IN THE NEWS...

[muthagoose]

Apple iPhone Unveiled

January 9, 2007 - Apple dropped the bomb at Macworld 2007, finally unveiling its long-anticipated "iPhone," what is is calling the end-all cell phone. The device seems to be just that. Not only does it boast a tiny, sleek design that may be Apple's most beautiful yet, but it is packed and spilling with a diverse selection of operating functions.

Jobs called the phone a widescreen iPod, Internet communicator and mobile phone in one. The phone is thinner than a Motorola Q and features no physical buttons. Instead, it employs a revolutionary touch-screen interface that intelligently changes depending upon what a user selects.

The Apple leader indicated that the company set out to develop a smart phone that would make today's current smart phones look dumb.

Apple's new cell phone runs OSX and enables a wealth of software-related options. It features iTunes and iPhoto, as well as the ability to easily synch music and photos respectively. An included 8 gigabyte hard drive allows the phone to store hours of digital music and photos. In addition, it can also playback widescreen movies -- simply flip the phone on its side and users can watch downloaded iTunes video content in its native 16:9 resolution.

Apple says its phone's 3.5 inch screen is the highest resolution one ever shipped.

The phone uses built-in accelerometer functionality to smartly alter its interface and functionality based on what it senses. For instance, if a user brings the device to his ear, it will cease to playback any music or movies, turn off its internal speaker, and devote itself to the call at hand. When the conversation is over, all media playback will dynamically resume.



The phone uses GSM/EDGE Wi-Fi to connect wirelessly to the Internet and users can browse the Web with Safari. It also supports a variety of widgets, including one-touch weather. Yahoo imap mail is built-in and free.

There are two versions of the phone. A 4GB mode will retail for $499 and an 8GB model for $599. Both require a two-year contract with Cingular and will be available this June.

[muthagoose]

Barry Bonds Failed Amphetamine Test

NEW YORK — Barry Bonds failed a test for amphetamines last season and originally blamed it on a teammate, the Daily News reported Thursday.

When first informed of the positive test, Bonds attributed it to a substance he had taken from teammate Mark Sweeney's locker, the New York City newspaper said, citing several unnamed sources.

"I have no comment on that," Bonds' agent Jeff Borris told the Daily News on Wednesday night.

"Mark was made aware of the fact that his name had been brought up," Sweeney's agent Barry Axelrod told the Daily News. "But he did not give Barry Bonds anything, and there was nothing he could have given Barry Bonds."

Bonds, who always has maintained he never has tested positive for illegal drug use, already is under investigation for lying about steroid use.

A federal grand jury is investigating whether the 42-year-old Bonds perjured himself when he testified in 2003 in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroid distribution case that he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. The San Francisco Giants slugger told a 2003 federal grand jury that he believed his trainer Greg Anderson had provided him flaxseed oil and arthritic balm, not steroids.

Under baseball's amphetamines policy, which went into effect last season, players are not publicly identified for a first positive test. A second positive test for amphetamines results in a 25-game suspension. The first failed steroids test costs a player 50 games.

Bonds did not appeal the positive test, according to the Daily News, which made him subject to six drug tests by MLB over the next six months.



"We're not in a position to confirm or deny, obviously," MLB spokesman Rich Levin told the Daily News.

According to the newspaper, Sweeney learned of the Bonds' positive test from Gene Orza, chief operating officer of the Major League Baseball Players Association. Orza told Sweeney, the paper said, that he should remove any troublesome substances from his locker and should not share said substances. Sweeney said there was nothing of concern in his locker, according to the Daily News' sources.

An AP message for Sweeney was not immediately returned late Wednesday.

The Giants still are working to finalize complicated language in Bonds' $16 million, one-year contract for next season -- a process that has lasted almost a month since he agreed to the deal Dec. 7 on the last day of baseball's winter meetings.

The language still being negotiated concerns the left fielder's compliance with team rules, as well as what would happen if he were to be indicted or have other legal troubles.

Borris has declined to comment on the negotiations. He didn't immediately return a message from the AP on Wednesday night.

Bonds is set to begin his 15th season with the Giants only 22 home runs shy of surpassing Hank Aaron's career record of 755.

Bonds, considered healthy again following offseason surgery on his troublesome left elbow, has spent 14 of his 21 big league seasons with San Francisco and helped the Giants draw 3 million fans in all seven seasons at their waterfront ballpark.

After missing all but 14 games in 2005 following three operations on his right knee, Bonds batted .270 with 26 homers and 77 RBIs in 367 at-bats in 2006. He passed Babe Ruth to move into second place on the career home run list May 28.

[Ponyone]

U.S. Sergeant in trouble for Playboy spread

Couple of non-nude pix here:
news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/us/011207sgtplayboy/im:/070111/480/sa10201112333

SAN ANTONIO - An Air Force staff sergeant who posed nude for Playboy magazine has been relieved of her duties while the military investigates, officials said Thursday.

In February's issue, hitting newsstands this week, Michelle Manhart is photographed in uniform yelling and holding weapons under the headline "Tough Love." The following pages show her partially clothed, wearing her dog tags while working out, as well as completely nude.

"This staff sergeant's alleged action does not meet the high standards we expect of our airmen, nor does it comply with the Air Force's core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do," Oscar Balladares, spokesman for Lackland Air Force Base, said in a statement.

Manhart told Playboy that she considers herself as standing up for her rights.

"Of what I did, nothing is wrong, so I didn't anticipate anything, of course," Manhart, 30, told The Associated Press. "I didn't do anything wrong, so I didn't think it would be a major issue."

Manhart, who is married with two children, joined the Air Force in 1994, spending time in Kuwait in 2002. She trains airmen at Lackland.

[muthagoose]

Vick Investigated Over Signs of Marijuana Found in Water Bottle

Jan. 18 - Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is being investigated after signs of marijuana were found in a water bottle he carried at an airport security check, according to a police report.

The bottle, with a hidden compartment that had ``a pungent aroma closely associated with marijuana,'' was taken from a recycling bin at Miami International Airport yesterday, the report by Miami-Dade Police said. A substance, described as ``a dark particulate,'' was sent to a lab for analysis, which might take three months, police said.

Vick, 26, a passenger on an Air Tran flight from Miami to Atlanta yesterday, wasn't arrested. He surrendered the bottle and passed through security before the substance was found, police said. Vick wasn't available for comment and agent Joel Segal didn't return a message left on his mobile phone.

``Right now we're waiting for the lab results,'' police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said in a telephone interview. ``Depending on those results, we'll then determine where the investigation goes next.''

The National Football League Falcons said in a statement that they ``plan to look into this matter and discuss it further with Michael before having any further comment.''

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Police said airport screeners became suspicious of Vick after he was unwilling to turn over the bottle before boarding. He eventually surrendered the bottle to a Transportation Security Administration official, who placed it in a recycle bin, and Vick was allowed to go to his gate.

Reluctance

Vick's initial reluctance prompted TSA official Gertrude Joseph to retrieve and examine the 20-ounce bottle, the police report said. She discovered the hidden compartment and notified her supervisor.

The bottle's label concealed a seam that separated it into halves. The top and bottom portions held clear liquid, while the suspicious substance was found in a middle compartment, according to a police description.




``When held upright the bottle appeared to be half full of water,'' the report said.

The investigating officer reviewed security cameras to substantiate what occurred, according to the police report.

Vick threw for a career-high 20 touchdowns and rushed for 1,039 yards this season, the first NFL quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards. The Falcons failed to reach the playoffs for the second straight year.

He was fined $10,000 by the NFL and agreed to donate the same amount to charity after making an obscene gesture toward fans at the Georgia Dome after a Nov. 26 game.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank and new coach Bobby Petrino said last week that Vick would remain the team's starting quarterback even after it ranked 25th in scoring and last in passing, a performance that led to questions about Vick's long-term position with the team.

Vick, who is one of the league's biggest marketing attractions, has eight years remaining on a $130 million contract he signed in December 2004.

[The Duke]

What a stupid bastard.

[muthagoose]

Morrison's HIV test negative, fight delayed

The return of former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison has postponed, but not because of his recent blood test.

It was reported in The Arizona Republic that Morrison has suffered a hand injury that will prevent him from fighting Jan. 19 in a four-round bout on the undercard of a Showtime-televised card from Phoenix.

John Montano, head of the Arizona State Boxing Commission, witnessed Morrison take a blood test at a local Phoenix lab, and obtained the official results that showed Morrison testing negative for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Morrison injured his left hand while training on Saturday at Michael Munoz's gym in North Phoenix. A doctor took a look at his hand and would not allow him to fight.

Morrison, 38, will still work toward obtaining a boxing license in Arizona in order to move forward with his return.

He tested positive for HIV more than a decade ago in Las Vegas, which ended his boxing career. Morrison has maintained for the last few years that he was given a false-positive in Las Vegas. Morrison has tested negative for the virus on four occasions since December.

[Southeast Jerome]

The Pittsburgh Steelers are proud to announce Omar Epps as their next head coach.

[Chick-O-Stick]

muthagoose said:

Morrison's HIV test negative, fight delayed

I thought that read "Morrissey" I was relieved there for a moment.

[The Duke]

Love that pic of Coach Omar.

[Chick-O-Stick]

[glow=red,2,300]STALKED![/glow]

And no Pony One this story isn't about you.

Danielle Harris was on the Dr. Phil show today talking about a man who started stalking her several years ago after she starred on The Rosanne show.

The stalker was writing her numerous times a day, sending her flowers, and somehow was able to retain her home address and phone number even when she moved. She finally had to get a restraining order served on him after she awoke one morning to her mother on the phone with the man. He claimed he was coming to kill Danielle. Police arrived and arrested the man who had flowers, a shotgun, and another gun in his vehicle. He has since only contacted her by sending a letter saying he never meant to scare her and was still her biggest fan.

Ms. Harris is afraid that because she is starring in the upcoming Halloween movie as well as another film (Left For Dead) that he will be begin stalking her again.



Really I'm rather shocked that if she feels this way that she attends horror conventions, where probably a good handful of the attendees are already convoluted in some way. By the way, if you see her and she continually winks at you please don't tell us all that she was hitting on you, she has some tick that makes her blink a lot. Particularly in the right eye.

[muthagoose]

Jessica ‘hurt’ when Nick quickly began dating
Ex-husband is still big part of her life — but she’s mum on current love life[/b]

NEW YORK - Jessica Simpson says she was stung when ex-husband Nick Lachey jumped back into dating after their high-profile breakup.

“Oh, it hurt me,” the 26-year-old singer-actress says in an interview in the March issue of Elle magazine, on newsstands Feb. 13. “Two or three weeks later? Yeah, I’d say it kind of hurt me.” Further proving that all dudes named Nick are crybabies.

Simpson and Lachey, 33, starred in the MTV reality show, “Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica.” She filed for divorce in December 2005, after three years of marriage.

She made that decision, she says, after watching the 2004 romance “The Notebook” on a plane ride home to Texas. “I just figured out the statement,” she says of the movie, starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as star-crossed lovers. “It was about that moment of desperation. I needed to breathe.”

Does she still keep in touch with the singer, who is dating MTV’s Vanessa Minnillo?

“Mm-hmmm,” she tells the magazine. “He’s so much a part of my life, how could I not be? Any guy that’s going to be with me from this day forward has to understand that. You want to help me find a guy?”

(It appears that’s not necessary. Simpson has been photographed recently with singer-songwriter John Mayer, and in her profile in Elle, the writer noted that he spotted e-mails from Mayer on her computer.)

She says she “is so happy right now,” but declined to discuss her love life. “I want to tell you everything, but I have to sew my lips together,” she says.

Asked whether she’s in love, a grinning Simpson plays coy: “I didn’t say yes.”

[muthagoose]

Inmates get drunk on hand sanitizer

Prison chiefs are wondering whether to switch back to old fashioned soap after inmates have worked out that hand sanitiser makes pretty good jail hooch.

One inmate of Maryland prison, in America, was described as 'loony, 'red-eyed' and 'combative' after allegedly downing a gallon (four litres) of the stuff.

Fellow inmates clocked that the 'normally calm' individual was drunk when he began 'lecturing everybody about life'.

Suzanne Doyon, medical director of the Maryland Poison Center pointed out that the non-alcohol ingredients in hand sanitiser do not pose a risk to health.

She said: 'From an infection control perspective, they are excellent. But there is this risk involved.

'Someone who drinks it will behave like your pretty typical garden-variety drunk.'

The inmate's blood alcohol level was found to be more than four times Maryland's intoxication standard.

Since the first incident the Maryland Poison Center has received reports of six other adults in the state who consumed hand sanitiser, which is 70 per cent alcohol, because 'they were looking for a buzz'.

It may get ya drunk but hand sanitizer is no substitute for some home brewed prison wine!

[The Duke]

Now I've heard it all! I have got to stock my desk at work with that shit!

[frauleinadams]

muthagoose said:

Jessica ‘hurt’ when Nick quickly began dating

well, who is this nick-guy in the first place. people over here do know jessica simpson as the 3rd britney spears (after britney herself and christina) but nick lachey? a singer? what does he sing? is there a song i might know?

[muthagoose]

Exactly! Nick Lachey was in the boy band 98º (which wasn't even on the same level as a "Take That" or a "New Edition") which was pretty much defunct if not taking it's last gasp two to three years prior to Lachey marrying Simpson. Now he he is more famous for his "Sad Nick" routine than he is for his musical work or his ill-fated marriage.

[frauleinadams]

98° Fahrenheit? what would that be in degrees Celicus?
(probably not a whole lot!)
hahaha

[muthagoose]

It would be 36.66... yeah... I did the math!

Ironically this is also the collective IQ of the band.

[muthagoose]

Anna Nicole Smith dead

(CNN) -- Reality TV star and former model Anna Nicole Smith was pronounced dead Thursday after being taken to a Florida hospital after being found unconscious in her hotel room, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case told CNN.

Smith, 39, collapsed at a south Florida hotel and was taken to a local hospital, according to news reports.

TMZ.com had reported that Smith collapsed at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood just after 2 p.m. ET.

According to reports, Smith was found unresponsive in her hotel room.

Smith was involved in a paternity suit regarding the parentage of her daughter, Danielynn, as well as other disputes, including ones regarding a house she stayed at in the Bahamas around the time she gave birth.

Earlier this week, Smith was included in a class-action lawsuit against a company, TrimSpa, for which she has worked as a spokesperson. TrimSpa makes a product it claims leads to substantial weight loss. The lawsuit alleges the marketing of the product, TrimSpa X32, was false or misleading.

Smith's son, Daniel Wayne Smith, died at age 20 just days after the birth of Smith's daughter. Pathologist Cyril Wecht said a lethal dose of methadone and antidepressants caused cardiac dysrhythmia, leading to his death.

[The Duke]

Not sure what to make of this, but may she rest in peace. I feel, for sure, for her young child.

[muthagoose]

Five-time Grammy award-winning band The Police reunite for first time on the Grammy Awards with historic kick-off performance

Joan Baez, Melissa Etheridge, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Chris Rock and Stevie Wonder Added to Presenter Lineup for Music's Biggest Night™ Sunday, Feb. 11, on CBS.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2007) -- In an historic GRAMMY® moment, the Police (Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers) will reunite and perform together for the first time on the GRAMMYs when they open the 49th Annual GRAMMY® Awards telecast on Feb. 11, it was announced today by The Recording Academy®. With five GRAMMY Awards to their slate of accolades, the Police, one of the most famous bands in the world, create a purely original sound by infusing reggae with pop and rock -- a sound that will be heard 'round the world from the GRAMMY stage.

Also, new presenters added to the all-star line-up include current Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree and multiple GRAMMY nominee Joan Baez, three-time GRAMMY winner Chris Rock, and 21-time GRAMMY winner Stevie Wonder. The music industry's premier event will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 11, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

The Police join a stellar list of past GRAMMY Awards opening acts, which includes reunions and once-in-a-lifetime performances: the ever-animated Madonna sharing the stage with the Gorillaz (2006); an all-star, stage-filling spectacle that featured The Black Eyed Peas, Maroon5, Gwen Stefani, Los Lonely Boys and Franz Ferdinand (2005); Prince and Beyoncé in an electrifying duet (2004); and the reunion of legends Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel (2003).

Previously announced performers include Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, the Dixie Chicks, Gnarls Barkley, John Legend, Ludacris, John Mayer, Corinne Bailey Rae, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Justin Timberlake (solo performance and with the winner of the "My GRAMMY Moment" competition) and Carrie Underwood. Previously announced presenters include The Black Eyed Peas, Ciara, Nelly Furtado, Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, P!nk and Rihanna. The show also will be supported on radio via Westwood One worldwide and XM Satellite Radio, and covered online at GRAMMY.yahoo.com.

The 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions in association with Ken Ehrlich Productions for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Walter C. Miller is producer/director, Tisha Fein is the coordinating producer, David Wild is the writer, and Tzvi Small is supervising producer. Musical directors for the telecast and pre-telecast are Rickey Minor and Larry Batiste, respectively.



Established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., also known as The Recording Academy, is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards, The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs -- including the creation of the national public education campaign What's The Download® (WhatsTheDownload.com). For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.

[muthagoose]

Ghostface Killah launches Poker Website... stays Crunk!

For all te card players out there in cyberspace that like to stay G'd up...

To celebrate his love of the game and the pro-gambling song “Pokerface” off his new album, More Fish, Wu Tang rapper Ghostface Killah has launched an online poker site called gfkpoker.com.

I advise you check it out, homie.

C'mon, kiddies, Ghostface wouldn’t steer you wrong, would he?

www.gfkpoker.com/

[muthagoose]

RATT, KIX, FIREHOUSE, ACCEPT, DOKKEN, POISON, QUEENSRŸCHE Featured On 'Metal Mania Stripped Volume 3' CD

Metal fans have spoken, so get ready to turn the volume up to "11" as Sidewinder Music and VH1 Classic Records will be releasing "VH1 Classic Metal Mania Stripped Volume 3" on Tuesday, March 6.

The new CD release will once again feature rare and never-before-heard acoustic versions of some of metal's greatest songs by some of the genre's biggest names.

This is the fourth release in the successful "Stripped" series ("Volume I: The Ballads" and "Volume 2: The Anthems", along with the "Metal Mania Stripped Across America Live!" DVD).

Just like the others that preceded it, "Metal Mania Stripped Volume 3" is another acoustic collection of some of metal's biggest hits, all of which have proudly stood the test of time.

All in all, fifteen unforgettable tracks, ten of which have never been heard before!

Those returning to the "Stripped" series with an appearance on "Volume 3" include such artists as POISON, QUEENSRŸCHE, TESLA, SLAUGHTER, DOKKEN and FIREHOUSE along with Tom Kiefer of CINDERELLA, Jani Lane (former lead singer and songwriter of WARRANT) and WINGER.

New artists to the "Metal Mania" "scene" include ACCEPT, AUTOGRAPH, KIX, Eric Martin from MR. BIG, RATT and SHAW/BLADES. The latter duo, featuring Tommy Shaw of STYX and Jack Blades of NIGHT RANGER fame, come at you full force with an entirely new unplugged version of "High Enough", a huge hit song (reaching #3 on the Billboard chart) from their collaboration in the super group DAMN YANKEES.

Other well-known hits on the forthcoming "Metal Mania Stripped Volume 3" disc include CINDERELLA's "Nobody's Fool" (the premiere power balled from their '86 release, "Night Songs"), TESLA's "Signs" (their 1991 remake of the early '70s hit from the "Five Man Electrical Band"), FIREHOUSE's "When I Look Into Your Eyes" (a Top Ten single spawned from their sophomore effort, "Hold Your Fire"), SLAUGHTER's "Up All Night" (a Top 40 single from their 1990 debut album, "Stick It To Ya", recorded at the Key Club in Los Angeles), WARRANT's "Heaven" (an unexpected smash hit from '89's "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich" that reached #2 on the singles charts) performed by original WARRANT lead vocalist Jani Lane and "Don't Close Your Eyes", the breakthrough power ballad for KIX that would hit #11 on the Billboard chart.

TESLA's "Signs" practically launched the "unplugged" movement as it was one of the first acoustic hits of the 90's. "'Signs' will always be one of my all time favorites," states TESLA's lead singer, Jeff Keith. "It has such a powerful message that a lot of people can relate to, including myself. Even stripped down to acoustic guitars, this one still comes out a winner."

In addition to those tracks, other hits performed acoustically include "Balls to the Wall" (ACCEPT), "In My Dreams" (DOKKEN), "Just Take My Heart" (performed by Eric Martin of MR. BIG), "Turn Up The Radio" (AUTOGRAPH) and WINGER's "Headed for a Heartbreak", along with three previously unreleased "MTV Unplugged" recordings by POISON ("Unskinny Bop"), QUEENSRŸCHE ("The Killing Words") and RATT ("Way Cool Jr.").

Although original RATT vocalist Stephen Pearcy provided an acoustic rendition of "Round And Round" for "Metal Mania Stripped Volume 2: The Anthems", he's featured with his RATT band mates — Warren DeMartini, Juan Croucier and Bobby Blotzer — for an acoustic version of the band's hit, "Way Cool Jr.", from "MTV Unplugged".

"I remember messing with the idea for 'Way Cool Jr.' as RATT were in a very grueling situation for that record," remembers Pearcy. "I liked the idea and the whole swing element about the song. So Warren and I started talking about who is 'Way Cool' and what does he like to groove to... The end result surprised us and it came out great! Thoroughly nasty with a great groove. It's been a fan favorite in concert ever since it came out... The tune simply rocks unplugged, which is why we included it in our 'MTV Unplugged' set... We're glad it's being released on the 'Metal Mania' CD for all RATT fans to enjoy."

Track listing (not in sequential order):

01. ACCEPT - "Balls To The Wall"
02. AUTOGRAPH - "Turn Up The Radio"
03. TOM KIEFER (CINDERELLA) - "Nobody's Fool"
04. DOKKEN - "In My Dreams"
05. FIREHOUSE - "When I Look Into Your Eyes"
06. KIX - "Don't Close Your Eyes"
07. ERIC MARTIN (MR. BIG) - "Just Take My Heart"
08. POISON (MTV Unplugged) - "Unskinny Bop"
09. QUEENSRŸCHE (MTV Unplugged) - "The Killing Words"
10. RATT (MTV Unplugged) - "Way Cool Jr."
11. SHAW/BLADES - "High Enough"
12. SLAUGHTER - "Up All Night"
13. TESLA - "Signs"
14. JANI LANE - "Heaven"
15. WINGER - "Headed For A Heartbreak"

[muthagoose]

Al Gore announces climate-change concerts

Al Gore announced on Thursday a series of worldwide concerts to focus on the threat of climate change, with a powerhouse lineup from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Snoop Dogg to Bon Jovi.

The 24-hour event on July 7 is part of a kickoff campaign, Save Our Selves — The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis, that promoters hope will trigger a broad movement to address what the former vice president calls a "planetary emergency."

"We have to get the message of urgency and hope out," Gore said at a news conference, where he was flanked by actress Cameron Diaz, rapper Pharrell Williams and producer Kevin Wall.

The environmental activist and 2000 Democratic presidential nominee is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2008 despite his repeated statements that he's not running. Recently, some former aides met in Boston to discuss a campaign to draft the former vice president.

"I haven't changed my answer about politics," Gore told reporters. "I have no intention of running for president again."

The concerts on seven continents will bring newfound publicity to Gore, who already is enjoying celebrity status with his Oscar-nominated documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth." Gore said he was thrilled that the film, on the perils of global warming, was nominated for best documentary and for best song, the latter nod coming for Melissa Etheridge's "I Need to Wake Up."

The Academy Awards are Feb. 25.

More than 100 performers are scheduled to appear at the July concerts, including Etheridge, the Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Duran Duran, Korn, the Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

Promoters said the Live Earth concerts will take place in Shanghai, China; Johannesburg, South Africa; Sydney, Australia; London and cities to be announced in Japan, Brazil and the United States. One concert will take place in Antarctica, Gore said.

Promoters said the concerts — dubbed Live Earth — could reach 2 billion people through attendance or broadcasts. Proceeds will create a foundation to combat climate change led by The Alliance for Climate Protection, which is chaired by Gore.

The Save our Selves campaign was founded by Kevin Wall, who won an Emmy as Worldwide Executive Producer of Live 8.

[muthagoose]

Milli Vanilli: The Major Motion Picture

According to Variety Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to make a film about Milli Vanilli, the duo that rose to the top of the pop charts and fell just as quickly when they were exposed as frauds.

Jeff Nathanson will write the script and direct the film. Kathleen Kennedy will produce.

Nathanson, who presented a sympathetic look at a check forger in "Catch Me if You Can," became intrigued with the notion of taking a similar tack on the music industry tale. He has secured the cooperation of Fabrice Morvan, as well as the estate of Rob Pilatus, who died in 1998 as the pair were attempting a comeback.



Pilatus and Morvan were hired by producer Frank Farian to front Milli Vanilli. Farian already had songs recorded by three other singers. Pilatus and Morvan became trapped in a lie when Milli Vanilli topped the charts and sold millions of records. Desperate to end the charade, the duo refused to promote a follow-up album unless Farian let them sing. Instead, he blew the whistle.

Their Grammy Award was rescinded, class action lawsuits were filed, and Milli Vanilli was dropped from the Arista roster. Morvan took it hardest, falling into drug abuse and serving time for robbery before dying from a drug overdose right before a reunion album could be released.

[Ponyone]

BRITNEY SPEARS GOES BALD



Britney Spears' locks could soon be on the block.

One of the owners of the salon where the "Oops" singer shaved her head Friday exclusively tells E! News' Giuliana DePandi that Spears' shorn tresses were saved and may be sold for a good cause.

"She didn't want her hair. We have it here at the salon and we will probably auction it off for charity," said JT Tognozzi, co-owner of Esther's Hair Cutting Studio in Tarzana, California.

Tognozzi didn't elaborate on a timetable for any auction or which charity might be the beneficiary of Spears' mane, but he did offer new details of the buzz cut heard 'round the world.

He says that Spears, accompanied by two bodyguards, knocked on the door to Esther's around 7 p.m. Friday. Spears had never been to the salon before, and the shop was closed for the night, but Tognozzi says that he immediately recognized the singer and let her in.

Spears said she wanted to get her head shaved. Tognozzi sat her down, looked her over and then suggested less drastic alternatives.

But Spears wasn't budging.

"She was on a mission," he said. "She had made up her mind that she was shaving her head before she came in."

According to Tognozzi, Spears said she was tired of her hair extensions and wanted to make like Sinead O'Connor. Then she asked Tognozzi if she could do the deed herself.

"She grabbed the shears and just started shaving her head," Tognozzi said. Asked if anyone tried to intervene, he responded, "No, she wasn't there with any friends. Just a couple of bodyguards who didn't try to stop her."

Once Spears put down the clippers, Tognozzi offered to finish the job and dust the hair off.

Spears topped off the image makeover later in the evening by stopping at a nearby tattoo parlor to be inked with a black, white and pink cross on her lower hip and red and pink lips on her wrist.

Spears reportedly flew into L.A. from Miami earlier in the day, after an aborted attempt at rehab in the Caribbean.

While there has been no official word from Spears' camp on her recent antics, a source tells E! Online's Marc Malkin that Spears' mother is distraught over the singer's behavior and the family is "in major intervention mode. Her mom is constantly crying. Her family is freaking out."