Cheney and Biden to meet at Naval Observatory

Current American Vice President Cheney and VP-elect Biden scheduled to meet

Chicago, Illinois (CaymanMama.com) — Not to be left out of any pre-inauguration meetings, Vice President Dick Cheney will have a sit-down meeting with Vice President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday at the Naval Observatory.

According to a recent report by the Associated Press, Cheney and wife, Lynne, have sent an invitation to Biden and his wife, Jill, to meet and talk at the observatory, the vice presidential residence.

The meeting mirrors the meeting between President Bush and President-elect Obama on Monday.

“The Cheneys and the Bidens will have a private meeting and then tour the residence,” Cheney spokeswoman Megan Mitchell said.

The likely topics of discussion for Biden and Cheney will be foreign policy and national security issues.

Biden has stood as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with a strong background in both foreign and domestic affairs during his 30 years in politics. Cheney is most known as being chief architect of the Iraq war and a stern force in foreign policy.

Deputies investigate battery claim against Garrett

Authorities are investigating battery allegations against Emmy-winning actor Brad Garrett in an incident involving a photographer in West Hollywood.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Kristin Aloma says the 48-year-old Garrett has not been arrested in the incident that occurred late Tuesday or early Wednesday. She did not provide further details.

A message left for Garrett's manager, Glenn Robbins, was not immediately returned.

Garrett stars in the Fox sitcom "'Til Death." He won three best supporting actor Emmys for his role in the comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond."

Hollywood.tv crews documented the action as they were on another assignment. The "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Till Death" star confronted the photographer that he felt crossed the line. Watch the video to see the scene unfold.

Mitch Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix's Drummer, Dies

Mitch Mitchell, the drummer for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead in a Portland, Oregon, hotel today, KGW-TV reported, citing a medical examiner. He was 61, according to Web sites including allmusic.com.

Mitchell's body was found just after 3 a.m. at the Benson Hotel, the station reported. He probably died of natural causes, KGW-TV said, citing the Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office. An autopsy was scheduled for today.

Mitchell played for the Jimi Hendrix Experience from 1966 to 1969 and backed the legendary guitarist at the Woodstock and Isle of Wight festivals. He had been playing with a Hendrix tribute tour that stopped in Portland last week, the station reported.

Hendrix, whose hits included ``Purple Haze,'' died of a drug overdose at the age of 27 in 1970.

By Chris Dolmetsch

"Holloway suspect involved in Thai sex trade"

Joran van der Sloot, the main suspect in the disappearance case of US teenager Natalee Holloway, has been filmed in Bangkok where he was allegedly recruiting Thai girls to work in the sex industry in Europe.

Joran van der Sloot

In images secretly shot by crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, Mr Van der Sloot is shown accepting a one thousand euros advance payment for his services. Independent lawyer J.P. Plasman says that by receiving the money Mr Van der Sloot has committed a punishable offence.

Judicial authorities in Thailand have requested copies of the images broadcast on Sunday by Dutch commercial tv channel SBS6.

Not convicted
Natalee Holloway disappeared in May 2005 while on holiday on the Netherlands Antilles island of Aruba, after spending a drunken night on the beach with Dutchman Van der Sloot. Her body was never found.

On earlier hidden camera footage, also produced by Peter R. de Vries, Mr Van der Sloot admitted that he knew how Ms Holloway disappeared. But lacking conclusive evidence, judges concluded it was impossible to declare Mr Van der Sloot guilty.

New witness
Mr De Vries has produced a new witness in the Holloway case. Press reports say that Mr Van der Sloot told a girlfriend, identified only as Celes, "Who knows, you may now be on the beach with someone who is able to get rid of a corpse."

According to judicial psychologist Harald Merkelbach, who watched both the earlier and the recent footage, Joran van der Sloot believes he is invulnerable. "He sees people as objects." The psychologist calls Mr Van der Sloot "a young man with many defects".

Gone underground
Following the latest disclosures about his behaviour, Mr Van der Sloot, using the alias of "Murphy Jenkins", is reported to have fled to avoid arrest by the Thai authorities. He has not been seen since leaving a party in Bangkok on Friday evening. A Dutch eyewitness claims he has seen Mr Van der Sloot on an internal flight to the island of Koh Samui.

Shooting at a FL High School, 1 Dead

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A 15-year-old student died after a shooting at a Fort Lauderdale high school Wednesday, and police were questioning another student believed to be responsible.

Sophomore Amanda Collette was confirmed dead after being discovered on a hallway floor by a school resource officer at Dillard High School around 11 a.m. Another 15-year-old girl was being held and questioned by police in the death.

"This is a situation where we are more than heartbroken," said Jim Notter, the superintendent of schools for Broward County.

The discovery of the body started a confusing series of events. Police said they did not believe gunshots were heard, and an initial examination found no major wound on the girl's body, leading to questions about whether or not she was shot.

Authorities later confirmed there was a shooting, but Sgt. Frank Sousa, a spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale Police, said it was possible a smaller-caliber gun was used and the wound closed around the bullet.

Police said no other students were believed to have been involved.

"This appears to be an isolated incident," said Sousa.

Stephan Willis, a sophomore who said he witnessed the shooting, said the girls were arguing in an outside corridor when the suspect suddenly produced a gun and shot Collette.

"She's a nice girl. She's quiet. She just keeps to herself," said Willis, who said he had known the victim since elementary school.

Another student, 14-year-old freshman Hermond Davis, said the hallway was crowded after Collette collapsed and students screamed and panicked.

"As I am walking to the cafeteria, I saw this girl collapsed," Davis said. "She just fell, she just fell right out of the sky."

The suspect was apprehended at an area restaurant after a caller there reported she may have been involved in a school shooting. A gun was recovered.

The school was locked down for a short time, but classes soon resumed. Still, as police were announcing the fatality, gates were chain-locked and access was being restricted as a news helicopter hovered overhead. Several dozen parents gathered outside, some openly weeping.

"I'm just trying to get my baby out of here," said Betty Barnes, whose 15-year-old daughter, Tiffany, is a sophomore at the school. "I want to make sure she's OK. It's very scary not knowing."

Dillard has about 1,700 students. They don't pass through metal detectors, but officers are stationed on campus and security cameras are placed throughout.

Associated Press Writers Lisa Orkin Emmanuel, Rasha Madkour, Tamara Lush and Matt Sedensky contributed to this report from Miami.

Cindy McCain’s Affair?

For the past six months, the National Enquirer has devoted 148% of its coverage to the extramarital affairs of political types. This month’s installment brings you Cindy McCain’s torrid face-sucking antics with a “a long-haired man who resembles ‘a washed-up ’80s rock musician.’” Ugh, gross.

This is how terrible affairs are between Chico’s addicts and their paramours: Cindy and her reputed lover made out with each other at a Moody Blues concert. We imagine he wore a leather vest with stars on it and no shirt underneath, and after the concert they probably retired to a hotel and read The Bridges of Madison County to each other.

A second witness spotted Cindy and her “mystery man” at a Moody Blues concert “passionately kissing and hugging.”

“I couldn’t believe it. I remember thinking, ‘Go get a room!’

“They kissed and cuddled. While other concertgoers stood up to cheer and sing, Cindy and the guy remained entwined in their seats,” the eyewitness said.

In her defense, if this is true, Cindy McCain cannot be faulted for wanting to have an affair with a man under the age of 70, with hair.

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: CINDY McCAIN CAUGHT CHEATING ON J-MAC! [National Enquirer]

Paula Goodspeed Found Dead (Photos, Video) Outside Paula Abdul Home

A woman has been identified that was found outside American idol judge Paula Abdul's California home dead. According to AOL's Entertainment website TMZ.Com the body was identified as Paula Goodspeed. Police are saying that Goodspeed had quite the obsession with Paula Abdul and it appears her parents were the source of that comment.

Paula Goodspeed on Idol

They had called authorities and Paula Goodspeed's parents told cops about the obsession with Paula Abdul according to a report from NBC Washington. Reports now claim that Goodspeed even had a try out on American Idol

***

According to TMZ (they have photos and video of her audition here) the Idol wannabe told the three judges (Paula along with Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell) that the first picture that she ever drew was of Paula Abdul. Paula Goodspeed didn't make it to Hollywood for American idol and she didn't make it through with her performance.

Her appearance was two years ago on season five. Authorities are investigating her death now.

Woman found dead near home of Paula Abdul

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A woman believed to have stalked "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul was found dead of an apparent suicide near the pop star's home, according to police and media reports on Wednesday.

Police discovered the woman's body in a car near Abdul's Los Angeles home on Tuesday night, said Officer Julianne Sohn, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

"It looks like an apparent suicide," Sohn told Reuters.

A picture posted at the celebrity Web site TMZ.com showed that the car had a lanyard hanging from a mirror with a picture of Abdul, and its license plate read "ABL LV," which could be an abbreviation of "Abdul Love."

Jeff Ballard, a representative for Abdul, told celebrity television show Entertainment Tonight that Abdul was "shocked and saddened" by the woman's death. Ballard said that Abdul and her staff have known about the woman for several years.

Authorities did not release the name of the apparent suicide victim, pending notification of her next of kin. She had been reported missing in Ventura County, which is northwest of Los Angeles, Sohn said.

Abdul, a pop singer who sprang to fame in the 1980s, has been a judge on the reality talent show "American Idol" since its first season in 2002. "American Idol" is the No. 1-rated U.S. television show.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Police: Woman slain as she tried to leave KKK rite

COVINGTON, La. (AP) — After a Ku Klux Klan initiation at a Louisiana campsite went awry, authorities said, a recruit who tried to back out was shot dead. The body of the woman, who traveled from Oklahoma, was dumped on a rural roadside and covered with brush. Her belongings were set aflame.

But the cover-up was stillborn: The body was found Monday, a day after the shooting. By Tuesday, a local Klan leader sat in jail on a second-degree murder charge, and seven others were charged with trying to help conceal the crime.

"The IQ level of this group is not impressive, to be kind," St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain said Tuesday.

The woman, whose identity was not released, was recruited over the Internet to participate in the ritual and then return to her home state to find other members for the white supremacist group, Strain said.

It wasn't clear what rites awaited her at the campsite, but authorities believe the initiation had begun by the time the shooting happened. Strain said the group's leader, Raymond "Chuck" Foster, 44, shot and killed her Sunday night after a fight broke out when she asked to be taken back to town.

Foster was charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bond. Capt. George Bonnett, a spokesman for the sheriff's department, said he doesn't know if Foster has an attorney.

Seven others — five men and two women ages 20 to 30 — were charged with obstruction of justice and were held on $500,000 bond at the St. Tammany Parish jail. All eight of the suspects live in neighboring Washington Parish, but Bonnett said he couldn't immediately identify their hometowns.

Authorities said some of the suspects tried to destroy evidence by burning the woman's belongings along with other items. At the campsite, investigators found weapons, several flags and six Klan robes, some emblazoned with patches reading "KKK LIFE MEMBER" or "KKK SECURITY Enforcement."

Strain said the woman arrived in the Slidell, La., area last week and was met by two people connected to the Klan group. She was taken during the weekend to the campsite near Sun, La., on the banks of the Pearl River. Sun is about 60 miles north of New Orleans.

"We haven't completely sorted out if they finished the initiation," Bonnett said, adding he wasn't aware of any other KKK-related cases during his three years with the department. "I assume that they had started it, but I don't know if they were finished."

Authorities said the group's members called themselves the "Dixie Brotherhood."

Mark Pitcavage, director of investigative research for the Anti-Defamation League, said the Dixie Brotherhood appears to be a small, loosely organized group of people.

"This is not what I would call an established Klan group," he said. "The Klan has a pretty high association with violence. Some of these guys are just crooks, sociopaths."

But the sheriff said the public shouldn't feel endangered.

"I can't imagine anyone feeling endangered or at risk by any one of these kooks," Strain said.

Nunn advising Obama on defense

President-elect Barack Obama's office confirmed this morning that former Senator Sam Nunn will help the transition at the Pentagon, but disputed a report that former Secretary of State Warren Christopher would play a similar role at Foggy Bottom.

Nunn, a Georgia Democrat and former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is a dean of the party on defense issues and was, again, reportedly in the mix for vice president.

Christopher, who served in the Clinton administration, is more controversial, criticized for what some regard as dovish views. He gave Obama some advice on the transition in a Los Angeles Times op-ed piece last week.

"Senator Sam Nunn will play an informal senior advisor role throughout the defense transition process," Obama transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said in a statement. " His expertise and the respect he has earned will be invaluable to ensure a smooth transition. Secretary Christopher is deeply respected in the United States and throughout the international community. However, he is not playing a role in the transition process.

"There's a lot of disinformation out there," she added. "We're working hard to put the agency review teams together and expect they'll be announced this week and inside the agencies by the end of the week."

Catholic League: Atheists Launch 'Godless Holiday Campaign'

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Catholic League) - The American Humanist Association launched today what it calls its “Godless Holiday Campaign.” Its ad in the New York Times and Washington Post reads, “Why believe in god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.” The same ad will appear on Metro buses in Washington, D.C.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, responded as follows:

“It is a shame that an organization that worships nothing would be forced to crib its ‘Holiday Campaign’ ad from a Christmas song about St. Nick. More important is the reasoning employed by Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. He says that ‘Morality doesn’t come from religion. It’s a set of values embraced by individuals and society based on empathy, fairness and experience.’

“Codes of morality, of course, have always been grounded in religion. For those of us in Western civilization, its tenets emanate from the Judeo-Christian ethos. By casting this heritage aside, and replacing it with nothing more than the conscience of lone individuals, we lay the groundwork for moral anarchy. And that is because there is nothing that cannot be justified if the only moral benchmark is what men and women posit to be right and wrong. Indeed, every monster in history has followed his conscience.

“We know that militant secularists are busy flexing their muscles these days, but is it too much to expect them to act rationally? Highly recommended would be what we Catholics call ‘an examination of conscience,’ a process best fulfilled by repairing to the Catholic Catechism for guidance.”

McCain to Leno: "Palin didn't hurt presidential bid"

John McCain says he doesn't blame running mate Sarah Palin for his loss to Barack Obama.

In his first interview since losing the election last week, McCain told Jay Leno that he is proud of Palin and he dismisses the anonymous criticism of her that has spilled out in the wake of his defeat, according to the Associated Press.

"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," McCain told Jay Leno during an "Tonight Show" interview taped for broadcast Tuesday night. "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."

Asked by Leno about griping about Palin from unidentified McCain operatives in the days following the election, the Arizona senator said, "These things happen in campaigns.

"I think I have at least a thousand, quote, top advisers," he scoffed. "A top adviser said? I've never even heard of ... a top adviser or high-ranking Republican official."