Obama Vetoes Keystone XL Bill, The Third Veto Of His Presidency

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama formally vetoed legislation authorizing the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline on Tuesday, the latest development in what has become an ongoing standoff between him and congressional Republicans over approval of the controversial pipeline.

This is only the third veto of Obama's presidency, but it's likely not the last. Congressional Republicans are poised to send a number of other measures to Obama's desk that he is expected to reject, including changes to his signature health care reform law.

Obama vetoed the bill on Tuesday afternoon, hours after it was sent over from the Hill. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in the day's press briefing that the president planned to veto it "without any drama or fanfare or delay."

"The Presidential power to veto legislation is one I take seriously," Obama wrote in a veto message he sent back to the Senate. "But I also take seriously my responsibility to the American people. And because this act of Congress conflicts with established executive branch procedures and cuts short thorough consideration of issues that could bear on our national interest -- including our security, safety, and environment -- it has earned my veto."

The House passed the measure authorizing construction of the pipeline on Feb. 11, two weeks after the Senate approved the same legislation. Congressional Republicans held a signing ceremony and waited until after the weeklong Presidents Day recess to send it to Obama's desk.

The White House had repeatedly threatened to veto the legislation, arguing that it preempted an ongoing process at the Department of State to evaluate whether the pipeline should be constructed. Because the proposed pipeline crosses an international border, the department can decide whether to grant a permit for the project. Comments from other federal agencies were due in early February, and the State Department is expected to issue its decision sometime in the coming weeks.

If the secretary of state and president decide the pipeline is in the national interest, they will issue a permit to TransCanada, the company seeking to build the pipeline, allowing it to move forward with construction. The bill from Congress, however, would buck the "longstanding process for evaluating whether projects like this are in the best interests of the country," Earnest said Tuesday.

But Republicans and some Democrats in Congress have accused the president of taking too long to make a decision on the proposed pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada's oil sands to refineries in Texas. Nine Senate Democrats and 29 House Democrats voted for the bill. "After 2,349 days, time is about to be up for President Obama's dodge on the Keystone XL pipeline," the Republican leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee said in a press release Tuesday, shortly after sending the bill to the president's desk.

Even with the bill vetoed, Keystone is expected to be a recurring theme for Republican leadership. There are not enough votes to override the veto at this point, however.

Environmental groups, which have been urging the president to veto the bill and reject the pipeline permit altogether, celebrated the veto. "This misguided Keystone XL bill, pushed by the fossil fuel industry, has met its just and expected doom," Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. "The president got it exactly right by vetoing it."

This post has been updated with text from Obama's veto message.

Oscars 2015

Sunday night’s Oscars telecast will no doubt be debated for days to come, as viewers chew over the winners (congratulations, Birdman!) and the losers (condolences, Boyhood!), and argue whether the show’s 126-hour running time was warranted (you can read our review of the show here). But at least we can all agree on this: There were some great moments this year, and some decidedly not-so-great ones, with host Neil Patrick Harris occasionally responsible for both! Here’s our take on the night’s highs and lows:

HIGH: NPH gets right to the music. Whatever the over/under was on how long it would take for former Tonys host to get to the singing and dancing — we’re guessing it was one minute — he defied all expectations. After a quick and pointed elephant-in-the-room burn addressing the #OscarsSoWhite controversy (“Tonight we honor Hollywood’s best and whitest… sorry, brightest”), Harris launched right into a tune called “Moving Pictures.” It was a silly, merry affair that would make Billy Crystal proud, complete with dancing stormtroopers, golden age-nostalgia (check out that song title), not to mention celebrity guests Anna Kendrick and Jack Black. Speaking of which…

HIGH: Jack Black’s scene-stealing, sing-along spiel. The Tenacious D/School of Rock funnyman emerged from his seat, mic in hand, and launched into a cranky diatribe against “Hollywood baloney,” accusing the industry of “chasing Chinese bucks,” and bemoaning the deluge of “superheroes, Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, Jedi-Man, Sequelman, and Prequelman.” As Patton Oswalt noted on Twitter, “Jack Black played the part of Everyone At The New Beverly Cinema in that opening number.” Translation: Film buffs loved it.

LOW: NPH Groaners. As much as we love Harris, some of his jokes and gags misfired badly. There was a strange analogy in which he compared the box-office gross of American Sniper with Oprah (huh?); the small talk with seat-fillers that went nowhere; that tired bit with David Oyelowo about British accents sounding better; and, of course, that whole stunt with his predictions-packed briefcase — a gag that went on way too long, and arrived at a time when everyone was ready for the show to end. Yes, he had some winners (calling out Benedict Cumberbatch as what you get when you ask John Travolta to introduce Ben Affleck) but for the most part, his jokes were a lot of set-up without much pay-off.

HIGH: Watching winners play chicken with the orchestra. When Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski (Ida) began going long while accepting the Oscar for Best Foreign-language Film, the orchestra began to swell. But Pawlikowski refused to give in, and then something amazing happened: The music actually stopped. Perhaps inspired by our intrepid orchestra-challenger, Best Live Action Short directors Matt Kirkby and James Lucas followed suit moments later, accepting for The Phone Call, and refusing to yield their yakking. If only American winners could be so bold…

LOW: Joan Rivers missing from the “In Memoriam” segment.Yes, she wasn’t technically a “movie person”: Her big-screen résumé is pretty much relegated to writing and directing the much-maligned 1978 Billy Crystal comedy Rabbit Test and providing a voice forSpaceballs. (Not to mention being the subject of the moving 2010 documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.) But she is forever linked with the Oscars for what she did for the pregame show, turning the red carpet into an event nearly as big as the ceremony itself. Yes, Academy purists may sniff that her “Who are you wearing?” approach distracted from the celebration of cinema, but to ignore her impact on the show is pure snobbery. (Other notable RIP snubs: Elaine Stritch, Richard “Jaws” Kiel from the Roger Moore-era James Bond films, and Taylor Negron from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Punchline, and many other eighties comedies.)

HIGH: Emotional speeches. The thank-yous extended far beyond just gratitude this year, with a number of winners using the airtime to touch on weighty topics. Best Supporting Actress winner Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) made a rousing call for equal pay for women, stoking the audience — especially Oscar queen Meryl Streep, whom she’d just beaten for the Oscar. Meanwhile, Dana Perry, the producer of Best Documentary Short winner Crisis Hotline, dedicated her award to her son, whom she lost to suicide. And Best Actress victor Julianne Moore (Still Alice) got emotional talking about one of her co-directors, Richard Glatzer, who couldn’t attend because he’s been battling ALS.

But it was Imitation Game screenwriter Graham Moore who delivered perhaps the most poignant speech of the night, revealing he attempted suicide when he was 16 years old, and adding, “I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. You do. Stay weird. Stay different, and then when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage please pass the same message along.”
Also giving an inspiring speech: Best Supporting Actor winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) urged everyone watching to call – not text or email – their parents and thank them. Which we’ll totally do this week, once we’re finished arguing over what should have won Best Picture.

LOW: John Travolta gets creepy. The actor was offered a chance at Oscars redemption a year after infamously mangling the pronunciation of Frozen singer Idina Menzel’s name. When she brought him out to announce the Best Original Song category, however, Travolta got handsy with her, first wrapping himself around her waist, then cupping her chin while creepily muttering “my darling, my beautiful,” and then going back in around the waist. It was the second time of the evening Travolta was criticized for being too touchy-feely: Earlier, he was snapped delivering an unsolicited smooch on Scarlett Johansson’s face while photobombing her on the red carpet.

HIGH: Common and John Legend bring the house down, and bring the stars to tears. Selma may have been at the center of the so-called #Oscars SoWhite controversy, but the film owned the night, even if it was only for a few fleeting moments during the rousing performance of the Best Original Song-winning soul-rap track “Glory” by John Legend and Common. The entertainers led a large, multi-cultural chorus over a bridge erected on stage, and Legend closed the number with a powerful a cappella refrain. It drew a standing ovation from the crowd, and cameras captured stars David Oyelowo (who played MLK) and Chris Pine (who was just really moved) with tears streaming down their faces.

LOW: The cheesifying of already-cheesy ’80s hits. Throughout the show, the orchestra played snippets of Oscar-nominated songs to welcome presenters or go to commercial, and they favored tunes from the eighties that are part of everyone’s karaoke shortlist: “Against All Odds,” “The Power of Love,” “Take My Breath Away,” “Up Where We Belong,” “Eye of the Tiger,” to name just a few. However, when put through Oscar orchestration, they came out like hilariously hokey Muzak – versions you would equate with a dentist chair. By the time the Academy uncool machine got to a bar mitzvah version of Kenny Loggins’ “I’m Alright” from Caddyshack (a song that was never even nominated), it felt like our nation’s love of nostalgia had been given a cold shower.

HIGH AND LOW: Lady Gaga comes alive with The Sound of Music. The Academy celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic with a performance by the newly engaged Lady Gaga, who beautifully belted out a rolling medley that included “The Hills Are Alive,” “Edelweiss,” and “Climb Every Mountain.” This one gets a mixed a grade – a high for Gaga’s voice and show(wo)manship, but a low for coming so late in the show, with TV audiences tired and eager for a wrap. It would’ve played even better during one of those earlier slots dedicated to NPH’s predictions briefcase.

HIGH: Terrence Howard(?) In an otherwise relatively uneventful ceremony, the Empire star had social media buzzing, speculating, and WTFing for his overly emotional presentation that introduced three of the night’s Best Picture contenders. First there was his trail-off while describing Whiplash, where he appeared to go off script and just called it “mind-blowing.” He seemed to be on the verge of tears when moving onto the next film … which might’ve made a little more sense if it was the Civil Rights-era MLK drama Selma. It was not: it was The Imitation Game. “I’m blown away right now myself,” Howard said, wethink about the Alan Turing story. It appears he then went back on script, but audibly bumped into the microphone during a cut to one of its stars, Keira Knightley. The New York Observer had the most logical explanation, tweeting: “100 percent believe that Terrence Howard’s prompter just broke. No way he loves the #ImitationGame that much.”

The Roving Reporter : Teen stops car to shovel snow for man with walker

NOTTOWAY COUNTY, Va. -- 
A Nottoway High School senior who spends snow days clearing snow and ice from neighborhood driveways and sidewalks saw something out of his mother's car window that compelled him to tell her to stop the car.

Teresa Adams and her son Tommy were driving home from the DMV when they drove past an older man who was trying to shovel snow from his driveway. The man was using a walker to get around.

"Tommy said 'Mamma stop the car,'" Teresa Adams recalled. "I got scared and asked 'what's wrong?'"
He said, "there's an older man with a walker shoveling snow -- I'll help him out," she added.

Tommy approached the man and asked him for the snow shovel.
"He looked surprised," Teresa said. "I was so proud, I started to cry." Teresa snapped a photo of her son's good deed. That photo was later shared on the WTVR CBS 6 News Facebook page.

"He was relieved; he looked tired," Tommy said. "I told him to get back into his car because it was cold. Other people who saw him in the snow should have had the decency to stop."
Tommy said it appeared a plow had driven by and built up the snow on the man's driveway along Old Nottoway Road. He said the snow was deep and it took him more than 15 minutes to clear the driveway for the man.

"He said 'God bless you, the world needs more people like you,'" Tommy recalled.

Tommy said he did not catch the man's name, but he was glad he was there to help.

"I try to do good for the elderly because one day I may need help too," Tommy said.

The  Roving  Reporter :

Oscar Pistorius: Prosecutors one step closer to murder conviction as anniversary of girlfriend's death approaches

Prosecutors today confirmed they are pushing ahead with plans to appeal Oscar Pistorius' culpable homicide conviction for killing his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

South African prosecutors - who want the Paralympian to instead be convicted for murder - revealed it had filed papers to the High Court as the two-year anniversary of Steenkamp's death approaches.

The Paralympic athlete was jailed for five years in October after he was convicted of killing his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013.

He was cleared of her murder, but found guilty of culpable homicide - or manslaughter.

However prosecutors plan to challenge the decision, and have been given permission to appeal.

They will now seek a murder conviction and, if successful, the Blade Runner faces 15 years in jail.
As reported by Eyewitness News, the National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Velekhaya Mgobhozi said today: “The NPA confirms that on 6 February 2015 it has filed a notice on the defence and then again on 9 February 2015, we filed a notice at the High Court of Pretoria and the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.”

Oscar Pistorius 'lost it' after learning he could still face a charge of murder for shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp, reports in South Africa suggested last year.
According to the South Africa Times, Pistorius was listening to the hearing in jail via a radio.

The result is said to have sent him into a rage, a prisoner told the newspaper.

"He got up and stomped. He went straight to the gym," said the fellow inmate at Pretoria's Kgosi Mampuru II prison, where Pistorius is behind bars.

"He started lifting weights like it was going out of fashion. He is p***ed off.
"Who wouldn't be? He was definitely expecting to be out by August."

Pistorius was sentenced to five years in jail for culpable homicide but had been expected to be released on house arrest in August next year.

Legal experts say that is now doubtful.

Speaking before the Blade Runner's trial judge Thokozile Masipa last year, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said he wished to appeal the conviction on questions of law.

He claimed the legal principles applied in reaching the culpable homicide verdict were "erroneous", and that the court did not take the case's circumstantial evidence into consideration in its entirety.

He went on to say that the court found Pistorius had the intention to shoot that night, but not the intention to kill.

But Nel questioned how the athlete could not have foreseen the consequences of his actions.

Delivering her ruling on the prosecution's application to appeal, Judge Masipa said: "I cannot say the prospect of success at the Supreme Court is remote."

However, the judge refused the prosecution team permission to appeal the length of Pistorius' five year jail sentence.

Nel had argued that the jail term was "shockingly inappropriate", but Judge Masipa said she was not convinced by that argument and refused the application.

Pistorius' father Henke told reporters after the ruling: "I don't want to say anything before it's decided, but it shouldn't have gone this far."


A later statement from the Pistorius family said: "We note the finding of the Court and abide by the ruling."

I guess Justin enjoys being pelted with eggs....Why?



Your Roving Reporter : Man Writes Love Letters to his Wife Everyday for 40 Years

 One New Jersey man may have discovered the secret to a lasting marriage.

For nearly 40 years, 74-year-old Bill Bresnan has written a love letter to his wife Kristen every day. And nothing gets in his way.

"I give her the cards just before we go to bed. I draw them, sometimes during the day. Sometimes I buy them if I happen to be somewhere. If Kris is away I mail it to wherever she is going to be," he said.

His wife keeps the love filed chronologically in more than 20 boxes in the attic.
She says, "They mean everything, really, to me. I would be so heartbroken if there was a night when I didn't get a card."

But the Bresnans will have to stick it out a few more years to meet the record for longest marriage.

Last week, Dale and Alice Rockey were given a national award for being the longest married couple in America: 81 years. And they still act like newlyweds.

Love is  grand . 
My  son  been with his  wife  for  15 years . He  writes her  love  letters  and  leave  little  notes  and  cards  for  her each day .  When he or  she  is  out  of  town , he  always  send  her  one  for each day . 
I  read  a few of  the  letters  when he or  she was away  and  he  seems  to be  making  love to her .  Ladies  and  gentlemen , believe  me  when I say that boy loves  her with a passion and it  seems  to   grow  stronger  each  year  ,  4  kids  later . 

Your Roving  Reporter :    G.

Celebrities Who Aged Quickly and Badly

Sorry, those of you who came of age in the late ’80s and early ’90s… your icons are now human wreckage who rub your nose in mortality. There’s something to be said about dying young and leaving a pretty corpse. While we certainly wouldn’t wish that fate upon anyone, there are some people whose legacies would be a lot better off if they did heed the cliched rock and roll slogan. Some of them look like they are 'Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven's Door.'

The Pictures say it all.

Ozzy Osbourne

Goldie Hawn

Brigitte Bardot

Kirstie Alley

Axl Rose

Elsa Patton

Joan Van Ark

Haley Joel Osment

Heather Locklear

Melanie Griffith

Carrie Fisher

Eddie Furlong

It’s a shame that some of these celebs are no longer recognizable, because everyone on this list actually looked pretty good when they were young. May this be a lesson for us all to watch our bad habits and not succumb to temptations of having too much work done.
And yet there are a few stars who don't seem to age at all, like the guys below:

STARS WHO DON"T SEEM TO AGE

Tom Cruise: in his fifties

Marisa Tomei: Just turned 50

Halle Berry almost 50

Susan Sarandon: 65

Jullianne Moore: 55

John Stamos:52

Keanu Reeves: 51

We have dozens more but you get the idea.

Your Roving Reporter :The Players in Benton Celebrate 80 Years of Marriage this Year , Their Oak Anniversary.

Their milestone was recognized Thursday by Gov. Bobby Jindal, who held a reception honoring 10 of the state's longest married couples who were inducted into Louisiana Family Forum's Marriage Hall of Fame. The Players were unable to attend, but Louisiana Family Forum will host a Valentine's Day reception at the couple's home in Benton Saturday.

Husband Lawrence Player is now 101 and wife Varrie Player is 95. Though the couple decided not to observe their Jan. 27 anniversary with a large family gathering as they have anniversaries past, they did mark the occasion by imparting some wisdom on what's made their marriage so longstanding.

"All you have to do is be loyal toward each other. Make sure you agree on the things you are doing. Be loyal, and when you plan to do or build something, both need to come along in agreement," Lawrence said, seated next to his wife in the living room of their Benton home where they've lived more than 50 years.

The home is one street over from the church where they met. They were married in 1935 at Varrie's mother's home nearby on Highway 160 outside of town. Varrie was 16 and Lawrence was 21.

The Players claim they've never had a fight in 80 years.

Husband Lawrence Player is now 101 and wife Varrie Player is 95. They live across from the Benton church where they met. (Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)

"I might have been quarrelsome, but we never had a fight or fuss. I've never had a lick. He's never hit me," Varrie said, wearing a red suit to match her husband's red shirt worn under overalls, a tribute to Valentine's Day.

The couple's youngest daughter, Barbara Player, lives next door to her parents. She can't recall one argument between them, though she admits it's hard to believe there wasn't even at least one that happened in private.

Asked for the secret to a happy and successful union, Lawrence said it's important to treat the other person how you want to be treated.

Lawrence and Varrie Player have been married for 80 years.

"I haven't had a fight or an argument with anyone all my life. I just know how to treat people. I've had nothing but friends all the way through," he said.

Lawrence said his wife's mother made him promise he'd never become angry and hit Varrie, and that if he ever tired of her, he'd send her home.

"I never got tired of her," he said.

According to Barbara, Varrie has cooked three meals a day for Lawrence since they were married, which has kept him happy.

"And I mean cook. She doesn't open a can of something. She cooks — even makes homemade biscuits," she said.

Lawrence said he told Varrie before they were married that if she cooked his lunch and kept his clothes clean, "that's all she has to do. And that's what she done."

The couple's youngest son, Oscar Player, now the pastor at New Light Methodist Church where his parents met, said, from observing his parents, he has learned treating others with kindness goes a long way.

"And no matter how tough times become, you still can make it. You can survive," he said.

The Player union in 1935 has built a legacy of nearly 100 — 9 children, 37 grandchildren, 58 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.

Barbara said the family's success has been in the way her parents have approached their marriage.

"I learned from them how to love. They taught us we need to treat people like we want them to treat us," she said. "That, and I guess it was prayer."

Longest-married couples

The Louisiana Family Forum honored Louisiana's longest-married couples during a special reception at the Governor's Mansion in Baton Rouge on Thursday.

The five honorees, married 72 years and above, in attendance were: George and Laura Harris, of Baton Rouge; Joseph and Felicie Rogillio, of Rosedale; Charles and Rita Serio, of Morganza; Arnold and Olga Jones, of Junction City; and Charles and Helen Simon of Mansura. Lawrence and Varrie, of Benton, did not attend.

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth.” - William W. Purkey -Photos taken at Flower Power florist in Shreveport. (Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)

Your  Roving Reporter

John Travolta & Kelly Preston : Two Sides to Every Story ... You be the Judge

From The  National Enquirer :
WORLD EXCLUSIVE: THE END FOR JOHN TRAVOLTA & KELLY PRESTON?!
by NATIONAL ENQUIRER STAFF

John Travolta’s ugly court showdown with his former gay lover has exploded into a bitter behind-the-scenes divorce war with wife Kelly Preston following a series of sizzling revelations about the Hollywood megastar’s twisted double life!

In a crippling blow to the couple’s 23-year marriage, a secret witness is prepared to come forward to unleash stunning and fresh details about the “Pulp Fiction” star in his legal feud with Doug Gotterba, the former pilot who has claimed he had a six-year gay affair with John when he worked for him in the 1980s, sources have told The National ENQUIRER.

The one-time lovers are locked in a battle to determine whether or not Doug signed a confidentiality agreement that would prevent him from telling all about their sordid affair.

The ENQUIRER has identified the witness as Nassim Tahzib, who worked as the actor’s limousine driver from 1981 to 1987. Nassim revealed damaging secrets about the “Saturday Night Fever” hunk in a sensational interview – from wild claims about late-night orgies to John’s same-sex fantasies and his ultimate turn on!

In the long-buried blockbuster 1991 tell all, Nassim said: “He had hunky surfer boys brought to his mansion for nights of passionate sex. John wanted to have men in his arms – not women!

“He had an insatiable desire for gay sex, even though he was terrified of being branded a queen and lived in fear of his macho image being shattered.”

Nassim also revealed that the actor, a devout Scientologist, had a taste for hunky, straight married men!

“Outrageous, swishy gays didn’t turn him on,” Nassim declared. “He preferred to seduce married men, weightlifters, sports club trainers and others who had not been introduced to the gay scene.”

Faced with the prospect of Nassim entering the witness box, John’s lawyer Martin Singer has already taken a preemptive strike and declared Nassim is not a credible witness because of past convictions of multiple serious crimes involving dishonesty.

But revelations from John’s former go-to driver promise to give Doug more ammunition in his legal battle against John – and could snowball into his troubled marriage, sources told The ENQUIRER!
******************************************************
From Gossipcop : John Travolta  and  Kelly Preston  'NOT GETTING DIVORCE ', DESPITE REPORT

John Travolta and Kelly Preston are not nearing “divorce,” despite a new National Enquirer report. According to the tabloid, the couple’s 23-year marriage is in crisis over Travolta’s alleged “double life” secrets. Gossip Cop can bust this story, which follows countless other wrong Enquirer predictions of the Travolta-Preston marriage ending.

The article mostly rehashes decades-old claims about Travolta’s supposed sexual interests and secrets. It focuses on an ongoing legal dispute with pilot Doug Gotterba, whose story about Travolta’s alleged infidelity has been public for years. The Enquirer treats all of this as some kind of bombshell, even though it’s been giving Gotterba a platform since 2012.

The track record from the Enquirer regarding the Travolta-Preston marriage is appalling. The outlet once invented a “miscarriage scare” for the couple after they lost their teenage son. Just last year, the Enquirer tried to explain its previous wrong guesses about the duo divorcing by falsely claiming the Church of Scientology had “ordered them not to split.” It was a particularly pathetic bit of backtracking for an outlet that keeps saying how unhappy Travolta and Preston supposedly are, even as years go by and they remain married.


A lawyer for Travolta says there’s no truth to the latest allegation of trouble in the couple’s marriage, labeling the divorce speculation a fabrication. Given the total lack of any new spin on these tired old split rumors, Gossip Cop has no reason to believe the Enquirer knows something Travolta and Preston don’t.
A word  to wise , always  remember  ,  the  dirt  comes  out  with  the  washing  ,  this  has  been in the  washing  machine  a  long  time  so  lets  rinse  it  and see  what falls  out .
Bu  hey  that's  hust  me  and  the  way I roll ... Nuff  sez .

Trial opens for ex-Marine accused in 'American Sniper' death

                                                                   Chris Kyle

                             Eddie  Routh ...................Chris  Kyle
STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) -- 
A Texas rodeo store has temporarily run out of baseball caps honoring Chris Kyle, the Navy SEAL depicted in the blockbuster movie "American Sniper." A roadside sign outside Grumps Burgers next door proclaims support for the families of Kyle and friend Chad Littlefield, who were slain two years ago at a gun range.

With opening statements set to begin Wednesday in the trial of the former Marine accused of capital murder in their deaths, many residents in this small community have been captivated by the case.

"It's been a big deal around here," said Cory Flores, 25, who didn't know Kyle but said he hoped to get a seat to witness the trial. He was among the dozens of people, including members of the media, waiting early Wednesday outside the Donald R. Jones Justice Center in Stephenville, about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

The Oscar-nominated film has brought national attention too, prompting lawyers for defendant Eddie Ray Routh to unsuccessfully argue that the trial should be moved or put on hold until the publicity fades.

The defense team is hoping to convince a jury that Routh was insane when he gunned down Kyle and Littlefield at the rural shooting range. His family members say he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Prosecutors aim to paint a much darker picture. They describe Routh in recent court filings as a heavy drinker and marijuana user with a history of killing animals and threatening women with knives.

While the judge has not decided how much of that information can be shared with the jury, prosecutors have lined up what promises to be an emotional first day of testimony when they call Kyle's widow Taya to the stand.

Routh, 27, faces life in prison without parole if convicted.
A jury of 10 women and two men was seated Monday from an initial pool of 800 people, despite concerns from defense lawyers about finding an impartial jury because of pretrial publicity. The film based on Kyle's memoir as a sniper serving four tours in Iraq has grossed nearly $300 million.

In asking for a change of venue, defense attorneys said the case had generated "considerable discussion" in the area, adding that they believe there was so much prejudice that Routh couldn't get a fair trial.

But District Judge Jason Cashon denied the change of venue, noting that the jury was seated with no more than two dozen people dismissed because of pretrial publicity. And when potential jurors were asked Monday to raise their hands if they would have a problem setting aside what they'd heard and only factoring in what was said at trial, no hands went up.

The intense attention on the case has also brought renewed focus to the mental struggles former military members face. Routh was a small arms technician who served in Iraq and was deployed to earthquake-ravaged Haiti before leaving the Marines in 2010. Authorities say that after the February 2013 shooting of Kyle and Littlefield, Routh drove to his sister's house in Kyle's truck, admitted to the killings and told his sister "people were sucking his soul."

Routh has been in court since the jury screenings began last week, listening to the proceedings.
Another of the first witnesses prosecutors plan to call is Littlefield's mother, Judy. Cashon ruled that she and Taya Kyle can stay in court to watch after testifying.

The state's filings say Routh smoked marijuana, drank excessively and had a history of killing small animals. They also say on Jan. 19, 2013, he threatened his girlfriend and her roommate with a kitchen knife and sword. He was taken to a mental hospital.

On the day of the killings, Routh had been drinking and smoking marijuana and again threatened his girlfriend with a knife, according to a legal filing. After his arrest, he allegedly threatened officers and caused problems while jailed, including flooding his cell.

In response to the attention the case drew, county officials had summoned more than four times as many potential jurors as they would for a regular trial - not unusual for a high-profile case.

The potential jury field was narrowed over two days last week, when would-be jurors filled out a questionnaire that included inquiries on whether they had seen the movie or read the book, served in the military, had a familiarity with firearms, or ever been treated for a mental condition.

Report: Sidney Poitier ‘disgusted’ with Bill Cosby over sexual assault allegations

Legendary actor Sidney Poitier is reportedly “terribly disgusted” with embattled comedian Bill Cosby following the numerous sexual assault allegations against him that have emerged since November last year. Or, at least, that’s what a source close to the actor is saying.

Speaking exclusively to the National Enquirer, the anonymous source indicates that Poitier is distraught over the news and “feels sorry for him” but will “say nothing about Cosby.”

“Look at Sidney Poitier — unblemished, untainted, and distinguished,” the source told the Enquirer. “Look at Bill Cosby. Thirty women, they’re not all lying.”

This, however, is not the first time Poitier’s name has come up in the firestorm of allegations against Cosby. Back in November 2014, Cosby accuser Joan Tarshis came forward to allege the comedian assaulted her in 1969, some time after introducing her to Sidney Poitier. 

Cosby accuser Joan Tarshis named Poitier when writing about visiting the set of The Bill Cosby Show in 1969. “He once introduced me to Sidney Poitier as ‘Midget,’ his pet name for me because I was 5-foot-3,” she wrote. Tarshis has claimed that she was later drugged and raped by Cosby in his nearby bungalow — claims Cosby has denied.

Incidentally, Poitier also presented Alan Ladd Jr. with the 1996 Best Picture Oscar for Braveheart. Ladd Jr. is the husband of Cindra Ladd, who claimed last month to have been drugged and raped by Cosby in 1969. The Enquirer’s anonymous source indicates that that particular element caused the allegations against Cosby to “hit close to home" for Poitier.

“I can tell you that Mr. Poitier is terribly disgusted by what Bill Cosby has done, and he feels sorry for him,” the source said. 

Poitier and Cosby have a long history of working together, with Poitier, now 87, having starred in a number of films with Cosby including Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Let’s Do It Again (1975), and A Piece of the Action (1977). In 1990, Poitier switched roles and directed Cosby in the box office flop, Ghost Dad. 

“Have you even heard of whispers about Sidney Poitier?,” the anonymous source asked the Enquirer at one point. “He’s dignified, and remains that way — which is why he will say nothing about Cosby.” 
Nick Vadala, Philly.com
Thanx  Nick ...  Nee

Our  In-house  expert  : Mr  Humble 

In fact several alleged victims have attempted to press charges. How hard do you think it would have been for a nineteen year old girl to persuade police that they had been raped by Bill Cosby considering you don't believe them even now? Those who did make it to court (Andrea Costand et al) were intimidated into silence by Cosby's crack team of lawyers. This is not in any sense analogous to a "lynching," because Cosby is a powerful, wealthy, famous man. In fact he is one of the wealthiest entertainers in the US. He is known to have frequented Playboy parties in his heyday, and has admitted to at least one extra-marital affair in which he bribed the woman to keep quiet about it. 

Innocent until proven guilty? Sure. But that's a legal principle. It doesn't mean we have to trust a man who is - at best - morally grubby. Ask yourself, if a man at your daughter's high school attracted 30+ allegations of rape, would you wait for a conviction? Or would you push for a suspension until the matter was sorted out and confidence was restored?

What do you think he deserves...cookies and milk? As Dick Cavett said the Cos has a "mental pathology". He's sick and he's dangerous. No woman under 50 in America is safe with him not in jail. He's a serial rapist who lives to torment women. 

Police: 2 of Bobby Brown's Relatives Fight at Atlanta Hotel

ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta police say a relative of singer Bobby Brown hit another relative in the head with a bottle during a fight at a hotel.

Police spokeswoman Kim Jones says officers responded to the W Hotel early Friday in midtown, though the reason for the fight was unclear.

Police say Tina Brown hit Shayne Brown in the head with a bottle. Police did not specify their relationships to the entertainer or to each other.

Tina Brown left the scene before police arrived. Shayne Brown had cuts on his head and drove himself to a hospital.

Bobby Brown has been seen this week in Atlanta, where his daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, is in a hospital. The 21-year-old was found face down in a bathtub at her home just north of Atlanta on Jan. 31.

CRUEL INTENTIONS: HOLLYWOOD STARS' MEANEST REMARKS EVER

When one legendary actor has something nasty to say about another, you don't want to get in the way

Katherine Hepburn on Sharon Stone

“It’s a new low for actresses when you have to wonder what’s between her ears instead of her legs.”

Bette Davis on Joan Crawford

“Joan Crawford—I wouldn’t sit on her toilet!”

“I wouldn’t piss on Joan Crawford if she were on fire.”

“Joan Crawford—Hollywood’s first case of syphilis.”

“She has slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie.”

Joan Crawford on Bette Davis

“Bette will play anything, so long as she thinks someone is watching. I’m a little more selective than that.”

“She may have more Oscars … She’s also made herself into something of a joke.”

“Miss Davis was always partial to covering up her face in motion pictures. She called it 'art.' Others might call it camouflage—a cover-up for the absence of any real beauty.”

John Wayne on Clark Gable

“Gable’s an idiot. You know why he’s an actor? It’s the only thing he’s smart enough to  do .

Walter Matthau on Barbra Streisand

“I have more talent in my smallest fart than you have in your entire body.”

Ava Gardner on Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra

“I always knew Frank would end up in bed with a boy.”

Frank Sinatra on Shelly Winters

“A bowlegged bitch of a Brooklyn blonde.”

Shelly Winters on Frank Sinatra

“A skinny, no-talent, stupid Hoboken bastard.

Sir John Gielgud on Ingrid Bergman

“Dear Ingrid—speaks five languages and can’t act in any of them.”

Dean Martin on James Stewart

“There’s a statue of Jimmy Stewart in the Hollywood Wax Museum, and the statue talks better than he does.”

Barbara Stanwyck on Marilyn Monroe

“Her body has gone to her head.”

Marlon Brando on James Dean

“Mr. Dean appears to be wearing my last year’s wardrobe and using my last year’s   talent."

Richard Burton on Marlon Brando

“Marlon has yet to learn to speak. He should have been born two generations before and acted in silent films.”

Bill Murray on Chevy Chase

“Medium talent.”

Susan Sarandon on Mel Gibson

“Mel Gibson is somewhere to the right of Attila the Hun. He’s beautiful, but only on the outside.”

Bette Davis on Cary Grant

“He needed willowy or boyish girls like Katharine Hepburn to make him look what they now call macho. If I’d co-starred with Grant or if Crawford had, we’d have eaten him for breakfast.

Cary Grant on Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift  and James Dean

“I have no rapport with the new idols of the screen, and that includes Marlon Brando and his style of Method acting. It certainly includes Montgomery Clift and that God-awful James Dean. Some producer should cast all three of them in the same movie and let them duke it out. When they've  finished each other off, James Stewart, Spencer Tracy and I will return and start making real movies again like we used to.”