"This real-life soap opera has captivated Hollywood and Wall Street."
See: Red(stone) With Jealous Rage
Ailing Sumner Redstone to testify in mental capacity case
"Sumner Redstone, in competency trial, reviles ex-lover" by Michael Cieply and Emily Steel New York Times May 06, 2016
LOS ANGELES — In halting but fiery testimony on Friday, the ailing media mogul Sumner M. Redstone appeared to state decisively that he no longer wanted his former companion and one-time romantic partner in his life.
After repeatedly referring to her with expletives, Redstone said that he hated Manuela Herzer, his former girlfriend, who brought the suit challenging his mental capacity. In response to a question about whether he wanted Herzer to make health care decisions for him, Redstone replied, “No.”
“I want Manuela out of my life,” Redstone said at the end of the session when his lawyer asked what he wanted at the end of the trial. The videotaped testimony was shown after reporters and spectators were cleared from the courtroom, and a transcript was provided to news organizations afterward.
On viewing the testimony, with its clear assertions about his distaste for Herzer, Judge David J. Cowan expressed skepticism as to whether her legal team could overcome Redstone’s current wishes. “Your burden now is a hard one,” the judge told Pierce O’Donnell, Herzer’s lawyer, in brief remarks as the public portion of the trial resumed.
Redstone, who is 92 and frail, has not been seen publicly for nearly a year. Apart from its impact on the trial, the transcript of Redstone’s testimony will be heavily scrutinized for hints as to his ability to play a continuing role at his two big media companies, Viacom and CBS. He is a director, chairman emeritus, and controlling shareholder of both media companies.
It may also determine whether he can make any further decisions about control of those two companies — control that is expected, on his death or a declaration of incompetency, to rest primarily with a trust. His daughter, Shari Redstone, with whom he is now reconciled after an estrangement, is one of the seven trustees.
In his testimony, Redstone did not respond to some basic questions but was able to answer others — especially those with yes or no answers. The transcript shows that the flow of questions and answers was sporadic, and at one point his interpreter asked that Redstone’s dentures be adjusted in order to better understand him.
But at times Redstone’s comments were decisive and showed a glimmer of his well-known ferocity and penchant for profanity.
In the first question, he was asked who Herzer was. His response denigrated her with two obscene words.
Pretty sure I can guess which two and in what order.
--more--"
That's what Trump (with worse hair) will look like after eight years of the presidency.
Where's the love?
"In Maine town, ‘cat ladies’ claw for rights of strays" by Brian MacQuarrie Globe Staff May 02, 2016
DIXFIELD, Maine — It’s a labor of love, one that 75-year-old Brenda Jarvis and her sister, Caroline Smith, started 40 years ago with a few abandoned cats that over the years became hundreds. Since then, they and other self-proclaimed “cat ladies” have made this trailer and this town somewhat of a magnet for unwanted felines. The cats have the run of the trailer; the women live elsewhere.
Their effort appeared to get a big boost when Barbara Thorpe, a longtime resident, left the bulk of a $197,000 estate to Dixfield’s abandoned and unwanted cats upon her death in 2002, but only $3,000 has come the cats’ way since then, the women’s attorney says.
The cat ladies of Dixfield, as well as the town itself, are fighting back, suing the trustees as part of a legalistic cat fight....
Meowing in Maine!
--more--"
UPDATE: Tuition cuts make UMaine a hot college for Mass. students
Related:
Viacom to stop paying Redstone
