Today I Learned

Barbara Sinatra dropped the info in her new memoir: "Lady Blue Eyes: My Life with Frank" -- saying Frank "always smelled like lavender" and "made [her] feel special."

She also recounts the singer's alcohol use -- writing, "Gin, I think, made him mean. So when I'd come out of my room and see the gin bottle on the bar, I'd turn right around, go back in my room, lock the door, because I didn't want to deal with it."

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Smith, who has played the last five seasons with the Denver Nuggets, was not taken to jail for the offense. We're told Smith signed a notice to appear -- he'll get his court date later.

South Beach beware -- Smith was released on his own recognizance.

54-year-old former child actress Denise Nickerson claims she blazed through "cartons and cartons and cartons" of Bazooka gum while shooting the 1971 classic ... and ended up with a mouthful of rotting teeth.

Famous Beverly Hills jeweler Jason Arasheben tells TMZ, he and Bieber designed the Stewie pendant together -- adding, Justin "had a specific vision for how he wanted it to look."

Jason tells us, the necklace contains 12 carats of precious stones -- including multi-colored rubies and white diamonds -- and they're all set on 14-carat gold.

The ring -- designed by Lorraine Schwartz -- features a 16.5 carat emerald cut center stone flanked by two 2-carat trapezoids ... for a grand total of 20.5 carats.

We're told the stones are all "the highest clarity and color."

So, we gotta ask ...

Busch -- who goes by the nickname "Wild Thing" -- was cited for careless and reckless driving and speeding. Busch was caught tearing through a street near Troutman, N.C. in a yellow Lexus LFA sports car.

According to cops, Busch was targeted by a special unit called the "Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team" of the Iredell County Sheriff's Dept.

If convicted, Busch can lose his license for up to a year and face $1,000 in fines.

EstablishedMen.com -- a social network for rich men seeking needy women -- put the offer on the table earlier this week ... $3,000,000 for Charlie Sheen to endorse the sugar daddy website for three years.

But EM wants even more from Sheen. Charlie would be crowned PRESIDENT of Established Men -- running advertising, sales, and promotions -- in return for a 50% interest in the company.

Also HUGE ... EstablishedMen could not fire Charlie for "moral turpitude."

The bad news -- it's an exclusive deal ... so Charlie couldn't work for anyone else. To make matters worse, he'd have to move to Toronto (no offense).

A couple HS students were filming in a parking lot outside some L.A. mall earlier this week -- and just their luck ... they ran into Mike Epps.

The two students struck while the iron was hot, asking Mike for his opinion on littering in L.A. -- and the actor responded by tossing a crumpled up piece of paper on the ground ... and saying, "Sometimes you don't want sh*t in your car."

The University of Florida sent out an email to students participating in their study abroad program in Italy -- which states "any student who does agree to participate in the filming of the show, or who signs a waiver or legal agreement of any sort with MTV, will be dismissed from the program immediately."

TMZ obtained the email -- warning the students that any action deemed potentially embarrassing to the school "will not be tolerated."

The school has also threatened to contact the student's parental units to inform them why the school would be kicking them to the curb.

Funny, we thought the U of F mascot was the Gator ... not the Rat.

UPDATE: The UF is now changing their tune ... TMZ spoke with Janine Sikes, UF Director of Public Affairs, who tells us, "Generally speaking, students may participate in activities outside their Study Abroad program as long as they meet the academic and living requirements of that program."

TMZ has obtained Charlie's contract for Season 7 (2010 - 2011). The document -- dated May 17, 2010 -- requires Warner Bros. to pay Charlie $10 million within 10 days of the date Charlie signed. Charlie was then obligated to pay the money back during the first 13 episodes.

To repay the loan, Sheen -- who was getting a base pay of $1.25 million a show -- had $769,230.77 deducted from each paycheck for the first 13 episodes. But then there's this pesky issue of interest. Under the deal, the interest -- calculated at the prime commercial rate -- would be deducted from the 14th paycheck.

Charlie was fired after the 16th episode, so Warner Bros. got its $$$ back.

As for why Charlie needed the money ... unclear. With his profit participation, Charlie was raking in more than $2 million an episode, but it seems he was still burning a hole in his pocket.

The man at the center of the controversy is Charles "Mask" Lewis -- who was killed by a drunk driver back in 2009. Mask was cremated at the request of his sister Carla ... who had executive power over Mask's remains.

After Mask's death, Carla claims she was approached by the co-founders of TapouT -- men calling themselves Skyscrape and Punkass -- who wanted to "borrow" Mask's ashes and urn for a public memorial service.

In a lawsuit filed in San Bernardino County, CA -- Carla says she agreed, but demanded the two men return Mask's remains immediately following the service.

Here's where things get CRAZY -- Carla says when she arrived to the memorial service, she noticed "various booths and tables" set up around the cathedral ... one of which contained, "a large shoebox-size box containing several miniature vials that were on display."

Carla says the vendor informed her, "each of the vials contained a small amount of the cremated remains of Mask, and were reserved for, and to be given to, 'special people' whose names were on a printed list."

Carla believes somewhere between 50 to 100 vials were either "sold, given away, donated or otherwise distributed to several unknown persons."

Not only is Carla PISSED about the vials ... she claims TapouT still has possession of the urn and the remainder of Mask's ashes ... and the company refuses to return them.

James Madden has been charged with the murder of 48-year-old Emmanuel McPherson -- for allegedly smashing an alcohol bottle over his head and stomping him to death back in 2009.

According to the Brisbane Times, the fight allegedly broke out when McPherson tried to stop Madden from playing an L.B. album on their stereo. No word on which album incited the furor.

After Emmanuel was killed ... James allegedly wrapped his body in a sheet and dumped it in a nearby creek.

Eden was hanging at The Grove in L.A. -- when the dude with the body art asked Barbara to put her signature above the Eden tat on his leg ... and of course, she obliged ... with a big ol' smile.

The guy told us he was going straight to his tattoo artist to make the signature permanent -- so he could match a similar tattoo on his OTHER leg featuring "Wonder Woman" star Linda Carter.

Mischa's face is on the package of the sexual device -- and according to the guy who bought it (for research purposes) the disposable toy was offered as part of an array of "Western" amenities in his Chinese hotel.

We investigated the possibility that Mischa released a super secret line of sex toys on the Asian market -- but sadly, the actress' rep told us it just ain't true ... saying, "Um. No. She’s not endorsing any such toy."

No word if she'll pursue legal action.

MiLo, who was involved in a fiery drunk driving accident back in 2005, recorded a public service announcement for a website called drinkinganddriving.org.