HOLDER: IRS SCANDAL BEING INVESTIGATED; HE PLAYED NO ROLE IN AP SUBPOENAS: Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday (May 14th) addressed two controversies that surfaced this week, saying that he'd ordered the Justice Department to investigate the IRS for any criminal activity for targeting Tea Party groups for extra scrutiny when they applied for tax exempt status, and that he played no role in the subpoenas of a broad range of Associated Press phone records. Holder's statements came as the Treasury inspector general report blamed ineffective management at the IRS for the improper focus on tea party groups, pointing the finger at IRS supervisors in Washington who oversaw the specialists in Cincinnati who screen applications for tax exempt status. The report doesn't say that Washington initiated the targeting of conservative groups, but that a top supervisor there didn't adequately supervise agents in the field even after she learned they were acting improperly. In a statement, President Obama called the report's findings, quote, "intolerable and inexcusable," and said that he's ordering all of the report's recommendations to improve oversight at the IRS be implemented.

Holder also addressed the uproar over the Justice Department's secret subpoena of AP phone records covering two months, April and May 2012, for more than 20 phone lines assigned to the news organization and its journalists, saying what was done was justified as part of an investigation into a, quote, "very serious . . . very grave" national security leak. However, he said he played no role in it, having recused himself from the probe because he'd been interviewed by FBI agents as part of the investigation and wanted to ensure the probe was independent and to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. Officials have said investigators are trying to find who leaked information used in a May 7, 2012, AP story that revealed details of a CIA operation in Yemen to stop an airliner bomb plot. The probe is being run out of the U.S. Attorney's office in the District of Columbia. Deputy Attorney General James Cole said in a letter to AP yesterday that they'd followed the rules for subpoenas, and hadn't sought information about the content of the calls.

CNN REPORT CHALLENGES ABC'S BENGHAZI STORY: CNN's Jake Tapper had a report out yesterday (May 14th) that challenges ABC's headline-grabbing story last week that cited emails exchanged as talking points were being prepared for U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice for her Sunday talk show appearances after the Benghazi attacks, contending that they show the talking points were cleared of any references to terrorism to protect the interests of the State Department. However, Tapper revealed the contents of an email from then-Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes that doesn't say that, but instead talks about wanting to get the correct information out to the public. Tapper wrote that the ABC report, as well as a similar one in The Weekly Standard, quote, "seemingly invent the notion that Rhodes wanted the concerns of the State Department specifically addressed." ABC reporter Jonathan Karl now says he didn't actually see the emails, but that they were paraphrased by his source, who viewed the original emails and shared his notes. In a press briefing Tuesday, White House spokesman Jay Carney charged that, quote, "Republicans who were leaking these emails that have been shared with Congress didn't just do that, they decided to fabricate portions of an email and make up portions of an email in order to fit a political narrative."

SOLDIER IN SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION PROGRAM ACCUSED OF SEX ABUSE: The Army said Tuesday (May 14th) that a soldier assigned to coordinate a sexual assault prevention program in Texas is under investigation for sexual abuse, pandering, assault and other alleged misconduct. The sergeant, whose name wasn't released, had been assigned as an equal opportunity adviser and coordinator of a sexual harassment-assault prevention program at the Army's 3rd Corps headquarters at Fort Hood, Texas. This latest report comes just one week after an Air Force officer who headed another sexual assault prevention office was arrested on charges of groping a woman in a parking lot.

PENNSYLVANIA ABORTION DOCTOR SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON: A Pennsylvania doctor who was convicted of killing three babies that were born alive was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday (May 14th), spared the death penalty in a post-verdict deal with prosecutors. Dr. Kermit Gosnell waived his right to appeal in exchange for a sentence of life without parole. Former clinic employees testified that the 72-year-old Gosnell routinely performed illegal abortions past Pennsylvania's 24-week limit, that he delivered babies who were still alive, and that he and his assistants killed the newborn babies by cutting their spines. The details of Gosnell's crimes came out during an investigation of prescription drug trafficking at his Philadelphia clinic. Investigators called the clinic a "house of horrors," a foul-smelling facility with bottles of fetuses, bloodstained furniture and dirty medical instruments.

U.S. DIPLOMAT ORDERED TO LEAVE RUSSIA, ACCUSED OF BEING SPY: A U.S. diplomat was ordered yesterday (May 14th) to leave Russia after the country's secret services said he tried to recruit a Russian agent, and displayed items they alleged he was carrying: wigs; packets of cash; a knife, map and compass; and a letter promising millions of dollars for, quote, "long-term cooperation." It was alleged that Ryan Fogle, a third secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, was a CIA officer trying to recruit a Russian counterterrorism officer who specializes in the Caucasus region of Russia, where the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects originally came from. Fogle was handed over to the U.S. Embassy and ordered to leave Russia immediately. Because f his diplomatic immunity, he couldn't be arrested. The State Department would only confirm that Fogle worked as an embassy employee, while the CIA declined comment.

CLEVELAND WOMEN HELD IN CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO POW CAMP: Two of the three women rescued last week after being kidnapped and held captive in a Cleveland house for a decade were kept in conditions that were described as being similar to a prisoner of war camp, Reuters reported Tuesday (May 14th), citing two sources. The women, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, were starved and suffered from severe malnutrition and will require long-term therapy for injuries such as hearing loss and joint and muscle damage. They were also restrained in the basement with chains, dog leashes and duct tape in stress positions for long periods that left them with bed sores and other injuries. The accused suspect, Ariel Castro, appeared to have treated the third woman, Amanda Berry, who has a six-year-old daughter fathered by Castro, better than the other two. The sources said that while Berry was in better condition when rescued, DeJesus and Knight were gaunt and had closely cropped hair. Castro would reportedly torment the women with food, bringing food to one or two of the girls while making the others watch, or he'd eat in front of them. It's previously been reported that Castro is alleged to have repeatedly raped the women, and starved Knight and punched her in the stomach to induce miscarriages several times when she became pregnant.

2013 DEFICIT ESTIMATE LOWERED SIGNIFICANTLY: The budget deficit for 2013 is now projected to be well below what was estimated just a few months ago, with the Congressional Budget Office study out Tuesday (May 14th) citing higher tax revenues and better-than-expected payments from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as the main reasons. The budget office now predicts a $642 billion budget deficit this year, more than $200 billion below the estimate from February. This year's deficit would represent four percent of the economy, far below the 10.1 percent it was running in 2009, at the height of the financial crisis fallout and Great Recession, when it was $1.4 trillion. The projected amount is also much lower than last year's deficit of $1.1 trillion. Because of the improved outlook, the deadline for increasing the debt limit has been postponed until October or November, after originally being expected to arrive over the summer.

NAVY MAKES HISTORIC LAUNCH OF DRONE FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIER: The U.S. Navy made history yesterday (May 14th) by launching an unmanned jet from an aircraft carrier for the first time in what Rear Admiral Ted Branch, the Atlantic naval air commander, described as "a marker . . . between naval aviation as we've known it and the future of naval aviation." The X-47B stealth drone was launched from the USS George H.W. Bush near the coast of Virginia and flew a series of programmed maneuvers around the ship before heading to a Naval air station in Maryland for landing. It's set to undergo two weeks of testing on the carrier, leading up to a landing on the ship. Because of the stealth potential and extended range of the X-47B and its successors, they are seen as a potential answer to the threat from medium-range anti-ship missiles developed by China and India. Those missiles would force U.S. aircraft carriers to operate so far from shore that piloted aircraft would have to undergo refueling to carry out missions, leaving them vulnerable to attack. The unmanned jet won't have the same problem, because it has a much longer range.

DONALD TRUMP TESTIFIES IN CHICAGO IN CIVIL TRIAL: Real estate mogul and reality TV personality Donald Trump testified yesterday (May 14th) in a Chicago courtroom at a civil trial in which he's accused of luring investors into buying condos at his Trump International Hotel & Tower in the city by promising profit-sharing, and then reneging on the promise after sales were made. The attorney for 87-year-old investor Jacqueline Goldberg described the sale of two condos to his client for some $1 million each as a bait-and-switch. He said Trump and his executives told would-be buyers that they'd get a percentage of profits from banquet hall rentals, food sales, laundry, parking and other services. But he said Trump canceled the profit-sharing plan, with the attorney saying one reason was because Trump hadn't been able to get a corporate tenant to rent several floors, cutting into the building's potential profit. But Trump's attorney said Goldberg signed documents explicitly giving Trump execs the power to revoke the profit-sharing offer. Goldberg's attorney tried to establish Trump as a hands-on manager, but Trump said he's a big-picture executive, stating, "The primary thing is to build a great building. You can't fool people."

IS IT POSSIBLE TO CUT TOO MUCH SALT OUT OF YOUR DIET?: A new report from the Institute of Medicine questions whether Americans really should cut as much salt as possible out of their diets, saying that while the nation overall does need to cut down on sodium intake, there's no evidence very low levels of salt offers benefits, and there are hints it might even hurt some people, those who are being aggressively treated for serious heart failure. The government recommends most people consume 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, and it's an intake below that that the report is questioning, even though some people in high-risk categories, such as those older than 50, African-Americans, and people with high-blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, are told to have just 1,500 mg. a day. However, the American Heart Association says it stands by its advice, which is stricter than the government's that all Americans should eat no more than 1,500 mg. a day. The Institute of Medicine is calling for more and better research on the sodium issue.

PUDDLE OF MUDD’S WES SCANTLIN ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Less than a week after being arrested on warrants stemming from his 2012 cocaine possession case, Puddle Of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin has been arrested again -- this time on charges of domestic violence. According to TMZ, Scantlin became physically abusive with his ex-wife Jessica at a business in West Hollywood on Monday afternoon (May 13th), shaking her and trying to drag her by her shirt.

Witnesses called the police and Scantlin was hauled off in custody. He was still behind bars at press time with bail set at $20,000. Scantlin was said to be extremely uncooperative during his arrest, with one source calling him "mouthy."

• Scantlin was stopped for speeding on May 7th and was booked by Hollywood police after they ran his information and found two outstanding warrants for his arrest -- one for driving with a suspended license and the other related to his January 2012 cocaine possession bust. He was released on bail later that night.
• The rocker last made news in February, when Jessica claimed that he stole her car. It was returned hours later although Scantlin's manager denied that the singer took it.
• After pleading guilty last summer to the cocaine charge, Scantlin was ordered into a drug counseling program and told he would have the possession charge against him dropped if he completed the program within 18 months.
• He was also charged with public intoxication last year after being thrown off a Jet Blue flight from Boston to Los Angeles, although the judge in the case ruled that there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute the singer.
• Wes has also had problems with back tax payments in addition to last year's ugly divorce battle with Jessica.

METALLICA MOVIE TO BE SCREENED AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL: Metallica's upcoming IMAX 3D movie, Metallica Through The Never, is heading to the Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off this week in France. According to Blabbermouth, the movie will be screened and shopped for prospective buyers at the event by international sales company Exclusive Media.

Drummer Lars Ulrich said, "After wading through multiple international distribution options for our film, we are excited to be partnering up with the folks at Exclusive Media, who we feel understand Metallica and understand our film better than anyone else . . . it feels like we're off to a pretty rockin' start."

KORN SINGER CALLS NEW ALBUM ‘BEST WE HAVE EVER DONE’: Korn has completed work on its 11th studio album, with frontman Jonathan Davis writing on Twitter, "(This is) by far the best album we have ever done. (I am) so excited!!!" The album is the first to feature founding guitarist Brian "Head" Welch since 2003's Take A Look In The Mirror. Welch left the band in 2005 to pursue a solo career and devote more of his life to Christianity, but rejoined them for one gig last year and several more in 2013, leading to plans to record together again.

Welch told Rolling Stone, "We knew we would have a blast playing together, because we love each other so much, but we really wanted to make sure the music felt right before we committed to making a whole album together. But since we got in the studio, everything just started pouring out, now I can't wait until our fans hear this stuff!"

• The new Korn set is due out in late summer and will follow up 2011's The Path Of Totality, which found the group experimenting with dubstep.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER IN TALKS FOR 'TOXIC AVENGER' REBOOT: Arnold Schwarzenegger is in talks to star in the action comedy reboot of The Toxic Avenger from Hot Tub Time Machine writer/director Steve Pink. Arnold would be playing a former black ops agent who trains the titular avenger to use his powers for good. The film is set to be introduced to buyers at this year's Cannes festival.

'HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE' POSTER REVEALED: The first official poster for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has been released and features Katniss standing high among the clouds while holding onto her bow and arrow. The tagline on the poster is a line taken from the book which reads, "The sun persists in rising, so I make myself stand." Take a look: http://bit.ly/18J4rUn

LEONARDO DICAPRIO RAISES $38 MILLION FOR CHARITY: The Great Gatsby star Leonardo DiCaprio raised $38.8 million at a charity auction in New York City on Monday (April 13th.) 33 art pieces were auctioned off with nine of them earning over a million dollars to benefit environmental and conservation programs.

HOW YOUR FIGURE AFFECTS YOUR LIFESPAN: New research from the UK finds that women who are pear-shaped have a longer life expectancy than those who are apple-shaped. Dr. Margaret Ashwell did the research will colleagues from London's City University, and says that people with fat around their middle are most at risk for health problems. Ashwell explains that flab around the middle of the body wraps around organs and produces hormones that tamper with blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Ashwell says to determine your body shape you must measure your waist and heigh in inches and divide your waist circumference by your height, the various ratios correspond with either pear or apple body shapes. Ashwell says as a rule, we should aim to keep our waist circumference measurement to under half that of our height. (Daily Mail)

HOW TO THROW A GREAT GATSBY PARTY: http://tinyurl.com/brs5bzr

VACATION EFFECTS CAN LAST UP TO TWO WEEKS AFTER YOU COME HOME: New research from The Netherlands finds that the positive effects of a vacation can last long after you come home under the right circumstances. To find this, researchers studied 54-vacationers and found that those who got lots of sleep had roughly a 30-percent boost in health and well being two weeks after returning to work. Additionally, those who did passive activities, such as reading, while on vacation had a 40-percent jump in post-vacation juvenation. Study co-author Jessica de Bloom explains that the post-vacation health-boost stems from personal autonomy. (Men's Health)

FACEBOOK USES SCIENCE TO CREATE MORE EXPRESSIVE EMOTICONS: Facebook teamed up with a psychologist who studies emotions and a Pixar illustrator to create more accurate-looking emoticons starting in 2012. Facebook says it's been working on this in order to encourage FB users to engage in more compassionate communication. FB says their research showed that a person was more likely to take down a photo someone did not like if the offended individual inserted more emotion into their messages asking the person to take the photo down. In the last few months, FB has been working on oversized cartoon emoticons called Facebook Stickers. So far the team has created 50 of the stickers, but only uses 16. The research team says they are eager to see how people respond to the beefed up emoticons, which include more complex emotional faces such as embarassed, sympathetic and grateful. (Pop Sci)

HEALTH CLUES FOUND ON YOUR FACE: UK scientists say your face will reveal the truth about your lifestyle choices, even more so than your body. Dermatologist Dr. Tabi Leslie says, "You can tell a lot about someone's lifestyle from their face, including what their diet is like and how much they smoke or drink." Leslie says too much drinking can cause a person's face to look podgy, pale and wrinkly, while a person who exercises too much will have hollwo, saggy cheeks. Additionally, people who fail to eat enough fruits and vegetables are likely to be pale, while those who are strict vegetarians may notice they have dark circles under their eyes due to lack of iron in the diet. Leslie says a person with pale, receding gums is likely to be a smoker, and a person with cracks at the side of their mouth probably has a Vitamin B deficiency, meaning they don't eat enough greens. (Daily Mail)

WOMEN'S PURSES CONTAIN MORE BACTERIA THAN THE AVERAGE TOILET: A new study finds that a woman may be carrying around a lot more in her purse than just lipstick. To find this, researchers from UK company Initial Washroom Hygiene swabbed women's handbags. They found that one in five purses had sufficient bacteria to pose a risk to human health, and that the dirtiest item found inside the average purse were bottles of hand moisturizer. The hand cream containers were found to house more bacteria than an average toilet seat. Lipstick and mascara containers were also found to contain high levels of bacteria. One expert says, "Handbags come into regular contact with our hands and a variety of surfaces, so the risk of transferring different germs onto them is very high, especially as bags are rarely cleaned." Researchers suggest wiping down purses with antibacterial wipes or gel to prevent cross-contamination. (Daily Mail)

43 THINGS THAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL OLD: http://tinyurl.com/cnahrkz

AMERICANS DON'T LIKE HIPSTERS: A new poll finds Americans don't really like hipsters. The poll comes from Public Policy Polling and finds that just 16-percent of American voters have a favorable view of hipsters. The results revealed that 42-percent have an unfavorable opinion of hipsters, while 43-percent said they aren't sure. Forty-eight-percent of Republicans said they didn't like hipsters, and 98-percent of Republicans polled said they would not be likely to vote for a candidate they viewed as a hipster. Only one-in-ten of those polled admitted to being a hipster themselves, while 27-percent of participants said that hipsters should be subject to a special tax for "being so annoying." (LA Weekly)

Wealthy Hiring Disabled to Pose as Family To Cut Lines at Disney World: The New York Post reported Tuesday (May 14th) that some wealthy people are hiring a disabled person to pose as a family member so that they can jump to the front of the long lines for rides at Disney World. Disney allows each guest who needs a wheelchair or motorized scooter to bring up to six guests to the front of lines, and these people are taking advantage of that policy for a price of $130 an hour or $1,040 for an eight-hour day. The Post says the information about the guides that can be hired through Dream Tours Florida has been spreading among Manhattan's wealthy. The newspaper cites one mother who said she hired a guide through the company to escort her, her husband and their two young children through Disney World in a motorized scooter with a "handicapped" sign on it, and was able to go straight to the front of all the lines. She bragged, "My daughter waited one minute to get on 'It's a Small World,' the other kids had to wait two-and-a-half hours. You can't go to Disney without a tour concierge. This is how the one percent does Disney." Dream Tours Florida is run by Ryan Clement and his girlfriend, Jacie Christiano, who the Manhattan mother indicated was her family's guide. Clement denied to the Post that his girlfriend uses her disability to bypass lines. He said she has an autoimmune disorder, and acknowledged that she uses a scooter on the job.

OBAMA ADDRESSES BENGHAZI, IRS CONTROVERSIES: President Obama on Monday (May 13th) addressed both the Benghazi and IRS controversies, angrily denying any
administration cover-up after last September's deadly attacks on a U.S diplomatic compound in Libya, but calling the extra scrutiny of the tax-exempt status of conservative political groups by the IRS "outrageous." During a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama dismissed the Republican-driven Benghazi effort as a, quote, "sideshow" that dishonors the four Americans who were killed, including Ambassador
Christopher Stevens. He said, "There's no there there. The fact that this keeps on getting churned up, frankly, has a whole lot to do with political motivations." But the president's anger over the IRS issue was directed at the agency, saying those responsible must be held fully accountable. He stated, "I've got no patience with it. I will not tolerate it and we will find out exactly what happened." The IRS has apologized for the targeting of conservative political
groups, blaming low-level employees.

PENNSYLVANIA ABORTION DOCTOR CONVICTED OF MURDER: Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell was convicted of murder Monday (May 13th) for killing three babies after they were born alive. He was acquitted in the death of a fourth baby, but was also
found guilty of manslaughter in a patient's 2009 overdose death. The same jury will decide if the 72-year-old Gosnell will be sentenced to death. The details of Gosnell's crimes came out more than two years ago during an investigation of prescription drug trafficking at his inner-city clinic. Investigators called the clinic a "house of horrors," a foul-smelling facility with
bottles of fetuses, bloodstained furniture and dirty medical instruments. Former clinic employees testified that Gosnell routinely performed illegal abortions past Pennsylvania's 24-week limit, and that he delivered babies who were alive, after which he and his assistants killed them by cutting their spines. Organizations on both sides of the abortion divide condemned
Gosnell.

FINAL DEATH TOLL OF 1,127 IN BANGLADESH FACTORY BUILDING COLLAPSE: The search for the dead at the site of a Bangladesh garment factory building collapse ended on Monday (May 13th), nearly three weeks after the April 24th disaster, with a final death toll of 1,127. The last body was found on Sunday night. In the wake of the building collapse,
which took place after workers were told to report to their jobs even though a warning had been given about a large crack in the building, the government agreed yesterday to allow the country's garment workers to form trade unions without permission from factory owners as part of growing movement for industry reform.

HOLMES PLEADS NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY IN AURORA MASSACRE: Alleged Aurora massacre killer James Holmes changed his plea yesterday (May 13th) to not guilty by reason of insanity from his original not guilty plea entered in March, with the judge in the case saying Holmes' defense team proved they have, quote, "good cause" to pursue that defense. However, the judge must still rule whether he accepts the insanity plea, which he'll do by the end of the month. If his request is approved, Holmes will have to undergo lengthy psychological tests to back up his claim. Holmes is facing the death penalty for the murder of 12 people in the Colorado movie theater massacre last summer.

MINNESOTA TO BECOME 12TH STATE TO APPROVE GAY MARRIAGE: Minnesota is set to become the 12th state to approve gay marriage today (May 14th), when Democratic Governor Mark Dayton is expected to sign legislation passed by the state Senate on Monday. Minnesota will become the third state to legalize same-sex marriage in less than two weeks, following Rhode Island and Delaware.

TV PSYCHOLOGIST DR. JOYCE BROTHERS DEAD AT 85: Pioneering TV psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers, who also was an author, syndicated columnist and TV and movie personality, died on Monday (May 13th) in New York City. She was 85. Brothers offered advice on psychological issues on her 1950s show at a time when such issues were rarely discussed on TV, and also gave advice on several radio phone-in programs. In addition to also publishing 15 books and being a Good Housekeeping columnist for nearly four decades, Brothers became a media personality, making cameos on popular TV shows and in films, and appearing as a guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show nearly 100 times.

O.J. SIMPSON IN COURT IN BID FOR NEW TRIAL: An older- and heavier-looking O.J. Simpson was back in a Las Vegas courtroom Monday (May 13th) after more than four years behind bars, making a bid for a new trial in the armed robbery and kidnapping case that sent him to prison. Attorneys for the 65-year-old Simpson argued that he had poor legal representation in the trial involving the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers in 2007 in a Las Vegas hotel room. Simpson has said his former attorney, Yale Galanter, had rejected appropriate defense moves and even met with Simpson the night before the robbery to approve the plan as long as no one trespassed and no force was used. Lawyers for Simpson claim that Galanter had a personal interest in preventing himself from being identified as a
witness to the crimes and misled Simpson so much that he deserves a new trial. Simpson is expected to testify Wednesday and say Galanter advised him that he was within his rights to retrieve family pictures and footballs being sold by memorabilia dealers.

RECORD NUMBER OF U.S. WEST NILE VIRUS DEATHS LAST YEAR: U.S. health officials said Monday (May 13th) that there were a record number of deaths in the country last year from West Nile virus. There were 286 deaths from the virus, which is spread by bites from infected mosquitoes, two more than the previous record set in 2002. However, there were far fewer illnesses overall, and fewer serious cases than in previous years. Texas had nearly a third of the serious cases, and about a third of the deaths. West Nile cases were first reported in the U.S. in 1999.

ROLLER COASTER PLUNGED INTO OCEAN BY SUPERSTORM SANDY TO BE REMOVED: A roller coaster that was plunged into the ocean off the New Jersey shore by Superstorm Sandy and became a famous symbol of the devastation is finally going to be removed, with demolition work starting today. The remains of the Jet Star roller coaster, which plunged off the amusement pier in Seaside Heights -- home of MTV's Jersey Shore -- should be removed in about four days. The Seaside Heights boardwalk remains under reconstruction.

CHECK IT OUT:

• Image of the roller coaster in the water: http://tinyurl.com/d3hygtg

LAYNE STALEY’S MOTHER SUES ALICE IN CHAINS: Nancy McCallum, the mother of late Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley, has filed a lawsuit against the band, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. McCallum claims that the surviving members of the band owe her half of the money that would have gone to her son in royalties, which comes out to about 16 percent of the group's total income, and that the band has attempted to stop any further
payments to her.

According to McCallum's lawsuit, an attorney for the band told her in September 2012 that
Staley's interest in Alice in Chains' works was being liquidated and that the revenue
sharing agreement that had seen her paid over the past decade was being terminated. Yet McCallum wants a court to establish her right to 16 percent of the band's income as well as any of her son's assets controlled by his former bandmates.

• Alice In Chains has yet to officially respond to McCallum's suit, which was filed on May 2nd in in King County Superior Court.
• Lawyers for Alice In Chains claim that McCallum illegally tried to trademark the band's name and has already been paid more than she's due. The group also states that the singer's heirs will continue to collect royalties on songs he wrote or co-wrote, although
       McCallum no longer has a role in any business decisions.
• McCallum alleges that she is now receiving a smaller portion of royalties than she had been getting beforehand.

POP EVIL COMES BACK IN BLACK WITH NEW ALBUM ‘ONYX’: Pop Evil releases its new album Onyx on Tuesday (May 14th) after streaming the full disc online over the weekend. The
group's fourth studio album follows up 2011's War Of Angels and is the band's second effort for independent label eOne. The set features the single "Trenches," which is sitting at Number Eight on the Active Rock radio chart.

FIRST DATES CONFIRMED FOR VOLBEAT-LED ‘ROCK ALLEGIANCE’ TREK: The first batch of dates and venues for the Volbeat-led 2013 Rock Allegiance tour have been confirmed, with more to come in the weeks ahead. The first confirmed date is August 24th in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, with seven more shows announced as well. The lineup will also feature Finnish Goth-rockers HIM, New  England's All That Remains and Australian act Airbourne.

• Confirmed tour dates for the 2013 edition of Rock Allegiance are (subject to change):
  
       August 24 - Twin Lakes, WI - Shadow Hill Ranch Festival
  
       September 3 - Salt Lake City, UT - Maverick Centre
  
       September 4 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at the Hard Rock
  
       September 6 - Seattle, WA - KISW Pain In The Grass
  
       September 19 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
  
       September 22 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
  
       September 27 - Boston, MA - Tsongas Arena
  
       September 28 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Waterfront

KEVIN SMITH TWEETS ABOUT 'CLERKS III': Kevin Smith announced on Twitter that he has finished the first draft of the script for Clerks III. Smith wrote, "IT IS ACCOMPLISHED! First draft of CLERKS III is 137 pages. Plays like the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK of the Clerks trilogy."

CHAMPAGNE MAY BOOST MEMORY: New research finds that sipping champagne
may help boost your memory. To find this, researchers fed rats the human equivalent of 1.3-glasses of champagne per week for six weeks. They found that this group of rats performed twice as well on a maze test compared to non-drinkers. Study author Dr. David Vauzour explains that the bubbly drink helps boost spatial memory, which is vital for completeing complex tasks. Vauzor says this probably happens because champagne is loaded with phenolic
compounds, which help protect brain proteins that would otherwise be damaged by
aging. (Men's Health)

11 SONGS THAT BROUGHT PEOPLE OUT OF COMAS: http://tinyurl.com/bmms5kj

COCAINE VACCINE MAY BE ON THE WAY: A new vaccine that would be used to help cocaine addicts has passed preliminary testing and could be tested on humans soon. Dr. Ronald Crystal, with Weill Cornell Medical College, conducted studies with the vaccine and
says, "The vaccine eats up the cocaine in the blood like a little Pac-man before it can reach the brain." Crystal says that even if an addict falls off the wagon after getting the vaccine cocaine will no longer have the desired effects on that person. Crystal says he expects human trails to begin with the drug within a year. (Daily Mail)

PEOPLE WITH DEEP VOICES MAKE MORE MONEY: New research has discovered that men with lower voices make more money than their peers with higher-pitched voices. To find this, researchers studied 792 male chief executives of American companies. They found that
executives with voices on the deeper end of the spectrum earned on average 187-thousand-dollars more in pay per year than those with higher pitched voices. The research comes from Duke University, and one specialist says that deeper voices are linked to dominant behavior because deeper-pitched voices are related to high testosterone levels. (Daily Mail)

LAVISH WEDDINGS CAN LEAD TO DIVORCE? One UK lawyer claims that people who pour money into lavish weddings are more likely to get divorced down the line. Amanda
McAlister a family law lawyer says that eight in ten couples who divorce within
five years cite spending too much on the wedding as a reason. McAlister explains that young people frequently spend nearly 50-thousand dollars on their weddings and that after the honeymoon the relationship gets strained as the couples tries to pay for all the costs. McAlister says, "As unromantic as the concept may seem, keeping spending on wedding ceremonies reasonable will build solid foundations for couples and allow the greater financial security that is imperative in today's economic climate." (Daily Mail)

TWITTER "HATE MAPS": A group of geography academics known as Floating Sheep have exposed the darker, meaner side of Twitter by creating what they call "Geography of
Hate." The project maps racist, homophobic and ableist tweets made in the U.S. between June 2012 and April 2013. To get the images students at Humboldt State University read all of the tweets and used specific words written in the tweet to classify it as positive or negative. The group found over 150-thousand hateful tweets in total, and then determined the ratio
of hateful tweets to overall tweets in each county in order to create their "hate map." They found that Orange County, California had the highest number of hateful tweets, due to the fact that it also had the higest level of overall Twitter activity. (Mashable)

CHECK IT OUT: See the "Hate Map" here: http://tinyurl.com/d866hlo

JUICE FRAUD: Do you really know what's in your juice? If you pick up a container of juice that claims to be 100-percent fruit juice, beware. While the 100-percent juices contain
antioxidents and vitamins, they do not have fiber and pack in a lot of sugar and calories. Be on the lookout for juice "fillers." Many juices use apple and grape juices as "fillers," so make sure you read the ingredients very carefully. Also, beware of juices adding fake fiber or
artifical colorings. (Yahoo)

A TEST TUBE BURGER WAS GROWN IN A LAB: A Dutch scientist is working on a
test-tube burger that is set to become the world's most expensive burger. The burger is composed of cultured meat strips created in a kab and is said to cost 325-thousand dollars. The burger is expected to be unveiled at an event next month in London, and the burger's creator says that it tastes "reasonably good." The burger is part of pioneering research
founded by the Dutch government to create meat that is kinder to the environment. (Fox News)

19 HURT IN SHOOTING AT NEW ORLEANS MOTHER'S DAY PARADE: At least 19 people were wounded on Sunday (May 12th) when gunmen opened fire on people marching in a neighborhood Mother's Day parade in New Orleans in what the FBI described as "an
act of street violence." At least three of the victims were seriously wounded, and two 10-year-old children were hurt, both grazed by bullets and in good condition. No arrests had been made as of last night, and Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged witnesses to come forward with information.

CALIFORNIA 12-YEAR-OLD ARRESTED FOR STABBING 8-YEAR-OLD SISTER TO DEATH: A 12-year-old California boy was arrested on Saturday (May 11th) for the stabbing death of his 8-year-old sister, Leila Fowler, last month, after initially telling police he saw a man run from their Valley Springs home. Police didn't release any information about what led them to arrest the boy, who lived at the home with his father, stepmother and siblings. Leila's brother told police he was home at the time of the killing while his parents were at a
Little League game, and he encountered an intruder after finding his sister's body. He described the man as being tall with long gray hair.

RESCUED CLEVELAND WOMEN ASKS FOR PRIVACY: The three women who were freed last week after being kidnapped a decade ago and held captive since then in a Cleveland home released statements yesterday (May 12th) through an attorney in which they expressed thanks for all the support they've received, but asked for privacy, saying they need time to
heal. Attorney Jim Wooley said none of the women -- Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus or Michelle Knight -- will do any media interviews until the criminal case against Ariel Castro, the man charged with kidnapping and holding them, is over.

• Meanwhile, Castro's two brothers, who were initially taken into custody but released after investigators said there was no evidence against them, told CNN they didn't know anything about what their brother had done, but are worried people will still believe they did, with Onil and Pedro Castro said they've been getting death     threats. Pedro Castro also told CNN he would have turned in his brother if he had known he was involved in the women's disappearance.

GOP LAWMAKERS CALL FOR BROAD PROBE OF IRS FOCUS ON CONSERVATIVE GROUPS: Republican lawmakers yesterday (May 12th) called for a broad investigation of the IRS' acknowledgment that agents had singled out conservative political groups for more scrutiny. Non-profit advocacy groups with the words "Tea Party" or "patriot" in their names were flagged for closer review by the IRS when they applied to the agency for tax-exempt status, a practice an IRS official has apologized for. Lois Lerner, director of the IRS tax-exempt office, said Friday that low-level revenue agents in Cincinnati targeted the conservative groups without consulting with managers and that politics had played no role in the screening. The Treasury Department's inspector general for tax administration is set to
release a report on its investigation into the issue within a few days, and White House spokesman Jay Carney called what was done "inappropriate," and said he expected the inspector general's investigation to be thorough and lead to changes at the IRS.

CARBON DIOXIDE IN ATMOSPHERE HIGHEST IN MILLIONS OF YEARS: The proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere topped 400 parts per million on Thursday (May 9th), according to the Keeling Curve, a daily record of atmospheric CO2 that's been running
continuously since 1958 and is one of the best climate records available. On the first day in 1958, the observatory measured a carbon dioxide concentration of 313 parts per million, a number that on Thursday was 400.03 ppm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In the 1,000 years before the 18th century's Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon dioxide held steady at around 270 to 280 parts per million. Scientists believe that the last time carbon dioxide was a 400 ppm was between five million and three million years ago, before humans existed on our planet.

TEXTING WHILE DRIVING NOW KILLS MORE TEENS THAN DRUNK DRIVING: New research has found that texting while driving now kills more teenagers in the U.S. than drunk driving, taking over as the Number One cause of teen deaths on the road. The study from the Cohen Children's Medical Center in New York found that more than 3,000 teens die and
more than 300,000 are injured each year due to texting while behind the wheel. By comparison, 2,700 are killed and 282,000 injured as a result of drink driving. The research found that an estimated 49 percent of boys admitted to texting while driving, as did 45 percent of girls.

DENNIS RODMAN GOING BACK TO N. KOREA, WANTS TO TRY TO GET AMERICAN RELEASED: Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has announced that he plans to return to North Korea on August 1st, where he wants to try to win the release of Korean-American Kenneth Bae, who was recently sentenced to 15 years hard labor. Rodman said he's going because he feels the White House has failed with its North Korean policy, telling celebrity website TMZ.com, "We got a black president who can't even go talk to [North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un]." After his earlier trip to North Korea this year, during which he visited with Kim Jong-Un, Rodman told ABC News of the North Korean leader, "I don't condone what he does, but as far as a person to person, he's my friend." Last week, Rodman tweeted a message to Kim Jong-Un about the Ken Bae, writing, " . . . do me a solid and cut Ken Bae loose."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD POSTS NEW ALBUM TEASER ONLINE: A teaser of new
music from Avenged Sevenfold has been posted online, according to Blabbermouth. The untitled piece of music is now available for streaming and is taken from the California act's sixth studio album, which is due out this summer. Also available is an audio clip of Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows talking about the songwriting process for the new CD.

CHECK IT OUT: Listen to the teaser for the new Avenged Sevenfold album:

UNRELEASED DEFTONES ALBUM MIGHT FINALLY SURFACE: Deftones frontman Chino
Moreno has said that it is more likely now than ever before that the band will released Eros, the shelved 2008 album that it had nearly completed when bassist Chi Cheng got into
a car accident in November 2008. The incident left Cheng in a semi-comatose state for more than four years, until his death last month. After Cheng's accident, the band decided to scrap the record and start fresh, ultimately recording and releasing Diamond Eyes in 2010.

Asked recently if Eros could see the light of day as Cheng's final work, Moreno told Artisan News, "It will. I think (the chances of that happening are) more so now probably than ever
(before). I actually went back and listened to some of it recently and . . . I don't know when (we will put it out) . . . but I feel it's a little more appropriate now for us to think about that."

CHILI PEPPERS DRUMMER LAUNCHES PODCAST WITH RUSH INTERVIEW: Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith is launching his own podcast on Monday (May 13th) through Music Radar called "In Conversation with Chad Smith." The series bills itself as a
non-traditional interview format offering insight into the personal and professional lives of musicians. Smith's guest for the first installment is Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, whom he sat down with in Los Angeles a few days before Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.

• Smith described his style as "the invisible interview -- that's what I call it. Friends, thoughts, information -- why do you do what you do? Admiration, respect, insight and maybe a surprise."
• As for why he chose Lifeson as his first guest, Smith said, "I've been a Rush fan since high school. Neil (Peart, drummer) gets a lot of attention, as he should, but Al
       is under-appreciated, I think. He is as great a musician as he is to be around. I'm honored for him to be my first. He was gentle with me!"
• Additional installments of the podcast will roll out once a week for three consecutive weeks, with Smith scheduled to record interviews with more artists for episodes that will run later in the year.
• The Chili Peppers will co-headline Metallica's Orion Music + More festival on June 8th and 9th in Detroit.

ADELITAS WAY PARTS WITH GUITARIST: Adelitas Way guitarist Keith Wallen has exited the band, according to Loudwire. Wallen was the last member to join the Las Vegas-based group before it recorded its major label debut in 2009. Wallen announced his departure in a Facebook post that read in part, "I've been truly blessed to have had the opportunity to tour the country multiple times playing music with some of my dearest friends . . . It has been an honor every single day that I've had the privilege of performing with them. To all of their families who have at some time or another during various tours welcomed me into their homes, fed me, and allowed me to pretend that I was home again for a few fleeting moments, thank you for treating me as one of your own."

Wallen added, "I would like to thank all of you, the fans, who have tirelessly supported the band and myself along the way. It's truly been an amazing experience feeling your love and appreciation at every show and venue we've had the honor of playing, and I will never forget you. And even though my run with this band is coming to an end, I am excited for the next chapter, and I am looking forward to creating much more music in the days, months, and years ahead, so stay tuned."

BLACK SABBATH APPEARING ON ‘CSI’ THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Black Sabbath will make a rare TV appearance this Wednesday (May 15th) when the band performs its new song "End Of The Beginning" on the season finale of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, airing at 10:00 p.m. ET on CBS-TV. The episode's plot follows the CSI team as they investigate a series of murders that resemble the sins in Dante's Inferno, with the detectives played by Ted Danson and Marc Vann attending a Sabbath concert as part of their search for clues into the
killings.

• CBS has posted behind-the-scenes footage from the set online, in which Danson explains that the season finale will see his character and a trio of suspected serial killers hold a meeting backstage at a Sabbath gig.

Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler said, "I've watched (CSI) -- every episode -- since it started, 'cause I like crime stuff, and it was realistic."

CLASSIC GUNS N’ ROSES SONG GETS REDONE: The Guns N' Roses classic "Sweet Child O' Mine" has been given a new version featuring a children's choir on a TV commercial for Johnson & Johnson. The ad itself is focused on families and children and is part of the
company's first major effort at a rebranding campaign in over a decade. The track was actually recorded in 2008 by the London-based Capital Children's Choir. (Loudwire)

Watch the Johnson & Johnson spot featuring "Sweet Child O' Mine":

SETH MEYERS NAMED JIMMY FALLON REPLACEMENT: Saturday Night Live cast member Seth Meyers has been named Jimmy Fallon's replacement on Late Night once Fallon
begins his Tonight Show gig. NBC president Bob Greenblatt said, "We think Seth is one of the brightest, most insightful comedy writers and performers of his generation. His years at SNL's 'Weekend Update' desk, not to mention being head writer of the show for many seasons, helped him hone a topical brand of comedy that is perfect for the Late Night franchise.
On behalf of Steve Burke, Ted Harbert and Paul Telegdy, we couldn't be happier that Seth and Jimmy Fallon will be continuing their careers at NBC after growing up in this network's late night legacy."

'24' TO RETURN TO TV: Fox has announced plans to bring back 24 for a limited 12-episode run. Series star Kiefer Sutherland posted a link to an article from Deadline.com
on his Twitter account and confirmed the news saying, "Yep, I'm pulling double duty along w/ TYRANT. Whoo & Hoo!"

'AMERICAN HORROR STORY' ADDS TWO MORE TO THE CAST: Angela Bassett
and Broadway veteran Patti Lupone have signed on to join the cast of the third season of American Horror Story which will focus on witches. Angela and Patti join the recently announced Gabourey Sidibe and Kathy Bates as new additions to the show.

ABC RELEASES TEASER FOR MARVEL'S 'AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D': ABC has unveiled the first teaser trailer for their highly anticipated new series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The series' first episode was directed by Joss Whedon who will serve as executive producer on the series along with his brother Jed and Maurissa Tancharoen. Take a look:

KATE MIDDLETON'S DUE DATE REVEALED: A friend of Prince William and Kate Middleton revealed to UK's Daily Mail that Kate's baby is due July 13th. The source said, "Some of William's closest pals were at a barbecue hosted by a family friend of the Royals recently. They were all discussing the fact that Kate's baby is due to be born on July 13."

SURI CRUISE MAY BE GETTING A FASHION LINE: 7-year-old Suri Cruise is rumored to be earning a $2.3 million paycheck to launch her own children's clothing label called Suri.
According to The Sun, the collection will reportedly debut in a New York department store this fall.

CASEY KASEM'S WIFE IN TALKS TO BECOME A REAL HOUSEWIFE: Jean Kasem, wife of radio personality Casey Kasem, has revealed to TMZ that she is in talks join the cast of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills next season. Jean has been Casey's wife since 1980 and she also starred on Cheers.

FLORIDA RESTAURANT OFFERS AFRICAN LION TACOS: A restaurant in Tampa, Florida has added a new $35 item to their menu -- an African lion meat taco. The manager of Taco Fusion, Brad Barnett, said he gets the lion meat from a vendor who raises lions specifically as a food source. Some customers are giving the tacos good reviews while others are disturbed by the use of meat from a protected species. Barnett said a lot of the complaints and threats have come from people venting on social media. He explained, "We have people who just sit on their couch and just want to go online and say things, be hurtful, make threats. If you don't like it, don't eat it." (National Geographic)

WOMAN ACCUSED OF STEALING CEMETERY ITEMS TO DECORATE HER HOME: Authorities in St. Cloud, Florida said a 57-year-old woman stole 146 items from the Mount Peace Cemetery to use as part of her home decor. Among the items are statues, lights, planters and trinkets which Debra Farinella allegedly placed around her yard and inside her home as decorations. Officer Chad Durham said, "She was not very particular. She would take them from baby gravesites, as well as adult gravesites." An anonymous tipster reported a license plate number and a description of the robber which lead authorities to Farinella. She told police that she bought the items at a yard sale. Farinella has been charged with grand theft and petty theft. Police are asking victims of the cemetery bandit to call the St. Cloud
Police Department to get their belongings back. (Huffington Post)

ELECTRONIC DEVICE RULES MAY CHANGE ON AIRPLANES: The Federal Aviation Administration is currently working on a study about the use of portable electronics on aircraft. Acting F-A-A administrator Michael Huerta says, "We're looking for information to help
air carriers and operators decide if they can allow more widespread use of electronic devices in today's aircraft." Electronic devices are already known to generate electromagnetic interferences, and Boeing has documented cases where personal electronic devices raised concerns by interfering with aircraft systems. Currently all electronic devices must still be turned off during takeoff and while landing. (Yahoo)

POTENTIAL TREATMEN FOR PARKINSON'S, ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA DISCOVERED: Researchers say they've found that a drug that is currently being used to treat leukemia has been found to help fight Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and various forms of dimentia. Georgetown University researchers say the drug has been found
to halt the production of toxic proteins linked with the illnesses.Lead study author Dr. Charbel Moussa says, "In degenerative diseases these proteins accumulate and kill the cell. The best strategy to make the cell survive is to clean the debris." Moussa says nilotinib acts like a garbage disposal, in that is helps to eliminate trash, or toxic proteins, from brain cells.