CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY CONVICTED OF FRAUD

On Tuesday, a Paris court convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud and fined it more than half a million euros. The court, however, but stopped short of banning the group as requested by prosecutors stating shutting down the Church of Scientology would be "outside any legal framework."

Your Ad Here

The Church of Scientology's French office, its' library and six of its' leaders were included Tuesday's Fraud conviction against Church of Scientology. In their summation of the fraud charges against the Church of Scientology, French investigators said the Church of Scientology pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used "commercial harassment" against recruits into the Church of Scientology.

Your Ad Here

As part of the Fraud conviction against the Church of Scientology, The group was fined 400,000 euro and the library 200,000 euro. Four of the leaders of the Church of Scientology were given suspended sentences of between 10 months and two years. The other two were given fines of 1,000 euro and 2,000 euro.

The complaint which lodged the Fraud Charges against the Church of Scientology dates back to 1998, when a young woman said she took out loans and spent the equivalent of 21,000 euro on books, courses and "purification packages" after being recruited into the Church of Scientology in 1998. When she sought reimbursement and to leave the Church of Scientology, its leadership refused. By the time the Church of Scientology was brought to court on accusations of Fraud, there were three plaintiffs.

Your Ad Here

While looking at the fraud charges against the Church of Scientology, investigating judge Jean-Christophe Hullin spent years examining the Church of Scientologies' activities, and in his indictment criticized what he called the Scientologists' "obsession" with financial gain and practices he said were aimed at plunging members into a "state of subjection."

The Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology, founded in 1954 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, has been active for decades in Europe, but has struggled to gain status as a religion. The Church of Scientology is considered a sect in France and has faced prosecution and difficulties in registering its activities in many countries.

Of course, the Church of Scientology followed up with their own announcement, stating they would be appealing the Fraud Charges layed against the Church of Scientology.

WANTED - ANTHONY SOWELL - Police offer $12,000 reward

Cleveland police are on the hunt for convicted sex offender Anthony Sowell. This is after they found 6 badly decomposed bodies in Anthony Sowell's home on Imperial Avenue. According to reports, the find came after officers went to the home of Anthony Sowell with a search warrant for 50-year-old Anothony Sowell's home. Police say when they went inside the home of Anthony Sowell on Thursday, they discovered two badly decomposed bodies on the third floor.

Your Ad Here

Following their find, Clevland Police continued to dig through and under the home of Anthony Sowell. Police tell Fox 8 News a third body was discovered Friday afternoon in a shallow grave in the basement of the home. According to police, the most recent remains were found in the backyard, and inside the home of Anothony Sowell. Investigators in the Anthony Sowell case say they plan to continue searching the home for more evidence. At this time, Clevland Police have found the remains of six people both inside and outside Anothony Sowell's Clevland home.

Your Ad Here

Anthony Sowell is wanted in connection for an alleged sexual attack which happened back in September. Anthony Sowell is a 6 foot tall 155 pound black male. Anthony Sowell wears eyeglasses and frequently has a mustache. According to Clevland Police files, Anthony Sowell spent 15 years in prison for rape starting back in 1989. According to Police, Anthony Sowell does not drive a car and is known to make money as a scap metal collecting binner. The Cleveland Police Department is offering a $12,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Anthony Sowell. Anyone with information the whereabouts of Anthony Sowell is asked to contact US Marshals Service Fugitive hotline at 1-866-4-WANTED.

Your Ad Here

Texas Father Forces Daughters to watch Porn - OK by law

Texas Single Stay at Home Mom Crystal Buckner wants her ex husband thrown in jail for "forcing" their two daughters (8 and 9 Years Old) hardcore internet porn. The thing is, there is a 1970s-era Texas law which permits parents to show "harmful material" to their children. The purpose being, to enable Parents to teach their children sex education.

Your Ad Here

Parents allowed by Law to Show Children Hardcore Group Sex

Crystal Buckener wants this law changed. In an interview, Crystal Buckner said "I don’t want to stop parents from having that right to teach sex education, but there’s a big difference and there’s a line you should not cross when teaching.”

Randall County District Attorney James Farren responded to the initial allegations by stating "Our hands are tied. It's not our fault. I have to follow the law." Sympathising with the mother. Farren further went on to say "The mother of the victims in this case was less than happy with this decision, which I understand. We were less than happy with the statute."

Your Ad Here

Texas Father Forces Daughters to watch Hardcore Internet Porn

After being told by a prosecutor he couldn't file charges against a man accused of forcing his 8- and 9-year-old daughters to watch hardcore online pornography, James Farren has asked the Texas attorney general's office to review his decision not to pursue charges in the case, which has prompted at least one lawmaker to vow to change the state's public indecency law.

After being told by Texas Police they could not prosecute her husband, Crystal Buckner responded "Are you kidding me?' There's no way. This can't be right." Farren said police reported the incident to his office after one of the girls told a counselor in June that her father made them watch adults having group sex and various other acts at his home in Amarillo. The parents of the girls, and their 7-year-old sister, are divorced and share custody.

The girls' mother, Crystal Buckner, wants her ex-husband to be jailed. She said she was stunned to hear from prosecutors and police that nothing can be done.

Crystal Bucker wants Law Changed

Crystal Buckner is seeking publicity about the case and has printed out copies of the penal code, which she hands out to everyone she meets. "I want people to know about this. I want parents to be mad and say, 'No!"' said Crystal Buckner. "I understand in the '70s everybody wanted the government to stay out of their homes. I don't want to stop parents from having that right to teach sex education, but there's a big difference and there's a line you should not cross when teaching."

The Texas attorney general's office said Thursday that it would be months before an opinion is issued and declined further comment.

Your Ad Here

IVANKA TRUMP WEDDING PHOTOs

IVANKA TRUMP WEDDING DAY

The beautiful Ivanka Trump is getting married to the geeky Jared Kushner today and everyone is searching for IVANKA TRUMP WEDDING PHOTO's or PICTURES. Asked about her new husband and their future family plans, Ivanka trump said "When our time to have a family comes around, I know I will compromise." Ivanka Trump further went on to say "Jared and I both work long hours, he is successful in his own right and very active in his work. Like my father, he encourages me to follow my passion for real estate."

Your Ad Here

As for the Ivanka Trump wedding, it will be a private ceremony at Donald Trump's National Golf Course in New Jersey. The Ivanka Trump wedding will undoubtedly be as, if not more spectacular than the Donald and Melania Trump's Palm Beach, Fl wedding as Ivanka Trump has hired the same wedding planner. It is unknown whether the same rule regarding guests taking photo's of the Ivanka Trump wedding as applied at her mothers recent wedding where guests were told to leave their camera's at the doors.

Your Ad Here

Small in the scale of everything Trump, the Ivanka Trump wedding will have a mere 500 guests. Ivanka Trump will be seen in her wedding pictures wearing a Vera Wang wedding dress.

As promised, we have for you a series of IVANKA TRUMP WEDDING PICTURES. Some of these IVANKA TRUMP WEDDING PICTURES have been cropped slightly so you can see more of the detail in IVANKA TRUMP's WEDDING DRESS PICS. So enjoy the Ivanka Trump Wedding photo's. or Photographs of Ivanka Trump's wedding.

Your Ad Here

Photographs of the Ivanka Trump wedding at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, USA on 25 October 2009. EPA/BRIAN MARCUS / FRED MARCUS PHOTOGRAPHY / HO EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES


















File under

Ivanka Trump Wedding, ivanka trump wedding ivanka trump twitter, jared kushner, trump wedding, ivanka trump s wedding, Ivanka Trump wedding pictures, trump wedding picturess 2009, october 25 2009 ivanka trump wedding, ivanka trump marriage vows, ivanka trump prenupt, ivanka trump prenuptual agreement, Ivanka Trump wedding photo's.

New York Jane Doe - Police Seek Identity of unknown Girl

Authorities are seeking the public's assistance in identifying a teenage girl who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago, claiming to have no memory of her family, home or even her own name. "I just want to know who I am," the girl says in a statement from the New York City Administration for Children's Services. The teen, who is being referred to as Jane Doe, continues, "I want to know who I am and what happened to me." The Caucasian young woman, described by the New York agency as "very soft-spoken," is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, light-skinned, with short, straight, cropped blond hair and blue eyes. Doctors are estimating her age to be between 14 and 17.

Your Ad Here

In a statement, John B. Mattingly, commissioner for the children's services agency, appealed to the public, "asking anyone who may know this young woman to help us locate her family as quickly as possible, so we can safely reunite her with those who love her." The girl was found in Midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter, although the organization said that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility. According to its Web site, "Covenant House New York is the nation's largest adolescent care agency serving homeless, runaway and at-risk youth." Nearly 7,000 youths reportedly seek shelter there per year.

A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her. Finding her unresponsive, he called the New York City Police Department. Police officers interviewed the young woman, but it became clear that she couldn't provide authorities with any information about herself. The police said she was wearing military green camouflage pants, a black shirt and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered.

Your Ad Here

The children's services agency said the girl recently wrote down the name "Amber" and has responded to it on one occasion, but she has no idea whether it is her true name. On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words, which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel "Fool's Fate" by Robin Hobb. The girl also is apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian, "who's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom," the young woman said.

The girl has a 2- to 4-inch scar on her lower left back and had a black, handwritten birthday message on her arm, addressed to a name of Japanese origin, when she was found, police said Friday. Judging from her poor dental hygiene, said Lt. Christopher Zimmerman, she appears to have been living on the streets for some time. "This case has been going on since October 9," Zimmerman said. "Today is the 23rd, and we're very concerned. It's been a very long time now. That's a long time frame to not identify somebody. Especially someone who we believe is a juvenile. Usually juveniles we get a lot of inquiries about."

Your Ad Here

While the girl is confused and her story remains vague, Mattingly said, "she is safe with us, and we are doing all we can to help her, but she needs to find her family." She apparently is reviewing materials for a high school GED exam, saying that she is able to do the math but has no recollection of studying the history and science portions. However, according to the agency's statement, the young woman "can easily retain the information."

New York City Administration for Children's Services and police are asking anyone with information about the young woman or her family to contact the New York police or Missing Persons Squad at 212-694-7781 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Strikes Indonesia

A powerful earthquake struck deep under the sea in eastern Indonesia on Saturday, causing panic and sending residents running out of their homes, officials and witnesses said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The Indonesia Earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0, but at a depth of 86 miles was too far below the earth's surface to cause a tsunami, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Your Ad Here

Saturday's Earthquake in Indonesia came as Indonesia is still recovering from a devastating earthquake last month that killed more than 1,000 people on western Sumatra. The U.S. Geological Survey says Saturday's Earthquake in Indonesia was located 225 miles southeast of Ambon in the Maluku islands in the Banda Sea.

Your Ad Here

The shaking was strong and people ran to higher ground fearing a tsunami, said Ian Kotualubun, an official with Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in Saumlaki, the area closest to the epicenter, about 1,700 miles east of the capital, Jakarta.

Indonesia sits above a series of fault lines that make the vast island nation one of the most earthquake-prone places in the world. A massive quake off the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province caused the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 230,000 people, half of the victims on Sumatra island. This area is often referred to as "The Ring of Fire."

Your Ad Here

President Obama declares H1N1 flu a national emergency

President Obama Saturday declared the H1N1 flu a national emergency, clearing the way for legal waivers to allow hospitals and doctors offices to better handle a surge of new patients. The proclamation will grant Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius the power to authorize the waivers as individual medical facilities request them, officials said. It says that Obama does "hereby find and proclaim that, given that the rapid increase in illness across the Nation may overburden health care resources and that the temporary waiver of certain standard Federal requirements may be warranted in order to enable U.S. health care facilities to implement emergency operations plans, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic in the United States constitutes a national emergency."

Your Ad Here

White House officials played down the dramatic-sounding language, saying the president's action was not prompted by a new assessment of the dangers posed to the public by the flu. Instead, officials said the action provides greater flexibility for hospitals which may suddenly find themselves confronted with a surge of new patients as the virus sweeps through their communities. "The H1N1 is moving rapidly, as expected. By the time regions or healthcare systems recognize they are becoming overburdened, they need to implement disaster plans quickly," White House spokesman Reid Cherlin said Saturday.

The waivers authorized by the president's actions still require individual requests by the hospitals, Cherlin said. "Adding a potential delay while waiting for a National Emergency Declaration is not in the best interest of the public, particularly if this step can be done proactively as we are doing here," he said. If granted a waiver, hospitals would be freed from some regulations that guide their behavior during normal day-to-day operations. Cherlin provided the following example: "Requirements under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act would prohibit hospitals from certain rapid triage or sorting activities and prevent the establishment of off-site, alternate care facilities that could off-load emergency department demand," he said.

Your Ad Here

Public health experts praised the move, saying it was an important precautionary step that could help hospitals and other first responders care for large numbers of sick people as the outbreak continues. "We know a number of hospitals are already experiencing high but manageable loads. It's not a stretch to imagine that hospitals could be strained," said Jennifer Nuzzo of the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Biosecurity. "It's a just a precautionary move so if need be we can focus on the care of patients rather than focus on administrative hurdles. In disasters, you often don't have the time or luxury to keep the paperwork in order. You want hospitals focusing on patients." Others agreed, likening the move to getting snow plows and salt supplies ready before a large snow storm. "You get ready -- make sure everything is battened down," said Arthur Caplan, a University of Pennsylvania bioethicist. But Caplan was concerned that the dramatic language could create unnecessary anxiety, in the same way that the World Health Organization's progressive elevation of pandemic alerts last spring caused widespread concern. "From the point of the view of the public, I think it's, 'Holy cow,' " Caplan said. "It gets heard very differently."

The declaration could sharply increase demand for the vaccine, which is becoming available much more slowly than originally expected. "I've already gotten a couple of calls from people today asking, 'Where can I get the vaccine?' whereas yesterday it was, 'I don't want that vaccine,' " Caplan said. "I'm worried about people getting panicky and vaccine being diverted away from those who need it most." Said David P. Fidler, a professor of law at the University of Indiana, "The declaration has political implications in that it will intensify scrutiny of the federal government's preparedness and response for this kind of event (e.g., are we seeing a nationwide microbial Katrina unfolding, or are the CDC and DHHS, in fact, doin' a heck of a job). "I also wonder whether the increasing impact of H1N1, coupled with the presidential declaration, will make the U.S. move more slowly in sharing the H1N1 vaccine it promised to donate to developing countries . . . especially in light of all the problems being experienced with access to the vaccine in the U.S. now and for the foreseeable future," Fidler said in an e-mail.

Your Ad Here

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that the flu was spreading widely in at least 46 states and had already hospitalized at least 20,000 Americans. More than 1,000 confirmed deaths have occurred due to the virus and more than 2,400 additional deaths that were likely associated with it, officials said. Health authorities are especially concerned about pregnant women, young adults and children. At least 95 children have already died from the virus, far more than usually die during an entire typical flu season. Although officials had hoped at least 40 million doses of vaccine would be available by this time, production problems have delayed the federal government's massive inoculation campaign. Only about 16 million doses have become available so far.

More Powerful than Gotti SEMION MOGILEVICH tops FBI wanted list

The FBI is reporting Russian Mobster, SEMION MOGILEVICH as being "more powerful than Gotti." Worldwide manhunt aside, this declaration on the part of the FBI must be a boost to the mobster ego of SEMION MOGILEVICH.

Your Ad Here

Having been involved in arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder for hire, SEMION MOGILEVICH has done it all. The FBI says SEMION MOGILEVICH is more of an international mobster, wheres Gotti did not have the global influence of SEMION MOGILEVICH "He has access to so much, including funding, including other criminal organizations, that he can, with a telephone call and order, affect the global economy," said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Peter Kowenhoven.

As a result of his alleged brutality, financial savvy and international influence, SEMION MOGILEVICH is not listed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. "He's a big man. He's a very powerful man," FBI Special Agent Mike Dixon said. "I think more powerful than a John Gotti would be, because he has the ability to influence nations. Gotti never reached that stature."

Your Ad Here

Among is many charges, SEMION MOGILEVICH is accused of swindling Canadian and U.S. investors out of $150 million in a complex international financial scheme. According to authorities, that particular scheme involved preparing bogus financial books and records, lying to Securities and Exchange Commission officials, offering bribes to accountants

Arrested last year by Russian authorities arrested on tax fraud charges, SEMION MOGILEVICH has not been extradited to the US as the United States does not have an extradition treaty with Russia. As a result, SEMION MOGILEVICH has remained beyond the reach of the FBI, who so desperately wants to try SEMION MOGILEVICH on their soil.

SEMION MOGILEVICH is now free on bail and the FBI believes SEMION MOGILEVICH has began manipulating international energy markets, giving him a large influence on other nations. FBI Agent Dixon noted SEMION MOGILEVICH had control or influence over companies involved in natural gas disputes between Russia and Ukraine. Authorities say SEMION MOGILEVICH, who has an economics degree from Ukraine, is known for his ruthless nature but also for his business acumen, which led to his nickname "the Brainy Don."

Your Ad Here

Speaking about SEMION MOGILEVICH, FBI Agent Dixon says "He has a very sophisticated, well-educated, loyal group of associates that he works with. He hires top-notch consultants, attorneys, risk management firms to assist him and protect him in his criminal ventures."

Rosie ODonnell and Kelli Carpenter Divorce?

Married back in 2004, Rosie O'Donnell and her wife Kelli Carpenter are reportidly going through some marital strife. This has some people in the in talking about a Rosie O'Donnell / Kelli Carpenter Divorce. According to Rosie O'Donnell's Publicist, Rosie O'Donnel and Kelli Carpenter "...are a family and will remain a family forever and are working through their issues."

Your Ad Here

Several Rumours flowing around Hollywood indicate Kelli Carpenter has already left, leaving way for a Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter Divorce. The Rosie O'Donnell Kelli Carpenter Divorce rumour mill started to churn faster this week after Rosie O'Donnell did not give a clear-cut denial. of the Rosie O'Donnell Kelli Carpenter Divorce rumours, in a USA Today interview on Tuesday. In a CNN Interview the following day, Rosie O'Donnell still made no mention of the possibility, or lack there of, of a Rosie O'Donnell Kelli Carpenter Divorce.

Your Ad Here

Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter were married in a private ceremony in San Francisco, California, Mayor Gavin Newsom's office in February 2004. Pioneering Gay Marriages, The city of San Francisco issued the Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter a marriage license two weeks after. Gavin Newsom said his mayoral responsibility not to discriminate trumped a state law banning gay marriages.

If the Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter Divorce does become official, it could become a very messy Divorce as Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter are also business partners in a cruise business they started together. R Family Vacations organizes cruises tailored for gay couples. The Rosie O'Donnell Kelli Carpenter family includes four children. The three oldest -- Parker, 14, Chelsea, 12 and Blake, 9 -- are adopted. Six-year-old Vivienne -- conceived through a sperm donation -- was born to Kelli Carpenter.

Your Ad Here

Somali Pirates Seize Ship near Seychelles

Any romantic appearance of Pirates, as sold by Johnny Depp has been replaced with murder off the coast of Africa as Somali Pirates seized control of yet another cargo ship off the coast of Seychelles on Thursday. According to the European Union Naval Force, this is the second of two attacks that took place within minutes of each other off the coast of east Africa.

The International Maritime Bureau reports attacks off the east coast of Africa have increased this year. Along with the Seychelles Coast Guard, the EU maritime patrol responded to the early morning Somali Pirate attacks. Before their communication had been cut off, the crew of the Panama ship MV Al Khaliq said two Somali pirates had boarded their ship. The EU Maritime Patrol has since confirmed six pirates have boarded the 180-meter long ship.

Your Ad Here

A second attempted hijacking took place at approximately the same time, however, the Italian cargo ship managed to evaded the attack. Armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, Somali pirates started their failed attack by opening fire on the MV Jolly Rosso about 460 miles (740 km) east of Mombasa, Kenya. Luckily for the Italian crew, a Belgium warship, part of the EU force, responded to the attack and none of the crew perished in the failed Somali Pirate attack.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, Somali Pirate attacks off the coast of east Africa have increased substantially this year. However, due to a strong presence of international monitors, successful Pirate attacks have had an overall decrease.

The IMB reports, within the first nine months of 2009, there have been more pirate attacks than the whole of last year. From January 1 until September 30, pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks, compared with 293 in all of 2008, it said.

Your Ad Here

More than half of this year's Pirate attacks were carried out by suspected Somali pirates off the east coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, a major shipping route between Yemen and Somalia. Out of those attacks, Somali pirates successfully hijacked 32 vessels and took 533 hostages. Eight others were wounded, four more killed and one is missing.

On Monday, pirates hijacked a Chinese merchant ship and its 25-member crew about 630 miles (1,000 km) northeast of Seychelles. The pirates appeared to be heading toward Somalia, the European Union Naval Force said. China plans to make "every effort to rescue" the crew members, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu, told reporters. The bulk carrier De Xin Hai is one of four ships that Somali pirates are holding for ransom with 80 crew members as hostages, the International Maritime Bureau said Wednesday.

Maritime authorities say two recent trends have led to a rise in piracy: access and opportunity. As global commerce picks up, more and more of the world's fuels, minerals and other crucial commodities travel by ship. Ninety-five percent of America's foreign trade, for instance, moves by water, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. That cargo is an easy target for robbers in countries that lack the resources to secure their shorelines, such as Somalia.

Somalia's transitional government, which has a tenuous grip on power, has been unable to stop the pirates -- many of whom are based in the country's port cities. This has prompted Europe and other Western countries to step up maritime patrols. "In the Gulf of Aden, the number of attacks have gone up. But because of the presence of naval vessels, the success rate of the pirates have decreased," said Cyrus Mody, manager of the International Maritime Bureau. "The navies are responding very very effectively."

Your Ad Here

Piracy accelerated after the fall of the Somali government in the early 1990s and began to flourish after shipping companies started paying ransoms. Those payments started out being in the tens of thousands of dollars and have since climbed into the millions. With the ransoms they collect, pirates can earn up to $40,000 a year, analysts say. That's a fortune for someone from an impoverished country.

Some analysts say companies are simply making the problem worse by paying the piracies. "Yes, the ransoms have probably caused the piracy to become a bit more rampant. But at the same time, from the owner's point of view, there is no other way currently to secure the safe release of the vessel along with the crew and the cargo," Mody said. "It's basically a cycle."

Travolta Extortion Trial - Mistrial

Mistrial in Travolta Extortion Trial

The judge presiding over the Travolta Extortion trial in Nassau Bahama's has declared a mistrial in the case against Paramedic Tarino Lightbourn and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater.

Your Ad Here

The trial resulted from an apparent attempt to extort millions from actor John Travolta after the death of his 16-year-old son, Jett. The reported extortion attempt occured after Jett Travolta suffered a seizure on January 2 at the family's vacation home on the island of Grand Bahamas. Paramedic Tarino Lightbourn and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourn, allegedly attempted to extort $25 million from the Travolta family in order to not make public a medical document, declining to have Jett transported to a nearby hospital.

In her mistrial judgement, Judge Anita Allen thought someone in the jury had had inappropriate communications outside of the jury room. Apparently Judge Anita Allen received information that an announcement had been made at a local political rally indicating one of the defendants had been found not guilty.

Although there was ni indication of any sort of verdict when jury foreman said the jurors needed more time to deliberate, Allen opted to discharge the jury. In her statement, Judge Allen said "About two hours ago, there was an announcement at a particular political party... It leaves the impression that there may have been a communication in the jury room. I am going to discharge you from returning your verdict." Allen then ordered a retrial.

Your Ad Here

Speaking about the mistrial judgement, Travolta's lawyer Michael Ossi said "We would have liked to have had a verdict so there would be closure in this case, but we prefer to have a new trial. We believe the evidence was very strong and convincing. The jury was deliberating for about eight hours. ... If, in fact, Tarino Lightbourn or Pleasant Bridgewater were found not guilty, a verdict would have been read hours before this announcement."

Tarino Lightbourn's lawyer, Carlson Shurland, expressed disappointment over the judge's mistrial ruling, saying the case has been a "financial nightmare." He continued, "Unfortunately, after a lot of expenses, I'm very, very disappointed. I'm confident that we would have had a favorable verdict."

Earlier in the trial, Travolta had testified that his son was found unresponsive by a nanny. Travolta said he initially told the ambulance driver to rush them to an airport where his private jet was parked. Travolta, who is a pilot, planned to fly his son to a West Palm Beach, Florida, hospital instead of driving him to one in nearby Freeport. John Travolta testified that while he and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, were riding in the ambulance with their son, they decided to take the teen to the hospital, instead of flying to Florida.

At the hospital, Travolta was told his son "wasn't alive," he said. As a result of his request to circumvent the hospital, Tarino Lightbourn asked Travolta to sign a statement releasing the ambulance company from liability. "I received a liability of release document. I signed it. I did not read it. Time was of the essence," Travolta testified.

Your Ad Here

Travolta further went on to say he later learned about a demand for $25 million. If he didn't pay, "stories connected to that document would be sold to the press. The stories would imply the death of my son was intentional and I was culpable somehow."

An attorney representing Bridgewater and Lightbourn asked Travolta whether the defendants had ever contacted or threatened him directly. Travolta said they had not and that he had heard specifics about the situation through his attorneys. Travolta's attorney, Michael McDermott, testified Bridgewater had told him the "document would show [Travolta] killed his son or was negligent in the death of his son." In addition, McDermott told the court Bridgewater had claimed the form was evidence Travolta was "trying to flee the country with his dead son." "I said to Mrs. Bridgewater, 'What you are doing is a criminal offense -- it's extortion in the United States,'" McDermott testified. McDermott said he contacted authorities and later met with Bridgewater in a Nassau hotel room for a conversation secretly recorded by Bahamian police. The price for keeping the document under wraps was dropped through subsequent phone conversations. McDermott said it went from $25 million to $10 million.

Obama Steps into the Ring with Fox

The growing pissing match between Obama and the Fox network took a new twist last night as President Obama spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday about his administration's portrayal of Fox News. According to Fox News, they feel Obama referred to Fox News as an illegitimate news organization when Obama said he's not "losing sleep" over the controversy with Fox News.

Your Ad Here

In an interview with NBC, Obama first attempted to deflect a question about the White House's criticism of Fox News, saying "the American people are a lot more interested in what we're doing to create jobs or how we're handling the situation in Afghanistan." The NBC interviewer then pressed, noting Obama's advisers have targeted the network openly.

In response, Obama said "I think that what our advisers simply said is, is that we are going to take media as it comes, and if media is operating, basically, as a talk radio format, then that's one thing. And if it's operating as a news outlet than that's another. But it's not something I'm losing a lot of sleep over."

Your Ad Here

Several top White House advisers have gone on other channels to criticize Fox News' coverage of the administration, dismiss the network as the mouthpiece of the Republican Party and urge other news organizations not to treat Fox News as a legitimate news station. On Tuesday, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said White House officials "render (that) opinion based on some their coverage and the fairness of that coverage." When asked how Fox News was different from other news organizations, Gibbs mentioned the channel's 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. shows, in an explicit reference to "Beck" and "Hannity". When Informed those hours are for opinion programming, Gibbs said: "That is our opinion."

Your Ad Here

In response to the Obama interview, Sr VP of Fox News Michael Clemente, issued a statement defending the Fox and their reporting. "Hundreds of journalists come to work each day at Fox News all deeply committed to their craft. It's disappointing that the White House would be so dismissive of their fine work and continue their vengeful war against a news organization."

nursery Sexual Assault

A disturbing case out of the UK has A female nursery worker in South Leeds arrested in connection with an alleged Nursery sexual assault of a child in her care.

The 32-year-old woman was arrested at a nursery on Friday and is currently out on bail while authorities look further into the Nursery Sexual Assault allegations.

Your Ad Here

West Yorkshire Police said officers from their child and public protection unit were investigating the alleged Nursery Sex Incident.

A spokesman said the Nursery Sex allegation was an "isolated incident" and inquiries were in the early stages.

Typhoon Lupit / Ramil

Typhoon Lupit / Ramil is expected to , bring winds of 121 mph (195 kph), to the Philippines on Thursday, the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council said.

At this time, Typhoon Lupit / Ramil has intensified, with winds gusting up to 109 mph (175 kph) on Monday.
A spokeswoman for arelief agency in the Philippines said they were rushing to get relief supplies to the northern part of the island of Luzon, where Typhoon Lupit / Ramil is expected to strike first

Your Ad Here

Early Tuesday, Lupit / Ramil was about 510 miles (820 km) east of Cagayan, the northernmost province of Luzon. Relief agencies fear landslides and storm surges from Lupit / Ramil could very well unleash further devastation on The Philippines who's residents are already reeling from the raith of Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma.

Your Ad Here

As of Tuesday, the combined death toll of Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma stood at 858 on Tuesda.

Your Brain on the Internet

This Is your Brain on the Internet

My first thought when seeing the headling of this story immediately made me think the negative. With children spending increasing amounts of time on the Internet playing games and doing mindless Facebook postings, one would think the world is getting stupid.

Your Ad Here

According to an UCLA Neurology study which involved 24 neurologically normal volunteers between the ages of 55 and 78, Internet activity may in fact be benificial to the neurological function of the brains of older people.

Dr. Gary Small, study author and professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, reports "We found that for older people with minimal experience, performing Internet searches for even a relatively short period of time can change brain activity patterns and enhance function."

Participants in the UCLA Neurology study performed Web searches while undergoing (fMRI) scans of their brain. The fMRI (Functional MRI) scans were able to record the subtle brain-circuitry changes experienced during the study by tracking brain activity by measuring the level of blood flow in the brain during cognitive tasks. As the ULCA Neurology study on the Internet and the Human Brain involved a small number of people, more research on this topic is needed.

Your Ad Here

It is hoped this UCLA Neurology study of the effects of the Internet on the Human Brain could open some pathways to the prevention of Deteriative Brain disorders such as Alzheimers Disease.

Teena D. Moody, the UCLA Neurology study's first author and UCLA researcher, said "The results suggest that searching online may be a simple form of brain exercise that might be employed to enhance cognition in older adults."


The participants performed Web searches while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, which recorded the subtle brain-circuitry changes experienced during this activity. This type of scan tracks brain activity by measuring the level of blood flow in the brain during cognitive tasks. While the study involves a small number of people and more research on this topic is needed, small study sizes are typical of fMRI-based research.

After the initial brain scan, subjects went home and conducted Internet searches for one hour a day for a total of seven days over a two-week period. These practice searches involved using the web to answer questions about various topics by exploring different websites and reading information. Participants then received a second brain scan using the same Internet simulation task, but with different topics.

The first scan of participants with little Internet experience showed brain activity in the regions controlling language, reading, memory and visual abilities. The second brain scan of these participants, conducted after the home practice searches, demonstrated activation of these same regions, but there was also activity in the middle frontal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus – areas of the brain known to be important in working memory and decision-making.

Your Ad Here

Thus, after Internet training at home, participants with minimal online experience displayed brain activation patterns very similar to those seen in the group of savvy Internet users.

Additional studies will be needed to address the impact of the Internet on younger individuals and help identify aspects of online searching that generate the greatest levels of brain activation.

The findings were presented Oct. 19 at the meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago, Illinois.