WebProNews

Tag: Subway

  • McDonald’s Gets Into the Plant-Based ‘Meat’ Market

    McDonald’s Gets Into the Plant-Based ‘Meat’ Market

    McDonald’s is the latest fast-food company to offer plant-based meat alternatives with its McPlant lineup.

    Plant-based meat alternatives have been growing in popularity as a healthy alternative to traditional meat. Burger King, Dunkin’, Carl’s Jr., Qdoba, Subway and White Castle are just a few of the chains offering plant-based alternatives.

    McDonald’s is now joining that growing list of restaurants with its McPlant, based on Beyond Meat.

    “Beyond Meat and McDonalds co-created the plant-based patty which will be available as part of their McPlant platform,” a Beyond Meat spokesperson said, according to CNN Business.

    Initially, McPlant will be used for a burger, but the company may eventually expand to include plant-based breakfast and chicken alternatives. The company will be testing the burger in select markets beginning next year.

  • Jared Fogle Gets Beaten In Prison Rec Yard By 60-Year-Old Inmate

    Former Subway spokesperson Jared Fogle was attacked and beaten up in a prison brawl, according to reports.

    Fogle, who was convicted for sex with minors, was attacked by another inmate identified as Steven Nigg, 60, in the rec yard of a Federal Correctional Institute in Englewood Colorado on January 29.

    Nigg, who was in for a gun conviction, reportedly pushed Fogle down before punching his face. The sex offender sustained scratches on the neck, a bloody nose, and a swollen face while Nigg got a small cut on his left hand. Jail officials put the attacker in solitary as punishment.

    According to reports, the said inmate was not happy because many child molesters are housed in the low security facility. Larry Levine, a former inmate, and now the director and founder of Wall Street Prison Consultants, previously told In Touch that prisoners who have committed child sexual crimes are “hated more than anything else” in prison.

    Fogle was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months behind bars for possession of child pornography materials and engaging in sexual activities with minors. He was sentenced at an Indianapolis court in November after pleading guilty to child molestation charges filed against him.

    Despite a plea deal with prosecutors in August, which declares they would not ask for a sentence over 12 and a half years, the court eventually decided on a heavier sentence after the judge concluded it did not “sufficiently account for the defendant’s criminal conduct.” The deal also ordered Jared Fogle to pay $1.4 million in restitution for his victims.

    Tanya Walton Pratt, a U.S. District Judge, said Jared Fogle should be subject to a lifetime of supervision saying, “The level of perversion and lawlessness exhibited by Mr. Fogle is extreme.”

    The 38-year-old former Subway spokesperson was also ordered to undergo psychological treatment.

  • Jared Fogle, Former Subway Spokesman, Assaulted in Prison

    Jared Fogle, the former Subway spokesman who is imprisoned on child sex charges, was assaulted by a fellow inmate at the Englewood Correctional Institute in Littleton, Colorado.

    TMZ reports that an inmate named Steven Nigg pushed Jared Fogle down while outside in the recreation yard, then punched him several times in the face. Nigg allegedly has big issues with people who sexually molest children.

    Nigg is in prison on a weapon’s charge. He left Jared Fogle with several injuries including a bloody nose, scratches on his neck, and a swollen face. Steven Nigg was put in solitary confinement as a result of the attack.

    TMZ spoke to Steven Nigg’s family, and asked them why they thought he attacked Jared Fogle. They were told that Nigg hates the fact that so many child sex predators are incarcerated at the low security facility.

    Jared Fogle is serving a 16-year sentence.

  • Dr. Phil to Air Jared Fogle Child Sex Tapes on Show This Week

    Dr. Phil will air the Jared Fogle child sex tapes that recently came to the attention of the media. The tapes were recorded by former journalist Rochelle Herman-Walrond. She will appear on the Dr. Phil show Thursday and Friday of this week.

    A news release from the Dr. Phil show explains that Herman-Walrond met Jared Fogle–then the spokesperson for Subway–in 2006 when she was hosting a radio show in Florida. Bothered by some of the remarks he made, she befriended him, and went on to record their conversations over the next five years. In the recordings, Jared Fogle discusses his sexual preference for children and even admits to incidents of abuse.

    Herman-Walrond contacted both Subway and the FBI with her tapes. That information likely played a role in the July search of Jared Fogle’s home, and his arrest the following month.

    Jared Fogle pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography and one count of traveling to engage in unlawful sex acts with minors. He will be sentenced on November 19, and faces up to 12 years in prison.

    Dr. Phil McGraw will discuss the content on these tapes with Rochelle Herman-Walrond on his show. Hopefully he asks her to explain the timeline between the taping of her conversations with Jared Fogle and when she turned them over to authorities.

    Will you be tuning in to Dr. Phil to learn the latest in the Jared Fogle case?

  • Jared Fogle Pays Out Over $1 Million In Restitution To His Victims

    The disgraced former face of Subway Jared Fogle has shelled out a total of $1.1 million to 11 of his 14 victims.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven DeBrota told CNN that each of the said victims each received a check for $100,000 after declaring that he was going to plead guilty to federal charges of child pornography and having sex with minors. Three of those victims are now adults.

    The other three victims are due to receive their checks as well after pending administrative steps have been ironed out. Timothy Horty, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney in Indianapolis stated that Fogle has already placed the remaining funds into a trust account. The payments are part of a plea deal that Fogle agreed to after being formally charged with possession and distribution of child pornography and engaging in sexual acts with minors in different states. DeBrota adds that the financial restitution was determined by various factors such as the value of the pornographic images, the victims’ emotional losses, and, of course, Fogle’s ability to pay.

    Fogle can be remembered as the spokesman of the sandwich chain who gained popularity through his “Subway diet,” which enabled him to lose more than 200 pounds. He appeared in numerous Subway commercials from 2000 until July this year.

    Fogle’s legal counsel stated that their client “fully recognizes that such monetary contribution will not undo the harm he has caused, he is hopeful it will assist these individuals as they try to move forward with their lives.”

    They added that Fogle is aware that he “has a medical problem” and that he has started taking steps to cure it through professional help.

    The remainder of the restitution will be paid prior to the sentencing, which is scheduled to take place on November 19. Jared Fogle is expected to face anywhere between five to 12 ½ years in prison.

  • Jared Fogle Sentence Is Too Light, Say Convicted Child Porn Offenders

    Jared Fogle could reportedly get anywhere from five to twelve years in prison for distributing child pornography and engaging in sex with underage girls, but two men who were convicted of possessing child porn say they believe that sentence is a “slap in the face” to the victims.

    In a plea deal, Fogle’s attorneys asked for no less than five years but no more than twelve and a half in exchange for pleading guilty to one count of distributing child pornography and one count of traveling across state lines for sex with two underage girls.

    “Given the facts of the case and the severity of what he did, we believe the sentencing range is appropriate,” Tim Horty of the U.S. Attorney’s Office told People Magazine.

    However, not everyone agrees, including some who have already been convicted of similar crimes. Thomas Ford is currently serving 198 months for one count of distributing child pornography and wrote to a judge presiding over Jared Fogle’s case to recommend a much longer sentence.

    “Just the fact that he has 14 VICTIMS is enough to consider a sentence far and away more appropriate,” Ford wrote. Another convicted offender, Scott Petrie, agrees and says he and others who are incarcerated for similar or lesser offenses were given 30 years or more in prison.

    The disgraced Subway spokesman may get supervised visits with his children as part of the plea bargain if his wife–who filed for divorce earlier this year–agrees, and he will be required to attend counseling as well.

    “Jared also knows that he has a medical problem. He has already sought evaluation by a world class psychiatrist, experienced in these matters and he wills seek appropriate treatment. Fogle knows that restitution can’t undo the damage that he’s done,” said defense attorney Jeremy Margolis.

  • Katie Fogle Files For Divorce Following Subway’s Former Spokesman Jared Fogle’s Child Pornography Scandal

    Katie Fogle is determined to end her marriage to former Subway spokesman, Jared Fogle. The divorce case which Mrs. Fogle filed on Wednesday, Aug. 19, states the reason for breaking up: “an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.”

    Katie requested that the court determine all child related issues for their family which include child custody, child support, parenting time and expenses for education. Furthermore, the divorce file “requests a custody order that serves the best interests of the parties’ children.”

    The couple married in 2010. They have two kids; a son named Brady, who was born in 2011 and a daughter named Quinn, born in 2013.

    Katie said she was “extremely shocked and disappointed” by the scandal regarding her husband. She stressed that her children’s well-being is the most important thing to her right now.

    As for their property, the wife is letting the court of law decide. According to RadarOnline, the petition states, “The wife requests that the court enter appropriate orders to divide and distribute the parties’ marital estate.”

    Katie appealed for “dissolution of marriage” after husband Jared Fogle plead guilty to charges related to child pornography and engaging in sexual acts with minors. According to the reports stated in court papers, Jared had arranged a business trip schedule that would be convenient for him to engage in sexual acts with young prostitutes.

    As per the decision of the court, the 37-year-old former Subway spokesman has been prohibited from owning pornographic material. The court also banned him from owning a computer or accessing the internet. He was also ordered not to come in contact with children other than his own.

    Last month, the FBI raided Jared Fogle’s home in Zionsville, Indiana, concerning rumors of child pornorgraphy. The former spokesman for Subway could face up to 12 years in prison for the crimes he has plead guilty to.

  • Katie Fogle: Jared Fogle’s Wife Files for Divorce Following Child Sex Charges

    Katie Fogle: Jared Fogle’s Wife Files for Divorce Following Child Sex Charges

    Katie Fogle, the wife of former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle, announced on Wednesday she filed for divorce from her husband.

    On the same day Jared Fogle agreed to plead guilty to charges that he traveled across state lines to have sex with minors as well as possessed and distributed child pornography, Katie Fogle issued a statement to the press.

    “Obviously, I am extremely shocked and disappointed by the recent developments involving Jared. I am in the process of seeking a dissolution of the marriage. My focus is exclusively on the well-being of my children. Neither I nor my family will have any further comment on the matter. I appreciate respect for my family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

    Jared and Katie Fogle are the parents of two girls. Since he will soon face up to 12 1/2 years in prison, she will get full custody of their children. As part of Jared Fogle’s plea deal, he will only be allowed supervised visitation once he is freed from prison–and only if Katie Fogle agrees.

    It’s uncertain if Katie Fogle was there when Jared Fogle’s Zionsville, Indiana home was raided back in July by authorities who removed both computers and video tapes.

    Jared Fogle became famous after losing lots of weighted–claiming Subway sandwiches were the basis of the loss. He went to work for the company as their spokesperson shortly thereafter.

    Katie Fogle is no doubt livid–as well as humiliated–about her soon-to-be ex-husband’s heinous actions.

  • Firehouse Subs Helps Charities While Subway’s Jared Fogle Flames Out

    Firehouse Subs may come away looking like a real winner in the wake of competitor Subway’s misfortunes with former spokesman Jared Fogle.

    While Firehouse Subs has made no statement about Subway and their embarrassing mess with alleged child porn consumer Jared Fogle, there have ben some interesting headlines coincidentally hitting about Firehouse.

    For example, Firehouse Subs in Colorado donated a digital fire extinguisher training system to Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins, Colorado. It turns out that firehouse Subs runs the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, a nonprofit that helps fund and equip first responders and public safety organizations. It was through this charitable arm that he sub sandwich restaurant donated the more than $13,000 training system that “will allow firefighters to train the community on the safe and proper use of fire extinguishers through hands-on instruction and demonstrations.”

    In Florida, Firehouse Subs donated more safety equipment to several Jacksonville-area public safety organizations. They did this in conjunction with a partnership with eh Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2015-2016 NFL season.

    Firehouse Subs has also been donating water. Firehouse Subs in Covington, Georgia recently held a promotion, “H2O for Heroes,” that encouraged customers to bring in cases of water in exchange for a free medium sub. The water was donated to the Covington Fire Department and distributed in the community for shut-ins and others in need.

    Firehouse Subs did the same thing in Alabama. The program, also run through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, helps the needy in the extremely hot Summer months in the South.

    While Subway shops, a Firehouse Subs competitor, has distanced itself from disgraced former spokesman Jared Fogle, perhaps the company should consider stepping up charitable efforts — perhaps those aimed at curbing child pornography. No serious commentary has been flaoted suggesting that Subway has acted in any way other than appropriately in handling the Fogle debacle. But some money-where-your-mouth-is actions may help contain any damage Fogle’s actions may do to Subway’s reputation.

  • Jared Fogle: Former Subway Spokesman Agrees to Plea Guilty to Child Porn Charges, Wife Seeking Divorce

    Jared Fogle, the former spokesperson for Subway, agreed to plead guilty to possession of child porn in a plea deal on Wednesday.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office held a press conference on Wednesday to outline both the charges against Jared Fogle and the terms of the plea deal.

    Ron Elberger is one of the attorneys representing Jared Fogle. He had no comment on the matter when approached by an Indianapolis Fox News station. He directed the media to Wednesday’s press conference, saying they would learn everything about the situation at that time.

    Katie Fogle issued a statement regarding Jared Fogle earlier on Wednesday.

    “Obviously, I am extremely shocked and disappointed by the recent developments involving Jared. I am in the process of seeking a dissolution of the marriage. My focus is exclusively on the well-being of my children. Neither I nor my family will have any further comment on the matter. I appreciate respect for my family’s privacy during this difficult time,” she said.

    Another of Jared Fogle’s attorneys, Jeremy Margolis, issued a statement about the plea agreement.

    He said in the statement that his client “is agreeing to plead guilty to the charges filed against him today. In doing so, Jared is accepting responsibility for what he has done. He is also volunteering to make restitution to those affected by his deplorable behavior. While Jared fully recognizes that such monetary contribution will not undo the harm he has caused, he is hopeful it will assist these individuals as they try to move forward with their lives.”

    “Jared also understands that he requires significant psychiatric medical treatment and counseling. He has already begun that process by being extensively examined by a world-renowned expert in sexual conditions in order to chart a course to recovery. It is Jared’s intent and goal to become healthy again.”

    “Most importantly, Jared understands that he has hurt innocent people, vulnerable people, and his family. He has expressed remorse to me and to his loved ones, and will, when given the opportunity, express that remorse to this court and to the people he has harmed. His intent is to spend the rest of his life making amends.”

    Jared Fogle could spend between five and 12 1/2 years in prison for his crimes. He could lose contact with his children as well. Supervised visits will be allowed only if Katie Fogle agrees.

    Jared Fogle has made quite a mess of his life. The young man who made a name for himself by losing weight as a college freshman and citing Subway sandwiches as the way he did it will now live a much different existence–one without fresh sandwiches, his wife, and his children.

  • Subway Just Yanked a Game Called ‘Jared’s Pants Dance’

    You probably heard that longtime Subway spokesman Jared Fogle will plead guilty to charges that he paid to have sex with 14 minors, as well as distributed child pornography.

    According to the court documents, Fogle committed these acts btween 2007 and 2015. His attorney says he will pay $1.4 million in damages, and he’s facing a prison sentence of five to 12.5 years, unless the court imposes a higher sentence.

    He was first arrested on suspicion of these charges in July.

    But up until early Wednesday, this game still existed on Subway’s website:

    Screen Shot 2015-08-19 at 4.44.41 PM

    Yes, that’s a kids game called “Jared’s Pants Dance” where kids, presumably, could catch falling menu items in Jared’s pants.

    I’m not sure this was anything short of weird before Fogle’s criminal activities came to light, but it sure isn’t now.

    Subway has since replaced the game with one starring characters from Pixar’s Inside Out.

    As you would expect, Subway has severed all ties with Fogle.

  • Jared Fogle: Former Face of Subway Expected to Plead Guilty to Child Porn

    Jared Fogle, the former spokesperson for Subway, is expected to plead guilty to possession of child porn in a plea deal it is believed he will accept on Wednesday, August 19.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold a press conference on Wednesday to outline both the charges against Jared Fogle and the terms of the plea deal.

    Ron Elberger is the attorney representing Jared Fogle. He had no comment on the matter when approached by an Indianapolis Fox News station. He directed the media to Wednesday’s press conference, saying they would learn everything about the situation at that time.

    Federal agents raided Jared Fogle’s Indiana home in early July. During the raid, computers and DVDs were removed from the home.

    Jared Fogle gained national attention when he lost a significant amount of weight as a college freshman. He attributed his weight loss to eating Subway sandwiches. Subway ended their relationship with Fogle after the raid on his home in July.

    When asked to comment on the most recent developments in the Jared Fogle case, a rep for Subway had little to say.

    “We have already ended our relationship with Jared and have no further comment.”

    Possession of child pornography is a serious crime, punishable by prison time. It is uncertain how much time Jared Fogle could spend incarcerated as a result of his crimes.

    It will be interested to learn via Wednesday’s press conference exactly what the deal is with the former Subway spokesperson.

  • Jared Fogle: Did Former Subway Spokesperson Pay 16-Year-Old for Sex?

    Did Jared Fogle–ex-spokesperson for Subway–pay a 16-year-old girl for sex?

    Some sources say yes, in fact, he did. And they are citing text messages obtained by the FBI as their evidence.

    One report claims the FBI subpoenaed an affidavit that contained text messages between Jared Fogle and a former Subway franchise owner with whom he was engaged in a relationship. In some of these text messages, he reportedly asks the woman to advertise on Craigslist to have sex with other men so he–Jared Fogle–can watch.

    The franchisee allegedly replies to one of Fogle’s texts saying, “Is this the same website you found that 16-year-old girl that you f–ked. . . .I still can’t believe you only paid $100 for her.’’

    Jared Fogle allegedly replied, “It was amazing.”

    One of these sources claims to have “independently verified” the authenticity of said affidavit.

    The female franchise owner also reportedly said Jared Fogle asked her to set up a meeting between him and her underage cousin.

    It was only a couple of weeks ago when a Florida reporter came forward and told the media that Jared Fogle once told her that middle school girls were “hot.”

    Do you think these claims about Jared Fogle are true? Is the former Subway spokesperson a bit of a sexual deviant?

    Subway suspended their relationship with Jared Fogle about a month ago, after his Indiana home was raided by authorities.

  • Jared Fogle: Ex-Subway Spokesman Reportedly Told Woman ‘Middle School Girls Are Hot’

    Subway’s former spokesperson Jared Fogle befriended a woman during his visits to Sarasota, Florida in recent years, and made a comment to her that has truly resonated in light of the recent child pornography charges against a Jared Foundation employee.

    The woman–a journalist–says Fogle actually made several rather inappropriate remarks.

    “They weren’t jokes. They were very serious,” she explains.

    One such remark Jared Fogle allegedly made to this woman is, “Middle school girls are hot.”

    It was back on July 7 that law enforcement officials–including the FBI–swarmed Jared Fogle’s home in Zionsville, Indiana. They were seen removing computers from his home in what became an 11-hour search of the former Subway spokesperson’s residence. At the time, Subway said they believed the raid was “related to a prior investigation of a former Jared Foundation employee.”

    Russell Taylor is that former employee. He was arrested back in May on child pornography charges.

    Jared Fogle has thus far not been arrested or charged in this or any other case.

    Do you think the comment this journalist claims Jared Fogle made to her about middle school girls shows any flaws in his character that should be noted by law enforcement authorities?

    Or might this journalist have, perhaps instead, been seeking her own 15 minutes of fame?

    While this investigation is ongoing, Subway has removed Jared Fogle from both its website and TV ads.

  • Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt Spotted Eating Fresh At Subway

    Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt Spotted Eating Fresh At Subway

    Power-couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were spotted acting like common folk, ordering six dollar Subway meals despite being Hollywood multi-millionaires.

    TMZ reported that the paparazzi snapped a photo of Angelina Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt along with some of their six children stopping by at the sandwich chain’s branch in Glendale, California.

    The world famous couple kept things casual for their low-key outing with Pitt wearing a button-down shirt and slacks and topping the ensemble with a brown panama hat; Jolie, 40, wore a striped boat-neck shirt, flats, and her trademark black skinny jeans.

    One of the sandwich artists shared that the couple ordered two Meatball Marinara foot-longs, one Chicken Teriyaki sandwich, a kids’ meal for their younger children. The couple paid a total tab of $44. Pitt, 51, left the excited sandwich artist a plush tip of $6.

    Apparently, the famous husband and wife took advantage of the discount menu.

    One Subway employee told local CBS affiliate KCAL9 that everyone who was in the shop at that time was starstruck by the couple’s surprise visit.

    Grisell Gonzalez, Subway employee, says that the A-List couple were so cute.

    “They were very, like, hugging and kissing and they looked like they were really in love and everything,’ Gonzalez continued.

    The sandwich cruise of the superstar couple was in perfect timing for Subway.

    Just last week, the chain fired their weight-loss pitchman Jared Fogle after recent controversies sparked the FBI to search and investigate his house after a woman accused him of making inappropriate comments about middle-school girls.

    Fogle was famous for losing 245 pounds eating low-calorie Subway sandwiches. The recent revelations shocked most Americans and Subway consumers.

    BusinessInsider.com says, “The fact that the socially-conscious and wealthy couple took their children there sends the message that Subway is a family-friendly choice.”

    “With the Jared Fogle scandal looming, the brand needs this kind of exposure.”

  • Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Eat Fresh, Gunning for Jared Fogle’s Job?

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Eat Fresh, Gunning for Jared Fogle’s Job?

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have all the money in the world–well, they have a lot. They can certainly afford to eat just about any place their hearts desire. This past weekend, their hearts desired a $5 foot long–or so it seems. Maybe they were just gunning for Jared Fogle’s job instead.

    Yes, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt graced a Subway sandwich shop in Glendale, California, where they ordered and took home $44 worth of food for themselves and their six children.

    Us Weekly reports that Brad and Angie were dressed in their typically around-town weekend style. Angelina Jolie wore her trademark black skinny jeans. She paired them with a striped boatneck top. Brad Pitt wore dress slacks and a buttoned-down shirt, with his trademark fedora on his head.

    A Subway employee told a local CBS station that everyone inside the sandwich shop was shocked to see Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt walk in.

    “My co-worker went to the back to tell my manager, ‘Did you see who’s in the front?’ And she was like, ‘No,’” Subway employee Grisell Gonzalez said. “She was like, ‘It’s Angelina and Brad Pitt!’ She’s like, ‘Is it really them?’”

    In addition to eating picking up food from Subway, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt also celebrated twins Knox and Vivienne’s seventh birthdays this weekend. The family had a low-key party at a local indoor skating rink.

    Do you think Jared Fogle has to worry he’ll never get his Subway spokesperson spot back? Even if he is cleared of any connection to child pornography, does he have to consider that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt might want his job?

    Of course not.

    The couple did leave the Subway sandwich artist a $6 tip.

  • Jared Fogle: What You Need To Know in Five Minutes or Less

    Jared Fogle is a hot topic lately. America is a strange place in this regard. Americans love to see someone rise from obscurity to become famous and rewarded. It’s why we like talent show like American Idol. It’s why Joe the Plumber’s 15 minutes of fame stretched on and on.

    Subway restaurants used that part of the American collective psyche to sell sandwiches. They took a guy who had lost 200 lbs by eating just Subway sandwiches twice a day and made him the face of their brand.

    Jared Fogle went on to be worth millions. He started a foundation to fight childhood obesity. He wrote a book. He ran a marathon. He had a filmed cameo in the upcoming Sharknado installment. For years he was a wholesome, goofy face selling a product that his own experience said worked. It was a fresh alternative to celebrity endorsements. It was the reverse of that.

    Then Jared Fogle answered the door at his home to have a search warrant handed to him. To date, there are no charges filed against Jared Fogle. His neighbors say he left his house wearing a hoodie as FBI agents looked on, and has never returned to the home.

    Apparently, Russell Taylor, a former employee of the foundation Fogle started was arrested on child pornography charges. The man attempted suicide in jail. Fogle has not been charged with anything, but FBI agents spent 11 hours going through his home.

    Subway issued a statement saying that they had a mutual agreement with Fogle to part ways.

    The digging into Fogle’s past began in earnest, but this time it was not for inspirational material. Stories surfaced that Fogle ran an “adult video rental service” from his dorm room in college.

    One reporter claims that Fogle told her that “middle school girls are hot.” His lawyers laughed at that one outright, since there is no record or proof that it ever happened.

    Some have said they will not eat at Subway because they think Fogle is suspected of child pornography. Some say they will not eat at Subway because they canned Fogle without his ever having been charged with anything.

    The producers of Sharknado 3 pulled the Jared Fogle cameo from their upcoming airing of the movie.

    Twitter has not been kind to Jared Fogle lately.

  • Ace Metrix Ranks Top 10 Holiday Ads

    Ace Metrix Ranks Top 10 Holiday Ads

    Television and video advertising analytics firm Ace Metrix announced the top 10 highest scoring holiday ads heading into Thanksgiving.

    “As is true throughout the year, advertisers develop ads based on a variety of creative strategies. During the holiday season, however, it is even more challenging to break through the clutter and to grab the attention of increasingly distracted consumers,” said Ace Metrix CEO Peter Daboll. “Many of the ads on this list not only generated product passion and delivered on persuasive components, but they demonstrated extraordinary breakthrough power necessary to rise above the noise of the season and to drive performance for the brand.”

    These are determined by the Ace Score, which is describes as the measure of ad creative effectiveness based on viewer reaction to national TV ads. A sample of over 500 people, which the firm says is representative of the U.S. TV viewing audience, scores each ad. Results are presented on a scale of 1 to 950, and take into account attributes like Persuasion, Likability, Information, Attention, Change, Relevance, Desire and Watchability.

    Here’s the rankings at a glance, followed by a few of the actual ads.

    Image via BusinessWire

  • Mother Abandons Baby On Subway Platform

    Mother Abandons Baby On Subway Platform

    The woman who abandoned her baby in a stroller on a New York subway platform has been arrested.

    The woman, identified as twenty-year-old Frankea Dabbs, was reportedly seen pushing the stroller out of the subway car on Monday, July 7. However, the woman did not get out of the car, but instead let the doors close in front of her, continuing on the subway without her child.

    A witness said they waited twenty minutes to see if the mother or caretaker would return before contacting police. The seven-month-old child was taken to the nearby St. Luke’s Hospital and was in stable condition. There were no prominent signs of child abuse.

    So, why did Dabbs choose to leave her baby unattended in a crowded subway? According to police, Dabbs told them that she was now homeless and couldn’t handle the responsibility of being a mother.

    “She felt she couldn’t take care of the baby and thought she was leaving her in a safe public space,” said the spokesman for the New York Police Department Stephen Davis.

    Dabbs father explained that he didn’t know that his daughter and granddaughter were in the city, and he thinks that Dabbs seeing her boyfriend get shot was still having an effect on her when she left the child.

    Apparently when she was two months pregnant, Dabbs witnessed her boyfriend being shot to death while she hid nearby under a bed. “She saw her boyfriend get killed,” Franklin Dabbs of North Carolina explained. “Three guys came to the house. She was hiding under the bed. She was two months pregnant then. I think that burden was still with her.”

    Franklin said his daughter had changed since the shooting, and always wore sunglasses and wanted to be in dark rooms. However, he said she was once a great mom. “I’m very surprised — she was always a good mother to her baby,” he said. “I’ve seen her clean the baby, feed the baby, everything. I’m speechless, really.”

    “I know she’s a good mother,” he added. “I don’t understand what happened. I love both of them. All I want is my kids back in North Carolina with me, especially my grandchild.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Subway Jared Death Hoax Goes Viral

    Subway Jared Death Hoax Goes Viral

    Jared Fogle, better known as “Subway Jared” or the “Subway Guy”, is the latest victim of a celebrity death hoax.

    On Monday, the news of Fogle’s “death” went viral with thousands of people taking to their social media accounts to pay their respects to the Subway spokesman, using the hashtag #RIPSubwayJared.

    The hoax started on a fake website called Jaredremembered.com. “Jared S. Fogle, best known as the spokesman for the Subway sandwich shop “The Subway Guy” Born December 1st,1977 – Died yesterday at 4/;43pm EST,” the site said. The website also included a fake obituary for Fogle, and listed his cause of death as “unknown.”

    Many fans were unaware that the news of Fogle’s death was a hoax, and were truly devastated. However, there were several people who instantly realized what was going on and found it quite funny that people would make stories like this up.

    When Jared heard the news of his death, he took to Twitter to assure his followers that he was, in fact, alive. “Every few months always odd to hear of my demise..However, I am indeed alive and well..thanks for all the concern. In NYC today,” Fogle tweeted.

    Image via Twitter

  • NYC Subway Derailment “Sparks” Inspection – And Friendly Connections

    A New York City subway train derailed Friday morning while passing through a Queens tunnel.

    Involving six of the middle cars out of an eight-car Manhattan-bound ‘F’ line subway train, the incident reportedly left 19 of the 1,000 passengers injured. While four of the injuries were deemed serious enough to require hospital transport, there were no reports made of body trauma or life-threatening complications.

    Officials confirmed that complaints namely concerned chest pains and shortness of breath – not surprising given such a jarring shock during a 10:30 a.m. commute just before the weekend.

    “Nobody really knew whether or not the train was going to roll,” said Bryan Greene, a rider who was en route to his Union Square office. He added, “Everyone was waiting for that moment to come, and when it didn’t, it was a sigh of relief.”

    Another passenger, Connie Wang, also recounted her experience: “I saw everyone jerk forward. My car went dark.” Wang too was present in a car at the train’s middle while heading from her Queens residence toward work in lower Manhattan.

    “There were sparks flying,” she described.

    After the accident, the evacuation efforts took up to two hours – during which many riders made light of their dark circumstance through interaction. A few made jokes about getting out of work for the day or walking through the subway track sludge to get out of the cars.

    “I have a whole bunch of new friends,” Bryan Greene said,“We’re going to go hang out.”

    While it has still not been confirmed why the derailment occurred, MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast has said the mass-transit agency will initiate a full inspection looking into signals, tracks, and any other factors that may have contributed to the accident. Another similar incident happened a year ago, but no injuries were reported to have happened. The last serious event with fatalities took place in 1991 – due to a drunk motorman, ultimately convicted of manslaughter.

    Former Chicago Transit Authority executive director Robert “Buzz” Paaswell said the system overall is safe, and explained that, “Train derailments in stations… underground, are very, very rare. So it could be something happened to the track, something could have happened with the wheel — a wheel might have wobbled or come loose — or there could’ve been something on the track which caused something to hop over.”

    It’s always nice to see people like the passengers of Friday’s event draw something positive – like a personal connection – out of something unfortunate.

    Even the authorities praised the riders’ composure during the rescue. But perhaps Deputy Assistant Chief James Leonard of the Fire Department said it all with his simple statement regarding a city of eclectic personalities who have united through far worse:

    “They’re New Yorkers.”

    Image via Youtube