Yucaipa Fire Latest To Force Evacuations Out West

Yucaipa Fire Latest To Force Evacuations Out West, Triple-digit temperatures aided a wildfire in Redlands, California that quickly spread to Yucaipa, where it came dangerously close to a line of homes and forced evacuations for a short time on Friday.

The brush fire is believed to have been started on a hillside, where it quickly burned through at least 200 acres. Luckily, firefighters and aerial crews were able to get a handle on the blaze before it did major damage, although there was one report of partial damage to a home. No injuries have been reported; more than 100 homes were evacuated. Fire officials say the worst of the blaze is out, but there are still several hot spots.

High temperatures and extremely dry weather have worked together to create the perfect conditions for wildfires in western states; the Yucaipa fire is the latest in a string of them, starting last week with Colorado. The massive West Fork fire began as three separate lightning-struck areas that merged, and eventually burned through over 75,000 acres. A few days later, a fire in Jefferson County destroyed at least one home in its path. Fire officials say that one may have been started with fireworks.

“Talking with the homeowners they’ve indicated that there were fireworks in the area … it will be part of our investigation,” said Jefferson County Sheriff spokesperson Jackie Kelly.

Temperatures in California have skyrocketed this week, leading to heat warnings. Officials say it was at least 100 degrees when the Yucaipa fire started.

Twinkies Back On Shelves Next Month, But Brand Could Still Face Trouble

Twinkies Back On Shelves Next Month, But Brand Could Still Face Trouble, Twinkies are back on shelves in a few weeks after the bankruptcy of Hostess last year, but some market experts think the sweet sponge cakes may face more trouble ahead.

Hostess went bankrupt last year after a battle with unionized workers over pay rates and other compensation. Hostess filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 2012, with years of mismanagement blamed for the financial straits.

Twinkies will return with a new structure, with Hostess delivering to warehouses that will supply retailers rather than delivering directly to the stores themselves. This is expected to reduce delivery costs and increase the reach of Hostess.

The change also allowed Hostess cut slash production, moving from 11 bakery plants down to just four.

But some market experts worry that Twinkies will come back to a shrinking demographic. Consumers are much more calorie-conscious today that in past decades, when Twinkies peaked in popularity, and the core group of customers who would buy the sponge cakes out of nostalgia is growing smaller.

“The biggest obstacle is that Twinkies are not exactly a good candidate for a millennial consumer,” said Stuart Leslie, president of brand design and innovation firm 4sight Inc. “Meanwhile, their nostalgic consumer demographic is getting old and health conscious. It’s going to be a tough sell.”

There is little doubt that Twinkies fans are devoted. After Hostess announced its bankruptcy, fans reacted loudly, even creating a Facebook page in an effort to save the snacks.

But in the time that it’s been gone from shelves customers have had the chance to find other options.

“As a brand, one thing you don’t want is your customers trying alternatives,” said Allen Adamson, managing director of marketing consultancy Landor’s New York office. “They might say, ‘If I can’t see or taste the difference, why am I paying the difference?’”

Twinkies fans and follower will soon know if the brand can stage its comeback. Twinkies hit shelves again July 15.

NHL threatening to relocate the Phoenix Coyotes

NHL threatening to relocate the Phoenix Coyotes, The NHL is threatening to relocate the Phoenix Coyotes if Glendale city council doesn't approve a new arena deal for the franchise by July 2.

That was commissioner Gary Bettman's strong stance Thursday after a board of governors meeting that included an update on the Coyotes' situation but not much else in the way of progress, as the league waits on the process in Arizona.

Renaissance Sports & Entertainment has agreed to buy the team, but everything is contingent on an arena management deal getting done.

"If the council doesn't approve it so that this transaction can close, I don't think the Coyotes will be playing there anymore," Bettman said.

Strengthening his position from the Stanley Cup final — the original target for the city of Glendale to finish the deal — Bettman explained that the NHL has "lots of options" if the Coyotes must relocate, even if that plan B hasn't yet been ironed out.

"I find it difficult to conceive of why, if the council turns this down, we would want to keep the team in Glendale any longer," Bettman said. "And so we will then, if they turn it down, have to deal with the possibilities and the options that will be available to us, and they are numerous."

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly didn't want to get into specific cities that could get the Coyotes if keeping the team in Glendale doesn't work out. Asked specifically about Seattle's Key Arena, he said it could house an NHL team. Asked about Quebec City being an option, Daly said, "I wouldn't rule it out."

"I think we tried to be clear that obviously there are a number of alternatives, and we have to decide which one is best for us in the short term," Daly said.

The short term would begin in 2013-14. Bettman and Daly confirmed there is enough time to move the Coyotes to another city without them playing a lame-duck season in Glendale.

If the Coyotes move, the conference and division alignments won't change, according to Daly, even if it means a less-than-ideal situation like what the Winnipeg Jets went through after moving from Atlanta. Not knowing whether the Coyotes will be in Glendale or somewhere else is holding up the release of the next NHL schedule.

But so is completion of an agreement to send NHL players to the Olympics in Sochi in 2014. Bettman said the board of governors gave him authority to get a deal done and that there's a meeting Monday in New York "to hopefully conclude that."

The board discussed rule changes such as hybrid icing being tested in pre-season and visors being made mandatory for incoming players, but Bettman declined to give details as to whether they were approved, deferring to the NHLPA, which meets next week and must formally approve them.

The Coyotes' situation obviously drew the most attention. Colorado Avalanche executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said the board was "brought up to speed" but declined to reveal much more.

At this point, the NHL has to wait.

"We're anticipating or hoping that the Glendale City Council passes the proposed deal with the Renaissance group for the operation of the building and the club playing there going forward," Bettman said. "That's an essential ingredient to this moving forward."

Sisters' Oscar Feud Continues, 71 Years Later Olivia de Havilland Joan Fontaine

Sisters' Oscar Feud Continues, 71 Years Later Olivia de Havilland Joan Fontaine, Olivia de Havilland and her sister, Joan Fontaine, have been feuding away since they were kids—but things got really bad at the 1942 Academy Awards, and they've never improved.

De Havilland is, of course, well known for her role as Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in Gone With the Wind. But Fontaine is an actress as well, and in 1942 they were both nominated for Best Actress. Fontaine won, and said she "felt Olivia would spring across the table and grab me by the hair." De Havilland won her own Best Actress award four years later, and refused to take her sister's hand when Fontaine tried to congratulate her.

The two had always competed for roles; Fontaine actually auditioned for Wind first, but upon hearing that "Melanie must be a plain Southern girl," she suggested her sister. (She may have meant it as a burn, but de Havilland ended up getting nominated for an Oscar for the role.)

The two stopped talking entirely in 1975, when their mother died and Fontaine claimed de Havilland never invited her to the funeral service. In 1988, they were both invited to the Oscars and placed in hotel rooms next-door to one another—and Fontaine said she would never attend the Academy Awards again. Today the 95- and 96-year-old still don't speak, Mental Floss reports.

Eminem’s Mother Reconciliation

Eminem’s Mother Reconciliation, Eminem and his mother have had a very rocky relationship, with the rapper often taking to his music to vent the frustration he felt towards her. His mother, Debbie Nelson, has also had her fair share of the spotlight, often speaking out against her son and in her own defense. Now terminally ill and no longer with “a will to live,” Nelson is trying to reach out to Eminem and call a truce before she dies, The Mirror says, citing a National Enquirer report.

Apparently, the two haven’t spoken to each other in a very long time, which is why Debbie Nelson has made it her “dying wish” to reconcile before it’s too late. Having reached a point in her life where she has lost all hope and strength to live, Nelson’s only desire at this point is to put an end to the longtime feud that has consumed both their lives, Eminem’s grandmother says for the tabloid.

“It’s do or die and Marshall needs to see her before it’s too late.” Betty Kresin tells the media. Of course, Eminem is not the only person with whom Nelson wants to make peace before the time comes, the grandmother explains, since she’s also looking to retie the bond with her granddaughter, Em’s daughter, 13-year-old Hailie. As of now, the rapper has reportedly not responded to his mother’s plea yet, as neither has he offered any indication that he is planning to do so in the near future.

Sadly, Kresin adds, things have to happen fast because Nelson is losing all hope as she’s nearing her death hour. “She needs heart bypass surgery and she should weigh about 120 pounds, but she’s some 50 pounds below that. Her breast cancer is in remission and she no longer has the will to live.” Kresin tells about Nelson’s dire condition.

The feud between Eminem and his mother reached a climax in 2007, when she released an explosive tell-all autobiography called “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem: Setting the Record Straight On My Life As Eminem's Mother.” Very well received by critics, the book only came to accentuate the tension in their relationship, as Eminem also continued to rap about his mother in a very negative way.

Gettysburg Reenactment Draws Thousands On 150th Anniversary

Gettysburg Reenactment Draws Thousands On 150th Anniversary, The latest Gettysburg reenactment has drawn a crowd of thousands wishing to watch a piece of history take place on the battle’s 150th anniversary.

The massive battle cost the lives of 51,000 soldiers in the first three days of July 1863. For the next two weekends, about 200,000 to 300,000 spectators will head to Gettysburg National Military Park to observe the Civil War reenactment festivities.

Gettysburg is considered a turning point in the war, which forced Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s troops out of the north. Re-enactors on horseback will spend the next week portraying what war was like 150 years ago.

And for those re-enactors, the hot weather will certainly take its toll, as they will wear wool from head to toe. Re-enactor Rex Orton joked, “Wool in July. They call it the Jenny Craig weight-loss program of 1863.”

Those taking part in the Gettysburg reenactment have been studying and practicing for weeks, as they will present not only battle scenes, but camp life, drill demonstrations, period music, and more to visitors. Visitor Pamela Yates, a California resident, is already impressed. She stated:

“I’m just in awe, when I saw the cavalry go by. Where we’re from, we have a lot of cavalry at the Moore Park event, which is the largest in California, but it’s nothing compared to this.”

And Orton, who is donning a Union uniform for the event, added, “We just love history, and the camaraderie.” Along with the re-enactors, visitors will be able to portray the final charge of Gettysburg, called Pickett’s Charge, on July 3. National Park Service rangers will guide thousands of visitors in loose formation across a rolling field where the charge took place 150 years before.

After the reenactment, multiple musicians will play Taps in a solemn remembrance of those killed at Gettysburg. About 400 events will take place at the historic battlefield over 10 days, including a second reenactment of the battle next weekend.

Lil Snupe Laid To Rest In Front Of Huge Crowd In His Hometown

Lil Snupe Laid To Rest In Front Of Huge Crowd In His Hometown, Lil Snupe was laid to rest in front of hundreds of mourners who had gathered to pay their respects to the teenage prodigy who was gunned down earlier this month. So many people turned up in fact that his family were forced to hold back the ceremony for a three hours as an unannounced surplus of mourners showed up to say farewell to to the young rapper.

Jonesboro-Hodge High School, the school that Snupe - real name Adderran Ross - held the funeral on Saturday (June 29) in his native Jonesboro, Louisiana. The funeral was held at around 1 pm, three hours after the planned ceremony so that all the well wishers could give their last respects to the Lil Snupe, as per the family's request.

The 18-year-old protégée of Meek Mill, who still looked visibly shaken as he sat through the ceremony, has come ten days after he was gunned down in Winnfield, Louisiana, by suspect Tony D. Holden, who has since handed himself into police. Holden turned himself in on Tuesday (25 June) where he was kept in custody at the Winnfield Police Department

Lil Snupe signed to Meek Mill’s record label Dreamchasers earlier this year and was considered by some of his contemporaries to be on the verge of making his name in the rap game. The investigation into his death is still ongoing, but with Holden now in custody Ross' family and friends can hopefully sleep a little easier at night.

Macaulay Culkin father drug concerns

Macaulay Culkin father drug concerns, Macaulay Culkin's estranged father Kit Culkin and his stepmother Jeanette Krylowski have expressed concern for their son's health just two weeks after reports of an alleged addiction to heroin began swirling around the former child star.

The 31-year-old "Home Alone" star recently denied reports that he is dying and addicted to various drugs through his representatives, who slammed the rumors as "impossibly and ridiculously fictitious." However, Kit and Jeanette still fear that Culkin may be "heavily into drugs" according to The Sun U.K.

"Kit has seen the photo. But he can't talk about it. He just can't, because it hurts him too much. Of course he's worried, he's incredibly concerned," Jeanette told The Sun. "When I saw the photos I thought, 'Oh no, this is not good. Either he's dying of some disease or he's heavily into drugs.'"

Recent photos of Culkin strolling the streets of his native home New York showed him looking disheveled, pale and clenching his stomach as if he were going to vomit. These photographs prompted Jeanette to speak out.
"Now we're hearing he is denying the allegations- but it certainly looks like he is on drugs. He looks awful," she said.

At the age of 14, Culkin had his parents lgeally blocked from controlling his multi-million dollar fortune during their custody battle. This permanently estranged him from Kit, who now lives in Arizona.

The explosive claims that Culkin is addicted to heroin and prescription drugs come just six months after a series of troubling photographs showing the actor looking gaunt and unwell surfaced online. Although he was once praised for his adorable looks as a child, he appeared to be skeletal and unwell in the viral photos and a friend claims to have an explanation for his bizarre new look.

"Macaulay Culkin is surely dying. He's addicted to heroin, oxycodone, Percocet and Vicodin. I have witnessed his drug taking, which has escalated over the past year and a half to the point where he needs serious help," an alleged second friend told The National Enquirer.

Sources claim that Culkin's alleged drug use has spiraled out of control following his public split from actress Mila Kunis, who has since moved on with Ashton Kutcher. His reported career woes have also been blamed for his supposed battle with addiction.

Joan Crawford Daughter Sues Sister For Defamation

Joan Crawford Daughter Sues Sister For Defamation, Christina Crawford, author of the controversial biography of her mother, the late actress Joan Crawford, is at the center of controversy again as the defendant in a lawsuit filed by her sister, who lives in Allentown.

In the suit filed Monday in federal court, Cathy LaLonde alleges that Christina Crawford repeatedly made defamatory statements about her on a book tour last spring.

Christina Crawford allegedly made the statements while promoting a new edition of "Mommie Dearest," her best-selling 1978 book about her Academy Award-winning mother.

For decades, LaLonde, 51, has been known as one of Crawford's adopted twin daughters. But Christina Crawford told interviewers that LaLonde was not a twin, just a girl who looks like another adopted daughter of Joan Crawford named Cynthia.

Christina Crawford made the statement to People Online, the website for People magazine, according to the lawsuit. She repeated it to nationally syndicated talk show host Jim Bohannon and at four personal appearances.

"They were raised as twins. She (Joan Crawford) called them twins," Christina Crawford reportedly said. "Her career needed a boost, and one child alone wasn't going to get her the publicity she wanted, so she got two girls who both had brown hair and brown eyes."

LaLonde alleges that, in making that statement, Christina Crawford lied. Her lawyer, Richard Orloski of South Whitehall Township, attached birth certificates for Cathy and Cynthia to the lawsuit, identifying them as twins.

LaLonde accuses Christina Crawford of making it seem as if LaLonde had been lying for years about being Joan Crawford's twin adopted daughter. And she alleges that, by talking about the adoption issue, Christina Crawford violated laws that require information about adoptions to be confidential.

In addition, LaLonde alleges that Christina Crawford harmed her reputation by implying that only Christina was legally adopted. According to the suit, Christina supposedly meant that Cathy, Cynthia and the fourth Crawford child, Christopher, were bought on the black market and never legally adopted.

That statement is false and makes it seem as if LaLonde is illegitimate, according to the suit.

LaLonde has "repeatedly, constantly and proudly represented herself in her personal life as an adopted daughter of Joan Crawford," the suit states.

Another allegation is that Christina Crawford made statements that LaLonde has been "institutionalized," which LaLonde claims is false.

Christina Crawford's supposedly defamatory statements constitute outrageous, intentional, reckless and malicious conduct, according to the suit.

"Mommie Dearest," which in 1981 was made into a movie starring Faye Dunaway, casts Joan Crawford as a child-abusing, alcoholic, sexually obsessed woman.

For years, LaLonde has denounced the book as fiction. And in the lawsuit, LaLonde contends the book was intended to "defame the dead for crass commercial purposes."


LaLonde describes the Hollywood legend as a "good, kind and loving mother."

Orloski asked that his client not grant interviews about the lawsuit. But LaLonde said in a 1978 interview that she had a good relationship with Christina until her sister wrote the book.

"I had no indication how Tina (Christina) felt about my mother," LaLonde told the former Evening Chronicle of Allentown. "I'm heartsick, ashamed and disgusted that she could write such a book about her own mother. Now, I feel only contempt and pity for her.

"As I read the book, I saw no resemblance between the woman Christina described and the mother I knew and loved," LaLonde said. "In her book, Christina has described my mother as a monster when, in fact, I truly believe it is Christina who is the monster."

Cathy and Cynthia were each left $77,500 in their mother's will. Christina and Christopher got nothing.

Born in Tennessee, LaLonde lived with her mother in Los Angeles and New York City. She married at age 21 and, at age 25, moved to Lehigh County because of her husband's job.

Last year, LaLonde sold dozens of pieces of her mother's memorabilia at Wlazelek's Auction Gallery in Lower Macungie Township. The items included personalized stationery, costume jewelry, publicity photographs, fur hats and a gold dress with matching turban, belt and gloves.

Crawford, who died in 1977, won the best actress award in 1946 for starring in "Mildred Pierce." A year later, she was nominated for a second Academy Award for "Possessed."

Courtney Love Hasn’t Seen Frances Bean Cobain For 3 Years

Courtney Love Hasn’t Seen Frances Bean Cobain For 3 Years, Courtney Love says her icy relationship with daughter Frances Bean Cobain is thawing out, one tweet at a time.

The 48-year-old Hole singer, appearing on The Howard Stern Show Thursday, said that while she hasn’t seen her daughter with late grunge icon Kurt Cobain in three years, things are gradually improving in the turbulent mother-daughter relationship.

“I’m really good with my daughter now — we’re e-mailing and tweeting,” Love said, adding she thinks that her 20-year-old daughter’s aggressive team of lawyers and assistants were primarily responsible for the “extreme” restraining order Frances got against her in Dec. 2009.

The mercurial rocker said while she hasn’t met Frances Bean’s fiance, musician Isaiah Silva, she has also talked to him online, and that he seems “really, really nice.

“I don’t want to get too into [Frances'] private stuff … she’s really private,” Love said.

Love also commented on the controversy last month when she accused former Nirvana rocker Dave Grohl, 44, of hitting on Frances, before apologizing to her daughter a short time after for bringing the issue to public attention.

Love stayed the course in her attack on Grohl, saying that she heard from “an impeccable source” that the Foo Fighters frontman “was saying things that were inappropriate” about Frances.

Love said she apologized “because it was all public, but the reality is, Dave did say these dirty things.”

In another odd factoid from the interview, Courtney told the King of All Media that at 13, Frances was initially offered the role of Bella in Twilight — the one that made Kristen Stewart an international star — but turned it down because she wasn’t fond of the material.

Nanny cam home invasion

Nanny cam home invasion, The nanny cam home invasion video has led to the arrest of 42-year-old Shawn Custis who was caught by the FBI and detectives less than an hour after authorities released his name and issued a warrant for his arrest, said acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray according to a June 28, 2013, NJ report.

“Murray said investigators received ‘the biggest break’ after several Newark residents who had seen the video said they recognized Custis, a career criminal who was most recently released from prison in December.”

Around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, the suspect kicked his way into the home of a quiet suburban Millburn family in New Jersey. The home on Cypress Street had a hidden nanny cam which captured the horrific and brutal home invasion on video.

On the nanny cam home invasion video, the suspect can be seen bursting into the home and brutally assaulting the woman of the house while her three-year-old daughter sits frozen on the living room couch holding on tightly to a blanket while the suspect repeatedly punches, kicks, and pulls her mom by the hair.

The nanny cam home invasion video also shows the suspect going upstairs three times but returns and continues to beat the three-year-old’s mother. In the video interview, the mom says that she tried not to scream because she was afraid that it would set the suspect off even more and that he would hurt the little girl.

While being beaten, the mom also thought of her 18-month-old son who was sleeping upstairs. At some point the nanny cam home invasion video shows the suspect pulling the mom by her hair and throwing her down the basement stairs. He then leaves through the front door.

The complete home invasion attack which had been captured on the nanny cam was published across the internet and shown nationwide by news broadcasters in the hope of capturing the suspect.

The Newark residents who saw the nanny cam home invasion video contacted authorities and the suspect was arrested in the lobby of an apartment building on 10th Avenue in Manhattan. If convicted, 42-year-old Shawn Custis is facing 10 to 20 years in prison on the attempted murder charge and three to five years for the burglary charge.

The woman shown in the nanny cam home invasion video is recovering from her injuries. She has a concussion, chipped teeth, an injured lip, facial swelling and leg injuries but she thankfully did not break any bones or sustained otherwise life-threatening injuries. Her three-year-old daughter and her 18-month-old son were unharmed.

Kobe bryant auction lawsuit

Kobe bryant auction lawsuit, Basketball great Kobe Bryant, his mother and an auction house have settled a dispute over a proposed sale of some of the Los Angeles Lakers player's memorabilia including jerseys and championship rings, his representatives said on Monday.

Ken Goldin, president of Goldin Auctions, said on Monday that six of the disputed items will be sold in an auction that begins June 17 and runs through July 19. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The NBA All-Star guard had opposed the auction with a lawsuit that said he had never granted his mother ownership of the property nor the right to auction it. He said he learned of the sale from a press release.

A federal judge in May blocked the planned auction of more than 100 items following the dispute between Bryant and his mother, Pamela Bryant, who had submitted them to Goldin Auctions.

The items that will be sold include two of Bryant's game-worn high school jerseys, a 1996 Magic's Roundball Classic All Star Medallion and Ribbon, a ring from the 2000 NBA All-Star game and 2000 Laker NBA championship rings issued to Bryant that he gave to his parents.

"On these six items, we expect them to go for in excess of $500,000," Goldin said in an interview. "It is certainly possible that any one of the three rings or two uniforms could exceed $200,000 on its own."

Some 14 other Kobe Bryant-related items from collectors around the world are also included in the auction, which has more than 1,100 items, Goldin said.

Bryant's representatives said he would not comment beyond a statement confirming that the dispute had been resolved. Joseph and Pamela Bryant apologized to Goldin Auctions "for their inadvertent involvement" in the dispute and to their son.

"We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we may have caused our son and appreciate the financial support that he has provided to us over the years," Joseph and Pamela Bryant said in the statement.

Bryant had sought an injunction in California federal court to stop the auction and Goldin filed a lawsuit in federal court in New Jersey seeking to have the sale move forward.

Goldin Auctions said in court papers that Bryant's mother had contacted the company in December with an offer to sell the items, and it had wired a $450,000 advance to Bryant's parents

Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Kentucky pole

Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Kentucky pole, The questions during NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying Friday were how many drivers would raise Kentucky Speedway's record and by how much.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. provided the answer of the eight that broke it, clocking 183.636 mph to wrest the mark from Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson and the pole for Saturday night's race.

Earnhardt's speed was nearly two mph faster than Johnson's 181.818 mph last June, which he needed to keep Johnson from keeping the record.

Minutes before, Johnson had a lap at 183.144 mph to hold off Ryan Newman (182.254). Earnhardt set the standard in the No. 88 Chevy soon after and survived several furious attempts to unseat him before coming away with his 12th career pole and first at Kentucky.

Carl Edwards (183.306 mph) eventually grabbed the outside front in the No. 99 Ford. Johnson settled for third with Kyle Busch (182.593) fourth in a Toyota.

Marcos Ambrose (182.587) qualified fifth in a Ford and will start alongside Denny Hamlin, whose No. 11 Toyota ran 182.340 mph. The final two over 182 mph were Newman and defending race winner and Cup champion Brad Keselowski (182.192).

"I thought we had a good car in practice," Earnhardt said, "and we got some cloud cover. That gave us an opportunity to run a good lap."

Drivers felt as if a track record was possible with NASCAR's new Gen 6 car, even on Kentucky's bumpy surface. Anticipation grew even more with cooler-than-expected temperatures and intermittent clouds, and several drivers gave chase to Johnson's mark early in the session.

Johnson, the series points leader, promptly raised the bar higher with a speed that seemed to put the pole and the record out of reach even with two-thirds of qualifying remaining. Newman gave chase and briefly had the second spot before settling for a solid berth in the field.

"I feel good," said Johnson, who checked his No. 48 Chevy for damage after hitting one of the truck's bumps and going airborne. "I felt (turns) one and two went really well. (Turns) three and four, I thought maybe I could have been a little faster through there."

Earnhardt, sixth after the final practice, soon grabbed his up-front view and the record as all the elements fell into place for his first pole since September at Richmond.

"The cloud cover at least gave us a bit of speed," said Earnhardt, who joked that getting a haircut between practice and qualifying might have made him more aerodynamic as well. "Of course, cooler track temps gives the car more grip and we definitely had the better situation of anyone in practice with that scenario.

"There were some clouds in the qualifying session, but not quite the extent that we had. I did think the lap was really good."

Helmsley Cuts Out Kin, Leaves Dog $12M

Helmsley Cuts Out Kin, Leaves Dog $12M, Money can't buy you everything it seems - even if you are a dog.

Leona Helmsley's pampered Maltese 'Trouble', who inherited $12million from the real estate billionaire, has died at the age of 12.

That's 84 in dog years.

Helmsley, who died in 2007, cut two grandchildren out of her will and evicted her son's widow after his death, left part of her fortune to the dog - although a judge later reduced it to $2million.

And she even wanted the pooch buried with her in the 12,000-square-foot family mausoleum at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, New York.

However this was not to be.

Stephen Byelick, a member of the cemetery's board, said: 'You cannot bury pets in a cemetery. The same rules apply to mausoleums.'

A spokesman for the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel in Sarasotam, Florida,  where Trouble lived out the rest of her days in style, said:  'Trouble was cremated, and her remains are being privately retained.

'The funds held in trust for her care have reverted to The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for charitable purposes.'

Trouble retired to Florida in 2007 shortly after Helmsley's death and was cared for by Carl Lekic, the general manager of hotel.

Mr Lekic said he could manage on $100,000 a year: $8,000 for grooming, $1,200 for food and the rest for his fee and a full-time security guard.

Security was necessary as Trouble had received 20 to 30 death and kidnapping threats.

The pooch had a life of luxury after being bought at a Kennel Club pet shop on Lexington Ave, New York, and was brought to her new home in a Mercedes-Benz stretch limo. Trouble, who was always immaculately dressed, accompanied Helmsley everywhere and was no stranger to Helmsley's private jet when she travelled to her homes around the U.S.

A source told the New York Daily News the dog was bought for her 'to help Leona get over her grief over Harry's death.'

Helmsley left $3million for the upkeep of her final resting place where she is buried with her husband, Harry , who died in 2007.

Helmsley, who died in her Connecticut home became known as a symbol of 1980s greed and earned the nickname 'the Queen of Mean' after her 1988 indictment and subsequent conviction for tax evasion.

One employee had quoted her as saying: 'Only the little people pay taxes.'

She served 18 months in federal prison on tax evasion charges in the early 1990s.

Charlize Theron shines in a summer white ensemble as she enjoys a day out with her son Jackson

Charlize Theron shines in a summer white ensemble as she enjoys a day out with her son Jackson, She's considered one of the most elite actresses of our time.But it's the little things that bring joy to Charlize Theron, such as enjoying some one-on-one time with her toddler son Jackson.On Saturday, the Prometheus star was seen running errands with her youngster in Los Angeles, California, including a stop at Coffee Bean.

She was barely seen without a smile on her face, as she cuddled her little one in her arms.Dressed in light colors to reflect the glistening summer rays, the 37-year-old actress donned a sheer white tank top with her striped, ankle-length trousers.Keeping comfortable, the blonde pixie-cut star teamed the pieces with a pair of white oxford shoes.

Though Jackson mostly remained in his mum's arms, the tot also walked on his own for a bit.But he stayed close by his mother's side, holding onto her hand as she led the way.The mother-of-one adopted her son Jackson in March 2012 and spends much of her spare time with him.

Though Jackson mostly remained in his mum's arms, the tot also walked on his own for a bit.But he stayed close by his mother's side, holding onto her hand as she led the way.The mother-of-one adopted her son Jackson in March 2012 and spends much of her spare time with him.

Charlize is set to join Colin Firth, Adam Sandler and Emily Blunt for Murder Mystery, a whodunit directed by John Madden whose other credits include The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Shakespeare in Love.Charlize is also a producer of the film, which has yet to be given a start date for filming.

Ireland Baldwin voicemail no big deal

Ireland Baldwin voicemail no big deal, Alec Baldwin Takes His Daughter ireland For Breakfast in New York

Ireland Baldwin is no longer the 11-year-old child called a “rude, thoughtless little pig” in a voicemail from dad Alec Baldwin. Now 16, she towers over her father at 6’2″ and is the spitting image of her famous mother, Kim Basinger. In an interview with Page Six Magazine, the aspiring actress and model shares intimate details about her relationship with new stepmom Hilaria Thomas and finally addresses that infamous viral voicemail.

On the ‘pig’ voicemail: “The only problem with that voicemail was that people made it out to be a way bigger deal than it was. He’s said stuff like that before just because he’s frustrated. For me it was like, ‘OK, whatever.’ I called him back and I was like, ‘Sorry Dad, I didn’t have my phone. That was it.’ We almost did something funny on YouTube, of me calling him and yelling at him. We were just talking about it the other week.”

On Alec and stepmom Hilaria: “I’ve always had a great relationship with my dad…And Hilaria and I are really close. She’s like a big sister to me, but I feel like I haven’t spent enough time with her yet…We joke around and I call her ‘Mom.’ But I respect her, it’s not like I’m Parent Trap-ping her, setting up booby traps in her room.”

On being the child of two celebrities: “I had a regular schedule. I don’t live in a five-story mansion, I don’t drive a Lamborghini…The only difference being the kid of two celebrities is nothing in your life is going to be kept private and you have to watch your back. I’ve had people who I thought were my friends, but it turned out they just wanted concert tickets.”

On the paparazzi: “My dad has been going through it for so long, I can see how he gets frustrated. For me, it’s all so new and fresh. If acting or modeling takes off and I make a name for myself, I can see how I might get pretty frustrated.”

Jennifer Aniston rushes to her estranged mother's hospital bedside after she suffers a stroke

Jennifer Aniston rushes to her estranged mother's hospital bedside after she suffers a stroke, Jennifer Aniston rushes to her estranged mother's hospital bedside after she suffers a stroke on 10.11.2011.

Jen who was estranged from her mother for 10 years after she gave an interview about their relationship in 1996 reportedly called her mother Nancy Dow the "last chunk of disease in my life."

She was accompanied by her boyfriend Justin Theroux on the visit to a Los Angeles medical centre, which caused Jennifer to cry during her time there, the MailOnline reports.

Nancy is reportedly unable to speak and is in a serious condition.

Jennifer previously confirmed she and her mother - who was not invited to her wedding to Brad Pitt in 2000 - were back on speaking terms after ending the rift in 2008.

She said: "It's good. It's OK. Things are now fine between us. All of that is over, and we're in touch with one another. We speak and it's all over."

Nancy - who had Jennifer with actor John Aniston - has previously written a book about their life, entitled 'From Mother and Daughter to Friends'

Adidas and Puma bury the hatchet after 60 years of brothers' feud

Adidas and Puma bury the hatchet after 60 years of brothers' feud, The two firms played a friendly football game to symbolise the end of six decades of rivalry sparked by a family row that not even death reconciled.

It started when shoe-firm owners Adolf and Rudolf Dassler – both Nazi party members – began their feud in the war.
"We will probably never know the real reason why Adi and Rudi fell out," said Ernst Dittrich, the head of Herzogenaurach's town archive. "It was like a marriage that goes terribly, terribly sour."

Elderly residents in this 13th century town have their own opinions – they say the brothers split because Adolf slept with Rudi's wife, that their wives loathed each other, that Rudi fathered Adolf's son and that Rudi had his hands in the till.
Then there was the comment Adolf made, apparently directed at the Allied bombers flying overhead in 1943 on a nightly mission to bomb Germany.

"There come those pig dogs again!" he raved as his brother clambered down the steps of the air raid shelter to join him. From that moment, Rudi was certain Adolf had been talking about him, not the RAF. It didn't help things that the following year Rudi was shipped off to a POW camp, not returning until 1948, his bitterness now fuelled by his harsh treatment and lousy food.

He decided to break with Adolf and set up a rival sporting shoe business he called Puma. Adolf settled for Adidas – Adi being short for Adolf, and das for Dassler. Since then, rivalry has been too small a word to describe the animosity between the two firms as they squandered huge amounts of money in lunatic court fights.

Over the years if one firm hired a celebrity to promote its products the other tried to go one better. When Adolf turned down sponsoring an aspiring tennis player called Boris Becker, Rudi signed him up – not because he thought he would amount to anything, but to spite his brother.

Rudi Dassler died on October 27, 1974 of lung cancer at the age of 76, Adolf four years later aged 78. Their respective graves in the town churchyard symbolise their unending hatred and they could not be further away from each other.

The bad blood between them translated into what was one company town splitting down the middle. Puma people did not date Adidas people, let alone marry them. Residents became known as 'Bent Necks'- you always looked down at someone's feet to see which trainers they wore before deciding whether to speak to them.

Yesterday employees of both companies shook hands and stepped out to play a football game in support of the Peace One Day organisation which has chosen September 21 as an annual non-violence day.
But despite the friendly handshakes, those who know the townspeople say it will take more than one game of soccer to bury the hatchet.

Macaulay Culkin tries to hit paparazzo

Macaulay Culkin tries to hit paparazzo, Macaulay Culkin reportedly launched himself at a photographer on Tuesday morning.

The 32-year-old actor and DJ - who was recently mistaken for a homeless man in London - allegedly attempted to start a fight with the paparazzo as he left The Haunt nightclub in Brighton "cursing and screaming".

Macaulay, who dated actress Mila Kunis for eight years until January 2011, was held back by members of his entourage and eventually jumped into a van, which took him back to the nearby Ibis hotel at approximately 01:30.

According to the MailOnline.com, the former Home Alone child star, who is visiting his pals Adam Green and Binki Shapiro during their tour in England, also yelled, "Go to hell", at the photographer after attending the duo's gig in the club.

Homeless guy

The actor has travelled with the musicians to several parts of the UK to attend their gigs in Manchester, London and Bristol, during which he joined them on stage to perform a cover of a Beach Boys hit.

The incident comes just days after student Marley Spindler, who bumped into him at 02:30 on the streets of the city, thought the star was a vagrant.

She previously said: "We chatted for about five minutes and he said he was in London seeing friends though he was vacant, speaking very quietly and mellow.

"I didn't know who he was at first - I thought it was some homeless guy who was scrounging a smoke.

"I'm no expert, but he didn't seem all there."

Courtney Love Frances Bean Twilight

Courtney Love Frances Bean Twilight, Courtney Love sat down with Howard Stern on Thursday with a few very interesting revelations -- many about her sometimes-estranged daughter Frances Bean (whose father is the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana) and one big tease about herself.

First off, Love and Bean are no longer really estranged, she insisted: "I'm really good with my daughter now, we're really good." But it's still in the virtual world: They email "and we tweet, too," she told Stern on his SiriusXM radio show.

E! reported that elsewhere in the interview Love said that she hasn't yet met Bean's finace Isiah Silva, though they have spoken online. She says she approves of Bean's choice, noting that Silva seemed "really, really nice."

Bean has apparently always had a mind of her own, though; Love revealed that her daughter was offered the role of Bella in the "Twilight" movie series, and said no.

"When she was 13 she was offered 'Twilight,' she was offered Bella in 'Twilight.' That's a true story. Someone just saw a picture of her in a magazine and sent me the script for 'Twilight,'" Love said. "She was like, 'That's a sexist, moron piece of s---."

When Stern seemed surprised, Love added, "It would have destroyed her life."

But then she dropped her own news about a particular offer -- Love brought up Stern's "America's Got Talent" job, then said "I'm going to do a big TV show. I'm not saying what it is."

Could it be "American Idol," which just lost three of its judges, Stern wondered? He said she'd "hinted" about doing that show in the past.

"I'm not telling you," she said. "You know how those people are and ... we can't." Still, it's "a pretty done deal," so look for announcements in the future.

Kobe bryant sexual assault case

Kobe bryant sexual assault case, Phil Jackson’s memoir hit bookshelves Tuesday and in addition to talking life, Michael Jordan, and Zen, the 13-time NBA champion, the former Lakers coach spoke on how Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault case drastically changed the way he viewed #8.

It’s coming out now, though, in Jackson’s 339-page memoir co-written with Hugh Delehanty and available Tuesday: “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.”…

Jackson talked about how the sexual-assault charges levied against Bryant in 2003 temporarily changed his outlook on the perennial All-Star.

It “cracked open an old wound” because Jackson’s daughter was the victim of an assault while on a date with an athlete in college.

“Brooke expected me to get angry and make her feel protected. Instead I suppressed my rage — as I’d been conditioned to do during childhood by my parents … it left her feeling alone and unsupported. (In the end, after filing a report with the police, Brooke chose not to press charges.)

“The Kobe incident triggered all my unprocessed anger and tainted my perception of him. … It distorted my view of Kobe throughout the 2003-04 season. No matter what I did to extinguish it, the anger kept smoldering in the background.”

Charges were dropped against Bryant in 2004, a few months after the Lakers lost to Detroit in the NBA Finals.

The coach-player relationship eventually improved to the point that Jackson defended Bryant after his infamous trade demand in 2007. Bryant was irritated after three languid seasons and wanted to continue his championship pursuits elsewhere.

“No question, losing Kobe would be a blow to the organization and to me personally,” Jackson wrote of that summer.

Jennifer Aniston estranged mother invited to wedding

Jennifer Aniston estranged mother invited to wedding, Even though I’m not Jennifer Aniston’s biggest fan, I’ve never really had a problem with her “complicated” relationship with her mother, Nancy Dow.

Every family is different, and every mother-daughter relationship is different. From what I can gather, Nancy and Jennifer Aniston always had a difficult, complicated, competitive relationship, and the complications hit the tipping point when Nancy tried to profit from her daughter’s fame way back in the mid-1990s.

Allegedly, Nancy and Jennifer reconnected tentatively after Jen and Brad Pitt split up, and Nancy has had a slew of health problems over the past few years. I’d be willing to bet that Jennifer is paying all of Nancy’s medical bills. I’d also be willing to bet that Nancy and Jennifer barely speak these days – on Mother’s Day, Jennifer spent the day in NYC with Justin Theroux. Jennifer spends most major holidays on vacation without her mother. I have no judgment for this, as I said. So should we shade Jennifer for (allegedly) refusing to invite her mother to her second wedding?

Jennifer Aniston is set to walk down the aisle with her fiancé Justin Theroux this summer, but one face that will not be seen at the wedding will be Nancy Dow‘s. Jen failed to invite her mom to her 2000 wedding to Brad Pitt, and it looks like the ice has not thawed in the last decade.

Jennifer, 44, is getting married for the second time this summer, and while this will be a totally different event in comparison to her elaborate wedding to Brad, one detail remains the same: Nancy will not be attending.

“For her wedding to Brad, she left her mom off the guest list, and a friend of Justin’s said that it is going to happen again this summer,” revealed Marianne Garvey on VH1′s The Gossip Table on June 5. “They are having a small, intimate wedding, and a lot of people have been left off, but Nancy’s name is the first.”

This is really sad news, but Jennifer has clearly decided to keep her mother out of her life.

Jennifer and her mother have had a difficult relationship for many years, and Jennifer stopped speaking to Nancy after she gave a televised interview about the Friends actress in 1996. They have had little contact since.

It’s a shame that Jen and her mom can’t work things out, but if she is having a small, intimate wedding with few guests, then perhaps her mom won’t be too offended.

Friendly's ice cream bankruptcy

Friendly's ice cream bankruptcy, Friendly Ice Cream Corp., the 76- year-old restaurant chain known for its ice cream and burgers, sought bankruptcy protection from creditors four years after being bought by private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners Inc.

The company, which opened at the height of the Great Depression with one shop in Springfield, Massachusetts, plans to sell itself at an auction with a Sun Capital affiliate as the lead bidder, according to papers filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

The sale will “quickly restructure the company” and allow it “emerge stronger and more competitive,” Friendly said in a statement. Friendly attributed the bankruptcy partly to “the challenges of the current economic downturn,” rising costs for commodities such as cream, and above-market rents.

The company requested court permission to hold a Dec. 1 auction, followed by a Dec. 5 hearing to approve the sale. Under the proposed timeline, all bids must be submitted by Nov. 24. Potential buyers would have to offer at least $122.6 million in cash to qualify for the auction.

The Sun Capital affiliate is bidding about $120 million, including cash to pay secured lenders and an amount for unsecured creditors. Second-lien noteholders, majority-owned by Sun Capital affiliates, will bid debt owed on $267.7 million in notes.

Closed Restaurants

The restaurant company, commonly known as “Friendly’s,” closed 63 sites as part of the filing. Another 424 locations will stay open, Friendly said. The Wilbraham, Massachusetts- based company has franchising operations and makes ice cream products for supermarkets and retailers throughout the U.S.
Debt is about $297 million and assets are valued at more than $100 million, according to court documents. First-lien lenders are owed about $21.5 million. Revenue for the year’s first eight months was $329.7 million, court papers showed.

The 20 largest unsecured creditors include Bank of New York Mellon Corp. as the trustee for unsecured noteholders with a claim of $7.8 million; FM Facility Maintenance LLC, with a claim of $3.49 million; and KSL Media Inc., with a claim of $3.36 million.

DIP Loan

Friendly will seek court approval at a hearing tomorrow to borrow about $50.6 million to help fund operations while it restructures, company lawyer Laura Davis Jones said in an e- mail. Sun Capital affiliates are offering about $71.3 million in so-called debtor-in-possession financing.
Friendly’s shares were publicly traded from 1968 until 1979, when it was bought by Hershey Foods Corp., which introduced the candymaker’s products into its sundaes as toppings. In 1988, the company was bought by Donald N. Smith, who launched the Cyclone soft-serve dessert and renamed the chain “Friendly’s” in 1989.

The company went public again in 1997 at $18 a share and was bought by Sun Capital in 2007 for about $395 million, or $15.50 a share.
The chain joins other restaurants that have filed for bankruptcy in the past three years amid an economic slump, including Perkins & Marie Callender’s, operator of full-service restaurants; Sbarro Inc., operator of more than 1,000 pizza restaurants; and Bennigan’s and Steak & Ale, both owned by Metromedia Restaurant Group.

Sun Capital

The Souper Salad and Grandy’s brands, owned by affiliates of Summit Investment Management Inc. and Sun Capital, filed for Chapter 11 in September.
Sun Capital, based in Boca Raton, Florida, owns other restaurant operators including Boston Market, Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen, Fazoli’s Restaurants, Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill and Real Mex Restaurants, according to its website. Real Mex and affiliates Chevys, El Torito and Acapulco filed for bankruptcy yesterday in the Delaware court.

Meek Mill etiquette class

Meek Mill etiquette class, A judge has ordered rapper Meek Mill to attend etiquette classes and notify his probation officer before he takes any trips outside of the commonwealth.

Common Pleas Court Judge Genece Brinkley on Friday told the rapper, whose real name is Robert Williams, he must complete the classes before Aug. 4, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The orders came at a probation violation hearing for Williams, who is on probation for a 2008 gun and drug conviction for which he was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in prison. He served eight months in jail and began five years of probation in the fall of 2009.

Assistant District Attorney Noel Ann DeSantis said Williams' statements on Twitter and other social media had been followed by threats to his probation officer from some of his fans.

Williams told the judge at the contentious hearing that detailing his travel plans was difficult because many of his business activities are arranged on short notice.

"I have my own record label with seven artists. ... I do radio. I do interviews," he said.

The judge said Williams needed etiquette classes to refine his use of social media and to help him explain the nature of his business to the court, adding that the etiquette classes were "more important than any concerts he might have."

Brinkley in December barred the rapper from touring for a month after finding that he violated probation restrictions. Williams' attorney argued at the time that the restrictions were preventing his client from earning a living, and said Williams didn't need to check in with his probation officer because his fans frequently take pictures of him when he's touring.

Williams' "Dreams & Nightmares" album debuted in October and he appeared in Jay-Z's Made In America festival earlier this year.

Google making game console

Google making game console, Google Inc. is developing a videogame console and a digital wrist watch -- both of which use the company's Android mobile operating system -- according to a report Thursday afternoon by the Wall Street Journal.

The company is also reportedly working on a second version of its Nexus Q network media device. Citing unnamed sources "familiar with the matter," the Journal said the company is hoping to release at least one of these products this fall.

The sources said the company is hoping to counter similar devices that arch-rival Apple Inc. may develop. Google shares closed regular trading up 0.4% to $877.07 on Thursday prior to the report.

Lady gaga gay pride

Lady gaga gay pride, Lady Gaga returned to the spotlight this week after spending a few months laying low following her hip surgery and canceled world tour. Mother Monster helped kick off New York’ Gay Pride Parade by taking the stage at Friday’s kickoff rally to offer some heartfelt words of support to the LGBT community.

It’s my LGBT friends and fans who always said to me, I knew Lady Gaga when,” the singer said. “Well, look who the star is now. Now I get to say that I knew you when. When you suffered, when you felt unequal, when you felt there was nothing to look forward to.” Gaga then launched into the National Anthem, clutching a rainbow flag. At the end of her rendition, she changed up the lyrics a bit, replacing “star-spangled banner” with “ ”star-spangled flag of pride” and “home of the brave” with “home for the gays.” Not surprisingly, the crowd went wild.

Gaga’s performance carried extra significane following this week’s landmark Supreme Court rulings. In another part of her speech, the singer said, “I would like to thank everyone from the Supreme Court to every legislator and political leader that has ever stood with us … Our evolution as LGBT citizens always continues to change and we see that the further we are able to reveal and share our lives, the further we move into the hearts and minds of other Americans.”

Instagram fruit spam

Instagram fruit spam, Anybody using Instagram Saturday may have noticed a disproportionate number of fruit pictures appearing in the feed. This fruity development isn’t due to healthier eating habits on the part of users, but, rather, a spam attack currently affecting the photo- and video-sharing service.

The strange occurrence was first spotted by GigaOM’s Om Malik, who reported that spammers are taking over users’ accounts, posting photos of fruit and changing the uniform resource locator, or URL, in each bio. The link in the bio and accompanying photo will take users to a fake BBC page promoting a so-called miracle fruit diet.

“Ever seen this stuff? I guess its super healthy, im giving it a try. I saw it on Dr Oz's show! Link is in my bio #lovemyfollowers #health,” reads one fruit photo’s description, according to PCMag.com.

It isn’t yet known exactly how many Instagram users have been affected, but reports indicate that the bitly link used in the attack has been clicked on more than 35,000 times. Instagram has roughly 130,000,000 active monthly users. Instagram has already begun the process of combating the attack by sending out password-reset emails to many users affected. Additionally, bitly has flagged the link, warning users not to click on it.

Earlier today a small portion of our users experienced a spam incident where unwanted photos were posted from their accounts. Our security and spam team quickly took actions to secure the accounts involved, and the posted photos are being deleted,” an Instagram representative told The Next Web.

PCMag.com suggested that users go through their Instagram third-party applications list -- which gives people an idea of the websites that have access to their accounts -- and remove the privileges of anything that sounds out of the ordinary.

Meanwhile, AllThingsD pointed out Twitter was also hit with a so-called miracle diet spam attack this week. However, it’s not yet known whether the two attacks are related.

Glee cast members

Glee cast members, Fox has up’d several Glee stars to series regulars for season 5, meaning the following kids will be the stars of the new episodes when the show returns Thursday, September 19.


Glee season 5′s new series regulars are Melissa Benoist (Marley), Jacob Artist (Jake), Becca Tobin (Kitty), Blake Jenner (Ryder), and Alex Newell (Wade/“Unique”).

The news comes on the heels of Fox shockingly removing several Glee season 4 cast members on Friday: Amber Riley (Mercedes), Heather Morris (Brittany), Mark Salling (Puck), Dianna Agron (Quinn), and Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang) will not return for the fifth outing of the dra-medy.

Popular Glee cast members Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chord Overstreet, Chris Colfer, and Darren Criss are returning. Just yesterday Michele shared a photo from the season 5 photo shoot depicting the gang back together. Criss was absent for it due to his nationwide tour.

Glee is set for a fifth and sixth season over the next two years. It’s unclear at this time how the old favorites will continue to be a part of the show when some have to graduate. Yesterday’s departure of several cast members signaled good news and bad. The good news was that the bloated cast was getting a bit more organized. The bad news is that the people who left were long-time favorites.

Presumably Fox will sign on a few new actors to shake up the season with new characters.

Rasheed Wallace detroit

Rasheed Wallace detroit, Rasheed Wallace could be back with the Pistons. One of the heroes of the 2004 title team and freshly retired from the Knicks, Wallace is talking with new Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks and Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars about a position on Cheeks’ staff.

Dumars confirmed the news after today’s news conference to introduce the team’s rookie class. Nothing is done yet, but it’s a good possibility,” he said. Considering Wallace was Cheeks' idea. Wallace, 38, played under Cheeks when both were with the Trail Blazers in the early 2000s.

The talks are centered with making sure Wallace understands the daily grind of working on an NBA bench.What you really do is lay out the amount of work it takes,” Dumars said. “You go through a typical day and typical week. It’s extremely important to do that. He’s been great about it.”

If it becomes official, Wallace would be expected to help groom young big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe.

“With young bigs like this, that type and personality and knowledge could be good for this,” Dumars said.

Jermaine Dupri tax troubles

Jermaine Dupri tax troubles, Weeks after reports scattered the Internet about rap executive Jermaine “JD” Dupri possibly losing his So So Def record company, new reports claim he owes nearly $800,00 to the government.

Jermaine Dupri is SO SO Def screwed … Uncle Sam just slapped the hip-hop mogul with a giant tax bill … to the tune of $800,000. According to two separate tax liens filed by the IRS (everyone’s fav government agency) … Dupri needs to cough up tax dough from the years 2008, 2010 and 2011. Here’s the breakdown: 2008: $646.47 (not so bad) 2010: $140, 889.76 (could be worse) 2011: $657,156.12 (hello, worse) Grand total allegedly owed — $798,692.35. Calls to Jermaine’s reps have not been returned. Of course JD is no stranger to tax bills. He recently paid off a $3 million tax lien for unpaid taxes in 2006. Prior to that he coughed up $500k to the State of GA for unpaid taxes. (TMZ)

Prior to denying the claims, reports about the hip-hop producer owed massive of bucks to SunTrust Bank dating back three years ago emerged online.

Jermaine Dupri is in jeopardy of losing his rights to the music from his So So Def label … because he can’t seem to pay off an enormous loan. Dupri borrowed $4.8 mil from SunTrust Bank back in 2010 …. he paid more than half of it back, but then the bank stopped getting payments. So SunTrust is now suing Dupri for nearly $2 mil — the balance due, plus interest. Here’s the BIG problem …

In order to get the loan, Dupri had put up collateral, in the form of copyrights and royalties to the many songs his label owns from artists like Xscape, Bow Wow and Da Brat. As far as we can see, Dupri still hasn’t anted up the cash. And it’s not his only trouble with $$$. He paid off a $3 MILLION tax lien in February and dodged the foreclosure of his Atlanta mansion TWICE in the past year. (TMZ)
Back in February, the Atlanta hitmaker celebrated So So Def’s 20th anniversary.

Stars came out heavy on Saturday night (Feb. 24) to Atlanta’s Fox Theater for the So So Def 20th anniversary concert. Mariah Carey, Usher, Jay-Z, Da Brat, Ludacris, Monica, and several others were in attendance to celebrate with the man who started it all, Mr. Jermaine Dupri. At some point during the night, JD joined Jay-Z onstage and they performed couple of songs including “N***as In Paris.” (The Honesty Hour)
He previously took credit for helping shine light on rap mogul Jay-Z when So So Def reached its prime in the mid-1990′s.

“When I made that song nobody knew who Jay-Z was in the South, by the way. People knew who he was up here, (in New York), but when I made that record, people at Columbia Records were like, ‘We should put out the Mariah record first. You’re a successful producer, let’s put out the big star song.’ I said ‘Nah, I’m putting out this rap record. This is what I want to put out.’ It was a big record.”

Dominican Groups Reject Gay US Ambassador Nominee

Dominican Groups Reject Gay US Ambassador Nominee, Religious groups in the Dominican Republic said Friday they are outraged by the nomination of a gay U.S. ambassador to the conservative Caribbean country.

James "Wally" Brewster would be the seventh U.S. ambassador in history to be openly gay, but opponents are asking the administration of Dominican President Danilo Medina to reject his nomination.

Rev. Cristobal Cardozo, leader of the Dominican Evangelical Fraternity, said he worried about the message that Brewster's presence might send.

"It's an insult to good Dominican customs," he said.

Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez, president of the Conference of the Dominican Episcopate, echoed similar sentiments.

"You can expect anything from the U.S.," said Lopez, who is also the archbishop of Santo Domingo.

Meanwhile, Vicar Pablo Cedano criticized the nomination as "a lack of respect, of consideration, that they send us that kind of person as ambassador."

"If he arrives, he'll suffer and will be forced to leave," Cedano warned, without elaborating.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Daniel Foote said in a brief statement to reporters that Brewster was nominated because of his skills as an international businessman and his ideas on democracy and human rights.

"Brewster arrives as an ambassador, he's not coming here as an activist for the gay community," Foote said.

Local gay and lesbian activists condemned the outrage, saying the words of religious officials were filled with hate.

Nominating a gay man as ambassador should be viewed as normal, according to a statement by the umbrella nonprofit LGBT Collective.

The groups' stance "contrasts with the silence maintained by prelates and pastors when it comes to sexual assaults on children," said Leonardo Sanchez, of the nonprofit gay group Friends, Always Friends.

Officials with Medina's administration have declined to comment on the issue.

"It would be in bad taste for the state to comment on this nomination," said Cesar Pina, a judicial consultant to the presidency.

The debate comes as activists prepare for an annual gay pride parade scheduled for Sunday in the capital of Santo Domingo, which has hosted the parade for about a decade.

Brewster is currently a senior managing partner for the Chicago consulting firm SB&K Global. He also was a fundraiser for Obama and an inaugural committee contributor.

Amanda bynes zac efron

Amanda bynes zac efron, Now we're convinced Amanda Bynes is fooling us. Why? She called Zac Efron "ugly."
The former Nickelodeon star took to Twitter Thursday morning to share her thoughts on the abtastic actor with whom she costarred in the 2007 musical-movie adaptation of Hairspray.

zacefron has an ugly face," the She's the Man star wrote. The tweet has since been deleted, but Gossip Cop snagged a screengrab.

The post popped up on Bynes' feed just 12 hours after she called her sister, Jillian, "ugly" as well. My sister Jillian Has An Ugly Face Don't Worry Drake," the embattled actress tweeted last night.

Zac and Jillian are the latest stars to fall victim to Bynes' social media backlash, as the 27-year-old star has made a habit out of calling people "ugly" on Twitter.

She recently slammed "ugly" Sarah Hyland after the Modern Family star's boyfriend, Matt Prokop, urged the star to "stop getting work done" on the social media site.

The What I Like About You star has also dissed Drake and insisted she "will not date" the "Started From the Bottom" singer despite sending a extremely raunchy tweet to the rapper in March.

Even Bynes' father hasn't been able to escape the criticism, and the starlet publicly insulted her dad on Twitter after her arrest.

"My dad is as ugly as RuPaul! So thankful I look nothing like you both! I had nose surgery after my mug shots so my nose and I are gorgeous!" she wrote.

A few of Bynes' former friends and costars, including Lance Bass and Nick Cannon, have reached out to the actress in light of her recent behavior, but their comments seem to only upset the actress and prompt her to tweet even more.
"I ignored Lance Bass on twitter and now he is saying I have a mental illness.

Sorry you're an ugly ex boy band member w/ no talent or career," she tweeted after Bass said he was "scared" for Bynes. "I haven't spoken to Lance Bass in 11 years. To say I have a mental illness out of nowhere makes me lash out! You're making me crazy!"

Cannon has also reached out to Amanda, whom he said was "like a sister" to him, but he's had no luck getting in touch with the troubled star.

"I worked on Amanda's show when she had her show," Cannon explained. "To see someone you'd seen at 9, running around with a snotty nose, and now to see her like that is like, 'Wow, man! That's sad.'"

Nets Jason collins

Nets Jason collins, Reports indicate that at least one club will not shy away from free agent center Jason Collins after the veteran came out as gay in an interview with Sports Illustrated this spring.

The New York Daily News confirms a Yahoo Sports report that the Brooklyn Nets are interested in bringing in Collins after the trade to acquire Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce wiped out their bench, even with the Nets keeping Reggie Evans and sending MarShon Brooks in the deal, as Ken Berger reported Friday.

Collins would give a veteran team focused on a title an established center who can rebound and play defense. Collins was actually very effective for the Hawks two years ago, particularly against Dwight Howard, before falling out of the rotation last season with Boston.

Should Collins join the Nets and gain playing time, it would be the first minutes of game time for an openly gay NBA player in history. Former NBA center John Amaechi revealed he was gay after his retirement in 2003.

While the discussions haven't gone further than Collins "name being brought up" according to the Daily News, the idea certainly makes sense.

Space shuttle atlantis display

Space shuttle atlantis display, With a giant question mark hovering over the future of the U.S. space program, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opened its $100 million Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit Saturday.

"A lot of people, when the space shuttle's final flight took place … sort of misunderstood that this was the end of the space program," said Bill Moore, chief operating officer of the visitor complex.

The absence of a straightforward goal for the manned space program — "We're going to go to Mars" — makes the future murky for the public, Moore said.

The new Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction in Brevard County can help people understand that the program is in transition, he said.

For example, NASA is working with private companies on the Commercial Crew Program, which would send manned spacecraft from the U.S. to the International Space Station, and is planning a Space Launch System to take astronauts back into deep space, beyond the shuttle program's scope.

Now, the retired Atlantis shuttle lives in a 90,000-square-foot building, tilted at a 43-degree angle so that it's visible from multiple perspectives. The dusty and nicked orbiter is bathed in theatrical lighting and flanked by interactive stations to educate about the shuttle program, which ended with Atlantis' touchdown at Kennedy Space Center in July 2011.

It's a view not usually seen by earthbound folks, said astronaut Tom Jones, who was on two of Atlantis' 33 missions.

"This is the way Atlantis is seen in orbit, by astronauts," he said. "You never get a chance to see the shuttle like that on Earth. It's always cocooned in scaffolding or maintenance platforms."

Jones and 39 other astronauts greeted hundreds of guests at the grand opening of the attraction Saturday morning.

The ceremony took place in the shadow of a replica of the solid rocket boosters and fuel tanks that lifted all 135 shuttle missions into space from the Florida coast.

Among the dignitaries were Bob Crippen, who flew on the first shuttle in 1981, and Chris Ferguson and Sandy Magnus, who were aboard the final flight in July 2011.

"I couldn't be more proud of the display of Atlantis," said Bob Cabana, a former astronaut and current director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

"We think they did it right," he said, speaking for the astronaut corps.

The attraction's location amid world-famous theme parks and sunny beaches has pros and cons, Moore said.

"On the marketing side, it's the most competitive place in the world," he said. "But on the other side, it's where everybody has to come."


NASA administrator Charles Bolden said Atlantis had a new mission.

"She'll inspire a new generation of explorers," he said.

He also thanked the KSC work force and the residents of the Space Coast.

"This nation owes you a super debt of gratitude," he said.

The attraction's target audience is "people who like science centers, who like to go to museums, who like to go to historically significant places," Moore said.

About half of the visitors to the space center complex come from outside the U.S., Moore said. Interest from Brazil is growing rapidly, he said, and new growth is emerging from China and India.

"Those are large, large countries with a very smart population that I think are going to like coming here," he said.

What they will see could remind them of attractions at Central Florida's theme parks.

"There's definitely a trend in the museum industry over the past couple of decades to become more like theme parks," said Robert Niles, editor of the Theme Park Insider website.

"You see a lot of the same companies that contract with theme parks to develop attractions that are also contracting with museums to help them develop new exhibits that incorporate some of the same storytelling techniques that we see in theme parks," he said.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts and receives no government funds. Its operation is supported by ticket, merchandise and food sales.

"Thank goodness, we didn't have to buy Atlantis … but we did have to pay all the other expenses," Moore said. Those included draining fuel from the orbiter and designing and constructing the building.

The $100 million price tag "was a big number to us, to be honest, but it's a good number because it allows us to say, 'We're really going to change things here at the visitor complex,'" Moore said. "There are big guys out here doing some pretty cool things," he said. "But having a real space-flown artifact — and we have others as well — it really tells that whole manned space flight story."

Denise Likar and family dropped by the complex while on a six-hour layover between their Cape Canaveral-based cruise and a flight home to Orange County, Calif.

"I've been going through here going 'Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,' " she said. "I know that this feat of being able to pitch a vehicle this heavy is just awe-inspiring."

Robert Holt of Deltona, a self-described "space nut," said he was impressed by the size of the orbiter.

"You just don't know until you're this close to it," he said. "This will draw a lot of visitors."

Robert Shouse of Edgewater sat on the lower level, looking up the wing of Atlantis.

"I'm just in amazement about how far we've come and enjoying the sight of it."



Displaying a big-as-life piece of history can spur children to learn about science and technology, said JoAnn Newman, president of the Orlando Science Center.

"For so many of them, it's textbooks and it's boring and they're afraid of it," she said. "Just to be able to see … a real shuttle, to know where it's gone, where it's been … just to be able to get up close and personal, I think, with such an amazing piece of technology is inspiring."

M.J. Soileau, vice president for research and commercialization at the University of Central Florida, said he likes to think exhibits inspire kids.

"I was a kid when the Russians launched Sputnik, and that was a big deal in my life," he said.

"We hear all the time that kids — or any of us — don't learn much from just reading about stuff. We learn something different when you stand next to it."

Huntsville Stars gun raffle

Huntsville Stars gun raffle, Ballpark promotions in 2013 can range anywhere from giving away bobbleheads to rewarding one lucky fan an all expenses paid funeral, but the Huntsville Stars —Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers — have decided to go with what they’re calling the educational route on Wednesday, July 3 when they hold "Second Amendment Night" at Joe Davis Stadium.

What does that entail exactly?
Well, according to the poster above, NRA members who show their membership at the gate will be given free admission. Also, the Stars will be selling raffle tickets in which winners can redeem their ticket for one of three possible firearms at Larry's Pistol and Pawn.


I understand the clarification. Not sure I like the tone. But I guess the bottom line is that technically, it's not a gun giveaway. It's just a step in the process of giving away firearms.
Here's more from the team courtesy of AL.com:

Stars general manager Buck Rogers said today there will be no guns given away at the game, only the raffle tickets redeemable at Larry's Pistol and Pawn. Guns are prohibited at all Huntsville Stars games.
Man, is that ever good to know.

Rogers said several organizations routinely raffle off guns.
"And since everybody's buying guns hand over fist and Larry's Pistol and Pawn wants to get involved in some sponsorships and they had a line out there a mile long (to buy guns)," Rogers said. "We're having a Second Amendment night to talk about things anyway. It's an educational night. No guns coming to the game. Nobody is giving away guns"
Rogers said the timing of the promotion -- the day before Independence Day -- is the ideal time to hold a Second Amendment celebration.

Rogers also noted the team will be handing out copies of the Declaration of Independence to fans as they enter. I guess that qualifies at the educational part.

AL.com also reports that the office of United States Representative Mo Brooks (R-Alabama) has already confirmed he'll be attending the game to meet with constituents and take part in a ceremony to present Iraq veteran Staff Sergeant James West a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. Staff Sergeant West will then throw out the first pitch.
Security will be beefed up as the team anticipates a crowd of around 8,000. We're sure not all of those fans will agree with the message being sent by the ballclub, so the extra security is a wise call.

Rihanna trespasser

Rihanna trespasser, A trespasser who was caught on the roof of Rihanna's California home this month (Jun13) has pleaded no contest to the charges against him.

Robert Melanson, 26, who was arrested at the singer's Pacific Palisades house on 17 June (13), was convicted of criminal trespassing and sentenced to time served, as well as three years probation.

He was also fined $344 and ordered to complete a year in a mental health treatment program, according to TMZ.com.

Rihanna obtained a restraining order to keep Melanson away from her following the incident.

Sylvester stallone grudge match

Sylvester stallone grudge match, Sylvester Stallone's boxing comedy "Grudge Match," also staring Robert De Niro, is getting a Christmas 2013 release.

The film features Stallone and De Niro as former boxing rivals now in retirement who are enticed to take up their feud once again.

The Peter Segal-directed comedy was originally slated to debut Jan. 10.

"Results of our early screenings have been outstanding, giving us every indication that 'Grudge Match' is a movie that can excel during the Christmas play period," said Dan Fellman, president of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

"With the iconic pairing of De Niro and Stallone, surrounded by such a terrific cast--including comedy greats Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin--we felt it was a perfect opportunity to jump into the holidays and give audiences of all ages a chance to enjoy the movie." Grudge Match" also stars Kim Basinger, Jon Bernthal and Camden Gray.