WebProNews

Author: Val Powell

  • Ralph Lauren’s Niece Fined For Wreaking Havoc On Delta Flight

    Jenny Lauren, niece of Polo fashion tycoon Ralph Lauren, was fined $ 2000 euros (approx. $2715) for “air rage” that forced the New York-bound flight she was on to divert to Ireland.

    The 41-year-old jewelry designer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to being drunk and wreaking havoc on a Delta Air Lines flight from Barcelona to New York. The crew had to divert the plane to Shannon, Ireland to boot her from the plane.

    The drama started when a flight attendant spotted Lauren crying in her couch and went to console her. In a surprise reaction, Lauren told the flight attendant to “get the f**k out” of her face.  She then chased the attendant Constance Topping throughout the main aisle of the plane. According to Inspector Tom Kennedy, the flight attendant was attacked both verbally and physically.

    The altercation caused concern among passengers who began standing out of their seats. She told Topping that she was going to go ballistic and pushed her hard against the wall of the plane, Kennedy said. She then called Topping a “f***ing ugly, blonde b***h.”

    Supervising flight attendant Jennifer Simpson and the plane’s pilot were not spared her wrath either when they tried to intervene. The tirade lasted close to an hour before the aircraft landed in Ireland to eject her from the flight.

    Her attorney Sharon Curley told the court that Lauren could not remember what had transpired in the incident and that she was “extremely embarrassed and extremely upset by her actions.”

    Curley also said Lauren, who fears flying, had taken three alcoholic drinks after taking prescription medication.

    Officials said the diversion cost the airline $43,158 and inconvenienced more than 100 people who were in the aircraft.

    Image via Jennylaurenjewelry.com

  • Trey Radel Apologizes To GOP For Cocaine Use

    Trey Radel said Wednesday in an interview with The Washington Post that he has already issued a “heartfelt apology” to his Republican colleagues following his recent drug use charges to which he pleaded guilty.

    “I’m thankful I had that opportunity, but I have a whole lot to do to make amends,” said Radel, who has been on a month-long rehabilitation. Radel is well aware that there is still a long way to go to put things right with his constituents and his family.

    Several congressmen said most members were sympathetically receptive of Radel’s apology and even applauded him after the remarks.

    “We’ve all dealt with friends or families who have struggled with addiction, so we listened and offered encouragement,” said one Republican.

    When asked by a Post reporter how he felt after the apology, the 37-year-old Republican was at loss for words and said it felt really good, his eyes wet with tears.

    Those present at the GOP conference said he was one the last people to leave the room as he took time huddling with friends and colleagues.

    Radel’s apology was made in front of hundreds of his GOP colleagues in a closed door conference held in the Capitol basement. The meeting was the first Republican Congress meeting after the holidays.

    Radel returned to the Capital Tuesday night after the one month absence. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 20 to charges of cocaine possession. This week, he will meet with the GOP leadership to discuss his return to the House.

    Radel has still not decided whether he wants to seek re-election in the coming Florida congressional elections. A former Florida state legislator, Paige Kreegel has already expressed her desire to run for the seat.

    Image via YouTube

  • Alaska Marijuana: State Takes First Step To Legalization

    Some 46,000 supporters of a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis turned in their signatures to election officials on Wednesday. This marks Alaska’s first step towards an August ballot on the matter. Some 30,000 validated signatures are required to take the issue to a vote.

    Advocates of the weed believe that the time is right for legalizing marijuana. The group that initiated the move for legalization calls itself the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana. It is mainly funded by the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington D.C. based marijuana reform group.

    Proponents of the campaign pointed out that marijuana was already being used in Alaska; legalizing marijuana would “regulate and tax it” just like alcohol is treated.

    Meanwhile, opponents of the recreational use of marijuana say Alaska’s marijuana laws are already liberal enough. Marijuana use has been legal in Alaska since 1998 when voters voted to legalize its use for medical purposes. Since then, there has been a strong debate in Alaska on whether to ban or legalize it.

    This is not the first time legalization for recreational use of marijuana has been on the ballot. In 2000, the initiative got 41% approval vote and another attempt in 2004 garnered 44 % of the vote.

    The supporters of the campaign now think the country has changed since then. According to Mason Tvert of the Marijuana Policy Project, polls show that majority of Alaska residents are not opposed to legalization of cannabis.

    Bill Parker, one of the initiative’s sponsors and former Department of Corrections deputy commissioner said the current marijuana laws in Alaska are contradictory: “In the insane way it fell together, it’s legal to have it in your home but not to acquire it. And you can legally acquire it with a medical prescription but there’s no place to buy it.”

    If marijuana use does become legal, persons over 21-years-old will be allowed to buy up to an ounce of marijuana or grow up to 6 plants for personal use. However, users can only be allowed to smoke it on private properties. Only licensed sellers will be allowed to sell it. Alaska’s ballot initiative mirrors that of Colorado’s 2012 initiative which led to the state’s legalization of marijuana on January 1st of this year.

    Image via YouTube

  • Vail Avalanche Claims Life Of Resort Founder’s Grandson

    An avalanche claimed the life of the grandson of Vail Resorts’ co-founder and temporarily trapped three other persons, county reports indicate.

    Anthony Seibert, 24, died in backcountry outside the Colorado resort that his grandfather, Peter Seibert Senior co-founded.

    The three who were injured in the accident are expected to recover from the injuries. In fact, their injuries were not bad enough to warrant medical attention. Their identities were not revealed.

    Seibert’s friend, Scott Klumb posted a tribute video of his friend of 7 year hours after his death and described Seibert as a cheerful and an uplifting person. “He was always goofing around or getting other people excited and just making them happy,” said Klumb.

    Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jessie Mosher said the avalanche occurred in the East Vail Chutes — about 90 miles from West Denver—at around 11:0 a.m. According to the resort’s master development plan documents, East Vail Chutes is extremely steep and prone to avalanches.

    Colorado Avalanche Information Center said the slide occurred near backcountry wilderness where it could not have been controlled. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being least dangerous and 5 being most dangerous, the slide was rated 3.

    It is not know for sure what Seibert was doing at the time of the incident but he may have just gone  snowboarding or skiing.

    Seibert is the second Colorado victim of avalanche this season. The other incident happened on Parkview Mountain Dec 31st. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has also said that at least 5 similar incidents have been reported nationwide.

    Seibert’s grandfather was a former soldier who moved to Colorado after being injured during World War II. In 1950, he joined the U.S. ski team, going on to become a skiing legend. He also studied resort management in Switzerland and France and later teamed up with his fellow Ski enthusiast Earl Eaton to open up Vail in 1957.

    Skier Saved In Avalanche

    Image via Wikipedia

  • Delta New Seats: Airline Says Passengers Will Have More Comfort. Really?

    Delta Airlines is expected to spend $770 million over the next 3 years on a major interior overhaul to most of its planes. The airline announced Wednesday that it will install new seats and bigger bins on 225 of its planes within the U.S.

    Delta said Wednesday that each of the new seats on the 225 planes will have electrical power to improve passenger comfort.

    More seats will be fitted onto many of those planes including 10 more on its A320 planes, 19 more on its Boeing 757-200s and 6 more on its Airbus A319s.

    By using a new seat technology called “slim-line”, more space will be created because the new seats will have smaller and lighter weight frames in both the front and back. The new kitchens, known as galleys, will also take up less space on the Boeing 757s. Also, a fraction of the 737s will have the number of their business-class seats reduced and the number of coach seats increased.

    Delta’s spokesman Paul Skirbec said that the legroom on the planes will remain unaltered but the seats on the Airbus planes will be a bit broader.

    Delta isn’t the first airline to retrofit its airplanes using slim-line technology, Southwest and American Airlines have already gone this route. Some will argue that the real reason for the overhaul is less about passenger comfort and more about profits. The new slim-line technology will allow more seats to be placed in the cabin. For example, an additional six seats to an economy cabin that previously had 140 seats could increase revenue by 4 percent or more. Also, lighter seats result in greater fuel economy. Southwest expected to save $10 million a year on its fuel cost with the new design.

    So what about comfort?

    “When designers think seat, they think butt, but the widest part of the body is the shoulders,” said Kathleen Robinette, a seasoned designer at the Air Force Research Lab.

    In addition, Americans are getting bigger- their waistlines that is. Shrinking down seat size will be good for Delta’s bottom line but will likely result in many passengers feeling cramped and uncomfortable.

    Slim-line Seating may not be so comfortable after all

    http://youtu.be/LWglx9NU8rY

    Image via Wikipedia

  • Melissa Mark-Viverito Is New Speaker Of The NYC Council

    Melissa Mark-Viverito was unanimously elected Wednesday as the new speaker of the New York City Council. She replaces Christine Quinn to become first Latin American to hold citywide office.

    “I hope that as young Latinas and Latinos are witnessing this moment, they are able to dream that much bigger and are inspired to work that much harder, because we have broken through one more barrier,” she said.

    New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, an ally to Mark-Viverito, played a key role in getting her elected. He lobbied council members urging them to vote for her, citing that they both shared the same values and goals for the city.

    In her victory speech Mark-Viverito said her immediate agenda is to help create more affordable housing and improve the lives of those “who have fallen on hard times.” The 44-year-old councilwoman from East Harlem also appealed for unity in the state in order to make it a state of equal opportunities for everyone.

    “We unite for a more equal and just New York where everyone, no matter what borough you are from, what neighborhood you were raised in or who your parents are, has equal opportunities,” Mark-Viverito said.

    Her rival, councilman Dan Garodnick, gracefully conceded defeat Wednesday and said he was looking forward to working with the new speaker to help her deliver a responsible government to the people of New York.

    He also pledged to resolve any rifts that may have been caused by the voting process.  “I will do my part to resolve any rifts this process may have caused among our colleagues, and am here to take any steps necessary to help move forward together,” Gorodnick said. He described the new speaker as smart and committed. However, supporters of Gorodnick were not happy with the outcome and accused Mark-Viverito supporters of hardball tactics leading up to the election.

    Recently, Mark-Viverito had come under fire in the media for allegedly renting apartments in an East 111th St. building she owns without disclosing her income. She still has yet to release her tax returns.

    The post of Speaker is a very influential one. The speaker sets the agenda of the chamber, decides whether a bill can go to the floor for debate and appoints heads of committees.

    Image via YouTube

  • Utah Gay Marriage Laws Pending Final Resolution

    Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced Wednesday that the state will not recognize gay marriages performed since Dec. 20 pending a final ruling by the courts.

    U.S district judge Robert Shelby ruled on Dec. 20 that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Consequently, an appeal was lodged by the state to overturn the ruling and the Supreme Court suspended same-sex marriages in Utah until the matter is heard and determined.

    “The original laws governing marriage in Utah are back to effect pending final resolution by the courts,” a memo from the governor’s office said.

    Essentially, what this means is that those gay/lesbian couples who were in the process of obtaining a marriage license, applying for benefits or adopting children will have to wait until a ruling is made.

    However, those who had finalized their marriages will still retain their marriage rights. Paul Smith, an appeals lawyer said the law can’t undo relationships in which marriage licenses had been obtained and weddings performed.

    Missy Larsen, Utah’s Attorney General spokeswoman said that those couples who have not yet had weddings will also not be recognized even if they have gotten marriage licenses.

    “The ceremony had to have taken place. It had to have been solemnized,” Larsen said.

    The 10-bench Supreme Court judges ruled Monday that given the state’s appeal same-sex marriages could not continue during the period of the hearing.

    Salt Lake County clerk Sherrie Swensen mentioned that 1,061 marriage licenses had been issued in Salt Lake County between Dec. 20 and Monday and the majority of them comprised of same-sex marriages. She is now trying to see if a refund can be issued to couples that bought licenses but are now not able to use them.

    Though same-sex marriages are slowly becoming legal nationwide, Utah is still one of 33 states in the U.S. that has outlawed gay couples the right to be married.

    Utah’s decision has left some couples who were in the process of wedding in distress, especially those who had already incurred wedding expenses and made logistical arrangements for the events.

    Image via YouTube

  • Robert Gates Bashes Obama In New Memoir

    Robert Gates Bashes Obama In New Memoir

    President Obama might not be too happy when he reads Robert Gates’ new memoirs to be published next week. In it, Gates criticizes Obama’s policy towards the war in Afghanistan saying Obama doesn’t even believe in his own strategy.

    “For him, it is all about getting out of there,” he writes.

    Gates served as Pentagon Chief from 2006 to 2011 under former President George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Gates has equally praised and attacked Obama in the book, according to Los Angeles Times.

    According to Gates, Obama displayed lack of faith in his own policy. He says Obama became “skeptical if not outright convinced it would fail” when he decided to dispatch 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan shortly after ascending to the presidency. The situation led Gates to contemplate resigning. Obama started withdrawing the troops early in 2011 after intense debates with Gates.

    The 70-year-old Gates, who has served under all of the U.S. Presidents since Nixon except President Clinton, said that while he never doubted Obama’s support for the troops, he doubted his support for the mission.

    The book, “Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War” will be released on Jan 14. Its excerpts were first reported by The New York Times and Fox News.

    An essay written by Gates–apparently to promote the book—appeared in the Wall street Journal and claims Obama’s problem with the Afghan war was that his philosophical preferences for ending the U.S. role in the war conflicted with recommendations from military advisers and his own public rhetoric about conquering Afghanistan.

    Gates also felt that Obama did not have confidence in him. However, Gates believes that Obama’s actions were right in each of these situations and he describes him as a man of personal integrity.

    He also praises former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton describing her as “smart, idealistic but pragmatic, tough-minded, indefatigable, funny, a very valuable colleague, and a superb representative of the United States all over the world.”

    Gates did have harsh words for Vice President Joe Biden whom he accuses of  “poisoning the well” in the military.

    White House has issued a statement in response to the book saying the president welcomes divergent views but disagrees on Gates’ assessment, especially his opinions on Joe Biden.

    Image via Wikipedia

  • Fox News CEO Roger Ailes Allegedly Offered Employee Raise For Sex

    The highly anticipated new biography of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes reveal some shocking allegations including sexism and anti-Semitism.

    The New York Times got an advance copy of the “The Loudest Voice in The Room,” by media reporter Gabriel Sherman. According to the review, “The Loudest Voice In The Room” portrays Ailes as a man with a volatile temper and condescending attitude towards his staffers.

    The most astonishing allegations came from an incident in the 1980s. Television producer Randi Harrison reportedly told Sherman that while she was negotiation her salary with Ailes  in the 80s, she was offered an additional $100 per week if she agreed to have sex with him whenever he wanted.

    Sherman also writes that Ailes used an anti-Semitic slur in 1995 towards an employee. The employee in question is Discovery channel CEO David Zaslav, both Zaslev and Ailes have denied the allegation. The book further alleges that Ailes made comments critical of Bill O’Reilley whom he ostensibly described as “a book salesman with a TV show.” O’Reilly was a Fox host at the time.

    According to the biography, Ailes supposedly made comments to suggest he attempted to influence political outcomes when he claimed in 2012 that he wanted to “elect the next president.”

    Fox News and Ailes have denied the claims in a statement.

    “These charges are false. While we have not read the book, the only reality here is that Gabe was not provided any direct access to Roger Ailes and the book was never fact-checked with Fox News,” read part of the statement.

    Fox News has recently waged a campaign to neutralize Sherman’s claims by going as far as to appoint a journalist to write a more favorable biography of Ailes while Sherman’s was still in progress. Last year, Fox’s top communication executive Brian Lewis was fired with many suggesting the sack was in part because Lewis had leaked some information to Sherman. So far Sherman’s biography of Ailes seems quite scathing.

    “The Loudest Voice in The Room” is available for purchase on Jan. 21.

    Listen to this.

    Image via YouTube

  • Aaron Hernandez Linked To Boston Double Homicide

    Details from a search warrant filed in Connecticut show that former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez may have been involved in a 2012 double homicide in Boston.

    The warrant does not reveal who pulled the trigger or the motive behind the shooting of  Safiro Teixeira Furtado and Daniel Jorge Correia de Abreu .

    Abreu and Furtado were gunned down on July 16, 2012 after leaving Cure Lounge with three other friends when someone in a SUV pulled up next to their vehicle and shot them. The warrant alleges that Hernandez was the driver of that vehicle, a Toyota 4Runner SUV, which matches the one parked at the home of  Hernandez’s uncle in Bristol. No charges have been filed yet and Hernandez’s lawyer was not immediately available for comment.

    Hernandez, 24, has already been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Odin Lloyd. Lloyd was a semi-professional football player whose body was found on June 17 near Hernandez’s Massachusetts home. He pleaded not guilty in that case.

    There is yet another case where Alexander Bradley, an acquaintance to Hernandez, filed a civil suit against him for shooting him in the eye in February. Bradley does, however, have a checkered past as he is known for confrontations with police. Bradley was held in a Connecticut correctional center last fall for a drug-related crime. He also has a warrant for his arrest for evading authorities who tried to subpoena him to appear as a witness before a jury investigating the double homicide.

    The latest search warrant was reported by the Hartford Courant and was filed in Bristol court. It details phone call recordings and surveillance camera recordings possibly linking Hernandez to the Boston murders. The surveillance video shows Hernandez and Bradley entering the nightclub shortly after Furtado and Abreu. Hernandez and Bradley then leave the nightclub 10 minutes later and Hernandez is seen driving a SUV out of the parking lot. Shortly after, the shooting victims are seen leaving the club at around 12:10 am heading toward the parking lot and Hernandez’s SUV passes by them twice. According to a third man that was in the car with  Furtado and Abreu, a SUV pulled up next to them and shots were fired into their vehicle. Police now say that prison phone call recordings show Hernandez discussing details of the Boston murders between Oct. 4 and Oct. 15.

    Watch the video for the backstory

    Image via YouTube

  • Miss Venezuela And Ex-Husband Shot Dead By Robbers

    Former Miss Venezuela Monica Spear was shot dead, alongside her ex-husband Thomas Henry Berry during an attempted car robbery, police said Tuesday.

    The 29-year-old former model and Telenovela star was travelling towards Valencia City in a grey 2002 Toyota Corolla with her ex-husband and daughter when their car broke down. The car was then lifted into a tow truck. Upon seeing the bandits coming, the couple and their 5-year-old daughter ran into the Corolla and locked themselves in.

    Their refusal to open the car window was met with gunfire. Spear and Berry died but their daughter survived with an injury to her leg and was rushed to hospital for treatment.

    The case of the slain popular soap-opera actress and her former husband now joins other cases of high profile crimes in Venezuela, where armed robbery, killings as well as kidnappings have become rampant. Even professional athletes and foreign ambassadors have been victims. Spear had earlier confessed to HuffPost Voices that she left her native Venezuela due to insecurity.

    The director of the country’s investigative police Jose Gregorio Sierralta said that the police have arrested four suspects in connection with the murder. Some of the suspects are under 18 years of age.

    Luis Carl, a friend of Thomas Berry, said the family had spent the holidays in the Merida mountains of western Venezuela then travelled to the plains. He described the slain couple as people who had a good relationship despite the fact that they were not together at the time.  Carl said the couple loved the country a lot.

    Carl hoped that their deaths may spur the country’s fight against crime which increased dramatically during the rule of the late Hugo Chavez, who died last year due to cancer.  The country has one of the highest crimes rates in the world and is plagued by other problems such as food shortages.

    Image via YouTube

  • Dennis Rodman Has Angry Interview With CNN’s Chris Cuomo

    Former NBA player Dennis Rodman strongly rebuffed claims that his trip, to North Korea Tuesday was political, amidst an emotional torrent.

    Rodman, along with 10 other former NBA players, were in North Korea to play in an exhibition basketball game against a North Korean basketball team. The game will be played Wednesday and coincides with the birthday of the country’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

    The CNN interview, aired via satellite, turned out to be quite interesting when Rodman was asked whether the trip was political. Rodman was surrounded by the former players during the interview and the point he seemed to be making was that the trip was purely for the purpose of basket diplomacy. “One day, one day this door is going to open because of these 10 guys here,” he told Chris Cuomo, CNN reporter.

    But things got emotional when Cuomo asked Rodman whether he would defend Kenneth Bae, an American, who is being held by the government for unknown reasons.

    “Do you understand what he did?” an agitated Rodman asked Cuomo. “You tell me! You tell me! Why is he held captive?”

    Rodman then added by saying that it wasn’t his business to know what Bae did. All he cared about was that he and the former NBA players had “dared” to go to North Korea.

    The heated interview seemed to make the other players surrounding Rodman uncomfortable. One of the players, Charles Smith tried to cool down tensions by saying the purpose of the game was outside politics.

    “We’ve said numerous times that we’re not here for any political aspects,” Smith said.

    Essentially, Smith was echoing Rodman’s sentiment but in a calmer manner. Smith also said that the date of the game and Kim’s birthday were purely coincidental.

    Image via YouTube

  • Is Mindy Kaling’s ‘Elle’ Cover Racist?

    “Elle Magazine” has been smeared with controversy, yet again.  Last year, the magazine covered Melissa McCarthy in a voluminous coat. Now, Kaling has been deprived of half of her body and color in her first major fashion magazine cover.

    She poses in a striking black-and-white portrait on the cover but they only show half of her body. Her three fellow television stars–Amy Poehler, Zooey Deschanel, and Allison William were all featured in full color and their full bodies shown in the women’s annual fashion magazine.

    Kaling has been waiting for this moment for quite some time after becoming one of America’s beloved, stylish ladies of TV. Mindy Kaling is funny, gorgeous and smart but some in the online community thinks that “Elle” is being racists.

    “Mindy Kaling’s Elle cover looks different from the others,” wrote Jezebel.

    One reader even became more direct:  “@ELLEmagazine’s cover featuring Mindy Kaling is a post-racial liberal’s wet dream. Unfortunately, it’s still racist. Try harder Elle.”

    In response, “Elle sent out responses in their press releases and said the covers shot with each of the four stars are distinctive. Kaling herself was more direct in her defense and sent a tweet saying: “I love my @ELLEmagazine cover. It made me feel glamorous & cool. And if anyone wants to see more of my body, go on thirteen dates with me.”

    The new magazine hits the newsstands on Jan 14.

    Image via YouTube

  • Satan Statue Design Controversy In Oklahoma

    A 7-foot Satanists’ statue design was presented by members of the Satanic Temple on Monday. The group wants to place its monument at Oklahoma’s Capitol building, next to the monument of the Ten Commandments.

    The design depicts Satan as a bearded, goat-headed character seated on a pentagram-decorated throne. The goat-head figure is flanked by two smiling children.

    The Satanic group, which is based in New York, formally submitted its request to Capitol Preservation Commission, which is responsible for overseeing Capital grounds.

    According to the temple’s spokesman Lucien Greaves, the monument will have a “functional purpose” of bringing people of all ages to sit on the lap of Satan for contemplation and inspiration. He said statue has been designed to “reflect the views of Satanists in Oklahoma City.”

    The Satanic Temple has argued that it has the right to place its statue at the Capitol building since the Oklahoma legislature authorized a privately funded monument of the Ten Commandments to be placed there. The American Civil Liberties Union has since sued to have the Ten Commandments monument removed.

    Other groups including Animal rights group and the SatiricalChurch of the Flying Spaghetti Monster have placed similar request with the panel. The panel recently placed a hold on any new requests pending a hearing and determination of the lawsuit.

    The request by the satanic group has sparked opposition from elected leaders with the majority of them saying that the request will never be considered. The group has already demonstrated its seriousness by raising nearly $10,000 (out of the $20,000 needed) to erect the monument.

    Image via YouTube

  • Lindsey Vonn Will Miss Sochi Olympics Due To Knee Injury

    US skier Lindsey Vonn will not take part in this year’s Winter Olympic Games to be held in Sochi due to a right knee injury.

    The 29-year-old skiing sensation from Vail, Colorado made the announcement on Tuesday. According to her spokesman Lewis Kay, Vonn is expected to have knee surgery shortly and therefore will not make the games.

    Via Facebook, Vonn told her fans that she is devastated to miss out on the Winter Olympics. “The reality has sunk in that my knee is just too unstable to compete at this level,” she wrote.

    In the last Winter Olympics, Vancouver 2010, Vonn won two medals (gold and bronze). She also boasts four World Cup ski championships, making her the most famous name in the Alpine skiing. If  Vonn was able to compete this time she would likely be the center of  U.S media attention during the Winter Games.

    Vonn’s knee troubles started last February when she tore two ligaments in her right knee during the World Championships. She was out of commission for 10 months before the injury was re-aggravated after she tore a ligaments in a training crash last November. Adding to her woes, Vonn sprained her MLC during a race in France in December, barely a month after returning to competition.

    “I did everything I possibly could to somehow get strong enough to overcome having no ACL,” Vonn wrote on her Facebook wall.

    In spite of the setback, Vonn is refusing to be discouraged. She said she has now set her sights on the World Championship to be held in February in her hometown of Vail. Vonn also thinks that her absence from the team is an extra opportunity for one of her teammates to step up and “go for a gold” medal.

    America is now left with Mikaela Shiffrin, who is the defending World Champion in Slalom and Julia Mancuso, who holds three Olympic medals. 

    Watch Lindsey Vonn Win

    http://youtu.be/t9Rrxpholrs

    http://youtu.be/fNhj932uRgU

    Image via YouTube

  • China Destroys 6 Tons Of Ivory In Symbolic Move

    China sent a strong message to illegal ivory traders by destroying 6 tons of illegal ivory from its stockpile on Monday. This was done in Dongguan in southern Guangdong province where the illegal trade is rampant.

    This is unprecedented move is expected go a long way in vindicating China from criticism of tolerating poaching. China is arguably the biggest marketplace for ivory.

    Authorities publicly displayed a pile of carvings, ornaments and tusks before destroying them with two industrial crushing machines. Longer tusks were chopped into smaller pieces by workers using circular saws before they could be grounded up. Custom officials and forestry officers played a key role in organizing what was described as the country’s biggest ivory destruction ever.

    Chinese demand for ivory has been triggered by the country’s growing middle class who now have more disposable income and buy ivory carvings as a status symbol. Ivory has been nicknamed “White gold” because of the high prices it fetches. One kilogram of ivory can cost as much as $2,000.

    The 6 tons of ivory destroyed represents just a fraction of the illegal ivory in China, according to the authorities. However, they did not disclose how much ivory is still left on the Chinese black market. The destroyed ivory came from shops and carving factories in China as well as from intercepted shipments from Africa.

    China now joins a host of other countries who are committed to cracking down on the illegal traded of ivory. Some of these countries include the Philippines which destroyed at least 5 tons of ivory in June, the United States which destroyed 6 tons in November and Gabon which destroyed almost 5 tons in 2012.

    The U.S. sent officials to witness the ivory destruction exercise on Monday and praised China’s move saying it “will send a powerful message to wildlife poachers and traffickers and to the consumers of illegal wildlife products.”

    The International Fund for Animal Welfare also commended China for the move saying that it was a powerful symbolic act that shows China is concerned about wildlife threats. IFAW CEO Azzedine Downs said that the destruction was a testament to the fact that ivory buying is illegal and unethical everywhere. It is estimated that more than 35,000 elephants were killed by poachers last year.

    Image via YouTube

  • Angela Merkel Suffers Skiing Injury In Swiss Alps

    On Monday it was announced that German Chancellor Angela Merkel fractured her pelvis in a cross-country skiing accident. According to spokesman Steffen Seibert, the accident happened over the holidays and will cause Merkel to cancel most of her business trips including her upcoming trip to Poland. Consequently, she will need extra rest for the next three weeks in order to recover.

    “It makes it necessary for her to lie down a lot for three weeks and to use a walking aid,” said Seibert.

    The 59-year-old chancellor fell during her yearly ski vacation in the Alpine Region of Engadine, Switzerland.  She initially thought that she had sustained a bruise but later realized that she had a pelvic fracture after consulting her doctor, said Seibert. The Chancellor suffered severe bruising and a partial fracture on the left, rear part of her pelvis. The injury will require her to use crutches just like she did following a knee surgery she underwent 3 years ago.

    Although her spokesman did not give specific details on how the accident occurred, he said that she was not skiing fast at the time of the accident.

    On Wednesday, Ms. Merkel is expected to chair a coalition cabinet meeting and it is unlikely that her condition will deter her. Germany is under a coalition government because Merkel’s Conservative Christian Democratic Union party did not win a majority in last year’s elections. Other than that, she is expected to work from home. She did, however, postponed her meeting on Thursday with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel.

    Merkel’s injury comes just days after Germany’s legendary race car driver Michael Schumacher had a life threatening skiing accident at Meribel resort in France. At the time of Schumacher’s accident Merkel sent him well wishes for a speedy recovery but now she find herself the victim of a skiing accident too.

    Image via YouTube

  • Joe Rickey Hundley: Baby Slapper Sentenced To 8 Months In Prison

    Joe Rickey Hundley was sentenced Monday by a federal judge to serve 8 months in prison for assaulting a 19-month-old child on February 8 of last year.

    According to FBI documents, Hundley, a resident of  Idaho at the time, committed the offence while on a flight from Minneapolis to Atlanta. He was seated next to Jessica Bennett, a white woman who was carrying her adopted black toddler on her lap. As the plane descended into Atlanta, the child started crying and Hundley told the mother to “shut that N****R baby up.” Hundley then slapped the baby, leaving a scratch below the child’s right eye.

    After reaching an agreement with prosecutors, Hundley pleaded guilty to simple assault against a toddler and also admitted to using a racial slur against the child.

    In court, Hundley expressed remorse for his behavior telling the judge that he accepts full responsibility for his actions. “I made the most terrible day in my life much worse for me and for others,” Hundley told the judge.

    According to Hundley’s lawyer, Marcia Shein, Hundley’s grieving for his son and his alcohol intoxication contributed to his actions. Turns out that Hundley booked a last-minute flight to Atlanta to meet with his ex-wife so that they could take his son off of life support.  His son was declared brain dead after being in a coma at the hospital due to an apparent suicide attempt.

    Although the prosecutors had recommended a 6-month sentence, Judge Alan Baverman said he imposed a higher jail term because Hundley has a criminal history which includes a prior assault. The judge told Hundley, “you cannot assault another individual, regardless of how sad or upset, or even how intoxicated or sick, you are.”

    Hundley’s lawyers strongly objected to the ruling saying the sentence was not proportionate to what had been agreed to in the plea agreement with the prosecutors.

    The 8-month sentence was not the only punishment for Hundley. Judge Baverman also ordered a year of supervised release, alcohol and anger management treatment, 120 hours of community service and restitution of $105 to Jessica Bennett. He will also have to pay a $2,500 fine to the government.

    Hundley was not taken directly to prison after the ruling, more time is needed for assignment but he and his lawyer are considering an appeal.

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  • Evander Holyfield Reprimanded For Homophobic Views On ‘Big Brother’ UK

    Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has ignited controversy on the UK’s ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ due to his views on homosexuality. Holyfield made inflammatory comments toward gays on Saturday’s airing of the British reality TV show.  He compared homosexuality to a handicap that can be fixed by a doctor.

    Holyfield is among the contestants on “Celebrity Big Brother” UK and made the remarks while holding a conversations with fellow housemate Luisa Zissman.

    In the conversation, Zissman disagrees with Holyfield and tries to sway his opinion but Holyfield stood firm. Zissman even tries to end the conversation at one point but Holyfield remained insistent in showing Zissman why homosexuality is not a sexual orientation but a deformity.

    Holyfield: The bible lets you know, that’s wrong, that’s right.

    Zissman: That’s just the way some people are.

    Holyfield: No, it don’t make no difference. If you were born and your leg were turned this way, what do you do, you go to the doctor and get it fixed back right.

    Afterwards, Holyfield was taken by the show’s producers to a private room where he was advised that his views were not acceptable and it would be offensive for him to continue expressing those views. However, Holyfield still was of the view that he hadn’t done anything wrong but promised to refrain in future.

    The remarks generated mixed reactions from the social media with many users expressing outrage towards the 51-year-old boxing legend. However, openly gay Culture Club singer Boy George could not hide his disappointment at Holyfield’s comments. George issued a statement on Twitter saying: “Shame, I had such admiration for Mr Evander Holyfield, he seemed dignified and I was sure he was a cool, smart, giant!”

    Though Holyfield is entitled to his opinion, anti-gay sentiments are not likely to go over well with the public. He may want to keep his opinion to himself or risk alienating many of his fans.

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  • Eurythmics To Perform At Beatles Tribute Jan. 27

    On Monday it was announced that Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics will be reunited on Jan. 27 when they perform as a duo for “The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles”. The event, which will be taped at the Los Angeles Convention Center, will come a day after the Grammy Awards.

    “When it came around to booking this show, what I felt was important was to try and find those artists who not only would be able to interpret Beatles songs, but would also have an … understanding of what they meant,” said the show’s producer Ken Ehrlich in an interview.

    Eurhythmics is a hugely successful pop/rock band that has sold millions of albums worldwide. One of the top hits of the group was “Sweet Dreams,” which was released in 1981. Ehrlich said that the two performers were thrilled to perform at the occasion. However, Ehrlich wouldn’t say which of the Beatles tunes the two musicians would perform. However, it’s already known that John Legend and Alicia Keys will perform “Let it Be” together while Keith Urban and John Mayer will pair up to perform “Don’t Let Me Down”

    The taped event will air February 9th on CBS, 50 years after the Beatles made their U.S. debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show”. The Beatles’ appearance on the show marked a major moment in Western pop culture.

    Ehrlich did not confirm whether Beatles surviving members Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr will be at the event but said more performers will be announced later.

    Beatles U.S. Debut On Ed Sullivan

    http://youtu.be/OMNPPwq8I2Y

    Image via YouTube

  • Aspen Plane Crash: Co-Pilot Dies Leaving 2 Injured

    A private jet burst into flames, leaving one person dead and two others injured. The twin-engine Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger deviated from the side of the runway while carrying three people when it crashed in Aspen Colorado, Sunday afternoon.

    “It was almost as if a fuse was lit and it went that quickly down the runway and the heat and the smoke were pretty devastating,” said eyewitness Bruce Gordon.

    Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the plane crashed while attempting to land. The fatal landing was the plane’s second attempt at landing that day.

    The man who died in the accident was identified as Mexican co-pilot Sergio Carranza Brabata. The other two men injured were Moises Carranza and Miguel Henriquez both of whom were rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction for treatment. According to hospital officials, the two injured men are in critical and serious condition, respectively.

    “The injuries were traumatic in nature, but they were not thermal so the fire never reached inside the cabin as far as we can tell,” said Alex Burchetta, Director of Operations for the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office.

    The aircraft left Toluca, Mexico on Sunday before landing in Tucson. Afterward, it left Tucson for Aspen but crashed at 12:23 p.m., according to the Aviation Safety Network. Audio from the network indicates that the plane had been cleared to land at about 12:10 but missed its line.

    The crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board who arrived at the scene at around 9:30 p.m. Reports from the local sheriff’s office indicate that the airport will remain closed but no specific timelines were given, saying that the NTSB will have to approve the re-opening of the airport.

    Weather measurement showed that Aspen experienced temperatures of about 10 degrees with strong winds that day. The gusty winds are said to be responsible for the aircraft’s aborted first landing attempt and subsequent crash. Transcripts from the cockpit audio recording showed that no mayday was issued by the pilots despite the concerns over the winds.

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