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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Mar 23, 2012
March 23, 2012
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Asleep at the switch:
Firefighters in Oregon say a snow globe caused a house fire.
The NY Post reports the water-filled globe was left on a windowsill on a sunny day. The magnified sunlight passed through the glass and started a couch on fire. Someone spotted the blaze before it got out of control, so firefighters were able to save the house. (Still)What's new?:
Researchers have tracked down a protein that appears to be a culprit in male baldness --thus identifying what they call a "target" for new treatments.
University of Pennsylvania scientists found that the protein's levels are boosted in bald areas of the scalp. When they bred mice with high levels of the stuff, known as prostaglandin D synthase, the mice went totally bald. Meanwhile, the protein halted the growth of transplanted human hairs.
Essentially, researchers identified a target for treating male-pattern baldness. Now it's time to learn whether a treatment based on the process would reverse balding or just prevent balding, something that may take a while to figure out. Scientists are already working on drugs that affect the pathways involved. (Maiman)The Reel Deal:
"Hangover" producer TODD PHILLIPS said yesterday the upcoming "Hangover III" sequel will be the last film in the series.
He told the Hollywood Reporter "We're going to surprise a lot of people with the final chapter... it'll be a fitting conclusion to our three-part opera of mayhem, despair and bad decisions."
The film is currently scheduled to be out next Memorial Day weekend (in 2013), with stars BRADLEY COOPER, ZACK GALAFIANAKIS and ED HELMS all back for the sequel.USHER has landed a very big movie role. He'll play boxer SUGAR RAY LEONARD in a biopic called "Hands Of Stone." But, the movie is actually about another boxer, ROBERTO DURAN, who will be played by GAEL GARCIA BERNAL. ROBERT DeNIRO co-stars as trainer RAY ARCEL. Usher is getting in fighting shape now so he'll be ready to go when production begins later this year. (Marino)
PITBULL has recorded the theme song for "Men In Black III." It's called "Back In Time" and will be released on Monday. The movie opens on May 25th. Since WILL SMITH has to travel back in time to save the world, Pitbull samples the 1957 hit, "Love Is Strange" by MICKEY &; SYLVIA. (Marino)
Today's police blotter:
Cops in Belgium are investigating a truck driver who allegedly wired up his dash to function like an espresso machine.
According to Orange.co.uk, 43-year-old ISAAC FREMONT was having trouble staying awake while on the road. So, he mounted two large coffee makers on his dash, then wired them to run off the truck battery. That in and of itself isn't necessarily a crime. The problem, according to police, is that Fremont couldn't see out of the windshield thanks to all the equipment.
Cops fined him several hundred bucks and told him to remove the mini-Starbucks. Fremont said he only did it 'cause he hates drinking gas station coffee. (Still)Idle gossip & unconfirmed rumors:
Think your neighbors are bad? Try living next to JENNIFER LOPEZ! MIKE WALKER of the National Enquirer reports the diva ticked off a few locals when she requested a helicopter land at a vacant lot near her home. Too bad the land owner wasn't on-board with the idea and denied her request due to liability issues. Word is she ignored him and had the chopper pick her and CASPER SMART up for a romantic getaway. (Lee)
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