In the News [Archive] - Mania Forums - Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Entertainment

omicron

02-08-2006, 06:09 AM

CNN Story (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/02/07/nyc.subway.ads.ap/index.html)

Bahamas ads axed from NYC subways
Officials are axing advertisements that playfully urge subway riders to pretend they're on vacation -- showing cartoon figures fly fishing on the tracks and lounging across subway seats.

The ads, part of a Bahamas Ministry of Tourism campaign, "advocate behavior that is clearly unsafe" and will be replaced, said Jodi Senese, a spokeswoman for CBS Outdoor, the company that distributes advertising in New York's underground.

Honestly, the stupid disclaimers on ads nowadays piss me off. Really, does anyone think it's safe to try and ski down a mountain when there's no snow? Or fish on the subway? Or any of the hundreds of other things in commericals?

I know it's just the legal department covering their ass, but really, I think we should let some Darwinism take place. Let's thin the herd of these idiotic losers. I enjoy watching Mythbusters, but I don't need a 30second warning telling me it's not safe to play with high explosives or drive recklessly.

Omicron

KingVoyeur

02-08-2006, 07:07 AM

Too big to hang, killer dies in prison
Judge: Hanging could have decapitated 400-pound bank robber

In 1994, a federal judge upheld his conviction but agreed with Rupe's contention that at 400 pounds, he was too heavy to hang because of the risk of decapitation. Rupe argued that would be cruel and unusual punishment.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/08/fat.inmate.ap/index.html)

That's just sad...

KingVoyeur

02-08-2006, 07:09 AM

ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas (AP) -- This chicken had lips, just not her own.

A retired nurse saved her brother's chicken, Boo Boo, by administering mouth-to-beak resuscitation last week after the fowl was found floating face down in the family's pond.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/08/chicken.ap/index.html)

Only in Arkansas...

KingVoyeur

02-08-2006, 07:20 AM

Scandal shakes up small Arkansas town
Mayor, police chief charged in corruption probe

Wednesday, February 8, 2006; Posted: 11:05 a.m. EST (16:05 GMT)

Prosecutor Lona McCastlain says more arrests could be coming in the scandal that has shaken Lonoke, Arkansas.

LONOKE, Arkansas (AP) -- The mayor was arrested in a corruption probe, the police chief is accused in a drug-making scheme, and the prosecutor says the chief's wife took prisoners from jail to have sex with them -- and more arrests could be coming.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/08/corrupt.town.ap/index.html)

Again, only in Arkansas...

omicron

02-08-2006, 11:59 AM

CNN story (http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/02/08/spelling.bee.ap/index.html)

Reno, Nevada, eighth-grader Sara Beckman spelled "discernible" correctly during a spelling bee Tuesday at the University of Nevada, Reno. But the judge rang the bell anyway.

Her parents are furious, but organizers say they had to protest the call immediately. They say they waited until the bee was over to avoid interrupting.

Her mother, Cindy, calls herself a "momma bear with her bear claws out" and is ready to go to court.

Honestly, is this neccessary? Jezus people, learn to live with disappointment! Not everything in life is fair and you don't always win or get your way. I'd tell my kid "Sorry, it's wrong. But you have learn to live with disappointment."

Omicron

omicron

02-08-2006, 01:17 PM

Tuesday Morning QB (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9213999)

The latest Abercrombie & Fitch catalog sells "premium destroyed" jeans for $198 a pair. (http://www.abercrombie.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10051_10901_236655_-1_12236) The pants, which appear to have been found at the bottom of a mine shaft, offer "handcrafted abrasion details" and "one-of-a-kind destroyed elements on every pair." I know ugly pants are trendy, and I'll skip the obvious comment about a society so lazy we hire someone to wear out our jeans for us. (Guess I didn't skip that obvious comment). Let's hone in on the obscenity of spending $198 on worn-out jeans merely because the purchase confers transitory, shallow status. If you've got $198 to spare, spending that sum on this self-indulgent vanity item should make you feel awful about yourself -- it proves you are so insecure and weak-willed, a cynical marketing conglomerate can trick you into wasting your money. Whereas you could give the same amount to the Global AIDS Fund and feel really good about yourself. In the corporate suites of Abercrombie & Fitch, they are laughing out loud at their own customers for being so unbelievably stupid as to pay $198 for a product that's advertised as in poor condition.

Unbelievable. I need to start a company where people order jeans from us, we go to the mall, purchase them, wear them for about 3 days straight while mowing, working on the car, rolling around in the yard with the dog, etc and then mark them up 200% and ship them to them.
:dunno:

Omicron

KingVoyeur

02-08-2006, 01:26 PM

'Curious George' collaborator dead in possible homicide

Wednesday, February 8, 2006; Posted: 3:46 p.m. EST (20:46 GMT)

BOYNTON BEACH, Florida (AP) -- Alan Shalleck, who collaborated with the co-creator of "Curious George" to bring the mischievous monkey to television and a series of book sequels, was found dead outside his home, and police were treating the death as a possible homicide.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/books/02/08/obit.shalleck.ap/index.html)

KingVoyeur

02-09-2006, 06:41 AM

Cruise Bullies Kanye West Into Impossible Mission
Tom Cruise persuaded rapper Kanye West to change his mind about creating a new theme for Mission: Impossible III by paying him a visit. The movie star was adamant West should be involved in the soundtrack and when the rap star announced he was too busy to play around with the classic theme, Cruise refused to take no for an answer. Cruise tells MTV News, "I'm a big fan of his work and we said, 'What's Kanye doing?' - 'He's busy, busy, busy.' So... I went by and he's got two songs that he wrote that are just unbelievable - he did a version of 'Mission: Impossible' and an original... It is 'Wow'. When you see an artist that you just respect and he's so talented. I was like, 'Man, I'd love to see what he's gonna do with this.' You've got to hear what he did with it. It's Kanye West and it's really extraordinary. I looked at him and said, 'Man, you killed it.'"

Followed with "Now I won't have to have my cult kill you!" :poke:

fastcar

02-09-2006, 07:29 AM

I looked at him and said, 'Man, you killed it.':

That sounds like someone talking to Cruise about his career.

Kaeos

02-09-2006, 04:46 PM

So, here we see the true power a grammer!!!!!!

Solution found to misspelling dispute.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/02/09/spelling.bee.ap/index.html

:jump2: boing

KingVoyeur

02-10-2006, 06:59 AM

Valley of Kings tomb found; first since King Tut's
Discovery 'totally unexpected'
Friday, February 10, 2006; Posted: 9:04 a.m. EST (14:04 GMT)

Archaeologists work at a shaft Wednesday leading to a tomb discovered in Egypt's Valley of Kings.

LUXOR, Egypt (AP) -- Through a partially opened underground door, Egyptian authorities gave a peek Friday into the first new tomb uncovered in the Valley of the Kings since that of King Tutankhamun in 1922. U.S. archaeologists said they discovered the tomb by accident while working on a nearby site.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/02/10/egypt.newtomb.ap/index.html)

When're they gonna find the damn aliens' tombs?

KingVoyeur

02-10-2006, 07:02 AM

Madeover Ken hopes to win back Barbie

Friday, February 10, 2006; Posted: 8:59 a.m. EST (13:59 GMT)

A new look for boy toy Ken is revealed.

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- He's been to the gym, looks buff and stylish, and now Barbie's boy toy Ken wants to win back the doll he split from two years ago.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/09/ken.barbie.reut/index.html)

Why'd they split in the first place? Did Ken have a drinking problem and a need to "find himself?"

omicron

02-10-2006, 07:03 AM

Lesbian lovers in train loo (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006060510,00.html??2)

My favorite part?
"Nicola Hudson, 22, and Ann-Marie O’Neill, 29, were heard “moaning and groaning” by a cop at Manchester Piccadilly.

He looked over a cubicle wall and saw O’Neill naked from the waist down, kneeling and caressing a topless Hudson.

After several minutes the officer told them to stop and get dressed."

:lol:

Omicron

KingVoyeur

02-10-2006, 07:40 AM

Turkish rush to embrace anti-US film
By Sarah Rainsford
BBC News in Istanbul

Billy Zane and Gary Busey play "bad Americans"

It is rabidly anti-American, and it is the biggest draw in town.

With a budget of $10m (£5.7m), Valley of the Wolves Iraq is the most expensive film ever made in Turkey - and it is pulling record crowds.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4700154.stm)

Wow, they should show this film to Americans who think they really love us over there.

BTW, check out the BBC news website. They cover everything on every continent! Much more comprehensive than any American news site I've seen.

KingVoyeur

02-10-2006, 07:51 AM

Lonely Water (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4690150.stm)

Wow, that is messed up. This British PSA about water safety features Donald Pleasance narrating as "Lonely Water", and could easily be a horror film about lakes that eat kids!

American

02-10-2006, 12:07 PM

KingVoyeur

02-10-2006, 02:16 PM

Political whodunit takes an eerie twist
Police: Candidate's charge opponent killed wife was right

Friday, February 10, 2006; Posted: 2:38 p.m. EST (19:38 GMT)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (AP) -- More than five years ago, Rod Spraggins made a sensational charge at a candidate forum, publicly accusing a political opponent of murder with nothing to back up the allegation except, it turns out, a vision.

Full Story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/10/political.whodunit.ap/index.html)

It's the Dead Zone, I tells ya!

MPG

02-12-2006, 01:13 AM

More than five years ago, Rod Spraggins made a sensational charge at a candidate forum, publicly accusing a political opponent of murder with nothing to back up the allegation except, it turns out, a vision.
It's funny to see how this article is written in a desperate attempt to milk somewhat of a non-story. It makes it sound like Spraggins came up with the accusation out of the blue through some kind of awesome psychic powers when in fact, Waites had been the main suspect all along. Of course, you only find that out if you read the whole article. Gullibe people who only read the first couple of paragraphs will be reconfirmed in their belief that supernatural forces were at work here. :rolleyes: The weirdest sentence is "Now police say Spraggins is right", making it sound like there was some kind of statement by the police which acknowledged his powers of prediction, when in fact, they probably didn't mention him at all. Great example of the "quality" of American journalism.

KingVoyeur

02-13-2006, 06:56 AM

FROM IMDB.COM

Redford: "Sundance Is Getting Out of Control"

Hollywood veteran Robert Redford fears his Sundance Film Festival is growing too big, after seeing celebrities like Paris Hilton attend the event. Redford hosted his 25th annual festival in Park City, Utah, last month, which was started in 1979 to showcase low-budget, independent films and talent. However, as the festival grows larger and larger every year, some celebrities have begun turning up just for parties, even though they have nothing to do with the films on show. Redford tells Newsweek magazine, "To the outside world, it's a big fat market where you have people like Paris Hilton going to parties. Now, she doesn't have anything to do with anything. I think the festival is close to being out of control." Despite Redford's disdain for the socialite, Hilton has attended the parties of Sundance every year since 2004.

Soon, he'll move the festival to a quiet mountain town, where, due to the success of Brokeback Mountain, they'll show more movies of gay cowboys eating pudding only to be thwarted by a talking piece of poo...

KingVoyeur

02-13-2006, 07:43 AM

Netflix sends frequent renters to the back of line
Policy designed to reduce number of films rented for monthly fee

Netflix typically sends about 13 movies a month to Villanueva's home in Warren, Michigan -- down from the 18 to 22 DVDs he once received before the company's automated system identified him as a heavy renter and began delaying his shipments to protect its profits.

The same Netflix formula also shoves Villanueva to the back of the line for the most-wanted DVDs, so the service can send those popular flicks to new subscribers and infrequent renters.

The little-known practice, called "throttling" by critics, means Netflix customers who pay the same price for the same service are often treated differently, depending on their rental patterns.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/10/netflix.penalty.ap/index.html)

KingVoyeur

02-13-2006, 07:52 AM

Gay rights win in Warcraft world

The maker of the hugely popular online game, World of Warcraft, has changed its policy on gay teams following an outcry from many players.

The row blew up around Warcraft player Sara Andrews, who plays a high-level mage called Shimmre on the Shadow Moon server. Each server runs a separate duplicate of the Warcraft world. Many guilds use Warcraft's text chat channels to recruit new members. In late January, Sara Andrews used these channels to say that the guild she helps run, called Oz, was set up to be gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender "friendly". But an in-game administrator issued a warning saying that such talk was a breach of Warcraft's terms of service. She was threatened with being banned from the game if she continued to advertise the Oz guild using such language. Ms Andrews challenged the warning and the claim that it broke the terms of service. She said many players used homophobic language in the game that went unchallenged.

The uproar has prompted Blizzard to officially apologise to Ms Andrews. It said that her comments should not have produced a warning. In an e-mail to Ms Andrews, Thor Biafore, senior manager of Blizzard's customer service, said: "Please accept our apologies for the way our staff characterized your conduct, and rest assured that your account will not be penalized in any way for this occurrence."

Full story at BBCnews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4700754.stm)

KingVoyeur

02-13-2006, 09:05 AM

High school squatter apparently on the lam
Man never boarded plane to Mexico

Monday, February 13, 2006; Posted: 12:45 p.m. EST (17:45 GMT)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AP) -- A young man from Mexico who made national news last year when he was found living in a Minnesota high school is apparently on the lam after failing to board a plane back to his homeland Mexico.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/13/mn.school.intruder.ap/index.html)

KingVoyeur

02-13-2006, 10:07 AM

From IMDB.com

What Does Ovitz Know About That Dead Fish?

Former Los Angeles Times reporter Anita Busch has subpoenaed former super agent and Disney President Michael Ovitz to give a deposition in her lawsuit against private detective Anthony Pellicano. Pellicano and an associate have been implicated in an incident in which a dead fish with a rose in its mouth and a sign saying "Stop" were left in Busch's car while she was investigating a story about possible Mafia links to actor Steven Seagal. An attorney for Busch said Sunday that he suspected that Pellicano was acting on behalf of one of his clients. In a magazine interview in 2002, Ovitz alluded to the dead-fish incident in discussing two of his former lieutenants at the Creative Management Agency with whom he had had a falling-out, Bryan Lourd and Kevin Huvane.

You would think that the mafia would be embarassed to have Seagal as a member...

KingVoyeur

02-14-2006, 06:51 AM

From IMDB.com

'Star Wars' Actor Brown Dies

Actor Phil Brown, best known for playing Luke Skywalker's Uncle Owen in Star Wars, has died of pneumonia. He was 89. The Massachusetts-born actor died at the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California on Thursday, according to his widow Ginny. After starring in movies and TV shows in the 1940s, Brown moved to London in the 1950s after he was wrongly blacklisted during the Communist scares in the United States. Star Wars director George Lucas cast Brown while filming scenes for the 1977 sci-fi epic in London, and his fame playing Uncle Owen in the movie lead to his return to America. Brown is survived by widow Ginny, their son Kevin, two grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

KingVoyeur

02-14-2006, 06:54 AM

'Hulk' Lou Ferrigno now a sheriff's deputy

Tuesday, February 14, 2006; Posted: 10:07 a.m. EST (15:07 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The Incredible Hulk is now a county sheriff's department reserve deputy.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/14/deputy.hulk.ap/index.html)

"Hulk plant evidence!" "Hulk kill hooker!" "Hulk abuse power!" :lol:

KingVoyeur

02-14-2006, 07:07 AM

TV box launches sea rescue search

A Devon pensioner's digital television box started a sea search operation when it sent out a distress signal.

Full story at BBCnews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4712122.stm)

That's funny. She must watch really crappy TV to make her cable box send out a call for help!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

KingVoyeur

02-14-2006, 07:16 AM

OMG this is too funny. Plus it's Dr. Who!

Splink! Bless you

Every day in February the Magazine is featuring a classic public information film from the past 60 years, concluding with a vote to find the nation's favourite.

Today's film is a real treasure. It's got everything you could want from a public information film - a slogan, dated costumes, a bit of nostalgia - but is also unintentionally amusing.

It's an attempt at improving road safety for children, and came a year after Dave Prowse (later Darth Vader) had first played the Green Cross Man.

The film dates from 1976 and stars the late Jon Pertwee, then just two years after having left the role of Doctor Who. He is essentially playing the same part, though - a curious uncle figure who is explaining the world to his young charges. Unfortunately the message of this film seems so complicated one almost needs the Tardis's translation software to understand what he's going on about.

Check out the full story (and the PSA!) at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4690160.stm)

KingVoyeur

02-14-2006, 07:20 AM

This is pretty damn cool....

Design may be housewives' choice

A new machine which washes, dries and irons clothes could clean up for a Devon student

Oliver Blackwell, who designed the WashDryIron, is exhibiting the machine at next month's Ideal Home Show.

The University of Plymouth graduate hopes the machine will become an object of desire because it saves about 10 days a year in ironing time.

"A friend's father said he wouldn't have got married if I'd come up with this sooner," said Mr Blackwell.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4712446.stm)

KingVoyeur

02-14-2006, 12:00 PM

From IMDB.com

NBC White House Correspondent & Press Secretary Go At It

A verbal slugfest took place at the White House Monday between White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan and NBC News Chief White House correspondent David Gregory. Today's (Tuesday) Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post reported that when Gregory posed a question about why the White House relied on a Texas rancher to get out the word of Vice President Cheney's hunting accident -- and then accused McClellan of "ducking and weaving" in his original reply, McClellan shot back, "David, hold on, the cameras aren't on right now." The remark appeared to anger Gregory, who shot back, "Don't accuse me of trying to pose to the cameras. ... Don't be a jerk to me personally when I'm asking you a serious question." McClellan then said, "You don't have to yell," a remark that seemed to infuriate Gregory even further. "I will yell," he said, "If you want to use that podium to try to take shots at me personally, which I don't appreciate, then I will raise my voice, because that's wrong." A moment later McClellan commented, "I'm sorry you're getting all riled up." "I am riled up," Gregory said, "because you're not answering the question." Said McClellan, "The vice president's office was the one that took the lead to get this information out... I don't know what else to tell you... That's my answer."

Let's get it on!

American

02-14-2006, 04:26 PM

I was waiting for McClellan to forget being nice and call him "stuck on stupid"

Kaeos

02-14-2006, 04:42 PM

I was waiting for McClellan to forget being nice and call him "stuck on stupid"

Yes, that's all the proof we would need that McClellan is yet another talking mouth for Limbaugh and the tighty righty machine. Dude, that's the most transparent part about the whole so called "conservative" regime. Everyone just takes thier verbal marching orders from rhetoric spewing twits like Limbaugh and Hannity.

This isn't the first time Gregory and McClellan have had it out in the pressroom. Gregory tends not to accept Scott's typical Bush mouthpiece non-answers.

"stuck on stupid" is one of the more asanine Limbaugh-ism's out there.

KingVoyeur

02-15-2006, 02:18 PM

From IMDB.com

Were Ovitz's Enemies Wiretapped?

Several Hollywood figures whose telephone conversations were allegedly recorded by private detective Anthony Pellicano were involved in legal battles with former super agent and Disney president Michael Ovitz, the New York Times reported today (Wednesday). Still others battling Ovitz had their backgrounds checked illegally in law-enforcement databases, according to prosecutors who talked to the newspaper. The revelations come just days after it was reported that Ovitz had been called to testify before a grand jury about his dealings with Pellicano. The newspaper said that one of its own reporters, former Hollywood-based correspondent Bernard Weinraub, may have been targeted by Pellicano, who -- using a police source -- illegally ran his name through the FBI's National Crime Information Center database. Another reporter, Anita Busch of the Los Angeles Times, also had her phone conversations tapped by Pellicano, the New York Times said.

Is there such a thing as the Disney Mafia?

KingVoyeur

02-15-2006, 02:21 PM

From IMDB.com

Catholic League Head Blasts Olympics Telecast, David E. Kelley

Catholic League President William Donohue has castigated NBC for not mentioning the Shroud of Turin during its coverage of the Turin Winter Olympics. In an interview with USA Today, Donohue remarked, "If you asked the average American to name something about Turin, Italy, they'd name the Shroud. ... It's like having the Olympics in Fort Knox and not mentioning gold." NBC Olympics producer David Neal said that NBC is working on a feature about the Shroud, but noted that it is cutting back on all features in order to concentrate on the contests. Donohue also issued a news release blasting Tuesday night's episode of David E. Kelley's Boston Legal about a teenage girl who becomes pregnant after being raped and wants to sue a Catholic hospital for denying her emergency contraception. Kelley's negative treatment of Catholicism, Donohue wrote, "is so well known that we have a big fat file on him." He maintained that in this instance Kelley "has decided to hook up with the equally anti-Catholic folks at the ACLU," whose Pennsylvania office is providing a discussion guide about the episode.

Um, aren't the Olympics supposed to be about sports?!? Also, "is so well known that we have a big fat file on him." makes the Catholic League sound like some creepy cult who'll take out anyone that defies it...oh....wait....

Bokchoi Cowboy

02-15-2006, 02:26 PM

From IMDB.com

makes the Catholic League sound like some creepy cult who'll take out anyone that defies it...oh....wait....

Cracked-me-up!

KingVoyeur

02-15-2006, 02:33 PM

Woman sues over bloody Happy Meal

Blood on bag of fries came from employee's cut, suit says

GASTONIA, North Carolina (AP) -- A woman who said she found blood smeared inside her container of french fries is suing McDonald's Corp. for at least $10,000.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/15/mcdonalds.sued.ap/index.html)

McDonald's.....is.....people.....

Trazalca

02-16-2006, 05:01 AM

From IMDB.com-

Hilton To Play Mother Teresa? :eek:

Socialite Paris Hilton has reportedly been asked to play celebrated humanitarian Mother Teresa in a movie biopic. Indian director T. Rajeevnath has contacted the hotel heiress about taking the lead role in his new film, which will chronicle the late nun's life. He tells MTV.co.uk, "My agents in California have contacted Paris Hilton. Although there are several actresses willing to play the role of Mother Teresa, the most widely respected and loved person, the history of the actress who is finally chosen for the role would have to be analyzed thoroughly before she is chosen."

:ohwell:

KingVoyeur

02-16-2006, 07:07 AM

From IMDB.com

Willis Defends Frey

Bruce Willis has jumped to the defense of controversial author James Frey, declaring he was unfairly attacked on Oprah Winfrey's TV show last month. Frey has been criticized for embellishing parts of his best-selling book, A Million Little Pieces, which was originally billed as a memoir. The Die Hard star says on TV show Access Hollywood, "Look at what happened to James Frey in the last two weeks. That's a great book and so is the follow-up book. And just because his publisher chose to say that these were memoirs, it took it out of being a great work of fiction... to this guy having to go be sucker punched on Oprah by one of the most powerful women in television, just to grind her own axe about it. Hey, Oprah. You had President (Bill Clinton) on your show and if this prick didn't lie about a couple of things, I'm going to set myself on fire right now. James Frey is a writer, OK? He can write about whatever he wants. It's fiction. It's just shameful how he was treated in some of these things."

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Go Hudson Hawk Go!

KingVoyeur

02-17-2006, 07:08 AM

Illegal weed moves into state's produce top 10

Friday, February 17, 2006; Posted: 6:52 a.m. EST (11:52 GMT)

SPOKANE, Washington (AP) -- Law enforcement officers harvested a dubious record last year -- enough marijuana plants to rank the illegal weed as Washington state's No. 8 agricultural commodity, edging out sweet cherries in value.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/17/marijuana.harvest.ap/index.html)

KingVoyeur

02-17-2006, 12:34 PM

From IMDB.com

Clooney Finds His Oscar "First" Amusing

During an appearance on CNN's Larry King Live Thursday night, George Clooney was introduced by King as "the first person ever to be Oscar nominated for acting and behind-the-scenes work for two different films in one year." The description appeared to amuse Clooney, who responded that King had a way of finding "very specific things to make it sound really good. You know, I think it would be 'the best former Batman nominated for things.'" King, seemingly mystified by the response, responded, "You are the best former Batman." To which Clooney then replied, "Well, I don't know. I don't even think I can pull that one off."

Umm the best former Batman??? King has been smoking the pipe, ladies and gentlemen. :dunno:

neglet

02-17-2006, 12:52 PM

I think if you parse that, he means not the best former Batman, but the best "former Batman nominated for things (this year)." Ie, of the four Batmans to be nominated for awards this year, he's the only one (ie best).

KingVoyeur

02-21-2006, 07:44 AM

From IMDB.com

Batman Hits Australia for Villains?

The sequel to Batman Begins could become an Australian affair now that Hugo Weaving and Hugh Jackman are in the running to play villains. The two Aussie movie stars are the latest names linked to play The Joker and Harvey 'Two Face' Dent in the upcoming superhero adventure, according to moviehole.net. Producers are yet to nail down a firm list of candidates for Two-Face, but Firewall star Paul Bettany and another Aussie, Lachy Hulme, are reportedly being considered for the role of The Joker.

KingVoyeur

02-21-2006, 07:54 AM

Bikers roll to military funerals to oppose anti-gay protests

Tuesday, February 21, 2006; Posted: 7:55 a.m. EST (12:55 GMT)

FORT CAMPBELL, Kentucky (AP) -- Wearing vests covered in military patches, a band of motorcyclists rolls around the country from one soldier's funeral to another, cheering respectfully to overshadow jeers from church protesters.

They call themselves the Patriot Guard Riders, and they are more than 5,000 strong, forming to counter anti-gay protests held by the Rev. Fred Phelps at military funerals.

Phelps believes American deaths in Iraq are divine punishment for a country that he says harbors homosexuals. His protesters carry signs thanking God for so-called IEDs -- explosives that are a major killer of soldiers in Iraq.

Full Story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/21/funeral.motorcyclists.ap/index.html)

Ok, I don't support the war in Iraq, but Jesus F-ing Christ Phelps! What the...how can...why do you....AHHHHHHHH!!!! SHOW A LITTLE F*CKING RESPECT FOR THE DEAD!! :angry :angry :angry :angry

Trazalca

02-21-2006, 08:11 AM

It's stories that like that, as a Christian, make me want to respond
in the most UN-Christian like manner possible towards someone so
fundamentalist, anything this guy protests is worthy of any support
the bikers should get. :romy: :angry :romy: :angry :romy: :angry :romy:

omicron

02-21-2006, 08:47 AM

Anyone ever suggest to this asstard that perhaps it's punishment for their ultraconservative, fundamentalist, intolerant attitudes instead? :romy:

Omi

Cncrman

02-21-2006, 09:26 AM

It's punishment for President Martin Sheen.

(What...I'm sticking to my joke, screw you all)

Bokchoi Cowboy

02-21-2006, 10:20 AM

Anyone ever suggest to this asstard that perhaps it's punishment for their ultraconservative, fundamentalist, intolerant attitudes instead? :romy:

Omi

Hmm..intolerant attitudes? I agree. Perhaps this guy just ignores what should be his instruction by the God he believes in on how to deal with his "enemies":

Love Your Enemies -Matthew 5:43-48
43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

By how I figure it, if this guy claims he is a Christian and does not show love unconditionally to all, as this passage suggests, then he is certainly a hypocrite. He is clearly showing hate, and not love.

Trazalca

02-21-2006, 10:57 AM

Hmm..intolerant attitudes? I agree. Perhaps this guy just ignores what should be his instruction by the God he believes in on how to deal with his "enemies":

Love Your Enemies -Matthew 5:43-48
43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

By how I figure it, if this guy claims he is a Christian and does not show love unconditionally to all, as this passage suggests, then he is certainly a hypocrite. He is clearly showing hate, and not love.

I'll even take it one step further than that:

Luke 6:36-38
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

and

Luke 23:34
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

DaForce

02-21-2006, 11:42 AM

And let us not forget what the good father said:

"Shat not where thy eatith."

SlamShut

02-21-2006, 12:12 PM

From IMDB.com-

Hilton To Play Mother Teresa? :eek:

THANK YOU, SATAN!!!

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7285/satan7nv.jpg

Kaeos

02-21-2006, 12:19 PM

And let us not forget what the good father said:

"Shat not where thy eatith."

You know, as a decendant of Native Americans I must say that the notions of your Christian God offend Father Sky and Amitolane the goddess of rainbows.

They teach us that a wise man never makes water into the coming wind.

KingVoyeur

02-21-2006, 12:46 PM

In order to get my mind off of that ass Phelps, here's a lighter story. Or should I say, a Quilty Softer story?

Police: Man killed over toilet paper

Tuesday, February 21, 2006; Posted: 4:29 p.m. EST (21:29 GMT)

MOSS BLUFF, Florida (AP) -- A man was arrested and accused of fatally beating his roommate with hammers because there was no toilet paper in their home, police said.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/21/toilet.paper.ap/index.html)

KingVoyeur

02-22-2006, 11:08 AM

From IMDB.com

Disney Reviving Hand-Drawn Animation

The Walt Disney Co. is planning to revive traditional hand-drawn animation next year with its live-action/animated Enchanted, Disney watcher Jim Hill reported on his website today (Wednesday). A traditionally animated test sequence has already been created for the film by veteran Disney animator James Baxter, best known for his supervision of the character Belle in Beauty and the Beast, according to Hill. "And those who have seen this particular piece of rough animation say that it is 'simply stunning. A wonderful throwback to the sort of films that Disney used to make.'" Baxter, Hill said, has been secretly working on the sequence with a small crew at his own studio in Pasadena, and, he added, his work is likely to be displayed by Pixar's John Lasseter and Ed Catmull as they make their well-known case for reviving hand-drawn animation to Disney chief Robert Iger. Said Hill: "They're going to tell Iger: 'Doesn't that look terrific? People are really going to eat this picture up. They've been waiting for Disney to do a new film that features traditional animation. Which is why this movie is going to do HUGE box office next year."

I can't believe they shut that department down in the first place. Hand-drawn is what got Disney where it is today.

And, in relation, a bizarre story out of China. From IMDB.com

China Bans Live/Animated Movies

Calling it "one of the more bizarre orders" from China's film and broadcast watchdog, Daily Variety reported today (Wednesday) that henceforth movies and TV shows featuring live humans together with animated figures are banned in China. The trade publication cited a report appearing in the government-operated Xinhua News Agency that referred to an order by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued on Feb. 15. The order stated that "human live-action, so-called animation pieces will not receive distribution or distribution licenses." The reason, the order said cryptically, was that such films jeopardize "the broadcast order of homemade animation and mislead their development."

Kaeos

02-22-2006, 11:20 AM

Does that mean they'll quit re-hashing every freekin movie they ever made with "limited edition special one time only remastered DVD's"?????

Aw shucks. I was so happy to see Lady and the Tramp come out of the vault that I almost missed Bambi 2?!?!:rolleyes:

Kaeos

02-23-2006, 03:05 PM

It's like you can't even give someone a hand (http://www.rnews.com/Story.cfm?ID=35228&rnews_story_type=18) anymore.....

Or a foot?

or a heart?

a kidney?

maybe a face?

KingVoyeur

02-24-2006, 09:28 AM

From IMDB.com

Lohan Lashes Out at Teen Queen Label

Singer/actress Lindsay Lohan is furious at the media's insistence on labeling her a "teen queen," insisting she also has a devoted adult following. The 19-year-old Mean Girls star is keen to adopt a more sophisticated image, because the fast pace of Hollywood life has matured her beyond her years. She explains, "I hate it when people call me a teen queen. The past year has felt like five lifetimes because I've grown up a lot. I know better what to do and what not to do. I lost sight of the people and things that are most important to me."

"...insisting she also has a devoted adult following." Um, does she not realize that her "devoted adult following" are all dirty old men (and Jakester)?

KingVoyeur

02-24-2006, 09:31 AM

From IMDB.com

Jackson Signs Without Reading Script

Pulp Fiction star Samuel L. Jackson was so amused by the title of new movie Snakes On A Plane, he signed up without reading the script. The movie features an assassin who intends to kill a passenger on a flight by releasing a batch of deadly snakes. Jackson explains, "I didn't even read the script - I just saw the title, 'Snakes on a Plane' and said 'Ok, good. I'm there.' You have got to love that. That's exactly what it is - 500 poisonous snakes released on a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles. They are (set free) on a time release half-way there, so we can't go back, we've got to keep going. It's fun!"

Amused because he was stoned perhaps?

KingVoyeur

02-24-2006, 09:36 AM

What's the secret of that KFC commercial?
Ad designed to make viewers slow down -- viewing, anyway

Friday, February 24, 2006; Posted: 9:12 a.m. EST (14:12 GMT)
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) -- Psstt. KFC wants to share a secret.

No, not that secret.

Colonel Sanders' herbs-and-spices recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken is still safely locked away, but the chain unveiled a new TV ad Thursday that allows viewers to crack a hidden message if they play the spot back slowly on a digital video recorder or VCR.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/24/kfcsecret.ap/index.html)

And the subliminal messaging will begin with.....chicken?

Cncrman

02-24-2006, 09:39 AM

From IMDB.com....Amused because he was stoned perhaps?

I hope the plane serves Samuel Jackson beer.

"It'll get ya drunk"

Trazalca

02-24-2006, 09:41 AM

Reminds me of the "Drink More Ovaltine" scene from A Christmas Story.
It'll be a commercial framed inside a commercial. What genius. :ohwell:

sickness

02-24-2006, 09:58 AM

From IMDB.com

"...insisting she also has a devoted adult following." Um, does she not realize that her "devoted adult following" are all dirty old men (and Jakester)?

Don't you mean "dirty old men including Jakester?"

sickness

02-24-2006, 09:59 AM

I hope the plane serves Samuel Jackson beer.

"It'll get ya drunk"

If the assassin is black, maybe that's how Sam ends up fighting him...

"You might even fight a nigga or two!"

KingVoyeur

02-24-2006, 10:43 AM

Don't you mean "dirty old men including Jakester?"

How about just "dirty old Jakester?"

Jakester

02-24-2006, 10:45 AM

Lohan's too freckly. Nice boobies, though.

KingVoyeur

02-27-2006, 10:15 AM

From IMDB.com

Dennis Weaver: 1924-2006

Dennis Weaver, the laconic actor who became a TV star first as the sidekick Chester in Gunsmoke and then as the leading man of 70s series McCloud, died of complications from cancer on Friday at his home in Colorado; he was 81. A struggling actor in the early 50s who appeared onstage in A Streetcar Named Desire and Come Back, Little Sheba, Weaver got his big break in the nascent medium of television by auditioning in 1955 for the small part of Chester in the new CBS series Gunsmoke. Giving his character a unique, humorous accent and a limp (neither of which were specified in the original script), Weaver easily won the part, and fame as well as an Emmy award (in 1959) followed during his nine-year run on the show. After leaving Gunsmoke, a number of TV series appearances followed, including the boy-and-his-bear show Gentle Ben (1967-69) and the cult classic Duel (1971), directed by a then little-known filmmaker named Steven Spielberg. The thriller, about a man terrorized by the unseen driver of a large truck, put the fledgling Spielberg on the map and showcased Weaver in one of his best performances (the movie was theatrically released in 1983). Weaver's most notable role in the 70s, however, was as rural country Sheriff Sam McCloud in the detective series McCloud, which ran from 1970-77. Playing a New Mexico detective clashing with the New York, Weaver solved crimes weekly with his laid-back style, and received two Emmy nominations during the show's run. After McCloud, Weaver worked continuously on television, with notable roles in the 70s miniseries Centennial and Pearl, the acclaimed TV movie Amber Waves (opposite Kurt Russell and a young Mare Winningham), and Lonesome Dove: The Series, where he played Buffalo Bill Cody; Weaver's most recent appearance was in ABC Family series Wildfire. President of the Screen Actors Guild from 1973-75, Weaver was also a committed environmentalist, and spoke on behalf of the cause to both the United Nations and Congress; he and his wife, Gerry, also built their home in Colorado out of recycled materials. In addition to his wife, Weaver is survived by two sons, actor Robby Weaver and actor-producer Rick Weaver. --Prepared by IMDb staff

Trazalca

02-27-2006, 10:59 AM

RIP Darren, Dennis and Don... my goodness! Is the reaper going in alphabetical order this time? Eeek!

Cncrman

02-27-2006, 11:01 AM

Apparently Death finally got organized.

KingVoyeur

02-27-2006, 11:01 AM

Death got Excel.

Cncrman

02-27-2006, 11:02 AM

"Microsoft Office - How do you want to Die today?"

KingVoyeur

02-27-2006, 01:04 PM

Sen. Clinton: "Rove obsesses about me"

Monday, February 27, 2006; Posted: 3:26 p.m. EST (20:26 GMT)

ALBANY, New York (AP) -- Reacting to a new book quoting Karl Rove as saying she will be the 2008 Democratic nominee for president, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that President Bush's chief political strategist "spends a lot of time obsessing about me."

Full Story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/27/clinton.rove.ap/index.html)

*shudder* *shudder*

KingVoyeur

02-27-2006, 01:08 PM

Unearthed statues depict 'Ramses the Great'
Monday, February 27, 2006; Posted: 3:41 p.m. EST (20:41 GMT)

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Archaeologists discovered a pharaonic sun temple with large statues believed to be of King Ramses II under an outdoor marketplace in Cairo, Egypt's antiquities chief said Sunday.

Full Story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/02/27/sun.temple.ap/index.html)

When're they gonna find the damn alien corpses?!? :rolleyes:

American

02-27-2006, 03:29 PM

Sen. Clinton: "Rove obsesses about me"

Monday, February 27, 2006; Posted: 3:26 p.m. EST (20:26 GMT)

ALBANY, New York (AP) -- Reacting to a new book quoting Karl Rove as saying she will be the 2008 Democratic nominee for president, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that President Bush's chief political strategist "spends a lot of time obsessing about me."

Full Story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/02/27/sun.temple.ap/index.html)

When're they gonna find the damn alien corpses?!? :rolleyes:
Area 51. That's where the Asgard are

Trazalca

02-28-2006, 03:59 AM

The first thought to come to mind was Rove, at home, with posters, newsclips and secretly taken photos of Mrs. Clinton spread out all over the
walls, coffee mugs, dinner plates, shower curtains and bathroom tiles.
:smirk:

Space Tycoon

02-28-2006, 06:36 AM

Area 51. That's where the Asgard areYes, but the Reptoids are in Dulce New Mexico, among other places.

:eek:

KingVoyeur

02-28-2006, 09:16 AM

From IMDB.com

Witherspoon Beats Roberts' Record

Legally Blonde actress Reese Witherspoon has surpassed Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts to become the highest paid actress of all time. The Just Like Heaven star, will earn $29 million for upcoming horror film Our Family Trouble - beating the $24 million 38-year-old Roberts was reportedly paid for Mona Lisa Smile. The 29-year-old is widely tipped to win the Best Actress award for Walk The Line at Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony for her acclaimed role in the Johnny Cash biopic.

I like Reese Witherspoon a lot, but damn woman!

KingVoyeur

02-28-2006, 09:24 AM

Ex-playmate gets Supreme Court's ear

At issue is her right to sue for share of late husband's fortune

Tuesday, February 28, 2006; Posted: 1:11 p.m. EST (18:11 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- With an oil fortune on the line, former stripper Anna Nicole Smith encountered a sympathetic audience at the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Full Story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/28/scotus.smith.ap/index.html)

Yes, because this is the most important issue the Supreme Court could be hearing...

Trazalca

02-28-2006, 12:03 PM

Circus Company Goes on Trial in Spy Suit

The nation's largest circus went on trial Monday on allegations that it ran an extensive corporate espionage campaign against an animal-rights group and hired a former CIA operative to help conduct the operation. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sued Vienna, Va.-based Feld Entertainment, which produces the Ringling Bros. circus, more than four years ago, claiming the company's president supervised the spying efforts. PETA claims circus operatives stole sensitive documents such as donor lists. It is seeking $1.8 million in legal fees and damages, as well as full disclosure of the alleged spying activities.

Full story at Yahoo.com (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060228/ap_on_re_us/circus_spy_lawsuit)

Oh man... Spy clowns! How cool is that? :D

KingVoyeur

02-28-2006, 12:27 PM

Oh man... Spy clowns! How cool is that? :D

Now that is a movie I'd like to see!

omicron

02-28-2006, 12:31 PM

Britney's Mardi Gras surprise

Britney Spears spent part of Mardi Gras with a group of students whose lives were upended when Hurricane Katrina devastated the area six months ago.

Personally, I thought the story was either going to be about her eating a full metric ton of beignets or trying to dance like she used to, getting out of breathe and then having a heart attack.

:dunno:

omi

sickness

02-28-2006, 12:38 PM

Now that is a movie I'd like to see!

Spy Clowns is right there near the top of my list of must-see-if-it-is-ever-made-based-on-the-title-alone movies. It's right behind Snakes On A Plane which actually is being made.

KingVoyeur

02-28-2006, 12:39 PM

Spy Clowns is right there near the top of my list of must-see-if-it-is-ever-made-based-on-the-title-alone movies. It's right behind Snakes On A Plane which actually is being made.

I'd prefer the title The Bozo Files

KingVoyeur

03-01-2006, 07:12 AM

Why I love Bruce Willis

From IMDB.com

Willis Mocks Cheney on Letterman

Actor Bruce Willis poked fun at Dick Cheney's recent shooting accident by appearing on The Late Show With David Letterman made-up like the US vice president's hunting victim Harry Whittington. The actor had tiny wounds on the left side of his face, resembling a spray of buckshot holes and when he smiled he revealed one tiny hole in his front tooth where he was allegedly hit by the ammunition. Willis joked, "I got shot." He then lifted his hat to reveal his semi-bald head covered in band-aids, adding, "Shot all my hair off." The Die Hard actor went on to explain, "I was playing cards with some politician guys, sitting around drinking all night. After a bottle and half of Jack Daniels, somebody came up with the idea, 'Let's go hunting.' It seemed like such a good idea at the time... I'm thinking we're going to go out and hunt rhino or moose, (but we hunt) quail. But it's all really a blur to me."

KingVoyeur

03-01-2006, 07:16 AM

This is just ridiculous

From IMDB.com

'Chicago' and 'Oliver!' Among "Worst" Oscar Winners

Musicals Chicago, Oliver! and My Fair Lady feature on a new top 10 Worst Oscar Winners list. Editors of movie magazine Premiere have come up with the best and worst Academy Award Best Picture winners in the Oscar issue of the publication. Joining the musicals on the 'worst' list is American Beauty, Around The World In 80 Days, The Greatest Show On Earth and The Great Ziegfield. The "best" list features It Happened One Night, All About Eve, Lawrence Of Arabia, Annie Hall and Marlon Brando classics The Godfather and On The Waterfront.

Have they really hit the bottom of the list making barrel that now they're making a best/worst list of Best Picture winners? I mean, seriously, these movies won because they're the best. Why do you gotta stomp on them just to make another fucking list?!? :angry

KingVoyeur

03-01-2006, 07:29 AM

Brain chip research aims for future movement

Wednesday, March 1, 2006; Posted: 9:29 a.m. EST (14:29 GMT)

(CNN) -- Matthew Nagel awoke from a two-week coma in the summer of 2001 to learn he was paralyzed from the neck down.

But things changed temporarily for then 25-year-old Nagel when he became the first person to have a device implanted in his brain designed to connect his thoughts and convert them to actions.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/02/22/brain.gate/index.html)

So they're basically turning him into the Lawnmower Man?

KingVoyeur

03-01-2006, 11:06 AM

From IMDB.com

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Back to Work We Go!

The Pixar team of Ed Catmull and John Lasseter, who will be taking over feature animation production at the Walt Disney studios, is apparently wasting no time attempting to restore energy and morale there. Word spread Tuesday on websites devoted to animation that Catmull and Lasseter plan to bring back to the studio some of the animation talent who were let go or who resigned in the wake of Disney's decision to abandon hand-drawn animation and focus on computer-generated animation instead. The two reportedly have specifically singled out the veteran writer/director/producer team of John Musker and Ron Clements as ranking high on their list of persons they wished to rehire. On Tuesday it was announced that Disney had signed composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid) to a multipicture deal and had assigned him to write five songs for the upcoming live-action/hand-drawn animated film Enchanted. On Tuesday, the website o-meon.com ("for grown-up geeks") quoted a Disney animation staffer as saying, "We're just so damn happy all of this is happening. ... We just can't believe that everything we've been trying to tell [Disney management] for years if finally coming true. We finally have a chief executive in Bob Iger who understands what creativity means to the company!"

Thank God there's someone in the company who actually cares about Disney and is trying to make it as good as it used to be instead of only trying to make money. :jump2:

DaForce

03-01-2006, 11:12 AM

Well, the rumor is that Apple may end up buying Dizknee.

Lassiter is now head of Animation over at Dizknee, and has brought back a few of the old school animators that worked on "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin". Lassiter is trying to revive the 2d animation industry.

BTW, I got this info from a guy who works at Pixar. He's a friend of my 2d teacher at school, and he came by last night to give us a 3.5 hour lesson about animation.

It was pretty cool. We probably wouldn't have left, but the building was closing down.

DaForce

03-02-2006, 02:47 PM

Check this shit out:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/03/02/financial/f143626S28.DTL

CD From Minnesota GOP Also Gathers Data

Thursday, March 2, 2006
now part of stylesheet -->

(03-02) 14:36 PST Saint Paul, Minn. (AP) --
A computer disk that the Minnesota Republican Party prepared to support a ban on gay marriage has another purpose: gathering data on the politics of the people who view it.

And that's stirred up a technological tempest on the Internet and among Democrats who say the disk will improperly gather data from people who run it on their computers. Privacy experts say they're concerned that the GOP won't adequately warn users that it's collecting the data, and they worry where the information will end up.

But GOP officials said the final version of the CD that's due to be mailed soon to hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans will contain a notice that the information gathered may be used by the party.

The disks contain video clips from Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, State Auditor Pat Anderson and House Speaker Steve Sviggum. They talk about what they consider the dangers of gay marriage and why they believe a constitutional amendment is needed to ban it.

To watch the video, a person has to go to an Internet site and punch in an ID code that tells the party who is viewing it. Once the video is going, viewers are asked questions on subjects like abortion, gun control and party preference.

Party officials distributed what they called test copies of the CDs to the media on Monday. Those disks contained no disclaimers saying that data was being collected and transmitted.

Damn the GOP is just slimey lately.

Well, moreso than usual.

:wink:

kah

03-03-2006, 06:12 AM

Gimme Five:Your Interracial Guide to Putting 'Er There (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=384955)

I can't even believe I just read this. I was looking for an article on the proposed smoking ban for Milwaukee, and I found this. Here's my favorite tidbit...

Many brothers aren't really cool these days sharing the soul shake with folks that fail to mirror them ethnically. They feel that our blue-eyed soul brothers are condescending or just trying too hard to be hip when offering the soul shake unless there's a past relationship there," said Anthony D. Smith, who works in my newspaper's marketing department.

kah

03-03-2006, 06:35 AM

Wrestler Likely to Lose Title (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=405413)

Let me get this straight- Now, if you punch your brother/sister, you can go to prison on felony charges of child abuse?????

My friends and I were just talking about this the other day. When we were kids, if we broke an arm falling off the neighbor's roof, no one got sued. We usually got grounded for being so stupid, but we were responsible for our own actions. Now, everyone's suing everyone, no one's kid is at fault, and now we are going to charge kids with felonies for beating up their siblings. What a bunch of BS!

Lampe was initially suspended Feb. 23 after he was charged with felony child abuse - a charge that carries a maximum of six years in prison - on an accusation of punching his sister, Amanda Lampe, 16, in the nose in the back of the family car.

kah

03-03-2006, 06:47 AM

Inmate Poker (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INMATE_POKER?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

It's nice to see that when someone actually has an innovative idea, it might be used.

KingVoyeur

03-03-2006, 07:52 AM

US 'plans stealth shark spies'

Sharks with implants are planned to be released off Florida

Pentagon scientists are planning to turn sharks into "stealth spies" capable of tracking vessels undetected, a British magazine has reported.

They want to remotely control the sharks by implanting electrodes in their brains, The New Scientist says.

It says the aim is "to exploit sharks' natural ability to glide through the water, sense delicate electrical gradients and follow chemical trails".

The unusual project was unveiled last week in Hawaii, it says.

The research is being funded by the Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), according to the magazine.

It aims to build on latest developments in brain implant technology which has already seen scientists controlling the movements of fish, rats and monkeys.

Full story at BBCnews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4767428.stm)

Very weird and a little scary with the whole mind-control thing...

Jakester

03-03-2006, 08:07 AM

Suure, then the sharks begin to get smart and then the next thing you know, we've got Saffron Burrows in a bra and panties trying to electrocute them.

I'm in.

Trazalca

03-03-2006, 10:37 AM

KingVoyeur

03-03-2006, 10:55 AM

From IMDB.com

Christian School Rejects Association with Oscar Nominee Williams

A Christian elementary and middle school in the San Diego suburb of Santa Fe that Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams once attended said Thursday that it does not wish to be associated with her. Williams, who is nominated for her role as the embittered wife of a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain, attended the school until she was 16 years old, when she won a role in the TV series Dawson's Creek. In an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, headmaster Jim Hopson said, "We don't want to have anything to do with her in relation to that movie. ... Michelle doesn't represent the values of this institution. ... We'd not like to be tied to Brokeback Mountain."

Religious exclusionism at work again. They don't have any problem with her having played a slut on Dawson's Creek, but she plays a woman trying to be a good wife and mother while her marriage falls apart and she's disowned.

KingVoyeur

03-03-2006, 11:01 AM

From IMDB.com

Fastest Movie Ever Shot?

An Indian director has claimed that he set a world record by shooting a 74-minute feature in just 2 hours and 14 minutes. The film, Atbhutam (Wonder), describes a right-to-die battle between the wife of a brain-dead man and his parents similar to the one that involved the husband of Terri Schiavo and her parents last year. Although three cameras were used in the filming, only one was running for each scene. "We'd planned things, including the lighting, in such minute details, that within a couple of minutes of canning one shot, the lighting for the next scene was switched on and the floor was made ready," S. Kumar, the film's director of photography, told Reuters. The filmmakers have applied for recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Do they mean fastest film in terms of pre-production to post-production, or just having shot a 74 minute film in 2 hours? I believe in that case the fastest film would have to go to Russina Ark, because it's a 96 min movie that's done in one take, so it only took them 96 minutes to shoot...

Bill_the_Pony

03-03-2006, 04:21 PM

Couple Cited in Bizarre Fake Penis Case (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1684917)

Bill_the_Pony

03-03-2006, 04:40 PM

From IMDB.com-

Televangelist Robertson Ousted from Religious Group

Pat Robertson, arguably the nation's foremost televangelist, has been dumped from the board of directors of the National Religious Broadcasters Assn. In a surprise vote -- the organization once named him Christian Broadcaster of the Year -- Robertson failed to receive enough votes for re-election to the board. In an interview with the Washington Post, NRB President Frank Wright said that "there was broad dismay with some of Pat's comments and a feeling they were not helpful to Christian broadcasters in general." In January, Robertson said on his 700 Club broadcast, which airs on the ABC Family Channel, that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was an act of God meted out to punish him for advocating a pull-out from the Gaza Strip. Last August, he called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Robertson's daily audience for the 700 Club averages 800,000.

Guess he doesn't speak on behalf of his demographic anymore....:ohwell:

Some other Pat Robertsonisms, for your amusement. :)

:angry "Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history." –- Pat Robertson

:angry "I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate -- this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." –- Pat Robertson, on "gay days" at Disneyworld

:angry "(T)he feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." –- Pat Robertson

:angry "I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get married, you have accepted the headship of a man, your husband. Christ is the head of the household and the husband is the head of the wife, and that's the way it is, period." –- Pat Robertson

:angry "Maybe we need a very small nuke thrown off on Foggy Bottom to shake things up" –- Pat Robertson, on nuking the State Department

:angry "Well, I totally concur." –- Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, :angry "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say: "You helped this happen."

How about some Falwellisms thrown in for good measure. :)

:angry "I hope I live to see the day, when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!" [Rev. Jerry Falwell, America Can Be Saved, (1979)]

:angry "There are almost as many alcoholics as there
are negroes."
Rev. Jerry Falwell

:angry "Somewhere in the past generation,
we've lost our biblical mind and not arranged
something better in its place.
We need a spiritual brainwashing, "
Jerry Falwell

:angry "I do not believe the homosexual community deserves
minority status. One's misbehavior does not qualify
him or her for minority status. Blacks, Hispanics,
women, etc., are God-ordained minorities who do indeed
deserve minority status.
Rev. Jerry Falwell, USA Today Chat, quoted from The
Religious Freedom Coalition, "The Two faces of
Jerry Falwell"

:angry "I know a few of you here today don't like Jews.
And I know why. He can make more money accidentally
than you can on purpose.
Rev. Jerry Falwell

:angry "Grown men should not be having sex with prostitutes unless
they are married to them."
Jerry Falwell, on CNN's Crossfire, May 17, 1997

:angry "He is purple - the gay-pride colour; and his antenna
is shaped like a triangle - the gay-pride symbol."
Rev. Jerry Falwell, referring to the Teletubbie Tinky-Winky as a gay role-model

Seriously, Robertson and Falwell and other evangelists are the MTV of Christianity. Loud, tasteless, ugly, pandering to brainless twats who need to be told what to do, and lacking in any substance or redeeming values.

:)

kah

03-04-2006, 07:30 AM

You know how I mentioned that Mormons were scary in another thread? I neglected to mention that Televangelists are insane. And not very smart.

Scotia

03-04-2006, 07:40 AM

Some other Pat Robertsonisms, for your amusement. :)

Thanks, Bill. That was sweet. :)

As usual, you rawk.

KingVoyeur

03-06-2006, 07:07 AM

From IMDB.com

Travolta To Play a Housewife

Movie star John Travolta is set to display his versatility by playing a housewife in the screen version of Hairspray - his first musical since 1978 film Grease. The 52-year-old actor is preparing to take on the role of Edna Turnblad, alongside Queen Latifah, who will reportedly play Motormouth Maybelle. Producer Michael Lynne says, "This is our dream cast for the film. Bringing Travolta back into a musical is so gratifying. They were our genuine first choices for the film."

Um, if this is gonna be the movie version of the stage musical, why not give the role to Harvey Fierstein, who played Edna on Broadway (and got a Tony for it btw)? I like Travolta and all, and think he should do more musicals, but come on people. Latifah's great casting for the role of Maybelle though.

KingVoyeur

03-06-2006, 09:00 AM

'Hippie chimps' fast disappearing as dinner

Sunday, March 5, 2006; Posted: 9:46 p.m. EST (02:46 GMT)

MOKELE, Congo (AP) -- Scientists are struggling to save the fast-disappearing bonobo, the gentle "hippie chimp" known for resolving squabbles through sex rather than violence.

Full Story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/03/05/bonobo.disappearing.ap/index.html)

There's so many things animals have to teach us...

KingVoyeur

03-06-2006, 01:36 PM

From IMDB.com

O'Reilly Warns Olbermann's Fans He'll Sic Security on Them

The Bill O'Reilly/Keith Olbermann feud became more bizarre over the weekend when a caller to O'Reilly's radio show, syndicated by CBS-owned Westwood One, was contacted by a member of Fox News Network's private security force apparently for mentioning Olbermann's name when he called in on Thursday. The man had barely gone on the air, remarking, "I like to listen to you during the day. I think Keith Olbermann's show ..." when O'Reilly cut him off, remarking a moment later, "When you call us, ladies and gentleman, just so you know, we do have your phone number, and if you say anything untoward, obscene, or anything like that, Fox security will then contact your local authorities, and you will be held accountable. Fair?" Anti-O'Reilly bloggers have been having a field day with the dispute, with one site, PoliticalCortex.com, offering accounts of persons who were contacted by Fox News security after calling O'Reilly's show. One woman said that she was accused of making harassing phone calls to O'Reilly. "I asked him how many? He did not know. I asked him what was said that was harassing? He said that he did not know what was said but that it did not have to be what was said, but how many calls were being made. He tried to make like I made 20 phone calls instead of one." Another blogger wrote that the security officer who phoned him "was actually very pleasant. ... Honestly, he really didn't sound like he wanted to be doing this at all." Ratings for Olbermann's show on MSNBC have zoomed since the spat began, particularly among younger viewers.

How did O'Reilly know that guy was gonna say anything bad about him? Craaaaazzzyyy....

KingVoyeur

03-09-2006, 07:40 AM

From IMDB.com

Trump: "I'd Date Ivanka"

Property tycoon Donald Trump has sparked controversy after declaring he Would date his sexy daughter Ivanka if they were not related. Trump insists he would be comfortable if the 24-year-old model decided to strip off for men's magazine Playboy, because he would be the first to ogle her if he wasn't her dad. He says, "If she posed, it would be fine. She does have a very nice figure. I've said if she wasn't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her." Trump's spokesman has attempted to explain The Apprentice reality star's comments, saying, "He was making fun of himself for his tendency to date younger women. It's a sense of humor that people don't see all the time."

So....creepy....

KingVoyeur

03-09-2006, 07:41 AM

From IMDB.com

Is Spears Pregnant?

Singer Britney Spears is three months pregnant with her second child, according to press reports in America. Speculation has been growing that Spears and husband Kevin Federline are expanding their family - less than six months after the birth of their first child Sean Preston. American publication Star claims the singer blurted out the news to a fellow spa-goer at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort in Maui, Hawaii, while they were relaxing in the sauna together. The singer had lost much of the 50 pounds she gained while pregnant last year, but recent photographs have exposed her unusually rounded mid-section, fueling rumors she is expecting again. According to the magazine, the 24-year-old is near the end of her first trimester and found out she was pregnant in early January. Spears was photographed on Tuesday in a bikini and made no effort to hide her clearly protruding stomach. Representatives for the star say, "As far as we're aware, Britney is not pregnant."

Not pregnant, just fat.

KingVoyeur

03-09-2006, 08:25 AM

Handheld PC dominates Cebit start
By Mark Ward
Technology correspondent, BBC News website

The opening morning of the giant Cebit technology fair was dominated by news about Microsoft's mini PC project Origami. Prior to the show the software giant drip-fed information through a teaser website that hinted at what it might do. At the Hanover-based show the first working devices were unveiled along with information about its capabilities.

Korean electronics firm Samsung said it would start selling Origami in the next few weeks. Samsung, which has dubbed its first Origami handheld Q1, showed off the black, paperback sized computer at its opening press conference. The machine has a 7-inch touchscreen and a 40 gigabyte hard drive. It also boasts an Intel Celeron processor onboard, runs the tablet edition of Windows XP and uses wi-fi and bluetooth to communicate. Extras for the gadget include a Bluetooth keyboard and a card that lets it use mobile phone networks to communicate. As first described by Bill Gates at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in 2005, the device is intended to be an ultra-portable PC.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4789496.stm)

Pretty freaking sweet! Just need to wait a few more months till they work out any bugs and slim it down even more.

KingVoyeur

03-10-2006, 07:41 AM

Japan's internet 'suicide clubs'
By Andrew Harding
BBC Asia correspondent

In Japan, the internet has been blamed for a spate of group suicides which appear to have been arranged in online chat rooms.

Full Story at BBCnews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/4071805.stm)

That's kinda creepy...

American

03-11-2006, 06:12 AM

A follow-up to King's news:

Group Suicides Increasing in Japan

TOKYO -- Six young Japanese were found dead from asphyxiation in a car Friday, charcoal stoves still smoking beside them -- apparently the latest victims of a surge in suicide pacts arranged over the Internet.

Authorities said they suspected the five men and a woman, all in their 20s, met online before dying together Thursday night in a forested area 50 miles northwest of Tokyo. The car's windows had been sealed with tape.
Internet suicide pacts have occurred since at least the late 1990s and have been reported everywhere from Guam to the Netherlands. But in Japan, where the suicide rate is among the industrialized world's highest, officials are worried about a recent spate of such deaths.

A record 91 people died in 34 Internet-linked suicide cases in Japan in 2005, up from 55 people in 19 cases in 2004, the National Police Agency reported last month. The number of Internet suicide pacts has almost tripled from 2003, when the agency began keeping records.

Earlier this week, a man and two women in their 20s and 30s were found dead in Aomori, 360 miles northeast of Tokyo. The three also died by inhaling charcoal fumes in a car, and police suspected suicide.
Article at Newsday (http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-japan-group-suicide,0,5451529.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines)

KingVoyeur

03-13-2006, 08:37 AM

From IMDB.com

Elton Bans Hilton from Future Oscar Parties

Sir Elton John has reportedly banned socialite Paris Hilton from his future post-Oscar parties, after she failed to make a compulsory donation to the rocker's AIDS charity. The hotel heiress and her boyfriend Stavros Niarchos III attended John's annual bash at Hollywood's Pacific Design Center last Sunday. A party source tells website PageSix.com, "The party is a benefit gala, and tickets are $2,500 a pop. When it was suggested to her that she donate the money, Paris just said, 'Don't you know who I am?' and waltzed right in. Isn't she supposed to be wealthy? Everyone else paid. She won't be asked back." A representative for the Elton John AIDS Foundation confirms The Simple Life reality TV star did not pay for her ticket. However, Hilton's spokesperson insists the party girl intends to make a donation, saying, "Paris did instruct her accountant to cut a check for $10,000. They should get their money."

She continues to astound me with her idiocy...

KingVoyeur

03-13-2006, 10:40 AM

Actress Maureen Stapleton dies at 80
1981 Oscar winner played anarchist-writer in 'Reds'

Monday, March 13, 2006; Posted: 1:00 p.m. EST (18:00 GMT)

LENOX, Massachusetts (AP) -- Maureen Stapleton, the Oscar-winning character actress whose subtle vulnerability and down-to-earth toughness earned her dramatic and comedic roles on stage, screen, and television, died Monday. She was 80.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/13/obit.stapleton.ap/index.html)

I don't think I've seen any of her work, but it's always sad when a popular actor dies. Death seems to be on a roll lately.

KingVoyeur

03-13-2006, 10:48 AM

Coolest.....mistake......EVER!!!

'Creative plumbing' delivers beer

A woman said she thought she was in heaven when she turned on the kitchen tap to find a plentiful supply of beer.

Haldis Gundersen was planning to do the washing up when she made the unusual discovery at her apartment in Kristiansund, west Norway.

But two flights below, workers in a bar faced the more disappointing realisation that water was flowing from their beer taps.

A worker had connected a beer barrel to the apartment water pipe by mistake.

"I turned on the tap to clean some knives and forks, and beer came out," Ms Gundersen told Reuters news agency. "We thought we were in heaven."

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4802928.stm)

KingVoyeur

03-14-2006, 07:44 AM

From IMDB.com

Spears Curbs Husband's Spending

Singer Britney Spears has reportedly put her husband Kevin Federline on a strict financial budget, because his spending habits are out of control. The singer, who is currently spending time with her family in Maui, Hawaii, put her husband on a restricted budget to force him to be financially responsible. A source tells gossip website PageSix.com, "Each month he will be allotted a certain amount of money for personal use - i.e. clothing, nightclubs, booze and day-to-day activities. Any big items - cars, or trips that go over allowance - need to be approved by Britney herself. She acknowledges she has made a great deal of money, however, she is trying to show Kevin that he needs to be responsible and curb his out-of-control spending habits."

So is she taking care of one baby or two?

KingVoyeur

03-14-2006, 07:47 AM

Satellite closes in on Noah's Ark mystery
By Leonard David
SPACE.com

Monday, March 13, 2006; Posted: 10:07 p.m. EST (03:07 GMT)

High on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey, there is a baffling mountainside "anomaly," a feature that one researcher claims may be something of biblical proportions.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/03/13/satellite.noahs.ark/index.html)

So can they not go up on foot and check it out?

KingVoyeur

03-14-2006, 08:01 AM

The 'butter-side-down' school of science

To mark National Science Week, past winners of the most infamous prize in academia are touring the country to explain, among other things, the logic of making locusts watch repeated highlights of Star Wars and how ostriches fancy humans.

Another star of this year's tour is Claire Rind, of Newcastle University, who won a 2005 Ig Nobel for her work showing edited extracts of Star Wars to insects.

The reason? In research part-funded by car-maker Volvo, Dr Rind was trying to track whether locusts - whose neuro-circuitry have, apparently, been extensively mapped - could detect imminent collisions. What with all the battles between X-wing fighters and Tie fighters, there are lots of those in the original Star Wars.

"We were studying the responses of visual stimuli. We found locusts have dedicated nerve cells specifically to detect collisions," says Dr Rind.

The trick for Volvo, now, will be to use the Star Wars research to design an artificial eye for its cars.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4801670.stm)

kah

03-14-2006, 08:45 AM

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/03/13/satellite.noahs.ark/index.html)

So can they not go up on foot and check it out?

From what I know, the Turks won't let any outsider archaeologists into their country and especially on Ararat. I'm pretty sure I've read about it in Archaeology Magazine. I'll find the article and post it if I can.

kah

03-15-2006, 07:26 AM

I can't find the article on Archaeology, but here's the National Geographic story links.

Noah's Ark Found? Turkey Expedition Planned for Summer (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0427_040427_noahsark.html)

Noah's Ark Quest Dead in Water -- Was It a Stunt? (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0920_040920_noahs_ark.html)

DaForce

03-15-2006, 11:01 AM

Here's a ghetto-riffic item that I received in the mail...

http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/dada_gets_your_feet_bopping_with_mp3_sneaks.html

:lol:

omicron

03-15-2006, 11:59 AM

Those blazes destroyed 15 homes, closed at least one highway and forced the evacuation of 45 people, officials said. Since last weekend, 1,900 others in seven counties already had been forced to evacuate. About 10,000 cows and horses were feared dead across the smoking landscape, according to the Texas Animal Health Commission.

Now that's a barbeque!

Omi

KingVoyeur

03-15-2006, 01:45 PM

Douglas: What's with these couples?

Actor takes shots at Brad 'n' Angelina, Zellweger, Roberts

Wednesday, March 15, 2006; Posted: 8:51 a.m. EST (13:51 GMT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Watch out Brad, Michael Douglas is taking some shots regarding your divorce from Jen. At you and girlfriend Angelina Jolie.

"I don't know about Brad Pitt, leaving that beautiful wife to go hold orphans for Angelina," Douglas snipes in GQ's April issue, hitting newsstands March 21.

The 61-year-old Douglas also took swipes at actresses Renee Zellweger and Julia Roberts: "I mean, don't ask me what happened with Renee Zellweger. I don't know how you get married for four months. And Julia with Lyle."

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/15/people.michael.douglas.ap/index.html)

Geez, sounds like someone didn't get his Depends changed this morning...

omicron

03-15-2006, 01:48 PM

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/15/people.michael.douglas.ap/index.html)

Geez, sounds like someone didn't get his Depends changed this morning...

Or someone forgot the fact that 4mths after divorcing his wife, he married Catherine Zeta-Jones. Talk about long courtships....

pot...meet the kettle. Please refer to it as 'black'

Omicron

KingVoyeur

03-15-2006, 01:52 PM

Pentagon plans cyber-insect army
By Gary Kitchener
BBC News

The Pentagon's defence scientists want to create an army of cyber-insects that can be remotely controlled to check out explosives and send transmissions.

The idea is to insert micro-systems at the pupa stage, when the insects can integrate them into their body, so they can be remotely controlled later.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4808342.stm)

Is it just me, or does this sound like a bad swarm/disaster movie waiting to happen?

DaForce

03-15-2006, 02:24 PM

Douglas: What's with these couples?

Actor takes shots at Brad 'n' Angelina, Zellweger, Roberts

Wednesday, March 15, 2006; Posted: 8:51 a.m. EST (13:51 GMT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Watch out Brad, Michael Douglas is taking some shots regarding your divorce from Jen. At you and girlfriend Angelina Jolie.

"I don't know about Brad Pitt, leaving that beautiful wife to go hold orphans for Angelina," Douglas snipes in GQ's April issue, hitting newsstands March 21.

The 61-year-old Douglas also took swipes at actresses Renee Zellweger and Julia Roberts: "I mean, don't ask me what happened with Renee Zellweger. I don't know how you get married for four months. And Julia with Lyle."

Geez, sounds like someone didn't get his Depends changed this morning...

Actually, it sounds like a has-been actor trying to stir up controversy to draw attention to his latest made-for-tv movie (The Sentinel) that's coming out in theaters later this year.

DaForce

03-15-2006, 02:29 PM

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4808342.stm)

Is it just me, or does this sound like a bad swarm/disaster movie waiting to happen?

My favorite part of that article?

WWII: Attach a bomb to a cat and drop it from a dive-bomber on to Nazi ships. The cat, hating water, will "wrangle" itself on to enemy ship's deck. In tests cats became unconscious in mid-air
WWII: Attach incendiaries to bats. Induce hibernation and drop them from planes. They wake up, fly into factories etc and blow up. Failed to wake from hibernation and fell to death
Vietnam War: Dolphins trained to tear off diving gear of Vietcong divers and drag them to interrogation. Later, syringes placed on dolphin flippers to inject carbon dioxide into divers, who explode. About 40 divers thought to have been killed

Death by syringe carrying dolphins, or an unconscious, bomb laden cat or bat falling from the sky.

Bokchoi Cowboy

03-16-2006, 05:41 AM

an unconscious, bomb laden cat

Just too funny a picture in my head.

*

KingVoyeur

03-16-2006, 08:01 AM

Nanotech discovers the Americas

It is without question the smallest map that has ever been made.
US scientists have coaxed strands of DNA, the molecule that holds the "code of life", to take up a shape that resembles the Americas.

The mini-map measures just a few hundred nanometres (billionths of a metre) across, smaller even than some bacteria - a scale of 1:200 trillion.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4811310.stm)

That's kinda nifty, but why? Shouldn't we be manipulating DNA to cure diseases and stuff? I'd be really impressed if they could make one of those Magic Eye pictures!

Trazalca

03-16-2006, 08:07 AM

Great. Now the bacterias can find us. Just what we needed. :rolleyes:

Cncrman

03-16-2006, 08:12 AM

Just too funny a picture in my head.

"Fluffy? FLUFFY!?! Wake up Fluff...BOOOM!!!"

sickness

03-16-2006, 09:24 AM

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4811310.stm)

That's kinda nifty, but why? Shouldn't we be manipulating DNA to cure diseases and stuff? I'd be really impressed if they could make one of those Magic Eye pictures!

Obviously there is some frivolity in making a map out of DNA but, since the most promising biology research being done for diseases is on the genetic level, the techniques used may prove useful in manipulating genes one double helix of DNA at a time allowing more precise gene therapies.

KingVoyeur

03-16-2006, 12:55 PM

From IMDB.com

Shades of Mel Gibson! Movie For Hannibal Biopic To Be Spoken in Punic

Actor Vin Diesel is planning a three-part theatrical film based on the life of Hannibal and spoken entirely in Punic, the language of the great conqueror that faded out of existence 2000 years ago, Diesel has told the April issue of Details magazine. The actor said that his production company has set up office in Spain, where he has been researching Hannibal's life, which has included hiking into the Alps and visiting the ruins of Cartageña and Saguntum

Um, didn't his last proposed trilogy bite the dust a while ago?

sickness

03-16-2006, 12:59 PM

As in "Chronicles of Riddick?" Or are they actually still planning on two more of those polished turds?

KingVoyeur

03-16-2006, 01:02 PM

I know they had originally wanted to do it as a trilogy, which I was hopeful for, since I liked Pitch Black, but I'm guessing those plans got scrapped pretty quickly. Haven't heard a thing about them since.

sickness

03-16-2006, 01:43 PM

Pitch Black was pretty good. If they had stayed with that style of movie, I think CoR would have worked better. Pitch Black was much more about the characters and what was happening to them than the action. Instead, we got a milktoast, PG-13 action flick centered around fights, killing and special effects rather than engaging characters or even an engaging story. On top of that, we didn't even get an effective beginning to a trilogy. Without giving anything away, pretty much everything that was a bane to Riddick was solved in that single movie. It's almost as if someone pulled a George-Lucas-On-Indiana-Jones (for those that don't know, Lucas got Spielberg to do Indy by telling him he had an idea for a trilogy. When the first was a success, Spielberg went to Lucas and asked what his idea was for the second and was shocked to find Lucas didn't have an immediate story idea) on whoever greenlit this movie intending a trilogy.

KingVoyeur

03-17-2006, 07:49 AM

The big bang's 'smoking gun'
Scientists say 'inflation' led to massive expansion

Friday, March 17, 2006; Posted: 10:44 a.m. EST (15:44 GMT)

By the faint cosmic glow of the oldest known light, physicists say they have found evidence that the universe grew to astounding proportions in less than the blink of an eye.

In that trillionth of a second after the big bang, the universe expanded from the size of a marble to a volume larger than all of observable space through a process known as inflation. At the same time, the seeds were planted for the formation of stars, galaxies, planets and every other object in the universe.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/03/16/cosmic.inflation.ap/index.html)

So what happens if the universe pops?

KingVoyeur

03-17-2006, 07:53 AM

'DNA' nebula found in Milky Way

Thursday, March 16, 2006; Posted: 1:18 p.m. EST (18:18 GMT)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Cosmic nebulae usually look like blobs in space, but astronomers using the Spitzer Space Telescope reported on Wednesday they have found a nebula twisted like the double helix of DNA.

The strands of the nebula may be torqued by twisted magnetic fields at the Milky Way's center, Morris said by telephone.

These magnetic fields are indirectly spawned by the gaping black hole at the galactic heart, he said. Black holes are massive matter-sucking drains in space, pulling in everything around them so powerfully that not even light can escape.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/03/16/helix.picture.reut/index.html)
http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/TECH/space/03/16/helix.picture.reut/vert.dna.nebula.jpg
That's pretty cool, except for the whole "black hole at the center of the universe thing." It's nice to know that our universe is literally going down the drain.

KingVoyeur

03-17-2006, 08:08 AM

Giant statue planned for Dundee

A model of what the real statue might look like has been created

Plans for a 90ft-tall statue of a naked woman which would dominate a city skyline have been unveiled.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41448000/jpg/_41448620_biowomanbody203.jpg

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4813860.stm)

So Jakester will be moving to Scotland now I assume?

Cncrman

03-17-2006, 08:14 AM

that is nee so wee...that's friggin' HUGE!!!

Sorry, channeled Mike Meyers for a second.

KingVoyeur

03-17-2006, 01:24 PM

From IMDB.com

Did Cruise Shut Down 'South Park' Episode?

Tom Cruise forced Comedy Central to cancel a repeat of a controversial South Park episode lampooning Scientology after telling Paramount that he would refuse to promote Mission Impossible 3 if the show aired, according to the New York Post's "Page Six" gossip column, which in turn cited the website hollywoodinterrupted.com. However, a spokesperson for Comedy Central insisted that the episode had been yanked so that the channel could air a different episode that would serve as tribute to Isaac Hayes, who, like Cruise, is a Scientologist and who left the show (where he played "Chef") assertedly because of the Scientology episode. It originally aired last November.

I mentioned this episode switch a little in the Animation Forum. This is one of the single most ridiculous stories I've heard in a long while. Cruise is a complete ass. If he doesn't promote his own film just to hurt Paramount because of South Park, all he'll do is damage his reputation as an actor, which is pretty much the only good thing his rep has left.

KingVoyeur

03-20-2006, 08:01 AM

From MSNBC.com

High school student recites 8,784 digits of pi

SALEM, Va. - A high school student Tuesday recited 8,784 digits of pi — the non-repeating and non-terminating decimal — likely placing him among the top Pi-reciters in the world.

Gaurav Rajav, 15, had hoped to recite 10,790 digits and set a new record in the United States and North America. But he remembered enough to potentially place third in national and North American pi recitation and 12th in the world.

His ranking should be verified by the Pi World Ranking List within two months.

KingVoyeur

03-20-2006, 08:05 AM

From MSNBC.com

Paris Hilton hits the language barrier
Frustration at Stavros chatting in Greek?

Is a language barrier getting between Paris Hilton and her sweetie?

The partying heiress’s romance with Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos reportedly is kaput because she’s tired of him speaking in another language.

“Stavros was with a Greek friend, and Paris was freaking out because she couldn’t understand what they were saying,” an insider told the mag. “She thought they were laughing at her.”

KingVoyeur

03-21-2006, 07:20 AM

'I just killed a kid'
Neighbor charged with shooting teen who walked on his grass

BATAVIA, Ohio (AP) -- A man who neighbors say was devoted to his meticulously kept lawn was charged with murder in the shooting of a 15-year-old boy who apparently walked across his yard.

Charles Martin called 911 on Sunday afternoon, saying calmly: "I just killed a kid."

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/20/boy.shot.ap/index.html)

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/US/03/20/boy.shot.ap/story.yard.ap.jpg

He shot a kid for walking across that lawn? Craaaazzyyy! :dunno:

KingVoyeur

03-21-2006, 07:46 AM

Flock of crows terrorises street

The RSPB said the crows could be attacking because they are mating

A flock of crows is terrorising people living on an estate in Warwick, local residents have said.
The birds initially attacked cars by pulling off windscreen wipers and scratching the paintwork.

But now they have moved on to attacking the residents themselves, similar to scenes in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller The Birds.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/coventry_warwickshire/4829618.stm)

KingVoyeur

03-21-2006, 07:54 AM

Computer games help convicts cope
By Mark Ward
Technology correspondent, BBC News website

The initiative aims to give prisoners a taste of life beyond bars
Oregon's prison system in the US is turning to computer games to help rehabilitate felons.

Inmates who have a clean disciplinary record for 18 months are being given a chance to buy a small handheld game console.

The gadget has 50 simple games onboard that can be played through small TVs fixed in cells.

The Oregon state prison system said the gadgets also help to stem some of the trouble incarceration often provokes.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4818128.stm)

Isn't that the same technque that parents who don't want to deal with kids use? Just stick em in front of the TV?

KingVoyeur

03-21-2006, 08:22 AM

Scientology foes blast Cruise in ad

The battle between Tom Cruise and Scientology and its foes is heating up.

Cruise and Scientology have been in the news lately because of an allegedly censored “South Park” parody of the religion — and now Scientology and the “Top Gun” star are being blamed for a woman’s death.

“Thanks, Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology, for your expert advice on mental health,” blasts an ad in LA Weekly. The ad goes on to say that a woman was killed “by the schizophrenic son she was told to treat with vitamins instead of psychiatric care.”

The ad refers readers to a Web site, which provides details on the case of Jeremy Perkins, a 28-year-old schizophrenic who stabbed his mother to death. Perkins was a staunch Scientologist and his mother was a counselor in the church — which opposes psychiatry and psychiatric drugs and “believes modern psychiatric medicine derives from an ancient alien civilization’s plot to drug and enslave humanity,” notes the site.

A spokesman for the Celebrity Center of the Church didn’t respond to requests for comment by deadline.

"Xenu made me do it!"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/13/Xenu_BBC_Panorama.jpg

KingVoyeur

03-22-2006, 11:44 AM

From IMDB.com

Bruce Lee Musical To Hit Broadway

Martial arts superstar Bruce Lee is set to be the subject of a new Broadway musical featuring music provided by David Bowie. Theatre bosses want the show to be ready to premiere in 2008. According to Variety.com, Tony Award-winner David Henry Hwang has been hired to write the musical and Matthew Warchus is reportedly onboard to direct. Bowie has been linked to project because he was recently spotted chatting with Wachus in Toronto, Canada - where Warchus is poised to launch his new The Lord Of The Rings musical. The Bruce Lee musical follows hot in the footsteps of plans for a musical based on kung fu movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Hmm could be interesting staging-wise, and I'd love to see what they come up with with Bowie involved!

KingVoyeur

03-22-2006, 11:46 AM

From IMDB.com

Dept. of Homeland Security Shoots Down Movie Script

A Los Angeles screenwriter is claiming that the Department of Homeland Security has informed him that he may not use the agency's name "or any of the Department's official visual identities" in the script for his film, Lady Magdalene, despite the fact that the film presents a positive image of the DHS. The writer, J. Neil Schulman, said Tuesday that he had received a notice from Bobbie Faye Ferguson, director of the NHS's office of multimedia, informing him that his "project does not fit within the DHS mission and that it is not something we can participate in." In response, Schulman wrote to Ferguson that he had already received assistance from a special agent of the NHS's air marshal service while he was preparing his screenplay and that the agency's notice to him now represents a violation of his First Amendment rights. "Merely the claim that you have the power to restrict such official images is chilling to the process of writing and producing a movie -- and certainly to an independent film in pre-production with a start date for principal photography only six weeks away," Schulman wrote.

Let the censoring begin!

neglet

03-23-2006, 05:15 AM

A Los Angeles screenwriter is claiming that the Department of Homeland Security has informed him that he may not use the agency's name.

Gee, that's weird. "24" seems to be using the agency's name this season, and their portrayal isn't entirely positive at all. Could it be this guy is angling for publicity? Nawwwww.

Jakester

03-23-2006, 06:41 AM

The Department of Homeland Security are the last people we want providing "homeland security." Okay, maybe not the last people, but they're definitely not in the top 10.

KingVoyeur

03-23-2006, 07:28 AM

Woman says man kept her captive for 10 years
Security guard charged in case

Thursday, March 23, 2006; Posted: 10:04 a.m. EST (15:04 GMT)

MCKEESPORT, Pennsylvania (AP) -- For 10 years, Tanya Nicole Kach says she was told that her parents didn't want her, that she was stupid and no one cared about her but the middle school security guard who was keeping her in his home.

It took her a decade to build the confidence to come forward, but on Wednesday she finally learned the truth as she hugged her father, Jerry Kach, in a tearful reunion.

"He's crying, I'm crying. All he kept saying was, 'I got my baby,"' said Kach, now 24, clutching her father's hand. "I'm touching blood, and I get to say, 'I love you, Dad."'

Kach said she was looking forward to seeing her mother on Thursday for the first time in years.

Since February 1996, when her parents reported her missing, Kach had been living at the home of Thomas Hose, 48, in the same town where her father lived in a home about two miles away. She had met Hose at her middle school, where he worked as a security guard.

Allegheny County Police Superintendent Charles Moffatt said Kach wasn't allowed out of the house for the first four years she lived with Hose.

Moffatt added that she wasn't being held against her will when she befriended convenience store owner Joseph Sparico.

Hose used "mind games" to control what Kach wore and where she went and to convince her that her parents, who are now divorced, didn't care about her, Moffatt said. He said the girl had help changing her appearance shortly after she disappeared but wouldn't elaborate.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/23/missing.girl.found.ap/index.html)

This story confuses me. How can she say she was held against her will when she was allowed out of the house? She was fourteen when she started living with him, and he lives with his parents. How could they accept that? She was reported as missing, yet she lived two blocks from her dad, and she went out to the local deli all the time. I......I don't what to say....

KingVoyeur

03-23-2006, 07:32 AM

Bush presses Afghanistan on jailed Christian
President also calls on Iraq's elected leaders to form government

WHEELING, West Virginia (CNN) -- President Bush on Wednesday defended an Afghan who could face the death penalty for converting to Christianity.

Afghan authorities are trying Abdul Rahman, a 41-year-old Christian convert, on charges of rejecting Islam -- a death-penalty offense under Afghanistan's constitution, which is based on Islamic law.

During a speech in West Virginia, Bush said the United States expects Afghan authorities "to honor the universal principle of freedom."

"I'm troubled when I hear -- deeply troubled -- when I hear the fact that a person who has converted away from Islam may be held to account," he said.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/22/bush/index.html)

Yes, because people who convert away from Christianity are so revered in this country.

KingVoyeur

03-23-2006, 07:39 AM

Damn, gotta watch those slips-of-the-tongue...

Host, praising Rice, utters slur; fired

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (AP) -- A St. Louis radio station quickly fired a talk show host for uttering a racial epithet as he talked about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on his morning show Wednesday.

Dave Lenihan apologized on the air immediately after making what he said was a slip of the tongue. KTRS president and general manager Tim Dorsey agreed the remark was accidental but said it was nonetheless "unacceptable, reprehensible and unforgivable."

Lenihan had been heaping praise on Rice, who has frequently said she aspires to run the NFL one day but has more recently ruled out seeking to replace retiring Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

"She's been chancellor of Stanford," Lenihan said on the air. "She's got the patent resume of somebody that has serious skill. She loves football. She's African-American, which would kind of be a big coon. A big coon. Oh my God. I am totally, totally, totally, totally, totally sorry for that."

He said he had meant to say "coup" instead of the racial slur.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/23/djfired.rice.ap/index.html)

kah

03-23-2006, 08:01 AM

:eek: OMG! He made a speech mistake! How many of us have said something that came out the wrong way? WTF? He instantly apologized. I think a reprimand and a formal apology would've been more than sufficient.

KingVoyeur

03-24-2006, 07:27 AM

From IMDB.com

Sheen Airs 9/11 Conspiracy Theory

Actor Charlie Sheen refuses to accept the official explanation behind the terrorist atrocities of September 11, 2001, and believes the US government covered up what really happened. Conspiracy theorist Sheen claims New York City's Twin Towers fell as the result of a "controlled demolition." Talking on US radio program The Alex Jones Show on the GGN network, he said, "It seems to me like 19 amateurs with box-cutters taking over four commercial airliners and hitting 75 per cent of their targets, that feels like a conspiracy theory. It raises a lot of questions. A couple of years ago, it was severely unpopular to talk about any of this. It feels like from the people I talk to, and the research I've done and around my circles, it feels like the worm is turning." Sheen also cast doubt over the plane that smashed into the side of the Pentagon in Washington DC. He added, "Just show us how this particular plane pulled off these maneuvers... It is up to us to reveal the truth. It is up to us because we owe it to the families, we owe it to the victims, we owe it to everyone's life who was drastically altered, horrifically, that day and forever. We owe it to them to uncover what happened."

KingVoyeur

03-24-2006, 07:34 AM

From CNN.com

An hour of '99 Red Balloons'?
VH1 Classic to air 1984 video to satisfy pledge request

NEW YORK (AP) -- They're kidding, right?

VH1 Classic will present a full hour of the English and German music videos for the 1984 hit "99 Luftballons," aka "99 Red Balloons," by German rock group Nena.

The music video presentation, to air Sunday (2 p.m. EST), caps off the cable channel's "Pay to Play for Hurricane Katrina Relief," which raised over $200,000 for Mercy Corps, a humanitarian relief organization.

Viewers could request one video to be played on VH1 Classic for every $25 donation. For a $35,000 donation, they could select an hour's worth of music videos from the 1960s through the early 1990s.

However, one viewer chose something different for his allotted hour, requesting continuous playing of "99 Luftballons," said VH1 spokeswoman Maura Wozniak.

"99 Luftballons" is a Cold-War era protest song that tells the story of 99 red balloons floating into the air, triggering an apocalypse when the military sends planes to intercept them.

kah

03-24-2006, 07:49 AM

So, basically, Charlie wants us to believe that the government planned 9/11? What a crock of shit. Let's consider the possibility. Here's where your 2nd Amendment rights come into play. We have the right to bear arms to defend ourselves against a corrupt government, and to stage a coup if necessary. Can you imagine the horror? If our government wanted to start a war, they wouldn't have had to kill so many Americans. All it would really take is a perceived imminent threat. And, no, I don't have a hard time believing that the terrorists spent YEARS planning their attacks. Tell me that you won't be good at something you prepared for over the course of YEARS. It's more amazing to me that they did this on such a small scale. After the second plane hit the towers, and the reports came in about the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, I expected to hear about a LOT more planes being hijacked. I know I'm not the only one that thought that.

~deep cleansing breath~

I don't mind conspiracy theorists. In fact, I think we need them. But don't drag these families over the coals again, and try to convince them that our own government sacrificed them to start a holy war.

DaForce

03-28-2006, 02:56 PM

http://www.examiner.com/Top_News-a60846~Spears_Sculpture_on_Display_Next_Month.html

Spears Sculpture on Display Next Month

PDF (http://www.examiner.com/articlePDF.cfm?articleID=60846) | Email (http://www.examiner.com/ArticleEmail.cfm?articleID=60846)
By VERENA DOBNIK, The Associated Press
Mar 28, 2006 2:31 PM (1 hr 17 mins ago)
NEW YORK - A life-size sculpture of a naked Britney Spears kneeling on a bearskin rug as she gives birth will be on display next month at Brooklyn's Capla Kesting Fine Art gallery.

The sculpture is to appear next to a display case filled with anti-abortion materials. It was created by Daniel Edwards, who said he never spoke to the 24-year-old pop star or met her, and fashioned her face and figure from photographs.

I dunno, but I think that this would support the pro-choice movement instead. After all, we're talking about Spears and K-Fed (:lol: ) unholy offspring.

Is anyone else not all that surprised that the statue is giving birth in the position that the Unholy was most likely conceived?

kah

03-29-2006, 05:27 AM

http://www.examiner.com/Top_News-a60846~Spears_Sculpture_on_Display_Next_Month.html

I dunno, but I think that this would support the pro-choice movement instead. After all, we're talking about Spears and K-Fed (:lol: ) unholy offspring.

Is anyone else not all that surprised that the statue is giving birth in the position that the Unholy was most likely conceived?

This sounds very Clan of the Cave Bear to me. Yuck. I didn't watch myself giving birth, so I can tell you I sure as hell don't want to see a sculpture of that ho-bag pushing out a melon.

KingVoyeur

04-03-2006, 10:50 AM

Cruise: I'm marrying Katie this summer

Monday, April 3, 2006; Posted: 1:11 p.m. EDT (17:11 GMT)

BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- Tom Cruise has told Germany's leading tabloid that he and Katie Holmes want to tie the knot this summer, after the birth of their baby and the release of his new movie, "Mission: Impossible III."

Cruise was in the country to promote the film on the popular "Wetten Dass ... (I'll Bet ...)" TV show. He said on the show Saturday that two pilots were at the ready to fly him home should Holmes go into labor.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/03/people.cruise.holmes.ap/index.html)

Wait, he said it last Saturday.....April Fool's? Poor Katie...

KingVoyeur

04-03-2006, 01:21 PM

Spears Sculpture on Display Next Month

PDF | Email
By VERENA DOBNIK, The Associated Press
Mar 28, 2006 2:31 PM (1 hr 17 mins ago)
NEW YORK - A life-size sculpture of a naked Britney Spears kneeling on a bearskin rug as she gives birth will be on display next month at Brooklyn's Capla Kesting Fine Art gallery.

The sculpture is to appear next to a display case filled with anti-abortion materials. It was created by Daniel Edwards, who said he never spoke to the 24-year-old pop star or met her, and fashioned her face and figure from photographs.

Here ya go....

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Video/060331/n_countdown_sculptor_060331.300w.jpg

Yikes....

Son of Gilbert

04-03-2006, 07:07 PM

It looks more like Ashley Judd, if you ask me

kah

04-04-2006, 06:39 AM

Ugh. ~dry heave~ Obviously this man has never given birth. (lol) The position he's got that sculpture in would only make it more difficult. Gravity. That's all I have left to say.

KingVoyeur

04-04-2006, 06:49 AM

It looks like she's taking aim....

Trazalca

04-04-2006, 06:56 AM

It looks like she'll never give birth. :ohwell:
From that position, the baby will only take much longer
coming out, prolonging the delivery, and the pain.
Unless she's into that sort of thing. :rolleyes:

KingVoyeur

04-04-2006, 07:08 AM

Wanted: Jerry Garcia's toilet
Porcelain plumbing pilfered from driveway

Tuesday, April 4, 2006; Posted: 8:48 a.m. EDT (12:48 GMT)

SONOMA, California (AP) -- The long, strange trip continues for Jerry Garcia's toilet.

Police say the Grateful Dead leader's commode was stolen recently from a driveway along with three other toilets and a bidet.

Garcia's salmon-colored toilet was the subject of a legal battle before it was finally moved to Sonoma, to await shipment to a Canadian casino.

Full story at CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/04/people.jerrygarcia.ap/index.html)

Whoever stole it must've been high on pot....

KingVoyeur

04-04-2006, 07:22 AM

Man 'took 40,000 ecstasy tablets'

"Mr A" took up to 25 ecstasy pills a day
Doctors have revealed details of the biggest recorded user of ecstasy - a man estimated to have taken 40,000 ecstasy pills in his life.
At the height of his use, the man - known as "Mr A" - was taking 25 tablets a day, Psychosomatics journal revealed.

The 37-year-old still had trouble with short-term memory problems seven years after he stopped taking the drug.

Doctors at St George's Hospital, London said Mr A's case was extreme, but showed ecstasy's long-term effects.

Full story at BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4874938.stm)

KingVoyeur

04-04-2006, 07:58 AM

From MSNBC News

Timberlake thinks Britney’s husband is ‘gross’

By Jeannette Walls
MSNBC
Updated: 2:45 a.m. ET March 30, 2006
Britney Spears’ ex-sweetie reportedly does not approve of her hubby. In fact, Justin Timberlake believes that Kevin Federline is “gross,” according to Star magazine.

“He thinks Kevin is gross, and there’s not much that would change his mind about that,” a source told the tab. “He says that they [Spears and Timberlake] had a lot of great years together, and he’s pretty sad at how things turned out for her.”

Timberlake apparently hasn’t ruled out the possibility of reuniting with Spears — professionally, that is.

Like, he's totally grody man...

Trazalca

04-04-2006, 08:56 AM

To the max, for sure-for sure.

KingVoyeur

04-05-2006, 07:04 AM

From IMDB.com

O'Donnell Challenges Campbell to Fight

Comedian Rosie O'Donnell has challenged supermodel Naomi Campbell to fight, insisting the British beauty needs someone to "kick her a*s." O'Donnell was horrified when the catwalk queen was charged with assault in New York City last month after she allegedly beat her assistant with a mobile telephone. And she plans to exert her own brand of justice on the fiery model. O'Donnell explains, "I just picture this cute little Mexican woman working saying, Excuse me Miss Campbell can I possibly get you... ' and Naomi going, 'Get away from me, bam bam bam!' "To make matters worse she had that jewel-encrusted cell phone. That's got to score with the diamonds. "She looks like you could snap her in two but she's a tough-a*s, kick-a*s woman "I would actually like to fight her. I think for all the people that she's beaten up, I think she needs a big 200 pound lesbian to kick her a*s."

AHAHAHAHAHA.....that just sounds like an amusing fight....

KingVoyeur

04-05-2006, 07:07 AM

From IMDB.com

Travoltas Support Holmes and Cruise Over Silent Birth Plans

Hollywood couple John Travolta and Kelly Preston have raced to fellow Scientologist Tom Cruise's support as he and fiancee Katie Holmes plan a controversial silent birth in the coming days. The heavily pregnant actress plans to adhere to strict Scientology rules and give birth without screaming obscenities or making loud noises. But the Travoltas insist the birthing procedure, which has been mocked in the press over the past few months, isn't like people think. The Pulp Fiction star says, "There are unwanted emotions and pain that goes along with any birth." Preston insists the Scientology-friendly labor doesn't forbid the mum-to-be from yelling out in pain: "Screaming is fine... It's the words. If you can avoid saying certain phrases and words... Just try to keep it as quiet as possible. Of course you're going to groan and yell. It hurts. Just keep it to a minimum."

Aw, c'mon, that's the only chance Katie's gonna have to bitch out Cruise!

fastcar

04-05-2006, 09:08 AM

KingVoyeur

04-06-2006, 06:53 AM

From IMDB.com

'Crash' Coming to the Small Screen

Oscar-winning racial drama Crash is being adapted for the small screen and will appear on televisions across the U.S. next year. The movie version starring Sandra Bullock, Terrence Howard, Matt Dillon and Don Cheadle, won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in March. The film's producer Cathy Schulman says, "I hope it will air in the next year. "The actors from the film will show up. Don Cheadle is a producer and will also be on at least a few episodes. "We'll see about everyone else."

That's gotta be the fastest turn-around ever!

KingVoyeur

04-06-2006, 10:59 AM

From IMDB.com

NBC News Plants "Muslim" Ringers at Nascar Race

NASCAR on Wednesday expressed outrage at reports that NBC's Dateline had sent "Muslim-looking men" to a race in an effort to film crowd reaction to them with hidden cameras. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston told the syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin, "It is outrageous that a news organization of NBC's stature would stoop to the level of going out to create news instead of reporting news." NBC, whose contract to televise NASCAR events expires this year and is not being renewed, responded in a statement, "We were intrigued by the results of a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll and other articles regarding increasing anti-Muslim sentiments in the United States. It's very early on in our newsgathering process, but be assured we will be visiting a number of locations across the country and are confident that our reporting team is pursuing this story in a fair manner."

Iraqi Journalists Say They've Become Targets

The revelation that the U.S. government has paid Iraqi newspapers to plant favorable stories has increased the danger for Iraqi journalists, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, an Iraqi photojournalist, told a Reuters forum Wednesday. Appearing on a panel discussion in New York, Abdul-Ahad remarked, "How do you expect decent Iraqi journalists to go into the streets and write a positive story? Everyone would be pointing at them saying, 'You've been paid by the Americans.'" Zaki Chehab of the London-based Arab newspaper Al Hayat remarked that Arab or Iraqi journalists now must work secretly for fear of being suspected of collaboration. Meanwhile, CBS News said Tuesday that the U.S. military has agreed to release Iraqi cameraman Abdul Ameer Hussein, who had been held in custody for one year without charge after he was wounded by U.S. forces in Mosul while covering clashes with insurgents for the network in Mosul. After Hussein was cleared by an Iraqi court, guards stationed at the courthouse threatened journalists covering the trial, with one guard reportedly shooting a gun into the air, then pointing it at a camera before the journalists scattered.

Corporations Placing Fake News on Local Stations, Says Report

Television stations throughout the country, including several in the largest markets, are continuing to air video news releases produced by large corporations without disclosing the source, according to a study by the Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy and reported in today's (Thursday) New York Times.The Center, which monitored news programs on 69 stations over the past 10 months, said that the stations attempted to blend the fake news into their broadcasts by having reporters or anchors read scripts supplied by the corporations that produced the videos and in some instances introduced company publicists as if they were actual reporters. The Center said that it plans to post some of the original video news releases, along with examples of how the stations used them, on its website, www.prwatch.org.

So in short, don't trust the news anymore?

sickness

04-06-2006, 11:09 AM

Hmmmm... sounds like 1984 or V for Vendetta might not be so far off. Anyone else remember a mini-series from the 1980's called "Amerika" and starring Kris Kristofferson?

KingVoyeur

04-07-2006, 08:02 AM

From IMDB.com

Holmes' 'Passive' Behavior Stuns Interviewer

Pregnant actress Katie Holmes stunned a magazine journalist when she accompanied fiance Tom Cruise on a recent interview, by acting in a "dazed, passive and vacant" manner. The former Dawson's Creek beauty, 27, sat quietly beside Cruise as he opened up about his abusive father Thomas Mapother III to Parade reporter Dotson Rader. In the Parade interview, Rader writes, "Holmes wore a large diamond engagement ring. She seemed dazed, passive and vacant. She never stopped smiling." Rader was stunned to notice Holmes kept smiling, even as the Top Gun star recalled the beatings he suffered as a child.

Dear God, he's turned her into a Stepford wife...creepy....

KingVoyeur

04-07-2006, 08:10 AM

Video games get very, very naughty

Friday, April 7, 2006; Posted: 10:39 a.m. EDT (14:39 GMT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Online games have so far mainly revolved around the killing of fantasy monsters. The occasional fight with a Stormtrooper provides some variety.

Companies are now developing a handful of games -- though calling them that is a stretch -- designed to give players a very different option: making love, not war.

In "Naughty America: The Game," set to launch early this summer, players will assume the forms of alluring but cartoonish people who meet, flirt and have sex with other player characters.

Characters will have their own apartment, but the world will have also have "public sex zones" and themed rooms, said Tina Courtney, the game's producer.

"We've got the cowboy room, the make-your-own-porn room ... it doesn't just have to be 'Your place or mine?"' Courtney said.

Full Story @ CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/fun.games/04/07/online.sex.games.ap/index.html)

Great, now no one will ever leave their house again.

kah

04-07-2006, 08:19 AM

From IMDB.com

Dear God, he's turned her into a Stepford wife...creepy....

You know, I used to like Tom Cruise as an actor, and was able to separate his acting from his life, but now... He's made himself a target. His crazy religion and holier than thou attitude have finally pushed me to the edge. I am done with Tom Cruise. I will never watch another of his movies again. Every dime that goes into his pocket is another victory for Scientology, and I refuse to contribute to his cause. No wonder Nicole left him. With all the crazy ranting about psychiatrists and her father being one- I wouldn't have stuck it out half as long as she had. I'm glad she's free of him.

kah

04-07-2006, 08:26 AM

Full Story @ CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/fun.games/04/07/online.sex.games.ap/index.html)

Great, now no one will ever leave their house again.

I wonder if they'll have condoms and STDs in the game. Why not make it realistic? If you are going to encourage having multiple partners, then I think they should get herpes, or warts on their faces, or get AIDS and die slowly. I don't know if this is worse or at the very least on the same level as games that allow you to kill people. There are going to be kids who will get access to this game. Just like there are kids who get access to the Grand Theft Auto games. A lot of these kids will probably not have had their first sexual encounter yet. Do we want them to get their education from a porn game? I don't really see the value in these types of games for anyone, let alone kids.

KingVoyeur

04-07-2006, 08:29 AM

I'm assuming that you'll have to pay to gain access to the game, so parents should be able to have some control, if they care to.

kah

04-07-2006, 09:10 AM

I'm assuming that you'll have to pay to gain access to the game, so parents should be able to have some control, if they care to.

First, kids these days have access to money that we never did. Second (http://www.wsbtv.com/technology/8381609/detail.html?rss=atl&psp=nationalnews), stores have proven to be less than vigilant in making sure kids under 17 do not get M rated games. Here's (http://www.videogamingforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6239) what teens are saying about it. Third, a lot of parents these days are under the assumption that their children are smarter than they are. They seem to think that because of the world we live in, that they are learning common sense without it being taught to them. They think their children are numb to human suffering. They seem to think that it is fine for their children to play games where they shoot people for no reason, steal cars, and that the cops are their enemies. These parents are probably the same ones who are afraid to discipline their children because they don't want their kids to hate them.

Sorry, I got off topic, sort of. I am going to step back from this one for a little while. I'm close to some kids whose parents are like the ones above. Whenever I say something about it, they always respond with, "Well, they already played it/watched it/did it at another kid's house, so why stop them now?" ~Boiling mad:romy: ~ Maybe this should be another thread altogether.

KingVoyeur

04-07-2006, 09:22 AM

Maybe this should be another thread altogether.
Sure, why not?

KingVoyeur

04-10-2006, 10:28 AM

From IMDB.com

Connery to Announce Movie Retirement at AFI

Sir Sean Connery is expected to officially announce he is quitting Hollywood when he collects his Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Film Institute later this year. Connery, who is recuperating after undergoing surgery to remove a Kidney tumor in January, plans to spend his time writing books instead. He says, "I have retired for good. It's been a bit rough since Christmas but I'm perfectly OK and I feel well. In fact, I'm working on a history book." Harrison Ford, meanwhile, is campaigning for the actor to return to The screen for the upcoming fourth Indiana Jones movie.

I think Ford should concentrate on campaigning to get the damn movie made in the first place. Connery will be missed on the big screen. :(

KingVoyeur

04-10-2006, 10:37 AM

NASA's next giant leap
NASA prepares for sea change in manned space program

Monday, April 10, 2006; Posted: 10:28 a.m. EDT (14:28 GMT)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida(AP) -- As NASA celebrates the 25th anniversary of its first shuttle flight this week, the agency also steels itself for the biggest upheaval since the moon shot days of Apollo in the early 1970s.

In just four years the three aging, behemoth space shuttles will be shelved -- likely headed to museums. And by 2014, a brand new spacecraft will be flying -- one designed to get astronauts to the moon by 2018 and eventually Mars.

This wrenching transition will be only the fourth such makeover for the manned space program in the agency's nearly 50-year history. Critics already are grumbling about the lack of money to accomplish the shift to the new crew exploration vehicle (CEV). More than a fifth of NASA's proposed $16.8 billion budget for next year will be spent on developing the new vehicle system.

Full story @ CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/04/10/nasa.in.transition.ap/index.html)

Gee, they make it sound like we've never been to the moon before.....

KingVoyeur

04-10-2006, 10:49 AM

Frankenstein spoof set for stage

Brooks is not ready to retire just yet

Veteran producer Mel Brooks has announced he is adapting his 1974 movie Young Frankenstein for the stage.

Brooks, also behind film and theatre cult classic The Producers, is writing the score and hopes to raise money for the show when it is complete.

"It is going to be wonderful," said the 79-year-old.

His spoof Frankenstein film starred Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman. The Producers has been enjoying a West End revival since 2004.

Full story @ BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4895482.stm)

I'm all for it, can't wait!

Trazalca

04-10-2006, 11:35 AM

I'm for it too....but let's hope he has enough sense to know when
to stop. The man's tendency for redundancy tends to get quite palpable.
The Producers (1968-film) > The Producers (2002-Broadway) > The Producers (2005-film).
:rolleyes:

KingVoyeur

04-11-2006, 10:33 AM

That's actually becoming a trend in Hollywood. Movie - stage musical - movie musical. Just look at Hairspray and Phantom of the Opera (there's probably more I can't think of). Now where's my Buffy musical?!?

KingVoyeur

04-11-2006, 10:45 AM

Japanese princess starts school

Princess Aiko is the daughter of Japan's crown prince

Princess Aiko attended the ceremony with her parents and 50 of her future classmates, and later met her teachers, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.

The future of the monarchy is a major issue in Japan.

At the moment, only men are allowed to ascend the Japanese throne, but there is no male heir to follow Crown Prince Naruhito or his brother, Prince Akishino.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had been paving the way for new legislation allowing women to ascend the throne.

But the move appears to be on hold following the news that Prince Akishino's wife, Princess Kiko, is pregnant, raising the possibility that she could give birth to a boy.

The strain caused by the succession debate is said to have affected Princess Masako's health. She has been seen in public only rarely in the past two years and is said to be suffering from stress.

But she accompanied Princess Aiko, who was smartly outfitted in a navy blue skirt and blazer and a matching hat, as she set off for her first day at nursery school.

The Japanese school year begins in April.

Full story @ BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4898474.stm)

I've actually been following the whole "Japan Royal Family" story pretty closely. It's really interesting to see a culture struggle with a change this ingrained in tradition. If Princess Kiko's child is a girl instead of a boy, there will have to be a major upheaval in gender relations, because there will be no male heir to the throne, and Japan will have to deal with the issue of allowing a woman to take the throne.

Here's some other related story links.
Princess Masako's struggle in palace life (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3939179.stm)
Princess Kiko's baby could put an end to Japan's Royalty reform (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4693950.stm)
Japan's Succession crisis (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4426176.stm)

That last story has two interesting opposing viewpoints on the issue from a young Japanese man and woman.

KingVoyeur

04-11-2006, 11:58 AM

From IMDB.com

Disney's Theatrical Unit Gets 'Nemo' for a Song

Disney's marriage to Pixar took a new turn Monday when the company announced that it would be turning Finding Nemo into a musical. Unlike The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan and the upcoming The Little Mermaid, Nemo will not be finding a home on Broadway. According to the company, Finding Nemo -- The Musical will be presented at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, FL, will last only a half hour, and will feature puppets and live performers. "It is the first time in theme-park history that we have taken an animated film that is not a musical and turned it into a musical," Anne Hamburger, executive director of Disney Creative Entertainment, told the Orlando Sentinel. "Nemo is the next generation of theatrical entertainment for the company. It will encompass a lot of visual spectaculars and will be a very popular show." The music is being written by Avenue Q composer Bobby Lopez and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, who wrote the book, music and lyrics for the a cappella musical Along the Way.

Well, I guess a 30-min musical at one of the theme parks would be cute. I'm a little wary of the Tarzan and Little Mermaid Broadway versions though. I enjoyed both films, and I imagine they would both be difficult to stage. Time will tell I guess.

Son of Gilbert

04-11-2006, 05:55 PM

Wonder if the Mermaid musical will have hidden sex messages in it like the movie?

KingVoyeur

04-12-2006, 07:45 AM

Wonder if the Mermaid musical will have hidden sex messages in it like the movie?

I'm sure they'll include the priest walking around with a huge boner!

KingVoyeur

04-12-2006, 09:01 AM

From IMDB.com

Cruise Attacks Psychiatric Drugs Again

Tom Cruise is attacking those who prescribe psychiatric drugs again in the May issue of men's style magazine GQ. The Mission: Impossible III actor, who embarked on an anti-drug tirade in TV interviews last summer on behalf of his Scientology beliefs, has launched a fresh attack on psychiatry, calling for prescription pill poppers to think carefully about the harms they're doing to their bodies. He tells the magazine, "I've always found the 'if it makes me feel better, it's OK' rationale a little suspect. I think it's appalling that people have to live a life of drug addiction when I have personally helped people get off drugs." In the interview, the actor claims he can get someone off heroin in three days through Scientology's detox programs.

Geez, you'd think talking to Cruise would make you want to take drugs!

KingVoyeur

04-12-2006, 09:28 AM

'Smellovision' for Japan cinema

Screenings of Colin Farrell's latest film will be accompanied by a series of smells at a cinema in Japan. Seven fragrances will waft from machines under back row seats during historical adventure The New World. A floral smell will accompany love scenes, with a mixture of peppermint and rosemary for tear-jerking moments.

Cinemas across the country will be able to download programmes to control various sequences of fragrances for other upcoming films.

Relaxation

The company who makes the fragrance-emitting machines launched a service for Japanese homes last year. The home version of the equipment costing £510 was designed to provide aromatherapy during work or horoscope readings. The machines have to be topped up with fragrant liquids which create the scents.

A globe-shaped version of the machine for computer users is also manufactured, which emits fragrances depending on mood.

It can be used to provide relaxation before bedtime or to keep the user alert if they are working late at night.

Just think, porn with smell-o-vision!

KingVoyeur

04-12-2006, 10:35 AM

'Snakes on a Plane': The Cult

New Line's Snakes on a Plane, due to open on Aug. 18, has already produced an avid cult, "the first cult following created entirely by a movie's title," according to Canada's Maclean's magazine. According to the magazine, an uproar among the cultists ensued when studio executives decided to change the title to Pacific Air Flight 121. Even star Samuel L. Jackson joined in the ruckus, saying, according to Maclean's: "We're totally changing that back. That's the only reason I took the job: I read the title." The magazine said that in the end, not only did the producers restore the original name but that they "recently returned to Vancouver to film new scenes with profanity and gore, bringing the final product closer to the kind of garish B movie its name suggests."

Too bad all fans can't be that aggressive and get studio execs to stay out of creative production matters.

KingVoyeur

04-13-2006, 02:04 PM

From IMDB.com

Sutherland Reveals '24' Movie Plans

Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland has confirmed popular TV drama 24 is to hit the big screen. Sutherland, who plays federal agent Jack Bauer on the show, recently joked a spoof version would make great cinema viewing. But he now tells MTV.com plans for a straight blockbuster film are already in motion. He says, "The 24 movie would be a two-hour representation of a 24-hour day. That would be the first time that we would not do something in real time, but the characters would obviously all be derivative of the show. The timing issue is something the writers are working on right now. But the sky's the limit at that point for them, because we would not be restricted by the time element."

Trazalca

04-18-2006, 07:01 AM

From IMDB.com-

Madonna Tour To Feature Disco Crucifix?

Pop star Madonna is having a massive "disco-fied" crucifix made as one of the centerpieces for her upcoming tour. The singer has raised eyebrows before with her controversial use of religious images and now she'll shock again with the flashing cross. A source claims Madonna will descend to the stage on the glittering disco-ball crucifix, covered with diamonds and Swarovski crystals. The ball is rumored to cost $10 million, and is being constructed at a well-guarded airplane hangar in Los Angeles for her Confession On A Dance Floor tour. According to the source, "It'll create a blinding light, like she's landing on the spaceship from E.T."

With the way she's been looking lately, that isn't stretching too far
from the truth now, is it? Now if only we can put her back on to her
spaceship so she can fly away....

MulderLestatBlk

04-18-2006, 07:33 AM

From IMDB.com

Geez, you'd think talking to Cruise would make you want to take drugs!

I'd like to see wannabe Dr. Tom go into a Psychiatric Ward for the severly mentally ill...It'd be interesting to see his responses for what should be done to them.

/has known a few people with Bi-Polar Disorder and one with Shizophrenia (my spelling is really off right now) who believed her hair was going to crawl off her head and into trashcan and suffocate her mother to death at night...
//Tom Cruise, you are an IDIOT

KingVoyeur

04-18-2006, 07:38 AM

From IMDB.com-
With the way she's been looking lately, that isn't stretching too far
from the truth now, is it? Now if only we can put her back on to her
spaceship so she can fly away....

http://www.cbsnews.com/images/2006/04/03/imageNYET15104031555.jpg

I dunno, I think she looks pretty good. Then again, I could be biased, I did spend the money for AMAZING seats at her Chicago concert. Can't wait to see what this whole disco-crucifix thing is about. :D

KingVoyeur

04-18-2006, 10:52 AM

From BBCNews.com

Man killed in cigarette accident

A hospital patient being treated with a flammable gel for a skin condition has died after being engulfed in flames as he lit a cigarette. It is believed the 60-year-old was smoking on a fire escape at Doncaster Royal Infirmary on Monday. He was taken to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield with serious burns but later died. The hospital is not releasing details, but said: "This is a tragic event. Our hearts go out to his family."

Investigation launched

It is understood that hospital staff followed the correct procedures and the incident is being treated as a tragic accident. Patients at the hospital have spoken of their shock following the accident. Margaret Eastwood, who was there with her husband Colin, said she was horrified.

"He should never have been allowed to have a cigarette. "Hospitals are meant to be no smoking but why was he allowed to have a cigarette? I hope there is a thorough investigation. It sounds horrendous."

A spokeswoman for Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said an investigation had been launched.

"Counselling will be made available to staff, patients and family members if required," she added.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. He added that a report was being prepared for the coroner.

Space Tycoon

04-18-2006, 05:17 PM

New meat-eating dinosaur discovered in Argentina (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/18/content_4440755.htm)

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhuanet) -- A new dinosaur species, one of the largest known carnivorous dinosaurs, has been discovered in the fossil-rich Patagonia region of Argentina, scientists said Monday.

Paleontologists reported that they had found the fossils of seven to nine individuals of a species they are naming Mapusaurus roseae, which is estimated to have lived about 100 million years ago. The discovery suggests the previously unknown animal may have lived and hunted in groups.

.

Bill_the_Pony

04-18-2006, 06:02 PM

Switzerland Tourism to lure German Soccer Widows!!!!!! (http://www.rootv.com/?frdir=1&rdir=1&channel=World+Markets&clipId=74397)

:eek:

~makes yodeling sounds~

I want to go to Switzerland. :D

Trazalca

04-19-2006, 05:57 AM

Oh please! You KNOW his secret Scientology office in Burbank did this.
From IMDB.com-

Cruise Opinion Poll Scandal

American magazine Parade has thrown out the results of a Tom Cruise opinion poll, after they grew suspicious of the surprising landslide majority. Parade's website recently asked online readers if they blamed Cruise or the media for his disastrous public relations last year, and magazine bosses were stunned to find 84 percent of respondents blamed the press. Cruise was ridiculed in the press for his many public declarations of love for fiancee Katie Holmes and his claims of medical expertise thanks to his controversial religion Scientology. Parade publicist Alexis Collado tells website PageSix.com, "We at Parade found this a little bit fishy, so we did some investigating. We found out more than 14,000 (of the 18,000-plus votes) that came in were cast from only 10 computers! One computer was responsible for nearly 8,400 votes alone, all blaming the media for Tom's troubles. We also discovered that at least two other machines were the sources of inordinate numbers of votes. It seems these folks (whoever they may be) resorted to extraordinary measures to try to portray Tom in a positive light for the Parade.com survey. There is even a chance they wrote a special 'bot' program for the sole purpose of skewing the results, rather than casting the votes by hand on a computer." Cruise's spokesman insists the actor is ignorant of the survey's existence, saying, "I know nothing about the poll, so we have nothing to comment on."

Sure Tom. Suuuuuuuuure... :romy:

KingVoyeur

04-19-2006, 08:26 AM

More Cruise antics....

From IMDB.com

Cruise Walks Out of Interview with Swedish Reporter

Tom Cruise reportedly walked out of an interview with a reporter for the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet Söndag recently after the reporter questioned him about his claim that Scientology had helped him overcome dyslexia. As reported by MSNBC.com's gossip columnist Jeannette Walls, Cruise laughed when the reporter, Björn Benkow, cited experts as saying that dyslexia could not be cured by Scientology's methods, then said that he had to "admit that you have the courage of a madman. ... This is something no journalist has dared say to me face-to-face. ... Your cynical media colleagues cast doubt over all the good that we do by spreading a bunch of hocus pocus about us." When Nicole Kidman's name later came up, Cruise reportedly cut the interview short, remarking, "Now you've gone over the line." In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer on Friday, Kidman's name was never brought up in the interview, leading to speculation that a condition of the interview was that she not be mentioned.

Ok, I can understand being upset over questions about Nicole, that whole thing was private, but c'mon Cruise! You spread enough nuttiness without the media's help.

KingVoyeur

04-19-2006, 09:45 AM

From CNN.com

'World's unsexiest man' named
Gilbert Gottfried, Randy Johnson, Roger Ebert top list

Wednesday, April 19, 2006; Posted: 8:57 a.m. EDT (12:57 GMT)

The Boston Phoenix named Gilbert Gottfried "unsexiest man in the world."
BOSTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) -- Comedian Gilbert Gottfried, the voice of the Aflac duck in television commercials for the insurer, was crowned "unsexiest man in the world" by an alternative newspaper Tuesday.

"The parrot-voiced, pickle-faced comic is to sexy what Kryptonite is to Superman," The Boston Phoenix wrote.

New York Yankees pitcher Randy Johnson came in second followed by film critic Roger Ebert, television psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw and Fox television co-host Alan Colmes.

Even actor Brad Pitt made the list, as the newspaper's 100th-least sexy man.

Osama bin Laden clocked in at number eight.

George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees -- arch-rivals to the Boston Red Sox -- also made the list.

"Come on, we live in Boston, you knew it was coming," the Phoenix said.

Others included pop star Michael Jackson and nasal-voiced rapper Mike Diamond (Mike D) of the Beastie Boys.

Gottfried has had numerous television and film roles, including a year as a cast member on NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/19/people.unsexy.reut/story.gottfried.gi.jpg

That voice probably doesn't help much either. Poor Gilbert.

KingVoyeur

04-20-2006, 07:16 AM

From IMDB.com

Jolie's Lesbian Ex Warns Pitt

Angelina Jolie's former lesbian lover has given Brad Pitt pause for thought after confessing she thinks the actress-turned-humanitarian will return to her bisexual ways. Actress Jenny Shimizu insists Jolie's romance with Pitt won't last for long because she will soon crave the love of a woman. Shimizu, who dated Jolie on and off after appearing alongside the actress in Foxfire in 1996, says, "I was her first and although she's having a baby with Brad I doubt I'll be the last. She loves women too much. It's like a drug and she was hooked." Shimizu, who is now dating bisexual British TV presenter Rebecca Loos, admits she was crazy about the Hollywood star during their passionate relationship, revealing, "I don't want to sound like I hustle a**, but, for a while back then, if Angelina called, I'd drop everything and join her wherever she was in the world. It's her mouth that made me beg for more - kissing me passionately with those full lips over every inch of my body. It's unbelievable what she can do."

That story should come with a parental warning! :lol:

KingVoyeur

04-20-2006, 07:37 AM

Dig for ancient pyramid in Bosnia
Semir Osmanagic is leading the project to uncover the 'pyramid'

Archaeologists have begun digging for what they think might be a pyramid hidden beneath a hill in Bosnia. Known as Visocica, the 650m (2,120ft) triangular mound, overlooking Visoko, has long been shrouded in local legend.

The Bosnian archaeologist leading the project says it resembles pyramid sites he has studied in Latin America.

Initial excavations have revealed a narrow entrance to what could be an underground network of tunnels.

On Friday, a team of rescue workers from a local coal mine, followed by archaeologists and geologists examined the tunnel, thought to be 2.4 miles (3.8km) long.

The team found two intersections with other tunnels leading off to the left and right. Their conclusion was that it had to be man-made.

"This is definitely not a natural formation," said geologist Nadja Nukic.

Satellite photographs and thermal imaging revealed two other, smaller pyramid-shaped hills in the Visoko Valley, which archaeologists believe the tunnels could lead to.

Full Story @ BBCNews.com (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4912040.stm)

KingVoyeur

04-21-2006, 07:43 AM

'Granny Peace Brigade' goes on trial
18 anti-war protesters charged with disorderly conduct

NEW YORK (AP) -- A trial began Thursday for 18 anti-war protesters who call themselves the "Granny Peace Brigade," with the prosecution saying the case was about disorderly conduct -- not war.

The defendants, some supporting themselves on canes and walkers, entered the small courtroom that was packed with about 75 supporters. They are each charged with two counts of disorderly conduct stemming from an October 17 protest against the war in Iraq outside the Times Square military recruiting station.

They are being tried as a group before Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Neil Ross. There is no jury.

The women -- several in their 80s and 90s and most of them grandmothers, with three boasting to be great-grandmothers -- wore buttons that read: "Granny Peace Brigade" and "Love the Troops, Hate the War."

Some wore T-shirts emblazoned with the words: "We will not be silent."

"This case is simple and straightforward," Assistant District Attorney Amy Miller said in her opening statement. "It's not about the war; it's about disorderly conduct."

She said the defendants sat in front of the recruiting station, obstructed pedestrian traffic and refused to disperse as ordered. Miller said this prevented others from going in or out of the center.

Full Story @ CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/20/grannies.peace.ap/index.html)

I'm tellin ya, these old people are craftier than we give them credit for! If we don't watch out, they're gonna take over!

Trazalca

04-21-2006, 10:33 AM

Oh yeah. That'll go over really well.
From IMDB.com-

Zhang Ziyi Heads to the White House

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi visited the White House in Washington DC yesterday for a spectacular ceremony to welcome Hu Jintao, President of China, to America. The Memoirs Of A Geisha star was thrilled to be included in the festivities - but earlier vowed to test President George W. Bush's movie knowledge if she had a chance to speak to him. She said, "I never thought I'd be able to go to the White House and participate in an activity like this. It's a great honor. If I have an opportunity to meet President Bush, I'll ask him how many Chinese films he has seen."

http://www.poster.net/ziyi-zhang/ziyi-zhang-photo-zhang-ziyi-6200768.jpg
So Mr. President. What Chinese films have you seen?

http://politicaljuice.blogs.com/pj/bush_smiling.bmp
Well, uh, I like that Charlie Chan guy. Yeah. He's pretty funny.
All those nifty cat-like moves. HWAAAH! HEEYAH!! Cool stuff that.

http://myvideostore.com/content/people/pics/zhang_ziyi.jpg
Uh, yeah. Sorry I asked.

Bill_the_Pony

04-21-2006, 01:16 PM

http://politicaljuice.blogs.com/pj/bush_smiling.bmp

"I always did like them big monster movies with that dina-sarrr attacking Tokyo, too!"

KingVoyeur

04-25-2006, 07:23 AM

From IMDB.com

Garcia Film Banned for Anti-Guevara Sentiment

Movie star Andy Garcia's controversial new movie The Lost City has been banned in parts of South America because it depicts romantic revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara in a terrible light. The Ocean's Twelve star spent years trying to get the project made, only for film festival bosses and cinema chains to shun the movie because it tells the truth about the Marxist guerilla leader and the Cubans slayed as he fought to revolutionize the country and hand Fidel Castro leadership. Garcia, who wrote, directed and stars in the film, says, "There have been festivals that wouldn't show it. That will continue to happen from people who don't want to see the image of Che be tarnished and from people who support the Castro regime. He still has a lot of supporters out there. Some people think Castro is a savior, that he looks out for the kids and the poor. It's a bunch of hogwash. In the 45 years since Castro came to power, Cuba has been in the top three countries for human rights abuses for 43 of those years. People turn a blind eye to his atrocities."

KingVoyeur

04-25-2006, 07:25 AM

From IMDB.com

Jagger Refuses To Give Bush Hotel Room

Sir Mick Jagger has refused to give up his room in an Austrian hotel after US President George W. Bush attempted to book it for himself. The Rolling Stones frontman is paying $6,300 a night for the luxury Royal suite at the Imperial Hotel in Vienna, which he reserved just days before Bush's assistants tried to book it for a summit meeting. The president's aides have tried to persuade Jagger, who has spoken out against the war in Iraq, to give the room up - without success. A source tells British newspaper The Sun, "White House officials had wanted to reserve the suite and all the other rooms on the first floor. But Mick and the Stones had already booked every one of them. Bush's people seemed to be under the impression that they would just hand over the suites but there was no way Mick was going to do that." The Royal suite is ranked among the top 100 best hotel rooms in the world.

I can just see Bush throwing himself on the floor in a tantrum - "But I want THAT room! My room! My room!" Way to go Mick!

KingVoyeur

04-25-2006, 11:23 AM

From CNN.com

J-horror director: H'wood 'short of good ideas'

TOKYO, Japan (Hollywood Reporter) -- Hollywood's fondness for remakes has made Japanese horror director Takashi Shimizu a rich man at the tender age of 33, but he believes the trend will come back to haunt it.

"Hollywood is short of good ideas -- across all the genres -- and also reluctant to take a chance on a film because if it's a flop, then they lose a lot of money and are hit hard by the critics," says Shimizu, who made his U.S. debut with "The Grudge" in 2004, a remake of his "Ju-on," which was released in Japan a year earlier. That's why when they find a film that has already been a big hit elsewhere, they're confident it will work again. But ... if Hollywood becomes reluctant to be creative or take on new ideas purely because of the fear-of-failure factor, then we'll get to the end of this boom and look back and say there were no good movies."

The paradox is not lost on him, however. "Grudge" gave him his break outside Japan and earned more than $100 million at the U.S. box office. Last month Shimizu started shooting the sequel in Tokyo.

The original was also set in Tokyo. Sarah Michelle Gellar starred as an American nurse who is exposed to a curse that has the ability to send its victim into a furious rage before killing them and moving on to someone else.

While some parts of "The Grudge 2" are set in Chicago and California, Shimizu says he wants to shoot those scenes in Japan as well.

"The original...a curse that has the ability to send its victim into a furious rage before killing them and moving on to someone else."

Ok, has this reporter never even seen the movie they're writing about? That synopsis is so completely off from the what actually happens in the movie. The curse was born of rage, it doesn't create it.

Unfortunately, it is true that Hollywood seems to be completely out of ideas and refuses to get behind original ones because they're afraid of failure. That's really sad, because Hollywood was pretty much created on taking risks.

KingVoyeur

04-26-2006, 08:19 AM

From IMDB.com

Britney Pregnant Again?

Pop star Britney Spears is pregnant with her second child, according to media reports in the US. The 24-year-old singer had been the subject of much speculation after she was photographed on a Hawaiian holiday earlier this year revealing a tummy bulge. According to American publication Us Weekly, sources close to the singer have confirmed that she is expecting a second child with husband Kevin Federline. The publications claims Spears has known she was expecting since early February, but waited to officially tell her family about the baby until Easter. Spears and Federline have been married since September 2004 and have a seven-month-old child, Sean Preston. The singer was spotted at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, over the weekend sporting a red bikini and her baby bump.

Britney needs to be slapped for allowing K-Fed to breed.

KingVoyeur

04-26-2006, 08:52 AM

Here's some good follow-up news on a story that was posted on here a while ago about a radio announcer who had a slight "slip of the tongue."

From MSNBC.com

Radio host fired for racial slur back on air
Lenihan says epithet referring to Condoleezza Rica was an accident

COLUMBIA, Mo. - A St. Louis talk-radio host fired after using a racial epithet to describe Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is back on the air.

David Lenihan was fired by KTRS-AM on March 22 within minutes of twice using the word “coon” to refer to Rice during an otherwise laudatory discussion of her credentials for the possible job of NFL commissioner.

An apologetic Lenihan has said he misspoke while trying to say the word “coup.”

On Monday, Lenihan returned to the airwaves on KRMS-AM in Osage Beach, near Lake of the Ozarks.

He will continue in the 4-6 p.m. slot, Monday through Friday, for the next two weeks, said station owner Dennis Klautzer, who said he has also talked to Lenihan about a full-time job.

“I consider him a great talent,” Klautzer said Tuesday. “Everybody can make a mistake and say something he shouldn’t have. ... It was obviously a slip of the tongue.”

Lenihan, whose primary job is teaching anatomy at a chiropractic college, said he was grateful for the second chance to host a radio show, no matter how short-lived.

“I’m just down here getting back behind the mike,” he said. “You just have to learn from things and move on.”

Immediately after using the slur on air, Lenihan said, “Oh my God. I am totally, totally, totally, totally, totally sorry for that.”

Rice said she accepted his apology.

In a world where people sue over the slightest thing and fly off the handle for practically no reason, I'm glad some can still see a mistake for a mistake and move on!

Trazalca

04-27-2006, 04:48 AM

I'm surprised he didn't turn their guns into white doves! :smirk:
From IMDB.com-

Copperfield Robbed at Gunpoint

Magician David Copperfield and two female assistants were robbed at gunpoint on Sunday night, after a performance in West Palm Beach, Florida. At 11:15pm, the illusionist and his assistants, Cathy Daly and Mia Volmut, were walking back to their tour bus when a black car pulled up beside them. According to a statement issued by Copperfield's representative, "At first we thought they were just more people wanting autographs. They told us to give them money and our stuff. At that point we realized that there were guns in our face." His assistants handed over money, plane tickets and other various items. Copperfield turned his pockets inside out to show he had nothing on him - a sleight of hand by the illusionist, who later showed police he was carrying a passport, wallet and cell phone. As the assailants drove away, Copperfield and Daly took down the car's license plate numbers and called the police. Officers quickly arrived on the scene and captured the suspects, who were later positively identified by the victims. Police say four teenagers were arrested, charged with armed robbery and held without bond and all stolen property was recovered. Copperfield's statement added, "I look forward to coming back to Palm Beach in the future, knowing that crime can happen anywhere, but from what I witnessed from the officers that night, we were lucky to be in Palm Beach when it did happen."

I had to laugh at the idea he used slight of hand, and didn't go further
into his schtick. I guess he would've insisted the robbers pay up to
see more of that. :D

KingVoyeur

04-27-2006, 12:46 PM

KingVoyeur

05-10-2006, 11:14 AM

From IMDB.com

Spears Confirms Second Pregnancy

Pop princess Britney Spears has confirmed rumors she is pregnant with her second child by making a surprise appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman. The hitmaker appeared on the show with eight-month-old son Sean Preston to make the happy announcement, according to Tmz.com. Spears, who married rap wannabe Kevin Federline in September 2004, has been dogged by rumors of a second pregnancy since pictures emerged of her rounded midriff. Last week Spears called a press conference where it was widely assumed she would reveal the secret, but mysteriously failed to show. Prior to the program's taping, Spears was spotted shopping in exclusive French baby boutique, Jacadi. Talking to Letterman the pop beauty quipped, "Don't worry Dave, it's not yours." While the new arrival will be Spears' second child, it is the fourth for Federline - he has two children from a relationship with former love Shar Jackson.

KingVoyeur

05-10-2006, 11:18 AM

From IMDB.com

Cardinal Slams 'Da Vinci' "Disrespect"

The Da Vinci Code has come under another barrage of criticism after one of the favorites in last year's bid to become Pope, Cardinal Francis Arinze, slammed the book and film adaptation in a TV documentary. Arinze called for Christians worldwide to "do something practical" to destroy the so-called blasphemous tract, written by Dan Brown. He slammed the controversial work as a violation of basic human rights, contending Christians should have their "religious beliefs respected." Speaking on documentary The Da Vinci Code - A Masterful Deception, Arinze fumes, "Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and to forget. Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical. Any film produced on the basis of that book is already in error from the word go, no matter how interesting it might appear." Last month, another Vatican cardinal, Angelo Amato, demanded the Tom Hanks-starring film be boycotted.

This isn't really an unusual story, this film's been getting a lot of flack, I just chose it because of something the Cardinal said. And I quote:

He slammed the controversial work as a violation of basic human rights, contending Christians should have their "religious beliefs respected."

He's upset that Christians are having their human rights violated??? He's bitching that Christians should have their "religious beliefs respected"??? Ok, I consider myself Christian (agnostic), but COME ON!

Can you say hypocrisy? Let's try it together. Hy-po-cri-sy. There, I knew you could.

DaForce

05-10-2006, 11:34 AM

Good thing that Cardinal has never read Hellboy: On Earth As It Is In Hell. Basically, there are some seraphim that are trying to erradicate something called the Masada Scrolls. These are scrolls supposedly written by Jesus after the crucifixation.

In other words, Jesus survived the crucifixation, married Mary Magdalene, and fled with the Palestinians to the British Isles to escape the Romans. In the scrolls, he supposedly writes about his disappointment that Paul (Saul of Taurus (spelling?)) got His words wrong and started a division amongst the followers even back in Jesus' time.

A fun read, if anyone ever wants to pick it up.

kah

05-11-2006, 06:00 AM

From IMDB.com

This isn't really an unusual story, this film's been getting a lot of flack, I just chose it because of something the Cardinal said. And I quote:

He's upset that Christians are having their human rights violated??? He's bitching that Christians should have their "religious beliefs respected"??? Ok, I consider myself Christian (agnostic), but COME ON!

Can you say hypocrisy? Let's try it together. Hy-po-cri-sy. There, I knew you could.

Wow, I thought they knew their history at the Vatican. If we want to get into the "do not forgive and forget", then we could be here all day listing the church's sins, and who they would like to forgive them and forget their atrocities. I assumed the church was smarter than that. If I was in their position, I would keep my mouth shut, because ragging on a book that tells a good story, while not exactly in keeping with Christianity, is still not that offensive, compared to what the church has done to spread their religion.

In my honest opinion, I would find a lot more worth in the Christian religion if Jesus did live, and get married, and have kids. Why? Because the story is more relatable. If Jesus had a following of women, and held them in the highest regard, that would do a lot more for me than the religion that says women are not good enough. We are basically treated as property. Unequal. That doesn't make me want to be a Christian. Now, let's say the Bible had it all wrong, and Baigent was right in Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Only something that completely reoranganized the faith as we know it, would make me want any part of it.

I think the church should turn this into a positive for them. 40 MILLION books sold! The movie is going to be huge. They should realize that this fictional book has given people something to wonder about. If this many people are interested in something that turns the Christian religion upside down, then maybe the church needs to work with that, and not against it. JMO.

KingVoyeur

05-17-2006, 07:19 AM

From IMDB.com

Snoop Dogg Barred from Britain

Rapper Snoop Dogg has been banned from entering the United Kingdom following his arrest for affray and violent disorder at London's Heathrow Airport last month. The hitmaker - real name Calvin Broadus - will be prohibited from traveling in the country for the rest of his life, and faces losing millions of dollars in potential performance fees, AllHipHop.com reports. Sources claim the UK's Home Office issued the ban based on his criminal record in the United States. In 1993 the hip-hop star was tried and acquitted for murder. Broadus has already been cautioned for the airport incident in which he and five members of his entourage caused a brawl when they were refused entry into British Airways' first-class lounge. He has also been banned from flying with the airline.

kah

05-17-2006, 07:50 AM

I'm not surprised. A lot of foreign countries don't want criminal offenders inside their borders.

Asonokirk V 2.0

05-17-2006, 09:01 AM

I'm not surprised. A lot of foreign countries don't want criminal offenders inside their borders.

Yes, they send them here if you haven't noticed.

KingVoyeur

05-24-2006, 10:28 AM

From BBCNews.com

Sex theme park to open in London

A £7m sex theme park, which has no rides, is to open in London's West End later this year.
Visitors to Amora - The Academy of Sex and Relationships at the Trocadero in Piccadilly, will pass through seven zones including Pleasure and Orgasm.

The 10,500sq-ft exhibit is designed to "separate fact from myth and educate everyone into being better lovers".

You have to be aged 18 and over to get in and tickets will cost £15 for the attraction which opens on 7 September.

Organisers expect to attract more than 600,000 visitors within the first year.

The theme park will include life-sized silicone-made models which visitors can touch to discover erogenous zones.

People will also be able to build their ideal partner from a series of body parts and there will be instructions on how best to kiss and how to talk more sexily.

The seven zones will start with attraction, love and relationships and include a sexual well-being zone which looks at the dangers of unsafe sex.

The academy's director of exhibits Dr Sarah Brewer said: "The more sex we have the more we want and the less sex we have the more we want.

"This academy does push boundaries back and whatever your prowess when you come in we will give you all the information you need to become a fantastic lover."

So do you think there'll be more couples visiting or single, lonely men? :rolleyes:

KingVoyeur

05-25-2006, 11:35 AM

Lay and Skilling's day of reckoning

HOUSTON (CNNMoney.com) - Enron former chief executive Jeffrey Skilling and founder Kenneth Lay were both found guilty Thursday of conspiracy and fraud in the granddaddy of all corporate fraud cases.

On the sixth day of deliberations, a jury of eight women and four men convicted the former executives of misleading the public about the true financial health of Enron, whose collapse in late 2001 symbolized the wave of corporate fraud that swept the United States early this decade.

Skilling was found guilty on 19 counts of conspiracy, fraud, false statements and insider trading. He was found not guilty on nine counts of insider trading.

Lay was found guilty on all six counts of conspiracy and fraud. In a separate bench trial, Judge Sim Lake ruled Lay was guilty of four counts of fraud and false statements.

Both Lay and Skilling could face 20 to 30 years in prison, legal experts say.

Judge Lake set sentencing for the week of Sept. 11 and ordered Lay to surrender his passport and post a cash bond. No home confinement was ordered.

Full Story @ CNN.com (http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/25/news/newsmakers/enron_verdict/index.htm?cnn=yes)

Bill_the_Pony

05-25-2006, 11:39 AM

Yes, Lay was reported to have held a prayer meeting beforehand with his family members. :)

~in Edward G. Robinson Voice~

"Where's your God NOW? :romy: Yeah! Yeah!"

KingVoyeur

05-26-2006, 06:55 AM

From IMDB.com

Britney and Federline Split?

New reports Britney Spears has split from husband Kevin Federline have not been denied by the singer's publicist. British newspaper the Daily Mirror claims the couple's relationship has grown so strained, Spears has banished Federline to live in the basement of their California mansion. She reportedly returned from New York this week to find the aspiring rapper drinking and smoking cannabis in the house. Sources tell the newspaper Spears had hoped to save the marriage for the sake of their son Sean Preston and their unborn second child - due in October - but has lost patience. A friend says, "She wanted to wait but their relationship has become so hostile she just doesn't see how she can make it work." When quizzed, a spokesman for the star refused to deny the claims.

Is it too early to sing Hallelujah? And why did she banish him to the basement? Just seems like an odd punishment. He does have a slight Gollum quality about him though....:lol:

Bill_the_Pony

05-26-2006, 07:12 AM

Mobile Homes have basements? :eek: :confused:

sickness

05-26-2006, 08:17 AM

Yeah. Banish a pothead to the basement. Brilliant.

Asonokirk V 2.0

05-26-2006, 09:02 AM

We can always hope domestic tension erupts into homicide. :)

Bill_the_Pony

05-26-2006, 09:13 AM

So, lazy white trash pothead fancies himself as a rapper, eh? :rolleyes:

How udderly original.

For your enjoyment :rolleyes: .....

Federline, getting down to Popozao....What an idiot. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcYjjwolFoo&search=federline%20) :) :rolleyes:

Ashton Kutcher, punking Federline. :D

Federline, Yo. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EypSupaotk&search=federline%20kutcher)

KingVoyeur

05-30-2006, 08:35 AM

What the hell is wrong with some people?!?!?

Australian baby 'put in dryer'

An Australian man has been charged with causing bodily harm after he put a 13-month-old baby in a tumble dryer when she spilt a drink on herself.
Samuel Siddall, 21, was left in charge of his girlfriend's baby while she went to the gym for an hour, police said.

She returned to find the baby had suffered serious burns. Doctors notified police because of the suspicious nature of her injuries.

They expect the baby to make a full recovery and leave hospital this week.

"The injuries are horrific and in my years of being a police officer I have not seen or heard of this type of injury before," police detective Deb Newman told reporters.

"The person we allege has done the act has stated that he has put the child into a clothes tumble dryer, closed the door and turned it on for a couple of minutes," she said.

Police said the child suffered serious burns to both feet and her left hand as well as bruising to her face and back.

Mr Siddall, 21, was released on bail and told to reappear in court in June. He was also forbidden to contact the child's mother.

KingVoyeur

06-01-2006, 11:18 AM

From CNN.com

Rain, sun lead to 80-plus car wreck

THILLSBOROUGH, North Carolina (AP) -- Just as commuters on a busy highway were driving east into the rising sun, a blinding rainstorm hit, triggering a series of wrecks involving more than 80 cars, trucks and buses, officials said.

Thirty-four people were hurt in 44 collisions Wednesday along a five-mile stretch of Interstate 40, the State Highway Patrol said. One man was in serious condition after his minivan crashed into a Greyhound bus, but he was expected to survive.

Most of the other people involved had bumps and scratches, troopers said.

Troopers cited the weather and volume of traffic on the highway about 40 miles west of Raleigh as factors in the crash. That stretch is traveled by about 83,000 vehicles a day, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Some cars and trucks ran off the road or crashed into the cement barricades between eastbound and westbound lanes. Others spun around in the road, and a couple of tractor-trailer rigs turned sideways across several lanes of traffic.

Matt Jones, 22, was driving east to work in Durham when the rainstorm struck. "The sun was just beaming off all that water, and it was just really hard to see," he said. He and the other drivers around him had slowed to about 45 mph when he suddenly saw a truck about 20 yards ahead.

"Next thing I knew, the car to the left of me slammed into the car ahead of him, and the truck in front of me slammed into a truck in front of him," Jones said. "Right then, I started slamming on my brakes, and then I slammed into the truck in front of me. Then a couple of other cars slammed into the side of me."

The highway reopened by late morning.

sickness

06-01-2006, 11:26 AM

Yup. I'll bet you Nat started that collision (if by CA you mean Coming Attractions... if by CA you mean California, I'll point you to the beginning of the article where it says NORTH CAROLINA!).

sickness

06-01-2006, 11:35 AM

Bah. You take all the fun away, KV. :p

KingVoyeur

06-01-2006, 11:37 AM

What, an 80-car pile-up doesn't do it for ya? Damn, guess I'll hafta find something more awesomely awesome! :dunno:

sickness

06-01-2006, 11:45 AM

The 80-car pile-up definitely does it. In fact, I've seen one take place right here in San Jo (the night before Thanksgiving, 1997). But taking away something I could bust your balls on is just wrong!

kah

06-02-2006, 06:31 AM

38 Car Pileup in Cedar Grove, WI in 2002 (http://stoutonia.uwstout.edu/2002-2003/stories/021024/ne_04.html)

It was the fog and the early morning that did it here...

A horrible accident happened at 7:19 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 10 in Sheboygan County on I-43, near Cedar Grove, Wis. The 38-car pileup was the deadliest in Wisconsin history.

Ten individuals were killed and many were injured in the accident.

The accident occurred as cars heading south collided into one another as some vehicles slowed down in a dense fog. This lead to a chain reaction as numerous cars were unaware of the scene hidden behind a veil of fog.

"The fog was a factor in the incident, but the cause was people driving too fast for conditions," said Nelson.

A fire was fueled by a semitrailer truck that was loaded with paper products.

The highway was closed off in both directions, and authorities proceeded to clear away the wreckage. The highway was reopened northbound that evening. Southbound lanes were not opened until the following day, after the roadway was repaired.

Authorities worked into the night to clear the scene. The final vehicle to be removed from the scene was a dump truck; its tires melted to the pavement. All of the bodies of the victims were removed by 7:15 p.m.

Officials may have to use DNA to identify some of the victims because bodies were burned severely in the fires and explosions. All of the victims died in their cars.

Thirty-six individuals were injured during the large pileup; seven were in critical condition and one was in serious condition at area hospitals. Twenty-eight of those injured were treated and released. Injuries ranged from burns to broken bones.

Separate from this accident, four other occurred nearby on the interstate, though all the individuals involved with these accidents survived. In one incident, a car rear-ended a semitrailer truck.

KingVoyeur

06-02-2006, 07:19 AM

Funny story out of Britain, from BBCNews.com

Hamster survives giant shredder

A hamster has survived almost unscathed after spending several minutes passing through an industrial shredder. The rodent is thought to have got into a skip of rubbish that was taken to Recyclo recycling plant in Flintshire.
It survived a giant shredder used to destroy waste such as washing machines and was found in a sorting area with no injuries other than a sore foot.

The hamster, named Mike, has been adopted by Liam Bull, 10, whose father Craig works at Recyclo. Liam said: "I can't believe he's still alive after what happened, but he's doing fine now."

The hamster's ordeal, which lasted around four minutes, began when it arrived at the plant in Sandycroft, probably aboard one of the many skips of waste which arrive there daily. As well as surviving the giant shredder, Mike passed through a rotating drum and vibrating grids before he was discovered by staff. The plant's general manager, Tony Williams, said: "We deal with 300 to 400 tonnes of dry waste a day from all over Cheshire, Flintshire and Wrexham. "Some of the material is shredded and then goes through a series of conveyor belts and grids that enable smaller pieces of waste to fall through.

"It seems that the hamster was small enough to pass through the blades of the shredder, but big enough to pass along the trammel without falling through an aperture. "We don't get very much animal activity here, but we're delighted Mike survived and is now being cared for."

Bill_the_Pony

06-07-2006, 01:53 PM

Woman Finds a Live Frog in Her Salad (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/wireStory?id=2046224)
:eek:

Woman Eating at a Netherlands Burger King Finds a Live Frog in Her Salad

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands Jun 6, 2006 (AP)— A woman eating at a Burger King restaurant in the Netherlands found a live frog in her salad, the company confirmed Sunday.

"What's happened is that one of our guests Thursday evening found a frog in her salad. She went to the manager and showed him the frog. He saw it was there and that's a fact," said spokeswoman Christine Frey.

Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad quoted the customer, identified as 23-year-old Astrid Roek, as saying "it was a big black thing, a frog or a toad."

She said she found the amphibian while halfway through her meal at the Burger King restaurant at The Hague's central train station.

"I stood up and screamed the place upside-down," she told the paper. Roek has submitted a complaint to the Dutch Food and Wares Authority, but is not expected to sue for emotional damages or punitive damages in the matter: large compensation suits are virtually unknown in the Netherlands.

"We know that everybody sues everybody in the United States, but Holland is not like that, it's not how it works here," Frey said.

Frey said the company had given its excuses and is trying to figure out how the frog got into the salad.

It appeared likely it happened between being packaged at the restaurant and when the diner reported finding it.

Frey said the company's basic salad supplier was confident the frog was not in the large, vacuum sealed bags of salad the restaurant receives.

"The fact is it's in the process of how we prepare our basic salad it's just not possible a frog will survive," Frey said.

Any frog would likely have been killed by dicing of leaves or refrigeration, but certainly by suffocation in the bags, she said.

She said she couldn't speculate about whether it just hopped in while the salads were being prepared, or had been placed in the salad by an employee or customer as a gag.

"We just don't know how it's happened, and we have to be careful what we say," she said.

Frey said she did not know what happened to the frog following its discovery.

"We know that everybody sues everybody in the United States, but Holland is not like that, it's not how it works here," Frey said. :o

KingVoyeur

06-09-2006, 10:32 AM

From CNN.com

Police raid original 'Animal House' at Dartmouth
10 crates, two sledge hammers and a computer are carted away

HANOVER, New Hampshire (AP) -- Authorities raided the Dartmouth College fraternity that inspired the 1978 movie "National Lampoon's Animal House."

Court documents regarding search were sealed, and authorities said only that the Alpha Delta house raid Thursday was part of a two-year investigation.

Police removed 10 crates and two bags of evidence, along with two sledge hammers, a videotape and a computer, according to the Valley News of Lebanon, New Hampshire.

George Ostler, lawyer for the fraternity members, declined to comment except to call the search a "major interruption."

Police Chief Nick Giaccone wouldn't comment on the investigation except to say that drugs are not the focus and that more arrests are expected. A 19-year-old student was arrested at the house on a drug charge, but police said it wasn't related to the investigation.

William Walker, vice president for public affairs at Dartmouth, said in a statement that the school was cooperating with the investigation.

"National Lampoon's Animal House," starring John Belushi, portrayed college fraternity debauchery.

One of the writers, Chris Miller, was a 1964 Dartmouth graduate and a member of Alpha Delta.

Gee, the quality of frats has really gone downhill since "Animal House!" :lol:

KingVoyeur

06-12-2006, 07:34 AM

From CNN.com

Tabby cat terror for black bear

A black bear got more than it bargained for after straying into a family garden in the US state of New Jersey.

The unwelcome intruder was forced up a tree - twice - by the family pet, a tabby cat called Jack.

The terrified bear was only able to make its escape when owner Donna Dickey called the hissing cat into the house.

Ms Dickey said Jack liked to keep a close watch on his territory and often chased away small animals, but one of this size was a first.

"We used to joke, 'Jack's on duty', never knowing he'd go after a bear," Donna Dickey told local newspaper The Star-Ledger.

"He doesn't want anybody in his yard," she added.

The bear was first spotted in the tree by neighbours who thought the 15lb (7kg) cat was just looking up at it.

They then realised the bear was afraid of the cat.

After some 15 minutes, the bear descended, but was chased up another tree, before finally making its escape when Jack was called indoors.

Bear sightings are not unusual in the area of West Milford in New Jersey, which experts say is one of the state's most bear-populated areas.

KingVoyeur

06-12-2006, 07:39 AM

From BBCNews.com

Probe into 'naked civil servants'

Civil servants on Tyneside are under investigation amid allegations staff romped around naked in offices and had sex in toilets.

One person at the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in Newcastle has been sacked after officials began an investigation.

The antics emerged after some members of staff were caught on CCTV cameras.

The RPA is part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and administers millions of pounds in agricultural payments to farmers.

The agency said it was investigating claims that staff leapt naked from filing cabinets, had sex in office toilets, held break-dancing competitions during working hours and fought in a reception area.

An RPA spokesman said: "Allegations of serious misconduct by some agency and permanent staff at our Newcastle office is the subject of an ongoing internal investigation.

"Disciplinary action and a dismissal have already taken place and further action is pending.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further while these investigations and disciplinary actions are continuing."

The RPA was set up in 2001 and is responsible for paying subsidies to farmers under the European Union's common agricultural policy.

The agency's website said its mission is "to be a customer focused organisation delivering high quality services, including processing payments and receipts, conducting inspections and recording animal identification, to government and the rural community."

The RPA spokesman added: "The Rural Payments Agency expects high standards from its staff, who have very important and responsible jobs to do for the farming industry, and will not tolerate breaches such as those described."

Gee, why can't my office be fun like that? Then again, there's almost no one here I'd wanna see naked......yeesh....:rolleyes:

sickness

06-12-2006, 08:11 AM

Oh man. If this were my office, it would be a horrible tragedy unless it involved me and the 20-ish college babe we have as a receptionist every summer. Rawr!

fastcar

06-20-2006, 05:51 AM

Response to Democrats "No Early Withdrawal From Bush"
From CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Democrats offered an amendment Monday that would demand that a pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq begin this year.
The plan, the product of weeks of intense negotiations between Senate Democrats and Minority Leader Harry Reid, is designed to give Democrats a unified position on Iraq as the November midterm elections near.
The amendment would:

Begin the "phased redeployment" or pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq in 2006.

Require the administration to submit a plan by the end of 2006 for continued phased redeployment beyond 2006.

Transform the role of troops left in the country to a "limited mission" of training and logistical support for Iraqi security forces, protection of U.S. personnel and facilities, and targeted counterterrorism operations.
The Democrats' plan will be offered to a major defense bill that the Senate took up last week.
President Bush, speaking at a Senate Republican fundraising dinner, said that he welcomed the debate but vowed that there would be "no early withdrawal" from Iraq "so long as we run the Congress and occupy the White House."
"I want to remind you of the consequences if those who want to withdraw from Iraq happen to prevail in the debate," he said. "An early withdrawal would be a defeat for the United States of America. An early withdrawal would embolden the terrorists. Talk about a deadline before we've done the job sends chills throughout the spines of Iraqi citizens, who are wondering whether or not the United States has the capacity to keep its word.
"An early withdrawal would embolden al Qaeda and [Osama] bin Laden. An early withdrawal before we've completed the mission would say to the United States military, 'Your sacrifices have gone in vain.' "
Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who is the ranking member on the Senate's Armed Services Committee, said Monday during a news conference that the amendment would not establish a "timetable" for withdrawal, but would signal to the Iraqis that the U.S. deployment is not open-ended.
"Our amendment does not address the speed or the pace of the phased redeployment that we call for. In other words, our amendment does not establish a timetable for redeployment," Levin said. "It does urge that a phased redeployment begin this year, partly as a way of moving away from an open-ended commitment and a way of avoiding Iraqi dependency on a U.S. security blanket."
Levin introduced the amendment along with Democratic Sens. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Dianne Feinstein of California, and Ken Salazar of Colorado. Reed said the amendment will put the burden on the Iraqis to bring their country together.
Reed said the amendment would put the burden on the Iraqis to bring their country together.
"It's time for the president to send a clear message to Iraqi political leaders: Act now for your own self-interest, step up, revise the constitution, and together we can go forward to secure a more stable Iraq," Reed said.
"We are midway through 2006. It's time to begin the transition."
Feinstein said Sunday she supported an amendment because the commitment in Iraq unsustainable.
"Three years and three months into the war, with all of the losses, the insurgency, the burgeoning civil war that's taking place -- what was it, seven bombings in Baghdad yesterday? -- an open-ended time commitment is no longer sustainable," Feinstein said on CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer."
"I don't think it's sustainable from the military point of view in terms of troop commitments. I don't think it's sustainable in terms of what Americans think about the war," Feinstein said.
The Democratic leadership's goal was to craft a resolution that would not only illustrate a united Democratic front despite divisions in the party, but also get some Republican support.
"There is some skittishness about drawing a hard-and-fast timeline, but there is a feeling that it is time to end this open-ended commitment," a senior Democratic aide said.
"We want to do this to show we're not shying away from the Iraq debate, but we want talk about it on our terms, not theirs," the aide said.
Sens. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, and Barbara Boxer, D-California, plan to offer a differing amendment, probably on Tuesday, which would call for a hard deadline to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq by July 1, 2007.
Last week, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, introduced legislation he said was taken from a proposal by Kerry. It called for Bush to agree with the Iraqi government on a schedule for withdrawal of combat troops by December 31, 2006. It failed on a 93-6 vote.
This week's Senate debate follows a debate the House of Representatives mounted last week when lawmakers passed 256-153 a nonbinding resolution that rejected an "arbitrary" date for withdrawing from Iraq. Forty-two Democrats voted with the Republican majority, while only three Republicans broke ranks.
The Republican leadership in the House pushed for the resolution in hopes of portraying Democrats as weak on the war ahead of the November elections.
Public support for the war has slid for the past year as the U.S. death toll, which topped 2,500 last week, has climbed. A CNN poll released Friday found 54 percent opposed the war, with only 38 percent favoring it.
A majority of those polled -- 53 percent -- said the United States should set a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq, but they split 47-47 on whether the troops should come home within a year.

Bill_the_Pony

06-27-2006, 06:50 PM

Transvestite Crime Wave Hits New Orleans Fashion Boutiques! (http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/uptotheminute.cfm?recid=4912&userID=0&referer=dailyUpdate) :eek:

kah

06-28-2006, 05:19 AM

Top 10 List Of Why People Are Fat (http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/news/9436234/detail.html)

1. Inadequate sleep. (Average sleep amounts have fallen, and many studies tie sleep deprivation to weight gain.)
2. Endocrine disruptors, which are substances in some foods that may alter fats in the body.
3. Nice temperatures. (Air conditioning and heating limit calories burned from sweating and shivering.)
4. Fewer people smoking. (Less appetite supression.)
5. Medicines that cause weight gain.
6. Population changes. (More middle-agers and Hispanics, who have higher obesity rates.)
7. Older birth moms. (That correlates with heavier children).
8. Genetic influences during pregnancy.
9. Darwinian natural selection. (Fat people outsurvive skinny ones).
10 Assortative mating, or "like mating with like," as Allison puts it. Translation: fat people procreating with others of the same body type, gradually skewing the population toward the heavy end.

That's strange.. I would think overeating would be on that list somewhere...

kah

06-28-2006, 05:21 AM

Pewaukee Police Concerned With Crooked Escort Services (http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/news/9436803/detail.html)

Now, I always thought escort=prostitute. Apparently there are escorts that aren't hookers. Who knew?

kah

06-28-2006, 05:27 AM

Transvestite Crime Wave Hits New Orleans Fashion Boutiques! (http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/uptotheminute.cfm?recid=4912&userID=0&referer=dailyUpdate) :eek:

The transvestites first appeared in March when they raided Magazine Street like a marauding army of kleptomaniacal showgirls, said Davis, using clockwork precision and brute force to satisfy high-end boutique needs.

OMFG. That is some funny shit!

DaForce

06-29-2006, 09:58 AM

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13602322/from/RS.4/?GT1=8211

Boo bashes way to freedom, avoids neutering

Grizzly smashes 400-pound steel door, rips through two electric fences

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http://media.msnbc.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Sources/sourceAP.gifUpdated: 6:03 p.m. PT June 28, 2006
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GOLDEN, British Columbia - A freedom-loving grizzly bear named Boo smashed a heavy steel door and barreled through two electric fences to escape a second time from a resort near this south-central British Columbia town.
Boo was recaptured Friday, two weeks after breaking out of an artificial den at the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, but escaped from tighter confinement within a day, resort spokesman Michael Dalzell said Tuesday.
"It's unbelievable," Dalzell said. "We thought there was no way, it was absolutely impossible, but he found a way. It was basically like breaking out of Fort Knox."

(http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13602322/from/RS.4/?GT1=8211#storyContinued)He said the bear bashed a nearly 400-pound steel door off its four bolts, destroyed an electrical box while tearing through two electric fences and scrambled over a 12-foot fence anchored with 2 feet of steel below ground.

‘Everything was completely trashed’
"I think he just kept charging it (the door) and charging it until it broke off its bolts," Dalzell said. "Everything was completely trashed. We are dealing with a pretty smart and determined bear."
The search team that caught Boo on Friday went back to work Sunday morning but saw no sign of the grizzly after logging more than 50 hours in a helicopter.
Resort staff had planned to neuter Boo, but he got away first. Once he's located, authorities will decide whether to try to recapture him again, Dalzell said.

"Right now we are in the process of looking for him . . . we are not out to try to trap or tranquilize him," he said. "We are looking at all options. Obviously, we need to just really look at our program and figure this one out."
The bear has lived inside a 22-acre enclosure since his mother was illegally shot by a hunter in 2002. It's unclear if he could fend for himself and, being used to humans, would likely be a problem in the wild, experts said.
‘Lose-lose situation’
Boo is now in a "lose-lose situation," said Tracey Henderson of the Grizzly Bear Alliance in Canmore, Alberta.
"The poor guy has now tasted freedom and he is going to be more motivated to keep getting out," she said. "There is a side of me that's saying, `Way to go, Boo,' but there is another side of me that's really worried about this bear being in the wild near humans."
Boo's first escape was blamed on hormones, June being the prime mating season for grizzlies, but Henderson said the second escape might indicate the bear no longer would tolerate confinement.
"It's just a sad situation," she said. "He is clearly a bear that wants to be free, yet we've created a situation where it's not really safe for him to be free."

Honestly, I'd smash my way out too if they were going to snip my beanbags.