WebProNews

Author: Val Powell

  • Gay Pride Parade 2014 Kicks Off In New York City And Across The U.S.

    The annual Pride Parade kicked off in New York City on Sunday where lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, and supporters marched around the city to celebrate same-sex marriage triumphs.

    Fifth Avenue became a sea of colors as thousands of people marched and waved their flags to celebrate. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio were in attendance as well.

    The Pride Parade is a yearly event that starts at Fifth Avenue and ends at Greenwich Village. This year, attendees celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall riots that happened in 1969 where the gay community protested police raids, which started the modern gay rights movement. The parade route passed through Stonewall Inn where the riots took place.

    In New York, Shayna Melendez and her cousin Yaseena Oatis joined the celebration. “We’re walking to celebrate, to be embraced being who we are around people who are like us, free to express ourselves. Everybody has a different story about how they came out as gay, but we’re all here,” Oatis said.

    Other cities also held their own festivals including San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago.

    In Chicago, around a million people celebrated their first gay pride parade since the legalization of gay marriage in Illinois just last month. David Wilk and Charlie Gurion were the first couple who got their marriage licenses after the verdict.

    Gurion said, “I think there is definitely like an even more sense of pride now knowing that in Illinois you can legally get married now. I think it is a huge thing and everybody’s over the moon that they can do it now.”

    Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Sen. Dick Durbin were among those who attended the parade in Chicago.

    In San Francisco, the lesbian motorcycle group Dykes on Bikes took their usual spot as the head of the parade on Market Street. Apple was one of the corporations to show its support. Around 4,000 employees and their families attended the parade. Chief Executive Tim Cook was also present.

    In Seattle, Star Trek star George Takei, who is a proud supporter of gay rights acted as the celebrity grand marshal of the parade. Thousands of people gathered in Seattle for the 40th Pride Parade where the theme was “Generations of Pride.”

    2014 has been an eventful year for the gay and lesbian community. Since the Supreme Court struck down their verdict to recognize same-sex marriages in California, seven more states legalized same-sex unions, which brings the total to 19, plus Washington DC.

    Image via YouTube

  • Jillian Michaels Quits ‘The Biggest Loser’; She Wasn’t Happy With Way Last Season Ended

    Exercise buff Jillian Michaels will be leaving ‘The Biggest Loser’ again. NBC made the announcement through a statement. They said, “After helping hundreds of contestants transform their lives and inspiring millions of viewers at home, The Biggest Loser and Jillian Michaels have decided to part ways and she will not be returning for season 16 when it airs this fall.”

    Michaels was present when the reality series started in 2004. She left the show in 2006, and returned in 2007. In 2011, she left the show again only to come back two seasons after.

    Rachel Frederickson, last season’s winner, made headlines for losing 155 pounds. Michaels said she wanted to quit the series, as she was not happy with how the last season ended.

    After the season finale aired, Michaels shared her views on Frederickson’s weight loss. “We are allowed to speak with our contestants after they go home… but no one had told me, ‘Hey, Rachel is very, very thin.’ Bob and I had no idea. Nobody had told us, nobody had said anything to us, so yes, I was stunned,” she said.

    An insider said that Michaels is “turned off by the mean-spirited story lines and poor care of the contestants.”

    Michaels is also seen as one of the toughest and most successful trainers on The Biggest Loser. The source also said that the show portrays Michaels as the bad guy. “Anyone who knows Jillian knows she’s not the bad guy at all. She’s a loving mother of two kids. She’s not the negative person they portray her as,” the source continued.

    There is still no word as to who will be replacing Michaels on the next season of The Biggest Loser, but more details will be revealed at a later time. The reality show will be returning for its 16th season on September 11 on NBC.

    Image via YouTube

  • Chris Brown Will Not Accept Plea Deal; Singer Doesn’t Agree With Details

    Chris Brown Will Not Accept Plea Deal; Singer Doesn’t Agree With Details

    On Wednesday, R&B singer Chris Brown rejected a plea deal on misdemeanor assault charges. The plea deal entailed no probation or jail time for Brown. With the rejection of the deal, however, Brown will go to trial where there is a possibility of him going back to jail.

    According to sources, Brown initially agreed to the plea deal. However, two hours before the hearing, his lawyers told prosecutors that they were rejecting the plea deal.

    Brown’s defense lawyer Mark Geragos talked to the media outside the courtroom and said “If they want a trial, that’s what they’re going to get.” He said that Brown rejected the plea deal, as he did not approve of the details of the assault that the prosecutors outlined. “They wanted him to read from a script that wasn’t true,” Geragos said. The defense also said that Brown acted in self-defense.

    According to prosecutors, Brown and his bodyguard Christopher Hollosy allegedly punched Parker Adams after he tried to take a photograph with Brown in front of a hotel in Washington D.C. Hollosy was convicted of misdemeanor assault, but has not yet been sentenced.

    Geragos said that he wants Hollosy to testify as a witness. Reports said that Hollosy will state that he was the only one who attacked Adams and not Brown. When the incident happened, Brown was under probation in California for attacking his ex-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009.

    After the incident, Brown spent one night in jail in Washington. He also spent time in jail in California after admitting that he violated his probation with his misconduct in Washington.

    Fans of the singer crowded outside the courtroom. One of his fans Tiona Hordge said, “I just hope they give him a plea deal so he can move on with his life.”

    The presiding judge scheduled Brown’s trial date for September 8.

    Image via YouTube

  • North Korea Warns The U.S. Over James Franco And Seth Rogen Film ‘The Interview’

    James Franco and Seth Rogen’s new movie The Interview has caught North Korea’s attention. In the movie, Franco and Rogen play talk show hosts who are tasked by the CIA to assassinate North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. The film is scheduled for release in October, but has already caught the attention of many.

    A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, “The enemies have gone beyond the tolerance limit in their despicable moves to dare hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership.” North Korean officials also said that the movie is “an act of war” from the U.S.

    “If the United States administration tacitly approves or supports the release of this film, we will take decisive and merciless countermeasure,” said the North Korean spokesperson. He said that Washington was guilty of “provocative insanity” for allowing a “gangster filmmaker” to disrespect their country’s supreme leader.

    Although many find the Kim family menacing, they are also easy targets for humor. The Kim family, particularly Kim Jong-il, has been a target of many shows including Team America: World Police, Thirty Rock, and South Park. In an interview with The Telegraph, Executive Director of The Center for North Korea-US Peace Kim Myong-chol said that Hollywood movies are full of “assassinations and executions.” He also said that James Bond is a better character and the films are “much more enjoyable.” Despite backlash from North Korea, Rogen tweeted and said, “Apparently Kim Jong-un plans on watching #TheInterview. I hope he likes it!!”

    This is not the first time a Hollywood film has annoyed other countries. In 2006, Kazakhstan threatened to sue the makers of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. However, the country later credited the movie for improving their tourism and making their country known all over the world.

    Image via YouTube

  • Supreme Court Decisions To Be Made On Controversial Cases As 2013 Term Closes

    June 30 marks the end of the 2013 term for the Supreme Court. With just a few days left, justices are handing down verdicts on several controversial cases. Of the six major cases awaiting decisions, two have already been decided on.

    Cellphone Searches (Riley v. California, US v. Wurie) – Decided

    The question in this case is if the police can search a person’s cellphone even without a search warrant. Law allows police a limited search upon arrest, but only to ensure their safety and to get any evidence related to the case. For cellphones, however, the law is not clear. Police officers have long been doing searches “in the area into which he might reach.” However, this practice dates back to when cellphones were not common items that can be found in pockets.

    On Wednesday, the court unanimously decided in favor of privacy rights. Therefore, police officers must first secure a warrant before they can search a person’s cellphone.

    Streaming TV Online (ABC v. Aereo) – Decided

    Regarding TV broadcast rights, the question is if companies can broadcast TV signals for online streaming.

    Aereo, a Boston-based Internet start-up company, was streaming signals using small antennas in warehouses in order to capture TV signals and provide shows for paying customers on the web. In the past, users were able to view certain programs by subscribing to satellite and cable companies who paid retransmission fees to broadcasters. According to broadcasters, Aereo was cutting deep into their revenues.

    The justices ruled in favor of TV networks 6-3. They said that Aereo was violating copyright laws by transmitting copyrighted programs without paying.

    Union Power (Harris v. Quinn) – Pending

    Are workers required to play union fees even if they opt out of their memberships? The decision on this issue affects labor unions. For many years now, the law states that unions are allowed to collect union dues from public or private employees that they represent. Eight home-care workers in Illinois are saying that they should not be required to join a union and pay fees, even if the union is required to represent them.

    Recess Appointments (National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning) – Pending

    This case concerns the legislative and executive branches and challenges President Obama’s three recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board without confirming with the Senate. The President said that the Senate was in recess. However, the Senate says otherwise. The question is: When can the President make appointments when the Senate is in recess?

    Birth Control Coverage (Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby) – Pending

    Based on the Affordable Care Act, employers must provide health insurance including contraceptives. Religious non-profit organizations and churches, however, are except from doing so. Craft store Hobby Lobby said that they refuse to comply because of their religious beliefs. The question in this case is whether commercial businesses can be exempted from the Affordable Care Act based on their religious beliefs.

    Abortion Protests (McCullen v. Coakley) – Pending

    In Massachusetts, protesters must be at least 35 feet away from abortion clinics when protesting. According to Eleanor McCullen, one of the protesters, the “buffer zone” violates their First Amendment rights. Lawmakers said that the buffer zone was there to protect patients and clinic staff from violence and harassment. In January, majority of the justices were asking whether the state of Massachusetts went too far with their 35 feet buffer.

    Image via YouTube

  • George Stephanopoulos Promoted To ABC News Chief Anchor, Diane Sawyer Steps Down

    On Tuesday, news division President James Goldston announced that Diane Sawyer will be stepping down as a news anchor on ABC’s World News and will be replaced by David Muir. With Sawyer leaving, the TV network will be left with no female anchor in the evening news for the first time in almost 10 years.

    Sawyer, who has spent five years as an anchor on World News, will be stepping down in September. She will be concentrating on conducting major interviews and original reports. Muir, who is a co-host of ABC’s 20/20 will be the managing editor of World News starting September 2.

    “For many years to come, Diane will be a driving force at ABC News with her exceptional storytelling genius. She is one of the giants of modern journalism. Her curiosity, passion, and energy are unmatched, and I can’t wait to see where she’ll lead us next,” Goldston said.

    Although Muir got Sawyer’s chair, he will not be the chief anchor. ABC said that they are promoting George Stephanopoulos to chief anchor for ABC News. He will be in charge of handling all breaking news and special reports, aside from his duties on This Week and Good Morning America.

    The new arrangement is said to ignite a rivalry between Muir and Stephanopoulos. Reports said that Muir will not be satisfied with his new job as a “news reader.” As Sawyer’s replacement, many thought that he would get the chief anchor post, but Stephanopoulos made the chief anchor post one of the conditions on his long-term contract with ABC News.

    Goldston said in a statement, “We have an extraordinary team of anchors who are gifted storytellers and uniquely skilled broadcasters. For years to come, they will inspire us all to do our best work and set a high bar for excellence to inform, empower, and inspire our viewers.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Maks And Meryl Dating Rumors Die Down, But Here Comes J.Lo

    Maksim Chmerkovskiy has been the topic of headlines the past few weeks. He has been linked to several ladies such as Meryl Davis, Kate Upton, and now Jennifer Lopez.

    “I just flew in literally, and I read about this. Those are big names, I’m flattered… I just don’t think that’s anybody’s business,” he said.

    Last week, Lopez and Chmerkovskiy were seen hanging out on a Saturday night at The Shrine Club in Connecticut. The pictures that came out revealed how close the two were, and they could have easily been mistaken as a couple.

    An insider also said that Lopez and Chmerkovskiy were “flirty” during the entire night. “They partied and seemed really at ease together,” the source said. The two met last November at the American Music Awards.

    “What would you like me to say? I’m not dating J.Lo, Meryl or Kate. Maybe I’m dating all three, who knows!” Chmerkovskiy said.

    TMZ also stopped Chmerkovskiy on the road and asked him how things are with J.Lo. He responded by saying that it’s “going great.” However, he may have said that just to get rid of the paparazzi and be on his way.

    When asked about Davis, his partner in Dancing with the Stars, he said “I love Meryl. We’re friends and we’ll always be.” However, he also explained that his personal life “won’t be anybody’s business.” Davis and Chmerkovskiy have been the subject of romance rumors since they won Dancing with the Stars. However, both parties have always denied that there is something romantic going on between them.

    As for his future on Dancing with the Stars he said, “I just don’t think I want to do the show again as a dancer. I wouldn’t be able to do it again at this level, with that big of an emotional output.”

    Image via YouTube

  • R. Kelly’s Transgender Child Comes Out

    R. Kelly’s Transgender Child Comes Out

    Singer R. Kelly talked about his transgender son for the first time on Sunday during an interview with Nina Chantele for Chicago’s WGCI. The singer said, “Well, you don’t really want to open this up with saying my daughter is becoming my son.”

    Early this month, there were reports that R. Kelly’s daughter Jaya Kelly, now called Jay, came out on his Ask.fm page. Since then, R. Kelly has never addressed the announcement until the WGCI interview.

    At first, R. Kelly seemed to imply that Jay’s announcement was a rumor despite the fact that he made the announcement on his own page. “Always believe what you see with your own eyes that is. Always believe what you see. That is the best way to go about this business.” The singer also said that he has heard a lot of things about people that were never true. “You gotta know there’s a backstory. There’s a background. That’s why you can’t judge nobody,” he said.

    Jay is the youngest child of R. Kelly from his ex-wife and Hollywood Exes star Andrea Kelly. On his Ask.fm page, Jay said that he has identified himself as a male since he was six or seven years old. His mom has been supportive of his coming out. “My mom was like, ‘Baby, you know I love you if you were bi, gay, lesbian, you name it and I would still love you so much,’” Jay wrote.

    Jay also shared that his sister has been supportive and she calls him “handsome” and “little brother.”

    He also revealed that he and his sister are not close to their father, but their older brother is. “I absolutely love my mother… and yea my dad has not reached out,” he wrote.

    Later in the interview, R. Kelly said “No matter what they are or who they are, they’re still your kids, you love them, you know? You’ve got to support them. You want to support them. At the end of the day it’s not about me no more. It’s about three lovely, lovely kids that I am in love with and that’s in love with me.” R. Kelly concluded the video by saying that he wants to keep his family affairs private.

    Jay said that he is eager to go have gender realignment operations, but he knows that he is still young. “I believe I am a boy and want surgery, and the medication to help me be who I was supposed to be.”

    Image via YouTube, Instagram (1), (2)

  • Michael Strahan Donates $100K To University Marching Band

    Retired American football pro Michael Strahan is giving back to his alma mater, Texas Southern University, by donating a whopping $100,000 to the marching band.

    “Ocean of Soul,” as the marching band is called, will be using the funds to travel to Canton, Ohio so that they can play when Strahan is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August. The 42-year-old Strahan announced the news on Tuesday morning on Live with Kelly and Michael!, ABC’s morning show that he co-hosts with Kelly Ripa.

    The marching band needed $150,000 and they surpassed their monetary goal with Strahan’s donation, Kevin Hart’s $50,000 donation, and other donations. Strahan said, “I can’t let Kevin do it all alone, so I’m going to give them $100,000. Thank you, Kevin for the $50,000, and I’ll give the hundred and we’ll get the band there and hopefully the kids will have a great time. And I appreciate all the support.”

    Drum major Darius Harris said, “We have a special edge. We bring things out to light that other bands cannot bring.”

    Marching band director Richard Lee said that playing at the Pro Football Hall of Fame event is an exciting opportunity for the band, as many people have not seen them play yet. “We want to make sure we give them an excellent performance as we always do,” he said.

    Texas Southern University’s Associate Vice President Eva Pickens said that they had a goal to raise $150,000 in 30 days. Now that they surpassed their goal, the excess funds will be used for scholarships for the band students.

    “Ocean of Soul” will be participating in the Pro Football Hall of Fame event by performing at the fan appreciation tailgate party at the Hall of Fame Campus. The event will be held on August 2.

    Strahan played for the New York Giants from 1993 to 2007.

    Image via YouTube

  • Reality TV-Show Shooting: Nevada Man Will Serve Time In Jail

    Carlos Enrique Barron, a former high school special education teacher, was sentenced to 90 days in county jail and five years probation for being involved in the 2011 shooting incident with the crew of reality television show Repo Games. Barron, 43, was charged and found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, and burglary.

    In 2011, the crew of Repo Games parked their security van in front of Barron’s driveway while filming in his Las Vegas neighborhood. Barron confronted the crew and asked that the van be moved. He also fired a gun into the air.

    Barron’s lawyer Richard Tannery said, “A big guy had him backed up to his garage, and he fired a warning shot to tell them not to do that. He fired a shot in the air and they scattered.”

    According to police reports, Barron shot three times, pointed his gun at the crewmembers, and even slapped one of them.

    In court, Barron said that no one was hurt in the incident and he did not want to go to jail. “This incident has, yes, changed me. It taught me a lot of things,” Barron stated. Barron’s family was present in court.

    Although Barron was found guilty of some charges, prosecutors said that the most important offenses were dropped – one felony discharging a firearm into a vehicle charge and two counts of attempted murder. With those charges, he could have faced more than 20 years in prison.

    During the trial, Barron testified that he was acting in self-defense when he fired his gun. Prosecutor Alexander Chen said, “When you have a gun and you’re shooting it randomly at people, there’s potential for people to get hurt.”

    The judge allowed Barron to remain free for at least another month until his hearing on July 24.

    Image via YouTube

  • Royals Hot Dog Trial: Fan Gets Second Chance In Court

    On Tuesday, the Missouri Supreme Court ordered a new trial for a Kansas City Royals fan who was hit by a hot dog during a baseball game.

    John Coomer said that he was injured while watching a Royals game in 2009 when Sluggerrr, the team’s mascot, tossed a hot dog into the stands and hit him in the eye. Coomer had to undergo two surgeries for his detached retina and sought more than $20,000 compensation from the team.

    During the first trial, the jury sided with the Royals. However, Coomer has been given a second chance in court. According to the “baseball rule,” teams are protected from being sued over fan injures that are caused by activities on the field. However, the ruling does not apply to a mascot tossing wrapped hot dogs to fans in the stands.

    The Supreme Court ruled that the risk of being injured by a tossed hot dog is not a risk of watching a baseball game.

    “No such argument applies to Sluggerrr’s hot dog toss. Millions of fans have watched the Royals play the National Pastime for the better part of a century before Sluggerrr began tossing hot dogs, and millions more people watch professional baseball every year in stadiums all across the country without the benefit of such antics,” the ruling said.

    Royals’ attorney Scott Hoffer said that he does not see how the Supreme Court’s ruling will change the minds of the jury this time around.

    Bob Tormohlen, Coomer’s representative, said he was pleased by the Supreme Court’s new ruling. “It’s always good to win.”

    A Philadelphia lawyer Randy Manlioff said that the new ruling could change how team mascots in the stands interact with fans and spectators. With the new ruling, he asked “Will the teams have to take a step back and look at what their mascots are doing, and are they going to change their activities?”

    Image via YouTube

  • Jerry Sandusky: Prosecutors And Police Accused Of Causing Delays In Case

    On Monday, a report containing details on Jerry Sandusky’s case was released. Based on the report, the prosecutors and police are at fault for the delays in pressing charges. The report also stated that there was no evidence of political interference.

    Sandusky is a retired football coach from Pennsylvania State University. In 2008, an investigation was conducted because of sexual abuse allegations against Sandusky.

    Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane ordered the investigation since the case was taking too long. According to former federal prosecutor Geoff Moulton, there was a three-year lapse in filing charges due to communication problems.

    Kane said, “The facts show an inexcusable lack of urgency in charging and stopping a serial sexual predator. The report documents that more investigative work took place in just one month in 2011 than in all of either 2009 or 2010.”

    Sandusky, 70, was convicted in 2012 of 45 criminal counts of sexual abuse. Several men testified that Sandusky would grope them in the shower and even have anal and oral sex with them.

    Sandusky admitted that he showered with the boys, but he denied any wrongdoing. Penn State settled and agreed to pay $60 million to dozens of boys who were sexually abused by Sandusky.

    While running for attorney general in 2012, Kane implied that Gov. Tom Corbett deliberately slowed down the investigation for political reasons. However, Monday’s reports revealed that political interference was not a cause of the delay. Moulton said on Monday that they “found no direct evidence that electoral politics influenced any important decision made in the investigation.”

    A state hearing examiner also suggested that Sandusky’s $4,900 monthly pension should be reinstated. Hearing examiner Michael Bangs, however, said that the 2004 pension law states that sexual offense is one of the crimes that can be a cause of pension forfeiture, but it does not apply to criminals who commit their crimes after receiving pension.

    The State Employee’s Retirement System will decide whether Sandusky’s pension should be reinstated.

    Image via YouTube

  • Joan Lunden Is Fighting Breast Cancer, Says She’s In ‘Warrior Mode’

    On Tuesday, former Good Morning America host Joan Lunden revealed that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Lunden wrote a letter to her fans, which she posted on her website.

    She appeared on Good Morning America on Tuesday to share her experience. “In the beginning, it’s such a shock, it’s a stunner, and you think, ‘I do everything right!’” she said. At first, Lunden was questioning what she did wrong, but she said that she is now in “warrior mode.”

    She said that she has been getting mammograms and ultrasounds regularly, and according to her, nothing showed up in this year’s mammogram results. Her ultrasound, however, was a different story.

    After a post-biopsy appointment with her doctor, she learned about her breast cancer. “The words are almost surreal, when you hear, ‘You have breast cancer,’” she said.

    When she first heard of the news, Lunden, 63, initially considered keeping her condition a secret from the public. However, after thinking it through, she decided to share the news to the public.

    “I have decided to talk about my breast cancer because since the moment I took the job at Good Morning America I have lived my life sharing my joys and my disappointments with all of you: my pregnancies, my relationships, my career,” she said. Lunden was one of the hosts of Good Morning America from 1980 up to 1997.

    She continued to say that her cancer is part of her journey and she was not planning to keep it from everyone.

    Reports state that Lunden has already started her chemotherapy sessions. Although she said that she does not know how she will feel in the future, she is “assuming the best because that is how I live my life.” Her rep also said that she is sceduled to undergo radiation and lumpectomy and is expected to make a full recovery.

    Image via YouTube

  • Tara Reid Shows Off Tight Tummy After Harsh Comments From Jason Biggs

    Tara Reid doesn’t seem to be affected by Jason Biggs’ harsh comments about her botched surgery last week.

    On Saturday, Reid showed off her flat and tight tummy. The American Pie star came out in public sporting a cropped black shirt and jeans. In 2004, she admitted to being a victim of a botched liposuction.

    When Biggs made a guest appearance on Joan Rivers’ In Bed With Joan, he commented on Reid’s physical appearance by saying “no one knows what’s going on with Tara’s body.” In a segment called “Live or Die,” Rivers asked Biggs whom he would save between Reid and Lindsay Lohan. Without batting an eyelash, Biggs answered that he would save Lohan. “She’s got nice boobs. She really does. Lindsay’s got nice boobs,” Biggs said.

    “Tara’s body, I don’t know what’s going on with it. I don’t think she ever knows what’s going on with it. Lindsay doesn’t know what’s going on with Tara’s body either. No one knows what’s going on with Tara’s body,” Biggs continued.

    Reid previously commented on her botched surgery procedures saying that she underwent liposuction and breast enhancement because she wanted a six pack. “I had body contouring, but it all went wrong. My stomach became the most ripply, bulgy thing,” she said.

    Last week’s comments about Reid’s body weren’t the first from Biggs. In a guest appearance last year on Watch What Happens Live, Biggs was asked to come up with a prison name for Reid and he answered “hot mess.”

    Reid reached out to Biggs on Twitter by saying “@JasonBiggs it’s really sad I just landed in LA and the first thing I read about you that you are calling me a hot mess. i’ve supported u!”

    Biggs replied by saying that he loves Reid, he was just joking, and that he did not mean to offend her.

    Reid has not commented on the latest diss from Biggs.

    Image via YouTube

  • Indianapolis Tornado Destroys Homes And Power Lines, Thousands Affected

    A large tornado that was first seen near Plainfield, Indiana, whirled its way into Indianapolis on Tuesday afternoon. It left several homes damaged and destroyed power lines in the area, which affected thousands of people. Trees were also uprooted. People who saw the tornado near Speedway also reported the presence of a funnel cloud at around 2:40 p.m. Eastern Time.

    According to a report by Brian Russel of the Plainfield Indiana Fire Department, houses sustained major damage, but there were no reports of injuries. Some of the buildings in the city’s commercial district were also affected by the tornado.

    One of the witnesses in Plainfield said, “The wind was blowing so hard and the trees were just sideways. I was like ‘Kids, get in the bathroom right now.’ So, we grabbed the animals and got right in. We were ready,” she said.

    In Plainfield, a home caved in as a camper was lifted off the ground and dropped onto the roof of the house. A number of homes were also damaged in the area, but no one was hurt. Reports said that some homes were also damaged in the Wayne Township area.

    Meteorologist Mike Ryan from the National Weather Service said that the tornado was no longer on the ground when it reached Indianapolis. Instead, it was hovering like a dark cloud in the area.

    After Plainfield, the tornado headed to Indianapolis, and several homes were reportedly damaged by the tornado’s strong winds. Trees were also destroyed, and power went out on the southwest side of the city.

    The National Weather Service gave the storm that accompanied the tornado a preliminary rating of EF1, as the winds reached the speed of 100mph. The storm survey team will still be conducting an investigation so that they can assign an official tornado rating on Wednesday.

    Since the tornado came with heavy rains, flash flood warnings were also announced in Indianapolis.

    Image via YouTube

  • Methodist Defrocking Overturned, Pastor Frank Schaefer Will Continue To Support Gay Community

    Pastor Frank Schaefer from Pennsylvania broke church laws by presiding over his son’s same-sex marriage. On Tuesday, the United Methodist Church appeals panel overturned the decision to defrock Schaefer.

    The panel, which consists of nine people, urged the church to restore Schaefer’s pastoral credentials.

    The wedding ceremony happened in 2007 and Schaefer was suspended and then defrocked, as he did not promise that he would not preside over gay marriages in the future. In an appeal, Schaefer said that the church’s decision to defrock him was wrong, since they decided based on a notion that he would break church laws again.

    The appeals panel said in writing that “revoking his credentials cannot be squared with the well-established principle that our clergy can only be punished for what they have been convicted of doing in the past, not for what they may or may not do in the future.”

    Last week, the appeals panel met and decided that Schaefer’s 30-day suspension was enough. They also said that Schaefer should receive pay dating back to December when his suspension ended.

    Schaefer, 52, said that he is ecstatic by the decision and will be celebrating by taking his son to the White House gay pride celebration on Monday. The pastor will be resuming his pastoral work in July when he will be ministering to college students.

    In an interview, Schaefer said, “Today there was a very clear and strong signal from the church, and that message is, ‘Change is on the way.’” He also said that he has devoted his life to serving the church and getting back his position means so much.

    Conservative Methodists are not in favor of the decision. Rev. Rob Renfroe said that the Methodists are “deeply divided.” Despite the United Methodist Church’s teaching that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, hundreds of Methodist ministers have already signed a statement saying that they are willing to preside over same-sex marriages.

    Image via YouTube

  • Selena Gomez And Justin Bieber Go On A Zoo Date

    Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber are in love… again. On Sunday, the couple was spotted while they were taking a field trip at the Los Angeles Zoo. They were there for a few hours and they visited the elephants, sea otters, and peacocks. Bieber even posted a picture of a peacock with the caption, “Hey u quit lookin at me like that.”

    The couple also posed for a picture with their friend Dave Osokow and Lt. Beccera.

    The zoo date is the couple’s third date in just a week. Just a few days before their zoo date, Bieber and Gomez were spotted dining at Mastro’s Steakhouse before they watched Think Like a Man Too at the Westfield Century City mall theater.


    According to news reports, Bieber’s grandparents accompanied Bieber and Gomez on their date. Bieber stayed by Gomez’s side during the tour, and they were evidently having a fun time together while looking at all the animals. The multiple dates suggest that the couple now has a stronger bond after reuniting after their breakup.

    According to an onlooker at the zoo, the couple looked super cute together.

    Bieber and Gomez’s first split was in November 2012. Since then, they have been an on and off couple. According to a close source, however, Bieber has been a real gentleman this time around.

    An insider said that Bieber has been “extremely doting” on Gomez and that there has never been a second when Bieber was not sweet with her. “They’re pretty inseparable and very affectionate,” the insider said.

    Although the couple is back together, it remains to be seen how long they will last. Some fans are saying that they’re in it for the long haul, while others say that it’s just another cycle in their on and off relationship.

    Image via YouTube

  • Hope Solo Gets Out Of Jail, Pleads Not Guilty To Assault

    U.S. soccer team’s goalkeeper Hope Solo was arrested on Saturday on domestic violence charges. Solo visited her sister’s home in Kirkland and authorities were called to the home a little before 1 a.m. to respond to a 911 call.

    The police found Solo upset and intoxicated. Her sister and nephew had scratches and injuries. They said that Solo attacked them.

    Based on police documents, the jawbone and nose of Solo’s nephew were red and his mother’s cheekbone was swollen.

    A statement from Solo’s nephew said that Solo insulted him and called him crazy. They exchanged harsh words that resulted in Solo charging her nephew and hurting him. Solo’s sister entered the room and was also attacked by Solo.

    On Monday, Solo, 32, appeared in court and entered a not guilty plea. According to her lawyer Todd Maybrown, Solo was the victim in the incident. “She was hit over the head with a broom handle,” he said. Her nephew, however, reported that he hit Solo with a broom handle to stop her from attacking him and his mother.

    Solo is scheduled to have a pretrial hearing on August 11. She was released from custody, but the judge barred her from drinking alcohol and from having any type of contact with her nephew and sister while the case is still ongoing.

    This is not the first time Solo made headlines. In 2012, Solo criticized Olympic soccer commentator Brandi Chastain on Twitter for her negative commentary during the 2012 London games. That same year, she received a warning after positively testing for a banned diuretic. She said that she did not know it was present in the premenstrual medication she was taking.

    In an interview with CNN in 2012, Solo said, “I have a bad rap. People look at me as selfish, outspoken. But I know who I am.”

    Who is Hope Solo?

    Image via YouTube

  • Christina Hendricks Pushes For Family-Friendly Work Policies, Campaigns To End ‘Mad Men’ Era

    On Monday, Mad Men star Christina Hendricks spoke at the White House Summit on Working Families where she shared her views on current policies for women in the workplace.

    According to reports, the United States is the only developed nation that does not require paid leave for new mothers. “Only three countries in the world report that they don’t offer paid maternity leave – three – and the United States is one of them,” Obama said.

    Hendricks plays a single mom named Joan in the 1960’s drama Mad Men.

    In her brief speech, she said “When President Obama discusses the issues facing working families, equal pay for women, affordable child care, to name a few, he often says that current policies seem to be from the Mad Men era.”

    She also said that in this century, “the only place for a story like Joan’s should be on TV.”

    Vice President Joe Biden opened the summit by discussing the importance of family time. “Not all of us have the kind of flexibility that I have,” he said.

    On Sunday, Obama’s adviser Valerie Jarrett said that the President is attempting to start a national conversation in order to explore the issue. Jarrett, however, acknowledged that cost is an issue for any federal program, but said that the Obama administration wants to give middle-class families paid leave without raising taxes. “But we also know what a good investment in our workforce it would be if they had paid leave, and that investment will pay great returns,” she said.

    Based on the 1993 Family Medical Leave Act, employers are only required to provide unpaid leave to employees who have family or medical emergencies.

    Obama advised Congress to pass legislation that would require employers to facilitate pregnant employees while they work. He also called for federal agencies to make their work arrangements more flexible.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Honda Recalls Nearly Three Million Cars Due To Faulty Airbags

    Airbags are now a main concern for top automakers. On Monday, Honda Motor and other automakers recalled nearly three million cars that had faulty airbags.

    Takata Corporation supplied the airbags and the recent recall increases the total recalls to around 10.5 million vehicles in the last five years.

    Last year, BMW recalled 3.6 million cars for having faulty airbags. Toyota did the same a few weeks ago when they recalled 2.3 million vehicles for the same reason.

    Other car manufacturers who had to recall their vehicles because of faulty airbags include Chrysler, Ford, Mazda, and Nissan. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation after they received three reports of injuries that were caused by rupturing airbags.

    One of the victims of faulty airbags is Kristy Williams. In 2010, the airbag on her Honda Civic suddenly deployed and she was hit with metal shards from the canister. A few shards punctured her carotid artery.

    Williams had to undergo many medical operations and suffered strokes and seizures. Honda compensated Williams and the company admitted that the accident was caused by the defective airbags manufactured by Takata.

    On Monday, Takata said in a statement that the defect might be caused by moisture seeping inside the inflators, which cause the propellant inside to destabilize.

    Takata’s Chief Operating Officer Stefan Stocker and Chief Executive Officer Shigehisa Takada said that they are working with carmakers and safety regulators in order to improve their quality control. “We will aim to further strengthen our quality control system and work united as a company to prevent problems from happening again,” they said.

    Takata started making airbags in 1988 at about the time when American regulators started to require them in vehicles. They own 20 percent of the airbag market – with TRW Automotive owning 20 percent and Autoliv owning 35 percent.

    Image via YouTube

  • John Kerry Assures Iraqis Of U.S. Support In Fighting ISIS

    Secretary of State John Kerry visited Baghdad on Monday to meet with Iraqi leaders while Islamist militants were in the middle of seizing sections of Iraq.

    Kerry said that the future of Iraq is dependent on the decisions that will be made within the coming weeks.

    Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki agreed to start building a new Iraq government by July 1. If the Prime Minister keeps his word, the U.S. will provide support to Iraqis in fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). “Our support will be intense, sustained,” Kerry said.

    Kerry had a closed-door meeting with al-Maliki for a little over 90 minutes. The meeting was held in the same location where an Iraqi journalist flung a shoe at ex-President George W. Bush in order to insult him in 1998.

    Kerry was in Egypt on Sunday and said that ISIS continues to be a “threat to all the countries in the region.” The militants have already taken over the cities of Tikrit and Mosul, and they also promised to seize Baghdad.

    In addition, Kerry dismissed allegations that the U.S. is to blame for all the unrest in Iraq. “What’s happening in Iraq is not happening because of the United States, in terms of this current crisis,” he said. Kerry said that the unrest is caused by ISIS’ terrorism.

    On Monday, Kerry also mentioned that President Barack Obama already has a set of options for Iraq. Some of them are a steady supply of munitions, military advisers, joint operations centers, and enhanced intelligence.

    The U.S. believes that Iraqi military divisions that are situated outside Baghdad have dissolved because of problems with equipment, training, leadership, and morale. The U.S. said that around 10,000 people in Baghdad are members of ISIS or affiliated with the group and they are steadily gaining control of the area.

    Image via YouTube