Mereja

Author: Sean Patterson

  • Gore ‘Romney rich’, According to Bloomberg

    Al Gore is well-known for his close 2000 election loss to George W. Bush and for his evangelism on the issue of global warming. However, the former Vice President has been quietly amassing a fortune in the years since his political career ended.

    Bloomberg is reporting that Gore is now ‘Romney rich’, with a net worth that rivals the infamously wealthy 2012 Republican nominee for president, Mitt Romney. Using company filings and tax records, the publication estimates that Gore could be worth more than $200 million. Romney’s net worth is estimated to be close to $250 million.

    The 65-year-old Gore’s riches reportedly come from a variety of sources. Just this year, Gore has made around $100 million from selling investments. The Current TV network was sold in January and Gore nabbed around $70 million for his share of the network. He also sold 59,000 shares of Apple stock he has received for serving on the tech company’s board, netting Gore around $30 million.

    Sales of his global warming books and movie, An Inconvenient Truth, haven’t added to Gore’s wealth. Profit made by Gore on those products has been donated to the nonprofit Climate Reality Project, which Gore founded in 2010.

    Gore’s affluence last came up in 2007, when reports came out that his home in Nashville used significantly more energy than the average American household. Global warming deniers seized on this fact to paint Gore as a hypocrite. In 2010, Gore bought an $8.8 million villa in Montecito, California.

    Gore participated in a Reddit AMA late last year, but did not comment on his growing wealth.

  • CNN Anchor Robbed: iPhone Stolen in Atlanta

    A CNN anchorwoman was the victim of a brazen daylight robbery in Atlanta last week.

    Carol Costello, the news anchor for the 9 am to 11 am segment of CNN Newsroom, revealed this weekend that she had been robbed on Thursday. She claims that she was “walking down a beautiful, leafy Atlanta street” while talking on her iPhone. Three “teenagers” then ran up to her and grabbed her phone. Costello fought for the phone but had a “chunk” of her hair pulled out for her trouble.

    According to a wsbtv report on the incident, Costello was walking in the 1100 block of Piedmont Avenue. Costello gave the police a description of the iPhone thief. The anchor vented about the event on her Facebook page, where she wrote that she was “angry”:

    Carol Costello CNN3 days ago

    Good Morning. In retrospect, what happened to me yesterday is insignificant in light of what happened in the Boston.
    Still, I feel the need to vent. And isn’t that what friends are for?
    I was robbed.
    And I am angry.
    I was walking down a beautiful, leafy Atlanta street, talking on my IPhone.
    Guess what happened next?
    Three teenagers ran up behind me. One of them grabbed my IPhone. Stupidly I struggled to hold on-to it. But, he was a big guy. And he pulled out a chunk my hair.
    I let go.
    As he ran down the street, laughing, I hurled a few expletives his way.
    I felt no fear at the time, I was just angry. Now I’m angry, shaken and sad. What a lousy life those kids have ahead of them.
    Turns out, according to ABC news: “cities across the country are on alert as officials warn of an uptick in stolen Apple products, dubbed “Apple picking.”
    Thieves steal IPhones, wipe them clean, then sell them for up to one-thousand bucks.
    So, a warning for you. Do not talk on your IPhone as you walk down the street.
    Oh, and let go of the stupid device if someone tries to steal it.
    Hope you join me at 9 and 10 AM ES. Powered by socialditto  390 likes ·  740 comments

    IPhone theft is nothing new, and though thieves may be getting better at it, apps such as iCloud can help locate an Apple device once it is stolen.

  • Scarface Actor Dies; Mario Machado Was 78

    Mario Machado, a Los Angeles TV reporter famous for portraying reporters in movies, has died at the age of 78.

    According to a Los Angeles Times report, Machado died at a convalescent facility in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. His daughter stated that he had died from complications of pneumonia, and that he had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

    Machado was born in Shanghai in 1935 and was educated in the U.S. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1956 and became a U.S. citizen in 1965. Machado made an name for himself as a TV reporter for local Los Angeles news stations such as KCBS and KNXT in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. He was one of the first Chinese-American on-air news reporters in the U.S.

    Machado also became famous for playing news reporters in movies. He played the role of Casey Wong in the RoboCop movies. He also played the role of a reporter in the movies Brian’s Song, Rocky III, and Scarface. He continued his on-screen appearances into the 90s, when he appeared in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 as an awards host.

  • Tebow Fans’ Plea Hits White House Petition Site

    The White House’s online petition website has been used to promote both serious and silly ideas since its debut. Petitions to build a death star or make an R. Kelly song the national anthem don’t seriously deserve the president’s time, but others, such as the anti-CISPA petition, reflect the policy views of many Americans.

    Now, NFL fans have used the website to petition the President of the United States to get Tim Tebow a job.

    According to an Orlando Sentinel report, Jacksonville Jaguars fans want Tebow to be their quarterback badly enough to bother President Obama with their cause. A petition was filed on the website to encourage the president to “call Jacksonville Jaguars GM David Caldwell and tell him to stop ignoring Jaguars fans and sign Tim Tebow.” The petition, which claimed Tebow’s presence would increase Jaguar ticket sales, has since been taken down.

    Tebow was released from his job with the New York Jets in April. Since that time, Tebow, now a free agent, hasn’t garnered intrest from any other NFL teams, including the Miami Dolphins.

    Tebow gained notoriety with the Denver Broncos in 2011 before being traded to the Jets in 2012. He has also gained a fan following for his outspoken Christian religious beliefs.

  • Helen Mirren, as Queen Elizabeth II, Yells at Street Drummers

    Dame Helen Mirren is known for playing characters with proper manners, but the actress this weekend used a few choice words when excoriating a group of street performers who were interrupting her performance.

    According to a Telegraph report, Mirren was dressed as Queen Elizabeth II when she took to a London street and yelled at the performers outside the Gielgud Theature in Westminster. It was reported that her language was quite strong as she demanded the troupe quiet down. She was reportedly also accompanied by Rufus Wright, who was also costumed in character as Prime Minister David Cameron, making the entire spectacle seem rather bizarre.

    Mirren and Wright are currently starring in The Audience, a play in which Mirren, playing the queen, meets with British Prime Ministers from the 50s on. The play debuted in February and Mirren last week was awarded an Olivier Award for her role as the queen. Mirren also won an Academy Award for best actress in 2006 for playing Elizabeth II in the movie The Queen.

    According to the Telegraph, the drummers were part of a parade promoting a music festival called As One in the Park.

  • Punched Ref Dies After Time in Coma

    A Utah man died on Saturday after being punched while refereeing a soccer game one week ago. According to an Associated Press report, 46-year-old Ricardo Portillo died at a Salt Lake City hospital after spending a week in a coma.

    Portillo had been the referee at a recreational soccer match last Sunday, when he was punched on the side of the head by a 17-year-old player. Portillo had just given the youth, a goalkeeper, a yellow card for shoving another player. The referee became dizzy and then began vomiting blood, according to witnesses. He suffered brain swelling and fell into a coma after being transported to a nearby hospital.

    According to the AP report, the teen is currently in a juvenile detention center on aggravated assault charges. Authorities have indicated additional charges may be filed in the wake of Portillo’s death.

  • Dolphins Cancel Stadium Renovations

    Planned upgrades for the Miami Dolphins‘ Sun Life stadium have been cancelled following the failure of a bill meant to provide public funds for the venue. According to a report from Miami’s CBS 4, the Florida house adjourned without taking up the bill, which would have raised the state’s hotel bed tax to fund the stadium repairs.

    Dolphins CEO Mike Dee appeared on the news station on Sunday, stating that the Dolphins organization and team owner Stephen Ross in particular were not prepared to fund the proposed $350 million in renovations themselves.

    “From the get-go we had looked at this as a comprehensive modernization, not a band-aid, not a quick fix,” said Dee. “I wouldn’t want to prognosticate what the future holds, but it’s clearly bleak.”

    Dee went on to blame Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford for failing to bring the bill up for a vote. He characterized Sun Life stadium’s state as “desperate” and intimated that, though Ross isn’t interested in moving the Dolphins, a future sale could mean Miami losing its NFL team.

  • Justin Bieber Attacked During Dubai Show

    Justin Bieber may be more popular than ever, but the singer’s fame is beginning to have some unfortunate consequences for the 19-year-old pop star.

    In March, Bieber was accused of “diva-like behavior” after arriving late to a concert in London and being spotted wandering around the city shirtless. The singer addressed reports on his behavior via a rant on Twitter, calling the stories “fake” and emphasizing that he is a “good person.”

    Now, Bieber’s time in Dubai is getting weird too. According to a report from The National, Bieber was attacked on-stage by a crazed fan during his second show in Dubai.

    The pop star was reportedly playing piano near the end of his set when the fan stormed the stage and grabbed Bieber. The star was not hurt and the heavy security at the event was able to subdue the attacker within seconds. The piano, however, was knocked over.

    Despite the damaged instrument, Bieber was able to continue the show. The star referenced the incident in a tweet sent out early on Monday:

  • Vonn, Without Tiger, Spotted at New York Fundraiser

    For someone with a serious leg injury, Lindsey Vonn sure moves around quite a bit.

    Last month, Vonn was seen at the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia cheering on her new boyfriend, Tiger Woods. This week, Vonn attended a fundraiser in New York City for the Delete Blood Cancer bone marrow donor center, though Woods was nowhere in sight.

    According to a New York Post report on the event, Vonn stated that Woods is preparing for the PGA’s Players Championship, which begins on May 9.

    Vonn posted about the fundraiser on her Facebook page, stating that the cause is important to her because her uncle had multiple myeloma:

    Lindsey Vonn22 hours ago

    Wonderful night at the Delete Blood Cancer gala. My uncle Frank battled multiple melanoma so this cause means a lot to me. Happy to be a part of the night. Thx to Derek Lam for my dress :) #getswabbed @dkms @DerekLamNYC

    Powered by socialditto  999 likes ·  242 comments

    Lindsey Vonn22 hours ago

    Ugh! Auto correct!! My uncle had multiple myeloma! Powered by socialditto  876 likes ·  101 comments

    According to the Post report, Vonn was not wearing her leg brace underneath her long dress.

    Vonn’s leg was injured in February following a horrific crash she endured at a competition in Austria. Since that time, she has been chronicling her physical therapy on her Facebook page. Vonn has stated that her recovery goal is to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

  • Tower Climber Falls, Dies in Seattle

    A man climbing a power tower in Seattle has died, but not for lack of climbing ability.

    According to an Associated Press report, the man was climbing a 200-foot power tower when he touched a high-voltage power line and was electrocuted, falling to a platform that was around 150 feet off the ground. The incident occurred around 12:30 am PDT on Friday morning.

    The man remains unidentified and the Seattle fire department has not yet determined why the man was climbing the tower.

    The fire department called in a helicopter to help ascertain the situation after it received reports of a fire on the tower. Witnesses had reported seing a bright flash and sparks. After finding the body, Seattle’s power company cut the power to the lines so that the fire department could recover it. The AP report stated that a “cap” and cellphone were found near the body.

  • Katherine Russell Tsarnaev: Wife Refuses to Talk About Bomber

    Ever since Boston police identified the Boston Marathon bombing suspects as Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, authorities have been digging into the brothers’ pasts to learn why they wanted to hurt people at the finish line of the marathon. In addition to finding out that over $100,000 in government assistance has gone to the Tsarnaev family, authorities found female DNA on bomb parts recovered at the scene of the bombings.

    Now, The New York Times is reporting that Dzhokhar has revealed some of the bombing plot to the F.B.I. From his hospital bed, the alleged bomber told police that he and Tamerlan had originally planned to plant their bombs on the Fourth of July. Their bomb-making proceeded more quickly than planned, and the Boston Marathon was chosen as the target. Dzhokhar also reportedly stated that the bombings were partly motivated by the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that he and his brother had viewed online sermons from Anwar al-Awlaki, an American cleric.

    Intense scrutiny of Tamerlan’s wife, Katherine Russell has also begun. She has retreated to her family’s home in Rhode Island since the bombings and is caring for her and her former husband’s 3-year-old daughter. Tamerlan died in a shootout with police shortly after the Tsarnaev’s pictures were released in connection with the bombings.

    The Times cites two unnamed “law enforcement officials” as saying the fingerprints found on the bomb materials were not Russell’s. Even so, authorities have stated that Russell is no longer cooperating with the investigation.

    The investigation into Russell’s relationship with her husband has uncovered that she was arrested in Warwick, Rhode Island in 2007 for stealing $67 worth of clothes from an Old Navy store. Her mugshot (seen above) has been released by Warwick police.

  • Cop Fired 8 Times Faces Arbitration

    A Miami-Dade police officer who has been fired eight times from three different police departments may now be facing the end of his law enforcement career.

    The Miami Herald is reporting that Opa-locka police Sgt. German Bosque attended an appeals hearing on Wednesday, where an arbitrator heard testimony to determine his fate as a police officer.

    According to the Opa-locka police department, Bosque had left his police-issued AR-15 assault rifle with the father of his girlfriend, a violation of a 2008 settlement that allowed him to continue working as a police officer. The department is attempting to fire Bosque for the sixth time.

    Bosque, who was fired in October, was defended at the hearing by the Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association, which argued that Bosque had left the gun in a locked warehouse that only he and his girlfriend’s father had access to. Bosque is hoping that, once again, he will be reinstated with back pay.

    According to the Herald report, Bosque has been accused over the years of beating a handcuffed suspect, beating juveniles, hiding drugs, stealing from suspects, defying orders, lying, falsifying police reports, and calling in sick to take a vacation. He is currently under investigation for the alleged battery of a domestic dispute suspect.

  • Kelly: Overdose Suspected in Rapper’s Death

    Earlier this week, the tragic death of rapper Chris Kelly stunned music fans. The 34-year-old Kelly was found dead in his Atlanta home Wednesday evening. He was later declared dead at a nearby hospital.

    Now, a police report has surfaced showing that Kelly had been taking hard drugs the night before his death.

    An Access Hollywood report on the police document states that Kelly’s mother, Donna Kelly Pratte, told police that Chris had taken both heroin and cocaine Tuesday night. She stated that she and others had left Chris, who had complained of nausea and had passed out, at his home on Wednesday morning to sober up.

    A drug overdose is suspected as the cause of Kelly’s death, but an official cause of death will have to wait for toxicology reports. According to family members and friends, Kelly had a known history of drug abuse.

    Kelly was best known as one half of the rap duo Kross Kross. He and fellow rapper Chris Smith gained fame in the early 90s through their hit single “Jump.” The pair also became infamous for wearing their clothes backwards.

    Pratte on Thursday released a statement regarding her son’s death, stating that he was the “fun-loving life of the party” and that “his legacy will love on through his music.”

  • Hip-hop Producer Shot, Hospitalized

    The Associated Press is reporting that hip-hop producer Abraham Orellana, who performs as AraabMUZIK, has been shot. He has not died and is currently hospitalized.

    A spokesperson for Orellana told the AP that the artist was “in the wrong place at the wrong time” and was shot Wednesday night while “hanging out with friends. The spokesperson further stated that Orellana is “alive and well” while recovering.

    Orellana’s manager, George Moore, known as rapper and producer DukeDaGod, tweeted out a request for well-wishes over his Twitter account:

    DukeDaGod also posted a dour photo of friends and family crowding around the Orellana’s hospital bed. Orellana appears to have been sleeping at the time the photo was taken.

    AraabMUZIK in the hospital

  • Kevin Spacey Photobombs Woman in Boston

    Photobombs are nothing new to the internet, but it’s rare that a celebrity participates in ‘ruining’ a tourist photo.

    This week, a woman became internet-famous for a short time after a friend of hers posted a picture of her standing in front of the George Washington statue in Boston Public Garden to Reddit. The catch is that acting legend Kevin Spacey had randomly joined the photo moments before it was taken.

    The purported friend, who has since deleted his or her Reddit account, stated that Spacey simply jogged up to the woman, shouted “Photobomb!” and continued jogging.

    Kevin Spacey Photobomb

    The Reddit comments for the picture were soon filled with jokes based on Spacey’s movie and TV characters. One of the best (by Reddit user mister_durden) referenced Spacey’s character in American Beauty who asks for workout advice by saying, “I just want to look good naked.” Another referenced Spacey’s most recent character in the Netflix series House of Cards, who works out using a rowing machine.

  • Houston Airport Shooting Ends in Suicide, Note and Facebook Posts Left Behind

    A man fired multiple shots from a handgun in Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday before committing suicide. No one but the shooter was injured.

    Houston’s KHOU news is reporting that the man was 29-year-old Carnell Moore from Beaumont, Texas. The TV news station also reported that Moore left behind a suicide note stating he had a “monster within” and coloring the shooting as a suicide-by-cop situation.

    Over the course of the week, Moore had posted cryptic messages to his Facebook account about “staring death in the face” and stating, “This Life Will Crash Tomorrow!”

    Houston airport shooter's Facebook posts

    Witnesses to the shooting told KHOU that Moore simply walked into terminal B at the airport and began firing his weapon. A U.S. Homeland Security agent is reported to have fired on Moore as the shooter fired a gun at himself. An autopsy will be performed to determine which bullet ended Moore’s life.

  • Hotmail Officially Dead, Rolled Into Outlook

    In the late 90s, Hotmail was the most popular online email service available. Though Yahoo email and Gmail later arrived to give the service significant competition, Hotmail remained widely used for over 16 years. Now, Hotmail has become another relic of the early internet.

    Microsoft this week announced that Hotmail is officially gone. The service has been rolled into Microsoft’s new Outlook.com service.

    Outlook.com Group Program Manager Dick Craddock announced the death of Hotmail on Thursday, over on the Outlook Blog. From the blog post:

    We want to give a huge “Thank you” to all of you who have supported Hotmail over the years, for some of you, that’s going back as far as 1996. It has been an amazing journey and we’ve been honored to provide you with a great mail experience for many years. When we launched the original preview of Outlook.com, we knew that we were committing to building the world’s best email with a brand and product experience that spans from consumers all the way to the largest organizations. We’re excited to have you join Outlook.com as we write the next chapter in modern email from Microsoft.

    With the added users from Hotmail, Outlook.com can now boast more than 400 million active accounts. Craddock stated that the Outlook team was able to migrate 150 petabytes of email in just 6 weeks while maintaining Hotmail users’ preferences and contacts.

    Hotmail users will still be able to use their @hotmail.com email address, but will access their inbox from the Outlook website. Microsoft is now using a single ‘Microsoft Account’ for all of its services, including SkyDrive, which is tightly integrated into Outlook.

  • Tim Tebow: Dolphins Aren’t Interested

    Quarterback Tim Tebow gained notoriety for his skills on the field with the Denver Broncos, as well as for his outspoken Christian beliefs. Now, an injury and decreased playing time with the New York Jets has led to him being without a team.

    According to an NFL.com report, casual speculation by an agent on a Miami radio program sparked rumors that Tebow could end up playing for the Miami Dolphins. The flimsy reasoning behind this guess was that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is a fan of the quarterback.

    Now, the Tebow/Dolphins rumor seems to have been definitively put to rest. Miami Herald columnist Armando Salguero today tweeted out a quote from an unnamed “high ranking Dolphins source” that states the Tebow rumors are “totally untrue.”

    So, there is still no one who knows what’s next for Tebow, though the Arena League and the Lingerie League have both made offers for the quarterback.

    Tebow himself has not commented on any of the rumors surrounding his career. His most recent Twitter posts indicate that he is leaving his fate in the hands of his god:

  • Pregnant Congresswoman Announces Via Facebook

    Jamie Herrera Beutler, the Republican congresswoman from Washington’s 3rd district, has announced that she is pregnant. The 34-year-old Beutler was elected to congress in 2010, making her the second youngest female in the current U.S. Congress. She is married to Daniel Beutler, and the couple do not yet have any children.

    In a sign of the times, Beutler announced that she is expecting on her Facebook page. She stated that she and her husband are “blessed” and “excited” to be able to give their parents grandchildren.

    The Facebook note, in full:

    A few years ago when I was newly married and recently elected to Congress, I remember fielding some speculation as to whether or not I was “expecting.” Well… my husband Dan and I are thrilled to announce that this fall, there will be yet another person in Southwest Washington who will – for their entire adult life – get to explain “No, no, it’s pronounced Butler.” That’s right – we’re expecting a baby!

    Not only are we blessed to begin building our family, we’re also pretty excited to be giving Dan’s parents, Paul and Patti Beutler of Salem, their first grandchild and to be giving my parents, Armando and Candice Herrera of Camas, a grandchild to visit only a few miles away. I am thankful for the close proximity to both sets of grandparents because like any new parents, I’m sure we’ll need the help!

    Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and encouragement.

    Jaime and Daniel

    Beutler isn’t the first congresswoman to be pregnant, though the event is rare. Eight other women have become pregnant during their terms in office. Most recently, another Washington congresswoman, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, gave birth to a daughter in December 2010, making her the first congresswoman to give birth twice in office. Her first time giving birth in office was in April 2007. Similar to Beutler, Rodgers also announced her pregnancy through her Facebook page.

  • Amanda Bynes Topless Pics Tweeted

    Amanda Bynes has been having a tough year. Following her arrests last year in L.A., the actress’ representatives dropped her, claiming that she is now “uncontrollable.”

    Since that time, Bynes has moved to New York and has been acting as her own publicist, with mixed success. While tabloids are printing stories of Bynes acting strangely in public, the actress herself has been posting her weird experiments with makeup and hair to her Twitter account.

    Now, the Nickelodeon star is gaining attention by posting topless pics to her Twitter account.

    Though Bynes had tweeted pics earlier this week that showed off her cleavage in a lacy bra, her new pics ditch the bra in favor of ripped nylons and strategically placed hair and arms:

    Amanda Bynes Topless

    Amanda Bynes Topless 2

    Bynes has also been using her Twitter account to rail against tabloids that have been publishing pictures of her in public and accounts of her recent strange behavior: