Johnson and Johnson ordered to pay $72 million for cancer death linked to talcum powder

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) was ordered by a Missouri state jury to pay $72 million of damages to the family of a woman whose death from ovarian cancer was linked to her use of the company's talc-based Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for several decades.

In a verdict announced late Monday night, jurors in the circuit court of St. Louis awarded the family of Jacqueline Fox $10 million of actual damages and $62 million of punitive damages, according to the family's lawyers and court records.

The verdict is the first by a U.S. jury to award damages over the claims, the lawyers said.

Johnson & Johnson faces claims that it, in an effort to boost sales, failed for decades to warn consumers that its talc-based products could cause cancer. About 1,000 cases have been filed in Missouri state court, and another 200 in New Jersey.

Fox, who lived in Birmingham, Alabama, claimed she used Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for feminine hygiene for more than 35 years before being diagnosed three years ago with ovarian cancer. She died in October at age 62.

Jurors found Johnson & Johnson liable for fraud, negligence and conspiracy, the family's lawyers said. Deliberations lasted four hours, following a three-week trial.

Jere Beasley, a lawyer for Fox's family, said Johnson & Johnson "knew as far back as the 1980s of the risk," and yet resorted to "lying to the public, lying to the regulatory agencies." He spoke on a conference call with journalists.

 

Carol Goodrich, a Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman, said: "We have no higher responsibility than the health and safety of consumers, and we are disappointed with the outcome of the trial. We sympathize with the plaintiff's family but firmly believe the safety of cosmetic talc is supported by decades of scientific evidence."

 

Trials in several other talc lawsuits have been set for later this year, according to Danielle Mason, who also represented Fox's family at trial.

 

In October 2013, a federal jury in Sioux Falls, South Dakota found that plaintiff Deane Berg's use of Johnson & Johnson's body powder products was a factor in her developing ovarian cancer.

Nevertheless, it awarded no damages, court records show.

 

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX.TO) now owns the Shower to Shower brand but was not a defendant in the Fox case.

The case is Hogans et al v. Johnson & Johnson et al, Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, No. 1422-CC09012.

Kylie Jenner shares loved up photo with Tyga

Yesterday, Tyga shaded his baby mama, Blac Chyna, for taking a swipe at Kylie for starting a cooking show. Blac Chyna's mum also took a swipe at the Kardashian/Jenner family. I guess this is her way of saying thank you to Tyga for defending her.

Tiwa Savage stuns at Elle Style Awards

Tiwa Savage who is currently in London for the London Fashion Week stepped out in this gorgeous dress for Elle Style Awards. More photos after the cut...

Kanye West goes on another rant

Kanye West went on another twitter rant to attack Bob Ezrin for saying Macklemore was more important musically than him. Read from bottom up...

Ebube Nwagbo steps out in floral shorts

Love the shoes..

Pianist strangled and beaten to death by her Husband on their anniversary because she was more successful

A talented pianist was strangled and beaten to death in a loss of temper by her musician husband, a jury has heard.
Norwegian double bass player John Martin, 48, was said to have been jealous of Russian-born wife Natalia Strelchenko, 38, because her career had taken off while his had not.
Ms Strelchenko, also known by the surname Strelle, was found with head and neck injuries at their home in Newton, Heath, Manchester, last August, on the couple's second wedding anniversary.
Opening the case at Manchester Crown Court, Rob Hall said:

"This is quite simply a case of anger. Pure and simple anger.
"This defendant was not getting what he wanted and reached a point where he lost his temper in a very dramatic fashion.
"The blows inflicted upon Natalia Strelle by this defendant were of such severe force and of such number that her central and left-sided facial bones were left free floating from the rest of her skull.
"Her jawbone was snapped in half and indeed, in addition to that, other parts of her skull were severely fractured
"Even though she was rushed to hospital soon after that assault, she was declared dead about a hour after." 

Martin denies the murder, or the manslaughter, of his wife.

He has also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of a male youth who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Ms Strelchenko had played the piano from the age of eight and went on to gain entry to the prestigious St Petersburg State Conservatory in her homeland, the jury was told, and at the "peak of her powers" performed in concerts with a full orchestra.

She moved to Manchester in 2009 following the breakdown of her first marriage three years earlier, before she met the defendant a year later.

Mr Hall said the pair soon embarked on a romantic relationship, but it was one which was "marked with tensions".
The prosecutor said:

"She complained that the defendant controlled her. He was very jealous if she was out without him ... jealousy made worse by the fact that, to all intents and purposes, her career had taken off while his had not.
"They would also argue regularly about such matters as financial affairs and who should keep the house clean."     

He said the tensions would at times reach "quite a high level" and on occasions the defendant would physically restrain her from leaving their home. The court heard that police had been called over previous arguments between the pair.

In February 2013, officers attended a former address in Newton Heath when they were arguing.
Nine months later, police were called to their home in Culcheth Lane - scene of the alleged murder on August 30 last year - when Martin tried to force his way through the front door of the property after a row on the phone.

In early August last year, the defendant threw Ms Strelchenko out of the house in anger, the jury was told, because he was not prepared to pay her mobile phone bill any longer.
Following that incident, Martin texted his wife's music publicist in which he said:

"She drives me crazy and must be stopped when it happens."    

Ms Strelchenko temporarily moved back in three days before her death ahead of starting a job in France - where she had a second home - the following month.
Martin was said to have become "very upset" the day before his wife's death when he discovered she had advertised the address on a property exchange website for people who wanted to swap homes for short periods, rather than stay in hotels.

A separate dispute followed over eating arrangements when Ms Strelchenko and friends arrived home in the early evening which led to the defendant drinking cider alone in the garden shed.
Martin later left the house for a couple of hours in which time he texted a friend: "Hopeless" and sent another message which read:

"I felt completely lonely all this summer"     

Mr Hall said the defendant eventually returned, with his mood said to be "particularly threatening".
A Polish violinist friend stayed the night and said she witnessed the defendant throwing Ms Strelchencko and himself down a full flight of stairs before he strangled her.
The woman ran to a neighbour's house and raised the alarm, the court heard.
When police attended Martin was in an upstairs bedroom and when arrested on suspicion of assault he repeatedly shouted: "Kill me."
Some of Ms Strelchenko's blood was found on a white double bass case in the house, the court heard.
Martin was later re-arrested in custody at a local police station on suspicion of murder and replied:

"I don't remember anything. "All I remember is I woke up here."     

Mr Hall said that essentially Martin's position had not changed and he maintains he has no memory of the events of August 30.
The prosecutor told the jury:

"The mental state of the defendant will become an important consideration for you as the trial progresses."     

The trial, estimated to last up to three weeks, continues on Wednesday.



Source: ITV

Man changes name to 'Bacon Double Cheeseburger'

A British man formerly known as Simon Smith has changed his name to something slightly more carnivorous: "Bacon Double Cheeseburger." The change was inspired, like many bad ideas, by an evening of drinking.

“It was the culmination of probably too many drinks in the pub where there was a conversation about names," Cheeseburger told the Evening Standard.

“Bacon Double Cheeseburger was pretty much the first thing that came up. Everyone loves bacon don’t they?"

Cheeseburger, 33, told the newspaper his new moniker is "the most ridiculous thing" he and his friends could think of.

"My friends were quite supportive of anything that makes me look silly, as good friends are.”

Cheeseburger said his new name hasn't affected his career as a consultant in the oil and gas industry.
"My work speaks for itself... people keep hiring me," he told the BBC.

But that's slightly misleading. He acknowledged he uses the name he was born with on his resume anddoesn't inform employers his real name is Cheeseburger when he's applying.

"I usually drop that bombshell after the contracts have been signed," Cheeseburger said.

The name, he said, has advantages and at least one downside.
Once word got out that a man really named himself Bacon Double Cheeseburger, fast food outlets came calling, including Byron Hamburgers, a British-based burger chain.

But Cheeseburger said his fiancee, Isabella, has a beef about the new name.

“My fiancée is fairly reluctant about marrying a Cheeseburger," he told the Evening Standard. "That’s something we’re discussing a lot. No girl ever dreams of spending her big day marrying a man called Bacon."

Cheeseburger is one of 85,000 Britons who legally changed their name in 2015, according to the Mirror.

Other unusual names adopted by people include "Happy Birthday," "Sarge Metalfatigue" and "Simply MyLove Poet."



Source: Huffpost

Kim Kardashian steps out in dressed down attire

Kim Kardashian gave fans a brief look at her dressed down self when she visited a spa to get pampered. Another photo after the cut....
 

Davido shows off jewelries and wads of cash in NYC

Davido showed off wads of dollars and jewelries as he met with his jewelry guy in his supervan in NYC. More photos after the cut.. 

Rob Kardashian shades his entire family...lol

Didn't his Mum Kris Jenner just use the Family Trust to help him purchase a Mansion in California? Rob is wild. He's sticking with Blac Chyna against his Family...lol

Siblings recreate childhood photo with their dad...and it's hilarious!

That's a strong father there....the son looks heavy and the woman isn't exactly a feather. Agbaya..lol

Footballer gives referee a red card (photos/video)

A disgruntled Trabzonspor player, Salih Dursin showed a referee a red card in a Turkish league match. The referee gave a red card to his teammate Luis Cavanda and Dursin picked up the referees card after it fell on the floor and shoved it in the referee's face. The Referee, angry with such bizarre show of disrespect by the player, gave Dursin his own red card leaving his team with only 8 outfield players. 

See the video after the cut...

Jamaican bride dumps new husband 20 MINUTES after arriving in the UK

A 57 year old charity worker who spent £5,000 bringing his new Jamaican bride to the UK was left heartbroken after she abandoned him within 20 minutes of walking through his front door.

Johnny Gannon spent thousands arranging a visa for 24-year-old Patrice Chambers so they could live in marital bliss in his council flat in Perth, Scotland.

But as soon as Patrice arrived in Perth, she sent trusting Mr Gannon, out to buy Pot Noodles. When he returned she grabbed her bags and told him she was going.

Within 20 minutes of arriving through his front door she had flagged down a car and caught a train. He found out she had also run up a £500 bill on his mobile phone.

Heartbroken Mr Gannon, who married Patrice in Jamaica early this year, believes his new wife fled to Bristol to meet a Jamaican boyfriend with whom she had organised the scheme.

He told the Daily Mirror: 'I was looking forward to spending the rest of my life with Patrice but I think she had planned all along to do this.

'My relationship with her wasn’t something I’d done by mail order. I’ve known her for two years and it seemed very much like the real thing to me. She has used me and I feel humiliated.

'I had a vision of happiness laid out. I feel like a bit of a fool.'

Mr Gannon takes regular holidays in Jamaica and met Patrice there two years ago.

A friend set them up on a blind date but despite the 33-year age gap he fell in love with her after their first meeting in a romantic bar in the resort of Treasure Beach.

As the couple watched dophins playing in the water he believed he had found the girl of his dreams.

'She ran a little bar and I'd hang out with her there,' he said. 'She was intelligent and I myself thought she had the potential to be a great life partner.

source: DailyMirrorUK

See the novel strategy this CEO employs with prospective employees

Walt Bettinger, CEO of banking and brokerage firm Charles Schwaab is not one to be impressed with just a good certificate. He says he seeks to know what's in the heart of his prospective employees not just what they have in their heads. Why? Because other people matter.

Before taking job candidates on a breakfast interview, Bettinger shows up early and asks the restaurant to purposely mess up the order, with the promise of a good tip in exchange. 

Bettinger says that he's most concerned about a prospective employee's character, and this is a test to see how they deal with adversity, he said.

'Are they upset, are they frustrated, or are they understanding? Life is like that, and business is like that,' he explained.

'It's just another way to look inside their heart rather than their head.' 

And the heart is what Bettinger is trying to understand, asking candidates about their greatest successes in life before he offers them a job at his company.

'What I'm looking for is whether their view of the world really revolves around others, or whether it revolves around them,' he said.

'And I'll ask then about their greatest failures in their life and see whether they own them or whether they were somebody else's fault.'  

Bettinger says one of his last exams in college which ruined his perfect 4.0 score made him realise it is important to acknowledge those 'who do the real work'.  He had spent hours memorising formulas for calculations, he turned up to the exam to meet a blank paper, all his hard graft useless.

According to him, 'The professor said, "I've taught you everything I can teach you about business in the last 10 weeks.'

'But the most important message, the most important question, is this: What's the name of the lady who cleans this building?' 

Bettinger didn't know. He failed and got a B in the class.

'That had a powerful impact,' he said. 'Her name was Dottie, and I didn't know Dottie. I'd seen her, but I'd never taken the time to ask her name.'

'I've tried to know every Dottie I've worked with ever since. It was a great reminder of what really matters in life.'

Source: UK Daily Mail

Caroline Danjuma shares photos of her hot bod after losing weight

According to the mother of 3, her weight loss plan is working out well. She shared these photos above on her Instagram page and wrote "Yaaaaaay loosing the weight gradually. E no easy. Been jogging in my dream"

Photos: Khloe Kardashian stunning in all-white ensemble

The reality star looked gorgeous in a white plunging skintight top and white skirt for a taping of her TV show Kocktails With Khloe in Los Angeles on Monday. More photos after the cut..

The Rich Kids of Russia flaunt their wealth on Instagram (photos)

An anonymous Instagram account dedicated to documenting the lavish lifestyles of the progeny of Russian society's rich and famous has become an internet sensation. The account specializes in collecting photos of rich Russian youngsters that they post online themselves. Images on the profile feature them with everything from luxury cars through to selfies with expensive boats or famous people. More photos after the cut...