Mereja

Author: Sean Patterson

  • Sisters Ejected From Mall For Breast Cancer Hats

    According to a report from Philadelphia news station ABC 6, Zakia Clark and her sisters were booted from the Philadelphia-area King of Prussia Mall on Sunday. The women were reportedly wearing hats emblazoned with the words “FUCK CANCER” in pink type, though not quite, as the letter c in the word fuck was replaced by a pink ribbon – a well-known symbol of the breast cancer awareness movement. Mall security reportedly asked them to leave, and began arguing with Clark before kicking them out.

    The hats were a reference to Clark’s mother, 51-year-old Jackie Underwood, who had just died after a four-year battle with breast cancer. The sisters were reportedly shopping for funeral dresses when they were kicked out of the mall.

    Mall management released a statement to ABC 6, saying that the King of Prussia Mall is a “family destination” and that some words, even just suggested ones, “are considered profane and can offend many people.” One of Underwood’s daughters, Makia Underwood, pointed out that clothing with profanity – both explicit and implicit – can be bought within the mall. The mall has since apologized to Clark and her sisters, offering to donate money to a cancer charity.

  • Brian Urlacher Retires From NFL Football

    Brian Urlacher, a 13-year veteran of the NFL, announced today that he will be retiring from football. Urlacher has played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears.

    Urlacher played college football at the University of New Mexico, where he set a school record for tackles in one season. He was drafted by the Bears in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and later that year was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

    Urlacher announced his retirement via his Twitter account. He linked to a message that made it clear that, although he could keep playing in the NFL, he feels that he wouldn’t be able to live up to his past performance or maintain his passion for the job. Urlacher goes on to thank all of the people that helped him during his career and states that he has “no regrets.”

  • Nick Jonas to Co-Host the Miss USA Pageant, Jonas Brothers to Perform

    The Miss USA pageant this week announced that Jonas Brother Nick Jonas will be co-hosting the 62nd annual Miss USA pageant. He will be joined on stage by Giuliana Rancic, the co-host of E! News. It will be her third year hosting the event. The pageant will take place on June 16 at the Planet Hollywood casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    “We are excited to announce a veteran and a newcomer as hosts for this year’s MISS USA Competition,” said Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization. “The diverse backgrounds of Rancic and Jonas in the entertainment industry will bring a new and exciting energy to the stage.”

    In addition to hosting the pageant, Jonas will join his brothers Joe and Kevin on stage to perform during the competition. The Jonas Brothers are reportedly working on a new album, and have scheduled a new North American tour for this summer.

    Jonas has confirmed that he will be hosting the Miss USA pageant, and has stated through his Twitter account that he is “excited” for the gig:

  • ESPN Layoffs Confirmed, Details Emerging

    Yesterday, rumors began to surface that sports TV news station ESPN will soon be laying off some of its employees. Now, the company, which is owned mainly by The Walt Disney Company, has confirmed that layoffs are incoming. ESPN has released a short statement on the matter:

    We are implementing changes across the company to enhance our continued growth while smartly managing costs. While difficult, we are confident that it will make us more competitive, innovative and productive.

    Though the layoffs have been confirmed, the announcement still hasn’t made it clear how major the cuts will be. It is also not yet known where the cuts will be made within the company.

    According to a Deadspin report, the number of layoffs is rumored to be “in the hundreds,” with 400 employees seeming to be the over/under. The report cites unnamed sources as stating a majority of the layoffs so far have come from “technology” positions. Disney has reportedly put pressure on ESPN to meet its profit margin, encouraging all divisons at the station to cut back on costs. ESPN’s profit margins have reportedly lowered recently due to the station buying the rights to several major live sporting events, including NFL games.

  • Mysterious Respiratory Illness Kills 2 in Alabama

    After the SARS outbreak in 2002, medical professionals around the world are on the lookout for respiratory diseases that could potentially spread. Earlier this year, health officials in the U.K. identified a new type of coronavirus that could cause coughing, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. The first patient diagnosed with the virus died from a severe respiratory infection.

    Now, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning the public about unknown respiratory illnesses that have popped up in southeast Alabama.

    Two people have already died after being admitted to hospitals with a cough, shortness of breath, and a fever. Five others exhibited the same symptoms but survived.

    The ADPH has stated that laboratory samples have been taken from all of the patients, which the ADPH’s Bureau of Clinical Laboratories and the CDC’s Respiratory Laboratory are now testing.

    The ADPH is now recommending that hospitals use respiratory precautions such as masks when dealing with respiratory patients. It is also recommended that people experiencing respiratory symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, and fever seek out medical care for evaluation.

  • Kellie Pickler Wins ‘Dancing With the Stars’

    Months of dancing and training all led up to one final episode of Dancing With the Stars. Now, Kellie Pickler has been crowned the latest champion of ABC’s network TV ballroom dancing competition.

    Pickler won the final round of Dancing With the Stars by out-dancing Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman and actress Zendaya Coleman. Along the way she also survived the competition while stars such as Wynonna Judd, D.L. Hughley, Dorothy Hamill, and Andy Dick. Pickler’s dancing partner on the show was Derek Hough, a four-time winner of the competition and the brother of two-time Dancing With the Stars winner Julianne Hough.

    This is not the first experience Pickler has had with reality TV. The country singer first gained fame in 2006 as a contestant on Fox’s American Idol karaoke competition. Since that time, Pickler has gone on to produce several hit country songs, including “Red High Heels” and “I Wonder.” She has also appeared in the pages of Maxim magazine, stripping down in tribute to U.S. soldiers in the magazine’s “Salute to the Military” special issue in 2012.

    Pickler was elated with her victory, jumping up and screaming at the announcement. The singer has already taken to Twitter to thank her fans for voting:

  • Call of Duty: Ghosts Trailer Revealed at Xbox One Announcement [VIDEO]

    Microsoft may not have focused on first-party exclusives or developers (or games, for that matter) the way Sony did in its PlayStation 4 announcement, but the company did trot what has become the biggest name in console gaming.. The first full-length trailer for Call of Duty: Ghosts was presented as the big finale for the announcement of the Xbox One.

    Judging from the trailer, Call of Duty: Ghosts will be packed with all of the action Call of Duty fans are used to. Though no multiplayer gameplay was shown at the event, it’s a given that Infinity Ward has tweaked the combat in ways that will both delight and infuriate Call of Duty veterans.

    Aside from the trailer itself, one of the big reveals of the Xbox One conference was that Call of Duty Ghosts will feature dog soldiers. Other new features include the ability to lean around corners and slide.

  • Lesbian Couple Can’t Cohabitate, Rules Texas Judge

    A Texas judge has ruled that a Lesbian couple will lose their children if they continue to cohabitate.

    According to an Associated Press report on the ruling, a clause in Carolyn Compton’s divorce states that her children are not allowed to spend the night with her while a “romantic partner” also spends the night. The clause could be side-stepped if the woman were to be married to the “romantic partner,” but gay marriage is not yet legal in the state of Texas.

    Compton’s partner, Paige Price, has been ordered to move out of the home they share within 30 days, or Compton faces losing custody of her two daughters, ages 10 and 13. Compton’s husband reportedly wanted the divorce clause enforced for the “benefit” of the children.

    According to the AP report, Compton and Price have argued that the divorce clause is unconstitutional, on the basis that it limits their “thought, belief, and experssion.”. The couple have stated that they will comply with the judge’s order, though they believe is could be “harmful to the children” and disruptive to their family.

  • ‘Bishop’ Gets 37 Years For Pipe Bombs

    A letter carrier whose calling card was “The Bishop” was sentenced this week for mailing pipe bombs to investment firms.

    According to an Associated Press report, John Tomkins of Iowa was sentenced to 37 years in prison this week for mailing “dud” pipe bombs to investment firms and investment advisers. The 48-year-old mail carrier had mailed the ineffective pipe bombs with letters signed “The Bishop,” an idea he stated he got from criminals in movies. He will serve a manditory minimum sentence of 30 years.

    Tomkins’ crimes were reportedly a scheme to influence the value of stocks that he owned. The letters mailed along with the intentionally disabled bombs had threatened financial executives and their families if stock prices were not raised for certain companies.

    According to the AP report, it took U.S. authorities two years to track down Tomkins. The crimes were eventually pinned to him using the stock market records of two companies Tomkins had mentioned in his threats.

  • Arias Speaks to Jury at Sentencing, Pleads For Her Life

    On May 8, Jodi Arias was found guilty of murdering her former boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in 2008. Alexander was found in his shower with his throat slit, his head shot, nearly 30 stab wounds. Now, a jury is deciding whether Arias will receive the death penalty or life in prison.

    After being delayed for a bomb threat, the sentencing phase of Arias’ trial began last week. The jury has already heard emotional testimony from Alexander’s family, who stated that the murder had affected their health and brought on nightmares. Today, jurors heard from Arias herself.

    According to an Associated Press report, Arias testified on her own behalf Tuesday morning. Though just after she was found guilty Arias had stated she would prefer the death penalty, she pleaded with the jury today to spare her life and sentence her to life in prison.

    “My nieces are the closest I’ll ever come to motherhood, because I’m not going to have children of my own,” said Arias. “I’m not going to become a mother. Because of my own terrible choices, I’ve had to lay that dream to rest.”

  • Chely Wright & Wife Are Now Mothers to Twins

    Country Music star Chely Wright is now a mother. According to a report in People magazine, the singer gave birth to identical twin sons this past Saturday.

    The twins have reportedly been named George Samuel and Everett Joseph after their great-grandfathers. Wright released a short statement to People, saying that she and her wife are grateful for their medical care and “the love and support of family and friends.”

    Wright’s pregnancy had been announced back in January, when it was revealed the singer was expecting twins. At the time, the due date for the twins’ birth was reported to be sometime in the summer. Though much speculation has surrounded the issue, Wright and her wife have declined to give details on how Wright conceived.

    Wright found success in the 90s with hits songs such as “Shut Up and Drive” and “Single White Female.” She came out as a lesbian in 2010, making her the first major country music star to do so. She then married Lauren Blitzer (now Lauren Blitzer-Wright) the following year in a ceremony in Connecticut. Blitzer-Wright is a music executive and an LGBT activist.

  • Donkeys Suspected in Hungary Mauling Death

    It’s a given that animals are dangerous. While animals such as the Hippopotamus are known to be very dangerous, even seemingly harmless animals such as beavers can manage to kill a human.

    This week, police in Hungary are investigating the violent death of an older man that involves animals not normally thought of as killers. The suspects? Two donkeys.

    According to an Associated Press report, a 65-year-old man named Sandor Horvath died last week in Magyarszecsod, Hungary. Authorities say that the man was apparently pulled off his motorcycle by two donkeys and mauled to death. Horvath was reported to have been dragged for 50 meters while the animals bit and trampled him. Police are currently investigating the incident to work out exactly what happened. The results of the man’s autopsy have not been revealed.

    The donkeys were reportedly being kept on land adjacent to Horvath’s farm. The animals have not yet been put down, and are being kept “under observation” while the investigation continues.

  • Angry Mob Pelts Man With Rocks Over Child Rape Rumors

    Rumors can often spark a reaction, but one Colorado man this week learned that they can also spark violence.

    According to an Associated Press report, an angry mob in Denver this week threw rocks at a man they believed to be the a child molester. The mob was reportedly angered by the failure of local police to arrest a suspect in the case of two separate sexual crimes, one involving the rape of a girl and another involving a flashing incident with a different child. A description of the suspect in the crimes was released by police, and the mob began searching for someone matching the description. According to police, the description was vague, as the criminal had worn a bandanna over his face.

    When the mob found the 54-year-old man they later assaulted, he ran before being surrounded and beaten. Police arrived and took the man into custody. The man reportedly escaped the attempted stoning with only a bloody face, and has not pressed charges against the mob. He has provided a DNA sample to police, so that he can be definitively ruled out as a suspect.

  • Ozzy, Sharon Osbourne Back Together After Split

    Back in April, aging rocker Ozzy Osbourne used his Facebook page to address rumors about his family. He admitted that he had relapsed for the past year and a half, drinking and doing drugs. Though he emphasized that he and his wife, Sharon, were not getting divorced, he did not dispel rumors that he and Sharon were living separately. Sharon later used her position on daytime talk show The Talk to speak about how “devastated” she has been to learn about Ozzy’s relapse.

    Now, it seems that the Osbournes are back together. According to a TMZ report, the couple, who were featured in the early 00s reality TV show The Osbournes, were seen sharing lunch in Beverly Hills this weekend. The report even states that the two were “cozying up together” during the visit.

    In addition, a Huffington Post report shows that Ozzy and Sharon were also together this weekend at a Beverly Hilton Hotel gala for the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. The couple appeared on the red carpet and Ozzy was even able to score a quick kiss.

    Both Ozzy and Sharon have admitted that Ozzy’s drug abuse has hurt their family. It now appears that Sharon is slowly easing Ozzy back into her life now that he has been sober for nearly three months.

  • Jay-Z Says Baby Rumors Are Untrue

    Last week, rumors that pop star Beyoncé is pregnant began heating up. The week’s rumors were capped off with what seemed to be a confirmation that the diva is expecting her second child. This week, however, Beyoncé’s husband is once again tamping down the rumors, stating that the pregnancy reports are “not true.”

    A program director for the New York radio station Hot 97 this weekend reported that Jay-Z had personally told him that the rumors are not true. He quotes the would-be father as saying, “It’s not true. The news is worse than blogs.”

    Neither Jay-Z nor Mrs. Carter herself have commented officially on the pregnancy rumors. Beyoncé is currently promoting her world tour, “The Mrs. Carter Show.” The tour is currently in Europe, and will continue in North America throughout June and July.

    Though the pregnancy rumors began over some blurry concert photos, the rumors ramped up last week when Beyoncé canceled a scheduled concert in Antwerp, Belgium. The official word was that doctors had sidelined the pop star for “dehydration and exhaustion,” but fans eagerly postulated that the singer was having morning sickness.

  • Ochocinco Arrested For Parole Violations

    Last fall, former NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson plead no contest to misdemeanor domestic battery after allegedly head-butting his wife just one month after their wedding. Johnson received one year of probation for the charge, and was cut by the Miami Dolphins.

    Now, Johnson is back in court after violating the terms of his parole. According to a TMZ report, Johnson did not check in with his probation officer for two straight months and failed to show that he was enrolled in a domestic violence education class. A warrant for Johnson’s arrest was issued by Broward County last Thursday.

    In a video of Johnson’s courtroom appearance, the 35-year-old wide receiver described his behavior as a “total misunderstanding” between himself and his probation officer. The judge, however, took issue with the pace at which Johnson was completing his domestic violence classes, saying that he should have been done with them in March. Johnson’s bail has been set at $1,000.

  • New Jersey Sinkhole Swallows Warehouse Worker

    It seems fantastical that the Earth could simply open up and swallow whatever is above it. However, sinkholes are a real danger, and just over the past few months sinkholes have taken cars, ponds, and people.

    This week, a man in East Rutherford New Jersey was pulled into a sinkhole that opened beneath him during work. According to a New Jersey Star-Ledger report, the man was driving a forklift in a food products storage warehouse when the sinkhole swallowed both him and the forklift whole. The sinkhole, which opened right under a loading dock, was estimated to be 40 by 40 feet.

    The man was, luckily, rescued and escaped with only minor injuries. The warehouse has been evacuated and building officials are now trying to figure out what caused the sinkhole.

    A Florida man earlier this year was not quite as lucky as the warehouse worker. In April a sinkhole swallowed a man named Jeffrey Bush. The man was reportedly lounging in his bedroom when the entire room collapsed from under him. Bush and all of the room’s furniture were buried, and he did not survive.

  • 19-Foot Python Found, Killed in Miami

    Though the classic Jennifer Lopez/Ice Cube movie Anaconda may have exaggerated it just a bit, it is true that snakes can grow to a terrifying size. Now, one man in Miami has found a record-setting snake that’s longer than three human adults are tall.

    According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), a man named Jason Leon has found the longest Burmese python ever recorded in the state of Florida. The female snake is 18 feet, 8 inches long- more than one foot longer than the previous Florida record-holder. It also weighs 128 pounds.

    Leon reportedly saw three feet of the snake poking out of the bushes on the side of a rural road and stopped to capture the snake. Leon, who has experience with Burmese pythons as pets, began dragging it out of the brush by grabbing it behind its head. The snake was killed with a knife after it attempted to wrap itself around Leon’s leg.

    “Jason Leon’s nighttime sighting and capture of a Burmese python of more than 18 feet in length is a notable accomplishment that set a Florida record. The FWC is grateful to him both for safely removing such a large Burmese python and for reporting its capture,” said Kristen Sommers, Exotic Species Coordination section leader for the FWC.

    The FWC considers the Burmese python an invasive species that disrupts the ecosystem of the Florida Everglades. The record-setting snake is now being studied by researchers at the University of Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center.

    (Image courtesy the FWC)

  • Zach Galifianakis Brings Homeless Woman to Movie Premieres

    Zach Galifianakis is well-known for his dry comedy, but it turns out he’s got a sweet spot. It turns out the 43-year-old comedian recently saved an older woman from homelessness.

    According to a New York Daily News report, Galifianakis befriended a Los Angeles-area laundrywoman named Elizabeth “Mimi” Haist nearly 20 years ago. A few years ago, when Galifianakis learned that the 87-year-old Haist had no place to call home, the Hangover star set her up with a one-bedroom apartment an has been paying her rent.

    Now, Galifianakis is even bringing along Haist as his date to Hollywood premieres. Haist was reportedly brought to the premieres of The Hangover Part II and The Campaign, where gawkers wondered whether the woman was Galifianakis’ grandmother. According to the Daily News report, Haist relishes the looks she gets on the red carpet and enjoys martinis at exclusive after-parties.

    (Image courtesy Tom Sorensen/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Seahawks QB Arrested For DUI on May 5

    The Seattle Times reported this week that Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Josh Portis was arrested on May 5 for suspicion of DUI.

    The NFL player was reportedly stopped on the evening of Cinco de Mayo for speeding. The state patrol officer who stopped the athlete stated that Portis smelled of alcohol. Portis was arrested, and at least one blood test later showed that he had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .092, slightly higher than Washington State’s legal limit of .08.

    Portis is scheduled to appear at a court hearing on May 28. The DUI charge is a misdemeanor. Neither Portis nor the Seahawks have officially commented on the arrest.

    This is not Portis’ first run-in with the law. In 2010, while playing division II college football at California University of Pennsylvania, Portis was charged with theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen proberty, forgery, and access device fraud for using a stolen credit card. He was caught after signing up for a mall-store rewards card using his real name.

    Portis was signed by the Seahawks in 2011 as an undrafted free agent. He was cut from the team the following year, but as of April he has now been re-signed to a two-year contract with the team.

    (Image courtesy Jeffrey Beall/Wikimedia Commons)