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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Feb 18, 2014
February 18, 2014
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Guilty Pleasures:
Reality doesn't really tend to work this way, but LÁSZLÓ ANDRASCHEK's story has a fairy tale ending.
En route to a program for recovering alcoholics, the unemployed, indebted Hungarian man was down to his last few coins when he decided to buy a lottery ticket. "I had only picked six numbers and the female shop assistant reminded me that I needed to pick a seventh," he said. "I told her to make it 24 --it doesn't matter, anyway."
But it did: Andraschek won nearly $3 million bucks.
It gets better: The 55-year-old paid his debts and biked to a dealership to buy a car. He then bought apartments for his three children, plans to take a trip to Italy, and has taken care of other family members' debts.
But most notably, he's using the money to help others. Andraschek's good fortune was kept quiet until he recently made a hefty donation to a homeless shelter. He's also setting up foundations to help addicts and victims of domestic abuse.
He says, "I have become rich, but I have not become a different person." (Maiman)While we're on the subject --no winner in Friday night's drawing for the Mega Millions Lottery. That means tonight's drawing is valued at $154 million ($84 million cash value). Mega Millions is played in 43 states, Washington DC and the US Virgin Islands. Chances of winning the big prize are 1 in 258.9 million.
Also, no winner in Saturday night's drawing for the Powerball Lottery. That means tomorrow night's drawing is valued at $400 million ($228 million cash value). Powerball is played in 44 states, Washington, DC and the U-S Virgin Islands. Chances of winning the grand prize (all five numbers plus the powerball) are 1 in 175.2 million.Sucking the life out of the wire services:
BRADLEY COOPER admitted yesterday he had no underwear on when he met PRESIDENT OBAMA last week.
Bradley was a special guest at the dinner for French President FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, and told ELLEN DeGENERS yesterday that he'd been gaining weight to play CHRIS KYLE in his upcoming film, "American Sniper" --and nothing in his closet fit right when he went to put on some formal clothes.
"They only went up to here" he said, motioning to his thighs.
So... he said, "I had to go commando, number one, because there was no room at all." Then, he said, he had to move his body strategically when he got out of his chair so he didn't split them.Designer Update:
The next round of Nike's "Back to the Future II" Air Mags will have the self-lacing feature that MICHAEL J FOX enjoyed in the "Back to the Future" sequel. Gizmodo.com says Nike designer TINKER HATFIELD is promising the "power laces" will be featured in the line coming out in 2015. Not-so-coincidentally, 2015 is the year Marty McFly traveled to get his self-lacing sneakers in the movie. (Bartha)
The Reel Deal:
PRESIDENT OBAMA will be seeing the new GEORGE CLOONEY movie, "The Monuments Men," tonight at the White House. Clooney will reportedly be on hand for the event as well.
Deadline points out that George is a White House fave, since he did a fundraiser for Obama's re-election in 2012 at his home that pulled in $15-million dollars for the President. "We raised a lot of money because everybody loves George," the Prez said during the $40-thousand-dollar-a-ticket event. "They like me, they love him." -
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