All the Straight Poop on Bieber's Baby and Herman's Harasses

Monday,

Oct. 31

Raising a little Cain: Two women said to have accused Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain of sexual harassment; first he denies it, then says charge was “baseless,” then admits paying off one woman … In more trouble for The Hermanator, a Wisconsin-based corporation might have illegally funneled $40,000 cash to campaign … Snow job: 300,000 in Connecticut still without electricity six days after snowstorm, and they’re tired of excuses from Connecticut Light & Power … Everybody’s a capitalist now: Occupy Wall Street movement applies for trademark on the name so it can sell T-shirts, coffee mugs and other tchotchkes … Close call: J.K. Rowling reveals she considered killing off Harry Potter’s best friend, Ron Weasley, “out of sheer spite” because she “wasn’t in a very happy place” in her life.

Tuesday, Nov. 1

A baby Biebs? Mariah Yeater, 20-year-old groupie from California, files paternity suit against Justin Bieber, claims they had sex backstage when she was 19 and he was 16. Bieber’s lawyers say charge is false … Just slightly tasteless: Loudon County, VA Republican Committee sends out email showing President Obama as a zombie with bullet hole in his head; state GOP condemns “disgusting image” … Glad somebody’s doing okay: Report by Roll Call shows total net worth of members of Congress topped $2 billion in 2010, up 25 percent since 2008 … B of A blinks: Faced with consumer outrage and loss of customers, Bank of America cancels planned $5-a-month debit card fee … Fool’s gold: Goldline, a company touted by Glenn Beck and other right-wing icons, charged with running “bait-and-switch operation” in 19-count California criminal indictment.

Wednesday, Nov. 2

“Harass” is not two words: Third woman alleges Herman Cain sexually harassed her, although she decided not to file complaint; former National Restaurant Association exec says he saw Cain grope yet another woman at Virginia restaurant in 1990s; Cain campaign accuses rival Texas Gov. Rick Perry of masterminding smear campaign. And the idea of Rick Perry masterminding anything is pretty funny in itself … Stepping it up: Hundreds of teachers don’t show up for work in Oakland, CA, as Occupy Oakland calls for “general strike” to protest economic conditions; city officials estimate 4,500 demonstrators in streets … Cain’s got nothing on this guy: Ben Dawson, 83, a city council candidate in Centerville, IA, charged with prostitution after allegedly offering to have sex with woman as payment for a loan.

Thursday, Nov. 3

Memory lapse? Records show one woman Herman Cain allegedly harassed got $45,000 settlement, far more than the “two or three months’ salary” he claimed, and another one got $35,000 … Welcome to Banana Republic USA: Census data shows one in every 15 Americans now classed as “poorest of the poor,” with incomes less than 50 percent of poverty level … Meanwhile, study finds 280 of largest public corporations in US paid less than 35 percent corporate tax rate … Sending the wrong message: “Rogue band” of Occupy Wall Streeters vandalizes downtown Oakland; more than 100 arrested … Class act all the way: Tea Party heckler calls Massachusetts US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren a “socialist whore” … This is reassuring: After 35 minutes of debate, House of Representatives votes to affirm that “In God We Trust” is national motto – as it has been since 1956.

Friday, Nov. 4

Groupon stock soars 31 percent in first day of trading, closes at $26.11; company’s market value put at $16.5 billion … Yep, he’s our boy: Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity confirms it funneled money to Wisconsin-based “charity” headed by Herman Cain’s campaign manager … Bet she didn’t figure on this: LA police investigating whether woman who claims Justin Bieber fathered her baby committed rape because he was underage at the time of their alleged backstage tryst … The rot goes deep: London cops arrest Jamie Pyatt, veteran reporter for Rupert Murdoch’s The Sun newspaper, in probe of payoffs to police … If you’re reading this, it missed: Huge asteroid to come closer to Earth than the moon on Tuesday, but still will be 210,000 miles away.

Saturday, Nov. 5

BFFs: In what must have been welcome change from dealing with charges of sexual harassment, Herman Cain has friendly, polite debate with rival GOP nomination-seeker Newt Gingrich … Taking a tragic turn: Woman in her 20s found dead of apparent overdose at Occupy Vancouver campsite, second such death in three days; mayor calls for shutting down camp … Meanwhile police arrest protesters trying to set up camp in Honolulu … Big trouble in Happy Valley: Jerry Sandusky, former Penn State football defensive coordinator, charged with sexually assaulting eight underage boys; Penn State athletic director and VP for finance charged with perjury … Anger management problem: Ledell Peoples, 55, of Chicago charged with fatally stabbing Maria Adams, 49, over missing bag of Halloween candy.

Sunday, Nov. 6

Losing traction: Poll shows Herman Cain’s support slipping in wake of sexual harassment charges, drops 9 points among Republicans … Breathing room: Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, opposition leader Antonis Samaras agree to form unity government, move ahead on debt bailout … Platinum parachute: Rebekah Brooks, News of the World editor ousted in phone-hacking scandal, got severance package including $2.7 million cash plus London office and chauffeured limo … The suspense is killing us: Justin Bieber says he’ll take DNA test to prove he’s not father of Maria Yeater’s baby. World waits breathlessly.

This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2011.