Gale Storm, 1950s TV star, dead at 87

David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, TV pitch man Billy Mays and now Gail Storm. It's been a period of deadly news in the entertainment industry lately.

Gale Storm, whose wholesome appearance and perky personality made her one of early television's biggest stars on "My Little Margie" and "The Gale Storm Show," has died at age 87.

Storm, who had been in failing health in recent years, died Saturday at a convalescent hospital in Danville, said her son, Peter Bonnell.

Before landing the starring role in "My Little Margie" in 1952, Storm appeared in numerous B movies opposite such stars as Roy Rogers, Eddie Albert and Jackie Cooper. After her last TV series, "The Gale Storm Show," ended in 1960 she went on to a successful singing career while continuing to make occasional TV appearances.

Storm was a Texas high schooler named Josephine Owaissa Cottle when she entered a talent contest for a radio show called "Gateway to Hollywood" in 1940. She was brought to Los Angeles for the finals, where her wholesome vivacity won over the radio audience and she was awarded a movie contract.

She was often cast in westerns as the girl the cowboy left behind, and appeared in such B-movie oaters as "The Dude Goes West" with Albert, "The Kid from Texas" with Audie Murphy and "The Texas Rangers" with George Montgomery.

With her movie roles diminishing in the early 1950s, Storm followed the path of many fading movie stars of the day and moved on to television.

"My Little Margie" debuted on CBS as a summer replacement for "I Love Lucy" in 1952. It quickly became an audience favorite and moved to its own slot on NBC that fall.

The premise was standard sitcom fare: Charles Farrell was a business executive and eligible widower, Storm was his busybody daughter who protected him from predatory women.

The year after "My Little Margie" ended its 126-episode run in 1955, she moved on to "The Gale Storm Show" (also known as "Oh! Susanna") which lasted until 1960. This time she played Susanna Pomeroy, a trouble-making social director on a luxury liner.

Storm, who had taken vocal lessons, sang on her second series, and three of her records became best sellers: "I Hear You Knocking," "Teenage Prayer" and "Dark Moon."

She appeared only sporadically on TV after "The Gale Storm Show," guest starring on such programs as "Burke's Law," "The Love Boat" and "Murder, She Wrote."

She appeared in numerous musicals, however, including Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Old Maid and the Thief" at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. Other stage credits included "Unsinkable Molly Brown" (as the title character), "South Pacific" and "Finian's Rainbow."

Billy Mays (OxiClean) found dead at 50

Seems like 50 is a dangerous age these days. Just a few days after the Joko's heart stopped the OxiClean pitchman Billy Mays bellowed his last at his home in Tampa, Florida.
Billy Mays received Mass at St. John of God Catholic Church in McKees Rocks, PA escorted by blue-shirted kahki pants attired pall bearers. LINK
That should lay to rest those rumors he was not Catholic. You do not receive burial Mass without being Catholic.

Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50.

Tampa police said Mays was found unresponsive by his wife Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m.

There were no signs of a break-in, and investigators do not suspect foul play. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon.

"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," said Mays' wife, Deborah. "Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times."

Born William Mays in McKees Rocks, Pa., on July 20, 1958, Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "as seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.

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Is there any other news in the world?

Have all wars stopped? Has crime gone away? Have politicians stopped doing whatever the hell it is they do? Is anything happening that isn’t related to Michael Jackson? Anywhere?

Even FOX 'news?' has MJ reports non-stop-around-the-clock and almost everyone seems to be ignoring the fact they were reporting just a few ago around the clock that he was a pervert.

And...he is still dead.

Scientists Discover Key To Preventing Overpopulation

Scientists Discover Obnoxious Four-Year-Old Who May Hold Key To Preventing Overpopulation

Researchers announced Thursday a discovery that may be the answer to the looming problem of world overpopulation: four-year-old Caden Aleman of Chesterton, Indiana.

Experts say the young man's penchant for making a loud, obnoxious ruckus -- demonstrated most recently during a family trip to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry -- could encourage up to 90% of people within earshot to instantly decide against ever having children.

"It's the perfect antidote to the frustrating wave of 'adorable' children in movies and on television who threaten the sustainability of our planet," said research team leader Dr. Brian Van Dunton, Earth resource analyst and ethicist at the University of Chicago. "Our testing shows that virtually everyone who saw Caden sprawled out on his back in the middle of the Harry Potter Exhibit [at the MSI], screaming for ice cream as he emanated a smell that strongly suggested he had urinated on himself, knew at that very moment that they would never have children."

Van Dunton and his team would like to devise a population-control treatment, based on placing little Caden in a cage and having young would-be parents observe him, that could be used to reduce the number of births annually be "a profound amount".

"It doesn't hurt that he's an ugly little bastard," Van Dunton said, pleased. "I personally have already thought of at least 15 cruel nicknames that other children could conceivably call him. Who wants to have a child like that?"

Outside of the museum case study, Van Dunton also cites first-hand information from the parents, relatives and neighbors of the little shit, who have all agreed that even a remote chance of their first or next child being like Caden is enough to inspire them to choose anal sex for the rest of their lives.

"I didn't realize that having a kid was more like having a fucking gremlin that you fed after midnight," said one relative under the condition of anonymity. "That kid's repulsive constant need for candy and attention can't be disguised by all the [designer baby fashion icon] Anne Geddes in the world."

In addition to the "Kid 'N' A Cage" idea, Van Dunton is currently drafting a grant proposal for government funding to be put towards efforts to clone little Aleman and place his identical scions into churches, museums, restaurants and other public spaces where couples thinking about reproducing are typically found.

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Company Picnic Memo

Memorandum

To: All Company Employees
Re: Company Picnic

We are glad we had a great employee turnout for the first, and last, company picnic.

While everyone seemed to enjoy themselves our group did not exactly portray the public image we wish to convey.

Additionally we are now seeking candidates for the position of "Executive Secretary".

The people behind those Robocalls

You answer the phone, and it's a recorded message:

"By now you should have received your written note regarding your vehicle warranty expiring. This call is to give you a final opportunity to extend coverage before it is too late. Press '1' now to speak to a warranty specialist regarding your options on your vehicle."

Upon pressing "1," you are transferred to a "warranty specialist" who lies to you, telling you he is affiliated with an automobile dealer or manufacturer and that your warranty is up. And before long, you may have agreed to put $450 down on an extended service contract that costs up to $3,000, the balance to be paid in monthly payments.
Or maybe you hang up — only to be called again. And again. Because more than a billion of these automatically dialed "robocalls" have been sent to cell phones, government offices and even 911 operators.

What's surprising is that these billion-plus calls allegedly stemmed from three companies — Transcontinental Warranty, Voice Touch and Network Foundations.

Meet the main players behind the alleged scheme:
— Christopher D. Cowart, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., owns Transcontinental Warranty, a Delaware company based in Fort Lauderdale. A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, Cowart likes to read, travel and play golf in his spare time. He also maintains a Facebook page and uses a LinkedIn profile to advertise his latest business ventures.
— James A. Dunne, 36, of Daytona Beach, Fla., owns Florida-based Voice Touch with his wife, Maureen. Dunne has a checkered legal past, including charges of filing a false report of a bomb that landed him six months in jail in 1991. He was most recently arrested in 2001 for indecent exposure, but those charges were later dismissed.
— Maureen E. Dunne, nee Maureen Geisen, is James Dunne's wife. Little information can be found pertaining to her.
— Damian P. Kohlfeld, 35, of Valparaiso, Ind., is the owner of Network Foundations, which is based in Chicago. Kohlfeld allegedly supplied the technical know-how for the alleged telemarketing scheme employed by all three companies. The Arizona State University graduate has more than a decade of experience writing software and building computer networks. His latest hit, according to the FTC, was a "spoofing" device that tricked caller ID systems.

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