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  • Are Your Facebook Referrals Are On The Rise?

    Are Your Facebook Referrals Are On The Rise?

    There has been a lot of discussion about Facebook killing the organic reach of posts that Pages make, essentially forcing businesses to pay to actually get their messages viewed in the News Feed. Many have considered dropping their Facebook strategy altogether, and one Page made a lot of headlines when it actually did. Despite this organic reach drop-off, Facebook appears to be driving more traffic to sites than ever.

    Have your Facebook referrals increased over the past several months? Decreased? Let us know in the comments.

    Facebook has always been about sharing, and that’s really what needs to happen now for sites to see traffic from the social network. Chances are you’re not going to get very much if you’re just pushing your own content out on your Facebook Page. The traffic is going to come from people finding your content, and then sharing it with their friends.

    Shareaholic has released its Q1 2014 Social Media Traffic Report. The data comes from over 300,000 sites reaching over 400 million unique monthly visitors from December through March.

    Facebook referrals have grown by 5.81 percentage points since December with 21.25% of the overall traffic sent to sites, according to the report.

    This continues a trend that has been happening for a while. Late last year, Shareaholic looked at Facebook’s share of overall visits from November 2012 to November 2013:

    “While brands enjoy hating on Facebook for limiting the reach of Pages and then forcing businesses to pay for ads, Facebook still continues to refer loads of traffic to websites when users share links they enjoy with all of their friends,” says Shareaholic’s Danny Wong. “Though, last month, Eat24 caused a ruckus because it initiated a ‘breakup’ with Facebook, brands will never be bold enough to actually prevent users from ‘liking’ or ‘sharing’ things from their sites to Facebook. Eat24′s popular breakup letter received more than 26k Facebook likes and shares. While most brands may have lost faith in their Fan Pages, they know the world’s largest social network will still bless them with tons of organic traffic.”

    “Facebook users love to — or can’t help but — click links on their feed,” he says.

    The data appears to validate Facebook’s own strategy. People are clicking on the links they’re actually seeing more and more. That’s of little consolation to businesses who have a hard time getting there in the first place, but it does appear to be the case.

    In case you’re wondering what kinds of sites the data is analyzing, Wong says the network is “well diversified, with sites ranging from independent lifestyle blogs to publishing companies to commerce sites.”

    Pinterest came in second in referrals behind Facebook, growing by 48% (2.31 percentage points since December. Twitter is number three, but StumbleUpon is gaining on it, growing by 4.91% (0.13 percentage points) during the quarter.

    Interestingly, YouTube’s share dropped by over half (52%) over the quarter, though according to another report from Shareaholic, it dominates when it comes to post-click engagement on sites. In that report, Facebook didn’t do so hot, so make of that what you will. How much are these Facebook referrals really helping sites?

    For average pages per visit, Facebook was below Twitter and LinkedIn, and well below Google+ and YouTube. It still beat out Pinterest, reddit, and StumbleUpon. Average bounce rate was identical to Twitter and Pinterest, and higher than LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube. Reddit was the highest, closely followed by StumbleUpon. For average time on site, Facebook was slightly higher than Twitter, but not as high as LinkedIn, and not even close to as high as Google+ or YouTube.

    Forrester VP, Principal Analyst Nate Elliott recently wrote, “On average, top brands have collected 90% as many fans on Plus as on Twitter (In fact, the brands we studied have more followers on Google Plus than on YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram combined.),” he writes. “Second, and more importantly, Google Plus generates much more brand engagement than you think. Recently we studied more than 3 million user interactions with more than 2,500 brand posts on seven social networks. The result? Brands’ Google Plus posts generated nearly as much engagement per follower as their Facebook posts — and almost twice as much engagement per follower as their Twitter posts.”

    We recently had a conversation with the 20th most popular person on Google+, who had some advice for getting more out of that network if Facebook’s not doing it for you.

    Are you seeing a good amount of traffic from Facebook? Is that traffic valuable? Let us know in the comments.

    Images via Shareaholic

  • Judy Greer Has ‘Planet of the Apes’ Themed Wedding

    Dawn of the Planet of the Apes co-star Judy Greer revealed to Conan O’Brien that she’d opted for a Planet of the Apes-themed wedding during her 2011 nuptials to television producer Dean Johnsen.

    Greer told Conan, “During the cocktail hour, we had the TV screens in the bar with the movies playing. We had Rise (of the Planet of the Apes) playing on one screen and then the original, obviously, Planet of the Apes playing on the bigger screen.” Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set to open on July 11, and is directed by Matt Reeves, of Cloverfield and Let Me In fame. Dawn also features Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell. Russell had previously worked with Reeves on the WB drama Felicity, which was co-created by J.J. Abrams.

    Here Greer relates to Conan her peculiar choice of a wedding theme:

    Greer, 38, is best known for her roles as Kitty Sanchez on Fox’s Arrested Development, as well as Cheryl Tunt on the animated comedy series Archer. In 2011, the actress began hosting an online series of workout videos called Reluctantly Healthy, and in 2014 published her first book, I Don’t Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star.

    In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Greer plays an ape named Cornelia, set against the goings on of a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar, who are threatened by a band of human survivors. Man vs. Ape action ensues. Here is the trailer:

    Actor James Franco, who starred in the Dawn prequel, 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was not included in the latest film, after Rise director Rupert Wyatt was replaced by Reeves. Freida Pinto, who played primatologist Caroline Aranha in Rise, was also excluded from the sequel.

    Image via YouTube

  • Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter Dies at 76

    Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a former middleweight boxer best known for having been wrongfully convicted for a shooting murder, passed away at his Toronto home Sunday morning. He was 76.

    Carter had spent almost 20 years in prison after being convicted of a triple homicide that occurred at the Lafayette Bar and Grill in Paterson, New Jersey in 1966. The conviction was overturned in 1985, and from 1993 to 2005, Carter served as executive director of the Association in Defense of the Wrongly Convicted. Carter had also formed the nonprofit organization Innocence International in Toronto, which likewise worked to help free wrongly convicted prisoners. Carter had been battling prostate cancer at the time of his death.

    Carter became a professional boxed in 1961, after serving stints in various institutions for crimes including muggings and for receiving an “undesirable” discharge from the U.S. Army, after failing to complete his three-year term of enlistment. While a bit shorter than the average middleweight fighter at 5 ft. 8 in., in the ring Carter was known for his ferocity, often resulting in early-round knockouts. He was a charismatic crowd-pleaser, and was remembered for his goatee, shaved head, mean mugging and a powerful left hook.

    Bob Dylan wrote a song about Carter in 1975 called Hurricane, and in 1999 director Norman Jewison filmed a biopic entitled The Hurricane, which was Golden Globe-nominated for Best Motion Picture. Denzel Washington played the role of Carter, which garnered him an Oscar nomination.

    Here is the trailer:

    While in prison, Carter penned his autobiography, The 16th Round, which was published in 1974. The book related the events surrounding his 1966 arrest. Holes in the case included little physical evidence and the fact that police took no fingerprints at the crime scene or any paraffin test for gunshot residue. No eyewitnesses pointed to Carter as a shooter. Still, he was convicted in 1967 and 1976 for the murders regardless, though both jury verdicts were overturned on various grounds of prosecutorial misconduct. After the second conviction was overturned in 1985, prosecutors chose not to try the case for a third time.

    Carter is remembered on Twitter:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Gwen Stefani Signs on to Judge ‘The Voice’

    Gwen Stefani, co-founder and lead vocalist of pop rock outfit No Doubt, has just signed on as a judge of the NBC singing contest program The Voice. It’s been reported that Stefani will fill in for Christina Aguilera, who is on maternity leave. The 44-year-old singer-songwriter, fashion designer and actress will also take up coaching duties on the show, alongside Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Pharrell Williams.

    NBC had asked Aguilera to stay on for the upcoming seventh season of The Voice, though she declined. Stefani signed a one-year contract as her replacement, and Aguilera plans to return for season 8, after she and finace Matt Rutler welcome their baby girl.

    Stefani had previously worked with Williams during a collaboration on her 2004 solo hit Hollaback Girl. Pharrell brought Stefani onstage during his Coachella set last week to perform the song, and gave her an enthusiastic introduction beforehand – “I can tell you right now there’s only one incredible, historical, most important, incredibly talented, fucking awesome, rad girl in the world.”

    Here is a clip of the Coachella duet:

    Stefani’s voice has been described as unusual and dynamic, and has been noted for its deep vibrato. On the single Cool, her vocal range covers roughly one and a half octaves. Stefani has been influenced by and compared to pop icon Madonna. In 2007, she told Elle magazine, “A lot of my influence came from her early work, like directly, like a Xerox.” Stefani was nominated five times at the 2006 Grammy Awards for her debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby., including Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album.

    Stefani’s fans are pleased with her new gig:

    Random Madonna/Stefani lore:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jerusalem Riot Disbanded by Israeli Police

    Israeli police mobilized at a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem Wednesday, employing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a riotous protest formed by Palestinian Muslims, who were attempting to block Jews from entering the compound.

    Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that the unruly mob threw stones and firecrackers from atop the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism. To Muslims, The Temple Mount is known as the “Noble Sanctuary” and is regarded as Islam’s third-holiest site. Israel captured the compound along with the rest of east Jerusalem from Jordan during a 1967 war, and skirmishes still occur at the site.

    Jews typically worship at the Western Wall, and while Israel allows them to climb the Temple Mount for visits, they aren’t permitted to pray at the site. The riot started when some Islamic worshippers barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque to “defend” the site from Jewish groups, according to Sheikh Azzam Tamimi, head of the Waqf, the Islamic authority that manages the Temple Mount. Jewish pilgrimages at times foster rumors that Israel is planning to take over the site.

    Here is some raw footage of the situation in Jerusalem as it escalated:

    Tamimi commented that roughly 30 people suffered from tear gas inhalation or had been hit by rubber-coated bullets, though none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

    Jews historically gather at the Western Wall during the Passover holiday, and police restricted access to the adjacent Temple Mount after Wednesday’s clash. Jews see the compound as the site where the two biblical Jewish Temples stood, and believe that one day a third Temple will be constructed. Muslims on the other hand believe that the golden dome of the shrine, called Dome of the Rock, holds the rock where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The site has been the center of religious and territorial conflict between Israel and its surrounding Arab neighbors.

    Tensions in the area had already been rising due to the recent shooting of an Israeli police officer who was en route to celebrate the Passover holiday with his family in the West Bank.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Laura Prepon Reportedly Dating Tom Cruise

    Xenu, the 75-million-year-old dictator of the “Galactic Confederacy” described in Scientology doctrine has allegedly shined his celestial light upon Orange Is the New Black star Laura Prepon, bringing her together with Scientology heavyweight Tom Cruise. The two are reportedly dating, though secretly.

    Rumors of a budding relationship between the two first surfaced after it was reported that Cruise, 51, had treated Prepon, 34, to an elaborate date at Renaisssance, an eatery inside the Church of Scientology’s Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles in November. The couple was reportedly spotted again at the Renaissance, as well as at a party hosted by fellow Scientologist higher-ups John Travolta and Kelly Preston.

    Having dated That ’70s Show co-star Danny Masterson for several years, Prepon is well-versed in the teachings of Xenu whisking billions of humans away from his home world, only to stagger them around Earth volcanoes to kill them using hydrogen bombs, thus trapping the essences of their souls in the atomosphere, which have formed around modern man, rendering them spiritual battered. Incidentally, within the Church of Scientology, the Xenu history is part of the church’s secret “Advanced Technology,” considered a sacred and esoteric teaching, reserved for members who have contributed large amounts of money.

    Here Cruise displays his A-list charisma while hawking the virtues of Scientological power:

    Prepon first went public regarding her Scientology beliefs in 2007, in an interview featured in Women’s Health, and the thrice-divorced Cruise has likely learned that a strong belief in the church is key to sustaining a lasting relationship. Cruise’s ex-wife Katie Holmes abruptly filed for divorce in 2012, after reportedly becoming concerned over daughter Suri’s involvement in the Church of Scientology.

    Why reps for both actors deny any romance, perhaps it’s a match made in Teegeeack, or “Earth,” as Xenu might call it.

    Prepon is presently working on season 2 of Orange Is the New Black, while Cruise is allegedly developing Top Gun 2, to reprise his iconic role as the fighter pilot Maverick.

    Image via YouTube

  • Portland Shootout Leaves K-9 Dead, Officer Wounded

    A police dog sent after a robbery suspect was killed during a shootout in Portland, Oregon Wednesday morning, and the K-9 unit handler was wounded.

    The incident began after police observed three men exiting a uniform shop, which lead to a vehicle pursuit. The chase ended when the suspects crashed their SUV into a utility pole. The suspects and police exchanged fire, and officer Jeff Dorn was wounded in both legs. “Mick,” a dog who had recently joined the K-9 unit, was later found dead under a hedge in a yard.

    In a statement, Officer Dorn, a 16-year veteran, said that “Mick saved my life,” after the officer had told the dog to “Take that suspect!” Portland Police Chief Mike Reese said that the shootout ensued shortly after Dorn sicced Mick on the three men.

    Three suspects are now in custody, including one authorities had been tracking through southwest Portland neighborhoods for roughly three hours. That suspect was injured during the incident, and was transported to a local hospital.

    The Portland PD was initially unable to locate Mick after the shootout, and used Twitter to put the word out:

    Sadly, Mick was located with apparent gunshot wounds:

    Police dogs are specially trained for duties including searching for drugs and explosives, searching for missing people, sniffing out crime scene evidence and protecting their handlers. The most commonly used breed is the German Shepherd, although Belgian Malinois are also employed. John Reese, the protagonist in the CBS crime drama Person of Interest owns a Belgian Malinois named “Bear.”

    Police vehicles formed a procession to transport Mick across the Willamette River to an animal hospital after the shooting. Sgt. Rhonda Sandoval, an official of the Oregon Police Canine Association, commented that police dogs are trained to bond with their handlers, and that they “become part of our lives and our families.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Selfie In Front Of A Train? That’s A Paddlin’

    It was a delightful afternoon, Michael thought.

    Taking selfies with equipment he bought.

    So he stood by a train,

    which caused him some pain.

    “My face did the boot it did caught.”

    Enter Doofus McGee, AKA Jared Michael. In the YouTube video you see above, in the description box, Michael typed: “I tried to take a selfie while a train passed a “safe” distance behind. I guess I was still too close and got kicked in the head”

    The video is 10 seconds long, currently stands at 1,956,410 views, and has the whole internet laughing and pointing at poor Mr. Michael; he was only trying to capture some footage of his best Jaden Smith impression and Bieber haircut. What could go wrong? A conductor yelling “Hey!” and the realization that he needs to explain to the potential viewer (he uploaded the video, after all) “Wow, that guy kicked me in the head! I think I got that on film.”

    You did get that on film, and the conductor certainly kicked you in the head. Welcome to the new age, the new age, welcome to the new age, the new age.

    A young brooding Michael awaits his destiny for instant internet fame.

    A flirtatious foot via dirty conductor caresses the gentle smooth cheek of pure child innocence.

    Michael’s face is warped, yet, it appears he hasn’t registered being kicked in the face.

    Showing his true form, Michael turns into Beavis.

    The Bieber hair cut dances as the body collapses.

    Almost as if it’s self aware, Michael’s hair branches out in an attempt to attack the conductor, but fails.

    Michael is down for the count, what shame this could bring if anyone knew.

    Michael ponders the cruelty of the world… only to go home later and upload the footage.

    Multiple YouTube users have offered their perspective on the whole deal.

    User John Doe suggested in order to purge the “selfie generation”, we need another world war:

    SupaFlyFatGuy859, with a ton of validating virtual thumbs up (26, to be exact), suggested an award for the young man:

    The conductor’s kick, according to tvwears, saved the boy’s life:

    It almost seems like a movie or gimmicky viral marketing because you think, by itself, “How can people really be this stupid?” only to be disappointed when God whispers into your ear at night, saying: “Youth.”

    I think he’s a good kid.

    Images via YouTube

  • Nevada Cattle Released to Cliven Bundy by Feds

    Federal land managers explained that “escalating tensions” forced the release of roughly 400 head of cattle that had been corralled on public land in southern Nevada. The cows belonged to rancher Cliven Bundy, who had refused to relent to federal authority over rights to land he doesn’t legally own. Hundreds of Nevada states’ rights activists, as well as various militia members congregated around corrals outside of Mesquite, demanding the return of Bundy’s animals. Some protesters were armed with rifles and pistols, prompting the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to hand the cattle over, to prevent any bloodshed.

    Bundy’s dispute with the government began in the mid 1990’s after he refused to pay the bill for his herd grazing on federal land near Bunkerville, Nevada. After a United States District Court for the District of Nevada trial in 1998, known as the United States v. Bundy, the rancher was prohibited from allowing his cows to eat government grass. Bundy failed to comply, and after years of multiple violations, the BLM rounded up Bundy’s trespassing cattle.

    With the “Bundy Standoff” looking to be ready erupt in violence, the BLM let Bundy’s stock go free on April 11. Bureau of Land Management Chief Neil Kornze stated, “Based on information about conditions on the ground and in consultation with law enforcement, we have made a decision to conclude the cattle gather because of our serious concerns about the safety of employees and members of the public.” Kornze’s statement came after Bundy promised to “do whatever it takes” to protect his herd.

    No injuries were reported, though U.S. Senator Dean Heller, R-Nev. said in a statement, “The dispute is over, the BLM is leaving, but emotions and tensions are still near the boiling point, and we desperately need a peaceful conclusion to this conflict. I urge all the people involved to please return to your homes and allow the BLM officers to collect their equipment and depart without interference.”

    Various Twitter intrigue concerning the Bundy Standoff:

    Bundy, 67, has claimed that he has ancestral rights to the federal land under contention. Kornze on the other hand commented, “After 20 years and multiple court orders to remove the trespass cattle, Mr. Bundy owes the American taxpayers in excess of $1 million. The BLM will continue to work to resolve the matter administratively and judicially.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Chile Wildfire Kills 16, Burns 500 Homes

    Chile Wildfire Kills 16, Burns 500 Homes

    A major wildfire is sweeping through the Pacific coastal city of Valparaiso, Chile which has so far left 16 dead and has consumed at least 500 homes. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said early Sunday that over 1,200 firefighters are at work to contain the wind-whipped flames in Valparaiso and in the suburb of Vina del Mar, with air support from 17 planes.

    According to Chile’s National Emergency Office, the wind has made it difficult for firefighters to establish firebreaks, and the blaze has spread over 2,000 acres. Vina del Mar fire superintendent Fernando Reseio commented, “It’s been one of the worst fires in history.” Emergency Office spokesman Ricardo Toro stated that Valparaiso is on red alert.

    Here is a clip of raw footage taken of the fire consuming a Valparaiso neighborhood:

    Similar to the recent situation facilitated by a magnitude 8.2 earthquake that hit the Chilean city of Iquique in early April, President Bachelet has dispatched additional authorities to the Valparaiso area to maintain order. The additional force will help to control looting, and to secure on any convicts that might attempt escape from the Valparaiso prison amid the chaos.

    Valparaiso Mayor Jorge Castro said that as a preventative measure, plans are likewise being put together to evacuate inmates at the prison. Also, President Bachelet has declared a state of emergency, which allows for military force, if needed.

    Below are some surreal images of the blaze, via Twitter:

    Many survivors have suffered burns in the fire, and those critical are being transported to hospitals in the Chilean capital of Santiago, roughly 50 miles away.

    Image via YouTube

  • Snowy Owls Drifting Deeper South

    Snowy Owls Drifting Deeper South

    The snowy owl, typically a resident of the Arctic, has been delving further south as of late, and has been spotted in parts of the New England region of the northeastern United States. The wayward owls have come south due to a phenomenon known as irruption, which is an abrupt increase in numbers of a species when natural ecological balances and checks are disturbed.

    Larry Clarfeld from the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier, VT, stated, “The reason we are seeing so many snowy owls this year has everything to do with their food. So in the Arctic breeding ground, snowy owls like to eat lemmings and this past summer of 2013, there were so many lemmings in the Arctic that many young snowy owls were born but once winter came there wasn’t enough food for them to stay in the Arctic so we had them moving south in record numbers.”

    Here is a clip regarding the migratory patterns of the powerful bird:

    The snowy owl, or Bubo scandiacus is a robust owl, typical owl family Strigidae. It was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish father of binomial nomenclature, and is the official bird of the Canadian province of Quebec. Snowy owls nest in the Arctic tundra of the northernmost stretches of Alaska, Canada and Eurasia, though have been seen as far south as Texas, Georgia and the Gulf states.

    Now is time time for New England birdwatchers to catch a glimpse of the snow-white predators, as they are returning north. Local birds such as crows and jays are threatened by birds of prey, and essentially attack the owls until they take off. Clarfeld commented, “And because they are a raptor they are going to be harassed by crows or blue jays or any number of other song birds that have already started to build their nests in Vermont right now.”

    One can track the movement of snowy owls here, at Project Snow Storm.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Squirrel Causes $300K in Damages in Indy

    A defiant squirrel managed to cause roughly $300K in damages to a new Fort Wayne, Indiana community center that is scheduled to open in June.

    The small rodent infiltrated the electrical system of the newly renovated athletics complex at McMillen Park on April 1st, causing a power surge that destroyed three new HVAC systems, and damaged parts of the boiler system. The squirrel did not survive.

    Squirrels belong to the family Sciuridae of small or medium-size rodents. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots (including woodchucks), flying squirrels and prairie dogs.

    Here Jeff Lebowski has an encounter with an unruly marmot:

    The squirrels native to Indiana include the fox squirrel, the American gray squirrel, the red squirrel, the Franklin’s ground squirrel, the southern fly squirrel and the thirteen-lined ground squirrel. No word on which type of squirrel caused the power surge. Squirrels instinctively seek warm, dry places to stay, and the McMillen Park electrical array likely appeared to be a good spot to post up for the rodent at the time.

    According to Parks Director Al Moll, the damage will be covered by insurance, minus the department’s $50,000 deductible. Parks Department spokesman Steve McDaniel stated that the company that built the HVAC systems is rushing to replace it so the center can open on June 7 .

    The structure under renovation was originally McMillen Ice Arena, which closed in 2009. The $1.9 million project is converting the arena into a community center hosting basketball, an indoor track and other activities. Large rooms that once held ice rinks will now house basketball courts and indoor soccer fields. The entire project is estimated to cost roughly $4.5 million.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Michigan Doctor’s Body Found in Indiana Lake

    A woman’s body was recovered from a northwestern Indiana lake Sunday, and has now been identified as that of missing Michigan doctor Teleka Patrick. The cause of death is still pending further investigation, though an autopsy revealed no signs of trauma.

    Patrick, 30, of Kalamazoo, disappeared on December 5th, and was last seen in the parking lot of Kalamazoo’s Borgess Medical Center, only to apparently drive to Indiana before vanishing. Later in the night on Dec. 5, police found Patrick’s gold 1997 Lexus ES300 in a ditch on westbound I-94 in Indiana, near the Porter/Burns Harbor.

    According to Indiana State Police, divers pulled Patrick’s body from Lake Charles in Porter, roughly 15 miles east of Gary. Police and FBI agents had searched the same lake on January 23.

    Around the time of her disappearance, Patrick had been accused of stalking popular, Grammy-nominated gospel singer Marvin Sapp. Sapp came forward to reveal that he’d in the past filed a restraining order against Patrick, and that she had claimed him as her husband, had moved from California to Michigan, joined his church, had contacted his children and had been to his home. Sapp said in his complaint, “I have at least 400 pages of correspondence from her which I have never responded.”

    Video of Patrick seemingly addressing a mystery man have appeared online, which might lead to speculation that Sapp may have been the object of the doctor’s cooing.

    Regardless of the videos and restraining order revelation, Patrick’s mother has stated that she wasn’t aware of Taleka being involved in any romantic relationship.

    Patrick’s family hired private investigator Carl Clatterback, who told CNN that he’s looking into the videos. The question of who Patrick was actually directing her clips to still remains. Investigators believe the intended viewer might have some answers regarding Patrick’s death.

    Patrick’s family had launched a Facebook page entitled “Find Teleka.” It has since been changed to “Remembering Teleka.”

    Image via Facebook

  • Cameron Diaz Movie Wins a PG-13 Rating in Appeal

    The Classification and Ratings Administration (CARA) of the Motion Picture Association of America has just granted the new Cameron Diaz romantic comedy The Other Woman a PG-13 rating. The film was originally labelled as R-rated for sexual content, but the 20th Century Fox-produced movie was given a more teen-friendly rating during a hearing on Thursday. No cuts to The Other Woman were necessary.

    Diaz was on hand at the rating appeals inquest in Los Angeles on Thursday, along with 20th Century Fox president of production Emma Watts. CARA’s Classification and Rating Appeals Board chairman Joan Graves represented the ratings board, and the PG-13 designation came just in time for the April 25th release of The Other Woman.

    Since the late 1990’s, the MPAA has recognized the following film ratings:

    G – General Audiences: All ages admitted. This movie contains nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children. Such films may contain only mild violence or crude humor, and may have no nudity, sex, drugs or coarse (as distinct from impolite) language.

    PG – Parental Guidance Suggested: Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents are urged to give parental guidance as the motion picture contains some material that parents might not find suitable for their pre-teenagers.

    PG-13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned: Parents are urged to be cautious as the motion picture contains some material that parents might consider inappropriate for children under 13 years.

    R – Restricted: People under 17 years may only be admitted if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

    NC-17 – Adults Only: This film is exclusively adult and people under 18 are not admitted.

    Alongside Diaz, the Nick Cassavetes-directed The Other Woman stars Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Kinney. The plot concerns three women uniting to exact revenge on a philandering man they had all been involved with.

    Here is the trailer:

    Image via YouTube

  • Samoa Pink Eye Outbreak Extends School Closings

    An outbreak of conjunctivitis, more commonly known as pink eye, has prompted the South Pacific U.S. unincorporated territory of American Samoa to keep most of its schools closed through the week. At least 2,400 students and teachers have contracted the highly contagious disease, which has also cancelled flights and interrupted court proceedings.

    Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the outermost layer of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids called the conjunctiva, and is typically caused by a bacterial or viral infection, or an allergic reaction. Symptoms include red eye, swelling of conjunctiva and eye watering, though visual acuity isn’t affected, and the pupils should be normally reactive.

    Pink eye caused by an infection is typically associated with a virus, and both bacterial and viral infections are highly contagious and passed from person to person, but can also spread via contaminated objects or water. Viral conjunctivitis typically does not require any specific treatment, and topical antibiotics are prescribed in instances when an infection doesn’t resolve itself within three days.

    All 28 schools in American Samoa were scheduled to reopen Wednesday after closing Friday, but only four went back into session. Officials will keep schools on the main island of Tutuila closed until next week. Education Department Director Salu Hunkin-Finau commented that over 30 percent of educators are on sick leave due to pink eye.

    “In order to help prevent the further spread of the pink eye virus, we highly recommend that all affected teachers and workers stay home,” Hunkin-Finau said. “Please keep your child out of reach of those that are affected by the pink eye.”

    American Samoa, roughly the size of Washington, D.C., consists of 5 main islands and 2 coral atolls, situated west of the Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and some 300 miles south of Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand.

    American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the U.S. and one of two U.S. territories, along with the uninhabited Jarvis Island, that lie south of the Equator. Tuna and tuna products are the main exports, and the main trading partner is the United States. The legendary mystery meat Spam is also a big deal in American Samoa, and has said to have contributed to the obesity problem in the Pacific Rim.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kauai Stranded Hikers Rescued on Kalalau Trail

    Fast-moving high water in a stream along the Kalalau Trail on the Hawaiian island of Kauai stranded 121 hikers from Hanakapi’ai Beach on Sunday. The Kauai Fire Department was able to launch a rescue, and completed evacuating the tourists Monday morning.

    After authorities were alerted of the stranded hikers, a rescue effort was coordinated at 4 p.m. The first 23 of those stranded were airlifted out Sunday, until nightfall made it too hazardous to continue with the helicopter operation. The additional 98 hikers were transported out of the park by Monday morning. No injuries were reported.

    The Kalalau Trail runs along the Nā Pali Coast on the island of Kauai. The trail is moderately difficult and spans roughly 11 miles along Kauai’s north shore from Keʻe Beach to the Kalalau Valley. Only experienced hikers can complete the 22-mile trek within a day, so most backpackers camp along the trail. At present, camping is only permitted on the beach at Hanakoa Valley at the six mile mark, and at Kalalau Beach.

    Here is a clip regarding the trail:

    Access to the trail is limited due to conservation efforts, and a set number of permits are issued for camping in Kalalau Valley annually. Regardless of the efforts of the state of Hawaii, many hikers camp at Kalalau Beach without permits.

    Officials reported that several children were among those stranded on Sunday, including an 18-month-old. A 12-year-old boy was swept downstream by the swollen creek, but managed to get atop some rocks, where he was stuck for over four hours before being rescued.

    Two firefighters stayed overnight with the 98 hikers that weren’t rescued on Sunday, and led them to a safer area at Hanakapi’ai Beach. Fire Chief John Blalock commented, “When possible, firefighters will hike in to the valley to assist stranded hikers in crossing the river safely, so that they can hike out if they are able. But in this case, hazardous conditions made it impossible to get anyone across. To avoid serious injury or death, we urged everyone to shelter in place until they could be flown back to the trail head. We are very pleased to report that everyone made it back safely.”

    The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources has closed the Kalalau Trail at the Ke’e Beach entrance until further notice.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Game of Thrones’ Premiere Breaks Piracy Record

    When the season four premiere of HBO’s fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones aired on Sunday night, a record 6.6 million viewers tuned in legally. Another million-plus viewers pirated the episode, setting another record. Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time Warner, which owns HBO, called the new piracy record “better than an Emmy.”

    The Sunday night episode entitled “Two Swords” garnered a number of viewers not seen since the series finale of HBO’s The Sopranos in 2007, and the level of piracy exceeded the previous record, which was held by the Game of Thrones season three premiere.

    BitTorrent protocol blog TorrentFreak reported over a million downloads within 12 hours of “Two Swords” airing, with the majority of the torrents being shared in Australia. Naturally, due to HBO’s subscription-only status, piracy is rampant. Though another contributing factor was the crashing of HBO’s streaming service, HBO Go, due to overwhelming demand.

    Here is the Game of Thrones season 4 trailer:

    Game of Thrones was created for HBO by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. The series is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, a set of fantasy novels penned by George R. R. Martin. The complex storyline is set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos at the end of a decade-long summer, and concerns the dealings of several noble families in a civil war over the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. Sex and violence prevail, as an army of zombie-like creatures gain strength in the northern reaches of the fantasy realm.

    Torrent downloads in the United States came in behind those in Australia at 9.3%. File sharing was also significant in the United Kingdom, Canada, The Netherlands, Philippines, India, Greece, Poland and Sweden. HBO has roughly 114 million legal subscribers worldwide, and has also made Sunday night’s GOT episode free to XBOX live users.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Bates Motel’ Renewed for a Third Season

    According to A&E Network executive vice president and general manager David McKillop, the original drama-thriller series Bates Motel has been renewed for a third season. Production of ten new episodes, which are produced by Universal Television, will commence in the fall.

    Bates Motel stars Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore, and is described as being a “contemporary prequel” to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1960 film Psycho, and details the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events depicted in Hitchcock’s film. The series takes place in a modern day setting, in a different fictional town – Bates Motel takes place in “White Pine Bay, Oregon (with its main industry being marijuana production), as opposed to Pyscho’s setting of “Fairvale, California).

    McKillop said in a statement on Monday, “The incredible writing team and talented Bates Motel cast has made this series one of the most compelling original dramas on television. The brilliant twists and turns of the past two seasons keep its loyal fanbase coming back for more. We are so proud of the show.”

    Here is the trailer for the series:

    Bates Motel, which is produced by Carlton Cuse of ABC’s Lost and Kerry Ehrin, is A&E’s top dramatic series of all time among adults 18-49. When season 2 premiered on March 3, 4.6 million viewers tuned in, including 2.6 million adults 18-49 and 2.2 million adults 25-54.

    Cuse has cited David Lynch’s cult classic Twin Peaks as being a primary model for Bates Motel, and commented, “We pretty much ripped off Twin Peaks. If you wanted to get that confession, the answer is yes. I loved that show. They only did 30 episodes. Kerry (Ehrin) and I thought we’d do the 70 that are missing.”

    Bates Motel has garnered generally favorable reviews, scoring 67% on Metacritic. Rotten Tomatoes has rated the series as being 86% “fresh.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Star Wars: Episode VII Filming Begins

    It has just been confirmed by Alan Horn that the filming of Star Wars: Episode VII is now underway. Horn, chairman of Disney Studios, was vague about where production is taking place and how long crews have been shooting, though commented that “a lot” of the actors have been selected, though casting isn’t completely finished.

    Horn gave details on the latest Star Wars installment while speaking at Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television for the program’s Hollywood Masters series. Hollywood Reporter journalist Stephen Galloway asked Horn if the script was complete, and Horn commented, “It actually is now,” adding that the biggest obstacle of the production so far has been coming up with a great story. “It’s all about the screenplay,” he said. “It has to be screenplay, screenplay, screenplay.”

    Here is the interview:

    According to starwars.com, the first installment of the sequel trilogy began pre-production on October 30, 2012. Principal photography was scheduled to begin in spring, 2014 at Pinewood Studios, situated in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, which lies approximately 20 miles west of central London.

    Horn revealed that the events of Episode VII will take place roughly 30 years after Return of the Jedi. The Disney exec said the latest film will pick up “where 6 left off and where 6 left off is 35 years ago by the time this is released.”

    Episode VII will be directed by J.J. Abrams (Super 8, Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek) and was scripted by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi). Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, with Tommy Harper (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Jack Ryan, Star Trek Into Darkness) and Jason McGatlin (Tintin, War of the Worlds) serving as executive producers. John Williams is returning to score Star Wars: Episode VII.

    George Lucas is on board as a creative consultant, and has been in talks with former cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Billy Dee Williams and Ewan McGregor are also being rumored to reprise their roles.

    It’s also been said that Girls actor Adam Driver has been cast as a Sith villain, and that Jesse Plemons of Breaking Bad and Friday Night Lights might be chosen as the lead Jedi protagonist.

    Image via YouTube

  • Jeffrey Dahmer’s Childhood Home for Sale

    Jeffrey Dahmer’s Childhood Home for Sale

    The boyhood home of notorious serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer is on the market in Northern Ohio for $295,000. The Dahmer family moved into the house in 1968, when Jeffrey was eight. A decade later, Dahmer lured a hitchhiker to the property, killed him, and buried his remains on the wooded lot.

    Commenting on the three-bedroom house on a wooded lot in an affluent neighborhood near Akron, present owner Chris Butler stated, “If you can get past that little problem, you’ll have a wonderful place to live.” The home had been previously listed two years ago, but failed to sell. Realtor Rich Lubinski said this was due to a depressed housing market and its macabre past.

    Butler bought the house in 2005, and insists he was drawn to the wooded lot, and commented, “The fact that it was Jeffrey Dahmer’s house was not an attraction. I am not a ghoul. I am not interested in the supernatural.”

    Here is the trailer for the 2002 Dahmer biopic aptly entitled Dahmer, featuring The Avengers star Jeremy Renner:

    Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, a.k.a the Milwaukee Cannibal, committed the rape, murder and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Many of his later killings also involving necrophilia, cannibalism and the permanent preservation of body parts. Upon his capture in 1991, Dahmer was diagnosed with having borderline personality disorder and was deemed fit for trial. He was sentenced to fifteen life terms, and was beaten to death by a fellow inmate at Columbia Correctional Institution in Wisconsin in 1994.

    Lubinski has been getting calls daily about the former Dahmer property, and reminds potential buyers that the “house never killed anyone.” Lubinski revealed that about half of the callers don’t care about the home’s history, and the other half are immediately not interested. The realtor added that the property isn’t open for tours. “This is not a museum,” he said.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Grand Canyon Hybrid Bison On a Tear

    Grand Canyon Hybrid Bison On a Tear

    Over 350 hybrid bison have been on a rampage in the northern region of Grand Canyon National Park, and the herd has been tearing up vegetation, impinging on the native habitat of the endangered Mexican spotted owl, knocking down Native American cliff dwellings and befouling the water supply by using it as a toilet.

    The animals were originally introduced to northern Arizona in the early 1900’s, and have made their way past the boundaries of the Grand Canyon. The state of Arizona legally owns the herd as it exists outside of the park, but the bison are now almost exclusively living within the borders of the national reserve. The wily bison were brought to the region to be crossbred with cows for ranching operations, to produce hybrids known as beefalo or cattalo.

    Beefalo are a fertile hybrid combination of domestic cattle and the American bison, created to combine the characteristics of both species for beef production. Beefalo are primarily cattle genetically, and typically maintain only 37.5% bison DNA. Animals that have gained more bison genes over generations are known as “bison hybrids.” These bison no longer resemble cattle, but still maintain roughly ten percent cattle DNA.

    Here are some more genetically-aligned beefalo/cattalo grazing:

    Creating beefalo has proven to be a serious setback to wild American bison conservation. Most current buffalo herds are genetically polluted or partly crossbred with cattle, and only four purebred American bison herds remain in the United States.

    Federal and state wildlife officials are weighing methods to control the herd residing in the park, where they are protected by law, allowing for a free-range population that can be taken by huntsman on nearby forested areas. On Wednesday it was announced that three meetings on the matter will be held in southern Utah and Arizona, along with a 60-day scoping period.

    Grand Canyon Superintendent Dave Uberuaga commented, “It’s the first step in a long process today. We’re just trying to get it out there and get it on everybody’s radar screens.”

    Bison can weigh more than a ton, and can run as fast as 40 mph. Uberuaga noted that present management methods which include baiting, hazing, fencing and relocating the bison and shooting them has proven ineffective in controlling the Grand Canyon population.

    Officials from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service expect to have a plan concerning the wayward herd to be issued by fall, 2016.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons