Labels: music

Chris Benoit is only one in the long list of freakishly muscled carnival attractions for whom a pro wrestling career ended tragically.

Toxicology results are pending and Benoit may well have been battling deeper, more primal personal demons when he reportedly killed his wife and son before taking his own life, but only the most naive observer could ignore the overwhelming evidence that most wrestlers who look like Benoit have undergone countless cycles of chemical enhancement.

The prescription anabolic steroids found at Benoit's home have long been known to contribute to paranoia, depression and the violent outbursts we've come to know as "roid rage." Couple that with the near-compulsory painkillers a wrestler must take to do his job effectively after enduring countless body slams and you have a cocktail for massive, mind-altering mood swings.

The Benoit story is the latest and most tragic installment in an ongoing saga that the men who get rich promoting professional wrestling would prefer their fans didn't know too much about.

Let's remember some of the others from the world of pro wrestling, who died before their time:

Ravishing Rick Rude














Died at 40 of an apparent heart attack in 1999, a bottle of prescription pills for his bad back at his side. The autopsy report said he died of "mixed medications." Rude was an admitted user of anabolic steroids.

Louis Mucciolo, a.k.a, Louie Spicolli

Died in 1998 at age 27 when he suffocated on his own vomit after ingesting massive amounts of Soma and alcohol. Investigators also found an empty vial of testosterone, pain pills and an anti-anxiety drug at the scene.









Brian Pillman











An admitted user of steroids, he died of a heart attack at age 35 in 1997 on the morning of WWF's In Your House: Badd Blood pay-per-view event.

Rick "the Renegade" Williams










Died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at age 33 after being released from his World Championship Wrestling contract in 1999.


"Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig














Found dead of a cocaine overdose at age 44 in his motel room on April 10, 2003, the morning of a match. Hennig's father maintained that steroids and painkillers contributed to his death.


Rodney "Yokozuna" Anoa'i











Died of a heart attack in 2002 at 34.


Davey Boy Smith, "The British Bulldog"











Died of a heart attack at age 39 on May 17, 2002. An autopsy report indicated that past steroid use had likely played a part in his death.

Michael "Road Warrior Hawk" Hegstrand










He died of a heart attack at age 46 in 2003.


Michael Lockwood, "Crash Holly"














In 2003, at the age of 32, he choked to death on his own vomit after ingesting 90 painkiller pills.

Jerry Tuite, "The Wall" a.k.a. "Malice"














Died at age 36 in 2003 of an apparent heart attack in his hotel room.


Raymond "Hercules" Hernandez














Dead of heart failure in 2004 at age 47.

Ray "The Big Boss Man" Traylor














Found dead of a heart attack in 2004 at age 42.

Eddie Guerrero












After a long battle with painkillers, he was found dead of a heart attack by his nephew in his hotel room at age 38. The first person his nephew reportedly called was Guerrero's best friend, Chris Benoit.

Chris Candido














Died in 2005 at age 33 from a blood clot after breaking his tibia and fibula and dislocating his ankle in a pay-per-view event.

Owen Hart

Fell to his death at age 34 in 1999 when the rigging that was lowering him into the ring malfunctioned.











Thomas Russell Russ Haas


Haas died of a heart attack in his sleep at the age of 27.










Teddy ''Flyboy Rocco Rock'' Petty

Teddy Petty who also wrestled as The Cheetah Kid, Komodo Dragon II, Col. DeKlerk and as part of the tag team duo Public Enemy, died of a heart attack shortly after a show in New Jersey on Sept. 21 at the age of 49.









Bobby Duncum, Jr.



Duncum Jr. was recovering from an injury when he died of a prescription drug overdose at age 34.









Thomas Gilbert "Eddie hotstuff"



He died only 33 years old of a massive heart attack in his sleep.










Anthony Durante



Durante died on September 25, 2003 along with his wife due to drug overdoses. They overdosed on homemade Oxycontin and were found after lying in their home dead for days, all while their two small children were in the house among the bodies.






Elizabeth Hulette "Miss Elizabeth"

Elizabeth Ann Hulette was a U.S. professional wrestling manager and valet. She gained international fame during the late-1980s and early-1990s in the World Wrestling Federation, and the mid-1990s in World Championship Wrestling in her role as the ever-demure and graceful counterpart to the wild and brash pro wrestling character "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

She died at age 42 of an accidental drug overdose, having ingested some of the medications with vodka.




And then there's the story of the Von Erich wrestling family. Wrestling patriarch Fritz Von Erich, nee Jack Adkisson, had five wrestling sons: Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris.
David Von Erich

David died in a hotel room in Tokyo at the age of 25 in 1984 just as he was embarking on a three-week pro wrestling tour of Japan. The official cause of death was acute enteritis, severe inflammation of the intestines.

Devastated by the deaths of his older brothers and frustrated by his own limitations as a wrestler, the youngest and smallest brother, Chris, shot himself to death at the age of 21 in 1991.

Chris Von Erich

Three years later, Mike committed suicide by overdosing on the tranquilizer Placidyl at the age of 23. After David's death, Mike had suffered a series of setbacks including a serious shoulder injury that had left him severely depressed.

Two years later, Kerry, who had battled a long addiction to painkillers, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 33, leaving eldest brother Kevin as the only survivor of the sport that had defined his family.

Mike Von Erich













Kerry Von Erich













And now Chris Benoit, his wife and son have been added to the long, unbearably sad list of victims claimed, in part, by the brutal chemical calculus that is professional wrestling.

Related posts:
Benoit deaths were murder-suicide
Chris Benoit and Family Found Dead in Georgia Home

Labels: Interesting-Stuff, shocking, sport

The Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- Lindsay Lohan, who checked into rehab after a wild Memorial Day weekend, plans to extend her stay, says her mother, Dina Lohan.

"She's going to be doing extended care," Dina Lohan said in Tuesday's editions of the Daily News. "It was her choice."

The "Mean Girls" actress, who turns 21 on July 2, checked into rehab in Malibu, Calif., after she crashed her Mercedes Benz into a curb and was photographed slumped in the passenger seat of a friend's car.

It was her second rehab stint this year. Lohan said in January she had checked into a rehabilitation center for substance abuse treatment.

Dina Lohan, who appeared Monday for a hearing at Nassau Family Court in Mineola, told the Daily News that she speaks with her daughter every day.

"She's doing great," Lohan said.

Judge Stacy Bennett ordered Lohan and her estranged husband, Michael Lohan, to attend family therapy. Bennett said the family therapy aims to gradually reunite Michael Lohan with his two youngest children.

It was unclear whether both parents, who have been waging a legal battle over visitation rights, would attend therapy together.

Bennett also ordered that Michael Lohan be allowed more phone contact with the children, ages 13 and 11.

Michael Lohan, who recently left prison after serving time for drunken driving and attempted assault, told Newsday in Tuesday's editions that he was encouraged by the judge's orders.

"They were my entire life," he said of his children. "I miss them tremendously."


Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Labels: celebrity-gossip

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room, a law enforcement official close to the investigation told The Associated Press Tuesday.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Authorities also said they are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old son who were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide.

Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard said test results may not be back for weeks or even months.

Autopsies were scheduled Tuesday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in DeKalb County.

The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three separate rooms of the house, off a gravel road about two miles from the Whitewater Country Club.

Fayette County Coroner C.J. Mowell did not return calls seeking comment. The answering service for his funeral home said he was out of town.
Authorities also declined to say whether drugs or steroids were found inside the house. "We're not releasing any information as far as what was located inside the house," sheriff's Sgt. Keith Whiteside said Tuesday.
Asked about the condition of the interior of the house, Whiteside said investigators found "nothing really out of the ordinary." He said Benoit was found in the home's weight room, his wife in an office and the son in an upstairs bedroom.
Whiteside said toxicology tests could take up to a week or longer to complete.
Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle.
"They were nice," said Lorre Jones, who lives across the street. Her daughter Alaina said: "We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasn't rude, but he wasn't really outwardly warm."
Jimmy Baswell, who was Benoit's driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at the Benoits' gate Tuesday.
"I saw him with his family all the time," said Baswell. "They always seemed like they were the happiest people."
World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being alerted by friends who received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning."
The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., said it had been asked by authorities not to release further information on the deaths.
Benoit, born in Montreal, was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several tag-team titles. His names in the ring included "The Canadian Crippler."
"WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the company said in a statement on its Web site.
Benoit had maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling. The Fayette County Tax Assessors Office lists the value of the house, situated on more than 8.5 acres, at nearly $900,000.

The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast.
Benoit's wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name "Woman," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. They met when her then-husband drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of a story line on World Championship Wrestling, the newspaper said.
Benoit has two other children from a prior relationship.
Benoit became a standout at an early age among wrestling prospects who trained in the dungeon basement of the house where fellow Canadians and professional wrestlers Owen and Bret Hart trained. Owen Hart was killed during a wrestling event in 1999.
"He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my family is taking it real hard," said Bret Hart, a five-time champion with the now-defunct World Wrestling Federation.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Related articles:
Cris Benoit and family found dead...
Benoit tragedy is not the only one in the world of pro wrestling

Labels: shocking, sport

Pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and 7-year-old son were found slain Monday at their Fayetteville home, authorities said.

Detective Bo Turner told television station WAGA that the case was being investigated as a murder-suicide, but said that could not be confirmed until the evidence was examined by a crime lab.

WAGA reported that investigators believe Benoit killed his wife and son over the weekend, and then himself sometime Monday.

A concerned neighbor called police. The bodies were found in three different rooms.

The lead investigator, Sheriff’s Lt. Tommy Pope, told The Associated Press that the deaths were being investigated as homicide, and said the cause of death awaited autopsy results on Tuesday.

Pope said the three were found about 2:30 p.m., but he would release no other details about the deaths at the house in a subdivision near White Water Country Club.

World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that Benoit, 40, his wife, Nancy, and son, who was named Daniel, were found dead, but also had no other details.

Benoit, a native of Canada, was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several tag-team titles over his career.

“WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family’s relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy,” the federation said in a statement on its Web site.

Benoit was scheduled to perform at the “Vengeance” pay-per-view event Sunday night in Houston, but was replaced at the last minute because of what announcer Jim Ross called “personal reasons.”

Benoit maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling.

The WWE canceled its live “Monday Night RAW” card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast.

Benoit’s wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name, “Woman,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on its Web site.

They met when her then-husband drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of an ongoing storyline on World Championship Wrestling, the newspaper said.

Benoit has two other children from a prior relationship.

The federal-style house is in a secluded neighborhood set back about 60 yards off a gravel road, surrounded by stacked stone wall and double-iron gate.

Monday night, the house was dark except for a few outside lights. There was a police car in front, and two uniformed officers.


Source: Celebspin

Related articles:

Benoit deaths were murder-suicide

Benoit tragedy is not the only one in the world of pro wrestling

Labels: shocking, sport

CELEBRITY socialite Paris Hilton left jail in California today after serving three weeks for driving-related violations, US television pictures showed.

Hilton, 26, smiled broadly as she walked alone down a walkway lined with photographers and camera operators. In their sports utility vehicle.

She stepped out of the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California, into a scrum of cameras. She made no statement before driving away in a car with her mother Kathy Hilton.

The incarceration of multimillionaire, who lampooned her own persona as a clueless child of privilege on the reality TV show The Simple Life, ignited a worldwide media frenzy and debate about celebrity justice.

Via: The Australian

Labels: celebrity-gossip

Labels: movies

These are Japanese sex dolls for sale. The price range is from $1000 to $5000 (the more expensive ones are made with latex that feels like skin to the touch). The president of the doll factory even posed with several of them.
(Click on the images to enlarge)

Labels: Interesting-Stuff

MIAMI - Danny DeVito loves to eat and has been known to cook in his trailer while on set. Now he has a restaurant kitchen in Miami Beach to call his own.

The actor opened DeVito South Beach, an Italian chophouse on trendy Ocean Drive. The signature menu item is a $325 trio of steaks from Japan, Australia and the United States that serves three people. DeVito also helped develop the classic-meets-contemporary Italian menu, which is focused on prime meats and fresh seafood. Click here to find out more! The restaurant grew from a conversation between DeVito and South Florida financier Michael Brauser on the Greek island of Santorini, where the actor was vacationing with his wife, actress Rhea Perlman. DeVito is currently in Philadelphia filming the FX series "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Via: NBC6.net

Labels: celebrity-gossip

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - People who had obesity surgery got drunk after just one glass of red wine, researchers reported in a small study that was inspired by an episode on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

"A lot of people think they can have one glass of wine and be OK," said Dr. John Morton, assistant professor of surgery at Stanford University Medical Center, who is the study's lead author. "The concern here is they really can't."

Morton has performed more than 1,000 gastric bypass, or stomach stapling, surgeries. He said he routinely warns his patients about drinking alcohol, but it wasn't until Winfrey discussed the issue on her show last October that the public really took notice. He said questions poured in.
"I didn't find a whole lot in the literature, so that prompted the study," he said.
The research team gave 36 men and women - 19 who had obesity surgery and 17 who did not - almost 150 millilitres of red wine each to drink in 15 minutes. Using a breathalyzer, their alcohol levels were measured every five minutes until it returned to zero.
More than 70 per cent of the surgery patients hit a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 per cent, which qualifies as legally intoxicated in California, and two reached levels above .15, Morton said.
By contrast, most of the control group had levels below 0.05 per cent, the study reported.
Researchers also found that obesity patients took longer to sober up. After matching the control group with the patient group for age, gender and weight, they found the patients took 108 minutes on average to return to a zero blood-alcohol level versus 72 minutes for the control group.

Morton said the obesity surgery patients don't produce as much of an enzyme that breaks down alcohol because their stomachs are smaller. Also, the alcohol passes to their small intestine faster, speeding up absorption, he said.
The findings, which were presented recently at a meeting of bariatric surgeons, highlight an important warning for obesity patients: "Never have more than a couple of glasses in a single sitting, and don't drive afterward," Morton said.
Meg Semrau, a nurse co-ordinator of Stanford's bariatric program who had gastric bypass surgery herself more than three years ago, said she noticed her tolerance for alcohol was lower after surgery.

"I literally feel it within a couple of sips now," she said. "Flushing in the face, a kind of disequilibrium."

While some experts took issue with the study's size and methodology, they said it basically confirmed what they had suspected for some time: People who have gastric bypass surgery are more sensitive to alcohol.
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the weight management centre at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said Morton's results support alcohol warnings normally given to gastric bypass patients. However, she called drinking almost 150 millilitres of wine in 15 minutes an "artificial" test. No one - let alone bariatric surgery patients - would be advised to drink that amount of alcohol so quickly, she said.
In fact, Fernstrom said patients are discouraged from drinking alcohol because it is a "waste of calories."

"Alcohol is not part of a healthful diet for gastric bypass surgery patients," she said. "If this is a pleasant part of life to certain people on special occasions, it must be monitored and discussed with their surgeon."

Via: CTV.ca

Labels: health-beauty, Interesting-Stuff

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese girl who was raped and buried under stones for six days in a deserted coal mine has survived but is in critical condition, local media said on Thursday.

"Her left eye could become blind ... and the 21 wounds on her body are serious and could be life-threatening," the Beijing News quoted doctors as saying.

The alleged attacker, a partner in the victim's father's motorcycle taxi business, tricked the 15-year-old into going to the mine in a rural part of the southwestern municipality of Chongqing on the evening of June 8, the Beijing News said.

The man, surnamed Gou and in his 50s, raped and beat the girl unconscious before burying her facedown under stones, the newspaper said.

Police discovered the girl six days later. She told her mother that to survive she had to lick rain water that had flowed down into the mine well, it said.

Gou is in police custody, the newspaper said.

VIa: Reuters India

Labels: shocking

COLUMBIA, S.C. --Police on Wednesday were investigating how a naked couple fell 50 feet from the roof of a downtown office building to their deaths.

The bodies were found on the road by a passing cabdriver around 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Clothing was discovered on the roof, leading authorities to suspect the man and woman, in their early 20s, may have been having sex. Their identities were not released.

"It's too early to rule out anything," Columbia police Sgt. Florence McCants said, but McCants said a preliminary investigation didn't show any sign of foul play.

Via: Boston News

Labels: shocking, worlds-news

YouTube has announced international versions of its web video service.
The video site, owned by Google, has launched nine versions across Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK.

Each site is translated into local languages and has country-specific video rankings and comments.

"Video is universal and allows people around the world to communicate and exchange ideas," said Chad Hurley, YouTube co-founder.

"Our mission is to entertain, inform and empower the world through video."

More localised versions of YouTube will be rolled out this year.

More than half of all viewers on YouTube were now from outside the US, Mr Hurley added.

YouTube has also unveiled content partners around the world, including deals with France 24, Antena 3 in Spain, European football clubs such as AC Milan, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as organisations such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace.

"We want to create a YouTube experience that is a local experience," said Steve Chen, the service's other co-founder.

"It's not just about translating, it also about creating content unique to certain countries."

Source: BBC News

Labels: technology

Mischa Barton and Rumer Willis have been cast opposite Bruce Willis, Rumer's father, in the dark comedy The Sophomore.

In this teenage take on Chinatown, Barton plays the most popular girl in her Catholic high school. She persuades a sophomore reporter to investigate the theft of SAT exams, but after he reveals that the school's president and top jock are responsible, a more sinister conspiracy emerges.
Rumer Willis plays the troublemaking sidekick of Barton's character. Bruce Willis plays the school's twisted principal, a Desert Storm veteran who can't let go of his glory days.
The film will be directed for Yari Film Group by music video veteran Brett Simon (Good Charlotte, the Killers). Principal photography is set to begin in August.

Rumer Willis, 18, Bruce Willis eldest daughter with Demi Moore, made her screen debut at age 5 in Now and Then, which starred her mother. She most recently appeared in the 2005 film Hostage with her father.

Source: Stuff.co.nz

Labels: celebrity-gossip, movies

06/18/2007 05:16 am
The Associated Press (SELMER, Tenn.)

Cars for Kids has staged a charity car show for 18 years in this small town, and the drivers always do crowd-pleasing burnouts _ spinning the tires to make them heat up and smoke _ at the end of the parade.

There had never been an accident until this past weekend, when pro drag racer Troy Warren Critchley lost control of his car and six people lost their lives.

The six people killed were all in their teens and early 20s, Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Mike Browning said. Saturday's wreck injured at least 20 others, including a 5-year-old boy, who were taken to hospitals in Tennessee and Mississippi.

The Highway Patrol scheduled a news conference for Monday to talk about the accident investigation.

Witnesses questioned the decision Sunday to let the driver speed down a highway with no guard rails, lined on both sides by hundreds of spectators.

"It ain't really safe to do anything with drag cars on a city street," said 19-year-old Garett Moore, who said he was about 15 feet away from the wreck, but was uninjured. "They shouldn't have done it."

Amateur video of the crash, broadcast on WMC-TV in Memphis, showed the car's engine revving loudly before the vehicle sped down a highway. After a few hundred feet, the smoking car skidded off the road and into the crowd.


Critchley, an Australian drag racer who is now based in Wylie, Texas, suffered minor injuries and was taken by car to a nearby hospital for treatment, authorities said. No criminal charges have been filed against Critchley, Browning said.

There was a short guard rail along part of the highway, but not along the stretch where the crash occurred.

Nick Staples, who was at the car show and charity event with his wife and three children, said he was standing 20 feet from where the car plowed into the audience.

"There should have been guard rails," Staples said. "But even if there had been, it wouldn't have mattered."

Mourners placed small votive candles, flowers, teddy bears and a ceramic angel at the crash site, which is located along state Highway 64 near the intersection with state Highway 45.

The Highway Patrol said Raven Griswell, 15, of Finger; and Sean Michael Driskill, 22, of Adamsville, died at the scene. Four others _ Brook L. Pope, 20, of Selmer; Scarlett Replogle, 15, of Selmer; Kimberly A. Barfield, 17, of Adamsville; and Nicole Griswell, 19, of Selmer, all died later in area hospitals.

Authorities closed the festival after the crash.

Cars for Kids holds several events throughout the nation and raises close to $200,000 annually for charities that help children in need, according to its Web site.

The charity was formed in 1990, two years after founder Larry Price's son, Chad, suffered a severe head injury in a bicycle accident. Price promised that if his son was saved from lifelong injuries, he would spend the rest of his life raising funds for disabled children, according to the Web site.

Price said he hoped to keep the charity going, but he wouldn't do any more burnouts on public streets.

___

Associated Press writer Woody Baird contributed to this report.

Source: TalkingPhoneBook
Related Articles: 4 dead in Manchester...

Labels: shocking, worlds-news

Paris Hilton's fellow prison inmates are delighted she has returned because they are getting extra treats. Prisoners at California's Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood - where the socialite was transferred back to on Wednesday - claim they are receiving added perks to stop them complaining that Paris is getting special treatment.

Rosemary Gibbons, 35, who was released on Thursday, told the New York Daily News newspaper: "Since she was here last week, they started giving us double bologna, double apple juices. Two blankets instead of one - and a sheet, too! Everyone has cookies coming out of their pockets.

"Now we feel like we are in the Hilton Hotel."

Waynnisha Brown, 19, also released on Thursday, said: "There is extra food everywhere, and now they take you at the clinic right away if you are sick and they don't charge you. It's usually $3 for medical, now it's free."

Meanwhile, Paris' mother Kathy has revealed the socialite's sister Nicky was hysterical after visiting her in jail. Kathy told PEOPLE magazine:"It's tough. It is. It's just one hour a week - 30 minutes on Sunday and 30 minutes on Tuesday. We talk through glass."

"And Nicky left in hysterics. She tried to keep the brave face but - I never see Nicky cry."

Nicky added: It's sad. It's like right out of the movies. The glass partition, the orange jumpsuit. Everything."

Paris, 26, re-entered prison custody at the weekend after a briefly being let out on house release. She spent four days at Twin Towers jail - a mental facility - due to unspecified medical conditions, and has now returned to Lynwood to complete her 45-day sentence for driving with a suspended license.

Source: Exposay.com

Labels: celebrity-gossip, Paris Hilton

Associated Press - June 16, 2007 11:05 PM ET

SELMER, Tenn. (AP) - A drag-racing vehicle lost control during a parade and spun into a crowd of bystanders on Saturday, killing four adults and injuring up to 15.

Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Mike Browning said authorities are trying to determine what caused the vehicle to careen into the crowd around 6:30 pm during a parade at the Cars for Kids charity event in Selmer, located about 80 miles east of Memphis.



The identities of the victims and the driver, or the driver's condition, were not immediately known after the accident.

Eight people were transported to three different hospitals in the region.

Scott Henley, of Selmer, witnessed the accident and said the vehicle started burning off its tires, then began to fishtail and careened into a light pole before spinning around into the audience.

About 40,000 to 60,000 people were expected to attend the weekend event in Selmer, which is held at the city park.

The car show parade took place along State Highway 45, near the city park.

McNairy County sheriff's officials and Selmer police began to close down the festival shortly after the accident.

Source: Wreg.com

Labels: shocking, worlds-news

Lindsay Lohan had a series of post party lesbian trysts, according to a former bodyguard who quit when her wild ways became too much. Lee Weaver worked for Lohan for two years and is now planning to reveal all about the Mean Girls star's drug use and partying lifestyle as part of a new tell all book. And one of the most shocking revelations is Lohan's alleged lesbian interests.

Weaver tells Britain's News of The World newspaper, "She used boys for drugs and girls for thrills. I lost count of the women she took back to her hotel room from clubs."

And Weaver admits Lohan even tried to seduce Mariah Carey: "I saw her try to grope Mariah Carey's bottom and boobs one night as they danced. One time I went to look for her in a club bathroom and found her in the corner French kissing a girl."


Source: Celebrity-Gossipz.blogspot.com

Labels: celebrity-gossip, Lindsay Lohan

Each Year, People Magazine Names Hollywood's Sexiest Single Men and this year this is Matthew McConaughey.

The Hottest Bachelors cover star is renowned for his rakish smile, sparkling eyes and – how could we forget? – his killer abs. But as his mom Kay tells PEOPLE, her son's greatest attribute is "his integrity." She boasts of her 37-year-old superstar son, "When he gives you his time, he gives it to you."





The scale of first 10 sexiest single guys:

1. Matthew McConnaughey
2. Jake Gyllenhaal
3. Chris Evans
4. Maksim Chmerkovskiy
5. Ludacris
6. Kenny Chesney
7. Blake Lewis
8. Adrien Grenier
9. Apollo Ohno
10. Justin Timberlake

Via: People.com

Labels: celebrity-gossip

Roy Cleveland Sullivan (February 7, 1912 – September 28, 1983) was a U.S. forest ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

Sullivan was hit by lightning on seven different occasions and survived all of them. In his lifetime he gained "Human Lightning Rod" as a nickname.

Roy suffered assorted losses during these encounters: toenails, eyebrows, hair, and eventually his nerve. After the fourth incident he started to believe some higher power was trying to kill him, according to a 1989 St. Petersburg Times article; the fifth time came after he tried unsuccessfully to outrun a cloud he thought was following him. Lightning didn't end up killing Roy, though — he took his own life at age 71.

Two of his ranger hats are on display at two Guinness World Exhibit Halls in New York City and South Carolina.

The Seven Lightning Strikes

* 1942: Sullivan was hit for the first time when he was in a fire lookout tower. The lightning bolt struck him in a leg and he lost a nail on his big toe.

* 1969: The second bolt hit him in his truck when he was driving on a mountain road. It knocked him unconscious and burned his eyebrows.

* 1970: The third strike burned his left shoulder while in his front yard.

* 1972: The next hit happened in a ranger station. The strike set his hair on fire. After that, he began to carry a pitcher of water with him. He also started to believe that some higher power was trying to kill him, according to a 1989 St. Petersburg Times article.

* August 7, 1973: A lightning bolt hit Sullivan on the head, blasted him out of his car, and again set his hair on fire.

* June 5, 1974: Sullivan was struck by the sixth bolt in a campground, injuring his ankle. It came after he tried unsuccessfully to outrun a cloud he thought was following him.

* June 25, 1977: The seventh and final lightning bolt hit him when he was fishing. Sullivan was hospitalized for burns in his chest and stomach.

Ignoring Bayesian considerations, the chances of being struck seven times in your life are about 1:1.6 x 1025 .

External links: 1, 2, 3

Labels: Interesting-Stuff, shocking

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A 21-year-old man got the ride of a lifetime when his electric wheelchair became lodged in the grille of a semitrailer and was pushed down a highway for several miles at about 50 mph.




In this photo released by the Michigan State Police, Ben Carpenter is shown in his motorized wheelchair stuck to the front grill of this semi truck where he was pushed eastbound on Red Arrow Highway near Paw Paw, Michigan. (AP)







Ben Carpenter was unharmed but was taken to a hospital as a precaution. He had been secured to his wheelchair by a seat belt. Carpenter, who has muscular dystrophy, told a television station that he thought he might not make it through the ride.
"I was probably thinking that this is going to keep going and not stop anywhere, 50 or 60 miles somewhere," he told WOOD-TV of Grand Rapids.
Ben Carpenter’s father, Donald, told The Associated Press that his son had started to cross at an intersection Wednesday afternoon in Paw Paw, about 140 miles west of Detroit. The light changed to green while his son was in front of a semi, which started moving.
The wheelchair’s handles became lodged in the grille, the father said, and the wild ride started.
Motorists called 911 on their cell phones, and a pair of undercover police officers who happened to be nearby saw what was happening. They pulled the truck over and told the disbelieving driver, Donald Carpenter said.
The chair was undamaged except for losing most of the rubber on its wheels, he said.
"It’s a very bad story that ended very well," he said. "We’re just thrilled that he’s still around."

Via: BostonHerald

Labels: Interesting-Stuff, worlds-news

LOS ANGELES - Officers seized more than 100 pet rats, dozens of rabbits and other animals including several birds from the home of an 81-year-old woman, who was later treated at a hospital for what appeared to be bites, authorities said."

The woman had no food in the house for herself and seemed disoriented," said Annette Ramirez, an officer with the city's Animal Services Department. "Her arms were covered with open wounds apparently caused by animal bites."

Animal control officers discovered the scene while investigating a report Monday of unkempt conditions at a home in suburban Wilmington. In all, they found about 120 rats, 25 rabbits, six parakeets, a dog, a quail and a cockatiel, she said.The woman, identified as Wanda Langstom, was overwhelmed by how quickly the rats reproduced, Ramirez said."She said it just started with two but it got out of hand," Ramirez said.Most of the animals were in fair condition, but two rabbits needed medical attention. They will all be available for adoption after being treated by a veterinarian, she said.

Source: News Day

Labels: worlds-news

LOS ANGELES - A sobbing celebrity socialite Paris Hilton was sent back to prison Friday just a day after her early release from a 45-day sentence had triggered outrage, local TV reported.

Cry Didn't help.

Earlier, Los Angeles sheriff`s deputies had hauled a handcuffed Hilton back to court following outrage that she had been released for unspecified "medical reasons" after little more than 72 hours behind bars.

CNN reported that the 26-year-old heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune was crying, and called out for her mother, as Superior Court Judge Michael Sauer sent her back to jail.

Source:

Labels: celebrity-gossip

Britney Spears was said to have thrown a knife at a stage manager’s head at the House of Blues. The jean skirt and fur shrug-wearing lipsynch queen was outraged that the guy didn’t get the lights she ordered for her show - so she chucked a butter knife at his face.

According to the National Enquirer:

The bizarre blowup occurred when a stage manager went to Britney’s dressing room before showtime to tell her that special lights she’d ordered weren’t available. “What? You didn’t get the lights I wanted?” shrieked Britney. Stunned by her fury, the guy stammered that the house lighting looked fantastic but…. SHRIEEEEK!…Britney screamed, snatched a butter knife off a buffet table - and flung it at his head! The guy ducked and the knife slammed harmlessly into the wall.

A fuming House of Blues manager lit into Brit:

“You’re not a big enough star that I can’t cancel you right now!… You apologize immediate or I’ll make sure you never appear at any House of Blues again… or anywhere Else!”

A tearfully Britney demurred and begging her victim’s pardon.

Source: Pop Runch

Labels: celebrity-gossip, music

(CBS/AP) Paris Hilton was released from and L.A. County jail early Thursday due to an unspecified medical condition after serving only three days of a 23-day sentence.

She was sent home with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet and must remain there for 40 days, according to sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.

Whitmore says Hilton left the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood just after midnight.

She checked into the facility just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday to serve 23 days, down from the 45 days she was originally sentenced to.

Whitmore says Hilton's sentence will return to a 45-day term, with five days' credit for time served.
Hilton will be under the supervision of the L.A. County probation department, Whitmore said.

Whitmore also said a medical issue was involved, but could not elaborate because of privacy issues. Overcrowding and a reported staph infection at the facility did not play a part in her reassignment, Whitmore said.

"I can't specifically talk about the medical situation other to say that, yes, that played a part in this," he said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department called a hastily scheduled news conference early Thursday morning outside the Century Regional Detention Facility to answer reporters' questions about the famous inmate. TMZ.com first reported that Hilton was released from jail early.

Hilton surrendered to authorities on Sunday with little fanfare after a surprise appearance earlier that day at the MTV Movie Awards, where she worked the red carpet in a strapless designer gown.

Hilton was housed in the "special needs" unit of the 13-year-old jail, separate from most of its 2,200 inmates. The unit contains 12 two-person cells reserved for police officers, public officials, celebrities and other high-profile inmates. She didn't have a cellmate.

After her first night in jail, Hilton's lawyer, Richard A. Hutton, said she was doing well under the circumstances.

"She's using this time to reflect on her life, to see what she can do to make the world better and hopefully, in my opinion, to change the attitudes that exist about her among many people," Hutton said after visiting Hilton.

When she was sentenced May 4, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled that she would not be allowed any work release, furloughs or use of an alternative jail or electronic monitoring in lieu of jail.

Sheriff's officials had said she would serve about 23 days of her 45-day sentence behind bars because of state rules allowing shorter sentences for good behavior.

The star of "The Simple Life" reality TV show pleaded no contest to a reckless-driving charge in January and was sentenced to 36 months' probation. When she was later pulled over by the California Highway Patrol, Hilton was told that she was driving on a suspended license and signed a document acknowledging she was not to drive. She was then pulled over by sheriff's deputies on Feb. 27 and charged with violating probation.

Source: Showbuzz

Labels: celebrity-gossip

On June 3rd, 2007, in Kansas City,Ks, 1,683 people played "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple at the Community American Ballpark for the Guiness World Record.

Labels: music

With lenghtening peaces in her hair, glass in her hand and cellulite on her bottom that's how Britney Spears was running away from the paparazzies in Mexico.

Labels: celebrity-gossip