Meth pours into Central California as liquid

FRESNO, California (AP) — In methamphetamine's seedy underworld, traffickers are disguising the drug as a liquid to smuggle it into the United States from Mexico.

Dissolved in a solution, it's sealed in tequila bottles or plastic detergent containers to fool border agents and traffic officers. Once deep in California's Central Valley, a national distribution hub, meth cooks convert it into crystals — the most sought-after form on the street.

Tough policing has driven the highly toxic super-labs south of the border where meth is manufactured outside the sight of U.S. law enforcement, but the smaller conversion labs are popping up domestically in neighborhoods, such as one in Fresno where a house exploded two years ago.

People inside the home had sealed it tightly so the tale-tell fumes didn't give them away.

"These guys, they don't have Ph.D.s in chemistry," said Sgt. Matt Alexander of the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. "They're focused on not getting caught."

Investigators say it's impossible to know how much liquid meth crosses the border, but agents in Central California say they have been seeing more of it in the past few years.

A California Highway Patrol officer in late 2012 pulled over a 20-year-old man on Interstate 5 who said he was headed to Oregon from Southern California and seemed nervous. The officer found 15 bottles in the trunk full of dissolved meth but labeled as Mexican tequila.

The man pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and received a federal prison sentence of 46 months.

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In this November 2012 photo provided by PARC Environmental, a traffic stop on Interstate 5 led to th …

Three men were indicted in late 2013 and await trial after a drug task force found 12 gallons (45 liters) of liquid meth in a Fresno house along with 42 pounds (19 kilograms) of the drug ready for sale, four guns and 5,000 rounds of ammunition.

Officers raided a Madera home earlier this year, finding a lab used to convert liquid meth into 176 pounds (80 kilograms) of crystals with a street value over $1 million. Nobody was arrested, but agents said the bust dealt a blow to the organization behind the lab.

Mike Prado, resident agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigation's Fresno office, said law enforcement agencies are always on the lookout for creative ways cartels use to smuggle meth.

"We've become better at detecting certain things," Prado said. "When they catch on to that, they modify their methods."

The super-labs driven south to Mexico are notoriously toxic to people and the environment, but Prado said the small conversion labs in the Central Valley are more dangerous. His agents have found them in densely populated apartment buildings and foreclosed homes in quiet neighborhoods where children play on the street.

In the conversion process, cooks evaporate off the liquid and use highly combustible chemicals such as acetone to make crystals. The fumes are trapped inside. "A spark can turn this into a fireball," Prado said.

That's what happened in 2012, when a home in a middle-class area of Fresno was blown off its foundation. The blast shot the air conditioner into a neighbor's yard; another neighbor had to replace a roof rippled by the concussion. Two men ran from the home, and investigators said a third was seriously injured.

Central California's interstates and proximity to Mexico make it an attractive distribution hub for cartels, officials say.

John Donnelly, until recently in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Fresno office, said agents all over the country have tracked meth to California's Central Valley. "We're the source point for Seattle, Portland, Alaska and as far east as the Carolinas," Donnelly said.

Not all the meth travelling north makes its way to Central California. Two men were arrested last month in San Bernardino when investigators found a conversion lab, 206 pounds (93 kilograms) of crystal meth and 250 gallons (945 liters)of the liquid capable of producing 1,250 pounds (567 kilograms) of crystals.

The seized drugs, which investigators suspect came from Mexico, were valued at $7.2 million.

Not all liquid meth makes it across the border. Last year, a 16-year-old from Mexico was stopped at the crossing near San Diego. He volunteered to take "a big sip" to convince inspectors the liquid he had was only apple juice, not meth. The teenager began screaming in pain and died within hours.

Eric L. Olson, a Latin America researcher at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington D.C., said he witnessed agents seize liquid meth disguised in soda bottles during a 2012 tour of the border crossing at Laredo, Texas.

Liquid meth is just the latest innovation for transporting drugs for profit, he said. Smugglers have used tunnels, submarines, drones and once, Olson said, a 90-year-old farmer was used as a decoy.

"There's no end to the creativity to getting the drug to market when there's demand," he said of the turn to liquid meth.

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California weighing cost of running federal programs during shutdown

The Brown administration says it's too early to make a decision on whether the state will provide funding to keep social services like food stamps and subsidized school meals available next month.

SACRAMENTO — Facing the prospect of a prolonged federal government shutdown, Gov. Jerry Brown will soon need to decide if the state will shoulder the cost to keep running federal programs used by millions of Californians.

State officials say there's no guarantee that critical social services in California — such as food stamps, subsidized school meals and nutrition assistance for pregnant women and infants — could run without interruption in November.

The Brown administration has not yet said if it plans to plug the gaps for social programs at the end of the month.

"In terms of where we sit today, it'd be premature to speculate," said H.D. Palmer, spokesman for Brown's Department of Finance. He said the department is continuing to evaluate potential impacts of the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.

There's also an element of political strategy at play, with California and other states hesitant to signal too early they'd step in for the federal government and mitigate the shutdown's impact.

Brown, at a bill signing last week, called the shutdown "disquieting" and said he would put the pressure on the federal government to end the spending standoff.

"California is going to make it. This is a place that was around before Washington was even created," Brown said. "So there's a power here and I'm going to do everything I can to wake up the folks in Congress."

But advocates, fearing confusion and anxiety from those who participate in the assistance programs, are prodding state officials to dispel the uncertainty and announce if the state plans to intervene.

"We're hoping the governor would step out on this and say people will get their benefits," said Mike Herald, a lobbyist at the Western Center on Law and Poverty. "I can imagine the reluctance the administration would have to do that. It's a lot of money."

"None of these are easy calls or decisions," Herald added. "On the other hand, people are starving."

The state Legislature, which is on break until January, would have to reconvene to appropriate additional money for the programs, said Mark Hedlund, spokesman for Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento).

"We're not taking about doing that at this point," he added.

But it is unclear if California has the ability — and political will — to draw substantial funds out of the state's recovering budget to serve as a stopgap.

Food stamp benefits, which are collected by 4.7 million people on average each month, would cost at least $640 million per month, according to the figures issued by the state Department of Social Services. The WIC program, which provides food vouchers for pregnant women, infants and young children, costs an average of $87.5 million per month to serve around 1.4 million participants, according to estimates by the California Department of Public Health.

It would be difficult for California officials to replace federal money with state funds.

Although the current budget includes a $1.1 billion reserve, roughly a third could be dedicated to help alleviate prison overcrowding. More of the reserve could be drained if California tax revenue trails projections — so far it's 2.1% behind, according to a September report.

State officials could borrow money, but former finance director Mike Genest doesn't recommend it.

"It would be very bad practice to backstop a federal obligation," he said. "It's never been contemplated. I have a hard time believing it would be contemplated."

Laurie True, executive director of the advocacy group California WIC Assn., said the possibility of using the California's money to cover WIC costs "seemed like a third rail" in her conversations with state public health officials.

"I brought it up, but no one thinks its feasible," True said. Part of the concern, she said, is the lack of clarity if the federal government would reimburse the state once the shutdown ends.http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-shutdown-calif-20131009,0,30934.story

BREAST CANCER DRUG APPROVED

Perjeta works by blocking signals inside cancer cells that would tell them to divide and grow Photo: Roche

A new breast cancer drug called Perjeta has been granted a licence to be used in Europe.

It is not yet available on the NHS, but its manufacturers are in talks with regulators.

Here we answer some of your questions about the drug.

• Who is it for?

Perjeta is a new personalised treatment for what’s called HER2-positive breast cancer, which accounts for around a quarter of all breast cancers. It’s meant for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body and is considered to be incurable.

Today, the drug’s manufacturer Roche has announced Perjeta has been granted a licence by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The EMA made the decision after a number of clinical trials, including a major study known as Cleopatra.

• What did the clinical studies find?

More than 800 people took part in the trials worldwide. Patients at Manchester’s Christie Hospital, where 34 people have been trialling the drug, made up one of the biggest UK groups in Cleopatra.

The study found that patients who took Perjeta alongside Herceptin and chemotherapy lived on average 6.1 months longer without their cancer getting worse, compared to those taking Herceptin and chemotherapy alone.http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2013-03-14/factfile-new-breast-cancer-drug-perjeta/?action_object_map=%7B%2210201961784508270%22%3A199243580256142%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D&action_type_map=%7B%2210201961784508270%22%3A%22og.recommends%22%7D&fb_action_ids=10201961784508270&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline

Wendy's New Logo Secret

When fast-food behemoth Wendy's rolled out its first new logo in 29 years in March, it wasn't hard to notice the softer font, more vibrant colors, and the absence of Wendy's striped, puffy-sleeved shirt. What was harder to see was what bloggers this week have been calling a "hidden message": the word "mom" appearing in Wendy's ruffled collar. "Most people have a sentimental attachment to at least a few of the dishes their Mother's used to make," noted logo blogging site Stocklogos. "It should not be a surprise to see the fast food restaurant Wendy's associating their refreshed brand with Mom's cooking." But the M-O-M was apparently not a sneaky plot. "We are aware of this and find it interesting that it appears our Wendy cameo has 'mom' on her ruffled collar," a Wendy's spokesperson told Business Insider Monday. "We can assure you it was unintentional." Still, it may be beneficial, according to graphic designer and "Logo Design Love" author David Airey. "When there's an 'aha' moment, such as Toblerone's bear or Apple's 'byte,' it can aid a logo's distinction," Airey told Yahoo! Shine in an email. "But it's not necessary. You need only look at the logos of other successful companies—Google, Subway, Coca-Cola—to understand." What is necessary, he said, is that the logo be "appropriate to the business it identifies, simple enough to tell just one story, and distinctive enough to be remembered." Sthttp://shine.yahoo.com/photos/wendys-logo-secret-slideshow/ill, subliminal messages are fun. Here are some of the coolest we could find.

Kobe: Mom wasn't given permission to sell my stuff

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) -- Kobe Bryant says in a court filing that he never gave his mother permission to sell mementos from his high school days and early professional basketball career.

Bryant is in a court battle over whether hundreds of items can be auctioned off.

Pamela Bryant says the NBA star told her the memorabilia was hers. She arranged earlier this year to auction it off through Berlin, N.J.-based Goldin Auctions and received a $450,000 advance.

Last week, lawyers for the NBA star wrote to the auction house demanding it cease the June sale. Goldin is suing to assert its right to sell.

In a filing Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Camden, Kobe Bryant says his mother acknowledged to him recently that she did not have permission to sell the items.

http://news.yahoo.com/kobe-mom-wasnt-given-permission-125742576.html

Chris Kelly, from '90s rap duo Kris Kross, dead at 34

Chris Kelly of the '90s rap duo Kris Kross has died, confirms the Associated Press. He was 34.

Kelly, pictured on the left, was reportedly found unresponsive in his Atlanta home on Wednesday. The official cause of death has yet to be determined, and an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday. But a Fulton County police spokeswoman tells the AP, "It appears it may have been a possible drug overdose."

Kris Kross was best known for the infectious hit "Jump" from their 1992 debut album, "Totally Krossed Out," and their trademark backwards clothes. 

The duo consisted of Kelly, known as Mac Daddy, and Chris Smith, called Daddy Mac. They were discovered at an Atlanta mall by producer Jermaine Dupri, and were just 13 when "Totally Krossed Out" exploded onto the charts.

Soon, they were touring with Michael Jackson and starring in their own video game. Unfortunately, the group's next two studio albums failed to match the multiplatinum success of their debut, although they had additional hits with songs such as "Warm It Up," "Alright" and "Tonite's tha Night."

Kelly and Smith reunited in February for a 20th anniversary concert celebrating Dupri's So So Def Recordings. On Wednesday night, the label released a statement with Kelly's mother, Donna Kelly Pratte:

"It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Chris Kelly has passed away on May 1. To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music. But to us, he was just Chris –- the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him. His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him."

Dupri also issued a statement:

"To the world chris was Mac Daddy but to me, he was a son I never had, as much as you may think I taught him, he taught me, god has blessed me to be in the presence of so many naturally talented people, and chris was one. his understanding of what we set out to do, from day one was always on point. his passion for the music, his love for doing shows, his want to better than everyone else, was always turnt up. when I think about it I spent more time with chris than damn near anybody in my whole life, so you can imagine how bad this hurts. I will always love you chris, and I will never let the world forget you, may god bless your soul."

Below is a recent photo of Kelly, which So So Def shared Wednesday night on Instagram, along with Kris Kross' "Jump" video and their reunion performance ...

http://social.entertainment.msn.com/blogs/blog--chris-kelly-from-90s-rap-duo-kriss-kross-dead-at-34

Twinkies (the real ones) back on store shelves in July

Stand down Twinkies hoarders, you can start eating your secret stash.

Twinkies will hit store shelves nationally by late July, Michael Cramer, executive vice president of Hostess Brands LLC told NBC News on Thursday. "We expect to be making and selling in July," he said. "Probably the later half of the month before the product hits the stores."

their return in August and September. Hostess Donettes and some of the snack cakes will be among the first to return. And "Twinkies for sure," Cramer said.

In November, all 36 Hostess Brands, Inc., plants shut down after an extended stand-off with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. That Hostess company has almost completely wound down its operations, selling its assets in pieces. The bulk of the Hostess Snacks brands the public knows best -- Twinkies, Cup Cakes, Ho Hos, Zingers, Ding Dongs and Suzy Q’s -- were purchased in April for $410 million by hedge funds Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co. Other Hostess lines, such as Wonder bread, went to affiliates of Flowers Foods, while its Beefsteak bread brand was snatched up by Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V.

It is the new company, Hostess Brands, LLC, that will start hiring this weekend to resume operations with 200 employees at the Dolly Madison Bakery in Columbus, Ga., one of the locations shuttered in November.

Besides the Georgia location, Hostess Brands, LLC also bought plants in Schiller Park, Ill.; Emporia, Kan.; Indianapolis, Ind.; and the Atwater Village section of Los Angeles, Cramer said. At least some of those will resume operations simultaneously with Georgia. Emporia, which is already hiring, according to listings on online job sites, will likely be among the reopened locations, he said. Corporate operations will be run out of Kansas City and Dallas.As the hiring resumes, it will not be in conjunction with the unions, Cramer said. "We're sure not going to invite the unions in. We don't have to do it," he said. Though of course nothing prevents the workers from unionizing down the line, he said.

But when Twinkies return to the shelves after an absence of more than six months, it will find competition.

Flowers Foods, Inc., which purchased some of Hostess’ other assets, has its own Twinkies lookalikes. Its Blue Bird brand sells Bingles while its Mrs. Freshley label sells Dreamies cream-filled cakes. McKee Foods’ Little Debbie brand also makes its own Twinkies twin called a Cloud Cake. The name’s even trademarked.

A spokesman for Mexico-based Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest bread baker and the owners of Sara Lee and Entenmann's brands in the United States, on Wednesday declined to say whether it was considering its own Twinkies competitor in the United States. But should Grupo Bimbo decide to jump into the fray, it has a pretty good options on hand.

Bimbo already makes a Twinkies lookalike in Mexico calledSubmarinos, which are available with vanilla, chocolate or strawberry filling. Bimbo Bakeries USA is already importing strawberry-filled Submarinos into the United States under its Marinela brand.The hard-core Hostess fan will return to Hostess, but the discretionary snackers will be the key market to regain, predicted Gary Karp, the executive vice president at Technomic Inc., a food industry research and consulting firm. "Their absence has allowed people to try a variety of products that are out there," Karp said.

Karp said the only concern would be if Hostess changed any ingredients, which Cramer said will not happen.

"Everything will be as delicious and fattening as it always was," Cramer said.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/twinkies-real-ones-back-store-shelves-july-6C9590050

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng dies

© Getty/ Chi Cheng

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng dies

April 14, 2013, 8:12 AM EST

WENN

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng has died, more than four years after a car accident which left him in a semi-conscious state.

The 42-year-old lost his fight for life on Saturday morning.

videos

A statement from "Mom J" on website Oneloveforchi.com later on Saturday reads, "Our dearest Family, This is the hardest thing to write to you. Your love and heart and devotion to Chi was unconditional and amazing. I know that you will always remember him as a giant of a man on stage with a heart for every one of you.
"He was taken to the emegency (sic) room and at 3 am today his heart just suddenly stopped. He left this world with me singing songs he liked in his ear. He fought the good fight. You stood by him sending love daily. He knew that he was very loved and never alone."
The bassist slipped into a coma following a car crash in Santa Clara, California in November 2008, but had been showing signs of recovery - just last year he was opening his eyes, making noises and could even raise his leg.
Cheng's musical peers have flocked to social media sites to pay tribute following the tragic news.
Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno states on his Facebook page, "Rest in peace Chi Cheng," while rocker Fred Durst adds on Twitter, "Rest in peace Chi. My most sincere prayers are with him and his family. Chi forever. Deftones forever."
No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal writes, "RIP Chi Cheng the man with a beautiful soul."
Cheng co-founded Deftones in the late 1980s with Moreno, Stephen Carpenter and Abe Cunningham. The band was working on an album titled Eros at the time of the crash, but the project was shelved following the accident. Cheng was eventually replaced with Sergio Vega, formerly of Quicksand.

http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=802348

Hooters Waitress Says Post-Brain Surgery Appearance Cost Her Job

A former Hooters waitress has sued the restaurant chain in federal court, alleging she was pushed out of her job after brain surgery left her with buzz cut hair and a healing scar that made it too painful to wear a wig.

Sandra Lupo, 27, had worked as a waitress at a St. Peters, Mo., Hooters since April 2005 but took a leave from her job for a few weeks last summer to have a cranial mass removed.

Lupo had the support of her manager, who visited her in the hospital and suggested when she was ready to return to work that she wear a "chemo cap" or jewelry items "to distract from her lack of hair and the visibility of her cranial scar," court documents said.

On July 16, 2012, doctors gave Lupo clearance to go back to work at Hooters, where she worked to put herself through nursing school.

RELATED: Melissa Nelson: Dental Assistant Fired For Being 'Irresistible' Is 'Devastated'

Shortly before she returned to work, Lupo and her immediate manager met with the Hooters regional manager who said Lupo would be required to wear a wig while at work, according to court documents.

Lupo told him "she did not have a wig and that she could not afford a wig, as they range in cost between several hundred and several thousands of dollars," according to the lawsuit, adding that the regional manager did not offer to pay for the wig.

After her manager approached her again regarding a wig, Lupo said she borrowed one and tried to wear it at work. But it "caused extreme stress to her body because of the surgery and the healing wound," according to court records.

Lupo said her manager then reduced her hours to the point where she was making so little income that she was forced to quit, which made her ineligible for unemployment benefits.

"[Lupo's] physical injury was an actual disability from her surgery which limited the major life activity of working when such work required a wig to be worn," court documents said.

In a complaint filed with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, Lupo said she never believed her customers were ever "offended" by her appearance at the chain, which is known for its hot wings and servers clad in tight white tank tops and orange hot pants.

"My customers were not offended, and were in fact curious about the obvious scar from my surgery," she wrote in the complaint.http://gma.yahoo.com/hooters-waitress-says-post-brain-surgery-appearance-cost-230204064.html

I;M SELLING AVON....

www.youravon.com/jessicacantu

AVON Representative JESSICA CANTU serving the San Antonio, TX area

jessicacantu.avonrepresentative.com

AVON Representative JESSICA CANTU serving the San Antonio, TX area

More Americans than ever using food stamps

A lot has changed about food stamps during the past few years. For one, the program is currently called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and it has made buying groceries much easier by providing debit-style cards. 

But another aspect has changed even more dramatically: The number of Americans tapping into the social-welfare program is soaring. 

Enrollment in SNAP has surged 70% since 2008, reaching a record 47.8 million Americans in December. Even more shocking, that means 15% of the country receives the benefits, nearly double the rate as in 1975, when the U.S. suffered from soaring inflation, a recession and an oil crisis.

stamp benefits last year, more than double what the program shelled out before the Great Recession. Remember, that downturn officially ended in 2009, and by many measures the economy has improved since the financial crisis and housing meltdown. 

So why are the food stamp rolls expanding? It can all be explained by a slow job market, more pockets of poverty and a push from states to get residents to apply for SNAP, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The program's expansion goes back to 1996, when President Bill Clinton overhauled the welfare system. That law has allowed states to loosen asset and income tests for SNAP applicants, which means people with savings and relatively higher incomes than in previous years are now qualifying, The Journal notes. 

But that doesn't mean the program is courting the well-off or even the middle classes. Generally, a household's income can't be more than 130% of the poverty level, which is about $25,000 for a family of three, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonprofit that looks at issues that affect low- and middle-income families.

An official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture told The Journal he expects the rolls to shrink as the economy continues to improve. 

"While the perception may be different, the actual raw numbers, almost 50 million people (under the federal poverty level), is certainly one of the principal reasons why we see the enrollment increases in the SNAP program," Kevin Concannon, undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services at the Department of Agriculture, told the newspaper. 

But the food-stamp market has become so large that major companies are targeting recipients. Monster Beverage(MNST -1.00%) has changed its labeling so that it can qualify for food stamp purchases, as MSN moneyNOW reported last week.

Changes might be coming to the program. Congress will revisit SNAP later this year, and Republicans have pushed for new limits on who can receive assistance, The Journal notes. 

"Food stamps have actually saved my life, really," Diane Hendricks, 43, told the paper. After losing her job and divorcing, she relies on SNAP to provide $380 a month to feed herself and her two kids. "The benefits helped me get back on my feet. It was one less thing to worry about so I was able to look for work."http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=e9caf453-75ca-4ad6-ae9d-9b991cd6702f

Texas High School Senior Matt Poursoltani Lifts 700 Pounds, Rivals NFL Bench Press Record (Video) Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/03/texas-high-school-senior-matt-poursoltani-lifts-700-pounds-rivals-nfl-bench-press-record-video/

If Matt Poursoltani keeps lifting at this rate, he may be able to find a part-time job hoisting cars or other heavy objects off people sometime soon. Poursoltani lifted a ridiculous 700 pounds on Saturday — a feat not only impressive because it’s 700 pounds but also because Poursoltani is a high school senior at Pilot Point High in Texas, and because he has increased the amount he can lift by more than 100 pounds in just a year, according to the Dallas Morning News. Poursoltani weighs 270 pounds, making his lifting astounding compared to the NFL bench press record of 705 by 325-pound Larry Allen. The all-time bench press record is 1,075 pounds, by Ryan Kennelly in 2008, but Poursoltani appears to be on track to rival that if he keeps working at it. Check out Poursoltani’s ridiculous lift in the video below.

Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/03/texas-high-school-senior-matt-poursoltani-lifts-700-pounds-rivals-nfl-bench-press-record-video/







http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/msn/texas_high_school_senior_matt_poursoltani_lifts_700_pounds_rivals_nfl_bench_press_record_video/13226986

'Storage Wars' buyer Mark Balelo found dead at workplace

The reality personality died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the Ventura County Coroner's Office confirmed to E! News. His death was ruled a suicide.

Balelo was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and was scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on Feb. 19. 

The 40-year-old was the owner of Balelo, Inc., a liquidation merchandise business. He came to the media's attention in April 2011 when he returned a rare copy of a 1938 Action Comics comic book he found in a storage locker, more than 10 years after it was stolen from its owner -- actor Nicolas Cagehttp://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/02/12/16935975-storage-wars-buyer-mark-balelo-found-dead-at-workplace?lite

Mindy McCready Death Has Dr. Drew Defending 'Celebrity Rehab'

Dr. Drew Pinsky defended his show "Celebrity Rehab" on "The View" today, saying that he received messages of support from former participants after the death of Mindy McCready. . She was the fifth person who has appeared on the show to die in the past two years.

Dr. Drew was defending his show in the face of fresh criticism from the public and recovery advocates who say the process "doesn't belong on our TV screens." The grandfather of another one of the show's deceased alums said that when he heard about McCready, he thought to himself, "Dr. Drew lost another one."

"I wish I could be more responsible for them," Dr. Drew said of the show's alums when he called into "The View" today. "I've received yesterday about 10 emails and texts from those that are doing well that are so grateful and wanted to reassure me."

Former madam and show participant Heidi Fleiss emailed Dr. Drew to tell him the show was "the best thing I've ever done for myself," he said.

Mindy McCready is Fifth 'Celebrity Rehab' Death

Dr. Drew said he hadn't been McCready's doctor in years, but wished some of the show's participants would have continued treatment with his team. The VH1 show had five seasons from 2008 to 2011. McCready appeared on the third season of the show.http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/mindy-mccready-death-dr-drew-defending-celebrity-rehab/story?id=18537591

McCready, 37, died Sunday of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at her Arkansas home, police said.

Dr. Drew said he reached out to McCready recently after her boyfriend and father of one of her two children, David Wilson, died in January of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"She was so severely shattered by that experience. All the people around her, her friends began calling me," Dr. Drew told "The View." "She was in trouble...She was really struggling and she knew it."

He said McCready was "mortified" about the "stigma and judgment" from the public and the press and that it took convincing to get her to go a hospital. He said she eventually went, but left "prematurely" because of the fear of stigmatization and "that's when things really unraveled."

Losing custody of her children was "the last straw," Dr. Drew said.

SEE PHOTOS: Notable Deaths in 2013

The country singer who soared to the top of the charts with her debut album, "Ten Thousand Angels," struggled with substance abuse, served time in jail and fought a lengthy battle with her mother over custody of her son.

McCready's death has revived much criticism for the TV show from the pubilc on social media and from experts.

"For whatever reason, there's this incredible fascination with people while they're actively using and their lives in addiction and we really think it doesn't belong on our TV screens," Patricia Taylor, executive director of Faces & Voices of Recovery, an advocacy group for people in recovery, told ABCNews.com.

"We don't have shows with people with cancer or diabetes or other health conditions," she said.

Taylor said that people not wanting to get treatment because they are afraid of how others will perceive them is an issue with many people, not just celebrities.

"We are very concerned about the deaths and unfortunately too many people in America are dying from addiction and we really need to make sure to make it possible for people to get the help that they need to recover," she said.

FBI files indicate someone wanted money from Houston to keep quiet about the star's 'private life.'

The FBI, in answer to Freedom of Information Act requests, has released files on Whitney Houston.

Among the 128 pages of documents are several fan letters and FBI paperwork regarding an extortion case that eventually was closed without anyone being prosecuted. But it does appear that Houston paid off the person who was demanding hush money.

In 1992 a letter, marked "extortion" by the FBI, was sent to Houston's New Jersey offices of Nippy Inc., in which a woman demanded that unless Houston paid $100,000, "certain details" of her "private life" would be revealed. A later letter upped the ante to $250,000 and claims to have "intimate details" of Houston's "romantic relationships."

The FBI interviewed Houston, two lawyers and her father, John Houston. The singer tells agents she considered the woman "a friend" and "did discuss personal things" with her.http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/03/04/whitney-houstons-fbi-files-released-extortion/1961901/?kjnd=ojBqxOkf9Y8bdSYPe2zi%2FF%2BNZChrS2wEL1XQkVO4u9Cz7ReEKWk%2BUVR7nOyMWfUd-a316abb6-b17a-4ec6-ac6b-bd75edf79fc2_vUjzv7kJSpLPRXOGJ08CQWrEVc7DCXBI0S3%2FCl3lAOKzdF7hzUDGCuJZ6OsVd%2Fig

Ricky Schroder directs his daughter in new Hallmark TV movie

Three decades ago, Ricky Schroder was a child star on TV's "Silver Spoons." Today, he's back on the small screen... and he's bringing his family with him this time.

Schroder wrote, directed, and stars in "Our Wild Hearts," a family drama set to debut next month on Hallmark Movie Channel. And he already knows his lead actress pretty well: Ricky's 16-year-old daughter, Cambrie Schroder, makes her acting debut as Willow, a headstrong teen who moves from Malibu to a dusty horse ranch in the mountains to live with her father Jack (played by Ricky).

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/ricky-schroder-directs-his-daughter-in-new-hallmark-tv-movie--exclusive-video--223049985.html

About NBCAM.org

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Since its inception more than 25 years ago, NBCAM has been at the forefront of promoting awareness of breast cancer issues and has evolved along with the national dialogue on breast cancer. NBCAM recognizes that, although many great strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, there remains much to be accomplished. Today, we remain dedicated to educating and empowering women to take charge of their own breast health.

Although October is designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month , NBCAM is dedicated to raising awareness and educating individuals about breast cancer throughout the year. We encourage you to regularly visit these sites to learn more about breast cancer, breast health, and the latest research developments. Click on any of the websites below for more information.

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Kristen Stewart's 'humiliated' boyfriend

Kristen Stewart

As the fallout continues for Kristen Stewart and her “Snow White and the Huntsman” director Rupert Sanders after they confessed to a fling Wednesday, reactions from their scorned lovers are beginning to come in.

Stewart’s longtime boyfriend and “Twilight” co-star Robert Pattinson is said to have moved out of the home he shares with her, and is “heartbroken and humiliated” after her shocking admission, according to People magazine . After Us magazine obtained photos of her kissing Sanders, Stewart issued an apology yesterday.

“I am deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I’ve caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected,” Stewart, who has been dating her “Twilight” co-star Rob Pattinson for several years, said in a statement . “This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I’m so sorry.”

But sources tell People that this may be the end of Pattinson and Stewart. 

"I'm not sure they'll be able to recover from this," the source said.

Pattinson and Stewart were reportedly seen fighting backstage at the Teen Choice Awards Sunday night, just days after Stewart, 22, and Sanders, 41, were snapped in their steamy rendezvous.

“Rob and Kristen were having a long and intense conversation backstage, and he looked miserable, heartbroken and humiliated. She was pleading,” a source told Page Six.

Another source reportedly told the paper that Stewart “begged” a photographer not to publish the pictures that were obtained of her “indiscretion.” She was then was forced to own up to Rob late last week.

“Rob is deeply in love with Kristen and is very jealous when other men hit on her. This will crush him,” the source told the Post.

Meanwhile, Sanders’ wife, model and Stewart’s “Snow White” co-star Liberty Ross reportedly took to social media to share her thoughts in a series of cryptic messages.

She reportedly tweeted  “wow” and the Marilyn Monroe quote "sometimes bad things fall apart so better things can fall together." She later deleted her account.

Just weeks before the scandal broke, she said in an interview with YOU Magazine that she had been through major challenges with her husband.

I romanticized domesticity for a while, and loved having a shopping list of groceries stuck to the fridge for the first time," Ross said. "But moving here and starting a life all over again was a lot harder than I had anticipated. I just didn’t think it would be as isolating and daunting as it turned out to be."

"I would never say out loud that I am raising my children alone, but a lot of the time it has felt like that,” she added. “I went from the glamour of working with Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano to living on an isolated hilltop, with my husband gone most of the time.”

Sanders also issued an apology to People magazine Wednesday, saying:

"I am utterly distraught about the pain I have caused my family," the English director told Us. "My beautiful wife and heavenly children are all I have in this world. I love them with all my heart. I am praying that we can get through this together."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/07/26/kristen-stewart-rupert-sanders-scorned-lovers-humiliated-over-cheating-scandal/#ixzz23UNVzDnD