Joey Buttafuoco, who gained notoriety in 1992 when his affair with a teenager led to his wife's shooting, was arrested Wednesday and charged with insurance fraud after making phony repair estimates at his auto body shop. Buttafuoco, co-owner of California Collision of Chatsworth, allegedly told undercover investigators how to file phony insurance claims for undamaged cars. Prosecutors charged him with three counts of insurance fraud and one count of grand
theft. He was being held on $50,000 bail. A separate action was also filed by the state to suspend or revoke the body shop's license, alleging the shop charged customers over $12,000 for repair work that was not done.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - A hefty California prostitute turned the tables on an abusive, small client with his own knife and paraded him naked in front of other streetwalkers. The Bakersfield Californian said the man drove up to the unidentified woman and asked to pay for sex. He ignored her directions on where to park, and went to a field where he allegedly pulled a knife. The man stands 5-foot-5 and weighs 140 pounds and the woman stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 245 pounds.
She soon had the knife away from him and ordered him to strip. She then drove back to where other prostitutes were and asked if anyone recognized him. Police did and charged 45-year-old Adrian Ramirez with committing forcible sex acts on the 24-year-old woman. Police said Ramirez has a lengthy criminal record including four counts of rape. He is free on $250,000 bond awaiting his Dec. 30 hearing.

TORTILLA FLATS, Ariz. - An entire Old West Arizona town has
been put on eBay with an asking price of $5.5 million. Tortilla Flat, a historic tourist town of splintered-wood buildings and dust is posted on the site, and its listing has logged more than 6,500 hits. Nestled in the Superstition Mountains about 18 miles northeast of Apache Junction, the 1904 town offers prickly pear cactus ice cream, half-pound cowboy burgers and saddle seating at the bar. Dave Levi, 54, who has co-owned the town for five years with his sister and brother-in-law, Pam and Alvin Ross, said he is "getting
too old for this stuff." The land on which the town sits is leased from the Tonto National Forest Service. The 20-year, renewable and transferable land lease, now in its third year, is included in the sale.

WESTON, Fla. - A woman got a lot more than she asked for at
a McDonald's drive-thru. Janice Meissner ordered a bagel and a Diet Coke for breakfast, but her bag of food seemed unusually heavy. She soon discovered the bag was loaded with hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars in a sealed plastic bag.
The money turned out to be the restaurant's bank deposit.
Officials for McDonald's said the deposit was put in a food bag to make it less obvious before it was taken to the bank.
It was accidentally left too close to the drive-thru window and the employee didn't check twice before sending it out the window. Meissner did a double take after opening the bag before backing up her minivan to the window to return the money. McDonald's officials said they will send Meissner a thank-you letter and $50 in gift certificates.

After beating 1000 rivals in a 500-mile race, Percy the racing pigeon flopped down exhausted in a Sheffield loft and was promptly eaten by a cat.

In preparation for the 1992 New York Golden Gloves Championships, boxer Daniel Caruso psyched himself up by pounding his gloves into his face. In doing so, he broke his nose and was disqualified from the match.

While waving to the crowd after finishing fourth in the 500cc US Motor Cycle Championship in 1989, Kevin Magee fell off the machine and broke his leg.

During a cricket game in Kalgoorlie, Australia, Stan Dawson was hit by a delivery which ignited a box of matches in his pocket. As he tried to beat down the flames, he was tagged out.

Russian athlete Ivanon Vyacheslav was so thrilled to win a medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics that he threw the medal high into the air. It landed in Lake Wendouree, and was never found.

A producer is very hands-on at all stages of production. The producer is involved in casting, script development, hiring the crew, managing the film's budget, dealing with day-to-day issues that arise during shooting etc. While the director oversees all creative aspects of the production, a producer supervises the business/logistical side of things.

An executive producer on the other hand is often an investor who has made a financial contribution to the film but does not become involved in the day-to-day running of the production. The title executive producer may also be more honorary than real. Sometimes it is bestowed on the film's stars as part of their contract. A production company or studio executive that had some initial involvement in the project might also be given the title of executive producer as a kind of thanks.

CONTEST: Get Initiative - The Writing Initiative's 1st Annual
Prizes: Top Ten will be marketed to agents, managers, and studios
Deadline: December 31, 2003
Website: http://www.writinginitiative.com/

CONTEST: 3rd Annual American Gem Short Script Contest
Prizes: FilmMakers.com will produce the winning script
Deadline: February 2, 2004
Website: http://www.filmmakers.com/contests/short/

CONTEST: Maverick Blueprint Screenplay Contest
Prizes: over $18,000 in prizes, guaranteed options and representation
Deadline: February 29, 2004
Website: http://www.maverickblueprint.com

CONTEST: Hollywood's Next Success Screenwriting Contest
Prizes: guaranteed requests for the winning script from agents,
studios,
producers, etc.
Deadline: April 28, 2004
Website: http://www.hollywoodsnextsuccess.com

CONTEST: Hollywood Gateway Screenwriting Contest
Prizes: $5,000 cash, 12-month option, trip to Hollywood, among others
Deadline: April 30, 2004
Website: http://www.hollywoodgateway.com

CONTEST: Script P.I.M.P. Screenwriting Competition
Prizes: $10,000 in cash. $8,000 in prizes
Deadline: May 1, 2004
Website: http://www.scriptpimp.com/writing_competition

CONTEST: Nicholls
Prizes: Potentially 5 fellowships
Deadline: May 1st, 2004
Website: http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/index.html