Apr 15
A 15-minute film of Marilyn Monroe engaging in oral sex with an unidentified man will be kept from public view by a New York businessman who has bought it for $1.5 million, the broker of the deal said on Monday. Memorabilia collector Keya Morgan said he recently arranged the sale of the silent, black-and-white film from the son of a dead FBI informant who possessed it to a wealthy Manhattan businessman who wants to protect Monroe’s privacy.
The buyer has indicated that out of respect for the deceased actress he would not put the film on the internet and try to exploit her said memorabilia collector Keya Morgan. “That’s not his intention and I would never get my name involved if that were to happen.”
Monroe is clothed and the man’s head remains out of the frame for the entire 15 minutes of the film, said Morgan, who watched it.
Monroe was rumored to have had an affair with U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and Morgan said then FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, a Kennedy rival, went to great lengths to try to prove it was Kennedy in the film.
The film has surfaced before , Monroe’s ex husband the late baseball great Joe DiMaggio, once tried to buy it from the collector for $25,000 but “he would not part with it,” according to FBI files on Monroe that are available on the FBI Web site.
Morgan is a well-known collector said he learned of the existence of the film while working on a documentary about Monroe, who died in August 1962 at age 36. A former FBI agent told him about it, and Morgan said he confirmed it by tracking down the son of the FBI informant, who had provided a copy to the FBI.
Apr 15
The rising cost of gas and airfare has prompted many would be travelers to re-think their travel plans. “Staycations” are basically vacations spent at one’s own home or locale. Besides the obvious cost benefits staycations give people the opportunity to get to know the neighborhood or their town. For example, it is surprising that many long time New York residents have never been to The Statue Of Liberty, or how many Los Angeleans have never spent a full day at Disneyland. One gentleman that I spoke to was genuinely surprised to learn that the Grand Canyon was located in his home state of Arizona. These are familiar landmarks but small treasures abound in almost every location.
One of the most commonly heard complaints from returning travelers is that they are exhausted from their vacation. The whole idea of going away is to relax, and enjoy yourself. But when you factor in preparation for the trip, packing and unpacking luggage, airline hassles, etc. a vacation can be one giant headache in the guise of a good time.
Consult your local chamber of commerce and you may be astonished to see the wealth of interesting and sometimes free events, museums, concerts and the like right under your nose. With a little imagination you can have a wonderful vacation right in your own backyard. The advantages of a stay at home vacation are somewhat obvious. You basically have control of what you will or won’t do. At the end of the day your own warm and cozy bed is waiting for you. No jet lag, crowded airports or sticker shock when the final bill hits your credit card. Sounds pretty inviting doesn’t it. Put on the tropical music and your sunglasses and let the bar-b… I mean luau begin.
Apr 15
“Bittergate” as some pundits have termed Barack Obama’s latest gaffe may have initially seemed to help Hilliary Clinton with voters in Pennsylvania. Polls show that after the Illinois senator’s controversial remarks were made public, Senator Clinton’s lead rose 2 points. The New York senator holds a 6-point lead over Sen. Barack Obama in Pennsylvania, 49 percent to 43 percent.
However, despite Clinton’s repeated criticism over the comments, a new Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday shows Obama’s position has not changed from a similar poll conducted early last week.
Clinton holds a 6-point lead in the just-released Quinnipiac poll that was conducted April 9-13. Obama’s comments first surfaced on April 11. The organization reports there was no noticeable difference in the results from the two days immediately following news of the comments.
Apr 15
The price of crude oil prices rose to a new record high above $113 a barrel Tuesday as the U.S. dollar continues to weaken against the euro. Light, sweet crude for May delivery rose to a new trading high of $113.93 a barrel in early morning electronic trading. The previous high of $112.21 was set April 9.
Oil settled at a record closing high of $111.76 a barrel on Monday. Analysts predict that $115.00 a barrel is right around the corner.
Analysts have also noted that the weakness in the U.S. dollar is partly responsible for the current spike in crude oil prices. As the dollar has dropped versus the euro, many investors have flocked to commodities such as oil and gold to preserve the value of their assets.
Apr 15
According to a study conducted by Georgia State University economist Ben Scafidi divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing cost U.S. taxpayers more than $112 billion a year. The study urges government action to bolster marriages.
It is reported that the study is the first of its kind and hope it will prompt lawmakers to invest more money in programs aimed at strengthening marriages. Two dissenting experts not connected to the study disagreed with the findings arguing that the creation of jobs would be more effective in aiding all types of needy families.
Mr. Scafidi’s research was sponsored by four groups who consider themselves part of a nationwide “marriage movement” — the New York-based Institute for American Values, the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, Families Northwest of Redmond, Washington, and the Georgia Family Council, an ally of the conservative ministry Focus on the Family.
“The study documents for the first time that divorce and unwed childbearing — besides being bad for children — are costing taxpayers a ton of money,” said David Blankenhorn, president of the Institute for American Values.
Scafidi’s calculations were based on the assumption that households headed by a single female have relatively high poverty rates, leading to higher spending on welfare, health care, criminal justice and education for those raised in the disadvantaged homes. The $112 billion estimate includes the cost of federal, state and local government programs, and lost tax revenue at all levels of government.
