Mereja

Author: Sean Patterson

  • Double Amputee Humiliated by TSA Agents, Says Congressman

    Congressman Duncan Hunter, representative for California’s 50th congressional district, this week wrote a terse letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John Pistole. The letter detailed an account of alleged mistreatment of a wounded marine by TSA officers and demanded an explanation for the event.

    Hunter’s letter alleges that a Marine, later identified as Cpl. Toran Gaal, was “humiliated” as he passed through security at Phoenix Sky Harbor International airport. Gaal, who lost both of his legs to explosive in Afghanistan, was traveling from Phoenix to San Diego with several other marines.

    TSA agents allegedly asked Gaal to stand, which he cannot do on his own. They are also alleged by Hunter to have forced Gaal to remove his prosthetic legs (presumably looking for some sort of James Bond rocket launcher). This is before he was taken to a second screening area for his wheelchair to be examined.

    From Hunter’s letter:

    One of the Marines in particular, who lost both of his legs to an Improvised Explosive Device, was confined to a wheelchair with limited to no mobility. The individual escorting this Marine asked the TSA officer which of two checkpoints to enter and received the response, “either one,” only to be told moments later they should have entered a different way. As a result, a TSA officer asked the Marine to stand and walk to an alternate area, despite the fact that he could not stand or walk on his own. With numerous TSA officers sitting and unwilling to assist, an officer then made him remove his legs, then put them back on, only to advance to a secondary screening location where he was asked again to stand, with extraordinary difficulty, while his wheelchair was examined for explosives.

    Though Hunter stated he recognizes the necessity of passenger screening, he wrote that he is “concerned by the apparent lack of situational awareness and respect among TSA officers – specifically when it comes to the treatment of war wounded.”

    The TSA has replied to the allegations, telling the Arizona Republic that surveillance footage of the incident shows the marine was never forced to remove his prosthetics.

    View more videos at: http://nbcsandiego.com

  • WWE Star Saves Mom From Burning House

    Wrestling stars are known for their large bodies and intimidating monologues, but one former WWE star demonstrated this week that he is able to come to the rescue outside of the ring as well.

    TMZ is reporting that Chris “The Masterpiece” Masters, born Christopher Mordetzky, saved his mother from her burning house this week.

    The report states that a “neighbor” had barricaded himself in the house, threatening to burn down the house if anyone came in. Masters called the police, which caused the man to make good on his threat.

    As the house began to burn, Masters, according to TMZ, uprooted a “tree” and used it to break one of the house’s windows, from which his mother was able to escape. Police then entered the house and apprehended the arsonist.

    Masters Tweeted about the incident in the days following his rescue:

    Masters began wrestling for the WWE in 2005, though he returned to the independent circuit in 2007 for violating the organization’s substance abuse policy. He returned to the WWE briefly in 2009, but was released from his contract in 2011.

  • Boy Killed by Dad’s Plow Truck in Accident

    A Maine family is in shock this week after a father accidentally ran over his 6-year-old son with a snow plow truck.

    The Portland Press Herald is reporting that Kevin Capponi of Greene, Maine was plowing snow from his driveway on Wednesday when he backed over his son, Nathan. The accident occurred at around 6:45 am.

    Nathan is reported to have been playing with a scooter in the driveway at around 6:45 am when the accident took place. The child was later pronounced dead at a Lewiston hospital.

    The family has not yet given interviews to the media about the event, but Kevin Capponi has updated his Facebook page to reflect the tragedy. He updated his cover photo and profile picture, which are now both pictures of Nathan. He also linked to a story about the incident, saying: “here is the story everyone…please forgive me and my family…I love him with all my heart…it is now broken.”

    In response to his Facebook post Capponi has received well-wishes and reassurance from friends and family.

  • 12-Year-Old Arrested For Shooting Prank Call

    With the fears of school shootings at their highest since the Columbine shootings in 1999, authorities and parents are in no mood to suffer pranksters who would test those fears.

    The Associated Press is reporting that a 12-year-old boy has been arrested for making a prank call to 911 about a school shooting in a small Minnesota town.

    The student reportedly made the prank call at around 8 am, telling dispatchers that there was a shooter in New Prague Middle School. The boy is alleged to have said the make-believe shooter was carrying an AK-47.

    The call resulted in the middle school and other schools in the area being cleared out, and students were eventually given the day off.

  • Next Bond Movie Coming Within Three Years, Says MGM

    James Bond fans may not have to wait long for the next installment in the storied movie franchise.

    Reuters is reporting that MGM teased Bond fans with talk of a new movie during its investor conference call on March 19. During the call, MGM CEO Gary Barber reportedly stated that MGM “hopes” a new Bond movie will be released within three years.

    Barber went on to state that the studio is developing a screenplay for the new Bond movie and that a director for the next Bond movie could be revealed “soon.”

    MGM also revealed in its 2012 fiscal results that last year’s Skyfall was the “biggest” release of a James Bond film ever. The studio reported that its theatrical revenues increased $661 million over its 2011 revenues, in part because of the success of Skyfall and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

    Bond fans have never had to wait too long for a new installment in the franchise. The longest time gap between Bond movies was between 1989′s Licence to Kill and 1995′s GoldenEye.

    The video below splices together scenes from each Bond movie into a single “movie.” It provides a look at the evolving visual style of the movies, as well as the different writing and directing choices that defined each era of Bond movies.

  • Teen Mom Star DUI Arrest Takes Place in Omaha

    Farrah Abraham, one of the starts of the reality TV show Teen Mom, has been arrested for driving under the influence.

    TMZ is reporting that Abraham was pulled over in Omaha, Nebraska after making a wide turn. The police later determined that she had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.

    Abraham began starring in the MTV reality series Teen Mom in 2009. The show has chronicled Abraham’s family problems and her difficulties raising her four-year-old daughter, Sophia Abraham. Police have stated that Sophia was not in the car with Abraham when she was arrested.

    Abraham has not directly addressed the incident, but did post a reference to it to her Twitter feed:

    Abraham is not the first Teen Mom star to run into trouble with the law. Last summer, Amber Portwood was sentenced to five years in prison for domestic battery charges.

    Abraham also made headlines in January, when video surfaced showing her forcibly waxing Sophia’s eyebrows:

  • Hospice Murder-Suicide Rocks Pennsylvania Community

    An elderly man and woman in Allentown, Pennsylvania are dead, following a murder–suicide.

    CBS is reporting that 86-year-old Elwood Osman shot his 83-year-old wife while she was lying in bed in the hospice wing of Lehigh Valley Hospital on Tuesday, March 19. He then took his own life in the same room. The wife, Mildred Osman, had only been in the hospital’s care since March 7.

    Hospital and Lehigh County authorities have stated that no other patients or staff witnessed the event and that no danger was posed to other patients. Security at the hospital is being reassessed.

    “It’s a love story,” said Jim Geiger, SVP of operations at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

  • Man From U.N.C.L.E. Movie Could Star Tom Cruise

    It seems that the 50-year-old Tom Cruise is still a top contender for the lead roles in high-profile action movies.

    Screen Rant is reporting that Cruise is currently in talks for a role in the upcoming The Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie adaptation. Channing Tatum is also rumored to be attached to the film, which will be directed by Guy Ritchie.

    The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was a spy thriller TV series that aired in the U.S. during the 60s. The show revolves around a pair of U.N.C.L.E. agents, one American and one Georgian. The agents and the worldwide U.N.C.L.E. organization battled the THRUSH organization and its goal to enslave humanity. The show attempted to emulate the style of the James Bond-style spy thriller, including a rotating cast of beautiful women.

    Cruise would, presumably, be negotiating for the role of the American agent, Napoleon Solo. Solo was played by Robert Vaughn in the original series.

  • Sinkhole Swallows Pond in California

    A Newcastle, California man woke up Sunday morning and found his pond missing.

    The man, Mark Korb, told the Sacramento-area NBC affiliate KCRA that his man-made pond was drained by a sinkhole. As if pulling the plug on a giant bathtub, Korb estimates the entire pond drained in four or five hours.

    It is unknown whether the sinkhole was caused by natural processes or by mining activity, which was once prevalent in the Newcastle area.

    Sinkholes have recently been making the news on the other side of the country, following the death of a Florida man. The man was swallowed up by a large sinkhole that opened up beneath his bedroom.

  • Patrick Stewart Wedding to be Officiated by Ian McKellen

    It’s official. Gandalf will be marrying Jean-Luc Picard. In a way.

    Sir Ian McKellen, the actor known for playing roles such as Magneto in the Bryan Singer X-Men movies and Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movies, has announced that he will be officiating the wedding of Sir Patrick Stewart and Stewart’s fiance, Sunny Ozell.

    Stewart is well-known for many roles, notably as Professor Charles Xavier in the Singer X-Men movies and as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on the TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation.

    McKellen announced his marriage responsibilities during an interview on The Jonathan Ross Show. He also stated that he has performed a marriage before, officiating the civil partnership of two men in the U.K.

    “I’m going to marry Patrick,” said McKellen, who immediately saw the problem with his wording. “But, no, well, how else do you put that? I am going to officiate, yes, at his wedding.”

    McKellen also jokingly propositioned Doctor Who actor Matt Smith, who briefly showed up during the interview. The host later plays a clip of McKellen’s first appearance on television in 1964. The marriage revelation begins at the 11-minute mark in the video below:

  • Fran Warren Dies; Big Band Singer Was 87

    Fran Warren, a popular big band singer in the 40s and 50s, has died at the age of 87.

    Warren is reported by the Associated Press to have died of natural causes on March 4 at her home in Brookfield, Connecticut. The day was her 87th birthday.

    Born Frances Wolfe, Warren began singing for bands led by stars such as Randy Brooks, Cahrlie Barnet, and Claude Thornhill. Her first big his was 1947′s “A Sunday Kind of Love,” which she recorded with Thornhill’s band.

    Warren went on to have a solo career during the 50s. Her biggest hit during that period was a duet version of the song “I Said My Pajamas (and Put on My Pray’rs) she sang with Tony Martin. She also starred in the movie Abbott and Costello meet Captain Kidd and performed in comedy musicals such as Finian’s Rainbow.

  • Michelle Shocked: Slurs Used in On-Stage Homophobic Rant

    Singer Michelle Shocked cleared the house on Sunday after going on an on-stage rant against homosexuality in a San Francisco nightclub.

    According to a report in the The Bay Area Reporter, Shocked played two sets at Yoshi’s nightclub in the Fillmore section of San Francisco on March 17. Though the first set went fine, after which she tweeted the following:

    During the second set, Shocked reportedly began to rant against homosexuality and predicting the return of Jesus. The Bay Area Reporter story quotes her as saying, “When they stop Prop 8 and force priests at gunpoint to marry gays, it will be the downfall of civilization and Jesus will come back.” When asked for specifics on what she was trying to say, Shocked is quoted to have said, “You are going to leave here and tell people ‘Michelle Shocked said God hates faggots.”

    The club began to empty and the club’s manager came on-stage to announce that the show had ended. Shocked continued to sing, even when her microphone was cut and the stage lights were turned off.

    Shocked became a member of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ choir in the mid-90s. In 2008 the singer told the Dalls Voice that she believes homosexuality is a sin.

    Shocked found indie acclaim in the late 80s and early 90s with her albums Short Sharp Shocked, Captain Swing, and Arkansas Traveler. She has been nominated for two Grammy awards, one for Best Contemporary Folk Album for Arkansas Traveler and one for Best Contemporary Folk Recording.

    (Image courtesy Sigmund/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Nude Beach Shut Down on Weekdays in Mazomanie, Wis.

    A popular nude beach located on a river in Wisconsin will now be closed to the public on weekdays.

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stated the new policy has been put in place to stop beachgoers from enjoying sex and drugs in the area.

    On Tuesday the DNR announced that the beach, the islands off the beach, and the woods surrounding the beach will be closed on weekdays. The new rules take effect immediately and last from now until September 15. The closure will last from March 1 to September 15 in future years. The beach area will be opened on Saturday and Sunday, from 6 am to 8 pm.

    “The goal of this closure is to make Mazomanie Beach a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone who visits or floats past the area.” said Nate Kroeplin, DNR conservation warden. ” It is clear from our records that the majority of illicit activity is taking place on weekdays. Along with the closure we will add extra law enforcement presence.”

  • Dr. Oz Sued Over Insomnia Remedy

    Unlike some daytime TV doctors, Dr. Mehmet Oz is an actual medical doctor. While that means his medical advice on The Dr. Oz Show may carry more weight than other TV doctors, it also means some viewers may put too much stock in some of the more home-brewed “remedies” sometimes described on the show.

    The New York Daily News is reporting that a New Jersey man is suing Oz over an insomnia cure the doctor described on his show.

    The remedy that caused the man such trouble was one described by Dr. Oz on a show in April 2012. The “knapsack heated rice footsie” cure for insomnia involved placing uncooked rice into a pair of socks, heating them in a microwave, and placing them on the feet for 20 minutes to help with sleep.

    The man suing Dr. Oz, 76-year-old Frank Dietl, ended up with third degree burns on his feet after attempting the remedy. Dietl reportedly has neuropathy in his feet due to diabetes, meaning he could not feel the rice burning his feet.

    The Daily News report states that Dr. Oz did warn his viewers not to heat the rice sock too hot, though no specific warnings were issued for people with neuropathy.

  • Shooter T.J. Lane Wears ‘Killer’ T-shirt to Court, Flips Off Victims’ Families

    Note: This post contains strong language.

    Convicted murderer T.J. Lane was sentenced to life in prison for the 2012 murder of three high school students in the Ohio town of Chardon.

    According to an Associated Press report, the 17-year-old Lane, who attended an alternative school, walked into the Chardon High School cafeteria on the morning of February 27, 2012 and fired a .22 caliber pistol at a group of students. Three students died, and Lane, now 18, pleaded guilty to three counts aggravated murder last month. To date, he has provided no reasoning for his actions.

    At his sentencing today, Lane showed his contempt for the court and his victims by wearing a white t-shirt with the word “KILLER” scrawled on it in marker. Lane smirked and gazed off while family members of his victims testified that he should receive the maximum penalty available.

    During the sentencing Lane opted, against his lawyer’s advice, to address the courtroom. In a shocking display, Lane turned toward the families of his victims and spouted vulgarities, raising his middle finger to the courtroom.

    “This hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to the memory,” said Lane. “Fuck all of you.”

    Lane’s three life sentences do not allow for the possibility of him ever being paroled. The death penalty was unavailable to the prosecution, as Lane was only 17 at the time of the shooting.

  • A.B.C. Whipple Dies; Author Was 94

    Addison Beecher Colvin (A.B.C.) Whipple, author and journalist, has died.

    The Associated Press reports that Whipple died on Sunday, March 17 from Pneumonia.

    Whipple is, perhaps, best known for his work as a Pentagon correspondent for Life magazine during World War II. He was instrumental in pressuring the U.S. military to allow the publication of a photograph of dead U.S. soldiers. Whipple pressured war censors for the clearance, eventually getting the attention of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who allowed the publication of the image. The AP states that the event ended the censorship rule against publishing photos of dead soldiers.

    After the war, Whipple continued to report for Life and began writing books, most of them about sailing and seafaring. Throughout his career, Whipple authored more than 20 workss, such as Vintage Nantucket, The Whalers, and The Mysterious voyage of Captain Kidd.

    Whipple went on to become an executive editor at Time-Life Books.

  • Carnie Wilson: Disorder Revealed Via Twitter

    Last year, Carnie Wilson, the famous pop singer and actress, stated that she had lost significant weight after undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Now, Wilson has revealed another very personal condition to her Twitter followers. The singer told fans on March 14 that she is currently suffering from Bell’s Palsy on the left side of her face.

    Bell’s Palsy is a facial paralysis comes from nerve damage that can be caused by a variety of factors, including strokes. In Wilson’s case, she has revealed that the condition is only temporary and that she has had the condition before, 14 years ago.

    In the time since Wilson revealed her condition, she has provided updates assuring fans that things are getting better. Just today Wilson tweeted that her “smile is 70% back.”

    Wilson is best known as a member of the pop group Wilson Phillips, along with Wendy Wilson, and Chynna Phillips. Wilson Phillips’ most well-known hit is “Hold On,” which topped the pop music charts in 1990:

    As a bonus, enjoy this drag queen version of the song, which was created during the gay-rights related eat-ins and kiss-ins at Chick-Fil-A last year:

  • Chicken Lays Giant Egg That Contains Another Egg

    Just in time for Easter, the locals in Guizhou, China have been dumbfounded to encounter a chicken that is repeatedly laying monster-sized eggs.

    The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a woman in the Chinese village told reporters that her hen began laying the huge eggs last week, and has produced several of them. She stated that she feeds the chicken rice, as opposed to her other chickens, which get corn. When the first massive egg was laid, she told reporters, she thought the hen was dying.

    The eggs reportedly weigh over twice as much as normal eggs. It’s easy to see why. In the video below the woman and friends crack one of the eggs for cameras, showing that it holds two yolks and an entire other egg within its shell. The nested egg’s yolk brings the total to three yolks – enough for a proper omelette.

  • Bill O’Reilly Divorce May Involve the Catholic Church

    Bill O’Reilly is best known as Fox News’ headlining prime time pundit and isn’t a stranger to controversy (loofah, anyone?). Though individuals may disagree with his politics or views about the world, it’s clear that O’Reilly is a passionate man. Over the years he has demonstrated his passion about his politics, his religion, his ignorance of physics, and doing it live.

    It serves to reason that O’Reilly is equally passionate about marriage, and, now, is very passionately involved in a post-divorce custody battle.

    Gawker this week reported that O’Reilly and Maureen McPhilmy divorced in 2011, but that the pundit couldn’t let go. He allegedly tried to get the Nassau County Police Department to begin an internal affairs investigation into his ex-wife’s new boyfriend, who was a Nassau County detective. There are also allegations that O’Reilly hired the couple’s court-appointed “neutral therapist” to be nanny for the couple’s two children, who are part of a shared custody arrangement.

    Beyond these alleged infractions, the report also states that the couple’s battle has been taken up by the Catholic Church. McPhilmy is reported to have received a formal reprimand from the church, stating her divorce and second marriage preclude her from receiving the sacrement of communion. O’Reilly is reported by Gawker to be seeking an annulment of the couple’s marriage, which would invalidate the marriage in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

  • Mob Wives Star: Playboy Says ‘No Thanks’

    Playboy is undoubtedly inundated each day with hundreds of nude photos from women all over the world who believe they have what it takes to grace the famous magazine’s pages. Nearly all of them are rejected.

    When a celebrity agrees to pose for the magazine, however, Playboy’s high standards for body type and age can be relaxed a little. The magazine has featured pictorials from stars such a Tiffany and Debbie Gibson well into their 30s, and Denise Richards appeared in the magazine just months after giving birth to her first child.

    Not everyone can qualify for such exceptions, though, and with so many reality shows on TV these days there are dozens of semi-celebrities who believe they deserve a place in Playboy. The publication does not agree.

    TMZ this week reported that Pia Rizza, star of reality TV show Mob Wives Chicago, was rejected by Playboy after sending in her nude pictures. The report states that leaked nude photos of Rizza were being sold, and she didn’t want the pics to make money for someone else. The photos were sent to Playboy, who politely informed her that they were not interested.

    Pia Rizza is the daughter of Vincent Rizza, a mobster who testified against The Chicago Outfit and entered the Witness Protection Program.