WebProNews

Author: Lacy Langley

  • Shirley MacLaine Gets Award at Boulder Film Festival

    Shirley MacLaine was given the Career Achievement Award at the Boulder International Film Festival in Colorado on Saturday, to the delight of audience members and fans, according to the Denver Post.

    The actress, who has an astounding 60-year career in film, can brag of a 1984 Oscar for best actress, six Emmy Awards and seven Golden Globes, among many other awards.

    She is probably best known for her roles in earlier films like “The Apartment”, “Being There”, and “Terms of Endearment”, but recently made waves in the hilarious “Bernie” and the popular “Downton Abbey”.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HkleYo9DIU

    In an interview at the Boulder Theater she recounted a piece of advice that she received from fellow actor James Cagney which she has found particularly useful. He told her,

    “You walk in, you plant your feet, you look the other fella in the eye and you tell the truth.” Then she added, “I feel like you don’t just do that on screen, you do that every day of your life.”

    She was last in Boulder to knock on doors and speak for failed presidential candidate George McGovern in 1974. When interviewer, Boulder International Film Festival producer Ron Bostwick, asked why she is not very active in politics anymore, she said,

    “Some of those politicians who think they should be our leaders should start looking within and getting more scientifically soulful and understand what leadership is really about and what future of the human race is really about.”

    Broomfield, Colorado resident Robin Bell attended the event in order to gain some insight for her Ph.D. dissertation, but seeing Shirley MacLaine was a huge bonus.

    “I love her,” Bell said. “I look at creativity and she’s a creative mind. She thinks outside the box and doesn’t worry about what other people think.”

    “I had to be here for this and to tell you to keep going with your films,” she said to the audience, mostly a smattering of filmmakers and film lovers. “We do what we do because we love it but honestly, I don’t think any of us have any idea how important even the smallest film is.”

    So what keeps this woman going? She says good advice, “…a good pair of shoes and a hat for the sun.”

    She left the audience with a thrill when she hinted that she might come back to Boulder to do her one woman show.

    Trivia fans, she is also the big sister of actor Warren Beatty. Who knew? Not me.

    Image via YouTube

  • Vitamin D Supplements: Proven Useless?

    Vitamin D Supplements: Proven Useless?

    Vitamin D Supplements have been found practically useless in a new study out of New Zealand which flies in the face of everything that we have been told.

    Vitamin D has been thought helpful in the prevention of many diseases and ailments such as heart attack, stroke, and even depression. However, the new study finds that Vitamin D in supplement form, among other supplements, could be totally useless.

    In the study, researchers found that a group of people given a real Vitamin D supplement and a group given a “dummy” supplement had no marked differences in the diseases with which they suffered.

    “Our findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation with or without calcium does not reduce skeletal or non-skeletal outcomes in unselected community-dwelling individuals by more than 15%. Future trials with similar designs are unlikely to alter these conclusions,” concludes the study conducted by Health Research Council of New Zealand.

    Experts say that the best way to get Vitamin D is from food sources like milk, salmon, tuna, and vegetables like mushrooms.

    “The take-away message is that there is little justification currently for prescribing vitamin D to prevent heart attack, stroke, cancer, or fractures in otherwise-healthy people living in the community,” says lead study author Dr. Mark Bolland, according to bio-hormone-health.com.

    However, there are still many who would argue that Vitamin D supplementation is absolutely effective. Dr. Michael F Holick, a vitamin D expert and author of “The Vitamin D Solution” book, says that the testing methods done in New Zealand were simply “silly”. He says the results prove nothing since the doses of Vitamin D given test subjects was incredibly small and not what would normally be prescribed.

    The RDA for Vitamin D supplementation is only 400 IU per day, yet current research suggests that our daily Vitamin D requirement is closer to 4,000 to 5,000 IU.

    Would giving the required dosage have made a difference? I suppose another study will be in order.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Snake Salvation: Son to Take Over Snake Handling

    “Snake Salvation” church will continue the dangerous practice of handling snakes even after the tragic death of their pastor, Jamie Coots, according to The Christian Post.

    21-year-old son of Jamie Coots, Cody Coots, says he will take over where his dad left off as pastor of Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name, snakes and all. In fact, he would never think about stopping, and says,

    “I don’t know if he would come back out of his grave and slap me clean across the face. That’s how much he believed in it. I mean he was that strong in it. He believed in it enough he died for it, so I won’t step down for anyone.”

    Jamie Coots died last week from the bite of a poisonous snake that he was handling at the time. The Coots family and all of their congregation, and surprisingly many other congregations of the pentacostal sect (numbering around 1,000 believers), believe that handling snakes during worship is directly commanded in the Bible specifically in Mark 16:15-18, which reads,

    15 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

    Pastor Andrew Hamblin, another snake-handling pastor from Tabernacle Church of God in LaFollette, Tenn., said of his first experience with his mentor Pastor Coots,

    “I had seen serpent handling on TV, but in real life he was the first man I’d actually seen take a serpent up. I handled my first serpent right here at this church straight out of his snake box. He handed my wife her first serpent.”

    Pastor Hamblin also has no plans to end the dangerous practice at his church.

    Image via YouTube

  • Muhammad Ali’s Legendary Gloves Sell for $836,500

    Muhammad Ali beat Sonny Liston to win his very first heavyweight title 50 years ago. Marking the special anniversary, his gloves from that fight were auctioned off on Saturday for $836,500, according to AFP.

    Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) was already an up and coming star when he fought Liston, after much taunting on his part. He won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, held in Rome, and went on to face Liston 4 years later.

    Liston was nothing to laugh at himself, as he had just managed back-to-back first round knockouts of the legendary Floyd Patterson.

    “Sonny Liston is nothing,” Clay said before the bout, according to CTV News. “The man can’t talk. The man can’t fight. The man needs talking lessons. The man needs boxing lessons. And since he’s going to fight me, he needs falling lessons.”

    After winning the historical fight with Liston, Clay emphatically jumped around the ring and yelled, “I shook up the world!”. The next day is when he announced his famous name change and his intent to follow the Islamic faith.

    Ali would go on for another whirlwind 3 years, defending his title again and again, making him the most famous boxer of all time. His showboating and antics also helped him stay in the public eye.

    His career hit a bump in the road when he refused to go into the Army, a refusal which cost him all of his titles and had him banned from fighting for almost four years. However, in 1971, the Supreme Court overturned that decision and he went on to win the title 2 more times.

    Also up for auction on Saturday were some other rare sports memorabilia including a pocket watch given to Babe Ruth to commemorate the 1923 World Series victory before rings became standard.

    “While a few 1923 Championship pocket watches have surfaced from lesser players and front office personnel, it was widely believed that Babe Ruth’s had been lost,” said Heritage Sports Collectibles director Chris Ivy.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Duck Dynasty Stars Go Out for a Good Cause

    The stars of Duck Dynasty were out on the town in Charleston, W. Va., Saturday night for the event Dare to be a Duck. The night was sponsored by Youth Commission ministries, which, according to their website, is…

    ” …a ministry focused on reaching the world for Christ through youth! Youth Commission helps middle and high school students start and maintain Christian clubs that meet on on their school campuses.”

    “We have students who love the Lord and are trying to make a difference in their homes, trying to make a difference in the community, and also on their school campus,” said YCI’s President and CEO Dennis Williams.

    The club encourages kids to take a stand for their beliefs, just like the famous and quirky family they watch every week. Williams hopes to get more kids involved and let them know that they’re not alone.

    “We hope things explode here,” said Williams.

    The crowd welcomed the reality stars with open arms, and couldn’t wait to meet in person the popular (and controversial) personalities of the hit show. Most people, when faced with the chance to meet reality stars in real life, want assurances that what they see on the screen matches up with their true personality.

    “I want to see Duck Dynasty,” said Aiden Blair. He and his father came from Ironton, Ohio to meet the stars and hopefully get a picture, according to WSAZ.

    Andrew Reynolds, another fan of the show’s family, came with one question on his mind. In fact, it’s probably one that we all wonder at one point or another. “I was wondering what Si was like in real life.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1_6SPts0Qc

    The family does a great job supporting causes like this one, and surely welcome such distractions. It seems that they have put a tough year behind them and are using the experiences to move forward and do work that is close to their hearts and that actually makes a difference.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Boy Asks Robin Roberts for Help Finding a Donor

    A young boy with sickle cell anemia reached out to Robin Roberts for help finding a bone marrow donor. When he was twenty months old, Joshua Biyoyouwei had a severe stroke that left him with weakness on the left side of his little body, according to ABC.

    In order to try to prevent another life-threatening stroke, Josh has been going to Children’s Medical Center Dallas every 4-6 weeks for lengthy and sometimes painful blood transfusions.

    Joshua’s mother, Vera Johnson, and Josh sent a heart-warming video to Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts to ask for her help in finding a bone marrow donor. They have been searching for 4 years and have yet to find a match, which would provide a cure for his sickle cell anemia and allow him to live his life as a normal little boy.

    Roberts spearheaded an effort with Be the Match to increase blood marrow donations after her struggle, inspiring more than 65,000 people to join the Be The Match Registry.

    According to Josh’s doctor, Timothy McCavit, this is the best chance for him.

    “These blood vessels in his brain where his stroke occurred have continued to narrow,” McCavit said. “We believe the transplant really offers him the best chance to not have a life-threatening stroke.”

    The nurses at Children’s Medical Center Dallas all dote on Josh, but would rather not see him come in month after month.

    “I think Joshua has a huge heart,” said Shelley Bernhard, a nurse. “You know, the things that we have to do, sometimes, are not the most fun. Starting an IV, having to sit in a chair for four hours but, I mean, he just loves it when you come in the room, loves the interaction.”

    The love in Josh’s mom’s voice is heartbreaking. “Robin, many people listen to you,” Johnson said in the YouTube video to Roberts. “Have a voice for us to find a match for Joshua or kids like him.”

    “Please help me find my match,” said Joshua.

    Image via YouTube

  • 82nd Airborne Paratrooper Killed in “Incident”

    An 82nd Airborne paratrooper was killed in an explosion at Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Friday, according to the AP.

    Seven others were injured, two of which were seriously injured. Officials are crediting two onsite medics with providing life-saving first aid treatments to the injured until they could get to medical facilities.

    The two seriously injured are currently recovering, one at Womack Army Medical Center, while the other has been transferred to Duke University Medical Center.

    The fallen soldier and the two that were injured remain unnamed until next of kin have been notified.

    A statement from Fort Bragg recounted what happened as “an incident” with a M777 light, towed howitzer. The blast occurred during artillery live-fire training involving the 18th Fires Brigade. As of now, there is no further information available.

    This post was on the Fort Bragg Facebook page yesterday:

    Post by Fort Bragg, N.C.

    According to Fox, Maj. Gen. John W. Nicholson, Jr., Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division said this,

    “We offer our heartfelt prayers and condolences to the families of the Paratroopers killed and wounded in this tragic incident.”

    The Army is currently investigating what went wrong and what, if anything, can be done to prevent such incidents in the future.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mikaela Shiffrin Wins Historic Gold for U.S.

    Mikaela Shiffrin has become the first U.S. Alpine women’s skier to win gold at the Sochi Olympics. She dominated the women’s Slalom with a combined time of 1:44.54.

    The victory is even sweeter for Shiffrin because the 18-year-old from Vail, Colorado is also officially the youngest women’s skier to ever win an olympic slalom, according to the Washington Post.

    Her mother said that on top of general pressure and nerves faced by a young olympian and being the surprise favorite, Mikaela was also battling a cold from the Giant Slalom that was held Tuesday entirely in frigid rain.

    “In general it’s nerve-wracking,” Mikaela’s mom Eileen Shiffrin said. “It just is. But she seemed in a good place when she went up there. But it’s funny. Nerves are funny. You can be fine one second and awful the next second. You never know when it’s going to creep in there.”

    But Mikaela didn’t seem to be suffering from nerves as much as her mom thought she would. She beat out some pretty fierce competition with a confidence that can only be manned by an 18-year-old who knows what good is, and she’s it.

    “I was pretty relaxed,” she said. “Thank goodness, because there are a couple points throughout the day where I was like, ‘Oh my God, here we go.’ But no, I was relaxed in the start, and that was awesome.”

    That winning run was very nearly thwarted by a close call early on, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her left leg seemed to have a small revolt as she cruised down the mountain.

    Her coach, Roland Pfeifer, said, “I thought it was over.”

    To which Mikaela added, “That was scary,” she said. “I thought I was going off the course.”

    But it wasn’t over, not by a long shot. She recovered and skied on to victory.

    The win was welcome for the U.S. as Americans have generally owned Alpine Skiing, taking 12 medals between the Vancouver and Sochi Games. However, the Slalom has thus far escaped American athletes. Until now.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • IRS in Hot Water Over New Treasury Inspector Report

    The IRS is facing new scrutiny over taxes that should have been paid for out-of-town travel made by its agents. These accusations have arisen from a Treasury Inspector General report, and have caused new fury amongst those who feel that the IRS already has too much power and shady behavior amongst its top executives.

    Those like Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio are speaking out against the apparent corruption.

    “Here were the top people doing what no other citizen can do,” Jordan told Fox News. “You underreport income, you don’t pay your taxes, you can’t get away with it. And yet the very people who run the IRS were doing just that.”

    To the IRS, however, the report is nothing other than business as usual. They issued a statement saying,

    “Cutting costs is a top priority, and the IRS has put in place a number of steps to reduce expenses involving executive travel. The IRS agreed with (the Inspector General report’s) recommendations and has put in place new steps to prevent future issues in this area.”

    As the troubled agency deals with the fresh investigations into its practices, they continue to ready themselves to implement and enforce Obamacare.

    “That’s going to be a very daunting moment for them, let alone the enforcement mechanisms, so that’s going to be… navigating that is going to be very delicate for the service. Particularly of the fact that this law is so, well, it’s so controversial,” said former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson.

    Some are not so confident in the abilities of the IRS to handle the new strain along with old baggage, as Jim Jordan stated,

    “Now they’re going to have a greater role in ObamaCare? With a website that’s not secure and all the problems we’ve already seen with this, with this legislation? Certainly doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in the minds of taxpayers and citizens across the country.”

    Time will tell if the IRS can handle the pressures of the new healthcare codes and enforcement as well as the old burden of questionable acts.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Listeria Outbreak Traced to Delaware Cheese Producer

    A Listeria outbreak has killed one and made at least 10 others dangerously ill. Three of those that are ill are babies, but it is not clear as of now if the death was also a baby. The lysteria-linked death occured in California, and seven of the other illnesses were in Maryland.

    The outbreak has been linked to hispanic-style cheeses bought at different locations of the same grocery chain which will remain nameless pending the investigation. However, the cheeses themselves were “likely produced by” Roos Foods of Kenton, Deleware, according to AP.

    The illnesses were actually reported between August and November of last year, but the CDC cautions that there could be more that are unknown as of now. They also warn against buying or eating any cheese produced by Roos Foods and repackaged at a local grocery chain. Roos Foods cheeses are sold under the brand names Santa Rosa de Lima, Amigo, Mexicana, Suyapa, La Chapina, and La Purisima Crema Nica.

    Listeria is a serious illness that causes fever and muscle aches, usually with serious diarrhea. The illness is very dangerous to newborns as well as pregnant women since the disease can easily pass from a mother to her unborn child.

    Listeria is usually found in places like soil, dust, water, sewage, and unpasteurized cheeses such as brie, mozzarella, and blue cheese. It can also be found in uncooked fruits and vegetables. Listeria infection can lead to bacterial meningitis, usually in newborns and those with impaired immune systems. Bacterial meningitis can actually become contagious among people in close contact, and can lead to death.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Colorado Theater Shooter to Get New Psych Evaluation

    Colorado theater shooting suspect, James Holmes, will have another chance at a mental examination to determine if he was insane at the time he shot up a theater full of people in a suburb of Denver, according to Fox News.

    The judge in the case, Arapahoe County District Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr., determined that the first mental exam given last summer was flawed. The prosecutors’ requests to have the exam done by a doctor of their choosing has been denied. Judge Samour said that it would again be done by the state hospital, but a different doctor than last time.

    The list of things that have delayed this trial continues to grow, as just a couple of weeks ago, there was a separate hearing on whether or not the contents of Holmes’ phone could be shown to jurors. The contents reportedly include some disturbing self-photos of the suspect.

    Should the test determine that Holmes was mentally insane or “in the throes of a psychotic episode”, as his lawyers suggest, then he would be sent away to the state hospital indefinitely. If they determine that he was sane and knew exactly what he was doing, and that it was wrong, he will face either the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

    Holmes was a promising pupil, both in high school and college. In 2011 he enrolled in a Ph.D. program in neuroscience at the University of Colorado, Denver, but it was not to last. After failing a key test and dropping out, it was only a matter of weeks before he was committing one of the biggest and most shocking crimes in recent history.

    He entered a theater full of people in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises”. He riddled the audience with bullets, killing 12 and injuring 70. He also rigged his apartment with deadly explosives to distract, confuse and possibly harm responders. Holmes has so far pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

    His trial date is still anyone’s guess as pre-trial motions continue.

    Image via YouTube

  • Venezuelan Beauty Queen Killed During Protest

    Venezuelan beauty queen Genesis Carmona, 22, has become one of the latest victims in the continued unrest in the troubled country. The young college student was shot in the head at a protest Tuesday and died later in the hospital.

    “How long are we going to live like this? How long do we have to tolerate this pressure, with them killing us?” a relative of Carmona’s said. He asked not to be named, but added, “She only needed one more semester to graduate.”

    The beauty won the Miss Tourism competition in 2013 and was actually studying tourism in school, according to Reuters.

    A total of five have died since an opposition rally last week wherein opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez turned himself in to authorities, but urged his supporters to keep fighting through a pre-recorded video that was to be released if he were to be arrested.

    “Today, more than ever, our cause has to be the exit of this government,” he said of current President Nicolas Maduro’s administration. “Let’s fight. I will be doing so.”

    Three people were shot at an opposition rally in Caracas last week and one was run over by a car at a rally in the coastal town of Carupano. Many protesters have been injured and scores have been arrested.

    “We cannot underestimate those fascist groups whose boss is behind bars,” Maduro said in his televised speech late on Wednesday. “I’m not playing with democracy. I do not accept that they challenge the Venezuelan people and our Constitution.”

    U.S. President Barack Obama has other ideas about their spiraling situation. He said Maduro should release protesters and focus on the “legitimate grievances” of his people. He also said that both parties had a responsibility to work together fix what is tearing their country apart.

    Demonstrators say that they are calling for the ouster of Maduro over essential issues such as inflation, crime, corruption, and unfair distribution of goods.

    Image via YouTube

  • Nun Sentenced in Nuclear Plant Breach

    Nun Sentenced in Nuclear Plant Breach

    The 84-year-old nun, Sister Megan Rice, who was charged with breaching security during a peaceful protest at nuclear facility Y-12 has been sentenced to 2 years and 11 months in prison, according to CNN.

    She and two accomplices are guilty of breaking into the facility to protest. The three cut through a chain-link fence, walked a mile, then cut through three more.

    They carried signs and smeared human blood on the walls, and were finally caught by security hours later in what resulted in a most embarrassing situation for the Y-12 facility in Oakridge, Tennessee.

    “They’re at peace about this. They’re peacemakers, and they knew that they risked this,” Joe Quigley, attorney for one of the defendants, said after their trial in May, during which they were found guilty. “Nobody is happy to go jail, but they understand.”

    Sister Rice’s accomplices, Greg Boertje-Obed, 57, and Michael Walli, 63, each received a sentence of 5 years and 2 months.

    Boertje-Obed’s wife, Michele Naar-Obed, said of the verdict, “I came here with the feeling that anything below the (recommended sentencing) guidelines was a win because it made this judge really think and not just consult to the letter of the law, which is what the prosecutor wanted. He had to think about the spirit of the law.”

    “And he thought about it, obviously. It was reflected in what he considered rather large downward departures or downward variances. And maybe they are. I don’t know. I mean in terms of how Greg and I will get through it, it wouldn’t have mattered how long it was. We will get through it. But I’m just really grateful that this judge struggled with the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law. I think that’s a win.”

    After the now-famous incident, Congress held a series of hearings which resulted in a number of security improvements including management changes and new independent security reviews.

    Image via YouTube

    Hat tip to Frank Munger, knoxblogs.com

  • PacSun Shirts Spark Debate: Are They Inappropriate?

    The mother who bought the entire stock of “indecent” shirts from a PacSun in a Utah mall has caused quite a stir. The media frenzy that she wanted in order to bring attention to her cause hasn’t disappointed.

    Judy Cox complained to the manager, but was told the shirts couldn’t be removed without corporate approval.

    However, the manager told Mrs. Cox that she had refused to put up the banner that came in the shipment of shirts because it was even worse.

    She told Mrs. Cox that she didn’t really want to put the shirts out either, but was following corporate orders.

    “These shirts clearly cross a boundary that is continually being pushed on our children in images on the Internet, television and when our families shop in the mall,” Cox said in an email to The Associated Press.

    PacSun CEO Gary Schoenfeld doesn’t see what the big deal is. He said that the company takes great pride in the designs that they feature on the shirts and other products displayed in their stores.

    “While customer feedback is important to us, we remain committed to the selection of brands and apparel available in our stores,” Schoenfeld said in an emailed statement.

    Judy Cox has been through the store manager, the mall manager, and the city attorney. The city attorney referred her to local police, who will decide if it is a matter for the the city attorney to look at. She has even contacted activist groups One Million Moms and Moms for Decency.

    City code prohibits store owners from putting “explicit sexual material” on display where they can be seen by the general public. The city defines that as “any material that appeals to a prurient interest in sex and depicts nudity, actual or simulated sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse.”

    Time will tell if the shirts will be deemed unworthy for public display. In the meantime, Judy Cox and her supporters will keep fighting.

    “I hope my efforts will inspire others to speak up within their communities,” Cox said in an email. “You don’t have to purchase $600 worth of T-shirts, but you can express your concerns to businesses and corporations who promote the display of pornography to children.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Missing Person Group: Craigslist Killer May Be Lying

    Craigslist Killer Miranda Barbour may not be entirely truthful in her shocking recent confession to local police, says Seeking Alaska’s Missing, a local missing persons organization.

    Barbour’s claims that she belongs to a satanic cult and has killed so many people from Alaska to Texas that she “stopped counting at 22” just don’t match with the numbers, says the organization.

    “Based on the research we have conducted, we are not putting much stock into what this woman has claimed. We remain skeptical at this time until further proof is given,” the group said in a statement to FoxNews. “Our focus at Seeking Alaska’s Missing is finding the missing and, unless they have not been reported by a family member or friend, the numbers simply do not match up.”

    According to WNEP, Barbour said of the confession, “I feel it is time to get all of this out. I don`t care if people believe me. I just want to get it out.” She said she had been sexually abused at 4 years old, and that she only killed “bad people”.

    Dr. Dammer, head of the criminal justice department at the University of Scranton, said of Barbour, “Often you have young women who are abused or maybe they were prostitutes or they were raped by husbands or family members, who turn the tables and do this kind of thing. That’s happened in more than a few occasions. That would be the case when you have younger woman.”

    19-year-old Barbour and her husband of three weeks, Elytte Barbour, 22, are both being held on charges of first-degree murder in the November brutal slaying of 42-year-old Troy LaFerrara in Sunbury, Pa. LaFerrara reportedly answered a Craigslist ad to have sex with Miranda for $100. Barbour said they killed him after he gave the wrong answer when she told him she was sixteen.

    He said he wished to go on with their illicit rendezvous even though she was a minor. Barbour told police that they would have let him live if he would have called off the deal when he found out her supposed age.

    Miranda stabbed LaFerrara as her new husband strangled him from the backseat where he had been waiting. Miranda Barbour could face the death penalty if convicted in the murder of Troy LaFerrara.

    In the shocking jailhouse interview with The Daily Item in Sunbury, Miranda Barbour said that she had been killing people since she was thirteen years old. She also indicated that she could pinpoint all of the victims’ bodies on a map

    Image via You Tube

  • Utah Mom: Decency Clause in Lease Broken by PacSun

    PacSun has a new enemy. It’s Mom.

    One mom in Orem, Utah, was so shocked at the level of indecency on some T-shirts at the PacSun in the mall that she bought them all.

    “As I was leaving the mall I just had this thought come to me that I can’t leave it. I can’t let it stay in the window for three or four more days while someone makes a decision.”

    $567 later, Judy Cox walked out after informing the manager that if they got another shipment, she would buy them also. She also plans to return every shirt when the 60-day return period is over.

    Other moms expressed their support for Judy Cox’s bold stand as they entered University Mall.

    “She really did?” asked Ann Kronmiller. “I would help pay for it if I knew her. I think she’s great.” Kronmiller said of the pictures, “It was so disgusting to me. It’s pornography.”

    Karen Swenson, mother and grandmother, agreed. “Shirts like that should not be where kids could see them. If you’re an adult and you want to buy that that’s fine, but that’s something everybody has to go by and I don’t want my kids and my grandkids to have to see that.”

    The VISUAL by Van Styles shirts featured sparsely clad young women in provocative poses, and Mrs. Cox wasn’t having it. Her main concern was not only her 19-year-old son, whom she was shopping with, but children that might see the images as they pass by.

    She brought her complaint to the store manager, who told her that she understood her complaint, and that she had already refused to put up a banner that came with the shipment of t-shirts because it featured even worse content.

    However, Mrs. Cox didn’t stop there. She took her concerns to mall manager Rob Kallas, who said that she wasn’t the first one to complain. He said that the city attorney would be notified to see if PacSun violated a decency clause in their lease agreement.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqYhjVZFynk

    She has also taken her cause to One Million Moms and Women for Decency and hopes that her stand will help bring awareness to the ever-growing problem of the exploitation of young women. She told KTVX, “I hope it sends a really strong message to PacSun that at least in this community this is not a standard for us this, this is not something we approve of.”

    It will be up to the city attorney to decide the fate of the t-shirt line. However, something tells me the moms of Orem will have a little something to say about it if he decides not to enforce the decency clause on PacSun’s lease.

    Image via You Tube

  • Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue: Coach is to Blame

    Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue lost their chance at a gold medal in ice dancing to their rivals and training mates Meryl Davis and Charlie White. So, what’s next for the duo?

    Finger pointing, apparently. And the person at the focus of the pointing finger is the trainer of both couples and former soviet ice dancer, Marina Zoueva.

    Moir and Virtue say they believe part of the reason they lost to Davis and White is because the coach had become more focused on the American team, according to AFP.

    As the Americans began to pass the pair up in skill and accomplishment, they say she slowly began to focus more on White and Davis. Which seems to have paid off for the US, now that we have our first ice dancing gold to add to the list. Of course it wasn’t just the training. White and Davis can also attribute their success to the comfort of a seventeen year working relationship and unebbing support from their moms.

    “We were both pretty blunt with her in the fall and leading up to the Olympics. We weren’t happy and we felt that sometimes she wasn’t in our corner,” Moir said of Zoueva. “We went to Marina on countless occasions and told her there was no way we would be happy with the silver medal. We’ve had some odd things happen this year that haven’t happened before. We expected that Marina would march with us and be on our team like she was in Vancouver … she wasn’t.”

    One of those odd things Moir spoke of was Marina’s glaring absence at the couple’s national championship competition. However, when a coach has two really great teams on her hands, what is she to do?

    Moir admitted, “She’s not in any easy position. My Mom’s a figure skating coach and she always says to me ‘you know she (Zoueva) can’t win no matter what’ … well you know she does win no matter what.”

    “There’s always an angry set of parents and an angry set of skaters out there so she has a hard job.”

    The Canadian duo was quick to say that they weren’t displeased with their silver medal in ice dancing, ”We couldn’t have asked for more about our performances,” Virtue said. ”It’s nice to be satisfied and content with our job. We’ve managed to create the Olympic moment.”

    What does the future hold for Moir and Virtue? Well, retirement is expected, but they haven’t confirmed or denied that yet.

    Image via You Tube

  • North Korea Could Face Punishment After Inquiry

    North Korea has had some light shed on the country’s methods of operation and extreme human rights violations with the release of the report from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights on Monday.

    Horrific testimony from those who were captured and imprisoned, for reasons as shady as having a suspicious family member or trying to find food for their families, have been painstakingly extracted from those who have survived the hell of North Korean Prison Camps.

    These stories, which are painful to hear and excruciating to tell, have been gathered over the last eleven months in an ongoing investigation into human rights violations by leaders of North Korea’s troubled regime, according to CNN.

    Some of the tales from survivors are of the kind that once heard, will never be forgotten. They are the kind that inspire shock and disbelief and admittedly paint a picture of a brutal and heartless government “that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world.”

    The story of a malnourished pregnant woman who, against all odds, gave birth in a filthy camp was especially disturbing. A guard was alerted to the baby’s arrival by its cries, for which the young mother was brutally beaten. As he beat her, she begged to keep her new baby. When she was on the verge of unconsciousness, he forced her to pick up her baby and hold it face down in water until the cries stopped forever.

    In August, North Korea condemned the hearings as a “charade” to “hear testimonies from human scum” and in another response, North Korea said in a letter that it “totally and categorically rejects the Commission of Inquiry”.

    As determined as North Korea may be to write off accusations and investigations, the testimonies of North Korea’s survivors are damning enough to erase any doubt there may have been that human rights in that country have been exceedingly and inarguably violated.

    The commission also told China that it might be “aiding and abetting crimes against humanity” by sending defectors back to North Korea to face unspeakable torture and almost certain death.

    “These are not the occasional wrongs that can be done by officials everywhere in the world, they are wrongs against humanity, they are wrongs that shock the consciousness of humanity,” Michael Kirby, a former chief justice of Australia and chairman of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry, told waiting journalists.

    The stories are unmistakably inhumane and invoke images of Nazi concentration camps. Take this testimony from a young woman, for example.

    “We finished our work and we were about to pick up this grass or the plant that we knew we could eat,” former prisoner Jee Heon A told the commission of her friend, Kim Young Hee. “And then the guards saw us, and he came running and he stepped on our hands and then he brought us to this place and he told us to kneel.”

    The guard forced the two girls to eat grass, roots, and soil. Kim Young Hee became extremely ill with diarrhea after eating the soil, and soon died, leaving Jee Heon A feeling alone and helpless.

    “There was nothing I could do,” Jee said. “I could not give her any medicine. And when she died, she couldn’t even close her eyes. She died with her eyes open. I cried my heart out.”

    She then told of the mass burial of her friend, Kim, with about 20 other bodies, a fairly common occurrence.

    “We covered the hole with clumped and frozen earth, but after a week when we went to the tomb, it was gone, the bodies were not there. We felt strange when we were going up that hill. We later found out that the old man who was guarding the place had his dogs eat the bodies. He raised five dogs and the dogs were eating the heads and the body parts of dead bodies.”

    These are just a partial example of the unimaginable conditions for prisoners in North Korea.

    Supreme leader Kim Jong-un and his security chiefs could possibly face international justice for the systematic Nazi-style torture and killing of the citizens of North Korea, according to Reuters.

    Michael Kirby said he expected the group’s findings to “galvanize action on the part of the international community”. If it doesn’t, we should be eternally ashamed of ourselves.

    Image via You Tube

  • Identical Quadruplets To Stay in NICU for a While

    Identical quadruplets were born on February 8 to Kimberly and Craig Fugate, who were surprised to learn that the 42-year-old was pregnant to begin with.

    The couple was really shocked to learn that the doctor expected triplets.

    Then the diaper hit the fan when they were in the delivery room, delivering what they thought were triplets at 13 weeks premature.

    “They had gotten the three out and they said, ‘More feet,’” the mother told CNN affiliate WAPT. “I said, ‘No!’ It was an instant shock.”

    Kenleigh Rosa was born at 7:55, weighing 2 pounds, 1 ounce. Her sister, Kristen Sue, was born at 7:57 weighing 2 pounds, 4 ounces. Then came Kayleigh Pearl at 7:58 weighing 2 pounds, 8 ounces, followed by little surprise Kelsey Roxanne. She was born just a minute later weighing 2 pounds, 6 ounces.

    The odds of having identical quadruplets without fertilization help are “incalcuable” according to Kimberly’s physician and professor of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Mississippi, Dr. James Bofill.

    The Dr.’s reaction to the news was first shock, then he was “…embarrassed, obviously,” Bofill said. “The news was sent to me by one of my fellows. I thought she was kidding.”

    It is unknown when the babies will be able to go home and join their parents and older sister Katelyn, 10. The Fugates have set up a Facebook page to keep friends and family updated on the progress of their little angels.

    “Typically, when babies are born prematurely, doctors tell the families to expect them to stay in the (neonatal intensive care unit) until their original due date, which in this case would be May 2,” said hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Hospodor. “It is possible that some or all of the girls would be stronger enough to go home before that, or have to stay longer. It depends on how they develop over the next 12 weeks.”

    The Fugates obviously have a lot of prep work ahead of them. Hopefully all will go well with the babies in the hospital so that they may begin their lives at home as soon as possible.

    “I haven’t been able to hold them yet,” Kimberly Fugate said. “It will be very exciting to get to take them home and love them.”

    Image via You Tube

  • Florida Artist Smashes Chinese Vase Worth $1 Million

    A Florida artist made a statement on Monday, by smashing the work of a fellow artist in a Miami gallery. The offending artist, Maximo Caminero, 51, picked up a $1 million vase by famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and proceeded to smash it onto the floor.

    He surrendered immediately to security guards and explained that he smashed the vase in protest of the lack of local artists that have been featured at the Perez Art Museum Miami.

    “I did it for all the local artists in Miami that have never been shown in museums here,” he says. “They have spent so many millions now on international artists. It’s the same political situation over and over again. I’ve been here for 30 years and it’s always the same.”

    However, after finding out the value of the vase, Caminero has a few regrets. He told the Miami New Times,

    “I didn’t know that it was that amount,” he says. “I feel so sorry about it, for sure.”

    “It was a spontaneous protest. I was at PAMM and saw Ai Weiwei’s photos behind the vases where he drops an ancient Chinese vase and breaks it. And I saw it as a provocation by Weiwei to join him in an act of performance protest.”

    Sounds rational. Kind of. As for his reasoning, he said that he will answer all questions at a news conference on Tuesday, but did have this to say,

    “I wanted to draw attention to the fact that there are many foreign artists like myself and others who have been here thirty years and have never received attention or support from MAM or now PAMM and other local museums,” Caminero said. “We are all taxpayers here and PAMM used $200 million of public money on its building and opened with Weiwei’s work to draw attention to itself and as always continues to ignore local artists.”

    He also appeared to kind of insult the artist Weiwei, saying that if you were to see the vases, you would think it “was a common clay pot like you would find at Home Depot.”

    Ai Weiwei is known for his political stance almost as much as for his artwork. He has used his fame and publicity to help shed light on social injustices and corruption in the Chinese government. He was imprisoned for 81 days in 2011 in a crackdown on dissent, then was subsequently hit with a hefty $2.4 million tax bill, according to Yahoo.

    Caminero did say, “I admire Ai Weiwei greatly and have always supported his actions while he was suffering indignities from the Chinese government.”

    Hopefully this dispute between artists can be cleared up without getting ugly.

    Caminero faces charges of a possible third degree felony because the damage is more than $1,000. A third degree felony could hold a punishment of up to 5 years in prison.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Meryl Davis and Charlie White: Moms Helped Win Gold

    Meryl Davis and Charlie White have just scored the ultimate goal and have brought home to the USA that coveted gold medal during Sochi’s winter olympics.

    This is an historic gold medal, as the US has never won for ice dancing before. The pair have been training together for seventeen years and have worked hard every day of their lives to get where they are today.

    Their journey began as awkward kids of 8 and 9, having a hard time trying to pull off the “chemistry” needed to fake passion and other sorts of emotions that grade school kids are completely unaware of.

    They have certainly come a long way and their familiarity and ease with each other are mainly credited with giving them the edge that they needed to beat out a number of great ice dancing athletes on Monday.

    However, the two might say that there were also two other magic ingredients to the mix that made all the difference in the world.

    “Charlie is very anti-superstition – we don’t have any concrete good luck charms we rely on,” Davis said, according to People. “But I think our moms are as close to good luck charms as we have.”

    The pair’s moms have never missed a competition, said Davis, “and one tradition we have is that before we compete, we take a moment to give our moms a hug before we warm up.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkHNASQM0rs

    “We’re so grateful to have them with us wherever we go in the world,” Davis says of the moms.

    They are so grateful that the gold-winning duo participated with P&G in their “Thank You, Mom” campaign. That gave them the chance to feature their moms in the above video and thank them for all the years of cheering, support, and just being there as Mom.

    It’s clearly a dream come true for two amazing athletes and their devoted moms.

    Image via You Tube