"LOS ANGELES - A fisherman accused of stabbing a sea lion with a steak
knife after the animal stole his bait was charged Thursday with violating the
federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. "
"An 11-month-old boy was fatally beaten at a home day center, and
authorities have charged a 9-year-old boy also attending the day care with the
death and the center's owner with putting the child in harm's way. Authorities
said the older boy repeatedly hit Tahir Francis in the head a week ago, causing
skull fractures. Tahir was taken to a hospital and died about six hours later
while undergoing surgery."
"If CBS were as proud of Kid Nation as the network would have us believe,
then why were such pains taken to shoot in secrecy, and do it in a state that
did not protect children on show-biz sets, and in such a way that guild rules
didn’t apply? Moonves should lift the gag orders on the 40 children and their
parents who signed a 22-page agreement in which a strict confidentiality clause
prohibits disclosure of information about the show and contact with the media
over the next three years. If violated, a $5 million penalty is levied. I say,
if CBS has nothing to hide, then let everyone involved talk freely.–Nikki Finke,
commending the New York Times"
"ATHENS, Greece - Promises of aid poured in from around Greece and overseas
Friday as firefighters doused most of the huge wildfires that ravaged the Greek
countryside for a week, killing 64 people. "
"Oh, crikey. A San Francisco federal judge appointed by guess-who interferes
with stiffer employer sanctions for businesses that knowingly hire illegal
aliens because she says she needs more “breathing room:”"
"I don’t know what’s more alarming, the fact that they’re so dim to public
sentiment about the war that they’d consider putting one of its architects on
the ticket or the fact that they think Texas might be in play next year and need
him as an insurance policy. Surely also-rans like Brownback and Hunter aren’t so
far in denial about their chances that they’d be thinking about running mates,
so it’s got to be three of these five: Rudy, Romney, McCain, Fred, and Huckabee.
Probably the first three, just because they’re suspect for one reason or another
among conservatives and could use some of Franks’s deep red state appeal."
"At one point, as [Reps.] Moran, Tauscher and Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) were
heading to lunch in the fortified Green Zone, an American urgently tried to get
their attention, apparently to voice concerns about the war effort, the
participants said. Security whisked the man away before he could make his
point…But even such tight control could not always filter out the bizarre world
inside the barricades. At one point, the three were trying to discuss the state
of Iraqi security forces with Iraq’s national security adviser, Mowaffak
al-Rubaie, but the large, flat-panel television set facing the official proved
to be a distraction. Rubaie was watching children’s cartoons.When Moran asked
him to turn it off, Rubaie protested with a laugh and said, “But this is my
favorite television show,” Moran recalled."
"Demonstrators in Lahore, Pakistan, burn the Swedish flag today in protest
against the publication of a drawing of Mohammed."
"In the most recent debate, [Richardson] asked the other major candidates a
clear question: how many troops would you leave behind and for how long? We have
yet to hear an answer. All the major Democratic candidates say they are eager to
end this war, and they all say they don’t believe there is a military solution
in Iraq. Why, then, do they maintain that we must leave an indefinite number of
troops behind for an indeterminate amount of time to work hopelessly towards a
military solution everyone says doesn’t exist?"
"As ThinkProgress reported today, Fox News attacked CBS rival and single mother
Katie Couric for her upcoming trip to Iraq. But while Neil Cavuto, John Gibson
and the gang at Fox grew hysterical about Couric, they remained silent about 26
year old Michelle Ring and other single mothers fighting for the United States
in Iraq. The issue for Fox, of course, is that anyone else’s coverage of Iraq
inevitably brings the facts of Bush’s Baghdad fiasco directly to American
television screens. But in a new low even for Fox, Couric (whose husband passed
away from colon cancer in 1998) was accused of placing her children at risk all
in the name of ratings."
"Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig will announce Saturday he will resign from
the Senate amid a furor over his arrest and guilty plea in a police sex sting in
an airport men’s room, Republican officials said Friday. Craig's communications
director Dan Whiting told the Idaho Statesman, 'I won't say either way.'"
"'I believe that there are millions of Americans who know that our security and
prosperity are at risk if we don't address the challenges of our time,' Thompson
said in a statement. The formal announcement will come in a webcast on September
6, followed by a tour of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. A second leg
will hit Florida and wind up at home in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, on September
15. 'We enter this campaign in a strong position,' said campaign manager Bill
Lacy. 'Fred is consistently near the top in the polls, and conservatives across
the country have put together the closest thing to a draft in recent
presidential campaign history in an effort to bring about this day.' But
Thompson's long-delayed formal entry had made some supporters anxious and
sparked complaints he was violating Federal Election Commission laws by running
a shadow campaign."
"After not being able to persuade the Republicans to agree with Reid’s proposal
for a springtime troop withdrawal, Senator Harry Reid said he will compromise
with them. Reid said, 'I don't think we have to think that our way is the only
way. I'm not saying, 'Republicans, do what we want to do.' Just give me
something that you think you would like to do, that accomplishes some or all of
what I want to do.'"
"Deciding that rehab just wasn't the right thing for her after she fell into a
coma due to an overdose of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, horse tranquilizers, and
ketamine in a London bar on August 8th, Amy Winehouse is doing what any heroin
addict would do. She's making well thought out, logical decisions. Her plan to
help her and her husband solve their relationship problems and kick drugs? A
baby."
"Jude Law has moved onto another woman, a 26 year-old German underwear model,
Susan Hoecke. They looked pretty cozy during their romantic dinner at a Japanese
restaurant in Berlin. Jude is so smooth with the ladies isn't he? I guess it's
easy for him because he's still hot!"
"Ashton Kutcher is in Las Vegas filming his new movie 'What Happens
in Vegas' with Cameron Diaz. Demi Moore visited him on the set. Could it be that
she's worried that Ashton and Cameron will hookup?"
"Sienna Miller was reportedly so hammered that she was literally falling out of
her shoes when photographers spotted her after a fashion launch party in London
last night. Sienna was seen walking into walls and needed the support of friends
to prevent herself from falling. What a party girl. "
"Yesterday evening was the premiere of the movie 'Anna Nicole' which stars Willa
Ford as the title character. Willa didn't show, but other major A-listers did.
Bobby Trendy who plays himself in the film showed as did Chyna Doll and Mary
Carey. Get my sunglasses, I'm blind from all this star power."
"David Beckham doesn't seem too concerned about the fact that his season with
the L.A. Galaxy appears to be over due to ANOTHER injury. It's been pointed out
that I don't know shit about soccer and only an ignoramus like me would be
pissed off that this bitch just got a boatload of paper and played 1 1/2 games."
"Judge Robert Hanson said he issued the stay about noon. Earlier, he had told
the county attorney to instruct the Polk County recorder to stop accepting
same-sex marriage applications. By the time Recorder Julie Haggerty stopped
taking applications around 11 a.m., her office had accepted 21 applications."
"REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - A top Democratic fundraiser wanted as a fugitive in
California turned himself in Friday to face a grand theft charge."
"WASHINGTON - President Bush announced Friday that press secretary Tony Snow,
who has waged a battle with cancer while manning the White House lectern, will
resign and be replaced by his deputy, Dana Perino, on Sept. 14."
"GAZA CITY, Gaza City - A protest of Hamas rule by Fatah supporters turned
violent Friday when Hamas men began forcefully dispersing the crowd, firing in
the air and beating demonstrators and reporters."
"Asked by talk-show host David Letterman if Bill Clinton could serve as her vice
president should she be elected to the White House, the former first lady
acknowledged that he could not. 'Believe me,' she joked, 'he looked into that.'"
"Star Magazine insiders claim ’Mad Money’ star Katie Holmes will be battling her
hubby’s ex Nicole Kidman for the title of Vogue Magazine December 2007
covergirl."
"LOS ANGELES, Calif. (August 31, 2007) — After months of rumors and speculation,
pop princess Britney Spears will finally return with her first artist album in
four years, this fall."
"Five women have testified to his threats during their relationships with him.
Court TV has said that some of the women were credible at his trial, but the
last woman who testified had sold her story to the “Globe”."
"Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the script follows seven stories taking course during
a week in the life of a movie executive, his wife, his mistress, a rock star, a
vampire and a kidnapper. Thornton will play the movie executive, and Basinger
his wife. “Superman star Brandon Routh has been cast as the vampire, while
Ashley Olsen will play a sexually promiscuous girl. "
"Shannon Funk, the former assistant to Britney Spears, is apparently worthy of
paparazzi attention. Granted, she’s sort of hot in a slutty,
hey-she’s-not-Britney kind of way. But this chick is not a celebrity. Want
further proof? She’s hanging out with Jamie Kennedy. "
"Here's Tim Gunn baring his choppers and looking a little tipsy. 'I love your
handbag so much that I'm going to chew on it, darling!' The tall elegant Park
Avenue lady that is Mr. Gunn has a new show that premieres Sept. 9 on Bravo.
It's called 'Tim Gunn's Guide to Style'. Who gives a shit? What's up with
'Project Runway'? I need 'Project Runway' like Amy Winehouse needs a rail to
blow"
"Kim Kardashian, had a less than friendly reception at Tangerine nightclub in
Vegas last night. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Kim, who was in
town to support the launch of friend and other Paris pal, Caroline D'Amore's new
clothing line, was booed at the club! "
"So, Linds has been through a lot this year. Currently she's in a rehab
facility in Utah... but hasn't it been a month already? Lohan checked in just
days after her July 24th car chase, and now it's August 30th. The minimum length
of stay at the Cirque Lodge treatment center is thirty days - of course, she
might stay longer. It's nice out there! But if not, and Lindsay decides to
return to her L.A. life soon, will she be ready, rested and rehabilitated? "
"One of our videographers was posted up outside of Area last night when he
happened to notice a sight which we've been seeing more and more often lately -
the subpoena-delivery team who works for K-Fed's lawyer! Even the now-infamous
Israeli ex-commando Aaron Cohen made an appearance, watching over his team as
they watched the clubgoers making their way home. Unfortunately for Cohen and
his crew, service was a little slow last night - despite waiting for hours (and
passing the time by smoking cigarettes by the dozen), the team eventually packed
up and left without handing anyone any papers. The big question, then: just who
do you think they were at Area to serve?"
"The nine-months-pregnant Hayek (dad is her fiancé, Francois-Henri Pinault, 45,
CEO of luxury goods company PPR) even received doubles of several gifts off her
registry at L.A.’s NoMi Boutique. She got Petunia Pickle Bottom Cake bags in
both black ($325) and pink ($425), as well as two Bloom high chairs ($400 each)
and Graco Snug Ride car seats ($130 each). “She was very excited about
everything,” said Pia Lindstrom, who attended the party, where guests –
including Hayek’s mother – enjoyed homemade Mexican food. "
"These paparazzi have learned, much like Jane Goodall did by studying her
subjects from a distance for years, that the way to approach a Cameron Diaz in
the Mist is to try to come bearing gifts. That way, you're much more likely NOT
to end up with a camera being thrown in your own face. So, to celebrate Cammie's
35th birthday, the paps met our girl on the set of her comedy, 'What Happens in
Vegas,' with a bouquet of balloons, emblazoned with 'Happy Birthday!' on them. I
guess it worked, cause I don't see any bloody noses left in Cameron's wake. Good
work guys...this time. "
