End of 'ER' marks end of era

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to CNN, when the series "ER" airs its finale on Thursday, the event will not only mark the completion of one of NBC's most successful shows, but it can also be viewed as the end of an era for the network.

"What's so symbolic about "ER" leaving is that that 10 o'clock Thursday night slot started out what I called the beginning of the second golden age of television with 'Hill Street Blues,'" said Robert Thompson, a professor and founding director of the Bleier Center for TV and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.

"In almost a quarter of a century it went from 'Hill Street Blues' Thursday at 10 to "L.A. Law' Thursday at 10 to "ER" Thursday at 10.

ER," which at one point was paying millions of dollars per episode just in actor salaries, definitely fit into the realm of costly productions.

Despite the price tag, the show ran for 15 seasons and is the most Emmy-nominated series in television history with 122 nominations, 22 of which resulted in wins.

"Every network had passed on it, twice," the show's longtime exec. producer John Wells told The New York Times. "It had all these characters and medical dialogue and they found it utterly impossible to follow."

Once it did get the green light, it caught on like a house afire.

"ER" quickly attracted legions of fans and catapulted many members of the ever-changing ensemble cast to superstar status--most notably George Clooney, who played hunky Dr. Doug Douglas.

Customer, Early for Lunch, fires Shots in McDonald's

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Talk about demanding customers! Police said a customer fired one or two shots into a Salt Lake City McDonald's after the driver of the car he was in was told the restaurant was not serving lunch yet.

Police said the female driver of a white Dodge Intrepid pulled up to the drive-thru and ordered from the lunch menu early Sunday but was told only breakfast was available.

Police said two men then got out of the car and one pulled a sawed-off shotgun from the trunk, shooting into the drive-thru window once or twice. No one was injured. The car then left the scene.

Beirut magazine champions sex and the city

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

From explicit articles about masturbation and homosexuality to columns about "My First Time," Joumana Haddad is out to lift the veil on Arab cultural taboos with a new glossy magazine that is already the focus of controversy.

The first quarterly issue of 'Jasad,' Arabic for body, hit the stands in Lebanon last December. Tongues have wagged ever since about a daring venture into unchartered territory in the Middle East.

"It's true that this is a first in the Arab world," Haddad, 38, a writer and poet told AFP in an interview. "I put open handcuffs near the word 'Jasad' on the cover of the magazine to illustrate that I wanted to unlock a taboo."

The first issue of 'Jasad,' which sold for $10 includes articles on self-mutilation and cannibalism. The cover story on the March issue focuses on the penis.

Other articles deal with battered men and women, transsexuals and the Kama Sutra. A regular feature is "My First Time," in which a well-known figure talks about his or her first sexual encounter and subsequent sex life.

Although such a magazine would barely raise an eyebrow in the West, it has drawn the wrath of religious authorities and women's organizations in Lebanon who are calling for its closure on the grounds that it amounts to pornography.

"Subjects that teach our youngsters how to make love do not fit in with our moral values and civic eduation," said Aman Shaarani, head of the Lebanese Council of Women. Shaarani said she had written to the highest religious authorities in the country, both Christian and Muslim, as well as to cabinet members calling for 'Jasad' to be banned.

"I will not give up because there needs to be a media watchdog for these sorts of publications," she said. "We are considering taking this before the courts."

Meanwhile, the sexy mag seems to be quite popular. The magazine's first issue, all 3,000 copies, sold out within 11 days. Sales of the second issue, printed at 4,000 copies have so far been brisk, Haddad said.

Outside Lebanon, the magazine is sold by subscritpion only as no bookstore in the Arab world would dar stock it, she said.

Low-and-behold, "the highest numbers of subscribers are in Saudi Arabia where the magazine was met with much enthusiasm," said Haddad, who financed the project herself.

Poor U.S. Freelancers Still Trapped in North Korea

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the website Defamer, "North Korea does NOT let in journalists except for the odd random one with a great cover story. If you're a reporter sneaking in you'd better have a big time backup story. Not, for example, Current TV.

North Korea is getting ready to INDICT two Americans they caught trying to report for Current TV, the Al Gore "everybody report now!" website, that is decidedly not who you want behind you in a sticky international situation. Shit, they're staring down the prospect of being sent to JAIL in North Korea!

Wrap your mind around that shit. We'd be pissing our pants even if we had Bill Keller calling the State Department for us. What do you threaten the North Korean judicial system with, as a freelancer for Current TV? "This detention will be blogged! Once I get out."

Let's hope they make it home without celebrating any birthdays over there!"

Conviction on charges of spying and illegally crossing the border could draw more than 20 years in prison for each under North Korea's criminal code.

Pimp Paid Teen Prostitute With Chicken Nuggets

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A 27-year-old Australian man who pimped a 16-year-old girl so he and his girlfriend could afford their apartment, would pay the schoolgirl with chicken nuggets, the Australian Associated Press reported.

Ronald Vikash Gander used the $4,500 the teen made for having sex with five middle-aged men in June of last year to pay the weekly $1,050 rent on his Brisbane apartment.

Gander and his 16-year-old girlfriend would pay the teen with an occasional box of chicken nuggets, the AAP reported.

Israeli and Palestinians unite....to rob a bank!

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

An Israeli and a group of Palestinians last week set aside their differences in order to carry out an armed bank robbery, Palestinian police said Sunday.

According to Al-Aribiya, six armed gunmen carried out the heist at a bank in the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Ramallah on Tuesday, making off with some $30,000.

Police said they arrested two Palestinians who confessed they carried out the robbery with three Palestinians living in Israel and an Israeli Jew.

The Israeli "was the mastermind of the operation and he also took part in it," before fleeing back to Israel, police Colonel Adnan al-Damiri told a media conference.

He added that such coordination between Arabs and Jews could signal a "dangerous" new trend of organized crime in the Palestinian territory.

Coldplay makes Mideast debut

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The award-winning British rock band Coldplay made their Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi Saturday night in a carbon-neutral concert that coincided with Earth Hour and earned a reported $2 million, according to Al-Aribiya.

Lead singer Chris Martin, who is married to Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow, did not let the unseasonable rain dampen his enthusiasm and sang impromptu renditions of "Singin' in the Rain" and "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" to a delighted crowd.

"Coldplay's debut performance in the Middle East is set to attract one of the biggest attendances in the UAE," gig promoter Elissa Murtaza told Rolling Stone magazine. "Regional fans of the band have waited a long time for this show and they won't be disappointed."

Coldplay's producer gained support among Arab audiences for his support of Palestinians during the Israeli war on Gaza. The concert was part of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival.

Settlers attack Israeli police disguised as Arabs

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Israeli police dressed in Palestinian garb who have gone under cover to catch violent Jewish settlers got a taste of what Palestinians routinely confront as Jewish settlers attacked undercover officers thinking they were Arabs, Israeli press reported.

Six Jewish settlers who mistook under cover Israeli cops for Palestinians attacked them Thursday, throwing stones and damaging a police under cover vehicle, Haaretz reported yesterday. The settlers also tried to run the disguised police over near an illegal Jewish outpost in the West Bank.

Five of the settlers were put under house arrest while one was released Friday. Dressing as Arabs came as the latest crime tactic for rooting out settler violence. Police sources said the technique was "established and effective" when it comes to arresting settlers involved in attacking Palestinians.

Human rights groups in Israel issued reports of Jewish settlers attacking Palestinians in the West Bank. The Israeli human rights group has been running a program called "Shooting Back," which distributed cameras to Palestinians in areas like Hebron and the outskirts of Nablus where violence is common to gather evidence to support complaints.

Cyberspy network targets governments

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to CNN, nearly 1,300 computers in more than 100 countries have been attacked and have become part of a computer espionage network apparently based in China.

Computers--including machines at NATO, governments and embassies--are infected with software that lets attackers gain complete control of them, according to the reports.

Researchers have dubbed the network GhostNet. The network can not only search a computer but see and hear the people using it.

The discovery of GhostNet grew out of suspicions that the office of the Dalai Lama had been hacked. The report also points out that China is among a handful of countries, including the United States, Israel and United Kingdom that are "assumed" to have considerable espionage capabilities.

A spokesman for the Chinese consulate in New York dismissed the idea China was involved in the spying.

Hackers gained access to computers in the Dalai Lama's office by tricking computer users into downloading e-mail attachments that had been carefully engineered to appear safe. The attackers took the trouble to write e-mails that appeared to come from fellow Tibetans and indeed from co-sorkers," according to a report authored by Shishir Nagarja and Ross Anderson. Once the attackers gained an initial foothold, "they also stole mail in transit and replaced the attachments with toxic ones."

Mexican drug war hits Hollywood

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to Variety, the escalating drug cartel violence in Mexico is taking its toll on Hollywood.

Security concerns over the movie adaptation of Mexican drug-cartel-themed novel "Queen of the South," have forced writer Jonathan Jakubowicz and his two producers to pull out of the film.

"I have worked really hard to make this beautiful movie, but the safety of my family and my team comes first and making this movie put us all at risk, not only in Mexico but in the United States," said Jakubowicz.

"Queen of the South" is about a Mexican woman who flees Spain after her drug-runner boyfriend is slain. She eventually becomes the reigning drug smuggler.

The film stars Eva Mendez, Josh Harnett and Ben Kingsley.

Eerie Ghost Photo at Castle Baffles Experts

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the London Sun, an eerie image of a figure at a Scottish castle has got ghost experts spooked. The scary shot was unearthed during the biggest investigation into photographic evidence of ghosts.

The picture, taken in May last year, shows a spectral figure in 15th century garb peering out of a barred window at Tantallon Castle in Fife.

No mannequins or costumed guides are used at the castle and photo experts have confirmed there was no digital trickery.

Even ghost skeptic Professor Richard Wiseman admitted to being puzzled.

"It is certainly very curious," he said. "We ran it by three photographic experts and they said it hadn't been photoshopped at all."

"The figure appears to be in period costume, but we know 100% that Tantallon Castle is not the sort of place that has dummies or costumed guides; they just don't go for that sort of thing."

South Korean farmer loved his cow--now a hit movie.

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A South Korean man's devotion to his dying cow inspires his wife's jealousy, a box-office hit and, welcome or not, plenty of tourists.

On many weekends, hundreds of tourists appear at the home of 82-year old Choi Won-kyun and his loving but nagging wife, Lee Sam-sun.

According to the Los Angeles Times, they are the unlikely stars of "Old Partner," a documentary that chronicles two years in the lives of the hard-working couple as they await the death of the aging cow that has served them faithfully for 40 years.

Surprisingly, the modest movie shattered box office records in Korea, becoming an instant low-budget classic, a fable about love, loyalty and rural Korean values--and also a touching, sometimes funny tale of a wife's jealousy over the bond between husband and bovine.

But since the movie's January premiere, a near-daily invasion of curious visitors has threatened the tranquil life of the illiterate couple, who just want to be left alone.

"I'm gratified that people are interested in my parents," says Choi Won-kyun, the eldest of the couple's nine children. "If only they would have a sip of coffee and leave, but they stay. What can my parents do? Hospitality is part of rural life. We don't have any choice but to welcome them."

"From the star I promised I would protect this couple," says the filmmaker Lee Chung-ryul. "But this movie has become more successful than I ever imagined. It has taken on a life of its own."

Now the local tourism board is planning an "Old Partner" museum and has erected signs leading to the farm. It has collected the elder Choi's clothes and cane used in the movie. The board even claimed the tarnished cowbell, with plans to sell replicas to tourists.

Still, as she watches her husband pile wood, Lee admits the stress of celebrity can be overwhelming. "My husband says he gets sick of all this. I told him to behave himself. I guess I do nag a lot."

Saudi holds first authorized fashion show

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

There were no camera flashes or paparazzi as the models strutted down the catwalk showing off the latest Western and Oriental styles in Saudi Arabia's first fashion show this week.

The show was the culmination of a competition among Saudi designers and was the first of it's kind. Other fashion shows in the kingdom had been held as part of charity activities or approved under the names like "bazaars."

"A fashion show in Saudi Arabia is different from anywhere else," one of the models told Al Aribiya. "We took part in this one after making sure no cameras were allowed."

The female only audience got to see a range of fashions by the 28 designer finalists, including abayas--the traditional cloak worn over clothing, casual outfits and gowns.

Designer Wijdan al-Sharyoufi won first place and a prize of $26,500.

Google cutting 200 jobs

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Even Google isn't immune from the recession. The internet giant plans to reduce the number of roles within it's sales and marketing organizations by just under 200 globally.

"Making changes of this kind is never easy," said a Google spokesperson.

Madonna set to adopt again

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to The Associated Press, Madonna is planning to adopt a second child from Malawi, officials said Thursday, but questions have already been raised over whether the newly divorced pop star will face obstacles because of her single mom status.

An official at the Malawi welfare department said Madonna, who is 50 and a mother of three, had filed adoption papers in the southern African country. A. U.S. government official confirmed than an adoption bid by Madonna was under way.

Madonna met David in October 2006 at a Malawian orphanage. His mother had died and his father was unable to care for him. She and her then-husband Guy Ritchie took David to their London home but it took two years for the adoption to become official.

Madonna first traveled to Malawi in 2006 while doing charity work and filming a documentary on the devastating poverty and AIDS crisis there. Malawi is among the poorest countries in the world.

Palestinians back reports of Israeli misconduct

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Things aren't looking good for the Israeli army. According to The Associated Press, when Israeli soldiers expelled Abir Hijeh, her five children and their neighbors from homes in a Gaza war zone, she said they warned her in broken Arabic: Go south or you might get shot.

The group went the wrong way and came under fire from Israeli soldiers. Hijeh was wounded and her 2-year-old daughter was killed.

Hijeh's account of a sniper firing on civilians, along with soldiers' graffiti and destruction seen by The Associated Press in homes they commandeered, lend support to allegations of Israeli army misconduct during the onslaught in Gaza.

In recent testimony, Israeli soldiers told of vandalizing homes they seized to use as army posts, as well as relaxed rules of engagement, including hasty shooting at civilians. The soldiers, who spoke to a military prep school in a closed-door session, described an incident with similarities to the shooting of the Hijeh family.

The accounts, published in two Israeli newspapers last week, further fueled interntional outrage over the Gaza offensive. Israel, which invaded Gaza to end years of rocket attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli towns, is already under international scrutiny about whether it used disproportionate force and failed to protect civilians.

However an Israeli army spokeswoman, Maj. Avital Leibovich said the military "took every measure of prevent possible in order to save the lives of Palestinian civilians," including calls and leaflets warning residents to evacuate. Some of the incidents described by soldiers are under investigation.

"The Haunting in Connecticut"

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

"There's no rest for the dead--or the living," said Scott Foundas in The Village Voice, in Peter Cornwell's "laughably hokey haunted-house hand-wringer" The Haunting in Connecticut. This movie "is about as scary as a shower that suddenly changes temperature when someone flushes the toilet."

The Haunting in Connecticut "is a relatively effective scary movie despite its overall formulaic nature," said Jim Vejvoda in IGN.com. And Cornwell cranks up the tension while "maintaining a consistent level of chills for the duration of the movie"--too bad it "ultimately buckles under the weight of its effects-heavy finale."

Actually, said Scott Weinberg in Fear Net, The Haunting in Connecticut "benefits from a confident directorial touch." The movie "does a fine job of setting up its mood, its jolts and its backstory." And Cornwell "deserves credit for approaching his ghost story with no trace of snark or irony."

Wesley Snipes under fire for partying in Dubai

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Actor Wesley Snipes faced a ban on international travel following an alleged illegal trip to Dubai to attend the "world's biggest party" for the opening of a lavish hotel on the palm island last year, according to Al-Aribiya.

Snipes, who was sentenced to three years in prison for income-tax evasion and is only free on a $1 million bond, was photographed at the gala opening of the $1.5 billion Atlantis resort mingling with celebrities like Robert DeNiro and Charlize Theron.

Federal prosecutors were calling for a ban on Snipes' international travel after a judge allowed Snipes to travel only to London and Bangkok for work on the movies "Gallowwalker" and "Chasing the Dragon."

Prosecutors accused Snipes of "abusing the court's trust in a very public way" and argued that the court should deny his current request to go to Namibia to reshoot scenes for his movie.

Snipes was one of 2,000 celebrities and Middle East royalty invited to the exclusive bash that was reported to have cost a whopping $20 million to launch what local press labeled the "party of the decade."

Facebook 'Jews' Group Suddenly Praises Hitler

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to FOX News, some unsuspecting Facebook users may have fallen prey to a shocking prank.

A group on the social-networking site calling itself "I Heart Jews," garnered more than 2,000 members--until the group's name was suddenly changed to "Hitler: Great Modern Man of History," WNYW-TV reports.

"It's disgusting. It's despicable," said Facebook user Wendy Erdheim, who had been part of the group. "Like, who would ever do that?"

Other members of the group were similarly shocked.

"Is this a joke?" posted one. "Because if it is not I am absolutely appalled."

Mark Weitzman of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said the name change was no accident.

"One would have to say that it's premeditated and that the intent was there from the beginning," says Weitzman.

"We don't allow groups that are hateful or threatening and will remove these as quickly as possible when they're reported," a Facebook spokesman said via e mail to Fox News.

Jewish Group Denounces 'Anti-Semitic' Political Cartoon

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to The Associated Press, a Jewish human rights group has denounced a political cartoon as anti-Semitic, comparing it to Nazi imagery of the 1930s that led up to the Holocaust.

The syndicated cartoon published by Pat Oliphant on Wednesday in newspapers across the U.S. depicts a goose-stepping uniformed figure wheeling a fanged Star of David that menances a small female figure labeled "Gaza."

The L.A. based Simon Wiesenthal Center said the cartoon is meant to denigrate and demonize Israel.

"The imagery in this cartoon mimics the venomous anti-Semitic propaganda of the Nazi and Soviet Eras," Wiesenthal Center officials said in a statement. "It is cartoons like this that inspired millions of people to hate in the 1930s and help set the stage for the Nazi genocide."

The center called on the New York Times and other online outlets to not run the offending illustration.

Oliphant has courted controversy before.

In 2001 and 2007, the Asian American Journalists Association objected to what they called offensive racial caricatures in cartoons about trade with China and concerns about international food safety.

In 2005, the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee criticized one of his cartoons, saying he drew on false stereotypes and reinforced negative views of Arabs.

Animal Hook-ups in the wild

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Animals obviously hook up, at least during the mating season. But do they like it? According to experts, there are two answers: "yes" and "it is impossible to know."

"Mosquitoes, I don't know," hedged Mark Bekoff, a University of Colorado biologist and author of "The Emotional Lives of Animals," "but across mammals, they enjoy sex."

In fact the enjoyment of sex among humans and among animals may be similar in that it's all experienced in very primitive parts of the brain.

Not only do animals enjoy the deed, they also likely have orgasms, he said.

All that said, we can never completely know another being's emotional state, Bekoff points out, adding that it can even be hard to judge that of a human. And we can't ask a tomcat how his date went last night. Meow!

Palestinians Serenade Survivors in Israel

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A Palestinian youth orchestra came to play for a group of elderly Holocaust survivors in Israel yesterday, much to the dismay of many hardliners and moderates alike.

According to The New York Times, the Palestinians, were a group of musicians 12 to 17 years old from the Jenin refugee camp, once a notorious hotbed of militancy and violence.

Holocaust survivors and descendants of Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war would make bizarre companions at the best of times, but the Jenin camp strikes a particular note of discord.

The capital of suicide bombers to the Israelis and a symbol of resistance to the Palestinians, it was the scene of a bloody battle between advancing Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen in 2002.

Adding to the dissonance, one of Jenin's militant leaders was commonly known as Hitler, a nickname he had answered to since his teens.

Yet, bridges were mended for a short while on Wednesday and the politics of the conflict were put aside. The youths scratched at their violins and the Holocaust survivors clapped along.

"We are here to play," Wafaa Upimos, 51, the Israeli Arab orchestra director told the audience. "I do not believe in politicians, only musicians and these children."

The Palestinians spoke only Arabic; the survivors only Hebrew and their native European tongues.

Saudi Women Launch Lingerie Shop Boycott

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the Associated Press, some Saudi women have to go abroad to buy lingerie because they are too embarassed to discuss such intimate apparel with a male salesman. They have little choice: there are almost no saleswomen in Saudi Arabia.

Now a group of Saudi women--tired of having to deal with male sales staff when buying bras or panties not to mention frilly negligess or thongs--have launched a campaign this week to boycott lingerie stores until they employ women.

It's an irony of the kingdom's strict segregation of the sexes. Only men are employed as sales staff to keep women from having to deal with male customers or work around men.

But in lingerie stores, that means men are talking to women about bras or thongs, looking them up and down to determine their cup sizes, even rubbing the underwear to show how stains can be washed out.

The result is mortifying for everyone involved--shoppers, salesmen, even the male relatives who accompany the women.

"When I buy underwear in Saudi, some salesmen say, 'This is not the right size for you,'" said one woman. "You fell almost taken advantage of. Why is he looking at me in this way?"

Heba al-Akki, a businesswoman who supports the boycott, said when she shops for underwear, "I go to the store, pick this, this and that and leave quickly. It's like I'm buying illegal stuff."

It's not easy on the salesmen either.

At one lingerie boutique in a Riyadh mall, salesmen blushed when asked about their jobs. All said they back the campaign to hire female sales staff.

"Even in such open regions as the U.S. and Europe, men do not sell underwear to women," said store manager Husam al-Mutayim, an Eygptian. "I don't let any of my female relatives buy underwear from men. It's just too embarassing."

Under Saudi Arabia's strict interpretation of Islamic Law, women are required to cover themselves head-to-toe in black robes in public. But in the privacy of their own homes--and bedrooms--they can wear whatever they want and sexy undergarments are popular.

One Saudi woman recalls how her husband fled a lingerie store because he could not bear to hear her explain to a salesman that she wanted high-waisted underwear to hold in her tummy after their daughter's birth.

The boycott was launced on Tuesday by about 50 women who gathered in the Red Sea port of Jiddah.

Sean Penn joins 'Three Stooges.'

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to Access Hollywood, Oscar-winner Sean Penn is trading in the drama for some serious laughter (and a few eye pokes), in his next big-screen role.

Penn will star in "The Three Stooges," a rep for MGM has confirmed.

He will play "Stooge" Larry Fine, while Jim Carrey is in talks to play Jerome "Curly" Howard, the rep revealed.

In addition, producers are eying Benicio del Toro to step into the role of Moe.

The Farrelly brothers ("There's Something About Mary"), will direct the comedy, which is slated to begin shotting this fall.

The film will chronicle how the comedic trio came together.

Mexico Nabs One of 37 'Most Wanted' Drug Traffickers

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to Fox news, soldiers captured one of Mexico's most wanted drug smugglers, whose nickname "la burra"--female donkey-- belies his power as the alleged trafficker controlling drugs flowing through the northern city of Monterey.

Authorities announced the arrest of Hector Huerta Rios today, just hours before U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives for a two-day visit to discuss security issues and U.S. support for Mexico's battle against the drug cartels.

Huerta Rios was detained Tuesday in a suburb of Monterey, said Army Gen. Luis Arturo Oliver. He was one of the 37 top drug suspects on a most wanted list published Monday.

"We have information that as the rep of the Beltran Leyva cartel he held meeting with members of the Gulf cartel with the aim of agreeing on drug distribution zones in order to avoid clashes between the rival gangs," said a police source.

"Burro" or male donkey, is a common slang word for someone who transports drugs, but it was unclear if that was the reason for the nickname. Four men indentified as his bodyguards were detained along with him.

China Says Guide May Have Led Detained U.S. Journalists Into North Korea

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the Associated Press, two American journalists being held by North Korea may been been led across the border from China by a guide promising them exclusive footage of human trafficking or drug deals, an activisit who helped organize their trip said today.

The Rev. Chun Ki-won says he repeatedly warned Laura Ling and Euna Lee by phone not to stray into North Korean territory in the days before their March 17 detention.

Chun, who said he helped arrange their trip to China to report on North Korean refugees living in border towns, said the reporters kept in close contact, calling him twice daily. They followed his advice to the word and never mentioned wanting to sneak into North Korea, he said.

"They didn't tell me about in advance," he told The Associated Press.

The guide and a third American, cameraman Mitch Koss, reportedly escaped arrest last week but were detained by Chinese border guards. Koss has left the country. His whereabouts today were unclear.

The three journalists work for former Vice President Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV.

'Knowing' tops box office with $24.8 million

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Audiences knew what they wanted this weekend: Nicholas Cage and the apocalypse.

Summit Entertainment's supernatural thriller "Knowing," which stars Cage as an astrophysics professor who figures out how to predict monumental catastrophes, debuted at the No. 1 movie at the weekend box office with $24.8 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates today.

"Knowing" easily foiled "I Love You Man" and "Duplicity" the other films opening in wide release. "I Love You Man" was second with $18 million and "Duplicity" was third at $14.4 million.

Chemical Cowboys

Book Review

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

In 1995, DEA agent Robert Gagne received a late-night call from an informant: Two Israeli dealers were pushing a drug called Ecstasy in Manhattan's velvet-rope nightclubs. Gagne and his partner began infiltrating New York's underground clubs, discovering a rave scene pulsing with techno music, transgressive sex, and Ecstasy and other illegal drugs.

They followed leads to dealers in Miami, L.A. and Pittsburgh. By 1999, millions of Ecstasy pills were being smuggled every month from the Netherlands into the US by a loose network of Israeli organized criminals who used buxom strippers and Hasidic teens as mules while laundering hundreds of millions of dollars.

Gagne's main target was the Israeli fugitive Oded "Fat Man" Tuito, a notorious and elusive drug kingpin who pulled the strings of a multimillion dollar empire that spanned continents.

Chemical Cowboy tracks the agents' movements through Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany as they broke open Tuito's network.

This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and is a riveting tale of one man's obsessive pursuit of justice--and the personal cost of that obsession.

Author: Lisa Sweetingham
Ballantine Books.

Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A groundbreaking, unprecedented bestseller in Italy, Robert Saviano's insider account traces the decline of the city of Naples under the rule of the Camorra, an organized crime network more powerful and violent than the Mafia.

The Camorra is an elaborate, international system dealing in drugs, high fashion, construction, and toxic waste and its influence has entirely transformed life in Campania, the province surrounding Naples.

Since seeing his first murder victim, at 13, Roberto Saviano has watched the changes in his home city. For Gomorrah, he disappeared into the Camorra and witnessed at close range the audacious, sophisticated and far-reaching corruption that has paralyzed his home city and introduced the world to a new breed of organized crime.

"I was born in the land of Camorra, in the territory with the most homicides in Europe, where savagery is interwoven with commerce, where nothing has value except what generates power. Where everything has the taste of a final battle."

According to published reports, the book's author is currently in hiding in the United States and is under police protection.

Anti-Mafia March in Naples Draws Thousands

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Widows, children and grandchildren of many of those slain by Italy's various mafias were rallying in Naples to protest organized crime.

According to the Associated Press, the annual march on the first day of spring drew thousands of participants today along Naples' waterfront.

An Italian priest who runs a group called "Liberie" (Free), organizes the march and helps citizens fight organized crime.

Judges, prosectors and police officers are among those slaim over the decades by Cosa Nostra, the Camorra and the 'ndrangheta,' Italy's three big crime syndicates based in the south.

Priests, union leaders and journalists who have denounced the mob, as well as businessmen who refused extortion demands, have also been murdered.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano sent a message paying tribute to the victims.

N. Korea: 2 U.S. reporters held, investigated

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the Associated Press, two Americans were detained by North Korea for illegally crossing its border and were under investigation, the country's official news agency said today.

The two female U.S. journalists were arrested March 17 while "illegally intruding into the territory of North Korea by crossing the N. Korea-China border," the Korean Central News Agency said.

Authorities were investigating the case, KCNA said. The brief dispatch gave no further details.

South Korean media and a South Korean missionary identified the two Americans as Laura Ling, (sister of Oprah correspondent Lisa Ling), and Euna Lee, reporters for former Vice President Al Gore's San Francisco-based media outlet Current TV.

State Department officials said Washington is in contact with North Korea about the two detained journalists.

South Korean Pop Star Loses $8 Million Suit

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A jury has ordered the South Korean pop star and actor Rain, and his managers to pay more than $8 million in damages to a Hawaiian concert promoter for a canceled show, The Associated Press reported.

Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, was scheduled to perform at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on June 15, 2007, but canceled a fews days before the concert date. At the trial, lawyers for the promoter argued that Rain had never intended to perform and that his crew had never shipped the equipment or applied for visas.

Rain testitifed that his stage was not set up correctly and that he would was not involved in the decision to cancel the show. Promoters in Los Angeles have filed a similar suit, after a planned Rain concert at Staples Center was canceled hours before show time.

Was Jackie Mason's Obama remark racist?

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Is comedian Jackie Mason "such a relic that he doesn't fully understand the implications of his own verancular?" said Cheryl Taragin in the Examiner.com. During a recent performance, Mason called President Obama a "schvartze," which is Yiddish for black. This is unacceptable. "Like blackface and other hurtful stereotypes, certain references are layered in hateful nuances and preconceived notions."

This isn't the first time Mason has come under attack for using that word, said Eric Fingerhut in the Jewish Telegraph Agency. Twenty years ago, Mason "got in trouble" when he referred to then-New York maor candidate David Dinkins as a "fancy schvartze with a mustache." And "not to make excuses for Mason," but much of "act for decades has involved making fun of various ethnic groups."

"Let's be honest," said Joseph Farah in World Net Daily. "If you criticize Barack Obama today, you run the risk of being labeled a racist"--witness the fact that Jackie Mason "is being marginalized, stereotyped and demonized." People really need to give it a rest. Jackie Mason is a comedian and he "doesn't like Barack Obama because of his politics--not because of skin color."

Osama Bin Laden's niece set for rare live U.K. gig

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Osama Bin Laden's estranged niece, Wafah Dufour, was set to play a rare live concert with her band in a trendy east London bar a month after she was told to cancel live performances, according to Al-Aribiya.

The singer who once said she was sick of being associated with her al-Qaeda leading uncle, was set to play on Thursday night at Old Blue Last, which has hosted the likes of U.K. artists Amy WInehouse and Kate Nash.

Dufour had previously cancelled a live gig, scheduled for Friday, after she was advised by her management company to pull all live commitments. She is currently recording her debut album with her dance/rock band.

Dufour's father is Yeslam Bin Laden, Osama's half brother, but she was born and raised in NYC and says she has no contact with most of her relatives who live in Saudi Arabia.

Angry Korean Restaurant Staff Chases Befuddled Diner

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

We've all heard of pushy restaurant staff at some eateries, but this is ridiculous! According to a source, as his friend was exiting the Korean cafe Hite Kwangjang on the northwest corner of Wilshire and Western, an angry waiter chased after him and demanded a bigger tip
than the one he already left.

The befuddled diner told the restaurant worker that a tip is optional to begin with, never mind the actual amount, but they kept insisting he leave a bigger one.

This sounds like a cornball shakedown-- the kind you read about that occurs to naive tourists in some Third World countries. But this was trendy Koreatown folks in Los Angeles.

The harrassed diner has decided to boycott Hite Kwangjang and hopes others do too.

Adventurous Tourists Visit Iraq

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Alternative Spring Break or crazy tourists with a death wish? Tourism in Iraq is the latest adventure travel as the war-scarred country received its first group of Western tourists since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said today.

The group of eight tourists--five Britons, two Americans and a Canadian--arrived on March 8 and toured Iraq's landmark historic sites, including the Biblical city of Babylon, fabled home to the Hanging Gardens.

Their three week trip was organized by a British adventure tour operator.

"This is the first group since the regime's fall," said a source. "We expect these tourists will convey a positive message to their citizens back home that the situation in Iraq is good."

They were not the first tourists though, with an intrepid Italian gaining momentary fame last month for wandering into Falluja and declaring himself a "tourist" before being hustled out by authorities who sent him packing, according to The New York Times.

But according to Al-Aribiya, Iraqi tourism is making a comeback, though it is still thwarted by shortages of hotels, facilities and infrastructure after six years of war and decades of dictatorship.

Iraq, part of a region known as the cradle of civilization, has countless archaeological and religious sites but decades of war have shut the doors to foreign tourist groups.

Liam Neeson's Next Steps

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the tragic death of actress Natasha Richardson has led her husband, Liam Neeson, to set aside his career, at least for the moment.

Projects for Neeson, who left the Toronto set of the drama "Chloe" to be by his wife's side after she suffered a head injury while skiing Monday, are understandably on hold for the Irish actor.

The actress' death came just as Neeson was experiencing a career resurgence following the success of his most recent film, "Taken." On the heels of "Taken," the actor has been under consideration for "Unknown White Male," an international thriller that Joel Silver is producing for Warners to distribute.

The immediate prospects of other projects Neeson has been weighing also are uncertain. Chloe began shooting last month, but is is not clear how far along Neeson's scenes have come, and how a hiatus might affect production.

The Irish actor has long been attached to "Lincoln," a long-gestating historical film Steven Spielberg has been developing about the life and circumstances of the 16th president during the time of the Civil War. The project was not expected to go imminently, but Neeson's uncertain status could further cloud its fate.

Quick treatment could have saved Richardson

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the Associated Press, actress Natasha Richardson died from bleeding in her skull caused by the fall she took on a ski slope, an autopsy found today. The medical examiner ruled her death an accident, and doctors said she might have survived had she received immediate treatment.

Richardson suffered from an epidural hematoma, which causes bleeding between the skull and the brain's covering, said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the New York City medical examiner's office.

"This is a very treatable condition if you're aware of what the problem is and the patient is quickly transfererred to a hospital," said Dr. Keith Siller of NYU Langone Medical center. "But there is very little time to correct this."

It remained unclear today exactly how she was injured. Resort officials have said only that she fell on a beginner's trail and later reported not feeling well.

Broadway theaters intended to dim their lights tonight in honor of Richardson. Theater marquees will be dimmed for one minute at 8p.m.

"The Broadway community is shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our finest young actresses. Her theatrical lineage is legendary, but her own singular talent shined memorably on any stage she appeared," said Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League.

Reports: Natasha Richardson Taken Off Life Support

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Tony-award winning actress Natasha Richardson was taken off life support at New York City's Lennox Hill Hospital today, according to the New York Post and noted columnist Liz Smith.

Richardson's mother, actress Vanessa Redgrave, her sister, Joely Richardson, her two young sons and her husband actor Liam Neeson have been standing vigil at her bedside.

Sources close to Richardson told Fox news on Tuesday that the 45-year-old actress had been declared brain dead after suffering a skiing accident on a beginners slope.

Liam Neeson accompanied his wife to New York from Montreal, where Richardson was seen wrapped in blankets, "in an intensive-care bed, tubes covering her face," as she was put into an ambulance on Tuesday and driven to a prive plane. Neeson was crouched down inside the back of the amblance and "looked extremely worried," according to one report.

'Smart drug' may be habit-forming

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the Associated Press, a so-called "smart drug" popular with young people may carry more of an addiction risk than thought, a government study suggests.

Scans of 10 healthy men showed that the prescription drug Provigil caused changes in the brain's pleasure center, very much like potentially habit-forming classic stimulants.

"It would be wonderful if one could take a drug and be smarter, faster or have more energy," said Dr. Nora Vokow, director of the national Inst. on Drug Abuse. "But that is like fairy tales. We currently have nothing that has those benefits without side effects."

Effects were measured by PET scans, which showed that the drug increased dopamine, the brain's "feel-good" neurotransmitters.

The new study is the first human evidence that a typical dose of modafinil affects dopamine in the brain as mch as a dose of Ritalin, which has clear potential for dependence.

Natasha Richardson Brain Dead After Ski Accident

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Sources close to Tony-award winning actress Natasha Richardson tell FOX news that the 45-year-old actress is brain dead and being transported back to NYC before she is to be taken off life support.

Richardson's condition deteriorated following a skiing accident on a beginner's trail in the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec, Canada.

Richardson, who is married to actor Liam Neeson, had been reported in serious condition after a head injury by multiple outlets.

"We know that she has had a terrible accident but we really do not know any more details," said Kika Markham, who is married to Richardson's uncle. "We are very concerned."

Neeson left the set of a movie he was filming in Toronto to be by his wife's side.

Silver Believed He Was Blacklisted

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the New York Post, actor Ron Silver believed he was blacklisted by Hollywood and that the Hollywood blacklist still exists. It's no longer aimed at Communists and their fellow travelers from the Cold War.

Now it's aimed at Republicans. Long before Ron Silver was diagnosed with cancer, the actor was dead as far as his career was concerned.

"After I made that speech for President George W. Bush at the Republican convention here in Manhattan (in 2004), Hollywood and Broadway dried up on me," Silver told radio station magnate William O'Shaughnessy last year. "The phone stopped ringing...nada....not a thing."

St. Patrick's Day: Facts and Legends

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

To mark St. Patrick's Day, Faith Central has compiled 10 celebratory tidbits, some myth, some fact on the Patron Saint of the Irish.

1. The potato crop was traditionally planted in Ireland after March 17.
2. Blue, not green is the color originally associated with St. Patrick. "St. Patrick's Blue" is used on Ireland's Presidential Standard or flag. Wearing green was a symbol from the 18th century on, of sympathy with Irish independence.
3. St. Patrick is patron of fishermen the Loire, where a legend associates him with a blackthorn bush. The saint is said to have slept beneath it and when he awoke the next day, X-mas, the bush flowered and was said to have continued to do so every Christmas until its destruction during the First World War.
4.The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in 1737 in Boston, followed in 1762 by New York. George Washington allowed his soldiers a holiday on March 17.
5. Until the 1970's, all pubs were shut in Ireland on Patrick's Day and the sole venue selling drink was the annual dog show.
6. According to legend, on the day of Judgement, while Christ judges all other nations, St. Patrick will be the judge of the Irish.
7. Since 1962 tons of green dye are tipped on St. Patrick's Day into the Chicago River, although quantity has reduced for environmental reasons from 100 to 40.

Cops Bust Upscale Prostitution Ring

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Police in Houston, Texas say they have busted a prostitution ring that may involve more than 1,500 clients, including professional athletes, doctors and lawyers.

Investigators were scouring computer files and credit card records on Monday, trying to verify a large client list that could ignite scandals throughout the city, CNN affiliate station KHOU reported.

Police arrested alleged ringleaders Deborah Turbville and her husband, Charlie, as part of a two-year investigation, the affiliate reported.

Turbville called herself the "Heidi Fleiss of Houston," referring to a woman who was dubbed the "Hollywood Madam" for providing call girls to famous and wealthy clients, police say.

Turbville, who reportedly recruited prostitutes through the online site Craigslist, was in court yesterday on a charge of promotion of prostitution.

Investigators said the women met their clients in upscale hotels and charged about $350 an hour, the affiliate reported. Clients also met prostitutes in a luxurious three-bedroom apartment, according to the police.

Ireland, U.K. to air 'The Simpsons'

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to Variety, an Irish-themed episode of "The Simpsons" will debut today in Ireland and the U.K.--the first time the show has ever premiered an episode outside of the United States.

"Simpsons" exec producers James L. Brooks and Al Jean, as well as the voices of Bart, Nancy Cartwright, will be in Dublin to show the episode, which revolves around homer and his dad as they travel to Ireland and open a pub.

The St. Patrick's Day-themed event is just part of the yearlong News Corp.-wide 20th-annual celebration for "The Simpsons."

Stateside, Fox is dispatching people dressed as Marge Simpson to bars in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco. "Marge" will pass out codes for "Simpsons" cell phone wallpaper and ringtones.

The Ireland episode, titled "In the Name of the Grandfather," airs in the United States on Sunday.

'Model' Female robot to Hit Japan Catwalk

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

According to the Associated Press, a new walking, talking robot from Japan has a female face that can smile and has trimmed down to 95 pounds to make a debut at a fashion show. But it still hasn't cleared safety standards required to share the catwalk with human models. Nor is she ready to help out with the daily chores or work side by side with people--as many hope robots will be able to do in the future.

"Even as a fashion model, people in the industry told us she was short and had a rather ordinary figure," said Hirohisa Hirukawa, one of the robot's designers.

For now, 62.2 inches tall black-haired robot code-named HRP-4C--whose predecessor had weighed 128 pounds--will mainly serve to draw attention and entertain crowds.

Developers said the robot may be used in amusement parks or to perform simulations of human movement, as an exercise instructor, for instance.

Japan boasts one of the leading robotics industries in the world, and the government is pushing to develop the industry as a road to growth. Even Honda Motor has gotten into the act with Asimo, a robot which can walk and talk, although it doesn't pretend to look human.

Natasha Richardson Critical After Ski Accident

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

IrishCenteral.com has learned that famed actress Natasha Richardson, wife of Irish superstar Liam Neeson, has been critically injured in Canada, according to an insider at the Montreal hospital to which she was taken.

Richardson, who was set to co-star with her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, in a Broadway revival of "A Little Night Music," was apparently injured in a ski accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury.

A rep for the film "Chloe" which Neeson has been filming in Toronto, told Candadian TV that Neeson left the set to be with his wife.

"Liam Neeson left the Toronto set immediately to fly to Montreal upon the accident," the rep said in a statement. Our thoughts and prayers are with Liam and Natasha."

Ms. Richardson starred in the films "Patty Hearst," (1988), "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Comfort of Strangers" (1990), "Nell," and "The Parent Trap" (1998).

Feds to Go After Ruth Madoff's Assets

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Federal prosecutors have notified a New York court that they also seek the assets of Bernard Madoff's wife, including a lavish silverware set and a $39,000 piano.

The move by prosecutors seek the court's help in recovering of the Jadoff properties, especially those kept in Ruth Madoff's name.

In a court filing, the government said it will seek the $7 million Manhattan penthouse as well as another $63 million that Ruth Madoff had sought to keep.

The assets that the government hopes to seize include four properties, $10 million in home furnishings and a $7 million yacht in France. The court document did not mention $2.6 million in jewelry, but the government did say it would seek forfeiture of "all insured and readily salable personal property" in any of the Madoff properties.

Also among the items listed in the court filing were several cars, fishing boats, a $65,000 silverware set and a $39,000 Steinway piano.

Texas Jail Becomes 'Animal House.'

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

For months, perhaps longer, the Montague County Jail was "Animal House" meets Mayberry.

According to the Associated Press, inside the small brick building across from the courthouse, inmates had the run of the place, having sex with their jailer girlfriends, bringing in recliners, taking drugs and chatting on cell phones supplied by friends or guards, according to authorities. They also disabled some of the surveillance cameras and made weapons out of nails.

The doors to two groups of cells didn't lock, but apparently no one tried to escape--perhaps because they had everything they needed inside.

The jailhouse escapades--some of which date to 2006--have rocked Montague, a farming and ranching town of several hundred people near the Oklahoma line, about 65 miles northwest of Fort Worth.

There were whispers in the past year about an affair between a female jailer and male inmate, but folks dismissed the rumors as small-town gossip. It wasn't until late last month, when a Texas grand jury returned a 106-court indictment against the former sheriff and 16 others, that the inmates-gone-wild scandal broke wide open.

Local state and federal authorities are still trying to figure out how this small-town Texas jail was turned into something resembling a frat house.

The new sheriff, Paul Cunningham, said he was stunned while touring the jail for the first time that he saw partitions made of paper towels that blocked jailers' view into cells, and pills scattered about.

Cunningham immediately ordered the jail closed and moved the nearly 60 inmates to another institution.

"It literally scared me--not for myself but for the employees," Cunningham said. "How somebody kept from being killed was beyond me."

Bye Bye Barbie--Hello Fulla.

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

She celebrates her 50th birthday this year and her loyal fans are delighted she has survived the vicissitudes of those five decades without a grey hair, a wrinkle or even a surplus inch. She is of course, Barbie, the doll who has been an inspirational role model for generations of young girls, even in the Middle East.

According to Al-Aribiya, Barbie is sometimes criticized in the Arab world as a symbol of western cultural imperialism, along with Hollywood movies and American television. Which is why in the Arab world, Barbie is no longer the only doll in town: since 2003, she has had an Arab rival--Fulla, created as an alternative to Barbie, one that reflects Muslim values.

Barbie may remain the No 1 choice for young Arab girls; but the emergence of dolls such as Fulla at least gives them a choice that they can identify with. They may be only toys, but this diversity is seen as a central force in developing the region's cultural identity in a globalised world.

Fulla, is a role model for Muslim girls, illustrating how their parents would like them to dress and behave. Fulla's personality was designed to be "loving, caring, honest, and respecting of her mother and father."

Two careers are open to her, she can be a teacher or a doctor, which her creators see as suitable aspirations for young Muslim women. She also has two friends, and a little brother and sister but no boyfriend like Barbie's Ken. Fulla has two sets of clothing: more revealing outfits to wear at home but garments that cover the arms, legs, neck and often the hair, to wear in public.

And, interestingly, while the two dolls are different in almost every respect, they do have one thing in common. They are both made in China.