Michael Jackson gives Neverland to corporation Associated Press November 12, 2008 LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson has given up title to his Neverland ranch, transferring the deed to a company he partly controls. The singer filed a grant deed on the ranch Monday that makes the new owner an entity called the Sycamore Valley Ranch Co. LLC, Tom Pearson of the Santa Barbara County clerk-recorder's office said Wednesday. Sycamore Valley Ranch Co. is a joint venture between Jackson and an affiliate of Colony Capital LLC, according to a person with knowledge of the transaction who was not authorized to speak on the record and requested anonymity. The person could not say what would become of the 2,500-acre property in the bucolic, oak-studded hills of Santa Barbara County's wine country, 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Jackson had gone into default on the $24.5 million he owes on the property and had faced foreclosure before Colony Capital bailed him out earlier this year by purchasing his loan. A listing on the California secretary of state's Web site says the company filed with the state in June. It does not identify its owners, but the company has the same Century City address as Colony Capital LLC. Colony Capital is a Los Angeles-based real estate investment company run by billionaire Tom Barrack. It owns several properties in Las Vegas, including the Las Vegas Hilton. "It's like stepping into Oz," he once said of Neverland. "Once you come in the gates, the outside world does not exist."

S.C. Most Violent State, FBI Says November 11, 2008 GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Despite the fact that the murder rate in Greenville County has held steady in recent years, the violent crime outlook for much of the state is not nearly that good. The FBI reported Monday that the state of South Carolina has the highest per capita rate of violent crime in the country. Greenville County Sheriff Steve Loftis said, "I don't want people in Greenville County to be afraid when they hear stats like that." Loftis did say, "We have seen some spikes in violent crime. Last quarter, armed robbery went up to 115. But we've cleared 58 percent of those." He said many criminals are blaming the current economic situation for their choices. "They have actually said it's because of the economy -- that they are out of work. They can't find a job. They have to put food on the table. They can't pay for rent," he said. According to the FBI, violent crime nationwide went down 1.4 percent in 2007, but in South Carolina, violent crime went up 3 percent.

Teacher guilty of lesbian teen sex AP November 07, 2008 04:24pm A JURY has found an Australian high school teacher guilty of pursuing an unlawful sexual relationship with a female student. Amanda Louise Thompson, 28, pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane District Court to maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child between April 2003 and 2005. The girl's mother had earlier said she suspected the pair, but had no proof. MEGA GALLERY: Meet the convicted sex case teachers. Thompson fell for the 14-year-old female student, who cannot be named, when she was teaching at a high school south of Brisbane in April 2003. During the trial the court was told the friendship developed into a sexual relationship, with the pair meeting regularly for romantic trysts in parks. The teacher's letters to the girl were read out in court as evidence of their closeness. The sentencing was adjourned to a date to be fixed. Thompson was remanded in custody and ordered to undergo psychological and psychiatric assessments.

Funeral for man police say was killed by son The Ariz. 8-year-old was to appear in court Monday to face murder charges ST. JOHNS, Ariz. - Mourners were crowding a rural Arizona church Monday for the funeral of a man allegedly killed by his 8-year-old son. The crowd stood near an open door or sat on chairs set up outside St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in the community of St. Johns about 170 miles northeast of Phoenix. Vincent Romero was shot Wednesday, along with a man who rented a room in his house. Police say Romero's son planned and methodically carried out the killings. But the boy's attorney said police questioned the third-grader without representation from a parent or attorney and did not advise him of his rights. The boy was due in court later Monday to face two counts of premeditated murder. Motive still unclear St. Johns Police Chief Roy Melnick said this morning on NBC's "Today" show that authorities remained puzzled about a motive. He said there was no record of any abuse at home, or problems at school.

Travolta Shaves Head, Leaves Beard Nov 10th 2008 It's not Joe the Plumber. It's 54-year-old Scientolostar John Travolta showing off his newly-bald head this weekend. Kelly Preston must be ecstatic.

Fort Pierce man accused of punching woman for opening sardines and Vienna Sausages Monday, November 10, 2008 FORT PIERCE , Florida— An apparent spat involving sardines and Vienna Sausages erupted into a beating and ended with a 43-year-old local man going to jail, according to an arrest affidavit released Monday. The victim on Sunday told investigators she went to visit her ex-boyfriend, Maxie L. Davis, 43, who lives in the apartment behind hers, and they watched television. The victim said Davis, of the 3500 block of Sloan Road, went out and she popped open a can of sardines and some Vienna Sausages, a popular canned wiener product. “She stated Davis came back in and was upset that she had opened the sardines and sausages,” the affidavit states. “(The victim) stated Davis told her not to disrespect him in his house and punched her several times.” The victim fell to the ground, dazed, and couldn’t get up, begging Davis to help. She said Davis wouldn’t assist her and she crawled out, calling 911 from her apartment. Davis, the victim said, left in a gray pick-up, and when sheriff’s investigators spoke to him he said he “has had no past or present relationship” with the victim. Davis said she is “a friend of a friend” and arrived to smoke crack. “He stated when she was waiting for the crack, she started to ‘flip out,’” the affidavit states. Davis was arrested on a battery charge.

Cosmetic surgery addict injected cooking oil into her face NEWS.com.au November 12, 2008 01:50pm Before and after ... Hang Mioku, whose addiction to cosmetic surgery led her to inject oil into her face / Image supplied A WOMAN addicted to cosmetic surgery is unrecognisable after injecting cooking oil into her face. The Daily Telegraph in London reports Korean woman Hang Mioku, 48, had her first cosmetic surgery procedure at 28 and was hooked, moving to Japan for more. Eventually surgeons refused to carry out any more work and she returned home, where her face had changed so much her family didn’t recognise her. Ms Hang’s parents took her for treatment for her addiction, but it didn’t last. She soon found a doctor who would give her silicone injections and he even gave her a syringe and silicone so she could self-inject, the paper said. When her supply ran out, she used cooking oil. Her face became so large compared to her small body that local children called her “standing fan”, the newspaper reported. Enjin Ear of Adelaide After appearing on Korean TV, viewers sent donations so she could have surgery to reduce the size of her face. The first of several operations removed 60g of oil from her face and 200g from her neck. Her face has been left scarred and disfigured, and Ms Hang said she would like her old looks back.

World's longest bridge to be built in Dubai ''The construction of the first phase would begin in March this year,'' pointed out the RTA Chairman. The crossing would facilitate free traffic flow at all intersections and allow free navigation throughout the day as it would be 15 metres above the water surface. The 50-metre-wide navigation corridor would enable movement of large yachts.

Meet the world's most beautiful Sloggi bottoms November 13, 2008 08:30am A BRAZILIAN woman and a French man have been named owners of the world's Most Beautiful Bottoms at a competition in France. Melanie Nunes Fronckowiak and Saiba Bombote beat contestants from over 26 countries and have each won a modelling contract and 15,000 euros in prize money. The 45 finalists were judged by a panel in Paris including supermodel and actress Adriana Karembeu and Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli .

Going but not forgotten…..