WebProNews

Author: Lacy Langley

  • Dan Rather Not Hurt by Cut From JFK Commemoration

    Dan Rather is the famous face of the momentous occasion 50 years ago, when John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

    That fateful day, many American families were gathered around their television screens to hear the awful, heartbreaking report on what had taken place in Dallas in 1963.

    This is what the nation collectively saw on CBS:

    Unfortunately, Dan Rather won’t be a part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the assassination on CBS, according to Yahoo. In 2006, he left CBS on terms that were not amicable. He waited to see if he would be asked to take part in the highly publicized commemoration on CBS, but when he wasn’t, he decided to provide his accounts, memories, and name for someone else.

    “I held off doing anything for anybody else for a while, thinking I may be asked to do something,” Rather told the AP. “I can’t say I had any reason for that hope.”

    He continued, “This is not a good idea to say ‘We want to change the historical record so we’re going to airbrush this guy out because we don’t like him’. They may want to control the way the public thinks about my record, but I’m pretty sure they have not been able to do that.”

    He will join Tom Brokaw on a special edition of the Today show on NBC on the anniversary of the assassination, instead. CBS has not mentioned yet whether they will use Dan Rather’s historic footage in their special.

    NBC is not the only network that will benefit from Rather’s fairly exclusive experience. He was also interviewed for a segment on CNN’s series The Sixties to air on the same day.

    Rather has also been seen around Dealey Plaza in Dallas, where Kennedy was shot. He is reportedly filming an hour special for his AXS show, Dan Rather Reports, which will air on November 18. Looks like CBS could be the loser on this anniversary revival in the interest around the John F. Kennedy assassination.

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • “Roots” Remake May Come to History Channel

    “Roots” Remake May Come to History Channel

    The History Channel is getting ready to ride the wave of their miniseries success, and remake a classic miniseries, “Roots”, according to AP. History has found enormous success with it’s two most recent ventures, “The Bible” and “Hatfields and McCoys”, and will hopefully continue that success in “Roots”.

    The network said Tuesday that it had wrapped up talks and had made a deal with Mark Wolper, the son of the man behind the original, David Wolper. History will aquire the rights to remake the 1977 classic, and the project is now in development. The project could still fall through, but if it doesn’t, it should be on TV sometime in 2015.

    The original miniseries, which was produced on a budget of $6.6 million, was based on the 1976 novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” by famed author Alex Haley. “Roots” received an astounding 37 Emmy Award nominations. The miniseries won nine Emmys along with a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. The show still holds a Nielsen ratings record as the third highest rated television program of all time.

    The show starred LeVar Burton in his breakout role as Kunta Kinte, from which he went on to play roles such as Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and to have his own children’s show on PBS, “Reading Rainbow”.

    When asked about the social impact of the incredibly successful miniseries, Burton is quoted as saying, “It expanded the consciousness of people. Blacks and whites began to see each other as human beings, not as stereotypes. And if you throw a pebble into the pond, you’re going to get ripples. I think the only constant is change, and it’s always slow. Anything that happens overnight is lacking in foundation. Roots is part of a changing trend, and it’s still being played out.”

    Image via wikipedia

  • George Strait: Entertainer of the Year?

    George Strait is up for Entertainer of the Year at tonight’s Country Music Awards, but he’s up against a crop of newer, younger performers: Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, according to ABC.

    Will the over 6,000 voters give Strait his third trophy or will one of the younger stars make off with it? The question is, who deserves it more?

    The 61-year-old has been a staple of country music since his first trophy back in 1989, and before that. There is also this fact to consider, that all of the younger nominees owe one aspect of their career or another to George Strait.

    “For me George is always going to be the guy who let me open up his shows when I was 17 and it was at that point in my life the biggest break I’d gotten as far as live touring because I got to be on the George Strait tour,” Taylor Swift said. “I learned so much from performing on an in-the-round stage and I think that he over the years has been so supportive, and I’ll get a text every now and then from him just sort of wishing me well. He’s just such a class act. He’s just such an incredible example of how to be a gracious, humble, well-respected human being.”

    Luke Bryan has his own two cents to add of the country music legend and most nominated artist at the CMA’s:

    “When I moved to town, I kind of wanted a career like George Strait. A long career that starts here and it’s always been on George’s terms. And he’s always cut amazing songs and wonderful music and had a long career that you can tell looks like he’s always enjoyed it. And he’s always been happy.”

    Even Blake Shelton, who is a fan favorite and star on “The Voice” knows that to win, the youngsters will have to overcome the overwhelming respect for George Strait’s career longevity and success,

    “In my opinion when all is said and done,” Shelton said in an email, “there will be two artists viewed as the greatest influences on country music: Hank Williams Sr. and George Strait.”

    Wow. That’s really saying something! Time will tell if the veteran will come out on top and redeem himself for his troubled year, or if the newer stars will take the trophy and be celebrated for the change they have brought to the genre. Watch tonight at 8/7C on ABC.

    Image via youtube

  • Sarah Palin to Tour with New Book

    Sarah Palin to Tour with New Book

    Sarah Palin is taking a break from politics and getting ready to begin a holiday book tour next week to promote her newest book, “Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas”. Her latest is published by HarperCollins, according to AP. The description on Amazon reads,

    “In Good Tidings and Great Joy she calls for bringing back the freedom to express the Christian values of the season. She asserts the importance of preserving Jesus Christ in Christmas—in public displays, school concerts, pageants, and our expressions to one another other—and laments the over-commercialization and homogenization of Christmas in today’s society.”

    Her Facebook page is a little more eloquent and clear as to what she hopes this book will bring to America:

    “This book is not about isolated trivialities. It’s not really about gingerbread cookies or stockings hung by the chimney with care, or the big fat man with the long, white beard. It’s not about a holiday at all. It’s about that little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, who arrived long before hope and change became political manipulations. It’s about Christ and our ability to worship Him freely. It’s about America and what liberty truly means in our day to day lives…”

    Sarah Palin’s tour will begin November the 12th at a Barnes & Noble in Bethlehem, Pa., and will end December 7th at a Barnes & Noble in Roanoke, Virginia. Just like in her previous book tours for her other books, “Going Rogue” and “America by Heart”, she is skipping all the usual major cities, and instead visiting smaller venues and military bases.

    Her stops will include military bases in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Fort Benning, Georgia, as well as a Costco in Dallas suburb Plano, Texas, and a Wal-Mart in Wausau, Wisconsin. Books will be available for sale beginning November 12th, in conjunction with the tour.

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • Lodi High School Lockdown Lifted After An Hour

    Lodi High in Bergen County, New Jersey was on lockdown this morning after reports that someone thought they saw a gunman, and a threat had been phoned into the school, according to Fox.

    Announcements were made over the loud speaker at 10:30 am that it was not a drill, and that a possible gunman was in the building. Students remained in their classrooms, pushing desks against doors and huddling in corners. A search was made, and students were patted down, but investigations turned up nothing. The lockdown was lifted around an hour later.

    A student account from ABC states, “We were in gym class, and on the loudspeaker, all you hear is lockdown, lockdown. So we just got into lockdown mode. We would hide inside the showers and lockdown all the buildings, and we were just sitting there. And then the cops came to the door and said, ‘We’re the police. Are you guys safe?’…They called lockdown off after they cleared the building. They just wanted to make sure everything was safe. We got patted down by police and got released one by one.”

    The lockdown also affected the nearby school district of Hasbrouck Heights which was close enough to be concerned. The school officials are understandably jumpy these days after numerous reports recently of school shootings and violence all over the country becoming more and more commonplace.

    Central Connecticut State University was on lockdown Monday after reports that a man wearing a costume was thought to have a gun, and the terrible incident at Westfield Garden State Plaza mall on Monday night, where the gunman committed suicide.

    What a world to bring children up in, right? Students and staff went home after the lockdown was lifted, and will return tomorrow.

    Image via youtube

  • Vivien Leigh Would Have Been 100 Today

    Vivien Leigh Would Have Been 100 Today

    If Vivien Leigh were alive, she would have turned 100 today!

    The beautiful actress was best know as Scarlett (Skah-leht, if you remember…) O’Hara from “Gone With the Wind”, the movie that debuted in 1939. The movie is a classic that is still enjoyed by audiences today.

    She was also known for her role as Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire”. She won Academy Awards for both performances, and was immensely respected in early Hollywood. She was also incredibly prolific on Broadway and in London.

    However, as the world celebrates the accomplishments of the great actress, born Vivian Mary Hartley in 1913, her stepson, Tarquin Olivier, son of Lawrence Olivier, told the Daily Mail that being a mother was not one of them.

    “She treated me like an equal. She wasn’t intended by her nature to be a mother, any more than my father was to be a father. The purpose of her life was her love of Larry,’ he said. He doesn’t blame her and spoke quite fondly of her as his stepmother.

    He added, “I didn’t have a crush on Vivien – a crush is sexy. I simply loved her – she was great fun, very witty and very tender to me as a little boy.”

    Olivier went on to say that Leigh suffered from manic depression after suffering a miscarriage in 1945, and struggled with it for years. “It’s a terrible illness that makes you hate the person you love,” says Tarquin. “And I remember the scars on her forehead left by the electric shock treatment the doctors gave her.”

    Her mood swings and severe depression finally did in her 20-year marriage to Olivier in 1960,and he remarried actress Joan Plowright, which devastated her at first. However, Vivien was not to be kept down for long. She eventually found love again with actor Jack Merivale. But it was not to last. Sadly Vivien Leigh passed away in 1967 at the age of 53 from tuberculosis.

    Even though her career was cut short, as her life was, she remains one of the most fascinating figures of early Hollywood and will always be remembered and respected.

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • Tom Hiddleston (Loki) Originally Wanted to Play Thor

    Tom Hiddleston revealed to Chelsea Handler on Chelsea Lately last night that he originally wanted to be Thor, not Loki, according to Entertainment Weekly. Wow. Talk about disappointment! However, things seem to have worked out in the favor of the handsome british actor. After all, having a really “good” bad guy is just was just as important to the film’s success.

    Hiddleston even beefed up for the role, he said, going from 180 to 198 pounds. He still looks amazing to those of us who prefer a bad boy. Handler confirmed that after he talked about beefing up, saying, “You’re good. Everything’s good.”

    But that’s ok. Eventhough he didn’t get the role he wanted, he played an amazing villain. And his feelings don’t seem terribly hurt. “They were always looking for Loki as well, and I think — the closer I got, they were like, ‘Actually, you should play the bad guy,’” he said.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfvPTo6HKzU

    When handler asked if Loki would be in the next Avengers movie, he said no, to the detriment of an obviously enamored audience. That’s unfortunate in my opinion. Loki had such a major hold on the Avengers the first time around!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbVFF1WHcVk

    He said the Avengers would have a new nemesis, played by James Spader. I’m sure Spader will be great, but Loki is just so easy to hate/love. Everyone loves Loki, in fact in IANS just a couple of days ago, he said, “Loki and Thor are like yin and yang, the sun and the moon…The immense popularity of the character has been an amazing surprise. I never expected it in my wildest dreams.”

    He did, in fact, enjoy playing the bad guy, perhaps because it’s just not in his nature? Sometimes it’s fun to get out of your comfort zone. He said, “It’s fascinating to play the god of mischief. And he’s such a broken character – bitter, jealous, grief stricken, angry, lonely and proud.”

    Well, we can still look forward to seeing more of Hiddleston’s Loki in “Thor: The Dark World”, which comes out this very weekend! Yay!

    Image via youtube

  • Jennifer Nettles Ready for New Album Release

    Jennifer Nettles is officially ready to release her solo album and has announced the date: January 14th. The Sugarland singer has a busy week ahead of her, full of appearances and album promotion, according to AP.

    On Sunday, she started the week with a listening party for her new album, entitled “That Girl”. She will continue the madness by attending the CMA Awards on Wednesday, and on Friday, will serve as host at the taping of the CMA Christmas show.

    So, how will her solo music compare to what we are used to with her musical other half, Kristian Bush?

    “I think this album so far for me musically has been the most intimate and personal … musically and vocally,” Nettles said. “I think it’s way more intimate to me and way more personal in the sense that when you collaborate, that’s the nature of collaboration, you’re affecting each other, and playing with and inspiring each other, and yet there are things that one may not get to do or want to do when collaborating.”

    That’s not the only big change in her life. It has been 11 months since Nettles gave birth to her son, Magnus. Motherhood has also changed Nettles, as it changes everyone, and she says that has made a huge difference, as well. “I’m able to show a side that I think’s more womanly,” Nettles said. “I think it’s more mature, and so that’s big for me. I think it gives you perspective all around, not just musically but also in my career.”

    “I think you get super-efficient because you have to be. You don’t worry about things that were super-important before because you have a baby and you just burn that underbrush out. You feel like a huntress.”

    I never thought of it that way, but so true. Well, I’m sure from the overwhelming success she has enjoyed from her Sugarland collaboration, we are in for a treat with Jennifer Nettles’ new solo album, “That Girl”.

    Image via youtube

  • McDonald’s Coffee Will Be on Store Shelves Next Year

    McDonald’s Coffee Will Be on Store Shelves Next Year

    If you’re one of the many huge fans of McDonald’s coffee out there, you now have a reason to celebrate! McDonald’s will begin sellling a variety of ground and whole bean bagged coffee in some retail and grocery stores beginning next year, according to Reuters. This little experiment will also include single cup servings.

    McDonald’s said in a statement it was “building on the momentum of our McCafe beverages in our restaurants by expanding these options.” McDonald’s has enjoyed an enormous shot in the arm since its fairly recent introduction of McCafe beverages, which include coffee and espressos. Coffee chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts sell packaged coffee and K-cups through their shops and other retailers, and have been immensely successful, but can McDonald’s hold their own in the bagged coffee business?

    McDonald’s has already been selling McCafe pre-packaged coffee in Canada since last year. They came in 12 oz. bags and cost around $7. They will be teaming up with Kraft Foods Group, Inc. as their distributor. “We want to work with McDonald’s to help consumers enjoy McCafe premium coffee in the comfort and convenience of their own homes,” Kraft Foods CEO Tony Vernon told analysts on a conference call.Kraft got back into the U.S. premium grocery coffee business in August 2011, with a deal to sell Gevalia coffee in supermarkets which was very successful.

    The company, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, didn’t release any other details or say how extensive it’s initial rollout, but if there are enough die-hard McDonald’s coffee fans out there to make it work, then good for them!

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • Trayvon Martin’s Mother: Reform “Stand Your Ground”

    Sybrina Fulton, the mother of the teenager killed by George Zimmerman on February 26th of last year, spoke in front of a Senate panel on Wednesday, according to the Washington Post. Her objective was to ask Senate to clarify and reform the wording of the now-controversial “Stand Your Ground” Act.

    The particular case of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman began a debate on “stand your ground” laws, even though Zimmerman’s defense did not ever reference the law in question. Zimmerman was acquitted of the murder this summer. The aquittal stirred racial tensions across the nation and sparked more fighting over the law.

    “It’s unfortunate what has happened with Trayvon, and that’s why I feel like it’s so important for me to be here so that you all can at least put a face with what has happened with this tragedy.”, Fulton stated to the panel. “The person that shot and killed my son is walking the streets today. This law does not work.”

    The meeting redirected attention to the emotionally charged issue, conveniently, just when the 2014 elections are on everyone’s minds, and it also seemed to cause many Senate democrats to agree with Fulton, possibly in order to help them hang on to their seats.

    Many Republican committee members said the laws do not need to be handled on a federal level, but rather left to the states. Such laws are currently on the books in more than 20 states.

    Republican Senator Ted Cruz said, “This is not about politicking. This is not about inflaming racial tensions. This is about the right of everyone to protect themselves and protect their families.” Cruz made reference to statistics that, he said, show that African Americans cite stand-your-ground laws in self-defense at least as often as whites.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUaonM35B28

    “With only a few exceptions most states are doing quite well with legislating in the area of criminal law without our interference,” said Rep. Louie Gohmert. “Let’s leave state criminal law to the consideration of the state legislatures that we in Congress would probably be well served to take advice from the states that are still solvent.”

    However, not all committee members feel that way. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said, “It is clearly time for ‘stand your ground’ laws to be carefully reviewed and reconsidered.”

    “Whatever the motivation behind them, it’s clear these laws often go too far in encouraging confrontations that escalate into deadly violence. They’re resulting in unnecessary tragedies and they are diminishing accountability under our justice system.”

    Only time will tell whose politics will win out.

    Image via youtube

  • Pixie Cut Looks Good on Pam Anderson!

    Pixie Cut Looks Good on Pam Anderson!

    The pixie cut seems to be the biggest trend in hair right now, and for good reason. It’s adorable and easy. According to Yahoo, the newest celeb to jump on the bandwagon is none other than Pam Anderson herself!

    She was spotted out and about with ex-husband, Rick Salomon, who she annulled her marriage with in 2008 and has claimed as her “friend with benefits”. They were out in L.A. on Wednesday, with Pam sporting the new cut in addition to some very uncharacteristic conservative clothing.

    The beach babe/mom forsook her usual skimpy attire for a cardigan and tank combo, and I gotta say, she looked really great! Her color survived the makeover and brings to mind another fellow pixie-puller-offer, Charlize Theron. She has been sporting her fabulous pixie since shaving her head for “Mad Max” last year.

    These two look-alikes are not the only lucky girls that are able to pull off this adorable look. Several celebs have recently taken the plunge and had their hair chopped off in the name of style and ease. Take Anne Hathaway, for instance, who has been sporting her pixie since shaving her head on camera in “Les Miserables”. Then there’s Ginnifer Goodwin, who looks like a cute little pixie!

    Of course there’s pixie newbie Jennifer Hudson, who looks good no matter the hairstyle. She just debuted her new look at the BET Black Girls Rock event on Saturday. And who could forget Beyonce’s pixie? Well, maybe you did, because she only kept it for a few days.

    I love this cut! It’s so cute and easy looking but it seems like only a select few can pull it off. What do you think? Is it only for the blessed few with a celebrity face or is it the cut for the masses?

    Image via youtube

  • Kristin Cavallari Feeling Loved After Announcement

    Kristin Cavallari is feeling the love after her big pregnancy announcement earlier this week. Her friends and fans, alike, have been pouring on the well-wishes pretty thick for this adorable couple and their admirable purpose.

    Cavallari, 26, married NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, 31, in June and two seem to be off to a fast start! This will be the second child for “The Hills” star and the Chicago Bears quarterback. Their son Camden was born just last year, but it has been no secret that the pair wanted to expand their family quickly.

    “We want to have a second sooner rather than later,” Cavallari told E! News last month. “We know we want another one close in age to Camden and we’re at the point where we’re both ready.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAB9sWV50KA

    According to ABC, her initial plan was to start trying to have another little bundle of joy right after Camden was six months old, but you know, things don’t always go as planned in motherhood, and she just “wasn’t ready”. I wouldn’t be either. Six months is still, sometimes, not sleeping all night!

    Now, with this second pregnancy in the works, Kristin Cavallari has her sights on sugar and spice, and everything nice! But…she won’t be disappointed if it’s another boy. “Obviously, I want a little girl, but if I had another boy I would be so excited as well,” she said. “I love having a boy. Either way, I’d be really, really happy.”

    Awwww.

    Image via youtube

  • Marvin Gaye VS. Robin Thicke Heats Up

    There is some new fuel on the fire that is the battle between Marvin Gaye’s family and Robin Thicke, Pharell Williams, and T.I. The fight over the likeness of several of Thicke’s songs to Marvin Gaye’s began with summer smash “Blurred Lines” sounding a little to close to Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up”, but has gone on to include “Love After War”, which they claim resembles “After the Dance”, according to Billboard.

    Now, there is a new defendant in the the family’s fight to keep Marvin Gaye’s music, well, Marvin Gaye’s. That would be EMI April, the song publisher now owned by Sony/ATV that has business relationships with both sides. They filed a counterclaim which states primarily that EMI has breached a contract and its fiduciary duty by failing to protect Gaye’s songs, attempting to intimidate the family against filing any legal action, failing to remain neutral when faced with a conflict of interest and attempting to turn public opinion against the family. The penalty for those acts, says the Gaye family, should be that EMI loses all profits on “Blurred Lines” as well as rights to administer the song catalog of Gaye.

    EMI is the co-publisher of producing superstar Pharell Williams and is said to co-own and control “Blurred Lines.” The Gaye family owns rights to “Got to Give It Up” and “After the Dance,” but says it has assigned the rights to administer and protect those copyrights to EMI. These facts create a pretty serious conflict of interest.

    In the suit, Gaye’s family also claims that EMI’s “misconduct” includes failing to identify and raise claims based on entrusted Marvin Gaye copyrights, and after allegedly admitting that a claim was viable, “subsequently instructing its litigation attorney to intimidate the Gaye Family from filing an action by antagonistically warning that any lawsuit would be frivolous.”

    Specifically, the Gaye family claims that the chairman of EMI contacted its legal representative and bullied the family, accusing the family of “ruining an incredible song,” “killing the goose that laid the golden egg” and being responsible for “Blurred Lines” not receiving an MTV Video Music Award. He also allegedly complained that the lawsuit might kill any chances that Thicke would win a Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

    After the bullying and the defense of EMI around their “goose”, Robin Thicke, one of the things that the Gaye family is fighting for is the rescission of their contract with EMI. They have had enough and they want out. Their court documents state, “there is a strong likelihood that conflicts of interest, such as the one in the present case, will arise again between the EMI Defendants and the Gaye Family.”

    It goes on to say that “…the EMI Defendants have proven that they cannot be trusted to remain neutral and impartial, and that they are unworthy of the level of trust and professional conduct which is required of a copyright administrator charged with protecting the Gaye Family’s important interests in copyrighted works created by Marvin Gaye.”

    Ouch. This looks to be an ongoing battle that could last a while.

    Image via youtube

  • South Carolina Shooting Victims in Domestic Dispute

    Police say that the six people found dead in a South Carolina home were all involved in a domestic dispute. The shooter, 27-year-old Bryan Sweatt, was one of the dead. He had taken his own life to end a rampage that shook the town of Greenwood.

    He was reportedly expected in court that day, but failed to appear. The others were a woman he had previously dated and had a child with, her parents and her other two children.

    They were identified by Greenwood County Sheriff Tony Davis, at a press conference Wednesday as Richard Allen Fields, 51, Melissa Maroney Fields, 49, Chandra Marie Fields, 26, Tariq Kenyon Robinson, 11, and William Asa Robinson, 9, according to Fox News.

    “I’ve been in law enforcement in Greenwood since 1975, and to my knowledge, this is the first that I responded to with this many deceased,” Davis said. He said that the shooter and his ex-girlfriend mired in a custody dispute over their infant child. He added that he believes Sweatt entered the home when no one was there, then waited on them to return.

    Officers first responded to a call from a man in Greenwood County who said he was thinking about hurting himself, Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office spokesman John Long said. While police were on their way, one of the man’s neighbors called 911. She told operators that two children from that house had arrived at her house and told her a shot had been fired.

    The SWAT team tried to contact people inside the home they had surrounded, but after about an hour of unsuccessful attempts, they busted in and discovered the six bodies.

    image via youtube

  • Bayou Corne Sinkhole Expected to Double in Size

    Ongoing activity near the sinkhole at Bayou Corne that started a year ago, leads experts to believe that it will double in size. It has taken a year to grow to it’s current size of about 26 acres. Experts say they expect the monstrous sinkhole to double in size to 50 acres, according to Fox.

    Homeowners in the area around Assumption Parish in Louisiana have been keeping a watchful eye on the sinkhole since it’s appearance last August. Those anxious homeowners received some welcome good news. Fortunately, the hole is opening in a southwest pattern, which is the opposite direction of neighborhoods in that area.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5f2yCBD3ys

    The activity that is going on includes a giant crack on the south berm, which developed this weekend. There was also increased seismic activity at the site. The sinkhole began when an underground salt cavern collapsed, according to Fox.

    In general, what happens, is seismic activity will be reported, then the sinkhole burps up debri. Burps occur when air and gas from deep in the sinkhole bubbles up. It can sometimes cause debris and an oily substance to float to the top. A slough-in happens when the sinkhole swallows trees and land that is on the edge of the sinkhole.

    Before the latest flurry of activity, the state announced that it will be suing Texas Brine for environmental damages caused by the failed Texas Brine cavern. Both sides agree that the situation is far from over, but for the moment, the focus is on another danger, and that is natural gas gathering underneath a nearby aquifer.

    We will have to wait and see what Mother Nature has in store for this sinkhole.

    Image via youtube

  • Worlds Tallest Man: Bride is 6″ Taller Than Average

    Looks like Sultan Kosen, the world’s tallest man, has found love, according to the Huffington Post. The 8′ 3″ 30-year-old Turkish farmer has previously complained about the difficulties in finding a girlfriend. He said most women are put off by his size.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pya-LJaS14E

    Kosen suffers from a rare disorder called pituitary gigantism, which causes his body to continually produce growth hormones and he is one of only ten people ever to top 8ft. He finally stopped growing in 2012. It’s not only his height that holds some impressive records, but some of his body parts on their own hold them.

    His 27.5 cm (10.8 in) hands hold their own in the Guiness Book, and so do his feet, measuring in at 36.5 cm (14.3 in). I’m sure it is understood, but his suit for the big day was specially taylored for him. He wears a rumored size 28 shoe! I’m not sure I’d be dancing too close at that reception!

    Well, Mr. Kosen now has a Mrs. in Merve Dibo, 20, who is not nearly as tall as Sultan, but still, at 5′ 8″, is a full 6″ over the national average height for women in Turkey. She is still 2′ 7″ shorter than her new hubby. Sultan said, “It was unfortunate that I could not find a suitable girl of my own size. But now I will have my own family and private life.” Happy endings can happen for anyone, right?

    The nuptials, which took place in Marden, Southern Turkey, were attended by many influential people from the worlds of religion, business, and politics, including Turkey’s President, Abdullah Gul.

    Here’s hoping for a happily ever after for the newlyweds!

    Image via youtube

  • Terrell, Texas Serial Killer Arrested

    Terrell, Texas Serial Killer Arrested

    Charles Everett Brownlow Jr., 36, was arrested at 1:30 a.m. in Terrell, Texas, following a town-wide manhunt for a suspect in the brutal murder of five people, according to AP.

    The rampage began shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday. The bodies of the five victims were found in four different locations beginning with a woman who had been fatally shot. Shortly after, Brownlow’s home caught fire, from intentional means police later found, and another body of a woman was found there. Police determined that Brownlow and his car were missing from his home.

    At 10:30 p.m., a man and woman were found shot to death inside their home, where there was also a three-year-old boy who was not harmed. He was later released to family. Fifteen minutes later, another man was found dead at a convenience store. Brownlow then escaped the scene on foot, and was later apprehended at a creek where he was hiding.

    “We’re all in a state of shock,” Police Chief Jody Lay said. “You have a tendency to think, ‘How can that happen here?’ This is a country community, a rural community, people are real close. This is going to be, it’s going to have a really big impact on us.”

    Lay did not name the victims and did not provide details of their relationships to the suspect. “We’re still in the process of putting this massive investigation together. We’re still making sure that surviving family members are appropriately notified,” Lay said.

    That’s it then. It doesn’t matter where you live, you should never assume it’s safe, unfortunately. Hopefully this small Texas town will soon be able to put all this craziness behind them.

    Image via wikipedia

  • Mandy Matula’s Family Seeks Closure in Memorial

    The family of Mandy Matula, the 24-year-old who went missing over six months ago, can now get some closure after her body was found by a hiker on Saturday, according to Fox.

    Yesterday, her family and friends gathered together and travel to the Mississippi River park where her body was found wrapped in a blanket in a shallow grave. They intended to build a memorial to her, and in doing so, gained some peace in the process.

    They took the same trail that the hiker took on Saturday. “The sun was out, shining through the trees. The site where Mandy was found — very peaceful and soothing,” said Steven Matula, Mandy’s brother. “If you were to walk there now, you’d see a little trail. You’ll see balloons. We carved a number 14 into one of the pine trees.”

    The number 14 is significant as the number on her University of Minnesota-Duluth softball team jersey and on the jacket she was buried in.

    Wayne Matula, the woman’s father, said the journey was filled with “a lot of silence, of just looking and thinking and praying. We lost a daughter; we lost a sister. It’s going to take time for healing, to totally understand the circumstances of what has transpired.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PyuDa7g-lI

    Even Eden Prairie Police Chief Rob Reynolds was visibly emotional and struggled to make the announcement at the Sunday press conference.

    “Many people had connections to her,” he said. “I know that my family alone had three different connections to Mandy.”

    The trip marked the end to the months spent searching for Mandy Matula following her May 1st disappearance after she left her house with her ex-boyfriend David Roe. Investigators believe Roe murdered her that night. He shot her in the head and later buried her body in a shallow grave at the park.

    Roe took his life before he could be interviewed by investigators, and is the only suspect in the woman’s death. Police plan to keep the case open and may still submit it to the county attorney.

    Image via youtube

  • Nelson Mandela Murder Plot: Extremist gets 35 years

    Justice was served in South Africa. Mike du Toit, the ringleader of a white supremacist militia called Boeremag, was given the heaviest sentence of 35 years over a botched 2002 plot to overthrow the post-apartheid government, kill Mandela and drive blacks out of the area.

    However, du Toit did not act alone, and was not the only one sentenced. The judge at the High Court in Pretoria sentenced the rest of the 20 militia members on trial to between 10 and 30 years depending on their degree of involvement in the plot, National Prosecution Authority spokesman Medupe Simasiku told AFP.

    All 20 accused were convicted of treason, but only five of murder and the plot to kill Nelson Mandela. But, most of them will go home free men, because the judge will take into account time spent imprisoned awaiting trial, which lasted almost a decade. Boeremag members were convicted in August last year. These were the first guilty verdicts for treason since the end of apartheid in 1994.

    Had Mandela, a Nobel peace laureate, not flown to the Limpopo province to open a rural school on that fateful day in 2002, he would have been killed by a landmine that was planted by Boeremag, causing mass chaos. One woman died and dozens of people were injured in the blasts that shook the Johannesburg township, Soweto in October 2002.

    The Boermag, which is Afrikaans for “Boer Force”, a reference to the first dutch colonisers, had a long-term plan to fill South Africa with blood and chaos in order to reach their goals.They then intended to take over military bases, replace the government with white military rule and purge all blacks and Indians from the country. Sadly, there were a father and two sons among those sentenced.


    Image via youtube

  • Janelle Monae: Overshadowed by Miley?

    Janelle Monae comandeered the SNL studio last night during her debut on the show. Her classy black and white set up was awesome as usual, and she rocked it, singing “Electric Lady” and “Dance Apocalyptic” during the music breaks. What couldn’t be stopped was Miley Cyrus popping into the scene once and again in a skit to remind the world why we can’t stand her.

    I guess she doesn’t like a girl with some class overshadowing her grotesque spotlight for one second? Who knows. But, anyway, there was twerking, and gross tongue wagging as usual. Her over-played antics managed to steal Monae’s thunder a little, but not totally. I mean, she moonwalked, for Pete’s sake!

    So did Miley’s disgusting antics overshadow the awesomeness that is Janelle Monae?

    Nah.

    Image via youtube

  • Pearl Jam Week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

    If you ask this girl, no one derserves a “week” on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” more than Pearl Jam. No one. They were there to prove that they are still on top of the world, and to promote their new album, “Lightning Bolt”. Here is a sample of that new album:

    This is just fun to watch. Go ahead. You know you want to:

    This past week saw some pretty incredible covers of Pearl Jam hits from a career that spans almost four decades for Pearl Jam week. Take this Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) cover of the classic “Corduroy” from 1994’s Vitalology, for example:

    I know, “Where’s the beard?”, right? He also brought along some heavy hitters of his own to help him out! Those were lead guitarist Daniel Rossen, of Grizzly Bear and Department of Eagles renown, and drummer Neal Morgan, who has played with Joanna Newsom and Bill Callahan. “Corduroy” is one of my personal favorites and a hit that Eddie Vedder once said was about seeing a cheap jacket he wore now selling for $650.

    This one saw Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog fame cover Jeremy B-side “Footsteps” with the Avett Brothers. I’m not a Chris Cornell fan, but he’s growing on me as he ages:

    The week culminated with Pearl Jam themselves making a grand appearance singing their single from “Lightning Bolt” called “Sirens”:

    After 23 years, these guys can still rock it. That’s 23 years with no major embarrassments, no damaging snaffus, no inexplicable hiatus, no break-ups, and even more impressive, no more than four years between each new album. Has that even been done before?

    Image via youtube