Family of 5 shot dead by Suicidal Father

By DAVID SHARP
SACO, Maine (AP) - A suicidal man having financial problems killed his wife, three children and then himself over the weekend, police said Monday.
Detectives said 33-year-old Joel Smith shot his family inside their apartment about 11:30 p.m. Saturday with a 12-gauge shotgun.
Twelve-year-old Jason Montez and 7-year-old Noah Montez were shot to death in their separate bedrooms. Thirty-five-year-old Heather Smith and 4-year-old Lily Smith were shot in the parents' bed. Joel Smith's body was found on the floor nearby, the gun by his side.
Police said no suicide note was found, but investigators said the wife had told a family friend the night of the shooting that Joel Smith recently had threatened suicide. The friend later contacted an apartment complex worker to express concerns about the family's well-being, leading to the grisly discovery, investigators said.
The family had domestic issues and financial problems, said Sgt. Christopher Harriman, a state police detective.
The family had moved from Arizona because of the sour economy, said Joel Smith's mother, Jerys Caruthers-Thorpe, of Scottsdale, Arizona. Heather Smith also was getting help for substance abuse, Caruthers-Thorpe said.
"I know something had to have snapped because Joel never would have done that in his right mind," she told The Associated Press.
Neighbors described the father as well known in the apartment complex along the Saco River because he worked for a company that provided maintenance services. They said he was friendly and outgoing.
Smith, who was a carpenter and builder, decided to follow his father to Maine in hopes of escaping the tough economy out West, Caruthers-Thorpe said.
Only recently, she said, her son had realized his wife was suffering from addiction, and they'd talked about moving back to Phoenix.
"They were having problems, serious problems," she said. "They were in the process of trying to get some help."
Many people who knew the family described Smith as friendly and outgoing, an assessment shared by his mother. "He was very talented, and artistic, and a perfectionist, and a very devoted family man," she said.

Firearms manufacturer is facing charges of making improper payments to foreign officials to win supply contracts

Firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson has agreed to pay $2 million to settle U.S. government charges over bribes the company allegedly paid out to foreign officials between 2007 and 2010.
The Springfield, Mass.-based company had faced charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission, which said employees and representatives of the company made improper payments to military and political officials in Pakistan, Indonesia and other foreign countries in order to win coveted firearm supply contracts in those countries.
Smith & Wesson’s alleged actions violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the SEC said Monday, adding that the company “profited by more than $100,000″ from the one contract to be completed before the authorities caught wind of the activities.
In addition to the $2 million payment, Smith & Wesson has agreed to report its FCPA compliance efforts to the SEC for a period of two years. Smith & Wesson, which has fired its entire international sales staff as a result of the charges, is neither admitting nor denying the SEC’s charges as part of the settlement announced Monday.
“This is a wake-up call for small and medium-size businesses that want to enter into high-risk markets and expand their international sales,” Kara Brockmeyer, chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s FCPA Unit, said in a statement. “When a company makes the strategic decision to sell its products overseas, it must ensure that the right internal controls are in place and operating.”
Smith & Wesson CEO James Debney says he believes the settlement “is in the best interests” of the company and its shareholders.
“Today’s announcement brings to conclusion a legacy issue for our company that commenced more than four years ago, and we are pleased to now finally put this matter behind us,” Debney said in a statement

Clippers to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer

By BRIAN MELLEY
 

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A judge ruled against Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling on Monday in his attempt to block the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
In the tentative ruling, Superior Court Judge Michael Levanas sided with Sterling's estranged wife Shelly Sterling, who burst into tears when the ruling was announced.
"I can't believe it's over. I feel good," she said.
Shelly Sterling negotiated the sale of the team after the 80-year-old billionaire was banned by the NBA for making offensive remarks about blacks.
She sought approval from a probate judge for the deal she struck after removing her husband from the trust that owned the team when doctors found he had signs of Alzheimer's disease and couldn't manage his affairs.
Donald Sterling claimed his wife deceived him about the medical exams.
He later revoked the trust after she negotiated the record-setting sales price and his lawyers argued that the move killed the deal. They said the case didn't belong in probate court because the trust had been dissolved.
The ruling in Los Angeles County Superior Court is unlikely to put an end to the bizarre saga that began in April when a recording surfaced of Sterling scolding his young girlfriend for bringing black men to Clippers games. The NBA moved quickly to ban Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million.
Sterling was apologetic after the audio recording went viral, but his mea culpa backfired when he criticized Lakers great Magic Johnson, who had been photographed with Sterling's girlfriend, as a bad role model for kids because he had HIV. Sterling was roundly criticized from locker rooms to the Oval Office, where President Barack Obama called Sterling's remarks "incredibly offensive racist statements."
With the NBA threatening to seize the team and auction it, Sterling initially gave his wife of 58 years permission to negotiate a sale but then refused to sign it. He said he would sue the league instead and then revoked the trust.
The nonjury trial held over several weeks focused mainly on whether Shelly Sterling properly removed her husband as a trustee and whether her actions carried any weight after he revoked the trust.
Donald Sterling's lawyers contended that his wife and her lawyers conspired to trick him and that the mental exams by two doctors were faulty. They said Sterling didn't know his competency as a trustee was being evaluated and that he showed no signs of incompetence on the witness stand.
In combative testimony, Sterling said he would "never, ever sell" the team he bought in 1981 for about $12 million. He vowed to fight the NBA in court until the day he dies.
Before taking the stand, he kissed his wife and then testified that he loved her. But the following day when she approached him in court he yelled, "get away from me, you pig!"
Sterling, a lawyer who made a fortune as a landlord, has filed an antitrust lawsuit in federal court against the NBA and he sued his wife, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the league in state court.
Lawyers for Shelly Sterling and Ballmer had urged the judge to let the sale go through because it was in the best interest of the family trust. They said an auction was less likely to bring such a high price and that coach Doc Rivers, key players and sponsors were likely to walk if Donald Sterling's ownership was prolonged.
"The trust has a golden bird in the hand," Shelly Sterling's lawyers wrote in court papers. "A sale of the Clippers for $2 billion is indisputably a bonanza for the Sterling family. Donald's strident opposition is motivated by only selfish considerations."
Donald Sterling said he could get more for the team by also selling TV rights and through his $9 billion suit against the league.

Billionaire Carlos Slim suggests three-day work week

If you like those 4 day weekends that happen only a couple times a year, then you'll definitely like this guy: Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim thinks the work week should only be THREE days long. He's the second richest man in the world thanks to Telemex, his telecom company ... and some of his employees are able to retire before they even hit 50.
They have the option of a four day work week, and Slim wants to slim that down even more. The billionaire believes this could help people balance their home and work lives better.
But there's a catch. Those three days would consist of 11-hours at the office and you'd likely be working into your 70s -- that's roughly 9 years longer than the average retirement age of workers in the U.S. So there's a few things to consider.
And a policy director told CBS Moneywatch says the idea might seem great to Slim ... the average person doesn't want to work that long -- billionaires, on the other hand, have a lot more fun at theirs jobs.
Some companies, like Google, already offer a compressed work week -- and CNN sites a survey conducted in 2008 that revealed 59% of participants wanted the option.

Cameron Diaz ends interview following insult -- and proves she's a great friend

 
When interviewing celebrities it's best not to offend them -- particularly when you're speaking with them over the phone and they can just hang up.
Cameron Diaz and her 'Sex Tape' co-star Jason Segel joined KIIS 106.5's 'Kyle and Jackie O's Radio Show' and, while the interview started pleasantly enough, it took a turn when host Kyle Sandilands made a comparison between young co-star Giselle Eisenberg and Diaz's best friend Drew Barrymore.
Then, to make things worse, Sandilands tries to pivot the conversation to her rumored new boyfriend, Benji madden of 'Good Charlotte,' which Diaz refused to even respond to.
Ultimately the 41-year-old star gets back on the line and says that they have to go, politely thanks them for their time ... and hangs up.
As clueless as Sandilands was throughout the interview, at least he wasn't as bad as Charlie Stayt during his interview with Jennifer Aniston back in 2011. Instead of offending an actress's friends -- he went straight for the actress.
Listen for yourself in the clip above.


If Diaz's killer retort doesn't make you want to be her friend, these photos from her 'Tonight Show' interview might -- the woman knows how to have fun:

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/23/diaz-ends-interview-after-offensive-question/20935592/?ncid=webmail1

Typhoon kills 11 in Vietnam; China deaths up to 26

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A typhoon that barreled into northern Vietnam killed at least 11 people and left several missing, state media said Monday, while in China the death toll from the strongest storm to strike the country's south in four decades rose to 26.
Typhoon Rammasun made landfall in Vietnam over the weekend, triggering heavy floods, destroying homes and crops, and blocking roads with landslides, said the Vietnam News, an English-language daily published by the official Vietnam News Agency.
The paper's website carried photos that showed streets and local markets in the city of Lang Son and elsewhere submerged in water, with residents floating on rubber tires or rafts or huddling under makeshift tents.
Rammasun had earlier battered southern China, killing 26 people and destroying tens of thousands of homes, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.
It was the strongest typhoon to hit China's southern region in 41 years, damaging roads and ports, cutting electricity and water supplies, and hampering rescue efforts as it swept through dozens of coastal cities.
Worst hit was the island province of Hainan, where the storm made its first landfall Friday. By Monday, 51,000 houses and 40,600 hectares (100,300 acres) of crops had been destroyed.
The typhoon wreaked havoc in the northern Philippines last week, leaving 94 people dead.


http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/21/typhoon-kills-11-in-vietnam-china-deaths-up-to-26/20934171/?ncid=webmail32

2 Americans among dozens killed in fighting in Gaza strip Sunday

 
The young men's love of Israel ultimately led them to join the Israel Defense Forces, and they ended up fighting for the Jewish state in the Gaza Strip this week.
On Sunday, Steinberg, 24, and Carmeli, 21, were killed there. They were among 13 Israeli soldiers and 65 Palestinians killed Sunday during the first major ground battle in two weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas.Steinberg, whose family lives in Southern California's San Fernando Valley, was a sharpshooter for the Golani Brigade, his father, Stuart Steinberg, told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Earlier Sunday, the IDF said in a statement that Carmeli, 21, a sergeant, was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip. Carmeli was from South Padre Island, Texas, said Deputy Consul General of Israel to the Southwest Maya Kadosh. She said Carmeli moved to Israel four years ago and added that the consulate helped his family get a flight there Sunday.
Rabbi Asher Hecht of Chabad of the Rio Grande Valley, who is a longtime family friend, said Carmeli joined the Israeli army after finishing high school in Israel and was in the Golani Brigade. Carmeli was from Ra'anana, Israel, according to the IDF statement.
"He had great energy, yet had a kind and gentle soul," Hecht said. "It's been a very tough day for us," he added. "We lost a gem."
Carmeli was the youngest of three and has two sisters who currently live in Israel. He was "loved by his parents infinitely," Hecht said.
Steinberg was living in Beersheba, Israel. He attended Pierce College and El Camino Real High School in Southern California.
He visited Israel for the first time on a Birthright Israel trip with his younger brother and sister in June 2012, his father said. When he returned, he made an announcement to his parents that he was planning to return and join the IDF, Steinberg said. He made good on that promise less than six months later, making the move in December.
"He went back," Steinberg said. "He was completely dedicated and committed to serving the country of Israel. He was focused, he was clear in what the mission was, and he was dedicated to the work he needed to be doing."
On Sunday morning, the Steinbergs were visited by representatives from the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles. They broke the news of Max Steinberg's death.
Stuart Steinberg last spoke to his son at 4 a.m. Saturday California time, hours before his death. Max Steinberg called his father to tell him that his group had been injured when two of their tanks collided. They had to return to Israel for treatment at the hospital. Some soldiers had broken bones, and Max Steinberg had sprained his back, his father said.
"He called me up at 4 a.m. that morning and said he'd be returning to Gaza, back to combat, to be with his friends," Steinberg said.
Steinberg said the family is leaving on Monday for Israel, where their son will be buried. On Max Steinberg's Facebook page, hundreds of people liked a profile photo that appeared to be a selfie of him in uniform, armed, with his helmet on. Dozens gave their condolences.
Jay Sanderson, who heads The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, said in an email message to the community that "our thoughts are with his family and our community is committed to support them in any way they need - and to honor Max's memory."
The Jewish Federations of North America said in a statement that its "deepest sympathies" were with the families of 18 Israeli soldiers killed over the last two days. "Along with all of Israel, and the entire Jewish People, we mourn their loss as if they were our own," the statement said.
On Sunday night, the U.S. State Department confirmed the deaths of Steinberg and Carmeli.
"We can confirm the deaths of U.S. citizens Max Steinberg and Sean Carmeli in Gaza. Out of respect for those affected by this, we have nothing further at this time," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

$23.6 Billion Awarded To Widow In Smoking Lawsuit

A Florida jury awarded a smoker's widow one of the largest ever legal wins against a tobacco company - a whopping $23.6 billion in punitive damages.

Cynthia Robinson sued the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, maker of Camel cigarettes and other tobacco products, for not informing her husband that cigarettes are addictive and can cause lung cancer.

Robinson told NBC: "They concealed information that was harmful to a human for years."

Robinson's husband, Michael Johnson, died in 1996 of lung cancer at just 36 years old after smoking for most of his life.

This award is the highest amount a jury in Florida has ordered since 2006. But, why such a high amount?

Again, the jury ruled that Robinson be given the $23.6 billion in punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant and are paid to the plaintiff. Then, $16.8 million was awarded for compensatory damages - damages for covering what was lost - in this case Robinson's husband. She gets those too.

A New York Times article included a quote from a high profile lawyer who explained a verdict this pricey is not typical. "There have not been multibillion-dollar punishments in the Engle cases for one reason: We are afraid to ask for them. We are afraid of what will happen in the appellate process,"

There aren't a lot of details out yet about what went on in that courtroom to make the jury decide on such a high amount. Robinson's lawyers are speaking out though.

NPR reports attorney Christopher Chestnut said, ​"The jury wanted to send a statement that tobacco cannot continue to lie to the American people and the American government about the addictiveness of ... the deadly chemicals in their cigarettes."

And attorney Willie Gary told WPTV, "We've made a difference already. I think less people are gonna smoke. I think that the tobacco companies are going to get their act together. They're gonna make safer cigarettes. We know they can. They'll just make a little bit less money, but they'll save a whole lot of lives and that's what its all about."

Obviously, R.J. Reynolds is not thrilled about the verdict. Pensacola News Journal obtained a statement from Reynold's vice president Jeffery Raborn saying, "This verdict goes far beyond the realm of reasonableness and fairness, and is completely inconsistent with the evidence presented."

CNN pointed out this case used to be part of a class-action lawsuit that was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court. In its 2006 ruling, the court cleared the way for individual lawsuits against tobacco companies.

R.J. Reynolds reps say they plan to appeal the ruling.

 http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/21/23-6-billion-awarded-to-widow-in-smoking-lawsuit/20934172/?ncid=webmail11

3 teens held in Albuquerque homeless killings

3 TEENS HELD IN ALBUQUERQUE HOMELESS KILLINGS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- Three teenagers ganged up on two homeless men and fatally beat them before leaving their bodies nearly unrecognizable, Albuquerque police said Sunday.
Alex Rios, 18, and two boys, ages 16 and 15, are being held in Bernalillo County detention facilities a day after allegedly killing the victims in an open field, police spokesman Simon Drobik said.
A criminal complaint filed by police says Rios has been charged with two counts each of murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree felony and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He also faces three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count each of tampering with evidence and robbery.
The younger boys will likely be charged with murder as adults, Drobik said. The Associated Press is withholding their names because of their age.
"I personally, after reading that complaint, was sick to my stomach because of the nature of the violence and the age of the offenders," Drobik said.
Officers responded Saturday around 8 a.m. to a 911 call reporting two bodies in a field. They found one victim lying on a mattress and another lying on the ground. Jerome Eskeets, a third victim who said he was able to flee, was hospitalized for his injuries.
Eskeets told police that he recognized one of the "kids" hitting and kicking him as someone who lived in a house nearby. Police went to the home and found the three suspects, according to the complaint. The homeowner identified the 15 and 16-year-old as his children and Rios as a friend who had spent the night.
Investigators say in the complaint that blood on the waist band of 15-year-old's shorts triggered further investigating and interviews with all three.
Rios told investigators he acted as a lookout while the other boys attacked both men with bricks, sticks and a metal fence pole. He said the victims were struck all over, including in the face and chest.
The younger suspects, however, told police that Rios also took part in the attacks. Both boys said they wanted to look for someone to beat up and possibly rob.
Both describe how all three covered their faces with black T-shirts before walking over to the victims, who were lying down. Then the trio allegedly used various objects to attack the men, including cinder blocks. According to the 15-year-old, they all took turns picking up cinder blocks over their heads and smashing them into the men's faces more than 10 times.
The suspects said after the attack, they took one victim's driver's license and debit card. The license was found in the teens' home, police said.
According to the 15-year-old, all three have previously attacked homeless people around Albuquerque. Police are now going to look into open cases involving attacks on transients to see if they are related, Drobik said.
Meanwhile, investigators have not yet officially confirmed the identities of the two victims. Their transient background and the severity of their injuries have made identifying them somewhat difficult, Drobik said.
The department is asking anyone in the homeless community with information to get in touch with them. Drobik said any transients uncomfortable approaching police can also contact them through any social service agency.
"Just please come forward," Drobik said

 http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/21/3-teens-held-in-albuquerque-homeless-killings/20934127/?ncid=webmail6

Mexico: Sex abuse at group home house of horror

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ
ZAMORA, Mexico (AP) - Mexican prosecutors said Wednesday that victims told harrowing tales of sexual abuse, beatings, hunger and filth in a once well-regarded group home where authorities freed a total of 607 adults and children in a raid.
Some were forced into sex by shelter employees and others told of being locked in a tiny punishment room without food or water. Ten of the victims were so malnourished police couldn't even determine their age.
"Victim No. 4 said she had been held in the group home against her will since she was 18," said Tomas Zeron, federal chief of criminal investigations. "She was sexually abused by one of the administrators, and got pregnant as a result of the abuse. The same person beat her to cause an abortion, beating her in the stomach on several occasions."
Two boys told investigators a male staff member had forced them to engage in oral sex and warned one of the boys that "he would kill him and sell his organs if he refused," Zeron said.
In total, the police raid on Tuesday freed six babies, 154 girls, 278 boys, 50 women and 109 men from the filthy shelter, where Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam said inmates lived among 20 tons of garbage.
Nine employees of the shelter in the western state of Michoacan have been detained and are being questioned, but Murillo Karam said some others apparently tried to protect the children.
"There are statements that truly hurt, that make you angry," Murillo Karam said. "But there are others that save your faith in humanity, about those who truly converted themselves into protectors of the children."
Authorities have said that the group home had once been highly regarded and that the government had sometimes given money or even entrusted children to the shelter. While it was subject to government oversight, Murillo Karam said that "the institute's prestige may have made the inspections less intense."
Earlier Wednesday, the mother of a boy held at the group home said that she was allowed to see her child only three times a year and that the home's owner demanded $2,800 to release him.
Veronica Gamina told The Associated Press by telephone that four years ago she took her then 9-year-old boy to The Great Family group home in the city of Zamora because she had to work and couldn't take care of him.
When she returned to reclaim her now 13-year-old boy, "they told me to write letters explaining why I wanted him back, then they asked me for 37,000 pesos ($2,800) but I make 800 pesos ($60) a week and couldn't get the money together," Gamina said. She spoke from outside the home, which was being guarded by police, and where she said about 70 parents had gathered.
Gamina, a 28-year-old sandwich shop worker, said she went to authorities after hearing about conditions at the home from someone who escaped.
The federal Attorney General's Office said the children remained in the home Wednesday and authorities made sure they were being fed while officials looked for places to transfer them. The youngsters were also being checked by doctors.
The investigation began after five parents filed complaints last year with authorities because they weren't allowed to see their children at the home, Michoacan Gov. Salvador Jara said.
One was a woman who grew up and gave birth to two children at the home, which has been open for at least 40 years. That woman was allowed to leave when she was 31, but the home's owner kept the youngsters, who were registered under the owner's name, Zeron said.
Police detained the owner, Rosa del Carmen Verduzco, and eight workers for questioning. Verduzco was hospitalized soon after for treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes, but was in good condition. Murrillo Karam said there had been testimony that might implicate her, but he would not say to what degree.
Verduzco, known in Zamora as "Mama Rosa," is a noted local children rights activist whose group home was often visited by politicians. Local media on Wednesday published several photographs of her with former President Vicente Fox, former Michoacan Gov. Leonel Godoy and other officials.
Murillo Karam said the home's residents were kept in deplorable conditions, fed rotten food and made to sleep on the floor among rats, ticks and fleas and many were never allowed to leave the premises.

35 Disney Employees Arrested On Child Sex Charges In Less Than 10 Years

 
Disney employees in and around Florida have been arrested and accused of sex crimes involving children since 2006, CNN reports as part of a six-month investigation. So far, 32 of those cases have resulted in convictions.

"Wherever you find children, you'll find sexual predators that want to be there," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. The report reveals an urgent problem plaguing our theme parks.
One of the men whose case is still pending is 49-year-old Robert Kingsolver of Orlando. Kingsolver worked as a ride repair manager at Magic Kingdom until he was accused of attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex in Lake County. His arrest was one of 22 in a February sting operation conducted by the Lake County Sheriff's Cyber Crime Unit, according to WESH.
"My life is ruined," Kingsolver told CNN at his home, where he's on house arrest. "My family's life is ruined. My kids' life is ruined. I've devastated my parents because of bad judgment."
Kingsolver, who pleaded not guilty, is just one of dozens of Disney and Universal Studios employees charged in stings recorded in the investigation. Other employees arrested over possession of child pornography or arranging to meet minors for sex include security guards, a costumer, a tour guide, a gift shop employee and maintenance workers.
During that same sting in February, 32-year-old Patrick Holgerson -- then a character actor with Disney -- was accused of sending nude photos to someone he thought was a 13-year-old boy. When he arrived to meet the boy, he was greeted by police, CNN reports. Holgerson also faces charges for failing to disclose his HIV status to a sexual partner.
Tyler Edge, another Disney employee, allegedly brought a knife and condoms to the sting operation. Joel Torres, 32, who listed his employer as Walt Disney World, allegedly brought condoms to a home where he thought he was meeting a 14-year-old.
Patrick Holgerson, Joel Torres and Robert Kingsolver Earlier this month, a sting in Central Florida led to 16 arrests, including a Universal Studios employee and two Disney workers, 26-year-old Zachary Spencer and Allen Treaster, 40.
READ THE FULL REPORT AT CNN
Disney maintains that it has "extensive measures in place" to thwart child predators before they're employed, including background checks and computer monitoring. The Disney theme park in Florida has about 70,000 employees.
"The numbers reported by CNN represent one one-hundredth of 1 percent of the 300,000 people we have employed during this time period," spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler said. "We continue to work closely with law enforcement and organizations, like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as we constantly strengthen our efforts."
Still, the charges are widespread and egregious

O.J. Simpson reportedly pursuing Kris Jenner from prison

OJ Simpson may be behind bars, but that's not stopping him from lookin' for love.

The former football star is reportedly trying to romance none other than Kris Jenner.

An insider told The National ENQUIRER he's putting on the old fashioned charm and writing the Kardashian momma *love letters.*
The paper's headline isn't so endearing though, saying the 66-year-old is "begging Kris Jenner to hook up." But we're sure he's a bit out of touch. He has been in jail since 2008 and now it's a whole new world filled with selfies and snapchat...and a lot of texting.

The source told the paper O.J. has been "laying it on thick in his letters, telling her how beautiful he thinks she is and what wonderful memories he has of their time together. He's told her she's one of the sexiest, most intelligent women he's ever met – and he wishes things had turned out differently between them."

Kris, on the other hand, denies everything and reportedly has no plans to visit him. Awkward.

But Simpson might not just want to woo the momager-

Last year rumor spread that he might be the biological father of Khloe Kardashian. We can imagine that topic will make for a very uncomfortable first date.

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/14/o-j-simpson-reportedly-pursuing-kris-jenner-from-prison/20930610/?ncid=webmail21

"Unlocking The Truth" signs a 1.7 million Record Deal With Sony recently opens for Guns and Roses

When I was 13, I was just building up the courage to have my first kiss with my first girlfriend. When guitarist Malcolm Brickhouse, bassist Alec Atkins, and drummer Jarad Dawkins were 13, they signed a two-record deal with Sony. (Actually, Dawkins is only 12!)
As the metal band Unlocking the Truth, the trio of Brooklyn 8th graders got their start doing some serious busking around Times Square. Now, Sony has picked up the hardcore teens (and tween) for a guaranteed two-album deal with the option for four more. The deal secures $60,000 up-front for the boys on their first LP, with a possible $350,000 advance on their second. What’s more, if Sony goes all the way with the six-record contract, the band could net upwards of $1.7 million(!!). Because of the members’ ages, the contract had to be approved in the Manhattan Supreme Court, which it was.
Alan Sacks, the band’s manager, told The NY Post that the deal gives a group of young, black musicians a chance to redefine the perception of metal music, a genre typically dominated by white artists. The Post does say, however, that the contract’s a bit tricky. Though the boys will get an exceptional 16%-17% royalties on their sales, that only comes after 250,000 records are sold. For comparison, Beyoncé’s last record sold 600,000.
According to the NY Daily News, the group was discovered performing in Washington Square Park back in 2012 by Steve Jordan, drummer for Eric Clapton. That led to gigs playing across the country, including opening for Guns ‘N’ Roses in Vegas, a current spot on the Vans Warped Tour, a gig with Queens of the Stone Age next weekend, and even an opening slot on Coachella’s main stage. “What started out as play dates went to Times Square and now this,” said Dawkins’ mother, Tabatha. “It’s been one great thing after another.” For you concerned mothers out there, don’t worry; Dawkins said the boys are all solid students. “School work comes first. If their school work is not done, they don’t play.”
Dawkins revealed Unlocking the Truth also has a book deal from Penguin and will film a documentary about their rise. Below, watch the band stir up a mosh pit with “Monster” at Coachella’s second weekend this year.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puHDeb7gW7I

Khloe Kardashian admits she knew Lamar Odom was cheating

On "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," Khloe admitted that her ex-husband Lamar Odom was cheating on her with another woman. Khloe Kardashian said, "Let me tell you something! Last year on my birthday, I lied to everyone, because I had to lie and say I was with my husband, when in fact, my husband was missing with another girl! Okay?!"

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After her shocking cheating confession, Hollywood Life called Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom's marriage "far worse than we had ever imagined."
And the Los Angeles Times brought up some unsettling things that Lamar said in interviews earlier this year while doing media rounds, even though the couple was well on their way to divorce at that point.
The LA times reports, "At the time, Odom said that he loved her and that she would 'always be my wife.' He also hoped that their divorce, which Kardashian filed for in December, wouldn't go through ... Odom added that his years with Kardashian were some of the 'best years' of his life and that he had been wearing his wedding ring full-time."
But Khloe said he was lying, and that she hadn't talked to him in months. And Kris, Khloe's mom, seemed to think the reason Lamar was saying these things was probably because he just wanted things to go back to the way they were before.
But it doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon. As Metro pointed out, we still don't know exactly with whom Lamar was cheating, but Khloe has since moved on and is now dating rap star French Montana. You do you, girl.

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/14/khloe-kardashian-admits-she-knew-lamar-odom-was-cheating/20930669/?ncid=webmail4

Taylor Swift: Autographs Are Obsolete Because Of Selfies

The Wall Street Journal's newest columnist, Taylor Swift -- yes, that Taylor Swift -- has a message for all you old fogies out there: Autographs are so over.
"I haven't been asked for an autograph since the invention of the iPhone with a front-facing camera," Swift wrote Monday in her WSJ column on the future of music. She called autographs "obsolete."
For young people, Instagram followers are "currency," she argued. And she has a point. Instagram is the most important social network for teens, according to a recent survey by the investment bank Piper Jaffray. How are you suppose to impress your friends with a name scribbled on a piece of paper?
If anyone can tell us what the kids are into, it's their fearless leader. She's got 9.7 million Instagram followers, 41.7 million Twitter followers and 66.6 million Facebook "Likes." (Plus seven Grammys, but who's counting?)

Generally, there's nothing wrong with celebrity selfies. The only potential problem for teens -- who will someday grow up and value money -- is that you can't sell selfies on eBay. The whole autograph industry collapses if selfies become the norm.
Just be careful out there when snapping selfies with the rich and famous. A recent example comes from the Tour de France, during which spectators were stepping in front of cyclists in order to take selfies with them as they passed.

Lifeguard Ben Carlson, 32, drowns during rescue off S. California

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) - A lifeguard drowned while trying to rescue a swimmer off a Southern California beach Sunday, authorities said.
Ben Carlson, 32, was pulled from the water around 8 p.m. PDT by fellow lifeguards following a frantic, three-hour search, Newport Beach Fire Department Chief Scott Poster said.
Poster said the 15-year department veteran went into the water to help a swimmer struggling in the water when they were hit by a large wave. Carlson went under water, and the swimmer made it to shore safely. Poster said searchers were hampered by up to 12-foot swells.
"It was just an utter tragedy to lose a man of that caliber in the water today," the chief said, noting that it was the first time a city lifeguard died in the line of duty.
"Ben was a well-respected individual, always a nice guy, always was there to help somebody," Poster said. "He'd give his shirt off his back at anytime."
The National Weather Service had issued a warning Sunday of dangerous rip currents and high surf along Southern California beaches. The weather service said some beaches saw up to 8-feet high surf.
Los Angeles County firefighters rescued a 25-year-old man who was caught in the waves off Rancho Palos Verdes and high tide breached a sand berm in Long Beach.
The lifeguard's death came a day after a 50-year-old long-distance swimmer and former lifeguard was bitten by a shark off Manhattan Beach.
Authorities and witnesses said the 7-foot-long juvenile had been trying to free itself from a fisherman's hook when it lunged at Steven Robles' chest.
The beaches remained open, but police prohibited fishing from the Manhattan Beach pier where the fisherman hooked the shark until Tuesday.

Report: More than 60 girls escaped Boko Haram Friday

CNN reports that 63 girls and women being held hostage by Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram managed to escape Friday, reportedly taking advantage of a 'rare opportunity' that is believed to have been created by an insurgent seize.

Nigerian newspaper This Day Live says, "It is believed that the siege by the insurgents on military and security facilities last Friday in Damboa might have presented the women with an opportunity to flee from their abductors."

Background:

In a series of village raids in June, Boko Haram kidnapped more than 60 women and girls and 30 boys, according to The Guardian. That's in addition to the 200 school girls they took hostage in April.

There are estimated to be more than 650,000 refugees in Nigeria because of Boko Haram's attacks.

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/07/report-more-than-60-girls-escaped-boko-haram-friday/20925860/?ncid=webmail1

At 116, Arkansas woman named oldest American

By Jill Bleed
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A south Arkansas woman celebrated her 116th birthday Friday with cake, a party and a new title - she's now officially the oldest confirmed living American and second-oldest person in the world, the Gerontology Research Group said.
Gertrude Weaver spent her birthday at home at Silver Oaks Health and Rehabilitation in Camden, about 100 miles southwest of Little Rock. This year's festivities included the new award from the Gerontology Research Group, which analyzed U.S. Census records to determine that Weaver is the oldest living American, rather than 115-year-old Jeralean Talley, who was born in 1899.
The research group, which consults with the Guinness Book of World Records, found that the 1900 Census listed Weaver as 2 years old - putting her birthday in 1898, said Robert Young, the research group's database administrator and senior consultant for Guinness.
That makes Weaver the second-oldest person in the world behind 116-year-old Misao Okawa of Japan and the 11th oldest person of all time, he said.
"Normally, 116 would be old enough to be the world's oldest person," Young said. "There's kind of heavy competition at the moment."
Weaver was born in southwest Arkansas near the border with Texas, and was married in 1915. She and her husband had four children, all of whom have died except for a 93-year-old son. Along with Census records, the Gerontology Research Group used Weaver's 1915 marriage certificate, which listed her age as 17, to confirm her birth year, Young said.
Although no birth record exists for Weaver, she celebrates her birthday each year on July 4 and did the same this year. At her 115th birthday party last year, Weaver was "waving and just eating it all up," said Vicki Vaughan, the marketing and admissions director at Silver Oaks.
"Most people want to know, 'Well, can she talk?'" Vaughan said. "Her health is starting to decline a little bit this year - I can tell a difference from last year, but she still is up and gets out of the room and comes to all of her meals, comes to activities. She'll laugh and smile and clap."
Weaver first stayed at the Camden nursing home at the age of 104 after she suffered a broken hip, Vaughan said. But Weaver recovered after rehabilitation and moved back home with her granddaughter, before returning to the nursing home at the age of 109.
Weaver cited three factors for her longevity: "Trusting in the Lord, hard work and loving everybody."
"You have to follow God. Don't follow anyone else," she told the Camden News this week. "Be obedient and follow the laws and don't worry about anything. I've followed him for many, many years and I ain't tired."

Michael Strahan -- Knife-Wielding Nut Threatens to Kill Talk Show Host

A homeless man went to ABC studios in NYC Tuesday with a knife and threatened to kill Michael Strahan ... NYPD officials confirm to TMZ.

Andre Johnson appeared Tuesday AM at the Times Square studio where "Good Morning America" is shot. The 25-year-old man showed up at around 8:00 AM ... when the cast often walks out onto the sidewalk set to interact with onlookers.

Police say Johnson got into an argument with

security, pulled a knife and said he was there to kill Strahan -- who makes appearances on "GMA" in addition to hosting "LIVE! With Kelly and Michael."

A cop working security then subdued Johnson and secured the knife.

The NY Post -- which broke the story -- says the man was charged with felony attempted assault as well as menacing and criminal possession of a weapon. It appears he's being held without bail.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2014/07/02/michael-strahan-knife-kill-kelly-and-michael-abc-gma/#ixzz36JtpsCnW

'Hot convict' Jeremy Meeks scores modeling contract in LA

 

It looks like all the attention from Twitter has scored convicted felon Jeremy Meeks a modeling contract. TMZ reports Meeks has signed a $30,000 contract with Blaze Modelz in Los Angeles. Apparently, his manager is already getting death threats for it.

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/07/02/hot-convict-jeremy-meeks-scores-modeling-contract-in-la/20923842/?ncid=webmail8

Graceland may remove Elvis Presley's old airplanes

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - For 30 years, tourists from around the world have paid money to get a look at two airplanes once owned by Elvis Presley at the Graceland tourist attraction in Memphis. By April of next year, the planes could be gone.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, which operates the Graceland tourist attraction, has written to the planes' owners saying it wants the jets, named Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II, removed from Graceland in late April 2015. The planes were sold after Presley's death, and were eventually purchased by OKC Partnership in Memphis.
OKC Partnership and Graceland agreed to bring the two jets to Graceland, where they have been a popular tourist attraction since the mid-1980s.