Here’s my favorite pair of busty British sisters Billie and Sam Faiers celebrating the Wright Venue’s 5th birthday, along with one of my new favorites: Rachel Wallace . I’ve never heard of Rachel before, but I’m liking what I’m seeing so far. And if that couldn’t be me in the middle of that Faiers sister sandwich, then I guess Rachel makes for a pretty good consolation prize. Enjoy. » view all 19 photos Photos: WENN.com
Busted! Citibank Sued By City Of L.A. For Predatory Lending To Minorities Citibank is being hit with a huge predatory lending lawsuit where they are accused of knowingly engaging in predatory lending practices that led to the foreclosure of over 1,200 homes in minority neighborhoods. via Courthouse News Service Los Angeles can pursue claims that predatory Citibank loans in minority neighborhoods caused a disparate number of foreclosures in those areas, a federal judge ruled. The city sued Citibank, Citigroup, CitiMortgage, Citicorp Trust Bank and Citi Holdings in December 2013, claiming they were “reverse redlining” certain minority neighborhoods, resulting in blight and diminished property-tax revenue. A “regression analysis” Los Angeles cited showed that from 2004 to 2011, a black borrower was 2.273 times more likely than a white borrower to receive a predatory loan. The city said it could identify 1,200 loans that resulted in foreclosure, and that it expected the number to rise. U.S. District Judge Otis Wright found sufficient evidence Monday of racial motivation behind the predatory loans. “As L.A. points out, the complaint is rife with allegations that defendants targeted minority borrowers for unfair loan terms based on race or national origin,” he wrote. The banks failed to sway him on their characterization of the city’s alleged injuries as nonspecific. Citing the 1979 decision Gladstone Realtors v. Village of Bellwood, which held that civil actions could be brought against racial discrimination housing sales or rentals, Wright wrote: “the Supreme Court made clear that ‘a significant reduction in property values directly injures a municipality by diminishing its tax base, thus threatening its ability to bear the costs of local government and to provide services.’” “The court finds that it need go no further with respect to L.A.’s alleged injuries of decreased property-tax revenue and increased municipal services,” Wright added. Sounds like Citibank better get ready to drop more than a couple stacks to clean this up….
Director Edgar Wright’s super-small superhero ‘is funny, but it’s not a comedy,’ he tells MTV News at Comic-Con. By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
New Yorker writer, Lawrence Wright appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe talk show to discuss his new book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief , and Tom Cruise quickly became the focus of the conversation. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author — who did some 200 interviews with current and former Scientologists, as well as other sources for his book — was in the process of discussing reports of “abuse and involuntary confinement” within its Sea Org unit — the equivalent of Scientology clergy, according to Wright — when host Joe Scarborough brought up the Top Gun star (around the 6:20 mark of this clip). “Do you think Tom Cruise knows of these alleged problems with Scientology . And secondly, what’s in it for a guy like Tom Cruise, who has the freedom to do whatever he wants and chooses to stay in the church”. Wright’s response: “I’m glad you’ve put your finger on Tom Cruise, because I think he has a moral responsibility — he’s been the front pitchman for this organization for years. More people have heard about Scientology through him than any other person. There may be some willful blindness on his part, but if so, it’s time for him to open his eyes because he’s been selling this.” In the video, Wright points out that Cruise is “being treated very well” by church members. He even says they “hand-crafted a limousine for him.” I’ve asked Cruise’s spokeswoman if the actor would like to respond to Wright’s comments and will post them if they are forthcoming. As you might guess, the Church of Scientology doesn’t have good things to say about Going Clear, and has called it an “Error-filled unsubstantiated bigoted anti-Scientology book.” Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Alexis Wright, a Zumba instructor in Maine, was charged this week with running a prostitution business out of her studio and secretly videotaping her encounters. Wright, 29, pleaded not guilty in Portland to 106 counts of prostitution, violation of privacy, tax evasion and other charges for allegedly providing sex for money. Alexis’ alleged business partner, 57-year-old Mark Strong Sr., pleaded not guilty to 59 counts of promotion of prostitution and violation of privacy. Prosecutors haven’t detailed why Wright was videotaping her encounters, but they gathered more than 100 hours of video and nearly 14,000 screen shots from seized computers. Police have begun issuing summons to Wright’s customers and will release the names. Townspeople in Kennebunk, Me., say they’ve heard that lawyers, doctors, law enforcement officials, a TV personality and other well-known people in town are connected. The superintendent of schools issued a memo to teachers and staff last week about students who have relatives on the list of names and may be teased or have trouble coping. Wright opened her Pura Vida fitness studio in 2010 teaching Zumba, a Latin-inspired fitness program that combines aerobics and dance, about 25 miles south of Portland. She later rented a one-room office across the street, above a hair salon and a flower store. That same year, an anonymous blog wrote that Wright was not who she claimed to be: “She’s living a double life and is a porn star. She may be a prostitute for all I know.” Police began investigating after hearing reports of cars coming to the studio and the office at all hours of the day and night and men going in for a half-hour or hour at a time. The landlord who rented the office space to Wright told investigators one of his tenants sometimes heard “moaning and groaning” coming from Wright’s office, the affidavit said. When the landlord checked the office himself, he found a massage table and a video camera on a tripod. He told police he later found an online porn video of Wright that was recorded in the office, which he recognized by the walls, the floor and the window. When police raided the studio and office in February, they seized electronic ledgers of sexual acts, video recordings and records of clients and the sexual acts performed by Wright. Police said that judging by what they found, Wright’s alleged sexual activities generated up to $150,000. Investigators said there was both a “business and personal” connection between Strong and the studio. Video footage showed Wright and Strong having sex, according to the affidavit.
In addition to being a Wife, Mother, Entrepreneur and Reality TV Star, Toya Wright has also added Author to her list of accomplishments. Unfortunately, it…
In addition to being a Wife, Mother, Entrepreneur and Reality TV Star, Toya Wright has also added Author to her list of accomplishments. Unfortunately, it…
Rejoice, Shaun of the Dead / Hot Fuzz faithful! At long last, the eagerly anticipated threequel in Edgar Wright ‘s “Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy” (AKA “The Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy” — Wright’s version of Kieślowski’s Colors series) is on its way. Deadline reports that The World’s End , to be directed by Wright with collaborators Simon Pegg and Nick Frost starring, is set to begin filming this September with fingers crossed for a spring 2013 release. But wait, there’s more! Get a taste of the trio’s upcoming shenanigans from the film’s synopsis, which promises adventure, friendship, and — what else? — pubs. The only catch: According to the report, Universal “hasn’t yet green lit the film.” But Wright and Co. are charging ahead anyway with the fall start anyway! Good luck to ’em. (And good luck holding your breath, Ant-Man -watchers…) The set-up: 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hell bent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King, a 40-year old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their home town and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub, The World’s End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s End is the least of their worries. [ Deadline ]
