Suspect Held in Church Slaying of Kansas Abortion Doctor

Scott Roeder, 51, has been arrested in the murder of Dr. George Tiller, 67, one of the few remaining U.S. providers of late-term abortions despite decades of protests and attacks. Tiller (pictured) was shot and killed Sunday in Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita where he was serving as an usher. Furthermore, his wife was in the choir.

Whatever you may feel about abortion rights, or being pro-choice or pro-life, I would hope that you can see that murder, even when taken in the name of a pro-life cause, is wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right, to use an old saying, but you also know that taking a life via murder is a sin, period. Scott Roeder ignored this, obviously.

Scott Roeder was arrested 170 miles away in Kansas City three hours after the shooting, Wichita Deputy Police Chief Tom Stolz said. He added that it appeared that Roeder acted alone, authorities were still investigating whether he had any connection to anti-abortion groups.

Scott Roeder will likely be charged with two counts of aggravated assault in addition to murder. Stolz said the gunman threatened two people who tried to stop him.
President Barack Obama said he was "shocked and outraged" by the murder.

"However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."

Americans United for Life were equally outraged at Scott Roeder's act, and made the following statement:

"We condemn this lawless act of violence. The foundational right to life that our work is dedicated to extends to everyone. Whoever is responsible for this reprehensible violence must be brought to justice under the law."

Tiller's participation in late-term abortions brought him much cricitism, and there is / was even an online petition to have him arrested and charged. That site is currently down, and it came down just in the last 30 minutes. My guess is it had begun to be filled with hateful comments, perhaps applauding Tiller's death.

The last killing of an abortion doctor was in October 1998 when Dr. Barnett Slepian was fatally shot in his home in a suburb of Buffalo, N.Y. A abortion opponent, James Charles Kopp, was convicted of the murder.

Watch a video report on the reactions of some Wichita residents:

Man Calls 911 Because Orange Juice Missing from McDonald's Order

A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine. Remember those old Anita Bryant Florida orange juice commercials? OK, OK, I do, and perhaps this Oregon McDonald's patron did too, and felt a missing OJ from his order was enough reason to call 911.

The police didn't agree.

Osman told police at 11:41 PM that evening, calling 911 from his cell phone at the McDonald's at 19525 SW Tualatin Valley Highway in Aloha, OR:

"We went home, and our order wasn't in there. My little brother is crying for his orange juice and stuff. We came back with the receipt and everything."

That was one side of the story, of course. A restaurant employee called 911 to report that Osman and others accompanying him were blocking the drive-through lane, knocking on restaurant windows and intimidating employees.

Sgt. David Thompson, spokesman for the Washington County Sheriff's Office, stated:

"The deputy basically said, 'You can't use 9-1-1 for that reason' " It's not an emergency. (Osman) said he didn't know how to get the non-emergency number. The guy had a BlackBerry. He could have dialed 4-1-1 or got it off the Internet. There are pay phones all over the parking lot, with phonebooks hanging from them.

"He could have come up with the non-emergency number just like everyone else does."

Osman was booked Monday night on accusations of improper use of 911, a Class B misdemeanor punishable in Oregon by up to six months in jail and a fine of $2,500. He was released on bail Tuesday.

Poison Sno-Cones Sicken Zoo Patrons

Blue sno-cones are out at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, KS. Why? A mistake having to do with a cleaning solution that looked just as blue as the blue sno-cone solution, with the result being that several people were sickened (and not just blue in the face).

Four people became ill Thursday when a zoo employee poured a degreasing agent into the sno-cone machine instead of flavored syrup. The two bottles are the same size, shape and color. They were also accidentally placed next to each other.

A zoo spokeswoman said the employee didn’t read the labels. The zoo also apologized to families who got sick. Fortunately, none became seriously ill.

Watch a video report:

Liddy: Will Sotomayor's Judgment Be Clouded by Menstruation?

Conservative radio host G. Gordon Liddy, whose show is syndicated in 160 markets and on the Sirius Radio network, attacked President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor on Thursday, with one of the most ridiculous and offensive tirades in decades.

First, on the recording embedded below, he said (emphasis mine):

I understand that they found out today that Miss Sotomayor is a member of La Raza, which means in illegal alien, “the race.” And that should not surprise anyone because she’s already on record with a number of racist comments.

This follows an earlier statement by former GOP Rep. Tom Tancredo La Raza was "a Latino KKK without the hoods and the nooses." In reality, The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is " the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States and works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans."

The GOP is having a great deal of trouble with Latino voters; is the above a smart thing for a conservative to say? Go for it, turn off more people from your party. And, something sure to turn off women voters:

Let’s hope that the key conferences aren’t when she’s menstruating or something, or just before she’s going to menstruate. That would really be bad. Lord knows what we would get then.

Hey, Liddy, she's 54. Almost certainly she's memopausal. But besides that, what an offensive statement.

G. Gordon Liddy is perhaps best known for his role in the Nixon-era Watergate scandal. He spent four years in prison for the affair.

Listen to his "commentary," if you can call it that, below:

Stunning! Susan Boyle Finishes Second in Britain's Got Talent

I'm stunned, as are many. Susan Boyle lost Britain's Got Talent to the ten-person dance crew Diversity. I'm so stunned and upset that rather than saying "Diversity Wins," I would rather say "Susan Boyle Loses." Graciously, she said:

"Lads, I wish you all the best."

In her final performance on the show, Susan Boyle returned to the song that she used in her first performance, the one that skyrocketed her to the top of the YouTube popularity "chart" and was viewed tens of millions of times: "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables."

Wearing a sparkling, floor-length gown and performing with a confidence, polish, and animation, moreso than in prior performances, she seemed uncomfortable bantering with the judges after her song.

Susan Boyle acknowledged she had felt the pressure in the weeks building up to her final appearance. She even melted down earlier this week. Despite all this, oddsmakers had labeled her a 10 - 11 favorite coming into the finals.

Diversity, the winners, earned a 100,000 pound ($159,000) prize and the chance to perform before Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Show. Really, though, a hip-hop dance group?

However, Susan Boyle might be the real winner. Piers Morgan, one of the BGT judges, has previously said that fellow judge Simon Cowell's eyes turned into dollar signs after her first performance, and Morgan added she deserved a contract and a world tour, win or no.

Watch the final Susan Boyle BGT performance, and let's hope we see many more.

Mancow: My Waterboarding Was NOT a Hoax

For a conservative talk show host who would readily state (and has) that he wouldn't agree with much of Keith Olbermann's opinions (and vice versa), Erich "Mancow" Muller has been spending a lot of time on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann." He appeared again Friday to address rumors that the waterboarding he underwent to see whether the technique was constituted torture was a hoax. While he admitted it was a "stupid radio stunt," he said that the events in the demonstration were in fact real.

Let's use some common sense here: if Mancow, a conservative, was perpetrating a hoax, why would he call it torture? Calling it torture just fuels the arguments from the left, not the right-wing. Using common sense, therefore, there's no reason to believe he was lying and that, in fact, he felt the waterboarding was torture.

Remember also that Vanity Fair writer Christopher Hitchens tried the same "test" last year and concluded:

"Well, then, if waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture."

As Mancow said:

I'll tell you how sick this is. This is an awful analogy but it's all I can come up with. It's like saying that Mike Tyson's daughter didn't really hang herself because she wasn't in the gallows, she didn't ghave the official rope, it wasn't official. [...] There's dark forces behind this; I really believe this. Forget the truth. A lot of people, Democrat and Republican alike, have banked on this not being torture.

Watch Olbermann's commentary, as well as Mancow's response:

Paper Runs Ad Calling for Obama's Assassination

A Pennsylvania newspaper should be expecting a visit from the Secret Service soon. The Warren Pennsylvania Times-Observer published an ad on Thursday that called for the assassination of President Barack Obama.

It wasn't like the ad was a want ad for an assassin; rather, it was one of those small personal ads that you might see run in the classified section of a local paper, but rather than saying something like "Happy Birthday, So-and-So," the ad said "May Obama follow in the footsteps of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley & Kennedy!" All four of those presidents, of course, were assassinated in office.

The PT-O posted an apology:

"An errant classified 'personal' ad which appeared in Thursday's Times Observer has drawn the attention of law enforcement officials.

"A person from Warren placed the ad, which apparently alludes to the wish that President Obama meet an untimely end by linking him with four assassinated presidents. The ad representative didn't make the connection among the four other presidents mentioned and mistakenly allowed the ad to run.

"Upon realizing the mistake early Thursday morning, the ad was immediately discontinued and the identity of the person who placed the ad was turned over to Warren City Police as per newspaper policy. The local police department forwarded the information to federal authorities, as per department policy.

"The Times Observer apologizes for the oversight."

I can understand perhaps not making the connection, but I can't understand how anyone would think running this ad would not attract the attention of the Secret Service. The paper surely knows who the person who placed the ad is, and there will be a visit, that's for certain.

Queens Teacher Accused of Sex with 14-Year-Old

In our latest example of a teacher decided she wanted to rob the cradle more or less literally, Melissa Weber, 27, a middle school social studies teacher in Queens New York is accused of statutory rape, having sex on 7 different occasions with one of her 14-year-old students.

Melissa Weber (pictured, via Facebook) was a social studies teacher at Middle School/Intermediate School 8 in Queens, and had the affair from April 13th of this year to May 14th. According to prosecutors, most of the trysts took place from 3 PM and 6 PM.

The victim's mother was tipped off about the affair, and resourcefully (and showing she was definitely into technology), she obtained Melissa Weber's cell phone number, and compared it to the call log on her son's cell phone.

The mom found tons of calls between the two, as well as a text message from Melissa Weber that read, "erase your phone." Oops, someone didn't follow her instructions, I see.

Game Changer: Tennis Player to Have Breast Reduction Surgery

Feeling her game is being affected by her "assets," Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has decided to undergo breast reduction surgery in an attempt to improve her play.

The 17-year-old, endowed with 34DD breasts on a 5'5" frame, said the following:

"The breasts make me uncomfortable when I play. It's the weight that troubles me - my ability to react quickly."

Fans of her, or her assets, at least, have started an onlne petition to save her breasts. If you want to vote (not that it will do much), you can go here.

Watch a video of Simona Halep's gameplay below:

Pressure Mounts and Susan Boyle Melts Down

It's not the China Syndrome, but Susan Boyle, the favorite in this weekend's upcoming Britain's Got Talent finals, did experience a meltdown, with more than a few expletives flying after she was harassed by journalists at a London hotel.

According to a spokeswoman, who spoke on condition of anonymity as she represents all the contestants in the Britain's Got Talent show, Susan Boyle was left upset after being taunted by two reporters at the Wembley Plaza Hotel on Wednesday.

"Two journalists were harassing her and pushed her (Boyle) over the edge. She was left slightly distressed and the journalists were removed from the building by police."

While the AP didn't go into details on Susan Boyle's meltdown (and apparently had none), the tablod The Sun had no such issues.

It also should be noted that when Susan Boyle saw judge Piers Morgan praise twelve year old singer Shaheen Jafargholi's performance on TV, she went ballistic as well, according to reports.

She screamed "f*** off", flicked a V sign at the screen and stormed out of the hotel bar after watching judge Piers Morgan praise twelve year old singer Shaheen Jafargholi's performance.

Then when two journalists confronted the singer she was heard to shout "how f****** dare you! You can't f****** talk to me like that."

Piers Morgan said the pressure on Boyle was enormous:

"You could see the nerves almost crippling her on the semifinal show, and I just think it's time that everyone slightly backed off."

That's the only fear I have for her. You could see the nerves at the beginning of her semifinal performance. While it's easy for someone like me to tell her to calm down, she needs to. I belive Susan Boyle has it wrapped up if she can remain calm.

Even without a win, Morgan has previously said Boyle should get a contract, a world tour, and more.

Unreleased Iraq Prison Photos Show Rape, Sexual Abuse

The Daily Telegraph is reporting that the photographs of alleged prisoner abuse which President Barack Obama has so far censored include images of apparent rape and sexual abuse.

Interlude: it should be noted that regardless of any opinion I might have over this issue, it's 100% hypocritical if any in the GOP harangue Obama over it. You know as well as I do that under the Bush administration these photos would not have been revealed, either. End interlude.

Major General Antonio Taguba, the former army officer (ret. 2007) who in 2004 investigated and wrote a report on allegations of detainee abuse in U.S. prisons in Iraq said the following:

“These pictures show torture, abuse, rape and every indecency. I am not sure what purpose their release would serve other than a legal one and the consequence would be to imperil our troops, the only protectors of our foreign policy, when we most need them, and British troops who are trying to build security in Afghanistan.

“The mere description of these pictures is horrendous enough, take my word for it.”

Some examples of the abuse, according to the Telegraph, include:

• An American soldier apparently raping a female prisoner.
• A male translator apparently raping a male detainee.
• A female prisoner having her clothing forcibly removed to expose her breasts.

Other photos show prisoners abused with objects including a truncheon, wire and a phosphorescent tube.

In April, the Obama administration said the photographs would be released. However, following lobbying from senior military figures, the administration reversed the decision. It's likely that comments such as given above by Taguba were used during the lobbying process.

Earlier this month, President Barack Obama said:

“The most direct consequence of releasing them, I believe, would be to inflame anti-American public opinion and to put our troops in greater danger.

“I want to emphasise that these photos that were requested in this case are not particularly sensational, especially when compared to the painful images that we remember from Abu Ghraib.”

"Withdrawal" Nearly as Good as Condoms: Study

In terms of pregnancy, at least, a new study, published in the June edition of the journal Contraception, indicates that the old "withdrawal" method, pulling out just before ejaculation, works nearly as well as a condom.

Few men love the "raincoat" experience of a condom, but until this study, most would have laughed at the old "pulling out method." Of course, it should be remembered that condoms are the only relatively sure way to prevent transmission of STDs.

The researchers involved are thus targeting this study to those in monogamous relationships where STDs are not a risk.

The study (.PDF), titled "Better than nothing or savvy risk-reduction practice?" states the following in its opening paragraph:

If the male partner withdraws before ejaculation every time a couple has vaginal intercourse, about 4% of couples will become pregnant over the course of a year. However, more realistic estimates of typical use indicate that about 18% of couples will become pregnant in a year using withdrawal. These rates are only slightly less effective than male condoms, which have perfect- and typical-use failure rates of 2% and 17%, respectively.

So, in a perfect world, you would get 2% (condom) or 4% (coitus interruptus) failure rate, but of course, no one is perfect.

Rachel Jones, head researcher of the study, noted that the frequently cited factoid that pre-ejactulate carries motile sperm has been contradicted by two studies cited by the National Institutes of Health.

"In two small studies there is no sperm in the fluid. If the guy has had sex in the last couple of hours is the only way it gets in pre-cum. But if you go to the bathroom, it flushes the sperm out."

The study obviously brought out a number of critics, as noted by ABC News.

Dr. Judy Kuriansky from Columbia University's Teachers College said:

"Teens will misuse the data and boys will use it as an excuse not to wear condoms. It is also not good for monogamous couples, especially those who are religious and against abortion, who may have more unplanned pregnancies."

Taken aback somewhat by her critics, Jones fired back with a letter:

"I've grown used to promoters of abstinence only-until-marriage programs dismissing the effectiveness of contraception. However, I'm surprised to see such disparagement of withdrawal among a crowd that is presumably younger, more diverse and open-minded.

"Perhaps because most of us have been told for so long that withdrawal doesn't work, we are unable to embrace scientific evidence that counters what we 'know.'"

Mancow: Waterboarding Gave Me Chest Pains

MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann had conservative radio host Eric “Mancow” Muller on his show Tuesday, and questioned him about his experience with waterboarding, which Mancow readily admitted (after the experience) was torture.

First off, Mancow also noted that his friend Sean Hannity had called him, saying "it’s still not torture." Mancow told Olbermann that he told Hannity "You’re a friend of mine, but it is still torture."

Here's part of the exchange between the two:

Olbermann: “The scenario that everyone approves on this there is a bomb somewhere it is going off in 15 minutes. You waterboard the guy, can you, having gone through this trust you get the right answer?"

Mancow: “Keith, the honest answer is I don’t know. If had information I’m sure I would have given it up. I would have said anything to make it stop.”

"Look, you said something incorrectly and I think everyone has. They compare it to drowning. I drowned as a kid and had to be revived. This is worse. This isn’t gulping for air. This is ... your brain is shut off. This is water at the back of your skull, a gallon of water poured down my nose; I had a Marine do it. And I mean, it was good night Irene, game over ... I thought I could go 30 seconds. Big deal they sprinkle water ... it is a big deal and it's torture.” [...]

“I was willing to prove and ready to prove that this was a joke and I was wrong. It was horrific. It was instantaneous and look I felt the effects for two days. I had chest pains. I told my wife, look I have two little kids– we prayed. I said 'Dear God help me.' I had chest pains I was so stressed out by this.”

Watch the video of the full exchange between Olbermann and Mancow below, via RawReplay, as broadcast on Countdown with Keith Olbermann May 26th, 2009.

Mike Tyson's Four-Year-Old Daughter Dies After Accident

Exodus Tyson, the 4-year-old daughter of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson died Tuesday, a day after an incident which resulted in her accidentally hanging herself.

Exodus Tyson had been taken to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in central Phoenix. Phoenix police spokesman Andy Hill said she was pronounced dead just before noon.

Hill described the accident yesterday as follows:

“Somehow she was playing on this treadmill, and there’s a cord that hangs under the console — it’s kind of a loop. Either she slipped or put her head in the loop, but it acted like a noose, and she was obviously unable to get herself off of it.”

In a statement released early this morning, the Tyson family said:

"There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Exodus. We ask you now to please respect our need at this very difficult time for privacy to grieve and try to help each other heal."

Watch a video report:

OSHA Cites Wal-Mart in Trampling Death

U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it was citing Wal-Mart for inadequate crowd management following the Nov. 28, 2008 (Black Friday), death of Jdimytai Damour (pictured).

However, the amount of any such fine, which would be the maximum allowed, would only be $7,000. Yes, Wal-Mart probably earns that much in less than a second, so we can see that will really hurt the company.

The incident happened in Valley Stream, NY, but earlier this month Wal-Mart and prosecutors inked a deal that requires the retailer to pay nearly $2 million and improve safety at its 92 New York stores, in exchange for avoiding criminal charges.

Wal-Mart has 15 days to respond to the allegations. They could choose to fight it, and they might. Why? Despite the miniscule amount of the fine, such a "verdict" by OSHA can only help in the lawsuit filed by Damour's family.

Couple Arrested for Throwing Rocks Off Bridge Onto Cars, Stripping Game

Washington state troopers arrested two people early Monday for throwing rocks off a railroad trestle onto cars driving south on Interstate 5. Moreover, it was part of a stripping game, apparently.

No, I don't mean stripping paint off the bridge. I mean stripping in the way you might think. The couple, a 23-year-old man and 18-year-old woman, were spotted by a state patrol pilot looking for speeders and drunk drivers. With the aid of an infra-red camera, he saw the heat of their bodies on an overpass in Lakewood, WA. They appeared to be dropping rocks on cars passing beneath the overpass.

As far as the stripping goes, when troopers arrested the pair, they found the woman partially nude. The two face felony charges for malicious mischief and second-degree assault for hitting as many as 14 vehicles with rocks.

The stripping didn't really have anything to do with the rock dropping, but rather clothes were removed depending upon if a car had a left- or right-headlight out.

Watch a video report:

O.J. Simpson Appeals Robbery, Kidnapping Convictions to Nevada Supreme Court

In what can only be termed "expected," O.J. Simpson has filed an appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court in the convictions he received last year involving armed robbery and kidnapping.

The filing by O.J. Simpson, a former college and pro football star and actor asks the court to throw out his conviction on grounds that include judicial misconduct, insufficient evidence, a lack of racial diversity on the jury and errors in sentencing and jury instructions.

In terms of the jury, I would have thought that Simpson's lawyers should have sought for a more balanced racial mix during jury selection, if they felt that was going to be an issue.

The Las Vegas trial stemmed from what Simpson said was an attempt to recover memorabilia previously stolen from Simpson from a pair of sports collectibles dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room.

O.J. Simpson and co-defendant Clarence Stewart were convicted last October, and sentenced last December. Simpson received nine to 33 years in state prison, and is housed at a prison in Lovelock, about 90 miles east of Reno.

Simpson was acquitted in 1995 in the murderes of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, but was later held liable for the deaths in a civil court case.

Calif. Supreme Court Upholds Proposition 8

On Tuesday, California's Supreme Court upheld the controversial anti-gay marriage Proposition 8, which was passed last year using California's initiative process. At the same time, the justices confirmed that the 18,000-plus same-sex marriages that took place before the Proposition was approved by voters will stand. The vote was 6-1.

Many of the arguments against the Proposition were that there are certain inalienable rights for people, and that California's complex initiative process should not be allowed to take away such rights, particularly when only 52% of eligible voters, and only 52% of of those voted in favor of the proposition.

However, as legal analysts indicated on local radio stations just after the decision was announced at 10AM PDT, while allowing those marriages that took place prior to the election to stand is only just, this now creates two classes of gay couples: those who were "fast enough" to get married before Proposition 8 was enacted, and those who were not. It also suggests that gay marriage is OK for those who were quick, and not for those who were not.

So, at the same time that allowing the 18,000 same-sex marriages performed to stand is a just ruling, it also creates inequality, according to the analysts, and opens the door for federal appeals.

As such, there are two possibilities: a move to federal court, which is likely, and a further inititiave which would repeal Proposition 8. If another proposition is used to repeal Proposition 8, this would possibly result in a ping-pong effect, as you could definitely see another "Proposition 8" being used later to re-enact Proposition 8.

Additionally, the ruling, as read by an analyst on SF Bay Area local radio station KQED-FM, reaffirms that sexual orientation will continue to receive the strongest constitutional protection possible. The ruling seems to state that only the word "marriage" is banned, but that all other rights given to married couples will hold as well for domestic partnerships.

The California Supreme Court is the only state supreme court in the nation to have raised sexual orientation to the status of race and gender in weighing discrimination claims.

Update: Calif. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has issued a statement saying he will abide by the Calif. Supreme Court's ruling, but adding that he favors same-sex marriage and that it will be legalized someday through an initiative or the courts.

Spokesman Aaron McLear said:

"He voted no on Prop. 8. He supports the idea of giving same-sex couples the right to marry. I think he was hoping it would go the other way."

Watch a video report:

Confirmed: Mel Gibson's Girlfriend is Pregnant

One of the theories behind the divorce filing by Robyn Gibson after 28 years of marriage to Mel was that his girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, 39, was pregnant. While a source close to Mel Gibson, 53, claims this is false, the pregnancy is true.

According to People Magazine, it heard this directly from the actor's rep.

“He couldn’t be happier. He loves being a father."

The source added:

"This has nothing to do with the divorce. Mel didn’t even know Oksana was pregnant when they filed.”

Additionally, Mel Gibson appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Monday night, saying:

"This is true. We're gonna have a child."

When asked about the number of children he has, Gibson responded, "Well, actually eight. I guess I'm Octo-Mel."

Mike Tyson's Daughter in Critical Condition After Treadmill Accident

Mike Tyson's 4-year-old daughter Exodus has been hospitalized in critical condition after a treadmill accident. Exodus Tyson was apparently playing near some exercise equipment when she accidentally became tangled in a cord or rope hanging from the treadmill.

Mike Tyson was not in Phoenix, where he lives, at the time, but rushed back upon hearing of the incident. Sgt. Andy Hill called it a tragic accident, saying:

“Somehow she was playing on this treadmill, and there’s a cord that hangs under the console — it’s kind of a loop. Either she slipped or put her head in the loop, but it acted like a noose, and she was obviously unable to get herself off of it.”

42West, a New York City public relations firm representing him, released a statement on the family’s behalf.

“The Tyson family would like to extend our deepest and most heartfelt thanks for all your prayers and support, and we ask that we be allowed our privacy at this difficult time."

Exodus Tyson was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in central Phoenix.

Watch a video report:

Boy, Mother on the Run from Cancer Treatments Return Voluntarily

Daniel Hauser and his mother Colleen, who have been on the run to avoid court-ordered chemotherapy for him, returned voluntarily Monday to Minnesota.

An arrest warrant had been issued for Colleen Hauser, but because she returned voluntarily, the warrant was lifted. Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg had previously ruled, prior to the pair's fleeing the state, that Daniel Hauser’s parents were medically neglecting him and ordered chemotherapy to begin.

Daniel Hauser has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and was diagnosed in January. Hodgkin's lymphoma is considered highly curable with chemotherapy and radiation, but the boy quit chemo after a single treatment. The family are Roman Catholic, but also believe in the practices of the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods.

Hodgkin's lymphoma has a 90% cure rate in children if treated with chemotherapy and radiation, but doctors say Daniel has a 5% chance of survival without said treatments.

Dr. Bruce Bostrom, the pediatric oncologist at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota who diagnosed Daniel's cancer in January, said:

"I'm delighted. I've been so worried that he was going to die in Mexico. I've been praying for his safe return, so I think my prayers will be answered."

Watch a video report:

Brazilian Prison Inmates Atttempt to Use Toy Chopper to Ferry in Cell Phones

Seeing as how their prior attempt to smuggle cell phones into a Brazilian prison using carrier pigeons failed, Brazilian prisoners turned to technology-based aviation: a remote-controlled helicopter.

On Monday, police announced that they had captured four people attempting to use a 3 foot long remote-controlled helicopter to ferry cell phones to inmates in the Presidente Venceslau penitentiary in Sao Paulo state. The chopper carried a basket-like container with nine cell phones wrapped in a disposable diaper.

Police Sgt. Ricardo Jock told the Globo TV network:

"The cell phones were obviously for jailed gang leaders who would use them to coordinate bank robberies and kidnappings and set up drug deals."

Inmates in Brazilian prisons frequently use cell phones, if they can get them smuggled into the prison, to continue to run their empires remotely.

Bee Swarm Traps Workers in Store

Colony collapse disorder (or CCD) is a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear. One might think the employees of this video game store in New York City were wishing CCD would happen outside their store.

It was a GameStop store in New York City near Union Square. Workers were trapped inside when honeybees decided to swarm outside the store. Such a swarm isn't an uncommon event, but happening outside a store in a metropolis like New York City is rare.

A sign in the store's window warned: "Look! ... closed due to bee infestation."

Despite that, Edward Albers, a passerby, tried to help. Amazingly, dressed in regular street clothes, he managed to lure many of the bees into a box without getting stung. Eventually, police bee specialist Tony Planakis arrived in protective gear and collected the rest of them.

The store has reopened, while the bees are being taken to hives in upstate New York.

Watch a video report:

"How to Kill Classmate" Video Posted to YouTube by 11-, 12-Year Olds

What kind of sociopaths are being raised in this country? A group of 11- and 12-year old girls posted a video to YouTube (since removed) titled "Top Six Ways to Kill Piper."

They include such time-honored ways as shooting her, making her commit suicide, and pushing her off a cliff. Beth Smith, mother of Piper, told KING5-TV the cartoon was set to a Hannah Montana song called "True Friend" and posted on YouTube.

Now, some could call this just a joke, but really, it goes to show just how far kids will go in their cruelty to those they don't like in school. With the Internet, the teasing that would once be localized to a school can now go global.

Piper attends Elk Plain School of Choice in Spanaway, WA, as do the girls who made the video.

Worse, while some of the parents were shocked, others dismissed it. Smith said one man blew it off and "said he was making dinner."

The School District says it can't say how the girls were disciplined. But district spokeswoman Krista Carlson told the local TV station that the students involved "have expressed their remorse about this incident."

Watch a video report below:

Susan Boyle Wows 'Em Again; Makes the "Britain's Got Talent" Finals

Susan Boyle, performed the song "Memory" from the musical "Cats" on the Sunday semi-finals of "Britain's Got Talent." It was obvious from the very start that she was a bit nervous, as her voice quavered at the very start, but soon thereafter, she got into it, and her glorious voice rang true.

Several things were obvious:

• The crowd was very much behind Susan Boyle from the start
• The crowd was even more behind her at the end
• The judges once again loved her performance, giving her a standing ovation at its conclusion.

For those who do not know, Susan Boyle's initial appearance on Britain's Got Talent began with hoots, as she is obviously somewhat frumpy in appearance. But her performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables" brought down the house, and drew apologies from the judges, although Simon Cowell snarkily said she knew she was great from the start.

Fellow judge Piers Morgan appeared on "Larry King" with Susan Boyle, apologizing again, and asking for her a date, as well as saying that Cowell's eyes have turned to dollar signs since her appearance, and that no matter what, she should be guaranteed a contract.

It's good to see, that despite the fact that Susan Boyle was dressed slightly better during the BGT semis, she still looked pretty much the same, an ordinary woman who has become famous worldwide, via YouTube and more.

There were 40 acts overall in the semis, with 8 in each group. Surprising no one, Susan won her group and will be appearing in the finals next weekend.

Here's what the judges had to say:

Piers Morgan: "Susan I thought you looked absolutely beautiful tonight. When the world was going through a pretty tough time along came Susan Boyle to provide it. Thank you Susan."

Amanda Holden: "I'm so proud that you represented Britain so well."

Simon Cowell: (even he had no criticism) "You are one special lady, you really are."

Go Susan! Watch the video of her semis performance below:

Did Carrie Prejean's Mother Have a Lesbian Affair?

Carrie Prejean, Miss California, who has declared herself to be against same-sex marriage, is back in the news, with a woman claiming to have had a lesbian relationship with her mother.

Carrie Prejean made big news when she answered a question about gay marriage by Miss USA judge (and openly gay) Perez Hilton in a way that would obviously gain a nay vote from him (i.e., in the negative). After coming in second in the pageant, a placing that normally vanishes from the public eye, Prejean seemed to capitalize on the controversy, appearing at anti-gay-marriage events, breaking her contract by doing so, as she is required contractually to appear only at events approved by the Miss California organization.

She also failed to appear at some events she was obligated to appear at, and additionally, had semi-nude photos of her appear, after signing documents stating she never had any such photos done.

Despite this, Donald Trump, who owns the Miss USA pageant, decided to keep her on as Miss California, perhaps reveling in the publicity for the Miss USA pageant, which has been losing luster of late.

Carrie Prejean also attracted (ahem) more attention when it was revealed that she had breast implants which were paid for by the Miss California organization.

To top things off, this week, Valerie Vetrano, an openly gay sales rep from Corona, Calif., claims she had a lesbian relationship with Prejean's mom, Francine Coppola.

"I did date her. I'm not going to deny it, but I'm not going to say anything else."

It's all good, though. Obviously, the two never intended to get married.

Susan Boyle Makes the "Britain's Got Talent" Semis

Susan Boyle, the singing sensation from the U.K. who lit up "Britain's Got Talent" with her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" after being hooted and ridiculed when she appeared on stage, has advanced to the semifinals of that talent show.

Since that performance, Susan Boyle has become a worldwide sensation, with YouTube versions of her performance being viewed over 100 million times, and with many around the world naming her the favorite, as well as clamoring for her to get a contract, winner of the show or not.

Susan Boyle was one of 40 acts selected by judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden to continue in the competition. She will kick off the first of five semifinals on Sunday, competing against seven other acts. Two acts from the five semifinals will advance on Sunday, with three more on Monday, after voting by judges and viewers.

Remember though, this isn't American Idol; it's not just about singing. One of the acts to also reach the semifinals, for example, is Merlin Cadogan, an "escapologist." Sorry, I just don't see him as being in the same league.

And frankly, if Susan Boyle isn't in the finals, you might see a riot. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. GMT, which translates into 12:30 p.m. PDT.

Watch her original performance.

Waterboarded, Mancow Admits It is Torture

Chicago radio host and conservative Erich "Mancow" Muller decided he'd get himself waterboarded to prove the technique wasn't torture. It didn't quite work out the way he expected.

WLS listeners voted on which of two radio hosts, Mancow or his co-host Pat Cassidy, would undergo the interrogation method during their Friday broadcast. The voters ultimately decided Mancow.

Marine Sergeant Clay South said:

"The average person can take this for 14 seconds. He's going to wiggle, he's going to scream, he's going to wish he never did this."

South was right about that. Mancow was placed on a 7-foot long table, legs elevated, with his feet were tied up.

Mancow only lasted 6 or 7 seconds, well below "average." Witnesses said he thrashed on the table, just as South said he would, and even threw the toy cow (Mancow, get it?) he was holding as his emergency signal to indicate when he wanted the experiment to stop.

Mancow said:

"It is way worse than I thought it would be, and that's no joke. It is such an odd feeling to have water poured down your nose with your head back ... It was instantaneous ... and I don't want to say this: absolutely torture.

"I wanted to prove it wasn't torture. They cut off our heads, we put water on their face ... I got voted to do this but I really thought 'I'm going to laugh this off.'"

As I've said before, those who don't believe waterboarding is torture, or who are unsure, only need to have it done to themselves to know the truth.

Jesse Ventura has been trained to resist torture during his Navy Seal days, and he knows waterboarding is torture.

Remember also that Vanity Fair writer Christopher Hitchens tried the same "test" last year and concluded:

"Well, then, if waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture."

Watch Mancow's waterboarding:

Watch his comments:

Melissa Huckaby Faces New Poisoning Charges

Melissa Huckaby, already charged with murder including special circumstances in the Sandra Cantu case, and suspected of a second incident with another girl, now has new charges of attempted poisoning to worry about.

In a new complaint filed Thursday, prosecutors say Melissa Huckaby gave the girl noted in the second incident above what they termed "a harmful substance" in January. Further, there is another report of Huckaby similarly poisoning an adult man in March.

The young girl has been confirmed to have recovered from the incident, but the man's whereabouts are unknown.

Melissa Huckaby was scheduled to appear in San Joaquin County Superior Court on Friday for further arraignment on the previous charges that she kidnapped, raped and murdered 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

La Palma police Capt. Jim Enright has also previously said that Melissa Huckaby, 28, was considered a "person of interest" in two fires set at a home where she rented a room in 2007.

Woman Has Sex with Underage Boys to Keep Them Away from Her Daughter

This is an interesting attempt at a legal defense. A 30-year-old Northern California woman, Deborah Towe, faces 11 felony counts including unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, oral copulation of a person under the age of 16, committing lewd acts upon a child and arranging a meeting with a minor for a lewd purpose. But it was all for her daughter!

The events happened in Anderson, California, about 150 miles north of Sacramento. A 48-page Anderson police report released outlines the dirty details. The report said that Towe stated she never meant to hurt anyone. I have to admit, that for the 15- and 16-year-old boys she had sex with, this might not be considered as harm (by them), but certainly it's not legal.

Towe also admitted that she enjoyed the attention she received from the boys, stating:

"I did, I felt young, I missed all those years."

She also said she set targeted the young the boys to keep them from approaching her daughter. Yeah, right.

Apparently many of these trysts occurred at Wal-Mart in Anderson, Anderson Heights Elementary School, and Towe's home. In addition, at least one of the boys indicated they drank alcohol together.

Towe remains jailed at Shasta County jail with bail set at $250,000.

Twenty Percent Fail the National Drivers Test

GMAC Insurance has produced its 5th annual National Drivers Test. Based on the results (and you can still take the test at nationaldriverstest.com), more than 20% of Americans can't pass a written drivers test.

According to GMAC's National Drivers Test, the most knowledgeable drivers live in Wisconsin and Idaho; in both states 80.6% passed, while New York finished last with a score of 70.5%.

Overall, the test found just 76.6% of drivers know basic road rules, compared with 78.1% last year.

The National Drivers Test survey polled 5,183 licensed Americans from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It is designed to gauge driver knowledge by administering 20 actual questions taken from state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) exams. Of course, laws vary from state so you might wonder how this could be fair.

I took the test myself, and found that the questions in the National Drivers Test were pretty much common sense, and things that would be identical across the country. Try it yourself at nationaldriverstest.com.

That said, with only 20 questions and a high failure rate, it doesn't make me all warm and fuzzy about drivers in the U.S.

Wade Bontrager, senior vice president, Affinity Division, GMAC Insurance said:

“When we began this campaign five years ago, we embarked on a mission to help drivers become more aware of the rules of the road. We’ve seen the results ebb and flow, and this year, scores are down. This reiterates the fact that each and every one of us need to continually be brushing up on safe driving practices.”

American Airlines Pilot Fails Breathalyzer Test

My wife is already terrified of flying, and this sort of thing ain't gonna encourage her. American Airlines confirms that one of their pilots was arrested after failing a breathalyzer test at Heathrow Airport Wednesday, He had been scheduled to fly a flight from Heathrow to Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

The airline declined to name the pilot, and in fact said in a statement that they would not be releasing such details, ever. The flight was delayed while a replacement was found and the plane eventually took off. The flight was to carry 204 passengers.

The pilot was given the test Wednesday after airport security staff alerted police.

In a statement, American Airlines said the following:

"An American Airlines pilot was arrested at London Heathrow airport yesterday (Wednesday, 20 May) having failed a breathalyser test. Police had been called by airport staff working at the security control post.

The male pilot was due to operate flight AA87; the 10.15 London - Chicago scheduled service. The pilot was replaced and following a delay, the flight departed at 11.30am. No other operations were affected by the incident.

"American Airlines’ primary concern is for the safety and comfort of our passengers and crews. The company has strict policies on alcohol and substance abuse and holds its employees to the highest standards. Employees at all levels of the company are not allowed to be on duty whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol and regular screening is carried out. Support is available for those employees who seek help for problems with substance abuse.

"American will not be releasing any personal details of the pilot involved."

Thanks for being so open, American. All right, all right, I realize there are privacy issues involved, but heck, I would never want to fly on a plane with that pilot, even after detoxification.

Jesse Ventura Takes on Fox & Friends Over Torture

Continuing his worldwide anti-torture tour, Jesse Ventura, former Navy Seal and former governor of Minnesota appeared on Fox & Friends on Tuesday. He can speak to the fact that waterboarding is in fact torture, and did so.

Ventura: I have been waterboarded. It is torture. I can speak from experience. It was part of SERE training that I went through as a Navy SEAL.

Kilmeade: And are you OK now?

Ventura: I'm fine.

Kilmeade: So is Khalid Sheik Mohammed. He's about 60 pounds overweight, having a great time --

Ventura: It doesn't matter. If it was OK, then why don't we do it to criminals? Like, if we've got gang members in L.A., OK? We know that their gangs are gonna do bad things. When we arrest them, why don't we waterboard them so we can get information out of them? Because it's against the law.

Kilmeade: Do you want us not to be safe from attack?

Ventura: Don't come after me with that nonsense.

[...] Discussion about the accuracy of intel obtained through torture.

Ventura: OK, why didn't we waterboard McVeigh and Nichols, then? There were more people that they thought involved at Oklahoma City. Why weren't they waterboarded to get more information? Because it's against the law.

Wait -- and if we're not going to be a country that goes by the rule of law when it's convenient or not convenient, then what do we stand for?

[...]

Ventura: OK, why didn't we waterboard McVeigh and Nichols, then? There were more people that they thought involved at Oklahoma City. Why weren't they waterboarded to get more information? Because it's against the law.

Wait -- and if we're not going to be a country that goes by the rule of law when it's convenient or not convenient, then what do we stand for?

Kilmeade: But what about the difference -- you bring up Timothy McVeigh and maybe gang members, and maybe those threats weren't as imminent as the threats --

Ventura: I don't think these threats are imminent.

Kilmeade: You didn't think after 9/11, that America felt threats were imminent, that more could be coming?

Ventura: Maybe. But I think our behavior has caused us to be in more trouble. Now they won't release these photos. Why? Because they know the Muslim world will go irate. They're all after Nancy Pelosi -- when did she know? When dah dah dah -- Well, if we hadn't of tortured, it would be a dead issue, wouldn't it?

Let's go to the real issue: It's called torture.

Watch the video from Tuesday's Fox & Friends:

Five Alabama Policemen Fired Over Beating Video

Five policemen from Birmingham, AL were fired Tuesday on charges they used excessive force on a man after a pursuit. A video which details the police beating actually emerged, but not until a year had passed, leading some to question whether or not a cover-up occurred. The policemen have already appealed the decision to the Jefferson County Personnel Board.

The video (below), shows the incident in detail, from Jan. 23, 2008, in which police pursued Anthony Warren, 38, who was trying to run for it in a van. The van overturned on a ramp, ejecting Warren, who lay motionless as officers beat him with fists, feet and a billy club.

Apparently during the pursuit, an officer was injured, and this may be the reason for the violent attack. However, while prosecutors had a tape of the incident, their tape did not contain the beating. Only during Warren's trial, when prosecutors could not play their copy for technical reasons and asked for the original did the Birmingham police beating become public.

Warren didn't even know he had been beaten. He thought his injuries were all from the wreck.

Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper said:

"My first reaction was shock, which went into outrage which went into anger."

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford said:

"Exemplary police work was done up until that last 11-seconds and that last 11 seconds will not be tolerated."

Since the tape was obviously edited, removing the beating by Birmingham police, prior to giving it to prosecutors, the investigation continues, and more may lose their jobs.

Watch the dash-cam video below:

Arrest Warrant Issued for Mother, Son on Run from Court-Ordered Chemotherapy

An arrest warrant has been issued for the mother of a 13-year-old boy with cancer whose family has refused him chemotherapy. Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg had ruled last week that Daniel Hauser’s parents were medically neglecting him and ordered chemotherapy to begin.

Daniel Hauser has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and was diagnosed in January. Hodgkin's lymphoma is considered highly curable with chemotherapy and radiation, but the boy quit chemo after a single treatment. The family are Roman Catholic, but also believe in the practices of the Nemenhah Band, a Missouri-based religious group that believes in natural healing methods.

Judge John Rodenberg said Daniel, who has a learning disability and cannot read, did not understand the risks and benefits of chemotherapy and didn’t believe he was ill.

According to the father, Anthony Hauser, Colleen Hauser and her son, Daniel, who has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, left their southern Minnesota home sometime after a doctor’s appointment and court-ordered X-ray on Monday showed his tumor had grown. He was unaware of exactly where she had gone with their son, but had ideas that he communicated to authorities.

Anthony Hauser is not a fan of chemotherapy, but he does believe it should be used if necessary. He added the following, however:

“I don’t know why they started this situation in the first place. Why does someone believe they have the right over your child?”

However, Minnesota statutes require parents to provide necessary medical care for a child, and state that alternative and complementary health care methods aren’t enough.

Another "Slumdog Millionaire" Star's Home Torn Down

Rubina Ali, who played young Latika in the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire," and who was reportedly offered "for sale" by her father (though it was later denied), has joined Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, the 10-year-old who played the character Jamal Malik as a child, in having her house demolished.

Munni Qureshi, the stepmother of Rubina Ali, added that her husband was beaten by police who were supervising the demolition. She said he was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Much as Ismail did early, Ali is concerned about her immediate future.

"I'm feeling bad. My house had been demolished. I'm thinking about where to sleep."

Despite their "stardom," both Ismail and Ali live in India's slums, which are subject to being demolished prior to India's monsoon season.

"Slumdog" filmmakers say they've worked to help the two young stars. They have indicated they have set up a trust fund for the children get. They have also donated $747,500 to a charity to help children living in slums in Mumbai.

Mexican Resorts Offer "Flu-Free Guarantee"

While some of the fear may be unfounded, it's undeniable that swine flu has hit the Mexican tourist industry hard. As such, a group of resorts have come up with a gimmick to try to reassure people: a flu-free guarantee.

The idea is simple: guests who catch the H1N1 virus in Mexico (and you have to have the blood test to prove it) can get their next three vacations for free. That's a good deal if you don't die of the flu.

After all, rates are down because of the flu anyway, so you would already get a good deal.

The participating properties are Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets and Dreams Resorts & Spas, Azul Hotels by Karisma, El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels by Karisma, and Real Resorts, located in Cancun, Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen.

Hey, I've been to Cancun, and it's a worthwhile trip. And remembering the pharmacies there, you could probably score some Tamiflu (which may or may not be legit), too.

The three return stays (one per year) are valid for the original traveler plus one companion; blackout dates and other restrictions apply.

Pregnant at 66, For Better or Worse

She's no Octomom, but her pregnancy is bound to raise eyebrows, as well as debate. Elizabeth Adeney, a 66-year-old woman from Suffolk, England, is eight-months pregnant. Yes, pregnant at 66, and loving it.

Much like Nadya Suleman, Elizabeth Adeney used in-vitro fertilization, and to become pregnant at 66. At her age, she is four years older than the previous U.K. record holder. That said, she's four years younger than the world record holder, 70-year-old Omkari Panwar, who gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, in India via emergency C-section in 2008.

According to the Mail Online, she is a well-to-do divorcee who has been desperate to conceive for years. To be pregnant at 66 as she is now, she traveled to the Ukraine to reach a controversial IVF clinic which has helped a number of women get pregnant using donor eggs and sperm.

Interestingly, a spokesman for the Church of England said:

"A child is a gift not a right. For those who have never received that gift we can well understand their desire to have children but it is always important to think in those circumstances about what is really in the child's best interests."

Still more interesting is the reply by the doctor who performed IVF treatments on Patricia Rashbrook, a woman who gave birth at the age of 62 in Britain. Professor Severino Antinori feels that Adeney being pregnant at 66 is a mistake.

"The maximum age for a woman to have a child should be 63, because the average lifespan is 83 years of age and the child needs a mum for the first 18 to 20 years. The risks for a mum for giving birth at the age of 66 are very high. They include possible hypertension and even the risk of coma. Rashbrook was good medical science; we did 150 analyses in her case and we found she had a biological age of 45 even though her real age was, of course, much older."

Readers, what do you think? Pregnant at 66, good idea, or bad?

Biden's Bunker Boo-Boo

Remember way back to the days just following 9/11, when then-VP Dick Cheney was said to be holed up in an undisclosed location? Joe Biden, current VP and never one to be said to be tight-lipped, apparently, according to Newsweek, has revealed just where the then-Cheney, now-Biden, bunker really is.

Joe Biden apparently related a story about how he was shown the room / bunker by a young naval officer when Biden filled in for President Barack Obama at the Gridiron Club earlier this year.

In all seriousness, it's not really that much of the surprise, as the Biden bunker is at the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, home to Biden and previously home to Cheney. It's secured behind a massive steel door and is filled with communications equipment.

In fact, in December 2002, neighbors of the Naval Observatory complained of loud construction work being done at the site. Residents said they believed workers were digging deep into the ground, which would support Biden's report of a secret bunker.

However, all the neighbors were told at the time is that the work was "sensitive in nature" and "classified" and that it was urgent it be completed "on a highly accelerated schedule."

Of course, that was quite some time after 9/11, so the question is: is this in fact where Cheney holed up after 9/11? It wouldn't seem to be the case, but it sure is the case that Biden blew the current bunker secret.

Under Rumsfeld, Pentagon Issued Top-Secret Briefs With Biblical Cover Sheets

GQ, more than just a magazine that has seemingly ready access to Jennifer Aniston for cover shoots, has an article on Donald Rumsfeld’s tenure as Defense Secretary, which includes what GQ says are "never-before-seen" cover sheets from top-secret intelligence briefings produced by the Pentagon, all featuring Biblical quotes over military images.

According to GQ, these cover sheets were "the brainchild" of Major General Glen Shaffer, a director for intelligence serving both the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the secretary of defense. However, the briefs were often delivered by Rumsfeld himself to the White House.

Despite fear over fallout (GQ noted that Pentagon staffer would later said it “would be as bad as Abu Ghraib”), the practice continued because higher-ups "appreciated the cover pages."

One example is shown above, and some examples are:

• Saddam Hussein striking a dictatorial pose: “It is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.”
  

• An image of tanks entering an Iraqi city: “Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, The nation that keeps faith.”
  

• An image of a tank at sunrise: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
  

• An image of a soldier in Baghdad: “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

There's a full slideshow of images at the GQ article linked above.

Norma McCorvey, Roe of "Roe v. Wade" Arrested at Notre Dame Protest

The woman who was "Roe" in Roe v. Wade was arrested today at Notre Dame while protesting President Obama's commencement address. Norma McCorvey, 62, the plaintiff in the 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion has since converted to Catholicism (in 1998) and is now pro-life.

Nearly 40 people, including Norma McCorvey, were arrested Sunday as they tried to enter the University of Notre Dame to protest President Barack Obama's appearance at commencement, police said.

Norma McCorvey even wrote a book, "Won by Love," which showed how the woman who once said that she "lived and breathed" for abortion would change to 100% pro-choice.

While Obama entered to a standing ovation and thunderous applause, one protester yelled, "Stop killing our children." To this, the graduates responded by chanting "Yes we can," the slogan that became synonymous with Obama's presidential campaign.

He said those on each side of the debate "can still agree that this is a heart-wrenching decision for any woman to make, with both moral and spiritual dimensions.

"So let's work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term."

This is in fact, a good point. Naturally abortion is a tough choice, but if we had less unintended pregnancies, we may not be where we are now.

Watch a video report on Norma McCorvey's arrest.

A Total of 43 FL Kids Shot With Stun Guns in "Demos"

You'll recall a Florida corrections officer was fired after tasing two kids (after their parents agreed). Department of Corrections Secretary Walt McNeil said an investigation would be conducted, and it showed that was just the tip of the iceberg.

All told, 43 kids were shot with stun guns on "Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day" events gone wrong at three state prisons. Furthermore, a group of kids was exposed to tear gas during a demonstration at another facility.

The tolls of those disciplined include three prison guards fired, two resigned and 16 more employees who will be discliplined. Those 16 range all the way from corrections officers to a warden.

McNeil indicated that none of the children required medical attention. The children, who ranged in age from 5 to 17, were all children of prison officials.

None of the children in any of the incidents required medical attention or was notably harmed, McNeil said. He added:

"I can't imagine what these officers were thinking to administer this device to children, nor can I imagine why any parent would allow them to do so.This must not happen again."

Good point. It's bad enough theat corrections officers would think this was a good idea, but parents?

New York City Plans WTC Disaster Drill on Sunday

Loud and clear, let's hear this message go out loud and strong. In the wake of the "Air Farce One" flyover last month, we don't need another repeat of unnecessary panic, now do we?

New York City is planning a bomb blast drill at the site of the World Trade Center. The place will be teeming with police officers and firefighters, and resounding with sirens on Sunday morning. So the city is making sure to get the word out wide and far about the drill.

Steve Coleman, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey noted that the city has gone to great lengths to notify people. He also indicated that such steps were not a result of the flyover, but had already been planned.

"From passing out literature to owners of residential buildings to notifying business owners to placing thousands of dollars of ads on TV and radio," Coleman said, "you name it, we've done it."

Despite all this, you know as well as I do: some people will still not have gotten the message. Either they will simply not have heard, misunderstood, forgot the date, or heard but didn't listen. There's going to be some level of surprise (and panic, no doubt).

Octomom's Hospital Fined $250,000

Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles, the hospital that delivered the octuplets of Nadya Suleman (AKA Octomom), has been fined $250,000, but not for participating in the highly criticized fertility treatments that ended up with Suleman having 8 more babies for a total of 14. No, it was for workers who pried into her medical records.

Ironically, this is the first fine issued under the so-called "Farrah's Law," a new California law prompted by similar cases involving pop star Britney Spears and actress Farrah Fawcett, and occurred on the same day as NBC broadcast "Farrah's Story," a look into the impending death of Fawcett.

Jim Anderson, a spokeswoman for Kaiser Permanente, said:

"This was an extraordinary situation, and it garnered unprecedented media attention, and despite all of our best efforts, it's obvious that curiosity got the best of some people who violated our policies, disregarded their training and ignored many, many warnings given to them."

The hospital brought the case to the attention of the state of California and fired an employee as a result. Fourteen other workers resigned, and eight were disciplined.

It should be noted that the state did not name the patient whose medical records resulted in the fine, but the dates, facts and circumstances of the case matched Suleman's.

The new law took effect on January 1. It was passed by lawmakers following the April 2008, indictment of an employee at UCLA Medical Center for the theft of medical records for Maria Shriver and Farrah Fawcett.

Yearbook Crotch Photo Embarrasses High School Student

You remember the famous scene with Sharon Stone in "Basic Instinct," right? 'Nuff said. A 16-year-old teenager at Sickles High School in Florida is now facing the same "problem," as a result of going "commando" so as to avoid panty lines in a yearbook picture. Unfortunately, it's now resulted in the "yearbook crotch photo" incident.

Yes, the young girl, according to reports, is displaying her crotch in her photo on P. 219 of the Sickles High School yearbook, a la Britney Spears. According to a local report, she found out about the photo when seniors got their yearbooks on Monday, and she has not been back to school since.

"I started crying, I was freaking out and I didn't know what to do. This is my junior year, it's so important. I didn't think I could go back to school knowing that everyone knew and had seen the picture."

Naturally her parents want to sue the school. The parents want the photo to be re-taken, but honestly in this time of recession, do we want a school to have to pay for reprinting? Some may say it was their fault for not noticing the crotch shot in the yearbook before printing, but based on what people are saying, the area in the photo is hard to make out.

Simple fix: a permanent marker. Collect any yearbooks that have gone out, wipe out the area, viola.

Oh, and if you watch the video report below, and watch the way the girl sits with that short outfit, she hasn't really learned much about how to sit properly to cover up certain parts of her body, now has she?

Gallup: More Americans "Pro-Life" Than "Pro-Choice" for First Time

For the first time since Gallup began asking a pro-life vs. pro-choice question in 1995, Americans who characterize themselves as pro-life outnumber those who say they are pro-choice.

This represents a major "sea change" in the attitudes of Americans in the pro-life / pro-choice debate. The poll was conducted May 7-10, finding 51% of Americans calling themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice."

A year ago, 50% were pro-choice and 44% pro-life. Prior to now, the highest percentage identifying as pro-life was 46%, in both August 2001 and May 2002.

Meanwhile, when asked if abortion should be legal under "certain circumstances," "any circusmtances," or "no circumstances," about as many Americans now say the procedure should always be illegal (23%) as say it should always be legal (22%). The number who say it should be legal uncer certain circumstances is 53%. During the past four years, "always legal" has been significantly above "always illegal" in ranking.

So, the vast majority of Americans still believe abortion should remain legal, at least under "certain circumstances." When you add those groups together, you have 75% who believe it should still be legal.

It is, however, interesting to note that among the group who want abortion to be legal only under "certain circumstances," the poll found that the majority of those folks want abortion really to be legal "only in a few circumstances."

I would tend to believe those would mostly be in the "danger to mother," rape, and those types of circumstances, although there was no elaboration by Gallup.

In terms of why, Gallup believes it is because of President Barack Obama's pro-choice leanings:

It is possible that, through his abortion policies, Obama has pushed the public's understanding of what it means to be "pro-choice" slightly to the left, politically. While Democrats may support that, as they generally support everything Obama is doing as president, it may be driving others in the opposite direction.

Man Rides Bike 180 Miles, All for Sex With Teenager

William Wagner, 26, of Havre de Grace, MD, was extremely desperate to have sex with an underage teenager, apparently. He rode a bicycle 180 miles from MD to Scranton, PA last June to meet a 15-year-old girl he met online, face-to-face.

In February, Wagner pleaded guilty to unlawful contact with a minor.

While in Scranton, he slept at a public baseball fieldand took the teen there several times to have intercourse with her. Once Wagner left Scranton, the girl told her parents she had sex with him. In what was probably something the girl did not anticipate, the parents reported it to police.

Wagner was sentenced to 1 - 4 years in prison on Wednesday. Once he leaves prison, he will be forced to register as a sex offender.

The "Jon and Kate" Story Continues to Worsen

I've been amazed at the reality shows that focus on superlarge families, like the TLC show "Jon and Kate Plus 8." While I admit there is an amazing story here, with a couple with twins and sextuplets, am I really that interested? Not really, but with the news of the rockiness of the Gosselins' marriage, as told to Good Morning America by People, perhaps I am.

Ok, not really. Jon and Kate (and others like the Duggars) are people who are living unsustainable lives, as it's become clear to many that the sheer number of people on this planet are unsustainable. However, the news on affairs on both sides may be good for ratings. Good Morning America said:

In the weeks leading up to the season premiere, Jon and Kate Gosselin have appeared repeatedly on covers of celebrity magazines with reports that they have cheated on each other and that their nearly 10-year marriage is on the rocks.

Is the timing a coincidence or a publicity ploy?

A good point by Good Morning America, and one not missed by some. According to reports of comments by Kate Gosselin the affair(s) will be addressed during season 5, which begins on May 25th.

Yes, affairs, as it appears to cut both ways. While the rumors around an affair by Jon started two weeks ago with Us Weekly reporting that he had been in a three-month affair with 23-year-old school teacher Deanna Hummell (including pics!) this week, that same Us Weekly reports that Kate Gosselin has grown "close" to her bodyguard, Steve Neild.

Still, in this week's People Magazine, Kate Gosselin denied rumors of the affair, yet indicated her marriage was troubled.

"The next story coming out from the animals that stalk us is about our security person and his family. Already the allegations they're making about me are disgusting, unthinkable, unfathomable, and I am horrified."

If nothing else, all this publicity means the premiere episode on May 25th will be blockbuster, ratings-wise. Watch a video from when Jon and Kate (plus 8) appeared on Good Morning America during a happier time.

Ohio Man Sentenced to 90 days After Shooting Wife During Sex

A Springfield, OH man was sentenced to serve 90 days in jail after reportedly shooting his wife, acccidentally he said, during sex.

Timothy Havens, 38, told Springfield police he was reaching for something on a nightstand when the pistol went off, hitting his estranged wife Carolyn, 42, in the upper chest.

First of all, if it was his estranged wife, WTF were they doing having sex? And why was a gun around? The incident happened last December, and Carolyn Havens was in critical condition after the gunshot wound, though she recovered.

Champaign County Common Pleas Court Judge Roger Wilson sentenced Havens to 90 days in jail, 80 hours of community service, anger management counseling, a $300 fine and three years probation. He was also ordered not to have contact with the victim.

An obvious co-dependent relationship, not only were they having sex despite the victim having taken out a protection order against Timothy Havens, Carolyn Havens complicated the case by insisting the shooting was accidental.

However, the prosecutor did not believe that, and argued that some of the evidence in the case did not seem to match the story, and there had been a history of violence in the home.

Love Triangle Astronaut WIthdraws Insanity Defense

You may remember Lisa Nowak, the former NASA astronaut who reportedly drove cross-country from is accused of driving from Houston to Orlando to kidnap her romantic rival, Colleen Shipman, on Feb. 7, 2007. Her initial filing was seeking insanity as her defense, but on Thursday, that filing was withdrawn.

Both Lisa Nowak, married and a mother of three, and Colleen Shipman were involved with Nowak's fellow astronaut Bill Oelfelein. Prosecutors said Nowak dressed in a disguise and stalked Shipman through the airport, then attacked her with pepper spray in a parking lot. She also wore a diaper during the trip to eliminate the need to stop; it should be noted, however, that astronauts wear adult diapers when they suit up for launch and re-entry, as standard procedure.

Oelfelein and Nowak have since both been fired by NASA.

Last month, a judge appointed a psychiatrist and a psychologist to evaluate Nowak's sanity and report to the court. It's unclear if a report had been filed already that disputes any such claim of insanity.

However, one look at the story would tend to lead to the conclusion that this woman is emotionally disturbed, or at least obsessed with Oelfelein. And yes, the obvious phrase that comes to mind is "crazy."

Lisa Nowak has plead not guilty to attempted kidnapping, burglary and battery charges for the alleged attack.

"Slumdog Millionaire" Child Star's House Bulldozed

Eight Oscars and $326 million in box office receipts later, the impoverished lives of some of the stars of the hit film "Slumdog Millionaire" are little improved. Local authorities on Wedneday bulldozed the shanty house belonging to the family of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, the 10-year-old who played the character Jamal Malik as a child.

Local authorities told reporters that they did not know the row of shanties they demolished was home to his family of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, and that they were following orders to destroy illegally built shanties ahead of the monsoon season.

Ismail was asleep when a police officer woke him up and told him to leave his family’s home. Ismail said:

"A police officer took a bamboo stick to hit me, and I was frightened. We are homeless, we have nowhere to go."

Shamim Ismail, his mother, told the BBC:

"Our house has been broken down by officials. We have not been given any alternate accommodation. Earlier the authorities had said they would give us a house. But I don't think that will happen any more."

Another Montauk Monster Found?

The "Montauk Monster" was an unidentified creature whose carcass allegedly washed ashore on a beach near the Montauk, New York business district in July 2008. New reports are that another, similar carcass has washed ashore, and now conspiracy theorists are pointing the finger at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.

The old carcass is pictured at the left, the new one at the right. Nicky Papers, who runs a Web site dedicated to the mystery, says he was contacted by a couple on May 5 who "think they’ve found what appears to be the Montauk Monster" on the North Fork of Long Island. And he does point, in a somewhat "Fringe"-ish way, to the Plum Island center, as I noted earlier.

In fact, speculation about the earlier carcass noted Plum Island as well. It was theorized that the Montauk Monster was some sort of mutant from Plum Island. Yes, I know, that verges on sci-fi and conspiracy theories (which is why I mentioned "Fringe" and would be remiss if I failed to mention "The X-Files."

Nicky Papers says the following in a post at his site. Note that he indicates he has spent the past year since the first Montauk Monster carcass was found debunking alternative theories as to said carcass:

I wanted to think about the best way to expose this to the public. Since I own this medium, and have a genuine interest in the subject matter, I’d like to be the first to share this you. We did not contact any authorities as from previous experiences; the carcass has been taken from the finders or mysteriously “stolen”. If this is a genetic mishap from Plum Island, we’d like to sell the remains to an independent lab for study. It has become a race against the clock as the couple who originally found “Beastie” are diligently putting more ice into the cooler to keep the carcass fresh.

Also, I’ve thought about the possibilities that this carcass may be carrying H1N1 influenza. (The Swine Flu) Sorry, my mind is racing now, but I haven’t ruled out biological warfare on this yet. A diseased carcass floating in waterways around Long Island could be infecting the water, fish, etc. We still need to remember that Plum Island is where Lyme Disease originated, it’s really not too far fetched to believe that this carcass (if from Plum Island) could be carrying bacteria or disease.

I didn't really pay that much attention to the original Montauk Monster story, feeling it was a hoax, maybe even a stunt for some sci-fi movie (though that never materialized). Since Papers mentioned the first carcass was stolen, it points again at a conspiracy theory. Is Plum Island a real-life Jurassic Park (yet another sci-fi reference)? Who knows, but watch the video of the new carcass below:

Shanna Moakler Quits Over Trump's Prejean Decision

Shanna Moakler, a former Miss USA, resigned as co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant on Wednesday. She said she no longer believes in the organization because of pageant owner Donald Trump's decision to allow Carrie Prejean, the state's controversial title holder keep her crown.

Shanna Moakler said in a statement released by her publicist:

"Since the press conference yesterday, I had a chance to think about what has taken place, and I feel that at this time it is in my best interest to resign from the Miss California USA organization.

I cannot with a clear conscience move forward supporting and promoting the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth. I want to be a role model for young women with high hopes of pageantry, but now feel it more important to be a role model for my children."

After Prejean responded to a question by celebrity judge Perez Hilton by saying that same-sex marriage was wrong, she began speaking without their permission in front of crowds opposed to gay marriage, including her San Diego church and the National Organization for Marriage.

This clearly violates her contract, which states she cannot make appearances without the Pageant association's permission. Prejean also began missing Miss California events she was contractually obligated to attend.

Despite all this, and the semi-nude photos that were revealed by sites TMZ and TheDirty, Trump on Tuesday said that he would allow Carrie Prejean to continue as Miss California.

To be honest, Shanna Moakler is showing a lot of character, and I applaud her for standing up for her beliefs. In fact, Prejean definitely breached her contract, yet Trump allowed her to continue as Miss California, perhaps enjoying the publicity it brought his pageant.

Some U.S. Troops in Iraq Forced to Steal Water to Drink

Some have theorized that as global warming worsens, water will become an issue across the world. And in fact, in some parts of the world, such as China, drinkable water is already an issue. But no one could imagine our troops in Iraq would have to resort to stealing water in order to have enough to drink.

The report aired Wednesday on Houston-based CBS affiliate KHOU. To be honest, lack of body armor is one thing, but lack of water?

Army Staff Sgt. Dustin Robey, speaking to KHOU, said the situation became so bad that they raided supplies at the Baghdad International Airport.

“It really hit me the day I was with my commander and we’re stealing water.”

That may be, but in fact the water was in the hands of civilian contractors, who Robey claimed were supposed to be distributing it to soldiers.

Dr. Stephen Fadem, a kidney specialist with Kidney Associates PLLC, told KHOU:

“This sounds like something that definitely needs to be looked into. If soldiers are saying that they are not getting adequate water, that needs to be taken seriously."

Dr. Fadem noted that long-term lack of adequate water could lead to kidney issues, and that's what's facing Robey, who has since returned from Iraq.

“I take 26 different types of pills a day,” Robey said. “I’ve had kidney stones, almost on a daily basis. It feels like someone’s stabbing you in the side just over and over and over again."

Watch the video, from KHOU via RawReplay.

Jesse Ventura: "Give Me Cheney and a Waterboard and I'll Have Him Confess to the Sharon Tate Murders"

The Bush administration is famous for denying, or at least questioning, that waterboarding is torture. After being waterboarded himself in the SERE program, Jesse Ventura says there's no debate: waterboarding is torture.

Appearing on Larry King Live on Monday night, Ventura said just how he'd convince Dick Cheney of that fact, as well as what he thinks of Cheney's opinion of Rush Limbaugh vs. Colin Powell. You'll recall that Cheney said he would pick Limbaugh over Powell.

KING: You were a Navy SEAL.

VENTURA: That's right. I was water boarded, so I know -- at SERE School, Survival Escape Resistance Evasion. It was a required school you had to go to prior to going into the combat zone, which in my era was Vietnam. All of us had to go there. We were all, in essence -- every one of us was water boarded. It is torture.

KING: What was it like?

VENTURA: It's drowning. It gives you the complete sensation that you are drowning. It is no good, because you -- I'll put it to you this way, you give me a water board, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I'll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.

KING: Even though you know it's not going to happen -- even though before it, you know you're not going to drown.

VENTURA: You don't know it. If it's -- if it's done wrong, you certainly could drown. You could swallow your tongue. You could do a whole bunch of stuff. If it's it done wrong or -- it's torture, Larry. It's torture. [...]

KING: A lot of things to go into, Jesse. What do you make of the Cheney/Limbaugh --

VENTURA: I don't have a lot of respect for Dick Cheney. Here's a guy who got five deferments from the Vietnam War. Clearly, he's a coward. He wouldn't go when it was his time to go. And now he is a chicken hawk. Now he is this big tough guy who wants this hardcore policy. And he's the guy that sanctioned all this torture by calling it enhanced interrogation.

KING: Do you think Rush Limbaugh's a better Republican than Colin Powell?

VENTURA: No, not at all. In fact, if you compare the two, let's look at Colin Powell, who's a war hero, who strapped it on for his country, and didn't run and hide.

KING: Twice.

VENTURA: And then you look at Dick Cheney who ran and hid. I have no respect for Dick Cheney. I have tremendous respect for General Powell.

Watch the video, from CNN Monday night, via Crooks and Liars.

Trump Tells Prejean: "You're Not Fired"

Call it "Miss California Apprentice." Despite a new series of semi-nude photos uncovered by TMZ this morning, Miss California Carrie Prejean will keep her crown.

In a statement, Donald Trump said:

"We reviewed the pictures very carefully," he said, according to USA Today. "We are in the 21st century ... Carrie's a model, she's very successful. ... Some were beautiful, some were risqué ... We've determined the pictures taken were acceptable, fine, and in many cases they were very lovely pictures."

However, Trump seemed to completely ignore the other issue, which was Prejean participating in events without the permission of the Miss California Organization. These events were all anti-same-sex marriage events, and seemed to all pop up after her famous exchange with Perez Hilton at the Miss USA pageant. This led many to say she was being opportunistic, as most second-place finishers drop off the face of the earth.

In reference to this, Trump added:

"We had a little bit of a dilemma with Carrie, who is here, lovely, and gave a very, very honest answer when asked a very tough question (about gay marriage) at the recent pageant.

"It's the same answer the president of the U.S. gave, the same answer many people gave. It was probably a fair question because its asked of many people. If her beauty wasn't so great, nobody really would have cared. But that's not the way it worked out."

OK for Men to Beat Wives: Saudi Judge

Judge Hamad Al-Razine, a Saudi judge, was quoted in the English-language Arab News newspaper on Sunday as saying that it was perfectly OK for a husband to beat his wife. The newspaper quoted Al-Razine as saying:

"If a person gives 1,200 Saudi riyals ($320) to his wife and she spends 900 riyals ($240) to purchase an abaya (head-to-toe robe) from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment."

The remarks do not, in and of themselves, carry legal consquences, as they were not made in court. However, as most Saudi judges are also Islamic clerics, they carry the weight of Islamic law.

Sohaila Zenelabideen Hammad, spokeswoman of the Saudi National Center for Human Rights, said the remarks bordered on the extreme:

"It is not acceptable, it is even forbidden in Islam to beat a woman on her face. ... No matter what the woman does, the man has no right whatsoever and under any circumstances to beat his wife on the face.

"Regrettably, there is a common understanding in the Arab and Islamic world that man is the master who looks down on the woman and has the right to do whatever he wants to her. This is wrong."

Judge Hamad Al-Razine made comments at a recent conference as part of an explanation for an increase in domestic violence in the country. The newspaper did not elaborate on the date of the conference or give more information regarding it.

More Semi-Nude Miss California Pictures Emerge

Miss California Carrie Prejean's fate is set to be decided today by Donald Trump. That said, we wouldn't want him to make his judgment without all the evidence, now would we? That's that TMZ is thinking.

While earlier the site TheDirty had "revealed" some revealing photos of (most likely) soon-to-be-former Miss California Carrie Prejean, TMZ has found still more.

These pictures were taken last year, according to TMZ, and appear to be before Carrie Prejean was "gifted" with breast implants by the Miss California Organization.

On Monday, the Miss California Organization held a press conference, addressing Carrie Prejean's recent behavior, as well as the prior semi-nude photos that had been found.

While leaving her ultimate fate to Donald Trump, at the same time, Miss California runner-up Tami Farrell has been appointed as the official ambassador to the pageant's newly launched Beauty of California initiative. That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

According to the Miss California Organization, Prejean has violated portions of her contract, by participating in events / campaigns without their permission, as well as by signing a form before the event stating she had not posed nude or semi-nude. I think if I were a betting man, TMZ photos or not, I'd be pretty sure of what I think Trump will say today.

You can view the full set of TMZ Miss California photos at the web page linked above.

Lack of Training Faulted in Feb. Colgan Air Plane Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) investigation into the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash in early February has concluded that lack of training was a factor, sources told the AP.

The February crash of a Dash 8-Q400 Bombardier, a twin-engine turboprop, near Buffalo, NY, killed 50 people.

The NTSB will hold a special hearing on Tuesday to discuss the results. The training by the Colgan Air for the Dash 8-Q400 Bombardier didn't include the stick-pusher system, a system designed to prevent stalling.

When a plane is about to stall, a stick-pusher system points the aircraft's nose down into a dive so it can pick up enough speed to allow recovery.

However, when Flight 3407's stick-pusher kicked in on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport the night of Feb. 12, Capt. Marvin Renslow pulled back on the plane's stick, which actually caused the plane to stall and ultimately crash.

Additionally, the WSJ reported that Renslow had flunked numerous flight tests during his career, and that on the day of the accident, his co-pilot, 24-year-old Rebecca Shaw, had complained before takeoff about being congested and said she probably should have called in sick, according to people who listened to the cockpit voice recorder.

Colgan Air said the following in a statement:

"Captain Renslow had all the training and experience required to safely operate the Q400. A stick pusher demonstration in an aircraft simulator is not required by the FAA and was not part of the training syllabus used in the training provided by the aircraft manufacturer through one of the world's leading aviation training companies, and thus was not included in Colgan's Q400 training program."

Tragically, it appears the comment about stick pusher training is in fact true, which is no comfort to the relatives of the victims in the fatal crash.

Donald Trump to Decide Carrie Prejean's Fate

The organizers for Miss California USA held a press conference to discuss Carrie Prejean and some of her recent actions on Monday, but they left quite a bit of the fog surrounding her crown still there. However, they have made some decisions.

For now, at least, Carrie Prejean will continue to wear the crown, but without any responsibility, sort of like a suspension. Meanwhile, it will be up to Donald Trump, Miss USA pageant owner, to decide if she loses the crown.

At the same time, Miss California runner-up Tami Farrell has been appointed as the official ambassador to the pageant's newly launched Beauty of California initiative.

Miss California co-executive directors Shanna Moakler and Keith Lewis made it clear that if Prejean is dismissed it will be because of her actions, not her beliefs. Prejean made headlines with her anti-gay marriage answer to a question from openly gay Perez Hilton during the Miss USA pageant.

The contract Prejean signed prohibits Miss California from making personal appearances, giving interviews or making commercials without permission from pageant officials. And she's certainly violated that, appearing in anti-gay marriage ads.

She also signed a statement saying she had not appeared nude, or semi-nude, once again violated by Prejean.

"Up until now, we have just been riding along, pretty much a passenger on this runaway train," Lewis said. "As of today, that ends."

Whether or not Prejean retains her title beyond tomorrow morning, Moakler and Lewis today appointed what will more or less serve as a shadow Miss California, installing runner-up Tami Farrell as the official ambassador to the pageant's newly launched Beauty of California initiative.

In her new role, which sounds an awful lot like Prejean's current role, Farrell will represent the pageant at appearances across the state.

Regarding Farrell's appointment, Lewis said:

"Regardless of what takes place tomorrow, we're still going to be able to fulfill our vision. If Miss California is unavailable, or it would be unwise to put her into a specific appearance, we now have an ambassador that can represent us so we can just get back to business."

Ironic isn't it? Donald Trump just got done with Celebrity Apprentice 2009, and here he has yet another chance to say "you're fired."

U.S. Soldier Kills Five Others at Camp Liberty in Iraq

NBC News is reporting that at Camp Liberty, the main U.S. military base in Iraq, which is located near the Baghdad International Airport, a yet unnamed serviceman walked into a "stress clinic" in the camp, opened first, killing at least five. Contrary to earlier reports, the soldier did not kill himself but is now in custody.

A statement from the military indicated that the Camp Liberty shootings occurred about 2 PM local time. Three others were wounded in the incident. It is unclear at this time if all were members of the Army, as other U.S. military services use the base, but the reports do indicate they were all U.S. service members.

The U.S. has been criticized over its lack of psychological support for members of the military returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and there have been reports, including interviews with service members, that indicate U.S. military commanders have in the past placed a stigma upon any military personnel who claimed they were suffering from PTSD.

However, the situation in this area has been improving as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have continued, so it is particularly tragic that this would occur in a "stress clinic" in Camp Liberty itself.

As a reference, Camp Liberty is:

[...] a large coalition military installation located northeast of the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) and is part of the U.S. military's Victory Base Complex (VBC). It was formerly known as Camp Victory North and renamed in mid-September 2004, as part of an effort to give U.S. facilities around Baghdad friendlier connotations, and to try to resolve the issue of constantly-changing facility names, Camp Victory North was renamed Camp Liberty, with its Arabic translation "Camp Al-Tahreer".

Watch a short NBC News update on the story.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Roxana Saberi to Be Freed by Iran

In mid-April, Iran convicted Roxana Saberi, a 32-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen and journalist of espionage, and sentenced her to 8 years in prison. However, on Monday, her lawyer said that an appeals court has reduced her sentence to two years, suspended. She will be freed today and can leave the country immediately.

Saberi moved to Iran six years ago and had worked as a freelance journalist for several organizations including NPR and the BBC, and has been jailed at Evin Prison in Iran since Jan. 31. Shortly after her conviction, Saberi initiated a hunger strike which ended early this month, after her parents pleaded with her to stop.

Reports of Roxana Saberi's impending release come from both her father, Reza Saberi, and one of her lawyers, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi. Reza Saberi told CNN:

"We are very happy with the news. We were hoping for it."

While Iranian authorities said that Saberi had confessed to spying, many said she was merely a pawn of Iran's in its ongoing tensions with the U.S., and that she had been forced into confessing.

Reporters Without Borders, a group that fights for journalists' rights worldwide, made the following statement after hearing about the decision regarding Roxana Saberi:

Reporters Without Borders welcomes a Tehran appeal court’s decision to reduce Roxana Saberi’s eight-year jail term to a suspended two-year sentence. Her lawyer, Saleh Nikbakhat, confirmed to Reporters Without Borders that she could be freed later today. In a closed hearing yesterday, the court’s judges noted that Iran and the United States “are not at war.”

Update: Saberi has been released; watch a video report.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

2009's Celebrity Apprentice Winner: Rivers vs. Duke

To be honest, I really hate these celebrity reality shows. They seem to bring out the worst in B-level celebrities, or former A-level celebrities. Still, people really, really want to know who won Celebrity Apprentice 2009? Well, let's put it this way, in the battle of Poker Face vs. Face-Lift, it was Face-Lift. Joan Rivers was "hired," Annie Duke "fired."

This was the second Celebrity Apprentice series. Last years winner, Piers Morgan, is probably best known in America to those who watched Susan Boyle's incredible performance on Britain's Got Talent as one of the judges. This year, Joan Rivers and poker champ Annie Duke were the last of 16 celebrities who began the season vying for the title of "Celebrity Apprentice 2009."

In Celebrity Apprentice 2009, there certainly was no love lost between Annie Duke and the eventual winner, Joan Rivers. There was a lot of trash-talk between the two, and as many suspect these shows are partially scripted (at least), there has to be some doubt as to how much hatred is really there. But if it's as much as it seems, it's a lot.

The finale centered around a fundraiser, and it's interesting that despite the fact that Joan Rivers only raised $150,830 and Annie Duke raised $465,725, Rivers was the 2009 Celebrity Apprentice Winner.

Simply put, money is important, but that's not all. Trump noted that Annie did a great job on charity integration. Joan won the other three criteria. Joan had better celebrities, better guest experience, and better Kodak integration. 3-2 win on the charity fundraiser.

In case you were wondering, Annie was playing for Refugees International. Joan Rivers was playing for God's Love We Deliver. Despite the fact that these celebrity reality shows always seem to bring out the worst in b-level celebrities, the in-fighting between Rivers and Duke probably very much helped the 2009 Celebrity Apprentice. The real winners: Trump, as he'll be back next year with another season, and of course, NBC.

Stenson's PGA Win Finally Tops Underwear Round

Two months ago, Henrik Stenson, 33, was probably best-known as the Swede who stripped down to nothing but his underwear and a golf glove while playing from a water hazard at Doral. Now he's won The Players Championship, and he can hope that a Google search will no longer bring up mostly results (and videos) about his undergarments.

Henrik Stenson was the only player to play bogey-free in the final round on his way to a 6-under par 66 that gave him a four-shot victory, the 10th of his career, but by far his biggest. And to think, he managed to keep his underwear covered up, to boot!

Trailing by 5 strokes when the round opened, he benefited from a shocking collapse by Alex Cejka, who shot a horrific 7-over par 79 and finished tied for 9th. Tiger Woods started the day tied for 2nd but finished tied for 8th.

Ian Poulter, who shot a 70, finished second.

The win earns Henrik Stenson a three-year pass to the Masters, and a five-year exemption for the U.S. tour, if he wants it. It also relieves him, hopefully, of more discussion on his stint in underwear at Doral, as immortalized in the video below.

Cheney: I'd Pick Limbaugh Over Powell: FTN

Dick Cheney is careful enough, it appears, not to end up in the same trap as others before him: dissing Rush Limbaugh, that is. On CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday, Cheney said that choosing between Colin Powell and Rush Limbaugh is an easy pick: Rush.

Last week, Colin Powell said that the GOP is in trouble:

"The Republican Party is in deep trouble," Powell told corporate security executives at a conference in Washington sponsored by Fortify Software Inc. The party must realize that the country has changed, he said. "Americans do want to pay taxes for services," he said. "Americans are looking for more government in their life, not less." [...]

He blasted radio commentator Rush Limbaugh, saying he does not believe that Limbaugh or conservative icon Ann Coulter serve the party well. He said the party lacks a "positive" spokesperson. "I think what Rush does as an entertainer diminishes the party and intrudes or inserts into our public life a kind of nastiness that we would be better to do without," Powell said.

Asked about this, Cheney replied as follows:

CHENEY: Well, if I had to choose — in terms of being a Republican — I’d go with Rush Limbaugh, I think. My take on it was that Colin had already left the party. I didn’t know he was still a Republican. [...]

SCHIEFFER: And you said you’d take Rush Limbaugh over Colin Powell?

CHENEY: I would. Politically.

There's a nice finishing word: politically. Perhaps not personally, though! Interestingly, a recent study indicated that most voters view Rush Limbaugh negatively.

Watch the video:

7-Year-Old Boy Shot in Mistaken Trespassing Incident Dies

Donald Coffey Jr., 7, died Saturday morning at a Houston hospital, less than two days after being struck in the head by shotgun pellets, by a couple who mistakenly thought he and his family were trespassing on their property.

The boy, his father Donald Coffey Sr., his 5-year-old sister, Destiny, and a family friend, Patrick Cammack, were off-roading about 40 miles northeast of Houston late Thursday when they stopped so the children could go to the restroom.

Although they were not on private property, they were still too close to the property of Sheila Muhs, 45, and her husband, Gayle Muhs, also 45. According to teh Houston Chronicle, the Muhs live in a small house on stilts with a rebel flag flying from the roof, with a sign posted out front that reads: "Trespassers will be shot. Survivers (sic) will be reshot!! Smile I will."

Police allege the Muhs blasted the four with shotguns after they mistakenly thought they were trespassing on their property. Sheila Muhs fired once with a 12-gauge shotgun, then handed it to her husband, who also fired once. After that, Sheila Muhs called 911 and told the dispatcher, "They're out here tearing up the levee, so I shot them."

Liberty County Chief Deputy Ken DeFoor said the levee belongs to the subdivision and is not private property.

The Muhs were charged with second-degree felony counts of aggravated assault in the shootings Thursday. They were being held at Liberty County Jail with bail set at $25,000 each. Liberty County Sheriff's Cpl. Hugh Bishop said the district attorney might upgrade the charges to murder on Monday.

"That is something they will look into with the DA. We're still trying to get the circumstances behind the incident."

The father, Donald Coffey Sr. had a pellet wound in his right shoulder. Destiny, was hit in the elbow but was in good condition. Patrick Cammack, 30, was upgraded from critical condition to serious condition after being shot in the head.

TX Rape Victims Forced to Pay for Their Own Rape Kits

Rape carries a stigma with it, undeservedly, for the victim. It's difficult enough for the victim to have to report the crime, but frequently defense attorneys attempt to portray them as criminals themselves. Now a CNN report indicates that, at least in TX, rape victims are often being sent bills for the forensic rape kits taken in order to catch the perpetrators.

One such unnamed victim in the story is a 44-year-old single mom who was attacked in her own bed by a 15-year-old friend of her son.

According to CNN, Texas’s crime victim compensation fund consistently has tens of millions in surplus, and not just for one year. $67 million in 2006, $58 million 2007, and most of that comes from criminals, not taxpayers.

Watch the story. Is this in fact the way we treat victims? After being a victim or rape, how traumatic is it to be reminded of the event, and have to relive it, when you get not just a bill, but a delinquent notice?

Kansas Teen Offers Sister For Sale on Craigslist

Craigslist has been in hot water lately, but this probably won't get them in trouble. The teenager who jokingly tried to sell her four-year-old sister on Craigslist, that's a different story.

I mean, I've heard of sibling rivalry, and you can bet many an elder sibling would love to see their younger siblings vanish (or at least get them to stop bugging them), but in this case when Wichita police were informed of the ad via a phone tip, they took it seriously.

Police spent much of Thursday investigating the posting. Authorities contacted Craigslist, which immediately pulled the ad. When they found out it was a 16-year-old girl joking around, police weren't laughing.

While there are no charges planned, think of the cost to taxpayers: Police Lt. T.K. Bridges of Wichita's Missing and Exploited Children's Unit said they had seven detectives working the case, along with two forensic computer experts.

"Cahier's Check" Gets Man Arrested

I've always said crooks aren't the brightest. In this case: learn to spell! Counterfeit cashier's checks ended up getting a man arrested for forgery. How did the victims know the checks were forged? They knew they were counterfeit because the word "cashier’s" was spelled “cahier’s.”

It didn't help that Clifton C. Wright, 44, of Memphis, TN, used the address of the Monroe, TN FBI office as his shipping address.

The FBI notified Monroe police on Thursday; they had been called by a Minnesota cell phone distributor that they had shipped some phones to 300 Washington St., Monroe, AKA the local FBI office. Since they noticed the spelling error, yet shipped the phones anyway, they must not have detected the fraud until the shipment was well on its way.

Following the call, FBI agents saw the suspect wave down a delivery truck driver outside the bureau later Thursday, stopped the transaction and waited for police.

Wright is being held in Ouachita Correctional Center on two counts of forgery as well as being a fugitive from justice on a forgery warrant out of Georgia for the same type of scheme.

Nude Rihanna Pictures Leaked

It's a bad week for celebrities with regards to photos they probably don't want just anyone to get a look at. First there's Miss California Carrie Prejean's semi-nude photos, and now a set of nude Rihanna photos have been leaked to the web.

Prejean's photos might lose her the crown, while Rihanna's photos will probably just increase her popularity and mystique, right? That is, of course, if these are really Rihanna. Two of them are close-ups, but those aren't the ones showing the nudity.

Some sort of confirmation that these photos are in fact Rihanna come from TMZ:

TMZ has learned the legal department at Island Def Jam Music Group, RiRi's label, sent a letter to at least one website that published the photos. The letter refers to "unauthorized photos purported to be...Rihanna," demands that the photos be removed from the site, and calls the photos a violation of "the Artist's rights."

Watch the video below; it is sort of a slideshow of the photos and is not censored.

Carrie Prejean's Fate to Be Decided Monday

The fate of Miss California, Carrie Prejean, is apparently to be decided on Monday, based on the fact that the Miss California USA Pageant has scheduled a news conference on Monday in Beverly Hills to discuss the controversy surrounding her.

Certainly, if they decide to dismiss her, they have good reason. On Tuesday pageant spokesman Roger Neal noted the 12-page contract all prospective contestants are required to sign before competing in the state contest. That contract prohibits Miss California from making personal appearances, giving interviews or making commercials without permission from pageant officials.

Despite this, and perhaps deciding to strike while the iron is hot, since her much publicized second-place finish as the Miss USA pageant which many say was the result of an answer on gay marriage posed by openly gay Perez Hilton, Prejean has made televised appearances at her San Diego church and on behalf of the National Organization for Marriage, a group opposed to same-sex marriage.

Another clause in the contract asks participants whether they have conducted themselves "in accordance with the highest ethical and moral standards," which is part of the qualification to be Miss California. For example, it asks if they have ever been photographed nude or partially nude. The site has TheDirty.com posted partially nude photos of Carrie Prejean it had obtained and says more --- and worse --- are to come.

Miss California USA runner-up Tami Farrell has been asked to be at Monday's press conference, in fact, leading to more speculation over Prejean possibly being stripped of her title.

"Air Farce One" Flyover Costs Official His Job

You'll recall, probably, a big, big SNAFU from not too long ago, when the backup plane for Air Force One overflew New York City as a photo-op? Well, as it was not sufficiently publicized, it caused what one would expect: some anxiety and panic. And now it's claimed a victim in the form of a resignation.

The 747, or VC-25 as the Defense Department calls it, is a backup plane to Air Force One, and was scheduled for the flyover so that Air Force photographers could take pictures. The missing piece was that somehow the proper communications had not been made and many officials were unaware of the photo-op.

On Friday, President Barack Obama accepted the resignation of Louis Caldera, director of the White House Military Office. Also on Friday, in a letter to Sen. John McCain, Defense Secretary Robert Gates provided requested details of the incident.

The cost of using the VC-25 was estimated to be between $300,658 and $328,835, while the cost of the two accompanying F-16 fighters was $28,177 for a total of $357,012, Gates said.

He added that the entire mission had been coordinated with officials from the FAA and air traffic control representatives in the New York area.

"I am concerned that this highly public and visible mission did not include an appropriate public affairs plan nor adequate review and approval by senior Air Force and DOD (Department of Defense) officials."

John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the incident an "Air Farce One photo op."

Watch a video; you can hear comments about a "hijacking" during the replay.

Mars Stimulates Taste Buds with "Real Chocolate Relief Act"

Mars (yes, the candy makers) feels that Americans are looking for reasons to smile. Undoubtedly true, in this recession, they are looking to stimulate your taste buds with what they are calling the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act (http://www.realchocolate.com). This promotion runs from now until September.

How does it work? Well, not only can you snag some Mars chocolate in the deal, Mars has invented a new acronym: TGIFCF (Thank God It's Free Chocolate Friday). Every Friday, Mars will give away a 250,000 full-size packages of real chocolate on Free Chocolate Fridays. You can claim one of 250,000 full-value coupons each Friday beginning on May 8 at 9 AM EST (they say standard, but it's DST now, so that's an unclear point) by visiting RealChocolate.com.

The obvious problem is: if you try to reach the RealChocolate.com site right, I wish you luck. The site appears to time out. Once again a promotion (obviously, Mars isn't the first one) has screwed up and their site can't handle the load. Apparently Mars has underestimated the popularity of anything free, and candy or chocolate in particular.

At any rate, assuming you can reach RealChocolate.com, coupons will be mailed to consumers and will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. They are redeemable for any full-size Mars real chocolate product. The coupons will be limited to one per person, per week.

The emphasis on "real" chocolate is meant to emphasize what Mars says: "Mars Snackfood US chocolate brands do not compromise on the purity and authenticity of chocolate by diluting it with a cocoa butter substitute. Remember, if it's Mars, it's real chocolate."

Mars isn't skimping on this promotion. In New York City, actor Neil Patrick Harris joined spokescandies Red and Yellow and Mars associates to announce Free Chocolate Fridays and hand out nearly 20,000 packages of candy outside of the M&M’S WORLD® store in midtown Manhattan. Similar events, including distribution of full-sized packages of candy, were also held at the M&M’S World stores in Las Vegas and Orlando. And finally, a full-page print ad appeared in Thursday’s edition of the USA Today including a full-value coupon for any Mars real chocolate product.

Now, if only Mars had invested on better server support for RealChocolate.com. If you try to get your chocolate candy fix there, be prepared for a wait! But at least you have until September to try.

Celebrate Odd Day Oddly, and Win $579

Pi Day is one thing, but this is Odd Day, 05/07/09, which occurs when three consecutive odd numbers make up the date. As a matter of fact, while Pi Day occurs 100x a century, today is one of only six times this will happen in a century.

That means Odd Day is more than 16x rarer than Pi Day. And to celebrate Odd Day, if you do it oddly enough, you can win $579. Yes, OddDay.net is offering that prize to:

those who involve the most people in the Oddest Parade of Odd Characters, write the best Odd Ode, or create the best Odd Celebrations.

However, still more oddities: after all, today is Odd Day in the U.S., but in Europe, its 07/05/09, right? That means they will get an Odd Day on July 5th of this year. Odd, isn't it?

"Shark Fin Soup Tantrum" Video Punks CNN, But Highlights Sharks' Plight

I don't want to create the impression that this is a characteristic of Hong Kong residents, but based on the woman who went into hysterics after missing her flight at Hong Kong International Airport ... CNN just reported this woman had a tantrum when the restaurant she visited was out of shark fin soup.

Sorry, CNN, you were punk'd, so to speak. In fact, the video was meant to be a spoof of the earlier HKIA video, and was meant to highlight the sad plight of sharks.

I filmed this on Cheung Chau, Hong Kong, on 26 Feb; actress Mary Szeto, helped by "husband" Edison, at seafood restaurant. Rachel Vickerstaff helped, by making contacts re possible actress/actor, and coming along and advising, even appearing.

Hope is to "piggyback" off massive popularity of the woman throwing a wobbler at the airport, and stir a little interest re shark conservation.

Sorry, CNN, you should have googled it!

Speed Camera Company CEO Banned from Driving ... For Speeding

Serco supplies which supplies many of Britain's traffic enforcement cameras. Do as I (or my speed cameras) say, not as I do, as Tom Riall, Chief Executive of Serco's home affairs division was caught speeding at over 100 MPH, and was banned from driving for six months on Wednesday as a result.

Riall was caught by a police patrol car in Newmarket, in the eastern English county of Suffolk. It wasn't just this ticket, though; this was his third ticket in two years.

“I accept the decision of the court. I recognize that speeding is not acceptable and regret what I did. My speed was excessive and I’ve made a full apology.”

I found it rather humorous when Riall added the following:

"I would like to make it clear that I do acknowledge and accept that my speed was excessive and the offence merits points on my driving licence. I would point out that a potential ban would be a significant punishment on me as an individual."

Oh, please. You'll just hire a driver. In your position, it means nothing. Don't make me laugh.

Wal-Mart Brokers Deal in "Black Friday" Trampling Death

You might remember the case of Jdimytai Damour, 34, a temporary worker, who was shoved to the ground as he opened the doors to a Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, NY and trampled to death on "Black Friday," last year. The family eventually sued, but on Wednesday Wal-Mart and prosecutors inked a deal that requires the retailer to pay nearly $2 million and improve safety at its 92 New York stores, in exchange for avoiding criminal charges.

The justification given by Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice was that criminal charges against the retailer in the Damour's death would have resulted in the company facing only a $10,000 fine if convicted.

Instead, she said, the company has agreed to implement an improved crowd-management plan for "Black Friday" sales. The day after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday is often called "Black Friday" and traditionally a huge shopping day for retailers.

At the same time, Wal-Mart will set up a $400,000 victims' compensation and remuneration fund, and give $1.5 million to local social services programs and nonprofit groups.

Edward H. Gersowitz, the attorney representing Jdimytai Damour's family in the aforementioned lawsuit, blasted the prosecutor over the settlement, saying that the family was not consulted before the deal was announced.

"The ability of Wal-Mart to, in effect, buy off this criminal investigation demonstrates the epitome of corporate arrogance that has become all too familiar in this day and age, and shows how Wal-Mart has nothing but contempt for the victims of such corporate malfeasance."

Naturally, any victims who accept payment from the Wal-Mart compensation fund will be required to waive their right to a separate civil suit against Wal-Mart, so I woudl anticipate Jdimytai Damour's family to not participate.

Nation's First Face Transplant Steps Forward

Five years ago, Connie Culp was shot in the face by her husband, which left her horribly disfigured. In December of 2008, she became the first face tranplant recipient in the U.S. Until Tuesday, she hadn't shown the results of the operation by the Cleveland Clinic, but today she emerged and spoke to the press.

Connie Culp was the victim of a murder-suicide attempt. Incredibly, both she and her husband Thomas survived. He was sentenced to prison for seven years. She was left with only her upper eyelids, forehead, lower lip and chin. Everything else was destroyed by the shotgun blast, and she had to have a tube to breathe.

Today at the press conference held at the Cleveland Clinic, Connie Culp told us to focus on the donor family, not on her.

“I guess I’m the one you came to see today, I think it’s more important that you focus on the donor family that made it so I could have this person’s face. When somebody has a disfigurement and don’t look as pretty as you do, don’t judge them, because you never know what happened to them, Don’t judge people who don’t look the same as you do. Because you never know. One day it might be all taken away.”

Connie Culp left the hospital on Feb. 5. She will be on immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of her life. However, so far she has suffered only one mild rejection episode that was controlled with a single dose of steroid medicines.

At the same time, Connie Cult can at least do all the things so couldn't do not that long ago: talk, smile, smell and taste her food again. Watch her brave and inspiring press conference below.

Semi-Nude Photos of Miss California, Carrie Prejean, Emerge

Semi-nude photos of Miss California Carrie Prejean have emerged, and they've quite a stir among fans, and non-fans. To be honest, this might not be such an issue if it were not for her highly publicized stance on gay marriage, as well as the fact that it's been confirmed that her breast implants were paid for by the Miss California organization.

Both the photos (one as released by The Dirty, above) and the revelations about her breast implants have led many to call her a hypocrite. However, in a press release about the somewhat racy photos, Carrie Prejean said:

"I am a Christian, and I am a model. Models pose for pictures, including lingerie and swimwear photos. Recently, photos taken of me as a teenager have been released surreptitiously to a tabloid Web site that openly mocks me for my Christian faith. I am not perfect, and I will never claim to be. But these attacks on me and others who speak in defense of traditional marriage are intolerant and offensive. While we may not agree on every issue, we should show respect for others' opinions and not try to silence them through vicious and mean-spirited attacks."

However, the Miss California pageant organization isn't happy about either her stance on gay marriage, her agreement to be in an anti-gay marriage ad, and have even called her an "opportunist."

Let's not forget what happened to Vanessa Williams when nude photos of her emerged; there's always a decency clause in these titles, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Prejean stripped of her crown. More to come.

Unhappy Girl Finds Condom in "Happy Meal"

I'm sure you remember the faux report of a finger found in Wendy's chili, so everr6y report like this has to be taken with a grain of salt. That said, Swiss police are investigatng a report of a condom found in a child's Happy Meal.

Fribourg state police say the mother called them after the girl discovered the condom among her french fries. Police said Monday that an analysis was being done to determine if the condom posed a health risk to the child.

Interestingly, there appeared to be another report of a condom in a Happy Meal, according to MyFoxPhoenix. Strangely though, that story seemed to echo an earlier story from 2007, right down to the names and quotes.

Shoot, MyFoxPhoenix, there was already a condom story today; did you have to recycle one?

"Incredible Shrinking Baby" Mystifies Doctors

Doctors are mystified by the case of 10-month-old Utah infant Maggie Agnew. Somehow, despite even being given a feeding tube, Maggie is literally shrinking, and she now weighs only 10 pounds 6 ounces, and is visibly very thin.

Maggie has other problems:

• She was born with three holes in her heart, although two have now sealed.
• Her esophagus is the size of a premature infant
• She has breathing problems

Maggie’s father, Sean Agnew said:

"So, she’s getting plenty of calories, but her body is burning all the calories that she is getting, and they don’t where it’s going to."

Neighbors and family have rallied around Maggie Agnew; there is a Salt Lake City fundraiser planned May 15 - 16, a yard and bank sale. For more information on that, contact Sara Boss at (801) 463-6612. The sale runs 1-7 PM Friday and 9 AM -3 PM Saturday.

There is also an account set up under Maggie Agnew's name at the America First Credit Union, 3190 S. 1300 East in Salt Lake City.

This is probably one of those very, very strange diseases that appear on shows like Mystery Dianosis and the like. Watch an MSNBC video report:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Corrections Officer Zaps Kids with Taser After Parents Agree

A "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day" tour has resulted in a shocking experience for some kids, and a firing for a corrections officer.

At the Franklin Correctional Institution on April 24th, Sgt. Walter Schmidt (I suppose I should say former Sgt.) zapped at least two kids with a Taser, which can provide up to 50,000 volts to the victim.

Schmidt said the parents gave him permission to do so. Still, one might think a little common sense would tell the guy, "this is a stupid idea."

Schmidt was fired. Warden Duffie Harrison said Schmidt zapped "at least two kids," and Department of Corrections Secretary Walt McNeil said an investigation is underway.

The real investigation should be into how much common sense was lacking in both the former Sgt. and the parents, as well?

Rare Raccoon Roundworm Strikes Two in New York

It's a disease so rare that there are fewer than 30 cases that have been reported nationwide, but New York City health officials are reporting two cases of raccoon roundworm; a disease contracted through contact with raccoon feces. It can cause permanent nerve damage and death.

In the two NYC cases of raccoon roundworm, a teenager lost sight in one eye and a baby is brain-damaged from the disease.

The department's Sally Slavinski says:

"Parents should closely supervise small children in areas where raccoons live to prevent possible ingestion of raccoon feces."

Some publications have been erroneously calling the disease "raccoon ringworm," rather than roundworm. The worms lay eggs which are expelled in the raccoon's feces; they hatch after being ingested and travel through the body.

The teenager lost sight in one eye in January, while the infant has been hospitalized since suffering seizures and spinal problems last October.

Fourth-Grader Presses Rice on Torture

The students are getting younger, but the questions remain the same. After being "interrogated" in a Stanford University dorm last week, Condoleeza Rice faced similar questioning in a Q&A session at the Jewish Primary Day School in Washington, DC, on Sunday.

Misha Lerner, a student from Bethesda, asked: What did Rice think about the things President Obama's administration was saying about the methods the Bush administration had used to get information from detainees? Her response?

"Let me just say that President Bush was very clear that he wanted to do everything he could to protect the country. After September 11, we wanted to protect the country," she said. "But he was also very clear that we would do nothing, nothing, that was against the law or against our obligations internationally. So the president was only willing to authorize policies that were legal in order to protect the country.

"I hope you understand that it was a very difficult time. We were all so terrified of another attack on the country. September 11 was the worst day of my life in government, watching 3,000 Americans die. Even under those most difficult circumstances, the president was not prepared to do something illegal, and I hope people understand that we were trying to protect the country."

Misha's mother, Inna Lerner, said the question her son had initially come up with was more pointed:

"If you would work for Obama's administration, would you push for torture? They wanted him to soften it and take out the word 'torture.' But the essence of it was the same."

Rice has previously used the argument that something is legal "by definition if it was authorized by the president." Critics have noted the similarity to a statement of former president Richard M. Nixon: "When the president does it, that means it is not illegal."

Busted for Sex on Windsor Castle Lawn, Couple Fears Firing

Joy Taylor, 35, and Phil Carden, 30, arrested after a drunken, naked round of sex on the lawn at Windsor Castle, are now afraid of losing their jobs after the highly publicized incident.

As I've said before, you need to take responsibility for your own actions.

At any rate, the couple's romp happened only days after Phil Carden and his fiancee Lucy Meredith, 29, split. It's unclear why the split occurred since Meredith was in the midst of planning for the wedding.

But considering how Taylor and Carden are smiling happily above at the stoop of Taylor's apartment, the obvious reason must come to mind, musn't it?

In fact, Meredith said:

“He makes me sick to the core. What the hell was he thinking of? I never want to see him again.

“I was so wrapped up in the wedding I fooled myself into thinking things were ok. He would turn off his phone for long periods, he wouldn’t ring or text me. He would make excuses for staying an extra night and then barely look at me when he got back.

“When I first saw the story I chuckled and wondered what sort of sex-crazed idiot would get caught with his trousers down on the Queen’s lawn? Well now I have my answer - the man I loved and was supposed to be marrying.

“I could hardly believe it’s the same person because Phil was never very adventurous in bed. But I took a copy of the article to show his mum. She had a face like thunder,”

In the aftermath of the 20-minute session, broken up by castle guards (it's unclear if either party reached "fruition," both are, according to reports, afraid they will be fired by their companies over the obviously extremely bad publicity.

American-born Taylor, 35, is thought to be working at a major London firm as a freelance consultant, while 30-year-old Carden is a £50,000-a-year operations director at a recruiting firm.

Photo above via The Sun.

Invisibility, Via Meticulous Work

While scientists have been struggling with the possibility of creating a Harry Potter-ish invisibility cloak, Sara Watson, who is studying drawing at the University of Central Lancashire (Uclan), took three weeks to create her own invisible car.

More or less, that is. Through meticulous work, she took the battered old Skoda Fabia that was given to her by local firm Recycling Lives and made it such that you can barely see it in the parking lot of her studio at Uclan's Hanover Building in Preston.

The car is now being used for advertising by Recycling lives. Owner Steve Jackson described her work:

"When I first saw the photos I was convinced it was something which had been done on the computer. But when you look more closely you see the effort and attention to detail she has put into it. It is just amazing."

Angela Merkel's Lingerie Ad, in the Flesh

German Chancellor Angela Merkel in lingerie on a billboard? Well, that's what's being done in Germany, in a photoshopped way, that is.

According to AFP, the ad is for an underwear company that is offering a discount of $7 on new underwear with a trade-in of old ones. The slogan: "The country needs new undies."

Merkel isn't the only one photoshopped in the ad. Also appearing are other members of Germany's political corps.

My guess is that the slogan is implying that the country needs a change of more than underwear.

Despite this, however, the electronic billboard has drawn much attention, with many snapping pics of it.

Merkel's office was mum about the new ad. A spokesman told AFP:

"The chancellor's office does not want to comment on the campaign."

It's not the first time Merkel's flesh has been the subject of public attention, though the last time, as highlighted by the Sun, it wasn't photoshopped.

Condi Rice, Stanford Student Trade Barbs Over Torture (Video)

On Thursday night former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice visited a Stanford University dorm and was "interrogated" over the Bush administration's torture policies.

In March 2009, Condoleeza Rice returned to Stanford University as a political science professor and the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution.

Portions of the discussion include:

"Unless you were there, in a position of responsibility after Sept. 11, you cannot possibly imagine the dilemmas you faced in trying to keep America safe. If you were there in a position of authority and watched Americans jump out of 80 story buildings because these murderous tyrants went after innocent people, then you were determined to do anything that you could, that was legal, to prevent that from happening."

However, the word legal is a point of contention. Historian Alfred McCoy, appearing on Democracy Now! on Friday, said the following:

Two points. First of all, waterboarding is torture under US law, because it constitutes a death threat. OK? It’s a threat to die by drowning. Alright? So, one, waterboarding is torture. President Obama is correct. It’s a violation of law, and all of those that ordered it should be prosecuted for violations of federal statutes.

Second point, her argument that you had to be there, because the nation was at risk, that’s the argument that every Latin American military dictator made for brutal torture and summary executions, arguing that the communists, the barbarians were at the gate, and therefore extreme measures were qualified. That’s impunity. Every Latin American dictatorship, every Latin American nation that emerges from dictatorship finds the same argument: we had to do it because the nation was at risk. That’s how you get impunity.

When asked if waterboarding was torture, Rice said:

"The president instructed us that nothing we would do would be outside our legal obligations. We were told, nothing that violates our obligation under the convention against torture.

"By defintion, if it was authorized by the president, it did not violate our obligations."

Watch the video of the exchange:

Hydroxycut Products Recalled by FDA Over Possible Liver Damage

This'll go to show you not assume those miracle shortcuts to weight loss are safe. After all, dietary supplements are not as tightly regulated by the government as medications.

On Friday, the FDA issued a recall and warning to consumers to halt the use of any Hydroxycut products, over possible liver damage.

The FDA issued the recall of Hydroxycut products after receiving 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes (which is an indicator of potential liver injury), to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA.

Other, but rarer, problems leading to the Hydroxycut recall include: seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, which is the rapid breakdown of muscle tissue due to injury. Rhabdomyolysis can lead to acute kidney failure.

Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight-loss, as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, you know, those magic products that are designed to enhance weight loss and muscle mass without you really having to work (that hard).

The liver problems were reported by consumers using the products at the recommended dosage on the package.

The list of Hydroxycut products affected by the recall are:

• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
  
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
  
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
  
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
  
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
  
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
  
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
  
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
  
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
  
• Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
  
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
  
• Hydroxycut 24
  
• Hydroxycut Carb Control
  
• Hydroxycut Natural
  

The FDA indicated that not all of the above products have shown issues, but Iovate has agreed to recall all the products listed above. Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia products are not affected by the recall.

Not surprisingly, a quick search indicates that lawyers are lining up a list of clients over the Hydroxycut recall.

Iovate's web page on the recall indicates consumers should return the product to the place of purchase.