Sandusky Death Row Inmates

Sandusky Death Row Inmates, Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky on Wednesday was sent to serve his child molestation prison sentence at an institution in far southwestern Pennsylvania that includes most of the state’s death row inmates.

The Corrections Department said Sandusky was transferred to Greene State Prison after being evaluated at a facility outside Harrisburg. Prison officials said he will be housed in protective custody.

“We make individual decisions based on facts,” Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said in a written statement. “Given the high profile nature of this individual, coupled with the nature of his crimes, this makes him very vulnerable in a prison setting.”

Sandusky, 68, was convicted this summer of 45 criminal counts for sexual abuse of 10 boys over 15 years. He has maintained his innocence and is pursuing appeals.

The 30- to 60-year sentence imposed Oct. 9 means he faces the likelihood of dying in prison.

He will not have a cellmate and will be subject to heightened supervision and an escort when not in his cell. He will get an hour of individual exercise five days a week and three showers a week.

He will eat meals in his cell. Prison services such as counseling, religion, medications and treatment programming will also occur in his cell.

All visits will be non-contact, meaning no touching is allowed. He may have a TV, radio and other property, according to the Corrections Department, if he is deemed to be in “compliant adjustment.”

Messages left for his attorneys were not immediately returned Wednesday.

The State Correctional Institution at Greene, as it is formally known, is a maximum-security prison that houses 1,800 inmates and employs 700 people.

Sandusky was arrested a year ago after a lengthy investigation, along with two university administrators accused of lying to the grand jury that handled the Sandusky case and failing to properly report his suspected child abuse.

Tim Curley, the athletic director on leave until the last year of his contract expires, and retired vice president Gary Schultz await trial in January and deny the allegations.

The Sandusky scandal led to the firing of longtime head coach Joe Paterno, who died in January, and the ouster of university president Graham Spanier, who hasn’t been charged with any crime. It shattered the football program’s image and led to significant changes in the university’s policies and governance.

Carly Rae Jepsen Sued

Carly Rae Jepsen Sued, Mega-selling singers Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City's Adam Young as well as several publishing companies and performing rights groups are being sued in a new copyright infringement lawsuit filed in California federal court.

 The claims come from Allyson Nichole Burnett, an Alabama-based singer and songwriter who authored the 2010 song, "Ah, It's a Love Song."

In Burnett's lawsuit, she says that Young, Matt Thiessen and Brian Lee have copied a prominent motif of her song to create the pop hit "Good Time," released by Owl City and Jepsen in June. The disputed song reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also played repeatedly during NBC's broadcast of the 2012 Summer Olympics, according to reports, in shows like "90210," "Parks and Recreation" and "The Office," and in trailer ads for the film "Hotel Transylvania."

Jepsen is best known for her chart-topping summer smash "Call Me Maybe," while Owl City's "Fireflies" hit the No. 1 spot in late 2009.

Song theft lawsuits are on the rise, but this one, authored by THR power lawyer Neville Johnson, is filled with details about musicology and contains other idiosyncrasies.

According to the complaint, the hook in Burnett's song is a "unique vocal motif" that is repeated throughout the song and "has a catchy pop vibe that both draws people in and sticks in people's heads."

The song, on Burnett's album "The Takeover," has been on sale in record stores and on digital outlets since 2010 and the lawsuit says it has also been licensed to MTV for the shows "The Hills" and "Friendzone."

According to the complaint, "Defendants' extensive access to 'Love Song' is sufficient to trigger the 'inverse ration rule,' whereby a reduced standard of proof of substantial similarity is required when a high degree of access is shown. However, the substantial similarity between the Original Motif and the Copied Motif... is striking under any standard of proof."

The lawsuit then gets granular with respect to the alleged similarities of the two songs.

Burnett's song is in the key of F while "Good Time" is in the key of E flat, but other shared features are noted, including an identical pitch sequence (5-3-5-3-2), melodic contour (down, up, down, down), rhythmic construction (8th rest, 8th note, 8th note, 8th note, 8th note, 8th rest, quarter note), timbre (textless vocals) and so forth.

Here's a copy of the complaint. The two songs can be heard below.

Burnett, who sometimes performs as Ally "Cupcake" Burnett, is alleging copyright infringement and playing up the alleged damage suffered. She says in her complaint that "many consumers may incorrectly assume that Burnett copied her own Original Motif from the Infringing Songwriters due to the widespread popularity and publication of 'Good Time.' Burnett's reputation as an independent artist will be significantly damaged by such incorrect assumptions."

Further, Burnett says she has "suffered emotional and psychological damage" from fans asking why she copied the Jepsen-Owl City hit, although there isn't any specific cause of action pinned to her distress.

Besides the musicians named above, Universal Music Group, Songs Music Publishing and Schoolboy Records are named as defendants.

Somewhat unusually, the lawsuit also drags ASCAP and SESAC, two entitities that collect performance royalties, into the dispute.

"Plaintiff is entitled to a constructive trust over all profits and royalties collected and held by the Royalty Distributors," says the lawsuit. "Alternatively, the Royalty Distributors should be required to interplead all profits and royalties collected and held by them into the registry of this Court."

Kelsey Grammer Baby Playboy

Kelsey Grammer Baby Playboy, Frasier star Kelsey Grammer has defended bringing his three-month-old baby to a party at the Playboy mansion. The actpr brought baby Faith and wife Kayte to Hugh Hefner’s Halloween bash on Saturday.

The new parents came under fire after a photo of the baby sleeping in her carrier during the event circulated over the internet.

But the actor, 57, has dismissed critics.

"Kayte is breast-feeding and we do not have a nanny or a trusted baby-sitter at this time, so Faith goes everywhere with us," he told E! News.

Kelsey brushed off concerns the venue isn’t infant friendly. He insisted the couple were simply enjoying a low-key night with friends.

"We enjoyed the party with a few of our friends, the baby slept as her ears were covered the entire time and we left shortly after midnight. We enjoyed the evening. We love our child,” he explained.

Kelsey wed Kayte Walsh, a British flight attendant, in February 2011.

The marriage came just weeks after his divorce was finalised from wife of 13 years, Camille Donatacci. The former couple share two children, an 11-year-old daughter, Mason, and an eight-year-old son, Jude.

Casino Chip Theft Arrest

Casino Chip Theft Arrest, A California man suspected in a $1.6 million theft of casino chips from the Venetian Casino was arrested, Las Vegas Metro Police announced Tuesday. Akingide King Cole, 31, of Palmdale, Calif., was arrested Oct. 24 near his mother’s home in Southern California. Media attention of the casino theft led to his arrest, according to KLAS Las Vegas.

Cole is accused of gaining access to a restricted area of the Venetian and stealing $1.6 million in casino chips, the station reported.

Cole was arrested by Las Vegas police on charges of burglary, grand larceny and possession of burglary tools.

The casino chip theft suspect is currently being held in a Los Angeles jail but Cole is expected to be extradited to Las Vegas, the Associated Press reported.

Cole allegedly committed the Venetian theft around 6 a.m. Oct. 10, according to the AP. The wire service said no weapons were involved in the crime and Cole did not confront anyone during the incident.

About $360,000 in casino chips were found in Cole’s mother’s home, although the California man is suspected of stealing $1.6 million in chips. Investigators are trying to track the remaining chips, Las Vegas Metro Police Officer Laura Meltzer told the AP.

Jerry Markling, chief of enforcement for the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said it’s doubtful King would have been able to play with the stolen chips because they were high denomination chips usually given to high-rollers, the AP reported.

When there is a theft, casinos usually circulate a different set of chips that help them identify which ones were stolen, Markling said.

Cole’s alleged theft was tame in terms of its execution compared to other burglaries committed at Sin City casinos.

Back in May, two men stole $115,000 in chips from a Bellagio blackjack table, using pepper spray to neutralize the dealer during the theft.

One of the men did not get far, however, as a casino supervisor tackled him and recovered 23 chips worth $5,000 apiece.  The other accomplice fled.

Perhaps the most brazen casino chip theft occurred in 2010 at the Bellagio, when a man in a motorcycle helmet brandished a gun and walked away with $1.5 million in chips.

He was arrested when he tried to cash in a $25,00 chip, according to the AP.

Deadly Craigslist scheme

Deadly Craigslist scheme, An Ohio teenager taken under the wing of a man defense attorneys described as a master manipulator was found guilty of aggravated murder Tuesday for his role in a deadly plot to lure men desperate for work with phony Craigslist job offers.

Prosecutors in the weekslong trial painted 17-year-old Brogan Rafferty as a quick student of violence and willing participant in three killings, while the defense argued he was acting under the duress of his alleged accomplice, a self-styled chaplain depicted as a mentor.

Authorities say Rafferty, of Stow, helped Richard Beasley, of Akron, lure four victims at separate times with bogus Craigslist job offers to a nonexistent cattle farm in rural Noble County in southeast Ohio; they say the motive was robbery. Authorities say Beasley shot and killed three of the men; the fourth victim was shot in the arm and survived.

Rafferty stood with his hands clasped behind his back and showed no emotion as the verdicts were read. His mother leaned over and cried softly.

Led from the courtroom, Rafferty shook his head and said, "Nothing to say." He didn't respond to reporters' questions about the verdict.

Prosecutors and the defense, who are under a gag order, didn't comment afterward. The father of victim Timothy Kern flashed a "thumbs up" after the verdicts were read but declined to comment when he left the courtroom.

Jury forewoman Dana Nash and other jurors said it was a difficult decision because of the boy's age, calling him "a child" on a couple of occasions.

Jurors said they worked on the 25 charges against Rafferty one by one, with the most difficult one involving evidence surrounding the death of the first victim, Ralph Geiger. Rafferty was acquitted of a single identity theft charge involving Geiger.

Jurors debated each charge and often reviewed their own notes and evidence presented at trial, including audio interviews Rafferty gave investigators.

Nash said they were skeptical of some of Rafferty's testimony, saying they felt as if he contradicted himself at points, as well as in his interviews with investigators.

"We were trying to be fair, and we were fair," Nash said afterward. "We listened to everything, we observed everything, and we feel we made the right decision."

Rafferty had testified that he didn't want to be a part of such violence and said he went along with the plan only because he feared for his life.

"I thought he'd kill me," Rafferty said.

Rafferty was tried as an adult but faces a maximum potential sentence of life in prison because he is a juvenile. His sentencing is set for Nov. 5.

Beasley, 53, has pleaded not guilty and could face the death penalty if convicted at his separate trial.

Jurors reached the verdict on their fourth day of deliberations, convicting Rafferty of three counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder.

The man who survived, 49-year-old Scott Davis of South Carolina, had testified as the prosecution's star witness, identifying Rafferty as Beasley's accomplice and telling a harrowing story.

Davis told a crowded, hushed courtroom that he had moved to the Canton area after selling his South Carolina business to be closer to his family, and responded to a Craigslist ad to work as a farmhand.

He said he met Rafferty and a man who called himself "Jack" for breakfast before driving to an isolated Noble County farm. Prosecutors say that "Jack" was actually Beasley, and that he urged Davis into a wooded area to look for farm equipment.

Davis said he heard a gun cock and turned around to find himself face to face with a handgun. He said he pushed the weapon aside, was shot in the arm and fled as "Jack" fired at him.

Davis said he kept falling as he ran away but eventually made it to a creek bed, tried to stop the bleeding and waited for dark. In rising pain and worried that the blood loss would kill him, Davis said he climbed to a hilltop, found a house and asked to call 911.

"I was getting weak at that point," Davis testified.

During Rafferty's trial, defense attorney John Alexander painted Beasley as the mastermind and said that the first killing came without warning for Rafferty, who "had no idea any of this was going on."

After the first killing, Alexander said that Beasley warned Rafferty to keep quiet and cooperate by reminding him that he knew where his mother and sister lived.

Prosecutor Emily Pelphrey told jurors that Rafferty chose to participate in the killings, saying he was a "student of violent crime."

"He made the choices he wanted to make," she said.

Prosecutors also showed jurors photographs of a suitcase filled with weapons found in Rafferty's bedroom, including a sawed-off shotgun, a .22-caliber pistol, two knives and ammunition. None of the weapons was conclusively linked to any of the three killings.

Jurors also were shown photos of the graves of the three men killed in the plot and said they were just trying to improve their lives and find work.

The three men were Ralph Geiger, 56, of Akron; David Pauley, 51, of Norfolk, Va.; and Timothy Kern, 47, of Massillon. Authorities say they were targeted because they were older, single, out-of-work men with backgrounds that made it unlikely their disappearances would be noticed right away.

All the victims were robbed of things including personal items, a truck and a weapon, prosecutors say.

Davis' escape on Nov. 6, 2011, is what led authorities to find Pauley's body in the same area where Davis was shot. Geiger's body also was found in Noble County, while Kern's body was found in a shallow grave near an Akron-area shopping mall.

Beasley was a Texas parolee who returned to Ohio in 2004 after serving time on a burglary conviction. He was awaiting trial on prostitution and drug charges when authorities took him into custody.

Police have said a halfway house he ran in Akron was a front for prostitution.

Brad Pitt Marriage Equality

Brad Pitt Marriage Equality, Brad Pitt has donated $100,000 to a campaign for marriage equality. The Hollywood star is famously pro same-sex unions, at one time even insisting he wouldn't wed his now fiancée Angelina Jolie until everyone was free to marry their partner of choice.

The star has now shown his support once again by donating a large sum to the Human Rights Campaign. The organisation is currently vying for marriage equality in the US states of Maryland, Maine, Washington and Minnesota ahead of the American election on November 6.

"It's unbelievable to me that people's lives and relationships are literally being voted on in a matter of days," Brad wrote in an email sent to the organisation's supporters. "If you're like me, you don't want to have to ask yourself on the day after the election, what else could I have done?"

Chad Griffin is HRC's president and couldn't be happier about Brad's involvement. He explained the money will offer a "vital resource" when it comes to campaigning.

"We're proud to be working with him as we show that fundamental fairness will win at the ballot box," he added.

Brad spoke out after the state of New York legalised same-sex marriage in 2011. Although he was pleased things were moving forward, he urged that there was still a lot to be done to unsure there was equality for all.

In 2008, the Hollywood hunk discussed why the matter is so important to him.

"When someone asked me why Angie and I don't get married, I replied, 'Maybe we'll get married when it's legal for everyone else.' I stand by that, although I took a lot of flak for saying it - hate mail from religious groups. I believe everyone should have the same rights. They say gay marriage ruins families and hurts kids. Well, I've had the privilege of seeing my gay friends being parents and watching their kids grow up in a loving environment," he said.

Stacey Dash & Paul Ryan

Stacey Dash & Paul Ryan, In a move that will likely alienate and infuriate a significant portion of her black fanbase, ex-Single Ladies star Stacey Dash tweeted a photo of herself being embraced by GOP VP nominee Paul Ryan yesterday.

“Fighting the good fight. Godspeed,” she tweeted.

The Clueless actress followed up her tweet with a much longer post in which she sang the Republican presidential candidates praises:

I believe that Governor Mitt Romney believes in the American people. That we can be self evident, that we are capable of achieving the American dream. That there is enough for everyone. I believe that because he has proven his ability to lead,and his ability to be excellent as a CEO and as the Governor of Massachusetts. Governor Romney is the best choice to be our next President. He has achieved the American dream, he knows how to lead us the American people to realize our potential. By creating 12 million jobs, giving equal work for equal pay,by giving incentives and cutting loopholes, by keeping us safe and strong as a country of Super Power.

When Dash endorsed the GOP ticket earlier this fall via Twitter, it inspired a flurry of criticism from the left but also won the actress new fans on the right.

On CNN’s Piers Morgan, Dash said she was completely confused by what she she called the “fury” over her political announcement.

“I want the next four years to be different,” said Dash. “When I watched the governor and his wife on Meet the Press with David Gregory, they spoke to me and they seemed authentic and genuine about what they said about this country about the need for us to be united and move forward.”

Oscar-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg was one of the few prominent African-Americans to come to Dash’s defense.

“In America, where we all live,” Goldberg said, “we have the right to say, ‘Listen, I have a different opinion’ — without having some bonehead sitting in their house talking about, ‘You should be thinking like I think.’ No! That’s not America.”

However, Dash’s contemporary, actress Vivica A. Fox, garnered more headlines with her blistering critique of the timing and nature of Dash’s foray into presidential politics.

“I don’t know why [Stacey Dash] had to do a photo shoot in a Baywatch red swimsuit with the boobs and the whole flag behind her,” Fox said.

“And she doesn’t have a job or something to promote right now. I just didn’t get it. She’s entitled to her own opinion but it was just surprising that first of all she was a Republican, and that she did it the way that she did. Most politicians when you support them, you try to support them with class, you don’t need to do a swimsuit shoot.”

Obama Atlantic City

Obama Atlantic City, President Barack Obama soberly toured the destruction wrought by superstorm Sandy on Wednesday in the company of New Jersey's Republican governor and assured victims "we will not quit" until cleanup and recovery are complete. Six days before their hard-fought election, rival Mitt Romney muted criticism of Obama as he barnstormed battleground Florida.

Forsaking partisan politics for the third day in a row, the president helicoptered with Gov. Chris Christie over washed-out roads, flooded homes, boardwalks bobbing in the ocean and, in Seaside Heights, a fire still burning after ruining about eight structures.

Back on the ground, the president introduced one local woman to "my guy Craig Fugate." In a plainspoken demonstration of the power of the presidency, Obama instructed the man at the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a 7,500-employee federal agency, to "make sure she gets the help she needs" immediately.

Despite the tour and Romney's own expressions of sympathy for storm victims — a break on the surface from heated campaigning — a controversy as heated as any in the long, intense struggle for the White House flared over the Republican challenger's new television and radio ads in Ohio.

"Desperation," Vice President Joe Biden said of the broadcast claims that suggested automakers General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of workers in the bellwether state. "One of the most flagrantly dishonest ads I can ever remember."
Republicans were unrepentant as Romney struggled for a breakthrough in the Midwest.

"American taxpayers are on track to lose $25 billion as a result of President Obama's handling of the auto bailout, and GM and Chrysler are expanding their production overseas," said an emailed statement issued in the name of Republican running mate Paul Ryan.

The two storms — one inflicted by nature, the other whipped up by rival campaigns — were at opposite ends of a race nearing its end in a flurry of early balloting by millions of voters, unrelenting advertising and so many divergent polls that the result was confusion, not clarity.

National surveys make the race a tight one for the popular vote, with Romney ahead by a statistically insignificant point or two in some, and Obama in others.

Both sides claim an advantage from battleground state soundings that also are tight. Obama's aides contend he is ahead or tied in all of them, while Romney's team counters that his campaign is expanding in its final days into what had long been deemed safe territory for the president in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.

Mitt Romney FEMA

Mitt Romney FEMA, In a GOP debate last year, Mitt Romney promoted the idea of sending emergency management back to the states, or better yet, the private sector. Now his campaign says he would not abolish FEMA.

The day after hurricane Sandy hit the eastern United States, to devastating effect, a political debate is raging over whether Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney suggested last year the elimination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.

The Romney campaign maintains he did nothing of the kind in the Republican primary debate held on June 13, 2011. Democrats – and the editorial page of The New York Times – insist he did.

The topic under discussion was the role of the federal government, and which functions Washington keeps. Moderator John King turned to Mr. Romney and asked him about disaster relief, following the tornado that struck Joplin, Mo., the month before.

“FEMA is about to run out of money, and there are some people who say do it on a case-by-case basis and some people who say, you know, maybe we're learning a lesson here that the states should take on more of this role,” Mr. King said. “How do you deal with something like that?”

Romney’s response: “Absolutely. Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that's the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that's even better.

“Instead of thinking in the federal budget, what we should cut – we should ask ourselves the opposite question,” Romney continued. “What should we keep? We should take all of what we're doing at the federal level and say, what are the things we're doing that we don't have to do? And those things we've got to stop doing, because we're borrowing $1.6 trillion more this year than we're taking in. We cannot ...”

King interjected: “Including disaster relief, though?”

Romney replied: “We cannot – we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids. It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we'll all be dead and gone before it's paid off. It makes no sense at all.”

Fast-forward to now. Contacted by the media, the Romney campaign asserts that Romney would not abolish FEMA, but still prefers that states take the lead in disaster response.

“Governor Romney believes that states should be in charge of emergency management in responding to storms and other natural disasters in their jurisdictions,” Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said in a statement to Politico. “As the first responders, states are in the best position to aid affected individuals and communities, and to direct resources and assistance to where they are needed most. This includes help from the federal government and FEMA.”

It’s not clear how, under a President Romney, the relationship between FEMA and state governments would change. But in liberal circles, Romney’s statement from last year is all the evidence needed that he would trim government spending and functions to harmful effect.

On Monday, before Sandy engulfed much of the eastern US late in the day, the editorial page of The New York Times slammed Romney’s 2011 statement in “A big storm requires big government.”

“Does Mr. Romney really believe that financially strapped states would do a better job than a properly functioning federal agency?” the editorial asked. “Who would make decisions about where to send federal aid? Or perhaps there would be no federal aid, and every state would bear the burden of billions of dollars in damages.”

So far the Obama campaign has not taken up this line of attack. That might be risky. At a time of tragedy, Americans have little tolerance for politics.

Michelle Bachmann Audience Laughs

Michelle Bachmann Audience Laughs, At the hour-long debate in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Graves slammed Bachmann for attacking President Barack Obama instead of providing any specific ideas on how keep Medicare and Social Security funded.

“At the end of the day, you have to solve the problem,” Graves said. “You can’t do the political speak. You have to talk to people honestly. We have a problem. We are all going to be in this together.”

Bachmann responded by saying she had a “very significant investment in the future” because of her five biological children and 23 foster children. The congresswoman described the federal debt as a “moral problem” that she was fighting against.

“I have very much been part of the solution and it’s insulting to say it’s political speak. That’s one thing I do not do, is political speak,” Bachmann added.

Her comment drew loud laughter from the audience.

Chris Christie Mitt romney Rift

Chris Christie Mitt romney Rift, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will welcome President Barack Obama to his state today as the two will tour damage of Superstorm Sandy and speak with affected residents — a move that is already beginning to cause political backlash for Christie.

Undoubtedly, the tour will present both figures with a rare bipartisan photo op — good for Obama in the final week of a presidential campaign, and good for Christie, who has been a heavily speculated-about name for higher political offices in 2016.

Nevertheless, New Jersey just experienced the most devastating storm to pass through its state in a significant amount of time — perhaps ever. But Christie's praise of the president's handling of the situation over the past few days — and now his welcoming of Obama to New Jersey — has caused conservatives like The Daily Caller's Matt K. Lewis to speculate what he's "up to" and if it does, at all, have any political implications.

Conservatives' disgruntled attention focuses on Christie's hailing of the president's response to the storm this week, such as when he said Obama has been "all over this and deserves great credit." It directly undermines Republican attacks on the perception of Obama as a weak leader.

Lewis thinks there could be some kind of rift between Mitt Romney and Christie:

Based on his past support for Romney, it seems inconsistent that — with just six days to go before Election Day — Christie would now suddenly downplay the importance of the presidential election, and help bolster Obama’s re-election chances.

So what’s up? Is Christie angry he was passed over for vice president? Has he resigned himself to Romney’s defeat? Or is something else afoot?

At some level, my guess is there must have been a Christie/Romney schism. Anything else seems implausible.

Meanwhile, The Drudge Report had this banner up for a while this morning, which hits Christie for giving Obama an opportunity to "campaign":

The American Prospect's Robert Kuttner and The New York Times' Maureen Dowd, both liberal columnists, agree — Christie's behavior has been a "gift" for the president.

Kuttner breaks down some speculation of why it could be a political move for Christie:

For Christie, who is up for re-election next year in a blue state, this caper accomplishes three things: It portrays him as a bipartisan; provides extensive publicity in service of his image as a good leader in a crisis; and hoses away Mitt Romney, the better to position Christie for a presidential run in 2016.

There is one other, plausible theory: That Christie is simply being Christie. The way he got emotional Tuesday night, it's natural to assume that, even at this critical political time, Christie really just doesn't "give a damn" about politics, as he alluded to on Tuesday.

Lil Wayne Deposition

Lil Wayne Deposition - During a deposition hearing between rapper Lil Wayne and producer Quincy Jones III over the production of a documentary, the judge in the case scolded the entertainer for acting unreasonably and childish.

Wayne had originally agreed to allow camera’s follow him around as he worked, for a documentary on the rapper’s life by Quincy Jones III. But Wayne is now accusing Jones and the film of painting him in the wrong light, while also making unauthorized use of his music.

Wayne, who is the one suing Jones, was to appear in court, but due to 2 alleged seizures that he had suffered during a flight on a private jet last week, notified the court and judge he would not be appearing because of his condition, according to TMZ.

TMZ reports that the unhappy judge informed the jury and other members of the court of the situation and instead they would be viewing a recording of a deposition that Wayne had previously made.

“Lil Wayne will not appear at his trial after suffering several seizure-like episodes, and the only Wayne the jury will see is his video deposition – a depo which the judge said shows he acted like an irresponsible little child,” TMZ writes.

The judge actually said that Lil Wayne displayed “unreasonable conduct in the deposition” and “irresponsible behavior.”

The taped deposition was leaked last month by TMZ and was described to show Wayne acting like a child, giving glib one liners and refusing to answer questions.

Meanwhile, Wayne’s representative says to the New York Daily News that, “Lil Wayne was successfully released from the hospital after being treated for a severe migraine and dehydration. He is at home on doctor-mandated rest and will return to work soon. He appreciates all of his fans for their support and love.”

Sandy Gas Prices

Sandy Gas Prices - Sandy: The Rare Natural Disaster That Isn’t Expected to Boost Gas Prices, Hurricanes are often associated with soaring gas prices, and sometimes even complaints from drivers about price gouging by gas stations as well. Experts, however, say that Sandy’s effects on gas prices will be mild.

Hurricane Sandy hit at a time when gas prices, after a remarkably turbulent year, have been decreasing quite dramatically. According to the latest Energy Information Administration report, the average price for a gallon of regular dropped 12¢ over the past week, reaching $3.57 as of Monday. The size of declines varied widely from state to state, dipping 10¢ in Massachusetts, for instance, and down a whopping 26¢ in California.

Overall, shrinking prices have brought about the lowest prices nationwide in three months. What’s more, we’re almost at the point where prices are on par with those charged 12 months prior. Tuesday’s AAA Fuel Gauge Report puts the current national average at $3.53, which is just 9¢ higher than the average one year ago at this time. (The current average is also around 25¢ cheaper than it was one month ago.) By comparison, the national average in mid-September 2012 was $3.88, a hefty 28¢ more than the same time a year before.

While it’s impossible to predict the effects of any natural disaster, drivers have come to expect that a major hurricane is likely to be followed (and in some cases, preceded) by soaring prices at the pump. Toward the end of the summer, for instance, Hurricane Isaac caused rising gas prices around the country. Prices jumped in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina as well.

While Sandy has left a path of epic destruction in its wake, the storm doesn’t appear likely to leave behind dramatically higher gas prices.

GasBuddy’s Patrick DeHaan wrote that as of Monday, he was “not expecting a significant jump in prices in the affected areas.” That’s because of anticipations that refinery shutdowns in the Mid-Atlantic region would be short-lived, and that because drivers in major metropolitan areas have been staying home, demand for gasoline has sloughed off.

States Affected by Hurricane Sandy

States Affected by Hurricane Sandy - Airlines around the world canceled flights to and from the northeast United States as a massive storm slammed into the coast of New Jersey and New York.

Hurricane Sandy, now rated as a "post-tropical" superstorm, forced the closure of New York's JFK and LaGuardia airports and Newark in New Jersey "until further notice" as rising flood waters washed across parts of the city, while domestic and international flights were canceled at other major airports in the region.

Middle Eastern, European, Asian and U.S. airlines prepared to take a financial hit, with the weather stranding their passengers in cities across the globe.

"Every day this goes on you're seeing combined losses to the airlines of roughly $10 million," said Simon Calder, travel editor of the UK's The Independent newspaper.

"The cost is actually much worse for European airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, because they have to pay for accommodation and meals for their customers who are stuck in the U.S. -- particularly in New York."

European Union law says airlines have a "duty of care" to take care of stranded passengers. There is no such law governing U.S. airlines.

"Delta and United can just say, 'Sorry, this is a weather event and you're not covered,'" Calder told CNN.

At least 50,000 travelers between the UK and U.S. have been affected by the storm, Calder estimates.

In Asia, airlines grounded more flights as the extent of the storm became clear.

Australia's Qantas, Korean Airlines and Japan's JAL canceled all New York-bound flights on Tuesday and Cathay Pacific said Wednesday's departures to JFK would also be scrubbed.

With 11 flights canceled to and from New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Baltimore, British Airways has offered to rebook flights for its passengers.

A statement on BA's website said: "We understand that customers may be disappointed, however their safety is our highest priority."

The airline's flights to and from Boston were expected to operate normally.

Britain's Virgin Atlantic also canceled all flights to New York, but announced that flights to Washington and Boston were scheduled to begin again on Tuesday.

More than 80 flights from London's Heathrow Airport to the U.S. East Coast were canceled, including 47 arrivals and 37 departures.

Sandy halts travel along East Coast

Karen Mackenzie from Essex, in southeastern England, was planning to fly Monday to New York on a Virgin holiday package, but the airline canceled her entire holiday due to the storm.
While Virgin Atlantic gave Mackenzie a full refund, the elementary school principal says her schedule means she won't be able to rebook the holiday until next year.

"I feel really horrible for those poor people in New York at the moment. It's disappointing to lose our holiday, but for them it's a much more hideous situation," she told CNN.

Qatar Airways and the United Arab Emirates-based airlines Etihad and Emirates also canceled flights to the U.S. northeast. In a statement Emirates said the safety of their passengers "will not be compromised."

Air France, Germany's Lufthansa, Ireland's Aer Lingus and Turkish Airlines have also scrubbed flights in and out of New York.

Sandy claims 'Bounty' off North Carolina

Some 50 million people from Virginia to Massachusetts are expected to feel the effect of Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey late Monday.

The cost of potential wind damage alone could be up to $3 billion, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The storm has also prompted thousands of domestic flight cancellations across America.

While all American Airlines flights to the east coast are canceled, the airline is operating a normal service to other parts of the country.

United Airlines grounded roughly 3,700 flights between Sunday and Wednesday, and Delta said all flights from Washington to Boston, and out of New York and Philadelphia, were canceled.
Both companies are allowing some customers to change their flight plans without paying any fees due to the storm.

So how long will it take for airlines to get stranded passengers to their destinations once the hurricane subsides? Not long, according to CNN's Richard Quest, who said the problem should start being resolved from Wednesday.

"All the airlines have exceptionally sophisticated recovery programs," he explained. "What they do is they don't make the flight to the first place. They don't send the aircraft into the bad areas, so they don't get stranded. They're now already starting to work out flights for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. You write off Monday and Tuesday, then you start to rebuild the schedule."

"After the [Icelandic volcanic] ash cloud two years ago, airlines were able to restore the schedule quite quickly, simply because people canceled their flights [and didn't rebook]. And that's what the airlines are banking on.

"I'm guessing that by the weekend everyone [will have] got where they need to be."

Breezy Point Fire

Breezy Point Fire, A tiny beachfront neighborhood told to evacuate before Sandy hit New York burned down as it was inundated by floodwaters, transforming a quaint corner of the Rockaways into a smoke-filled debris field.By Tuesday morning, charred foundations of from 80 to 100 buildings were left in the sand at Breezy Point, a coastal community on Jamaica Bay known for its marshland and shorebirds.

Firefighters arrived at 11 p.m. Monday to find water chest-high in the streets, and used a boat to make rescues as orange flames engulfed home after home. The water and high winds whipping the coast from Sandy kept the blaze raging for several hours as firefighters hauled hoses while sloshing in ankle-high water.

"We watched the whole place go up in flames. It was hell night. It was the devil's night," said resident Thomas Reicherter.

One firefighter suffered a minor injury and was taken to a hospital. Two civilians suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Firefighters had to rescue several more, climbing onto an awning to take trapped people from an upstairs apartment with a roof that was catching fire from the house next door. A row of about 25 businesses, including a shoe repair store, burned with apartments above many of them.

More than 190 firefighters were sent to the blaze, still putting out some pockets more than nine hours after it erupted, training hoses on the inside of a medical center.

As daylight broke Tuesday, a stone statue that appeared to represent the Virgin Mary stood next to wooden slats and debris-caked mud, surrounded by no homes. Two logs not attached to anything crushed the top of a red Ford SUV. Residents walked aimlessly through water-filled streets with electrical wires dangling down in front of them.

The neighborhood was among the low-lying areas the mayor said were a flood danger a day before Sandy came ashore, shuttering the nation's largest city and cutting power to hundreds of thousands. Gene Morizzo, a security guard at an ocean apartment complex in nearby Rockaway Park, said about half of the 300 or so residents insisted on staying behind, noting that Irene didn't hit the story hard a year ago amid the same warnings.

"I kept telling people it's a mandatory evacuation. They said, 'Oh it's nothing, Irene this. Irene that."

Residents couldn't wait to get out on Tuesday. They were directed to a nearby firehouse in Far Rockaway, but that firehouse had been evacuated because it was under 5 feet of water and had no power.

John Frawley, 57, said he made a mistake by staying behind. "I stayed up all night," he said. "The screams. The fire. It was horrifying."

Frawley lived about five houses from the fire's edge and said he spent the night terrified, "not knowing if the fire was going to jump the boulevard and come up to my house."

In September, the same neighborhood was struck by a tornado that hurled debris in the air, knocked out power and startled residents who once thought of twisters as a Midwestern phenomenon.

The community of 12,000 borders Rockaway Park, where a historic boardwalk had been strewn around the sand, popped up in some spots like an opened can and heaved 30 to 40 feet in others. The beach's lifeguard shack and restrooms were destroyed. Allison Miller stood on what was left of the buckled boardwalk in tears.

Mike Huckabee Christians Hell

Mike Huckabee Christians Hell. Many issues are at stake, but some issues are not negotiable: The right to life from conception to natural death. Marriage should be reinforced, not redefined. It is an egregious violation of our cherished principle of religious liberty for the government to force the Church to buy the kind of insurance that leads to the taking of innocent human life. Your vote will affect the future and be recorded in eternity. Will you vote the values that will stand the test of fire? This is Mike Huckabee asking you to join me November 6th and vote based on values that will stand the test of fire. For someone who claims to be afraid of hellfire, Huckabee certainly doesn't hesitate to stomp all over the 9th Commandment! Thou shalt not bear false witness... unless thou is talking about the HHS contraception coverage mandate, which Huckabee says forces "the Church to buy the kind of insurance that leads to the taking of innocent human life." Of course, churches are actually exempt from that regulation. And the hormonal birth control he's likely referring to actually works by suppressing ovulation, but I guess not providing eggs for searching sperm has been upgraded to "murder" in anti-choice lingo. Huckabee must have had an assistant write him a book report on What's the Matter with Kansas, because this video couldn't be more blunt in arguing that Christians should overlook their economic self-interest and instead use their vote to fight sexual liberation. Huckabee is right to be concerned. Obama got nearly twice as many votes from white evangelical Christians under 44 in 2008 than Kerry did in 2004, which helped push Obama over the top in many swing states. The consensus seems to be that these younger Christians have rejected the pressure to vote solely on the issue of other people's sex lives, and instead consider economic and environmental issues to be of greater moral concern. With that in mind, it's no wonder that Huckabee has resorted to the oldest trick in the book, threatening them with damnation.

Trump Obama Records Extend Deadline

Trump Obama Records Extend Deadline, Trump has decided to extend the deadline for President Obama to turn over his college and passport records. The original deadline was Oct. 31, but due to Hurricane Sandy and because of Obama ignoring Trump, the offer has been extended to November 1 at 12:00 p.m. Donald tweeted on Oct. 30, according to Zap2it,
Trump had American's trying to guess what his big announcement was and many were disappointed that he wasn't revealing any deep, dark secret about Obama like he hinted. Many people were making bets on what was going to be revealed. Some of those guesses included Obama wearing a wig to the fact that he is actually an alien (the green martian from another planet kind.)

Instead of dishing the dirt, Trump offered a deal for the president to become just as "transparent" as the presidents before him. Trump said that if Obama turns over his college and passport records, that America will stop the hating the president so much.

It is unclear why Donald Trump thinks that college and passport records will make America love Obama. Whether people love the president or not, releasing this information will not sway voters to the other side.

Obama has made fun of Donald Trump since his "big announcement" and has made no effort to gather his records.

What do you think? Are Obama's college and passport records important to the election? Will it change your vote?

Nate Silver Election

Nate Silver Election, Nate Silver has created a model to predict the outcome of the presidential election that's watched by just about every pundit, and yet Silver's model refuses to perfectly reflect the conventional wisdom spouted by just about every pundit. The pundits do not like this! Silver's FiveThirtyEight model uses math to show that President Obama has a 74.6 percent chance of beating Mitt Romney, even though Romney has unmeasurable things like "momentum" as well as newspaper endorsements, plus a lead in several national polls.
Obama's chances remain high, Silver explains, because he has a significant lead in enough swing states to win the needed 270 electoral college votes. The latest pundit outraged that Silver's model doesn't feel right is MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, who ranted Monday morning:

"Nate Silver says this is a 73.6 percent chance that the president's going to win. Nobody in that campaign thinks they have a 73.6 percent -- they think they have a 50.1 percent chance of winning.
.... Anybody that thinks that this race is anything but a tossup right now is such an ideologue [that] they should be kept away from typewriters, computers, laptops, and microphones for the next ten days, because they're jokes."

Scarborough is very committed to defending what feels true to him, even when it's not true. In June, he railed that The New York Times kept writing stories making fun of Romney for being rich, but it never made fun of John Kerry and his ice chalet in 2004. When confronted with the fact that he was completely wrong -- The Times covered that ice chalet plenty, it turns out -- Scarborough stuck with his analysis, saying "the general impressions of people like myself … does count in the perspective that active news consumers have."

Now Scarborough wants his general impression of the polls to count, too. He isn't the only Silver-basher who is unable to use numbers to explain why the forecaster is so wrong. The Daily Caller's Matt Lewis wrote a couple weeks ago that despite Silver's model showing a likely Obama victory, "my guess is that, right now, it’s probably a 50-50 proposition." The National Review's Josh Jordan's critique is more related to numbers than feelings, saying Silver's polling average is different than the Real Clear Politics average, because Silver weighs polls, while RCP averages them equally. But Silver does this because some pollsters have a better track record than others, and some have a clear partisan tilt, left or right. If his weighting is wrong, we'll know next week. Update: Politico contributes its own math-free critique: "For all the confidence Silver puts in his predictions, he often gives the impression of hedging."

Perhaps the most telling critique of Silver's model comes from the people most deeply invested in it being wrong. Romney aides "laugh and roll their eyes when reporters tease them with mentions of the model," BuzzFeed's McKay Coppins reports. One adviser, though, offers an analysis more closely tied to real data, saying, in Coppins' paraphrase, "FiveThirtyEight could well give them a better chance of victory as the swing state polls tighten in the final days of the race." In other words, if the state polls change, so will Silver's model. Which is pretty much what Silver himself would say.

Obama Hurricane Sandy

Obama Hurricane Sandy, The giant storm that will power through the East Coast on Monday night and into the week presents both a crisis and an opportunity for the two men entering the last week of their fight for the White House.President Obama canceled an appearance Monday in Orlando with former President Bill Clinton in order to return to Washington to monitor the U.S. government's response to Hurricane Sandy.
His Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, announced Monday that he would cancel events Monday night and Tuesday. Those were just the latest in a series of cancellations by Obama and Romney.

As the sitting president with authority over the government’s storm response, Obama sits in a stronger position when it comes to reacting to the 1,000-mile-wide storm, potentially the largest ever to strike the U.S. He's expected to oversee the federal government’s relief efforts — a duty that has become far more than an afterthought ever since Hurricane Katrina.The slow response to the deadly 2005 disaster in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast tainted the reputation of President George W. Bush, whose administration appeared inattentive and ineffectual.

Sandy’s course and duration remain not precisely known, but it’s likely that Obama will be visiting neighborhoods damaged by the storm by the weekend, just days before the Nov. 6 election.
A politician can always get in trouble if they appear to be politicizing tragic events. But a president can hardly be expected to sit on the sidelines in what will probably be one of the biggest natural disasters of his tenure.The media has generally judged President Obama to be in good form in moments when compassion is required. Sen. John McCain(R-Ariz.), who lost to Obama four years ago, said that he thinks the hurricane presents an opportunity for Obama to demonstrate presidential leadership in the crucial hours before the vote.

Romney also will have to make some sort of response to Hurricane Sandy, though his lack of official duties in the damage zone will make his exact activities less obvious.

Expect Romney to lend support and encouragement at volunteer centers or charities, but only once his campaign receives assurances it won’t interrupt emergency relief efforts.The last thing a politician wants in such a setting is to appear to get in the way of rescue workers.

As he has on several other issues, Romney may also be asked to explain a sharply conservative opinion from the primary season — that the work of the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) would be better handled by the states.

During a June 2011 Republican primary debate, CNN's John King asked Romney whether disaster relief should be handled by the states. “Absolutely,” Romney said. “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further, and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better.”
INTERACTIVE: Battleground states map

Romney went on to explain that debt reduction was a key motivator in driving his thoughts about FEMA.

Voters tend to like such government reductions in theory, but not so much when they need help. It's unlikely that the majority of voters would warm to an anti-FEMA argument in the coming days, when they will be looking to FEMA to rebuild their lives.

Several years and some $2 billion have gone into an election that has blotted out many other news events. But this storm will not be pushed off the top of the agenda. Both candidates appear ready to heed that truth, even if it means a somewhat muted conclusion to loud and contentious campaign.

Romney Fema Questions

Romney Fema Questions, Mitt Romney repeatedly ignored questions about his position on federal funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at an event for storm victims Tuesday. After speaking briefly to supporters and gathering donations Romney, Sen.
Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and some campaign staffers headed outside into the cold, rainy afternoon and proceeded to load up a yellow Penske truck with supplies, canned goods and other donated items.
“Governor, are you going to see some storm damage?” one reporter asked.

Several others again asked Romney whether he would eliminate FEMA.
“Governor, you’ve been asked 14 times. Why are you refusing to answer the question?” one asked.
Romney ignored the reporters’ queries and continued loading up the truck. Earlier, during the event, he ignored similar queries.

During a 2011 primary debate, Romney supported the idea of curtailing federal disaster response and letting states and the private sector take on a bigger role.

“Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction,” he said. “And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better.”

Campaign aides insisted Monday that Romney would not abolish FEMA if he became president. President Obama has proposed cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 2013 that would reduce overall funding by about 3 percent, with $1 billion trimmed from the Disaster Relief Fund but more money given to state and local programs.

2012 Election Issues

2012 Election Issues, We've watched the debates, seen all the political ads, now Election 2012 is down to the wire.Just seven days left and there is one group of voters creating a lot of buzz.
Latinos are expected to head to the polls in record numbers Tuesday, according to the latest data. "I think Latino voters in Arizona especially can have an undeniably big impact at the polls," says Lea Marquez-Patterson of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

More than 12-million Latinos are expected to vote this year, which is up 26% from 2008. "By 2030 we know Pima County will be majority Latino, which means issues important to the Hispanic population are going to be at the forefront of a lot of candidates running for office," Marquez-Peterson says.

A recent survey from "Latino Decisions" asked Latino voters to rank the big issues.  In third place, education.

In second place, the economy.  "The impact of SB1070 here in our state has been negative from a PR perspective," Marquez-Peterson says.  "We had the boycott proposed."
Topping the list is immigration reform.  "I have a lot of family members who aren't legal here and it's a stressful issue for them and the entire family," says Tucson Voter Danny Perez.
Whatever the issue, there is not much time to sway voters.

According to the survey, most have already made up their minds.

Bing Election Guide

Bing Election Guide, Bing Elections includes the latest campaign news, poll results and Election Day predictions powered by Bing’s partnerships with news outlets and polling organizations such as MSN, The Huffington Post, Associated Press, the Cook Political Report, Real Clear Politics and others.

“We have a ton of editorial knowledge from MSN and increasingly from Bing that’s been focused on trying to distill useful stuff from the chaos of the Internet for our customers,” Adam Sohn, GM of the Bing business group, told Mashable. “And nowhere perhaps is their a greater need for that then during an election season in the United States.”

For those voters still undecided about their presidential candidate, Bing is also offering a candidate guide, breaking down Barack Obama’s and Mitt Romney’s biographies and stances on the most important issues of the day along with links to their social profiles.

There’s a social element as well, showing the hot topics across the social web, sentiment analysis and a stream of popular Twitter messages and Facebook posts.

Bing, while obviously not pushing any one candidate or issue, is encouraging its users to head to the polls on Election Day with polling place locators (powered by the Voter Information Project) and Get Out the Vote videos from Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill Clinton, and Mary Anne Huntsman, daughter of Jon Huntsman

“Participating in this process is something we all think is incredibly important,” said Sohn. “Given that we know we’ve got a shot at driving some pretty large traffic through search and MSN, we’ve got a video from Chelsea Clinton and Mary Anne Huntsman, which are really like, ‘hey look, here’s a site you can go and find your polling place.’ It’s really important to get out and vote.”

Nevada Senate Race

Nevada Senate Race, In the parking lot of a worn mini-mall, Paul Rodriguez, the comedian, dished out anti-Obama jokes under a hot desert sun. He was surrounded by the kinds of small businesses he said make America hum — a taqueria, a beauty salon, a tax accountant — as he coaxed Republicans to vote.
Blocks away, Democrats served up tacos under a park gazebo and a teen mariachi band led a parade of Latino voters to a nearby polling place. "Buenas tardes!" said Shelley Berkley, the seven-term Democratic congresswoman who hopes to become the state's first female senator, as she greeted voters.

The important role the Latino electorate will play in the U.S. Senate race here was in evidence on the first day of early voting in this half-mile stretch of the state's largest city. Nearly 1 in 6 Nevada voters is Latino, and they could tip the surprisingly close contest in this swing state — as well as control of the Senate.

The race between Berkley and Dean Heller, the incumbent Republican, was not expected to be the nail-biter it has become. The Las Vegas congresswoman is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for her role in protecting a troubled kidney center in which her husband, a physician, had a financial stake.

But civic scandals are relative in Nevada. And Heller, who was appointed to the Senate two years ago after Republican Sen. John Ensign resigned amid a sex and lobbying investigation, has been unable to shake his opponent.

Berkley has remained competitive, though slightly behind, because the Democratic machine in Nevada, orchestrated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, has churned out a 130,000-voter registration advantage.

Winning is not just about securing independent or undecided voters; it's also about getting base voters to the polls. With early voting underway, members of the powerful — and heavily Latino — unions on the Strip have been walking the precincts daily, trying to convince voters to check off Berkley's name when they vote for President Obama.

"These are the housekeepers, kitchen workers and porters that will change the landscape of the election," said Yvanna Cancela, a spokeswoman for the Culinary Union, as she sent 100 workers on a Sunday afternoon get-out-the-vote effort.

Republicans acknowledge the power of the Reid machine, but say their outreach to Latino voters is more intense than ever. Volunteers from Utah and California have arrived to walk precincts, and the coordinated Team Nevada effort with Mitt Romney's campaign opened a Latino outreach office on Las Vegas' east side.

Republicans argue that Latinos share the same worries as other Nevadans in their struggling economy, which has the nation's highest unemployment rate, and will side with them on pocketbook issues.

"You've got many Democrats who believe they can win the Hispanic vote only on immigration," said Ryan Erwin, a veteran GOP strategist in the state and a Romney advisor. "That is a mistake."

At times, the Senate race in Nevada can seem like a one-sided affair, with Berkley engaged in a very visual campaign for early votes — she rallied with the actress Eva Longoria one day and attended three church services on a Sunday morning with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the civil rights icon.

The daughter of a hotel waiter who earned her way through college and law school as a cocktail waitress and Keno runner, Berkley's penchant for hot pink makes her a fashionista fixture of Sin City, even if her New York accent belies her family roots. She doles out custom-made "Berkley for Senate" lip balm on the campaign trail.

As a cosponsor in Congress of the Dream Act, which would allow young illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they attend college or join the military, Berkley's voting record stands in contrast to Heller's; he opposed the bill when he was in the House.

"I just want to keep Shelley Berkley on," said Miriam Servin, a mother of three who works for the school district. "She supports the Hispanics — she supports the Dream Act — and that's something big."

But in the rural mining and ranching communities of northern Nevada, where towns announce themselves with Western fonts, Heller appeals to those who see themselves as distinct from their southern neighbors.

"She's like a fish out of water when she comes up here," said Kristen Evans, a native of Fallon who runs the Top Gun car wash with her husband and welcomed Texas Gov. Rick Perry for a campaign stop in support of Republicans last week.

Heller's low-key campaign and TV-ready looks have carried him far in an election cycle that, in another state, might require a more grueling output.

Strategists believe Heller's early ads on Spanish-language television have helped him maintain a stronger lead among Latinos than Romney. One ad includes Heller's wife, Lynne, speaking in halting Spanish; another shows Heller strolling alongside the state's popular Latino governor, Republican Brian Sandoval.

On the first day of early voting, Heller was knocking on doors in his northern Nevada stronghold. The son of an auto mechanic who inherited his father's interest in stock car racing, Heller aims to win every rural county to make up for any losses in Las Vegas.

Christina Aguilera Simon Cowell

Christina Aguilera Simon Cowell, "The Voice" coach Christina Aguilera has slammed former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell for his malicious criticisms towards contestants.
Now in her third season as a judge and mentor of NBC's hit singing competition, Aguilera has had to face a number of bad singers during
"The Voice" auditions. But during a recent Q&A during the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Music Conference, she revealed that one of the main reasons she decided to sign on to "The Voice" in the first place was the opportunity to give singing hopefuls positive feedback instead of negative criticisms.

Bing: Watch Christina's new music video

She says, "I've not actually seen a full episode of any of the other music shows. I saw the commercials early on of 'American Idol' of Simon being a d**k. I was like, 'Man, that's not what it's about!' I didn't want to treat people like that. I wanted to do 'The Voice' to show that we can be positive. We don't have to knock people down."

But Aguilera also gave both shows credit and added, "Jennifer Hudson came from 'American Idol' and went on to do 'Dreamgirls' and won an Oscar. I know we all have different formats. I don't even watch my own show: I tape it, I'm out. Time to be mommy and time to work on my record and of course invest time in my team, picking songs ... There's a lot of auto tune going on now and that's all great, it's an art form. But what's great about 'The Voice' is that it's just raw, real talent."

Jennifer Aniston Dress

Jennifer Aniston Dress, But all eyes were on Jennifer Aniston, who sizzled in a sleek black Tom Ford dress with a plunging neckline so daring, it reminded us of Jennifer Lopez‘ infamous green Gucci gown — and its belly-button-reaching V-neck –  from the 2000 Grammy Awards.

Though the perfectly tailored black gown fit Aniston’s pared-down style, the revealing neckline was definitely a more daring look than we’ve seen from the star in the past, leaving little to the imagination.
Though she certainly proved just how lucky fiance Justin Theroux is (not that there was any doubt), Aniston wasn’t the only one showing off her sexier side at the LACMA Art and Film Gala.


Not surprisingly, the Gucci-sponsored affair saw an array of sexy Gucci gowns, both old and new.

Florence Welch took the plunge too, in a flowing purple Gucci gown with draped sheer sleeves — another trend from the night.

Aniston’s He’s Just Not that Into You co-star Ginnifer Goodwin also rocked a daring center slit, with a sheer illusion panel plunging neckline, offsetting her Gucci dress’ high neckline and feathered three-quarter skirt.Cameron Diaz showed off her sexy stems in a mustard Gucci mini dress. To balance out the shorter hemline, she chose a more subtle keyhole neckline that was nearly disguised by a floral-embellished collar.
Mixing things up, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley went with a surprise sideways cleavage reveal in a Gucci gown from the designer’s Spring 2013 collection.

China Chow took the cutoff trend to a whole new level, with a sexy cut-out dress that showed off her toned torso.

Lil Wayne Scolded

Lil Wayne Scolded, Lil Wayne will not appear at his trial after suffering several seizure-like episodes, and the only Wayne the jury will see is his video deposition -- a depo which the judge said shows he acted like an irresponsible little child.

As we told you ... Wayne is suing Quincy Jones III over a documentary about the rapper that he calls a "scandalous portrayal."
Wayne was not in court today because of his medical emergency on Thursday on board a private jet. The pilot radioed Wayne had seizures and he was subsequently hospitalized.

Wayne's lawyer told the judge he will play Wayne's deposition tapes for the jury, but there will be NO Wayne in person. But that's a huge problem because the tapes -- which TMZ posted last month -- show Wayne acting like a child, giving glib one liners and refusing to answer questions.

Pastor Danny Kirk

Pastor Danny Kirk, A North Texas pastor was fatally beaten with an electric guitar Monday after an attacker rammed his car into a church wall and chased the pastor down, police said.Police in Forest Hill, a suburb of Fort Worth, said they had to use a taser to subdue the unidentified attacker, who died a short time after being taken into custody.
Rev. Danny Kirk Sr., the founding pastor of Greater Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church, died shortly after police arrived at the scene.

Forest Hill Police Chief Dan Dennis said the suspect drove his car into a church wall before noon Monday, apparently on purpose. The suspect got out of the car and began to attack the pastor in the parking lot before chasing him into the church. The church secretary hid and called 911.

Police arrived to find the suspect assaulting Kirk with an electric guitar that they believe was already inside the church, Dennis said. An officer used a taser on the suspect, handcuffed him and put him in the back of a patrol car. By then, Kirk had died.

Dennis said the suspect was found unresponsive shortly after being detained and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Dennis said he didn't know if the suspect knew Kirk, attended the church or why he might have attacked the pastor.

Some church members recalled Kirk as a dedicated minister who also had a bubbly personality and knew all names of the several-hundred members.

"He really was concerned about our souls," said Montoya McNeil, a member for eight years. "You looked forward to being here. ... I'm not asking God why, because I know where he (Kirk) is, but we won't get those big bear hugs and those great sermons anymore."

Former Forest Hill mayor James Gosey said Kirk started the church years ago in a strip mall before building the red-brick church.

Kirk was also an unofficial volunteer chaplain who occasionally counseled members of a local high school football team, Fort Worth school district spokesman Clint Bond said.

"Our hearts are heavy right now," said Reginald Wilson, an associate minister at the church.

Evelyn Lozada No-Contact

Evelyn Lozada No-Contact, Former NFL star Chad Johnson may once again be able to communicate with his ex-wife Evelyn Lozada -- after allegedly head-butting her -- because Evelyn plans to let the no-contact order against him expire.
Sources close to the ex-couple tell TMZ, Chad's on track to finish his batterer's intervention program in the next couple months -- at which point Chad will ask the judge to terminate his probation and lift the no-contact order.
If that happens, Evelyn would have to get a civil restraining order to keep Chad away -- but we're told she has decided NOT to do that ... because she just wants to "move on."

Chad was sentenced to one year probation and the batterer's class after pleading "no contest" to domestic battery following the August 11 fight with Evelyn -- but since he's completing the class early ... the judge can also lift the probation early.

Kim's mermaid costume

Kim's mermaid costume, Kim Kardashian isn't worried about the behemoth storm expected to pummel the eastern U.S. with rain and wind this week.

Dressed as a blond mermaid for her Halloween party Saturday night in New York, the star joked that her boyfriend, Kanye West — wearing a nautical-looking outfit — could "sail" her to safety if need be.

West didn't talk to press covering the event but smiled and took photos of Kardashian on his phone.

It's the second year Kardashian has hosted the Midori Green Halloween party. She has an endorsement deal with the liquor company.

The reality star said it took two months to plan her costume, inspired by the 1984 film "Splash," and two hours to get ready.

Hoops team's crazy workouts

Hoops team's crazy workouts,At the end of an hour-long weightlifting session on a Friday morning in late April, Florida basketball strength and conditioning coach Preston Greene told the Gators he had a surprise waiting outside.Sitting in the road behind the weight room were a couple of 600-pound tires big enough to fit a tractor. Greene instructed the Florida players to finish their workout by doing four sets of tire flips apiece for 50 yards as fast as possible.
"The first time we did the tire flips, my legs were wobbly, my butt was on my fire and I was gasping for air," said Patric Young, Florida's chiseled 6-foot-9, 250-pound center. "I was like, 'Oh my goodness, I don't want to do this again.'"

If the Gators thought the tire flips were tough, the strongman-style workouts only got more brutal from there. Each Friday from mid-April until August, Florida players would finish their weightlifting, walk outside and find Greene waiting with a sadistic new form of strength training torture.

Sometimes they pushed a sled loaded with weight up and down the street or did sprints carrying a 110-pound heavy bag over their shoulders. Other times they pushed a three-ton Ford pickup truck uphill for 75 yards or used a rope to pull a car hand-over-hand 100 yards up an incline. Worst of all was when Greene would combine four or five of these disciplines into one workout to create what he called a strongman medley.

"I swear he just made up some of the stuff on the spot," senior forward Erik Murphy joked. "It was a little unorthodox, but it was fun too. You weren't so much training for basketball as pushing yourself beyond what you thought you could do."

Strongman-style workouts are unusual training for basketball, but Greene believes they were perfect for preparing the Gators for coach Billy Donovan's relentless, up-tempo system.
They were quick, high-intensity workouts that required the same bursts of explosiveness as basketball does. They burnt fat and built strength and endurance without putting players at risk of stress fractures or other overuse injuries the way long-distance running would. And they instilled confidence among the Gators that they could achieve goals that once seemed impossible.

The idea of incorporating stuff like tire flips and truck pushes came from strength coach Charles Poliquin, Greene's mentor and a longtime proponent of strongman training for everyone from athletes to those in law enforcement. Greene had dabbled with strongman workouts at previous stops at Clemson and Stanford, but this offseason was the first time he had players do it regularly once a week.