Shrinking Belly Ad Are Conning Consumers, FTC Alleges

Those online ads showing a shrinking waistline and offering “1 Tip for a Tiny Belly” have linked to some diet companies that are conning consumers, the Federal Trade Commission has alleged.



Independent promoters sell the ads to companies hawking diet products made from foods such as acai berries and African mangoes, as well as a human hormone known as hCG, the Washington Post reports. The FTC has filed 10 lawsuits against the acai berry marketers claiming deceptive advertising, but has taken no action against the other marketers.



People who click on the belly ad are led to fake diet or news sites that feature articles claiming to investigate diet claims, the Post says, citing FTC allegations. Reviews are favorable, as people claiming to have used the products rave about the results. People reading the claims are then directed to a website, where they can order “trial samples” of the products.



The FTC has alleged in the acai berry suits that the news sites aren’t legitimate and the weight loss claims can’t be substantiated. Consumers who don’t read the fine print won’t realize that they will be regularly charged for new shipments of the product until they manage to call a toll-free number and endure the time-consuming cancellation process, the FTC says.



The Post says one company tried to protect itself with this fine print on a fake news page: “This website, and any page on the website, is based loosely off a true story, but has been modified in multiple ways including, but not limited to: the story, the photos, and the comments. Thus, this page, and any page on this website, are not to be taken literally or as a non-fiction story.”



Read more at http://www.abajournal.com/

Casey Anthony Trial: Will She Testify Before Defense Rests on Thursday?

Casey Anthony's lawyer said that he expects to wrap up her defense on Thursday, but it is still unclear if the Florida woman accused of murdering daughter Caylee will take the stand and testify.



Judge Belvin Perry also warned the court to be ready to work through the July 4 holiday weekend. He said it will be up to the jurors how much they want to work this weekend, but it is believed they will want to work since they are sequestered.



"I wouldn't make any plans for Sunday or Monday," Perry told the attorneys.



The announcement about the trial's progression followed an emotional day of testimony by George Anthony where he dealt a blow to his daughter's defense by saying she was the last one to see Caylee alive and by offering details about his 2009 suicide attempt.



Read more at http://abcnews.go.com/

Anna Nicole Smith inheritance claim shot down by Supreme Court

Anna Nicole Smith — her estate, actually — isn't entitled to a dime from the $1.6-million fortune left behind by husband J. Howard Marshall II, the Supreme Court has ruled.



Yes, "Anna Nicole Smith" and "Supreme Court" were just mentioned in the same irony-free sentence.



Smith had sued the estate of her late husband, who died in 1995 at 90 after the two had been married for only a year, maintaining she had been promised $400 million. Smith, born Vickie Lynn Hogan, was 26 when she married the elder Marshall, then 89. Primary heir Pierce Marshall had disagreed with her claim, because his dad's will hadn't mentioned the former Playboy model, stripper and soft-core actress who in February 2008 would die of an overdose.



Smith sued in Texas probate court, where she lost, and California bankruptcy court, where she won. The dispute over which court had the right to actually make such a decision then worked its way through appelate courts, finally landing with the Supremes.



Word from Washington? The bankruptcy court blew it — which means Smith's complaint can finally rest in peace.



Smith, whose son Daniel Smith died of an overdose at age 20 in September 2006, is survived by daughter Dannielynn, whose father was not Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband nor Smith attorney and partner Howard K. Stern but rather one Larry Birkhead, who is raising the toddler as a single dad.







Read more at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/

Joss Stone Opens Up on Foiled Kidnap Attempt, Friendship With Will and Kate

There's letting things roll off your back, and then there's whatever Joss Stone is doing.



Because despite being the victim of a rather terrifying-sounding kidnapping and potential murder plot just last week, the British singer doesn't seem all that fazed by her would-be security breach.



PlayJoss Stone Targeted in Murder Plot

"Oh I'm fine, thank you though, that's very sweet," she told Popeater of concerns as to her well-being. "They didn't manage it so it's all good."



Well, alrighty then.



While the swift response of the U.K.'s finest no doubt helped put her at ease, so too, we would imagine, is the fact that she's got friends in some pretty high places.



After all, this is a girl who managed to score the unscorable and net herself an invite to the royal wedding.



Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b248446_joss_stone_opens_up_on_foiled_kidnap.html#ixzz1Pyi1abWH

Joss Stone Opens Up on Foiled Kidnap Attempt, Friendship With Will and Kate

Image via WikipediaJoss Stone Opens Up on Foiled Kidnap Attempt, Friendship With Will and Kate

There’s letting things roll off your back, and then there’s whatever Joss Stone is doing.

Because despite being the victim of a rather terrifying-sounding kidnapping and potential murder plot just last week, the British singer doesn’t seem all that fazed by her would-be security breach.

PlayJoss Stone Targeted in Murder Plot

“Oh I’m fine, thank you though, that’s very sweet,” she told Popeater of concerns as to her well-being. “They didn’t manage it so it’s all good.”

Well, alrighty then.

While the swift response of the U.K.’s finest no doubt helped put her at ease, so too, we would imagine, is the fact that she’s got friends in some pretty high places.

After all, this is a girl who managed to score the unscorable and net herself an invite to the royal wedding.