World Buzz

Arianny Celeste sexy photos

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:04:00 +0000

Arianny Celeste is a ring girl of the UFC, you know… the girl who passes the ring with the round number. Her name has gotten very popular thanks to this sport, and actually she even appears on the game UFC Undisputed.

Check out the Arianny Celeste photo:

She is hot, sexy and beautiful, right? Here are more sexy pics of Arianny Celeste, UFC Ring Girl for your viewing pleasure!

Pay for The Pirate Bay Torrent Site

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:19:00 +0000

After Global Gaming Factory (GGF) announced its intention to buy The Pirate Bay, the public was left wondering what the site’s future would look like. Today it was confirmed that sharing on the new site will come with a cost, as the new owners plan to charge the users of the site a monthly fee.

Thus far the plans revealed by GGF concerning the future of the site and tracker have been rather vague and uncertain. However, today the freshly appointed Wayne Rosso - who has previous experience with failing P2P services - came out with a few crucial additional details on the site’s future business model.

For years The Pirate Bay’s users have been able to share files without censorship or charges, but this is all about to change. Rosso said that under the new management, the 3.7 million Pirate Bay users (or whatever userbase remains) will have to pay a monthly fee to access the site.

The money collected from user subscriptions and advertising revenue will then be used to pay off the copyright holders. The exact monthly fee is yet to be decided, but Rosso did confirm that the more files people share, the lower it will be.

“The more of your computer resources you contribute to the network, the less you pay down to zero,” Rosso told Cnet. “The user is in control.”

In addition, GGF hopes to cut deals with ISPs. “We hope to introduce a new BitTorrent technology that will optimize ISP traffic,” Rosso said. “We can save ISPs up to 80 percent of their resources. Half of the Internet traffic is file sharing and half of that traffic is Pirate Bay.”

Rosso conveniently fails to mention that a Pirate Bay where users have to pay for access will not be generating much traffic at all, so this part of GGF’s business model has to be rethought. BitTorrent does not depend on The Pirate Bay, and new trackers have already lined up to take over its job.

Details about the actual acquisition of The Pirate Bay are still scarce. Pirate Bay’s Peter Sunde told TorrentFreak that GGF will get the domain names for thepiratebay (under all the tlds they exist) and a copy of the code and the database. If all goes well the transfer of ownership will take place at the end of July.

GGF has to raise $7.8 million in funding in order to buy the site. After that, the share holders - who’ve seen a drop in the stock price after the announced buy-out - have to vote in favor of the deal.

Source: torrentfreak.com

Beau Geste movie review

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:54:00 +0000

Academy Award winners Gary Cooper and Ray Milland star along with Robert Preston in the epic adventure Beau Geste. When three brothers join the Foreign Legion to escape a troubled past, they find themselves trapped under the command of a sadistic sergeant deep in the scorching Sahara.

Now the brothers must fight for their lives as they plot mutiny against tyranny and defend a desert fortress against a brutal enemy. Nominated for 2 Academy Awards, Beau Geste has been universally acclaimed by generations of critics and audiences alike as a true motion picture classic.

A classic film in all regards is a vehicle for Gary Cooper, but it’s Brian Donlevy’s sadistic sergeant who stands out. The film had only been available as part of a Cooper box set but is given solo treatment for Universal’s Backlot Collection. Unfortunately that doesn’t mean that there are special features included.

The Geste brothers, “Beau” (Gary Cooper), John (Ray Milland), and Digby (Robert Preston), have lived with Lady Brandon (Heather Thatcher) and her ward Isobel (Susan Hayward) since their childhood. The Brandon family has possession of the gem called the blue water, but the irresponsible head-of-family Sir Hector Brandon has been spending money like it was water.

Word comes that Sir Hector is returning home to sell off the gem to pay for his massive debts. When the household finds out that the gem is about to be sold off, Beau suggests that they pull it out of the vault and look at it one last time. As they admire it the lights go out and when they’re turned back on the gem is missing. No one will confess to the crime, but Lady Brandon says the gem box will remain on the table and the guilty party can return it by morning with no questions asked.

In the night, Digby finds John to tell him that Beau has left England to join the French Foreign Legion. Digby tells John that he’s following him. John has romantic notions towards Isobel so he’s torn but eventually joins his brothers in the Legion. The brothers come to the attention of the rat-like thief Rasinoff (J. Carrol Naish) who tries to search Beau in his sleep.

When he’s caught he’s brought before the vile Sgt. Markoff (Brian Donlevy) who learns of the existence of the gem and that Rasinoff thinks that Beau has possession of it. The two scheme to get the jewel for themselves. Markoff sends Digby to another regiment to separate the brothers, but when Arabs attack the fort the gem is forgotten as the fight for survival begins or does the scheming dog Markoff have other plans?

Beau Geste is based on the novel by P.C. Wren and this 1939 version would be mainly known as a vehicle for Gary Cooper and overshadows its 1926 predecessor. However, it’s Brian Donlevy’s mad performance as the evil, grinning Markoff. It would garner Donlevy a nomination for best supporting actor.

Also look for Donald O’Conner as the young Beau. The film is partially a mystery but the “who” of the stealing of the blue water takes a backseat to the fine portrayals and the thrill of who will survive the attack on the fort. There’s also Donlevy’s mad plan of making the fort look as if it’s still fully manned with the fallen.

It’s a shocking image when the other Legionnaires come upon the fort at the beginning of the film. The end is already known since the movie begins with the fort having suffered the attack and the fuller story of the gem and the Gestes being one long flashback.

Beau Geste had only been available as part of The Gary Cooper Collection released in 2005. The title is now highlighted as part of the Universal Backlot Series for those that didn’t want to buy the set (though if you’re a fan of Coop you’ll already have it in your collection).

Beau Geste is presented in fullscreen. I had high hopes that the Backlot Series would garner some special features but all that Beau gets is a trailer. It would seem that the economy only garners one title getting special features (Lonely are the Brave) and the others either getting a trailer (Geste) or nothing (Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Trail of the Lonesome Pine). The film is a proper classic, but I still would’ve liked some retrospective special features.

Beau Geste is a classic and Coop at his best. He’s nearly upstaged by Brian Donlevy in a ferocious performance though. Those who don’t have the other set can purchase Geste separately now, but I wish some more attention would’ve been given to this wonderful film (if anything a digital restoration would’ve been most welcome).

Beau Geste is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.

Source: monstersandcritics.com

Jennie Finch and Jenae Leles gets USA Softball higher

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:41:00 +0000

Softball Team USA's third baseman committed two errors that led to two runs by the Netherlands, tying the game in the top of the third inning. But Jenae Leles responded with a three-run home run in the bottom half of the inning to spur the Americans to a 7-2 victory in their World Cup of Softball opener Thursday night at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

Leles added an RBI double in the fifth inning to back untouchable relief pitching from Jennie Finch. Starter Stacey Nelson allowed only two unearned runs in three innings of work, and Finch followed by recording 11 of 12 outs by strikeout in four shutout innings.

Team USA cleanup hitter Kaitlin Cochran drove a triple over the left fielder's head, scoring Natasha Watley for the game's first run. Jennie Finch followed with an RBI single and a 2-0 lead for the USA.

The Americans will be back in action Friday night at 7 against Italy.

Source: newsok.com

Lose Your Belly Fat Quickly

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:34:00 +0000

This article will explore the best way to lose your stomach fat quickly and easily. It seems that nowadays that with each passing year more people seem to be gaining weight. Not just gaining weight but more specifically stomach fat. It has been said that obesity is an epidemic. You can lose your stomach fat. It is not as hard as you might think.

Contrary to popular belief belly fat is actually the easiest part of your body to lose weight in. Crash diets are not the way you want to go to lose your stomach fat. Inevitably you end up going back to the foods you were eating before you started your crash diet. A slow and steady approach is the approach you want to take to lose the stomach fat.

Throw out all the junk food you have. The temptations of having these foods close by you will prove to be just too great a temptation especially at your weak points. Junk foods or refined sugars and carbs contains sugars that will elevate your blood sugar level which in turn will cause increased insulin response which will cause fat to be deposited more readily.

You want to eat a balanced healthy diet in order to lose the stomach fat. Instead of eating three large meals, eat six smaller meals and never skip breakfast. This will start to jump start your metabolism. Drink lots of water including a glass of water before you eat which will make you feel more full. Sometimes you will find that after you have the glass of water that you are not even hungry , you were just thirsty.

Eat a diet rich in whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meats or fish, fruits and vegetables. Eating whole grains helps improve your insulin sensitivity. This will allow the body to more efficiently use blood glucose, lowers blood sugar levels and reduces fat which in turn helps to lose the stomach fat.

I realize that eating only these foods is probably unrealistic for you as it is for most people. I recommend that you try to eat as many whole grains as possible. Not only for the benefits stated above but they are also high in fiber which will make you feel more full.

As you can see this is just a start on some of the ways to lose your stomach fat. Stomach fat is not as hard to lose as you might be led to believe. A balanced diet of unrefined foods, low fat dairy and lean meats is one of the best ways to lose the stomach fat.

You can also try this very quick training program for very fast results: Turbulence Training

Source: articlebase.com

Hollywood's Richest Actresses

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:59:00 +0000

Angelina Jolie vacillates between two kinds of movies: award bait, like A Mighty Heart, and action films, like Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The former earn her nominations and critical praise: She won an Oscar in 2000 for her work in Girl, Interrupted and a Best Actress nomination for last year's Changeling. The latter earn her big bucks. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where Jolie met her boyfriend, Brad Pitt, earned $480 million at the worldwide box office. Last year's Wanted brought in $341 million.

Jolie's cinematic butt kicking made her the highest-paid actress on our annual Celebrity 100 list. Between June 2008 and June 2009, Jolie earned an estimated $27 million. Much of that came from her share of the profits on Wanted, but she also scored a fat upfront check for Salt, an action film originally slated to star Tom Cruise, in which Jolie plays a CIA agent who is accused of being a Russian spy. Judging by scenes filmed on the streets of New York City, the film should have plenty of action to satisfy Jolie's fans.

To figure out earnings, we talked to agents, managers, producers and lawyers to determine what the stars got as upfront pay on movies they are currently shooting, as well as back-end pay earned after a movie hit the theaters. We also looked at any money actresses might have earned through their perfume or clothing lines.

As is still typical for Hollywood, our actresses earned significantly less than their male counterparts. Harrison Ford was the top-earning actor this year with $65 million, $38 million more than Jolie earned. All told, the top 10 actors earned $393 million, compared with $183 million for the top 10 actresses.

Coming in second behind Jolie is Jennifer Aniston, continuing the never-ending tabloid battle between the two actresses. Aniston earned $25 million thanks to her work in the romantic comedy Marley & Me and the upcoming comedy The Baster, in which Aniston plays a woman who tries to become pregnant on her own. Aniston still earns money from Friends and she gets a nice paycheck shilling for Glaceau's SmartWater.

Source: Abc

Debbie Rowe wants her kids with Michael Jackson

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:47:00 +0000

A fierce custody battle is brewing over two of Michael Jackson's children, with their mother relaying word Thursday that she plans to fight for them in court, and the Jackson family signaling they will fight right back.

Debbie Rowe, the mother of Prince, 12, and Paris, 11, spoke to her former attorney Iris Finsilver, who says, "She is going to be pursuing custody of the children."

"Frankly, she won't have to fight for them," Finsilver tells PEOPLE. "She is the children's biological mother. She loves her children."
The kids, along with a third child, Prince Michael II (Blanket), 7, whose mother is unknown, are in the temporary court-ordered care of Jackson family matriarch Katherine Jackson, 79, whom the singer named as guardian in his 2002 will. (Diana Ross was also named, in the event that Katherine was no longer living.)

A source close to the Jackson family says they intend to seek permanent custody. "They will fight," says the source.

Rowe earlier made her position clear July 2 in an interview with a Los Angeles television station, saying, "I want my children."

"I am stepping up," she told a reporter for Los Angeles station NBC 4 in a 90-minute phone conversation. "I have to."

Rowe also said she'd be willing to take custody of Blanket to keep the three children together, and she may seek a restraining order to keep her former father-in-law, Joe Jackson, away from her children.

Source: People

Michael Jackson died on 25 June

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:50:00 +0000

American king of pop, Michael Jackson died on Thursday night, 25 June 2009, after a heart attack. He was transported to the hospital by the paramedics after they found him collapsed in his house in LA.

UPDATE: Jackson family's spokesperson declared that Michael's relatives are devastated and go through horrible moments. According to medical sources, his mother and three children were at his side when he died. A lawyer of the family declared that Michael used to take pills to get in shape for his upcoming concerts in London, scheduled this summer and that his death is no surprise to doctors.

LA Times daily read on Thursday night that the paramedics tried to resuscitate him before they transported him to the UCLA medical center. The publication announced that Jackson was declared dead at the hospital.

A witness declared for the newspaper that the pop star, aged 50, was transported by an ambulance to the hospital. TMZ.com, specialized in stars gossip, read that the pop star died after a cardiac arrest but at the time no one was offering official information about his health. Soon after, both BBC and CNN confirmed the death of the King of Pop.

Michael Jackson was scheduled to perform his last world tour, This is it with a first performance in London, on July 13. Some 1 million fans bought in just three days the tickets for his 10 concerts scheduled initially. At the request of the fans, the organizers extended his concerts to 50.

Romanians enjoyed the King of Pop live, back in 1992 part of his Dangerous tour. Millions of fans came to Bucharest at the time of the concert, as he was the first international music icon to perform in Bucharest after the fall of the Communist regime.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 as the seventh child of the Jackson family. Also known as the King of Pop, he had his debut in music at 11 as member of the Jackson 5 band and started his solo career in 1971, while he was still a member of the band.

Five of his best albums quickly became world best sellers: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991 ) and History (1995).

One of the few artists introduced in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he also entered in the Guinness World Records for Thriller, the best sold album in the world, for his 13 Grammy awards, for having 13 singles as number ones and for selling 750 million units across the world.

Jackson had several financial problems in the last years, and he was about to sell his famous ranch, Neverland, in May 2008.

Source: hotnews.ro

Paul Newman, the philanthropyst actor died

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:52:00 +0000

"I think it's really important to be attentive to the people who have less - who are less fortunate than you are", said Paul Newman in his last interview.

Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an Academy Award–winning and seven-time Academy Award–nominated American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian and auto racing enthusiast. He won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for his performance in the 1986 Martin Scorsese film The Color of Money, three Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, an Emmy award, and many honorary awards. He also won several national championships as a driver in Sports Car Club of America road racing, and his race teams won several championships in open wheel IndyCar racing.

Newman was a co-founder of Newman's Own, a food company from which Newman donated all post-tax profits and royalties to charity. As of October 2008, these donations had exceeded US $250 million.

On September 26, 2008, Newman died at his longtime home in Westport, Connecticut, of complications arising from lung cancer.

Very few individuals to raise that kind of money to poor people in our present time. Good thing he has done, long he will last in our minds.

Read here the last interview with Barbara Walters on ABC News:
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Story?id=5903459&page=1

Everyone is invited to comment here and write some few words in commemoration to Paul Newman.

Source: Wikipedia , Abc news

Explosion with 40 dead people in Islamabad, Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:48:00 +0000

ISLAMABAD Bomb, Pakistan.

A massive truck bomb devastated the heavily guarded Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital Saturday, killing at least 40 people and wounding at least 100. Officials feared there were dozens more dead inside the burning building.

The Marriott has been a favorite place for foreigners as well as Pakistani politicians and business people to stay and socialize in Islamabad despite repeated militant attacks.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. But Pakistan has faced a wave of militant violence in recent weeks following army-led offensives against insurgents in its border regions.

The capital has not been spared, though Saturday's blast appeared to be one of the largest ever terrorist attacks in the country.

The blast left a vast crater, some 30 feet deep in front of the main building, where flames poured from the windows and rescuers ferried bloodied bodies from the gutted building.

Witnesses and officials said a large truck had rammed the high metal gate of the hotel at about 8 p.m., when the restaurants would have been packed with dinners, including Muslims breaking the Ramadan fast.

Senior Police official Asghar Raza Gardaizi said rescuers had counted at least 40 bodies at the scene and that he feared that there "dozens more dead inside."

Associated Press reporters saw at least nine bodies scattered at the scene. Scores of people, including foreigners, were running out — some of them stained with blood.

Witnesses spoke of a smaller blast followed by a much larger one.

A U.S. State Department official using a section of white pipe as a walking stick led three colleagues through the rubble from the charred building, one of them bleeding heavily from a wound on the side of his head.

One of the four, who identified himself only as Tony, said they had begun moving toward the rear of the Chinese restaurant after the first blast when the second one threw them against the back wall.

"Then we saw a big truck coming through the gates," he said. "After that it was just smoke and darkness."

Ambulances rushed to the area, picking their way through the charred carcasses of vehicles that had been in the street outside. Windows in buildings hundreds of yards away were shattered.

Mohammad Sultan, a hotel employee, said he was in the lobby when something exploded, he fell down and everything temporarily went dark.

"I didn't understand what it was, but it was like the world is finished," he said.

In January 2007, a security guard blocked a suicide bomber who triggered a blast just outside the Marriott, killing the guard and wounding seven other people.

In July, a suicide bombing killed at least 18 people, most of them security forces, and wounded dozens in Islamabad as supporters of the Red Mosque gathered nearby to mark the anniversary of the military siege on the militant stronghold.

In June, a suicide car bomber killed at least six people near the Danish Embassy in Islamabad. A statement attributed to al-Qaida took responsibility for that blast, believed to have targeted Denmark over the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

In mid-March, a bomb explosion at an Italian restaurant killed a Turkish woman in the capital, and wounded 12 others, including four FBI officials.

Source: Associated Press

Trialpay - Pay with the new free way

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:15:00 +0000

Hey, today I come with something interesting that comes when buying any type of product. Kind of 'buy one, get one free' shopping idea. I always love discounts, free stuffs, gifts added to the products I buy, and, how can I say it to you, my new friend is Trialpay.

Let me open up your mind a little bit. This new gang biz guys are giving you the opportunity to buy a product 'for nothing'. You got to love opportunities!

In detail? When you actually want something to buy and see Trialpay cart, you click on it and you get all kind of alternatives, that will result in getting the product for free (pay to send flowers to someone, buy a piece of clothing instead or get a nice software application you need). Isn't that fantastic?

Got to tell you, I just love this guys. I am using Trialpay to sell my products, I am using Trailpay to "get-free" products, every day.

It's fun, and you will save a lot of money. Here's the link my pals, enjoy:

Trialpay website

Daylight Saving Time

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 14:29:00 +0000

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.

If it seems the change came earlier than usual, it has, thanks to a change last year in the U.S. (and followed by Canada) to extend DST by starting it three weeks earlier in spring and one week later in fall to cut down on energy costs.

Some facts and figures:

- The main purpose of DST is to make better use of daylight, by moving an hour of daylight to the evening from morning. Some argue it would be better named Daylight Shifting Time.

- Sometimes referred to as Daylight Savings Time, perhaps because it rolls off the tongue better, but it's grammatically more correct without the "s" because saving is a verbal adjective (a participle) that modifies the noun "time." Technically requires hyphenation - as in daylight-saving time - as with mind-expanding book or man-eating tiger.

- The rationale for DST is to save energy (candles when Ben Franklin first conceived the idea more than 250 years ago) and electricity now. Thanks to fewer lights and other appliances needed an hour later in the busiest evening consumption hours and more people staying out later, consumption dropped by one per cent, according to a U.S. Department of Transportation study, and 3.5 per cent in New Zealand. (DST isn't needed all year round because the savings in the evening would be offset by the need for lighting in the dark early-morning winter days.)

- But a study in Indiana found households observing DST consumed one to four per cent more in electricity than those in counties that didn't, or about $3 per household per year. Extrapolated to the whole country, it amounts to $8.6 million more a year. Others argue that more fuel is consumed by those driving around longer in the evening.

- A U.S. study also found violent crime dropped during DST compared to standard time as much as 10 to 13 per cent, perhaps because crimes such as muggings are better suited to the dark.

- Some 70 countries use DST, with Japan, India and China as the biggest holdouts among major industrialized countries.

- Fire departments encourage householders to change smoke detector batteries during the time change.

Source: canada.com

Jason Statham with his fresh new role in "The Bank Job"

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 14:03:00 +0000

British actor Jason Statham has come a long way since selling after-shave and cheap jewelry on London street corners. Today, he earns millions as one of the hottest action stars in Hollywood.

But when his new movie "The Bank Job" debuts in major U.S. cities on Friday, Statham's fans will see something beyond another showcase for his kick-boxing prowess and skill at driving fast cars.

"I get to play a husband and father for a change," he told Reuters. "And while it's a thriller, there's also a lot more emphasis on character and drama and intrigue than in my usual films. There's a lot going on under the surface."

With his new movie "The Bank Job," Statham's fans will see something beyond another
showcase for his kick-boxing prowess and skill at driving fast cars.

Statham, 37, fell into his career as a movie action hero when British director Guy Ritchie cast him as a London lad in the cult hit caper "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels."

Soon after, he seized his chance in Hollywood and cemented his reputation as a reliable tough guy with box-office hits such as "The Italian Job" and "The Transporter" series.

Based on a true story, "The Bank Job" stars Statham as the leader of a low-tech gang that tunneled into a bank vault in early 1970s London. The real robbery was one of the biggest at the time, netting in excess of $15 million in today's dollars.

He shows some character depth as Terry, a car dealer looking for an easy payoff who finds bank robbery is anything but simple.

"He's talked into it by an ex-girlfriend (Saffron Burrows) only to find out that it involves the Royal Family, blackmail and (British intelligence service) MI5," explains Statham. "It all gets very murky."

A COLORFUL CHARACTER

While Statham has carved out a successful career playing assorted rogues and villains (credits include "Snatch" opposite Brad Pitt, "The Longest Yard," "The One" and "Crank") his own life story is every bit as colorful. He's been a street-corner "salesman," a model, and a high-board diver.

"I was the (British) national champion, and I placed 12th in the world, but I never went to the Olympics like some reports said. It's a very intense training, and it really taught me discipline and focus," Statham said.

Statham said he feels pigeon-holed doing action movies again and again. Yet, action scripts and rogue characters are most often what come his way.

"Let's face it, it's a lucrative market, and it's playing to my strengths. Who else is there now? There's Jackie Chan and Jet Li, but they're Asian," he said.

Statham is quick to deny that he ever suggested aging action stars such as Sylvester Stallone should retire, as was widely reported a few months ago.

"I've never said that, and I think he's great," Statham said. "He's one of my bloody heroes. I love all his stuff, and the fact that he can still do it in his 60s is amazing."

Statham, who likes to box and play chess in his spare time, is currently shooting "Transporter 3."

"It's back to fast cars and fast women," he sighs. "But I'm having a lot of fun doing it."

Source: canada.com

Vinson Filyaw vs Elizabeth Shoaf - the cruel kidnapper vs innocent girl

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:02:00 +0000

People often ask me what it's like to talk to men and women accused -- and often convicted -- of horrendous crimes. Is it frightening, they'll ask, to interview such people? Can you tell if they are innocent or guilty? Can you sense evil in the room?

And usually, to such questions, the answer is.. no. A person capable of doing something quite terrible will frequently arrive for an interview well scrubbed and thoroughly prepared, and will prove to be intelligent, funny or charming. And almost always, such a person will present a reasonably believable argument for innocence. Skepticism is an important companion during prison interviews; truth is rarely easy to pin down.

And then there is Vinson Filyaw.
For one thing, what Vinson did to Elizabeth Shoaf is almost beyond description. In court he finally admitted it was all true: he kidnapped her, held her in truly dreadful conditions for ten days, raped her several times a day, chained her by the neck to the ceiling of his underground bunker, and gave her every reason to believe he would eventually kill her.

But the man who sat down for an interview in the prison library was no longer the least bit terrifying, not anymore. Vinson seemed almost needy in his desire to explain how he had been victimized by law enforcement, that his attempt at revenge -- sexually abusing a young girl -- was somehow reasonable. Did he do those awful things to Elizabeth? Well, yes, but she was really only "collateral damage" (said Vinson) in his own struggle for justice. And then, a little later, he tried out a new (and quite monstrously untrue) claim, suggesting that his victim actually enjoyed the experience and that it was her idea. Among prison interviews, Vinson's was, shall we say, unique.

As is, in her own way, the remarkable young woman he attempted to destroy. I'd been eager to meet Elizabeth. What sort of girl, I wondered, could survive the sustained attacks of a predator such as he, and then in the end somehow outwit him? Would she be tough, cynical, somehow hardened?

Well, no, she wasn't. This quiet, rather shy, teenager was obviously bright, even wise, about her circumstances in life. But during the hours and hours we talked in the course of taping her story, she never once strayed into anything like the worldly cynicism you can see on TV or read in gossip magazines every day.

When Vinson snatched Elizabeth, just 14 years old, she had never dated a boy, had never once spent even a single night away from home without a family member. She was taken by a wiley wolf of a man who had just spent the better part of a year eluding the efforts of law enforcement.

She endured unspeakable horrors, faced what seemed to her certain death. And she prevailed.

The contrast -- Vinson to Elizabeth -- was quite remarkable.

Where his story was self serving, claims shifting back and forth to suit whatever version he was trying to sell, Elizabeth was open and brutally candid. Where his fearsome behavior wilted in the presence of a television crew, Elizabeth seemed to gain strength from telling the experience. And having come through it with her dignity and humanity fully intact, she smiled a smile to light up the room.

Every once in a while, a dark tale turns out well, and the worst in human behavior is overcome by the best. Which is why it was quite an honor to tell the story of Elizabeth Shouf.

Source: msnbc

Ford Mustang cars recall for air bag software update

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:13:00 +0000

470K Ford Mustang sports cars recalled, air bag software update

It is under 3 months since Ford Motor Co recalled 1.2 mil trucks and SUVs due to a faulty sensor and today we are hearing that there is a Ford recall for 470,000 Mustangs in the US.

The sports cars have been recalled due to a much needed air bag software update that will adjust the force with which the passenger side airbag deploys, the models affected are from 2005-2008.

Just Auto said “the recall come about after an internal test found that the air bags could injure a small passenger not wearing a seat belt”.

Source: product-reviews.net

Hulk Hogan Affair With Daughter's Friend

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:21:00 +0000

The Hogan divorce has turned quite ugly and, although I had originally hoped Hulk Hogan and Linda would find their way through this tough time, it's not looking like it's moving in that direction.

I'm disappointed to tell you that Hulk is being outed for having an alleged affair with one of his daughter's good friends! The dalliance, with a girl who was working with Brooke Hogan on her last album, supposedly took place last year, while the family was filming Hogan knows Best.

Where was the footage of that?

Anyway, the chick has sold her story to The National Enquirer.

"My relationship with Terry [Hulk Hogan] began at a time when Terry and Linda privately knew their marriage was ending," Christiane Plante, 33, told the rag. "She had left him already, although no official papers had been filed. Terry is a good man, good father and a good friend, and he and I grew close at a time when he was going through a very difficult period. It seemed right then, but I know it was wrong."

"Having felt the guilt and pain build up, I gave a note to Brooke apologizing for my actions. I will never be able to fully forgive myself for this. I have lost an amazing friend."

Brooke is reportedly completely torn up about this, while Linda is probably nursing her broken heart, by counting all the cash she is about to get from the wrestler.

Source: ivillage.com

Legend Boyd Coddington Dies

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:08:00 +0000

Boyd Coddington, the "King of Hot Rods", has died. Coddington, who was a long-time diabetic, died at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in suburban Whittier, Calif. at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday. His death was due to complications brought on from a recent surgery. He was 63.

Coddington died at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in suburban Whittier at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday. His La Habra office spokeswoman Amanda Curry wouldn't disclose the cause of death.

Coddington, who started building cars when he was 13 and once operated a gas station in Utah, set a standard for his workmanship and creativity, with his popular "Cadzilla" creation considered a design masterpiece. The customized car based on a 1950s Cadillac was built for rocker Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.

"That was a groundbreaking car. Very cool," said Dick Messer, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

"This was your modern era George Barris," Messer said. "He did things to hot rods and customs that weren't being done by anyone else. But the main thing is he designed cars that were drivable."

Coddington was a machinist by trade, working at Disneyland during the day and tinkering with cars in his home garage at night and on weekends. His rolling creations captured the imagination of car-crazy Southern Californians and soon he was building custom cars and making money.

Most often, he customized 1932 Ford "little deuce coupes."

"It was one of those things when a hobby turned into business," Messer said, noting Coddington was also "one of the first guys to get into the custom wheel business."

Wheels by Boyd were fetching $2,000 apiece, which was unheard of two decades ago.

Coddington also surrounded himself with talent. Alumni from his shop include Jesse James and Chip Foose, who went on to open their own shops and star in reality TV shows.

Coddington twice won the Daimler-Chrysler Design Excellence Award and he was inducted into the Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame, the National Rod & Custom Museum Hall of Fame and the Route 66 Wall of Fame.

Always dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, Coddington said he loved his "American Hot Rod" Discovery Channel show, which featured ground-up construction of $500,000 hot rods.

"The viewers are ... people who lived in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and loved these cars. Now, they have money," Coddington told The Associated Press in a 2004 interview.

Source: Associated Press

CZW adds Brain Damage vs. Insane Lane

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:57:00 +0000

CZW adds Brain Damage vs. Insane Lane for 3/8 in Philly

Brain Damage to defend title against an INSANE challenger at "Lights, Camera, CZW..."

At "9 F'N Years", Brain Damage almost looked human. The cyborg suffered the first major loss of his CZW career at the hands of Drake Younger in one of the bloodiest matches of the Combat Zone's nine year existence. In doing so, he lost his Ultraviolent Underground Title, and the aura of invicibility that has surrounded him since returning to CZW.

CZWNews has just learned that Brain Damage could lose more on March 8th, as he is set to defend his Iron Man Championship against the returning deathmatch specialist, and all-around psycho - INSANE LANE.

Through his appearances in the Tournament of Death, and other major Deathmatch tournaments, the bizarre challenger has literally carved a name for himself as one of the most dangerous competitors in the world. Hailing from "The DEEP South", Insane Lane comes to "Lights, Camera, CZW..." with the biggest opportunity, and challenge of his career at hand.

Next Saturday, Brain Damage will face a great opportunity of his own. The usually indestructible cyborg comes into March 8th's event with a need to destroy something...anything. Brain Damage isn't used to the feeling of uncertainty or doubt when it comes to his fate in the ring. The Iron Man Champion will likely look take out his Ultraviolent frustrations on Insane Lane, all while defending his gold and looking towards reclaiming his role as the baddest motherfucker in all of CZW.

Stipulations for this contest have yet to be determined, but as always, Lobo promises to keep the CZW fans informed if and when a decision is reached. CZW returns to South Philly and the New Alhambra Arena on March 8th for "Lights, Camera, CZW..." Tickets are still available and can be purchased on the day of the show at the New Alhambra box office.

Source: indywrestlingnews.com

Boston Globe & Super Bowl Loss

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:07:00 +0000

Maybe Boston has had too much unexpected success for the Red Sox lately, so it was due for a football upset. It came with the New York Giants' stunning last-minute defeat of the "hometown" Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

The chief Boston Globe headline reads: HISTORY DERAILED. Dan Shaughnessy, the well-known sports writer, kicks off his report as follows.
*
There’ll no Hub parade on Super Tuesday. No commemorative books about ‘‘Path to Perfection.’’ In New England, the churchbells all are broken.

Two-touchdown favorites and touted as possibly the greatest football team of all-time, the Patriots were beaten by the New York Giants, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII last night at University of Phoenix Stadium. Twenty three hundred miles from Foxborough, an 18-0 season dissolved when New York’s Eli Manning found Plexico Burress in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left on the clock.

The Patriots lost the Super Bowl. It is an alternate universive. It does not compute. It’s like hearing Tony Bennett singing, ‘‘I Left My Heart in Ashtabula,’’ or seeing a photo of Mitt Romney with his hair messed up.

Source: mediainfo.com

Torrey Pines Weather

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:52:00 +0000

While there was a nice lull in this monster winter storm that hit Southern California Saturday night, more rain was in the forecast for some time after noon.

Although the forecast called for 2- to 3 inches of rain on the coast, only a half-inch hit the bluffs that hold the Torrey Pines golf courses, according to Stewart Williams, the PGA Tour's on-site meteorologist with Meteorlogix. He said the lull should last until early afternoon, but more rain is due to hit, with some of it possibly heavy.

"We were very fortunate here just getting that half-inch of rain," Williams said. "But those winds we predicted came in strong and did some damage. I recorded winds up to 41 mph overnight. But the storm was moving at 50 mph and the big band of rain moved so fast it didn't drop that much on this area. There are still flood warnings throughout the county, but as far as overnight rain, we just didn't get it here. Now the big question is how much we're going to play. We still could get 1-inch or more of rain this afternoon from this system. And between now and tomorrow, we still could get 2 inches of rain."

Williams showed the radar screen in his office that depicts the low pressure spinning off the California coast. Rain was pelting Santa Barbara at 8:30 Sunday, and he said it will only be a matter of time before that next band moves south and hits Los Angeles and San Diego.

"If we get a little sun and it heats it up, there's more of a chance for thunderstorms and lightning," Williams said. "We will not be messing around with that. As soon as it looks like lightning, we're out of there."

Pros teed off on time, with blue sky showing over the Pacific Ocean, and PGA tournament staff went into its "high and dry" set-up, according to tournament director Mark Russell of the PGA.

They shortened the par-3 11th that plays into the wind and moved the traditional pin placement on the 18th hole from the front left spot of the green to the back left side that will bring the back bunker into play, but take away balls spinning into Devlin's Billabong.

Meantime, fans were kept in line in the parking lot as tournament officials, City of San Diego golf staff and operations workers made the grounds safe. Tree limbs were blown down and the course was littered with debris. Carts were seen loaded with branches and bark from trees that were hit hard overnight.

Balboa Course superintendent Pat Segawa oversaw a crew take squeegees to the fairway on the first hole at Torrey South, where standing water puddled up. Segawa said it was being done more for aesthetic reasons because it wasn't in the pro landing area. He also said it will help the area dry out better and prevent damage when the course is open to the public on Monday.

"We're going to let the fans in, but we're not going to let them in the chalets or grandstands until they're certified," Lt. Dan Christman of the San Diego Police Department said around 8:30 Sunday morning. "We're not letting the fans on the grounds until all the electrical and structural units are checked and certified as safe."

Downie Nellie and her friend Hide Honda of Mission Bay was the first golf fan in line Sunday morning.

"I'm a big fan," Nellie said. "I was the only one on the shuttle bus at 6 this morning."

An operations worker was injured while trying to repair a tent near the 17th green. He was taken to the hospital, Lt. Christman said. His name and condition were unknown.

"I don't know his last name, but he was hurt pretty bad," said Doug Irwin of the operations staff. "One of the big tents hit him, and he had a busted up nose."

Security was tightened as the Elite security service moved about in carts and even Segways, those new-age scooters that allow you to stand in them and motor about. Brian Mulder of Elite used the cart path on the South Course to access areas throughout.

Up in the PGA's Enclave, which holds the PGA trailers and meteorologist, Mark Russell, the PGA tournament director, talked about how the tees and hole placements were changed on two tees due to the storm.

Russell said had the course gotten the rain that was forecasted, the tournament would have been delayed or play postponed today.

"We probably wouldn't be playing golf right now," Russell said.

Russell said the par-3 11th hole that will play into a strong ocean wind Sunday was shortened from 230 yards to 210 yards, with the tee markers placed in the middle of the up tee, about where the public plays from here. The pin position was moved from back right to front left.

"The hole placement was tucked behind the bunker back there," Russell said. "It's fine at 200 yards or so."

At 18, the traditional front left pin placement was moved to the back left side of the green.

"Mark Woodward said there is a possibility of water buildup there at the bottom of that green, and we don't want one hole to put us out of business," Woodward said.

Source: signonsandiego.com

Kirsten Haglund Chosen Miss America 2008

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:30:00 +0000

Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund, a 19-year-old aspiring Broadway star, was crowned Miss America 2008 on Saturday in a live show billed as the unveiling of the 87-year-old pageant's new, hipper look.

Haglund, of Farmington Hills, Mich., sang "Over the Rainbow" and walked a crowd-pleasing strut in a black and gold bikini to clinch the title. She beat Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash, the first runner up, and Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto, the second runner up for the $50,000 scholarship and year of travel that comes with the crown.

Haglund, who studies music at the University of Cincinnati, grew up in a pageant family. Her mother is an active volunteer, and her grandmother Iora Hunt, competed for the crown as Miss Michigan 1944. Hunt joined Haglund at a news conference.

"The only words that come to my mind is that this is a dream come true, not just for me but for my family as well," Haglund said. "I'm not just standing up here alone."

Haglund, a cheery, classic blond, wore a revealing silver sequined dress and black bikini during the evening gown and swimsuit portions of the pageant. As her platform issue, she promised to advocate for awareness of eating disorders, an illness from which she has recovered.

The crowning at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip was aired for the first time on TLC. It capped a four-week reality series, "Miss America: Reality Check," which followed the contestants as they were pushed to shed the dated look of Miss Americas past and adopt a more updated style.

The show was the latest in a series of attempts to find an audience with a younger demographic after more than a decade of declining ratings.

The 52 newly made-over aspiring beauty queens who sought the top tiara sported updated hairdos, sassy attitudes and red carpet-worthy fashion throughout the competition.

Usually tame by modern TV standards, the swimwear competition kicked it up a notch. Most contestants wore black bikinis, and some struck provocative poses and twirled as the audience howled. Contestants also wore blue jeans and added a bit of humor to the traditional opening number, the parade of states.

Haglund's moves won howls from the audience. "I think for the audience, the swimwear and evening wear was much more entertaining, am I right?" Haglund said when asked about the show's new look.

The changes included a chance for "Reality Check" viewers to text message votes for their favorite contestant. Miss Utah, Jill Stevens, an Army medic who served in Afghanistan, was named "America's Choice."

Stevens did not make to the final 10, but she took the disappointment with pluck. She dropped and gave the audience push ups before joining the other losers on a riser on the side.

Producers added a twist to the interview portion, as well. They asked people on the street to pose questions, and the results were edgier than usual. Contestents were asked about binge drinking, HIV and Britney Spears' pregnant younger sister, Jamie Lynn.

"No I don't think she should be fired," Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash said. "They're still people, they're still human beings. We all deserve second chances."

The long-struggling pageant had promised a new look for this year's beauty battle. "Entertainment Tonight" reporter Mark Steines was the master of ceremonies of the show. Clinton Kelly of TLC's hit "What Not to Wear" also helped with the hosting duties. Kelly had instructed the girls on how to update their looks during the reality show.

The pageant sounded different, too. A deejay spun dance music from turntables set up on stage. Contestants danced and waved to the audience during commercials breaks. The losers were seated on risers on one side of the stage, while the parents of the finalists, in black tie, were seated on the other.

The show was the latest in a series of attempts to find a new audience after more than a decade of declining ratings. The fading institution was dropped from network television in 2004. It spent a two-year stint on Country Music Television before being picked up last summer by TLC, a cable channel reaching 93 million homes in the U.S.

TLC added the pageant to its reality-TV stable, and announced plans to reinvent the look of the show and find an "It girl" ready for modern celebrity.

In addition to the $50,000 scholarship, Haglund will embark on a year of promoting the pageant, her platform issue and the Children's Miracle Network, a pageant partner.

Source: washingtonpost.com

About the conforming loan limits

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:55:00 +0000

Rates on jumbo loans got a lot more expensive after last summer's credit crunch, and the mortgage and real-estate industries have been calling for an increase to the conforming loan limit as a way to help more borrowers obtain favorable mortgage rates.

On Thursday, they had reason to believe their wish would be granted when a proposed economic stimulus plan included a new conforming loan cap.

According to the proposal, the temporary limit for loans that can be bought by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored mortgage agencies, would be $729,750, or 125% of the median house price in the area.

The current conforming loan limit is $417,000; loans larger than that are considered jumbo and aren't eligible to be financed through government-sponsored enterprises. This summer, when the private, secondary mortgage market no longer had an appetite to invest in these loans due to questions about risk, jumbo loans got much more expensive for borrowers.

Under the proposal, limits for Federal Housing Administration loans would also increase to the temporary level; the current FHA loan limit is $362,790.

The Mortgage Bankers Association praised the proposed stimulus package.

"A temporary increase in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's loan limits, as well as a boosting of the FHA loan limit should return liquidity to a portion of the mortgage market that has essentially been at a standstill since August," said Kieran Quinn, MBA chairman, in a written statement. "This will be especially helpful to current and potential homeowners in areas of the country that have seen the largest price run-ups during the recent boom."

But the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight said that it was a mistake to increase the limit in the absence of comprehensive reform to GSEs Fannie and Freddie.

"To restore confidence in the markets we must ensure that the GSEs' regulator has all the necessary safety and soundness tools," OFHEO director James B. Lockhart said in a written statement. "Yesterday [Senate Banking Committee] Chairman [Christopher] Dodd talked about moving a GSE reform bill early this year. We are ready to work with him and the [committee]. We will also be working with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure that any increase in the conforming loan limit moves through their rigorous new product approval process quickly and has appropriate risk management."

Last week, in making its case for an increase to the conforming loan limit, the National Association of Realtors said that lifting the limit to $625,000 would "lower interest payments for consumers who get new 'GSE jumbo' loans, reduce the supply of homes on the market by one to one-and-one-half months, strengthen home prices by two to three percentage points, and increase economic activity by $42 billion."

The group also said that increasing the limit to that level would help reduce foreclosures by 140,000 to 210,000; it predicted the change would also produce an additional 348,000 home sales.

Source: MarketWatch

Tax Rebate for U.S. People

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:37:00 +0000

United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday, January 24, 117 million U.S. families would receive a tax rebate check under a deal reached to provide stimulus to the U.S. economy.

A fact sheet released by the California Democrat said the individuals would receive tax rebate of up to $600, while married couples would see help up to $1,200, plus $300 per child.

The document also said the limit on the size of mortgages that government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy would be increased for one year to $729,750 from the current $417,000.

Rebates will only be given to individuals who make $75,000 or less and working couples who earn less than $150,000.

The tax rebate checks could go out as early as June 2008.

Source: Reuters

Warren Jeffs' attorney asked to open sealed documents

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Attorneys for jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs are deferring to the "court's discretion" when it comes to releasing documents sealed in his bid for a new trial.

Jeffs, 52, was convicted in September of two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in conducting a 200 arranged marriage between an unwilling 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. He is serving two consecutive terms of five years to life in the Utah State Prison. A hearing to consider a new trial is scheduled March 6 at 9 a.m. in St. George.

Salt Lake City Attorney Jeffrey Hunt, who represents a media coalition including the Deseret Morning News, previously submitted an objection to the sealed filings and asked 5th District Judge James Shumate to open the documents and prohibit Jeffs from filing anything else under seal.

In a reply filed Thursday, Las Vegas attorney Richard Wright, who represented Warren Jeffs at trial along with Salt Lake City attorneys Wally Bugden and Tara Isaacson, said the sealed memorandum discussed a matter the court had earlier deemed confidential.

The sealed memorandum in support of the new trial discussed a matter that Shumate, on his own accord, decided should remain confidential, Wright wrote.

"As such, defense counsel was not at liberty to disclose the memorandum to the public or media intervenor. In deference to the court's determination, the memorandum was filed under seal," Wright continued.

In spite of the judge's earlier decision, Wright said Jeffs "asserts no privacy interest in the confidential matters" discussed in the memorandum and "defers to this court's discretion" as to whether it should be disclosed in its entirety or in part to the public.

Hunt notes in his reply that since Warren Jeffs does not assert any right to privacy or fair trial interests, Shumate should release the documents in question.

"The public is entitled to know the specific grounds upon which the defendant asserts he is entitled to a new trial," Hunt writes. "Without access to defendant's legal memorandum, as well as the state's opposition and all related filings, the public and the news media are left in the dark about the basis of defendant's motion, the state's response, the record upon which the court will rule, and the reasons supporting its ruling."

The First Amendment right of access to court records and proceedings "exists precisely to safeguard the public's ability to obtain such information and to observe the work of the court," Hunt continues in asking Shumate to grant his request to provide access to any filings related to the case.

In a two-page document filed Dec. 4, defense attorneys argued that "errors and improprieties" occurred that substantially affected Warren Jeffs' right to a fair trial. The defense team also objected to portions of the jury instructions allowed by Shumate. A memorandum supporting those claims was filed under seal that same day.

A Washington County jury, selected from a pool of nearly 300 potential jurors, found Jeffs guilty following several days of testimony from current and former members of Jeffs' polygamist sect.

One juror was dismissed after the jury reported it was deadlocked on one of the counts. Another juror told Shumate the dismissed juror admitted she hadn't disclosed a sexual abuse experience during the jury selection process. The new jury returned a guilty verdict on both counts less than three hours after an alternate juror began deliberating with the group.

Source: deseretnews.com

Allan Melvin Died At 84 Yrs Old

noreply@blogger.com (keny) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:37:00 +0000

Allan Melvin, a popular character actor who played Cpl. Henshaw on the classic 1950s sitcom "The Phil Silvers Show" and later portrayed Archie Bunker's neighbor and friend Barney on "All in the Family," has died. He was 84.

Melvin, who was in the original Broadway cast of "Stalag 17" in the early 1950s, died of cancer Thursday at his home in Brentwood, said his wife of 64 years, Amalia.

During his five-decade career, Melvin made guest appearances on numerous TV shows, including playing different roles on at least eight episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" and playing Dick Van Dyke's old Army buddy on "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

He also played Sgt. Charlie Hacker on "Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C."; portrayed butcher Sam Franklin -- Alice the housekeeper's boyfriend -- on "The Brady Bunch"; and continued playing Barney when the hit "All in the Family" became "Archie Bunker's Place."

Melvin, who appeared in only one movie -- the 1968 Doris Day comedy "With Six You Get Eggroll" -- also did voice-over work in cartoons, including providing the voices of Magilla Gorilla and Bluto on "Popeye."

He worked on numerous TV commercials as well, including playing Al the Plumber in the Liquid-Plumr commercials for 15 years.

After launching his show business career in the sound effects department of NBC radio in New York in 1944, Melvin began acting on radio soap operas and then moved into live television.

At the same time, he did movie star impressions in Manhattan in a nightclub act written by his friend Richard Condon, who later wrote "The Manchurian Candidate."

Melvin's stand-up act led to his winning "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" radio show in the late 1940s.

He was playing Reed in "Stalag 17," the hit 1951-52 Broadway play set in a German POW camp during World War II, when he first caught Silvers' attention.

"The Phil Silvers Show," originally titled "You'll Never Get Rich," was set on an Army base in Kansas and ran from 1955 to 1959.

As Cpl. Henshaw, Melvin was the right-hand man to Silvers' con-man extraordinaire, Sgt. Ernie Bilko.

"He was brilliant" as Henshaw, Mickey Freeman, who played Pvt. Zimmerman on the show, told The Times on Friday.

In recent years, when fans would ask Freeman how many surviving cast members were left, he would reply, "Allan Melvin and me -- that's a high mortality rate for a noncombatant unit."

Noting that Melvin "was a great mimic of voices," Freeman recalled an episode in which an officer arrived at Ft. Baxter to stop the men from gambling. One of the ways the officer did that, Freeman said, was to make them listen to his wife lecture on art.

But the woman had an unusual twitch -- pulling on her skirt -- and Bilko and the other soldiers placed bets on how many times she would do that during her lecture.

Freeman recalled that Melvin, as Henshaw, was positioned outside the lecture hall with a microphone, broadcasting to the other soldiers on the base -- " 'She's up to 42 now . . . 43 . . . 44, and she's not even breathing heavy.' He made a whole racetrack thing out of it," Freeman said. "He was wonderful."

Melvin was born Feb. 18, 1923, in Kansas City, Mo. His family soon moved to New York City, where he graduated from Columbia University as a journalism major.

Melvin retired from acting about 10 years ago -- long after becoming a household face who was used to people spotting him in public and saying, "Hey, Henshaw" or "Hey, Sam the Butcher."

"I've enjoyed the stuff I've done," he told People magazine in 1996, "but the one you're getting paid for, that's what you enjoy most."

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Jennifer Hanson; and a grandson.

Services will be private.

Source: latimes.com