LaToya says he was murdered!

LaToya Jackson apparently shares her father’s belief that her brother Michael was murdered. LaToya was recently quoted in Britain’s The News of the World and The Mail as claiming he was murdered for his wealth. She’s quoted in the paper as saying…

“Michael was worth well over a billion in music publishing assets and somebody killed him for that. He was worth more dead than alive.”

LaToya also claims that approximately $2 million worth of cash and jewelry was taken from Michael Jackson’s home. She has not backed up her murder allegations with any evidence. But, she does claim to know who killed her brother.

The Story That Keeps On Giving

Since his death, this is just a story that keeps on giving. Every time you turn around there’s a new twist in the Michael Jackson soap opera that keeps surfacing. Not only does LaToya say her brother was murdered, but she also says he was pressured into performing the planned 50 concerts in London, that were set to start today.

In the meantime, back to the murder rumors - the Los Angeles Police Department has left open the possibility that Michael Jackson’s death was a homicide. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the singer’s reported prescription drug use. Police have targeted both doctors and various dental offices in their investigation. LaToya has also targeted the same people in her accusations of those responsible for the death of Michael Jackson. Last week Joe Jackson, Michael’s father, told ABC News he too believes foul play was involved.

We may never know what really happened to Michael Jackson. But, it is safe to say he was a tormented person in many ways. He became obsessed with changing his appearance, and the many surgeries led to an addiction of pain killers. Who’s responsible? Is it the doctors? Is it those around him who didn’t offer help? Is it those who enabled his belief that he needed to change his appearance?

Ultimately, there’s really only one person responsible for Michael Jackson’s actions. Michael Jackson himself. We all make decisions which effect us each and every day. Somewhere along the line Michael Jackson started making a series of bad decisions, which then had a huge domino effect in his life.

Yes, it’s sad that he died. But, when will the news madness stop?

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Welcome to Tuesday!

It’s time to make sure you’re ready to wow your friends and co-workers at the Water Cooler once again with some fun news and other historical tidbits of information.

In this edition of the Water Cooler News, aside from the usual birthdays and historical notes, you will find the following fun news stories!

• Kid Burglar in the Clear
• A Hero For Tossing Bricks
• Thief Takes Whole Cash Register

Fun News Stories!

“Kid Burglar In The Clear”
Authorities have declined to charge an 11-year-old girl who helped a Hoosick, New York couple break into homes by squeezing through windows and crawling through doggie doors in order to unlock the houses they robbed.  It’s unclear how many times 40-year-old Gregory Frank and 30-year-old Tara Morelli used the girl, who was 10 when the crime spree started.  Police say the burglaries took place between September 2008 and this past January.  Frank and Morelli were arraigned yesterday on nearly two dozen charges.

“Chinese Senior Citizen A Hero For Tossing Bricks At Cars”
A 74-year-old retiree in the Chinese city of Lanzhou has developed a following after he threw bricks at cars that ignored red lights at an intersection last week. The man, who damaged more than 30 vehicles, was inspired after a pedestrian was fatally struck by a car near his home.  He successfully encouraged officials to install traffic lights in the area, but decided to start tossing bricks when drivers ignored the signals.  Police detained the man but released him without filing any charges.  His brick tossing has won him legions of supporters since people have seen clips of him online in China, with nearly 80 percent of 400 thousand people surveyed online saying they believe in his cause.

“Robbery Really Registers With Thief”
Take the money and run gave way to take the entire register and run.  Police in St. Petersburg, Florida are looking for a man who stole a cash register, along with all the money inside it. Witnesses say they saw a man walk into Surfside Food and Deli, pick up the whole register and then smash it through the front window before escaping with it.  Employee Rezina Ali, who was on duty at the time, said the thief is a regular who came in asking to buy a cigar.

Historical Notes

Today is…
Bastille Day
Snake River Stampede Day

Notable Birthdays…
Actor Dale Robertson (TV’s Dynasty)is 86
Actor Harry Dean Stanton ( Pretty In Pink, The Green Mile) is 83.
Actress-singer Polly Bergen is 79.
Actor Vincent Pastore (”The Sopranos”) is 63.
Actress Jane Lynch (”Glee,” ”Talladega Nights”) is 49.
Actor Matthew Fox (”Lost,” ”Party of Five”) is 43.
Actress Missy Gold (”Benson”) is 39.

Born on this date…also known as the late…
Woody Guthrie - 1912-1967/folksinger, Arlo’s dad
Keith Godchaux - 1948-1980/keyboards, Grateful Dead
Del Reeves - 1932-2007/country singer
William Hanna–1910-2001/animator, Hanna-Barbera
John Chancellor–1927-1996/NBC TV news commentator
Gerald R. Ford–1913-2006/38th President of the United States
Ingmar Bergman–1918-2007/Swedish film and stage director, Seventh Seal

Movie History
1969 - Easy Rider premiered in theaters.

1978 -     Revenge of the Pink Panther hit theaters.

Music History
1993 - The U.S. Postal Service released stamps honoring the Broadway musicals My Fair Lady, Porgy And Bess, Show Boat and Oklahoma!

1988 - Michael Jackson began his first British tour at Wembley Stadium in London.

1980 - Glen Campbell and Tanya Tucker sang the national anthem at the Republican National Convention in Detroit, later admitting they were on cocaine at the time.

1973 - The Everly Brothers broke up in mid-performance during a show at Knott’s Berry Farm.

1969 - Bob Dylan made a surprise appearance with The Band at the Mississippi River Rock Festival. He performed three songs.

1967 - The Who began its first U.S. tour, opening for Herman’s Hermits.

General History
1430 - Joan of Arc, taken prisoner by the Burgundians in May, was handed over to Pierre Cauchon, the bishop of Beauvais.

1798 - Congress passed the Sedition Act. The act made it a federal crime to write, publish or utter false or malicious statements about the U.S. government.

1911 - Harry N. Atwood landed an airplane on the lawn of the White House to accept an award from President William Taft.

1946 - Dr. Benjamin Spock’s The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care was first published.

1951 - The first sports event to be shown in color, on CBS, was the Molly Pitcher Handicap at Oceanport, New Jersey.

1968 - Hank Aaron, while with the Atlanta Braves, hit his 500th career home run.

2001 - Beijing was awarded the 2008 Olympics. It was the first time China had been awarded the games.

2003 - Jerry Springer officially filed papers to run for the U.S. Senate from Ohio.

Yours in Water Cooler News fun!
Dr. Rus

It’s the start of a brand new week! With that in mind, it’s also time to make sure you’re ready for the daily water cooler discussions at work. As usual, coming up in this edition of the Water Cooler News, there’s a collection of historical tidbits and birthdays for today. You will also find the following collection of fun news stories to make your friends say “Really? That’s really happened?”

• Bank Robber Busted After Asking Cop For Lift
• Winning The Lottery Becomes a Hobby
• Beer and Briefs

The Funny Side of the News

“Bank Robber Busted After Asking Cop For A Lift”
If you’re a crook, a police officer is not the ideal getaway driver.  Police in Saginaw, Michigan arrested 50-year-old Mark E. White when he asked an undercover cop for a ride five minutes after robbing a bank.  White, who had been on parole for three weeks for driving while drunk and violating an earlier parole, had knocked off a bank about two blocks away from where he flagged down the cop.

“Winning The Lottery Becomes A Hobby”
Playing the lottery is hardly a sure-fire way to make a living — unless you’re Brenda Bailey.  The 60-year-old South Charleston, West Virginia woman won the lottery for the ninth time last week.  As if that’s not impressive enough, it’s her fifth jackpot since last September, during which time she has collected 159 thousand dollars.  Since 2000, she’s raked in a whopping $165,800. And not to be out-done…her husband won six thousand dollars in an instant game in January and another 10 grand last September.

“Beer And Briefs”
A robber in Austin, Texas didn’t wait to start drinking to lose his inhibitions.  Police arrested 25-year-old Dayvon Lee for stealing beer from a convenience store while dressed only in his underpants. Cops also arrested another man — who was fully clothed — for taking part in the caper.  After police were called about the robbery, they arrived at the store where the clerk said one of the men was only wearing blue underwear, while the other was in black shorts and a white T-shirt. Police later found the men a few blocks away and arrested them.

On This Date - Historical Tidbits

Today is…
Embrace Your Geekness Day - Spend endless hours going strange places on the Internet? You’re a geek, and this is the day to roar!

International Town Crier’s Day - A day recognizing the ancient and honorable art and tradition of town crying and the significant contribution town criers make to promoting their respective towns and cities..

Gruntled Workers Day - There’s so much news about disgruntled workers that today’s the day for Gruntled Workers to unite!.  Drive to a fast-food restaurant and say “Thanks, your service is fast!  Have a nice day!”

Notable Birthdays…
Patrick Stewart, 69, actor (Star Trek)
Roger McGuinn, 67, musician (The Byrds)
Harrison Ford, 67
Cheech Martin, 63
Louise Mandrell, 55, country singer
Michael Spinks, 53, former boxer
Cameron Crowe, 52, writer / director

Born on this date…also known as the late…
Bob Crane, 1928-1978/actor TV’s Hogan’s Heroes.
- Found murdered on June 29, 1978 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Movie History
1990 - Ghost premiered in theaters. This movie made your date cry.

1984 -     The Last Starfighter hit theaters.

Music History
2000 - James Brown was accused of swinging a knife at a utility worker and holding the man against his will. The event was supposed to have occurred July 3rd, 2000.

2000 - In Japan, Yoko Ono filed a lawsuit against Teito Rapid Transit Authority for copyright infringement for its unauthorized use of a ticket showing a portrait of John Lennon.

1975 - Wings had the number one Billboard pop hit with “Listen To What The Man Said.”

1974 - Eric Claptain’s “I Shot The Sheriff” was released.

1964 - The number one Billboard pop hit was “Rag Doll” by The Four Seasons.

1964 - The Supremes made the studio recording of “Come See About Me.”

1968 - Steppenwolf’s “Born To Be Wild” was released.

1939 - Frank Sinatra made his first record: From the Bottom of My Heart/Melancholy Mood.

General History
1837 - Queen Victoria became the first British monarch to occupy Buckingham Palace.

1960 - Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy won the Democratic presidential nomination at his party’s convention in Los Angeles.

1977 - A blackout lasting 25 hours hit the New York City area.

1978 - Lee Iacocca was fired as president of the Ford Motor Company.  He went on the great success at Chrysler.

1993 - Race car driver Davey Allison died in Birmingham, Alabama, from injuries he suffered in a helicopter accident.

1994 - Jeff Gillooly was sentenced to two years in prison for his part in the attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.  Gillooly is the ex-husband of Tonya Harding.

Yours in Water Cooler News!
Dr. Rus

We’ve made it to another Friday. The end of the work week and a time for what I call the Happy Dance. As you look forward to the start of another new weekend, you can still look smart as you gather around the water cooler for idle chit-chat.

As usual, in this edition of the Water Cooler News, there’s the standard collection of historical tidbits and birthdays for today. On top of that, you will find the following funny news stories;

• Fired Up To Get The Family To Leave
• Sore Throat Doesn’t Mean A 9-1-1 Call
• Crack Head, Not A Crack Driver

The Funny Side of News

“Fired Up To Get The Family To Leave”
When it came to getting some relatives to move out, Marion Whitaker did his best to light a fire under them.  The 62-year-old man has confessed to attempting to burn down a Bedford County, Tennessee house he owns last week so the relatives to whom he was renting the home would move out.  Whitaker, who had been renting the house to his niece and her family, admitted he sent the residence up in smoke while they were out of town by placing a pair of candles on the carpet and setting them on fire. It’s unclear if Whitaker’s niece and her family still live there.

“Sore Throat Doesn’t Count As A 9-1-1 Emergency”
A Judge in Britain has sentenced 76 year old Walter Emms to six months in jail for calling the country’s emergency number more than 140 times since March to complain about a sore throat. According to court documents, Emms was so insistent, he even called while paramedics were at his house to complain they wouldn’t take him to the hospital because he wasn’t sick.

“Crackhead Not Exactly A Crack Driver”
Police in Sandy Springs, Georgia say 43 year old Lisa Solanik has a serious drug problem. - Just how serious you ask - Authorities say she was trying to light a crack pipe while officers were attempting to arrest her following a car chase this week. Police were trying to stop Solanik after they ran a check on her license plate and found her license had been suspended for DUI. But, Solanik refused to pull over, choosing instead to lead police on a chase.  After she got a pair of flat tires and struck a squad car, she found herself cornered by two other police cars.  As officers broke one of her windows to take her into custody. As they pulled her from the car, officers said she was - quote - “in the process of trying to light what appeared to be a crack pipe.” Solinak is now facing numerous charges in connection with the case.

Historical Tidbits

Today is…
Don’t Step On A Bee Day - The Wellness Permission League reminds kids and grownups that now is the time of year when going barefoot can mean getting stung by a bee.

The Great International Chicken Wing Society Cook-Off

Notable birthdays…
David Norman Dinkins, 82, former and 1st black mayor of New York City
Ron Glass, 64, actor (Barney Miller)
Arlo Guthrie, 62 singer (Alice’s Restaurant)
Jessica Simpson, 29, singer

Music History
2002 - Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli announced they had secretly separated 10 months before. There was no indication they planned to get formally divorced.

2000 - Diana Ross announced the “Diana Ross and the Supremes ‘Return to Love’ Tour” had been canceled by its producers.

2000 - The David Orgell jewelry store in Beverly Hills filed a $1.45 million lawsuit against Michael Jackson. The suit was over a diamond-encrusted wristwatch that was returned to the store damaged.

1979 - Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler died at age 84. He conducted the Pops from 1930 until his death.

1975 - Cher filed for divorce from Gregg Allman, just 10 days after they had married.

1975 - Gladys Knight & The Pips premiered their summer variety series on NBC.

General History
1900 - “His Master’s Voice” was registered with the U.S. Patent Office. The logo of the Victor Recording Company, and later, RCA Victor, shows the dog, Nipper, looking into the horn of a gramophone machine.

1984 - Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets became the youngest player to appear in an All-Star Game as a pitcher. He was 19 years, seven months and 24 days old.

1985 - Bowing to pressure from irate customers, the Coca-Cola Company said it would resume selling old formula Coke, while continuing to sell New Coke.

1989 - Mel Blanc, the “man of a thousand voices,” died at age 81. He was known for such cartoon characters as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig.

Yours in Water Cooler News fun!
Dr. Rus

It’s time for a brand new day, and that means it’s time for another edition of the Water Cooler News! Aside from the usual historical tidbits of information and birthdays, you will also find in this issue;

• The Easiest Drug Bust Ever
• Prisoners Trying To Light Cigarette Set Cell On Fire
• Man Show’s Up At Dentist Office…Naked!

The Funny Side of the News

“The Easiest Drug Bust Ever”
Police in Minneapolis didn’t exactly “plant” the evidence when it came to arresting two potheads.  Officers arrested the men Tuesday after they called police to say they’d been tied up in their home during a robbery.  When police arrived on the scene they found 35 marijuana plants.  The men were quickly arrested.

“Prisoners Trying to Light Cigarette Set Fire to Cell”
A pair of prisoners at Georgia’s Chatham County Jail started a fire Monday when they tried to light a handmade cigarette by using an electrical socket.  Authorities believe the inmates placed a pencil into the socket, creating a spark which lit a piece of cloth they hoped to use as a match.  The cloth, however, set fire to a sheet on a nearby bed.

“Man Shows Up At Dentist’s Office Naked”
41-year-old Christopher Hoff of Stratford, Connecticut was arrested after he showed up at his dentist’s office naked.  In addition to being unfashionable, Hoff was also unfashionably late — his appointment had been scheduled for the previous Wednesday. A receptionist screamed in surprise when he walked into the office, which prompted Hoff to run away.  Officers tracked him down at his house and arrested him.

Historical Tidbits

Today is…
First Open-Heart Surgery Anniversary - 1893 - In Provident Hospital on Chicago’s south side, black surgeon Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the first successful open-heart surgery.

Hot Dog Night - Luverne, MN - More than 12,000 hot dogs are served free of charge, and free drink is also provided.  Various demonstrations including wiener dog races.  Estimated attendance 5,000

Highest Tsunami in Recorded History - 1958 - An earthquake registering 8.3 on the Richter Scale caused a massive landslide at the head of Lituya Bay, AK which in turn created a tsunami of 1,700 feet - higher than the Sears Tower in Chicago.  A 300 foot wave immediately followed, scouring bare about four to five square miles of land on both sides of the bay.

Notable birthdays…
Donald Rumsfeld, 77, Former US Secretary of Defense
Brian Dennehy, 71, actor
O.J. Simpson, 62
John Tesh, 57
Tom Hanks, 53
Courtney Love, 45
Fred Savage, 33, actor (The Wonder Years)
Kiely Williams of 3LW, 23, Singer-actress  (”Cheetah Girls” films)
Mitchel Musso, 18, actor  (”Hannah Montana”)
Georgie Henley, 14, actress (The Chronicles of Narnia)

Movie History
2004 - Anchorman premiered in theaters.

1999 - The first American Pie film hit theaters.

Music History
1983 - The Police started an eight-week run at number one on the singles chart with “Every Breath You Take.”

1981 - The Jackson’s kicked off a 36-city tour. The group grossed $5.5 million, $100,000 of which was donated to the Atlanta Children’s Foundation.

1977 - Elvis Costello quit his day job at Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics to become a full-time musician.

1972 - Paul McCartney’s new group, Wings, kicked off their first tour in Chateauvillon, France.

1971 - Jim Morrison was buried in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

1956 - Dick Clark made his debut as host of Bandstand on a Philadelphia TV station. The name of the show was changed to American Bandstand when it went to ABC.

General History
1540 - England’s King Henry VIII had his six-month-old marriage to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, annulled.

1776 - The Declaration of Independence was read aloud to General George Washington’s troops in New York City.

1850 - The twelfth president of the U.S., Zachary Taylor, died in the White House, having served only one year and four months of his term.  Taylor’s body was exhumed a few years back and tested for traces of arsenic poisoning, but there was no sign of foul play.

1872 - The doughnut cutter was patented by John Blondel of Thomaston, Maine.

1982 - Unemployed laborer Michael Fagan entered Queen Elizabeth’s bedroom, causing the most sensational breach of palace security in modern times. Fagan did no harm to the Queen, though, and she was able to secretly summon police to escort him out.

1997 - Mike Tyson was banned from the boxing ring and fined $3 million for biting the ear of opponent Evander Holyfield.

Yours in Water Cooler News!
Dr. Rus

It’s time for another edition of the Water Cooler News! Before I get into the news this morning, here’s an interesting little tidbit of information. If you look at your calendar today, and only look at numbers, today is 7-8-9!

Now that you have that piece of information to wow your friends with around the Water Cooler, lets load up on some other fun information. As usual, this edition of the Water Cooler News includes historical tidbits and birthdays for today.

You will also find the following fun news stories…

1. Prank Caller Targets Fast Food Manager
2. Phone A Friend For Exam Help
3. Thieves Steal Fake Cell Phones

Humorous News Stories

“Prank Caller Targets Fast-Food Manager”
The manager of an Arby’s restaurant in Baytown, Texas was the victim of a prank caller who told him to discharge a fire extinguisher system, which subsequently soaked the entire place with foam. Authorities say the caller identified himself as a member of a local fire department and told the fast food manager he had to pull a lever on the system in order for a test to be performed.  When nothing happened on the first pull, the caller urged the manager to give it a second try and that’s when foam erupted from nozzles in the ceiling.  The caller then instructed the manager to break all the windows and evacuate, but common sense apparently kicked in by then because the manager didn’t break anything, but did evacuate the building.

“High School Students In Austria “Phone a Friend” For Exam Help”
A high school teacher in Austria has incorporated parts of the TV game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” into his final exams by allowing students who are stumped to “phone a friend” for an answer. Teacher Reinhard Peter allows his students to call a number of people, including doctors, teachers and others, who might be able to provide a correct answer.  Peter says many of the so-called experts experience exam anxiety themselves and become nervous that they’ll give the wrong answer, but that hasn’t happened yet and all the students who have used the “phone a friend” lifeline have passed their exams.

“Dumb Thieves Steal Fake Cell Phones”
Today’s dumb theft story comes from Morelia, Mexico, where employees of a cell phone store arrived for work yesterday to discover burglars had broken in the night before and stolen all the phones on display.  Employees told police they weren’t upset because the phones the thieves grabbed were hollow replicas used for display purposes only and were completely useless for making phone calls.

Historical Tidbits & Birthdays

Today is…
Scud Day - Savor The Comic, Unplug The Drama - A day to remind people of the benefits of spending more time in the Comic
Zone and less in the Drama Zone

Notable birthdays…
Steve Lawrence, 74, singer / lounge lizard
Phil Gramm, 67, former US Senator
Jeffrey Tambor, 65, actor (Arrested Development)
Kim Darby, 62, actress (True Grit)
Raffi 61/children’s performer
Kevin Bacon, 51
Toby Keith, 48, Country singer
Billy Crudup, 41, actor (Almost Famous)
Michael Weatherly, 41, actor (NCIS)
Milo Ventimiglia, 32, actor (Heroes)
Sophia Bush, 27, actress (One Tree Hill)
Jaden Smith, 11, actor (”The Pursuit of Happyness” Will Smith’s son)

Born on this date…also known as the late…
Marty Feldman–1933-1982/eye-popping actor, Young Frankenstein

Music History
1976 - One-hit-wonders The Starland Vocal Band had the number one single with “Afternoon Delight.”

1970 - The Everly Brothers Show was launched as a summer series on ABC-TV.

1956 - “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Haley & The Comets was the number one single. It was the theme song to the film Blackboard Jungle, starring Glenn Ford and Vic Morrow.

General History
1856 - Charles Barnes, of Lowell, Massachusetts, patented the first machine gun. His invention, which was powered by a crank, could be made to fire fast or slow, depending on how fast you turned the crank. Barnes called it an “automatic cannon.” It was the forerunner of the Gatling Gun, used to great success in the Civil War.

1889 - The last bare-knuckle championship fight took place, as the immortal John L. Sullivan beat Jake Kilrain in 75 rounds.

1965 - The first multiple flash device for cameras, better known to us as flashcubes, was demonstrated by Sylvania during a press conference at New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Yours in Water Cooler fun!
Dr. Rus

It’s time for the Tuesday edition of the Water Cooler news as we make our way through this first week of July. Of course there’s the usual historical tidbits of information along with the list of birthdays for today.

In addition to the usual information, included in this issue are the following fun news stories!

• Woman Charged With Pranking Grandma
• Never Run With Scissors, While Drunk & Naked
• Man Fails To Appear In Court On Charge Of Failing To Appear

Lighter Side of the News

“Woman Charged With Pranking Grandma 45 Times A Day”
A Minnesota woman is facing several felony charges for allegedly making 45 prank phone calls in one day…to her grandmother.  The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the 21-year-old woman and a friend telephoned the grandmother repeatedly on February 5th, saying things such as “I’m going to kill you,” “You’re going to die” and “I’m watching you.”  Police in the town of Cambridge say they answered some of the calls for the grandmother and heard the threats.  According to a police complaint, the accused made the calls because she was “bored” and “wanted to have some fun.”

“Never Run With Scissors, Especially While You’re Drunk & Naked”
Today’s “Drunk, Naked and Running With Scissors” story comes from Ventura, California, where a 42-year-old hospital emergency room patient went bonkers while waiting to be treated.  Authorities say Daniel Gilberg was being treated at the Ventura County Medical Center for a head injury following a fall when he became impatient, yanked out an IV and a catheter and threatened two nurses with scissors. Gilberg then tried to flee the hospital naked with the scissors still in his hand, but police officers tasered and subdued him.  Gilberg was charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

“Suspect Fails to Appear in Court on Charge of Failing to Appear”
A judge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire issued an arrest warrant yesterday for a man who failed to appear in court to answer a charge of failing to appear in court. Authorities say 44 year old Gary Isabelle was scheduled to appear in district court on charges of failure to appear in connection with a criminal loitering charge, but he never showed.  He also failed to show yesterday for a separate hearing on a small claims complaint regarding non-payment of rent.

Historical Tidbits Of Information

Today is…
Father-Daughter Take A Walk Together Day - A special time in the summer for fathers and daughters of all ages to spend time together in the beautiful weather.
Lunar Eclipse
Buck Moon - So called by Native American tribes of New England and the Great Lakes because at this time of year, the new antlers of buck deer begin to appear. Also called Thunder Moon for summer thunderstorms.  The July Full Moon.
Spain - Running of the Bulls! - July 7 - 14, Pamplona Spain.
Tell The Truth Day

Notable birthdays…
Doc Severinsen, 82, composer / conductor
Ringo Starr, 69
Joe Spano 63/actor, TV’s Hill Street Blues
David Hodo, 62, singer (The Construction Worker of The Village People)
Shelley Duvall, 60, actress (The Shining, Popeye)
Jorja Fox, 41, actress (CSI)
Michelle Kwan, 29, figure skater

Born on this date…also known as the late…
Mary Ford–1928-1977/singer, with Les Paul, “How High The Moon”

Entertainment History
2009 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest opened in theaters.

1989 -     Lethal Weapon II hit theaters.

Music History
1998 - Michael Jackson and his financial partner, DON BARDEN, announced their intentions to build a lavish entertainment complex in Detroit that would include a theme park, hotel, casino, botanical garden and nightclub.

1980 - The original lineup of Led Zeppelin gave its final show.

1973 - Paul McCartney released “Live and Let Die.”

1968 - The Yardbirds disbanded.

1967 - The Monkees opened a tour with a then-little-known guitarist named Jimi Hendrix as their opening act.

1956 - Johnny Cash made his first appearance on Grand Ole Opry.

1954 - Memphis D.J. Dewey Phillips of WHBQ became the first D.J. to play an Elvis Presley record.

General History
1865 - Four people were hanged in Washington, D.C., after being convicted of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Lincoln.

1898 - The United States annexed Hawaii.

1949 - Dragnet, starring Jack Webb, premiered on NBC Radio. It became a TV series in 1951, then again in 1967.

1981 - Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman to be nominated to the Supreme Court.

1987 - Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North began testimony at the Iran-Contra hearings on Capitol Hill. He told members that he “never carried out a single act, not one,” without authorization.

2005 - The London terrorist bombings took place.

Yours in Water Cooler News fun…
Dr. Rus

It’s memorial service day, Tuesday, July 7, 2009, for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The service will be star-studded as those confirmed to make an appearance include - Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Usher and Stevie Wonder. The service, which starts at 10 am PT, will be aired on several broadcast and cable networks, including ABC, as well as radio. In addition, Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corporation will broadcast the service on its live digital network to approximately 50 movie theaters around the country.

Others rumored to be scheduled to make an appearance at the memorial service today - Berry Gordy, Magic Johnson, Michael’s old friend Brooke Shields, Kobe Bryant and Martin Luther King III.

In the midst of the memorial service news, reports are now coming out that track marks were found on Michael Jackson’s arms.

I Want A New Drug…

ABC News is reporting that both of Michael Jackson’s arms were scarred with track marks consistent with the use of the sedative Propofol, also known as Diprivan. That’s the same drug that was also reportedly found in Jackson’s home following his death.

Of course this all leads to the question…
Is it true? Or is it false?

Whatever the case may be, rumors will no doubt swirl around the details of Jackson’s death for months and years to come. However, adding some credence to the report of track marks is the fact that Registered Nurse Cherilyn Lee recently said Jackson complained of insomnia and repeatedly asked her for the sedative Diprivan. Dr. Bruce Goldberger, the toxicology director at the University of Florida Medical Center, said the sedative can be fatal when mixed with other drugs.

In the meantime, the Los Angeles Police Department is continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Michael Jackson’s death. They’re being assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration as well. Several Doctors are also being investigated in connection with the case and it’s been widely reported that Jackson was hooked on the painkillers Oxycontin and Demerol.

In an earlier blog post entiled Lisa Marie Talks About Michael Jackson I pointed out that Lisa Marie said he was fascinated with the details of the death of her father Elvis. She eventually left him and divorced him because she realized she could not rescue him from his thoughts and fascination with death. Apparently, we have once again a case of a star that rose fast, burned brightly, and then slowly burned out through a life of despair, abundance, and abuse.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Another great weekend of racing with the Indy Car Series has come and gone for Watkins Glen, New York. As usual, it was a great time too!

As for the race, Justin Wilson pulled out in front early, and he was pretty much the stand alone leader for most of the race as he took the checkered flag to win the Camping World Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International. Wilson actually gave Dale Coyne racing its first victory since the team was formed in 1984. He started on the front row alongside polesitter Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske. When all was said and done, Wilson crossed the finish line with a 5 second lead over Briscoe.

That’s A Wrap

Up until The Glen, Penske and Target Chip Ganassi drivers had won all eight races this season, including 10 straight and 15 of 16 dating to last year. Ganassi’s Scott Dixon was third at the Camping World Grand Prix, followed by Penske’s Helio Castroneves and Marco Andretti. Dario Franchitti, the points leader coming into the race, was involved in an early crash and finished 15th. Paul Tracy, who made his first appearance ever at the Watkins Glen was hoping for a top 6 finish. But, he crashed out too.

As for kudos for the weekend, I have to give a tip of the hat to the fine people in the Media Center at Watkins Glen. They’re always helpful and always a pleasure to chat with. The new Media Center is incredible and the food for the media people is always great too.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention Amy Konrath from the Indy Racing League. Amy, you’re the best and thanks so much for all your help each year too.

Dr. Rus

Here we go! We’re off and running for another brand new week. The first full week of July. I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! As you head to those daily gatherings around the water cooler, as usual, I want to make sure you’re ready with some fun stories and other historical tidbits of information.

In this edition of the Water Cooler News you will find the usual history and birthdays. Also, in an effort to give you some fun news stories, you will also find;

• Low Life Steals Vegetables
• Duck Crossing Causes Car Crash
• Michigan Police Open Donut Shot

Humorous News Stories

Low Life Steals Vegetables From Fatal Crash Scene
Police in Australia are looking for the motorist who reportedly stopped at the scene of a fatal truck accident and decided to steal vegetables instead of helping the injured driver. Police are investigating reports of a man driving an SUV who stopped at the crash scene Saturday morning, grabbed up some produce scattered on the ground, and then drove off.

Duck Crossing Causes Car Crash
A motorist decided to stop his car on I-90 near Arlington, Wisconsin last week to let a group of ducks cross the road.  Unfortunately for him, at least six cars behind him didn’t stop.  Authorities say the ducks caused a pile-up involving at least a half dozen cars.  No serious injuries were reported, but police say they’re not sure about the fate of the ducks because officers had to leave the scene to attend to a nearby pile-up of five motorcycles.

Michigan Police Open Donut Shop
Police officers in Clare, Michigan love donuts so much, they’ve opened their own shop, appropriately named “Cops and Doughnuts.”  The Morning Sun newspaper reports that nine full-time police officers became so alarmed when they learned the Clare City Bakery would be closing its doors after 113 years, they decided to buy the place and reopen it under a new name.  In addition to the usual assortment of doughnuts and muffins, the Cops and Doughnuts shop also sells mugs and t-shirts with phrases such as “Handcuffs and Cream Puffs” and “You Have the Right to Remain Glazed.”

Historical Notes of Interest

Today is…
Name That Tune Premiered on TV - 1953
Nude Recreation Week - Take Your Webmaster To Lunch Day
Republican Party Formed - 1854  - The Republican Party formally originated at a convention at Ripon, WI.

Notable Birthdays…
Nancy Reagan, 88
Della Reese, 78, singer / actress (Touched by an Angel)
Dalai Lama, 74, Tibet’s spiritual leader
Ned Beatty, 72, actor / “squealer” (Deliverance)
Gene Chandler 69/singer, “Duke Of Earl,” “Groovy Situation”
Burt Ward, 64, actor (Batman’s Robin)
George W. Bush, 63
Sylvester Stallone, 63
Grant Goodeve, 55, actor (Eight is Enough)
Allyce Beasley, 55, actress (Moonlighting)
50 Cent, 33, rapper
Tia and Tamera Mowry, 31, actresses  (”Sister, Sister”)

Born on this date…also known as the late…
Bill Haley–1927-1981/and his Comets, “Rock Around the Clock”
Sebastian Cabot–1918-1977/actor, Mr. French, TV’s Family Affair
Janet Leigh–1927-2004/actress, Psycho. Mother of Jamie Lee Curtis
Merv Griffin–1925-2007/ex-TV talk show host, creator of Jeopardy!

Movie History
1994 - Forrest Gump premiered in theaters on this date 15 years ago.

Music History
1984 - The Jacksons’ began their Victory Tour in Kansas City, Missouri.

1971 - Legendary trumpeter Louis Armstrong died at the age of 69.

1965 - The Jefferson Airplane was formed in San Francisco.

1965 - The number one Billboard pop hit was “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones.

1964 - The Beatles’ first movie, A Hard Day’s Night, premiered in London.

1957 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney were introduced to each other.

General History
1699 - Captain William Kidd, the pirate, was captured in Boston and deported back to England.

1933 - The first All-Star baseball game was held in Chicago. The American League beat the National League, 4-2.

1995 - In Los Angeles, the prosecution rested at the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

2000 - A jury awarded former NHL player Tony Twist $24 million for the unauthorized use of his name in the comic book Spawn and the HBO cartoon series. Co-defendant HBO settled with Twist out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Yours in Water Cooler fun!
Dr. Rus