car.  A man who struck a bicyclist and drove for 13 miles before dumping the teen by the road was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder. 

· Jerry Lee Lewis Divorce Case File Sealed.  A Mississippi judge has sealed the case file on divorce proceedings involving rock 'n' roll star Jerry Lee Lewis and his estranged wife. 

· Ala. Man, Daughter Charged With Incest.  Authorities have charged a Franklin County man and his daughter with incest - and a similar charge against a second daughter has been dismissed. 

· Driver: "Diddy Shooting Ruined My Life."  A limo driver says he has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and has been in constant fear for his life ever since he helped Jennifer Lopez and Sean "Pee Diddy" Combs flee a shooting at Club New York. 

· Paris Hilton joins seal hunt protest.  Opponents of Canada's seal hunt have recruited reality-TV star Paris Hilton to urge Americans to cancel trips to Canada. 

· Church Settles Lawsuit With Children Fathered By Priest.  The Boston Archdiocese settled a wrongful death lawsuit against a priest who admitted fleeing when a woman he fathered two children with overdosed, one of the more notorious cases of clergy misconduct that led to Cardinal Bernard Law's resignation. 

· Kidman, Penn, expected to film at United Nations.  Between speeches on Iraq, Afghanistan or the Middle East, the United Nations probably will allow director Sydney Pollack to make a feature film on its premises. 

· Judge insults rape victim.  Judge Gene Stephenson shocked a rape victim and prosecutors when he looked over the victim's photo in court and said, "Why would he want to rape her?" 

· Wall Street bonanza hopes fade as Google delays IPO.  Google is to put its keenly awaited multibillion-dollar public offering on the back burner, dashing hopes of a bonanza on Wall Street. 

· Telemarketers now must show up on Caller ID.  Starting today, if you have Caller ID you'll know when a telemarketer is trying to reach you. That's when Federal Trade Commission regulations kick in requiring telemarketing firms to identify themselves. 

· Boston Mayor's Snow Job.  Even though there was hardly a snowflake, a last-minute 'snow emergency' was called by Boston Mayor Curtatone that resulted in 3,000 cars being ticketed, and another 200 towed - a $180,000 windfall for the city's coffers. 

· Man to use some Lotto winnings to buy racy headstone.  His headstone will read, "Been there, done that" and show "a champagne glass, a royal flush, a slot machine, a nude woman facing backwards and a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse." 

· Singer James Brown Is Released From Jail.  Soul singer James Brown was released without bail Thursday morning as he was arraigned on charges of criminal domestic violence. 

· Suicidal Idiot's Excuse.  A Manhattan lawyer whose catastrophically botched suicide-by-stove attempt blew up three floors of Stuyvesant Town told a judge yesterday he had no idea gas could explode. 

· Film Studio Suits Claim 'Screener' Leaks.  Two major movie studios sued an actor and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who allegedly leaked "screener" copies of movies that were then reproduced and distributed on the Internet. 

· Dog Issued Credit Card.  A pug in Northern California would have purchased his doggie treats with plastic after being issued a credit card by mail. 

· Michael Moore prepares provocative 9-11 project.  Wacky Moore is at it again with another self-serving documentary. 

· Someone Steals Statue of Yoda.  A thief lifted a 170-pound bronze statue of Yoda, the "Star Wars" Jedi master. 

· Broker's Assistant to Provide Key Testimony Against Martha Stewart.  The star witness against Martha Stewart is expected to testify as soon as today that his stock broker supervisor ordered him to pass a secret trading tip to the lifestyle trendsetter. 

· Article alleges Jackson hid wine in cans.  Michael Jackson gave wine to the 13-year-old cancer patient at the center of the molestation charges he's battling but concealed it inside a Coke can, according to an article in the March issue of Vanity Fair. 

· Mike Rowe Sells Out Again.  The British Columbia teenager who gave up his website to Microsoft recently, is now selling the Microsoft paperwork on eBay. 

· Cereal Launches Whodunit to Lure Kids.  These days, it takes more than a hidden prize to get a kids attention.  In one of its most in-depth campaigns targeting youth, No.1 U.S. breakfast cereal maker Kellogg Co changed the shape of Apple Jacks cereal in a whodunit mystery beginning this week. 

· Rachel Hunter's $1.8 Million Playboy Deal.  Model Rachel Hunter has posed topless for Playboy magazine, after being offered a staggering $1.8 million to strip. 

· Work Out Without Leaving The Couch.  Here's a sign of how lazy some Americans have become: A group of physical therapists have developed a workout specifically for couch potatoes. 

· Book Reveals Sordid Details of Kobe Rape Case.  A book about the Kobe Bryant rape case — the first so far — will likely create a firestorm of controversy when it's handed out at the next Bryant hearing on Monday. 

· Man convicted of exposure.  A Davenport man on trial for three charges of indecent exposure tried to defend himself by having his wife testify that he is not well-endowed enough for a female postal worker to have seen his penis from about 35 feet away. 

· Disgusting Presidential Secrets Revealed.  History teachers never would have told you these things, but writer Cormac O'Brien will. He's the author of "Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents" 

· Bowflex Machines Recalled Over Safety.  Hundreds of thousands of popular Bowflex fitness machines are being recalled because of safety problems that have resulted in more than 70 injuries. 

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

· James Brown arrested on domestic violence charges.  Brown was arrested today on a domestic violence charge and faces a bond hearing later this afternoon in a South Carolina courtroom. 

· Judge: R. Kelly Can Go To Grammys, But Avoid Michael Jackson.  A judge in Chicago has given singing star R. Kelly permission to travel to Los Angeles to attend next month's Grammy Awards - but he can't associate with Michael Jackson. 

· Defibrillator Spark Sets Patient On Fire.  It wasn't what a Connecticut paramedic had in mind when he tried to use a defibrillator to restart a woman's heart. 

· Prosecutor: Martha Stewart Lied About Stock Sale.  Martha Stewart lied to cover up evidence of a suspicious stock sale after she received an inside tip from her broker, prosecutors argued, but the defense said the case was based on speculation and guesswork, as the trial of the lifestyle trendsetter started in earnest. 

     » Legal team admits she 'might' have had inside information.  Martha Stewart's legal team served up a surprise dish yesterday: She now admits she might have received an alleged insider stock tip, after all. 

· New Haven man guilty in kidnap of billionaire.  A 24-year-old former Marine pleaded guilty in the abduction of one of the richest men in America, a kidnapping that fell to pieces despite months of preparation. 

· Inventor of ctrl-alt-delete is logging off.  The man who invented the most dreaded keystroke in history is retiring.  David Bradley, inventor of the control-alt-delete key combination, is leaving IBM Corp. after nearly 30 years at the computing powerhouse. 

· Girl 'sees' broken bones.  Russian Natasha Demkina, 17, has stunned doctors in her home country with her ability to see medical conditions inside people.  The young girl flew 1,500 miles to London to demonstrate her extraordinary powers. 

· Court Date Set for Madonna, Ritchie Case.  A lawsuit alleging that Madonna and her husband, director Guy Ritchie, stole the idea for the 2002 film remake of "Swept Away." 

· KRON-TV fined $27,500 for indecent exposure.  The Federal Communications Commission fined the owners of Bay Area television station KRON $27,500 Tuesday for broadcasting a live news segment in which a performer from a stage show flashed his genitals. 

· The boy who won't grow up turns 100.  Peter Pan has outlived generations of children, but the boy who would not grow up remains as youthful as ever.  

· Prediction:  Bin Laden in custody by Christmas.  The-led coalition in Afghanistan is confident of capturing al-Qaeda terror network chief Osama bin Laden, who has long eluded determined efforts to catch him, by the end of the year, a US military spokesman said today. 

· Dennis Miller Debut Draws Ratings Gain for CNBC.  The premiere of "Dennis Miller," with guest appearances by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a chimpanzee named Elle, drew 746,000 viewers, more than four times the average audience. 

· Fox thinks small.  The wacky short-run series will have 12 female 'little people' contestants competing for the affections of a 4-foot-5 bachelor. 

· Despite recent DUI, Wynonna Judd still demands booze on tour.  She may have copped last month to a drunk driving rap, but that hasn't stopped Wynonna Judd from demanding that promoters provide her with wine and beer during her current concert tour.  [Concert Rider - List of required items while on tour]. 

· Man Charged With Fatally Running Down Robber.  A man who fatally ran down a fleeing robber in his Ford Explorer moments after being held at gunpoint was charged with manslaughter. 

· Bank barking up the wrong tree.  Every dog has its day, and Clifford's time came this month when he got his first credit card in the mail.  The 2 1/2-year-old pug received a Chase Manhattan Bank Platinum Mastercard with a spending limit of $1,500. 

· Campaign loan illegal - 'fantastic,' says governor.  A $4.5 million bank loan Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used to finance his own campaign is illegal, according to a Superior Court judge, but the Republican governor said Tuesday the decision was "fantastic" in a statement that contradicted his position in court. 

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. 

· Customer suing over Shoney's soup gets just $407.  A customer who sued a Shoney's restaurant for serving him the wrong soup can't blame the restaurant chain for his nightmares over the incident, a jury decided. 

· Dionne Warwick Defends Michael Jackson.  Singer Dionne Warwick has defended Michael Jackson, calling his child molestation case a "complete injustice." 

· 10 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Fired.  In this list of "10 Sure-fire Ways to Get Fired," you will find what NOT to do if you want to keep your new job. 

· Mom Has Her Car Stolen - Twice.  A single mom was grateful when police recovered her stolen car. But just hours later another crook stole it again. 

· Apple to build second supercomputer.  Apple and Virginia Tech surprised the supercomputing world last year by clustering 1,100 Apple G5s that performed 10.3 trillion operations per second.  Now they will use Apple's new 64-bit Xserve G5 computer. 

· 'Mydoom' E-Mail Worm Spreading Fast.  Network administrators were working to stop a fast-spreading e-mail worm that looks like a normal error message but actually contains a malicious program that spreads itself and installs a program that leaves an open door to infected computers. 

· Agency to Offer Free Cyber Alerts.  Aiming to increase Internet security, the government is now offering Americans free cyber alerts and computer advice from the Homeland Security Department. 

· Faith Evans, Husband Face Drug Charges.  R&B singer Faith Evans and her husband, record executive Todd Russaw, were arrested on drug possession charges. 

· High School Student Steals School Bus.  An 18-year-old high school student was arrested after authorities say he stole a school bus and drove erratically before being found asleep inside the vehicle. 

· Strike Two:  NASA Says Second Mars Rover Experiencing Problems.  As NASA scientists pored over striking new photos from Mars revealing finely layered formations of ancient bedrock, engineers labored on Tuesday to diagnose problems with two robotic rovers on opposite sides of the Red Planet. 

· Group insists Washington not first U.S. prez.  The title of "first president" has always belonged to Washington, but in the southeastern Connecticut city of Norwich, there's a mounting effort to rewrite history with Samuel Huntington as the first president. 

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

· 'Tonight Show' pioneer Jack Paar dead at 85.  Jack Paar, pioneered late-night talk on "The Tonight Show," then told his viewers farewell when still in his prime. 

· Comic actor Lewis leaves hospital, sheds 50 pounds.  Actor and comedian Jerry Lewis has left the hospital after a three-month stay to wean himself off doctor-prescribed steroids. 

· 'Rings' Receives 11 Oscar Nominations.  With hardly a breath after the Golden Globes, the Academy Awards announces their Oscar nominations. 

     » Complete List of Oscar Nominations.  Complete list of the 76th annual Oscar nominations announced Tuesday in Beverly Hills, Calif., by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

· oops!  Radio Station Rapped for Muslim Terror Jibe.  A Canadian radio station was reprimanded on Tuesday for saying Muslims only traveled to the holy city of Mecca because they wanted to fund suicide attacks such as the one that hit New York. 

· N.J. Co. Offers Slices of Elvis Recording.  A New Jersey company is offering Elvis Presley fans a chance to buy what it says is a slice of history. And it really means a slice - 2-inch snips of a tape reel featuring some of the King's earliest recordings. 

· Tourist Reports Marijuana Stolen.  A New York tourist visiting Key West, FL called police to report that several items were stolen from his hotel room, including some high quality Bahamian marijuana. 

· Food critic threatened with legal action.  One of London's best-known restaurants - popular with MPs and acclaimed by the Michelin guide - is taking the unprecedented step of threatening to sue a restaurant critic for libel. 

· Kentucky Fried Fish?  The bird flu rampaging across Asia, killing chickens and humans alike, is starting to take the C out of KFC. 

· Prosecutors to Launch Attack on Stewart Today.  U.S. prosecutors will launch their long awaited attack against Martha Stewart on Tuesday, saying she lied to investigators about a suspicious stock trade, fearing it could ruin her reputation and the lifestyle empire she had built. 

· Singer Courtney Love's Hearing Postponed.  A court hearing for singer/actress Courtney Love, who faces two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, was postponed Tuesday after the judge said "additional investigation" was needed. 

· Nicole Kidman exposes her 'globe.'  Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman had to make a dramatic backstage dash at Sunday night's Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, when her gown slipped, nearly exposing one of her breasts. 

     » Nicole a Fashion No-No at Golden Globes.  Nicole Kidman committed nine no-nos when she stepped out on the red carpet wearing that ridiculous looking flapper dress. 

· "Gigli" leads nominations for worst picture awards.  The 2003 film "Gigli," starring Hollywood actress and singer Jennifer Lopez and her just-split boyfriend Ben Affleck, led the nominations for the Razzies worst picture awards. 

· Barbra Streisand Reading 'Fockers' Script.  Barbra Streisand is reading the script for "Meet the Fockers," the sequel to 2000's "Meet the Parents," her husband, James Brolin said. 

· Britney, Beyonce, Pink Star in Pepsi Ad.  There were pop stars, cameras and lights, but the excitement wasn't for a movie premiere, it was the world debut of a Pepsi commercial - starring Britney Spears, Beyonce Knowles and Pink. 

· Howard Dean's Deli Debt.  200 brown bag specials...with turkey, roast beef, ham and veggie sandwiches ordered and delivered to the Dean campaign's Iowa headquarters. The total check...$963.01.  The total payment... nothing. 

· Al Franken knocks down Dean heckler.  Wise-cracking funnyman Al Franken yesterday body-slammed a demonstrator to the ground after the man tried to shout down Gov. Howard Dean. 

· Super Bowl a Blitz on Work Force.  This year's Super Bowl could end up costing employers $821 million in lost wages next week as their workers goof off on company time to chat about the big game, researchers say. 

· Clinton's Gift to Internet Age - Only 2 E-Mails.  The archives of the Bill Clinton presidential library will contain 39,999,998 e-mails by the former president's staff and two by the man himself. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Innocuous [in·noc·u·ous] adj.  1. Having no adverse effect; harmless.  2. Not likely to offend or provoke to strong emotion; insipid.  [the seemingly innocuous e-mail actually contained a malicious virus]. 

· Teenager's Conservative Club Causes Uproar.  Tim Bueler started the Conservative Club to balance what he calls the liberal bias in his San Fransisco-area public school, but when some schoolmates found his views offensive and threatened to beat him up, the 17-year-old claims the principal and teachers turned the other way. 

· Landmine-detecting plant developed by Danish researchers.  Danish researchers said they have produced a plant that can help detect hidden landmines by changing its colour from green to red when its roots come in contact with explosives. 

· Google a Step Closer to Offering.  Google has cleared one of the last remaining hurdles to sell shares to the public, receiving a clean bill of health in a company-paid audit. 

· Comedian George Carlin on Not being liberal.  "First of all, I'm not liberal," Carlin said. "I'm just about (being) anti-United States. I don't like the way this country operates. I think we've ruined this place," Carlin concluded.  

· Latest E-Mail Worm Spreading Fast.  A malicious program attached to seemingly innocuous e-mails was spreading quickly over the Internet on Monday, clogging network traffic and potentially leaving hackers an open door to infected personal computers. 

· Woman Charged With Murder After Dirty Dish Fight.  A woman shot her roommate to death less than 24 hours after calling police during an argument between the two over dirty dishes, officials said. 

Monday, January 26, 2004

· Barbara Walters to leave ABC's 20/20.  After 25 years as co-host and chief correspondent of ABC News' 20/20, the broadcast legend will leave that role in September. 

· Robert Redford meets with Castro in Cuba.  Cuban President Fidel Castro, who has charmed some of Hollywood's biggest names, paid a call on actor Robert Redford at his Havana hotel. 

· Prime-Time 'Millionaire' Returning to ABC.  Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," the most successful game show in the history of prime-time television until ABC burned through its popularity by overexposing it, will return next month, complete with Regis Philbin, the hot seat, the lifelines, and the big cash prizes. 

· Pope hosts break-dance performance.  In an unusual spectacle at the Vatican, Pope John Paul II presided Sunday over a performance of break-dancers who leaped, flipped and spun their bodies to beats from a tinny boom box. 

· The worst cars of all time.  A look at the lemons before the automaking revolution. 

· New $850,000 Motor Home Can Cruise On Land Or Water.  The propellers on the back of the Terra Wind are the first clue that it's not a typical RV. 

· Man Dies After Going Over Cliff On Snowboard.  A man rode a snowboard over a cliff in a closed area near the Crystal Mountain ski resort and died when he fell 80 to 100 feet, Pierce County Washington sheriff's deputies said.  

· $500,000 Worth Of Drugs Missing From Evidence Room.  The Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Daytona Beach, FL has launched an investigation after discovering about $500,000 worth of cocaine and marijuana missing from the agency's evidence compound. 

· Winner of nation's biggest lottery jackpot arrested on drunken driving charge.  Jack Whittaker, who hit the $314.9 million Powerball jackpot on Christmas 2002, was charged Sunday with drunk driving - just weeks after being charged with trying to assault a bar manager. 

· Jury Selection Begins in 'Pee' Diddy Case.  Jury selection was to begin Monday in a court case against rap mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, whose former chauffeur contends Combs and a bodyguard forced him to speed away from the scene of a 1999 nightclub shooting. 

· Hidden Camera Found In Girls' Locker Room.  Police and school officials are trying to find out who hid a video camera inside a girls' swim team locker room. 

· First cousins want right to marry; science agrees.  Many U.S. states ban the unions based on the long-held notion that cousin marriages are "inbreeding" that produces defective offspring. 

     » Man sentenced for marrying his 15-year-old cousin.  A member of Utah's polygamous Kingston clan was sentenced Monday to a year in prison for taking a 15-year-old cousin - who was also his aunt - as his wife. 

· Man finds, returns $12,000.  A maintenance worker at a Nassau County mall stumbled upon more than $12,000 in cash forgotten by a Brinks employee refilling an ATM. 

· Man Jailed For Days Over Face Mask On Cold Day.  An obscure Georgia state statute says, "it is a misdemeanor for any person to wear a mask, hood or device by which any portion of the face is so hidden." 

· Jury Picked for Stewart Stock Fraud Trial.  A jury of eight women and four men was chosen Monday to hear Martha Stewart's stock fraud trial. Lawyers for the government and defense were expected to present their opening statements tomorrow. 

· Kutcher takes U.S. box office top spot.  The Butterfly Effect, Ashton Kutcher's bid to escape his pretty-boy tag, shot to the top of the American box office this weekend. 

· Rings, Translation Win Golden Globes.  The intimate held its own against the epic at Sunday's Golden Globes, as the big, thunderous "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" collected a leading four trophies while the small, poignant "Lost in Translation" got three. 

     » List of Golden Globes Winners.  Complete list of winners at the Hollywood Foreign Press' Golden Globe Awards. 

· 'Gigli' Receives 9 Razzie Nominations.  Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's real-life romance crashed and burned. Now, the two are front-runners for worst on-screen love affair. 

· Police Investigate 12-Year-Old Prostitutes Working For Teenage Pimps.  San Diego police are investigating a prostitution ring in which girls as young as 12 are working. 

· Queen Mary 2 Completes Maiden Voyage in Florida.  The Queen Mary 2, the world's largest and most expensive passenger ship, completed its maiden voyage to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

· Mayor offers Atkins widow low-carb mea culpa.  Mayor Michael Bloomberg, embroiled in a battle over remarks he made about diet guru Dr. Robert Atkins, offered his widow a low-carb mea culpa Saturday - an invitation to a steak dinner. 

· Queen to give knighthood to Bill Gates.  Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and the world's wealthiest man, is to receive an honorary knighthood for "services to global enterprise." 

· Cocaine Found in Tropical Fish Cargo.  U.S. customs officials seized $300,000 worth of liquid cocaine disguised as water in a shipment of live tropical fish from Colombia. 

· Texas Church Cards People Who Patronize Adult Stores.  A pastor photographs vehicle license plates and mails the pictures to customers' homes in an effort to get rid of adult stores. 

· Couple lose their home over $120 debt.  A retired couple's dispute with their homeowners association has spiraled out of control in this Calaveras County community - and now they have lost their home less than a year after failing to pay $120 in annual dues. 

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]. 

· Dennis Miller introduces new show on CNBC tonight.  Dennis Miller has usually been happy to spray his acerbic wit across the political spectrum, but things will be different on his new CNBC talk program. President Bush is in a mock-free zone. 

· Disgruntled Customer Pummels McDonald's Manager With Shakes.  A disgruntled McDonald's customer in New Jersey was arrested after throwing a fit - and two milkshakes - because her order took too long. 

· Florida Pastor Charged With Stealing Church Donations.  A pastor has been arrested on charges he stole more than $50,000 in church donations. 

Sunday, January 25, 2004

· Company unveils new 'Howling Howard' doll.  A Connecticut company that specializes in celebrity action figures has just unveiled a howling Howard Dean doll for 36 bucks. 

· Keystone Cops:  Woman passes airport security with stun gun, knife.  A woman passed through security screening at New York's LaGuardia Airport with a stun gun and knife in her purse - but later discovered the mistake herself and alerted authorities. 

· Police Return $1,000 Bill to Trucker.  A man's treasured $1,000 bill was returned by police who swapped it for more common currency at the mayor's request after the trucker was arrested for 'sleeping off a few drinks' in his truck parked on his own lot. 

· Pepsi's Super Bowl ad to feature teens sued by record companies.  Some 20 teen music downloaders nailed by RIAA lawyers will be featured in Pepsi's Super Bowl ads. 

· Cell Phones That Kill.  A mobile phone that masquerades as a gun may sound like a device concocted for 007, but it's the latest hidden weaponry to show up on the radar of law-enforcement folks. 

· Clerk charged in lottery dispute.  A convenience store clerk has been charged with larceny for allegedly snatching a winning $20,000 lottery ticket from a customer's hand and giving her only $100. 

· High-Tech Thriller Wins Sundance Prize.  The high-tech thriller "Primer," about two get-rich-quick inventors whose time-travel device complicates their lives, won the top dramatic honor at the Sundance Film Festival. 

· London student to sell her virginity on the internet.  A student is so hard up for cash, she has decided to make the ultimate sacrifice... she is selling her virginity to the highest bidder. 

     » The power of the ring thing.  An abstinence movement is flourishing in America, with many teens exchanging $12 for a silver ring and a bible. The ring is a symbol of the pledge that they will have made: to remain sexually pure until marriage. 

· Britney Gives Madonna French Career Award.  Madonna made a brief appearance at a French music awards show this weekend, accepting a career award from Britney Spears and thanking France's fans for two decades of support. 

· Study Links Some Hair Dyes to Kind of Cancer.  A study of more than 1,300 women in Connecticut shows that those who began coloring their hair before 1980 increased their chance of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by 40 percent. 

· Blockbuster Sued for Porn on PG Tape.  A couple who says their 4-year-old daughter saw hard-core pornography on a PG-rated movie tape from Blockbuster has sued the video company. 

· Woman Surprised With A Pearl In Her Oyster Sandwich.  A Meridian, Mississippi woman found a surprise this week in her oyster Po-Boy sandwich. Nestled in the bun was a pearl. 

· Teen Witness Shot to Death.  Police said a 14-year-old girl was shot to death and her friend wounded after being targeted because their assailant thought the slain girl had witnessed a killing the day before. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Diminutive [di·min·u·tive] adj.  Extremely small in size; tiny. A very small person or thing [a diminutive report]. 

· Part of Columbia Astronaut's Diary Found.  Sections of a diary belonging to one of the seven astronauts killed last year when the space shuttle Columbia broke apart over Texas were found a few months ago and returned to his family. 

· Ex-Anna Nicole Smith Boyfriend Sentenced.  An ex-boyfriend of Anna Nicole Smith was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for making criminal threats against the former Playboy Playmate and attacking her neighbor, officials said. 

Saturday, January 24, 2004

· 'Friends' Scoop:  Last show provides a twist.  Filmed in secrecy, tabloid leaks reveal parents Rachel and Ross (Aniston and Schwimmer) reuniting - and husband and wife Monica (Cox Arquette) and Chandler (Perry) becoming parents of twins. 

· Mayor Bloomberg tells Mrs. Atkins to 'lighten up.'  A visibly shaken Veronica Atkins appeared on national television to castigate the mayor for callously attacking her late husband earlier this week as "fat" and questioning how he died. 

· Man dies after win on lottery TV show.  The $57,000 winner of this week's "Hoosier Millionaire" game show died after being hit by a pickup truck just hours after taping the show. 

· Hollywood Investigator Gets 30-Month Term in Weapons Case.  The private Hollywood investigator and central figure in a federal wiretapping investigation, Anthony Pellicano, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on an unrelated weapons charge. 

· Microsoft settles with teen over Web site.  The 17-year-old Canadian teenager who caught the attention of Microsoft's lawyers by registering www.mikerowesoft.com, has agreed to give up his Web site in exchange from some perks from the world's largest software maker. 

· Jackson documents include previous allegation.  The judge in Michael Jackson's child-molestation case ordered documents relating to a search of the singer's Neverland ranch sealed Friday, in part because they include information about another child's allegation of abuse.  

· Hospital released Bryant accuser's records.  Medical records not directly related to a sexual assault charge leveled by a 19-year-old woman against NBA star Kobe Bryant were given by mistake to his attorneys, it was revealed Friday in a Colorado courtroom. 

· Couple Accused Of Broadcasting Young Daughter's Sex Acts On Internet.  A central Texas couple is in jail, accused of forcing their 10-year-old daughter to perform sexual acts. Those acts were then allegedly shown on the internet. 

· Bill Gates Says Make Spammers Pay.  If the e-mail turns out to be from a long-lost relative, for example, the recipient would charge nothing. But if it is unwanted spam, the sender would have to fork over the cash. 

· Ozzy thanks his doctor with huge check.  Grateful rocker Ozzy Osbourne hands a £50,000 “thank you” to one of the doctors who saved his life. 

· David Duke Mulls Run for Congress After Prison.  Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, in federal prison after pleading guilty to mail and tax fraud, is considering a run for Congress when he is released this year, his secretary said. 

· The Mac turns 20.  Its dedicated users are so passionate they're often described as religious about their love for the machine. 

· Photo Leads To Indecent Exposure Arrest.  Police arrested a man for indecent exposure after he left a photo of his genitals - and his phone number - on a motel vending machine. 

· Deaf-mute shot dead waiting for bus.  A Brooklyn man unable to hear or speak since birth was gunned down yesterday as he waited for a bus, his killers leaving behind $10 in the man's pocket and three bullets in his torso. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Temporal [tem·po·ral] adj.  Relating to, or limited by time. Lasting only for a time; not eternal.  Also: fleeting, passing, momentary, temporary, transient, short-lived. 

· Oldest U.S. bank robber gets 12 years.  The oldest bank robber in the United States, 92-year-old J.L. Hunter Rountree, has been sentenced to over 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to robbing $1,999 from a Texas bank last August. 

· French Fire-Fighters Recruited Teenage Arsonists.  Part time fire-fighters in a small northern French town are suspected of asking local teenagers to set fires as a way to get more pay. 

· Sex Education in School - Brought to you by Amherst, Mass.  The 'Berkeley East' school board and superintendent approved a student request to stage The Vagina Monologues -a collection of readings on such topics as homosexuality, rape and various parts of the female anatomy. 

Friday, January 23, 2004

· Scott Peterson Trial Postponed.  The Scott Peterson murder trial was postponed for at least a week while a new judge is appointed and the case is transferred to the San Francisco Bay area. 

· Bob Keeshan, 'Captain Kangaroo', dies at age 76.  Bob Keeshan, the friendly face of Captain Kangaroo, has died at the age of 76. He died in his Vermont home. 

· Joe Pesci's Horse to Make Stakes Debut.  Joe Pesci has garnered only one Academy Award as an actor. But he has already won two races as a horse owner. 

· Chasing Elk Part of Airport Manager's Job.  Gary Cox jumps into his pickup and rushes along the runway, honking his horn to scare the elk out of the path of incoming planes. 

· Corrupt Chicago politics raises its ugly head again?  Chicago Mayor Daley's administration spends nearly $40 million a year hiring hundreds of trucks - primarily dump trucks - that often do little or no work, according to a Sun-Times investigation. 

· Kobe Bryant Hearing to Discuss Evidence Today.  Key evidence for basketball superstar Kobe Bryant's defense against sexual assault allegations - the medical history of his accuser - may never be known to the public. 

· NBC Pulls 'Friends' 'Best Comedy Ever' Ad.  NBC promised not to rerun a promo using that phrase to refer to the show, which will go off the air after 10 years.  "They were just trying to hype it and went overboard," an NBC spokeswoman said. 

· Julia Roberts Not Such A Pretty Woman.  According to the upcoming biography, "Julia: Her Life," Sutherland once complained to a friend that Roberts "bites her nails to the quick," has "tiny breasts and no butt," and was an "ice princess" in bed. 

· "Sucker Bet" Could Earn Man $10,000.  Last summer, while visiting Las Vegas, a man's sister-in-law placed a $100 bet for him that the Panthers would win the Super Bowl. Before the 2003 season started, the odds that Carolina would become NFL champions came in at 100-to-1. 

· Lawmaker sends sexually graphic email to government workers.  The president of the Louisiana Senate has asked for an investigation into whether the Senate's top administrator intentionally sent an e-mail containing graphic sexual images and jokes to government workers. 

· Houston Gets Mixed Reviews.  An article in The Wall Street Journal called Houston, Texas a patchwork of strip malls, car lots and topless clubs.  

· Student Pilot Crashes Into N.M. Jail.  A student pilot practicing takeoffs and landings in a small plane crashed through the roof of a police station, forcing the evacuation of 10 inmates. 

· Car falls four stories from garage; two die.  An elderly couple died Thursday afternoon when their car crashed through a parking garage wall in downtown Las Vegas and plunged four stories to the ground. 

· Prosecutors Decline Limbaugh Offer.  Prosecutors rejected a proposed deal offered by Rush Limbaugh's attorney that would have seen the radio commentator enter a court-sponsored drug intervention program rather than face charges. 

· Maryland Residents Shoot, Kill 2nd Alleged Intruder This Week.  Police say a 70-year-old man shot and killed a suspect who allegedly broke into his home in Mitchellville, Md., looking for his girlfriend Wednesday about 10 p.m. 

· Firefighting Porn Star Alexas Jones, aka Chantel Lace, Tells Her Side of Story.  A small town firefighter made national headlines this week, as news broke that 17 of her fellow firefighters had walked off the job in protest that she moonlighted as a porn star. 

· Joe Namath gets counseling.  Just over a month after embarrassing himself on national television with a slurred, rambling interview, Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath has admitted he is "getting personal help" for alcohol abuse. 

· [Another] Lawyer Charged with Making Bogus Claims.  A Queens attorney has been arrested and charged with submitting $1 million in fraudulent claims using the personal information of car accident victims that he bought for $54. 

· Priest charged with illegal cultivation of marijuana.  A U.S. Catholic priest has been arrested for allegedly growing marijuana in his church living quarters. 

· Naked man completes trek across Europe.  Stephen Gough, 44, from Hampshire, finished his walk after seven months, much of which was spent in jail. 

· Refiner Made Gold Tools for Drug Lords.  The owner of a long-established Manhattan gold refining business pleaded guilty on Thursday to a scheme in which he molded gold into tools and screws for Colombian drug lords in order to launder cash from illegal narcotics sales. 

· FBI Arrests Internet Movie Pirate.  FBI agents say they have traced the bootlegging and illegal Internet distribution of Hollywood films to an actor who is an Academy Award member, and have arrested one of his acquaintances. 

· Dean and wife spin his soft side - does Letterman Top 10.  Flat-lining former front-runner Howard Dean launched a TV offensive yesterday to quell the fallout from his admittedly "over the top" I Have A Scream speech. 

· Mad magazine artist Woodbridge dead.  George Woodbridge, an illustrator for Mad magazine for nearly 50 years whose exquisitely detailed pen-and-ink drawings were featured in nearly every issue, has died. He was 73.  

· Prosecutors ask for mystery evidence in Spector case.  Prosecutors in the Phil Spector murder case want the defense to reveal mystery evidence that "had been overlooked at the crime scene." 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Laborious [la·bo·ri·ous] adj.  Hard-working; industrious. Marked by or requiring long, hard work. 

· Congressman Sentenced to 100 Days in Jail.  Bill Janklow, who dominated South Dakota politics for three decades as governor and then congressman, was sentenced to 100 days in jail Thursday for a car crash that killed a motorcyclist and ended Janklow's career in disgrace. 

· Trump Trumped by 'Idol' in TV Ratings.  Donald Trump was no match for a bunch of bad singers just begging for insults from Simon Cowell. 

· Peterson case to get a new judge.  The murder trial of Scott Peterson will be delayed and get still another new judge after the district attorney in the case Thursday challenged the state chief justice's appointment of Judge Richard Arnason, announced only the day before. 

· Ben Affleck, J.Lo finally break up - and nobody cares.  America's most-watched couple, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, have broken up, a Lopez spokesman said Thursday. 

· Boy knifes friend to avoid 'lonely' suicide.  A suicidal high school boy has been arrested for knifing his friend because he didn't want to die alone, police said 

· Companies Benefit When Employees Die.  When Joel St. John died, his wife learned that the grocery store chain where he worked as a butcher was the beneficiary of his life insurance policy - not his family. 

Thursday, January 22, 2004

· Dancer Ann Miller Dies of Cancer at 81.  Raven-haired, long-legged Ann Miller, whose machine-gun taps won her stardom at RKO and MGM during the golden age of movie musicals and later on Broadway in "Sugar Babies," died Thursday of lung cancer. 

· Wynonna Judd DUI Video Released.  A videotape of country singer Wynonna Judd trying to walk a straight line and touch her nose in a field sobriety test was released on Thursday. 

· Liza's Not Ready for Her Close Up.  Liza Minnelli (search), whose estranged husband, David Gest, is suing her for assault, is objecting to having her pretrial interview videotaped by his lawyer. 

· ABC bets the raunch on Stern TV special.  ABC has just inked a deal with the shaggy-haired shock jock Howard Stern to do a prime-time interview special this spring. 

· Man's wife and ex-wife jailed for beating up his mistress.  The Romanian wife and ex-wife of the man in their life ended up in jail after being found guilty of beating up the "other woman." 

· Detective ruled 'too cute' in drug bust.  Fort Lauderdale Detective Mike Nahum's handsome appearance lost him a criminal case, but there is a consolation prize. He may be the only guy in the world with a court order declaring he is a "very attractive man." 

· 412-pound trucker receives apology, larger rig from Michigan company.  A 412-pound truck driver who said he was fired because he could not fit behind the wheel of a delivery truck has received an apology and a bigger rig from his employer. 

· Keyshawn Johnson robbed at gunpoint.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson was robbed at gunpoint in Berkeley, California, by two men who took his money and jewelry, police said. 

· 'Noodles the Clown' Sentenced To More Than 17 Years In Prison.  A federal judge called a former clown and Sunday school teacher the most dangerous kind of pedophile when he sentenced him Wednesday to 17 1/2 years in prison. 

· Flight attendant's rhyme called racist.  "Eenie, meenie, minie moe; pick a seat, we gotta go," is the obscure basis for a federal discrimination lawsuit against Southwest Airlines. 

· Public safety official spent $17,000 on TV for his office.  Massachusetts' former public safety secretary spent $17,000 in state anti-terrorism funds on a 60-inch plasma screen TV. 

· 'Idol' Studdard Not Trying to Lose Weight.  When asked whether he was trying to lose weight, the Velvet Teddy Bear - known for his large size - shook his head no. 

· Auditors say USO spent improperly for J. Lo, other celebs.  The J. Lo gig was among several cited in a General Accounting Office report released this month that found more than $430,000 in improper, questionable or unsupported USO tour expenses charged to the Pentagon over a two-year period. 

· Garfunkel charged with marijuana possession.  Art Garfunkel, part of the folk music duo Simon and Garfunkel, was charged with marijuana possession after police pulled his limousine over for speeding in upstate New York. 

· Magazine directs climbers over cliff.  Britain's biggest-selling hiking magazine apologized Wednesday after its latest issue contained a route that would lead climbers off the edge of a cliff on Britain's tallest peak. 

· Sleep helps solve problems.  After a good night's sleep a problem that seemed insurmountable the night before can often appear more manageable, according to university researchers. 

· More song swappers sued.  Record companies sued another 532 people for illegally distributing copyrighted music over the Internet, stepping up their attack against online music piracy. 

· Former Rep. Janklow faces sentencing.  Former Rep. Bill Janklow faces sentencing on manslaughter charges Thursday for an auto wreck that ended his 30-year political career and could send him to prison for more than 11 years. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Austere [aus·tere] adj.  1. Markedly simple without adornment or ornamentation [an austere office] [an austere style of writing].  2. Strict or stern in appearance or manner [an austere critic]. 

· 82-year-old retired judge to preside over Peterson trial.  A retired judge whose long experience with high-profile cases was picked to preside at the double-murder trial of Scott Peterson. 

· NY Mayor Bloomberg thinks Dr. Atkins died from his diet.  The wacky mayor and wannabe health czar that made ashtrays illegal is now claiming that Dr. Robert Atkins didn't die from a fall - he died from an improper diet. 

· Dean scream gaining cult-like status on Web.  Howard Dean, off a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses, let loose with a primal scream Monday night that seems to have inspired a generation. 

Wednesday, January 21, 2004

· Mariah Carey loses star power - gives concert for chiropractors.  The diva, who not too long ago was the hottest-selling singer in the country, was the headliner at a convention for a few thousand chiropractors at the Las Vegas Hilton. 

· Jerry Nachman, MSNBC Editor in Chief, Dies at 57.  Jerry Nachman, the brash, Emmy award-winning journalist for MSNBC who spent years in local TV news and edited the New York Post, has died of cancer, MSNBC announced Tuesday. He was 57. 

· Tax official's desk death unnoticed for two days.  A tax man who died at his desk went unnoticed for two days - because his colleagues thought he was hunched over 'working.'  

· Don't I Know You From Somewhere?  Memo to robbers: Don't hold up the establishment where you're trying to get a job.  The robber was a regular customer and had recently applied for a job at the same store he robbed. 

· Boy falls through ice trying to get cell phone.  Coast Guard and other rescue workers were searching last night for a 17-year-old boy who fell through the ice under the Dorset Avenue bridge while trying to retrieve a cell phone he had dropped. 

· Pedophile Film 'Woodsman' a Hard Box Office Sell.  Bacon, who has gone from teen idol after 1984's "Footloose" to respected actor in critical hits like "Mystic River," could risk losing fans for sympathetically playing a molester trying to overcome his obsession. 

· 'Walker, Texas Ranger' actor Willingham dies.  Noble Willingham, who worked steadily as a supporting actor over the last 30 years and left his role as a saloon owner on the series "Walker, Texas Ranger" to run for Congress, has died. He was 72. 

· Judge Closes Key Hearing in Kobe Case.  Courtroom arguments over whether Kobe Bryant's accuser has given up her medical privacy rights will be closed to the public, the judge ruled Wednesday. 

· Does sex still sell?  Christina vamps like a burlesque stripper. Britney's gone from schoolgirl to slut. Pink is punk. 

· Goldman Sachs gal in $8m steal and shop rap.  A former Goldman Sachs personal assistant, accused of stealing nearly $7.8 million from the senior bankers for whom she worked, went on an astonishing shopping spree, buying jewelry, property, cars and a power boat, British prosecutors said. 

· Combs' Ex-Wife Wants More Child Support.  Sean "Pee Diddy" Combs' ex-wife says their 10-year-old son should be getting the same amount in child support - $30,000 a month, she claims - as the son the rap mogul had out of wedlock. 

· Cop Shot While Robbing Bank.  A senior Malaysian police officer who was about to be charged with corruption was shot dead as he tried to rob a bank. 

· Booble takes a poke at Google.  Parodying Google, the world's largest search engine, a U.S. entrepreneur today launched 'Booble,' a new search engine for adult material. 

· Town uses website to embarrass bad check writers.  Sabina Maziarz knew she would pay a penalty when a $400 check she wrote in November to the Sharon School Department bounced, but did not realize her name and address would be posted on the city's website for all to see. 

· Jackson Accuser Said to Be in Poor Health.  A former attorney for the mother of Michael Jackson's cancer-stricken accuser said the boy is in very poor health and his family is in seclusion, paying little attention to the high-profile legal fight. 

· Bishop's hit-and-run trial begins.  Bishop Thomas O'Brien's car struck a pedestrian with a "very violent impact" that left the man's blood and hair on the vehicle, and O'Brien didn't even stop. 

· Driver Reading Speeding Ticket Rear Ends Ambulance.  South Brunswick, NJ police say Ramakri, 19, was reading a speeding ticket he had just received Tuesday morning when his Nissan Pathfinder ran into the back of a Robert Wood Johnson University ambulance at a stop light. 

· Town names intersection after Paris, Nicole.  The town of Altus, Ark., is honoring Hilton and her "Simple" costar Nicole Richie by naming an intersection after them. 

· Drug bust on 'Friends' set.  It is alleged the two men arrested had sold cocaine and marijuana to various people at Warners, but police have refused to confirm if any major celebrities were involved. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Duplicitous [du·plic·i·tous] adj.  Given to or marked by deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech. 

· Woman Claims To Have World's Smallest Dog.  A woman is claiming to be the owner of the world's smallest dog.  'Tiny Tim' is four inches from nose to tail and weighs just over a pound. 

· Blake Prosecutors Seek to Bar Key Defense Evidence.  Prosecutors in the Robert Blake murder case asked a judge Tuesday to limit evidence in the upcoming murder trial about the actor's slain wife and her illicit exploits. 

· Martha Stewart Reiterates Not Guilty Plea as Jury Selection Continues.  Martha Stewart waved to her supporters, strode into a Manhattan courthouse and repeated a plea of innocent at the formal start of her stock-trading trial Tuesday. 

Tuesday, January 20, 2004

· Judge Moves Peterson Trial to San Mateo County.  The judge in the murder case against Scott Peterson moved the trial about 90 miles away to the San Francisco Bay area Tuesday because of hostility toward Peterson in his dead wife's hometown. 

· Microsoft: We took MikeRoweSoft too seriously.  Microsoft says it may have been overaggressive in threatening Web entrepreneur Mike Rowe over the name of his Web site, Mikerowesoft.com. 

· Estate of McDonald's Heiress to Donate $1.5 Billion to Salvation Army.  In one of the largest individual charitable gifts ever, the estate of McDonald's heiress Joan B. Kroc is about to drop a one-time cash donation of $ 1.5 billion into the Salvation Army kettle. 

· $2M buys 'Friends' spot.  NBC expects to reap $70 million from the final night of "Friends," thanks to advertisers who are shelling out a record $2 million for 30-second spots. 

· Judge to Revisit Peterson Venue Change.  Prosecutors seeking the death penalty against Scott Peterson in the killings of his wife and unborn son were expected to ask a judge Tuesday to keep the murder trial in Stanislaus County because a decision to move the case was based on a bogus survey of possible jurors. 

· Cops save life of woman despondent over singing career.  Three cops became instant heroes before they even made it to work yesterday - stopping a 23- year-old woman despondent over a broken heart and failing singing career from leaping to her death off the Brooklyn Bridge. 

· Sara Lee Drops Jimmy Dean as Sausage Spokesman.  Legendary country crooner Jimmy Dean says the Sara Lee Corp. has dropped him as spokesman for the sausage company he founded more than three decades ago. 

· Canada mints new coin with the help of Star Trek.  Canada's new five dollar coin features Canadian actor William Shatner. 

· Snake at McDonald's may have legal bite.  Joanne Borgerding was sitting in a packed McDonald's at lunchtime when something moved beneath her booth.  Dancing in the air by her legs were "little movable eyes" that were attached to a dark, 2-foot-long snake. 

· Martha Stewart Due Back in Court Today.  Is Martha Stewart a criminal who lied to the government about unloading stock on an inside tip, or simply a shrewd investor who saved money with a smart bet on the market? 

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. 

· 412-Pound Trucker Says He Was Fired Over His Weight.  A truck driver who says he was fired because of his weight says he's ready to go to court to get his job back. 

· Sex is the best workout, say experts.  It could be the hottest health tip ever. According to physicians and gynaecologists, a romp in the bed is the panacea for a host of problems including heart disease, migraine and arthritis. 

· Kerry Wins Iowa Kindergarden Caucus.  John Kerry rode an 11th-hour surge to victory in Iowa's kickoff presidential caucuses, upsetting Democratic front-runner Howard Dean and stunning caucus favorite Dick Gephardt. 

· Police Add Twist To Bait Cars To Catch 'Bad Boys.'  Police have added a musical twist to the booby-trapped "bait car" that locks up would-be thieves who get behind the wheel.  The automobile is now rigged to play the theme from the television show "Cops" when officers remotely disable the engine and nab the crooks. 

· Spanish Sex Clubs Ruling Causes Concerns.  A court ruling requiring the owner of a brothel to pay social security for women who worked there as prostitutes is causing concern in Spain among feminists, lawyers and even sex workers themselves. 

Monday, January 19, 2004

· Kobe Bryant loses McDonald's endorsement.  Kobe Bryant lost his sponsorship deal with McDonald's, costing the NBA star another endorsement while his sexual assault case proceeds. 

· Bagle virus hides as calculator.  Warnings are being issued about the rapidly spreading Bagle Windows worm. 

· Small town hot over porn scandal.  Alexas Jones' résumé is a jaw-dropper: porn Web site operator, onetime stripper, mother of three, and volunteer firefighter in this Peyton Place of a town just south of Modesto. 

· New Series to Focus on Amish Teens.  The UPN television network is preparing a reality series that follows Amish teenagers having their first experiences with modern conveniences and outside society, part of a religious rite of passage that tests their faith. 

· Britney planning 'tell-all' book.  Britney Spears is reportedly planning to dish the dirt on her life and lovers in a sexy tell-all autobiography. 

· School Takes Handgun From 6-Year-Old Student.  Michigan school officials are calling it "a show-and-tell mistake." 

· Microsoft Takes on Teen Over Web Site.  "Since my name is Mike Rowe, I thought it would be funny to add 'soft' to the end of it," said Rowe, a 17-year-old computer geek and high school student in Canada.  The software giant, however, is not amused. 

· Wal-Mart attacked for 'locking in' overnight workers at its stores.  Wal-Mart, believed to be the world's largest retailer, is under fire for reportedly locking in overnight workers at many of its stores, sometimes to the detriment of their own safety. 

· No wonder Harrison Ford was drinking in Mexico.  Harrison Ford's ex-wife has received a record-breaking $90 million divorce settlement, And future royalties from prior Ford films. 

· FLASHBACK:  "Drunk and bewildered" Harrison Ford celebrates divorce.  According to the London SUN, the Indiana Jones star, 61, stunned partygoers at a Mexican bar by knocking back tequila shots and Corona beers — and then LIMBO dancing under the bar. 

· States ranked as most corrupt.  Mississippi is the most corrupt state, with North Dakota and Louisiana a close second and third, respectively, according to a Justice Department report.  The least corrupt state, according to the report, is Nebraska. 

· "Along Came Polly" tops box office.  The new romantic comedy starring "Friends" sweetheart Jennifer Aniston with Ben Stiller collected $27.6 million to debut at No. 1, while "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" fell to fourth place with $10.2 million. 

· Make that steak a bit smaller, Atkins advises dieters.  After advising dieters for years to satisfy their hunger with liberal amounts of steak, eggs and other saturated fats, the promoters of the Atkins diet now say that people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. 

· Friends are a good thing, so where are Stewart's?  In sharp contrast to, say, Michael Jackson, there has been no outpouring of public support for Stewart from the people who have partied with her, vacationed with her or appeared on her TV shows. 

· Mom Arrested Rushing to Get Son to School.  A mother rushing to get her son to school in San Diego County was arrested and jailed after a chase by the California Highway Patrol. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

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

· Tom Cruise 'proposes for worker.'  Actor Tom Cruise appeared on Portuguese television to ask a factory worker to marry her cameraman boyfriend. 

· California counties vie for Peterson murder trial.  Tourism officials from all over the state are working hard to get the trial moved to their county. "They are seeing nothing but dollar signs in the media frenzy expected to follow Peterson." 

· Television Commercials Come to the Web.  More than a dozen Web sites, including MSN, ESPN, Lycos and iVillage, will run full-motion video commercials from Pepsi, AT&T, Honda, Vonage and Warner Brothers, in a six-week test that some analysts say could herald the start of a new era of Internet advertising. 

· The TV commercial you won't see on TV.  This clever two-minute Honda ad is a real-time creation that took seven painstaking months to prepare - and 606 video takes - that results in a mesmerizing clip that will leave you scratching your head. 

· Affleck Says 'Jersey Girl' Is No 'Gigli.'  While real-life sweethearts Affleck and Jennifer Lopez co-star in the upcoming "Jersey Girl," their on-screen collaboration won't be a selling point after their colossal bomb "Gigli" last summer. 

· 'Raymond's' Heaton is 'Goodbye Girl.'  Heaton, the Emmy-winning star of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and a mother of four sons, "lived a lot of what Paula was living" for many years.  

· $42M for a slice of luxury living.  The Time Warner Center is something to behold, inside and out, from the $42.5 million apartment to the digital fingerprint scanners in tenants' elevators, to the parallelogram of two blue glass towers looming 750 feet over Central Park. 

· Take the U.S. Presidency Quiz.  With the Iowa caucuses in full swing, test your knowledge of all things presidential. 

Saturday, January 17, 2004

· 'Why won't Hollywood give us work?' moan the over-40 actresses.  Hollywood's most formidable female stars have united to condemn "sexist" film moguls for failing to find roles for women over 40. 

· 'American Idol' Returning for Third Year.  In two years, Fox's "American Idol" has minted three new music stars in Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. Now the televised talent hunt is trying for more. 

· Beatle's guitar lawsuit settled.  George Harrison's estate has settled its dispute against a doctor it accused of coercing the dying ex-Beatle into signing the doctor's son's guitar. 

· Trump's new reality show a TV ratings hit.  The Donald has a hit on his hands.  Donald Trump's NBC reality show, "The Apprentice," continued to roll Thursday night, snaring a whopping 20.2 million viewers. 

· Doctors baffled by hermit who shuns food and water.  A man claims he has not eaten or drunk anything for the past 60 years. Doctors in the western state of Gujurat, who recently completed a 10-day controlled test on the illiterate hermit, say the man is a medical miracle. 

· Monopoly fights to clear gangs off street.  Ghettopoly, currently sold in Virgin Megastores to children as young as 13, uses a Monopoly-style board to portray in graphic form the extremes of urban ganglife. 

· More than 5 Million World War II Aerial Photographs Released.  More than five million detailed aerial photographs from World War II go onto the Internet from Monday, giving the public their first views of some of the most dramatic and grisly moments of the conflict. 

· Confidential Passenger Data Used for Air Security Project.  Northwest Airlines provided information on millions of passengers for a secret U.S. government air security project soon after the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. 

· Cancer Faker Gets Jail Time.  A woman who accepted $6,400 in donations after shaving her head and dyeing her skin to make it appear she had cancer has been sentenced to three days in jail and three years of probation. 

· Hollywood Agent, Producer Ray Stark Dies.  Ray Stark, a publicist and actors' agent who became a Hollywood power broker and producer of such movies as "Funny Girl,""The Way We Were," and "The Sunshine Boys," died Saturday after a long illness. He was 88. 

· Paris sequel in springtime.  Paris Hilton is packing her Louis Vuitton bags and teacup Chihuahua for a second installment of "The Simple Life." 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Disingenuous [dis·in·gen·u·ous] adj.  Not straightforward or candid; insincere or calculating.  'It was disingenuous of her to claim she had no financial interest in the case.' 

· Reporter's Notebook: Inside the Jacko Circus.  I asked him what he thought of the three-ring circus that enveloped the Santa Maria courthouse, but all I got was “I’ll tell you later” and “no comment right now.” That from the so-called King of Pop as he walked in to face multiple charges of child molestation, the only words he would speak to the media all day. 

· Two planes collide over Florida airport.  One plane crash landed and a second managed to land safely after they collided on the final approach to Clearwater Airpark in Florida on Saturday, an airport authority spokesman said. 

· Missing actor was working on painful new work.  Before he disappeared last week, Spalding Gray had been performing early versions of a new work that had long bedeviled him - a monologue about a car wreck more than two years ago that left him physically and emotionally scarred. 

Saturday, January 17, 2004

· Britney visits California hospital.  Britney was photographed for the first time since her sham 55-hour marriage to Jason Alexander when she turned up at the Centinela hospital in Los Angeles. 

· Teen In Critical Condition After Playing Chicken With Amtrak.  A teenager playing a game of chicken on railroad tracks was struck by an Amtrak train, authorities said. 

· Paltrow won't raise child in U.S.  American actress Gwyneth Paltrow said she will not raise her child in the United States because her homeland is too dangerous.  "At the moment there's a weird, over-patriotic atmosphere over there, like, 'We're number one and the rest of the world doesn't matter,'" Paltrow said. 

· Rumors of Castro's death sweep Miami-Dade - again.  Uncorroborated rumors that Cuban President Fidel Castro had died or suffered a stroke buzzed around Miami-Dade County on Friday, with anxious callers inundating police departments, media outlets and exile groups. 

· Bizarre traffic stop leaves police stunned.  Moments after state police pulled a man over for a seatbelt violation, the driver pulled out a gun and shot himself in the head as a trooper approached the car. 

· 14-year-old narrowly misses LPGA cut.  Michelle Wie shot a final-round 68 at the Sony Open, sinking two birdie putts longer than 50 feet Friday, but came up one shot short of becoming the youngest golfer to ever make the cut on the PGA Tour. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Euphemism [eu·phe·mism] n.  A mild, inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered harsh or offensive.  "To pass away" is a euphemism for "to die." 

· Jackson Dances on SUV After Innocent Plea.  Outside the courthouse, there was no containing the self-proclaimed King of Pop as he danced atop his SUV and invited a crush of fans to join him at his Neverland Ranch retreat. 

· 'Party of Five' Actor Gets Jail Time for Attack Involving 12-Year-Old.  Actor Scott Bairstow was sentenced to four months in jail for an attack involving a 12-year-old girl. 

· Ozzy Osbourne Returns Home After Accident.  Ozzy Osbourne is back home after injuring himself in an all-terrain vehicle accident in England more than a month ago. 

Friday, January 16, 2004

· Gates quietly spends $14 million buying homes near Medina estate.  Over the past decade, Bill Gates has quietly bought up 11 properties, including nine houses, that surround his 5-acre Medina estate, creating a buffer zone that is increasingly turning a small hillside neighborhood into a private holding of the richest man on Earth. 

· Firefighters in California town resign to protest colleague's porn career.  Seventeen firefighters in a small volunteer department resigned this week to protest the pornography career of a colleague who allegedly discussed her work at the firehouse. 

· Michael Jackson Arrives Late for Court; Pleads 'Not Guilty.'  Michael Jackson arrived at a Santa Maria courthouse Friday to be formally arraigned on child-molestation charges; Judge scolded Jackson for arriving 21 minutes late. 

· Jacko throws party today - complete with invitations!  Michael Jackson today pleaded not guilty to the felony sexual abuse of a cancer-stricken boy. So now it's time to party! 

· Drunken man confronted by wrong door.  A 56-year-old man in a state sure to give a hangover attracted the unwelcome attention of police in Eindhoven on Friday morning after he mistakenly took his neighbour's front door for his own. 

· Prosecutors say LA celebrity investigator had file on threatened reporter.  Files seized from celebrity private investigator Anthony Pellicano's office included "corroborating evidence" linking him to a threat against a newspaper reporter, prosecutors said. 

· Britney's wedding pay-off to 'ex.'  Britney Spears reportedly paid childhood friend Jason Alexander $500,000 to end their short-lived Las Vegas marriage. 

· Beer, dump truck, big pile of trouble.  A twice-convicted drunken driver accused of stealing a dump truck in Stafford County told deputies he did it because he had to make a beer run. 

· Author dies after facelift.  Olivia Goldsmith, best-selling author of The First Wives Club - which was later turned into a movie starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton - has died as a result of complications during her facelift procedure. 

· Burglar suing officer who shot him.  Convicted felon says he was surrendering when Akron officer fired gun. Police union says suit has no merit. 

· Man Caught With Marijuana at Courthouse.  A man going through a Des Moines courthouse metal detector emptied his pockets, tossing a small bag of marijuana into the security tray. 

· Firefighters refuse to battle blaze, but watch.  Firefighters watched a Weathersfield, Ohio house burn for about 20 minutes Thursday afternoon without attempting to put it out because the fire occurred outside the city limits. 

· Long John Silver's Makes A Fishy Promise.  Seafood restaurant Long John Silver's has made a whopper of a promise to Americans if NASA discovers an ocean on Mars. 

· Mel Gibson Spreads "Passion."  Mel Gibson wants moviegoers to get their fill of "The Passion of Jesus Christ," and a theater in Dallas is accomdating. The Texas multiplex is setting aside all 20 of its screens for Gibson's movie. 

· Playboy gets OK to sue Netscape.  In a decision that could prompt scrutiny of Internet search engines and online advertisers, a federal appeals court Wednesday reinstated a trademark infringement lawsuit by Playboy Enterprises against Netscape Communications. 

· 'Metrosexual' Male Fashion Hits Milan Runway.  Wholesome country-boy by day, and sophisticated playboy by night, he explores his gentler side, preferring tender to tough. 

· Islam seeks cancellation of "obscene" Mariah Carey gig.  Malaysia's Islamic party has called for cancellation of a scheduled performance next month by singer Mariah Carey, charging that her "obscene act" would be unsuitable for viewing. 

· No girl watching with traffic cameras for state troopers.  State troopers will be able to see video images but will not operate traffic cameras on Tuscaloosa streets, including one near the University of Alabama where a camera operator was caught focusing on women's bodies. 

· PETA protesters get naked in Memphis.  Shouting "Compassion is a fashion, fur is dead!" two protesters from a North Carolina chapter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stripped down to painted-on leopard spots. 

· Plane lands at wrong airport.  The daily flight on a US Airways affiliate Shuttle America plane ended up landing at Mid-State Regional Airport in Rush Township -- close, but not the chosen destination.  "When the pilot walked in, he said, 'Here's one for the news.'" 

· Bush Booed at Martin Luther King Gravesite.  In a sign of the difficulty President Bush faces as he tries to win black support for his reelection, several hundred protesters loudly booed him on Thursday as he laid a wreath at the grave of civil rights leader Martin Luther King. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

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

· Soccer chief says women footballers need tighter shorts.  FIFA President Sepp Blatter has drawn condemnation from women's sports figures for saying the future of women's football could rest with tighter shorts. 

· Carmen Electra Wins Control of Net Name.  Former "Baywatch" star Carmen Electra has won control of the Internet name www.carmenelectra.com in a ruling by a United Nations panel, a U.N. spokeswoman said. 

· Man Sells Ton of Pot Through Restaurant.  A Jamaican man living in Pennsylvania was sentenced to 10 years in prison and faces deportation for using a Caribbean restaurant to sell more than a ton a marijuana, sometimes in takeout containers. 

· Money troubles - $1,000 bill.  For 20 years, Curtis Smith Sr. carried a rare $1,000 bill in his pocket with no intention of spending it - until the Mayor took it. 

· Congress Stops Spam - But Not Its Own.  Congress crowed about cleaning up our in-boxes with the passage of an antispam law last year, but brace yourself: Some of this year's unsolicited e-mail may feature the latest news from your congressional representatives. 

· Truck Plows Through House Before Crashing Into Pool.  The female passenger was incoherent and topless, while the driver was apparently under the influence of alcohol. 

· Women's sexy ads beat men's 'sophomoric' stuff.  The reality show's star, co-producer and billionaire Donald Trump, fired a man for the second straight week, leaving eight women and six men to compete for the $250,000 executive job for a year with the Trump organization. 

· Glen Campbell Trial Set for May in Phoenix.  A May 17 trial date has been set for country music singer Glen Campbell, who faces a felony aggravated assault charge in a minor traffic accident in November near his Phoenix home. 

Thursday, January 15, 2004

· Wesley Snipes Named as Halle Berry Abuser. R&B singer Christopher Williams made the startling accusation that actor Wesley Snipes was the abusive ex-lover of Halle Berry, who struck the actress so hard, she lost most of the hearing in her right ear. 

· News Media Gather for Jackson Arraignment.  The world press descended in full force Thursday on the normally quiet Santa Maria Valley, setting up mini TV studios with satellite dishes to beam news around the globe when pop star Michael Jackson is arraigned on child molestation charges. 

· Local anchor feels Boston's pain from afar.  On one of the coldest mornings of the year, veteran WBZ Radio anchor Gary LaPierre couldn't get over how frigid it was outside. "Would you believe it's 5 below zero right now?" he told listeners yesterday at 6 a.m.  What he didn't mention was that he was actually in northern Florida, where it was a balmy 50 degrees. 

· Court: Yelling at teens a crime.  A five-judge panel said a man's effort to disperse a carful of teens from a public road in front of his house by shouting at them to get out of his town was a crime. Chapman was wrong in arguing that no one's peace was disturbed by his actions, the court said.  

· EMS Crew Accused of Forcing Sex on Teen.  A former emergency medical technician and a paramedic are accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the back of an ambulance. 

· Lottery Liar Pleads No Contest.  The woman who claimed she lost a winning $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket pleaded no contest Thursday to lying on a police report. 

· Rachel Hunter strips for Playboy.  Rachel Hunter is to appear topless in Playboy magazine in a deal reported to be worth (US) $1.5 million. 

· Restroom photographer canned.  A Merced City School District playground supervisor was fired this week after allegedly admitting to secretly photographing elementary school girls in a school restroom using a cell phone, police said. 

· Applegate Still in Blake Jury.  Hollywood star Christina Applegate is having difficulties excusing herself from the jury in the forthcoming Robert Blake murder trial. 

· Bank robber in Spokane gets knuckle sandwich.  A would-be bank robber who expected a fistful of cash got a fist in the face instead. 

· Actor Rip Torn... Ripped.   Actor Rip Torn was arrested early yesterday for drunk driving after he crashed his car into a taxicab in New York City's Greenwich Village. 

· The Joke Is on Liberals, Says Dennis Miller.  Dennis Miller, the liberal-turned-conservative comedian and defender of President Bush and the war in Iraq, is less than two weeks away from being the host of a new talk show on CNBC. 

· Trump's a cheapskate when it comes to charities.  While fellow titans like Bill Gates and David Geffen have used their charitable foundations to make many significant donations, Trump is, by comparison, an absolute cheapskate. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Ambiguous [am·big·u·ous] adj.  Open to more than one interpretation: an ambiguous reply. Doubtful or uncertain. 

· Diana crash witness speaks for first time.  The only eyewitness - Mohamed Medjahdi - believes any conspiracy to kill her must have been carried out by "invisible men."  

· Irish pub gets rap for "younger women, older men" policy.  Court rules that two sisters who say they were denied admission to an Irish pub because the management wanted "younger women and older men" as customers should be compensated. 

· What would you have for your last meal?  Until complaints starting pouring in, a Texas prison website listed inmates' final dinner requests. Now there's a cookbook for the morbidly curious. 

· Starbucks opens first shop in France.  Starbucks has finally arrived in the country that likes to think it invented the cafe, and some business insiders say they know why it took so long to get here. 

· 49ers quarterback booked on suspicion of drunken driving.  San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Wednesday, a jail spokesman said. 

· Britney Spears Believes in 'Sanctity of Marriage.'  Britney Spears says the excitement of Las Vegas is partly to blame for her recent 55-hour marriage to her childhood friend. 

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

· McEnroe says he took steroids 'unknowingly.'  Andre Agassi, defending the integrity of tennis dented by the Greg Rusedski nandrolone affair, on Wednesday said he was at a "loss for words" over John McEnroe's comments about drugs in the sport. 

· Idiot car dealer lets 14-year-old test drive Cadillac. Kid steals it.  A 14-year-old was in custody Tuesday after he drove off in a car he had taken on a test drive. 

· Two Men Arrested in Cheerleader's Fatal Plunge.  Two California men were arrested in the death of an 18-year-old New Jersey cheerleader whose naked body tumbled from the ninth-floor balcony of a Maui hotel. 

· EBay Pulls Plug on Auction of W.Va.  An attempt to auction off the state of West Virginia drew 56 bids and by Tuesday evening, had bumped the ante up to almost $100 million. 

· Judge Rejects Attempt to Dismiss Peterson Case.  A judge rejected Wednesday an attempt by defense lawyers to dismiss the case against accused double-murderer Scott Peterson. 

· Aniston gets payout over topless pics.  Actress Jennifer Aniston will receive $600,000 in the settlement of her lawsuit against a photographer who admitted to transmitting unauthorised pictures of the "Friends" star sunbathing topless. 

· Topless passenger declared flight 'next 9-11.'  Passengers on a Virgin Blue flight last week from Hobart to Melbourne endured a 50-minute tirade by a woman who stripped topless and ranted the flight was the next September 11. 

· Kodak to stop selling film cameras.  Eastman Kodak Co. on Tuesday said it will stop selling traditional film cameras in the United States, Canada and Western Europe, another move by the troubled photography company to cut lines with declining appeal in favor of fast-growing digital products. 

· "Taboo," the Wacky Boy George Musical, to Close.  "Taboo," the Boy George musical brought to Broadway by Rosie O'Donnell, will close Feb. 8, losing all of its well-known producer's $10 million investment. 

· Franken Signs Deal With Liberal Radio Station.  They haven't got a name or a launch date yet, but the entrepreneurs who dream of launching a liberal radio network have just landed themselves a lead man: Comedian and best-selling author Al Franken. 

· Jack LaLanne - at 89 - Dismisses old age as merely a myth.  Dismissing old age as a myth, Jack LaLanne, TV's first fitness guru, says old folks should get out of their easy chairs and "work at living." 

· Air crew held over after making obscene gesture.  An American Airlines pilot has been detained by federal police after making an obscene gesture when being photographed at the airport, as part of a newly imposed entry requirement for US citizens. 

· More Young Viewers Get News from Late-Night Comics.  To a young generation of Americans, Jon Stewart may as well be Walter Cronkite. 

· Bryant defense claims accuser is bipolar, requests medical history.  Defense lawyers for NBA star Kobe Bryant said in a court document filed Tuesday the woman who accuses Bryant of raping her suffers from a bipolar disorder, and that her medical and mental health history is vital to the case. 

· Supreme Court Upholds Police Roadblocks.  The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that police may set up roadblocks to collect tips about crimes, rejecting concerns that authorities might use the checkpoints to fish for unrelated suspicious activity. 

· Ted Nugent Injured in Chainsaw Accident.  Ted Nugent was injured on the Texas set of his reality show when a chain saw cut through his leg and requiring forty stitches. 

· Peterson trial site narrowed to four counties.  The likely location for the murder trial of Scott Peterson, charged with killing his wife and their unborn child, has been narrowed to four counties, a California state court official said.  

Word of The Day by WordThink

Ostensible [os·ten·si·ble] adj.  1. Intended for display, open to view. 2. Being such in appearance, plausible rather than demonstrably true or real. [the ostensible purpose of the trip was business]. 

· Actor-Writer Spalding Gray Reported Missing in NY.  Actor and writer Spalding Gray, best known for writing and starring in the autobiographical monologue "Swimming to Cambodia," has been reported missing, police said on Tuesday. 

· 'Friends' Cast Prepares Final Episode.  The creators of "Friends" relied on some of television's best finales to guide them in crafting the final episode of television's most popular sitcom. 

· Planning ahead: 'Friends' stars to net $2m each for reunion show.  The cast of Friends have been given a staggering $2 million each to make a special 90-minute reunion which takes place one year after the show's finale. 

· Paris Hilton Named Worst-Dressed of 2003.  Mr. Blackwell, chronicler of clothing catastrophes, poked fun at socialite-reality TV star Paris Hilton Tuesday for committing the worst fashion follies of the past year. 

· Tim Burton: An eccentric man addresses hard truths.  With most of his irreverent movies about dying, Tim Burton doesn't just whistle past the graveyard -- he plays a game of tag with the Grim Reaper among the tombstones. 

Tuesday, January 13, 2004

· Anchor Bares All In Wet T-Shirt Contest, Gets Fired.  Catherine Bosley, a news anchor for 10 years at WKBN in Youngstown, Ohio, was used to having her picture taken, however, someone took pictures of her after she stripped naked during a wet T-shirt contest while she was vacationing in Key West, FL. 

· Peterson attorneys to seek freedom for their client.  Lawyers for Scott Peterson will attempt to persuade a Stanislaus County judge Wednesday that an order holding the accused killer on murder charges was wrongfully issued. 

· Britain's 'Doctor Death' Hangs Himself.  A British family doctor blamed for killing at least 215 elderly patients over several decades hanged himself with bed sheets in his prison cell, a prison spokeswoman said Tuesday. 

· Resolution In 'Condom Soup' Case.  Four women have "resolved" their lawsuit against an Irvine restaurant where one of them allegedly found a condom in her clam chowder. 

· 'Condom Soup' lady previously sued Taco Bell.  The California woman who sued a restaurant after allegedly finding a condom in her chowder agreed yesterday to a confidential settlement of her legal claim. Amazingly, if Laila Sultan is to be believed, the condom episode was the second time she was forced to sue over an injurious incident at a chain restaurant. 

· Minn. Man Wants Church Donation Back.  A 55-year-old man is suing a local church because it won't give back a $126,000 donation he gave during a deep depression five years ago. 

· Two La. Students Arrested in Alleged 'Columbine' Plot.  Two high school students were arrested and accused of creating an elaborate plan to re-create the bloody Columbine high school massacre on its five-year anniversary in April. 

· ATM customers hit the jackpot.  Imagine going to your local ATM machine and when you get your money, you get twice what you asked for. However, your reciept only shows the amount you requested. 

· Sex, naked girls and a newly-married cop.  Not one. Not two. No, it took 25 policemen to establish that crimes were in progress at two alleged brothels. 

· The accidents that made a First Lady.  A new book suggests that Laura Bush's reputation as a devoted homemaker may have been shaped by a teenage tragedy that killed a 17 year-old. 

· J-Lo runs to date Pee Diddy.  Jennifer Lopez has been on a date - dining and dancing with ex P-Diddy while fiancé Ben Affleck is away. 

· Professional Tasters Eat and Drink for a Living.  Tasters often do their jobs alone in sensory labs, with controlled lighting and air and no outside disturbances. Professionals need to be discerning eaters who take their time with food. 

· 'Comical Ali' back on television.  Iraq war cult figure Comical Ali has made a return to TV screens - as an expert commentator on Saddam Hussein.  The former Iraqi Information Minister, Saeed al-Sahhaf, 63, has made several appearances on Abu Dhabi TV. 

· Backstreet Boy Nabs Alleged Jewel Thief.  A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys was looking at jewelry at Rocks, a 24-hour jewelry store in Las Vegas while another man came in to try on rings and asked his friend what he thought of one of them.Suddenly, the man made a dash for the door. 

· Kevin Costner to Make Another Western.  Kevin Costner rides again! The actor-director who made the Oscar-winning "Dances With Wolves" and last year's "Open Range" plans to make another Western titled "Horizon," which he will also star in. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Antiquated [an·ti·quat·ed] adj.  Very old; aged. Too old to be fashionable, suitable, or useful; outmoded. 

· Fancy a coffee-flavored steak?  The city that spawned America's obsession with strong, dark coffee is giving locals a popular new coffee-flavored steak, even while the mad cow scare that started in Washington state is putting some people off beef. 

· Celebri-sibs capitalize on their famous surnames.  Just call her Baby Britney. At age 12, starlet Jamie Lynn Spears is a leaner, lankier, warier replica of her outrageous older sister, whose quickie marriage to hometown pal Jason Allen Alexander was annulled last week. 

Monday, January 12, 2004

· Diana Ross to Accept Plea on DUI Charges.  During a pretrial hearing in Tucson City Court, Ross' lawyers said she's ready to accept a plea agreement and will change her earlier "not guilty" plea at a hearing scheduled for Feb. 9. 

· Oops! U.S. fighter drops bomb on Britain.  A U.S. Air Force fighter jet dropped an inert training bomb by accident last week over a sparsely populated area of northern England, causing no damage or injury, the British Ministry of Defence said. 

· Internet diary costs man job at Microsoft.  A man published in his blog a photo of a pallet of Apple Macintosh computers being delivered to Microsoft headquarters. He was fired by Microsoft a week later. 

· Winners of Wacky Warnings contest.  A warning label on a 5-inch fishing lure that sports three steel hooks advises that the lure is "Harmful if swallowed," and on a bottle of drain cleaner - "If you do not understand, or cannot read all directions, cautions and warnings, do not use this product." 

· Strange Bedfellows:  ACLU Comes to Rush Limbaugh's Defense.  Talk radio host Rush Limbaugh probably never expected the American Civil Liberties Union to become one of his staunch supporters. 

· A sushi bar (re)buffed.  Saturday night at Bonzai in Seattle's Pioneer Square, a nearly naked woman is laid out on a table. A chef slices sushi behind her, to be arrayed on her torso, bare except for a sheath of plastic wrap and some decorative flower petals. 

· NBC Says 'Frasier' Will End Its Run.  After some brief talk of keeping the show going for a 12th season next fall, NBC said Monday that its five-time Emmy-winning comedy, "Frasier," will call it quits in May. 

· Man jumps in lions' pit, pretends to bullfight.  A man survived after scaling a wall and jumping into the lions' pit at the Buenos Aires Zoo. But what he did next was even more strange. 

· Car marketers find cars stimulate the brain like sex, chocolate and cocaine.  Automotive News Europe reports that DaimlerChrysler, Ford of Europe and other carmakers are using medical research tools to probe the consumer brain to better sell cars. 

· Chrysler Unveils 'Supercar.'   The AMG-developed all-aluminum 6.0-liter V12 engine produces 850 horsepower, and can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, or zero to 100 mph in 6.2 seconds. 

· "Drunk and bewildered" Harrison Ford celebrates divorce.  According to the London SUN, the Indiana Jones star, 61, stunned partygoers at a Mexican bar by knocking back tequila shots and Corona beers — and then LIMBO dancing under the bar. 

· Woman Gets Arrested After Dialing Wrong Number To Buy Crack.  A woman seeking to buy crack cocaine called the wrong numbers, but still tried to buy the drug from people she had mistakenly called, police said. 

· 'Big Fish' Hooks Lead Over 'Rings.'  Tim Burton's "Big Fish" took in $14.5 million to squeak past "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" as the No. 1 weekend movie. 

· U.S. to Push Airlines for Passenger Records.  Despite stiff resistance from airlines and privacy advocates, the U.S. government plans to push ahead this year with a vast computerized system to probe the backgrounds of all passengers boarding flights in the United States. 

· Martha Stewart Uses Web to Rally Backers.  True to her perfectionist reputation, Martha Stewart is using a stylish and highly detailed personal Web site to tell her side of the story as her high-stakes trial approaches. 

· Farm sitting on world's largest bomb.  The problem lies with one of the farm's original features: a 50,000lb unexploded bomb. Still there, 80 feet under the farm, waiting for its big day. 

· De Niro, Scorsese to write joint memoir.  "Goodfellas" cohorts Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese will share insights into their 30-year friendship and collaboration on eight major films in a joint memoir to be published next year. 

· Is Congress Helping Build a Toll Booth for the Internet?  The failure of the House and Senate to extend the moratorium means that state and local governments are now free to impose discriminatory taxes on the information superhighway. 

· Swiss spice up the menu with puppies and kittens.  Chocolate and cheese are possibly the best known Swiss culinary delights but in some rural parts of the Alpine country puppies and kittens spice up the menu 

· Kiss the old record goodbye.  Chileans have kissed the old world smooching record goodbye - with nearly 9,000 puckering up to get into the Guinness Book of Records. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Ubiquitous [u·biq·ui·tous] adj.  Being or seeming to be everywhere, or in all places, at the same time; omnipresent. 

· Singapore's answer to people overstaying their Visa.  Fourteen men from Tamil Nadu, who had overstayed their visa in Singapore, returned to Chennai after being whipped and having their heads shaved. 

· McDonald's Dishes Menu Details.  The company that encourages customers to "super size" their fries is now making an effort to educate them about nutrition. 

· Man Waste Little Time to Commit Crime.  Atlanta police said a man carjacked a woman's vehicle from Fulton County Jail property immediately after he was released. 

Sunday, January 11, 2004

· Killjoy mayor Bloomberg turns New York into the forbidden Apple.  New York was once the place where anything goes, now you can't smoke, feed the pigeons, or even ride your bike with your feet off the pedals. 

· Martha's Company Struggles as Trial Looms.  While Martha Stewart readies her defense for her obstruction of justice trial, her namesake company faces challenges of its own. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Myopic [my·o·pic] n.  Distant objects appear blurred - Lack of discernment or long-range perspective in thinking or planning.  

· Man Arrested For Running Over Ex-Wife.  A man, recently divorced from his wife of more than 30 years, is in jail tonight charged with murdering his ex-wife. 

· Tacoma, Washington ranks as most stressful U.S. city.  Move over New York, take a hike Miami, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Dallas and Detroit. You may have stress but none of you have that rare combination of suicide, unemployment, theft and gloomy weather that Tacoma, Washington, has. 

· Shark Attack Victim Competes in Surf Meet.  Teen surfer Bethany Hamilton returned to competition Saturday, just 10 weeks after losing her left arm in a shark attack. 

Saturday, January 10, 2004

· Blake Murder Trial May Last Six Months.  Actor Robert Blake faced a room full of potential jurors Friday as hundreds were asked if they could serve on a trial that could last up to six months. 

· Princess Diana's driver may not have been drunk.  In the latest twist, British police now have serious doubts over whether chauffeur Henri Paul was drunk when he crashed the car carrying the princess and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed 

· Pete Rose Sees No Reason to Quit Gambling.  In his latest autobiography and accompanying interviews this week, baseball's hits king says he's still wagering at race tracks, but insists that his gambling isn't a problem and shouldn't be a concern. 

Word of The Day by WordThink

Chagrin [cha·grin] n.  A keen feeling of mental unease, as of annoyance or embarrassment, caused by failure, disappointment, or a disconcerting event.  

· IRS agents shut down gambling at Binion's Horseshoe casino in Las Vegas.  U.S. marshals and agents from the Internal Revenue Service shut down gambling at Binion's Horseshoe hotel-casino Friday, enforcing what authorities said was a federal court judgment for nonpayment of union benefits. 

· Restaurant in 'SNL' credits folding.  El Teddy's, a once-trendy Mexican restaurant that became a fixture in lower Manhattan and on late-night television, is down to its last Saturday night. 

· Allegations arise in Peterson trial survey.  Several university students said they fabricated survey results factored into in a judge's decision to move Scott Peterson's capital murder trial out of Modesto.  "We falsified the info," said a 20-year-old criminal justice student at California State University, Stanislaus. "The stuff we submitted wasn't true." 

· Donald Trump Wannabes Drew Big Ratings for NBC.  The spectacle of 16 wannabe tycoons selling lemonade and sucking up to real estate magnate Donald Trump proved to be a winning formula for NBC. 

· Jury kicks butt.  In a precedent-setting case, Brooklyn jurors yesterday awarded $20 million to the widow of a cigarette smoker who died of cancer, saying they wanted to teach Big Tobacco a lesson for selling a deadly product. 

· Bryant defense blasts 'hand span' request.  Defense lawyers for NBA star Kobe Bryant, accused of raping a hotel employee in Eagle, Colorado, said in court documents released Friday they had no objection to a prosecution request to measure the basketball player's hand span. 

· For internet sale: aircraft carrier, only three owners.  For the man who has (almost) everything it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  Tired of corporate jets, ocean-going yachts and seafront properties in Barbados? Then what about your very own aircraft carrier? 

· State phone books held up for image.  The Idaho Department of Administration recalled 500 state telephone directory books after state lawyers warned they did not have explicit permission to use an image of a deceased Iraq war hero on the cover. 

· How to perk up your morning cup of coffee.  While many brands slip cheaper beans into their blends, consumer vigilance — and new technologies — can bring you an even tastier brew. 

· SCO approached Google about Linux license.  SCO Group Inc., the software company that is suing IBM and extracting royalties from other Linux users, said Friday that it had held "low-level talks" with Internet search engine Google about a license agreement. 

· Tom Cruise says Buddhism is grandfather of scientology.  The 41-year-old star, sporting short hair and a grey suit, waxed lyrical on Buddhism during a Paris news conference. 

· Jackson Leasing Beverly Hills Mansion.  Michael Jackson, who says he'll never live at his Neverland Ranch again, has found a $20 million substitute.  The pop star is leasing a cliffside estate described as the "crown jewel of Beverly Hills." 

Friday, January 9, 2004

· Aspen Ski instructor fired for calling student "fat retarded kid."   Alison Berkley described one student as a "fat retarded kid" and "whale boy," and said students' "ultrawealthy" parents "think I'm a miracle worker because their brain-dead kid actually got excited about something besides video games for the first time since the day she turned 13." 

· Woman objects to carrying coffin photo of crash victim.  A judge ordered a woman to carry a photo of the man she killed while drunk driving in a head-on collision.  The man's parents complied by sending a picture of him in his casket. 

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. 

· 'Mega' Loser Charged With Filing False Report.  The woman who said she lost the winning $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket has been charged with filing a false police report. 

· Sports celebrity phone numbers leaked by AP.  The world's largest wire service accidentally transmitted an internal list of sports figures' phone numbers - more than 750 celebrities - to many of its media customers. 

· Burger King customers told: 'You are too fat to have a Whopper.'  Police believe teenage pranksters are hacking into the wireless frequency of a US Burger King drive-through speaker to tell potential customers they are too fat for fast food. 

· Kazaa is a virus minefield.  Forty-five percent of the executable files downloaded through Kazaa, the most popular file-sharing program, contain malicious code like viruses and Trojan horses, according to a new study. 

· 13-year-old drunken driver surprises Minnesota troopers.  "We do arrest teens for drunken driving," police said. "But usually they're 16 or 17. In 24 1/2 years of doing this, I can't remember a case when a 13-year-old was arrested for DWI." 

· Jury Selection Begins in Blake Murder Trial.  Jury selection for the murder trial of actor Robert Blake began a full month before the publicly announced date and while the court was telling news organizations that the process wouldn't begin until next month. 

· Man Finds, Returns $4,000.  Honesty is the best policy. That's the way long-time MBTA employee Peter Popovics sees it. Popovics found an envelope in a Dunkin' Donuts parking lot. Inside was $4,000 and a checkbook. He didn't keep the cash. 

· Rosie O'Donnell hosts first gay and lesbian family cruise.  "We are the gay cruise with family values," O'Donnell said. 

· Treasury Secretary O'Neill Calls Bush a 'Blind Man.'  Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill likened President Bush to "a blind man in a room full of deaf people." 

· Mountain Lion Shot After Fatal Attack.  A mountain lion attacked at least one bicyclist in an Orange County park, critically injuring a woman and possibly killing a man found nearby. 

· Gadgets Galore To Make Home Entertaining.  The long-promised dream of digital home entertainment networks seems closer to reality than ever at the annual gadget extravaganza known as the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicked off yesterday with a dazzling lineup of new contraptions. 

· Forbes Family to Sell Faberge Eggs.  The Forbes family's Faberge collection - 12 eggs and an assortment of other gems - will be auctioned in the spring and could fetch up to $90 million, Sotheby's said. 

· Volvo solves blind spot.  Swedish automobile maker Volvo claim to have solved one of the great problems with car driving, the blind spot responsible for many traffic accidents. A digital camera installed in side mirrors monitor traffic around the car and issues warnings to the driver. 

· Castro lover Danny Glover visits Venezuela's Chavez.  Actor Danny Glover was among a delegation of black American activists who began a nine-day visit to meet President Hugo Chavez and study the situation of blacks in Venezuela. 

· Gennifer Flowers Joining N.Y. Music Revue.  The woman who says she had an intimate relationship with President Clinton will be joining "Boobs! The Musical," a revue currently running at a midtown Manhattan nightspot, on Jan. 21. 

· Diaz not getting hitched.  They may be one of Hollywood's hottest couples but Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake have no plans to tie the knot. 

Thursday, January 8, 2004

· Manhunt for Murder, Kidnap Suspect Over.  Jerry William Jones, 31, was in police custody after shooting himself. The three kidnapped girls, the murder suspect's two daughters and a former stepdaughter, were found unharmed. 

· Secret photo of a cowering dictator.  The moment Saddam Hussein was dragged from his hole and exposed to the world – but it is a snapshot the U.S. military did not want the world to see. 

· Treasury breaks word on e-mail anonymity.  The U.S. Treasury Department plans to publish nearly 10,000 e-mail addresses on the Web, violating its privacy promise to Americans who used e-mail to comment on a government proceeding. 

· Cop Loses Prisoner at Doughnut Shop.  Police are conducting an internal investigation in the case of a prisoner escaping from a police car while the officer had coffee at a Tim Horton's bakery. 

· Elizabeth Smart Suspect Waives Hearing.  Elizabeth Smart kidnapping suspect Wanda Barzee waived a hearing that could have determined whether she is competent to stand trial. 

· Judge OKs Moving Peterson Trial.  A judge ruled on Thursday that accused murderer Scott Peterson can't get a fair jury in his dead wife's hometown and ordered the case moved out of Stanislaus County. 

· Kobe Booed In Denver.  Crowd Chants 'Guilty! Guilty!' During 3rd Quarter, leading Denver to a 113-91 rout of the LA Lakers. 

· Mega Loser Admits Lying.  A woman admitted through tears that she lied about losing the winning ticket for a $162 million lottery prize, saying: "I wanted to win so badly for my kids and my family." 

· Prisoner Missed Jail Life, thrashes Lamborghini.  A struggling ex-convict hurled a bench through the window of a Lamborghini sportscar to get himself jailed again, a court has heard. 

· $1 million offered for wedding video.  Britney broke his heart, but Jason could be crying all the way to the bank.  Jason Alexander has been offered $1 million for the video of him and Britney Spears exchanging I do's at a cheesy Las Vegas chapel. 

· Teacher Charged for Having Sex With 11-Year-Old.  A music teacher carried on a 19-month sexual relationship with a boy she seduced when he was 11 years old, authorities said. 

· Actor Jim Carrey Tops Money-Making List.  Nicole Kidman finished second, followed by Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Johnny Depp, Russell Crowe, Tom Hanks, Will Ferrell and Renee Zellweger. 

· Smoking Cops Kick Butts to Keep Badge.  Riverside County wants to cut back their skyrocketing workers' compensation insurance costs, and is kicking off the effort by banning smoking for anyone who wears a badge. 

· The Clock That Never Works.  A spoof on the flashing VCR Clock.  Look closely or you'll think it's a dead web page! 

· Robert Duvall slams Spielberg.  'I'll never work at DreamWorks again.' In a CBS "60 Minutes II" interview, the Oscar-winning performer sharply criticized filmmaker Steven Spielberg for meeting with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in November 2002. 

· Garr: "The whole MS stuff put the kibosh on my career."  There's a reason we haven't seen much of Teri Garr. It's very simple, she says. "My agents have me in the Actors' Protection Program. It seems to be working very well. Nobody can find me." 

· Judge says some women 'ask to be smacked around.'  A US judge has resigned over allegations he said domestic violence cases were a waste of time and that some women asked to get "smacked around". 

· Gag Order In Jackson Case.  Prosecutors have filed a motion seeking a gag order against Jackson attorney Mark Geragos. It's similar to the one in place against him in the Scott Peterson murder case. 

· Canadian taxpayers to pay $1 million for Conan O'Brien visit.  Canada's taxpayers will help foot the bill to the tune of $1 million when American late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien tapes a week of shows in Toronto. 

· Company Targets Teens With Hip-Hop Condoms.  A campaign to market a new line of condoms to teens has some people wondering if it's conveying a message that condom use — and, in essence, sex — is cool for kids. 

· News Anchor Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Store Items.  A television news anchor for the Villages News Network [Florida] was arrested for allegedly stealing a fruit tray and some cigarettes from a grocery store, according to a report. 

· Harrison Ford's Divorce Becomes Final.  The actor's divorce from his wife of 18 years, screenwriter Melissa Mathison Ford, became final this week. 

· Oops, TV news did it again.  Turmoil in Iraq, a bicycle bomber strikes in Afghanistan, mad cows are reported to be roaming the West, but the big story on Action News tonight is the marriage of pop diva Britney Spears. And now, here’s your Action News team with the full report. 

· Injured Goofy Sues Disney For $300,000.  It's true! Goofy is suing Disney. It's the man who played the Disney character on the company's cruise ship. The man suing says the Magic turned into a nightmare for him. 

· Liza Minnelli Appears in Divorce Court.  Liza Minnelli made an appearance Wednesday in divorce court, where her lawyer complained that the entertainer's husband, David Gest, was avoiding pretrial examination by hiding in Hawaii. 

Wednesday, January 7, 2004

· Crook survives 8-story plunge.  A teenage burglar escaped from the custody of security guards and then survived an eight-story drop out of a Times Square office building, police said. 

· Man says he’s addicted to cable TV; wants to sue.  Cable TV made a West Bend man addicted to TV, caused his wife to be overweight and his kids to be lazy, he says. And he’s threatening to sue the cable company. 

· Clinic teaches problem drinkers to drink.  Blue Cross director Halvor Kjoelstad said that drinking habits must first be charted, people must understand what attracts them to drinking alcohol, and then they examine potential problems that could be creating negative reactions when they are intoxicated. 

· Diana not pregnant when she died.  The Princess of Wales was not pregnant when she died, a former royal coroner says, apparently ruling out one of the rumours that has swirled around her death in a car crash six years ago. 

· Man making a mint from Britney wedding photo.  Britney and Jason are history but the man who took their wedding picture is making a mint from their marriage. 

· Pete Rose's Former Cohorts Say He's Still Lying.  Baseball's hits king finally acknowledged that he bet on baseball while he managed the Cincinnati Reds, but insists that he never placed wagers from his office. Not true, say two of his reputed bet runners. 

· Dying George Harrison forced by doctor to sign autograph.  George Harrison was forced to autograph a guitar on his deathbed for his Staten Island cancer doctor - and even had to endure an impromptu concert by the physician's 12-year-old son, a new bombshell lawsuit charges. 

· Father accused of beating convicted sex offender.  A Gainesville man was arrested Tuesday morning after authorities said he used an ax handle to beat up a convicted sexual offender who authorities said touched his son. 

· Celine Dion Gets Star on Hollywood Walk.  Celine Dion broke down in tears as she thanked her late father for being her "No. 1 fan" during a ceremony Tuesday to receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

· Duvall: Money Was 'Godfather III' Issue.  Actor Robert Duvall says money was the reason he didn't appear in Frances Ford Coppola's "Godfather III," in an interview to air Wednesday on CBS'"60 Minutes II." 

· Schwarzenegger: "I changed my mind. I want to go back to acting."  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gives his first California State of the State address yesterday. 

· Jacko Fans 'Scared' by Nation of Islam.  It was only a matter of time before Michael Jackson's loyal fans said something about their hero's involvement with the Nation of Islam. 

· Strutting your stuff in stilettos is good for you.  New research will bring joy to the hearts of Sex and the City's Carrie and Charlotte, and shoe-loving women everywhere - high heels may actually help their wearers avoid painful knee conditions. 

· Lottery Loser's Shady Past.  The Ohio woman who told police that she purchased - and then lost - the winning $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket - has several arrests on her rap sheet, including convictions for assault and credit card fraud. 

· Girl forced to sex as payment for cab ride.  A taxi driver is charged for having sex with a 16-year-old girl. The 35-year-old man forced himself on her because she did not have the money to pay for the cab. 

· Peterson Prosecutors Will Call Burglary Suspect.  One of the men who burglarized a home in Scott Peterson's neighborhood hours after Laci Peterson's Christmas Eve disappearance will be called as a witness by the prosecution in the upcoming double murder trial, according to court documents filed. 

Tuesday, January 6, 2004

· Jail for high-calorie hoaxer.  Robert Ligon, 68, begins a 15-month jail sentence today for claiming, fraudulently, that his “carob-coated” doughnut contained only three grams of fat and 135 calories. In fact, the chocolate-glazed treat contained a belt-busting 18 grams of fat and 530 calories. 

· Hefner Would Like Spears As a Girlfriend.  Now that Britney Spears is a single woman again, she already has at least one potential beau: Hugh Hefner. 

· Report:  Britney's "ex" is convicted thug.  BRITNEY’S ex-husband is a convicted thug who has been arrested three times, it was revealed last night. 

· Cocaine killed Righteous Brothers' Hatfield.  Righteous Brothers singer Bobby Hatfield's death in November was caused by cocaine and not just heart failure. 

· NBC, Shriver Discussing 'Dateline' Leave.  NBC News is talking with California first lady Maria Shriver about an extended leave from her "Dateline NBC" job. 

· 'Trust Me.'  Woman claims $162 million Mega Millions ticket lost.  A Cleveland woman has told police she picked the winning numbers for the $162 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot but lost the ticket before the drawing, according to a police report. 

· Michael J. Fox to Appear on 'Scrubs.'  Sitcom veteran Michael J. Fox will appear in two episodes of NBC's "Scrubs" next month as a doctor who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

· Smart Kidnap Suspects Seek Closed Hearing.  Attorneys for the homeless couple accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart went to court Monday to block efforts by the news media to have the suspects' competency hearings held in open court. 

· Stewart Trial Jury Selection to Get Under Way.  Round one of jury selection for the trial of Martha Stewart gets under way Tuesday when potential jurors will be screened for conflicts of interest in what is the highest profile corporate fraud case in years. 

· Coroner Begins Inquest Into Princess Diana's Death.  Britain's first formal inquest into the deaths of Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed opened Tuesday, a case in which some see a sinister conspiracy but one of Diana's bodyguards dismisses as a "mundane road traffic accident." 

· Amputee soldier denied access to club.  The shoes he uses with his prosthetic legs didn't meet the nightclub's dress code.  Abby Jackson, wife of Spc. Robert Jackson, 22, who lost his legs in an explosion last August while serving in Iraq, says her husband was denied access to an upscale Des Moines nightclub because his shoes weren't fancy enough. 

· Kobe's Attorneys Seek to Close Evidence Hearing.  Attorneys for NBA star Kobe Bryant are asking the judge in his sexual assault case to close a February hearing to the public, saying evidence that will be discussed might taint the jury pool and may not even be allowed at trial. 

Monday, January 5, 2004

· Jacko Defense: He Wasn't There.  What kind of defense is Mark Geragos putting together for Michael Jackson? How about: absentee molester?  The word is coming down that Geragos will use the specific dates mentioned in the charges filed against Jackson to exonerate the singer. 

· Britney Annuls Marriage Day After Wedding.  Britney Spears and a childhood friend apparently "took a joke too far" by tying the knot at a wedding chapel after a long night of partying - and then quickly arranged an annulment. 

· Britney's Marriage License Filed.  The lovebirds were hitched at 5 AM at the Little White Wedding Chapel, the famous Strip nuptial warehouse where you can get married at a drive-up window. 

· Hours Later:  The Annulment Filed.  After hours of marital bliss, Britney Spears moved today to legally annul her romantic Saturday morning nuptials at Las Vegas's Little White Wedding Chapel. 

· Crocodile Dumb-Dee.  "Crocodile hunter" Steve Irwin has survived tussles with giant pythons, poisonous snakes and, of course, crocodiles. Now he faces accusations that he went too far and endangered his infant son. 

· Britney 'marries' in Las Vegas.  Pop superstar Britney Spears has married a childhood friend in Las Vegas, according to news reports. 

· Pete Rose comes clean on betting.  Pete Rose admits in his upcoming autobiography that he gambled on baseball, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. 

· Clarkson Poor Loser.  Stunned "American Idol" champ Kelly Clarkson abruptly left the set of "World Idol" New Years' night after fans snubbed her in favor of Kurt Nilsen - a gap-toothed plumber with a great voice from Norway. 

· List of Words That Should Be 'Banned' for 2004.  The 2004 list of words that should be banished for "misuse, overuse and general uselessness," according to Lake Superior State University. 

· Michael Jackson under fire on brutality claim.  MICHAEL Jackson was threatened with new criminal charges yesterday for accusing Californian police of brutality during his arrest for child sex abuse. 

· The Best TV Commercial In 2003!  This clever two-minute Honda ad is a real-time creation that took seven painstaking months to prepare - and 606 video takes - that results in a mesmerizing chain reaction that will leave you scratching your head. 

· Are you a News Junkie?  Take the 2003 Tabloid News Quiz!
Take this quiz to determine if you are getting the required daily dose of tabloid news and scandals. 

· 'Lucky' woman has heart attack on flight.  Fifteen heart specialists, all bound for a medical conference in Florida, stood up to offer help when a cabin attendant asked: "Is there a doctor on board?"  

· Lewinsky Denied Reimbursement of Legal Fees.  Former White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky is not entitled to be reimbursed for $1.1 million she spent in legal fees related to an independent counsel investigation of President Bill Clinton and his affair with her, a federal appellate panel ruled. 

· Michael Jackson's $1 Million Interview Deal.  Michael Jackson struck a deal with CBS to be paid in effect an additional $1 million for both an entertainment special to be broadcast on Friday and his interview on "60 Minutes" this past Sunday. 

· New Year Resolutions?  Don't Bother.  Impulsive New Year resolutions were almost guaranteed to fail, a researcher has warned.  Dr Duncan Murray, of Queensland's Griffith University, said people usually aimed high with "big ticket" resolutions like losing weight, giving up smoking or getting rid of credit card debt.  However, they failed to consider the implications of what they were attempting. 

· Drunk Woman Allegedly Tries to Choke Air Marshal.  A woman allegedly tried to choke a federal air marshal after she became disruptive on a flight from Pittsburgh to Minneapolis, authorities said. 

· Antique chandelier crashes to Missouri Senate floor.  A 600-pound antique chandelier crashed to the Senate floor Tuesday at the Missouri Capitol, smashing a bench typically used by pages but injuring no one. 

· Christmas Closeout Sale:  F-16 fighter jets.  American made assault helicopters, F-16 fighter planes and tanks are all available at knock-down prices in an end-of-year sale being staged by the Israeli army. 

· Parents outraged after son finds bullets in Christmas toys.  A Houston, TX father received a nasty surprise when he looked inside one of his kids' new Christmas toys.  He found 29 live 22-magnum bullets mixed in among the parts. 

· Clean the hard drive before dumping your PC.  If you're getting rid of your old computer, or even if you aren't just yet, there are some things you should know about it. 

· National Review's Annual Crystal Ball.  Here is a list of some interesting predictions for 2004. 

· 'Home Improvement' Actor Hindman Dies.  Actor Earl Hindman, best known for playing a neighbor whose face was forever obscured by a fence on the television show "Home Improvement," died of lung cancer Monday in Stamford, Conn. He was 61. 

· Century-old math problem may have been solved.  A reclusive Russian mathematician appears to have answered a question that has stumped mathematicians. 

· Woman ticketed for appearing naked on the Internet.  It may be legal to appear naked in cyberspace, but police ticketed a Lincoln woman Monday for posting nude pictures of herself on the Web that were taken in downtown bar. 

· Woman sues sheriff's department after being forced to leave jail wearing only panties and T-shirt.  A 36-year-old woman is suing Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, claiming she was badly beaten after she was forced to leave Madison Street Jail wearing only the panties and T-shirt she had on when she was arrested. 

· 'Odd Couple' Chosen as Most-Admired.  Americans again say the man and woman they most admired in 2003 are President Bush and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton - a political odd couple that bested Oprah, the Pope, Bill Clinton and Laura Bush, too. 

· As Stewart trial approaches, a young ex-brokerage worker plays pivotal role.  Douglas Faneuil is a 28-year-old, baby-faced former brokerage assistant who lives in relative obscurity in an apartment in Brooklyn - and could be the deciding factor in whether Martha Stewart goes to prison. 

· Bryant Case Voted AP 'Sports' Story of Year.  The young hotel worker's accusation was shocking enough: Thrilled by a chance encounter with a celebrity, she went to his room only to be forced over a chair and sexually assaulted. More startling was the name of the accused: Kobe Bryant. 

· Michael Jackson's Spokesman Resigns.  Michael Jackson's chief spokesman resigned on Monday, citing "strategic differences" with other members of the embattled pop star's team over the handling of child molestation charges. 

· Cyber blackmail targets office workers.  Cyber blackmail artists are shaking down office workers, threatening to delete computer files or install pornographic images on their work PCs unless they pay a ransom, police and security experts said. 

· Grandmother Charged With Carrying Gun At Orlando Airport.  A grandmother charged with carrying a loaded pistol through security lines at Orlando International Airport says it was an accident. 

· Domain interest rekindled.  ONE more sign the technology sector is rebounding: an internet domain name is again commanding seven figures.  Last week, a Florida man sold men.com for $1.3 million, a healthy profit over the $15,000 he paid for it in 1997. 

· Baghdad has lower crime rate than New York.  Startling new Army statistics show that strife-torn Baghdad - considered the most dangerous city in the world - now has a lower murder rate than New York and most other American cities. 

· Jackson Interview Transcript.  The transcript of the exclusive interview with Michael Jackson by Ed Bradley of '60 Minutes.' 

· Sex Crazed New Years Diet.  New Years often brings resolutions - but this one is WILD. Recent reports suggest that vigorous sex can burn calories at a heart-pumping pace of 120 calories an hour. 

· Meat From Infected Cow Reached Eight States.  Meat from a Holstein sick with mad cow disease has now reached retail markets in eight states. 

· Air freshener the new killer drug.  AIR fresheners that retail for as little as $1.50 have emerged as the deadly drug of choice for many children and teenagers. 

· Lawyers line up to defend Saddam.  MORE than 600 lawyers have signed up to defend captive Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, according to the head of Jordan's Bar Association. 

· Is this pill the cure for a New Year hangover?  A "hangover pill" that allows people who have over-indulged to wake up the next day with a clear head is to go on sale. 

· Schwarzenegger Eyes Sentencing, Parole Changes for Calif. Prison System.  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration is considering moneysaving changes in sentencing and parole supervision for California's $5.3 billion prison system. 

· France warning tipped off terrorists.  One or more terror suspects may have escaped due to a premature disclosure in France of the security concerns behind the cancellation of Christmas flights to Los Angeles, U.S. officials said yesterday. 

· Townshend considered suicide over porn arrest.  Rock star Pete Townshend reveals today how he contemplated killing himself after he confessed to downloading child pornography. 

· We Hate Spam, Congress Says... Except From Us.  Even as Congress was unanimously approving a law aimed at reducing the flow of junk e-mail, members were sending out hundreds of thousands of unsolicited messages to constituents. 

· Gwyneth drinks to wealth.  GWYNETH Paltrow never touches a drop of alcohol. But a $7 million cheque managed to convince her to swallow her principles and become the face of Martini. 

· Closing In:  Investigators Trace Diseased Cow to Canada.  The Holstein infected with mad cow disease in Washington state was imported into the United States from Canada about two years ago, federal investigators concluded. 

· Dean not sure Osama's guilty.  Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean says he's not sure Osama bin Laden is guilty of anything – even though the leader of the al-Qaida terrorist network has boasted of his attacks on the U.S., including the one on September 11, 2001. 

· Jackson: It's OK to Sleep With Children.  Michael Jackson told CBS' "60 Minutes" that he still believes it's acceptable to sleep with children and that he would "slit my wrists" before he would hurt a child. 

· Reputed NY Mobster Shoots Man for Heckling Singer.  The scene in one of New York's fabled Italian restaurants would have done "The Sopranos" TV scriptwriters proud - a reputed mobster shot a man dead for heckling a woman singer. 

· Saying Farewell to Entertainment Greats in 2003.  From Bob Hope, Katharine Hepburn and Gregory Peck to Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash and John Ritter, the talented performers were beloved by the public and influential across generations. 

· Report:  Michael Jackson's Secret Wedding.  MICHAEL Jackson has secretly married for the THIRD time according to pals.  The singer is said to have wed a stunning 23-year-old Muslim beauty in the summer. 

· Gone With The Wind has been voted the greatest epic of all time.  The 1939 tearjerker, starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara, lasts a colossal four hours. 

· Pellicano's ex-wife wants to write a book.  "He's an old-style Italian guy who enjoys living on the edge," she added. "He did what he needed to do. He took care of people's problems. He could be a bully. That's what he did for a living. And he did it very well." 

· Kobe says he is 'Living in a Nightmare.'  Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant said in a televised interview Thursday that he sometimes becomes distracted or scared as he fights a felony sexual assault charge. 

· Man Steals $350,000 From Dying Priest.  A former caregiver will serve two years in federal prison for swindling a dying priest out of a $350,000 life insurance annuity, then gambling it away. 

· Ten most overpaid jobs in the U.S.  While it's easy to argue chief executives, lawyers and movie stars are overpaid, reality is not that cut and dried. 

· Prosecutors set up website on Michael Jackson.  California prosecutors took the unusual step of setting up a Web site on the Michael Jackson case, triggering a debate on use of the Web within the legal community. 

· Thief Feels Holiday Spirit, Returns Stolen Car.  A thief stole a woman's car along with a purse that contained $200 and credit cards, but - apparently struck by the Christmas spirit - returned the car along with a letter of apology. 

· Celebrity Knuckleheads For 2003.  It's been a busy year, friends, and we've been keeping tabs on the famous and stupid -- practically a full-time job. Like last year, we only considered celebrities, no politicians or meddling Chicago baseball fans. 

· Parents of Slain Child Beauty Queen JonBenet Ramsey Sue Fox News.  The parents of slain 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey filed a $12 million federal defamation lawsuit against Fox News Network over a story they say cast suspicion on them. 

· Awful Plastic Surgery.  The pressure to appear young and beautiful can be overwhelming to people who make their living in the limelight. But how far is too far in the seemingly endless process of nips and tucks? 

· Questions still haunt Laci Peterson case.  Peterson told Modesto police he decided to go fishing [one year ago today] in the San Francisco Bay rather than play golf as originally planned, and last saw his wife mopping the floor at home. 

· 10 technologies to watch in 2004.  No, they're not quite ready for prime time. But in the year ahead, these promising innovations could start to hit the marketplace. 

· 13-Year-Old Indiana Girl Faces DUI charges.  A 13-year-old girl has been charged with drunken driving in northern Indiana.  According to police, the girl hit a utility pole, causing nearly 600 homes to lose electricity near LaPorte. 

· USDA refuses to release mad cow records.  The USDA claims to have tested approximately 20,000 cows for the disease from 2002, but has not provided any documentation to support this. 

· Embarrassed Namath apologizes to Kolber.  Embarrassed by Saturday night's national television interview, pro football Hall of Famer Joe Namath admitted on Tuesday that he had been drinking and apologized to ESPN reporter Suzy Kolber for saying he wanted to kiss her. 

· Celine Dion Billboard Makes Nevada Man's Dreams Come True.  A Nevada man has had his songwriting dreams come true after renting a billboard on a dusty stretch of road outside of Las Vegas in hopes Celine Dion would see it and contact him. 

· Cellphones that track kids click with parents.  On the train returning to Armonk, N.Y., from a recent shopping trip in Manhattan with her friends, Britney Lutz, 15, had the odd sensation that her father was watching her.  He could have been. 

· New York pardons late Lenny Bruce.  American comedian Lenny Bruce has been granted a posthumous pardon by the state of New York 40 years after he was convicted in an obscenity case. 

· The 'Wow!' Stories Of 2003.  The top 10 list of non-celebrity stories - so far - during 2003. 

· Geragos Moves for Dismissal of Peterson Case.  Scott Peterson's lawyer, arguing that Modesto police failed to pursue a "genuine investigation of Laci Peterson's disappearance" last Christmas Eve, is seeking dismissal of double-murder charges against his client. 

· Rush's maid "bled him dry."  Rush Limbaugh's ex-maid "bled him dry" with a blackmail scheme and then tattled anyway about his painkiller habit, the radio jock's attorney said. 

 December 2003 News Archives.  More...

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