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Taco Bell 'Doritos Locos Tacos': Invented in Irvine or by federal prison inmate Gary Cole?

Lisa Brenner — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:36:11 -0700

; Credit: Photo by Karl Baron via Flickr Creative Commons

The Huffington Post reports that a lawsuit filed this week by federal prison inmate Gary Cole alleges that the story behind the "Doritos Locos Tacos" — namely, that popular food item was the brainchild of Frito-Lay product developers at the Taco Bell headquarters in Irvine, California — is not true.

Cole says it's his idea, and that Frito-Lay stole it through the mail.

The Dallas Observer reports that Cole, who will represent himself in the case, is currently residing at a federal prison in Colorado that has housed "convicted terrorists, including Zacarias Moussaoui, shoe bomber Richard Reid and Unabomber Ted Kaczynski."

He is serving 25-years for "delaying interstate commerce, conspiring to do so, and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence."

As for the taco shells, Cole offers a document in his favor that he mailed to his lawyer in 2006 which includes a list of nine product ideas under a wouldbe brand he refers to as, "Divas and Ballers." Item number two on the list:

"Tacos Shells of All Flavors (Made of Doritos)"

After reading about Doritos Locos launch, Cole concluded that his idea had been stolen years ago through the mail.

So he wrote to the FBI, and asked for an investigation.

Then he wrote to the IRS, and asked for the name, address, check amount, and what taxes were paid by the mystery person he believes cashed in on his idea.

Also he sent a Freedom of Information Act request to Taco Bell and asked them to release all documents relating to the creation of the Doritos Locos Tacos.

Finally, he filed a 35-page handwritten complaint on May 15, 2013.

Court documents indicate he contacted a Denver law firm about the case, reports the Dallas Observer, adding, "He doesn't include the letter he sent them, which is a shame, because their response suggests it was incredible:"

Dear Gary:

Thanks for your April 25th letter, which we received on May 3. By now you should have received the taco documents. Hopefully, the stress they caused will be relieved.

Do not "put a knife" to the staff. That won't do you, or us, any good. I understand your frustration, but we're working on the retaliation issue and would ask that you leave it in our hands.

Taco Bell responded the The Huffington Post's questions regarding the complaint, saying in an email:

"We have not been served with the lawsuit, but the claims we’ve read in online news sources are completely false and without merit."

Swimming poo(l)s: Fecal findings prompt CDC call for 'improved swimmer hygiene'

Lisa Brenner — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:15:19 -0700

; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

This week's CDC Morbidity and Mortality report reveals a revolting truth about swimming pools — more than half of the locations tested in 2012 showed traces of Escherichia coli, indicating that "swimmers introduced fecal material into pool water."

Also, there's an "extremely chlorine-tolerant parasite"called Cryptosporidium that you really don't want to ingest. It only takes one "incident" to cause a pool full of potential infection, according to the CDC:

A single diarrheal contamination incident can introduce 10^7–10^8 Cryptosporidium oocysts into the water, a quantity sufficient to cause infection if a mouthful of water from a typical pool is ingested.

Warning: The story only gets grosser from here. I'm sorry.

Additionally, each person has an average of 0.14 grams of fecal material on their perianal surface that could rinse into the water if swimmers fail to take a pre-swim shower with soap.

The CDC says the increased incidence of "acute gastrointestinal illness outbreaks" associated with pools underscore the need for "improved swimmer hygiene."

The findings are subject to a number of limitations, the study acknowledges, however outbreaks of illness across the country suggest a widespread concern.

The pools sampled in this study are a convenience sample of pools in metro-Atlanta, and thus study findings cannot be generalized to pools in metro-Atlanta or beyond. However, the incidence of RWI outbreaks of acute gastrointestinal illness throughout the United States suggests that swimmers frequently introduce fecal material and pathogens into recreational water throughout the country.

This study also found that:

...that the proportion of samples positive for E. coli significantly differed between membership/club and municipal pools. This finding might reflect differences in the number of swimmers who are either diapered children or children learning toileting skills.

While it's unpleasant to consider that the action plan listed below is even necessary, it's reassuring to know that one exists (no it isn't):

Fecal Incident Response Recommendation for Pool Staff

Virus on the high seas: Human pandemic strain found in California marine mammals

Lisa Brenner with AP — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:11:14 -0700

Elephant seals on a beach along California’s central coast in San Simeon Calif. Researchers have detected swine flu in elephant seals off the Central California coast, saying it was the first time a human pandemic strain has been found in marine mammals.; Credit: Reed Saxon/AP Photo

For the first time, a human pandemic virus strain has been found in marine mammals.

The Associated Press reports that H1N1 — the devastating "swine flu" virus that killed as many as half a million people during a 2009 global outbreak — has been found in elephant seals off the central coast of California.

A University of California, Davis study published this week found the seals contracted the H1N1 virus in 2010, but show no sign of illness, reported the Contra Costa Times.

It's not the first time a marine mammal has been found carrying a human strain, UC Davis professor Tracey Goldstein told the newspaper, but it is the first time researchers found a human pandemic strain.

Goldstein said the influenza virus commonly crosses species barriers and that the presence of H1N1 in seals is not a cause for alarm. But it's a good reminder, she said, for "people who work with animals to make sure that they protect themselves."

Researchers say it's unlikely that the seals contracted the virus from direct contact with humans. Data suggests the animals were exposed at sea or coming near the shore — it's possible that seabirds may have passed on the virus.

UC Davis wildlife biologists swabbed the noses of 72 elephant seals over the course of two years at Ano Nuevo State Reserve in San Mateo County and Piedras Blancas in San Simeon. The animals were sampled before and after their annual spring foraging trip to Alaskan waters.

The animals tested clean before departure, but two came back bearing the virus in 2010, the newspaper said. A year later, 16 elephant seal pups had blood tests showing they had been exposed to the virus.

What is a pandemic?

According to OSHA:

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in a very short time.

It is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur or how severe it will be. Wherever and whenever a pandemic starts, everyone around the world is at risk. Countries might, through measures such as border closures and travel restrictions, delay arrival of the virus, but they cannot stop it.

California's relationship with H1N1

According to the CDC:

Infection with this new influenza A virus (then referred to as ‘swine origin influenza A virus’) was first detected in a 10-year-old patient in California on April 15, 2009, who was tested for influenza as part of a clinical study...Two days later, CDC laboratory testing confirmed a second infection with this virus in another patient, an 8-year-old living in California about 130 miles away from the first patient who was tested as part of an influenza surveillance project.

There was no known connection between the two patients. Laboratory analysis at CDC determined that the viruses obtained from these two patients were very similar to each other, and different from any other influenza viruses previously seen either in humans or animals.

Testing showed that these two viruses were resistant to the two antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine, but susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. CDC began an immediate investigation into the situation in coordination with state and local animal and human health officials in California.

What's the next possible lurking pandemic?

Science Daily reports on a new MIT study that investigates potential flu pandemics circulating in pig and birds that could pose a significant threat to humans if they jump the species barrier.

In the summer of 1968, a new strain of influenza appeared in Hong Kong. This strain, known as H3N2, spread around the globe and eventually killed an estimated 1 million people.

A new study from MIT reveals that there are many strains of H3N2 circulating in birds and pigs that are genetically similar to the 1968 strain and have the potential to generate a pandemic if they leap to humans.

The researchers, led by Ram Sasisekharan, the Alfred H. Caspary Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, also found that current flu vaccines might not offer protection against these strains.

The study appears in the May 10 issue of the journal Scientific Reports noting a number of potentially dangerous viral strains that public health agencies should be on the lookout for.

Space invaders: Bill to stop tickets at broken parking meters pulls ahead in state assembly

Lisa Brenner — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:51:54 -0700

; Credit: Corey Moore/KPCC

Put that in your space and park it.

On Thursday the California State Assembly overwhelmingly approved assemblyman Mike Gatto's bill to stop local governments from ticketing motorists who are parked at broken parking meters. The bill passed with a vote of 71-0.

According to Gatto's news release, "The bill, AB 61, seeks to stop the trend of cities passing laws allowing for ticketing at malfunctioning meters, even when the city itself has failed to fix the machine. "

Gatto, who represents areas of Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood, says, "We pay for street maintenance, meter installation, and meter upkeep...It is the responsibility of local governments to keep parking meters in good working order, not to squeeze a double-penalty out of its citizens."

Under the new measure, drivers would be allowed to park in a space with a broken meter for the amount of time they would have been allowed if the meter was functioning properly. That was the law in California from 1935 to 2012.

What happened in 2012?

Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance allowing drivers who park at broken meters to be ticketed.

Why does Gatto say that's not good?

“Forcing someone to aimlessly drive around in search of a parking spot when there are perfectly good spots available is not good for the driver or for the environment...A driver should not be forced to park at an expensive lot when street parking is available.”

Previously, on parking tickets

A NBC4 investigation found that more than 17,000 parking tickets had been issued, in a single year, for meters that had been reported as malfunctioning to the City of Los Angeles. The overwhelming majority of these meters had internal malfunctions and were not intentionally broken. This is expected to remain the case as cities transition from traditional meters to electronic ATM-like parking kiosks, which are more durable, but are also subject to the whim of Internet connections and complex electronics.

Next episode: The CA State Senate!

AB 61 now heads to the California State Senate, where it will be assigned to a policy committee.

An animal once used as a pregnancy test may be 'the Typhoid Mary of the frog world'

Lisa Brenner — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:49:53 -0700

Xenopus laevis | African Clawed Frog; Credit: Photo by Brian Gratwicke via Flickr Creative Commons

Mercury News reports that an African frog imported decades ago to California for medical testing may be the "Typhoid Mary of the frog world," according to a new a Stanford/SFSU study published Thursday in the journal Plos One.

According to researchers, the African clawed frog carries a deadly fungus that is responsible for the decline and extinction of approximately 200 amphibian species around the world.

Bay Area scientists believe they have discovered the Typhoid Mary of the frog world: a flat, feral creature that carried a deadly fungus from Africa to California's ponds and puddles through global trading.

Genetic analysis revealed that eight of 206 African clawed frogs -- caught wild or preserved in jars at the California Academy of Sciences -- carried the fungal plague called chytridiomycosis, which leaves them unharmed but kills native frogs in catastrophic numbers.

The theory is that the deadly fungus thrived in Africa and then spread worldwide. The infection was detected in a frog captured in Africa 1934; A recently infected frog was found alive in Golden Gate Park's Lily Pond.

Researchers spent hours in the basement of the California Academy of Sciences sorting thousands of specimen jars of old, dead frogs — some of which had been floating there in ethanol since 1871. DNA swabs were taken from the skin in between toes and around claws.

The frogs were first brought to the U.S. in the early 20th century to be used as pregnancy tests; they were injected with urine from female patients. When the practice was discontinued, the animals may have been released into the wild.

Bullfrogs have also been implicated in this worldwide spread of amphibian death and mayhem, according to a University of Michigan study, reports the Mercury News.

The fungus is particularly tough on the thin-skinned creatures. Called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or "Bd," it kills frogs by clogging their pores, deranging their blood chemistry and causing their tiny brains to swell.

The infection has led to the recent decline or extinction of 200 frog species worldwide, from the Sierra yellow-legged frog to the exotic jewel-colored creatures that decorate calendars, postage stamps and National Geographic magazine covers.

Scientists have not yet come up with a protective solution, or a way to transfer the resilience displayed by some frogs to the more vulnerable species.

Containing the worldwide epidemic is "a major challenge," according to study collaborators who say the fungus can also be spread through water, wind and on bird feathers.

The frogs' use, sale and transport are now highly regulated in California, but the damage has been done, they said. (A pygmy version, a favorite of aquarium enthusiasts, is less hardy, so it's not considered a threat.)

In the late 1980s, the L.A. Times published a story called "Predatory and voracious, the 'little eating machines' thrive in Santa Clara River despite a 15-year eradication campaign. : African Frogs Remain Kings of the Canyon," reporting on their decimation of a fish population:

The camouflage-green frogs are decimating the last known population of the unarmoured threespine stickleback, a tiny endangered fish found only where the Santa Clara River flows through Soledad Canyon.

Harvey Fischer, the curator of reptiles and amphibians at the Los Angeles Zoo at the time, said of the species, "They're just little eating machines," noting that the creature can grow to about eight inches (with legs extended) and use three claws on each hind leg to, "shred their prey."

The University of Michigan's comprehensive Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web database has a detailed fact sheet on the invasive species and its impact, geography, physical development, lifespan, behavior, diet, reproduction and habitat.

USPS: LA is no. 1 in dogs attacking mail carriers

Lisa Brenner with AP — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:33:39 -0700

; Credit: Photo by josh bis via Flickr Creative Commons

The USPS says 69 postal employees were attacked in L.A. last year "placing the City of Angels as the most vicious for dog attacks" in the country.

The agency released the city ranking numbers on Wednesday in advance of National Dog Bite Prevention Week (May 19-25).

Dog attacks are a nationwide issue and not just a postal problem. Nearly 5,900 letter carriers were attacked last year, but that pales in comparison to the 4.7 million Americans annually bitten by dogs — more than half of whom are children — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Last week in California a 63-year-old jogger was mauled to death by a pack of pit bulls in the Mojave Desert.

USPS is urging pet owners to help reduce the number of incidents. If letter carriers feel threatened by a dog, they can skip delivery to the house and ask the customer to retrieve any mail at the post office instead. Says the USPS:

...in situations where a dog roams the neighborhood, delivery to the owner’s neighbors could be curtailed as well. Additionally, when letter carriers come to a customer’s door, pet owners are asked to place dogs in a separate room and close the door, as many canines have been known to jump through screen and glass doors.

USPS: How to be a Responsible Dog Owner

Obedience training can teach dogs proper behavior and help owners control their dogs in any situation.

Dogs can be protective of their territory and may interpret the actions of a letter carrier as a threat. Please take precautions when accepting mail in the presence of your pet.

When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep your dog inside, away from the door, in another room or on a leash.

Dogs that haven’t been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time frequently turn into biters.

Fiscal Year 2012 U.S. Postal Service Dog Attack City Ranking

(Ranking | City, State | Attacks)

Los Angeles, CA: 69

San Antonio, TX and Seattle, WA: 42

Chicago, IL: 41

San Francisco, CA: 38

Philadelphia, PA: 34

Detroit, MI: 33

St. Louis, MO: 32

Baltimore, MD and Sacramento, CA: 29

Houston, TX and Minneapolis, MN: 27

Cleveland and Dayton, OH: 26

Buffalo and Brooklyn, NY: 24

Denver, CO: 23

Dallas, TX and Tacoma, WA: 21

Wichita, KS: 20

Hologram-y winners? Ol' Dirty Bastard and Eazy-E join Rock the Bells 2013 lineup as 'virtual' performers

Lisa Brenner — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:43:39 -0700

ODB | Eazy-E; Credit: Getty Images / Priority Records

Tupac Shakur's hologram will have to share the afterlife green room with a two new virtual artists — Eazy-E of N.W.A. and Wu Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard.

Like hologram Tupac sharing the stage with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre at Coachella 2012, Eazy-E will join Bone Thugs N Harmony, and ODB will reunite with the Wu-Tang Clan for "original virtual performances" as "special guests" of the 2013 Rock the Bells music festival.

KROQ reports that in an exclusive interview with Radio.com, Rock the Bells founder Chang Weisberg "made a point to explain what exactly fans can expect to see from the late rappers."

“It’s an original virtual performance, not a hologram,” Weisberg insisted. “I never used the word hologram. There are a number of multimedia visual effects that will be applied that will definitely at the very least make the performances look like a hologram. People’s minds will be blown.”

Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s virtual performance will be part of Wu-Tang Clan’s headlining appearances, marking the 20th anniversary of that band’s 1993 full-length debut, 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'. It will follow the collective’s triumphant shows at this year’s Coachella festival.

The traveling hip hop music festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary, will feature Bone Thugs N Harmony, Wu-Tang Clan, Common, Rakim, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler The Creator, Talib Kweli, Jurassic 5, Brother Ali, Kid Cudi, E-40 & Too Short and more.

A Southern California tour stop is set for the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernandino on Sept. 7-8. Tickets go on sale May 18.

Says Billboard:

Eazy-E died in March 1995 at the age of 31, and Ol' Dirty Bastard died in 2004 at 35 years old. Eazy-E recorded the hit song "Foe tha Love of $" with Bone Thugs prior to his death in 1995, while ODB was a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Meanwhile, Rock The Bells is celebrating its town 10th anniversary this year, with Peter Rosenberg and Murs 3:16 serving as hosts. Last year's lineup was topped by Nas, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Kid Cudi and J. Cole.

VIDEO: Hologram Tupac @ Coachella 2012

School board backs up Scripps High; won't overturn 'twerking' video punishments

Lisa Brenner and AP — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:27:01 -0700

Still image from a video posted last week to YouTube featuring Scripps Ranch students allegedly twerking on school time. Dozens of students were suspended from the San Diego high school.; Credit: Photo by NBC 7 San Diego

"Twerking" stole the spotlight at a San Diego school board meeting on Tuesday when parents and attorneys challenged the punishment of 31 Scripps Ranch High School students, asking for the board to reconsider suspensions and sexual harassment charges issued in the recent "twerking" video scandal.

AP reports that the school board says it doesn't have authority to overturn suspensions, only expulsions.

Students were issued five-day suspensions for making the on-campus video of suggestive "twerking" dance moves deemed in violation of district policy. It was unclear if the seniors involved would be banned fromthe prom and commencement.

UT San Diego reports on who wants apologies, who's accused of overreacting, how students are being treated, and previous school events that featuring twerking. As the school board dances around punishment, the issue of kids shaking their behinds turns into an issue of adults covering their own.

Superintendent Bill Kowba told San Diego school board members in a confidential memo earlier this month that he personally considers the video “a deeply offensive production with implications for lewd conduct, sexual harassment and gender victimization.

A subsequent letter made public Tuesday from the Scripps Ranch High “counselors and counseling support staff” criticizes trustee Kevin Beiser for given them a “lack of support” that has hurt the school’s image.

“If you and the board do not support the school’s decision to suspend, then we believe you are sending the students a message that they do not have to follow rules and that whatever they put online is OK,” the staff said in the memo sent to Beiser.

Life is but a 'Dreamliner': Delivery resumes; grounding lifted on Boeing 787s

Lisa Brenner — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:52:10 -0700

Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Class Cabin; Credit: Photo by John Pozadzides via Flickr Creative Commons

The Wall Street Journal reports that Boeing will resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners following a multi-month grounding and subsequent overhaul of the aircraft's lithium ion batteries.

The jet was handed over to Japan's All Nippon Airways taking year-to-date deliveries to two as Boeing works reach its target of "more than 60" to airlines and lessors this year.

All Nippon, a unit of ANA Holdings Inc., was the 787's launch customer. The latest delivery increases its Dreamliner fleet to 18, and the airline expects to resume commercial flights with the jets on June 1.

The global grounding of the Dreamliners was prompted by an issue last January with overheating batteries. Regulators at the time ordered eight 787 operators "to halt flying the jet until a solution could be found to mitigate the lithium-ion battery's risk of smoke and fire." Deliveries from Boeing factories in WA, NC and SC were also on hold during this time

On April 19, Boeing announced FAA approval of their battery system improvements, "giving airlines the green-light to begin modifying their fleet of 787s," reports WSJ.

Notes Boeing:

The FAA's action will permit the return to service of 787s in the United States upon installation of the improvements. For 787s based and modified outside the United States, local regulatory authorities provide the final approval on return to service.

Approval of the improved 787 battery system was granted by the FAA after the agency conducted an extensive review of certification tests.

The tests were designed to validate that individual components of the battery, as well as its integration with the charging system and a new enclosure, all performed as expected during normal operation and under failure conditions.

WSJ says Ethiopian Airlines was the first to restart commercial flight. Air India expects to be re-living the Dreamliner come Wednesday, and United Continental Holdings is looking to launch passengers on May 20.

Latino parents accuse Compton School Police of racial profiling in lawsuit

Rina Palta — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:00:25 -0700

Some Latino parents accuse the Compton Unified School District and its school police department of violating their civil rights.; Credit: Erika Aguilar/KPCC

A group of Latino parents filed suit in federal court in Los Angeles Monday against the Compton Unified School District and its school police department, claiming their civil rights have been violated.

According to attorney Martin Kaufman, the parents are mostly activists who have been critical of the district, particularly for what they say is inadequate English as a Second Language programming.

"We have photo documentary evidence of police abuse, civil rights violations, choke holding by police," Kaufman said. That evidence is not yet publicly available, he said.

Kaufman said that in at least one instance, police called federal immigration authorities on a parent the attorney claims was illegally taken into custody. Kaufman wants to see officers involved in the alleged misconduct fired.

The plaintiffs also seek more than $41 million in damages.

A spokesman for the Compton Unified School District declined to comment.

Popular psychologist Joyce Brothers dead at 85 (videos)

AP — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:51:25 -0700

In this Sept. 1, 1987 file photo, Dr. Joyce Brothers takes a break from a busy schedule in Los Angeles to talk about her upcoming television series, "The Psychology Behind the News." Brothers died Monday, May 13, 2013, in New York City, according to publicist Sanford Brokaw. She was 85.
; Credit: AP Photo/Nick Ut

Joyce Brothers, the pop psychologist who pioneered the television advice show in the 1950s and enjoyed a long and prolific career as a syndicated columnist, author, and television and film personality, has died. She was 85.

Brothers died Monday of respiratory failure in New York City, according to her longtime Los Angeles-based publicist, Sanford Brokaw.

Brothers first gained fame on a game show and went on to publish 15 books and make cameo appearances on popular shows including "Happy Days" and "The Simpsons." She visited Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" nearly 100 times.

The way Brothers liked to tell it, her multimedia career came about "because we were hungry."

It was 1955. Her husband, Milton Brothers, was still in medical school and Brothers had just given up her teaching positions at Hunter College and Columbia University to be home with her newborn, firmly believing a child's development depended on it.

But the young family found itself struggling on her husband's residency income. So Brothers came up with the idea of entering a television quiz show as a contestant.

"The $64,000 Question" quizzed contestants in their chosen area of expertise. She memorized 20 volumes of a boxing encyclopedia — and, with that as her subject, became the only woman and the second person to ever win the show's top prize.

Brothers tried her luck again on the superseding "$64,000 Challenge," answering each question correctly and earning the dubious distinction as one of the biggest winners in the history of television quiz shows. She later denied any knowledge of cheating, and during a 1959 hearing in the quiz show scandal, a producer exonerated her of involvement.

Her celebrity opened up doors. In 1956, she became co-host of "Sports Showcast" and frequently appeared on talk shows.

Two years later, NBC offered her a trial on an afternoon television program in which she advised

on love, marriage, sex and child-rearing. Its success led to a nationally telecast program, and subsequent late-night shows that addressed such taboo subjects as menopause, frigidity, impotence and sexual enjoyment.

She also dispensed advice on several phone-in radio programs, sometimes going live. She was criticized by some for giving out advice without knowing her callers' histories. But Brothers responded that she was not practicing therapy on the air and that she advised callers to seek professional help when needed.

Despite criticism of the format, the call-in show took off, and by 1985, the Association of Media Psychologists was created to monitor for abuses.

Dr. Drew Pinsky, who has offered his medical expertise in radio and television formats first pioneered by Brothers, was among those sharing reaction to her death Monday.

"Knew nothing about her history on the $64,000 question, but I did know Joyce Brothers," he wrote on Twitter. "She was a pioneer and very knowledgable."

Other celebrities, including Paris Hilton, rapper Common and motivational guru Tony Robbins, posted bits of Brothers' advice on Twitter, such as: "The best proof of love is trust."

For almost four decades, Brothers was a columnist for Good Housekeeping. She also wrote a daily syndicated advice column that appeared in more than 350 newspapers. Briefly, in 1961, she was host of her own television program.

Later, Brothers branched out into film, playing herself in more than a dozen movies, including "Analyze That" (2002), "Beethoven's 4th" (2001), "Lover's Knot" (1996) and "Dear God" (1996).

She was also an advocate for women. In the 1970s, Brothers called for changing textbooks to remove sexist bias, noting that nonsexist cultures tend to be less warlike.

The quiz show scandal of 1958-59 was one of the biggest scandals in the history of television. It erupted in 1958 when it was revealed that quiz show producers had been rigging the outcome of some shows, including "The $64,000 Question," by giving favored contestants the answers in advance.

Brothers was one of a number of big winners who told an Associated Press survey in November 1959 that they knew nothing of any cheating.

At a House hearing that month, associate producer Mort Koplin also said Brothers was among those not involved in cheating. But he also described how contestants, who were carefully interviewed in advance, could be affected unknowingly as producers tried to manipulate the outcome of shows by tailoring questions to benefit favored ones and oust less-favored ones.

According to the testimony, Brothers applied to be a "64,000 Question" contestant as an expert in home economics and psychology. The producers, looking for an audience-pleasing oddity, suggested the pretty young woman try boxing as her specialty. She learned the subject so well, Koplin said, she kept on winning even after the producers "threw the book" at her with tough questions aimed at eliminating her.

Born Joyce Diane Bauer in New York, Brothers earned her bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia.

She wrote numerous advice books, including "Ten Days To A Successful Memory" (1964), "Positive Plus: The Practical Plan for Liking Yourself Better" (1995) and "Widowed" (1992), a guide to dealing with grief written after the death of her husband in 1990.

Brothers is survived by sister Elaine Goldsmith, daughter Lisa Brothers Arbisser, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Heat hacks: How to stay cool without air conditioning

Lisa Brenner and Kristen Lepore — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:01:52 -0700

Sept. 3, 1983: Spectators crowd Huntington Beach for surfing championships, which continue today, and one onlooker, ..." and "Surfing fans found little room to spread out their towels as thousands flocked to the shores of Huntington Beach to watch the OP surfing contest Saturday". The U.S. Open of Surfing is a week-long surfing competition held annually during the summer in Huntington Beach, California. Photograph dated: ; Credit: Photo by Paul Chinn via LA Public Library

Hot hot help. Get low to the ground and then get reading — KPCC asked our readers and listeners about their techniques for cooling down without air conditioning.

Below are some practical tips and questionable suggestions from formerly hot people. Plus, we've added our own list of ideas below the tweets.

Have a dependable method for hacking your body temperature? Tell us via Twitter or leave a comment below.

@kpcc Rosewater spray and lots of Open ocean swimming! #summer2013 @newportbeach #newport twitter.com/Snowsquirrel7/…
— Jennifer (@Snowsquirrel7) May 13, 2013

Dress accordingly. Easiest way to enjoy the fantastic weather RT"@kpcc: It's hot out! How do you stay cool in the summer heat?"
— Nicholas Mireles (@Nickfromlb) May 13, 2013

@kpcc Make like an elephant and roll aroun naked the mud.
— Brian E Morton (@BEMorton) May 13, 2013

Hey @kpcc, this is one way to keep cool in the heat twitter.com/lyletav/status…
— lyletav (@lyletav) May 13, 2013

OTHER STAY COOL IDEAS:

Kiddie pool.
Lotions in the fridge.
Eat spicy foods in the basement (or on the floor) while wearing a damp shirt and listening to the rain setting on your white noise machine.
Make sure ceiling fans are running counterclockwise.
Wet paper towels. Fold into ankle and wrist cuffs. Freeze. Wear. Repeat.
Build a DIY AC.
Build a mini cold air fan.
Build an "evaporative cooler for immediate heat relief."
Make a barricade of fans and icecubes.
Go to an air conditioned public place (movie theater, for example).
Close all the curtains, preferably the heat absorbing kind.
Or open all the windows, depending on the breeze situation.
Wash your sheets before bed but don't dry them — put them on the bed damp.
Portable unit.

LA flight makes emergency landing when woman refuses to stop singing 'I Will Always Love You' (Video)

Lisa Brenner — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:19:34 -0700

Whitney Houston strikes a pose during her performance at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Monday, April 10, 2000, during taping of the "25 Years of #1 Hits: Arista Records' Anniversary Celebration."; Credit: Mark J.Terrill/AP

NME reports that a flight from Los Angeles to New York was forced to make an emergency landing because one of the passengers refused to stop singing the Dolly Parton-penned, Whitney Houston-piped megahit "I Will Always Love You,"

The American Airlines flight was diverted to Kansas City after the passenger was subdued by an air marshal, reports the Evening Standard:

The singing began shortly after the flight took off, but around halfway through it became too much for fellow passengers and staff to bear. The woman was filmed being escorted from the plane, in handcuffs, still belting out the 1992 number one hit.

Kansas City Airport spokesman Joe McBride said: “The woman was being disruptive and was removed from the plane for interfering with the flight crew.

“There was a federal air marshal on the aircraft, who subdued the woman and put her in cuffs and removed her from the plane.”

Whitney Houston was found dead February 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills. The L.A. County Coroner cited drowning as the singer's official cause of death. Associated causes of death were listed as heart disease, and cocaine use. Cocaine was found her system at the time of death.

Dodger Stadium to host dog parade Saturday: Tweet us your photos!

Kristen Lepore — Sat, 11 May 2013 12:06:09 -0700

Dodger fans pose with their pup Saturday, May 11 at Dodger Stadium. Photo submitted by @spcaLA. ; Credit: spcaLA

The Dodger's are hosting Natural Balance Bark in the Park Saturday, an event where fans can bring their pups to the stadium to help cheer on their home team.

The game against Miami Marlins starts at 6:10 p.m. Saturday, but those interested can arrive early for the pup rally and parade.

Here's the schedule of events:

3:10 p.m. Parking gate opens at Academy Gate, Pup rally check-in starts at Lot G
4:10 to 5 p.m. Pre-game "Pup Rally"
5:15 to 5:40 p.m. Pup Parade on the field
6:10 p.m. Dodgers vs. Marlins

The rally will feature many contests, too:

Dog that looks most like Tillman
Dog that shows most Dodger spirit
Biggest dog
Smallest dog

All dog owners must bring proof of current vaccinations including rabies and all canine infectious diseases.

Click here to buy tickets or for more information.

Will you be at Dodger Stadium Saturday? Tweet us your pics @KPCC. We want you see these darling dogs!

FDA warns pregnant women against taking Valproate medications

Deepa Fernandes — Sat, 11 May 2013 06:00:25 -0700

; Credit: Alexandra Beier/Getty Images

Pregnant women should be very careful when consulting the internet to gauge the safety of taking certain drugs during pregnancy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. The warning comes a recent report by the Federal Drug Administration cautions that one set of drugs – the Valproate products commonly used to treat migraines or seizures – can lead to lower IQ in children whose mother's took the drug while pregnant.

“Valproate medications should never be used in pregnant women for the prevention of migraine headaches because we have even more data now that show the risks to the children outweigh any treatment benefits for this use,” said Russell Katz, M.D., director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

All drugs that contain the Valproate medication already carry a warning of fetal defect. Yet the FDA's renewed, and "strengthened" warning, comes as further evidence of lower IQ was discovered through its Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs study.

The FDA study found that when compared to children who had been exposed to antiepileptic drugs in utero, children exposed to valproate products had a lower IQ at age 6. That IQ difference was as much as 11 points.

The CDC said more than 90 percent of women take medications while pregnant – and half of those aged 18-44 look for health information on the internet. The CDC strongly urges consulting a physician about all medications when pregnant, rather than the internet.