Author: Amanda Crum

Mindy McCready, whose star seemed so bright when her country career took off in 1996, endured a series of pitfalls in the past several years. After a suicide attempt following her ex-boyfriend’s arrest for attempted murder–he beat and then choked her–McCready’s life seemed to spiral steadily out of control. She reportedly dealt with a drug and alcohol problem off and on, and was featured on “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew” following an arrest tied to a fake prescription for OxyContin.

Things seemed to be looking up for the singer when she met David Wilson; the couple became the proud parents of a baby boy last year. But in January, Wilson died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious enough to cause investigators to look at McCready as a suspect should evidence of foul play come up, causing her to make a statement on the “Today” show.

“Oh, my God, no. He was my life,” she said when asked about the allegations that she had something to do with his death. “We were each others’ life…I have never gone through anything this painful. He didn’t just touch my heart, he touched my soul. He was my soulmate.”

McCready entered a rehab program earlier this month, but it’s unclear what the treatment was for specifically. Then, on Sunday afternoon, authorities were dispatched to her Arkansas home on a shots fired call. McCready was found dead on her front porch of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“At 3:31 PM, Sunday, February 17th Deputies from the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a report of gun shots fired in the area of 1132 Fox Chase Drive in Heber Springs,” reads a statement from the police department. “Officers arrived on the scene at 3:58 PM and discovered the body of 37 year old Melinda Gayle McCready on the front porch of the residence at 1132 Fox Chase. Ms. McCready was pronounced dead at the scene from what appears to be a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. At this time family members have been notified of the incident. Ms. Mcready will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy and the matter will be fully investigated.”

McCready was just 37 years old. She leaves behind a six-year old son, Zander, and 10-month old Zayne.

Amanda Bynes has seen nearly as much headline time in the past year as Lindsay Lohan, which is saying a lot. The 26-year old (former?) actress has been followed by controversy since she was pulled over and arrested on suspicion of DUI last June, eventually being accused of everything from locking herself in the bathroom of a cupcake joint for an hour to walking around a tanning salon totally nude.

But despite reports of odd behavior–the many, many reports–Bynes has proven she’s just a normal girl by sharing a list of things we don’t know about her with Us Magazine. Check it out below.

1. My first concert was the Spice Girls. I always wanted to be Posh.
2. I’ve always loved drawing and my dream is to start a fashion line.
3. I went on Accutane and it really helped my skin clear up.
4. My favorite store is American Apparel.
5. Rag and Bone makes the best jeans.
6. I’m addicted to online shopping.
7. My nickname is Chick.
8. I know how to play the piano and the violin.
9. My grandma and grandpa are from Toronto.
10. My favorite perfume is Stella by Stella McCartney.
11. I gain weight quickly so I need to work out constantly.
12. I would love to start recording an album.
13. I started acting when I was 7. My first commercial was Nestle Buncha Crunch.
14. My favorite dark lipstick is Diva by Mac.
15. I moved to New York City and I love it! I lost 4 lbs. since I moved. I’m 121 lbs — my goal is 100 lbs.
16. I survived Hurricane Sandy.
17. I bought a Rolex. It’s my most prized possession.
18. Diet Coke is my favorite soda.
19. I’m Polish, Irish and Lithuanian on my dad’s side; Romanian, Polish and Russian on my mom’s side.
20. Macaroons are my favorite cookie.
21. Alexander Wang makes the best T-shirts.
22. Paper Boy and Ms. Pac Man are my favorite childhood video games.
23. I always fall asleep during massages. I love them.
24. I love eggplant Parmesan.
25. I love going to the Bahamas.

Two fifth-grade boys in Washington state are each being held on $100,000 bond after a conspiracy to commit murder was uncovered when weapons were found in one boy’s backpack.

The boys, aged ten and eleven, are expected to be charged with conspiracy to commit murder last week after a gun and knife were found in their possession. Classmates allegedly heard of their plans to kill an 11-year old girl who had “been mean to them” and went to school authorities. The boys also allegedly promised $80 to at least one student to keep quiet about their plans and, upon questioning as to why they had the weapons on school property, admitted they were planning to kill the girl and six other students. Details about their motives haven’t been released.

“These young men conspired to kill,” prosecutor Tim Rasmussen said. “It was interrupted by the bravery of a fourth grader who saw something and said something … and interrupted a murder.”

The story has shocked parents and residents in the Washington town of Spokane, including the school superintendent, who says he “can’t wrap his mind around it”. The boys also face charges of possession of a firearm and witness tampering; their court date is set for February 20th.

Bunnies are usually pretty docile creatures, so when you see a news story that begins with “Bunnies Attacking”, it either brings to mind cheesy horror movies or a terrifying image of cute animals rising up to take over.

But the bunnies at Denver International Airport are just trying to stay warm, apparently, and keep their teeth sharp while they’re at it. Officials say they’re dealing with a massive rabbit problem in the parking lot there now that the animals have discovered warm spots beneath the vehicles. Extended stays in their little hideouts lead to them chewing on the wiring beneath the cars, causing anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars worth of damage.

“I see at least dozens every morning. They go hide under the cars and the cars are warm,” said airport shuttle driver Michelle Anderson.

Airport authorities have taken to some unconventional means to get rid of the bunnies, including sending motorists to local mechanics to have the wiring coated in coyote urine. They say the smell of a predator will keep the little furry guys away. For those keeping their cars in the lot, it’s on their own heads if a rabbit destroys the wiring in their car; most insurance companies won’t cover it, and officials at the airport say that parking permits clearly state they aren’t responsible for damage done to the cars while they’re parked there.

For thousands of passengers on the Carnival cruise line that had to be towed to shore this week, a vacation turned into a miserable, stinky experience that ended after five long days when the ship made it to shore in Mobile, Alabama.

But for some, the horrible week just won’t end. Passengers from the ship were given the option to either board a bus to be ferried to New Orleans or Houston–where they could find a hotel room if necessary–or to be put up in a hotel in Mobile to wait for friends or family to come pick them up. Those who chose to go to Houston were not happy early this morning when their bus broke down on the side of the road for nearly an hour.

“My son Jacob and I, when we pulled over and realized the bus was broken, we just started laughing,” passenger Clark Jones said. “People were giggling. Other people were not happy at all. I don’t know what you can do about that. Buses break down all the time, probably more often than ships do.”

Jones also tweeted a photo from aboard the miserable bus.

Twitter

The ordeal was over after a new bus came along to pick up the stranded passengers, but for most, it couldn’t have come soon enough. Carnival has reportedly reimbursed each passenger for their trip and handed out free vouchers for another cruise, although it’s doubtful many will take them up on the offer.

Image: Rian Tipton/People

Harrison Ford, who famously played Han Solo in the original “Star Wars” series, is set to reprise the role for the new movies according to several sources.

The rumors appear to have started with a blurb about the new films on Latino Review, where it was reported almost casually that Ford will be in the new movie Disney has planned, “Star Wars: Episode 7″. And while nothing is official yet, fans of the films are insanely excited about the possibility of seeing Solo once again.

Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, said in an interview last year that he and Carrie Fisher had met with George Lucas regarding the new films, but didn’t go into detail as to whether or not they would be playing older versions of Luke and Leia. The news came after Lucas made the announcement that he’d sold Lucasfilm to Disney for the whopping sum of $4 billion.

About the sale, Lucas said, “For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next. It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”

Of course, nothing is definite, and with Ford famously having said he wanted to see Solo get killed off in “The Empire Strikes Back”, it’s hard to say whether he’s really down with taking up the role again.

Harrison Ford deal? My source says not yet.”It will not be for weeks and perhaps months.”

— Geoff Boucher (@geoffboucher) February 15, 2013

IKEA Australia is getting a lot of attention today after they announced on Valentine’s Day that they would give away a free crib to any parents whose child is born nine months from now, on November 14th.

The company has garnered a lot of talk on social media forums particularly, where many are praising the furniture makers for a cute, attention-grabbing ad…even if a baby conceived on Valentine’s Day won’t necessarily be born on November 14th.

Ikea has a free baby crib for any babies born 9 months from yesterday. #woahhhderrr

— JANEYFOCKE. (@janeyyyfockeee) February 15, 2013

Hilarious! “@digg: Get pregnant today, get a free Ikea crib in 9 months. Seriously: (bit.ly/XFGKXJ) twitter.com/digg/status/30…”

— Molly Mason (@maryaidan) February 15, 2013

Quite clever: Ikea offers free crib to new parents who’s child is born 9 months after Valentine’s Day. designtaxi.com/news/355865/IK…

— Cai Sepulis (@BallyhooMedia) February 15, 2013

Love this idea! – Ikea’s Valentine’s Gift: Free Crib for Babies Born 9 Months From Today hopflow.com/r/P5K-c1zd

— Jami Oetting (@jamioetting) February 15, 2013

hahah nicely played #Ikea: Valentine’s Day With Offer of Free Crib—Nine Months From Now adweek.com/adfreak/ikea-w…

— Kendra Poyner (@kendrapoyner) February 15, 2013

“delivery” in both senses not included #IKEA Australia Offers Free Crib to Any Baby Born 9 Months From valentines day gaw.kr/11Kw12G

— Kristen Sze TV News (@abc7kristensze) February 15, 2013

Now this is marketing: IKEA gives away free cribs for Valentines, for babies born 9 months from now.LOL ow.ly/hKivs

— Justine (@justinespinueva) February 15, 2013

Clever print ad that makes people LOVE Ikea. Smart because it’s getting so much earned media.tinyurl.com/b9675d8

— Thom Pulliam (@thompulliam) February 15, 2013

Kris Humphries, who has been locked in a legal battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian for over a year now as the two try to finalize their divorce, is facing another setback in the case after his attorney Marshall Waller filed a motion to be removed as his legal counsel.

Citing “irreconcilable differences”, Waller petitioned the court to quit the case right before a hearing based on Kardashian’s request to get a court date set as soon as possible. It’s not clear yet what those differences may be, but it’s possible Waller just wants to move on from the case that won’t die.

The famous couple were married just 72 days before splitting, with Humphries claiming that Kim orchestrated their relationship and elaborate wedding just for ratings for her immensely popular reality show, “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”. Since Kim broke the news that she’s now pregnant with rapper Kanye West’s baby, the legal drama has reached an all-time high, with reports that Humphries could legally claim the baby as his own and speculation that Humphries has deliberately been delaying the case in order to get some sort of revenge.

Depending on today’s court date, this may not be over for a while. Kim is due to give birth in July.

It’s the most tragic and heartbreaking thing a mother can imagine: learning there’s something wrong with her baby in utero. When Claire Ives was seven months pregnant, she got the terrible news that her son’s heartbeat was going at a rate of twice the normal number of beats, and was forced to deliver him five weeks early.

Baby Edward was born with supraventricular tachycardia, a condition that causes improper electrical impulses in the heart and leads to an irregular heartbeat. The end result is that the heart can overwork itself and stop, or organs which aren’t getting enough blood flow begin to malfunction.

Not long after he was born, Edward’s heart began to race the way it had in the womb, and doctors tried shocking it and administering medication, to no avail. The infant was given just a 5% chance of survival.

“I just thought he was going to die,” said Ives.

When nothing else worked, doctors turned to an unconventional method for a patient so young; cooling him with gel ice packs to slow his heart rate and protect his organs. His body temperature was dropped to just 91 degrees, and over the span of several days, a team of doctors and nurses stood close watch over the baby as his heartrate continued to spike up and down. Eventually, by using a combination of the cooling method and medication, they got his heart rate to remain stable. A full ten days after he was delivered, Claire got to hold her baby boy for the first time. Edward is now six months old and appears to be fine.

“It was horrible to see him lying there freezing in nothing but a nappy,” Claire Ives said. “He was heavily sedated so didn’t move much, and he was cold to touch – it looked like he was dead. All I wanted to do was scoop him up and give him a warm cuddle. I just had to keep reminding myself that it was saving his life.”

Though Edward will have to be monitored as he gets older to ensure the condition doesn’t return, the family says they are extremely grateful that science was on their side when it mattered most.

“It’s made me appreciate all the small things about my children,” said Ives. ”It’s the best thing ever to bring him home.”

Image: Caters

Jenny McCarthy has never been afraid to be outspoken when it comes to her beliefs, her comedy, or her family. So when critic Rex Reed made some very hurtful, degrading comments about her cousin Melissa McCarthy while reviewing ripping apart her new movie “Identity Thief”, Jenny had several things to say.

After calling the actress “tractor sized” and comparing her to a hippo, Reed slammed her acting abilities by saying she’s “a gimmick comedian who has devoted her short career to being obese and obnoxious with equal success.” As soon as the review came out, Reed was blasted by thousands on the web for his comments, and not just by McCarthy’s fans. Even those who haven’t seen her movies were taken aback by the harsh review.

“I don’t have the whole story, but, I do know that, after being in this business 20 years, it’s really crummy that you get attacked in your personal life in general,” Jenny McCarthy said. “For anyone to attack like that, it’s just wrong and hurtful, and it doesn’t do anyone any good—not even Rex Reed, you know? She’s very very talented and people know that, so…He can go to hell.”

Reed recently responded to the public outcry over his comments, saying, “My point was that I object to using health issues like obesity as comic talking points… [McCarthy] is basing her career on being obnoxious and being overweight. And I don’t think that’s funny. I have too many friends that have died of obesity-related illnesses, heart problems and diabetes, and I have actually lost friends to this. I have helped people try to lose weight, and I don’t find this to be the subject of a lot of humor. I have a perfect right to say that. My review was really more about the movie and about the character she plays in the movie than it is about her. I don’t care how much she weighs. I don’t care how much Melissa McCarthy weighs. She wants to be fat? …She’s crying all the way to the bank.”

LeAnn Rimes is suing her dentist, claiming he misdiagnosed her problems and subsequently gave her substandard veneers that led to “severe tooth pain, gum inflammation and chronic gum bleeding.”

The country singer says that the damage to her mouth has affected her ability to perform has been significantly affected and is seeking damages for past and future performances.

After suffering through nine root canals, bone grafting, a temporary bridge, physical therapy and a “permanent cosmetic deficiency”, Rimes posted on Twitter about her ordeal.

Oscar Pistorius, the Olympic and Paralympic star also known as Blade Runner, openly cried in court this morning after the prosecution read that his murder charge would be upgraded to premeditated murder.

The 26-year old was originally charged with the murder of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot to death in the early hours of Valentine’s Day at his home. Original reports said that Pistorius shot Steenkamp mistakenly after she entered his home late at night as a Valentine’s surprise, and that he had been collecting an arsenal of weapons due to fears of the high crime and home-invasion rate in his native South Africa.

Pistorius and his counsel issued a statement this morning, saying, “The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms.
He would also like to express his thanks through us today for all the messages of support he has received — but as stated our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family — regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy.”

It was also reported yesterday that there have been “previous incidents” of a domestic nature at the Pistorius home which required a police presence, but officials haven’t given details as to what they might have been. Since the news broke of Steenkamp’s death, many who know the double-amputee have taken to social media forums to voice their opinions of him.

“I’m so glad Sammy is safe and out of the clutches of that man,” Trish Taylor wrote on Facebook. Her daughter, Samantha, dated Pistorius. But others have come to his defense, claiming he never displayed violent tendencies.

“All I am saying is let him speak, let his side be heard without jumping to conclusions,” ex-girlfriend Jenna Edkins wrote on Twitter. “I have dated Oscar on and off for 5 YEARS, NOT ONCE has he EVER lifted a finger to me or made me fear for my life.”

Megyn Kelly, one of Fox’s most popular news anchors, announced yesterday that she and husband Doug are expecting their third child.

The news came about after Janice Dean asked if Megyn and Doug exchanged cheesy Valentine’s Day gifts, to which Megyn replied that they always had trouble finding something for one another.

“We always struggle to find just the right gift. Yet this year I believe we’ve found the perfect solution. Happily, Doug and I are expecting another baby,” she said.

After congratulations came from studio members, Kelly was presented with several gifts and balloons to mark the occasion. Afterwards, she commented on how different she’s going to look soon and said there won’t be any “stand-up” shots in the near future.

Kelly spoke about the changes a woman’s body goes through after she announced her second pregnancy in 2011, giving tips on what not to say to a woman expecting a child.

“If you ask me when I’m due and I’m vague, just be quiet. We both know you’re wondering how I got so big so fast. You see, I would be smaller, but I have another human being developing inside of me. Don’t tell us how fat or out of shape YOU feel. We’re packing at least 25 extra pounds as we deal with nausea, back pain, swelling, and a host of other unmentionables… and frankly, we just don’t want to hear it,” she said.

Tiffany and Co. have filed a lawsuit against Costco for their sale of diamond engagement rings which were labeled “Tiffany”, but which the company claims were not produced by them.

A Costco customer tipped off Tiffany to the sales and they immediately launched an investigation, saying that Costco has been selling these rings for years and using signage marked “Tiffany” when in fact they aren’t associated with the high-end jeweler at all.

“We now know that there are at least hundreds if not thousands of Costco members who think they bought a Tiffany engagement ring at Costco, which they didn’t,” Jeffrey Mitchell, an attorney for Tiffany’s, said. “Costco knew what it was doing when it used the Tiffany trademark to sell rings that had nothing to do with Tiffany. This is not the kind of behavior people expect from a company like Costco, and this case will shed a much needed light on this outrageous behavior.”

The lawsuit alleges trademark infringement, counterfeiting, unfair competition, injury to business reputation, false advertising and deceptive business practices against Costco and reportedly asks for the forfeit of all ring sales, plus damages of $2 million per infringement. The suit could prove to be a pricey one for Costco; the company hasn’t issued a statement on the matter yet.

Rapper Jim Jones was arrested on Wednesday for disorderly conduct in New Jersey after a disagreement with officers who were trying to tow his car.

Jones reportedly showed up as the tow was happening and questioned the officer in charge, who let him know he had a summons on the windshield for a parking violation; the car hadn’t been moved since February 6th.

Jones allegedly tried to pay his fine on the spot, and when police began questioning him about prior arrest warrants–for failing to shovel a sidewalk and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle–he became agitated. It was reported that Jones tried to walk away during the arrest. He later posted his own bail and is due to return to court on February 27th.

Image: YouTube

There’s a video making its way around the web today, and for good reason: the toddler in it has mad basketball skills.

We’re not just talking making the shots; he does trick shots, makes several shots in a row while laying down, and makes shots no matter what height the goal is set at. This kid definitely has a future in sports should he be interested, but the best thing about Titus, perhaps, is his sheer love of making baskets. The look on his face every time the ball goes in is pretty adorable.

Katie Couric has reached out to some friends in high places in order to try and find out why 911 calls are being made from her late husband’s telephone line.

Couric says at least three calls have been placed from the number to emergency services, some of them while she wasn’t home. They’re originating from an old land line that her husband, Jay Monahan, used in their apartment.

“It’s happened like three times the last three weeks,” Couric said. “Every day, every time at 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning. I was out of town the last time it happened and apparently it happened before when nobody was home.”

Couric said she turned to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to clear up the matter, which is now under investigation.

“So I called Ray Kelly, who I know just through the years seeing at different things. ‘Ray, this is so weird but can you help me? I don’t know what to do,’” Couric said.

It’s not yet unknown whether the calls are being made due to a malfunction or glitch of some kind, or if they’re what police refer to as “spoofing”: a hacker getting into the phone line to make the calls using a hijacking device.

Ronald Dworkin, a scholar and law expert who taught at New York University and University College London, has died of leukemia. He was 81 years old.

Dworkin was highly regarded in his field of study and was often quoted on legal matters, especially those pertaining to British law, which he was exceptionally well-versed in.

“He will be dearly missed by those of us who were lucky enough to know him and by the countless people who followed and admired his work,” NYU Law School dean Richard Revesz said.

Dworkin based his teachings on his belief that our laws should be rooted in integrity and moral clarity, which would make it easier for every member of society to be treated as equals. He argued that several sections of the Constitution were written in too abstract a way.

“These clauses must be understood in the way their language most naturally suggests: they refer to abstract moral principles and incorporate these by reference, as limits on the government’s power,” he said.

Despite all his successes and admirers, Dworkin never quite knew how to describe his own work, or judge it with any accuracy.

“I’ve tried to be responsible for my decisions and to make an authentic life,” he said. “When I was a Wall Street lawyer, I realized I didn’t want that life. So I went and did what I found most fulfilling, thinking about, arguing for the things that are hard, important and rewarding. I’ve tried to do it well. I can’t say if I’ve succeeded.”

Alleged serial killer Israel Keyes, who gave up the location of Alaskan barista Samantha Koenig’s body before he committed suicide in December, reportedly had been given a razor blade by prison authorities before his death.

Keyes had tried to escape multiple times after his arrest for Koenig’s murder and was found to be in possession of tools for escape at least once. After an attempt at a court hearing in May, he was given a two-officer escort at every outing and had his privileges regarding utensils, pencils, and razors taken away. But somehow, a razor blade slipped by, and he used it to slit his own wrists in his cell before investigators could learn the details of his other killings. He also strangled himself with a bedsheet.

The suicide came as a shocking blow to the investigation, as Keyes had indicated he knew enough about certain victims to have killed them in a spree that reached from Washington state to New York. However, he was dead before they could learn more about the murders.

For now, officials aren’t releasing details on how the razor got into Keyes’ possession, but they have said that protocol will change at the Anchorage Correctional Complex.

“Before, if there were restrictions on an inmate, it was in a book. The (corrections officer) would go over and look in a book,” spokeswoman Kaci Schroeder said. “Now it’s going to be on a sign plastered on the door of the cell. So it’s going to be right there, very obvious.”

As of Keyes’ death, there were up to eight other murders he had taken credit for which never got the chance to be investigated.

Image: Alaska Dept. of Corrections

Robert Kennedy Jr. was among the dozens of protestors who were arrested yesterday after chaining themselves to a White House gate to make their voices heard regarding the Keystone Pipeline.

The project, which would put in 1,700 miles of conduit to export crude oil from Canada to New Mexico, was delayed by the Obama administration last year with the reasoning that more research needed to be done. But it was only pushed back until after the election, and some are now projecting that a final decision could come about as early as spring. Kennedy and the other protestors–a group which included actress Daryl Hannah–say they think Obama is better than the idea, which, in their opinion, would have lethal complications.

“I don’t think President Obama is going to permit this pipeline to happen,” Kennedy said. “I think President Obama has a strong moral core, he is not going to do something that is immoral, that is reckless and that is going to impose the costs of our joyride for these wealthy oil companies…on future generations of Americans and citizens all across the planet. I do not believe he will do that and I do not believe that [Secretary of State] John Kerry will do it.”

Hannah, who has been arrested for a similar protest before, says their hope is to change the administration’s mind on the matter before the imminent decision.

“We’re out here saying, ‘President Obama, you must reject the Keystone Pipeline,” Hannah said. “This is a lethal project that is the largest fuse to the largest carbon bomb on the planet.”

Of the arrest, Kennedy said, “It’s unfortunate that civil disobedience is the only recourse against a catastrophic and criminal enterprise that will enrich a few while impoverishing the rest of humanity and threatening the future of civilization.”

Image: CBS6